by Tony Healey
Its pilot would hide in their wake . . . and bide his time . . .
5.
It was the hardest choice she'd ever had to make: choosing who to put on her team, and who to leave behind.
Those who didn't make it would end up assigned to different vessels, she knew, which added to the level of responsibility she felt in the matter.
However, after some soul searching, she finally settled on who would go with her to the Intrepid and who wouldn't. She'd reached out to those she wanted over the course of the week and they'd all accepted. She only regretted she couldn't take any more with her. Most of all, she feared not having Olivia near. Having her billions of light years away was almost an unthinkable proposition, but there it was – it had to be done.
Dana Oriz had accepted the dual role of communications and navigation (for which Chang had made a mental note to refer to as Comm/Nav in the future), at the rank of Lieutenant.
When she'd asked Kyle Banks who would make a suitable helmsman, he'd looked hurt that she wasn't asking him. "Alanna Gordon would make a good choice. She's a little inexperienced, but she's good. She reminds me of myself."
"Well, if she has your seal of approval, I'll make her the offer. And what about you?" Chang had asked him.
Banks frowned. "Me?"
"How would you like to join me aboard the Intrepid?"
"In what capacity? You've got your helmsman," Banks said, miffed.
Chang held out her hand. Opened it to reveal a shiny pin. "As Lieutenant-Commander, and my second in command. I don't want anyone else for the job."
Banks clamped both hands over hers, a big smile on his face. "I won't let you down, Lisa."
"That's 'cause you know if you do, I'll go all King on you and kick your butt," Chang assured him.
There was no choice to be made when it came to the Intrepid's doctor – but Clayton wasn't interested. "I think it's time I stopped," he told her. He'd suggested a suitable replacement, however. Doctor Ira Vassili accepted the moment she approached him. He was younger than Clayton, perhaps forty years of age, and Chang got the distinct impression the man had been Clayton's understudy at some point in the past.
For the role of science officer, there was only one choice, and to her relief Dr. Gentry had agreed straight away. Newly-minted Lieutenant-Commander Kyle Banks would double as tactical officer.
"Feels like I'm filling Commander Greene's shoes," Banks remarked.
Chang smiled at the memory of their fallen comrade. "Yes. Big shoes to fill."
* * *
Walking through the promenade, Chang reflected on how many times she had been there, how it never changed. Mickey's bar was still going, strong as ever. Was there a single cadet in all of the Terran Defence Force that hadn't, at one time or another, found themselves the worse for wear at Mickey's?
She stopped at the Hot Wok noodle stand and ordered Singapore noodles with extra chilli. You simply couldn't get good noodles aboard ship. And they never compared to her Mother's. The Hot Wok came close, though, and whenever she found herself with the time to do so, she made it a habit to stop by the stand and get some.
"Ah, long time no see," the owner said. "Sit down. Singapore noodle, extra spicy, yeah?"
She smiled, picked a stool and perched on it, her arms resting on the counter. "You know me so well."
Immediately the owner had the fire roaring beneath the wok, the smell of hot oil, garlic, spices rushing up from it, making her stomach growl. He threw ingredients into it, keeping the wok constantly moving, everything cooked hot and fast the way it should be.
"What would you do if I sold up and left?"
She blew air out her mouth. "Oh, I don't know. Stop eating noodles, I guess."
"Or learn to cook them yourself."
"Ha!"
She watched him add sauces and flavour, drop in the noodles, a master of his own trade. Within minutes she had a steaming bowl of them in front of her.
"Here. Because I've not seen you in so long," he said, pouring her a small glass of sake.
"I shouldn't really," she said, throwing it back. It was how it should be – served warm. "I've got a meeting with the boss."
"Boss can wait. Eat."
She went to pay him and he backed off, shaking his head. "Do not insult me. Eat."
Before Chang could argue, he had turned his back to her and started talking to another customer. To her knowledge, she hadn't once paid for them.
She used the chopsticks and slurped the noodles up, loving the rich flavour, the hit from the chilli. It was so close to what her Mother had knocked up on Friday nights.
"Excuse me," a man said as he took the stool next to her.
"No worries," she said, shifting up a bit to make room for him.
"I've been paid to find you."
Chang looked at him. She instantly recognised him as from one of the colony worlds. His attire, the dirt etched into the lines on his forehead from hard labour in unforgiving weather.
"Excuse me?"
"A mutual friend," he said in a low voice. "Paid me to give you a message."
"Go on."
He leaned in close to her ear. She could smell the stale sweat of the man, the stink of travelling a long distance to get there. What could possibly be so important as to warrant a message be handled in such a way? Why not use the Trans-Gal service?
It could be from Jessica.
The man's whisper made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
"Will Ardai wants to find her. He knows she trusted you. He will make contact when the time is right. His ship is the Spectre."
She frowned. "What–"
The man was already up, heading off. She watched him go, then turned back to her noodles.
Suddenly she had no appetite.
* * *
Admiral Kerrick reviewed her crew choices, his only concern being Chief Kolvin's insistence of a droid Assistant Engineer. "I've never put much faith in mechanicals."
Chang had been prepared for his disapproval. "With all due respect, Admiral, Chip has served in the fleet for over twenty years. He's a highly-regarded member of Kolvin's team, and one he trusts to be his cypher down there while he's on the bridge. I'm trusting Kolvin's choice in this regard."
Kerrick pointed a finger at her. "If he malfunctions, it's on you, Captain."
"Of course."
"Hmmm. I'm not happy about it, but whatever. I know Kolvin's work, his attention to detail. He must have a reason to choose the . . . droid."
Chip, his name's Chip, you ignorant–
Kerrick made quick work of marking his signature on the data tablet and handed it back to her.
"Thank you, sir," she said, glad to have it over with.
Kerrick pinched the corners of his eyes, then ran a hand over his face.
Tired from all that plotting and scheming? Chang wondered.
"How is Kolvin getting along? I trust you're on track for departure?"
"Yes, Admiral. Of course, I don't yet know to where I'll be departing . . ."
He smiled weakly. "Of course. Your assignment will be to head into the Chimera Cluster and locate the Namarian vessel. Find it, alert the rest of the fleet, and then await instructions."
"I see."
"Any concerns?"
"None that spring to mind. Only that the Chimera Cluster is an intensely destructive region of space, sir. I hope that the Intrepid can withstand it."
Kerrick shrugged. "She'll have to. Back in the days of the Draxx war, Driscoll led the Manhattan in there for an extended period. I'm sure I don't have to remind you how successful that mission was."
"Do we have any intel on their position at all?" Chang asked.
The Admiral shook his head. "None at this time. What we do know is that they're still in there. They haven't come out. Whatever they're up to . . . it needs to be carried out in there, much to my annoyance."
"Will there be other ships joining us, sir?"
"Regrettably no. I'd have preferr
ed a fleet to smoke them out, but I am not afforded that luxury. There is growing hostility at the Sjan border. Command has insisted that our forces be situated near there in the event that the Sjan decide to make an incursion. I'm afraid that, for the time being at least, you will be on your own, Captain Chang."
"Understood."
"Now, if you have no further questions I'm expecting a special envoy from the Klebin homeworld who is anxious to speak with me."
He threw her a half-hearted salute and she shot one back, then turned on her heel and left.
* * *
"Well, this is it," Chang said, looking at her carryall on the bed.
The bed we shared until this morning.
"Lisa, I told you. This is a big opportunity for you. And Captain King needs you to be in a position to help," Olivia Rayne told her.
"I know all of that. It doesn't make leaving you here any easier."
"It's easy for neither of us, but it's a necessity. We both know that woman is innocent. If it takes a little personal sacrifice to help her set everything right, I'm all up for that."
She reached out, took Chang's hands. Looked deep into her eyes.
"I love you," Chang said. "I'll miss you."
"You'd better," Rayne said, breaking into a grin.
Chang moved closer. Their lips almost touching. "Count on it."
* * *
Dr. Ira Vassili carried a cup of hot coffee into the briefing room aboard the Intrepid, the eyes of the other senior staff on him as he picked a seat. Chief Kolvin was not in attendance – Chang had, in fact, insisted that he not attend. The Intrepid was in the last stages of prep and she didn't wish for anything to derail it. Dr. Gentry sat at the table, nervously picking at the hem of his top, failing to make real eye contact with anyone else in attendance. Section chiefs from all over the ship were also present – those who could be spared, in any case.
Dana Oriz was busily reading a data tablet, her face lit from beneath by the glow of the screen. Ensign Alanna Gordon looked fresh-faced and unseasoned sitting among some of the other command crew, but that was how things went. Lieutenant-Commander Kyle Banks walked into the briefing room with a tablet under his arm and all eyes turned to watch him walk to the front.
Keep cool, he told himself. It was hard when all he could do was think of Chang's remark about filling Commander Greene's big shoes.
"Afternoon everyone. Thank you for carving out the time to come. The Captain will be along shortly."
He'd never much cared for standing in front of groups of people, let alone addressing them. It was, perhaps, partly the reason why he had excelled as a helmsman. There at the flight controls, one faced away from the remaining Bridge crew. Under the gaze of the universe. there was no room for embarrassment or bashfulness.
"As you know, we launch tomorrow. Far as I can tell, we are well on track. Does anyone have any issues, before the Captain arrives, that have not already been raised in one form or another?"
Dr. Vassili's arm went up into the air.
"Yes doctor?"
He sipped his coffee with a loud slurping sound. "There is no chair in my office."
"Right. Anything else more important to the operation of this ship?"
Vassili frowned. "A chair is not important? I am expected to stand the entire time?"
"If need be, yes. But I'll make a note anyway. Hopefully we can source you one before we leave," Banks said.
So far so good.
"Anyone else?"
"Yes," Dr. Gentry mumbled. "I am finding the onboard computer quite lacking."
"We're aware of the computer problems," Banks said. "I've been assured they will be rectified by the time we depart."
"We'll see then."
Banks cleared his throat. "Ensign Gordon? Have you been acquainting yourself with the helm?"
"Yes, sir. Everything looks familiar to me. I've spent some extra time in a simulator to prepare."
"Good job. Better to make your mistakes there than doing the real thing."
"Yes, sir."
"The coffee here is good," Dr. Vassili remarked.
"Uh . . . good."
The door opened and Chang walked in. They all stood, and Banks moved aside to allow her to take her place at the head of the table.
"Hello everyone. How about we dim the lights in here and find out what's in store, huh?"
Banks ran a finger down the lighting controls, lowering them till they were barely on at all. A holographic star chart appeared above the surface of the table, turning slowly.
"Is anyone familiar with this volatile region here?" Chang asked, zooming in until the smallest speck on the chart had became an expanse of nebula and stellar material that spanned entire systems.
"The Chimera Cluster," Dr. Gentry said.
"Very good," Chang said. "That is where we're headed. It's believed that the Namar are still in there, following their conflict with the Defiant and subsequent escape. The Admiral cannot spare any more ships for this task, so we're heading in there to find them."
"How?" Dana Oriz asked.
"I've taken the liberty of collating all known data on the Chimera Cluster and sent it to your individual work stations. I am positive that we can reduce the areas of interest down to those that are the most possible. The Namar are hiding in there, somewhere. It's our job to locate them and report their position to command."
"Won't the Cluster severely impact our communications capabilities?" Banks asked.
"It will. Once we have found them in there, we'll use the Intrepid's yacht to reach the outer edge of the Cluster and make contact with command. That's the plan, anyway."
"A sound plan," Gentry said. "Are the shields of this vessel adequate against the radiation and interference inside the Cluster?"
"They should be, going from historical data."
At that, Dr. Gentry nodded. "Very well."
"Will there be assistance?" Banks asked.
"Not right away. The rest of the fleet are tied up facing down the Sjan. Until we find the Namar, we're on our own."
She shut the star chart down and Banks raised the lights. Ensign Alanna Gordon looked from one to the other, a smile on her face.
"Something to add, Miss Gordon?" Chang asked.
"It's just, I'm . . . I'm really excited about this mission!"
Chang glanced sideways at her second-in-command.
Are you being serious?
Banks simply smirked. His expression said: trust me.
"I hope it exceeds your expectations, Ensign. Everyone, dismissed."
* * *
The captain's chair awaited her. The Intrepid looked like a different ship to the one she'd visited before with Stationmaster Givens. Everything squared away where it should be, no evidence of chaotic activity on any deck. The Intrepid's core pulsed with power; she could feel it coursing through the deck under her feet.
She's a mighty ship. Smaller than the Defiant, perhaps, but her heart is just as big.
"Captain? Are you ready?" Banks asked from the tactical station.
Chang took her seat. It adapted to the shape of her body, made her feel more comfortable than she'd ever felt before sitting down. It helped ease some of her tension.
My first command. My big step into Captaincy. How quickly it's come, and by such terrible means. Banks may have big shoes to fill, but it should be Commander Greene sitting in this chair. Getting his shot. Only he's not here. He's another fallen comrade, a ghost of yesterday I have to try and forget about. This should feel so good, so right, but I can't help but feel uneasy at how it was achieved. Taking a promotion from the very man who implicated Jessica in the murder of Admiral Grimshaw. And what of her? She's out there, hiding, waiting for her moment.
The bridge waited on her order. Ensign Gordon sat looking at her from the helm console, her face expectant.
It seemed an invisible clock ticked around her.
What happens when Jessica comes out of hiding? When she brings all of this to a head? I ma
y have to put everyone on the line again. I've already had to bid farewell to the woman I love.
What else – and who else – will I have to say goodbye to?
"Clear moorings. Chief, are we set?"
Kolvin nodded once, sharply. "Yes Captain. Ready and waiting."
"Dana, contact Station Control, tell them we are about to disembark."
"Aye."
The Intrepid experienced a slight jolt as Ensign Gordon released them from the station.
"We're free."
"Good. Bring the engines to one fifth power. Maintain midships. Ten degree yaw to starboard. Nice and gentle."
"Yes Captain."
The wind filled her sails, the engines purred to life and the Intrepid broke away from the station under her own power. Banks's replacement handled the controls smoothly and at ease, much to Chang's relief.
"The station bids us farewell," Dana reported.
"Noted," Chang said. "Doctor Gentry, any anomalous readings?"
"None," he said.
Banks checked his scanners. "We're clear on my board."
"Good. Helm, increase thrusters to half power. You may maneuver her as you wish, so long as we remain outbound."
"Yes Ma'am!"
Ensign Gordon tilted the ship left and right, performed a standard barrel roll, then took the ship up and over in a loop to her original heading without breaking a sweat.
"You handle her well," Chang told her.
"Thank you, sir."
"Now take her to full thrust. Banks, any systems nearby?"
He checked. "We're coming up on one. Uninhabited. The Bjud system. We'll be there in less than a minute if we hold our present course and speed."
"Excellent. There you go, Ensign," Chang said.
She got up from the captain's chair and made a slow inspection of everyone at their stations. It was strange to say, but she almost missed her old spot at the science station. It felt weird to have Gentry in her old role. She stood behind Ensign Gordon as they tore into the Bjud system. A gas giant loomed ahead of them. A pale sun shone behind it.