Ratchet Reloaded

[Ratchet]

Location Alien Ship System Unknown

The bridge of the ship was rectangular and held wall to wall computers and data terminals. The view port was surprisingly small for such a large ship. The room was dominated by a circular ring of computer consoles which surrounded a single chair, the first the two had seen.

Ratchet ran his hands along the smooth consoles with display screens but no visible means of data entry.
Banshee walked over to the ring of computers and stared at the chair. Now this is interesting. Who do you think sat here?

Ratchet looked up from the console with a strange glint in his eyes. He walked past Banshee and one of the consoles moved to allow him to approach the seat.
Banshee stepped back startled.
Ratchet touched the seat then sat down.

I guess that answers that, Banshee said.
Ratchet looked down at her. I dont know whats going on but

Suddenly his head went stiff as a probe extended itself from the head of the chair and attached itself to the back of Ratchets skull. The Junker seemed to spasm and Banshee gripped her gun tightly and looked around.

The spasms stopped and Ratchet sat back calmly. All around banshee control panels lit up and there was a large hum as the ship began to power on.

Banshee jumped as a holographic display appeared next to her.
Greeting human identified as Banshee.

The hologram was of an older motherly woman with a serine face and calming voice.
Banshee aimed her gun at the hologram. What the hell is going on!?
The hologram raised a calming hand. Relax please. We mean you no harm. Thank you for bringing Ratchet back.

Banshee slowly lowered her gun. So we were right he is a machine.
The motherly woman smiled and looked at Ratchet. Such a simple term for someone much more complex. But yes he is a machine.

What is his function?
The hologram turned back to Banshee and looked at her for a minute before responding. Ratchets primary function is data acquisition. His other functions are up to him.
Up to him? Interesting and what is your function?
My function is communication with non robotic life forms. Those we send out often return with friendsor enemies.
Enemies?
Yes, not all of those we send out are harmless. There are other functions.
So you send out hostile units?
This vessel does not but there is one who does.
One who does? Who is that?

The older woman sighed He is old, older than human civilization. And if he were human I would say he was hungry.
Hungry? That doesnt sound good.
The hologram nodded. It is not good. For you.
So this is the threat the Order wanted to know about.
The hologram nodded again. There are many threats to humanity. This ship however is not one of them.
Really? Because this ship is big enough to take on the entire Liberty Navy.
The older woman smiled. We are beyond war. However we will defend ourselves if the need arises.
You know I did not expect you to be so forthcoming with information. So you just send out random units to spy on us?

To spy? You could look at it that way I guess. But we do not send out random units. We are searching for others like us those machines that can carry the spark.
Spark?
You would perhaps call it a soul.
Banshee frowned. A machine cant have a soul. Its just a collection of metal and code.
You are a collection of organics and code. But there is no time to argue about the definition of life.

Suddenly the ship lurched as the main engines came online.
Whats going on?
The Slomon-K'Hara are coming.
The what?
You know them as the nomads. They have detected the power output of our ship.
How many are headed this way?
The hologram looked up from the console. All of them.
That is not possible. Banshee said breathlessly.
What is probably and what is possible are not always the same.

Banshee looked hard at the hologram. Who are you really?
I am an interface program but I understand what you meant. Everything has a beginning a source. We do not know exactly who built us just as you do not know who created your species. But this ship is a servant of the first of us to be given the spark and to use your language we call her the Light. She is able to ignite the spark in a machine entity.
So have your light save us from the Nomads then.
The hologram seemed to laugh. It will do as much good as asking your god to do the same. You must return to your ship, we will protect you as long as we can.
What about Ratchet?
His presence is required here.
Banshee didnt move.
I would hurry if I were you. And with that the hologram vanished.

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PART 1 - <span style="color:#3333FF">Ratchet Reloaded</span>