Kit Falbo
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Unedited bit of old work that inspired my next novel.
🕑 Added 2019-04-19 21:21:22 +0000 UTC
The uniform didn't quite fit right, “Spitting image of grandad my ass.” Peter muttered to himself.
Haley, the metallic sphere size of a pool ball Floating just behind his shoulder chripped in with a soft feminine tone “He was ten pounds lighter than you when he last wore that.”
“Just the confidence booster I need before doing this.” Peter surveyed the cheap motel he'd booked for the week, the type of place more known for illegal activities than legal ones. This will just be one more tally for the latter. He tried not to think of the contingencies and false ID's he'd burned through before being forced here. He turned to look at the spherical AI, smarter than him and over a hundred years of experience on him. “I have to do this, are you ready to do your part?”
“Suborn the service Paul and I served loyalty through our career, where one misstep would lead to our death and destruction.”
“Yep and to go through with the idea, that you keep telling me is terrible.”
“Paul did say the service was going down hill. Stopping them from scrapping me helped too, can't have dynamic AI without a few bad eggs. Saving you from scrapping yourself is probably the least I can do.”
“Thank for me being the least you can do”
Haley made a faint humming noise which Peter had always taken as her shrug. “This mess is all your fault.”
He suddenly felt himself squeezed by a solemn fear, “I know.”
With the exception of a case he'd secured onto his person, he made sure to only have things that Captain P. Lowery would have. It was the first time in a long time he had used any of his real name. It made him feel both old and like a teenager at the same time. It was also hopefully one of the reasons this would work.
On his way out he set a nonlethal dispersal in the middle of the room, it'll destroy most synthetic fibers and dye anyone a lovely shade of chartreuse for a few days. Shackling his case onto his wrist he left the do not disturb sign up on the door and hoped that the cleaning staff would not be the first to enter.
He walked three blocks out of the way before calling a lift to take him up to the naval docking station. The lift took less time to get to the station than he expected, so he found himself sweating while he waited half an hour for a necessary shift change before he walked slowly down the docking tube to his destination.
Studying the ship he couldn't help but feel a small lump of fear because he had almost no idea what will happen next. He'd always been a quick study, in the dozen's of jobs he's held smart and good worker were always in his performance reviews if he made it that long. He'd always acquired what he'd been hired or wanted to steal and then made himself scarce. But in those cases he had always had quick outs often more than one.
The ship Warmaiden was ancient older than Haley one of the oldest active ships left in the navy, At least for the next two weeks before they decommission it. despite its name it managed to miss every war, battle skirmish or incident to happen. It was really the only reason she had lasted so long. One of the only ships that still had true AI interfaces built it, not needed on modern warships with Haley's kin mostly being extinct.
He attempted to smooth out the uniform, only to fail because it of the extra weight causing the bulges. He'd been the coffee and doughnut guy during the last bank job, though he knew he couldn't blame it all on that. He swiped his special pass which opened the tube to the ship, then quickly caused the door to forget it ever opened and marched stiffly up to the ship.
A bored young crewman sat guarding the entrance. He blinked a few times as if checking his sight before he stood straight and saluted. “Sir?” Peter could smell a slight hint of the minor drug sweets on his breath, it's name inspired by that saccerine odor it caused. He obviously hadn't expected anyone to come his way and had partaken.
“Captain Lowery, Intelligence. I need to see the officer in charge of this ship.”
“The captain isn't” he stammered his head still fogged from the drug. Then he opened the door. “I'll take you to the lutenniant.” and lead Peter inside. Sloppy taking the uniform at full value instead of the documents Peter had been prepared to produce.
Inside was like a museum piece, clean but worn, some spots worn down from constant use. If the ship had managed to do anything of significance, it probably would have ended up part of a museum. As it was set to be auctioned, most likely for scrap unless some random rich collector takes a liking to it. The crewman, Samson by his name tag, led him down the eerily empty halls. There was only a skeleton crew operating now, everyone being on leave waiting for their next position, couldn't be more than a handful left on the ship currently those who had drawn the short straws.
In the back of Peter's mind he hand already come up with half a dozen loose plans on how to just take the ship and run, he quickly shushed that part of himself knowing it was best to stick to the plan at hand. At least until something happened to make it fall apart.
The lieutenant an older man with graying hair was already waiting in the receiving lounge having been notified by his AI, though Haley would call it a stretch to call the computer that hovered by the man’s soldier an AI. The thin rectangle rotated displaying a projection of a star. A sharp contrast to the ancient sphere design Of Haley staying near peter. The man’s eyes narrowed as he saw Haley, there was a brief moment of silence as the AI’s confirmed either others presence, everything cleared through ok.
“Captain Lowery.” The lieutenant acknowledged him while offering his hand. Peter took it and gave him a solid shake.
“Lieutenant Stein.”
“What brings you to our ship?”
He handed him the documents, as acting commanding officer he had clearance to see them. “Work, I require transport with no records and your ship fit the bill.”
Looking through the documents, he grunted. “The captain won’t like this.” Peter didn’t respond there was really nothing he could say to make this easier. “It will be an hour or so before she can make it back to the ship. Would you care for some Tea while we wait.”
“I’d love some.”
He eyed Haley again as he was setting up the service. “I thought all of those were destroyed.” Jake knew there were always rumors that the Intelligence service had kept several for work, though Haley had never been able to confirm or find any others like her left. “I’m a fan of the nostalgia and had acquired an original casing to have my current AI modified too. It can also leave a strong impression among certain circles.”
“Not always good though.” The way he said it made Jake know that he was one of the ones that it wouldn’t make a good impression on.
“It is more about leaving that impression than, it being good or bad.”
“I should think that your file alone would leave an impression, you’re middle name should be called redacted.”
“ Not everyone in the service, gets the honor of serving on a ship. Intelligence has more desk captains than those in the air.”
“I don’t believe you’ve ever been at a desk.”
“I go where I am needed.”
