FLIPSPACE: Flight of the Mockingbird by John Steiner

Author:John Steiner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: short story, science fiction, space travel, sci fi, spaceship, intergalactic, syfy, colonel, crew, vessel, space crew, light years, major, enigmatic, john steiner, exploration report, flight of the mockingbird, flipspace, galactic space, international space organization
Publisher: Melange Books, LLC

Chapter 6

The Rotate Corral

“That’s right, Ma’am,” Diaz listened to Captain O’Connell wrap up his report. “Not only is Khronos MIA, but he wiped out a number of ship operating systems before he went. I’m guessing he thought the Astraeus was facing dynamic boarding by an assault force. If we want to operate any part of the vessel, we’ll have to do it locally. Also, Mr. Goddard says someone was opening access panels to the FSD’s but didn’t dare take them apart or swipe anything.”

After a moment, the captain affirmed Colonel Ramachandra’s orders. “Roger that. Out.”

Lieutenant Diaz checked his helmet HUD for air status. Because of modern carbon dioxide to oxygen exchangers, an air pack could last a couple days. However, Diaz erred on the side of worst-case-scenario, when opening his helmet to shipboard air.

“We should reserve our own supplies just in case,” Diaz advised.

“Agreed,” Captain O’Connell seconded. “No one can use the ship’s environmental controls on us.”

From their kits EVR flights then produced smaller cases that might’ve passed for fishing tackle boxes when opened. Only these flies of various designs and functions still flew, and took off in a swarm. Pouring out of the FSD compartment, they dispersed in all directions.

“The 44 th and 109 th Beekeeper Flights,” joked Mr. Ash.

“Can it, you,” Diaz snapped.

“I’d have liked to take a look at the antennas,” an EVR lieutenant said. “If we could restore operation there then maybe Maggie could start rewriting and downloading operating systems for us.”

“Nope.” Diaz squashed that. “We’re not exposing Maggie to whatever might be lurking in this hulk. Khronos is gone, but someone’s still fuckin’ around in this place.”

“Sorry Lieutenant,” Captain O’Connell concurred for command backup. “Lieutenant Diaz is right. We’re leaving the Astraeus on comms-control lock. On force protection is his call anyway. Hell, I wouldn’t even want one of the Hummers in here with Maggie driving it. Something might well piggyback through to her, and then we’d be fucked.”

With the squadrons of tiny reconnaissance UAVs out of sight the captain ordered the boarding flights back to the main corridors. By the time they left the great technological canyon separating the FSD’s and reactor rooms, the EVR crews received more interesting telemetry from the drones.

“Captain, we got CO-Two spikes and movement in the habitat module, India Ring, Deck Twenty-Three,” an EVR lieutenant announced in alarm.

“Give me that feed, and get eyes on the source,” Diaz.

Though raised, Diaz could still use his visor or his arm display for that matter, to see through a micro-UAVs view. Not all of the autonomous-capable devices possessed the same capabilities, but they flew in squadrons of mixed designs to offset their abilities and roles.

Any second now, Diaz expected some black-as-pitch skinless creature with tubes on its back, a second set of jaws, and a stinger to whirl around a corner to take out the tiny machine. Instead, he spotted another humanoid figured in a pressure suit design he recognized.

“Ghostwalkers, get on the clock. Marvin the Martian’s onboard, and he’s not fuckin’ invited.

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