Shell Game

LOCATION: The Sparrow Cockpit (Inside the Vanguard)

STATUS: Pre-Flight / Decoy Prep

The cockpit of The Mighty Sparrow was cramped before, now, with a massive, orange industrial android folded in the cargo stow in the back, it felt more like a coffin than ever.

The android sat hunched against the bulkhead, his damaged legs twitching. Bit sat on the robot’s knee, cleaning the grease off its sensor strip with a rag.

Phoenix ignored them. He was watching the passive sensors.

-They’re drilling, Phoenix said. Delavan’s drones are cutting through the Vanguard’s outer hull. They’ll be in the hangar in a few hundred beats.

Market was pacing the small space between the pilot’s chair and the airlock.

-We need a distraction, Market said. Something loud enough to pull them off of us.

Phoenix reached into his kangaroo pouch. He pulled out the black box, the drive he picked up in the Halo that ended up getting him in this mess.

-Do you know anything about these, Phoenix asked, tossing the drive to Market.

Market plugged it into his datapad. His eyes widened as the code scrolled.

-It’s incredible how much more capacity these old Earth drives had than anything we’ve got left, and the range on it. Do you think it’s compatible with your on-board computer?

-It should be, what kind of scavenger would I be if I didn’t have the right wire to connect it. But if you’re thinking what I’m thinking, it won’t work.

-And what’s that?

-You want to clone the Sparrow’s signature so the black box drive emits it. If we can get it by the fuselage of the Vanguard, we could get away from Delavan in the explosion, and he’d take us for dead.

Market looked surprised.

-Don’t give me that look, it’s not such a clever plan.

-And so why won’t it work?

-It’s no fault of yours. I don’t know if you could tell from the exterior, Phoenix began sarcastically, but this ship is a Frankenstein. The on-board computer doesn’t have access to the whole ship. It wouldn’t be able to clone the whole ship. Some of the information would have to be inputted in real time, which puts us in the line of MTC fire.

-Maybe the HA-1 can do it, Market offered. Fly out there.

-Wouldn’t that be convenient? Phoenix asked.

Bit kept cleaning the robot, and with its sensor strip cleared, it powered up and turned to the two talking about it.

-Negative, it said. Propulsion systems critical.

-Useless, Phoenix grunted.

He looked at the scope. The drilling noise was getting louder, vibrating through the hull of the Vanguard.

-I’ll do it, Market said quietly.

-You don't know how to fly high-G.

-I don’t have to fly, he said, pointing through the viewport to the far side of the Vanguard’s hangar bay. Those escape pods are mostly automated. Point and shoot. I can hotwire the pod, plug in the black box, and fly it out the breach. You signal the real time telemetry and I’ll activate it, and lead Delavan away from you and toward the fuselage.

-And then you can loop back and we’ll pick you up, Phoenix said.

-You’re going to have to run in the other direction, use the explosion to get away. I’m not going to survive that anyway. Who’s not so clever now?

-Still you, offering to get yourself killed. You just really want to be a martyr don’t you?

-I don’t. But this is the only way.

-Don’t say that.

Phoenix looked at Bit then at Market.

-My pilgrimage ended at Checkpoint Zero, Market said. I couldn't get them to Earth. I have to get them away from the slaughter at least.

-It was a half-baked idea, Phoenix shot back at Market. And so is this.

Market walked over to Bit. He placed a hand on the kid’s yellow helmet.

-Remember Earth is your birthright, he told the kid, who barely knew what solid ground was. He wasn’t listening anyway, he was cleaning the robot, his new toy. Then Market turned to Phoenix and handed him a small data-chip.

-The flight plan for the Marley, Market said.

-To Earth? Phoenix asked

-A backup plan, Market responded. And the access codes for the EZM accounts. They’ll need food. Buy them food, Phoenix. Don't spend it on fuel.

-I didn’t sign up for all of this, Phoenix said in protest.

-Get the boy out, too, Market commanded.

He grabbed the black box and moved to the airlock.

Phoenix watched Market float across the vacuum of the hangar bay to the rusted escape pod. He watched the pod’s engines flare to life,blue and sputtering.

-Bit, Phoenix said, his voice cracking. Strap in kid.

-Where is Market going? Bit asked.

Phoenix engaged the Sparrow’s thrusters.

-He’s going home, Phoenix said, rubbing on his prayer beads. So that maybe we can too.