“I agree, but it may cause comment, and his messmates will tease him about it. Still, that’s a different problem. He’ll be part of the team for the task we have to complete before we can start the leave, so it won’t be too noticeable.”
SUB-LIEUTENANT TRELAWNEY, AT TWENTY-TWO, was the grand old man of the gunroom and due for promotion in a matter of months. He gathered his team together to brief them on the rules of their planet-side leave.
“We’ve a simple enough task, fellows.” He rubbed his hands and grinned. “Once we’re done, we’ve forty-eight hours to laze around the pool, soak up some sunshine, see the sights and sink a few drinks.”
Hans Dinsen grinned. “If we’re lucky, we’ll see some of the local beauties—and I’m not talking about those plants you get all misty eyed over, Harry!”
Paddy Murphy laughed. “Ignore him, Harry. He’ll be the first wanting a copy of any drawings you make. By the sound of it, I’ll have time to take you on at chess—a poolside game sounds good, doesn’t it? I think I’ve got a move worked out that’ll beat you next time.” Turning to the sub-lieutenant, he asked, “Who else is coming, sir? Besides Danny here, I mean.”
“TechRate O’Connor will be with us, and Warrant Officer NicDaid is coming, but she’ll be proceeding on leave with another group. We depart at oh-six-thirty ship standard time. Make sure everything is ready.”
THE TASK WAS REASONABLY SIMPLE: they had a new holomedia digital booster to install and another signal relay for the ground troops.
As they embarked in their EVA suits, Trelawney remarked ruefully, “There won’t be much freedom of movement—hostiles still at large. Pangaea City, the capital, is a collection of domed business and industrial centres and several low-rise accommodation domes with a small hotel and recreation complex. There’s a small harbour as well, but maritime activity is a bit minimal.”
“At least it’s in the open and on a planet and not inside a lump of plasmetal whizzing round in a vacuum, sir,” quipped Hans Dinsen.
“Hear, hear,” Harry and Ferghal chimed in. They couldn’t wait to put their feet on some sort of terra firm again.
The lieutenant checked the equipment lists and the load sheet then nodded to his eager party. “Right, I think we have everything.” He grinned at Danny’s eager expression and said to Harry, “Mr Heron, I’ll leave Mr Gunn in your charge. Make sure he doesn’t get under anyone’s feet or get lost when we transfer. Mr Gunn, it is your job to stay close to Harry. Mr Murphy, Mr Dinsen, ensure all our equipment is secure. Let’s go.”
Boarding the launch, Harry reflected yet again that the entire process could not possibly be compared to the launching, manning and boarding of a boat from the Spartan. There was no requirement for two dozen men hauling on falls rigged to the yardarms to lift the boat from its cradle on the boat tiers and swing it outboard. Nor was there any provision of oars and oarsmen, just a coxswain, a midshipman in command, and two TechRates.
“Make sure you are properly settled in the seat, Danny,” said Harry, leaning in to secure the boy’s straps. “Once these are tightened, you cannot adjust your position without releasing them.” Checking that the boy’s helmet was properly sealed and his suit system set, Harry seated himself and secured his own straps.
Around them, the rest of the party settled into their positions while the Load Master checked and secured their baggage and equipment. Then, with a hiss and the sound of the heavy locks engaging, the hatches shut and the craft moved slowly from the loading bay into a launch bay.
Danny’s excitement bubbled up as he watched the operation, trying to see everything at once.
The pilot gave a warning and then a brief count. There was a sensation of acceleration followed by the feeling of weight loss.
Startled, Danny let out a squeak as he clutched Harry’s arm. “I’m floating out o’ t’ seat, Mr Her’n,” he said in an alarmed tone, raising chuckles from everyone on the voice link.
“Don’t worry, Danny,” Harry assured him. “This launch hasn’t got anti-gravity, so we’ll be weightless for a bit. That’s why we have to strap in.”
“It don’t feel right,” Danny protested, but already his attention was on the view projection. He gasped in wonder when he saw the Vanguard for the first time as the launch dropped away. Then he gave another gasp of amazement when he saw the planet below them. “Oh, ain’t that beautiful? Is that where we’re going?”
“Yes, but first we have to disembark at the Orbit Station and then go down in the lift from there.” Harry grimaced. “That’s the bit I don’t like.”
THE TRANSFER TO THE LIFT WENT WITHOUT A HITCH. The five-storey lift shuttle was full to capacity, with Harry and the others seated in the uppermost deck. A party of medical technicians from several ships joined them, moving further round and sitting apart. Harry recognised the attractive MedTech Katerina de Vries as she stood chatting to a young man he recognised as one of the weapons specialist rates. He rather liked her, despite the disparity in their ages, and she always seemed to have a joke or a pleasant word to share with him when they happened to sit together in the dining hall.
“This is the bit I don’t like,” Harry confided to Hans Dinsen, seated next to him. “My stomach takes far too long to catch up with the rest of me.”
Hans nodded. “I’m with you on that. I used to worry the cables might break or something else would give way. Still, they say this is safer and faster than using a barge or one of the re-entry launches.”
“So it is said,” Harry replied. He had learned this in his studies. “For one thing, I suppose, there is not the need to decelerate so rapidly since the lift dock is orbiting at the precise speed of the planet’s rotation.” He frowned. “That must be true, since it is tethered to the planet, which means, of course, the lift car doesn’t encounter the same degree of friction as would, say, a shuttle.” He caught Hans’s eye through the helmets they both wore. “But I bore you—you already know this.”
Hans grinned in reply.
The car lurched then descended toward the planet, drawing gasps from several others and a squeak of alarm from Danny.
“Ugh,” gritted Hans. “I still prefer the shuttle!”
Struggling to hold on to the contents of his stomach, Harry held his silence. Then, the increasing roar of air as the car entered the atmosphere gave him something to explain to Danny as a way to distract the boy.
The downward journey took a little under an hour with the deceleration and braking accounting for almost half of that time, and they were all glad to disembark, find their ground transport and head for their accommodation in a small hotel on the outskirts of the capital.
“Your party can commence an extended leave, Mr Trelawney,” said the Officer of the Day. “Enjoy yourselves, but stay in the areas authorised for personnel.”
“That limits us a bit, sir.”
“I can organise a few visits if you like. I’ll sort out transport and escort for you. This area is pretty much secure, but no point in taking chances. I’ll clear it with my CO if you like.”
Glancing at the midshipmen, Trelawney nodded. “That would be good.” Recalling the briefing he’d received before leaving the ship regarding the safety of Danny in particular, and, by inference, of Harry and Ferghal, he added, “I’ll have to run it past my Divisional Officer, but I’m sure it’ll be okay.”
“We’ve permission to go on a tour, guys,” the sub-lieutenant told his charges when he’d received the clearance. “We’re being collected in an hour.” To Danny in particular, he added, “We’re going to see the aquatic centre, a small park with some of the smaller local creatures and some of the food production domes.” He noted Paddy Murphy’s disgruntled expression. “Be patient, Paddy, you’ll have plenty of time to ogle the girls at the pool tomorrow.”
For Harry the aquarium was astounding. Like the fishes he had seen on the Great Barrier Reef, everything was new and unfamiliar, but here it was doubly so, since the evolutiona
ry process was still in its infancy in terms of the planet’s natural development. Having only recently studied the whole theory of evolution and the supporting science, these examples of primitive animals and marine creatures fascinated him.
“Yon jelly fish reminds me of similar ones we encountered on our voyage to New South Wales and the Indies,” Harry remarked.
“Aye, it nigh on killed Jim Fisher when he stepped among them,” Ferghal recalled.
The tour guide studied them. “Where was that? These jellies infest the waters south of here, and their sting is lethal to humans.”
Before they could answer, Danny drew their attention to the fearsome creature in the next room. They gazed in awe at the stuffed remains of a huge creature the curator told them was a pleurodon.
Ferghal immediately dubbed it “the Kraken.” Measuring at least fifteen metres from its hideous toothy snout to its thick tail, its flat head and long neck connected to a slightly bulbous body with four long flipper fins. The curator told them this creature was the most dangerous animal on the planet, attacking anything and everything it came upon, including the colonists’ solidly built watercraft.
“It’s been known to beach itself and seize prey venturing too close to the water,” she said, and with a wry grin, she added, “Makes swimming in the sea very unpopular.”
They returned to their hotel tired, stimulated by what they had seen and done—and, in the manner of youth everywhere—hungry! After a delicious poolside meal served buffet style, Paddy asked, “Are you fellows up for a bit of exercise? We can take on a game of handball against a team from Weapons, five a side, if you’ll take the goal-keeping, sir.”
“Who’s on their team?” asked Trelawney.
“Master Warrant Dupré in goal, three of their TechRates and MedTech Katerina de Vries.”
Hearing Katerina’s name, Harry was all ears, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught his attention. “A woman playing against four men?” he asked, incredulous. He couldn’t imagine such an impropriety.
“Why not?” Hans met Harry’s expression and grinned. “Have you seen her play? Forget the ladylike stuff, Harry. She plays to win, no matter what. But I’ll admit—it’s fun to watch her, especially in that tight outfit of hers.”
Harry looked sceptical and felt awkward at the thought of playing against her.
“Come on, Harry, we need you.” Paddy paused, and when Harry coloured, he couldn’t resist adding, “Think of it as an opportunity to get to know her better.” He nudged Harry. “Come on, man, you’ll enjoy it!”
Harry did enjoy the game. Within a few minutes he’d become accustomed to the lithe MedTech’s proximity as she blocked his moves or pushed him back in attack.
They collided in mid-air as Harry blocked her pass. “Apologies, Ms de Vries.”
“For what?” Her eyes dancing, she dodged past him to intercept the ball. Spinning, she delivered it at the goal. “Blocking my pass, or the contact?” Her tease hit home when she met Harry’s eyes and flashed a quick smile.
Trelawney blocked the goal, and a scramble ensued for possession of the ball, during which a further collision saw Harry go down with de Vries on top of him, and Hans over her.
“Pulling rank, are we?” She wriggled out of the tangle, managing to pass a hand rather intimately across Harry’s backside.
Harry could hardly think straight as he stood to his feet and shook out his arms, brushing the sweat from his forehead as if trying to clear his thoughts. He had never felt a woman’s body pressed against his, and he wouldn’t soon forget it.
“That’s a penalty throw to us, I think—isn’t that right, Harry,” Katerina said with a saucy wink. She was enjoying how flustered he was in her presence, and the fact that he was a tall, good-looking young man was a bonus.
The game, refereed by a local visitor, was friendly and fast moving, and eventually ended in a draw. Dropping into a chair at the end of it, Harry accepted a cool drink in a frosty glass, slightly disappointed to see Katerina walking away arm in arm with another man he didn’t recognise.
“Whew.” Paddy dropped into a seat with his usual gusto. “What a game, eh, Harry? Or should I say, what a woman!”
“I won’t soon forget her—the game, I mean!” Harry said, glancing across to where the other team were enjoying their drinks. He’d noticed they’d been joined by a number of local people, although something about their movements and the way they seemed to be studying him and his friends made him uneasy. He mentioned it to the sub-lieutenant.
“I wouldn’t worry, Harry. We are a bit unusual to them, I suppose. We do have Danny with us.” He indicated the boy, deep in conversation with Ferghal. “And having a Junior Rate with a group of Midshipmen isn’t that usual even today.”
Despite Trelawney’s assertion to the contrary, Harry noticed him studying the visitors intently while appearing casual and unconcerned.
Then, drinks over, they took a swim and relaxed in the sun for the rest of the afternoon.
“I HEAR YOU, DOCTOR JOHNSTONE, AND THOUGH YOU do make a very strong case for taking those youths for research, we do currently have other concerns on Pangaea. Our troops are barely holding on, and we can’t risk exposing our main command centre.” The Consortium’s Director of Security paused. “I’m aware there is a lot to be gained if you can get hold of them, but it could surely wait until we regain control there.”
“What? And risk their being destroyed with the rest? I tell you, these boys are a gold mine. Their DNA, and the antibodies they are carrying, hold the key to a major breakthrough. We must have them, and now is the perfect opportunity. They’re on the surface of Pangaea in a low security resort. Several of our people are on the staff of the hotel and in the local area, ready for a signal from us. We can get the boys down to our secure facilities well before the military can react. Then it’s merely a case of waiting until the chairman’s fleet decimates that damned landing force.”
“Very well, Doctor.” The Director had other concerns. Dr Johnstone had been plaguing him for weeks now. As long as the man’s agents didn’t expose any more of their hidden facilities, he could put up with the annoyance Johnstone caused him. “I’ll authorise our people to secure them for you. As you say, it is only a matter of time before we destroy their forces, and the research will be useful.”
A few minutes later, a secure link carried an instruction to several individuals in Pangaea City, including several wearing Fleet or Forces uniforms.
ABOVE THE CITY, AN ATMOSPHERIC INTERCEPTOR took evasive action, catching several Fleet pilots by surprise.
“Bloody hell!” exclaimed one of the pilots as he frantically punched controls. “One Siddhiche ship sighted. Bloody thing just appeared right in front of me. I’m turning to investigate.” He swung his interceptor round in a tight G-pulling roll and turn. “Damn. He just vanished again. Bloody thing was huge!”
Chapter 24
Deep, Dark Chasm
THE DREAM WAS VIVID. This time, the beautiful white stallion was clearly distressed. It raced across the dreamscape with all the indications of having been panicked by some unseen predator. It coursed the edge of the chasm he’d dreamed before, but now along the far side of it. Harry stood in its path, his back to the approaching horse, unaware that at any minute, he could be trampled and sent hurtling into the chasm....
The Major jerked awake, disturbing his wife.
“What is it, dear?” she murmured.
“Just a dream, my love.” He wrapped her in his arms and spooned her body, her soft warm curves a comfort to him, but sleep evaded him. After some time, he eventually rolled onto his back and frowned into the darkness, his mind on the whereabouts of his family. His eldest son, also named James, lay in his own bed in the house, and Mabel lay asleep in hers. No danger threatened them here.
He considered the dream carefully. The state of the horse signalled immediate and serious danger to a member of the family, and the only person he coul
d not place was Harry. His mind wandered to the memorial tablet just recently installed above the family pew in the local church. It seemed impossible to comprehend, yet the dreams always seemed to concern his lost youngest son. Could the boy be alive and stranded somewhere?
Captain Blackwood had been definite on that score, as had the Reverend Mr Bentley and the many others the Major had spoken to. The answer was a firm no. Their belief, which the official report confirmed, was that Harry and Ferghal had died in the sea-fight between the Spartan and the French ship L’ Revolution, and the matter was considered closed.
But to the Major’s way of thinking, even if Harry and Ferghal were still alive, having been thrown overboard by the mysterious weapon that neither nation would claim, and they had survived the impact with the water, what then? If one assumed they found some wreckage to cling to and managed to survive on it, they would have nothing to eat or drink, and would be adrift for months if not years before the wreckage found land.
He sighed heavily, turning onto his side to find a more comfortable position, but the effort was futile. He could not rid himself of the feeling that his son was alive. And if Harry was alive, Ferghal was too. They had always looked out for each other since their earliest boyhood years.
So what danger threatened them? Where were they? Gently, so as not to disturb his wife, he eased out of bed and walked to the window, his hands firmly behind him as he struggled with his frustration at the indifference in Whitehall.
“Damn them,” he muttered. “Damn them to hell.”
He was also frustrated at his inability to fund an expedition to search for the boys. Scowling at the moonlit landscape and looming shape of Scrabo Hill, he said softly, “Harry, my lad, take care. I cannot protect you now—even had I the knowledge of where you are. I love you, my young son, wherever you may be.”
Very quietly, he pulled on his breeches, found a jacket and made his way down to his study. He’d write to Cousin Henry again.
Harry Heron: Into the Unknown Page 24