by Ryk Brown
“That dreadnought is the only one I’m worried about,” Nathan admitted.
“Do you still want the Strikers and Nighthawks tailing them?” Cameron asked.
“Negative,” Nathan replied. “Let’s bring them home and give them some downtime.”
“I’d advise we keep the Falcon on station,” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda suggested, “at least until the next jump.”
“Agreed,” Nathan replied.
The intercom beeped, interrupting the briefing.
“Captain, Comms, flash traffic,” Naralena announced over the intercom.
“Captain, what is it?” Nathan asked.
“Message from Doctor Chen…”
Nathan’s expression changed in a heartbeat.
“Your sister is awake, Captain.”
A wave of relief washed over him. “Did she say anything else?” he asked after a pause.
“Only that you should come as soon as possible.”
“Understood,” Nathan replied, turning off the intercom.
Everyone in the room could see that their captain had been knocked off his game.
“That’s wonderful news,” Cameron said.
Nathan looked over at her, frazzled. “I have to go.”
“It’s eighteen hours to Sanctuary by shuttle,” Jessica reminded him.
“Captain, perhaps you should use the Aurora to get there,” Abby suggested.
“What?” Nathan asked, confused.
“We need more long jumps to finish calibrating the array,” Abby explained. “Might as well make them useful jumps.”
“The Aurora isn’t cleared for entry into Sanctuary space,” Jessica pointed out.
“We can jump in just outside of their defense perimeter,” Cameron suggested, “then you can shuttle in. The entire trip would take half an hour.”
“How far is Sanctuary from Orswella?” Nathan wondered.
“Just over four hundred light years,” Cameron replied. “Rogen, Sanctuary, and Orswella form a triangle of sorts, with the leg between Sanctuary and Orswella being the longest. If we wait until we have a full charge before jumping to Sanctuary, it would be about ninety minutes until we’d have enough charge to jump back to either Rogen or Orswella.”
“How long until we have a full charge?” Nathan asked.
“Three more hours,” Vladimir replied.
“By that time, the dreadnought will have made their next jump,” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda added.
Nathan looked around at his officers, overwhelmed by their desire to get him to his sister’s side.
“Let us do this for you,” Cameron urged.
Nathan nodded. “As soon as we’re fully charged,” he told Cameron, “and thank you… All of you.”
CHAPTER TWO
Nathan’s eyes popped open at the sound of the intercom’s alert beep. Oddly enough, he had no recollection of what he might have been dreaming about. Ever since his memory had been restored, his dreams had been exceptionally vivid, but today…nothing.
He reached over to the nightstand, fumbling for the intercom button in the dark. “Yes,” he muttered after finally finding the button.
“Apologies, Captain,” Naralena began. “You left orders to wake you once the jump drive was fully charged.”
“Of course,” Nathan replied. “I’ll be there shortly.” He sighed, then swung his legs off the side of his bed, sat up, and switched the lights on. A glance at the clock revealed that he had only slept for two hours…in two days.
After a groan, he was on his feet, headed for the exit, picking up his uniform jacket as he passed through the living room.
Once through the door and into the corridor, Nathan donned his jacket and ran his hands through his hair in a feeble attempt to tame it.
“Captain on the bridge,” the guard at the entrance to the bridge announced as Nathan passed.
Cameron rose from the command chair, turning toward the captain. “Have a nice nap?”
“Blissful,” Nathan replied sarcastically. “Update on the dreadnought?”
“The dreadnought has made its fourth jump and is still on course for Takara,” Jessica reported from the tactical station. “They are now sixty light years from the Rogen system, and three hundred and sixty-eight light years from Orswella. So we can safely jump to Sanctuary and still be able to respond in plenty of time, should they turn back.”
“Very well,” Nathan said, taking his seat. “Mister Sheehan, I assume you have calculated the jump?”
“About ten times, yes,” Loki assured him.
“Ten times?”
“It’s a long jump.”
“Yes, it is. Mister Hayes, take us out of orbit, and put us on course and speed for the jump to Sanctuary.”
“Breaking orbit,” Josh replied, entering the new course into the ship’s helm.
“How’s the jump drive looking?” Nathan asked, turning toward Abby at the starboard auxiliary console.
“All systems appear normal,” Abby assured him. “The jump to Sanctuary is only two hundred and eighty-seven light years,” she added, “not even half our estimated maximum jump distance. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Then, why are you here?” Nathan wondered.
“I’d like to gather as much performance data as possible before we start production of the next batch of emitters.”
“On course and speed for the jump to Sanctuary,” Josh reported.
“Very well,” Nathan replied. “Let’s give Doctor Sorenson some data, shall we?”
“Jumping to Sanctuary,” Loki replied as he initiated the jump. “Jump in three……two……one……jumping.”
A blue-white flash of light washed over the bridge. For a moment, Nathan felt as if the stars on the main view screen had shifted ever so slightly.
“Jump complete,” Loki reported. “We are now two light years from Sanctuary.”
“Very well,” Nathan replied, rising from his chair. “Lieutenant Commander, shall we?” he ask as he headed aft.
“Contact,” Kaylah reported, “at the extreme edge of our sensor range…and we’ve just been scanned.”
“ID?” Nathan asked, stopping in his tracks.
“It’s small…it just jumped.”
“Toward us?” Cameron wondered.
“Negative,” Kaylah replied. “It was on a perpendicular course. If anything, it jumped past us.”
“If it had been jumping toward us, we’d know it,” Cameron stated.
“Raise shields,” Nathan ordered, uncertainty in his tone.
“Raising shields,” Jessica replied as she activated the Aurora’s shields, as well as her point-defenses. “I’m activating point-defenses, as well.”
“I’m pretty sure it was just a drone,” Kaylah assured him. “It was way too small to… New contacts! Missiles! Eight of them inbound! Ten seconds!”
“General quarters!” Nathan ordered, heading back to his command chair.
“Point-defenses!” Cameron ordered, stepping over next to Jessica at the tactical station.
“General quarters, aye,” Naralena acknowledged.
The trim lighting around the bridge suddenly changed to red as the general quarter’s klaxons sounded throughout the ship.
“Five seconds!” Kaylah updated.
“Escape jump!” Nathan added.
“Changing course!” Josh reported.
“Four…”
“Point-defenses engaged!” Jessica announced.
“Three…”
“Two down…three…four…”
“Two…”
“Escape jump ready!”
“One…”
“Jump!”
Nathan braced himself as blue-white light swept across the bridge.
“Jump
complete!” Loki reported with a sigh of relief.
“Position?” Nathan asked.
“We jumped five light minutes along a course only a few degrees off our original heading,” Loki reported.
“So, we’re closer to Sanctuary,” Nathan surmised.
“New contact!” Kaylah announced. “Another drone, same as before. We’re being scanned.”
“Helm, turn to one five seven, up twenty relative, on my mark,” Nathan ordered. “Stand by to jump four light hours.”
“Drone has jumped!” Kaylah warned.
“Mark!” Nathan barked.
“Turning to one five seven, up twenty,” Josh acknowledged.
“Ship is at general quarters,” Naralena reported.
“What the hell is going on?” Cameron wondered.
“On course one five seven, up twenty,” Josh announced.
“More missiles!” Kaylah warned. “Eight again! Ten seconds!”
“Jump is ready,” Loki reported.
“Jump!” Nathan ordered.
“Jumping in three…” Loki began.
“Five seconds,” Kaylah updated.
“As soon as we come out of the jump…”
“Two…”
“…Turn to zero five two, down forty…” Nathan continued.
“One…”
“And jump two light years,” Nathan instructed.
“Jumping!”
Again, the flash of the jump washed across the bridge.
“Turning to zero five two, down forty,” Josh acknowledged.
“Preparing to jump seven light hours,” Loki added.
“New contact!”
“Let me guess, another drone,” Nathan surmised.
“Affirmative!” Kaylah confirmed. “We’re being scanned.”
“Jump!” Nathan ordered.
“I haven’t finished my turn,” Josh warned.
“Jump now!” Nathan insisted.
“Snap jump!” Loki acknowledged.
Another wave of blue-white light swept across the bridge.
“Two light years!” Nathan ordered. “Jump when ready! Helm! Hard to port and pitch down.”
“Jump is ready!” Loki reported.
“Another drone!” Kaylah warned.
“Jump us in the turn!” Nathan ordered. “Now, now, now!”
“Jumping!”
Yet again, the jump flash filled the Aurora’s bridge.
“Jump complete,” Loki reported. “Next jump?”
“Position?”
“Three point eight five light years outside of the Sanctuary system,” Loki reported. “Half a light year from our original approach course and headed away.”
“Kaylah?” Nathan asked.
“Nothing yet,” she replied.
“Helm, turn to zero two four, up fifty. As soon as you finish your turn, jump us ahead one light year.”
“Turning to zero two four, up fifty,” Josh acknowledged.
“Dialing up a single light year jump,” Loki added.
“Still no contacts?” Nathan asked.
“Negative, sir,” Kaylah replied.
Nathan breathed a sigh of relief, settling back into his command chair.
“Somebody want to tell me what the hell just happened?” Cameron demanded.
“I think someone upgraded their defense systems,” Nathan replied.
“And expanded their ‘shoot first’ perimeter,” Jessica added.
“That was Sanctuary firing at us?” Cameron realized.
“It would appear so,” Nathan confirmed.
“Turn complete,” Josh reported.
“Jumping ahead one light year,” Loki added.
“How did we not know about this?” Cameron wondered. “Don’t they have a mailing list, or something?”
“I don’t know,” Nathan said as he rose from his command chair, “but I intend to find out,” he added as he headed aft. “Keep the ship out of their ‘shoot first’ perimeter. Move further out if needed.”
“If we move, how are you going to find us?” Cameron asked.
“Use the transponder-equipped comm-drone that we use to communicate with our people on Sanctuary,” Nathan suggested. “They don’t seem to be shooting those down…yet.”
Cameron watched as Nathan and Jessica left the bridge. “Not exactly the welcome I’d expected.”
* * *
“Turn complete,” Lieutenant Teison reported from the Falcon’s pilot’s seat. “Ready for the zag?”
“Zag jump is ready,” Ensign Lassen replied.
“Why are we even doing this?” Sergeant Nama wondered. “We already tipped our hand.”
“That was two jumps ago,” the lieutenant reminded him.
“Yeah, but they’ve got to know we’re still monitoring them.”
“Probably, but if we don’t keep acting like we’re trying to be covert, then they’ll know we allowed ourselves to be detected on purpose.”
“Still don’t think it matters.”
“Do you have something better to do?” the lieutenant wondered.
“Yeah, sleep,” the sergeant replied.
“Zag jump point coming up,” Ensign Lassen warned.
The lieutenant turned his attention back to his flight displays.
“We should just drop a passive sensor buoy on them, and back off and take a nap,” the sergeant complained.
“Jumping,” the lieutenant announced as he jumped the ship back across the dreadnought’s flight path, passing behind them from the target’s right to left. “Jump complete.”
“Scanning.”
“You know, I’m with Riko,” Ensign Lassen stated as he began preparing for the next jump. “I’m more than ready for some rack time.”
“We all are,” the lieutenant agreed. “One of the Strikers should be here to relieve us soon.”
“Uh, LT?” the sergeant called from the sensor station behind the flight deck.
“What, you need to pee again, Sarge?”
“Where are the gunships?”
“Aren’t they flanking the dreadnought?” the lieutenant replied.
“They were, but now they’re gone.”
“How many of them?”
“All of them,” the sergeant replied.
“They were just there,” Ensign Lassen insisted.
“And now they’re not,” Sergeant Nama replied.
“I’m changing course to fall back,” the lieutenant decided. “We need to look at their old light to see if we can determine when those gunships left and which way they were headed.”
“We’ve only got a light minute of lag time,” Sergeant Nama said. “That’s an awfully tight window to time a covert departure jump.”
“Not if they’ve been watching us the entire time,” the lieutenant surmised.
Sergeant Nama sighed. “I guess a nap is out of the question.”
* * *
“Have you considered the possibility that we’re no longer welcome on Sanctuary?” Jessica asked as they prepared the shuttle for departure.
“We were way outside the two-light-year perimeter,” Nathan insisted. “There’s no reason they should be firing on ships that far out.”
“Maybe they’re not used to ships as large as the Aurora?” Jessica suggested.
“Flight, Shuttle Four, ready for departure, starboard side,” Nathan reported over comms. “That’s possible, but they don’t have the right to fire on a ship so far outside their own heliopause, even if it is on a course for their system.”
“Shuttle Four, Flight. Clear for immediate starboard departure. Safe journey.”
“Shuttle Four, departing,” Nathan reported as he activated the departure function of the shuttle’s auto-flight system
.
The modified Ranni shuttle rose slowly off the Aurora’s starboard flight deck and began to move forward, accelerating at a comfortable rate. As it cleared the forward opening of the starboard flight deck, its rate of acceleration increased sharply.
“Something has changed on Sanctuary, and you’re going to find out what that is,” Nathan continued as the shuttle sped past the nose of the Aurora.
“Me?”
“Yes, you,” Nathan replied as their shuttle cleared the Aurora’s nose, and he initiated a gentle turn to port. “I’m going to be busy, remember?”
“Let’s just hope they don’t try to shoot us down, as well,” Jessica said.
“Cam sent a comm-drone to Sanctuary informing them of the Aurora’s position and intent, and that we were on our way,” Nathan explained. “That should do it.”
“Unless they’re mad at us, for some reason,” Jessica countered. “Have you considered the possibility that Miri isn’t really awake and that the message was meant to lure us here?”
Nathan looked over at her, one eyebrow raised. “How do you live that way?”
“What way?”
“Always suspicious of everyone.”
“How do you not?” Jessica asked.
“I’m suspicious when it’s warranted,” Nathan insisted. “You see that?” he added, pointing at the jump system display.
“An escape jump?” Jessica realized. “Then you’re not hopeless.”
“Someone long ago said, ‘Trust but verify’,” Nathan told her. “I prefer, ‘Trust, but be prepared for deceit’.”
“So, ‘Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst’?”
“Something like that,” Nathan replied. “Are you ready?”
“Transponder is active,” she replied.
“Here we go,” Nathan announced as he pressed the jump button. The blue-white jump flash washed over the Ranni shuttle’s cramped cockpit, and the conglomeration of modules clinging to what little remained of the asteroid known as Sanctuary appeared a few kilometers ahead of them.
“Sanctuary, Alliance Shuttle,” Nathan called over comms.
“Alliance Shuttle, Sanctuary Approach. Identify your occupants and intentions,” a rather stern voice demanded.
“Alliance Shuttle, two occupants. Captain Nathan Scott and Lieutenant Commander Jessica Nash,” Nathan replied. “Care to explain why you attacked my ship when we were well outside your defense perimeter?”