Astra Pt. 03

Jack pointed, "Expanded pathways and I was already an Engineer and a genius. The mod also gives an increase in intelligence. I studied a lot of different things because I could."

James pointed, "Why is one arm so different?"

Jack laughed, "The maximum percentage is 40%. I was at 32%. I was in the medical bay as I hurt Aiko during a sparring match. I thought it made no sense to be expected to wield 2 swords and have my left arm at such a disadvantage. The DNA took it as direction. It did not have enough left to do the whole thing but it did what it could. The difference has been very noticeable."

Francine asked, "Why 2?"

He called out, "Astra, show the sword selection."

Francine looked, "They merged."

Jack nodded, "A red and a blue. Being the 'Even Hands of Justice' means hands, plural. We got some clues along the way."

He walked them out and took them to deck 5 and opened it up. Francine was wide-eyed, "Oh my, what are all of those bars?"

Jack smiled, "The alloy, half of it. Stable metallic hydrogen at room temperature. I can turn it into an alloy with raw titanium and a few other elements we get titanium-H."

James looked at it, "Looks like white silver."

Jack nodded, "Yes, very much so. It is stronger than any other titanium alloy when mixed. An alloy that even Astra did not have."

Jack walked them to the lift and took them up to deck 1. He walked them out onto the bridge. "Where I do a lot of my interviews. They occasionally let me fly my ship too."

The two of them laughed as he went into his office and found Danyelle sitting behind his desk and in his chair naked.

Jack looked at her, "This is one of my bride candidates, Danyelle. She was expecting me to be alone it seems."

Danyelle shook her head, "No, Astra said you were with a hot blonde I should check out. She sure is gorgeous."

Jack smiled, "This is my Grandmother 5 times removed Danyelle. Her name is Francine. You would have known this if you had attended the meeting. This is James who will one day be my Grandfather."

Danyelle sighed and shrugged, "She looks too hot to be a grandmother. But you did a nice job with this one. As she patted Jack's crotch before heading for the door. Jack smacked her on the ass.

Danyelle yelped, "Sorry about interrupting, today was my day to do a little role-playing. You are hot though. You are not bad yourself James but I have a man already. But another woman or 2 is another matter."

Danyelle smiled and shot out of the office. Jack shook his head, "She knew better, she was just seeking more attention. I will spank her later."

James asked, "What do you plan to do with your wealth?"

Jack walked up to a wall and opened his holovid and connected it to a pad. He displayed it.

James commented, "Looks like a long mechanical bug that is dead." Jack rotated the shape. "Now I see this oval and all of these legs crossing."

Jack put it into animation. They watched those legs fold down and curl underneath. It then heightened and finally widened. Then the Excalibur pulled inside of it.

Francine looked, "Some kind of docking facility."

Jack nodded, "A drydock in space." He put it back to the original image and they saw it approach again. It docked into the dry dock with the engine ring on the outside.

Then a couple of cross members came in and formed a connection over the nose of the ship. "The sheath for the sword. Compact enough at that point that it should withstand the jump into FLT to be taken to Tau Ceti. A space shipyard. That is a space factory and an early design. If we are going to make that colony viable it will have to be protected as well. It is too far for the Tera Military. They currently do nothing for distant colonies. I confirmed that with the President."

Francine nodded, "So far away over a decade."

Jack smiled, "New FTL drives will get us there in less than 3 years. We could be back in as early as 5. I need someone to oversee these in the Tera System. Eventually, one circling Titan."

She looked at Jack, "You think that is going to happen? Us having ships that large?"

Jack chuckled, "Astra, show her the images surrounding your launch; you know which images to stop upon."

Francine held her mouth to her hand. "That space station is huge!"

James pointed, "Did you see the sizes of those ships?!"

Francine nodded, "Remind of old naval vessels from here."

Jack finished for her, "Space-based carriers with strike fighters and bombers. A carrier that is 4x as high and 8x as wide as what you have today in the ocean. Super Battleships or Dreadnoughts as they were called are also visible."

Astra called out, "The fighter jocks are heading for the shuttle bay." He took his guests down to the shuttle bay as the pilots exited the craft. Jack looked at them, "Well what do you think? Future of fighter combat approaches?"

Wildcard walked over, "Thanks for choosing us to take those rockets for a ride. Such a different fight. The fighters would have to get bigger."

Jack nodded and threw up an image. "More like that in atmospheric flight, pulse laser cannon with gauze cannons and point defense system to take out missiles chasing you. This is an early design. I don't show production designs until they are patented."

The ladies came out and looked at everyone. "We need to go shopping. We have a few things to pick up already. Would you 2 young fighter pilots like to escort this black bomb down toward the surface."

Jack pointed, "We don't have any call letters or transponder for this unit. Look inside first everyone."

Jack waited outside when Francine stepped out, "That is incredible. Those 6 massive beams throughout."

Jack nodded and walked them out of the shuttle bay as they were getting ready to launch. He closed the door and took them into the corridor and threw up the images of the first Ravager.

Francine looked at it, "What caused all that damage? They crash it on a planet or asteroid?"

Jack shook his head, "Into space, those speeds were too much for the frame. That was less than 15 minutes of space flight with the newer engines; a staggered start. The thing is, we had the rocket and the Red Mouser have less damage but all 3 had to be reinforced. That is what I need to talk with the airframe manufacturers about. They are going to complain about getting it off the ground. They will have to build in space and use space elevators and shuttles to bring the material up.

All destroyers and larger class vessels will have to move that way. Those are things where my money is going. Building mining vessels, and refinery vessels that can connect to the stations and space docks. Then building up a workforce because there is work to be had amongst the stars. Tera is getting very crowded."

Francine nodded, "Especially with all the children you are having."

Jack smiled, "I am certain that the majority of these first children are male. Almost at 4 to 1 rate."

She looked at Jack, "How do you know? Certainly, it is too early to tell."

Jack smiled, "You've heard the expression sometimes a father knows. With the Alien DNA, I think it was a subconscious decision that the sperm released is four males to one. Astra, you are the keeper of all things' sperm. You analyzed every sample going out. Are my thoughts accurate?"

Astra was hesitant, "Those samples I took from your wives were all male. I believe all of your wives are carrying male children; except Carol's triplets. The other 4 are male for her. The samples given to me were almost 3 to one in favor of the males. It is as if you are working to correct the imbalance."

Jack smiled, "That and most of those children will be defenders of their home in Tau Ceti in 18 years. War hits Tera in 25 years. The biggest backlash against aliens who made themselves known at that time from other species comes in 20 years. It creates a rift that turns into a civil war. It does not last long. The xenophobes were not a large group. As to alien relations...that is damaged for them for centuries to come. All alien activity moved to a slow stop.

Especially when our President finished a second 10-year term. Bolstered by our efforts to expand humanity into other star systems. He sees the overcrowding. He is only months into his first term and has handled everything thrown at him. He is a strong and good man. The woman who replaced him was also a dedicated public servant but she felt the need to cool relations with aliens. She dropped it next to nothing according to my previous history.

She died while in office, which could change. All to give the people more time to come to terms with being in a larger universe. Some of those positions will change by our reveal. We cannot accurately predict a lot of events now. Not since we told people about us and where we are from and the changes from the DNA fixing some things for people."

Francine nodded as they walked back to her ship. James looked at Jack, "You have been a lot more forthcoming than in the past."

Jack smiled, "I have all of these ideas running in my head. I see your brother who comes out of school in weeks. He flounders in your shadow but becomes a good businessman working for someone else. I thought a new subsidiary within Treven would be the Space-Based Shipyards. Maybe he could oversee some of its construction before we depart. Changing his future some but he already has the women he wants. Two of them. He will tell you about them next week.

He will get married before you, James. That is an important goal in his eyes. To do something first and better than his brother. It helped his self-perceived confidence in life going forward. Always living in your shadow. I would invest in that effort, heavily. I must have someone overseeing that goal after the meeting with the President. I would let him know of my plans for these shipyards. The plan will include work for a young idealist who could make things work. He knows nothing of me, correct?"

James nodded, "Correct, other than the news. He is fascinated by you."

Jack smiled, "I might take him with me to Tau Ceti to do it out there instead. We have been making other hybrids. There are 4 of us now and we have room to make 4 more before we meet with the Drakor. We cannot create any more beyond that until that meeting. He might be an excellent candidate for one of those positions. He would be a red sword for certain because he is always looking toward the fight. Building warships and strengthening our space presence might be something that would interest him.

All hybrids with us are voluntary. We have injected through the blood supply the ability to regenerate lost limbs so it is never anything that has to be forced on our people. The one role our group must understand is that we are not politicians or Presidents. Some may be members of the military but those restrictions would limit their ranks as they refuse to play politics. Some, like other Justices, could serve in the courts to deal with the law aspects. Their swords are their rulings. Not just the swords at their sides."

James nodded, "I don't know about him being a hybrid but he would be suited to taking on the shipyard efforts. We better get going. My father will be pleased to know how and why you sell or don't sell the patents. You are a crusader. Trying to help guide and inspire but not rule over the rest of humanity. He will like that a lot."

Francine looked at Jack. "We have had some discussion, even with some of the others who you may have approached recently. They wanted to know how much of the market you want to control."

Jack nodded, "Pass this along. I have been introducing a lot of technology that was not expected for this time. Like the sensor upgrades in a century. Those can be expanded upon. My engine designs and my shield designs, for example, are unlike anything humanity is destined to create. I have not taken over that path. I have cleared the way for others to try and do it differently. To inspire them instead of stifling them. Some will build upon my work and others will build new paths. Do you understand?"

Francine smiled, "Yes I do, and soon, we hope, so will they."

She kissed Jack's cheek before making the awkward gravity change to re-enter their vessel. Jack shook James's hand. "I am glad to see the integrity continues into our family lines."

Jack smiled and nodded. Soon the locks were closed and they departed. He went to see Astra who smiled at him, "You did wonderfully today. You explained yourself well and they could not have chosen a better candidate for this task."

Jack kisses her. Turned her around and dropped his pants. "None of the ladies are around so you will get to collect more samples before we dock." She laughed and looked back. "I'd like that."

She had changed her saying herself and he slid into her pre-lubricated orifice and pounded out climax after climax for three hours. Switching holes every hour. She smiled at him, "I know you scanned my body. Are you going to start building it soon?"

Jack nodded, "There is one element I cannot manufacture. It might be on the ship in an area I cannot access. Can you search for this element?"

She looked at him, "What is it?"

He smiled, " Zirtosium."

She looked up, "It is required?"

Jack looked at her, "It is a part of your cybernetic brain. Why?"

She looked at him, "If you are not careful with that, it will explode. It had many uses including explosive shells. I have some spare parts in storage. I will see if there is any in there."

---

An hour later, after processing samples, Astra was in the restricted part of the ship. She walked up to her fully completed offline assassination unit. She sat there and disassembled it.

She sighed, "He can never know you were available if I failed. You would have seen him through to the end. Then you would kill him of course." She looked down at the assassin bot replicate of her. "He is a good man and your services are no longer required or desired. I love him."

She left the parts bundled together and walked out of the area with the head in hand. 10 minutes later and the maintenance bots came in and began reassembling her. Pulling from hidden supplies a new head. They were good but completely unskilled at creating flesh. They had their directives to follow.

---

Jack had taken the new head up to his lab and worked on her body for almost 2 hours when he stopped. Something was missing. He looked around, "Astra? Where are the maintenance bots? They stopped working up here?"

Astra replied, "Let me check. They are not responding to me."

He thought and then spoke, "Scan the ship for them. They all have lithium signatures."

She looked through scans and saw where they were. She checked her memory archive and it was being accessed for download. She cut off the connection, encrypted it, and then moved to remove the cable going to her maintenance bay when she saw that connection was booby-trapped.

She called out, "Jack, I am securing myself in medical. If you see another out there it is NOT me. Another model was put online when I took that part. I'm sorry I should have told you but it is an assassination bot designed to kill you. By taking it apart, or breaking it, I must have activated a protocol in the maintenance droids. In case I failed in some way."

Jack sighed, "Heading to engineering."

He took the tube to deck 3 and went to the armory and got into battle armor. He got signaled by the ladies, "How come the ship is not letting us back in?"

Jack sighed, "Long story but we have some runaway bots and an AI assassin bot on board that I have to neutralize. All crew, secure in place. Report any attempts to access your quarters."

He took the lift to deck 2 and checked living quarters before going to the bridge. He reached out with his mind to see if he could sense anything. He went to the console and shut down both sets of lifts. He locked out the helm and weapons control. Then locked all command protocols. He unlocked the freight elevator and took it to deck 9. He called out to Astra, "Do a sensor scan tell me where she is."

He did not see or hear her but he felt it as she dropped down from the ceiling of the 8th Deck, upper Engineering, and cut his right hand from his body.

Jack kicked her back. The assassin bot looked at him with her melted deformed skin face, "I cut off the alien DNA, If I am active, you have failed and you will die by my hand!"

He used his telekinesis to open the inner airlock. She turned at the sound for a split second. It was all he needed. He charged forward and sliced off her blade arm with his left hand. Then tackled her into the airlock. She punched him, "I will kill you, Jack Scrogum!"

She wrapped her legs around his body and swung onto his right hip. He locked the magnetic boots to the floor. She reached for the airlock button sure if she was active, it would destroy the ship, and with Jack in her grasp, she would succeed in killing him as well. One way or another he would die.

She rotated back and with her left hand slammed down on the button. The airlock closed behind him and opened in front of him. Jack stood fast stuck to the floor. He brought his sword up and then cut her legs off at the hip sending her pieces tumbling into space. He was barely holding onto consciousness by a thread.

He used his mind's telekinetics to close the hatch seconds before the fem-bot assassin exploded. Jack crashed to the deck and dropped his sword. His body was hypothermic from exposure to space and he shook from it as he passed out.

---

It was an hour later when Astra found Jack's hand and first sword. She had called out for him and tracked his comm signal to Engineering. She located him in the airlock.

Astra opened the door. "Ladies I found him but he is unconscious and hypothermic. He would be dead if not for the regeneration. He has had his right hand severed and I am taking him to medical. All controls are locked out by him. He must unlock them."

She put the hand in stasis after removing it from the armored glove. She knew the implications. He had saved it for Grace to make a decision. Astra called out to them, "I will work to get him conscious to unlock the system controls. Grace, this is all my fault. I was being selfish and now his hand is separated."

Grace asked, "What is the implication?"

Astra sighed, "If it is not attached to another before his hand regenerates then it will wither up and die. If the body dies the hand remains viable for at least several months in stasis. You would lose having the chance to become a hybrid like him. I wish I could have done it myself. Without hesitation. But I cannot and he chose you to make that decision."

Grace looked at Ash, "Ask the question. I am only carrying one. What is the risk to my child if I do this now?"

Ash reached out with her mind, "You know Jack is down. The one he wants for the hand is carrying one of his children. I had been told my 3 children were at risk. If I did not choose it soon? That was over two months ago."

The Drakor responded, "If she does this there is a chance the baby will not survive. There is also a chance the child is born a hybrid. Jack would be forced to kill her and the child in that case. Those are very small chances, but they are a risk. I cannot give you a percentage because it speaks to the will of the mother in this case."

Ash looked at her and told her word for word. Grace finally shouted, "Fuck! I cannot believe this is happening. I get the choice only once. I am now forced to choose at the risk of myself and my unborn child. Damned it to hell! ASTRA get that fucking shuttle bay door open!"

Carol yelled over, "Give him a shot of adrenalin. Straight into his heart. He is resilient and you only need him awake for a short time."

---

Astra got a command pad and put it on the access screen. She looked over and groaned. She hated doing this. She grabbed his severed hand. She used the computer interface in his head. She interfaced with the ovulation device and activated the adrenal function; twice. Jack sat bolt upright, "What happened? Wait! Is that psycho bitch bot dead?"