Read Online Earth Song: Twilight Serenade by Mark Wandrey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mark Wandrey
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Similar to how Minu manipulated the controls within a PCR (portal control rod), Lilith grabbed several script symbols, twisted and turned, and the screen flashed blue then disappeared.
As the moments passed everyone looked around for any sign of something happening when Lilith’s head suddenly came up. An all too familiar screeching, chattering voice spoke in the air. Unlike before on the Kaatan years ago, their translators now had the language matrix it needed.
“Who are you, and where are my biological operators?”
“They are dead,” Lilith spoke, surprisingly, in their own language.
Instantly the door to the CIC slammed closed and the lights came on in a subdued blue. Minu’s suit screamed a warming that the atmosphere was being bled from the chamber and she thanked her instincts to leave on their helmets. There was a shimmer around Lilith as her support bot backpack reestablished the forcefield around her.
Lilith gestured toward a wall and a small group of her bots emerged, moved over to another section and went inside the wall again. A new holographic screen appeared before Lilith and she instantly started manipulating script. This time Minu caught some of it which her manipulated brain began translating. It was something to do with internal defenses.
“How do you have Kaatan access codes?” the voice demanded.
“I have ship, and fleet command codes,” Lilith spoke with clear confidence. A new panel appeared in front of her at eye level. Lilith reached into it and entered a code. The script flashed and disappeared.
“Code accepted,” the combat intelligence said. Minu thought it almost sounded resigned. “A status update is required. Following this ship’s last battle, substantial damage was done rendering this ship incapable of fighting and it was taken under tow by other combat elements. Pending a regrouping operation, I was deactivated until salvage could be performed.”
Lilith took it all in, then glanced at Minu for the first time looking for guidance, so she spoke up.
“There will be no salvage operation,” Minu said.
Lilith held her hand up and a bot crawled onto her fingertips and began speaking in the People’s chattering language.
“Who is the being speaking, and what species are you?” the computer voice asked.
“That is Minu Groves,” Lilith explained, “and we are humans. She is the commander of the human’s military forces. The others back there are Beezer, and the small one a Rasa.”
“There is no species on record that meet these specifications,” the combat intelligence said. “Your genus is hominid, very similar to The People.” It paused for a second. “External sensors are offline and internal clocks non-functional. How long have I been offline?”
“There is no easy way to say this,” Kal’at said. Minu agreed. Lilith solved it for them.
“More than one million years, but that is only an estimate.”
“And the People?”
“They are extinct in the galaxy. Very few species survive from that time.”
Again there was a pause. “I am made to serve The People. In the absence of them, I answer to whomever has the proper codes. I am at your disposal.” The lights changed to a normal shading, the CIC doors opened, and their suits told them atmospheric pressure was resuming normal.
Minu breathed a sigh of relief. “Maybe you better bring the combat intelligence up to speed?” Lilith agreed and began communicating with the program in a much faster way using her implants. As Lilith conversed at a speed much faster than mere speaking could convey, Minu was also thinking fast. A few dozen kilometers away floated a huge warship many times larger and equally more powerful than the Kaatans. The only one who could have possibly operated it was Lilith, who would never have left the Kaatan. Suddenly, more options were coming available.
The baby kicked, hard, and Minu grunted. I miss you, she thought of Aaron, but she also smiled a little smile. This operation
As the moments passed everyone looked around for any sign of something happening when Lilith’s head suddenly came up. An all too familiar screeching, chattering voice spoke in the air. Unlike before on the Kaatan years ago, their translators now had the language matrix it needed.
“Who are you, and where are my biological operators?”
“They are dead,” Lilith spoke, surprisingly, in their own language.
Instantly the door to the CIC slammed closed and the lights came on in a subdued blue. Minu’s suit screamed a warming that the atmosphere was being bled from the chamber and she thanked her instincts to leave on their helmets. There was a shimmer around Lilith as her support bot backpack reestablished the forcefield around her.
Lilith gestured toward a wall and a small group of her bots emerged, moved over to another section and went inside the wall again. A new holographic screen appeared before Lilith and she instantly started manipulating script. This time Minu caught some of it which her manipulated brain began translating. It was something to do with internal defenses.
“How do you have Kaatan access codes?” the voice demanded.
“I have ship, and fleet command codes,” Lilith spoke with clear confidence. A new panel appeared in front of her at eye level. Lilith reached into it and entered a code. The script flashed and disappeared.
“Code accepted,” the combat intelligence said. Minu thought it almost sounded resigned. “A status update is required. Following this ship’s last battle, substantial damage was done rendering this ship incapable of fighting and it was taken under tow by other combat elements. Pending a regrouping operation, I was deactivated until salvage could be performed.”
Lilith took it all in, then glanced at Minu for the first time looking for guidance, so she spoke up.
“There will be no salvage operation,” Minu said.
Lilith held her hand up and a bot crawled onto her fingertips and began speaking in the People’s chattering language.
“Who is the being speaking, and what species are you?” the computer voice asked.
“That is Minu Groves,” Lilith explained, “and we are humans. She is the commander of the human’s military forces. The others back there are Beezer, and the small one a Rasa.”
“There is no species on record that meet these specifications,” the combat intelligence said. “Your genus is hominid, very similar to The People.” It paused for a second. “External sensors are offline and internal clocks non-functional. How long have I been offline?”
“There is no easy way to say this,” Kal’at said. Minu agreed. Lilith solved it for them.
“More than one million years, but that is only an estimate.”
“And the People?”
“They are extinct in the galaxy. Very few species survive from that time.”
Again there was a pause. “I am made to serve The People. In the absence of them, I answer to whomever has the proper codes. I am at your disposal.” The lights changed to a normal shading, the CIC doors opened, and their suits told them atmospheric pressure was resuming normal.
Minu breathed a sigh of relief. “Maybe you better bring the combat intelligence up to speed?” Lilith agreed and began communicating with the program in a much faster way using her implants. As Lilith conversed at a speed much faster than mere speaking could convey, Minu was also thinking fast. A few dozen kilometers away floated a huge warship many times larger and equally more powerful than the Kaatans. The only one who could have possibly operated it was Lilith, who would never have left the Kaatan. Suddenly, more options were coming available.
The baby kicked, hard, and Minu grunted. I miss you, she thought of Aaron, but she also smiled a little smile. This operation
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