Chapter 4

I glanced at the viewer that showed the boarding hatch and saw two people, one I recognized as my mother but the other was a stranger, “Open the screens and the hatch for our guests Allie. Tell them we will be there shortly.”

“Yes my husband.”

I stood up and looked around, “Where did you put your hover chair?”

It appeared in front of me and I helped her into her chair. I smiled as I walked into the boarding lobby. Mom smiled and embraced me before I finally sighed and pulled back, “Dad’s dead mom.”

She nodded, “They told me.”

I nodded and she sighed, “Somehow I knew...”

I looked at the stranger standing at the hatch. Mom finally cleared her throat, “Where are my manners. Charles, this is Prince David.”

She smiled at me, “He is our mentor at the college and wanted to meet you.”

I knew something was going on between mom and this prince. I had recognized the name right away from all the news coverage. He was the youngest son of the royal family. I held out my hand, “Welcome aboard the Night Scream.”

He smiled as he stepped closer and took my hand. I gestured to Allie, “My wife, Allie.”

I glanced at my mom to see her startled look. I grinned, “Allie?”

“Yes my husband?”

Mom jerked again and I grinned, “Give mom and the prince access to the common areas of the ship.”

“Yes my husband.”

I gestured for mom to proceed me with Allie, “Would you take my mom to the Galley?”

I followed along behind them with David beside me. He seemed amused and whispered, “Just wait, she will start questioning you about everything when you relax.”

I grinned, “I am used to that.”

Mom just stared when I used the synthesizer for cups of tea. I had made sure it was programmed just the way she used to like it. She was quiet as she sat and sipped her tea with the David beside her. She finally shook herself, “Where did you, which ship...”

I was holding Allie’s tea and laughed as David grinned at me, “Told you so.”

I grinned back, “If you mean the synthesizer, it is a kind of hybrid technology. Like many of the things that are a part of the ship.”

Mom licked her lips, “The power for something like that...”

I nodded, “That is why we have three Phase Reactors.”

Her eyes widened, “We never completely...”

I laughed and she blushed before sitting back, “What else?”

I looked at Allie, “I think the only other thing I can tell you about right now is the medical technology we worked out and placed in Olivia’s sick bay. Everything from true stasis tubes to regen tanks. Technologies to regenerate or regrow a body part. Scanners, that like the synthesizer repair damages and ... well, a lot more.”

I sat brooding and mom reached out to touch my hand, “I am sorry. The fleet put out a list of the dead.”

I nodded and finally sighed as I looked at Allie, “At least I have Allie.”

Mom looked at her and took a breath. Somehow I knew what was coming, “And just what is Allie?”

I smiled not taking my eye away from Allie, “She was an AI on an alien warship. They just shut her down and left her. Julie found her and after checking her code, brought her back. I guess you could say Allie is a second computer system for the ship, a back up system. Julie, Jess, Teri and Olivia thought she was one of us and called her...”

My voice broke and I took a minute while Allie slowly reached out to wipe a tear away, “They called her their sister and my wife. I made this body for her after I returned to Grer. In most ways it is as human as me.”

I sighed and finally looked at mom and grinned, “Allie is my friend and companion and yes my wife. Just today she demanded to know why I had not taken her to bed and made love to her.”

Mom blushed while David covered his mouth and choked. I caressed Allie’s face, “She feels like you feel. She can taste food even if I still have to help her eat. Her vision is getting better and is like yours. Her hearing is the same as yours. She smells odors just like you do. She has to eat and rest and yes, even go to the bathroom.”

I looked at my mother, “If she leaves the body completely, it dies.”

Mom sat back looking at Allie, “Why didn’t you just clone a body?”

I blinked and looked at Allie while she looked at me. Mom suddenly laughed, “You did not think of it.”

I blushed and then grinned while Allie looked down, “I think this was better. If I had just moved into a body I would not have survived.”

I smiled thinking about the chaos she had described to me. Mom pursed her lips, “You know that has happened every time they tried it. I wonder why?”

I smiled, “Because the body they move into is strange and they do not know how to do anything. Not muscle control, sight or more importantly, talking.”

Mom sat back stunned and then smiled. Like always, when she found one answer she went after others. She looked at me calmly, “But how did you figure out...”

David laughed and I grinned, “We had access to everyones notes and worked it out. The hardest part was the matter transmitter and the Phase Reactor.”

She was stunned but I had noticed the prince jerk when I had mentioned the matter transmitter. I only glanced at him, “I dismantled the transmitter before I left and almost all the notes were destroyed when the Battlecruiser destroyed the biospheres.”

I smiled at mom, “Any chance we can see a play or something?”

David cleared his throat, “As young as you are they will not allow you into service. They will more than likely demand the ship and its technology.”

I looked at him calmly, “First, this is technology from an independent system. Second, the technology and this ship belong to me. Third, I have protocols in place to prevent anyone from taking Night Scream covertly. And fourth, there is nothing that can breach her shields and take her by force.”

He looked at my mother and she returned his look. I was quiet and finally looked at mom, “We are going after the Talis Empire, with or without the support of fleet. They did not just kill almost everyone at home. Dad was torn apart by someone in a combat armor and they took pleasure doing it. They did the same thing to Jess, Julie, Teri and Olivia.”

Mom’s face had paled but David was only quiet. He finally sighed and pulled out a small comm, “I need to speak to father.”

There was a low hum from the comm and then a strong male voice, “What is it now David?”

He looked straight at me, “Father, I am with Mary’s son. I ... I need your authorization to offer him a position in the Rangers.”

There was a silence on the comm and then, “I am looking at Mary’s file and Charles Samuel Knight is only sixteen and listed as independent system resident.”

He continued to stare at me while mother sucked in her breath, “I know father. If you have read the report on Petel ... At least meet him father.”

There was silence for almost a minute, “I am at the Admiralty. Stay there and I will be there in ten minutes.”

The comm clicked and David relaxed, “You will need to grant him and his bodyguards access to the whole ship.”

I sat back and looked at Allie. She pursed her lips remarkably like mom and I almost said something. She finally shrugged, “I am not sure my husband.”

I smiled, “You know, you can mix up your terms of address when you talk to me.”

The Allie grinned, “Alright my love.”

I shook my head and sat back thinking. Allie interrupted me a few minutes later, “Several grav cars are approaching.”

I stood with David who waved mom back down. I nodded to Allie to stay and walked back to the boarding lobby with the prince. I looked at him while we walked and his mouth twitched, “You can ask.”

I grinned, “It is should I ask?”

He grinned and turned to me, “Your mother and I are ... seeing each other. She is a special woman.”

I smiled as I turned to the open hatch and four men stepped through. The next person to come through while the four men spread out to cover the lobby was a tall well built man. I recognized him from all his pictures, only right now he looked ... tired. I bowed slightly, “Welcome aboard Night Scream.”

He smiled and another man stepped in behind him. He wore the dress uniform of a full fleet Admiral. I could see several men fanning out around the ship. I cleared my throat, “Would it make your security feel better if the ship’s shields were on?”

The Emperor started and looked at one of his security men who hesitated and then nodded. I smiled, “Allie? Bring up your shields but let the security comms continue to operate.”

“Yes my husband.”

The emperor nodded and I looked into his face, “Many of the devices on this ship are ... restricted and unknown. If the technology were to get out...”

He raised his hand, “Say no more.”

I nodded, “Allie, give his Majesty and his guards unlimited access. The Admiral can have access in the common areas.”

“Of course love.”

Even I started at that and David grinned at me. I turned to lead the way back to the galley. The prince had fallen in beside his father and I could hear them talking quietly. At the galley, I gestured to the table and walked to the synthesizer.

I looked at the emperor, “Something to drink?”

He surprised me when he asked for some fruit juice. I looked at the admiral and he grinned, “Coffee of course, make it black.”

I turned to the synthesizer and ordered the coffee before thinking about the choices of juices, I smiled and ordered. I carried both to the table while the guards and everyone else it seemed continued to stare at the synthesizer. I sat their cups down and waited until they had sipped their beverage.

The emperor smiled and then became serious as he looked at me, “I know you want revenge for what happened but...”

I held my hand up and realized everyone was startled. No one was supposed to interrupt the emperor when he talked. I smiled, “If I wanted revenge I would not have bothered coming here.”

He looked at me and sat back taking another sip of juice, “Alright, tell me what you want.”

I looked at Allie and then looked back at him, “Okay, we want to push Talis back to their own planets. If we have to destroy every ship they own, we will. What they did on Grer was not war. It was murder for the sake of murder. With this ship, we can bring the war to an end.”

He sat there looking at me and finally nodded, “Tell me about your ship.”

I looked at the admiral and gestured for the emperor to stand and follow. I led him and his guards to the bridge, “Allie?”

“Yes love?”

I smiled and gestured for the emperor to sit in my chair, “Filter all comms and block my words.”

“Acknowledged Charles.”

I looked at the Emperor, “Okay, try to follow. This ship was built atom by atom, using a matter transmission device we built and adapted. The frame and hull are made of a super dense alloy that would be difficult to damage at best. Built into the hull are three other technologies. Built into the alloy itself is a chameleon like property that would make it hard to see if we did not keep a negative charge.”

I thought for a minute and then continued, “Add to that a technology that fully stealthes the ship and last is a complete shield generating system that is probably a hundred times stronger than anything you can imagine. Our power comes from three special built Phase Reactors.”

The emperor jerked at that and I nodded, “I see you know what a Phase Reactor is, good. The engines are also different. They came from an ancient race and are three or four times more powerful than anything currently being used and half the size.”

I took a breath, “We have three weapon systems. The first is sixty of what we call energy torpedo launchers or torps launchers. They have a range out to a full light minute. They can shatter any ship’s armor in seconds.”

“Second, is what we call an energy lance, there are six and they have a range of almost five light minutes and are powerful enough to punch all the way through one of your dreadnoughts at max range.”

“Last is our main weapon, it is another concept we devolved from the matter transmission device and the Phase Reactor. It has an optimum range of about thirty light minutes but could reach out to about one light hour.”

He swallowed and I could see he wanted to ask a question. I nodded, “Go ahead and ask.”

He looked into my eyes, “What is the damage capability of the last weapon?”

I did not hesitate, “Between ten micro grams of anti matter to a thousand if you used anti matter as an equivalent. It is fully adjustable.”

I heard his guards suck in breath but he only nodded and gestured for me to continue and I smiled, “Ship systems. We have three oxygen generators and two advanced recycling systems. We have two highly advanced hydroponics sections with protein vats. Beside the synthesizer you saw for food, there is another for clothing and we have a matter transmitter section for any repairs we might need.”

I took a breath, “The last thing is the best, Allie. She was a battle AI from what you would think of as a super dreadnought. We found her and now she is part of my family, my wife.”

I waited and he put his fingers together and sat thinking. He finally nodded and stood up and let me lead him back to the galley where we found mom, Allie, David and the admiral arguing about fashion. I glanced at the emperor and he only shook his head and grinned, “I forgot to introduce you to Admiral Davis. He runs the fleet for me.”

I nodded to the red faced admiral as the emperor gathered himself. He gestured to me, “Understand that as a Ranger you are my direct vassal.”

I hesitated and finally nodded and he proceeded to swear Allie and I in. When he was done he nodded, “I will have your headquarters send your badges over. In the mean time, I have a meeting I need to get to.”

He hesitated, “I think I want another Ranger to ... accompany you. She is back here for medical reasons. She lost an arm and leg.”

He looked at me before he turned to leave with the admiral following him. Mom seemed sad but smiled bravely while David cleared his throat, “Well, now that that is over ... how about I take everyone shopping and then we go watch a play?”

When Allie and I returned that evening it was to see a large grav car sitting beside the ship. We looked at each other and I walked over while she waited by the now open hatch. A young woman of about twenty five with bright red hair got out of the car and slid into a hover chair.

I could only see one leg, she was also missing an arm just below the elbow, “It is about damn time!”

I blinked and then smiled, “If I had known you were coming, I would have been here.”

She grumped as I looked at Allie, “Open sick bay.”

It was almost an hour later that I took a break. I stood by one of the regen tanks that held the sleepy looking woman I now knew was the Ranger that was to go with us. I smiled, “Welcome to the Night Scream Ranger Mathis.”

She struggled and gradually looked more alert, “This gel stuff is really going to regrow my...”

I smiled at the hope in her voice, “If Olivia said it would, then you will just have to suffer being whole again.”

She looked at me and relaxed, “I was pissed when HQ told me to report aboard. Call me Ginger.”

I grinned, “They did not have anything to do with it. The emperor demanded you accompany us. I think he was afraid I might get carried away.”

She raised her eyebrow and I smiled, “Rest. Tomorrow we can go into plans.”

She searched my face and then nodded before relaxing. I hesitated, “Allie?”

Her quiet voice whispered almost in my ear, “Yes Charles?”

I smiled, “Give Ranger Mathis ... Ginger, full access. If she needs anything in the night call me.”

“Of course my husband.”

Ginger smiled, “My confidential brief told me Allie was an AI.”

I looked at her to see her reaction, “Allie may be artificial but she is my wife and my companion.”

She looked straight at me, “I think it is great. I always believed that an AI could feel and be as human as we are.”

I smiled and left, I found Allie in my room. I undressed and joined her in bed. She hugged me, “It was good to see your mom. She seemed nice.”

I nodded, “She is changed but at the same time...”

Allie crawled on top of me and put her head on my shoulder. I grinned and relaxed thinking about the way mom, David and Ranger Mathis had reacted to Allie. I woke to the light tingling Allie used to wake me, “What is it Allie?”

She was looking into my face and smiled, “Ranger Mathis asked for you and we have a visitor.”

I slipped out from under her and slid out of bed. I dressed quickly and helped her into another one of her daring outfits and we headed for sick bay, “Who is the visitor?”

“Ranger Samson, he is in with Ranger Mathis now.”

I walked in the door and saw a tall man by the regen tank next to Ginger. I stopped by Ginger and smiled, “Let me guess, it itches.”

She grinned, “Like you would not believe.”

I nodded, “The wounded I treated at home said the same thing. It has something to do with the growth of new parts.”

I crossed to the cabinets and pulled out two neural suppressers. I slipped one into the regen tank next to the knee and attached it before turning it on, the second went below her elbow. She sighed when it went on and I crossed to a sink to clean the regen gel off. Ginger nodded toward the man beside her, “This is Ranger Samson.”

I nodded and he grinned, “Welcome to the Rangers.”

He held out a small silver case. I took it and opened it to see the gold star with my name on the bottom and Commander across the top. I looked up and he grinned, “Brand new to the Rangers and already a Commander.”

Ginger looked at him sharply and he shrugged. “Straight from the emperor. He said something about a ship captain needing rank.”

She lifted her arm and leg out of the regen gel. She stared at the half regrown stump of her arm and then her partially regrown leg. She looked at me and I repositioned both limbs back in the tank. The other Ranger cleared his throat, “I also have the other badge and your briefing for your first mission.”