‘Sometimes I think Scaleia has more confidence in me than I have in myself.’
‘You not being an overconfident ass is a plus, you know.’ She chuckled softly.
‘Really? Try telling that to Admiral Bright.’
‘I think he doesn’t like you because you’re not military.’
‘Him and everyone else who wears a military uniform.’
‘It’s not that bad. What about men like Captain Ryan and Captain Jepson? They both like you and are willing to follow your lead.’
‘Honey, I think they are few and far between. I mean really, Ari, think about it; what are we doing out here that the military can’t do better? This is a war. I served proudly when I was younger, but that was a decade ago. Since then I’ve become a completely different person. What do I know about battle strategies?’
‘Obviously enough, because like I already said, the President trusts you. Heck he handpicked you two years ago to lead the mission that changed everything.’
‘I have to tell you, Ari, that I wonder sometimes if we were better off never leaving our solar system. The Agalum weren’t at war with us and may have never been.’
‘No, they were just infiltrating our governments and replacing key people including General Abruzzi and even President Scaleia. Think about what you’re saying.’
‘I know, you’re right. Sometimes I just feel like I’m not in control of anything anymore, let alone my own life. Things were simpler when I just designed spacecraft and weapons.’
‘Someday they’ll be like that again,’ she replied.
Mark chuckled silently. ‘I’m on my way back to the command deck. I’ll see you in a minute.’
‘See you then.’ She cut the connection and Mark rose from his chair, and ran his hand through his hair.
“Time to get this show on the road,” he said aloud, and exited the conference room.
***
Eighteen hours later…
The Cagliostro exited hyper-warp into a war zone. Explosions rocked near space around them followed by blindingly brilliant flashes of light.
“Shields at maximum, camouflage on,” Mark ordered.
The Cagliostro appeared for only a split second, then disappeared just as quickly, its camouflage unit causing it to shimmer and fade from view.
Red turned toward Mark. “The Triumphant is in trouble. The Agalum have them separated from the rest of the fleet.”
“We can’t help them, Red. We have a mission of our own. They’ll be okay. I trust those men.”
“Mark,” Ariel interrupted, “The Triumphant is calling for help. We’re the closest ship.”
Mark sighed, “No, we’re not. We’re not here, we’re on our way to the bigger mission. The big ships have to fend for themselves. Dan, take us down.”
Dan looked at Mark and grimaced. He then turned and began accelerating the Cagliostro through the battle. Ships on both sides of the conflict fired at each other all about the Cagliostro, which invisibly moved through the battlefield in space. Once clear of it the Cagliostro arced invisibly down toward Chakix’s surface.
The red skinned alien exited the maglovator with Dr. Troiano to watch the Cagliostro’s descent.
“I am almost home,” the alien said in its strange modulated voice to Mark.
“You are. Now as soon as you are able, contact your people-”
“My children,” Chakix corrected.
“Very well, your children then, and prepare them for what they must do.”
“They will do as I command them. You will have your aid upon the ground.”
“Good.” Mark nodded affirmatively. “Because we won’t be able to do this alone.”
The Chakix possessed alien nodded. “I understand.”
“We’re entering the atmosphere now, Captain,” Red announced.
“Okay, Red. Take us to the coordinates that Chakix gave us.”
“You got it, Mark.”
The red skinned alien turned to Mark, “I leave you now. Return my child to the ground. He will know where to go.”
Without another word the bare chested alien stumbled as if cut loose from invisible strings. It grasped its head as if pained. Then it looked up in shock, as if just realizing where it was.
Mark nodded to the two security officers standing by the maglovator doors. They quickly walked to either side of the alien.
“Come with us,” Security Officer Dorn spoke, authoritatively. He was a tall, powerfully built black skinned man.
“We’ll take it from here,” the female officer named Crosby agreed. She had short blonde hair and a no nonsense demeanor.
“Be careful with our friend there. He’s disoriented and means no harm. You can take him to the entry ramp. He’s going home as soon as we touch down,” Mark ordered.
The Cagliostro’s hull glowed with reentry heat, even through the camouflage. It became a glowing outline as it quickly descended.
“We can be detected entering this quickly, you know,” Dan reminded Mark.
“Only visually, Danny. I know. But it can’t be helped we have to strike quickly. Time is against us.”
The Cagliostro landed softly, its landing engines switched to a vertical take-off and landing or VTOL configuration. The ship touched down and within instants the native was out the door and running into the thick forest.
Mark directed, “Keep the camouflage unit on, and shields powered up. Anonymity, people. That’s what we’re looking for. At least until the rest of the ground forces arrive. Red, saddle up. It’s time to go.”
Mark touched a control on his virtual control panel. “Secondary command crew to the command deck.”
The secondary crew entered the command deck less than a minute later. Immediately the primary crew stood and headed toward the maglovator, with Mark and Ariel pausing as Matt Marek walked toward them.
“Mr. Marek, take care of my ship.” Mark shook Matt’s hand as both men nodded mirthlessly.
“Will do Sir,” Marek replied.
Mark turned and headed toward the maglovator with Ariel beside him.
The command crew met in the armory along with seventy other crewmen and women.
“I didn’t think I’d be playing wartime medic anytime soon, much less wearing something as ridiculous as this,” Dr. Troiano announced. Her diminutive body was suited up in a heavy battle suit. Nearby everyone else save for a handful of others were all in various phases of donning the heavily armored suits. The remaining men and women were putting on jet black skin tight suits with hoods and face masks.
“Are you ready?” One of the black suited crewmen said to another.
“Yes, let’s try this out.”
Both men touched buttons at the waist of the suits and they instantly disappeared.
“Whoa!” Ariel exclaimed. “I knew what to expect and even I wasn’t ready for that.”
“Fully functional stealth suits Ari,” Mark advised. “They use the same technology as the camouflage unit on the ship. You and I will be wearing them as well as Eddie and Dan. Red will be leading the security men and other crewmen in the field. We, as well as Dorn and Crosby, who are already in their stealth suits and outside the ship, will be infiltrating that base. Hopefully these suits will surprise the Agalum as much as they just did you.”
She nodded and smiled. “Knowing you, darling, they’ll work just fine.” Ariel leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Mark smiled and took her in his arms and kissed her full on the lips with passion. The crowd of crewmen began clapping earnestly.
Mark broke the kiss and they both smiled. “All right, everyone, let’s get our minds back on the attack. It’s time to move.”
Mark finished donning his stealth suit as did Dan and Ariel.
“Strike team Alpha, power up,” Mark ordered.
The small team of stealth suit wearing men and women turned their suits on and immediately faded from sight.
“Goggles on,” Mark ordered again. Everyone placed the goggles they held in t
heir hand or that rested upon their heads over their eyes. Instantly the invisible strike team became visible to them all. A dull yellow glow enveloped everyone wearing a stealth suit. The goggles plugged into a port by the neck of the suit with a thin yet sturdy cable. “Remember, everyone. These goggles must not fall into Agalum hands.”
“Strike team Beta, power up,” Mark commanded. The rest of the crew wearing heavy suits activated their armor. They hummed to life and almost immediately quieted.
“Alpha, begin our assault. Beta, stay back until the predetermined time for your attack. Let’s go people we’re burning daylight.”
They exited the Cagliostro and began to step silently into the jungle. ‘I wonder how the battle in space is going?’ Ariel asked telepathically.
***
“The battle is going badly,” Captain Nagata spoke to his companions.
“I know, Nagata. My ship is already badly damaged,” Captain Ryan barked.
“Where are you, Ryan?” Nagata questioned.
“Check your sensors. We’re several thousand miles off from you. We got drawn into a battle with a smaller craft that tried to escape us. We followed it and it led us right to a G’Kor planet crusher. We’re in trouble.”
“We’re on our way. I’m continuing to your position, Ryan. Hold on,” Captain Carlson replied.
“If you don’t hurry, Carlson, this G’Kor that’s on my ass is going to chew it up and spit it out.”
“Just hold on,” Carlson reiterated.
The starscape above Chakix was alive with firepower. Six Earth Protectorate vessels against three times that number of Agalum.
The ships of both fleets spun through space chaotically. Energy blasts and missiles careened through the inky blackness lighting up the sky below brightly.
“I’ve got the Triumphant, Carlson. Help Nagata,” Captain Argento of the Crossbow cut in.
The Crossbow blazed brightly through space arcing down toward the G’Kor class planet destroyer that was about to obliterate the much smaller Triumphant.
While not as large as the G’Kor it was still a mile long monster fitted with enough enemy crushing power to raze cities from space. Now all that firepower was unleashed at the G’Kor. Within instants the tide of that battle changed. Where before the G’Kor had been mercilessly hammering the Triumphant, now the Crossbow was doing just that to the larger ship. The Triumphant spun back toward the Crossbow.
“Fire all forward guns!” roared Ryan. “Double shields to the rear of the ship. Fire full brace of Star Cores, now!”
The Triumphant, a much bigger ship than the Cagliostro by almost twice, unleashed hell upon the suddenly embattled Agalum G’Kor ship.
“The one problem with a ship as massive as the G’Kor’s is that they don’t turn all that quickly, and when pinioned between two powerful war ships as ours are, well it’s a bit hard for them to draw a bead on us. They’re made for planet razing, not really for ship to ship combat,” Argento commented. He watched a moment more as the G’Kor split in two and exploded spectacularly above Chakix.
“My crew and I thank you for the save, Captain Argento. Now let’s get back to the others,” Ryan said.
The two powerful vessels began to turn back toward the area above Chakix where the majority of the battle was taking place when another powerful blast lit up the sky.
“What was that?” shouted Argento. His crew looked at him fearfully across his command deck, looking and waiting for some word of encouragement that it wasn’t one of their fellow Earth ships that had just exploded.
For several seconds there was only static, and then Nagata replied, “That was the Tempest. Captain Brennan and his crew are gone.”
***
‘How much further?’ Ariel asked telepathically.
‘Another quarter mile and we’re there,’ Mark replied.
They continued on in silence, walking the last quarter mile easily, quickly, and invisibly. They came upon a small clearing in the forest and entered it, stopping there.
“This is the place,” Mark spoke quietly aloud. He touched the control on the side of his waist and immediately became visible again. The rest of the crew followed suit.
‘Now what?’ Eddie telepathically asked.
‘Now we wait,’ Mark replied.
They did not have to wait long. Within minutes the forest about the crew came alive as red skinned natives, roughly hundreds of them, stepped forth brandishing crude spears and knives.
“I see Chakix kept its word,” Red muttered as he looked about.
Then the great red ape stepped forth, breathing heavily. It stared down at Dan angrily, actually curling its lip in closely bottled rage.
“Looks like your pal remembers you,” Eddie jibed. “Maybe he thinks you’re its brother?”
“Shut up, squirt. I don’t have time to play games with you now,” Dan retorted.
Eddie turned to where Dan was staring and watched. A beautiful red skinned woman stepped out from between the trees closest to them and smiled. She was naked to the waist save for a heavy covering of leaves, which covered her breasts and privates.
Mark gave a smile and a half bow. “Chakix I presume? The real you this time.”
The woman smiled and nodded. “Welcome, Captain Johnson. This is my true form, yes, you are correct. You behold the body of a goddess.”
Eddie looked to Dan. “She looks pretty goddess-like to me,” Eddie snickered quietly.
Chakix shot him a disapproving glance, but returned her gaze to Mark Johnson. “All is in readiness I see?”
“It is, Chakix. We are fully prepared.”
She walked up to him and stared up at his face. “I regret to tell you, Captain Johnson, there has been a change of plans.”
“What kind of change?” Mark rumbled menacingly.
“I am sorry. Truly I am, Captain. But I must do what is best for my children which live upon myself, my world.”
“Chakix…” Mark growled menacingly.
The brush about them split apart as Agalum troops surrounded everyone in the small clearing. All their weapons were aimed directly at the Cagliostro’s crew.
“I once again apologize, Captain, but the Agalum invaders left me no choice.”
“Be quiet, Chakix,” an Agalum officer commanded. He pushed past her and aimed his gun directly at Mark. “Kill all the others. This one is going to spend the rest of his short life on our home world, telling us all of his savage and crude world’s secrets.”
Chapter 35
Mark locked eyes with the Agalum who faced him. The purple skinned ‘lettuce head’ stared down the barrel of his gun toward Mark. “You will witness the deaths of your people, then you will come with us to our base where your very long, very painful interrogation will commence.”
Mark smiled. It was a slow, deliberate thing, starting at the corners of his mouth and working its way up his face, while his head dipped lower. “I don’t think so.”
The air around the small clearing seemed to shimmer for an instant. The Agalum and the natives spun in surprise. Even Chakix was taken aback. Surrounding the clearing were at least fifty of the Cagliostro’s crew wearing heavy battle suits. They had weapons aimed directly at the Agalum soldiers, the natives, and Chakix herself.
“H-how?” Chakix stammered.
The heavy suited crew began to disarm the Agalum and restrain the natives as well.
“What, Chakix? Did you really think I could make close fitting camouflage suits like we’re wearing, but not be able to add that property to my heavy battle suits as well?” Mark continued to smile. “But to answer your first question, very easily, actually. You overrate your position here, Chakix. Now maybe you could make the ground swallow us all up if you wanted to, but I kind of doubt that will happen because your children would get killed or injured in the fracas as well. As to how I knew you were going to try to double cross us, well let’s just say I knew what to look for from you. We had your vessel on board the Cagliostro long enough that
we were able to study you, surreptitiously of course and discern when you were making contact with your world or larger body or whatever the planet really is to you.”
“You studied me?” Chakix almost bellowed in humiliation. “As if I was some base creature?”
“Oh it gets better, Princess. We were ready for you in every way shape and form. When you sent your signal to the planet, looking for this Agalum son of a bitch,” Mark jerked his thumb at the officer who stared numbly at him, “Red knew immediately and informed me of it on the command deck. You were standing right there, trying to be oh so slick. Letting your Agalum cronies know we were coming back and where we would meet you. Red and I had a code worked out. He called me ‘Captain’. Red never calls me ‘Captain’. The Cagliostro is just not that kind of ship. We’re corporate, not military. But anyway, that was the code word we worked out. You sent that signal that the Agalum knew how to process, and we all knew the game was on. End of story. See, Chakix, we really did not trust you, no matter how long we had you aboard the ship. You proved that caution was the right way to go where you were concerned.”
“Now what?” the Agalum officer asked.
“Now you shut up and stay put,” Red ordered. “No talking, no moving. Sit on the ground, don’t say a word. Unlike you Agalum animals, we won’t treat you disrespectfully unless you force us to. As of now you’re all prisoners of war.”
“That includes you too, Princess.” Mark nodded toward Chakix.
“I am a prisoner? Upon myself? My own world? I think not.” She began to turn to run, but Ariel stepped forward and punched her in the mouth. Chakix dropped like a bag of stones, clutching her bleeding mouth, her eyes wide in abject shock.
One of the heavy suit wearing crew placed a blocking helmet back on her head, but on her true body this time.
Again shock registered upon her face.
“What? Did you think I only had one of those helmets? I can manufacture as many as I need in the Cagliostro’s fabrication facilities. The one we used in the other dimension was only the first version prototype. This one is version ten. Yeah, we’ve been updating it since you came aboard,” Mark confirmed. “You’re not going anywhere unless we let you.”
The Cagliostro Chronicles II: Conflagration Page 20