Escape of the Relentless

by Brian Dorsey

“Can the ship support that?” asked the XO, leaning against the bulkhead by Catton’s desk.

  “We don’t know,” replied Braca. “He’s working on the schematic of a mock up —”

  “Have Ensign Landa double check the design before we verify the calculations,” interrupted Catton.

  “The COMMO?” asked Braca.

  “His tech rating from the Academy was though the roof,” replied Catton. “He might be able to help.”

  “Aye, sir,” said Braca.

  “What’s the status on everything else?” asked Catton.

  “Fires in Operations berthing, Auxiliary Generator Room Two, and the galley are all out. The berthing fire was mostly Alpha class with a few feet of cableway damaged. No structural or tactical impact.”

  “And the berthing itself?”

  “We can assign Ops department personnel beds in logistics, engineering, and medical berthing for now,” answered the XO.

  “But the auxiliary generator room,” continued Braca, “has sustained substantial damage. One of four atmospheric stations are down, still one hundred percent capability. Solid state power station five is limited capability — emergency use only due to damaged automatic regulator.”

  “How does that impact our emergency power situation?” asked Catton.

  “No impact other than redundancy, but I want to keep it designated for emergency use only so we don’t run the risk of damaging it in manual operation unless we need it.”

  “And the galley?” asked the XO.

  “Reduced capacity for normal messing,” replied Drake. “I talked to Chief Gregor and he said they could provide battle rations until the repairs are made, which should be forty-eight standard hours.”

  “So, the FTL is our focus?” said the XO.

  “It has to be,” said Catton. “We’re at war now. And we have to consider this system enemy territory.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “With the leader of our Empire onboard.”

  “Princess Xendi,” mouthed Braca.

  “Queen Xendi now,” answered Catton. “If the Qua-la can destroy this ship, they might not even need to invade to bring about our end.”

  “The other noble families,” declared Senior Chief Gruta. “A power vacuum will be created.” Gruta paused, brow furrowed. “We have to keep her alive.”

  “And to do that, we need that FTL,” added Catton with a glance toward Braca.

  “Understood, sir,” replied Braca. “We’ll get it done.”

  “Keep at it, CHENG.” He turned back toward Drake. “And until then, what is the status of our defenses?”

  “Mounts four-one and seven-one are down. Mount eight-one is on alternate power but fully operational. I’m working with Engineering and should have Mount four-one back up in twelve hours.”

  “And Mount seven-one?” asked the XO.

  “It’s gone,” replied Drake. “We expended eight EAGLES with fifty-two left in inventory.”

  “Casualties?” asked Catton.

  “Two dead,” replied Halstrom, “and five wounded.” Most from Weapons Department when Mount seven-one was destroyed.”

  Catton clinched his jaw. He had lost men, but more than four thousand had died on Thunder. “Okay, let’s get ready to brief the wardroom.”

  ***

  With only a few minutes until the meeting with his officers, Catton rushed toward medical. He needed to speak with the survivors from Thunder. Hopefully, they would have information that was worth placing the queen’s life in danger, even though he knew no information was that valuable.

  A Marine stationed as a guard snapped to attention as he approached the medical bay.

  Catton stepped through the door to medical and was met by the ship’s medical officer, Lieutenant Trent.

  “How are they?” he asked.

  “All of them will live, sir.”

  He had risked the fate of billions of people — and possible the Runan civilization — for four people. “I need to see them.”

  “Yes, sir,” replied Trent, turning and pulling a curtain behind her to one side. “This is …” The doctor glanced toward a digital pad. “Crewman Pal-Vara.”

  He looked over the shaken man. He was so young. “Crewman, what was your assignment?” asked Catton.

  “I was a member of the admiral’s galley, sir.”

  “Did —”

  “What happened, sir?” interrupted the crewman, forgetting the normal etiquette. “It was so fast … we went to Battle Stations and I … it was so fast.”

  “How long have you been in the Fleet?”

  “Three months, sir.”

  Catton nodded. “Get some rest, crewman.” He looked toward Trent. “Next?”

  “Yes, sir,” said Trent as they moved to the next station.

  The curtain opened to a woman. Her hair was cut short and her pale skin was covered in grease, oil, and soot. She grimaced as one of the medical techs applied gel to a burned left arm.

  “I can come back —”

  “No, sir,” replied the woman. “Engineering Technician Second Class Natal Mali, sir.”

  “Where did you work?”

  “I was in number six reactor room, sir.”

  “Do you know anything about the attack?”

  “They called Battle Stations away and I was in the Engineering space until the abandon ship order was given. We stayed as long as we could —” She grunted as a spasm of pain shot through her arm. “We destroyed most of the critical equipment and tried to make it to our assigned abandon ship stations. It was chaos, sir,” she continued. “So many hull breaches and the … those insects … they tore people apart.”

  “It’s okay,” said Catton, placing his hand on her uninjured arm.

  “Then they boarded us. So many of them. My watch team … there were twenty-five of us. Just Esik and I made it to a lifeboat.” She pointed to the bed across from her.

  “This is Engineering Technician Third Class Esik Fran,” said Trent, as they walked toward the bed.

  A few feet from the bed, Catton could see a large welt on his cheek. “Boarding wasps?”

  “Yes, sir,” but he will survive. “We are keeping him sedated for now.”

  “And the fourth?” asked Catton.

  “Over here.”

  Catton followed Trent to the next bed. As the curtain opened, he saw another woman. Her skin was the same pale hue as the engineer, but in contrast, this woman’s hair was long, tied in a tight bun.

  The doctor looked at her pad. “This is Communications Tech First Class Shandi Brada.”

  ‘Maybe someone with information,’ thought Catton. “Where did you work, Technician Brada?”

  “In the squadron communications cadre, sir,” she replied.

  “What information do you have regarding the attack on Thunder?”

  “I was on watch when the attack occurred, sir.”

  “Do you know why Thunder was in the Zala system?”

  “No, sir. I didn’t know until the jump was complete. I don’t think the crew knew.”

  “How did it happen?”

  “We set Condition III before the jump and launched ten fighters for our CAP.”

  ‘Ten fighters for a Combat Air Patrol would have been normal protocol in an unknown area,’ thought Catton. “Continue.”

  “We picked up Qua-la capital ships but were at first told to remain at Condition III and not vector fighters toward them.” She paused. “It wasn’t … it wasn’t until the Qua-la ship’s main batteries began to illuminate us that we went to Battle Stations and vectored the fighters into defensive formations … by then the first salvos from their main guns were on the way.”

  “How long did it last?”

  “It was about an hour before we lost propulsion and two before the boarding began. The word was passed to abandon ship about the same time.”

  “So, you have no idea why you were in the system?” asked Catton.

  “No, sir,” she replied. “Why were we here?”

  “That�
��s a good question, technician.” He looked at the time. His officers were waiting for him, and he still had no answers. “Well, welcome aboard Relentless,” he added. “The XO will coordinate getting your statements later.”

  “Yes, sir,” replied Brada, “I would like to get back to work as soon as possible, sir. I want to help.”

  “As soon as the doc clears you, report to Chief Lupo. He will assign you a billet.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  ***

  As he quickly made his way to the wardroom, Catton noticed the Marine posted outside of his At-Sea cabin.

  “The queen,” he grumbled.

  His men could wait a few more minutes.

  The Marine snapped to attention as Catton approached.

  “I need to see Queen Xendi.”

  “Sir,” acknowledged the massive Marine, stepping to one side.

  He knocked on the door and slowly entered.

  Catton saw her sitting at his desk, her head in her hands.

  “My queen,” he said.

  She looked up. Her eyes were red and cheeks flushed.

  “Captain,” she said, with a slight sniffle. “Thank you for the room.”

  “It, along with everything on the ship is yours, Queen Xendi,” he replied. “I did not mean to disturb you, but I wanted to see if you need anything before I address my officers and then the crew.

  “Thank you, commander. Was the lifeboat recovered?”

  “Yes, Queen Xendi. Four survivors were recovered. They are in medical now … they will live.”

  “Four … out of four thousand?”

  “Yes, my queen.”

  Xendi slowly stood, wiping one last tear from her cheek. After pushing out a labored breath she smoothed the length of her dress. “What is your plan, commander?”

  “Our FTL is damaged so our priority is to get that restored and jump to Station Charlie Seven. Until then I have directed us on a course that will hopefully keep us clear of most Qua-la forces.”

  “Can you send a message to warn Runan High Command?”

  “Our electron spin system is not operable,” he said, holding back his frustration at the material condition in which his ship was ordered to deploy. “We have sent a priority message, but it will take several weeks for them to receive it.”

  “So we are alone?” she replied.

  “We are, Queen Xendi, but my entire crew is dedicated to keeping you safe and getting you back home.”

  “So was the crew of Thunder.”

  “Of course, my queen.”

  “You said you were going to speak to your men?”

  “Yes, I —”

  “I would like to speak to your officers if it is not a breach of protocol.”

  “You are my queen … their queen,” he replied. He had no idea what she would say but he could not refuse her. “You may do as you please.”

  “Thank you, commander. Shall we go?”

  “Yes, Queen Xendi,” he replied, stepping aside for her to take the lead.

  She had only taken a few steps when she stopped and turned. “Commander Catton.”

  “Yes?”

  “I feel I must tell you that I have heard your name.”

  “Yes, my queen. I had assumed you had.” Yet again, his past was slapping him in the face.

  “You were on Hunter when my cousin Marcus was killed?”

  “Yes, Queen Xendi. I was the Executive Officer in the last battle with the Qua-la before the armistice.”

  “So, it is true you ordered part of the ship isolated and depressurized with my cousin trapped on the other side?”

  He took a deep breath. “Yes.”

  “My uncle blamed you for his death.”

  “Yes, Queen Xendi. I believe he did.”

  “He went to his grave with that belief.”

  And that was the reason Catton had not risen above commander and had been relegated to a frigate in the Zala system. It is also why half of the fleet new him as Coldblooded Catton.

  “But my father thought differently.”

  “He did?”

  “Father and uncle often argued over it after Marcus’ death. Uncle Marcus wanted to have you charged but father argued you were in a difficult situation and took the necessary action to save the ship.”

  “I …” He didn’t know if he should say anything. “I regret to this day that I needed to order the death of brave men and women to save Hunter … but it was to save the ship.”

  She placed her hand on his arm.

  Catton bowed his head.

  “Then we will speak of it no more, Commander Catton.”

  ***

  Catton stepped into the wardroom as ‘attention on deck’ was shouted.

  Instead of directing the officers to take their seats as normal, he stepped to one side and came to attention himself. “Matriarch of the Espara family, head of the noble families, and ruler of the Runan Empire, Queen Xendi!”

  The Queen walked into the room, stopping at the head of the table normally reserved for Catton. “I would like to thank you, the officers of Relentless, for saving not only me but the other survivors of Thunder. I do not intend to interfere with Commander Catton’s command but did want speak to you brave men and women.”

  Although the room was still at attention, every eye followed her movement to the right of the table.

  “Thank you for allowing me to speak,” she said quietly.

  No one moved.

  Xendi turned toward Catton. “May they sit, Commander?”

  Catton turned toward Halstrom and nodded.

  “Seats!” shouted the XO, and the officers quickly took their seats.

  “Your bravery will not be forgotten.” She looked toward the Fire Control Officer, LTJG Talon. “What is your name?” she asked.

  “Lieutenant Junior Grade Moson Talon, Queen Xendi,” stammered Talon as he bowed his head.

  “Talon … that is a family name from Ida-Ra, is it not?”

  “It is, my queen.”

  “Where on Ida-Ra?”

  “My family lives in Janis district, Queen Xendi,” answered Talon, his face red from all the attention.

  “Near the city of Tzavar?”

  “Yes,” he replied, surprise painted on his face.

  Catton knew of Janis; anyone who knew the history of Unification knew that. But he had never even heard of Tzavar.

  “Lieutenant Pi-ce,” continued Xendi, turning toward the Marine.

  The Marine, welts from boarding wasp stings still showing on her skin, knelt. “My queen.”

  “May your fellow Hardians that wake in the misty morning light of Mount Haridak today toast to your success in battle as they feast.”

  Catton smiled. She was indeed the Queen of the Runan Empire.

  “And to all of you, wherever you are from, know that your Queen holds your heart in hers and that all of Runan Empire looks to you at this dark time.”

  She turned toward Catton in a subtle signal she was done.

  “Hail Queen Xendi!” he shouted.

  “Hail Queen Xendi!” roared the officers as she turned and exited the wardroom.

  As the door closed, Catton turned back toward the officers. They seemed taller than before. Catton let out a sigh of relief. ‘No need for a motivational talk,’ he thought.

  “Gentlemen,” he said. “I do not need to tell you the importance of getting Relentless back to Runan territory … you just saw her.” He took a moment to look into the eyes of his officers before continuing. “So we must do our duty.”

  He activated the holographic map and the Zala system illuminated above the wardroom table.

  “We currently have no spin message capability, which is not new, but we have also lost our FTL drive due to damaged barrier well capacitors. CHENG and her men are working on this but the time to repair is unknown. Since we can’t jump into safe territory, we must plot a course that will keep us clear from the most likely locations of Qua-la capital ships. Because of this, we have set cou
rse for Zala Six at full speed.”

  He could see the confused look on some of his men.

  “If the Qua-la realize we have not jumped, they will most likely set up a picket of their ships along all vectors leading back to our territory. By heading further into the Zala system, we might gain more time to repair our FTL. If not, it should spread out their search and hopefully only have to fight one ship at a time.” He paused to let his words settle in. “Any questions?”

  “Do we know how many enemy ships are in the area?” asked Ensign Malthus, his security officer.

  “We can assume there were at least two more capital ships that engaged Thunder,” he replied. “But I expect that, as this was an overt act of war, they will have many ships in the area, especially around Zala Three and the resource planets of Four, Five, and Eight. And if it is war, we can expect destroyers, frigates, and sloops to be on the hunt as well.”

  “So we’re the only ones out here against that?” asked Ensign Yao.

  “No,” responded Catton calmly. “Your queen is onboard, so the entire Empire is with us.”

  “Don’t worry, young ensign,” added Lt. Pi-ce as she slapped Yao on the back, almost knocking him to the ground. “My ancestors will be watching over us.”

  Lieutenant Drake laughed.

  “Why do you laugh?” asked Pi-ce, her face tightening.

  “He is from Gali — he doesn’t believe in ancestors,” answered Drake. “You might as well tell him angels will protect him.”

  “It doesn’t matter if he believes in them,” replied Pi-ce. “My ancestors believe in anyone who enters battle with a brave heart and a steady hand.” Pi-ce grabbed Yao’s hand, almost lifting him off the ground. Yao’s hand shook. The massive Marine let Yao’s hand fall to his side. “Well, maybe they’ll settle for a brave heart,” continued Pi-ce with a laugh.

  “Now that young Ensign Yao has been properly motivated,” said Catton to his men. “We will maintain Condition III watches until we have FTL capability returned. Department Heads, get with your Leading Chiefs and prepare the necessary watchbills and daily schedules.” He placed his hands on his waist. “To your stations.”

  ***

  Catton was on his way back to the bridge when he passed his in-port cabin again.

  “Is the queen resting?” he asked the Marine.

  “She has given me orders that you may call upon her as needed, sir.”