by S. H. Jucha
“Whose orders do you follow?” Lucia asked, thinking to trip up the Norsitchian.
“We follow those who took the Sylian dome. Where they send us, we’ll fight,” Menous replied.
Lucia ended her prowl in front of Menous. She gazed long and hard into his face, and he unflinchingly returned her stare.
“Welcome to the fight,” Lucia said. “I’m Commodore Bellardo, senior officer of the Omnians.” She grinned and offered her hand.
Menous displayed solid blunt teeth and shook Lucia’s hand. The brassards barked three times in unison.
“I think we have a fighting force,” Tacnock commented to Jess.
“Let’s hope we don’t have to sacrifice them because the Colony is more advanced in their conquest of the lost domes than they were at Sylia,” Jess replied.
“Since when did you become such a pessimist?” Tacnock retorted.
“It was probably about the time the first Earther died in the Sylian dome,” Jess replied.
Lucia had Menous separate his brassards into four groups of fifty. The commander stayed with the remaining troops, while Olawale and Patrice led the first fifty to the traveler in another of the station’s bays.
Omnians accompanied the other sets of fifty Norsitchians, as the travelers arrived. The SADEs, Pyreans, and dome administrators interspersed themselves among the groups.
For the first time in decades, the Rêveur was full. The meal rooms would serve passengers in shifts.
Omnian crew settled the Norsitchians into their cabins and acquainted them with the refreshers and their dining times.
The first thing the Norsitchians did was label the cabins with gel sheets, provided by the medical suite that stuck to the bulkheads.
At Olawale’s request, a crew member led Menous to the bridge, and the commander found the leaders already in discussion.
“What have I missed?” Menous inquired.
“Nothing that concerns you,” Olawale replied, “and I mean no disrespect by that. We’ve the vector of the battleship fleet that left the Crocian system. The SADEs were plotting that course.”
Olawale indicated the holo-vid, and Menous stepped close to examine it.
“We’re anxious to be of use in retaking the domes,” Menous said. “When will be underway?”
“We’ve been sailing ever since the last traveler landed. We’re dropping below the ecliptic now,” Olawale explained. “Soon we’ll transit for our first destination.”
Menous accepted that strange explanation. It wasn’t what interested him. He’d stated what did. “I’ve been told by Councilor Jarmonin that there are five domes that need to be recovered,” he said. “Which will be first?”
“Two hundred and one Norsitchian volunteers,” Lucia replied. “It seems only fair to regain your dome first.”
“Excellent,” Menous said, with a broad smile. “The brassards will be eager to distinguish themselves before their home world’s citizenry, when they defeat the Colony.”
“Don’t be too eager, Commander, that’s how you get killed quicker,” Jess cautioned.
Menous’s dark eyes regarded Jess carefully and not warmly.
“Let me introduce you, Commander,” Olawale said, intending to interrupt the exchange of stares. He started with himself, then Captain Lumley, Patrice, the Pyreans, the Omnians, the dome administrators, and finally Jess. “Captain Cinders led the successful assault on the Sylian dome,” he made a point of adding.
“Apologies, Captain,” Menous said quickly. “I rushed to judgment.”
“As I stated, Commander, that too will get you killed quicker,” Jess said, in an unforgiving voice.
“Your point is taken, Captain,” Menous said, nodding his head. “Will you lead the assault on the Norsitchian dome?”
“That’s not been decided yet,” Jess replied, which caught Olawale, Patrice, Ophelia, Aputi, and the Sylian assault team by surprise.
“How many cycles until we reach the Norsitchian system?” Menous asked Olawale, who glanced at Esteban.
“Twenty-one Hyronzy cycles,” the SADE replied.
“Excellent” the commander stated happily. The news was gratifying even if he didn’t understand how it was being achieved. “I’ll inform the brassards at their mealtimes. Is there anything else for me?” When he heard there wasn’t, the crew member, who brought him to the bridge, led him back to his cabin.
Olawale returned to studying the holo-vid. “According to Fistonia, Jarmonin has ordered cube messages sent to every alliance race, warning them of the battleship fleet,” he said. “The races have been directed to communicate to the council immediately on sighting the fleet and continue to message every cycle thereafter.”
“There’s nothing else we can do about those ships until we get another sighting,” Lucia said.
“If the alliance is fortunate, that fleet will wander around the galaxy searching for another potential colony until Alex arrives,” Sam said. “Then they can be encouraged to return to federacy space.”
Evening meal arrived, and those studying the holo-vid ended their conference to eat.
After the meal, Lucia sought out Jess in his cabin. He was propped up in bed, and she sat at his desk. The thought flashed through her mind that it would be nice to crawl into bed next to him, but she put it aside to focus on why she came.
“Jess, we hate to ask this of you, but we need you to lead the assaults,” Lucia said.
Jess sat up in bed and rubbed his face in his hands. He had the sinking feeling this was why she’d wanted to talk to him. It was signaled by Lucia’s demeanor, when she entered the cabin and sat at the desk in a perfunctory manner,
“I lost fifteen of your twenty-four security forces, good people.” Jess said sadly. “That’s not a record that should recommend anyone.”
“Let me correct you,” said Lucia, her voicing rising in strength. “The Colony killed those fifteen men and women. Without your leadership, we’d have blundered into that ambush, and none of us would have survived. Those who did owe you their lives.”
“We could let Menous lead his eager brassards into the dome,” Jess suggested in an ugly tone. “He seems to be the enthusiastic kind.”
“You’d let Menous lead two hundred Norsitchians to their slaughter?” Lucia asked angrily.
“You know I wouldn’t,” Jess growled.
“Then don’t say things like that,” Lucia said stridently. Sitting at the desk, she felt disconnected from Jess. She shifted to sit next to him on the bed. Her hands were clasped between her knees, even though she wanted to touch him, to hold him.
“Here’s the problem, Jess,” Lucia said. “The individuals you led, those who survived ... they believe in you. If you’re not leading, I don’t think they’d be willing to follow anyone else. By the way, that goes for me too.”
Jess gazed at Lucia. Her head had been down while she spoke, as if she was embarrassed to ask this of him. Her body language seemed constrained, and he thought maybe something else was bothering her. He was close to her and could smell her hair. It was pleasant, and he wanted to bury his nose in it.
Abruptly standing to prevent acting on what he felt, Jess said, “Okay, I’ll lead the assaults, but I have my price.”
Lucia’s head came up sharply. “A price?” she queried.
“Yes, Commodore, a price,” Jess replied. “If you want me at the forefront of these assaults, taking the responsibility for the death
s of my team members, then I expect to be paid.”
Lucia eased off the bed. This was a side of Jess she’d not seen and not one she liked. “What sort of price?” she asked.
“One that you’ll have to pay, Commodore. If you and I survive the taking of the domes, I want you, if you’ll have me,” Jess said.
Lucia smiled at Jess, relieved to have thought wrongly of him. He’d strived to make his proposal sound like a straight-up bargain, but there was an element of pleading, of softness, in his voice. It melted the final barriers she’d constructed around her heart. She stepped close to him, and said, “Here’s something on account.” Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him warmly and deeply.
When their lips separated, Jess whispered in a husky voice, “The Colony doesn’t stand a chance.”
Lucia started to laugh, but Jess stilled the sound, as his mouth covered hers.
For a moment, Lucia was perplexed. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted Jess to lead to keep them safe or position him in the rear to protect him. Then she ignored the conundrum and leaned into Jess’s kiss.
-26-
Norsitchia
While Olawale sought Patrice via the controller’s contact with her ear wig, Juliette gathered others, and they hurried to the bridge.
Esteban presented the newly collected telemetry of the Norsitchian system on the holo-vid. The fleet had executed two short transits to approach Norsitchia from above the ecliptic.
“The ring is complete,” Esteban said, indicating the holo-vid. The imagery was focused on the planet’s second moon, where the dome was situated. “Observe its function,” he added.
The bridge audience watched a replay of telemetry. The dome lit from the activation of a platform. In response to the dome’s activation, the ring visibly brightened, and a small transport appeared within the giant circle.
“I would surmise there’s a similar ring on the other end of that Q-gate,” Juliette said.
“How many transports have come through the ring?” Jess asked.
“This one is the first that we’ve witnessed,” Esteban replied. “However, telemetry has identified the remains of transports between the second moon and the planet.”
“In addition, there are intact transports orbiting the planet,” Juliette added.
“This ring has been complete for a while, and the Colony is intent on taking the planet,” Lucia surmised.
“Our assaults have just gotten more complicated, especially if the other four domes are in the same condition,” Jess grumbled.
“First things first, the transports,” Lucia said.
“Yes, Commodore,> Oleg sent in reply.
“That takes care of the Colony’s transports,” Lucia said to the bridge audience.
“Including those around the planet?” Tacnock asked.
“Yes,” Lucia replied.
“What do you have for us, Orbit?” Olawale asked.
“How many shuttles could fit in a transport?” Lucia asked.
The holo-vid display shifted. Telemetry focused on a shuttle, tail down on the planet. The image was captured, rotated, and duplicated. Then the pair of shuttles was placed on either side of a transport’s image. They fit neatly into the hull.
“Inventive,” Esteban said. “The transport can deliver short-range shuttles to the planet. The shuttles make planetside and deliver the Colony members.”
“I would bet those shuttles don’t have enough reaction mass to launch again,” Patrice said. “They were sent on one-way trips.”
“Wonderful,” Jess remarked. “Now, we have two assaults to manage ... the dome and the planet. Orbit, can you observe the number of Colony shuttles in the dome’s tubes?”
“What type?” Jess asked.
“There go our potential entry points,” Jess said. He felt as if he was being bruised before he entered the fight.
“I’ve a suggestion,” Menous said from the bridge passageway, where he’d been standing. “We’ve observed three challenges from the Colony. The commodore has ordered the elimination of the transports. That leaves two, which the captain has clearly identified ... the dome and the planet.”
“And the dome doesn’t have civilians who are at risk,” Lucia interjected.
“You understand my thought, Commodore,” Menous said, tipping his head to Lucia.
“I’ve established communications with the planet’s orbital transport control,” Juliette announced. “Commander Menous, please step forward and inform your planet that we’re friendlies.”
Menous requested his call be transferred to a specific department and was told that it no longer existed.
“Who absorbed their operations?” Menous asked.
“That would be Planetary Defense,” the operator replied. “Why is it you don’t know that?” the operator asked suspiciously.
“I’ve been out of system,” Menous replied, without thinking how that sounded to the operator.
“If you’ll give me your message, I’ll forward it for you. The senior members of the PD are presently occupied,” the operator replied perfunctorily.
Controlling his frustration at the dismissal, Menous said, “Please request a senior member of the PD take my next call, as they won’t be able to communicate with the fleet of warships that have just entered the system. My allies, my two hundred armed Norsitchian troops, and I are anxious to know who we can help with the Colony’s onslaught. While we wait, we’ll complete the destruction of the Colony’s transports. Hopefully, we won’t mistake any Norsitchian ships because of your failure to transfer my call. It has been annuals since many of us have been home.”
The silence on the call was deafening, and Menous flashed a toothy grin at Lucia, whose smirk said she approved of his message.
“I’m putting you through to Planetary Defense,” the operator said hurriedly.
“This is Minister Nemanous. To whom am I speaking?” was heard over the bridge speakers.
“This is Commander Menous, leader of ten brassa
rds, aboard the Omnian ship, Rêveur.”
Nemanous was about to hang up on what he thought was a diminished individual, but an aide waved frantically at him and pointed toward a telemetry monitor.
“We’re recording the activity of five ships in our system,” Nemanous said. His words suddenly had the attention of every staff member and aide in the PD planning suite. He put the call on speaker. “Please explain your presence, and your intentions.”
Olawale stepped into the conversation and introduced himself. Smartly, he led with the promise given Councilor Jarmonin of the Tsargit to retake five lost alliance domes.
The use of Jarmonin’s name quickly smoothed the remaining conversation. Olawale spent considerable time explaining the events that had led to their arriving in system. He received multiple requests via his implant to acquire details from Nemanous, but he focused on the bigger picture.
“As we speak, the Colony’s transports are being eliminated,” Olawale said, when he finished the historical information. “We’ll position a Trident near the ring to destroy any more transports that come through.”
“You’re aware of the fragility of the dome,” Nemanous cautioned.
“A ring was under construction at Sylia,” Olawale said. “We eliminated the Colony’s shuttles without damage to the dome or the ring.”
The others around Nemanous whispered their questions, and he repeatedly waved them to be silent.
“Obviously, you and your fleet are skilled at these kinds of things,” Nemanous ventured. “We greatly appreciate your assistance and wish to work with you.”
“Commander Menous, who leads two hundred trained Norsitchian troops, has suggested that the priority should be your planet rather than the dome. Do you agree?” Olawale asked.
“We were late in realizing the purpose of the ring after the Colony overtook our dome,” Nemanous replied. “We were stunned with the swiftness and ferocity with which the Colony poured into the dome and eliminated hundreds of alliance citizens. When the ring was completed, the transports arrived at an alarming rate. We thought they were trapped in orbit, but then they released shuttles on us.”