She was quick to pick up where he was going with that and gestured at the landscape around them. “Not many people can get into an area like this,” she observed, “and we can monitor for the ones who try.”
“They’d need specialized equipment, anyway,” he told her and sounded less like a Meligornian mage and more like a businessman. He surveyed the area once more. “Yes, this would provide very good protection against industrial spies.”
Before she could find a suitable response for that, the machine pinged and L’Shy sighed.
“That’s my call to leave,” he told her, “and yours, too.”
“Already?” she complained, and he smirked at her as he faded.
“At the Earth saying goes—my, how time flies when you’re having fun.”
Stephanie glared at the point where he’d vanished and looked at the sky. “AI, take me out.”
Ebony waited until she had exited the pod and took note of the files on the area she wanted to fix. After that, she made a quick trip through the files she held on similar areas and wished she had more access.
It took her seconds to marry the ideas the girl had come up with to the relevant science and package them ready to send to BURT, but what she saw gave her pause.
“She has touched the fabric of the universe,” she mused, “the building blocks that make everything within it—and she has chosen to create and heal.”
She locked the research so that it couldn’t be accessed by anyone but BURT as she followed that thought. “If she was evil, there would be no limit to the things she could destroy.”
After a moment’s pause, she wrapped the data in another layer of data pretending to report the Ebon Knight’s arrival in the Meligornian system and a completely fabricated report on Stephanie’s presence at a function that had never occurred and that she had never been invited to attend.
As she sent it, one more thought crossed her circuits. “And this is the being I call friend.”
Chapter Fifty-Six
Two weeks later, the Ebon Knight docked at Alerus Station. The orbital had been untouched during the battle with the Telorans and its one hundred and forty-two decks remained intact.
The vessel was housed in a docking bay on the seventy-sixth level, four levels above the purple haze that surrounded the planet. This made it easy for Stephanie to reach the MU and refill the well inside her, while human technicians worked on the ship.
“How’s she doing?” she asked when Captain Pederson greeted her as she returned from a viewing deck on the fifty-third level. The two cats trotted beside her, their eyes agleam from having been out. Lars and Vishlog shadowed her every move.
For a moment, she thought it was a good thing she liked them—and that they knew to give her space—or she’d have cheerfully ditched them both. Sometimes, she was tempted.
The captain interrupted her before she could follow that thought.
“We’ve patched most of the damage, but she’ll need a shipyard before we take her into battle again,” he told her and cleared his throat. “The Ghargilum Afreghil called.”
“And what did he want?” She started to smile but caught the look on his face. “Is everything all right?”
He nodded but before he could open his mouth to explain, Brenden and Avery raced around a corner. They skidded to a halt with looks of relief on their faces when they saw her and the cats. She noticed they were holding the felines’ harnesses in their hands.
Emil continued as they approached. “Apparently, there’s a function…” he began and paused when she started toward the ship.
“We’ll talk as we walk.”
“That would be best.”
“So, this function?”
He cleared his throat again. “It’s an awards ceremony.”
“Seriously?”
“I’m afraid so.”
They reached the two guards as he said it and she looked at them. “I suppose that’s why you want the cats?”
Brendan came forward and slid Bumblebee’s harness over his head and chest. Avery mirrored him on the other side with Zee.
“We need to find them something nice,” Brendan explained as they led the cats away. “You know how they hate cooperating.”
“They’re not the only ones,” Lars muttered and she shot him a glare.
“Hey!”
He cocked his head. “As Frog would say, if the boot fits.”
“Did someone use my name in vain?” Frog demanded and appeared as if summoned.
He looked good in the team’s new uniform and gave the cats a wide berth.
“We’re talking about you, not to you,” Lars snapped as the captain commented, “Well, at least someone’s ready.”
Frog grinned. “You know what they say about being careful what you wish for.”
Captain Emil turned to leave.
“When did you say it was being held?” Stephanie called after him.
“In four hours,” he replied over their comms.
“Well, damn,” she said and began to jog toward her quarters.
“The shuttle leaves in two.”
“And double all the damns,” she swore and broke into a run with Lars and Vishlog behind her.
Thinking some great game was afoot, the cats stopped fighting Brenden and Avery’s efforts to get them aboard the ship and bounded ahead of Stephanie and her escort. The boys brought them into her cabin as she headed to her suite to get changed.
Not too long before, Elizabeth had insisted she had something other than her combat uniform for attending ceremonies in.
“But that’s not how I look in battle,” she’d protested, and the woman had given her a hard smile.
“It’s not always a good thing to look ready for a fight,” she’d told her. “Sometimes, it’s best when your enemies can only remember you as the pretty little thing they saw at some function or other. It gives you an advantage when you do meet them on the battlefield.”
“It sounds like you’ve had experience,” she had quipped and the woman’s smile had faded.
“Yes,” she’d replied and made it clear the subject was closed.
Now, she was grateful Ms E had insisted. They hadn’t completely agreed on her final choice but they’d compromised. She opened her closet and withdrew the long, form-fitting dress.
“A gown gives you more room to run in,” Elizabeth had argued. “And you can hide a blaster in the skirt.”
“Next, you’ll say I can also wear a set of combat boots instead of dance shoes,” she had snarked and her mentor had nodded.
“Got it in one, kid.”
“Well… No,” she had told her and stuck to her guns.
The outfit she now slid into was the result. She hadn’t won on the dance shoes, but neither had Ms E won on the combat boots. The dress boots she wore were snug and clung to her skin.
They were also programmable to mimic flesh and a pair of party shoes so it didn’t look like she wore anything sensible. Unprogrammed, they were a nice solid black with hard toes and thick soles perfect for running—and kicking—in.
And, of course, completely unsuitable for wearing under the dress she wore. She’d had to compromise on that, too—and she hadn’t been pleased.
It fit closely over her hips and the top of her thighs and had an extra pleat of material down both sides.
“You can run in that,” Elizabeth had told her, “or fight if that’s your preference.”
“What if my preference is simply to enjoy the party?” she had complained and the woman had simply given her the smile she had when she wasn’t happy.
“I hate to break it to you, kid, but your days of carefree partying are well and truly over. Now, you have to think of the contingencies. I can’t exactly mentor you when you’re dead.”
“Subtle,” she had grumbled. “Very subtle.”
She’d received only a laugh in response.
Stephanie pinged the captain. “Did V’ritan say exactly who would be at this ceremony?”
Emil chuckled. “It took you long enough. He said it was a small thing. You know, only him, the king and queen, and Admiral Jaleck.”
He paused and she prodded him. “And?”
“And that they’d make some awards.”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
“Awards?”
“I’m afraid so. Something about the people needing a little pomp and splendor.”
“So not so small a thing then.”
His tone grew serious. “No. I’m afraid not. You’d best wear your cape and the Modfresha for this one. Make sure the team has theirs on, too…and that Dreth award. The Talons. You really need to have them on as Jaleck will be there—and it will probably be broadcast.”
“Broadcast?” Stephanie barely managed not to squawk down the line.
“It won’t raise much morale if half the planet doesn’t get to see it. So yes, it’ll be broadcast.”
“To Earth?” she asked and didn’t relish the idea of her mother hearing about her being in another fight.
Emil’s voice was sympathetic. “I’m afraid so.”
She scowled as she retrieved her cape and the medals she’d earned and carried them out to the living area. “I need help with these.”
Lars had already changed. Vishlog, too, although the Dreth now argued with Frog over Bumblebee.
“You will not put black tape on his horns.”
“Why not?”
“Because they look good the way they are.”
“Says the man who insists they need polishing.”
“I did not say they did not need to be clean.”
“But…polished?”
Vishlog made a tutting sound and waved the cloth he’d been using. “If you’re not strong enough to do the job properly, Froggie…”
The man scowled and snatched the cloth out of his hand. “Give me that. I’ll do a better job than your great paw.”
“Such delicate little fingers.” The Dreth chortled as Frog went to work.
He stopped polishing and promptly held up one of those fingers in a not so delicate gesture.
Vishlog chuckled, adjusted Bumblebee’s harness over the big cat’s black-and-yellow hide, took one of the medals, and fastened it carefully. Zeekat butted him and yowled as he looked at Lars.
The team leader grinned and pulled a second medal out. “Yours is here.”
Zee moved closer, clearly intending to wind around his legs, but he stepped back. “Oh no, you don’t. I can see the mess you’ve made of Brenden and Avery’s uniforms. You keep your fuzzy black-and-white hide to yourself.”
He put his forehead against Lars’s outstretched hand and leaned forward. The man wriggled his fingers and the cat purred contentedly. As soon as Vishlog had finished attaching Bumblebee’s medal, he turned and took Zee’s.
Stephanie watched as the Dreth fussed over Zee and Frog finished with Bumblebee.
“There you go,” he told him and stepped back. “All pretty.”
“More than can be said for you,” Brenden quipped and the guard looked down.
“Goddammed furry yellow menace,” he swore when he saw the myriad hairs that had created a gold patina over his uniform.
He looked at Stephanie. “We should wear coveralls if these things come along.”
She smiled. “The cats are part of our team. I suppose we should make cat hair part of the uniform.”
“No,” Lars told her and looked at Frog. “Go get cleaned up.”
Stephanie arched an eyebrow at his high-handed tone but didn’t argue. She held her medals up. “Can I have a little help, please?”
With the cats taken care of, Lars stepped forward and pinned the medals to the front of her dress. Brenden and Avery had left with Frog to clean up, and Vishlog tethered the cats in a corner while he went to do the same.
The two great beasts circled to sniff each other’s medals and harnesses as though to check that everything was in place. The rest of the team returned a few moments before the captain knocked on the door.
He wasn’t alone. Dressed in their best uniforms and standing behind him were the chief engineer, Lieutenant Commander Wattlebird, and a craggy-faced gentleman with the sharpest gray eyes Stephanie had seen.
“Commander Herkat is the head of our weapons division. We thought it fitting that he should stand with us.”
The man’s face tightened as if standing with them was the last thing he wanted to do, but the captain hadn’t finished. “No matter how much work he says he has to ensure the systems are working for the next battle.”
That made all of them smile, and Herkat shook his head. “As the captain wills,” he finally said, and she wondered exactly how hard he’d argued.
In the end, she decided it didn’t matter. He would stand with them regardless. Vishlog collected the cats and they made their way to the shuttle. Jonathan made for the cockpit, only to have the captain pull him back.
“It’s their ride,” he said and the pilot sighed.
“It feels all kinds of wrong riding in the back,” he complained and Emil grinned.
“Yes, but this way, I won’t have to explain to their Majesties how I allowed my shuttle to commit so many flight violations while the Witch was on board.”
He lowered his head. “I would never…” he muttered but she could tell he actually might have.
“Says the man who corkscrewed my ship,” the captain grumbled.
“And screwed my firing solutions all to hell,” Herkat added.
Jonathan threw his hands up and took his seat. “Defense were grateful,” he muttered as the shuttle lifted.
The next surprise came when they reached clear space and they found they were not alone.
“Holy shit!” Brendan exclaimed and put the view up on in the passenger compartment’s forward viewscreen.
Emil groaned and unbuckled his harness. “I’ll see what this is about.”
He’d taken two steps toward the cockpit when the question was answered for him—in a heavy Dreth accent.
“Ebon Knight shuttle, this is Squadron Leader Kelaget. We will see you safely to touchdown.”
A Meligornian voice followed. “And this is Squadron Leader Astofyl. We are ensuring your safety against any stray Telorans.”
Stephanie stiffened. “What stray Telorans?”
Brenden repeated her question and the Meligornian’s response was immediate. “Any that might be left in-system, Ebon Knight.”
“What? Do you think she missed one?” Brenden asked and the team snickered.
The Meligornian did not answer and she rolled her eyes before she glanced from the viewscreen to the view outside the shuttle window. Her heart lurched. “I’m not that important.”
The captain smiled. “You just saved their world.”
She gestured to the fleet of fighters around her. “But so did they.”
He shook his head. “They didn’t divert…what was it? Ten very large planet-killers into the enemy fleet and stop the bombardment that would have murdered their world.”
“Nine,” she corrected and her face paled. “Only nine. I missed one. There was a whole passenger ship that destroyed the tenth.”
“Nine…and the Teloran fleet.”
“Some of the Teloran fleet. I’m reasonably sure I had help there as well.”
Lars gave her a gentle slap upside the head. “We’d have failed if it wasn’t for you, and we all know it. Shut up and accept their thanks.”
“Or what?” she challenged and smirked when Bumblebee laid his ears back and hissed at the man.
“Or Meligorn will be treated to the sight of the Witch having her ass kicked for being an obstinate—” He caught Frog’s eye, and the small man raised both hands in surrender.
“Oh no, you don’t,” he protested. “I’m not the one who threatened a planetary hero—and I’m not touching the end of that sentence with a bargepole.”
Stephanie giggled. “Coward.”
He looked o
ffended. “I’ll have you know that I can be discreet.’
This statement was greeted by snorts of disbelief from around the cabin as the shuttle descended through Meligorn’s atmosphere.
“Are you sure, Frog?” Lars asked mildly, “because I remember that time you told the gunny exactly what you thought of his taste in beer.”
His smaller teammate reddened. “You had to bring that up.”
“Well, Marcus would have, and someone has to be him when he’s not here.”
“No,” Frog told him. “They really do not.”
Vishlog leant forward. “I would like the hear the story.”
“No, you wouldn’t.”
“Well,” Lars began, “there was this time…”
Frog’s faux pas and his subsequent response to the gunnery’s current girlfriend had them in stitches, even if Frog didn’t find it funny. He sat with his arms folded and a thundercloud scowl on his face as Lars told the story.
“It was only the once,” he muttered when it had finished, and Lars raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah? Well, what about the time…” Frog’s lack of discretion kept them entertained until Brenden darkened the windows.
“What gives?” Stephanie demanded as the lights came on around them.
“Landing instructions,” he replied, and Lars moved to the cockpit. The door closed behind him as soon as he’d entered.
She looked at the captain. “Do you know what this is about?”
Emil shook his head and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I do not.”
Herkat cocked his head. “Your pilot does not seem alarmed,” he observed and the captain relaxed.
“That is a good point. Let’s see what Lars has to say about things when he returns.”
The shuttle altered course and descended but didn’t come in at an angle as it would for a runway.
“Well, that’s unexpected,” Jonathan observed. “For the palace or the spaceport, we’d land like a jet. This is new.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Fantastic. Because we all know how much I like surprises.”
Lars came out of the cockpit as she said it and gave her a stern look. “Well, you’ll have to cope with this one because I don’t like it any better than you.”
Witch Of The Federation III (Federal Histories Book 3) Page 60