by Ryk Brown
No, better to wait, gather more intel about the situation, she thought. She waited quietly, listening in the dark. Sooner or later, her captors would come for her. They would have questions, and from those questions, she would learn more, she would assess, and she would make further decisions.
Jessica sat on the cold cement floor next to the door, listening intently for any sound: a cough from another room, footsteps of someone pacing their own concrete floor, even a call for help. All she heard was the occasional drip of a leaky faucet somewhere in the distance. That much alone, however, told her they were at least somewhere that had indoor plumbing and a water source. The light from under the door was not from sunlight. It was electrically generated, so they were also connected to the local power grid, as a generator would be far too noisy, and most methods of portable power generation would be too easy to detect by the Jung. She heard a fan click on and felt fresh air being circulated into her room from on overhead vent. There was a small amount of suction under her door, as the air was pulled from her room out into the corridor. Wherever they were, there was an environmental control system.
Jessica thought for a moment. Most of the drugs they were taught about in special operations were fairly short-lived, so they couldn’t have traveled too far. That meant they were probably still in the general area of Winnipeg. However, this time of year, the weather was fair enough that heating or cooling would not be necessary. They were someplace that not only didn’t have windows, but couldn’t have windows. That meant either a bunker or underground. A bunker was too conspicuous. They would have been all but destroyed by the Jung early on. That left underground. They had to be underground. The Jung wouldn’t be underground, but the resistance might.
It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
* * *
“This is the place,” Major Waddell stated as they reached the plateau. He checked his watch. “They should be arriving shortly.”
“I am curious how you knew of this spot,” Garrett stated. “We are well beyond the usual trails frequented by my people.”
“This is where we landed,” Loki told him.
“Landed?” Garrett asked. “You mean the ship that is coming for us, it has been here before?” Garrett seemed worried.
“What is wrong?” Major Waddell asked.
“I have seen the flash your ships make when they depart. Do they make such a flash upon their arrival as well?”
“In this case, yes.”
“If your ship was detected arriving at this spot before, it is possible the Jung are watching for its return.” He looked around, trying to scan the surrounding mountains without being too obvious about his intent. “This could very well be a trap, Major.”
“We did not arrive by ship,” Major Waddell explained. “We descended to this spot by parachute.”
“They call it a HALO jump,” Loki added. “High altitude, low open. In our case, really high altitude.”
Garrett’s expression went from concern to confusion.
“Our ship jumped into low orbit over your world. We jumped from there and made most of our descent by free fall.”
“Impressive,” Garrett said. “And quite dangerous, I might add.”
“We should take cover along the side of the plateau,” Major Waddell suggested. “We do not know how closely the shuttle may jump in.”
Major Waddell and Loki moved toward the edge of the mountaintop clearing, taking cover along the rocks and shrubs just below the edge of the plateau. Garrett signaled for his men to follow, all of which took similar positions alongside them.
“This maneuver you speak of,” Garrett began as he settled in next to the major, “jumping in, how does it work?”
“I couldn’t begin to explain it,” Major Waddell admitted. “It is far beyond my level of education.”
Garrett looked at Loki.
“Don’t look at me,” Loki said. “I just know how to operate it.”
“But, how is it used? What type of range does it possess? How many ships do you have that are equipped for such operations?”
“Perhaps you should save your questions for the captain,” Major Waddell told him. “Even if I knew the answers to your questions, I would not be at liberty to discuss such details.”
“Not even with a friend?” Garrett said, offering the most sincere smile he could muster.
“Not even with a friend.”
“It was worth a try,” Garrett said, shrugging his shoulders. He lay flat on his stomach on the ground, his eyes barely able to see over the edge and across the plateau. “I have never traveled from this world,” he said, his eyes drifting upward toward the evening sky. “Have you been to many worlds, Loki?”
“I’ve been to a few,” Loki said. “Yours is the only one I’ve seen in the core.”
“The core?”
“That’s how the people from Earth refer to this part of space,” Loki explained. “Actually, I think they refer to this part of space as the ‘fringe’.”
“Why is that?” Garrett wondered.
“Something to do with which worlds had been fully settled at the time of the plague or something.” Loki laughed. “Surprisingly, Josh is more up on ancient Earth history than anyone I know, other than the captain, of course.”
“Your captain, he is a wise and educated man?”
“I guess so,” Loki said. “I never really asked him. He seems to know everything about Earth history. I think I remember hearing that he studied it in school or something.”
“A man who remembers history avoids repeating it,” Garrett said.
“Or uses it as a tool to guide him,” Major Waddell added.
“True as well…”
Garrett was interrupted by a thunderous sound and a sudden flash of light accompanied by an intense shock wave of displaced air. Garrett’s eyes widened, as did those of his men, as they stared at the jump shuttle that had just appeared only ten meters above the plateau and was now descending smoothly toward the clearing in front of them.
“My God!” Garrett exclaimed.
Dust and debris flew in all directions as the shuttle’s thrusters blasted the surface below them to slow their descent. Less than a minute after it had appeared overhead, the shuttle was touching down on the plateau, its cargo ramp opening at the rear. Before the ramp was fully deployed, armed men began jumping off the ramp onto the ground. Six men, all clad in Corinari combat armor painted in camouflage patterns, hit the ground running as they spread out in all directions and took up cover positions to protect the shuttle from attack.
Major Waddell flashed a colored light at the cargo ramp in a predetermined pattern from their position alongside the plateau. The light caught the attention of the squad leader standing by the aft end of the shuttle, who immediately signaled for the major and his party to approach.
Major Waddell and Loki rose from their positions, as did Garrett. The squad leader approached them in a crouched run.
Garrett’s men also rose from their cover, following their leader onto the plateau. The Corinari troops spotted them, immediately turned, and took aim at the group of armed men, unsure of their intent.
“Sir!” the squad leader called out to the major, noticing the confrontation that was forming. “Is everything all right, sir?”
Major Waddell saw the reaction of his men, taking pride in their response. Garrett’s men also raised their weapons. “Everything is fine, Sergeant,” he assured the squad leader. The major turned to Garrett. “Your men must lower their weapons,” he instructed Garrett in no uncertain terms.
“Of course.” Garrett turned toward his men and signaled them to stand down. “My men will not be coming with us?”
“I’m sorry; I cannot allow that. I only have permission to bring you. Even that is considered a serious risk, n
o insult intended.”
“Of course,” Garrett said. “How do I know that you will return me to my world after our business is concluded?”
“I can only offer you my word,” Major Waddell said, looking Garrett in the eyes. “I will do everything within my power to make sure you are returned to your world.”
“Sir?” the sergeant asked, wondering about the delay.
Garrett looked at the Corinari troops. Their movements were purposeful and efficient and spoke of considerable training. The ship that sat before him, although average in its appearance, fascinated him. He looked at the major and smiled. “I would prefer not to HALO jump as my method of return.”
“I don’t blame you,” the major agreed.
Garrett turned and barked orders to his men, who immediately lowered their weapons and backed away, settling back into their original positions along the edge of the plateau. He turned back toward the major. “Take me to your captain.”
Major Waddell turned and gestured toward the shuttle, allowing Garrett to pass. The sergeant immediately took his cue from the major and led Garrett safely toward the shuttle and up the back ramp with Major Waddell and Loki close behind. As soon as they were on board, the shuttle’s turbines began to rise in pitch as it prepared to lift off. The six Corinari soldiers guarding the shuttle fell back toward the rear cargo ramp in pairs, keeping their weapons trained on their assigned sections of the perimeter. As soon as the last man was on the ramp, the shuttle began to rise. Once they were a few meters above the ground, the shuttle drifted forward and began to turn to its right as it continued its climb. Thirty seconds later, the shuttle was again ten meters above the level of the plateau, and was accelerating slowly away from Garrett’s men. Then, without warning, the thunderous noise came again and the shuttle disappeared in a blinding flash of blue-white light.
* * *
“Who’s coming back with me?” the sergeant asked as he rested after the first half of his EVA.
“It’s just us three now,” Lieutenant Commander Kovacic said to Luis. “You might as well go next.”
“If it’s all the same to you, sir, I’d rather stay here and help Devyn.”
“You want me to go? What happened to the captain going down with his ship?”
“We’re not going down, sir,” Luis said. “We’re already down. Besides, do you know anything about environmental systems?”
“No. Do you?”
“Well, no, but I knew a bit about electrical systems and some basic computer programming and troubleshooting. That’s gotta be more help to her than supply and logistics. No offense, sir.”
“None taken,” the lieutenant commander said. “It just seems wrong for me to leave with anyone else still here.”
“If we’re going to try to keep someone up here at all times, we’re going to need to get some basic scrubbing capacity going.”
The lieutenant commander leaned in closer to avoid being overheard. “She doesn’t even know if she can fix it, Ensign.”
“We might be stuck on Metis for a long time, sir. We need to try.”
“Sooner or later, the oxygen is going to run out up here.”
“There’s plenty of air left up here for just the two of us,” Luis said.
Lieutenant Commander Kovacic smiled. “For just the two of you, huh?”
“It’s not like that,” Luis insisted. “I meant…”
“Relax, Ensign. I know what you meant,” the lieutenant commander assured him. “You want to stay up here and fiddle with environmental systems with your friend, that’s fine. Just don’t let the air run out on you when you’re not looking.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now help me suit up,” the lieutenant commander ordered, the smile creeping back onto his face. He looked at Luis and raised his eyebrows up and down several times.
“Don’t make me deck my commanding officer, sir,” Luis said under his breath in jest.
* * *
“They’re in the command briefing room, sir,” Sergeant Weatherly reported from the ready room hatch.
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t want to meet him in the hangar bay,” Cameron said as they rose and exited the room.
“I don’t want him to feel he has us at a disadvantage,” Nathan said as they passed through the aft end of the bridge. “If he does, he’ll be more difficult to negotiate with.”
“I didn’t realize you knew so much about the art of negotiation.”
“I grew up in a political family, remember?” Nathan said as they made their way down the corridor. “I knew about negotiations before I knew how to tie my shoes.” Nathan looked at Cameron. “Don’t undermine me in front of our guest, Cam,” he warned, a stern look in his eye.
“I don’t undermine you.”
“The hell you don’t.”
“I don’t,” she said.
“You’ve gotten better. At least you don’t do it in front of the crew anymore,” he said, “but you still have your moments in the briefing room.” Nathan stopped in the middle of the corridor, turning to look directly at her. “This man is a leader, at the very least, of his local cell. If he senses I am not firmly in command, he will see it as a sign of weakness, and he will press to take advantage of that perceived weakness. I know. My father was a master at it.” Nathan turned and continued down the corridor, Cameron and Sergeant Weatherly following close behind.
“I do not undermine you,” Cameron mumbled.
Nathan held up one finger to silence his friend as they entered the command briefing room. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said as he entered the compartment. “Ship’s business.” Nathan approached Garrett, his hand extended in friendship. “You must be Garrett.”
Garrett looked confused. “You are Captain Scott?” He looked at Loki and Major Waddell for confirmation as he shook the captain’s hand. “But you are so young.”
“I get that a lot,” Nathan answered.
Major Waddell nodded his head. “Captain Scott, meet Garrett, leader of the Tanna resistance.”
“It is an honor, sir,” Nathan said. “Shall we get started?”
Nathan moved around to take his usual spot at the head of the conference table.
“I am sorry, Captain. I meant no disrespect,” Garrett said as he took his seat.
Nathan fought back a smile. His own youthful appearance had already put his guest off guard, which offered Nathan his first advantage. “None taken, sir. I am somewhat younger than most of my peers. Events over the last few months have accelerated me through the ranks and into command of this ship.”
“Then, you are not the same man who defeated these Ta’Akar that your men spoke of?”
“No, I was in command of this ship during that campaign, but I assure you, it was a joint effort. I merely stirred the pot a bit.”
Garrett smiled as he eyed Nathan sitting at the opposite end of the table. “I suspect you are being modest, Captain, which is commendable.”
“I understand that you have some concerns,” Nathan began, “about the Alliance in general. Perhaps I can answer your questions.”
“Not concerns, really,” Garrett said. “Doubts might be a better term.”
“I can understand why you might doubt the strength of the Alliance.”
“It is not your strength that I question, Captain,” Garrett said. “I question whether or not your strength is equal to that of the Jung.”
“That is what we are trying to determine,” Nathan said. “Before we can form a campaign strategy, we need to know what we are facing.”
“You have this ship,” Garrett said, “and I have seen at least two smaller ships that can jump between the stars in the blink of one’s eye. Tell me, Captain,” Garrett said as he leaned forwar
d, “can the Aurora jump between the stars as well?”
“Yes, she can,” Nathan answered plainly. “And at much greater ranges.”
“How much greater?”
“That is not germane to this negotiation,” Nathan told him.
“Ah, but I believe it is,” Garrett disagreed. “I’m sure you realize that this ability is perhaps your most formidable weapon against the Jung, as they do not possess such capability.”
“I still don’t see how our jump range is related to this discussion.”
“In order to feel comfortable sharing information about the Jung with your alliance, I must feel confident that you have a chance of succeeding at your goal. Your ‘jump range’, as you put it, is therefore quite important in that determination.”
Nathan glanced at Cameron as he considered Garrett’s words. Then, without hesitation, he answered. “Our maximum safe jump range has yet to be determined, as our scientists are constantly making improvements to the system. However, I can tell you that, currently, we limit our jumps to no more than fifteen light years at a time for safety reasons.”
Garrett smiled. “I was right. You do have a formidable weapon on your hands, Captain.”
“How do you think we defeated the Ta’Akar?” Nathan said, his own wry smile forming.
Garrett laughed. “I knew I would like you.”
“Is that why you insisted on coming to my ship?” Nathan asked. “To see if you liked me?”
“Partly, yes. On Tanna, we believe that, to trust a man, you must first both like and respect that man. Of course, I also wanted to know more about your jump drive, and although I probably could have tricked young Loki into revealing that which I needed to know, I was not convinced he even possessed that information. I also was quite sure I would not be able to extract the information from Major Waddell, as I suspect, unlike Loki, the major has seen his fair share of pain and suffering. You see, Captain, ever since I witnessed Joshua and Loki jump away from our world, I knew that things were about to change. In fact, I have been waiting for your return.”