"I also suspect they would be unwilling to risk a confrontation with the Conglomerate at this point either," Bruce said. "What would be the Conglomerate response Shum?"
"What happens in dark space does not concern the Conglomerate," Falla Shum said after a moment's thought. "As long as it does not violate a Conglomerate charter or license."
"Estimated time of arrival in Papi is fifteen hours," Erica said.
"And then we get out and push," Kevin said under his breath.
"Secure that truth," Bruce said to Kevin. "We have oars and robots."
Everyone laughed, releasing the pent-up energy and fear but it fell quiet all too quickly. Small repair bots scurried around, assessing the damage and using their networked intelligence to prioritize and assemble to work on the worst problems. Bruce and Erica helped them prioritize.
"Anything we can do to help?" Luke asked Bruce.
"Stay out of the repair bots' way Commander. You can catch up on your sleep now while they work, might be a few hours before we have air pressure on this level," Bruce said on the command channel where everyone could hear. "I think given a year or five the Proud Infidel could repair itself. Maybe. Right now, I would be happy if it got us to a space port that could speed up the process. Your droids already have your warbots integrating with my repair bots. They will all do a much better job without us interfering."
"Thank you, Captain," Luke said. "Wake me if there is anything we can do. I mean it."
"Aye, aye Commander," Bruce said. "I will review the reports, cry a little over my ship and then get some sleep myself."
* * * * *
An hour later Luke still couldn't sleep, nor did he want to use sedatives again. Every single muscle, tendon and ligament was aching because of the brutal acceleration. His body felt like he had spent six grueling hours in the gym with Musashi but his mind was racing. He watched the repair bots moving around outside everyone's cocoons like so many crab ants, but his eyes didn't see them because his thoughts were turned inward. A pair of unarmed warbots entered the CIC carrying a replacement console for the holographic display. They set it down and took out the old one while the smaller repair bots shifted the new one into position and sealed it in place.
Luke couldn't stop thinking about Leonessa. He wanted to look over at her and stare but that wouldn't be appropriate.
"Can't sleep?" Brita said over a private link.
"No," Luke said, not sure if he welcomed the intrusion.
"Anything I can help with?" Brita asked.
Luke looked over at Brita in her cocoon.
"Is it Leonessa?" Brita asked catching Luke by surprise.
"What?" Luke asked, trying to think of a better response.
"So it is?" Brita said with a smile.
Luke stared at her, unsure if he should have this conversation.
"I think it is obvious to everyone," Brita said. "If it wasn't I probably would have jumped you by now, Admiral or not."
Luke remain silent, not sure what to say and Brita laughed.
"Has it been so long for you?" Brita said. "You have no idea where to begin. I guess spending over four decades in deep space, trying to stay away from fellow humans takes its toll."
"I'm not sure this is an appropriate conversation," Luke said trying to put an edge in his voice, hard to do through InnerBuddy chat though.
Brita shrugged. "You told us to always speak our mind but never disobey your orders. Are you rescinding that?"
"No," Luke said feeling trapped but wondering if he should.
"Good," Brita sent. "Sometimes I hate disobeying orders and you don't have an airlock to throw me out of at the moment."
Luke chuckled, now he could understand her unpopularity with other commanders, but he liked her.
"If you want to talk about it I can help," Brita sent. "I can listen, or give you advice, or taunt you. I'm your executive officer, I'm supposed to be your sounding board."
"But not for my love life," Luke sent.
"Wow," Brita sent. "You sure are archaic! How old are you? Five hundred? Six hundred?"
"A hundred and fifty, or so," Luke sent.
"See!" Brita sent. "I rest my case. Older than dirt. Well. You probably stood on dirt with an open sky at one time, didn't you?"
Luke looked at Brita, realizing that she had never grown up on a planet, never watched the sun set on the horizon or lived without the fear of a hull breach. He was old.
"You need to get with the times," Brita sent. "Modernize or fossilize. Your choice."
Luke raised an eyebrow at her and Brita's smile grew.
"It is hard to teach an old cow new tricks?" Brita sent, enjoying herself.
"Something like that," Luke sent with a wry smile.
"Well," Brita sent. "Do I get to help?"
"Perhaps this isn't the best time," Luke sent. "Maybe when the fighting is over."
"The fighting will never be over," Brita sent. "You will always be fighting or preparing to fight. That is what life is about. It is a struggle to survive. I was talking with Commodore Morals the other day. Do you know how desperate the Jupiter Alliance is to encourage people to have children? They are dying back there. Their birth rate is declining but the birth rate in the Caliphate isn't. Immortality is great, but if the Caliphate kills twenty people from the Jupiter Alliance a day, then they will have won in a hundred years, or something like that. It's not a joke. Hell, next time Morals asks me if I want to have a baby I will probably kick him in the teeth, I don't care how much he offers me."
"You sure he isn't just trying to get into your pants?" Luke sent with a half smile.
"Yea," Brita sent. "I've talked with Leonessa about it too, Athena feels the crunch. The Jupiter Alliance isn't forcing people, yet, but unless something changes, the writing is on the wall. They've tried in vitro, test tubes, you name it."
"Who says I want children?" Luke asked.
Brita shrugged. "Either way, you need love. You need someone to give your life meaning. Might be a fling, I don't know, but you know New Alamo has the same problem?"
Luke nodded.
"In a more civilized society people get more caught up in themselves, their careers, etc. They will 'have children later' and they never do. We are dying. Do you want the Caliphate to win?"
"I will turn Earth into a glass parking lot before I allow that," Luke sent.
"Why did you want to leave Sol with Elena?" Brita asked. Luke suspected she damned well she knew the answer.
"To get away from the Caliphate," Luke sent. "To escape the war."
"And to have children," Brita finished for Luke because he wouldn't give her that victory.
"Now you know the rest of the galaxy is not a peaceful, rainbow palace full of unicorns," Brita sent. "It is fight or die, although probably not as fast."
"So?" Luke sent.
"The clock is ticking," Brita sent. "Don't be putting it off. Don't think 'this isn't the time', or 'maybe later'. Life is too short."
"What's your excuse?" Luke asked and Brita laughed.
"I already have four children," she sent. "They are grown up and one has children of his own. Now I've done my part, I will resume the battle. Maybe I'll find another husband and have more kids, maybe not."
Luke stared at her. He didn't remember reading that in her dossier. Four children?
"I'm seventy-four," Brita sent. "Half your age. Leonessa is what? Forty-five? You make a good couple. Topa Suresh thinks so."
Luke could feel his face turning red and hoped that Brita couldn't see it.
"It isn't children," Luke sent back after a moment's thought.
Brita shrugged. "They can be a joy."
"Why don't you have more then?" Luke asked and Brita smiled.
"There's more to life than children," Brita sent."You've lived over a hundred and fifty years. You should know by now how short life is."
"I'm not ready," Luke sent.
"I can see that," Brita sent. "Any other excuses."
Luk
e threw her a look.
"If you don't get more intimate with her, I might try to get more intimate with you," Brita warned him.
Luke stared at her, not sure if she was serious or not and she laughed. He still didn't know.
"She's not sleeping either," Brita said. Luke looked and saw her staring at her panel. "Talk to her. I will take a nap."
"Will do XO," Luke said as Brita closed the connection. Was she right?
Luke took a deep breath and opened a private link with Leonessa.
"So," Luke said through a private voice channel. He knew Leonessa was still getting used to link conversations. "How are you doing?"
Leonessa looked over, she looked sore and tired, but she wasn't sleeping either.
"Okay," she said. "I seem to find myself hurtling down wormholes in mangled ships with alarming regularity these days."
Luke laughed and after a brief hesitation Leonessa joined him.
"There's nobody I would rather be with," Luke said before he could catch himself. Shit! Did he say that?
Leonessa gave him a sad smile.
"So often it seems like we are flying out of the pan and into the fire," she said.
"Nah," Luke said feeling confident and trying to project it. "We will end up in Conglomerate space. There is likely to be a patrol in the area and they will summon reinforcements before those cruisers can turn around and get through the wormhole, even if they are suicidal enough to try."
"Then what will happen?" Leonessa asked.
"We make our way to the nearest outpost and hire a ship," Luke said. "We stick to Conglomerate space lanes from now on. Then we get to Bronkaw Prime where I will have a new ship made. From now on I will be a little more careful. Conglomerate space does tend to be safer."
Luke looked around to make sure Musashi hadn't heard. Musashi was likely helping the repair bots though since he didn't need atmosphere and wouldn't want to be stuck in a cocoon.
Leonessa smiled.
"When Athena found the wormhole, we thought we could escape like New Alamo," Leonessa said. "Maybe find peace, but it is just more war, isn't it?"
"Funny you should say that," Luke said. Leonessa looked at him. "I was just having a conversation like that with someone else,"
Luke glanced toward Brita who was doing a good job of looking like she was asleep.
Leonessa turned to Luke and looked at him.
"Is that all your life is?" Leonessa asked. "One battle after another? Fighting for the Topa and anyone that can pay your fee?"
"That makes it sound way too simple," Luke said leaning back and trying to get comfortable in a chair he would be in for a while.
"Is it?" Leonessa asked.
"Honestly? Until recently?" Luke said. "That was all. Each battle gave me a chance to die, to get closer to Elena. It was a constant struggle between keeping my oath and wanting to die. I suppose that the challenge of combat gave me a reason to live. If I failed, then I died, and I was okay with that, the universe would have made my choice for me. There was no doubt in my mind my luck would run out."
"And now?" Leonessa asked, looking at him across the bridge. Luke wished she were closer. He didn't want her comparing herself to Elena. It was never a good idea to speak of previous girl friends or wives with other women.
"Now I realize how short and precious life is," Luke said. "Now I'm more curious what is out there, who is out there."
"Are you over Elena?" Leonessa asked.
"No," Luke said, being honest with himself and Leonessa. "I will never be over her. I miss her, but she is gone and I can't change that."
Leonessa nodded as Luke stared at her, trying to gauge her guarded emotions.
"But I don't think love is a finite resource," Luke said and watched her afraid he might see something in her face or eyes that would tell him he was wrong. "I think it is time for me to let go and move on."
Her quick glance at him was enough to send his blood rushing.
"We now have atmosphere in the CIC," Bruce announced on the command link and opened his cocoon. "But just in the CIC and the head."
Bruce stepped out of his cocoon and looked around.
"Well?" Bruce asked. "I see you awake, you can stretch your legs now."
A wry grin came to Luke's face. So much for a nice quiet talk, Luke popped his cocoon so he wouldn't appear anti-social and he wanted to stretch his legs.
Leonessa returned his smile, thinking the same thing.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Reinforcements
Mark rubbed his face and stared at the report. It wouldn't be long before the Jupiter Alliance came through that wormhole if they had captured one of those ships partially intact. The wormholes were locations in space where the gravitational fabric was weak, twisting holes in space where the gravitational pull of the different planetary bodies allowed holes to be wedged opened. The wormhole drive was nothing more than manipulating the gravity in such a way to open that hole so a ship could fall through it. In theory, any ship that had gravity manipulation could open a wormhole and all Jupiter Alliance vessels had gravity manipulation capabilities according to updated reports. Once they knew what they were doing, they could make a transition. Specialized wormhole drives just made the transition smoother and quicker.
"Admiral Day to see you," said Aide.
"Send him in," Mark said wondering what bad news Day had. Was the Jupiter fleet transiting into Josaka? Day would have called him rather than come by for a visit.
The Admiral had a smile on his usually grim face. It was infectious but Mark tried to keep his optimism in check.
"They are here," Day said.
Mark stared at him. The Jupiter Alliance was here? Why was Day smiling?
"The Conglomerate ships are here," Day clarified and Mark sat back, letting the tension escape.
"Thank God," Mark said. "What did they send?"
Admiral Day smiled and paused for effect.
"Four battleships, six destroyers and ten battle cruisers," Day said. "Kadesh make, and new. Designed for humans. Highly automated. They were designed and built using Admiral Kishi's Leonis Ultio as a basic starting point."
"I love Suresh," Mark said. "We have a chance. What about crew?"
"I'm scraping together crews," Day said. "They won't need large ones. I just forwarded the specifications to you. We will need to build frigates but that is a very impressive core for a fleet."
"Enough to take on the Caliphate?" Mark asked.
"We have a damned good chance unless they have more of those juggernauts," Day said. "I think we can also beat off the Jupiter Alliance. The Kadesh skeleton crew said this is the first half of the shipment. Another delivery, just like this is also pending."
Mark nodded. "We need them operational sooner rather than later. We should have six frigates available by the end of the week to supplement the fifteen frigates we already have, and we have over six hundred fighter drones of different classes."
"Now we need to tell the Jupiter Alliance before they do something stupid like attack," Day said.
"I bet anything coming out of that wormhole will be attacked," Mark said. "And anything coming out our side will be a full fleet on the attack."
"We can try an automated courier drone," Day said. "If they shoot it before it can transmit then war is the only option."
"Why would they shoot it first?" Mark asked.
"Any drone sent through can collect ship deployment data and transmit it to the follow-on fleet which can then parse it for targeting data," Day said. "It would be too much of a risk to let a drone collect that kind of data."
"So, it is war," Mark said.
Day nodded.
"But we are no longer defenseless."
"Nope," Day said. "Not by a long shot."
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Premonitions
With nothing else to do, Shum lay back and closed his eyes. His shell closed for privacy while he quieted his mind. It had been difficult sitting nearby as a mere
passenger while the humans fought. However, they fought well. They would be dangerous to the Tal. Humans were crafty and paranoid, but effective. Shum shuddered to think what they would do with Tal ships and weaponry. It could destabilize the Conglomerate, even if it was a few humans.
Conglomerate races were more traditional, more locked in their ways compared to the humans who were dynamic, curious and paranoid. Now he could understand Topa Suresh's fascination with humans, but hopefully Topa Suresh would destroy them before they could spread out among the Conglomerate. They were too dangerous. The Topa had to see that.
Is that why the Topa had cast Shum down and sent him among them? To learn their ways and practices? To understand them in a more visceral and immediate way so that when the time came to destroy them, the Tal would be ready?
It made sense and would explain his sudden fall from his place of honor. Only a fallen high-ranking Tal would have the knowledge to understand the threat and the experience to learn more about it. The humans would have a weakness. He would need to find it.
With his mind more at ease, more understanding of the role his thread would weave in the tapestry, he relaxed his mind, calmed his thoughts and projected his essence into the void.
He was drawn to his other self. A great event was occurring and there was a lot of anticipation. There was a great sense of fear, elation, and determination. His other self was listening to a speech, or song, some communication from a respected authority. The time was now! Sleepers would strike against the weak and decadent but still powerful enemy. Shum's other self thought it might be too early, but she was not the one to make those decisions and had been kept out of the loop for reasons she did not understand.
Now! Now the secret warriors were striking across the enemy empire! They had been given the command. The battle fleets were being marshaled and would take years to assemble fully, but covert raids and assassinations would begin that would plunge that dying empire into the final throes of death!
* * * * *
Luke was asleep when his fear woke him up. Something was wrong. He looked around him at the CIC. Most of the others were resting. A few repair bots scuttled around.
The Darkness: The Conglomerate Trilogy (Volume 2) Page 22