by T. J. Jones
Adrian folded his arms inspecting the meeting site. It was not much of a diplomatic talk, but he tended to agree that the need to keep Docent Vay as isolated on the ship as possible was high. He gave a thumbs up to the security officer. “I want a full platoon of marines in here to guard this thing as it goes down.”
He fully expected something sideways from Vay. What, exactly, he was not sure. He just knew he needed his men to be on their guard. He was not able to shake the feeling in his gut that he was walking into a trap that was too obvious. Like his old CAG used to say on the Independence. “When the enemy makes the table and lays out the spread, you sit down and eat.”
That is what he was going to do. He would take the rest of his crew back. Then he would deal with this Vay. He was not exactly sure how yet. The thought had crossed his mind to take the guy hostage for his actions. Hold him for ransom for a safe exit out of their space or something. The only problem was that he would not need that kind of gesture once the QT drive was back up in peak shape. They could simply quantize out of here just as they showed up. At least, that was the theory anyway. Tia still was not one hundred percent confident she could replicate the results.
He rubbed his face trying to push away the stress. Jarod patted him on the back. “You look tired.”
“Yeah, just racking my brain trying to come up with a way out of this that doesn’t involve us all becoming slaves to some transgalactic empire or worse.”
Jarod nodded. “tall order. You know what else is tall? Milsarians.”
Adrian looked at Jarod who was straight faced. It wasn’t a joke. He shook his head. “If I ever get used to you, it’ll be the last thing I do.”
Jarod blinked. “Technically, everything you do is the last thing you do until the next thing you do.”
Adrian opened his mouth to reply, found he had no response, and let the matter drop. This Holy White Empire nonsense already had him spun up enough as it was. Never mind Jaord’s craziness. He patted Jarod on the back while turning for the exit. “Good chatting.”
When the doors shut, he shook his head and sighed. “Best at what he does, but goodness.” He stepped off to start down the corridor when he all but bumped into Dekav who had been waiting for him.
“Uh, hey. What brings you down here?”
“I heard about Docent Vay’s communication to you. About his intention to return your crew?”
Adrian nodded. “Yeah, why?”
“I’ve come to warn you. Be wary. Vay will want information from you or your people that betters his goals. One of them will be furthering the empire.”
“Well, we’re a long way from Kansas, Toto.”
“Kansas? Toto?”
Adrian waved the questions aside dismissively. “Don’t worry about it — human references. The point was that we are an unquantifiable distance away from home. We only wound up here because of an accident with our quantum tunneling device.”
Dekav’s expression twisted with a deep thought for a moment. “It’s possible he may want information on your drive system too then.”
“Well, we’re going to keep him locked up down here in the shuttle bay, so I don’t anticipate too many issues from him. He’ll be under so much heavy guard that if he so much as twitches, he’ll be vaporized.”
Dekav did not seem as assured. “I see. You appear to be covering your bases.”
Adrian patted him on the shoulder. “Relax, big guy. It’ll be fine.” Even as he said it, he was still trying to convince himself of the same. He even forced a fake smile trying his best to calm his newest ally and crewmember.
“Ok, I will endeavor not to be overly concerned about it and trust in your designs.”
“You’ll be the first to know if things go south.”
“Where is south?”
“Right now? Where things go when they want to go badly.”
“I see.”
Well, at least, there was hope for him. God save him if he was as bad as Jarod. Adrian was not sure he could take that. The tall platinum-haired male fell in step next to Adrian as he paced down the corridor.
“How long until you expect the docent?”
Adrian shook his head. “Depends on when I’m ready to light the fuse. I told him we needed time to prepare, so he’s waiting for word from us.”
“I see.”
“Yeah, I figure I’ll make him sweat it out a bit now. Wonder just what it is we are doing. Maybe rethink whatever plan it is he’s got cooked up.”
“I strongly doubt the docent will falter in his convictions to deceive you and obtain whatever it is he seeks for his plan.”
Adrian nodded with a weak smile. “Yeah, I figured that too. Still, it is worth a shot. Make him work for his meal.”
“So it is,” Dekav agreed.
The two walked through the corridor until they reached the lift, the elite ducking his head to step inside the lift. “Deck Ten please.”
The lift car went into motion. Adrian glanced to Dekav. “You hungry?”
The tall albino man seemed to think about it a moment. “I could eat, yes.”
“Good. I need another chat with the bartender.”
“You seek counsel from your food servant?”
Adrian laughed. “Well, when ya put it like that, no. But she’s got a way of letting me air out my thoughts and hang them in a way that makes sense when I’m feeling wound up and confused.”
Dekav smiled. “She sounds wise.”
Adrian nodded. “Yeah, Linara’s been pretty nice for that.”
The doors parted on Deck Ten and the two men stepped out into the corridor. It was nice to see many more crew and civilians walking about on the ship. It felt much less empty since the rescue attempt that got most of them back. It definitely went some ways toward making him feel more reassured he was making the right choice. Even if Vay played him for a fool toward the end of it.
Inside the lounge, Linara was wiping down the countertops. She smiled as Adrian and Dekav stepped inside. “Hey, boys. What can I get ya?”
“Chai tea. Cold please and a turkey sandwich.” He turned to Dekav with a hanging question on his expression.
Dekav shrugged. “Whatever he is having will suffice.”
“Two it is,” Linara said with a smile. She went back to the food printer and started to input their orders. “So, what brings you down here, Commander?”
“Just feeling chatty,” he said tapping his fingers on the countertop to a musical beat. Dekav seated himself next to Adrian, looking rather out of place but attempting to overcome the feeling.
“So. What’s on your mind?” she asked him with a level expression.
“Well, we’re prepping for the docent’s arrival. Most of the senior staff and I are expecting some kind of deception from him. My gut says he cannot be trusted. But if I’m offered a chance to get the rest of my crew back without having to risk another incursion into their ship, I feel like I should take it regardless of the red tape attached to it.”
Linara listened without replying, nodding where it seemed appropriate. “And?”
“And I’m unsure if I’m making the right choice.”
She turned and grabbed the freshly fabricated glasses and turned to hand them to Adrian and Dekav then their plates. “So that’s what’s got you caught up.” She smiled tucking a towel into the waistband of her apron. “Commander, sooner or later you’re going to learn there is no right or wrong choice. Life just is not that black and white. As you have noted so far, no training manual can ever prepare you for everything you are going to face. That is just the reality of your position. I suspect you already know this, but it’s not about making the right choice so much as it is about making the best choice possible with the given circumstances.”
Dekav glanced to Adrian looking impressed. “I now understand why you seek counsel from your food servant. She would have made a very capable regent in the empire.”
“Bartender” Adrian and Linara both corrected at the same time.
Linara sm
iled. She had hints of darker blue freckles just under her eyes riding her cheeks from left to right across her face. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Adrian drank his tea feeling a little better. He was making the best choice he could. If he declined the docent’s offer, this would devolve into violence again. That meant more injuries and deaths. He still had to consider the whole crew, not just those missing. He had gotten almost all of his people back. He could not ask them to commit to a near suicide plan to free the last of them.
“Thanks for the chat, darlin,” Adrian said with an appreciative grin.
Linara shrugged nonchalantly. “Any time, Commander. It’s why I’m here.”
Dekav leaned forward staring at Linara rather curiously. She glanced at him. Adrian could tell she felt a little under the microscope.
“What a curious species. I’ve never seen a race with a blue complexion.”
She smiled taking the comment as a compliment. “That makes me special then. I’m ok with that. I am a Shaelan. We’re from not too far away from the commander’s home world back in our region of space.”
Dekav nodded, soaking the information up eagerly. “Please, continue, are all your people as wisened as you?”
Linara nodded with a smile. “The older women, yes. I am still young, but I have traveled a lot. I guess that makes up for it. Most of the matrons become my people’s leaders in some capacity or other.”
Adrian downed the last of his tea to rinse the last of his sandwich down and slid his empty glass forward. “Welp, I’ve gotta get to it. I will leave you two here to chat. Linara, Dekav. Dekav, Linara. He is our newest crewmember. A self-exiled acolyte of the empire.”
Linara bowed her head politely. “Pleasure to formally meet you.”
“Likewise,” Dekav said.
Adrian nodded, pleased with the pleasantries out of the way. He turned for the exit and made his way back to the lift. He needed to check in with the bridge to ensure everything else was ready for the meeting. He wanted Doctor Dorren on standby so she could receive the others for a quick checkup. Being a prisoner was no doubt going to leave some kind of mark.
There was also the security detail. He wanted to make sure there were as many weapons leveled on Vay as possible so he understood exactly what kind of situation he was inviting himself to. There was an old saying back on Earth. A lone wolf was dangerous but a cornered fox would fight to the death. Something like that.
He wanted Docent Vay to know he was toying with Pandora’s Box if he tried to do anything foolish by crossing him. The bridge doors parted, and Jarod, Mary Jo, and a few other junior officers were staffing the bridge. Jarod stood up and circled back around to the tactical station.
“Report.”
“Everything is progressing as planned. Security reports inspections completed, and battle drill rehearsals will complete within fifteen minutes. We will be able to receive Docent Vay within the half hour.”
“Any signs of suspicious activity from the imperial ship?”
“None, sir. It’s remained in its current state effecting repairs to the damage the fighters and bombers caused.”
Adrian reclined into the fitted leather chair. So just what was this guy up to then? If it was not to get them to drop their guard for an attack from their vessel, was it to take the ship by surprise from the inside? Surely, that was playing with fire by coming to the Odyssey personally. “Post marines and security at every lift and create a series of checkpoints. Anyone not biometrically listed on the ship is to be detained immediately.” He paused and then remembered Dekav. “Oh! Make sure to add Dekav to the biometrics as a political exile. He’ll be remaining on board with us.”
Jarod nodded and got an affirmative chirp from the computer. “Done.”
“Alright. Let’s finish our prep work and get this show on the road as soon as we can. I want this Docent Vay to play whatever card he’s holding so we can deal with it and fire up the Quantum drive to get our asses out of here.”
Chapter Sixteen
“A prophet does not try to change the wind; he merely waits for it greet him.” – Third Prophet of Insight
Docent Vay tapped his fingers on his console impatiently. These humans were stalling unusually long. His bait of returning the enemy crew would be too enticing for this Commander Rain to accept without incurring more losses in another rescue attempt. That said it was taking him a long time to prepare for the “exchange.” Lt. Kaine’s reconditioning had gone successfully. He was ready for positioning aboard the Odyssey for triggering to retrieve the information Vay wanted.
He glanced at the chronometer on his console huffing in disgust. “If they don’t hail us within another tenth of a cycle, hail them and politely remind them our patience is waning.”
Tacent Cor nodded stepping closer. “Have faith, Your Holiness. The aliens are likely scared. No doubt they want to ensure they are well protected in case we try and board them again.”
Vay considered the thought. Cor was right. They had already proven capable of breaching their defenses to overrun their vessel for prisoners. The enemy commander was likely just doing his due diligence and shoring up his defenses in preparation. This meant they were suspicious of Vay’s offer. The thought made his lips twitch upward in a smile. Good. Therefore, Commander Rain was as competent as he had suspected.
“Mmm, perhaps you are right. It would be wise of them to suspect deception on our behalf given the events leading up to now. This Commander Rain is as wary as he is cunning. That makes this even more satisfying then. I should like to see his face when he realizes we have data mined his computer and harvested the locations of all their worlds. Free for the conquest.”
“His defeat will be the first hallmark of your coming glories, Your Holiness.”
Vay nodded to Cor’s observation. “Indeed, it will.”
The Arbitrator sat on the bridge after cleaning up from a training session, waiting for his vessel to come into range close enough to hail the alien vessel Acolyte Dekav had been taking up his stand in. They should be nearing the extreme range of tight beam range very shortly. By his estimates, any second now.
“Arbitrator, we’ve reached broadcast range.”
He rose from his seat eager to begin. “Good, open a channel to the alien vessel.”
His comm officer input a few commands and then turned back to him with a nod. “Channel open, hand shake conducted. Arbitrator.”
“To the commander of the alien vessel housing Acolyte Dekav of the Holy White Empire. This is the arbitrator. We have received his summons and are responding in force. We are still several sectors away from your position. You will have to hold Docent Vay at bay, but we assure you, the elites of the empire have heard your message. And we are coming to bring retribution and judgment upon the false believer.”
Adrian stood up as the image of the elite in silver-etched armor flickered on the screen. The message jumped with static off and on. He glanced to Mary Jo. “Can you clean this up?”
She nodded, working on her console, and the static cleared for the most part. “This is the best I can do, Commander. The origin point of the transmission is still very far away and the nebula isn’t helping with the reception of the signal.”
He nodded. “Any bit helps. Replay it, please.”
The arbitrator’s message replayed for him. Dekav stood up next to him. “This is the avatar of my people. If he says he’s coming, they are all coming from every adjacent sector.”
Adrian blinked. “Well, hot damn. That is the first bit of good news I have had in a while. Mary Jo, ready a reply.”
She gestured when she was set and he could begin. He turned back to the screen and took a deep breath. Having Dekav on the bridge with him was a good idea. He needed his empire consultant with him at all times to get a feel for what he was dealing with. “This is Commander Adrian Rain. I am the commander of the USS Odyssey of the United Solar Alliance. We’re grateful for your aid and look forward to greeting you when you�
��re closer to the battle space.”
He gave Mary Jo a nod he was finished and she cut the line. Sitting down, he glanced to Dekav feeling a little more hopeful. Maybe they could turn this around. “What do the long-range sensor scans look like?”
Mary Jo frowned at her station. “Reading inbound vessels. Three more. It looks like they were moving to link up with the command ship loitering outside the nebula.”
Adrian sighed. Great. Their backup would arrive first. That put him in a tough position. Very tough. One problem at a time, Adrian. “Right. You counted on this, Rain,” he mumbled to himself as he stood up.
“Alright. My best guess says those enemy vessels will show up before our help does. That means we are on our own until our help shows up. Things will likely get dicey. We are going to take some lumps. I will do my best to see to it we come out of it as best as we can, but I do not see this ending very positively for us regardless. Those bastards are going to make us work for every inch we get.” He paused and glanced around the bridge. Some of the junior officers looked nervous. “But you know what I say? Fuck ‘em.” He paused for emphasis. Letting his expletive convey his emotion. “You are still alive. That means we can resist. We’re going to get our people back, and we’re going to slap this asshole right back to the Stone Age.”
It was not much, but sometimes people needed roused into believing. Hell, even he felt like he needed a pep talk at this point. He turned back to the screen. “Put Docent Vay on the line. Let’s get this shit show started.”
Mary Jo opened a channel to the Truth and Jubilation. The docent’s bust filled the main screen. “Commander Rain. I trust you’ve concluded your preparations for the summit?”
Adrian nodded. “Yeah, I think I’ve covered everything.” And then some, he thought.
“Good. Then I will prepare shuttles to transport myself and your remaining crew in my care back to you.”
Adrian nodded to the docent. “That would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. We’ll receive you at these coordinates.” He pushed the send key on a tablet and the meeting location transmitted to the docent’s terminal. He nodded.