The Wrong Side of Space (TCOTU, Book 3) (This Corner of the Universe)

by Britt Ringel

  She stretched her arms lazily over her head now, enjoying the mobility the light clothing afforded her. How petty I was, she chided herself. I acted like a spoiled brat to the people who saved my very life. For the most part, they’ve given me nothing but respect since I’ve been here and now, they let me move through their ship like I’m one of them.

  Selvaggio knew that her locations were probably being tracked through her datapad but she did not mind. It would be foolish of them not to monitor my whereabouts in some manner, she thought. Nonetheless, the fact that they trust me enough to move about without an escort is astounding. She shook her head as she reflected on her initial concerns of being a prisoner. Except for Kapitan Romano, I’ve been treated with the highest level of respect. And I’ve helped them too, I know I have, she thought with no small amount of pride. During the battle in Junction Two, I predicted that Heskan would condense the formation when our right flank began to fold before anyone else even thought of it. I also advised Valokov that Heskan would continue to defend Nuno long after it was clear that she was a lost cause. Isabella herself told me after the battle that those protective shots reallocated toward Curator may have saved the ship. Maybe I’m not out of my league in the navy after all. Maybe I belong here.

  Her thoughts turned to Anelace as she heard the distant, frantic cry of Vernay during a critical battle: “Port lasers are masked!” Somehow, the tone of those remembered words now seemed less an accusation and more just a simple, desperate declaration. Everything had gone so terribly wrong for Anelace after that split-second of personal failure. It was still my fault but I’ve learned from that mistake… and paid for it. Nightmares still plagued her. She nodded to herself in a mixture of a fatal acceptance tinged with promise. I’ve carried the burden of those moments with me ever since they happened and even though I’ll never forget them, I’m done being crushed by them.

  The noise of Medical’s portal opening to her approach surprised Selvaggio. I’m here. The triage center was empty but Selvaggio could see into the adjoining lab. Doctor Timoleon sat hunched over a microscope. Two medical technicians were sequestered in a corner, preparing a slide.

  Selvaggio took a deep breath and walked to the threshold of the lab. She cleared her voice and said, “Excuse me, Doctor?”

  The interruption caused Timoleon’s head to jerk up from his workstation. His annoyed expression at the disruption dissolved as he saw his former patient. A minimal smile formed faintly on his lips. “There is my nonresponsive acute hypoxemic! How are you feeling today, Miss Selvaggio?” Concern quickly shrouded his face. “You are not exhibiting recurrence of past symptoms, are you?

  Timoleon immediately rose from his chair. His abrupt movement initiated a chain reaction from the two technicians in the corner who, literally, dropped what they were doing and began to race for medical equipment Timoleon would most likely request. The sheer desperation in their actions, bordering on panic, bespoke of a doctor who demanded the highest level of assistance and crushed those around him when his expectations went unmet.

  “No, no,” Selvaggio said quickly while raising her hands. “I’m feeling great, Doctor.”

  The three Hollarans stopped in unison. After a thoughtful pause, Timoleon asked with a darker tone, “Then why are you here?” His expression transformed into aggravation again. The confounded faces of the technicians suggested that nobody came to Medical unless it was a matter of life and death.

  Feeling a familiar weight descend upon her shoulders, Selvaggio’s eyes cast downward. Stop it, Diane, she rebuked. He might be the most intimidating Hollaran you’ve ever met but you can do this. Her shoulders straightened and she met his gaze. “Doctor,” Selvaggio began, and she felt her eyes widen when she heard the calm, confidence her voice projected. “I wanted to thank you, Komandor. You saved my life, the life of your enemy.”

  “No, Miss Selvaggio,” Timoleon corrected. “I saved your life, the life of a beautiful, young woman.”

  Casting off the weight on her shoulders, Selvaggio took buoyant, long strides to stand next to the doctor even as the eyes of the technicians bulged at her sheer audacity. The Brevic lieutenant reached out with an empty hand and open smile. Timoleon reflexively shook it.

  “You are not my enemy anymore, Doctor,” Selvaggio stated.

  Timoleon’s lips curled into their own smile. “You never were mine, Miss Selvaggio.”

  Chapter 17

  Kite and Phoenix finally had the courage to return their crewmembers to their proper ships. When the fleet had dove out of tunnel space and into yet another deserted system, the relief across all three ships was palpable. This was now the second consecutive star system they had entered without a Parasite presence. Better still for the fleet, two of the new star system’s four tunnels seemed oriented toward Brevic space. As the fleet sailed toward their targeted tunnel point, Heskan and Lombardi had agreed that if they safely traversed the system without detecting a Parasite presence, they would reduce the fleet’s speed to transfer crew back to their home ships before making the next dive.

  “Welcome home, Diane,” Heskan greeted Lieutenant Selvaggio enthusiastically.

  Selvaggio saluted Heskan with an unabashed smile across her face and then turned to salute Lieutenant Vernay, who quickly returned the salute and moved to hug the surprised navigator.

  Vernay knew the hug was unprofessional but she did not care. “I’m so happy you’re safe and back,” she whispered in Selvaggio’s ear. “I felt like I was losing my sister when we thought you were dying.”

  The women stepped back and Selvaggio smiled warmly and said, “Thank you, Stacy.” She looked at Heskan and added, “It’s good to be home, sir.”

  “We’re thrilled to have you back, Diane,” Heskan said. “Sorry to keep you and Doctor Carter on Phoenix for so long. I know things must have been difficult over there for you given the situation with New Roma.”

  Selvaggio shrugged a shoulder and mused, “I don’t know, sir. Maybe it did me good. Maybe it’s time to look forward instead of at the past.”

  Heskan was stunned by the admission. I knew that Diane would try her best to avoid confrontations while on Phoenix but I never thought she might actually soften her opinion of Hollarans from New Roman star systems. He appraised his navigator. Maybe I owe Lombardi more than I thought if she’s returned to me a more tolerant officer.

  “Sir,” Vernay interrupted his thoughts. “We’re going to dive soon. I’m heading up to the bridge.” Vernay reached out and squeezed Selvaggio’s hand as she said, “I’m so glad you’re back. We need to have lunch; I want to hear everything about your time on Phoenix.” She quickly spun and energetically exited the shuttle bay.

  Selvaggio and Heskan watched her leave. After a brief silence, Heskan explained, “She felt a tremendous amount of guilt after that attack. She took a huge risk going over to Phoenix with you when you were unconscious. At the time, we had no idea if Lombardi’s gesture to help was a genuine one.”

  Selvaggio looked thoughtfully at her captain. “I didn’t know she went with me. I guess I owe her my thanks.” Her gaze lowered to Heskan’s feet. “I owe you too, sir. You saved my life when you slowed down and pulled me out of the hall.” She shook her head as she reflected. “Trying to pick up your datapad… that was so stupid of me.”

  Heskan reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Diane, don’t say that. It was a natural reaction that anyone would have done automatically and everyone survived so don’t agonize over what you think you did wrong.” He smiled widely. “I’m just so happy you’re back with us. The Anelace family is small enough as it is.”

  Selvaggio regarded him with soft, brown eyes. “I heard about Lieutenant Jackamore. He mentored me a lot when I first came to Anelace.”

  Heskan nodded solemnly and offered, “He’s still with us so long as we never forget who he was and what he sacrificed himself for. He saved Kite… he saved all of us.”

  The two-toned dive bell sounded throughout the bay. />
  “The next dive toward home,” Selvaggio said hopefully.

  “It has to be close.”

  * * *

  To the crew’s disappointment, the next dive did not bring them to Brevic space. The K2IV main sequence star rested in the center of another unremarkable star system. However, while the fleet had been given several choices of tunnel points in the last two star systems, this system held but one other tunnel point. Heskan began to worry that they had selected a system chain that would culminate in a dead end.

  At least we can go back to Junction Three and try the other tunnel point that leads southward, Heskan thought. I just hate the idea of backtracking, especially considering the Parasites may have sent additional ships after us. He held no illusions about the fleet’s ability to repel another major attack. Kite was now crewed by less than one hundred sailors. Every crewmember was pulling double shifts, nonessential stations were on automation or unmanned. Routine maintenance had been tabled as only the most critically needed systems received attention. It was only a matter of time before Kite suffered a serious mishap due to the amount of negligence Heskan had been forced to accept.

  The system’s tunnel points were 87lm apart causing the fleet to take seven hours and sixteen minutes to transit the desolate system. Heskan spent all of that time on the bridge nervously dreading a chilling announcement from the sensor section that a tunnel disturbance had been detected. None came.

  Kite was just 6lm from the tunnel point when the bridge shift changed, although Heskan decided to stay on despite being at the end of his twelve-hour shift. His fatigued nod was greeted with a warm smile as Vernay circled her first officer’s chair. Behind her, Selvaggio entered with Truesworth by her side. Heskan noticed the navigator’s confident gait as she moved to her station. The young lieutenant’s shoulders were relaxed and back and her head was held high instead of its characteristic slump toward the floor. Her stride was a fluid, assured one, a stark contrast to her customary fast shuffle. She’s really grown, Heskan reflected with pride. What she went through could have broken her but instead, Diane flourished under the adversity. She’s always been a capable officer but the confidence she exudes now is exemplary.

  Selvaggio took her seat and Heskan noticed a quick, furtive smile flashed to her from Truesworth. As Kite approached the next tunnel point, he felt his tensions ease as it appeared that, once again, the fleet traversed another system unpursued. Kite’s navigator began the long checklist to safely dive the destroyer as she prepared to abandon the empty system for tunnel space.

  * * *

  “Diving out in ten seconds, Captain,” Selvaggio announced from her navigator’s station.

  “Very well, Diane,” Vernay acknowledged for Heskan.

  Heskan’s eyes looked up to the tactical plot, currently blank, on the main wall screen. They had tunneled for four days. Heskan waited for the transition and felt the familiar mixture of hope and anxiety build until the surge of nausea hit him as Kite entered normal space. After a few moments, he inhaled deeply to help his body adjust to the transition. By the time he could look at the tactical plot, the features of their newest destination began to emerge.

  The system held a rather mundane red dwarf. The small planet orbiting just 2lm from the cool, little star was clearly uninhabitable. An extremely dense asteroid field orbited at 25lm from the star. Farther out, two planets, also barren, orbited at 30lm and 45lm. A second asteroid field formed a protective ring around the entire system at 60lm.

  Lieutenant Truesworth began his report. “Wow, tons of interference from those asteroid fields, Captain. We’ll have trouble locating other tunnel points because of them. No other ships detected and the planets look deserted but with the amount of interference, especially from the inner field, I can’t be sure. You could hide all of Third Fleet in those belts and I wouldn’t be able to see it.” His hand moved over his panel as he continued his sensor interrogation of the star system.

  From the corner of his eye, Heskan saw Vernay bouncing up and down excitedly in her chair. She was grinning openly.

  “Star is an M5V,” Truesworth hesitated. “Wait a minute. We have a match!” Truesworth spun around in his chair. “Captain, we’re in Skathi!”

  Cheers erupted on the bridge. Heskan drew in a deep breath and exhaled. We did it, he thought. After forty days on the run, we made it home. Looking to his left, he locked eyes with Vernay and threw her a wink. After the commotion died down, Heskan ordered, “Jack, send a ping out to the Narvi beacon. Let’s see if it’s still working.”

  “Aye-aye, sir. It should be since there aren’t any more pirates around to wreck it.” He inputted commands into his console. “Ping sent, Captain. It will take seven hours and forty minutes round trip.” He looked down again at his console. “We have a comm request from Phoenix.”

  Komandor Lombardi’s face appeared as the main wall screen split into halves. Seconds later, the screen divided into thirds as Lieutenant Arnold joined. Lines of stress grooved Lombardi’s face; her mouth was a tight line. “Commander, we’re having great difficulty scanning this system. The interference from the asteroid belts makes it nearly impossible to see. We believe all three planets are uninhabited. Does Kite detect a Parasite presence?”

  Heskan regarded her for a moment. How will she react to the news? “We’re past the Parasites, Isabella. Welcome to your sworn enemies’ space.” Heskan smiled comfortingly and said, “Komandor, you’ve succeeded. You’ve led us out of Parasite space and into safety. This star system is Brevic-controlled territory.” He could see Arnold’s image nodding in agreement.

  Lombardi rocked back in her command chair and her gaze shifted downward. After a few moments, she replied in an uncertain tone that sounded almost as if she were trying to convince herself, “This is a good thing.” She remained quiet for several seconds before saying, “Is there a Brevic presence here? I suppose we need to plan how we would approach any such facility. I do not want any unfortunate misunderstandings.”

  Heskan’s heart went out to Lombardi. If anything, he thought, she looks even more stressed than before. He consulted the tactical plot quickly. “Nothing is here, Komandor, and it will take us a little over nineteen hours to reach the next tunnel point.” He tilted his head to the side as he considered his next sentence. “Perhaps this is the right time for us to meet, Komandor. Kite and her captain would be honored to receive you, ma’am.” She undoubtedly has questions and we do need to figure out the best way to enter Narvi. Moreover, I have a real concern that I want to address and I want to be face-to-face with her to gauge her reaction.

  Lombardi nodded with resignation. “Si, it is time. Let us do it immediately and then I will transfer back before we dive to your next system.”

  * * *

  Heskan hated the service dress uniform. I’m not some damned bureaucrat in a corporate office, he thought irritably. Nonetheless, he ordered service dress uniforms for all sailors of the reception party in the shuttle bay. His eyes moved over Lieutenants Vernay and Selvaggio. Any discomfort on their part was hidden well. Formed into tight ranks, the survivors of Kite’s marine contingent stood in their khaki service uniforms, multi-rifle butts resting on the deck. In front of the marines, Ensign Gables and Gunnery Sergeant Holloway were conferring quietly. Closest to Heskan, Chief Brown stood stoically, seemingly at ease in any uniform and situation.

  Personally, Heskan was nervous. I can’t believe I am finally meeting her, his mind kept repeating. From hated, psychopathic anathema to respected and trusted compatriot. What a journey it’s been for us. He looked at Brown. “Okay, Chief, you’ll take the shuttle pilots and anyone else Lombardi brings and give them a censored nickel tour before depositing them in Rec Room One. Keep them in a group and I want you to stay with them at all times.” Heskan shifted his weight anxiously. “Uh, the lieutenants and I will take Lombardi and any officers. I’ll flash you on your datapad when—”

  “When yer tour is finished,” Brown interrupted. “I got it, sir.
I’ve done plenty of tours before so stop worryin’, Skipper.” Brown winked at Heskan. “The chow’s bein’ cooked, Rec Room One is ready. It’ll be fine, Capt’n.”

  “You’re right, Chief. I don’t know why I’m so—”

  A loud warning buzzer sounded, drowning out the rest of Heskan’s statement as the bay’s lighting tinted to red. Heskan watched through a containment field as Kite’s shuttle bay doors slowly retracted to reveal the majesty of space. A shark-like green shuttle rose through the void and into the bay. It rotated to orient to the landing markings on the deck before creeping forward. Behind it, the heavily armored doors began to close. Minutes later, the shuttle came to rest and the vacuum in the bay was replaced with atmosphere. The containment field separating Heskan and his party from the shuttle snapped off and the lighting in the entire bay returned to normal.

  Gunnery Sergeant Holloway’s commanding voice echoed throughout the chamber. “Detail, Fall in!”

  The marines scrambled to form twin lines that created a pathway for the shuttle’s occupants. Gables and Holloway capped the end of each line. Heskan looked at his first officer and then began walking toward the end of the path. The Hollaran shuttle’s hatch cracked and a brief gushing noise of equalizing air pressure followed immediately. As the shuttle’s ramp unfolded, Heskan could see the striking image of Isabella Lombardi standing patiently at the opening. Her eyes widened slightly at the spectacle before her.