He twisted and dashed with his shoulder cargo for the ground car. Flaps had the side entrance open and together they placed Aaron, gently as possible into the rear compartment. Lee was barely in when Flaps dragged off.
***
Hammerhead
Atlas low orbit
Aaron’s eyes fluttered open. He blinked rapidly, but the haze seemed intent to remain. Then the outline of something familiar appeared. A few blinks later the outline turned into a familiar face—it was Lee.
“Commander,” Lee said. “Are you still in pain?”
Aaron paused a few moments, he was lying flat in a bunk in the rear compartment of Hammerhead. The movement of the ship told him they were surging through the atmosphere. There was no pain.
“I don’t feel anything really, what did you give me?”
Lee held up a pressure syringe.
“The pain reliever to end all pain relievers,” he said. “I did a basic scan of your back. Nothing’s broken, but you might have a bruised or sprained spine, if such a thing were possible. It’ll hurt like someone hit you with a steel pipe but it isn’t permanent. An easy fix—for a doctor—according to my searches.”
“I suppose that’s good news. What’s our heading?”
Flaps popped his head into the cramped space with an eager smile. “We’re pursuing the ship which broke orbit just before us, Commander. Lee is certain the spy lady is aboard as well as a few other friends you guys made.”
Aaron relaxed into the bunk. Undoubtedly, Lee had mixed some sort of relaxation aid into the concoction. His eyelids felt like they had dumbbells attached to them. Either Lee felt he needed rest, or he didn’t want him aggravating his injury.
All the mean things he could think to call Lee for knocking him out at a time like this dissolved in a swirl as consciousness left him.
Chapter 22 – Proud Mother
Santiago
17 years earlier (2458)
Her most prized possession stood silently facing the mirror.
For the past five minutes her baby boy—no her young man—fidgeted with his dark uniform. He pulled it down at the front trying to smooth out any appearance of a fold. He grumbled as he took a step back and ran his fingers through his thick dark-blond hair. She never could get him to use a comb. He looked even paler now than when he left for the Academy. His features had hardened somewhat but his soft green eyes and dimples rivaled his father’s features.
Anna tried to contain her smile while she looked upon her only son. He was lean but muscular. At 5”9 she might be considered tall but she still had to stare up into her son’s eyes. He stood a complete head above her.
“Aaron, would you stop that. You look fine,” she said.
He grumbled. He was eighteen now and last year with her and Patrick’s permission he’d enrolled in United Star Systems Fleet Academy’s officer candidate program. From the age of twelve, Aaron had shown high aptitude in deep space navigation and starship engineering. However, he’d grown eager to learn about the military aspect of starships. Particularly tactical systems. Having scored in the top one percent in the entrance examination, the Academy had accepted him into its four-year program without hesitation. It wasn’t a common occurrence for seventeen-year-old boys.
He’d been “home” for the past six weeks on leave. Home for Aaron was aboard Santiago where they’d raised him from the age of nine. They would soon leave the five-kilometer-long passenger freighter behind. Patrick had secured a position as a congressional aide on the Border Worlds’ capital Atlas Prime, and she successfully applied for an opening at the planet’s primary healthcare facility.
Aaron finally turned from the mirror and looked at her.
“It just feels a little loose,” he said, staring down at her.
She stared into his adorable green eyes.
“Oh stop it, Aaron. It fits perfect.”
Aaron had left with her complete blessing. However, although Patrick signed the waiver document due to Aaron’s age, he grumbled sometimes about his son “stomping around on some military warship light-years away and in possible danger”. No, there’d definitely been some tension between them when Aaron left. They spoke often enough when Aaron had the time, but Patrick worried excessively for his son. Anna told him that’s her job. Patrick had to be strong. She’d always been the disciplinarian. Aaron had always run to Patrick to escape punishment. It was a good balance in the end.
What Aaron couldn’t sense over the time-delayed messages was that Patrick was now the proudest father in all the universe. Every new picture he sent of himself aboard a ship or in his uniform, Patrick proudly displayed it in their quarters and on the bridge to the rest of the crew. He never stopped talking about his boy, the future starship captain.
“What do you really think, mom? I know nothing about my training ever seems to bug you, but what about this?”
He was referring to his specialization path, after he’d just completed a year of general training.
“Like I told you before you arrived. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll have a proud mother. If the tactical specialty is where you feel you belong then go for it. I suppose boys’ fascination with guns transcends time itself.”
“You make it sound like it’s just about shooting something. There’s far more to a tactical officer than that. It is the ultimate responsibility. That’s why many tactical operators get their own command so quickly. You just become resolute and comfortable with your decisions much faster. I’m excited. My instructors tell me I’m on track to have my own ship by the time I’m 30.”
“Oh, Aaron. Don’t get cocky! You’ll get a command when the time’s right. No sooner and no later.” She straightened his Fleet insignia on either side of his collar. “My little man, the United Fleet officer.” Water welled in her eyes. “Do you at least promise to come and see your poor old mother when you get your own ship?”
Aaron held her cheeks in his palms and wiped a tear with his thumb.
He grinned his old silly toothy grin. “Wherever you and dad are, mom, if you call, I’ll come no matter what. Even if I have to take over the ship as a cadet.”
She buried her face in his chest and sobbed softly. He squeezed her and rubbed her back.
“Mom? What’s really bugging you?”
She leaned back looking at him. “It’s nothing. I’m so happy you’re following your dreams. I just hadn’t realized how hard it is with you gone. I kept this inside when you left. I didn’t want you worrying about me. And seeing you is just overwhelming.”
From the look on his face, she knew he didn’t have a clue it had been so hard to let him go.
“I tell your father not to worry all the time. Yet as you get closer to graduation and posting, I find my mind roving endlessly. What if this or that happens. What about pirates? What about the Baridian Empire? It’s just hitting me all at once.”
“You remember what you told dad all those years ago when we moved aboard Santiago?”
She shrugged. Nothing particular came to mind.
He smirked. “You told him ‘no one lives forever’.”
She half laughed. “How fitting. I have no idea how you remember that.”
“Oh I remember alright,” he said. “I remember the look on dad’s face that day and then how he suddenly burst out laughing.”
The hatch parted and Patrick stepped through.
“Boy! Are you all set?” He paused likely taking in the somber mood in the quarters. “Oh now, none of that. Anna, we agreed, no tears until after he left.”
It was true. They had agreed. But six weeks had come and gone so fast.
She straightened. “I Know, Pat. I just couldn’t help myself for a moment. I’m fine now. I promise.”
“Good,” Patrick said. “Aaron, come let me look at you.” He moved and stood in front of his son and held each of his shoulders. Looking over his uniform, he nodded. “Very good. Cadet first class. Ensign next year right?”
Aaron nodded. “If all goe
s well.”
Patrick chuckled. “Why wouldn’t it?”
“Just saying. Don’t want to get cocky. Right, mom?”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Right.”
“Okay. Well, the shuttle pilot is waiting on the hangar deck. I told him we’d be coming down shortly. Don’t mind your old folks coming down to the hangar to see you off, now do you?”
Aaron smirked. “Not at all, dad.”
A junior technician was passing the hatch in the corridor the same time and Patrick stopped him and gave him a handheld.
He reached to Aaron. “Come close. He’ll take a photo.”
They stood together with Aaron in the center. All three smiled as the junior technician nodded and indicated he’d snapped the shot. Patrick took the handheld and pocketed it. They exited the quarters together and walked through the ship to the hangar deck to the shuttle which would return Aaron to the Academy. For most of the way, they remained silent. Anna asked about a couple last minute things to make sure Aaron had everything. They entered the hangar and stopped in front the ramp to the shuttle.
Aaron turned to face his parents.
“I love you both. I’ll be back this same time next year.”
Anna looked at Patrick. He was biting his bottom lip. It quivered ever so slightly. If their son didn’t leave now Patrick would lose it in front his son.
“Oh get going, Aaron,” she said. “We’ll see if we can fit you into our busy schedules next time.”
He set down his duffle bag, bent and wrapped his arms around his mother. She almost couldn’t breathe. The brute was strong. He whispered in her ear and she whispered back. He then stood in front his father. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment. Then they hugged.
“I love you, dad.”
“I love you, son.”
He stepped back, picked up his bag and boarded the shuttle. He’d never know the pain they both felt that day.
Chapter 23 – Fight—And Run
Hammerhead
Atlas low orbit
Present day
The first hour Aaron slept and strange images of Rachael swirled in even stranger dreams. Soon Trident’s final moments replaced her. He lost his ship, got his crew killed. Now here he was again on a different ship, and possibly a second chance to kill the remainder of Trident’s survivors. Reckless. That’s what the file says. He’d dismissed the armchair admirals out of hand. What did they know? He’s the captain, not them. None of them knows what it’s like, except maybe Shepherd.
Now he’d failed to protect his home. His father might be dead. His crew would be next and then the entire planet. Then the Imperials would march across Atlas and the United Systems. The second hour he’d argued with a strange dark figure. He couldn’t see the face of his tormenter.
Is this how you’d want your crew to see you? Wallowing in self-pity?
Who said that?
After you’ve come so far, you’re going to give up now. What a waste.
Silence! You get people killed, and starships destroyed, you’re reckless.
If bold and assertive is reckless, then yes, I am reckless.
You can’t save everyone. That’s the problem, you just can’t let go.
Neither of us can let them go. That’s the difference between you and I. I’m willing to fight. You just want to lay down and die.
Good, stop tormenting me, at least I’ll have no other deaths on my conscience.
You’re wrong. You’ll have far worse. Now get up and fight.
No.
Get up Aaron Rayne!
I will fail. We will all die.
You’ll fail by doing nothing. No one lives forever.
Aaron’s eyes shot open and he gasped for air as he sat straight. His shirt was soaked. He couldn’t quite place where he was now. Someone else was there, who was it? He fought to focus.
Lee stood there staring at him. He fought himself awake.
“Lieutenant, a stimulant, now,” he said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Lee fetched one and administered it. He looked at the Lieutenant and narrowed his eyes.
“Tell me everything,” Aaron said.
Lee told him everything that occurred once they parted ways planet side. First, the multiple explosions they witnessed and then a goon squad—as Lee labeled them—tried to capture them. Aaron had only heard those explosions.
Aaron sighed. He’d give anything just for some answers this time, instead of more questions. He looked at the datachip his father gave him. There was no time for it now. He knew what he had to do.
What role had the Empire played in this scenario?
Atlas was reeling from a wide-scale attack perpetrated by unknown elements. An unknown man who resembled an Imperial had saved Rachael and him from certain death, only to be shot in the back by other agents claiming to be USSI operatives. The very same operatives who subsequently tried to interrogate and kill him. Most puzzling was the Imperial agent’s final words to him. I am not your enemy.
Then there was Rachael.
He wasn’t sure if she was alive, and if she was, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t shoot her on sight. How could the Supreme Commander’s most trusted operative be in league with the persons who seized him? Was the Supreme Commander himself rogue? If he was, that put two people in his crosshairs.
That final thought sent a shudder through his body. If the Supreme Commander was rogue or somehow part of the conspiracy, then surely the USS was fractured already—from the inside. Only two people could provide the answers to his questions, the first was Rachael, and the second was Supreme Commander Shepherd. But then a third person sprung to mind.
Quintus Scipio.
And only one of those three was in reach. He was certain Rachael was on that ship and he somehow felt even more certain if he tracked her, he’d find Quintus Scipio.
He pulled a crumpled paper photo out of his jacket pocket and looked at it. Both his parents were on Atlas. If he had to destroy the entire Imperial fleet himself, he’d find a way. There’d never been a truer saying than this: where there’s a will, there’s a way.
****
Hemiolia-Class Imperial Destroyer—Pilum
Quintus stared at the virtual reality display. The output from the ship’s sensors showed colorful swirling ribbons of exotic gasses surrounding the destroyer.
Since eavesdropping on the meeting between the Lord Praetor and the Deputy Supreme Leader of the USS, he’d tossed endlessly in his suite. The once soft mattress was now a bed of bricks. Who would ever believe two high-level politicians colluded to ignite an interstellar war?
The only good fortune in such a dark scenario was he was finally certain the Lord Praetor was not acting on authority from the Emperor. And he could prove it. The Praetor’s lies and abuse of near unquestionable authority would be laid bare for all to see. When it came time to act against the Lord Praetor, this would be the single most important factor. Once he exposed Bannon’s treachery across the gathered fleet, it would be a simple matter to take him into custody and order the withdrawal of the fleet. However, Quintus had learned from early—things rarely went according to plan aboard warships.
His thoughts went to Platus on Atlas Prime. He hadn’t checked in for several hours. When Phalanx monitored the explosions planet side, he pushed down a nauseous feeling rising to his throat.
“My Lord,” the tactical officer called, his voice tight. “Scouts report two small unknown ships approaching our location. Arrival within two hours.”
Quintus moved near the officer.
“Analysis,” he said.
“The first ship’s power output indicates it may be a high-speed courier,” he said, keying some more commands. “Yet, the computer has found no match for this power signature. Neither is its configuration a match for any known USS civilian or military ships. The second ship definitely outputs a military power curve.”
“What about Imperial ships? Any similarities to any of our designs?”
&
nbsp; The look on the young officer’s face revealed he was puzzled by the last question. “Negative, Lord Commander,” he finally said.
Quintus stared at the screen. “Whoever these new contacts are, they are on a direct course for the nebula—or they are on a direct course for us.”
“I concur, either one or both know we are here or they are headed for the nebula as a pure coincidence,” the tactical officer said.
“And I do not believe in such.”
“Should we send a message to the Lord Praetor?”
“No,” he approached and leaned in. “Continue to monitor and maintain emission silence.”
Quintus resumed his virtual reality gazing.
****
By some twist of misfortune, Lieutenant Alvarez found himself alone for two days with no company other than Max—so he found himself alone with no company. The strange man was useless around the ship. He had mainly kept to himself reading some paper book. Unbelievably, the man’s entire family over the past few centuries had passed on a dislike for digital devices—or maybe the doctor just preferred to be different.
The time alone was beneficial, however. Alvarez had really made headway in the last few hours and discovered something that was sure to concern Aaron. Not only would it present more unanswered questions. It would stimulate a memory which his friend seemed quite content to bury—the loss of Trident.
After Phoenix’s recent skirmish with the Border Worlds destroyers, he’d resumed his efforts to unlock the remaining systems. Now, Alvarez located the source of the power fluctuations. A powerful system the designers called a kinetic barrier. Apparently a large amount of ship’s power was reserved for the power hungry system, leaving the rest of the ship’s systems to squabble over the remainder. Some minor repairs to a damaged and obscure power coupling, and the system’s self-diagnostics determined it would no longer pose a danger to the ship. The system diagnostics returned green. Why hadn’t the Fleet’s engineers corrected it sooner? The repairs were uncomplicated and a third-rate technician could have made them. That discovery peaked his curiosity. Had it been done on purpose? The damage to the power coupling didn’t resemble what he’d expect from a serious overload. Why would anyone sabotage a prototype ship?
Border Worlds (United Star Systems Book 1) Page 18