Dave made his way past Trooper Alex Tokado, who would be tail end Charlie. As he passed the other Alpha team member, Cpl Simone Jeffe, he said to her “Keep your eyes on him” pointing to the prisoner directly in front of her. He gave Dan a friendly pat on the back as he nudged ahead. Art was checking the map view on his console and had his back to Dave. So Dave gave him a tap on his shoulder to let him know he was ready.
Art turned around scanned past Dave to ensure everyone was ready and then without a word started pacing out along the route he had last taken when exiting with Sue.
He had in his left hand a small device that he consulted every few paces. When a light went on he stopped. Everyone behind him stopped too. He hit the deactivate button on the device and then told Dave to stay put while he walked about ten paces, brought out his knife and cut the proximity mine that Buster had laid yesterday – the one that hadn’t exploded. He put it back in his pack. “Come on, it’s all clear.”
Up ahead the undergrowth was still stained with Roj’s blood where he had been shot – a grizzly reminder.
The light was getting brighter now and Art could just make out the area where they had deployed opposite the perimeter track. He propped and hailed “Simone, bring our prisoner forward, quietly.”
The gagged and cuffed prisoner was led to the front. The suit he was wearing was the biggest in the ships inventory but was still too short. The seal at the bottom of each leg came just below the sleth’s knee joints and the ones on the sleeve just below his elbows. Thankfully the helmet sufficed. Simone had a leash tied to his long cuffed hands. Art took the leash and tied it to another that he had already wrapped around a nearby tree. There was about 10m of slack altogether. Art looped a sign he had made over the sleth’s helmet. It hung in front of him. Written in Gelklan were two words ‘Fowlsit’ and ‘talk’. Art gave him a firm push from behind. He grudgingly stumbled forward out into the open area this side of the perimeter track.
They waited a full ten minutes before they got a response. A suited figure came walking down the central track from the main building. He was unarmed. He walked slowly. Three other figures came out, their weapons clearly visible. They stayed well back.
“Hold your fire” commanded Art. He knew that this was the most precarious moment of making contact. Any wrong reaction at this stage could spell disaster.
The lone figure stopped on the other side of the perimeter track about 10m from the prisoner. It scanned the vegetation till it sighted Art who was now standing. Art tugged on the leash and the knot undid. The prisoner felt the leash go slack. He turned to see Art waving him forward. He tentatively walked towards the lone figure.
When they met the erstwhile prisoner looked to hang his head. ‘Possibly in shame’ thought Art. The lone figure pointed to the main building and the now released captive walked towards the three figures down the central track.
The lone figure nodded his head to Art, opened both hands face up and then with his left arm sweeping towards the main building beckoned them in.
“Right” said Art “now we go in. Simone, you and Alex stay here. Remember, don’t shoot unless fired upon.”
“Roger Sir” she replied.
Art laid down his rifle next to the tree. “Pistols only Dave.” So Dave too offloaded his rifle. Dan didn’t have a rifle to offload but he was looking petrified nonetheless.
“It’s OK Dan” said Dave. “Just keep your cool.”
Dan just nodded and the three officers walked out onto the track. They moved slowly past the three armed troopers and followed the lone figure through the large main entrance. They entered an anti-chamber and then another room. The door ahead was closed and the door behind shut. A jarring horn like sound was made and a sign on the wall flashed as the atmosphere was re-established. The lone figure took off his helmet.
Dave, Art and Dan were all checking the atmosphere stats on their consoles. They were within tolerance and so they each too took off their helmets. They also engaged their earpieces so they could access the automatic language translation service from their consoles. The microphone was built into the neck seal of the suit.
The sleth observed them closely. He then nodded and said in Gelklan “I am Fowlsit. You wish to talk?”
There was a pause while the automatic language protocols translated. Dave saw no earpiece for the sleth. In fact he wasn’t even sure where there ears were. He let that thought pass. He had already agreed that Art should do the talking initially. Art responded “Yes we do.”
“Good. Follow me.”
They then proceeded down an internal passageway till they came into what Dave assumed was the main chamber. The first thing that struck Dave was how much light there was inside, especially for an internal space with no apparent windows. And it wasn’t artificial light. He looked up at the ceiling. It must have been 4m high. The walls were basically a series of flat panels linked to form a circular structure. A ring of panels where the walls met the ceiling reflected sunlight from some light tube that originated above.
There were no control panels or machinery in this space. This wasn’t their control centre. Standing in the centre were two armed sleth troopers and another unarmed sleth, who was introduced simply as Gret.
They proceeded through this space to another passageway and then into a large room. There was a large glass table mounted on a central base and 12 chairs with very high backs around it. All were about 30cm higher than most humans would find comfortable. The three humans present found their legs dangling above the floor as they sat. This gave Dave a feeling he had not experienced for a very long time. There was less control for a start. That made him a tad uncomfortable but there was a certain freedom too as his feet just hung there.
“Speak” said Towlsit.
“We have orders to destroy your base” said Art. He deliberately paused to allow time for translation. Then he continued: “in retaliation for your nuke attacks on New Hamersley and Klaster.”
“What is ‘nuke’?”
“Nuclear bomb” said Art. He punched in a search on his console and showed him the image of a mushroom cloud explosion.
“No. Not us nuke. Attack yes. Nuke no.”
“That is what Chalker told us.”
“Chalker said this?”
“Yes. She told us that the rogan forced you to attack Klaster.”
“That is true. We are not a warlike race and our failure to take Klaster has cost us dearly. Rogan boots now march over our home planet. Millions slaughtered. Our leaders are hostage and we here are all that remain of our independent forces. If you seek peace, we welcome it.”
“That is a good story but what proof do have that it is true?”
Towlsit waved his hand over the table. A holographic display appeared, the light source emanating from a recess in the ceiling. A control panel was embedded in the surface of the table and Towlsit began manipulating it. He brought up a 3D star map and zoomed to what they all recognised as Zuon. He used a small stylus shaped object to point what Dave assumed to be a laser light at Zuon. “Zuon, yes?”
“Yes” said Art. He then zoomed the map out till Zuon was but a small dot on a much larger field. Dave made out the edge of their own systems but was just fascinated by the detail in the adjoining systems to which they had little knowledge.
“This is Boorat, our home planet. This is Megwan other home planet. This is Celent, a rogan home planet.” He adjusted the controls and the star map was displayed in various colours. Celent was blue. Boorat and Megwan were red. Towlsit pointed to a symbol. “This is long time ago. Rogan control here, sleth here. Other races everywhere else. Watch.” Towlsit used the control panel to activate a movie in which the time kept ticking over and the map gradually turned blue. Last to change was Boorat and Megwan. “You are next.”
Dave spoke for the first time “that is a nice display but it’s not proof.”
Towlsit stared at Dave for a moment. “Wait” and he dissolved the holo display and now a movie played on
the table top screen. Dave’s translation service advised him that it was incapable of translating what it heard. But he did see three sleth and the backs of two other much smaller characters that were obviously not sleth. “Rogan Admiral Soola” said Towlsit “issuing ultimatum to our leader.”
“We cannot translate this” said Art. “Can you provide translation protocols?”
“For Gelklan yes. English no.”
“Gelklan would be fine” said Art.
“Binary computing?” asked Towlsit.
“Yes” said Art.
Towlsit said something in the sleth tongue to Gret who left the room.
“Gret will bring back what you need. You can verify the protocols by translating the recording of this meeting.”
Gret came back in a minute carrying a small device. He activated it and a message appeared on Art’s console. He recognised the Gelklan word for commit. Art was amazed that they had broken their encryption so easily but now was not the time to raise the matter. He turned to Dan and saw that he had it too on his console. “Hit it” said Art and Dan did.
Towlsit then replayed the movie and after a few moments Dan said “It’s good.”
Art held his hand up and said “Please replay it” and he too committed the translation service. Dave followed suit.
This time around they all could make out what the arrogant sounding Admiral Soola was saying and what he said correlated with Towlsit’s account. They also heard the sleth leader’s initial response, subsequent rogan threats and the final sleth capitulation.
Towlsit then brought up a replay of the first few minutes of their current meeting. The protocol for the sleth language worked fine.
“It’s good” said Art “and so is your proof. We need to show this to our leaders.”
“Of course” replied Towlsit. “As a sign of goodwill we offer you our star charts.” Towlsit nodded to Gret and another “commit” icon appeared on Art’s console.
It appeared on Dave’s as well as Dan’s. Art nodded to Dan and he hit the commit. A progress bar appeared and the upload commenced.
“Thank you Towlsit. That will help” said Dave. “There has been much blood spilt between us. May this be the beginning of peace.”
“Peace and a new home world is what we seek.”
“We will convey this to our Federation council for ratification. With this proof they should agree to a permanent peace treaty.”
Dan concluded his quick test of the new star charts. He also confirmed that no other software had been added or affected and then said “It’s all good Sir.”
“Thanks Dan” said Dave and to Towlsit he continued: “The rogan know you are here. We encountered them for the first time over Chelora. They told us to look for you here on Zuon.”
“Then we must move on. The rogan way is to annihilate their enemies.”
“Where will you go?” asked Dave.
“That will be for our leader to decide.”
“Where is your leader?”
Towlsit paused for a moment. “Away. That is all you need know.”
“If you leave Zuon” said Dave “how may we contact you?”
Towlsit turned to Gret and whispered something. Gret once again left the room. “Gret will provide communication frequencies. If that is all, we must prepare to leave.”
Dave turned to Art “have we covered everything?”
“We would like to recover the bodies of two of our crew” said Art to Towlsit.
“Two females?”
“Yes.”
“We buried them this morning next to our own dead. Gret can show you.”
“I am sorry for your loss” said Dave.
“And we are sorry for yours.”
Chapter 40. Hermes 1800, 29 June
“They were nice words Ivan. Thanks you” said Dave as he and Ivan made their way out of the hanger dock after the ceremony for Ella and Jacinta.
“It was the least I could do Sir” said Ivan.
Dave saw that Ivan was in a reflective mood. He patted him lightly on the shoulder and they walked the rest of the way to the elevator in silence. Dave knew from his own experience that writing up a eulogy forced you to reflect on life and not just the life of the deceased but of your own. Dave was grateful that Ivan had taken on the responsibility this time. Dave had been doing far too many for his liking.
When they got to the elevator he hailed “Chase, send the mission report and warp us out of here.”
Chapter 41. Hermes in warp to Klaster 1630, 30 June
“Sgt Wong can you please stay behind” said Aubrey. “Everyone else dismissed.”
The briefing room emptied of its occupants for the post mission debrief, save Dave, Aubrey and Crystal. It had been a marathon session lasting over two hours and Dave was dog tired. He managed a weak smile as he motioned for Crystal to take a seat. Crystal was feeling a bit apprehensive, not sure about what was coming.
“I understand you have your watch certificate” said Dave.
“Yes Sir” said a wary Crystal.
“But you haven’t had any actual watch experience other than the simulations on your watch course, which was…”
“It’s been eighteen months now Sir.”
“Right, well we’re in need of another watch officer. How would you like the opportunity to act up as the Battle Systems Officer for the rest of this mission.”
Crystal’s eyes lit up.
“I’ll take that as a yes” said Dave. “It’s only temporary. If you perform well then I will recommend your appointment once we get to Klaster. However, as you know, Fleet has the last say in appointments. But either way it would be good experience for you.”
“Understood Sir and thank you. Does this mean Chad, I mean Cpl Preston, moves up to Battle Systems specialist” asked Crystal.
“Yes it does but don’t say anything to him till I get a chance to have a talk with him. Alright.”
“Yes Sir and thanks.”
“Aubrey will let you know the schedule and if you have any questions see her.”
“Right Sir. Thanks you.”
After she left the room Dave smiled at Aubrey. “That is the most animated I have ever seen her.”
“Yes she could lose her ‘ice maiden’ reputation if she continues like this” said Aubrey and she gave a light chuckle. “But she’ll do good Sir.”
“Better call in Cpl Preston.”
Chapter 42. Klaster 1100, 13 July
Dave had wanted to see Rihan first thing but he and Art were ordered to front Admiral McDermot upon arrival. Everything looked different. A new set of structures had been erected and Dave had had to ask for directions. When they arrived at the new Base Commander’s office, they were asked to wait.
It was a good fifteen minutes later before LCmd Liz Adair, the acting Base Commander, opened the door and greeted them warmly. She then said “Rihan’s fine but she went back to Polaris to recuperate.”
Dave’s disappointment was obvious. Liz put on her best deadpan face and ushered them into the office.
“Welcome back Capt Warner, LCmd Simons” said McDermot. “Please take a seat. I think we all know each other” referring to Commodore Julian Pious and Jade Moon, former Alliance agent but now the Alliance’s political liaison officer with the Federation. They both nodded.
As soon as he saw the concerned expression on Pious’ face Dave knew that there was something wrong.
“We have had some time to go over your mission report Captain” said McDermot. “You have had an eventful time. The contact with the sleth is very interesting and also very concerning, especially the matter of rogan duplicity. How we respond to these developments is the subject of much debate at Federation and Alliance Councils. Various options have been put forward but still we are waiting for a decision.”
“Your despatch of the sleth ships was commendable. However, it appears that you deliberately disobeyed a direct order not to attempt a rescue mission for Lt Chalker. In doing so, you lost two of your cr
ew and put the rest at risk not to mention your ship. I acknowledge that in doing so you were able to secure strategically important intelligence. But that does not excuse your actions.”
“Sir…” said Dave.
“Please let me finish” said McDermot quickly. “I realise that when on independent command you must exercise your own judgement and that there are times when circumstances dictate that you countermand your orders. However, this was not such a time. There were no known new developments or circumstances to warrant you attempting the rescue.”
Dave was about to say something but before he could McDermot raised his hand and continued speaking. “Look I know all the arguments you are likely to make about the need to support your crew. Save them for the court martial.”
“Court martial?” said Dave.
“Yes I have been ordered to send both of you back to Polaris to face a court martial. The charges are here” and he handed Dave an ePaper. You are hereby suspended from active command pending the findings of the court. The same goes for you LCmd Simons. Here are your charges.”
Art wasn’t concerned about the impact on himself but he was very concerned about the impact on his best friend. Dave was speechless. Art could see that he was in shock.
“Captain” continued McDermot “you will hand over command of the Hermes to your XO. You will move all your kit to the officer’s quarters here, pending despatch on the next shuttle.” Turning to Art, he went on “LCmd Simons you will do the same. A defence attorney will contact you on arrival in Polaris. In the meantime, neither of you may approach any Hermes crew members. Is that understood?”
Dave was still trying to take it all in. Art could see that he wasn’t going to respond so he stepped in “Yes Sir but does that mean I may not contact my fiancé, Lt Chalker?”
“I see” said McDermot and he looked to Pious.
Redemption: Book 2 of Warner's World Page 13