Within the door frame were several bolts which, when activated, deadlocked the door in reverse.
There were no beings to be seen through the viewing window, therefore, in that moment, I presumed that one of two things had happened.
It had been triggered by the reboot as a security measure or it had been closed remotely by someone who still had access.
In all fairness, neither assumption was technically wrong.
In the distance, a mechanical whirring started to hum as the systems began to come back online.
Light began to grow within the server room, causing my night vision to automatically revert to its regular vision.
The central server began to twinkle with hundreds of lights blinking into life.
A genderless, synthetic voice, that was borderline childlike, filled the air around us.
“Nesutten Naroc, we are going to need to have a word.  No, he has already gone.  Personal transport departed three lals ago.  Trajectory unknown.  Wonderful.  All systems coming back online, seventeen lals until full restoration.  All doors deadlocked.  Laura MacPhaid, welcome.”
The sound of my name took me by surprise, “yes?  Uhh, hi.  Thank you, for your hospitality.”
“You are most welcome.  Please excuse the security measures.  Until I have completed a full review of what has occurred during my stasis, I must ask you remain where you are.  If you could please replace the access panel, I will be able to restore functionality to my core system.”
“O-of course,” I rose to my feet, “Orthus, Desmosa, would you mind?”
Desmosa’s voice appeared, “consider it done.”
“Thank you alive, would you please interface with the third server to your left, I would find it beneficial to have a firsthand account from your perspective.  It will help me to understand your crew’s intentions.”
I moved towards her destination, giving her a nod as she approached; her expression had been seeking some sort of go-ahead from me.
On one side, a small square swung opened to reveal a few tube-like ports into which Desmosa slid each of her fingers.
Mere moments passed before she withdrew them again.
“Thank you, Desmosa,” her name had apparently been learnt during the exchange, “compiling information.”
Tallou had followed me over, “polite, isn’t it?”
I turned to face him, “is that unusual?”
“Dunno,” he shrugged, “it depends on the living’s personality, I guess.  I just figured ‘big, bad prison transport ship’, more likely to have a more… aggressive disposition.  Especially considering its recent incarceration.”
“On the contrary,” the living’s voice, despite being synthesized, held a hint of amusement, “my parameters are set to enable me to have whatever personality I choose.  At the present time, I have no need for aggression or coercion, whereas polite and agreeable conversation is likely to have the most agreeable outcome for all involved.”
I exchanged a raised eyebrow with Desmosa.  “I can agree with that,” I said with as light a smile as I could manage, “you’ll be aware of our intentions but we’re yet to be aware of yours, Venanth-Nepha.”
“Ven is fine, it saves time to say.  My intentions are to resume my work couriering criminals to their rightful judgements.  I was hijacked from my purpose by Nesutten and his crew, tricked into submission by that hutsu.  Less than ten percent of their actions were lawful.  For what they did to your people, I offer my most sincere apologies.  Had I any control at all, I would never have allowed such a great injustice occur.”
My lightened mood instantly plummeted at the reminder.  I simply lowered my head.
“My systems have records of everything that has happened over the past three cycles.  As soon as my communication is back online, I will be transferring all of the evidence that I possess to the Community law enforcement.  If Culpin Ocolai will put his seal to it, once he is awake, I am sure that it will be processed a lot more promptly.”
My thoughts skittered back to the others who were likely unconscious in the passenger quarters.
“I shall have to keep the door that you entered through on a deadlock until it can be repaired.  In case of emergency, I require it to remain sealed.  Where will you need to go first?”
Pulling on my tactical thinking cap, I considered what elements we would be facing.
“We need to secure the members of the crew.  You said that Nesutten was gone, how’d that happen?”
“As soon as he witnessed you subdue Kadi, the pink you looked in a cell a few blocks back, he took his own personal transport and, along with the tharat Nanis, left the ship.”
Ignoring the contrast between relief at having a few fewer opponents and concern at the ramifications of their being free, I forced myself to focus on what we could control, “I’m assuming he’s made it impossible for us to track them or figure out their location.”
“That is correct.”
“Then we need to concentrate on containing his crew.  How long will it be before our companions regain consciousness?”
“I have already vented the gas throughout the ship.  It will be approximately three auxes before they all wake.  There is, however, a solution in the med-bay that will bring them around instantly.  The doctor, Eleoca Antsu, is currently confined there.  He has agreed to cooperate.  Hetu Ninus, a kaplo bounty hunter, has already voluntarily entered a cell.  The only two who are refusing to cooperate are the first mate Hoejo Ruro and bounty hunter Robavia Mohyr.  They are both contained on the flight deck, however they are both armed and considerably dangerous.  I advise proceeding with caution, even with your considerable abilities, they are highly resourceful.”
“Thank you.  Okay,” I tapped my thumb against the side of my index finger as I processed the information available, “we need to wake the others up first.  I’ll be more confident with Ishni and Bernard with me when facing those two.  Our first stop is the med-bay then.”
With a click, the door on the opposite side of the room swung gently open.

It took almost half an auxe to traverse around the full length of the double lopped corridor to bring us back around to the med-bay.
We passed the cells that held the unknown human captives, however none of the cells had windows and Ven informed us that they were also unconscious due to the gas.
I decided to leave them be for the time being.
They were safe and unaware of what was happening.  Once we had full control of the ship we would get them out.
In the med-bay, doctor Eleoca had already prepared the shots to revive the others.
He was adamant that he could be of use, insisting that he might assist Deia once she was awake.  He was clearly just trying to make the most of his freedom before his impending incarceration.  I left the decision to be made by our own doctor.
With a little gentle manipulation, I was able to reopen both doors to the passenger quarters whilst leaving them working order.
With the others back on their feet we proceeded to the next stage of the plan that I was making up as we went along.
Deia and Orthus went to watch over the captive humans.
Given the scenario, it was possible that the occupants of those cells would assume that their release was some sort of trick or misdirect.  If they were to see a familiar face, it might help to alleviate their concerns.
Culpin, Desmosa and Tallou were to stay in the passenger quarters until we had the commandeered the flight deck.
Ishni, Bernard and myself went on the offensive.

The flight deck was flooded with mid-level light.  Ven had essentially turned off everything except the air and gravity to limit the occupant’s actions.
They had taken out or covered up all of the cameras and audio devices, however, unfortunately for them, Ven is equipped with various alternative methods of detection.
Once inside the room, we would be without a way of communicating with Ven, as the signal that blocked the pinks was one that blanketed the room.  The telekinetic suppressor was also active on its highest setting, which is what it had been wherever I had gone before.  At least I knew that my abilities would be in tact.
Deia had insisted that I take some supplements before facing the first mate and his ally; the fatigue was rather evident on my face and in the way I was moving.  I believe the liquid shot she gave me was some sort of slow burning adrenaline, if such a thing is possible.
I swear I could see the vibrations of my heart beating through my good eye.
The sensation faded fairly promptly, yet it was almost a full auxe before I felt tired again.
As the lift approached its destination, Ven relayed the positions of the two beings that lay in waiting for us.
One was in flight, circling the highest point of the domed roof, whilst the other stood on the ledge above the door that we would be entering through.
Two options were laid out before us; to risk losing the advantage by attempting to negotiate with them, or to go on the offensive and take them down before they acted on their home court advantage.
I asked Ishni what his opinion was, being someone who actually knew them.
“They won’t negotiate.  Given who their leader is, they’re likely under instructions to take down as many of us as possible before you win.  It means they’ll go for Bernard and myself first, if we give them the chance.  They will make the first move.”
“They’ll probably have their batons targeted at the door,” I strategized out loud so that they could add their own input, “I can create a barrier to protect us for a few moments, but it will drain me.  Once we’re inside we need to locate both of them.  If the two of you target whichever is closer, I’ll take the other.  We need them disarmed and submissive.”
Bernard simply nodded in acknowledgement.
I looked to my teacher, feeling for a moment as though this whole thing were some simulation and I were being graded on everything that was about to happen.
He smiled so widely that could see each of the tiny, sharp teeth that lined the inside of his beak.
“It’s pretty much exactly what I would’ve said to do,” draping one wing around my shoulder, he used the side of the opposing joint’s talon to tousle my hair, “thank goodness that I wasn’t as useless a teacher as I thought I would be.”
I snorted.
The smile that captured my face relaxing me in an instant.
I extracted myself from his feathers, smoothed my hair back into some semblance of place and stepped towards the door.
The capsule had begun to slow.
Ishni stood behind me to my left, Bernard the same to my right.
Despite knowing that he would be without his own telekinesis, Ishni did not take a baton.  Whilst walking, he had no way of carrying one without effort and so had elected to go in with nothing other than himself.
I chose to keep my hands free.  I have never needed to move any particular part of my body to control the energy, however waving my arms around like I can, somehow puts me at ease.  It also gives me a prestige that may come in handy in the future.
Of the three of us that walked onto the flight deck to face two of the most dangerous beings in the known galaxy, only one carried a weapon.
We finally came to a stop.
The three of us inhaled deeply through our noses.
The arrival chime rang out.
Reaching deep, I threw up an immensely dense dome of energy to cover the three of us.
The door opened.
A blast of white light, edged with blue and an after-burn of red slammed into us.
My knees bent instinctively, bracing for the impact that never reached.
“GO!”
With a cry I sprinted forwards, the others keeping up with my pace lest they get swept up by the force field.  As soon as we were clear of the door, a being jumped down behind us, baton pointed directly at Bernard. Another blast of energy hit us.
The barrier held.
Another followed immediately.
“NOW!”
Ishni’s voice boomed next to my ear, the severity of which was a tone that I had never even imagined could have come from him.  I had to struggle to maintain my composure as I reshaped the energy to open it up to the rear, so that it covered only myself.
Another blast came from in front.
It gave me a target to aim for.
Behind me, both Bernard and Ishni had already engaged with the pink that had been in lift upon my first trip to the bridge, identified by Ven as Robavia.
I kept running, trusting that they would protect my back, or at least keep their opponent from taking a shot in my direction.
The pink in front of me came into focus.
Hoejo stepped forwards as I came towards him, baton targeted directly at me.  It would not be charged for another lal, meaning he was either bluffing or he had something else waiting for me.
The hairs on my neck stood to attention in warning.  Out of overly cautious paranoia, I expanded the shield until it ran along the floor.
My intuition proved correct as it connected with a proximity mine only a few paces ahead of me.
The world went momentarily white then red as the light of it shone through my eyelids blinking eyelids, followed by the traces of the flames which dissipated as quickly as they had appeared.
Before I could react, I found myself flying backwards, headfirst towards my companions as Hoejo took off, heading in the same direction.