by John Walker
He brought up the list of buoys in the area, all connecting to this one. The research facility came up first on the list but luckily, it was off and could not have been used. Another one in an even less inhabited system linked up to this one going even further out from the core of alliance civilization.
Such places might be brought into the fold of colonization in the future but at least for the time being they were impractical to protect. In recent years, the only places the alliance bothered to settle were close enough to get a military presence there quickly. While jump tech allowed a ship to arrive in time to help, messages were not instantaneous.
Of course, that didn’t matter to the colonies the Orion’s Light took out.
Olly got the coordinates for the next buoy and sent them over to Ensign Leonard Marcus, their navigator. He’d have to come up with a decent jump point entry so they could check the next buoy. How many would they have to try before they tracked down the Crystal Font? Olly worried they would eventually come to a high enough traffic device that the trail would go cold.
This trail of bread crumbs had its own threat of birds to eat.
“You okay?” Paul asked.
Olly nodded. “Just thinking ahead…or trying to at least.”
“I understand.” Paul scratched his head. “This seems pretty intense but at least we have another place to check out.”
“So far so good.” Olly glanced back at Clea and considered giving her a quick briefing. She was busy coordinating the retrieval of the pirates with Commander Everly. Their new prisoners probably all needed medical attention before spending the rest of their time in the brig. He decided to leave her be and sent the report to her mailbox. “We’ve done our part.”
“I’m heading back to the tech lab,” Paul said. “I’ll try to come up with another way to track these messages. I’m not confident but hey, we’ve found stranger things, right?”
“Every time we leave space dock.” Olly grinned but the expression was forced. “See you later, man.”
“Olly,” Gray called out as Paul left the bridge. “I trust with Mister Baily’s departure, you have a new destination for us.”
“Yes, sir. I sent it to Leonard.”
“Very good.” Gray clapped his hands. “Where are we with grabbing those pirates?”
“Nearly done, sir,” Adam said. “The last escape pod has been collected and they’re bringing them on board now. I’d say we’ve got another fifteen minutes.”
“Any chance to shorten that?”
Adam shook his head. “Not safely. The shuttle’s towing all those in. It’s simply going to take that much time to get back to the ship and land.”
“Okay. Leonard, I want a course by the time they’re on board. As soon as they report in, Redding will initiate the jump. Agatha, give the crew a head’s up that we’re getting out of here and report in the derelict ship drifting out here. I’d rather our people scavenge that thing than risk another pirate crew coming in here for an easy mark.”
Olly went to work, his stomach doing flips. The time pressure weighed on him heavily. Every minute and hour that ticked by, the Crystal Font might be lost. Worse, in the back of him mind, he knew they might already be gone. It had been far too long for a starship to survive out there without support.
Much as he didn’t want to admit it, he felt like they were chasing a ghost ship.
Olly never bothered to pray before but as they prepped to jump out of the system, he took a moment to put out some positive energy. He affirmed his hope that they’d find their companions alive, perhaps battered but otherwise well off. Even without precedent or facts, he tried to will it to be true.
This feels a lot better than being pessimistic. Come on, guys. Don’t let us down. You showed so much spirit when we were fighting over the research facility. That kind of will can’t simply be killed by something as paltry as being lost in space for a while. We’ll find you. One way or another. Just hang in there.
***
Kale stared at the imagery taken by Alma’s ship. The structure they discovered climbed into the sky some sixty stories. The land around it appeared to be cleared away, flattened and void of trees. None of the snapshots the pilots took, none of their video revealed enemy presence but they knew they were down there…somewhere.
He sent a patrol around the planet to ensure they didn’t miss something, checking for a hidden vessel. Maybe they came up with a way to trick sensors since we’ve been gone. There aren’t many explanations. But the enemy fighters didn’t go back to orbit, they disappeared around the structure.
They might’ve been destroyed but there was no evidence to support the thought. According to scans and surveillance, the four enemies didn’t even exist. Deva couldn’t even find the debris of the two downed vessels but they saw the video footage of the fight and knew it happened.
Without the in flight cameras, Kale might’ve questioned Alma and her team’s sanity. Hell, she was already second guessing what happened. Whatever happened didn’t make a lot of sense but they knew three important facts. One, they had to get down there to get the power necessary to leave. Two, enemy presence complicated the mission. Three, they were dealing with a relatively small bit of opposition.
After all, how many of them could be down there without their ship giving off some sign? A capital ship couldn’t have landed on the planet anyway and if it crashed, the place wouldn’t be nearly as well off. Kale decided they would make their move but it would be with a large force of soldiers, ready for whatever action they might encounter.
He stood and joined Wena at the com station, tapping into the whole ship. “This is the Anthar speaking. I’m sure some of you have heard we encountered an enemy presence on this planet. We have performed extensive scouting in and around the area but have not located a capital ship. Whoever is down there, they are alone and cannot be numerous.
“We must take the area and get what we’ve come for. This is our way home. I intend to get you there. It will require a team to go to the surface and I’m putting together those people now. Please continue to focus on your duties and I promise you, we’ll get out of here as soon as possible. Direct any questions to section leads and they can contact me directly. Thank you.”
Kale killed the com and turned to Deva. “This is against my better judgement,” he said, “but I need you to go on this mission.”
“What?” Deva’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious? You’re letting me go?”
“You’ve got the best chance of figuring anything out down there…the best chance to get us that power source. But there might be fighting, Deva.”
Deva nodded. “Understood.” Her enthusiasm dipped. “I…I’ve never been in a combat situation before. Not on the ground.”
“I know. You’ll have plenty of support. And if things are too crazy…” Kale shrugged. “We’ll bring you back and find another way out of here.”
“There is no other way,” Athan said. “Right?”
“Not that we’ve explored,” Kale replied. “How’s the buoy work going?”
Deva snapped her fingers. “Let me check in with them…wait. They’ve sent a report. Sending to your station now.”
Kale read the information, frowning. He half expected the news. The buoy should’ve been operating normally. Nothing about it indicated damage or malfunction. The power source was good and it definitely took their message. However, it did not say whether it transmitted it nor had it received any messages for some time.
Perfect. It might’ve worked, it might not have. Much like those enemy fighters. They were there, we have proof but now they’re not. We can’t be cautious, not now. It’s time to act.
“Go ahead and get ready, Deva. I’ll have Varez take your place.”
Deva offered a quick salute and hurried off the bridge.
“You made her career,” Thaina quipped.
“She joined the military thinking we were in another era,” Kale said. “She’s an explorer first, a soldier…maybe
third. But don’t worry, she’ll get the job done.”
“I’m not worried,” Thaina said. “Terrified about being stuck? Yes, but worry? I can’t remember when last we had the luxury of something so low key.”
Kale smiled and shook his head. “Well put, Thaina. I’m going to see the team off. Athan, you have the bridge.”
***
Search and rescue spent two hours retrieving the various pirate escape pods. When they brought them on board, all but two required serious medical attention. They were secured in one of the medical wings under guard until they could be safely transported to the brig, where they’d wait to be transferred to alliance authorities.
Gray got them out of there the moment everyone was stowed away, jumping to the next buoy on the list. Tech crews once again stripped everything they could from the sector and followed the bread crumbs to the next location, which continued to lead them further away from any civilized space.
After five jumps, they needed to slow down and take a shift for the crew to recover. Even with the enhanced drive and improvements made by the alliance and later Durant, there was still a cost to so much FTL travel. The downtime gave them all a chance to evaluate what they’d learned so far, while attempting to make an educated guess about their destination.
Adam took the bridge so Gray could get some rest but he had a hard time falling asleep as he considered their mission. Seven total jumps meant an entire day’s worth of shifts so far. He didn’t expect to locate the Crystal Font quickly, but that didn’t quell his sense of urgency. Every hour they spent looking was another that might end with them locating a ghost ship.
It seems strangely convenient that the message ends the way it does.
Having the coordinates cut off felt suspicious but Gray didn’t know what the purpose would be. Other than to waste someone’s time looking, the government may not have even sent anyone. The fact that they were out there on a scavenger hunt couldn’t have been anticipated. And if an enemy wanted to ambush someone, they needed to tell the potential rescuers where to go.
Gray fell into a fitful sleep and woke feeling worse than when he started. After a quick refresh, change of clothes and a meal, his overall mood improved but he had to fight hard against a sense of helplessness. He could not show his crew that he didn’t believe in the mission. They had to be devoted to the search or it would be a futile effort.
When he arrived on the bridge, Adam relinquished command and gave him a quick update. “Clea and the others have found our next destination,” he said. “Leonard’s put in the coordinates and we’re ready to go on your mark.”
Gray sat down and took in a deep breath, putting on his best ‘confident’ expression. “You heard them, Redding. Let’s get out of here.”
***
Deva sat on the shuttle trying not to tap her foot, feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety in equal measures. She’d visited alien worlds before but they were always colonized or somehow tamed. This one, a place so shrouded in mystery, might’ve been the single greatest find of her generation. And she would be one of the first kielans to set foot on the surface.
The others around her, six soldiers, were well armed with assault rifles, pistols and grenades. They were prepared for serious war with the enemy and their silence made her feel like a fool. Each person around her exuded more quiet determination than any thrill. The threat of combat did strange things to people.
She turned to look out the window just as they broke atmosphere. She marveled at the minimal impact the shields took from the venture and as they leveled out into the clear sky, her curiosity only increased. Checking the scans, the readings once again defied any science she understood.
As Athan said, without some resistance, the planet should be a wasteland, pock marked with meteorite strikes. Instead, the surface looked like a preservation park back home. Besides naturally occurring damage from space debris, Deva still didn’t have any sign of a crashed ship. The enemy could not have landed there so how did they cover up what had to be a tragedy?
Trees covered the horizon, rising up the hills and into the valleys. Imagery from the pilot’s recon showed that the ground around their destination was cleared out, flattened and mostly dirt. There must’ve been something beneath it, perhaps even concrete or ground down stone but they wouldn’t have proof until they landed.
The structure came into view and Deva gasped, using the camera on her helmet to grab footage as they flew in. She wished she sat in the front to get a better view. The height of the thing, the grandeur almost made her cry. Kielans built things just as impressive in a way but this held a majesty to it, a glory enhanced by the secrets hidden within.
Vinthari Lhar Xi’Reth commanded the soldiers. He was technically Deva’s peer but on the ground, he would have operational control. She gladly accepted his leadership in this regard, especially if weapons started firing. They gave her a rifle but she hadn’t fired one since her last fitness test over a year ago.
“Taking us in near those rocks,” Lhar said. “Have our escorts continue to check the area. I have a bad feeling about this landing. It could be an ambush. Everyone, Vinthari Thi’Noch is our VIP. She’s the only person who can get what we need out of this trip so I want her protected the whole time. Vali and Niersa, she’s your responsibility.”
Deva never met the two. Vali was a big guy, someone who clearly worked out. In his suit, he looked like a giant. Niersa, in perfect contrast, was a wiry woman who looked capable of snapping a person in half. They didn’t reply verbally, just nodded and exchanged looks. Deva was grateful she couldn’t see their expressions through their helmets.
Something told her that escort duty annoyed these people.
“The rest of you will be on fire first duty,” Lhar continued. “If you see the enemy, there’s no hesitation. Whatever they’re doing down here, we’ll figure out after they’re dead. Take aim, fire and make your shots count. We’ve got work to do down here and if it’s not completed, we don’t go home. You get me?”
The five soldiers shouted an affirmation at the same time, making Deva wince as the speakers in her helmet crackled. If this is what it’s going to be like to be in a fight, I’m not prepared.
A little fear tickled her anxiety and excitement.
The shuttle descended suddenly and Deva grabbed the handle over her head, wondering if they’d been hit. Were they about to crash? Had something happened? Why didn’t she feel an impact? A thousand possibilities entered her mind before she thought to use her scanner but by then it was too late.
The ship lurched again, this time slowing down. The back ramp dropped and their safety harnesses disengaged. Lhar began shouting, “go, go, go!” Each of the soldiers leapt into action, rushing out of the ship and out onto the surface. Deva hesitated, watching them go as they lifted their weapons and started securing the area.
“This isn’t break time, Thi’Noch!” Lhar yelled at her. “Go!”
Deva stumbled to her feet and rushed out, having to hop at the very end of the ramp, which hovered over the ground a few feet. She nearly fell but strong hands grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the nearby rocks, depositing her in some cover. The shuttle took off and fighters circled overhead.
We’re really doing this! Deva tried to control her breathing, desperate not to hyperventilate. Adrenaline threatened to overwhelm her. She could barely see, wondering if someone with a gun might be aiming in her direction at that very moment. Do I need to scan or get out of my weapon?
“Contact!” Niersa yelled. “Northwest! Motion.”
Oh Fates, this is happening! They’re really here! But how did we not see them? How? I don’t get it! This planet must be masking their presence. Deva forced herself to look at the scanner, tuning it to the new position on the surface. I have to figure out what’s going on…and focus. The soldiers continued shouting around her, moving into position. This is going to be tough.
***
Lhar didn’t look forward to the assignment.
He’d run many missions involving alien worlds, fighting in places he never set foot on, but he was never a pioneer. When they landed on that planet, his briefing warned him they might encounter the enemy but it didn’t make sense. How did they get there?
Regardless, he went ready for a fight. However, contact within seconds of the shuttle lifting off? That shocked him. They took cover as pulse blasts shattered rocks around them, cutting into the walls. Lhar gave quick hand gesture orders, directing his people into different positions while keeping their heads down.
He checked his scanner without revealing himself, remaining in cover to see what they were up against. It took the device a moment to catch up then showed him seven foot soldiers in a scattered formation, something that struck him as odd. They never stood in one place. They ran around, quick and swift in their motions.
This time, they stood their ground, popping shots at them.
“Trias,” Lhar shouted, “put down some cover fire! Bleise, use it to flank. Once you’re in position, the rest of us will hit them! Go!”
Trias popped up and opened up, pealing off several bursts. Bleise counted to five aloud then dashed away from them, moving to the next rock formation over. Pulse blasts caught the ground around him, nearly taking him out. He dove, hit the ground and rolled into cover, pressing his back against the stone.
“You call that cover?” He shouted back.
“They don’t care that I’m shooting at them!” Trias replied with a grunt. “Not sure what you want me to do if they’re ignoring me!”
Lhar looked just in time to see her catch one of the enemies in the face, knocking him to the ground. Blood pooled around him and his death made his companions break off, finally moving for cover. This gave Bleise his chance to get to his position and Lhar took the opportunity to direct the other soldiers to advance.
