Knowledge is all about understanding, wisdom is making use of it, and technology is making use of that wisdom in order to achieve definite results. And once we have the technology ready, we can apply it to everything in order to control it.

(Professor Zhaernon En'Kalhurn-University of Delta Draconis year 452)

 

Colonel David O’lleary

 

PX2458 uncharted star system, Year 456 of the Unified Alliance.

 

I was floored. Those are the command codes of the ship! How did she get them? The unnerving smile of the woman irked me. The light on the bridge went out and we were plunged into the darkness for a time, the screen and com didn’t and we still could see the woman.

“Sir! The ship is moving toward the station.” The pilot at the helm squealed.

I could see that none of the light on the control consoles for the weapon, engineering, astrogation are available. At least we have Life Support. That thought drove home how serious the situation is physically on me, I couldn’t breathe and think. Until pure rage took over. How dare she?! I am Colonel David O’lleary of the PMC Ares! I have more accolades and successes than all those floozies in HQ combined that are flying desk instead of ships! My eyes found those of my XO who nodded to me, his uniform was black and flawless with shiny medals and the Ares insignia that looks like swords in the letter ‘A’ form. The guy never gave up on me; God knows he has reasons to.

“Prepare to board the station! Super Soldiers get ready!” I said when I push the buttons on my chair to give orders.

We can turn this situation around! I am sure of it, we will take this station, take care of that woman – Maybe have a little fun- and blow up that station to erase that we were ever here. On the horseshoe formed bridge, the officers are trying to take back control of the ship, some even tried to open up their consoles or shut off the AI controls. But I feel that this ship has sailed. The situation is so dire that I cannot laugh at my own jokes… Strangely the camera and communication on the ship were not disabled and I could watch the platoon of super soldiers prepare and roam the grey colored corridors of the ship. The engineers couldn’t or wouldn’t work on the fusion reactor feeding energy to the Electro-Plasma System. The Medical wing went into overdrive and prepared beds and supply en masse for future patients.

Everyone is doing his job but I could feel a silent undertone of fear while they are doing so. I felt the same, fear that I attacked more than I could handle and that I am sending my troops to their death. I’m certain that is what I am doing. We should have retreated when the fighter of Corporal Evan disappeared in that station. Putting my arm on the chair’s armrest I think of a way to recoup my loss, but the sight of us docking with the station put everything on hold.

 

***

Fenicia

 

Everything is ready, my armored right hand roamed on the body armor I’ve donned. Black with a blue undertone, it is a good one that gift it’s wearer with augmented reflexes and strength – as if I needed it with my nanites augments- but every little bit would be needed for what I am about to do. My Peace pistol is strapped to my right thigh, my Freedom recoilless rifle on my back, my EPP*(Energy Pacifier Pistol) and the grenades in my toolkit should get me through this situation. While I am checking weapons, the systems of the armor synchronized with my AI bio-implant. I could see the systems powering up on my HUD (Head Up Display), the armor linked with the targeting computers on my pistols and rifle. It showed me the ammo and energy charge for each, the number of targets it could acquire. And the real kicker is how the whole armor could link with my nanites augmentations.

Quantum Uplink (AKA Q-Uplink)

Interrogation enhancer

Security domination

 Stealth

Integrated Fabricator (available only with armor)

LiDAR

 Smart Vision

 Pathfinder system

Medical Health System

 

And there are locked augmentations that I must discover later, it is clearly said on my HUD that I don’t have the authorization or the rank to have the full-unlimited package.

*The fuck?* It surprised me and at the same time didn’t. There is no free meal in this galaxy and the fact that there secrets in my own body that I can’t unveil unnerved me.

Sigh.

“No big deal, I will resolve everything when I don’t have mercenary on my heels,” I told myself.

I am in the docking bay of the station, awaiting the ship to get in. If they surrender it might be a problem though, we don’t have the personnel to keep all the crew of the Warsong in the brig! A wicked smile appeared on my face.

“Hmm, I like how that ship is named and how she looks like a bird of prey. I’m going to take it from those humans, but something tells me that it will need a visit to a shipyard when I have  “peaceful negotiations” with the Commander of this ship.”

“No kidding.” I hear say in my Q-Uplink.

The Q-Uplink permits me to communicate silently with station defense; Ell Evan and Idunn are holed there. We are in constant communication, so I hear everything they say and the same is true for them.

“Colonel O’lleary is never going to surrender, I know that old fool. That’s why I am here manning the weapons of the docking bay to snipe at those Super Soldiers that are going to surge from this ship.”

While Ell said all this I took my time to analyze the docking bay. I am floating in zero-G, near the gun ports and turrets of the docking bay. Shiny silvery wonders that spew energy and metallic projectiles at high velocity; there waiting to shred human bodies.

“How beautiful,” I said.

The Docking Bay is 2 kilometers long, 900 meters large, 1, 5 km in height. The whole station is dozens of kilometers long and can house thousands of beings, but is inhabited by only androids, robots and Idunn who love to be left alone and not bothered by stupid people and research in peace. But I think that if we survive this ordeal her friend won’t let her in an empty station alone anymore. It made me laugh a little.

“This is not funny, Fenicia! I hate to be disturbed…” Idunn answered to my thoughts.

It seems she is still monitoring me and that she won’t ever stop doing it. Sighing I return to my musing. The turrets in the docking bay are going to be all around the ship in a 360° bubble and take care of any soldiers attempting to show their head. I will go inside if everything goes according to plan, and wreck them and make it impossible for them to surrender while I reduce their numbers. If they know that we are only 4 on this station they might get bolder and make us wish we destroyed them in space.

Finally seeing the ship advancing in the zero-G environment of the docking bay; I free my Peace pistol from the holster on my thigh. My HUD shows me the vectors of acceleration and deceleration of the ship, the arresting fields projected by the bulkheads at the mouth of the docking bay slow and stop it. Esthetically it’s a good ship but the missile launchers in front and the laser beam banks mounted in the wings showed me how outgunned they really were.

“Ah, I think that all the advanced technology on this space station spoiled me…” I said in the Q-Uplink.

“You and me, mate.” Answered Ell Evan.

Ell could understand the Saryan language thanks to translator embed in the communication system. All of this because she said that I have a horrible Irish accent when I speak Anglo; the Terran language that the human uses to communicate.

“Well, sue me. I was picked up by Irish spacers when I was banished. I worked with them till I was twenty.” I told her when she made her observation.

“No wonder you look so crazy! Those people are crazy!” She screamed

“I won’t deny it, it was a good time.” I laughed.

The ship stopped, the docking bay door engaged and closed. Idunn’s voice could be heard in the speaker system.

“You will disarm and wait to be boarded by the security personnel; failure to respect this order will be subject to ruthless and swift termination.”

“Hu hu.” A snicker escaped me.

Idunn is being very verbose and decisive, but the warning was fast wasted on the mercenaries. Armed soldiers spilled out of the ship main airlock, making a bee-line for the airlocks of the docking bay. I could see that some of them transported boxes and supplies; I am sure that those are breaching gear and heavy weapons.

“Light them up, Ell,” I ordered.

There was no delay when the shots of red coherent light reached the soldiers, making some of them cook, piercing their armor some of the lasers targeted the helmets and torsos. The soldiers that still didn’t jump in the zero-G environment of the docking bay took cover, a hail of railgun turrets replaced the laser turrets while they were cycling and recharging.

The firing algorithms of those weapons were amazing to be able to pick up this much targets and strike with precision, but the skills of the shooter controlling them cannot be discounted. And the fact that Ell Evan didn’t even hesitate to open fire on her previous comrades didn’t escape me, there must be a story behind this but I didn’t have time to ponder or ask her about it. Launching myself toward the ship, I acquire targets of opportunity; some of those soldiers kept poking their head out of the door. I fired my pistol and the high-velocity round strike true and embed itself into the protected throat of an unfortunate super soldier, then I activate the automatic mode of my pistol which results in it spewing multiple high-velocity ferromagnetic slugs.

Staying stationary while advancing toward the ship is a bad idea, I then use my telekinesis to create scaffolds in the air to help me navigate in zero-G. Zigzagging and avoiding return fire I take an LS-grenade and throw it in the entrance of the airlock. Seconds later intense light and sound could be heard, return fire completely ceased. LS-grenades are illegal on a majority of worlds of the united alliance, but Vice Industries is not a signatory of that unfair law and regulation. Those weapons were normally intended to be non-lethal, but like everything, their use was corrupted. You see those hit by the grenades also suffer from temporary blindness lasting about an hour after regaining consciousness. Some weapon smith found a way to make the side effect permanent; LS-grenades are considered lethal and dirty weapons. And I really loves them, of course, my helmet protect me from those effects.

I finally find myself in the mouth of the airlock; unconscious super soldiers are on the ground, unaware that I am among them. I aim my weapon to the closest, put in mode tri-burst and pull the trigger. The helmet glasses cracked and blood escaped from it, flowing from it on the metallic ground. Not stopping there I kill all the unconscious soldiers. Sensing someone behind me, I unsheathe my Pacifier and fire it without having to turn myself toward my unseen foe. Energy discharges from the pistol and strikes the enemy, stunning him. The first hit always makes someone unconscious. I fire it a second time and I am sure that it will kill him, stopping his heart and brain. The BOOM grenade missed this one.

Two augmentations that I received with the centurion nanites pack of Vice Industries came online. The hacking and security domination mods. Those two go hands in hands, the hacking mod permit me to access information and disable security systems and the security domination mod can do the same as the hacking one in disabling the security but it is enhanced in the fact that I could commandeer them. Codes and firewalls simply didn’t exist to me and I obtained a layout of the whole ship by connecting myself to the local network. Now that I have a map, exterminating the crew is not going to be difficult.

I have no qualm in doing that kind of thing, after all, they all were prepared to do the same with us. Smiling to myself, it’s the first time that I am in a situation where teamwork is beneficial.

“Ell, Idunn. I let the soldiers trying to escape in your capable hands.” I say in my Q-Uplink.

“Leave everything to us! None of those motherfuckers shall pass.” Ell answered.

“I wouldn’t have said it more eloquently young girl.” Said Idunn, her voice full of mirth.

“Kranicar, out.”

Now let’s hunt!

I advanced toward the crew quarters.