Roar of Lions (Darkening Stars Book 3)

by Mark Iles

  “Good. Keep me up to date and if you need anything, shout.”

  A short while later the lifeboat docked and the walking wounded were escorted to sickbay, the more seriously injured ferried on anti-grav stretchers. With the supplies Staff needed quickly loaded, the lifeboat was soon on its way back to the inert vessel. Selena knew that, with the Vampyre on hand to lend assistance, further help from Capulet would take quite a while as they’d be busy dealing with the aftermath of the battle above them.

  There was nothing her engineers could do for the Voracious’ engines, they’d been shredded. The ship was lucky their generators had survived, to provide power to their weapon systems and life support.

  “Now what?” Kes said at length.

  “We wait,” Selena said. “A couple of days here, maybe; given there’s no more attacks.”

  “Commander,” Comms said. “A resupply ship is on its way from Capulet. They say they’ll be able to take the wounded back planet-side with them.”

  The words had barely been spoken when their screens lit up in a startling explosion.

  “What the hell,” Singh gasped, shielding his eyes.

  “The Voracious, she blew…” Kes said a few moments later, disbelief in his voice, as the shields kicked in to deflect any shrapnel.

  “The lifeboat?” Selena asked, her voice flat

  Kes looked at Selena. “It’s gone, Ma’am. There won’t be any survivors.”

  Selena felt crushed. The battle had cost them dear but the loss of even more close colleagues and friends hurt. To lose someone in battle was one thing, to lose them like this another.

  Selena closed her eyes and simply breathed for a moment or two. Then, over the ship’s tannoy, she told her crew that their shipmates were gone; that they’d died quickly, and bravely, while rescuing others.

  “Kes, you have the bridge,” She said afterwards. “I’m going to get some rest. Send a message to Fleet and the Colonel; tell them what happened to the Voracious. Shake me if needed, I’ll take the next watch.”

  In her cabin, Selena drew a cup of coffee from the dispenser and sat on her bunk, savouring the earthy smell of the piping hot beverage. Finishing her drink, she kicked off her footwear and lay down on her bunk. When they got back she knew their weapons would need to be upgraded. They’d had little effect against the ForeRunner orbs and she was aware that newer versions of the sunbeam arrays were available, but they’d fitted what they could in the short time allowed—just to get her ship into space. It was foolish to send ships up against such a superior enemy while fitted with substandard weapons. She knew that the Alliance of Worlds had the weight of numbers against the ForeRunners, and that the enemy couldn’t afford losses, but in her opinion neither could the F.O.M. The Vampyre would have to wait to be healed, though; she knew there would be other ships with more pressing needs following the battle.

  We’re losing millions of people, she thought. This can’t go on.

  The Colonel’s calling, Ma’am,” Comm’s said, over her cabin’s loudspeaker.

  “Put her through.”

  Delmar’s face appeared on the main screen. “Well done, Commander. I have to admit there were a few anxious people back here for a while.”

  “Here too,” Selena replied, her face betraying no emotion at all.

  Pursing her lips, Delmar nodded. “Thank God none of the enemy weapons got through to the sun. We were damned lucky.”

  “We certainly were, Colonel, tragic about the other two ships... Do we have any further orders?”

  “Remain where you are, until relieved. It shouldn’t be long. Loreen’s safe—the battle there is won too. Her defences were much stronger than the enemy expected and, with the help of our allies, the enemy took a hammering. Other members of the A.O.W. already have ships in their system and some will soon be on their way here.”

  “Well, if the Manta have ships there in that A.O.W. fleet, let’s hope the admiral doesn’t get too comfortable. I don’t care what Skar says about other hives, they can’t be trusted. Quite often I’d like to destroy the whole damned race, despite what I’ve said in the past.”

  “Oh, I hear you there,” Delmar said. “I truly do.”

  ***

  Two days later, a flotilla arrived and slid into orbit above Capulet. Shortly afterwards, three were despatched to relieve Vampyre. They’d been lucky—in the battle Vampyre had sustained relatively little damage and while on station had done many repairs since, but more work was needed. On their return to Capulet they remained in orbit, the docking stations there being full of other damaged vessels.

  It wasn’t just a case of welding over holes; work was needed on both inner and outer hulls. Then came the process of smoothing and coating of heat-reflective material, allowed for sustaining low-radar signatures and protection from the intensive heat of atmospheric entry.

  When dreaming of space battles as a child, she’d thought you just needed to pull up somewhere and spray paint your vessel, but now she knew it was a lot more complicated than that. It was awkward to use sprays in space. They tended to act as a propellant, so painters could easily find themselves shooting off at bizarre angles if they weren’t careful. Sealing and testing each section took time and a lot of hard work before they were finally ready. While using robots or droids was preferable, they weren’t always available.

  With the Colonel’s and Fleet’s permission, Selena gave the orders to land at Capulet City, where they could finally finish their repairs. The bridge crew came to attention as she entered and slid into the comfort of her chair, watching the city grow from a pinpoint as the Vampyre dropped towards it.

  Following touchdown, they secured the ship and disembarked. Selena and the others were surprised to see people cheering and waving, as they walked down the gangway. Embarrassed, she gave a tiny wave back, before boarding a regular forces silver-coloured skimmer, which had drawn up alongside the ship to take her to Colonel Delmar. She had already told Kes to ensure the necessary repairs were started, to get the ship stored and ready for take-off as soon as possible. She’d given them a rotational twelve hours off, but there was to be no leave as such for the time being. They both knew that Jessica could visit him on the ship, given the opportunity.

  The colonel actually grinned at Selena, when she entered her office.

  “Ah, Commander Dillon. You did well. If those damn orbs had gotten through we’d have all had it, no matter how the battle for the planet was going. Take a seat, can I offer you some coffee?”

  “Yes, please. It was sheer luck, Colonel, and many paid the price. Just as well the Queen insisted on having the planetary defence grid up and running, or you probably wouldn’t be here either.”

  “Wonders will never cease,” Delmar said in surprise. “Is that you praising the Queen on her defences? Not like you at all.”

  Selena scowled. “I’m just stating the obvious. She was safeguarding her own hide more than anything; but in the process she saved Capulet, and everyone has to be thankful for that. What other news of the war?”

  Delmar told Selena that with the Jellies and Manta reinforcing Loreen more ships could be spared to Capulet, with a few of their alien allies along for the ride. The fleet had suffered dreadful losses, but so had the ForeRunners and Federation of Man. For the time being attacks had stopped completely. Skar had reported that the rebel Manta had been, as he put it, exterminated. The universe was holding its breath, as if waiting for something dreadful to happen.

  “If it’s not the ForeRunners, it’s the damned Manta, we daren’t let our guard down for a minute.” Selena growled.

  “I don’t trust the Jellies either,” Delmar said. “I have a feeling that there’s something they’re not telling us.”

  “There is?” Selena replied, eyebrows raised.

  Delmar changed tack. “We captured quite a few F.O.M. prisoners, from the attack, including a Commodore. He had some interesting information. We’d noticed for some time that all of our prisoners seemed incredibly hea
lthy, but their injured and unwell were being culled and there was nothing they could do about it. ForeRunner spies have infiltrated all levels of the F.O.M. government. No one is safe, anyone could be a spy and dissenters quickly disappear. He was reassured by the presence of the Lenars, which is why he told us what he did. Many of the F.O.M. want out, but are afraid to speak. People’s families have a habit of disappearing.”

  Selena brightened. “Does this mean we might be able to swing them towards our side?”

  “Anything’s possible, Commander. F.O.M. citizens are going missing all the time, some possibly for a ForeRunner living organ bank. Their fleet hadn’t been told about their plans to attack our sun, either. As far as they were concerned, Capulet was to be invaded. They see now that they’re expendable, nothing but cannon fodder.

  “Seems to me,” Selena grinned, “things are beginning to go our way. Let’s hope we can find a way to broker a truce between our two human factions. If we get the F.O.M. on board, we stand a much stronger chance against the ForeRunners.”

  Chapter Eight

  Selena returned to the Vampyre noting, as she walked up the gangway, that the repairs were now imperceptible. Having more ships in system meant more time could be taken. Consequently, the weapons had been stripped, upgraded, and put back together. The magazine housings were extended and crew areas reduced. Robots of all shapes and size scuttled back and forth amidst their myriad tasks. Sparks flew while chunks of battered, scorched and torn segments were lowered to the ground using anti-gravs – or in some cases, simply dropped.

  In the background, men swore amidst the clanging of metal, the buzzing of machines, and the drone of mechanical voices. There was that special warming smell that Selena found so welcoming, like heated ozone, which came as a matter of course with ship repairs.

  Luckily, the puncture wounds and deep gashes in the ship’s side hadn’t caused major damage. Modules were replaced and secured, which sped up the ship’s healing processes. Stores were trundled on board, up along the gangway and conveyor belts to vanish into the depths of the ship.

  Funny how we still think of ships as a ‘she’, thought Selena, as no doubt captains of vessels had for thousands of years.

  She found Kes and Singh in the galley, the communal come-dining area for crew members aboard ship, as opposed to the wardroom for officers. At her quizzical look, Kes told her that the wardroom was currently being used as a ready-use storeroom, while work on the ship was underway. She sat beside them on one of the padded benches which, like the silver-rimmed white tables, slid into the bulkheads during time of action. This left valuable space available to muster boarding or repair parties, and an emergency first-aid post. Selena announced that she’d be speaking to the ship;s company in an hour or so, but for now what she needed was a shower and a chance to freshen up.

  Making her way to her cabin, Selena locked the door behind her and stripped, dumping the black garments into the recycling bin where they would be automatically selected for cleaning. Grubby and unkempt, she desperately needed a scrub. Padding the few steps to her tiny ensuite, she turned on the shower and luxuriated in its stream of hot water. Finished, she turned the shower off, watched the apparatus vanish into the wall as she was blasted by a stream of hot air from the walls many vents. She was soon dry and slipping into a fresh uniform. Sitting at her desk with a sigh of contentment, Selena put her feet up onto her bunk, drew herself a cup of mocha and blew gently on the steaming chocolaty brew before taking a sip.

  The weight of the past few days began to lift from Selena’s shoulders and sleep tugged and urged her towards her bunk, but she shrugged the exhaustion aside and began flicking through the countless reports on her desk screen. Finally putting down her cup, and clearing the last of the reports from her screen, she keyed her hand-held.

  “Listen in, this is the Captain. I’ve just returned from speaking to Colonel Delmar and she’s informed me that the enemy’s attack on Loreen has been beaten off. You’ll also be pleased to know that, like us, they’ve received reinforcements from the colonies. Loreen sustained heavy military losses but very few civilian.

  “Our job now is to get Vampyre repaired and back into the fray. While we’ve received some ships from the A.O.W., others are still in transit, or have yet to be despatched. Only when they’ve been received, and this ship is cleared by the maintenance crew, will a short period of leave will be granted. That is all.”

  She stood and opened her cabin door, preferring to leave it open whenever possible, but as she did so Kes appeared and saluted. At her invitation, he entered and sat on her spare chair.

  “Glad to hear about the shore leave,” he said. “The crew could do with it. I’ve posted a duty rota, which will update automatically to the dates applicable. The ship will split into four parts. Two of those will be on leave during a twenty-four-hour period; the remainder will take alternate six-hour shifts. At that rate, and with shore-side help, we’ll have the Vamp’ up and running in no time.”

  Selena felt her lips twitch. “Good. You’ll work on opposite shifts with Singh, reporting directly to me wherever I may be. I need to keep an eye on the training wing and find a replacement for Staff. Then there’s the search teams to worry about. Coffee? I’d offer you something stronger but, until the work’s completed I want a dry ship. Can you make that known to all hands? Ensure that no alcohol or stimulants are issued until my say so. Anyone infringing this can stand by.”

  “Selena, can I speak off the record?”

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “I’m getting really concerned about the Manta. Yeah, I know they’ve been working on Capulet with us on a cure for the Lenars’ disease, but they’re not to be trusted. For them to attack our worlds when they’re supposed to be our allies, it’s as though they’re waiting for this war to end so they can start another and settle their argument with us.”

  Despite herself Selena felt herself nodding. “Those are my feelings too, but we have to follow orders and can’t afford a war on two fronts. Things are hard enough as they are. Let’s just hope we’re wrong, and that things will quiet down and pan out between our races. Have you spoken to Jessica?”

  “Yes, I have and she’s fine. She has Shadow and Jas with her, and says they’ll all be pleased to see you. From what she says Shadow and Jas are becoming inseparable.”

  ***

  The first leave party disembarked within the hour of the new ships arrival. Selena took a few days off too. Leaving Singh in charge, she took Jas on a camping holiday in the wilds for a couple of days, leaving a message that she was only to be disturbed if absolutely necessary.

  With permission from the Colonel, Selena was permitted to use her skimmer, but was aware it was against the rules and suspected Delmar had only allowed it so that she could return at short notice.

  “Do you like it here?” she asked Jas, as their craft landed softly in tall grass at the side of a river. In the background mountains jutted from the forest against a deep-blue sky. The slow pace of the river’s clear waters was a gentle murmur, as it ran around white rocks protruding from the shallows.

  They watched as Shadow padded off into the forest, knowing intuitively that he’d be back when they were ready to leave.

  “Yeah, it’s nice,” Jas replied. “But why have you bought us here?”

  “Thought we could take the opportunity to get to know each other better,” Selena said. “The things that make you tick, and how we can improve things for the other orphans. Besides, we don’t get much chance of a break, so let’s make the most of it.”

  Their time was spent exploring, fishing, gazing at their readers, cooking over an open campfire and staring up at the night sky, trying to name the constellations behind the overhead fleet of ships that glittered so in reflected sunlight.

  “You remind me of myself,” Selena said one night, as they sat around a fire staring up at the stars. We’ve both lost loved ones in tragic ways.”

  “You’ve told me about your aunt and
your parents,” Jas said. “I’m surprised the Queen’s still alive, given your reputation.”

  “She’s very well protected, and sometimes you just have to forgive. If you don’t, then you risk becoming sick, bitter and twisted. Doesn’t mean you forget though, now does it.”

  “That’s true,” Jas said.

  “I don’t want you to make the mistakes that I did. Show yourself a bit of compassion. It’s a bit late for me.”

  Jas remained quiet for a moment, prodding the fire with a long stick and watching the vermillion flames brighten in the gentle breeze, fragrant with the scent of wild flowers. “How long before you finish your sentence, and what happens then?”

  “I’ve served longer than my sentence now—those twenty-five years passed quickly. I remained in because of the war. Besides, what would I do outside in the civilian world? When I leave, I’ll probably go to Loreen and see that house they built for Bryn and I. Might be what I need, we’ll see.”

  Jas watched her for a few moments longer, remaining silent. She went back to prodding the fire.

  As the days passed, Selena found herself being drawn closer to the youngster. She and Jas talked about what could be done to help the orphans, to find ways to ensure procedures were set in place, so that if such tragic events occurred again other children would never find themselves in similar circumstances.

  It was soon time to return, and as Shadow joined them again, a message flashed up on Selena’s hand-held. It was from Colonel Delmar, telling her to report to her office immediately.

  ***

  Having dropped Jas at the orphanage, it didn’t take Selena long to get back to her ship, and from her cabin aboard the Vampyre she contacted the Colonel via wall screen. To her surprise, Delmar answered at once.