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Rated: E · Book · Sci-fi · #1898060
2nd half of the book.
....
Chapter 7


The days went by faster than Teral could keep up with. Teral just wanted to get it over with but didn't want to die trying, yet he would give his life if it came down to it.

'We are 30 minutes to transit Cent-Prime. Our signature is masked, we are coming in high on the elliptic from the sup-spacial layer at our current speed, we are above the jump point traveling at 6c (or 8.4x light or 8,400g).  They have no idea we will arrive in such a short period of transit.  After we leave the Jump Well, ill engage 500g and proceed to circle the system isolating and locating all ships.  I'll also mark the ship yards and platforms and we will stop those from being an issue first, they will appear on mapping in yellow. Yes, other than life support, we will make sure they can do us no harm for a century or more.  Anything else you wish for sir?' Mike detailed the onset of battle in Centauri Prime.
'Negative, just make me aware after we have disabled 15,000 ships Mike.  The second that's done i want to see it first hand and we will broadcast after I snoop in to what they are shouting at each other about.  Avon, i want all bands and com nets monitored as well as the Centauri World Net access.  I want to see if the CWN publishes what is happening to their fleet, if not, i want a band directly to all news feeds on the CWN.  Break in if you have to.'  Teral told his crew and Brenda suddenly interjected and he had yet to meet her.
'Sir, if i may, i have something you may want to be aware of.' she asked, her voice was an old English lilt.  Amazing, why did Andrew and Brenda pick that voice.
'Well, how are you Brenda, and what can i do for you?' He responded laughing at her accent.
She paused to try and grasp something that maybe she had done, but then proceeded as if nothing had happened. 'Well sir, i have made and improvement on our lasers.  Typical lasers penetrate shields and screens after the shields have lost 45% to 50% of their generator strengths, respective.  I have managed to create an upgraded laser battery and I have converted almost all lasers to this new format, however I don't wish to use them except in last efforts to attack the enemy.  I have projections on your screen as to what our lasers do. I also have a net decoder that manages to infiltrate and obliterate coding on a planetary scale.  We could have their nets down in minutes.' Teral watched the video of laser projection damages. 'WTF 100% penetration on first strike? Is that right, CUT them in half if the laser is rotated 90 degrees on discharge while firing. That would cut a ship in half.  No, no, you are right.  I want those lasers to pinpoint ONLY viable targets if we cant get the G-gun engaged in time Mike.  Make sure of that.  We are an overwhelmingly superior force, people, dont kill if we dont have to.  They will be hardheaded but it shouldn't come to a blood bath.  Wow, another upgrade nice job catching that Brenda.  I love my women on this ship.  Avon have you found any com chatter about the lost fleet in Dura yet, and start infiltration sequences to their world net when we arrive as well.  Coordinate the new system of Brendas upon exit?'
'No sir, not a peep.  Roger that will impliment upon exit.'  she responded as her likeness smiled at the compliment of her Admiral.  He liked his women.  'Sir may i ask a question?' Avon asked sheepishly.
'Sure whats up?'
'Well, i was wondering when this is over would you be able to clone a female form for my consciousness?  I will have all the AI failsafes but i still would like to touch and eat.  Those Vanilla shakes and steak and cheeseburgers are, well, heavenly if there is such a word.' she responded.
'I never thought of that, moving ones AI where ever we go.  For certain.  Yes, any of you i am sure could be in a cloned body from your own tissues.' Teral envisioned a new form of roving life. Sentience was self fulfilling.  Wow, life would make its way somehow.
'Sir we are in bound, all shields are up and our footprint will be unnoticed from scanners.  I have targeted the 4 ship yards on data screens as part of the first barrage for the firing platform.  I have isolated the nearest ships to the Jump point.  There are 1,192 ships situated close enough to fire 12 seconds after we engage drives. At 400g we should be able to take them out within 13 seconds of exiting jump.' she finished.
'Aye, make it happen Mike.  You know the drill follow prescreened workup on all ships in Cent-Prime. I want them all. If we take fire from anyone please make sure i know and i want the means of attack laser or missile.'
'Roger that sir.'
Battle would take seconds but the strategies to travel ship to ship would take hours.  No one would know it was happening until it was over.  The attacks would work like a wave, and the ships computers would analyse it as a virus of some type and it would be too late to defend.

'Sir, I have a strange blip on my Vidar display." Ensign Belindese Rosa Meyer called to her Commander.  "It seems like there is a ship there, then it vanishes like some type of ghost or echo.  Maybe its an echo but its a very large echo that displaces over 20,000 meters.  Could I get more power to ranging sir, if you up it 90% I might be able to find out where the echo came from or if it is even a ship?' The radar com officer told her Commander aboard the CPS ship Winterfell.
'Negative, I dont want some wild goose chase taking up computing time when we are gearing up for Duran invasion in less than a week 20,000 meters bah no ship is that big with stealth systems, we will get reports of their strength and we will attack and overwhelm their platforms.  Stand down from scanners and keep on simulations.' Commander Miles Carpenter told his new Scan tech.  The last thing he would know about moving his ship was all weapons and Grav drives suddenly went cold. 'What the hell just happened Lieutenant Orlando? What The F, where is my drives and my weapons?'  The Battleship Winterfell was no more than 2280 meters of floating junk with coms.  He was reluctant to call CIC till they diagnosed the problems.  'Get me Excalibur on the coms Ensign Davies.'
'Aye sir.'
'Yes, Miles we have power outages as well. Engines, weapons, tracking all are offline. It looks like a virus.  Over 1,200 ships are affected so far and its as if its a wave and growing outward west of our station.  Definitely a Virus of some type we will get it out in the next 5 hours or so.  Techs are on it.  Abernathy out.' Miles relaxed a bit totally forgeting the echo that he was told about 10 minutes before.

'We have 12,000 ships and all 4 shipyards out of commission and still no fired retaliation as of now.  I am sending coms to the CWN services and all reporting agencies now.  The message is the prerecorded one you have from early sir.'
'Roger that Avon, break in and broadcast.  I want all 13 Billion to hear it and i want it sent to the other systems as well.'
'Yes sir.  I will have a jump drone to all 12 systems sent now.'

This is the Duran Navel System alert status messaging board. Your fleet has attacked our planet without provocation to steal our Eternal Fruit for their own means, and change 700 years of our history for The Race.  Your fleet is deemed pirates and is defeated.  We have disabled 15,000 of your ships and will disable the means of your system to protect itself from invaders and pirates if you wish to continue a war you can not win, please do so.  We have technology that we mothballed that Is being used to do this, the tech is 200 years ahead of your current tech base.  No loss of life from these attacks has occurred at this point.  We are asking nicely for you to surrender all systems of the Federation and make terms  for peace.  We also have the ability to render the planetary power, in a word, offline.  We could have done this but decided it would be to big a loss of life for our consciousness.  Please sue for peace now before all your ships are rendered useless.  Your 4 ship yards are without power and you will need all your ships to tow new generators to your shipyards to make repairs.  The ships that are out of commission can not move or use weapons.  They are vulnerable to collision.  Think fast and sue for peace or you will have no fleet.  We will continue to disable your ships until your war department contacts us.  In Clause 811 of the Federation for spacial piracy it states that all pirate vessels are forfeit to the conquering ship, we will take nothing after the peace treaty is finished.  Any system that does not surrender we will take platforms in those system in the name of Dura. You can not see our ships they are subluminal and appear as ghosts on your Vidar net so if you try to adjust scans we will consider that a failure to agree to terms of surrender.  Thank you for your cooperation, and peace to us all.  Admiral in Lieu, Teral Ogilvy out.'  The CWN services went nuts, almost 8 billion people suddenly flooded the net from optic relays to instant neural net services, the servers were overloaded with PEACE.
'Sir, the affect of the message is deffinitely taking its toll on the gov.  We have in bound messages from the Admiralty. They wish a cease fire for talks.'
'No, surrender, send it back. Surrender, or all ships will continue to become disabled.' How many more in our direct field Mike?'
'We have a training fleet of 1,849 ships south west of our approach 14 seconds out at 500g.'
'Fire, disable them all Mike.' Teral said his voice stern.
The pulse was invisible to the eye, yet suddenly all drives were gone from the fleet. 'This is the Orion, Battleship and lead of the flotilla 11932Rc.  We surrender, please do not fire on this contingent.  We surrender.  This is Admiral Lester of the good ship Orion 3.  I repeat, all our drives are out, we surrender.'
'Sir, all 1849 ships are ours.  They have surrendered.  The CWNet has done its job, that was brilliant putting that response on the net. We are getting no hang on naval personnel trying to cling to their systems pride.  So far that s 19,438 ships under surrender.  The planetary press and government still has not notified us of surrender terms.  I have located 3,780 ships at Jump point SS 1.  Sir none of them are under drive or proceeding through jump they are guarding that jump point.  Do you wish to target, under 550g we should over take and disable in 12 minutes?' Mike asked Teral knowing that it was a critical strike if he did it.
'Yes and no. I want to you to warn them that we are coming and that we will disable all drives and weapons if they do not surrender within 11 minutes.  Make the call Avon and put response on speaker.'
'Yes sir.  This is the Good ship Lightning, Admiral Ogilvy commanding. Lower all shields, surrender your ships.  You will not be boarded.  If you do not surrender we will disable all drives and weapons.  We have taken almost 20,000 ships under flag of truce, feel free to contact them, we will not harm you.  If you force our hand we will disable weapons and grav-engines.  If you still do not surrender, we will point laser target your bridge and armories, this will cause massive loss of life.  We do not wish to harm any human.  You have 11 minutes and 22 seconds before we arrive, surrender or be fired upon.' Avon played the last message they had given to the other fleets only adding a few pieces to it.
'This is the good ship Nemoys Edge, Admiral of the fleet Lancing commanding, Please do not disable us we surrender. I repeat, we are guarding this jump point, we surrender we have offline shields and engines.  We surrender, please respond.'  A older looking fellow with greying hair was video conferencing in the surrender.
'Admiral of the fleet Lancing I am Admiral Teral Ogilvy, thank you for your surrender, we will wave off approach.  Lightning out.' The ships name was named by Brenda as the Lightning due to the streak of light the enemy saw when they attacked.  At 500-600 gravities the ship was traveling at 500-600 times the speed of sound or Sub-light speeds of 30,000 to 40,000 mps.  The speed was daunting, the ships gravidic engines tapped into the Gravities of planetary objects or black wholes or other pushing and pulling elements of the star systems.  The inertia for the engines was generated by the Loa-Gates Gravidic generators that created a miniature black whole miles in front of the ship.  The larger the ship the larger the generation of pulling Gravities.  In the case of the jump points they were simply tunnels around space that if you pulled your ship to partial speed of light you could tap into those current tunnels and boost your ship to that jump speed.  Basically the physics invovled were similar to a jet stream, certain atmospheric tunnels of air moving at a certain speed or tunnels of frictionless gravity which operated in similar respects.  So basically when the Lighting began its circling attack on the enemies a streak, or blurr, of light is all the computers could see.  Human eyes only saw what appeared to be a ghost ship in one second out the next.
'Locate and isolate the closest ships to us and have we takin any fire so far Andrew?'
'Yes sir, we took fire control from 38 Platforms, absorption at 100%, Storage units are at 13%, shields were not needed.  1191 missiles have made contact to our shield and 6,100 laser strikes. No ships have hit us or made contact with laser fire.  Ship AI's obviously have not been adjusted, or upgraded to meet the ships speed.  Our advantage is equal too a duel between a laser rifle and a bow and arrow.' Teral laughed at the anology. 'The platforms are self upgrading so we have had more strikes hit.  Unfortunately for the CPF military they have not caught on that a superior force of 1 is here and they needed to upgrade their ships to match their firing platforms.  Thus, they lose we win.' Andrew replied with a smug aura of pride.
'Do not be to pride filled Andrew this is not over yet.  There are over 12 systems with their own fleets and we have to go to each one unless Centauri agrees to a surrender and peace accord.  Get my clone ready Andrew, they might want to surrender in person when this comes down.  But keep it in a stasis field until im ready for it.  Brenda give me an update on the ship please.' Teral called to the Architect.
'Yes sir.' Brenda had beautiful red hair and green eyes.  A voluptuous body that was obviously created for Terals dirty mind. 'HAHA, sorry.  Just had a thought is all, please continue Brenda.'
'Yes sir, we are 27,895 meters and growing.  We just hit the 5th Grav-gun generator online.  We can currently take 750 ships in fire per gun.  Our compliment of laser battery is 1,493 batteries. 2,671 armor piercing chain guns.  We have expanded the ships galleys into 2.  Crew quarters are complete and we can house 17,000 humans aboard comfortably.  The ships automated food storage units are large enough to store 1 year of supplies to feed 17,000 humans.  We have 58 locations aboard the ship to eat.  12 units for medical, 2 Gyms, 1 swimming complex with high dive at 2 meters.  We have an indoor jogging track and 3 movie theaters. We,' Teral interrupted her gently. 'Wait wait, its ok, i dont want that full an update. Just tell me this, when we strike the Omega sector, they have 81,000 ships in that galaxy guarding 3 jump points, do we have the armament to take 40,000 ships at a clip or not?  I want to go in blazing but if we can not take on all of them it will have to be stealth.  So what do we have?'
'Well sir, i do not know you will have to ask Mike.  I would say yes but i am not the weapons expert that he is.'
'Mike can you give me a sustained barrage from 40,000 ships hitting us simultaneously and if we can defeat them with upgraded platforms firing on us as well?'
A few seconds went by and Mike had the answer that Teral was not looking for.
'No sir, we would be overwhelmed and our shields would dissolve, we would have to pull away and repair.  Would they destroy us, no, could they if we stood our ground, yes.  Currently we could destroy 28,000 ships of the line in one combat melee with 1000 platforms firing as well, however in 3 days time we will peak at 30,000 meters and over 2400 laser batteries, 2,500 chain guns and 5 Grav-guns.  The G-guns will take out 20,000 or so of those ships in the first 2 minutes, if the battle last longer than 8 minutes 81,000 ships will overwhelm us.  If we fire and run for 8 minutes we could take out 40,000 ships in 8 minutes 32 seconds.  However our shields would be overwhelmed if those ships are upgraded AI's that match the Platform upgrades.  So if you allow me to run the war operation and not change my battle plans we would be fine.' Mike finished and waited for Teral to absorb the information.
'Um, did you say 30,000 meters long?  Holy crap!  I never believed we would be in a ship so large that it could be longer than any 2 or 3 ships.  My God, how big will we get Alexander?'
'Unlimited sir.  As long as we are in battle and have the absorption shield active we would continue to manufacture metals from random orbital junk that hits our shields as well as destroyed ships and meteor or floating rock formation debree etc.  Every time a missile or laser impact our shields we absorb and grow.  The machines have to continue or the capacitors would be overloaded and the gravidic tracking systems pull everything in.  That is the means of our invulnerability.  If the enemy knew that they would stop firing on us and get all their ships together to overwhelm us.'
'You have a call Teral from the CP Governments office.  The president is on the line.' Avon cut in.
'Great maybe we can stop this crappy war.  Put him on Avon.'
The video screen changed and Teral saw a beautiful Garden of flowers and trees and could almost smell it. 'Hello Admiral, I am Belinda Jowarski.  President of the Federated legislature.  I wish to cease hostilities.  I cant speak for the other systems because their presidents are not here.  We will send a tight beam to them all, however it was a universal vote to goto war for the fruit.  So in a nutshell we surrender, what are your terms.'
Teral smiled and his body began to speak in the video, even though he had no form the self generated form began.  'Madam President let me just say, you people are insane to think that Mother Dura wouldn't have protectors.  I am only one ship, what do you think our fleet is doing.' Teral started with a bluff as if there were other ships. The womans eyes widened, her eyes darted back and forth. 'So let me just say the other systems are in for a treat.  Tell the other systems at war that we have dispatched our fleet and i wish them luck.  My only assignment was here.  Your terms have been sitting in your net box for 3 days.  Read them, Ogilvy out.' Teral finished laughing.
'Maybe, just maybe crew we will have many systems surrender.  Mother they have surrendered and they have done it unconditionally.  Could you relay that to DNS Fleet operations and put it on the loop. I wont be in touch with Fleet till im back in system.  We are taking the Austin, the Lundar base shipping platform as our embassey then we are moving the ship to the Ventura sector and Taggert will stay here and finish up.' Teral mind linked to Florina, Mother of Dura.
Her beautiful personage appeared in his mind as a young an handsome blond as she linked with him automatically. 'Yes my son, you be careful.  I see that your approaching the 30,000 meter mark in size.  Are they creating another engine too, and how many Grav-guns will you mount?' She asked concerned.
'Well yes, and yes.  We are mounting the 6th gun emplacement and Andrew and Brenda have created a splitting system so we dont over load the ships that we hit.  We noticed on one engagement that we almost dissolved all power on a ship because of too high an output for the square footage of power that the ships generators produced.  We actually have found that the ships Boarders will be large enough to detach from ship with 22 ship to ship shuttles and be able to rescue up to 3,000 humans if we need to.  Only 24 deaths related to our attacks.  You can tell the DNS operations that as well.  Here with the CWN worldnet they are publishing everything that we sent to them as part of the surrender.  Thats very low when you think of what we could have done.'
'I agree my son.  I appreciate that the Child has kept your senses of humanity alive and not partitioned your brain as so many Guardians, maybe because you are used to war and fighting as a soldier you can take loss of life; some of my Guardians simply must become more machine than human to save their senses.'
'Well i think i have stayed myself concerning my personality.  Having the 4 AI's has helped so i didnt have to do random calculations.  Especially spacial flight math calculations.  Wow that would have been impossible.  Well Mother ill let you go i have to brief everyone on what and where we are going.' As brief as his connection her presence was gone.
'Avon, get me Taggert and make sure that everyone is on com.'
'Yes sir.  Taggert is on display Teral.' She responded. Don't think naughty thoughts folks are listening, Teral said to himself.
'Yes sir, Taggert here Admiral.'  She responded sitting at attention.
'At ease Taggert.  Jules you stay here and come after, we are going to the Ventura sector and taking out those 3 planets.  Its the second largest fleet we will come up against.  You work out the details with the Federation assembly.  Ill get another system to capitulate.  Once systems start to surrender we will roll out the plan that Mother has for them to each have their own Mother.  She will give us how she is going to do that after the war is over.  Any questions?'
'No sir, i figured i would stay behind to manage affairs, if i have trouble ill have Mother contact you to return. I see that you have created an Embassey out of one of their moons, ill supervise it till told otherwise. Taggert out.'
'Avon, give me ship to Net coms.  Hook me into the CWN.'
'Done sir, your live.' Avon was so quick and so good at what she did that Teral had no time to breath.  Even though it was a virtual breath, it was the thought.
'Ladies and gentlemen of the CWN.  Let me first start out by saying I am glad I dont have to kill people by the thousands or even millions, it was something we did not wish to consider, but not something we couldn't have done.  I want to welcome, on behalf of Dura, all of you to a peaceful out come.  I wish to tell you as we leave this system, we wish nothing from you except the base that we have commandeered as an embassey, one of your moons.  Our system is hundreds of years ahead of your technology, we eventually will share that when we know you mean peace and not placation by arms.  When I leave this system I leave behind one ship, that is all that was needed to take your system so one ship stays to police it.  That is an ambassador ship, she is neutral but carries some weight with the Duran Navy.  She also has instant communications to this ship, that tech we will share some day as well, in case you need any help.  We are also a police patrol ship even though we are almost 30,000 meters long we are still just a police force.  Thank the maker, Dura is peaceful and didnt send in all 1,000 or so of her ships to destroy this system.  We wish you a long peace and prosperity with future tech that we will share after all systems have ceased fire.  Thank you for your rapid government surrender and Commander Taggert has Duras blessing and may Dura bless our futures.  Admiral Ogilvy out'  Teral finished, knowing that a lot of his statements were bluff he exaggerated several details to help his approach to the Ventura system.  He knew they would be waiting.

'Take us through jump Avon.'  Teral told her, and once again, they would jump through Subluminal speeds through a jump point, worry for Teral would be to strong an emotion; knowing that the AI's would never make a calculation mistake.  The boost would take them 8 days to Ventura space (9 days sooner than messages from CWN news would) and as soon as they exited they would hit 2,000 automated and probably upgraded platforms.  He worried briefly on that then gave it no concern.  How big would his ship get after that confrontation he pondered briefly and just as sudden the ship was in Jump space.  Lights beamed by as if laser fire from a thousand ships was hitting them but it was an illusion of stars light years away. This second jump had Teral edgy but not overly concerned, he had only been through 4 of these jumps in his life, the second was his own ship. 



Ch 8


Space is devoid of light with the exception of diminutive beams of stars, galaxys distant and in Sextans A (UGCA 205, DDO 75) Group galaxy that is over 4 million light years from Dura a billioin screams sound in the universe and Mother Dura felt and heard those screams.  Florina winced and knew what had happened as the destroyers approached consuming everything for their trillions of beings in hundreds of worlds.  At their current desolution of systems they would be in Duran space in 3,000 years, not so long when you had eternal life.  What would man do, and would he be ready?  The planet they had extinguished was a wonderful young world that Florina would have like to have had a daughter on yet the huminoids in the system were still in caves and used spears.  The alien destroyers would simply blanket bomb the planet and terminate all creatures they did not inslave and torture.

Sehptasaurex looked disdainfully at the slave he was bringing pain to. The two ruling class members sat in their lounge area of a large battle cruiser orbiting the newly acquired planet for the People.  The empire would need many more habitable planets such as this and they were so spread out, however his job was to find them not to question how far was needed to move them.
'The planitary engines have fired up and are beginning to push the planetoid towards homeworld, my lord.' A lower class ship mate called.
'Yes, bother me if their are any issues otherwise leave me to my meal.' Sehptasaurex responded to the chime in his right ear.

'Keep screaming slave and next time you may not drop my soup.  Sehptsaran how are you enjoying your soup, this world is just begining to produce the Fragelle thats edible?' He asked his forth wife who followed him on all subjugation runs.
'My lord, you are gracious to ask.  Delicious, make it squeel more, i enjoy the soup more if i have their fear to add.  I feel it is weary and wishes death, do not kill it.'
'Yes Sehptsaran as you wish.'  He began on the creatures second limb and slowly bit the little appendages off with his 2 rows of teeth. 'The creature will need medical to keep from death, we will regrow its limbs.'  He wiped blood from his face.  His eyes squinted in delight as he chewed.  The creatures were not good to eat but they cried in fear as his teeth rapped around their flesh.  These were wonderful slaves to torture, they so screamed and squirmed.
'Could life get any better?' He thought to himself.


Teral would watch movies from the Duran Net downloaded to his personal memory, the same as it would be for AI downloads.  It was strange having access to ALL human knowledge and entertainment was a blink of an eye away for him.  He was watching an old movie about war on the first planet, Earth, it was called.  The story was of the first planetary adventurers to reach out of their system.  Everyone had seen colonization movies, but Providence was a vid for the ages.  Just like Teral wanted he was an adventurer and couldnt wait to explore the universe and find alien life.  Some artifacts had been found, but other than Mother, man had yet to find alien life out side of there 12 systems.  One hundred and thirty billion humans spread all over space and no alien architecture.  As if nothing ever existed on perfectly habitable planets.  Something was wrong and he would find out why.  Mother often would tell him things that he gathered as hints to aliens but not specifically.  He had to probe and find out.
'Mother, sorry to bother you, but do you have a moment?' Teral mind linked to Mother.
She appeared as if never gone in his minds eye. 'Yes my son.  What do you need.'
'Well, this war is going to end and i know that Dura wont need me, i plan on traveling through uncharted space.  Since we can travel at almost double the human ship tech, i was wondering where i should go first?  Any ideas?'  Teral probed.
'Teral, lets be clear.  I have not left this planet or talked to a sister in 2,800 of your Duran years.  I have no idea where life might be but i can tell you of alien archeology that we found without life.  After the war i will tell you were to go, i just dont know how to tell you in terms of spacial milage.  I know plateaus but you can not travel in plateaus yet.  So in terms of jump points ill tell you what direction.  Until this conflict is over think nothing of that.  We need your mind on your job and your my child, i do not want you injured so do not worry.' she responded just like his mother would.
'Mother, i do nothing really, the AI's do it all. I feel like im just tagging along for encouragement.  I know I am the ship but the AI's have it all in hand.  Brenda has created a universal jump system.  It is a porting system from one part of the ship to the next.  Once i transform or move my mind into my cloned bodies I will not be limited to travel within my own ship.  Andrew is busy building, Avon scanning systems and drives, and Mike is playing war games within himself. So i am bored so i am just looking ahead to the future.  Any news for me from DNS fleet?'
'No my son, they are all so proud of you.  I am especially proud that you retain all your personality in this transition.  I know that sexually that is the most difficult thing you might be experiencing.  Once you move into a clone you should be fine and back to normal.' Teral was appalled that Mother was talking to him of something so petty as his sex life. 'Mother!  Stop that, my sex life is nothing of any concern.  We learn to overrule that in the Rangers.' Teral hated the thought that he was talking to his mother about his sex life.
'Teral dont be shy. I know it is a very important part of human companionship and you will have it back.  After all the clones are YOU, are they not?  Also you mentioned teleportation, that is a plateau i didnt think humans would have for years, your Brenda has created a viable jump system outside of the ship?' She asked nonchalantly.
'Yes Mother, and they are viable we just need a receiver.  I find it very odd that i dont have the sex drive i had before, but i am sure thats testosterone.  Right now i get glimpses of sexual thoughts but nothing major.  Sorry again for broadcasting earlier. So there are remnants of alien cultures, thats what i wanted to hear.  Brenda creating a teleportation device we hope to give that to Duran science so that maybe we can have a portable way to visit new planets.  That should cut down humans feeling that they are alone and isolated.  We can instal devices that dont allow anything except human flesh to port in and out for protection or we can shield the ports, but that should bring the 12 systems closer together.  It would allow us to become neighbors rather than ship flights of days and weeks away.  Vacations will be a big opening for us as well.  Brenda says that the teleportation devices are not yet accessible ship to ship but it is just a small step away as well.  She will transmit the science data after we return.  We have 1,811 patents pending with Duran Science Patents office currently.  All of those patents were sent via drones.  We know that we should make trillions on the creation of so many inventions.  Those inventions are separate of the military as well so I personally should be worth, well, a lot.  Brenda has my earnings potentials at 8 trillion credits annually from inventions and leases to tech we have created eventually to the 12 systems.  I like that Mother.  I never dreamed i would be rich yet i find it refreshing to know that i have nothing to worry about in regards to future.  Also, Andrew created a new medical leap for human longevity, the clones create an ultimate enhancement to those that can not eat of your children.  It brings an avenue never looked at that is viable.  The ability for any hospital to clone organs for those patients and prolong life.  Right now it appears as though humans will max out between 150 to 190 years of age, however with this technology we could expound that 100 to 150 years.  I have high hopes that will help curb the want for everlasting fruit.  Maybe even stop the desire for your children, although you had mention putting a sister of yours on other planets, would that be difficult on you?' Teral asked as he spent some time explaining what his crew was doing.
Mother seemed as if she were contemplating. 'Well, let me first say that your improvement of Man's science is astounding, i never expected that.  I am a difficult creature to surprise, or even astound, but you do that every moment. Keep up the good work.  In answer to your question i can gestate another Mother that i can ship to other planets with the proper soil that she can live for 100 years or so, after that she will improve on her own soil.  So yes i can but it prevents me from producing children for that year.  Secondly, i have high hopes that my fruits desire will diminish as time goes on but with the universe becoming smaller i tend to have doubts at mankind's desire for my fruit. I just have hope.'
'Well i can only hope, and i think with my child's blessings i might live a long life.  So you got me for some time, unless my ship hits an enemy i can not defeat.  I believe that we are working on something that could change mankind's DNA for the better. We may not need to clone to expound on mans life expectancy Brenda is working on something with Andrew that may unlock the gene that disallows man from replenishing his dead cells, thus allowing for much longer lives.  That would be far more than improving it this would be on the scale of producing humans that could live, well, i dont know how long but 500, or 800 years.  We have no frame of reference at this point.  We are also working on maybe a transferrence system to transfer someones ailing mind into a clone of themselves, it takes months to gestate a viable clone so it wouldn't be instantaneous, but we could grow clones with no viable brain waves so as not to be cruel, and move someone that is terminal into their own clone.  Some great plans we are working on, oh i almost forgot.  My pet peeve is the grunt on the line, the infantry soldier that is using weapons hand to hand.  So we have created for military use a new laser called a Internal Amp Divider, this IAD weapon would change according to distance and circumstance.  Automatically the weapon locks onto the target judges distance and will fire on a stationary target with 100% accuracy. The scope that locks onto the target triggers the laser, as well as 2 other pieces of compact weaponry within the same weapon, are a missile device that will fire and forget and its only 7 inches long, even though it only has a max distance of 1 mile it would help the soldier to hit anything.'
'That is fantastic my son. Keep up the good work i have to go for a bit we will talk later.' Mother was gone, as if she never was there.  These times left Teral lonely and he never could figure out why.
The days in transit soared by for Teral and crew as the experimentation and creation process was so quick that the AI's found themselves always busy.  Mike created a new release system for the 2,200 chain guns on his ship, each round was depleted uranium which would penetrate the hull of any ship if it was close enough.  He also brought the ships engines to a different level as he experimented with the offline engines, the new tech he and Brenda had created allowed for a hiccup.  The new hiccup would allow the engines to boost while in Jump or out.  Not within Jump space the ship could boost 900g but would not sustain it because of the lack of power source and point security was difficult to target at that speed 600,000 plus miles per second was the best the engines could do without the shielding and armor fusing to parts of the ship.  There had to be a way to make light speed without the Jump points so Mike, Brenda and Andrew continued to work on it.  Avon was dropping beacons every light minute, she had managed to create a new sounding beacon that would transfer messages almost instantaneously back to where they came from.  She just started the process in the Centauri Prime system and couldnt wait to get back to Dura and they could talk instantaneously with home fleet.  The beacons would remain dormant until active and they only had one enemy and that was the Fusion battery life other wise they were invisible. 
Andrews building was furious as he created yet another Gym and Movie theater, a planetary for Net views and then he sealed the  wings of the ship off.  He was currently working on 100 jobs at once, a in door mall, purely automated that would sell goods down the road to people that Teral might be transferring.  A new engine system that he, Brenda, and Mike were working on and now that the ship was 33,000 meters in length and 12,000 meters wide the ship was becoming as large as a small moon.  The ships gravity was created by the internal spin that the ships inner hull had that moved and expanded by the growth of the ship.  The larger the ship the easier to generate a false spin within the lining of the ships hull.  They managed it with a type of liquid metal that was kept at a molten 480 degrees first super heating the liquid and as it slowly cooled it would become more of a solid between liquid and solid metal form, it would be pushed or pulled by magnetic engines that would boost the metal to hundreds of miles per hour.  This created a false gravity that was equal to Dura.  Humans would have no issues walking and living within the ship.
'Exiting Jump in 10 seconds, people be on your game.  Bring all shielding to 100% and weapons online.  Mike get that 5th Grav-gun operational, i know your not finished with it, i dont care.  Make it work. All chain guns operational and get my laser batteries charged to max.  Tap engine generators to offset power, we got 6 engines now we can manage with 95% operable power with 3 so tap 2 of our engines and keep one on reserve.  Brenda i need you to assist Mike in military operations after we arrive, i want you on targeting all known sectors as well as unknown variables just in case they have stealth ships.  Here we go folks.' The ship came out of stealth and nothing happened quickly in space, but the in-bound missiles were suddenly targeted by the chain guns as well as the platforms that began to fire.  They boosted to 550g and the missiles that were inbound lost target acquisition and the lasers that fired at the speed of light hit and missed.  The shielding absorbed it without flaw.  One large laser pulse was fired from a small lunar surface impacted and filled an absorption tank by itself. 'Sir 600 tanks remain 22 are filled from first contact.  Grav-guns have taken out all platforms we have only ships now near the Jump Point Ventura.  I am tracking 62,000 ships within 10 light minutes of  entry.  All ships targeted firing beginning in 8 seconds.  Do you wish to send messages of surrender or do you want to wait.  I know you said you wanted to take out half those ships first but maybe,' Mike asked.  It was nice having a conscious person such as Mike. 'No Mike, kill those engines. I don't want those ships to be a threat to peace talks take as many out as you can and update me when half of them are out of commission.  Brenda, keep me abreast of our shielding tanks and when we are 50% capacity notify me.  Avon i know we rehearsed it but put their military chatter on my band when you crack their codes.
'Already done sir, 22 seconds.'
'Roger that.'
The first 5,600 ships were done when something on Vidar caught Terals attention. 'What was that blip on my screen Avon. I saw a massive flare of energy?'  He asked quizically.
'Well, um, ill feel you should ask after battle sir.' she replied cautiously.
'What, no tell me now.'
'The good ship VSF Bethany's Pride just exploded with all hands. 982 humans all lost.  The ship was firing missiles battery 2 and 3 when they took the Grav-gun and it shut down all power in the missile other than the fuel ignitions which were already started.  The missiles, in a freak accident, took that as the contact the missile portals didnt open and exploded.  It was instantaneously done and the ship virtually disintegrated.  It happens Teral.  Stop fretting on it, its war Admiral and people die. Either 20 or 982, many more will be vaporized for the sake of freedom.  I know its not pleasant to think on but how many lives are we saving by not just laser vaporizing their ships. Tens of thousands will live for our innovation.' Avon told her friend and commander in a loving heart felt manor.
'I know, i just wish they would just, damn, well stop and surrender.  How much proof do we have to give.  How many ships are down Mike, crap 982 dead?!!' Teral asked a bit to angrily and saddened by the loss of life.
'Sorry sir, did i do something wrong?' Mike asked wanting to fix an error.
'It's not you Mike, just the circumstance.  Sorry.  How many ships have we taken out?'
'It is ok sir.  We have taken down 14,096 so far, do i send the message?'
'Nope.  We hold till 40,000 are gone and they begin to realise that they have no hope.' Teral said still brooding over the 982 lives.
'Screw it, send our message now Avon. Remember send it to the Net of Ventura on all 3 planets and 4 moons.  I want everyone connected to hear what has happened.  You broke the codes already so cut in and spread it.'

"Attention all residents of the Ventura Sector.  You had over 80,000 ships of the Federation navy when we entered this system 14 minutes ago.  When you hear this message you will only have 55,000 or so ships.  One ship has done this no more.  We are the Duran Navel ship Lightning, this was a mothballed technology we stockpiled and brought out for this war.  If you think 1 ship is harsh you should see a fleet of them.  Our jump point is not accessible to any ships without the right codes.  We took 650 plus ships and disabled them all 3 weeks ago.  Any ships attacking Dura are ours.  This ship could destroy all your vessels in 30 minutes and it could destroy your means to produce energy on all your planets.  We fly at speeds that your computers can not compute to attack.  Your choice is surrender with no conditions and we will not stay in your system.  We will leave one ship to guard against war in future, however all of our ships are built as a police force.  This ship is over 34,000 meters in length and has the firing capabilities to disable your planets power output that would put you back to the stonage.  Sue for peace now or risk all your ships and ship yards disabled and pirates will invade this system.  You decide.  We will not land a force on any of your soil.  Make your government respond now, sue for peace.  Our terms are surrender and give up one platform or moon for our embassey and the war is over.  We will share our knowledge with this system eventually so come to terms now.  Admiral in Leu, Ogilvy out.'

The Ventura net was chaotic.  Billions of citizens suddenly hit the net as it happened and the government had to act.  The confirmed disabled ships where plummeting in their gravidic wells and risked flying into the nearest planetoid or moon so they needed to act fast.  The government would sue for peace shortly or it would be over taken by the citizens.
'Sir, we have planetary government official vid call from the planetary president over the system, Winethraub.  He asks to talk to you.' Avon called.
'Put him through in 20 seconds, make him wait.  Those losers should have called sooner or lives might have been saved.  Basterds.' Teral told the air, not really responding just talking.  It was very strange not to wiggle your toes, or to go to the bathroom, or to eat, or have to sleep.  Teral no longer slept but rested for a few hours at at time.  His body no longer functioned as a human but as the living ship.  The body no longer was there for him to ponder over however it felt strange talking without moving his lips.
'Put them through Avon, lets see what the bonehead has to say.'

The president was a balding man with grey hair so to first impressions, fatherly.  Yet, with medical science you didnt have to have hair loss or grey hair. 'Ah this guy is a natural, doesnt want to enhance himself.  Conservative and stubborn. great' Teral thought.
Terals image was of himself prior to his evolving into a ship. Terals self image was a computer version of his memory of himself.
'Hello, Admiral Ogilvy.  I am president Winethraub and we wish to have peace.  We at first believed you could not defeat 80,866 ships of the Fed line however you managed, by yourself, to disable almost half our fleet without any visible damage.  That is shocking tech.  If you look at the records of the Federal assembly to declare war we did not want the war yet here we are suffering because we got pressured by 4 other systems. All of our ships are being told to shut down all weapons and engines if you tell me you will stop we stop.  Please we do this without condition.  What do you want from us?'
'We just need to dock with your ships platforms circling Zeus.  Your shipyard there was left untouched so we could dock afterwards and get organics.  Please have your yard ready for us that moon will be our ambassadorial station it is forfeit to Dura.  I am angry with you and your cabinet for not surrendering, Cent Prime sent you a video package 4 days before i arrived, why the hell didnt you view it?'
'Well Admiral, i and this government are not fond of Cent Prime so we normally dont look at much they send.  It was not marked as urgent or you must read this or die.  We are independent of the Prime systems rule here, after all its 3 weeks flight time.  Wait! If you wouldn't mind answering just a few questions?  The armada of Ventura is already powering down and no ships should have drives if you need a few minutes to do a system scan?'
'Negative, we have an upgraded sensor package that is real time, we see everything.'
'Wow, that is very impressive. Well how long did it take you to make the 3 week trip from Cent Prime?  We received the probe from Cent Prime 5 days ago.  If its a 3 week crossing for the probes? Well, how fast did you make the trip?'
'We are a subluminal ship, we made it in 8 days.  Duras tech is hundreds of years ahead of you and the rest of the known universe.'
'Holy sh...um, wow.  Also your ship is a monster, its over 35,000 meters long.  How the hell did Dura build that thing.  I mean, damn it.  We got the intel reports from home fleet after they bullied us into declaring war for the Eternal Fruit, and the intel never gave us any view of your ship.  I mean your ship is, well, big enough to carry 50,000, 100,000 a million people.  Also your battle speed was 2/3rds light speed, our platforms had seconds to notify us of your speeds before they ceased to send updates.  How do you fly at those speeds and not die?  Will Dura share this tech with us eventually, we will lease it.  After all Dura is one planet we have 7 with over a 100 billion humans, we can pay well.'
'I dont make Duran Government policy but i have been given this knowledge that Dura will lease their tech in the next 6 months as long as you allow our fleet here to monitor, if our confiscated platform is left alone and you keep it neutral and without attempted breach, then yes.  If you think one ship is tuff you should see how devastating 100 small versions.  Your lucky Dura is not a pirate planet and doesnt subjugate your system or any other to tax.  We simply wish to stop the war.  You will be required to pay 100 billion Fed credits to pay for war reparations but your secretary already transferred that to our embassy so, yes they will share eventually.' Teral responded nicely, his ranker was subsiding.  He wanted to dock and get the supplies that Brenda needed to keep her creating.  He also needed human tissue to build the clones.  He knew he was getting tired of not moving about.
'Also, those guns you support, we counted 8,000 different firing systems that we could see.  We are not going to ask for that but you disabled our platforms and systems within minutes of exiting Jump, will your ships protect us from pirates with that tech, or are we supposed to do that?  After all we only have half the fleet and 3 major jump points to protect.' The president was fishing.
'No sir.  Your responsible for your own system, i have notified DNS home fleet, the ships will be dispatched next week and should be here within 20 days.' Teral wanted to keep these guys guessing, DNS CNC had sent 100 ships 8 days ago and should arrive in 9 days making them look like they had the same speed tech as he did.  This would keep the Venturans off kilter long enough to roll out the technology that would help.  Embassy teleporters would come in handy.  He was very excited about his future.
'Well i guess ill let you go Admiral, unless there is something else?  We look forward to leasing your technology.  Thank you for keeping the deaths of our sailors to a minimal.  We expected tens of thousands of deaths and only lost a 1000 sailors or so, a very reasonable loss differential in my book.  You have to crack some eggs for peace.  Thank you and we will talk.'  With that the President of Ventura was done.
'Stupid prick, reasonable loss.  No life is reasonable.  Its funny, when i have my clones will all this knowledge of everything still be in my head Andrew?'
'Yes sir, did you ever want to know all the forms of fighting by hand.  Well you just download it and your a master.  Want to know how we create so many knew inventions?  Download it and its there.  The downloads are right on your cerebrum.  You are a living creation, its fascinating but i am a creation, albeit a human artifice.  I have a brain like you, but the difference is i was never human.  My brain is human facsimile but not human.  Yours has unlimited capacity, infinite abilities if you just start downloading.'
'Unlimited, i never thought of that, but if i start downloading wont it take up time or can i download it passively.  I have held back doing that because i thought it might hinder something.  Its as if i am just tagging along for the ride and you guys do all the work.'
'Sir do me a favor please, download the book Players of Math and tell me what is on page 401 paragraph 4.  What is the meaning of the Gravidic theory of manipulations.  The download should be instantaneous and you will understand our Grav drives instantly.'
'Done, yes it only took 2 seconds to download the entire thing, wow i understand everything relating to our drives now.  No headache, and i actually understand the theories and manipulations.  I never, ever, understood that.  Oh cool, i can download anything. Wait, do you think that Brenda could start downloading things to my brain without me having to deal with what? I mean, could i partition my mind somehow not to access those files like my computer assistant always allowed me to download stuff and still use it.  Could we create a download approach to my brain that i could access it when i need it?'
'Let me do some research on it Teral and ill get back to you.' Brenda responded to the query.
'Ship update on docking Avon?' Teral asked her thinking about what it might be like to be a computer and downloading stuff right to his brain.  'Cool' he thought.
'As it stands sir we are docking at station Zeus platform A113l2, thats Alpha 113 Larry 2. We have ship side approval on all requisitions.  Brenda is so excited about downloading their computer tech and trying to come up with new inventions on their current tech.  She is like Einstein or Murdoch on creating things sir.  You created a monster. You want a ship update sir?' Avon replied.
Avon liked her long chats with Teral and hoped she could get her consciousness moved as well.  The DNA cloning process was how Teral would link but how would she be able to move her conscious thoughts.  An automated female.  Human form was nice, but it was not human.  She knew that the androids of this day and age could taste, touch, smell but they didnt know what Joy felt like.  She 'felt' the joy of eating when Teral had his Vanilla shakes.  She wanted more...
'Sure,' he responded to her query.
'Well sir, we are 36,455 meters aft to center mast, port to starboard we carry 14,329 meters displacement. We don't fit any known space port.  We would have to tether 200 meters off any stations port to make dock.  This ship yard makes it easy because they have tethers that can adjust to 4 ships at once. I have already downloaded specs on it and Brenda is working on creating our own mobile connection platform now.  She said she will have it working in 2 days time.  We have new Nano-tech that has takin the place of the old nano technologies as well.  Brenda created a new form of builder nano.  She calls them Medians. The entire ship is fusing with Medians to update and upgrade our armors and weapons.  The Medians are extremely fast at renovations I have two pictures on your vid screen to show what they do. You can see a normal Grav-gun mount and emplacement on the left and on the right you see Median upgraded.'
One Grav-gun looked the same as usual but the other looked as if it was melted and only partially finished.  'The Median G-gun looks melted, whats up?'
'Watch closely as i activate the MG gun.'  Suddenly, the glassy Grav-gun formed into its left side counterpart with a few barrels added.
'Wow what a change, what are those extra barrels for?'
'Extra Gravidic discharge after firing.  The normal rate of fire is 12 shots every 10 seconds. Each of those AMP discharge sequences will take out 100 ship engines, 1,200 per ten second interval. Now the Median G gun fires 35 rounds per 10 second interval and we can take out triple the capcity on each weapon.  We have 5 G-guns and a 6th coming, and on conversion would mean we could take out 50,000 ships in a matter of minutes.  With this enhancement there will be very little chance anyone wishes to risk being at war with us.'
'If we could only show them the futility of war against us.  How long before Ventura sends a drone to the other systems?' Teral asked musing on how to finish the war.
'They have not sent anything at this point.  No jump signatures since the peace talks started.' Avon responded.
Teral mused over the issues he had run into in the last few months and wondered what he could do to stop this.  Ventura had the bulk of space worthy naval ships but the more advanced fleet he was going to tackle next and this would, or should, finish the war; Mother and Dura could then tell the human Net-verse what they planned on doing to help.
'Brenda?  Give me an update on the ships progress please.' Teral wanted to pass the time while he waited on the reserves to be transferred into the ships holds, (2 hours and 18 minutes till completion ship time)
'First, Avon has been helping on ship to net systems and we currently have access to 3 systems.  Each system we visit we plant probes that are indistinguishable from their own probes in that system.  We have planted viruses within those probes to commandeer their nets in the event that they try to go against the peace accord.  It is a new virus that is in the open as an information board on the engineering of terraforming planets with plant bacteria.  Avon believed that the best spy virus is one they see.  We have created within that system an emergency beacon and communications override that we can use those probes to instantaneously communicate with Dura CNC.  For the ships redundancies, we have peaked at 41,087 meters currently.  We have the 4th engine online and the 5th coming in neutral awareness. We had to create a new AI to manage the engines and teleporters within the ship due to the immense nature of the formats and computers needed to break down the human genome and move it from location to location.  We believe that that system should in no way be interrupted with and should sustain itself.  Until we start using the teleportation system Lee, the new AI, will be in creation mode.  He will enhance and add to those systems.  The engines only keep him at 21% awareness, the teleporters will take all of his abilities. Our current status on armament is 3,896 laser turrets and 39% of those are ML upgraded.  The Medians have been busy on upgrades and the nano tech has fail safes to only add to programmed items on an upgrade list.  We have 2,700 auto-fire rail gatling, these have been upgrded as well fully.  The Gatling guns are auto track at 40 miles affective.  The 5 Grav-guns are Median upgraded now, we have abilities that at current tech are estimated at 300 years before man has creative abilities to implement.  No missile launchers have been added at this time however, i have created a teleportation device that can push items one way.  The theoretic abilities are endless but very dangerous, i shy away from this creative thinking and wish to keep it within the confines of the ships memory if you please.  I do not wish this to get out.  The missile porting system would allow us to teleport a missile past the shields of any ship or any planetary dome and deposit a hydrogen based attack that would be the same as sending thousands of missiles and one gets through.  Simply put, its a first strike missile system run by teleportation.  If it got out, to enemies of Dura, they could port in a missiles on our hubs and keep the planet totally defenseless.  This tech will not be out for 140 approximate years after we give them technology of teleportation.  If we keep the theory tech from other systems and just lease the transporters, which is viable, they would take 140 to 300 years before they create it on their own.  By that time we will have shields in place to keep intrusion out, we just dont tell them we are working on missile porting shields as well as planetary and lunar shielding.  I have for Dura a planetary shield that i have been working on that will encompass the planet itself, however the generators needed would take Medians 9 years to build at the current tech.  This type of shielding would prevent attacks of any kind and of the nature of portation in our futures, however the shields in the future will be upgraded from the first inventive process, probably upgrades that i create when i have the time and computing space. 
Our ship upgrades will be 50,000 meters or larger front to aft, and port to starboard we will sit at a sleek 16,000 meters.  Our ships capacity on humans in transit: we should be able to house 1,000,000 or so humans comfortably for 3 months on ships stores and oxygen scrubbers.  I have created a new form of oxygen producing scrubbing from a single holding tank, by using common purified Duran soil.  Instead of using planets i created a mold that grows in days and emits a high oxygenated output equal toe 5 square foot yards per inch of growing platform.  In other words the mold grows and lives on the carbon dioxide out-put and exudes oxygen in its pure form. This process will support our ship if we line the corridors with the mold in contained tubing with minimal effort.  We would not need the ship habitat plants that other ships carry to develop fresh oxygen.
The ships teleporters are now functioning and are dormant till needed along with 14 galleys, 19 gyms, 3 net theaters, 7 full spas, 27 ship to shore shuttles, and 1,000 auto troops that are dormant as well.  We have 44 officers that are AI enhanced now so you have a battalion of fire ready troops to board ships or invade a planet.  Your small army can be enhanced with 10,000 additional troops that just need activation.  So your command footing for being an Admiral was well warranted.  You are your own police force and military active ship.' Teral thought of the many advantages he would have for Dura with 10,000 troops ready willing and able at his command. 'Wow,' he thought.
'We are developing a battleship within as well, it is housed on the starboard aft quadrant shown on your screen now.' A large screen opened up and he was peering at a needle nose small vessel, and at 9880 meters long the ship was more than a match for any 1000 ships. 'The ship can be used as a drone of us to keep others from knowing exactly where we are, and is run by Lieutenant Ryarson, who is the AI we created for the ship.  He is a functioning vessel and is active now over seeing the ships outfit.  The ship will be a living vessel same as this one, however its growth is severally stunted in that it can not currently grow on its own.  As we grow, the Bolt grows.  The Bolt and Ryarson are there at your disposal as a fast boat and its twin engines can propel it to 740g when not in Jump.  In jump it can travel with us side by side if we ever attack in Jump.  The ship has 381 Laser batteries currently and 1 MG-gun active 1 inbound, chain-guns are 499 for close combat and can take 1,000 of your troops anywhere you so desire.  Problematically we have no contact with them if they leave the system your in unless you use the sonar relays we have created in the three systems.  Some day we will have universal relays.  We have,' Teral slowly nudged her and interrupted. 'Wait,' He stopped her. "Are you telling me i have a junior fleet and up to 10,000 troops ready to jump into action?' He asked shocked.
'Yes sir, i have taken the liberty to create 195 officers also with AI awareness to run your troops however all but 44 are dormant.  We also have a new creation i feel you need to be aware of.' She hesitated, as Teral thought, 'What now?'
'Well its good news and bad news.  Good news is i created a new platform design that is flight ready and autonomous. The platform could convert current platforms in Dura space, these would act as mobil ship killers.  Unmanned and AI ready we could convert the current platforms to the design in 6 months.  Example, the Lunar platform, Zeus, could be converted to a mobil ship killer with 20 MG-guns and theoretically impossible to destroy.  One lunar platform could be conformed in 6 months to fully operational and a mobil ship format with the Medians terraforming it into a ship of undimensionally powerful optics.  The lunar body Willis of Dura is a sphere that is 3,185 miles in diameter and could be used as the only defense of Dura.  It would render all platforms obsolete and we could do it in 6 months or less.  That would free you up to do as you wish with this war.  Initially we could have it partially operational in 8 days.  I know you have been keeping us to the closest systems around Dura in case ships jump into system.'
'No way.  Omg.  BRENDA!!!? Avon stop all services, break contact with the Ventura Station and get us home.  Yesterday.  Everyone pay attention we are going home now.  Get us home Avon, how long for transit?'
'The flight should take five days 13 hours ship time.  May i ask why?' She asked as the docking clamps released and the ship prepared to run for the Jump point.
'We are going to create a twin of us out of the moon Willis so we can do and go wherever we feel like it and we are going to give ALL of our Medians and Brenda to do it. Projection is on your screen now of how long it will take.  With all our assets it should take 8 days to make the first systems functional and in that period we can create new Median builders for our ship and then be off to Celine system to, i believe, finish this war.  The lunar body Willis is miles in diameter and will be as powerful as we are now some day.  Almost our size, and when we are done it will be ready for a fight and give us enough time to return in case it fails.  I need to talk to mother Dura so folks get to work.' He partitioned his mind and shut the door on his AI crew and new friends.
'Mother, i am returning to Dura and am going to need you to help me convince the CNC to help convert Willis to a ship.' He started and mother cut him off.
'What? Wait my son, you can not just assume you can do things without approval.  The Lunar body Willis?' she started almost chastising him.
'Mother, thats why i need your help.  My Medians can create an active war platform of one of our moons and not hurt its gravitational issues to the space lanes.  Simply a stationary version of myself that could destroy any ships light years from the planet before they could barrage the planet.  It would be shielded and self sustaining and the cost would be minimal.  We could have it functional on a small platform within 8 days.  By the way, we are approaching 50,000 meters in length and are an armada of weapons.  When we arrive tell them dont be alarmed its just the Lighting and the Bolt returning.  The Bolt is a new version of myself that i created to decoy fleets of ships while the primary takes them out, however i see it also as a life boat.'
'My, my.  You have been busy.  Who would have thought my child could have created something from flesh such as you.  Your living systems merged as an electronic giant. My goodness.  Teral tell me something, how many MG-guns do you have now?' She asked him.
An amount of worry suddenly attacked Teral, what?  'Is something wrong mother?'
'No Teral.'  She responded but he assumed something was wrong. 'Well 5 mother with 2 more being built now.  The current 5 are upgraded to Median control and we could take out any planets primary generators within one turn of the planets daily cycle.  Whats up mother?'
'Well, there is a mobil platform that has been created in the Celine system and they have sent a ship to tell us it is coming and that we should surrender now.  It is twice the size of Willis and has the firing displacement of 40,000 fleet battlercruisers.  We need you to take it out.  They have informed us that she will arrive in 14 days and that we will surrender on her arrival.  The Chung-pol platform is almost double your size but i think you are more than her equal.  If you go and meet her you might miss her in transit.  Maybe its perfect timing and you will be here when?'
'Avon, time to Dura space?' He opened his mind to his communication officer. 'Two days 22 hours standard Admiral.'
'You heard mother?'
'Yes, good.  You have upgraded your engines to triple capacity, what was 8 days is now 3.  Nice.  That puts you here and i should have the answer for Willis. I am relieved.'
'All right mother.  Thank you.'
'Welcome.....'


Ch 8


'...But Brenda, you can not just create something without letting me know! An independent AI, that upgrades and troubleshoots.  Creating Lee was enough for my head to spin now you created another Margo? Come on you know that all creation of all things that affect me, the ship, affect me right?  The ship is me!  So explain what Margo will do.'
'Well Admiral, (he knew Brenda was upset because she normally would call him Teral) Sir she is housed in a Guardian body that is there for renovation only and adjustment.  She is assigned to only enhance the ships working process.  She has already upgraded the mold oxygen system to help the process of mold growth by suppressing the inhibitors in certain areas we boost our output 48.4% so the ship becomes ultra efficient.  She has boosted our gas regenerations and circulation system making the water displacement very fast by injecting an jet system that moves the water to 200 mph within the ship to get it back and out rapidly.  She has improved the gravity dump of the liquid metal system, making the Nordstrom-Phuln artificial gravity system obsolete.  Should i go on sir?'
'No, just in future, for crying out loud do not create any more AI unless i approve it please.'
'Yes Admiral.'
'Teral was watching Spys, a net vid with his favorite actors, for the forth time when a buzz sounded. 'Yes Avon, whats up?'
'Sir we are still in Jump but we have a Jump echo, a large one. I feel it is the Chung-pol platform in Jump.  She is inbound to Dura.  They lied about their time line. We will beat them out of jump by 4 hours 27 minutes.  Shall I initiate battle operations and get Mike to do projections?'  She asked him.  Why would she ask they know better than that.  Just do.
'Why are you asking Avon, you and Mike always handle the battles?'
'Well sir, we thought you were a bit touchy about Brenda and Margo so we didn't want to do anything that would make you upset.'
If Teral knew sarcasm this was very sarcastic of Avon and Mike. 'Oh come on, so Brenda gets her feelings hurt and comes crying to you so now you walk on tip toes.  Good god. Just do it Avon and when you do something that upsets me ill tell you.  So far you have done nothing and Mike has dont nothing to give me offense, except for asking me to do something i have told you to do, like battle stations.  Geesh.  Mike we are going to execute Teral Alpha 1 Echo protocol.  Activate it on exiting jump.  I want us invisible to that platform.  She has a human crew so their maximum speed puts them at Dura in 2 days out of jump.  Put us on the other side of the planet and then we roll to 600g and we run circles round the platform.  We cant destroy the moon but we can disable it.  Problem, how many humans will be aboard her?'
'Sir it should be in excess of 10,000 or more.  We have the room for them when we shut her down but we dont have the ability to keep them long term.  Not enough food and water.  After we shut her down she will bleed oxygen and they must be transferred within 3 hours or they will have to go into vacuum suits.'
'I understand, this should be the last intrusion of ships with us having to defend it.  Send a shuttle when we arrive to Willis and get our Medians to work.  I want the a functional base with or without the CNC approvals from Dura.  Do it first and ask forgiveness after.  I don't care if it is a national park, work it.'
'Yes sir.  Sir we have 100% absorption for 100% strike from the Chung-pol.  If my estimate is correct on how many lasers and missile tubes.  Her first strike will hit us at 9% strike, if she strikes us with 100% of her inventories package we would be burned but not hurt.  Our shields will be down 47% with absorption at 100%.  She can not hit us at 100% even with upgrades.  They do not have the computing abilities.  We will have them dead but maybe because we can should we, i have a blanket salvo on them prior to their attack on shields. There is no other way sir.  Um?  That means, well, it would cause um, alot of deaths sir.'
'Just spit it out Avon.' He told her not angry but getting there.
'Sir, we will have to destroy the electronics suite and that means the humans manning those stations are dead.'
'Shit!' Teral responded. 'If there is 10,000 humans aboard how many will die!'
'Sir my projections are 57.38% dead on first salvo.'
'Son of a bitch!  Damn it! Relay that info to DNF CNC and projected casualties.  Send on all bands to the Chung-pol surrender, we are the ships DNF Lightning and DNF Bolt, you will not attack and we will not attack, however if you do not surrender we will disable your ships power sources and the moon will be a floating chunk of rock. Surrender and prepare to be boarded.  The lightning is 200 to 300 years ahead of your current tech base, you have no hope of beating us. We defeated over 60,000 ships in the Ventura system in a matter of minutes, respond.  If you do not surrender we will proceed to Celine and disable your entire ships protocol without mercy.  I will not offer surrender to Celine and thousands will die.  We are not desperate for your surrender we are desperate not to kill your crew and others.  Surrender and prepare to be boarded, we will return your platform to Celine space if you do and sue for peace.  Your ship is beneath our tech base and of no use.' Teral finished.  The message would play on an endless loop and all of Dura would hear it on the net.
Suddenly alarms and net calls flooded his consciousness, Avon had left the coms on. 'Oh my god, what the hell? Is that Duran World Net hitting us?'
'Yes sir, sorry sir, i forgot to turn it on mute.  Can you do something for me Admiral?' Avon called.
'Avon stop that.  Its Teral.' he responded.
'Yes sir.  Teral i would like to have my own cloned body.  My mind would be here and in the ship but i want to feel what it is like to feel, taste, touch.  can Brenda work on a body for me like she is doing for you?  It would serve in two parts, one as your direct link to the ship when you go dirt side, and second it would work as a protection as well for you when your not within.  Alisha already cloned hers to be your shuttle pilot.  We have portal shields that Brenda and Lee created to help protect our troops and i could serve as your guard.'
'Um, well, sure i dont see why that would be a problem. But not until the war effort is over, i want you taking care of the ship when i goto Dura on this trip.  We can have Alisha tag along, Mikes Assistant can go with me on my first trip, get her working on it.  After the war yes you can dear.'
'Also sir i believe Mike and Andrew wish the same thing. Brenda feels she is a bit claustrophobic about it and says leave her on board.  Her and Lee would man the ship, Mike and Alisha would cover us with Ryarson who wishes to be in Gaurdian format not human, so to speak.  We feel you would need a team in addition to your soldiers.  Lieutenant Witherspoon is in charge of your command unit and he will not let your clone leave the ship without a few hundred Guardians.  He says you have no choice according to DNF protocols that the ships commander has a contingent at all times when not on home planet during war.'
'Well crap, i guess its ok yeh.  But one Mech Gaurdian is plenty, and one shuttle driver.  Did they make enough clones, wait? Um, Avon? Um your female, so whose cloned body would you use?'
'Not of your concern sir, i would use the DNA i feel is best suited for my person.  However, thank you for asking.  Sir we are 22 seconds out on jump release and will enter Duran space.  Our signal is broadcasting at full strength and the Chung-pol will receive it in 27 minutes.  We are going to full battle readiness and all shields up nominal.'
'Sir?  We have a slight problem." Mike called.
'What is it Mike?'
'Sir, she has enough fire power to overwhelm our shields sir.  First scan shows her with 41,892 laser turrets but not Median standard but powerful enough to hit us on first sweep at 61%, missile compliment is negligible but those lasers if 61% make contact our shields and absorption rate will be overwhelmed.'
'What is the damage and shield recharge rate if that happens Mike?' Teral responded fearing that this moon could overwhelm his wonderful ship.
'Sir, we would lose ship shielding for 12 seconds. We would have partial main shielding after that and absorption at 8%.  I suggest to push the barrier of our engines and bring all engines online to adjust.  We would be at 740g on rebound but it will stress our gravidic shielding and the hull might be fractured in locations.  However, if we move the engines to 98% we could keep their lasers from making contact and bring the hit ratio down to 27% thereby keeping all shields active.  We could have some sections of the ship open to vacuum for a brief time.  The Medians, Lee, and Andrew could repair rapidly if that happens.  You would feel...pain sir.  I have calculated a 39% degree of pain equal to losing a leg if your hull cracks to vacuum.  I believe that Andrew can numb your pain threshold but thats dangerous.  Your body could go into shock, this simply means you would be unable to communicate with us.  You need to designate your second in command sir.  Just in case.'
'Um, ok.  Avon i am promoting you to Lt. Commander.  Your my second lady, dont let us down.  If i go bat nuts then fix it and make sure we are safe.  Folks, this is an all hands.  Brenda, Lee, Andrew, Margo, Ryarson, Mike, and others, Avon is my second in charge if i take to much damage.  Numb my feeling senses and keep me from being in pain however try to keep me coherent as well.  Avon is in charge should i go in to some kind of coma.  Andrew you are behind her in second and then Mike.  Folks thats the order of the day. Andrew can you get me a beer?'
'No sir, alcoholic beverages are not allowed in combat..'
'Andrew i can not really drink it for crying out loud, and thus, i can not get drunk.  Just the taste would be fine.'
'Oh, i see sir, sorry sir.  Yes sir in bound in 20 seconds.'
'That is all crew, lets get to it.  Activate the Bolt Avon.  Tell Lt Ryarson he will depart and stealth next to the Jump point after we head to Dura.  He will not  engage until we do.  With both of us we should be fine but tell him not to engage till i call for him.'

'Sir, message on all band widths now.  The Chung-pol is responding while in jump.  Do you want me to play or sum up?'
'Sum up please.'
'Yes sir.  Basically they are telling you to go screw yourself sir.  They say that they will surrender when you give them a fruit seed or a blow job from Dura to take home.'
'Ok, in that case, send this message to all bands.  Chung-pol you are officially declaring war even though Centauri Prime and the assembly have surrendered and a peace accord has been struck.  You are declaring yourself as pirates and will be treated as such.  After we destroy your ability to move, fight, breath, the officers will be imprisoned and Dura can decide what to do with you.  If you manage to hurt us, i as Admiral of the DNF Lighting will activate all batteries instead of just the Grav-guns we have to disable your power.  We will bombard your platform till your dust.  I will not except surrender from your officers if they proceed to fight and i will not have my crew or my person injured.  You have no options.  Die or enjoy prison, Admiral in lieu, Ogilvy out.' 
'Avon i want all 3847 spacial platforms to fire on that platform when it comes through.  Get me CNC to realign.  Get CNC to keep all Duran ships behind the planet, i want no interference from them.'
'Sir Admiral Sherrington on the horn.'
'Hello sir, im a bit busy right now, what did you need sir.'
'Sorry for the call Teral, but i want to say well done on beating your feet back here.  Great stroke of luck, and yes get Willis operational.  I know you dont need any help but son, your valuable to us.  Don't you feel that 881 ships of the line would help intimidate them?' the Admiral asked sheepishly.
'Sir i have 2 ships, myself and the Bolt we are the only ships needed and less is more sir.  When we shut them down they will limp back to Celine system carrying our response and when i arrive they will surrender or die.  They are now pirates sir.  The Federation assembly declared unconditional peace.  They chose to continue out of greed.'
'Understood son.  Teral, everyone on Dura is proud of what you have done, stay alive son.  Sherrington out.'


Avon sent the message and received no response from the Chung-pol.  The Jump point began to shimmer. 'Incoming mass sir at jump point.  I have 79000 miles of displacement circumference on the platform.  She is a giant sir.  Almost as big as Dura.  This thing must have taken hundreds of years sir for them to create.  It is a shame we cant keep it when we are done.  Under artical 2819 subsection b of the spacial piracy act of 2298 CE it reads 'in the event that a ship or ships become vessels trying to enslave, hinder, or take items not belonging to themselves for profit they shall be deemed at pirate.  All rights of humans practicing in piractical ventures void their rights of the Federation and shall be dealt with as the system, ships, or planetoids see fit. This includes but is not withstanding the seizure of all pirate materials including the ships and persons aboard her and all the belongings, this is not with standing their computer technology as well.  Sir we can keep it.'
'Yes we will do that and renovate it and let it protect Dura, Avon.  Remind me not to piss you off some day Avon.'
'Sir the Chung-pol is coming through now.  I have revised status she is carrying 15,986persons aboard.'
'Damn.  Avon get Ryarson on the horn.'
'Yes sir.' Lt Ryarson responded.  The personage that the Lieutenant used as a freckle face boy of no more than 25 years looked at Teral blankly. 
'Ryarson, I want you to be on this platforms starboard side, and ill attack from the high ecliptic port.  I want to be between that platform and our firing platforms as well.  If this thing gets past us all we have is our platforms and our ships.  We should be able to disable most of her generators but some will still be operational if we fail we need to make sure her weapons are down.  First target their weapons generators then their ships engines.  If it fires kill it.  Move in after i engage.'
'Roger that, and good hunting sir.'
'You too Ryarson and stay alive, if you take too much damage get behind us and follow us in.  Link on our signal and Avon will take you in tow.  I mean that Bill,do not get dead.  I want you alive'
'Yes sir.  Thank you sir.  Good luck sir.'
'Ogilvy out.'

Suddenly the blackness of space erupted in laser light the dance of shocks and counter shocks hit at the speed of light. The speed of the Lighting was just at 747 gs and Engineering Lee was earning his pay.  Mikes artificial brain was working faster than any computer in history deflecting and projecting, absorbing and firing at quarter second intervals.  Teral knew he could never perform at 1 percent of what the AI's could and they were proving him right.  He was a better leader than a fighter.
Terals body shook and he winced in pain as one quarter panel of his aft quadrant cracked and destabilized, not from being hit from laser fire, from the stress of the ships speed.  Avon backed the speed down to 700g and gave some relief so the Medians and Andrew made repairs.
'Sir we have laser contact on all quadrants but the MG-guns are taking out as fast as they fire.  They have made their guns independent with their own generators.  It is difficult to take them out with MG-guns alone.  Permission to open fire with all batteries sir?'
Teral was going to cry yet he had no tears to shed.  Could a ship cry.  'Open it up, god help them all.  Try not to..' he winced in pain.  '...kill them all Mike.'
'Roger that sir.  All batteries firing. Sir the Chung-pol has lost 74% of their speed.  Their batteries are coming off line but not fast enough we are are 78% of shield capacity.  Absorption is at 64% of primary dispersement.  We have no signals from the Chung.  We almost have her sir.  Sir the bolt has lost her main drive and needs to be towed.  Lt Ryarson is asking for a tow.'
'Get our mag field rapped around him and pull him in behind us Avon.'
'How long till we have them Mike?'
'Sir we have 811 hot spots still firing on us but its ending rapidly.  Soon ill send out borders.  Permission to deploy shuttles and tactical squads to penetrate the platform sir when we have neutralized all batteries from the enemy?'
'Do it Mike.'
'Sir we have explosions on the platform in 33 locations sir.  They are nuclear sir.  The power relays are down and the generators are going critical mass.  Sir, main hab on the platform is gone 3377 humans dead.  So far we have no idea how many others sir.  Main engineering on Chung-pol is down. Engines offline.  All laser batteries have ceased firing.  We have a hail sir from an ensign, Juanita Wong.' The massive planetoid was without her engines and was as good as a floating piece of rock.  Fires would blossom and fizzle out not having any oxygen to keep the fires burning in vacuum the fires winked out almost as quickly as they started.
'Put her on Avon.' Teral was so upset for so many dead yet his pain was monsterous and he had no problem killing the enemy one to one but at 1,000 to 1 or more he had issue because thousands tore at his heart.  'What freaking heart?  I am a machine.' 
'Admiral of the DNF, this is Acting Commander Juanita Wong, we surrender.  Our command staff is dead.  You killed hab 1.  I repeat we surrender, our command staff is dead.' The women looked dissheveled and seemed frantic.
'Juanita Wong, you are a pirate.  Your vessel is a pirate vessel.  This ship of mine is the only ship attacking you, we have over 800 ships like this one standing by to destroy your vessel.  We assumed you would do this peaceably but i guess you had to be made examples of.  We will be boarding shortly and taking stores, your people will transfer to our fleet as prisoners and you will come aboard my ship personally to sign surrender agreements unconditionally.  If any person on that ship puts up one fucking iota of a fight ill disintegrate your platform and all will die.  Period.  Do i make myself clear?'
'Yes sir, thats fair admiral.  May i have your name sir.  Also sir there may be pockets of zealots so please come armed to kill, they are not under my command, I was just an Ensign when i took command sir.'
'This is Admiral Teral Ogilvy.  Young lady you have made a wise decision.  Life over death is much preferred and if you have any coms to those that might try and fight let them know, you fight, all die!  Ogilvy out.'
'Andrew which officer of the boarding party is in charge?'
'Sir, Lt. Blasedell and Dorn are commanding 1,000 shock troops on 4 carryalls.  Do you wish to chat with them?'
'Yes, put them through.'
'Sir, you need just open a door to him and you have him on coms.'
'Oh crap, i forgot.  Blasedell, Dorn you there.' He winced in pain, could a ship wince?
'The Guardian officers stood upright, and came to attention.  'Sir yes sir, admiral Ogilvy.  Lt Blasedell here sir. Dorn here sir.' The AI's Guardian almost shouted the response.
'Calm the hell down guys.  Gesh, at ease.  Now when you and your men board that contraption i want everyone alive herded into one or two habs.  You might have 5 or 8 thousand people to manage, if anyone fires.  I mean anyone! I want your men to kill them and the person next to them, in the worst way you can think up.  I care not how humane it is.  Crack there skulls with a spoon.  I dont care.  These basterds should have surrendered after the first 15 seconds of bombardment and they refused.  You might have zealots so make examples of them, ill take full responsibility and Admiral Sherrington has given us full authority to manage these morons.'
'Roger that sir.  You can count on me sir.'
'Thank you son, and DON'T get dead.  I need you alive.  Let your troops take the shots, you head in on the 3rd shuttle.'
'Roger that sir.'
'All right, Ogilvy out'

The light fire damage and control of the troops that boarded the platform had a mild amount of resistance but Blasedell and Dorn managed, by almost skinning the fighters that gave them any resistance they made it impossible for the combatants to say no.  Dorn had two assailants literally pulled apart slowly, their flesh was ripped from their bodies as if pulled by two opposing forces one guardian on one side and another on the opposite playing at tug of war, the blood spattered in 20 foot areas around the terrible mess.  Dorn was covered in human blood and when he later would report it was an eerie sight.  Those shock troups would be called the Red of Dorn years later.

'Damage control, Andrew?  I feel some, well, some pain.  Like in my back.  I cant move my shoulders to crack my back but thats what it feels like, like a soreness in my shoulders.' Teral winced mentally his pain had elevated and it was comparable to hitting your thumb with a hammer however you just kept hitting it over and over again.
'Sir you have quadrant 23.4av in section 3 that is on your screen venting oxygen.  I will have it fixed momentarily, we took some damage from a laser burst when shields fluctuated during the high G speeds.  I am sorry for your discomfort sir.'
'Thats ok Andrew.  How goes the boarding party M?' Teral asked non-physically shuddering in pain. '..Mike?'
'Only a few hiccups sir, we executed 18 soldiers trying to resist after the Ensign surrendered she made a general announcement to the platform and a Lt. Colonel commanding the 880 soldiers resisted and fought and well we killed him and his officer corp that did not agree.  Dorn and Blasedell actually did exactly as you said, the guardians used laser blades to, well, remove their organs in front of the other troops, pulled a few apart slowly etc.  The surrender went without incident after that.'
'Ah shiet i furgot about that order.  Well its only 18.  Avon I want the Medians on that platform to rebuild the engines and hold on the weapons till i get approval that its ours, i think we will keep that platform according to the articles of piracy.  We dont need Willis.  Get Admiral Sherrington on the horn.' He felt the pain easing a bit.
'Yes Teral, how goes the war son?' The jovial admiral called, sitting in his office in the space platform CNC connected to the ship yards near Willis.
Teral felt a tenge of anger at the thought of sherrington being so jovial, then he thought maybe it was for his own moral attitude. 'Good sir, we own the platform and with your permission, according to the articles of piracy i am taking the platform and converting it to a battle platform of Dura.  I will have my medians do it, and it will take 3 days to get the generators up according to specs and weapons 4 days.  I call because we have 8562 prisoners i need you to pick up if you would sir.'
'Yes, i think we can do that, i'll dispatch 15 ships to come getem.  Great job son, just great.  So do you have enough of these Medians to renovate Willis and that Platform?'
'The Thunder sir, yes.  Yes I do.  I'll create our own AI to run it and override the programming and computers on the platform.  I will purge their technology and replace.  That will take probably 9 days as the Medians eat their current tech and rebuild.  The Medians live on metals and  just absorb and they spit out alloys and they do it so fast that its hard to keep up.  Thank you sir.  I will call you before we depart for Celine.  Sir, one more thing?'
'Yes Teral?'
'Sir, i have given standing orders to deal with these people as pirates, are you ok with that sir? You never said one way or the other.'
'Yes, of course son.  You do what ever the hell you need to do.  You are a creature of Mother Dura. I know you will be fair and humane.  I would have done worse kid.  Sherrington out.'
'Roger that sir.'
'Mother? (He opened up coms to her through his mind.) Are you there?'
'Always my son.  Are you alright, i feel your pain.' she responded and he felt warm all over.
'Thank you mother, i am much better.  I have issues with so much mass killing, is there a way i can purge it or delete it from my memories? Can you?' He was almost crying inside at the wholesale slaughter of over 7,200 people dead on the ship.
'I am sorry my son, but i have no knowledge of that.  Brenda might be able to create sub folders or partitions within your mind.  But why would you?  Its a part of your makeup, it is who you are.  The sum of your experiences is what makes you Teral.'
'Yes mother i know but its so much.  As a Ranger i only fought one war and it wasnt a war but a domestic battle for a moon.  I killed 20 or 30 soldiers.  I was fine after a few weeks but 7,300 here 7,300 there.  It is difficult.  I was just wondering.'
'Teral, i am proud of you and glad that you take human life for what it is, precious.  If i didnt feel that way no human would have got my children.  Psonically i could have stopped all creatures from my fruit but i saw your minds and know that you are precious.  I would ask you to let it alone and let your mind repair itself naturally, i can have a councilor join your ship or via the net, so you have someone to talk with if you wish?'
'Thank you mother that would be nice, please.  Make sure its not a guy, i wouldnt feel right talking to one.'
'I will have them net you shortly son.'
'Yes mother, thank you.'
He had Mike, Avon, Lee, Andrew, Brenda, he had friends but didnt feel right talking to them, they were crew. 
'Brenda whats the new AI's name on the Thunder?'
'Sonny sir, and it is a she.  Each AI that we create has a cloned brain of a human for the organics, and this one was a girl.  Sonny will run the Thunder.  The Thunder will be equal to us even though it is not an ever growing ship like ours.  Her platform is double the size of Willis 42% the size of Dura. That thing could house millions or even billions of humans sir, but do you want me to keep it human free? Simply like us?'
'Yes and no, create the ship like you are doing for us, design it for humans however make sure it has the same tech as us.  Create a creator like you on that ship, weapons, communications and flight, medical, same as us.  Give me the stats after.  We will leave them to themselves in a week and a half and tackle Celine.'
'Yes sir.'
'Avon i want to go to Dura and see my mom.  Prepare with Andrew my clone and ill be shifting dirtside only for a day.  Get our ship close to dura and put us in orbit.  Ill take a shuttle down cause i dont want anyones garbage.  I will inform the admiralty.'
'Yes sir, 2 hours 30 minutes for activation.  It has been in stasis.'
'Get me Wentworth.'
'On the coms sir.'
'Yes Teral my boy, great job, great job.  What a ship you have created there.  We are so proud of you, i hope your not mad at me for my outburst when we first met Admiral.  You have my full support.' The admiral just chortled on.  'We watched you on the vid net, wow what a fighter you guys are.'
'Thank you Admiral, i am calling because i know your in charge of space station repairs and ships that come into Dura. With permission ill be docking my ship with my own spinal connection tubes but ill be taking a shuttle down dirt side.  Please forgive this short notice, i just have to visit some friends.'
'My goodness son, anything you want park at ships bay 1113c-2 you will have the whole of our facilities if you wish.  You want some good stores to be sent to your ship son?'
'Yes sir, thank you sir, Ogilvy out.'
'Roger that son.'

The transfer would begin in less than 20 seconds and Teral was shaky at best.  His memories of all the dead hung over him like a fast shadow.  All his friends were worried.  He would get this crap fixed or get someone else to run his ship.  He was not afraid but was burdened by thoughts of possible millions being killed in the war.  He could here Avon and Andrew talking and heard the count down 4, 3, 2, what would happen......Teral blacked out and his eyes hurt, eyes!  EYES! i have eyes again, it is nice.  He blinked, trying to raise his head.  It was blurry, but he saw outlines of the ships med bay.  It smelled of sterol oxygen and detergent.  But he would get used to it.  Plastic, and metal. 'Avon, i need a guard to go with me on this trip to help the body walk.  It is not working well for me yet.  I can move the hands and feet but i feel tired and sluggish, like i have not slept in weeks.' Slept!  Wow it is so nice to be me again, sort of.
'Yes sir, Ryarson says he will be right here and a senior boarding officer he says it is his duty if the commander leaves the ship to be accompanied by a senior officer.  Sir, while we were processing Admiral Sherrington says congratulations on your promotion.'
'Promotion? What promotion?'
'Sir adding the Thunder to the fleet means we are three ships of the DNF Spacial militia navy.  You are in control of 3 ships which automatically promotes you to full admiral.  Congrats sir. Congrats sir..' All of his crew chimed in.

'Thank you Avon, Mike, Andrew, Brenda, Lee, Ryarson, Sonny, Matthew, Blasedell, Alisha, Brad, Jim, Margo,all of you. God thats alot to remember all at once. I appreciate the vote of confidence.  I will be back in 15 hours or so, Avon is in charge of the fleet.  Avon i am promoting you to Commander due to my promotion, so your no longer Lt Commander.  Grats.  Andrew you as well to Lt Commander.  Dang i have to promote alot of you for your help.  I appreciate you all.  Ryarson you have a field promotion to acting Admiral-in-leu as well since you have your own ship if im not available or Avon your in charge of all three boats and why are you coming?  Why not Blasedell he is the troop commander and Gaurdian?'
'My ship is being repaired sir, we took major damage and it will be out for another 4 days.  And according to regs you have no choice but to take who i suggest, and i suggest me.  If you do not like it you can go to hell.  You have no choice.  According to reg 86 subsection 8 parargraph 12,'
'Ok ok, Billy boy lets go. Help me up.'
The android helped Teral up, its massive body was so big that it was like picking up a cup.
'Ouch ouch, careful there Ryarson.  Shieet.'
'Sorry sir, i have never done this, I will get better.  We have a mobil chair in the hallway i will just put you down there.'
'No problem Ryarson.  Bill? Can i call you Bill?'
'Whatever you wish sir.'
'All righty.  Lets go Bill.  Avon is my shuttle ready and where is it?'
The machine lowered him into the chair and it automatically swiveled and started to move.  'The chair is programmed sir you will be at the shuttle bay shortly.  We cant port you there because of your condition so you can use conveyor beltway 3 and the chair will take you there. Alisha will meet you in the shuttle bay.
''Thank you my dear.  What? Wait? Alisha, but she is Ships weapons on the Thunder? How?' He asked confused.
'We all have our clone bodies prepared now so we can follow you.  Alisha had hers done 2 days ago and she is already  flight qualified on the shuttles and working out her body at the gym.'
'Oh, wow, i know so little.  Good.  This body doesnt have any net card access in my brain.  How do i access it?'
'Sir it is a clone, the vast majority of your body is unused.  Just open a door in your mind as you do when your in ship.  It is the same from what i understand.  Brenda says you will be the most adept human of all time.  You can access any downloadable satellite, net, grid system, war department, phone, video, anything.  Just do it sir.  Also you have nano cells that are replicating and repairing if you are injured you will heal instantly.  If you lost a limb it would regrow.'
Teral thought for a moment and opened up coms to his moms house.  He could hear the phone ringing in his head.  Suddenly his mother was there on the video.  He projected his video self image and answered.  'Hi mom, its me Teral.'
'Oh my god of Dura, Teral how are you.  It is as if you fell off the face of the planet.  I am so glad to hear from you, how is the Rangers son?  Ever since you told me you were going to race for the fruit, i have been eager to know what is happening.  Last i heard you ate of the fruit and then...boom... classified?  Whats happening I have been so excited to hear.  Your step dead has been surfing the net for months to find out.'
'It is a long story mom, ill share it with you.  I am coming to the compound and will only be staying the day. I have to see someone and then im back and reporting.  I am an Admiral now as you can see my attire and im no longer with the Rangers.  I will explain it all shortly. Is the shuttle pad empty so i can land there?'
'Yes of coarse i will have Tom move his ship. Oh my im so excited, ok i have loads to do before you arrive.  I will see you here bye son.'
'Mom? Mom?  Ah crap, well i have not seen her in a while i guess i will let her do her thing.'
Arriving at the shuttle bay was a pleasant thing for Teral, he got to see his ship from the inside out now.  The hallways glistened with a silver sheen that he admired about his ship.  Clean.  That was the thought.  When he approached, the clanking footsteps of Bill behind him were almost too loud to take.  'Sir, Lt Alisha Demworthy reporting.' The cloned body saluted and smiled.  Her dirty blond hair was shoulder length and her green eyes dazzled with attitude.  She was very attractive he felt his manhood begin to take notice.  'Crap, did someone hear that?'  there were no responses. He didnt have to put up walls to keep people from hearing his thoughts. 'Oh man i miss you buddy' He looked down and then back up at Demworthy to see if she looked down at his manhood.  'Just fabulous.'  'Hello Alisha, my you are fetching.' Her smile broadened, she was beautiful.  Teral was going to have to check into the regs on having sex with his cloned officers.  "This could get interesting. ' he thought.  Suddenly feeling his arousal grow more made him aware that he better put his hands in his lap or she would notice.
'Sir, i am so glad i moved my awareness to this clone.  Its amazing sir.  The things i am feeling are super.  I still am working on the Thunder sir, this is just a partition of me.'
'Nice, i wish i could do that.' Teral said.
'Um sir? You can.  Just open up the door. Your threshold is the same as mine.' She responded.
'Avon, i can open up my mind to stay aboard and be in this body?' He asked with annoyance, he didnt even need to be in this body to go down to Dura? He could just send a piece of himself. 
'Yes sir.  When you return we will move your consciousness back to be fully installed in the ship but while the clone is dormant you are all within this ship, however, when you move part of yourself into the clone you are the same as you always were however, you can partition it so you never leave the ship even if you do.  If that clone dies you are still in the ship sir.  You will never fully leave your own body or the lightning.'
'Oh, kewl.  Wait i can talk to you just like normal?'
'Yes sir.  It is new territory for us but yes.  You have that within your abilities.' 
Nice he thought.  What a great enhancement i wish everyone could do that. 'Brenda is there a way we can transfer civilians to versions of their clones?'
'Yes sir, the patent is already on file.  We are projecting 30 Trillion a year income from that one.'
'Son of a bitch. Oh sorry folks.  Wow.  Um Avon do you have what our worth is since we started filing patents?'
'Yes sir, your net worth is being held secret from everyone sir.  Your net worth according to the Internal Review of the Duran Bank of Trust you are currently worth 188 trillion credits sir.'
'HOLY fu__ um, wow. Son of a gun.  Kinda makes you think.  That makes me the wealthiest guy around i guess.  How much of that is liquid cash?'
'All of it sir.  Your net.  Current value of you, the ships, the estate hold is 679 trillion give or take and that does not include the acquisition of the Thunder sir.'
'My good ness.  Um, that kind of cheers me up.' Teral had no idea what he could buy but he knew it was anything he wanted.
'Alisha you cutey lets go visit.' He said, almost forgetting the 7,000 plus people he had just helped to exterminate.  Those thoughts left him but assailed him just as fast as the Gaurdian, Ryarson, pushed him up the shuttle ramp. 
The shuttle was in a great bay, which theoretically could house a few hundred of his shuttle class ships, or even fighters.  'Fighters, thats an idea! Brenda, i want you on building short range fighters with sub light speeds.  Maybe boost them to 800 or more gravities, bring them past light speed. You would need AI's to run them but maybe house the AI's in a portal shell that could be installed by our troops in times of war like this.  Rather than build junior versions of me, like the Bolt, create smaller fighters that could act as extensions maybe with a few laser batteries, chain guns, and a single Grav component.  Maybe make them stealth mode etc, you follow me?'
'Yes sir.  It makes sense to me.  I will get right on it.  Lee can help me design the engine and generators so they could accommodate a MG gun of some type.  We will  get right on it.' She responded as quickly as he had asked.  Communications in this manner were so helpful, he also wanted to create a system that he could link to all ships, not just the ones in his flotilla.  The difficulty was in getting DNF to approve it, the other admirals like the autonomy. To give one ship, over-communications might lead to the wrong impression, however what if they had the same ability, to get rid of the lag and the red tape. 'Avon, i want you to get with Brenda and Brad working on inventing a transit technology for communications ship to ship.  I want that so i can get advice in the Celine system if i need it from Admiral Sherrington.  Wentworth might even be cordial.  Instead of having to relay everything through Mother, i don't like having to go through her for every single thing i need when we are out of system, its not respectful of her.  The system in place currently has light speed lag that just isnt good enough.  I do not like bothering my creator, and mother Dura doesnt need that worry.'
'All right sir.  Sir,Celine space is going to be expecting a relay, the Ensign that capitulated has told one of our interrogators that they need to send a probe, and she has also given us the code to send them anything we wish.  It is do for release now.  We need to send a message in their code so they know whats going on and she wishes asylum to join our force in the future, we have tested her through linguistics and she is telling the  truth on all plateaus.  The probe would enable us to arrive there after in secret.  However, if we send them a notice that their platform has been captured they might surrender faster.  Suggestions?'
'Gimme an hour or so ill talk to Admiral Sherrington and ill get back to you.' Teral responded thinking on it.  Probes were tricky, what if they lied and the message they sent was a hoax designed in case of capture or surrender, even though the linguist says she is truthful.  He would just send the truth plus elapsed time.  The Celine system government has no clue how fast his ship can make the transit. What takes 3 weeks would take his ship 8 days.  'Avon get me Sherrington again.'
'On com, he is eating but said put you through.'
'Yes Admiral Ogilvy, what can i do for you young man?' He was eating what looked like a roasted bird of some type.
'Sir, i am sorry to bother you but this is kind of urgent.  I am coming dirtside to visit my mom and the shrinks for a chat, then i am back up top and in flight to Celine.  We should have their surrender within a day or so after we arrive, one issue.  They are supposed to get an update from this platform we captured that they were supposed to send today, it would arrive in 3 weeks; if i leave in the next 7 days we will arrive before the probe, so my question is do you feel any need to send that probe?'
'Negative, ignore it.  You will arrive in how many days after you depart here?'
'8 days from departure sir.' Teral responded.
'Well so you must leave in 11 days or less because the Celine probes are subluminal rocket boosters.  Those probes boost in jump that put them ahead of jumpers but only by a few days.  So by my calculations you need to be out of here in 11 days or less.  Plenty of time son, take a rest dirtside, you have earned it.  Teral you can not take on more than one person can.  Rest son, you earned it.' The lead and commanding officer of the DNF told him.
'Yes sir, thank you sir.  Sir may i ask another question, of personal nature?' Teral asked.
'Sure son, lemme pull you off record. All Admirals are on record on personal vids.Ok son,shoot,whats up. Would you prefer to talk with me planet side?'
'Yes sir i would rather do that, thank you sir.  Ill visit you first, can you open a spot for me?'
'Damn it son, your Admiral of your own fleet, you need not ask.  Get your but in here when ever. Sherrington out!'
'Avon did you monitor that call?'
'Yes sir, i have to because of regulations.  Do you need advice?'
'Yes, off the record.  Its tuff i have no one to talk to on board, can i tell you something?'
'Yes sir, anything i can do to help you i will do.' She responded so happy that Teral felt her emotion as she responded, she was elated.
'Well,' he hesitated. '... your my second in command and you only know what the computers and the child have given you for information which lends to your personality.  I find it difficult to kill so many people and i need help trying to partition it from my mind.  It is always in my mind so many dead.  I feel, well, guilty so many are dieing on our account.  If 1 hundred died or 1,000 died but so far more than 8,000 needlessly.  I feel like a mass murderer and its not like they didnt bring this on to themselves yet many of them probably just hated the idea of dieing for a cause that would never affect them.  I just want to deal with the thoughts of the killing is all, maybe,' Teral was interrupted gently by Avon.
'Teral may i speak candidly?'  She asked with an edge to her voice.
'Yes please.'
'Well, i am a synthetic creation but i believe i am still somewhat human in free thought.  My personality has been created by my surrounding and you particularly so I feel an obligation to tell you what i think.  Please forgive me.  Your a military man, you knew signing on you would have to kill people, stop feeling sorry for yourself, get on with your life.  Any day we can all just stop being because of one thing or the other, those people choose their paths and you are defending the one that you have chosen.  Stop being a guilt ridden justifier and know this, they choose theirs and you are protecting yours.  I care about you, because if there was never a Teral there would never have been an Avon.  Please think on it like this that without you protecting Dura how many of our millions would die if they didn't have us as their defense.  Buck up.  That was said by an ancient actor when times are ruff, buck up.  Like a horse being saddled for the first time.  Be strong we need you, I need you Teral.' She finished as Teral began to wonder just what AI intelligence was.  A human brain linked to technology with unlimited memory and the lack of emotional upbringing ticks that came with humanity.
'You are right Avon.  Thank you.  I will work on it. I will talk to you in a bit dear, get to work.'
'I never stop working.'
'Brenda and Brad fix that ship to ship issue.  That is number one on the list of things to create.'
'Understood sir, we are on it.' Brad responded. 'Yes sir,' Brenda chimed in.
The shuttle rattled with its lift off as the Guardian standing next to him jacked into a wall and an automatic safety harness rapped around the large metal construct.
'Sir we are on approach to the Ogilvy compound and will set down in 14 minutes after atmospheric entry.  We will have a brief shutter as we enter.  We will be touching down and I will accompany you and Ensign Ryarson if you do not mind.  Your mom told me that she is cooking your favorite and your step dad is seemingly excited we are coming.  We are projected to stay for the day then we are off to the capital to chat with Admiral of the fleet, Sherrington.  He actually has changed most of his plans in expectation of seeing you for the first time.  He too is excited.  Your a celebrity sir. May i also say that you are very fetching in your new body.' Alisha finished.  A.I. in its own body was strange.  These constructs being able to walk about in their own DNA created bodies.  The science involved was mind blowing for Teral, but Alisha had to have been chosen from the very best stocks.  'You are very, um, fetching as well, Alisha.' He felt his manhood suddenly twinked.  He had not had this happen since he was in middle school and Ms. Reed bent over his. 'Um...Alisha.' He felt his body flush.  His cheeks had not turned rosé since he was 14 or so but knew, if she was at all versed in human physiology would know.  'Sir, Teral, your blushing for me? I am so excited i got my first crush, my Dura i am so happy.  That is the best compliment ever Teral.'  She responded from the cockpit of the shuttle.  Teral almost panicked and looked about for the cameras in the shuttles and knew they were hidden but gave her full view of the cargo area.  His heart beat fast, what do i say now. 'Well I am not myself Alisha, please think nothing of it or forget it, or what ever. Gesh.'
'No problem sir.' The ship stopped shacking and Teral was relieved as he listened in on the com her smile was ear to ear and unoticed by Teral.  'Threshold approach you are 5 by 5 to 327c pad 2 at the Ogilvy compound.'  Teral was just annoyed that he was thinking of sex as the first thoughts he would have in this body.  He did think on it when he first saw Alisha her body was firm and her breasts were perfect, 'Holy crap.' 
'Patch me into Sherringtons office Avon,' He asked trying to get his mind off of the issues.
'On coms.'
'Admiral, I am visiting my mom and step dad and will be with you in about 6 or 7 hours sir.  If you will be available i just need advice.'
'I told you before son, you need just visit no point in pre-calling for an appointment.  Just come young man my ear is yours.  As a matter of fact, just call when your ready we will meet for drinks and appetizers at Le'vores.  Do you know it in the Medlohman market?'
'Um, yes sir.  I never ate there before, too costly, but i will in the future if we get past this war, apparently I am worth trillions or something.  I got one of my crew tracking the bank credits and who knew.  I will see you in a bit sir, and thank you.'
'Not a problem Teral, Sherrington out.' The admiral was off in a blink.  Teral just closed his eyes and partitioned his mind as if he was still on the ship and could take rerouted calls as if he never left the ship.  'Amazing technology, if only humans had this ability to link without a net chip installed in their brains.  Wow, just amazing. Thank you Avon and by the way, I really appreciate your help Avon.  Do you think you'll be downloading to your clone so i can see what you look like?'
'Sir, my form is as you see it when we talk.  That simulacrum is my person.  The clone is an exact DNA match with only  a few differences.  My red hair will be a bit different sir.' She finished.
'Well you and i need to goto dinner and just talk, where you can stop calling me sir when we are in private.  That would be a relief Avon.  Good lord your my friend not just crew.'  He tisked to her as the shuttled landed with a thump as Alisha brought the shuttle down on the Ogilvy compound.  The doors slid open as soon as it thumped. 'Ok Avon I am home ill talk to you shortly.' The Guardian started as he began to push the chair out the door.
'Hold Ryarson, i am walking on my own two feet.  Help me up.'  The mechanical creations large arms and hands looked  like a metal monster and as it helped Teral out of the chair it was as if a man picking up a newborn.  The machine was hundreds of times more powerful than any human strength along with its augments it helped him up quickly, however with all its strength it was so gentle.  Teral noticed that it didn't hurt him as if a support system opened within Ryarson to create a gentle giant from chaotic killing machines such as he was.
'Thank you Ryarson, just help me to the door Bill and wait outside if you wouldn't mind.  Alisha you can help me inside if thats ok.'
'Yes sir, that is why I am here, Red.'  Her familiarity was warm and touching, of coarse she was referring to his blushing cheeks any time he stared at her boobs.
'Not a problem, i am content to just stare girl.  Joke all you want, but i am only human.  But that is were it stops, we can play but remember I am your boss and i will not breech that protocol.  I am all ranger on that.  When it is just us its ok but if others are within earshot make sure its Admiral Alisha if you would.  Other than that, lets go boobs.' He responded as the Gaurdian moved towards that front entrance to his mothers home, Teral thought he heard Bill snickering.  Alisha giggled with the demure nature of a model and an ability to not make her boobs jiggle.  That turned him on as well. 'Gesh these damn thoughts but wow i need to get laid suddenly.'
The door to the house opened and his mother almost ran into his arms, however Ryarson stepped in front and asked politely, 'Mrs. Bresser, please be gentle, your son has some difficulty at this time with his body.' She jumped back a step.
'What, what do you mean.  Where you injured? Why didnt you tell me Teral.  What happened? Come in, lets sit and talk.' Teral reached out his hand and grabbed his mother and gave her a light hug. 'It's ok mom.  Hi, George.  How are you treating my mom?'
George Bresser and Andrea Bresser had been together for 38 years.  After they married Teral was 9 years old and George was as much his dad ever was.  Terals father had died in an vacuum accident on the orbital platform construction 46 years before.  After Teral had turned 9 and his mother remarried George was his dad.
'Good son, what happened? Lets sit down, we got Earl Grey for ya, we know how you love that. Your mum cooked your favorite.  Does that big thing eat?'
'Ryarson, yes and no.  He will wait outside, he is Admirals Guard detached.  This is Alisha, one of my crew.  I have alot to tell you.  Lets go in and sit.'  He began and he slowly moved his unused muscles which would get better and better.  He knew for future that when he did this he should do it hours before.  Get the new body in the gym.

They were seated in an atrium having tea when Teral blurted out his upset nature of things.  George had fought in wars so he had an idea.  Teral joined because George was retired Colonel in the First Ranger Bat 31 Guard unit, he knew what blood was.  He got a purple heart after receiving laser fire and losing his leg and having to regrow it 40 years before.
'Well let me first say I am ok.  You knew i got the fruit but you never knew what happened after.  I have sent a communique to fleet assigning my assets to you both.  If you want something, and i do mean anything.  A new land cruiser, flight cruiser.  Anything mom it is yours.  I need you to be open minded, i know you have heard I am an Admiral and command a fleet correct?'
'Yes we are so proud of you son.  But what do you mean your assigning your assets to us, we do not need your money.  On Captains pay or now Admirals pay you use that for you.  Buy a home vehicles, we are comfortable.'
'Mom, Dad, listen I am rich.  Let me say it this way.  The fruit i ate is a Child of Mother Dura, and for years we were told fruit.  I was told by Florina what she is and what the fruit are, this war is over that.  The other 12 systems want their own mother on their planets.  So far i have defeated, with my crew,' He looked over to Alisha. '...We are virtually unbeatable.  We have a creation department, if you will, that creates or invents things and as of this morning the patent office has over 2784 patent pending inventions of ours.  I am creating things, that the child has created in me.  I am, well, i am my ship.  It was classified but someday you will read about it when they declassify it, I have created a ship that i am a part of.  This body you see is a clone of my original form.  It is me, but it is not me, I am the ship that the child has created.  Now let that sink in.  If the ship dies, i die if i am not in a clone like this i will die.  If my ship explodes right now i would be forever as you see me.  I believe the child has created a self sustaining clone, watch.' He grabbed the butter knife he was using and pressed down on his arm hard enough to bring pain, the cut bled and healed almost instantly. 'You see, my clones are me but upgraded versions of myself.  Questions?' He waited as his mother squinted her eyes in deep thought.  George was the first to ask.
'Wait so your you, but your not you? I am confused, this is Teral.  Same Teral i have ever known, what is the problem? You is you.  Was that it? The big news?' His father was impatient.
'No sir, um...We are Trillionares.' Now he waited for his mom to snap out of her reverie. 'What?  how?'
'Well my inventions are worth more than i can ever count, i am going to be donating alot to charity because we could never spend it.  So if you want something, i am rich, so you are rich.  That is all i wanted to talk about, you might as well start buying stuff you always wanted.  I opened an expense account for the two of you and its the working petty cash, the current yield in petty cash is 998 million that the accountants tell me.'  They looked at each other and his mother smiled and look as if she were a bit woozy. 'You ok mom?' She smiled looked quickly at George and back at him and then at Alisha.  'Um, may i ask you something Teral?'
'Yes Alisha.'
'Well i am sure your parents are not aware but let me say this, your son is a ship and flotilla of other ships and we have shields that can not be pierced by modern weapons.  He and we are not at all in any danger, i am sure you were thinking it.'
'Yes, i forgot.  Mom, George, you are looking at the Admiral of a flotilla of ships that can no be destroyed by modern means.  I just have to deal with the people that die when i tell my ships to fire.  If i could just get them to surrender and stop i would feel ten times better about our fleet.'
'Son, with the ignorant comes death in war.  Trust me it will end as fast as it started.  Have you thought about your future endeavors with regards to after the war.  Admiral?' George smiled.
'Yes sir, space explorations.  We will have enough money to fund any explorations i want.  I am going in search of alien cultures and planets we can colonize.  You know i always wanted to be a Morau, or a Columbus.  I am going on adventure with my fleet and crew.  There or tens of billions of systems and we have created a way to Jump with 5 times the speed we are currently at.  We also have created a teleportation system but you will need to keep this stuff quiet.  Do not talk to anyone about it.  No relatives, no cousins, no sisters, no one mom.  Only you two can know about some of these items.  I just wanted you to know what was going on with your son.'  He finished he felt tired.  His body needed sleep.  'Mom, just write down your questions and ask me, making sure you put nothing in net mail format.  Closed pads or assistants.  I will answer what i can.  Right now i need some rest, Alisha is to be my in door guard and she will sit out side the door if you could just keep her company but dont expect her to be too talkative since she is crew.  I just need sleep mom please.' He finished and she jumped up and was busy talking about plans and ushered him in his room.  It had a new bed.  'When you wake up you will have a snack, i have made already.  Sleep well love.' His mother kissed him on the check and went to the kitchen muttering something about buying a new house.
'Sleep well Teral,' George said and they left him alone.

Ch 9

'Yes we are his crew, its more like we are family than crew. He is more like our father and we are his kids.  He created alot of our systems so we are in a sense family, even though we do not share the same DNA.  He is our commander and friend.' Alisha responded to the Bressers questions as much as she could answer.
'I see.  Can you give us an idea of what it was like for him when your ship was taking damage?' George asked Alisha as they spent time waiting for Teral to awaken.
'Well not until its declassified by the DNF.  I am sorry but for your and our protection i can not talk about so many systems that are classified so the enemy can not get the info and maybe use it.  I can say that the Fruit or the child has changed his personal DNA to add chromosomes that never existed before to off set his flesh to metal formatting, the ship is a living ship ever growing, a new type of metal. Right now the ship is over 58,800 meters long.'  George whistled, 'Thats a monster.  If that is the length whats the width fore and aft?' He asked amazed that his son was a ship.
'Well we are 19,997 meters port to starboard and length 58,800 displacement in tonnage is more than any 6 ships ever built in history combined.  The unique thing about the ship is the more energy we absorb the ever larger we grow, until Teral decides to stop the building process.  I have been assigned to the Thunder which is the Celine platform we captured.  I believe that hurt Terals mind we killed thousands on the job but maybe that issue might help our fight and get others to surrender.  The most advanced system that we will fight is the Celine alliance, they don't have as many ships as Ventura but they are more technologically advanced.'  Alisha was cut off by the swoosh of the bedroom doors opening and Teral stumbled out of the room.
'Afternoon sir.' she responded and handed him a sealed mug. 'what's this?' He asked scratching his head.
'Your mother had it delivered from Georgios, Mocha sir.  She said its exactly as you like it but you complained all the time that the cost was to high.  She spent some of your petty cash today and bought Georgios and is talking to the accountants about renaming it to Terals.  She also sent supplies to the ship that would create a Terals in our galleys,' Alisha told him gingerly.
'What? She bought the coffee or the chain of restaurants?' He stopped and stared at Alisha and his step dad.
'The chain sir, all of them.  She says she likes the idea of being rich and wants to help grow your wealth.  I think she will add some income to you in the future.'
'Dad? It is to spend on yourself not to make you go back to work.  The next 50 or 150 years of your lives is supposed to be fun.  Geebers.  How is Ryarson doing outside Alisha?'
'Fine sir.  He requires no food stores or fluids his system is built in and he goes on standby, his computer assistants monitor all data inbound from 20 to 40 miles from his location.  Even stealth ships are picked up by the soldiers new tracking systems.  Brenda, you know her she improves everything.'
'Thank Dura for that.  Well I will shower and we will be off to the Admirals dinner.  Dad tell mom I'll see her next port a call, don't know when but tell her don't buy up too many businesses.  Being rich is supposed to be fun not work.'

Le'vores restaurant was as ornate as any restaurant on the planet.  The entrance was surrounded by flowers shrubs, a lake and fountains that were colored to match the decor of the surrounds.  The menu was something that Teral had wanted to try for years.

'May I help you sir?' a medium build man at the entrance offered as he and Alisha walked in. 
'Yes you have a reservation for the Sherrington party?  I am a little early.  I would like two tables please.' Teral asked one for him and the admiral and one for the aides.
'Yes sir I believe so.  Hold a moment.' Teral stared at the beautiful surrounds of the restaurant and thought maybe he could put something like this on his ship after the war, man it with bots when he was in human form.
The host returned back, 'Follow me sir,'
'Alisha when you eat here do not forget that this is unusally good apparently, and i always wanted to eat here, but didnt have the credits.  This is the type of restaurant i want in our food court on the ship after the war.  Along with 15 or so others.  Keep a running account of the operation and see if you can transfer that to Avon or Brenda for details.  I want specs so we can put a small version of this on board.' Teral told her as he approached his table.  The Admiral had not yet arrived and Teral wanted to sit and try to relax as he gathered his thoughts.

As they sat they ordered appetizers, no credit prices were on the menu but he was sure it was very costly.  In addition to being expensive the wine steward came to the table and Teral was unsure what his cloned body would do with alcohol so he refrained from drinking till Admiral Sherrington arrived.  'So sir? What exactly are our plans for the future?  You know, after the war.  You have a fleet.'
'Good question, i am not sure at this point but i have a few ideas. I want to explore and spend some of my wealth, i do not believe that anyone has ever had the abilities, the money, and resources that we will have to explore.  I think we will have thousands of corporate sponsors to help that will want to send their liaisons with us on our trips so ill just wait an see what happens.  The Thunder will come to our aid if we ever get in a jam but ill leave her to cover Dura for now.  Nothing can get by her.'
'Could i put in a request sir?' She asked hesitantly.
'Sure.'
'Take me with you sir.  I want to go with you and explore.  I like going with you, its, well exciting.  Please sir.'  She asked demurely and Teral noticed that her top shirt button came unclasped apparently by mistake and he saw her breasts and was aware again that he had not had sex or master-bated in (what fellt like years)months.  He felt his flush and sudden arousal and knew he had to hide it hoping that she did not notice.  'Um, well sure.  I think we could do that, it will be peace time and anyone can man weapons operations on the Thunder.  Sure we could do that.  You can assist Mike. I will have you sit at the next table with the Admirals aide when they arrive, i have some, private thoughts i want to talk to him about if you wouldnt mind Alisha.'  She smiled, 'My god she is beautiful.' He thought to himself.  Cold nights sure would be fun in the future if she is in them.'
'Thank you sir, not a problem.  I believe that is Sherrington just entering.' The Admiral of the War department of the DNF approached with his hand out to Teral.  Strange that he was on equal footing in just a matter of months.  The Child had done what Teral never dreamed of.  'Hello sir,' Teral shook his hand his aide apparently took the hint as he saw Alisha and moved to their table.
'Sit, sit my boy.  I am so glad to see you.  It is great to shake your hand Admiral Ogilvy, can i call you Teral son?'
'Sure sir, anything you wish.'
'Great Teral when it is not war related just call me Bo.  Thats my nickname.  Lets eat I am starved, there are several things here that are just fantastic.  Very rich soups, there is a Lobster Bisque that is to die for.  I have eaten here many times and its delicious.  I know what i want and lets get a soup, some wine and sherry and discuss whats on your mind Teral.' The Admiral clasped him on the shoulder and seemed so easy to talk with.
'Thank you sir, i appreciate that.  Bo i have some difficulty with so many massive amounts of killing.  I never had a problem with it before it just seems to nag at me.  It does not stop my judgement as far as destroying a ship attacking me, its just i have issues after the fact and i was wondering if you have ways to partition it.  I can be talking to my crew and it will flash in front of me like a vivid memory and ill get in a funk.' Teral began.
'Have you talked with a councilor son, its common for men like us to have that issue.  Thank god you do, thats what makes you a great Commander.  If you didnt care you would be careless. That is not good for someone like us, to have power and not care.'
'Yes sir i talked with a councilor, and he kept asking me questions rather than giving me suggestions. He proscribed drugs to stimulate the memory portions of my brain and said that once you talk about it the drugs would numb it.  Of course it didnt work.  I was just looking for ways to delete the files.' Teral laughed.
'If we only could son.  The shrinks normally useless with stuff like this because they were never on the firing line.  Try this when you have thoughts of remorse.  You saved billions and if that requires your action to kill hundreds or thousands just know that if they piss on Dura who would live and who would die.  I would rather be the avenger then the avenged.  You get me son.  Yes i have problems thinking of the dead i have killed years and years ago, but i know this.  If i didnt get them first, someone i loved would have been gotten.  Let me ask you this, you have no children or wife.  I want you to do me a favor, if you wouldnt mind?' The admiral started.
'Sure sir.'
The Admiral leaned in and whispered, 'That young aide you have there, is she single?' he smiled when he asked.
'Yes sir.' Teral didnt want to go into all the tech on the cloned Alisha but he peered at her for a moment her breasts he wanted to see. 'Stop that Teral.' he thought.
'Good, today, after this meal i want you to take her and ask her if she would do you the honor of sleeping with you.  I have done it on many occasions, just make sure she doesnt mix pleasure with duty.  If she can fine, if not i want you to go get a someone on board your ship and fall in lust.  The best thing to stop remorse of the dead is saving those that you care about from dieing. That will cure your ills i think son.  I know its unorthodox but on long stints with the military you have got to remember what your fighting for.  I remember i was a Colonel of the Sec-Med Federation 60 years ago when we had that battle with the Omega-Volsk confed for six months.  I was in that system a long time and felt that killing so many had to be wrong.  Till Amanda Remaldo.  Oh my god.  That girl was smoking hot.  I fell for her hook line and sinker and when the war was over she left the fleet and became a senator, but we are still friends even now that i am married with grown kids.  It helps son to get your mind in sink with what has to be done.  Oh here comes soup. Yum yum.' The admiral finished and Teral was shocked and excited at the same time.  Sex.  'Did my boss just tell me to have sex with a subordinate officer, and it was ok.  God she is gorgeous i wonder if she will go for it.  Oh my loving Dura I might get laid today.
'I know what your thinking,  Do tell that young woman to come over here.' The Admiral called to is young aide, his blue eyes and silver hair reflected the admirals enthusiasm.  He seemed more excited then Teral by the prospect.
Bo stood up as she approached the table.  Shook her hand, 'Have a seat young lady. It appears that your Admiral Ogilvy likes you alot and says he is proud of his crew and the way they responded in action.  Did you order the Bisque?' Alisha smiled and looked dartingly between Teral and Bo.  'Yes sir, your aide said the Bisque is swimmingly so i figured ill try that.  Thank you Admiral Ogilvy for the compliments but it is the Admiral that should be thanked, it is his commands and his ships we just follow sir.' She turned and smiled at Teral her eyes green and on fire.
'None sense young lady, and never correct your bosses boss.  I know great crew when i see it.  You treat your Admiral right young lady and i promise you this you will never have to worry about your futures.  So what do you like to do for fun Ensign?' Teral almost choked on his soup, if that was possible.
'Well i do war simulations and i find that fun.  I really do not have many hobbies sir, if that is what your asking.' She continued.  'I enjoy the talks with Admiral Ogilvy whenever i get the opportunity.' That was a good sign for Teral.  Maybe the Admiral was smarter than Teral had thought.
'That is fantastic, do you not think that Teral is good looking? I was thinking of setting him up with my youngest daughter, after all Teral appears to be the wealthiest man in the 12 systems, what do you think Alisha.  Do you think he might be a good catch?' That was a jump for Sherrington, he is pimping her.  'Geebers, this feels wierd maybe i should stop it but she was so damn good looking.'
'Oh, well, he is good looking as far as an admiral is concerned, i never thought of it just like that. I just look at him as my CO, but now that you mention it,' She winked. 'Yes. Yes he is more than a good catch for any girl and if your thinking of a date admiral Ogilvy what about a lowly Ensign with green eyes?  I would call my self lucky if i were your daughter and he picked me.' She responded, the aide at the other table was listening in and snickered and almost choked on his drink.
'You mind your business Don.' The admiral looked around Alisha to his aide.
'Yes sir, sorry sir.' Ensign Don Ovarnish responded the smile vanished from his face.
'As i was saying Ensign, you take care of our protector while he is out there in space.  We need his mind in one piece.' He told her winking at her.  Alishas eyes grew and her smile widened as if her beautiful green eyes could get any larger. 'Yes sir, i will sir.' She responded and looked at Teral.  Teral couldnt stop himself from thinking of sex, he was thankful that he wore a jock supporter instead of the loose fitting underwear.  It was pushed that 'if your in a run make sure the boys dont jiggle.'  Most Rangers wore tight supports.
'Um, Alisha, on the way back to the compound maybe we will stop by the Saunders Outlit Mall and pick some stuff up for the ship, to make it more, well livable.  Sooner or later we will have to make our ships homey for human passengers.  The war wont last forever.'
'Sure sir, what ever you wish.  Just call me your gal Friday.' She winked and leaned forward and touched his leg demurely her breasts were visual now. '...And sir, can i make a few suggestions?' She began.
'Absolutely,' Teral found himself completely without thought of the advice he was here to ask Admiral Sherrington.
'Well my boy, you got your hands filled with this young Ensign, you will be just fine kiddo.  Teral, tell me how the ships are coming along.  What is this business of instantaneous communications you are creating.  We can not get that fast enough aboard our ships.  Your second in command, Commander Avon i believe, says that shortly you will be transmitting specs on building ship to ship Ultra light comms.  You can be in Celine and contact us here instantly.  My god what does that do for a war effort.  Not that you need backup but thats phenomenal.  Also what about your teleport system, if we had that you wouldnt even need to arrive at Celine we just pop you there.' The admiral asked.
'Well sir, first of all the portation does not work that way on that scale as of yet.  At most, our technology can only port the mass of a 3 ton or so of equipment or humans.  The ships are to large but we could create an open gate system aboard a ship and once we have a receiver on other planets just walk 20,000 troops through per day.  That could be a viable loop.  As far as the communications system Avon and Brenda will be implementing comms shortly.  They have not informed me yet as to the how of it, but they have been working on creating a system to system communication process.  Ill debrief when I am done here sir.'
'Fantastic stuff you people are doing up there Teral.  I am going to leave you and this handsome young Ensign alone and head back to CNC.  Take care of yourself youngsters and please do anything us old guys loved to do when we were your age.'  He laughed as he moved back from the table and stood. 'Lets go Don, get it to go.' The admiral sounded a bit miffed.
Teral stood, 'Thank you sir.  For your advice sir, i wont let you down in Celine.' They shook hands and parted.
'I know that son, your more than we ever dreamed.  An Admiral such as yourself is once in a life time.  Take care out there Teral.' The admiral shook his hand pivoted and was off.
Teral sat back down and had a million thoughts of his future when a hand touched his leg. 'Teral, may i ask you something?'  He was shocked back in thought of her. 'Sure Alisha.' His body ached to touch her breasts that were peeking through the 'V' in her uniform.
She leaned over him and her breasts pressed into his arm that rested on the table next to his drink. 'Teral, we are only human, do you think you might be attracted to me, i mean, physically?' It was too much for him to take, her face was inches from his.
'More than any female i have ever been attracted too Alisha.  It is wrong to fraternize with subordinates, but yes i am.' Her kiss was sudden and fierce, the artificial intelligence created was from a human brain that had been stored and the DNA was of a real person.  A real Alisha once donated her DNA.  She was real, the kiss, her tongue, her body.  His manhood was throbbing and hard as metal, she pulled away. 'Teral, when your ready lets go to a local hotel room and do what comes natural before we goto the mall, then we can do it after i need to know what it feels like.  I want to test out the feeling of what i have read about.  I sort of lied about hobbies, i have been reviewing sexual ideas, net vids, things to do with you since i took this cloned form.  If food is so wondrous what is that going to be like?' She shrugged her shoulders and touched her stomach. 'WE can get a room as soon as you like.  If i do say so myself we, you, have the money honey.'
'Well, just, if we do this, it can not affect our ships working relationship Alisha.  You ok with that?' Teral was crossing his fingers, 'Say its not a problem, not a problem, not a problem.' He thought before she answered.
'Teral, of corse its not a problem.  I was designed to do my duty, your the bonus.' she smiled and the waiter brought more food.

Three hours had passed by and they were laying beside each other nude and rapped in each others arms when a mental chime sounded in Terals head. 'Yes Avon?' He answered her ring and sat up.
'Sir we have created the comms system and are transferring it now, can i proceed to humanize the ship sir?' 
'Sure Avon do what you need to do.  Ogilvy out.' He cut her off, not wanting her to know that he and Alisha had just had sex.
'Teral that hurt somewhat in the beginning, i didnt expect that but my, i really think we should do it again.  I could get used to frequent bouts of sex on board, maybe do it in the weightless section of the dome near the gym on Lightning, after the war i mean.' She leaned over and grabbed his penis with her hand, her breasts resting on his stomach.  Without thought he was instantly ready again for her and was licking her breasts.

As Alisha and he walked through the store front of the Saunders mall they stopped by many stores and told them deliver, buy, deliver, buy, loading bay this and loading bay that.  He was spending tens of thousands of credits for the ships and the entire time he wanted to go back to the hotel room with Alisha.
'Would you like to stop off at a restroom Teral and stretch?' Alisha asked her eyes glinting secracy.
'Um you mean?'
'I do mean Teral, ill take car of you with something i read about.  It would only take 8 minutes or so?'  He looked around to see if anyone heard.
'Well lead the way my dear.' 
They held hands many times and at certain points she would skip about like a child.  He laughed and got aroused on more than one occasion and just loved being with her.  She was as smart as any person alive and sexier than any as well.  He felt guilty that she was as a child on so many levels and on other levels a goddess with more wisdom than any he had come in contact with.  Her jovial nature was beyond measure as they bought and shopped for the ships.  She bought items for the Bolt, for Lightning, for Thunder, for Avon and Mike and all the others, gifts would flood all three ships.  Gym equipment, all weather gear, food stores, services of all natures.  It was the malls biggest day of shopping in ten years, they pulled in millions of credits from Terals petty cash stores and had not even dented one percent of the funds.
'Thank you for shopping here Mr. Ogilvy, its unreal that we have never had you here at Saunders, we are the galaxies largest mall.' Five store managers followed him around and were doing most of the ordering for him as Teral pointed and Alisha pointed. Terals Admirals uniform and Alishas uniform garnered some attention as they walked among the patrons of the vast mall. Teral came upon a store that was unique to say the least, Angela's Secrets.  Alisha giggled as she ran into the store. 
'Everything, i want it all for you Teral.'  She began, the store employees looked at each other and smiled.
'You got it girl.  All your wish is my command.  Make sure that this delivery is boxed with NO Angela's insignia on them i want no one to know, Frank and make sure its delivered discreetly to Admiral Ogilvy's quarters.'
'Yes sir, without an issue.  I totally understand, other crew would be jealous.  Consider it done.'
'Avon, you busy?' he asked her.
'What can i do for you Admiral?'  she replied neutrally.
'Well in a matter of minutes you will start having hundreds of shipments brought up to you the ship via the Orion Tether, im buying stuff for our ships stores.  Make sure they are loaded in there proper cargo bays and sealed till they are needed.' He replied.
'Roger that sir.  Do you want an update of progress sir?'
'Nah, i am good, continue on Commander. Ogilvy out.' He cut the connection as they walked out of the lingerie store and proceeded.  His feet and leg muscles were fatigued from the exercise of the unexpected sexcapades and the shopping as they walked into the food court area to have food and drinks and rest before they started again.
'Sir, i mean, Teral can we get some sweats.  I would like to try candy and cinnabuns and so many things.' She began.
'Absolutely dearest, just remember do not over do it.  Trust me, nothing is worse than a happy upset stomach.  Sometimes we just have to find out on our own, but i do not want you to feel any pain, let me give you an idea of good. Come with me.' He walked over to a convience store in the food court and ordered to frozen cola drinks.  'The brain freeze she is going to get might make her aware.'
'Now drink it fast,' He didnt want her to have any pain on his part but he wanted to give her a lesson that you learn when your a child.
'Oh my god thats good,' then she winced and scrunched up her face and pressed her hand on her forehead almost dropping the drink. 'Ouch that hurts Teral.  You knew that would happen?'
'Yes dear and i am sorry, but i warned you do not over do it.' She would listen to him more thoroughly.
'Yep you did.  Ok lets eat.' She sipped more slowly and they walked over to a chinese stir fry and ordered.
The cling ons that followed them around meandered to their own tables and sat and waited for the two of them to eat.  Like crows waiting for a meal.

When they arrived back at the hotel room she was on him before he took his shoes off.  Her short cropped strawberry blond hair dangled around his head as she kissed his neck, the sensation gave his body goose bumps. 'Take my cloths off Teral' And he did to find lingerie beneath her uniform her breasts pushed up against him gently.  'When did you have time to put that on?' Her breasts were flawless his erection jumped to attention as if saluting his superior. 'A girl has her ways.' she looked up at him her eyes met his and the dance began.  Sex was the most fantastic thing he had done in years, he knew that he might regret it some day but right at that moment it was the most perfect thing he had.

The next day they checked out, hundreds of Net reporters were in the lobby like flies to manure. 'Mr. Ogilvy can we ask you questions? Admiral can we have a moment of your time?'  So many reporters.
'Sure, sure.  Whats up?' He responded with no resignation.
'Sir, so many billions of dollars you apparently have garnered from the Ogilvy Technology Limited. Can we ask you is it the child that has done this for you, given you a super brain to create so many inventions, or what?' One of the reporters asked, they all waited.
'HEHE,' he laughed so hard.  'Yes, something like that.'  No one knew of his Cloned body, of his Ships body, except Mother Dura and Sherrington.  Should he keep that secret.  'Yes, yes i think that will stay secret.'  He thought to himself.
'Well let me just say that after winning the race i wished for something of the nature of being able to defend Dura no matter what.  The child did that.' He started.
'Sir, Adam Wesley, the Net-tribune.  Do you have a girlfriend or are you looking for one, we see your single, and worth trillions of credits?' Of all the questions.
He looked quickly at Alisha who was without attitude or shock, she stood neutrally. 'Well maybe my aide could answer that better.
Alisha was not expecting to be asked a question. 'Um, well, he is single but finds that its to difficult fighting a war to focus on such matters.  Maybe after he will address that. Next question please.' That stopped any issue of anyone asking Teral about his personal life.  He loved her and he knew that now.
'Sir, can we ask how the war effort is going.  Michelle Scott Net news 840, Should we worry or do you have it all in control?'  Teral smiled and knew he was going to be asked sooner or later, however he was suddenly excited over being a celebrity.  Balls, partys, entertaining, 'Well in a nutshell let every known system know that Admiral Ogilvy is coming for them, surrender or be dealt with.  I have no room for killing but i will to protect my world and her citizens rights.  Long live Mother Dura.  Your answer is, the Thunder is my platform 1,000 miles from the Jump Point Dura.  They come through without beacons matching my platform, they die.  Without mercy without thought.  Dura is the safest in the universe.  The Thunder will be taking applications for employment if anyone wishes to colonize by the way.  The planetoid can house up to 100 million humans.  We are out fitting her for trade and housing as we speak.  Also dont forget that when the war is over i am going to convert my Flotillas to colonization and will be taking millions to the stars.  We will be going in uncharted systems and look forward to our futures of space exploration.  Please apply at ccc.ogilvyemployment.Dur.  Any more questions?'
'Sir what are you looking for in a girlfriend?' A blond female with a newspaper badge from the net-news asked.
'Your name?'  'Ms. July Swanson, Net-news 2200, maybe you heard of me sir?  Single and looking.' She said, and Teral winked and looked her up and down.  He suddenly had an intrusion message that broke in his mind. 'You better freaking not even think it Teral.'  Alisha somehow broke in his mind.
He winced and laughed, 'Never my darling and how did you break my shields?  And i have to be about the press dear so give me the benefit of the doubt.'
'A girl has her ways.' He looked at her and her face was a mask that a poker player couldnt penetrate.
'Well Ms. Swanson, first let me say you are nicely fetching and who knows who might come to dinner with me in the future, but right now i have one thought and thats win the war.  Any other questions.' The questions flew by and an hour later Teral had to stop them or he would be there all day.

The shuttle landed on the Lightning without issue and Teral walked to the ships Admirals quarters and wanted to lay down.  It had been months since he was this fatigued.  He liked being the mind in the ship and not having to rely on the human frailties of sleep and eat, but the sex. 'My holy Dura.'  Alisha followed him to his quarters and after the AFR (away from room) admittance was on the room they looked over the large quarters and proceeded to the bed.  It was a smaller bed than the hotel room, a queen, but they managed on the bed, the floor, the kitchen, the shower.  Aerobics were amazing.  Teral lost all thoughts of everything except her.

Ch 10

Nine days, alot of sex, later.
'All hands, now hear this, I want this ship and the Bolt ready for departure in 38 hours.  Ill put my clone in storage in 10 and we will shake down for the trip.  I want everyone ship shape and ready to go.  Give me updates folks each one individually please.' Teral called out to all the crew.
'Sir, Brenda and I have created a Comm system that is now installed in 80% of the DNF ships.  Avon has put one right in the Admirals CNC for Admiral Sherrington to talk to you any time. We also have put one in the Presidents offices should you need her.  We do not think that you will need it.  Commander Taggert is on the horn sir and wishes to chat with you before we move out.  She was replaced by another ship and is here now ready to depart.' Brad finished.
'Put her on Avon.'
'Admiral Ogilvy, i was wondering if it wouldn't be more efficient to tracktor my ship to you and hook us in to the Lightning for the jump to Celine system.'
'Sounds good Taggert get with Ensign Moore, and he will supervise where we want you stashed. Anything else?'
'No sir, thank you sir.'
'Hey Ryarson is your mech stored and are you back in command of Bolt?'
'Sir, my consciousness never left the Bolt, its just a split.  The mech gaurd is just an extension, what can i do for you sir.'?'
Teral forgot that part about the AI's.  'I want Alisha transferred to this ship as my aide.  She was unreal help on Dura, and i want you to get Brad to create a new weapons officer for the Bolt please and Thunder.  Thats all.'
'Yes sir, consider it done.  Her brain will be moved aboard your ship and housed with the other AI's stored functions.'
'Avon give me ships update please.'  He called.
'Yes Teral, we slowed building a tiny bit because we were stopped from growth being connected to the Duran station.  We are 66,731meters now.  The Bolt has been built upon as well by our Medians and she is 22,089 meters(Dreadnaught Class Destroyer) and an equal match for any 40,000 ships by herself.  We have 8 MG-guns now all independently powered by new tech generators.  Those are shielded as well and can not be nocked out.  Their shields are absorbing shields below our current shield threshold.  If we are overwhelmed those guns will still fire.  That frees up alot of our shielding to cover extreme areas.  We have projections that other systems know that we are going to Celine and have sent ships to aid Celine.  I think we are going in to fight more ships than Celine currently had on their rosters.  The Thunder data banks tell us that they were in talks with 3 other systems when she was sent to fight Dura. They thought that Dura would be theirs for the picking.  The four systems had plans on being the new seat of the Federation if they won.  Cocky that they were, i think we will be fighting around 100,000 ships along with their platforms.  We might encounter one or two platforms, not as big, but similar to Thunder.  Sir, i think we should delay a week and Thunder will be operational for flight.  She would be equal to us in armament and shielding, as well as firing.  She has 3 MG-guns and tens of thousands of upgraded laser batteries now.'
'No, she stays here and if we die, then so be it.  We need Dura safe, that is her safety blanket until Willis is operational. We are two weeks away from Willis going fully operational.  So with Bolt and Lightning, they could have 200,000 ships and we would still beat them down.  The Platforms will have to be dealt with first. I want all those platforms gone.'
'Teral may i ask a personal question sir?'
Teral thought for a second, whats wrong with Avon? She was acting wierd.
'Sure Avon, always.' He responded.
'Teral, you are my friend and i care more than you know, but are you and Alisha, um, well, um, you know.  An item?'
Teral panicked, they were so careful. 'Well i do not want to lie to you Avon, i consider you my closest friend on this ship.  Hell in real life, your my best friend.  I do not want you mad, but i thought of you and I becoming more than we are and there would be no way.  I couldn't do that to you.  You and i could never get romantically involved, i need a 2nd in command with no personal feelings or attachment of that nature, it would hurt my judgement i think.  I did think of it and i was attracted to your body that i see in my view screens but i couldn't think that way about you.  She and i just happened, i didn't wish it or plan for it, but it happened.  Yes, i care for her deeply, would you forgive me?  I knew you might be growing feelings for me like i have for you but i couldnt cultivate it.  I am sorry.' Teral flooded her with his thoughts and explanations and apologized.'
'Teral stop, you need not worry of me, i have no jealousy i just wanted to know.  We are friends and will always be and maybe some day more.  You are my creator and my commander, i just wanted to know sir.' She responded.
'How did you find out Avon?'
'Womens intuition sir.' Teral smiled.
'Dang i forgot about that intuition crap.  Ok all hands i am going to be transferring my clone to ships storage give me sit-rep on where each department is after. I need Alisha to med storage 331-alpha-libra 6 please to assist.'

'Alisha i know there is a chance this process may not work properly i just wanted to tell you something and i know my consciousness is not threatened.  I think i am in love with you.  However, it feels wierd being your commander and boyfriend, can you take orders from Avon like you do from me? Without issue i mean?' He was laying in a tube that was misting prepairing the body for storage.
'Yes sir, without issue sir.  I am after all an AI.  I am not what you might call human sir.' Her formal nature was without malice or rudeness.  It simply was a fact.
'Fantastic, ok i am feeling sleepy.  If i dont wake up on time Avon is in charge.' The Admiral fell asleep at that moment and darkness took him.

Teral awoke within his ships memory banks and the brightness of the darkened space in front of him was a feeling of gladness as his eyes became aware of the planet and space station Dura.  He was aware, and the transfer worked perfectly.  His body was in storage and his mind was unbounded, the feeling was immense and he would get used to it eventually.  There was no euphoria with the sensations, he accessed the ship and its system with a thought and everything was in order.  He used ships cameras to check on his previous injuries that were opened to vacuum and there was not even a scar.  He looked at Alishas body in storage med bay right next to his, her nude form frozen beside his and he smiled without physical lips to form.  His body was the ship.
'I am awake Avon, all crew, we need to ready for jump in 22 hours.  It appears that i took longer to adjust then i thought would happen.  Ryarson is Taggerts ship joined?'
'Yes sir Mike stored her just north of the Bolt.  It is a tiny little spy ship.  338 crew must be cramped.'  It was almost snobbish but compared to Bolt or Lighting it was true, they were tiny comparatively.
'As far as DNF ships go she is a nice ship, and stealthed as well.  Our ships are not worth stealthing because of our speed we are invisible. 1180 meters front to back that is a nice size spy ship.'
'Avon let Dura know we will be detaching from umbilical shortly and all stores must be aboard if they are not already.  All human techs should be off.  Our speed will kill any aboard if they stay.  Make sure all on taggerts ship are in stasis as well or they will die.'
'Roger that sir.'
He opened a call to Alisha and closed all contacts with others.  'Are you there my love?' he called to her wanting to hold her and caress her body.  He no longer had the means for an arousal but he thought briefly of the sex they had prior to arriving back on Lighting.
'Yes Teral, i was worried for a micro second there you took a few extra hours to merge.  I wish that didnt take so long it was an eternity.  You still love me?' She called and giggled.
'Oh stop it. You know that doesnt change, i know we can talk to each other a bit like this and no one is the wiser but its not the same without you beside me.' He pouted.
'I can be beside you but we could not touch so i dont see the point really, this video chat thing is the best we can do. I want to have sex again.  I want to eat a banana split.  Lobster and shrimp.  It is not fair Teral this damn war better end quick so we can have fun.'  Her video image folded her arms and she sat hard on a couch that she normally used in video chat.
'Well we will be fine.  Make sure to help out Mike if and when he needs it Alisha, i have you as back up for weapons.  Also, Avon knows about us as well.  She will keep it to herself, but she alluded to us and made a best guess, so if you want to chat with another female you can talk to her if you like.' He offered not wanting her to take him up on it, he hoped that the two of them didnt talk about it.  He liked Avon too much and didnt want any issues.
'I dont think i need to chat about us to her, but if i do i'll call her.'
'Well if you want to chat just tight beam me with the yellow submarine gingle, only you have that one.'
'Ok darling, dont work to hard Teral, i can go without rest for months you can not, so be restful when you get the chance.  Back to work, tata for now love.'
'You too Ali.' He missed there time together her visage faded and he would tick off the minutes till it happened again.  Teral wanted to smother her with affection but knew thats how he always lost his females so he held back.

'Sir we are six hours to Jump and no answer from Celine.  We didnt expect another platform or an answer but we should arrive before the drone from Thunder ever gets to Celine.  We have Willis operational sir with 2 MG-guns activated.  We are way ahead of schedule, weeks, Teral.  The DNF CNC called to say happy hunting but didnt request chat with you and the Tera-Comm set up that Brenda created is working.  We have instant coms to any ship or the president or the admirals lounges, if you need anything your a click away.  I believe we should test it in jump and see if its working correctly.' Avon told Teral
'Yep i planned on that.  Hows Dura-net advertising and news about us, anything off the wall?'
'Nope, your approval rating is almost 92%.  The DNF has your video recruiting soldiers left and right.  Amazing, we do not even need recruits.  Why would they be doing that?' She asked knowing the answer, she liked to get Terals mind off things with mundane chit chat.
'Well the DNF has to give the appearance that they are recruiting and training to fill new ships.  The thunder could take millions on board and not dent the interiors.  As you know she is a planetoid rather than a platform, and you and i both know that the Celine system is going to be hurt losing that beast.' The ship would build speed just before entering the jump and there was always a chance that the jump would misalign and take them millions of miles in the wrong direction.  It happened hundreds of years before but the nervous tension was more worry than fear.

The body of Teral was 69,477 meters in length and continued to grow until Teral was satisfied, he did not know when that would be but he had an idea.  Once the ship was 100,000 meters he would widen it out to 50,000 meters and 15,000 deep.  The ship would be large enough to have an interior weather system that would help to manufacture air, water and food.  It would be self sustaining and the occupants that would search the Universe could live on the ship for a millennium and not need to leave.  The true idea of an exploration vehicle with enough fire power that if you ran into something dangerous you could protect it.  The body of the ship shuttered as it entered Jump space and the subluminal flight was in a different level of awareness.  Traveling at 8.4 times the speed of light had no equal, the speed was mind blowing and would scare the space travelers from ever attempting it even if they could.  The normal jump lanes were 2.2 times the speed of light when in jump however with the enhanced drives Brenda and Brad had created they took from exisiting technology and expanded it beyond anything man could dream.  The engines were performing at a range far beyond any current thoughts of speed and travel. 
'This is a test admiral Sherrington just a test, over.' Teral called on the new system his simulcrum talked and he saw himself sleeping soundlessly next  to Alisha.
'We hear you Teral, just amazing.  That crew of yours is a Godsend.' The Admiral smiled and laughed as he talked to Teral as if making a vid call.
'Well sir, if we need you we will shout, Ogilvy out.'
'Roger that son, good luck and good hunting.'

It would be 8 days till Celine space, but Teral was already envisioning flying through the Universe his body rapped around Alisha and both of them falling asleep and waking to a fruitful forever, maybe Avon would join them. 'Wow thats a nice thought, i wonder if they would go for that, OMG i need to get that out of my head.  Time will tell. i'm a pervert.' 
The ship would grow an extra 11,600 meters while in jump as a barrage of interstellar debree would hit it from stars and other gravidic springs.  The M builders would work without rest and Teral was bored silly already.  He didnt want to crowd Alisha by talking to her every minute of the day so he watched vids that were linked directly into the net now from the com systems Brenda had created.  He watched news from the 12 systems.  He played games in 3d his icons were self generated and many assorted things like that.  He didnt eat, or sleep so it left the full day to do nothing.  'Avon when this is all over maybe you and the others can get in your cloned forms and we can start exploring the universe for alien architypes.  I am sure we will find many habitable planets out there.  Maybe instead of flying the ship we can navigate the ship in our human bodies and it would make the time go by faster.  In other words, i am bored.  What do you do to keep from being bored?'  He asked her.  ''Well Teral, i was just watching an old vid called Lost in Space, about these doomed people that went through jump space and got lost.  I do that, i watch vids.  loads and loads of vids.  How bout you?'
'Same, can you get Sonny on the horn I want to know how Thunder and Willis are coming along, I don't want them attacked and overwhelmed this short in their refit.'
'Teral you could do nothing if it did, by the time we turned around and headed back it would be too late.  They are ready but I will get Sonny on the line.' she tisked him for his worry.
'On com.'.
'Hello sir, Sonny here.' she responded her blond hair flowing around her face, the simulacrum was lovely. 'Yes, Hi Sonny.  Just checking in for an update of your current progress.  With that big of a ship I was assuming you could progress faster than we have because we built as we grew you were already larger than us by far?'
'Well Admiral, we have progressed very quickly, we have 28 times the Medians you have had at any given moment so our progress is quick.  Currently we have transformed all weapons and are working on new ones, we have 11,773 laser turrets covering 360 degree fields of fire, 4990 chain guns shield piercing rounds,  2100 current missile tubes have been retro-fitted with new M-warheads which are far in advance of current tech with their own MG-drives that push 1,760g.  Those baby's are equal to the enemies tracking so the drive signatures are invisible and ships won't know they were hit till their shields are gone.  I won't use the missiles except as last efforts, I am about saving lives first sir.  We have 12 MG-guns and soon all of them independent generators and shields, I find that more than a match for any fleet of 200,000 ships or more.  If our shields are overwhelmed we have the fleet killers which are new. I wish we could have loaded you with them but Brenda will build them if you wish.  Those fleet killers are teleportation core overload bombs.  I have 5,000 of them on standby, each one of them can be ported to any ship and released and all the energy the ship generates is overloaded. The drawback to it is obvious, everyone dies.  However we built in an alarm system to them that says you must evacuate in 2 minutes or less or you will die.  There is no way an enemy can stop it we port it into the center of their engine power core, when the containment shield protecting the fleet killer is gone the ship overloads and no more ship.' Teral whistled in awe of the Thunders untapped future ability, a planet. ' Our engines are 18 Grav engines upgraded and we can move the Thunder at equal speeds to the lightning, however with humans aboard they must all be in stasis or we can only travel at ten to 15 gravs which would inhibit our war productivity so i have stasis tubes equal to every man or woman aboard in their quarters.  As they board the tubes would be active and they sign agreement to be in stasis if we are in battle.  We are currently taking in residents that are bio-screened by Marvin, our new science and human liaison, that are filling in the habitats.  I believe we could take on 40 to 50 million human residents if you choose, within a week. We could charge them fee taxes which will help build the future locations within Thunder.  Each resident after screening will sign a Goods and services agreement that will put 12% of their incomes into the banks for our upkeep.  So far we have takin more than 14,000 applications and can start the boarding process after the war.  We believe that this will fit your exploration plans for the future and we will have your colonists as you find the planets for habitation.  Willis is almost complete, Jennifer is over Willis, she is a new AI that was approved by the president and Admirl Sherrington, however she is not under your command she is under Dura's assembly, however I have imbedded overrides and given that to your command codes, you have the file.  You just want your technology safe guarded from future circumstances.  You have the back door to protect against war, hackers, whatever.  Willis is not Jump capable because Sherrington wants it protecting Dura, but she can maneuver in Duran space at 500g if all humans are takin off.    The moon is all that Dura needs for protection, she has currently 1267 lasers, 880 chains, 4 MG-guns active but eventually will have triple that amount.  I have not released any specs on the Fleet killers or Missiles or teleportation.  That would have to come from you.  The Willis is under DNF command so their protocols and protections are not up to our safety standards so I would advise against giving them any tech the enemy might be able to steal at this time.  All the Medians working on Willis are controlled by me however, and no one will be able to steal their info or build one. I have Median failsafes that I or Brad or Avon can trigger their instant power down and desolution.' she finished and Teral was in awe.  He and the child had created AI's that far out reached modern technology but they were growing more and more bold and much more intelligent than anticipated.  He liked them all and was glad he was on the right side.  The artificially enhanced brains of the AI's was only enhanced, the Child had to have had a hand in their creation somehow and Teral knew that off his ship none of the AI's could be duplicated.  He was the only one that had them and the only one that could create more.  Brenda and Brad did what Teral wished and they always asked for approval now on all things created and implemented.  Teral would keep it that way however he was amazed at  how fast all of them grew.
'Brenda and Brad i wish to know some things please, our data transferred to my main computer companion, firstly how long till Willis doesn't need Thunder to guard Dura and two, can we teleport a human yet from location to location?'
Brad responded apparently Brenda had some needed things she was doing and he was vocalizing the details now. 'Sir, as it stands, the Thunder will be able to leave Duran space any time you say, the Willis is available for fleet maneuvers now; and second question is difficult, we do have the tech to teleport humans its the problem with when do we test it and on what or who.  If we test it on a cloned body someones mind has to be in it, and we do not know what will happen if the clone is ported to another dimension or galaxy etc.  None of us are sure what will happen so we need you to appoint someone or a volunteer.  We were thinking a new creation AI for it but we need your approval to create a sentient being that might awake just to die.'
That was a dilemma for artificial constructs they had no idea what sacrifice of life might be like and they had failsafes that only allowed them to sacrifice in protection of Teral or Dura.  'Hmm, thats a difficult decision, lets create a new construct that would be a volunteer.  Train it to take the step, keeping its brain here on the ship but allowing it to inhabit the clone, if the clone dies and harms the AI's brain here let it know it would be sacrificing its life to protect mine.  That is not a lie, we need teleportation so we can jump from planet to planet without ships.  The risk of life and death flying through space is dangerous, and very hazardous.'
'Yes sir.'
'Avon i see we are 22 hours out from Celine please put an alarm on Taggert and let her know she needs to detach after going through so we can boost to 700g and none of her people die.  We will allow her to maneuver and then we boost.  I want a general broadcast for Celine net soon as it is up, i want all ships to surrender or they will pay the penalty.  The system is a pirate system and if they do not surrender it means penalty of death.  I am not going to go through with that but let the threat stand.'
'Yes Teral, Teral could you talk to Brenda please, she feels you are mad at her so she has asked me to ask you to talk with her.  Its regarding the 130% of ore and natural resources that we are over.'
Teral was confused, '...Why would she feel i was mad at her, put her on.'
'Hello sir.' She started hesitantly.
'Brenda why would you think i was mad at you?' He asked seemingly confused.
She waited a few seconds, 'Well sir, your last conversation with me you yelled at me because i did something without your knowledge but i was simply trying to be efficient.'
'Well i am sorry but i didnt yell.  Ask Avon to play back some of my yelling sessions.  Anyway, what did you need to talk about and in future just ring me and your fine.  If i think your making a mistake i will tell you, and all of us make mistakes so remember its ok.'
'Thank you sir.  Well sir, we are 134% over norm for storage of ores and natural resources so i wanted to start a protocol of precious metals.  Platinum, iridium, gold, silver, mercury, etc., in ingots in their own facility.  I was going to build another Gym but we have 4 already and all are mothballed.  I feel that i could store those precious metals and help our net worth.  Platinum purifications are high as well as gold, 8,890 credits per ounce for gold and 11,061 for platinum on the Duran stock exchange.  I feel it would help our worth as a whole.'
'Great idea Brenda, do that.' He knew they had no need for self worth because of his patents being leased and his net worth being into the hundreds of trillions.  The teleportation patent was leased from the Duran science academy at 4 trillion credits every 2 years by itself.  He now carried over 2,200 patented items and growing.  He was excited about his teleportation process that was coming and had a few ideas about its use.
'Thank you sir.'
'Your welcome Brenda, and Brenda we are all friends first in this fleet, i just happen to have the burden of leading it.'
'Yes sir.'

'All crew, we have 15 seconds on approach.  Taggert release in 16 seconds please. Mark it. 15, 14, 13,' Avon counted down and that eager feeling of the unknown was on the top of his peripheral thoughts.  Teral was concerned what these bone heads had planned.  Would he be fighting platforms the size of Thunder and if so, he was going to have a monster fleet of ships when he was done, and a difficult time trying to finish them all off.

The blurred stars suddenly froze in place as the Lightning entered normal space and all thoughts slowed. 'Sir, we have platform contacts, 1031 total.  We have full system scan and are looking at 61,002 ships present as well.  There is another 38440 ships on the reverse guarding the out flight tunnel.  Sir we only have 1 platform 68% of Thunders size and all the rest are a tenth of that.  We have a vast majority in our favor.  It appears that there passive systems are easily locked.  We can boost to 700g without delay but are in no hurry.  The system has no idea of our power but they are prepared.  All platforms appear to have the Prime upgrade and are on passive scans.  I have full Celine Net online and decoding almost done, we will express surrender terms shortly on net.  We are broadcasting general band width on Thunders relay, would you like to listen to message?'
'Yes patch it in and tell me if any ships respond to hail.'
'...All ships, this is the DNF Lightning and its flag ships fleet.  I am Admiral Ogilvy, you have 1 hour to surrender your vessels or be treated as pirates.  The Centauri Prime Assembly has ended its war and surrendered, you are in breach of Federation law.  You agreed to be in the Federation but you continue the war.  We have your pitiful platform in Dura space, if you sent any ships they will be wiped out to the man.  I am a tiny, tiny spec of the Dura fleet.  If you wish genocide then fight, if you wish peace we give one term, surrender and the war is over and we simply want an Embassey on a platform and each of your planets.  Just an Embassey.  Nothing else.  If you wish to lease some of our technology that we release we will do that at higher rates but still no deaths.  If you fight us, you die.  No mercy.  You are pirates.  Your system is forfeit as a pirate system. Please for your own sake surrender and no one needlessly will die.  Ogilvy of the DNF flagship Lightning out.'  The repeating message sounded exactly as Teral would have said it.
'Thats perfect Avon, your so cute.  I can not believe you duplicate me perfectly but then i forget my memories and everything else is in the computer data base.  Mike tell me when we are within range of that big platform and i want that thing out of commission.  How long will it take to put out?' Teral asked excitedly.
'8.8 seconds sir after we engage we will take 27% to shields and absorption should reach 53.4% if they contact us like i think.  However those figures could be cut in half if they are sleeping at the bridge.  We have 808 ships by the platform and most are docked do you wish me to target those as well sir?'
'Target any who have engines go hot the rest just target weapons generators.'
'Yes sir.'
Light was blurring as they approached 700g the speed of light was a 1,000 gravities and at 2/3rds speed of light the ship was stressed but not to the point of damage.  At 770 g the ship would creek and crack and the shield would fluctuate because jump point begins at 10 gravities.  Once you are at 10 g the jump points would swallow the ships into a sub light whole through space, so the improvement was so vast that computers and AI's couldnt adjust for fire on his ship.  He was invisable.
'Sir i have the net access.  Broadcasting now.  I have 2,205 ships under truce sir, they will not fire and their ships engines are cold.  More will be coming in shortly. I have several thousand on the horn sir.  We have mass appeal for peace sir but the government is not responding.  The war is still on.'
'Sir we are attacking the platform, now.  Brenda is max absorption, two ships exploded while in port from generator flaws.  Sir we have the platform we took 44% dmg all absorption, no damage to ship.  Sir, we have incoming AI assisted missiles, they are new sir.  I have them tractored to the hull and have disabled them for Brenda.  We have surrender terms from more ships.  The platform is ours sir and the coms systems are ours too, and blocked.'
'Sir those new missiles are AI controlled, the AI is,...um, its, sir the missiles are AI and they are all surrendering sir.  Um Teral, we have 21,890 incoming missiles all surrendering sir.  I will store them behind us, but they wish to join the fleet sir.  Sir, the AI's wish to be detached from their missiles and wish to join us.  They never wanted to be suicide weapons.  They were created to die sir, oh my Dura in Heaven. Teral, they are humans that were created to be killed.' It sounded as if Brenda was crying. 
'Wait, are you telling me that Celine had the ability to create cloned AI but refused to listen to their AI's just use them to die?  Holy, Ok listen up guys hold on MG guns for missiles incoming and ASK them to surrender if they don't then kill them.  I do not want to kill AI cloned brains.  It is the same as murdering children that didn't volunteer.  Shit.  Avon get me link to planetary government now.  Tell them i will bombard the planets ability to produce energy and put them back to the FREAKING Stone Age if they don't!!!'
'Hailing sir.'
'Idiots.  Killing people and they think nothing of it.  I want every platform dead.  I want those platforms in our fleet.  Disable them all first Mike now.  Brenda put those missiles in tow but far enough from us to not damage us or the others.  Let them know that too Brenda, that they can not damage us at all they would only kill each other.  Ryarson, get him on the horn Avon.'
'Yes sir?'
'Ryarson, you have 30,000 meters of death i want them to suffer as much as we can give them.  I do not want them dead i want their means to make war dead.  I want you take out all ships around the planet and i want you to take out key energy producers on planet now.'
'On it sir, changing plan now.  Ryarson out.'
'Avon, i want that planetary government the minute we take out there energy production they should be calling, stick them on hold.  Bastards should have surrendered.  We will stop their means to make war.'
Teral thought of Alisha for a moment and just wanted to be held.  He hated useless killing but for Dura he would kill them all.
'Alisha, how are you doing dear?' Teral almost whispered to her.
'Why are you whispering my love?  I am fine, i am enjoying working with Mike but god he is stale cheese.  He is so by the book, i like it but he needs to lighten up.  I miss our love making and talking but i know your busy dear.  Can we take a vacation when this is over, just the two of us?' She tried to make him think of something other than the war.
'I was thinking the same thing dear, i just didnt want to crowd you and surely we  can, i just wanted to say you and Mike are doing a great job keep it up.'
'Thank you love, focus on the war not me.'
'Ok mom.'

Explosions ripped through the main planetary Energy plants, as thousands suddenly ceased to be alive.  Air was ripped out of them as the plants generators winked out and exploded.  A hydrogen producing plant that created most of the ships drives was planet side and brought up to space by elevator ceased to function and the space elevator destabilized and plummeted to the planet.  Tens of thousands died in the cities below, millions would be without power or dieing.  This government would pay.

'Sir we have 3 more platforms and 18,891 ships surrendered.  We have fleets of ships that will be ours under piracy laws.  Sir many of those crews want to join the Duran fleet because they were against the war.  Do we accept their migration sir? Its into the tens of thousands?'
'Yes Avon we do, but ill not have their officers in charge, i will put Ryarson over them as fleet admiral.  He can create AI's in cloned bodies to act as their officers and commanders.'
'Yes sir, sir we have government on line, they wish to surrender all arms sir.'
'Make the son of a bitch's hold.  Keep them on the line and wait.  Give it 2 or 3 minutes.  Ryarson, keep attacking, i want that government to be ousted by the people.  There is billions in this system that will revolt.  Get me Ryarson on the horn Avon.'
'Yes sir,'
Ryarsons visage appeared and it looked stressed. 'Yes sir?'
'Hey bro, listen.  I want you to ease up on the attacks, they are surrendering but i am making them wait.  Hit their biggest complexes and put them out of business.  I want their hubs affected.  They should have surrendered and yet they didnt.  God knows why but they will pay, try not to kill anyone if you can please.  I know thats tuff i just do not want any more death.'
'Yes sir.'
'All hands, Taggert, Ryarson, everyone hearing this message.  We have just been notified by the planetary government of Celine that they wish to surrender we will porting on the large platform and await their government officers there.  We will cease all attacks after all ships and platforms power down their engines and weapons.  The bolt will be on active patrol protecting us in case we have some ships that are rogue. Take us to that platform Avon and notify the planet we are docking and will have a general cease fire.  I want the Celine Net Polls out there now, to keep the government or does the populace want new officers in office.  If they do we will allow them to elect new officers and they will abide by it.  Put the Government on the horn Avon.'
'Please Admiral, i am Planetary President Auschmeyer, please call off your attack we surrender.'
'YOU DO NOT surrender sir, you are pirates and will be treated as such.  You are damn lucky i am humane because i am having my forces hold fire on all locations as soon as we dock with your big platform.  Whats the name of this big lunar facility President?' Teral asked with disdain.
'Thats the platform Formidable, Admiral.'
'Not any freaking more, now she is my Ambassador to Celine and the ship is the Storm.  I also have 3 other platforms that are now part of my fleet and hundreds of thousands of troops that have joined my Navy.  Shame you didnt ask your Admirals and military minds for assistance in the war or you could have saved millions.  Your a fool.  Your planetary process will judge you, not me.  The Duran Command has instructed me to do as i see fit.  You are relieved of your presidency until the populace vote to keep you in officer or oust you for new elections.  You KNEW my abilities and Duras abilities based on Centauri Prime. I know you got the message boats from Prime 2 weeks ago and yet you still fought our fleet.  Your a dumbass and you will pay for that.  I will await your officers and YOU!  Get your asses up to the platform and i could care less what you say.  My shuttles are departing for the planetary seat, you and your assembly will come on MY shuttles and await my pleasure, Ogilvy out.'
'Ryarson pull back now we are docking on the new platform Storm is her name, all upgrades shall be logged, Brenda get the Medians to build a plant on this platform just like the Thunder and get to upgrading.  Avon how long before Thunder arrives?'
'Sir, they will be here in 3 days sir.  Those three platforms will be easy upgrades for us, and should not take more than a week of building.  They are fully functional just generators are needed and upgraded weapons.'
'Roger that.  I will not have anyone transfer to clones until this system is completely pacified.  Avon get me Admiral Sherrington.'
A few seconds went by and his screen blinked.  It was so much easier to be in his human clone than in this form, he could not get used to accessing coms via thought process.
'Sir you do not have to ask, just call, but i have him now.'
'I know its just annoying to do.  Strange.  Hello Admiral, we have the Celine system under full surrender sir.  I have added 6,809 ships and 4 platforms to our fleet under the piracy laws.  It appears we have a large group of defectors that wish to join our fleet so ill be sending them back to you for debriefing and training sir.  I will have my own people in charge of their ships but you can reassign those for some of your crew commanders, however they are my ships sir by law. So please allow my judgement in commanders to stand for the time being until the war ends.'
'Teral, i would and Dura would never think of changing your commands my boy.  You are a fleet Admiral, i am just your oversite now.  Hell you will be at full Command status, you will prolly be my boss soon.  Crap boy, 6,809 ships? What the hell.  Nice job.  You have an army large enough to defend the entire galaxy once you upgrade those low tech ships. We never thought that? Wait have you thought of a police force using all those new ships?  To get from system to system.  Wow.  So many angles.  How are you doing son?  How are you feeling?' Sherrington asked lightly tapping on feelings of death.
'Sir, i have done what you and others have told me but it still hurts.  These bastards are pirates and deserve death but many didnt want this war, so i hate those that have to die who didnt want war.  Sir, they created HUMAN MISSILES, like so many waring nations.  Missiles that were not volunteers but created and maned by humans just to be better guided and to die.  We killed a few thousand of them before we found out that info.  They will pay for that. We are letting the people re-vote a new assembly and presidential election by net.  Avon is broadcasting that now in the next week this assembly will almost assuredly be out.  Thousands have died sir, maybe millions.  I can not let that attach to my brain.  I will not, they deserved better but got hit hard.  We are docked at the new platform and will have the assembly flown up to sign the peace accord.  Sir, i need advice on the liens i should attach to the system.  These bastards must pay even if they were not in favor with the war, they should have rebelled and stopped it?' If Teral had his hands he would have hit his hands together in clinched fists.
'Son, you do what you feel you need to do you are in charge son.  If there is something major and your crew can not help call me.  Wentworth is biting at the bit to come out to Celine, he has petitioned me 5 times in the last week.  He wants to rule the Celine system with an iron fist, but i told him you are in charge.  You can bring him out if you wish or appoint others.'
'No sir, free elections, no iron boot in these systems.  But they will pay heavy tax for the next ten years or so to Dura.'
'No problem son.  Hey when this is all over can you and that cute little thing you were with come to dinner? I really enjoyed our time son. i would like to introduce you to the family.' Sherrington finished.
Terals visage smiled. 'Yes sir, we would like that, and sir?  Thank you for that advice, her and i are dating sir. It is marvelous, you were totally right.  Thank you sir.  You have a present waiting for you at the Harbour Point Villas at Winter Isle that i just bought.  Just my way of saying thanks.'  Teral had bought a villa 3,000 square foot on the lakeside retreat of the nicest resort area on Dura, summers warm and winter skiing.
'Oh my goodness, you didnt have to do that son.  But, ill take a nice vacation getaway trip any day of the week.' Sherrington had no idea that Teral bought it for him, he thought it was one trip.  Teral was a generous soul.
'Well sir, enjoy it and we will see you in a few months.  Ogilvy out.'
'Not a problem son, call when ever you get the notion.  Sherrington out.'

Ch 11

'Sir we have coms on incoming shuttles from dirtside.  The government is approaching.'
'Thank you Avon.  Get their asses in seats then ill transfer to my clone.  I want my clone fully linked in case there is a bomb or some crazyness.  I do not want to be dead when trying to resolve this crap.' Teral began the process to link to his cloned body. 'Alisha can you link to your clone please i need to talk privately?'  Teral called to Alisha forgetting to block out all others Avon heard it and Mike and Brenda. 'Yes sir,' she replied.  Alisha never broke the bond of Admiral and Ensign she was always discreet.  Teral appreciated that even when he messed up.
Andrew begin the clone transfer please and prep it so that i can be back aboard ship in case of clone desolution.  I want my mind protected just in case with full back up.  Avon you too, get your ass in your clone i want you there as well for any support questions'
'Sir we did that last time without you knowing it.  If you were to die in the clone your mind moves to ship board memory sir.  We do it without your approval for protection of our creator.' Andrew responded.
'Oh. Um, well i didnt know that.  Thank you all for that.  I know that you are all my creation but i think of you as my kids, most of the time.  Please forgive me if i mess up everyone.  I do not have the computing abilities that you have.  Your infinite abilities are beyond my comprehension. Thank you all.  You did marvelously Avon, I know you can be in the meeting without it but i want you beside me, can you link me to Ryarson.'
'Yes sir?'
'Ryarson, i want your cloned self on board here ASAP!  I want you guarding the peace accord on station, can you multi-task your ship patrol and here as well.  I have a reason you are needed here?'
'Of coarse sir, i can partition from Bolt to Guard, i could split into ship board on a thousand ships if i needed to sir.'
'Roger that, get down here and we will have the meeting here shortly.'
'Andrew how long?' Teral was fidgety.
'Sir you will sleep in 15 seconds, you will awake in 22 minutes sir.'
'Roger that. Avon you are in charge till i say other wise do as you feel necessary and get into your clone as well.  Great job everyone Avon...' He fell asleep and she knew she was in charge for a short period of time.

'Commander Ryarson, please have a seat.' Teral called to him and the large Mech moved over to a location near his Admiral and squatted. It seemed awkward but he did it with grace.  'Ladies and gentlement this is Commander Ryarson, soon he will be the rank of Admiral in Lieu.  Congratulation Bill your an acting Admiral because these fuckups wouldnt surrender.  You will be in charge of this systems means to make war.  You will also be in charge of its protection from raiders or others.  It is the first system Dura will leave its military presence.  That will go on for 50 years, at that time the Celine system government can choose to keep us here or can choose to do it themselves.  The defense budget will be 22% of the GNP of the system to pay for our presence. They will put that tax money in trust to operate all the means of war that is here in the event there is extra it will goto Dura. The technology of Dura will be sub-leased to Celine populace later on in pieces.  You will be the General Governor of the system however planet side the election process will elect its assembly and government president.  The current president will not be president after this meeting.  You will be back to having the rights to be elected.  If the people wish it then you might still get your presidency back, but guess what?  After my com officers are done you will be lucky to get a janitors job.  Now, this is the terms of Duran Assemblage.  I am in direct contact with Dura, we have the technology to talk to each other instantaneously.  Your system is a pirate system, do not even begin to lie to me regarding knowledge of our fleet.  Centauri Prime did notify your government and the relay bot was excepted and signed for.  You had the knowledge and did not surrender!!!' Teral was almost shouting as Avon and Alisha sitting to his side winced. '...your choice thinking that you could defeat my fleet was grossly miscalculated and you will pay!' His hand slammed on the table that they were seated at.  'Your system is forfeit, if i was a tyrant i would have destroyed millions.  I dispise death.  You created artificial intelligence missiles, thinking that those missiles would have a better chance at hitting my ship. You got that from the Centauri Prime war.  You were mistaken and murderers.  Thats not the only thing but you gave them no choice, you created self aware computer systems from cloned brains.  PEOPLE!  Living breathing creatures, but you gave them no rights. Slave-Masters.  As of this moment, if we find out that they protested and you made them go, you will be tried for murder in the first degree.  My entire fleet is AI.  I am an AI.' He waited to see if they protested.  No one said a word. 

22 people sat in the board room along with Avon, Alisha, Ryarson, and Teral and no one said a word.
'So now that your letting that sink in i want you to send relay probes to all the other systems.  You tell them i am coming to pacify their system, they can surrender or die.  You tell them that if they want to face what you face, to resist, and we will be monitoring to make sure you do it.  Now with that said, president, you are no longer president of office. Get the fuck out of my sight.  The rest of you stay in your seats.  President you can wait in the shuttle, i have no patience for killers.'
The president tried to talk and two Mech guards came in and carried her out.
'Do i have your attention senators?' They all sat up and nodded.  'Great, you will agree to everything i am talking about and you can protest to the Duran council if you do not wish it.  If you do not sign it ill space you out the nearest air lock!  You are bleeding pirates to have aloud this travesty of inhumane deaths.  We will reach, hold on,' Teral whispered to Avon,  'The death toll.'  '...Holy Dura.  You son of a..1.281,000 deaths.  You bastards.' Teral lowered his head and was quiet and started to cry.  He wanted to excuse himself, this terrible human body.  So many emotions unchecked.  He stood and moved himself over to a glass window where he peered through at his ship, all 91,000 plus meters of death or life.  He wept. Alisha walked over to him her hands behind her back. 'My love,' she whispered.  'I love you for the man you let me see.  Sir, get it together.  These evil creatures need to know your resolve.  On a personal note sir, i love that you care for us all.' She turned without touching him and walked back and sat down.
He turned without tears in his eyes and anger framed his body.  'You!!!' he shouted.  'You will put in writing what your part is in this massacre and you will make it known to every living soul in the known universe what your part was.  If you instigated this, if you pushed it, if you didnt, who was against it, who was for it. YOU, will be responsible for your part.  They will all know you killed them.  You will be remembered. There is over 8 million injured and over 1 million dead.  You killers disgust me.  I will be back in 1 hour, access your portable assistants you now have access to the net.  Get me the truth of each of your feelings before i arrived and after.  If you are innocent it will be known.  Those guards will kill you in your seat if you try to do anything against the peace.  If you link on the net and try anything you are being monitored they will not say turn it off, they will walk in and blow you out an airlock.  Publish at your own risk.  I will be back in an hour.  This meeting is adjourned.' Teral got up and moved out with Alisha and  Avon and Ryarson folllowing.

They sat in a mess hall guarded by 40 guards flanking the halls of the platform Storm.  Alisha sat next to him with her hand on his leg. 'You need to know i care more for you now than before.  I do not like the feeling of sadness, its as if i can not control it unless i partition.  Its not fair Teral.' He reached over grabbed her and hugged her, she was feeling sorry for herself for the million dead.  Her emotional feelings started off when she was in the human body, she felt sorrow for the dead.  She loved being held by Teral.  It was strange when she was in this body she needed him. 'I need you Alisha, our holding, our companionship, dont leave me.' Teral whispered. 
'I would never leave you, i love you.  Your my Commander, my man.  You could get sick of me, but i would never get sick of you.  Don't you get it.' She pulled away a bit. 'We like what you like, Vanilla milkshakes, burgers and fries.  Don't you get that.  Your net vids, those oldies, you call them.  We love them, you, everything about you is us.'  She lurched onto him and hugged him tight.  'I love you Teral and will always love you, even if you dump me to the curb.' Terals thoughts swam, love.  He never had it.  'I never had a companion before Alisha and i cant promise we wont fight or fuss but ill always be yours.  I know myself, but i dont know what having the same person forever is like so we can just play it by ear.' He hugged her back warmly as they seperated and they kissed.  Ryarson stood at the door way with Avon, his eyes on the halls scanning and Avon watching and giving privacy for the new couple.  Ryarson was such a guardian.  Now the Ad-lieu of this system he loved his creator.  He thought of Teral and knew he would die so Teral might live.  He wished he could hug his creator like Alisha.  He wanted companionship but knew it would be a long time in coming before he had it.  He glanced at Avon, 'You think Teral is ok now?'
'Yes, he is stronger than all of us.' She responded trying not to stare at Teral and Alisha.

'Ryarson and Avon, come here Bill, please.' The mech turned and walked into the mess hall with Avon scuttling in tow. 
'You need to get a clone of yourself so you can meet with these heads of state. When we go back into that room you will need to tell them how you want them to rebuild and you will run this systems ability to make war.  Are you ready for that son?' Teral asked.
'Sir i take great pride in how i fullfill your wishes, you can count on me running it sir and if i can not decide you are a call away sir.' Ryarson responded.
'Bill, i know you can do it. When you command troops to die its the first step to taking the lead.  I know you can.  How long have we been away from the room Bill?'
'48 minutes sir.  Do you wish to head back in?'
'Yeh lets go in early and find out what these morons did, Alisha, Avon and I will follow in 5 minutes.'

They all stood as Ryarson headed back they would proceed shortly back into the board room, the halls were littered with guards all of them stood at attention as the admiral walked by.  'Avon i just want to thank you for getting into your clone.  Even though i didn't need you too i appreciate it for the support.'
'Not an issue sir.'
'I like it too since i have a girlfriend to talk to.'  Alisha responded.

Most of the guards were officers and AI's and were proud of their Admiral and creator.  He hated death, and they loved him for that.  None of their crew had died as of yet and they would follow him through fire.
As they all went into the room the senators stood rapidly and were at attention, that was a good sign.  'Sit down people.  Avon get me all the negative responses on net about these 22 senators if there is any.  Publish them on the bulkhead for viewing. '  A screen and projection suddenly hit the wall and Phillip Acorn was the first. 
'Philip stand please,' A chubby balled senator stood and said nothing. 'Your the worst of complaints from the people, you sided with the war, you agreed to everything the president in your party declared.  You backed her moves.  You were the second in command so to speak.  How do you plead before judgement?'
'Sir, let me first say we were all misled.  Look at the records.  Look at the minutes of all the meetings.  I told Cookie, i told the president this was foolish but i would back her play, she has been my friend for 27 years sir.  If i knew what i know now i would have resigned like 18 other senators did before you arrived.  Sir you should bring them back, they were all right.  I apologize for my lack of conviction to resign.  I accept any judgement you make sir.' the man responded.  It was not what Teral expected. That made it difficult.  'Well sir, the people will decide your fate.  The president is facing criminal charges of murder and not stopping genocide ill let the  people decide for you.  You are relieved.  Andrea Summers stand please.' A blond haired young women stood with tears streaming down her cheeks, and couldnt stop crying.  'I am so sorry sir.  We had no idea. I am sorry sir.  My entire district was destroyed sir when the elevator collapsed. Forgive me god.'  She sat in her chair and couldnt stand up on her wobbly legs. 'Mrs Summers you will not be judged for your actions, from what i can see your district voted for the war and you did it in loyalty to them.  They died both guilty and innocent i will not judge you. If the worst of you had no control then the best of you will be acquitted just remember you all answer to the war department and Bill Ryarson is in control of that.  The surrender documents will be brought in shortly by Ryarson and his aid and you will sign it without duress.  You will make sure that everyone on the net knows how unfair your current government was not to tell the people of the Centauri packet that came in, it was withheld.  You will tell everyone how the president gave you a direct order and put the system under martial law. You will keep your jobs if you want them, i assume you will be voted back in, we are not calling senatorial elections only presidential.  One of you might be the president but i doubt it.  It will take my ship and their builders a week or so to repair the damage to your electrical and power stations so your people get 100 percent of the news from my capital ship.  Ryarson, you have command, will you be geting out of  your mech armor or staying in that.  It seems you are safe without it.' Teral added giving the appearance that Bill had a body.  'Sir as you wish, i prefer to stay in my armor in case of pirates but i am sure it will be safe.  Ill transfer out of this armor if you have no need of me.' Ryarson played along.
'Not a problem son, the Bolt will need to come with me to the next system so your relieved of duty of the bolt, transfer all your personals from there son.' Basically move your brain to the new station Storm.  'You have command son.  Good luck and may Dura bless you.' Teral stood, Avon and Alisha stood and they all walked out. 
'Avon we are coming back on board, get my room ready, i need to sit in peace and quiet.  Alisha will be joining me to watch a vid.  Mike you and Brenda get the Storm, number one priority, for refurbishment.  I want her battle ready in minutes not days.  Dedicate all available medians to her rebuild.  Get Ryarsons AI integration for all the surrendered ships, i dont want any ship manned by one of their crew.  I want full lock down status on those ships and linked to Lightning.  I want full coms on all ships that are surrendered to us and now part of our fleet.  I want them upgraded and worked on as well.  We should have, initially, enough Medians to work on half of the captured fleet.  Stop all building on Lightning and get these others up.  Get me Sonny on the Thunder Avon.'
'Yes sir, Sonny here.'
'Hello dear, how long before you arrive in system, i need your ship.' Teral asked her.
'Sir at current speed in jump we are 22 hours 18 minutes out.'
'Can you boost ship speed at all?' Teral asked hoping that Brad had come up with something new.
'Sir we can goto 200% engines but it redlines many systems.  If i do that i might have damage but i can get there sooner, 12 hours sir.'
'Would anyone be hurt?'
'No sir, no AI would take damage of any kind.'
'Then do it, i want your presence here before they start shipping data to the other outer systems.  I want them to know WE are coming to stop them all.  Plus i need your medians to help rapid growth improvement in this system.  We did alot of damage.'
'Yes sir we are boosting now.'
'Roger that I'll see you here, and i repeat do not risk health damage.'  Teral whistled as he watched some of the ships processes.  He never had watched the Medians build.  Some of the Nano-bilders were ten to twelve feet tall and just as wide to as small as a 2 feet.  They worked fast.  Super speed.  He would never have believed it but he never had the chance to watch them, each one of them flying around like busy Bee's.  As his moving walkway approached the Lightning he looked back at the Storm and watched the jet packs flare and the Medians flooded the platform.  The builders moved so fast, and thought so quickly that before the welds were in place the next arms were moving in with the new metals.  Amazing technology.
'Alisha,' He held her hand.
'Yes dear.' he loved hearing her say 'Yes dear' just the words seemed to have a warm feeling in them.
'How do you think i handled that, would you have done anything different?'
'You did great sir, and yes i would have.  I would have blown Phillip out the air lock.  Instant death.  He deserved it Teral.  You know he did, yet you did nothing for thoughts of reprisal, am i correct?' She responded instantly.
'I see you already thought about this. Yes, your correct dear, but its more than that, you dont kill murderers for the sake of killing them, you let people do that and give them the benefit of pay pack. If i do it, it's me and they might take umbrage, but if they do it its lawful.  Your correct that i should have but i am Admiral.  I am Duras representative in this system or any system.  I think 'what would Mother do?' And not what some politician would do.  Thank you for your honesty dear.  I think i know what movie i want you to see.  Have you seen a movie called True Grit?  Its over a thousand years old but has been remade many times, but i think you will like it.  It has been remade and reworked but i think you will like it.'
'You sure do change the subject so can we have sex instead Teral?' She grinned from ear to ear.  'I enjoy it an awful lot.  Please?' She asked him with a hint of secrecy as if others were listening.
'You sex feigned.  Yes of course but do not get used to that, I am not some sexual debutante.' He giggled thinking about sex morning noon and night, every where on the ship, weightless, etc

12 ship hours later the two of them awoke to alarms on the ship. 'What is it Avon?'
'Nothing sir, just a rogue ship started shooting at Lightning and we neutralized him and the soldiers are boarding now.  No need to worry yourself sir.' She responded quickly.
'Well let me know what happens over there when your done.' He responded and Alisha nuzzled him further.

'Sir the Thunder has just entered system sir and Commander Sonny wishes to chat with you sir.  She says it is important.' Avon called.
'Ok Avon put her through.' He uncoiled and proceeded to get out of the arm and leg lock that Alisha had him in.
She yiped and turned over as he went to the washroom, his ear mix was embedded in his cloned brain so he could link automatically.  The connection was the same as his video conferencing when he was transferred back to the ship.  He saw Sonny as her video image, shoulder length blond hair and green eyes flashed.  'Yes Sonny, whats up.'
'Sir, sorry to disturb you but I think we have an issue and i need help to narrow down my responses.  The mainframe computer on the Thunder was AI assisted and it had a back door.  When we entered Celine space someone or something activated a redundant system that i had problems locking down, they were trying to access our tech.  I have locked out the info centers they were trying to access without letting them know i saw them.  However, i have located the person by terminal access, where they were trying to access us from.  Sir, its on the Storm.  I have troops right now surrounding the location, the person is still in there.  They do not know i have them under surveillance but i am ready to go in.  Do you wish for the person to be alive or are we allowed to interrogate the pirate and activate clause 138-b of the piracy act?'
'Um explain to me exactly what you have in mind Sonny.'
'Well sir, not to include or exclude torture to get to the information that we need as to who, what, where, why, when they tried to activate the worm in our system to get info.  They have no rights according to the piracy act and i can vac them if i need to make a point to other pirates.  Life in prison is minimum.'
'Sure, do it by the book and keep me informed.  As a matter of choice can you link me to the soldiers display hud so i can watch?'
'Yes sir, of course.' A sudden light hit him as the soldiers camera view was reflecting off of a mirrored surface of a stainless steal wall. He could hear the guards talking, '...We are 5 by 5 sir, permission to wax.'  Schematics put the Criminal at a desk west of the door 12 feet back and facing the window of space.  Full scan confirms it, we are green for minimal intrusion.' The guard responded as Teral watched.  It was like a movie and these guys were the actors.
'We are go Alpha team, door BLS on 5, 4,3,2...' A sudden Pop and the door opened and the pirate suddenly turned to face the soldiers and was subdued instantly with a pulse weapon that hit the criminal and she collapsed to the ground.
'Checking out the other rooms and negative on others.  One person, female.  Bringing her in.' The soldier picked up the girl as if she were a 5 pound puppy. His mech armor was so strong that he could have subdued her with a flick of his metal exoskeleton. 
'Sir you want to interrogate her or you want me on it?' Sonny asked polightly.
'No no, you do that, i do not want to step on your toes.  You got this, just keep me and admiral Ryarson informed.  Ogilvy out.'

'Come on Bill, i want to have lunch with you and chat over some things before i have to focus on the Oltera System.' Teral called to Ryarson.
'No problem sir, on the Lightning or Storm, where you want me?'
Teral thought for a moment, '...I will meet you at the food court in promenade 11-2c on Storm.  I like watching the Medians build.'
'No problem sir, 20 minutes ok?  I am just finishing up a briefing with the senate on the election process.'
'Sure, i will see ya there.'  Teral proceed to put his Admiral casual battle dress on and stood for a moment watching Alisha as she showered. 'How long you going to be Alisha, i need to goto a meeting in 15 mins or so?'
She was humming a song that Teral couldnt place. 'Well, how about ten minutes and ill go with ya? Unless its personal stuff your ears only stuff.  I like being your aid and taking notes.'
'Of coarse and thats why i like you going.  You can see things from a different perspective.'
'Ok dokie smokey, ill be done in 8 or so.' It was amazing for Teral that a female could be ready so fast and so beautiful.

The promenade was a simple food court of 14 restaurants Teral and Alisha waited 5 or so minutes and Bill Ryarson walked in.  He was Ad-lieu of the Celine system and his cloned body didn't look like an aged Admirals body, he looked like a teenager.  So young, but then again it was a cloned body from his DNA.  His Brown hair framed his head and his freckled face was not off putting but he did appear to be a youngster.  Too young for his rank at first look.  Teral and Alisha both stood as Teral reached out to shake his hand.  'Good afternoon Bill, so good to finally put a face to the name.' Alisha stood at attention as she waited to be told to sit.
'Thank you sir.  Sit sir please.  No point in being all formal sir with the likes of me.  You created me after all.  Others do not know that but when its just you and I sir i do not feel you have to put on the same airs.'
'Thank you son.  Well the reason for this meeting is i wanted to get updated on your progress with the system and find out how your doing.  Personally.  This is a drastic change for you and i know you were not anticipating it.  You are used to flying.  Sorry to move you but i need one of my own here running this system. However, i have instructed Avon to put all AI brains on board the Lightning for safe keeping as well as partitions on each of the counterpart ships as sort of a protection for you. It is a hostile posting and i know that testosterone keeps your dick hard as a rock at occasions with females.  You may be here for years and i just wanted talk to you abit on long term posts.' He hesitated as he watched Bill turn red.  'I was at my last post for 6 years, and it was very frustrating post because there was no movement of officers, you have had a massive amount of movement in a short period of time.  Have you been feeling some emotions your not used to and how are you handling the human sexual organs?  How are you handling your sex drive, are you taking pills to prevent it or are you exploring it? How are the locals treating you etc?.' Teral finished.
'Well sir, as to the previous points, the change was drastic and I have difficulty adjusting sometimes to the human body.  I have concerns,' He looked at Alisha for a moment and back to Teral.
'Oh, hold on Bill, Alisha can you do me a favor please? Can you make yourself scarce for ten or so minutes please?  Guy stuff.'
She smiled.  'I am at your disposal sir,' she stood and walked off smiling and humming the song she was humming in the shower.
'Whats up Bill?'
'Well sir, i find i am having a hard time as i am doing meetings all day and when a women is in that meeting, i find myself having issues.  Day dreams, vivid ones sir.  I am having a hard time blocking them out and subsequently i am having, well,' he looked down at his folded hands. 'Sir i think it is known as hard ons. Wood. Erection. I could name it a hundred things but i think you get the point.  No pun intended.' He giggled.  A sense of humor was good at least he wasnt a sexual pervert. 'Sir if i see breasts my body responds instantly.'
'Well son its like this, you master-bate correct?'  The cloned Artificial Intelligence of Bill Ryarson was not used to the feelings of the flesh so Teral started from the beginning thinking he was more like a teenager than an adult.
'Sir? No sir!' 
'Stop that, do not be alarmed Bill.  When i am in this body i have sex and master-bate so relax.  The point is you need a release of the- well you will figure it out. Just get a release or it gets pinned up and you get frustrated and headaches etc.  All of us are different.  So if a female approaches you and wants a date go on a date and have sex when she is ready.  Experiment with your new life, it has great rewards and not so great.  Women are difficult to understand and even more difficult to keep.  I hope all goes well with ya.'
'Yes sir, and to the other points sir i find it frustrating at times dealing with the senators and politicans regarding their own future, I am a politician now and i do not like it.  I have read on it extensively.  I do not feel that i can effectively make all the decisions so i goto Avon for advice most of the time.  We are direct linked, and Brendas new com system is perfect for that.  You need not bother, Avon is like a mom, she constantly wants updates.  Other than that sir i am fine.  I have not lost my temper yet on any of the humans but i wanted to several times. I know that Avon is just a commander but i feel she is superior, so if i need anything i goto her.  I also have rushed out a few senators because they just would not leave.  They are annoying.  I also had Avon create Laura as my creation tech AI to replace Brenda leaving with you Laura is my Storm creator.  I also have Bryan as the Storms weapons officer who just awoke as well so we are coming right along sir.'
'I know what you mean son.  Just remember your my and Duras representative to this system and before you blow get Avon on the horn to watch whats going on in the meetings.  How is the system going.  I could have called for the update but since we are here whats going on with the system?' Teral asked and called Alisha back to the table with a ding to her com.
'Well sir, from what i can challenge we only had one major issue reagarding force and that was the recent rogue ship that tried to shoot the Lightning, they shot 600 missiles at the lightning and all 480 lasers at once.  The Bolt took out all but a few of the missiles and Lightning absorbed the rest and the lasers.  The ship was disabled 34 seconds after it attacked and we have 491 crew under piracy and the ship.  The ship is being converted and the crew is being interrogated.  I will release most of them because they were just following orders and if they do not have an axe to grind ill let them go.  But the rest ill ship to planetary prison, other than the officers that show no remorse, ill space those.  Other than that the government is coming along well and a small bit of information, the X-president was killed coming out of her mansion by a mob that tortured her and then put her to death.  The others in the mansion were also killed including any senators that were there.  Three of them to be exact.  The presidents children were left alone because they were in boarding school 10 hours from the capital.  The children will be raised by the state.  The people have voted four candidates into next weeks election process, and i have screened all four of them as well as truth serum to be sure they could not lie, just to see if they have any issues.  I followed the rules of engagement during war.  One of the candidates is angry with Dura so i have suggested he drop out.  He didnt except that so is still running so i am hitting a net campaign against him.  He only has 8% approval rating.  The ships we seized are all being converted and we are building additional ships as well.  We have the Storm at 42% operational ability with 2 MG-guns ready. The Lasers are taking a bit longer due to none independent generators, we are building from scratch.  The ships shield will take a bit longer than we thought but in the next week or so we should have full absorption online.  All services have been automated and i am keeping the Storm independent with no humans on board.  The ships we are retrofitting will put an AI in charge in cloned format soon as the ships are retrofitted.  The First officer and second will also be clones.  Engineers will all be AI as well as their assistants.  I do not want any issues on those ships.  I will assign 50 Guardians with one officer in charge and i will have them stationed throughout the ship in minor mech armor as police.  They will not interfere with operations unless captain calls on them, they will be invisible to the crew neural linked to the captain for instantaneous orders.  The planet is adjusting to so many dead and are settling in now that they know we are not here to invade or interrupt their way of life.  The net commercials are saying exactly what you suggested, life is back to normal, go on vacation, enjoy, shop etc.  We are hitting the net with commercials about everything you can imagine.  A semblance of normalcy is proceeding.' He finished and while he was talking Alisha walked in and sat down without interrupting.
'Be careful son on those you punish, remember you do not want a son or a daughter mad at you and holding a grudge against Dura for killing a father or mother.  Do not just space them, let the courts do it.  Oversee it and you will be fine.  The court will pass down the right judgement under war time law or we will.  Just make sure they do not buy their way out of it. Other than that, nice job so far Bill.  Lastly i just want to say to you first that the fleet will not be leaving directly, i will be sending drones for surrender options to 9 systems and not going from one to the other.  I will publish the vids of all the attacks in those drone ships, they will have AI assisted navigations and Avon will talk to those systems directly. If they refuse to surrender ill move the fleet to attack and they will no longer be pirates.  So if you need me i will be aboard lightning the entire time unless you call, i will expect you to have dinner with me for updates daily but if your loaded down you are exempted from those functions.  All officers and the planetary government i will have to dinner in 3 days.  Invite the politicians and lets see how they act.  We will have a ball room function, dancing and i have a band coming in from Dura, The Visionaries.  They are number one on the charts and its costing me a small fortune because a war is being faught, but they are coming.  I am bringing in the finest chefs in Dura to cook, we need to mend the political views and i will inform them what Mother Dura will do for the system if they behave.'
'That sounds fantastic sir, I will notify all the senators and their families as well as the politicians.  Having the function before the election is brilliant sir.'
'Thank you son.  Lets get to that business and ill see you tomorrow for dinner.  No need to come to dinner tonight, Alisha and i will be in my cabin monitoring the planet and its peoples to see whats going on.  Avon throws net vids at me none stop.  Thanks for coming to the meeting Bill, i will see you tomorrow night for dinner.' Teral and Alisha stood and Bill stood up quickly wanting to match the Admirals pace.
They shook hands and Teral went back to Lightning.
On the way back to the ship he notified Admiral Sherrington of the progress report and he proceeded to hug Alisha as the mover approached Lightning he let her go.  He was very discreet regarding his affections with her knowing that every other female in his past he smothered with affection and they bolted.  This one he would leave alone and let her decide.  She hugged him as if reading his mind, 'I love holding you like this, and it bothers me when i can not.  Is that normal?'
'Yes Alisha, but most people i have ever had relations with i have somehow smothered with too much affection and i scare them away.' He responded and she squeezed him even harder.  'If i could be in your head 24/7 i would Teral, i was thinking i was being to affectionate for the Admiral and didn't want to impose on your sensibilities.  If you would let me i would never stop touching you.  I know that does not make sense but its new and i like it.  In my stomach,' she looked down and rubbed her mid section. '...I find a tingling sensation whenever you kiss me or hold me, it is a unique sensation and i like it alot.  I hope you do not get sick of me.  I have been doing some research on having other partners, would you like another girl or a man to participate when we have our sexual contact?' He guffawed at first and smiled, 'I do love being with you Alisha, the way you put things.  Not just yet, maybe someday we will add friends.  No men, but women if you like, thats not something i wouldnt enjoy if you do.' He told her thinking of Avon.
'Well  i am new to anything you wish to try, its all new for me.  I am eager to try anything.  Dancing sounds nice at the ball, i will try that i think.  I have observed many videos and downloaded lessons so i think it will be fun.'
Teral thought for a moment and like dancing from time to time as a vigorous form of exercise but sometimes you needed to just unwind.  The ball would not be that place, maybe a waltz or some such. 'Yes i would like that too,' He responded and thought of the upcoming ball.



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