Chapter 5

Hidden Garden space station, 2 days later

I never knew that formally studying was this tedious, the nagging of Idunn and the AI got to me and I almost ignored them. Telekinesis, using the mind to influence matter is the basis of many types of power to manipulate the world around the user. Through training videos I learned how to levitate, grip, bind objects and androids in the gym. The levitation speaks for itself, I lifted myself, weights, water bottles, knives in the air! It was so easy, but when I lifted two androids I got a killing headache. Gripping the weights on the ground was the easiest part of the training, the powerful artificial muscle of the android trainers couldn’t even budge them. Binding is the same thing has gripping and it was boring.

Right now I was learning how to pull and push, the AI was saying how the basic of mental manipulation is important. That I should master all the skills that it’s showing me because they will be part of more complicated techniques like TK body reinforcement. As if my enhanced body wasn’t enough, I could become even more resilient, strong and agile. Never would I have thought that obtaining abilities like mine would throw me into a learning frenzy. These last two days were not kind to me, I had to eat, study, sleep, and repeat. Idunn took a real pleasure to cook my protein supplements, she said “I am catching up on my motherly duties” and wouldn’t let me just have the military rations onboard.

More importantly, the stealth ship who ventured in this solar system has stopped but a fighter, shuttle or drone was launched from it recently and is approaching us. We could detect passive attempt to scan the space station from afar, the systems on this station are so advanced that it is no joking matter. When I saw the logo of the Vice Industries on everything I finally understood who Idunn is friend with. Anyway, the sensors detected a stealth fighter probing the perimeter of the station. I devised the plan in case the station get boarded or when if the mercenaries were wary and deployed spytech.

I focused and a pet bottle that was on the bench six meters from me flew in my waiting right hand. TK is so useful that I ask myself how come I lived without it before. Sure, it made me lazy. But I wallowed in the power rippling through me when I use it, I am aware of everything going on too. It will come in handy if I ever get in a fight with multiple foes, it did work with the training androids. Fortunately, the station fabricators can recycle those I’ve broken with my misuse of TK. When I don’t control my will sufficiently my abilities lash out and crush my foes even when I don’t look at them, the space sense of my telekinetic powers is always on.

Drinking water from the pet bottle, I felt refreshed.

Ding!

A Holo-screen opened before me with a message only for me.

Lady Fenicia, you asked me to warn you if the craft currently scouting the perimeter of the station is in the targeted area for the EMP mines.

And my plan comes together beautifully, it made me smile and slosh water on my black sports bra. I carefully watched toward the gate to see if someone saw and is relieved to not have spoiled the image I try to project. I passed my fingers in my blue hair and relaxed thinking if what I am about to do is going to bite me in the sizz(mean ass in Saryan).

“Daneel, engage EMP mines and the tractor beam,” I said and smiled ruthlessly.

Acknowledged, Lady Fenicia.

Standing up I remembered the plan: Awaken the EMP mines orbiting around the station, get the fighter shuttle/spy drone they send to scout, message the ship it launched from if they don’t flee. Destroy their weapons and hyperdrive, provoke them to board the station or make them flee.

Aware that with the defensive system of the station I could heavily damage the other ship but not destroy them I implemented the plan to steadily force them to board it, and use the androids and tactic to thin the mercenaries and let Daneel the AI take control of the enemy ship by bypassing the command and control and own AI. I will without a doubt have a harsh fight; because I don’t think I’m going to keep prisoners.

Ell Evan

Aboard the Eagle RX897, I probed the space around the orbit of the space station designated Hidden Garden. It looks like a research station; the kind made to research on planets with funky biospheres that human cannot colonize. The best examples are those that the Shdeveri people love to colonize; dangerous and challenging biosphere with magnificent jungles. It doesn’t prevent them to plant vegetals from their mother planets on their recently colonized planet.

The vessel I am on is a stealth fighter, commonly used in the Terran sphere of influence. But I feel naked and jumpy as if I knew that it’s not enough. I feel it in my guts, something is about to go wrong! And when I hear the multiple Klangs on the hull, this feeling solidified, a thrumming could be heard as if something was building up.

“Oh shit!” I yelled.

All the electronics were disrupted and fried, even my quantum jewel on my right ear exploded. Shit, I got caught! Fumbling with the commands and the surviving interface of the fighter, I tried to see what the fuck happened to it when an even bigger shock rocked it and made me hit my forehead on the low ceiling of the cockpit.

“Damnit.”

What is happening? I feel heavy like a powerful pressure is applied on me and it gradually increases. For long minutes I had trouble moving until I could even lift a finger. I reflected on my options and the tactical meaning of what is happening to me. There are great chances that the people in that space station knew that my squadron is out here and that our stealth tech is nothing to them.

Sigh.

It was really a fucking suicide mission, it made me laugh. But, I’ll not give up without a fight.

Bong.

Hearing that sound, I felt that pressure on me recede. I pushed the buttons on my belt that kept me hitting everything in the cockpit and I was free. The surviving control instruments showed me that I am not in space anymore. From what I can already guess, those people who captured me are good, really good. They got something that caught my craft and neutralized the controls and used a tractor beam to get me in ... I perked up. I must be in the station.

Suddenly a blade pierced the roof of the cockpit, it made me lower my head to avoid it. I heard the sound of metal being cut and then wrenched open. The exposed ceiling of the docking bay of the space station looked pristine and shiny. A black sphere come flying into the fighter new roof entrance and floated there, red light projected out of it. It scanned me and I was suddenly in mid-air and out of my fighter. Near the nose of the craft an armored figure was there, the being distinctively female. She had blue short hair and golden eyes and built like those amazons depicted in ancient Terran history that the doctor forced me to study when I was a kid. She pointed a gun at me and fired, a blue beam of energy hit me and darkness engulfed me.

I was brutally woken up by an acrid smell and opened my eyes and seeing someone crouching before me and having a sort of bottle under my nose. The being, the same one who put me in this state smiled at me, her golden gaze sizing me up as if I am a mystery she must resolve. Before I did anything she was against the table on the far wall six meter from me. That scared me shitless; I didn’t even see her move. I kept my heart steady to find a semblance of calm. That female Amazon was playing with her com tablet, not concerning herself with me. I took the trouble to stand up. The Amazon looked at me from her com tablet. She was playing games with me, I can feel it. Assessing the place I was located in by looking around, a big room with grey walls, and white furniture, mainly chairs and a table. On the left wall compared to my position a door could be seen, a control panel glowed that must open it is located on the right of it. I was surprised to not be restrained and to still be in my flight suit.

“Who are you?” I asked defiantly.

“You have invaded private property of Vice Industries, you’ll be detained until the owner dispatch Centurion Security to come retrieve you and ensure that you are tried for your trespass.” She read calmly from her pad.

Yes, she was reading this, her voice had an accent in it that I couldn’t place.

“Ah! You are not a centurion! Or you would know all the procedures. Seriously, who are you?”

She was already on me when I finished my sentence and had her hand around my neck and lifting me from the ground. The gauntlet of her blue armor chimed and she let me fall to the ground. The Amazon spoke in a language I have no knowledge of and turned her back to me. Someone must have contacted her. Thinking that I can take her when she has her back turned to me, I was about to launch myself at her, only to find the muzzle of a high-velocity pistol in my face. The translucent LEDs on it and the design showed me that it is a Casul R-XV that use electromagnetic accelerators with selective modes and targeting computer assist. In my fear, I could also feel jealousy welling up in me. This woman was superbly equipped with the best tech while I had to scrounge with outdated gears from the Human Federation. I frowned, the woman turned herself toward me and pointed her gauntlet at me. A source of light could be seen from one aperture of the gauntlet and from head to boots covered me. Was it some kind of scanner?

“Enhanced human? Yer one of this super soldier, right?”

“Corporal Ell Evan, Serial Number18789B-58.” Is all I answered her.

“Oh, yes. You have that resisting interrogation training shit you humans do. There is a sure way to circumvent this, we have a psionic onboard that will rip inside yer head or the technological way which consist in the use of a pain inducer that the V. I. pioneered.” She was listing possible destructive option to my mind and body as if it was a matter of course, and that damn accent of her grated on my nerves.

She approached me, her armor clanging on the metallic ground. Her shiny high-tech armor made her look even more formidable from so close. The Amazon stared hard at me and put a heavy hand on my right shoulder. My flight suit crinkled a bit.

“Or I could buy you your freedom, deactivate the fuckin’ explosive in your noggin that makes you subservient to your owners and help me catch the cloaked ship yer fighter came from.”

My mind raced, hope and wariness played a tug of war inside me. She must be lying, something ... there is a catch. The Amazon must have read my expression because she added. “No catch.”

I thought about the loyalty, time and training I owed the Private Military Contractor Ares. I thought of all the hardship, the freedom they dangled and all the lies and violence I have been subjected to. The good times I had were few, and I have always been alone because of my capabilities.

Fuck them.

It was time to show what I am truly made of, my eyes found those of the tall female with all the decisiveness and sincerity I can muster.