by Clare Dargin
“Just your basic series—flu shots, vitamins, C-2 Space Sickness, vaccine to various foreign viruses we just discovered along with your basic O.S. cryo soup.”
“Oh no, not again.”
Caitlin watched as the doctor walked over to the sink and washed her hands. As she observed the doctor, a familiar feeling began to rise in the back of her mind, causing her world to become fuzzy. Anxiety and doubt regarding her purpose in life dissolved, leaving only one purpose. To serve without question.
Chapter Nine
“Commander Berger, how go the repairs?” Keegan asked, entering the command deck. He tried to rid his mind of thoughts about his wife.
Berger checked his watch and then replied, “They are making the last of the system checks, and we’ll be set to go in four hours.”
“Very well,” Keegan replied, taking a seat in his chair. Feeling some semblance of control returning, he began to relax. “Crew status.”
“We are topped off and ready to go.”
“Excellent.”
Now only if he knew where they were going, everything would be perfect. Once again, Command was being cagey and very silent. In spite of his repeated requests, their only reply was to wait.
“Are we going to do the standard shakedown?” Berger asked.
“Looks like we don’t have to. Everything that could have come loose already has.”
“Yes, sir. Indeed it has.”
“Cap’n, flash reports coming down from Command,” a Sailor called out behind him.
“Very well, bring it down,” Keegan replied.
Flash reports tended to be reserved for initial enemy contact messages or operational combat messages of extreme urgency. Considering they were finally at peace, he wondered what could be the matter. A moment later, the Sailor handed him the scriv.
Keegan punched his code into the small handheld device and briefly scanned the communique.
“What is it?” Berger asked
“We have a request to board.”
“Who is it?”
“It doesn’t state.” Keegan sighed, knowing full well what it meant. “But the request comes directly from Command.”
Berger folded his arms. “Sounds like Halloween came early this year.”
“Yep, looks that way to me. We got ourselves a spook.”
The XO chuckled. “I wouldn’t worry about it. After all, what’s one more passenger?”
Keegan turned to the Sailor and stood. “Send back on general band, request granted. Once he’s on board, have him meet me in the fourth mid-deck meeting room. And alert the security team I need them to do a sweep for bugs. Berger, you have the conn.”
“Aye sir,” he replied.
“And get us out of here before someone else asks for a ride.”
“You got it. And by the way….”
Keegan paused as he headed for the door.
“Have fun.”
He shook his head ruefully. “I know I will.”
“You heard him, people. Let’s get out of here.” Berger ordered, standing in front of his chair. “Prepare to get underway.”
***
Hanging around the ship’s briefing room on the fourth mid-deck was not something Keegan was accustomed to doing. But it was better than having an intelligence officer snooping around his personal briefing room. No matter how he tried to shake it, he couldn’t drop the feeling he was being judged. Watched even. Maybe this new person was Command’s way of checking up on him. Either way, he wasn’t eager to meet him.
He strolled around the room and stopped in front of a logo painted on the wall. The words “Semper Fidelis” was written in large letters. It was the Corps’ motto, and his. Pride filled his heart knowing he was continuing in the tradition of the men and women who came before him. He knew whatever the Corps asked of him, he was ready to meet the challenge.
What if the challenge involved his wife? Threads of doubt spread throughout his mind. His life had been a mixed bag of blessings since they’d first met. When awakened from her cryo stasis, Caitlin had been tempestuous, headstrong, and annoying on more than one occasion. However, something in her caused him to see life through a different lens. One filled with family, love, and hope. And she gave that to him. They had each been married before, but both of their marriages had ended in tragedy. It made it easier for her to understand his pain. And he, hers. Though he, for the most part, did not desire to hear about her married life before him, on occasion, he’d listen and learn a bit more about her. It deepened his love for her and strengthened their marriage. What they had he kept deep within his heart. It was not to be share with the world.
Shaking his head slightly, he focused his thoughts on the task at hand. He was not at home, but aboard ship. And the crew needed a leader whose head was actually here, not somewhere pining over his wife. He went over his notes in his mind. As usual, they were sketchy. They always were when it came to VIPs who were specially transported in.
The hatch to the room slammed shut.
“Sir, Commander Ryan Gadison reporting.”
Approximately Keegan’s age and height, Gadison wore a dark blue double-breasted Navy uniform. In combination with his short, light brown hair and freshly shaven face, he looked like a man who had never done a hard day’s work in his life. A weary note of caution flickered in his mind. He’d seen him before. But where?
“It’s a pleasure, Commander,” he replied, shaking Gadison’s hand and pushing his reluctance aside. Keegan offered him a seat closest to the front of the room.
“Thank you. But first, I believe congratulations are in order. You are the CO now.” Gadison gestured around him. “That’s pretty amazing.”
It’s not that big a miracle.
Though he appreciated the sentiment, he frowned at the implication of not being qualified. He’d served for over twenty years, was a four star-rated carrier qualified pilot, naval postgraduate school and held more commands than he could count, so giving him the Blanchard wasn’t exactly a gimme despite what he’d done with Cate.
Deciding to play it cool, he bit back the sour taste on his tongue. “I am grateful, though it was through no fault of my own, I can assure you.”
“Couldn’t have happened to a better man.”
“I understand you have a guest accompanying you?” Keegan changed the subject. Why couldn’t he pinpoint where he’d met Gadison before?
“Yes, she is in medical.”
“Medical? Why?”
“Several species of unknown origin have attacked three of our installations,” Gadison explained.
“Which installations?”
“Kodiak, Argo Navis, and Potanus. Two are military installations and one is a research colony.”
Keegan stilled. Kodiak. Now he knew why Caitlin had been so silent about her last assignment. It hadn’t been a simple training mission. They were attacked. He clenched his fists. Why hadn’t she told him? Why hadn’t she come to him? But he stopped. Confidentiality was part of their job. Even though she’d been right not have confided in him, he couldn’t stop his worry.
“Our guess, and we think it’s a good one, is they were after the technology to make cryos.”
Keegan folded his arms across his chest. “Cryos? What led you to this conclusion?”
“Frankly, it was the targets. Especially the last one. They directed their actions at facilities used for cold weather warfare. But for the most part, no real damage was done. Potanus on the other hand, we’re not so sure.”
“What’s their status?”
“Unknown. But them hitting there was our biggest clue. Potanus is where we perfect the technology for cryo transformation.”
Sighing, Keegan calmed himself. Whenever he heard the word, he immediately thought of his wife and the dangerous life she led. A life he wanted her to leave far behind.
“They were probably looking for cryo soldiers, and when they found none, decided to try to research facility. That’s why we think the Verneans are behind th
e attack. They’ve been trying to get their grubby little hands on the technology ever since we whooped their asses on Tau Ceti.”
It was true. The Battle of Tau Ceti turned the tide of the war, in effect putting them on the defensive. Earth forces no longer had to hop from icy world to world, following the Verneans on an offensive that clearly benefited them. The terms had changed. Now Earth was in the lead.
Keegan pursed his lip. “Still it doesn’t make any sense. They have species who are specifically adapted to the cold. Why would they need our technology to convert someone into a cold-tolerant being?”
“Do you think they would allow us to maintain the upper hand? Besides you know the old saying, ‘if it’s good enough to have, it’s good enough to steal.’” Gadison folded his hands in front of him.
The man was right. War made you do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do.
“Maybe the species they have isn’t as cold tolerant as we think. To be honest, we don't know.”
“You said you have someone in medical?”
“Yes. She needs to be transported”
“Who is it?”
“Right now I cannot say.”
Keegan chuckled. “You know I can just go down there and find out.”
Gadison shifted in his seat, rubbing the base of his head. “I advise you not to do that.”
“Why?” Annoyance surged through him.
“Because we need this person to stay as anonymous as possible until the time is right.”
“Are you willing to tell me where we’re taking her?”
Gadison shook his head.
“This just keeps getting better and better. Commander, I don’t have time to float around space until you decide you can trust me. Either you will tell me where we are going or get yourself and your cargo another ride.”
“Colonel, I’m not doing this because it’s a game. I am under orders, and so are you. When the time is right, I will tell you everything you need to know. Until then it is important we cooperate with each other in a peaceful manner. Don’t you agree? Command does.”
Keegan fell silent. He did not see what choice he had in this matter. Gadison was right; orders were orders. He had to obey.
“Then we have an understanding?” Gadison asked, rising to his feet.
“For now,” he answered.
“Thank you, Colonel. Then, if you will excuse me, I have much to attend to.”
He stood as Gadison left the room. Keegan digested the news with much effort. He pinched the bridge of his nose. A dull throbbing pain thudded behind his eyes. It was as if each part of the day was trying to compete with the previous one for adding more stress to his life. He wondered if he had any black hairs left on his head, ’cause it was definitely turning white.
As he contemplated the rest of the day’s activities, he sat down and attempted to prioritize what he wanted to do against what he needed to do. It was the only mechanism he had to keep from feeling overwhelmed.
I don’t remember it being this tough.
Scratching his head, he wondered if he had been idealizing his skills and time in the Corps. Maybe he should have said no. He shook off that last thought quickly, knowing it was a case of nerves.
“Sir?” a soft voice, feminine and sweet, beckoned his attention. He knew the voice, like he knew himself. His heart skipped a beat.
Rising slowly from his chair, Keegan cleared his throat and straightened his uniform. Suddenly, the room seemed unbearably long as he walked the three feet or so to be near her.
As he took in every detail of her, he was stunned silent. She wore a Marine Corps uniform with Navy insignia, her hair neatly pinned off her neck and shoulders. Her clothes were pressed with a crease that could cut a major artery and her demeanor was impeccable. Something was not right.
Still, Caitlin was a sight for sore eyes. She was beautiful. Her petite frame was perfectly accented by the curves of her figure. And her coffee-brown skin was smooth, creamy.
Standing at attention, she did not meet his gaze. Though it was customary not to do as a sign of military courtesy, he could tell she was not doing it for that reason. Her gaze was different. Circling her, he tried to see if he could catch her watching him out of the corner of her eye. In fact, she appeared to be staring blankly ahead.
Peering directly at her, he spoke in a soft tone. “At ease.”
She relaxed.
“Cate. Can you hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” she responded mechanically.
Pain pierced his insides. She was definitely not there. Keegan placed his hands on his hips and hung his head in defeat. The one thing that was supposed to go right did not. For whatever reason, they had placed her in a deeper state of mental control than she’d ever been in. He controlled the hostile emotions brewing with him. Touching her face gently, he felt her icy skin.
This is unacceptable! Not here. I will not let this happen here. Not under my command.
“Chief, listen up,” he said in an authoritative tone. He knew in this state, it was the only way he could speak to her and still have her respond.
“Yes, sir.” Her gaze became even more distant.
Her response fueled his anger. “You are going to hightail it down to the doc and receive a full examination. Tell him it is based on my orders. He will know what to do. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
Knowing she was under the influence of cryo neurotransmitters, Keegan figured the only way to combat it was to get someone to reverse it. They usually wore off once she was away from the stimulus triggers for a long period of time. But considering her stimulus triggers were high-ranking officers in uniform and combat situations, being around here meant she was going to be in a drone zone for a very long time. The last thing he needed was a zombie on board, especially one in charge of the lives others.
Only the jerks in psyche warfare thought doing this to someone would be a good idea. As long as he was running the ship, none of that would be allowed. There weren’t going to be any super zombies soldiers on board his ship. And he’d roll over in his grave before he let them do it to his wife.
“After you finish with the doc, you will report to me, understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Are there any questions?”
“No, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
She did an about face before leaving the room. Keegan clasped his hands behind his back. In the blink of an eye, his joy had turned to sorrow. Now faced with the responsibility of looking after his wife, he wondered how could he handle the burden of command and still protect the woman he loved.
Chapter Ten
Caitlin learned early in her training to rely on Command. Not only the chain of command but the Command in which she worked and specialized. Spec Warfare was her home. It provided vision, leadership, doctrinal guidance, resources, and oversight to ensure the special operations forces like hers were ready to meet the requirements of their jobs. She hoped they, too, would develop that same reliance on the men and women in Cryo Command.
She stood stoically before them, determined to lead them properly. Still, butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily upon her shoulders. This was no training mission. From this point on, they were operational.
“We have been tasked to the Blanchard for the duration of our deployment,” Caitlin stated firmly to the team. “For some of you, this is the first time you’ve gone operational, and for others, this is your first season as a cryo operator. Well, I’m here to tell you your past experiences in other units no longer matter. Our work in this team is completely different. I don’t need to tell you it is also classified, so keep your mouths shut.”
“You may have noticed my change of appearance,” she said, referring to her uniform. They were all wearing their Navy service uniform, while she was wearing a Marine. “No, I haven’t gone to the other side. Because we are tasked to a Fleet Marine Vessel, Command thought it best for the sa
ke of continuity that I wear Marine standards in accordance with most of the staff. But take note, the insignia is all Navy.”
The group chuckled.
“Jesswan will be your squad leader. You will report to him for assignments and duties and uniforms of the day. The key to surviving as a cryo is not just tolerating the cold but loving it. We only work in severely cold weather. If it ain’t fifty below, we aren’t going. Most of your time will be spent training and increasing your endurance. When you are not working or training, you will be here in our area. Our mess or eating rotation is posted outside my quarters. For now, you will not fraternize with the rest of the crew. Periodically, you will go topside and check in with the doc to monitor your vitals. Basically, it’s to see if you are regressing. We don’t want you going normal and freezing to death in your sleep. Your room temps are set for your optimum performance, so don’t mess with them. We eat together, sleep together, and play together—we are our own little family.”
Motioning to a pile of scrivs on the desk in front of her, she continued. “On these are our unit’s specs. It’s who we are. Learn it. We aren’t the beginning, but we are the future. You all chose to be here, and the life starts now.” She allowed the words to sink in. “I know you will make me proud. And I know all of the cryos who went before us would be proud of you, too. Questions?”
The room remained silent.
“Excellent. All right, everyone, what’s our motto?”
“Ice and Peace!” they responded with a shout.
“All right, dismissed. Enjoy your free time. It’ll be the last you’ll have for a while.”
Jesswan called the group to attention. Caitlin nodded at them and walked out of the room.
It was time to head up to the infirmary and have a checkup per orders of the ship’s captain.
***
“May I help you, ma’am,” the corpsman asked Caitlin as she stood in front of his desk.
The waiting room of the main infirmary was not crowded. A few people waited their turn to see a physician but most did not appear too eager to go in. With her attention firmly affixed onto the corpsman’s rank and insignia, she acted on her orders.