He narrowed his eyes. “I already know all we need to use it, doctor. Believe me, the science is beyond your capacity to comprehend. Shit, I don’t understand it. I just have the instructions.” He lifted his chin to address the audience. “Show’s over. Get back to work. Get us ready to head for the gate, we’ve got a mission to complete.” Turning, he took in the whole audience. “We’re going to Earth and we’ll show those murdering sons-of-bitches what happens to those who mess with the legion and the fleet!”
The shuttle bay erupted into a thunderous cheer. A chant rose from the crowd. “Earth! Earth! Earth!”
***
Jones strolled down the corridor wearing her war face, the adrenaline of victory still coursing through her veins. In her head, she was reliving the moment the enemy collapsed. The memory accelerated her pulse and filled her with pride. She was Colonel Nina Jones, an Amazonian warrior who defeated all challengers.
Inside her quarters, she headed for the mirror to appreciate her battledress’s appearance. A raw energy permeated her body.
The door chime interrupted her moment. “Enter.” She didn’t think about who might be at the door.
O’Shea walked in, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. He was neatly squared away in crisp legion blacks and beamed with a bright smile. “I thought you might like a drink.”
He’d been taking his time with the courtship. Shared meals with entertaining conversation and walks late at night when the corridors were less crowded seemed to be working. She appreciated the effort and was happy to take it at the pace he dictated. After all, he was the first man she had ever dated, and it was nice to be treated like a lady by a gentlemen.
Here he was again, sweet gesture in hand with, maybe, the intent of taking things to the next level. Suddenly, though, she wasn’t feeling patient and didn’t want to take any chances.
Moving quickly, she took him by surprise, knocking the glasses and bottle from his hands. They bounced harmlessly against the floor. Her lips launched a passionate attack, breaking through his shocked spasms. He settled into the kiss and caressed her body as best he could through her combat suit.
Wrapping her leg behind his, she brought him to the ground with a thud. Catching herself with her hands, she hovered over him. “Next time bring whiskey, scotch whiskey, not wine.”
“Yes, sir!”
She plunged her lips onto O’Shea and had her way with him. For the first time in her life she felt like a woman—her kind of woman, that is.
***
Susan took another look in the mirror. I could really use some blush and lipstick. Ugh! Why didn’t I bring more with me?
Her door chimed. The sound caused an involuntary smile.
She struck a confident pose in the bathroom doorway. “Come in.” Her smile disappeared. Oh shit! She shot straight upright. “Hello, General Maxwell.”
He paused and looked around the room. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Oh no, of...of course not.” She flipped her wrist and gave him a goofy grin. “Don’t be silly, sir, what in the world could you be interrupting? It’s just me, my roommate isn’t even here.” Because I threatened to blow her out the nearest airlock if she didn’t get out of here. “What brings you by, great gramps?”
“Things have been so crazy around here we haven’t had a chance to sit down and talk for a while, so I thought I’d stop by.”
She relaxed a bit, put her hands on her hips, narrowed her eyes, and cocked her head. “That’s it?”
He shrugged and took a seat. “I may also be a little worried about you and thought you might like someone to talk to.”
“Worried?” She sat across from him. “Why would you be worried about me?”
“Well, we’re heading home. One more quick stop and then we’re heading for Earth, or what’s left of it. We—you—have family there, and they’ve been through hell for some time. I thought that might be weighing on you.”
Truth be told, it had been. It felt as if she’d abandoned them to a grim fate. No matter how many times she told herself she was fighting to return, to save them, the fact remained that she wasn’t there with them. Distance can be a hard thing to ignore.
A lone tear slipped out and ran down her cheek. She wiped it away. “Not knowing is the worst part. Are they alive? Is anyone still alive? Do they think we just left them there to suffer?”
He placed his hand over hers. “I wish I knew the answers to any of those questions. But you know you didn’t leave them there to die. Nor did we take the easy road and die fighting a battle we knew we couldn’t win, just to make ourselves feel better and end our own pain.”
He lifted her chin with an index finger, bringing her eyes to his. “Listen up, pilot. Sometimes duty takes us in a direction we don’t want to go, but it turns out we had to. I cursed myself for leaving my daughter every day I was away from her. But you know what? Thank God I did. If I hadn’t, we might never have learned the true nature of the galaxy. I followed my duty and it led me down a righteous path that can save our future.”
She laughed through her quiet tears. “It seems like a pretty shitty job to be one of the chosen ones.”
“That’s because it is. Just ask all the disciples of Jesus that were stoned to death.”
“You really know how to cheer a girl up. What’s next, you gonna tell me there’s no Santa Claus?”
They laughed and her tears stopped.
The door chimed.
Oh, crap.
It chimed again.
Trent glanced at the door and back at her motionless self. “You want me to get that?”
“No.” She stood, kicking her chair back. “I got it.”
Another chime sounded, I’m coming, damn it.
She made herself wide, trying to block the door. “Open.” I’ll just send him away.
She opened her mouth to speak as the door opened, but Lieutenant West never gave her a chance. He locked his lips to hers and wrapped both hands around her.
“Ummm!” she protested, pushing herself free.
An ear-to-ear smile was painted on his face. A horrified express on hers didn’t seem to forewarn him.
Trent exaggerated the sound of clearing his throat behind her. West’s face sank. She turned to unblock his view. West snapped to rigid attention.
Trent smiled knowingly. “At ease, lieutenant. I was just leaving.”
Susan laughed uncomfortably. It’s prom night all over again.
Trent walked toward the door. “Let’s get together for dinner soon.”
“I’d like that.” She followed his gaze, which had zeroed in on West. The poor man was literally burning up under the intense scrutiny.
He stepped in and exhaled for the first time in over a minute. “Good God. A little warning would’ve been nice.”
***
Earth’s Fist entered the swirling light of the wormhole. In an instant, new stars appeared on the view screen.
“Commence scan.” DeWalt crossed his arms, examining the readout from his chair.
“We’re getting pinged from several ships. I’m reading...what in heavens is that?” The com officer tapped something and a huge ship popped onto the screen.
Trent stepped closer. Oh, my God “What is that thing? It’s almost three kilometers long and twice the width of the Fist.” He looked at the com officer. “Please tell me that’s one of ours.” The closest thing he’d seen to it were the dreadnoughts they fought at P-1425X.
“Its IFF is saying so, sir.” The young women closed her eyes. “Admiral, we’re being hailed by the—Alpha Centauri.”
“Alpha Centauri?” DeWalt and Trent said in unison.
“It’s the big one, sirs.”
“Put it on the screen.”
A clean-shaven black man wearing four stars on his collar came onto the view. “Admiral DeWalt and General Maxwell, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Admiral Benjamin Silverstein.”
DeWalt rose out of his chair. “Likewise, adm
iral. Forgive me for being blunt, but what is the situation with your ship, sir?”
Silverstein smiled and leaned back in his chair, rubbing the armrest. “She is impressive, isn’t she? This is a super-battleship-class vessel. Her design and construction were a pet project of mine. A top-secret one at that, built at our experimental shipyard.”
“She’s a beaut.” Trent put his hands on his hips. “Her firepower will come in handy when we get to Earth.”
“About that. I’d appreciate a face-to-face meeting on your proposed operation. I will make myself available whenever you’re able to shuttle over to me. I look forward to meeting you in person. Silverstein, out.”
“That was encouraging.” DeWalt crossed his arms. “Have fun.”
“Yeah,” Trent responded sarcastically, “He and I are gonna be real close friends. I can feel it.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Destination Earth
Amanda caught up with Trent outside the shuttle bay. “What’s going on? All I’m getting are a few bits and pieces from my friends on the bridge.”
He sighed. “The good news is that a powerful fleet answered our call and several ships are here.”
“The bad?”
“There’s a four-star admiral with them and he doesn’t seem hot for my plan. I’ve been skimming his general service record and it doesn’t look promising. He’s a professional desk jockey, an administrator who hasn’t seen combat in decades. I’m guessing there’s a giant chip on his shoulder because of it.”
“You want me to join you?”
He shook his head. “No, I think I should go alone. I have to appear like I’m coming to him on my knees, and the fewer staff the better.”
She nodded. “Okay, if you think that’s best. Just be careful.”
“Don’t be that way. It’s not like I’m boarding an enemy ship or something. We’re on the same side.”
“Yeah, so was Sennet.”
“Point taken.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll be back soon and one way or another, we’re heading for Earth. I refuse to let anyone stop me.”
“I’d find your confidence annoying if it wasn’t so sexy.”
“Remember that for when I get back.”
“Just make sure you back it up.” She rolled her eyes. “Failure is so unattractive.”
***
The Alpha Centauri was even more impressive on approach. The mighty vessel’s black carbon-fiber-coated hull bristled with point defenses and main laser cannons the size of which he’d only seen on the deceased Alpha Gate Base. It looked almost evil against the void of empty deep space.
Silverstein didn’t bother to meet him in the bay, delegating the duty instead to his chief of staff. En route to the admiral’s office, he paid attention to his surroundings. The corridors were smaller than he expected, even less than would be found on a cruiser. The crew seemed light as well; few were encountered on the walk despite it being the main duty shift.
The captain came to a stop and gestured toward a door. “He’s expecting you, sir. Please go right in.”
Trent entered the surprisingly small office. The admiral was standing with his back to the door, hands behind him, as he stared out a viewport that encompassed the entire wall. Trent stood at attention, waiting for Silverstein to acknowledge him. The bastard knew he was there but just stayed silent, looking at the view of a thousand points of light. Almost a minute passed before he must’ve decided his petty display of power had run its course.
“Please take a seat, general.” He turned, offering his hand. “I’m pleased you were able to come right over. I appreciate your sense of urgency.”
“Saving Earth is an urgent matter, sir. Besides, I was quite interested in getting a closer look at your ship. She’s incredible.” The flattery made him grin. “I am curious about the design, though. The interior and crew seem small compared to its mass.”
A prideful smile came across Silverstein’s face. “That’s the true beauty of this new class of warship. My vision was to build a battleship with the firepower of a base but with the mobility of a ship. To do that, we had to compress the design, sacrificing certain things like personnel, fighter wings, and legion detachments.”
“Oh, so it’s purely a battleship and not a jumbo battlecarrier?”
“Correct. She would’ve been too large if we’d added those capabilities. But what she lacks in operational flexibility, she makes up for in raw firepower and survivability. Alpha Centauri’s hull is fifty percent thicker than a standard battleship’s and has a higher concentration of point defenses. Her four primary laser cannons give her twice the punch.”
“I see the need for the tight quarters. The power generation requirements must be off the charts, sir.” He cocked his head. “I’m surprised there’s enough crew to properly man her.”
Silverstein showed his pearly whites. “General, Alpha Centauri isn’t just bigger and better, she’s also smarter. State-of-the-art AIs and cutting-edge nano construction modules for damage control allowed us to reduce staff requirements even further.”
“I’ve got to hand it to you, sir. She’s something special and will be a big asset in the coming fight.”
Silverstein strolled to the front of his desk and sat on the edge, gripping it. “Yes. Now, about your mission, or should I say missions. You’ve been busy, general. Disappearing after the fall of Alpha Gate, mutiny at Eden, violating our treaty with the Bearcats, and that’s just what I know about.”
“That pretty much covers it all, actually, sir.” Trent regretted the words the moment they slipped out.
“Is this some kind of joke to you, general? You attacked a civilian target of our ally. And why? Because some computer told you to?”
“Sir, I understand your skepticism, but I began this journey based on orders I personally received from Admiral Chen. As for the computer, its intel fit perfectly into what we already knew about the Keepers. It led us to the Pills and the codes to access the shields. Now we have the means to destroy the ships that are wiping out billions of innocent lives.”
“You attacked a Bearcat colony, general.” His eyes narrowed. “You might’ve started another war.”
“Frankly, sir, that’s tomorrow’s problem. There can only be another war if we succeed twice. The odds are against us, but at least now we have a chance. It’s the only way I know of to save the human race—and the Bearcats, too.” He paused for effect. “Sennet planned to run away to the Andromeda Galaxy and restart our civilization there.”
The challenge brought Silverstein to his feet. “I do have a plan, general. We’re going to build more Alpha Centauris, as many as we can until we’re found out. When that time comes, years from now, we’ll overwhelm even the Keeper ships with sheer firepower.”
Trent shook his head. “Honestly, sir, I think Sennet had the better idea. At least she accepted the reality of fighting on conventional terms. In your favor, at least your plans include making a stand at some point to defend life in this galaxy. So, I’ll go on the record as saying you both are equally wrong.”
Silverstein leaned forward and opened his mouth. Trent shut him down with an extended palm as he rose. “Sir, I was trying to be nice about this, but I see you’re not going to see the light. So I’ll cut to the chase and tell you how this is going to work.”
He hooked a thumb at himself. “I’m going to leave and take a fleet to Earth.” He thrust an index finger at the admiral. “You’re going to take your ship and go home. Build more like you want. One way or another, the human race is going to need warships. Consider yourself part of a redundant strategy. Me, Sennet, and now you.”
Silverstein’s face looked like it was about to explode. “Why you insolent, arrogant upstart. I am your commanding...”
“Bullshit! You are not my commanding officer, you just happen to outrank me on paper. Under normal circumstances, that would mean something, but not here and not now. That was a fact that Sennet took longer to figure out.” He brought his
face to within a centimeter of Silverstein’s. “Soldiers don’t follow men like you when the shit hits the fan.”
Silverstein stepped back to take a swing at Trent’s head. He easily ducked below the strike and double-tapped the admiral’s ribs with his fists. Bones cracked and the air rushed from the lungs. Grabbing hold of the back of the admiral’s collar, he slammed Silverstein’s glossy bald head onto his desk, knocking him unconscious,
“I’ll take that as a sign we have an understanding.” He straightened his uniform.
Strolling out, he gave the young ensign a courteous nod and sprinted to the shuttle bay as soon as he was out of sight.
***
Amanda was standing at the bottom of the ramp. “How did it go?”
“Honestly, better than I thought.”
“And that’s why you sent me a message to contact all of the commanders, except Silverstein, to arrange a strategy session?”
“Like I said, better than I expected.”
***
This time, they’d come to him. A mixed collection of ten admirals and generals, not including himself and DeWalt, sat around the black oval conference table. While the task force was busy securing the Pills, emissaries were sent out to rally the forces of mankind.
The promise of a secret weapon against the Keepers proved alluring enough to at least convince this collection of brass to hear him out. He didn’t need all of their ships or even most to execute his vision, but he needed some.
The room was buzzing with sidebar conversations when he entered. It quieted down as he took his place at the head of the table.
“I take it you’ve all had an opportunity to study the outline of my plan.”
Admiral Chiffon Velasquez let out a singular laugh. “If nothing else, it’s a fascinating read. Quite the story.” Her piercing cobalt-blue eyes studied him for his reaction.
“It may be, but every word of it is true and can be backed up. The Pills give us the ability to destroy the Keeper ships.”
General Columbus McCarroll leaned in, directing his pointed nose at Trent. “That’s the part that confuses me. The Pills can destroy the ships, but we have to get them inside one of them to do the trick.” He looked up and down the table. “Am I the only one who sees the problem with that?”
The Last Charge of the 1st Legion (The Last Hero Trilogy Book 3) Page 23
