Ignotus

by Kevin Hardman

  Chantrey frowned. “Then I guess I don’t understand. What’s the problem?”

  “I keep thinking that maybe he readily agreed to everything because he doesn’t plan on doing what he said.”

  “You think he’s disingenuous?” she asked in consternation. “I didn’t get that impression when I met with him.”

  “Oh, I think he’ll provide the pre-departure things I asked for. I’m not so sure about those that are due post-mission.”

  “You believe he’s going to break his word,” Chantrey concluded.

  “Don’t know,” Maker confessed with a shrug. “But it suddenly occurred to me that he doesn’t have to break his word – no matter what he promised us – if nobody comes back alive.”

  Chapter 22

  Putting aside thoughts of the mission, Maker only had a brief opportunity to spend some quality time with Chantrey before she left, stating a need to get her packing done. Following her lead, Maker went ahead and got his own belongings together in preparation for departure.

  Although he couldn’t speak for Chantrey, packing for him rarely took more than half an hour, as – aside from toiletries and a few personal items – his possessions generally consisted of a sparse amount of civilian clothing, his military habiliments, his battle armor and his weapons. Years in the Corps, coupled with numerous eleventh-hour deployments, had taught him the value and necessity of being able to leave at a moment’s notice. (That said, he did have a fair number of items, including household goods, that he kept in storage on a nigh-permanent basis, although they were unlikely to be retrieved until he and the military parted ways.)

  Not long after he finished packing, Maker made a sandwich for dinner and then turned in, anticipating the need to get an early start and hoping that Lafayette would deliver as promised.

  Thankfully, the admiral was as good as his word – at least on the front end. Maker had barely arisen the next morning when a message came through on his p-comp stating that a new ship, assigned to his command, was docked in a private bay at a space station orbiting the planet. Maker immediately reached out to Adames, letting him know their vessel had arrived. He also forwarded the craft’s schematics, which had been included in the message. (He knew without asking that his NCO would relay the information to the rest of their team.)

  Next, Maker roused Erlen and got breakfast for them both (which mainly consisted of a protein bar for each of them). A short time later, they were checking out of the VOQ and within an hour Maker found himself on his new ship, the Nova Gallant.

  Ordinarily, it would have taken him longer to reach the vessel. Although checkout and driving had taken a bit of time, the real holdup was generally the queue for the shuttlecraft after arriving at the spaceport. There was always a waiting list for the transport, which constantly ferried people to and from the space station, and the current day was no exception. However, when Maker entered his credentials in order to get a spot on the next available shuttle, he was informed that several private craft had been reserved for the exclusive use of his unit. Moreover, he was given priority status, including immediate clearance to leave for the space station.

  Maker didn’t delude himself. The preferential arrangements had less to do with him personally and more to do with the mission. Simply put, it highlighted the importance and value that Lafayette and his Star Chamber (for lack of a better term) placed on recovery of the sub rosa tech.

  Once aboard the Nova, Maker noted that he seemed to be the first to arrive. He immediately went to the captain’s quarters, which – needless to say – were to be his and Erlen’s new home. He unpacked quickly, but found the place far more posh than he was used to. In addition to the furnishings (which were more upscale than he’d expected), the place was more sizeable than he felt was warranted, and included an office and a separate sitting room.

  “All right,” he said to Erlen. “Let’s scope this place out.”

  Chapter 23

  Walking around the Nova, one of the first things Maker realized was that the opulence he’d previously noted wasn’t limited to the captain’s quarters. Every room that he peeked into struck him as luxurious in one fashion or another – from the cabins (which were more like suites) to the conference room (with its high-back executive chairs) to the galley, which appeared to be designed for a celebrity chef, but was actually automated and could make almost anything requested. Frankly speaking, it all seemed devised to accommodate blue bloods more than rank-and-file soldiers.

  That said, Maker had to admit that, from a practical standpoint, the ship appeared as capable as any he’d ever seen. The weaponry and armaments were everything he’d asked for, and then some. In fact, the entire ship seemingly boasted the latest-and-greatest on all fronts.

  Maker and Erlen were still roaming the hallways and getting the lay of the land when, much to the former’s surprise, a nearby door opened and Browing stepped out.

  “Oh, sorry,” Browing muttered, stopping short when he saw Maker and Erlen. “I didn’t realize anyone else was on board yet.”

  “We haven’t been here long,” Maker stated. “When did you arrive?”

  “I actually got word when the ship was en route and was already waiting when it docked.”

  “Hmmm,” Maker droned, rubbing his chin in thought. He then nodded towards the door Browing had come out of and asked, “Your cabin?”

  “Yes,” Browing replied, “and for the record, I’ll admit that it’s one of the larger staterooms on the ship.”

  Maker didn’t say anything, but Browing’s statement jibed with his recollection of the Nova’s schematics.

  “However,” Browing continued, “it’s not what you’re thinking.”

  “Oh?” Maker uttered. “So what exactly am I thinking?”

  “That I commandeered one of the largest cabins out of a sense of entitlement.”

  “Not necessarily,” Maker countered, although in truth it was precisely what he’d been thinking.

  “If you recall,” Browing went on, “we butted heads on our last road trip because you told me that there was no room for some of the cargo I wanted to bring aboard, and if I wanted to take it I needed to store it in my room.”

  “I remember.”

  “Well, I just thought I’d stave off any potential conflict by getting a room that could accommodate anything I wanted to bring aboard.”

  “So claiming one of the larger suites was for practical purposes rather than a sense of privilege.”

  “Bingo.”

  Maker simply nodded. It was a plausible explanation, and in truth the items Browing had previously wanted to bring aboard had ended up serving an important purpose.

  Bearing that in mind, Maker took a deep breath and said, “Look, maybe I was too harsh before, but you’ve managed to convince me that your requests for cargo space are reasonable. Going forward, I’ll make sure we make room in the hold for anything you want to bring aboard – within reason.”

  Browing gave him an odd look. “Was that an apology?”

  “Don’t push it,” Maker advised, grinning.

  “I won’t,” Browing confirmed with a chuckle. “Anyway, what do you think of the Nova?”

  “I’m not sure,” Maker admitted. “It’s like a battleship and a pleasure yacht had a baby, with the result being something that defies classification. Too decadent to be military, but too practical to be a leisure craft. Frankly speaking, I can’t quite make out what it’s supposed to be.”

  Browing laughed. “For a guy who doesn’t know which label to apply, you kind of hit the nail on the head.”

  Maker’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “Basically, the Nova is a military craft, as you gleaned, with the most current upgrades on both the offensive and defensive fronts. However, she was never really expected to be in actual battle. She was essentially fashioned as a showpiece.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I’m sure you’re aware of the fact that the military answers to the
civilian sector.”

  “Yes,” Maker stated. “It’s been that way for ages.”

  “Well, occasionally some government official with the requisite authority decides that they want to see what their bloated military budget is buying. They want to eyeball the weapons, see the defense systems at work, witness how new tech is being integrated, and so on. The Nova was designed as a platform for them to do that.”

  “I get it,” Maker commented. “Some bureaucrat from the Armed Services Committee wants to see how the latest gee-whiz, super-duper cannon works, so he comes on board the Nova, where the weapon is incorporated into the ship’s systems. It’s demonstrated for him, and he goes home happy and willing to continue writing blank checks for the military.”

  “Pretty much on the nose,” Browing noted approvingly, “except occasionally these officials stay on board for extended periods. And since they’re used to accommodations of a certain standard…”

  “…we made every stateroom a VIP suite,” Maker stated, finishing after the other man trailed off.

  “Now you’ve got it,” Browing said. “And in the interest of full disclosure, I was previously one of the ‘bureaucrats’ who witnessed the Nova showcasing her capabilities.”

  “I guess that explains how you knew about the ship.”

  “Well, as soon as I heard what Lafayette and the others wanted, I knew you’d need transportation. Based on my personal experience, I felt the Nova was ideal, so I started working on getting her.”

  “It was a smart move, but did you ever consider that I might not take the mission?”

  “Not for a second,” Browing replied without hesitation.

  Chapter 24

  Maker was still chatting with Browing when a message came through on his p-comp a few minutes later. Recognizing it as a high-priority missive, he excused himself and hustled back to his cabin, with Erlen right on his heels.

  Once there, Maker headed straight to the office, casually saying over his shoulder, “We’ll finish the tour later.” Clearly unconcerned, Erlen leaped onto a couch in preparation for a nap.

  Like the rest of the ship, the office – despite being rated for secure communications – was rather swank. It was home to an elegant executive desk and chair, as well as stately, built-in bookshelves. There was also an art niche in a corner that held a weird metallic sculpture, as well as a wall safe tucked away behind a painting.

  Maker only casually noted the ritzy décor. With only one thing on his mind, he flung himself into the chair and then linked his p-comp to a computer monitor that sat on the desktop. A moment later, he was staring at information he’d been waiting on with mouth-watering anticipation: the report on Skullcap’s physiology.

  ***

  The report was about thirty pages long and turned out to be equal parts anatomy, physiology, morphology, and biology. Much to Maker’s surprise, Skullcap had actually allowed himself to be physically examined, so the narrative was more detailed than he had expected. However, none of the documentation was dated, so it wasn’t clear if said examination had occurred prior to Maker’s request or in response to it. (Not that it made a huge amount of difference from Maker’s point of view.)

  Unsurprisingly, whoever drafted the report had made it a point to shun layman’s terms as much as possible. That said, Maker didn’t have too much trouble deciphering the content. For instance, one of the things that came through loud and clear was that Skullcap didn’t have the proportional strength of an insect. Ergo, he wouldn’t be lifting fifty times his body weight or anything like that (although – based on their previous run-ins – that was something Maker was already aware of).

  In addition, the insectoid didn’t have a venomous bite, or anything akin to a stinger. Moreover, he didn’t secrete any type of toxins. That said, the compound eyes conferred an advantage in terms of visual acuity, and he could seemingly hear far better than the average person. Finally, he had a respiratory system that allowed him to breathe gases that were inimical to human beings.

  On the whole, however, it appeared to Maker that he and his team wouldn’t have to go to exorbitant lengths in order to deal with Skullcap if the insectoid got out of hand – something he felt was more likely to happen than not.

  Chapter 25

  By the time Maker finished the report on Skullcap, several hours had passed. Based on the ship’s schematics, the Nova had an audiovisual and PA system that could be accessed from the bridge and the captain’s cabin. After a few minutes of trial and error, Maker was able to view both internal and external images on his desk monitor, and was happy to note that most – if not all – of his people were aboard. (The ship’s interior cameras were apparently limited to hallways and common areas such as the rec room, so he couldn’t tell who might be on the ship but in their quarters.)

  In addition to personnel, Maker was also pleased to see that supplies were also arriving: a camera focused on the cargo bay showed Adames overseeing the unloading of various crates. Suddenly feeling idle, Maker turned off the monitor and left the office.

  “Come on,” he said to a sleeping Erlen as he headed towards the door. “Let’s go welcome the team aboard.”

  The Niotan came awake instantly and bounded over to Maker’s side.

  ***

  They didn’t immediately see anyone upon leaving their quarters, but that wasn’t particularly surprising. The Nova was actually built to accommodate a more sizeable crew, so occasionally hallways and such were going to appear deserted. Fortunately, many of the ship’s operations were automated, so a small group could man the vessel without feeling overwhelmed.

  Maker’s initial inclination was to head to the cargo area to see if his NCO needed a hand. However, he hadn’t gone farther than the next hallway before he bumped into someone unexpected: Solomon Planck.

  Planck was carrying a duffel bag, which gave the impression that he had just come aboard, and walking with purpose – like he knew exactly where he was headed. It had been weeks since Maker had seen him, and – although the man had put on a little more weight – he still appeared gaunt. Thankfully, he didn’t look as haggard as he had in the past, but he was clearly still recovering from his time as the Vacra’s prisoner.

  “Lieutenant,” Planck said in greeting. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Likewise,” Maker responded. “You’re looking well.”

  “Thanks,” Planck muttered. “So, our final destination is Ignotus?”

  Maker frowned. “Ignotus?”

  “Sorry,” Planck apologized. “That’s my name for it – the Vacra homeworld, that is. Ignotus. It’s an Old Earth word that means unknown or alien.”

  “I see,” Maker remarked.

  There was silence for a moment, and then Maker continued, saying, “Well, we certainly appreciate you agreeing to make the trip, Planck. I know that, given what you’ve been through, this has to be difficult for you – helping provide a safe escort for one of the people who held you captive.”

  “Actually, I’m viewing this as closure,” Planck replied. “Once we get the sub rosa tech back, I’ll be able to close the book on this chapter of my life and move on.”

  Maker gave him a scrutinizing look. “Not to be trite, but that sounds like psychobabble from some third-rate therapist.”

  Planck laughed. “Yes, I’ve been seeing someone. Not all of us can blast our way to mental wellness with a handgun.”

  “Well, a rifle sometimes does the job, too.”

  Planck chuckled at that, and Maker joined him.

  “Anyway,” Planck said after regaining his composure, “even if it is psychobabble, it just felt good to talk to someone who wasn’t one of my handlers.”

  Maker simply nodded. The powers that be had kept a close watch on Planck since his rescue from the Vacra. It was really surprising that he was even being allowed to tag along on this mission, as he had a level of knowledge about the sub rosa tech they sought that couldn’t be duplicated.

  “Well, I’m obviously more of a
tough-love guy,” Maker declared, “but I’m available if you ever want to discuss anything. Or just talk.”

  “Thanks, Lieutenant,” Planck said. “I may just take you up on that.”

  Chapter 26

  As it turned out, Adames really didn’t need any help.

  “The items coming in are primarily the team’s wish list stuff,” he explained after Maker and Erlen put in an appearance in the cargo bay. “I told them it’s here, so they can pick it up at their leisure. Outside of that, the ship came fully loaded, for all practical purposes, although it won’t hurt anything if we’re overstocked.”

  “Sounds good,” Maker stated with a nod. “So how do you like our new home?”

  “It’s nice,” Adames admitted. “Maybe too nice.”

  Maker raised an eyebrow. “Meaning?”

  “Have you looked at this place, Gant?” the NCO uttered in reply. “A formal dining room, a pool, a rec and game room. Not to mention that it’s spacious enough for everyone to have their own separate quarters, complete with king-sized beds sporting thousand-thread-count sheets.”

  “Let’s be serious, Hector,” Maker teased, grinning. “Those are eight-hundred-count sheets, max.”

  They both laughed at that, but then Adames went on.

  “It’s not that I can’t enjoy the finer things in life,” the NCO insisted, “but this is completely atypical for Marines. I don’t think we want our people getting too used to this.”

  “I get it,” Maker affirmed. “Too much easy living and it becomes the norm. Then when they have to do their jobs and rough it, all they do is complain.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I’ll admit you have a point and it’s worth keeping in mind, but let’s just see how it plays out. My preference is to give our team the benefit of the doubt, rather than assume they’ll be corrupted by soft beds and rich food.”

  “And if it turns out that I’m right?”