Solbidyum Wars Saga 5: Desolation

by Dale C. Musser

  Kala had been wise enough to pack the emergency radio, and I unpacked it and cranked up the power. I turned it on to the emergency channel hoping to hear some news from the NEW ORLEANS, but all was quiet. I decided to keep a watch on what was going on below, Kala and the twins were tired and had fallen asleep. Kala was sitting on the floor, propped against the wall, with one baby sleeping on each arm. I went back out and lay on my stomach at the edge of the opening looking down at the scene.

  I could see some men at a location about half-way between the underground house and the cliff where I was, and they appeared to have some sort of digging machine and were actively digging away. I realized that they were trying to get back into the tunnel system and must be near where the booby trapped bodies were and the grenades. No doubt the tunnel collapsed there. The Brotherhood was going to a lot of effort to make sure I was dead. They stopped digging, and I saw troopers preparing to descend into the hole, when unexpectedly I saw several black dressed ninja-like figures appear in midair and drop to the ground near them.

  No sooner did the figures hit the ground, than I saw bright swords flash into the light as the figures attacked the surprised Brotherhood troops with lightning speed. I had no doubt as to who was leading these warriors, as it could be no one other than Jenira. I looked back toward the underground house and the troopers there, only to see more figures dropping out of the air and attacking the troopers before they had a chance to raise their weapons. As I watched, I saw two patrol ships uncloak with weapons aimed at the Brotherhood ships. In just minutes the fighting was over and the Brotherhood troops had surrendered. I observed a tall figure emerge from one of the rescuing patrol ships. At the distance I didn’t recognize who it was, I saw one of the figures dressed all in black go up to him and take his hand as they talked. While they were talking I saw the figure in black remove her head gear and her long hair cascaded down her back, and I knew for sure this was Jenira.

  I was looking about trying to locate Marranalis, but I didn’t see him anywhere. Where could he be, I wondered? He was head of my security forces; he should have been leading the raid. I went back into the room where Kala and the twins still slept, grabbed the radio, and then carried it out to the cliff edge where I could see down to the plateau. As I looked down I took the radio and began broadcasting. “This is Thibodaux James Renwalt, to the rescue party on Desolation. I repeat this is Thibodaux James Renwalt, to the rescue party on Desolation.” There was a pause and then, “First Citizen, are you alright?”

  “Yes, yes, we are fine.” I just witnessed your outstanding assault against the Brotherhood here. Well done. May I speak to Marranalis please?”

  “Sir, Captain Marranalis is not with us. He was called back to active duty a few months ago by Admiral Regeny, when we were not able to locate you.”

  Captain Marranalis? Obviously, the Admiral had gone ahead and given him the promotion I intended to see that he received.

  “Who is in command of this mission?” I asked.

  “Padaran sir!”

  “Padaran!” I said in astonishment.

  “Yes sir, when Marranalis was called back to active duty he had a competition to determine who was best suited to lead your security forces and to train your men, and Padaran won.”

  I laughed and shook my head. Padaran never ceased to amaze me, and now he had done it again. While I had been talking to whoever was on the radio, I saw a trooper run from the ship to the underground house and moments later I saw him emerge with the tall man I had seen before. Both he and Jenira ran toward the patrol ship. Shortly thereafter Padaran’s voice came across the speaker. “Tibby, you’re alive and okay?”

  “Yes,” I laughed, “Kala and the twins are fine also. We’re all safe. However, I am not sure how we can get to you from where we are at the moment.”

  “The twins? Wow that’s great, Jenira is here jumping up and down at the news. Just where are you sir?” Padaran asked.

  “As near as I can tell we are about two thirds up the side of the cliff, on the plateau in a tunnel that exits on the face of the cliff. We can’t go back the way we came because we blew up the tunnel behind us. Oh wait, maybe we can go back that way. The Brotherhood may have opened a hole back into the tunnel there.” I said. While we were talking, I saw Jenira step outside the ship, she appeared to have some sort of looking device and was scanning the cliff face. I began waving and suddenly I saw her jump up and down and begin waving back.

  “I think Jenira has just found where we are located,” I said to Padaran.

  “Tibby, hold off moving for a bit. Let me see if we can find some way to reach you without you having to go back through the tunnels.” By now, Jenira had returned inside the ship. “Jenira wants me to ask you where Kala and the twins are. She said she could not see them.”

  “They are inside sleeping. They were exhausted from the climb. They don’t even know what has happened, or that you are here.”

  “Well give us a few minutes to make some plans, and we’ll get back to you soon.” Padaran said, and then in a serious tone added. “Tibby, a lot has happened while you were gone, and you are desperately needed.”

  I went back into the room to find Kala still sound asleep, I gently shook her awake and told her the news.

  “They’re here! We’re rescued? We’re going home?” she said.

  “Yes, yes, and yes, just as soon as they can figure out how to get us down from here.” I said.

  It was about 20 minutes later that Padaran called back. “Tibby, we’ve discussed it, and we think the best and quickest way to rescue you is for one of the patrol ships to fly up and shoot a line over to you. The concave face of the cliff prevents us from getting close enough for a direct access, so after we shoot you the line, we will then fly up above the top of the cliff face and lower a rescue basket. You will have to pull it over and into the space where you are, and then you and Kala can take turns, each with one of the twins. You will get in the basket and we will slowly begin reeling it in. Once it slides outside the tunnel we will fly away from the cliff and slowly lower it to the ground.”

  “That sounds good, but why can’t you take Kala and both babies at the same time?” I asked.

  “Well sir, I guess we can, but Jenira is afraid Kala might drop one of the babies.”

  I laughed, “Tell Jenira I will tie the babies to Kala, so she can’t drop them; besides there is no way Kala would ever drop one of them.”

  The entire operation to get us out of the tunnel and safely back on the ground lasted about 30 minutes. I watched as Kala’s basket touched the ground, and Jenira raced over to hug her and immediately take both babies from Kala’s arms and start playing and fussing with them. Minutes later, I too was on the ground, and Jenira handed the babies both back to Kala and ran over and hugged me tightly and then stood back and looked at me laughing as she began signing, “You look funny with all that hair on your face.”

  Indeed, in the months since the fusion reactor had stopped working on the ALI I had not been able to shave, and a rather long ragged beard had covered my face.

  “I guess I do look quite the sight,” I said to Jenira as I stood looking at her. She was indeed a lady now. There was nothing girlish about her appearance and she now looked every bit a woman. I saw a tall, dark haired, muscular man exit the ship and walk toward us, and it took me a minute to realize it was Padaran. In the almost year we had been gone he had put on weight and muscle and had turned from being a gangly looking youth into a rather handsome and muscular man. “Tibby,” he said, as he approached, “it’s so good to have you back.”

  “Believe me, it’s great to see you all again, and I can’t wait to get a real shower and into clean clothing.”

  “Well if you will just step into the ship. I’m sure you will find all you need inside, and you can be showered, shaved, and dressed before we reach the NEW ORLEANS.”

  Kala came and put her arm around me, and we stood looking at Padaran and Jenira at his side as she held both Lunni
e and Reidecor in her arms. Both twins stared at her intently as though trying to figure her out and wondering why she didn’t speak. Kala and I turned and looked one last time at the place where we had lived and survived for the past few months. We would be leaving this planet and heading back to the Federation and its luxuries, but in our hearts, I think both Kala and I realized that Lunnie and Reidecor would always be children of Desolation.

  As always, my one complaint about showers in the Federation is that they are too short. Three minutes, that’s all. Just three minutes. I wanted longer, but that’s all I got. Once showered, I used a styling wand to cut my hair and remove my beard. I looked at myself in the mirror and was surprised at how much weight I had lost. I didn’t look emaciated, but I had definitely lost weight. However, I looked healthy, though more pale that I would have liked. I went into the captain’s cabin, temporarily mine, to get my uniform, only to find that a formal white uniform with pale blue piping laid out on the bed for me. I realized immediately it was my formal fleet admiral’s uniform, and for a moment I almost wished I was back on Desolation. I donned the uniform and looked at myself in the mirror. I had to admit I looked every bit the military man I was to represent.

  Moments later, Kala entered and gave me a, “WOW,” and a quick salute. “They aren’t wasting any time in getting you into action,” she said. “My turn in the shower. I need to get presentable before we land on the NEW ORLEANS. Padaran says we’ll be there in about 10 minutes.”

  “Are we still on the planet?” I asked

  “We’re just getting ready to take off,” she answered.

  “Where are the twins?”

  Kala laughed, “Where do you think? Their Aunt Jenira has them. We’ll be lucky if we ever get to see them again. She has already told me that once we get them to the NEW ORLEANS, she is taking them straight to the med unit to have them checked out.”

  “How come she isn’t using the ships med unit?”

  “She says it’s not as good and that only the best will do for the twins.”

  As Kala entered the shower, I headed to the control room where Padaran sat in the command chair; as soon as he saw me enter, he immediately evacuated the chair for me to sit in it.

  “Admiral, you are looking quite at home in the uniform.” he said.

  “I wish I felt at home in it. Tell me, Padaran, what’s going on in the Federation? What’s happened while I have been gone?”

  “You’re asking a very large question, one I’m not sure I am best suited to answer. I think perhaps you should talk to Captain Kerabac and A’Lappe before you go meet with Admiral Wabussie and Rear Admiral Regeny.”

  “Admiral Wabussie?” He’s an admiral now?”

  “Yes right after the incident at Plosaxen the Senate insisted that if he was going to head up the FSO, they wanted him to be an admiral.”

  “What else is new?” I asked.

  “Well you probably know, since you were the one who proposed it, but Commodore Stonbersa is now a fleet admiral, and back in the Federation military. He's heading up the home fleet until you can get back, and then he is to be transferred out to take over the second fleet near Oxall in the 2nd sector.”

  I had forgotten that I had proposed to the Admiral, that Stonbersa would be one of my choices for a fleet admiral. “So who is running my personal fleet now that the Commodore is gone?”

  “Kerabac is mostly with the assistance of Captain Felenna. They seem to have it under control at the moment.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. What about A’Lappe? Did he ever get back from wherever he went?”

  “Yes, and he was extremely upset when he heard you were missing. He was working out all sorts of algorithms trying to determine just where you might be. After you disappeared, it was a while before we figured out what had happened. We went back over the computer records, and they showed your ship hitting the Tottalax just after they initiated their sleep weapon. A’Lappe figures that because you were so close, it may have knocked you and Kala out for days or even weeks before you revived. He said the effect of the weapon is greater the closer you are to it, and you and Kala were about as close as you could have gotten.”

  “Just where the heck was he, anyway?” I queried.

  “I think I’ll let him tell you that. He’s made a rather huge discovery and one I think you will be especially pleased with.” By now, we were approaching the NEW ORLEANS, and I could see the ship on the screen and for a moment I choked up a bit seeing her there.

  “One more thing, Padaran. What happened to the Brotherhood ship that was in orbit here when you arrived at Desolation?”

  “We never saw or detected any ship other than the patrol ships on the planet.” Padaran answered.

  “But there had to have been one, I heard them talking on the radio.

  “Yes, we heard them too, but we found no trace of them when we arrived. We’ve brought back the men we captured on the surface; perhaps they can answer that question. Their leader is pretty upset with you, apparently you took out six of his men.”

  “Bunch of idiots, all of them,” I muttered, as we entered the hangar bay.

  I wasn’t quite expecting the welcome that greeted us when we exited the ship. I think nearly everyone who was not at a duty station was in the hangar bay. They cheered as Kala and I came off the patrol ship carrying Lunnie and Reidecor, and I could see that many of them were crying. Kerabac was there to greet us as were A’Lappe and Cantolla. It seemed strange not seeing Stonbersa and Marranalis, and I made a mental note to see to it that I got Marranalis back under my command and reassigned to me.

  Kerabac immediately stepped forward, “Welcome home, First Citizens,” he said to both Kala and me. What have we here? Two new crew members it appears,” he said with a big grin, and he walked over and looked at the twins. Reidecor just stared at Kerabac black face, but Lunnie immediately reached out and grabbed hold of Kerabac’s uniform.

  “And just who might this one be?” he asked, grinning at Lunnie.

  “This is Luinella; she is named in honor of my sister.” Kala said. I noted Kerabac’s eyes tear up for a moment, but he managed to contain them before they started to flow. Kerabac had been quite close to Kala’s sister, and they had often danced together, winning several competitions.

  “And this is Reidecor. We thought it fitting to name him after Reidecor since both he and Lunnie died at the same time.”

  Kerabac choked a sob for a second as he took Reidecor’s little hand. “A noble name. I owed Reidecor my life and in honor of him, I will swear that life oath to your son,” he said, “But come now, let us go inside; we have a feast prepared for you.”

  Kerabac had barely turned to lead us into the ship when A’Lappe stepped up beside me. “First Citizen, I am most pleased that you have returned safely. I was most upset when I discovered all that had happened, and I regret not having been around to assist.”

  Kerabac made a small speech about how glad they all were that Kala and I had been found safe and their joy and congratulations about our having twins. There was then a brief moment where Kala and I thanked everyone before we finally sat down to eat. I had a million questions to ask, and although it had been ages since Kala and I had truly great food to eat I was more interested in what had happened while we were gone. Kerabac slowly began to fill me in on the details as I worked my way through a wonderful salad and then started on the most fantastic fubalo steak I have ever tasted.

  “So after we arrived at Plosaxen,” Kerabac began, “we situated the NEW ORLEANS between the HAPRIN and the planet as the ship arrived. We were cloaked, so the HAPRIN didn’t know we were there, but it didn’t take them long to figure it out once they started firing at the planet, and their shots were blocked. They kept trying to reposition the HAPRIN to get a good shot at the planet, but we stayed right with them, then we were joined by the HOSPIN, and together we shielded the planet. They tried several times sending out nuclear weapons in GW pods, but we could track them and shoot them down befor
e they even made it to the planet’s atmosphere. That’s about when Marranalis showed up with fighters from Nibaria, and the Tottalax showed up from wherever they were.

  “You arrived just as the battle was really getting warmed up. You must have been right on top of the Tottalax ship when they released their sleep weapon. Our men in the fighters were knocked out as you were, some didn’t awaken for over a day; fortunately, we had enough Nibarians on both the NEW ORLEANS and the HOSPIN to keep both ships functioning and blocking the shots from the HAPRIN. Commodore Stonbersa had given instruction that if we were hit by the Tottalax weapon that the Nibarians on our ship should open fire on the HAPRIN. Both ships did so immediately and kept firing; we were joined from fighters from the surface as well as one corvette stationed at Plosaxen. Together we all focused fire on the HAPRIN.

  “As A’Lappe had predicted, eventually the shields of the HAPRIN began to weaken, and we got some shots through before the HAPRIN turned and fled with the Tottalax at their side. By then most of the crew on the NEW ORLEANS and the HOSPIN that had been knocked out by the Tottalax weapon were awake again. We fired on the Tottalax ship, but it had no effect that we could see. At some point, the HAPRIN must have gotten someone from the captured crew to talk, because they suddenly cloaked and were gone. The Tottalax kept flying away until they exited Federation space. It wasn’t until we returned to Plosaxen and tried to contact you that we realized you were missing. We started analyzing all our recordings of the battle until we figured out what had happened. What threw us off was your impacting the Tottalax ship, and that altered your course. It wasn’t until A’Lappe arrived back about two weeks later that he determined what had happened, but then we still were unsure just where your ship had gone. We kept expecting to hear from you any day, but when months went by we started to fear the worst had happened. A’Lappe was the only one convinced you had survived, and that it was just a matter of time before we received an emergency signal from you.”