Note: My stories can be hard to read sometimes due to a reader not being sure exactly who is talking. I write somewhere between a book and a play. A character's first line is preceded by their name in italics. If two people are speaking back and forth, their will be no italicized names but chances are comments will be alternating or you just simply look at what the person is saying to get who it is. One more thing, if three people are in a conversation, two of them might be talking back and forth like normal, and the third person will be brought back in back an italicized name.
In the year U.C. 260, the universe had been explored to a certain limit of understanding. Interplanet relations had been established, and it's all mostly peaceful. However, questions still remained. Operation Explorer. Several ships manned by the most advanced AI's, were sent out to explore the uncharted parts of the Universe. The project was proposed and funded by Starpower. One ship sent on this mission was the Absolution, piloted by Tom, a cocky, layed back AI. This is the filler after his run in was the Intruder.
Chapter 1: Rivalry in Space
StarPower was 1 light year off, a good 10 days cruise at half speed for the Absolution. It wasn't a time to lay back and enjoy the ride. Tom had been busy repairing other parts of the ship. The gaint hole running down three levels was alittle outside his ability, but other things had to be done to ensure that they wouldn't blow up on the way. Down on level 50, Tom looked up through the hole, afew sparks flying here and there. A clyde flew down and beeped something in code. Tom: "This is going to be a hell of a job. I almost pity the mechanic." Sara's voice: "I pity us. This is going to be expencive. I don't know if we're insured for attacks by Bio-eating intruders." her voice said through Tom's communication system. "We'll figuer something out." Tom walked down the hall and jumped into the elevator.
Back on the bridge, Tom looked at his reflection in the large window. Sara: "Tom, what are you doing?" she asked with a smile. Tom spun around infront of the window, Tom: "So why dark blue?" "Thought it suited you. You like the new upgrades, don't you?" "Definiatly an improvement." Tom walked over to the screen and sat down in his chair. "Your feet reach the ground now," Sara joked. "Very funny." A beep suddenly appeared on Sarah's screen. "What is it?" Tom asked. The Absolution shook to a stop. "I think... I think we're out of fuel." "You've gotta' be kidding." he pushed a button on the arm of his chair and stats for the ship appeared. A big E flashed on screen. "Wonderful." he fell back, "I hadn't thought of that." "Should we call Star Power?" "Try 'em." He got up and went over to six vertical screens. Pressing a button, the Star Power logo showed up, then fizzeled and disappeared. Sara: "There's interfearence with the signal." "Like what?" Sara scanned the nearby space. "This." a picture of a pulsing light appeared on the middle left screen, "It's a small type of quasar. Probably left over from a group of comets." "So we can't get through." "Tom, I'm detecting a ship close by. Only about a quarter light year. It's one of Star Power's." "Which ship?" "The Kataki." Tom half jumped, "Forget it. Who else is in range?" "No one. What's wrong with this one?" Tom crossed his arms, "I don't wanna' talk about it..." "Tell me or I'm calling them." The sound of an opening link came from the computer. "I know who runs that ship." "Well, be that as it may, we don't have a choice." the link sound crackled and Tom sighed. "Kataki, this is the Absolution, L class D Space Explorer, requesting assistance." Tom said. Voice: "This is the... Wait. Absolution? Can't be. Tom, that you?" "Groan." A picture came onto screen. It was Sara's turn to be surprised. The owner of this ship was a complete replica of Tom's original version, only green. "Tom, I can't... wait, who are you?" the AI asked, confused. "Hi, Jake. It's Tom." Tom answered. "Tom? No way. The Tom I know is a little shimpy guy." "Hey! You looked just the same way I did, you know." "Geez, it is you. Tom, what happened to you? You got a gym on that ship of yours?" "Upgrades." "I never thought I'd see the day when you'd look almost as good as me. Hey, how ya been? How's The um... Abstraction?" Sara&Tom: "Absolution!" "Yeah, right, sorry. Say, who's this?" Jake looked at Sara and leaned closer to the screen. "This is Sara. On board computer." Tom replied, "Look, we got a problem here..." "I'll say. I can see your ship on monitor from here. Boy! You should be called the Abomination! What the hell happened to your Starboard engine?" Tom clenched his fist, "Long story. We're on our way to Star Power but we've run out of fuel." "And you want me to bail you out of trouble agian by lending you some." Sara: "If you wouldn't mind" Jake was getting to them both. "I sapose. I'm on my way. Let me look around your ship first." Tom: "Now wait a..." the link closed. Tom jerked his head and looked at Sara. Sara: "I'm sorry, Tom. I didn't know he was so appalling." "Yeah, and know we gotta' deal with him."
The Kataki pulled close to the Absolution's port side. It was smaller than Tom's ship, a dark green, and a bullet type shape. In the dock, Tom stood near the door and saw a green 'wanna' be him' jet pack over the short distance. Jake stopped on the landing and seemed to stare for a minute before detaching the jet pack. It sprang up on it's own and flew back to the ship. Sara's voice: "At least he's not so frivolous with those as you." Tom looked at Jake who walked over. Jake: "God damn... A guy can tell that your girl friend designed you..." Tom: "Uh..." Back on the bridge Sara thought the same thing. "So show me around." Jake walked into the dock, going past Tom. He obviously didn't seem to care that Tom was taller and stronger than him now. Or else Jake hid it well. "We don't run guided tours. We just need some fuel to get going." Jake ignored him. A clyde flew into the dock and circled Jake before flying over the Tom. "What's that?" "They're called clydes. Flying cameras and tool boxes." "Oh.. Say, Tom. Intruduce me to this Sara girl." Tom definiatly had objections to that. A screen in the dock switched on, Sara's face coming on. "So this is Sara. Nice to meet you." he bowed. "Oh god..." Tom groaned. Sara: "Nice to meet you... Jack?" Jake: "Hey, it's Jake!" "Right. Tom?" Tom walked over, "Why not give him a quick tour and then get the fuel we need. If he really wants to see it. The Absolution is much bigger than his." "Hey! I'm getting really offending by you two! Watch what you say to me!" Tom: "Yeah, whatever. Come on."
Jake: "So you do some redecorating?" Jake looked down at the hole running three levels of Tom's ship. Tom walked into the room. Tom: "How the hell? Did I say you could get in here?" "No." Jake kicked a scrap piece of metal down the hole and listened to it clatter to the level 50 floor. "You know. You could have prevented this if you had a better security system. You never do think ahead. That's why I'm always more prepared than you." I hate this guy.. I hate this guy... Tom thought. "And this metal isn't very efficient for a ship this size." Jake stated, "What kind of engines are you planning on replacing your current type with?" "Talon ST's." "No a bad choice... Where's the money coming from?" Sara answered that through a nearby computer screen. Sara: "Tom, we've gotten comfermation from Starpower of the refit." Tom: "Guess Starpower knows we're important." Sara's voice: "Tom, get him out of here. He's even getting on my nerves."
Meanwhile, outside. A clyde buzzed around the outside of Jake's ship. It peered through the large front window and onto the bridge. On a screen within the ship were blue prints, still downloading apparently. The clyde beeped curiosly and moved to a side window to get a better view. "Meep-meep!" the clyde beep and sent the images to Sara.
Tom: "Don't tell me I've lost him..." Tom looked both ways down a corridor. "Sara, locate Jake." Sara's voice: "He's on level 30." "How? I thought the other elevator was out of sevice." "A cylde-50 fixed it earlier." "Okay, I'm going. What's he want to see anyway?" Tom jumped in his own elevator and went up to level 30 of the Absolution.
Jake pulled a wire out of his wrist and hooked it into a computer screen. Jake: "So that's why I couldn't use that other 'vator..." Tom: "Because it goes to the bridge so only I can." Jake jumped as Tom turned the corner and glared at him. Jake hid the wire and look inosently up at Tom. "Can you get off my ship now?" "Almost done looking around..." Sara showed up on the screen that Jake had been looking at, Sara: "I'll say looking around. Tom, he's been stealing blue prints of the ship, and you." "Have not!" Jake protested. "A clyde was over at his ship. Everything the Intruder didn't destroy, he's got blueprints of." "Whao!" Tom picked Jake up and shoved him into a wall. Tom: "Okay, I'm usually not a violent person, but nobody steals anything from my ship, espeacially not blue prints. What good would they do you anyway?" "Ack! Well, the ship maps would come in handy for upgrades. I wanted the schematics for you so I could get upgraded the same way." Sara: "He spills far too easily." A couple of Clyde 50's came around the corner and grabbed Jake. "Hey, this isn't fair! I'm 10 times better than you but you got the bigger ship and the cooler upgrades!" "We've got the fuel we needed from the Kataki." Sara reported. "That's theft!" "Look who's talking."
The Kataki pulled away from the Absolution, much to Tom and Sara's relief. The Absolution's Port side engine started, heading to their original destination. Tom sat down on the bridge. Tom: "We delete all the files from Jake's ship?" Sara: "I believe so." "Hope so. I don't think the universe could handel two AI's as cool looking as me." "Oh, please." She rolled her eyes. "Hey, that was a completement." "I know, Tom" she laughed.
Jake leaned over his console, a set of complecated blue prints spread out on the screen. Jake: "Okay, Tom. Let's see how long you think you can best me..."
The End
Characters introduced in Chapter 1: Jake
Go to Chapter 2
