by I. Christie
"As you know, once you are into the slipstream we can't pluck you out of there and I won't ask you to do anything that crazy."
Commander Montran nodded. She had no intention of being in a life pod and ejected into the wake of a larger ship. The lifepods did not have the capability of sustaining a life form for the adjustment of that sudden drop of forward motion.
"We are sending a ship to back you up, Catching Butterflies, though it has not left port yet. Since it will be traveling a lot faster than your vehicle, we have enough time to assemble an appropriate crew. They will assist Emperor's Last Chance that was sent to Arnica a year ago to find out what Alan was up to. The two ships will subdue Alan's soldiers, access the damage they have done to the inhabitants and see if we can do something about it. Within this data flow is the latest information on the planet sent by the Emperor's Last Chance. It was received a few weeks ago, so by the time you arrive, it will be stale, but it's something. Catching Butterflies and Emperor's Last Chance have official duties…and limitations; therefore, we need you two to do some gathering of information. There were colonists sent there…that should not have been with weapons they should not have taken with them. Commander, do what is necessary. Have you anything to say?"
"Yes, admiral…I…" Vanster started.
"You have been awarded the lowest officers rank of lieutenant until the review board is sure your attitude was due to a chip implant. The board has also put you under Lt. Commander Montran's direct command until your return."
Vanster was silent, but by the slight color in her cheeks, and the flashes of color around her, she knew she was pleased on some level.
"Ahh, admiral," Alexandra cleared her throat, embarrassed that she was asking something personal. "Is…Major Zohra alright?"
"Ahh. Your lifemate. If all goes well, she should be joining you two. She's in the Rouster, following at a slower pace. But we're hoping Catching Butterflies will catch up with her and give her a ride the rest of the way. You all should be arriving about the same time. We are hoping she can give them the slip and join up with you somewhere on the planet. We need to know what's going on with the colonists," she reemphasized.
Alexandra's face colored at the public knowledge that Major Zohra and her were something more than friends, and then nodded, relieved that it was officially noted. It would make their life easier. Her thoughts then returned to their new assignment. Something about the colonists was bothering two political powers enough to send three officers to go looking.
What's up with that?
"What of Alan?" Lt. Vanster asked worried.
"He and the ship he was on, was blown up by mercenaries. Our rescue ships were too late to save the crew but we did inflict heavy damages on the band that attacked them."
There was a moment of silence as both took in the news. Alexandra could not prevent the smile that warmed her face as she thought of who was soon to be following.
"Safe journey. And…do come back safe. Your sisters, Lt. Vanster are already missing you, and Lt. Commander…I would like to award you your command bars myself."
"Thank you, Ma'am. I appreciate your confidence."
***
Chapter 36
"There she is. Now don't kill her. She still thinks she's working for Alan," Major Zohra cautioned. The major was standing on the bridge of the Rouster, Alan's ship keeping an eye on his drugged relaxed form that was safely restrained in a police energy net and at the same time watching the Collective's ship as it moved to intercept the Trojan Horse. She could feel Alexandra's presence near but not the familiar feelings when their thoughts were able to touch.
When the Trojan Horse took off, Zohra's cry of dismay had Alan's eyes blinking in surprise. The medication he was on kept him mellow and quiet.
Zohra grabbed him by the collar and shook him. "Where are they headed?"
He shrugged his shoulders smiling oafishly. "I don't know. Maybe it's going to keep my appointment, or…" he waved his hand, "maybe it's going home."
Major Zohra sped their vessel to the rougue hospital ship he had an appointment on. It was a month's travel, but on their second day…they received a message from Sgt.Vanster.
Zohra was furious. Alan could not understand her frustration.
"If you want you can follow her."
"I don't have a ship!" Zohra fumed. "It would be great if this ship didn't sustain damage to her life support. In case you didn't notice we're on backup life support."
"This is a Deluxe Belton. The backup is just as strong as the primary."
"I know what a D-Belt is!" Zohra suddenly understood. "Bloody moon, of course! But they have to be prepped….this is your backup ship." Major Zohra felt like slapping her head. Alan always had backup plans and his ships would have backup capabilities.
"The Trojan Horse is my back up, though it's newer and faster. We can take Rouster to the shipyard and get her upgraded. I've meant to… just haven't had the time," he informed her with the idiotic grin on his face of someone that was high on drugs.
"In case you've missed it. There is a small war going on and personal ships do not have priority. Let's go take a look at the stasis pod."
Zohra stamped back to the small cargo area to look it over with the others and Alan following in her wake. The supply log showed it had been serviced recently for up to a ten stan year trip.
"Goddess! How far is this planet?"
Alan shrugged his shoulders. "In the Trojan Horse, eight months, in the Rouster about a year. If you just go by pod, its short of two stan years."
"Corporal, run tests on this system and set it up to my bios. While you're doing that, I'm going to dump whatever he has in his database for the trip and download the information from the Zip. I don't trust anything he has set up here."
"Major, are you sure about this?"
"Yes. Let's move on it. I've got some catching up to do!" Goddess, JG. What happens if she's not there? She's getting there months ahead of you and lots of things can happen.
"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded.
You, Ensign…Halsey. Send a message to command of my intentions. Get it off as soon as possible. You there, move Alan to the Zip."
In three stans hours the computer's database was reloaded with the necessary information she was going to need and Alan and the Corporal had been transferred over to the Zip. The admiral gave her the okay and an assignment. The Counsel of Rings was concerned about some of the people that were illegally sent to Arnica under the guise of setting up a colony, with weapons of mass destruction.
Zohra slammed her hand against the bulkhead angrily. "They're ready to wipe out a civilization just so they can start their own farms! Damn hypocrites. Damn politics," she muttered.
"You're going to like this, major." The ensign walked over to her smiling. "We can shut the life support down completely on this ship, letting you survive in the pod. That way, the ship can cruise faster…get you there in less than a year. But, before you pop open the pod hatch, remember to check out the settings in the ship. I'm putting an AEG suit in your pod just in case."
"Hell of small space to dress," Zohra muttered, but she was pleased. She was also cleared to chase after Alexandra. If they found the portal, and they were able to use it, maybe they would be home sooner than planned.
Before she slid into the hibernation chamber, she whispered to the corporeal, "Tell the general, I'll miss her, but I'll be home as soon as I can."
The corporal nodded then sealed her in the pod located in the reinforced cargo bay. He waited for the console to signal she was in deep sleep, then again rechecked the bios, running diagnostics when a life form was in stasis. Satisfied, he returned to the Zip.
From the bridge of the Zip, Capt. Basla watched the ship engage on autopilot and head for a planet in another star system called Arnica.
"Transmit, the major is safely in transit. Now, let's go home troops. We've got one dead-beat fugitive to hand over to the judicial magistrate and then we're back to patrolling in our own s
ector."
Five small ships appeared on the Zip's screen before they engaged thrusters. Shots from the ships started the moment they appeared on their screens.
Capt. Basla was a fighter and the smuggler's intent to not let them leave alive was easy to read in their attack approach.
"Send out another bot, ensign. We may not get out of this alive."
***
Chapter 37
Rear Admiral JoCastao slammed her hand on the arm of the chair in agitation, as the reports kept coming in on attacks on strategic military and commercial sites by smuggler's ships. The attacks started on civilian ships, but soon the real targets were made known.
"Rear Admiral, I have a message from LaDea Gedaliaha."
"Yesss!" JoCastao tapped the small button on her console. After a few moments she tapped the button again and slid out of her command chair. She nodded at her first officer.
First Officer Wing Commander BenWai smiled and whispered into what seemed like thin air. "It's a go."
Those on the bridge gave silent gestures of approval with fists pumping in the air or rubbing their lucky stones with anticipation. Silence, even on the bridge, was practiced as if their quarry, the unsuspecting smugglers would pick up any loud noise they made. It was time to close the well-planned trap.
"Drop the array and bring it online as soon it's ready. Call me in my quarters. You have the bridge, Cmdr."
Rear Admiral JoCastao hurried into her quarters to read the 'for her eyes only' reports that would be pouring in from others that were sent out on 'protect at all cost' deployments. Her assignment was Merker's Outpost, to prevent the Alowans from taking it over.
***
**
"Captain, Major General Aglauros reported the seal over the planet is in place."
Lt. Malchi nodded as she returned her attention to the screens in Com-C.
"Move into phase five, and notify the Captains and shamans. Sgt. Major, notify Cmdr Hayes of that bottleneck on screen Omega. Lt. Menja!"
A thin figure that was resting her bones on a wall near the entrance to the Command Center was quickly at Lt. Malchi's side.
"Time to move out," she informed in a soft voice to the translucent face that nearly towered over her when the lieutenant stood up straight.
The lieutenant wasted no time in farewells as she quickly left the room, gathering other thin translucent figures as she made her way to the elevator.
***
"Sir, we have a message of a bottleneck in the outer city."
"Send Company C. It's time for them to prove whether their reputation was earned in a bar or in the mud."
Cmdr. Hayes sat in the main chair, watching the screens in Century City's Com-C that had been reactivated. His officers were effectively deploying troops where the invaders appeared, keeping them contained, and when able, sending them back through their transporting devices and destroying the grounder so they would no longer be able to get a homing fix.
"Sir, Rear Admiral JoCastao on a secured line."
The commander nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, closing out the distracting businesses as he telepathically linked with his lifemate.
"Greetings, husband." A warm feeling wrapped around his skull then moved to his body as the connection completed.
"Greetings, my beloved wife. Good news?"
"It is going well. All the portal planets have the new array in place and attacks against them, both inside and outside are being repelled. The smaller smuggler ships are doing damage, but the cadets are hanging tough and ferreting them out."
"It is going too well, my love. We must not let our troops be deceived by our victories."
"Ahh. Your point is well taken, husband. There are members of my crew who are already celebrating this war as won by us. It seems for such a well-planned attack by the outlawed planets and their agents, that they would not have spies in the right places. Do you not think also?"
"Exactly."
"Stay safe in the Circle, my beloved husband. I wish to take that vacation to Celone IV with you before the end of this month."
"And I too, my beloved wife. I look forward to the baths in Falls Shed."
"Beware of the Miten's Bark."
"And you too, my love.
Commander Hayes opened his eyes and let the presence of his lifemate slowly seep out of his pores as his eyes focused on the screens in front of him. The image of the dog of death, the Miten, faded away as well.
"Evens! What in Helgas Moon tides is that group doing?"
"Ensign Evens moved to the screen his commander was staring at horrified.
"Easy Seven! Come in! Easy Seven..."
Before their eyes the team was overwhelmed and run-over by a well-prepared invading force that moved quickly out of sight of the cameras.
The ensign looked back at his commander. "I…I'm sorry Sir. I was watching this other monitor." The ensign looked pale, and he should be, though there may have been nothing he could have done had he seen the vortex opening before the invaders entered and scattered. It was part of war, but there was still a suspicion in the commander's mind, as he knew they were winning too many skirmishes to call it luck.
The commander waved him to silence as he looked over the other screens. The other soldiers looked back at their assigned monitors uneasily.
"Lt. XeMxx, report to Com-C." the commander softly ordered from his chair.
Ensign Evens, returned to his assigned screens nervously ordering a replacement group out to the area that was just lost.
The hiss of the door opening and entrance of a young soldier went mostly unnoticed as everyone was pouring their attention on their assignments.
"Ensign Evens, you are relieved of duty until a proper investigation can be made. Lt. XeMxx, you are to take his place. Guards, escort the ensign to his quarters where he is to remain until called for," Commander Hayes held up his hand at Evens' expected objection. "It's standard procedure, you know that ensign. When I get a chance, we'll talk. Now quickly, we don't have time for this."
Cmdr. Hayes returned his attention to the monitors, letting his mind take in the mistake, the timing, and what a group of enemy soldiers in that part of the city meant. Under standard procedure, to minimize the damage of the mistake, he would send out the Spartans who had been cleared as clean agents. He would also send out the team that Evens sent out…no, if Evens is under suspicion, he would counter any commands the ensign issued. Cmdr Hayes tapped the button on his console that would bring up personnel files. He remembered reading about one soldier who had specialized in search and destroy missions on his own home planet.
He was one of the kidnapped bodies Alan had procured to make into one of his metrasoldiers. He was lucky that a group of undercover operatives had rescued him and several others from a smuggler's ship destined for an illegal laboratory ship. By then, knowledge of the planned invasion was known to HQ of the Counsel of Rings, and a line officer made the decision to enlist Carl McHenry's assistance. In return, he was given a barter chip to petition for placement on a planet that was suitable for his lifestyle after the invading forces were subdued or in three stan years, depending which came first.
"McHenry." a soft voice returned his summons.
"You heard?" Cmdr Hayes asked, knowing the answer.
"Yeah."
"Take care of the problem."
Cmdr Hayes leaned back in his chair feeling confident in this person's ability.
His attention went back to the screens noting the team sent to replace Easy Seven had eliminated the possibility of any more troops coming through at that point. However, all it takes is one team of highly skilled killers to put a big dent in their defense operations. Killing was not what they wanted to happen on Merkers Outpost. Rendering them unconscious or inactive was their aim. McHenry, to his credit, was willing to work within those parameters.
He looked at the alarm console. One was amber, indicating they were under siege. One was red, which indicated there was a breech in the
ir defense line, and one was green, which showed they were in active combat mode. Everyone should be on the look out for….
"Captain Shi?"
"Yes, sir?"
"What do you think about Evens?" Cmdr Hayes asked quietly over his throat mic.
"Well, if he is part of the conspiracy, he would, if he could, try to help them further…like set up a diversion."
"Hmm. Sounds right. Is there anyone that Evens avoided?"
"Sir?"
"I'm thinking, the second spy would have to be someone he has not come into contact with, so that we could not pin him with guilt by association."
"Right, you are Sir. We're checking out his pals, we'll also run a report on different angles for his counterpart."