Blockade

by Chris Hechtl

  He grimaced but didn't bother to mention that when his ex had broken up and had tried to come back to him, he'd already moved on. That had further poisoned her daughter from him. "You know her by his surname, the one she took for herself, Captain Takao,” he said in a leaden voice.

  His sad eyes met theirs. Sandra didn't catch the reference, but her husband had spent some time reading history books and picked up on it. He sucked in a breath. “Shit, John, I'm so sorry,” he said in a rush.

  “Takao …,” Sandra parsed it out and then her eyes widened when she caught on. “Oh, John …,” she reached out and squeezed his knee in support.

  “Yeah. People hate her for good reason, but she was a victim. Trying to explain that though …," he shook his head. "Anyway, that's a couple of reasons I shy away from that subject. Don't get me started on my other two kids,” the admiral said, eyes looking up to the stars above as he tried to relax and put the matter out of his mind.

  After a minute or two Sandra changed the subject to something safe and neutral and he began to relax again.

  -~~~///^\~~~-

  Sandra brushed her hair out before bed, but her husband could tell she was still upset. He reached around her and hugged her, nuzzling her hair.

  "To have to live like that with that sort of burden," she murmured, half sobbing.

  "I know. The pain must go deep but he keeps moving. He keeps pushing through it and doing his duty," Jeff murmured, rubbing her back.

  "I know."

  "I think … I think remembering the good parts helped a little. And talking about it should help," Jeff said. "And I'm glad he opened up to us."

  Sandra looked up to him. "You aren't going to use that against him, are you?"

  "No," he said instantly. "I've had a taste of his job. I'm content where I am. When he's ready to step down, I'll hopefully be able to step in his shoes. Whatever happens though, I'll be there, as his friend."

  "Me too," she murmured. "We owe him that much," she said ever so softly as her husband leaned around her to kiss her gently.

  Chapter 51

  Antigua

  Vice President Randall was intensely grateful as he gaveled out the Senate session for six months. It had been a hectic week as advertised; they'd worked some twenty-four-hour shifts to cram everything in on the agenda. The votes had been a nightmare to get through, but they'd gotten through it. He listened to the applause and smiled. He wished he was going with Senator Merkoski's group, but he would rather spend time on Antigua with his family.

  Once the kids were in college, he'd grab Sandra and head out on a few trips. Hopefully, one of them would lead them to see some incredible things. He was looking forward to seeing her face when she saw some of the things he knew about.

  If that was allowed. He needed to talk to John about getting her the proper security clearances.

  -~~~///^\~~~-

  Rear Admiral Draven shook his head to himself as he strode through the halls of SpecOps command. He technically should be in command of the facility as ranking officer, but Admiral Irons had made it clear the leader would also be the leader of the cadre, the newly-promoted General Lyons.

  Sometimes he wondered if the general had gotten his first star because of his arrival on the scene. Not that it did a lot, he still ranked the general by a full star plus time in grade.

  "You can go right in, sir," the yeoman at the door said, indicating the door.

  He put his hand on the door knob but used his free hand to rap gently, then turned the knob and entered.

  He came over to the desk as General Lyons rose. He waved the general back down. "Walter, what can I do for you?"

  "I need clearance to go to Agnosta."

  "To join the SEALs there?" Joshua asked, cocking his head. "Of course you have my blessings," he said with a shrug. "Mars, draw up the paperwork."

  "Yes, sir."

  "Actually, I want a bit more than that. I don't want to assume command yet. I decided I need more training," the admiral said, finding it a bit hard to say despite rehearsing it. "I want to go through BUDs."

  Joshua stared at him in surprise. He'd heard scuttlebutt that the admiral was having a bit of a problem around the base. There was an undercurrent of resentment. He'd initially thought it was due to the admiral's birth world, but he'd found out differently over some beers.

  "Are you sure about this?" he asked slowly as he noted Mars alter the paperwork forms. "You can do it of course but really?"

  "Yes. I realize now I should have done that. I haven't earned this trident," the admiral said, looking at the trident on his uniform. "I thought I was aware of the traditions and was living up to them, but I see the thinly-veiled contempt in some of the SEALs. They think of me as a piker."

  "You might not have trained with them but you are a superior officer," the general stated flatly.

  "Oh, they are respectful of my rank. That's not the problem. But I need to do this. I need to prove it to them and to myself that I can hang."

  "BUDs or the full course?"

  "Well, given that I've got implants I'm going to see if I can handle both. Is there going to be a problem?"

  "I don't think so," the general said slowly. "You have a replacement lined up?"

  Admiral Draven snorted. "The same one I replaced. He can handle the job until I return."

  "Remember, BUDs trains mental too. How to handle failure, how to not quit. That's one of the biggest things, to train for mental toughness. It is grueling. Hypothermia is no joke. Even with a full implant package, you'll still be in for a rough ride. The antigeriatric treatment will let you hang with the kiddies, but still, it's not easy. And you can't pull rank in BUDs. The trainers will be respectful, everyone will, but your rank is set aside, and you are just another trainee who has to suck it up."

  The admiral grimaced but nodded. He'd thought he'd been fit until he'd watched a normal PT training for a SEAL team. The flutter kicks alone had been grueling when he'd tried it.

  "I can pass the PST." That had taken a couple of weeks to work out. He needed to keep working at it too. The Physical Screening Test was tough. He'd spent entirely too much time doing paperwork over field work. It did feel good to be back in trim though.

  "The minimums aren't enough. Shoot for better, trust me," Joshua warned. The admiral nodded.

  "They train you so you won't quit no matter what is thrown at you. There is a 20 percent graduation rate now. You'll have a flag officer's implants, so it makes it much easier for you than the rest of your team. Full tactical after BUDs is even tougher. The SEALs have a saying, the only easy day was yesterday. Get used to it."

  "I know it."

  "You'll learn the true meaning of it when you go," the general said as he stood and held out his hand. "Good luck, Admiral."

  "Thank you," the admiral said as he took the hand and shook it. Once they broke the handshake, he took his trident off and pocketed it. "I want to earn this the proper way."

  General Lyon snorted. "Just remember, when they pin it on to you, they punch it on, literally driving the pin into your shoulder. I heard they have to pry it out later."

  The admiral stared at him and then winced. "Well, I hope to earn it the proper way, so I'll stick to tradition."

  "Good to know. As I said, good luck, sir."

  The admiral nodded. He left quietly. Once he did the general slowly sank into his seat once more. "You're going to need it," he murmured. Mars nodded silently on his HUD.

  -~~~///^\~~~-

  Tau-1252

  “Admiral, incoming call,” Boni said abruptly, breaking Shelby out of her concentration on a file she'd been reading. They were making headway on expanding the base and adding a small dedicated training center with an Academy and flight center. Not without some hiccups along the way though.

  “What?” she asked, looking up and scrubbing her face. “Who?”

  “Connecting you to the ansible now,” Boni stated. “Admiral Irons, Admiral Logan is now on the line,” she said a
s the familiar holographic image of Admiral Irons appeared.

  “Admiral!” Shelby said, eyes wide in surprise. “It's nice to see you!”

  “I don't have a lot of time, Shelby,” the admiral stated.

  “Sorry, sir. What can I do for you?”

  “You can explain this Pons pardon you requested.”

  “I actually hadn't gotten that far, sir,” she said. “But I did drop a hint about it when no one would get back to me about her situation. She's in limbo, and I'd like the issue resolved.”

  “You want to pardon a pirate?”

  “A pirate who has turned over a new leaf and has been actively helping us. She was appalled by the changes to Horath, the xenophobia, the genocide. She genuinely has reformed; all of our tests prove that. She has no problem serving with other species. She's young and has asked for asylum.”

  “And you want to set a precedent?”

  Shelby nodded but then realized he couldn't see her. “Yes, sir. If we show her as reformed, other pirates might actively help us to end their culture.”

  “I see.”

  “She can become a civilian or she can join the Federation Navy. If she joins the navy, she will be under a cloud for her entire life. I haven't extended the offer nor have I mentioned asking for a pardon on her behalf.”

  “But you are doing it anyway.”

  “Yes, sir. I and other officers who have interviewed her see the potential of a good officer. But she will have a long uphill battle ahead of her no matter which way things go. No one is sugar coating that. She'll always have someone suspicious of her motives. But, sir, I see a woman wanting to make amends for her people's misdeeds. I'd like to give her the chance if we can risk it.”

  “She got caught up in the wrong crowd, is that your argument?”

  “I'm not making excuses for her, sir. She has proven truthful across the board. She wants to redeem herself. According to my experts, she's starting to feel depression and being trapped. I'd like to change the course of her life for the better. Give her a chance to prove herself.”

  “I'm not committing to anything, but I will take your recommendations under consideration, Admiral,” Admiral Irons replied.

  “Thank you, sir. It is not just mine I'd like to point out. But thank you anyway, sir.”

  “I noted Helen's report along with Captain Zu's and the other officers involved. Again, I'll consider it.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Antigua out,” the admiral stated. His image winked out after a half second.

  Shelby sat back and rocked slightly for a moment.

  “Well! That was a surprise,” Boni stated.

  “Yeah,” Shelby finally said. “A little warning next time?”

  “I didn't get much on my end, ma'am. Lieutenant Enki let me know Captain Sprite had put the call through a half second before I told you.”

  “Oh.” Shelby snorted. “Well, I suppose we all serve at the pleasure of the president.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Shelby didn't say anything for a few moments.

  “I'm curious how this will turn out. It might be more of a political headache on his end though. But showing pirates mercy, especially those who cooperate and who are willing to help us fight their own kind … it does bode slightly better for them, doesn't it?” Boni asked.

  Shelby shook herself. “It might. We'll see what the future brings.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  -~~~///^\~~~-

  Admiral Irons stared out at the view. White Station was facing the planet. He could get any scene he wanted but at the moment the planet below would suffice.

  He wuffed a sigh. He had a lot on his mind all of a sudden. It boiled down to a woman. Typical, he thought with a mental snort.

  Actually, no, take that back, two women. Ensign Pons might be the root of the problem, but Shelby was the one who'd brought her case to his attention. Wrestling with it had taken a bit out of him, driving him to distraction.

  He'd delved into her history in depth. She was young, in her twenty's. She was human female but not from Horath, which said something about her. She hadn't grown up as a pirate. She'd been taken with her mother at a young age. She'd lucked out in having a pirate father who had been more interested in indoctrinating her than raping and selling her. She'd found her way into the pirate chain of command throughout the pitfalls there. She'd even survived one round in the ring to prove herself.

  She wasn't an angel. She'd fully admitted that. But she had owned up to her mistakes and had been appalled by what the Horathains were doing.

  She hadn't asked for the pardon; Shelby had asked for it. According to ONI, the girl's vital signs showed genuine remorse, guilt, and a willingness to be as truthful and helpful as possible.

  Not only that, but Shelby had asked to promote her. He had to wonder about that. He knew she was hard up for recruits but still. She was right to point out that the young woman's talents would be wasted in civilian life, if she lived long, which was very much in doubt.

  But still, recruiting a pirate? He scratched at his chin. Something didn't feel right about it.

  Well, there was one person he could contact about the pardon. Probably should, he thought. "Protector, set up a consult with TJAG."

  "Now or …"

  "Within the next day or so."

  "Physical or virtual?"

  "Virtual works if she's not here."

  "In regards to the Pons situation?"

  "Yes. I probably should consult the AG too."

  "Should I bring D'red into this?"

  "Yes," the admiral said after a moment of thought.

  "Does tomorrow morning work for you, sir? I can slot you in for a half hour. It will have to be a virtual chat with the AG of course."

  "Works," the admiral said, settling himself.

  "You have another meeting in five minutes, sir."

  "Understood. Give me the thumbnail sketch for prep …"

  -~~~///^\~~~-

  The following morning Admiral Irons debated the Pons pardon with the Delquir TJAG and D'red.

  "I have to admit, her willingness to help and her contrition are marks in her favor," the TJAG stated. "And, although caught in service of pirates on a pirate vessel, she didn't participate in acts of piracy. She also surrendered her command."

  "And she's been very helpful with us in regards to the plagues?" D'red asked. He wasn't fully aware of the case, but he was scanning it into memory. "She has been helpful I see."

  "Yes. The plagues appalled her and were the tipping point from her being a prisoner to an active witness for our benefit. Not just in stopping the spread of the plagues but in stopping piracy in the area in general."

  "She is also not Horathian. She was not brought up in the culture of xenophobia and hatred to other species. Hence her reaction to the plagues," the TJAG pointed out. "She still retains a conscience even though she was taken in at a young age."

  "Which I'll point out was not of her own violation. She had been indoctrinated. Can the programming be removed?"

  "I think it has been to some degree," the TJAG stated. "I see her on a path to redemption. Her time in the brig should be credited to her. I noted she was never tried for any crimes, yet you wish to pardon her?"

  "Actually, Admiral Logan does," Admiral Irons stated flatly.

  "And you have trouble with this?" D'red asked.

  "The pardon, somewhat. The next part very much so," Admiral Irons stated.

  "Oh?"

  "She doesn't want to just pardon the young woman. She wants to recruit her as a possible noncom or officer in the Federation navy," Admiral Irons stated.

  The others were silent for a moment.

  "That's a bit above my head. I can do a search on case law," D'red said slowly. He turned to look at the hologram of the TJAG. "But I believe that is more your field than my own."

  "I can have my staff and A.I. look up relevant case law. Ah, I see," Admiral Soar and Strike stated. "According to my A.I.
, there have been thousands of cases of recruiting a person with a questionable background into the military. The most recent cases all involve some of the recruits in Pyrax."

  "Oh?"

  "Several recruits had questionable backgrounds but were recruited anyway. Most notable are General Forth and Warrant McClintock."

  Admiral Irons grimaced.

  "I'd like some time to consider this carefully before ruling on it. As to the pardon, Admiral, I believe it is in the best interest of the future to allow it to proceed," the Delquir stated.

  Admiral Irons raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

  "I see it as a healing path for redemption for those worthy of it. She could serve as an example to not only our people but to her own as well should her case be advertised. Just knowing that there can be a path forward might break the will of some of the stubborn individuals and prevent further bloodshed in some cases. It is also a path for eventual reconciliation with a future Horathian generation … if there was going to be one. The jury was still out there."

  Admiral Irons turned to D'red. The Veraxin signaled first-degree agreement.

  "Very well, that part is settled. Can you give me an answer by the end of the week?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Good. I think we're finished here then. Thank you two for your time."

  "Anytime, sir," both bugs murmured before their images winked out.

  Chapter 52

  Classified Star System

  Enough of the Senate and House leadership had been briefed on the gate project for them to insist on a fact-finding tour by twelve junior members, six from each house. The delegation traveled to see it on a general fact-finding tour of the area. They were diverted while in transit.

  Senator Merkoski had found out offhand from a discussion at the captain's table at dinner one evening that Admiral Irons had set up the project under the guise of exploring potential mining worlds near Antigua several years ago.