Flight of the Magnus

by L S Roebuck

  Skylar’s smile turned into a frown. “Nothing I saw. No encoded messages. Just the normal stuff. Still, it’s odd that we haven’t gotten the situation normal report from Magnus for a while now. Maybe those new guys in Magellan comms are sleeping on the job. Maybe Moreno has decided to keep Magnus data on a need to know basis. Maybe something bad happened to —”

  “Naw, I am sure Moreno would have tagged anything that was important,” Amberly interrupted.

  “Any particular reason for the interest?”

  “I had a dream about North last night,” Amberly admitted. “It was so real. It was when Dek and North nearly killed each other, and I saved North. Only in my dream I didn’t. I guess I had Magnus on the brain.”

  Skylar chuckled, relieved. “More like some bad carb balls in the gut. That’s why I avoid late night snacking: indigestion. I’m sure North is fine, your dream notwithstanding. Go on to the Command Center; you need to start getting ready to receive American Spirit. I’ll see you there in a bit. I just want to get all the outgoing communications through the tight beam to Magellan. And I have one other bit of business to take care of.”

  The largest space in Fuentes Station was the Adriana Greenhouse. Not nearly the spectacle the topside garden was on Magellan, the Adriana Greenhouse still featured a large transparent ceiling that had a magnificent view of the Spencer Belt, and when Sonnet was in the right rotation, Spencer Minorum. Because of the lack of manpower, only about a fourth of the greenhouse was being utilized. The rest was open space, a rare phenomenon in the human habitats between Earth and Arara.

  Amberly stood in front of the entire assembly of her team, 20 civilians, and eight Marines. The Marines were in full dress, and stood at attention with rifles in hand. She looked up at the magnificent American Spirit, nearly ten times the size of Fuentes Station, floating in a synchronous orbit just few scores of meters above the large asteroid. The American flag decorating the hull was illuminated by spotlights from Fuentes Station, and Midas, who was standing near the end of the assembly, felt a tinge of reverence at the sight. Amberly focused on lights from the observation deck windows where she first saw Dek on Ship Day at Magellan two years ago. So much had changed since Dek Tigona came into her life.

  Fuentes Station was not designed to accommodate a ship the size of American Spirit.

  One of the first projects Amberly’s engineers worked on was designing an airlock for such a ship. The connecting point was installed at the end of the Adriana Greenhouse. The gangway had been extended from American Spirit to the new airlock to allow for easy transfer of people and supplies between ship and station.

  A small light on the airlock door connected to the gangway flashed green, indicated equalized atmosphere on both sides of the portal.

  “Verne,” Amberly spoke to her VI, now installed in the station wide computing network. “Let our friends in.”

  The door began to slide open and made a slight hiss. Behind the door, at the front of the American Spirit delegation, stood Dek Tigona. Amberly’s eyes locked with his and her heart filled with a mix of fear and love. Her gut churned.

  Dek looked good. His hair was neatly cropped, and his upper body had gained some impressive build since she said goodbye to him. He wore a brown poly-jacket over a loose-fitting tan V-neck shirt. Amberly saw, strapped to his black pants was low hung hip holster, complete with some sort of pistol. He seemed older, as if he’d lost a lot of his youth along the way, but his blue-grey eyes were still young and brilliant, and they commanded her attention.

  Then she saw Kora and Lydia behind Dek, and her heart leapt with gladness. She resisted the temptation to run to them. Surely these women could help her navigate out of the mess she found herself in with Dek and Skylar. She couldn’t wait to debrief with her girlfriends, of which she had precious few on Fuentes station. And then in an instant she was horrified. What will they think when they find out I am engaged to Skylar? Amberly’s thoughts reflected her fear of the judgement of her dearest friends. And instantly, she was resigned. Let the judgment come. It’s worth it to have my friends home with me.

  Dek stepped out of the airlock and approached Amberly, keeping with the waypoints’ custom of an arriving captain to greet the governor first.

  With the comforting Kora and Lydia smiling in the corner of her view, Amberly reciprocated the smile as Dek walked up to her. Behind Dek, XO Snodgrass, Bridge Officer Caddo, two American Spirit Marines, and Lt. Boro entered the greenhouse and made a smartly formed line.

  “Captain Tigona,” Amberly said as she extended her hand, “Welcome to Fuentes Station.”

  “Mission Commander Macready, on behalf of the 987 souls on the American Spirit, we are grateful for your hospitality, and we recognize your authority on this gentry of Waypoint Magellan,” Dek said, per waypoint protocol that was as old as Project Waypoint itself.

  Dek grasped her hand, and then pulled her to him, bringing her into a full embrace and then leaning his handsome face into her soft one. Lost in the emotion, Amberly went with the passionately wet kiss for a few seconds, and then suddenly remembered where she was and what she was: engaged. She snapped her head away and stepped back a few paces, holding her left hand to her chest, palm facing her bosom, displaying the brilliant crystal from the Shard Cave.

  For a brief instant, Dek didn’t understand. He could plainly see the ring on her finger. Then he registered what it meant. What did I expect? Dek thought as he tried not to tear up in front of this group. How naive am I? Of course, she wouldn’t wait for me. I wasn’t coming back. Why didn’t Kora tell me?

  The greenhouse was awkwardly silent. Amberly wanted to disappear again, but as an alternative, she was going to run into the arms of the sister she loved dearly, her own flesh and blood.

  Instead, Skylar Trigs, who had jealously watched the whole kiss just a few paces behind Amberly, began to march forward, and pointed to Security Chief Wong.

  The Marine drew his rifle and stepped forward with two of his Marines in tow, approaching Dek.

  Dek fingered his sidearm instinctively, and his two Marines flanking him drew their rifles and aimed at the Wong’s detachment.

  “Whoa!” Boro said, putting his large arms in the air, and pushing down with his palms. “Let’s all calm down here.”

  Amberly was shocked. “What is going on here?” Midas took a few steps toward Amberly, out of a protective instinct.

  Trigs walked up until he was nearly nose to nose with Tigona. “Dek Tigona, as executive officer and second in command of Fuentes Station, prisoner administration falls to me. You are an exile that has returned to Magellan sovereign soil, in violation of the terms of your sentence. I am ordering these Marines to escort you to our holding cell until legal proceedings can decide your fate.”

  Caddo stepped forward. “You can’t arrest the captain!”

  “You are bridge officer Caddo?” Wong said. “You are under arrest for the murder of American Sprit Security Chief West. As an officer, you are subject to military court martial. “

  “What?” Snodgrass said.

  “Stand down, everyone,” Amberly shouted.

  “No can do,” Wong grumbled. “I’ve reviewed the applicable law with your XO. You do not have the authority to pardon or offer clemency to criminals convicted under Magellan tribunal law. As Fuentes Stations chief law enforcement officer, I have the obligation to arrest this murderer and this Chasm scum.”

  Dek looked hard at Skylar. He looked to Amberly, but she only looked confused. Amberly wanted to override Wong, but quickly decided until she could consult with a legal counsel back on Magellan, she had to defer to her security chief.

  Skylar placed his hand on Dek’s shoulder and gave it a sharp shove.

  “And stay away from my fiancée,” Skylar threatened. He looked to Wong, “Take this traitor to the brig.”

  Snodgrass stepped forward. “Trigs? Skylar is it? Captain Tigona was duly appointed and is the master of the American Spirit. I am pretty sure as captain, he has, s
hall we say, diplomatic and circumstantial immunity from incarceration.”

  “And who are you?” Skylar asked.

  “Executive Officer Snodgrass,” he replied.

  “Well, looks like you’re acting captain now,” Skylar said, “until Amberly appoints a new captain. Please have your Marines stand down or I’ll make sure they are court-martialed as well.”

  Snodgrass looked over to the Fuentes Station Commander, to see if backed her XO.

  Boro spoke up, “Mission Commander Amberly, are you ordering Dek to be arrested?”

  Amberly hesitated, and she knew she looked weak to her team and the senior leadership from American Spirit. Maybe she had loved Dek once. Maybe she used him. But she trusted Skylar. She was going to be his wife. How could she not back him now? She could feel the utter sadness from Dek now, and she could see in his eyes that he knew the truth. She betrayed him, lied to him, used him. Amberly tried to hid the shame she felt. She was about to stab him deeply, again.

  Amberly was about to open her mouth to speak, when Dek waved down his Marines. “Guys, my freedom is not worth bloodshed. Neither is my life for that matter,” Dek looked at Wong. “Very well. I surrender to you.”

  Dek glanced at Amberly. A solitary tear rolled down her sweet face. He did his best to make a mental picture. I may never see her again; but this was worth it, to taste the lips of my beloved one more time. How could I not forgive her, the one I love. Forgiveness is best.

  “Goodbye, Amberly,” Dek said, as Wong zip-cuffed him. “I wish you and your fiancé all the happiness you deserve.” He bowed slightly toward her as a Marine started to tug him away.

  Another Fuentes Station Marine cuffed Caddo, who was completely befuddled. The Fuentes Station Marines escorted the pair out of the greenhouse.

  Amberly’s head was spinning. Suddenly everything was completely out of her control. She ran to Kora and embraced her sister, trembling.

  “Don’t worry,” Kora reassured her, with a bit of defiance in her in voice. “We’ll fix this.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Fuentes Station, on the asteroid Sonnet, in orbit around Spencer Minorum, October 28, 2604, 24 months after the Battle of Magellan, and two months before the Battle of Marquette.

  Why did I think I could do this? Amberly Macready thought, as she leaned back in the uncomfortable conference room chair. What made me think that I had what it takes to lead this mission?

  Around the room, several arguments were going on at once, and as everyone tried to talk over each other, the noise level in the American Spirit officer’s conference room made it difficult for Amberly to sort her own thoughts.

  Amberly desperately wanted the advice of the Governor Thor Rillio and Commander Rita Moreno on what to do with Dek and the other 11 Chasm exiles, but the tight beam transmitter and receiver had both been malfunctioning since shortly after the arrival of American Spirit. Skylar and Skip, both Magellan’s communications experts, along with the engineers from Fuentes Station and American Spirit, could not figure out the cause of the malfunction. And in an unfortunate coincidence, the primary transmission array on the American Spirit tight beam had burned out, rendering it inoperative as well.

  The one micro-factory on Fuentes Station had failed three times to produce an adequate replacement array for American Spirit. The three women who operated American Spirit’s micro-factory were on strike, apparently until Dek was released and returned to his captaincy. Amberly had thought about using force to commandeer the factory, but Skylar advised against it, because a violent confrontation could explode into mass chaos and jeopardize the whole mission. Similar protest from many of the American Spirit crew had broken out on ship and station. American Spirit crew outnumbered the Fuentes Station team about thirty to one.

  She looked across the conference room at her fiancé. Skylar was involved in a heavy dispute with Midas. She had relied so heavily on Skylar’s advice for the practical and political operation of Fuentes Station with great success.

  She loved Midas as if he was family, but she trusted Skylar’s judgement completely now. When American Spirit XO Snodgrass declined the captaincy after Dek’s incarceration nearly three months ago, Amberly turned to the only person with the natural leadership skills needed who she could trust completely.

  Skylar Trigs was the new captain of the American Spirit.

  Many on the deep space ship were not happy about it.

  “Quiet everyone, please,” Amberly scratched out. She had been shouting so much in recent days her voice was tired, but this time, the room complied. “Let’s get started.”

  Amberly looked at the faces around the table. Representing the American Spirit were Captain Trigs, XO Snodgrass, and Boro, appointed by Amberly as acting security chief on American Spirit, with Caddo in the brig. Representing Fuentes Station was Wong, her brother-in-law and Magellan police officer Trot Wilder, who Amberly picked as her new second-in-command. Kuuku Akachi was serving as the ranking mission engineer.

  Amberly had also invited Lydia to this Fuentes Station Council meeting to represent the Science Corps, and Skip, because of his communication expertise, and the present crisis, as Amberly saw it, was their inability to communicate with Magellan.

  As the proceedings started, Midas left the conference room into the lobby, where he took a seat next to the waiting Ramos. Ramos did not have access to Dek, and wanted to petition Amberly’s makeshift council to get it, to make sure Dek, back in solitary confinement, was doing okay.

  “I’m tired of waiting for you guys to fix the tight beam,” Amberly opened up, already cross because she knew the fight with her subordinate and fiancé was coming. “I want to send a communication on an open radio channel to Magellan to give them a status update.”

  “Amberly, dear,” Skylar said, frustrated to cover this ground with Amberly for the hundredth time. “Without a tight beam to direct the transmission to only Magellan, we’re just giving intel to the enemy. Eventually, unrestricted radio broadcasts will reach Chasm ears. We’ve been over this.”

  “So, fix the freaking tight beam,” Amberly exploded. “We’re supposed to be the smartest and most capable Magellan has to offer and we can’t even get our standard tech working!”

  “I’m sorry Amberly,” Kuuku sounded deeply remorseful. “Once I get one bit of code fixed, I find another is corrupted. I think we may have to write the control software from scratch.”

  “I know I have been opposed to it until now, but maybe we should just let the American Spirit fly back to Magellan,” Boro said. “It will take a few weeks, but at least then we can get —”

  “No, no, no,” Amberly said. “I am mission commander, and I’ve already said the American Spirit is not leaving until we have a full cargo of processed materials for the Magellan renovation. That was the plan. We’re sticking to the plan. I’m tired of repeating myself.”

  “Amberly,” Skylar said, lacing his voice with a lover’s affection and placing his hand on hers. “It’s going to be at least two years before we come around on our orbit and we are in runabout range of Magellan. We should send the American Spirit now. I can have us there and back in two months, three tops.”

  “Don’t patronize me,” Amberly groused. “That will put us that much further behind.”

  “Amberly, you’ve always trusted my judgement,” Skylar said, his golden locks, having mostly grown back, trembling now as he held back his own frustration. “Why don’t you trust me now? Is it Dek?”

  “Captain Trigs,” Amberly said, now embarrassed and angry, “that question is quite out of line.” Amberly’s face grew flush, and the color of her skin more closely matched the color of her hair. She took a deep breath, closed and opened her eyes. “Skylar, when I made you captain, it was to be the administrator while the ship was here. I need you here. With me. I assumed that when the day came for American Spirit to leave, we would have a new captain in place.”

  Her confession of need for him made Skylar smile. Wong, however, was not satiat
ed.

  “You assumed that Magellan would give Dek a reprieve once we communicated the situation with them,” Wong growled. “Well, we haven’t heard from Magellan, through no fault of our own. What if Moreno tells you to pitch your ex-boyfriend out the airlock? Don’t worry. I’m sure Skylar won’t mind if you give your old beau a goodbye kiss.”

  Lydia gasped at Wong’s brashness.

  “Watch it, Eli,” Trot threatened, protective of his sister-in-law. “Maybe we bring up those assault charges you deserve.”

  Wong’s eyes widened. He knew the threat was hollow, but he still sat back in his chair, crossed his arms and kept quiet as a means to show Trot he got the message.

  Trot had the floor and ran with it. “Begging your pardons, leaving now is way too dangerous. The crew and passengers on American Spirit are way too volatile right now. Skylar, I wouldn’t be surprised if they mutinied as soon as you start to spool up acceleration. And if you had any trouble, without a tight beam, you’d be forced to broadcast on open radio if you were in trouble. If there are these Hawks on Magellan, they don’t know about Fuentes Station’s rebirth. Secrecy was always the plan. We stay silent until we are prepared and we can upgrade Magellan’s defenses with the raw materials we are collecting here.”

  “We don’t even know if Chasm is coming back,” Skylar said. “Magnus hasn’t reported problems.”

  “Magnus hasn’t reported at all,” Skip said, drawing a scowl from his former boss. “Well, at least not in a while.”

  “Well, we know the Hawks are real,” American Spirit’s second-in-command Snodgrass said solemnly. “We paid for our ignorance on that front with our dearest blood. Captain Eaton. Officer Ortega. Engineer Grace. Ensign Von Bumble. And if the Hawks on my ship would have succeeded, maybe we’d all be dead.”

  “Why should we risk it?” Trot asked. “Let’s stay together until we have a tight beam fixed.”

  “Amberly,” Snodgrass spoke evenly to get the calm attention of the mission commander. “I still believe that sending the American Spirit to Magellan now is the wrong play. However, if you decide to send the American Spirit, I believe that the crew trusts me enough that I can prevent a mutiny. I don’t think they’ll go there, anyway. However, I have a bigger question. What will become of Dek? Will you transfer him back to solitary confinement on American Spirit – like the other eleven Chasm conspirators – or will you keep him on Sonnet?”