Free Galactic Vigilante (Vigilante Series 3) by T. Jackson King

the Alcubierre Drive that moved him and Inevitable from one star to another in days.
    While he knew they lay 9,421 light years from the southern edge of the Galactic Core, the attention of him and Inevitable focused much closer to home. Being alert for the unexpected was something George had learned as Repairs manager for the Omega Casino. Back when he worked for others. Now, he worked and battled for himself, for Suzanne and for an end to cloneslavery. This future battle spoke to his Irish sense of honor and duty. It was a duty he would not fail in carrying out .
     
     
    Matt perceived the hexagonal shapes of the two Bogean gift devices in multiple spectrums, even though he had not yet entered ocean-time . Time enough for that later, when the entire fleet re-entered Alcubierre space-time for the last leg of their three month long trip to the Milky Way. Right now, though Mata Hari had emitted the Friend code left to them by the Bogean Harmony starship, they must understand the nature of the two devices that floated in space, then determine how to integrate them into the workings of starship Mata Hari . While he felt intrigued by the FTL capabilities of the Dark Energy stardrive, it was the Stasis Beam projector that he most wanted to add to his ship’s weaponry. Anything that could penetrate an EMF shield and put into suspended animation the living beings who controlled an Anarchate battleglobe was a device he welcomed. While the battleglobe Tactical and CPU AIs would not be affected by the beam, the loss of their organic commanders would allow him and the fleet plenty of time to destroy a battleglobe, render it useless or allow their escape by normal deut-li thrust rather than having to Translate while still inside the gravity well of a star system. He liked increasing his options. And the surprises he could lay on any enemy.
    “Matthew,” said the red mindglow of Mata Hari. “ The two devices have responded to me via a Bogean language transmission.”
    “What do they say?”
    Mata Hari’s slim white hands gestured toward a shared mind image of the two devices. “Each of them, on the same frequency, say: I am your Bogean Harmony friend. I will serve you well. Simply link me into your central thought modulus and what you wish will happen .”
    Matt eyed the two modules. The Dark Energy stardrive one was twice the size of the Stasis Beam projector. But both could fit into the belly cargohold space that also held their shuttle Ariadne . Thinking this image to Mata Hari, he gave the order. “Hey gal, please direct them to enter our cargohold and then hold on to the deckplates using their own gravity plates. We will be leaving shortly for the Milky Way.”
    Mata Hari’s mind image switched to Lady of the Sword, her slim body clothed in silvery chain mail from neck to waist, while brass plates studded a leather skirt. Her two-handed broadsword was held point down beside her sandal-shod feet. Her look was a no-nonsense glare. “So we enter battle soon?”
    “Soon enough,” he said, a part of his mind registering his ship sense that the belly cargohold’s flexmetal hull had opened and then closed after the entry of the two Bogean modules. “Share with every ship in the fleet the coordinates of the Alkalurops system. We will arrive in the deep space between primary star A and the B/C binary system. But the trip will take two weeks. And let everyone know that after our arrival far from any star, we will organize for a battle with at least three hundred genome slaver starships.”
    Mata Hari’s high cheek bones tightened into a harsh look. “Good. Those who would enslave others deserve nothing but death.”
    Matt smiled at his partner’s ferociousness. “I agree. But prepare an Intelligence sled to examine the remains for Core CPU records. I would know if there is a refit and recreation base for these slavers. If so, it needs to follow Omega Casino into oblivion.”
    Mata Hari lifted her sword with her left hand,