Red Angel

by C. R. Daems

  "Spooks!" She turned to Burkett. "Commute a vector to Shadows Rest. Helm, execute as soon as you have it."

  "Captain, two hours to Wave entrance, one hundred twenty three hours to Shadows Rest."

  "How long to get to those coordinates from the Wave exit, Paulus?"

  "What are they, ma'am?" I asked. I imagined she thought I knew already and would blurt it out reflexively.

  "5.115 degrees, 5 hours, 14 minutes, 0 seconds, 3.4 astronomical units." She stared at me while she waited.

  "At five hundred forty gravities, a little more than eighteen hours. That position isn't too far from our Wave exit."

  "Burkett?" Sharat asked by way of confirmation, still frowning in my direction.

  "Eighteen hours, ten minutes, and thirty seconds at five hundred forty gravities," Burkett said while staring at me.

  "That gives us two full days to get in position. Good." Her frown disappeared and a small smile touched her lips. The Bridge was quiet as the Tityus was positioned to enter the Wave.

  "Sixty minutes to the Wave," Burkett said, breaking the silence.

  "Comm."

  "Attention. Entering the Wave in sixty minutes. Repeat. Entering the Wave in sixty minutes," I announced over the loud speakers and sent the message to all CPCs. I wasn't sure whether anyone had to do something specific before entering the Wave or whether it was just standard protocol. The next five days were not going to be fun, since I would be on pins-and-needles awaiting the results of my query. I thought I had done the right thing, but I should have let the captain know my concerns. Something warned me that she would not only have ignored it but would have been upset with unknown consequences. I didn't report to her and it was within my rights, but she was the captain of the Tityus and had God-like powers here in space. Kris stayed until the end of first shift, then walked with me to the dining area.

  "Thank you, Kris. I don't know why I'm being so ... paranoid," I said as we sat to eat.

  "Doesn't matter. As Adrian has said, we need to trust each other. Besides, I agree with you. That message was too convenient and too amateurish. And I can't blame you for thinking the captain a bit ... too eager."

  "Well I've asked Adrian and Wilber as well as NIA offices for the location of the Dreamer and its schedule over the next week. If it's close by like Westar or Safe Harbor, I'll have to concede ... No, I’ll still believe it's a trap, but I won't have what I'll need to dissuade Sharat." I laughed.

  "I'm not sure if anything will change Sharat's mind, but we have a responsibility to give her the best analysis we can. Maybe ... if we can't dissuade Sharat, we should send Adrian and Wilber a message telling them our concerns so they will be aware if a similar situation occurs. Won't help us but might help them."

  I agreed and would prepare a message, using Crazy Numbers, and send it ... before I talked with Sharat just in case ... I didn't know, but better to look foolish than be the cause of others’ deaths. With that decided, I relaxed and began eating.

  The next few days proved as boring as I had anticipated, and as a result, I managed to talk Kris into touring the ship with me. We even visited the marines’ area and were treated to a tour and got to watch one of their practices. The captain ignored me, except for small talk, when I was on shift. I wondered if she had the new Comm officer, a lieutenant Croft, review the outgoing messages to read what I sent. If she had, then she knew I had known about the decoded message before Kris gave it to her. Well, it couldn't be helped.

  The first shift was on the Bridge as we approached Shadows Rest, and Kris was at the WavCom equipment for when we exited.

  "Exit in sixty minutes," Burkett said, and Sharat nodded to me.

  "Attention. Exiting Wave in sixty minutes. Repeat. Exiting Wave in sixty minutes," I said after activating the loud speakers. Each minute seemed like ten as we waited. When it reached ten minutes to go, Sharat broke the silence.

  "Well Agent Paulus, should we initiate Battle Stations?" she said, confirming that she had read my message, which confirmed she didn't like spooks.

  "I'm here to look for suspicious messages and to decode them if I can ... and to tell you when I believe them strange. You command the Tityus. I wouldn't exchange your responsibilities for a cure to my illness." I stared back at her. She nodded.

  "Good, so long as we understand each other."

  "Exiting the Wave in ten, nine ... two, one, now," Burkett said as we left the Wave. Immediately, Kris's fingers flew over the keys. Ten minutes later, she transferred a packet to my tablet and sat back and sighed.

  "Well Agent Paulus, what's the news?" Sharat asked, smiling like she had pulled something over on us. I didn't feel any concern from her about what the messages said—just what I had expected from her. I flipped through the messages: from Adrian, the Dreamer is in Zespa scheduled to leave in five days for Stone Ring; from Wilber the same message; and from two NIA offices confirmation of the Dreamer's location and schedule. I knew a confrontation was coming and sent my prepared message to Adrian and Will. I had used my Crazy Numbers software to encode the basic message so it couldn't be read by anyone but the team and Commander Stauffer.

  To: Scylla for Lieutenant Weiss, Romulus for Lieutenant Shrader, Urgent.

  Attached is a coded message we received from the WavCom in Truth Star. Kris’s and my translation is also attached. It looked amateurish and too convenient so we sought the location of the Dreamer. It obviously can't make the rendezvous, so Kris and I believe it's a trap and want you to be aware of similar messages. We will try to convince Captain Sharat. You will know the results in a few days.

  Signed: Agent Paulus, address to Tityus

  I moved another message into the outgoing queue, ready to be sent:

  To all UAS ships: URGENT Believe UAS Tityus is heading into a trap set by smugglers out of the FPU. Need assistance from any ship within one day of Shadows Rest, at coordinates 5.115 degrees, 5 hours, 14 minutes, 0 seconds, 4.4 astronomical.

  Note: If I'm wrong you will have wasted fuel; if I'm right you may save hundreds of lives.

  From NIA Agent Paulus.

  "We have confirmation from several sources that the Dreamer is in Zespa and couldn't make the meeting time in less than two weeks from today. I think that confirms the message is an attempt to lure the Tityus into a trap."

  "So what? It's a chance to kill more smugglers. That's a good thing."

  "If you win. What if you lose?"

  "I know what we are facing. In case you forgot, we've fought them and won. And that time they had the advantage because I didn't know how their ship was armed. Today, I know the types of missiles they are using, reload time, speed, and number of tubes." Her voice was louder than normal, so that the entire Bridge could hear. Red had slid into my hair. As his head touched my forehead, a great calm settled over me.

  "And how do you know what you are facing? They certainly know what weapons a UAS cruiser carries and that you destroyed their ship. So I'd say they know more than you," I said, my voice normal. I no longer cared what she did to me, but I was determined to have my say. Too many innocent lives depended on it.

  "And you believe the smugglers are better than the Alliance Navy?" she shouted as she neared me.

  "We aren't discussing the crew of the Tityus; we are discussing a captain who's putting glory over the safety of her ship."

  "You're young and terrified of dying, I understand. But the crew of the Tityus is experienced and brave. They are not afraid of Freebee renegades in merchant ships. I'm charging you with conduct unbecoming an officer." She was back in control, and she had stopped shouting. She clicked her CPC on. "Colonel Mclean, send a couple of marines. I'm placing Lieutenant Paulus under arrest. While she talked, I pressed send. When it acknowledged, I deleted the copy.

  "I'm charging you with reckless disregard for the safety of the Tityus and its crew." I stood, reached in and pulled out my laser, and handed it to her—handle first. Then reached up and grabbed Red and pulled him out of my hair. I kissed him gently. "
Sorry Red." And placed him in my chair. "I'm going to the medical unit and have Doctor Guzman place me under quarantine, since within forty-eight hours I'll be contagious—since you're so sure we'll be alive at that time. Oh, the laser is to shoot the krait before he bites anyone. I can't live with the lives of that many people on my conscience," I said, and began walking toward the door. Just then, two marines walked in. "I'm better off in the medical unit. The Coaca Virus is very contagious." I stared back at Sharat, whose eyes were going from me to Red and back again.

  "Let her go," she finally said. "Lieutenant Sinclair, she's y—"

  To my astonishment, Kris went down on one knee in front of my chair and slowly reached out her arm. Red slid around her arm and settled.

  "She's your responsibility, Sinclair," Sharat shouted, then waved to the marines. "Accompany them to the medical unit and post a guard to see she doesn't leave."

  "For the record, I agree with NIA Agent Paulus. I think that message is an attempt to put the Tityus into a trap," Kris said as she walked toward the door. I exited with Kris, and the two marines followed at a distance. I almost laughed. The marines would charge into enemy fire but were hesitant to go near the krait. When we reached the medical unit, Doctor Guzman stood waiting, obviously having been warned.

  "Anna, you're acting like a little girl."

  "I am a little girl." Tears clouded my vision. "Kris, if you survive, tell Alexa I'm sorry. I just couldn't live knowing I didn't have the words to convince Sharat to use caution. Is it her, or are all captains glory hungry?"

  "Anna, I too think you are acting like a young girl. One who refuses to accept some adults aren't always wise or can let their emotions override good judgment, even when hundreds of lives hang in the balance. We adults have come to accept it." She looked around the unit. "Well, Doctor Guzman, where are you going to put us?"

  "Just give her that damn snake!"

  "She doesn't want it, and Red seems content where he is," She laughed, but I could feel how nervous she was. I loved her and wished with all my heart that she really was my sister.

  "I know snakes aren't supposed to have minds and rational thoughts, but I'd swear Red won’t save her unless Paulus changes her mind. So I'll keep him for now. And I'm not as worried about dying of the Coaca Virus as I am of missiles. I'm afraid that Agent Paulus attacked the captain's ego, so although what she said was true, she won't back down now."

  Guzman led us to a private room, had an extra bed moved in, and posted a guard at the door.

  "Kris, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you involved. I was desperate to get her to call for help or ... I don't know what. I've made a mess of it."

  "Okay, I'm dying to know. What message did you sent and to whom, while the captain was busy calling security?"

  "I sent out an urgent call for any Alliance cruisers within twenty-four hours of the pickup coordinates. I indicated the Tityus was being sent into a trap." I shrugged.

  Kris laughed for several minutes and when she tried to say something, she started laughing again.

  "It's been a pleasure knowing you, Anna." Kris lay back and appeared to fall asleep. I hoped Red stayed on her sleeve, because Kris didn't like snakes, and his crawling round would be a living nightmare for her. Finally, I fell asleep.

  * * *

  We were served our meals in the room, and fortunately the room had a small shower and toilet.

  "I can't imagine how you lived all those years with Red attached to you. And he stayed while you showered."

  "He likes the water and soap."

  "If you think I'm taking a shower with him, you're crazy."

  "Grab him close to the neck and place him on the bed. If he hasn't bitten you by now, I think you're safe," I said, hoping I was right. Sure enough, when she grabbed him, he unwound and let her put him on the bed. She was in the shower a long time. But when she sat down, Red slid onto her lap and wound himself around her lower leg.

  "I begin to understand why you think Red—"

  The Tityus shook and my glass tipped over.

  "I think the captain found the smugglers," I said, and Kris nodded. For a moment, I wished I was on the Bridge so I'd know what was happening. Then I realized I was better off not being able to see the damage monitor. Every missile that got through meant people died. It was bad enough hearing the commotion in the medical unit as the injured were being carried in. That was the trouble with the Bridge, it was detached from the reality of what was happening.

  The pounding went on for what seemed like days, although it had only been several hours. I counted twenty-six hits, each one like a knife in my heart. And although not all of them breached the hull, I knew many must have, based on our last encounter. There seemed to be an intense barrage, then long periods of nothing before it began again.

  We were in a long period of quiet. I wondered if the attackers would board at some point. Clearly we weren't winning. I figured the ship must be close to a wreck and lucky to still be moving. But then the bombardment started again. It lasted for only several minutes, and then I heard the engines shut down.

  "According to all the accounts I've heard, we can expect a boarding crew shortly." Kris started laughing again and again. I thought she had lost it. A boarding crew meant killing and rape. "The smugglers may have won the battle and lost the war." She started laughing again. "If you are contagious, you could destroy their whole organization."

  I joined her laughing fit. I wasn't contagious yet, but my temperature was beginning to rise. If they didn't kill me right away, the price for raping me could be very costly. Nothing happened for the next couple of hours, except for an occasional explosion somewhere in the ship. The Tityus was dying along with its crew.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Inquiry at Oxax.

  "You see why I don't like water or space submarines," Kris said, breaking the silence. "Can't see what's happening and can't leave even if no one tries to stop you."

  "You do have a point. Not much difference being under water in the middle of an ocean or in a vacuum in endless space." This was a senseless discussion, but it helped smooth the nerves and pass the time until ... whatever our fate. "Wish I hadn't given my laser to Sharat."

  "But if you were shot you couldn't spread the virus."

  "Turns out, the Coaca Virus is contagious for two days after the individual dies, so—" The door opened slowly and a woman stood there in a biohazard suit.

  "Are you Lieutenant Paulus?" she asked, looking from Kris to me.

  "That's me." I raised my hand.

  "Is the Coaca Virus active?"

  "I'm beginning to run a fever, but I don't believe the virus is active enough to be contagious, unless you become exposed to my bodily fluids."

  "Who are you?" Kris stood to face the woman, her hand on her laser.

  "I'm Doctor Wyman, from the UAS Vulcan. Doctor Guzman says you can keep the virus under control with the poison from a red-headed krait, but you are refusing to let the krait inject you ... Can you explain what is going on? I admit to being confused. And hurry, this suit isn't comfortable."

  "Here, Red says he's lonely." Kris raised her leg and put it on the bed. The doctor's eyes, even through the glass of her helmet, grew wide in shock, and she took a step backward. In truth, I had missed Red and I guess I’d been acting ... foolish. I was prepared to be judged and punished for my actions, so I reached out and Red slid onto my arm, up to my neck, and proceeded to sink his fangs into my throat. I heard the Doctor gasp. The relief was immediate, and after a minute, Red disappeared into my uniform.

  "You can take off that suit now if you wish. I'm not currently contagious. Red, that's my red-headed krait, just injected me with the poison that keeps it in check. Sit and I'll explain."

  "Doctor, we need to leave this ship. There is no telling how long it's going to hold together," a marine sergeant standing in the doorway said.

  "All right Sergeant, although I admit I'd risk it to hear this story." She rose and exited the door. Kris and I f
ollowed along, with four marines tailing. I assumed that meant I was still under arrest. The hallway showed places were the metal had buckled from the force of hits on the Tityus. They escorted us to one bay which had shuttles being filled with survivors. Our shuttle wasn't full, but we departed as soon as the last marine entered and closed the door. We were on a shuttle used primarily for planet-side transportation by senior personnel, and it had small windows. I couldn't believe the Tityus was still functional—or at least not completely opened to space. There didn't look like there was any area untouched, and many areas clearly had been breached.

  In silence, we were taken to the medical unit and placed in a closed room. The doctor waved the marines out, stripped out of her suit, and sat on the bed opposite me along with Kris.

  "Red was a good boy, but I'm relieved he left me for you," Kris said before the doctor could speak.

  "Okay Lieutenant Paulus, explain." Her voice was soft, and her face had a pleasant smile.

  "Anna, please. When I was four, the medics found me..." I went on to explain what the doctors had concluded during their six months of examining Red and me.

  "That's amazing, Anna. I can understand why you gave it a name and why you feel he has some kind of connection with you. He didn't bite Lieutenant Sinclair and seemed content to stay with her so long as you were in ... his sight. I'm afraid you are under arrest and restricted to this room until there's an inquiry. Lieutenant Sinclair, as far as I know you are free to leave and will be assigned a room."

  "I like this room, so if no one objects, I'll stay with Anna. I'm as guilty as she is. They just haven't charged me yet."

  Wyman laughed. "Are all NIA agents as crazy as you two?"

  "I hope so," Kris said, looking at me and winking. When Wyman left, I had conflicting emotions. I wanted Kris's company, but I didn't want her to get in trouble over something I had done.