Wolfhound
By Kindal Debenham
Wolfhound
by Kindal Debenham
© Copyright 2011
All Rights Reserved
Cover art Paul Hamblin
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Dedication
To my mother, who almost died bringing me into this world and has never let me forget it. I hope a book dedication makes up for all of it.
And to my father, who once stood in a kitchen and said I should be a writer. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that make all the difference.
Acknowledgements
A lot of people went to a lot of trouble getting this book out into the world, and I would like the opportunity to thank them for their various efforts. Each of you, in your own time and your own way, has helped make this work possible, and for that I owe you more thanks than this poor space could ever provide.
First among all of them, I want to thank Emily Debenham, my wife. She’s more or less the brains of this operation, and without her support, love, and patience I would never have been able to do any of the work you will read here.
Next, my cover artist, Paul Hamblin. His artwork is part of what makes this book shine, and anyone who reads it will know how wonderfully lucky I was to have him as part of the project. My copy editor, Amber Cushman. She managed, in the face of an awful lot of obstacles (not the least of which is my labyrinth of grammar issues) to refine this story into something readable. Thank you both for all of your hard work and your willingness to overlook my flaws and see the hidden potential.
The members of my writing groups likewise deserve a mention here. They’ve suffered through limping rough drafts and terrible scenes that no longer exist thanks to their hard work and advice. Kayleena Richins, Benjamin Hardin, Annaliese Lemmon, Megan Hutchins, Ailsa Lilywhite, Evan Witt, Joseph Vasicek, Asyr. You’ve all had a part in shaping who I’ve become as a writer, and helped make this story all that it is. Thanks for everything, and we’ll see you at the writing group!
Finally, my parents, who’ve always been there for me, even when I’ve been doing something crazy. My brother Caleb and my sisters, Cassidy and Kaileen, who’ve put up with my stories about cloud gnomes and spaceships for as long as any of us can remember. Thanks for being there when times were hard, and for making me glad to be a part of the Debenham family.
There are countless others who’ve helped me become who I am; teachers who’ve helped me hone my skills, youth leaders who encouraged me, friends who’ve stood by me. I haven’t forgotten any of you, and you have all been a bright spot in my life. Thanks for your help, and I hope you enjoy what I’ve written for you here. It’s a small down payment on all the good things you’ve given me. Thank you.
Table of Contents
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part One
Chapter One
Jacob Hull smiled with relief as he stepped out of the hatch of the shuttle that had brought him to the station. He moved out of the way of the other passengers and drew a couple of deep, refreshing breaths, relishing the crispness of the recycled air. Although many preferred the fuller, less artificial atmosphere of a planet, the sharp feel of the air on a space station always helped him feel at home. The fact the interior of the shuttle had smelled liked an ill-used restroom doubled his enjoyment of the well-filtered atmosphere.
He paused to check his ensign’s uniform, making sure the dark blue coat was in order, as well as his lighter shirt and pants, before he proceeded to the security station ahead. His stomach fluttered with anxiety, but he had expected a bit of nervousness today. After all, his assignment here was the start of the path he had planned for his entire life. Like his father had done before him, Jacob was about to start his first deployment as an officer of the Celostian Navy, and he hoped wherever his parents were watching from, he would be able to make them proud.
It’s been too long since I’ve been in space. He handed over his identification card to the guard, pausing for a moment as the man checked it with a reader. Jacob bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, and examined the shuttle bay around him. Even the gravity feels better up here!
“Ensign Jacob Hull, assigned to the CNS Wolfhound?”
Jacob nodded absently, continuing to study the welcome center just beyond the security checkpoint. It was an open plaza with generous, bright lighting, something he wouldn’t have expected from a military base. Maybe they want to keep the planet-side folks from feeling claustrophobic? There are families here after all. News screens were located on the walls alongside smaller screens that displayed shuttle information and advertisements for shopping centers, gardens and other stores. Benches and chairs were clustered sporadically to provide a moments respite from the bustle of the crowds, and here and there were entrances to corridors that led deeper into the station. He waited for the security team to clear him, but after a few more moments impatience set in. Annoyed, Jacob focused on the security guard, who was now tapping at buttons on the screen of his reader.
“Is there a problem?”
“No, sir. I’m just processing the identification card. You should be fine.”
Jacob frowned as he watched one of the families that had arrived at the station after him walk past, already apparently cleared by the guard that had inspected them. He turned back to the guard, ready to ask him if he was sure, when the news screens distracted him. He ignored the recording of a debate between someone from the Federalist party and his Independent party rival, glanced only briefly at the soccer match on another screen, until one report in particular caught his eye. The newscasters were discussing the recent terrorist bombing of Trenton Station two days ago. Though the voices were lost amid the babble of the welcome center, Jacob could make out the outline of the discussion, which seemed to be a debate as to who was responsible. The Oduran League was an obvious possibility due to its constant aggression toward the Union and the many Oduran raids into Celostian territory.
Jacob agreed, however, with the man who pointed out that such bombings were unusual considering the League’s typical, blunt force tactics. It was much more likely an attack by the Rigannin separatists or worse, the Telosian pirates. Jacob felt a twitch of hatred run through him as he thought of the Telosian scum, but the guard’s next question brought his attention back to the present.
“Sir? Your identification states that you were born off-planet.” The suspicion in the official’s question was the last thing he wanted to hear. He felt his throat constrict with a combination of resentment and frustration.
“That’s correct. I was born on the frontier.” He knew the challenge in his tone was a mistake, but his father had never raised him to be anything but proud of his heritage, and some checkpoint lackey was not going to take that from him. Not today.
The guard looked up, and Jacob saw his lip curl into a sneer. Then he stopped when Jacob simply met his eyes and folded his arms. The uncertainty grew in the other man’s face, and Jacob decided to press before he could recover. “Is there a problem?”
Obviously unsettled, the man shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir. Just a few more moments.” The reader the guard held suddenly gave off a few audible clicks followed by a trio of beeps. The guard glanced down at the device, then back up at Jacob. Then he gave the identification card back. “Thank you very much sir. I’m sorry for the delay.”
With a nod, Jacob retrieved the small card and placed it back in his coat pocket. He shook his head and approached the nearest directory to find a map of the station. After a moment’s search he found the room where the briefing would take place. He traced the branching corridors from
the docking bay to the room. He took only another look around to find the correct doorway leading to the military section of the station. Jacob walked quickly, watching for the branch off tunnel that would lead to the meeting room where the rest of his new crewmates would be.
As he walked, Jacob pondered the painted landscapes that lined the corridor, wondering if they had been put there to comfort people from the surface who were used to seeing more than stars and vacuum outside their windows. He’d never really fit in with planet-dwellers; from the time he’d been born until the age of twelve, he’d lived in space stations or on his father’s ship, the Sprite. Home for him had always meant artificial gravity and worn deckplates, the hum of the Sprite’s equipment and the vast openness of space. No sunset or thunderstorm could compare to those close quarters and constant travels of his childhood.
He was still reliving memories of his father’s ship when a shout caught his attention. He turned to find another young man in an ensign’s uniform waving at him. Red-haired and tall to the point of being lanky, he had a sly confidence about himself. The other ensign’s hair was a bit less carefully cut, and his uniform was a bit less crisp, but his face seemed friendly enough. Do I know him from somewhere? Jacob smiled even as he frantically tried to remember if he knew him, and waved back.
The other ensign’s face broke out into a sloppy grin. “You might want to know you missed the turn off. You’re not going to get to a briefing room going that way.”
“Oh! Thanks.” Jacob gave the other ensign an abashed grin as he walked up and stuck out a hand. “My name is Jacob Hull. What’s yours?”
The ensign eyed him speculatively before nodding and grabbing the outstretched hand to shake. “Isaac Bellworth. You one of the new ensigns?”
Jacob nodded, feeling a flicker of pride well up in him. “Yeah. I just got here. I’ll be on the Wolfhound.”
“Excited, are you?” Isaac’s tone was odd, and Jacob looked at him sharply.
“You bet. I haven’t been in space for too long. Are you on the same crew?”
Isaac’s nod was a little slow, but he gestured for Jacob to follow him. They both turned to walk down the hallway together, but it was another few moments before Isaac spoke again. “You haven’t heard yet, have you?”
Jacob frowned. The cautious tone in Isaac’s voice didn’t sound like he was uncertain of how Jacob would react. It sounds more like he knows how I’ll react and is trying to cushion the blow. He tried to keep his eyes from narrowing. “Heard what?”
Isaac let out a small sigh. “Well, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the Wolfhound is a hard luck ship. They’ve scooped up all the malcontents, rejects, and discipline problems and dumped them all on one ship. It’s not exactly an honor to be on the crew. In fact, a lot of people are saying that they just rebuilt her to have a place to dump us all.”
The only response Jacob could manage was a short, agonized grunt. His mind flashed back to the enraged faces of his instructors at the Academy, to their threats of consequences in the future. I thought if I was good enough, they’d have to ignore my faults. Guess I was wrong. He shook his head, and Isaac’s half-pained expression gave way to one of sincere regret. “Sorry to bring ya bad news. I’ve just never been one to soften things.”
“That’s okay. I had to find out somehow.” Jacob sighed. “So how did you end up on the crew, then?”
Isaac paused for a moment, then chuckled. “I seem to have a curse, you could say. Whenever I have a fellow crew member with a bad attitude, or an annoying commander, something bad happens to them. ”
Jacob gave him a sidelong look. “Is that so? What kind of something?”
The other ensign laughed loudly. “You ever heard of the captain who got ejected into space near Trendon?”
He had. The officer had apparently been recovered after the escape pod he was in had led the rescue ship on a wild chase. When he had finally been taken back onboard, he had claimed that he had no control over the craft, and had been asleep inside when it was ejected. No one had been able to figure out what had happened or who had put him there, and the wild flurry of accusations the officer had made only served to make it clear how many people hated being under his command. “You don’t mean… That was you?”
Isaac shook his head. “I will neither confirm, nor deny that.” He tapped his chin with one finger. “Though I do remember the poor captain threatening to kick me out of the Navy just before his little trip. I’m sure it’s unrelated.”
“Of course.” Jacob shook his head. “I’m not sure I even want to know about what else you’ve been up to.”
“What a shame! There are so many stories waiting to be told!” Isaac gestured grandly with his hands, then pointed at a nearby doorway. “Here we are. The show must be about to start.” Two Marines standing outside the door checked their identification before allowing them inside. As they stepped inside the door, both Isaac and Jacob stopped, surprised at the size of the briefing room they had entered. Milling around inside was a large group of people, well over a hundred at least, all of whom were wearing Navy and Marine uniforms. One of them waved to him from across the room, and a smile spread across Jacob’s face as he waved back. He turned to Isaac.
“Isaac, I would like to introduce you to Ensign Laurie Simms.” Jacob gestured to the ensign as she walked over. “Laurie, this is Ensign Isaac Bellworth. He kept me from wandering the halls like a lost sheep.”
“You always have managed to get lost no matter where you were walking, Hull.” The brown-haired ensign gave Isaac a bright smile as she shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. Are you the Isaac I keep hearing stories about?”
Isaac raised an eyebrow. “I guess that depends on what kind of stories you’ve been hearing.”
Laurie laughed and turned back to Jacob. “So what trouble have you been getting into now? Any more poor professors that have needed lecturing?”
A puzzled look appeared on Isaac’s face, and he frowned. “Lecturing?”
Jacob broke in, hoping to head the conversation off before it got away from him. “Come on, Laurie, nobody wants to hear about that now.”
“Oh, so you haven’t told him yet, huh?” She gave Isaac a sly smile, her brown eyes flashing with amusement. “Our dear Ensign Hull was the gentleman scholar of our graduating class. He’s incredibly smart; near the top of every class he bothered to take seriously. Naval Regulations, Combat Maneuvers, even Command training. You’d think he was getting ready to captain a ship already.”
“Is that so?” Isaac’s speculative look was back, and he eyed Jacob carefully. “And here I was telling him about all of my pranks.”
Jacob shook his head. He opened his mouth to reassure Isaac, but Laurie beat him to it. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that he was a model student.” Her smile turned wicked. “You see, Hull is so educated that he could tell when the teachers were wrong. And he told them when they were.”
There was a pause, and then Isaac chuckled. “Oh really. How did that go? Did they enjoy the lesson, Jacob?”
A glance at Laurie’s face told Jacob there was no way he was going to get out of telling the story himself. “Alright, fine, I’ll tell.” He directed a sharp glare at his erstwhile Academy ally before continuing. “But you’re going to pay me back for making me relive the whole thing again.”
Laurie stifled another round of laughter, and Jacob sighed. “Look, I wouldn’t have even said anything if he hadn’t been so pompous about it. I figured that if he was going to give a lecture on frontier habits, he might as well have the correct information.”
She leaned towards Isaac, whispering confidentially, though still loudly enough that Jacob could hear her. “The lesson was on the habits and political problems caused by spacers living on the frontier of Celostian territory. The professor was talking about the conflicts their lack of consideration caused with the League, as well as clarifying their ‘filthy and irresponsible’ habits in engineering and settlement.”
“So what did you s
ay then, oh wise one?” Isaac’s smile was quickly widening. Jacob shrugged uncomfortably.
“I just told him about my own experiences on the frontier.” A feeling of embarrassment stole over him as he remembered the shocked look on the professor’s face, and the surprised amusement of his fellow students. “He didn’t seem to appreciate the input.”
“That’s putting it a little mildly, don’t you think?” Laurie looped an arm around Jacob’s shoulders and swept an arm out, gesturing as if painting an image in the air. “Picture this, if you will: a young, bold ensign in training, valiantly defending the habits of his fellow spacers to his peers! Describing, for an hour, their courage and fortitude in settling in the wilder systems of the frontier! Detailing, for the benefit of all, the greater efficiency of their systems and the effectiveness of their unorthodox maneuvers!” Isaac was shaking his head at her tone, and Jacob felt his embarrassment grow. He tried to shrug himself free of her arm.
“I was just saying what I knew. It’s not like I meant to embarrass him. And you’re exaggerating anyway! I only talked for about five minutes or so. I don’t see what the big problem was.”
Laurie snorted, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, because after the head of the Academy got lectured for an hour by an ensign who did his best to point out how wrong he was, the guy was just supposed to let it slide. You’re lucky he could never find a way to kick you out without making himself look bad.”
Before Jacob could find a response to that, a sudden silence spread over the people closer to the front. He looked in that direction to find a slender, balding man motioning for quiet. The insignia for a lieutenant commander, an eagle with two gold bars under it, was on the right breast of his uniform jacket. Jacob, Laurie and Isaac all wasted no time finding a seat, as did everyone else in the room.
Jacob took a moment to examine the officer at the front. His face had a blank expression on it, and he almost seemed bored. Patience was stamped on that face, however, and Jacob thought the disinterested look had more to do with the process of everyone finding their seats than it did his attitude towards life in general. When everyone was finally seated, the lieutenant commander nodded and stepped to the side. Another man, this one marked with the eagle and triple bars suggesting a commander, stepped up in his place.
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