by Isaac Stone
“You think they know we’re here?” Arn asked me. “They don’t seem to notice us.”
“For a bunch of incorporeal ghosts,” I spoke to the officer. “They didn’t have any trouble with that weapon array outside when both ships were about to engage.”
Arn turned to one side and looked at the wall next to him. He placed one hand on his helmet and turned away from me. I could tell, once again, he had a message over his audio that he didn’t want me to hear. I shrugged and turned back to the ghosts in front of me.
It was hard to see them in the low light. Given that I saw them through the viewpoints of the men around me; it wasn’t from my direct perception. What I saw was a combination of viewpoints.
They reminded me of coherent fog. The ghost figures moved slow but didn’t dissipate. They moved between the panels, some carrying boards they used to check data. I couldn’t read what was on the boards, but this didn’t surprise me, as the language on the panels wasn’t familiar to any of us.
“I just heard from command,” the officer told me. “We’re supposed to get out of here and return to base.”
He opened the pack he’d carried in with him and removed a small box. Arn gently placed it down on the floor and closed the pack.
“Let’s go,” he said. “We need to get out of here in a hurry.”
“What's that?” I asked him, as I pointed to the box on the floor.
“Nuclear shape charge,” he informed me. “It will vaporize this ship from the inside.”
Captain would later tell me as to how she’d stumbled on her way to the bridge and almost fell. She managed to pick herself up but needed to put one hand on the wall for balance.
“Are you alright, Captain?” a faint voice asked her as she righted herself. Captain turned to see who’d watched her fall.
It turned out to be Precious, who was on her way to the hanger with a part needed by Tank. He’d wanted to ensure his FAS was ready in the event his crew had to make a quick launch.
“I'm alright,” she told her. “Just a bit light headed. I’ve had to deal with the pirate queen and it wasn’t on my list of things I wanted to accomplish today.”
“Are you sure?” Precious asked her. She gently touched Captain’s cheek to see if her temperature was normal.
Contact with Precious had the same effect that Queen Dredge’s lips did to hers. Captain found herself thrown outside the barriers of space and time as she beheld the universe. Later she would attribute it to the bond established with Precious when we did the mind probe on her. I thought it was from the former contact with the Archon, but we never did figure out which caused it.
Captain found herself above the great cosmic swirl of stars and looked down.
She could see the Archon of this age that wanted to destroy humanity. It floated around the Spear Cluster. This was its abode, its place of operation. She saw other Archons, some good, some nice, some not so good, and some deadly. She realized there was a common link to them all and tried to figure a way around the cosmos.
Captain began to understand the nature of the cosmos. She saw the fundamental unity of it. She witnessed the birth of galaxies and suns at the beginning of time. She saw eternity on a scale no one had yet to conceiver. And she had a final realization.
There was something above the battle of the Archons across the eons. She didn’t have a name for it, but it saw her, and she felt a sense of comfort.
There was more to reality than the pain of a mad god.
She began to float back down, across the years of light that enveloped her. Her body was pulled back into the sphere it left at the start of the journey. She felt the hand of Precious on her shoulder and turned to look at the small woman who stood next to her.
We made our way out to the hanger in the ghost ship where our FAS waited for us. I parted ways with the marine captain. It was still possible to see the spectral figures that occupied the corridors about us. Once again, I was able to look through the eyes of the men about me and see the shadow forms that darted through the halls and rooms. I noted they didn’t bother to open the doors and passed through them.
“What did you and that marine captain talk about?” Tran asked me as we made our way back to our FAS. “I don’t think it looked good.”
I placed my head down and slapped the visor into the close position with one button push. “Seal up,” I told them. “We’re about to get out of here in a hurry.” Tran didn’t say another word when he realized I’d ignored his question.
I wasn’t worried so much about the ghosts; they lacked material form, from what I could tell. I didn’t want to be in range when that nuke detonated inside the ghost ship. If we could tell the others about what powers the other side commanded, they could afford to risk one ship. It wouldn't bother them if one ghost ship was destroyed, even though the UDF would consider it a great victory.
A few minutes later, we’d reached the FAS. From what I could tell, it was intact. There was nothing rigged inside it, but I did a quick scan to be sure. Once everyone was secured, I powered up the screens and checked the location of the marines. They’d already left, time for us to go as well.
“Orlando," I transmitted from my control tower. “Get us back to the Hard Rain. We need to be gone and fast.” I didn’t have to tell him why.
I felt the acceleration as the FAS fired its plasma engines and pulled away from the ghost ship. The force of it kept me pinned to the tower. I watched the ghost ship shrink in the rear screen view as we pulled away from it. It shrank in the screen, but I had no idea if we’d be far enough.
“They're going to blow that thing,” I explained to everyone. “I don’t want to be in the blast zone. We need to get out as far as the marines.”
“We should be at a safe distance,” Orlando relayed back. “Give me a few more seconds, boss, I’m pushing....”
The image of the ghost ship was enveloped by a bright ball of light. The nuke had detonated.
The filters went off and the screen darkened to hide the intense light. I watched the brilliant glow die down as the background radiation peaked on the meters in front of me.
I watched the nuclear cloud pull in on itself and dissolve. In a few minutes, there was nothing left where the ghost ship had been, other than radioactive dust. No twisted metal, no slag iron, no trace of anything solid. All destroyed in the nuclear blast from the bomb we’d left behind.
“I don't know that there will be anything worth investigating after that blast,” I transmitted to the Hard Rain. “Nothing appears to remain of it. Did the marine squad make it out okay?” I assumed they did.
“Marine squad is already back on their transport,” the voice of Alyx relayed to me. “Captain is waiting for you in the ready room.”
“Probably wants to talk to you about the mission,” Medoro spoke to me through the audio. “Hope I’ll get to see Imani, was looking forward to some quality time with her. Precious was a bonus, but I haven’t been with Imani in weeks.”
I was out of the armor and on my way to Captain’s quarters in minutes. Captain and Precious didn’t greet me at the ready room or hanger, as I expected. I made sure the crew was with their assignments for the evening before I headed toward the woman’s section of the ship, where Captain had her rooms. I caught a few concerned looks from the others as they checked into whatever rooms they were using for the evening shift. Due to the recent tragedies, I had no idea who was sleeping with who that night. Captain’s job was to make sure every man was matched to every woman every evening, but now we had an abundance of women and some men were doing double duty. I turned and stopped to let Shaunice lead Rin, from Tank’s crew, who led Brynne with his other hand. They appeared to be in good spirits, but I couldn’t tell if it was Brynne’s or Shaunice room that was being used. In most cases, it was up to the oldest packmate to make that call, but not always.
The trio stopped as I met them in the corridor. “Glad to see you made it out,” Shaunice told me. “How was it inside that thing?”
She pulled Rin closer to her as he did the same to Brynne. Suddenly it seemed I was talking to a beast with three heads.
“Creepy," I told her and them. “I'm on my way to make a report to Captain and she’ll let everyone know tomorrow morning at mess call, I’m sure.”
Shaunice planted a wet kiss on Rin’s lips, who transferred it to Brynne. In a few seconds, they were inside the room with the door locked behind them.
It hit me that this new overabundance of women elevated the passions of the evening. Why, I couldn’t figure out. Perhaps it was the newness in the arrangements. Or maybe the chill reminder that we could all die at any minute. People tended to concentrate their desire when they thought life could soon end.
I knocked on the door of Captain’s room and was told to enter. I opened it and stepped inside. I closed and locked it behind me.
Captain sat on the bed with a sheet draped around her waist. Precious was behind her and massaging Captain’s shoulders. Neither wore anything besides the sheets. Both women smiled when they saw me.
“Wondered what took you so long,” Captain spoke to me. “Get a shower and join us.”
Some orders are not very hard to obey.
I came out of Captain’s shower with the towel wrapped around my waist. The two women were already in bed, but on opposite sides. Captain was closer to me. I noted Precious’ had her hair cut a little shorter. The rest of her body was shaved smooth. As was Captain’s. They’d prepared a lot on short notice. I was about to find out why.
“Drop the towel and get over here,” Captain ordered again.
I walked over the bed after hanging the towel on a rack and faced Captain. One of her hands reached out and grabbed my forearm. She pulled me down to her level and put her lips to mine. I felt a charge from her inner mind and knew we’d do more tonight than usual. If this was her way of a debriefing, I’d rather do it like this every time. Her hand felt soft and tight.
“In the middle,” she told me. I moved over her and between the two women. Precious reached out and touched my shoulder. I felt the charge again. Something was rising in this room besides what was between my legs.
Captain pulled herself over to me and wrapped one leg over my hips. She touched my hair and kissed me again. With another arm, she reached over and pulled Precious close to my back. Now I felt Precious’ arm curl over my shoulder. Both women felt warm and amazing. I tried to suppress a shudder as Precious nibbled on my ear.
The love I felt from both women was beyond intense.
Then the three of us dropped out of the universe.
There were no words said between us this time. Captain showed me her experience with Queen Dredge and how Precious made it possible for her to experience the heart of the universe. For a moment in time, we were part of the Absolute Reality that lies at the center of all possible existence. The three of us became one being in word and thought as we knew what had to be done next. We saw the life story of each of the women in Queen Dredge’s ship. We watched the horror and pain of what was done to them, but managed not to identify with it. Dredge wasn’t the worst victim by far, only the focal point for their rage.
We saw the cosmic storm around the Spear Cluster and the dark matter pour from it. Here it was, the beginning and end of the universe. At least we had box seats.
6
I slept sound with either woman aside me. We woke early, far earlier than I expected after our encounter with the universe. I rolled over and saw Captain gone but felt Precious cuddled up against my back. Nothing like waking up in bed with a former serial killer to brighten your day.
“I want you two down in the mess hall for assembly on time,” Captain told me from the other side of the room. She was busy with her uniform. “I know you’d like to play a bit and I don’t blame you. After last night we have a lot to talk about later.” She walked over to me and ran one hand down my face. She touched a finger to Precious’ mouth, then resumed snapping up her uniform.
She vanished out the door without another word.
“I think she’s going to let us have children,” Precious whispered in my ear.
Mess hall was standard with Tank and his assignments from last night at our table. I could tell the rest of the crew wanted to know about the previous night, but it would have to wait.
“How was Captain?” Tank asked me between sips of coffee. “I understand that ghost ship was full of spirits?”
“We'll go over it later,” I replied as Precious squeezed my hand. She knew everything in my past after last night. Everything. Including things I wasn’t proud to share.
There was a murmur as the podium was put in place by some of the trainees. I watched a young man named Harold snap it together. There were four of them, all eighteen and trained earlier, before all this mess began, with other Starwing Orders. As they were of legal age, it meant they could be made full members of the pack. That normally took several years, but we were in a bad state now and needed men.
Captain, looking regal as ever when she took the podium. She began the day, as I suspected she would, with a summary of what happened on the ghost ship. I thought she would send us on our way, but she looked over at Talia.
“The children are over in their side of the ship?” she asked her. Sometimes the kids were present for the morning meeting.
“I left them under Alyx’s supervision,” Talia responded. “She’ll buzz me if needed.”
“Thank you,” Captain replied. She turned to the door and made a motion.
At which point we found out why the children weren’t at the morning assembly.
In strode the pirate women, still nude, into the mess hall. They padded up to the podium in a single line. Tank jumped up, but Captain pointed down and he seated himself. In a few seconds, the halls were filled with the angry conversations of the pack. We were about to find out what this was all about.
Captain turned to the pirate women before her and nodded. Each of them dropped to their knees and bowed in Captain’s direction. In the good light of the mess hall, it was possible to see the extensive damage that all the women had endured. One of them appeared to have a face that was rebuilt with a synthetic.
“As you know,” Captain began, “we are short on people and material to carry out our mission objectives. These women have all pledged to obey me and follow the dictates of the pack. They have a starship in tow next to ours. This will solve the problem as to what to do with the lack of FAS capability. Brothers and sisters, I present to you worthy candidates for the pack.”
The hall exploded in loud voices and a commotion of people hammering down on the tables. In all the years I’d been with the Hard Rain pack, I’d never witnessed anything like what was in front of me at this moment. The pack was angry. Not only were these women new, but they were dangerous war criminals who surrendered to Captain to avoid immediate execution. Captain could do a lot while we were out on patrol or on a mission, but there was a council that oversaw the procedures she had to follow. If she violated the tenants of the pack system, she would be immediately dismissed and replaced.
“Captain, you’ve exceeded your authority!” Tank stood up and shouted. His composure changed when he saw her face harden. “We all love you, Captain, none more than me, but we can’t let you do this thing and jeopardize our directive! The Udies will have you arrested and put up for court martial!”
“I would like to remind you,” Captain tossed back at him, “That I am still captain of this ship and will not tolerate any questioning of my authority. I am prepared to take a vote on whether these women should be allowed into the pack. There are many rules I can modify out here, but that is one I will not violate!” She slammed her fist down on the podium and the crack sounded out into the room.
“Captain," a voice called out, louder than most. It was Talia. As the senior wife, whatever she said carried more weight than any other member of the crew. The complicated rumble of voices died down in the room.
“What kind of guarantee do we have that th
ese women won’t turn on us when we give them their ship back?” she asked. “I saw the report on it. That ship is a war machine.” There were murmurs of consent.
“I guarantee them personally,” Captain thundered from her podium. “I've seen what hell created these women. There are damages done to their souls that can never be fixed, but they’ll fight alongside us. Does anyone doubt my word?”
No answers. Finally, Alyx spoke.
“We don't doubt your world, Captain, but we worry that these women have deceived you. They have death warrants from several different systems. Anyone would pledge to stay alive.”
“Didn't I help you place your daughter ion a good ship?” Captain asked her. “Did I not bring her into this pack as an infant with you when you wanted to apprentice? Don’t you think I know how to judge the sincerity of a person?”
Alyx dropped her head. She was one of the few we’d brought in with a child. Her daughter Cora was pledged to a Horde ship several years ago. She’d come to us as a beggar and Captain saw something in her that made a good packmate.
“Tank!" Captain yelled out across the room. “Didn’t I warn you not to get too close to the trainee who lasted all of five months! And you question my decisions?”
Tank had a brief fling with a trainee several years back. Trainees, could, on special occasions, become part of the roster and he’d pestered Captain until the woman was placed on it. It didn’t end well for anyone and we were glad to be rid of her.
The silence was thick in that room. All I heard was the sound of a few instruments ticking away.
Finally, it was my turn. “I do have one question,” I asked her. “Captain. Are they going to be on the roster?”
“Yes! Do you have a problem with that?”
I looked at the naked forms of those women who kneeled, with their queen, in front of the captain. They weren’t a handsome lot. I turned and looked at Precious, who squeezed my hand. Captain and I had cured her, but our work was cut out for us with these women. Still, if Precious could be fixed, so could they.
