Chapter 33: Nano-bots

Back aboard Ship, I spoke with Jem.

“Where shall we go next?” I asked.

“I think it’s time to visit the Uv’ek system. Check in with Mina and Zune.”

“Agreed. Perhaps Alea will like Uv’ek.”

“Exactly. No villains will stand a chance there against our defences.”

“Ship, next destination is the Uv’ek system. Call in your drones and depart when you’re ready,” I said.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

Shortly, Jem and I met with everyone in the main dining lounge.

“Captain!” cried Laine. She came over and gave me a hug.

“Hello, Laine. What was that for?” I asked.

“I had such fun bartering! We got lots of items, and we’ve got credit for whenever we return.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“And it was all for rocks and minerals we gathered from their asteroid belt.”

“Right. But they didn’t have the means to mine it. I remembered you like haggling.”

She smiled at me, but she didn’t release me. I worried this would set a precedent.

“Could you please fetch me a coffee?” I asked.

It worked. She went to the food dispenser to fetch a cup. I sat down at the table beside Jem, effectively blocking further hugs. Saria rolled her eyes. Yuhi blinked.

“I smell something delicious cooking,” I said to no one in particular.

“It’s almost ready, Captain. Alea taught me some of her recipes,” said Cathy.

Shortly, we all sat around the table to eat. The food was Ori cuisine, and quite delicious.

“Our next destination is the Uv’ek system,” I said.

“Great! We can check in with Mina,” said Cathy.

“Laine, can you arrange some goodies we just got to give to them when we arrive?” asked Jem.

“Yes, Commodore.”

After our meal, we moved from the table and piled onto sofas in front of a wall display. Tonight was dinner and a movie night. Jem had long ago started a regular event of a shared meal and entertainment. I don’t remember when I got used to it, but now I almost looked forward to it.

We watched some news-vids from Quard and the Ori Confederation. I dozed off and woke up when it was paradoxically time for sleep. We all left for our quarters.

The next morning, I awoke in my cabin. After my normal morning ritual, I took a mug of coffee and wandered out. Such wandering led me to the garden, and I sat to meditate amongst the plants and flowers.

I felt groggy, less than my optimal self. With my wits dulled, I left the garden for the medical bay.

“Ship, I don’t feel well. Can you do a full diagnostic on me?”

“Confirmed,” replied Ship. “Please lie on the medical bed.”

I lay down, and soon after, I lost consciousness during the tests.

Jem was relaxing in her favourite hammock in the lido when Ship disturbed her.

“Attention, Commodore. I need your presence in the medical bay,” said Ship.

She got up at once.

“Ship, I’m on my way.”

Laine was swimming in the pool. She caught Jem promptly leaving through the double doors.

A few minutes later, Jem arrived at the medical bay. Brian was unconscious on a medical bed.

“Ship, what happened?” asked Jem.

“The Captain arrived, not feeling well. He asked for a diagnostic. Soon after, he was unconscious.”

“What have you discovered so far?”

“He’s infected with harmful nano-bots. His own nano-bots are fixing problems caused by the foreign nano-bots. Without their help, he’d be dead already.”

“Understood. What can we do?”

“Currently, the nano-bots are fighting a war inside him. The harmful ones are slowly gaining ground. I need to eliminate the harmful nano-bots.”

“How can we do that?”

“I don’t know, Commodore. I’ve taken samples to study. Their programming is unfamiliar to me.”

“Ask Saria and Laine to meet me here immediately.”

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

I don’t know how long it was before I awoke. A familiar face looked at me.

“Hello, Bri-an,” said Koluna in Ori and using her special name for me. I’d thought I’d never hear that again.

This wasn’t right! I looked around to discover we were inside an escape pod.

“I’ve been here before...”

Koluna brushed my forehead with her hand. “Shh, rest...”

“But, you died! The Lagaid killed you before I could stop them,” I said.

Koluna smiled at me and shrugged.

“Is this an afterlife? Am I dead?”

Another shrug.

“Bri-an, you’re tired. Why don’t you rest some more?”

I didn’t think resting was the right course of action, so I activated the display to see where we were. The stars were unfamiliar, and we were a long way from any system in the void between stars.

“How long was I asleep?”

She shrugged again. It was nice to see her again. I missed her, but she wasn’t behaving like the Koluna I knew.

“What’s happening?” I asked. She just smiled. I struggled to remember what happened. My mind was sluggish. I recalled being in the garden, then nothing.

Saria and Laine arrived in the medical bay, together with Yuhi.

They immediately took in Brian on the medical bed. Jem faced them.

“Commodore!” said Saria.

“Brian’s infected with malicious nano-bots. They’re trying to kill him, but our own nano-bots are repairing the injuries caused by the malicious ones.”

“Was he infected on the last planet? At Platiado three?” asked Saria.

“How could this happen? Our last stop was a comparatively primitive planet. They don’t have the technology for nano-bots,” said Jem.

“I’ll scan everyone who went to the surface for nano-bots. I’ll also check the shuttles and decontamination.”

Jem nodded. Saria saluted and left.

Yuhi looked at Brian for a while, then blinked.

“He’s confused, disoriented.”

“Do what you can. We need him alive until we discover a cure.”

Yuhi blinked. She sat down beside the medical bed.

For ages, I lay back in my seat beside Koluna. She continued to smile and stroked my forehead. My head was woozy, and concentration came difficult. I was glad for the company, though.

Then I noticed a small green light on the display. These were to alert you to something. But what needed our attention out here, in the middle of nowhere?

For a while I ignored the light, thinking perhaps it would go away. But over time, the small green light bothered me. I had to look at it.

Gradually, I sat up. Koluna pulled back on my shoulder to get me to lie back. I turned to look at her, wondering what she wanted, but she said nothing and smiled at me.

I could get lost in those eyes, but the light continued to bother me.

“Just a moment. I need to check the display,” I said.

She shrugged again.

I turned back to examine the display. I pressed the blinking light, and it changed into a text message.

“Do not sleep. Stay awake. Focus. - Y.”

Curious. Why couldn’t I rest with Koluna in this escape pod?

As I looked at the display, it went blank. I wondered what it meant.

Koluna pulled at my shoulder, and when I turned to look at her, she smiled and shrugged.

I tried to turn the display back on, but it didn’t work. A moment ago it was fine.

I had a puzzle to figure out. My mind wasn’t in a fit state to think clearly. Perhaps if I rested for a while it would improve things?

I continued to sit there, wondering what I was missing.

Jem paced back and forth in the medical bay, while Yuhi sat beside the medical bed with her eyes closed.

Yuhi blinked.

“Commodore,” she said.

“Yes, what is it, Yuhi?”

“His mind is impacted by the nano-bots, but I think I got through.”

“Well, that’s good news.”

“I also met some resistance. It could be the nano-bots trying to block my efforts.”

Jem sighed. She resumed her pacing.

“Attention, Commodore,” said Ship.

“Yes! Go ahead.”

“The harmful nano-bots are continuing to cause damage, and ours are repairing the damage.”

“Yes,” said Jem.

“Ensign Laine has completed a software update for our nano-bots. It directs them to destroy the harmful nano-bots. Do I have your permission to install the software update?”

“Yes, yes! Do it!”

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

Jem stood still and waited impatiently.

I sat in the escape pod, struggling to gather my thoughts. Gradually, my mind was clearing.

Koluna sat there beside me, smiling. No, she wasn’t Koluna. Just an image. And if she wasn’t real, perhaps the escape pod wasn’t real either.

I focused my thoughts as best I could. What I saw around me wasn’t real. It left me wondering what was real. I could touch it and it felt real, but I knew it was an illusion.

Perhaps I could change my surroundings? I imagined I was in a forest clearing.

Slowly, the escape pod faded away, leaving me sitting on a patch of grass. Not far away were trees. Beyond that was a fog.

I looked to my side, and Koluna was also gone. She was part of the illusion.

I recalled the psychic exercises I did with Yuhi. Yes! The message I’d got earlier was from her. It had to be!

I reached out with my thoughts.

“Yuhi?” I asked with my mind.

I waited.

“Captain, is that you calling?”