Fannec Records - Book 1: Outlaw - Chapter 11

Robert leaned against the rusty hull of their stolen miner ship, staring at the stars’ expanse. He scratched his head and sighed. “I don’t think this old bucket will get us where we need to go, Ace. It’s a miracle it got us here at all.”

Several days after they started their investigation, Ace had asked the human to meet at the ship they arrived in. Robert filled those days with more exploration. The facility had so many secrets to explore, distracting him from the lack of direction. During that time, the AI had been executing work only he could do.

“Indeed,” the small floating orb was hovering nearby. “Not only is this vessel ill-suited for an interstellar mission, but it is also likely marked as stolen because of your… enthusiastic escape from Mool. That is why we asked you here. It would be prudent to seek an alternative.”

“Enthusiastic? Is that what you call stealing a ship while being chased by angry government agents? Well, I suppose we should try to find something less… incriminating.”

The memories of his escape plagued Robert. He wished he could forget what happened, but he could never quite shake the nightmares that followed him each night.

“An excellent suggestion. Perhaps a visit to the asteroid’s ship bay would prove fruitful. The facility has been vacant for quite some time, so there may still be ships available for our use,” Ace proposed, spinning around like a tiny, eager planet.

“Ship bay? Do you mean like a giant cosmic parking lot? Sounds thrilling.”

“Shall we proceed?”

“Lead on, oh wise orb of wisdom,” Robert performed a mock bow.

Ace floated ahead, guiding Robert through the twisting corridors of the abandoned asteroid base. As they walked, Robert noticed how clean everything was. The oppressive silence filled the air, yet walking beside Ace brought comfort.

“Is it always this lifeless around here?” Robert attempted to fill the void with conversation. “I mean, when you originally worked here, was it this quiet?”

“Yes.” Ace’s voice was a soothing balm amidst the silence. “Although we must admit to enjoying the sound of our voice.”

“Good thing you’ve got such dulcet tones, then. Otherwise, this place would be unbearable,” Roberts remarked, smirking at the AI’s candor.

“Thank you, Mr. Fannec. We try our best.”

The human’s steps thudded down the corridor as they continued. Robert felt a sense of camaraderie with his unlikely companion as they walked in silence through the facility; an odd sense of comfort settled over them both.

“Hey, Ace,” Robert ventured, breaking the comfortable silence between them. “You think we’ll find something better than our current rust bucket?”

“Given the state of our present vessel, I believe it is highly likely,” Ace said, his voice infused with humor. “But whether our new ship will have the same… character remains to be seen.”

“Character?” Robert snorted. “If by ‘character’ you mean ‘held together by duct tape and hope,’ then yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

“Exactly,” Ace’s soft laughter echoed through the empty halls. “We shall see what awaits us in the ship bay, Mr. Fannec.”

The journey to the ship bay took Robert and Ace through a labyrinth of sterile corridors and unlit passageways. The occasional hiss of an automatic door punctuated the omnipresent hum of the facility’s life support systems sliding open as they passed through. Despite its spotless appearance, the air carried a faint scent of ozone and industrial lubricant that tingled in Robert’s nostrils.

“Man, this place keeps going,” Robert said, feeling both daunted and impressed by the vastness of the facility. He had already explored what he considered a fair amount of it, but hadn’t ventured down this route. Discovering a hidden world within the asteroid was exhilarating.

“Indeed,” Ace’s voice echoed softly off the metal walls. “Remarkable what one can build with enough resources.”

They arrived at the ship bay. Rows upon rows of parked spacecraft loomed before them in the colossal chamber—gleaming and pristine ships parked alongside worn and dust-covered ones at the bay.

“Welcome to our humble showroom. As you can see, we have quite the selection.”

“Okay, so what’s wrong with the ship we’ve got?” Robert tried to hide his eagerness to explore the bay.

“Ah, well, let us enumerate the limitations of our current vessel,” Ace relished the opportunity to provide some exposition. “For starters, it is designed for mining and hauling operations, which, as you may have noticed, are not our current priorities.”

“Outstanding, so we’re flying around in a space dump truck.”

“Its condition leaves much to be desired. To put it bluntly, we are genuinely surprised it made it here without disintegrating into debris upon leaving the moon.”

“Wait, what?!” Robert’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re telling me I could have died in a floating trash compactor?”

Robert stood there, his mouth agape in shock. The AI orb hovered there without a sound outside the faint hum he emitted, an unassuming ball of metal and circuitry. Robert felt a slight sense of anger mixed with frustration and fear. Who knew what other secrets it kept from him? He glared at the orb.

“More or less, but you didn’t, so no harm done.”

“Right, no harm done,” Robert repeated with an incredulous snort, before shaking his head and chuckling. “Any other secrets you’re holding on to?”

“Now that you asked…”

“You know what? No, I don’t want to know! Just… shut up and forget whatever it is you were going to say. But from now on, no more secrets that could mean life or death. Well, at least things can only go up from here. Let’s find ourselves a new ride.”

As they ventured further into the ship bay, Robert felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of spacecraft, each with a unique design and function. An eerie silence filled the vast space, only broken by the hum of overhead lights and the distant echoes of their footsteps.

“Hey, Ace,” Robert said, squinting at an odd-looking vessel that seemed to be held together by duct tape and sheer willpower. “What do you think of this one? It’s got… character.”

“Mr. Fannec, I believe that ‘character’ is not a trait we should prioritize when selecting a ship for our mission.”

“Fair point,” Robert conceded with a chuckle before his expression turned serious again. “So, what are our options?”

“Unfortunately, there are only two fully functioning ships in this bay,” Ace floated over to the first one. “This is the ZedZed-1, a cargo freighter designed for long-distance hauling. Its chief advantage is its spacious cargo hold, which might be useful for transporting large groups of people.”

“Great, another space dump truck,” Robert tousled his hair. “What’s the other one?”

“Behold, the Sito-260,” Ace bobbed toward a nearly identical ship, its hull and wings roughly the same shape, but the nose of a different design. “A slightly newer model, but still a cargo freighter. Neither option represents a significant upgrade from our current vessel.”

Robert sighed. No matter which ship they chose, they would still be stuck with a bulky, slow-moving target that screamed, ‘Shoot me.’

Without warning, a theory struck Robert. “Doesn’t this ship bay have some sort of maintenance function? You know, a way to modify one of these rust buckets into something more… suitable?”

Ace hesitated for a moment, as if considering the notion. “It’s possible. This facility is equipped with repair and modification technology. With the proper adjustments, we might create a ship that meets our needs.”

Robert’s eyes lit up with reluctant hope, and he grinned. “Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s turn one of these space dumpsters into a lean, mean, run-of-the-mill machine!” Robert began rubbing his hands together. “What’s our best course of action for getting this maintenance bay up and running?”

“Mr. Fannec,” Ace floated closer to one of the non-functioning ships, “We can confirm we have the materials and technology to modify one of these ships to be functional. However, there’s one minor issue.”

“Of course, there is,” Robert crossed his arms. “What’s the catch?”

“Ah, well, you see,” Ace said, a hint of sheepishness in his voice, “We haven’t quite focused our efforts on restoring functionality to this section of the facility. We’ll need to get the Power Plant up and running to utilize the robots and materials needed for your new ship.”

“Seriously?” Robert shook his head. “How hard can it be to start up a Power Plant? Don’t tell me I have to pedal a stationary bike or something.”

“Nothing quite so primitive. It’s a fairly straightforward process, but it will require some hands-on effort… on your part.”

“I guess it’s time to put my engineering hat on. How do we get this thing started?”

Robert had never been interested in the technical side of equipment, but he was willing to learn while his mind was free from the pressures of being chased and caught by government agents. The more he learned about the facility, the better he felt about living on the asteroid.

Ace led the way toward the Power Plant. As they moved through the muted hallways, Robert noted that he hadn’t been down this section of the vast facility.

“Here we are,” Ace announced as they reached a sign with ‘Power Plant’ written above them in the hallway.

“Alright, Ace. Let’s get this hamster on its wheel,” Robert said, rolling up his sleeves as if to face a formidable opponent. “You said there’s a step-by-step guide on the control computer, right?”

“Indeed,” Ace said, his soothing voice tinged with amusement. “Follow the instructions, and you’ll have the Power Plant online in no time. No need to worry about accidentally causing a catastrophic explosion or anything of that nature.”

“Ha-ha, very funny,” Robert felt a jolt of nervous energy at the thought.

As they approached the Power Plant’s control room, its eerie emptiness struck the man. The room was ghostly, filled with old computers and tablets that seemed relics from another age. Dust motes danced in the shafts of light streaming through the grimy windows, and the air smelled stale, like it hadn’t been disturbed in years.

“Wow, this place is practically an antique shop.” Robert scanned the room for the computer Ace had mentioned. He stopped in front of one machine that looked less ancient than the others. “I’m guessing this is the one?”

“Sharp as always. That’s the computer you need. Give it some juice, and you’ll be well on your way.”

Robert flipped the switch, and the machine hummed to life. The screen flickered, then displayed a cheerful message: ‘Welcome to Power Plant Operation 101! Ready to become an Energy Engineer?’

“Seriously?” Robert scoffed, shaking his head at the cartoonish font. “I hope this thing doesn’t start playing elevator music next.”

“Mr. Fannec, we believe your sense of humor is rubbing off on us.” There was a hint of a chuckle in Ace’s voice. “We will head back to the ship bay while you get the Power Plant running. We believe you can find your way back without getting lost.”

Robert was surprised at the straightforward process as he worked through the steps. He wished he had pursued an Energy Engineer instead of his current career path. While nothing could be done about history, it would help him to remember this choice next time.

“Boom, finished.” The room hummed with renewed energy, and he could feel the Power Plant returning to life beneath his fingertips. “Alright then, no time to waste. Let’s head back to the ship bay.” Robert strode out of the control room, still shaking his head in disbelief at the simplicity of the task.

He strode through the facility, more confident about his navigation. However, after a few confusing turns, he realized he had gone too far. He was lost and needed to find out where the ship bay was. His confidence ebbed away, and he felt a chill of panic set in as he surveyed his surroundings.

The flickering lights and dim corridors only added to his unease. He tried to retrace his steps, returning the way he had come in, but everything looked the same, and he couldn’t remember which direction he had gone. The sound of his footsteps echoed loudly in the deserted hallways.

Robert trudged through the winding corridors, his hands shoved in his pockets. He’d found his way back to the ship bay but only after wandering around several times, waiting to recognize the sections he had explored before. As he reached the entrance to the hangar, he paused and glanced back at the faded location plate above the door, double-checking to ensure he was in the right room.

“Hey, Ace!” He cupped his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice. “I made it back here without getting lost!”

Ace released a loud beep in response, and it echoed through the ship bay like a digital chirp of approval. The AI continued to float between the ships at breakneck speed, leaving Robert to find a place to sit and wait. He settled on a battered toolbox, brushing off a layer of dust before perching on its edge.

“Ah, the glamorous life of an exile,” he stared up at the towering vessels above him. “One day, you’re trying to win a shooting competition; the next, you’re teaming up with an AI to bring down criminal enterprises and save innocent lives.”

He allowed himself a small chuckle, shaking his head at the absurdity of his situation. About a week ago, his biggest concern had been honing his marksmanship skills in preparation for the upcoming tournament. Now, he was embroiled in a high-stakes mission, setting out to uncover evidence of criminal activities on distant planets. And all the while, a snarky floating orb that insisted on calling him “Mr. Fannec,” a moniker he’d never warmed to, accompanied him.

The guilt of the deaths he had caused weighed on his soul. Every life taken by his hand now seemed so much more than a statistic or a page in a report; his investigation revealed that each was a person with its own story, dreams, families, and hopes snuffed out because of him. The people who loved his incidental victims now had a hole in their lives because of him.

Watching Ace check each ship, he thought he should be grateful for the AI. “Without him, I’d probably be stuck trying to decipher those ridiculous cartoon instructions forever. Or in prison for crimes I didn’t commit. Or…” Other ideas passed through Robert’s mind, each less desirable than the last. Ace was his savior on so many levels.

“Here’s to unexpected turns,” he whispered a silent toast to the unknown.

Ace finally completed his rapid inspection of the ship bay and floated over to where Robert was sitting, a subtle hum emanating from the AI as it approached.

“Mr. Fannec,” Ace began in his soothing voice, “After a thorough examination, we have three viable candidates for our mission.”

“Three?” Robert raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said this place was practically a graveyard for ships.”

“Indeed, but even graveyards can hold treasures,” Ace said, a hint of sarcasm clear in his tone.

“Alright, so what are our options?” Robert said, leaning forward with interest.

“Option one is a simple transport vessel with minimal armaments, allowing us to travel undetected. However, it lacks jumping capabilities so it wouldn’t be ideal for long-range missions…”

Robert interjected before Ace could continue: “I’m not looking to spend the rest of my most likely brief life traveling through space at a snail’s pace.”

“Very well,” Ace conceded. “Option two is a cargo ship equipped with a jump drive. It’s a bit larger than the first option but still inconspicuous. It doesn’t come with any weapons.”

“Am I sensing a pattern here? No offense, Ace, but if we’re going to pull this off, we might need more than intentions and a bag of marbles.”

“Ah, well, you’ll be pleased to know that option three addresses your concerns,” there was a touch of amusement in Ace’s voice. “It’s a versatile transport ship, equipped with a jump drive, and it has room for some basic armaments should we deem them necessary.”

“Finally, something more up our alley. Let’s go with option three. I’m not expecting a full-on space battle, but it’s better to be prepared.”

“This ship should provide the necessary balance of stealth and firepower if needed. It’ll take some work to be fully operational, but we have the resources to make it happen.”

“Awesome.” Robert clapped his hands together. “Let’s get started on fixing her up then.”

“Of course,” Ace was already floating towards the chosen ship.

“Thanks, Ace,” Robert followed the orb. “And think–if all goes well, we might even get out of this without having to fire a single shot.”

“Correct,” Ace’s voice was tinged with wry humor. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. As you’ve demonstrated, there’s always room for the unexpected.”

“True enough.”

“Alright, first things first,” Ace floated over to a nearby control panel. “We’ll need to activate the maintenance and modification robots.”

Nodding and following the AI and studying the control panel with interest, Robert reached out to press the indicated buttons and said under his breath, “You know, I could’ve been a technician or an engineer if this stuff is all there is to it.”

Robert had never opened a textbook out of class and had resented having to memorize pointless facts. The thought of college filled him with dread, an endless list of lectures that spoke on theories rather than practical solutions. Staring at textbooks for hours was too much for a man who valued action more than knowledge. Robert had long ago turned away from the possibility of higher education and steered himself towards careers he could understand.

“Perhaps, but then we wouldn’t have enjoyed each other’s company.”

“Fair point,” Robert conceded, a lopsided grin crossing his face as he activated the robots.

The metal contraptions sprang to life, whirring and humming as they moved into position around the designated ship. Robert couldn’t help but be impressed by their precision and speed, the way they moved like well-oiled machines–which, he supposed, they were.

“Okay, Ace, what’s next?” he asked, turning to the AI for guidance.

“Next, we need to move the chosen ship to the modification area,” Ace highlighted an ample open space within the ship bay. “I’ll guide you through the process.”

“Lead the way, oh wise one,” Robert earned himself a playful beep from Ace.

Carefully, they maneuvered the transport vessel into position using the equipment in the ship bay. It felt like playing a game of tug-of-war with a massive spacefaring object, but they managed to get it done under Ace’s watchful eye.

“Excellent job,” a hint of pride was obvious in the AI’s voice. “Now that the ship is in place, the robots can take over. I’ve programmed them to perform the modifications.”

“Wow, you really have thought of everything, haven’t you?” Robert leaned against a nearby crate and watched the robots begin their work.

“Only the best for our mission. We must be prepared for anything, after all.”

With a shrug, Robert let his thoughts drift to the challenges ahead. As he watched the robots expertly modify the ship, he felt a strange mix of anticipation and apprehension. He knew they were about to embark on a dangerous journey, but with Ace by his side, he felt ready to face whatever might come their way.

As the robots buzzed around the ship, their mechanical arms whirring and welding with precision, Robert felt a certain sense of ownership over the vessel.

“Hey, Ace,” he watched a robot paint a gleaming additional layer onto the hull. “We should name this babe, don’t you think?”

The AI zipped closer to the human. “Ah, the age-old tradition of naming one’s vessel. Do you have any suggestions?”

Robert scratched his chin thoughtfully, then grinned mischievously. “How about ‘The AI Annoyer’? Since I’ve got you on board and all.”

“Very funny,” Ace deadpanned, its voice dripping with sarcasm. “Perhaps ‘The Human Hindrance’ would be more fitting?”

“Ouch,” Robert feigned offense, clutching at his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Ace. How about something more… neutral? Like ‘The Sarcastic Spacefarer’?”

“An interesting choice, though it might lead to some confusion over whether the ship or its occupants are the source of the sarcasm,” Ace said, his tone dry.

“True,” Robert conceded, tapping his foot rhythmically against the cold metal floor. “What if we went with… ‘The Jovial Juggernaut’? Sounds imposing, yet friendly.”

“Because nothing says ‘jovial’ like a giant hunk of metal hurtling through space,” Ace retorted, eliciting a chuckle from Robert.

“Alright, you got me there.” He paused, eyes scanning the ship as if hoping inspiration would strike. “Well, we can’t exactly call it ‘The Unnamed Wonder,’ now can we?”

“Technically, that would be a name,” Ace pointed out. “Though I must admit, it lacks a certain… je ne sais quoi.”

“Fine, let’s make a deal,” Robert said, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’ll keep thinking, and if we come up with something brilliant, we’ll share it. Deal?”

Bobbing slightly in the air as if to mimic a nod, Ace agreed. “I’m sure our combined intellect will produce an awe-inspiring name.”

“Or at least one that doesn’t make people laugh when they hear it.” Robert grinned.

“Indeed. Now, let’s focus on getting ready. We have a mission to prepare for,” Ace reminded him, bringing them back to reality.

“Right.” Robert took one last affectionate look at the ship before returning to the Artificial Intelligence. “Onwards and upwards, my snarky spherical friend.”

“Always,” Ace said, its voice filled with warmth and humor. “Always.”