The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 33.3

[Gabriel]

"Really? You can do that too?" Hope's jaw dropped.

"Yeah," Gabriel replied with a half grin on his face. "Overrode the security AI at the Ring. That is how Sura and I escaped. Apparently, having a Y chromosome is not a disqualification." You are not the only one with powers, Hope.

"Could you do the override remotely?" Liam asked.

"No," Hope answered. "It has to be done on the Invictus with a direct connection to the AI."

Gabriel said, "Although, I don't like the idea of surrendering to them. They would just as likely blast me into little bits, and even if I got on board, no telling if I could get access to the AI or not, not even if I asked nicely."

Hope shook her head. "Gab, I won't send you out like that."

"Was it not you who brought this up?" Gabriel retorted, narrowing his eyes. "Wouldn't the number of lives saved make this worth a try?"

"You don't have to get inside the Invictus," Moon said, quieting the siblings with a raised hand. "Per standard Commonwealth military design, there are hard-wired AI ports at each external maintenance hatch. You would only have to connect there and have the AI power down all the ships."

Gabriel smirked at his sister. "See? No problem." The twist in his gut suggested otherwise.

Hope sat up stiffly, her eyes focused away in apparent thought. "Admiral?"

"If the timing is right, we wouldn't have to change the battle plans, other than avoid firing on the Invictus initially. If this works, the battle ends before it starts. We would save countless lives and the Commonwealth will suffer a humiliating defeat."

"Okay." Hope dipped her head, rubbing her forehead. "Let's work out the details. For now, keep it among ourselves. The fewer people who know of it, the better." She swiveled the chair around to find her bodyguard standing behind her. "Eshe, would you...?"

Eshe had anticipated the request. "Yes, Empress. You know I will."

*****

As the Commonwealth battle group drew closer, some fighting had already begun. Weaponized drones tested the Confederate flanks, scoring hits and damaging three ships. Maintaining the ruse of apathy, Admiral Liam had a few ships withdraw after each attack.

Aboard the support ship Arden, Gabriel sat with his head in his hands. A black space suit hung beside him. The churning queasiness of his gut intensified as the moments drew on. "Frack, why did I volunteer for this?"

"To save countless lives and for the good of humanity?" Eshe replied, lifting an eyebrow. She sat beside her own space suit. "Remember?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Consider this, then." She put on an uncharacteristic half-grin. "If this works, you will be a hero. That should be good for free drinks and appreciative young women."

He lifted his head, matching her grin. "Okay, let's go with that. Maybe you would be appreciative too?"

Eshe's grin faded. "Focus on the mission, Gabriel."

A recon drone also occupied the loading bay. About three meters long, it looked like a miniature transport starship minus the hull, thus showing the structural frame. Technicians scurried around it, making final modification so that it would carry Gabriel and Eshe in place of instrumentation. To the Invictus, it would appear as just another reconnaissance foray.

The mechanics of the drone fascinated Gabriel, but did little to stem the doubts swirling in his mind. He noticed Eshe seemed to take it well, though. She leaned back against the wall with her eyes closed and body relaxed, drawing slow deep breaths. Maybe you learn that in the military.

An officer in a gray Confederate uniform came to stand stiffly beside them. "Sirs, the Invictus Battle Group has dropped out of light-speed. It is time."

Eshe snapped her eyes open and called out. "Tactical." A holographic image showed the ships, a chaotic scattering of Confederate ships on one side, and in contrast, an ordered arrangement of Commonwealth ships on the other, each one like atoms in a perfect crystal surrounding the Invictus. The Arden held between them. She lowered her eyebrows. "They came out closer than anticipated. We need to get moving."

In a flurry of motion, technicians converged on Gabriel and Eshe to help them put on the form-fitting space suits. A bulge on their backs, like a narrow backpack, included the environmental, power, and communication systems. A pulse weapon was integrated into each right arm with an automatic targeting system connected to the helmet display. Pulse pistols strapped to their waists completed the weaponry. Finally, boxy propulsion packs were attached to their backs, each a sort of mini-thruster. Everything was colored matte-black to make them invisible to visual scanners.

Gabriel tapped his rounded helmet after fixing it to the suit. A colorful heads-up display came on, showing suit systems status. He said, "Com check. Do you read me, Eshe?"

"Loud and clear, Gabriel," came the response.

Walking was difficult in a gravity field with the big heavy packs, so the technicians carried them to the drone. Quick-release straps held them within shallow crevices on the underside, like bombs in an open bomb-bay. As positioned, Gabriel looked down at the floor.

The officer came up underneath them, kneeling and looking up. "Remember to release close to the Invictus and in its path, but not too close."

Gabriel grimaced. Yeah, they have a nasty habit of blasting drones that come too close.

The officer continued. "And make sure you get the relative velocity right."

Right. Too fast and we miss the Invictus. Too slow and we splat like an insect on a windscreen.

Blowing out a breath, Gabriel said, "So it's not like anything could go wrong then?"

The officer saluted with a small grin. "Not at all, sirs. Good luck!"

The technicians and the officer retreated from the loading bay. A siren sounded and lights flashed red as the air was pumped out, then the bay doors slowly opened up, revealing the dark abyss of space.

Gabriel said, "Coms, connect us to the Firebird Rise." Hope and Moon appeared on the helmet display. "We are ready to go."

Hope's eyes projected her concern. "Take care of each other and be careful out there, okay?"

"Hey, no problem." Gabriel replied, causing Hope to roll her eyes. "When we are done here, what do you say we go find Celeste?"

"So we will. Do good," Moon said, then put two fingers to his lips. "We love you both."

A calming warmth flowed through Gabriel's heart. His father rarely expressed love to him with words, rather doing it through gestures and actions. "Love you, too." Gabriel tried to touch his lips to return the gesture, but his fingers just tapped against the helmet visor.

Eshe called out. "Arden, we are ready for launch."