Xeno Core

"I know it's hard for you, but could you please not say anything in front of Han?"

"How much does he know?"

"I don't think he really understands what radiation is, or cancer. He thinks I'm just old."

Yosip does look much older than he truly is. He's as highly augmented as any elder Mos, leading me to often forget that he's only a few seasons older than Han.

"It might be important for him to learn. He's still giving off radioactive byproducts."

"Shit. Why didn't you say anything when I still had a chance to do something about it?"

"Do something about what?" Han runs back into the room, covered in dust.

"We forgot to buy a better flavor of birpa," I answer. "And now it's too late."

Yosip nods, frowning as much as ever, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Nobody likes anda root birpa."

"I like it," protests Han.

"Yeah, and you're nobody. Point proven."

"I won't always be nobody!" He brushes the dust off before returning to the piloting console. "Just watch."

I wonder if we can get some anda root shipped to the station. "How were the batteries?"

"Power cell three burnt out, but the rest are still good."

"If we have enough power to get there then it isn't a problem. We have lost some maneuvering thrusters, so don't try any fancy moves."

The Supply-Master busies himself with his prosthetics, ending the conversation. He refills the hidden resevoirs that power the inbuilt jets, as well as applying oil and other maintenance tasks. The familiar rituals of an old warrior.

Bucket's work is always excellent. While the workings of it remain as inscrutable to me as ever, there are certain similarities that I can note between the Supply-Master's many augmentations and the dronefeathers' construction. His limbs look much the same from the outside, but the actual composition is hidden within a false shell.

"Yosip, why is it that you never had Bucket make your limbs look more natural? You know they're capable of it."

"Or your face?"

"Thank you, Han," answers Yosip, face growing dark around his implants. "A couple reasons. First, it would make doing this a lot harder."

To demonstrate he removes his left leg below the knee. To reach the fuel tank he folds armor plates and hydraulics back on concealed hinges. Different segments retract to allow him to reach a bent rod. "This's needed fixed for a while." He replaces it with a part from his bag, then reassembles the leg.

"And anyway, would you have hidden your scars?"

"More scars means more experience. The same with artificial limbs and organs. You would be a very well respected leader, were you of my caste. However, your society does not function that way."

"No, it doesn't. Losing a limb in battle or in service means you made a mistake," Yosip states slowly. "And it makes you slow, causing you to be passed over for missions. Kalibern was meant to be the end of my career. Even if the changes Bucket made make them less of a burden, my record hasn't changed."

Fidgeting in his seat, Han is clearly distracted. Yosip doesn't notice, too busy putting away his servicing tools.

"Is there something wrong, Han?"

The youth's ears stand up straight though his eyes never leave his controls. "Maybe. We're almost at the coordinates."

"I still haven't been told what we're doing out here."

Yosip grunts. "Anything showing on our scanners, Han?"

Han taps at his controls. "Not yet. Wait. I just picked up an energy surge...there."

With a few quick button presses the youth transfers the data he's scrutinizing to screens Yosip and I can see. At the very edge of the scout's scanner range is an odd sight. Six ships, floating around an oddly round rock.

The boulder at the center of the formation is larger than any of the ships around it. None of the vessels show any hint of battle damage, and only one is powered down. The rest operate on standby, as if their owners left, meaning to return shortly.

"Any life signs from the vessels?"

"Nothing," answers Han.

No sooner does he answer than another flare of energy washes out from the spherical body. According to the display, the released energy evaporates before getting much past the attending vessels. Higher dimensional energy?

"The ships aren't drawing any of that in," I comment. "But there's almost certainly a power core inside that boulder."

Yosip grunts his agreement. "Pulse seems a little slow, but there's a certain resemblance. Han, can you get us a better view of the asteroid?"

Furious tapping answers the Supply-Master. After only moments the view upon the screen changes. The boulder rotates, displaying an eerily uniform smoothness. Only one feature mars the otherwise perfect uniformity of the spheroid's surface.

"Is that an airlock?"

"I think so, Yosip," replies Han.

At Yosip's direction, the youth aligns us with the opening. The alien structure is far too large to link with the scout. Even the extendable docking tube often used to connect with unusual designs is inadequate.

It's likely that the nomads may have entered by crossing the void between their ships and the sphere in their vacuum suits. Yosip could make the short trip by using his mask. I, of course, don't breathe. Han has the least chance of surviving such conditions.

"Han, you're in charge until we get back," Yosip announces, placing his mask over his face.

The Supply-Master opens the device in which I rest and pulls me out once more. They exchange brief farewells before Yosip enters the scout's airlock.

The small chamber depressurizes, storing all the gasses for later use. The door slides open and Yosip leaps into the darkness. I redirect the harmful background radiation away from him as well as converting some of it into visible light.

The jets on his left arm and leg light up momentarily and we veer off to the right. Then both legs fire and we rise. I don't think we're aimed at the alien entrance anymore.

He repositions, putting his legs first. We must be getting close to whichever of the small prospecting ships he has us careening toward. Legs spreading wide to absorb the impact, he bends his knees in preparation.

The shock of impact runs through his body but he never loosens his grip upon me. Magnets in his feet latch onto the hull and we cling precariously to the outer surface of the mining vessel.

Yosip wastes little time looking about. He heads directly to the airlock and grapples with the manual release for the outer barrier. The strain is evident upon his face as he works.

A wave of energy washes over us, and before it fades away I recognize the flavor. It reminds me of something I tasted while Juror Nuhst had possession of me, though I have trouble remembering exactly what.

At last the door opens and Yosip plunges inside. Another manual control on the inside closes the airlock behind us. Inside the small chamber he searches with his free hand until he finds the pad that operates the airlock. Air rushes in, embracing us with dry warmth.

Yosip rumbles something, of which I understand only a few words. I think he asks for light, so I comply, shedding a warm orange glow to illuminate the darkened interior of the powered down ship. He nods and waves me around as he takes in his surroundings. Yosip ignores the noises of the ship, the hum and rattle of systems powering on after an extended duration of inactivity.

He moves unerringly for the supply lockers built next to the airlock. Inside he finds spare parts for the miners' suits, as well as a few changes of clothing. One four-armed green tunic serves as a sack for the components he deems useful. Most fortunate of all, at the bottom of the locker lies a spare oxygen canister.

With a forgotten woven belt he secures his finds to his back and returns to the airlock. We return to the scout quickly after that, Yosip grinning smugly the entire time.

"Any changes from the boulder?"

Han slashes the question from the air, more interested in the salvage that the Supply-Master dumps onto the table. The youth rushes over and begins sorting through the parts. Yosip doesn't bother to remove his mask, returning to the airlock once free of his burden.

He turns and speaks over his shoulder to Han. My attempts to learn their languages show their worth, and I understand some of what he says. He states that they still lack something and that he wants to look in another ship. Han responds affirmatively and Yosip returns once more into the void, bringing me along to serve as radiation shield and light source.