The Jovian Sweep (Asteroid Scrabble Book 1)

by Martin Bourne

  She needed to concentrate! The enemy drone wobbled in her sensor view. Another active sensor pulse throbbed against the 'Carousel's' electronic shields. Frantically she juggled between the various controls.

  “She’s ok is Minkie,” said Donal, distractedly. “She just worries too much. Rightly so in this case. This is a very difficult shot.”

  “You’ll do it,” said Josie quietly. “I’ve seen your gunnery stats. You’re one of the best there is.”

  “Thank you, but I don’t think that's going to help much at my court martial.”

  “Hey this whole decoy plan wasn’t your idea!”

  “No, but if this all goes wrong there’ll be more than enough blame to go around. There'll be plenty for the last person to touch the problem.” She sensed the yawning chasm in his mind. “And the originator has my surname anyway. Something else to thank my esteemed relative for.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m putting you off.”

  “No, you’re talking me through the worry.”

  There was a faint warmth behind his words. Fortunately there was another distraction.

  "Coming up on the acceleration fluctuation."

  "OK, on three go to full deceleration. And one, two....THREE!"

  Instead of reducing the acceleration, Josie punched the engines into full reverse. The 'Carousel' spiralled backward, turned, twisted to face the oncoming enemy scout.

  Josie checked on sensors. “Target closing. Target closing very rapidly!”

  “Ok laser at max!”

  She diverted all the power she could, giving a mental grunt that resonated round the entire link. She felt the power surge out of the other systems and into the laser. There was one last glimpse of the target. It was beginning to change course. The crew had responded to the 'Carousel's' sudden rush. They were good, and they must have been checking very closely to pick it up so quickly. There really would be only one chance. The Trig warriors controlling that scout drone were no beginners.

  The laser discharged, a vomiting out of hastily transferred energy in one searing instant of destruction. To Josie's surprise a split second later another burst of energy uncoiled from the drone. The ion gun had fired too - of course, as a training drone the Carousel had examples of both weapons. It was very unusual to fire them both at the same time. The energy outlay was immense. How had Donal managed to do that?

  Josie scanned their target, but the sensors were drained of power. It took time for the net to come on line.

  "Did I get it?"

  "Just coming up now." Josie fine-tuned the sensors. Their range and effect increased as power flowed back into the system. The contact would have to be relocated. She scanned the heavens, and caught something very obvious.

  "We've been caught by Jupiter's gravity. We're going down."

  "Time to engine restart?"

  "Two minutes. We'll never make it."

  "OK, forget restarting the engines. Find that scout. Full active sensors."

  Josie put everything into detecting the Trig scout. They had moved, and so had it, but she could compensate for that. She honed in on a possible, and there it was.

  "Contact is moving erratically. It's drifting. Power emissions are well down. No sensor emissions...Donal you got it! You got it!"

  "Phew."

  “How did you do that? Where did the energy for the ion gun come from?"

  "Oh I make it a policy to store up bits of spare power over the course of a flight. It's because of a rather torrid little action a bit ago at....well anyway. I had the power. And it was vital to hit it, and I figured that a double shot would make that more likely. So I varied the ion gun targeting towards where its comms arrays were located.”

  "What?"

  “A ‘Ranger’ scout comms arrays jut out from the main body at a single location on its hull. At the right angle you can just see it as a protuberance on a sensor image.”

  Josie reviewed the sensor logs. She couldn’t see anything. “You really are good at this aren’t you?” she said at last.

  He mentally smiled. “This drone has had it. Set for self-destruct and let’s get out.”

  She automatically began the procedure, still marvelling at what he had done.

  “I’ll see you back in reality Josie.”

  That felt very good. She finished up and paused, using the link to really look at him.

  “After you Josie. I’m in command remember. First in and last out. It’s my duty.”

  She gave the mental signal, and the virtual existence of the drone and Donal Courage spiralled away.

  Chapter 37.

  Light Depot Ship Belofte.

  “Jupiter’s rings, what is going on here?”

  The duty medic was standing above Josie, his head scanning back and forth between her and his arm-mounted computer. His fingers were stabbing at the rather severely styled medical perscomp so hard it was a wonder they did not punch through it. Josie's head was still swirling from the link. She didn't need this now.

  “Sir?”

  “You are Ensign Josie Tallion aren’t you?”

  “Err, yes sir.”

  “The Ensign Josie Tallion that used to be in 502 class, and is now in CM-2144 squadron?”

  Even now a reference to being in CM-2144 gave her a thrill. “Yes sir.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Was the man serious? “I don’t believe there is another Ensign with my name sir.”

  “According to these readings your pulse rate is down, your mental fatigue rates are down, your concentration has increased - reaction speed is up by nearly 10% - what is your tested linking suitability Ensign?”

  “C+ sir.” A reference to what was a low-medium pass still irked, even now.

  “Well I’d rate you at least an A- on these results alone. Are you SURE you’re Ensign Josie Tallion?”

  “I’m very confident that I am sir.”

  “Hmm…perhaps the monitor is defective. You’re not in any pain are you?”

  “No sir.”

  “No headaches, flashing lights, muscle spasms?”

  “I feel fine sir.”

  “I’ll get the monitor checked out. It's hard to believe a link suitability rating could be so far out. In the meantime, you may carry on, but be aware that we might call you in for further testing.”

  “Aye, aye sir.”

  With a last shake of his head at the perscomp, the medic turned and stalked off, no doubt to find someone else to bother. Josie completed detaching herself. Donal was sat nearby, just watching her. It was thrilling and disturbing in equal measure.

  “Can you believe that?” she said, lightly. “I don’t know. Doctors! They complain when your results deteriorate, then complain even more if they improve!”

  Donal’s eyes did not leave her. Fortunately a gaggle of exultant link warriors overwhelmed them both and they were carried along in the throng to a rec room. There were shouts and whoops and giggly reminiscing over hi-jinks and casual errors. The main vidscreen had the after action report on and it showed the Trig recce drone exploding over and over again. Josie whooped as loud as anyone. She caught Donal's disconcerting eye. He motioned her to one side and into a convenient alcove.

  “That was an incredible shot.”

  Donal grinned. “I’ve had practice.”

  Josie liked that little smile so very much. “Some might say that practice is only polish to a great underlying talent.”

  Donal’s nice little grin broadened. He met her, slid his arms around her shoulders and waist. “And some might say the real credit should go to the skilled pilot who got the gunner into range and the clever systems engineer whose strategy made it all possible in the first place.”

  “Why, that would be me.”

  “What a talented person you are. Is there anything else you do can do well?”

  Even someone as inexperienced as Josie picked up on that. She tilted her head back, parted her lips slightly, and closed her eyes. The kiss was long and sweet, mostly tender with just
an undertone of passion and desire. When they finally drew apart she was almost breathless with the force of it. Donal’s face was flushed too.

  “I’ve wanted to do that for some time,” he gasped.

  She searched his face, found nothing but honesty. Why was she hesitating? Honesty should trump decorum.

  “I’ve wanted you to do that for some time.”

  Had she really dared to say that? Well why not? It was true after all. But the imprint of Callisto was strong. A faint flush came to her cheeks.

  Donal did not mock. “Well that's good! I’d have made a complete fool of myself if you didn’t feel the same way!” Then his accepting grin faded. “That wasn’t easy for you, was it?”

  She couldn’t think what to say, so she cuddled into him instead.

  He rested his chin on the side of her head. “It’s alright, Jose. Difficult things are never easy.”

  He rocked her slowly and gently for a few seconds, then pulled back to look at her. She saw the love light in his eyes. Instinctively she encouraged him by half-closing her eyes and leaning back slightly. Again, his lips pressed gently into hers. This time she kissed back into him, revelling in the warmth and reassurance. She felt herself being turned around. She felt him lowering onto a seat. She felt a gentle pressure on her back. She slid easily onto his lap and his arms enfolded her. It felt very, very good indeed.

  They talked in the comforting anonymity of the dark. And they kissed. They kissed a lot. And they asked the inevitable questions that lovers ask of each other, and gave the inevitable answers.

  “The first time I saw you, in that corridor.”

  “I remember seeing your eyes flicker. I thought you were shocked,” said Josie. “I was wearing my dress uniform, which was wrong for some reason.”

  “Were you wearing your uniform? I don’t remember.”

  Wasn’t it odd how you went through life with so many wrong suppositions?

  She told him more of her early life on Callisto, about leaving with her mother, all the trials and tribulations of being an outsider at the academy. He told her more of his upbringing, the expectations and the pressure of bearing the name “Courage”.

  Josie sighed. “Are we clinging to each other as a reaction to danger?”

  Donal went still. “Is that what you think?”

  Josie sighed. “I’m sorry. I just find it hard to be so happy.”

  Donal shifted. “I understand. But my thought is that this little adventure has crystallised what we both already felt. It did for me.”

  Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers again.

  Josie could positively feel the blood singing through her veins.

  He ran his hand slowly over her forehead. “I think I’m in love with you Ensign Josie Tallion.”

  She almost fainted at the gentle caress.

  “That’s good,” she said, mostly to give herself more time, “that’s very good.” She saw him begin to frown. Her nerves were jangling, but she had to be truthful, “because I’m quite sure I am in love with you, Lieutenant-Commander Donal Courage.”

  She saw his face soften from puzzlement to joy. They kissed once more. It lasted a long time.

  “It’s all a bit overwhelming,” he said when they finally drew apart.

  “Utterly,” she agreed.

  “We should do something about this. Come outside and I’ll shout for you.” He looked suddenly worried. “I mean, if you want to that is.”

  The blood positively thundered now. “That’s a big step.”

  “Yes, it is.” He looked thoughtful for a few seconds. “But I think it’s the right step.”

  “Me too.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  He leaned forward. “Really, really?”

  She couldn’t help but giggle, although she’d always hated how it sounded. Briefly she replayed in her mind her association with Donal. His kindness, his smiling good looks, and the way she felt so relaxed in his presence. How could this be anything other than an easy decision? “Yes. Really.”

  “Then let’s do it.”

  He stood up, took her hand, and led her into a now almost empty rec room. A lot of time had passed. Josie caught a sudden surge in volume as further down the corridor a door opened. A techie walked out, his face buried in a vidscroll. He gave the two link warriors a quizzical look, but otherwise ignored them.

  “This way I think,” said Donal, pointing, and strode off. Josie had to stretch her legs to keep up with him. Her heart was beating fast. She was very conscious of the warmth of his hand, largely engulfing her own.

  The celebration had moved to the confluence of several dorm clusters. It seemed like every link warrior onboard was there. The noise was overwhelming. She realised Donal’s hand was shaking.

  Donal pulled out a chair and stood on it, clapping his hands together. “Attention, everyone! Attention! Quieten down now. May I have your attention please?” The room slowly stilled, and Donal began his declaration.

  She had always felt a little sorry for the couples involved in the Shoutings she had witnessed - especially the obviously shy ones - even as she had yelled and cheered with the best of them. It had never looked easy. It was infinitely worse now she was centre stage!

  All these people staring at her, smirks growing on their faces as realisation of what was happening slowly seeped into their conscience. Why had Donal chosen to do this here? It had to be just about the most densely packed place onboard! Every fibre of her lonely past urged her to bolt, but she knew she could not. Her husband to bel was right. The whole point of a Shouting was that if she and Donal were too afraid to declare their allegiance to each other to anyone and everyone, then how true a love could it be?

  Donal finished to cheers, and Josie felt herself moving forward. He helped her onto a bench. By now everyone was standing and peering and pointing and generally reacting.

  She didn’t remember what she saw or said. Her mind protected her by blanking out the next thirty seconds. She suspected that she might have stumbled over her words, but Donal was there smiling, so it didn’t matter. She recalled there was a tumultuous roar when she turned and hopped off the bench.

  Donal leaned into her. “Sorry about that. I should have realised that Shouting second would be more difficult.”

  “It was, but it was good for me to do it that way round.”

  She saw the approval in his eyes. As they walked out, they passed a certain link warrior who was staring at them, mouth and eyes wide open. Donal paused and pushed Constance’s lower jaw up. “At ease, Ensign.”

  That cheered her up more than anything.

  They walked out hand in hand. Half the room was still standing amazed and dumbstruck; the rest were roaring with ribald approval. As they walked through the door Donal gave one swift backwards glance.

  “Some people are following us,” he said, his voice lowered.

  “Oh-oh.”

  “I presume you do not want to spend the next two shifts being quizzed on highly personal matters and having to endure a succession of unfunny innuendo?”

  “I can’t think of anything I would enjoy less.”

  “Then go right at the next junction. I’ll go left. Take a succession of turns, elevators and stairwells until you lose them, and I’ll meet you at the observation dome.”

  “Race you there?”

  “Agreed…and SPLIT!”

  With that he darted down a corridor, so suddenly it took her by surprise. He was surprisingly nimble. She rallied quickly and dashed to the right. Behind her came a sudden baying. The pack was giving chase. She took another right immediately before sprinting as fast as she could. She took lefts and right at random, spotted the door leading to engineering, slipped through it, closed it behind her.

  She listened intently. Several voices got louder.

  “I’m sure they came down here.”

  “I still can’t believe it – who’d have thought?”

  “Nowhere in sight…”<
br />
  “Hold on, didn’t she do systems engineering?”

  “Sure, but…oh I see.”

  Josie heard footsteps drawing nearer. She looked over the stairwell. Only a few boxes down there, but not in the way. She vaulted over the handrail. There was a few seconds of space and air rushing by, a flex of legs, she was at the bottom. She didn’t wait to hear the door above open. She scurried into engineering.

  She acknowledged a few friendly grins as she walked through. No one there had heard the news of course. She forced herself to slow down, to look innocuous. She stopped by a notice vidscreen and pretended to peruse it, while covertly working out a route to the observation dome. It took some time. It needed to be one that skirted the areas where link warriors congregated.

  “Hello Josie, what brings you here?”

  Startled, Josie turned around to see Dinjer, his friendly face creased in pleasure at seeing her.

  “I thought you were on duty this shift?” he continued.

  “Umm, I am. I’m looking for a route out.”

  He looked confused. “You came here to leave?”

  “Well, more to avoid people. I…err…kind of just got married.”

  His face creased back into its familiar smile. “Well congratulations. Ah, I see. You don’t want to get entangled in the celebrations eh?”

  “Most definitely not!”

  “Understandable. Let’s see what we can do. Where you headed?”

  She told him the ship location code. His brow furrowed for an instant, and then he motioned for her to follow.

  “Shouldn’t be hard. There’s places on this ship most link warriors never go near, or probably don’t even know exist.” He turned to look at her. “You’ve covered a lot of them with me.”

  “Dinjer, you haven’t even asked me who I’ve married.”

  “The handsome Donal Courage I expect.”

  She stumbled. “How did you know?”

  “It’s pretty obvious. You’re a perfect fit. Besides you’re always making eyes at each other.”

  That shook her stock still. Had she been so blatant? She struggled to catch up, her mind full of questions.

  “Here we are.” They had come to a stop below the observation dome. “And no one else around.” He turned and smiled. “Good luck, Mrs Courage.”