He Who Dares: Book One (The Gray Chronicals 1)

by Rob Buckman

  “Sleep wasn’t what I had in mind.”

  “I know, but I’m afraid we will have to wait.”

  “I know, you have important Captain’s thingies to do.” She sighed, turned to sit on the edge of the bunk.

  Mike quickly undressed, dropping his clothes on the floor. He didn’t have time for a shower, or anything else, so he just wiped himself down with a towel and put a clean uniform on. Ann hugged herself and gave him a shy smile as she watched him undress, then dress again.

  “You’ll have the cabin to yourself, so you can take a quick shower and sleep if you want.” He kissed her, then, feeling her crush her body against him. “The galley is just down the passageway, and I’ll tell the cook to make you up a good meal."

  “Thank you, Mike, you do worry about me so, don’t you.”

  “I do now, Milady.”

  “Me too, I worry about you a lot.”

  “Don’t, I can’t change what I do.”

  “I know, but do be careful.” The look of concern on her face made his heart skip a beat and he paused a moment to take her in his arms and kiss her. He wondered about his feeling for this lovable, crazy, willful bundle of contradictions. Where had they come from? How did this odd love thing sneak up on him without him even noticing? He didn’t have an answer, but he knew he liked it.

  “I will, Milady, and get you home safe.”

  “You can’t promise that, but I know you’ll try, and that’s enough.” She whispered, and kissed him. A noise out in the passageway pulled them apart, just as CPO Blake knocked on the cabin door.

  “Come in.” He answered gruffly. The door opened just as she went into the tiny bathroom and closed the door behind her.

  “Sorry to disturb you, Sir, reporting as ordered."

  “Not disturbing me Chief. Just finished changing is all. Give me an update on what happened after we parted."

  CPO Blake did, and Mike could have sworn he saw a slight smile on his face. It was only a moment later that he realized that he’d changed uniforms with her Ladyship in the cabin with him, and it hadn’t escaped the CPO’s notice. He brought his attention back, as CPO Blake finished his report. Conner had handled the situation well, rounding up the remainder of the party, including the courier ship pilot. Jimmy Bettencourt made it back to the LZ and out of there before the locals could organize a search party. After the he’d moved the ship back to the gorge and hid. As a precaution, he’s set up a monitoring unit on the rim, just in case of any messages. For that Mike was thankful, otherwise he wouldn’t have received his burst transmission.

  “The question now is, how do we get out of here, Sir?” Conner asked, a worried expression pulling at his craggy face.

  “I’ve been thinking about that. The Prince’s ship has all the current signals and code, and if we act quick before his Lordship gets to a comm unit we might just make it out of here in one piece.”

  “Sounds like a plan, Sir.”

  “The question is. Can we get everyone into his ship?”

  “Have no fear about that, Sir, I’ll fit everyone in, even if I have to stack them three deep.” Mike smiled.

  “How are the injured men doing?”

  “As well as can be expected, Sir, the concussion has kept Jenkins out most of the time, but he does come round occasionally, muttering something about snakes and rats.”

  “Snakes?” Conner Blake shrugged in answer.

  “Don’t have any idea what he’s talking about, Sir.”

  “And what about our shifty eyed Mr. Harwood?”

  “I’ve been keeping a close eye on him.” Conner muttered darkly.

  “Anything suspicious?”

  “Yes, a few times I caught him hanging around the communication station, then the Med. bay, and one time in the power room.” It was clear that Conner didn’t trust Harwood out of sight.

  “That’s not much.” Wandering around the ship was something any bored person might do under the circumstances.

  “I know, Sir, but I just didn’t like it, so I restricted him to the Marine quarters and had a quiet word with Sergeant Rice. One or more of the Marines was watching him all the time.” In the background they could hear the shower running, wisps of steam escaping under the head door.

  “You think he was trying to send a message?” Mike asked, slightly distracted, trying to keep him mine of things at hand, instead of lovely, warm, wet naked body in his shower. Conner just smiled, seeing the distracted look on his Captain’s face.

  “Could be, or somehow give away our position.”

  “Yes, but for god sake why?”

  “Can’t say, Sir, but that survival pod blowing up was just a little too coincidental for me.” Mike shook his head.

  “Keep him under guard from now on and let get out of here.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “You organize the personnel transfer. I’ll take care of the shuttle.”

  “Aye-aye, Sir.” The CPO saluted and departed at a trot. Time was of the essence now.

  Ever minute they could shave off that it took to get out of here, the better their chance of making it to the Warp Point before the Prince could give the alarm. Mike programmed an automatic course into the shuttle’s Nav unit, first from here to the gas giant and down into the atmosphere to scoop hydrogen, then round the planet in a sling shot maneuver to gain speed. After that he set it on a random high speed course, partly in the direction of the Warp Point at system north, away from the one they would take. Hopefully, this would draw off any naval vessels and give them an edge. He doubted that anyone would challenge the Prince's ship, but he wasn’t about to take chances. He left the shuttle after activating the program, setting the timer for 25 minutes, and locking it in. The shuttle became a madhouse as everyone grabbed their personal effect and moved the wounded to the other ship. The CPO was as good as his word, packing them in three deep. It was hard to walk through the ship to the flight deck without tripping over someone. Jimmy Bettencourt was at the control when he entered, and he raised an eyebrow in question as they looked at each other. Jimmy smiled and went on checking the ship.

  “CPO Conner and I had a few words, Sir, and suggested that I take her out.”

  “Oh?”

  “Well, yes, I do have a little more experience with this class of ship. She’s almost the same as my courier ship in many ways, just better armed and shielded, but not as fast.”

  “Good point.”

  “Can you handle her under fire?”

  “Are you expecting any?"

  “I bloody well hope not, we can’t afford to take any hits, not with this many people onboard, not enough survival equipment.”

  “I take your point, Mike.”

  “If need be, extract information about current signal or code from the ship's pilot.”

  “Oh, I already had a word with him, most cooperative.”

  “Umm.”

  “Yes, it's surprising the amount of information you can get from someone when they have the business end of a blaster buried in their crotch.” He chuckled.

  “Torture of prisoner is against naval regulation Jimmy!” Mike said in mock seriousness.

  “I know, but neither he nor I are in the Navy, Sir, he’s GEPO.”

  “GEPO?”

  “Siren State security, or secret police, and a nasty bunch to boot.”

  “I see, well that does relieve you of a tremendous moral burden, and was probably the quickest way to get the information,” he laughed, “would you have fired?”

  “If need be, yes, Sir, starting with his balls, then the knees and working my way up.” Mike looked at him, and the look he gave him said that he would do just that.

  “Ready, Sir, shuttle clear of all personnel.” The short-range radio whispered in his ear.

  “Good, close the airlock and get on board.” Mike answered.

  “Aye-aye, Sir.” Turning round in his seat, Mike looked out the side port, wanting to be sure the crewman exited safely. Instead, he saw a figure dash for the s
huttle.

  “What the hell!” Just then CPO Blake dashed into the cabin.

  “That little shit Harwood slugged his guard and escape, Sir!”

  “I know, just saw him run to the shuttle and get in.”

  “Should I go after him?”

  “No, no time, the shuttle is about ready to lift.” Just then a figure stumbled out the airlock, or was pushed and it closed behind him.

  “Go get that crewman!” Mike snapped into the radio.

  A moment later two Marines dashed over and picked the man up and quickly carried him to safety. Even so, it was a close call, getting the airlock closed again before the shuttle blasted off. If they’d been a moment later they would have been killed by the AG impact or the thruster blast as the assault shuttle lifted.

  “You want to go after him, Sir?” Jimmy asked.

  “No, it's not worth it.”

  “He could screw up your plan.”

  “No he can’t, the course is programmed and locked in, and without my security code there is no way he’s going to change it.”

  “What about communications?”

  “We lost the long-range comm unit on the way in, and I doubt he knows any of the local frequencies, beside that, who’d believe him.” Jimmy gave a bark of a laugh and nodded.

  “Yes, he might have some difficulty in convincing anyone, seeing he can’t stop the ship or change its course.”

  “It would look like he’s just trying to gain time to escape.”

  They watched as the shuttle tore its way through the overhanging branches and screamed up through the atmosphere.

  “I make it ten minutes before he’s spotted, and another half an hour before he’s close to the gas giant.”

  “We’ll wait for fifteen minutes, then take off and head around the planet to the dark side. By that time, all the local traffic should be concentrating on him and take no notice of us.” Mike sat back in the second seat with a sigh. They were committed, one way or another, and now there was nothing he could do but sit and wait. Jimmy busied himself with checking this and that and humming softly to himself.

  “You make it look as if this is all old hat to you, Jimmy.”

  “You could say that, not the first time I’ve had to make a run under fire, so to speak.”

  “Yes, I remember the report of how you fooled that destroyer and made it away in the life pod.”

  “Oh, you heard about that.”

  “Yes, but what I don’t understand is why didn’t you scoop before you made planet fall here, the life pod's tanks were almost empty.” For a moment Jimmy looked embarrassed.

  “I can’t tell you that, Mike.”

  “Oh?”

  “Um, under order you might say.”

  “Oh no, here we go again.” Mike sighed.

  “What do you mean?”

  “CPO Blake said there was something fishy about this rescue operation from the start.” Bit and pieces began to fall into place. “Now you tell me you’re under order not to talk about it?” Mike bit down on the surge of anger rising in his chest, and gave Jimmy Bettencourt a hard look.

  “He’s right, you know, but what I know is on a need to know basis.”

  “I need to know, Jimmy!” Mike voice was, soft, but deadly.

  “No you don’t.” He shot back, looking grim. “What you need to know is can you trust me to get you and the others out of here safely and not do something stupid like Harwood?”

  “Yes, something like that.” Mike nodding in agreement. Conner Blake had a nose like a bloodhound when it came to this sort of thing.

  “As far as I’m concerned, this mission is complete and I can take you all home.”

  “And if it wasn’t complete?” Jimmy turned in his seat and gave Mike a long appeasing look.

  “As I said, as far as I’m concerned, this mission is complete, and I can take you all home.”

  “Nothing more?”

  “Not right now, maybe later.” There was a hardness in Jimmy’s face now, the laughter gone. He meant what he said.

  “And if I’m wrong, I put a lot of people who are my responsibility in danger.” Without even realizing it, his hand had moved to his sidearm. Jimmy saw it and looked at him. There was something in this young Ensign’s face that said he was fully capable of pulling that side arm and shooting him without a second thought.

  “An Ensign and acting Captain you may be, but I can see that you take your duty seriously.”

  “I do. Very seriously.”

  “The only thing I can say is, trust me.”

  “I’ve heard those words before Jimmy and paid a heavy price.”

  “Not this time laddy, if I screw up, my life is on the line as well.”

  “Is it?”

  “Time's up, do I lift or not?” Jimmy looked at him, putting the decision squarely on his shoulders.

  “Lift the ship, Jimmy, and may God have mercy on your soul if you screw up, because I won’t.”

  Jimmy flicked his eyes back as he prepared to lift the ship, and what he saw wasn’t some wet behind the ear young Ensign. This was a man, willing, and ready to kill to protect those under his charge.

  He felt a small fuzzy animal with ice cold feet run up and down his spine for a moment. Mike Gray would make a nasty enemy and would cheerfully hunt him down and kill him if necessary, no matter what the cost. He nodded to himself and lifted the ship. The first part of the trip was uneventful. No one challenged them, and as predicted, the local traffic was in hot pursuit of the fleeing shuttle. They made it to the dark side and up out of the atmosphere without incident before Jimmy set a direct course for the Southern Warp Point. They did pass several small naval vessels going to other way, and one or two of them squawked a query at them. The first time, they held their breath as Jimmy sent the code back and watches as they passed on without deviating from their course.

  “It's going to be a couple of hours before we reach the Warp Point at this speed, why don’t you go get something to eat, and maybe take a nap.”

  “Food sounds good, but there’s no way I can sleep right now.” Mike wiped his face, his eyes burning in their socket.

  They felt like someone had poured sand in them. Jimmy nodded in understanding. Standing, Mike walked back into the main cabin, stepping over arms and legs as he did. He gave the nod to Conner Blake, and watched him move forward to take over the second seat. Being suspicious by nature, he doubted that anything would get by Conner, yet he had the feeling that he could trust this Jimmy Bettencourt.

  “Can I get something to eat?" He asked the harassed looking cook, sticking his head in the galley.

  “Yes, Sir. I’ll have a meal prepared and sent to your cabin.”

  “My cabin?” He asked foggily.

  “Yes, Sir. CPO Blake designated the cabin at the end of the passageway as the Captain’s cabin, it’s the Stateroom.”

  “Oh, I see. All right, have someone bring it to me there, or better still, call me and I’ll come and get it.”

  “Aye-aye, Sir.”

  Careful not to tread on anyone, he made his way to the stateroom. No matter where he looked, someone was taking up the space, even the passageway. He carefully stepped over bodies and made it to the cabin without drawing too many complaints. He walked in only to find someone in his bunk, and for a moment turned to leave, thinking he was in the wrong cabin.

  “Is that you, Mike?” A sleepy voice asked.

  “Yes, yes it is, sorry Milady, I didn’t mean to disturb you, I must have the wrong cabin.”

  “You didn’t, this is your cabin.”

  “Where is yours?”

  “Across the passageway.” She laughed softly.

  “Oh…” That of course explained everything. The cabin was larger than the one on the shuttle, but not by much, and flipping down the wall seat he dropped into it with a sigh.

  “I thought you might be in need of a back rub or something.” She switched on the pin light over the bed and looked at him biting her lower lip.r />
  “That would be wonderful.” He sighed, wishing he could take her up on her offer. “At another time and another place maybe, but right now I need food and rest, we aren’t out of the woods yet.”

  “I know, but I thought…” She said, nibbling her lower lip, bushy eyebrows pulled together in a frown.

  “What did you think?” He asked as he leaned over to kiss her.