“As senior Naval representative in Hope Nation. As commander of the military government at Centraltown.”
“And the, er, Republic?”
“No longer exists.”
He regarded me and slowly came to attention. “Lieutenant Saul Eiferts reporting, sir. Base Commandant.”
“As you were.” I continued past him to the Commandant’s office. “Private session. Now.”
He no sooner snapped the office lights on than I exploded, “What the hell is going on? Why aren’t you on your way home?”
“Admiral De Marnay sent shuttles to take the men aloft. I volunteered to stay.”
“Why?”
Unbidden, he sat at his desk. “My fiancée Jeanne—did you ever meet her?”
My tone was scathing. “You stayed to be near your woman?”
“In a way.” As if ashamed, he stared at the desk. “I—”
“Your duty was aboard ship with the Admiral, not hanging around like a lovesick—”
His quiet voice sliced through my reproach. “She worked downtown. They never found her. The building was vaporized.”
Crimson, I turned to the window. At length I muttered, “I’m a fool. Please forgive me.”
“We were to be married. I hoped my enlistment would expire while we were still in Hope Nation, otherwise I intended to come back for her. She had a younger brother. He wasn’t found either.”
“I’m terribly sorry. Say what you’d like; I deserve it.”
“You didn’t understand.” His voice was quiet, saddened, but not reproachful. “When the Admiral told me we were pulling out it seemed—I wanted to stay. With the fleet gone, the Station’s puter and our lasers are the only protection Hope Nation had left.”
“Trabao? The others?”
“I asked for volunteers. He was the first; the rest came after.”
“How many men have you?”
“Eleven, sir. Not enough, really, but we manage. We maintain laser watch, run the power grid, and cook meals. Nothing else gets done.”
I sat, decided I could face him if I tried. “Why not tell Centraltown, Mr. Eiferts? Why threaten to shoot us down?”
“Hours after the last shuttle lifted we heard Ms. Triforth’s broadcast proclaiming the Republic. It’s not—” He hesitated. “It’s not that I’m dead set against a republic, sir. We deserted them, and if that’s what they want...But we’re not here to get into local politics. We’re a U.N.A.F. installation defending the continent. I won’t ask them for help, and I won’t let them divert our arms for their local fight.”
I nodded.
“Anyway, Centraltown is outside our defense grid. I’m on the station circuit; anything it sees, I see. Between us we have the planet’s only operating laser cannon.”
“I’m surprised the rebels didn’t seize them.”
“Triforth sent a heli the second day. We took it down.” He bit his lip. “Without warning.”
“Why?”
“It wasn’t a Naval craft, sir. I wasn’t taking chances. Today, your ship was transponding Naval codes.”
I recalled my sneers, my sarcasm of moments before. Again I reddened. “You’re a good man, Mr. Eiferts.”
“Thank you.” He hesitated. “What happened to you, sir? You look, um—”
I looked um, all right. Very um. “I lost a lung. I’m all right now.” Just short of breath. At least now I knew the reason, and it was no longer life-threatening.
“Would you like to see the laser control setup?”
“I’ve seen—yes.” If he wanted to show me, it was the least I could do.
Outside, Tolliver was waiting. Eiferts took a closer look. “Lieutenant Tolliver?”
“Yes, sir. Midshipman Tolliver now.”
“How did that—” He broke off. It was none of his business.
I expected a long walk as before, but Eiferts summoned a carrier. Perhaps my appearance had something to do with it. I bade Tolliver wait with Bezrel, then Eiferts and I careened across the field to the laser control building. The laser cannon themselves were on a rise far across the base.
As he’d said, Eiferts hadn’t enough men, but they managed. I vowed I’d send him help when I got back, if I had to conscript raw recruits. After the laser building, we visited the power plant, where electricity for the lasers was generated. They hadn’t enough men to bring power online to the remaining lasers, as we’d intended. Somehow, we would have it done. Somehow.
He started back to the administration building. “Will you stay the night, sir?”
“I really should get—” Well, I didn’t like flying by night, especially as we’d have to put down in the ocean if anything went wrong. “All right. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
I briefed Bezrel and Edgar as we walked to the mess hall. Tolliver’s look was grim. “Mr. Eiferts’ done a miracle keeping the base going, but he needs more staff.” I nodded.
Dinner was heated U.N.A.F. rations; they could spare no one for more elaborate fare. We ate in near silence, crowding around two long tables.
After, they showed me to my room. I undressed, rolled onto my bed, and slept like a log.
20
OVER BREAKFAST I CONFERRED with Eiferts while Tolliver and Bezrel concentrated on their oatmeal and coffee.
“First priority is getting power to your lasers.”
He nodded. “And perhaps more men would ease the strain. Not too many, though. We have no time to train them.”
I agreed, my mind still on the power lines. It would have been so easy, while Khartouf had a fully manned base.
“Do you think they’ll ever come back?”
I groped for what I had missed. “You mean the fleet?”
“Yes, sir.”
I stared into my coffee cup, wondering whether to tell him the truth.
“They must,” he answered himself. “They’ll have to bring reinforcements. Hope Nation is too valuable to lose.”
I swallowed my doubts. “Of course. Our job is to keep things going until then.”
His smile was wan. “I wonder, lying alone at night. But then I remind myself that the U.N. couldn’t desert its own colony.”
My eyes strayed to the clock. “I’m afraid we should be leaving.”
“Of course, sir. I’ll walk you to your heli.”
Bezrel and Tolliver jumped to follow. I paused at the heli door. “I’ve appointed Zack Hopewell military Governor. There’s no reason your presence shouldn’t be made public.”
“No, sir. Unless...”
He lapsed into silence. I prompted, “Yes?”
“Unless the Government falls. You and these two midshipmen are the only other Naval personnel on the planet. The only true link with home.”
I debated. “Better we keep it quiet, at least for now.”
“As you say, sir.” We shook hands after his salute. I climbed in and we lifted off.
Tolliver, perhaps because of his earlier silence, was in a talkative mood. “Quite a difference from our last visit, Captain.”
“Yes.”
“The base is nearly deserted, but still...” He paused for thought. “It’s something hard to define. They’ve abandoned their spit and polish, but they’re more...determined.” We crossed the shoreline, headed east over the ocean.
I’d noticed the same, but hadn’t thought much about it.
“I’d volunteer for duty there, if you wish.” He was suddenly attentive at the controls.
I regarded him. “You, Mr. Tolliver? I never thought of you as an idealist.”
“I’m not, sir. It’s just that I—”
“Venturas to Naval heli two five seven Alpha, come in.”
“You certainly sound like one.” I took the caller. “Seafort here.”
“Eiferts. Orbit Station has seven fish! Their puter is firing its lasers.” His voice betrayed his tension.
“William? Put him on.”
“He’s alphanumeric, sir, direct to our puter. I can forward—Christ, a
nother five! We’re powering up. I’ll have a shot for two more hours. Then they horizon out.”
“Turn back!” I shook Tolliver’s arm. “Now.”
Eiferts said, “Captain, do you think you should go on? You’d be over the ocean if—”
“I’m on my way back. ETA seven minutes. We’ll come in low and fast. Move it, Tolliver!”
I gripped the dash, biting back unnecessary advice. When the field appeared over the perimeter hill I breathed a sigh of relief.
I ran from the heli to the administration building, had to stop for breath. Why didn’t I have more wind?
Tolliver passed me, dashed up the steps and inside. A moment later he was back. “No one here, sir. They’re probably in the laser control building.”
Of course. Where else? I looked around for a carrier, found none. “Let’s go!”
It would have been faster to get in the heli and hop, even for so short a distance. The few hundred yards along the dusty road left me gasping for breath, though Tolliver and Bezrel had no trouble whatsoever. Jogging; I must take up jogging.
Red-faced, sweating, I arrived at the laser building, ran past the carrier parked in front. An enlisted man met me inside. “Over there, sir, in the control room.” He pointed.
Inside I half expected a huge simulscreen, as on a bridge. Instead, I saw three techs poring over their consoles. Eiferts leaned over one’s shoulder, pointing at the screen.
“Well?”
He didn’t bother to salute. “We’re powered. William’s feeding us data for a shot; his long-range sensors are more sensitive than ours.”
One console screen flashed coordinates, which were fed directly to the laser cannon. The other, set to alphanumeric, detailed the situation for us mere humans.
I scrolled back to read snippets of the dispatches. “ORBIT STATION TO U.N.A.F. VENTURAS BASE. CONFIRMED ALIEN SIGHTING, DISTANCE POINT FOUR KILOMETERS. LASER FIRE TO COMMENCE. SIX ADDITIONAL SIGHTINGS. DISTANCES VARY, TWENTY-FIVE METERS TO POINT EIGHT KILOMETERS...” I scrolled. “THREE ALIENS CONFIRMED DESTROYED, COORDINATES AS FOLLOWS...” I flipped to real-time printout.
“LEVEL 2, SECTION FOUR LASER DISABLED, ATTACKING FISH WAS DESTROYED.”
“Targeted.” Samuels, one of our techs.
“Fire!” Eiferts. The lights dimmed.
“TWO ADDITIONAL FISH DESTROYED, COORDINATES TO FOLLOW. ANOTHER FISH DESTROYED BY GROUNDSIDE FIRE. MORE FISH FUSED INTO NEARBY SPACE, COORDINATES ZERO, NINETEEN, FIVE...”
William was under heavy attack, but why? Hitherto, the fish had virtually ignored the Station.
“Change targets, man. Hurry.” Eiferts.
A few days ago the Station had fired on the fish that attacked Catalonia. Some were destroyed, others had Fused away. Did the. fish communicate among themselves? Did they know the Station was now an enemy?
“Fire!” Eiferts gripped the back of the console chair.
I approached him. “Can we help?”
“My radarmen are on the long-distance sensors. Can you take local radar?”
“Tolliver!”
“Aye aye, sir. Which console?”
Eiferts pointed. “There. You know how to operate ground radar?”
“Of course, sir.” It was a foolish question; we all did. Eiferts’s nerves were showing.
Tolliver huddled over his screen. Bezrel stood nearby, knuckles in his mouth. I cuffed them away. “Go help Mr. Tolliver, boy. Act like an officer.”
“Yes, si—aye aye, sir.”
Well, my nerves were showing too. It couldn’t be helped. I paced from screen to screen. Our lasers got off careful, laborious shots; each had to be reconfirmed to make sure we didn’t hit the Station, as the fish were extremely close to it.
Tolliver had activated two screens, local and midrange. He sat at the one, had Bezrel watching the other. Between them they covered the approaches to Venturas Base. I gave their consoles an occasional glance and moved on. With the Republic overthrown, no one from Centraltown was likely to bother us.
Hours passed in an agony of frustration. From groundside we could do little. Perhaps if the base had been fully operational, if the fusion generators were fully on-line, if the fleet were here to call our shots...
As the day passed William disposed of fish with calm efficiency, but at any given time a score of them were Fusing in and out of the Station’s range. Should I alert Centraltown? Was the risk worth the ensuing panic?
“Captain, look!”
I whirled.
Tolliver fiddled with the magnification, jabbed his finger at a blip. “Something’s descending.”
“A rock?”
“Too slow.”
“Where?”
“East. It’s just entered the ionosphere.”
“I’ll check.” I ran to the main console, grabbed the caller. “Captain Seafort to Station, respond.”
William’s imperturbable voice. “Orbit Station. Go ahead, Captain.”
“Can you talk and fire at the same time?”
“I have ample capacity. How may I help you?”
“Did you launch a shuttle?”
“No shuttles launched, Captain.”
My hackles rose. “We’ve got a blip in the eastern sky.”
“Confirmed. Those would be the aliens.”
“Lord Jesus! Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I did, Captain. Reference paragraph two eight five, transmitted about forty sec—”
I scrolled frantically. “ALERT: ALIEN VESSELS OBSERVED APPROACHING ATMOSPHERE. PROBABLE INTENTION: ENTRY.”
I whirled. “Eiferts, we’ve got to tell Centraltown.”
He glanced over my shoulder. “Use the C circuit. Jameson, fire!”
“Seafort to Admiral—to Governor’s Manse, respond.”
It took only a moment. “We read you, Captain.”
“Get Hopewell, flank.”
“He’s sleeping, sir.”
I screamed, “Wake him!”
It took three minutes, but finally Hopewell was on the line, breathing hard. “What is it, Mr. Seafort?”
“Five aliens entering the atmosphere. No trajectory yet.”
A silence. When he spoke his voice was calm. “It’s ending, then. What do you want us to do?”
“Nothing’s ending,” I snarled. “We don’t know their purpose. They might throw a rock, or—”
Tolliver said, “They don’t need to drop into the atmosphere for that.”
“Be silent, Middy. Or they might be spreading a virus. Zack, do you want to evacuate?”
“There’s no point to it. We’d never notify everyone in time, and where would we go? The plantations can’t shelter us all.”
I groped for answers. Naval Rules of Engagement didn’t contemplate hostile aliens floating overhead. “Gas masks? Can you prepare for viral attack?”
“To an extent. We can sound the sirens, warn of possible gas attack. But we haven’t held gas drills; a lot of joeys won’t know what to do.”
“But some will.”
“Yes.” A pause. “I’ll get started. Godspeed, Mr. Seafort.”
“And to you.” We rang off, but not before his calm helped steady me. “Tolliver, where are they headed?”
“I don’t know, sir. They’re descending very slowly.”
I demanded, “How in hell can a fish enter the atmosphere without imploding, if it lives in vacuum?”
“They come from somewhere, sir. Presumably someplace with an atmosphere.”
“Won’t they heat up from the friction of entry?”
He looked cross. “Just how would you expect me to know, sir?”
I bit back an angry retort. He was right; I was harassing him. “Track them. Are they in range?”
“Extreme range at best, sir. I’ll let you know when we have a shot.”
I paced with mounting anxiety. There was nothing I could do here at the base. I should be at Centraltown...But even there, we had no ships, no men. The one laser cannon here was—
We ha
d helis. Even my own ship had missiles and shells. I snatched up the caller. “Seafort to Manse, come in!”
This time the reply was immediate. “Yes, sir?”
“The helis you have searching for Catalonia’s survivors. Where are they?”
“Just a moment; I’ll ask the Governor.”
A moment later Hopewell came on. “We sent the helis out at dawn. They’re combing—”
“You’ve kept two Naval ships in reserve. Are they fully armed?”
“As far as I know.”
“Do your pilots know how to use the missiles?”
“They’re former U.N.A.F. soldiers. I’m not sure but I think—”
“If the pilots are capable, send them to coordinates—Tolliver, what are they?” I read them off his screen into the caller. “Have them attack the moment the aliens are low enough to hit.”
“I will.”
Again his calm passed to me. Zack Hopewell was old enough to be my father, yet I’d been ordering him about like a cadet. “Mr. Hopewell, excuse my manners.”
His voice held stern reproof. “No need to apologize for command. Do your duty, and His will.” He rang off. I peered at the main console. Five fish descending, and nearly thirty attacking the Station. Though William skewered them with ceaseless efficiency, more appeared as fast as he destroyed them. His kill count had reached twenty-one. Our ground lasers had taken out seven.
Day darkened slowly to night. I had no thought of leaving. William’s reports continued unabated.
Tolliver sang out, “Sir, we have a shot at the fish in the atmosphere.”
Eiferts shook his head. “We have targets aloft. The Station goes over the horizon soon. Then we’ll be of no help to William.”
“Yes, but these fish are dropping into—” I hesitated. What was higher priority? I spoke softly. “Tolliver, feed the coordinates to the third laser cannon. As soon as there’s a free moment...”
He twisted his head to stare at me. “Free moment? For God’s sake, sir, they’re coming down onto Hope Nation!”
“Easy. We can’t shoot both cannon at once. We’d better help William while we can.”
Tolliver punched in figures, following the fish. He admitted grudgingly, “On their current trajectory, we have a little time.”
I watched for endless minutes.
Prisoner's Hope (The Seafort Saga Book 3) Page 34