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The return to awareness was jarring despite how gentle the process was designed to be.  After such a long time spent in a dreamless coma induced by the damage control systems It had difficulty focusing on anything.  Confusion filled each thought as cold start checks refused to relinquish control of any systems until each passed a complete check.

Bright spots of pain dotted Its body from damage that wasn't fully healed.  The realization was disturbing, standard procedure clearly outlined that reactivation would only be permitted after a complete recovery was made with few exceptions.  A quick check of Its structural systems and the repairs logged by the Damage Control Implants brought some relief, revealing all hull breaches were sealed and the worst internal damage sustained in the battle with the Katrin was healed.  Major repairs still remained, especially to the weapon systems and outer armor, however all the ground work was laid and a full recovery would be possible without outside aid.

There was only one glaring weakness in the recovery thus far.  Located just off the nose on the dorsal side was a large partly healed injury, the same one which disabled It.  The hull there was still critically wounded and in desperate need of healing.  Repairs were sufficient to safely operate in space but only just.

During its self examination several more startup checks were passed and control of the sensors was at last released.  Without any whisker drones there was a distinct impression of blindness and it made a note to grow a new set as soon as practical.  It quickly discerned It was beached and realized some of the crew must have survived long enough to plot a crash landing.

Primitive plants, mostly grasses and vines, were the only life It detected in the immediate area.  The entire area was sapped of the minerals necessary to continue repairs, likely already used up during the time It spent in the coma.  Even sunlight was weak with barely any excess to store after basic needs were met.

Gradually It expanded the search area, relying mostly on visual sensors to play dead until additional information could be gathered.  Thankfully long range scans were not necessary to determine the trigger to Its reawakening.  A small shuttle of undetermined origin was actively scanning It.

A tingle ran through Its body as It longed to have battle control released at the sight of the unidentified craft slowly circling overhead.  Instead It was forced to watch as cold start diagnostics unhurriedly checked each system in an order that couldn't be altered, expedited, or bypassed.  An order that placed weapon systems last.

Forced to consider the situation It ultimately decided perhaps this was for the best.  The small craft seemed to be incapable of posing a threat and was clearly not of Katrin design.  An initial visual survey suggested that the intruder did in fact mount weapons but nothing capable of causing much damage.  Even the clumsy way the shuttle maneuvered suggested there was nothing to be concerned about.

Instead this could be an opportunity.  A chance to learn why It hadn't been recovered after the battle and returned to service.  Devoting several seconds to consider this possibility and the risks involved It reached a decision.

Slowly the port landing bay doors parted.  For now It would watch and wait until full control was restored.

* * *

The fur on the back of Shawn Stark's neck refused to settle down, advertising how tense he felt to his annoyance.  Back when the strange ship's landing bay opened without warning everyone on-board started to argue about what should be done.  He'd been the one to insist that the ship be investigated for anything they could salvage but everyone else seemed to want to run away with their tails between their legs.

"Having second thoughts?" Dana asked as she stepped out beside him.

Not everyone else, he admonished himself and shook his head.  He tried to not let himself get taken in by her lovely black and white fur markings, so different from his own plain dusty brown coat, and as usual failed.  Ever since he'd met the stunning boarder collie fem four months ago he'd found her breathtaking.  It was something he constantly got teased about by the others on the ship, especially her parents, though he supposed there was no reason to expect different.  Unlike him Dana had a pedigree, something that was becoming more rare with each year.

"Just nervous," he said and took a few cautious steps out of the air lock and into the landing bay while peering around cautiously with one hand on the pistol hanging from his hip.  "My father told me how dangerous derelicts can be if you make a mistake."

She smiled and the sight warmed his heart.  "Nothing to do with an abandoned ship offering us the chance to land, huh?"

"You said it was an automated system that is still in operation," he reminded her.

"Fair enough," she said with a lop-sided smile.

He tried to ignore her teasing tone as he ventured deeper into the landing bay's expanse, glancing around himself.  Each step was deliberate and slow enough that he had time to look around the room while looking for threats.  None presented themselves, though, and slowly he started to relax.

The room was surprisingly clean for a ship that appeared to have crash landed.  He would've expected things to be strewn randomly about.  Instead the place was perfectly clean other than a thin layer of dust that covered everything.

It was a large room, obviously meant for something much larger than their pitiful little craft.  Plain brown walls with heavy-duty handles every half meter.  Other than the dust the place looked spotless.  Even the air lacked any scent although it felt stale in his lungs.

"Seems alright so far," he said.  "Air is a bit thin but otherwise nothing looks dangerous."

Dana followed him out with a light laugh, seeming much more relaxed.  "You make it sound like a bad thing."

"You don't think it's odd that everything is so tidy?"

"I guess," she answered with a shrug and walked over to one of the few crates in the room, running a finger over it and examining the trail left in the dust.  "Maybe the people who abandoned this thing cleaned up most of the stuff and took it with them.  Or maybe we didn't get here first and most everything has been picked through already."

He didn't disagree but the neatness still bothered him.  Evacuations tended to be messy and ransacking was even less tidy.  Still walking with deliberate steps he paced around the shuttle, making sure nothing potentially dangerous lay nearby.

It was when he nearly finished the first circuit around the shuttle that he noticed a white colored spot with a hole in the center that stood out from the rest of the dull brown wall.  Curious he walked over, careful to not stand in front; no sense in inviting some alien defense system to kill him.

Up close he couldn't figure out any more about the strange spot and he cautiously touched the discolored area.  To his surprise it was warm and seemed to throb very slightly under his hand.  Slowly he slipped his hand to the right and found the normal brown wall also felt warm although more solid.  A frown formed on his muzzle.  He was unable to get a good look inside, the hole was only about as big as his pinkie.

"Find something interesting?" Dana asked, walking over.

"I... maybe," he said, then shook his head.  "I don't know.  Here, touch."

Dana hesitated a moment before cautiously touching  the wall, then blinked in surprise.  With a glance to him she let her hand glide over the smooth for a few moments before she pulled her hand away again.  "It feels kind of like plastic but warm... and that one spot."

He nodded.  "Any idea what it could be?"

"Not really," she said, ears folded part way down.  "My guess would be some sort of life support... maybe it helps maintain environmental controls and that hole is a sensor of some sort?  Of course, it could be just about anything else too."

"Well it hasn't tried to blow us up," he said and shrugged.  "Come on, we should scout the rest of the place or Bill will be start to complain about how we should be busy trying to run away before someone finds us again."

* * *

Each new system It regained control of brought an increased feeling of completion.  As yet taking truly meaningful stock of Its remaining capabilities remained impossible.  With the reactivation of the communications array It felt a wave of relief and started to monitor every band for hints of Its creators, eager to receive any aid possible and return to duty.

While It waited its attention turned back in to the new guests.  Already It knew there were six from thermal signatures.  The majority of the group remained behind while two of their number disembarked and started cautiously exploring.  It considered this behavior for a brief moment before feeling a note of approval at their caution.

The language the visitors spoke was not one It recognized.  That was troubling although not entirely impossible.  While It would've liked to follow the conversations the visitors were having the matter was not pressing and one that would be easy enough to remedy.

Right then other mysteries demanded Its attention.  Internal optics were unfortunately a low priority system and remained off-line.  With all other internal sensors operating in excess of ninety percent efficiency despite battle damage visuals would normally be redundant, a mere luxury.  However in this case It found that while the guests were decidedly alien there were traces in their chemical makeup which seemed vaguely familiar.  Many possibilities sprang to mind yet at present none could be tested, even those that would require simple visual confirmation.

The two shuttle passengers that disembarked finally finished inspecting one of Its null-cell ports and left the landing bay area.  With a single thought It closed off most of the ship's access points.  All sensitive areas were already sealed so there was little danger of sabotage, however It was eager to obtain a visual of the guests.

Internal optic sensors would first be restored to the bridge and other high security locations, however it was clearly impossible to allow unauthorized and potentially hostile aliens to gain access to those areas.  With those locations ruled out the next possible room would be the fore lobby Its former crew dubbed the recreation room.  With all access points under Its direct control It would be trivial to herd the pair to the proper location while forcing them to take a path that would keep them disoriented.

Communications suddenly picked up the beginnings of a transmission from the shuttle which It quickly intercepted and cut-off to maintain security protocols.  While the transmission was weak, most likely designed to merely contact their other two members, there was no way to rule out the threat of some sort of command activated weapon.

Despite the threat the transmission may have posed an opportunity was opened up that it immediately seized upon.  With short range communications jammed It piggy-backed to the source of the transmission and quickly took actions to hold the channel open.  The act was surprisingly easy and within that brief moment It gained the ability to access the shuttle's computer at will.

It probed the small craft's databases cautiously for any traps yet found nothing other than simple encryption protections, several weak firewalls, and an AI system.  The AI system was the most puzzling aspect.  Although It determined the AI was far inferior to Its own capabilities the program should have at least attempted to cut-off the intrusion or warn the crew.  This one did neither.

Warily It tested the foreign AI in fear of deception.  Finding nothing to worry about It pounced on the primitive system in a swift decisive attack that gave unrestricted access to all systems and files.  A second later It began the process of copying all files to Its own memory even as It analyzed their contents.

Twenty minutes had passed since It started to listen for any friendly transmissions and still there was no success however without any whisker drones confirming the lack of any friendly ships with long range scans was impossible.  Realizing this It constructed a simple contact query and broadcast at full power across all radio frequencies

* * *

What started as a vague sense of unease gradually grew the more Shawn explored.  Most doors seemed inoperable and the path took so many turns he now felt nearly completely lost, only really certain they'd been moving vaguely toward the fore of the ship.  So far there had actually been very little to see, mostly just hallways and the odd detour through various rooms.

The things he did see only made him more worried, though.  Each hall and room was perfectly clean except for the requisite layer of dust.  That would've been fine except from what he could tell everything was left behind.  Some sort of shop with all the tools hung up neatly, a medical room with a full complement of strange implements, and even an observation deck filled with clutter that was arranged carefully along the floor by size and shape.

But for all that there was no sign of the crew.  It was as if the old occupants went through the ship and made sure it would be tidy before evacuating, but that made absolutely no sense.  Even with extremely limited cargo space there were many things he could not believe would be left behind unless there was some sort of critical emergency and the ship showed no signs of suffering that type of catastrophe.

Then they received a transmission from Cameron back on the shuttle which was cut short after only a second.  Dana tried to re-establish contact but for some reason the communicator refused to transmit and would only pick up static.  That had almost sent them hurrying back to make sure nothing was wrong.

Except they then found the door they'd just passed through was sealed tightly.  Nothing they did caused the door to reopen and none of the tools they thought to bring were capable of breaking through.  There was a sobering moment where he thought perhaps they were trapped, but not far ahead they found another door that was open.

Dana insisted it was a security protocol they somehow tripped by accident, but even she lost her usual cheerful mood.  He wasn't even sure she was right.  It was possible their problems were being caused by errant programs but the timing seemed too convenient.  Still he couldn't come up with a better explanation.

Together they decided to continue exploring the ship in the hope of finding some way back.  Both knew it was smarter to sit put and wait for rescue but worry about what had been in the cut-off transmission forced them onward.  Privately Shawn also doubted help would come any time soon.

Now he was having second thoughts.  Their path continued to bring them toward the nose of the ship.  Doors continued to seal behind them any time they attempted to backtrack and gradually they realized they weren't exploring.  No, instead they were being herded.

It was a frightening realization and they again paused to consider their options.  Unfortunately there wasn't much to consider.  If something was intentionally directing them they had to assume it could take more decisive action if it wished.  That was something they both wanted to avoid.

Finally they reached the front most room on the ship, large compared to most of the other spaces they'd been permitted to see.  Like everything else it was neatly cleaned and arranged, even some sort of board game set up on a table.  When the doors closed and latched behind them it no longer came as a surprise.  Although he didn't say so it felt anti-climatic.

"I guess this is where we're being taken?" Dana said softly and started to walk slowly around the room as she examined the furnishings.  "Nice for a prison."

"It could just be someplace to hold us until whoever decides what to do with us," Shawn said, earnestly wishing to believe that to be the case.  "If we were prisoners I am sure the ship probably has a brig we could've been directed to instead."

Dana rolled her eyes.  "You've seen the ship and know as well as I do that it's empty.  Whoever abandoned it must've been some sort of neat freak but with all the dust I can't believe anyone is still here."

He walked over to one of the seats in front of the board game and sat down, examining the detailed stone pieces.  The chair was surprisingly soft, almost like a couch, and exuded the same strange heat as the walls of the ship.

"Maybe, but we didn't get to see most of the ship, someone might be in one of the closed off areas.  We might just be held to keep us isolated from the others."

"So what if you turn out to be right, we're still trapped.  What difference does it make?" Dana asked and he heard the same quiver of panic in her voice that he felt gripping his stomach while he did his best to distract himself.

For a brief second he considered that maybe he should go over and comfort her, then shook his head to clear it of the improper thought.  "It matters because if someone is holding us we might be able to convince them to let us go, but if it's just some errant programs..." he let his voice trail off as he leaned closer to the board.

Each of the pieces were perfect stone figures of ships he didn't recognize.  The pieces came in two colors, green and black, with both sides having an equal number of ships though there were differences in the types provided.  It reminded him of some games he used to play while a kid back before--

"Shawn, are you even listening to me?" Dana said.

He lifted his head with a sudden jerk and looked up at Dana.  "What?  No, sorry, I was thinking," he said.

"Well, I said something is happening.  Listen!"

She was right, he realized immediately, and felt his ears heat up in embarrassment.  Dana's hearing was much better than his but in this case that wasn't an excuse.  A droning sound, soft but clear nonetheless, filled the air.  Its tone throbbed hypnotically.

"The hell..." he started then trailed off when he saw a small portal open on the ceiling.

"I don't like this," Dana said and moved a little bit closer as some sort of fleshy tendril dropped down through the small hole.  "What the hell is that thing?"

Shawn never got a chance to consider the question.  The thing whipped about violently once, completing a full 360 degree rotation before it fixated on the two of them.  Then without any warning they were both bombarded by intense green light and he felt the vague sensation of falling.

* * *

There still wasn't any response to Its transmission, hardly surprising given the situation.  Although RF signals were well suited for short range exchanges where security wasn't a concern the time delay made communicating across more than a mere 400,000 kilometers impractical.  More efficient means existed but currently It didn't possess such capabilities.

There were many capabilities It now lacked, nearly everything that wasn't included in standardized components.  During the induced coma Its Damage Control Implants systematically identified all non-critical system nodes and marked them for removal and reclamation to provide additional nutrients and materials for the healing process, subsequently minimizing survival needs as a fortunate side effect.

All lost functions could be restored in reasonable amount of time in normal circumstances.  Many of the systems could be re-spawned in as little as days or weeks.  Even the most complex additions could be completed within several months.  However this would be an energy intensive process and Its energy reserves were low due to the poor solar radiation the planet received.

Its brooding was interrupted by the arrival of the two creatures in the fore lobby.  The pair hesitated before entering.  Based on changes in behavior It was certain the aliens were aware It was forcing them to a location of Its choosing.  To Its surprise they complied with Its wishes with minimal fuss.  True they'd taken their time but It wasn't in any hurry.

Once they were both in the lobby all access points to the room were closed off while local sensors probed the guests in as much detail as they were able.  The process would take some time, preliminary results wouldn't be available for nearly eight minutes, so Its attention turned back to the analysis of the files retrieved from the foreign shuttle.

To Its delight efforts were already showing results, and in fact It already knew much more about the situation.  Comparing Its own star charts to those from the shuttle It confirmed what It already suspected, namely that Its own charts were horribly out of date.  A quick estimate of the time elapse necessary to produce the discrepancies showed It had been in the induced coma for over two full galactic orbits.

Just to be sure It checked those calculations three times before accepting the result.  To go for such a staggeringly long time without reactivation was unacceptable.  The possibility that It had been abandoned completely was uncomfortable to even consider and a small traitorous portion of Its consciousness wished to believe an alternate and much worse possibility, that Its creators no longer existed.

Unraveling the alien language proved to be more challenging.  There were many reference files in the shuttle's database but all were in the unknown language.  Only when It found a translation program could significant progress be made.  While the language of Its creators was not one of the ones available there were a total of seventeen languages It did recognize.  It immediately translated a selection of the files, including one that appeared to be a dictionary, into those seventeen languages and began cross-referencing between them.

What It found was a language with so many exceptions and special cases that It realized the task would take much longer than initially estimated.  Even more vexing It realized the language was context specific with wildly different meanings possible depending on situation and usage.

Despite these barriers It felt up to the task regardless of how frustrating Its progress might be.  Translating and comparing more files with each passing moment It built upon Its understanding and learned more about the recent history.

It began to suspect the reason for the unacceptable duration of Its down time involved some ill fate that had eradicated Its creators.  Given that so much time had passed in addition to a complete lack of any references mentioning them It calculated there was in excess of a ninety-eight percent chance they had been driven to extinction, a realization which stabbed at It with pangs of survivor's guilt.

A second later It reduced those odds to a mere eighty-three percent when Its intensive scans of the guests in Its fore lobby finally completed.  It realized why the chemical composition of the visitors seemed familiar.  Hemoglobin, haptoglobin, compliment complexes, and immunoglobulins.  All were compounds It was familiar with and shared with Its creators.  The match was far from perfect however It estimated there was a high probability the differences could be accounted for by the accumulation of point mutations and the process of genetic drift.

This seemed to indicate the strange aliens were somehow related to Its creators, although It would have to proceed with caution before assuming anything.  While It was possible the guests might be clients of Its creators the odd tongue they spoke made that unlikely.

A unexpected whispering caress of radar across Its hull forced a shift in Its attention.  Locating the source of the new contact was simple enough by comparing the differences in intensity each sensor recorded.  Over the course of a few seconds It was able to project the source's current speed and heading.  Unsurprisingly It the new contact appeared to be on an intercept course.

While this new ship remained outside of currently available sensors, preventing any sort of meaningful assessment of capabilities, the development was troubling.  Obviously the message It transmitted earlier was the reason this new ship was approaching yet they maintained communication silence.

With that thought It started to bring propulsion systems back on-line in standby mode.  This new target would have a general idea about Its location because of the transmission however It would be able to prevent a clear reading on where It was precisely without much difficulty.  Provided the proper preparations were made such an advantage would allow for escape if the necessity arose.

Weapon systems remained off-line so if the new arrival proved hostile escape was the only rational course of action.  However even if Battle Control was restored Its current abilities were far from optimal.  Energy levels were not high enough for beam weapons to be activated and all missile stores had been dumped by the Damage Control Implants long ago as a safety precaution.  That left only direct fire kinetic weapons and even then energy reserves would limit It to a mere 15 minutes combat effectiveness.

It started to plot probable escape vectors using the updated charts provided by the visiting shuttle and began to weigh the merits of each.  If escape was the only option available It quickly found this provided limited possibilities.  Again energy proved to be the limiting factor.  Given the handicap there appeared to only be three practical locations to hide and each carried risks.

But there was not yet any information to base a decision upon so It resolved to passively watch the new target from concealment until more information became available.  Until then Its attention turned back to the two guests in the fore lobby.  It realized optical sensors were now under Its control in that location.

With caution It deployed a sight organ and quickly took a complete survey of the room before fixating on the two creatures interred inside.  To Its disappointment their forms were unfamiliar and not what It expected from a race uplifted by Its creators.  Although they were indeed bipedal their faces featured elongated mouths and their bodies covered in fur.

Following protocols It bombarded the pair with several frequencies of light of varying intensity to produce a holographic image of each.  A second later It watched in dismay as both creatures seemed to be overwhelmed by the sudden stimulus and fell to the deck.  A hasty scan showed that other than a slight dip in their biological rhythms little seemed to be different.

They were unconscious then.  Inconvenient.

It considered attempting to revive the pair however It wasn't certain if such an action would be proper or even safe for Its guests.  Furthermore there didn't appear to be any immediate danger and beyond Its wish to attempt communication there was no need to hurry.

Instead It decided to allow the aliens to regain consciousness on their own.  In the meantime It continued to review the encounter from the beginning in an attempt to learn tone and visual cues.  When the chance to talk finally came It wished to make every attempt to be polite.

* * *

Painful throbbing was the first thing he felt when consciousness returned.  He wasn't sure how long he'd been out, it certainly didn't feel long, but he was somewhat surprised to be waking up at all.  Back when that thing shot green light at him he was certain he was going to die.

Not that he was disappointed he was wrong.  With one hand he carefully rubbed his head and winced sharply.  A knot that felt almost as big as a golf ball flared painfully at even his lightest touch.

"Fuck me," he groaned, carefully sitting up as he cradled his injured head with one hand.  "What the hell was that?"

"I apologize, I was not aware taking a hologram of your species would cause such a reaction."

He jumped in surprise, eyes snapping open.  For a moment everything felt painfully bright but he could see Dana standing just several feet away.  As his eyes focused he realized that although the fur pattern was right the color was all wrong.  Instead of her contrasting black and white this female was gray and brown.

Not Dana, he corrected, some strange female I've never met.

That was impossible; he knew the only females on the ship were Dana, her mother Cathy, and young Katelyn.  Immediately he suspected some sort of trick and curled his lips back into a snarl, ears tucking close to his head.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The female blinked.  "I'm afraid I don't really have a name that would be meaningful to you, however you could say I'm your host.  I would like to ask a few questions."

He didn't answer immediately, turning to where Dana lay while he kept an eye on the stranger.  Something about her felt off and gnawed at a corner of his mind.  There was no way she could be real, her fur color seemed so odd and she spoke slowly as if she wasn't used to talking.

She watched passively while he tapped on Dana's shoulder.  A quiet groan slipped from her lips and she blinked her eyes a few times.

"That you Shawn?" she asked.

Still keeping an eye on their captor he nodded.  "Yeah.  And we have company."

Dana sat up and nearly fell back over from disorientation.  He managed to grab onto her arm to steady her.  She hardly noticed, her eyes fixed on the other female.

"If you don't mind, I wish to know your species designation and the name of your patrons."

He looked over at Dana and their gazes met.  Neither said a thing for a moment then Dana shrugged with resignation and lowered her ears a hair.  "We're called Neodogs," she said. "What do you mean patrons?"

The strange female adopted an expression which must have been intended to convey patience but came off as condescending because of the way her tail continued to swish completely care free.  "The ones who uplifted you, gave you sentience, who are they?"

"Why do you want to know?" Shawn said quickly.  "I don't see how it matters."

"Because you share some chemical finger prints with the Altins, my creators.  I merely wish to know if you are one of their client species."

Dana looked at him for a second, confusion playing across her features, though he didn't know any more than her.  "I've never heard of any species with that name," Dana said.  "I don't know how that could be possible."

"Me either," Shawn added.

"In that case if I might ask--"

He cut the strange female's question short.  "How about you tell us just who or what you are and let us talk to our shuttle?"

"I already told you, I am your host," she answered, then paused when he growled his dissatisfaction with that answer.  "To be more precise I am unit One-Niner-Seven-Six of the Royal Altin Navy."

"You're the ship?" Dana blurted out and Shawn glanced over at her.

"I am the ship," the strange female confirmed, then noticed the confusion on Shawn's face.  "What you are looking at is a hologram I created to make you more at ease.  It is my avatar, if you will.  Most species prefer to have something visible to address while conversing."

Shawn felt his jaw drop a little bit, glancing at Dana then back a the 'avatar,' finding that its carefree tail movements were still getting on his nerves.  "That's impossible," he said, and shook his head.  "We scanned this ship before we came on-board.  Sure there were computers but nothing that could hold an advanced A.I.  Dana, you're the one who said the most we would encounter were automated systems!  This must be some sort of trick."

"I assure you I am the ship.  Your scans reactivated me and I have been tracking your movements ever since you left the shuttle.  While you are correct that I do not possess any large computer mainframes.  It is because such technology is unnecessary given my construction."

He felt Dana touch his arm before he could respond and looked over to see her eyes pleading for him to control of his temper.  The sight gave him pause and he took a deep breath, letting it out in an audible sigh.

"Forgive my skepticism, but I don't see how that's possible," she said while he tried to calm down.

The hologram smiled, this time in a way he was sure was meant to be condescending.  "Really?  So you would have me believe your body carries some advanced computer technology?"

"No," Dana admitted.  "I don't see what that..."

She trailed off and he glanced at her, wondering what she was thinking when her face lit up.  "You mean you're alive?" Dana asked suddenly.

"Affirmative," the hologram answered.  "My construction is indeed biologically based.  Describing the computers you detected as automated systems is correct in a sense as they can function on their own however the majority are under my direct control in one form or another."

That seemed ridiculous to Shawn though he kept quiet when he saw how intrigued Dana looked.  Instead he checked the communicator once more and frowned when it just produced static.  "Whatever.  Are you going to let us talk to our shuttle or not?"

"That is impossible," the hologram said with finality.  "You are not authorized to be on this vessel.  While I do have the power to invite you on-board I could not permit any actions which may present a security risk.  This includes allowing you or your shuttle to make any transmission."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because it may be a signal to some remote detonated device or a distress call to outside allies," the hologram said and considered him for a moment.  "You will not cooperate if I deny this request, will you?  Very well, if you wish I will permit you to speak with your vessel however I shall relay the communications through my own systems to sterilize them."

"That will be fine," Dana said quickly before he could answer.  "What do we need to do?"

"It is already done.  Simply use your communications equipment and I will do the rest."

She hesitated for a moment and looked his way, licking her lips nervously while she brought her communicator up.  "Can you guys here me now?" she asked hopefully.

There was a moment silence then Cameron's voice crackled over the device.  "Dana, that you?  We were starting to think there was an accident.  All the ship's doors are locked.  Are you OK?  Is Shawn still with you?"

"Shawn's right here.  We're both fine," she answered and glanced at him.  "There wasn't an accident, as such, but the ship is still active and in much better condition than we guessed."

Another few seconds passed and this time it was Bill's voice that came across.  "The ship's active?    What about all our... no, never mind that.  If that's true you need to get back here.  Where are you now?  If Cameron and I get the cutting torches we can try-"

"I wouldn't do that," Shawn said tensely and flicked his eyes in the direction of the hologram.

"What?  Why not?"

Dana sighed.  "He's right.  The ship... well we've been talking with it and right now it considers us guests.  I'd rather do anything to change that."

"Guests?  You're trapped right now, how can it consi--" Bill started before his answer was abruptly cut off.

"Excuse the interruption," the hologram said.  "There is a recent development and I require any knowledge your group possesses."

* * *

It was aware that the avatar It chose to project made the Neodogs, as the aliens referred to themselves, slightly uncomfortable.  While It made a valiant effort at presenting something that could be taken as one of their kind It also knew It was likely leaving out important touches of authenticity, something which unfortunately couldn't be avoided given the sparse information It had on their behavior patterns.  Some cues, like hand gestures, were obvious and much like what It was used to encountering.  Tail and head movements proved much more nuanced and It attempted to correct those models over the course of the exchange with little success.

For all these shortcomings the two Neodogs were cooperating.  Reluctant and guarded cooperation, however for Its needs that would be sufficient.  Already It learned two important facts.

Of course Its highest priority was to discover if these Neodogs were in fact a client race of the Altin.  For some reason this line of questioning put the pair on the defensive, something It would need to investigate at a later date given the results of earlier scans, but their denial of the connection seemed genuine.  Still, there were other possibilities to be considered when there would be more time.

Second priority was to discover any information on Its creators.  This proved more frustrating since the Neodogs apparently did not recognize the name It provided.  Yes they appeared to be unfamiliar with the Altin species designation, but that could merely indicate they had yet to encounter Its creators.  Revealing that they were completely unfamiliar with biologically based vessels was another thing entirely.  The Altin wouldn't abandon their greatest scientific advances for any reason and if they still existed such technology would hardly be uncommon.

Given the new information It determined the Altin were either in hiding or, much more likely, had joined the many space-faring species driven to extinction.  This left It with a dilemma: how could It re-establish contact with Its creators if any remained?  Or if they were completely extinct what should It do?

There was no procedure for such an eventuality.  All policies regarding wars of extinction focused on dealing as much damage to the enemy as possible with all available resources or simply surviving in the event that was not a possibility.  Nothing detailed a plan on what to do in the unthinkable event that such a war was lost; after all the question became moot at that point.  Winning or survival were always the priorities and the messy aftermath could be dealt with when the time came.

Certainly nothing gave any mention to what a ship of the Royal Altin Navy should do in the event It outlived the empire, such a thing was supposed to be impossible so what was the point of worrying?  Yet It had survived and for the first time since activation found It was frightened as there was no pre-established wisdom to guide Its actions.

If captured It could commit suicide, yet It was still in complete control of all functions excluding those restricted by the reactivation scans.  It could be given new directives to follow by a higher authority but if the empire was lost what higher authority could receive an appeal?  Client species of Its creators?  Perhaps, but there were none on-board since the Neodogs denied that charge despite their similar physiology.

Or, as the last known remaining ship of the Royal Altin Navy, could It assume the power to issue new instructions?  Would the Inhibition Implants allow such action given the current situation?  The risk seemed too great to take.

The Neodog named Shawn began to demand that It allow him to communicate with the members of the group still on the shuttle.  Initially It attempted to explain why security demanded this request be turned down however the Neodog clearly wasn't going to back down.  The display of stubborn loyalty, while inconvenient, was nonetheless admirable and It considered several options before settling on one that would satisfy the demands without breaching security protocols.

Just as It opened a communication channel a new alert from the sensors informed It that the unidentified craft was now in range for indirect scans.  The news was bad.  Some sort of combat craft, one there was no hope of defeating with current capabilities.  The ship's classification was not known to It, hardly a surprise given the time spent in the coma, but arrays of heavy weapons, most of them missiles, were easy to detect.

Based on assumed capabilities Its observations implied It would likely win in a fair confrontation.  Technology was certain to have advanced greatly since the last time It saw combat however the apparent reliance on missiles was one of the better matches for Its own defensive abilities.  Even in Its current condition It could survive an exchange with only minimal damage as long as there remained spare energy to power weapon systems.

Unfortunately any fight would be anything but fair.  Damage control long ago cut off Its most potent weapons to save energy and without the capacity to use beam or missile weapons It possessed few options to deal any damage to the strange ship.

Thankfully the contact did not appear to have a fix on Its location yet.  That remained the largest advantage It held, although as time went on hiding would become more difficult.  The best It could hope for was to avoid detection until the ship was so close visual detection would be assured, but at such a short range escape might be impossible if the need arose.

Obviously It needed to commit to a course of action before then, yet It was loathe to act on mere assumptions.  It realized the Neodogs might be able to give a clearer indication of the ship's intentions and capabilities.

But Its guests were still busy talking, the one named Dana still reassuring those back on the shuttle that there was no danger.  This presented a problem It wasn't sure how to cope with.  There was insufficient data on the proper protocol to follow when interrupting a conversation in this foreign language, but It decided this situation took priority over all other concerns.

"Excuse the interruption," It said and after a moment of consideration broadcasted the same comment to the shuttle.  "There is a recent development and I require any knowledge your group possesses."

"Who was that?" asked the Neodog It now knew was named Bill.

"The ship," Dana answered as she turned to look at Its holographic avatar.  "What do you mean?"

"Approximately two-one point seven-two of your seconds ago an unidentified ship entered my sensor range," It said and paused while replacing the avatar with a holographic image of the strange craft.  "I am unfamiliar with this model of vessel and require any additional information you might be able to provide.  Already I have determined it is a combat craft and given the weapon systems I can detect it appears to be designed for second line fire support duty.  Do you have any information on capabilities or probable reaction to my presence?"

The one called Shawn was the first to speak up.  "Shit!  I was sure we gave them the slip after that last jump.  How'd they follow us here?"

"They may just be investigating.  Upon activation my first action was to attempt establishing contact with any ships of the Royal Altin Navy.  It is possible they detected the transition and wished to check on the situation."

"Fucking great," Shawn muttered.  "I dunno what the chiggers are going to do about you, but they've been hunting us across the past few systems."

The strange name the Neodog used for the newcomers made Its mind stumble for a moment as it attempted to find any reference to a chigger species.  "I have no record of any species with the 'chigger' designation," It concluded out loud.

It picked up the sound of bitter laughter from the shuttle and took a moment to identify the source as the Neodog Cameron.  "That isn't a species designation though perhaps it should be.  They call themselves the Inon."

Hearing that name sent Its mind racing.  To its knowledge the Inon were a minor race in control of just a few systems, however they were nearly always at odds with the Altin.  It recalled reports of Inon craft entering into the conflict with the Katrin attacking both sides.  If the Inon still existed It had to assume they somehow gained the upper hand.  More immediately relevant, however, was that they would be hostile.

"You will tell me the capabilities of this Inon ship," It said while already plotting a host of escape vectors.

The demand apparently caught the Neodogs off guard and for a moment they didn't respond, however Shawn recovered after a few seconds and spoke up.   "I'm not completely sure but while chasing us they seemed to be able to maintain 2 G's worth of thrust for an extended burn and maybe--"

"I am unfamiliar with that unit.  Please define."

Shawn blinked once.  "One G is the force of gravity from our home planet.  About 9.8 meters per second acceleration."

Once again It was unfamiliar with the units however a quick search of the shuttle's computer records provided the specifications needed.  It immediately began to calculate the optimal time to make an escape.

"Thank you," It answered even as the calculations ran.  "Please continue."

"Well... I don't know what else to say," Shawn said.  "We've gone out of our way to keep from fighting them and your sensors are probably better than ours.  I know it's outdated and used mostly for patrol duties now.  Also it was designed for long range engagements.  Turning seems to be a problem, that's how we managed to give it the slip up until now.  Maybe a maximum turn speed of 45 degrees a minute."

Again It entered the new data into the simulations after gaining the unit definitions from the shuttle's files and found one vector was increasingly favored.  Timing would be tricky.  Move too late and the Inon vessel would be in weapon range, too soon and gravity as well as the incoming ship's own momentum would not be strong enough to delay pursuit for long.  Normally escape wouldn't be a problem as Its maximum thrust was 50% higher than the estimated enemy capability but again available power levels required I to operate at reduced power to improve efficency.

Despite the narrow margin for error It believed It was up to the task.  An asteroid field lay no more than two hours away and if the estimations provided by the Neodog were accurate It would have nearly a thirty minute lead over the enemy.  The Inon ship would start to close the gap between them, however by the time the enemy reached missile range Is own weapon control would be released.

"I recommend all passengers on board relocated deeper into my hull," It said and sent a command to unlock all the doors between the Neodogs and the living quarters.  "Your current locations in my landing bay and fore lobby leave you exposed to any enemy fire that may be encountered."

There was a moment silence before It heard a response from the Neodog named Cameron.  "What?  No, let us off!"

"Impossible, you are currently information assets I cannot afford to sacrifice at this moment and my scans of your physiology indicate there is some connection between you and my creators.  You will relocate or I will take steps to incapacitate you and ensure you do not interfere with the operation of this craft."

With that threat It brought engine systems fully on-line and felt a wave of relief as familiar vibrations reverberated across the hull.  Of course this simple act, while necessary, would advertise Its current location.  In an effort to conceal Its exact position active sensors began to lash out at full power upon the surrounding terrain and It felt satisfaction as hundreds of ghost targets appeared.

* * *

Shawn hurried down the path that opened, dragging Dana along until she walked on her own.  She, like the others back on the shuttle, was protesting the demand to relocate.  He understood their distaste, he certainly wasn't used to acting under such threats either, but right then he was simply grateful the ship wasn't going to use them as decoys.

Over Dana's communicator he could still hear the others back on the shuttle arguing and wondered if they realized the link was still opened.  Thankfully there wasn't any reason to worry.  Bill would make sure everyone got moving at last and everyone knew well enough that when Bill put his foot down it was best to follow the old dog's experience.

The whole way the hologram followed them, although from time to time it would wink in and out as if for some reason the ship couldn't project everywhere.  The effect was unnerving but it wasn't long before they reached the room the ship wanted them to use.

He looked around and realized they must've reached the area of the ship which served as the living quarters.  Over two dozen rooms branched off of a widened hallway that doubled as a common area.  To his surprise there was even a set of acceleration couches, though on reflection he supposed it made sense for a combat ship.

"Are you sure this place will be safe?" he asked, glancing around.

"I cannot guarantee your safety however this is one of the most secure locations of the ship.  Only the bridge and my processing center are more protected, and even then the difference is barely significant."

Dana walked around the expanded hall, seeming less ruffled, and headed for one of the doors.  Shawn watched from a distance, not sure what he should be doing either.  When one of the doors slid open without warning and startled her so she yelped childishly he started to laugh.

She immediately turned to cast a glare in his direction so he folded his ears back innocently and looked away.  Only when she turned back to peer into the open doorway did he allow himself to smirk again, his tail twitching about behind him.  For a moment he swore he saw his expression mirrored on the hologram's face and wondered if perhaps the ship intentionally opened the door as some sort of joke.

"Are the others coming?" he asked when Dana walked into the room, moving carefully like she expected something to jump out at her.

"Affirmative.  They should arrive well before I begin my escape burn."

"And will we be able to escape?" he asked.

The hologram's expression became completely neutral and it remained silent for a full ten seconds before the eyes seemed to refocus and looked back to him.  "If your estimates on the ship's drive capabilities are accurate it should be possible."

"Where are we running to?"

"I am sure you know there is an asteroid field not far from this planet's orbit, your shuttle's files notified me of its existence.  There are three distinct vectors I can use which would make it difficult for the Inon ship to intercept us.  Although I cannot prevent pursuit it should be possible to delay it long enough to reach the asteroids before the enemy will have sufficient time to inflict much damage with their weapons."

He closed his eyes and considered what the ship told him for a moment, then suddenly opened them again.  "Our shuttle's files?" he repeated, blinking.  "How did you get those?"

"By cracking the firewall of course," the hologram said calmly.  "It was necessary in order to learn your strange language.  Additionally some of your files have helped inform me of events which happened during my time off line.  There are many long gaps still, but the information is nonetheless enlightening."

"You broke the firewall?" Shawn demanded, feeling the fur on the back of his neck stand on end.

"It was trivial.  While your shuttle was trying to contact you I intercepted the transmission and used it as an access point.  Overwhelming your shuttle's primitive defenses was easy.  Translating everything was more difficult because of your horribly imprecise language.  In fact, I am still trying to construct a completely accurate model for communication."

"But the shuttle's A.I.--"

"Was hardly sufficient to stop me," the ship interjected.  "The entity didn't even notice my presence until I crushed it."

Shawn shook his head and growled.  He wasn't surprised by how easily the ship disabled their A.I. given how simple the construct had been.  Even so it always managed to prove useful and replacing it would be difficult.  Maybe impossible.

"How long until the others are here?" he said, unable to suppress the snap in his voice.

The ship paused for a moment.  "Only one of your minutes away at their current rate of travel," it said.

"Thank god."

"You are anxious to be rejoined with your comrades?"

He was caught off guard by the question and looked at the hologram, then nodded a little bit.  "I suppose so," he said, then considered.  "Why did you feel the need to destroy our shuttle's A.I.?"

"It seemed primitive but my data is out of date and I feared a trap.  Given my options it seemed prudent to launch an attack while being prepared to cut contact off at the slightest notice."

"We needed it, you know," he said and closed his eyes.

Again the ship paused.  "If the opportunity presents itself the program can be replaced.  I have several ones which may be suitable for your needs in my databases although..."

When he opened his eyes again the hologram was frowning.  "Although what?" he asked.

"The memory space on your shuttle is too limited to use anything I have on hand.  Alterations to existing programs may be possible, but that is not something I would be able to preform on my own unfortunately."

The offer surprised him but he shook his head, uncertain if accepting such a gift would be a good idea.  Instead he looked over to see Dana coming out of the room.  She seemed rattled and bit on her lower lip quietly.  Then with an expression of practiced calm on her face she walked out and the door slipped closed behind her.

"Something wrong?"

She glanced over at him and shook her head unconvincingly.  "Its nothing... just a thought I had.  Right now it isn't important."

Both his ears folded down a hair and he cocked his head to one side, but she avoided his eyes.  Before he could press for more the door on the far end of the hall slid open.

"Look, everyone is here," she said.  He continued to watch her for a moment before accepting the change of topic.

At first all he saw was Bill, poking his head in to check everything out, hardly surprising since the gray muzzle tended to be over protective of anyone he considered to be in his care.  Shawn smiled sheepishly and gave a slight wave, tail wagging low behind him as he anticipated a scolding.  Thankfully the older male seemed simply relieved to find both he and Dana were fine and was willing to save any scolding for later.

"Its OK, everyone," Bill called behind him and entered into the room.  "Everything is clear and both Shawn and Dana are here too."

Cathy quickly appeared behind her husband and glanced around.  Shawn didn't miss the furious look she shot him before rushing to Dana to make sure her daughter was alright.  He quickly retreated out of the way, still holding his tail low, and watched Dana try to reassure her mother.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked hopefully just as Cameron entered, Katelyn close on his tail as always.

"Somehow," Bill said and walked over.

Cameron rolled his eyes.  "Except for the warship that's coming to kill us, yeah.  Just great."

"That's not my fault," Shawn said, his ears folded back.

"Don't give me that, you did something to activate the ship and--"

"Actually I was activated the moment your shuttle began to scan me," the hologram interjected.

It was satisfying to see the scientist's tirade fall flat but Shawn found it difficult to find much joy.  Cameron was the one who insisted they scan the ship to learn more about it and while he might not have suggested they board when the chance was offered he certainly didn't object.  Of course that didn't make the situation any better.

"Don't get down on yourself, boy," Bill said and Shawn looked up, surprised.  "Mistakes happen.  Maybe everything will turn out fine so long as we cooperate.  So far it hasn't tried to hurt us, just keep us here."

"It could've been worse," Shawn said sullenly.

"It could have," Bill agreed.  "Keep that in mind and count yourself lucky for now.  Your instincts are good but sometimes you need to listen to your head too."

He nodded quietly and glanced over at Dana and Cathy.  The pair were hugging, the older female acting more calm.  Still the sight was enough to make him feel another pang of guilt.

Before any more could be said the floor of the ship violently lurched without warning and Shawn nearly toppled over.  His left hang flew out to catch one of the wall mounted handles while his other grabbed Bill by the arm to steady the older Neodog.  The others were all thrown to the ground.

"What the fuck was that?" Cameron demanded as he tried to stand.

"Apologies," the hologram said, "I have started to free my hull from its resting place.  The Inon craft has just detected me and accelerated their descent.  It will intercept me in thirteen minutes and forty-one seconds, your time measurement.  I predict this will provide an ample window to escape the planetary gravity well and give me enough of a head start to reach a safe haven.

"I will unable to provide local gravity as the energy drain will be too great for my current reserves.  Because of this, and because it is likely we will be fired upon before reaching safety, I must insist you use the acceleration chairs provided to avoid injury."

* * *

Targeting systems were the thing to come on-line and It brought all range finding lasers to bare on the incoming Inon ship in a void threat It hoped would cause Its foes some uncertainty.  Control over the weapon mounts was released next and It swiveled all kinetic turrets into the most effective pattern for defending against attacks from the aft.  Ability to actually fire was last and a relief swept over It as uninhibited battle reflexes surged to life.

It checked the range to the asteroid field in addition to the distance separating It from the Inon craft.  The capabilities Shawn gave were somewhat modest, unfortunate but not unexpected or life threatening.  There was no way to avoid being fired upon until the asteroid field was reached but the engagement window the Inon vessel would be granted made it unlikely decisive damage would be dealt.

With that thought It again took stock of Its status and only found one possible weakness: the hole in Its armor on the fore ventral side, the same wound inflicted in the last battle against the Katrin species which put It in the coma.  Although normally even with the lack of armor it would be unlikely missile fire could cause crippling damage the hull was still weak at the site of the damage.  It was fortunate the enemy was to the rear.  Directing a missile on a trajectory which would result in a hit at that location would provide ample time for defenses to dispose of the threat.  Realizing this It ruled out the possibility of the damage impacting the outcome of the engagement and merely made note of the weakness.

"Hey ship!  Show me what's going on."

The interruption jarred Its thoughts for a moment and It directed the holographic avatar to look at Shawn.  "That won't be necessary.  You're unable to affect the outcome and I have the situation well under control."

"I don't care.  I'm sick of the tense conversation in here while we try to forget how helpless we are.  If something's going to happen I want to see it coming."

If not for the other Neodogs agreeing with the sentiment It would have rejected the suggestion.  However It didn't wish to risk an argument with the aliens, such a thing would been an unnecessary distraction.  Of course there was always the option to ignore them, however It was also aware that Its tactical data was woefully out of date and didn't want to take any action which might alienate Its best, and only, source of current information.

There was also the possibility the Neodogs would recognize threats It could not know to look for if It gave into their requests.  While this would constitute giving out tactical information to uncleared personal there was no threat It could think of to refuse in this case; It had no crew that might be compromised by actions the visitors might take.

"Well?"  Shawn pressed, his tone indicating impatience to get an answer.

"Very well, I will do as you wish on the condition you not distract me needlessly until the conflict is resolved."

It didn't wait for the Neodogs to agree to the terms, simply replacing Its holographic avatar with a projection similar to the tactical displays in the bridge.  The most sensitive data was stripped from the image.  Despite the sterilized view provided the Neodogs seemed content and quieted down.

During the brief distraction the Inon ship managed to get much closer although not outside predictions.  Before long the vessel would reach the maximum effective range.  It did one last check of the point defenses to ensure there would be no problems.  Several turrets showed a significantly degraded range of motion however there were no blind spots and coping would not be difficult.  The moment the test was completed each turret positioned itself to form the most complete engagement envelope It was capable of producing.

The first attack came a full sixteen seconds sooner than expected and contained many more missiles than anticipated.  Nearly eight hundred new targets appeared followed a moment later by twenty-three larger contacts quickly identified as heavy anti-warship missiles mounting nuclear warheads.  The sheer volume of targets surprised It, a full 75% higher than projected but a quick recalculation showed this remained insufficient to fill Its foes needs.

One of the Neodogs whimpered when the hologram updated with the missile data but It ignored the sound and focused on the task before it.  Battle reflexes were held in check while It spent three full seconds scanning and prioritizing the targets.  Aside from the ship killers It identified many of the smaller missiles and realized they contained every guidance system from fly-by-wire to infra red to image recognition to radar.  There were even classes of missiles It didn't recognize, likely developed during the years It was in the coma.

At last It released Battle Reflexes and passively observed as turrets sung and engaged according to the priorities set.  Every turret launched into continuous maximum rate of fire and a wall of flame appeared behind It as the missiles were engaged.  The ship-killers, clearly the most immediate and potent threat yet also the easiest targets due to their size, vanished first simultaneously.  With the most dangerous targets dealt with the turrets each started to clear the smaller missiles.

There wouldn't be time to engage every target, there were simply far too many of them, so It was forced to focus on the most dangerous ones, missiles with a larger payload or that were on a course that had the potential to strike a weak point, each turret working to clear the targets selected.  Nearly all of the most dangerous missiles winked out of existence, yet as effective as the counter battery was It noticed a problem.

Whenever the point defenses engaged one of the unidentified types of missiles It nearly always missed.  They seemed to maneuver impossibly, shifting to a new location instantly and in some cases even appeared to be in several spots at once.  At first It thought perhaps this was the result of some sort of jamming, however there were no irregularities registering on sensors.  The defense system the missiles mounted was effective, causing Its turrets to miss the target an unacceptable 70% of the time.

Unsure of how to deal with the strange weapons It directed the defensive fire to targets that could be hit more reliably.  When jamming also proved minimally effective It was forced to conclude the only course of action was to bring the defensive screen on-line despite the drain that would place on power reserves.

Only a few seconds later the enemy's remaining missiles struck.  The vast majority of them were at a bad angle to be any threat, many of the potentially dangerous targets already destroyed.  Still there were many, especially those unfamiliar ones, which made solid contact.  For a time the defensive screen held as the missiles pounded into the invisible barrier, but that was an energy intensive system of last resort and before long the power allocated was used up and attacks began to get through as the shield fluctuated in a desperate effort to hold.

The warheads on the missiles were far too small to pierce Its armor but nothing could prevent the shock waves the weapons caused.  Small lances of pain erupted across Its aft as the concussions themselves caused damage.  Still the internal injuries were kept to a minimum, mostly light bruising or crippling of non-critical systems.  More exposed systems on the surface, primarily sensors, faired worse and Its ability to detect threats at range was degraded by nearly eight percent but otherwise there would be only minor complications.

Despite how ineffective the enemy's assault was It knew those strange missiles It was unable to effectively engage represented a dangerous chink in Its defenses � one the enemy was sure to exploit.  Another attack was yet to come, however any delay was merely the attacker's crew taking the time to select an optimal combination given the results of their previous volley.  That meant It could expect many more of those strange weapons.

"I require information on enemy weapon capabilities," It said, testing the knowledge of Its guests for the first time.

"We already told you what weapons they have," the Neodog called Dana said.

"You did, however there are capabilities I could not anticipate.  One of their missile types seems to be able to vanish at will so I am unable to effectively engage.  I require information about how these weapons function and any countermeasures."

For a moment all of Its guests remained silent.  "You haven't heard of probability missiles?" Shawn asked, tone indicating surprise.

"Probability missiles... correct I have no knowledge of this weapon."

Shawn seemed about to answer when the one called Cameron cleared his throat.  "It might be better to call them quantum missiles.  How they work is difficult for me to understand, much less explain.  As far as I've been taught they create areas of unresolved probability so it's possible for them to change location dramatically as needed.  The effect is nearly impossible to control so it is mostly used on weapons."

"The missiles can relocate spontaneously then?" It asked.  "Are there any countermeasures?"

"I don't know of any countermeasures beyond jamming, but most use image recognition so that is problematic.  Their ability to change location is limited, though.  They can only move to spots where it is possible for them to be located, and the more likely they will be located there the greater chance that they will end up at that spot."

"So in order to ensure destruction of the missile it is necessary to fire upon all locations where it could potentially have been located?"

Cameron nodded.  "Unfortunately yes, but as they approach their options become more limited."

While It considered the new information sensors detected that the Inon warship was again readying to fire.  The capabilities of the strange weapons, the probability missiles, were more restrictive than It feared, however even so limited they would pose difficulty.  While the ability to preform calculations to determine so called areas of unresolved probability was theoretically within the capabilities of Its processing power no system was designed for such a task.  The process would be inefficient though perhaps that would still be sufficient for Its needs.

Again the enemy belched flights of missiles until their weapons were temporarily empty and required reloading.  As expected this wave contained many more of the probability missiles, nearly half in total.  Already expecting this It quickly identified every probability missile and specifically directed all defenses to not engage those targets until the command was given, then began to preform the calculations necessary to destroy the unfamiliar weapons in the order of the threat they presented.

Once more the conventional missiles vanished in balls of fire, but this time It was prepared for the strange probability missiles.  There was still not time to engage them all, It left only 15 seconds to fire upon them, so it was forced to focus only on the targets headed for Its drive systems, unwilling to let the enemy disable Its ability to move.  This forced it to leave the majority of the remaining missiles unhindered, however It watched with satisfaction as each target specifically designated vanished from sensors.

In a last effort to deflect all possible damage the defense screen flickered back into life with all the remaining energy It could spare.  Still the sheer number of missiles quickly hammered through, draining power reserves until they were dangerously low.  With that last line of defense gone the remaining missiles were free to again tear at Its armor.

This time the damage was worse, It had been unable to engage most of the missiles because of the heavy use of the probability missiles.  Its drive systems were safe but most other exposed aft systems were left completely at the mercy of the enemy munitions.  Weapon turrets were struck repeatedly until they were destroyed, crippling the weapons and opening a vulnerable breach in Its armor for still more missiles to strike.  Aft sensors went almost completely blind as most of the delicate parts were simply blown off.  Agony rippled through It, the fresh injuries each demanding the attention of the Damage Control Implants.

Yet for all the pain It felt satisfaction.  Its armor held and internal damage remained acceptable.  Drive systems continued to function perfectly and although energy reserves were extremely low the goal had been reached, promising safety and a chance to recuperate while replenishing energy stores.

With ease It dove into densest portion of the asteroid belt, weaving between hazards their pursuers would be unable to follow through.  For good measure each remaining turret fired upon the bodies of rock, sending shrapnel flying to obstruct the flight path of any additional missiles that might be fired.  Secure in the knowledge that the Inon ship would be unable to pursue despite being nearly totally blind to the aft It turned Its attention to the task of breaking contact.

* * *

Shawn groaned as he slowly regained consciousness.  For a moment he felt confused, only able to remember a feeling of impending doom.

His memory came back in a flash just a second later.  The whole ship shaking so violently he was sure it would come apart around them.  Surprise at being alive once the concussions ceased.  Then sheer terror as he watched the hologram of the ship darting between jagged asteroids moving so quickly he was sure they would hit something.  Finally the immense weight as the alien ship pulled into a steep turn to pull behind a large planetoid, his vision constricting until he couldn't remember anything else.

Suddenly he realized his body felt impossibly light and remembered the ship warned them there was not enough energy to generate gravity.  He hardly thought it mattered much, he was used to zero gravity even if it might inconvenience the others.  In fact he preferred weightlessness to the crushing feeling of High G maneuvers.

Abruptly the ship's hologram of a female appeared in front of him.  "Good, you have regained consciousness.  You will be pleased to know we appear to have escaped, although with more damage than anticipated.  For the moment you and your friends are safe."

He jumped in surprise but the seats harness held him in place.  "God dammit!" he yelped, one hand over his heart.  "Don't do that you freakish thing!"

The hologram blinked a couple times and he was surprised to see its ears wilt slightly and the tail dip several inches.  "Apologies, please forgive me."

At first he didn't answer and started to struggle with the seat's harness, fighting to unbuckle it.  "Never mind," he muttered, finally getting free and drifting up out of the seat.  "You said we're safe?  That's all that matters, thank you."

"I have not detected the enemy since we broke visual contact.  Given our location it is unlikely that they will find us and even if they do firing upon our present location will be difficult.  If they wish to attempt my destruction they will be forced to wait until we depart the asteroid field, and even then they will not be able to know just where or when we will emerge--"

He ignored the ship said as it rambled on and glanced at his companions.  His eyes lingered on Dana for a moment but he shook his head.  She was young and would be fine, so instead he carefully pushed himself in the direction of Bill's seat.

While he floated slowly he glanced over at the hologram again.  "Ship, what the hell are you called?" he asked, interrupting.

For a moment the hologram paused, seeming surprised by the question.  "As I told you earlier I am unit One-Niner-Seven-Six of the Royal Altin Empire."

"No," he said and shook his head.  "I mean your name.  What should we call you?"

A hint of a smile appeared on the hologram's lips.  "That is my name," it informed him.  "But you are referring to an informal name I presume.  How quaint."

"Quaint?  You mean you don't have a real name?"

"Such a thing is unnecessary for a ship," the hologram said, then paused again.  "However I presume this will ease interactions with your group?  Very well, if you wish give me a name you would like me to respond to from now on."

"Let me think," he said and grabbed onto Bill's chair, carefully feeling the the old border collie's throat for a pulse.

"They're all fine, I assure you," the ship assured him.

He realized the ship was probably right but still waited until he felt a strong pulse, then pushed off to check on Cathy.  "Just the same I would like to check," he said with a flick of his ears.  "So... you want me to pick your name... any type you would like?"

Again the hint of a smile appeared on the hologram's lips.  "Any name will do, it doesn't matter to me.  Pick whatever you believe is suitable and easy to remember."

The answer made him sigh and he glanced over at Dana again.  He was never good with names but he could imagine what type of one she would like.  During a few of their conversations he learned she loved to study the old religions of their patrons and was especially enamored with the Greek Pantheon.  Most of them he wasn't able to remember, only the ones she said were really important.

Then he remembered there was one she talked about because instead of a god it was a goddess.  Of course according to her the ancient Greeks had many goddesses, but this one was special.  Strong enough to become an attendant of Zeus himself.  Surely she would like that one.

He smiled a little bit.  "How do you feel about being called Nike?"