“I’m happy to help.”
Helena sensed the ambassador’s presence before he entered the lounge. Angry, and on the verge of violence, Bergem stalked towards their table. Helena tensed and noticed Duronius do the same.
“Captain! You were under orders,” Bergem said.
“Ambassador, pull up a chair,” Captain Connor said, attempting to avoid a scene. “How good of you to join us.”
Smiling tersely at the watching crew, Bergem sat and lowered his voice. “The Antaran party is confined to quarters until we reach Terra. Have you completely lost your senses?”
“Of all people,” Captain Connor said, “I thought an ambassador would know how to treat distinguished guests.”
“Distinguished?” Bergem scowled at the captain. “Why don’t you pilot the ship and leave the diplomatic duties to me. Does that sound good to you?”
Captain Connor leveled his blue eyes at the ambassador. “We’re in space. My rules now.”
“You can’t just disregard an order from the Council!” Bergem said.
“Captain’s discretion,” he said. “That order would have put my crew in danger.”
“What danger?”
Captain Connor smiled at Helena, studied her blue face tattoos for a moment, and said, “I usually do everything in my power to avoid the wrath of alien princesses.”
Chapter 8
After her fourth trip to the lady’s room, Helena decided the cheeseburger experiment was a poor decision.
“Are you well, My Lady?” Duronius asked from the main room.
Hopeful the last of the Human food was purged from her system. “Yes, Centurion, I am going to get some sleep now.”
Before laying her head on her pillow, Helena tore open the kilva bread and silently thanked her sister. Alone in her dark room, far from home, she allowed some fear to creep into her heart. Every now and then, she felt safe in her uncertainty. Why shouldn’t she fear? The Humans could discover their ruse and she may never see home again. She contemplated the serenity chant, but she decided to sleep with another blanket of unknowns.
For the next six days, Helena avoided Human food and remained in her quarters in meditation. The captain asked to see her on several occasions, but Helena denied the requests. She was concerned her judgment was clouded by her physical attraction to the off-worlder, so she chose to keep him at a distance.
Helena awoke with a jolt on the seventh night and scanned the ship with her mind. They were in battle.
The vessel shook from an impact and Duronius dashed into Helena’s room. “Are you hurt, My Lady?”
“No, but we are under attack,” Helena said, pulling a silk robe over her exposed shoulders. The centurion shouldn’t have seen her exposed skin, but Duronius’s quick reactions may yet prove more useful than Antaran tradition on the mission.
“Get me to the forward lounge,” Helena said.
Duronius nodded and the praetorians escorted Helena to the lounge. On the way, a crew member stopped them and said, “You should return to your quarters!”
Helena touched the man on the arm and said, “We will be fine.”
Yielding under the presence of the alien visitor, the crew member resumed his duties. Helena’s group reached the deserted lounge and she scanned the open space in front of her. Reaching with her thoughts, she sensed the nearby asteroids which were a concern for the helmsman. She also sensed a ship in distress in those asteroids. Someone important to the Humans was on board that ship. Then, she sensed a trap. Proxan ships were hiding in the asteroids, waiting for a chance to strike. Something seemed strange about the Proxans and their minds but Helena didn’t dwell on the oddity. Instead, she rushed to the intercom and signaled the bridge.
A female voice crackled through the speaker. Helena sensed it was Lieutenant Sandra Rhom, whom she spoke with before. “Who’s there? The lounges are under lockdown!”
“Lieutenant, this is Lady Helena. I need to speak with Captain Connor.”
“Lady Helena?” Lieutenant Rhom said. “Get to your quarters. We are under attack!”
“I have information about the Proxans for the captain,” Helena said. “Please, let me speak with him.”
A moment later, Captain Connor’s voice carried through the speaker. “Lady Helena, you should return-”
“Captain,” Helena said, “you are moving into a trap. Proxan ships wait to ambush you.”
“How could you know that?”
“Just trust me-” Helena’s voice trailed off as she sensed something awful about to happen – something about the ambassador. He was near.
“I can’t-” Captain Connor said, but Helena interrupted him.
“No time!” Helena said. She turned to her guards and said, “Follow me!”
Helena tracked the ambassador’s thoughts and found him in the adjoining cargo bay. His mind was full of violence as he rigged a bomb near some fuel canisters. This was a planned attack and the ambassador was stealing something important. Helena probed but couldn’t discover his true intentions.
Ambassador Bergem drew a pistol from under his cloak and leveled it at Helena. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
A praetorian moved in front of Helena, waiting for her command.
“I was about to ask you the same question, Ambassador,” Helena said as she finally broke through his mental blocks. He was no ambassador. “However, I think I know the truth about you now.”
“Do you?” Bergem raised his pistol and the praetorian in front of Helena charged forward.
Several puffs of compressed air escaped the muzzle of the weapon and the praetorian’s body convulsed from the violent impacts. He fell to the ground and Bergem pointed the weapon at Helena.
“Now,” the false ambassador said, “your guard bleeds like we do. Let’s see the color of your blood.”
Helena tensed as she quickly calculated trajectories in her mind.
Then, Duronius appeared in the shadows behind Bergem and tackled him. The centurion slammed Bergem’s face into the metal floor and it was over. Absorbed in the moment, Helena didn’t notice Duronius’s stealthy advance. And neither did Bergem.
Her senses clearing after the rush of the encounter, Helena blinked. “Is anyone else injured?” she asked as she knelt beside the fallen praetorian.
“No, My Lady,” Duronius said.
Helena examined the wounds and turned to one of the other guards. “Go get my medical bag. It should be in the crate in my room.”
The guard rushed from the cargo bay and Duronius watched the corridor. Helena applied pressure to the worst wound and smiled when the praetorian looked at her.
“My apologies-”
“No talking,” Helena said. “Reserve your strength.”
Moments later, the guard returned with the medical bag. Helena spent three years in the emergency ward at Tiberius Hospital, so trauma patients weren’t a new sight for the Antaran heir. Following in her mother’s legacy, Helena was an accomplished doctor and famous surgeon.
Working at a rapid pace, Helena injected a relaxer and then applied trauma patches to the wounds. Satisfied the bleeding was under control, Helena rose and wiped her bloodied hands on her nightgown.
Addressing her remaining three guards, Helena said, “Praetorians, I will return as soon as I am able. If the Humans move him to their medical bay, that is fine. But he is my patient. Don’t let them practice their barbaric medicine.”
The three praetorians acknowledged the orders and secured the room. However, Helena sensed fear and uncertainty in their minds. Though their training was extensive, they had probably never been in mortal danger this far from home. Neither had Helena, but she couldn’t afford the price of doubt.
Deciding she could risk a moment for her guards, Helena said, “Listen, I know you are well-trained for your duty. However experience is a harsh teacher as you are presented with the test before the lesson. I am honored to have you all with me on this journey and you have performed admirably. Now, focus y
our thoughts and abandon your fear. Do not doubt for a moment that I value your lives as much as my own. If we watch over each other as we watch over our wounded brother, we will succeed.”
“My Lady,” one of the praetorians said as he put his fist to his chest. The others mimicked the action.
Helena sensed a new resolve form in their hearts. These men were now dangerous in a way that suited their goal.
“Duronius, you are with me,” Helena said as she left the wounded praetorian and proceeded down the corridor.
The ship shook from another impact and Helena closed her eyes to concentrate on the nearby asteroid field. They were close, but the Proxans remained hidden. She still had time.
Duronius pressed the button for the lift and turned to Helena. “You meant what you said back there,” he said. “I think they appreciate your honesty.”
“Some of that was confidence,” Helena said. “But, I do believe we should put our trust in each other since we are so far from home.”
“And you have blood on your hands already,” Duronius said. “Quite the ominous start, don’t you agree?”
The door to the lift slid open and the two Antarans entered the cylindrical shaft.
“I’m sure you weren’t expecting this when you were assigned to me,” Helena said as she attempted to decipher the control panel.
Duronius pushed a button and said, “I volunteered, My Lady.”
The lift ascended three levels and the doors opened to the bridge. Humans studied their screens and barked orders to each other. Smoke clung in the air and greeted the two Antarans. Lights flashed on panels and a hologram depicted their tactical situation. Captain Connor studied the hologram but Helena didn’t get a chance to attract his attention.
“Halt!” A Human marine with a rifle stepped in front of Helena and Duronius. “Sir, I have a situation here!”
Helena raised her hands and said, “I must speak with Captain Connor.”
Another marine joined the first and said, “Who are you?”
“I am Lady Helena, your diplomatic passenger. One of my guards was shot by Ambassador Bergem and you are about to fly into a Proxan trap. Please allow me to speak with the captain!”
“Who was shot?”
“We haven’t much time,” Helena said. Unfortunately, Captain Connor wasn’t facing the lift, so Helena couldn’t catch his eye. “You must allow me to pass.”
“Not happening,” the marine said. “You’re not allowed up here, especially not now.”
Helena decided to risk surprising the marine. She raised her voice loud enough for the captain to hear. “Captain! The Proxans have you trapped!”
All eyes turned to the lift.
“Helena?” Captain Connor said. “Let her through!”
The marines escorted Helena to the captain.
“Are you hurt?” Captain Connor asked, studying her bloodied robe with concern. “What are you doing here?”
“You don’t have much time,” Helena said as she examined the holographic display. “The Proxans wait in these asteroids. This is a trap!”
Another Human man stepped forward and said, “Who the hell do you think you are?”
The man was a good deal older than Captain Connor, and also larger around the midsection. Helena noticed his ranking insignia was similar to Captain Connor’s. A brief scan of the man’s mind revealed jealousy. This man was the captain of this ship until Captain Connor stepped aboard. Something about Human protocol relegated him to a second-in-command status. This didn’t sit well with him.
“Captain Knowles,” Captain Connor said. “This is the royal Lady Helena of Antares. Show some respect.”
“In the middle of a battle?”
“You must move here, now,” Helena said, pointing to a spot on the holographic map.
Captain Connor pulled Helena to the side and said, “Captain Knowles, take over for a minute. Concentrate the forward batteries on the raider.”
“Aye, sir.”
Though they were still in earshot of everyone nearby, Captain Connor lowered his voice and said, “I know you’re eager to prove your value to us, but now’s not the time. We are in battle.”
Helena nodded to the hologram. “Move to where I indicated and we can deal with the ambushers on better terms.”
“What ambushers?” Captain Connor said. “Our scanners show a raider and two scouts – not much of a match for this vessel. We are rescuing one of our ships from a Proxan attack. I assure you, there are no more enemy ships. Our scanners are quite sophisticated.”
Helena added weight to her voice as she whispered in his ear. “You asked me how I beat you, but I was only partially truthful.”
Captain Connor raised his eyebrows and waited on her words.
“My people have developed a mental discipline,” Helena said. “I was reading your thoughts, as I now do the Proxan ambushers. You have less than thirty seconds before they strike.”
“That’s… that’s not possible.”
Helena concentrated to penetrate the depths of Captain Connor’s memory. After a moment, she said, “Your parents are Olivia and Pascal. They were accused of Proxan sympathy and you saved them… but you were captured and forced into the military… you have two dogs, and you miss them. They were on your ship with you when it crashed. You named your first dog after a historical person of significance. Your first name is Nathan… how interesting. You are unmarried and you lust after my sister, Marcella… and-”
Captain Connor opened his palms towards Helena and said, “Enough! You convinced me.”
The ship rattled from a nearby explosion and Captain Connor led Helena to the tactical hologram. “Helm, listen to Lady Helena,” Captain Connor said. “Here, use this to mark your locations.” Captain Connor handed a small electronic pointer to Helena.
“Move to this position,” Helena said. She pressed the button on the pointer while she held it at a spot in the hologram. “That will give me time to assess this vessel’s capabilities. I need a technical readout on this monitor – maneuverability and weapon emplacements for now. Skip the non-combat systems.”
“Delay that order, helm” Captain Knowles said. “Have you lost your mind, Nathan?”
“Helm, you have your orders!” Nathan said, glaring at Knowles.
Helena suppressed a smile when she heard his name. Nathan. His name and everything about him was full of possibilities. Unfortunately, she couldn’t give those possibilities the attention they deserved at that moment.
“I’m reassuming command,” Knowles said. “You are relieved, Captain.”
“You must move, now!” Helena said, jabbing the pointer at the hologram.
The hum of the ship systems filled the bridge as everyone waited. Helena glanced at the helmsman and focused on his mind. The Human was conflicted between the two orders. He had never been in a battle and he feared for his life.
“Too late,” Helena said as she sensed the excitement from the Proxan ships. They sprung their trap.
“Sir!” Lieutenant Sandra Rhom said from her station. “Two new bogeys incoming. Mark seven-alpha and twelve-niner. Proxan frigates, sir.”
Helena examined the vessels approach and pointed to a new spot on the hologram. “Accelerate and fly between these two asteroids. We will take damage on the aft starboard, but it will allow for a brief escape.”
Captain Connor said, “You have your coordinates, helm!”
The helmsman looked to Knowles and said, “Sir?”
“Delay that order,” Knowles said, scowling at Helena and Nathan.
“Dammit!” Nathan said. “We’re outgunned. Listen to her!”
“We can’t abandon that ship,” Knowles said.
“They are firing, sir,” Lieutenant Sandra Rhom said. “Eight torpedoes in the water. We’re hot.”
Helena reviewed the new data on the holographic projection and changed her mark. “Accelerate at two-point-five and squeeze through here.”
The helmsman said, “That’ll burn
out engine four.”
“You have three seconds,” Helena said, studying the technical readout of the ship’s propulsion system. It was going to be close.
Nathan pushed the helmsman from his chair and took control of the vessel. “Coming to bravo-seventeen,” he said.
“Marines!” Knowles said. “Relieve the captain and put the lady in the brig.”
“Sir?”
“Now!”
Helena turned to the closest marine, grasped a handrail, and said, “You might want to brace yourself.”
The ship shook from the minor impact with the asteroid in their path. Then, the viewport flared as the torpedoes impacted with the massive chunk of rock.
“No direct hits!” Lieutenant Sandra Rhom said, elation and surprise in her voice.
Helena returned her attention to the hologram and pointed to three spots. “Helm, follow the waypoints to here. Maximum burn.”
“We’re down engine four,” Nathan said from the helm. “We’ll lose two more engines if we do that.”
“Now!”
Back on their feet, the marines advanced towards Helena. Duronius stepped in their path. Nathan fired the engines and the marines tumbled to the ground again. Helena gripped the handrail and focused on the technical readout of the vessel’s moderate armament.
“Do we have intelligence on those frigates?” Helena said.
The monitor to Helena’s side blinked to life and Lieutenant Sandra Rhom winked at her.
Nathan righted the ship and the marines held on to the nearest rail, not willing to be tossed around the bridge any longer. Captain Knowles, however, was determined to regain control of his ship. He pulled a pistol from his belt and said, “That’s enough! Step away from the tactical station!”
Duronius tensed, but Helena placed a hand on his shoulder. “No more blood today,” she said.
With her eyes on the frigate readout, Helena stepped away from the hologram. The Proxan ships were more than a match for the Human freighter. However, Helena felt she could use the asteroids to her advantage.
For Duty (Antaran Legacy Book 1) Page 6