As they stepped onto the bridge, the Raider boarding party was wide-eyed to find themselves facing eight Nordakians, all of whom were flashing in colors of orange and red. There were no weapons in sight, but the Raiders continued to train theirs on the bridge crew nevertheless.
"I'm Commander Pasquale of the Hell Fire," the XO said as he removed his helmet. "Do you surrender this vessel?"
"What is the Hell Fire?" Vejrezzol asked.
"It's a Raider destroyer. Now, do you surrender this vessel?"
"And why have you chosen to attack this ship?"
"We don’t allow competing companies to operate in our territories. Do you surrender?"
"Competing companies? We're not in competition with you or any other company. We are on a religious pilgrimage."
"Religious pilgrimage? You killed dozens of people on Dakistee."
Four more Raiders entered the bridge as the airlock completed its cycle.
"They were all infidels," Vejrezzol said. "It was done in the name of God, so it is permissible. For our acts, we shall ascend to paradise and sit at the feet of Nallick, as shall all true sons of the Most Holy."
"You believe that murdering innocent people reserves a place in paradise for you? You're even sicker than some of our people who kill because they enjoy it."
"Blasphemer!" Vejrezzol screamed. "Infidel! You shall die for your words."
Vejrezzol pushed aside his cloak. As his hand came up, Pasquale saw that it contained a lattice pistol. He threw himself to the side as Vejrezzol fired a three-round burst. Only one struck Pasquale, while the other two rounds struck the man standing behind him. The men on either side of Pasquale were on Vejrezzol in an instant. Their heavy EVA suits helped drive him to the deck while the other Raiders covered the rest of the crewmen. Once disarmed, all Vejrezzol could do was scream oaths and obscenities as he urged his followers to disregard the weapons pointed at them and rush the Raiders. None were so foolhardy as he.
As Pasquale climbed to his feet, he looked down at the breastplate on his EVA suit. The metal re-breather unit had stopped the lattice round cold. A laser would have burned through in an instant, but lattice rounds couldn't penetrate anything solid. The man behind Pasquale had taken one hit to his re-breather and one to his helmet. He was also fine.
"Captain," Pasquale said to his com link, "we have eight Nordakian prisoners. We'll need eight extra-large stasis beds in order to transport them to the ship."
"Nordakians?"
"Yes, sir. They claim to be on a holy pilgrimage."
"Holy…"
"Yes, sir. They see killing everyone who doesn't believe as they do a holy crusade."
"To each their own," the Captain said. "The beds are as good as on their way. Did the Nordakians give you any trouble?"
"Nothing we couldn't handle, sir."
When the new slaves were safely loaded aboard the Hell Fire, Pasquale called for instructions.
"I've assigned a team of six engineers to replace the FTL generator," Captain Permenans said, "and the rest of our engineering staff has been sent to begin sealing the hull so it can be pressurized. With any luck, we'll be out of here and headed for Raider Four within a couple of days. You'll remain aboard as Captain until we reach our base."
"Aye, sir. Pasquale out."
Captain Permenans was awakened in the middle of the night when his bed began shaking violently. A second later, alarms began sounding in his quarters and the corridors. He made it to the bridge in eighteen seconds. Still in his pajamas, he shouted, "What is it?" at his second officer.
"It's the freighter, sir. It just exploded!"
* * *
Chapter Twenty-One
~ October 26th, 2285 ~
"You're exhausted, Madu," Christa said. "You should go get some rest. You've identified the people who must be awakened. The computer can do the rest."
"I know. I just want to be here in case something goes wrong."
"I know the feeling, but you need rest. It was a very long solar, and the new solar actually began some time ago. If we were on the surface, we could have enjoyed the sunrise and had breakfast already."
"You should talk," Madu said with a weak smile. "You look like you've been up for several solars without any rest."
"But I'm used to it. The activity never stops aboard ship. When an officer isn't on watch, there're meetings and conferences, training sessions, and self-studies. We have to stay on top of everything going on in Space Command and be prepared to meet any situation or emergency. Meal times in the officers' mess are sometimes the only chance we get to socialize. And when I can find some free time, I like to spend it in the gym."
"That sounds terrible. It sounds like all you do is work, sleep, and eat. Why do you do it?"
"I guess because I love it. As on any job, there are times when you experience frustration, but most of the time I feel like I make a difference in the Galactic Alliance. For example, my efforts in solving the mystery of opening this facility has led to finding one hundred eighty thousand people entombed for twenty thousand years— people who will shortly join the citizens of the GA and again be able to enjoy life. You can't put a price tag on something like that."
"If I'd had any lingering doubts that you intended to awaken all my people, they would have been expelled just now. The way your face lights up when you talk about your job speaks volumes. I can usually recognize when someone is lying or hiding something, and I also recognize sincerity when I see it."
"Then look at my face when I say, "You need rest. Come on, I'll walk with you to the dorms. Did I hear your assistant say he had set up a room for you?"
"Yes. How about you?"
"The Marines reserved a room for me in their dorm area."
The two women joined the awakened sleepers who were walking to the elevator with escorts. Christa had arranged for dorm spaces to be opened up to accommodate the Dakistians. She had also assigned Carmoody to see that the Dakistians were not disturbed by the Loudescott people, so the archeological people were in a separate wing and would not be allowed access to the Dakistian wing. The dozen Dakistians working on the problem with the rising water could move back and forth between the Vault level and the Housing level, but the others could not go back down once they went up.
Despite her weariness, sleep didn't come easily to Christa. The problems with the rising water, which had been slowed but not stopped, the unknown situation outside the facility, and the known situation inside all kept her tossing and turning. Thus far, the archeologists had remained somewhat subdued despite their eagerness to interview, and probe, every Dakistian. Christa had made it known that protocol breeches would be dealt with severely, but she didn't know how long that would keep them at bay.
* * *
"The situation on Dakistee has stabilized somewhat," Councilman Ahil Fazid said as he stood at the table and read his report on the operation. "At last word, the Hell Fire had engaged the freighter from which the fighters had come and destroyed it's FTL temporal generator. The Captain announced his intention to pursue once he had recovered all his fighters. Without FTL, the freighter can't possibly escape, and even if they employ tugs, their maximum speed will be only Light-75.
"Most of our people on the ground have returned to their previous positions around the planet. A core fighting force remains in a hidden location a thousand kilometers from Loudescott ready to return should they be needed, and a few key personnel are still at the site."
As Fazid sat down, Chairman Strauss said, "Ahil, how do you feel about this operation?"
"Feel, Arthur?"
"Yes. We never expected this other force to intervene during our assault. Were they aware of our plan and intervened only to disrupt us, or was it coincidental?"
"I don't think we can know that until Captain Permenans has a chance to interview the freighter crew."
"Despite this setback," Councilwoman Erika Overgaard said, "do you still expect to achieve the intended goals?"
"Certainly no
t all of them. The intervening attack drew far too much attention to Loudescott. By this time, I imagine almost every Marine on the planet is bivouacked at the dig site, and Space Command probably has two dozen ships on their way to the planet. But part of our plan might still succeed. Simply learning what Carver discovered inside and being in position to confiscate it, or part of it, after the forces are drawn down could make the operation a huge success."
* * *
"We have an urgent message from Admiral Holt," Admiral Moore said to the assembled Admiralty Board. He nodded to his aide and the full wall monitor lit up with the head-and-shoulders image of Admiral Holt.
After the message had played, Admiral Moore said, "As you can see, the situation is serious. Although we believe it was the religious dissidents, we must remain open to the idea that it might have been Raiders again. If they're feeling bold enough to attack a planet this close to the center of Region One then we have good cause to worry."
"Admiral Holt made no mention of Commander Carver in his message," Admiral Platt said. "Do we know if she's safe, or has she perhaps fallen into the hands of the Raiders?"
"I have no other information in that regard," Admiral Moore said.
"Leave it to Carver to get us involved in another serious mess," Admiral Hubera said.
"Commander Carver can hardly be held accountable for an attack on our outpost at Loudescott," Admiral Bradley said.
"Wherever one of the Carvers is located, you can be sure trouble will follow. We ought to assign them all to Border Patrol duty along our border with the Aguspod," Hubera grumbled.
"The Carvers are frequently at the center of trouble because dangerous and sensitive assignments require the talents of the best and brightest," Admiral Hillaire said. "Assigning even one of them to patrol duty along a border would be akin to locking a fine piece of artwork in a dark closet where no one ever saw it."
"When I met with Carver on Dakistee, I knew we'd have trouble there. She should be on her way back to Region Two."
"You were on Dakistee recently?" Admiral Moore asked. "Is that where you went on the short vacation you took?"
"Uh, it was a small side trip. I went to Belagresue for a couple of days and visited Dakistee on an inspection visit because the Murray was available to provide transportation for the four-day round trip."
"Inspection visit?" Admiral Burke said. "Since when are you authorized to perform inspections at any of my bases without prior approval from this board?"
"I wasn't inspecting a base. I was merely checking up on Carver."
"And since when have you been authorized to check up on an officer in another chain of command?" Admiral Platt asked.
"I was only trying to ascertain if the situation on Dakistee warranted more investigation or not. That's the responsibility of this Board, after all. I was only doing my job."
"In the future, Donald, you should refrain from making inspection visits unless directly authorized by this Board," Admiral Moore said.
Admiral Hubera grumbled something and nodded, his eyes on the table in front of him.
* * *
Captain Permenans entered the small interview room next to the brig and stared at the captive there.
Vejrezzol, wearing Raider restraints, was seated at the only table, his hands locked against his waist and his ankles locked to each other. A guard wearing a stun baton stood at either shoulder, but they were hardly necessary. The pain that could be instantly administered through the collar was enough to convince any prisoner not to resist his captors. Vejrezzol had already felt the pain a dozen times as his guards, in response to strings of vile curses, administered attitude-correction measures.
"Are you ready to talk now?" Permenans asked, "or should I return later after you've received more— training."
"When I reach paradise, Nallick will have an honored place set aside for me because I've resisted your tortures."
"The collars don't permanently harm your body, so they won't speed you on your way to your Nallick, but no one can withstand the pain indefinitely. You will answer my questions. If you answer now, you save yourself the pain. But if you insist on being stubborn, I can wait."
"Then wait in Hell."
Permenans nodded at the guard and held up two fingers. The guard immediately issued a level two shock. Vejrezzol screamed as the pain shot through his body, and he soiled himself— again.
"I'll return a little later to see if you've changed your mind. If you're hoping for pity, you can forget it. You'll receive none here. We'll treat you just as you treated those civilians on Dakistee."
Vejrezzol tried to answer, but his mouth and tongue refused to follow his wishes.
Permenans smiled and said, "We'll talk again later," then left the room.
* * *
Christa spent part of the day examining the work of the engineers responsible for stopping the leaking water. It seemed like every time they stopped one, another appeared somewhere else. Aboard ship, there were numerous materials for stopping leaks of air, such as self-sealing membranes and injection gels that solidified within seconds, but there were no such materials available in the facility. They used cloth rags, clothing, or anything else they could jam, wedge, or pack into openings and then braced the openings with wood or metal foraged from everywhere. So far, the effort was adequate and pumps were keeping the Vault deck clear by moving the water into sink drains.
Christa still hadn't completed her investigation of the facility, so when her other duties were handled, she and Carmoody resumed their explorations.
* * *
Over the course of the next week, Christa and Grace visited every room in the complex that hadn't been visited before. They discovered some interesting technology, but nothing illegal or completely unique. Christa decided the archeologists could tour the facility, as long as they didn't annoy the Dakistians or attempt to take samples of the equipment or furnishings.
* * *
"Before we begin today," Admiral Moore said, "I want you to view a message from Admiral Carver." Admiral Moore nodded to his aide, who then started the playback.
A head and shoulders image of Admiral Carver filled the full wall monitor as her words played in the CT of every officer or the earpiece of anyone who didn't have an ID chip.
"Greeting from Region Two. Everything is well here, or at least as good as we have a right to expect as we struggle to establish control over this territory and that of Region Three.
"My message today concerns the events on Dakistee. Admiral Holt was gracious enough to extend the hospitality of his command while Commander Carver carried out her special assignment in his deca-sectors. For this reason, Commander Christa Carver has been forwarding copies of all reports to him at Higgins, and he has had the authority to modify her orders as needed. However, Commander Carver recently reported that another officer attempted to alter the orders I issued. I regret that it's taken so long for you to learn of this, but the distance between Earth and Quesann makes more timely messages impossible.
"On October 22nd of this year, Admiral Hubera visited Dakistee for the purpose of grilling Commander Carver. At the conclusion of the session, he ordered her to immediately terminate her investigation and return to Region Two on the next available transport.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sure you understand the seriousness of Admiral Hubera's actions. He had no authority to issue orders which directly countermanded my orders. I therefore accuse him of tampering with my command. The formal charges, prepared by the Judge Advocate General's office on Quesann, provide the complete details and are appended to this message, as is the message I received from Commander Carver immediately after the incident. Admiral Holt advised her to ignore the order from Admiral Hubera as he had clearly exceeded his authority, and she has remained on Dakistee to conclude her investigation."
Admiral Hubera, whose mouth had been working with increasing rapidity, although nothing had come out as the message played, suddenly jumped up from his seat and began scream
ing at the monitor as if Jenetta could hear his tirade. "I'm a member of the Admiralty Board and I'm fully within my rights to interrogate any officer or non-com in Space Command you, you…" Hubera grabbed at his chest and fell back into his chair where he fumbled in his pocket for medicine. He slipped a tiny pill into his mouth and sat back, his face a pasty color.
"Are you alright, Donald?" Admiral Moore asked. "Do you need medical assistance?"
"No, I'll be okay in a minute," he mumbled.
Admiral Moore waited until Admiral Hubera's complexion returned to its normal ruddy color and he had sat up in his chair before giving the order to continue with vid message. The next part was a copy of the message submitted to Admiral Carver by Lt. Commander Carver. Nine of the admirals present watched and listened closely.
When the message was over, Admiral Moore said, "Admiral Hubera, we previously became aware of the fact that you made a surprise inspection visit to Dakistee without authorization from this board, but you neglected to mention that you issued countermanding orders to an officer in another chain of command."
"All I did was question Carver about her efforts on Dakistee."
"You deny that you ordered her to terminate her investigation before it was complete and return by the next available transport to Quesann?"
Hubera was silent for a minute, and then said, "I did nothing wrong and I shall present my defense at the proper time."
"Very well. Due to the serious nature of the charges and the evidence presented against you, I'm obligated to suspend you from further participation on this board until the charges have been resolved. I recommend that you either avail yourself of the services of the JAG office or retain private council for representation. Do you have anything to say at this time?"
"I have plenty to say. These charges are ludicrous. I have never exceeded my authority as a member of this board. I take my duties seriously and know the extent of my rights and powers. This will be amply demonstrated at the proper time."
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