by T J Bryan
Helen and Toni returned to the AC office and sat.
Helen continued. "First the facts. Someone, perhaps the Hitti, saw fit to warn us of the Megra. Second the Hitti are driving the Megra away, probably from old Hitti space. Third whoever sent the message has tech, very advanced tech. Fourth they saw fit to warn us, and that is perhaps the most significant fact of all."
Lars Ulf called out from the command con. "I have a good set of vid images of the flyby taken by Ragnarök."
"Put them up on the vid pleas Mr. Ulf." replied Toni.
The vid screen in Toni's office revealed a long and very thin spacecraft. It's length was almost a kilometre and its' width only forty meters wide. Its' entire shape reminded Toni of a spear or javelin. The surface of the ship was smooth and its color a brilliant white. No visible energy signature or engine exhaust was visible, yet it flew at a very great speed.
Helen watched the video and then turned to Toni. "Now we need to surmise what we can find in the message."
"You mean guess?" replied Toni.
Helen nodded her head. "If the Hitti are driving Megra out of their systems then the Megra must be hunting for new systems to occupy. Given the five different languages or species we heard I suspect that human space is only one of several the Megra are invading. And if they are fleeing Hitti that means Hitti is somehow resurgent and stronger than Megra, otherwise they would not flee."
Toni interrupted, "Do you think we can ally with Hitti? They seem to be disinclined toward Megra."
Helen replied, "I'm not willing to go that far. Hitti never seemed interested in human space and if we see Megra here that implies that Hitti is successful in riding their space of their former slaves. They probably do not need our help and the warning may well be just that; a warning. A warning that says, your on your own."
Helen thought a moment. "If that ship were manned, or whatever a Hitti crew is called, I suspect they might well have paused to provide more information. But I suspect it's an automata. Its' probably mindlessly dropping messages at every system it passes through. Clearly the five language message was not targeted at us here in Wu. If they knew anything about Wu they would have told warned us in Standard English. As for the ancient form of English I simply am at a loss. In the past our interactions with Hitti never really involved communications, just that odd sort of chaotic random trade. Perhaps Old English is all they have from some deep memory or ancient contact."
Toni was listening, but she kept thinking about the impossibility of a reverse tunnel passage. If one could travel through a tunnel in the wrong or reverse direction then all kinds of opportunities and threats presented themselves.
"I'm sorry Helen. I wasn't listening. Now what did you say?"
Helen sighed, "Yes, that tunnel passage has be flabbergasted as well. It kind of turns everything upside down. Science can be funny. People adopt a theory and hold to it until someone demonstrates its not true. Man cannot fly. Disease is caused by bad air. And now faster than light communications is an impossibility. But once someone demonstrates that the previous theory was wrong and demonstrates that fact then things happen quite quickly. For example, an airplane flies above. You don't know how it is done, but the important thing is you know it can be done. The old idea that man cannot fly, so therefore don't waste time trying to do so, evaporates. One society develops a medicine that eliminates a disease but refuses to share the medicine. The mere fact that such a compound can be made will form the basis for its' discovery or uncovering regardless of any attempt to keep it secret."
"So when we tell Professor Ollon and Nomi about this what happens?"
Helen laughed. "Well Ollon will make us prove what we saw. The vids, energy readings, and transit log will convince him after an argument or two. As for Nomi? She will react the way she always does with no visible reaction. However when they fail to reconcile that facts with known theory then the work will begin. It's all about knowing what you thought was a hard and true fact was simply an illusion. Then science begins and it cannot be stopped."
Toni though a bit more, "So the Megra must be weak and failing in their fight against resurgent Hitti."
Helen shook her head. "Weak, not necessarily. In human history great civilizations and cultures have fallen to so called barbarians who were driven out of their homelands by even bigger barbarians. And given Megra success so far calling them weak is dangerous. However the important issue for us and for the Commonwealth and our allies, is that they will probably keep coming regardless of our resistance. They may have no option. Hitti is driving them out and they have no place to go except here. And perhaps four other systems."
"And in those other systems we might find allies." said Tony Hamilton Area Commander of the Obsidian Commonwealth Navy.
Chapter Ninety Three
Wu Holgata Station - Area Commanders Office - Year 3247 December 22 ET 19:01
Sigrún stumbled into the Wu system at 08:23 from the Nelots portal. She entered the portal and simply stopped and scans revealed that she was severely damaged. Repeated pings to the ship went without response. Olrun was the closest ship and Toni dispatched Olrun and Goll to immediately lend aid.
Six hours later Olrun pulled alongside and saw the extent of the damage to Sigrún. Four seams along her port side were split and one had separated along half the length of the ship. Her energy signature revealed her engines were functional but the ship was standing there and not moving just outside the portal.
Captain Nieve Vilulf examined the split seams as Olrun closed in on Sigrún. The upper split seam she knew extended to the bridge and she was certain that most if not all of the ship was vacd. There was a gaping breach in the hull at the point where the bridge aligned with the hull and Nieve could see the remains of lockers, ship suits, and debris just inside the wound.
Olrun extended a docking collar and tube and within moment three of Olrun's crew boarded Sigrún via the main hatch to begin rescue. Two crew went to the roundabout and up to the bridge. Someone must have flown the wrecked ship all this distance and they undoubtedly needed help. The remaining crewmember headed toward the cargo bay hatch and found it closed. Rather than open the hatch he pounded on the hatch cover and moments later there was a response. Someone was alive in the cargo bay.
On the bridge they found the pilot Paul Samulson dead and frozen still in his ship suit and sitting at the pilot's station his hands on his controls. Turning to the bridge passageway they found three dead in one of the crew's quarters and in the doc boxes lay two others. Both were alive but comatose as the doc box worked to keep them alive.
The Olrun crew member at the cargo bay hatch ordered Sigrún to bring over a portable hatch which they set up in the passageway. Moments later they entered the new hatch, pressurized the system and pushed open the cargo hatch door. Three dishevelled faces greeted them. Relief and joy were written on their faces as fresh suits, power packs and O2 bottles brought aboard for their transfer to Olrun. A short while later stasis tubes were brought to Sigrún and the two injured also transferred. As for the dead they would be removed at Holgata Station. Olrun set off at best speed for Holgata and Goll took the wrecked Sigrún in tow.
...
Terry Manford, Tony Madson, and Brandy Haverson sat in Toni Hamilton's small office freshly showered each holding a steaming cup of Greenland's coffee.
"How did you get Paul, your pilot, out of the cargo bay and back to the bridge?" asked Toni.
Brandy responded. "We figured we could use the cargo bay as a kind of hatch. Put temporary sticky seals on the bulkhead holes, gave Paul all our energy packs and O2 bottles. Paul stayed in the cargo bay while we went to the engine room. The Captain had passed out by that time so Paul dragged him, I guess, to the doc box. He sealed the passageway hatch on the far side with sticky tape and then went to the bridge. That's about all we know. Paul was a great guy. And now..." Brandy's voice trailed off into silence.
The very idea of a doomed pilot freezing to death as he brought his dying ship
home gave Tony the shivers. Paul was a hero thought Toni, but then again the entire crew of Sigrún were heroes. Abel had forbidden medals as such in the OCN feeling that there could be no distinction for heroism in the OCN, except for the dead. Those who died in service to the Commonwealth and her allies were in the category of true heroes.
"How long till the Captain is back?" asked Tony.
Helen who sat next to Teri replied, "He should be up and about in a few hours. Paul got him to the doc box just in time. Sepsis had set in. Blood poisoning. Another day in the hold and he would not have made it."
"And the ship?" asked Terry. "Our Sigrún, when can she be repaired. We need to go back out there. This fight is not over."
Toni did not have the heart to tell them right now that the ship, just upon visual inspection, would never fly again. "I don't know," she replied. "We will have to extensively survey the ship, but it does not look good."
Toni could read disappointment and concern on the faces of the surviving crew. "All right, I want all three of you to find berths on the liner. Our liaison on the liner is waiting for you. Get a good night's sleep and we can hot wash this tomorrow."
Moments later the crew had left and Helen queued up the vid log of Sigrún and they both watched the astonishing battle unfold on the vid. Both Toni Hamilton and Helen Rebbah were amazed that Sigrún had survived to make it to the portal and even more amazed that she managed to make it home. The damage done to the Megra was catastrophic. Looking closely at the vids it was clear that the station had been destroyed and probably most of the large fleet. In addition anything under the station, which was likely to be a land base would have been completely obliterated. One SAR without its' main offensive battle weapon, the anti-matter torpedo, and using its primarily defensive weapon the sand caster, had taken out an entire Megra installation and at least 30 dumbbell ships. Stunning thought Toni. Simply stunning.
Tony coded up a message for the Q Ball but it simply could not convey the extent of the victory. There were no codes for that. Instead she sent a simple message. ' Sigrún successful, enemy destroyed, large numbers, four dead, Pope Leo.'
The message would be broadcast after her earlier message had finished. Abel would not know the news for at least two days.
Eir was due back in two days and due for rotation to Jamon. Toni would send the Sigrún crew home on Eir. All nine of them.
The following day Greenland and Olrun departed for Far Spec and on to Eleos. Three days later Eir, with the entire crew of Sigrún, departed for home. Sigrún, now written off as a wreck, was towed not far from the old wrecked SAR Ragnarök had once sat. Toni looked out at the dead ship and wondered. Is this going to be the graveyard of OCN ships? She shivered at the thought and then she faced reality. Yes, and there would be others.
...
Commonwealth - Naval Dock - Year 3247 December 31 ET 08:12
The welcome for the Eir was subdued. Hours before, as Eir entered Jamon space, the log of Sigrún, the hot wash report, and notes by both Helen and Toni Hamilton had arrived at Abel's office. He had spent several hours reviewing the transmission. Abel was grateful for the apparent victory but even more saddened by the deaths of four crew. Abel quickly dictated a news bulletin for Stephen Klein's news. Abel decided to emphasize the sacrifice of the crew over the victory at Pope Leo. What counted to Abel, as First Admiral of the OCN, was to honor the dead.
Abel described the battle at Pope Leo accurately, but failed to use the term 'victory'. The war was going to be a long one, and the Hitti warning received at Wu station was sobering. That Sigrún had destroyed a major Megra outpost was positive, but how many outposts and warships did Megra have? If Pope Leo was their only outpost then the battle of Pope Leo was a great victory. However Abel believed, that although the battle at Pope Leo was significant, Megra had far, far more resources than that and that soon those resources would be brought to bear against the OCN and the alliance. Grim times were ahead. The supply of casters was running low.
As the Eir docked a sizeable crowd had assembled and the Collegium Music Department band played what Abel thought of as 'happy' music. But the joy of the welcome seemed to be restrained. The Commonwealth was in reality a small town in which everyone knew everyone else. And the deaths of four of her citizens was felt by thousands.
Abel, the Chairman, and three of the Executive Committee stood at the main hatch of Eir. Fanny Menendez was Captain and in Eir's cargo hold lay the body of her younger brother and three others.
The hatch opened onto the cold deck. Captain Menendez stepped out and saluted Abel. For the first time in his life Abel felt the return salute justified. Fanny then stepped aside as the surviving crew of Sigrún stepped onto the dock. This time Abel saluted first. Last of the crew to exit was OM Marx. Marx had aged thought Abel and not just physically.
Brandy Haverson who was the MS operator on Sigrún stepped forward. She stood ramrod straight before the First Admiral and with tears streaming down her face she said, "Admiral, we did our duty."
Someone in the crowd began to clap and moments later the Navy Dock was filled with the sound of clapping. There was pride in the Navy and pride in the Commonwealth to temper their grief.
Abel remained after the crews were dismissed and the crowd had disbursed. Members of the EMS came forward to gather the bodies of the fallen. Fanny Menendez, Captain Marx, and the Chairman had remained as well. Four body bags were brought out of the hold and placed on slider gurney's. Fanny saluted the dead as did Abel and OM Marx.
Finally Abel turned to Marx. "Come on old man, lets get a drink." And together they set off for Brusi's Bar. The bar was quite near the Navy Dock and had once been a dive frequented by out of work miners, but in the last year the bar had changed ownership and now had become the Navy's unofficial club.
As they entered the bar was crowded and the loud hubbub that usually made conversation difficult stopped. The room was silent. And then everyone stood, many in their dress whites and saluted. Abel knew the salute was not for him but for Captain Marx. Marx was obviously embarrassed but returned the salute as did Abel. Then the raucous talking and singing resumed. OM Marx was home.
Abel and Captain Marx were ushered to a table at the back of the bar and before they could order two ice cold bottles of Old Nelson's appeared on the table. Abel saw that Marx looked tired, even exhausted.
Abel lifted his bottle and slowly Marx did the same. "Skol." said Abel and they both took a deep drink of the icy brew.
"I have a new ship for you Captain Marx. I need you ready in six days."
Marx shook his head. "Abel, I'm not sure. I'm just not sure. Those kids died because of me. They are dead and I'm sitting here drinking beer."
Abel could see the pain in Marx's eyes. Abel knew that Marx was blaming himself for loosing four young crew, rather than realizing that he had saved four crew from certain death. But Able also knew that this was not the time to convince Captain Marx to 'shake it off'. What was clear in Abel's mind was that Old Man Marx was simply one of the best combat captains he had, and Abel was determined not to loose a captain of his experience and skill to depression and grief. If necessary it was best to let Captain Marx cry in his beer.
...
Commonwealth - Admiral's Office - Year 3247 December 31 ET 19:31
Professor Ollon stood shaking his head. "Abel if your folks had not captured these vids and stats of the passage of that ship I would have advised you to see Dr. Manfold at the Psychiatry Department. I have thought of every possible explanation except magic. The scans show this is not an illusion or trickery. I'm going to have to think about this. And think about it a great deal."
"And Nomi?" asked Abel.
"I'll talk to Nomi this afternoon. Or rather I will talk to Dilli who will talk to Nomi. I'll need copies of course especially of the scan data. As for her reaction your guess is as good as mine, but don't expect much. She is likely to simply clam up and go into one of those trans like states for a few hours. Then she might react."
There was a knock at the door and Abel's aide-de-camp, Bennet Nolo, opened the door and Emmitt Wong entered. "Sorry I'm late, but the apparatus blew a fuse. Not a little one but a huge one."
Professor Ollon responded, "I'm surprised it didn't pass you on to the n'th dimension." The Ollon laughed. Ollon's joke was one that only he could understand. "Well, I must go. I have a lecture to give at noon and a great deal to think about. Who would have thought; passage through a tunnel in the wrong direction. Amazing."
As Emmitt sat Ollon left and Bennet, ever mindful of security closed the door and as usual remained standing.
"How's the progress on Nomi's Project?" Abel asked reading frustration all over Emmitt's face.
"Abel this is so complicated a project I think I'm going to loose my mind. First we have to build this enormous apparatus, just to make what Nomi calls the 'thing.' And then the 'thing' will make the jar." Emmitt sat and shook his head.
"I read in your report Emmitt that the apparatus will take a year and a half to build and requires the work of dozens of engineers and a whole host of fabricators, not to mention half the physics department."
Emmitt looked hard at Abel. "I didn't write that at all in my report. I said two years and not one and a half years, and that's only if everything goes right, which so far it has not. Your trying that trick old Norlik tried to get you to sail before you were ready."
Abel laughed. "Well it was worth trying. I really miss Guntar Norlik. And now his son is dead as well."
Emmitt slowly exhaled. "When is the service? The memorial service."
Abel replied, "Day after tomorrow. I would have preferred tomorrow, but thousands are expected and preparations for a crowd that size requires time. Additionally the Chairman and the Executive Committee think we need to somehow honor our losses in a more memorable way. I'm not sure I agree, the Navy Chapel seems fitting to me, but I think the Chairman just realized that this is going to be a very long and very deadly war. He had a chance to view the vids from the Battle of Pope Leo and to read the reports. Helen's assessment that this is going to be a long war seemed to hit him rather hard."
