Space Station Acheron Read online

  Tasha shivered.

  Wilfried

  Adheek space station, June 15, 2140

  Adheek space station was a perfect wheel on a geosynchronous orbit, positioned directly above Adheek’s capital city. Wilfried liked the quiet satellite, which was well managed by Nillimer, the station controller. This would be his last day on the station and he would miss it. Strange how we adapt.

  “What’s on your mind, young pilot? You seem far away.” Althal’s tone was light, but their work wasn’t. The shapely brunette was Adheek’s main Observer, a key Federation official in charge of coordinating police actions against nanite smuggling. The nanobots could provide abilities beyond those that any human could dream of, and they were highly regarded. The drug was addictive due to the power it gave to users, and it was also very dangerous. Each action required the nanites to use some of their host’s energy. When the robots ran out of energy they could use directly, they killed their host and spread like viruses, looking for more.

  “This is our last night on board before we leave for Earth. Tasha and Leopold should arrive with the shuttle any minute now.” Wilfried smiled at the perspective of their reunion.

  “And you want to meet your fellow pilots? Especially the blonde girl?” Althal said, a sparkle in her eyes.

  “What? No—”

  “Stop denying it. You like her and that’s clear for all to see.”

  Wilfried felt himself blush.

  “You’re so cute. Now, the last exercise before you can join her.”

  “Yes, Observer. What is it going to be?”

  She became serious again. “Final exam’s special. You’ll get your sniffer and track a small plant used to produce the nanite drug – the one you have the most chance of encountering on Earth. I’ve hidden a replica in the station. There are no limits to your search. In three hours, I will remove it and you won’t qualify as Observer. Find it, and next time, it’ll be for real on your planet.”

  Wilfried nodded. Two years before, the first injection of nanites had nearly killed him. He couldn’t bear all the injections required to become a full pilot, and his skills as nanite-user would remain forever limited. Still, he could pilot and use nanites, if he was careful, and the Federation didn’t waste any skilled students. They needed an Observer in the Earth’s solar system. They had offered the job to him and he had decided to do it as best as he could. A strange turn of events, considering his childhood. He thought grimly of his years smuggling in the shadow-wharves of Hamburg. He was switching to law enforcement now. What will my brother think? His parting words had been, “Take all opportunity and change!” I’m not sure he would have included such a radical transformation.

  He ran to his cabin and fetched his sniffer, then activated it with a touch of nanites. Looking in the mirror, he confirmed that his eyes were not grey anymore but slightly golden, nanites having invaded his retina to amplify his sight. One of the more positive aspects of the nanites was that they repaired his body constantly. He had been nearly bald before entering the academy, but his hair had now regrown. He laughed bitterly. Not enough nanites to be a full pilot, still enough for a little vanity. Untested Observer, former slum boy. What am I really?

  His bracelet chimed. It was the same standard black leather and metal band that was worn by every Federation agent. He moved out into the corridor. The sniffer didn’t return any signal yet. Nothing here. He had learned in the last months to trust the little pistol-shaped device. The nanites were airborne by nature and drifted through the air. They would leave confined areas to roam around. He decided to search the entire wheel methodically.

  He took the corridor that linked the entire structure, and cleared section after section, saying hello to people as he went. Nillimer, the Station Controller, and Addel, the Master of operations, made a pretense of checking the main cafeteria. He knew the couple well by now, and they waved at him. He continued through the command center and the engineering bay, then checked the different hydroponics farms, but found nothing.

  An hour later, Wilfried had walked the two klicks of the hub without producing any results or leads. Althal seemed to be missing as well. Returning to his starting point, he stopped for a few minutes in the cafeteria to review the situation. She’s moving it. He began to jog, crossing the whole structure quickly, but after another thirty minutes, he still had no results.

  Think – did she hide it? No limits, she said.

  Wilfried crossed to the main ventilation network. No one could crawl through it, as Althal had demonstrated in training. It’s nowhere inside. Another hour went by. He had now his spacesuit on, searching the outer ring and the warehouse, before his sniffer caught a trace. Only two minutes remained when he found the plant, attached to a solar array. Just a small back box. Blackened. No radiation. So easy to hide. Why did I ever accept?

  He checked if anything else was hidden outside. He caught a few of nanites and tracked it along the hull to an outside locker where he found two bags of drugs. OK. I got your point, Althal. Anywhere. He returned with an heavy heart to the main airlock with his treasures.

  Althal was waiting for him, watching a 3D movie in front of her. “Congratulation, Observer. You’ve graduated. Mind you, it took you longer than I expected. They’ll never move drugs through the main concourse. Search everywhere but there. But even if they move nanites in the vacuum, they’ll leave a trail. This will be my parting advice. Do the unexpected.”

  “I’ve finished? I’m on my own now?” Wilfried gulped under the weight of his new responsibilities.

  “We all are. You’ve got good friends on Earth. You’ve got supporters at the Pilot’s Guild. Both will help. Come. Let’s throw a party in honor of your departure.”

  Later, after a quick shower and a change of clothes, Wilfried walked to the main cafeteria, still lost in his thoughts. A fierce hug from Tasha brought his attention back to reality. He liked the way she looked, with her blond hair loose and her blue eyes sparkling at him.

  “So, you finally caught her! I thought you didn’t want to see us.” She laughed and backed away from him to let Leopold, the massive man from South Africa, crush his hand in a firm shake.

  “Tasha, leave him be. Wil, do you know she has been tracking your progress all over the station with Addel? How do you feel? Not too hard with gravity changes?”

  “Terrible. I crawled, jumped and checked every place I could think of. The gravity is OK. They performed wonderful work here. The wheel is so wide, you don’t feel the differences that much.” In a wheel, rotation generated gravity, a factor of the radius and the speed. If it wasn’t managed perfectly, the changes rapidly became unbearable.

  “Well, you can rest now and enjoy. Addel has organized a fine celebration tonight.”

  The station personnel had gathered around them and a rare buzz had invaded the quiet cafeteria.

  “Because of my hunt, I didn’t see it coming. Our friends leaving today for Alkath?”

  Six students from Earth had landed on Adheek three years before. Li Bao had failed and returned to Earth, forbidden to ever use her nanites again. Tasha, Leopold and Wilfried were flying back to Earth as pilots. And two of the group, Emily and Brian, had been allowed to go further in their studies, to fly to the Central Academy in Alkath and learn to jump between stars, a feat a hundred times more difficult than the short hops Wilfried could carry out within the confines of the solar system.

  Nillimer had appeared at their side. “We are always proud when our students leave for the Core Worlds. Few can fly between stars, and we need all of them.” She was grinning, showing all her teeth. “But we are also glad to see you, my dears, returning to Earth.”

  “Self-interest, I’m sure,” snorted Tasha with a grin. “Less work for you to support us if we can stand on our own.”

  Nillimer brightened. “Some planets have waited decades to have pilots of their own. This is a strain on all of us. Longer flight hours to link all the worlds. Tasha, we enjoy sharing.”

  Wilf
ried remembered a colder Nillimer, years before. The quick graduation of the students from Earth had changed the status of their planet for all people working in the Federation.

  “Come, come and watch!” they heard Addel shouting. The crowd that had assembled for their departure turned toward the Station Master. At her command, a 3D hologram danced in the middle of the room, showing a large spaceship, a black ovoid barely visible in the darkness of the outer Adheeken system. The iambignow was jumping away from Adheek, its departure tracked by one of the few Ancient hyper relays still in operation. A new image sprang to life beside the first, showing students – Brian and Emily from Earth, Sonter, Kilet’s son, and all their friends who went to the Core Worlds – waving at them.

  Wilfried felt a pang of jealousy. “They have such a chance. So many new worlds to discover!”

  Tasha laid her hand on his arm. “You don’t know what they’ll face.”

  “Sure. I only know what we will face.” A hostile planet collapsing under the ecological pressure. Corporations and governments striving to protect their own. Smugglers thriving on the chaos down there. The United Organization trying to keep order and to enforce a bidding Charter signed with the Federation.

  Tasha looked at him seriously for a second and then laughed again. “Wilfried, you’re right. But it’s party time tonight. You can’t be serious and worried all the time. We will face it together, tomorrow. But now, we’ve got to get you in a better mood.”

  A rift appeared on the 3D and new stars shone from the other side. The ship dived into it, swallowed by the silent storm, abnormal and glorious. In seconds, the rift closed behind it and they were gone. The crowd toasted and cheered. Slowly, the general mood overcame Wilfried’s dark forebodings, and he enjoyed his last evening on the station.

  Later – much later – he found Leopold alone in a side cupola, watching the red Adheek below them, lit up by the fading light of the sun setting behind the horizon.

  “What a face, my friend!” Wilfried exclaimed, a bit too loud, angry at the doubt he saw. He continued in a more controlled manner, “What’s happening to you? Why such a grim mood?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  Wilfried stood next to him in silence, waiting for him to elaborate.

  “Tasha is moving back home to run the station and our ship.”

  “Sure enough. She’s the only who is fully qualified.”

  After the first injection, Leopold had decided to leave the program. Like Wilfried, he could pilot a ship through hyperspace for small, controlled jumps, but he hadn’t the same endurance and competence as Tasha. She could have gone to the Central Academy like Brian and Emily, but had opted instead to come back to Earth and run the show, with the new status of a full pilot.

  “Do you want the job?” Wilfried said.

  “Certainly not.” Leopold gave a sad chuckle. “I opted out two years ago now. You? You’ll hunt smugglers?”

  “Yes, but I don’t understand…”

  “What is expected of me? What should I do? Where do I fit? Fly the ship back and forth to the asteroids and the outer trade route? Just that? Running back and forth on two routes until I die.”

  “I don’t know,” he answered, sobering up. “There are so many things to do, I’m sure you’ll find a place of your own. One we can’t see yet.” His voice grew firmer, replaying his older brother’s words in his mind. “Take all that is thrown at you and make the best of it. This is what we have been doing since the Federation came. Maybe we will take back some control of our life.”

  In silence, they continued to watch the sun setting over the foreign planet, then turned their attention to the strange starry sky.

  Tasha

  Earth Solar system, outer routes, June 22, 2140

  “Pilot, the ship is yours.” Captain Derantor left her seat at the main console and motioned to Tasha to take her place. Tasha felt Leopold’s and Wilfried’s gaze on her. A quick look confirmed the huge smile lighting up Leopold’s face, and the frown on Wilfried’s. The Filbian captain was a tall and thin woman, with pale skin and hair that gave her an almost ethereal appearance. Her piercing eyes scared Tasha a little. The older woman had guessed a lot about her in the few days they had spent on board. The captain would be the last examiner, the one who would allow Tasha to fly on her own. Or not.

  “Thank you, Captain. Navigation, your status?” Tasha began her checklist, bent on following all jump protocols.

  “The jump point is free, Pilot. Incoming vector is as expected. All clear.” The voice was sharp, polite, and professional, but Tasha felt the amusement behind it. This would be Tasha's first jump in the solar system, another test under Federation rules. And she would fly their own starship, the only one Earth could use for now.

  “Engineering, environment, status?” Tasha continued, excitement building.

  The other crewmembers answered in quick succession from the other consoles around the room. “Ready for jump.” The bridge was largely empty with a huge hologram in the center showing the area around the ship.

  “Then engaging jump in five seconds.” Tasha activated her nanites with a brief prayer that had become a mantra. Activation was different for each pilot, but for her, the ritual worked perfectly. In answer to her silent command, the nanobots woke up within her, boosting her perceptions, extending from her hands into the console itself. New information appeared all around her. She checked the thousands new parameters in an instant.

  Her ship hosted within its confines a singularity, an anomaly in space and time. Only the Ancients had known how to confine such a strange artefact into an enclosed space. She would now use it to force her way through the fabric of the universe. She had to wake it up as it lay almost dormant, with the tiniest energy twisting the space around it, accelerating the ship while providing artificial gravity in the inhabited part. She would need to unleash the beast fully to cross into hyperspace.

  “Four.” She continued her checks, slow and steady. The nanites had created a physical connection to the console, linking her nervous system directly to the ship. All parts of her ship were now answering her commands in moments.

  “Three. Ready for the jump.” She linked with the singularity through the console and released its energy to force a rift to open in a small zone of weaker gravitational pull. She focused her attention and felt the strain of the nanites inside her. The nanorobots used her body’s energy to provide this incredible capacity and they were burning through her fast now as she controlled the singularity. Any spike had to be met and adjusted until the ship was through the right. If the energy exceeded the limits set by the Ancients, the confinement would break; if it dropped too low, it would turn into a small black hole that would collapse on itself in an instant. In both cases, they would die.

  “Two. Engaging.” She reached out to the rift, now fully opened, and pulled the ship toward it. The stars appeared on the other side, as well as a large planet with a huge red lake, which appeared immense on her screen. Jupiter. Home.

  “One. Jumping.” She felt the universe tearing around her. The singularity was a wild beast, its energy flaring in all directions. Her body agonized under the strain. At the same time, everything was now so clear, her thoughts so immediate, her abilities beyond any normal human’s. It felt so good, so intense. At last, the ship crossed the threshold and reappeared on the other side. She closed the jump point behind them, and the singularity calmed itself, the beast settling once again for another sleep.

  She felt the tension in her body, the nanites continuing to ask for more, to push to do more. With an intake of breath, Tasha withdraw inside herself, recalling them, cutting the physical link to the ship, confining them again. She slammed back into reality. The colors were now dim and the sounds blurry.

  She sensed the captain behind her, murmuring soothing words. “Breathe. One breath at a time.”

  “Captain, this is so great,” she answered while beginning a victory dance she had learned as a kid, decades before. “When is th
e next one? I’m ready for another.”

  “Ten hours from now. Look at me, Tasha.” Derantor gave her a maternal hug, blocking further dances.

  Seconds ticked by and Tasha quieted down. I was born for this. “Thank you, Captain. I’m feeling better.”

  Everyone filed out of the room, giving them some privacy.

  At last, the older woman released Tasha and the backlash hit. She swayed on legs that were suddenly unsteady. Derantor handed her a small nutribar and waited patiently as she gulped it, then guided her to the lounge adjoining the bridge.

  When Tasha and Derantor entered, the crew began applauding around them. The captain walked to the center of the room. Silence fell. She turned back toward the younger woman and said in a crisp, formal tone, “Natalya Podorovski, I, as a delegate of the Federation, transfer the responsibility of the starship Acheron to you.”

  The clapping began again as the captain pinned upon Tasha a small golden insignia, a replica of the Acheron.

  “Wilfried Bauer and Leopold Sengare, you are also confirmed as assistant pilots for this starship,” the captain continued. “Wilfried Bauer, you have also been named Observer, with all authority over Federation Marines and Personnel to fight nanite smuggling in your stellar system.” She handed over two more silver insignia. “Make good use of it and may the Ancient protect you.”

  As the applause exploded again, Tasha felt a new weight upon her shoulders. She was now in charge.

  Andrew

  Space station Acheron, June 23, 2140

  Andrew took out his welder from the side of his spacesuit and connected it to the lorry behind him. He attached his second security hook a yard away.

  “Station controller, ready to go.”

  “Your security?” With so many parts unfinished, the outer ring of the station was a dangerous place to be. Andrew was an old-timer from the lunar station and the asteroid mine, and he had learned caution the hard way. Maricar, in the main bridge, shared the same background.