Broken Soldier (Book One) by Bruce George Page B

had to keep the computer from sending that message.
    “I am not a Sauran, yet I have been brought here to
facilitate the mission of the Saurans. I have an obligation to our
agreement and to the Saurans to complete this mission. I have the
information, which you do not. Therefore, you have the ability to
follow your program, by temporarily accepting me as the Senior
Pilot. Together, we can complete this work.
    “If you waste time, by sending the signal and wait
for a new Senior Pilot, you must know the Saurans will be angry for
the delay. On my world, when a computer has failed to follow a
logical way to complete an assignment, their memories are erased
and they are destroyed. How do the Saurans handle that?”
    “It is true that the Saurans will be displeased.
But, you are not Sauran, so I cannot acknowledge you as the Senior
Pilot.”
    Mike took a slightly different approach. “Very well.
Under these circumstances, I must return to my world and report
that the Saurans are unreliable partners in this endeavor and that
their computers are also unreliable. Once the Thorian has delivered
me to my ship, he will return here. But, I must order him not to
obey any order you may give. He is superior to you and I recognize
him as the Senior Pilot, even if you do not.”
    “But he is not Sauran.”
    Mike was frustrated and could no longer hold his
anger. “He is a valued and trusted slave of the Saurans and the
only member remaining of the crew on this vessel. He has knowledge
of the mission and has done what he must to complete it, whereas
you have not. When the Thorian feels it is necessary for him to
request a new Senior Pilot then and only then may you send an
alert.”
    “But he is not Sauran.”
    He played another idea. “Of course he’s not. You
must have knowledge of other ships that have operated without
Saurans on board. This is just another of those episodes.”
    “That is true. But those situations were due to
combat losses.”
    “And you have experienced unfortunate losses here,
as well. The Thorian shall take command and complete the mission
with me at his side.”
    The computer remained silent.
    Mike shouted, “You will acknowledge the Thorian as
the Senior Pilot now, or at my command you will self destruct.”
    He had no idea if there was such a possibility, as a
self destruct ability.
    “I should not do that as the ship has not been
compromised.”
    He pointed out, “The ship has not been compromised,
but you obviously have been. You are not functioning properly and
you have jeopardized the mission and the agreement between our
people. Therefore, you are not fit to continue operating.”
    The computer revealed its vulnerability by asking,
“But how will you operate the ship, if I am not joined to the body
of the ship to keep all systems going.”
    “Do you really think the Saurans would have brought
a new ally to this mission, if he wasn’t able to perform your
simple tasks.”
    There was a long pause, and then, to his great
relief, the computer weakly said, “I acknowledge the Thorian as the
Senior Pilot.”
    Mike shouted angrily, “Say it louder and agree to
follow all of his commands.”
    If ever a computer was agitated, this one was. With
the sound painfully loud it said, “I acknowledge the Thorian as the
Senior Pilot and will obey his commands.”
    Mike looked at Jo and calmly said, “Senior Pilot,
may I suggest that a robot remove the dead Sauran and clean this
stinking mess off of the deck?”
    Jo gave a frightened smile and said, “Computer, do
as this man has suggested.”
    “Yes Sir.”
    As they waited for a robot to remove the Sauran,
Mike gave it a good look. The damn thing must weigh four hundred
pounds. He realized why Jo would have such extreme fear of the
beast. It had plenty of scales on its arms and they looked thick
with muscle. The rest of him was clothed in a black uniform,
preventing Mike from seeing anymore of the Sauran’s skin. By the
way his shoulders, waist and legs