by Damon Alan
“For the second time since we’ve arrived at Oasis, we are at war. The first war was with the locals, and I think we came out of that conflict as the good guys in the eyes of the general populace of Refuge. The mutineers have destroyed that goodwill, which is why I am authorizing that all efforts be directed at hunting down and destroying the Schein immediately.”
Shocked looks rewarded her boldness.
“But what about the demands from Orson?” an officer from the Palino asked.
“When we arrived in system I didn’t know the Gaia existed. I didn’t urgently need it then. I do now, and I don’t intend to give it to a mutineer. And his demand for the women of my crew? I think that tells us the kind of man we’re dealing with, and I think we can imagine the environment on the Schein right now. If we can rescue the crew on that ship, we will. If not, they’re better off dead than with the enemy,” Sarah responded.
Lieutenant Harmeen spoke next. “Finding him, other than knowing the general region he’s in now, is going to be next to impossible, Captain.”
“I have a plan for that, Mr. Harmeen. I’ll need your help to carry it out.”
“I’m always ready, Captain.”
“Captain Malveaux, you are to develop a plan for a single heavy cruiser versus heavy cruiser engagement. We will have grappler support from the Yascurra, but at most twelve birds if they’re all in service.”
Malveaux nodded, then gave her his assessment. “The Schein is damaged from Fandama, Captain. They’re not as agile as us, and last report had their starboard side defenses down from the blast. Unless Orson found a way to fix that, they have a weak side.”
“Have your combat plan to me in twenty-four hours,” Sarah said. “Reduce the manning on the Hinden to the most trusted personnel, no more than needed to engage the Schein. Deploy the other crew temporarily to the EF2358 and the Yascurra. They will remain here to defend Refuge.”
“That’s not much of a defense,” Malveaux replied.
“It’s all we’ve got left,” Sarah said. She turned her attention back to the rest of her staff. “I only have a few more things. First, I’d like input from any of you on how to catch the spy or spies.”
She paused for ideas, but nobody had any. Or nobody felt comfortable speaking in front of the crowd.
“That’s fine, if you want to talk in private, just let me know. Second, I need you to know that if any of you happen to be that spy, now is the time to come forward. After we leave this room, if I catch you, I will put you out the nearest airlock.” Sarah placed her hand on her sidearm, and tapped it a few times with her thumb.
Some eyes widened in the room, people looked at each other with mild shock.
She had never directly threatened her crew before. She knew none of these officers were the spy if one existed. But she needed word to get out that she intended to use capital punishment on those who betrayed their own.
“Third, sidearms will be issued to all bridge officers. Anyone entering the command areas of any ship without permission will be shot. Permission will be granted only by the bridge of the ship in question.”
Murmuring started to fill the room again, until Sarah’s cold eyes quieted them down.
She lowered her voice, changing her tone. She wasn’t sure if the officers would believe what she had to share with them, but they needed to stand with her. “What’s at stake here isn’t just our survival, it’s not even letting Orson get away with his insanity. What’s at stake is the future of everything. Everyone you love back home. Everyone in this system. The entire universe. If you believe Merik saw our future, then you know we must turn the adepts into a weapon to fight the Hive. That isn’t Orson’s agenda, so we must stop him. If we fail, the Hive will win, and the fabric of the universe will destabilize. I don’t understand why,” Sarah nodded at Peter, “but Lieutenant Commander Corriea might.
Peter started to speak, but another captain interrupted him.
“Superstition, Captain?” Batalova asked.
“I was there when Merik died, Captain Batalova. If you had been, you’d be singing a different tune.” Sarah gestured back toward Ensign Hamden. “Hamden was there.” Without looking back she addressed him. “Do you believe me, Ensign Hamden?”
She heard him snap to attention. “Yes, sir! I saw crap that made my eyes pop out, sir!”
Marines.
“We have to complete our task here at all cost. If Orson wins we might survive for now, but in the long run the cost will be everything you see. That is why I’m willing to nuke the Schein, that’s why I’m willing to kill any of you for mutiny on the spot. You are among the most important people in the history of our species. You will help give birth to our evolutionary successors, and you will save the universe in the process. How can anyone betray that goal?”
Sarah finally sat down in the chair reserved for her. “I should have told you all this earlier. Old habits of keeping command issues in command are hard to break. I am sorry for that. But now you know the stakes, and if you doubt it for a second, then just remember what we’ve seen the Hive do to so many of our worlds. We are all that protects this system. Losing the Schein decreases our effectiveness. But because we are all there is, we will fight with our lives until whatever end is ours.”
Several heads nodded in agreement, and Sarah could feel morale rising as she gave the officers a sense of purpose.
“I will be making a written statement to share with the rest of our crewmates what I just shared with you. Please ensure everyone sees it. I want AI analysis of personal reactions among all crews. Dismissed.”
The gathering broke up, but Corriea and Harmeen held back to speak to Sarah. The two officers waited for Sarah to notice them.
“You two have something for me?” she asked.
The young men looked at each other, and Harmeen indicated with his eyes that Corriea should go first.
“Captain, in the months before the gathering of the adepts, Alarin and I worked together quite a bit. We have had some very limited success in tapping into new abilities for the adepts.”
“Oh? Why haven’t you told me before?”
“You’ve been busy, and I was hoping to increase our success before I…”
“Anything I can use against Orson?” she demanded to know.
Peter shook his head. “Not yet, I’m afraid, Captain. But I will try to change that.”
“I understand, Peter. Speak to Alarin, see if he’ll join you in research again. It would be wise if he disbanded the adept gathering until we’ve resolved this issue. That will put us months behind schedule, but we can’t have that many adepts in one spot. Orson clearly knows where they are.”
“I will speak to him Captain. If he can rejoin me, we’ll get back to work and hopefully offer you something to help with the Schein,” Corriea said.
“Very well. Dismissed,” Sarah answered. She spoke to Harmeen next. “You’re wanting to know my plan to find Orson?”
“I want to help, Captain.”
“Get two of our best engineers. Meet me in the Hinden’s shuttle bay. I’ll share the plan onboard one of the shuttles.”
Chapter 20 - Results
22 MAI 15329
“You have something to report?” Orson asked.
Ensign Andersott had summoned him to the medbay to report on his efforts with his behavior modification drugs.
Orson needed the cooperation of Commander Heinrich on the bridge, any assistance from the woman would be useful.
“Yes, I do,” Andersott said. He opened the door to the examination room.
Orson floated in. Heinrich sat tethered to the examination table. Bandages and synthflesh encased her leg wound. Next to her a machine beeped quietly, pumping something into her arm. She wasn’t restrained in any way, other than the tethers that kept her from floating off the table.
“And?” Orson asked. He didn’t have time for a show. “Get to the details.”
Andersott looked irritated, but did as he was told. “I’ve made
the mixture even better by combining a few drugs from the ship’s database with the drug I made at university. The synthesis system should be able to keep up with our needs, the doses are minimal after the mind first succumbs.”
“She’s mine now?”
“She’s fully dosed and no longer resisting. Has been a good Heinrich for six hours now. I’ve been watching her to make certain the drugs remained effective, and I’ve noticed no change to her temperament or level of cooperation.”
This was pleasing. Andersott may have just earned his spot in the mutiny.
“Will she cooperate with anybody who speaks to her?”
“No, she will obey you. I used your photograph and recorded voice to imprint her on you. As I dose more of the crew, I will have to assign each person a handler from among your trusted staff, Captain.”
“Well done, Doctor Andersott. Well done.” Orson couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This was the perfect outcome for him.
“Try her out,” the medic offered.
He floated in front of Heinrich. “Stand up,” he ordered.
She stood, holding herself steady against the floor with her hands gripping the edge of the exam table.
She was wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and her bandages. Andersott must have patched her up well, she didn’t seem to be in any pain.
He moved closer and stared into her face. She smiled at him. Her eyes had a flatness to them, probably a side effect of the drug. Otherwise she seemed to be the Heinrich he’d always known her to be.
Except for her cooperation with him.
“So you will serve me as Captain?” Orson asked her.
“Of course. Whatever you say, sir,” she answered.
Andersott clapped his hands together, clearly ecstatic. “Nobody else has to die, Orson.”
Orson agreed. “I suppose it would be wasteful to harm the willing.” He leaned in and kissed Heinrich full on the lips, and was pleasantly surprised by her response. Her hands caressed his face as the kiss lingered. When he pulled away she let her hands drop to her sides. The flatness in her expression was the only indication that her response wasn’t natural.
“She is fully cooperative now,” Andersott said.
“I see that,” Orson replied.
Andersott’s tone changed to reflect his intentions. “In any way you’d like, I mean.”
That was going to be immensely satisfying. Heinrich bearing Orson children at their new home would be the justice Orson had long sought, he’d finally have the status he deserved.
“Can I take her with me?” Orson asked.
“She’s dosed. She’ll need a daily pill and a larger boost in one week,” Andersott said. He dropped a pill packet into Orson’s hand. “Until then, she’s at your command.”
Orson pocketed the drugs and rubbed his hands together. “Come on, Commander Heinrich. I think it’s time you and I make our way to the bridge. After we stop by my quarters.”
Heinrich smiled flatly. “Aye, sir. Anything you need.”
Chapter 21 - Captain's Personal Log
22 MAI 15329
AI Lucy82A recording, Captain's personal log, personal archive: Galactic Standard Date 20:17:05 22 MAI 15329
Personal log entry #1034, Captain Sarah Dayson, origin Korvand, Pallus Sector.
Current Location: Moon Refuge, low parking orbit.
I don’t know if there is a spy for certain, but how else would Orson know of our activities? Was he just lucky in his choice of targets?
I’m just trying to root out a spy if one exists. And if I have thought a traitor on our ships is a possibility, then the crew has thought of that too. They need to see me taking action even if it inconveniences them.
[Several sharp sounds, AI estimates 94% probability to be pocket contents being placed in zero gravity storage.]
I cannot bear the thought of facing Alarin again, but I will. I promised him we were here to help. Why would he believe that now? Am I even sure anymore? Do we have a clue what we’re doing here?
[A sigh, followed by a sound AI estimates 82% probability to be bedding movement.]
At least I had the foresight to set up defenses for Jerna City. Right now it looks like New Korvand will be all we get from Refuge. But for now it will be enough. Unlike the locals, we can build so the typhoons are an inconvenience, not a threat. We can grow enough food on our asteroid farms to feed ourselves.
And, in time, things will smooth out with the locals. Even this.
[a sigh]
I was on the bridge today when the Fyurigan’s flight dispatch put out the call to the fleet canceling all non-essential personnel movements. My officers tell me that morale is dropping fast, but there is little I can do.
[47 second pause.]
Because I need to get Orson before he kills anyone else. I’ve asked Harmeen to modify two of the Hinden’s shuttle as decoys. Once in flight we’ll be able to make them look like any ship in the fleet by sending out the proper transponder codes and radar returns. These two small vessels are the core of my plan. I will lure Orson out of his hiding spot with a juicy target and destroy him.
[Captain Dayson’s voice inflection indicates some degree of emotional turmoil. Report sent to fleet medical.]
Lucy, classify this entry as access by my voice command only.
[AI LUCY82A answers.]
End the log.
Chapter 22 - Mystery
22 MAI 15329
“Whatever is going on, it’s beyond my expertise,” Eris explained to her team. For the last few days the hull of the Gaia had been impervious to radio waves, and from what they could tell, much of the rest of the spectrum too. Contact with the fleet was cut off. Eris banged the outer bulkhead with the hammer in her hand. It barely made any sound at all.
“It’s impervious, even to sound waves,” Dantulman observed.
Qi had some engineering experience, but not at a level needed to fix this problem. “Something changed inside the hull. Either it changed shape internally, or energy is now altering the behavior of the material.”
A ten thousand year old technology that was beyond them. Great. “What could cause that?” she asked.
A shrug from Qi let her know he was as perplexed as she.
“Maybe we can think this out,” Eris said. “We don’t know exactly when this started because we didn’t notice it until we were scheduled to check in with the Fyurigan and got radio silence. Have you noticed any other changes?”
“Other than the newly limited range of our own comms,” Dantulman tapped his mic, “just a series of unexplained power spikes,” Dantulman said. “The surges are somehow passing into the hull and being discharged, although where or why I don’t know… but I have an idea about where the surges are coming from. One I didn’t quite believe at first, I’m not sure I do now.”
Eris needed all the information she could get. Maybe Dantulman’s idea was the break she needed. She looked at him expectantly.
“Qi detected the surges because of the fields created by the current. We looked for the highest field strengths, and found what we think is a sealed reactor room. I haven’t been able to get in. The room is sealed. And by sealed, I mean I haven’t been able to find a door, let alone open it.”
No door? That made no sense. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
“Gee, I don’t know, Lieutenant. It’s not like you were busy with your own issues and a kilometer away from my location. I really didn’t want to give up the search for answers to come find you.”
She stared at him a moment. Tempers were short, but he was right. They needed a thousand technicians to properly go over this ship. They had three. They didn’t have time to hand deliver each discovery to her. “Sorry. Back to your idea. What is it?”
“The reactor is fueled by antimatter.”
Eris laughed. “Bullcrap.”
“I looked at his data, and double checked the measurements,” Qi interrupted. “I think he’s right.”
She didn’t belie
ve it. It was the optimal reactor fuel, but the equivalent of using gold for railgun slugs. “It’s too expensive. Nobody does that.”
“Apparently fanatical xenophobes do.”
“For what purpose?”
“Compaction is my guess. A lot more energy in less space,” Qi offered. “And antimatter reactors last a lot longer than fusion reactors. No neutrons to destroy the reactor walls.”
“They built for longevity,” Eris muttered.
Dantulman nodded, although she wasn’t really talking to him. Just thinking out loud.
“How does this help us?”
“I don’t think it does, but I think I know why the ship was designed this way,” Dantulman said. “This ship will survive a million years or more provided it’s not struck by a meteorite or destroyed by humans. On that time scale, radiation events matter. Supernovae, gamma ray bursters, even solar flares from nearby stars.”
“This is a protective mechanism?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Oh…” Eris said. But that meant… “Something happened to trigger it. A large scale radiation event in the Oasis system.” She tapped the hammer in her hand against her palm. “But what?”
“You’ll have to tell us,” Qi said, shrugging. “You’re the chief science officer.”
She closed her eyes to think as she racked her brain. Solar flare? Oasis was a K4 class orange dwarf, prone to the occasional X class flare. But as deeply as Halvi was embedded in Ember’s magnetosphere they should be protected from anything the small star could toss out.
Something else then. Certainly not radio waves, they were mostly harmless. X-rays? Gamma radiation? Probably. Those were the killers that penetrated hulls.
So a large high-spectra burst… what does that?
Nuclear weapons. Or a ship exploding would do it… the shuttle’s fusion reactor? Probably not big enough. The designers would expect accidents of that type and allow for it.