Caspian's Fortune

by Eric Warren

  “Wait, were you the engineer on the Achlys?” she asked.

  “No, I started out as the engineer on the Hartford but was offered to be first officer after a few years,” he replied.

  “That’s my station on the Tempest. I was transferred before I went on temporary assignment to find you.”

  He raised his eyebrows, forcing a smile. “Great. Looks like we’re evenly matched.”

  Cas stepped around her, trying to run the variables in his head. Could he really get away once they found the Achlys? Or what was left of it? He might need to make some modifications to his emitters on the Reasonable Excuse. If Rutledge double-crossed him, the Tempest might be able to hold on to his ship if he tried a forced escape. It would be tricky, but he couldn’t drop his guard, not now.

  He reached the hypervator, pressing the pad to call the car. Evie came up beside him again, eyeing him. Box appeared on his other side. “When we get back to the ship I want to do a full systems check,” Cas said.

  “But I just did one before we left—”

  “I don’t care,” Cas replied. “Check everything again. We’re going into deep space and I don’t want to be caught off-guard.” He winked at Box, making sure he was turned away from Evie.

  “You heard the admiral. Someone will move your ship for you. We’re going straight to Tempest.”

  Cas shook his head. “No one moves my ship but me.”

  “Sorry, Commander,” she said, emphasizing the sarcasm. “Admiral’s orders.” Box tapped his metal arm as they waited.

  The doors opened and they stepped in. “Shipyards,” Evie said as the doors closed.

  The hypervator shot past the civilian section of the station, speeding up. Below his feet Cas could feel the car vibrating as it reached high velocity. The shipyards were on the upper end of the station. As he was thinking about the last time he’d been on this station the back of the car turned transparent and he was treated to a view of the inner-workings of the spire as they rose through it. Floor after floor of either habitation, offices, or storage. And in the center, running through the entire station a large power core, providing clean energy to the station itself. Starbase Eight had been here since before Cas had been born and was one of the largest Coalition bases on this side of space. But you didn’t feel the sheer size of it until you were traveling from one end to the other. Even at this speed it was taking a long time and Cas estimated they had to be traveling at least three hundred kilos per hour.

  “Who is moving my ship again?” he asked Evie.

  “A competent officer,” she replied. “I can’t take the risk you’ll leave, transferring the ship means moving it from the civilian shuttle area to the shipyards. Which means going outside the station’s defensive perimeter. I’m sure you understand.”

  “Then why didn’t we just park in the shipyards to begin with?” Cas asked.

  “Because you told me you were here for two days and then you were gone. I saw no need to expose you to sensitive Coalition technology. But obviously I’m the only person who doesn’t know about your past. So I’ll take responsibility for that one. My bad.”

  “I’m not letting anyone—”

  “It’s too late, Captain,” she interrupted. “I’ve already signaled to have it moved. I did it in the hallway back there.”

  Cas grumbled but turned away from her just in time to see the shipyards come into view.

  At least a dozen Coalition ships sat docked around a central core and hanging in midair as if by magic. But there was no gravity in the shipyards unlike the opposite end of the station. At least not in the area where the ships were constructed. Cas caught sight of a few he recognized: Ajax class, Hermes class, Waterfall class; all staples of the Coalition Fleet. But there was one he didn’t recognize.

  “Is that it?” He pointed to the smaller ship. It was compact, with what seemed to be wings flowing out from the main body, then reattaching again. Its undercurrent emitter was mounted on top of the ship unlike others where it was mounted on the bottom. He couldn’t even see the bridge.

  “Yep, brand new from Coalition Development,” Evie said, sticking her chest out. “USCS Tempest, FCX-8001. Dragon class.”

  “Dragon class?” Cas arched an eyebrow.

  “It’s a new line of stealth vessels. The Tempest is the second produced, the first one in full service. She has modifications to the undercurrent adapters, it allows her to travel the currents almost twice as fast as any other Coalition vessel.”

  “How is that possible?” Box asked before Cas could ask the same thing. Coalition ships had a fixed speed in the undercurrents. It took as long as it took, there were no shortcuts.

  “The Claxians came up with it, who else?” Evie asked. “They found a more efficient way to traverse the currents. Don’t ask me to explain it, I’m not an engineer.”

  No. But Cas was. Now he wanted nothing more than to get inside that ship and inspect its engine. Figure out what made it so fast. Figure out what the Claxians had realized that they hadn’t.

  “You have a Claxian on board?” he asked.

  She nodded. “He’s our chief engineer.”

  Cas took one more look at the ship before it moved out of sight, replaced by a standard bulkhead. The hypervator turned back to opaque. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

  ***

  The hypervator came to a stop and the doors opened on a large bay, much like the shuttlebay on the other side of the station where the Reasonable Excuse had been parked. Could they have moved it already? Cas was itching to get back as soon as possible.

  Evie led the way through the expansive room, which Cas assumed was a construction bay located close or near to the center core where they could access the ship. Before they could get very far Cas noticed an officer approaching them. His uniform matched Evie’s but his purple stripes near his collar indicated a captain’s rank. Cas drew a deep breath, steeling himself for the inevitable confrontation.

  He was on the older side, with a head of thinning hair and a stern look that seemed to be carved on his face. His piercing blue eyes didn’t leave Cas as they approached each other, stopping only meters away.

  “Commander,” he said, his voice strong.

  “Captain,” she replied, placing her fist to her chest briefly. “Do you know—?”

  “I know him,” the captain replied.

  Evie pinched her lips together. “Caspian Robeaux, this is Captain Cordell Greene,” she said.

  Greene didn’t move, or stick out his hand, which didn’t surprise Cas. He’d heard the name before, but never met the man. He had a reputation for being difficult to work with initially, but fair. And he was one hell of a captain from his reputation. At least if he had to go into deep space with a Coalition ship, he’d have one of the best captains the Coalition had to offer.

  “I will be out of your hair as soon as humanly possible,” Cas said.

  “I should hope so.” Greene nodded. “Who…” he trailed off.

  “This is Box, my…assistant,” Cas said.

  Greene turned to Evie. “Is he coming too?”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied.

  Greene seemed to mentally right himself. He returned his gaze to Cas. “I understand we are searching for your previous posting,” he said, his words coming out stoic and solid. “I have requested more information about this mission but have been denied access. Information I assume you have.” Cas didn’t respond, though Greene stepped closer. “I’m in the unfortunate position of being required to trust you will not get me, or my crew killed. But rest assured, if I see something I don’t like the mission is over, I don’t care what the admiral says. I’m not risking my ship for an escaped convict.”

  “I didn’t escape,” Cas said, drawing himself up. “I was released on parole.”

  “And ran,” Greene said.

  “I won’t do anything that will put your crew in danger,” Cas said, only realizing what he was saying as the words came out of his mouth.

  Greene
didn’t laugh, as most others probably would have; he only watched Cas. Cas was the first to break the stare.

  Greene turned to Evie again. “Commander, when he’s on the ship I want him under guard at all times.”

  “Aye, sir,” she said.

  “And this…robot too. Make sure they are both contained to non-essential parts of the ship.”

  “You mean I don’t get to see the bridge?” Box complained. “But that’s my favorite part!”

  Greene only stared at him before turning back to Evie. “Carry out my orders, Commander,” he repeated. “I’ll see you aboard.” He turned on his heel and left them standing there, walking with purpose back the way he’d come.

  “He’s…intense,” Cas said.

  “Is that true? Did you run from your parole?” Evie asked, watching the captain walk away. Cas couldn’t read her. Was she accusing him? Or was she trying to understand?

  “I didn’t have much of a choice. And until a few days ago, had worked out pretty well,” Cas replied.

  “I guess everything comes back around…in the end,” Evie said. She walked off too, leaving Cas and Box standing alone among the workers around them.

  15

  As they made their way through the connecting tunnel to the Tempest Cas caught a glimpse of his ship pulling into the shipyards and making its way toward them. He stopped on the walkway, nudging Box. “Who’s driving?”

  Box turned, focusing on the ship. “I have their image, as soon as we get in the ship I’ll access the manifest.”

  Satisfied, Cas resumed the trip down the tunnel. Evie was ahead of them, waiting at the main port to the ship. It wasn’t ideal, but Cas felt better about being on the Tempest than being on the station. At least he wouldn’t have to stay in the same structure as Rutledge.

  “Ensign Yamashita will escort you to your quarters,” Evie said as they reached her. A young woman with jet-black hair stepped out from behind her, dressed in a scientist’s uniform.

  She glanced up to Box. “I’ve never seen an AMR in person before.”

  “Ensign,” Evie said.

  Yamashita seemed to remember herself. “Yes, sorry, sir.” She faced Cas. “If you’ll follow me.” She indicated they should fall into step behind her.

  Cas remained put with Box behind him. Yamashita turned when she realized they weren’t behind her, glancing at Evie as if at a loss.

  “Is there a problem, Captain?” Evie demanded.

  “I don’t need quarters. I’ll stay on my ship. And he doesn’t sleep.” He threw a thumb back to Box.

  “I watch him sleep,” Box said, as if it was his duty.

  Both Yamashita and Evie seemed at a loss for words. But Evie spoke first. “You can’t stay on your ship, it’s a security issue.”

  “Then talk to Rutledge, I’m sure he’d love that you’d have to bother him with something so petty,” Cas said, ramping up his own hostility. If she could act like this then he could too.

  “Ensign,” Evie said, drawing her words out. “Inform Lieutenant Page our guests will be staying on their ship. Make sure he mag locks it so the ship can’t leave.” She turned and left the three of them standing there.

  Yamashita shrugged. “I guess we’re going to the docking bay. Do you know if your ship is in Bay One or Bay Two?”

  “Which one’s bigger?” Cas asked.

  ***

  “Enter,” Captain Greene said.

  The doors slid open and Evie stepped through, her posture near perfect if she did say so herself.

  “Relax, Commander,” Greene said. He was behind his desk reviewing something on the screen in front of him. “Have our guests been settled?”

  “He insisted on staying on his own ship,” she replied. “I didn’t want to bother you or the admiral with it.”

  Greene glanced up for a second then returned his attention to the screen in front of him. “Make sure Page knows—”

  “Already taken care of, sir,” she said.

  “Good.” He shut down the program and leaned back in his chair. “Please.” He indicated the seat on the other side of the desk. Evie hesitated a second then decided it would be best not to be rude so she took a seat. “We haven’t had much of a chance to get to know each other yet,” Greene said. “But I want you to understand that I must have complete trust in my XO. You are not to protect me from any information you find pertinent.” She began to nod. “If you have a dissenting opinion, I want to hear it. The only way this ship works is if all of us are honest and work together.”

  “I agree, sir.” She took a breath. “And I’m not just saying that.” A smile formed on her lips. This had been the assignment she’d been pursuing for almost four years. So it was a stealth vessel instead of an exploratory ship. So what? She wasn’t about to screw it up now.

  Greene showed a hint of a smirk. “You brought Mr. Robeaux in. I need to know everything you know. Tell me what he’s likely to do.”

  “Unfortunately, sir, I seem to be in the dark about Ca—Mr. Robeaux. As I’m sure you know I’ve been stationed on the outer rim of Coalition space for a long time. Not a lot of news gets out there.”

  Greene nodded, leaning forward and tapping on the table, pondering. “You wouldn’t have heard this. The Coalition redacted all his records. They didn’t want the information getting out. But it happened right here, so most of the residents know who he is.”

  “Did you know him, sir? Before?”

  Greene considered it. “Not personally. But I knew of him. Rising star in the Coalition. On track to be a captain of his own ship by the time he was thirty. Gifted engineer. No one could believe it when it happened.”

  “Sir…” Evie began, glancing down for a moment. “I know I don’t have clearance. But what did he do? I don’t want to give you an erroneous impression since I don’t know all the facts.”

  “He was first officer aboard the Achlys,” Greene said. “And the ship was thrown off course, it ended up in Sil space.”

  “That’s pretty far off course,” Evie said, building a mental map in her mind. They would have had to traversed a lot of neutral space, the large area separating Coalition space from Sil. “How did they get out there?”

  “The report mentions a gravimetric storm, something we haven’t seen before, but you’d have to ask the admiral. He was captain at the time.”

  Evie sat back. “Rutledge was his commanding officer?”

  Greene nodded. “Apparently on their way back they ran into a Sil ship.” Evie’s hand went to her mouth. “The Sil didn’t see them at first, but when Rutledge ordered Cas to ready the weapons, he disabled them instead. Then he sent a coded message to the Sil, telling them where the Achlys was.”

  “What?” Evie said, her mind trying to wrap around the idea. He’d betrayed his crew?

  “They managed to get out of there before the Sil could do too much damage. According to the logs Rutledge saved them. But twenty-four people still died in the attacks. When they returned here, to Eight, Robeaux was court-martialed and Rutledge got a promotion.”

  “I don’t understand,” Evie said. “If he was such a model officer then why—?”

  “Why betray the Coalition and put his ship in danger?” Greene shook his head. “The psychiatrists called it a psychotic break; the pressure of performing got to him. He temporarily lost control of what he was doing.”

  “Then shouldn’t he have been rehabilitated?” Evie asked.

  “That was the plan, and the reason he was only in prison for two years,” Greene said. “But then he ran off to the Sargans and Rutledge had him banned from returning. There didn’t seem to be a desire to go find him. A lot of people were angry at him, regardless.”

  Evie furrowed her brow. It was a lot to take in. And it explained a lot about Cas’s behavior. But to betray the Coalition like that—to cost those lives. It was unthinkable.

  “I’ll be honest with you,” Greene said, standing and going to his window that showed the rest of the shipyards beyond. “Rutledge
ordered me to place him back under arrest as soon as the mission is complete.”

  Evie glanced up. “Sir?”

  “He wants to make an example out of Robeaux. He’s probably going to spend the next twenty years in prison.”

  She screwed up her face. “But Cas told me Admiral Rutledge made him a deal,” Evie said. “That he could go free when the mission was over.”

  Greene turned back to her. “I don’t like it either. But honestly, I’d feel better with him inside a cell. I don’t like the idea of him roaming the ship freely. The man has no business being on any Coalition ship ever again.” He paused. “That being said, I don’t like being kept in the dark and the admiral has been very quiet regarding this mission’s objectives. I need to know what I’m getting my crew into.”

  Evie pondered the situation a moment. “He hasn’t said anything to me, other than he was the XO on the ship we’re hunting. Which makes sense now. Are you asking if I trust him?” Greene nodded. “Before you told me what he did I would have said there was an eighty percent chance he’d carry out the mission without being a problem.”

  “And now?” Greene prompted, ridges in his forehead appearing.

  “Twenty-five,” she said. So far he’d held his word but it hadn’t been easy. He’d seemed to her like a spooked rabbit, ready to flee at the slightest noise. Though, to his credit he hadn’t needed to come at all. He could have gone off on his own and left her empty-handed. And if she’d come back without him there was a very good chance she would not still be assigned to this ship for its mission. “But—” Greene arched an eyebrow. “I don’t know if its guilt or what, but I feel like he’ll see this thing through. He’s had more than one chance to run and hasn’t taken it.”

  “That doesn’t mean he won’t, Commander.”

  “I’m just being honest, Captain.”

  Greene seemed to take it in. “Very well. See if you can find out anything else before we arrive. The last known location of the Achlys is a couple days outside Coalition space.”