by Clare Dargin
Bishop approached him, wearing scrubs. “Don’t worry, Colonel. We’re ready for them.”
Speechless and touched, all Keegan could do was nod.
***
Lieutenant Zale Melbyrne and his team, a combat, search, and rescue unit, climbed out of their Harsh Terrain Snow Tractor. Veterans to these environments, they were primed to find the missing cryo squad. Looking around the land, all Zale could see was a flat plain of snow and blinding sunlight reflecting off it.
“All right, you know the drill. Fan out,” he ordered as he and the rest of his team pulled out their ImSensor Devices.
Dropped at the cryo team’s landing zone about a half kilometer away, they used the tractor’s long-range sensors to detect any pulsed frequencies in the area. Buried in the clutter of the planet’s magnetic field, they would be difficult to find without the right equipment. What made it tough was his uncertainty regarding the number of people with rescue beacons in them.
Colonel Keegan insisted at least one had an implant and if they found her, they get the others, too. Which was good, because he wasn’t big on leaving people behind.
“Bingo!” PFC Kardel called out. “Hot damn, I’m on fire. LT, I found one of them.”
Bounding toward him in the high drifts, Zale knelt down and helped cleared away the thick layers of snow. Coming upon a bit of exposed fabric, he removed the rest and grinned.
“Hello, beautiful. I know someone who’s going to be happy to see you.” Standing, he gestured to the ground around them. “We have the leader. The others will be close by.”
***
The cheers from members of the crew rang out in the corridors as the cryo team members were carried in one by one, still in deep hibernation. Doctor Bishop and his team went immediately to work, reviving them.
Bishop searched for Caitlin. It didn’t take him long. Keegan found her first and gripped her lifeless body in panic. Bishop rushed over to his friend and his wife. He worked on her first.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Caitlin gasped and lurched forward as heat, pain, light, air, and adrenaline hit her all at once. Her body convulsed back and forth, out of her control. She could feel someone or something holding her down while the feeling of something being inserted into her skin shot through her.
Something screeched in the distance as more light came into focus overhead. Instinctively, she reached forward and grabbed the person holding her down, terrified.
“No!” she screamed. Images of the last battle raged through her mind. She had to save her team. Had to get back to Medoro. With both hands and an unknown strength, she tossed the person aside. A loud crash and thud sounded, and she flailed about as more people grasped her arms and legs.
She tossed the next person aside and attempted to sit up. Yet another held her wrists down; this time it was impossible for her to move against the steel-like grip.
“No!” She used all her strength to at least sit up and get whoever it was away from her. Trying to break free, she attempted to reach for her knife, but found she couldn’t move. “No!”
“Cate!”
Frantically, she kept fighting with her captor.
“No,” she roared, this time breaking free. Still unable to see clearly, she slid off the bed and stumbled, unsure of where she was going.
“Get me 40 CCs of Zallacine stat!” A voice said.
Panicking, she did not know who that was or what it meant. Either way, she refused to be taken alive and reached for a sharp object she could barely make out in front of her. Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind and felt a prick in her skin.
“Cate!”
Her gaze followed the voice. Losing what was left of her vision, she stared wide-eyed and unfocused.
Her body stiffened, causing her to bend backward like plastic. Another shot and her muscles released.
Someone shook her. “Honey, listen to me.”
She studied the hands then the face came into focus. Medoro. She trembled and blinked.
“Medoro?” she asked in between pants.
He nodded. “Yes, it’s me.”
“Medoro?”
“Yes.”
She relaxed and released her grip. Twitching and shivering, she looked him in the eye. “Where am I? What happened?”
***
Dressed in warm dry clothes, Caitlin sipped her tea, trying to wet her endlessly dry mouth. Sitting on a stretcher, she refused to look around. There was nothing she wanted to see.
“Where’s my team, Doctor Bishop?”
“They’re taking a little bit longer, but they’re going to be fully revived. They will pull through. This is their first hibernation, so it’s going to be a little harder to wake them.”
She nodded. “Wake them now. I promised them they would all come back.”
“Don’t worry, they will,” he said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
Caitlin let out a relieved sigh, wondering when her husband would return. “Thank you.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Caitlin and her team, tired and sore, stood before hundreds of members of the crew, Colonel Keegan, and Commander Berger in the main hangar bay. Dressed in all her finery, General Hollis approached them.
“Chief Driskoll,” she said into the microphone set up for the occasion, “what your team did for this ship, for your planet was above and beyond the call of duty. Not only did you take out an enemy aboard ship, you managed to stop an entire fire squad and retrieve vital information. We are grateful to you for your service, and we are most proud to have each of you as part of our family.”
Cheers erupted from the crowd. Unable to fathom the acceptance, Caitlin fought to hold back tears. She snuck a glance at Keegan, noting the pride in his eyes.
“I now award you and your team the Marine Expeditionary Medal and the Medal of Valor.”
After each team member was presented with the ribbons and the medals, they stood at attention, then saluted the general and the command staff behind her.
Hollis returned their salute then approached Caitlin and smiled. “Thank you.”
***
Alone in her room, Caitlin examined the small medals. She could not help but think of her old friend John Beller who had died doing exactly what she did but was never mentioned. She thought of the hardships she’d endured as a trainee and the fear that constantly haunted her.
Her team had depended on her for their lives, and they’d come back alive. All of it was a miracle for her. Except her time was over. She could only look forward to the future with her husband.
“Knock, knock,” Jesswan said, standing in the doorway.
“Come in.” She placed the medal in a small box on her desk. “Yes?”
Grinning from ear to ear, he stood in front of her. “Not bad for a bunch of newbies, huh?”
She couldn’t be more proud of them, but then she didn’t want their one victory going to their heads. “We got lucky. That’s all. We just got lucky.”
“I don’t know.” He smirked. “It seems like an omen.”
“What kind?” she asked, rolling her eyes.
“The kind that says this is the beginning of something great.”
“Get out of my sight, Jesswan. Leave now before I have you thrown in the brig.”
Her team leader walked off laughing.
***
Keegan sauntered into his quarters and turned on the lights. He was utterly exhausted. He had given Berger the bridge, which allowed him some time to relax and recharge. For now, they were headed to back to their normal patrol area and back to their battle group to rejoin the rest of the fleet.
Though the mission was over, a question raged on his mind. What was next? Did he really want this life? Did he really want to stay? After what happened with Cate…he just wasn’t sure if he wanted to make that kind of a decision again. It’d given him a scare when Melbyrne’s team had reported finding Cailtin’s team in hibernation. Keegan had left Wacian too late. He could have lost her. Would
she ever forgive him? He’d had no choice as the commander of the ship, but as her husband? He shuddered.
“Colonel, may I come in?” Berger asked.
“Sure, come on in,” Keegan said.
“Thanks.” Berger closed the door behind him.
“Have a seat.
Berger smiled. “I just wanted to say it has been an honor to serve under you.”
“Thank you.” He poured himself a drink. After all that had transpired, he believed he’d earned it.
“Your wife is a remarkable woman.”
Keegan smiled. She was special, and he was lucky to have her.
“You know you’re the talk of the fleet,” Berger added.
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“At least this time, it’s something good.”
“I guess you’re right.” Keegan lifted the glass to his mouth then thought better of it. He was fine without it. He set the glass on the table in front of him.
“Gerald,” Keegan said, with his hand outstretched. “Thank you for stepping up. I’m not sure what’s going to happen next, but it has been a pleasure.”
“You’re welcome, sir. I’d serve with you anytime.”
The two shook hands.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to return to the bridge.”
“Very well.”
Keegan sat down in the chair across from his desk and stretched his legs out. Against the odds, they had worked together as a team and accomplished the mission successfully. He could not ask for anything more.
A knock at the door interrupted his moment of peace.
“Come in.” He stood up this time.
Caitlin walked in along with Doctor Bishop. Keegan didn’t know what to make of their visit.
“Hi,” he said, flustered.
He loved her, but guilt pounded at him. He wondered if he could ever look her in the eye again.
“Sorry to disturb you, Colonel.” Bishop closed the door behind him. “As any good doctor would do, I like to personally handle my patient’s follow-up.”
“Of course,” Keegan said, offering them a seat.
“First, I would like to offer my congratulations, not only for your wife’s medals but yours as well. I heard over the transom, that not only did you get this ship awarded for meritorious valor under combat, but you were awarded as well.”
He peeked at his wife and frowned. Instead of angry and hurt, she seemed to be glowing. “I don’t know, I hadn’t even checked.”
“Well, I did and believe me, this ship will have more ribbons on it than a Memorial Day parade.”
“If it helps the crew then I gladly receive them” Keegan stared at his wife. She winked at him.
Bishop handed him the scriv. “I also would like to inform you your wife is in good health, but is no longer on active duty per my orders.”
Keegan stumbled backward. “Really? How? Why?”
“For a couple of reasons. First, her body can’t take another beating like that. Besides, if it could, I would not recommend it. And I’ve given her the serum that will start to ease her off the cryo drugs, thereby reversing her condition.”
Speechless, Keegan closed the distance to his wife, not caring if his behavior might not be appropriate. He gripped her elbow with his free hand. Caitlin nodded with a big grin.
“You can do that?”
“Yes, I can and I’ve already done it.”
“That is the best news I’ve heard—”
“I had to,” Bishop said, interrupting him. “Those drugs aren’t good for the baby.”
The scriv in his hand fell to the floor. “The baby?” Keegan’s heart lurched into his throat.
“Yes, your wife is expecting. But nothing to fear, so far mother and child are fine. And in order to keep them that way, I’m effectively ending her career.”
Keegan gathered her in his embrace. As she wrapped her arms around him, he could feel all of misgivings melted away.
Bishop cleared his throat. “I always seem to catch you two in the middle of these things, so if you’ll excuse me….”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Keegan said, not bothering to watch him leave. He looked intently into his wife’s shining eyes. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.” She nodded. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Are you happy?”
His mouth fell open before he gave her a warm, affectionate kiss. “Yes. Of course. A baby. We’re going to have a baby.”
“Yes!”
He drew back and settled a hand on her flat stomach. Wonder bombarded him. “How far along are you? When did you know?”
“He just told me before he told you and not far along. I guess it happened when we were together before you left.”
Keegan held her tightly once again then released her suddenly. “Oh my God. What did I do? I left you there. I could have killed you. I could have killed our child.” Anguish ran through him as he fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her legs. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
She shushed him and stroked his hair. “I’m fine. The baby is fine. You did the right thing. And you came back for me. That is the most important thing. You came back for me.”
She beckoned him to rise. Nose to nose, they nuzzled each other.
“What are we going to do now?” she asked with a whisper.
For him, the answer was simple; it was time to go home, but could he? He still had his tour of duty to complete, even though Caitlin held everything he’d ever wanted, gave him everything he’d ever wanted. Not wanting to ruin the moment, he decided not to tell her.
He chuckled. “First, let’s get you back to port, then we’ll talk.”
“We have a lot to plan.” She nodded in agreement as he took her into his arms and kissed her.
“Indeed, we do.”
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
Clare Dargin is an author of Science Fiction and Military Science Fiction Romance. She has been writing stories all of her life before being published in 2007. She is a great fan of all things science fiction and romance and loves promoting the genre.
She is an educator by profession and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from a major mid-western university. She presently resides in the Midwestern United States and is pursuing a graduate degree. In the future she hopes to expand her writings to include non-fiction, historical romance, and contemporary novels.
You can visit Clare at:
www.claredargin.host22.com
Kybernatia
A Wiccan descendent of a notorious victim of the Salem witch trials, Tessa Ledger is Kybernatia was supposed to be humanity’s newest paradise but that dream is all but gone. Ruined in an horrible terra forming accident, the planet was deemed no longer fit for humanity. Gabrielle Burle, project manager for the development of the planet, was forced out of her job as a veil of secrecy suddenly shrouded the planet.
Determined to find the truth, Gabrielle goes on a journey of discovery that leads to the one man with all the answers.
Cold Warriors
The Cold Warriors Universe – Book One
Left in cryogenic stasis for nearly a century, Caitlin Driskoll is awakened and drafted into a war she knows nothing about. Expected to defend a world where her kind is despised and expendable, she discovers love and respect from the one man who can’t be associated with her.
Lieutenant Colonel Medoro Keegan has spent a lifetime in the Marines. With no family to speak of, the Corps and his ship, the USS Blanchard, are all the loved ones he needs…until Caitlin sparks a fire within, that threatens to consume him if he doesn’t walk away.
Will he choose a life of certainty in the only world he knows or give it all to Caitlin and run the risk of losing someone, yet again?
Contents
Title page
Glossary of Terms
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter
Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~