by PP Corcoran
For a second time, an uncomfortable silence settled on the room, as those present got an inkling that the short, sharp victory Devisee Sidal had sought was spiraling out of control into a more drawn-out affair, a war the K’Tai Imperium could ill afford to fight, given its ongoing conflict with the secessionists.
#
Robert Matheson sat alone in his day cabin, ignorant of the seemingly never-ending lines of data scrolling on his desktop screen. Instead his mind wandered as LPN Cheetah and the battle-weary ships of Task Force Scorpio flashed through the surging tidal gravity waves of hyper. Robert’s eyes fell upon the chrono mounted on the bulkhead and his mind absently did the math. Considering the battle damage inflicted on his ships, thoughts of the reports he had reviewed in relation to Louise Alderman’s two fast attack carriers made him wince visibly. Scorpio’s transit time back to Doberman had been increased to eight days. Two days more than what it should have been, though that could not be helped. Once they made Doberman, the fleet base’s extensive repair facilities would make good his ship’s damages. As for his casualties, especially the losses the fighter wings had taken, a dark cloud descended on Robert at the thought of the lives which he had been forced to expend to ensure the carriers made it safely out of the trap the K’Tai had so eloquently set for him. With a mental effort, he pushed the memory to the back of his mind. It was not the first time he had lost men and women who had served under him and, unfortunately, it would not be the last.
For now, though, he needed to lick his wounds. He had caught the K’Tai with their pants down and given them a bloody nose as a result. The light cruiser Admiral Tokarov had been his least damaged hyper-capable vessel, so he had ordered her to drop out of hyper a day into the voyage back to Doberman. Tokarov would sneak back into the Agate system. With any luck, she would make it undetected and settle herself into a position where she could keep a wary eye on the K’Tai. Robert would need whatever intelligence he could gather for his next foray into Agate. His biggest problem was that it took at best six days to transit between the fleet base at Doberman and occupied Agate, the fact put a severe crimp on his ability to plan his next move.
With a weary hand, Robert halted the flow of reports on his display, calling up instead cartography data for the Agate quadrant. Hunching forward in his seat, he absently rubbed a hand across his chin stubble. Agate was right on the edge of human space. The nearest K’Tai world was virtually the same distance from Agate as Doberman was, six days at high hyper. There was not a single star, nor a single planet, either habitable or not, within a six-day radius. Even with the best will in the world, it was a minimum of a twelve-day turnaround for Robert to return to Doberman, rearm and refuel, before reentering the Agate system. You can’t change the laws of physics, Robert, he said to himself. Looking at the display, the vast emptiness of space struck him; like an irritating itch he couldn’t scratch, the embryo of an idea formed. Only Doberman and its extensive infrastructure could provide the level of logistical support that was the lifeblood of something the size of Eighth Fleet, but Task Force Scorpio was a drop in the ocean in comparison. Its needs could be handled by a much smaller, more flexible setup. A small smile tugged at Robert’s lips. I may not be able to change the laws of physics, but nobody says I can’t use them to confuse the enemy. You couldn’t change the laws of physics. A ship, any ship, was restricted by its shielding to how fast it could travel through the potentially destructive eddies of hyperspace. Robert ordered his computer to locate Commander Del Mastro and request her to make her way to his cabin; he had an idea he wanted to bounce off his intelligence chief before he put anything on paper. The idea would delay Task Force Scorpio’s return to Agate, but if it worked out, it would come as an awfully big surprise to the K’Tai.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Lookee Lookee
DAY THIRTY-EIGHT
“Six from Point. I’ve got eyes on the cabin. Looks like one adult male sitting on the porch. Couple of kids playing out front. Thermals aren’t giving me a good enough look inside to make out individuals, but there is movement. No sign of K’Tai… Standby. Standby. Another two exiting the cabin. Male and a female. Possibly late teens. The female has a longarm slung over her shoulder. Both are carrying buckets and walking in the direction of the stream we passed last night.” Suarez panned his scope over to the cabin once more and switched back to thermal imagery. There was a lot of interference on his scope, but as best he could tell there were no heat readings registering from inside. The cabin was empty.
“The cabin’s clear, Boss.”
Gregory edged up to where Suarez lay in the dense grass, seeing for himself the older man sitting on the porch contentedly watching the two children chasing each other around the small clearing. The gentle breeze carried the sounds of their playful laughter to him. Gregory marveled. Even here, in a world freshly invaded, children found time to play. The reality of war came back to him as he spotted the two teens making their way along the narrow path leading them down to the stream. The rifle over the girl’s shoulder looked out too big for her petite frame. Focusing on it, the soldier recognized it as a K’Tai pulse rifle. Now, where did a teenage girl get her hands on one of those? he thought. Moving across to the boy, he noticed he too was armed. A machine pistol sat in a thigh holster on his right leg. Standard militia issue, if Gregory wasn’t mistaken, but the boy looked too young to have been in the militia, and even if he had been, where was his uniform? Maybe he had discarded it, hoping any K’Tai he ran into would think he was a civilian. Whatever, these questions would have to wait. He was about to lose sight of the teens as they descended into the stream bed.
“Wu, do you have them?”
The quiet, controlled voice of the patrol sniper sounded unhurriedly in Gregory’s ear.
“I’ve got them, Boss, although my view will be obstructed some once they get to the stream proper. You want me to move location?”
Gregory weighed up his options. Move Wu, and possibly risk his movement being seen and spook everyone, or leave him where he was, with limited views of the teens but able to cover the front of the cabin?
“No, stay where you are. We’ll take that pair once we’ve secured the cabin.” The sound of the man on the porch calling to the kids reached him on the breeze. With a giggle, the two kids pounded up the steps on to the porch and into the cabin. With a long stretch, the man followed, closing the cabin door behind him. Perfect, thought Gregory. With the porch clear, his team could approach the cabin virtually unobserved. Lady luck was smiling on him today.
“OK guys, show time. Obo, take Collins and circle around to the rear of the cabin. I’ll sit tight here with Suarez until you’re in position. Wu, what are your two up to?”
“I’ve lost the girl in the stream bed, but the boy is just sitting on the bank chatting away to her.”
“Roger. Let’s get a hustle on, people. I want to be inside that cabin and ready to greet that pair by the time they get back.”
From their position in the lay-up point, Obo and Collins moved swiftly but silently through the belt-high grass, their approach masked by a thick stand of trees. When Obo judged they had circled round far enough, he cut back through the trees until the cabin came into sight. Going to one knee in the lee of a thick tree trunk, he scanned the rear of the cabin.
“Six from Obo. In position. No movement. Rear door is jammed open with a stool and there’s a bowl on the ground beside it full of dishes.”
Half-finished chores, thought Gregory, but it had left the way open for a rapid entry through the open door. Lady luck really was on his side today.
“Wu, status?”
“No change. Girl unsighted. The boy’s still on the bank chatting away.”
Gregory felt the familiar surge of adrenalin as his muscles tensed. “OK people, let’s do this!”
From the wood line to the rear of the cabin, Obo and Collins burst forth, Advanced Combat Rifles up searching for targets as they sprinted hard to cover the open ground. A
t the front of the cabin, Gregory and Suarez were up and running. In seconds, both pairs had reached their respective doors. Gregory steadied himself, ready to kick the front door in, when without warning the door was flung open and the business end of a ten-millimeter pistol was shoved in his face with such force he staggered backwards, only for a meaty hand to grab his webbing harness and pull him close to a face with a large evil grin.
“Looking for something, soldier boy?” snarled Dave Carter. Off to one side Suarez tensed, ready to rush the big man.
“Maybe you should look at your chest and think that one over for a second,” growled Dave, without taking his eyes off Gregory.
Suarez became very still as his gaze fell upon the bright red dot sitting perfectly level slightly above his heart.
“She never misses,” Dave said, matter of fact. “Place your weapon on the floor and move away from it. Slowly, now. You wouldn’t want her to get twitchy.”
With exaggerated slowness, Suarez bent and placed his ACR on the wooden porch before taking a step back from it.
Gregory was finding it hard to concentrate with the muzzle of the pistol screwed into his face. Where the hell were Obo and Collins? They should be inside by now. The evil grin on Dave’s face got wider, as if he knew exactly what Gregory was thinking.
“Your two friends really should be more careful and take the time to look up when they try to come through a door. You never know who will be sitting in a rafter with a stun baton. Boy, are they going to wake up with a headache.”
“What about Wu?” Gregory managed to get out.
The muzzle pushed harder into his cheek, forcing his head around. Walking slowly up the path from the stream was Wu, hands clasped on top of his head, the machine pistol-wielding teenage boy behind him, Wu’s sniper rifle slung over his shoulder.
Gregory couldn’t believe it. His whole team had been taken out by a bunch of civilians, two of them teenagers. Who the hell were these people?
Dave spared a quick glance at the ACR lying at Suarez’s feet. “Advanced Combat Rifles, not M89s, so you’re army, not marines. There ain’t no regular army on Agate, just militia, and they’re not equipped with those pretty little rifles of yours. Now why don’t you tell me what brings you and your team all the way out here, Captain?”
Before Gregory could answer, a whistling Kyle strolled around the corner of the cabin. swinging the stun baton jauntily in his hand. Seeing Dave had the situation under control, he headed over to help Chris with Wu. Gregory canted his head in Kyle’s direction. “I’m looking for him.”
The incredulous look crossing Dave’s face at Gregory’s answer caused the captain to expand on his explanation.
“Our primary mission is to scout K’Tai ground defenses. We were told this cabin would make a good base of operations.” When Gregory hesitated, Dave gave him a none too gentle prod with his weapon.
“Go on, Captain.”
“If, on arrival at the cabin, Kyle Henderson was present, we were to secure him and at the first opportunity, signal for his retrieval. We were also to attempt to contact two assets. I was never told their names or shown their pictures, but I was assured if we located Kyle Henderson, then they would be with him.”
There was only one person in the galaxy who had the pull to get a clause like that put into anybody’s orders. Maddix Henderson. The old man was still looking out for the boy. You had to admire the lengths the old coot would go to. As for the ‘assets,’? The soldier was clearly looking for Dave! Dave slackened his grip on Gregory and although the muzzle was no longer shoved in his face, it still wavered at eye level. Gregory’s brain went into conflict resolution mode.
“Perhaps, sir, I should introduce myself properly, since we’re both obviously on the same side. I’m Captain Simon Gregory, Pathfinder Platoon, Fifth Long Range Reconnaissance Group.” Gregory nodded toward Suarez. “That’s Corporal Suarez, patrol medic. The boy has my sniper, Corporal Wu, and the two that Mr. Henderson introduced himself to at the back door are Sergeant Obo, my second in command and demolitions expert, and Corporal Collins, communications and systems tech. Now you know who we are; it would only be polite to return the favor.”
Dave mumbled something under his breath before he released his grip on Gregory, although the deadly ten-millimeter pistol remained blatantly obvious.
“Name’s Dave Carter. That’s my son Chris with your man Wu.” Dave gave a sharp whistle which echoed off the trees. Instantly the red laser dot on Suarez’s chest disappeared.
“My daughter, Jodee, took down your sniper. Looks like you already know Kyle. That leaves Jacob and the twins, Lin and Shen.”
“Well, sir…” began Gregory, before Dave stopped him with a raised hand.
“Call me Dave.”
“Eh, Dave. You certainly got one over on my team and me, but we’re the professionals here and I have a job to do, so if you don’t mind…”
Dave’s face hardened and his fingers flexed on his gun’s grip. “Captain. I remind you, you’re on my property and I just kicked your butts without breaking a sweat. I advise you to choose your next words very carefully.”
Jacob appeared behind Dave, and he could sense the tension in the air. “Hey, Dave? Maybe we should ratchet this down a notch. Captain? Why don’t you go check on your two guys out back, I think they’re starting to come around and we wouldn’t want any misunderstandings, would we?”
Gregory looked from Dave’s hard face to Jacob and gave him a curt nod. The man was right, a little cooling off period was called for. He had somehow inadvertently insulted Dave, and now was not the time to push the issue.
“If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Carter.”
Dave kept his peace as the three soldiers collected their gear and headed to the back of the cabin to check on their comrades. Jodee came jogging along the track, the oversized K’Tai pulse rifle in her hands and a blinding smile on her lips. For a second Dave thought he was looking at Sue, so striking was the resemblance between them. The familiar ache filled his heart as he wondered what fate had befallen his wife and mother of his children. Jodee had reached the walking pair of Kyle and Chris and, without slowing her steady jog, she swatted Kyle across his rear end. The wounded Kyle broke into a run to catch her, but it was obvious she was going to reach the safety of her father first. Dave raised both arms high in the air.
“No safety here, young lady. You started it.”
Disappointment flashed in her eyes before she picked up the pace and veered off in the direction of a thick stand of trees. Kyle, seeing the unexpected change of direction, picked up his pace as well, his longer stride rapidly closing the distance. Jodee managed to reach the woods first and disappeared, Kyle hot on her heels. Jacob rested a hand on Dave’s shoulder.
“I feel your pain,” he said with barely concealed laughter.
“Laugh all you want, Jacob, you’ve got this to come.”
The two men shared a light-hearted moment before Jacob became serious again. “What are we going to do about our guests?”
Dave paused before answering. Kyle and Jodee seemed so happy. It would break her heart if Gregory and his men took Kyle away from her. On the other hand, allowing the soldiers to operate from the cabin risked bringing the K’Tai to their doorstep. A part of Gregory’s mission was to ensure the safety of Kyle, but, Dave could protect Kyle better than any Pathfinder Patrol. Maddix Henderson had offered to relocate the Carters to Agate on the proviso that Dave agreed to take a year-long contract as a ‘corporate security adviser’ and watch over Kyle as he took his first tentative steps in the big, bad world, before taking his place at the head of the Henderson Shipping empire. It was an offer Dave and Sue would find hard to refuse. A ridiculously well-paid job for Dave with housing and schooling benefits. A free hand to do whatever he thought prudent regarding the safety of young Kyle. Money was no object. And, most importantly, it was a chance for Dave and Sue to put their former lives behind them and start afresh.
Thinking back on it now, S
ue had urged him to take Maddix’s offer, and Jodee hadn’t put up the slightest protest when the family discussed moving from a busy, technically advanced world to one on the fringes of human space. Dave shook his head slowly. He’d been blinded to the signs. Oh, well. What happened in the past was in the past. Now he was back to being an ‘asset’.
“Perhaps I should have a chat with our new friends,” said Dave.
Jacob patted his shoulder. “That’s the spirit, Dave. Just try not to kill them, OK?”
A reluctant smile tugged at Dave’s lips. “I can’t promise anything.”
Chris had been waiting patiently off to one side, not wanting to intrude on the two older men’s interaction. Now it was over, he spoke up.
“Dad. Now the soldiers are here, maybe we should help them.” The trademark Carter lopsided grin creased the younger Carter’s face. “If we can take them that easy, then they could sure do with our help.”
“From the mouths of babes,” stage-whispered Jacob as he turned and went back into the cabin to check on the twins.
#
Dave came around the rear corner of the cabin to find Wu standing guard, sniper rifle cradled in his arms. Suarez, meanwhile, was running a handheld medwand over the two men while Gregory looked on with obvious concern. Well, at least he cares about his men, thought Dave. “Don’t worry, Captain, they’ll be fine. The stun baton Kyle used will keep them out for another few minutes and they’ll wake up with the biggest headache ever. A couple of Numall and they’ll be right as rain.”
Suarez touched the medwand to his jacket’s integrated wrist comm, which confirmed Dave’s prognosis. “Go get your gear, Suarez. Wu. Cover him.” Retrieving his ACR, Suarez headed off to where the patrol had hidden their packs prior to their failed assault on the cabin; Wu angled off to one side, looking for a suitable position to provide over watch. Gregory remained alone with Dave and the two unconscious soldiers. Both men regarded each other, unsure of how to go on.