Chapter 5

I left and headed to the bridge. I settled into my seat and brought the ship to life. First was the call for immediate clearance to taxi and lift for space. I opened the comm channel, “Capital control this is Night Scream permission to taxi out for lift off.”

There was a silence and while I waited I brought the shields online, “Night Scream this is Capital control a guide ship is on its way. What is your destination?”

I was running checks on ship systems and barely paused, “Capital control this is Night Scream. We are under Imperial oath as Imperial Rangers, our destination is classified.”

There was a slight pause, “Copy Night Scream.”

It was only a moment before Allie came onto the bridge and moved to her chair. Out of the corner of my eye I watched her stand and take the steps to her seat, “Bring the weapons to standby Allie.”

I moved through the sequence and brought the anti gravity to life as the guide ship appeared. I followed its signals and began taxing behind the tiny guide ship. It was quiet as we followed the guide ship until it blinked its running lights, “Night Scream this is guide ship Baker three. You are cleared for lift. Contact Capital control for more information and good hunting.”

I smiled, “Copy Baker three, see you when we get back.”

I looked at Allie, “Everything green?”

Allie nodded, “All systems operating perfectly.”

I smiled and opened the comm, “Capital control, this is Night Scream, guide ship is away, awaiting instructions.”

“Copy Night Scream, you are cleared for lift to ten thousand on your current heading.”

I pushed the accelerator forward a fraction and waited a minute to lift ship. Our ascent was swift and smooth. When I reached ten thousand I opened the comm, “Capital control this is Night Scream at ten thousand.”

“Copy Night Scream. Turn to two eight zero and ascend to fifty thousand. Switch to Miros orbital control for further clearance.”

I started changing heading, “Change the comm channel Allie and bring up the internal gravity.”

“Yes my husband.”

When I reached fifty thousand I opened the comm, “Orbital control this is Night Scream on a heading of two eight zero at fifty thousand.”

“Copy Night Scream. You have been cleared to the buoy Orange two.”

I glance at my scan and changed course, “Copy orbital control.”

As Night Scream went black sky a minor warning flicked on my targeting display. I looked at it for a moment and opened the comm channel, “Orbital control, we have been targeted by a stealth drone.”

I looked at Allie, “Check battle screen and shield status and warn Ginger.”

I looked at my scan as the comm channel started squealing as it was scrambled and several alarms sounded. I put defensive systems on automatic and brought all weapon systems alive and activated the battle scans. The defensive lasers started firing as I began tracking an unpowered ship.

I used two torp launchers and watched the ship explode. Allie shifted slightly, “All drones destroyed my husband.”

I nodded and kept scanning as the comm came back to life, “Night Scream this it Fleet control, say status over!”

I smiled, “Status is green. You had an unpowered ship in close orbit. Eight stealth drones were destroyed with their ship. I am continuing on my mission and going dark.”

I brought up my own stealth systems and knew that unlike the unpowered ship we could not be detected. I changed heading and pushed the acceleration up to eighty percent, “Time to heliopause Allie?”

She shifted in her chair as her hover chair appeared beside her, “One hour and twenty minutes.”

I turned my head to look at her and she smiled, “Ginger asked if I could help her in the gym.”

I shook my head, “Just like a Ranger, never stopping to rest.”

Allie stood and took two steps before turning to sit in her hover chair. I smiled, “You’re getting better at that.”

She smiled and stopped her hover chair beside my command chair. She looked into my eyes, “Will you mate with me tonight?”

I smiled and shook my head, “You have a one track mind Allie. After Ginger finishes and we have jumped, come to bed and I will begin teaching you.”

I watched her leave and went over my plotted route. Right on time we crossed the heliopause and I opened the wormhole and jumped. I checked the ship systems and set everything on automatic before standing and heading to my cabin. To say it was an interesting night would be an understatement.

I opened my eyes early the next morning and softly caressed Allie as she lay on me. She lifted her head and smiled, “Good morning my husband.”

I grinned, “Good morning my wife.”

She cocked her head, “Does that mean I belong to you?”

I squeezed her lightly, “It means we belong to each other.”

Allie smiled and carefully moved off me, “All systems are operating as they should be.”

I grinned, “Your system is operating better than normal.”

She looked at me as if not sure what I meant. I smiled and gave her a soft kiss, “I meant you were wonderful to me last night.”

She smiled and kissed me back. She stood and surprised me by slowly walking into the bathroom. I shook my head and followed her to help with her shower. In the galley Ginger was sitting beside the table eating and smiled at us. She grinned at Allie, “How did it go?”

Allie tilted her head, “It was enjoyable.”

I cleared my throat, “Please do not talk about it with me here.”

Ginger laughed as Allie moved out of her chair and sat at the table. Ginger watched her and sighed, “One day I will do that.”

I placed breakfast on the table and sat down, “We should have another four days before we get to Long Horn. Allie, I want Ginger’s combat suit put together so she can get it fitted and adjusted. You will need to help her adapt the bio systems so she can use it by the time we break out into Long Horn. Ginger, I want you to take some time and explore the ship. Use Allie if you have questions or access the ship computer.”

I smiled, “I know you outrank me but I know what Night Scream can do and you do not. Unlike Petel, we are going to go in hot and kill everything unless they surrender.”

Ginger grinned, “I have been peeking a little bit and you are right. I can only imagine what she is capable of.”

I nodded and watched Allie eat. I looked at Ginger, “Your combat suit will give you a few ideas.”

I went to check the bridge and the ship systems before sitting back and thinking about Mom’s words, “Why didn’t you just clone a body?”

I slipped out of my chair and went to sick bay. I sat at the doctor’s console and absently blocked surveillance. I brought up Olivia, Julia, Tara and Jess’s DNA, I also brought up Allie’s bio. I used the medical computer to combine the DNA and match it to Allie’s current bio.

I also reviewed Olivia’s regeneration and matter transmitter technology. I pulled up the girls stored DNA and the bio medical materially Olivia had already created. It was something the body would automatically alter and change to match its DNA. I started the sequence to match what I had already designed. I turned and left and found Allie in the shuttle bay with Ginger.

I watched as they both sat in their chairs and put the armor together. I shook my head as I went to plan lunch. Almost as soon as I finished Allie and Ginger came in. I put food on the table and watched as Allie carefully stood and moved to sit. Ginger watched her and clenched her jaw before slowly standing and taking a shaky step and falling into the seat.

She grinned at Allie and shifted around until she was sitting. Allie glanced at me as we were eating, “You blocked the vids in the med bay.”

Ginger stopped eating and looked from me to Allie. I smiled, “I also blocked your access to what I am doing in the computer.”

She frowned, “Why?”

I sighed and looked at the table, “It was what mom said.”

Allie tilted her head like Julie and Jess used to do and I smiled. I reached for her hand, “This body is very close to a human one but it is not human.”

Ginger straightened as Allie nodded. I gave her hand a squeeze, “After lunch come to sick bay and look.”

She looked at me as I stood and put my unfinished lunch in the recycler. Ginger was with Allie when she came in. I was standing beside a stasis tube on a gurney, inside was a body. Allie moved to me before standing slowly and stepping closer to look into the stasis tube. She looked for a long time before looking at me, “That is me.”

I smiled, “I could be.”

I caressed her face, “The problem is you would have to leave this body.”

Allie looked at me and then at the one in front of us, “How?”

I smiled, “I had a neural receptor and transmitter like the one you already have wired into the brain.”

She looked at me before smiling and backing to the bed behind her. I moved to her and helped her up, “You have to wait until I open the tube and remember it may be like when you first entered this body.”

I bent to kiss her before standing and moving to the stasis tube, “Ready?”

Allie took a breath, “Go ahead.”

I shut the stasis tube down and opened it, the body shuddered and started gasping. I watched as Allie struggled to get control and finally after a few minutes the eyes looked at me. She croaked, “Charles?”

I took her hand, “Are you okay?”

She smiled and nodded shakily, “Yes, this body is very different.”

Ginger moved closer and laughed, “Allie girl you did it, you are human.”

Allie turned her head to see Ginger and smiled, “Yes.”

I sighed and leaned against the bed, “Rest Allie. I will move your other body into storage.”

She shook her head, “We do not need it now.”

I caressed her face before looking at Ginger, “Move onto the end bed.”

Ginger looked at me before moving her chair around and over to the empty bed. She stood shakily and carefully fell onto the bed before twisting around. I bent to kiss Allie before walking to the bed and picking up a scanner. I checked her arm and leg before doing her other arm and leg.

I used her DNA and some bio material before using a neural sleep aid. I carefully added muscle and toned them before shutting the transmitter off. I woke her and Ginger looked at me, “What did you do?”

I smiled as I moved back to Allie, “What I should have done if I had studied Olivia’s notes.”

Allie grinned, “Look at your muscles.”

Ginger lifted her arm and then sat up to look at her leg. She grinned but I shook my head, “You will still need to exercise.”

She turned and carefully slipped off the bed. She stood on the floor and balanced before grinning and taking a careful step. She turned and sat in her chair, “Much better.”

The next four days were spent explaining everything about the ship to Ginger. Allie was able to stand and walk within a day, joining Ginger in the gym. When we jumped out of the wormhole Allie was in her seat and Ginger was sitting beside her at Julie’s old station. I did not bother with the stealth, I was here to destroy not hide.

I opened the comm, “All ships and military personal in Long Horn, this is Captain Knight aboard the ship Night Scream. Surrender and you will live, oppose me and you will die.”

My answer was every ship in the system turning and heading towards us. I started targeting and waited for the closet ship to reach energy torpedo range before I started firing, “Plot a course in Allie.”

Ships began shattering and ripping apart as Night Scream leaped forward. I shifted the targeting as we moved through shattered fleets, Destroyers were targeted by the energy torpedoes. Cruisers and Battlecruisers were targets for the energy lance. Battleships and the few dreadnaughts became targets for the Phase Transmitter.