Volkstag considered, then said- “But, ambitious as you are, you alone cannot take a whole convoy with our single ship, can you? That is why you need us, your brothers and sisters of the clan.”
“Oh, I need you all right.” Ping An agreed. “I want nine more ships of my choosing to make this work, and I’m leader for this mission.”
Volkstag put a finger to his lips in a thoughtful gesture. “The other Mission Leaders will not be happy.”
“Frag ‘em!” She waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t care whether they’re happy or not. I want what I deserve.”
“Yes,” he said, understanding. “Yes, I can see that.” The after a moment he came to a decision. “Fine then, my friend, you shall indeed get what you deserve. Pick your ships and go with my blessing. I will support you with the Council of Captains.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Ping An bowed her head to him.
Volkstag laughed. “My lord is it now? Well, you remember your manners when it’s convenient for you, don’t you girl.” Then he returned to business. “But, there is a price to this favor I’m giving you.”
“Which is?”
“I’m giving you the chance for glory, and if you do this I will support your full rise to Squadron Leader, but you must give me your profits from this mission as trade. Agreed?”
Ping An hesitated. “My crew needs to be paid.”
Volkstag raised his hands in an open gesture to indicate that this was no longer in his hands. “Higher rank brings higher profits. They will understand.”
“True,” Ping An agreed. Then she nodded.
“Good,” he clapped his hands to indicate the deal was finished. “I’m glad to see you have learned our ways during your time here. I hope our relationship can continue to be a profitable one.”
* * *
Watching Ping An go from his chair, Volkstag’s smile faded to a frown. She had shown so much promise- it was a shame really.
Leaning back into the rocking chair, Volkstag submerged himself into a deep link, and then he was standing in a featureless gray room. Inside the virtual room, twenty others stood waiting for him- the Mission Leaders of Sulvan Kay’s fleet. They had been watching his meeting with Ping An from Linkspace.
“Well, my friends, there you have it.” Volkstag said to them sadly. “It was as we feared- she intends to betray the clan.”
“My lord, we should take her and force the location from her.” Said Captain Bella St. James, stepping forward from the murmuring crowd. “She and the rest of her troublemakers.”
A few calls in support of this rose up.
“Hold,” said Captain Anaba, raising a hand to quiet them. “Such methods take time, and this meeting of dignitaries will occur shortly.” He was a Morphic man, large with short white fur covering most visible skin, except his face, which was a deep red in color. He was also one of Volkstag’s senior captains, and when he spoke others listened.
“What would you suggest, Anaba?” Volkstag asked.
The Morphic Captain considered a moment, and then said- “Follow her and take the prize from her after she has done the work.”
“Can we do that?” Bella said, looking at the senior captain.
But it was Volkstag who answered- “We can. Captain Dragonov has shown his loyalty already, I need merely give him orders and he will drop marker buoys for us to follow. It is a good plan Anaba- and I agree.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Anaba bowed.
“My lord,” Bella also bowed. “May I have the honor of accompanying you on this trip? I have a debt I own Zhang that I want to repay.”
Volkstag smiled, but before he could answer a chorus of other voices began to ring out. If a Captain took part in an operation, he got a share of the profit, that was the pirate way- and this looked to be the most profitable mission any of them had seen for some time.
At last, Volkstag raised his hands to calm them. “My friends, I am gratified by your loyalty and enthusiasm,” he said. “I know if I were to leave any of you behind it would be a great slight those who stayed- so I shall solve the solution simply. Half of you may go, half will stay to defend our home. We will decide based on those who brought in the most profits over the past year. Anaba?”
The senior captain bowed. “Yes, my lord?”
“You will lead the party to follow Zhang’s group.”
Anaba hesitated. “You are not going to lead it yourself, my lord?”
“No,” Volkstag said clearly. “I will remain here and oversee our home.”
Anaba stepped forward, switching to a private link with Volkstag. “My lord, while I appreciate the honor, might I suggest this is the time for more active leadership? If you are not seen to deal justice personally, those who are less loyal may use it against you.”
Volkstag paused, he hadn’t considered this, but what Anaba said was true. He greatly disliked the idea of leaving the safety of Sulvan Kay, but now that he thought about it, he hadn’t lead the fleet to battle in some time. He was, after all, a pirate king, and perhaps he had left his duties to others for too long.
“Thank you, old friend.” He told Anaba, then stood and addressed the assembled others. “My captains, it has been too long since I have seen your skills in action, and I wish to stretch my legs again into the stars. Will you accept it if I walk among you this time?”
There was just a moment’s hesitation, Volkstag could see insecurity on their faces, and then it was gone and they were cheering for him.
They doubted his skills as a leader, did they? Anaba was right; he had been loitering in the Kay too long, and it was time to go forth again. He needed to show them why the name Volkstag was once feared, and to remind them of what happened to those who were disloyal.
Ping An had given him a great opportunity, and he would make the best use of it possible. He would honor her with a quick death for that.
* * *
“Are we away?”
Ping An, who was looking at the holodisplay with concern, glanced over at Vaela then turned back to it and nodded. “We are.”
Vaela looked around the Belleflower’s bridge- everyone was so quiet and focused on their jobs. It was like if they made a noise or the wrong sound, their king would suddenly appear in a cloud of smoke and smite them. The silence only made her feel more nervous, like she’d underestimated how much trouble they were potentially in.
But, as she looked at Ping An’s profile in the light from the holodisplay she felt some of her nervousness fade. Her friend and captain was so confident, it was hard not to believe in Ping An and what she could accomplish.
I guess her magic works on me as well, Vaela thought. With Ping An, there was such a sense of sureness to her it was hard not to feel the same, even in the face of things like death.
“We’re coming up on the jump point,” Betsey declared from her position at the helm.
“And the minefield,” Leederman added.
Ping An had explained to Vaela earlier that this was going to be the critical moment. The system’s two jump points were surrounded by rings of mines- ready to detonate should any enemy forces arrive. However, these mines also served as a gate to prevent ships from leaving if the clan leader so chose.
On the large holodisplay, ten little blue arrows approached what looked like a fence of yellow spots that surrounded the large purple zone that marked the jump point.
If Volkstag decided to, he could use those mines to wipe them all from space without a second thought. Vaela had no doubts he would too, if he had any sense of what they were doing.
Vaela almost jumped when Leederman suddenly called out- “I’ve got a link from Volkstag!”
Feeling herself shiver, Vaela looked again at Ping An, who just stood there impassively a moment. Then the pirate captain set her jaw and said, “Put it on the main display.”
A second later, Volkstag’s sharp features appeared on the display in front of them- and he smiled.
Vaela suppressed an urge to hide being her captain,
and forced herself to just stand there, looking as calm as she could.
“Captain Zhang…” He started, then he paused and said. “No, it’s Squadron Leader Zhang, isn’t it?”
“Thank you, my lord.” Ping An nodded. “It’s because of your kindness.”
Volkstag waved away her appreciation. “No. It’s nothing you don’t deserve, isn’t it? You have worked hard for this day.”
“I’m glad my lord appreciates it.”
“Oh,” he agreed. “I do. I do. It’s why I wanted to talk to you before you left. To make sure we’re thinking alike.”
Vaela froze, the breath becoming stuck in her throat. The way he said that, it was a challenge, not a question. She glanced nervously at the rapidly approaching yellow dots on the display. Just a few more moments and they would be within the field.
Ping An barely hesitated before she smiled, however. “We are, my lord. Our bargain stands.”
“Does it?” Asked the clan leader, eying her carefully. “Are you sure?”
Now would be their last chance, Vaela considered. They could still turn away- still make amends. If he knew, then going into the field would be suicide, wouldn’t it? Ping An had to know that.
“Quite sure, my lord.”
And with that, Vaela knew there was no going back. Zhang, Ping An had set her course, and there would be no other path but straight ahead.
Volkstag studied her for what seemed to Vaela like forever, and then he nodded. “I’m glad to hear it. Good hunting, my friend. Bring glory to the clan.”
“I will, my lord.” Ping An promised. “This clan’s future begins today.”
There seemed to be something Volkstag found funny about that statement, for he gave a wry smile as the holo-window snapped shut.
“He knows!” Leederman declared, half panicked. Vaela looked over to see the young operations manager’s tanned face covered in sweat. She felt she must have looked something similar.
“He can’t!” Betsey yelled. “If he did, he would have ordered us back.”
“Maybe he’s trying to tell us to play it straight?” Justin asked from the nook across from Leederman. “Bring ‘em to him.”
Vaela watched the crew go round like this for a short time, then glanced up at Ping An, whose determined expression hadn’t changed. Finally, Ping An spoke.
“Enough.”
A soft word spoken amongst voices loud with panic and worry, but despite this it brought the bridge back to silence in an instant. Vaela looked up at her, they all did, and the Captain took a moment to look at each of them as she spoke.
“Anyone who wants to leave the bridge, do so now. The escape pods are ready, and no-one will think less of you if you go. This is a volunteer mission, and if any of you don’t feel up to it this is your last chance.”
Her serious gaze settled at last on Vaela, and their eyes met.
“You too, kiddo.” She heard Ping An whisper.
But Vaela just shook her head.
“In for a penny, right?”
There was a smile in Ping An’s eyes, and then she gave a nod and looked around the room.
“To the end, Bosslady.” Leederman answered with a thumbs up.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Justin said, settling into his seat and adjusting his visor.
“Ready to enter the minefield, Captain.” Betsey added, resuming her work.
And just like that, the bridge was a single functional unit again, Vaela marveled. All of them ready to follow their Captain wherever she led.
How could any force in the Empire stand against that?
“Entering the minefield,” Betsey called out.
Vaela shut her eyes.
“In three…two…one…”
CHAPTER EIGHT
2718, Day 214
The Imperial Special Operations Cutter Silverthorne slid gracefully through the grey void of hyperspace, her sleek dagger form silhouetted by the blue aura of her defense fields. It was these fields that preserved the nature of time and normalcy inside the ship, protecting the crew from the incompatible laws that ruled in hyperspace.
Inside the dark warmth of the ship’s command pod, Ensign Marissa Helgi sat curled up in the large singular captain’s chair- bored.
She had attempted to work, but there was little to do, and all of her colleagues were otherwise too busy with their own duties to chat with their isolated comrade. Now, partway through her shift at command, she began to regret so eagerly taking this position. There was no-one to talk to and nothing to do. Was this supposed to be command? Was this what she’d been aiming for? She’d heard the top seat was a lonely one, but this was ridiculous.
Finally, desperate for contact, she decided she had little choice.
“Hey, Esther.”
“Yes, Ensign?” The pleasant but emotionless voice was all around her, but not overwhelming or loud. It was like she was talking to the room itself.
“What exactly does a Captain do on board one of these ships? I mean,” she waved her hands in askance. “This whole bridge is just a room and a chair.”
“Ensign, it is not a bridge but a command pod. A Class-H ship is commanded by a human, but in actuality it is controlled by their Squire.”
Helgi paused, considering this a moment. “So, you’re the ship’s brain?”
“Strictly speaking- no. The ship has no self-will, and I am providing one for it. If we were to speak in theological terms, you may consider me the animating force behind the ship’s actions.”
“So, the ship is your body?”
“Yes, that would be a fair assessment.” There was a short pause, and then, “Have you not served on one of these ships before, Ensign?”
Helgi shook her head. “I just graduated a few months ago, ma’am. They taught us a lot, but they never told us about this part.” She paused and looked around at the empty walls. “I wonder why not?”
“I’m afraid I cannot answer your question, Ensign.”
Helgi was about to ask why, when she heard a voice from behind her.
“You’d learn when you became an officer.”
Scrambling to her feet, Helgi spun around and leapt to attention. “Captain!” She cried, and then winced as she heard her too-loud voice in the small space. How had he managed to enter again without her noticing? He moved so quietly, he was like a ghost sometimes.
“At ease, Ensign.” Tysen said, returning her salute. “Everything okay up here?”
“Yessir!” She reported. “Everything’s fine! We’re almost there, sir. A little less than an hour before we arrive.”
“Good,” the Captain nodded, and gave her a reassuring smile. Then he tilted his head to look up at the glass display above them. “Esther, what about our “friends” you told me about earlier?”
“The fleet I have been tracking,” responded the Squire as a holo-display opened in front of them to show a stellar map. “Is about nine hours away at current speed, captain.”
Helgi saw their ship on the display, as well as their destination, and a large blob marked “unknown” approaching their destination from another direction. Was it another fleet? Whose?
Staring at the display and suddenly feeling a bit confused, the young helmsman worked up her courage and asked “Captain?”
“Yes, Ensign?”
“Well…ahh…” She hesitated, but decided she had to know. “How can she do that? I mean, I thought sensors didn’t work in hyperspace? How can she track them like that?”
The Captain sighed, and at first she thought she’d asked the wrong question and got ready to make a quick apology, but then he looked at her and said- “I suppose I can tell you, given our current situation. You’re right, Ensign. Sensors don’t work well in hyperspace at all, but Esther isn’t using ship sensors, she’s using her head.” He tapped the side of his own with a finger.
“Sir?” Helgi stared at him.
“Squires are telepathic, Ensign.” He explained. “They’re tuned to read the thoughts and know the po
sitions of other Squires around them. Normally, the range isn’t that far, but when you hook them to a Class-H ship’s amplifier they can find each other anywhere- even in hyperspace.” Then he gestured at the display. “Somewhere out there, Ensign, there are several powerful Squire brains sitting in beacon stations in hyperspace. Because the locations of these beacons is constant, Esther can use them to chart our position and navigate our ship without any kind of guide signal. That’s why Guard ships don’t need jump points or beacons- we’re using a different system.”
“But, why don’t they tell us that at the academy, sir?”
Tysen paused and thought a moment, then answered. “In a way they do, Ensign. What does knowledge equal?”
Helgi hesitated again- what did he mean? She was starting to feel like this was her first day at the academy. “Knowledge is…power?” She ventured, going with what seemed to be the most logical answer.
Tysen smiled, making her heart skip.
“Exactly. This system is the Star Guard’s key advantage, and the fewer the people that know about it the better. It’s a carefully guarded secret, and fleet captains are sworn to protect it.”
It was then that the enormity of what she was being told dawned on the young Ensign. “S-So why are you telling me this, sir?”
“Because,” the Captain answered, patting her on the shoulder. “I have great faith in you, Ensign. Don’t let me down.”
For a moment, Helgi’s mouth just hung open, and she just looked at him in shock. Then she caught herself, jumped back to attention, and saluted. “No sir! I won’t, sir! Thank you, sir”
Tysen gave her an encouraging smile and nodded, then turned and walked to the exit. “Contact me if there’s any change, or we’re about to enter normal space. I’m going to check on the prisoner.”
Helgi replied that she would, and then watched him go.
She couldn’t believe it, he thought she could be a captain? She’d always dreamed, but to hear it from him…it was…amazing! She couldn’t help but smile as she turned around and looked at the display.
Twin Stars 1: Ascension Page 22