The Hope Island Chronicles Boxed Set

by PJ Strebor

  Status: Shore leave.

  Nathan snapped the latches shut on his foot locker and nodded to the waiting crewmembers. As they removed it he finished packing the last of his belongings into a small carry-all. Completed, he sat on the edge of his rack. His two tours aboard Courageous had been hellish. At the Academy he’d made many friends among the republicans. Yes, they were a little reserved and their penchant for not using contractions was simply odd, but they were, in general, a good lot. On Jardine’s boat, such fair and decent people did not exist, except for the odd colonial.

  Fucking pompous incompetents. Nathan caught his blood rising and tucked it under control.

  Soon it would be all hugs and kisses. Oh, how he missed his family, but the homecomings were always there to soothe his troubled brow and calm his rage. He lay back on his bunk and smiled while recalling his many homecomings. Livy, heavily pregnant, hugging him with an insane fierceness. Flash. Livy holding baby Ellen in her arms, smiling that sweet, sweet smile. Flash. Ellen, dashing to meet him, her bulky diapers making her waddle. Flash. Livy pregnant, Ellen dashing out, spritely without the encumbrance of diapers. Flash. Livy holding baby Garrison, Ellen charging into his arms. Flash. Five years. Only his family kept him going when things turned ugly. Cimmeria, so long ago, had been just such a messy business. Knowing that his darling Livy awaited him, gave him the strength to push through. The kids were a delightful bonus.

  Think happy thoughts, you lucky, lucky bastard.

  His three-month ordeal had finally ended. On his next deployment he would deal with Jardine in his own way. For now, only happy thoughts.

  He passed through two security checkpoints then stood in line for the third. Sentinel security had always been high. On the other side of the clear composite wall families waited, children fidgeted and there off to one side Livy, holding back a four and two-year-old, hell bent on attaching themselves to their father, regardless of regulations. He smiled and waved. The kids went crazy and Livy required all of her strength to contain them.

  With the red tape attended to he stepped onto the concourse. He’d taken less than a dozen paces when two midgets streaked out of the waiting crowd. One fleet of foot, her baby brother shuffling. Ellen held Gary’s hand, supporting him. Nathan dropped to his knees and scooped the wailing children into his arms.

  “Hello my beautiful children.” He hugged and kissed them amongst delighted cries of “Daddy, daddy, I missed you sooo much.”

  “I missed you too, Ellie belly.”

  Garrison had always been the more moderate of his two children.

  “Hey, Gary, are you good?”

  He nodded.

  Scooping them up and resting one on each hip he set course for the centre of his universe. A quick peck and a long hug.

  “I missed you, so much,” Livy said.

  “I missed you more,” Nathan replied. As close to ‘I love you’ as he would ever allow himself to get.

  His passion for her burned as brightly as the first time he’d met her. For now the hug would have to suffice. Later, when the kids were down, they would make up for lost time.

  CHAPTER 5

  Date: 5th July 326 ASC

  Position: Running along the northern frontier, two light-years south of the Poseidon Shoals.

  Status: Monitor Adroit patrolling the border with the Northern Quarantine Zone (QZ).

  Condition: Alert condition three.

  Captain Dermot Winstone snoozed in his cabin. Since his appointment to this boat, two and a half months ago, he’d been doing a lot of snoozing. It was all so boring. Go out on patrol, find nothing, return to base. As his first patrol drew to a close, he wondered if his fast track promotion would end up being worth it. The colonial crew required some adjustment. To their credit they were a professionally efficient lot, but their general lack of discipline had no place on an ANS ship.

  His father had told him that this was the way to get ahead of the pack, to mark his territory and make a name for himself. Considering his ties with a close cousin in the Jardine community, Winstone could not help but agree. It would take him years to achieve his current rank of Lieutenant Commander within the crowded confines of the Athenian Naval Service. His promotion and transfer to Adroit had been a simple matter of one word from his father into the right ear.

  His comm beeped. “Captain.”

  “Captain,” his operations officer began, “we have received a distress signal from a Brandon registered freighter.”

  Winstone sighed and rubbed his face. “Yes? So, can’t you deal with it?”

  “Ah, this is something only the Captain can authorize.” A pause. “On the bridge. Sir.”

  Again that trademark colonial attitude. Things were going to change on this boat.

  “Oh, very well, Ops. I’m on my way.”

  Stepping onto the bridge he dropped into his seat, adjacent to his operations officer.

  “She claims to be the Brandon-registered freighter, Geraldine,” his ops officer said. “She says she accidentally got off-course and grazed the shoals. But without further –”

  “Shoals?”

  She stared at him. “The Poseidon Shoals, Captain. A region of severe spatial instability that runs across the border into the north. It’s been a smuggling route for many years.”

  Winstone stifled a yawn. “Sounds dangerous.”

  “Ah, yes sir.” She cleared her throat. “We need to investigate, Captain. Whether she is who she says or not, we must respond to any calls for assistance.”

  “Very well. Helm take us to, ah, the coordinates.”

  “You need to authorize the D-O to clear the coordinates to my panel,” the helm officer said. “Captain.”

  That one I will deal with first. She might be a hell of a pilot but her attitude toward a superior officer is deplorable.

  “Operations officer?”

  “I need to hear the words, Captain. For the record.” She pointed lazily to the topside pickups.

  “Very well, Lieutenant, clear the coordinates to the helm. Helm officer, take us there at best speed.”

  “Aye, Captain,” the helm officer said. “Recommend course 149/322/199. Ingression at dead slow, increase speed to two-thirds for 168 seconds before rollover. We should arrive at the coordinates in seventeen point four minutes plus or minus thirty seconds.”

  Winstone heard only gibberish. He looked to the ops who nodded.

  “Very well, helm,” he said.

  They egressed off the shoals seventeen and a half minutes later.

  On his readouts Winstone noted that the freighter wasn’t moving.

  “Captain, she isn’t pinging,” the tactical officer reported.

  “No IFF, nothing?” Winstone asked.

  “No sir.”

  “Could she be damaged?” Winstone asked. “What do you think, Ops?”

  “Anything’s possible. I recommend we adopt alert condition one.”

  The thought of having to squeeze into a v-suit made Winstone cringe. But he had to act in a Captain-like manner.

  “Tactical, is she armed?”

  “My scans are showing no weapons, Captain. But she’s venting radiation from her engineering section.”

  So?

  His operations officer leaned over and whispered. “The radiation interferes with sensor readings. Captain, I strongly recommend that we go immediately to alert condition one.”

  “I think that would be premature, Lieutenant. Helm officer, take us in closer. Let’s see how badly damaged she is.”

  The helm officer, disregarding every convention of bridge protocol, turned in her chair and stared at Winstone.

  “Captain, she’s undesignated. She could be a line runner or God knows what. And you want me to take the boat closer to a ship, about which we know nothing?”

  “I expect you, helm, to follow my orders.”

  “Captain, may I at least put us at alert condition two?” his Ops pleaded. “It�
��s sop for this type of encounter.”

  “No.”

  Adroit moved closer to the freighter. A full circuit revealed no external signs of damage. For Winstone, it at least brought something to an otherwise boring day.

  “Captain, I’m detecting a power source emanating from the freighter,” Tactical reported. “Unusual wavelength. I can’t isolate it.”

  “Let me see,” the helm snapped.

  She examined it. “It looks a lot like… holy shit. Captain, we have to get out of here.”

  “What?”

  “Sir,” ops said, “urgently recommend we withdraw, at once.”

  “Ah, all right then, but I don’t see what all the—”

  Adroit plunged into darkness. All of her key systems died.

  CHAPTER 6

  Date: 11th July, 326 ASC

  Position: Telford estate, Beachport, Planet Corinth. Athenian core systems.

  Status: Shore leave continuing.

  His quarry were fast, agile and sneaky. Nathan had guile and experience on his side. They were close, yes, hiding right behind this bush. He roared like a bear causing delighted squealing from his children. They darted from the thin bush land out onto the glen, with the big bear growling in pursuit. He scooped up the squealing youngsters one in each arm and twirled them around and around before placing them gently on the ground.

  “Do it again, daddy, do it again,” Ellen pleaded.

  Beside her Gary wobbled, finally dropping onto his well-padded backside.

  “Lunch-time,” Livy called.

  He scooped up Gary who still looked a little dazed, and rested him across his left shoulder. Ellen rode on his right hip.

  Over the past ten days a great weight had lifted from Nathan’s shoulders. The spring had returned to his step and he found himself laughing at the most inane of things. The kids put on shows, just to see him laugh. Contentment coursed through his body and mind. Wanting to stay that way he put off any thoughts of his next deployment.

  Under the spreading branches of the huge plocker tree, they sat and ate and talked as any young family would do. A new generation of Telfords. He ate too much. The kids followed their father’s gluttonous example. Sated, he lay back, his head resting in Livy’s lap. The kids, similarly drowsy from their feast, nuzzled into him. Livy brushed his hair from his eyes and kissed his forehead. A tiny sigh of pure contentment escaped the back of his throat.

  Any more joy will finish me off.

  He chuckled at the thought.

  “Any word from Moe?” Livy whispered.

  “She’s on assignment. Couldn’t talk about details. You know. We’ll catch up with her on her next leave.”

  “I miss her.”

  “Hmm.”

  Livy kissed him, a long lingering kiss that tasted of her sweetness. After an extended period of absence, his heart had indeed grown fonder. Once the kids were down for the night their tender lovemaking and intense passion broke all the boundaries. God, he loved her.

  Gary nuzzled closer to his ear. “Daddy?” he whispered.

  “Yes, Gary?”

  “I did a poopy.”

  He sighed. “Well, good for you.”

  “Daddy,” he whined.

  “Hey young man, you’ve been potty-trained, haven’t you?”

  He fell silent looking at his little hands.

  “I think he needs a wingman,” Nathan said around a chuckle.

  “I’ll take care of him.”

  Drowsy with contentment he didn’t argue.

  Livy led their son by the hand, disappearing into the house.

  Ah, the joys of parenthood.

  He enjoyed the moment, savoring the sweet scent of honeysuckle wafting from the surrounding bush land. A slight breeze from the nearby coast kept the temperature mild.

  Ellen yawned and snuggled closer.

  “Daddy?”

  “Yes, my beautiful daughter?”

  “I love you, daddy.”

  Shit.

  “And you are my very favorite daughter.” He hoped against hope that the day would not come when she called his bluff.

  “I’m your only daughter, daddy,” she giggled.

  “Yes you are. But you have that problem.”

  “What?”

  “I think Stevie spider’s back.”

  “Oh no daddy, not Stevie.”

  His fingers transformed into spider legs and attacked Ellen’s exposed belly. She writhed and shrieked begging him to stop. So he did. Then another attack from the friendly arachnid.

  “Tell me about my names, daddy.”

  Again?

  “Hmm. You were named after Ellen Gabreski. Remember, I told you about her?”

  “Yes. She rescued you.”

  Another lie. He hated lying to his family but could not risk telling anyone the truth. And it wasn’t a complete lie. Gabby had been the one to venture onto the plague planet of Delos to end his confinement there.

  “And your second name, Bernice, well, you know that one, don’t you?”

  “Grandma Bernice. Why does she live so far away?”

  “To her, we’re the ones who live far away.”

  “And Gary?”

  “Garrison Caleb Telford. You know Caleb, right?” She nodded. “Garrison, after a man who saved my life. Twice.”

  To cover his rising discomfort Stevie went on the attack. They were still laughing when Livy returned, Gary riding her hip.

  “Nathan?”

  Something in her tone caught Nathan’s attention.

  He looked for danger. No, not danger exactly. Perhaps a serpent in the garden?

  “There’s a man here to see you,” Livy said. “He says it’s urgent. He didn’t give his name, said you’d know him.”

  Concern masked her beautiful face.

  “Daddy, don’t go,” Ellen cried.

  “I’ll just be a minute.”

  He forced a smile. Livy ever the naval widow, returned it.

  The man standing in the entry had his back to Nathan. The fine trim of his neatly-tailored suit spoke of extravagant taste. He turned and extended his hand.

  “Nathan, good to see you again.”

  Although older, Nathan instantly remembered the eyes, sharp and dark like a Delosian hawk.

  “Leave my home, now.” Nathan contained his voice to a whisper rather than the furious shout that would disturb his family.

  Commander ‘hawkeye’ smiled. “Nathan, I just got here.”

  “Leave now, or you’ll be carried out.”

  “I need your help. Just give me a minute.”

  “I don’t give a shit what you want, Spotiswood,” Nathan said. “I’m not that traumatized boy you threatened thirteen years ago. You have nothing to say to me that I would be remotely interested in hearing.”

  “We’ve lost a monitor.”

  Nathan battled against twin emotions; justified rage and intense curiosity.

  “What do you mean, lost?”

  “Just so,” Spotiswood said. “The attack boat Adroit. There one minute, gone the next. I have my sources looking into it, but for now I need to get to her last known position and snoop around. My helm officer is in the infirmary, two broken legs, skiing accident. She’ll be up and about in a few weeks but I can’t wait. You’re available so –”

  “Me? Work for you?” Nathan had to fight to contain the strength of his laughter.

  “You’re command pilot qualified and from what I’ve heard you’re a pretty good one. So, how about it?”

  “This is a covert mission, right?” Hawkeye nodded. “Then you can’t order a serving officer to do spook work.”

  “Order? No of course not.” His smirk set Nathan’s teeth on edge.”But I can make it worth your while.”

  Nathan shook his head. “Never. I’ll never play spook for you. Get out, Spotiswood.”

  “Everyone has their price, Nathan.” He pursed his lips in the way Nat
han remembered and despised. “Captain Jardine will, no doubt, be very pleased to have you back under her leash, I’m sure. I can get you out of her grasp. Name the boat you want and the transfer is as good as done. What do you say?”

  To his shame Nathan hesitated. The spook knew far too much about him to trust anything he said. The temptation to take the offer was almost irresistible. Almost.

  “Fuck off!”

  “What of Adroit’s crew? Despite what you think of me, surely her crew should be your priority?”

  “If she’s lost, any half competent driver can steer your boat. You don’t need me.” Nathan knew the spook hid a truth that he held back. His eyes narrowed. “But of course there’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there?”

  “Details, details, we can sort them out later.”

  “Now!”

  The intelligence officer nodded. “It’s possible that she may, I emphasize may, have been captured by enemy forces.”

  “Then God help her crew. They’re in the north by now, beyond our reach.”

  Spotiswood snorted. “Not beyond the reach of the Athenian Naval Security Intelligence Organization.”

  Again Nathan laughed. “You expect me to volunteer to cross the border into the north? I feel for the crew but no, I won’t do it.”

  Spotiswood sighed, defeated.

  “Very well, Nathan, at least I tried,” Commander Spotiswood said. “Pity about the crew, and if they’ve captured a monitor intact they will soon know every trick in the Monitor Corps book.”

  Don’t listen to him. Don’t listen. He couldn’t lie straight in bed.

  Commander Spotiswood stopped at the door. “Well, good luck with the rest of your time on Courageous. Pity about Adroit’s crew, including Lieutenant Okuma, but these things –”

  Nathan grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and pinned him to the hard wall.

  Nathan felt his blood rising, his eyes burning with hatred. “If I find out that you’re lying to me about this I swear, by whatever pig god you worship, that I will kill you.”

  “You know what, Nathan? I actually believe you.” He brushed Nathan’s hands from his vest. “Lieutenant Mary Ann Okuma is on record as having been appointed helm officer aboard the Athenian Monitor Adroit, fifty nine days ago. If you won’t do it for the corps, and you won’t do it for the crew, you’ll do it for your very best friend. Won’t you.”