by Ryk Brown
“They took the back two seats out to add more energy cells to extend its range,” Jessica explained. “We’re actually jumping from outside the cluster.”
“Then we’re going to set a record,” the general realized, sounding pleased.
“I suppose so,” she agreed as she reached up behind her head and slid the overhead hatch forward, closing and securing it. “We’re buttoned up in here,” she reported over comms.
“Depressurizing the bay,” Ensign Weston replied. “Range in one.”
Jessica could hear the hiss of air beyond the hull of their jump sub as the bay over them quickly lost its atmospheric pressure. Another glance at her console showed all systems were sporting green readiness lights.
“Course and speed are good,” Lieutenant Haddix announced over comms.
“Copy that,” Jessica replied. “We’re ready for release.”
“Release in three……two……one……”
Jessica heard, and felt, a clunk as the clamps holding the tiny jump sub tight against its seals, on the underside of the Reaper’s modified utility bay, released. There was a brief whoosh of air as the last of the atmosphere in the bay above them was lost to space.
Jessica looked up, watching the underside of the Reaper’s utility bay move away from them. As its distance from her increased, she could easily make out the exterior details of the utility bay that had been modified to launch and retrieve jump subs.
“Max range,” Lieutenant Haddix reported. “Your course and speed, or should I say lack thereof, are perfect. You’re clear to jump when ready.”
“Thanks, boys,” Jessica replied. “Just make sure you come back for us in a couple days.”
“You got it,” the lieutenant assured her. “Pick us up a few dollag steaks while you’re there.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Jessica replied. A moment later, the Reaper disappeared in a blue-white flash.
“Ready, honey?” Jessica asked.
“Honey?” the general questioned, a note of disapproval in his tone.
“Just getting into character,” Jessica insisted.
“I am ready…dear,” the general replied.
Jessica smiled as she reached for the jump button. “Let’s do this.”
* * *
“Why is it that nothing just stays working on this ship?” Loki wondered as he replaced the access cover on the Seiiki’s port engine nacelle.
“This is nothing,” Josh laughed. “Back in the BC, this ship was always falling apart.”
Loki looked puzzled.
“That’s because your pop would never let me fix anything right,” Dalen defended. “Pound on this; tape up that; stick a wad of gum in here.”
“That comes from too many years of trying to hold pieces of junk together on Haven,” Josh chuckled. “Not a whole lot of new parts came through that place. It was pretty much where ships went to die.”
“Still, it’s been nice having Vlad and the Aurora’s fabricators supporting us,” Dalen said. “I doubt we’d still be flyin’ without them.”
“BC?” Loki finally asked.
“Before Conathan,” Josh explained.
Loki shook his head as he continued locking down the access panel. “You really should stop calling him that.”
“Lighten up, Lok. It’s a joke.”
A small ground transport pulled up alongside the landing pad, about ten meters from them.
“The princess has returned,” Josh joked.
“You need to stop calling her that, as well,” Loki told him.
“You have no sense of humor, Loki,” Josh replied as he turned and headed toward Deliza. “How did it go, your highness?”
By now, Deliza paid little attention to Josh’s inability to use her actual name. “Great.”
“Sure didn’t take long. Did you buy anything?”
“Four small and four industrial-sized energy cells,” she replied as she closed the door behind her. “All of them made with Aramenium cores.”
“What, you didn’t bring back lunch?” Josh asked as Deliza walked past him toward the cargo ramp.
Deliza ignored him.
Josh looked at the vehicle. “Where are they at?”
“They’ll be delivered in a couple of hours,” she replied as she headed up the ramp.
Josh looked at the two Ghatazhak who had escorted her into town. “How could you let her come back without food?”
The Ghatazhak just smiled as the passed, following Deliza up the ramp.
The controller attached to Josh’s left forearm beeped, calling for his attention. “I’m like the only one who thinks about the necessities around here,” he muttered as he examined the controller’s display screen. “Lok!” he called out. “We’ve got a message from the Aurora,” he added, punching in the command to pipe the message into his comm-set.
“What is it?” Deliza asked, stopping at the top of the cargo ramp.
“Uh-oh,” Josh said as he listened to the message through his comm-set.
“What ‘uh-oh’?” Loki questioned as he and Dalen walked around the port nacelle to join Josh.
Deliza took a few steps back down the ramp, also concerned by Josh’s reaction. “What did they say?”
“The Dusahn attacked Haven,” Josh told them.
“How bad?” one of the Ghatazhak asked.
“No details,” Josh replied. “Just that they attacked.”
“That means Ollie’s gone ghost,” the other Ghatazhak observed.
“They’re telling us to wrap things up as quick as possible, and get out of here, just in case,” Josh advised.
“He thinks they’re going to attack Volon, as well?”
“If the Dusahn are expanding their area of control to include the entire Pentaurus sector, then it is logical to assume they would start with Haven, Parador, Palee, Ursoot, and Volon,” Corporal Amund stated.
“Then we have time,” Deliza surmised, taking a few more steps down the ramp.
“That depends,” the corporal replied.
“Depends on what?” Dalen wondered.
“How many strike forces they are using; the order in which they will strike. There are too many variables to calculate.”
“Then, guess,” Josh urged.
“Given that the Dusahn barely have enough ships to maintain control over the cluster, I suspect they will use a single task force, leaving a small contingent on each world to, at least, maintain the appearance of control.”
“So it all comes down to order of attack,” Loki realized.
“It does not matter,” Corporal Amund stated. “News of the attack is certain to be at least a day old.”
“Because of the evasion algorithms,” Loki surmised.
“Precisely,” the corporal agreed. “If the Dusahn are moving to take control of the entire sector, they would not stop with Haven. Other nearby worlds have surely fallen by now. Captain Scott’s instruction to depart as soon as possible is wise.”
“Damn, we should have kept the transport for awhile,” Deliza cursed as she pulled out our comm-unit to make a call.
“I thought you said the energy cells were being delivered,” Josh said.
“They are,” Deliza confirmed. “Hello, this is Deliza Ta’Akar, at Lennar Field, pad one seven. We were just dropped off, but we need to make another trip into the city. Can you send our transport right back?”
“What other trip?” Josh asked.
“I’d like to know, as well,” Corporal Amund added.
“Thank you.” Deliza ended the call and began another. “We have to find Naralena,” she explained, holding the comm-unit up to her ear again.
“I almost forgot,” Loki realized, “she lives here.”<
br />
“I know,” Josh said to Loki. “We dropped her off together, remember?”
“She’s not answering,” Deliza said.
“She may not even live here anymore,” Josh pointed out. “Her father was on his last legs when we dropped her off.”
“Josh,” Deliza scolded.
“I’m just sayin’,” Josh defended. “If he passed, she may have moved on.”
“If she moved off-world, the call wouldn’t connect,” Deliza insisted. “See,” she added, holding out her comm-unit. “I got her voice mail.”
“You sure it’s her?” Josh asked.
“I recognized her voice,” Deliza insisted. “We have to go find her.”
“And do what?” Josh wondered.
“Bring her with us,” Deliza insisted.
“What?” Josh was shocked.
“What about her father?” Loki asked.
“Him, too.”
“If he’s still suckin’ in air!” Josh exclaimed.
“Jesus, Josh!” Deliza scolded, coming down the ramp and walking past him toward the returning transport.
“The captain said…”
“The energy cells won’t be here for at least an hour or two,” Deliza yelled back at him as she continued walking toward the, now parked, transport. “We’ll be back by then.”
“Deliza!” Josh yelled in protest.
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep an eye on her,” Corporal Amund promised as he and Corporal Torlak followed her toward the waiting vehicle. “Just make sure you’re ready to take off the minute we return.”
“Yeah, no shit!” Josh exclaimed. He watched in dismay as Deliza climbed into the back of the transport, and the two Ghatazhak corporals climbed into the front. “Can you believe this?” Josh complained as they drove off.
“Could be worse,” Dalen said as he returned to his work on the port engine nacelle. “You could be married to her.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding?” he said, placing two fingers in his mouth, as if he was pointing a gun and pulling the trigger.
* * *
Commander Prechitt’s shuttle jumped into the atmosphere, more than two thousand meters above the surface of Casbon. As instructed, the shuttle descended into a hover, thirty meters above the central square, waiting a moment to give those below time to vacate the area, then descending smoothly to land at the exact point the leaders of the settlement had indicated.
As the shuttle’s engines powered down, the aft boarding ramp descended, and the commander and his staff disembarked. Walking out to meet him were Council Member Garon and two of her assistants.
“Welcome to Casbon,” the council member greeted. “I assume you have been sent by Captain Scott?”
“Commander Prechitt, second officer of the Aurora, at your service,” the commander greeted respectfully. “Allow me to introduce my second, Lieutenant Sandau, and my chief logistics officer, Ensign Kolm.”
“A pleasure, gentlemen. I was under the impression that you were bringing more than just a single shuttle,” the council member said. “Preferably something armed.”
“We arrived aboard the Weatherly, an armed frigate. The remaining ships in our task force will arrive tomorrow, including twenty of the Aurora’s Super Eagle jump fighters, along with flight crews, support personnel, and gear. Our goal is to secure a location, on the surface of your world, from which to operate. Preferably one nearby, and with enough room to accommodate our forces, as well as yours, once they arrive.”
“Of course,” Council Member Garon replied. “There is such a place, one that we had intended for our forces. One of the first mining gorges we created. It is well concealed, with caverns that have been reinforced and plasma sealed. It should provide more than adequate space.”
“Is it far from here?” the commander inquired.
“An hour by ground transport,” the council member explained, gesturing toward a waiting vehicle, a few meters away.
“Perhaps it would be more expedient if we took my shuttle,” the commander suggested. “Being an old fighter pilot, myself, I would like to get a look at the aerial approach, as well.”
“As you wish, Commander.”
“After you,” the commander offered, gesturing toward his shuttle.
The council member headed toward the shuttle’s aft boarding ramp, followed by her aides, Commander Prechitt, and his officers.
“Captain Scott has instructed me to ask if we might purchase a small amount of Aramenium from you, for use by our research and development teams.”
“I’m sure something can be arranged,” she assured him as they entered the shuttle.
* * *
“This is it,” Deliza told them.
“How do you know?” Corporal Torlak wondered. “There are no identifying marks on any of these homes.”
“Fourth house from intersection one-forty-seven, on Dorvany Prospect.”
“In which direction?”
“I’ve been here before,” Deliza insisted.
“They all look alike to me,” Corporal Amund said.
“Just stop the vehicle,” Deliza insisted, opening her door.
Corporal Amund stepped on the brake, abruptly stopping the vehicle. He looked over at Corporal Torlak, one eyebrow raised. “Fifty-fifty chance, I guess.”
Deliza was already out of the vehicle and headed toward the front door of a small home. The yard was somewhat barren, with only a few scrub brushes and a lone parren tree. In sharp contrast, the house itself appeared to be well-kept.
As soon as Deliza stepped onto the front porch, an overhead light came on, and she could hear a door chime playing inside the home. A moment later, a small red light, in what she thought was a peephole, in the door appeared. As the two Ghatazhak corporals stepped up onto the porch beside her, Deliza heard footsteps inside, moving quickly toward the door. Corporal Amund gently tugged at Deliza’s jacket sleeve, urging her to step aside and slightly behind him, just in case. He, too, had heard the shuffle of feet from inside.
The door latch buzzed a moment, and the door cracked open, slowly at first, then swinging open wide. “Deliza?”
Deliza’s eyes widened. Gone were the long dark tresses that were once Naralena’s trademark. She also looked fatigued and somewhat shaken. She was not the confident woman Deliza had known, so many years ago. “Naralena?”
“What are you doing here?” Naralena asked, glancing at the two Ghatazhak corporals. “And with…” Naralena covered her mouth with both hands, tears coming to her eyes. “Then…it’s true? He’s alive?”
“He is,” Deliza replied. It hadn’t occurred to her that Naralena would have heard the rumors of Nathan’s resurrection and likely found them difficult to believe.
“You came all the way to Volon, just to tell me?”
Deliza sighed. “Now I feel a bit guilty.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I didn’t come here to tell you Nathan is alive. I came to take you and your father away from here.”
“What? Why?” Naralena wondered wiping the tears from her eyes.
“The Dusahn are expanding their sphere of control,” Deliza told her. “We just received word that they attacked Haven. Nathan believes an attack on Volon is probable.”
“Then, he sent you to rescue me,” Naralena sighed. “That is so like him.”
“Actually, we were already here on business. It was my idea to find you before we left. But I’m sure Nathan would have agreed with my decision. Is your father able to travel?”
Naralena looked down for a moment. “My father passed last year,” she said. “My mother, a few months later.”
Deliza’s voice suddenly became somber. “I am so sorry, Naralena.”
“We s
hould be going,” Corporal Amund reminded Deliza.
“How quickly can you pack?” Deliza asked Naralena.
“Pack for what?”
“You’re coming with us,” Deliza told her. “And I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer.”
* * *
Lord Mahtize’s day had begun as usual; breakfast, updates on markets, and a review of his daily itinerary, followed by a leisurely stroll across the gardens, sipping from a mug of kempa tea as he enjoyed the morning sun sparkling off the dewy lawns.
Despite the Dusahn occupation, and all the perils and pitfalls it created for the noble houses of Takara, his life was going quite well. Profits were up, and his position among Takaran nobility was rising faster than he had ever dreamed. It seemed that regime change was good, at least for now. It was so good, in fact, that he wondered just how long he needed to keep up the espionage game he was playing.
When he originally started his scheme, he had done so simply to give himself some protection. The right piece of intelligence, be it real or contrived, could yield significant dividends. However, those dividends had been coming without the use of his little game. Furthermore, what little information he had passed on to young Mister Espan, was having no impact on his business dealings. It left him wondering if the risk was worth the reward.
Lord Mahtize passed through the gate into his private patio, and then entered his business office through his private entrance. As usual, he went directly to his desk to begin his duties as the leader of House Mahtize.
“Good Morning.”
The voice nearly made Lord Mahtize jump. He looked toward the far side of the room, from where the voice had come, spotting a well-dressed, confident-looking man sitting next to the fireplace, and a stunning, younger, woman in typical Takaran business attire standing next to him, looking equally as confident. “Who are you?” Lord Mahtize asked, his eyes narrowing as his right hand slowly slid down to the edge of his desk, “and how did you get in here?”
“It was not difficult,” the steely-eyed man replied. “Your security measures are terribly outdated, even by Takaran standards. Push the button all you want. No one will come.”