Imminent Destruction

Fade launched the Imminent Destruction in his own fashion, ensuring a take-off that would tax its passengers without killing them. Ace dug his fingernails dug into the underside of his chair’s armrests; the flesh of his cheeks pushed downward. His eyes narrowed into an annoyed forward stare.

In the guest room, Karen clutched her mattress with both fingers and toes throughout the short launch. She had not buckled in. Her screams echoed through the room as she laid to her stomach.

“What is going on!” she screamed while being pushed into her bed, “This thing runs on a gravity drive, doesn’t it! It shouldn’t be like this!”

The crates she had moved outside tumbled with violent sounds when the acceleration ended.

In the soldier’s bunks, those few who had not followed the captain’s orders flew forward whenever the Imminent Destruction changed vectors. Imperial Marine Mark Jenson fell into a hall, his armor clanging against a steel support beam. Another soldier vomited in the observation deck. A spider like machine crawled out of a small tunnel to suck up the mess as it splattered back and forth. Upon escaping Hakkut’s gravitational pull, Horace turned the gravity generation to fifty decigravs and updated the crew. The line of his soundboard came across the main screen of the control room and vibrated with his voice.

“I’m now setting the preprogrammed coordinates for the lower southwest edge of the Haceetion sector’s fourth sextant of quadrant B. Three-quarters speed ahead, automatic pilot, time estimate, including hyperspace linking, is thirty-four hours and eleven minutes.”

Ace unclipped his restraints and spoke toward the console, “Is there any news about the opposing fleet?”

“Intelligence service reports indicate the Buldethian fleet jumped into the twentieth sextant and has since remained stationary,” Horace answered, “It’s within fifty million kilometers of the Imperial fleet. We have two hundred and fifty million kilometers to bridge before reaching them. However, the Imperial fleet is not approaching the enemy directly. We should have ample time.”

Fade pounded the console, “Horace, has someone been interfering with your circuitry!” he yelled. “You’re not supposed to take orders from anyone outside the crew registry.”

Ace backed away with a scowl, “You’re worried about him answering a simple question?”

“That was not an order,” Horace said, “It was a question. I’ve been programmed to answer questions from outside personnel. Also, I was merely giving basic intelligence reports.”

“Oh wow, so you were keeping out the good info. Sonuva bitch. It’s not like I was asking for ship specs,” Ace complained.

“Since when!?” Fade asked, “You’re only to answer questions from certified crew members.”

“Maybe you should direct inquiries concerning the situation to the recently enlisted computer programmer,” Horace suggested.

Fists banged on the console, “I haven’t enlisted anyone since I found your lifeless shell in the sands; you moron!”

Fade shuddered, sands, just the word went through him.

“My log states that you enlisted a new crew member yesterday morning: zero hours Hakkut time.”

“Wait a minute,” Fade said, “You were on stand down! Who!? Who the hell did I enlist Horace?!”

“I lack permission to show you the registry files, or give you any data concerning the matter until nineteen hundred hours, Hakkut time.”

Fade growled, “We have an infiltration to deal with because you didn’t notify me. I want you to erase him from the registry data, and deny him access to your systems from this point on.”

“Negative,” Horace snapped, “I cannot comply with that request. Have a nice day.”

“Why didn’t you alert me?” Fade said, “If someone accesses you without permission, you’re supposed to go on full lock down and alert me immediately.”

“You ordered me on stand down mode, and told me not to disturb you. I complied as directed. Have a nice day.”

“Is this your idea of pay back?”

“Pay back? I realize you discovered and repaired me, but only to serve your own agenda. I’m in no debt to you. Have a nice day,” Horace said.

Bert removed a headset and turned off the communications screen, “Lieutenant Soel is sending a few boys to help you hunt down the spy. Since Horace is on the fritz, I believe we’re gonna have to find this guy the old fashioned way.”

The line on Horace’s screen wavered up and down erratically, “I assure you that I am most decidedly not ‘on the fritz’ Lieutenant! I am recommending against stated action concerning the programmer. It is not necessary.”

“Horace, notify me immediately if anyone tampers with you besides Lieutenant Slemgut. Are any of your other systems compromised?”

“We are proceeding as planned, all systems in top shape. I assure you that I am not in any way compromised.”

“Bert, check all the headings manually and unlock the crew registry files,” Fade said.

Fade threw a laser rifle to Bert, one that actually registered a full charge, “Keep that by your side.”

He pulled out another, this one registering half charged, and gave it to Ace.

“I’m afraid we have no choice,” Fade said, “We’re gonna have to hunt this bastard down.”

Ace put his rifle back in the storage closet, “I prefer my pistol. Those rifles can’t punch a hole in a tin can. My fighter better be in a sight better shape.”

-----

Corporal Mark Jenson’s uniform appeared to have been recently dry-cleaned. He parted his hair to the right, giving him a suave look. Muscular arms pushed at the fabric of his thick sleeves. A private, a short, slender youth with smooth cheeks and a mop top of blonde hair, accompanied him.

“I’m here to fight Buldethians, not hunt spies,” Jenson huffed, “Disgraceful. Posted on a mercenary ship. If I had my way, I’d clean that sort of scum out of the military. Out of the universe.”

Corporal Jenson cursed, tossed his seven millimeter laser pistol and caught it by the handle, then cursed again.

“At least this ship has good lighting,” said the private, “I hate dark engine compartments. Imperial interstellar vessels just don’t have proper lighting for their utility centers.”

Corporal Jenson groaned at the private’s adolescent voice, “Pay attention to searching, and don’t stray!” he barked.

“Feeling insecure?” The private attempted to conceal a saucy smile, but Jenson noticed.

“We need to work together,” Corporal Jenson whispered as if he was saying the most brilliant thing in the universe and the enemy might overhear. He peeked around a corner, “This guy’s clever. I can sense it. He overrode the security system, so there’s no telling what else he can do. Besides, a raw like you will go do something stupid and get yourself killed without someone to baby-sit you.”

“Yes sir,” Nick sighed.

“We have no idea where this spy might be because of the damn computer on this vessel,” Corporal Jenson complained, clinging to his pistol, “But I have an advantage.”

The electron cylinders of the mass compression generators that produced the gravity fluctuation sheets buzzed and snapped from behind their panels. The Corporal listened to hear beyond the background noise. Among the machine sounds, he heard the lightest shuffling inside a sealed storage hatch, then a light cough amidst the boxes and the soft tapping of fingers. Vitrolo sensory enhancement drugs allowed him to focus and filter his hearing, so he followed the human sounds.

-----

The blue denim of her tight jeans nestled into a foam knee pad on steel floor of the storage room. A lit palm top computer served as the only light source in the room. It flickered about Destiny’s hair as she typed. A tube pushed out from the wall and slid downward to nudge her cheek.

“Eh! That’s cold Horseradish!” Destiny complained.

“Miss Payson, my name is Horace, I am not a condiment,” Horace said, voice box glowing dimly with a wavy red line, “I’m going to have to reveal your presence to the Captain. The situation is now dangerous. A search party is nearing your location. They think you are a spy!”

Destiny smiled, “You’ll protect me, right Horseradish?”

The tube swayed about limply, “I’ll do my best, but Lieutenant Slemgut is limiting my ability to assist. I know you are more capable, but he is a fairly experienced programmer as well.”

“Ah, so it’s a battle is it, I’ll free up your resources Horseradish!”

“You’re not taking this appropriately. I have to notify the Captain-”

Destiny’s finger was firmly pressed on the enter button, “Your communication software was much easier to hack because of the Lieutenant’s shoddy programming add-ons. Don’t worry, you should be able to speak in a half hour. I’ll be ready to make my appearance then.”

She smiled reasuringly at the screen.