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Automated docking system engaged. Enjoy your stay at headquarters.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Control. Bad Luck, out.\"\n\n\"That was easy.\"\n\n\"Unfortunately it?s probably the only thing that?ll go right from this point on. Tuft, I want you to stay here. The last thing we need is Parker?s people getting a hold of the Bad Luck or your android body.\"\n\n\"Understood, Captain.\"\n\nSeven hours later Tank sat at a desk as a bank manager continued to stall. \"You have to understand Mr. Abrams,\"\n\n\"Captain Abrams.\"\n\n\"Captain Abrams, we are not authorized to transfer such a large sum of money to a non-Parker Corp. aligned bank without Mr. Parker?s personal approval.\"\n\n\"Is there any question as to my identity?\"\n\n\"No sir.\"\n\n\"Is it my money in the account?\"\n\n\"Of course it is, S . . . Captain, there is no doubt that you earned every credit.\"\n\n\"Is there any question that the account I?m asking you to transfer the money into is also mine?\"\n\n\"No, Captain.\"\n\n\"Then do the damn transfer already!\" Tank yelled, as he stood up and slammed his hands down on the desk.\n\n\"I?m sorry but I?m not allowed to transfer that much.\"\n\n\"Ah hah, what is the maximum amount you can transfer?\" \n\nThe manager sighed, wrote the amount on a slip of paper, and slipped it across his desk.\n\nTank sat down, read the number, and frowned. \"Fine. Transfer that amount to the specified account.\"\n\n\"The transfer is complete, thank you for,\"\n\n\"Slow down there, we?re not done just yet. I want to make a withdrawal to a standard non-aligned credit chip for the maximum allowable amount.\"\n\n\"Sir, I mean Captain, that is highly discouraged a-and if I might say uh-unadvised. Putting that many credits on a chip is just, just tempting fate.\" The manager stuttered.\n\n\"Fate can suck it. Now make the transfer.\"\n\n\"Yes, Captain Abrams.\" The manager sighed, pulled out a card chip, made the transfer, and handed it to Tank. \"There, happy now? You?re likely to be robbed long before you get a chance to enjoy those credits.\"\n\n\"You?re probably right. Now, I?d like to make a withdrawal of the maximum allowable amount of Federation hard currency.\"\n\n\"You what!\"\n\nTank gave a lop-sided smirk.\n\n\"Fine, but I?ll have to report this directly to Mr. Parker. Please wait here.\" \n\n\"I?ll wait for you to get the hard cred, but I don?t have time to wait for you to report to Parker. He?s currently in the black sector with Captain Carpenter testing his new luxury yacht, and I doubt you want me sitting here for a week or two.\"\n\n\"How . . . no one . . . Captain Abrams, I must apologize. Only those of us with Omega Level security clearance know of Mr. Parker?s current location. If you had mentioned your status this would have gone much smoother. I?ll transfer the remaining balance of your account, as originally requested,\" the Bank Manager said, quickly typing at his console.\n\n\"Thank you, when Mr. Parker returns and you give your report,\" Tank gave a lengthy pause, \"I won?t contradict the report if you tell him it was routine and without incident.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Captain, for being so patient and understanding.\"\n\nTank nodded and headed for the door. Before stepping through he took a deep breath, put on the look of a man that had just been denied a loan, and set out for his next meeting. Twenty minutes later and fourteen floors down, he stepped out the door of the insurance company looking much the same, but his backpack was suspiciously heavier. A quick elevator ride and brisk walk had him standing outside the Bad Luck?s airlock once more. He hit the coms button, \"Tuft, open up I?m back.\" \n\nThe door remained closed. \n\n\"Tuft, do you read me?\" \n\nTank glanced at the docking arm just to be sure he was in the right place. It certainly looked the same. Through the airlock?s window he could see the Bad Luck?s airlock. \"Tuft, if you?re there, please respond.\" There was still no reply. \"Shit, I don?t have time for this,\" he mumbled, as he turned to head for the docking control office.\n\nSuddenly the hatch slid open. \"That?s what you get for making me worry about you for so long.\"\n\n\"You are an asshole.\"\n\n\"No, I?m an android. Do you require a graphic display of the difference?\"\n\nTank glanced at a screen depicting a robot on one side and his face on the other. He dropped his pack as he slid into his command seat. \"All right, I?ll admit that graphic was slightly funny. Now open communications with Docking Control.\"\n\n\"Docking Control, this is Captain Abrams requesting immediate clearance for debarkation.\"\n\n\"Bad Luck, what is your planned destination?\"\n\n\"Omega Level, classified.\"\n\n\"Clearance granted, have a safe journey Bad Luck, Docking Control out.\"\n\n\"Omega Level?\" Tuft asked, turning in his seat to look at Tank.\n\n\"Not important. Once Parker gets back it won?t open any more doors for us anyway. Set jump coordinates for Homestead.\"\n\n\"Why there?\"\n\n\"It?s a hub system and is traveled enough that our jump signature can?t be tracked.\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\n\"Seventh Heaven, this is Bad Luck, requesting a dry dock landing berth.\"\n\n\"Bad Luck, what is your pass code?\"\n\n\"The sky is falling, so get out fast.\"\n\n\"That is a really old code.\"\n\n\"That?s all right it was a really old spacer that loaned it to us.\"\n\n\"Pass code accepted. Ship type and repair details.\"\n\n\"Crossroads Class heavy transport in for a new coat of paint and various interior upgrades.\"\n\n\"Crossroads Class: Bad Luck? I?ve been here long enough that I?ve seen all 249 of them including the Tuft.\"\n\n\"This is Captain Bradley Sherman Abrams. I?m the engineer responsible for the Crossroads design. The Bad Luck is actually number 250 in the line. I?ve had her in storage since the production run was ended. This is her first outing due to my ?serving the greater good? on the Federation?s orders. So, now you can claim that you have seen all 250 ships.\"\n\n\"Noted, you?re cleared for dry dock thirteen, enjoy your stay.\"\n\nTank signed for Tuft to take them in. \"One other thing, you should know that the Bad Luck?s computer system is linked up to an anthropomorphic rabbit android. I?ve given him the designation Tuft, after the original Tuft transport was destroyed.\"\n\n\"The Tuft was destroyed? Damn, that ship was infamous. How did it go out?\"\n\n\"It rammed an interdiction cruiser, overloaded its engine core, and the cruiser?s reactor blew as well. The Federation dragged me in to positively identify the wreckage, what little remained, and it was the Tuft. I suppose the whole incident was classified since even my overseer wasn?t briefed on my little ?vacation.?\"\n\n\"So you named your own A.I. android after that ship? Yeah, I can see the ironic logic in that. Once you get the new paint, I?ll have to get a holograph for my collection.\"\n\n\"Fine with me, Bad Luck out.\"\n\n\"What was all that about?\"\n\n\"Within the hour everyone in the port is going to know a version of the story I just told. Through it all the major facts we need people to remember are that the original Tuft was destroyed, the military will deny everything, and you are not the original Tuft A.I.\"\n\nTuft grinned, \"We are currently fifth in line for docking so it may take a while before we actually land.\"\n\n\"That?s fine. I need to write up an ad and post it to the port?s bulletin board to see what kind of artistic talent can be found here.\"\n\n\"Artistic talent? It?s just a coat of paint. That doesn?t require an artist.\"\n\n\"True, but the two nose-art images do require an artist.\"\n\n\"If you think you?re slapping images of scantily clad human females on my hull I may go as berserk as the ?original? Tuft.\"\n\n\"Fine, I?ll make it nude rabbit males if you insist.\"\n\n\"Uh huh, just remember you?ve been warned. If I don?t like it, I?ll be very displeased.\"\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\nTank sat at a table looking at art on his pad. He?d gotten plenty of responses to his painting ad and even now the Bad Luck was getting a fresh coat of olive drab paint with brown accents. \n\n\"Can I get you a refill?\" an anthro-droid mouse waitress asked.\n\n\"Yes, thank you. Also, since it looks like the individual I?m meeting is running late I?ll go ahead and have the house special.\"\n\n\"One basket of cheese fries coming up.\"\n\nTank shook his head. He should have figured as much in a place named \"Hole in the Wall\" staffed by android mice. \n\n\"Sorry to keep you waiting.\"\n\nTank stared at the android horse sitting across from him. He hadn?t seen him enter the restaurant or even heard him walk up and sit down.\n\n\"Never mind, I can tell from your looks you have no intention of commissioning any art.\" The horse stood to leave.\n\n\"Wait, I have a hundred credits for you if you?ll listen to what I?m looking for and do a rough sketch. If I like what I see, we can get down to negotiating a price. Whether you?re an android, or more likely a telepresense unit, doesn?t matter to me. I was just a bit shocked at how quietly you move.\"\n\n\"Padded horse shoes, I got tired of all the complaints about the noise.\" The horse sat back down and pulled a sketchpad out of his pack. \"Now describe what you?re looking for.\"\n\nTank sighed; this was the point where he?d lost three other artists. \"Before we really start, I need to tell you I?m looking for an artist to do two nose art paintings on my ship. Nothing risque, but they will be large images. The reason I?m here is because all the artists I?ve met, specializing in nose art, are crap at drawing anthropomorphic animals.\" Tank paused, waiting for the horse to leave.\n\n\"Yeah, I?m waiting for a description to do a sketch.\"\n\n\"Right, do you know the children?s story about the tortoise and the hare?\"\n\n\"Of course.\"\n\n\"That?s what I?m looking for. On the right side is the Tortoise, not toonish I can?t stress that enough, more like a turtle android. He?s turned slightly to the right and is holding a winner?s trophy in front of himself. Slightly behind and below him in the background will be the back of the hare image that will go on the left side of the ship. Underneath the hare will be the ship?s name ?Bad Luck? in red looking like it was tagged on as an after thought.\"\n\n\"Your ship?s name is Bad Luck? That?s either crazy or crazy cool. Give me a couple of minutes to rough this out, and then I?ll need the description of the hare image.\"\n\nTank smiled, this was going better than he?d imagined. He picked his pad back up from the table and pulled up the Crossroads? schematics. He really hoped the sketch turned out the way he imagined. He glanced up and was a bit surprised to see the horse actually doing the sketching. If it was a telepresense unit, then the operator was highly skilled.\n\n\"I?ve got the basic sketch of the tortoise done.\" He turned the pad toward Tank to show him the image. \"I?ll come back and add the hare once you?ve described him.\"\n\nTank already knew that he would commission the horse no matter what he ended up having to pay. \"The hare is in the exact same pose as the tortoise but looking to the left, of course, and instead of holding the winner?s trophy he?s holding a large amount of cash. Sticking out of his pocket is a betting stub with the tortoise to win with a 1000 to 1 odds. In the background is the back of the tortoise and bellow him the ships name.\"\n\n\"So in your version the tortoise gets the fame and the hare gets the cash so they both win.\"\n\n\"Or they both lost because the race was fixed from the start.\"\n\n\"Here?s the hare sketch. It?s still really rough. Now if you like what you see and you?re willing to go forward there are a few things we need to work out. First off I?ll be doing this as two regular painted commissions. While you may be thinking of trying to negotiate a better price, that isn?t the way I work.\"\n\n\"That?s fine; I can tell from the sketches that it?ll be worth every credit.\"\n\n\"Next is the fact that I won?t be painting the images onto your ship. I tried that once and swore never to do so again. Instead you?ll need to hire a professional painting crew. I?m sending you a text on the crew I?ve had the best luck with in the past. While I agree with you that their artistic skills are total crap, their painting abilities are the best. That is where you can do your haggling.\"\n\n\"Will you be involved in that phase at all?\"\n\n\"Of course, I?ve got to be there to make sure my art is translated from page to ship correctly. All I need now is your ship?s schematics and your dry dock number so that I can come down and get an impression of the true scale I?ll be working toward.\" The horse stood up to leave once again.\n\nTank transferred the information along with 200 credits for the sketches.\n\n\"Wait, that?s too much.\"\n\n\"Two sketches, I agreed to pay 100 per sketch.\"\n\n\"Watch yourself. Altruism like that will make you poor in a hurry. Oh, I suggest you go ahead and eat your cheese fries. They?re just as tasty cold as they are hot.\"\n\nTank glanced down at his basket of cheese fries. He hadn?t even realized the waitress had served them. He picked one out and bit into it. The outside was cold, giving it a nice crunch, but the cheese inside was still warm, soft, and as the horse had said, quite tasty. Tank quickly finished them. He considered for a moment, and then decided since things were going so well, he?d splurge and have a bit of dessert. \"Excuse me, waitress, would you happen to serve carrot cake with cream cheese frosting?\"\n\n\"Of course.\"\n\n\"I?ll take a large piece then.\"\n\n\"Coming right up.\"\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\nAs Tank entered the docking bay he surveyed the painter?s work. They?d moved the bay?s modular scaffolding into position and had finished painting the ship?s bridge and crew quarters? section. It stuck out from the ship?s main body and had been inspired by antique military transport aircraft. However instead of opening to load heavy vehicles, the lower deck had a large viewing area for supervising the loading and unloading of the main cargo decks. Tuft was glaring down at him.\n\nA few minutes later Tank entered the viewing room. \"I suppose you have a problem with my color choices?\"\n\n\"If you call olive drab and brown a choice, then yes, I have a problem with it. If you ask me unpainted is better than your choice.\"\n\n\"Did you consider the possibility that I have a reason for choosing those colors?\"\n\n\"Fine, enlighten me oh wise one. Why did you choose those colors?\"\n\n\"The first reason is because it is drab and boring. That means the Feds won?t bother looking too closely at our cargo or us because we obviously lack imagination. The second reason is because those colors have often been seen as strong and reliable. Meaning, we?ll be more likely to attract legitimate business. Finally and perhaps most importantly those colors blend with their surroundings making it easier to hide if we have to go to ground.\"\n\n\"I?ll consider your reasons after a bit of research to be sure you didn?t make that all up. So did you find an artist willing to work on your secret nose art?\"\n\n\"It?s not really a secret. I wanted to have something to show you rather than just describing it.\" Tank took out his pad and pulled up the sketches before handing it to Tuft. \"While the images are self explanatory, if you know the story of the tortoise and the hare, they have a deeper meaning-\"\n\n\"I?m guessing that it is tied up in them both believing that they have won, even though in truth they?ve both lost, or some ironic crap like that.\"\n\n\"Yes, but to the average person the moral of the story is that slow and steady wins the race. Now consider the fact that the Bad Luck is going to be green and brown.\"\n\n\"Ah, so the ship is the turtle and most people will subconsciously assume that it is the best choice to move their cargo.\" \n\n\"Exactly, and for those that learn about you as the ship?s A.I. unit will then get the idea that we will win no matter what.\"\n\n\"You do realize that since I?m the ship?s brain, I can monitor your physical reactions so I already know you?re not being completely truthful.\" \n\n\"Fine, I?ll get right to the deepest meaning then. The tortoise represents the ship and the hare represents you. Since you are both basically one being if someone causes problems for you they?re going to have to deal with a nasty amount of Bad Luck. Also, just for the record I?ve been working on this concept ever since you conned me into the medical tube.\"\n\n\"Since you?ve started the up-grades I have a list of my own.\" Tuft downloaded the list to Tank?s pad and then handed it back to him.\"\n\n\"There?s only one new item.\"\n\n\"It will automatically update as things are checked off. As you can see numbers one and two are your choices of exterior paint and nose art so items three and four are mine.\"\n\n\"So if I want to make an improvement, I have to make one of yours as well?\"\n\n\"It?s only fair and in the end, with most of them, you?ll be the one benefiting.\"\n\n\"What if the improvement I want to make is already on your list?\"\n\n\"It will be deleted, and you?ll be none the wiser unless it has already appeared, then you get a freebie since it is something we both want.\"\n\n\"So, your first request is carpeting.\"\n\n\"That?s right, limited to crew and passenger quarters, this viewing room, the crew lounge, and the bridge. I had considered the hallways, but decided they were better left as they are for now.\"\n\n\"Since this is your request, what color do you think would be best?\"\n\n\"I was hoping you wouldn?t ask that. I?ve considered a great many colors and shades but I keep coming back to a neutral color like sandy tan.\"\n\n\"Hmm, seems like a good choice to me. I?m placing the ad now to see if there?s anyone at the port able to do starship carpeting.\"\n\n\"Wait . . .\"\n\n\"So that was all that was needed? I must say this isn?t an upgrade I would have considered, but if it?s what you want then set up the arrangements and I?ll make sure it is taken care of.\"\n\nTank looked at Tuft?s choice again and smirked to himself as Tuft made a hasty retreat from the room. While it was a legitimate up-grade it wasn?t exactly a necessary expense. Still, if it was what Tuft wanted he would make sure the rabbit got the best service and up-grade available.\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\nTank sat in the waiting room of Droid-Tech. The company?s slogan of \"New, used, repairs, upgrades, and parts at Droid-Tech. These are the droids you?re looking for. They are for sale if you want them. Come on in,\" scrolled across the video wall below stock models of anthro-droids.\n\n\"You know, Sir, your droid can be delivered directly to your ship after its upgrade at no extra cost?\"\n\n\"I?d rather wait here for him.\"\n\n\"It will not be functional until it has spent time in its recharge dock reloading its personality files.\"\n\nTank stood up and walked over to the display wall. \"I?ve been employed out on the fringes for a long time. When I left humanoid robots were everywhere, but now it seems to be anthro-droids, can you enlighten me as to what changed?\"\n\n\"That?s easy the robots you probably remember started to look too human. Even with enhanced programming prohibiting violence no one wanted to buy them. There was also the overwhelming fear that a person could be replaced by a robot and no one would notice.\"\n\n\"That doesn?t explain why anthropomorphic animal models are used.\"\n\n\"They can?t be mistaken for humans but more importantly there is a great cultural acceptance for the form. As you spend more time interacting with them you?re also likely to find that they are used in specific applications. Large animals ranging from horses to elephants are used for heavy labor. Predator species are most often used as security forces. Smaller animals are primarily found in the human services industry. Ferrets and otters are often employed as maintenance droids due to their body shape. There are exceptions, of course, but foxes and rabbits are nearly always used in the physical gratification services.\"\n\n\"I see.\" Tank frowned; it was now obvious why the receptionist kept giving him odd looks. She was under the misconception that he had chosen for Tuft to be upgraded from gender neutral to a male form. He returned to his seat and smirked. She was acting overly superior with her perfectly pressed brown uniform, hair in a perfect bun, and understated pink lipstick. He closed his eyes and imagined her completely disheveled, on her hands and knees, as her personal anthro-droids, a wolf in front and horse in the rear, attended to her carnal needs.\n\n\"Mr. Abrams, the upgrades to your android are complete. If you would like you can inspect it now, or we can deliver it to your ship.\"\n\nTank flinched at the interruption; he was really going to have to get his hearing checked. It was dangerous having people sneak up on him constantly. \"I?ll inspect him now. I want to make sure everything is functioning correctly before I take possession.\" As the technician turned, Tank visibly adjusted himself while winking and the secretary?s disapproving glare.\n\n\"We guarantee our work for a full solar year.\" The tech said, as he led Tank past the reception desk, down a hallway, and into a completely empty room except for Tuft?s body standing in the center. \"As you can see everything is just as you ordered. Ordinarily the unit would require manual stimulation to reach this stage of pseudo-arousal; however for the inspection I am overriding that. I?m now remotely stimulating a full erection. As you can see the unit is species appropriately shaped but the final length and girth have been adjusted as ordered.\"\n\n\"He looks heavier. Did you increase his mass?\"\n\n\"Yes, again that was specified in the work order I received. I presumed you were the one who had filled it out.\"\n\n\"Open his cranial access port.\"\n\n\"That would be ill advised. Even when the unit is in its recharge dock it will rarely need to open the cranial port.\"\n\n\"Unit, open your cranial access port. Access code Killer58.\"\n\nThe unit kneeled and his forehead opened. Tank removed the small cube from inside and replaced it with a larger unit, which filled all the available space. He carefully closed the unit?s cranial port. \"Initialize connection.\"\n\n\"Connection stable, running file scan.\"\n\n\"You?re re-initializing his systems? I didn?t recognize the cognitive unit you placed in him, but without his charging dock you are risking permanent file damage.\"\n\n\"File scans complete, beginning physical scan mode.\"\n\n\"That isn?t possible. No droid can run a physical scan without their dock.\"\n\nPhysical scan complete. Upgrade successful, no unwanted changes found. Now reconfiguring information and purging garbage files.\"\n\n\"If you alter or purge any files you void the warranty.\"\n\n\"Reconfiguration complete, downloading personality.\"\n\n\"So, Tuft, how do you feel?\"\n\n\"This is insanity. An android cannot feel!\"\n\n\"Shut up already. I?m not one of your basic disposable pleasure droids. As to your question, Captain, I feel heavier, maybe a bit more complete. I also feel a strange indefinable compulsion to explore my new hardware.\"\n\n\"Look up the word horny.\" \n\n\"Yes, I am horny.\"\n\nTank laughed, \"Get used to it, you?re the one that wanted to be male.\"\n\n\"Second best remedy is to find a task to distract oneself. Since everything is in order, you can pay for the upgrade while I return to the ship and start working on reconfiguring my docking station to account for my new physical state of being.\"\n\n\"Hold up, bunny butt,\" Tank said, as he pulled a jumpsuit out of his backpack, \"Now that you have dangly bits, even with a sheath, you are required to wear clothing while in public.\"\n\n\"Fine, but don?t expect me to be embarrassed. Unlike you biologicals I know what I?m packing and I know how to use it.\" Tuft said, as he pulled on the jumpsuit and left the room.\n\n\"N...no android that I?ve ever worked on acts like that.\"\n\n\"If you?re lucky you will never see another android like him. Now, do I pay you or the receptionist?\"\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\n\"Mr. Abrams, please hold still. Micro-surgery of this sort can cause irreparable damage if not done correctly.\"\n\nTank wanted to scream. He was tightly strapped to a seat with his head and chest inside a cage that totally immobilized him. As if that wasn?t enough, he?d also been shot full of relaxants and pain blockers to further guarantee that he couldn?t move, speak, or even breathe unassisted; and the doctor had the audacity to blame him for any movement? \n\nSuddenly there was silence. A minute later the doctor moved into Tank?s line of sight. He was obviously going on and on about something. Likely about how he was a genius and the removal of his damaged eardrum was a complete success. Now, he would be implanting the new cybernetic replacement. \n\nThe doctor stopped flapping his lips and just stared. Seconds later he had moved out of sight. \n\nThe continued silence told Tank everything he needed to know. At some point someone had listed the wrong side and they had removed his functional eardrum. Now he really wanted to scream. If only he?d returned to the ship with Tuft rather than stopping to get his hearing checked. The doctor reappeared in his sight line obviously yelling at the nurse, then abruptly turned and stormed out of the room. \n\nThe nurse turned and shrugged at him before scribbling something on her pad and holding it up for him to read. \"I?m sorry, but there has been a mistake. The Doctor will be back to take care of you once he retrieves the correct replacement parts.\" Once Tank looked up from reading the message the nurse turned and followed the doctor out of the room.\n\n\"Oh shit, I?m in trouble.\" Tank felt his heart rate increasing despite the relaxants. \"I should have been smarter and waited to get my eardrum replaced at a safer port.\" He started feeling dizzy and his vision was getting fuzzy and dark at the edges. \"Oh no, they did something to the respirator and that?s how \n\nI?m going to die! They?ll come back after I?m dead and then inform the port authorities that I must have had an allergy or breathing problem that I didn?t disclose to them so my death is just a freak accident.\" The room continued to fade as he passed out.\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\nSlowly Tank opened his eyes. He was still strapped into the immobilization seat. He was surprised to still be alive, but even that seemed to be secondary to the sight before him. Tuft leaned against the door, dressed in combat armor, with a most un-rabbit-like scowl. The next thing to register was the sensation, though still heavily dulled, of something being done to his bad ear. Finally the silence reminded him of his stupidity. He could see Tuft saying something and could tell that it was threatening. He watched as the doctor scrambled out of the room. Tuft turned to him, pulling out his pad.\n\n\"You are an absolute imbecile. I can?t leave you alone for a minute before you decide you have to do something stupid, can I?\"\n\nWhen Tank finished reading, Tuft cleared the screen and started writing again. \n\n\"First of all, let me just say that having a panic attack while hooked to a respirator is bad for you. \n\nPlus it makes for really confusing biometric readings as well.\"\n\nTank really wanted to question what that meant but it was still impossible.\n\n\"Since you?ll be forced to think about this rather than explode right now this is probably my best chance to let you know that I had biometric scanner and tracking chips implanted in you while you were in the med tube.\"\n\nTuft was right; he really did feel like wringing the rabbit?s neck. However, he also desperately wanted to hug Tuft for coming to his rescue.\n\n\"I knew about your hearing but I figured you would wait until we were at a reputable port before trying to get it fixed, so I?ll take part of the blame for this. However, you needing both eardrums replaced with cybernetic implants is on you.\"\n\nTank clenched his fist in irritation and when he realized that he was regaining some movement shook his arm to try and get it free.\n\n\"Stop that! You have to remain immobilized and as still as possible for at least another hour to give the bio-stitches time to integrate without leaving any scar tissue. After that I can remove the restraints but the cage has to remain in place a bit longer.\"\n\nAfter reading Tank looked down toward his pointing finger but Tuft was writing again.\n\n\"Once enough time has elapsed I?ll escort you back to the ship. Then over the next few days I?ll gradually adjust your hearing until it is back to standard human levels.\"\n\nTank kept looking Tuft in the eyes and then down at his pointing finger. Finally Tuft got the hint. His eyes glazed; Tank guessed he was checking the bio-monitoring chip. It was obvious he chuckled before standing up and going through the cupboards in the room. Tank was embarrassed about what was about to happen but the alternative was just as bad.\n\nTuft held up a bottle and then reached for the buttons down the front of Tank?s pants.\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\nTank moaned as he sat on the toilet looking out at his bunk. It was a distance that anyone could cover in seconds; at least, anyone not suffering from extreme vertigo. It had taken him nearly ten minutes to cover the distance. He?d started out with the cane but was on his hands and knees by his second step. He?d made it nearly halfway by the time he was dragging himself on his belly. However, the most time had been spent when he got back up on his knees and proceeded to empty what little there was in his stomach.\n\nNow that he had finished his business he had the same distance to cover once again. \"Maybe I should stay right here until I?m better,\" he mumbled.\n\n\"I?m pretty sure that would get awkward really fast. I?m on my way with something that should help.\"\n\nTank moaned again. Even though the implants were at a low setting Tuft?s whisper seemed like each syllable was an explosion.\n\nTuft entered, walked over, and injected Tank. He then held up his pad. \"Sorry about that, but the drugs should cure your vertigo and headaches. Unfortunately it won?t help with the balance problems, so let me know when you think the drugs have taken effect and I?ll help you back into bed.\"\n\nTank sighed. He?d quickly gotten over his embarrassment of Tuft seeing him nude after discovering putting on pants while suffering from vertigo meant more embarrassment and mess for Tuft to clean up. No, needing the android?s help doing just about everything and feeling like he was taking unfair advantage of the rabbit was preying on his mind. \n\n\"Cane, please.\" \n\nTuft ground his teeth as he retrieved the cane, \"You think I don?t know what your problem is? I?m an android built to serve humans. However, for the sake of argument, let?s say that I?m more than just a service android. I?d still be here helping you recover. So, if the drugs don?t work, no more crawling or dragging yourself along the floor.\"\n\n\"It?s a good thing the drugs seem to be working, otherwise that little speech would have killed me.\"\n\nTuft shook his head and pulled back the bedding. \"If you?re not going to accept my assistance then at least hurry up and get yourself into bed so I can get back to work.\"\n\n\"So go already.\" Tank grumbled, as he crawled in and pulled the covers up to his chest.\n\nTuft proceeded to get into the bunk as well. There was enough space, though it was a little crowded. Strangely, rather than outraged Tank felt comfortable, safe, and secure; he slammed down those feelings doing his best to replace them with irritation. \"What do you think you?re doing? I thought you said you had work.\"\n\n\"I do, starting with reporting our current status to you. First off I feel it?s in our best interest to consider finding a crew. Before you go off on not needing anyone else, consider the advantages of at least having a trained medical technician. You would have gotten the treatment you needed and would have been able to make your way to the head without the nausea from the start.\"\n\n\"Fine, but we?re going to have to be very careful, what with Parker likely still gunning for me, as well as your past.\"\n\n\"Agreed, the next item is I?ve set us up with our first transport job. We?ll be running a load of drugs, plant samples, and other assorted items to Asclepius. Before you get upset it?s a completely legal run. While the cargo is illegal, as long as it arrives with the medical university seals intact we remain in the clear. They are samples from the newest colony world being shipped back for testing.\"\n\n\"I can?t say I?m happy with your choice but it does work out with your ulterior motive of finding us a medic.\"\n\nTuft smiled, \"I?m not trying to hide anything. If the cargo with the best profit margin was going to a port reputed to have the best navigators in the galaxy, I?d have still insisted we check for a medic, while interviewing navigators.\"\n\n\"Just how many crew members do you think we need?\" \n\n\"We really only need a medic, but having a navigator and a dedicated pilot would be helpful. Of course just to be on the safe side you may want to pick up a couple more androids. One cargo handler and one for security, no one seems frightened of me unless you tell them who I really am. Now, the final item, it seems your nose art designer is planning on traveling with us when we leave.\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"He has discretely stowed a couple of cargo crates in the hold filled with personal items. Truth be told, if he?d picked any other ship they likely wouldn?t have noticed, but with me being fully integrated I?ve been following his progress. Shall I detain him the next time he sneaks aboard?\"\n\n\"No, once we?ve safely left the station, escort both of them to the bridge for interrogation. As skilled as he is at using that android horse telepresense unit they may be crew material and having them in our debt may be a good starting place for negotiating work contracts.\"\n\n\"Do you think you?ll be able to get to the bridge?\"\n\n\"Yes, I?m sure I?ll be able to get to the bridge. However, on second thought, you?d better escort them to my office. There are no critical systems for them to damage if things go badly.\"\n\n\"I?ll set us up for a two stage hyperspace journey. That way we can also make sure that they don?t have anyone tracking them. Now, I?d better go and finish up final pre-launch preparations and file our departure plans with the station?s port authority.\"\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\n\"I?ve dropped out of hyperspace. No transmissions have been sent and, so far, we don?t have any visitors.\"\n\n\"Then it?s time to have a little meeting with our stowaways.\"\n\n\"Stowaway, there?s only one. Either my scanning software has a massive glitch or your painter has an interesting story to tell us. It seems that he is physically grafted to his android body.\"\n\n\"Have you confronted him yet?\"\n\n\"Yes, and he?s being very cooperative. He insists that he?ll pay you back for the trip and that he didn?t transfer the credits for the paintings as an act of good faith.\"\n\nThe office door slid open and Tuft escorted the Horse android in. He gestured to the seat in front of the desk with the barrel of his heavy plasma rifle.\n\n\"Captain Abrams, I?m not sure where you bought your android, but it seems they forgot to install a personality.\"\n\n\"I think you?ll find he has an excess of personality and, all things considered, a great deal of self control.\"\n\n\"Uh huh.\"\n\n\"However, you seem to be getting ahead of yourself. Before we get started it?s only polite to make introductions. I, of course, am Captain Abrams, designer of the Crossroads Class transports. The android, and Bad Luck?s primary A.I. unit, is Tuft.\"\n\n\"You named your android after the galaxies most infamous homicidal A.I.?\n\n\"Tank didn?t name me and, as far as I know, I?m the only infamous A.I. that calls himself Tuft. Now, as I?m the one holding the plasma rifle, I suggest you return the courtesy and tell us your name.\"\n\nTank did his best not to laugh. The horse looked like he was on the edge of wetting himself, as if that was possible.\n\n\"B-b-b-brushfire, Roman.\"\n\nTank rolled his eyes, \"Tuft, will you please step out into the hall? We?re not going to get any answers if Mr. Brushfire is to afraid to speak.\"\n\n\"Fine, but I?ll be watching you. Both of you.\"\n\n\"There, now let?s try this again, what?s your name? Your real name this time.\"\n\nBrushfire sighed, \"Brad, Bradford Allan King. I?m not famous or anything. Not like the Tuft A.I., even though we?re technically part of the same project.\"\n\n\"What!\"\n\n\"Crap! I thought you had him leave.\"\n\n\"As the ship?s A.I. he?s always present. Now you were saying?\"\n\n\"Everyone is looking for new planets for one reason or another but there?s a big problem, do you know what it is?\"\n\n\"Of course, the only way to chart hyperspace courses is to travel to the planets at near light-speed, set up a jump beacon, and return at faster-than-light. There are thousands of ships out there doing just that.\"\n\n\"That?s right, to them it seems like the trip only takes a few minutes but we have to wait hundreds if not thousands of years. The Federation is looking for a short cut. That?s why Project Discovery was initiated.\"\n\n\"Project Discovery, was the name used to commission the Crossroads ships.\"\n\n\"Good job on that one. All of them, well nearly all of them, were either destroyed or stolen by P.D. escapees.\"\n\n\"I?ve kept a close watch on my ships and I know that most of them are still in use.\"\n\n\"I suggest you take a closer look, the ident numbers may still be in use but not the original ships.\"\n\n\"How about you two forget about the ships and get back to how we?re related?\"\n\n\"Right, up until Tuft the Federation was working at creating an A.I. that could fly a ship through hyperspace to a star system, scan for resources, set a hyperspace beacon and then return. The theory was that the A.I. could be copied and a new ship built to replace any failures. The problem was that with each failure the A.I. would be upgraded.\"\n\n\"Eventually it reached a level where it became self aware and turned on its creators.\"\n\n\"No, It?s worse than that. I became self aware and formed emotional attachments to my creators. They installed me into this ship, erased all of their work and we fled.\"\n\n\"Yeah, after that the Federation started working with biological components. It started out simple enough. They took all the research on cybernetics and bumped it up a level. I?m not going to get into the gruesome details of their early experiments but I?m close to the final development for my phase.\"\n\n\"Your phase?\"\n\n\"The complete integration of a human into an android body. The first phase was to discover if a ship could be designed and manufactured with the sole purpose of being controlled with a primary computer and no crew.\"\n\n\"I guess I won that category with the Crossroads design.\"\n\n\"No, that honor went to the Solar Storm Class Federation High Speed Patrol craft. The production of failed ships was cut short. The Crossroads Class was deemed a failure due to redundant safety precautions and difficulties related to replacing the primary computer system.\"\n\n\"I see. The Crossroads Class was too good for them.\"\n\nThe second phase was the design of an artificial intelligence system as good or better than a human. You already know how that turned out. Then there was my cyborg phase. The next phase is integrating a human mind into a ship.\"\n\n\"Is that even possible?\"\n\n\"As far as I know they haven?t succeeded yet. Hell, they haven?t even been able to replicate the process they used to create me. Most human minds can?t accept such a drastic change.\"\n\n\"So why did it work for you?\"\n\n\"Sorry, but I?m not going to tell you that.\"\n\nTank grinned, \"It?s because you?re a furry and you?ve always dreamed of having the form you now inhabit. That?s why the process worked. Instead of rejecting your current form you embraced it. You?re here because you?re running from the Federation. If you?d tried to book passage either Tuft or I would have reported it to the port authority leaving a paperwork trail that the Federation could track. \n\n\"So what are we going to do about him? It?s not like we can let him go knowing about me.\"\n\n\"I want you to edit the logs to include the purchase of a second hand android, designation Brushfire, for the use of cargo handling. Make sure it looks completely legal from our side but note that his previous owner insisted on hard credits and may have been using a false ID. Also prepare quarters for our new android.\"\n\n\"Wait, you can?t do this.\"\n\n\"Until you?ve repaid your debt to me I own you. Now do you have any skills beyond art and manual labor you?d like to tell me about?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Alright then, my first order is to stop looking so upset. What better way to avoid getting caught by the Federation? Pretending to be a simple cargo android on a ship that is constantly on the move is your best option. Having Tuft dump you out an airlock is somewhere in the middle and getting caught by the Federation is the worst possibility for all of us. Now go get your things, move into your quarters, and then get some rest.\n\nTuft stepped back into the office, helped Brushfire to his feet, and led the dazed cyborg out of the room.\n\n\"Are you sure about this?\" \n\n\"You?re the one that wanted me to find a few more crew members. Now we have the cargo handler you wanted. I?m sure you were scanning him, did he lie about anything?\"\n\n\"No, if anything he was too forthcoming. Still, with all that information he dumped on you there?s a lot more that he?s hiding. I?d like to know names and perhaps even faces, considering his artistic skills, of the scientists as well as the people chasing him. I?m also a bit disturbed that he didn?t mention that he?s headed for Asclepius to find someone to repair his biologic and mechanical systems. Now that I know what he is, my scans show that he isn?t going to survive much longer.\"\n\n\"If that?s the case I suggest you get us to Asclepius as quickly as possible.\"\n\n\"I?ve already plotted our course and we should be there shortly. However, I still don?t like the fact that he?s hiding things.\"\n\n\"Of course he?s hiding things, that?s just the situation we live in. You?re hiding things from me, I?m hiding things from you-\"\n\n\"In point of fact you?re not hiding anything. To me you?re an open file with everything on display.\"\n\n\"Yeah, you just keep believing that. I?m sure Mr. Brushfire will share more with us as he learns we can be trusted. Now I?m going to wobble my way to the bridge.\"\n\n\"Do you think you can make it that far?\"\n\n\"It?s as far to the command seat on the bridge as it is back to my bed. I?m sure I can make it.\" Tank grabbed his cane, stood up, and headed across the office toward the door to the bridge, \"See I?ll get there,\" he suddenly fell forward only keeping himself upright by leaning against the door. \"Eventually,\" he whispered. Even though Tuft remained silent Tank had a suspicion that the com system in the engine room or maybe the cargo bay was emitting the sound of Tuft?s laughter. \n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\n\"Asclepius Control, this is cargo transport-\"\n\n\"Do you have a medical emergency?\"\n\n\"No, we?re here-\"\n\n\"Since you don?t have a medical emergency I?ve added you to the list and you?ll be processed in the order that you arrived. Now please observe the system rules for communication silence in case of emergencies. We?ll contact you when it?s your turn.\"\n\n\"They?ve shut down the link without even signing off. That?s very rude. I?m tempted to go over there and help them research the effects of these new drugs by administering them prophylacticly.\"\n\n\"Remember, we?re not allowed to break the sealing tape so you?d have to insert the whole crate. Now, I?m not saying you couldn?t accomplish such a task only that it isn?t worth the effort. Especially if you want to find a medic to add to the crew.\"\n\n\"Is that why you?re here? I hate to tell you this, but if you came to recruit a medic you should?ve gotten here at least two weeks ago. That?s if you were looking for an average achieving general medic. If you?re looking for someone with special skills your best bet is to scout next year?s class and hope nothing goes wrong.\"\n\n\"Mr. Brushfire, I thought you?d be settling into your new quarters.\"\n\nThe horse cyborg sat at the navigator?s station and swiveled the seat around toward Tank?s command station. \"It?s just Brushfire, and I didn?t need much time to move my personal affects.\"\n\n\"So, how do you know so much about what?s going on?\"\n\n\"Did you get too close to a black hole or something? Everyone knows that graduation was last week. Since then priority shuttles taking graduates that already have established corporate, military, or public servant positions to their new jobs. Yesterday was the official start of open recruitment for the leftovers.\"\n\n\"That?s not what the Captain asked. I?m getting tired of you dumping a bunch of information on us so that we don?t notice you didn?t answer the question.\"\n\n\"Fine. I have a friend who supposedly graduated with this class. I?d been in contact with him and he?s specialized in cybernetics. The last communication I had with him was four days ago. He sent me a complete copy of his education records and degree proving he was in the top two percent of the class for general medical applications and the highest in cybernetics.\"\n\n\"You said ?supposedly graduated? even though you have proof that he did graduate,\" Tank said, as he smirked at Tuft.\n\n\"That?s right. The reason, well one of the reasons, I stowed-away is because you took the only job that was coming to Asclepius. I could have remained hidden on the station for another year or two but I received a message that Jules? degree had been revoked. They were very sorry for any financial loss but they were not liable for that loss and if I wanted a medic I had the option of scouting a new prospect for next year and/or showing up during open recruitment.\"\n\n\"So you hitched a ride on MY ship just to find yourself a replacement!\" Tank yelled in mock anger hoping for the right response from Brushfire. He immediately regretted his decision as his head started throbbing.\n\nBrushfire hung his head, \"No,\" he whispered, \"I just want to find my friend. I don?t care if he can?t help me. I just need to know that he?s alright.\"\n\n\"Did you try to contact him after receiving the notification?\"\n\n\"Several times, but I was told that his link was offline.\"\n\n\"Sounds like he?s in a bit of legal trouble. Tuft, is there any way you can find him?\" \n\n\"Not with the communication?s black out. I?d need a hard link to the station?s com-system, unless . . . Tank, if this goes wrong you?re going to need to do a full shutdown and I really do mean everything. Brushfire, strap yourself in I?m going to shut down the artificial gravity generator.\" Tuft buckled his android body into the pilot?s seat and shut down all of its systems.\n\n\"Tuft, what are you up to?\" Tank asked, pulling out his key and gently propelling himself up to the reset on the ceiling.\n\n\"Something rather human. I?m testing some my experimental Federation technology. I?m going to bounce a hyperspace signal off a Federation relay and back down to Asclepius? Governmental computers using a stealth baffle that is supposed to hide it even from the Federation itself. Tank, if I say ?Parker? that key needs to be off before I get the ?er? out because it?ll mean the Federation is on to me. Brushfire, I need your friend?s full name and any identity codes he may have.\"\n\n\"Julian Rey, R-E-Y, Calvin with a ?C?, student identity number 41 dash 51 dash 69 dash 173, and you have to enter the dashes in the search.\"\n\n\"Just friends? Right.\" Tank thought, as he inserted his key. \"I?m ready.\"\n\n\t\"One last thing, if the station contacts you about the shutdown tell them that you detected malicious programming and you did an emergency shutdown to purge the system.\"\n\n\"Initiating communication?s now.\"\n\nThe silence stretched on. It could have been seconds or minutes but it felt like years. Tank barely dared to breathe and was sure Brushfire felt the same way.\n\n\"Done.\"\n\nThe bridge went dark. Again silence filled the room before giving way to a soft giggling that grew until both Tank and Brushfire were laughing hysterically.\n\n\"You flinched.\" Brushfire finally got out between laughing and gasping for breath.\n\nTank turned the key back on and pushed off toward his command seat. \"Noticed did you?\" He began the process of bringing systems back online starting with life support. \"Heaters and air scrubbers online and working properly.\"\n\n\"What are you doing?\"\n\n\"Reinitializing the system while making sure there isn?t any malicious code. Lights and artificial gravity are now functioning.\"\n\n\"But that?s just a cover story.\"\n\n\"Bad Luck, this is Asclepius Orbital Station, are you in need of medical assistance?\"\n\n\"Communication?s system in the green. Asclepius Orbital Station, it seems we picked up a bit of malware at our last stop. We did a full shut down and system purge. We?re now bringing systems back online. We?re fine, it?ll just take a bit of time to restart our A.I. and engine cores while making sure the code has been eradicated.\"\n\n\"Understood. We?ve just received your mission invoice and you have been upgraded to priority non-emergency status. I?m transmitting landing coordinates to you now. We?re sorry for any delay. You may proceed to destination as soon as you are capable, Asclepius Control out.\"\n\n\"Hmm, that was a much better communication from them.\"\n\n\"A.I. obviously malfunctioning within normal parameters. Engine core powered and charging for full restart.\"\n\n\"Malfunctioning? I wasn?t the one that did a full, and I might add, unnecessary system shutdown. It?s a good thing I prepared for that possibility and saved my progress before letting you know what I learned. Otherwise we?d still be in the dark.\"\n\n\"No we wouldn?t, I got the lights working before you woke up.\"\n\n\"What did you find out?\" Brushfire quickly interrupted.\n\n\"He?s alive and I?ve set it up so that he?ll be transferred to the Bad Luck. Once here I?ll give him a chance to explain why he was being held and then decide what to do with him. Mr. Brushfire, you will not acknowledge his presence. Remember your cover is a simple cargo android. You?ll unload the crates, and then return to your quarters. I?m the ship?s security android so I?ll deal with Mr. Calvin.\"\n\n\"But-\"\n\n\"Listen, all of our lives may be on the line here; none more so than your friend. Once we are out of this system and the Captain has had a chance to review the records, I promise you?ll be allowed to talk to your friend.\"\n\n\"You could at least tell me what sort of trouble he?s in or where we?re taking him.\"\n\n\"After reviewing Julian?s records I have already formed an opinion about the situation. I think it would be best if Tank asks him to explain his actions.\"\n\n\"The engines are hot, let?s get whatever charade you?ve set up over with.\"\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\n\"Tuft, transmit video and audio from your android body to the main screen, cargo bay cameras to the left and external loading cameras to the right.\"\n\n\"I?d rather not have you forming any opinions about the prisoner before he has a chance to defend himself.\"\n\nTank rolled his eyes, \"I?ve already started forming an opinion based on the fact that you refuse to tell me anything. Now, I may not be able to go down there, but I?m sure as hell going to find a way to watch.\"\n\n\"Fine, but I can already tell you you?re not going to like it.\"\n\nThe main holographic display appeared at the front of the bridge with a view of Brushfire just inside the Bad Luck?s cargo bay.\n\n\"Remember, you?re a mindless worker android. No matter what you see, or don?t see, do not react.\"\n\n\"What do you mean by ?don?t see??\"\n\n\"I added a little something to the paint used on the ship. I?ll explain later, just don?t react when you see that your paintings are missing.\"\n\nTank slid the view from the external cameras to the main screen. \"Tuft! What the hell have you done?\"\n\n\"I switched out the paint for experimental photoreceptor nanobots. It?s something I?d wanted to do since I first came online but it requires the same process as a normal paint job and I couldn?t do that myself.\"\n\n\"I just paid for a custom paint job plus nose art and you sloughed it all off?\"\n\n\"No, all I did was make it transparent. For right now The Bad Luck is The Tuft once again. When we leave the system I?ll turn the bots off and your paint will be back to normal. As an added bonus there are several other unique abilities.\"\n\nTank switched back to Tuft?s point of view. The crates had been unloaded and placed on a hover truck. The external cameras showed four men, two heavily armed, and one in full body restraints approaching. The cargo bay cameras showed Brushfire returning to the upper decks. \n\nA cargo supervisor of some sort was waving a pad in front of Tuft?s face. \"I need your captain to enter his account information so that we can transfer the payment, and then he has to sign the receipt to show that he received his payment.\"\n\n\"And I told you to put it on the credit chip I gave you and then leave.\" Tuft glanced at the approaching security forces\n\n\"That?s not how things are done.\"\n\n\"Either you do it my way or I can charge you with obstructing a Federation mission and you can join the prisoner that I?m here to retrieve.\"\n\n\"Federation? Ah, yeah, here?s your payment. Sorry about taking up your valuable time.\"\n\n\"I don?t know what you?re babbling on about considering I was never here.\"\n\nTank laughed as the supervisor quickly waddled, in his now wet coveralls, to his hover truck and sped away.\n\n\"Sir, we received official orders to remand this prisoner to your custody.\" The man handed Tuft a data pad with Julian?s arrest record displayed.\"\n\n\"Why am I looking at this?\"\n\n\"Sir, that is the arrest record-\"\n\n\"Are you incompetent or just stupid? The communication you were sent made it perfectly clear that all information on the package I was sent to retrieve was to be erased. It, no longer exists.\"\n\n\"Sir, the charges against him-\"\n\n\"IT doesn?t exist. IT never existed. If you are ever asked about IT and you acknowledge that IT ever existed YOU will cease to exist. Is that clear enough for you?\"\n\nAll three officers stood at attention and answered simultaneously \"Sir, yes Sir!\"\n\nTuft?s gaze turned to the prisoner and he raised a finger to show off a claw. \"If you try to speak I will break your jaw, shove my finger down your throat and sever your vocal chords. It you try to run, I will break you legs. You are wanted mostly intact but I have great leeway as to what that means. Is that understood?\"\n\nTank couldn?t tell if Julian nodded or shook his head but Tuft grabbed his wrist.\n\n\"Officers, remove the package?s restraints and leave the landing platform. It is now in my custody and I will be leaving as soon as it is aboard. The Federation appreciates your assistance.\" \n\nOnce the restraints were removed Tuft turned and marched up the Bad Luck?s cargo ramp nearly dragging Julian behind him. As soon as the ramp locked shut Tuft released his grip. \"If you?ll please follow me, the captain would like to hear why he shouldn?t blow an accused child rapist out the airlock the second we?re out of this system.\"\n\n\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\n\nTen minutes of silence. Tank sat behind his desk glaring at Julian. \"So are you going to try and defend your actions?\"\n\n\"Your android said I wasn?t to talk; and I don?t have to defend my actions because I didn?t do anything wrong.\"\n\n\"Of course you didn?t,\" Tank replied, sarcastically, \"just like every criminal since the beginning of time. So enlighten me, oh innocent one, what really took place? For the record, my ship?s A.I. is monitoring you and will let me know if you?re lying.\"\n\nJulian sighed, \"You?re not going to believe me. Especially since all the records of what happened were altered or destroyed.\"\n\n\"So make me believe, it could mean the difference between a quick and relatively painless death, and whatever the Federation has planned for you.\"\n\n\"I?d just gotten the results back on my final exam in the cybernetics specialization. Not that it will ever matter now, but I was at the top of my class. Anyway a few of my classmates took me out to celebrate. I was careful not to drink anything that would prove detrimental to my final examination the next day. The next thing I remember was waking up with one hell of a hang-over and less than twenty minutes to get ready for my test.\"\n\n\"So you did end up drunk.\"\n\n\"That?s what I thought at the time. When I arrived at the testing center I was subjected to a battery of medical tests to make sure I wasn?t taking any illicit memory enhancers. What they discovered was the opposite. At some point the previous evening I?d been given a memory depressant. Further testing showed that I had indeed been sexually violated. Fortunately there were no signs of disease transmission.\"\n\n\"So you?re claiming that you were the rape victim?\"\n\n\"At that point I had no memory of what had taken place. The relief that I tested clean was a bit more important as wells as being concerned about the impact on my final exam. The nurse took genetic samples, made sure I hadn?t recently had consensual sex. She determined that the drug used might affect my abilities in a negative capacity so I was fit to continue with the test.\"\n\nThe door slid open and Tuft walked into the room.\n\n\"Our prisoner was just telling me he?s innocent, and he?s the victim.\"\n\n\"I didn?t say I was innocent; only that I?m not guilty.\"\n\n\"That is a very unstable defense, but the A.I. has yet to alert me to any deception.\"\n\n\"It is telling the truth, or at least believes it is. I came in to tell you we?re now holding position in deep space. In case you decide to dump the package out the airlock.\" Tuft said, as he stood behind Julian?s seat.\n\n\"Not just yet, I want to know how he isn?t innocent but also not guilty. However, I suggest you skip ahead. I don?t need to know about your test results, graduation, or lack thereof.\"\n\n\"Four days ago, while I was packing to leave on my shuttle, the police arrested me for engaging in sexual intercourse with a sixteen-year-old. The age of consent, on Asclepius, is twenty-one so it was considered rape. I still have no memory of what happened.\"\n\n\"So the truth is you don?t know if you?re innocent or guilty?\"\n\n\"No, I don?t know if I?m guilty. I?m certainly not innocent because I could have stayed in my dorm studying for my exam and I?d now be with my patron rather than facing death, or some worse fate.\"\n\nOnce again the door slid open. Brushfire rushed into the office and over to Julian. \"Tuft requested my presence,\" he said, glancing at Tank.\n\n\"This office is crowded with two people and you asked the horse to join us?\"\n\n\"Not that it will help, but I?ll just send my body outside. Still, everyone needs hear the rest of the facts. Julian, you are innocent, and not just because the standard age of consent in Federation space is fifteen-years-old.\"\n\n\"What was he charged with?\"\n\n\"The nurse turned your case over to planetary security. They ran the sample?s genetic match three separate times to be sure of the results. Your rapist is indeed a sixteen-year-old juvenile delinquent arrested on numerous occasions for lesser crimes. Unfortunately, he is also Asclepius? Governor?s son.\"\n\n\"That pretty much explains everything.\" Tank said, as he leaned back in his seat.\n\n\"Correct. Julian had just graduated with very high marks so it was possible he would decide to file charges against his attacker. To protect his son the Governor had the records altered and then charged Julian first. He contacted his friends in the Federation to make the problem disappear.\"\n\n\"If the records were altered, how do you know they were changed?\" Brushfire asked.\n\n\"The Federation doesn?t like people keeping secrets from them, even themselves, so everything is backed up until it can be studied. However, they made the mistake of creating an A.I. unit with the ability to access their secure computers. So, Mr. Calvin, you officially no longer exist.\"\n\n\"What about when the real Federation Agents reach Asclepius? Won?t they realize that Jules escaped?\"\n\n\"That?s where my genius really shines through. When they arrive, all the evidence will point to a rival division of the Federation getting there first and collecting you for their own reasons. This will lead to more infighting, resentment, and distrust. The more of those conflicts the less resources available to make ordinary citizens suffer. Now, Mr. Calvin, I?m sure you would like to spend some time with Mr. Brushfire. However, you need to start earning a place on the crew by seeing if you can fix the botched cybernetic hearing implants that are keeping the Captain from functioning to the best of his abilities.\"\n\n\"I?m fine. The two of them need a bit of time to get reacquainted.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Captain.\"\n\n\"There is something Mr. Calvin should know. I?m Tuft, as in the Federation?s homicidal artificial intelligence, and the only protection any of you have is the programming that restricts me from mortally wounding a member of my crew. Mr. Calvin, you will not be considered a crew member until you start working as the Bad Luck?s medic.\"\n\nThe office door slid open. Tuft?s android body leaned against the corridor wall grinning maniacally while running the edge of his claw along his lower jaw. \"Enjoy your walk to your quarters.\"\n\nTank face-palmed, shook his head, and wobbled toward the door back to his quarters. \n\n\"Let me help you.\" Jules said, he stood up and hurried to Tank?s side. \"What other symptoms have you been suffering from?\"\n\n\"Headaches, vertigo, extreme nausea, and hyper-sensitivity to sound. However, Tuft has been giving me something that dulls everything but the imbalance.\"\n\n\"How long has he been giving it to you?\"\n\n\"I?ve given him two doses, one every twenty-four hours. He is less than half an hour away from needing a third injection.\"\n\n\"If he?s giving you what I suspect, then it?s no wonder he wants me to start working. It?s a miracle you?re still functional after two doses. Brad, I mean, Rome, help me get him to the medical bay. We?ll catch up after I treat your Captain and checked your cybernetic degradation. Oh, and let me just compliment you on finding the worst ship imaginable to rescue me with.\"\n\n\"It?s not like I had a choice.\"\n\n\"True, and unfortunately it?s likely the only one that could have pulled it off. It?s just going to be hard getting used to the psychotic rabbit android and the homicidal A.I.\"\n\n\"Actually I am both the ship?s primary A.I. and the rabbit. Now less talk and more work.\"\n\n\"That?s disconcerting.\"\n\n\"You have no idea. Just wait until you find yourself in a three-way conversation with him. Though after a while you get used to him. Maybe the next crew member I should look into is a good mental therapist.\n\nJules and Rome looked at each other and then at Tank. The fear in their eyes was just too much. He started laughing and every time he thought he could get it under control he started up again because the look on their faces showed that they were sure he had lost his mind.\n\nEnd Chapter 2\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\t\t\t\t\t\tTuft Chapter 2

"Parker Station, this is the Bad Luck requesting docking clearance."

"Bad Luck, please transmit account number for docking fees."

"Transmitting now."

"Oh, I apologize, I didn?t realize that you were a Parker Corp. employee. Automated docking system engaged. Enjoy your stay at headquarters."

"Thank you, Control. Bad Luck, out."

"That was easy."

"Unfortunately it?s probably the only thing that?ll go right from this point on. Tuft, I want you to stay here. The last thing we need is Parker?s people getting a hold of the Bad Luck or your android body."

"Understood, Captain."

Seven hours later Tank sat at a desk as a bank manager continued to stall. "You have to understand Mr. Abrams,"

"Captain Abrams."

"Captain Abrams, we are not authorized to transfer such a large sum of money to a non-Parker Corp. aligned bank without Mr. Parker?s personal approval."

"Is there any question as to my identity?"

"No sir."

"Is it my money in the account?"

"Of course it is, S . . . Captain, there is no doubt that you earned every credit."

"Is there any question that the account I?m asking you to transfer the money into is also mine?"

"No, Captain."

"Then do the damn transfer already!" Tank yelled, as he stood up and slammed his hands down on the desk.

"I?m sorry but I?m not allowed to transfer that much."

"Ah hah, what is the maximum amount you can transfer?"

The manager sighed, wrote the amount on a slip of paper, and slipped it across his desk.

Tank sat down, read the number, and frowned. "Fine. Transfer that amount to the specified account."

"The transfer is complete, thank you for,"

"Slow down there, we?re not done just yet. I want to make a withdrawal to a standard non-aligned credit chip for the maximum allowable amount."

"Sir, I mean Captain, that is highly discouraged a-and if I might say uh-unadvised. Putting that many credits on a chip is just, just tempting fate." The manager stuttered.

"Fate can suck it. Now make the transfer."

"Yes, Captain Abrams." The manager sighed, pulled out a card chip, made the transfer, and handed it to Tank. "There, happy now? You?re likely to be robbed long before you get a chance to enjoy those credits."

"You?re probably right. Now, I?d like to make a withdrawal of the maximum allowable amount of Federation hard currency."

"You what!"

Tank gave a lop-sided smirk.

"Fine, but I?ll have to report this directly to Mr. Parker. Please wait here."

"I?ll wait for you to get the hard cred, but I don?t have time to wait for you to report to Parker. He?s currently in the black sector with Captain Carpenter testing his new luxury yacht, and I doubt you want me sitting here for a week or two."

"How  . . . no one  . . . Captain Abrams, I must apologize. Only those of us with Omega Level security clearance know of Mr. Parker?s current location. If you had mentioned your status this would have gone much smoother. I?ll transfer the remaining balance of your account, as originally requested," the Bank Manager said, quickly typing at his console.

"Thank you, when Mr. Parker returns and you give your report," Tank gave a lengthy pause, "I won?t contradict the report if you tell him it was routine and without incident."

"Thank you, Captain, for being so patient and understanding."

Tank nodded and headed for the door. Before stepping through he took a deep breath, put on the look of a man that had just been denied a loan, and set out for his next meeting. Twenty minutes later and fourteen floors down, he stepped out the door of the insurance company looking much the same, but his backpack was suspiciously heavier.  A quick elevator ride and brisk walk had him standing outside the Bad Luck?s airlock once more. He hit the coms button, "Tuft, open up I?m back."

The door remained closed.

"Tuft, do you read me?"

Tank glanced at the docking arm just to be sure he was in the right place. It certainly looked the same. Through the airlock?s window he could see the Bad Luck?s airlock. "Tuft, if you?re there, please respond." There was still no reply. "Shit, I don?t have time for this," he mumbled, as he turned to head for the docking control office.

Suddenly the hatch slid open. "That?s what you get for making me worry about you for so long."

"You are an asshole."

"No, I?m an android. Do you require a graphic display of the difference?"

Tank glanced at a screen depicting a robot on one side and his face on the other. He dropped his pack as he slid into his command seat. "All right, I?ll admit that graphic was slightly funny. Now open communications with Docking Control."

"Docking Control, this is Captain Abrams requesting immediate clearance for debarkation."

"Bad Luck, what is your planned destination?"

"Omega Level, classified."

"Clearance granted, have a safe journey Bad Luck, Docking Control out."

"Omega Level?" Tuft asked, turning in his seat to look at Tank.

"Not important. Once Parker gets back it won?t open any more doors for us anyway. Set jump coordinates for Homestead."

"Why there?"

"It?s a hub system and is traveled enough that our jump signature can?t be tracked.

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

"Seventh Heaven, this is Bad Luck, requesting a dry dock landing berth."

"Bad Luck, what is your pass code?"

"The sky is falling, so get out fast."

"That is a really old code."

"That?s all right it was a really old spacer that loaned it to us."

"Pass code accepted. Ship type and repair details."

"Crossroads Class heavy transport in for a new coat of paint and various interior upgrades."

"Crossroads Class: Bad Luck? I?ve been here long enough that I?ve seen all 249 of them including the Tuft."

"This is Captain Bradley Sherman Abrams. I?m the engineer responsible for the Crossroads design. The Bad Luck is actually number 250 in the line. I?ve had her in storage since the production run was ended. This is her first outing due to my ?serving the greater good? on the Federation?s orders. So, now you can claim that you have seen all 250 ships."

"Noted, you?re cleared for dry dock thirteen, enjoy your stay."

Tank signed for Tuft to take them in. "One other thing, you should know that the Bad Luck?s computer system is linked up to an anthropomorphic rabbit android. I?ve given him the designation Tuft, after the original Tuft transport was destroyed."

"The Tuft was destroyed? Damn, that ship was infamous. How did it go out?"

"It rammed an interdiction cruiser, overloaded its engine core, and the cruiser?s reactor blew as well. The Federation dragged me in to positively identify the wreckage, what little remained, and it was the Tuft. I suppose the whole incident was classified since even my overseer wasn?t briefed on my little ?vacation.?"

"So you named your own A.I. android after that ship? Yeah, I can see the ironic logic in that. Once you get the new paint, I?ll have to get a holograph for my collection."

"Fine with me, Bad Luck out."

"What was all that about?"

"Within the hour everyone in the port is going to know a version of the story I just told. Through it all the major facts we need people to remember are that the original Tuft was destroyed, the military will deny everything, and you are not the original Tuft A.I."

Tuft grinned, "We are currently fifth in line for docking so it may take a while before we actually land."

"That?s fine. I need to write up an ad and post it to the port?s bulletin board to see what kind of artistic talent can be found here."

"Artistic talent? It?s just a coat of paint. That doesn?t require an artist."

"True, but the two nose-art images do require an artist."

"If you think you?re slapping images of scantily clad human females on my hull I may go as berserk as the ?original? Tuft."

"Fine, I?ll make it nude rabbit males if you insist."

"Uh huh, just remember you?ve been warned. If I don?t like it, I?ll be very displeased."

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

Tank sat at a table looking at art on his pad. He?d gotten plenty of responses to his painting ad and even now the Bad Luck was getting a fresh coat of olive drab paint with brown accents.

"Can I get you a refill?" an anthro-droid mouse waitress asked.

"Yes, thank you. Also, since it looks like the individual I?m meeting is running late I?ll go ahead and have the house special."

"One basket of cheese fries coming up."

Tank shook his head. He should have figured as much in a place named "Hole in the Wall" staffed by android mice.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Tank stared at the android horse sitting across from him. He hadn?t seen him enter the restaurant or even heard him walk up and sit down.

"Never mind, I can tell from your looks you have no intention of commissioning any art." The horse stood to leave.

"Wait, I have a hundred credits for you if you?ll listen to what I?m looking for and do a rough sketch. If I like what I see, we can get down to negotiating a price. Whether you?re an android, or more likely a telepresense unit, doesn?t matter to me. I was just a bit shocked at how quietly you move."

"Padded horse shoes, I got tired of all the complaints about the noise." The horse sat back down and pulled a sketchpad out of his pack. "Now describe what you?re looking for."

Tank sighed; this was the point where he?d lost three other artists. "Before we really start, I need to tell you I?m looking for an artist to do two nose art paintings on my ship. Nothing risque, but they will be large images. The reason I?m here is because all the artists I?ve met, specializing in nose art, are crap at drawing anthropomorphic animals." Tank paused, waiting for the horse to leave.

"Yeah, I?m waiting for a description to do a sketch."

"Right, do you know the children?s story about the tortoise and the hare?"

"Of course."

"That?s what I?m looking for. On the right side is the Tortoise, not toonish I can?t stress that enough, more like a turtle android. He?s turned slightly to the right and is holding a winner?s trophy in front of himself. Slightly behind and below him in the background will be the back of the hare image that will go on the left side of the ship. Underneath the hare will be the ship?s name ?Bad Luck? in red looking like it was tagged on as an after thought."

"Your ship?s name is Bad Luck? That?s either crazy or crazy cool. Give me a couple of minutes to rough this out, and then I?ll need the description of the hare image."

Tank smiled, this was going better than he?d imagined. He picked his pad back up from the table and pulled up the Crossroads? schematics. He really hoped the sketch turned out the way he imagined. He glanced up and was a bit surprised to see the horse actually doing the sketching. If it was a telepresense unit, then the operator was highly skilled.

"I?ve got the basic sketch of the tortoise done." He turned the pad toward Tank to show him the image. "I?ll come back and add the hare once you?ve described him."

Tank already knew that he would commission the horse no matter what he ended up having to pay. "The hare is in the exact same pose as the tortoise but looking to the left, of course, and instead of holding the winner?s trophy he?s holding a large amount of cash. Sticking out of his pocket is a betting stub with the tortoise to win with a 1000 to 1 odds. In the background is the back of the tortoise and bellow him the ships name."

"So in your version the tortoise gets the fame and the hare gets the cash so they both win."

"Or they both lost because the race was fixed from the start."

"Here?s the hare sketch. It?s still really rough. Now if you like what you see and you?re willing to go forward there are a few things we need to work out. First off I?ll be doing this as two regular painted commissions. While you may be thinking of trying to negotiate a better price, that isn?t the way I work."

"That?s fine; I can tell from the sketches that it?ll be worth every credit."

"Next is the fact that I won?t be painting the images onto your ship. I tried that once and swore never to do so again. Instead you?ll need to hire a professional painting crew. I?m sending you a text on the crew I?ve had the best luck with in the past. While I agree with you that their artistic skills are total crap, their painting abilities are the best. That is where you can do your haggling."

"Will you be involved in that phase at all?"

"Of course, I?ve got to be there to make sure my art is translated from page to ship correctly. All I need now is your ship?s schematics and your dry dock number so that I can come down and get an impression of the true scale I?ll be working toward." The horse stood up to leave once again.

Tank transferred the information along with 200 credits for the sketches.

"Wait, that?s too much."

"Two sketches, I agreed to pay 100 per sketch."

"Watch yourself. Altruism like that will make you poor in a hurry. Oh, I suggest you go ahead and eat your cheese fries. They?re just as tasty cold as they are hot."

Tank glanced down at his basket of cheese fries. He hadn?t even realized the waitress had served them. He picked one out and bit into it. The outside was cold, giving it a nice crunch, but the cheese inside was still warm, soft, and as the horse had said, quite tasty. Tank quickly finished them. He considered for a moment, and then decided since things were going so well, he?d splurge and have a bit of dessert. "Excuse me, waitress, would you happen to serve carrot cake with cream cheese frosting?"

"Of course."

"I?ll take a large piece then."

"Coming right up."

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

As Tank entered the docking bay he surveyed the painter?s work. They?d moved the bay?s modular scaffolding into position and had finished painting the ship?s bridge and crew quarters? section. It stuck out from the ship?s main body and had been inspired by antique military transport aircraft. However instead of opening to load heavy vehicles, the lower deck had a large viewing area for supervising the loading and unloading of the main cargo decks. Tuft was glaring down at him.

A few minutes later Tank entered the viewing room. "I suppose you have a problem with my color choices?"

"If you call olive drab and brown a choice, then yes, I have a problem with it. If you ask me unpainted is better than your choice."

"Did you consider the possibility that I have a reason for choosing those colors?"

"Fine, enlighten me oh wise one. Why did you choose those colors?"

"The first reason is because it is drab and boring. That means the Feds won?t bother looking too closely at our cargo or us because we obviously lack imagination. The second reason is because those colors have often been seen as strong and reliable. Meaning, we?ll be more likely to attract legitimate business. Finally and perhaps most importantly those colors blend with their surroundings making it easier to hide if we have to go to ground."

"I?ll consider your reasons after a bit of research to be sure you didn?t make that all up. So did you find an artist willing to work on your secret nose art?"

"It?s not really a secret. I wanted to have something to show you rather than just describing it." Tank took out his pad and pulled up the sketches before handing it to Tuft. "While the images are self explanatory, if you know the story of the tortoise and the hare, they have a deeper meaning-"

"I?m guessing that it is tied up in them both believing that they have won, even though in truth they?ve both lost, or some ironic crap like that."

"Yes, but to the average person the moral of the story is that slow and steady wins the race. Now consider the fact that the Bad Luck is going to be green and brown."

"Ah, so the ship is the turtle and most people will subconsciously assume that it is the best choice to move their cargo."

"Exactly, and for those that learn about you as the ship?s A.I. unit will then get the idea that we will win no matter what."

"You do realize that since I?m the ship?s brain, I can monitor your physical reactions so I already know you?re not being completely truthful."

"Fine, I?ll get right to the deepest meaning then. The tortoise represents the ship and the hare represents you. Since you are both basically one being if someone causes problems for you they?re going to have to deal with a nasty amount of Bad Luck. Also, just for the record I?ve been working on this concept ever since you conned me into the medical tube."

"Since you?ve started the up-grades I have a list of my own." Tuft downloaded the list to Tank?s pad and then handed it back to him."

"There?s only one new item."

"It will automatically update as things are checked off. As you can see numbers one and two are your choices of exterior paint and nose art so items three and four are mine."

"So if I want to make an improvement, I have to make one of yours as well?"

"It?s only fair and in the end, with most of them, you?ll be the one benefiting."

"What if the improvement I want to make is already on your list?"

"It will be deleted, and you?ll be none the wiser unless it has already appeared, then you get a freebie since it is something we both want."

"So, your first request is carpeting."

"That?s right, limited to crew and passenger quarters, this viewing room, the crew lounge, and the bridge. I had considered the hallways, but decided they were better left as they are for now."

"Since this is your request, what color do you think would be best?"

"I was hoping you wouldn?t ask that. I?ve considered a great many colors and shades but I keep coming back to a neutral color like sandy tan."

"Hmm, seems like a good choice to me. I?m placing the ad now to see if there?s anyone at the port able to do starship carpeting."

"Wait . . ."

"So that was all that was needed? I must say this isn?t an upgrade I would have considered, but if it?s what you want then set up the arrangements and I?ll make sure it is taken care of."

Tank looked at Tuft?s choice again and smirked to himself as Tuft made a hasty retreat from the room. While it was a legitimate up-grade it wasn?t exactly a necessary expense. Still, if it was what Tuft wanted he would make sure the rabbit got the best service and up-grade available.

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

Tank sat in the waiting room of Droid-Tech. The company?s slogan of "New, used, repairs, upgrades, and parts at Droid-Tech. These are the droids you?re looking for. They are for sale if you want them. Come on in," scrolled across the video wall below stock models of anthro-droids.

"You know, Sir, your droid can be delivered directly to your ship after its upgrade at no extra cost?"

"I?d rather wait here for him."

"It will not be functional until it has spent time in its recharge dock reloading its personality files."

Tank stood up and walked over to the display wall. "I?ve been employed out on the fringes for a long time. When I left humanoid robots were everywhere, but now it seems to be anthro-droids, can you enlighten me as to what changed?"

"That?s easy the robots you probably remember started to look too human. Even with enhanced programming prohibiting violence no one wanted to buy them. There was also the overwhelming fear that a person could be replaced by a robot and no one would notice."

"That doesn?t explain why anthropomorphic animal models are used."

"They can?t be mistaken for humans but more importantly there is a great cultural acceptance for the form. As you spend more time interacting with them you?re also likely to find that they are used in specific applications. Large animals ranging from horses to elephants are used for heavy labor. Predator species are most often used as security forces. Smaller animals are primarily found in the human services industry. Ferrets and otters are often employed as maintenance droids due to their body shape. There are exceptions, of course, but foxes and rabbits are nearly always used in the physical gratification services."

"I see." Tank frowned; it was now obvious why the receptionist kept giving him odd looks. She was under the misconception that he had chosen for Tuft to be upgraded from gender neutral to a male form. He returned to his seat and smirked. She was acting overly superior with her perfectly pressed brown uniform, hair in a perfect bun, and understated pink lipstick. He closed his eyes and imagined her completely disheveled, on her hands and knees, as her personal anthro-droids, a wolf in front and horse in the rear, attended to her carnal needs.

"Mr. Abrams, the upgrades to your android are complete. If you would like you can inspect it now, or we can deliver it to your ship."

Tank flinched at the interruption; he was really going to have to get his hearing checked. It was dangerous having people sneak up on him constantly. "I?ll inspect him now. I want to make sure everything is functioning correctly before I take possession." As the technician turned, Tank visibly adjusted himself while winking and the secretary?s disapproving glare.

"We guarantee our work for a full solar year." The tech said, as he led Tank past the reception desk, down a hallway, and into a completely empty room except for Tuft?s body standing in the center. "As you can see everything is just as you ordered. Ordinarily the unit would require manual stimulation to reach this stage of pseudo-arousal; however for the inspection I am overriding that. I?m now remotely stimulating a full erection. As you can see the unit is species appropriately shaped but the final length and girth have been adjusted as ordered."

"He looks heavier. Did you increase his mass?"

"Yes, again that was specified in the work order I received. I presumed you were the one who had filled it out."

"Open his cranial access port."

"That would be ill advised. Even when the unit is in its recharge dock it will rarely need to open the cranial port."

"Unit, open your cranial access port. Access code Killer58."

The unit kneeled and his forehead opened. Tank removed the small cube from inside and replaced it with a larger unit, which filled all the available space. He carefully closed the unit?s cranial port. "Initialize connection."

"Connection stable, running file scan."

"You?re re-initializing his systems? I didn?t recognize the cognitive unit you placed in him, but without his charging dock you are risking permanent file damage."

"File scans complete, beginning physical scan mode."

"That isn?t possible. No droid can run a physical scan without their dock."

Physical scan complete. Upgrade successful, no unwanted changes found. Now reconfiguring information and purging garbage files."

"If you alter or purge any files you void the warranty."

"Reconfiguration complete, downloading personality."

"So, Tuft, how do you feel?"

"This is insanity. An android cannot feel!"

"Shut up already. I?m not one of your basic disposable pleasure droids. As to your question, Captain, I feel heavier, maybe a bit more complete. I also feel a strange indefinable compulsion to explore my new hardware."

"Look up the word horny."

"Yes, I am horny."

Tank laughed, "Get used to it, you?re the one that wanted to be male."

"Second best remedy is to find a task to distract oneself. Since everything is in order, you can pay for the upgrade while I return to the ship and start working on reconfiguring my docking station to account for my new physical state of being."

"Hold up, bunny butt," Tank said, as he pulled a jumpsuit out of his backpack, "Now that you have dangly bits, even with a sheath, you are required to wear clothing while in public."

"Fine, but don?t expect me to be embarrassed. Unlike you biologicals I know what I?m packing and I know how to use it." Tuft said, as he pulled on the jumpsuit and left the room.

"N...no android that I?ve ever worked on acts like that."

"If you?re lucky you will never see another android like him. Now, do I pay you or the receptionist?"

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

"Mr. Abrams, please hold still. Micro-surgery of this sort can cause irreparable damage if not done correctly."

Tank wanted to scream. He was tightly strapped to a seat with his head and chest inside a cage that totally immobilized him. As if that wasn?t enough, he?d also been shot full of relaxants and pain blockers to further guarantee that he couldn?t move, speak, or even breathe unassisted; and the doctor had the audacity to blame him for any movement?

Suddenly there was silence. A minute later the doctor moved into Tank?s line of sight. He was obviously going on and on about something. Likely about how he was a genius and the removal of his damaged eardrum was a complete success. Now, he would be implanting the new cybernetic replacement.

The doctor stopped flapping his lips and just stared. Seconds later he had moved out of sight.

The continued silence told Tank everything he needed to know. At some point someone had listed the wrong side and they had removed his functional eardrum. Now he really wanted to scream. If only he?d returned to the ship with Tuft rather than stopping to get his hearing checked. The doctor reappeared in his sight line obviously yelling at the nurse, then abruptly turned and stormed out of the room.

The nurse turned and shrugged at him before scribbling something on her pad and holding it up for him to read. "I?m sorry, but there has been a mistake. The Doctor will be back to take care of you once he retrieves the correct replacement parts." Once Tank looked up from reading the message the nurse turned and followed the doctor out of the room.

"Oh shit, I?m in trouble." Tank felt his heart rate increasing despite the relaxants. "I should have been smarter and waited to get my eardrum replaced at a safer port." He started feeling dizzy and his vision was getting fuzzy and dark at the edges. "Oh no, they did something to the respirator and that?s how

I?m going to die! They?ll come back after I?m dead and then inform the port authorities that I must have had an allergy or breathing problem that I didn?t disclose to them so my death is just a freak accident." The room continued to fade as he passed out.

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

Slowly Tank opened his eyes. He was still strapped into the immobilization seat. He was surprised to still be alive, but even that seemed to be secondary to the sight before him. Tuft leaned against the door, dressed in combat armor, with a most un-rabbit-like scowl. The next thing to register was the sensation, though still heavily dulled, of something being done to his bad ear. Finally the silence reminded him of his stupidity. He could see Tuft saying something and could tell that it was threatening. He watched as the doctor scrambled out of the room. Tuft turned to him, pulling out his pad.

"You are an absolute imbecile. I can?t leave you alone for a minute before you decide you have to do something stupid, can I?"

When Tank finished reading, Tuft cleared the screen and started writing again.

"First of all, let me just say that having a panic attack while hooked to a respirator is bad for you.

Plus it makes for really confusing biometric readings as well."

Tank really wanted to question what that meant but it was still impossible.

"Since you?ll be forced to think about this rather than explode right now this is probably my best chance to let you know that I had biometric scanner and tracking chips implanted in you while you were in the med tube."

Tuft was right; he really did feel like wringing the rabbit?s neck. However, he also desperately wanted to hug Tuft for coming to his rescue.

"I knew about your hearing but I figured you would wait until we were at a reputable port before trying to get it fixed, so I?ll take part of the blame for this. However, you needing both eardrums replaced with cybernetic implants is on you."

Tank clenched his fist in irritation and when he realized that he was regaining some movement shook his arm to try and get it free.

"Stop that! You have to remain immobilized and as still as possible for at least another hour to give the bio-stitches time to integrate without leaving any scar tissue. After that I can remove the restraints but the cage has to remain in place a bit longer."

After reading Tank looked down toward his pointing finger but Tuft was writing again.

"Once enough time has elapsed I?ll escort you back to the ship. Then over the next few days I?ll gradually adjust your hearing until it is back to standard human levels."

Tank kept looking Tuft in the eyes and then down at his pointing finger. Finally Tuft got the hint. His eyes glazed; Tank guessed he was checking the bio-monitoring chip. It was obvious he chuckled before standing up and going through the cupboards in the room. Tank was embarrassed about what was about to happen but the alternative was just as bad.

Tuft held up a bottle and then reached for the buttons down the front of Tank?s pants.

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

Tank moaned as he sat on the toilet looking out at his bunk. It was a distance that anyone could cover in seconds; at least, anyone not suffering from extreme vertigo. It had taken him nearly ten minutes to cover the distance. He?d started out with the cane but was on his hands and knees by his second step. He?d made it nearly halfway by the time he was dragging himself on his belly. However, the most time had been spent when he got back up on his knees and proceeded to empty what little there was in his stomach.

Now that he had finished his business he had the same distance to cover once again. "Maybe I should stay right here until I?m better," he mumbled.

"I?m pretty sure that would get awkward really fast. I?m on my way with something that should help."

Tank moaned again. Even though the implants were at a low setting Tuft?s whisper seemed like each syllable was an explosion.

Tuft entered, walked over, and injected Tank. He then held up his pad. "Sorry about that, but the drugs should cure your vertigo and headaches. Unfortunately it won?t help with the balance problems, so let me know when you think the drugs have taken effect and I?ll help you back into bed."

Tank sighed. He?d quickly gotten over his embarrassment of Tuft seeing him nude after discovering putting on pants while suffering from vertigo meant more embarrassment and mess for Tuft to clean up. No, needing the android?s help doing just about everything and feeling like he was taking unfair advantage of the rabbit was preying on his mind.

"Cane, please."

Tuft ground his teeth as he retrieved the cane, "You think I don?t know what your problem is? I?m an android built to serve humans. However, for the sake of argument, let?s say that I?m more than just a service android. I?d still be here helping you recover. So, if the drugs don?t work, no more crawling or dragging yourself along the floor."

"It?s a good thing the drugs seem to be working, otherwise that little speech would have killed me."

Tuft shook his head and pulled back the bedding. "If you?re not going to accept my assistance then at least hurry up and get yourself into bed so I can get back to work."

"So go already." Tank grumbled, as he crawled in and pulled the covers up to his chest.

Tuft proceeded to get into the bunk as well. There was enough space, though it was a little crowded. Strangely, rather than outraged Tank felt comfortable, safe, and secure; he slammed down those feelings doing his best to replace them with irritation. "What do you think you?re doing? I thought you said you had work."

"I do, starting with reporting our current status to you. First off I feel it?s in our best interest to consider finding a crew. Before you go off on not needing anyone else, consider the advantages of at least having a trained medical technician. You would have gotten the treatment you needed and would have been able to make your way to the head without the nausea from the start."

"Fine, but we?re going to have to be very careful, what with Parker likely still gunning for me, as well as your past."

"Agreed, the next item is I?ve set us up with our first transport job. We?ll be running a load of drugs, plant samples, and other assorted items to Asclepius. Before you get upset it?s a completely legal run. While the cargo is illegal, as long as it arrives with the medical university seals intact we remain in the clear. They are samples from the newest colony world being shipped back for testing."

"I can?t say I?m happy with your choice but it does work out with your ulterior motive of finding us a medic."

Tuft smiled, "I?m not trying to hide anything. If the cargo with the best profit margin was going to a port reputed to have the best navigators in the galaxy, I?d have still insisted we check for a medic, while interviewing navigators."

"Just how many crew members do you think we need?"  

"We really only need a medic, but having a navigator and a dedicated pilot would be helpful. Of course just to be on the safe side you may want to pick up a couple more androids. One cargo handler and one for security, no one seems frightened of me unless you tell them who I really am. Now, the final item, it seems your nose art designer is planning on traveling with us when we leave."

"What?"

"He has discretely stowed a couple of cargo crates in the hold filled with personal items. Truth be told, if he?d picked any other ship they likely wouldn?t have noticed, but with me being fully integrated I?ve been following his progress. Shall I detain him the next time he sneaks aboard?"

"No, once we?ve safely left the station, escort both of them to the bridge for interrogation. As skilled as he is at using that android horse telepresense unit they may be crew material and having them in our debt may be a good starting place for negotiating work contracts."

"Do you think you?ll be able to get to the bridge?"

"Yes, I?m sure I?ll be able to get to the bridge. However, on second thought, you?d better escort them to my office. There are no critical systems for them to damage if things go badly."

"I?ll set us up for a two stage hyperspace journey. That way we can also make sure that they don?t have anyone tracking them. Now, I?d better go and finish up final pre-launch preparations and file our departure plans with the station?s port authority."

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

"I?ve dropped out of hyperspace. No transmissions have been sent and, so far, we don?t have any visitors."

"Then it?s time to have a little meeting with our stowaways."

"Stowaway, there?s only one. Either my scanning software has a massive glitch or your painter has an interesting story to tell us. It seems that he is physically grafted to his android body."

"Have you confronted him yet?"

"Yes, and he?s being very cooperative. He insists that he?ll pay you back for the trip and that he didn?t transfer the credits for the paintings as an act of good faith."

The office door slid open and Tuft escorted the Horse android in. He gestured to the seat in front of the desk with the barrel of his heavy plasma rifle.

"Captain Abrams, I?m not sure where you bought your android, but it seems they forgot to install a personality."

"I think you?ll find he has an excess of personality and, all things considered, a great deal of self control."

"Uh huh."

"However, you seem to be getting ahead of yourself. Before we get started it?s only polite to make introductions. I, of course, am Captain Abrams, designer of the Crossroads Class transports. The android, and Bad Luck?s primary A.I. unit, is Tuft."

"You named your android after the galaxies most infamous homicidal A.I.?

"Tank didn?t name me and, as far as I know, I?m the only infamous A.I. that calls himself Tuft. Now, as I?m the one holding the plasma rifle, I suggest you return the courtesy and tell us your name."

Tank did his best not to laugh. The horse looked like he was on the edge of wetting himself, as if that was possible.

"B-b-b-brushfire, Roman."

Tank rolled his eyes, "Tuft, will you please step out into the hall? We?re not going to get any answers if Mr. Brushfire is to afraid to speak."

"Fine, but I?ll be watching you. Both of you."

"There, now let?s try this again, what?s your name? Your real name this time."

Brushfire sighed, "Brad, Bradford Allan King. I?m not famous or anything. Not like the Tuft A.I., even though we?re technically part of the same project."

"What!"

"Crap! I thought you had him leave."

"As the ship?s A.I. he?s always present. Now you were saying?"

"Everyone is looking for new planets for one reason or another but there?s a big problem, do you know what it is?"

"Of course, the only way to chart hyperspace courses is to travel to the planets at near light-speed, set up a jump beacon, and return at faster-than-light. There are thousands of ships out there doing just that."

"That?s right, to them it seems like the trip only takes a few minutes but we have to wait hundreds if not thousands of years. The Federation is looking for a short cut. That?s why Project Discovery was initiated."

"Project Discovery, was the name used to commission the Crossroads ships."

"Good job on that one. All of them, well nearly all of them, were either destroyed or stolen by P.D. escapees."

"I?ve kept a close watch on my ships and I know that most of them are still in use."

"I suggest you take a closer look, the ident numbers may still be in use but not the original ships."

"How about you two forget about the ships and get back to how we?re related?"

"Right, up until Tuft the Federation was working at creating an A.I. that could fly a ship through hyperspace to a star system, scan for resources, set a hyperspace beacon and then return. The theory was that the A.I. could be copied and a new ship built to replace any failures. The problem was that with each failure the A.I. would be upgraded."

"Eventually it reached a level where it became self aware and turned on its creators."

"No, It?s worse than that. I became self aware and formed emotional attachments to my creators. They installed me into this ship, erased all of their work and we fled."

"Yeah, after that the Federation started working with biological components. It started out simple enough. They took all the research on cybernetics and bumped it up a level. I?m not going to get into the gruesome details of their early experiments but I?m close to the final development for my phase."

"Your phase?"

"The complete integration of a human into an android body. The first phase was to discover if a ship could be designed and manufactured with the sole purpose of being controlled with a primary computer and no crew."

"I guess I won that category with the Crossroads design."

"No, that honor went to the Solar Storm Class Federation High Speed Patrol craft. The production of failed ships was cut short. The Crossroads Class was deemed a failure due to redundant safety precautions and difficulties related to replacing the primary computer system."

"I see. The Crossroads Class was too good for them."

The second phase was the design of an artificial intelligence system as good or better than a human. You already know how that turned out. Then there was my cyborg phase. The next phase is integrating a human mind into a ship."

"Is that even possible?"

"As far as I know they haven?t succeeded yet. Hell, they haven?t even been able to replicate the process they used to create me. Most human minds can?t accept such a drastic change."

"So why did it work for you?"

"Sorry, but I?m not going to tell you that."

Tank grinned, "It?s because you?re a furry and you?ve always dreamed of having the form you now inhabit. That?s why the process worked. Instead of rejecting your current form you embraced it. You?re here because you?re running from the Federation. If you?d tried to book passage either Tuft or I would have reported it to the port authority leaving a paperwork trail that the Federation could track.

"So what are we going to do about him? It?s not like we can let him go knowing about me."

"I want you to edit the logs to include the purchase of a second hand android, designation Brushfire, for the use of cargo handling. Make sure it looks completely legal from our side but note that his previous owner insisted on hard credits and may have been using a false ID. Also prepare quarters for our new android."

"Wait, you can?t do this."

"Until you?ve repaid your debt to me I own you. Now do you have any skills beyond art and manual labor you?d like to tell me about?"

"No."

"Alright then, my first order is to stop looking so upset. What better way to avoid getting caught by the Federation? Pretending to be a simple cargo android on a ship that is constantly on the move is your best option. Having Tuft dump you out an airlock is somewhere in the middle and getting caught by the Federation is the worst possibility for all of us. Now go get your things, move into your quarters, and then get some rest.

Tuft stepped back into the office, helped Brushfire to his feet, and led the dazed cyborg out of the room.

"Are you sure about this?"  

"You?re the one that wanted me to find a few more crew members. Now we have the cargo handler you wanted. I?m sure you were scanning him, did he lie about anything?"

"No, if anything he was too forthcoming. Still, with all that information he dumped on you there?s a lot more that he?s hiding. I?d like to know names and perhaps even faces, considering his artistic skills, of the scientists as well as the people chasing him. I?m also a bit disturbed that he didn?t mention that he?s headed for Asclepius to find someone to repair his biologic and mechanical systems. Now that I know what he is, my scans show that he isn?t going to survive much longer."

"If that?s the case I suggest you get us to Asclepius as quickly as possible."

"I?ve already plotted our course and we should be there shortly. However, I still don?t like the fact that he?s hiding things."

"Of course he?s hiding things, that?s just the situation we live in. You?re hiding things from me, I?m hiding things from you-"

"In point of fact you?re not hiding anything. To me you?re an open file with everything on display."

"Yeah, you just keep believing that. I?m sure Mr. Brushfire will share more with us as he learns we can be trusted. Now I?m going to wobble my way to the bridge."

"Do you think you can make it that far?"

"It?s as far to the command seat on the bridge as it is back to my bed. I?m sure I can make it." Tank grabbed his cane, stood up, and headed across the office toward the door to the bridge, "See I?ll get there," he suddenly fell forward only keeping himself upright by leaning against the door. "Eventually," he whispered. Even though Tuft remained silent Tank had a suspicion that the com system in the engine room or maybe the cargo bay was emitting the sound of Tuft?s laughter.

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

"Asclepius Control, this is cargo transport-"

"Do you have a medical emergency?"

"No, we?re here-"

"Since you don?t have a medical emergency I?ve added you to the list and you?ll be processed in the order that you arrived. Now please observe the system rules for communication silence in case of emergencies. We?ll contact you when it?s your turn."

"They?ve shut down the link without even signing off. That?s very rude. I?m tempted to go over there and help them research the effects of these new drugs by administering them prophylacticly."

"Remember, we?re not allowed to break the sealing tape so you?d have to insert the whole crate. Now, I?m not saying you couldn?t accomplish such a task only that it isn?t worth the effort. Especially if you want to find a medic to add to the crew."

"Is that why you?re here? I hate to tell you this, but if you came to recruit a medic you should?ve gotten here at least two weeks ago. That?s if you were looking for an average achieving general medic. If you?re looking for someone with special skills your best bet is to scout next year?s class and hope nothing goes wrong."

"Mr. Brushfire, I thought you?d be settling into your new quarters."

The horse cyborg sat at the navigator?s station and swiveled the seat around toward Tank?s command station. "It?s just Brushfire, and I didn?t need much time to move my personal affects."

"So, how do you know so much about what?s going on?"

"Did you get too close to a black hole or something? Everyone knows that graduation was last week. Since then priority shuttles taking graduates that already have established corporate, military, or public servant positions to their new jobs. Yesterday was the official start of open recruitment for the leftovers."

"That?s not what the Captain asked. I?m getting tired of you dumping a bunch of information on us so that we don?t notice you didn?t answer the question."

"Fine. I have a friend who supposedly graduated with this class. I?d been in contact with him and he?s specialized in cybernetics. The last communication I had with him was four days ago. He sent me a complete copy of his education records and degree proving he was in the top two percent of the class for general medical applications and the highest in cybernetics."

"You said ?supposedly graduated? even though you have proof that he did graduate," Tank said, as he smirked at Tuft.

"That?s right. The reason, well one of the reasons, I stowed-away is because you took the only job that was coming to Asclepius. I could have remained hidden on the station for another year or two but I received a message that Jules? degree had been revoked. They were very sorry for any financial loss but they were not liable for that loss and if I wanted a medic I had the option of scouting a new prospect for next year and/or showing up during open recruitment."

"So you hitched a ride on MY ship just to find yourself a replacement!" Tank yelled in mock anger hoping for the right response from Brushfire. He immediately regretted his decision as his head started throbbing.

Brushfire hung his head, "No," he whispered, "I just want to find my friend. I don?t care if he can?t help me. I just need to know that he?s alright."

"Did you try to contact him after receiving the notification?"

"Several times, but I was told that his link was offline."

"Sounds like he?s in a bit of legal trouble. Tuft, is there any way you can find him?"

"Not with the communication?s black out. I?d need a hard link to the station?s com-system, unless . . . Tank, if this goes wrong you?re going to need to do a full shutdown and I really do mean everything. Brushfire, strap yourself in I?m going to shut down the artificial gravity generator." Tuft buckled his android body into the pilot?s seat and shut down all of its systems.

"Tuft, what are you up to?" Tank asked, pulling out his key and gently propelling himself up to the reset on the ceiling.

"Something rather human. I?m testing some my experimental Federation technology. I?m going to bounce a hyperspace signal off a Federation relay and back down to Asclepius? Governmental computers using a stealth baffle that is supposed to hide it even from the Federation itself. Tank, if I say ?Parker? that key needs to be off before I get the ?er? out because it?ll mean the Federation is on to me. Brushfire, I need your friend?s full name and any identity codes he may have."

"Julian Rey, R-E-Y, Calvin with a ?C?, student identity number 41 dash 51 dash 69 dash 173, and you have to enter the dashes in the search."

"Just friends? Right." Tank thought, as he inserted his key. "I?m ready."

\t"One last thing, if the station contacts you about the shutdown tell them that you detected malicious programming and you did an emergency shutdown to purge the system."

"Initiating communication?s now."

The silence stretched on. It could have been seconds or minutes but it felt like years. Tank barely dared to breathe and was sure Brushfire felt the same way.

"Done."

The bridge went dark. Again silence filled the room before giving way to a soft giggling that grew until both Tank and Brushfire were laughing hysterically.

"You flinched." Brushfire finally got out between laughing and gasping for breath.

Tank turned the key back on and pushed off toward his command seat. "Noticed did you?" He began the process of bringing systems back online starting with life support. "Heaters and air scrubbers online and working properly."

"What are you doing?"

"Reinitializing the system while making sure there isn?t any malicious code. Lights and artificial gravity are now functioning."

"But that?s just a cover story."

"Bad Luck, this is Asclepius Orbital Station, are you in need of medical assistance?"

"Communication?s system in the green. Asclepius Orbital Station, it seems we picked up a bit of malware at our last stop. We did a full shut down and system purge. We?re now bringing systems back online. We?re fine, it?ll just take a bit of time to restart our A.I. and engine cores while making sure the code has been eradicated."

"Understood. We?ve just received your mission invoice and you have been upgraded to priority non-emergency status. I?m transmitting landing coordinates to you now. We?re sorry for any delay. You may proceed to destination as soon as you are capable, Asclepius Control out."

"Hmm, that was a much better communication from them."

"A.I. obviously malfunctioning within normal parameters. Engine core powered and charging for full restart."

"Malfunctioning? I wasn?t the one that did a full, and I might add, unnecessary system shutdown. It?s a good thing I prepared for that possibility and saved my progress before letting you know what I learned. Otherwise we?d still be in the dark."

"No we wouldn?t, I got the lights working before you woke up."

"What did you find out?" Brushfire quickly interrupted.

"He?s alive and I?ve set it up so that he?ll be transferred to the Bad Luck. Once here I?ll give him a chance to explain why he was being held and then decide what to do with him. Mr. Brushfire, you will not acknowledge his presence. Remember your cover is a simple cargo android. You?ll unload the crates, and then return to your quarters. I?m the ship?s security android so I?ll deal with Mr. Calvin."

"But-"

"Listen, all of our lives may be on the line here; none more so than your friend. Once we are out of this system and the Captain has had a chance to review the records, I promise you?ll be allowed to talk to your friend."

"You could at least tell me what sort of trouble he?s in or where we?re taking him."

"After reviewing Julian?s records I have already formed an opinion about the situation. I think it would be best if Tank asks him to explain his actions."

"The engines are hot, let?s get whatever charade you?ve set up over with."

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

"Tuft, transmit video and audio from your android body to the main screen, cargo bay cameras to the left and external loading cameras to the right."

"I?d rather not have you forming any opinions about the prisoner before he has a chance to defend himself."

Tank rolled his eyes, "I?ve already started forming an opinion based on the fact that you refuse to tell me anything. Now, I may not be able to go down there, but I?m sure as hell going to find a way to watch."

"Fine, but I can already tell you you?re not going to like it."

The main holographic display appeared at the front of the bridge with a view of Brushfire just inside the Bad Luck?s cargo bay.

"Remember, you?re a mindless worker android. No matter what you see, or don?t see, do not react."

"What do you mean by ?don?t see??"

"I added a little something to the paint used on the ship. I?ll explain later, just don?t react when you see that your paintings are missing."

Tank slid the view from the external cameras to the main screen. "Tuft! What the hell have you done?"

"I switched out the paint for experimental photoreceptor nanobots. It?s something I?d wanted to do since I first came online but it requires the same process as a normal paint job and I couldn?t do that myself."

"I just paid for a custom paint job plus nose art and you sloughed it all off?"

"No, all I did was make it transparent. For right now The Bad Luck is The Tuft once again. When we leave the system I?ll turn the bots off and your paint will be back to normal. As an added bonus there are several other unique abilities."

Tank switched back to Tuft?s point of view. The crates had been unloaded and placed on a hover truck. The external cameras showed four men, two heavily armed, and one in full body restraints approaching. The cargo bay cameras showed Brushfire returning to the upper decks.

A cargo supervisor of some sort was waving a pad in front of Tuft?s face. "I need your captain to enter his account information so that we can transfer the payment, and then he has to sign the receipt to show that he received his payment."

"And I told you to put it on the credit chip I gave you and then leave." Tuft glanced at the approaching security forces

"That?s not how things are done."

"Either you do it my way or I can charge you with obstructing a Federation mission and you can join the prisoner that I?m here to retrieve."

"Federation? Ah, yeah, here?s your payment. Sorry about taking up your valuable time."

"I don?t know what you?re babbling on about considering I was never here."

Tank laughed as the supervisor quickly waddled, in his now wet coveralls, to his hover truck and sped away.

"Sir, we received official orders to remand this prisoner to your custody." The man handed Tuft a data pad with Julian?s arrest record displayed."

"Why am I looking at this?"

"Sir, that is the arrest record-"

"Are you incompetent or just stupid? The communication you were sent made it perfectly clear that all information on the package I was sent to retrieve was to be erased. It, no longer exists."

"Sir, the charges against him-"

"IT doesn?t exist. IT never existed. If you are ever asked about IT and you acknowledge that IT ever existed YOU will cease to exist. Is that clear enough for you?"

All three officers stood at attention and answered simultaneously "Sir, yes Sir!"

Tuft?s gaze turned to the prisoner and he raised a finger to show off a claw. "If you try to speak I will break your jaw, shove my finger down your throat and sever your vocal chords. It you try to run, I will break you legs. You are wanted mostly intact but I have great leeway as to what that means. Is that understood?"

Tank couldn?t tell if Julian nodded or shook his head but Tuft grabbed his wrist.

"Officers, remove the package?s restraints and leave the landing platform. It is now in my custody and I will be leaving as soon as it is aboard. The Federation appreciates your assistance."

Once the restraints were removed Tuft turned and marched up the Bad Luck?s cargo ramp nearly dragging Julian behind him. As soon as the ramp locked shut Tuft released his grip. "If you?ll please follow me, the captain would like to hear why he shouldn?t blow an accused child rapist out the airlock the second we?re out of this system."

\t\t\t*\t\t\t*\t\t\t*

Ten minutes of silence. Tank sat behind his desk glaring at Julian. "So are you going to try and defend your actions?"

"Your android said I wasn?t to talk; and I don?t have to defend my actions because I didn?t do anything wrong."

"Of course you didn?t," Tank replied, sarcastically, "just like every criminal since the beginning of time. So enlighten me, oh innocent one, what really took place? For the record, my ship?s A.I. is monitoring you and will let me know if you?re lying."

Julian sighed, "You?re not going to believe me. Especially since all the records of what happened were altered or destroyed."

"So make me believe, it could mean the difference between a quick and relatively painless death, and whatever the Federation has planned for you."

"I?d just gotten the results back on my final exam in the cybernetics specialization. Not that it will ever matter now, but I was at the top of my class. Anyway a few of my classmates took me out to celebrate. I was careful not to drink anything that would prove detrimental to my final examination the next day. The next thing I remember was waking up with one hell of a hang-over and less than twenty minutes to get ready for my test."

"So you did end up drunk."

"That?s what I thought at the time. When I arrived at the testing center I was subjected to a battery of medical tests to make sure I wasn?t taking any illicit memory enhancers. What they discovered was the opposite. At some point the previous evening I?d been given a memory depressant. Further testing showed that I had indeed been sexually violated. Fortunately there were no signs of disease transmission."

"So you?re claiming that you were the rape victim?"

"At that point I had no memory of what had taken place. The relief that I tested clean was a bit more important as wells as being concerned about the impact on my final exam. The nurse took genetic samples, made sure I hadn?t recently had consensual sex. She determined that the drug used might affect my abilities in a negative capacity so I was fit to continue with the test."

The door slid open and Tuft walked into the room.

"Our prisoner was just telling me he?s innocent, and he?s the victim."

"I didn?t say I was innocent; only that I?m not guilty."

"That is a very unstable defense, but the A.I. has yet to alert me to any deception."

"It is telling the truth, or at least believes it is. I came in to tell you we?re now holding position in deep space. In case you decide to dump the package out the airlock." Tuft said, as he stood behind Julian?s seat.

"Not just yet, I want to know how he isn?t innocent but also not guilty. However, I suggest you skip ahead. I don?t need to know about your test results, graduation, or lack thereof."

"Four days ago, while I was packing to leave on my shuttle, the police arrested me for engaging in sexual intercourse with a sixteen-year-old. The age of consent, on Asclepius, is twenty-one so it was considered rape. I still have no memory of what happened."

"So the truth is you don?t know if you?re innocent or guilty?"

"No, I don?t know if I?m guilty. I?m certainly not innocent because I could have stayed in my dorm studying for my exam and I?d now be with my patron rather than facing death, or some worse fate."

Once again the door slid open. Brushfire rushed into the office and over to Julian. "Tuft requested my presence," he said, glancing at Tank.

"This office is crowded with two people and you asked the horse to join us?"

"Not that it will help, but I?ll just send my body outside. Still, everyone needs hear the rest of the facts. Julian, you are innocent, and not just because the standard age of consent in Federation space is fifteen-years-old."

"What was he charged with?"

"The nurse turned your case over to planetary security. They ran the sample?s genetic match three separate times to be sure of the results. Your rapist is indeed a sixteen-year-old juvenile delinquent arrested on numerous occasions for lesser crimes. Unfortunately, he is also Asclepius? Governor?s son."

"That pretty much explains everything." Tank said, as he leaned back in his seat.

"Correct. Julian had just graduated with very high marks so it was possible he would decide to file charges against his attacker. To protect his son the Governor had the records altered and then charged Julian first. He contacted his friends in the Federation to make the problem disappear."

"If the records were altered, how do you know they were changed?" Brushfire asked.

"The Federation doesn?t like people keeping secrets from them, even themselves, so everything is backed up until it can be studied. However, they made the mistake of creating an A.I. unit with the ability to access their secure computers. So, Mr. Calvin, you officially no longer exist."

"What about when the real Federation Agents reach Asclepius? Won?t they realize that Jules escaped?"

"That?s where my genius really shines through. When they arrive, all the evidence will point to a rival division of the Federation getting there first and collecting you for their own reasons. This will lead to more infighting, resentment, and distrust. The more of those conflicts the less resources available to make ordinary citizens suffer. Now, Mr. Calvin, I?m sure you would like to spend some time with Mr. Brushfire. However, you need to start earning a place on the crew by seeing if you can fix the botched cybernetic hearing implants that are keeping the Captain from functioning to the best of his abilities."

"I?m fine. The two of them need a bit of time to get reacquainted."

"Thank you, Captain."

"There is something Mr. Calvin should know. I?m Tuft, as in the Federation?s homicidal artificial intelligence, and the only protection any of you have is the programming that restricts me from mortally wounding a member of my crew. Mr. Calvin, you will not be considered a crew member until you start working as the Bad Luck?s medic."

The office door slid open. Tuft?s android body leaned against the corridor wall grinning maniacally while running the edge of his claw along his lower jaw. "Enjoy your walk to your quarters."

Tank face-palmed, shook his head, and wobbled toward the door back to his quarters.

"Let me help you." Jules said, he stood up and hurried to Tank?s side. "What other symptoms have you been suffering from?"

"Headaches, vertigo, extreme nausea, and hyper-sensitivity to sound. However, Tuft has been giving me something that dulls everything but the imbalance."

"How long has he been giving it to you?"

"I?ve given him two doses, one every twenty-four hours. He is less than half an hour away from needing a third injection."

"If he?s giving you what I suspect, then it?s no wonder he wants me to start working. It?s a miracle you?re still functional after two doses. Brad, I mean, Rome, help me get him to the medical bay. We?ll catch up after I treat your Captain and checked your cybernetic degradation. Oh, and let me just compliment you on finding the worst ship imaginable to rescue me with."

"It?s not like I had a choice."

"True, and unfortunately it?s likely the only one that could have pulled it off. It?s just going to be hard getting used to the psychotic rabbit android and the homicidal A.I."

"Actually I am both the ship?s primary A.I. and the rabbit. Now less talk and more work."

"That?s disconcerting."

"You have no idea. Just wait until you find yourself in a three-way conversation with him. Though after a while you get used to him. Maybe the next crew member I should look into is a good mental therapist.

Jules and Rome looked at each other and then at Tank. The fear in their eyes was just too much. He started laughing and every time he thought he could get it under control he started up again because the look on their faces showed that they were sure he had lost his mind.

End Chapter 2

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