“Good. We have some information…” the image blinked again. “… Dangerous. The Vusuls… for the communication… same region as… originating.”
“We can’t hear you, Admiral,” Tom said, tapping the console. Her image wavered, and she returned with clarity. “Say again.”
“Stay vigilant. I fear they have other motives.” Admiral Benitor’s projection faltered and ended.
“Damn it!” He tried to access the communication, but it failed continuously. “Con!”
His grandfather’s AI surfaced. “Yes, sir.”
“Notify me the moment we have a clear signal to Nolix or Shu.” Tom let out a cheekful of air and glanced at Brax. “What do you think she was trying to say?”
“Dangerous. Vusuls. Communication. Region. Originating.” Brax listed some of the key words they’d heard. “I’d suggest she was trying to tell us the issues with our comms are stemming from near the location we’re heading.”
Tom nodded; that made a lot of sense. “The Vusuls are behind our issues. But why? And what does it have to do with Lark Keen? I hate going in so blind.”
“So do I. I’d say we should hang back, use Cleo to scout when we arrive, but she’s gone with Starling,” Brax said.
“Then we’ll hang back, as you say, and send the probes. It’ll have to do,” Tom said. Another week, and they might finally be able to learn what was going on. His nerves were already on fire after dealing with Elder Fayle during that excursion, and now he was bringing the entire crew out far past the Border to meet with a race he was unfamiliar with.
“What do you say to a rematch?” Brax asked with a sideways smirk.
Tom rose, only too happy to oblige his lieutenant commander. “Vulti? Against me? Are you sure your ego can take it?”
“You know the rules. You have to let the captain win, or you might end up with double duty. Or be the first scout on a gas giant, searching for a missing pebble,” Brax joked.
“So that’s how it is.” Tom exited the office. “Want to make this interesting?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Because I’m undefeated,” Tom told him. The banter felt out of place given their current predicament, but maybe some exercise was a good way to vent his frustrations.
They moved for the gymnasium, but Tom couldn’t shake the odd message from Benitor from his mind. What were these Vusuls after?
Fifteen
The material was such an interesting compound, unlike anything Reeve had worked with before. They knew so much about it thanks to the Vralon, who’d mined it from the Tingor Belt. Once they’d determined it could be used to create the jump drives they applied on small probes, the Vralon had tested it on larger objects after finding the healthy source.
The two weeks of working with Hans on the schematics had been one of the most exhilarating times of her life, which was a bit of a sad statement on Reeve’s social existence. Today was the day they brought it to life.
“I couldn’t have done this without you,” Hans told Reeve, running a hand over his mostly bald head. He was a brilliant man, and she’d been happy to have kept up the entire time, working as peers rather than as master and student. He’d leaned on her for a lot of things during the planning stages, and she’d suggested tweaks and parameter changes he hadn’t thought of.
The hangar was empty with the exception of the 3D printers, the manufacturing drones, and the shuttle they were going to modify with the new engines. Tools were spread out across the workbenches, and giant monitors showed the blueprints in extreme details.
“I’ll fire up the printers,” Reeve told Hans, and he nodded absently, hands clasped behind his back as he strode through the room, checking the final details.
“This will do. This will do just fine.” He grinned and took a seat on a swivel chair. “Can you believe the Vralon were the first to discover this? I always thought the Zilph’i would be the ones.”
“They have helped improve the design, which really set us up for success,” Reeve told him. Between the Vralon and her friends from Leria’s engineering team, they were weeks if not months ahead of where they’d have been starting from scratch.
The jump drive shuttle her brother had used was only good for two trips, and short ones at that. Reeve and Hans’ goal was to create one that would recharge without depleting the Nek resource so quickly. If they did this, the Concord would be light years ahead of anyone.
Hans frowned as Reeve started the printers, and she watched through the glass casing as the engine pieces began taking form from the raw materials. “If this works, we cannot tell a soul,” he said.
Reeve glanced at him, and he sighed. “What do you mean?”
“The technology. It’s too dangerous. We can’t have our enemies zipping from one place to another with no warning. Could you imagine a fleet of outsiders with these ships? Nolix would be targeted and attacked before any warning bells sounded. It can’t happen.”
“What are we doing this for, then?” Reeve asked. Hans had been into the experiment the entire two weeks, and she was baffled at his reaction.
“For science. We have the time, the resources, and the brainpower. I want to make this ship, but never share it,” Hans said.
“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Reeve asked, deeply understanding this revelation. She’d been thinking the same thing.
“I didn’t want to scare you off,” Hans said, glancing past Reeve at the parts inside the printers.
Reeve didn’t blame him and told him as much. “We’re in this together. Either way, I appreciate the distraction. A lot of things are changing out there, even with my own crew.”
“Is that so?” Hans asked. They’d toiled side-by-side for two weeks, but they’d been working the entire time, discussing everything about the project, yet little about themselves.
“Hans, do you have a family?” she asked.
He nodded. “Wife and I divorced some time ago. She’s on Earon Station, working on surveillance. Brilliant woman of her own accord, but sometimes you need a better balance in a relationship, if that makes sense. It was like arguing with myself, and that meant there was never a winner. Every couple needs one person to take charge, in my opinion. Otherwise, there’s too much headbutting. It was doomed from the start, but we were both on the same team out of the Academy, and that made it convenient.
“For some reason, we figured bringing a kid into the equation was going to solve our problems. Like introducing an unknown variable into an experiment ever ended well, right?” he asked, his eyes more alive than they’d been since she’d met him.
“You wouldn’t be the last couple to think that would help,” Reeve admitted, laughing lightly.
“Our son is thirty, residing on Earon in the hospitality industry, of all things. Could have joined the Academy, but he preferred the feel of sand between his toes and water splashing over his shins. I used to curse his choices, but the older I’ve become, the more I understand them. Maybe that kind of life would have been preferable to traversing between stars, seeing the underbelly of the universe at every turn,” Hans said softly.
“Ignorance is bliss,” she whispered.
“I think you’re right.” Hans stood, his voice firmer. “Now then, let’s see if we can begin to piece this together.”
Four of the ten printers were flashing green, indicating they were finished. She began to pull the small components out, activating the next round of parts, when the hangar door opened. Commander Kan Shu was there, wearing his uniform, the orange collar standing out in the shadows.
“Do you mind if I join you?” he asked.
“Not at all, Commander,” Hans told him. “Kan is brilliant as well. Should have worked in engineering rather than the bridge, hey, Kan?”
The Callalay man grinned but didn’t respond to the comment. He was a classic case, reminding Reeve of Thomas a bit. His mother was the infamous Yin Shu, Tom’s old captain, and she’d recently died, sacrificing herself and Cecilia to allo
w Constantine to escape the Statu.
For someone like Kan Shu, there had never been another path than the one he walked. “I was hoping to have your eyes on a side project I’ve been working on.”
Reeve raised her eyebrows, curious what he was up to. “Sure. What do you have?”
He showed her a tablet, and her breath caught in her lungs. “Is this… the communication failures?”
Hans grabbed it, scrolling through the data, and he gasped, probably coming to the same conclusion as her. “The Vusuls. They’re behind it, aren’t they?” he asked.
Kan stood tall, nodding. “That’s what I believe. The interference is growing stronger as we near the exchange destination. We won’t have a chance to relay any details to the Concord or Constantine while we’re there, but the bigger issue remains. How did they create something that caused a blackout of communications across Concord space?”
Reeve gulped. “There’s a more important question.”
“What’s that?” Kan asked.
“Why did they create it?” Reeve handed the tablet over. “We need to tell the captain.”
“I’m on my way. We have a crew meeting tomorrow, and Rene has requested that you both attend. The Advisor, as well as Yunrio of the Seeli and Caalizan, will be present.”
“Very well.” Hans’ hand shook slightly as he held a fragile gear.
Reeve stared at the engine specs and dove in to work, knowing it would distract them from what was coming. “Kan, hand me the piece from printer seven.”
____________
Treena glanced at the door as the Guardian Dorthan strode in, the Advisor Iliandra directly after him. She was fresh-faced, looking younger than she had during the first few interactions Treena had with her. Her blonde hair was braided on both sides, and they were pulled over her ears, tied skillfully with white lace. Dothran pulled her chair out and remained behind her as she sat.
Rene Bouchard was at the head of the table, with Kan to her right and Conner to her left. Treena smiled at Conner, but he only frowned in return. She’d known him long enough to sense when he was upset, and it was coming off him in droves.
Yunrio, the Seeli scientist, shifted in his seat nervously, and Caalizan, the elderly Minon man, sat rigid as a statue. They made quite the pair. Doctor Nee was beside Treena, his gloved hands folded on his lap.
“We’re only a few days from our destination, but a few things have come to light.” Rene stood, her gray and black uniform as pristine as ever. The First Ship symbol on her chest drew Treena’s eye, and for a moment, she felt the pride of being part of the great Concord. It was amplified being so far across the Border. Something inside her wanted to turn around and return home, ditching Lark Keen back at Wavor Manor with his robot guards.
“Commander Kan Shu has some details to share.” Rene motioned for Kan to speak, and he did so from his seat.
“The energy flux is originating from the Vusuls’ location. We don’t yet know what’s causing the disruption, or whether or not it’s natural, but if I’m hypothesizing, I have to imagine it’s being done deliberately,” Kan said.
“Does this mean we’ll be unable to send any messages at all?” Advisor Iliandra asked.
“We haven’t been able to for the last two weeks, so nothing changes,” Rene said.
Chief Engineer Hans raised his hand, waiting for the captain to acknowledge him before speaking. “There are obviously a few implications to this. I suggest we use the probes to scout before entering the system. I’ve managed to tweak the energy readouts, which will basically render them unscannable. We’ve had this technology for a while, but with recent updates to them, I’ve discovered some sensors could still register the probes if they knew what they were searching for.”
Treena noticed Reeve nodding slowly. It was her impressed gesture.
Rene Bouchard rested her hands on the back of her seat, still standing. “We’ll stop in three days, survey the system, and make our decision. I don’t like this, not one bit. I’m not sure if this is worth the hassle, but I understand the value of returning Charlan home to Minon.”
The Seeli man looked ready to object, but he stopped himself short at a glare from the Advisor.
Treena peered at Dorthan, who was patiently watching them from near the door. He caught her gaze and smirked. She quickly turned away, returning to the conversation.
“Commander Starling, you’ve been quiet. Anything to add?” Rene asked.
“I think the plan is sound. I agree that this feels wrong. The Vusuls dragged us out into the middle of nowhere, and we’re speculating they’re behind the communication failure. This makes me wonder if the entire thing is nothing but a trap.” Treena paused and saw that everyone was listening intently. She didn’t want to worry them, but the time for subtleties was over.
“What are they after?” Conner asked.
“Could be a few things,” Treena suggested. “First off, they requested Lark Keen. That tells me they had, or have, some kind of arrangement with the traitor. It could be as simple as them wanting Keen. But that doesn’t explain the month-long journey or the comm disruption. They may be luring us out so they can take the cruise ship.”
Rene frowned, shaking her head. “Over my dead body.”
“You saw what they did to Minon and their station,” Reeve said. “That ship is huge. It’s ten kilometers long, with weapons that decimated a fleet in a short period of time. They aren’t to be trifled with.”
“Do you think they expect Constantine to be coming as well?” Conner asked.
Rene took her seat, tapping a finger on the table. “I don’t see why they would. They anticipated we’d be unable to contact Baldwin, so that should be a surprise. I only wish we knew where in the Vastness they were. This is going to be tricky.”
Treena had an idea, one she didn’t love. She peered at Conner and took a deep breath. “I can revert to my body, attempt to contact someone on the ship.”
Doctor Nee cleared his throat and set a gloved hand on her arm. “Kelli won’t be there, since she’s taken over for me. Is it possible for you to leave a message?”
Treena shook her head. “Not easily, but… I have to try. We need to formulate a plan, and we can’t do that by rushing in blind.”
“Good idea. Thank you, Commander Starling. I can’t imagine the full burden of what we’re asking, but it’s appreciated,” Rene said, giving her an encouraging smile.
The meeting went on for another hour, and by the time they were done, Treena didn’t feel any closer to a solution to their looming predicament. Conner waited at the end of the hall outside, and she turned the other direction. He caught up to her.
“Treena, why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, his voice pleading.
“I… we knew each other back then. Do you think it’s so easy to tell someone you used to have a crush on that you’re really a shriveled woman on a bed, and that this”—she knocked on her arm with her left knuckles—“isn’t real?”
Conner hopped in front of her, stopping in the corridor leading from the meeting room. A few officers walked by, pretending not to stare, and he spoke low. “I’m sorry you feel that way, but I have to admit, I was a little hurt.”
She didn’t want to apologize for her decisions, so she didn’t. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d better get to my room. Time is pressing.”
“Can I help... guard your…” He pointed at her stomach.
She sighed. “Conner, I’ll be fine. How about we meet up later and have a drink?”
“Okay, but it might need to be stronger than a cup of Raca this time,” he said, and she left him alone as she strode toward her quarters. She dreaded returning to the claustrophobic body that she didn’t even feel a connection to any longer, but it had to be done.
____________
Gotran kept Eve close as they were guided toward the shuttle. They’d arrived a few days prior, and now they were finally moving for the station, but no one would tell them what the end goal was.
&nbs
p; “Come on. At least tell us what this place is,” Gotran told the young guard that had been watching them since the start.
“Do as I say, old man,” the guard said, nudging him forward. Gotran’s training kicked in at the contact, and it took all his mental fortitude to not drop to a knee and break the Vusuls’ leg before ending him. Doing so would be extremely foolish and might get Eve killed.
The huge hangar had a clear barrier to space, and every few seconds, a section flickered in red lines. From here, they could see the giant space station, shaped long and lean, with countless protuberances on the top and bottom. It was impressive, and uncomfortable to look at. Nothing about it spoke of sanctuary or home. It was intimidating and ruthless in appearance, much the same as the Vusuls, and it was clear to Gotran that they were the architects behind the station.
“I don’t want to go,” Eve said quietly.
“I know. Neither do I.” Gotran stopped at the shuttle’s ramp. It was familiar: a Concord model, albeit an old version. He wondered how they’d obtained the out-of-date craft. “When is the exchange?” he asked the guard.
“Keep moving,” he said in reply.
“You have no idea, do you? Just a lowly soldier, following the orders of some has-been leader,” Gotran said, barely loud enough for the man to hear him. For a moment, he thought that might have been the case, until the butt of the huge gun struck Gotran in the backs of the legs. He stumbled to the ground, almost knocking Eve up the ramp.
“Head inside and stop talking!”
Gotran climbed to his feet, feeling the bruises begin swelling on his hamstrings. He should have stayed quiet. There was no point in agitating the captors, not so close to their trade-off.
Eve glanced at him with saucer eyes, and he only grimly nodded, indicating he was okay. They were told to sit on the bench at the end of the shuttle, where two other guards sat opposite, aiming weapons at them. “Can you point them at me? She’s a helpless girl.”
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