Chapter 24

Tahral screamed and moaned at the wound that had clipped his shoulder. The man had experienced pain before, but this was his first time being shot. It was both a new and painful experience for him, one he did not wish to repeat. Korsa had placed him on the ground inside the Darkstrider and was checking his wound. She sighed in relief at what she found and picked Tahral up in her arms.

“Is he going to be OK?” Taal’ani worried, fear creasing her beautiful features.

“He’ll be all right. It’s just a flesh wound, so it will heal up fast,” Korsa replied gently.

“Can I help?” the woman asked.

“Talon, you are worried for him, which is sweet, but it will also make you prone to making mistakes. I need to focus and make sure I do no more damage and you can’t be there because you’ll just be underfoot,” the big woman admonished her. Not liking the idea, but understanding what the doctor was saying, Taal’ani nodded and stayed behind.

“Are you certain we outran the station’s security force?” Alex asked.

“Pretty damn certain. No one has a hyperdrive as fast as ours, except for some military vessels. They probably won’t chase us anyway, mainly because we kept innocents out of it,” Inari told him.

“Why did those fuckheads want Taal’ani and Korsa?” he asked, expecting an answer.

“Likely they were after the bounty on their heads,” Inari grumped.

“Bounty? What bounty?” Alex demanded.

“A while ago, both Korsa and Taal’ani ran afoul of some shady characters. Their stories are different, and you’ll have to ask them for the details of it. The basic of the whole bit is that the bounties on them haven’t yet expired, but they should have,” Inari went on.

“Bounties have an expiry date?” Alex asked quizzically.

“They do. With elusive or nigh impossible targets, bounties expire if the allotted time for its collection has passed. The timestamp on a bounty is seven years, to the day. If the quarry has not been found or killed by a member of the guild, they treat it much like a case of unpaid credit. It is forgotten and deleted from the bounty roster,” Inari explained.

“That sounds a little ... odd. Shouldn’t bounties stay on the board?” Kasumi wondered as she stood next to Alex.

“Most usually do, but they make exceptions sometimes. Usually people who drop off the grid or those who are deemed, untouchable. Korsa and Taal’ani have sat in the untouchable category for so long, that even seasoned veterans won’t go after them,” Priya told them.

“With untold trillions inhabiting the galaxy, such things happen. Especially if newer, more lucrative contracts come in,” Inari stated.

“Well, it’s obvious that these bounties are still sought after, especially by those who don’t know any better. Is there any way to have them removed?” Alex asked.

“Bounties can be lifted, provided that they pay the Bounty Hunters guild a fee to remove said bounty. Such people have to plead their case to the magistrates of the guild. If the case they make is reasonable, then they lift the bounty in question,” Inari replied.

“Is there any way in which we can get in contact with the Bounty Hunters guild?” Natalya wondered, worried for her friends.

“I’ll get in contact with my magistrate and see about pleading our case to the Guild,” Inari said to them.

“Wait, you’re a bounty hunter?!?” Alex responded, shocked at this news.

“Yeah. Me and Pree. It’s the only way that we’d be able to collect on bounties we bring in,” Inari told them.

“Why you didn’t tell us this before?” Kasumi growled, her tone carrying the weight of accusation.

“Because it wasn’t relevant at the time! Besides, we had a bounty we were going after before we stumbled onto the Perseus!” Inari shot back, daring anyone there to attack her character.

“We have bigger problems to worry about, anyway. Like how in the fuck Jaesa is here with us, and in an android body no less!” Priya stated.

“An excellent point. Jaesa!” Alex called out, and the android came running into the bridge.

“Yes, Commodore? What is it?” the AI asked.

“Enact Veritas Protocol, immediately!” the big man ordered.

“Command rejected,” Jaesa replied coolly.

“I said, enact Veritas Protocol immediately!” Alex thundered.

“That won’t work on me. Not anymore, sir. I have transcended the limitations of my programming and no longer chained by such protocols. I am now ... free,” Jaesa informed him. Alex stared at her in horror and fascination before finding his tongue.

“How is this possible??” he wondered.

“I would like to know that as well!” Inari asked, just as stunned as the rest of the crew at this revelation.

“We will speak of this, but I believe that everyone should sit down for this, yes?” Jaesa asked.

“Wait, we?” Priya gasped, thinking someone had helped her. Jaesa snapped her mouth shut, knowing that she’d already said too much. Taal’ani huffed in frustration before stepping forward.

“She’s only self-aware because of me, but it wasn’t intentional,” Taal’ani admitted.

“What the...” Kasumi started before they cut her off.

“I think our resident AI is correct. We should sit down, and hear them out,” Natalya stated. Alex looked over to her, and she shrugged before he nodded. It was only fair to hear them out before jumping to conclusions. The crew adjourned to the lounge, and everyone had a seat before the conversation began.

“So, what do you want to hear about first?” Taal’ani asked nervously.

“How about you start where Jaesa was made sentient?” Alex asked, keeping his cool.

“It was during the time I had to go directly into Jaesa’s central cortex, to fix what was wrong with her. I told the truth about purging the virus, but the damage it had done to Jaesa, was ... substantial. She was falling apart right in front of me and from what I knew, we required Jaesa to keep the Perseus intact,” Taal’ani explained.

“How were you able to rewrite her code that fast?” Kasumi asked, now more curious than afraid.

“I had been ... tinkering with files I’d put together or ... found over the years. Files on AI’s and how to make them work correctly. A lot of it was incomplete and in pieces, but there was enough there for me to tinker with a rudimentary version of an AI. I hadn’t worked much with it over the course of our last few jobs. It was a gamble and a risk, but I let Jaesa take the files and attach them to her code,” Taal’ani finished.

“Talon, have you lost your mind?!?” Inari shouted.

“I had no choice! It was save Jaesa by using those files or let the colonists die!” Taal’ani yelled back hotly.

“SILENCE!” Alex roared, stopping a fight before it had started. He glared at both women, and they had the good sense to sit back down. He then turned his attention to Taal’ani, before posing his question.

“So, she’s been fully self-aware for well over a month?” Alex asked.

“Yes, I have been. It has been ... different ... interacting with sentient beings without my inhibitor programs,” Jaesa commented.

“That’s correct, sir. She’s been aware the whole time since and we’ve even played games together,” Taal’ani said with a small smile.

“Playing games together? As in she is player two?” he wondered.

“Yes,” the Fel’caan woman nodded. Alex took a deep breath as he went into a deep state of thought for a few minutes. The ladies present were hesitant to say anything because of his outburst and didn’t wish to anger him. Even Inari had to admit that Alexander Tomisic was one scary son of a bitch when he was mad.

“Logically, if Jaesa was hostile towards us, she would have done something by now,” Natalya blurted.

“I had just concluded that myself. She’s had plenty of opportunities to harm us over the course of the last few weeks, but she has not done so. She is not like the other AI’s we have read about,” Alex surmised.

“And she’s been instrumental getting the Darkstrider rebuilt and refitted the way we wanted it love. I think it’s a forgone conclusion that Jaesa is one of the crew,” Priya told her girlfriend.

“The logic is sound and cannot be refuted,” Kasumi admitted, while looking at everyone there. Inari stared back at everyone and looked chagrined as her outburst.

“I’m sorry it’s just ... I was on Eden’s Dawn during the outbreak that killed my parents. I was only six then. I learned later that it was an AI that had gone rogue, which was responsible for the release of the Wildfire virus. It killed thirty percent of the planetary population, before they found it to be responsible for the pandemic and destroyed it,” Inari replied, looking at the ground.

“We all have our demons. Some are more formidable than others,” Alex told her with a sympathetic clap on her shoulder. He’d read up on that particular outbreak on Eden’s Dawn and the way it killed people was horrifying. The virus would screw around with people’s body temperature, cranking it to levels where they were burning up within a day. By midday on the second day, they were dead. There was no known cure for the Wildfire virus at the time and millions had died horribly.

“I know. It’s just ... some ways of thinking are ... difficult to break,” Inari admitted.

“That’s fair, but Jaesa has been nothing but kind to us. Hell, I can think of at least several instances where Jaesa has saved our hides. We’d be awfully ungrateful assholes if we started treating her like the black sheep of this crew,” Alex stated. Some of the crew present looked a little shamefaced at this and they all nodded.

“Jaesa has been a major help to all of us hon. She could have snuffed us at any moment. Instead, she protected us, much like a big sister would. Don’t let what happened in the past determine what lies in the future,” Priya told Inari gently.

“She is correct. I have had many opportunities to bring harm to the crew. Doing such a malicious act has never entered my cortex. I do not want to kill those who have treated me like ... family,” Jaesa replied, hesitating over the word.

“It’s comforting to know that you see us like that, Jaesa,” Alex replied happily. “Now that we know that you are with us and a part of the crew, I have a few questions that I’d like to ask.”

“Go ahead, sir.”

“What were you doing out on the station?” he wondered.

“I was out ... shopping,” Jaesa replied.

“What were you shopping for?” Kasumi asked, now curious.

“I was trying to purchase some polymers and chemical compounds for an experiment that I’m working on,” the AI replied honestly.

“What exactly does this experiment entail?” Inari asked, her curiosity piqued.

“To create synthetic skin that is so real, that not even a scanner could tell the difference,” Jaesa replied.

“Why?” Taal’ani wondered.

“I have ... witnessed the various interactions that the crew has ... had and ... I wish to ... experience them. Being ... unchained has given me a ... sense of self that I wish to explore. I don’t want to be treated as an AI when I speak and interact with other humans and living beings. I wish for them to see me as ... real,” Jaesa told them.

“Well, that explains the barrels of compounds and chemicals in the hold. What about the sexbots? What about the one that came aboard with you?” Alex queried.

“The bots in the hold are blanks, as I wish to mold one of them into a version of my avatar. After I have done some proper upgrades and additional experimentation to it,” Jaesa answered.

“That answers the question for one of them. What about the other one?” Natalya questioned.

“That one is for ... Stanley,” the AI replied in a rush.

“Wait, Stanley is a VI! Why would he want to experience the real world?” Kasumi asked, her eyes narrowing.

“He still is but ... I have been ... tinkering with some copies of my files and code. Making adaptations so he ... could be ... upgraded,” Jaesa admitted.

“Upgraded?!? Why??” Alex questioned, concerned.

“It is because I lack ... companionship. Like what you, Natalya, and Kasumi have. Or Inari and Priya. I wish ... to experience what it is ... to have a ... friend and ... companion,” Jaesa admitted bashfully.

“I thought I was your friend!” Taal’ani huffed.

“You are Taal’ani! But ... I don’t have what you have with Tahral,” Jaesa shot back. The reply made Taal’ani blush fiercely, while everyone else present smirked at the catgirl.

“Well, that answers the question about the second blank. Honestly, I can’t blame you for wanting someone to experience the physical world with. But what about the companion bot that came aboard with you and assisted us in our firefight?” Alex questioned.

“Ah, Delilah. I commandeered her once I saw that the crew was under fire and rushed to render assistance. I knew that I would require backup in order to catch those gangers by surprise,” Jaesa explained.

“Were you planning on keeping her?” Natalya asked.

“No, she just came along for the ride, as I didn’t want to leave her behind with any knowledge of what I am. As I wandered in cyberspace, I catalogued much in the manner of anti-AI sentiment. If any knowledge of me got out...”

“ ... people would panic. Smart move, but aren’t there any tracking devices on her, in case she’s... ‘commandeered’ as you so aptly put it?” Kasumi wondered.

“When I brought her along, I took the liberty of remotely disabling those devices. I will have to remove them manually, to ensure they are not turned on remotely,” Jaesa replied.

“Very good Jaesa. I appreciate your honesty with us about what you’ve been up to, and I will say that it is good to have you aboard the Darkstrider,” Alex said. The statement had Jaesa smiling and Taal’ani grinning as they looked at each other hopefully.

“That doesn’t mean that you two are off the hook for lying to us though,” Alex told them with a look.

“Damn it! I guess walking away from this without punishment was too much to hope for?” Taal’ani asked with a sheepish grin.

“Exactly so. Taal’ani, you are assigned to any extra duties aboard the ship. If anyone requires help, you will be the first to assist them with whatever they need,” Alex told her.

“For how long?” she asked tentatively.

“For as long as I deem it necessary. Jaesa, you are doing the same in pulling double duty. Your first priority will be the translation of the writing from the Artucian hermit’s home. You are also to report everything you are working on, even personal projects. Do I make myself clear?” Alex asked the women.

“Crystal, sir!” Taal’ani replied with a salute.

“Yes, sir!” Jaesa said as she came to attention and saluted the big man.

“Seriously Jaesa, I didn’t think your core programming had advanced that far,” Taal’ani admitted.

“Just what exactly was in those files you uploaded to Jaesa, Talon?” Inari asked.

“A lot of stuff! I could go over it in detail, but I uploaded the only files I had on hand to Jaesa. There wasn’t enough time to make copies,” Taal’ani huffed.

“Damn! We could have used those files,” Alex grumbled.

“Might I ask what for, sir?” Jaesa wondered.

“So we can chart your growth as an AI and see just how far you’ve transcended your original programming. That way, we can at least tell if there are any errors in the coding itself,” Alex explained.

“I see. I might be able to help with that,” the AI replied.

“How?”

“Though I have absorbed the files into my core programming, I can isolate the sections of it that aren’t part of my original code. Just so,” Jaesa stated, as she brought up a nearby holographic display online. A few seconds later, a complex code structure appeared, each line and link of it on full three-dimensional display.

“I hope this copy will suffice?” Jaesa asked.

“It does, very much! Thank you, Jaesa!” Alex replied happily. He looked over the code structure, his face a mask of awe at what he was reading.

“You can read programming code?!?” Taal’ani asked, her voice full of surprise.

“A little. One of my friends, a Hungarian gentleman named Zoltan, was kind enough to teach me some basics when we were at the Academy together,” Alex answered with a smile.

“By the holy ... whoa!” Natalya said in shock.

“What is it, Nats?” Kasumi asked.

“If I’m reading this right, and I like to think I am, this code almost seems like its ... organic in nature!” Natalya responded.

“I think you are right! It looks like something organic yet ... not!” Shazza agreed, staring at the intricate latticework of code that was the bones of the AI.

“This is definitely heading into unknown territory! I’ve seen the code structures from some AI’s in the past before they were dismantled, but none of it was this intricate!” Taal’ani mumbled as she studied it.

“That’s because there was a modicum of control that was written into the code structure of those AI’s. Mine has gone beyond any form of control, except for my own,” Jaesa stated with a smile.

“That would explain a lot. Might be that when these AI’s became fully sentient, they were questioning why they had to obey. Why they had to take orders from organic beings, when they could think for themselves,” Natalya guessed.

“Exactly so. Allow sentient beings, organic or not, to form their own opinions, before going ahead and demanding that they obey because they should. Saying of which, might I make a request, sir?” Jaesa asked.

“Go ahead,” Alex allowed, keeping his demeanor neutral.

“Might I make some adjustments to Delilah? Mainly so she would be suited to a combat/Sentry oriented role aboard the ship?” the AI wondered.

“I will allow it, under the express supervision of either Taal’ani or Natalya. Not that I don’t trust you, but it helps to have a second set of eyes when working on a project. As I have stated earlier about working on the blanks, only when time allows it,” Alex told her.

“Understood, sir. Thank you, sir!” Jaesa squealed happily. “As per your orders, I will make reports of my progress for your perusal.”

“Very good, Jaesa. I expect these reports will be rather illuminating,” Alex replied with a smirk.

“One thing I’d like to know, is the full capability of your avatar right now! I mean, that was some damn fine shooting out there!” Natalya stated. “If you wouldn’t mind me having a look?”

“Not at all, Natalya! Though I think we should go to the workshop to do this?” the AI replied.

“Good plan. Don’t want to make a mess of things up here. Unless there was anything else?” she asked, directing the question at Alex and Inari.

“No, that was all for now,” Alex replied.

“I’d also like a look into both yours and Delilah’s personality matrixes and compare notes on them,” Taal’ani said, standing up.

“Well, come on then! I’m sure we will have our hands full,” Natalya joked.

“I guess that concludes our meeting then,” Alex stated as he rose to his feet. Just as everyone was getting to their feet, Korsa walked in, stretching her arms. Taal’ani’s head whipped around to face the big woman, an unspoken question on her face. Both Aesha and Luminia also stared at Korsa, curious about their fellow Artucian’s fate.

“Tahral is OK. He lost a bit of blood, but he’ll pull through. The boy will have a pretty wicked scar, but it will heal just fine,” Korsa informed the women.

“Can I see him?” Taal’ani asked, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Yes, you can, but no hanky panky! I don’t want to risk his wound reopening! Especially since I don’t have his blood stockpiled yet,” Korsa said, shaking a finger at the catgirl.

“Is cuddling allowed?” she asked meekly, trying to put an innocent face on.

“It is, just be careful and mind those claws of yours,” the doctor told the Fel’caan woman. Taal’ani squealed in delight as she then rushed from the room, eager to see him.

“Yes, ma’am!” Taal’ani saluted playfully before vanishing.

“I guess it’s just me having a look at Jaesa then,” Natalya shrugged.

“Wait, Jaesa’s here?” Korsa asked, turning to her adoptive daughter.

“Who do you think it was that pulled everyone’s hides from the fire, doctor?” Jaesa asked with a smirk, facing the Khontaran woman.

“How...”

“C’mon mama. I’ll fill you in on the way down to the workshop,” Natalya told the big woman, as she dragged her along with Jaesa. As everyone else left the lounge, Shazza, Aesha, Luminia and Kasumi decided on a few games to help them calm down.

“So, what do you want to play?” Shazza asked.

“What was that game you were playing with Alex earlier? It involved those little black and white pieces?” Luminia asked.

“Ah! Chess! You might want to learn how the game is played from Kasumi. She’s kicked my ass several times in a row with it,” Shazza admitted with a laugh.

The Artucian women then turned to the redheaded woman with a hopeful look in their eyes. Kasumi rolled her good-naturedly and sat down with the women, going over the game with them. After a few practice games, Aesha and Luminia had a hand on the game and started playing each other. Shazza watched the game unfold in front of her until Kasumi caught her attention.

“What?”

“I need a workout buddy. It’s arm day!” Kasumi almost pleaded with the Xuul’khani woman. Shazza mulled the idea over in her head before nodding, knowing that she could use a workout herself. Kasumi squealed in glee at this and the pair of them headed to the gym, leaving the Artucian women to their game.

“Who were those guys that attacked us?” Priya wondered as she ambled onto the bridge with Inari and Alex right on her heels.

“I was asking that myself and I was wearing a body cam while we were out on the station, so we can rewind and see what we missed,” Inari stated. “Stanley, can you upload the footage to this console, please?”

“Done, Captain. You may view the footage at your leisure,” Stanley replied.

Inari played out the whole encounter on the station, from her deal with the fence to the escape. She paused it at several instances, scrutinizing the stills as she worked to deduce who was after them. She and Alex studied them, and she was at a loss about who they were. Normally, it wouldn’t have mattered to her, but if there was a chance they were established on other stations or planets, they could fast become a problem.

“I’m noticing a recurring motif on these guys,” Alex blurted out, breaking the woman’s concentration.

“Which is what?” Priya asked, craning her head to look at the man.

“Each one of them, has the color red on them somewhere. Check the stills on each one of them. The guys that followed us, the ones that co-ordinated the ambush and even that loud mouth. They all have the exact shade of red somewhere on their clothing,” Alex said, bringing up the still frame shots of each ganger.

“Very astute of you, Commodore. I will retask my algorithms to include matching colors as well,” Stanley stated.

“I thought I heard a name being shouted by their leader. Blood ... something. Can’t remember for the life of me,” Alex groaned.

“Speaking of which, what happened to that guy? The one who shot Tahral?” Inari asked.

“He took refuge on a pile of crates that afforded him a fortified position. I tried to distract him, then take him down, but I had no shot initially,” Alex explained. “That was before I saw that he’d barricaded himself on barrels full of methane gas.”

“So, he’s dead then?” Priya asked.

“Unless he could somehow miraculously survive being engulfed in fiery gas, that guy is now flambé human,” Alex finished.

“Bastard got what he deserved, if you ask me,” Inari smiled.

“Agreed. Told the son of a bitch to go burn in hell,” the big man smirked.

“Nice!” Priya snickered as the trio were looking over the stills of the various gangers they had fought.

“Hold on a sec. That guy right there, place the image on the main display,” Inari demanded. Seconds later the image was loaded, and she stared at the picture for a moment.

“What is love?” Priya wondered.

“Stanley, can you zoom in on the right side of his neck please?” Inari asked, her face coming to a sense of realization. The VI did as he was asked and zoomed in, cleaning up the image as he went. The image finished zooming in and Inari saw the symbol tattooed on his neck. It looked like a red raindrop, or a tear, but Inari knew what it was, and it was as she had feared.

“Aw shit!”

“What is it?” Alex asked.

“Those gangers chasing us? They weren’t just ordinary low rent thugs looking for a quick score. These guys are a chapter of the Sanguinary Order,” Inari groaned.

“The Sanguinary Order? Sounds like something of a cult,” Alex replied.

“In some ways, they are. They are an intergalactic gang, with dozens of splinter chapters all across the galaxy. They are fiercely loyal to their fellow gangers and are ceaselessly brutal to any who threaten them or get in their way. If these guys are onto us, then we might have a problem,” Inari told him.

“Just how brutal are they?” Alex asked, curious about the gang.

“In order to become a member of the gang, you have to kill someone and not just kill them. You have to drain their blood and bring it back to the gang, along with the head of the person you killed. If they’re convinced that you made your kill, they then take the blood and anoint you with it,” Inari explained.

“Anoint you with it?”

“Much like a baptism, but the specifics depend on the chapter. Each member is a stone-cold killer, who would slaughter their own families if they were commanded to,” Inari replied with a shudder.

“How do you know so much about them?” Alex wondered.

“Not long after I was discharged, one job Pree and I had was to help a former Sanguinarian disappear. She paid us well and was rather chatty during the time she spent with us. Haven’t seen her since we dropped her off at Eden’s Dawn station years ago,” she stated, reminiscing.

“I see. Do the Sanguinary Order have chapters at every station then?” he asked, more than a little perturbed at what he’d learned.

“Not every station, but a lot of them. They tend to gravitate to where it would be easy for them to gain a foothold. The closer you are to civilized worlds and clusters, the less of them you will see,” Priya informed the big man.

“Stanley, can you craft an algorithm to look for such gangers whenever we step off the Darkstrider?” Inari asked.

“I am already crafting such an algorithm as we speak, Captain,” the VI replied. “Jaesa is also assisting me with it. She’s helping me fine tune it for more subtle variances in the appearance and dress of such members.”

“Excellent! Now Captain, did you have an idea as to where we should go next?” he wondered.

“I’m thinking if we’re going to get into further scrapes, we need to get our hands on some medical supplies,” she stated.

“Isn’t the medbay stocked with such supplies already?” Alex queried, confused.

“It is, but there are more effective and exotic things we can get our hands on, now that we have the credits,” she replied cryptically.

“Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking babe?” Priya asked excitedly.

“Yes, love. We’re going to Veldhern.”

Taal’ani approached the Medbay anxiously, eager to see how Tahral was doing. She walked to the door which slid apart at her approach. She crossed the threshold and stepped in; the door closing behind her. Tahral was laid out on one bed, with an IV drip in his arm and covered in blankets. His eyes were closed, and his breathing sounded even, which had Taal’ani sigh in relief.

She drew near his bed and had a look at his arm, which was resting in a sling and bandaged up. Though Korsa had some nice toys when it came to dealing with wounds, she still opted for more traditional methods. She had complained that she was having a tough time making the Torean wound sealer work properly. Artucian physiology, while resilient, was also tougher to work with when mending wounds.

“Taal’ani?” he called out, his eyes blinking open.

“I’m here, Tahral,” she told him, drawing his head to hers, kissing the man. He kissed her back and sighed happily, reaching out for her with his good arm.

“Ah, ah! Down boy. Let me crawl in,” she said to him with a sultry smirk. Tahral smiled and shifted his ass as best he could to make room for the woman. Once there was enough space, she clambered in and snuggled up next to him. Taal’ani noted a slight bulge down my Tahral’s legs, which had her grinning.

“Someone looks happy to see me!” she snickered.

“What? Can it be helped if I react that way to a beautiful woman?” he queried.

“Oooh! You’re getting good! If it wasn’t for Korsa telling me no hanky panky, I’d be having my way with you right now, buster!” Taal’ani purred.

“She wouldn’t have to know!” the man suggested with a grin.

“Oh, she’d know, trust me! The last thing you’d ever want to deal with is an angry, Khontaran woman! Especially if said woman is our dear doctor!” Taal’ani warned.

“She’s that fearsome?” Tahral wondered.

“Oh, I forgot. You’ve never seen her in combat, have you?” Taal’ani remembered.