Resolve of Steel (Halloran's War Book 2)

by J. R. Geoghan

  After a moment of looking at her, Granno nodded. “It is better if we travel together.”

  “When do we go?” Singletary asked eagerly.

  Granno frowned at him. “Tomorrow night we will try the tunnel best remaining no Prax.”

  Singletary heard the other rustling around them; the rebels understood what was happening. They were excited—fearful?—of the prospect of leaving the city.

  Get me out of here, Singletary thought. I’ll kill any red alien I need to to see a country road again. Or a ship’s deck, free to sail.

  Chandler smiled thinly at Singletary’s obvious enthusiasm. “Tomorrow night it is. I’ll pass the word to the men.” He patted Singletary on the shoulder as he got his feet.

  “You ready to fight, Single man?” asked Granno.

  Singletary stood and looked down at him. “Watch me.”

  Chapter 24

  Tavar, Struve System

  Three hours and twenty-six dead later, the humans had gained the upper hand. Max and his unit had linked up with Halloran’s and together the large human contingency had pressed the Prax defenders into a series of small caverns. The confined spaces had lent themselves to the defending side, however, and the human casualties quickly mounted. Max called a halt to the advance and their people took up positions guarding the cavern openings. The leadership gathered in the main cavern liberated by the humans. Halloran wondered at the myriad of massive machine units installed; they must have been carried in piece by piece over months…or years. Max, Anders and Lonergan moved amid the equipment with much greater familiarity. Eventually Max returned to where Halloran stood over a badly injured Frank DeBartelo; Corpsman Whitney and a Tavarran medic worked to stabilize the big sailor, who’d been hit in the gut by a plasma bolt.

  Max looked down at the wounded man. “What’s his condition?”

  Halloran replied, “Critical. The shot took out a section of his bowel.”

  “Can we move him?”

  Whitney looked up from where he was holding pressure on the prostrate Navy man. “We’ll have to. He won’t last two hours down here.”

  Max frowned. “We should get him going, as well as those other two wounded. We can spare the manpower to give them a dozen helpers.”

  Lonergan was there. “I’ll organize that now, Max.”

  Max nodded, then looked at Halloran with a wave encompassing the cavern. “They’ve built a miniature version of our smelting and rolling mills. This equipment is basically a very close copy of Tavarran technology.”

  Halloran nodded. “I understand they’re very good at that.”

  “Well, at this scale they’d be working at a small fraction of our production. One of the teams found a cut passage for the rolled product to be hauled to the surface. I’ll wager that there’s a hidden hangar somewhere that they used to move the steel off-world when no one was scanning that sector.”

  Anders walked up. “I found the control room, Max. Just like you guessed, it’s a small version of our level four monitoring facility.”

  Max shook his head. “This operation has been bleeding our power source for at least a year. We should re-examine the data to see when the first noticeable drop-off occurred. Who knows how many months they’ve been finishing the metal? And also, what exactly are they using it for?”

  Halloran thought of his ship orbiting over their heads but said nothing. Max would know soon enough of their request for help to install Tavarran steel on their ship.

  One of the security team trotted up. “Max, excuse me.”

  “What is it?”

  “Scans down here are a mess as you know, but we think we see nineteen Prax life-forms in their defensive position.”

  “No way for them to try to blast their way out?”

  The man shrugged. “They could try, but we’ve got three guns to every one of theirs. If they had heavy weapons, they’d have used them by now, I would guess.”

  Max looked around the cavern. “This place isn’t rigged to blow, is it?”

  Anders spoke up. “My men have been looking; so far, no signs of that.”

  “Casualty count?”

  The Tavarran medic looked up from DeBartelo. “Twenty-three Prax, all dead. Twenty-six Tavarran dead and fifteen wounded, some mortally.”

  Max fixed Halloran with a sad look. “A bad business.”

  Anders said with a sense of awe, “They didn’t go down easily.”

  Max pointed at DeBartelo and said to Halloran. “You oversee Lonergan and the wounded back to the upper levels. We’ll wait the Prax out down here; they can’t last forever in those holes.”

  Halloran nodded. “Take care of yourself.” They shook hands and Halloran realized how much he’d come to like the Tavarrans.

  As Halloran moved off, Max called Anders back over. “You go with the Captain and stick with him. Get him what he needs for his men and keep an eye on him for the Governor. He may be a citizen now but it’s our job to watch for threats to the rest of the colony. You go where he goes, understand?”

  Anders nodded and trotted off after Halloran, who was now following the makeshift stretcher his man was laid on and being carried by four Tavarran policemen.

  His security officer said at his shoulder. “You don’t trust those offworlders, do you?”

  Max put his hands in his pant pockets. “Jackson made the call; they’re citizens now. But that doesn’t mean trouble won’t follow them.” He jerked his head to indicate the Prax equipment around them. “Look what we found once they got here.” He looked at the man with a shrug. “What’s next?”

  Parker and Kendra were back in the hanger, watching as six Tavarran handlers positioned the slab of steel destined for the Serapis on a towing sled. Petty Officer Wilson—recently returned from below in the caves—was in the midst of the gaggle of locals, watching the process closely and asking questions loudly every few minutes. In addition to the huge chunk of metal, half a dozen box-shaped contraptions were loaded into the sled where they promptly locked down in place. Wilson shook one hard and looked over to where Parker was watching, shrugging mightily before turning away.

  Eventually a worker trotted over. “The product is secured for transport. The requested welding units are attached as well.”

  “That those boxes over there?” pointed Parker.

  The man nodded. “They will detach on their own once commanded to initiate.”

  “Tell me again how this works.”

  “Your ship, when you get this piece in place to where you need it, the bots receive the instructions from the ship’s computer as to the exact locations of the hull repairs. Your job is to watch it.”

  “Why should we bother to watch if the freakin’ computer will do everything for us?”

  The man seemed amused by Parker’s language. “Because the computer isn’t perfect.”

  Kendra intervened. “Don’t worry, Chief Parker. Travers will be there to assist the bots; he’s used similar tech in Fleet repair situations.”

  “Okay, then.”

  The Tavarran was still there. “May I ask a question?”

  “Shoot.”

  The man smiled again. “Your language. I see that you speak a language that is not Standard. I have heard this language before, what it is called?”

  “English.”

  “I am most interested in this language ‘English’ as my family elders also can speak it. Where do you know this language from?”

  Parker heard the Skipper’s admonition in the back of his head. “We are from Earth.”

  The man’s eyes went wide. “Earthers?” He looked from Parker to Kendra with astonishment.

  “Not me, my home is Coloran,” Kendra raised a hand in protest.

  The man was not dissuaded. “Earthers who speak English! My elders will be pleased to meet you.”

  Parker shifted his footing. “Yeah, well, we’re aiming to shove off as soon as we get re-organized here.”

  The man’s face fell. “I am sad for that.”

>   Wilson trotted up to the grate they were standing on. “Seems like we’re ready here. Any word from the Captain?” He looked quizzically at the Tavarran, noting the odd expressions on everyone’s face. “What’d I miss?”

  The Tavarran said, “Another Earther who speaks English.”

  Parker smiled. “Yep. We got a few here and there.”

  The man’s face brightened. “I wish to visit your ship! I can assist with the repairs; I know this material very well.”

  “Um,” Wilson looked at Parker with a ‘what are you doing here?’ look.

  Parker said, “What’s your name, friend?”

  “Cassis.”

  Parker shook his hand. “Chief John Parker. Thanks for your help, Cassis.”

  “Then I may go to your ship?”

  Wilson stepped between them, back to Cassis. “Thanks but we have to go regroup with the Captain. Ma’am?” He indicated to include Kendra in the conversation.

  “Ma’am… Why do people keep saying that around me?” Kendra asked Parker as they left a crestfallen Cassis and began following Wilson up the gangway into the colony proper.

  “It’s a term of properness. Back on Earth. Toward women. Guess you don’t use that out here?”

  She shook her head as several workers passed them. “I don’t remember that term. It is military in origin?”

  “No, ma’am—sorry. It’s been around for a long time. English, I think.”

  “Yes, I understand that it is the language.”

  Parker held open the hatch door for her. “No, I mean the English. A country…the UK? United Kingdom?”

  She looked pointedly at his held-open door. “And this, is it also a properness for women?”

  Embarrassed, Parker let her pass through. “Sorry. Habit.”

  She paused inside the door as he closed it. “The only united kingdom I know of is the Telarian Kingdom. But they are not of Earth.”

  “Yeah, well, my Irish ancestors weren’t too fond of the English, anyway.”

  “I do not understand.”

  “I’m sorry, Captain.”

  “I much prefer that title to your ‘ma’am’ term, Chief Parker.”

  “Aye…Captain.”

  Wilson called back from up the hall. “What are you gabbing on about back there, Parker? Ma’am, we need to move out if that’s okay with you.”

  Kendra looked at Parker, who shrugged apologetically.

  As they caught up to Wilson Kendra answered. “We are behind you, ma’am.”

  Wilson half-turned mid-stride with a raised eyebrow.

  “Don’t ask, Gerry; I’ll fill you in later,” Parker offered.

  The group gathered in the colony’s medical facility where Patredes was laid up. He was awake and greeted the trio as they entered.

  Wilson shook the Seaman’s hand. “Looking better, Rick.” He glanced at the female medtech, then at Kendra. He bent over and whispered, “Just don’t call her ‘ma’am.’”

  Patredes frowned. “Um, yes, sir.”

  Parker motioned to the medtech. “Any word on the situation down below?”

  The woman looked him over critically before answering. “The medical director is returning with a number of casualties.”

  Patredes added, “There’s been a lot of activity here. Looks like a bunch of wounded on their way.”

  The woman looked at Patredes like he should be sedated, then nodded. “We are expecting sixteen patients.”

  “Any from our party?” asked Parker.

  The woman turned away. “Please stay out of the way once they arrive, thank you.”

  Wilson was still next to Patredes’ bed. “Friendly one, that.”

  “I will return.” Kendra had her hand on the door latch.

  “Where are you going, Captain?” Parker had a concerned look on his face.

  “I will return.” And she was gone.

  “Another friendly one,” offered Wilson. “What’s with the ‘ma’am’ issue? And why are you chatting up the locals?”

  Before Parker could launch into a defense a commotion sounded in the hall outside. In a flash the woman tech was there, shooing Parker away from the entrance. “They are here.”

  Kendra found Jackson in the control center, watching the planetary defense monitors. He acknowledged her presence. “Just come from the medical center? I understand the wounded have returned.”

  She shook her head. “I left just before they arrived.”

  He waved at a monitor. “Another Fleet ship just entered orbit. Transponder says it’s the Valor. Apparently Captain Orris felt the need to—what?”

  Her face had gone pale. “That’s the ship I was last on.”

  “So? Something I should know?”

  Kendra composed herself with a slight shake of her head and a glance away. “That Captain and I have a history.”

  “Heres?”

  She nodded.

  Jackson looked exasperated. “I need to focus on protecting this colony. Your prior relationships are not a priority, Captain—hero status or not.” He pointed at the monitor. “Tell me about this.”

  She rallied her expression before answering. “The Valor was in pursuit of Captain Halloran’s vessel. Luyten system.”

  “So…”

  “I expect their mission hasn’t changed.”

  “So they’re looking for you? Where exactly is Halloran’s ship, Captain? I know he’s holding out on me but I expected that. But you—I need straight answers here.”

  Kendra felt the pull of conflicted convictions. “Governor, as you know, the Captain of a ship is the absolute master of it. And as a member—.”

  “You’re not going to pull that one, are you?” With a sudden burst, Jackson took Kendra by the upper arm and steered her toward a door nearby. Before she could mount a resistance, he had her into a small conference room and was closing the door behind him.

  She tugged free and crossed her arms defiantly.

  He glowered. “I’ve been more than fair with you and Halloran to this point. In fact, I’ve boxed myself in by bestowing Tavarran citizenship upon all of you.”

  “I declined that offer as a Coloran citizen.”

  He waved a hand in front of her. “Either way, he now has the right to decline to answer my questions. But I think he’s more than that. What I won’t get is the straight talk I need when it comes to his ship and crew; like I said, I understand that.” He pointed at her. “But you’re a member of the Fleet—the same Fleet that’s up there defending Tavar as a war asset. You need to understand your responsibility here. Or should I just call up Orris or the Captain of this Valor and ask them about you?”

  She was beaten. “What do you need from me?”

  Halloran was just regrouping in the medical center with his team when the entrance flew open and Jackson was framed in the doorway. His dramatic appearance drew the attention of everyone except DeBartelo, who had slipped long ago into unconsciousness.

  “Captain Halloran,” The Governor said loudly with clearly-restrained anger. “A word in private?”

  Halloran looked around his gathered men. “Where’s Captain Kendra?”

  Parker looked cowed. “She took off shortly after we got here, sir.”

  “All right—.”

  “Now, Captain?” called Jackson from the door.

  Halloran lifted a hand in acknowledgment but didn’t look over. “All right, you men see about transferring Patredes and DeBartelo to our shuttle once Kendra returns. Parker, get the Tavarrans ready to go with the metal. I’ll be right back.”

  In the hall Jackson stalked down a few meters and opened a door across the way for Halloran to follow him into. The space inside was an examination room.

  Jackson turned on Halloran. “You’re on the run from the Fleet for kidnapping their officers! You are the Captain of an advanced Prax warship! And now you’ve conveniently come to Tavar and I’ve granted you citizenship!!!” He pounded a close-by cabinet with a meaty fist.

  Halloran took a
few steps to the side to open the space between them. “I see you’ve been talking to Captain Kendra.”

  Jackson glowered. “I knew she’d do her duty at some point. But I didn’t expect what she told me!”

  Halloran had put the examination table between them. “It’s true that our ship is a ‘liberated’ Prax warship; Lord knows we can’t understand half the controls aboard her.”

  “Where’s the Prax crew? Or are they hiding aboard your ship like I’ve had here for months, apparently?”

  Halloran was serious. “They’re all dead; some virus killed them all before we came across her.”

  “Her who?”

  “The ship. She was called the Trellixan by the Prax, but I rechristened her the Serapis.”

  Jackson shook his head as if to clear it, then stepped forward and leaned his balled fists on the exam table, looking directly at Halloran. “Your ship possesses advanced cloaking technology that renders it invisible to sensor activity,” he growled. “A small fact that you have omitted to date. What exactly are you hiding, Halloran?”

  Halloran met his glare. “Oh, it gets better, Governor. We’re not only renegades who got our ship from those people—what were they called?—‘Haulers,’ that’s right. We’re not only kidnappers of Fleet officers. We’re harboring a Praxxan member of their royal family.”

  Jackson’s eyebrows shot up. “Why am I not surprised?” He banged a hand on the table. “Come on, there’s got to be more, Halloran. Try to really impress me! I’ve a mind to lock all of you up and call a Fleet shore party down to retrieve their prize. What’s his name again? Oh yes, Captain Heres of the Valor…”

  Halloran sighed with head lowered, then looked up at Jackson. “All right. There’s a good reason my crew speaks English as natives…”

  Chapter 25

  Chief Reyes was back with his unit of Tavarrans from the lift. Parker saw the short, stocky Cuban walking with the others, rifle slung over a shoulder as if he’d been part of their crew for years. But it was the somber silence of the men as they passed that struck Parker. When Reyes looked up and saw Parker he slowed, patting a few of the Tavarrans on the back as they walked by. Several of them spared Parker a suspicious glance without a word.