by D. M. Pruden
“Naw, that’s covered. They’ll never know.”
He nodded his approval and returned his attention to the screen.
Hayden continued to stare at the point on the planet’s horizon over which the other vessel had vanished. An uneasy feeling settled on him. A small scouting craft would be a more appropriate choice if they were sniffing out rebel bases, smaller and more difficult to detect. That ship behaved in a far more relaxed manner than one operating in enemy held territory had any right to.
Cora’s idea was a wise one. It was best to learn as much as possible before they took any action. They’d had too many surprises.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Stromm
“YOUR FRIEND KOVACS is a real jerk.”
Pavlovich smiled beneath his bushy beard. “Did your empathic abilities tell you that, Stella?”
“I don’t need to be an empath to see that he is a creep.”
“How long did it take for him to make a pass at you?”
“You knew he might do that and never said anything? You’re an even bigger asshole than he is.”
Pavlovich glanced around the ship’s mess to reassure himself they were alone. “You should keep your voice down. Yes, Jim is a misogynist; it’s only one of the reasons women didn’t serve under his command back in the day.”
“I’m surprised he was permitted to have one, if he’s that kind of person,” she said, returning her attention to her meal.
“He is something of an analytical genius. When I knew him, he was a rising star in the Intelligence Corps.”
“So he’s a spy?”
“God, no! You got a hint of how subtle he can be. No, Kovacs was in charge of data analysis and interpretation. He had an uncanny knack for sussing out significant information from the most innocuous events.”
“And we are sitting right under his nose. Brilliant planning, Captain.”
“The fact that he’s in command of this little task force suggests he’s moved on. But we still need to be careful of what we say around him and his people.”
“I’ll keep that in mind when he next gropes my ass.”
“He really did that? What happened?”
“I didn’t slap him.” She frowned. “I was so shocked, all I could manage was a dirty look. But next time...”
“Probably best if you don’t. We can’t afford to make enemies of these guys.”
“So where does that leave me and the other women in the crew?”
“I’ll issue an order that everyone is to buddy up. You shouldn’t go anywhere on the ship without me to watch your ass.”
She glared at him.
“Sorry, an unfortunate turn of phrase. I’ll run interference for you.”
“Thank you, but it shouldn’t need to come to this...”
“I think we should expect some breakdown of societal norms. This system has been cut off and at war for a long time. This may be an indication of the attitudes of Stromm and the rest of his cronies who are running things.”
“What’s going to happen when we arrive at the central planet?”
“There’s no point in bullshitting you, Stella. You can see right through me, anyway. The answer is I don’t know any more. Originally, I hoped military discipline had remained intact, but I’m seeing signs that things have become more...”
“Barbaric?”
“Well, in a word, yes. Neither side in this conflict wants to abide by the accepted rules of war. Even the coup, from what I have gathered, was brutal and bloodier than necessary.”
“Why would this happen? Hasn’t humanity evolved beyond this kind of behaviour?”
He regarded her. “Didn’t you grow up in a system that was cut off, like this one is now?”
“We were isolated at Mu Arae, but we had a common foe in the Malliac. People banded together and took care of each other.”
He nodded. “Here, the only commonality about the enemy is that they are human, possibly former friends. It appears that everyone is adopting a ‘live for today’ philosophy.”
“Why do you think they are so interested in Scimitar? Do you think it’s possible that they learned about...?” Stella checked the room. “You know what.”
“How? Any conventional radio signal would take decades to reach here, and nobody else can...” he lowered his voice “...do what we can. There is no chance they can know about us.”
“Then what could it be?”
“I don’t know. I’ve captained her for almost twenty-five years.”
“Scimitar is older than that. Who commanded her before you?”
“I replaced Admiral Thomas when he was promoted, and he was her captain from Scimitar’s first day of service.”
“So, no others than you two?”
“Nope. The old girl is pretty monogamous.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s just weird.”
Pavlovich shrugged.
“It does raise an interesting possibility, though,” she said. “Maybe what they are interested in is related to your predecessor? Perhaps he left something valuable hidden on board?”
“That idea occurred to me, but I can’t imagine what it could be. Between routine refits, Cora’s repairs, and the Glenatat augmentation, Scimitar’s been pretty much rebuilt more than once. Ironically, there is very little of the original ship left.”
“So what remains?”
“I dunno.” He scratched his beard. “My command chair...maybe a couple of deck plates and bulkheads. Not much.”
“What about the ship’s computer?”
“No, the core was updated twice during refits, and with what Cora and her Glenatat robot did, it’s completely replaced.”
“What about the data that was on it? Any chance of hidden files?”
“No. Everything was routinely backed up to the military network whenever we made port.”
“What if something were put into the computer when the ship was built? Something someone intended to hide?”
“Whatever it might be is important enough for both sides to sacrifice ships they couldn’t afford to lose.”
“Which makes it valuable enough to kill us for,” she said.
“I’m afraid so.”
“Yegor, you old dog!”
The man who advanced toward them from across the room was a head shorter than the captain and sported a middle-aged paunch. His pudgy face and curly, dark brown hair reminded Stella of a cherub.
“It’s been too long,” said Pavlovich as the two men embraced.
“Thirty years, isn’t it?”
“Something like that. You look good, Ullie.”
“Oh, bullshit. I’m at least twenty kilos heavier than when we last saw each other.”
“But no grey in your hair.”
“A concession to my vanity. But look at you, Yegor; still as fit and trim as you were at the academy. The salt and pepper in that rat’s nest on your face even makes you appear wise.”
Pavlovich stroked his beard as he turned to indicate Stella. “Ulysses Stromm, allow me to introduce you to Stella Gabriel, my first officer.”
She tried to mask her discomfort. Even though she was listed as XO in the doctored crew manifest, it was the first time she heard herself referred to as such.
“A pleasure to meet you.” He took a moment to examine their clothing. “Given up on wearing the uniform, Pavlovich?”
“It’s been ten years, Ullie. Things wear thin, including morale. Allowing the crew to dress themselves in civvies was—”
Stromm waved a dismissive hand. “Say no more, old friend. I completely understand. We’ve been forced to make sartorial concessions of our own.” He indicated his own modified uniform.
“So, general, is it?” said Pavlovich, pointing to the insignia at Stromm’s collar.
“Less baggage than the rank of admiral carried. Besides, I haven’t been on the bridge of a ship in five years. I’m mostly planet-bound these days.”
Stromm invited them to join him at a table set w
ith three place settings at the side of the room. When they were seated, the general motioned to someone who lurked near the door. Within seconds, three waiters entered, carrying covered trays.
“I hope you brought your appetites,” said Stromm as he stuffed a napkin into his collar. A server placed a plate in front of each of them, filled with sumptuous-looking food.
“This looks amazing, Ullie.”
“A lot better than dehydrated rations, eh? ”
“We constructed a hydroponic garden a few years ago. It broke up the monotony, ” said Pavlovich.
“And undoubtedly prevented a mutiny or two.”
“Why would you say that, General?” Stella said.
Stromm appeared surprised. “Oh, I was told your ship had been in transit since the light gates went down.”
“Yes, that’s right,” said Pavlovich. “But Scimitar’s crew is close-knit and well trained.”
“More like a family,” Stella said before raising a fork full of meat to her mouth.
“You always managed to command loyalty from your subordinates, Yegor. Even in the academy, you had more friends willing to give you the shirt off of their backs than anyone I knew.”
“It came in handy for some of those string dynamics assignments.” Pavlovich grinned.
“Yes, everybody fell under your spell. I forgot that about you.”
“Not everyone. Not Eliza.”
Stromm smiled. “She taught both of us a valuable lesson, didn’t she?”
They paused, staring at each other for a few seconds before together saying, “Don’t trust women!” They simultaneously broke out in raucous laughter.
Stella caught herself scowling at them and returned her attention to her meal, hoping they hadn’t noticed.
“Your XO obviously does not have a high opinion of us, Yegor.”
Pincered between her own embarrassment and the strong emotion she detected from Stromm, she had difficulty maintaining her composure.
“Not of you gentlemen,” she said, “just the substance of your comment.”
“You are well within your right to be offended, Miss Gabriel. Please accept my apology.”
She forced a smile she hoped appeared sincere. “No offence is taken, General. Let’s put it behind us, if you don’t mind?”
“I can see why she is your number one, Pavlovich. She’s probably the only one who can keep you in line.”
He smiled. “That she does.”
The remainder of the meal was less contentious, with the conversation drifting between discussing officers they both knew and how they’d each spent the past thirty years.
“So, Miss Gabriel—is it Commander Gabriel?”
Stella sensed a shift in the emotional tension in the room, particularly in the captain.
“Lieutenant Commander,” said Pavlovich.
“Forgive me, General. Being in transit for a decade has resulted in a relaxed attitude among our crew. I can’t remember the last time I was addressed by my rank.” She glanced at Pavlovich.
Stromm narrowed his eyes. “I imagined adherence to command structure and discipline would have been a necessity in your situation.”
“We were in it together,” said the captain. “Sure, we had a few bumps in the first couple of years. When it became apparent that we were alone with no real hope of encountering anyone from home for a long time, it didn’t become an issue.”
Stromm raised his wine glass. “A testament to your wise crew selection, Yegor.”
He acknowledged the toast. “You’re generous. It is more due to my crew’s determination to survive.”
“Well, your accomplishment is something I never would have expected.”
Pavlovich frowned. “Why is that?”
“Well, as far as I can recall, you were out of favour with the High Command ten years ago.”
The room felt uncomfortably small for Stella with the sudden increase in tension.
“It is true that Thomas and I didn’t agree on some issues.”
“I heard it was a little more serious, but who can trust rumours?”
Though Stromm’s smile appeared disarming, she detected a growing confidence in him. Her heart pounded rapidly as she tried to decouple her own emotions from the others in the room.
“It was common knowledge that your ship was a dumping ground for undesirables who pissed off Thomas. Didn’t he assign you Walden Kaine’s son?”
Pavlovich’s face remained unreadable, but she sensed his growing panic. “Yes, Kaine was a member of my crew, but he died almost a decade ago.”
“During the events at Mu Arae?” Stromm appeared satisfied, as if he’d solved a puzzle.
Silence hung in the air as Pavlovich stared at him. Stella was almost overwhelmed by the intensity of the conflicting emotions in the room.
“I was privy to the reports transmitted to Command by Doctor Ishmael Gabriel,” said the general. “Some of us were aware of his research and the alien threat it uncovered. His ramblings seemed mad until your messengers arrived at Earth shortly before the network collapsed.” He faced Stella. “Are you any relation to him?”
“We share a common name.”
He nodded. “Some distant cousin, no doubt. Still, it is an interesting coincidence that you were both there, don’t you think? What happened to the good doctor?”
“He died,” she said.
Pavlovich came to her rescue. “I’m glad our message made it home. But tell me, Ullie, if you were on Earth when the gate collapsed, how do you come to be here?”
“Oh, I was here. I received an intelligence packet before it went down.”
“So they got the word out; that’s a relief,” said Pavlovich. His face appeared to match his words, but Stella could tell he was anxious. “At least people know of the circumstances of the collapse.”
“It must have been an overwhelming decision for you. I’m grateful I am not the one who made the call to destroy the network.” Stromm spread his hands.
“There was no other option.”
“I’m just confused by one small detail, Yegor. If you destroyed the network to prevent the aliens from accessing it, how did you escape the system?”
Pavlovich swallowed. Stella caught a glimpse of perspiration darkening the armpits of his uniform.
“We jumped before it collapsed. Kaine volunteered to remain behind and disable the gate.”
“His father would be gratified his son died a hero’s death, if he could be told.”
“He was an exceptional officer,” said Pavlovich.
Stromm nodded, then turned to Stella. “You seem to have distinguished yourself, Lieutenant Commander. To serve as XO at such a young age—I’m surprised someone more seasoned isn’t in the position.”
“She’s earned her rank.”
“I have no doubt,” said Stromm before emptying his wine glass. He wiped his mouth with the napkin and placed it neatly beside his empty plate. “Now, shall we turn the conversation to the Scimitar? A radiation containment failure, is it?”
Stella relaxed as she felt Pavlovich do so.
“Yes,” said the captain. “Fortunately, your fleet was present when it happened. I’m anxious to return to her to oversee the decontamination and repairs.”
A subtle smile turned up on Stromm’s face. “We dispatched a repair ship almost as soon as we learned of the problem. It should arrive at Scimitar in another day or so. We’ll have her repaired and back here before you know it.”
Pavlovich smiled. “That is good news, although I wish you’d waited for me to join them. There are some unconventional modifications we’ve made.”
“My people are very good at improvising. We’ve had to be, given our isolation and limited access to resources.” The general placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. “Scimitar is far too valuable to leave exposed in orbit around Elgar. We suspect rebels are operating from one of its moons. After we get her safely into port here, she will make a crucial addition to our fleet. As will her ca
ptain and crew.”
“Of course,” said Pavlovich.
Stella stared at the remains of her meal, no longer hungry. Two opposing emotions dominated her senses from the room’s occupants: triumph and despair. She didn’t need to guess which came from whom.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A Monster on the Loose
“DESTROYED? EVERYONE?”
“Yup,” said Cora, “but that isn’t the worst news.”
“What could be worse than finding six bombarded moons?” asked Hayden as he continued to read the report from the drone survey.
“Only one of them showed evidence of being a military target. There was debris of ships, big guns, and extensive, fortified building complexes; it was all wiped out in a massive attack from orbit.”
“And the other five?”
“They were all colony moons. No military presence at all.”
“So the rebels concealed their base amidst a bunch of settlements?”
“No, it was isolated on a moon well out of range of the populated ones. They took great care to keep the civilian population out of the conflict.”
“Then why would someone obliterate nonmilitary targets?” said Hayden. “That is a war crime.”
“Indeed it is. They were targeted for being in the general neighbourhood of a rebel base.”
“Casualty estimates?”
“The records we have for this system only indicate that there were plans to establish colonies out here. If they followed through with them, there could have been six hundred thousand people between all five settlements.”
“We have no way of knowing how big they were. Maybe they were scaled down from the initial plan.”
“Hayden, whether the population was a million or only a few hundred, it doesn’t diminish the crime. Stromm’s forces targeted civilian noncombatants.”
“We’re sure Stromm is responsible?”
“Well, no, but the circumstances suggest it was him. If not, then it was the captain’s cousin, but I have a more difficult time believing that.”
“Why? I don’t know Pavlovich well,” said Hayden. “They might both be monsters.”
“Well, I served with him for the last twelve years. I know the man, and he was raised right. He would never do such a thing, and I can’t believe anyone from the same family would either.”