Prisoner's Hope (The Seafort Saga Book 3)

by David Feintuch

  “Try 1524, sir. I mean, please, sir. I’m sure I got the rest of it right. That’s the only—”

  I punched in the code. The holoscreen cleared. Words flashed onto the screen. “Top Secret: Captain Nicholas E. Seafort, Eyes Only.” Readable words. Bezrel craned around the console. His face lit up. “Oh, thank Lord God!”

  My relief left me shaky. “Leave, both of you. Mr. Bezrel, my compliments to the duty officer, and he’s to cane you for incompetence.”

  He swallowed. “I—Aye aye, sir.” With a forlorn look he turned to the stairs. Halfway, a muffled sob escaped him.

  Tolliver paused at the banister. “Of course that will help him remember in future.” His tone was sardonic.

  I fought to keep my voice level. “You’re a midshipman, Mr. Tolliver. You could be caned likewise.”

  He paused, then said simply, “Do that and I’ll kill you.” He turned to the stairs.

  “Get back here!”

  “Aye aye, sir.” He approached my desk.

  “I could charge you with mutiny!”

  “Oh, no, sir, it wasn’t mutiny.” His manner was casual, though his look was anything but. “I’ll obey orders; I’m simply making clear my breaking point. Granted, I shouldn’t have snatched the heli controls from you; I have to pay for that. So at twenty-five years of age I have the rank of a teener. I’ll put up with it. I suppose you were generous to offer me summary punishment. But I couldn’t tolerate your striking me. I’ll try my best to kill you if you do.”

  I gaped, astounded. He continued, “So, Captain, you have your revenge for whatever hazing you suffered. I’m at your mercy. You know how far you can push me, and afterward, if I fail, you’ll have me executed.” He held my eye. “Am I dismissed?”

  I’d have him arrested; what he’d said was insufferable. My fists bunched. And yet...

  He was right. To threaten a grown man with a middy’s caning was obscene; even poor Bezrel hadn’t deserved it.

  “Get out!” The moment Tolliver was out of sight I turned to the holovid and entered my ID. The screen responded; I read my message at last.

  Seafort:

  These are contingency orders, which I’ve entrusted to a staff midshipman. Lord God grant that they never be put into effect. U.N.S. Victoria brought dispatches from Admiralty, at home. They’ve decreed that regardless of the cost here, the fleet must survive to defend home system. Therefore I am required, should we lose a third of our ships, to Fuse home with all remaining vessels.

  Until now that possibility seemed remote, but given the events of this week I’ve begun planning for the worst case. Accordingly, we’ve begun evacuating U.N. forces from the Venturas, where they were doing little good. We’re restationing them on our warships, and on Orbit Station.

  If the fleet is forced to withdraw, it will carry Governor Saskrit and his civilian staff as well as the entire Army and Naval establishment. Hope Nation will be on its own until the fleet returns.

  I sagged, head in my arms. Once the fleet left, it was unlikely ever to return. We would have abandoned our Hope Nation colonists to their fate.

  I believe that likelihood is remote. To lose so many ships would mean attacks by more fish than we’ve yet seen. But if word of our contingency plan leaks, our relations with the planters would be devastated. Therefore, we must maintain a presence at Admiralty House until the last possible moment, or until the threat recedes. I’ve quietly withdrawn all other Captains and many of our lieutenants to the Station. You are the last Captain groundside.

  For the moment, I’m placing you in command of Admiralty House. Your orders are: (1) to remain at hand and in a state of readiness to depart should it be necessary; and (2) to otherwise carry on as if under normal circumstances.

  Catalonia is due back from Detour in ten days or so. I sent Victoria to intercept her with new orders, but the ships may not make contact. Victoria will go on to Kall’s Planet to retrieve their Governor, and will return here. If on her return she fails to establish contact with the fleet, Victoria will Fuse at once for home.

  For now, we’ve suspended shuttle flights to and from the Station, on the chance they may somehow attract the aliens. But I’ll see to it that a shuttle is sent for you if we’re required to depart. If you receive the code word, shut down Admiralty House, encrypt the puters, bring all remaining Naval personnel to the spaceport, and board the shuttle forthwith.

  You must at all costs prevent any citizens of Hope Nation from learning of these orders. I hope and expect to return to Admiralty House shortly, to reassume command.

  The code word is Destiny.

  Georges T. De Marnay, Admiral Commanding.

  I laid my head in my hands. Minutes passed.

  At length Alexi called, “Mr. Seafort, are you all right? May I come down?”

  I snapped off the holovid. “Yes.”

  He hurried into the anteroom. “You were silent for so—” He gaped. “Were you crying?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” I wiped my sleeve across my face. “Call Lieutenant Anton.”

  A moment later the duty lieutenant stood at ease in front of his own desk. I suppressed a shiver; the room was freezing. “I need a list of all Naval personnel currently groundside.”

  “That’s all in the puters, sir. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.” He hesitated. “Shall I find another console to work from?”

  I blinked, recalled that it was his desk I’d appropriated. “That won’t be necessary.” I stood, debating the wisdom of trudging upstairs. I probably had strength for it, but coming back down might be a problem. “Is there another office on this level?”

  “Just the conference room, sir.” I let him lead the way. I spotted an easy chair behind the polished genera table. My heart pounded as I sat.

  Tolliver appeared in the doorway. “It’s six fifty-five, sir.”

  With an effort I focused on him. “I have my watch.” The one phrase left me breathless.

  “You’re to see the doctor at seven.”

  “It will wait.”

  “You gave your word to Branstead.”

  I fought for breath. When I could speak I said, “Why do you hound me?”

  He smiled bitterly. “Duty, of course.”

  “What does it matter if I live?”

  “As I said, there’d be a Board of Inqu—”

  “Belay that!”

  His smile vanished. “I’m fit only for the Navy, and thanks to you, no one would have me in their command. While you live I have a posting. After that I’m beached.” He leaned against the doorway, eyes closed. After a moment he added, “Sorry, I won’t do that again. I don’t want your pity. Let’s go to your doctor.”

  “I’m on standby for special orders. I can’t leave.” The words left me gasping.

  He crossed to my chair. “Bring your bloody caller along!”

  A gasp of astonishment. I looked to the entranceway. “It’s all right, Mr. Anton. Come in.” He looked doubtfully at Tolliver before presenting me his notepad.

  “Twelve officers? That’s all?”

  “It seems odd, sir, but everyone else is aloft at the moment.”

  I checked his list. Trapp, upstairs. Mr. Anton. Alexi. Two midshipmen in the plotting room. Three middies and a lieutenant working with the relief of Centraltown. Tolliver, and young Bezrel. Of our entire Naval garrison, only these officers and I were left. Orbit Station must be swarming.

  “How many enlisted men?”

  “After Naval barracks was destroyed we shipped most survivors to the Station. There may be a couple of dozen helping around town.” He hesitated. “May I ask why you’re inquiring?”

  “You may not.” I took refuge in propriety. “Remember you’re speaking to a Captain.” I began to cough.

  “Aye aye, sir.” His glance strayed again to Edgar Tolliver. “Is that all, Captain?”

  “Carry on.”

  When he’d left, Tolliver said, “It’s seven o’clock, sir. You gave your word.”
<
br />   The room was quite hot. I unbuttoned my jacket. “I’ve already broken it.”

  “Then redeem it.” He held my gaze.

  It wasn’t worth the effort to resist. “Very well. See if you can get a heli.”

  I waited; a moment later he was back. “The Navy has five. Two are out for repairs; the other three are patrolling downtown. Anton says the looting has gotten worse.” He studied my face. “Recall one of the helis, sir.”

  “Damn it.” Seeing his shocked expression, I repeated, “Damn it. To hell.” I felt a moment of panic at the near blasphemy, then suppressed it. I would pay for worse, in His time. Still, I made a quick, silent prayer of contrition. I sighed. “All right, get the car.”

  Knees trembling, I sat silent in the back seat, breathing deeply from my vapormask. It wasn’t much help. Alexi climbed in the front with Tolliver. I leaned back.

  “We’re here, sir.”

  I opened my eyes. Surely no more than a moment had passed. The car was excruciatingly hot, and it was dark. “Where?” It was almost inaudible.

  “The emergency clinic.” Alexi watched anxiously.

  I tried to stand, but coughs racked my frame. “Help me.” Sagging against Alexi I made my way up the stairs and into the school.

  Tolliver, sullenness cast aside, ran to the admitting desk. He spoke quietly, waited for an answer, shook his head urgently. The civilian gestured at the benches of waiting injured.

  “Now!” Tolliver barked. On a bench, I huddled against Alexi. Tolliver unclipped his holster. “Now! By Lord God, I mean it!” His hand went to his pistol.

  “Belay that!” My voice was a hoarse rasp.

  Tolliver ignored me. “Call your frazzing doctor!” His tone was savage.

  The civilian made a placating gesture, spoke urgently into his caller. A moment later a white-clad medic came out of the gym. “I’m Dr. Abood.” Tolliver pointed. The doctor took one look at my face. “Bring him in.”

  I lay on the examining table, oxygen mask pressed to my mouth. The shot they’d given made breathing less painful. “What’s wrong with me?”

  “What isn’t?” He turned off the analyzer. “Pneumonia, certainly. It should have killed you by now.” A young man, in his thirties. Impatient

  “Dr. Avery started...antibiotics.” I had to stop for breath.

  “Yes. You may die before they gain hold.” The medic ran his hand through thinning hair.

  “Die.” A stab of fear, not of death itself, but of what would come after.

  “I’ve increased the dose. If you’re quiet, and stay on the oxygen, it may knock the pneumonia down.”

  I spoke through the mask. “I have to get back to Admiralty House.”

  “Impossible.”

  Fighting dizziness, I struggled to a sitting position.

  “I must.” I fumbled at buttoning my shirt. “I’ll lie down there.”

  “On your deathbed.”

  A chill caressed my neck. “But I was getting better. Really.”

  “Dr. Avery’s meds helped the pneumonia, but you’re losing your lung. Rejection. Blood tests leave no doubt.” I gaped. He raised an eyebrow. “Avery didn’t tell you?”

  I shook my head, stifling a cough. “The antirejection drugs. I thought they...”

  “You had only the first dose. You were about due for the second.” I lay stunned.

  “Maybe exposure brought it on. Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem; we’d yank the bad lung and give you another. Now, replacement is impossible. We haven’t the equipment, and the growth tanks are gone with the hospital.”

  Even my body had abandoned me. Had Lord God’s vengeance begun? “Can you halt the rejection?”

  “There’s not much chance the drugs would work. Your best bet is for us to pull the lung. They’ll give you another when you get home.”

  “No.”

  “If we yank the lung you’d be back on your feet in a week.”

  “I can’t be disabled now. Give me the antirejection drug.”

  “Damn you people!” His vehemence shook me. “I watch joeys gasp their lives out on these tables, fighting to live a few extra minutes, and I can’t save them! I can hold on to you, but you want to kill yourself! Why? For a fresh posting? A promotion?”

  “No.” I fought to breathe. “How soon would we know if the antirejection meds worked?”

  “Your lung is inflamed and full of fluid. The drugs might have some temporary effect. But if your immune system rejects the lung again, it will go fast. You’d be lucky to reach the operating table.”

  “If I kept a heli standing by?”

  He pursed his lips. “Your duty is so pressing?”

  “I have...orders. I might have to take quick action.”

  His indignation eased. “Well, it’s your life, joey. Will you stay on the vapormeds and on oxygen?” I nodded. “If your fever climbs, or you have more trouble breathing, get in a heli fast and radio ahead.”

  “All right.”

  He followed up his advantage. “And see me every day.”

  I smiled. “If possible, Dr. Abood.”

  He left the room. I dressed slowly, working around the vapormask. After a few moments the doctor returned. “I gave your men the replacement canisters.”

  “Very well.”

  “I explained your condition, so they’ll be—”

  “Leave my officers out of it!” The last thing I needed was Alexi and Tolliver mothering me.

  He raised an eyebrow. “They had to know. When you go bad, you may not have time to tell them.” I noticed he’d said “when,” not “if.”

  “That’s my affair.” I slipped off the table, clung to it until the dizziness passed.

  He said only, “Good luck. You’ll need it.”

  When I emerged from the gymnasium Alexi took the canister from my hands. “Do you want to lean on me?”

  “No.” I took a few steps, tried to make my pace as normal as possible.

  Tolliver held the outer door. “What did he tell you?”

  “Not to let you treat me like an invalid.” I brushed past into the back seat of the electricar, drained. Outside, all was dark.

  “Where to, sir?”

  “Admiralty House, of course.”

  Tolliver started the car. “Of course.” I closed my eyes. He said, “You realize we’ve been on duty since early this morning?”

  I wanted only to sleep. “After you take me back you’re free to go.”

  “Where, may I ask?”

  The question snapped me awake. Naval barracks was demolished; neither Tolliver nor Alexi had a home. Nor did I, for that matter, though I could stay at Admiralty House, on a couch if necessary. I wondered if Admiralty House had showers. I tried to think.

  Eons later a persistent voice nagged me into wakefulness. “Captain, you can’t sleep in the car. Please, sir.”

  I blinked. We were parked at Admiralty House. Behind Tolliver, on the sidewalk, Lieutenants Anton and Trapp watched with obvious concern. I thrust away Tolliver’s offered hand.

  I stood, but the effort left me trembling and my weakness enraged me. “Middy, help me up the stairs.” I leaned on Tolliver’s shoulder. Alexi looked at Lieutenant Anton. “The Captain needs a bed, flank.”

  “We have air mattresses, in reserve stores. Shall I get a couple for you and Lieuten—Midshipman Tolliver?”

  “Yes, please.” As we passed through the doors I heard Alexi’s quiet sigh of relief.

  I slept fitfully in the conference room that had become my home. When morning came I needed Alexi’s help to get to my feet, but I managed to wash and dress myself around the cumbersome vapormask. I didn’t dare remove it.

  Steaming tea soothed my chest as I sat at the gleaming table. In the rational light of morning I considered going immediately to the clinic to let Dr. Abood pull my rotting lung. With luck I’d be back at Admiralty House within a few days, and Admiral De Marnay might never get around to replacing me.

  However, my orders were to keep our
contingency plans secret until the Admiral sent the code word. If I told no one, and a signal came while I was under the anesthetic...

  Alexi appeared at the door. “May I come in?”

  I grunted. He sat at my side, unbidden.

  “I feel—I shouldn’t bother you with my problems.” His hands fluttered in his lap like wounded birds. He rushed on. “But what am I to do? What is my status? Do I have duties?”

  “You’re on sick leave. You can’t go back to the hospital, so you have to stay with me.” It sounded more brusque than I’d intended. “Help me get around, Alexi. We’ll find a place for you when they get things back in order.”

  “It’s not just where I’m to stay. I feel—lost. Should I wear the uniform? What do I do when Tolliver speaks to you the way he does? What would any lieutenant do, hearing that?”

  “Have a fit.” My smile was bleak. “I shouldn’t have demoted him. It was cruel, and we both know it. Mr. Tolliver is a situation I don’t know how to handle.”

  “You could restore his rank.”

  “That would be worse; I can’t go about rescinding discipline.” I paused, then added carefully, “Or explaining my acts to lieutenants.”

  He colored. “I’m sorry. I wish...I knew better how to behave.”

  “You will, when your memory returns. In the meantime, study the regs; you knew them once. Perhaps they’ll jog your memories.”

  He shook his head. “I will, but we both know better, Mr. Seafort.” He stood. “Tell me when you’d like to go out. I’ll be glad to help.”

  After he left I brooded about Tolliver, but found no answer. I rang for Lieutenant Anton.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Have we heard from the fleet?”

  “No contacts, sir. Mr. Trapp is in the plotting room; shall I have him come down?”

  “I’ll go up.” Whatever protest he was about to offer was stilled by the look in my eye.

  I took my time on the stairs. In the plotting room Lieutenant Trapp came out of his chair to stand at attention, as did a middy I didn’t recognize. “As you were.” I flopped in an empty seat. “Our status?” After my climb I thought it best to speak in short phrases.

  Trapp flicked a key and the screen came to life. “Our main units are stationed here.” De Marnay had pulled in our outer defenses, concentrating them around Hope Nation and Orbit Station.