by Ryk Brown
“That’s what I said, at first,” the commander agreed. “And at second, and third… But, it makes sense. I mean, Cameron Taylor was a by-the-book officer. There’s only one person who could convince her to go rogue, and that’s him,” he declared pointing at the screen.
“Nathan, goddamned, Scott,” Galiardi declared in a half gasp. He looked at the commander, disbelief still apparent on the admiral’s face. “How the hell did he escape from the Jung homeworld?”
“And get buried on Earth, in front of thousands,” the commander added. “I have no idea. But, apparently, he’s leading the Ghatazhak attack on Kohara.”
“He’s part of the attack,” the admiral agreed. “But we don’t know he’s leading it…not from this footage, at least.”
“Think about it, sir,” the commander insisted. “Miri Scott-Thornton receives a covert message, she then meets with Melei Chen, who is then reactivated and made the chief medical officer of the Aurora, and soon after, the Aurora goes rogue. Then, Nathan Scott and his old friend Vladimir Kamenetskiy are part of a Ghatazhak party stealing Cobra gunships on Kohara.”
“You think President Scott knew about this?”
“The raid on Kohara? Possibly. No way of knowing at this point, but there’s another twist that I think is linked. Doctor Sorenson’s escape. The footage is limited, since one of the people who helped her escape took out the drone before it got close enough to get a clear shot. But the footage does show a man and a woman. The man is the same size, build, and hair color as Nathan Scott, and the girl matches the basic description of Jessica Nash, who resigned just after Nathan’s surrender to train with the Ghatazhak in the Pentaurus sector. I’m betting that Nash and the Ghatazhak somehow rescued Nathan Scott, and he’s been in hiding in the Pentaurus sector ever since. Deliza Ta’Akar comes to Earth to make a diplomatic plea for help directly to President Scott. Then, Doctor Sorenson and her family are whisked away in a jump sub—one of two that were created and used to insert covert operatives on Nor-Patri, and should still be in her oceans. Then the next day, Nathan Scott, Vladimir Kamenetskiy, and the Ghatazhak are stealing Cobras from Kohara, most likely with the help of Jessica’s brother, Robert, Gil Roselle, and his XO. It’s hard to believe the president didn’t know about it beforehand. But even if he didn’t, surely he must have known that his son was still alive.”
Admiral Galiardi just sat there, thinking.
“Admiral, that alone is a violation of the people’s trust. If the Jung ever found out…”
The Admiral silenced the commander with nothing more than a look. After a moment, the admiral spoke. “This presents us with an opportunity…one we must consider carefully before taking action.”
“Of course.”
The admiral looked at the commander again. “How many people know about this? That Nathan Scott is alive?”
“Myself, Lieutenant Commander Hurriri, and Lieutenant Commander Detzem,” Commander Mackay replied. “I have already reminded them of how sensitive this information is. I expect they both understand the potential consequences of a leak.”
“Level four surveillance on both of them,” the admiral insisted. “When they take a dump, I want to hear the toilet flush.”
“Yes, sir,” the commander replied smartly.
“And, Commander…”
“Yes, Admiral?”
“Give them both a pat on the back from me, will you?”
“Yes, sir,” the commander assured him as he saluted and then turned to exit.
Admiral Galiardi returned the salute, and then leaned back in his chair as a healthy grin began to form. Things were looking up.
* * *
Robert Nash tapped the last few commands into his Cobra gunship’s flight console. “Got an intercept plot for me, Sash?”
“Coming up now,” his copilot replied as he uploaded the plot.
“Okay, people, you ready to ruffle some feathers? Check in time. One, ready.”
“Two, ready,” Gil Roselle acknowledged.
“Three, ready,” Aiden followed.
“Four, ready,” Charnelle added.
“Twenty seconds to intercept jump,” Lieutenant Kraska announced from the copilot’s seat. “Uploading attack series to the pack.”
“Striker Leader to all Strikers. Attack series uploading now. Manual execution, just like we practiced.”
Sasha Kraska glanced at his captain. “You sure you want to let them go manual, sir?”
“They’ve got to get experience sooner or later,” Robert replied. “Better they get it on a cargo intercept, than a warship.”
“An escorted cargo ship,” Sasha reminded him. “Five seconds.”
“Here we go, gang,” Aiden announced over his comm-set from the pilot’s seat of Striker Three.
“Jumping,” Kenji announced as their windows turned opaque, causing their view of the two Cobra gunships ahead of them to disappear. A moment later, the windows cleared, revealing the gunships in front of them again as they opened fire on the eight Dusahn octo-fighters that were escorting the cargo ship they were after. The first gunship made short work of the two octo-fighters that were trailing the cargo ship, then rolled down and to port before jumping away. Striker Two opened up on the two octo-fighters to starboard of the cargo ship, destroying both of them before also disappearing in a blue-white flash of light.
Aiden adjusted his course slightly to port, locking onto the first octo-fighter to port of the cargo ship, launching a volley of plasma torpedoes a split second later. The first fighter exploded, breaking into several pieces before secondary explosions obliterated it further. He immediately targeted the other octo-fighter in the pair and fired, but the target rolled and dove, flipping over and opening up on Aiden’s gunship, lighting up his forward shields.
“Target is slipping under us,” Kenji warned. “Ledge, swing down and nab him,”
“Tracking,” the young gunner replied. “Firing.”
“No joy,” Kenji reported. “Two more sliding over in front of us from the cargo ship’s starboard side. Time to jump.”
“I can get him,” Ledge promised.
“Not our problem,” Aiden told him, agreeing with his copilot. “Jumping out.”
Their windows turned opaque again. When they cleared a split second later, the cargo ship and remaining octo-fighters that had been directly in front of them were gone, already a few light seconds behind them. Aiden immediately brought the ship into a tight, ninety-degree turn to port, pitching his gunship’s nose up five degrees at the same time, just as planned. Another touch of the jump button and the next pre-programmed jump, in the attack sequence that had been uploaded, fired, causing them to jump to their next waypoint. Another turn to port and a quick pitch change to bring his gunship’s nose back downward, and he jumped again.
“Second attack jump in five,” Aiden warned his crew. “Don’t miss this time.”
“You missed first, Captain,” Ledge reminded him.
“I was just trying to cut you in on the action, Ledge,” Aiden insisted, a wry smile on his face as he turned to look at Kenji in the copilot’s seat. Aiden touched the jump button again, instantly transitioning his ship ahead a few light seconds. The windows cleared, and the cargo ship appeared in front of him, broadside, as the last octo-fighter exploded while trying to evade fire from Striker One, which had just jumped in behind him.
“No targets remaining,” Sergeant Dagata reported from the sensor station.
“Condition two, everyone. Keep your weapons hot, but don’t fire without orders,” Kenji reminded their gunners.
“Cargo vessel, Mandallon, this is Captain Robert Nash of the Karuzari. How do you copy?” Robert called over comms.
“This is Captain Taff of the Mandallon. We are an unarmed cargo vessel. What do you require of us?”
Robert looked at his copilot as he replied to the captain of the cargo ship before them. “Mandallon, turn to heading two five seven by four seven, and execute a two-light-year jump. Fail to comply, and we will disable your ship and board you. Do you understand?”
“Relax, Captain, you’ll get no resistance from us. I swear. Just promise you won’t release us back to the Dusahn.”
“He’s changing course,” Sasha reported.
“Damn, that was easy,” Gil commented over comms.
“I guess Captain Taff doesn’t like working for the Dusahn,” Robert said.
“He’s spooling up his jump drive,” Sasha reported.
“Turning to the rendezvous heading,” Robert announced.
“Loading the jump to the rendezvous point.”
“Stay here with the kids, and keep anyone who shows up after we leave busy for a few minutes, Gil.”
“You got it,” Gil replied. “Strikers Three and Four, disperse to ambush positions.”
“Three, moving off,” Aiden replied.
“Four, moving off,” Charnelle added.
“Target has jumped,” Sasha reported.
“Following,” Robert replied, tapping the jump button. Their windows turned opaque, clearing a moment later to reveal the Mandallon and the Seiiki moving in next to the newly-arrived cargo ship.
Josh twisted his control stick, causing the Seiiki to yaw to starboard, swinging the ship around to face its aft end toward the nearby cargo vessel.
“Easy, Josh,” Loki complained over comms. “The door’s wide open back here, you know.”
“Stop being such a baby,” Josh insisted from the Seiiki’s cockpit.
“Why are you always teasing him?” Neli asked from the copilot’s seat.
“It’s what we do,” Josh replied, smiling.
Loki stood just inside the open cargo bay, staring at the massive cargo ship just outside as the Seiiki drifted closer a little more quickly than he liked. “A little fast, maybe?” he suggested over his pressure helmet comms.
“I’m on the numbers,” Josh insisted.
“Are you ready, Mister Sheehan?” Corporal Eliason asked Loki.
“No,” Loki replied, turning to look at the Ghatazhak soldier standing next to him in his black, combat pressure suit.
Corporal Eliason smiled. “It’s easy,” he promised. “You just walk right off the end of the ramp and float on over.”
“And if we miss?” Loki asked.
“I’m sure Mister Hayes has us on the correct trajectory and closure rate.”
“How do you know?” Loki demanded.
Corporal Eliason pointed at his faceplate. “Tactical sensor suite, remember?” The corporal turned to look at the other three Ghatazhak on his team and then tapped the comms control on the side of his helmet. “Mandallon, this is Corporal Eliason of the Ghatazhak. Open the outer door on your starboard boarding airlock.”
“This is Captain Taff of the Mandallon. Are we being boarded?”
“Affirmative,” Corporal Eliason replied. “We are taking control of your vessel. I would strongly advise that you do not resist. Anyone bearing a weapon will be met with immediate and deadly force. Do you understand?”
“We understand,” the captain of the cargo ship replied. “Please, do not fire on us. We are civilians, and we have no weapons aboard.”
“I understand. Are there any Dusahn aboard your vessel?” the corporal inquired.
“Negative,” Captain Taff replied.
“How many souls aboard?” the corporal asked.
“Eight, including myself,” the captain replied.
The outer door on the starboard side of the Mandallon began to open, revealing the airlock on the other side.
“Oh, boy,” Loki muttered, realizing there was no turning back.
“Weapons hot; drop anyone who poses a threat,” Corporal Eliason told his men. “Let’s move out.”
The four Ghatazhak walked out the open cargo bay door and across the level cargo ramp, strolling right off the end of the ramp and floating toward the approaching cargo ship.
“Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy…” Loki chanted as he followed them out and off the end of the ramp. “Oh, boy! I’m away!” Loki declared as he drifted quickly toward the Mandallon. “We’re all away!”
“Thrusting,” Josh announced as the Seiiki’s aft docking thrusters fired, slowing the ship’s closure rate, and allowing the boarding party greater separation from the ship they had just departed.
Loki’s breathing quickened as he closed in on the cargo ship. As planned, one by one, the Ghatazhak soldiers passed through the Mandallon’s outer airlock door, and into the airlock itself, coming to stand comfortably in the compartment’s artificial gravity.
Loki drifted in behind the last man, the gravity pulling him gently downward, allowing him to step normally onto the deck of the airlock and walk inside.
Corporal Eliason activated the outer door controls, causing it to slide closed. Seconds after the outer door closed and sealed, the airlock began to pressurize. The four Ghatazhak took up firing positions on either side of the inner hatch, one man high and one man low, with their weapons held high and ready.
“They’re civilians,” Loki reminded them.
“Exactly what they’d say if they were Dusahn Zen-Anor,” Corporal Eliason commented as he raised his weapon to be ready to fire.
“Oh, boy,” Loki muttered, a sinking feeling developing in the pit of his stomach.
“You might want to stand to the side, just in case,” the corporal suggested.
“Oh, boy.”
A minute later the airlock was pressurized, and the inner door slid open.
“Don’t shoot!” the crewman inside the next compartment shouted, throwing his hands up in the air to show that he wasn’t armed.
The two Ghatazhak who were positioned low stayed put, while the corporal and the other Ghatazhak, standing on the opposite side of the airlock door, moved quickly through and into the next compartment, sweeping their weapons to the outside to search for threats.
“Clear left,” Corporal Eliason reported.
“Clear right,” the other Ghatazhak added.
The two kneeling Ghatazhak moved inside, as well, quickly moving past the frightened crewman still standing with his hands straight up in the air.
Corporal Eliason raised his faceplate, turning toward the crewman. “Where is everyone else?”
“Jorgy’s in engineering, and everyone else is on the bridge,” the young man answered as the other soldier patted him down.
“He’s clean.”
“The Dusahn took away all our guns weeks ago,” the crewman assured them.
“What are you doing here?” Corporal Eliason asked.
“The captain told me to show you to the bridge,” the crewman explained.
“Mister Sheehan!” Corporal Eliason called. When there was no immediate answer, the corporal turned to look back toward the airlock.
Loki leaned out, his helmet faceplate still closed and locked.
“Care to join us on the bridge, Mister Sheehan?” the corporal wondered.
“Uh, yes,” Loki replied, stepping out of the airlock, trying to look confident. “Of course,” he added, raising his faceplate and unlocking his helmet as he stepped inside.
Corporal Eliason turned back toward the crewman. “Lead the way, Mister…”
“Porky.”
“Seriously?” the corporal replied, one eyebrow raised, and a smirk on his face.
“Don’t,” the crewman said, lowering his hands. “I’ve heard them all, really,” he added, turning to lead them out of the compartment.
Corporal Eliason watched with a smile as Loki followe
d young Crewman Porky. “Inchin, Gazen, sweep aft. Mitchell and I will sweep forward, once we secure the bridge. Report once you secure engineering.”
“You got it,” Inchin replied.
“Porky’s waiting,” Mitchell reminded the corporal with a grin.
* * *
“Captain on the bridge,” the guard at the door barked as Nathan entered the bridge.
Nathan cast a disapproving look at the guard as he passed. He had never liked being announced every time he entered a compartment.
“Sorry, sir,” the guard said, noticing his captain’s expression. “XO’s orders.”
Nathan rolled his eyes as if to say, ‘I don’t blame you’ to the guard as he headed aft to his ready room. “Does he really have to do that every time?” he complained as he closed the ready room hatch behind him.
“SOPs,” Cameron replied, rising from behind the captain’s desk and stepping aside to make room for Nathan. “Besides, I thought it would help you acclimate to being in command again.”
“If you meant to remind me of all the little things I didn’t like about being the CO, then it’s working.”
“Did you like anything about being the commanding officer of the Aurora?” Cameron teased as she took the seat in front of the desk.
“I liked having my own galley,” Nathan quipped with a smile.
“Even when Vlad did the cooking?”
“Good point,” Nathan agreed as he took his seat. “How did the first anti-shipping op go? They make it back yet?”
“We received word about ten minutes ago. They’re at the rendezvous point, and the boarding team is sweeping the ship. So far, no casualties, and no battle damage to the Cobras or the cargo ship.”
“What about the escorts?” Nathan wondered. “Did they have any?”
“Four octo-fighters,” Cameron replied. “All of them destroyed. Captain Nash reports it went exactly as planned.”