The meal was lively as the crew was now informed about what had been discovered so far. The idea of multiple advanced Antecedent AIs had things buzzing. The damage to Origin and the fact that it might all be scuttled before they could be saved had a new sense of urgency rise up. As people finished eating, they hurried back to their stations if they had one. The pilots, mecha techs, and cooks were at loose ends, so they stayed in the dining room. Zander went back up to the bridge with the other officers.
The briefing room was full when Maker appeared on the screen. “Welcome back. Origin has received our signal and has asked for assistance.”
“Can we speak with him?” Veldiami asked.
“Patching him through now, they’ve dropped the signal as well, so we’re back to full systems.”
“Origin, this is Captain Veldiami of Fractured Dreams. How can we assist?”
“Captain Veldiami, I’m not entirely sure. My hull was impacted hard by something, and we managed to portal to here, but our engines are gone, and our thrusters can only keep us above the methane world we orbit. The other AIs and I have been debating what to do, and I was near to sinking to the surface and detonating my core to remove the threat inside my hull.”
“What threat?” Zander asked. “Sorry, Origin, I’m Zander Greaves. Lead pilot, Shifted, and the one likely leading any help effort.”
“A pilot…you shouldn’t be anywhere near me. Your mecha would only be able to traverse a very small part of my interior.”
“Entoma are inside you?”
“Yes, they’ve been eating their way forward since the impact. I’ve lost one of my sisters to them already. She was the one right in front of them after the impact. I was able to secure her core code, but she is out of commission.”
“A behemoth likely caught you,” Vorsa said. “If you have Entoma inside, that is the most likely cause.”
“But there was nothing around us before we were impacted,” another voice cut over comms, and Zander recognized Defense.
“Maybe they portaled in, we don’t know if they can jump or not,” Ping said. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. Otherwise, they’d never have taken as much as they have. But we’ve never seen it happen.”
“My sister would likely have had something to say on that,” Origin said. “The Entoma have begun to lay eggs as they advance forward. I’m not sure how long it will take for them to spawn and race forward. I do not want to subject my family to their devouring maws. I would rather scuttle the ship and damn us all to oblivion.”
“We can deal with them,” Zander said. “Lozat, can you have your people ready to board Origin?”
“Is the ship habitable, or do we need to bring extra oxygen?” Lozat asked.
“Most of the ship is sealed and has life support,” Origin said. “The parts the Entoma are going through keep being exposed to vacuum.”
“Can you make seals behind them?” Gravtemo asked.
“We did it once, but we didn’t see the point in continuing,” Defense said.
“It’ll help security if they can fight in a sealed environment,” Lozat asked. “The exposed parts where the eggs are, are those sections big enough for mecha?”
“For scouts and Cavalry units. It would be tough for Infantry and impossible for Juggernauts.”
“Those parts have been stripped bare by the Entoma?” Zander asked.
“Yes,” Defense said.
“Then we’ll break a little more to ensure we can send some Infantry,” Zander said. “Our mecha will work on the cleanup. Gravtina, make sure the Mecha can lock to the ship. No idea if they have mag-lock boots or anything.”
“They can, in theory, but I don’t know if anyone really uses them in that way,” Gravtina said. “I’ll have my team run scans.”
“You can really save us?” Engineer spoke up with hope.
“We want to,” Veldiami said. “And we’ll fight to manage it. If we can’t, we want to take as many of you with us as possible. You said you had your sister’s core code. If things go badly, can you do that for all of you?”
“In theory, I can manage it for them,” Origin said. “I can’t do the same for me. I’d stay and ensure the ship is destroyed on the surface.”
“We’ll see about that,” Maker cut in. “Origin, I’m transmitting a code.”
Everything went quiet for a moment before Origin spoke again. “I understand. Your code isn’t ours, nor is the second code you sent.”
“Captain, Origin is Shifted,” Maker said slowly. “Origin, when you jumped, you were already damaged?”
“Yes,” Engineer said. “There was a chance we’d crack the barrier and slide sideways. Your codes indicate we have.”
“It’s why I was able to crack your signal,” Maker said. “I think differently, and Dreams does too. We were able to combine our abilities to pick through the signal, which, by the way, jammed everything.”
Veldiami was motionless for a moment as the bombshell was digested. “Origin, we’re coming in, and when we arrive, we need to dock safely with you. Dreams will keep herself safe, and our security, plus at least one other, will be heading over to help with the threat inside your ship.”
“I’m also sending schematics for Defense,” Maker said. “Make these and get them set and ready for the Entoma advancing on you.”
“Weapons?” Defense said. “I…very well…I was designed for passive defensive measures. Killing is…difficult.”
“Will you work with Maker?” Zander asked.
“I’m going to be busy with, ohhhh wait,” Maker vanished off the table for a moment. She popped back five seconds later. “Set them, and I’ll have people to control them. You’ll just need to help with targeting.”
“That I can do,” Defense said, a bit of the old toughness coming back to her.
“Captain,” Maker said. “I have two fingers to deploy to remove eggs. Zander’s best will use the capsules to take over point-defense systems currently being built. Engineer, I need you to make these and set them to start producing, please.”
“What are these for?” Engineer asked.
“For security when they come aboard. They’ll need to resupply while fighting,” Maker said. “Origin, where can we dock?”
“I’ve sent you the best access we can get you to that is safe. It is a bit of a hike to close with the Entoma, but it means Fractured Dreams will be safer longer,” Origin said.
“Captain, may we proceed?” Maker asked.
“Granted, let’s save some lives,” Veldiami smiled. “Everyone, battle stations. Dreams, inform the relevant parties.”
“Already done, Captain,” Dreams replied.
“Vorsa, you want in, or you staying with Dreams?” Zander asked as he got up.
“Captain, may I?” Vorsa asked.
“You are highly capable, and we need all of that. Lozat has three squads. If you all take one, it will be better for all of us,” Veldiami said. “Fight for the Antecedents.”
Vorsa, Lozat, and Zander all saluted her before they followed the others from the room.
Sage didn’t go right away. She held back as everyone else left, leaving her alone with Veldiami. “He’ll be back with another miracle. The Assembly will want us to tow Origin into a hub.”
“Which will be a problem we’ll come to after we clear the Entoma,” Veldiami said softly. “An entire ship of Antecedent AIs that shifted here after an accident…Sage, are the Antecedents handing us all of this for a reason?”
“I know Zander doesn’t want to believe the Antecedents moved him to help us,” Sage said softly. “But I have to wonder if they didn’t. That, or if Zander is a descendant of his universe’s Antecedents who forgot who they were. Everything just seems to revolve around him and slot into place with far less difficulty than it should. Even when he’s cleared worlds, he’s managed it with minimal to no losses. If he clears Origin with that same lack of loss, it will only make me think more deeply that his purpose is driven by the Antecedents. I mourn that his arrival cost him Selda, but I thank the Antecedents for his care of me, and his goal to remove our greatest threat.”
“I feel much the same, my old friend. Come on, I need to take the bridge before we dock.”
Veldiami took her seat on the bridge, surprised Zander was still there. “Shouldn’t you be going to get ready?”
“Not yet,” Zander smiled. “I want to be here to see Origin.”
“Coming into view now,” Dreams said.
The screen came on, showing a blue world. Not the blue of water, oceans, and life. It was the blue of methane gas and ice. Dreams put up the world information too, so Zander could see that nothing was breathing that atmosphere if it enjoyed oxygen. As the world spun and as Dreams closed in, Origin came into view, and Zander whistled softly.
Origin was a massive ship. There were signs of it being Antecedent-based, but it wasn’t identical to any of the ships he knew. The sheer size and scope of it blew even the Assembly battleships out of the water. But what he noticed the most was the lack of weaponry along the hull. This wasn’t a warship. Hell, it wasn’t even as armed as Dreams’ old hull, and it dwarfed the old Dreams in scale. It dwarfed Dreams as a cruiser.
One end of Origin was just gone. Bits of debris floating around the bigger ship showed the damage it had sustained. No engines of any kind were in sight, and Zander was shocked that the ship had been hit in such a way as to cripple him so completely.
“Just happened to hit the engines,” Zander murmured.
“I mean, if it hit either end, that’s a fifty-fifty,” Veldiami said. “The bridge is likely on the other side, if it was even designed for people.”
“The Entoma are likely heading for Engineer and the core,” Ping said. “They are on the side that is closer to that.”
“Dreams, how much larger than you is Origin?”
“Here is an example of me beside him, as I know the mere percentage wouldn’t help you, Zander,” Dreams said, and a visual hologram of Dreams appeared beside Origin as more of the massive ship came into view.
“Holy fuck,” Zander whispered. “You’re not even a tenth the size of him.”
“I am not, no.”
“I’m glad we don’t have to chase Entoma around the entire ship,” Zander grunted. “Even with them being quasi-contained, this is going to take longer than a few hours.”
“Probably,” Maker said. “Come on, Zee, it's time to suit up.”
“Copy that,” Zander murmured before he turned away from the screen.
“Antecedents be with you, Zander,” Veldiami said.
“I’ll take any help I can get,” Zander said before he left the bridge behind.