by Peter Kenson
“Good, then that leaves us with the problem of getting the people out of the tunnels and into the shuttles, without exposing them to the virus. I understand that all of the tunnel exits are concealed and the vast majority are of an irregular shape and size. I suggest that we construct a flexible sort of tent that can be sealed to both the ground and any suitable vertical surfaces. We then equip the tent with a standard Li-Matsu docking system and the shuttles can dock to the far end of the tube in turn. It won’t be as efficient as in zero gravity conditions; the people will have to crawl through on hands and knees.”
“But it will work,” Mikael said. “I’ll set the Chief to work on it right away.”
“Okay Rachel, I need you to contact your people in the tunnels, the resistance leaders. I need to know which of their tunnel exits would be the most suitable for the evacuation and also an updated headcount as soon as they have it. We will evacuate each of the tunnel complexes in turn, but we can’t leave anybody behind and I don’t want to have to go back for someone we’ve missed.
“Lord Dhamina, we have to identify a site for this transit camp and provide some security for it until the Fleet arrives. You have by far the largest crew and they are all Ystrad. I would like you to take charge of the camp and the reception of the refugees. Keep them together and keep them safe.”
“Yes of course.”
“I will deal with the merchant captains as they respond and deal with any commercial negotiations that may arise. There’s a lot to do, so we’d better make a start.”
***
Back on the Salamander, David took a couple of minutes to sit quietly in his personal quarters and concentrate on the image of Falaise that he carried in his mind. He felt her surprise as she stopped walking and looked around her. “David, is that you?”
“I’m here with you, Falaise. You don’t have to speak out loud. I can hear you.”
“Oh David, I’ve been so worried about you… I mean about all of you. Is Jeren…?”
“Jeren is safe and well, and so is Rachel. She’s got a few cuts and bruises but Anton, the doctor who examined her before, has checked her over and both she and the baby are well.”
“I’m so relieved, but there’s something you’re not telling me, David. I can feel it somehow.”
“When we ‘talk’ like this, Falaise, it’s not just words that come across. Thoughts, feelings, emotions are all mixed in. That’s what you can sense and I’m afraid you’re right. Baltur is dead. Jeren and Rachel are desperately upset about it, but he died saving their lives. We are bringing his body home, but he died a hero and I wish you would tell his family that.”
“Of course I will tell them. Jeren must be devastated. Those two grew up together and were always inseparable.”
“Jeren has Rachel to comfort him now. But she has her own tragedy to deal with. Her planet has been attacked using a biological weapon that is killing thousands of her people. It is possible that there will be no more than a few thousand survivors. The planet has become uninhabitable and we are having to evacuate the entire population.”
“Oh the poor dears. Where will they go?”
“That hasn’t been discussed yet. At the moment, everybody is simply concentrating on getting them safely off the planet.”
“Tell Jeren he must bring them here. I know he wants to bring Rachel back and she is already known and loved in Marmoros. Her people will be welcome along with her and we have more than enough room for them all. I will make arrangements to welcome them.”
“I love you Falaise, and not just for saying that. I will tell them and I’m sure that Rachel will be very relieved and grateful.”
Falaise was silent for a moment and David began to wonder if he had said too much. Then a feeling of warmth flooded across the link, hesitant at first but growing in intensity as it wrapped itself around him.
“I love you too, David, but I never thought I would be able to tell you. Make sure you come back with them, because I miss you terribly.”
***
The arrival of the Third Fleet was a bit of an anti-climax. Diverted from their assigned duties in other sectors, they turned up in ones and twos with the frigates Jupiter and Juno the first to arrive. As soon as they arrived, all of their boats and shuttles were commandeered to help evacuate both the Ystrad and the Belsi from the doomed planet.
The most spectacular arrival was a small battlegroup consisting of the heavy cruiser Indomitable, supported by the cruiser Pushkin, Anton’s old ship, the destroyer Ganges and the frigates Aurora and Ariadne. With their extra facilities, additional tents were quickly put together to enable several sites to be evacuated simultaneously and the transit camp began to fill up.
The first of the merchant ships arrived as well, responding to the distress call that David sent out. The Paloma Roja was en route to the planet of Salkar with a cargo of scientific instruments when she diverted to Ystradis. It was a rule of all the spacefaring worlds that every available ship would respond to a distress call but Captain Jimenez was puzzled by the nature of the emergency and the scale of activity already underway inside the system.
“What is going on here?” he demanded of David.
“The planet Ystradis is under biological attack. We have to evacuate the entire population, or what’s left of them. I need transport to take them to another system where they’ll be safe.”
“Where are they going to go?”
“The actual destination is being kept secret for now, to protect them, but it’s about a three day series of jumps.”
“I’m already delayed because of diverting here. If I have another three day detour, I’ll pick up penalty charges on the delivery.”
“The Held Barony will indemnify you against any penalties or losses which you may suffer.”
“Well in that case, if we double up in the crew quarters, we could probably take about twelve people.”
“Ah no, Captain. You don’t understand. I don’t have an exact count yet but we have to transport several thousand people. I need your cargo bays.”
“Don’t be ridiculous man. I can’t just dump my cargo.”
“Your cargo is all containerised, right? You drop the containers into orbit around Ystradis, transport the people in your empty cargo bays and then come back and pick up your containers.”
“If they’re still there.”
“With half the Imperial Navy looking after them, I think your containers will be safe enough but, as I said, the Held Barony will indemnify you against any and all losses.”
“You have the authority to do that?”
“I have,” David assured him.
“I will need a contract with the Held seal on it.”
“I will have one drawn up within the hour. You endorse it and we can enter a copy into both our ships’ logs.”
***
With the evacuation well underway, Captain Renwick, as the senior naval officer in the sector, summoned everybody to a conference on-board the Indomitable. News of the destruction of the Belsian cruiser had spread round the fleet and Mikael found himself the subject of many congratulations although he did take a bit of ribbing about the pockmarking on the Swordfish’s hull from the fighters’ railguns.
“Still getting yourself into trouble I see, Boronin,” Renwick greeted him. “At least this time you got out of it without putting us through the inconvenience of another court martial.”
“We did take a bit of a pounding from that cruiser,” Mikael admitted.
“Your ship looks like it has a bad case of acne,” Barnwell of the Jupiter remarked.
“She’s still an adolescent,” Mikael assured him. “She’ll grow out of it.”
“Bad business though,” Renwick said. “Where’s this man Held that I’m supposed to liaise with?”
Mikael looked to where David was standing with Rachel and Jeren, and beckoned them over. “Captain Renwick, this is Lord David Held.”
“So you’r
e Held are you? I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Nothing good, I hope,” David smiled.
“No, nothing but trouble from what I hear. It seems to follow you around.”
“On the contrary, Captain. The trouble is usually there before I arrive. It’s generally my role to resolve it.”
“Hmm! Now who’s this with you?”
“Captain Renwick, allow me to present Queen Rachel of the Ystrad. Rachel, this is Captain Renwick of the Indomitable.”
“I’m very pleased to meet you, your Majesty, although I could wish the circumstances were different.”
“Not as much as I do, Captain. I came here to help my people but...” A tear sprang unasked to the corner of her eye and Jeren squeezed her hand in encouragement before she could continue. “Millions of my people were killed when the Belsi invaded all those years ago and thousands of the survivors are dying now, Captain. They are being forced to leave their homes and livelihoods, and their homeworld is being turned into a wilderness. I have failed my people.”
“I rather think, your Majesty, that this attack would have happened whether you were here or not. I think your people are lucky that you are here; to help them now and lead them through this crisis.”
Rachel gave him a grateful smile and hastily wiped away the tear. “Thank you for saying that, Captain, whether it is true or not.”
David put his hand out to indicate Jeren. “Captain, this is…”
“Stop!” Renwick ordered abruptly. David blinked in surprise as the captain went on. “I have orders to look out for some fugitives from a backwater planet in… What’s the name of that system?” he asked the aide standing next to him.
“Benden 943b, sir.”
“Yes well, the Dept. of Exo-Affairs wants me to arrest them on sight. The description of one of them matches this young man here. Of course, I’m sure it’s only a coincidence, but the resemblance is uncanny.”
“A curious chance, indeed,” David recovered smoothly. “This man is a member of my crew. His documentation is on file in the ship’s log.”
“Good! In that case there is no difficulty. Now what are we going to do about the situation here?”
“I have one merchant vessel under contract and more are on their way. They are going to dump their cargoes into orbit around Ystradis, transport the refugees in their cargo bays and then come back for their cargoes. I need the navy to protect those cargoes and make sure they’re still here to be collected.”
“That can be arranged. What’s going to happen about the Belsi?”
“That is a political and diplomatic decision. I would expect charges of genocide to be levelled against somebody but President Bargas is dead. Commander Sitrona does not appear to be in full control of the government yet, so I would guess there is something of a power struggle going on. There is also the question of reparations to the Ystrad for the loss of their home planet.”
“They have murdered my people and destroyed my beautiful planet,” Rachel interrupted. “And all for the sake of this… Biridium.”
“And that’s another thing, Captain,” David went on. “That is a very valuable resource that Vostov is going to be unhappy about losing. I think the navy is going to have to maintain a strong presence in this system for some time to come.”
Renwick looked unhappy but nodded in agreement. “I will draft some recommendations along those lines for the admiral. It’s his decision at the end of the day but I think he will agree with you. Now where are you going to take these refugees?”
David threw a quick warning glance at Rachel and Jeren before replying. “There are still some Ystrad on Sorinto, survivors of the attack on the dome there. They are already in negotiation with the Sorinto government. So that will be our first port of call, to see what arrangements they have been able to make.”
“I suppose you want me to provide you with a naval escort to get you there.”
“That won’t be necessary, thank you Captain. The Belsi are no longer a threat and we have the Phoenix to protect us now.”
“Nevertheless, I insist. A convoy such as yours is vulnerable to pirates and that Vostovian frigate might still be around. The Phoenix is a very impressive, and somewhat familiar looking ship but she is untested in battle. It would be remiss of me not to ensure that you arrive safely at Sorinto.
“Your ship, Boronin, appears in need of some repairs. Sorinto is nearly on your route back to the Star Base at New London. You will accompany the convoy to protect them and ensure that they arrive there safely. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some urgent signals to draft.”
Mikael led the way out of the conference facility but stopped when they were safely out of earshot. “He doesn’t believe you’re going to Sorinto.”
“Captain Renwick? Such a nice man,” David said with a smile. “But you don’t reach that rank without a healthy dose of suspicion. So tell me Mikael, what do you believe?”
“I don’t know,” he said warily. “I’m never sure with you.”
“Then relax. There is no way we would get you into trouble with your superiors. We are going to Sorinto to collect the rest of Rachel’s people.”
“But you’re not going to stay there, are you? Where are you going to take them?”
David turned to look Mikael squarely in the eyes. “Your job is to make sure we arrive at Sorinto, and then you will have discharged your duty. If I answer your questions officially, it might put you in an awkward situation when you reach Star Base. Besides, you already know the answer.”
Mikael looked from David’s smile to the beam on Jeren’s face and the more tearful smile on Rachel’s. “You’re taking them to Marmoros, aren’t you?”
“We’re going home,” Jeren agreed happily.
***
Thank you for reading this book. All independent authors rely heavily on recommendations from their readers. If you have enjoyed this book and can spare the time, a review on your favourite retail site would be greatly appreciated.
OTHER BOOKS by PETER KENSON
SERTIAN PRINCESS
In a galaxy where vast trading empires vie for supremacy, the peaceful Kingdom of Serta finds itself thrown into disarray by the unexpected death of their Queen.
When two years later the young crown princess disappears on an ill-timed jaunt, the ruthless Federation of Vostov decides to seize the moment, kidnap the princess and invade.
To prevent an incident that could plunge the whole sector into a disastrous war, top intelligence agent, David Held is sent to find the missing princess and return her safely home.
But persuading a determined and independently-minded young princess to give up her interstellar cruise was never going to be an easy task.
Available as a Kindle e-book from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LEU4IY4
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LEU4IY4
TWO HEIRS
The Marmoros Trilogy: Book 1
Two royal heirs from different racial and cultural backgrounds. One is a visionary leader of an outcast race, determined to unite his people and reclaim their ancestral homeland. The other was long thought dead after the royal family was massacred during a planetary invasion. The recent evidence that the heir still lives, threatens to disrupt the smooth running of the Empire.
David Held, a top agent in the Imperial service, is sent to find and protect the missing heir from agents of the occupying forces, desperate to consolidate their hold on the conquered planet and prevent the heir returning.
The trouble is the Empire (nearly) always fights by the rules. To avoid technological contamination of a less advanced society, Held is denied his usual array of hi-tech equipment and even has his memories altered to fit the local environment. Faced with an enemy unconstrained by such ideological considerations, he has one hand tied behind his back.
As the fates of the two young heirs become increasingly intertwined, can the race to find the one, help to fulfil the
ambitions of the other? Or will both be destroyed by a ruthless enemy who has no qualms about bringing advanced warfare to a pre-industrial society?
Available as a Kindle e-book from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ORYJNXU
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ORYJNXU
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Kenson was born in Bristol, UK and grew up in an era when computers were new, exciting and the chairman of IBM forecast that there was a world market for maybe five computers. He graduated in Mathematics with a Masters in Operational Research and spent the next forty years working in IT at all levels from programmer to IT director.
He has always enjoyed reading, particularly science fiction and fantasy and wrote his first book, Sertian Princess, commuting on a train in and out of London. The family loved the story and eventually they bullied him into taking the plunge and publishing it.
After a writing gap of many years, Peter now lives in Spain with his wife Diana, where he has rediscovered his passion for creating new worlds for his stories. The climate, relaxed way of life and the odd glass of wine probably help.
Contact the author at www.peterkenson.com