“Thank you, Captain. That was succinct and informative,” said Killam.
Michael took his seat.
Cole shook his head. Under his breath, he said, “Good thing you went to school or you’d look really foolish right now.”
Killam continued. “As you can see, if we don’t launch in five days’ time, we will arrive too late to help the thousands of men and women who will be slaughtered by the Kurgans. This operation will be known as Trident Fury. Trident for the fleet component, and Fury for the ground forces involved.”
Admiral Sheridan said, “Captain Killam will be forming a tiger team to help him plan the operation. If he asks you for one of your people, you give him or her to Killam or you’ll be hearing from me. To mask our true intentions, I want a training exercise to be planned for the fleet. It will commence six days from now. Commander Thomas, from the plans section, will take the lead on this. I can’t stress enough the need for secrecy to be maintained throughout the fleet. If anyone asks what is going on, refer them to Commander Thomas’ section.”
With that, the meeting ended. People rushed from the room to put in motion the subterfuge. Admiral Sheridan tapped Killam on the shoulder before steering him to the back of the room where his son and Cole were standing.
“I see the Academy’s history lessons weren’t wasted on you,” said Admiral Sheridan to his son.
“I wish I had kept my mouth shut,” replied Michael.
“Nonsense,” said Killam. “Your concern will undoubtedly motivate the staff to move heaven and earth to see that this mission succeeds.”
“Sir, how did you learn the date of the ritual?” asked Cole.
“I can answer that,” Killam said. “It was in the personal tablet found on the dead Kurgan officer at the crash site. All his personal information was on there, including a note to himself to be back inside Kurgan space in time to take part in the ritual. A major security infraction on his behalf and an intelligence coup on ours.”
“Sir, I don’t want to be a pain, but has anyone considered that the information found on the tablet is false?” said Michael.
“I did, but there are too many other pieces of the puzzle that have also fallen into place for it to be a ruse,” replied Killam. “No, it’s the genuine article.”
“I take it you no longer want that transfer out of the fleet?” said the admiral to his son.
“No, he doesn’t,” answered Cole. “If there’s going to be a rescue mission to help free our friends, then we both want in on it, sir.”
Killam smiled. “I knew you two would feel that way. The instant we start to receive live feed from the satellites soon to be in orbit above the prison, I’m going to dispatch you with a reconnaissance team to the planet. An eye in the sky is fine, but nothing beats having someone on the ground who can scout out the terrain and help guide in the ground forces when they arrive.”
“You can count on us,” said Michael.
“I’m starting my mission estimate here in this room in one hour. I’d like you both to come in and give me your wish list for the task. Remember you can only use what we have on hand.”
“Yes, sir.”
Admiral Sheridan nodded his concurrence. He masked his fear for his son’s life behind his eyes. Once more he was sending his son into battle with only the slimmest hope for survival. Nevertheless, he could not think a better pairing than the two men standing before him. If anyone could pull it off, it was them.
When Sheridan and Cole returned an hour later, the briefing room looked as if a tornado had plowed right through it. Maps, books, charts, laptops, and tablets were strewn everywhere. People were huddled in small groups trying to work out what was needed for the mission. Sheridan saw Killam talking to a short Marine lieutenant colonel with a bald head. He walked over and introduced himself and Cole.
“Good day to you, too. My name is Lieutenant Colonel Kimura,” said the officer. “I have been tasked by General Denisov to help plan the ground force composition for the raid. I’ve heard good things about you two from the general. I understand that you will be leading a reconnaissance team to Klatt ahead of the main body.”
“That is correct, sir,” replied Sheridan.
“Do you have your wish list figured out?” Killam asked.
“Yes, sir. If the admiral’s shuttle crew is available, I’d like to use them again.”
“We figured you’d ask for them. They’re busy getting the shuttle craft reconfigured for the long jump into Kurgan space.”
“Also we’d like to keep the team small,” said Cole. “The fewer people we have bumbling around on a Kurgan planet, the better.”
“I’d like you to take a fire effects as well as an aerospace control officer with you,” said Kimura. “They’ll be invaluable to the ground force once it begins its drop to the planet’s surface.”
Sheridan handed a note to Kimura. “Sir, we thought of that too. In total, the team we need will consist of only ten personnel. The two officers you’ve mentioned, along with two communications specialists, and four other Marines for close protection are all we require.”
Kimura raised an eyebrow. “This is an awfully small team. I can round up more if you need them.”
Sheridan shook his head. “This will be plenty. If you can find any who speak Kurgan that would be a bonus. One other thing, before I forget, sir. Master Sergeant Cole and I read over the Kurgan intercepts. The people going with us need to be prepared to work on a harsh desert planet that gets as high as fifty degrees Celsius during the day and below freezing at night.”
“I’m sure I can find suitable volunteers for you from the forces on Illum Prime.”
“Thanks, sir.”
“When do you need them?”
“The sooner they get here, the sooner we can begin training.”
Kimura nodded. “Well, it looks like you two know your jobs. I’ll make that call to Denisov’s staff right away.”
Killam said, “I hope all of our other concerns are solved that quickly. Somehow I doubt it.”
Sheridan knew that was his cue to leave. He came to attention, saluted, and turned to leave. He and Cole walked out into the corridor and exchanged a look that said, what have we just gotten ourselves into?
“Come on, sir,” said Cole, “let’s go chat with your father’s shuttle crew and see what they are up to. I’d hate for their ship to suddenly develop engine issues deep inside Kurgan territory.”
“I didn’t know that you knew a thing or two about jump engines.”
“I don’t and neither will they. It’s an old NCO trick. I just want them to think I do. It’ll make them pay closer attention to what they’re doing. Being captured and sent to a prison planet for execution is not high on my to-do list.”
Chapter 11
Colonel Wright ran his hand down the length of his ship, stopping to check out the modifications his crew had made to the engines.
“It may not look pretty, but it’ll get you home, sir,” said a technical sergeant as he torqued up a bolt.
Wright tapped his jump ship and stepped back. “She’s never failed me and neither have you people,” said Wright to the four men and women in coveralls clustered around the back of the craft.
“Thanks, sir,” replied the sergeant.
“Are the satellites secure and ready to be deployed?” asked Wright, popping his head underneath his ship to check on the payload secured there.
“They sure are, sir,” answered a young female technician with a strong Irish accent.
Wright smiled. “I knew they would be. Just checking.”
“When do you leave, sir?” asked the sergeant
“We’re leaving in just over an hour.”
“Good luck, sir.”
Wright nodded and turned to check out his wingman’s ship. Although they had been declared missing months ago, he wished it was Tarina and Wendy going on the mission with him. He had trusted them more than any of his other flight crews. They thought alike and had always
shown a willingness to take risks to get the job done. For this assignment, he had selected Captains Fong and DeGrasse. Both were competent, brash officers who had arrived in the squadron a few months ago and had yet to see any real action.
Fong and DeGrasse were at their ship joking around with their technicians. Wright was going to speak to them but decided to leave them alone for now. There’d be plenty of time to talk once they transferred over to the transport ship.
“Sir, do you have a couple of minutes?” called out a female voice.
Wright saw Lieutenant Colonel Laura Tolinski, his deputy commander, walking toward him with a tablet in her left hand. With short black hair and porcelain white skin, she always reminded Wright of someone who tried their best to avoid the sun at all costs. He waited until she was only a couple of meters away before saying, “Sure, XO, what’s up?”
“I just wanted to make sure everything was going as planned.”
“XO, your reputation for being able to fly by the seat of your pants will remain unblemished. As per we are on time and ready to deploy.”
“Well, I for one will be amazed if this comes off without a hitch.”
“I hope it does. I’m one of the people going out there.”
“Sir, you know what I mean. From receipt of the order to deployment into Kurgan space with untried technological upgrades to our ships in under twenty-four hours is nothing short of miraculous.”
“Yes, and you made it all happen.”
Tolinski looked around the flight deck. “Sir, where’s your navigator? She should be here by now.”
“First Lieutenant Eskola is with the padre. She’ll be along soon enough.”
“She’s had time for that,” said Tolinski, her tone left no doubt in Wright’s mind that she had no time for religious activities. He, however, couldn’t care either way. If it made Eskola feel better, he was all for it.
“Do you have the flight plan with you?” asked Wright, changing the discussion.
Tolinski nodded and brought up her tablet. She pressed the screen and a picture of their intended flight path appeared. Wright took the device from her and studied the image. From Illum Prime, they would be jumping to an asteroid belt halfway to Klatt. The transport ship would use the asteroids to hide in. From there, the two jump fighters would make their way to the prison planet, deploy their satellites, and then repeat the journey back home. From the beginning to the end, it was a one hundred hour round trip. For almost half of the flight, he would be stuck inside the cockpit of his ship. It had been years since he’d had to wear a diaper under his survival suit. It was an experience he was not looking forward to.
First Lieutenant Eskola walked over. She was carrying a flight bag along with her helmet under her right arm. “Good evening, sir,” she said to Wright.
“Evening,” he replied.
“Are you finally ready to deploy?” Tolinski asked Eskola.
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied, looking away from the XO.
Wright could sense the tension between the two women. He couldn’t have two of the people he depended on to keep him alive having issues with one another. He decided to let it go for now. There were far more pressing issues to deal with. He would wait until they had returned safely to find out what was going on.
“Say, who feels like a coffee before we begin the pre-flight checks?” asked Wright.
“None for me, sir,” said Eskola. “I know we’re just moving between ships, but I’m nervous enough as it is. Coffee will only exacerbate things.”
“I’m okay. I already had a few cups,” replied Tolinski.
Wright shrugged. “Suit yourselves. I live on this stuff. I’m going to the galley to grab a cup. I’ll meet you both back here in a few minutes.”
“I’ll walk with you, Colonel,” said Tolinski.
Perhaps the discussion can’t wait, thought Wright.
When they were alone in the corridor, Tolinski turned and looked over at her boss. “Sir, I bet you’re wondering what is going on between Eskola and me?”
“Yes, I had. But I thought it could wait until we return home. However, here we are, so what’s on your mind?”
Tolinski hesitated for a couple of seconds as she tried to decide the best way to describe what the problem was. Finally, she said, “Sir, Eskola and I are a couple. We’ve kept it very quiet so people would not feel that she was receiving easy assignments due to our relationship. Colonel, I’m worried about her safety. We’ve never attempted anything as dangerous as this, and I’m scared for her.”
Wright smiled. He wasn’t a fan of couples within the chain of command, but he was also a realist. Things just happened. “Well, thank God for that. I thought you were going to tell me that you doubted her skills as a navigator. Look, XO, I’m not going to tell you who you can and cannot spend your time with. It would be hypocritical of me to give you any advice on the subject. Hell, I’ve been married and divorced twice. All I ask is that you two continue to keep it quiet, or I’ll have to reassign one of you away from the squadron. As I respect both of you, I don’t want to have to do that.”
“Yes, sir.”
Wright placed a hand on Tolinksi’s shoulder. “Laura, trust me, I’ll bring Miss Eskola home in one piece. I promise.”
“Thank you.”
“Now how about one more coffee?”
Chapter 12
Pain had become such a constant part of Tarina’s bleak life that she found herself growing numb to it. She stood in line with the rest of the people from Black-Three waiting for her work assignment to be called out. She stared straight ahead through tired eyes that had already seen far too much death and suffering.
Out of the dark walked their tormentor, Travis. He was mumbling something to himself as he walked over to the ever-shrinking group of prisoners. His eyes lingered too long on Tarina for her liking. He placed his dirty hands on hips and said, “Today, we’re going to do something a little different. We’re not going to haul rocks to the transports. Instead, we’re gonna play a little game. You will all be loading the ore directly onto the train at the far end of the mine. As you will be up against the prisoners from Black-One, I expect all of you to work extra hard today. If you don’t and they manage to load more perlinium onto the train than you do, you won’t like the consequences.”
Tarina felt a shiver crawl up her back. She and everyone in her group were already tired. She knew deep down that the day was going to end badly.
Travis smiled and snapped his fingers. The prisoners turned and with their heads held low they followed him down into the depths of the mine. The sound of dozens of people shuffling their feet filled the air.
Angela leaned over to Tarina and whispered, “Whatever you do today, don’t stop for anything or anyone. If you do, you’ll be whipped.”
“Do they do this very often?” Tarina whispered back.
“About once a month they like to pit us against one another. The guards take bets as to which cell block will win. Last time we did this they whipped five people to death.”
“Good God,” uttered Wendy. “This prison is worse than hell.”
“That it is,” agreed Angela.
After the attempted assault on her body, Wendy had cut her hair as short as she could with a sharpened piece of glass that she had found on the ground under her bed. Once she was done, she hid the glass away just in case she needed it again.
It took them almost an hour of walking before they stepped inside a vast cavern dug out of the rock. At the far end was a train platform. Tarina saw that the train floated just above the tracks. Propelled along by magnetic levitation, she did not doubt that it could easily do five hundred or more kilometers an hour. Her heart sank when she observed that there were empty ore cars for as far as the eye could see.
Travis raised his hand and everyone stopped walking. “Look over to your right and you will see the wretched scum from Black-One.”
Like everyone else, Tarina looked down the platform and saw an equally tired
and ragged-looking group of people.
“The ore will be here in the next five minutes,” explained Travis. “You will put it in the empty cars on the train until there is no more to load. It is that simple. Work hard and you will live. Fail me and your back will feel the end of a whip.”
Tarina closed her eyes and said a quick prayer for herself and Wendy.
The rumbling sound of transports backing up was the signal that the macabre game was about to begin. The Chosen guards yelled at the prisoners the second the vehicles stopped and dumped their loads onto the platform. Whips cracked in the air as the warriors herded the two groups toward the piles of perlinium.
Tarina grabbed hold of a heavy rock and let out a grunt as she turned and shuffled to the nearest train car. She hurled the rock down inside and without hesitating, she made her way back to the ore and bent down to pick up another stone. Her back hurt already from the days of relentless digging for perlinium in the shafts dug throughout the mine. She gritted her teeth and took hold of the rock. They had barely begun and people were tripping over their feet and falling to the ground only to be kicked or whipped by the sadistic guards.
Tarina bit her lip to stifle a cry. It was going to be a long day, she thought.
An hour into the demeaning competition, a man who had been in the prison for months dropped to his knees and hung his head down. Travis walked over and pushed the man to the ground with the heel of his boot. “Can’t you get up, Sergeant? You’re not so tough now, are you?”
The man lay on the ground, silent and unmoving.
With a snarl, Travis hauled off and kicked the man in the ribs. Even from where she was near the train, Tarina heard several bones break from the savage blow. “I said get up!” screamed Travis. His eyes lit up like fires in the pits of hell.
“Go to hell,” replied the man as he struggled to get up on his knees.
A momentary look of hesitation flashed in Travis’ eyes. Tarina saw the look and right away knew the man was nothing more than a bully and a coward. He wasn’t used to people fighting back.
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