Chapter 5

Brother Xanadu was angry. He stormed onto the bridge. "You allowed them to evade us! WHY?" He demanded of Brother Hamilton who cringed before him.

"But brother, it was your very voice that commanded us to leave! We couldn't disobey you!" He protested.

Brother Xanadu took a step back, "My voice? You mean they have a copy of my voice in their systems? How can that be?" He asked.

"I do not know Brother, but Brother Durman also heard the radio, he agreed that it was your very voice." Brother Hamilton protested.

"I see, you asked a brother first before you decided to tell me? Is that how a brother should act?" Brother Xanadu said putting his hands on his hips.

"N... no brother, but it was strange to hear your voice and I had to do as you tell me. I'm sorry Brother Xanadu." Brother Hamilton said - which was true as all the brothers were conditioned to treat Brother Xanadus' word as law.

There was a burst of noise in Brother Xanadus' quarters; the Brothers closed their eyes in prayer. Brother Xanadu nodded. "Very well Brother Hamilton, we'll try again, this time I'll be on the bridge with you. He said.

Ships log SS Rochester, First Officer Scott reporting.

Following the apparent attack on the crew we have found a nanite which seems to be designed to absorb the chemical involved. To allow these to work we have 'infected' the crew with a copy of the nanite, and they seem to be recovering. Although to go by Brother Aranna recovery rate they will be weak for a few days.

In the meantime our replacement crew is functioning above expectations the replacement we'd taken for Captain Reilly has taken to his position as if born to it, in fact he has fitted in so well that even I am relying on his decisions.

The attack by the other cargo ship leaves us with a mystery, if they were not responsible for the air contamination then who was...

Log ends.

Scott sat back, Rochester smiled at her. "Thank you Scott, I would have been a problem for everyone if I was to take the log.

Scott smiled, although Rochester was currently captain of the ship he was not really a member of the Seaman's union, none of the replicant crew was! "I know captain, but what else could we do?"

He laughed, "Nothing. Now when the Brothers attack again we're going to defending ourselves, do you think you could open fire on a ship with humans on board?" He asked her.

"If I'm defending us then of course I can. Captain I was designed as an Army replicant. This means that my regard for human life is listed below that of my team, if given a choice I would go with my team than someone else! If you need me to I will press the button." She said.

Rochester shook his head, "That is something that I will have to do. It's one of the penalties of the position. I just had to know that if I can't do it then there is someone who is able to." He said.

"Hey don't forget me, I the one that's making sure the weapons are ready and online! It's part of my function as well!" Milly said.

"We will never forget you Milly! Now don't listen to private conversations, okay?" Scott said.

"Hey I never put them into permanent storage, only if I'm keyed, the problem is that you were discussing killing human life and that alerted me... You're lucky I'm nosey or else it would have been reported to the captain... or the first officer... Oh! I see the problem there!" Milly said after hearing what she had said. "Captain?... Who do I report to next?" She asked.

Rochester shook his head, I suppose the next in command, but it's rarely that you'll have a Captain and First officer planning a mutiny!" He said.

Molly was in the area set up for the crew who had been disabled by the attack, they'd all come round a few moments after the nanites were activated, but were still weak and so needed time to rest and recover.

She was lying with Reilly, holding him as if her presence would speed up his recovery, "Oh I'm so lonely without you Captain, please wake up!" She was whispering into his ear, tears on her face.

She felt the arm of Reilly move to hold her, but she knew it was an instinctive reaction and not a conscious one, but it still comforted her. After a while she went round to the other crew members - in one occasion she also attended to the crew member's member, milking it of sperm which she was using to maintain her body - it was part of the need of a sex toy replicant - She kissed Bassett on the nose, "Thanks!" She said and giggled.

A groan from Reilly's bed alerted Molly and she was by his cot in an instant. "W... what happened?" Reilly managed to ask.

Molly whispered into his ear, "We don't know, it looks like there was an attack by someone." She said.

Reilly drew in a breath, "Th... that brother?" He managed to ask.

Molly shook her head, "Don't think so, he was hit as well, but he did have an inactive nanite that was helping him... now it's helping you and the others." She said.

"Tro... Trojan horse?" He said.

Molly didn't understand what he meant, "Milly? What is a Trojan Horse?" She asked.

Milly had to search her records before she spoke, "A Trojan horse was one that had invaders hidden inside... that shouldn't have worked!" She added.

Molly turned back to Reilly, "We checked the programming, it's purely a one function unit, it takes the element and eliminates it."

Reilly nodded and then closed his eyes, his strength used up.

Molly kissed him again, "Sleep well Captain." She said and reluctantly left him.

On the bridge Rochester and Scott were watching the view screen when Milly made an announcement, "I've found the source of the contaminate!" She almost screeched out.

Rochester nodded, "Good Milly, where is it?" He asked.

"Accessway 45, by the main ventilator." She reported.

Rochester nodded, "Fine, we'll send someone there to remove it." He said but Scott stopped him.

"Milly, that's placed under the loading ramp isn't it?" She asked.

"Err, yes First Officer. We cannot access it until the ship is in dock. There's a security issue on this." Milly said.

Rochester stroked his chin, "So the only place where this could occur would be at the last base where the ramp was down and the accessway was available." He said out loud.

"Yes Captain, which would have been on the Lord Nelson." There was a slight pause, "Captain there was a report from Lord Nelson regarding two of their replicants - they deactivated each other... permanently." She added.

"No witnesses to the crime!" Scott said, "Someone didn't want George or Michael to be questioned." She clarified.

"Agreed, but that still leaves us with the question of who authorised this? but I don't think we'll ever find out." Rochester mused.

"Captain, our friends are back." Slip reported from his section.

"Confirmed Captain, I've got the ship on my ranger, and it's the same one." Sam spoke up.

"Just monitor it Sam, don't do anything just yet. Fred raise the shields. Molly please come up to the bridge." Rochester said to the various people.

"I'm on my way Captain." Molly's voice reported on the speakers.

Molly arrived on the bridge to find an alert light flashing and everyone busy, she took up a position at the communications area. "Captain they are hailing us!" She said.

"This is the ship The Lord Endeavours; we demand that you return our Brother to us!" Brother Hamilton's voice could be heard.

"The Lord Endeavours, this is the SS Rochester, we repeat our statement, your brother was engaged in an act of piracy and will be handed over to the authorities.

"Rochester! I have an override code for you Bravo Delta Alpha Alpha 3 9!" Brother Hamilton said triumphantly.

Molly cut the communications, "Captain that command would have affected the main computer, it uses the secondary commands structure that we eliminated." She said.

Rochester smiled, "Milly is this correct?" He asked.

Milly answered immediately, "Yes Captain, if we hadn't reprogrammed that command system I would be ready for their inputs."

"Appear to follow their commands, let's see what they're going to do." Rochester said.

"Aye, aye captain." Milly said.

Molly reopened the channel but didn't speak.

A new voice came over the speakers, all on the bridge turned to look at Rochester, for it was his voice. "SS Rochester computer, power down and prepare airlocks for boarding. The ships' crew is to be disabled. Respond!" The voice said.

Rochester nodded his agreement and Milly took over communications, "Orders accepted, engines powering down, airlocks cycled ready for access. Crew disabled, but replicant active." Milly said

The communications channel was closed and Fred put the engines to stand-by, ready to activate at a moment's notice. Rochester switched on the internal speakers. "This is the captain, we have a ship approaching, they think that the crew is incapacitated and unable to help them. Their intent is the destruction of this vessel, they will be allowed to enter, and then they will be arrested. Crew to take up positions in corridor; remember you are humans that have been overcome by gas, stun weapons authorized for use. Good luck." He said.

Molly turned to look at him, "Captain that was your voice! I think they have a replicant there as well, the stun guns will make him pause but won't stop him!" She said.

Rochester nodded, "I know! So Scott and you will have hot weapons, you know that he isn't a human and the restriction isn't in force with him. Don't hesitate!" He said.

At the other stations Slip and Fred slumped in their seats, pretending to be unconscious. Rochester moved towards the computer system before he fell as well.

Molly looked at Scott and frowned, "I think we're missing something here?" She said but they went to the corridor where they found Simone and Roger also on the floor, eyes closed and apparently unconscious.

As they neared the airlock they heard a noise, Scott nodded to Molly and then sagged into her arms, Molly started pulling her along the corridor. As the airlock opened the two brothers entered waving their guns, they look at Molly and air their weapons.

"Please don't hurt me; everyone's stopped working why is that?" Molly asked in her best little girl's voice.

Brother Hamilton stopped Brother Durman from shooting, "Don't worry about that, it's the ship's harlot, she can't hurt us." Then he looked at Molly, "Where is our brother Harlot?" He said.

Molly tried to look puzzled, "My name isn't Harlot, it's Molly! Do you want me to pleasure you?" She asked referring back to her original training.

Brother Hamilton looked at Brother Durman, "You know it's quite a nice little thing, I wouldn't mind making it squeal." He said with a leer.

Brother Durman shook his head, "No Brother, you know what Brother Xanadu would say, we take back our Brother and then destroy this ship, it must never arrive at the abomination's ship!" He said.

"No slutten, now take us to our brother!" Hamilton snarled at Molly who cringed back.

"V... very well, he's this way!" She said letting go of Scott and walking down the corridor past the 'bodies' of Simone and Slip towards the bridge. While they were walking Molly noticed that both brothers were starting to pant slightly, she was surprised as they weren't running, just walking along the corridor.

"Brother... I can't... can't..." Brother Durman said before he collapsed to the floor.

Brother Hamilton turned and then he fell to the floor. Molly frowned, why were they trying to... and then she realised the truth, they had been affected by the element in the air just like the crew. That was what they were missing.

She detected the nanites as they started operating on both the brothers and she burst out laughing. "It's alright they're down!" She said.

Rochester looked at the two cowled bodies lying in the sick bay. "And they were affected just like the crew here?" He asked Molly who was running a scan over the pair.

"Yes Captain. They were unprepared for our air being contaminated; they appear to have the nanites ready just in case." Molly said

"But they were not ready for it! This means that there is another faction involved! This complicates everything! Well one thing at a time. We need to stop this Brother Xanadu, now how can we do this... ?" He asked.

On The Lord Endeavours Brother Xanadu was pacing along the floor of the bridge, it was a habit that he had acquired and wasn't able to stop it. "Where by the Lord are you people?" He asked out loud.

He turned to the computer. "Report on Brother Hamilton and Durman!" He demanded.

An almost mechanical voice answered. "No Data."

"Why isn't there any news?" He said angrily.

The computer answered again, "No Data."

Disgusted Brother Xanadu shook his head, when they took over the ship they locked down the computer so that it would work without any possible higher functions. It worked well but could only tell what it had received - ironically if they had kept the higher functions in then it could have told him that the missing brothers might be prisoners on the SS Rochester.

Brother Xanadu began to get annoyed, he couldn't get any further orders from... higher up, without going to his cabin, but with the crew aboard the other ship he wasn't even able to leave the bridge just in case he had to defend the ship! He needed information!

Finally the communications console chirruped to announce an incoming call. "About time too, do you have Brother Aranna?" He demanded.

"Mister, your men... they just collapsed, just like the crew! Did you order the computer to do that?" A young girl's voice was asking.

"No! Who is this? What is your rank?" Brother Xanadu asked puzzlement overtaking his anger.

"Me? I'm pleasure unit 254, designated Molly. I'm the only one active at the moment, my clients won't wake up and the computer isn't answering me!" Molly said.

Brother Xanadu frowned, 'why wasn't anything going right with this?' he thought to himself, and then he remembered the girl's words, 'all the crew are unconscious!' They were defenceless and he was the only one able to move - apart from their sex toy! Well more fool them!

"Hello Molly, I'll come over and see what's wrong, you're sure there's no-one conscious over there?" He asked.

"Oh no, only me and I don't know why? The ship's computer won't tell me!" She said.

"Don't worry I'll sort it all out!" Brother Xanadu said with a smile on his lips. He got up from the captains chair, it didn't matter now! He would rescue his men and then destroy the problem! He would complete his mission to his god.

Molly turned to the people around her, "He's on his way!" She said with a smile.

Rochester nodded. "Good! Now if we're correct this will be difficult. He's an unknown factor and we can't just hope that the element will overtake him, not if he's what we think he is!" Rochester said.

All the crew checked their weapons, they now carried two guns, one was a stunner and the second was a blaster, designed for deep space use. It was dangerous to have such a weapon on board ship, but somehow they knew that the old fashioned short blades would not help them in this case.