Light Speed Read online

  “Oh!” Jack put his helmet back on and spun it around. It took nearly a full 360 degree spin, for the helmet to lock into place.

  “Latches.” Chris said.

  Jack had neary forgot about them.

  “Sorry.” Jack said. “I didn’t know about the suit. I was just changing my hair color.”

  “Oh, yeah. I keep forgetting just how new you are to the game.” Chris took a seat on one of the welded down chairs. “Is red your favorite color?”

  “Yes.” Jack was glad his helmet was back on, because he had the strong impression that his cheeks had just flushed, and he hoped the visor’s glear would hide it.

  “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” Chris said. “Besides, we all started off the game vain. Just look at Lucy. She went so far as to have her eyes change colors, which costs more than a few yuan.”

  “Damn straight!” Lucy stood in the hatchway for the front half of the ship. “I want people to see me and know I can back up what I say with cold hard yuan!”

  Jack laughed, but quickly turned it into a caugh when Chris didn’t join in.

  “Sorry,” Chris said. “I was just trying to give the noob a few pointers and make him feel at ease.”

  She walked over and gave Jack and pat on the back. “Don’t listen to a word he says. He’s jelous that I make more yuan than him, while he spends hours and hours trading.”

  Talon: Umm, Lucy! I think we have a problem.

  Lucy: What?

  Talon: You might want to come see for yourself.

  Lucy: Spit it out!

  Talon: Pirates. Of all the fucking places we could end up, we landed in a pirated system!

  Lucy: Fuck! Where’s Mike, he’s are only trained gunner.

  Jack: I thought the guns were controled by AI?

  Lucy: Exactly! They’re great at rocks floating in space. Predeciting human behavior and firing where they’ll be, not so much. Talon, how long until we can jump?

  Talon: At least another 15 minutes. Any sooner and I risk ripping apart the FTL drive, and the computer hasn’t positioned [Space Station: Kuiper Alpha] in relation to us yet.

  Lucy turned around and stomped towards the comand deck. Jack and Chris followed, but they made sure to keep their distance. She pissed, and they didn’t want to be caught in her line of fire.

  Lucy: How long until the intersept.

  Talon: 5 minutes or less. I’ve already changed our trajectory, and I’m zigzagging like a jackrabbit, but no luck.

  Lucy: Where the fuck is Mike!

  Mike is now online.

  Mike is now linked.

  Mike: Hey guys. Sorry I’m a bit late. What’d I miss?

  Jack watched from the walkway. Mike’s head popped up from his cabin, and Lucy’s bootheel caught him square on top. There was a clank as Mike’s body fell down the stiars and struck the cabin floor.

  Mike: Fuck, that hurt. What did you do that for? I might have broken my ankle.

  Lucy: Are your arms okay?

  Mike: Yeah…

  Lucy: Good! Get your ass to the gunner seat and do your fucking job!

  Mike: What?

  Talon: We have three pirate ships baring down on us!

  Mike: You said we’d run if there were pirates.

  Lucy: We can’t. The FTL drive is stil hot, and the computer doesn’t know how to get us home yet.

  Mike crawled off the ladder onto the walk way, and pushed himself up. He had a limp, but he walked past Lucy towards the comand deck. She clinched a first as he passed, but didn’t hit him again.

  Mike: Don’t worry. I’ll keep them occupied long enough for us to jump.

  Talon: That means at least 15 minutes.

  Mike stumbled on the second stair. Either his limp was worse than it looked, or the news of a 15 miuntes space battle had caught him off guard. Either way, he finished climbing the last two steps and sat himself in the chair Jack had been in when they first took off.

  All five of them were in the comand center, but there were only four seats, so Jack stood in the back to watch. The screens in front of Talon flashed blue and red, and to his left was a flat table with a radar display on it. Jack could make out the three pirate ships. Their red dots were smaller than the blue dot Jack assumed was their ship. However, Jack knew that given enough of them, ants could eat an elephant. k`1`2

  Chapter 8

  October 6th, 2038

  April watched as Jack’s adrinelin levels rose and thoguht, “It’s about time he started doing something.”

  She logged the readings into her report that she’d send to D.C. after Jack’s day in Project Phoenix was over. She was depending on him to come through and earn some major yuan. With the investment she’d sent him, he better procure great gear and skill boosts, or she would flay him alive. If her boss didn’t do the same to her first. Her experiement was already above budget and behind schedule.

  April launched her secured email client and wrote a quick email to a colleague who ran the same experiement in a different state.

  To: [email protected]

  From: [email protected]

  Hey Joey,

  It’s been a while. How are you?

  Are the mountains everything you hoped they would be?

  I like the weather here, and the house they’ve got me in is the size of our entire dorm complex. My subject is off to a good start, but I’m worried that he’ll be my last chance. Orders have come in from the top. They’re expecting results, and I’m now sending in daily reports.

  Have you had any success?

  Any advice on where I should send my subject?

  He chose to start on the Kuiper Sataion. I didn’t know the developers had opened that scetion up to new players. He found a few odd jobs, but I’m worried it won’t be enough. I’ve wired him as much yuan as I could, but if he doens’t use it wisely, it will be the end for him.

  Any help you can offer would be great. Obviously I can’t tell you who he is, and I know you can’t tell me about your subject, but any advise on where would be a hot spot for him right now would be great.

  Go Panthers,

  April Hall

  She leaned back in her chair and staired at Jack’s vitals. If there was any hope for Jack getting ahead in the game, and putting her scheudle back on track, it was with Joey.

  Chapter 9

  Project Phoenix Day 2038-10-06-17

  The pirates had closed the gap, and were seconds outside of firing rang. All credit belonged to Talon and his flying skills. He’d figured out a way to use an probe designed to evaluate the mineral compension of astroids, to send out an electormagnetic puls which interfierd with radar and targeting systems. They were mostly flying in the dark, but for a fraction of seconds every 5 seconds, there was a clear reading on the pirate ships positions.

  Talon made sure to change his trajectory every couple of seconds. It felt like they were on a sailboat deep at sea riding out a storm, but at least they were in once piece still.

  Talon: I can’t hold out much longer. They’re closing in on my circling, to form a net. Eventually they’ll get close enough to tiangulate us and fire.

  Chris: Fuck! I’m going to lose everything. My life is over. I can’t pay for this ship. Can any of you?

  Lucy: Calm down. We need to think this through.

  Jack had been doing that for nearly 15 minutes. He hadn’t said a single word, only stood in the back and worked through some options, but none of them had seemed likely to work. None of the others had asked for input so he wasn’t goingt o speka up until he was sure that he had a solution that would work for sure.

  A loud clink reverbeated throughout the ship, and sudenly they were spinning.

  Talon: That shot grazed our hull. They’re inside firing rang. I’m transfering power from purpolsion to our shields. That will buy us a few minutes, but they’ll eventually wear them down.

  Jack: I’ve got an idea.

  Lucy: Lets hear it!

  The ship stopped spinning, Talon compensated w
ith the manuvering thursters.

  Jack: What if we use the escape pod as a bomb and blow up the pirate ships.

  Talon: It won’t work, they don’t have a self destruct. You’d have to manually override the safety procedures and cause the engine to explode. It would be a suicide mission.

  Jack: I’ll do it.

  Lucy: What?

  Jack: Yeah, I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m new and my gear isn’t that great. Besides I can just start over.

  Lucy: It costs ¥2,000 to start over, and you start with nothing but a [Copper: Space Suit]. The developers make starting over hard as fuck.

  Mike: Don’t forget the 12 hour ban time.

  Chris: Yeah, that’s why it’s so important to protect yourself. It’s what fuels the game economey. Fear of death.

  Jack: I have yuan in my account on the station.

  Lucy: If you’re sure about this, I won’t argue.

  Another rocket made contact, and caused them to spin agian, but Talon reacted almost instantly to compensate.

  Talon: If we’re going to do this, sooner than later is better. I’ll have to show him how to override the engines.

  Talon undid his five point harness and stood up.

  Talon: Chris, you’re pilot until I get back! Don’t get us blown up before we pull this off!

  Chris: I don’t know man! I’ve never flown a ship this big.

  Talon: Interface withe AI and change our trajectroy every second to avoid their weapons.

  Talon grabbed Jack by the shoulder and lead him down the stairs. They held on tight to the side rail, just in case the ship got hit. The hatach to the mess hall was still open from when they’d all run to meet Talon in the comand center.

  “Do you think this will work?” Jack asked.

  “Yeah, it’s a great idea. The only problem is you’re going to die, but don’t worry about that. We’ll repay you, and we’ll never forget this.”

  Talon pushed open the hatch for the back half of the ship. “Watch your step.”

  The ship rocked, and Jack gabbed onto the railing. It was about a 20 meter drop if Jack fell, and he didn’t think his suit would save him. Chris must have doged a missle, or still didn’t have the hang of flying.

  “You okay?” Talon asked.

  “Yeah.” Jack stood back up, but kept his hands firmly gripped on the port side railing.

  Talon walked past him and lead Jack towards the shuttle pod he’d be using.

  The hatch opened into a cargo bay about the size of a bedroom. The pilot’s seat was at the nose of the shuttle pod. Talon wasted no time and practically sprinted to the chair. He brought up an interface on the starboard display screen.

  Jack watched as a scymeatic of the engines zoomed in and out, and Talon entered comand after comand into the system. Nearly every time, a pop-up would ask for an override confirmation. Jack hunched down behind Talon and watched quietly as he work.

  Lucy: How’s it going? We’re getting fucked up here, and not in the good way!

  Talon: I need more time.

  Chris: How much? I think their about to corner me!

  Talon: Done!

  “Sit down!” Talon popped up from the chair and ran to the hatch.

  Jack took his seat and fastened his harnes. He found it humorus that he was wearing a safety belt when he was planing to kill himself.

  Talon: Listen up. You fly to the closest ship, and then tell the computer Activate Comand Aplha One. You got that?

  Jack: Yeah Comand Alpha One.

  Talon: Perfect. Now go!

  Jack: How do I fly?

  Talon: Fuck! Okay. Tell your AI to interface you with the ships AI.

  “Alfred, interface me with the ship’s AI.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  A new voice of a german woman filled Jack’s head. “Hello, my name is Rettungsboot.”

  Jack: Okay, I can hear her.

  Talon: Okay, tell her to undock.

  “Undock.”

  There was a load click, like the bolt of a door turning.

  Talon: Okay, I’ve got you on sensors. You’re far enough away. Tell her to fly towards the ship I’ve marked on my screen. The shuttle should still be linked to our systems.

  “Fly towards the marked ship.”

  Jack was psuhed back into his chair, but the sensation of beind stuck qickly subsided.

  Talon: Okay, you’re about 10 seonds away. Get ready!

  Lucy: Thank you! We’ll pay you back.

  Mike: Yeah man. This is really cool.

  Chris: You’re saving my ass!

  Talon: Shut up. 6 seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2, Now!

  “Activate Comand Aplha One!”

  There was a bright light and then black!

  The Present

  Chapter 10

  Project Phoenix Day 2038-10-09-19

  Jack’s ship repairs were complete, they’d even thrown in a free paint job. His little ship looked brand new, and the blue paint made it look like a shaphie parked in the docking bay. When it was all done, Jack spent ¥1,387 on his ship, leaving him with only ¥131. That wasn’t enough to buy food and water, and his reserves were down to one day supply. He was truly desperate. His next jump through a rift had to take him to loot winfall, or he was done for.

  He’d die, and worst of all his debt would remain if his ship was lost or destoried. If his ship was reposesed, Gilbert would have the pleasure of killing Jack, and Jack would be forced to start over from scratch with nothing but bittery memorries of wasted time.

  Part of the thrill for Project Phoenix players, was knowing that at every moment it could all disapear, and they could lose everything. It also meant that at any moment you could find a soft target and take everything they had! Jack was going to be the taker. He refused to allow his ship to be taken from him. He would rather die for real, than face defeat.

  “Alfred, start prelaunch procedures.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Jack ran from the lift to his ship. He was ready to get out of the station and prayed for better luck in space.

  Chapter 11

  October 9th, 2038

  April watched the screens. Jack’s vitals were in the red, his blood toxicity levels were high. Soon he’d go into shock. The only solution was to pull Jack out, but she didn’t move. He’d been in for 9 hours and 46 minutes. She hoped he’d come out on his own.

  Jack’s heart rate spiked to 194 BPM, and a beeping noze emanated from inside the VR room.

  “Fuck!” April thought.

  Her biggest fear was upon her. Jack’s heart was maxed out. If it continued to pump so fast it would give out. Jack’s life was literally in danger, and April had to choose. Let him stay in, and possible die; or pull him out, and risk him going into shock and dieing anyways!

  “Fuck!” she thought again.

  There was no simple solution. No training manual to fall back on. No superior to contact for advice. If she called her boss, he’d sign the papers right then and she’d be shipped off to Alaska.

  “I hate the cold.” she thoguht. “I wouldn’t last five minutes in Alaska.”

  The fear of Alaska and freezing to death, chilled her nervs, and she found her inner calm. She took two quick deep breaths and pressed the buttom for the alarm, which imediatly stopped beeping in the VR room.

  April then did something that she hadn’t done in years. She put her hands together and prayed that Jack would live. k12

  Learn More

  Less than 1% of all readers will leave a review. Please take the time to leave a review, I can’t thank you enough for sharing your thoughts. Reviews help fellow readers like yourself decide if they should give the book a chance, and I rely on the feedback to grow as an author.

  To learn more about Project Phoenix and Jack’s adventures singup to N.A.K. Baldron’s newsletter here, or visit his webstie to signup www.nakbaldron.com.

 

 
<
br />