“Thirty-seven seconds until the friendly UHAAVs can get here,” said Jennifer.
Trinity spotted movement below her. It was the major.
How did he get here without getting killed? she wondered.
As she watched, the major lifted a long tube to his shoulder aiming it at the hatch. Trinity saw him mouth the word ‘Move.’ Wasting no time, she swung onto a nearby support bracket and took cover behind the Leviathan’s neck joint.
Boom!
The Leviathan shook but kept moving. Trinity peeked around the neck joint. The hatch was ajar on its hinge, but it was still shut. She doubted even the strength of her battle suit could rip the bent hatch open now.
“Incoming,” said Jennifer.
Tracking an incoming ball of energy with her passive scan, Trinity traced it back to its point of origin. Sergeant Ron sat on the firing seat of an antiaircraft gun emplacement. The ball of energy hit the cat’s hatch.
Boom!
Scrambling to hang on, Trinity noticed the hatch tumbling to the ground.
“Hmm,” said Jennifer. “I calculate the major’s anti-tank rocket weakened the hinge. Under normal circumstances, the anti-aircraft round wouldn’t have been effective.”
Caring little for the whys or wherefores, Trinity wrapped herself with some of her dwindling Power and levitated to the escape hatch. With a thrust of her arms, she was inside. The orange-suited man turned in the pilot’s seat and fired a burst of plasma rounds from a handgun. He was too hasty for his own good. Only two of the rounds hit glancing off the side of her battle suit’s chest armor.
Bang! Bang!
Trinity put two rounds from her phase pistol right in the middle of the man’s tattooed face. Blood splattered the windscreen behind him. Looking through the window at the flaming wreckage and torn bodies littering the ground below, Trinity put three more rounds into the man’s chest for good measure.
Stepping forward, she hit the icon on the control panel for ‘Stop.’ The Leviathan’s engine went silent as the cat’s weapons ceased firing. Jumping through the hatch, Trinity dropped the ten meters to the ground landing lightly with the aid of her battle suit’s assistors and a little bit of telekinesis.
“Send out the ceasefire signal,” Trinity ordered using command voice. “Tell those other cats to stand down. The target’s been neutralized.”
“Compliance.”
Trinity looked at the destruction around her. When her gaze fell on the major, he was shouting orders. He stopped shouting long enough to look at her and nod. Then he got back to reorganizing the chaos around him into a disciplined force.
Sitting on a nearby box, Trinity inspected her battle suit. Her wound was healed, but the leg still hurt. There was a gaping hole in the left thigh of her battle suit that drew her attention. She knew there as a matching hole on the opposite side.
“Well, that sucks,” Trinity told her battle computer. “I’m not likely to get a replacement set of pants out here.”
“I’d say the odds are—” began her battle computer.
“Don’t tell me,” Trinity said. “I really don’t want to know.”
Chapter 7 – Missing Data
_______________________
“Take pants off,” came the command from the translator on Charlie’s utility belt.
Trinity thought the command to unlatch the lower part of her battle suit from the upper part. As she started to undo the final latch, Sergeant Ron spoke up.
“Hold on one minute, Trinity. I said Charlie could probably fix the hole in your suit. I didn’t say anything about a strip show. My wife would wear the tar out of me if she even thought I was watching other women undress.”
Trinity laughed. “What’s the matter, Captain? Are you shy?”
“No,” said Sergeant Ron, “but I ain’t stupid either. I’m getting out of here while the gettin’s good.” The Defiant’s captain tossed a set of camouflaged pants in Trinity’s direction. “Now put these on before you go parading around on my ship.” He turned to hurry up the stairs. Just before his feet disappeared from view, he shouted, “And don’t call me Captain. I’m a sergeant. I work for a living.”
Charlie made a hissing sound which came out as laughter through his translator. Trinity laughed along with him.
“He’s a strange old bird,” Trinity said.
“Yes,” agreed Charlie with a nod of his head. “I like anyway.”
After removing her damaged battle suit pants, Trinity replaced them with the camouflaged pants Sergeant Ron had given her. She handed the lower part of her battle suit to the Sterilian.
“So you think you can fix these holes?”
Charlie lifted the battle suit bottoms near his face and studied the ragged hole. Since the suit was inactivated, the leather-like material was easy to handle. The Sterilian probed the hole with his fingers before nodding his head.
“I fix. Not pretty, but I fix.”
Trinity studied the Sterilian. Physically, he was a muscled, four-armed brute. Even though he could probably tie her in knots in a hand-to-hand fight, she had a feeling there was a lot more to him than met the eye.
“You’re connected to a large Power reserve,” Trinity said. “Sergeant Ron told me you could’ve qualified for wizard scout training at the Academy. Why didn’t you try for it?”
Charlie shrugged. “I like fix things. Wizard scouts not fix.” He made a hissing noise which came out of the translator as laughter as he held up the battle suit pants. “Wizard scouts break, not fix.”
Nodding her head in agreement, Trinity gave a laugh and left the Sterilian hunched over one of several work benches busily cutting away at the damaged material.
“You’re taking a risk,” said Jennifer. “The pants’ assistors worked fine. You just couldn’t seal your suit. I calculate a forty-seven percent probability the Sterilian will damage the pants even more.”
“Well, old friend, I think you’re wrong. I think he’s going to fix them just fine. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.”
“That doesn’t compute.”
Trinity laughed. “I’m sure it doesn’t. Not everything does.” She stopped on the stairs long enough to look back at Charlie. “I trust him, Jennifer. Sometimes you just have to do things based on faith.”
“That does not—”
Trinity laughed again as she finished her battle suit’s words. “—compute. Yeah, I know oh ye of little faith. Now, enough dillydallying. We’ve got things to do.”
After making a quick breakfast in the Defiant’s galley, Trinity took her sandwich and juice and found Telsa in the communications room staring at a computer console.
“Any progress?” Trinity asked already guessing the answer from the frown on the short woman’s face.
Tearing her gaze away from the screen, Telsa shrugged her shoulders. “The disk contains the professor’s notes on a new electronic stealth shield he was working on. It’s pretty theoretical.”
“What’s so special about that?” Trinity asked. “Stealth shields have been around a long time. From my experience the electronic ones aren’t as good as the stealth shields wizard scouts can create, but my understanding is the more advanced electronic stealth shields can hide smaller starships if they stay at least a light minute or so away from whoever they’re trying to avoid.”
“Actually,” said Jennifer using the battle helmet’s external speaker, “the better electronic shields can hide a destroyer at ranges greater than forty-two light seconds. Dreadnaughts and cruisers are too large to hide even by the best stealth shields.”
“I stand corrected,” Trinity said. “My point is that stealth shields are nothing new. For instance, the electronics on a Warcat UHAAV can create a stealth shield that’s difficult for even a wizard scout to detect at more than a few meters.”
“Be that as it may,” said Telsa, “someone thought the information on this disk was important enough to kidnap the professor and me.”
“You told us about the kidnapping durin
g our debriefing,” Trinity said. “I’m thinking it was pretty bold of the pirates to board a passenger liner that deep in Empire space just to grab two scientists, one of whom was only a grad student.”
“Exactly,” said Telsa. “The professor was on his way to deliver the keynote speech at the annual conference on astral physics on Optiva Six. He wanted me there to help answer any questions on hyper-drives.”
“And he never discussed his big speech with you?” Trinity asked.
Telsa shook her head. “Not really. He did tell me he hoped the information would start a new way of thinking in the field of stealth shields. The tattooed man that took us spent a lot of time questioning Professor Jaskok. The man didn’t waste time with me. I think he only kept me alive for leverage over the professor.”
Trinity took her battle helmet off of her hip and placed it on the computer console. “What do you think, Jennifer?”
“Well, wizard scout, since you asked so nice, I’ll tell you that I’ve compared the information on Telsa’s disk with the information that was copied to the tele-network. I calculate—”
“How’d you get access to that data over the tele-network?” Trinity demanded immediately becoming a little suspicious. “That information’s bound to be behind the Imperial High Command’s security firewall.”
“If you must know,” said Jennifer sounding indignant, “the central computer gave me access to the copy of the disk you sent to the Imperial High Command’s intel unit. Telsa was kind enough to give me direct access to the original data disk. After comparing the two sets of data, I calculate the disk has some information that isn’t available in the copy that was sent over the tele-network to the intelligence section.”
Trinity looked at Telsa. “I thought you sent the intel boys and girls an exact copy.”
Telsa pulled the data disk in question out of the computer console and stared at it. “I thought I did too. I’m sure everything on the disk got sent. The question is why didn’t all of it get to the intel unit.”
“I calculate the central computer chose not to include the missing parts of the data in the transfer,” said Jennifer. “There’s nothing in my databanks explaining why. Sometimes the central computer does things for its own reasons. This may be one of those times.”
“So what does it mean?” Trinity asked. “I feel like I’m a blind woman trying to find a red rose in a flower shop. I’m missing some very important information.”
Telsa placed the data disk back into the computer. “I think it means I need to concentrate on the parts of the professor’s data that didn’t make it to the Imperial High Command’s intel unit. Jennifer, I assume you’ll help me with that.”
“Affirmative,” replied Jennifer. “Uh, that is with my wizard scout’s permission, of course.”
“Of course,” Trinity said. “I’ll be leaving the Defiant, but Jennifer can use the tele-network to stay in contact with you.”
Nodding her head, Telsa went back to studying her computer screen. “I’ll let you know if I find anything out.” Looking up, she grinned at Trinity. “I’d tell you to stay out of trouble, but you seem to have a knack for finding it.”
Returning the grin, Trinity said, “Or trouble has a way of finding me. Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly which way it works.”
Chapter 8 – The Priests
_________________________
Early afternoon found Trinity at the entrance to the peacekeeper’s compound. Things had changed. A medium Long Cat UHAAV stood guard at the entrance along with two Tomcat scout cats. Two anti-aircraft gun emplacements straddled each side of the road. Their 40mm phase cannons were leveled ominously at Trinity. In addition, a squad of soldiers watched over her with rifles at the ready while their sergeant verified her authorization to enter.
“You’re clear to go,” said the sergeant. “The major wants you to report to the CP on the double.”
Foregoing any further discussion with the sergeant, Trinity took her time making her way to the command post. Signs of the previous day’s battle were mostly gone except for a few blackened spots on the ground where energy beams had hit.
A Warcat scout UHAAV passed by Trinity. The cat was trailed by a squad of soldiers carrying two anti-armor launchers and rockets over their shoulders. She noticed at least two similar teams meandering through other parts of the peacekeeper’s compound.
“Security’s definitely been increased,” Trinity told her battle computer.
“I calculate the major isn’t planning on getting caught by surprise again,” said Jennifer.
When Trinity arrived at the command tent, she went inside. The new tent was a duplicate of the old one. The only exception was a different sergeant manned the front desk in lieu of the previous desk sergeant.
The curtain to the inner tent was pulled back. Trinity saw two elaborately robed humanoids inside. One of the individuals was robed in all green while the other wore blue. Both of them sported complex tattoos on the exposed parts of their bodies.
“General Avandra promised he’d provide protection,” said the tattooed man in blue. “We pulled back our forces based upon his assurance.”
Trinity could see Major Criteron rise from behind his desk. The man didn’t look happy.
“General Avandra’s dead,” said the major as he glared at the blue-robed man. “Until I’m relieved by the Imperial High Command, I’m in charge. And until both of you are able to guarantee me your people can be trusted I’m pulling all of my peacekeepers back to this staging area. If you can’t provide a secure environment to do our job, I’ll damn well do it myself.”
“The traitor who attacked you yesterday was a Tremarian,” said the green-robed tattooed man. “You have no call to expel my technicians out of your compound. The Tremarians are the ones who can’t be trus—”
“You’re the traitors,” said the man in blue in a loud voice. “If you spent as much time trying to find who among your priests stole the Hallowed Gem as you did making accusations you’d—”
“Enough!” said the major. His eyes strayed to the open door flap catching sight of Trinity. “Wizard scout, get in here. I’d like you to meet our honored guests.”
Resisting an urge to balk at being ordered around, Trinity swallowed her pride and entered the adjourning office. She had a feeling the peacekeeper’s commander already had enough stress in his life without her adding to his problems.
“That’s right, wizard scout,” said Jennifer. “The major really is under a lot of pressure. The attack yesterday left twenty-two dead and forty-one wounded.”
“I know,” Trinity replied. “I’m being a good little girl. See, I’m smiling and everything.”
“Well, I calculate it looks more like a snarl than a smile, but what do I know. I don’t even have a mouth or teeth. I’m just a computer.”
Once inside, Trinity thought she saw the frown on the major’s face relax a little.
“I’m glad you’re here, Trinity.” Pointing at the blue-robed man, the major introduced his visitors. “This is his holiness Monsignor Detarus, and this is Monsignor Zerakan. Your Holinesses, this is Wizard Scout Trinity Delgado.”
The two tattooed men bowed at the waist and remained that way.
After a couple of awkward seconds, Trinity said, “Well, if you’re expecting me to curtsy or something, you’ve got the wrong wizard scout.”
Both men rose from their bows frowning.
“Ah, yes,” said the blue-robed Monsignor Detarus. “The Empire prides itself on gender equality, especially in their military. Here on Cavos, women remain in the home rearing our children.”
Trinity felt her face flush. Before she could tell the tattooed man what she thought of the ways of Cavos men, the major surprised her by speaking up in her defense.
“Trinity is the best wizard scout in the Empire. If she hadn’t stopped your traitor yesterday, our losses would’ve been much higher. We were lucky she was here.”
“Yes, so I heard,” said Monsignor
Zerakan. He looked over at Trinity. “It’s unfortunate you had to kill the man, wizard scout. We might have learned much during an interrogation. Some of my priests are quite good at questioning prisoners.”
“I’ll try to be more careful in the future,” Trinity said clenching her fists while trying to keep her facial features calm. “Unfortunately, the man had the cat’s weapons systems on automatic. Every second of delay shutting them down meant the possibility of more lives being lost.”
“Of course,” said Monsignor Zerakan. “As a female, I’m sure you did what you thought was best.”
Trinity bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She glanced at the major. She wasn’t used to insults, veiled or otherwise. Her limit of self-control was fast approaching its end. The major must have sensed as much because he hurriedly rushed to her defense once again.
“Trinity did exactly what I would’ve done had I been able to get inside that cat,” said the major. “And if you insist on insulting any of my soldiers, regardless of gender, I’ll have you escorted out the gate so fast those fancy tattoos of yours are liable to come right off.”
“Hmm, what do we have here?” said Jennifer in Trinity’s shared space. “Looks like you’ve got a new defender of your honor.”
“Can it, Jennifer.”
The green-robed man’s face turned red making the tattoos on his cheeks even more pronounced. Before he could say anything, Trinity cut him off.
“Are your tattoos unique?” Trinity asked, “Or is there some significance to them?”
At the question, the green-robed monsignor closed his mouth and looked at her for a couple of seconds before answering. “They mean something to us. Why do you ask?”
“Because the man I killed yesterday had tattoos that looked similar to the ones on Monsignor Detarus.”
“As I said—,” began Monsignor Zerakan.
“However,” Trinity said before the monsignor could get started, “one of the men I killed who was holding Professor Jaskok captive had tattoos that looked like yours. I’m curious. If the two different types of tattoos are unique to each of your sects, why would someone from each side appear to be working toward the same purpose?”
Trinity Unleashed (Wizard Scout Trinity Delgado Book 1) Page 8