by Linn Schwab
“So there’s still a chance for us,” Dr. Whelan said. “If we can just somehow manage to come up with a vaccine.”
“Could you do that, Doc?” Gunther asked him.
“Perhaps. But not with the resources we have on board. So, we can either ask to be supplied with what we need, or … and I’m really hesitant to suggest this … we could head back to the Livingstone and attempt to perform our research there. It has all the laboratory equipment we’d require. We’d just need to make sure we have a sample of the virus.”
“Sounds very risky,” Gunther said. “Our choices seem to run from bad to worse. What would you suggest, Captain Starling? You know your people better than we do. Can we expect to receive any assistance from them?”
Robin looked beside her and reached for Sheri’s hand. She could still feel the heat pouring off of her body, from the treatment employed to help heal her wound. It was warning enough about what might happen if the researchers got their hands on the Triton’s crew. “Take my advice, Captain Lowell,” she said. “Return to the Livingstone while you still can, and come back to us after you’ve found a cure. If Sentinel Command finds out about your people, I’m not sure they’ll have your best interests in mind.”
“You’re suggesting they’d want to use us as guinea pigs,” Gunther said. “Thank you, Captain Starling. I appreciate your honesty.”
“You said if Sentinel Command finds out about us,” Connor observed. “Does that mean you’re willing to keep our existence a secret?”
“Yes,” Robin answered. “If that’s what you want.”
“What about those enemy cruisers?” Gunther asked. “If we try to go back the same way we just came, we could be vulnerable to attack.”
“We’ll come with you as far as we can,” Robin promised. “You’re the best chance we have of restoring our human population. The best hope we have for the future of our planet. We’ll do everything we can to keep you safe.”
Gunther looked at each of his advisors, then said, “Would you mind remaining here a while longer, Captain Starling, in case we have any more questions for you? I’d like to talk this over with some of the others before we decide what we’re going to do.” He led his advisors out of the control room and stopped inside the adjacent corridor.
“So, what are you thinking?” Dr. Whelan asked him.
“I want to talk to that pilot again,” Gunther said. “To see if she corroborates what Captain Starling just told us. We should try to find a way to keep those girls occupied so I can speak with Lieutenant Scot without their knowledge. Connor, why don’t you bring some of the kids back up here and encourage them to strike up a conversation. Especially the boys who are close to their age. That ought to keep them distracted for a while.”
“Good thinking,” Connor said, and ran off to get started.
The others resumed walking toward the bridge together. “If I may,” Henrik said, “I have a suggestion. Before the opportunity slips away from us.”
“And what would that be?” Gunther asked him.
“That we not place our fate in the hands of someone so young.”
Gunther stopped in his tracks and spun around to look him directly in the eyes. “Just what exactly are you suggesting, Henrik?”
“I’m suggesting we take control of the Cricket, before Captain Starling and her crew have a chance to depart.”
“You want us to take their ship,” Gunther said.
“It’s the only defense we’ve got,” Henrik argued.
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this,” Dr. Whelan complained. “After what they’ve just offered to do for us, this is how you want to repay them?”
“We’re talking about our survival, here,” Henrik said. “Think about your wife and daughter, Gunther. And all the other people on board the Triton. Do you feel comfortable entrusting their lives to Captain Starling? Or would you rather see a crew of grown men aboard that ship?”
Gunther found himself at a loss for words, but Dr. Whelan remained adamantly opposed to the idea. “We have no idea how to operate their ship, Henrik.”
“So we’ll persuade them to show us.”
“And what about the virus?” the doctor countered. “I’m not convinced you’re thinking this all the way through, Henrik. Any men who go in there are going to be exposed. And if we’re to believe Captain Starling, that’s a death sentence for them.”
“Yes,” Henrik said. “I realize that. Naturally we’d have to ask for volunteers, or agree to draw lots to determine who goes.”
“But even then,” Gunther said, “we’d have no way of knowing how long it would take them to become proficient with the ship’s controls. Who among us can say how long these girls have been training? It could be weeks, or months, or even years, for all we know.”
“Why don’t we ask Lieutenant Scot? She might be able to give us some idea what’s involved.”
Gunther turned away from him and headed for the bridge.
“At least consider it!” Henrik insisted.
“Eric,” Gunther said as he entered the bridge, “have you heard anything more from Lieutenant Scot?” Henrik and Dr. Whelan walked in right behind him.
“She’s sweeping a broad arc out in front of us right now. So far no sign of those enemy cruisers.”
“Let me speak to her,” Gunther said. He leaned in close to the microphone. “Lieutenant Scot, this is Captain Lowell. I have some questions for you. Are you still out there?”
“I hear you, Captain Lowell. Go ahead.”
“If what Captain Starling just explained to us is true, this isn’t a good time for us to return to Valhalla. Something about a weaponized virus attack. Can you confirm her account of what happened there?”
“I’m afraid so, Captain. What she told you is true. If you have other options, you might want to consider them.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. One more thing. Since proceeding to Valhalla presents us with a problem, it seems likely we’ll be returning the same way we just came. With those enemy cruisers lurking about, that puts us at risk of coming under attack. Captain Starling has graciously offered to escort us, but it’s been suggested we might be better off by replacing her, and manning the Cricket with our own personnel.”
“I wouldn’t advise that, Captain Lowell. Robin has combat experience. Do you?”
Gunther exchanged a quick glance with Henrik, who seemed genuinely stunned by what he’d just heard. “Point taken, Lieutenant,” he said to Virginia. “Thank you for your input. Triton out.”
Henrik turned to Dr. Whelan for support. “She can’t be serious, can she? She’s just saying that so we won’t take the ship.”
The doctor shrugged and said, “How would we know? Perhaps it’s best if we follow her advice.”
“Gunther,” Henrik argued, “this is crazy. Whether she has combat experience or not, I’m still not convinced it’s a good idea to place our lives in the hands of a thirteen year old girl.”
“No,” Gunther agreed, “it’s not a good idea. In this case however, I’m inclined to believe it’s the right decision. If the Sentinel Fleet have entrusted her with a warship, who are we to question their judgement?”
For a moment the two groups just looked at each other — the Triton’s youth gathered on one side of the windows; Captain Starling and her crew, sans Michelle, on the other. While eyes on both sides found much to take in, tongues remained tied in nervous hesitation, and words seemed reluctant to come to the surface. There were more boys this time, to Robin’s delight, but she realized she had no idea what to say to them. Her life had not prepared her for anything like this. She was out of her element — lost and confused, like the moment she’d first been introduced to her squad.
Though Robin felt pressured to be the one who broke the ice, it was one of the young girls beyond the glass who spoke first.
“I like your uniforms,” she said. “The color looks very nice on you.”
A few of the others expressed their agreement, and th
en suddenly Robin’s girls were being deluged with questions, as if a dam had burst open and released a raging torrent. What were things currently like on Valhalla? How was the war with Earth going? What was it like to serve in the Sentinel Fleet? Was it difficult to learn how to fly a destroyer? While the girls appeared to have little interest in the Cricket, the boys seemed very curious about its capabilities — particularly some of the older boys, who Robin found she very much enjoyed speaking with, even though she wasn’t really thrilled to talk about the ship, and all of its technical specifications.
Eventually the conversation turned to the Triton, and Robin’s girls got a chance to ask some questions of their own. In short order, they learned some of the boys’ names and ages, and dug for details on who was enamored with who. Through whispered exchanges at the edges of the window, the girls spilled secrets on which boys they’d kissed, and which ones were still on their “to–be–kissed” lists. Since the oldest in the room were no more than seventeen, it seemed that none of them had yet formed a permanent relationship. When Robin learned this, she left the others for a moment, and returned to the Cricket to locate her missing crewmember.
She found Michelle sitting on the cargo bay floor, with her back against one of the inner walls, and her knees drawn up against her chest. Without saying a word Robin sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“It isn’t fair,” Michelle somberly complained. “He was standing right there — right in front of me. He was so close I could almost reach out and touch him.”
Robin was well aware who she was talking about. “No,” she agreed. “It isn’t fair. Nothing about our lives seems fair. But we weren’t created to enjoy life, Michelle. We were made with a single purpose in mind.”
“Then why did they give us feelings?” Michelle argued. “Why did they make us want things?”
Robin shrugged and suggested, “Maybe it’s because they didn’t have a choice. Or maybe it’s because there’s still hope for us, and they didn’t want to take that away.”
Michelle closed her eyes and shook her head. “Hope isn’t something you can hold hands with.” She took a deep breath and let out a sigh, as if imagining what it must feel like to be in love. “Did you see him, Robin? Did you see his eyes? Did you see the way he looked at me?”
“Yes, I saw him,” Robin said with a grin. “You’re not the only one who thinks he’s attractive. Why don’t you come back with me and join the rest of us, while you still have a chance to talk with him?”
“What would be the point? To torture myself? So I can watch him holding hands with someone else?”
“Suit yourself,” Robin said, “but I’m going back. You can sit here by yourself, or you can come with me.” She gave Michelle a gentle nudge, to see if she could coax her into coming along.
“What would I say to him anyway? I don’t know anything at all about him.”
“Well,” Robin said, “his name is Kristoff, he’s fifteen years old, and he really seems interested in talking to you. Oh, and by the way … his younger sister’s name is Elizabeth, and she was really nervous about meeting us. That’s the girl he was holding hands with.”
Michelle looked at her with eyes wide open at the promise of sudden unexpected possibilities.
Robin grinned as she got to her feet. “Come on,” she said. “He’s waiting for you.” In a heartbeat, the two of them were racing toward the airlock, with Michelle excitedly leading the way.
When they arrived at the control room, Michelle went straight to the window and wasted little time in striking up a conversation with Kristoff. Her approach was astonishingly brazen and bold, and completely devoid of any subtlety. Robin got the sense that if not for the glass, she would’ve thrown herself at him and pinned him to the floor so he couldn’t escape the sudden onslaught of her kisses.
Though Kristoff didn’t exactly shy away from Michelle, he did seem outwardly surprised by her directness. Unaware how the game of courtship was played, she started out by asking if he thought she was pretty, and if he’d be willing to kiss her if he could. This earned him some teasing from the other kids around him, but Michelle seemed completely oblivious to their presence, and remained focused on him like a laser beam.
While Michelle continued to monopolize Kristoff’s attention, Captain Lowell and his advisors reentered the control room and made their way through the crowd to speak with Robin.
“Captain Starling,” Gunther said, “it seems we’ve reached a decision. Our intention is to return to the Livingstone for now, and attempt to develop a vaccine as you suggested. We’re plotting a new course, with some help from Lieutenant Scot, and heading back toward the edge of the asteroid field. Can we still count on you to escort for a while?”
“Yes,” Robin said. “We’ll come with you as far as we can.”
Gunther nodded and said, “That’s very considerate of you. There is one thing that concerns me though, since we no longer have a comet to use as a distraction. If we should be seen by enemy vessels, they might be able to track our movements, and send someone after us later on.”
“You’re right,” Robin said. “We can’t let that happen. We need to get back out there now, and make sure no one gets close enough to see you.” She turned to her crew and said, “It’s time for us to leave! Everyone back to the Cricket, now!”
“Captain Starling,” Gunther said before she turned away. “Good luck to you, and the rest of your crew. It was a real pleasure to meet you girls.”
“Thank you,” Robin said. “Just do us one favor. Come back to us when you find that cure.”
“It’s a promise,” Gunther said. “We’ll give it our best. Hopefully it won’t take another hundred years.”
As Robin turned to leave, she saw Michelle still lingering by the control room windows, gazing forlornly into Kristoff’s eyes. “Mi–chelle!” she shouted.
“I have to go,” Michelle said, and with a finger she beckoned Kristoff closer to the window. She then pressed her lips against the wall of glass, and plastered an imaginary kiss on him until Robin forcibly pulled her toward the exit.
“Come back to me!” Michelle called to him, waving goodbye as the airlock doors slowly sealed her off from him.
“I need you to forget him for a while,” Robin said, troubled by the faraway look in Michelle’s eyes. “If you want to see him again, we have to keep the Triton safe. That means all of us need to stay focused.”
“Don’t worry,” Michelle assured her. “I can definitely stay focused now that I have something to look forward to.”
“You do realize you may have to share him,” Robin warned her. “There’s a lot of us, and only a few of them.”
“That’s a problem for another day,” Michelle insisted. “Right now I just want to make sure he stays alive.”
The two of them headed for the bridge together, both of them realizing what might lay ahead. Both of them hoping not to encounter any ships.
As he watched the airlock doors close behind Captain Starling, Gunther suddenly reacted with concern. “Wait! They forgot to leave us a sample of the virus!”
Dr. Whelan calmly looked at him and shook his head. “No they didn’t,” he said, pointing to the smudge on the window where Michelle had expressed her affection for Kristoff. “I’ll need a spacesuit, a piece of gauze, and an airtight container. Let’s just hope this turns out to be the kiss of life for us.”
SCOUTS 103
For several hours the Triton crept along, weaving its way through the maze of asteroids, on a course for the solar system’s outer planets. Out in front of her the Cricket was leading the way, to ensure the path ahead was clear of threats. On occasion, the destroyer would dart off to one side to inspect a large rock that might conceal a hidden foe. This never failed to increase Gunther’s heart rate, as the maneuvers were always sudden and completely unannounced, leading him to fear that his ship might be in danger. But he also drew some comfort from the observation that Captain Starling
and her crew were very thorough in their efforts. He found their dedication to the task reassuring, as well as their apparent skill in handling the ship.
“Not bad, for such a young crew,” Connor remarked as he watched the Cricket circle a large asteroid.
“They certainly seem to know what they’re doing,” Gunther said. “More and more, I’m feeling we made the right decision. What about you, Henrik? Are you still convinced we should’ve taken their ship?”
“As you say,” Henrik replied, “they do seem to demonstrate some skill. But I’d like to point out that if we’d taken their ship, it would be coming with us all the way to Fólkvangr, rather than abandoning us at their discretion.”
“No,” a younger voice cut in from behind them, “the ship doesn’t have that kind of range.”
Gunther turned to see a boy of fourteen standing there, with his eyes closely following the Cricket’s progress. “And how would you know this, Alvin?” he inquired.
“Because Robin told me,” he replied. “I mean, Captain Starling.”
Gunther cast a knowing grin at Alvin. The boy’s eagerness to correct himself suggested he was somewhat taken with Robin.
“Well, now we know,” Gunther said to Henrik. “It wouldn’t have mattered anyway.”
“Perhaps,” Henrik said, sounding unconvinced. “What else did she tell you, Alvin?” he pried. “Did she mention anything about her combat experience?”
“No,” the boy said, seemingly surprised. “She didn’t say anything at all about combat experience.”
“So,” Henrik said to Gunther, “there’s at least one thing we still can’t be sure of. Wouldn’t you think she’d be eager to share her war stories? Assuming she has any stories to speak of?”
Gunther shook his head. “No, not at all. She didn’t strike me as the type to boast of such things.”
Henrik let out a sigh of frustration. “You just don’t get it, do you?” he complained.
“No,” Gunther argued, “you’re the one who doesn’t seem to get it. You just don’t want to accept the truth. However unpalatable it may seem to us, those girls have been trained for combat, Henrik. And whether you want to admit it or not, right now they’re the best chance we have of surviving.”