Orion Rising

Chapter I - Orion Rising

"Planet Palha, an agricultural world with a population of three. Gravity rating 3. Instant transmission, disabled. Repair dispatched +1.08.12.", chimed an artificial intelligence from the small single passenger ship.

The single planet in the system with a yellow and white sun. Also orbiting sun was a government mandated regulator which absorbed solar flares and radiation as well as prolong the life of the star almost indefinately. Supernovas were a natural disaster that had long been regulated and prevented for the most part.

"Atmospheric reentrance disturbance?"

"Your shields will absorb everything." responded with a programmed digital accent of the classical, dead, female, accent of New Zealand.

The ship was reflective in every source of light. Aerodynamic in shape with two bismuth-xenon ion engines on either side of the cockpit a few meters back for headroom. The tran-sten chamber held a man piloting the ship down to the earth. The entire planet was crops of various choices, with long columns of magnetic road for transportation and maintenance. The sky was a milky orange as dawn was arriving where he was landing.

"Landing clearance has been granted and is fourteen clicks to your north west." obliviously guided the AI.

At ground level there was a floating metallic automaton ready to decontaminate any unknown pathogens or bacteria from the ship as to prevent contamination with the crops. It began work as soon as the tran-sten shield slid back over the cargo hull. After a click and slight shift the man was out of the ship.

The man wore what was common for the time, an aramid and lurex synthetic fiber body suit that zipped up from waist to neck. It was pearly white and had a stripe down the shoulders in black and green.

On his back was a sentient teleforce rifle. It decided to chime in the same AI as before, having been transferred back to the rifle after the ship had died down. "Trace amounts of hemoglobin are within your vicinity...tracing."

The man's face was tan in color with facial hair around the chin and lips. It was dark orange with slight white blonde below the bottom lip. The skin beneath his left eye was replaced with a malleable metallic compound that shifted with his facial expression of both exasperation and inquiry. It seemed to be more of a facial tare rather than an artistic expression of tattooing one's self. His green eyes squinted at the bright white neutron star looking down the column of magnets going towards the horizon.

The bloodstain was splattered across an eight foot tall corn husk. It was black in color hinting that it had been there for quiet some time, having oxidized. Upon approach the man knelt and placed his hand to the blood lightly.

"Processing." chimed the youthful sounding AI.

Out of the corner of his eye, something shimmered briefly. Pivoting he made his way with more gusto than the casual approach he had given the first clue. The ground was perfectly fertilized from off world fertilizer that was brought once a year in bulk and distributed automatically; thus limiting the number of persons needed to maintain the planet. The end result was a squishy mush that surrounded but didn't stick to his boots.

"DNA sequence verified, Jarthan Jamenson, age 45, Civilian Class I, Farmer, Home Planet Alpha Centari Prime..." the AI didn't finish the report. It had seen, through the sensor at the end of the rifle over the shoulder of it's owner, what was buried softly inside the ground. It wasn't accidentally dropped but placed purposefully. "Sir, that is a compound electroquantum telecomunicator. Not something any farmer could afford."

"He's provoking us."

"Should we run it for a sequence?"

"Nothing would come up. Send the report back to Langley." He pocketed the CET in a pouch that expanded out of his side once a button was pressed along his abdomen. The CET was placed in a personal dimension inside the suit itself, but for all appearances seemingly disappeared. "We're not dealing with a normal criminal..."

"Sir, I've reading an incoming ship without clearance, seven o'clock." Cautioned the AI.

In a fluid and trained motion, he turned while his left hand pulled the teleforce rifle off of the thermomagnetic slot on his back. Simultaneously placing his right hand over his heart pressing his chest slightly causing the small white with black bordered hexagons to turn gold in a set of seven; the design appearing to seem somewhat like a flower. His stance was goofy footed as was his wield of the rifle. A long scope appeared in a flicker above the barrel of the white rifle.

Beyond him a few thousand feet in the air was a Kelder Cargo Ship. Black in color with the hatch open in the back; the ship was plummeting quite quickly. Turning in a slide almost as if to whip the back in towards the young man something shifted in the hatch and slipped out. All while our hero watched in amazement through the scope.

"Vi you got the shot?"

"Still processing."

The ship was slowing down drastically, signaling to the two of them that it was about transdimensionalize and tracking it would be near impossible without the shot. Having kept his scope on the ship he hesitated once seeing what had been dropped once. It was a human, at least in shape alone.

"Vi, process catching the human, I'll attempt the shot manually."

It was a mere few seconds before he knew the ship was gone, having to adjust personally from where Vi had left off in adjusting the scope to get the perfect shot while he was running down the row of corn. Taking a brief moment and held his breath, his suit turning slightly red having pumped numerous amounts of epinephrine into his system at the brief moment before taking the shot.

"Sir, you're going to need to exhaust your Avex Muscles in order to make it to the woman. The amount of time since your last carbohydrate intake has been three days. I will begin accelerating stored fat."

"That's great Vi now will you be quiet so I can shoot." he replied with diminishing annoyance.

The shot blinked away along with the ship. The aftermath of blinking this close to the planet was starting to show the effects of opening dimensions so close to a planet. The atmosphere ripped in a large sonic boom catching some of it on fire and the shockwave heading back towards the planet, the wind heading behind it. The man running as quickly as he could before activating his Avex Muscles located in his thighs.

As soon as the shock wave hit, he leaped into it, placing his rifle on his back and tilting his head and shoulder forward, bracing himself in mid air. The dust below him ripped violently away all the stray pebbles and clumps of freshly fertilized ground. Inside his thighs he triggered, through his neural link to all his implants, the Avex Muscles. His muscle mass in his legs increased in density and mass, but not in volume. The option not to include volume hid his implant from those who found body manipulation to be a sin. His stride increased to 20 meters per second.

Meanwhile the woman was much more clearly seen by the artificial intelligence who was processing as much as it could about the falling object. She appeared to be a human in her late teens or early twenties. Her hair was pitch black and approximately two feet in length, it was straight and flowed behind her, masking her face. She was heading down with the back of her head going first and the tips of her toes swaying forward and back as she hit terminal velocity. This caused a problem as originally catching her fall would be enough. Vi relayed this information to her owner.

"I'll figure something out."

This was the benefit of being human in a galaxy of artificial intelligence, one of the few things humans could still be counted on for was coming up with a solution where no logical one exists.

His Avex Muscles were running low and his sugar supply was nearly out, not having expected to spend such an amount he was starting to burn down to 1% body fat.

"Vi, reroute suit power to my arms and legs."

"Without direct power to your-"

"Just do it!" he shouted as the woman was a few hundred meters off the ground and he was nearly under her.

Accessing his neural link he decided to expect the excess energy to get beneath the woman before she hit, being a few meters above him before landing he shot his hands towards her and expended the energy to cause a sonic clap from his palms, enough that would bounce her enough to slow her momentum before landing on him. She hit like a Teltorian Bear causing him to be pushed into the soft soil. The aftershock and wind hit the two of them next but none were awake to feel it, knocking the crops back and forth.

"Sir, you need to consume something or you will start to burn through muscle mass." reminded Vi after numerous attempts to wake the young man or woman.

"Transfer back to the ship, there should be a stick of jerk in there."

"Not sufficient carbohydrates, might I suggest the potato behind you. I will be on standby once you use my remaining electricity to cook it."

He couldn't move, having the woman hunched over his stomach making an x shape. She was wearing solid lurex suit with similar hexagons along her suit which suggested that she was as Galactic Civilian of some class. He looked back behind him for the potato that he could reach. After grasping it, he expended his AI's energy to cook the potato in his hand. His palms seemed normal but below the surface there were many manipulations he had undertaken. Having already shown two of his abilities, the sonic pulse and now, heat induction.

She was out and wasn't budging, but she was breathing and that was good. He reached down with his unoccupied hand and placed his index and middle finger to the same spot he had pressed before on himself, right above her breast. Her crest flickered for a moment showing the golden center and revealed two hexagons along the left and right side with a script E in the center one. This symbol was for engineers and that she was a civilian class three.

The XY, as most people referred as was the Galactic Republic. Having rid itself of all monetary value after the fourth intergalactic civil war. Instead each person is given a class and allotted amount of spending per cycle. Healthcare and food was the basis for a civilian class one. Not much could be given beyond that. 40% of the five trillion persons in the Galactic Republic was a civilian class one. She was a civilian class three which meant her housing was nicer than that of two, but she could not be granted a personal ship without work. An intelligence check was required to work and a person must be civilian class three in order to work, with the exception of military work.

Beyond the horizon he could see an antenna sticking out, just barely. That could be one thing on this planet, he didn't need Vi to verify it for him, an atmospheric regulator. This would be closer than trying to carry the woman back to his ship.

Finding the console at the base of the stone structure. The room had automatic lights, those of which flickered for a moment then adjusted. The console flashed for a moment registering who was at the console. He uploaded Vi into the console with a few keystrokes. In an instant later she was ready to talk.

"Sir, you are being hailed by Viceroy Falentine. Shall I put you though."

With a nod the face of a man who appeared to be in his late twenties was on the screen. He of course was actually much older and had much work done in order to keep his appearances where they were. His brow was furrowed and his posture signaled that he expected the utmost respect.

"Explain." was all the man really needed to say.

"What we have here is an artificial human. Made to appear, in all circumstances."

"Vi, is this true?" Fal said as if verifying something he already knew.

"Sir, I have not detected any reason to believe that she is anything but human."

This was a problem, arificial humans were not uncommon, but with government regulation of the work. Being able to keep tabs on everyone who works with autostream evos which recorded everything each person views throughout a day. 'If you have nothing to hide then they wouldn't need to view what you saw that day.' A common quote to quiet any one who might protest in the slightest. The government already appeased most of its citizens with a workless entertainment filled life. The alternative was beyond most were willing to give up.

Opening his mouth he noticed that the Viceroy was already speaking.

"I've heard enough already. Listen, you are to keep that person alive and expect her to be hostile."

"Downloading Client for thorough diagnostics."

"You're now on ghost, identification will be changed, for purposes of appearance I'm changing your class to three. You'll still receive seven credits a month. In addition I've turned off your auto stream. I'm trusting you on this one."

"No one must know she's artificial, correct?"

"That's correct, first take the flight to Betelgeuse to await further orders. Mavericks should be warping in at any moment. Deal with them. Fal out."

Disregarding the well-known fact that Betelgeuse had gone super nova much long ago and now was a black hole, he nodded and the connection dismissed. Looking back to his new companion and then noticed his chest ping for a moment. His suit had updated, looking down on his wrist he typed in his new name. Orion.

Orion had recharged his artificial intelligence alongside his suit. He needed little rest and was cycling through a holographic display on his forearm. At the top, where his arm began to curve around, a warning notifying him that seven of his credits were going to expire in the next three standard days. Various items were available to him, not a single one of interest to him though. Entertainment devices, and erotica section, virtual items, he made his way by swiping to the restricted access. A voice rang out.

"Verifying identity."

Without a passcode he was allowed access. This was where he could upgrade his suit. Knowing the intelligence of the particular individual he was chasing he decided to purchase a personal blinking device commonly known as a door. Where once purchasing he received a notice saying that his suit would require an upgrade in order to equip the device, which he agreed to spend the extra. On the shipping information he click instant transmission. He could feel the parts being installed inside his suit which caused him to stand up out of discomfort.

Looking over at the woman who was had started to blink her eyes. His brow furrowed, hoping for a slight moment she wouldn't wake yet.

His voice rang in her head like an emergency alarm pressed to her skull. "If you can stand I would advise saving that energy till we decide to leave."

Her eyes were black much like her hair and her mouth opened to speak but she did nothing except stare at him. Her mouth turned to a very human expression of doubt. Her bottom lip under her teeth and off to her right. He made note of this before peering only for a moment out of the opening where a better view of the sky was available. There were scout ships, none with infrared, fortunately. They were large enough to carry fifteen people, not including the pilots. Mavericks generally used plasma engines which were less efficient than ion drives but were much faster. He doubted they had blink tracking and so his getaway would be easy if he could get to his ship.

Vi decided to chime in. "May I suggest something?"

"Go ahead and next time just make the suggestion." he replied with annoyance. Orion was still getting used to having an AI. Law prohibited Vi from having a personality.

Vi stored that information into her uncleanable code. "This woman, if I might call her that, should be brought up to speed on the current situation."

He turned towards her, hesitatingly as if he had debated letting her know anything at all. She wasn't human even if Vi couldn't see it. Built that way, it must have taken someone with an intelligence score of ten. People were ranked on a Shroton scale of one to ten for various attributes and recorded for ranking purposes as well as threat counter.

"Mavericks will find my ship in a few moments if not already, they will come for you. You are special and cannot fall into their hands. There's a bigger play at hand." he said, the last statement mostly for himself, attempting to figure out why the Mavericks even knew about her.

Her response was something that took him off guard, which was rare enough to win her the Dorvlyn lottery.

"I love you."

His breath was caught for a moment when he tried to speak, this keeping him from actually replying right away. Regaining his composure and playing off what she had said, not out of an attempt to save face but focusing on the task at hand.

"We should-"

He was glomped in the traditional sense of the word. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and across his collarbone. Her face mashed greatly against his neck, an amount of her hair falling over his shoulder. Legs positioned above his hips pressing down for support. She weighed slightly more than expected, though this wouldn't be the first time he had to carry her weight. This time he didn't fall but for a second time in this bizarre scene of events for him he was put off.

"Off." Noticing that his first request was met with gleeful silence; he appended it. "Off, please."

She had her eyes closed tightly in the wide toothed grin she had plastered across her face. When her bubble snapped, realizing that she was doing something he wasn't enjoying. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me." She said before sliding down off of him quickly and to the floor. Her words coming briefly before a long extended breath. "I don't know who you are but, thank you. Thank you for protecting me."

He couldn't help notice that her personality generator was this vast. Artificial Intelligences were prohibited from gaining personality as a preventative measure. Fredrique v. State, a man attempts to fight for his right to marry his personal synthetic. This met with public outcry as well as a war with the Christians. After the war the peace treaty prohibited all personalities of the artificial. This history lesson flashed through his mind before he had made his decision.

"Go up the stairs, you're going to find them behind the corner there." pointing while instructing, "Up those stairs you will find a storage container, it will be locked, hide behind it in the darkness until I come back for you."

She paused only for a moment to both process the information and a small attempt to wish to join him in whatever he planned next. Feeling she had already upset him once she shook her head and just turned gracefully and sprigged towards the stairs. Her actions were both hypocritical and acceptable.

His attention was drawn back to the scout ships which were landing near the generator, making room on top of the now ruined crops. It wasn't their food anyways. Their ships were made of steel, much easier to destroy but also lighter for use of their plasma engines. Most were painted the red and green colors of their faction. Christians used to poke fun saying that the Mavericks were on their side for choosing Christmas colors. This led to the mocking name of 'sleighs' for their ships.

Orion stepped out towards their ships. Their ships had a retractable cargo hull that also doubled as entrance and exit for their ships, just beyond the hull was the cockpit. On either side of the cargo was the barracks and armory. Usually the barracks were on the left. Both were annoyed by the plasmatic discharge of the twin engines. Both required constant attention by two engines. Thus the skeleton crew of one of these scouts would be three and a maximum of however many people you could fit in the cargo hull. Weight to fuel distribution meant for an efficiency maximum of twelve more.

Overhead there was, up in the distance the auto-rainer. Causing the clouds to cool and the water to drop. Moments from now it would be raining. He was standing five yards from the two scout ships that had landed. Waiting patiently for the hull doors the fold downward. They did so in union.

It wasn't long before he was surrounded by various types of men and women all of which pointing their primitive weapons at him. Leadthrowers, none would get past his kinetic mend. The device could both ricochet or render harmlessly.

"Hands up." shouted one of the man whose voice was distorted by the breather he was wearing. His lungs were unable to process normal air, having guessed he grew up on Kyo Prime.

Instead of obliging he pressed his hand to his suit, in the off chance they didn't recognize the suit. Showing the men and women his rank number. Which he was met with some small gasps and few mumbled words. He could see the hesitation in their faces and eyes, and now he would wait for their commander.

Out stepped a woman in her mid-twenties, beautiful by Maverick standards and well nourished. She was petite but confident, with an aura of demanding respect. Many of the scouts moving aside for her to enter the circle. "Put down your arms." she said briefly before raising a hand to back off. Her men and women doing so reluctantly, looking at each other for a brief moment of defiance.

"Captain." he addressed her, seeing her rank which was signified by a delta on her dark green hat. She was dressed in semi-traditional military greens, pockets above her breasts on both sides, buttoned mostly up, and cargo pants with a pistol on her hip. Dark black boots suck slightly in the now muddy water as it rained on the lot of them.

"Class seven eh? Don't see too many of those. I bet that suit of yours would sell for more than this entire planets worth of food."

"Your estimation is correct." he responded.

"But there would be no way of taking it from you." she said beginning to pace, continuing to speak. "There has to be a reason you haven't disarmed to even attempt to kill each and every one of us. Could it be a loyalist with a conscious?"

"While my country might see Mavericks as a plague I have more important issues at hand."

"Even with your auto stream enabled you speak this way?"

His smirk let her know that her words were incorrect. Her eyes widened almost unnoticeably, it was unheard of for anyone in the military to have their auto steam disabled. It was the way the government kept their eyes on all aspects of the war at all times.

"So if we were to gun you down right now, there would be no record of it?"

"If that were possible." he responded quickly.

Vi chimed in his head. "You attempts to charm these Mavericks might be hindered by that last statement."

His words were met with a long swallow by the captain before she spoke. "Today men, you met a unicorn, be thankful to whatever god you worship that we survived this encounter."

The scout ships were gone with the loud roars of their twin engines. He had made ties with the very people he swore to eliminate when he was a class four. His father would be spinning in his virtual grave if he knew what was transpiring. A lesser person might call him a traitor but he liked to view it as making ties when the inevitable happened. Each person in the empire felt uneasy as if the impending doom was upon them. A dynamic shift in power was underway.

Back inside and up the stairs his voice came to her. "Let's go..." unsure as to what to call her, he ended his sentence at that. He let out an exasperated sigh before turning to walk back towards the dirt pathway that would eventually lead back to his ship.

There was an uncomfortable silence that persisted for the few minutes that the two of them walked back to his ship. She broke it. "My name is Cekye'."

Her name was unlike any one in his memory or in Vi's listening of uncommon names. It perplexed the two of them at once before he responded. "That's a unique name." Pointing out the obvious but keeping himself from asking unnecessary questions along the following topics of her maker, his origin and that was when it donned on him. Her maker was a Maverick.

The Maverick language was split into two variations both of which were untranslated. Cryptologists had been working at a translation, but none were successful. Many attacks on such facilities were common to keep the language a secret. Though files of Maverick's speaking the language were stored in numerous facilities destroying them all would be impossible. On the other hand, killing the individuals smart enough to attempt to decode their language was quite possible.

"Orion, sir, are you alright?" sounded Vi.

"Orion?" Cekye said quietly.