The Phoenix Conspiracy

by Richard Sanders

Chapter 24

  When Summers explained to him—in full—everything that’d happened on the bridge, the major’s first instinct was to try and contact Intel Wing.

  It was plausible, he thought, that Intel Wing—who had jurisdiction over the Nighthawk—might contradict and override an order from Fleet Command. But what bothered him was that all communications had gone off-line again, somehow, and that Intel Wing, if they did return Calvin’s command, didn’t seem very concerned over his proven equarius habit.

  Command Failure: Network is busy. Try again. If the problem persists, please contact the operations administrator.

  He did as the computer asked and tried again, with the same result. “The network is busy? I don’t understand.” The major felt he had extensive knowledge over a great many subjects, but computers weren’t one of them.

  “Calvin somehow sabotaged our outside communications. Now nothing can get in or out,” said Summers. “That way we can’t verify if he has command of the ship or not.” She looked impatient.

  The major frowned; the situation wasn’t as clear to him as that. She might be right. But she might not be. “So why would he do this? That doesn’t sound like Calvin.”

  “But it does sound like someone who wants to get his command back.”

  He considered this quietly.

  When he didn’t say anything, Summers leaned forward and looked him in the eyes. “If someone knew he could have his command revoked again by just one word from the outside, what do you suppose he might do?”

  Good point. If Calvin were going to war to take back his ship, the obvious first strategy, like in any war, would be to disrupt communications. Being able to put words in Intel Wing’s mouth, knowing they couldn’t be reached to refute Calvin’s claim, would be an incredible advantage one anyone might take in his situation.

  The major opened his internal comm line, adjusting it for all decks.