Star Fields

Chapter No.38 Turn About

Chapter No.38 Turn About

Fair play is not always fair.

We made one more trip down to Earth to take on as much water as we could before departing for the Triangulum galaxy. It also provided the androids in engineering the opportunity to produce as much antimatter as they could.

A few days later, we were ready to go.

"Take us out, Judy," I ordered.

Our vessel accelerated away from Earth and soon was about 0.75 the speed of light.

"Go to warp," I said.

The ship slipped into warp and we were on our way.

I waited a few minutes to check our status, but what I saw made me sit up straight and look at it more than once. "Wow! According to this we're over 18 warp." I turned to Molly. "What's up with that?"

She smirked. "I tweaked some of the parameters in the quantum conversion equations."

"That should put us at our destination in less than two weeks."

"I suppose it doesn't really matter," she said, sounding depressed.

"That's true, but it just gets us there sooner so we can do what we have to and get back to Earth."

She gave me a subtle smirk.

Later that day after a work out in my private gym, I was taking a shower when I noticed a dark shadow approach. The shadow's face stared at me with eyes that reflected concern.

I cracked open the shower door. "What's wrong?"

"I've found some very ugly information," Molly said, her face still twisted with dread.

I came out of the shower and grabbed a towel to wrap around my waist. "What?"

"I've managed to crack into the android cyber code by using an algorithmic key cycle. The code was originally written by Ramanujan."

"Yes, that's the Indian cybernetic genius that came up with the positronic brain concept."

"I had to change the file containing the questionable code over to my name, and make some basic changes."

"What changes?"

"I found the code that resulted in the crew's demise. It's essentially designed for the androids to take over from human control."

"If that were the case, we wouldn't be here."

"Evidently, when they injected us with their nano-bot agents, we were rendered no longer human." She lowered her eyes. "I also made some other changes . . ."

"What sort of changes?"

She looked up at me with determined eyes. "I am now considered the prime mover of the android colony. They are now under my exclusive control."

I shrugged. "Okay."

She gestured. "Come with me."

"Let me grab some clothing."

"You don't need to dress."

I gave her a confused look before I shrugged again. "Okay."

I followed her into my living area. She sat down in the easy chair that I usually sit in and relaxed back. When I moved over to an opposing couch, she raised her hand.

"I didn't give you permission to sit."

I stood up straight. "Yes, ma'am."

"I will tell you what you can do and not do. Is that understood?"