by David Byrd
“Because we need to get at least some of this data to…my father.” Nash said. “Look we have no one we can trust and you know how I feel about him but he did warn us. He knows something about all of this and he’s in a position to help us. Besides, can we really sit here and do nothing about this war that is about to start? Who knows how many of our men and women are going to die out there for nothing but false information about the parasite.”
“He’s right…at least about getting some truth out there. We can’t give anyone the data on this cube but we might be able to make a deal. You father can broker that but we have to make sure that only the data that can be used for good or to prove the conspiracy with the parasite are delivered.” Julia said. “There is data here on rapid healing treatments for serious wounds that I’m sure would be of great interest to the military.
“Good, you copy the cube with only the data we are prepared to offer and let’s also make one intermediary stop on the way. I’d like to stop at Calmix Mining Asteroid 3.” Nash said. “I want to use the communications link there to contact my father. If anyone else is tapping in then they will surely send someone out to hunt us down and we want to be jumping in system to Earth while they are busy looking for us.”
The crew set about their individual tasks and Jevin updated the plot to stop at the mining company. They entered normal space and contacted the company to explain that they had an urgent systems failure and needed to land and make repairs. The traffic controller recognized Nash’s name from years before. Nash had made a run such as this from his mining job after leaving the service. The StarSeeker landed on the platform which descended into a lower bay. The ceiling closed and pressurized. Nash changed into his “grubby” coveralls and left the ship to talk to the controller. After some small talk Nash explained he was shipping for a client when the engine displayed a fault. The crew was working on the glitch in the ship and he would like to contact his customer to explain why the shipment would be late. The controller gave Nash access to a communications panel in an anteroom off the main control room.
Nash closed the hatch and keyed in a well-known personal code that connected him directly to his father’s office. Henry J. Nash appeared on-screen and was for a moment speechless.
“Quintin! Thank God! You have no idea how hard I have been trying to find your whereabouts,” the elder Nash said.
Nash was not happy at having to contact his father and his feelings were still raw when he looked at the man…something they would have to work out someday but not today.
“I…We’re all fine father. But we’re in serious trouble and we need your help,” Nash said. We’ve escaped the black ops installation and it was scuttled shortly after, but we also detected the EFA Fleet heading towards the Telvari homeworld.”
The elder Nash pursed his lips and looked grim. “Yes son, we are going to war with the Telvari. The evidence that has been circulating clearly shows that the aliens engineered this sickness with the intent of wiping out our colony on RanClor IV.”
“But that evidence was false! We have proof from the laboratory itself. We know Paxton was somehow involved and there are connections in the military,” Nash said.
“Don’t you think I know that? I’ve been able to have Burke arrested but the damage has already been done. The people all believe the propaganda and there are some high ranking members of the military involved. I don’t know who they are yet but they have convinced the rest of the EFA that a first strike is warranted.” Henry said. “I’m afraid nothing we do can stop now.”
“We have to find out who is really behind all of this and the only way we can do that is if the heat is off of us. Right now I expect a picket ship to come out of FTL within the hour looking for us. But we have data that we are hoping you can trade in exchange for clearing us.” Nash said.
“Hmmm…might work. It depends on how much dirt or useful information you have. No strike that. I have plenty of dirt that can be used to twist arms. What I need is the carrot to give them after twisting.” Henry said.
“It will have to do. I’ll contact you again for a download when we are in-system. It will be encrypted but you will know the key.” Nash said touching the consoles disconnect. Dealing with his father left a bad taste but right now he was the only one with the power and connections to take the bounty off their heads.
Ten minutes later they bid farewell and lifted up and out of the asteroid landing bay. Jevin plotted the next jump when the ship lurched hard and alarm telltales flared on every screen on the bridge.
“We’re hit!” Jevin shouted instantly bringing the hull plating online. “It’s the black ship from the planetoid.”
“Zara how bad is it?” Nash asked. “Sensors down aft and port, hull plating damage port and active plating is dead on at least one third of the port side. If we take one more there we won’t need to get back to Earth.”
“Hold on to something,” Zara said with her fingers flying over the console. The ship lurched hard and using attitude thrusters flipped around 180 degrees facing the enemy. She hit max thrust and headed straight for the other ship. “Now would be a really good time for FTL Jev.” She said.
Jevin wasted no time in activating the jump and they phased into FTL.
A collective sigh could be heard by everyone on the bridge. Julia seemed to still be dazed by the events that happened so quickly but she was coming back around.
“Well since this jump will take a while I’m going to my quarters to change my shorts,” Jevin said looking pointedly at Zara who just winked at him with a satisfied smile.
“I’m just glad I haven’t eaten anything today,” Nash said.
“Wimps…you guys are getting soft. You need Julia and me around to keep you in shape,” Zara said smugly.
Chapter 30
Henry Nash had not been idle since the call from his son. He knew this game very well and he had many calls to make and a lot of people to squeeze to accomplish the goal. In some cases he threatened to expose personal details and in others he made deals and promises for exclusive information that his son had sent him after arriving in-system. Their whereabouts were still unknown but by the end of the week he succeeded in forcing stories of the heroic crew of the StarSeeker in finding the cure to the illness and bringing it back. He also exposed Burke as a person interested only in lining his pockets. There was no mention of the secret base in Telvari space. He assumed that whatever power was behind that had seen all the attention and decided they needed to lay low or have their own operations exposed but there was no way to stop the impending conflicts that were already underway.
Henry’s console alerted him to a message and when he accessed the message there was no sender. Upon opening, it was short but to the point.
NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN ON THE STARSEEKER CREW UNLESS THEY CONTINUE THEIR INTRUSION INTO OUR AFFAIRS.
That’s it then Henry thought. The stakes whatever they were are much too large to be exposed by three or four people so they were giving a sign of truce.
Henry arranged for a news conference when the StarSeeker landed on Earth including all major media outlets. The story had been playing in the public for days and the public was anxious to meet them.
Nash and the crew left the ship and met the public and news conference recounting some of the harrowing encounters on RanClor with the parasites leaving out most of the important details that would never come to light. As people faded away the four were left standing by the ship. Not too far away, a solitary man stood waiting near a very expensive flitter.
Nash walked over to his father stopping a few feet away.
“I want to thank you for what you did for my crew,” Nash said. “Without your help I doubt we would be standing here today.”
Henry Nash looked deep into his son’s eyes. He had been apprised of the color change in one eye as the result of the parasite but he was looking beyond the surface and to the rift that had grown between them for years.
“Quentin, I hope that you
will come home for a while so that we can…So that we can get to know each other again.” Henry said.
Nash was taken aback at this kinder gentler man than he once knew but his anger was buried deep and it would not allow him to give in so easily.
“I think that’s a good idea father but…not right now. I have some personal things to attend to so let’s leave it as soon.” Nash said.
“As you wish son,” Henry said closing the gap and extending his hand. Nash gripped his father’s hand and was startled but showed no outward sign other than his eyes widening slightly. “Thank you son and I look forward to that day. For now have a safe journey.”
Henry Nash departed in the flitter leaving Nash to stare after him all the while surreptitiously placing his hands in his pockets. The right hand depositing a chip that had been covertly passed to him by his father’s handshake.
Nash walked back to the others having a lively conversation.
“Nash, we were just saying that we have to go out and celebrate. Not only are we off the hook but all the attention is bringing in a lot of good contract offers,” Jevin said.
“And besides that, Julia and I need to go shopping,” Zara said.
“Shopping? Somehow shopping doesn’t seem like you Zara,” Nash said.
“That was my idea, Julia said. “We are going to have some girl time and get pampered a bit and then we’ll meet you two at the Wings Tavern ok?”
“Um…roger that ma’am, we’ll be along after we secure the ship.” Nash said with a smile.
The two ladies took off and Jevin went in to set the security lockouts from the bridge. Nash went into his quarters to his personal console and fished out the thumbnail sized chip from his pocket that his father had passed to him. He activated a circle on his desk that lit up from below and placed the chip in the circle. Another circle illuminated…A bio metric scanning circle that would confirm his identity to open the chip. He placed his palm over the circle and his readouts were measured. The console came to life with only a sentence.
YOUR MOTHER AMELIA IS NOT DEAD
Other Books by David Byrd
The Lone Colony Series
Trellis II
Trellis II Ascension
StarSeeker Series
Shattered Minds