Ben cut her off mid story. "So tell me how you think they will go about finding us."
"If the other governments would allow it, the Cjittan and Allond will search star systems they have not searched before because of threat of war. The Cjittan would never be allowed to on their own. My brother and I believe the Princess Aok will put together a plan and that the Cjittan will be able to track and find the ship because they can get closer to it."
"You are giving a bunch of diplomats and politicians a lot of credit. I believe those you mentioned to be all good people but will they cooperate with each other? I also noted you never mention my own government as participating in our rescue. Do you think they will?"
"To be honest, I do not know your Senator Sims but I have heard my brothers speak of him and they are not impressed. They are reserving judgment on his character, as representative of the Alliance which is in its infancy as a government. He may not be the best one to judge the Alliance by."
"Yeah, you are right. I just wanted to hear your take on my government’s part. I think you nailed it"
"Ben, I don’t think they trust him but they didn’t say that."
"You know Tawniz, I was wondering how the master found me, how he knew I we were even in that store. When we get free, I am going to find out, someone close to me is spying and responsible for this."
"That is very plausible as I think back on everything. You mentioned the master. If you ever see it, you will recognize it as the purple and black bodyguard of the queen. I believe it is the former bodyguard to the previous queen. She was found murdered and the bodyguard and ship were both missing. It is unknown where that race of beings originated. We believe the Cjittan brought them."
"Good night. I think I am going to try and sleep a little more."
Chapter 24
Aisling,
A number of things have happened since my last message to you. Most importantly, Ben and a colonel from the Allond military have gone missing. We believe foul play and that they were taken from the planet. It is possible the ship that they are held captive on is in the outer rim of the Trillond system or in Allith space. If any of your bridge crew notice an odd disturbance on the scans, it is possible it is the ship. It has a cloaking technology that I believe will show up as a shadowy disturbance.
We are forming a multi-government search group and will be in Trillond space in a matter of days. If you do pick it up, please notate the coordinates and the heading and message me as soon as possible. Do not engage the target or do anything to give away or acknowledge that you have detected it.
The Alliance is not involved in this operation and your messages will not be shared with any Alliance personnel. What did I say? It’s never boring where he is concerned. Hope to see you soon.
E'Aria
Aisling read it twice. She remembered when they had picked up readings on the scans just exactly the way E'Aria had described them and more than once. She was beginning to think that maybe the ship they were looking for was following the Warhammer, reporting her position. She needed to call a meeting with the senior staff and possibly be on an alert status. So much for R & R for the crew.
Aisling knew they had picked that ship up numerous times. "Lieutenant St. James, how many times have you recorded the odd shadow on your scans?"
"I'm sorry captain, they are all documented but I have not kept a running total in front of me. I thought we were going under the assumption it was a malfunctioning scanner and have been waiting on engineering to verify that."
Ensign Ellison spoke up. "Fourteen, captain! By my unofficial count." She looked at the lieutenant and mouthed, "Sorry."
"You don’t have to be sorry, ensign," Aisling said. "If there is some blame then it is on me."
"Damn you’re good, captain."
"Thank you, ensign. Everyone listen up. The shadow is a ship and I believe it has been keeping tabs on us. The good news is there are some other ships coming to take care of it but we need to help them by providing whatever information we can. Heading, coordinates, any odd movements and we have to do this without them knowing we know they are there."
"Lieutenant St. James, you will begin monitoring right now. Just keep it passive and if you need a break, get the Ensign Ellison here to spell you. Keep the ship on course even if they drop off, if they are following us, they will turn up."
"Ensign, message my senior staff and General Gray, have them meet me in the conference room in ten minutes. Lieutenant Bagwell you have the con." Aisling tapped a quick code.
"Aye captain, I have the con." Lieutenant Bagwell took the captain’s seat after she got up and entered his code. Aisling headed to her quarters. She didn’t know why she felt upset and couldn’t let anyone see her. What had Ben done to deserve so much heartache? Why had so many people made it their mission to try and ruin him? Losing his family should have been enough for the fates. But it wasn't; they had to have his career, the woman he loved and now maybe his life and it made no sense to her. She would miss Andrea, the Andrea she knew before Ben showed up and sent her reeling. She washed her face with cold water and left for the meeting.
Aisling surveyed the room. Everyone was in attendance. "This is a special meeting and I am not looking for any reports. I received a message from Captain Aok, E'Aria who informs me that the shadows on our scans are indeed a ship." Everyone processed that information in a different manner except Dr. Mathews. "I am in receipt of no other information concerning the ship so its capabilities are unknown."
"Captain, that is one huge ship if your report is true."
"Yes it is, Chief Miller. I want you to put someone on your scanner console watching it and the bridge is going to be doing the exact same thing."
"What do you want us looking for, captain? My people are not trained for the same things as your bridge crew."
"Chief, just watch the scanner. Keep a log of its coordinates and heading and watch for anything unusual. I want to compare both logs at third shift before I retire. Do not do anything at all to give that ship the idea that we know it’s there."
"Lieutenant Jared, unless we are attacked you and your marines carry on with your duties. Dr. Mathews, the same applies to you. XO, we are going to stay right on course and follow our plan. Sergeant Major, I want you to make sure that no one on this ship is unready to act at a moment’s notice. I am asking you to initiate a red alert throughout the ship via word of mouth. I have no idea of the capabilities of a ship that can cloak itself but I am guessing they are substantial. If they take an aggressive stance, then we will ring for a red alert. Any questions so far?"
"No? Then I will move on. The next part of the message is that Benjamin Jamison in on that cloaked ship along with an officer of the Allond military. They were taken hostage on Allond and it is believed brought to that ship. There is a joint task force from Allond, Trillond, and the Cjittan coming to disable it and take control. Also, I believe that it has been following us and reporting our location to someone. It has shown up at least fourteen times which is fourteen too many to be a coincidence."
"It is our job to provide coordinates to the task force so we need to make this work. The task force should be in our area in two days."
"Two days of cat and mouse, captain. It should be fun," General Gray added.
"Do you have any suggestions general, on how to play?"
"Let’s wait till we have the information on the task force then we can put a plan together to make sure our friend lurking out there stays with us."
****
"Captain Aok, we have a message from the expedition leader."
"Is that what they called themselves?"
"Yeah, I think they believe is sounds grand or royal or something."
"What did the expedition leader say, Binda?"
"All have reported in but us. Are we ready to depart?"
"Tell them we are and to forward the departure plan."
Binda was on the com console replacing Natalia who was back at the palace. Emily
, Alona and Senator Sims all stayed behind. There was nothing they could do and was no need to place them in any danger.
Onak, Menah, and Lorelei were going to rotate the helm and tactical while Binda and E'Aria would share the com duties. Elanac and Shan were handling engineering and Grubb and Buddy had maintenance and anything else the captain told them to do. Adam was in his galley, prepping and getting some things made in advance. E'Aria had received a message back from Aisling which prompted their expedient departure.
E'Aria,
We have had many ghost sightings of a large shape just at the edge of our scanners capabilities. We had believed one of our scanners had sustained some damage during our departure from Anubis. Now it seems your information is a better explanation and leads me to think it has been following us. I am including a group of coordinates for our destination, current projected heading, last known coordinates of our friend and last known projected heading, which is slightly a few degrees different from ours.
I am hoping you are successful and we can all meet before you have to leave again.
Aisling O'Shaughnessy, Captain CNS Warhammer
****
Lorelei's voice brought E'Aria out of her thoughts. "Captain, we have taken up our position in the formation and the course and speed are set."
"Thank you, Lorelei. As Ben would say, sit back and enjoy the ride."
****
"Ben, wake up they are coming!" Tawniz tried to say loud enough to wake him but not yell.
"Sure. I think I’ll hit the snooze for another ten minutes, ok?"
"I wouldn’t advise it or you will find a boot waking you instead of me."
"Why are they here so early? Who the hell is up wanting to bet on fights at this time?"
"Just wait and see what they want. It may not be you they are here for but it’s better to be awake when they arrive."
Tawniz was correct; they were not there for Ben. They took her and two others from her cage, then two of the champions and five more from the other cages; a total of ten. Silk was in charge of the collection. When she motioned Tawniz to follow, she looked at Ben the whole time as if to say I told you so.
"She better be brought back in one piece," he growled.
"I warned you. My master is not afraid of the Allond Empire or its retribution."
"Tell your Master Queen Tazleaha sends her regards and looks forward to seeing him again. She is a friend of mine and the colonels."
"Who is this queen and why would my master care?"
"He may not care but you should tell him anyway, she is my betrothed." That was a big fat one but maybe would start the master to thinking. Good or bad, he was in a little deeper now.
"I will tell him but I do not believe you."
"I don’t care what you believe. I was also thinking that if you let the colonel go unharmed and with proof she is safely returned, I will train you."
"It may be too late. The master has plans for her today."
"Benjamin, you do not need to barter for me. Please do not agree to train her."
"Tawniz, we will talk later when you return," Ben said.
Silk led the train of slaves, warriors, and guards in the direction of the arena. Ben watched them till they were out of sight. The huge being he first met watched them also then looked at Ben but said nothing.
"What's wrong with you? You got a crush on her or something?" Ben said. "She is a lot of female, isn’t she, big guy?"
Ben didn’t think he would understand a word of it. He didn’t get an answer but he did get a nod which made him think.
****
Silk and Tawniz were in a staring match. They had been arguing for a couple minutes and Silk was about ready to stun her.
"Get out of your clothes now or I will have my guards come in and remove them from your unconscious body and if they have any needs they need to satisfy, I will let them use you till they are sated." She smiled at Tawniz, enjoying the thought.
"Get me something to cover up with, a blanket maybe, would that be too much to ask? To let me maintain a little dignity."
"I will think about it. You’re wearing my patience thin."
Tawniz removed her clothing slowly, never taking her eyes off Silk. She threw her top at her then slowly removed her pants. A guard walked in with a blanket. Tawniz didn’t see Silk call to have one brought so somewhere they were monitoring the conversation. Silk threw it at her just as she had done with her clothes. This will be your cell for a while. If you cooperate, you may find yourself alive and free later."
"What about Ben, will he find the same thing?"
"Colonel, you are smarter than that. Ben will never leave here alive. He will live as long as the master wills it. You don’t come to this ship just to be released later. There is no prize other than to win the day to live to the next."
Silk walked out with Tawniz's clothing. Locking the cell, she headed straight for the beast keepers.
Chapter 25
"Gormazan! Are we still at full power?" The black and purple being who Ben classified as a demonoid turned to his queen. His voice and the way he spoke was not what you would think but then again, he wasn’t really from hell. It was a tenor with a sing song type of speech pattern. His planet was beautiful and his coloring was a camouflage against the predators of his world.
"No, my queen. We are at three quarters keeping equidistance with the Allond starships. Would you like me to message the emperor and ask him to increase his speed?"
"No, that will not be necessary. He has his reasons and I am just impatient. I want what was stolen from me."
"Yes, the ark has been gone for way too long. We should have come and taken it or destroyed it long ago."
The queen looked at Gormazan but didn’t say anything. She stood and paced the bridge of her ship. It was a beautiful starship with sweeping lines that flowed into what looked like swept back wings but were not. There were living quarters and storage. Weapons were mounted above and below all major areas of the hull. There was no direction to approach it that it couldn't follow the progress of the attacker and fire from multiple guns.
"My queen, it is the ark you are referring to, correct?"
"Of course, Gormazan. What else is there?"
"Nothing, my queen. Forgive my ignorance." He smiled; he had been guarding his queen since she was a infant. She rarely lied to him but he knew she was at this moment. She had been hearing about the human for months and had images from her warriors passed to her from their memories. The hive mind was always on but she was only connected when she chose. The breeders collected all the information and stored it. The queen and her advisors would sift through it, gathering what information they needed.
Gormazan said, "Do you think the human and the Allond colonel still live? My uncle has never been one to be long suffering and that human will push him for every ounce of patience he possesses."
"I am sure he will, especially if he feels he has nothing to lose. I do not think that given a chance, he will be easily sent on to the next life, dear Gormazan."
"He is an idiot, my queen, talking to our mounts instead of immediately paying you and the emperor the proper respects."
"He is no idiot only uneducated in our ways. He has had some experience with our warriors and his assumption, although wrong, was not meant as an insult. He is not royalty or a member of government diplomacy. He is just a human male, a man."
"Just a man who has the affections of my queen, I believe."
"Gormazan, have I threatened to space you, throw you out the airlock lately? Remind me to very soon." They both laughed.
"We will be in Trillond space in twelve hours and the hunt will begin, my queen."
"Good. I will go check on our warriors and have them prepare their ships. Everything that is mine will be returned to me soon or will be nothing more than pieces of space debris."
****
"Captain Aok, when this is over will we be returning immediately to Allond?"
"No Binda, we wi
ll spend a short time with the crew of the Warhammer. They are old friends."
"If it’s possible, do you think we could do some trading with any of the Trillond warships? Just trading small items with the crew. I am hoping to find some sweets from home."
"I am more than fine with that Binda as long as you get me some. I will give you some trade items to sweeten the deals."
Lorelei looked at E'Aria. "It will be good to see everyone. I miss them, and you know what, they can’t arrest me. They are fugitives now! Has Aisling said anything about Andrea or Ben?"
"Not really Lorelei and we need to leave it alone unless she brings it up."
Binda interrupted. "Captain, we have a message. The three Trillond warships that have been patrolling the border have departed to meet us en route.
"Very good, Binda. It will be eight against one very large starship."
"Captain, when the peace summit resumes and then comes to an end, where is the Claymore going to go next? Do we have to go back to the Trillond Navy?" Menah asked.
"Menah, you and the rest are only on loan so yes, you have to return. I believe we will make a number of stops before returning to Anubis. One will be to return you to your ships. I am very unsure about the future of our fledgling company at this point and would hesitate to ask anyone to make any life changes. Let us wait and see what the immediate future holds. When your enlistment ends, if you feel like you want to work for us, then we will arrange it."
E'Aria said, "Binda, send a message to Queen Tazleaha and ask her if she would share any tactical data on the ship. It may start out eight against one but the unknown could quickly even up the odds. It is a massive ship and could have as many weapons as all of our ships combined."
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