by Marc Stevens
My crew were all in agreement. It was a proven fact the evil robot knew what he was talking about one hundred percent of the time. I opened a secure IST channel to the Operative.
“Sorry for the delay, Senior Operative, I was in the middle of planning a covert insertion into the Scrun facility. It is my belief we should try to capture one or more of the shuttles that just landed and use them to gain entry into the slave distribution center.”
This got my crew’s heads to shaking and their eyes rolling. I guess they thought I should have gave the credit to whom it was due. It proved to be a waste of time because Sael saw right through my glory hog ways.
“Oh really? And what else did the defective machine inspire you to say?”
The snickering I heard from my crew made me turn and give them the stink eye.
“How much longer on the repairs to your ship?”
“We are making better progress than I had estimated and should be battle-ready in another two hours. If you have current data on the target, I suggest you share it with me— that is, if you still want to make this a joint operation.”
The Operative always had a way with words. Her suggestion was a veiled order if I had ever heard one. “We are on our way to your location.”
When we were well clear of the target area, Justice sent a data dump to the Operative and we waited to hear back. The Scrun base was like our home base in many ways. It was an underground complex with a tunnel entrance. Justice had detailed enough scans to allow the Operative to insert her team into the tunnel entrance but not the complex itself. The main complex, like most military facilities, was heavily shielded against scanning. If Sael’s team could get the entrance secured, and the doors open, we could land a shuttle in the tunnel to block any attempts by the occupants to escape. It did not appear to have another escape route— at least not for spacecraft.
Sael took more than an hour to get back with us. It was not time wasted. We prepped our armor and weapon loadouts. Tria was going whether I liked it or not. At times, she was a lot like the Operative. I had no choice but to let her find out the hard way just how painful the bone lamination healing process could be when you rushed the recovery period. Justice had done a great job restoring Klutch’s and my armor. The suits were shiny clean and only showed minor wear and tear from our last engagement. Out of curiosity, I ran a check on my munitions load. I was more than a little miffed discovering Justice once again decided that I did not need anti-matter explosives in my kit. Obviously, the control I had exhibited over my inner beast did not impress him enough to change my loadout.
Sael snapped me out of my sour mood. “Nathan, the plan to capture a shuttle has merit. The scans you sent have enough detail my team and I can make an insertion into the tunnel entrance. From there, we will attempt to secure the access doors. I am surprised you have detected no defensive weapons outside of the complex. It has been my experience to remain cautious. Not detecting defensive weapons does not mean they are not present.”
I knew Sael did not like interruptions, but Klutch made a simpler recommendation. “Don’t worry about securing the doors, just blow them and we will secure the tunnel with one of our shuttles.”
“Sael, your time would be better spent trying to secure at least one of the shuttles. Justice will keep the Legacy close to suppress any pop-up defenses.”
My comments brought the expected ire. “If the Tibor would have not interrupted me, I would have explained our contingencies to you in detail. Since that was not the case, we can use one of our back-up plans to speed the operation. I assume your team will be covering our flank while we seize the shuttles?”
“Yes, we will move our shuttle through the entrance, taking out any hostiles that attempt to stop us. We will take up a position at the edge of the hangar area and use the point defense weapons for close support if things get nasty. I will deploy my team from there and flank any organized resistance. Justice believes this is a Scrun military outpost, and the chance for slaves to be present is near zero. If we have an opportunity to capture leadership-level personnel, we will do so; if not, my contingency is to level the place once we have a shuttle.”
Sael cleared her throat loud enough I understood it was out of frustration for my changing her plans. Changing might not have been the right term, because I suspected our plans were very similar.
“Alright Nathan, I have no objections to Justice’s plan of action. I propose we start this operation in two hours. I would like you to monitor the facility and keep me updated in case we need to fine tune the mission. Once my team is in, my ship will defend the orbitals. I recommend you keep the Legacy near the base for emergency extractions if necessary”
With that said, the transmission ended. Giving Justice credit for all the planning was Sael’s way of taking a swipe at me. Our plan was based on Justice’s observations, but it was a group effort. Our final plan of action, included input from all the strike team members. Two hours passed quickly and we were geared up and waiting when we got the alert from Justice.
“Commander, the Operative is moving her ship toward the Scrun base.”
My IST started transmitting. “Nathan, I am maneuvering in preparation for insertion. Do you have an update for me?”
“No, the base’s status is unchanged and we are ready to proceed.”
“Do not let your inner demon bring the base down on our heads.”
The transmission halted with that final statement. I was wondering when she would get around to rubbing salt in that particular wound. I could not find fault with her comment, because she was only thinking about the safety of her team. I expected nothing less. I would do the same if the tables were turned.
We boarded our shuttle and waited for Justice to give us the go for launch. Sael started giving us a play by play on our group IST channel. Justice put up a live feed on our view dome. We saw Sael’s ship swoop down and hover momentarily above the base.
“We are in! No contact…wait one. I have automated defense warnings, I will get back with you!”
The transmission went dead and Justice called out to us.
“Commander, the base is now covered by a defensive shield and a powerful transmitter is jamming signals within the base and surrounding areas. The Operative’s ship is turning back to the target. I believe they will attempt to breach the shield barrier at the tunnel entrance.”
“OK Justice, open the hangar door, we are out of here!”
“Negative. I am detecting movement on the surface of the mountain overlooking the complex.”
Justice put the close up live video of the base on our visors. There were several rocky outcroppings that appeared to be moving. When the movement stopped more than a dozen missiles launched from hidden silos. Justice did not hesitate and dove toward the mountain. Our point defense weapons firing nonstop at the oncoming barrage. Sael’s flagship was closer and took one hit before the missiles were destroyed. It did not appear to have inflicted any damage on the Chaalt ship and it went back to work on the shields protecting the entrance to the base.
“Justice, let’s give them a hand!”
Justice parked the Legacy over the missile silos and fired our main weapons point-blank into the shielded mountainside. The fourth volley made the shield flicker and fail. Another missile barrage was just clearing the tubes when our point defenses detonated them. The location of the hidden silos was reduced to a crater. I smiled grimly as a large secondary explosion from somewhere deep in the mountain gave it the brief appearance of a volcano, before it collapsed into itself.
My IST came back online. “Nathan, you have taken down the base’s power generator and the automated defenses have ceased functioning. The Scrun are retreating deeper into the complex. My ship has destroyed the tunnel entrance and I am deploying additional assets. I ask that you secure the orbitals and let us continue with our current contingency plan.”
Just like that, the mission turned from a joint venture to a Chaalt operation. Looking at my crew, I co
uld tell they were pissed that we just got bumped aside and relegated to an overwatch. The oath that escaped Tria’s lips was less than ladylike. She was looking forward to working out with the new armor and weapons. Sael Nalen was quickly becoming a very unpopular ally. I was again having second thoughts about revealing our discovery of the derelict ship. If she thought she could pull a stunt like this on the salvage mission, she would be wrong!
Justice took us to a low orbit and we observed the Chaalt order of battle. Sael deployed more than a dozen mobile weapons platforms into the complex. Fifteen minutes later, two Scrun shuttles flew from the base and landed aboard Sael’s flagship. Within minutes of that event, we saw the Chaalt forces withdrawing from the complex. I had my doubts about there being any survivors to question. As the Chaalt warship joined us in low orbit, Sael removed any doubts when the entire Scrun complex disappeared in a bright flash. My IST was silent. If Sael expected me to call and congratulate her on a successful mission she would be waiting for a long time.
32
Sael must have got tired of waiting to hear from me and finally called. She had plenty of time to compose her story and sounded almost apologetic in her tone. I pretty much knew it was bullshit. I was curious how she would explain herself.
“Nathan, before you comment, I want you to know that it was not my intention to exclude you from the operation. You yourself must know that combat is an ever-changing situation, and it demands a flexible and swift response to avoid unnecessary casualties. I exercised options and contingencies to safeguard my team. We executed the mission without a single loss and brought it to a swift and decisive end. Surely you can appreciate the results of the outcome. We now have shuttles and unquestionable codes to gain us access to the slave distribution center.”
I had to give it to her: she did come out smelling like a rose to her crew and her superiors. I could find no fault with the manner in which she did her job. Yes, it still stung to be excluded from an operation that we had developed the intelligence on, but the outcome was exactly what we planned for. I looked at my crewmates and could tell they were still unhappy, but each more or less shrugged and nodded their heads at her explanation. I should say at least three of them did. The big ass Tibor was sound asleep, leaning back in his chair. When Tria and Coonts saw the expression on my face and followed my stare to its target, they both got up and quietly left the conference room.
I got up from my chair and stepped around the table. I stood over Klutch with a raised eyebrow. The gurgling hiss that passed as the Tibor’s snore was now gathering more irritation than the Operative’s actions. I would kill two birds with one stone. I had left enough pause floating in the air to show the Operative my displeasure. I replied in a manner in which she and her superiors would understand.
“Sael, if you usurp another of my missions, you will be excluded from future expeditions.”
She started to say something but I ended the transmission. With an evil grin, I placed the pitcher of water from the table on Klutch’s wide bullet head and ran from the room before he could tip it over. As I walked down the hall, the cursing that erupted from the conference room had me laughing out loud.
I got a secure beep from by BS transmitter and Sael once again started to explain herself, this time in a more assertive manner and on a private channel.
I would have none of it and cut her off. “Sael, I have moved on, but with that said, you had better take my last statement with the utmost seriousness.”
She stewed on it for a few seconds as if reconsidering something. Her next comment proved she was doing just that. “Nathan, I have recovered Scrun assets I wish to turn over to you.”
“Justice, will be sending you coordinates to a rally point. I will meet with you at that location and we will discuss any future collaborations.”
I ended the transmission. If she thought she could smooth over the last mission with Scrun credits, she might be…partially right. Supplying the primitive planet protection fund with credits from slavers replaced the stern look on my face with a smile. My memories of home seemed like they were eons old, but in reality, only a couple of years had passed. I remembered the shows I used to watch on TV as a child. One of my favorites was “Robin Hood.”
I went to the science lab, where the rest of my crew was watching a video briefing on the Daggers. The first thing I immediately noticed was the size of the crew seats. They were very small and there was three of them. The race that operated these craft were smaller in stature than Coonts. They were being identified as Sentinel Race Thirteen. If Justice was serious about adding the craft to our arsenal, it was going to take considerable effort to redesign the cockpit. He would have to remove all the smaller seats and replace them with one large enough to accommodate one of our crew members.
The craft was well armed. I could see two internal rotary launchers that could hold twenty of the nanite missiles we had a generous supply of. The craft had four pop-out turrets. Judging by their ample size as compared to the craft itself, they might be dual-purpose defensive or offensive weapons. Two were forward and two were aft of the cockpit. The side mounted locations gave them one hundred and eighty-degree arcs of fire to both sides of the vessel. There was one large main weapon that appeared to fire through the sharply pointed nose cone. According to the diagram Justice was displaying to the side of the video, it had its own dedicated power source. While it still remained to be seen, I surmised that the compact little weapons platform was a formidable stick to beat the Prule or other combatants over the head with. The Captain of the ill-fated freighter that had dumped them went to great lengths to keep them out of enemy hands. He and his crew made the ultimate sacrifice to hide and protect the spacecraft. That selfless act was testimony as to their value. I truly hoped that Justice could unlock all of their secrets.
“Justice, were you picking at Sael or were you serious when you said you can make the Daggers operational?”
“I might have taken small liberties with my comments, but it is my intention to add them to our arsenal. There will be engineering tasks that will test the mettle of our scientists, but I am confident they will rise to challenge. They were able to unlock many of my Oolaran systems and I am confident they will do the same with the Daggers.”
“I am sure between you and the scientists it will get done. Our next order of business is how I handle the way Sael sidelined us. I am still angry with her and I am considering taking on our next mission without her.”
“Commander, I have transferred the coordinates of a star system close to the Scrun target. The Operative is insisting that I provide an exact time for our rendezvous. I would like to add I am charging the energy matrix to give you additional options as to your choice of locations.”
“She can insist all she wants. When you are ready, jump us within communication range of Tam Lin’s outpost. We are going to plan the assault on the Scrun as if we were going in with the Sig as our only backup. We will give the Operative a taste of her own medicine. She can either join our operation or go it alone. Right at the moment, it makes little difference to me.”
My statement pulled my crew’s attention away from the Dagger briefing and earned me looks of approval from Coonts and Klutch. Tria came over to me and hooked her arm in mine. She kissed me lightly on the cheek and whispered to me.
“While I feel you are justified in putting Sael in her place with respects to our missions, I would use caution as to how you do it. After all, she has more or less offered one of my people’s greatest achievements.”
I found it rather interesting that Tria was on the verge of choking the Operative a couple of hours ago but now was warning me not to piss her off too badly. Evidently, she would like to see us on the receiving end of her people’s best kept secrets as badly as I did.
“I’m still agitated at the way Sael sidelined us, but I can’t argue the outcome. I want her to realize she is an ally and a technology partner, not our Commander in Chief. Since she is back in the council’s grac
es, it seems that she is more determined than ever to make us submit to her command. If this is something her superiors have demanded she do, then they are fools. If it is something she has told them she is capable of doing, she would be one as well.”
“Nathan, you know her better than that. She is obviously being pressured into the actions she has taken. Have you not noticed her demeanor of late? I suspect this is the military council meddling in our affairs. They are going to make her prove her loyalty before they unleash her on the galaxy with a new class of warship.”
I looked at Tria and nodded. She was the voice of logic and reason. If we could help Sael pass the test her council was subjecting her too, we might get back the Sael I’d come to like and respect. Having a covert ally like the Chaalt firmly in our corner makes our future goals not so unrealistic. I hugged Tria tight enough to make her wince and kissed her to make up for it.
“Justice, change of plans, take us to the Operative.”
“Affirmative, Commander, jumping in seven minutes.”
I turned to Coonts, Klutch, and Xul. I gave them a run down on what Tria and I had discussed. All were in agreement that we should help Sael win her untethered freedom, and as Klutch put so eloquently, “Get back to breaking scat and taking titles.”
The chatter in the lab suddenly went silent, signaling the beginning of our transition. As we faded back into reality, I took Tria by the hand and we went to the hangar to greet the Operative. Justice zeroed in on the Operative’s flagship and quickly brought us alongside. I stood in the open hangar door with Tria, wondering how long it would take Sael to cool off and come down to meet us. It was a surprisingly short wait. Sael leaped across the void and made a picture perfect landing inside our atmospheric retention field. She had a case in one of her hands and before she could say anything, I held up my hand.