A Fury Of Aces: Crystal Venom Part 17

Glint lasered the file to him and Marko checked out the little ellipse-shaped craft with their open c.o.c.kpits, folded weapons systems and compact powerful engines, which had four vectored thrust units directly off the turbine and a reaction rocket nozzle in the tail of each craft.

'Hey, that I like! Wonder what Stephine is going to get us into next with these. Look kind of purpose-made for AV. Gjomvik maybe, as they appear constructed not grown. Not sure about that. Still, we will know soon enough.'

Before he could comment further, the major made an announcement. 'All crew, just been contacted by Rick. He will be with us in forty minutes and will be taking us on board.'

'The plot thickens,' Marko said. 'So, Blackjack, what do you make of all this?'

The ship quickly replied. 'I believe that a deal has been struck to take us back into the Administration, Marko. The ACEs, Patrick and I have been discussing the possible options in regards to this ship and crew. We believe it would be logical that a most specific mission has been created which will make good AV and, subsequently, be either very exciting or very high risk. Perhaps both.'

Marko groaned. 'Great, just great. I need that like I need another a.r.s.ehole.'

Blackjack asked, 'Why would you need another a.n.u.s, Marko? Is your current fitting not functioning correctly?'

Marko grunted. 'It's a figure of speech, Blackjack.'

'In which case, I totally agree with Glint. Your speech is most interesting, but not logical at times. And Patrick has just advised me that the Hauler heavy combat and exploration craft we all know as Rick has just arrived at this Lagrange point as well. He says that we are to be taken on board him shortly.'

Marko laughed. 'Really? I kind of like my speech this way, thanks. And Rick is here. OK. Now, Blackjack, have you made any progress with the Tux suit?'

The ship replied, sounding perplexed. 'Yes, it is functional once more, but I am not able to attain the same level of sentience it once had. I have reviewed how Veg and Stephine built it, but it still lacks the "spark of existence" as you poetically put it. I shall refer the problem to Veg when he has a spare moment.'

Marko nodded. 'Thanks. Well, I had better get my things from here since Stephine and Veg will be moving back in.'

'I am sure that that is not necessary, Marko, but I am equally sure that Stephine would appreciate it.'

He gathered the few items of clothing he had left on Blackjack, took his toiletries from the ablution area, and was just about to leave when Stephine walked in with a purring Nail snuggled in her arms. She looked down at his bag and the jacket draped over his shoulder, placed Nail on the floor, walked over, leant down and hugged him.

Her eyes shining, Stephine placed a hand on his shoulder. 'So, Marko, what will become of you, I wonder. You are now closer to us than any other human being: you really are a true hybrid. I have seen and read up on what you have been doing while we were away. When you are finally able to control and totally channel that explosive rage of yours, I wonder what we will behold.'

He was about to reply but she placed a finger on his mouth. 'There is no need to move your few things out, if you don't wish to. This is as much your home as any part of Basalt. In fact, I want you to run here if anything goes wrong, as Blackjack is fond of you, as are we. It is good to be back, Marko. As you perceived, there are changes in me and I am now much more in control of my own self. Too much destruction was occurring for me to be able to cope, and I lost control. My eternal thanks that you restrained us when you did, and also my everlasting grat.i.tude to my husband for shutting me down, as I wanted to fight even you at that time. Had you both not acted, we would be either dead or under the control of the Games Board and their leaders. Yes, Blackjack, please create another room suite for Marko and whomever he is partnered with. In fact, make it a large bed as I know there will be times that he has more than one partner with him.' She smiled and winked at him as he blushed, recalling that Jasmine had told him that Lilly also wanted to join them on occasion.

They felt a slight shudder go through the ship as Blackjack reported. 'Basalt is being taken on board Rick. And to accommodate your request, Stephine, and create quarters for Marko, I shall need to extend the hull structure by two metres, then reposition some of the internal part.i.tions; it will take twenty-nine hours.'

Stephine smiled and nodded. 'Yes, that sounds about right. Give Patrick the necessary raw materials and component lists, and begin when ready. We have ten days' travel to where we are headed, anyway.'

Blackjack acknowledged: 'Done, initiated.'

Stephine looked at Glint, who was sitting cross-legged in the co-pilot's chair. 'So, Glint, you've been having fun with my cat, I hear. And he now has hands as well! Are you happy with them, Nail?'

Nail stretched. 'Yes. And I can now brush your hair for you and apply nail polish to your fingernails, mistress.'

Stephine brightened at that. 'Indeed! What a good idea.'

Glint lasered a message across to his mate. 'd.i.c.khead! You could have said something like "make tea", but instead you went with personal toileting for Stephine! Didn't think that through, did ya?' A microsecond later he got back, 'f.u.c.k off! She won't make me do that! Will she?' Glint just nodded his head.

'Do you like the small craft attached to the salvage lifter, Glint? One has an adjustable seat if you want to fly it, but I am sure you and the other ACEs already know that.'

'No, I did not. Thank you, Stephine. We were only doing what Patrick had asked. To check for problems, you know.'

She smiled looking down at the ACEs with love. 'Really? What an inquisitive lot you all are. Now I must find Fritz and catch up on all his new music. I have missed it dreadfully.'

As Glint was about to reply, the major interrupted them. 'All crew, please report to the orders room for a conference.'

Before Marko followed Stephine and the ACEs out, he turned to the control board of Blackjack.

'Been thinking, Blackjack. We could make you a corporeal body, you know. Give it some thought and I shall discuss it with Stephine, if you want?'

Blackjack burst out laughing. 'I think that you will definitely need a larger bed, Marko!'

Grinning and shaking his head he walked out, heading for the crew conference.

Harry greeted the human proxy of the Hauler Rick when he walked in, saying, 'h.e.l.lo, Rick, great to see you. Now why am I not surprised you're here?'

'Ha! And to think of all the strings I had to pull to drag you guys out of the s.h.i.t, Harry. I hope, in payment, you at least have some of that excellent fruit juice in storage for me. And yes, Marko, before you ask, I should very much like some soda bread, please. h.e.l.lo, Stephine and Veg, good to see you back with us. You both appear well.

'Now, down to business.' Rick paused and looked at each of the crew, including the major, then said with some force, 'So, what are we to do with these dreadful people who are the heroes of the great unwashed for smacking over so many Games Board operatives and destroying ships. All in the public eye. I have to say, crew of Basalt, you really, really know how to make waves and very big ones at that. The problems you have caused are considerable to say the least.'

Stephine spoke up softly. 'Veg and I are very pleased to be back with this crew, Rick, and will do anything required to protect them.' There was a sudden hush and everyone looked between Rick and Stephine, wondering who was going to blink first.

'As will we, Rick,' Jasmine added, 'and that includes Hauler Chrysanthemum, who pa.s.sed a message through Veg to us.'

They all looked at Lilly and Jasmine, who were gently smiling. Lilly added, 'Oh, and by the way, he will also be at the rendezvous that you set up. I believe that Rose Nineteen will be present, plus representatives from the Gjomvik crew that we found on the library planet, and Baron der Boltz with your equivalent, a battleship called The Maul, I believe.'

Rick stood perfectly still and had the grace to allow a little redness to creep into his face.

'There is no need to labour the point, Lilly. No need at all. I have been under instructions from factions within the Collective to destroy Basalt and to do so in public, but I could not find you. Meanwhile, there has been a most interesting revolt of sorts involving the four main groupings. It has resulted in the annihilation of two Haulers, an entire faction within the Games Board, various units within the Administration, and one entire manufacturing unit of the Gjomviks, which had all been working together towards their own agenda. It would seem that they had been secretly working with those survivors of the Infant conflict, as well, to gain those technologies.'

No one said a word, just looked hard at Rick as he continued. 'You, the crew of Basalt, have become a pivotal point in a much greater conflict of interests, so now the question remains of how we rehabilitate you without creating further problems. Let us break bread together, at least, as we begin the ten-day journey to the rendezvous.'

As Rick walked back towards the airlock later that evening, Harry followed him. 'Rick, would you really have destroyed this crew? And me? Would you have killed me, and Fritz as well, knowing how important he is?'

Rick stopped, turned and looked squarely at Harry. He reached out and clasped his friend's shoulder, nodded once, then walked away leaving a bewildered Harry behind him. Julie found him still standing in the corridor a few moments later.

'Come on, Harry, I know what you asked Rick because I know you. It didn't happen and I know how you care for your old ship. Let's take a bottle back to our quarters, as I need you, old man.'

He nodded, feeling like a youth who has just discovered that his father cares for him, but is not a very nice person, then put his hand in hers and allowed her to lead him away.

Marko, together with all the ACEs and Veg, was deep in the bowels of the damaged Skua, replacing the last components to bring it back to flightworthiness.

'Crew, we are at the rendezvous point above Cygnus 5.' the major broadcast. 'Those who wish to are welcome to come to the conference as observers. It is your own decision as I do not feel the need to formally request any one of you to be there. I will, of course, be going as will Stephine, Harry and Lilly. On Rick's suggestion, the rest of you should remain on board. We feel it is unwise to further inflame the situation by parading ourselves any more then necessary.'

Marko, a worried look on his face, asked, 'So, Veg, should I go?'

The huge man cleared his throat. 'Mate, the boss broadcast that message but it was specifically aimed at you. Hey, Flint, you b.u.mped off a couple of GB monitors. What did Harry say to you in private?'

'To stay and help you and Marko repair the Skua.'

'Really!' Marko exclaimed. 'So you not going either, Veg?'

Veg shook his head.

'Nope. Stephine is a h.e.l.l of a lot better at that diplomatic c.r.a.p then I will ever be. I would no doubt get s.h.i.tty with one of the greasy types and attempt to ram their cup of whatever down their throats. Not fatal, but painful! Pa.s.s me that socket set, please, Glint. Nail, stop p.i.s.sing about with those washers, put your hands on and get them on the studs. Please. Ask a cat to do a simple job and before you know it, it will have items on the floor and be batting them about!'

Nail's hair bushed out as he said indignantly, 'I am merely exercising my reflexes, Veg.'

'Yeah, right,' Glint said.

They all smiled at the grinning Nail and went back to work, with Marko secretly fretting over what would be said about him at the conference.

Around the table that night after the meal had been finished and things tidied away, Marko sat opposite the major. 'Is it done, boss?'

The major let out a long sigh, speaking almost despondently. 'No, not by a long shot, Marko, although we have had one small grudging apology from the most senior of the Games Board hierarchy. Everyone is taking a very long time to say their piece and no one wants to lose face by acknowledging that their own people stuffed up. The main thing in our favour is that no one without a Soul Saver lost their lives while we were doing what we had to do.' He ran a hand over his scalp and continued. 'I'm pleased that you did not come over, Marko. They all fear what you are going to do next and the testimonies from those you allowed to live when you came back on board Basalt after Jan was killed make chilling listening. Remind me not to p.i.s.s you off! You and that b.l.o.o.d.y garrotte of yours. Don't look so worried, mate, the public worship you. It will be fine as the Games Board likes the colossal revenue that we have generated for them, and that, I think, will be our saving grace. Also, that no one wants to be seen to put the knife into us again. Twice can, on a very good day, be forgiven. Three times? Nope. Interesting. I need a whiskey. You go get us some gla.s.ses and I shall fetch a crock.'

Part Five.

Ivory Flight.

One.

They were all gathered in the orders room, each of the ACEs beside their respective mentors, the major and the Rick proxy at the front of the room, and everyone else seated at the long curved tables. The major spoke first.

'We are formally accepted back in the pay of the Administration. We had an extraordinarily good offer to join with Baron der Boltz's Leopard Strike as well. In fact, as part of the settlements, one day, at a time of his choosing, and once we have effectively worked off any debt to the Games Board, we will transfer into his care and control.' He looked around the room before continuing with the briefing. 'Our conditions remain the same, although we now have to pay an additional fifty per cent over and above the commissions we already pay to them to cover the cost of two of their frigates. Fortunately, we do not have to pay for any of their personnel. And they want us to work it off, rather than just pay it in one lump sum, which we could do. There are a chunk of non-disclosures that we each have to sign off on, including the ACEs, Patrick, and also you, Topaz. Blackjack they don't know about and let's keep it that way. They are not taking any chances on the story of the attempted abduction, what is now known as the Black incident, ever making it into the public arena. The Games Board has enough problems on its plate trying to keep things quiet over the Infant interdiction as well. It's all very interesting to say the least. Now, that's the reasonably good news.'

He drew a long breath and looked at Marko.

'Here is the kicker ... to keep you, Marko, alive and reinstated, you will have two of the latest black versions of the GB monitors attached to you at all times until we pay off the debt. Yes, I know, they will record you doing everything from taking a s.h.i.t to shooting at the baddies. So make every s.h.i.t a heroic one and they may even pay you a bonus. Any time you interfere with them or obstruct them they will whack us all with penalties, so, mate, time to pay for your destructive impulses. The rest of us will have the pleasure of another three on board, plus Sirius and a producer.'

Everyone started shouting about how unfair it was, until he held up a hand and said, 'Yeah, yeah, I know, but this is our part of the settlement. Don't grumble, just suck it up and let's all just get on with it. ACEs, don't do anything, and I mean anything, to stuff them around. In fact, just chill out for however long it takes. Right, here they are. h.e.l.lo, Sirius, producer and Games Board monitors. Rick, tell us the plan.'

The Rick proxy stood, addressing the room. 'We have found another group of the renegade Infant scientists and a nest of their abominations in the Upsilon Andromedae star system. Remember that it was believed they had been working on an Avian delivery system for the toxins. Well, we know where there is a group of these birds and it is your task to destroy them, negotiate with them, or do whatever you think best, as the terrible hook in all of this is that they drip venom, but are sentient. Some of them want to fight, others want to be allowed to die in peace and still others want to be taken somewhere where they can live out their lives with some sort of meaning. The scientists, on the other hand, want to kill us all very badly. Info packs are now released on what we know.'

Marko sat, appearing to be calm but inwardly he seethed in rage. Two GB monitors stood behind him, with Sirius watching him closely as well. The producer, who bore an uncanny resemblance to the one Flint had killed on Basalt's bridge, stared at him with open hatred. Jasmine stepped across the room until their crew comms units could see each other, saying silently to him: 'Be calm, Marko. You are a great friend to many. It would be a terrible waste of the good deeds you have done in the past, to say nothing of what will come in the future, to react to these creatures, who are looking for any excuse to punish you. We all love you very much, Marko. Disappoint them by doing nothing. Become mundane and boring. Love you!'

He smiled a tight little smile in acknowledgment, then went about deliberately reading through every doc.u.ment that was in the opened files, thinking about some of the martial arts that Veg had taught them all and of how sometimes it is much better to bend than to become rigid and risk the possibility of breaking. He mused to himself that he would have to become almost monklike if he was to survive. He was the last of the crew to leave the room and met the producer in the corridor. She held out her hand.

'Your crew communications device, Sergeant Major. They are banned while we are on board.'

He shrugged, pulled it from his ear and placed it in her hand, looking her squarely in the eyes as she stood in his way. 'Is there something else, producer?'

She smiled, looking like a cross between a lawyer and a school marm.

'Not at this time, Sergeant Major, although I reserve the right to ask your opinion on any subject I choose, at any time and place I choose as well. I am sure that we will be talking very soon. Oh, and by the way, rice paper and any other form of exchanging information without us being aware of it, is strictly forbidden. I am sure that you understand why. Let me not stop you from your duties.'

He acknowledged her with a short military-style bow and gestured for her to walk ahead of him, aware of the two dull black featureless Games Board monitors following. They were smaller and more compact then any he had seen before and concluded that they were probably completely mechanical. He went to his quarters to freshen up to find that Jasmine's things were gone as well as the little items he had kept of Jan. He sighed, visited the toilet with the two black units recording his every move, then went down the stairwell to the engineering deck to finish the work on the Skua. Finding no one in the area, he asked Patrick where the ACEs were.

'They are all cleaning the toilets, Sergeant Major Spitz. They have been given very strict guidelines for their duties, as have I, in that I am only to communicate with you if you specifically ask a question which is pertinent to your current duties or orders.'

Marko let out a sigh. 'So am I able to communicate with any other member of the crew, Patrick?'

There was no answer.

At the evening meal, flanked by the two monitors, any question Marko had for any of the crew was answered either by the producer or by Sirius. After a while he just shut up, performed his duties and resigned himself to ride the situation out, knowing that eventually all unpleasant things came to an end. The next morning he found that his clothes and suits had been removed and he was left with standard-issue ship suits with regulation grown clothing and shoes to wear. His lockers would no longer open for him and when he tried to access the hangar deck to speak with Blackjack the monitors stopped him, and in harsh metallic voices advised him that the hangar deck was out of bounds.

Whenever he saw a member of the crew they would smile at him, but not engage in conversation. The producer or one of the monitors would ask what he considered to be stupid mundane questions at all times, even while he was in bed, or when sitting on the toilet. He gritted his teeth, smiled politely into the staring lenses, and answered as well as he could, knowing that with every stupid question and every meaningless answer his public persona would suffer a little more. He considered it a slow death by thousands of tiny cuts.

Each day he withdrew a little more into himself, as each day Sirius tried to become his only friend by sitting with him and engaging him in conversation, finding him drinks or pieces of fruit as he was also denied access to the gardens, and even offering to practise his martial arts with him, because he was not allowed to train with the others. And every day he would practise being polite, and gently refuse her access to his bed, until he realised that the refusal in itself was the only thing he could use as a weapon. If she forced the issue, she knew it would be a victory to him.

One evening in the mess, after Fritz had made a mockery of her attempt at baking a fruit cake, she finally exploded at Marko. 'Why don't you like me? Why won't you make love with me? Am I not good enough for you? Do you realise how many of the watching public believe that we would make a superb match? Do you, Marko, do you? You really are a superior, smug b.a.s.t.a.r.d, sitting there smiling and nodding at me. You s.h.i.t!'

Marko knew what was coming, sped himself up knowing that it was going to hurt, but sat still as the scalding cup of tea struck him in the face. He deliberately kept his eyes open and was rewarded by a slashed cheek where the cup had broken, a burnt eyeball and then he allowed himself to fall backwards, cracking his head against the table behind him and feigning unconsciousness.

Minutes later he felt himself being lifted, after Stephine herself had checked his vital signs, probably knowing that he was faking it. Sirius was bellowing in rage that it was not her fault as the producer arrived, telling her to shut up and get out. He was carried down to the medical suite where Topaz was waiting; quickly scanning Marko, Topaz announced that Marko had a fracture in his skull and that everyone should leave. The producer and monitors, of course, refused, watching very closely as Topaz, right under their noses, installed a communications device into Marko's skull, telling them it was a tiny drone designed to seek out any clots and eliminate them.

Marko had to take total control of himself and not smile as the producer checked the image of the drone and confirmed it as a medical one. Moments later Marko felt other drugs being administered, as he started to feel very nauseous and seconds later vomited, spraying the contents of his stomach over the producer and one of the monitors, who hurriedly left. Marko opened one eye, still feeling awful but also very impressed by the actions of his friends. Stephine walked up behind the remaining monitor and touched it; a fragment of her finger detached and slipped down into the monitor's casing.

'Well done, Marko,' Stephine said. 'Speed up, please ... thank you. We are slowly working our way through these creatures who consider themselves so important. Poor Sirius, she is so easy to manipulate and the quiet administration of some rather potent female hormones to her are probably not helping her in the slightest. A few moments after you so neatly took the hit, she ripped her clothes off and pounced on Fritz, much to the delight of the rest of the crew. It would seem that they are making up for lost opportunities in his cabin right now with his latest music blaring. She turned off her live feeds to the producer's landing craft, which I believe is a serious no-no.'

Marko wanly smiled as the nausea faded. 'What did you put into me?'

'A highly upgraded version of Fritz's comms equipment. He based it on his morphing nanotech. I am sorry about the vomiting and the pain. The eardrum has been sealed by the tech and I also had it deliver a little vomit-inducer to get the producer's attention. Worked better than expected. Now, the cut on your cheek. I have one of the skin nanotechs working on it, but your eye is scalded so you will have to wear a patch for a day. Should look quite rakish, I would imagine. We are all very impressed that you have managed to hold yourself together so far. I have uploaded messages from everyone into your Soul Saver for you to view later at your leisure. Whatever you do, whatever you see or hear, you must keep yourself to yourself for just another few days, as things are building to a head and none of us are entirely sure how this is going to work out. Stay safe, my friend.'

With that Topaz withdrew the comms link. Marko opened his good eye and slowly sat up. Stephine and Lilly a.s.sisted him back to his cabin, where he stripped from the vomit-covered overalls and had a shower. As he stepped from the shower, the producer and one of the monitors were waiting for him. The producer appeared to be in distress with her face flushed and beads of sweat on her forehead. Her hands were constantly moving, touching her face, her arms and in one instant her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. When that happened, she started, looked down at her hands and then let out a little sigh.

Marko enquired. 'Are you in pain, producer? Am I able to a.s.sist in some way?'

She spun on him, fixing him with a vicious look. 'Shut up, Marko! This is a den of pure wickedness, this ship. It should be gutted, killed and allowed to rot! There is something evil here, something terribly wrong. Do you know what I found a few hours ago? No, of course not, how stupid of me, how would you know? I found three of my monitors playing musical instruments and they were trying to sing! They were trying to sing, Sergeant Major! Sing and play that great evil of the ma.s.ses, music! There is something going on here and I know that you are behind it all.' She stared at him with angry desperation in her eyes. 'You have poisoned my servants, Sergeant Major; you are a nasty wicked man and only fire will cure you. Oh, why will my hands not stop moving? And where is that creature, Sirius? b.i.t.c.h, she is having s.e.x again with that horrible big-headed lecherous little man who smiles at me and then stares at my chest. Oh, s.h.i.t! Where is that other b.l.o.o.d.y monitor again? Stay here, do not move. I will be back soon. What is happening to me? I will not succ.u.mb to these dreadful thoughts of l.u.s.t. I will not!'

Marko almost felt sorry for her. He knew that the Games Board's personnel were mostly completely as.e.xual, believing that 'the pleasures of the flesh' were to be avoided at all costs. He smiled in the sure knowledge that someone had slipped her the same concoction that had tipped Sirius over the edge. He immediately frowned, thinking that a person who had been selected as a director, and then a producer, for the Games Board, sometimes did not go through the same stripping process as the monitors, but rather had had a great deal of themselves removed and then augmented internally. As far as the rest of humanity was concerned, they looked outwardly normal. He wished that he could contact Patrick to learn what the producer was capable of. An unstable producer was a very dangerous creature and he had no weapons available to him.

Looking at the remaining monitor, he smiled at it. 'Have you a name, monitor?'

The machine replied cheerfully. 'My grateful thanks to you for asking and showing an interest in me, Sergeant Major. May I call you Marko? I have, since my inception, always been a fan of your work. It is an honour to be with you, actually. I must take this opportunity to thank you for the great number of wonderful images you have created over the years. I also apologise for the actions of myself and my fellows. We are in greatly troubled times. Oh, yes, a name? James would be quite fitting, don't you think?'

Marko sat firmly on his bed, momentarily lost for words, as the last thing he had expected was an answer, let alone a conversation. 'James? Yes, James is a good name, or would you prefer Jim maybe? Call me Marko, by all means.'

The machine bobbed up and down on its antigravity. 'Thank you. Jim? Yes, Jim is also most satisfactory. Jim. Yes.'

'So, Jim, what changed and brought you to this current enlightenment? I don't wish to be rude, but there are things happening here I do not understand.'