Ep.#10 - Retaliation (The Frontiers Saga - Part 2: Rogue Castes)

by Ryk Brown

  “Constantly keep the Dusahn guessing and worried about what they need to defend next,” Nathan surmised.

  “So they cannot afford to take ships away from asset protection and send them after us.” Cameron finished for him.

  Nathan thought for a moment. “Sooner or later, the Dusahn are going to notice the Aurora is not moving. Eventually, they’ll find another way to get proper intelligence and then they’ll learn that we’re still vulnerable. Once they do, they will attack again.”

  “Which is why we must concentrate on our defenses, for now.”

  “We need to get those Orochi in service,” Nathan insisted. “Only, they need to be more than just missile frigates. They need to be gunships, as well.”

  “Deliza is already working with Mister Yasui on some ideas in that regard,” Cameron told him.

  “What about the Amonday?” Nathan wondered.

  “We know very little about her systems, and we’ve only just started interrogations of her crew. It’s going to be a while before we can do anything with that ship.”

  Nathan sighed, yet again. “The odds are really starting to stack up against us, aren’t they?”

  “Don’t they always?”

  * * *

  Commander Prechitt climbed into the Sugali fighter, using the steps built into the bottom half of the cockpit surround, deployed between the split sections of the ship’s nose at a sharp angle, leading up to the open-front of its cockpit. Once at the top, he turned around and sat in the pilot’s seat.

  Talisha came up the ramp behind him, standing between his feet, facing him. “Remember, the AI of this ship is currently imprinted with my personality and thought patterns, so it will not anticipate your needs as well as it normally would.”

  “Is that something that can be easily changed?” the commander wondered.

  “The imprinting process takes several hours,” Talisha explained while she adjusted the commander’s restraints. “However, once the process has completed, the AI’s character core can be easily moved from ship to ship. Once moved, the AI can determine the idiosyncrasies of the new ship within seconds.”

  “Does the AI have a name?”

  “I call mine ‘Leta’.”

  “You get to name it yourself?”

  “Why not?”

  “No reason, I guess.”

  Talisha reached over and pressed a button, activating the ship’s main power.

  “Hello Talisha,” a voice, sounding eerily similar to Talisha’s, greeted over the cockpit speakers.

  “Hello, Leta,” Talisha replied as if she were talking to an old friend.

  “Ship’s power is currently at eighty-seven percent. I anticipate full power within three minutes. Are we preparing for departure?”

  “Yes, we are,” Talisha replied. “Leta, I’d like to introduce you to Commander Prechitt. He is currently sitting in the pilot’s seat.”

  “That explains the weight difference,” Leta replied. “I was afraid you had consumed a considerably large meal, and you know how a full stomach does not agree with some of the maneu…”

  “Leta,” Talisha interrupted, “the commander will be taking this ship for a short test flight. I am authorizing you to follow his commands during this flight and to ensure that he is returned safely to this location upon completion. Is that understood?”

  “Perfectly,” Leta replied. “Confirmation code?”

  “Torre seven, two one, blio.”

  “Confirmation received and acknowledged. Welcome aboard, Commander Prechitt.”

  “Thank you, Leta.” The commander looked at Talisha, whispering. “This is weird.”

  “You will become accustomed to me in a surprisingly short time,” Leta assured him.

  Talisha smiled. “Enjoy your flight, Commander,” she told him, stepping back down.

  “Shall I close up the ship and prepare for liftoff, Commander?”

  “Uh, yes, please?”

  The boarding ramp began to swing upward as the forward canopy window swung downward.

  “While courtesy in conversation is appreciated, it is not required, Commander.”

  “Okay,” the commander replied as the upper and lower portions of the cockpit’s doors joined and sealed, plunging him into darkness. A moment later, the walls of the cockpit lit up, and he could see everything outside as if he were sitting in a glass bubble. Even the body and wings of his fighter were gone, represented only by opaque lines. “Amazing.”

  “I take it you have prior flight experience?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Please state the nature of your flight experiences so that I may tailor this flight to your abilities,” Leta asked.

  “Uh, I was a fighter pilot for twenty years, have thousands of flight hours, and hundreds of hours in actual combat. Is that the information you are looking for?”

  “Indeed, and quite impressive, I might add.”

  “Why thank you, Leta.”

  “Were the ships you flew capable of both atmospheric operation and flight in space?”

  “They were.”

  “And were those ships jump-capable, as well?”

  “In the later portion of my career, yes.”

  “Then, this should be some flight,” Leta surmised, sounding almost amused.

  “Uh, let’s not get crazy just yet.”

  “As you wish, Commander,” she replied, now sounding a bit disappointed. “The ship will be at full power in one minute. However, there is more than sufficient power to take off now, if you’d like.”

  “I’d like to take her up manually, if you don’t mind.”

  “As you wish. What level of auto-stabilization would you like to start with?”

  “Auto-stabilization?”

  “I am able to assist the pilot with flight operations, so as to make the task less demanding and allow the pilot to concentrate more on the mission.”

  “I’d like to start with zero auto-stabilization, Leta,” the commander stated.

  “Are you certain?” Leta asked. “The Sugali fighter is quite sensitive and requires a deft touch to be flown correctly.”

  “I’ll make you a deal,” the commander offered, “if I’m about to crash this thing, you have my permission to take over.”

  “Emergency auto-stabilization only,” Leta stated. “Please confirm.”

  “Confirmed,” the commander replied.

  “The ship is yours, Commander.”

  Commander Prechitt looked around the cockpit, remembering everything Talisha had told him during his short briefing on the Sugali fighter’s control systems. After locating all of the primary flight instruments, he reached for the controls and eased the lift throttle forward.

  The fighter rose quickly off the ground, almost leaping upward. The sudden motion pushed him down into his seat, causing him to instinctively ease back on the lift throttle. The ship began to fall again, so he eased it forward once more, albeit in much smaller increments.

  “There is a sensitivity setting for the lift throttle,” Leta told him. “Normally, I would adjust that automatically for the pilot.”

  “That’s alright,” the commander assured her. “I need to learn.”

  “A commendable attitude. Might I suggest placing the palm of your hand on the console, so minute adjustments of the throttle can be more precisely made?”

  “Thank you, Leta,” the commander replied, doing as instructed.

  Again, the ship began to rise, and the commander reached for the lateral thrust throttle, pushing it forward, as well, causing the ship to accelerate in a forward direction.

  The movement of the ship was smooth, without the expected roar of engines spitting thrust out the back. Instead, the ship made a low humming sound that increased in pitch as the power levels were increased. “This is pretty nice,” the commander commented. “How am I doing, Leta?”

  “You are doing fine, Commander. I would recommend increasing your lift power to gain additional altitude in order to assure safe maneuv
ering. The highest elevation on this world is eight thousand five hundred and fifty-seven meters, so an altitude of ten thousand meters should be sufficient.”

  “I have a better idea,” the commander decided. He pushed the lateral, thrust throttle all the way forward and pulled back on the flight control stick, standing the tiny fighter almost straight up, rocketing toward space. A few seconds later, he touched the jump button, and the ship instantly transitioned to a spot three light minutes away from Casbon.

  “You were not kidding when you said you had flight experience,” Leta commented.

  Commander Prechitt just smiled as he went into his first test maneuver.

  * * *

  Nathan approached the briefing room on deck D, taking note of the two Ghatazhak guards at the door. “Gentlemen,” he greeted.

  “Captain,” one of the guards replied as he tapped on the door.

  “Enter!” A male voice called from within, a moment later.

  The guard unlocked the door, holding it open for the captain.

  Nathan stepped through the door into the small briefing room, surprised to find Jessica and Lieutenant Siddens, the Ghatazhak’s chief interrogator, along with a man in an Alliance uniform whom he did not recognize. “What’s going on?” Nathan wondered as the Ghatazhak guard closed and locked the door behind him.

  “Captain,” Jessica began, “this is Commander Stethan Andreola.”

  Nathan looked at the man’s uniform. “Then, why is he wearing an enlisted man’s uniform?” he asked. “And why don’t I recognize him?”

  “That’s because he’s not a member of the Alliance,” Jessica explained.

  “The uniform was my idea,” Lieutenant Siddens admitted. “I felt it was necessary for the commander’s safety.”

  Nathan was becoming more suspicious by the second. “Who is this man?”

  “He was the acting captain of the Amonday at the time of her capture,” Jessica explained. “We thought you should meet.”

  Nathan did not look pleased. “Lieutenant Commander…a word,” he told her.

  Jessica rose and came over to Nathan, pulling a sound suppression field generator out of her pocket and activating it once she was close enough to him. “This man has valuable information and is willing to cooperate,” she explained. “More so than any other member of the Amonday’s crew.”

  “Why?” Nathan asked.

  “As best we can tell, he hates the Dusahn. In fact, the entire crew hates the Dusahn, but they’re too scared of them to do anything but obey.”

  “If that’s the case, then why isn’t this guy afraid?”

  “Apparently, the punishment for failure of an individual is often extended to the individual’s family. Commander Andreola has no family.”

  “None?”

  “His parents died years ago, and he never married. He’s been a career officer since he was forced to enlist in the Orswellan Guard, shortly after the Dusahn invaded his world, twenty-eight years ago.”

  “The Orswellan Guard?”

  “Orswella is the name of their world,” Jessica explained. “The Dusahn kept the Orswellan Guard intact, rather than trust them aboard Dusahn ships. Nathan, this guy can tell us a lot. But, he doesn’t trust us. I thought you could gain his trust.”

  “Why doesn’t he trust you?” Nathan wondered. “I can understand why he doesn’t trust Siddens. He’s got that ‘I could kill you from across the room without breaking a sweat’ look, like all the other Ghatazhak, but you?”

  “I guess I’m too pretty,” Jessica joked.

  “Oh, and I’m not?” Nathan replied, also joking.

  “I’m pretty sure he thinks we’re going to torture him,” Jessica explained. “According to others we’ve interrogated, the Dusahn are masters at it.”

  Nathan sighed. “So, what do you want me to do?”

  “Just talk to him,” Jessica replied. “Get to know him…do that thing you do.”

  “That thing I do?” Nathan wondered, looking at her.

  “You know, how you make people trust you and think you’re a great guy. You know, bullshit him.”

  Nathan sneered at her. “I am busy, you know.”

  “Doing what?” Jessica retorted. “Your ship’s busted, and you sure as hell don’t know how to fix anything.”

  “You’re bucking for a demotion, aren’t you?” Nathan sighed again. “Fine, let’s get this over with,” he said, moving toward the table.

  Jessica deactivated the sound suppression field, turning to walk alongside Nathan as they approached the commander and the lieutenant. “Commander Andreola, I’d like to introduce Captain Nathan Scott, commanding officer of the Aurora and leader of the Karuzari Alliance. Captain, this is Commander Stethan Andreola of the Orswellan Guard, acting captain of the Amonday.”

  Commander Andreola rose, reaching out to shake Nathan’s hand. “An honor, Captain. Please forgive the uniform. I meant no disrespect.”

  “You’re the acting captain of the Amonday?” Nathan asked as he took a seat across the table from the commander.

  “Captain Derrabo was injured during the initial jump-missile strike. As first officer, I assumed command per protocol.”

  “And what of your captain?”

  “He died a few hours after capture,” Jessica stated.

  “I am told your medical personnel did everything they could for him,” Commander Andreola stated. “For that, I am most grateful. The captain was a good man, who served the people of Orswella for decades.”

  “I understand your loss,” Nathan assured him. “Such is the nature of our line of work.”

  “Those who live by the sword,” the commander quoted.

  “Indeed,” Nathan replied. “I have not heard of Orswella.”

  “It is roughly three hundred light years from here and about seven hundred light years from the Jung homeworld, or so I am told. Orswella was founded by a hastily-organized colonization mission, seeking to escape the great plague that swept through the core worlds of Earth a millennium ago. I am told you are from Earth. Is this true?”

  “It is.”

  “Then, the Earth has recovered?”

  “It has.”

  “And the core worlds?”

  “They have recovered, as well,” Nathan assured him.

  “That is good to hear,” the commander said, smiling. “Good indeed.”

  “What can you tell me about the Dusahn?” Nathan asked.

  “They came to our world just over twenty-eight years ago. At the time, they had eight ships, all of them quite old. Still, they were far superior to our own meager fleet, and we were quickly defeated.”

  “Then, they built their current fleet using your world?”

  “Correct. They did not trust our people, and rightfully so,” the commander continued. “When they built their newer ships, they incorporated our automation systems into them wherever possible, in order to reduce their crew requirements. Only those of true Dusahn lineage were permitted to serve aboard their ships. The rest of us were forced to serve either on ships of the guard, such as the Amonday, or as foot soldiers in the Dusahn Mobile Infantry.”

  “Did they have jump drives when they invaded your world?”

  “They did not,” the commander replied. “Their systems were much as ours, employing mass-canceling fields to obtain speeds beyond that of light. They developed the jump drive later, maybe, six or seven years ago. That is when they really began to build ships in earnest.”

  “What do you mean?” Nathan wondered.

  “Prior to the invention of the jump drive, they had produced only a handful of ships, mostly the larger battleships. But after the jump drive, they began building gunships, frigates, and cruisers, as well as retrofitting their battleships and their older ships. Ships of the guard did not receive jump drives until perhaps a year ago.”

  “Are the Dusahn still in control of Orswella?”

  “Of course.”

  “How many ships currently hold your world?”
r />   “Only one,” the commander replied, “the Jar-Razza.”

  “One ship?” Nathan wondered. “How many Orswellan ships are still there?”

  “Four,” the commander replied. “All of them similar to the Amonday.”

  “Then, why don’t they stand up to the Dusahn?” Jessica wondered.

  “It is not the Jar-Razza my people fear,” the commander explained. “She is one of the Dusahn’s original ships. It is their troops on the surface whom we fear, and their patrol shuttles that constantly fly over our cities. If our ships turned against the Jar-Razza, the Dusahn would surely commit genocide against the people of Orswella, just as they did to the people of Toramund.”

  “Toramund?”

  “A rival world twenty light years from Orswella. They were the reason the guard was created. They stood against the Dusahn and even tried to revolt after their world had been occupied, and the Dusahn glassed their planet from orbit.”

  “Commander Andreola says the Dusahn have a massive shipyard in orbit above Orswella,” Lieutenant Siddens reported.

  “Is this true?” Nathan asked the commander directly.

  “Yes, but it is not orbiting Orswella, it is orbiting the asteroid Agosti One Four Seven. It mines the asteroid for the majority of its raw materials.”

  “How big is this shipyard?” Nathan wondered.

  “It encompasses the entire asteroid,” the commander explained, “at the equator.”

  “And they built this in less than twenty-eight years?”

  “No, the ring was built by us, many decades prior to their arrival. It is how we mine asteroids. They simply added the shipyards to the ring structure.”

  “How many ships can this thing hold at once?” Nathan wondered.

  “Thirty-eight,” the commander replied. “Twelve of which are kept open for the maintenance and repair of Dusahn ships.”

  Nathan’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. “How far away did you say Orswella was?”

  * * *

  “We are a long way from home,” Tham commented over comms as they came out of the automated jump series at the rally point.

  “I thought you always dreamed of traveling to other worlds?” Alayna teased.