IAGO complete
28 Feb 2019Gurutez
Ok on we go.STILES it seemed was trying to convince Tiger that his ship was being run by some advanced AI. Tiger was playing right up to the ploy, scanning the Fed Gunship twice for crew whilst STILES watched and chuckled.
"There's nobody on the ship its just reacting automatically." STILES said this as Tiger watched a collector limpet launch from his ship and wait in reaction to the cargo hatch open on our ship.
"If that's the case" replied Tiger "Then should I be worried that the 10 min deadline you announced is approaching. Maybe you should be heading back?"
"No rush!" Said STILES as he reached down to the comms panel on my captains chair and ordered the deadline to be extended. It must have been painful for Tiger to watch this performance knowing it was all an act, but I knew he had a great poker face.
Me and Simione held our breath as we watched the collector limpet speed away from his ship towards the shiny silver canister freewheeling in a spin under my cargo hatch.
"The other canisters?" asked STILES to Tiger.
"Well he was a friend. I've got to give him some sort of burial. He didn't have any family as far as I can tell so its up to me." Tiger genuinely sounded upset.
Somehow I could actually hear the silence leading up to STILES saying "Records show he did once have a wife and child. What err, what happened there?" I could hear the smirk in his voice as well.
"Tragedy!" was all that Tiger said and left it hanging there like an icicle.
The Limpet grabbed the canister and started back towards his Gunship. Me and Simione began system check's on our ship, and things began to speed up.
"I think I want all the canisters Tiger." Said STILES
Tiger was watching the Limpet as well "Oh don't be an..." He felt the cold metal touch his back and cocked his head, "Blaster or Revolver? Either way how did you get it on this ship?" He saw the limpet change direction and arch up under the Gunship. At that second out of the corner of his eye he saw the flare from our engines and our ships rise out of the mist.
"you were always one step behind!" said STILES as he reached up to his earpiece and said into his mini microphone "Status?" There was no reply.
The limpet docked, he literally saw Tiger relax in front of his eyes. "STATUS?" he shouted again.
Just then our fighters came into his view. He grabbed Tiger round the neck from behind "What the fuck is going on? Im gonna put a hole in your back you piece of shit."
Sounding quite strangled Tiger said "Before you do we seem to have an incoming hail from your ship!"
STILES looked down and saw the comms panel flashing. Simione was over by the Gunship, I was right up close to my cockpit i could see both STILES and Tiger very well. I could also see both there faces when STILES hit the comms panel, saw the horror dawn at the sounds they heard.
It was the sound of 5 commandos living in real life what i had had a nightmare about a few weeks ago. Simione had jerryrigged the canister to override a tiny set of subsystems once docked, one that would be repaired in 2 mins by an automatic subsystem reboot. But what it meant was 2 mins of no artificial gravity as it made its delivery to the receiving ship. Also that the canisters contents spilled out uncontrolled into a zero G cargo bay, which is where the commandos where. The cargo was Borasetani Pathogenetics.
We had hidden the Borasetani Pathogenetics in a container made from a none porous silica based membrane, a flexible glass balloon you could say, in the cargo canister. This was then surrounded by the artificial remains of me. Once the canister had been launched a small simple spring mechanism ruptured the balloon. The Borasetani Pathogenetics remain dormant when deprived of organic matter, so my so called remains were the perfect Amuse-bouche to really get their appetite going before the main course.
I kept my eyes fixed on STILES, for a second I honestly thought he was going to vomit, I wish he would have, things would have been simpler. From nowhere STILES found his composure and shifted his gaze up to meet mine. I saw Tiger wince as STILES jammed the weapon harder into his back. STILES shifted his position until he had Tiger between me and him, all I could see of STILES was the side of his head and his right eye as he peered at me over Tigers shoulder.
"Ok you scum, this is whats going to happen. If you want to ever see your friend here alive again your going to be calm an...."
"Friend?....." Even I was shocked by this. He was normally so childlike and innocent, but every now and then Simione conjured up truly nightmarish images. His voice just now made me think of a giant face made up of thousands of snakes all writhing over each other and moving as one to make the face speak. It was raspy, high pitched and dusty, while at the same time cold, deep and moist. What im trying to say is sometimes he gave me the shivers. I could hear his fighter come into position at my 4oclock. I saw the look of genuine fear dawn on Tigers face, STILES had gone quiet.
"Boss-Friend who lied to us, Boss-Friend who brought us to you, Friend who sent us into trap? You talk about this Friend?" Now I saw STILES face begin to darken. I messaged Simione to stop his talking.
"Did you figure out how I knew which canister you would pick?" I chimed in with as jolly a voice as I could muster, I watched his mouth just begin to move.
"Oh I cant keep it in I'll tell you.......... I didn't!" for his enjoyment Simione flicked a switch and all 3 remaining canisters began to bleep which rang out over the intercom. Simione moved under the ship and began preparing docking procedures.
"It will take about 30 mins for them to melt you away but after that they just go right back to sleep. Now my buddy here he knows his stuff, he says we will be back out to the black before dinner time." When I looked at Tiger, I could almost see what he was thinking (So you did have a plan you fuck, this was the real plan, I was just the bait)
"Yeah im sorry buddy, I know you helped bring me back but you did put me there, and you worked with THIS GUY!! I can never truly trust you again."
"You wouldn't, you would never kill your only friend." STILES spat out
Then coldly like a knife Tiger said "Remember you asked about his family." there was utter silence over the comms. In my head memories hammered against doors trying to get out. I kept my composure and focused on the situation. I could deal with that comment later.
Then he folded, I visibly saw STILES give up, he threw his weapon aside and stepped back away from Tiger. Tiger didn't move he just stared at me through the glass. Our eyes were locked for a few moments and then he turned away.
"So what do you want!" Barked STILES. I allowed myself a brief smile, operation IAGO was a success. I saw Simione come onto the bridge and pick up the discarded weapon. STILES face was a mix of wonder and horrer as he saw Simione. "Your fucking kidding me!"
My smile faded as I watched Tiger disappear into the ships interior silently. Could I have done this another way? Well we weren't quite finished yet.
I hit the request docking hotkey and moved under the ship as I spoke to myself but out-loud over the comms;
"What do I want?"