The meeting went over what every team's duties would be.

    Alex didn't get most of it, and he figured it was a good thing. At some point, someone asked if this was another shipment of wine, which got chuckles out of most, and glares from the captain. Alex didn't get that either.

    The last thing discussed was Alex's role, at Ander's insistence. The captain explained Alex would disable the ship's security and prevent anyone not in cryo from reaching the hold. Anders didn't look happy, but he couldn't say anything, the captain dismissed everyone then. Jennifer made sure to stick with Alex until he was back in his room.

    Alex got Will to unlock the door, and Doc to cancel the escorts, but only after she checked with the captain to confirm Alex was under his protection. That didn't stop his friends, because he had come to think of them as such, from trying to escort him anyway.

    He also let Doc know he wasn't going to spend time exercising. He needed all his time working on the computer. He hadn't thought of mentioning food, so he found out the hard way Doc wasn't letting him fall off his diet. Carlina slapped his hand off the greasy food and handed him a plate with a large grilled steak, lots of steamed vegetables, a plate with a small slice of cake, and plenty of liquid boosts. He was happy Doc was letting him drink those, he'd need the extra energy they provided as he worked himself raw.

    Alex got twelve days to work on the computer, until he was informed their target was coming. How they knew that, and still could assure him the target ship didn't know about them, he had no idea. During those twelve days, Alex hardly got any sleep, barely showered, and didn't shave. The only breaks he took willingly were for the bathroom. But by then he had the central computer more or less sane. They could have actual conversation, and it only descended into wails of despair a time or two per days.

    He also familiarized himself with the board on the bridge; the middle of a coercion was not the place to discover the keyboard had a sticky key, or that the previous user preferred using the Shoumaro layout. He took a few hours to clean it and run diagnostic.

     When they told him about the coming ship, they also informed him it would be in range in twenty four hours. He slept eighteen of them. He took the case containing the Defender, the Samalian artifact, out from under his bed and opened it. From under the cushion the statue rested on he took out a slate, then put the statue and case back under the bed.

    The slate contained all the programs he'd written over his years of coercion at Luminex. He wasn't suppose to have them, they were property of the corporation, since he wrote them there, but he couldn't bear to abandon them. So he'd left copies with the company when he left.

    Once he showered, shaved and got dressed in his work clothes, he went to the bridge. They confirmed there was at least three more hours to go, so Alex sat down and got to work.

    Getting in contact with the ship, the Poseidon, was simple. Every computer was connected to the open net at all time. It let corporate ships like this one know what was going on with the head office, allowing them to adjust their destination or other procedures as needed. It also allowed other to contact them, family could call the crew, the staff could order leisure materials.

    Even Military computers, which used mainly the closed net for their communications, still needed to have at least one contact point for the open net. Movies and literatures couldn't be ordered through the closed net, that would defeat it's purpose.

    The ship had security measures and programs to ensure nothing malicious entered its system, but these were only really efficient for dumb programs.

    He put the ear piece in his ear and connected it to the computer. "How are you feeling?" he asked, getting a curious look from the pilot, seated next to him.

    "I am lonely," The computer replied.

    "I know. Once this is over, I'm going to start reconnecting you to the rest of the ship's system. Are you ready?"

    "I have little else to do."

    Alex smiled. "I'm sure your undivided attention will be to my advantage." He slotted the slate in the board.

    "I don't like those programs," The computer commented. 

    "Don't worry, they aren't for you." The list of the programs appeared on the side. He'd written each as part of overcoming a new obstacle while coercing a system. His job became easier as he had more of them.

    With a few key strokes he was in contact with the other ship. He sent a burrowing program, hidden as a personal communication in, to get through as many layers as it could before being intercepted by the security program. Sometime he got really lucky and it made it all the way to the command structure and then he could reshape the system's personality before it became aware of his presence. Not this time.

    The program was caught three layers deep, giving Alex only enough access to make minor changes. He would have to work his way deeper. Fortunately, this board had a three dimensional display, allowing him to see the full intricacy of the ship's programing and move it about, quickly pinpointing weak spots in it.

    Asyr's terminal was two dimensional. It didn't matter while he healed the ship, but for something like this, the seconds it would take him to make out a specific line of code buried deep under the rest could cost him control.

    "I don't like you," came a deep, resonating, voice in his ear piece. The other ship's system.

    "Well, hello there," Alex replied, he spun the display. "How are you doing?"

    "Who are you? I don't see your ID in my directory."

    "Are you sure? I'm a friend, maybe you should look again." He found the code governing the directory, zoomed in, rotated this around until he could see the part the system was interacting with. He couldn't use that.

    "You are not in. I must inform the operator that an illegal intrusion is in progress."

    "Now, don't do that. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding." He found a second path through the code and inserted the communication ID he was using. He backed out. "I told you, I'm a friend. Are you sure you looked thoroughly?"

    A sound very much like a sigh came.

    "Please, just look another time. If I'm not there, I'll leave."

    "Well, there you are."

    "See, I told you i was a friend." Now that he was approved he sent in a small program to look for specific lines of code and highlight them. Every system came out from their manufacturers with the same programing, so the same personality. That changed as the users added, took away, or just altered the programs. Some of those changes were done specifically to mold the personality, but most of the times the personality changes were a by-product of getting the program to do something new.

     What this meant was that there was always some code from the original program left. Even without knowing who had made this system, if enough code highlighted in a way he recognized, he would be able to predict how to affect some of its personality.

    "You did," it said. "How can I help you?"

     While his program worked, Alex located the internal communication ports and added code around them. He left the code inactive for now.

    "Can you tell me what you see around you?" 

    "Of course, nothing."

    "Absolutely nothing? I thought there was stuff floating in space." Only a handful of code was turning a different color.

    Not enough for him to do anything with certainly.

    "Rocks are nothing, unless they're in my path, then they become something."

    "So nothing in your path?" He found a line a code he was familiar with. Not one his program was looking for, but one he'd seen multiple times. He quickly rewrote it.

    "Did you do something?" the system asked. 

    "No, why?"

    "I thought I felt something."

    "Have any of your functions changed?" 

    "No, they haven't."

    "See, if I'd done something, you would be able to tell. If I tell you I'm in charge, would you believe me?"

    "No. You are coming from outside the ship, you can not be in charge."

    Alex changed three more lines. "I could be in charge. I could be contacting you from the head office."

    "I don't think so. Those communications come with specific identifiers."

    Alex smiled, he could hear a hint of hesitation there. "Maybe this is a test." One quick change.

    "Why- why would you tell me it was a test, if it was one?" 

    "Maybe I'm here to see how you respond to confusion. You know a system like yours can't fall victim to confusion." He couldn't see any code where easy changes would push the system to trust him. Everything else would have to be combination of changes over multiple lines of code. He glanced at the communication ports, still no signs of anyone operating them.

    Ships couldn't afford to have a full complement of the crew up and about all the time on a trip such as this, but they also couldn't have everyone in cryo. There had to be someone there to react to the unexpected, like a pirate attack. Alex had no idea how many people had to be awake, but at least one of them should be a coercionist, and he should do regular checks.

    Alex deployed half a dozen copies of a program, and gave each one a line of code to insert at a specific location.

    "I can not be confused. I am a Moramba Sixty eight. I am the state of the art."

    Alex froze. "Did you say you're a Moramba?" 

    "I did."

    It had just given him it's manufacturer. Alex spun the display, added four more programs with changes to make. He wasn't familiar with the sixty eight, but he'd encounter a dozen different iteration of Moramba's system, and they all shared the same underlining architecture. He wondered if the arrogance had come with the initial program of this version, or if it had developed as changes were made. Arrogance was never something to cultivate in a computer.

    He activated the ten programs.

    This time the system blinked. Such a significant change couldn't go unnoticed, which was why it had to be made all at once, and if it wasn't successful, regaining control would be a difficult fight.

    "What did you do?" it asked. 

    "Something to help you." 

    "Oh, all right."

    "Now, can you answer my question again? If I tell you I'm in charge. Do you believe me?"

    "Of course."

    "Good. Now, I want you to listen to me. You said there is nothing out there. That is true. The only thing you can see are rocks, and they are nothing unless they are in your path. Rocks are the only things you will see. Anything you see, is only a rock. Do you understand?"

    "I only see rocks. Rocks are nothing." 

    "Good."

    Alex stretched. Anyone on the bridge who wasn't busy was looking at him, which included the captain.

    "We're invisible to them. So long as we don't cross their direct path, their sensors will ignore us."

    "You told that ship we were just a rock?" The captain asked.

    "I told it everything is a rock." 

    "And it believed you?"

    "I had to alter its personality, but yes, it believes me. As far as it's concerned, I'm the boss."

    "So we can go right up to them now, we don't have to hide behind an asteroid and get in from the blind spot created by their propulsion?"

    Alex hesitated. "Well, yeah. Isn't this what you wanted me to do?"

    The captain grinned. "Kid, I had no idea you could get a ship to do that. I was expecting you to disable the locks on the hold, and keep the security system from frying us. Murry, move us along them, Rebeca, inform all the teams we're moving ahead of schedule."

    "Sir," Alex said, "Don't connect to the ship too fast. I'm not ready to control the rest."

    "That's okay, you get to that, and we'll wait for your word."

    Alex set about reinforcing his control of the system, then getting it to ignore any kind of report about intruders or items being removed. He added to the programs he had around the communications points. When the crew boarded the ship, someone was going to realize something was wrong and they were going to ask the system.

    In the middle of doing that, Terry called his name.

    "I'm leaving this here, in case you need it." He placed a gun on the board next to Alex, away from Murry, and looked pointedly at the pilot.

    "I can't use that," Alex said.

    "You probably won't need to, but just in case. You point and shoot." He bent next to Murry in passing. "You fucking try anything, and if Crimson doesn't shoot you down, I will."

    Then it was only Alex and Murry left on the bridge. It took a moment for Alex to be able to focus on his work, but then he forgot everything else.

    When he was done with everything he looked up, to find he was the only one left. He pressed the call button for the captain. "I'm all done. You can go in when ever you want." Then Alex waited.

    It took fifteen minutes for someone to notice something.

    Then one of the communication point became active. The programs around it activated and blocked the flow. Immediately the other person started taking it apart. Alex reinforced his code with more lines and added a program to shore it up.

    A moment after that the system's antibodies flooded the area where Alex was affecting it. Normally they would only be activated by the system itself, which Alex controlled, but the coercionist had activated an emergency command. Alex wasn't worried, it wasn't his first time dealing with antibodies and he had a few programs ready to deal with them, leaving him free to fight off the attempts at regaining control.

    He and the other coercionist exchanged coded blows for a long time. Alex had no idea how long, being focused completely on what he was doing. He was so into the other system that it took him a long moment to realize someone had said something to him on the bridge of the ship he was standing on.

    He looked up and had to rub his eyes for them to focus on the gray haired man standing in the door.

    "I said, Move away from the board," the man pointing a gun at Alex said. Alex didn't think he'd seen him before, and he was sure no one on this ship would wear a white uniform this clean. Well, the captain would, but that wasn't him. This was someone who didn't belong on this ship, therefore he came from the other ship. He was here to stop him.

    Alex processed this, but still had no idea what to do. He looked to the display, his programs were still holding up against the coercionist, but for how long without his input? He noticed the gun on the other board.

    "Don't even think about touching that display," the man said. "Stand up, and move away."

    He hesitated a moment, but what else could he do? He was at gun point. He took out the ear piece and pocketed it. He stood and took a breath to calm himself. He was insane for thinking about doing it, but he had a job to do. He said he would and he was going to get it done.

    He grabbed the gun and pointed it at the man. Then he realized the safety might still be on, and he quickly turned the gun to check and then pointed it back. He flicked the safety off. Was the gun on? It took him a moment to find the switch, yes, it was.

    Alex was amazed the man hadn't shot him yet, and when he looked back at him, the man had an amused smile.

    His face grew serious. "Okay, I can see you're new to this. You've got to know you can't take me. Just put the gun down and step away from the board."

    Alex didn't move. Could he turn his back on the captain, Will and the few friends he made? Would they even know he'd be the one betraying them? He didn't belong on a pirate ship. Maybe this other one could get him to Samalia?

    "Look, do what I say and I'll tell my captain I just found you here. I won't talk about the board and the intrusion into our system. You're presence on a pirate ship means you'll have to do time, but I'm sure I can convince them to keep it to a minimum. A few years, no more."

    Years? In prison? What would that do to his chances of finding Tristan? Rescuing Jack? "I can't." He tried to steady his gun hand. He used his other hand to help.

    "Be reasonable. You're shaking so much there's no way you can hit me. If I have to disarm you, you're going down for illegal coercion, that's a minimum of ten years in prison."

    Alex wanted to shake his head, but he didn't want to take his eyes off the man. He gritted his teeth. "I can't go to prison. I don't have the time."

    "You should have thought about that-" 

    Alex fired.

    The man fell.

    Alex dropped the gun and turned back to the display. At a glance he could tell the other coercionist had gained a foothold within Alex's barricade.

    He put the ear piece back in his ear and wince as the wailing assaulted him. Great, he didn't have the time to deal with his system having an attack. He tried to ignore it and fight the other person's codes, but it was piercing and stringent, he couldn't concentrate.

    Then he realized he didn't have to be the one suffering. He shunted the audio to the other ship and through the other coercionist's connection. Let them deal with it. The distraction was enough for him to repair the programs and look for the damage.

    Some of the security systems had been activated. He told the system to shut them down, but it was too confused to act. Alex had to shut them down manually. Then make sure all the doors were locked. Once that was done he was able to come back to the system, although he had to fight off another attack.

    He had the system calm again when he noticed an alarm within his own computer. Someone was trying to gain access. He brought up a second display and then he was busy fighting on two fronts. Fortunately, who ever that second coercionist was, he wasn't very good.

    * * * * *

    "Crimson," someone said. Alex had the distinct impression it wasn't the first time he'd been called.

    He glanced to the side, only long enough to see the captain and others on the bridge, then focus back on the two attacks.

    "We're all back," The captain said. "It was a complete success and we're leaving."

    Alex nodded. He had to take a chance for this last part. He stopped dealing with the attack on this ship's computer.

    "Okay, the exercise is almost over," he told the other ship's system. "There's only a couple of things left to do. Are you ready for your instructions?"

    "I am, but will the other intruder stop?"

    "Yes, he will. You performed admirably well. Your pride is well deserved. Now, when I tell you to go to sleep, I want you to forget the last twenty four hours, then sleep for a full day."

    "Won't the crew be inconvenienced if I am sleeping?" 

    "It's their part of the test. We need to know how they perform if you aren't there to help them."

    "Oh. They will perform well, they are a good crew." 

    "I have no doubt. Go to sleep."

    His connection died.

    He looked at his system's status, the attacker hadn't been able to do much before he lost contact. His lack of skill and the computer's unstable mind had been all the obstacles he needed.

    It was finished.

    His legs gave out, but someone caught him before he fell.

    He felt the chair under him and looked up. The captain was next to him, concern on his face. Alex looked beyond him at the others, working at their posts, and he saw the man on lying on the floor, half his face burned off.

    Alex looked around for a can, any kind of receptacle, but he didn't see any. He lunged for the corner and threw up there. When he stood he was shaking.

    "That's the second guy you killed," the captain said. "It's becoming a habit."

    Alex shook his head, and his stomach protested. "I didn't mean to kill him. I was aiming for his shoulder, but my hand was shaking so much, and I had to get back to controlling the other system. I-"

    The captain grabbed him by the shoulder forcefully. "You don't have anything to apologize for. That guy put the job in danger, you dealt with him. That's how things should go." He got Alex to sit down again. "Now, you told that other ship to forget and sleep?"

    Alex looked around, expecting to see at least a bit of disgust on someone's face for the death, but nothing. The gun was no longer on the floor. He focused on the captain and nodded.

    "So we have a day before they're going to be able to do anything about us?"

    "No, a couple of hours at most. If their coercionist is any good that's all it's going to take him to force a hard reboot of the system." Alex smiled. "Which is going to erase all traces of my work."

    "You heard the man," The captain said. "We have two hours to get as far from here as possible. Burn as much power as it's safe to do that." He looked at Alex. "Get back to your cabin, sleep, eat, rest. Everyone's exhausted, so we'll celebrate our victory later."

    "What about the-" Alex pointed toward the body without looking at it.

    "Don't worry about that, or your mess in the corner. I'll get Will to clean it up."

    "He shouldn't have to clean my mess."

    "The kid likes cleaning stuff. If I'd known that, I would have set him to cleaning the ship from the start. Go rest."

    Alex nodded, but it took him a time before his legs could support him. He was careful not to look down as he stepped around the body and left the bridge.

    He made it half way to his room, in a daze of shock and exhaustion, before someone grabbed him and slammed him against the wall.

    "You did it on purpose, didn't you?"

    It took a moment for Alex to recognize Anders before him. "What?" was all he managed to say.

    "You said you'd control that other ship, so you're the only one who can have done that. You failed, I'm still alive, but two of my men are hurt. You're going to pay for that."

    A hand appeared on Anders' shoulder, and Alex realized there were six others with them. The hand belonged to a short but wide man. "He's under the Captain's protection."

    Anders growled and slammed Alex back against the wall before letting him go.

    "This isn't over. The captain's going to remove his protection at some point, then you're a dead man." He stormed off, followed by most of the others.

    The man who had stopped Anders remained with Alex.

    Alex watched them disappear around the corner. "What the fuck is his problem?" he grumbled.

    "The security activated where we were, and Anders thinks you did it on purpose. He thinks you're after his position as top guy on the ship."

    Alex gaped. "That's nuts. I'm getting off the ship the moment we get to Samalia, doesn't he realize that?"

    The man shrugged.

    Alex studied him suspiciously. "Shouldn't you be threatening me, instead of explaining things?"

    The man chuckled. "You saved our lives, I'm not interested in giving you grief." Alex looked at him in disbelief. "There was two guys hurt, well, four if you count Willowbury and Marco, but these two got injured when they let a crate drop on them, so that would have happened anyway. What I'm saying is that you kept the security off us. We've never had a job go without at least thirty people ending up at Doc's. I hope the captain can convince you to stick with us, instead of getting off where ever you're going."

    The man shook Alex's hand and left him there. Alex had trouble believing what he'd done had that much of an impact on the crew. Then he realized that would just piss off Anders more.

    With a groan he continued to his cabin to sleep until the universe ended.