Chapter 52: Into the deep dark beyond
Orbital Defense reacted too late to the unauthorized ship that had boosted past them. The alert had reached their command center only seconds after the vessel had already cleared the defense perimeter.
"Shit! Go after that ship!"
The hangar doors opened, and several Banshee Gliders shot into open space. Built like oversized power bikes with sleek bodies and expansive glass canopies, the vessels screamed through the atmosphere, their engines roaring as they accelerated after the fleeing ship.
"Permission to shoot it down, sir?"
The Fleet Admiral of Orbital Defense clicked his communicator.
"You blind idiots! You want to blow up Susie?"
The pilots hesitated.
"Susie?"
The admiral’s eye twitched.
"Susie."
He gestured toward the fleeing vessel on the tactical display.
"That ship is the oldest battleship model still in active service. She’s practically flying gold!"
The Banshee Gliders immediately backed off.
Before anyone could argue further, the speakers throughout Orbital Defense crackled.
"This is Supreme Admiral Bak Seong-Hyun. Do not pursue the unauthorized vessel."
The pilots exchanged glances.
"Yes, sir."
The Star Gliders banked sharply, abandoning the chase. They watched the unidentified ship grow smaller into the darkness before turning back toward Meredith.
Inside the stolen vessel, K watched the tactical radar display.
Several blue blips representing the Star Gliders gradually changed direction.
He leaned back.
"So that’s why she picked this ship."
His eyes shifted toward the navigation panel.
Kagu’s projection appeared above it.
"Route locked," The ship’s automated voice announced.
K uploaded her interface directly into the navigation system before switching the ship to autopilot.
The engines roared beneath him.
K looked through the windshield.
"I’m coming for you, Thira."
...
..
.
Iniko groaned as she stirred beneath the blankets.
Her leg bumped against Lex’s.
"Sorry..."
Still half-asleep, she shifted closer toward the large lump between them, expecting the familiar warmth of the Other Kind.
Nothing.
Iniko frowned. "Hm?"
K’s warmth was gone.
Her eyes slowly opened and she peeled herself out of the oversized shirt K had forced her to wear the night before and scooted closer, expecting to feel the familiar firmness beside her.
Instead, her hands brushed against something soft.
Cotton.
"Huh?"
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stared at the bundled clothing wedged between herself and Lex.
"K?"
No response.
Her sleepiness vanished.
"K?"
The Ulu inside her pouch hummed, a second later, it shot into her waiting hand.
"K? Are you there?"
Lex stirred at the noise, "what is it, Iniko?"
"K isn’t in the house?"
"What?"
Lex shot upright.
The last traces of sleep disappeared from her face.
She scanned the room before throwing the blankets aside and standing.
Then she noticed Iniko.
Lex’s eyes narrowed.
"What did I say about walking around naked?"
Iniko blinked.
Before she could answer, Lex reached forward, caught the large brown nub at the front of her chest between two fingers, and tugged.
"Ow!"
Iniko slapped both hands over it, shielding the second one Incase Lex decided to change tactics.
"Lex!"
"Get dressed."
"But K is gone!"
"I know, but do you want to go out looking for him all boobs-a-bouncing in the wild?"
Lex’s expression had already changed.
She was no longer teasing. She was serious and alert.
"We’re going to command."
She grabbed the nearest piece of clothing and pulled it on while Iniko hurriedly dressed beside her.
"K wasn’t in the bathroom," Iniko said.
"Where else did you check?"
"The kitchen"
"The garage?"
"Checked."
"Are we going to where you guys work?"
"That’s where we’re going."
They locked the house and hailed down a taxi.
The driver nearly burst a blood vessel when he saw two pretty women dressed in tightly fitting pajamas.
"W-where to this late in the night, lovely ladies?"
"To clarity... and no funny ideas."
Lex placed a blade next to his neck.
"W-whoa, no no funny ideas! Intact you get a free ride!"
They rushed through the corridors of Command’s base, Lex moving faster than her injured arm should have allowed. Iniko kept pace beside her, one hand gripping her Ulu .
Passing soldiers nearly tripped over each other as they watched the two hurry by.
Bear was busy patrolling when he spotted them.
The freeze dry snack bar he was eating went down the wrong pipe when he took in their appearance.
"L-Offi- Squad commander L-0-0-3!"
Lex turned in his direction and saluted.
"Have you seen K and where is the Admiral?"
"I saw him marching toward the medical sector not quite long and about K... I think it’s best you see the Admiral."
Thira’s lab.
"Okay, thanks."
The two bolted towards the Medical area.
They arrived just in time to Bak at the door, speaking into his comms.
"—the unauthorized vessel."
"Admiral!"
She saluted.
Bak onced her over and his expression soured even more,
"What are you wearing?"
"Don’t mind the clothes, we came in a hurry."
"..."
"Bear said you’d know where K is."
"...K flew ship Susie without authorization."
"What?"
"What does that mean?" Iniko tapped her chin with a tilted head.
"The stubborn fool is heading blinding into stars knows what! The navigation team are trying to pinpoint where Thira could be but he just wouldn’t listen and sit his ass still!"
"But how did he get access to a ship without authorization?"
A smile that didnt reach his eyes spread across Bak’s face,
"That’s what we are about to find out."
The doors hissed open and the trio stepped in. Kagu sat up from her slouched position, her legs dangling over her digital chair.
"Good to see you again, Admiral."
"Of course it was you."
"I’m helping my master, that is all."
"By sending Meredith’s greatest war asset to possibly his death?"
The Ai swallowed.
"Fine,let’s say your calculations are correct. Do you know where they lead? Do you know what lays in wait at those coordinates?"
"I... I just needed him to know he can still trust me..."
"You did this because of trust?"
Bak grabbed her outlet and smashed it onto the ground. Iniko and Lex gasped collectively.
Kagu glitched before appearing on another outlet.
"You wouldn’t understand, you’re too blinded by your power and hatred for K."
"Power? Hatred for K? I don’t think your sentience works properly! If I hated K, I could have killed him a long long time ago... trust me when I say so."
"So why haven’t you?"
"He is my soldier and I decide how he dies and he’s not dying in the cold beyond of space. You will lift your restrictions and allow Control to manually pilot the ship back. This is an order."
"I’d rather you send me for dismantling."