Chapter 29

"Can you locate me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I am going to move to the left. Tell me how I move, in relation to you."

"Yes, ma'am."

I moved as I said about four metres. "Report."

"Yes, ma'am. You moved to my right."

"I will walk, and I want you to tell me when I go off course, and count down the distance."

"Yes, ma'am."

I was getting pissed at this machine, and I had not even seen it yet. My steps took me around a large hulk, that had been mostly dissembled. "Report I said."

"Yes, ma'am. You are bearing more right now, and have come one in twelve squared metres closer."

I moved faster and after three hundred metres, I still had no replies. The voice was neuter and not the way thing were now done. "Why have you disregarded my orders and not reported."

"Power is extremely low, ma'am. You are more to my right, and about half way here."

"Remain silent till I get very close."

"Yes, ma'am."

I came to the wall and could not see any real ships. Some of the ships were larger than a transport truck, but these were still too small for other than a runabout. Turning around I could spot nothing with military lines at all. My navigating could not be that much off. I walked to the left, and actually started to walk back and saw nothing, that should not be at a wrecker.

"You are here, ma'am."

Looking around, I saw a ship of only thirty metres in length and sporting an almost cylindrical hull of only eight metres. This type of hull had been discontinued, almost four million years ago.

"What is your classification?"

"Admiral's Pinnace, ma'am."

"State reasons for being inactive."

"Dimensional shift is inoperative, and I have been waiting for a replacement."

When nothing more came, I asked, "What other problems do you have that will keep you from inter-system space?"

"Working ma'am."

The ship was going through a diagnostic routine, that I did not know how long it would take. I looked around and found another power cable, and plugged it into the floor, close to the stern, and looked for the fitting to connect it to.

"Where is the shore connector?"

"At the bow, ma'am."

I should have known things would be backwards. I took out the cable, and used a receptacle that was closer. The hatch was hard to open, as if it had not been open in a long time. I laughed out loud, at the situation. When the power started to flow, lights came on, and a ramp descended.

I walked up the ramp and found the interior opulent by any measure. Three large chairs, that now had no material covering, were in the centre of the first large section. From the wall, I saw a very old display. I had seen the same one in a graphic, the Mom had shown me. The wall held citations and models of even older ships, behind a shimmering barrier.

Going forward, the door slid aside like the old Star Trek show, for me. The next division held more chairs, for the crew to navigate, and to pilot the ship. There were even manual controls, now this was old. I sat in the remains of the captain's chair, and wondered how this relic had gotten here.

"Finished, ma'am. Would you like a detailed report or concise?"

"Concise. What things would keep you from flying now, to the planet that this moon circles, with a biological being onboard, and a cargo of fifty metric tonnes."

"I need a supply of energy for my accumulators, and this is being done now. An inertial compensator, a new sensor array, seven assorted tractor projectors, and life support equipment."

From the age of the ship, the parts would never come. But there was a good side. I could fly without the compensator, the same way modern astronauts made do, without anti-gravity. I had supplies of air, water and food, not to mention a recycler. This would last me, if I had to make it to Earth, at less than the four hundred an thirty six gravities, she was capable of.

"Are there any nearby stores of these parts, or ones that could be employed for these purposes?"

"No Ma'am. They are all on order."

There had to be a way. "Is there any ships within this hangar, that have the required parts?" There was a noticeable pause, and I was given a long list of ships that could be stripped.

"Plot the most economical route, to get the best parts installed, into your hull." The information was memorized, and I proceeded to rob from Peter to put into Paul. I found the tractors, and removed more than I needed, because they may not all work. The compensator I got, because it would give me something to do on the ride home, if Mom was kept busy or worse.

The arrays of sensors would be easy, since they had not changed much since they were first invented. The computer just needed to compensate, after they were fitted. It was getting late, and I stowed the sled onboard, and close the hatch.

"Report."

"Yes, ma'am."

"What is your name?"

"None ma'am. My memory was scrubbed. Only a backup of the log exists, and it does not mention my name. A name does not follow naval protocol for a minor ship, such as this, ma'am."

"It does now. I am Fleet Admiral Buchanan," I said to get around this chatter, that would go on for hours if I let it. It also made me feel good. I had no right to be even a cabin boy, in any Tandra crew. Since I was the entire Earth Space Navy, then I guess I could be what I wanted. The entity was basically sexless, and I decided to give it a masculine name, for a change. "I think you should have the name Carlton."

"Yes ma'am. Thank you ma'am. It is recorded in the log."

I am going for a rest. Consider all outside personnel to be belligerent and hostile, unless otherwise stated by me."

"Yes, ma'am."

That computer, did need an overhaul. Maybe if I had time, after the next few emergencies, I could put this ship together, the way it should be. I almost felt like someone contemplating getting an old model 'T', and restoring it. My feet were definitely in two worlds now.

My sleep lasted four hours, and I was not even bothered by killing any of the Tandra males. I did not know their numbers, but ever since I found how Tandra males, treated their wives, females in general, and especially the children, I was angry.

I went to the head, and found two flat supports, that would support a person's ass when they took a dump. This was better in my estimation, than the way Mom and the base operated. There, a person was expected to squat on two raise pads and let go. The Orientals had used this method for as long as there were Orientals. The ever present cleanser, did the clean up for me.

I looked for the large cleanser in all the expected places, and found none. "Carlton, where is the place, where I can clean my body."

I was directed to a particular corner. A field materialized with me outside it, and from midair, fell a heavy spray of water. The waste water disappeared, as if in a matter transmitter. The field collapsed, and I could feel a cleanser doing its thing.

"Carlton, I think I am going to like you very much. Some of your facilities are very old, and some remind me of home. Together we make a match."

"Yes, ma'am, and thank you ma'am."

I took off the generator, and climbed into the shower. At my command, it came on and altered to the temperature I enjoyed. My call for soap turned out to be soap, that was mixed with the water. When I was finished, I said, "Done." The resulting tingle did wonders for making me feel clean.

"Thank you, Carlton. Can you prepare any of the food that is on the sled?"

A table was set, with a table cloth and the dried provisions, awaited on a beautiful crystal plate. A matching goblet of water, made the simple meal enjoyable. The ever present spoonknife, did the work very well. The spoon would act as its namesake, and the edge would be the sharpest blade ever, when activated by the mind of the owner. These ones here, were much fancier, than the ones in Mom's galley.

"Carlton, how long till you are capable of travelling to Earth?"

"My basic systems are operational, but this flight will be contrary to article five, section forty three sub section... "

"That is enough Carlton. I know you are not complete, but you can make the journey with a good safety margin. Now, how long till you are able to make the trip?"

"It will take three hours and six minutes till the accumulators are charged to a level, to make the journey. The unit is old, and does not respond as well, as when it was new." Now, especially before the trip, was not the time to follow that lead about the age of his or her internal systems.

"Carlton, while we are waiting. Are you familiar with the transmitter stations both for the hangar, and the ground transport in the base?"

"Ma'am, to what level do you mean?"

"A rogue intelligence had taken over the base. It was my duty to bring an end to her actions, and bring security back to this system. In the course of my duties, I was not able to substitute another personality in her place. The computer is resorting to basic programming, and will not allow us to leave, till a new intelligence is installed. Soon we will leave this base, regardless of its programming. I would like to return at a later date, to get the base running to military specifications."

I continued, "Use whatever means at your disposal, to make your own assessment of the conditions in this base, but do not allow a trace to be used to find us. When you are done, I want you to find a way to install a program, that will override the entrance security, and let me back in, and a method of leaving the base, without us coming under fire."

"Yes, ma'am."

"In the mean time, I will start another mission, to rescue some base personnel, and apprehend some of the conspirators to the original crime. If for some reason I am unable to return here, I may meet you at the refinery, where I plan loading ingots of lithium. They are to be kept out of an oxygen environment, and in your hold. In this system, I have another ally. She is a local tug, previously known as Secric. She is familiar to me as 'Mom'."

The truth was stretched a little, but not broken. If I could get the ship loaded, and safely back to Earth, then most of my mission would be accomplished. Mom could always pick me up, or I would again find alternate transportation.

I left with the gun, knife, controller, Bo, and my new toy the drone. The base computer was still pretty fucked-up, after losing its guiding intelligence. I wanted a piece of that creep, that lead the gang, and I think I know where he was.

I took what I thought of, as a safe route, through the refinery. Within minutes, I was close to the main offices. On Earth they were even more stuffed with technical marvels, than the apartments. Jumping up to a ledge and hanging on with my fingers, I looked over the edge and found two men with guns guarding a door. I could not get close without being seen and shot because of the visible Bo. I kicked myself for not finding out if the suit, I wore, was capable of withstanding a hit from those weapons.

Perhaps I could use the same trick a third time. I used my hands to move to one side, before climbing up to the level above. I could feel crying and a sharp pain. My mental ears told me that there was a lot of anguish, on this level.

The first room held a thin dirty boy, with a cable attached to his ankle. He was sleeping on his stomach, and one arm was in front of his face. To walk in the room now might arouse all the others, and get me back in a fight. Possibly get some boys killed too. Perhaps there was a different way.

"Hello son. It is time for you to leave this place with your friend. Wake up and leave this place, with your friend. Wake up and leave this place, with your friend." My attempt at using suggestion must have worked, for the boy slowly woke up, and did not startle.

"Hello friend. I have a device here that should take the cable off your leg. Would you like me to do that? If I do, you need to be quiet, so I can get the rest."

"Don't hurt me," he said, and his fear of me was getting greater.

"I will not hurt you. Look into my mind, and see that."

There was a feeble attempt to find my motives, I suppose, I could have fed him some pictures, and got him to believe anything, but I gave him the truth. His body intrigued me, mainly because he looked exactly like a female. The thoughts of making love with a boy made me remember my youth. I would never force myself on anybody, like the child before me thought. The truth must have been the right thing, for he smiled. I entered the room, and the controller parted the loop on his leg easily.

"I want to get the other boys out, and kill this man." I pictured the man raping the boy in the hallway. I got another smile, and a commitment to help.

I concentrated on the door to an occupied room, and felt two people inside. Both the adult and the slave boy were asleep. I used to be fairly good at assassinating the high ranking NVA and Cong. The door dissolved silently under the gun, and so did the man's head, a few seconds later. The boy's leg was released and I left him to continue his sleep. The face on the first boy was sheer admiration. He had probably dreamed of doing the same thing many times.

The next room was open, and I used the tiny probe to peeked in. Five slave boys sat or talked to each other. There were no men present. I sent the probe down the hall, and found either empty rooms, or ones occupied by more slaves. All of the boys were secured with cable.

"Do some boys walk without a cable around their leg, and without a man here."

"Yes, they did, but we escaped, and the men put the cables on us, to keep it from happening again."

"I want you to walk into the room, and keep the boys from getting excited. It would alert the people downstairs. Then I can free them."

"Yes, I will do that. Are you doing this because you want to love us to?"

This was the moment of truth. I would not lie, and I would face my own emotions. This was much easier to do since meeting the Tandra and accepting them and their customs.

"I think each of you are beautiful. When I was young a friend and I did as you do here. Since then I have missed my friend and think of him when I see a boy. I am not the type that would force boys or girls to have sex ever. Look into my mind again to see the truth." I knew that all sex here was exclusively male.

The boy looked at me and asked, "Girls?"

"Girls are similar to you, but are able to grow babies inside them. Here I think you are all grown in the vats." The boy thought nothing odd about the vats, but was very queasy about the 'girl' idea.

The boy got himself prepared and did as I asked. For about five minutes he studied my sex life and morals. He surprised me by coming into my arms for a hug. I tried to be as comforting as possible, and I felt him crying again. I told him how nice his hair and body were, and how his very presence made me feel good. I could perceive his love starting for me, even though I was an adult, and adults had always hurt him. He reluctantly left and walked into the room, and I turned invisible and followed him. He was a member of a male only society, and any love he found would be from another male. His instincts though caused him to pick out a dominant male and seek to join that family.

He started slow and eventually got the story out without the boys boiling over in excitement.

"You can come into the room now."

I frightened them, as I materialized in their midst. The controller made short work of the cables. One boy was more adventurous, and found the headless corpse. The first boy had to continue talking to them, because their excitement rose to such a state, that I was afraid that we would be caught again.

This room was right above the room the guards watched below. Each apartment was sealed, so there was no way of sneaking a peek normally. The controller set low, was just enough for the probe to reconnoitre. The room was empty, but I could see some other rooms. The probe found six boys, and my prey. He was eating a tube of food formed into a sausage.

I could be brave and break in. Then kill him, or do it like the last man. An old sergeant always said "Simpler is better."

I walked over to the area directly over his head, and pealed back the floor. It was easy to vaporize the top half of his body. The floor was pulled back a little more and I worked down into the apartment. The startled boys inadvertently alerted the guards. As they opened the door and came in, I dissolved the back part of their heads.

"Don't get all upset," I said to the startled boys. "I am not going to hurt any of you. You are all free to go if you want." Some backed up slowly till they were able to turn and run. They went till they found the boys I had talked to. The message was passed, and the wary boys returned.

The first boy told me of another apartment complex, about a kilometre away, where some of his friends were sometimes taken. Another boy took the controller to free other captives in this building.

There was no logic in doing a half job. There had to be a way to protect the boys, after I left. "Does any of you know where they store the weapons?"

The smallest boy walked over to a wall and pointed, his brain still too jumbled to think straight. I spent a few minutes talking to the boys, and let them get to know me. Soon the boy with the controller came back, with more of his freed brethren. The controller pulled back a wall, and I found twenty four guns, holsters and extra power cells.

I took out a harness, and placed it on the first boy I had met. The gun was checked, and placed in the holster. "This is not for you to shoot people, just to protect yourselves. I have to go soon, but I will be back, and get this place running right. Look into my mind, and see what will happen."

This took much longer than necessary, I thought. The tears on some, told me that they saw for the first time how they had been exploited. I hope my Earth values did not fuck-up this base and their culture.

Most of the boys stayed at my insistence, and only two went with me to the other apartment. Three men died quietly, and twelve more boys were freed. One boy was in very bad shape, and would die, if not given medical attention soon.

The boy was like Chris, a Mordis, he looked about five, but was probably nine or ten. Two of his lower arms were broken, and it looked as if he had a concussion. The way things worked, Twise, the man to loose his upper body, regulated who could, and couldn't, use the facilities. His men stood guard over the medical door. These I did not kill, but they collected a kick and a punch to the sternum. They only carried a club between them, and did not deserve to die.

The little boy was set on the table, and I gave the instructions to the machine directly. The child was sedated, and a larger and more complicated sphere, diagnosed and treated his injuries. The data coming from the machine told a gruesome tale. I was sorry that I had killed the three men so easily.

The child had two cracked vertebrae, two broken lower arms, a serious concussion, a torn bowel, eight broken fingers, serious internal damage to his reproductive organs, and his penis had been ripped out.

I did not know how the tyke had lived through this torture. I stayed beside the bed and waited. The two boys stood down the hall, to give me a warning, if I needed it. The machine moved the sedated body to an optimum position and various maladies were treated. I saw the whip marks on his back and bruising over his entire body. I held his little hand, as the machine turned him over, and treated his ripped anus and bowel.

Three and a half hours later the machine had done everything it could do. The broken bones were weak, but were knitted enough. He would heal with time. The vertebrae were fixed, as well as the pads on both sides of them. The bowel was completely repaired. His penis had been ripped out, by its roots, and in doing so, destroyed the testicles. The sex organs could not be fixed by the machine, due to a pact made with all the males of the Tandra civilization. A male family had only one member producing sperm, and the rest were wives without penis or testicles. This condition was not to be remedied, ever.

The wounds had been cleaned, and skin had been encouraged to grow over in the cavity. I knew that the machine on Earth, was more advanced, but would be no better able to help the child.

The former sex slaves looked at me in wonder. I had long since stopped trying to hide the qualities, that Nova had bestowed on me. These children would one day grow up to the same age of the men I had killed. There had to be a way to break the cycle, and bring about a moral society. Tandra society in my mind had different morals than what a Human would have. They were just and fair, within their context. The only way to bring the society here, into balance, was to reintroduce women back into the whole. The women were dominant, not by choice, but by being the only ones that would get things done.

I though of a way to help each of us, and start the process of recovery. Walking with the unconscious child cradled in my arms. I was followed closely by seventy, mostly armed boys. We approached the formally secure hangar. The door opened at my command to Carlton.

The boys saw the derelicts for the first time in their lives. Rows on rows of gleaming craft. Some had hull plates removed, others were just frames. There were ships of every purpose the mind could conger. Nearby racks, held both new and damaged parts, ready for a workman's hands.

The little boy was placed into Carlton's care, while I worked with the others. "I want to have a safe place for all of you." I said as I ticked off the points, with my fingers. "Each of you needs an education, and I need a navy. You understand the first idea. The second means that you all have to learn how to repair ships and machinery. All of you were abused. When you get older, you may want to do the same thing, as what was done to you. I am here to stop this from happening. I will bring this base back to the way it should be, and each of you will have a happy fruitful life. In return for this effort, you will man the ships, and begin to make a safe place for each of you and your descendants."

There were many questions, and the first was my name. "I am Fleet Admiral, Henry Buchanan." The reply was partially because Carlton was close, and partly, because they would need somebody to look up to, when the novelty of their freedom, changed into the reality of regimentation of their regular lives.

"Carlton has been looking over the ships that we have here, and picked out the ones that could be of help, and which can be used for parts." There was in fact, many ships with working AIs, and most were in better condition than Carlton, but I would not abandon him now.