Full Moon Fever Part 2






    Just when Lara Night started to doze off, her bracelet screeched at her loudly.  She jumped awake, and looked at it.  It said there was a voice alert from Shen Rae.  Groggily, she asked, “Yes?  What’s up?”


    â€œWe have a Dimensional Dreadnaught gaining on us,”  Shen Rae said.


    Lara fell out of the couch, and quickly found her feet.  She went straight out of the door, and began running toward the elevator to get to the bridge.


    A few seconds later, she saw Shen Rae and Jai Yoon aboard the bridge.  “How did they track us?”


    â€œIt’s the Dimensional part of Dimensional Dreadnaught.  They tracked our wormhole.”


    â€œOh.  Well let’s ignore them, then,”  Lara suggested.


    â€œWe can’t,”  Jai Yoon pointed out.  “We can move, but the Dark Station is stationary.  If they find it accidentally—“


    â€œYes,”  Shen Rae agreed.  “We have to turn and fight.”


    â€œIt’s the size of a city!”  Lara pointed out.


    Shen Rae smirked at her.  “Remember those fighters you saw in the cargo bay?  We have sixteen of them.  They have a programmed routine for bombing runs on cities.”


    â€œAlso, they know we’re out here somewhere,”  Jai Yoon pointed out.  “Do you know how Dimensional Dreadnoughts search?  They start detonating transnukes until they hit us by accident.”


    â€œAnd they won’t run out of them?”  Lara asked.


    Shen Rae shrugged.  “Maybe.  Even if they do, they have enough to kill us a few times and ignite a star before they do.”


    â€œLaunching fighters,”  Jai Yoon announced.  The window in front of them became opaque, and switched to a projection of what was going on with the fighters.  At the same time, she turned the ship to face the same direction.


    Sixteeen fighters became thirty-two, and then sixty-four as each of them use holographic projectors to make untouchable duplicates of themselves.  Then they formed a mesh-like formation, and accelerated toward the dark hulk of the Dimensional Dreadnaught, whose windows looked like pinpricks in the distance.


    A flood of white pulses flew from the fighters, and they made their first pass over the top and bottom of the huge city-sized ship.  It was no longer shrouded in darkness, as the blasts from the fighters tore through its shielding and set of explosions all over the hull.


    The huge ship launched a pair of transnukes, and the fighters dodged them both.


    â€œLook out!”  Jai Yoon called out, and she turned the Alliance starship hard.  The transnuke detonated just off the edge of where they just were, and the starship shook hard.


    It was then plummeted into complete darkness.  Jai Yoon cursed in her native language, and then explained.  “The reactors have gone offline.  It’s going to be fifteen minutes to restart them.”


    â€œAnd we have intruders.  The Dreadnaught has teleporters.  Don’t worry, we have a robotic force aboard to repel them.”  She glanced at Lara.  “Go to the engine room, fast.  Use your own power to get the shields up.”


    â€œI don’t know where it is,”  Lara complained.  


    But that was already answered for her.  A door slid open where the company logo used to be, and an unusual robot stepped out.  It had an all-metal white body, but looked very lightweight.  It appeared to be somewhat feminine in appearance, though also childlike with its rounded head and oversized lower legs and feet.  Two slightly arced metal objects hung from the back of its head like long ponytails.  No mouth, but it had two cat-like glowing blue eyes.  The robot was only slightly taller than Lara, fairly compact.


    â€œDro will escort you,”  Shen Rae told her.  “And defend you, if necessary.”


    Lara nodded, and followed the robot quickly, which proved to be faster, quieter, and much more agile than she expected.  Dro led her into the elevator, and it began moving.  The blue light from Dro’s eyes led the way.


    â€œDro is your name, eh?”  Lara asked.


    â€œMmmhmm,”  the robot replied with a perfectly human sounding voice, and a playful nod, which mad her ‘ponytails’ dance a bit.


    â€œI’m Lara.”  the blonde introduced herself.


    Dro didn’t reply, because as soon as the door opened, there were two heavily armored intruders in the hallway.  So heavily armored, they weren’t any species Lara recognized.


    The robot charged at them, and they opened fire, but missed entirely.  Dro moved very fast.  That’s when Lara learned the purpose of those ponytails - Dro spun around, and the ponytails knocked the two assailants down, flat on their backs.  She then produced a sword from inside her arm, and stabbed each one in turn, pausing until each remained still.


    After the sword retracted, Dro urged Lara to follow.  The blonde caught up to her quickly.  “You know, the Lair Legion could use someone like you,”  she said.


    Surprisingly, Dro laughed, and led Lara to the end of a hallway, which then opened to a door.


    â€œThis is the engine room,”  Dro introduced.


    Lara nodded.  “Where can I feed power into the system without blowing anything up?”


    Dro walked ahead of her to what looked like a tall, wide locker inside the wall.  She pulled the door open, and pointed to two large lugs inside.  “Emergency power taps.”


    â€œThank you, Dro,”  Lara said.  She turned around, and squatted with her back against the wall, and grabbed ahold of the two lugs.  Experience taught her not to try and stand when she did that, it was too exhausting when she ended up having to stand way longer than she thought.  As she began feeding in power, the lights in the ship all came on at once.


    The door blew open, and a dozen assailants poured in.  Dro quickly looked at them, and attacked them with gusto.


    â€œShen Rae!”  Lara called out.  “Dro is in trouble!”


    â€œDro can handle herself,”  Shen Rae replied through Lara’s bracelet.


    â€œBut she’s…”  Lara never got to finish that sentence.  She paused to watch in amazement as Dro stopped being so childlike and gentle, and began tossing and kicking the armored invaders around like they were empty boxes.


    â€œReactors are back online,”  Jai Yoon announced.  “Shields are back at full power.”


    â€œWhat if they hit us again?”  Lara asked over the comm.


    â€œShields are at low power while stealth is on,”  Jai Yoon explained.  “Now they’re at full effectiveness.  They won’t be able to get through them again.”


    Dro paused after all of the assailants were down, and approached Lara.  “You don’t need to feed power in anymore.”


    The robot took Lara’s arm, and lifted her so quickly that her feet left the ground for a moment.  “Thanks,”  she said.  “Dro, can we beat this Dimensional Dreadnaught with this ship?”


    â€œUnlikely,”  Dro replied.  “Why, do you have an idea?”


    â€œYeah,”  Lara replied.  “Let’s give them a taste of their own medicine.  Teleport aboard their ship, and destroy it from the inside.”


    Dro nodded.  “Excellent idea.  Between the damage the two of us can cause, they will believe we have a significant battle force.”


    â€œDid you hear that, Shen Rae?”  Lara asked.


    â€œIt’s going to take me a few minutes to bring down their shield with plasma blasts,”  Jai Yoon replied.


    â€œI’m not going to use your teleporter,”  Lara replied.


    â€œAh, I get it,”  Jai Yoon replied with a laugh.


    â€œWear the environmental suit,”  Shen Rae requested.  “They have poison.”


    â€œI can provide my own shield,”  Lara pointed out.


    â€œSuck their reactor dry, Lara.”  Jai Yoon suggested.


    Dro tilted her head, and asked Lara,  “Are you capable of doing that?”


    â€œI think so,”  the blonde replied with a nod.  “Be careful around me, Dro.  I use really high voltages.”


    Dro waved her fingers, and blue lightning arced between them.  “I do as well.”


    â€œHah.  Cool.”  Lara patted the robot on the shoulder.  “Ready to experience something new?”


    The robot nodded.  She raised her palm, and a huge blue hologram of the Dimensional Dreadnaught appeared.  A small area flashed red.  


    â€œThis is the best landing zone, a virtually unused hallway, just on the other side of the wall from their engine room.  You can drain their reactor from there without interference.”


    Lara nodded, and In a flash of light, the two of them were no longer in the shiny white Alliance ship.  They were in a much darker and metallic looking hallway.  The Dimensional Dreadnaught was huge, but highly utilitarian.  


    It had wide, tall hallways with chunky metal supports interrupting the ceiling.  The metal and paint were worn, as the ship was stolen by a culture other than the one who built it, and hadn’t been maintained properly.  The dim lighting was because most of the lights had been damaged or had failed - because of lack of maintenance rather than bad design.


    Dro walked ahead of Lara, particularly because she was much faster to react to any threats.


    â€œWait, why are we sneaking?”  Lara asked.  “We’re supposed to be tearing our way through this place.”


    â€œThat’s correct,”  Dro echoed.  “You may drain the reactor now.”


    Lara took a deep breath, and pulled every source of energy nearby toward her, like she was a black hole.  The Dimensional Dreadnaught was suddenly plunged into complete darkness, and alarm klaxons sounded everywhere.  Dro raised her arm, and began blasting away with pulses of white plasma, which lit the darkened hallway as they flew, and again when explosions went off farther down the hall.


    Lara looked down at her own hands.  They were glowing slightly from the over-charge of absorbing all of the reactor’s power.  


    â€œDro?”  she asked, trying to get the robot’s attention.


    The robot paused, and turned to look at her.


    â€œI need you inside my shield,”  the blonde said.


    Dro turned around, and moved close enough to Lara to be almost touching noses with her.


    â€œGood,”  Lara said.  She strengthened her energy shield, and then released a powerful pulse of energy in every direction.  Very intense, so it would overload and destroy all electronics within a relatively short distance, but wouldn’t travel far enough to harm Shen Rae’s starship.  She needed Dro inside her shield so the robot wouldn’t be harmed.


    There was nothing but silence aboard the Dimensional Dreadnaught after that, aside from some ominous and frightening creaking noises echoing through the metal structure of the ship, all around them.


    â€œWhat is that?”  Lara asked about the creaking.


    â€œThis ship is so large,”  Dro explained, “It requires a structural integrity field to remain rigid enough to stay in one piece.  It appears you have caused that to fail.”


    â€œUh-oh.”  Lara whispered.


    The creaking reached a peak at one point, and there was a horrible sound like someone hitting a huge gong with the biggest hammer imaginable.  Then air began blasting past the duo, threatening to carry them away.  Dro magnetized her feet, and held both of Lara’s arms firmly.


    â€œWe need to teleport back,”  Dro announced over the roaring wind.


    Lara nodded again, and after another flash of bright light, and they were back in the engine room of Shen Rae’s starship.  And Shen Rae came running in to make sure they were both okay.


    â€œOh, good, you made it.”  Shen Rae sighed deeply in relief.  She turned her attention to the robot.  “Good job, Dro.  Thank you.”


    Dro nodded, and started to walk back to her charging station on the bridge.


    â€œWait,”  Lara called after her.  “Shen Rae, why can’t Dro join the crew?  I mean…I feel kind of bad keeping her behind a wall like that after she saved my life.”


    â€œIt’s my room, Lara,”  Dro explained.  “I charge there, and I am tapped into the ship’s computer, so I see everything that goes on.”


    â€œI think you should have a real room,”  Lara insisted.  “Maybe even see what it’s like to read a book.”


    Shen Rae sighed.  “I guess it’s okay.  I never really thought about it before, because Dro really never complained.”


    â€œShe wants to please you, that’s why.”


    The robot nodded as Shen Rae looked at her for confirmation.


    The captain sighed again.  “I’m really sorry, Dro, if I only had known.”


    â€œIt’s okay,”  Dro replied.  “You do treat me well.  And trust me.  And encourage me to think for myself.”


    â€œLet’s go up to the bridge, you two can see your brilliant handiwork through the big window.”  Shen Rae waved them to follow her.


    When Lara saw what was outside that window, it was plainly evident what she heard and felt on that Dimensional Dreadnaught.  The ship broke apart in such a way that it reminded her of stories of the Titanic breaking in half before it sunk.  Not that Shen Rae or Jai Yoon would understand that Earth historical reference.


    â€œThat’s…not really what I meant to do,”  Lara insisted.  In particular, she didn’t like the fact that the crew of that entire ship was dead by her own hands.  She even heard Jai Yoon whisper behind her that there were no life signs left.


    â€œStill,”  Shen Rae told her first officer, “We’d better destroy the remains, in case someone has the ability to track it here.”


    Jai Yoon nodded, and a missile went flying from their starship, detonating in the center of the twisted maze of what used to be a huge ship.  Except instead of blowing it all up, or melting everything, the missile imploded, collapsing everything around it into a tiny ball of hot metal.


    â€œMore wormhole technology?”  Lara asked.


    â€œNo.” Jai Yoon replied.  “Gravity.  Related, though!  So you really know your science.”


    With no interruptions left, the starship approached what looked like nothing at all in the vast blackness of space until they were close enough, and then spotlights switched on out of nowhere and shined toward them.  Finally, a large rectangular door opened, and the starship slipped inside.


    Lara guessed that though the lonely single cargo bay the ship floated into was warmly lit, a lot like the ship they were on, from the outside, the station they entered went back to looking like black nothingness again.


    Shen Rae led the way down the elevator, and through a short hallway that lowered into a ramp that exited the ship, and came to a rest on the black shiny floor of the cargo bay.  The bay was huge, about the size of a sports stadium on Earth.  With all of that space, it was only designed to hold one or two starships.  Just like the interior of the starship, the bay was lit by warm lights around the lower perimeter of the room.


    â€œWhy did we go all the way to this Dark Station, anyhow?”  Lara asked.  She walked between Shen Rae, and Jai Yoon, who carried the box they retrieved from the caves under that watery planet.  Dro stayed aboard the ship, as she was still charging.


    Jai Yoon replied, “I worry that when I get this box opened, it might send a signal.  Or something might detect it.  We’re harder to find in here, much better defended…”


    â€œAnd if worst comes to worst, we can ditch the box here and make an escape,”  Shen Rae added.


    Jai Yoon placed the box on the ground, and walked around it once.  “It doesn’t seem to have any seams at all,”  she said.  “I don’t know if it’s a good idea to cut it open.”


    â€œNo, it’s not.”  Shen Rae turned to look at Lara.  “This is the reason why we needed her.  She’s the one who can open it.”


    â€œMe?”  Lara asked.


    â€œOf course!”  Jai Yoon exclaimed.  “She can reach right through the box!”


    â€œAre you really sure about this?”  Lara asked again.  She didn’t expect an answer, she was only delaying and hoping someone would have a better idea, so she didn’t have to possibly take the fate of the universe into her own hands.


    But she eventually accepted her small destiny, and held up her hand, so she could watch her fingers and arm become intangible.  She plunged her hand into the box, and immediately felt something too large and heavy for one hand.  She stuck her other hand through the box, and pulled.


    The contents looked like a block of golden metal that was once shiny, but had dulled and corroded a long time ago.  It had a large triangular spike at the center of one end, protruding only a couple of inches, with a tiny round hole in the middle of it.  The opposite end had just two tiny round pins recessed low into the case.


    â€œAre we missing a piece?”  Lara wondered out loud, as she put the device on a counter next to the door.


    Jai Yoon picked up the box it came in.  It was suddenly very light.  “No, that’s all there is.”


    â€œI would guess,”  Lara said, “That the triangular spike connects to the Space Robot.  But what’s the two round pins for?”


    There was a gasp from Jai Yoon.  “The Space Robots are trinaries!”


    â€œWhat?”  Shen Rae and Lara asked together.


    A little impatiently, Jai Yoon summarized quickly.  “For binary you have one and zero.  On or off.  Right?  Trinary is positive, off, and negative.  But you need a reference, so you know what negative and positive are.  So you feed in two bits at once.  We’re talking highly efficient alien technology, so it’s two data bits, and it averages them to determine the reference.  All the combos of two trinary bits means you send it eight bytes at a time.  I guess it would have to be that efficient to program something so complex.”


    â€œSo…we don’t even have the technology to program them?”  Shen Rae asked sadly.


    â€œShen Rae,”  Jai Yoon lectured her captain, “Dro has a pattern processor.  We have her figure out the instruction set, code us some trinary bytes, and all we have to do…is feed it to the Celestian Space Robot somehow.”


    â€œThat’s the tough part.  Getting close enough.”  Lara pointed out.  “I was rather hoping it would be a remote transmitter.”
    
    â€œHold on, you two.”  Shen Rae scolded them.  “One step at a time.  “First we have to see if Dro can even do this.  Then we have to have a program at hand, because having Dro build it while we’re close to the Celestian Robot…who knows how long it would take, and how long we would survive.”


    â€œI agree,”  Jai Yoon replied.


    â€œMe too,”  Lara echoed.  “I guess we have some time, out here.  So yes, let’s take this slow and do it right.”






    TO BE CONTINUED?






-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2017 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.