“Power up,” Alice called back. “Rip the damn thing loose. It’s not like we’re a surprise anymore.”
She felt the subtle vibration in the deck that indicated increased power flow. The ship stopped tumbling but was still jerking around like a ball on a string. Alice felt as if she was being thrown against a wall each time the ship stopped. She could hear the whine of power relays overloading in the small ship.
“Crack the whip,” Lee said, through the mask on his face. “Reverse and thrust, Baron.”
His voice was sudden and sure. He looked towards the pilot and Alice saw his eyes clearing. Baron responded by pulling back on the thrust control. The ship settled as it was sucked back towards the Gizzeen behemoth. With a sudden stop, Alice was nearly pulled away from her rail. When she looked back up, Lee was staring back at her. She saw real recognition just before Baron pushed the throttle forward again. The pod shot forward at full power. For a moment they were still held, and Alice felt herself slewing sideways. Then, just as suddenly, they were free. The pod pulled away from the big ship trailing a long tendril of dying tissue.
“Nice move, boss,” Baron said, righting the ship and angling away. “Glad to have you back, but I wish you had some pants on.”
Alice wanted to push forward and hold her fiancé, but his head lulled back. His brief lucidity had lasted only as long as he was a pilot again, and now he was gone. She looked at the doctor, who was staring intently at the captain. When he looked back, she saw the expression of concern through his visor. She was tired of the mask. She pushed away from the bulkhead rail and towards the atmospheric controls. She tapped the keys and air began to flow back into the cabin. Demsiri pushed towards Lee and pulled out the scanner. As he checked the man’s vitals, the indicators on her visor turned green. She pulled the mask from her suit and took a deep breath.
“Whatever this thing is, it kept him alive for a lot longer than he should have, but I need to get it off now,” the doctor said. “He’s suffocating. I think the mask needed the Gizzeen atmosphere. It’s dying and taking the captain with it.”
Demsiri pulled his med-kit along and tried to tilt Lee’s head back. Alice moved closer, not wanting to interfere but needing to be close in case he needed help. She could see Lee’s bare chest had stopped moving and his skin was turning gray. Demsiri pulled a small device from his bag and began to cut. A thin line of light touched the surface of the starfish and immediately it began to shake. Wisps of smoke rose and Alice had to stop herself from getting closer. The seconds passed slowly as the doctor cut away the legs of the creature from Lee’s bearded face. Finally he pushed the pen-like device back into his bag and grabbed the edges of the creature. Bracing his feet against the deck, the doctor pulled hard on the mask. There was a wet sucking sound and the mask pulled loose. Alice pushed close as the doctor pulled a jar from his bag and shoved the mask inside.
“This is an amazing creature,” the man said, rattling the jar and staring intently at his new toy. “There are gills and filters and … I don’t even know what that does but—”
Alice held Lee’s face in her hands. The space where the starfish had covered his mouth was clean of beard but it had left him with an angry bruise. He was still not breathing and the doctor was still fascinated by the creature which had been keeping him alive. In a panic, her emergency training came to mind and she covered his lips with hers, blowing air into his lungs. She leaned back and looked at him. There was color in his face now and she could feel the beating of his heart beneath her.
“Come on, Lee,” she shouted at the man. “I can’t do all the work here. I need you front and center.”
Lee coughed and a viscous fluid ran from his mouth. Alice stepped back as spasms racked his bare body in the small cabin. Demsiri had finally stopped examining the mask and was on him in a second. A different mask, this one connected to the med-kit, covered his nose and mouth while he coughed. The oxygen flowed, his color returned, and he seemed to get stronger. While the doctor worked, Alice turned back to the pilot.
“How far from Resolute are we? Are we going to make it?”
“I don’t think that’s the important question,” Baron replied. “I think the more important thing to ask is why they aren’t chasing us. We should be dead by now.”
“There’s been no pursuit?” Alice said, looking from the small window at the bare space around them. “That’s weird.”
“Yeah,” the pilot replied. “I’ve been taking the long way and drifting a lot, but they’re just not out here. I can have us on the ship in about a minute.”
“Let me know if anyone comes after us,” Alice said. “I can’t really do anything in this piece of junk, but at least I’ll know.”
“Alice?” Lee’s voice behind her caught her attention. “Would you just let the man fly?”
She turned to look at him. His skin was still pale but he was looking right at her. She had almost forgotten his dark eyes and how they could cut right through her. As she moved closer, the doctor backed off. Holding the nearest rail, she knelt down to look into his face again. He managed a weak smile that filled her heart. He was restrained in the folding chair, so she couldn’t wrap her arms around him, but he raised a hand to her. She grasped his fingers in her own and held tight.
“How many?” Lee said through cracked lips. “How many did we lose?”
“Lee, we have you back and that’s all that matters,” Alice replied. “You need to rest and—”
“How many?” he asked, the force of his anger surprising her. “I need to know how many lives mine was worth.”
“Four on board the Gizzeen ship,” Demsiri said. “Including Gregor.”
“Doctor!” Alice hissed back at the man. “He needs time to rest.”
“I need to know the truth,” Lee replied. “How did you find me? I don’t even know where we are.”
“We’re in Gizzeen space on the other side,” Demsiri said. “Our little white friends gave us directions and Alice took us here.”
“You?” Lee asked. “What does he mean?”
“I let them put it all back,” Alice said. “All the knowledge they gave me before, and the engine design stuff. I let them put it all back and I fixed the engine, but it’s okay now. We’ve got you back and—”
“That was careless and dangerous,” Lee said. “You could have all been killed, and for what?”
“For you,” Alice said, her own anger beginning to grow. “When we found out you were here we had to come and get you. The whole universe is turning to shit and the one thing in it worth saving is you.”
“Alice, I’m grateful, but—”
“There is no but,” she said. “This crew has risked itself for you countless times when you asked, and when I asked this one thing for you they came. Now we have you back and we’re—”
“I hate to interrupt, but I’m about to dock the pod,” Baron said. “You might want to hold on tight.”
From the window, Alice could see the bulk of the engine compartment of a Gizzeen ship. Beyond, Resolute had hidden herself from view. The scene shifted as Baron turned the pod and reversed thrust. In the distance, Alice could now make out the red sun and the Gizzeen fleet spreading out around it. Compounded by the lack of pursuit, it was a surreal sight. A few seconds later, the ship was enveloped in darkness as the pod backed into the debris. A few seconds more and it came to a halt. A metallic noise signaled the pod had docked and she could feel gravity being restored.
“Alright, everyone out,” Baron said. “I need to clean the butt-prints off the seats or Chang will have my hide.”
“Chang?” Lee said, a sudden anger flaring in his eyes. “You brought Admiral Chang?”
“He came on his own,” Demsiri said, reaching across Lee and unfastening the harness. “Can you walk?”
“I need a little help, but … Chang?”
“We needed him and the fleet didn’t. Without him we wouldn’t have been able to get you.”
Lee seemed to take the
news hard as he pushed himself from the seat. Alice pulled his arm around her shoulders and helped him to the hatch. It took another few seconds as the atmosphere cycled. With a loud clanging of gears, the pod’s door opened into a cool corridor. Ronald Chang was standing just outside the door with a surprised smile. Lee and Alice stepped into the corridor and stopped in front of the former admiral.
“Permission to come aboard?” Lee said to the man.
“Permission granted, Captain,” Chang said. “Welcome aboard.”
A cheer echoed from the corridor as the crew let out an excited howl. Lee looked around and then at himself in embarrassment.
“I don’t suppose anyone bothered to get me a uniform?” he asked the man. “I know how much you hate it when your officers are out of uniform.”
“I can bring you something, but right now I have to get back to the bridge,” Chang replied with a smile. “The Gizzeen are forming up around the sun. We think they’re going to open another portal.”
30
Alliance Carrier Trinity
“We’ve got a signal,” Bonnie Estevez’ voice called from the far end of the engineering bay. “One chord.”
Jakes stepped away from the weapons console towards his pilot. With no maneuvering beyond basic reaction control, her job had become listening for the vital communications they desperately needed. Mendel held a long spanner in one hand while his companion Parker twisted a screwdriver into a hole in the armored casing. Once fully in, Mendel slammed the spanner down, creating a shockwave of noise which seemed to reverberate around the room.
“I hope it sounds better than that,” Connor said to Bonnie. “What’s the chord?”
“I don’t know,” Bonnie said. “I don’t know music for crap. Here, I’ll put it on the overhead.”
A long tone echoed from the overhead speakers. Held for precisely three seconds, it was deep and sonorous. Jakes’ face broke into a wide grin as he listened to the tone repeat.
“Alright, boys,” Connor said, pushing away from the floor where he had been sitting and standing to look around. “We’ve got minutes and not a second more. Lock it all down and get ready to die.”
“What about him?” Mendel said, wiping his hands on the white t-shirt he had been wearing for at least a week and pointing at Henry Moore. “That guy is the loosest screw on this ship.”
“I’ll take care of him. You just get ready,” Jakes said. “Bonnie, flash the surface and let them know. Things are about to get really nasty down there.”
The crew moved to various positions around the room. As Jakes moved across to Henry, he looked to the overhead control center. Alfredo Ortiz was working with Rene on the fire control circuits. The older man had seemed aimless for the last few months until Henry had arrived. He had seen so much war, the tedium of the mission had begun to wear on him. It was only in the last few days, when the plan began to come together and they had received a light-signal from the surface, that Henry’s passion for his wife had sparked a new light in Ortiz’ eyes. Jakes felt good to see it. He needed everyone ready to fight.
“Henry,” Jakes called out, “I think you might need to find a seat somewhere. Things are getting mighty tense and I don’t want you gettin’ hurt.”
Doctor Reeves was monitoring Henry with a hand scanner. Henry had been experiencing strong headaches and a high fever for the last few days, and he wasn’t looking very well. The doctor had pronounced him healthy, that his problems were psychosomatic. Since then, the man had alternated between a near catatonic sleep where he would wake screaming, and a tense silence where he wanted to find some kind of work. Jakes had let him work on the plasma relay system of the damaged ship, knowing it would never fully be fixed. The irony of the situation was lost on the damaged man, but it made Jakes smile.
“I can help,” Henry said. “I can’t just sit here while all of you guys work.”
“I think you’ve done enough,” Connor said. “If you try anything now you’ll just be in the way. We’ve got this.”
“Jakes, please,” Henry said. “I need to do something. I’ve come all this way and I’m so close. I need to survive this so I can get to the surface. I need to know if Emma is alive.”
“Henry, I understand, but you can’t do anything right now,” Jakes replied. “You’re just going to have to wait until we can get you down. We can’t spare the ship—”
“Captain, the surface has responded with a ready signal,” Estevez interrupted. “All systems are go on their end.”
“What’s about to happen, Jakes?” Henry asked. “Why is the surface getting ready? I haven’t gotten down there yet to find Emma. I need to know she’s alive before we do anything.”
“She’s fine,” Jakes said. “She’s just fine, Henry. Now we’ve got to get this ship ready for the surprise party of the millennium.”
“Why?” Henry said, stopping Connor from turning away. “What was that first signal? Who’s coming? And how do you know she’s okay?”
“Who do you think is sending us those signals, chief?” Jakes said. “Emma’s our ground contact on Earth. She’s been moving around, so we can’t always get a fix on her, but—”
Henry’s fist slammed into Jakes. The pirate captain was thrown off his feet. As Henry leapt onto his chest, Jakes pulled his feet up and kicked off. This time it was Henry who flew backwards, slamming onto the relay console and sliding to the floor. Doctor Reeves tried to step in between the two men, but Henry pushed him away. There was blood in his eyes as the old soldier scrambled to his feet.
“You knew and you didn’t tell me?” Henry hissed through clenched teeth. “Where is she?”
“We ain’t got time for this,” Jakes said, readying for another lunge. “We got ships incomin’ from Aleinhelm and a war about to be fought. Don’t you think this can wait?”
“I’ve waited for way too long. Tell me where she is or I’ll rip your goddamn head off!”
A massive blur slammed into Henry as Mendel tackled the man. Jakes heard Henry’s head crack as it hit the deck. Mendel held the man down. It was clear the blow had unbalanced him again. Doctor Reeves stepped back and ran the scanner over the dazed man again.
“You’ve got to stop this, both of you,” Reeves shouted. “Henry, you can’t do this. You’re upsetting everything.”
“I’m not sure what … I need to get down there and…” Henry mumbled, blood leaking from his scalp in the back. “Emma and our baby need me to—”
“Officer Moore, you need to stand down,” Ortiz said, stepping closer to the man with a hand out. “Your duty to your ship has been completed. It’s time to let others take over.”
“But … the Princess is gone,” Henry said. “I need to get to Emma and save her.”
“Jakes,” Ortiz began. “Is Emma still below us?”
“Yeah, the whole mess of ‘em are,” Connor replied, massaging his jaw. “Somewhere near Beijing. Bonnie knows the coordinates of the signal, but—”
“Then program one of the escape pods and send him down. You said it yourself, he’s no good here.”
“The Ch’Tauk’ll blast his ass outta the sky,” Mendel said. “He’ll be dead before he hits atmo.”
“An escape pod?” Henry said, fear suddenly drawing his features tight. “Why do people keep putting me in those things?”
“It’ll get you down, but we need to move,” Ortiz said. “Reeves, can you get him loaded?”
“I think so, but Mendel’s right,” the doctor replied. “He’ll be dead before he can reach the surface.”
“In about seven minutes the bugs will be real busy,” Jakes interjected. “He just might have a chance. Go, put him in the box.”
Jakes watched as the doctor took Henry by the shoulders and helped him out of the engine room. The rest of the crew returned to their stations while Ortiz stepped closer to Jakes.
“Do you really think he has a chance?” the man said to Jakes. “He’s barely keeping it together as it is.”
“Henry Moor
e may be the strongest one of all of us,” Connor replied. “If anyone has a chance to save those guys, it’s him. The green light signal means they’re in trouble. C’mon, Cap’n, we’ve got work to do.”
The two captains returned to the engineering command station. Jakes was manning the power readout while Ortiz watched the small projection screen set up in the center of the room. It was the best they had with the condition of the ship, and they needed to be able to see the surrounding space.
Mendel returned to the weapons console, where Parker had already set up a firing charge in the accelerator cannon. The big device was a relic of the last war, but as far as they could tell this one had never been fired. The repair work had taken the two men most of their time on board, and it still might not work.
“The pod is ready,” Bonnie said, turning back to Jakes. “Less than a minute until translation.”
Jakes waited. The plan rested on surprise, and so far everything had worked out. His ship, the Sweet Liberty 2 was attached to the hull near engineering. Special coatings and an exotic energy mix made the ship nearly invisible unless one was looking directly for her. He needed her ready in case something bad happened, and with the ship having been used as target practice for the last year or so, something definitely would.
“Ten seconds … nine … eight…”
“Mister Parker, you may fire when ready,” Jakes ordered. “Pick something big. I wanna see it blow up.”
“You got it, boss,” the little man replied. “I’ve got just the ship.”
“Two … one…” Bonnie said. “I’m showing a vortex opening in system. Multiple vortices. Good lord, Jakes, how many did you order?”
“Enough,” Connor replied with a grin. “These bugs are about to get the biggest surprise of their short lives. Open fire.”
A burst of bright energy flared from the bow of the Trinity. A small object, less than a ton, had been fired from a cannon towards a Ch’Tauk dreadnought—the mass accelerated to near light speed by the cannon and a modified M-space generator. It took less than two seconds for the impact and even less time for the dreadnought to explode. The debris slammed into nearby ships, scattering the Ch’Tauk battle formation in orbit over the planet. Cheers went up in the engine room, but they were quickly quieted. Now that the enemy knew they were there, things would really get interesting.
Resolute Glory (The War for Terra Book 8) Page 24
