Jack's Moonlighting Pt. 01

Another hideous head was inside. Jack considered how he might kick the pipes, but they were too high and awkwardly positioned. He didn't want to ruin his good glove, so he slammed his broken fist against the nutrient tube, cracking it badly. He howled as another finger broke. Through his wince, he watched the head inside the glass bottle as fear filled its eye while it bulged and popped.

Panting with pain, Jack listened but detected no change in the rising tone and vibration from the weapon's charging nor the rumbling vibration from the iris opening.

"Fourth!" Rikki called out from above.

A moment later, Rikki's voice came back. "Destroy the first workstation! Save me!"

Jack took a step forward, then stopped. Rikki would never put himself before anyone else, so he turned back to the fourth cabinet and punched the panel with his good hand until he could pull the panel back. Six solid kicks opened it wide enough to see the floating Allsa Komanae face in the tank watching him with hate in its eyes. Jack lurched back in revulsion, tremors running through his body. He reacted without thinking and punched the tank itself. It cracked and began to drain as Jack howled in agony from his hand.

The liquid shorted something out as there was a spray of sparks from the bottom of the server, and the low rumble stopped. Cradling his broken hand protectively, Jack ran to the window and saw the doors had stopped opening. The rumbling began again, but the massive crater doors were closing.

The higher-pitched hum continued to climb in tone and volume, so he wondered what that would mean if the doors were closed.

"Last!" Rikki yelled.

Jack ran back to the largest cabinet and punched the shit out of the cover, but it refused to bend.

Cursing violently, Jack pulled back as far as he could, then charged back, leaping headfirst at the smooth metal plate, smashing into it with his horns.

He picked himself off the floor, shaking off the daze. He noted the side panel had been knocked out of its track. The top edge was still partially connected, but he could now slide the cover plate to the side, exposing some of the insides.

There were no heads inside the case floating in a nutrient bath, just computer components. He didn't know what to do as he still had nothing to use to damage the stuff inside.

Looking over at the server, which had shorted out, he rushed closer to see if some fluid was left and something he could carry it with. Nothing.

"Last! Hurry!" Rikki called out again.

"Fuck!" Jack yelled and rushed back to the open server.

With no other option, he dropped his pants, concentrated on relaxing, and pissed into it.

Moments later, a bright flash knocked him back onto his ass as the server began to sizzle. He looked down at himself and sighed in relief as he saw nothing was burnt. Then he got to his feet and zipped up his pants with a grin.

The server exploded, tossing him across the room.

Chaotic seconds later, Jack became aware of Rikki dragging him toward the end of the room and the vault door.

The noise had become deafening as the building vibrated in sympathetic resonance to the still-climbing tone. He tapped Rikki's tentacle to get it to let go. He scrambled to his feet, and they ran for the vault door. The door was closed, and Jack placed his undamaged hand against it, but everything was vibrating, so he couldn't tell if it was operating or not.

Rikki used the Prime voice again. "Door Activate. Door Open."

Jack felt the latches releasing, so he stepped back. It swung open slowly, and the moment the gap was wide enough, Jack squeezed through.

He suddenly stopped with two weapons pointed at his face.

Ullenta was pissed. "How did you get the door open?"

"We can discuss that later! We have to leave right now!" Jack insisted.

Creetak clicked his mandibles together sharply. "So, you can keep the treasures to yourself? Do you think we're that stupid?"

Jack looked at the far wall in exasperation, then froze as the eerie Gate wasn't active. "Rikki, what happened to the Gate?"

"It's out of alignment since we turned," it replied.

"What do you mean we turned?" Lirsha asked.

While Jack didn't want to tell them where they were and what it was, he didn't have enough time to invent something believable. "We're on one of Allsa Komanae's moons." He gestured to the open door. "That noise is the equipment that controls the moon's movement. It spun slightly."

"What about the treasure?" Creetak yelled, shaking his weapon in Jack's face.

"There is nothing valuable in there—aside from the diamond windows," Jack admitted.

The Jool's eyes widened, and he pushed Jack over as he rushed inside. Lirsha growled at the Jool's impulsiveness, then quickly followed him inside. Ullenta looked at Jack with doubt in her eyes as she walked backward to the entrance. "You won't be going anywhere without a Gate, so stay put." She turned and rushed inside.

Jack looked at the Qui Qui Qui, who seemed torn between curiosity and fear. "Death inside/No treasure/Danger," Jack said as he stood up and joined Rikki by the Zombie Tik.

"Can you reactivate them?" Jack asked.

"Yes, but we can't connect to Allsa One. I may be able to make an emergency linkage with Allsa Komanae, but these Gates are really old and not very compatible. It's risky, and I won't be able to keep it linked for long. You'll have to move fast. Also, if this moon blows, Allsa Komanae isn't going to be a safe place to be, either. We need to get back to Allsa One!"

"Do it as quickly as you can," Jack said as Rikki connected to the other Tik.

Jack saw movement behind him and saw the vault door closing. The Qui Qui Qui were watching it with dread. There was no time to waste, so he gestured for them to come to the Gate.

"Activate Gate/Others sealed in vault/Rescue Team Leaders?" one asked.

"Team Leaders unstable/Unable to reason/Moon explodes soon," Jack said honestly.

The Odd Gate opened. "Go through now!" Rikki yelled.

Jack got the trio to leap through then he was right behind them. Rikki bumped into his back as he followed so close. They were in the Alsa Komanae Gate Terminal.

"Sorry, Jack. I could only hold it for a few seconds," Rikki said apologetically.

"No problem, buddy." Jack turned to the Qui Qui Qui. "Emergency recall/All personnel/Evacuate through Gate to Allsa One now!"

The trio rushed to the doorway, broke a small glass window in a box mounted to the wall, and pulled down on a lever. A siren began to wail loudly.

Jack looked at Rikki in surprise. "Is that what that little box was for? I've seen them in every Gate Terminal and never knew their purpose!"

Rikki gestured to the Gate. "It also sets the Gate to outbound only. No one will be coming to Allsa Komanae until the crisis is resolved. You should go through."

"I will as soon as we get the workers off the planet. I'm not leaving any more people to die on this fucking world!" Jack growled and rushed to get outside.

Allsa Komanae had three moons in its sky, and Jack had no idea which of them was the weapon platform. The largest was furthest out, with a slightly smaller moon in a closer orbit, and a much smaller moon was closer still.

Just as they reached the doorway, a brilliant flash lit up the night sky. A beam of energy lashed out from the middle moon, spewing a stream of surface material it ripped away with it. The beam struck the smallest moon, carving into its surface until it split in two. A second, larger flash terminated the energy beam as an enormous cloud of rock lifted from the weaponized moon's surface into space. At least a third of its mass broke away due to the massive explosion. The fractured moon began to move closer to the planet as a brilliant white glow appeared on its outer edge.

Jack and Rikki shared a look. They were responsible for this. Granted, they were trying to save the rest of the Assembly worlds at the time.

He turned to the Qui Qui Qui. "Inventory of personnel on planet/checklist/determine all are through?"

They bowed and rushed across the plaza to duck inside a grey box of a building.

"All skimmers and public buildings, including the barracks where the workers would have been sleeping, will repeat the evacuation message. I believe some are already inbound," Rikki said, pointing to the light seen on the horizon.

The Qui Qui Qui trio ran back across the street, one clutching a tablet in its hands.

"Thirty Qui Qui Qui/Twenty Jool/Ten Deen-Diin and Twelve Vikk-Tahh," it said.

Jack stared at the smaller being then he looked at Rikki. "Seventy-two beings working on recovery?"

"The Borrelians were forced to leave, and the Grellians left on their own," Rikki reminded him.

Jack looked back at the Qui Qui Qui. "How many Borrelians/How many Grellians/Total workforce on Allsa Komanae?"

"Ten Borrelians/ Eighteen Grellians/One hundred in total," it responded. Jack's jaw clenched tight in anger. The Harruushans were forced to endure living on a planet that was killing them while the research team only numbered one hundred people?

The first skimmer landed, and four Jool rushed into the terminal and headed straight for the Gate. Rikki reached out a tentacle and took the tablet from the Qui Qui Qui, and scanned all the images of the workers listed as on the planet. "Four Jool down, sixteen to go." Rikki looked at the three. "I will ensure all are present and accounted for. You should go through."

The Qui Qui Qui looked at Rikki and then at Jack.

"Workers go through/Go to Maghadahn/Tell the Committee Overseers of the disaster," Jack said, but the trio didn't move. "You are the last surviving Team Leader/You go home after this/The Allsa Komanae Research project is over," Jack said. Still, the trio didn't leave. They looked unsure. Jack nodded.

"You knew of the vault/Conspiracy to keep the project running/Lies," Jack asked gently.

"Yes/Yes/Yes," it said quietly.

A large group of Qui Qui Qui was approaching in a hurry. Rikki moved to the Gate to monitor it and record the people going through it.

Jack stepped aside with the Qui Qui Qui Team Leader.

"Why keep secret?/Blackmail?/Greed?" Jack asked.

"Killed Borrelian investigator who found Gate building/All promised to keep secret/Prevent war with Borrelia," it said sadly.

Jack saw how they'd roped in the Qui Qui Qui. To prevent a war they claimed would happen from its murder of the investigator, it had to keep the secret. "When did investigator death occur?/Most accurate recollection/important."

The three looked at each other then their speaker addressed Jack. "Day of new Operations Guideline/Confused/Went to speak with Keshwan."

Jack nodded as they watched a steady stream of workers rushing through the entrance and running through the Gate. The mirror surface rippled momentarily then the next group rushed through.

Jack refocused on the surviving Team Leader. "Borrelian Investigator death registered night of discovery/Reported to Keshwan/Keshwan killed her." That made more sense to Jack.

This news disturbed the Qui Qui Qui. "Why?/Why?/Why?" they trilled in harmony.

"Keshwan needed secret kept/Others joined plot/Tricked you into participating," Jack suggested. His inner ear was acting up. He felt a moment of vertigo and saw the Gate's mirror ripple again. The flood of workers was quickly diminishing.

"War?/No war?/Crime?" the Qui Qui Qui speaker asked in confusion.

"Never war/No crime/Innocent victim of a plot," Jack said. "Go through Gate now/Speak the truth to the Committee Overseers/No penalty for you as I will tell them."

The trio flashed him the Friend, Peace, and Harmony signs, and he did his best to return them. Then they rushed through the Gate.

"Speak to me, Rikki. How many left, and what's going on with the gravity?" he called out.

"One Vikk-Tah and Two Deen-Diin outstanding. It's all I can do to keep the Gate stable. The Gravity field is distorting!" Rikki answered.

Jack ran to the door and left the floor momentarily. He reached the entrance to see a skimmer slam down on the road before the building. Jack rushed to the vehicle and pulled the door open with his good hand. The driver was dazed but conscious, but his passenger was knocked out. Jack ran around to the other side, pulling the Deen-Diin out and into his companion's arms. "Get through the Gate fast!"

A glance down the road showed a female Vikk-Tahh hobbling toward the terminal more than a block away. Jack knew she wouldn't make it, so he sprinted toward her, doing his best not to look up at the sky as he ran. When he reached her, he saw she was crying. "Are you hurt?" he gasped.

"My ankle!" she cried.

He turned to face away and squatted down. "Climb on my back and hold on tight."

He wrapped his arms around her legs as she clung to his neck then he was off, running faster than he'd ever run before. He felt a little lighter, so that helped.

When they reached the terminal door, Jack stepped inside and crouched to set her down. "Get through the Gate!" he said, and she limped away quickly.

Jack paused to look back. The fractured moon in the sky was much closer and accelerating as the glow behind it was the flare of its drive engines. It was going to collide!

Jack rushed back toward the Gate, and only Rikki was there. "Go through!" the Tik yelled.

"With you!" Jack yelled back as he stopped before the trembling mirror.

"I must maintain the Gate. I've lost the connection with Allsa One multiple times and locked onto other Gates. I have to use the Emergency connection protocols as our signal can't be verified in this flux. The gravity distortions are off the scale. One more thing I can do...." Rikki said as Jack watched it try to keep the rectangular mirror smooth and that shape. It was a little frightening to see it warp like this, truthfully.

Then he felt a mighty shove from behind and sailed through the funhouse mirror face first.

-=-

Rikki hoped Jack reached a safe destination. In truth, it wasn't certain where he'd land as Gate Emergency protocols didn't share location IDs. All Rikki knew was that it had achieved something of a miracle by using Jack's processor to perform the required connection calculations faster than the gravity waves changed to bind this Gate to another active Gate.

Jack wouldn't die on Allsa Komanae.

That was the promise Rikki made to Eve before they left Chuuruthia.

Rikki left its post at the Gate, which collapsed gratefully in the mighty gravitational tug of war. Rikki used its functional tentacles to drag itself to the exit and braced itself in the doorway. Its ability to fly was lost in the distorted gravity.

The planet was empty of life except for Rikki. Considering what it was facing, it realized this was both sad and the best outcome it could have hoped for.

Staring in the face of death without the rich sensory input from Jack's collar, Rikki felt disconnected from the reality of its imminent demise. Like it was seeing a simulation or watching it on the entertainment channels.

This planet had so much death associated with it. Rikki felt a moment of clarity as it realized it was witnessing the planet's... rebirth. The Allsa Komanae's own weapon of genocide was going to be used to cleanse the planet with fire.

The sky before it was filling with the fractured face of the moon, which raced ever closer to meet its doom. Rikki could see all the details of the craters. The three beings whose greed outweighed their better judgment were spared the wait as they'd perished with the initial explosion to be cast out into space.

Seeing a moon crash into its world was not a sight many would ever have.

This was a memory Rikki would share with no one.

Chapter 14

Bayly was practicing her slow breathing exercises to remain calm as she and Tito stood beside the large ambassador from Kwau who was addressing three ambassadors who seemed to be purposefully belligerent about Jack Danner. The large furred being made one more attempt.

"We are not asking to monopolize Ambassador Danner's time. We simply ask to speak to him briefly, so this young female may present her petition to him. She has crossed a considerable distance on a matter of great import—"

"Be that as it may, Ambassador Danner is currently occupied with a smear campaign against the vigilant and hard-working Allsa Komanae Research Committee and their teams of researchers. We received notice that the audit was cut short for unknown reasons. We expect him to make some sort of presentation today. If he fails to show, he will show himself for the fraud that he is. If he does show, I fully expect him to present a report filled with slanderous lies!" Ambassador Umannas said with a scowl. Tito told Bayly that he was a Vikk-Tahh.

"Nothing Ambassador Danner says today will change the fact that we must not abandon our duty to the victims of the Allsa Komanae!" Ambassador Bretesh added. Tito identified the tall and grim looking being as a Deen-Diin.

"Danner's lies will not go unpunished!" The Jool Ambassador snapped as he clacked his mandibles. Bayly watched this one cautiously. It seemed Jool were not very adept at being subtle.

Now the Kwua pulled himself up to his full height and looked down his muzzle at his three bitter colleagues with a look of cold disdain. "The Ambassador Danner I know is a man of honor and respect. I have the utmost trust in his integrity. Carefully choose your words when you speak of him in my presence. I have heard disturbing facts regarding the Allsa Komanae Slave Recovery initiative. Facts that present a grim view of any who attempt to undermine the truth with political grandstanding. One wonders where you will be when the truth shines its light this day."

The committee overseers walked down the corridor toward them, and Tito whispered their names and races to Bayly. These were the officials who would receive Jack Danner's report. Ghunka Hree (Shriis), Haah Imman Foo (Fullchowe), and Nris Jolo (Rooroovah). The latter intrigued Bayly as it seemed like no more than a mobile bundle of sticks to her.

Following them were four very distinct Tik, which Tito indicated were the Tik Allsa One Petition Team.

The Shriis noticed the confrontation, the Kwau's body language, and paused his steps to bow to the Ambassador. The Kwua graciously returned the gesture as the other three looked uncomfortable.

"I'm surprised to find you down here in the halls of the second-tier conference rooms, Ambassador Kwua," Ghunka said.

"I am on a high-priority mission. I've learned that Ambassador Danner will be meeting with this committee shortly, and the young female with me has traveled from the outer rim to present him with a petition of critical importance. She only needs a moment of his time."

"I was trying to convince the good Ambassador that Mr. Danner would be too occupied with giving this report to you and the Grand Assembly Committee—"

"Ambassador Danner, please. He earned the title and deserves to be addressed by it in this venue," the Kwua insisted.

Nris spoke up. "Rightly so. We weren't expecting to meet until tomorrow, so I'm sure Ambassador Danner won't mind listening to her petition before he delivers his report. She traveled so far to deliver it. We can make a small effort to wait."

Bayly liked this Rooroovah and bowed to it.

Haah finished the trio's interference. "Seems like the matter is settled. Please join us in the conference room."

Bayly moved to the Kwua's side while waiting for the others to file inside the large chamber. He guided them to seats next to the door.

She gazed up at the murals painted on the walls. They appeared to display different races having peaceful and harmonious first-contact meetings. She recalled JuJu and TkaTken telling her team about how the Tik were the first contact for most races before they joined the Assembly. Tik found races in various phases of their cultural development. If they were reaching the capability of space travel or had an otherwise stable society, the Tik presented an offer for them to join the Gate Network in the hopes of preserving the race.