Alicia Jones 4: Enigma Read Free Page B

the galaxy.  A view of it was on my wall screen.
    Kristi walked in, “What is that?”
    It was about the height and width of a shuttle, but twice as
long.  I’d needed the extra space.
    I smiled up at her and said in my best cheesy announcer’s
voice, “That, is the first ever intergalactic wormhole taxi.”
    She giggled, “What is an intergalactic wormhole taxi for?”
    “Well, it occurred to me that when we attack the bugs, if we
need to run, they might follow us.  We needed a way to both have all the
other races get somewhere fast, and at the same time not give up our dark
matter reactor or wormhole technology to them.  I figure we should make
about fifty of them, which with our two ships, will take about fifty days at
two days a piece.”
    She frowned, “So it’s to move military strength around
quickly?”
    I nodded, and then shook my head, “That’s why I originally
thought of it yes, it’s fully automated by A.I., and to get it started I just
need to send out a message with the quantum frequency.  But it’s also more
than that, I can’t keep throwing my money at the galaxy’s problems.  Well
I can, but I shouldn’t have to, so it’s also a business.”
    Kristi tilted her head, “A business?”
    “Yup.  Military requests will take precedence, if, and
only if, it’s a treaty common defense measure, will it be free.  The ship
will wormhole to the requestor, and then open a wormhole to the requested
coordinates.”
    Kristi finally didn’t echo me, “Oh, and if it’s not a common
defense issue, you’ll charge them?”
    I nodded, “Exactly, and not just military.  Earth will
eventually have civilian vessels moving about, and they won’t have wormhole
drives.  Plus, all the other worlds will want that convenience when
trading and even just visiting to initiate trade.  That’s where the taxi
part comes in.”
    She frowned, “And people will pay for that, instead of just moving
at FTL?”
    “Of course.  People are always in a hurry, and most
ships out there can’t even go as fast as we can.  If they can cut days off
their journey for a few credits, or a little gold, then they’ll do it. 
For the same reason on Earth people deal with airports and planes, instead of
driving everywhere.  People will always pay more to go faster.”
    Kristi bit her bottom lip, “You’re right, people will pay
money for it.  Fifty ships?”
    “I figured that was a good start, we can always make more if
we need to.  Still, with wormholes it will only take a few minutes with
each customer, it won’t take long to simply open a wormhole and send them
through.  Originally I was thinking about stationary ones right outside of
occupied solar systems, but then we’d have to get their government’s approval
for a permanent installation and all that.  I figured this would just be
another ship.”
    Kristi grinned, “Plus it’s more secure this way, less chance
someone could pirate the tech if it’s on the move.”
    I nodded, “There are no weapons on it at all, but it has
triple shielding, and of course the more powerful ones with the dark energy
reactor.  That little ship could probably power the planet.  Either
way, it shouldn’t have trouble escaping an attacker, or in a worst case
scenario, blowing itself up by dropping the singularity.”
    Kristi smiled and then teased, “I like it, but I’m still not
telling you what I’m working on.”
    I pouted, but it had no effect at all.
    “Al, go ahead and launch, calibrate, and test please. 
If it checks out start building out forty-nine more.”
    Al replied from the room speakers, “Acknowledged.  A
General Denton is here to see you.”
    Kristi and I exchanged looks, what was he doing here?
    I told Al, “Have Karen escort him to my office please.”
    Al replied again from the room speakers, “He’s on his way.”
    Kristi asked, “Think he needs us to bail him out again?”
    I had a really bad feeling, and shook my head in denial,
though I