Traveler flexed his arms and lifted his legs—testing his mobility. He reached over and took back his heavy hammer from Few Words, who was holding it for him. With no warning, Traveler swung the weapon from high above his head down onto the deck plates. A resounding clang filled the armory, causing everyone to flinch and reach for something, or someone, to hold onto. Where the hammer struck the deck, an oblong three to four inch deep dent was evident.

  Traveler rose to his full height, staring down at the ruined deck plate.

  Although it was impossible to see if he was smiling, a difficult prospect in any situation, Jason could tell the big rhino was pleased.

  “I will wear this costume.”

  “Good,” Jason told him, but his feelings were mixed, sending his friend into battle by himself. “Ricket, stay with Traveler until he’s completely familiar with all aspects of the suit. Practice until everything is second nature to him. You got that?”

  “Yes, Captain, I will do my best,” Ricket said.

  Jason was being hailed. “Go for Captain.”

  “Captain Reynolds, we’ve got a development here on the bridge,” Sergeant Toby Jackson said. “Granger would like you to join us here.”

  “On my way.”

  Jason left the three rhinos in Ricket’s care and he and the others phase-shifted into the corridor outside the bridge. In less than ten seconds Jason entered the bridge.

  “What do we have, Sergeant?”

  Granger spun on his heels and faced Jason. “What we have is a concentrated effort to breach the Minian.”

  “I didn’t think that was possible.”

  “Normally, that would be true, it wouldn’t be possible. At least not with the technology the Craing possess.”

  Studying the overhead display, Jason saw the problem. Three now familiar-looking battle droids were situated on the platform’s scaffolding, directly outside the Minian’s forward hatch. Near-blinding pinpoints of light, with cascading showers of sparks, were concentrated from three separate locations along the perimeter of the hatch. It was clear the three droids were attempting to cut through the ship’s hull.

  “How long before they breach?” Jason asked.

  “At this rate? No more than one hour and twenty minutes,” Granger replied. “You understand, once they enter the ship, there will be nothing to stop them.”

  “Yeah, and you just remember who gave them those killing machines. They breach this ship, I’ll make sure you’re the first to die … that I promise you,” Jason said, still watching the droids’ deliberate progress.

  Orion joined Jason at his side. “I think Traveler’s training time just go a whole lot shorter.”

  Chapter 28

  Two dreadnaughts and a cluster of five heavy battle cruisers had moved in closer to the Minian; one cruiser was parked precariously close to the still-cloaked Her Majesty. Each of the Craing warships had their weapons systems charged and were targeting the Minian. The message was clear as far as Jason was concerned—Lom was making every effort to recapture the Minian, but if all else failed, he was willing to destroy the ship and maybe the Ion Station as well. With the Minian’s shields still inoperable, she would not withstand a prolonged attack.

  Jason, back in the armory, looked for Traveler. He hailed Orion. “Where are you?”

  “Firing range, Cap. One second,” Orion answered. Across the compartment, one of the few mechanical non-virtual bulkhead hatchways opened, and Jason saw Orion wave and gesture for him to come in. “In here, Captain. Traveler is getting acquainted with the battle suit armaments.”

  The firing range was anything but typical. More like The Lilly’s small Zoo habitats, Jason took in his surroundings: a large, circular, hub-type affair, with a central station and a selection of compartments around its outside perimeter.

  “There are four dynamic combat environments here. Each can be changed to virtually any battle condition or landscape required. There’s tons of templates to choose from, or you can build your own environment based on an existing template.”

  “What’s this?” Jason asked, pointing to the central hub station.

  “Typically, you can select and manufacture any weapon imaginable on demand.” Orion tapped on a 3D holo-display and paged through numerous hand-held weapons … handguns, pulse weapons, and various plasma rifles. “Unfortunately, this is typically tied to the ship’s phase-synthesizer, which, as we know, isn’t on board anymore.”

  “Where’s Traveler?” Jason asked.

  “There just so happens to be a combat template for the Ion Station. Ricket’s working with him in bay three,” she said, pointing toward an entrance to one of the periphery environments. Although he could see movement within, detail was obscured—out of focus. Orion checked a small display on the bulkhead outside bay three. “The current combat scenario ends in ten seconds.”

  They waited until the display signaled it was safe to enter. Orion tapped in a combination of virtual buttons and led Jason inside. It was as if he were back inside the platform station. Everything was holographically reproduced—down to the smallest detail.

  Traveler, wearing the prototype battle suit, stood in front of a paused-in-mid-motion battle drone. Ricket was pointing to something on the drone and shaking his head.

  “Traveler, there are few vulnerable areas on these drones. This area here has one-inch-thick composite material plating. Most other sections of the drone have one point five-inch plating. A blow from your heavy hammer here, and the drone may be incapacitated.”

  Jason looked at the area Ricket was pointing to and wondered how Traveler, or anyone else, could possibly manage a blow to that highly protected section of the droid’s mid-section. The battle droid’s four arms were composed of sharp, highly reflective mower blades. Seeing the thing up close, Jason estimated the droid to be as tall as Traveler and even wider. Those mower blades looked capable of slicing through bone and flesh with ease.

  As Jason approached, Ricket and Traveler looked in his direction. “How’s progress coming?” Jason asked.

  “It’s only been thirty minutes, Captain. Traveler is fairly familiar now with how the plasma weapons are fired and what the various HUD readouts are. He would need many more hours of training to be proficient with the technology.”

  “Have you reviewed the steps necessary to access the phase-synthesizer? Get the thing building more BSCs?” Jason asked.

  “We haven’t had time.”

  “Well, we’re out of time.” Jason looked over to Orion and then up at Traveler. “Ricket, give me the basics on how to work with that synthesizer. You can guide me via my HUD, once I’m actually in place.”

  Orion was incensed. “You can’t think you’re going in there alone—”

  Jason held his palm up. “Calm down. Traveler and I will do this mission together. He’ll be the muscle, keeping the battle droids occupied, while I access the phase-synthesizer.”

  Ricket was shaking his head. “Even wearing a conventional battle suit, all it would take is one plasma hit from one of those droids and you’d be atomized.”

  “Well then, I guess Traveler better be up to the task of protecting me.”

  “I should be the one going, Captain,” Orion said.

  “You will be. I want you playing courier. You’ll be phase-shifting back and forth, from here to the Minian, delivering the SuitPacs. That reminds me, Ricket: once the synthesizer is up and running, how long will it take for these things to reproduce?”

  Ricket thought about that for several seconds. “No longer than a minute for each.”

  “I was hoping it would be quicker than that. I want Billy and his team outfitted in these new suits as soon as they become available. Orion, you’ll have to do double-duty—giving them the basics on their use and operation, in between shifting back and forth from here to the platform.”

  “Aye, Captain. I can do that.”

  * * *

  By the time Jason and Traveler were ready to phase-shift onto the platform, another ten minutes had elapsed. The three battle droids, working at the Minian’s hatch, were a mere thirty minutes away from gaining access to the ship. Billy, commanding seventy-five SEALs and Delta Force combatants on board The Lilly, was bringing them over in teams. Once on board the Minian, they would be outfitted and deployed as soon as the new BSCs became available.

  Jason had purposely kept Dira away—having her prep Medical for the possibility of incoming injuries. In light of their developing relationship, the last thing he needed was his attention diverted by her presence.

  Both Ricket and Orion were wearing conventional battle suits. Ricket was prepared to phase-shift in, if anything happened to either Jason or Orion. Jason looked at his HUD and saw three red battle droid icons still working at the Minian’s forward starboard hatch. Another droid was making its way around the platform on security patrol, while a fifth droid stayed close to the phase-synthesizer unit, located toward the center of the space platform.

  Jason moved their center of operations to one of the more expansive Minian hold areas. Billy and his team, newly arrived, were now at the ready and awaiting their SuitPacs. There was ample space here to phase-shift in and out of the Minian, with less chance of landing on top of one another—although safeguards were built into the belts to minimize that possibility.

  “You ready?” Jason asked Traveler.

  “Yes, Captain Reynolds, I am ready.”

  Jason double-checked the settings on his multi-gun. Ricket suggested he utilize the weapon’s micro-missile settings. Jason and Traveler phase-shifted out of the Minian’s hold and, in a flash, appeared inside a massive compartment, thirty feet from the building-sized phase-synthesizer unit. From all appearances, it seemed to be assembled and functioning. Several rows of small glowing lights blinked on and off on various panels. The primary user holo-display was active and Jason wasted no time moving toward it. The necessary SuitPac construction data would be available as soon as Jason set up what Ricket had referred to as a remote multiverse I/O exchange. Nothing—no external data drive, or any other type of hardware on this plane of existence—would be capable of holding the amount of data that would be forthcoming. Connecting to the multiverse required Jason to follow Ricket’s instructions exactly. He’d be accessing what was, in effect, a micro-wormhole channel. As long as the channel remained open, data would move back and forth to an alternate plane of existence, with zero lag time.

  As Jason reached the holo-display, Traveler was heading in another direction. He couldn’t think about that right now. Jason’s first step was to attach a small iPod-sized device to a connecting port, somewhere near the holo-display.

  “I don’t see the port, Ricket,” Jason said into his NanoCom.

  There was a flash and Ricket appeared at Jason’s side. He took the small device and attached it to a small port nowhere near where Jason was looking.

  “Okay, get out of here,” Jason said.

  Ricket looked over at the stacked-high components of the phase-synthesizer and hesitated.

  “Now!” Jason barked. Ricket disappeared.

  The holo-display came alive with a menu prompt asking for user input. It was just as Ricket had described and Jason quickly began making menu selections as he’d been instructed.

  Plasma fire erupted in bursts so bright the nearly dark compartment was transformed to daylight-bright with each strobe flash. Jason saw Traveler and a battle droid firing at each other from fifty feet apart. Continuously firing from what looked to be wrist-mounted plasma weapons, Traveler ran toward his opponent. Ricket was right. Jason certainly didn’t want to get in the middle of that firefight. The thud thud thud pounding of plasma fire shook the compartment and made the deck plates beneath Jason’s feet vibrate. The rhino-warrior and battle droid were upon each other. Traveler’s hammer poised to strike, they circled one another.

  The holo-display indicated it was accessing the data stream. The phase-synthesizer came alive with the definitive sound of parts moving within it. “Huh, I guess it’s working,” Jason said aloud, as he brought his attention back to the two combatants.

  Traveler was slow compared to the droid. In addition to the sounds of plasma fire, there was now something far more disconcerting—the sounds of mower blades making contact with Traveler’s battle suit. Sparks erupted from Traveler’s arms as he fended off the constant assault from four constantly slashing, and thrusting, mechanical appendages. Jason could see Traveler trying to strike back with his heavy hammer, but his attempts to do so were totally ineffective.

  Traveler was driven backward. Exhaustion was overcoming the rhino-warrior and he was wavering on his feet before falling on his back. The battle droid moved in for the kill, firing a continuous barrage of plasma fire toward Traveler’s helmet. Traveler, perhaps as a last resort, kicked out with one gargantuan kick, connecting to the droid’s torso. It staggered backward and hesitated for several moments. When it attacked again, it came for Traveler with near-blinding speed. Traveler kicked again but this time the battle droid was ready and a significant section of Traveler’s foot was sheared off. Traveler roared in pain as a stream of blood sprayed like a fountain into the air.

  Plunk.

  The sound drew Jason’s attention to the output tray. He had gotten so caught up watching Traveler and the battle droid fight, he’d forgotten his whole purpose for being there. Lying atop the synthesizer output tray was the small metallic device. Before Jason could reach for the SuitPac, a second battle droid entered the compartment.

  Chapter 29

  The second battle droid approached Jason cautiously—moving at a relatively slow pace: perhaps sizing up the situation, or perhaps seeing no reason to exert itself against such an unworthy opponent. Jason knew he only had a split second to make a decision. If he didn’t do something, he was seconds from being killed. He took what he feared would be the stupidest course of action. Ducking behind the support construct of the holo-display, Jason quickly unlatched the clasp beneath his helmet, pulled it free, and tossed it toward the oncoming droid. The mechanical beast stopped and turned its attention toward the bowling-ball helmet rolling away into the darkness. Jason, busy removing the rest of his battle suit, never took his eyes off the droid. The droid was again heading right for him. With no time to think, Jason leapt to the output bin and snatched up the newly manufactured SuitPac. He sprinted forward and quickly darted around the nearest corner. Plasma fire continued buffeting past into the air. Once behind the twenty-foot-thick wall of stacked phase-synthesizer components, Jason lost his footing and went down on his side. Up on his feet again, he ran into the darkness. Jason fumbled the device, nearly dropping it, before clipping it to the front of his spacer’s jumpsuit.

  There was another roaring scream from the other end of the compartment and Jason could only imagine what tortuous pain Traveler was now enduring. As he ran around the back side of the phase-synthesizer, having no idea where the second battle droid was located, Jason compressed the two micro-buttons on either side of the SuitPac device. Immediately something started to happen. In the span of several seconds, new suit segments expanded outward—quickly covering his entire body as he ran. The helmet section was the last to take form.

  Jason realized he’d been holding his breath and gasped to fill his lungs as the amber HUD filled his vision.

  The new suit’s HUD was substantially different from the one he was familiar with. Shit, he needed to know two things: How do I phase-shift and where’s the fucking weapon menu?

  Jason hailed Orion.

  “Go for Gun—”

  “How do I call up the weapon menu on the new suit?”

  Her hesitation seemed endless as she tried to figure out what he was requesting. “You’re wearing a new—”

  “No time! Just tell me!”

  In as few words as possible, Orion talked him through the use of the new HUD and weapon- access menus. There was no time to figure out the phase-shifting aspects and by the time Jason came around the back side of the phase-synthesizer, the second battle droid was waiting for him. The droid’s torso spun as multiple plasma cannons fired bright bursts of energy toward him. As Ricket had surmised, the new suit compensated for the plasma fire onslaught and he was apparently no worse for wear. Jason lifted his right arm and found the pressure-sensitive trigger mechanism. He fired, and pulses of energy erupted from the micro-plasma cannon integrated into the forearm of his battle suit.

  The battle droid seemed unaffected by the plasma fire, but its progress had definitely slowed, and that was exactly what Jason wanted.

  “Gunny, get in here. There should be several SuitPacs sitting in the hopper tray by now. Keep your head down.”

  Jason didn’t have time to verify if Orion phase-shifted in because of two things: First, Craing security forces wearing green battle suits were filing into the compartment. Second, the battle droid was making a new move in his direction. Frustrated that firing micro-missiles had little apparent effect on the battle droid, Jason called up the weapons menu and, one by one, tried alternative munitions selections. Although the integrated battle suit weapons design was convenient, it didn’t seem to offer the same level of wallop that his multi-gun could dole out. As the battle droid slowly but steadily advanced, Jason maneuvered back to where he’d left his weapon. There it was. Leaning against the holo-display support column. He flashed through several more menu screens looking for the phase-shift functions, but came up short. Jason ran, diving for the multi-gun. He snatched it up with one hand and rolled into a one-knee firing position. Relieved to see his HUD munitions menu had automatically refreshed and was now synchronized to his multi-gun, Jason selected the rail-gun munitions option and fired.

  The battle droid’s progression slowed—then ceased. Jason got to his feet and cautiously stepped closer. The droid seemed to be having difficulty fending off the relentless stream of micro-rail ammo. I always liked this weapon Jason thought to himself. But his self-congratulation was short-lived. The droid re-compensated and was making forward progress in his direction. The Craing security forces, easily one hundred armed combatants, had moved into position behind the droid and were unleashing a constant barrage of plasma fire directed at him.