Her mind ticked as she thought about what she'd just witnessed. Sir Simwa's actions didn't make sense. Was he really that unstable that he would try to murder someone in cold blood?
No, her mind cried, there had to be something else going on that she just couldn’t see. Sasha was about to ask the others for input when the memory of TSB Vice-Commander Daiyu's message resurfaced. A conspiracy afoot, she had mentioned, but never elaborated.
Sasha gasped, the last piece falling into place. Trent must have, by chance, been caught in an elaborate scheme to bring about events to allow for the destruction of Knight Captain Quinn, and possibly the TSB, by creating a situation that Duke Zehman could immediately respond too, with guns blazing.
Sasha looked hard at her two companions. First at the now composed Tiana, who smiled weakly, then to Lia'Sil, whose face had regained its color and now stared expectantly at Sasha. It took her only a few moments to make a decision that she knew would create a ripple that would course through the entire galaxy.
“Tiana, Lia'Sil, I believe that there is a conspiracy afoot within my new duchy. I received a message that, when taken with the events we just witnessed, provides me little doubt of its validity,” she raised her hand to stave off any questions, turning to the Program sphere.
“Will I still have access to this record after the decision has been made on the awarding of the Star of Terra?” she asked, her fledging confidence growing that she was making the right decision.
“This Program has been assigned to integrate into the NHA Shuttle ABF Princess One once current assignment is completed. All Program data deemed unrestricted will be accessible to Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia, including the records presented at today's proceeding.” Surprised by the unexpected news, having never heard of a Program integrating into a starship, she resisted the urge to again, get sidetracked with an unimportant line of questioning. She needed to present her decision before she had a chance to reconsider.
“I must apologize to both of you. My decision in this matter may cause us all great distress in the future,” Tiana shot up, staring at Sasha with disbelief, while Lia'Sil flew to her feet, mouth moving but no words escaping.
Sasha opened her stance, placing her hands on her hips to stare directly at the Program sphere, feeling like an ancient queen of the Blood of Yu that was about to hand down her almighty judgment.
“I, Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia, after considering the evidence presented in the request to award the Star of Terra commendation to TSB Lieutenant Trent Marcello, have decided, without doubt, that the reward is justified. I approve of the awarding of the Star of Terra and bestow all additional honors that the award entails,” the Program beeped acknowledgment.
“Response received and logged.”
It was done, and whatever the repercussions, she would deal with them, having no regrets. She turned back to Lia'Sil, knowing speed was now of the essence.
“Dictate a message to Knight Admiral Bhool. Have her prepare to change course for the Alutia Duchy, and ask her what other battle groups we have available. Instruct her to have them meet us wherever the knight admiral deems appropriate,” she ignored the dazed look she received in return, turning her attention to Tiana.
“I have about 160 messages from nobles supporting Sir Simwa and Duke Zehman. Go over each and every one and research if any have relation to Knight Captain Quinn or the old Earl of Tl'Doom, or anything else that may help us figure out what exactly is going on so we won’t be going in blind,” Tiana’s expression went dubious, about to complain, but Sasha headed her off. “Use the Program to help, it should be able to provide you with additional insight on the relevant local political and court landscapes,” Tiana puckered her lip, then nodded, content with Sasha's response, but the look in her eye told she had added yet another “favor” to the list.
“I need to contact Duke Zehman and inform him of the discovery of Sir Simwa’s lies, and have him remove his fleet, without question, to his own duchy...as well as write Knight Captain Quinn and have him place Sir Simwa under official arrest in the name of NHA. I also need to let my father know about what is going on, as well as my suspicions, and apologize for missing my official transfer ceremony...” As she trailed off, unable to continue voicing her racing thoughts, the sight of her catillian sitting on the table, swatting at the Program’s floating sphere, caught her eye, the sign that her torment had finally come to an end.
“And someone bring me some clothes!”
Chapter 9
A barely perceptible vibration crept through Daniel’s bones as he browsed mindlessly through the millions of texts available in the shuttle’s database. He glanced past Lieutenant Cody, who still slept peacefully at his side, towards the projected viewport just beyond. As expected, the image within was fuzzy, like the PDU responsible for the projection had malfunctioned, though he knew the phenomenon was actually caused by something else.
“I hate these damn things,” he muttered, referring to the correction gate in which the shuttle now passed, and the reason for the peculiar sensation that felt like a tiny orchestra was playing a symphony within his stomach.
Though as much as he hated them, he knew the gates were a necessary evil, since they made the minute corrections to the unpowered shuttle’s trajectory to compensate for the latent gravitational and solar forces. If not for the gates, it was entirely possible the shuttle could drift off course to never be seen or heard from again. When the viewport finally cleared, and the vibration ceased, he caught a glimpse of a twinkle in the distant darkness.
“We’re almost there,” Daniel whispered, having learned after a previous voyage that the twinkling effect was caused by the faded sunlight reflecting off the billions of metallic and icy inhabitants of the Earth star systems inner asteroid belt.
He returned his attention to the tiny list of topics being projected by the armrest PDU a few centimeters before his right hand. He scrolled through with purpose, deciding to actually read one of the texts instead of just the topics, stopping on a subject he was already familiar; the TSB Fleet and Base Information Guide for New Recruits. Tapping the appropriate icon, thinking a little nostalgia trip might calm his nerves, made the list morph, then expand into a two-dimensional display just before his eyes. He selected section one, TSB Fleet Base, An Introduction, and started to skim through the text and images that scrolled in the air before him.
The first chapter spoke of the TSB Fleet Base’s history, mainly focusing on its design and placement. It stated that the NHA designers had decided to think to the future, knowing Earth’s society might eventually develop technology that would allow them to detect anomalies throughout the star system. This made it necessary for any freely visible artificial object, such as the TSB Fleet Base, to be built a substantial distance from Earth, as well as being integrated into the already existing natural environment.
The original location chosen to house the fleet base was just outside the “official” star system, in what the Earthlings referred to as the Kuiper Belt. But this was found to be too inefficient due to the transit time to Earth, over a day’s journey at max acceptable in system travel speeds, and the multiple undetected intrusions by unknown nobles that jeopardized the TSB's mission to protect Earth from outside influence. So the original fleet base was converted into a transit station, while a new fleet base was constructed in a more ideal location; the inner asteroid belt.
A small planetoid, which the Earthlings had appropriately named Ceres, was chosen and the new fleet base was constructed within. During the construction phase the surrounding space had to be cleared of all debris, including any asteroids that may accidently collide with the new fleet base before proper protections could be implemented. But this created another problem.
Removing such a large number of asteroids formed a noticeable gap that any keen eyed observer could detect from Earth. So to simulate the proper appearance of an asteroid belt, a unique spacecraft was designed, called the automated protection ship, or APS for sho
rt, which looked similar to an asteroid. These specialized automated starships were able to not only protect the TSB Fleet Base from any wandering asteroids or debris, but were also able to maneuver into custom flight lanes for emergency access by TSB starships, no matter which direction they approached.
Inside the fleet base were all the standard required fleet facilities, along with the TSB Command, Officer, and General Training Schools. It had originally been built to house all 20,000 or so TSB personnel required to man the fleet. But according to the text, this idea was scrapped before inauguration based on issues with logistics and the problems with nobility utilizing the supply ships to sneak past the TSB defenses. Daniel found the reasoning provided suspect, since the TSB supply ships were manned by TSB personnel.
He pondered for a moment what the ruling nobility of the time may have been thinking, realizing it was more likely a politically motivated decision, since it would have been simple to build a food production facility within the fleet base itself and avoid the weekly supply ship deliveries all together. But as he'd learned during his years in the TSB, logic rarely swayed the decisions of the ruling nobility, and trying to understand why anyone would think it was safer to house the TSB personnel on Earth instead of on the fleet base, was a useless exercise.
A retrofit and automated starship construction facility was also integrated into the TSB Fleet Base design. This was required since when new technology was developed and rolled out by the NHA Starship Design and Research Group, or SDRG, the TSB was also required to upgrade or construct ships of the same designs. This was due to an Emperor’s Mandate passed during the early years of the NHA that stated all starships had to follow a strict guideline for construction, meaning any customization, beyond minor changes to personal shuttles, were illegal.
The unintended result, as all TSB officers were taught, was the stagnation of starship design and technology. This was mainly due to the fact that less than a hundred nobles were allowed to join the SDRG, which made membership highly coveted, leading to nobles, with more connections then brains, filling the majority of the positions available. It wasn't until the war with the ASU, and the destruction of over 50 million NHA starships, that the emperor of the time finally realized a need for major change. This led to a significant realignment of the SDRG, doubling its size and adding common members based on intelligence. The results were noticed immediately, with rapid releases of new starship technology, designs, and updates on a biyearly basis.
Someday, Daniel sighed, wishing wistfully that he could be one of these carefree and powerful nobles, before returning his attention to the floating text. The next few sections were too dull for his tastes, so he skipped ahead to the fleet information section, finding that it had been updated since he last read the manual, 13 years earlier.
The first section covered standard operation and fleet assignments. The TSB kept 20 specialized Electronic Warfare, or EW frigates, 52 specialized scout frigates, and two TSB battle groups on active duty at all times, with eight TSB battle groups and 87 EW frigates in reserve. These forces were regularly rotated to allow all personnel a chance to be on active duty for at least two months every year.
Daniel knew this was barely sufficient in space training time, but the specialized TSB battle groups, which were organized differently from standard NHA battle groups, could not be operated indefinitely for, again, reasons Daniel could only assume to be the work of noble logic. Luckily, the smaller TSB battle groups did not have the same formation and tactical requirements as the larger NHA battle groups, which required almost constant training to receive a proficient rating. This was mainly due to the vastly different configurations.
A standard NHA battle group consisted of one super-capital ship, two capital ships, four dreadnaughts, four battleships, six cruisers, twelve corvettes, twenty frigates, and usually around ten supply ships, responsible for general resupply and food cultivation. While the TSB battle groups consisted of only two battleships, four cruisers, four corvettes, and ten frigates, specialized for stealth and high-speed interception.
A violent vibration pulled his gaze from the text as the shuttle entered one of the standard starship lanes which were strategically placed throughout the dense asteroid belt. He stared out the projected viewport, finding the sight of the automated protection ships speeding past only a few kilometers away, disconcerting.
He tapped Cody's shoulder, causing her to stir, glancing drowsily in his direction. He nodded towards the viewport. She turned, still half asleep, and flinched at the sight of APSs. He hid a devious smirk as she looked back to him, nodding her thanks. Just as he was about to turn back to the text, a tone sounded, informing the passengers that a BAP terminal was now active. Daniel deactivated the PDU, connecting to the BAP with his BC node, hoping for updated orders.
“All personnel, report immediately to your starships upon arrival,” The new orders were short and to the point, and almost identical to the one he received prior to departure. He froze as his seat enveloped him, the shuttle preparing for arrival at the TSB Fleet Base.
As the deceleration gates took hold, Daniel could only clench his teeth. He always found the pressure felt worse when they decelerated, since instead of being pushed back into the seat, he was being pulled forward, into the anti-grav gel. The process was, thankfully, much shorter than the launch, due to speed burn off from when they passed through the correction gates littered along the shuttle's flight path.
After what felt like an eternity, the shuttle shuddered, having been successfully caught by the fleet base’s docking arm. Slowly, the shuttle was towed into the docking bay. He turned towards the viewport as the anti-grav gel receded and watched as the dark grey walls of the hanger bay closed in around them.
The moment the shuttle fully pressurized, they were able to remove the restrictive oxygen helmets. Before Daniel had his fully removed, the excited conversations of those who’d been forced to repress their curiosity for over seven hours attacked his ears. By their flavor, most seemed convinced this was definitely a training exercise. While the tightlipped officers, who shook off any queries from their juniors, were noticeably uncertain.
“What do you think?” asked Cody, unable to resist the curiosity in the air.
“Well,” he paused, wanting to lie, but the memories of the previous evening, and her rather enthusiastic lovemaking, made him think truth, and the future encounters it may allow, would be the better option. He leaned in close, careful so they wouldn't be overheard. “This is definitely not a drill,” he started to whisper. “Something major occurred a few days ago. Have you heard the rumors being spread by the spy’s noble friends about the commander and vice-commander?” he asked, using the common nickname for the NHA Liaison, Sir Simwa. She nodded, her rigid facade unable to mask the unease in her eyes. “I'm almost positive someone has decided to intervene on his behalf.” Her expression went dark, the unease spreading.
“You think we'll be going up against a full NHA battle group?” she asked hesitantly. He thought for a second, then nodded.
“Possibly more...if whoever is intervening on Sir Simwa's behalf has decided to remove the Knight Ca-,” Daniel froze, suddenly becoming aware of the silence around him, his whispered words carrying farther then he intended. He turned, finding the surrounding faces staring at him in disbelief as his comments registered. Then the whispering began anew, now with noticeable fear and concern rippling through the passenger compartment. Daniel started to stand, but a strong hand pinched his shoulder, keeping him seated.
Who dares touch me? His mind screamed, preparing to shout his displeasure. But he held his tongue when he caught sight of a captain's insignia on the collar of the man leaning over his seatback.
“Attention!” the captain shouted, the whispers dying instantly.
“Let's all remember that we are trained members of the TSB! No matter if this is a drill or an emergency, it makes little difference! So keep the speculation to a minimum and report to your starships!” The
passenger's turned in unison.
“Yes, sir!” the trained response echoed through the compartment as the lights went green and the shuttle’s doors slid open. The excited, but silent, TSB personnel started streaming. Daniel tried to stand, but the hand kept him seated.
“And you Lieutenant, should know better. Remember to keep your voice down next time you are discussing sensitive matters,” the captain hissed into his ear. He continued biting his tongue as he stood and saluted, exiting the shuttle with the stone-faced Lieutenant Cody in tow.
“How dare h-,” Daniel started to curse, but a perfectly placed elbow to the side stopped him.
“We were at fault, don't dwell,” she whispered into his ear as she kissed him on the cheek, then hurried down the boarding ramp first, turning at its base. “Good luck!” she shouted with a wave, then vanished into the crowd.
He found his anger wane, and a sudden fondness for the woman to appear in his heart. It was a strange feeling, one he rarely recalled having before. So he quickly suppressed it, reminding himself that women were mere playthings, unless, of course, they were able to help him increase his standing. Content that he had the feelings properly repressed, he pushed his way into the flow of officers and crew rushing across the docking platform adjacent the docked shuttles. He found a gap and started sprinting for the crisscrossing gangways that led to the transport tube station.
The moment he exited into the station, he located an open single person tube, linking his BC node to state his destination, the TSB Ero'Cia, a cruiser named in honor of a past TSB Commander who was killed in action.
Within only a few moments, the tube door opened to an enormous hanger bay cut directly out of planetoids’ grey rock, its smooth grey walls barely illuminated by the starships docking lights. Suspended gangways crisscrossed one side of the hanger, intersecting a large docking platform that ran adjacent the 500 meter long starship. He forced his way into a line of crewman hurrying onto the closest gangway.
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