... and they are us

by Patrick McClafferty

  It was approaching three o’clock in the morning, and Zed was dreaming of dancing to the mellow strains of ‘Georgia on my Mind’, when a low groan from the living room woke him. He sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Whatever it was groaned again, louder this time. “Lola, check for intruders in my quarters

  “Except for Ralph and you, your quarters are empty.

  Something gripped his mind and he staggered. “It’s Ralph. She’s in my living room, having her kittens.” Hopping on one leg he slipped on his pajama bottoms. “Lola, could you please get doctor Culchett to come to my quarters immediately? It appears as if Ralph is about to have her babies.”

  “An inconvenient hour.” Lola chuckled dryly.

  “Tell me about it. Babies and kittens have their own schedule. You might as well wake Katherine also. She’ll want to be here.”

  “Doctor Culchett is on her way, but she isn’t pleased with you.”

  “Tell her to take it up with Ralph.”

  “You know she adores the cat, Zed, almost as much as you do.”

  “Fine, fine.” He heard the adjoining door open and glancing over his shoulder, saw a tousled haired Kat shrugging into a blue bathrobe as she made her way to him.

  Ralph was lying on the large heavy couch, having pulled down and shredded Zed’s bathrobe from where it had been draped across the back, to make a nest for her birthing. She looked up, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously, and let out a deep, menacing growl. Zed and Kat froze in their tracks. An instant later the cat recognized the two humans, the blue eyes softened, and she began to purr. Zed swallowed and stroked the dark head. Her blue eyes closed, the purr continuing.

  “I think that she wanted you here.” Kat whispered, stroking the long dark flank of the cat.

  “I’m flattered.” Zed’s tone was flat as the apartment door slid open. “Lights, ten percent.”

  A dull glow filled the room, and Zed saw that Serena Culchett was intent on the form lying on the couch. She crossed the room and touched the cat softly, looking up at Zed and Kat. “If you’re not going to help, then stay out of the way.” She pointed to the other side of the couch. Ralph opened her eyes as Zed removed his hand and watched him circle to the back of the couch, where he reached over and touched her again. The blue eyes closed and the purring resumed. “She appears to trust you, Zed. Animals have no taste in people.” Ralph opened her eyes, glaring at the doctor, and slowly five, six centimeter long, dagger-like claws curved out of the paw nearest the woman. Helen stopped moving and looked at the paw, swallowing. “I was just joking, Ralph. We all know that Zed is your biggest fan, and I can see why you want him here, OK?” The eyes closed and the claws resheathed. Zed let out the breath he’d been holding as he watched Helen wipe a bead of sweat off her forehead.

  “Are you all right?” There was concern in Kat’s voice.

  “I’m just fine. I’m not used to dealing with intelligent animals.” She touched the cat again. “In some ways they are easier to take care of than people. This cat knew where to go to be taken care of when her time was due. She knew who to trust.” Helen slipped on thin surgical gloves, just as Ralph gave a long rippling shudder. “Ahhh.” Helen was smiling. “Here comes the first.”

  As predicted, six healthy kittens, three male and three female took up residence in Zeds quarters. The three female kittens were the spitting image of their mother, but the males, taking after distant panther ancestors were faintly spotted, with black spots on a smoke gray body. Like their sisters, they bore the blue eyes of the Dramul CatTrace. Not surprisingly, Ralph would only let Kat, Zed and Doctor Culchett touch her kittens.

  The next morning a gritty-eyed Kat and Zed looked at the new family camping on Zed’s couch. “I’m glad that couch wasn’t my favorite.” Kat mumbled, grimly trying to smile.

  “And I suppose that Lola could replace the bathrobe.” Zed’s tone was identical to Kat’s. Ralph lifted her placid face from the washing she had been administering to one of the squirming kittens. Vaguely, in the back of his mind Zed could feel the faint touch of the six kittens, their thoughts as flighty as butterflies. “These kittens are even more powerfully telepathic than their mother.”

  “Is that what I’ve been feeling?”

  “Butterflies in the back of your mind?” Zed chuckled.

  “Something like that. Have you decided what you’re going to call them yet?”

  He pointed to the squirming spotted bundle of energy that was fiercely trying to bite his mother’s paw. “That little monster is Daiyu. It means black jade.” The little cat stopped his squirming and gave Zed a steady look, and then he squeaked what would eventually be a ferocious growl. He glanced at the mother. “At your convenience, Ralph, I would appreciate it if you would move your family back to your own apartment.” The cat raised her blue eyes, blinked, and slowly nodded once. “Thank you.” The next morning he awoke to find the cats gone.

  Three weeks went by quickly, and the crew of the Rose of the Dawn prepared for the upcoming engagements, running simulation after simulation until Lola had exhausted almost every scenario she could think of. Zed and Katherine asked for volunteers to stay behind, temporarily, to man the new Formidable. The two were more than shocked when not one person volunteered. Finally, drawing random lots, a crew of one hundred was selected. Still woefully undermanned, the battle-cruiser at least had a crew. The CatTrace kittens were growing like bio-engineered weeds, and small black forms were often seen chasing each other up and down the long corridors. Suddenly the eight hundred and fifty meters of the Rose didn’t seem quite so large.

  Zed showed up in the cat’s cabin one afternoon, and named the rest of the small cats. The CatTraces didn’t act at all like animals, but sat quietly watching as he named each, carefully explaining what their names meant. They had developed more than just physically in the last week he noted, almost in alarm. At the back of his mind he could almost pick out words. The cats, however, and their mother seemed to like their names:

  DAIYU — Black Jade ♂

  JINJING — Bright, Clear, Crystal ♀

  BIYU — Jasper the Precious Stone ♂

  FENG — Point of a Weapon ♂

  JIAYI — Auspicious One ♀

  LING — Clever, Intelligent ♀

  It wasn’t long after that, Zed discovered quite accidentally, that he knew each cat by sight and by name, no matter how fast they were running.

  The final staff meeting was a somber affair, as the new crew of the Formidable prepared to say goodbye to their friends, and the frigates Chesapeake, Constellation and Bonhomme Richard prepared to launch out of the massive hangar. The frigate Constitution, completed only the day before, would be staying behind to accompany the Formidable when she was completed. Because of the rushed construction, Alina never had the chance to complete the battle-cruiser’s full complement of auxiliaries, leaving it with only four fighters, one shuttle and one tender no longer shaped like a saucer, but like a black pumpkin seed thirty meters long.

  The expanded task force slipped through space silently, with five capitol ships and a host of smaller vessels. A handful of fighters provided front and rear shields, while several stealthed scouts probed well ahead for the Creednax fleet.

  “I’m beginning to detect the Creednax neutrino trail, Fleet Captain.” They were a week out from their rendezvous with Alina, and Zed had expected the announcement. The Dramul Frigate Ba-sing looked incongruous in its shining silver splendor, set against the grim black of the rest of the fleet.

  “Very good. Put me through to the Dramul Frigate please.” Jer’s now youthful face looked back at him. “How do you like the Ba-sing, Captain Bentax?”

  The youthful looking captain broke into a smile. “I never knew what a fully functioning frigate felt like. Those nanities did a hell of a job, and I can’t wait to try out the new weapons.” His look turned sly. “If we had had a few of these you wouldn’t have had such an easy time defeating us.”

  “If wishes were horses then beggars
would ride.” Zed returned dryly. “I’m glad you like it. Have you thought about how you’re going to tackle a cruiser?”

  The face of the Dramul captain turned serious. “I plan to hit them with eight or ten supra-light missiles, followed immediately by three or four shots from the heavy beam weapon. The missiles should erode away their shields, and the beam should punch through. I figure that the Ba-sing carries enough stores to hit them three times, with maybe a bit extra.”

  “It sounds like a good plan.” Zed complimented the man. “Just don’t get cocky. The Creednax are an unknown quantity. I want you to be careful.”

  Bentax gave him a crisp salute. “Aye, aye, Fleet Captain Yates.” Zed couldn’t tell whether or not he was smiling.

  Three weeks later at four o’clock in the morning, Lola woke Zed. “Fleet Captain.” The mellow voice of the computer was crisp. “Scout three reports that it has detected the Creednax fleet, while remaining undetected.”

  Zed rubbed gritty eyes. “Better wake Katherine and the rest of the bridge staff. I will be there just as soon as I can shower, change and grab a cup of coffee. We’re not extremely close are we?”

  “We’re several days behind them.”

  “Good. Recall the other scouts and send another to accompany scout three. Two sets of eyes are better than one. I’m glad that the Formidable and the Constitution are finally with us. I didn’t think they’d ever get here. Seven against five hundred is much better odds.”

  “I concur, Fleet Captain. It will be done as you say.”

  A half an hour later Zed, Kat and the rest of the bridge crew looked out at the disposition of the Creednax fleet on the holographic tactical map. In the air in front of them a dense swarm of red firefly dots were edging slowly around a glowing red ball.

  “What is that?” Zed asked, pointing.

  “It appears that the Creednax fleet is attempting to remain hidden by passing close by that red supergiant sun.”

  Zed stared at the scene before him. “Isn’t that dangerous for them?”

  “No Zed. Under normal circumstances that star should remain fairly stable for the next several million years.” Yates nodded thoughtfully.

  “And how far are we from the Creednax homeworld?”

  “Approximately a week travel at their low rate of speed. The Creednax fleet has already begun turning to use that red supergiant to slingshot them on the last leg of their journey, thus saving fuel. They must be running low.”

  “Zoom the image of the Creednax fleet.” The display flickered and the fireflies resolved into a well-placed swarm of ships. With the station and its tugs in the center, the formation was led by two cruisers, several frigates and a host of smaller ships. The battleships, great fluted seed shaped brutes with the remaining frigates had taken up flanking positions on either side of the station, while the last two cruisers provided cover astern. Fleet Captain Yates studied the picture and frowned. “What do you think Jer? That’s an awful lot of ships out there.”

  “They’re light on the ass. That’s where I’ll hit them.” He took a laser pointer and drew a line on his own display. A matching line appeared on the main display on the flagship. “I’ll come in from here.” The line came in from high in the rear, touched a cruiser and curved down and away, angling around the same red supergiant for cover.

  Katherine smiled thinly as she studied the map. “It looks like our scouts have discovered a nice juicy asteroid belt on the other side of the sun. Our fleet can wait there in relative safety for you to bring the cruiser to us.”

  Jer studied the layout of the asteroid belt. “It sounds like a good plan.”

  “Give us a day to slip into position quietly.” Kat’s face had gone pale.

  “I can do that.” Bentax replied, nodding.

  “Are you sure you have enough crew?” Zed studied the calm young man, who was once not so young.

  “I don’t have to worry about running the Dining Hall or the Machine Shop. Fifty people should be plenty.”

  He gave the man a long look. “Take care, my friend.”

  “You too.” The screen from the Dramul Frigate went blank.

  Katherine’s face had gone even paler. “You heard the man, Lola. Please park us in those asteroids as quietly as you can. You have a day.”

  “Affirmative, Captain. Changing course for asteroid belt and reducing speed in, three, two, one…”

  CHAPTER 12

  The Fleets:

  “Engines at station-keeping, Fleet Captain. Battle-cruiser Formidable is fully cloaked, and the Rose of the Dawn is snuggled into a deep crater on a bigger asteroid. The frigates Bonhomme Richard, Chesapeake, Constellation and Constitution are similarly hidden. The Creednax cruiser will never see us.”

  “Does Ba-sing know our location?”

  “Yes, Fleet Captain. I notified Captain Bentax by secure subspace a few moments ago. He said that he’ll drop that Creednax cruiser right in our laps. His run is beginning now, and will contact the enemy in thirty minutes.” The small white arrow on the tactical display that was the Dramul Frigate Ba-sing began to move toward the swarm of red spots that was the Creednax fleet. The main screen flickered briefly, and the bottom left quadrant suddenly showed the view from the frigate’s main screen. In the background they could hear Bentax making quiet, reassuring comments to his crew.

  “Raise shields. Charge main batteries and prepare supra-light missiles.” Jer’s voice was calm, but his eyes sparkled in excitement. “Are you ready to take over, Lola?”

  “Affirmative, Captain Bentax.”

  Zed looked up in surprise. “Lola?”

  The computer’s voice snickered. “Yes, Fleet Captain. I have slaved the main computer from the Ba-sing to myself. I am, after all, much faster, and this firing sequence needs my delicate touch.”

  “I’m sure it does.” Zed replied without inflection, eyes glued to the Ba-sing’s display.

  “All right then.” Captain Jerlan Bentax took a deep breath. “Please take over navigation and weapon systems on my mark. Three, two, one… Now!”

  There was silence on the frigate’s bridge for several seconds, and then… “Disengaging supra-light drive and engaging sub-light drive, now.” The screen flickered and the nose of a massive Creednax cruiser loomed over them. Deploying remote camera drones. Firing weapons.” The screens banked in the intense flash that followed. “Engaging supra-light drive in four, three,” The scene that was the Basing’s bridge shook violently. “…two one. Minor damage to port aft quadrant. Hull integrity nominal.” The forward screens flickered back to life. “Sensors nominal. I believe that they scorched our paint a little.” Zed could hear Jer laughing. “View coming in from drones.” The Creednax cruiser was drifting, a gaping hole torn where her bow should be. The camera could see plumes of air spewing out into space, and the rippling flashes of secondary explosions. The second cruiser was turning to pursue the fleeing frigate.

  Zed stared openmouthed. “They must have had their shields down, and every shot went home. The second cruiser won’t be as easy.”

  “Second Creednax cruiser should arrive in the asteroids in thirty minutes, Fleet Captain.”

  “Good. Tell Bentax to stay out of this fight and leave it to the big boys. Ask him to get set up for his second run. We need to take advantage of the situation.”

  “Yes Fleet Captain.”

  “To all frigates: coordinate with each other. I want you all to hit the same spot on the cruiser at the same time as soon as it appears—then run away. Your shields can’t stand up to what that cruiser can hit them with.”

  “What about me?” Alina’s voice was soft.

  Zed laughed out loud. “Good hunting, my friend.”

  “The second cruiser is about to arrive.” Lola’s voice was icily calm.

  “Raise shields. Charge and arm all weapons. Sound the action alarm.” Kat’s voice was almost as calm as the computer’s, but a small tic was twitching the corner of her right eye. Somewhere a strident alarm was ringing
. “This is going to be too fast for me; you have navigation and weapons, Lola.”

  “Aye, Captain. Creednax cruiser arrival in four, three, two, one…” A massive shape suddenly filled the forward screen of the Rose. Bulbous and flowing, the alien ship looked more grown than constructed. Maybe it was the sickly green color of the hull that had something to do with it. “All weapons on all ships firing.” The front screen flared white and blanked, while the whole length of the Rose of the Dawn shook. The screen flickered to life to show the stern of the cruiser slowly spinning toward them. The front was simply gone.

  “All sections!” Kat called out. “Brace for impact!”

  The crash made Zed’s ears ring and knocked him out of his seat. “The remains of the Creednax cruiser struck us a glancing blow, Fleet Captain, but did little… one moment. The alien cruiser appears to have deposited something on our hull. Less than a half meter wide, they appear to be organic and… Intruder alert in the main hangar!” The corner of the main screen flickered to show the main hangar, when something that looked like a fist sized green spider scuttled in a zig-zag pattern across the floor. Zed felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. “Sensors indicate that seventy two alien lifeforms have entered the ship.” Zed gripped his seat arms.

  “Continue Intruder Alert announcement, Lola. Activate all Security personnel and issue weapons.” Katherine sounded calm and cool, as if they had practiced this very scenario a hundred times. The white knuckles of her death grip on the seat arms gave her away. “What is the status of the aliens?”

  “Seventy two lifeforms have accessed the main corridors of the ship, and seem to be proceeding toward the bridge. Correction. The number is now seventy lifeforms. Sixty seven.”

  “Is security stopping those things?”

  Lola sounded puzzled. “No Captain Johansen. Security has not yet arrived. The number is down to sixty three.”

  Zed pulled out the small energy weapon he wore clipped to his waist. “It’s the damn cats!” He exclaimed loudly. “I can feel them attacking the creatures.” He glanced at Kat. “You fly the ship. Captain. I’ll help Security.” He bolted for the door, followed closely by Li Tong, the Physical Sciences Officer and surprisingly, Lucy Hollingberry the petite Astrogator with a blond pony-tail, all with drawn guns.