Unsealing his visor as he entered Steadfast and Loyal’s Command Center, the Admiral placed himself before the data display. “It works! I just didn’t try hard enough.”
“No, it didn’t. Better yet, it back fired in your face!” Neuma shot back, the laughter starting to get back under control.
“Yeah yeah. I still believe in it,” Euphretes commented with mocking defiance. “But we’re back; and I should start getting ready for Dawn of Creation before the response team apprehends our guest.”
“Mind if I provide us an update real quick?”
Finding an anchor point, “She’s all yours.” Euphretes immediately felt his core being pulled, “Can you still hear me?” He asked.
“Of course I can. I’m just as much a part of you as you are me,” Neuma answered, referring to Euphretes being the anchor point for the part of her that stayed attached to his mind space when she extended herself. Because she was a Bio-Dependent Artificial Intelligence, her life source was Euphretes’s mind space, making it impossible for her to completely leave the shelter of his body.
“Just checking.” He was still struggling to stay focused but satisfied that he was again able to communicate with Neuma while she was in the middle of reaching out into Steadfast and Loyal.
“You’re good,” Neuma replied, “Coming up on them now.”
Before Euphretes could respond to his mind space, SR6 appeared before Euphretes and disrupted his anchor point. “Neuma, I think you should come back now,” Euphretes warned.
SR6’s face seemed to be melting before his very eyes, confirming Neuma’s prediction that if his field of vision started acting weird, then he was losing his grip on reality. The white hairs in SR6’s beard seemed to change severity in color tone in fluid motions as Euphretes moved his eyes, switching from light grey to pure white but never staying the same color. Meanwhile, the dark circles in SR6’s eyes swirled around in circles before popping back in place when Euphretes’s field of vision focused in on the peculiarity. SR6’s holographic skin tone appeared to blotchy and forming strange patterns of swirling tan colors across his flesh. In other words, Euphretes was on the verge of losing it.
“On my way!”
“Sir, we have him in custody,” SR6 began, but Euphretes just managed to raise a hand and give the “one moment” hand gesture to stall. The RAI nodded and stepped back to give the Admiral some breathing room. With the awareness ebbing back into his consciousness, “I’m sorry SR6. Please, continue.”
“No need to apologize Sir, it was I who interrupted you.”
“Long story short, they have the stowaway; and it’s a she,” Neuma informed, having returned but without the time to fully sift through all of the particulars.
“Well, anyway, please continue SR6,” Admiral Euphretes directed to the RAI before replying to Neuma, “Brave woman. I’m not even sure I would take on a mission like hers.”
“I think you meant “I” wouldn’t take on that mission and would have to end up telling you no multiple times before you got the picture,” Neuma corrected with good humor.
“Probably true.”
SR6 nodded his head, “Roger Sir. As I said, we have the stowaway in custody, only it’s a female. She is being taken to the medical bay now; Captain Blanchard and Commander Remming are following her there as we speak.”
“Did the response team have to take her out?” Euphretes interrupted. He hated to think that maybe they had killed a potential treasure trove of information.
“No Sir, she is alive; but her physical and mental health are dangerously deteriorated.” SR6 answered.
“Well? Has she said anything?”
“Understood SR6. Is she coherent?”
“Yes Sir, but she isn’t talking, if that’s what you’re asking. I ran all the checks that I could so far to find an identity for our stowaway,” SR6 paused momentarily to pull up the results from Steadfast and Loyal’s mainframe. “Unfortunately Sir, her DNA has been tampered with, so the chances of finding an exact identity are next to impossible.”
“Of course it is,” Euphretes grumbled to himself.
“However, based on her behavior and reports coming in from the front, I can safely say that she is no Baikal agent.”
“Then where is she from?!” Euphretes asked, thinking the Huron Empire had a new enemy.
“Her citizenship or Empire has nothing to do with it, unfortunately,” SR6 stated. “She is just one of the tens of thousands of Natron civilians who have been stolen by the Baikal Empire. While the vast majority are never seen again, a few have returned. It seems that the Baikal Military is brain dumping a select few of those kidnapped, dangerously re-writing their DNA, and then reprogramming them to conduct guerrilla operations.”
“Wow, Indus really isn’t playing around this time.”
Out of nowhere, Adoenye’s words replayed through Euphretes’s mind space, unheard by Neuma. “The Almighty stands ready to assume control of the Human Race and drive it into extinction.”
“So she’s also a victim in all of this?” Euphretes asked SR6.
“I’m afraid so. We’ll hopefully know more when she gets to the medical bay and teams can perform more thorough exams.”
Euphretes nodded his head, “Good copy. Still treat her like an enemy combatant until we are certain that she is no longer a threat. Please pass that along to her care team.”
SR6’s expression went blank as he spoke, “Order being sent now, Sir.”
“Great, thank you.”
The RAI’s blank stare disappeared now that he had disseminated the Admiral’s order, “Of course. Is there anything else I can do for you Sir?”
“Yes, in fact there is. Can you please pull any and all information pertaining to Dawn of Creation and its current location, if known?”
The RAI gave a puzzled look, forcing Euphretes to speak further. “I have to attack the second most deadly Ship in the known universe, yes. So the more information you can get me, the better.”
“Understood Sir. I’ll send everything I can find to your H. Profile,” The RAI’s shocked voice answered before disappearing.
Euphretes removed himself from the data display and walked over to the Command Center’s communications section to grab a CMDS. “This probably isn’t going to go over too well with him,” He remarked to Neuma while pulling up Emperor Carpathian’s contact information.
“You think?”
Pressing the REQUEST COMMUNICATION tab, “Only one way to find out.”
Instead of waiting for the process to time out, Carpathian’s H. Profile immediately directed Euphretes to leave a message. Checking for the Emperor’s status, the words, “Diplomatic Jump Sequence” told Euphretes that Carpathian was currently in a sanctioned jump to an undisclosed location inside another Emperor’s domain.
“Dodged a bullet there,” Neuma joked. She knew Euphretes would safely be in a jump sequence by the time Carpathian received his message.
“Don’t worry, he’ll find a way to tear me a new one if this whole thing goes south.”
“That was crude!” Neuma turned her attention to the data display and zeroed in on a rear portion of the Baikal Military’s Natron front. Because of the suit, she was now able to see the data display without relying on Euphretes’s field of vision. To her surprise, Dawn of Creation could be seen as clear as day. After a second look, it became clear that Emperor Indus had no reason to hide.
Dawn of Creation was safely tucked inside a pocket of six Super Capitals, like a prized Ship in harbor being guarded by cannon wielding fortresses on all sides. Eleven Cruisers and thirteen Frigates created another layer of protection as they positioned themselves outside the Super Capitals to create another buffer zone for the Flagship. The positioning of the Baikal Fleet Vessels ensured any frontal assault could be stalled long enough to get the Flagship, and its Emperor, in a jump sequence and to safety before anyone could get to it.
Baikal Rapid Response Teams could be seen placed intermittently across the back of the Baikal
Front. Two ended up sandwiching the already heavily protected Dawn of Creation. Composed of a Capital Ship, Flight Carrier, six Cruisers, and six Frigates, the Fleet sized teams were each only six minutes away.
Euphretes left a detailed Situation Report for Carpathian, then closed out of the CMDS. “How are things looking?” He asked Neuma while turning around to leave the communications section.
“I’ll let you make that evaluation for yourself, but SR6 didn’t have to look hard to find Dawn of Creation.”
Placing himself at an elevated position to get the entire display in view, “Seriously?” He mocked. “He needs that many Ships to feel safe at night?”
Euphretes studied the dire situation. The enormous scene played out before him in grand battle lines. Broken down into two distinct fronts, one inside the Natron Empire which found Emperor Broye barely hanging on, and a recently opened campaign inside the Baikal Empire by Carpathian to draw attention away from the young Natron Emperor.
Emperor Broye and his military still appeared to be putting up an effective fight at first glance, but the tides of war were not in their favor. While effectively stopping Indus’s progression into their home, Broye’s forces were assuming unsustainable losses to both territory and personnel as payment. The Natron Combat Teams had pulled back to a purely defensive stance around their planetary defense platforms, stopping the spearhead of the Baikal forces but opening the door to eventually getting surrounded and cut off. Unless Broye acted quickly, sixty-five percent of his Military’s Fleet Vessels would be surrounded; leaving few options for an escape that didn’t result in heavy casualties. Despite their aggressiveness, however, the Baikal forces did not have enough of an advantage to make a decisive engagement. Because of Emperor Carpathian’s last minute decision to open a second front, Broye’s forces were still large enough to make any direct assault by the Baikal Military too costly for them to risk.
In response to the situation, Indus gave the order to have the Combat Teams closest to Emperor Broye conduct feigning attacks to hold the Natron formation in place. Meanwhile, other elements could maneuver around Emperor Broye and begin hitting soft targets. More importantly, the feigning attacks would allow Emperor Indus to commit more of his forces to stopping the Huron advance.
“Still want to attempt a rescue for someone that you can’t guarantee even exists?” Neuma asked as respectfully as she could.
“Oh, we’re still doing this rescue,” Euphretes answered while shaking his head at the scene. “SR6?”
“Sir?” The holographic image of the RAI appeared next to the Empirical Admiral.
Euphretes moved closer to the data display and pointed, “How long would it take us to jump from our current location to right there, behind Dawn of Creation?”
“May I ask why, Sir?” SR6 finally asked, the question eating away at him ever since he heard the Admiral say that he was going to attack the Flagship.
“Unfortunately, under these circumstances, you may not. And as cliché as it sounds SR6, I’m going to have to ask that you trust me on this one.”
The RAI relented and said, “Six Custos days for the entire Armada, just under five days for the Cruisers and Steadfast and Loyal, and four for the Delta Infiltrator.”
“Through the Abyss,” Euphretes whispered to himself in contemplation.
“While I approve of the overall scheme, it would be unwise if I failed to mention the fact that Through the Abyss is an insanely valuable asset in and of itself, not to mention the brave souls who call her home,” Neuma expressed, knowing exactly where Euphretes’s plan was going and insinuating that they were just going to trade one valuable asset for another.
“Roger, thank you,” Euphretes replied to SR6 before answering Neuma. “You’re absolutely right about the men and women who call Through the Abyss home; which is why I’m about to tell Captain Astoria to remove all personnel and sensitive items.”
“Last comment, I promise.”
“You can always speak your mind, you know that. Fire away.”
“It’s a four day jump; so how do we know it’ll even be there when we arrive?”
“Broye won’t give up that much ground between now and then. But you’re right. We don’t know for certain that it’ll be there.”
“Should Broye decide to conduct a counter attack, we could exit our jump and enter right into the middle of a live battle space.”
“Neuma, I was told that whoever is on that Flagship is mine for the taking if I acted quickly enough, and I believe those words. Whether we miraculously win and live to see another day, or fail miserably and die, I’m going to do what it seems no one else is willing to do. Are you with me?”
“Always!”
Chapter 13:
The Boarding Party
“Five minutes, Sir.” DI6 warned as Euphretes stood in Through the Abyss’s empty Bridge.
Stripped of its crew and any non-essential equipment, the Ship’s once crowded control room was eerily quiet. Apart from Senior Leading Operative Crestone, Commander Ardein, Steward Operative Caruso, Steward Operative Edey, Steward Operative Urick, and Empirical Admiral Euphretes, not a soul was left on the Delta Infiltrator. In spite of being fully briefed on what appeared to be a suicide mission, and having little to no information as to the objective of the assignment, each of these brave men volunteered to remain on board. They trusted their Admiral and were not about to abandon him now. Crestone, refusing to let his Officer enter combat without him, delegated authority to Mercany and loyally stepped into the group of volunteers. Euphretes had done everything he could to dissuade them, yet none yielded. Now, as they stood before him with somber and resolute faces, he was grateful to have them by his side.
“Thank you DI6. Is the Ship prepared for the possibility of entering a live combat zone?” Euphretes asked.
“You do know I could have told you that, right?” Neuma remarked. The pair had been working on their new abilities during the four day jump whenever the team was not scouring over schematics of Dawn of Creation.
“Yeah, but I can’t just all of a sudden stop asking questions,” Euphretes said with a light laugh.
“Good point.”
The data display reconfigured itself to show Through the Abyss’s diagnostics while the holographic image of DI6 spoke. “Yes Sir. Without having to drown out all of the noise and technology pollution normally taking place inside these walls, Through the Abyss’s blackout capabilities are as good they’ll ever be.”
“Excellent. Commander Ardein, go ahead and get everyone set at the staging area. Crestone and I will be down shortly,” Euphretes ordered, sending the rest of the team to an empty turret chamber that would be their exit off Through the Abyss.
“Roger that.”
Once they had cleared the Bridge, Euphretes leaned over to Crestone, “You would tell me if I was willingly taking these men to their deaths; and being an all-around idiot, right?”
“That was a brave question to ask. You’re getting remarkably bold when things get serious.”
“Walking right into it, I know.”
Euphretes sensed the unshakable faith that the Senior NCO had in him through his radiating aura, “Sir, you’re being an idiot. You’re being an idiot for risking your Command. You’re being an idiot for risking the secrecy of this Ship. Sir, you’re an idiot for just being here. But you’re my idiot, and more importantly, you’re OUR idiot. The second I doubt your word or intuition is the day I retire; and I know I speak for many in the Armada as well.”
Euphretes wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. “Uh, thank you?” Was about all he could manage.
Two minutes later, Through the Abyss exited jump; well within the combat zone but safely from the live battle space. DI6 expertly maneuvered the Fleet Vessel around the edges of the danger zone on its way to the Baikal Flagship.
“We couldn’t have planned this better!”
“Sir, at first glance, it appears we arrived near our intended position and are going enti
rely unnoticed by external Baikal picket lines,” DI6 informed.
Nodding to the RAI, “Good stuff. Lucky, but good stuff nonetheless.” The Natron front had progressed little for Indus since Euphretes jumped. However, Indus’s teams were close to the jugular as Emperor Broye had backed himself into a corner. Meanwhile, the Baikal Emperor ordered a counter strike on the Huron front, sending several reserve Combat Teams straight into the fray. Carpathian’s forces had held strong, but were being stretched thin with little end in sight.
“Neuma, what do you think?” Euphretes asked, staring at the situation on the data display.
“It could be worse, but it could also be a whole lot better.”
Instead of responding, Euphretes waited until Neuma had finished her analysis and could give a legitimate answer. “I recommend we take an arching approach up and around the Rapid Response Team that pulled back closer to Dawn of Creation; right through here and then end up under Dawn of Creation on our final approach,” she explained, sending her plan to his visor.
“Straight for the Headquarters’s element near Dawn of Creation, I like it,” Euphretes replied, giving his approval for Neuma to underwrite her course into the mainframe’s sub-platforms; which meant that the course settings also went into DI6, all without the highly advanced RAI even noticing.
“Sir,” Crestone announced, grabbing the Admiral’s attention, “Shouldn’t we head for the staging area?”
“Roger. But I owe Emperor Carpathian an update.”
“Good copy. I’ll be waiting for you just outside then,” Crestone answered.
“I don’t think he’s exited his jump yet,” Neuma said, having already looked for the Emperor using Through the Abyss.
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