Prime Alpha (Planetary Powers Book 1)

by Joshua Boring

  “Captain Bryor.”

  The chair rotated at the sound of Nathen’s voice, as if drawn by an invisible hand.

  Seated in the chair was a middle-aged man, somewhere in his forties. He had a head of hair that looked like inky black raven’s feathers, and stormy blue eyes that had the glowing gleam of fresh laser-cut steel. His hands were thin and appeared gentle, but the way he held them suggested they would strike fireballs from the sky. The neatly trimmed beard on his face highlighted his thin jaw line, which itself was stitched with small, pale white scars. His captain’s uniform bore the standard shade of red—a captain’s crimson—but almost half of it was a scorched black, making it look like he was wearing a uniform of embers and coals. He smiled upon seeing Nathen, mouth parting like a razor from a scabbard, and casually rose from his chair.

  “Commander Knight. Welcome back.”

  Nathen motioned to Calico at his side. “Specialist Calico Trast.”

  Calico stood at attention and saluted. “Permission to come aboard, sir.”

  “Permission granted.”

  “Calico Trast,” Nathen said, motioning with his hand. “This is our captain, Gordon Bryor. Aka, ‘The Ambassador’.”

  Nathen waited while Calico sized up the captain. He had the welcoming demeanor of a strict yet caring stepfather, and his voice was smooth and distinctive like aged wine. He was neat and well-kept, physically fit. For the most part, Gordon Bryor looked every bit the dignified and self-controlled starship officer… and yet there was an indistinct hackle about him, like an animal baring its teeth behind tense lips. If Calico picked up on that detail, she did not show it.

  “So,” Calico said in a friendly tone. “You’re an ESC too?”

  The man known as Gordon Bryor did not reply. He seemed to suddenly be lost in thought. Nathen stepped in to fill the gap.

  “Captain Bryor is an invaluable ally of the ESCs. But his job is different than ours. Our responsibility is completing the mission. His responsibility is getting us in and out in one piece.”

  “Oh,” Calico said, understanding. “Well, with a ship as amazing as Haven Alpha under his command, I’m sure we have nothing to worry about.”

  “Little more than a glorified taxi until we whet her claws on the enemy,” Gordon said, with just a tenor of humor. “Tell me. Who do you think is keeping the sky from falling down while you’re on the ground?”

  Calico stared at the captain, curiously. “Eager for a little action, Captain?”

  Gordon tucked one hand behind his back, turning partly sideways.

  “We’re a spearhead about to plunge into the body of a war that’s been waging for many years, Miss Trast. I won’t be diverted by the suggestion of bloodlust. Your Elite Stellar Commandos and my Haven Alpha are two weapons merged together, and we wield each other accordingly. I have the sky, and I respectfully surrender the ground to you. But we’re ultimately made one when we slay the same enemy.”

  Calico was about to speak when she suddenly spotted what was on the captain’s side. Holstered in an oversized leg holster was a magnificent mag pistol, a foot long and nearly the size of a small machine gun. Its warped, elegantly shaped muzzle flare stuck out of the bottom of the holster like a gunmetal snout, and the glimmering black pistol grip was carved masterfully in what could only be obsidian alloy. Mounted in the side of the magazine housing, glinting brightly in the bridge light, was a polished gold medallion about the size of a closed fist. And on its surface, clearly emblazoned, was the symbol of the Yew Alliance.

  Gordon sensed her stare. He frowned, thoughtfully, then turned eased into a relaxed smile.

  “I hope to demonstrate my philosophy soon, Miss Trast. Haven Alpha is more than just a ship. She’s the sleekest, smartest, deadliest vessel the galaxy has yet seen.”

  “So I’ve heard,” said Calico, glancing in Nathen’s direction. Nathen took over the conversation and shifted gears.

  “Captain, do we have an established connection with the light net?”

  Gordon’s eyes flashed, sensing a possible mission. “At all times.”

  Nathen nodded in approval. The “Light Net” as it was called, was the galactic civilization’s instant communications network. It extended to most major planets, and almost every inhabited system. Contrary to its official name, the Light Net sent communications at near real-time, so it was actually a Superluminal Communications Network, but for some reason “Super Comnet” hadn’t stuck.

  Nathen motioned at the control console. “Let’s give Chronos a call.”

  Gordon dropped into his seat and swiveled so he was forward facing.

  “Communications,” he said, authoritatively.

  The communications operator swiveled in his chair, but kept one hand hovering over his instruments. “Aye, Captain?”

  “Link us into the Net and get me a secure connection with high command.”

  “Aye aye, sir.”

  Gordon looked over and met Nathen’s eyes. “It’ll take a few minutes to establish a secure link. Let’s talk, Commander. It has been a while since we’ve seen each other, and we really haven’t had a chance to talk since our reactivation.”

  Nathen nodded in agreement. “What’s it been? About eight months since our last mission? Hope we haven’t gotten rusty in that time.”

  Gordon leaned back in his chair and rested his elbows on the arm rests.

  “People like you don’t get ‘rusty’. They get bored. It just makes them all the more charged when they find something to do.”

  “I hope you’re right. We’ll probably find out soon.”

  Just then the comm. officer turned from his console.

  “Sir, we’re getting a return signal from Chronos.”

  Gordon spun in his chair and looked down at the comm. operator. “Do we have encryption?”

  “Yes, Captain,” said Communications. “We’ve got the encrypter running, and the signal weave is fully engaged.”

  “Run it to my deck.”

  “Aye sir.”

  Gordon motioned to Nathen and Calico. “Join me. I want to try out the holo projector.”

  Nathen and Calico stepped over next to the captain’s chair. Gordon touched a switch, and the entire semi-circle command console split in the center and swiveled to the sides. The overhead vidscreen retracted, and the control board lowered toward the floor. Gordon waited until the components had finished shifting before activating a key on his chair’s armrest.

  “Admiral Chronos.”

  The area between the two split sections of the main console shimmered with projected light, then settled into the image of the older Jason Denver, likewise seated in a command chair.

  “Hello Ambassador.” The hologram indicated an awareness of Nathen’s presence. “And Commander Knight.”

  Nathen nodded a hello.

  Denver’s voice came through the transmission with impressive clarity. Nathen could just hear the sound of the man inhaling a breath from his cigarette. As he exhaled, the hologram of him shimmered, almost unnoticeably, as the light interacted with the smoke.

  “How’s the image on your end?” Denver asked.

  “Like a crystal,” said Gordon. “And audio seems fine, too.”

  “Excellent,” said Denver, taking another drag before smashing his cigarette out in some unseen ashtray. “Now, what did you need? I assume specialist Trast is now in your company.”

  “Right here,” Nathen confirmed, motioning behind him. At his prompt, Calico stepped forward and saluted at the hologram. Denver grinned and crossed his legs.

  “Hello again, Miss Trast,” he said, with the demeanor of a jolly grandfather. “I wasn’t sure you’d remember me. I know our interview was short and, well, incomplete. How are you adapting to the ranks of the elite?”

  Calico reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “I’m a little dizzy at everything. Frankly, you hadn’t prepared me for this when you told me I was being transferred.”

  Denver tossed his hands in d
ismissal. “I left that responsibility to the Commander. I did give you a choice.”

  Calico glanced down at the deck. “Yes…”

  “Not having second thoughts, are you?”

  Calico quickly looked up and shook her head. “No. I’m glad to be here.”

  Denver nodded in approval and turned his attention back to Nathen.

  “So, Commander, what news prompts this conference?”

  Nathen crossed his arms and shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Well, we cracked that data you sent us. It was slow progress until we got Calico in on it.”

  Denver waved a hand through the air idly. “I told you so.”

  Nathen reached over to one of the split consoles, but stopped and glanced back at Gordon.

  “May I?”

  Gordon motioned at the console. “Be my guest.”

  Nathen punched a few switches, then hit the execute command. “I’m sending you what we discovered. It’s not all translated yet, but we got enough. The Yew are calling in armor support to defend their foothold on Cravac. It seems legit.”

  Denver’s hologram leaned forward and hit a few switches of his own, then sat back as he read the data. The hologram was detailed enough to see him scowl.

  “Hmph,” he said, still scanning the translated information. “I knew it. The Menturion System is too close to Human space to leave unoccupied. Let’s see… Some banter about a station here, a ground port… Spit, they want to set up a supply line.”

  Gordon wryly took the news like an executioner receiving a fresh victim. “Just a day after reactivation and they’re already two moves ahead of us. A supply base there could cut off our future advances from that sector. Looks like their generals sensed a change in the celestial drift.”

  The holo of Denver rested his head on his fist, propping his elbow on the armrest. “This isn’t news, Commander. Hit me with the good stuff.”

  “There’s more,” Nathen said. “Keep reading.”

  Denver shrugged, scanning the data. “I’m reading, I’m reading…”

  He cut short his comments, eyes stopping on a particular line. Nathen couldn’t see what it was, but he knew what Denver had just read. The ex-admiral stared at it for another moment, then looked straight out.

  “Specialist Trast,” he said, making Calico jump slightly. “I’ll let you vouch for the authenticity and accuracy of this translation.”

  Calico cleared her throat but didn’t shrink away from the scrutiny. “It’s accurate, sir. I’m not sure what the significance is, but everything you have, I verified.”

  Denver hit a switch with a stab of his finger, shutting off his data reader. He reached into his chest pocket for his cigarettes and pulled the pack out before re-addressing the ESCs.

  “This is an interesting turn of events,” he said, idly. Nathen had to nod in agreement.

  “Yes it is.”

  “So,” Denver said, shuffling out a new stick from the pack. “The Insectoids have an interest in the Menturion System too, do they?”

  “It looks like it,” confirmed Nathen. “Though based on such scarce data in that transmission, there’s no way to know just how serious an incursion it is.”

  “We have a good guess, I think,” said Denver, pulling his selected cigarette out. “It’s not serious enough to deter the Yew from trying to use the system as a supply stop, but they’re calling for additional support to deal with heavy resistance.”

  Denver stuck the cigarette between his teeth and lit the end, pondering this new development. After taking a heavy drag and blowing the smoke out, he smiled.

  “I think I like the situation. It’s… an opportunity.”

  Nathen’s eyes flashed in anticipation. “I thought so too, sir.”

  Denver flipped the ash off the cigarette a few times, staring into the distance.

  “If I’m right, we’re looking at a tentative stalemate.” Denver punched up some new data on his console and scanned it. “Our sources have indicated that the War Hive may have been probing the system for months. Looks like they finally tried to blitz in and take it for themselves. Yet, the Yew have held on to it… for the time being.”

  Denver took another puff, causing the hologram to shimmer. He closed his eyes, thinking. Nathen remained silent, and Gordon waited quietly as well. After a moment of silence, with nothing but the sounds of the bridge crew working at their controls, Denver opened his eyes.

  “Captain.”

  Gordon lifted his chin, smoothing his beard with a finger. “Yes Admiral?”

  “How soon can you be in the Menturion System?”

  The Captain stared at the deck, quickly ran calculations and looked back to the screen. “We can clear lightspace traffic control in three hours and hyperspace into the Galavas Cluster five hours out from Port Ive. From there it’s just a hop, skip and a jump to Menturion. At flank speed, barring unexpected delays, Haven Alpha can be there within two days.”

  Denver chuckled under his breath. He held out his cigarette and examined it between his fingertips, and then fixed Nathen with a cold, crafty stare.

  “What do you say, Knight?”

  Nathen was quiet a moment. He glanced over at Calico. She was still green. But they had to start somewhere. Nathen turned back to the holo of Denver.

  “Game on.”

  Denver grinned and breathed out smoke like a medieval dragon.

  “Then make it happen.”

  With that, the holo of the ex-admiral reached out and severed the connection. Nathen waited, thoughtfully, as the hologram shimmered and disappeared. The command console closed together into one semi-circle unit, and the vidscreen lowered from the ceiling and settled into place. Gordon swiveled in his chair and looked up at Nathen.

  “It’s almost a relief to have a mission again. I was beginning to think that after Operation Backhand the ESC’s would be running public war bond drives.”

  Nathen smirked at the idea. “Not a chance. Not us.”

  Nathen looked over at Calico, who was looking a little off balance.

  “Everything alright?” he asked. Calico cleared her throat before answering.

  “Feeling a little funny, sir,” she said, honestly. “Think I've got butterflies in my stomach.”

  “You’ve been through a lot today. Transfer, walked all over the starport, all the introductions I’ve been making. I won’t pretend it’s easy. Maybe we should take a break.”

  Calico shook her head and stood up straight.

  “I’m not weak, sir,” she said, sternly. “I’m ready for whatever’s next.”

  Nathen considered this, did a quick re-evaluation of Calico’s resolve, slightly more impressed than before.

  “I appreciate the attitude,” Nathen said. “But there’s a time for everything. Five minutes ago was your introduction. Now would be a good time to rest, recuperate, and mentally absorb recent events. Understand?”

  Calico blinked and glanced at the floor. “Well, I…”

  “Take a few hours,” Nathen said, practically ordered. “Move into your cabin, get off your feet, maybe grab something to eat, since I know you haven’t eaten anything since your flight.”

  Calico met Nathen’s eyes and cracked a small grin. “I am starting to get hungry.”

  Nathen glanced over at the Captain, then turned back to Calico.

  “Tell you what,” he said, placing his hands on his hips. “We’ll recess for three hours until takeoff. Then we’ll get the biggest thing out of the way.”

  Calico had started to turn toward the lift, but stopped and looked back at Nathen. “What’s that, sir?”

  Nathen thought of what was behind the sealed armory door, but rather than explain, he chose to wait and show Calico firsthand. Instead, he simply settled for saying…

  “…Your initiation.”

  Calico looked thoughtful as she stepped into the lift, and as the doors began to close, Nathen could almost swear he saw a genuine smile cross her face. As he heard the lift descend, Nath
en turned back to Captain Bryor.

  “I never base my judgment on first impressions,” Nathen said. “But she’s off to an okay start. If nothing else, it’ll be nice to have a full roster again.”

  “Yes,” Gordon said, voicing his agreement. “I’m sure she’ll have a chance to prove herself in the days to come. Chronos seems confident.”

  Nathen crossed his arms and glanced around the bridge. “Yeah, about that. I’m not sure Denver’s telling us everything.”

  Gordon arched an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

  Nathen glanced at Gordon. “Just days ago, we were running training missions, basically twiddling our thumbs. Suddenly we’ve got a new speaker, and no sooner do we pick her up, we’ve got a mission.”

  “Hmm,” Gordon said, contemplating. “Things were a bit hassled on my end, too. They reactivated Haven Alpha in the middle of a month-long trial session. That’s uncharacteristic for a prototype ship like this.”

  Nathen frowned. “Do you have any idea just what’s going on out there in the big black.”

  Gordon shook his head, drumming his fingers. “Mmm. I haven’t heard anything. Ever since Navpoint… Well, any information about our Navy’s battle-readiness has been scarce.”

  “Any clue as to why that is?”

  “You would think if anyone were to know, it would be us. But no, I don’t know. After our last mission together, everything seemed to get so… quiet.” Gordon issued a melancholy sigh, looking about the bridge with concern. “It’s like… For a while, everyone forgot that Humanity didn’t die at Navpoint Vantage. Including Humanity itself.”

  “So something’s happened to wake us up,” Nathen suggested.

  “You can’t stage an intergalactic invasion like this without someone noticing. If I were in their position, I’d want to strike first.”