Hardwired
five.
Kaja was at a loss once she was left alone, with nothing to do besides examine her confines she realized she was exhausted. She was on a Pharsiian schedule by habit, the days were longer than Old Earth's day by several hours.
Kaja was at a loss once she was left alone, with nothing to do besides examine her confines. She realized she was exhausted.
It took the large planet thirty hours to rotate around its sun, and this time of the year on Pharsouk was summer meaning the days were twenty hours long and the rest was left for the night.
Kaja was going on twenty-four hours awake and could feel the weariness weighing her down.
Plopping down onto the hard bench, which she assumed was for sleeping she laid her back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest as she closed her eyes. The relief was astronomical as she let out a long sigh and settled in, it would probably be the last time she was able to sleep in silence as the work camps weren't known for their sleeping quarters or hospitality.
She would had to work from sun up to sun down every day for however long she was sentenced for; hard, manual labor was always the job but it was grueling under the heat of the sun and the lack of accommodations wore thin quickly. Many people had to share a bunk or sleep on the dirt covered floors in rooms that weren't climate controlled and many times only a handful of hours could be salvaged for sleep.
But Kaja didn’t care about the work camp, she was used to manual labor, conditioned herself to work until she couldn't anymore.
Settling in more, Kaja began to drift off to sleep her senses still aware enough to hear the faint hum of the engines, the distinctive buzz of the electrical force field on the door and just as she would have fallen asleep completely she was jolted awake by a blast that rocked the ship.
“What the fuck,” Kaja screamed as she got to her feet, running towards the transparent door to look into the hall outside the holding cell and when the ship shuddered again at the next blast she yelled, “Hello,” and would have beaten on the door with her closed fists if she knew she wouldn't have been zapped.
When she saw one of the Enforcers race past the door she yelled at him, “What's going on? Are we being attacked?”
When he ignored her she let out a yell of frustration and kicked the door, the movement sharp enough that she only felt a small jolt radiated up her leg, “Tell me what's going on!”
“What does it look like? We’re under fire!”
“By who?” Kaja asked as the man jogged down the hall and out of sight leaving Kaja alone to die on her own.
From the blasts hitting the ship, Kaja could tell whoever it was had awesome fire power but logically she knew that it couldn't be a match for an Intergalactic Enforcement Corps ship and a seasoned commander.
Kaja was knocked off her feet when the I.E.C ship made a defensive maneuver, the abrupt turn causing her to careen to the side and tumble to the ground. Crying out, Kaja grabbed her ribs in pain and writhed on the ground as the ship shifted again, sending her rolling across the floor to bump into the bench she had been dozing off on not even moments before.
Deciding to stay where she landed to avoid more bodily damage Kaja curled her legs to her chest and hooked an arm around the bottom of the bench to keep herself in place even as the ship slowed and came to a shuddering halt.
Kaja was relieved that the fighting had stopped but didn't move out of fear that the moment she stood they'd be off again. It was long moments before she heard the hiss of the airlock releasing on her door and Kaja looked over to see Commander N’Vorti storm him, rage in his red eyes, “Who was that?”
“What?”
“Are you chipped? Bugged?” Commander N’Vorti stomped towards her, reaching down to grab her arm and pull her to her feet. “Whoever you planned your escape attempt with was bound and determined to board my ship so tell me who you're working with.”
“No one!” Kaja yelled at him angrily, trying to pull away but to no avail, “Let me go!”
“Then why did they fire on my ship? How were they able to hack into my command system and shut down my offensive?”
Kaja sputtered indignantly, not believing the words coming out of the commanders mouth as she questioned in disbelief, “What?”
“They. Hacked. Me. How?” He enunciated each word clearly, each punctuation elaborated by the tightening of his grip.
When Kaja winced at the grasp that felt like it was about to snap her arm in two before saying, “I swear I don't know. I… I don't have a crew, I don't fly with or for any but me. I have no one that would risk their damn lives to fight off the I.E.C. to rescue me.”
“Then who the hell did you piss off?” Commander N’Vorti growled, “Either it's an ally or a foe who hates you so much they'd risk their own lives to get their hands on you.”
“I've made lots of enemies! I'm a female pilot who can't hold down a decent crew for more than a week before their pinched, picked up, or part ways with me. I've had to shoot down more than a few ship who meant to commandeer me.”
Commander N’Vorti glared at Kaja for a long moment as if trying to find a shred of untruth in her statement. Then, suddenly, he was dragging her behind him and out of the holding cell. Kaja whimpered when the movement tugged at her ribs but didn't fight him as he guided her to the front of the ship.
Kaja couldn't contain her confusion or her excitement at all the new tech, “What are you doing?”
The commander didn't say anything as he dragged her into the cockpit and right to the console. He pressed a few of the flat, glass buttons and a hologram screen popped up with the navigation radar, “The ship that fired on us isn't registered, the tail numbers read 4SJ81-XNE.”
Normally, Kaja would have remained stone-faced but she couldn't contain her shock or anger, “That dirty fucking snake.”
Commander N’Vorti actually smirked at her reaction, “I had an inkling you'd know who it was. Now tell me who it was.”
Kaja clenched her jaw and yanked her arm from his grasp, “We’re already discussed this, Commander N’Vorti, honor amongst thieves and that all. Just take me back to my cell and try not to get shot down in the process.”
“Are you stupid, psenasu? Living off planet for your the whole life must have taken its toll on your mental capacity. If they're willing to go head to head with a I.E.C ship they'll stop at nothing to kill you. Why would the Kvasirian want you?”
Kaja set her jaw and glared at the commander, “It really didn't seem head to head fight considering he got away.”
“Not much can be done when I have to report my ship. He disabled all my landing equipment, fried our outgoing comm system and uploaded a virus my copilot is becoming very bitter about so I suggest you tell me what I want to know or else I'll be forced to get it out of you by any other means I deem necessary.”
Not bothered by bis threat Kaja scoffed, “Can I at least have a seat? Not once have you offered me medical attention and I think I broke a rib or two.”
“Are you going to answer my questions?,” Commander N’Vorti asked suspiciously.
Kaja shrugged, the movement was shallow as to not pull at her ribs, “Maybe, depends on what questions you ask.”
Commander N'Vorti seemed to debate it for a moment before nodding. He tapped a few buttons on his bracer and a row of seats folded down from the wall panel on their right. He didn't guide Kaja there, just extended his hand to direct her in the direction she should go.
When Kaja sat down, she let out a sigh. The seat was padded and soft, the buckles behind her back dug into her skin but they were nowhere as uncomfortable than the pain radiating from her abused ribcage.
“Now, tell me everything you know and I’ll have you seen to in the medical bay,” Commander N’Vorti ordered.
Kaja was at a loss once she was left alone, with nothing to do besides examine her confines. She realized she was exhausted.
It took the large planet thirty hours to rotate around its sun, and this time of the year on Pharsouk was summer meaning the days were twenty hours long and the rest was left for the night.
Kaja was going on twenty-four hours awake and could feel the weariness weighing her down.
Plopping down onto the hard bench, which she assumed was for sleeping she laid her back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest as she closed her eyes. The relief was astronomical as she let out a long sigh and settled in, it would probably be the last time she was able to sleep in silence as the work camps weren't known for their sleeping quarters or hospitality.
She would had to work from sun up to sun down every day for however long she was sentenced for; hard, manual labor was always the job but it was grueling under the heat of the sun and the lack of accommodations wore thin quickly. Many people had to share a bunk or sleep on the dirt covered floors in rooms that weren't climate controlled and many times only a handful of hours could be salvaged for sleep.
But Kaja didn’t care about the work camp, she was used to manual labor, conditioned herself to work until she couldn't anymore.
Settling in more, Kaja began to drift off to sleep her senses still aware enough to hear the faint hum of the engines, the distinctive buzz of the electrical force field on the door and just as she would have fallen asleep completely she was jolted awake by a blast that rocked the ship.
“What the fuck,” Kaja screamed as she got to her feet, running towards the transparent door to look into the hall outside the holding cell and when the ship shuddered again at the next blast she yelled, “Hello,” and would have beaten on the door with her closed fists if she knew she wouldn't have been zapped.
When she saw one of the Enforcers race past the door she yelled at him, “What's going on? Are we being attacked?”
When he ignored her she let out a yell of frustration and kicked the door, the movement sharp enough that she only felt a small jolt radiated up her leg, “Tell me what's going on!”
“What does it look like? We’re under fire!”
“By who?” Kaja asked as the man jogged down the hall and out of sight leaving Kaja alone to die on her own.
From the blasts hitting the ship, Kaja could tell whoever it was had awesome fire power but logically she knew that it couldn't be a match for an Intergalactic Enforcement Corps ship and a seasoned commander.
Kaja was knocked off her feet when the I.E.C ship made a defensive maneuver, the abrupt turn causing her to careen to the side and tumble to the ground. Crying out, Kaja grabbed her ribs in pain and writhed on the ground as the ship shifted again, sending her rolling across the floor to bump into the bench she had been dozing off on not even moments before.
Deciding to stay where she landed to avoid more bodily damage Kaja curled her legs to her chest and hooked an arm around the bottom of the bench to keep herself in place even as the ship slowed and came to a shuddering halt.
Kaja was relieved that the fighting had stopped but didn't move out of fear that the moment she stood they'd be off again. It was long moments before she heard the hiss of the airlock releasing on her door and Kaja looked over to see Commander N’Vorti storm him, rage in his red eyes, “Who was that?”
“What?”
“Are you chipped? Bugged?” Commander N’Vorti stomped towards her, reaching down to grab her arm and pull her to her feet. “Whoever you planned your escape attempt with was bound and determined to board my ship so tell me who you're working with.”
“No one!” Kaja yelled at him angrily, trying to pull away but to no avail, “Let me go!”
“Then why did they fire on my ship? How were they able to hack into my command system and shut down my offensive?”
Kaja sputtered indignantly, not believing the words coming out of the commanders mouth as she questioned in disbelief, “What?”
“They. Hacked. Me. How?” He enunciated each word clearly, each punctuation elaborated by the tightening of his grip.
When Kaja winced at the grasp that felt like it was about to snap her arm in two before saying, “I swear I don't know. I… I don't have a crew, I don't fly with or for any but me. I have no one that would risk their damn lives to fight off the I.E.C. to rescue me.”
“Then who the hell did you piss off?” Commander N’Vorti growled, “Either it's an ally or a foe who hates you so much they'd risk their own lives to get their hands on you.”
“I've made lots of enemies! I'm a female pilot who can't hold down a decent crew for more than a week before their pinched, picked up, or part ways with me. I've had to shoot down more than a few ship who meant to commandeer me.”
Commander N’Vorti glared at Kaja for a long moment as if trying to find a shred of untruth in her statement. Then, suddenly, he was dragging her behind him and out of the holding cell. Kaja whimpered when the movement tugged at her ribs but didn't fight him as he guided her to the front of the ship.
Kaja couldn't contain her confusion or her excitement at all the new tech, “What are you doing?”
The commander didn't say anything as he dragged her into the cockpit and right to the console. He pressed a few of the flat, glass buttons and a hologram screen popped up with the navigation radar, “The ship that fired on us isn't registered, the tail numbers read 4SJ81-XNE.”
Normally, Kaja would have remained stone-faced but she couldn't contain her shock or anger, “That dirty fucking snake.”
Commander N’Vorti actually smirked at her reaction, “I had an inkling you'd know who it was. Now tell me who it was.”
Kaja clenched her jaw and yanked her arm from his grasp, “We’re already discussed this, Commander N’Vorti, honor amongst thieves and that all. Just take me back to my cell and try not to get shot down in the process.”
“Are you stupid, psenasu? Living off planet for your the whole life must have taken its toll on your mental capacity. If they're willing to go head to head with a I.E.C ship they'll stop at nothing to kill you. Why would the Kvasirian want you?”
Kaja set her jaw and glared at the commander, “It really didn't seem head to head fight considering he got away.”
“Not much can be done when I have to report my ship. He disabled all my landing equipment, fried our outgoing comm system and uploaded a virus my copilot is becoming very bitter about so I suggest you tell me what I want to know or else I'll be forced to get it out of you by any other means I deem necessary.”
Not bothered by bis threat Kaja scoffed, “Can I at least have a seat? Not once have you offered me medical attention and I think I broke a rib or two.”
“Are you going to answer my questions?,” Commander N’Vorti asked suspiciously.
Kaja shrugged, the movement was shallow as to not pull at her ribs, “Maybe, depends on what questions you ask.”
Commander N'Vorti seemed to debate it for a moment before nodding. He tapped a few buttons on his bracer and a row of seats folded down from the wall panel on their right. He didn't guide Kaja there, just extended his hand to direct her in the direction she should go.
When Kaja sat down, she let out a sigh. The seat was padded and soft, the buckles behind her back dug into her skin but they were nowhere as uncomfortable than the pain radiating from her abused ribcage.
“Now, tell me everything you know and I’ll have you seen to in the medical bay,” Commander N’Vorti ordered.