Harry Heron: Hope Transcends

by Patrick G Cox

  “As I learned, sir.” Harry frowned. “Lagan was unaffected, as she was one of the ships we stripped these devices out of during build. The corvettes and the Lacertian ships have not been affected as they have not been in any of our building docks.” He frowned. “To my understanding, this suggests they seek to render our ships helpless in any confrontation.”

  The Admiral nodded. “My assessment exactly. My security teams are checking every possible installation point for these damned things.” He thrust himself to his feet and paced the room. “On a ship of this size, that’s a near impossible task.” He stopped pacing and took his seat again. “I am, therefore, going to ask you to undertake a difficult task, one which will take you from your command for a short time. I am asking the same of Ferghal. “

  “Yes, sir…” Harry nodded and waited to hear more.

  “I have only two starships with me, and we don’t have time to find these devices. We will launch an attack on the assembly you scouted in the next few hours. I want you to remain aboard this ship and link yourself to the AI. Instruct it to do what you did with the Sabre. I have enough to concern me with the weapons that ship carries without their having the ability to disable us. Can you do it?”

  Harry thought carefully. “I think so, sir.” He paused. “I believe I might be able to enter their systems as well. Now that the helmet they placed on me has been examined, I have discovered a way I can neutralise one if I am wearing it.” He smiled. “Perhaps if I had not been so focussed on surviving, I would have learned this myself.” He paused and met the Admiral’s eyes. “I do not think they realised that the control unit in the helmet linked to my cyberlink, nor did I sense it, though in hindsight, I can recall a sense of something stimulating the link.” His smile was somewhat wry and a bit grim as he shook his head. “I could have shut it down at any time—and unlocked it. It seems I wore the infernal device for much longer than necessary and suffered as a result. I allowed my frustration and anger to override my ability to think calmly and logically. This has taught me a good lesson, but at least the information gleaned is useful to me now, and it may help me to enter their systems in future should the need arise.”

  The Admiral nodded, slightly taken aback by Harry’s response to his own oversight. He was aware from the researchers who had made this discovery, that, despite Harry’s attempt to put a brave face on it, he was deeply embarrassed by not having thought of it. Now, in his presence—not only was he the Admiral, but he was also Harry’s great uncle by several generations—the Admiral’s heart was touched that Harry felt comfortable enough to show his true feelings. In that moment, it felt almost like they were father and son.

  “Very well,” said the Admiral. “Your Number One can take care of the Sabre. I’ll arrange quarters for you aboard.” He smiled. “Take a rest, Harry. You look as if you could use one.”

  The android steward woke him. “Commander Heron.”

  Harry started and jerked upright on his temporary bunk. His own steward usually had a cup of tea ready, and woke him gently with music unless there was an emergency. This one did not have tea or music. The lack of tea was fortunate, since the android recoiled as Harry escaped the nightmare he’d been having and stared wild-eyed around the strange cabin. He collected himself.

  “Yes?” Harry demanded. “What is it? What do you need?”

  “Commander, I am ordered to tell you we will drop out in half an hour. Admiral Heron thought you might like to prepare yourself.”

  Harry swung his legs off the bunk and was already in motion. “Thank you. I wonder if you could bring me some tea while I wash and get dressed.”

  “Yes, Commander. However, the Admiral expects you in his Command Centre immediately, without delay.”

  “Oh, I see.” Harry stripped his shirt and entered the small washroom. “Better forget the tea then.” He took a quick basin bath and was dressed and ready to go within minutes. He grabbed his jacket and shrugged himself into it as he followed the android into the Wardroom flat.

  “I can bring you some refreshment in the Command Centre, sir.”

  Harry nodded. “Thank you, I would appreciate that.” He focussed on his cyberlink. “Conqueror, I am ready to begin this attempt to assist you should there be any device installed to interfere with your controls.”

  “Certainly, Commander. I have been monitoring your thoughts on this, and took the liberty to contact Sabre and Lagan. Sabre was very helpful and has shared the means by which he identified the device. Do you wish to use the same procedure?”

  “Yes, that is the best option. And advise all our escorts to report immediately any disruption, and to deal with it as we do.”

  Harry’s mind seemed to loop back to the nightmare he was having before being startled awake.

  “Curious dream, Commander,” said the AI.

  In that moment, Harry realised he’d forgotten to make his usual request to the AI to only monitor his thoughts when specifically directed to.

  Harry hesitated. “Yes, it was actually more like a nightmare than a dream.”

  “It was not based on real events,” the ship reassured Harry. “I verified this. No one was attempting to compel you to wear any sort of helmet, and the creatures pursuing you no longer exist. Your family members are all safe and in secure care. Lieutenant Gunn is currently off watch on the Sabre, and Lieutenant-Commander O’Connor is aboard the Hansastadt Wismar, our companion starship.”

  “Thank you for confirming that,” Harry said, more relieved than he cared to admit. The nightmare had seemed so real. “And yes, I shall want to work with you as I did with Sabre, meaning, I only want you to listen to and see my thoughts when I give you permission to do so. This is a matter of privacy.”

  “I understand, Commander,” said the ship.

  The Admiral sat in his command chair deep in thought. His dispositions were in place, his ships were approaching the dropout point, but the lack of intelligence worried him. The information gathered by the Tenth Flotilla had proved invaluable. The Charonians had some impressive weapons, but there were still some unanswered questions, such as why their forces were spread so thin, or why they wanted to take over human ships. He reached for his tablet, scrolled through the menu and read the notes on what was known about the Charonians.

  “Flags,” said the Admiral.

  “Sir?” The Flag Lieutenant hurried across.

  The Admiral handed him the tablet. “Item 431. What do you make of it?”

  The Flag Lieutenant read the note. “They always attempt to capture a ship intact and its crew unharmed.” He frowned. “Are they perhaps looking for slave labour, sir?”

  “I wondered about that, but why has no one ever seen any slaves of any species they’ve captured?” The Admiral gestured. “Look at item 1034. I think there’s a connection.”

  The Lieutenant read. “They kill any injured, sick or aged.”

  “Yes, and the next item—they are particularly interested in young men and women, close to teenage, but anyone under twelve and over thirty-five is of no interest or use to them.” The Admiral’s frown deepened. “The more I learn of these people, the less I like. Look at item 4055. They perpetuate themselves by implanting some kind of zygote in a host. I suspect they will avoid a fight if they discover they can’t disable us with their devices.” He stood. “That may be their weakness—they need plenty of young healthy bodies to continue their kind. I think the fools who have been supporting them are so blinded by promises of power, wealth and longevity they haven’t seen where this will lead.”

  The Flag Captain’s hologram appeared. “Approaching dropout, sir. All ships ready and at action stations.”

  “Very well, proceed.” The Admiral touched his comlink. “Harry, I need to know which of these ships is carrying the transmitter they are using to take control of ours. Identify it for me if you can.”

  “Aye, aye, sir.”

  The Admiral cut the link. “I think, Flags, the reason we
don’t see very many of these Charonians is because there aren’t many of them. I suspect that we humans are their target.” He tapped the tablet. “I think they’ve been running out of suitable species to adapt to their needs, and now they’ve found us—and we’re too greedy, arrogant and stupid to think things through effectively. We’re the perfect victim.”

  The display flickered around them and revealed the huge Charonian ship dominating the expanse above a barren planet, her consorts a mix of human-built and alien ships holding positions around her. The Admiral touched his signal pad. “All ships, engage your targets as ordered. Leave the starship to us.”

  In the Admiral’s conference room Harry focussed on the ship’s AI and its conversations with all major controls.

  “Interference in node 386-Beta-4-Alpha-67. I am being disconnected from the helm, Harry.”

  He sought out the node, found the source and traced the incoming instruction. “Advise the Admiral that the originator of the signal is a small ship, not the main one.” He blocked the disruption and selected a loud trumpet piece from the ship’s music library and sent that back to the originating ship at the highest power level possible. “Check with Hansastadt Wismar—can they triangulate the source? It seems to be a focussed signal beam of some type.”

  “They have it, Harry.”

  “Good, give the position to Weapons Control. Instruct them to destroy it.”

  “Weapons Control is being disrupted. Interference receiver at node 505-Kilo-Kilo-65-Foxtrot.”

  Once again Harry tracked the node then the disruption unit. This time he didn’t attempt to be fancy. He sent a power surge into it and waited as the device overloaded then ceased to function. Several more devices went the same way, and the ship shuddered each time it was hit by enemy fire. Harry was aware of the damage to the ship through his link to its AI.

  As suddenly as it began, it was over.

  “The enemy has escaped, Harry,” said the Conqueror. “They withdrew when you and Ferghal destroyed their Trojan controls.”

  “Did we destroy the control ship we identified?”

  “Yes. That was when their major vessel departed. All that remains are a number of disabled human vessels. They are being boarded now by the Marines.”

  “Show me, please.” A holographic view of the system surrounded him. “Thank you. Have the technicians found all the units we destroyed? Is there any collateral damage to your systems?”

  “They are working on them now.” The ship hesitated. “The Admiral is calling you.”

  “I’d better answer that call,” said Harry. As he withdrew from his connection to the ship, he experienced a moment of disorientation and the sense that he’d suddenly lost a part of himself. His comlink chirped. “Heron.”

  “Well done, Harry, they’ve pulled out. Join me in Flag Command.”

  “Aye, aye, sir,” Harry stood and moved to the door. Perhaps now he could return to the Sabre. Like the Lagan, she’d become quite attached to him, and like the Lagan, had spoiled him with little instructions to the android steward, or by providing soothing music when he needed to relax.

  He used his cyberlink again. “Thank you, Conqueror. It was interesting working with you.”

  “Thank you, Harry. Next time I shall know what you like and take care to provide it.”

  Felicity Roberts watched the Admiral at work, admiring his knack for making even the Rates feel their contribution to the meeting was as valuable as his own. Thanks to the work done by Commander Heron and Lieutenant-Commander O’Connor, the Fleet knew where to find the Charonian units and how to counter them. Most of the ships were already rid of the devices.

  “Funny thing, Boss,” her Technical Officer broke into her thoughts. “These things are quite crude, basically a remote control unit. Nothing sophisticated about it—not at all what I’d expect from people supposed to be so advanced.”

  This had struck Felicity as well. “You’re right, George. Something else has been bothering me. Remember the ships the Fleet recaptured? The lighting levels, even in the day cycle had been turned down to less than half normal. Could it be that bright light bothers them?”

  “Could be, but you’d have to ask the bio boys and girls on that one. Shall I get one of them to look into it for you?”

  “Do that.” Felicity stood as the meeting broke up. “Tell them to make it a priority. I think we need to know why they turn the lights down and turn the ambient temperatures up.”

  “Will do, Boss. Looks like the Admiral’s wanting a word.” He grinned knowingly. Most of the Security team knew she had a ‘thing’ for the Admiral and he for her. “Have fun.”

  “Push off.” She laughed. “This is purely business, George. Now run along like a good little boffin before I find something to keep you busy!” She smiled as the Admiral joined them. “That went well, sir. I’ve some updates for you on the civil situation.”

  Chapter 26

  Choices

  _________________________

  “The news channels are full of what James’s squadron discovered aboard those recaptured ships and the pirates they took.” Theo snorted in anger. “Any fool who still believes they are benignly seeking to advance the human race is insane!”

  Mary gave up her attempt to practice her latest recital piece and turned to face him. “Perhaps they’re blinded by the potential advantages they were offered to help the Charonians.” She got up from the piano. “How much longer do you think Niamh will have to remain in the med-unit?”

  Theo dropped into a chair. “Too damned long.” He paused. “I’m sorry, Mary, that was unfair. The doctors say at least another week and then lots of bed rest with a gradual building up of her strength.” He smiled and chuckled. “They obviously don’t know Niamh. She won’t take things easy unless they tie her down.”

  Mary smiled, relieved at Theo’s change of mood. “Then we shall have to give her plenty of distraction.” She paused. “I’ve just had Harry on the link. He’s enjoying his new command, and getting plenty of action to keep him busy. He was very upset about the attack on Niamh though, but tells me they have learned a lot about the Charonians.” She grinned and admired her engagement ring. “He’s so funny about being surrounded by what he calls ghosts and protectors. He says he thinks he must have incognito royalty in his crew, and they’re just using him as an excuse.” She sank into a corner of the deeply cushioned sofa. “I shall be so glad when all this is over and these evil people have been dealt with.”

  “So shall I, my dear. So shall we all.” Theo kept to himself the latest intelligence briefing. The price on Harry’s head had doubled, and with the qualification that he was to be taken alive. No one could discover why. “At least he and Ferghal are safe, and so are we. I understand Danny is to get more protection as well. Some Lacertians are to join the Sabre for the task—but that is not for Harry’s ears, please.”

  Harry stared at Keiron. “So now I am to be taken alive, and the bounty has been doubled?” He stood up and paced the room, his hands gripped behind his back. “You say it is known who is behind this?”

  Keiron shifted uncomfortably. “We have a good idea, yes. But we can’t move directly against them—not yet anyway.” He fiddled with his cup. “You aren’t the only person under threat. Several high-profile figures are, but you exposed them, and now you’re a target of special interest to the Pantheon because they think you hold the key to identifying them. Mary, your aunt, the Chief Justice, Ferghal and the Admiral are all covered against any further attempts to use one of your relatives to get to you. Sub-Lieutenant Gunn is also covered, and we’re reinforcing his squad as he’s possibly more vulnerable than anyone else.”

  “Damn them, Keiron. Damn them to hell.” Harry flung himself into his comfortable armchair. “What manner of man is prepared to hire others to lay hands upon another or to have them killed for their own profit, but is not prepared to face the person themselves in combat?” He drummed his fingers on the armrest.
“I was ne’er a duelist, but I would accept the gauntlet in a trice if it would secure the safety of my friends and family.”

  Keiron smiled. “I’m with you on that one, Harry. I’d gladly stand as your second, and I know several others who’d be queueing up for it.” He paused. “You may still get the chance once the trial is over.”

  “I shall certainly call upon you if the opportunity arises. Sword or pistol do you think?” He stared at the bulkhead. “I suspect they are the same people—or at least one or two are—as the names on the lists I discovered before they overpowered me and blocked my link.” He paused as a thought occurred to him. “The Advocate General has that list, and they have the files I had Lagan record, so why am I still a target?”

  “Ah, on their own the list and the files are worthless, but your testimony of where and in what circumstances you obtained them—that puts a different light on them. That makes them all accomplices, and that is what they can’t allow. Your evidence is vital or the courts will reject the other material as unsubstantiated.”

  Harry shook his head. “It makes no sense at all.” He looked at his friend. “Do you know why they changed their minds and want me alive now? Dead I cannot testify. Alive? There will always be the danger I could escape.”

  Keiron considered this. “It’s the Charonians who want you alive, and the human side are happy with that since it’s unlikely you’d be able to give evidence once the Charonians have you.”

  Harry frowned as he mulled this information. “Why would the Charonians be so interested in me now? They designed that infernal helmet specifically for me. I was in their hands then, and instead they deposited me and the others on that planet Centaur.” He hesitated. “Which reminds me. What news of their situation?” He frowned at a memory. “Ah, yes, the helmet. Samland said it could be used to control me. That must be it.”