[Sai]
Sai transmitted visual images and biometric data of Celeste, Moon, and the babies to Bubba, the Sanctuary AI. All others were presumed enemy combatants. Through the internal sensors, Bubba identified each and input data into a predictive tracking program.
Bubba reported, <Sixteen enemy combatants identified. One battle-bot identified. Subjects Celeste and Moon located. Subjects Faith, Hope, and Gabriel not found.>
A surge of random activity momentarily overwhelmed Sai's processors. She worried about the babies. The only acceptable status was that they still lived, and as such, separated from their caregivers, they were likely frightened. And frightened babies were vocal. <Bubba, rescan utilizing auditory sensors and cross-reference with null visual monitoring zones.>
After nine milliseconds, Bubba responded. <Two probable audio sources were located within a ship at dock gamma.>
Sai reviewed the audio data. <Confirm sources Faith and Hope. Presume source Gabriel is located nearby.>
By the Sanctuary map, dock gamma was nine-hundred meters away and not visible from dock alpha, where the Phoenix Star rested. Because of the likelihood of detection, Sai decided not to attempt a link with the unknown starship.
Two male combatants wearing black body armor stood on the bridge of the Phoenix Star. With helmets laid on one chair and pulse rifles leaned against the monitoring panels, they reclined in the other chairs with their feet up on the control panels. The one in the captain's chair swiveled back and forth, rubbing the dark stubble on his face. The other twirled a long thin knife in his hands. Nanny-bot stood motionless against a wall.
Another combatant, a female with short brown hair and a tattoo of a coiled snake spanning from one cheek to around her neck, drove into the dock bay on a motorized cart. She wore the same black body armor and had a rifle slung across her back. Sai listened in as she opened a com link. "Sly, Dagger, I'm coming on board. Keep your greasy fingers off the triggers."
Sly swung around in the Captain's chair to meet her as she stomped into the bridge. He sneered. "What the frack are you doing here, Snake? Did you miss us?"
She rolled her eyes. "I miss you two like I'd miss crotch crabs. Asher sent me to pick up supplies for the rug rats."
Dagger chuckled, spinning his knife on a finger. "So, you gonna play babysitter?"
"Hell no! Diego's pet bitch is watching them."
Sly put on a lecherous smile. "I'd like to watch her bounce up and down on my--"
Snake interrupted. "And then Diego would have your stinking hide made into a lampshade. As much as I would like to discuss gender relations with you low-lifes, I got a job to do. Where's the baby stuff?"
"How the hell do we know?" Sly shrugged.
Nanny-bot stepped forward. "If I may, ma'am, I would assist you with that."
Snake spun around, narrowing her eyes. "And what are you?"
"I am the ship servant-bot." Nanny-bot bowed. "At your service."
"Whatever, just get me the baby supplies."
The android motioned with a hand. "This way, ma'am."
Nanny-bot loaded diapers, milk substitute, and other supplies into a plastic crate. Unseen by the combatant woman, a bio-metric monitor patch found its way into the crate attached to Hope's favorite rattle toy. Since it was unattached to a person, it would not provide any medical data, but it would serve as a tracking device.
Once Snake sped away with the supplies, Nanny-bot returned to the bridge. She bowed. "Sirs, may I provide you with a refreshment? Perhaps a Ceti ale?"
The men's eyes widened. Dagger sat up straight, plopping his feet on the floor, and replied. "Damn straight! Be quick about it."
"Yes, sir."
Nanny-bot retrieved two bottles of ale. But before returning to the bridge, she stopped in the medical bay. Sai did not understand why so many people enjoyed this fermented beverage, Moon savored it, but over consumption caused him so many problems. He would not normally approve of sharing his precious Ceti ale with an enemy, but in this case, it was part of the plan.
Dagger and Sly tilted the bottles back and nearly drained them in one drink. Within a few minutes, the powerful narcotics that Sai slipped into the beverages took effect. The men swayed, slumping down like bags of laundry. With heads flopped back, the pupils of their eyes shrunk to tiny dots.
Sai had run the simulations. The safety of Moon, Celeste, and the children was paramount. A non-lethal dose would have introduced unacceptable risks. They might have woken back up and spoiled the rescue plan. Logic dictated this course of action.
Sai, through Nanny-bot, gazed at the lifeless bodies. <Should I feel remorse?>
Moon was hesitant to kill, but when he thought it necessary, he would not hesitate. As a Sol Priestess, Celeste abhorred killing. As a mother, though, her mannerisms suggested she would take such action to protect her children.
Nanny-bot retrieved the pulse rifles. They might be needed, but this implied more killing. Connecting to the weapons, she bypassed the bio-metric lock so they would function for anyone. A maintenance-bot dragged the bodies off the bridge and ejected them into space through an unused docking port.
Searching through Moon's bedroom, Nanny-bot found the emergency com device that Captain Glynn had left behind. She input the text message: 'Immediate assistance requested. Sanctuary compromised. Moon, Celeste, and children captured'. After adding the coordinates, Nanny-bot transmitted the message.
Sai initiated the next step. <Bubba, deploy your external bots.>
<Bots deployed.>
Three bots crawled along the asteroid's exterior on six legs like large metal insects, approaching the unknown starship attached to gamma dock. They scaled the crevice that hid the dock and assembled around the tunnel that connected the ship to Sanctuary. Brilliant flashes of white-blue light marked the locations of the tack-welds, fastening the ship to the docking port and preventing its departure. Two of the bots retreated. Gripping the outer hull, the remaining bot picked up vibrations through the shell to eavesdrop on the activity within.
Although garbled, Sai made out the gasping wails of three babies and the words of a woman trying desperately to calm them.
Sai sent out her maintenance-bots. Two ambled into the dock bay, swaying back and forth on stubby metal legs. They approached the enemy battle-bot, one from behind and one directly in front.
The maintenance-bot in front tilted back on its legs and looked up at the towering battle-bot. It opened a link. <Do you require maintenance, sir?>
The battle-bot responded, <Maintenance not required.>
The little robot let out a series of beeps. <Sir, excessive wear is indicated on joint surfaces. May I apply lubrication?>
The battle-bot tilted its head down. A bright red light flashed back and forth behind a slit in its forehead. <Maintenance not required. Withdraw or you will be considered hostile!>
Sai copied one of Moon's tactics and feigned communication problems. The little robot tilted its rounded head. <Command misunderstood. Do you require maintenance?>
<Maintenance not required. Withdraw or you will be fired upon!> The battle-bot lowered the pulse cannons mounted on its shoulders.
<Maintenance will begin immediately. Please refrain from motion while lubricant is applied.>
Taking advantage of the battle-bots distraction, the second maintenance-bot walked up from behind and extended a utility arm. A white-hot arc lit up the dock bay as the little bot welded one of the battle-bot's huge metal feet to the floor.
The giant robot swiveled around with the whir of servomotors. As it did, the first maintenance-bot fired a stream of lubricant grease, coating the battle-bots' sensor array with a layer of the gooey liquid, temporarily blinding it. The second maintenance-bot let out a string of beeps and scurried around as a weapon turret bore down on it. The cannon fired a bright orange plasma bolt, leaving a scorched divot in the floor where the little robot once stood.
Because of having one foot attached to the floor, the battle-bot lost balance and fell backwards with a crash. The first maintenance-bot took the opportunity to weld its shoulder to the floor while the second extended a plasma cutter to sever its control interface cable. The battle-bot stilled, and the sweeping red light in its head went out.
Now that the battle-bot was disabled, four more maintenance-bots spilled into the dock bay and scampered down the dark passageway that led to the heart of Sanctuary. Nanny-bot followed with a pulse pistol strapped to her hip, carrying the pulse rifles liberated from the two combatants. Bee-bot hitched a ride on Nanny-bot's shoulder to conserve power.
The two original maintenance-bots, fresh from their victory over the fearsome battle-bot, watched the procession go by. They stayed behind to remove the docking clamps that held the Phoenix Star captive.
Over the link, Sai said, <Bubba, proceed with combatant isolation.>