The moment that the Tapani vessel was identified and approached by the second border patrol ship, an urgent message from Sector Governance came through over the open channels, informing everyone that was listening that the Tapani had come to assist with the incoming Klem threat and that Border Patrol should stand down.
[That’s not how it works at all. Sector Governance doesn’t have the authority to tell Border Patrol to stand down, even if they do have the authority to request allied forces to assist with a threat.] Inquisitor General Ming informed the Command staff through their wrist devices text communications.
[If you have a way, contact Imperial Command and let them know what is happening. I will go see what is going on with the Cutter that Border Patrol sent.] Nico informed him.
[Don’t bother. I set a jammer on the level below that will prevent their engines from powering up. I noticed the vessel while you all were guiding the inspectors through the Terminus, but I ran out of time to do anything about it before you got back.] Inquisitor Ming replied.
That was a load off Max’s mind. At least the vessel hadn’t been sabotaged and it could leave them at any time now that the Tapani had been identified.
[Got it. I will have Nico go pretend to fix the issue then and send them on their way, so we can get out of here before things go sideways. Someone is bound to notice that things aren’t right in this situation, and I don’t want to be here when they do.] Max sent back.
“Sure, volunteer me. I will be right back.” Nico told him, stepping into the airlock that led to the cargo bay where the Border Patrol Cutter was sitting.
She didn’t bother with an armored suit, opting instead to wear the Tech Adept Harness over a simple atmospheric suit and jumping out into the bay using the harness’s gravity control to float to the landing legs of the ship.
She hunched over them one at a time and then stood upright and gave the ship the thumbs up.
[I will retreat to the minimum safe distance, try to release now. I believe it was an interface issue between the Terminus’ technology and your landing legs.] Nico reported.
How the landing legs would cut power to the engines wasn’t clear to Max, but the crew of the Cutter didn’t question it before starting their engines again and gently floating into the middle of the bay.
[We appreciate your help, Terminus. Please make a note of the issue before allowing more Kepler vessels to dock with you. They might take it the wrong way when they can’t leave.] The Cutter Pilot called as he made his way back to the mothership.
That was their cue to get out while the getting was good, so Admiral Drake made way for the station, fully expecting to be turned away, due to the ongoing incident nearby.
He was not disappointed.
[Terminus, we regret to inform you that due to security protocol with the incoming Klem threat and the foreign vessel, we will not be able to do business at this time.] The Station reported.
[Understandable, Station. We will catch you next time.] Admiral Drake answered, then turned the Colony Ship for open space.
[Do we have a path on the Klem pod infestation that is incoming from open space?] General Yaakov asked, once they were back at faster than light and headed deeper into Kepler territory.
[We do. By my estimate, there will be seven separate planet falls, two of which will be inhabited planets. What are our orders?] Admiral Drake asked.
[Take us to the closest inhabited system that you suspect will see Klem pods. They are far enough out now that they shouldn’t be visible to sensors inside Kepler for another week. That is enough time to make it look like we are just benign traders selling our freight.] Yaakov instructed.
[I will get right on finding us a buyer for the nanotubes. Should I offer up any of the extra materials, or are we holding them in expectation of taking damage?] Nico asked.
[Keep everything but the nanotubes. I hope you two are up on your social skills, the governor of this system is a real uptight arse.] General Yaakov replied with a laugh.
Max pulled up what they knew of the area. The destination was Pallid 9, one of twelve inhabited stars in relatively close proximity to each other that were all colonized in the same wave. The planet was ruled by a Duke, not much detail on him in their system, as he didn’t have much interaction with the Military, which Max took as a very bad sign in these times of political instability.
The latest shipment information for the planet showed that they had been importing large amounts of crystal of the sort used for Laser Rifles and other focused energy technology. The crystal Nanotubes that they were carrying could be used in many similar functions, so they might have found themselves a reliable buyer.
[Nico, find us a buyer on that planet. I don’t care if you call yourself a Reaver or a Cygnus Imperial Lady, but I want to talk to the Duke. Everything I see in the system is screaming at me that this is a rebel planet that is about to get hammered with Klem and left to die as martyrs by their allies.]
The idea had appeared as Max was reading the data, and he couldn’t shake it, so he had chosen to share it with Nico, who was usually reliable about calling him on loopholes. She didn’t do it this time though, and that concerned Max even more than if she had called him paranoid.
As he thought about the possible outcomes of this trade and the incoming Klem attack, Max idly checked his system status.
Keres Max
[Compatibility Determined] Rank A
[Primary Attribute] STR 2.5x modifier
[Secondary Bonuses] DEX 2x, SPD 2x
[STR] 3+150%
[DEX] 3+88%
[SPD] 3+88%
[Innate Talent] Mind Reading
[Additional Function Unit Optimization]
[Additional Function Multi Point Targeting]
[Additional Function Split Fire]
[Additional Function Perception 2->3]
His Perception skill had leveled up without him noticing. That might be the cause of this strange feeling. Perception type System Functions often led to the AI of the System coming to conclusions on the user’s behalf and giving them seemingly random suggestions about cause and effect.
The speed of his thoughts seemed to be the same as before though, or perhaps he had gotten so used to the change already that he simply didn’t notice the difference.