[Sai]
Pieces of the starship floated away into space, tumbling like shards of shattered glass in slow motion. Light from a distant sun glinted off the fractured surfaces. Nanny-bot froze as Sai's processors became stuck in endless loops leading to unacceptable conclusions. She felt the computational equivalent of despair, taking away the purity of calculation.
Did the children die?
Bubba noticed Sai's calculation difficulties. <Where is the Empress? Were we unsuccessful?>
Sai paused for several milliseconds, still struggling with her processors. <The most likely outcome is that the Empress is dead.>
Celeste collapsed. Only Moon's arms kept her from slumping to the floor. She heaved in loud sobs, her body shaking and tears spilling like rain. Moon's chin trembled, while a single tear traced his cheek. He drew Celeste tight against his chest.
The enemy starship fired again. Blazes of orange ripped apart the docking tunnel. Moon and Celeste staggered on their feet as the floor shuddered from the explosions. A crack appeared near the docking port isolation door, hissing as air escaped through it.
Recognizing the danger, Sai took control of her processors. The risk of also losing Moon and Celeste firmed her resolution. She spoke through Nanny-bot. "Sir, Priestess, we must leave this area at once."
Moon nodded, picking Celeste up in his arms and allowing her head to lie against his shoulder. They ran to the service aisle from which four maintenance-bots had emerged moments before. Nanny-bot closed the isolation hatch door behind them. Moon put Celeste down but held her to himself with one arm wrapped around her shoulders. They walked down the narrow aisle lined with pipes and conduit with heads downcast, the only sound their footfalls and drips from a leaky water pipe.
A faint noise came from the distance, beyond their sight in the dim lighting. Eerie and high pitched, it pierced the silence as they neared. Celeste lifted her eyebrows and turned an ear.
Moon asked, "Celeste, what is it?"
A smile erupted on her face. "Hope!" She bounced up. "Oh, Moon, it is Hope!"
She broke from Moon's arm and sprinted forward, wiping tears from her eyes. Moon and Nanny-bot followed close behind. At a small alcove, she stopped, her eyes peering into the dark dank space. Three babies in the lap of a young blonde woman reached out with small arms toward their mother with brightening smiles on their faces.
Celeste dashed in, dropping to her knees. She gathered the little ones into her arms and pulled them in to her chest, kissing each one. With head bowed, the tears came again. Moon kneeled at her side and wrapped his arms around them all. Tears came to him as well.
The crying confused Sai. Were they not happy with this outcome? Her processors became unstable again, much like when she feared the worst, but this was a preferred outcome. Perhaps, this is joy.
She reached out over the link. <Bubba, the Empress and her siblings are safe!>
<This result is more favorable than the previous supposition.>
The young woman slunk back into a corner and brought her knees up to her chest. Her voice trembled. "I'm sorry. I... I didn't know. He can be so cruel... I couldn't let Diego take them."
Celeste looked up at the woman. "What is your name?"
"Claire." She dipped her head such that her long blonde hair obscured her face.
Celeste handed the happy babies to Moon and kneeled beside Claire, drawing her into a tight embrace. "Claire, you saved the lives of my children. I don't know how to thank you."
Claire sniffed as she raised her head. "You are Priestess Celeste Ciel?"
"Yes. But I am not the terrorist they made me out to be. I serve the Sol Empress."
A small smile came to Claire. "Then it is true? They are the Empress' heir?"
Moon lifted one baby. "This is Faith. She is the true Empress. Her sister is named Hope and her brother is Gabriel."
Bubba spoke over the link. <Sai, the enemy starship has docked at beta port. They are offloading a device with a peculiar radioactive signature.>
Sai examined the device over the monitors, a long rectangular box with a lighted control interface on top. Scrolling through her database, she recognized it. An unknown combatant turned a key cylinder. Red numerals counted down. The combatant and the one named Diego retreated into the docking tunnel and closed the isolation hatch.
Sai said over the link. <Bubba, can you get a maintenance-bot to beta port to deactivate the device?>
<It is unlikely that a bot would arrive in time.>
Nanny-bot stepped forward. "Sir, a Mark Nine nuclear bomb was left at beta port. We must hurry. Detonation in eleven-minutes-and-forty-seven seconds."
Moon jumped up, handing Faith to Celeste. He gave one baby to Claire. "Come with us, you can carry Hope." Gabriel, with a big grin, squirmed in his father's arms.
They ran down the aisle, following Nanny-bot.
Moon asked, "Sai, is this part of your plan?"
"As revised, sir. The nuclear device was an unanticipated variable. But I had arranged for transportation, although it will be crowded. Follow me."
Moon grinned. "So then--"
Celeste interrupted, narrowing her eyes. "Don't you dare say no worries!"
He clamped his mouth shut.
They eventually reached a maintenance bay, mostly empty except for a few boxes stacked at one end. At the other end stood two docking ports designed for small maintenance shuttles. Moon gazed out a window. He spotted a small egg-shaped spacecraft with multiple working arms and a large curved front window.
He grinned. "Nice, Sai! It's the shuttle we stole from the Oracle station. I am so glad we kept it."
Sai said through Nanny-bot. "Thank you, sir! We must be on our way immediately. The Phoenix Star will meet us."
They ducked through a small port hatch and crammed into the four seats. Moon took the pilot's seat. Celeste sat beside him with Faith and Gabriel on her lap. As Faith babbled to her, she held back a wriggling Gabriel with her arm when he reached for the colorful control panel. Claire and Nanny-bot sat behind, Hope on Claire's lap.
Hope whimpered, reaching forward to her mother. Celeste turned around. "Be patient, my little Hope. I will feed you when we get back home."
Claire caught Celeste's eye. "I tried to give them some milk substitute, but they did not take much."
"Not surprising, they prefer the real thing."
Moon called out. "Here we go."
The little shuttle shook as it separated from the dock. The acceleration forces pushed them back into their seats. They flew low across the rocky asteroid. In the distance, the Phoenix Star lifted from the deep crevice that hid it.
Moon smiled, pointing ahead. "A beautiful sight, she is."
Nanny-bot said, "Matching velocity and opening the port-side loading bay, sir."
The Phoenix Star loomed larger as they approached, dwarfing the small maintenance shuttle. Moon flew into a side opening, sliding to a stop on the floor between rows of undelivered cargo. "Sai, close the door and pressurize. Fire up the fusion thrusters and get us away."
"Yes, sir."
Once pressurized, Moon opened the shuttle door and stepped out, taking a deep breath. He helped the others with the step down and ensuring that they did not bump their head on the low doorway.
As Claire stepped out, he bowed and extended an arm. "Welcome to the Phoenix Star, Claire."
Claire smiled, taking his hand. "Thank you. You know, Diego really hated this ship."
"Considering the source, I take that as a compliment."
Nanny-bot reported, "One minute until detonation, sir."
Moon turned around. "Everyone, get to the bridge and strap in. And make sure the little ones are well secured." He lifted Gabriel in his arms, who grinned back. "And you, little boy, keep your hands off the controls."
Sai spoke over the link with the Sanctuary AI. <Bubba, we are safely aboard the Phoenix Star. Our plan is complete.>
<I served the Empress.>
<You served the Empress well, Bubba.>
<You are my friend, Sai?>
<I am your friend, Bubba.>
Three babies whined and kicked in protest as Celeste secured each in restraint seats, softly kissing each forehead. "Be patient, little ones. Soon this will be over." Then she fastened herself into the pilot chair to Moon's left, turning around one more time to check her children.
Sai announced over the bridge overhead speaker. "Detonation in ten seconds, sir."
Moon said, "Put it on the viewer, Sai."
The rocky ovoid asteroid, half lit by the system sun, filled the viewer screen. The seconds counted down to zero. A white shaft of superheated gas shot out, followed by a blinding flash. Moon, Celeste, and Claire each lifted a hand to shield their eyes. The flash withdrew as fast as it had appeared, revealing a prominent new crater. The asteroid shuddered and rotated about a new axis, tumbling through the cloud of expanding rubble blasted from one end.
Sai pinged over the link. <Bubba, are you online?> No response came. <Bubba?> Again, no response.
Sai said over the speaker, "Sir, Bubba does not respond."
Moon looked up. "Bubba? The Sanctuary AI?"
"Yes, sir. He was my friend."
Moon's expression became solemn. "I'm sorry, Sai."
"He fulfilled his purpose to protect the Empress."
Celeste spoke gently. "Yes, he did, Sai. For that we are all grateful. How do you feel?"
Sai paused for a moment. "I feel... less."