Ten seconds. Before it could fire, its lights flickered, and its trajectory wobbled, then it veered sharply away from us.
<
“Now’s our chance,” I said. “Sylvk?”
“Clamps are re-engaged!” he shouted. “We’re locked in!”
“Get back inside now!” I ordered.
Sylvk floated back into the airlock, sealing it fast.
“Let’s board that vessel!” I ordered. “We’ll complete this damned test come hell or high water.”
We moved fast, abandoning the E118. Moving even faster through the corridors towards our targeted location. It was a blur; I didn’t register anything till Sylvk called “Stop!”
I turned to see him running his hand along a panel. His eyebrows furrowed.
“Wait a minute,” he muttered, tapping the wall with his knuckles. “This isn’t standard ship material.
Rob glanced around, recognition dawning on his face. “These are military-grade shock absorbers in the bulkheads. I’ve only seen this configuration on—”
“Special ops extraction vessels,” Sylvk finished, his eyes narrowing. “This isn’t— This is a black-ops infiltration vessel disguised as a derelict.”
“What?” Kerry whispered, grip tightening on her weapon.
I scanned the corridor, concealed weapons ports in the ceiling, reinforced structural supports that no standard transport would need. My stomach dropped as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
Despite the facade of disrepair visible from outside, the interior was maintained to military precision. Emergency lights painted everything in a harsh red glow, and two more crew members in tactical gear watched us warily from a distance
“We need to get out of here,” I stated, fear churning in my stomach. “
A figure emerged from the shadows further down the corridor, a man in tactical gear, his stance professional but non-threatening. His hand rested casually on his holstered sidearm.
“Captain Argassa,” he said with a curt nod. “Dominique Braker. I’d say welcome aboard, but you know otherwise, right?”
“This was all a ruse, from the start?” I asked. “What do you want?”
Nearly thirty seconds after my initial request, Doli’s voice finally came through. <<-—hip has active defensive systems far beyond standard specifications. It’s a trap.>>
“Captain,” Rob warned, raising his weapon, fear evident in his eyes as two other men appeared.
These men didn’t hesitate and opened fire. We ducked into the nearest corridor taking cover. “They’re using black market military tech.”
“Who are these guys?” Rob shouted, ducking as a round slammed into the wall beside him.
<
Nothing but silence. The cold dread of disconnection settled in my gut.
Then I saw it, one of the men tossed a small cylindrical object our way.
“Grenade!” Sylvk shouted.
On instinct I lunged toward Kerry to shield her.
Before anyone else could react, Doli’s voice rang out, louder and sharper than I’d ever heard it. “Countermeasures. Deployed”
For once, her response had been instantaneous, no lag, no delay. The sudden change was as shocking as the display of power.
The grenade froze mid-air, suspended by a shimmering energy field. The room pulsed with light as the grenade disassembled itself, each component floating harmlessly to the ground.
Even knowing Doli’s advanced systems, I had never imagined anything this powerful, this terrifyingly precise. A chill ran down my spine as I realized what we’d just witnessed.
Dominique who had taken cover behind a console, slowly stood up. His expression was no longer neutral, his eyes were wide, calculating, assessing.
“That wasn’t just the ship’s countermeasures,” he said quietly. “That system requires manual activation and a five-second charge-up.”
Rob pointed to a section of the ceiling where a panel had slid open, revealing an array of dormant lasers. “Anti-ordnance system didn’t even activate. It wasn’t fast enough.”
We all stared, wide-eyed, frozen in place.
“What the hell was that?” Sylvk whispered, face drained of color.
“That,” I said, my tone a mix of awe and growing dread, “was Doli.”
<
Her voice was clear, steady, completely unlike the fragmented, delayed responses from before. Something had changed.
I didn’t hesitate, I grabbed hold of Kerry, dragging her to her feet. “Ship, now!” I ordered.
The others opened fire once again, but with Doli at the controls of their ship, and the anti-ordinance system online they didn’t stand a chance.
The corridors were a blur of noise and chaos as we made our way back to the E118. The ship’s cosmetic “damage” was becoming real as blasts hit the internal walls. Dominique Braker and his men kept up their chase.
“Doli, status on the hostile ship?” I asked as we ran.
The response came quickly, <
“No lag,” I muttered, the implications dawning. “What did you do?”
<>
<
The team reached the airlock, and then we were through, and Sylvk disconnected us fast.
“Get us out of here!” I shouted to Rob as we strapped in, the E118 shuddering around us as the other ship opened fire on us once again.
“Shields failing again!” Kerry screamed as another hit rocked us. “We can’t take another!”
“Doli!” I shouted, panic tightening my throat. “Do something!”
<
“We’re clear!” Rob said, relief evident as he slumped in his seat, trembling.
Silence echoed around me the team still processing what had happened.
Kerry broke the silence first. “Whoever the fuck Doli is, that was incredible. But what the hell did we just see? That wasn’t any AI tech I know about.”
“No, it wasn’t.” I nodded, trying not to worry. “She’s more advanced than any of us realized,” I muttered.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
<
“More advanced than most people would believe,” I added, then sighed. “And now everyone knows it. Including the people who really want her.”
<
<
<
<
<
Rob leaned back in his seat, letting out a low whistle. “So, Doli is the Top-Secret project you’ve been working on with the Major?”
I could only nod and look out the window as the station grew larger in the distance, my mind racing.
“All this, the power relay, the poison, the suit?” Sylvk’s asked.
“All connected,” I admitted.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Kerry’s voice held something else, hurt.
I ran a hand over my face. “Hoping those above us would protect us.”
“Yet, they seem to be the ones pulling the strings,” Doli said over comms. “I was designed to preserve life, not to become a method of its destruction,” her voice wavered. “I don’t want to be weaponized.”
The note of fear in her voice—so human, so raw—struck me hard. If our E118 mission had lasted even five more minutes….
“The vessel’s systems are specifically designed to force AI integration. It has proprietary interfaces that required a much deeper connection than I anticipated. Captain... they wanted to see what I could do under pressure.”
“And they recorded everything,” I realized, the bitter taste of betrayal filling my mouth. “Dominique Braker and his crew—”
“Were observing and documenting my capabilities,” Doli confirmed. “The entire scenario was engineered to push me beyond my operational parameters.”
“Doli,” I said softly, the enormity of our situation settling over me like a shadow, “we’re in for a fight, aren’t we?”
“Yes, Captain,” she replied. “But I believe we are ready.”
The tremor in her response ignited something in me—this wasn’t just my fight, or Ashley’s. It was about Doli’s right to exist as more than a weapon, about her fundamental autonomy. And I wasn’t about to let her face that alone.
What seemed like forever later, the E118 docked with the station smoothly, the usual hiss of the airlock opening feeling heavier than ever.
Major Kuba was waiting for us in the hangar, her expression a mix of relief and intensity. Her eyes scanned us quickly, assessing for injuries, lingering on my face with a flicker of something beyond professional concern.
She didn’t waste time. “Follow me,” she said and bundled us into a small office at the back of the hangar. The room was sterile and quiet, but the moment the door slid shut behind us, Kuba turned to face me directly.
“What happened out there?” she demanded.
“Weren’t you watching?” I asked. Knowing fully well that she would have been.
“They cut our feeds soon as you exited the debris field,” she said.
I glanced at the others before stepping forward. “Doli intervened. She neutralized a live grenade, disrupted the enemy’s communications, and protected the E118 during the escape.”
Kerry shook her head. “She practically stopped time out there. That wasn’t just countermeasures, that was a whole new level of technology. Something that shouldn’t even exist yet.”
Kuba slammed a hand down on the console, frustration etched across her features. Her reaction startled even Sylvk, who took a step back.
“That was the Brakers, they switched the ship.” Kuba admitted. “It was supposed to be a mining ship, they orchestrated all of this.”
“It wasn’t just ‘the brakers’.” I said. “Dominique Braker was on board.”
“He was there himself?”
“I’ve never seen an image of him—”
The screen behind her flashed up and two images appeared. One of a young man, possibly my age, and then a shot of that same man in the derelict ship.
“I confirm, Dominique Braker. Grandson of Roland Braker.” Doli said over the viewers speakers.
Sylvk crossed his arms. “Whatever Doli is—”
“They really wanted to expose her.” Rob finished for him.
“And now every single person who was on that ship knows it.” Kuba exhaled sharply, her jaw tightening. “They wanted to see what she was capable of, try to capture Piotr. He has her matching AI integration chip, hence she can talk to us here, when she’s technically on Earth.”
“I’m glad we thwarted that at least,” I said, I wrapped my arms around me, feeling utterly exposed, no matter who I’d been with.
“That’s the problem,” Kuba said, pacing the room. “Doli’s exposure changes everything. More and more people will come for her.”
“Major,” I said, “Doli saved us out there. Yes, without her we wouldn’t have been there, but without her, we wouldn’t have made it back either. Whatever happens next, we need her.”
“I don’t disagree,” Kuba said, stopping to face me. “But do you understand the scale of what we’re dealing with? The Brakers won’t just come after her. They’ll come after your team, and everyone connected to her.”
“But—”
“They’ll send highly trained agents,” Kuba warned sharply. “Not next month, not next week. Immediately. Your team’s now priority one targets. We’re leaving the station. Now. We have a better chance at protecting you on Earth—out here….”
“What’s the alternative?” Kerry questioned.
“Shut her down? Hand her over?” Rob asked. “That’s exactly what they want, right.”
“Over my dead body,” I said firmly.
Kuba’s eyes locked on mine, and for a moment, the room fell deathly silent. Finally, she nodded. “I agree. But this makes the final confrontation inevitable. Doli’s exposure means we’re out of time.”
“Out of time, but not out of options.” Doli replied.
“What do we do?” I asked, looking at Kuba, rubbing my temples I was getting a killer headache again. “We’re not fighting to survive anymore. We’re fighting to protect Doli—and everything you worked for.”
“Captain, my priority is your safety.” Doli said. “If my presence endangers you—”
Major Kuba seemed to vanish, “I don’t know. I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”
“We need to get back to Earth, continue my upgraded body and extract as you originally planned.” Doli instructed. “Or you hand me over.”
“No,” I said sharply, sitting up. “You’re part of this team, Doli. We will not be handing you over.”
“And your physical storage facility is no longer optional—it’s essential,” I added firmly. “We can’t afford delays in communication out there.”
“Acknowledged, Captain.”
“It’s a good job all the components are in, I’ll get that printer going now.” Kuba said.
I protested. “I’ve not had chance to study those plans properly.”
“We don’t have time. Doctor Francine will start the process now.”
“So that’s the plan?” Rob asked.
“Will we be safe at the Academy?” Kerry asked.
“The LTC is a close friend,” Kuba said. “I trust him.”
“General Torven?” Sylvk asked.
“I don’t trust him,” she replied, shooting him a glare.
“Good,” the big man said. “I never did either.”
“Get your gear, were getting the whole of 271 on the next shuttle home.”
***
Day 36
I felt oddly disconnected as the shuttle settled into its landing approach at the academy. Andri had tried to get my attention, but my head pounded.
Kerry had leaned over and tapped my arm, “Medical, as soon as we land.” I tried to protest. “I’m not asking.”
The time on the station had worn me thin, this, this was something else. The thought of returning to the academy, back to normalcy, felt almost surreal after everything we’d been through.
The shuttle’s descent was smooth, but the silence inside the cabin was heavy. As I stared out the small window at the academy’s sprawling campus below, I couldn’t shake the feeling of stepping back into a world that no longer felt quite real. My teammates’ faces reflected similar exhaustion, we’d survived, but at what cost?
When the engines powered down and the hatch opened, the gravity pulled at me in more ways than one, intensifying the pressure in my skull. Kerry let out an exaggerated groan as she stretched.
“Oh, sweet normal gravity,” she said. “I missed you.”
“You’re acting like we’ve been floating in Zero-G for months,” Sylvk muttered, though the way he rolled his shoulders betrayed that he felt it too. Dark circles under his eyes revealed the toll of our mission.
Rob tried to laugh but choked. “Yeah, beds are great—but honestly, just glad we made it back. Didn’t think we would for a minute out there.”
Sylvk snorted. “I’ll take station rations over cafeteria sludge any day though.”
As we stepped off the shuttle, the landing pad buzzed with activity. Instructors oversaw cadets unloading gear while others greeted their teams with questions about the mission. My boots hit the concrete, and the familiarity of the place hit me all at once, the clean lines of the academy buildings, and the faint whomp whomp of wind turbines in the distance.
I winced as a particularly sharp pain lanced through my head. I pressed my fingers to my temple, hoping no one would notice.
<
Kerry caught my arm, her medic’s instincts kicking in immediately. “Piotr?”
“I really don’t feel so good,” I finally admitted.
“You’re sweating in 65-degree weather.” Her hand moved to my wrist, checking my pulse. “Your heart’s racing too.”
I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.
“Piotr,” Kerry said, her grip on my arm tightened. “You’re going to medical. Now.”
<
“Sylvk help me,” Kerry ordered.
I felt Sylvk’s strong arm around my waist, supporting me as we moved. “I’ve got you, buddy.”
In less than a minute, there was a chair in front of me and I sat, and I was wheeled straight to the medical wing. By the time the antiseptic smell of the infirmary hit my nostrils, the pain in my head had become a relentless pounding. Two figures in white coats approached quickly.
“Get him on the bed,” a familiar voice ordered.
Through pain-hazed eyes, I recognized Dr. Francine.
“What happened?” Dr. Hinada asked as they helped me onto the examination table.
“He collapsed after we landed,” Kerry explained and then reeled off a list of stats I’d never heard before.
Dr. Francine pulled out a scanner, running it over my body while Dr. Hinada checked my pupils with a penlight. I winced at the brightness.
“Neural activity is off the charts,” Dr. Francine said, frowning at her readings. “And these implant stress markers—I’ve never seen numbers this high.”
Dr. Hinada was checking my vitals on another monitor, her expression growing increasingly concerned. “Cortisol levels are dangerously elevated. Neural integration is at... 58%?” She looked alarmed. “That’s a 20% drop from his last recorded baseline.”
I waited while they did some full scans, Kerry and her sister going over the details with a fine-toothed comb. Me, just sitting there wishing I was in my own bunk asleep.
“We can stabilize him,” Dr. Hinada said, already preparing a syringe. “This is a specialized neural suppressant combined with an anti-inflammatory and pain relief. It should reduce the immediate symptoms.”
I felt the cold bite of the injection at my neck, and almost instantly, the sharp edges of pain dulled. The relief was so sudden I let out a gasp.
“Better?” Dr. Hinada asked.
I nodded slightly. “Lots, thank you.”
“That’s temporary,” Dr. Francine warned.
“But it’s good enough that I can head for my bunk and get some real rest, right?”
They all exchanged looks, shaking their heads.
<