by Gray Lanter
DEADLY SQUAD
(Logan Ryvenbark's Saga Book 3)
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GRAY
LANTER
BLUE SHELF BOOKSTORE
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Deadly Squad
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
The two Hakeki jets zoomed down, bolts of fire searing through the air from their turrets. Flames erupted along their paths then died out. The ground exploded around me, tossing dirt balls into my face and uniform. The blasts rang in my ears. I grabbed the turbo-gun, did the calculations on the computer and fired back. My defensive volleys soared as blue balls. One clipped the wing of a jet. The jagged wing flew one way in the air and the jet flew another, now wavering in its path. A second blue bolt blasted a hole in its side. Metal and other alloys flew skyward. The jet lost elevation and a fiery tailspin brought it to the ground. It exploded in a purple flame. I had no idea what the Hakeki used in building their jets but, while combustible, the materials were quite colorful.
Two more jets zoomed over and dropped the bombs that looked like black eggs. I figured the computer again and the two eggs exploded when the blue bolts hit. The turbo-gun swirled around and sent two more lethal volleys toward the retreating jets.
“Very good, Logan, but it’s time to stop playing games,” Astrid said, as she walked in.
The simulation disappeared, as did the Hakeki attack.
“Just keeping my skills at a high level,” I said.
“Sure you were. You just like to play games. At least you weren’t playing golf.”
“Hey, golf is a great game. You know what Arnold Palmer said once?”
“No, but you’re going to tell me, aren’t you? By the way, who was he?”
“He was one of the finest golfers to ever play the game. He started playing in the mid-nineteen fifties I think and retired about twenty-five years later. He built the famous Bay Hills course in Orlando, Florida.”
“If it’s famous I never heard of it.”
“That’s because you’re not a golf fan. Anyway, Arnold said ‘Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated. It satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.’ That still holds true two hundred years after he said it.”
“How about baseball?”
“That comes in second,” I said.
Astrid gave me a condescending smile. “Well, I hate to play through but Belen wants to see you.”
“Did she say about what?”
“No, but I gather it’s important.”
“OK, on my way.”
Belen has such a huge complex it took about five minutes walking through winding corridors, riding up escalators and spending time in an elevator before I was ready to rap on her office door. It swung open before I knocked. Belen was standing in the middle of her mile-long headquarters. She waved me in. Belen is the chairman, the CEO and the major stockholder of Morganthal Enterprises.
“Take a chair, Logan.”
I eased into a red cushioned chair that adjusted itself to my body. Very comfortable. Too comfortable. You can drop off to sleep in one of these chairs. And I figured sleep was the last thing Belen wanted me to do.
“What’s the problem?” I said.
I thought a cigar would help me keep awake so I yanked one out of a blue carton and stuck it in my mouth.
“I need you for a rescue mission. Or possibly a rescue mission. Perhaps nothing has happened to my team. At least I hope that’s the case. But just in case I need you and your team,” she said.
“As it so happens, we’re available,” I said, puffing out some smoke.
I frowned. Belen doesn’t wear her emotions on her sleeve. She’s an attractive dark-haired woman with stunning brown eyes. Usually they sparkle. But they had dimmed and looked listless. Which startled and worried me. The tiny lines around the eyes seemed to have deepened. The voice, while strong, had a worried undertone.
“What’s the mission?”
She flicked something on her desk and a planet popped up on one of the big screens in her office. Looked like a pleasant place. Plenty of green land, long stretches of blue. A few rushing rivers. All in all, rich individuals might like a summer home there.
“This is Verdunne. Or at least that’s what we call it. It’s on the outskirts of our known space. I sent in an exploration brigade. There were no signs of sentient life there and nothing appeared dangerous. Even so, they had military support.”
I nodded. I can’t keep track of all of Belen’s enterprises but she is an enthusiastic spacer. One of her many companies is an exploration agency. It has turned up some amazing finds.
“So what’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong is we have lost contact with them. No contact for two days now. A lot of things can go wrong in space so I don’t automatically jump to horrible conclusions. It simply could be a communication problem. The planet is a long distance from here. Who knows what could happen with the signal.”
“But you’re worried enough to send a rescue team?”
“I sure am. I knew some people on this mission. I didn’t think it would be dangerous, and I sure don’t want to lose them. I have a second ship ready, the Ranger Two. How long will it take your squad to get ready?”
“About an hour.”
She sighed. Her voice weakened. Which shocked me. She leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling.
“I told you I know some people on the expedition. One of the crew is Regina Kellers. We’ve been good friends for twenty years. She is a dear woman…” Her voice trailed off.
“We’ll find her. And the rest of the crew.”
“Thanks, Logan.” She looked at me. “Are we good? I know you disagreed with me about the Rinaldi matter. I don’t want any acrimony between us. I made what I thought was the best decision.”
“Of course we’re good. Friends disagree at times but they stay friends. We’ve been through a lot together Belen. One minor disagreement doesn’t change that. We’ll be pals forever.”
Her smile warmed my heart.
“Thank you, my friend. I appreciate it.” She gave a deep sigh. “Now don’t waste time. You have one hour before takeoff. I have a crew ready to man the ship.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
CHAPTER 2
The ship was a triple-A small star cruiser called the Ranger Two. I hadn’t been on the Ranger for a while but it looked first rate. Polished and humming. Excellent inside and out. My boots clanked on the corridor leading me to the bridge. The cruiser would have the minimal number of crew needed. Add in a dozen of my squad and another fifty of Belen’s security people and there was still plenty of lodging space.
Self-cleaning. That’s one of the modern pluses of our Naval vessels or, to be more precise, Belen’s Naval vessels. The Artificial Intelligence of the ship keeps it clean. No more enlisted personnel polishing the deck. There is still somewhat of a controversy among scientists and Naval Officers over where the ships are actually AIs or are simply programmed so well they merely seem intelligen
t. I find it amusing but a waste of time. As long as the AIs or non-AIs respond to commands, that’s what counts.
I also enjoy private work. Even in the military there are bureaucracies galore. It’s even worse dealing with government and private bureaucrats. Even though we’ve been in a digital/computer age for more than a hundred and fifty years, some government officials still demand paper certification. I think it’s easier to cover their butt with paper. And the iron-clad rule of CYB is true all across the galaxy. Human nature doesn’t seem to change.
Working with Belen there’s just one boss. You get rid of all the officecrats. No delays, no long conferences. No idiots making decisions. Things get done quickly and efficiently. You can’t ask for more.
When the elevator doors open to the bridge, Captain Adjin Nikanawa turned around and walked toward me. He saluted and I saluted back.
“Welcome aboard, major.”
“Thank you. Good to see you again Adjin. How’s the family?”
He smiled. “Doing very well. My youngest, Ada, just graduated from the Academy. Her first assignment is in the Nova system. It’s peaceful there so I hope she won’t see too much excitement. Seeing his children in action is not good for a father, or a mother for that matter.”
“I imagine it isn’t. I assume the ship is ready to go.”
“It is. It’s one of the finest ships in Ms. Morganthal’s Navy. It can take anything thrown at it and it will get us to our destination in record time.”
“Belen told me there’s been no communication with the expedition party. Is that still true?”
“Alas, yes. No communication, no static, no nothing. We have no idea what happened out on Verdunne.”
“Did that party have a ship like this one?”
“No. It was more of exploratory ship. The Belarus Two. Less military, less armament. It was supposed to be a peaceful region,” he said.
“Well, that has been the epitaph put on the tombstone of many a spacer. ‘It was supposed to be a peaceful region’. Do we have the standard missiles and lasers?”
“We have more than that. Much more. Belen’s scientists have added a new weapon to our arsenal. They’re a brilliant bunch.”
“Belen only hires the brilliant and that includes me and you, Adjin.”
His laughter bounced off the walls. “I’m not sure I’d include myself in that category, major.”
Well, I did. The admiral often displays a degree of humility. You don’t see much of that trait in humans. Ironically, it is mostly displayed by individuals who have actually accomplished a great deal. Astrid tells me I don’t display a great deal of humility either. I’m sure she’s right.
“So what has the science branch come up with?”
“A Disintegrator Ray.”
I opened my mouth but didn’t say anything. The last time I was surprised was about eight months ago. But that was an unpleasant surprise.
“So we can push a button and whatever we are fighting goes… poof?”
Nikanawa nodded. “Pretty much. The ray hasn’t been through final testing but all the preliminary tests were positive. A great many things, including small comets, went poof when they turned it one. The scientists wanted even more testing but I told them we might need the ray now so it was installed in the ship. Since the ray hasn’t received final approval they asked that we be a bit careful with it...”
“I definitely agree with your decision. I’m glad we have it on board. I will assure the scientists that we will be careful and won’t use it unless we… have something we need disintegrated.”
“I have sent the scientific background to your computer so you can look the info over if you like.”
“I’ll probably skip that. I don’t care how it works just so long as it does, actually, work. Besides, I couldn’t second-guess the science branch. I don’t tell them how to build things and they don’t advise me on military strategy.”
“There is one other addition that goes with the ship. Courtesy of the scientists.” He smiled. “They’ve been a busy bunch.”
“What else did they come up with?”
“A Planet Buster Bomb,” he said.
I let that sentence sink in. I am used to dealing with things that go boom but the words took my breath away.
“May I assume the name of this explosive is not an exaggeration?”
“You may, major. For a weapon that will allegedly take out a planet, it’s not that big of a bomb. But apparently it’s the gift that keeps on giving.”
“I trust we won’t need something like that on this trip. But I’m glad the scientists were thinking of us. We should send them a thank you card.”
I walked to my cabin. At the door was my old friend Master Sergeant Rab, who gave a ragged salute.
“I have two new volunteers for you, major. Like to meet now or later?”
“Now is fine.”
After I sat down at my desk, Rab escorted in a young man with black hair, a steel jaw and green eyes. He looked about eighteen and, for a moment, I thought wistfully about my age.
“Lt. Jerico Markan reporting, sir.”
I flicked on the computer and called up his background.
“Your record is impressive, Mr. Markan. You distinguished yourself at the battle of Cressida. Two medals for courage under fire.” I looked up. “So why did you quit the Federation services and decide to go private?”
“Too many fools being promoted, sir. Including one that was promoted above me. I was sure his command would be a disaster.”
“Yeah, that can happen. How do you know you’re not working for a fool now?”
“I know your record, sir. It would be an honor working with you and your squad.”
“I’m glad to hear you don’t like working under fools. If you quit, Lt, then I’ll know I have to reexamine my strategic decisions.”
“I don’t think that will happen, sir.”
I stood up and offered my hand. “Welcome to the squad.”
He smiled like a child seeing ice cream for first time. “Thank you, sir.”
As he marched out, a young woman walked in. She wore a blue cadet uniform. About five-five, her features declared Asian ancestors, but she peered at me with stunning green eyes. She briskly saluted.
“Ameri Tagashi reporting, sir.”
I clicked the computer and read her background. The resume was very impressive. Great physical skills. IQ way above average. Creative. Innovative.
“Ameri?” I asked.
“Yes, sir. Six generations of my family have lived in the United States. So my father though Ameri would be a good name. We’re from Tennessee.”
“A very nice state. Why do you want to be in this squad, Ameri?”
“Adventure, sir. The regular military was a bit dull. I hear that’s not a problem with Ryvenbark’s Rangers.”
“That’s our nickname?”
“Yes, sir. It’s said no one gets bored in this unit.”
“Probably true. Any other reason?”