Task Force (Task Force Series)

by Brad Smith

  Marlin’s jaw clenched and he stammered. “Son…are you telling me that the Hellmund is going there alone?” He squinted at the screen, looking at the growing armada in the Verada System.

  “Yes, sir,” Rayner replied. “The crew may be a little rusty and inexperienced but we’ll take on whatever comes at us – with or without escort ships.”

  Marlin shook his head and glared at Rayner. “Look, I don’t want to throw lives away uselessly. Whatever it is out there, we hang as far back from the rest of the fleet as we can. We take a look at this thing and come back. Everyone aboard this ship gets home safe. Whatever crap you hear along the way from Fleet, that remains our mission. Got it?”

  Rayner looked around the room. He folded his arms and sat back in his chair. After a moment, he nodded. “I’ll carry out the orders that have been given to me, Captain.”

  “Good,” said Marlin. “Let Fleet know we’ll be delayed arriving at the Verada System. Let’s spend a day testing out the fighters and getting the new pilots some practice with landing. If we run into further problems, we’ll delay again if necessary.”

  Rayner opened his mouth to say something. Marlin stepped on his words. “Don’t worry, commander. We’ll arrive in plenty of time to get our share of the commendations.” Marlin stood up and went to the door. Before it opened, he turned back to Rayner, who squirmed in his seat. “You’ll finally get your combat medal and I’ll recommend you for a promotion. If it’s your own ship you want, you’ll have it by the time we’re done.”

  Without waiting for Rayner’s reply, Marlin turned and walked out of the briefing room. Rayner sat there alone for a long time.

  Chapter Four

  The door to Captain Harris’ quarters flew open. “Knock knock,” he said.

  Rayner’s large frame dwarfed the petite woman who stood in front of him. Her dark wet hair was wrapped up and she wore only a towel. Smiling, she ducked her head out into the corridor, looked both ways, then gestured him inside.

  Rayner strode in and took her in his arms. She ran her hands up and down his massive chest, smiling warmly up at him.

  “Hmmm…I was wondering when you were coming over,” she said. She looked at him with a wry smile. “This is a nice surprise seeing you before your shift started. Got time for a quick shower?”

  Rayner ran his hands up and down her sides. He leaned down to kiss her, feeling her soft lips meet his. She rested her head on his chest and let him breathe her in. Her hand moved down from his stomach towards his groin. Rayner released his hold on her and stepped back.

  “Amy, I’d love to,” he said. He stepped back from her and sat down on her bed. “But I think we’ve all got a big problem on our hands and I’m not sure what to do about it.”

  Harris adjusted her towel. The top of her cleavage poked out. She sat down beside him on the bunk and ran her hand along his leg. Rayner smiled and put his hand on hers.

  “Is something bothering you?” she asked. “Look, I know this thing is casual so if you want to turn it off, it wouldn’t bother me.”

  Rayner pulled a photo off the wall and stared at it. The woman in the picture was the same one who sat beside him now. Her smile a little brighter back then. Her load a little lighter. She sat in the cockpit of her Taurus looking at the camera with a big cocky grin on her face. Her aviator shades hid her beautiful blue eyes. Friend or foe? He set the photo back and turned to the slightly older version of Harris who sat beside him, waiting for the answer.

  “I just had a talk with the captain,” he said. “And I think the rumors might be true. The man’s lost his edge. Trying to keep us out of harm’s way.”

  Harris nodded. “He’s seen a lot, Dalton,” she said. “He was fighting the Noridians when we were in elementary school. He was at Branscome, for god’s sake.”

  Rayner shook his head. “I know. I get it. I just hope I’m wrong. We have orders to move out. I briefed him today. From what he’s said, it seems like he’ll do anything he can to make sure we stay out of any fights. We need to watch him to make sure he doesn’t step over the line.”

  “Oh really? ‘We’ need to do that, do we? Rayner, is this about the crew— or is it about you getting your combat badge?” she asked. Harris squeezed his hand and then let it go. She stood up from the bunk and put the photo in a drawer.

  Rayner stood up, his face red. “What are you talking about? We have a duty to perform and I intend to do it. You ask me if I want to be tested in combat? Of course I want that. It’s what we’ve been training for all these years.”

  Harris stood up and pulled her towel up. She stepped close to him. “Rayner, I know that better than anyone else,” she said. “But there’s a lot to be said about you too. Ever thought about what it’s like to wind up KIA every time my pilots an I step in the simulator with someone like you? It’s not exactly inspiring.”

  Rayner pushed her back. She yelped in surprise, landing on her bunk. The towel had unwrapped, leaving her wet body partially exposed to him. He stepped towards her and leaned down. “Now about that shower…”

  Harris planted a bare foot in his sternum and shoved him back. Rayner stumbled towards the door and laughed. She glared at him.

  “Rayner, it’s over,” she said. “Get the fuck out of my room.”

  ***

  The Hellmund slid through silent space, ten light years from its destination. The five blue and green planets of the Minerva System orbited nearby.

  Captain Amy Harris sat in her Taurus fighter and waited for the light to turn green on the heads up display in front of her. A series of high pitched beeps sounded. She tensed her body and gripped the flight stick. Less than a second later, she was flung from the aft of the Hellmund into the space beyond it at several thousand kilometers per hour.

  Sloppy. I’m lifting up too early. She brought the nose of the fighter to bear on the assigned vector and joined up with her wingman. “Two, let’s run through a practice of attack plans Beta and Charlie today. I have a feeling we’re both a bit rusty on them,” she said.

  “I’m ready if you are,” her Two replied. He brought his Taurus up behind hers and to her right, spinning the swept–wing fighter on its axis. “Let’s do this!”

  Harris breathed in tight. “Look, we’ve been sitting on our butts in dry dock for months now. Don’t get cocky out here. Just run through the basics and try to get it right. Follow my lead.”

  Her finger stabbed at the black button on the console in front of her. “Take us in, Arcturus,” she said. She waited for the low tone and when she finally heard it, the monitor in front of her lit up. Her eyes scanned over it. The Arcturus AI showed her the best distance and weapons setting for the pair of ships. She nodded. “Okay, let’s go with that, I guess.”

  Her seat rattled as the engines built up more thrust. The two fighters left the carrier further and further behind. Harris shuddered a little. To her right, she saw the outer planets of Earth’s solar system and marveled at the feeling of being out so far in space for the first time. She smiled, taking in the sight of the stars and planets around her.

  The Arcturus made a low whistling tone. Her head snapped forward, scanning over the instruments. The sweat poured down her face and her visor started to fog up a little. She tightened her grip on the stick. Her Arcturus beeped again and she looked at her scope. Nothing. What the hell?

  “Uh…Two, where are you? I’m not showing you on my scope right now,” she said. “Just follow the Arcturus patterns. Got it?” She checked her six then looked back at the scope. Nothing. Looking out of the cockpit, she tried to focus on infinity and then slowly bring her focus in closer. No good.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the flash. The hull of her fighter’s nose splintered. Alarms screamed in her ears. She worked the stick back and forth but her ship yawed faster and faster. The nearest planet to her right spun by again and again. I’m going to die.

  “Mayday. Mayday!” she shouted. Her head was pinned backwards against the seat’s headrest. She
reached behind her and flailed. Finally, her fingers clenched around the big yellow rings. She ripped the ejection cord out of its socket and gritted her teeth.

  The blast was like a punch to the kidneys. She grunted and screwed her eyes shut. A split second later, she was tumbling end over end in the ejection seat, nothing but empty space all around her. Harris opened one eye and watched as the stars swept past her line of vision in a blur of white and black.

  Her wounded Taurus spun and twirled madly below her. Its nose was completely sheared off. By the time she rotated around again, a fire burned in one of the engines of the fighter. Caught in the gravity of the nearest planet, it was now spinning away from her.

  Her remaining oxygen count displayed in the upper right corner of her helmet HUD. Eighty nine per cent. Already at eighty nine. Her trembling fingers fumbled to flick open the small control panel guard on her left wrist. Finally, it swung up. Eighty six. Stop panicking. She swallowed hard and let a long breath out. She tapped at the “COMM” button and waited. Seventy nine. Seventy eight. Seventy sev –.

  A voice crackled to life over her helmet comms. “Derby One, I have a copy on your position. Sit tight, we’re sending a big fish your way.”

  Captain Harris floated helplessly and waited. The Hellmund sat in front of her, silhouetted against the sun. A million miles away, her thoughts drifted to home and when she might see it again. It wasn’t the first time the answer had come to her since they left Earth three days ago.

  Never.

  ***

  Marlin stood at the foot of the hospital bed. “Captain Harris, I’m glad you’re finally back with us,” he said softly. He held his hat in his hands and tried to find the right words.

  He set her medical chart back on the bed frame. This one’s a survivor. Like me.

  She lay before him surrounded by pillows. Marlin looked around for the usual comforts of friends – messages and cards – but he didn’t see any. He quietly set the tattered book he had brought for her on the end table and patted it.

  Jesus what a mess. Her swollen eyes were dull. She had a cast on her foot and two IV drips going into her forearms. She greeted him with a dull nod.

  “I read the report filed by the investigation team. I also looked over your logs,” he said. “I want you to know you’re not at fault for any of this.”

  “Thank you sir,” she replied in soft quiet voice. “I should have been more careful, though. Lieutenant Mansen was a new pilot. I should have —”

  “Look, captain,” Marlin cut her off. “You can second guess yourself all day. I used to fly too. The old Voodoo fighters. I saw plenty of stuff. As soon as you start taking the blame for these kinds of things, you’re finished.” Trust me.

  A nurse entered the sickbay and replaced the drip bag fed into her arm. Both of them were quiet while the nurse did her job. As soon as the nurse walked out, Harris’ tears silently streaked down her cheek.

  Marlin walked slowly around to the side of the bed.

  “I don’t need to remind you that we’re going into a dangerous situation and I have two squadrons of new pilots,” he said. “Harris, I need you. We all do. Now, let me say it again. You need to stop taking responsibility for something that wasn’t your fault. Get better. And then we’ll see you back out there.”

  Harris nodded and sat up. He could see her much better now in the light of the sickbay. Marlin took an involuntary step back. Her bloated face and battered body struck at him, like a punch to the subconscious. I need to get out of here right now.

  He fought down a sudden lump growing in his throat and quickly turned away. Marlin patted the railings on the bed then strode out of the sickbay.

  ***

  The remains of Harris’ plane lay in the hangar bay. Technicians sifted through the debris, It was black and crumpled and unrecognizable from its previous state as a space fighter.

  Marlin shook his head. “It’s in bad shape but at least we got to it before it burned up in the atmosphere. What’ve you found so far?”

  Rayner stood behind one of the technicians on the deck. “Sir, an initial look at the logs shows the Arcturus AI was being used during the maneuvers. We’ll crack open the flight recorders and get Chief Randall on it. The internal sensors should be ready for examination in a few more days,” he said.

  A wheeled bot sped past them, carrying a load of the ship’s wires and electronics.

  Marlin stood behind Rayner, shaking his head. “Let Fleet know we’re having difficulties out here and we need to delay our arrival in Verada System to run some diagnostics. I want a thorough check of all the fighters and lifters – hell, I want all the integrated Arcturus systems on the Hellmund shut down until further notice.”

  Rayner’s eyebrows shot up. “Sir, without the Arcturus running, we’ll have no way to test it as ordered.”

  “Fleet orders are for us to go to the Verada System, Mister Rayner,” Marlin growled. “To ensure our arrival, we need the Hellmund running as smoothly as possible. No one wants us to arrive there with an AI that’s killing our pilots and endangering the crew. Am I understood? ”

  Rayner swallowed hard. He turned towards the burnt scattered remains of the wreckage. The sweat was pouring down his face. “Sir —.”

  Marlin shoved him hard backwards onto the deck. Rayner’s head tucked in as he hit. His right arm shot out, his palm stinging as it slapped the metal deck beneath him. A wheeled bot scrambled over the spot where he had just stood. Marlin loomed over him. “That thing nearly killed you!” he shouted.

  Rayner got up and dusted himself off. “Better shut down the AI then,” he said.

  Chapter Five

  Not again. Frida watched the water drums roll off the back of the Vectura’s cargo ramp and crash into the rocks beyond.

  “Dammit, Nidal. That ‘bot needs to replaced. It’s the third time it’s done that this month!” she yelled to the ship’s pilot. Frida’s shook her head in disgust as the bot – a big automated silver biped – turned to her. “Job is done!” it announced cheerily. The bot went into charging mode and collapsed to the floor. Its eyes flickered a dull red as the generator fed its battery juice to it.

  Nidal’s head appeared from behind the pilot’s seat. “Don’t get too worked up about it, Frida. This is our last run here for a while.”

  “Yeah, unless the contents of these barrels is all over Iola,” Frida muttered over her shoulder. She walked down the ramp and surveyed the damage. Scratched up. Dented. But not broken. Thank god. With a grunt, she righted the first barrel. The second one was wedged under a large boulder.

  Frida’s comms mike came alive with a quick beep. “Nidal, do you wanna get off your lazy butt and help me with this thing? It’s stuck.” She kicked the metallic cylinder hard and the barrel responded with a hollow sound.

  “Too heavy for me, Frida. I’m not jacked up on cybernetics like you,” said Nidal. “Why don’t you just drop off the first barrel and see if there’s anyone you can get to help with the other? It’s a big place. I’m sure someone’s got some tools or something. The bot needs another twenty minutes to charge and I don’t want to stick around. This place gives me a serious case of the creeps.”

  Frida rolled her eyes and lifted one of the barrels over her shoulder. She traipsed towards the complex and walked in its cavernous entrance. Find someone to help. What a joke! Haven’t seen a single person here since we started delivering here six months ago! She stood in the large nearly empty warehouse. Where did all those crates and barrels from before go?

  “Hello? Hello!” she yelled out. Frida’s voice only echoed back to her.

  She rounded a small stack of crates and found a door. It was unmarked, just like almost everything here in this complex. The hairs on her neck stood still as she looked down the hallway beyond the threshold. She discerned the sound of a muffled voice coming from somewhere in front of where she stood.

  “Excuse me? Hello?” she went to the threshold of the door. A glass door at the end of the hallway
read Arcturus Division. Beyond it, a group of men and women in lab coats strode back and forth. The large vidscreen on entire wall showed still images of a planet. Frida instantly recognized it. Ordin. Home. Flashing in red letters at the bottom of the screen were the words “Arcturus Projection: 98% Casualties”.

  Frida’s eyes narrowed. What the hell is his place? A hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.

  “What are you doing here?” the large helmeted figure in black body armor towered over her. He leveled a pulse rifle on his shoulders and aimed it at her. His visor was down, giving him the appearance of a giant beetle. Frida swallowed hard and shook her head. “I was just – I’m just – I’m delivering this shipment…and…” She watched the reflection of her panicked face in the bug–eyed visor.

  Bug eyes tapped one of the buttons on his helmet.

  “I’ve got a trespass in Section Eight,” he said. “Got her in custody. Says she’s just dropping off something. Confirm?”

  There was a long silence. Bug eyes kept his rifle aimed at her head. “Don’t move,” he spat out. Frida closed her eyes. If I die here, I’m gonna come back and haunt the shit out of that bot.

  Bug eyes cocked his head to one side. “Affirmative,” he said. He lowered the rifle and stabbed a finger in her face. “You! Go back to your ship immediately. Leave the facility now!”

  Frida pivoted to her left and ran out. “Hector, give me an adrenaline spike until I get to the ship,” she said to herself. The voice inside her head beeped to acknowledge her command. Suddenly, Frida’s legs pumped faster. She made three meter strides over the rocky moon’s surface.

  Despite Iola’s constant twilight darkness, she spotted the lights of the Vectura. Frida tapped at her comms button on her belt. “We need to get the hell out of here, Nidal. Just get the ship going, I’ll tell you later.”