Pirate Attack- A short story for #twentyfourhourshortstory

“We’re headed to Madam Maxime’s at the edge of the universe.” Vera mumbled despondently. The cockpit AI responded for the nth time: "Destination unknown. Update maps."
"Screw You Trashcan! It is a famous line from a century old classic movie. No change in course." Vera thumped the armrest, of her captains seat as the AI replied asking for clear orders. "No changes, display plot!" After 3 years you are explaining yourself to the AI. Girl you need to man up. Get out of this alive. Captain Vera Reazad of the Leviathan transport RR-14 was feeling overwhelmed. Her 20,000 Megaton transport had left the Regulus Deepspace Dock (RDD) only a day before- taking on- Metal rods for Loras-3. RDD was "manned" by all the three known inter-galatic races and other lesser known species. Most of the staff was either Human or Melian while the ancient Loras filled the most technically delicate jobs. The other 3 or 4 sentient species were either manual support staff or apprentices. The RDD was not affiliated to any planet or race and therefore had a very strict security procedures.

Yet a Melian morph had sneaked onto her ship. This machine would subvert the AI and take over the ship in a few hours and pilot it to a pre- programmed destination- Piracy in the Space Age. The only way to stop it was before it got into vital systems. Vera had suspected something was wrong when the life support systems had gone awry for a few seconds. When she read the diagnostics. The series of spikes and breakdowns in various systems was classic morph takeover. Too Late. With the AI compromised, the morph will be reading my movements and orders. So no SOS and no turning around. Manual piloting was impossible even if the morph did not sabotage systems.

Vera looked at her flight plan. "What!.. Set the path for Loras-1."
"The waybill has destination code for Loras-3. Please confirm destination."
"Confirm destination Loras-1. All notifications to my com."
Vera unbuckled and set about wearing the pressure suit. Only the cockpit had air and normal pressure and 0.8G. The course change will get me nearer RDD again. Now to check where it is physically plugged in. I can jettison it if it is in one of the holds.

The morph was plugged in to the maintenance console below the forward deck- This was the living area - the deck with the three cabins on the right and the pantry on the left. It was built for 3 people to live upto 6 months inside the ship. But with the advanced AI systems being used; a single crew ship was normal. The rest of the ship was divided in to the 2 holds, lifesupport and the engine bay. There is no way I can cut away the morph. It is steel and Titanium and probably has defensive capacity. There is noway I can unplug it. The cargo and the ship will be sold. I am worthless to the pirates. This is worse than the falling off the F&&king edge.

2 hours later Vera stood outside the engine bay trying to decide her next move. "Goddam! To the edge it is."
"Command not understood." The AI chirped.
"Send a message to Loras-1 and copy to RDD.Our location and latest diagnostic data with ETA. Request null G berth."
"Accumulating... Sending laser packets."
The diagnostics will be proof of the morph subverting systems. Let the morph not be something new. Please God Now to sabotage my own ship!

Vera set the timer on her wrist for 5 minutes and entered the Engine bay. She punched in her code and accessed the manual override switches. She set them at maximum. She then shot 3 bullets at the circulation control. The Red lights indicating overheating were blinking even as she ran- hopped clumsily in the bulky suit to the starboard hold. She again punched in her code and jettisoned the cargo into space. Next she ran- hopped to the other side of the ship and did the same for the port hold. The temperature had dropped appallingly as Vera crawled to the hanger housing one of the cutters for emergency use. The outer hangar doors were set to open when the cutter rolled onto the ramp. These were independent systems with auxilary power sources, and back ups for back ups and were virtually fail- safe. Her watch read 20 seconds when she fired up the cutter and manipulated the stick control to roll the cutter onto the ramp. But the gate did not open.

Vera was violently jolted as the cutter skidded towards the gate. The drives had shut down and RR-14 had lost thrust. If she would not have been belted into the pilots seat she would probably have been squashed. The jolt had an unexpected effect- The gate had opened. " to Madam Maxime’s at the edge of the universe.” Vera nodded to herself watching RR-14 floating dead in space with its holds open to the void.. Vera punched in the flight path towards RDD and sent out the emergency codes for Cargo Spill.

The Contest: https://steemit.com/twentyfourhourshortstory/@mctiller/writers-win-5-steem-twenty-four-short-story-contest-we-re-headed-to-madam-maxime-s-at-the-edge-of-the-universe

Photo: Pixabay.com

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