by Dave Lemel
Todd nodded. “Deal. I think it will be good for me to have a little time to work over some of this myself anyway. I’m not even sure exactly what questions I need to ask yet.”
“I look forward to it. Now, on to our immediate pressing concern. First things first, we need you back in this solar system. The Vikards focused their initial attack on Earth. The new transportation technology they developed allowed for a significant fleet to arrive suddenly, and they chose to use this ability to surprise Earth. This worked for achieving their initial goal, but it means they are now scrambling to secure the occupation they quickly accomplished. As large as the fleet was, it is not unlimited. They applied the vast majority of their resources to the full occupation of North America. The rest of the planet is, at the moment, under Vikard control but it is being maintained with ruling Vikard governors and relatively small groups of soldiers. To this point, the only ships they have sent anywhere away from Earth headed directly for the ports. It seems quite clear they believe top priority after achieving occupation of Earth is securing those two points of access and choking off this solar system from any reinforcements hoping to arrive rapidly.”
“Well, call some now!” exclaimed Todd. “Before they cut ’em off.”
“I have, marshal. A few have already come through and more are on their way. I have instructed them to use the private port just inside the Oort Cloud. They are massing there and soon will be departing to head for Mars. Mars will be the launching point for our counter offensive. The Vikards do not have the resources to take on a colony the size of Mars while maintaining their current occupation of Earth. You are to head straight to the port at top speed and return through the public port. I have already notified both port masters of your status and requested immediate access upon arrival. Just get through and get away from the port outside Jupiter. We need you to be in this solar system and away from that port when the Vikards arrive to choke it off.”
Todd and Simon both nodded before turning at the sound of Ben and Foggen joining them on the bridge.
“What’d we miss?” asked Ben.
“Is the Henrietta prepared for departure?” Lombargnor asked.
“Yes, sir,” replied Foggen. “All systems fully operational.”
“Then you two strap in. We will speak again soon. Good luck and get moving.”
The screens switched back to diagnostic readouts, and Todd turned to Ben and Foggen. “You heard the boss. Strap in, fellas.”
The Henrietta rotated and pitched slightly as Todd entered commands on his console. “Ready back there?”
“You betcha,” replied Ben.
“Affirmative,” responded Foggen.
“Five, four, three, two, one.”
The green and tan ball shrunk to a dot behind them as they raced for the port ahead.
Chapter 33
Simon unstrapped first and stood up with a yawn. “I need to crash for a bit, guys.”
The other three unstrapped, and Todd cracked his neck before rubbing his flying snake bite. “I hear that. What do you guys say we all hit the hay and regroup in the lounge in six?”
“Ten-four,” replied Ben.
Foggen saluted before leading the crew off the bridge and out to the hall.
Todd woke and tossed and turned for a few minutes before giving up and turning on the lamp mounted to the wall beside his bed. He didn’t know how long he had slept because he learned long ago to stop checking the clock when he was having trouble falling asleep. He knew it had taken a while, and he knew as he checked the clock now it had only been five hours since they left the bridge.
Better than nothing , he said to himself, and he pushed up and out of the bed. He showered quickly, which refreshed him even more than the nap and had the added bonus of neutralizing most of the campfire smell still hitching a ride on his body and hair. He brushed his teeth and dressed to head up to the lounge.
Upon arrival, he filled a cup with water, took a seat at the table, and turned to gaze out the transparent wall beside him. The fact that his father was in a state of suspended animation a couple of decks below him, locked in a cell, was just beginning to creep its way back into his head when the door opened. Simon walked in and chuckled. “Trouble sleeping too, huh? Gee, I wonder why.”
A grin spread across Todd’s face. “Right. Look at us, Simon. I mean, a few years ago we were just a couple of idiot kids having fun in college. Heck, we had hardly even seen much of our own planet let alone left it. Now we’re barreling through a foreign solar system after an adventure on another planet. Oh, and we’re blazing a trail back because our planet has been taken over by an alien species—a terrifying one that we had a hand in infuriating—and we’re now planning on taking it back from them.”
Simon slid into the booth on the opposite side of the table from Todd. “You left out the part about our loved ones barely escaping and dashing off to Mars for sanctuary. That little tid-bit hasn’t been helping me relax much, either.”
They both looked out at the vast, seemingly endless blackness. The door opened again, and this time Foggen and Ben walked in. “Aw, man,” Ben sighed as he spotted Todd and Simon at the table, “we were hopin’ to get another few rounds of pawtin in before you guys made it up here.”
“What’s pawtin?” asked Simon.
“Bopecan game. Super fun and even more addicting than pittsnog. Me and Foggy been playin’ it for years. I’m way down on this trip. Was hopin’ to catch up a little bit, but no biggie; it can wait for another time. What kept you two from sleeping better? You both looked wiped last I saw ya.”
“Lot on our minds,” replied Todd.
“Yeah, speakin’ of that,” Ben said, sliding in next to Simon, “we heard a little about the attack on Earth, but I’d like to know more. Plus, if you feel up to it, I’m very interested in hearing about your trip down to Gleeb. We got some time to kill, and I do love a good story.”
Todd took a big sip of his water and started with their initial attempt at retrieving the map. A while later, Simon pulled two pizzas out of the oven and placed them on the table. He grabbed a cutter and sliced them up as Todd finished relaying everything they knew about the Vikard attack and occupation.
Foggen rubbed his purple forehead with one of his left hands. “I am sorry to learn I was correct.”
“Come again?” said Todd. “Correct about what?”
“Pritzley. We are related. A little while back, I was speaking with our great great grandmother. She said something that concerned me. I relayed my concern to Lombargnor. He indicated that he had detected a change in Pritzley’s behavior and demeanor. He did not seem to like hearing what I had to say.”
Todd’s mouth fell open. He looked up at the transparent domed ceiling above. “Ohhhh.”
“What?” asked Simon as he grabbed a piece of the sausage and black olive pizza.
“That’s why he kept him out of the briefing room after our last assignment and before this one. Pritzley, I mean.”
Simon pushed a mouthful of pizza into his cheek with his tongue. “He did, didn’t he.” He swallowed the mouthful down. “ He let him stay right till the good stuff was coming, then booted him from the room. Kind of snapped on him, too, when he sent him for the mop to clean up Jay’s mess. And when he got back, he immediately sent him away again with Jay!”
“Yep.” Todd shook his head. “Well, at least the information helped get a few people evacuated. Too bad he didn’t catch on sooner.”
“I am sorry I did not put it together sooner as well,” Foggen said as he gazed out the side wall. “There were signs I missed.”
“Aw no, man,” Todd responded, “don’t do that to yourself. You did plenty and saved a bunch of lives. No doubt Dow would’ve used our families as leverage against us.”
Foggen nodded. “Thank you, Todd. Still, Pritzley has disgraced our entire family. If I ever have the opportuni
ty to be face to face with him again, I would very much desire dragging him home and feeding him to a gormantom.”
“What the heck is a gormantom?” asked Ben.
“A large, carnivorous woodland creature that has a taste for Bopecan.”
Todd blinked hard twice. “Boy, Foggen, you’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” He grabbed a piece of pizza. “Now, let’s eat. We gotta clean this lounge up and then get that port key back out of storage and up to the bridge.”
Chapter 34
Ben and Foggen gently guided the hovering port key through the doorway and onto the bridge. Todd rotated his chair to greet them. “The port and station are in view now. If everyone’s ready, I’ll make the call to the port master.”
“Works for me,” replied Ben.
“Affirmative,” nodded Foggen.
Simon replied simply with a thumbs up.
“Place the call,” said Todd as he rotated back toward the front.
“Actually,” replied Simon, “it looks like he’s calling us.”
Todd looked over at Simon. “Well, then answer it.”
The Bopecan port master appeared on the screens flanking the windshield. “Greetings, marshal vessel seven four seven four. We have been anticipating your arrival. Our orders were to get you through as rapidly as we could accommodate. We identified your vessel on approach before you decelerated for arrival. We have cleared the approach lane, and you are approved to move directly to the port.”
“We read you loud and clear, port master,” replied Todd. “Will head straight to the approach lane and activate our key.”
“Excellent. Good luck on your journey, seven four seven four. Port is active and ready to receive. You are a go.”
The port master vanished from the screens. “Well, you heard him.” Todd guided the Henrietta around the port station. “ Let’s fire up that key.” Todd aimed the ship at the heart of the vibrant, glowing liquid blue vortex rotating inside the gargantuan ring structure. He locked the ship on course as he and Simon rose to join the other two at the rear of the bridge.
The four of them surrounded the hovering cube, each taking a side. Todd stuck out his right hand and laid his palm flat on the top surface. The control panel revealed itself, and he entered destination two for their return trip. “Slightly easier on the nerves heading this way as opposed to out of your home system.” He double checked the information he had entered. He simultaneously pressed the two buttons above the display, and the cube split and began to separate.
The three small purple orbs began pinging back and forth as the whirring noise filled the bridge. “Here comes the taste,” said Simon as the purple glow flowed over the sides and spread outward.
“Everyone to their seats,” Todd said over the increasing volume emanating from the cube.
The four scurried to their respective chairs. Seconds later, the Henrietta kissed the threshold of the port ring surface, and they instantaneously appeared an entire arm over in the galaxy. As they exited the port ring area, a transmission came in from the port master. Simon answered it, and she appeared on their screens, seated once again at her tiny metal desk in her small office. “Welcome back, marshals. We have crystal clear orders to wipe all records of your arrival from our systems and instruct you to move away from the port area at maximum velocity.”
“Understood,” replied Todd. “You never saw us, and we never saw you.” Todd winked, and the port master ended the transmission.
“Strap in tight, everyone. I’m just gonna aim us at Jupiter and burn full out for a minute. That should get us close enough for now.”
“Ready,” said Simon.
“Ditto,” Ben called out.
“And I,” added Foggen.
“In three, two, one.” The Henrietta ripped away from the port and out of immediate danger. As Todd slowed the ship, he turned to Simon. “Call Lombargnor. We should let him know we’re back safe and sound.”
Simon nodded and placed the call. Lombargnor answered nearly instantly from his link. He was walking down a hall with alternating panels on the ceiling overhead that switched between glass and a dull metallic material. Whenever he passed a glass panel, a red cloud whipped past the windows above. He stopped beneath one of the glass panels. “Have you arrived in this solar system?”
“We have,” replied Todd. “Looks like you’ve arrived at your destination as well. Is that one of those famous Mars dust storms I see through the window over you?”
Lombargnor looked up. “Indeed, it is.”
“I thought the terraforming was supposed to be taking care of that by now.”
Lombargnor looked back down at his link. “It is helping, Marshal Jordan. Terraforming an entire planet does not happen overnight. It is a very long process when a planet begins in the shape Mars was in. We may never be completely rid of the occasional Mars dust storm.”
Todd grinned. “I was kidding.”
“How’s Sasha?” Simon interjected.
“She is well. Presently, she is in the premiere medical facility on the planet receiving a full checkup.”
“And Penny?”
“With her grandparents and also doing well.” Lombargnor paused and took a deep breath. “As is your canine, Buddy.”
All the tension melted from Simon’s face as Todd leaned forward. “How’s my mom?”
“She is all right, considering everything she has recently been through. I am keeping a close eye on her to be certain she continues to move forward in dealing with so much shock in such a short period of time. I am equally concerned about you, Marshal Jordan. Perhaps even more so.”
“I’m good right now. I understand your concern though. I also meant it when I said I wanted to discuss this all further with you. Just feel I’m not quite ready yet and besides…we have more pressing issues.”
“That we do, Marshal Jordan. That we most certainly do. So, to continue down that path, as soon as we end this transmission, I would like you to set course for Mars. We will be launching our counterattack as soon as possible. The longer the Vikards have to establish their defenses on Earth and in this solar system, the harder it will be to achieve success in removing them from their current position as occupiers.”
“Completely agree,” Todd responded, “except for one part.”
“And which part would that be?”
“Simon, set course for Callisto.” Todd smiled as he turned back toward Lombargnor. “I’m guessing we could use all the help we can get, correct?”
“What did you have in mind, marshal?”
“Well,” Todd’s smile now stretched ear to ear, “I just happen to know a defacto explosives expert and the baddest pacifist this side of the Kuiper belt.”