Exponential Threat, Part 1

by Chris McCarthy

Exponential Threat
Exponential Threat (image created with Imagen3 by Chris McCarthy )

Amanda runs onto the bridge and b-lines for the controls. Chase Markley sits low in the captain’s chair with his feet on the console, looking lazily out the glass viewport. 

“What did you do?!” Amanda asks as her eyes dance apprehensively over the data displayed on the translucent master control interface that appears as a large square in a section of the clear glass, which, with a flick of the finger can also be pulled off and turned into a twin holoscreen that a crew member can look at wherever they’re comfortable. 

Chase looks over at Amanda, his head resting in his clasped hands above his shoulders. “Huh? Oh I’d heard about the light curtains of Tumis and really wanted to see them. So I decided to move things along. Turns out they’re not that cool.”

Amanda looks out the viewport at the pink and green auroras then back at Chase, incredulous. “So you defied my orders and entered Tumis’ territorial boundary? You know how delicate this mission is, right? You understand our position in the Intergalactic Legion relies on our ability to complete this mission for Admiral Flake with no complications?” 

“Yeah, I do.” Chase kicks his muscular legs down and groans as he stands up and straightens out his back. “We’re here to find Baldrick and bring him back to Legion HQ. Easy peasy.”

“So relaxed. You narrowly avoided a death sentence for illegal smuggling four days ago!” Amanda says. 

“And got out of that trial being named your co-captain.” Chase counters. 

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s actually a true union designation. I’m gonna have Salamander look into it. But for now, I need to, you know, worry about saving us from mandatory ten year prison stints on the most fascist planet in history, because we’re carrying illegal cargo.” 

Salamander runs onto the bridge and looks over Amanda’s shoulder at the interface screen. He looks out into space then takes another look at the screen. “Um, Amanda…”

Amanda waves him off, “Not now Salamander. Adults are speaking. Or at least one is.” 

“That’s no way to talk to your father. Have some respect.” Chase says, turning around in his chair to face the inside of the bridge.

“We need to come up with a plan for when we definitely get boarded by customs for smuggling a blacklisted species…” Amanda says, breathing in and out in a controlled way, attempting to remain calm. 

“Oh. Is this about the magno-puppy?” Chase asks. 

“You knew about it?!” Amanda asks through gritted teeth. 

“Yeah, I didn’t think there was any harm in letting Lisa make extra money so she could finally quit this dead-end job and buy a pod home on Zantaria.” 

“What!? This is why you’re not fit to be a co-captain. I can’t believe you didn’t think this would be a problem. First thing I’m going to do when—if—we get out of this, is to get you decommissioned for insubordination.”

“I’m a captain, so who am I subordinate to?”

“You didn’t share crucial information about our crew with the other captain—me.” Amanda says. 

“It’s not my fault the crew isn’t comfortable talking to you about personal matters.” Chase says. 

“That’s not our job, Chase.” 

Chase turns to Amanda, sensing her deeper anger, “Let’s not be irrational.”

“The only thing irrational on this bridge is you thinking that t-shirt is flattering.” Amanda says, putting her face in her hands then brushing her hair back, composing herself. 

Chase pretends to brush off the comment, but looks quickly at his shirt and the thickness just above his waistline. He sucks in his stomach.

“Amanda!” Salamander yells. 

“What, Sal? Spit it out!” Amanda yells back.

“We have company.” Salamander gestures at the display then with his thumb and index finger expands the space it takes up on the glass viewport to twice the size. 

Amanda and Chase both look at the screen. It’s a clear image of an approaching vessel. 

“Oh, shit. We’re getting boarded.” Amanda sits down in the captain’s chair. 

Winston and Lisa run onto the bridge just as another alert TRILLS briefly followed by a computer generated woman’s voice this time. Red lights flash on the deck. Ship approaching. Preparing life support systems for additional boarding of five persons.

Amanda looks through the glass then at Salamander. “Five persons? Wait, is that…?” 

Salamander puts his hand to his chin. “Oh, this isn’t good.” 

Lisa squints her eyes. That looks like an ambassador’s seal.” 

“Why would such a high level ship be interested in us?” Amanda asks the bridge in general. “They could have just sent a customs droid ship. I don’t…”

She’s cut off by the soothing female computer voice saying, “More data collected. The ship is the official vessel of his excellency Ambassador Edwin Trong. Prepare for an official boarding.”

They all look out the glass viewport. Coming into view is a small green ship with yellow lines on each side. 

Lisa leans agains the glass viewport. “An official boarding? Ugh. Those are the worst.”

Amanda turns from the viewport. “Does anyone even remember how to do those? Winston, look up the protocol. It hasn’t changed in a hundred years so even you should be able to handle the task.” 

“On it,” says Winston, “thanks for having faith in me.” Winston sits down at his console, then winces as he catches the sarcasm in Amanda’s comment. He puts one hand to his temple, leans back and closes his eyes, then thinks better of it. He looks over at the neural dock headpiece attached to his console to his left. He wipes off some dust and attaches it to the left side of his head, blue and red lights indicating the system has engaged.

“Wait a minute…Edwin Trong?” Amanda looks to the handplant device on her wrist. Photos of a nerdy thirteen year old boy pop up. She slides to one of the same boy, just a bit older. She slides through a few more images. “Shit, I went to school with Edwin Trong.”

“Then, maybe he’ll let us off without the mandatory ten-year prison sentence for smuggling,” Salamander says. This is a good thing.”

“No, Salamander,” says Amanda, “This is not a good thing. We were supposed to go to the Neon Gala together in year eleven, but…”

Chase looks over, “You went with that pretty girl with the bangs. What was her name?”

“Her name was… Edwina. Edwin’s sister.” 

“Oh, that’s right! I forgot about the carnage that cost him and his family—Amanda, you’re a true Markley.” Chase says, as the realization of what this scarring betrayal could mean. “Oh shit.” 

“Yeah, oh shit.” Amanda says wryly.

“Oh fuck us,” Salamander says, leaning down on his knees catching his breath. 

Winston stands up suddenly, a marked change in his confidence. “Ok, I downloaded the protocols. Amanda, you need to stand right at the center of the Intergalactic Legion Seal. Let’s go.” 

Lisa looks surprised, noticing the neural dock in Winston’s hand. “Wait, did you just do a system update?” 

Winston’s eyes cut into her, a new power behind his eyes, which now blaze a bright green. “Yeah. I’m fully updated. I figured, what’s the point of me halting my growth? What am I waiting for? Plus, now I know kung fu.”

Chase looks over, “Great line!”

Lisa’s eyes rest on Winston for another moment before she lets out an anxious breath out and looks out the viewport at the approaching ship.

“That’s a joke.” Winston smiles, then says to himself: “I have a sense of humor now!” Winston shuffles on the balls of his feet, his hands up in mock fighting position.

Salamander walks to the backside of the bridge. “I think I remember my official posture. It’s been a while but I think I stand about here. Standing frozen like a status is sort of in the DNA.”

Amanda hesitates but Winston grabs her gently by the shoulder and steers her toward the seal at the center of the bridge. “Over here, Amanda.” She follows him, surprised at his new confidence. 

Amanda follows his lead. “OK, everyone, do exactly as Winston says. If we perform our ceremonial receiving ritual perfectly, we might be able to buy enough time to…” 

“To what?” Chase asks. 

“I don’t know, I don’t know — we’ll be able to buy ourselves some more time. That’s all I have for now. I need time to think.” Amanda says. 

Winston claps his hands, “OK, everyone else, follow Salamander’s lead and line up behind Amanda. Lisa, come on. You too, hotshot.” He says talking to Chase. 

Chase lifts his eyebrows. 

“We have three minutes, guys. Let’s go!” Winston says, suddenly all business

——Three minutes later

Ambassador Trong walks onto the bridge wearing official satin robes of green and yellow. His attaches, Liam and Sturgis, enter behind him in a heightened dramatic way, stone faced, their eyes not connecting with anyone. A woman named Maritha, his pageant guard, walks just in front of the ambassador waving a green and yellow flag wherever he is about to walk to give him the pageantry he deserves.

Finally, after taking in the bridge for a few brief moments, Trong deigns to look in the direction of Amanda and her crew, who stand in the center of the bridge, all adopting the official postures of their rank and place. 

Captain Amanda Markley. It’s been a long time since the Perihelion Academy.” Trong says. 

Amanda stands stone-faced and empty-eyed, like the rest of her crew. Save for Chase, who is no longer on the bridge. 

——

End Part 1

Copyright Chris McCarthy 2024, Graphics by Chris McCarthy with Imagen3.