by Jay Toney
"That hulk is what is left of my original escort. A rebel task force engaged us in combat. This is what is left of the Jackal. I'm towing it back to see if it can be salvaged."
"Is the cargo secure? The fleet needs it to further our expansion, into this sector."
"The cargo is secure. We should have had a larger escort, for such a significant payload."
"A larger escort would have attracted to much attention. My orders are to visually verify the cargo. Prepare to be boarded."
"That won't be necessary. My every movement is being monitored."
"How, I'm not showing any other vessels on my sensor sweeps?"
"That is how the commander wants it. He's here to make sure my ship makes it to Alliance headquarters."
"What commander?"
"I cannot say, I've already said too much. If I disclose anything else he will have me flogged or hanged."
"I am changing course to intercept, prepare to be boarded."
Doc, Jane, Amber, Jewel, and Randolph changed into Alliance military officer uniforms. Doc, disguised as Colonel Thornton sat in the command chair.
"Natasha, set our transponder to match the Ajax's, and begin broadcasting."
"Jewel, open a communications channel with the Falcon and the Gryphon."
"Doc, their on the main viewscreen."
The main viewscreen split into two images, showing each captain. "I should have you bumbling idiots whipped for this intrusion."
One of the captains spoke, "We apologize Colonel Thornton. We had no way of knowing you were here."
"I heard the communications between you and Captain Jenkins. He said far to much. I will deal with him later. This was supposed to be a simple covert pick up. Almost everything about it has failed. Now I have to deal with you two idiots too."
"Perhaps there is something we can do to help?" the Gryphons captain suggested.
"What I demand is absolute obedience, unless of course you two want to spend the rest of your lives scrubbing out the tanks of garbage scows?"
"No sir!" the captains responded.
"I need the two of you to jump to the Coria System, search for the presence of rebel forces, gather as much information as you can, then return with the information to fleet headquarters."
"How long do you want us to stay in that system searching?"
"I understand that the suicide rate amongst sanitizers is nearly 100%."
"Yes sir, we're on the way."
"Doc, I swore there for a moment that you might actually be Colonel Thornton," Amber praised Doc for the convincing performance.
"I had the displeasure of meeting him once. What I said was nothing compared to what he would have said. If he was truly displeased he would have had those men flayed alive. I don't think there is a man alive more cruel than he is."
"Lets hope his reputation is enough to get us through the Alliance lines."
"Natasha, lets get out of here. Bring us up to .2c, jump to Nueva Zelanda when ready."
"Yes sir."
Doc left the bridge, returning to sickbay and Nathaniel. Nathaniel was pacing back and forth in the infirmary waiting for any news. The fact that missiles and guns weren't firing increased his agitation. In combat, the sickbay doors would unlock and he would at least be able to do something. The door opened and Doc walked in.
"Doc, did the ruse work?"
"I don't see how, but it did."
"I'll feel safer when we get back to San Paulos. How much treasure did we get away with?"
"We haven't gotten away yet, but we probably have enough gold to buy our own planet, not to mention the platinum, silver and gems we have."
"I can't wait to see it all."
"You will have to. Most of the loot is secured inside our smuggling holds. The rest is locked inside the starboard cargo bay. I compensated the warehouse workers, paying them each with a bar of silver and a few assorted gems."
"That was very kind of you, I would probably have done the same or more."
"You have always overpaid your help."
"At least I don't have any problems keeping quality workers."
"I think you have been punished enough for getting shot, you can go. I won't make you promise to take it easy, you would just break it anyhow."
"Was playing the part of Colonel Thornton that much fun?"
"As a matter of fact it was. I'll be doing it again soon, so I need my rest. Get out of here."
Chapter 11
I stepped onto the bridge, Amber was the only one still there. She was diligently starting at her screens. It was easy to sneak up on her, while she was concentrating on the sensor screens. I lightly tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped right out of her chair.
"Nathaniel, how did you sneak out of sickbay? Did you drug Doc?"
"Doc learned not to accept anything from me, while I was his patient a long time ago. I haven't been able to slip him anything that might help him sleep since I was nine. He let me out after having had his fun, playing the role of Colonel Thornton. He didn't want me spoiling his mood, by hanging around, so he kicked me out. When was the last time you got some decent sleep, in bed?"
"Its been a few days, but I'm okay. I've taken a nap now and then."
"Your exhausted, to bed with you right now."
"Yes dear," she led the way out of the bridge and to our cabin.
I knocked on Jewels door and invited her over for the night. Then I went to Tanya's cabin. Tanya, like Amber greeted me with a deep, passionate kiss. She was happy to see me out of sickbay and on my feet again. Natty came running over and hugged and kissed me too.
"Mommy said you might be in sickbay for awhile. How did you get better so soon?"
"Its was the magic potion that was hidden inside the chocolate cake you brought me. It healed me with its special powers."
"Oh... ."
"Do you and Tanya want to come over for a little bit?"
"Can we mommy?"
"Lead the way."
We crossed to my cabin. Jewel and Amber were already relaxing in the hot tub. Tanya undressed and got in the hot water. It was good seeing her body again.
"Mommy, I don't have a bathing suit."
"Its okay Natty, we are all family."
Natasha shyly removed her dress and got into the water, and started screaming in delight and splashing around. I took off my gown, putting it into the recycler, before joining them in the hot tub. I sat next to Amber and Jewel, rejoicing in the fact that this was the first time my whole family was together, in my cabin.
It was only a few minutes before Amber slumped against my shoulder, asleep from exhaustion. Jewel and I helped her out of the hot tub. We dried her and I carried her to the bed, tucking her in beneath its comforter.
"Nathaniel, Amber pushes herself to hard. This is the first time she has been off the bridge, aside from visiting you, since you were hurt. Its a wonder she hasn't collapsed sooner."
"I'll see to it that she gets some proper rest."
"She was afraid, seeing you so helpless."
"I've been a lot worse off. How many helpless people have you ever heard of, walking to the infirmary?"
"Nathaniel, you don't need to brag to me. I know just what you are capable of doing." She grabbed my crotch and smiled lustfully at me. "I'll take care of this later," she released me and we reentered the hot tub with Tanya and Natty.
"How is Amber?"
"She is exhausted and sleeping, she will be much better after she rests."
After a lot of
splashing with Natty, Tanya got her out of the hot tub, dried and helped dress her. She dried and dressed herself taking Natty back to their cabin for the night.
Jewel and I made love quietly, on the couch, before joining Amber in bed. Amber woke long enough to say, "It took you two long enough," before going back to sleep. We snuggled up together, Jewel draping an arm and leg over me and went to sleep.
I woke to smell of fresh coffee. Amber was awake and had just finished heating breakfast meals for the three of us. She was wearing one of my shirts as a nightie. I got up and slipped on a robe. Jewel pulled the covers up to her neck.
"I need a nightie."
Amber tossed her one of my shirts to wear. Jewel wasn't shy, when it came to getting undressed, but she stubbornly refused to get out of bed naked, and preferred to sleep in a shirt or nightie. We ate our breakfast of cheese omelets, with hash browns and toast. I finished my third cup of coffee, before reluctantly being led to the shower.
Then three of us made our way to the bridge, dressed as Alliance military officers. Somehow I got the lowest rank of sub lieutenant. I took a seat at the helm controls, Amber at the sensors station, and Jewel at communications. Doc was back in the command chair, disguised as Colonel Thornton again.
"Sub lieutenant, I'm glad you can make it today, and only two hours late. You might have made it on time if you didn't take time to dally with the ladies."
"It may come as a surprise to you to find out that there was no dallying this morning, whatever that is."
"Please tell us what kept you this morning."
"A wise man once told me not to skip my meals, not knowing if my last meal, would be my last."
"A very wise man indeed. Now that you have graced us with your presence, let us be on our way."
"Natasha set coordinates for Nueva Zelanda."
"Coordinates are set and we are synchronized with the Valley Forge."
I keyed in the sequence and pulled back the lever that would engage the hyperdrive. The starfield vanished from our viewscreen, and was replaced with a blank screen.
A movement and a flash of color on the viewscreen caught my attention. I stared harder trying to make sense of what I saw. "Natasha, reduce the magnification on the viewscreen." I was transfixed by what I saw.
"Nathaniel what is it?"
"I'm not sure Doc. Do you see what I do?" Amber, Jewel and Jane turned to look at the viewscreen.
"I see something, but I don't know how to describe it," Amber said, continuing to stare at the screen.
"What is it that you see Nathaniel?"
"Its like a wide river, with different currents, some faster and some slower, all different colors. In some places there are rapids and the currents are very turbulent. In other places it is calm, and there are places where it is still, kind of like dead spots. Maybe I should go back to sickbay."
"I think you may be right. Maybe something hit your head when you took that hit in the Marauder. I'll have to give you a more thorough examination."
"I see it too," Amber said.
"That is a simple but accurate explanation of how I see hyperspace," Natasha affirmed. "When did you start being able to see extra dimensional travel?"
"Just now, I think."
"Interesting."
Natasha reduced the screen magnification further. A bright green reticle formed over one of the dead spots.
"What do you see here?" Natasha asked.
"It is one of those dead spots I see."
"That is our destination." Natasha moved the ship to a calm eddy, where the ship slowly circled staying mostly in place as the currents flowed around us.
"What are you doing Natasha?"
"I'm taking a break while you fly the ship. See how fast you can get us to Nueva Zelanda."
"I'm not sure I can."
"We will be here a very long time if you don't."
I experimented with the ships controls, moving the ship back into the currents. I experimented moving the ship into faster and more turbulent currents. The ship accelerated moving towards our destination very fast. When we got close, I shifted the ship into a slower moving current. I made a last maneuver, positioning the ship in then dead spot, then disengaged the hyper drive, returning us to sublight. The familiar starfield of Nueva Zelanda appeared on our screen. Natasha slowed the ship to 100 KPS. Amber scanned the area with the ships long range scanners.
"Where is the Valley Forge."
"We will have to wait a few hours for it to come out of hyperspace. Nathaniel chose a very fast current to take us here, well ahead of the Valley Forge."
"Nathaniel, was that really you flying this ship through hyperspace?"
"I think it was, but I don't know how I did it."
"I've never heard of anyone being able to do that. I thought it was impossible to change course in hyperspace."
"I guess it isn't as long as you can see to navigate."
"Natasha, can you alter course in hyperspace?" Doc asked.
"I can only make small alterations in our course. Nathaniel may be capable of a lot more as he learns. I couldn't have chosen the route he did. My pathway is predetermined by the data in the navigation computer."
"I'm not sure I understand," Doc said.
"When I take us through hyperspace, a predetermined course is mapped out for me. I can only make small changes along that route. I cannot change the destination or the route we take. Nathaniel doesn't have that limitation. He can take us anywhere the currents will allow him. He can freely navigate whatever path he chooses, changing course at will. Amber may be capable of doing this too."
The Valley Forge finally caught up to us and we accelerated up to .15c, heading towards our next jump point. Our course took us across the orbits of the inner planets, before heading back out system.
"Nathaniel, I have an Alliance cruiser on long range scan. IFF indicates it is the Defiant."
"Jewel signal condition yellow, battle stations."
"Jane, standby on weapons."
"Kim, build our shield reserves."
"Amber, standby on ECM and PDC."
"Natasha, fly casually, we are all one happy family."
"Just how do I fly casually?"
"I don't know, just do it."
"Doc we are receiving a hailing frequency from the Defiant."
"Put them on screen."
"Colonel Thornton, what are you doing in this quadrant?"
"What does it look like? Obviously, I'm escorting the treasure ship back to headquarters."
"What happened to the Jackal and the Raven?"
The Raven was destroyed. The Hulk that the Valley Forge is towing is whats left of the Jackal. I left the survivors aboard so they can be hanged for their failure.
"How were they Destroyed?"
"They were attacked by a small fleet. The traitor calling himself Roberts was leading them."
"We will soon be done with that traitor. Being made a eunuch and slave is no longer an option for him. The Emperor has placed a large bounty on his head, for all the trouble he has caused. The Emperor wants his head."
"That's not the Ajax. I don't know who you are, surrender now and prepare to be boarded."
"Kim, raise shields. Doc, help Jane on guns. Amber, get the ECM online, and PDC on standby. Natasha, fire a full spread." Four missiles left our launch tubes, streaking towards the Defiant. Natasha increased our thrust to full power, and Doc and Jane started firing our particle beam cannons at the enemy cruiser. Energy splashed off our forward shields. The Defiant fired a spread of missiles at
us.
Amber ran through the ECM frequencies trying to gain control or jam the incoming missiles. One missile went astray, the other three kept tracking. The Defiant was firing its PDC attempting to destroy our incoming missiles. Natasha fired another spread, and Doc and Jane continued firing our energy weapons.
When the enemy missiles closed in range, Amber engaged them with our 30 mm cannon, while firing our 40 mm cannon at the cruiser. One of our missiles got through the Defiant's defenses detonating on their upper deck. The cruiser continued firing, but turned to flee increasing its engines to maximum burn.
"Natasha, pursue the Defiant, go to max burn."
The ship surged as we accelerated towards the enemy ship. Natasha fired a third salvo of missiles at fleeing the vessel. The Defiant started dropping mines, in a final effort to escape us. Natasha slowed the ship, engaging the mines with our PDC. Explosions flashed on our viewscreen temporarily blinding our sensors. When our viewscreen cleared, it showed an empty starfield. The Defiant was gone. It had escaped to hyperspace.
Natasha slowed the Persephone down, allowing the Valley Forge to catch up. Once back it was back in formation, we set our course for the Buenos Aries System.
"Natasha, set our transponder back to the Persephone's. I don't want to get shot on our own doorstep."
"How fast can we get this awful paint off of us Cappy? It makes me feel dirty, looking like an Alliance vessel."
"I'm sure Chief Mike will make it a priority. Lets go home."
The starfield vanished, and we were back in hyperspace.
Chapter 12
The familiar sight of Buenos Ares sun shown on our viewscreen. We were nearly home and I started feeling safe again. Karma wasn't finished with me yet though. Explosions rocked the ship from two missiles detonating, just off our bow. Warning sirens sounded, and warning lights flashed on.
Reds voice boomed over our comm system, "Alliance vessel, you are ordered to power down and surrender."
"Natasha do as he says."
Natasha cut our ships drive and the Valley Forge did the same. I didn't anticipate the fact that we may be attacked by our own forces, upon our return. Our long range sensors hadn't even started receiving scan data yet, nor did we have time to contact Red and let him know how we had disguised our ship.