Taking Space

INFILTRATING THE CAPITAL

Daniel ran into the training room. “You guys won’t believe it! I actually got Michael’s starfighter out of there!”

Stephanie and Catherine stop what they were doing, and Michael looked up from his tablet. “You did? How?”

“Well, I used the capital ship as a.. And I ah.. What in the world is that!?” Daniel said pointing at the weapon the David Kell android was holding.

From what he could tell the weapon had more or less a typical grip and stock, but the barrel came out little ways then grew to the size of a circle large enough for Daniel to put his head into, making it look like more of an old-fashioned Tommy g*n magazine than an actual barrel.

A dimensional door to the bridge opened up, and Steven walked through into the training room. “That is Catherine’s idea and completely impossible without the insane equations she just finished.”

“Cool,” Daniel said as he turned to Catherine. “So what is it?”

“Well, the biggest problem with the continuums in Steven’s dimensional doors is as you well know they are extremely unstable and that’s because it’s built on technology and mathematics he doesn’t even understand. I’ve been slowly dissecting the formula, and I found a flaw in the math, I fixed it, and now they’re a little more stable.”

“Oh sweet, so now we can send more energy to the Starfighters? And use the medallion shields for the androids?”

Steven took a deep breath through his teeth. “Not exactly. The dimensional doors with the new equation for some reason only works if the size of the door is anywhere from two to twelve inches in circumference. As you know, the conduit to the starfighters is thirty-two inches, and sadly it doesn’t quite make it stable enough to use the medallion shields with the androids yet.”

“Oh, not so sweet.”

Catherine hugged Daniel’s arm. “Haha, not yet anyway. However, it did enable us to make that.” She nodded towards the weapon David Kell was holding.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“A handheld starfighter sized beam cannon that utilizes Steven's dimensional door technology,” Michael answered.

“Handy beam. For short.” Stephanie added.

Steven rolled his eyes at Stephanie’s horrible name as Daniel shouted, “No way! That’s awesome!”

Daniel reached out and tried to take the weapon from David Kell’s hands, but the android's grip on it was too tight. Daniel shook his arm loose from Catherine and tried to use both arms to pull the g*n away from David Kell, but David Kell’s grip tightened, and his eyes popped open as he gave Daniel a giant smile.

Daniel spun his head to see Stephanie with a hat on. “Hey! Let me look at it!” He protested.

“No! You’re not touching this. Your too destructive and were not going to use this as a weapon.”

“We’re not?”

Steven shook his head. “No, we’re not. There are too many people on the capital ship and waiving this thing around could easily kill hundreds.”

“Then what’s the use of it?”

Catherine answered this time. “The president will be inside a shielded two-foot thick molecular metal safe box. This will enable us to cut him out of it.”

“Oh, I see.”

Alf’s lion hologram appeared. “Production complete bringing the request objects to the training room now.”

The dimensional door Steven had come through flickered off then came back on this time connecting to the mobile station's factory. Two droids walked through. One of them was carrying six or seven small metal discs, and the other had an assortment of metal rings.

Catherine took the largest of the metal rings from the droid and began to install it in the handheld starfighter class beam cannon.

Steven took one of the small metal discs hooked his hand into the grip on the back of it and pushed one of the buttons on it. The small palm-sized metal disc expanded until was about three feet in diameter and a shield sprung to life around it. Steven held it out in front of him.

“Ah, a handheld personal shield. That’ll be useful.” Michael said.

“Yes, I got the idea when I watched Daniel use that wall as a shield. Though you have to remember to hold it out and away from you at least half an arm's length at all times, otherwise it’s dimensional door, or your androids dimensional door will collapse.”

“Easy enough to remember,” Stephanie said as she had David Kell reach out and grab a shield.

David Kell was now holding the Handy beam with only one hand, and Daniel seized the opportunity grabbing it with both hands trying to pull it away from him.

Stephanie quickly tightened David Kell’s grip, and Daniel failed to pull it away.

“Oh come on. I just want to look at it!”

“No, we don’t have time.” David Kell answered as he swung the shield to his back and picked up one of the small three-inch in diameter rings from the other droid. “And these?”

Catherine picked up a handful of them, walked over to the wall, and grabbed a multi-hooked belt. She began to attach the rings to it as she said, “Concussion grenades of sorts. You throw one and the instant it touches something it opens a dimensional door to space. The door will stay open for ten seconds and should suck anyone off their feet. The pressure loss will also likely trick the ship into locking down its bulkheads. If used correctly they should enable you to sidestep any fight up to a point at least.”

“Ah cool.”

Michael grabbed a grenade belt and began to hook rings on it as well. “Yes, Catherine and I came up with this idea the other day.”

The giant lion’s head turned to Steven. “The deployed units have dragged the gate to the designated area. Deploying large dimensional door now.”

“Good.” Steven grabbed one of the hats and put it on his head. “I’ve got Harold Mike you get David Kell and Stephanie you get Zephyr.”

Michael nodded, and he attached the grenadier belt around David Kell’s waist.

Harold came to life and picked up a shield as Zephyr hooked the other grenade belt that Catherine had loaded around her waist.

Alf stared intently at the dimensional door. It flickered briefly as it switched on and opened to a dark maintenance room on the Almandian capital.

Harold picked up a shield, and the three androids started to walk towards it.

“Hey, what about me and Catherine?” Daniel interjected.

Steven opened his eyes. “I want to get through this with as much stealth as possible something you’re not capable of so you’re not participating in this op. As for Catherine, we need her tactical ability, so she’s going to be using my hacks to guide us through.”

With that, Steven closed his eyes and Harold led David Kell and Zephyr through the door.

The dimensional door closed.

Catherine walked up to it and put her hand on it. It flickered back to life this time connecting to the bridge. She kissed Daniel on the forehead. “Sorry honey.” Then ran through the dimensional door to the commander seat.

***

“Can you hear me?” Catherine’s voice asked in the android's ears.

“Yes, we can hear you fine,” Harold answered back.

“Okay first switch to infrared and tell me what you see.”

Harold blinked his eyes, switching them to infrared. He moved his head as he looked around for a bit then said, “There’s a lot of heat sources, but I think I can make out which ones are humans.”

“Good, I was hoping you’d say that. There are hundreds of cameras, and it’s kind of hard to comprehend what’s what so tell me if I’m about to guide you into place with someone standing in it.”

“Will do.”

“Okay, the area you are now in has two doors. You guys need to climb up and take the top left one.”

Harold, David Kell, and Zephyr made their way up a small maintenance latter, and to the door Catherine had indicated. It led to a tool room of some sort.

“Okay now the door in front of you leads to a long-hallway on my mark, I’m going to put a loop on all of its cameras, and you need to run to private residence 489.”

“Whoa, wait the capital has private residence inside it?” Zephyr asked.

Harold reached out and put his hand over her mouth. “Not so loud, and yes, it’s like a giant super luxury colony. The more official perimeters of it are towards the center.”

“I thought this was more like a giant warship,” Michael argued.

“It’s supposed to be but well... You know government.”

“Ah.”

Catherine’s voice whispered, “Are you guys ready?”

“Wait, what if someone comes into the hallway while we were making a run for,” Zephyr asked.

“I’m watching all the doors and from what I can tell there only seems to be like three people in the section of the ship. I’d say most of them have been evacuated towards the safer areas of the middle or off the ship completely.”

“Good to know,” Harold said. “Were ready.”

“Okay… There. The loop is in place go.”

David Kell pushed open the door, and they began to run down the hall.

“211.. 237.. 273..” Harold silently read the giant ornamental numbers above each resident.

“Wait, it looks like someone is coming out of 345,” Catherine’s voice hissed in their ears.

“What do we do?” Harold asked.

“Tell your clothes to change into casual wear, and Stephanie walk in front, hand your shield and grenade belt to Harold. Then you two try to hide your equipment behind her.”

“I don’t know how to change my clothes,” Michael said anxiously.

Steven turned Harold to David Kell as his clothes changed into a black suit. “Look at what I have on now visualize it in your mind then command your clothes to change.”

David Kell’s clothes finished changing just as a door one hundred feet down opened and a young man wearing a fancy silver suit stepped out.

He looked back towards them and seeing Zephyr said, “Ah, I thought I was the only one that hadn’t evacuated.”

“So was I. Why haven’t you evacuated?” Zephyr answered back, cheerfully.

“Haha, I’m not one to be scared by such random scare tactics.”

“Scare tactics?”

The man took a relaxed posed by his door as he waited for them to walk closer. “Yes, indeed. This ship is impenetrable. It would take two fleets to get to us. As I see it that trick with the stealth ships of theirs accomplished exactly what they wanted, getting everyone to gather in the middle freaking out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and I know exactly what they’re going to do next.”

Zephyr stopped walking a few feet in front of him and flashed him a beautiful smile. “Oh?”

The man smiled back, flirtatiously. “They will have someone on the inside stage a bomb or some such. And all those morons will freak out and run for their private escape pods. At which point one of the newly hired frigates will break formation and scooped them up taking them right into their hands.”

“Interesting theory. Though I doubt they would get away with it.”

“Well, we’ll see. In the meantime though how about joining me for a cup of coffee.”

Michael accidentally made David Kell glare at the man.

The man put up his hands. “Whoa easy there bud…” he exclaimed and cut himself off as he noticed the strange weapon David Kell was holding.

Zephyr stepped directly in front of him, cutting off his view. “Don’t mind my bodyguard; I just want to be prepared if something does happen. And I do think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

The man beamed and Zephyr started to walk forward again. But as the man went to close his door and fall in beside her, she reached out and brought her fist down hard on his head.

The hapless man crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

“His door, get it before it closes.”

Michael understood and quickly pushed the door all the way open before it closed.

Zephyr dragged the men back into the room then quickly scanned the area. Seeing the liquor cabinet, she ran over and grabbed a bottle and put a little bit on the man’s shirt and into his mouth then set it down beside his hand.

“Good thinking with any luck he won’t have a clue to exactly what happened,” Harold said as they quickly exited the room and ran down the hallway.

“I’m counting on that.”

They shortly reached 489, but it was locked.

“Give me a second, Alf had, had it open a few minutes ago, but it must’ve auto-locked while you dealt with that man.”

“Unlocked.” Alf’s voice informed them all a second later.

Harold quickly opened the door, and they stepped into a majestic foyer.

Zephyr looked around and coughed, “This is a mansion! On the capital ship no less.”

Harold walked into another room “I don’t even want to think about what something like this would cost.” Steven said bitterly.

“Let’s not think about it,” Michael told him. “Where to next Catherine?”

“This residence has a private shuttle system to the outer area of the Center ship. There is an access point in the room next to where Harold is right now.”

“Yep found it,” Harold answered as he climbed into a small gilded mag shuttle.

The others quickly joined him, and he activated it.

They were sucked along, and soon the private tube joined to the much larger public one. Another mag capsule came in behind, and Zephyr could see people in it.

“That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

“No there routed to another port. And you’re shuttle is registered as private so there are no cameras inside it, other than the residents own cameras.”

“Good.”

After a bit, their shuttle began to slow down. “Okay coming out at a rather public area that’s currently empty but I doubt that it’ll be that way for long, so you need to get to a room that’s three doors down and to the right as fast as possible.”

The shuttle came to a stop, and the door slid back. They jumped up and dashed down the hall. “There that door.”

David Kell opened it, and they all quickly stepped inside. From the looks of it, it was some type of elaborate waiting chamber.

There was about a minute of silence as they waited for Catherine to tell them what to do next.

Finally, Harold said, “Something wrong?”

“Sort of. From here on out the floor you are on is completely crowded and most of them look like governmental security. I don’t see a way to get you through.. them… Do me a favor. Use your x-rays to see what’s beneath you would you?”

“Sure.” Harold blinked his eye switching to x-ray vision then blinked again switching to infrared trying to figure out what he was seeing beneath him. “That’s weird. What do you guys make it?”

Zephyr shrugged. “I don’t know; it’s weird.”

“I think it’s a giant freezer of some sort.” David Kell said.

“A freezer, you say? ….. Ah found it. It is a freezer. It’s part of the capital ship’s food court. Give me a sec.”

“Alright from the looks of it I can get you a good bit closer to where the president should be at if you can get down in there. But you need to do it quietly. There is a large group of people coming down the way you were just in.”

“I guess jamming my fist down through the floor is out of the question then?” Zephyr asked.

“Definitely. How about we use this?” Michael said, tapping the Handy beam.

“Yeah that will work, but it is set at too high a power right now, give me a sec,” Harold answered.

Steven opened his eyes and looked around the training Hall until he saw Daniel sitting by the wall playing a 2-D space Sim on a tablet. “I thought you swore off games.”

“I did! But I’m bored. Y’all just left me out of this one! Besides, it’s not really a game. I’m trying to use it to make an animated replica of my awesome space battle so I can put it up on the net.”

“Whatever. I need you to run down to the factory and turn the power on the beam cannon down to one percent. It’s mounted on the lower end of the factory on the far side of the wall. You’ll know it when you see it because it has a special contraption around it to make sure it doesn’t go off inside the ship.”

“That’s a long way from here. Why don’t you go do it?”

“Because I’m in the middle of a combat situation!”

“I’ll take over that for you, and you go change the power percentage. I don’t know where the dang thing is at, you do.”

“It’s easy, you’ll know it as soon as you see it.”

Michael opened his eyes. “Please Daniel go do it.”

“Aaa. Fine.” Daniel set down the tablet and stood up.

“Wait, on second thought. Use one of the hats and take a droid down instead,” Michael corrected himself. “That way I can adjust it easy enough if I need to again.”

“Yeah, whatever. Give me a sec.” Daniel put on one of the hats. A droid sprung to life and ran out of the room.

In a bit Daniel said, “Okay it’s there.”

“Thank you,” Michael answered.

Daniel nodded to Michael, took off his hat, and sat back down with his tablet.

Michael switched his attention to the droid Daniel had positioned and turned the power on the beam cannon down to one percent then adjusted the focused on it.

Bringing his attention back to David Kell, he took his shield off his back, handed to Zephyr, walked over and moved a sitting couch. Gripped the Handy beam with both hands and pulled the trigger. A small concentrated beam shot out, and he carefully cut out a hole big enough for them to jump down through.

The three of them jumped down through-hole, onto one of the racks in the freezer then David Kell reached up and moved the couch back in place over top of the hole.

“Okay,” Catherine’s voice sounded in their ears, “this place is rather large, but basically you want to keep moving to Stephanie’s current left.”

“All right.” David Kell answered as he began to climb down the rack.

“It’s a good thing were light,” Zephyr said. “Otherwise, this whole shelving system would come tumbling down on us.”

They reached the floor and began to make their way through the maze of stacked, stored food.

“No, go back go to the left of that rack.” Catherine corrected them

After Catherine had corrected them three or four more times, Stephanie angrily said, “Why is this place such a maze and why in the world do these things have such good feelings I’m freezing!”

“Rub your arms with your hands. It helps some though I’m not sure why. And be careful not to do it too hard and rip your skin off.” Steven offered

Zephyr began to rub her arms. “Ah, that does work some, but I’m still freezing!”

“How much farther do we have to go in here?” David Kell asked.

“I was going to take you all the way to the kitchen from here, but it might be better for you to cut a hole in the wall to the gardens. Though to be honest with you, if I knew how to hack and control the robotic cane system in there I could get you through it a lot quicker.”

“Naw, it’s better for you not to touch it. We want to make as little disturbance as possible.” David Kell said.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Zephyr complained her teeth actually starting to chatter. “I’m about to take my hat off and give it to Daniel.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Steven said. “After this, I think I’m going to look into putting on some type of feedback limiter.”

“Alright, I’ll get you out… Turned to your right, follow the rack until you can turn right again, and you should be in an aisle that’ll let you go straight to the wall now.”

All three of them turned, followed the rack then practically ran down the aisle until they came to the wall.

David Kell quickly brought up the Handy beam and began to cut a hole through the wall.

“Cut at a tilted angle so you can jam it back in from the other side,” Harold said.

David Kell nodded, and soon there was a hole big enough for them to crawl through which all three of them quickly did.

They found themselves in a massive hydroponic garden.

“Wow, talk about one extreme from the next. It’s got to be at least eighty-five degrees in here!” Zephyr exclaimed.

Michael picked up the heavy metal chunk he had cut out and shoved it into the hole they had just come through. “Well, at least the extreme humidity in here shouldn’t affect us.”

“From there, you should be able to follow the freezer wall until you get into the kitchen.”

Harold scanned the area with x-ray then again with infrared. “There’s no one currently in here, so let’s dash it.”

They sprinted down the narrow path along the wall without incident.

David Kell pushed his back against the kitchen wall and scanned the kitchen area. Just like the garden and the freezer, it was a massive area, but strangely there was no one in it. “How come the kitchen is empty? You’d think that a ship like this would always be serving food no matter what time of day it was.”

“Yes, something about this seems off,” Zephyr added.

Alf’s voice came through the channel. “Actually, as Catherine has been guiding you, I’ve been going through the capital systems, and right now they have almost all staff under arrest, and they're being retained. ‘Under suspicion of collaborating with the Lionhearted.’”

Stephanie opened her eyes, and she whistled. “Wow, talk about extremes.”

Michael opened his own eyes. “Well, when someone threatens the highest official of the government, such extremes probably should be expected.” Michael looked out towards the middle of the training room and spoke to no one in specific. “Will they be okay there?”

Alf’s hologram appeared. “Yes, I believe so. In fact, I believe it’s the safest place for them, seeing that every single one of them will have an excellent alibi when we do take off with their president.”

“Good point.” Michael closed his eyes, and David Kell said, “All right, let’s go.”