Cynthia- Empress of the Stars

by James Patrick Warner

  Caryn walked out to talk to Meph and left me to handle the technical questions.

  “What the hell ship is this? I’ve never been informed. Is this something from Intel?” One of the Admirals asked.

  “Not ours,” another said. “Definitely alien. What have you young ladies been up to?”

  I ignored their questions. We arrived none too soon for me. These men were starting to stink and I suppose I was too. Or was I? I felt I needed a shower and change before we began formal negotiations.

  Caryn and I retired, leaving the other members of our party to entertain the Admirals. Our new guests were shown to rooms by our previous guests. I was enjoying the shower, my first as a ‘droid, thinking over what had transpired back there at HQ. This was some serious shit!

  Caryn changed into a white afternoon muster uniform, got out all the ribbons and was about to leave her room when I went in wearing my undies.

  “Caryn, I don’t have anything to wear!” I wailed rushing for her wardrobe. “What should I put on?”

  “Cynthia, while I must admit you look fetching in anything or nothing, I think I have a uniform you can wear which has no insignia or other markings, just my last name. It’s my spare and since you are my First Mate, I guess you should have some sort of uniform. Besides the black will look good with your hair and eyes.”

  I picked it out of the wardrobe and held it up to the full length mirror, looking critically at the color. Then I turned to the hatch to the dressing room.

  “You’re right. I like this color. Thanks sis.”

  “No problem,” Caryn muttered under her breath. ‘She looks altogether too good in mine and I’m not ready to give them up.’

  When I emerged I could see Caryn was pleased. We made an impressive sight.

   Cynthia McDowell 

  Portrait of Cynthia McDowell painted by Judith Karen

  and given to Cynthia’s daughter Colleen on her 10th birthday.

  Chapter 11.

  Admiralty HQ

  We arrived back at HQ cloaked, with full scanners on. The scene was a peaceful one, with little traffic, only two starships on patrol and no emissions to speak of from the planet. Of course, this was contrary to what the scene was supposed to be, so we were instantly on red alert. WitchCraft maintained our position near the larger of HQ’s two moons. There was little chance of detection anyway, but it was one of Caryn’s habits I hadn’t shaken yet.

  And I was lucky I hadn’t shaken it, because five minutes after we arrived there was a broadband sweep of the system space just inside that moon’s orbit by planetary sensors. I thought we might show up in the scan, if only as an anomaly on their sensor computer program, with such a high-powered sweep but we didn’t. We all sat a bit easier after that. But I knew this wasn’t going to be simple. And we were not going to have a lot of support without a large amount of killing on our part and I wanted to avoid that at all costs.

  The entire group wanted to go down to HQ, but Caryn didn’t feel right about presenting trigger-happy guards with a better chance of shooting first and asking questions later. So she chose me and Meph, since they were technically her crew, to accompany her. The others were told to sit tight and WitchCraft was instructed to make her order stick. Though they were in a sense prisoners, they had full control of WitchCraft should the need arise to defend themselves.

  We scanned the main complex of buildings to see what was going on. Meph’s spy beams were most useful in determining that the Admiralty was basically in a state of siege. While there was an apparency of normal activity, no ships were allowed in or out of the system. The planetary defenses were held by the “enemy”, whoever they really were. The admirals in charge were able to function but the communications center was held by the enemy, so nothing could get out which wasn’t approved by them. In short, it was a coup d’etat, the old fashioned way.

  Apparently, the enemy “fleet” which we had already seen was away chasing our drone. So we could be relatively sure that our back door was not threatened. However, we had no information yet about how many people were on “our”, meaning honest, side. WitchCraft and I were scanning and tallying the body count and Caryn was going over plans with Meph.

  “But Captain, how will you be able to secure a true hearing with all the information lines blocked by the enemy?”

  “Ah, Meph, you do not know half the capability we have there. For one thing, Cynthia, WitchCraft and I are all tied in to the entire Parents’ galactic communications network. We have but to think to them and we are in instantaneous communication. They in turn can open communications lines to Admiralty ships in their vicinity, if the need arises. Cynthia and I can literally talk to any ship in the fleet at a moment’s notice.”

  “Okay, I can see that, knowing what I know so far. But how will you convince the Admirals that it is not just a trick by a traitor to get them killed?”

  “Good point, Meph. They will have to set down some criteria for believing that what we say is from a specific Commander is actually from that person. Just as the Commandant chose a test for Cynthia none of us could have ever thought of.”

  “Well, I can see you have it worked out. But I think I will take back my offer to come with you. I believe you and Cynthia should go alone. My alien presence will not help your cause.”

  “Daughter, he speaks the truth. Without him present, we will be able, through you and Cynthia, to speak directly with the men if you choose, as long as they are human. Just go to them safely. We can handle the rest.”

  Another voice heard from. “As you suggest, Parent,” I responded. Nothing like obeying one’s parents for staying out of trouble, I always say.

  “Okay Meph. You can watch over us from up here. Please allow a decent time for diplomacy to act before destroying the planet, will you?”

  “Captain!” Meph exclaimed indignantly. “You know I’m the most peace-loving Mate from the Academy.”

  “Right, Meph. That’s why they assigned you to me to begin with, wasn’t it.”

  Meph winked one huge limpid eye at Cynthia as he left the galley. Cynthia came in and looked at me carefully.

  “Caryn, I heard that Meph is not going with us. I must admit I’m a bit worried, since this is uncharted territory for me. What should I wear? How should I act? Do you have any pointers for me?”

  I laughed. Then Cynthia laughed. We both realized the ridiculousness of her questions. She was worried about the impression she was going to have on a bunch of men, when we were likely to be blown apart by their guards. It was typical human female foolishness and it broke the tension beautifully. We laughed uproariously.

  Finally, it was time for us to go. Meph had found the weakest link in the “protection” the enemy was providing. And WitchCraft had mapped the best route out for our escape. It just happened that at lunchtime, the Admirals were left alone, unmonitored, for an hour so they might eat and plot revenge in peace. How humane and foolish of the enemy.

  At one minute to noon, when the Admirals were all in their conference room awaiting the arrival of lunch, Cynthia and I were getting into the pod. It would be large enough for all five of the men plus ourselves and even some vital evidence if we could scrape it up from the conference room while we were there. Unfortunately, it was likely that the arrival of the pod would register on their scanners immediately, so we probably had about two minutes to get everyone out before they melted the place down. Once in the pod we could go have a conference of our own, away from the pressures of the day to day political grind.

  Cynthia and I both had blasters and the pod was fully equipped for battle. WitchCraft was, after all, a military craft originally.

  I told Meph to broadcast, via the sensor field, a warning to freeze once we launched the pod, so no one was squashed or destroyed when we arrived in the conference room. The central pit was big enough for us to settle down and load up. It was originally designed as a forum for a hundred people. Our pod would fit nicely. The table where they usually ate was up on t
he dais, away from the central forum. So they should be safe.

  We waived to Meph and the rest of the boys and went into the pod. I signaled Meph to go ahead and then told the pod where to go. And we went.

  As we materialized in the conference room, we could see that there was one guard just leaving. He heard the pop from the displacement of air and turned toward us, startled. He was fast all right, as he already had his blaster on us and his other hand on the communicator by the time we had completely arrived. But Cynthia was fast too and neutralized him and his communicator immediately. The Admirals didn’t have time to breathe and we were both out of the pod, with our blasters aimed at them.

  Cynthia went around their rear and I approached them from the front.

  “Excuse me, sirs, but you are being rescued for a while. Please enter our pod immediately while we are still relatively undetected. You will join me and my sister in a discussion which might just be of terrible importance to the future of your careers, not to mention the Admiralty itself.”

  “Hey!” one of them remarked, pointing at me. “She’s the one Vice-Admiral Smythe told us about. I recognize her from the brief...”

  “Gentlemen!” Cynthia interrupted sharply from behind them, “my sister is used to compliance when she speaks. I suggest for the time being you adopt serious self-preservation and get the hell into that pod!”

  That got them started in my direction. I stood aside and motioned them into the pod. Cynthia brought up the rear, grinning like a Cheshire Cat (whatever that is). When they were all safely, if grumbling, inside, we sprang in after them and I told the pod to return to WitchCraft.

  “Caryn, you cannot return right now. We have been caught in a sensor sweep from the base on the moon and there are a few ships out here probing for us. Prudence tells me that we should retire from this system for a little while. We will meet you in orbit around the 11th planet of the system in a few minutes. We are all safe. I have kept Meph from blowing up the Admiralty’s ships so far quite well. Hurry back.”

  Oh well. I told the pod to go to the 11th planet of this system and orbit there. I noticed as we were fading out that the doors to the conference room were being melted open. Whew! The Admirals were all agog over the pod and the apparently transparent skin which was our viewer. They were muttering to themselves, obviously looking us over as well. Good. I felt that a little sexual tension would do much to quail their fears and get them back onto my normal turf. I never fight fair if I can avoid it. Cynthia and I, dressed as we were in the skin-tight flight suits which Scoutship personnel usually wore when on duty, were certainly a sight for those old lecherous eyes.

  In a few moments we were orbiting the 11th planet. Tolkien, I believe it was called. They named the planets in this system after famous fantasy authors from old Earth history. To each his own. Actually, I enjoyed reading poetry.

  This world was covered with a frozen atmosphere of mostly Freon. Kind of pretty when the sunlight reflected off it, otherwise not too pleasant a place. I chose it for a rendezvous because I knew there would be no system guards in its orbit at this point. So we could meet the WitchCraft here. And sure enough, she appeared right by our pod and we zipped inside.

  “What the hell ship is this? I’ve never been informed. Is this something from Intel?” one of the Admirals asked.

  “Not ours,” another said. “Definitely alien. What have you been up to young lady?”

  I ignored their questions. We arrived none too soon for me. These men were starting to stink and I suppose I was too. Or was I? I felt I needed a shower and change before we began formal negotiations.

  Cynthia and I retired, leaving the other members of our party to entertain the Admirals. Our new guests were shown to rooms by our previous guests. I was enjoying the shower, my first as a ‘droid, thinking over what had transpired back there at HQ. This was some serious shit!

  I changed into a white afternoon muster uniform, got out all the ribbons and was about to leave my room when Cynthia came in, wearing only undies.

  “Caryn, I don’t have anything to wear!” she wailed to me, rushing for my wardrobe. “What should I put on?”

  “Cynthia, while I must admit you look fetching in anything or nothing, I think I have a uniform you can wear which has no insignia or other markings, just my last name. It’s my spare and since you are my First Mate, I guess you should have some sort of uniform. Besides, the black will look good with your hair and eyes.”

  She picked it out of the wardrobe and held it up to the mirror, looking critically at the color. Then she turned to the door to the dressing room. “You’re right. I like this color. Thanks sis.”

  “No problem,” I muttered under my breath. I could see I was going to have to get her some clothes and soon. She looked all together too good in mine and I was not ready to give any of them up. I wondered where the blue dress went.

  When she emerged, I was very pleased. She looked great and we made an impressive sight, to be sure, even without any insignia on her uniform.

  Walking down the corridor to the mess hall, where WitchCraft had told me everyone was waiting, I told Cynthia what I was planning and what I needed from her. Of course, she probably knew pretty much what I had in mind, because, after all, she knew my mind pretty well. It wasn’t fair that she hadn’t mind melded back to me. But I needed to talk with her about it to firm up the plan details in my own mind.

  When we reached the galley, she preceded me and called attention. Everyone stood at attention. It was amazing. I guess old habits die hard, even for Admirals. She announced Captain Caryn McDowell and I strode in, taking the seat next to her at the table our boys had set up for this meeting. I was surprised that the chairs were all human sized. I noted that up for complements to Station 142 when we met, forgetting that I was “wired”.

  “Thank you Daughter. You are doing well. Continue.”

  Ah, right. So I decided to get right into it. These were men used to action and they were going to get it.

  “Gentlemen, thank you for joining me, those of you who came willingly. For those of you who did not, I will ensure you are taken anywhere in the galaxy you wish to go once we are finished here.”

  “Allow me to introduce my First Mate, Cynthia McDowell. Cynthia is also my sister. She has shared the recent events with me completely and knows intimately my wishes in this matter. As we move along, if you have any questions of a technological nature, please address them to her as she is better equipped to handle those matters than I.”

  Meph and the boys snickered. I ignored them.

  “Captain McDowell, you have given us an impressive display of your technological superiority, however you obtained it, but to what end? What do you hope to accomplish by all this?”

  “Thank you Admiral Wright. I intend to defeat this uprising against rightfully appointed authority and clear my name.”

  “But Captain,” Admiral Boyce broke in, “we are all aware of your considerable achievements and I know of no complaints against you at present.”

  “Thank you Admiral Boyce. A few weeks ago I intercepted a message, apparently from HQ, calling for my arrest and the impounding of my ship, the Silver Hornet. Later, after I surrendered the Silver Hornet to an Admiralty task force, this ship and I were fired upon by those Admiralty ships. After that, a small fleet was sent to find and destroy the Falcon and her crew when it was learned that they were meeting with me in a newly discovered star system. And finally, I found from the communications at Hamarabus that my friend and Boss, the Port Commandant and the other officers of that port were in “protective custody”, much as you yourself were a few minutes ago, which amounted to arrest without charges.”

  The Admirals stirred, looking at Fred and the others.

  “Commandant, is this true?” Admiral Boyce asked.

  “Yes sir, every word. Captain McDowell nearly gave her life to rescue me from that house arrest.”

  “Admirals, I have taken steps to secure the safety of Officers of the Admiralt
y I feel I can trust. You are among them. At first, I felt that this was all just the usual greed of the research arm of the Admiralty trying to get their hands on the Hornet and dissect it for knowledge which would then be maintained in secret files, unknown to mankind in general and unavailable for our race’s benefit.”

  “Then, when I realized that I personally was under attack, I felt that some sort of coup had occurred. I can see now that this was a correct estimation and my scene with the Hornet just happened to get caught in the middle of the battle. Since I side with the forces in power when I left for my year of surveying my claim, I felt and still feel that I have an obligation, with this Ancient technology, to do something about my commission and future.”

  “Gentlemen, I intend to remain a Scoutship Captain.”

  With this I sat down and waited for them to conclude their personal discussions.