by Peter Rhodan
“Any one of twenty people could have done it, none of whom failed a lie detector test, nor have any of them done anything suspicious since, despite being under twenty-four-hour surveillance.”
Admiral Gording nodded, frowning at the lack of any progress.
“Frustrating. You say the Princess seems paranoid. Perhaps that is not such a bad thing.”
“True. She sure looked a lot tougher. She was supposed to go to the Naval Academy this year. She missed her finals of course but the first semester has only just started. Do you think you could see your way to slip her in late, presuming we get her back?”
Gording considered this. Having her in the naval academy would obviously be more secure than a lot of other places.
“Yes, I can arrange that, but only if she’s prepared to work hard for the first couple of weeks to catch up. If she isn’t willing to make the required effort I can’t just shove her in anyway, regardless of her position, you understand?”
Travgar nodded. “Can’t ask for more than that my old friend. Now tell me, how are Jacelle and the kids?”
Chapter 13
Catching up with family
The Kimerian Battlecruiser Harod II docked at Lorvich Station and the captain announced liberty for all crew on the usual rotation. If Captain Johling had been surprised that his ship had been ordered to pay a goodwill visit to a neutral system so close to the Kimerian naval base at Ragon he had not let it show to his crew. Lieutenant, His Imperial Highness, Lucas Desnoute was scheduled for leave on the second day of the visit. He was the Tactical Officer of the second watch, and his watch would remain aboard the ship manning the bridge on the first day.
The First Watch had been given leave on the initial day in port. Being in dock meant there was only a port watch set anyway with half as many people on duty. While in port, each shift would be doing twelve-hour shifts, rotating with the other watch who were on duty the other twelve hours while the remaining watch was on leave. Only needing the watch stations to be half manned meant that both he and his understudy, Ensign Krammer, did not have to be at the Tactical station at the same time, so they were doing six-hour turns each.
Ensign Loren Krammer was sharp, red-haired, and about half a head taller than the Prince. She also preferred girls and had a pretty low opinion of most males. His Highness, thanks to his helping her in a small altercation in a foreign bar some months ago, had moved from being a derided ‘goddamn male’ to Lieutenant Desnoute or even just Desnoute on certain occasions when they were ashore. In the navy, his Imperial rank was not used unless he was attending some diplomatic flag-waving function. Of which he was required to attend far too many, he had long ago decided.
They both met in the Officers Mess after the change of watch and as usual, joined the other Second Watch officers in sharing their evening meal. He had just taken a mouthful when his Imperial Comm device alerted him to an incoming call. A second later a familiar voice came through the special secure channel. “Hey bro. Long time no speak. When you get a chance get in touch.”
He was so surprised he almost choked, the spluttering involved in his recovery helping to disguise his astonishment at the message he had received. His Imperial Comm device implant was a receiver only so he couldn't reply immediately. He had been fully briefed on Gizel’s disappearance, covertly of course, as well as the Palace’s decision to cover it up. He had spent months feeling helplessly trapped aboard his ship while his sister had vanished into who knew where, and no one could even tell him whether she was alive or dead. After dinner, he made his excuses and headed down to the small Imperial Security office all the capital ships carried.
Due to his presence aboard the ship, the Imperial Security complement had been augmented somewhat from the usual battlecruiser force of an Ensign, two communications specialists, and a half squad of troopers. The Harod II boasted an additional Captain, a Lieutenant, two extra Ensigns, and twenty additional Security troopers, plus one specialist analyst. After what had happened to his sister he was pretty sure there were even more Imperial Security agents emplaced undercover in the crew as well. Certainly, there had been several unexpected personnel movements in the weeks following her disappearance.
He approached the office and nodded at the two Imperial Security troopers on duty outside. One touched a comm tab and said. “Lieutenant Desnoute is here sir.” as he neared their position. The door swished open and he entered to find Lieutenant Hormalin, who was presumably the acting duty officer, smiling at him.
“Lieutenant. What can Imperial Security do for you today?” he said with a certain level of surprise in his voice.
Lieutenant Desnoute smiled in return. He had deliberately never had a lot to do with the Imperial Security chaps, although he had spoken to Hormalin a few times in the two months the man had been aboard. The Imperial Security personnel rotated far more frequently than the normal ship’s crew who often remained aboard for periods of up to five years. It was bad enough having the horde of watchdogs following him everywhere. Socializing with them would have been just too much.
“I would like to borrow a secure comm unit please Lieutenant.”
Hormalin appeared to be surprised by the request but rather than ask for an explanation simply turned to one of the troopers behind a console.
“Get the Lieutenant a secure comm please, Frank.”
The man in question nodded, turned to a cupboard, and was soon passing a secure comm to the Prince. “There you are, sir. You know how to use one?”
The Prince nodded. “Yep. Be back in a minute.”
So saying, he exited the room and moved down the passage a few meters. Once he was certain he was out of earshot of the door guards and with no one else around he switched on the unit, which after starting up immediately connected with the comm chip in his skull. All Imperial children had the chips embedded in their skulls from an early age. Essentially the skull grew over the chip as the child grew, hiding it from detection. The whole thing was a closely held secret. As far as the Prince knew no one outside of the Imperial family, other than those in the highest levels of Imperial Security itself knew about the chips.
He typed in his sister’s code and said quietly. “Hey, sis. Good to hear from you. Will wait a minute or two but if you can’t reply immediately no sweat.”
He had barely finished leaving the message when her voice came through.
“It’s good to hear from you too bro. I need a lift home if you can meet me off the ship.”
He smiled. “Sure sis. I have liberty at oh nine hundred tomorrow. Where can we meet?”
“There’s a spacer bar about five hundred meters from your ship’s docking bay, it’s called The Rusty Frigate. Head down the main corridor and you’ll see it on the right. I’ll come out and meet you before you actually reach it and then we can return to your ship immediately. Is that okay?”
“Should be. Don’t know what the Captain will say when I turn up with you in tow, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I’ll be wanting a full account of your adventures you know, but I’m really glad you are alive sis.”
He could hear the note of amusement in her voice.
“Me too bro. See you tomorrow.”
Gizel spent the rest of the day trying to get Karvon alone but failed to achieve her goal before everyone turned in for the night, everyone apart from Krevis who had pulled the night shift on the bridge. She waited until everyone should have been settled down before exiting her cabin and approaching Karvon’s. She stood outside hesitating, trying to summon up her courage. Finally, she took herself to task. You’re an Imperial Princess and all-around badass. Suck it up and face him, she harangued herself silently and then pressed the button on his door before she could chicken out.
“One moment.”
Came his voice out of the speaker and after a fair period of waiting, the door finally opened and she cautiously entered. Karvon was standing next to his bed wearing casual workout clothes, when he saw who it was some emotion crosse
d his face, but Gizel could not tell exactly what it meant.
“Good evening Gizel. What can I do for you?” he asked coolly keeping his face bland.
This was not going well! At the sight of him, all her carefully rehearsed lines had gone straight out of her head!
“I, um, well I wanted to, um, talk to you,” she stammered.
It had all seemed so easy in her head but now she felt her confidence fleeing in the face of his cool expression. The clever words she had mentally rehearsed turned to dust in her mouth and she found herself unable to speak.
“Yes?” he asked, cocking his head slightly to look at her.
He kept his expression nondescript and his demeanor was uninviting and she shuffled from one foot to the other feeling like she was back in school and facing the principal.
“I wanted to say thank you for rescuing me from my attackers and for all the care you’ve taken to protect me, Karvon,” she said at last.
Of course, this not even remotely like what she really wanted to say to him, but at least she was now able to form some words and make them come out of her mouth, which was a start.
He smiled back at her. He had such cute dimples! How could he be so damn smart and handsome yet be totally oblivious to the effect his closeness had on her.
“And I would like to apologize for running off with you and then throwing you into combat the way I did. That was irresponsible of me and I beg your forgiveness.”
She felt her face flush seeing his smile break out again, and took a step towards him.
“Oh, that was fine. I wanted to do that!” she exclaimed.
“Yes, but I doubt your parents will be very happy learning I unnecessarily placed you in harms way.” he said shaking his head.
She smiled at this, although she could see his point. Her mother would be aghast at learning her little girl had been forced to kill people, although what she thought the Navy did in wartime she had no idea. Her father on the other hand would be extremely angry with Karvon for putting her in that situation and getting her shot at. Fortunately for everyone involved she had suffered no harm, and the experience would stand her in good stead when she went into the Navy.
“No, they won’t be, but they will be far too pleased having me back for it to be much of a problem,” she said moving closer to him.
“I doubt it, given how long you have been aboard, but as I won’t be the one having to face them it isn’t a problem,” he commented, looking down at her with a smile still on his face.
She looked up at him and with a rush of bravery smiled hopefully.
“I was hoping you would come and see me on Kimeria.”
His face hardened, surprising her.
“No Princess,” he said solemnly, using her title, which he rarely did.
“I, I thought you liked me,” she said in a quavering voice, reaching out for his hand.
He pre-empted her and took both her hands in his.
“I do like you Gizel, but you are the second in line to the throne of Kimeria and I am a Brython ship’s Captain and one on half pay at that.”
“So? That doesn’t matter to me!” she said hotly.
He shook his head.
“Well, it should. I am a nobody, a known adventurer, what could I possibly offer you. How would it look to your parents if I came slinking around trying to woo you? I am a good ten years older than you; I’m a grown man, while you are still a teenage schoolgirl. They would assume I had taken advantage of you during our voyage and that I was now trying to cash in on having used my suave wiles to seduce you.”
She looked up at him stricken by his harsh words but what hurt her even more was the tone of voice he had used.
“But you haven’t ever tried to seduce me!” she exclaimed, the regret at this lack of activity on his part obvious in her voice. “I wish,” she muttered, then smiled at him.
He laughed with her but held her at bay.
“I am not in the habit of seducing schoolgirls I’m sorry. Imperial Princesses or not.” he said firmly after a moment.
She looked up at him feeling hurt.
“Is that how you see me? As a schoolgirl?”
He looked down at her with a strange expression.
“Not now. But it doesn’t matter what I think, it is how others see you that counts Princess.”
She went to respond to this, but he put his finger on her lips.
“It is how it is Gizel. You will still be perceived to be a schoolgirl and I am a roguish privateer who has no prospects and is far too old for you. Go home to your parents, go to Naval school and become the type of officer that I would be proud of.”
He took her shoulders in his hands then turned her around and made her start towards the door.
“Go, my Princess,” he said softly and propelled her forward.
She wanted to stay and convince him to change his mind, but something told her that it would be stupid and probably serve no purpose. Damn it all! She felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she headed back to her cabin, but once inside she knew he was right not to let anything happen between them yet, even though she wanted him so badly it hurt. Yet, she realised, was the operative word, as she suddenly felt a little better. She might not be able to have him at the moment but things could change. Too young, eh. Well, she had heard that age differences seemed less the older you got. Sooner or later their orbits would cross again, of that she was certain. It was hard at times being a Princess, but she would never forget him. Not even in a million years!
Karvon was visibly shaking after propelling the Princess towards the door and closing it firmly behind her. He hadn’t really given much thought to his true feelings about her, other than their obvious physical attraction to one another. The sexual tension that had been simmering between them had now reached boiling point and it had taken all the self-control he possessed to turn down her very obvious offer. Karvon was afraid if he hadn’t been able to make her leave when he did he would have lost all control. He so easily could have weakened and given in to her desire and made her last night aboard the Kormorant a truly special intimate occasion, one they both would never forget. It was just a position he didn’t want to find himself in, as much as he would have enjoyed it. He might only be a roguish ship’s Captain of dubious means, but he still had morals, and he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life looking back with regret at taking advantage of the teenage Gizel, Princess or not.
Lieutenant Desnoute logged out through the port guard station at nine zero five hours and headed to the main concourse followed by the two Imperial Security troopers he habitually had trailing him. Somewhere ahead of him would be another who had exited the ship earlier in plain clothes and who would provide further protection for his Imperial personage. Being in non-Kimerian controlled territory there might well be two additional plainclothes agents ahead of him as well.
Normally he found the whole business rather over the top and sometimes rather annoying, particularly when one overzealous fellow had tried to follow him to the unit of a young lady he had hooked up with on one such shore leave. Today however he had been tempted to ask for extra guards but had refrained, deciding that not attracting attention by doing something unexpected was the preferred course of action. Everyone knew how he chafed at having the Imperial Security chaps trailing him everywhere. On the other hand, the ship being tied up to the boom on the same level as the main concourse was handy. He was sure the station merchant organization had made absolutely certain that the berth was free for the battlecruiser and her lovely, Kimerian mark carrying, crew.
Once on the main concourse, it took him no time to near The Rusty Frigate and he approached carefully, noting the tough-looking fellow lounging in front of the bakery on the other side of the concourse. He also spied another military-looking fellow sitting at a table out the front of a restaurant two doors down. Neither of these men looked familiar to him, so they were probably not part of the Imperial Security plainclothes detail deployed to protect him. They m
ay well have been totally innocent of course, but he could tell their attention was on him, even if they tried to look like they weren’t interested. Their presence made him nervous for reasons he wasn’t sure of and for the first time in his life he was suddenly rather glad of his Imperial Security escort.
Just as he reached the bar a woman with short blonde hair strode out, dressed in the military-style fatigues often preferred by commercial spaceship crews. She was carrying a duffle bag over her shoulder in the prescribed nautical manner. The woman kept her head down as she approached him. It wasn’t until she reached level with him and lifted her face to smile at him that he realized his petite schoolgirl sister had been transformed into this now rugged-looking sailor. He would have recognized that cheeky impish smile she so often affected, particularly when she had put one over him or her nanny, from a mile away.
“Shall we go?” She asked after a moment, and he shook himself back into the present nodding in response, turned, and headed back towards the ship. The two security chaps who had closed up on him when the unknown female had approached were left floundering by the abrupt reversal of direction. They could do nothing but follow along as their Imperial charge and his new friend headed for the ship at a good pace. They did not catch up to the fast walking pair until the four of them reached the guard post at the entry port.
“Sir.”
One of them said as the Prince and his sister reached the guard post, but the Lieutenant held up a hand to indicate the fellow should hold his tongue, and then turned to the chief on duty at the guard post.
“Coming back aboard chief and bringing a guest. She will be allocated VP4. Please make a note of that and forward it to the XO immediately, please chief.”
The chief looked a trifled surprised momentarily, but then rose to the occasion as an experienced chief should do.
“Of course, sir. Is the Captain aware you are bringing aboard a guest, sir? because I have nothing on the day sheet, sir.”
“No, the Captain is not aware of my bringing a guest aboard, and as it is his sleep watch it can wait until he wakes chief.”