by I. Christie
"Hmm. Try the innocuous, like the cook or maintenance personnel. Lock out any further changes to the system. Change to another code."
"It will put us out of sync with the Lair, Sir."
"That's okay. It will be expected. Get the shuttle ready. Send the Spartans with an empath out to the Southern Ridge. I think there may be more surprises over there."
"Right, Sir. Should I notify the Lair before…?"
"Yes. Give them a coded update. And Captain? Handle this yourself."
"Understood, Sir."
Cmdr Hayes tapped his fingers on the console watching the scenes unfold before his eyes.
Well, Evens…let's see what you've set into motion here.
***
Lt. Malchi read the 'YEO' message again. A breech in Century City.
She turned to face the screens to her left studying Ensign 'Elga, who was in charge of monitoring the section that Major General Aglauros felt would be an ideal place for an invading army to hide out and gather before striking the Lair. Few of the line officers knew that she had taken her elite guard with a few others to that part of the planet. Her ship with a skeleton crew was hovering over the planet monitoring the array, as Rear Admiral JoCastao and her ship, Star Jumper, moved to their next assignment, containing the flow of traffic at the jump gates near Merker's Outpost.
At shift change as the new members moved to their assigned screens, Lt. Malchi noted the young woman who took Cpl. JeFe's place. He nodded to her as he gave her an update of what he had seen and listened to any questions she had.
Lt. Malchi exchanged looks with Lt. Mi,u. Both were curious why the roster they had prepared was changed.
Lt. Mi,u moved to the young woman who was wearing the badge of the Centurion.
"Corporal…Jen."
Lt. Mi,u had beckoned Cpl. JeFe back to watch the screens as she talked with Cpl. JeFe.
"Yes, Ma'am. I know I'm not on the roster, but Bumper isn't feeling well…so I volunteered to take her shift. I'm certified, Ma'am."
Lt. Malchi kept her eyes moving around the screens watching for anything that may happen while their attention was being diverted.
Screen Zed had a slight flicker, which she noticed the technician that was monitoring did not take note.
"Captain Raizel, we may have a hit," she whispered softly in the mic Guardian had provided them.
"I see it. We're on it, out."
Lt. Mi,u checked out her credentials then nodded to Cpl. JeFe he could leave.
What a coincidence that she has all the qualifications of a communications tech, yet she was assigned to kitchen detail. Lt. Malchi raised her eyebrow at Lt. Mi,u.
"She reported the only opening left for duty here was kitchen and she wanted to be in on the action so she took it. She started out in the Corps as cook's assistance then studied communications."
Lt. Malchi nodded. "Check out the soldier at Zed."
Lt. Mi,u walked over to the person in question.
"Soldier, where is your relief?"
"Don't know, Ma'am." The soldier did not take her eyes off the screens she was assigned to.
The door behind them swished open and an embarrassed ensign came rushing in.
"Ensign Ho reporting late for duty, Ma'am. I…my alarm didn't go off. I'm sorry, Ma'am."
Lt. Mi,u returned salute and nodded for her to replace the other soldier.
The shaman's were edgy about not being able to find just who the group was that were acting as spies. They only could tell Major General Aglauros there were five of them. They were part of a group that sought to influence the new organization of the Committee to lift some of the restrictions on allowing planets that were bent on genocide warfare from traveling in space. The idea was to keep the atmosphere in chaos so they could slip representatives onto the new board without too much in depth examination, just to get the military back in full service.
Captain Raizel's job was ferreting out whom the spies were. Her ability to take unconnected events and see commonalities made her one of the best line officers that oversaw covert operations.
The small events that were happening around the Lair, odd inconsistencies, was telling Raizel that whoever was the leader of the invaders, knew what would confuse sensitives, what would distract the energy flow of a group, and how to infiltrate. Capt. Raizel suspected someone trusted was either tampered with or working for the other side.
Capt. Raizel pulled up the screen with the information on Sgt. Vanster and Major Zohra. Both had chip implants. There had to be a pattern in their disappearances from their group and area. If she could pin point where it happened, she would have a better idea of who would have enabled their disappearances for the time needed for their surgery.
***
"Lt. Malchi?"
"Lt. Malchi, here."
"Ma'am, Capt. Raizel has requested your immediate presence at a meeting with the shaman's."
"I'm on my way; out." Lt. Malchi was just off her shift and was looking forward to a nice soak in a tub, alone, with soft music, and a massage from the bot.
Muttering curses under her breath, Lt. Malchi slipped her shoes back on and was thinking about why Capt. Raizel did not call her over the small throat mics.
"Speak on. Maddi?" she whispered softly.
"Bian?"
"Did you call for me?"
"No. I was just thinking of retiring to a nice warm bath with Sula. Is something the matter?"
"I got a message that you requested me to a meeting with the shamans. Now."
"Alright. Who notified you?"
"I did not recognize the voice, nor ask a name." Blasters. What a time to get slack.
"Well…this seems to be part of the war, having us question motives, orders, calls. Let's go see what is happening there. Meanwhile, I'll alert the others to keep an eye on where we are not."
"I'm on my way. Out."
At the two women's arrival to the front of the meeting room for the shamans a young shaman was standing outside the door and held up his hand in greeting.
"You are on time."
"Is there something going on that we need to know about?" Capt. Raizel asked concerned.
The door slid open and Shaman Bu,tom leaned out the door. "Would you care to join us?"
The two women entered and found twelve sitting in a circle and four on the outside. Some were apprentices, but in name only, for many made a lifetime of apprenticing to various shamans of different species to insure in their next life they would return in a higher state.
"We have news that Major Zohra and Lady Alexandra are safe…however….we believe they are in stasis." LaDea Gedaliaha informed the two women.
"Stasis! Life-pods? Where are they headed?"
"And why?" Capt. Riziel added to Lt. Malchi's question.
"It's one of those unforeseen things that happens. They are safe. We don't know where they are headed until they reach their destination," another offered.
"Wait a moment. Major Zohra was going to investigate Alan's ship. Where would Alan's ship go if programmed for long distance travel, but to that planet Naboths Vine said he was setting up for his escape," Capt. Raziel slapped her thigh.
"Sounds like it. Well, they will be missing a good fight here."
"What was your meeting called for?" Lt. Malchi asked curious.
LaDea Gedaliaha smiled for a moment then nodded to the thin translucent Moridian.
"There is a presence that is wandering here. I have felt it and on occasion heard its thoughts. It is looking for a friend."
"A…" Capt. Raziel stopped.
"What does the enuit say?"
"Carol-Maa says it is one of the Sha'Kar from the Shadowy City. S'he has communicated with it. It says that it's friend came to the Lair with Major Zohra and Lady Alexandra. They have told you nothing of this?"
Both women shook their head.
"Well, then. We can not help it if its friend has left the planet with one of them."
LaDea Gedaliaha nodded. "I think it
is more than likely to attach itself to Lady Alexandra. Shala, tell the Sha'Kar that it is headed to Arnica, a planet that is half a stan year of our time from here, provided you have a fast ship. I do not think they have such ships at their disposal." LaDea Gedaliaha looked at the two soldiers.
"No. If it's a life pod it will take about two years, a private vessel like Alan's ships would take about eight months to a year. A military ship or even one of the newer models would get there in less than a year."
Shala's eyes closed to slits for a moment then opened. She nodded. "It has heard your thoughts." Shala paused a moment. "It has offered…to help us ferret out these offworlders we are fighting…if we help it to get to Arnica."
LaDea Gedaliaha nodded as if she expected this. "Capt. Raziel?"
"I know Rear Admiral JoCastao, Major General Aglauros and Lord DeMonte will all be interested in sending a ship to Arnica. Let me find out if they will agree on an extra passenger. I have no doubt they will accept." Capt. Raziel bowed to the group and before exiting. "Was there more?"
"No."
As the two officers hurried down the hall, Raziel glanced over at Malchi. "So, sister, what do you think?"
"I think, our sister Zohra, has not finished her journey. It was nice to see her after so many years, though."
"Uh huh. At least she has a better job this time."
Raziel laughed. "Bian, I some how do not think chasing after Lady Alexandra is going to be any easier than keeping an eye out for her. Either she is finding trouble or trouble is finding her."
Malchi grinned. "Enough to keep the warrior blood strong in our aging sister. No?"
Both laughed.
Malchi stepped aside to let Raziel enter her quarters first. Malchi and Raziel settled in chairs while Sula waited on them. When everyone was settled, Raziel nodded to Sula and she settled in her pose to began a link with one of her sisters who was with Major General Aglauros. Sula nodded that the link was made.
"A sentient of this planet has offered assistance to direct us to the whereabouts of the offworders if we provide it with transportation to Arnica, where the shamans believe Lady Alexandra and Major Zohra are headed," Raziel explained softly.
Sula's eyebrow rose but did not show any other emotion.
The wait seemed long and both women were napping when Sula took a deep breath, signaling she was ending her communication with her sibling.
In Sula's immediate family there were five sisters and two brothers and they all shared an uncanny telepathic connection that could not be interfered with by an outsider. The siblings offered their services to Naboths Vine with the agreement that whatever they participated in would not endanger any of them. They were scattered to keep up a communication link with spots considered high priority.
"It has been agreed by those with the authority to allow the Sha'Kar to travel to Arnica on the new ship, Catching Butterflies."
"When this is finished…I shall request a long vacation." Lt. Malchi told her companions seriously.
"You and a lot of others." Capt. Raziel laughed.
"Yeah. It is an interesting adventure to think about. I would like to get back to my warm bath and hopefully, uninterrupted sleep. I bid you both pleasant dreams."
***
Chapter 38
"Come!"
The door made a sibilant hiss as it slid open. The group that entered shared a suppressed excitement that Lord DeMonte recognized. It was the excitement of exploring the unexplored and interacting with new species. The political powers in the known galaxies were still adjusting to their own borders that were expanding and had not set out any long distant explorations, aside from companies that wished to make a profit on frontier settlement.
Forty-seven officers stood before him. They represented the crew of over a thousand that were from both the Collective and what had once been called the Committee. The new organization had not voted on a name yet nor completed selecting new members. Some of the members Lord DeMonte did not trust while others he felt he knew too little to be trusting the life of his sister/cousin with. Lord DeMonte had little experience with the Collective except through intermediaries and his brief meetings recently on Merker's Outpost.
The crew for Catching Butterflies was in their last stages of preparation. This meeting was merely a formality with the security officers, to reaffirm the purpose of the mission. The crew was composed of military and nonmilitary personal, to report on the condition of Arnica, halt Alan's soldiers and see if any damage control measures would have to be made.
"Reporting for duty, High Counsel." Newly promoted Captain Melchi, head of the infantry security team, moved one step forward from the others then stepped back in line.
Si'en from the Counsel of the Rings rose from the table. It was agreed he would represent all parties that had interests in this ship's business. The Counsel of Rings was the highest authority in dealing with matters between the various galaxy political parties.
"You have your orders, Captain Melchi. Render Alan Fermin's metrasoldiers harmless and bring back as many as you can, clean up whatever mess you can without creating a worse problem…and return safely. My heart to your hearts."
The group moved out of the room. Their excited talk was cut off as the counsel doors shut behind them.
Lord DeMonte did not want any more continued talk with Lady Varina whose presence made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, nor to be cornered by C'hi A, from another group that he did not trust. Their doubled efforts of cornering him before the meeting, thus preventing him from talking to Lady Ja,uma, had him suspicious. He escaped quickly behind the departing crew, and moving in the opposite direction down the hall. He closed the emergency stairwell door behind him, and grabbing the banister, took the stairs down, two at a time.
He was on the next level waiting for the elevator that part of the crew was on. The door opened and Captain Melchi, her first and second officers and a few of her crew were standing in the elevator silent, as if the stopping of the elevator halted their conversation.
Lord DeMonte stepped in and inserted a key. The car resumed its movement to the next stop. The group got off and crowded into a small room.
"Well, what did you find?"
"There are twelve spies among the officers and about fifty-six among the crew. However, we don't know if they are along to do harm."
"Was everyone checked for chips?"
Captain Melchi nodded. "With the new information we have, we can scan for them easily. They will all be replaced tonight." She frowned. "I sure hope those officers haven't figured out yet that this ship is more than a deep space science vessel."
Lord DeMonte shook his head. "The Collective has been working on it for only a short time. The added technology is donated by the Guardian on Merker's Outpost as a thank you for putting his cities back on line without Alan's virus. We haven't seen the likes of this stuff so you shall be testing it too."
Captain Melchi nodded.
"It's time I left. May you ride the tides safely and good health to you all."
"We shall bring her back safely, Lord DeMonte."
A quick grin appeared on his face. "Likely it will be that she brings herself back."
The others laughed.
That night, the ship took off early, leaving behind the unwanted members and stopping off after a few gate hops, to pick up their replacements.
After a month of doing a shake-down and getting acquainted with their new ship and 'toys' the entire crew was in their sleep pods for the rest of the ride. The Sha'Kar moved alone in the corridors and rooms, pinning for a friend. They would be in stasis for six stan months, slower than what they would have liked to go, but the Sha'Kar might be harmed moving faster.
Behind them, they left Merker's Outpost secured and back into private hands, with a new group of scientists arriving to work on moving metrapeople back into their own productive lives. Dr. Sharon Teal headed the team. There was still a scattering of fighting going on around what once was call
ed Collective space. They were planning on reassembling in three stan months as the United Cooperative. One of the first big issues on the table was reviewing the requirements of closed planets to become members of interstellar travel.