Prisoner's Hope (The Seafort Saga Book 3)
Page 33
I blurted, “The fish?”
“No, Captain. Please stand by for a patch from a U.N.N.S. vessel.”
“A ship? They’ve all sailed home.”
“Stand by, please. Catalonia, go ahead.”
I swung my chair around, dropping my feet to the floor, wincing at the unexpected pain. I still wasn’t ready for sudden movements. “Seafort here.”
“Catalonia. Captain Herbert Von Tilitz.”
“Nicholas Seafort, sir. I believe you are senior to me.”
“Yes.” I remembered him as brisk, humorless, efficient. “You’re groundside?”
“Yes, sir. At Admiralty House.”
“We caught Admiral De Marnay’s beacon. He said to pick you up. Do you have a shuttle, or should I send one down? We’ve seen no fish but I want to be out of here as soon as possible.”
“We’ve no shuttles at Centraltown, but I understand there’s one in the Venturas, sir.”
“How many am I retrieving?”
“Five, sir.”
“I’ll send a shuttle down. I won’t moor Catalonia at the Station; that’s too risky. We’ll approach near enough to send a gig over. Their puter will open for us and we’ll take one of their smaller craft.”
“Yes, sir. When?” A ship for home. Derek Carr. Peace.
“Figure...” He hesitated. “We’ll get the shuttle tonight, but I’d rather land in daylight. We don’t have an experienced shuttle pilot. Make it...0700. That will give you time to pack.” Was he joking? No, it couldn’t be.
“Seven A.M. local time, sir. We’ll be at the spaceport.”
“Very well.” His tone was dry. “This time don’t miss your ride. There won’t be another.”
“I know, sir.” We rang off. I bellowed, “Tolliver!”
He raced in, alarmed. “Yes, sir?”
I stood. “We’re going home.”
He stared, puzzled, until his eyes lit. “Catalonia?”
“Yes. In the morning.”
“What a zark! Yes!” He slapped the leather chair in an outburst of joy. A side of him I hadn’t known.
“Where’s Bezrel?”
“I sent him for dinner, sir. He’ll be back in a few—”
“After that, he’s not to leave the building. Call the Manse; have them bring Annie and her nurse here in a heli tonight. Call Alexi. Tell him I order him back at once.”
“Aye aye, sir. If the shuttle’s not landing ’til morning—”
“At once. We’ll spend the night here together.”
“Aye aye, sir. What about Palabee, sir?”
Let Palabee be dam—No. “Have him brought here instead of the Manse.”
Home. Thank you, Lord God. Though I don’t deserve Your mercy, my companions do.
I sat making notes. I’d turn over civilian control to Hopewell unless Captain Von Tilitz ordered otherwise. I’d have to ask his agreement; he was senior now. Reclose Admiralty House, say good-bye to Harmon, take down the flag
Harmon. I’d made him a promise. I sighed. After seeing Palabee, I’d send for Jerence. And what if Von Tilitz refused to take a civilian? I’d never considered that the decision might not be mine. Well, I’d given my word. I’d bring Jerence without telling Von Tilitz beforehand. He wouldn’t take the time to return the boy, though he’d take his ire out on me afterward. No matter.
Derek Carr would be aboard. I wondered if he had come to hate me as much as Vax.
That evening I paced my office, wondering when dinner would arrive, until I recalled that I’d eaten it an hour before. For the life of me I could not remember what it had been. “Tolliver, where’s Palabee?”
“They’ll be here at eight, sir. As we arranged.”
I bit back an angry reply. Knowing my nerves were taut, Alexi and Bezrel managed to stay out of my way.
When the guards arrived, I made sure Tolliver had his pistol, ordered Palabee released from his fetters. He looked worn and tired.
“Well?”
His fingers drummed on the conference table. “I don’t know where to begin. Have you decided on a trial?”
“I think so.” If Hopewell would go through with it, after I was gone.
“For my life?”
“Treason is a capital charge.”
“I don’t think I committed treason, Captain.”
“You rebelled against the Gov—”
“Was there a government to rebel against?” He eyed me steadily. “As Lord God is my witness, I didn’t think you left us one. Your people vanished without notice, leaving no—”
“The civilian administration was intact.”
“Bureaucrats.”
“You’re quibbling. In any event—”
Tolliver skidded into the doorway. “Captain, come now!” He didn’t bother to salute. “Quick!”
As bizarre as Tolliver was, even he wouldn’t summon me in that manner unless it was vital. “Watch Palabee,” I told the guard as I left.
Tolliver was at the console. “Listen!”
“We got two of them. Three more aft.” Von Tilitz, on Catalonia, his voice taut. “Plotting Fusion coordinates. Orbit Station, relay to Seafort. We’re under heavy attack, we’ll have to get out—MIDSHIPS LASERS, FIRE AT WILL!”
“Orbit Station to Admiralty House, please resp—”
“Seafort. I heard him. How many fish, William?”
“Three at his stern, two more amidships. Two more Defused between Catalonia and the station; I destroyed them.”
“Catalonia, do you—”
“We’re about to—Christ! Fire at will, all sides! I have six fish. We’re going to—” Alarm bells clanged. Von Tilitz’s voice sharpened. “Partial decompression! They’re on our tubes, we can’t Fuse. Maxwell, how far are we from the atmosphere? God damn them! Get the lifepods off, then! Abandon—”
Silence.
I shouted, “William, relay!”
“There’s nothing to relay, sir.”
“Where’s Catalonia?”
“Three point six two kilometers off my east lock, Captain. She has three fish astern, two at port. I see two...now three lifepods accelerating from the ship. Approximate entry to atmosphere twenty-two minutes. No further signals from Catalonia. Her laser fire has ceased.”
Oh, Derek. Lord God save you, and all others aboard. I cried, “Fire on the fish!”
“They’re too close; my laser fire would hit the ship. I judge it inadvisable.”
“If they break through her hull—”
“One lifepod under attack. Veering away. I am firing at fish approaching pod.” William was as calm as if delivering a stores report. “Fish has thrown at pod. Pod is disintegrating. Fish is hit. Fish is spewing material, presumed destroyed.”
A faint signal. “Mayday, Mayday! U.N.S. Catalonia escape vessels to anyone! We are entering atmos...” The static increased.
“William, where will they land?”
“Calculating. Landing likely in Venturas, but fuel capacity of lifepods great enough to reach Eastern Continent. Actual fuel on board lifepods not known.”
“Relay any signals from the pods.”
“I will do that.”
“Are fish still around Catalonia?”
“Yes, Captain. Five.”
“Fire at Catalonia and the fish.” By now it was unlikely anyone on board was still alive.
“I cannot fire at a U.N.N.S warship, Captain. My prime instructions do not allow that.”
“There’s no one left oh Catalonia!”
“She’s still a U.N. vessel.”
My mind raced. “William, who is senior officer in Hope Nation system?”
The reply was immediate. “You are, Captain.”
“Very well. Record. I do hereby decommission U.N.S. Catalonia. I order you to—”
“Firing at aliens with all lasers that bear. One fish down! Another is Fusing. Another hit. A third also. Remaining fish Fused.”
Why weren’t the lifepods signaling? The heat of the atmosphere would sear off
their antennas, so they couldn’t send further signals. If her crew carried callers, they’d contact us after they set down. Without callers...And would they find level ground to land? There wasn’t much of it in the Venturas.
I yelled, “Tolliver!”
He jumped. “Jesus, I’m right here, sir!”
“Don’t blaspheme. Pull all our helis out of the transport grid. I want them ready to search for the lifepods at first light.”
“Aye aye, sir. Where?”
“Along the eastern seacoast for now. The crew will know enough to aim for Centraltown. If they don’t sight survivors, have them fan out over the ocean toward the Venturas.”
“Aye aye, sir.”
“God damn those fish!”
Soberly he nodded. “Amen.”
“Get Bezrel!”
A minute later the boy rushed in, breathless. “Midshipman Bez—”
“Wake Lieutenant Tamarov. I want you both on watch in the comm room. All frequencies. Report any signal other than local traffic.”
“Aye aye, sir!”
I pounded my desk in frustration. I had no men, no equipment. There was little more I could do.
I spent the night in the comm room with Alexi and the boy, straining to hear nonexistent signals through the static. By dawn I was bleary with exhaustion. By midmorning I was drowsing despite vast quantities of coffee.
We’d heard nothing. Three Naval helis with civilian pilots searched for survivors. Tolliver volunteered—begged—to go, but I forbade it. I’d need him with me if the lifepods were found.
Noon came and went. I summoned Hopewell. I also rang Harmon Branstead. Then, deciding I couldn’t show favoritism, I called Mrs. Palabee, Mrs. Volksteader, Lawrence Plumwell, manager of Carr Plantation, and others among the minor planters.
We met at Admiralty House, around the conference table I’d grown to loathe. Had good news ever reached me at this table?
I waited impatiently for coffee to make the rounds, opened the meeting. “As you’ve no doubt heard, Catalonia was destroyed last night.” Derek was dead. Later I’d find time to mourn.
“Lord God’s mercy on them.” Sarah Branstead’s eyes brimmed.
“Amen. It’s clear now that the fish are attracted by Fusion. But more important, they’ve returned to Hope Nation system. Orbit Station’s puter is active and it destroyed several fish after they attacked Catalonia.”
A moment of silence while they digested the news. “What now?” Plumwell.
Zack Hopewell stirred. “We’re in the hands of Lord God. There’s not much we can do. We have no ships, no lasers—”
“So much for your damned Navy,” Plumwell said bitterly. “All your blundering, your supply fiascos...when there’s trouble, you turn tail and ran.”
“Enough,” snapped Hopewell. “Captain Seafort didn’t.”
“He would have if he’d been able. He was on his way to—”
“I said enough!”
I cleared my throat. “That will get us nowhere. We have two choices. Carry on and hope the fish leave us alone, or send a party to the Venturas Base and see if their lasers can be reactivated.”
Sitenbough, a plump young settler from west of the Triforth estate. “What good will their lasers do us, halfway across the planet?” He sounded peevish.
“Between Orbit Station and the Venturas Base, we may be able to get a crossfire on any aliens that approach.”
Harmon Branstead said, “Would it help? The fish Defuse above us ready to attack. How much warning had we of the rock they dropped?”
“Very little. I said reopening the Venturas Base was an option.” I pondered. “Manning the lasers would take at least a dozen men. We’d need civilian volunteers.”
A rancorous discussion followed. In the end, the planters’ consensus was to leave the fish alone, and hope they would do likewise to us. Hopewell, seeing my restlessness, brought the meeting to a close.
Afterward he and I sat in the anteroom, sipping coffee brought to us by the ubiquitous Bezrel.
“It’s only a matter of time,” I said. “They’ll be back.”
He nodded agreement. “There’s another option you didn’t raise.” I cocked an eyebrow, waiting. “Send a couple of men to check the base, to see what it would take to reopen it. That might save some time in an emergency.”
I should have thought of it myself. “Very well. I’ll do that.” I glanced at my watch. “There’s still time to get there in daylight. I’ll take Tolliver and Bezrel.”
“Are you well enough?”
“Of course.” Short of breath from time to time, but on the whole, much improved. I should have let them yank my lung months ago.
While Tolliver readied one of the Naval helis, I stopped at our new apartment to see Annie. The flat was only a few blocks from Admiralty House, yet I’d spent no more than two nights there since we’d moved in.
“How are you feeling, love?” I took her hand. She pulled it free.
“It’s sunny.” She stared vaguely at the trampled flower beds bordering the apartment. Across the room the nurse sat reading.
“Would you like to take a walk?”
She shook her head. I wondered if she’d dressed herself, or whether the nurse had helped. At times she roused herself from her lethargy; more often she sat passively while she was groomed.
I tugged at her arm. “A walk would do us good.” No response. “The doctor said I need exercise. I hate to walk alone. Should I forget it?” A nerve throbbed in my cheek.
Slowly, as if in a dream, she got to her feet. “We take a walk now,” she told the nurse. She went to the door, waited as if expecting it to open by itself.
Together, we strolled around the block. “I’m going on an overnight trip,” I told her.
She stopped. “You comin’ back?”
I took her hand, squeezed it. “Of course.”
“It be okay, den.” She seemed to lose interest.
I drowsed in the back seat while Tolliver flew. As a treat for Bezrel, I had Tolliver give him an elementary flying lesson while we crossed Farreach Ocean. Flushed with excitement, the middy struggled to keep the heli level at two thousand feet while Tolliver’s hand hovered over the cyclic.
Long before we reached shore I switched places into the copilot’s seat. As we neared the Venturas I scanned the distant shoreline, hoping against hope to spot Catalonia’s lifepods. We’d heard no radio signals; either the crew was without callers or they were all dead. Derek Carr’s lean, aristocratic face drifted past the window. Did it hint of reproach? I wasn’t sure. Ghosts do not often speak.
“Unidentified aircraft, turn back at once! Do not approach!”
“Lord Jesus!” Tolliver banked the heli at a stomach-wrenching angle and soared away from the land. He stared at the caller as if at a spirit. “Who was that? The base is abandoned!”
“Apparently not.” I reached for the caller. “Venturas Base, this is Naval heli two five seven Alpha.”
“Unidentified aircraft, turn back at once! We have you in range and will fire!”
Tolliver flipped switches, readied our missile defense. Our heli was well armed, but countermissiles would do little good against groundside lasers. “Sir, they have radar contact.”
“I see that,” I snapped. “Venturas, this is Captain Nicholas E. Seafort, Commander at Admiralty House. We’re here on—”
“By standing orders of Commandant Eiferts, no ship may approach our airspace! This is your final warning.”
Were they insane? I tapped my personal code into the heli’s puter, set it to transmit.
“We will fire in ten sec—”
I snarled, “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Tolliver blanched. I ignored him. “Put Eiferts on line and flank, or he’ll be out on his ear like Khartouf! Move!”
“He’s not—he’s in another building. I’m sorry, but I have standing—”
“Countermanded! Call Eiferts or you’ll see a drumhead court-martial!”
“But—” Tolliver swallowed. “Aye aye, sir.”
Nothing, for three long minutes. Then the speaker crackled. “Eiferts here. Identify yourself.”
“Nicholas Ewing Seafort, Captain, U.N.N.S., commanding all forces groundside and aloft.” There were no forces, but it was a grand title.
“Seafort is gone. It’s a good imitation, and you deciphered his code, but—”
“Damn it, Eiferts, I thought you said you knew how to obey orders. Turn off your lasers!”
For the first time he sounded hesitant. “Captain?”
“Captain. And you’re a lieutenant.”
“You went to the station with the others two weeks ago, sir.”
My body began to relax; though he might not know it yet, he’d accepted that I was myself. “I missed the shuttle. So did Tolliver; he’s here with me.”
A long silence. “Come in high, directly over the field. Don’t use radar. We’ll keep our lasers trained on you, and at the first sign of trouble we’ll fire.”
I growled, “Acknowledged.” What was the matter with the man? Tolliver shot me a worried look, but maintained our course.
I held my breath as we neared the field. Tolliver brought us directly over the top at three thousand feet, dropped us down slowly. I peered down to see the administration building, the thick-walled shuttle hangar, the parade ground.
We touched down in the center of the field. I opened my door. “Let them see me first.” I tugged at my jacket, ran my fingers through my hair. I growled at Tolliver’s amusement, but a glance at the mirror showed me the futility of my efforts. Though my uniform was neat, my eyes were deep sunken in hollow cheeks, and my scar flamed vividly.
Two soldiers approached, laser rifles at the ready. As they neared I recognized one of them. “Good evening, Sergeant, ah, Trabao.”
He lowered his rifle, snapped a quick salute. “It’s him,” he told his mate. “Kinda surprised to see you,” he said.”
“And you. They said you were all to be evacuated.”
“Long story, sir. Your officers may come with us.” I chose to view it as an invitation rather than a command, and beckoned to my two midshipmen.
We reached the dirt roadway, where Eiferts was waiting. He asked cautiously, “In what capacity are you here, sir?”