by Chris Burton
Koenig sighed. He would bang some heads together over this. He was not going to back down though.
“We have no confirmation that Kryl are involved in the Jandas system and until we do, this matter will remain off the radar. I‘m sorry, Mister President, but we are both very busy and there is no necessity for us to meet until next Tuesday. I am happy to speak to you at any time via comm. link but further discussions on this will have to wait until next week.”
It was Roslyn’s turn to sigh. Koenig was not telling him everything and there was nothing he could do to empower him to do so.
“Fine Admiral, until next week then.”
The comm. link closed and Koenig sat back in his chair in disbelief. It was not surprising Roslyn knew about the wormhole re-opening, but who leaked the Jandas report? He pondered further for a few moments and turned his chair once again to the outside world, before returning to his desk and opening a comm. link to Admirals Kohn and Clarke. It was time to escalate this matter and prepare a report for the Admiralty Bench. Today was not a good day to be Alpha CIC.
Chapter Seven
Repairs Completed
All the technology in the world and yet nothing can predict exactly when a new born baby will arrive. In the case of Oliver James Hoskins, he was born just twelve hours before his father’s shuttle docked at Alpha One.
Jonathan Hoskins missed the birth of his son, but gained the scorn of his wife, who also had not forgiven him for his illicit relationship with Obeya Temsouri. She was very much aware that the relationship continued, despite assurances from her husband. Being late for his son’s birth just added insult to injury.
By the time Jonathan Hoskins returned to Alpha Two, four weeks later, he had taken about as much as he could, of his wife’s disdain. He had though gained a son and already a bond between father and son existed that would never be broken. He felt like his heart was pulled from his chest. He could not bear to part from his son, but he had no choice.
The irony that only an emergency could take him away from his promised one-year sabbatical with his wife and child was that he prayed for this before he had seen his son, but not now. Even the sight of Obeya, in her resplendent dress uniform, as the officers gathered to re-dedicate the refitted Halo 7, did little to lift the gloom inside his head. Now they would face the Kryl again.
He had to be professional of course. The Halo 7’s refit was brought forward and key personnel recalled three weeks ahead of schedule. They were to depart for the Jandas system, where Hoskins would head up a flotilla of five ships, tasked to seek out and destroy a rogue Kryl cruiser. This showed the depth of trust that the Admiralty now had for him. He had earned his forth star and there was every prospect of a rise up the ranks further as he flirted with the prospect of the coveted fifth star. This lifted his spirits and when his outgoing first officer Jean-Luc Jacques entered his ready room, he was greeted with a chirpy ‘Good morning Commander!”
“Morning Sir.”
“All appears as it should be. Do we have a full compliment?”
“Yes, bar the marines who will be on board by midday. Your new first officer will join us at Alpha 5.”
“I still can’t believe we are losing you Jean-Luc. We have been through a hell of a lot together over the last few months.”
“It’s all in the name of progress.”
“And your new ship, your first command?”
“Indeed, the Hanover. She’s a C class cruiser with a two hundred compliment. She is up for decommissioning at the end of the tour, but she should be good for a few clicks yet. As for the Halo, this new drive system should get her close to SD7. She’ll be one of the fastest ships in the fleet.”
“And you decided to go and leave us. Think what you could be missing!”
Jacques was slightly embarrassed. He could not be sure whether his CO approved of his departure. “I understand that your new Number One is highly thought of.”
“She is. Commander Shen Knui will be an asset, I am sure.”
The pleasantries continued for a few minutes before Jacques excused himself, leaving Hoskins to contemplate his orders, his new first officer and his wife and son.
He did not have to wait long before the next interruption. Admiral Martin had just boarded and was heading for Hoskins ready room. He arrived less than a minute later.
“Don’t get up Jonathan. This is an informal visit, well partially anyway. I wanted to congratulate you personally on the birth of your son. I have already spoken to Sarah and she seems in her element. I did try to mitigate your sudden recall, but she is disappointed that you were unable to take the sabbatical.”
“Thank you, Admiral.” Despite the informal nature of the discussion, Hoskins was on duty and protocol forbade addressing an Admiral by his first name.
“Yes, Sarah and I are very proud and I am mortified that I have to leave them. It was always likely to happen.
“Of course you will be able to see your mistress now. That will no doubt make life easier for you.”
He could tell that Admiral Martin was still strongly against his relationship with Obeya. There seemed little point trying to assert that the relationship was over.
“How is your wife, Sir?”
“She is fine thank you. Jonathan. You need to end this relationship now. You have a real family at home, a beautiful son, and an attractive and loving wife. Why do you need anything else?”
“I don’t. But it’s not that easy. Had I not been recalled to the command of the Halo, then the chances are it would have been over. Now, I am back serving on the same ship as her.”
“Then I suggest you transfer her.”
“Not that easy. She is about as unforgiving as Sarah. I will deal with it, Sir. I owe it my wife and son.”
“Good, then let’s move on to the formal side of this discussion. As you know a rogue Kryl ship has been causing damage in the Jandas system. We have lost four ships, including the Mauritius. However, there has been no sighting for over three weeks. The ship shares similar dimensions and general characteristics as the other Kryl Battle Cruisers we have encountered but she is more powerful in terms of weaponry, maneuverability, shielding capability etcetera. This looks like a one off ship, Jonathan, something perhaps that a Kronan would command. It looks likely she left the Kryl fleet in battle and has been in or around the Jandas system, ever since. It is possible that she is heading back towards the Tri-star system.”
“You’re suggesting, one, that there is another Kronan and two that they are aware that the wormhole is going to reopen.”
“Yes, it’s a theory, but we are only aware of three basic types of Kryl vessels: the fighter or interceptor, the cruiser, and the huge mother ship. This is something a bit different. Plus, why else would they have departed the fleet, if they did not know that the wormhole was in jeopardy?”
“Fine. So my group’s responsibility is to trace, track, and destroy her before she gets to the Tri-star system.”
“In a nut-shell yes. But we need as much Intel as possible. Be careful Jonathan, This will be no pushover. The Mauritius was a strong ship with a good commander. Her first Officer was Commander Shen Knui, your new first officer.”
“Didn’t she desert, Sir? She left her ship, commander, and crew to die!”
“Yes but she realized there was nothing further she could do for her crew and that the Intel was critical. She made the correct decision.”
“That decision was borne out how?”
“I can understand your reticence Jonathan, the debriefing was thorough and we were left in no doubt that she made the correct decision. She does come highly recommended. You know that she is a Cartholodite?”
“Yes. Don’t know much about them as a race.”
“You soon will. I think she will be a good replacement for Jean-Luc, who I know will be missed. Part of being a good commander is to nurture and progress your sub-ordinates. If there is any doubt about the morality of her decision to leave the Mauritius, then this is a fault
you can correct. Get this job done and hopefully, we can have you back home ASAP.”
“I don’t feel very happy about this. We are going into a potentially explosive situation, with a first officer whose motives and reliability are questionable. There must be somebody else who can give me the confidence I need.”
“You have your first fleet Jonathan. You can resource yours ships how you wish, but remember, a great deal of trust is bestowed on you. If you go on to greater things, how you command your first fleet, will be critically important to your future endeavors.”
“I guess what you are saying is I am stuck with her.”
“Make it work Jonathan.”
Chapter Eight
A Visit to the Tutor’s Office
“I pity the commander, who has to take you on as a rookie, Mister Costello. You seem to go out of your way to get into trouble. Brilliant, but flawed.”
“I am the way I am, Sir. I presume you asked to speak to me for a reason?”
“Yes, I did. I wanted to check that everything was okay. Your studying is still behind and I’m concerned you will enter your finals without critical course work completed and the whole syllabus covered. You are taking the extra tuition I arranged for you?”
“Yes. I have missed a few sessions because of Jump Ship Training. The TG final is only a week away and for obvious reasons both Jake and I are a little pre-occupied.”
“Steve, for God’s sake. There is not much point winning the TG final, if you don’t graduate! Do not bring Enson Carter into the equation. Both he and Enson Stevenson have virtually caught up, although they did not have as far to go as you. I know how important the TG is to you, but you are already the best there is. You will not get another chance and it is critical that you get your work up to date. I don’t want to threaten you Steve but you know I can still ground you, if you don’t catch up...much more and I can even have you thrown out. You are quickly running out of chances. Don’t let yourself down. You can still graduate with and 8.5!”
Steve Costello left the tutors office in a bad mood. He knew the tutor was right but he had such a lot on his mind, so many things to cope with.
It was late afternoon and the academic day ended. He was due to attend one of his extracurricular tutorials, but today he was in no mood for further study. He needed to get his head straight. He headed out of the campus towards Arthur’s bar. After a few drinks, things would be much clearer.
Three pints of Iruluem Ale later, Steve sat on his own at the bar, trying to take it all in. Far from resolving his problems, this latest binge session had compounded them.
He was the hero. The person responsible for laying the charge that closed the blue wormhole. Everyone was quick to praise him for a task he did not complete. His moment of fame had passed and with it, his chance to stand out over and above the accolades of his Jump Ship father and grandfather. He wanted the honor, but he also wanted to surpass their success. In one crazy moment, he had achieved almost immortal Jump Ship status, only to have it all taken away...the wormhole never actually closed.
Then there was Carla. She had praised him in the immediate aftermath of the wormhole closure and during the journey home from the Tri-star system. It seemed he and Carla were growing close again. Now and ever since they returned to the academy, Jake was there every time he wanted to try to get close to her again. She was the love of his life. Surely, Jake was just a temporary fascination and he and Carla’s longevity would come to the fore, now that he achieved his moment of fame.
It wasn’t too late. Was it? He glanced at his watch. Only 8:30 p.m.. He would have another couple of drinks...for Dutch courage. Then he would go to her and make her see.
He was staring at her, but not because he felt like trying it on. She was sitting in the corner of the bar with two male friends. She was attractive, in an unassuming way, but he was not interested. Her thug of a friend saw it differently. One stare too many, he decided that was enough. Both the thug and Steve were drunk. The resultant clash was inevitable.
Steve was not a big man but he did pack a powerful punch. He was strong and athletically built, a trained killer and the thug did not stand a chance. One punch and he was brought to the floor by Steve’s left uppercut.
The bar staff summoned security immediately and Steve was arrested and taken to a holding cell at the local police precinct. He was processed and ‘sobering up’ pending a magistrate hearing at 9:00 a.m., the next day. This was a disaster. He would miss class, and a report would be sent to the academy. They would surely kick him out now.
* * * *
The hearing was brief. He was bailed to appear before the magistrate again in two weeks and he stood at the bail desk, waiting for Carla and Steve to complete the bail compliance formalities. This was very embarrassing, particularly as Steve had asked Jake to ‘bail’ him. He had not wanted Carla involved.
“That’s it. You can leave, but you must attend this court at 9:00 a.m. on Monday 5th April, to see the magistrate. Your bail conditions must be adhered to.”
The sergeant directed the three friends to the door and they stepped outside. Steve suddenly enjoying the fresh air of freedom.
“What happened Steve?”
Carla asked the question.
“Some guy swung at me and I belted him one. It was only one punch.”
“Yes, but that guy is now in hospital with a broken jaw bone. The tutor is going to have a field day. Did you make your appointment with him yesterday?”
“Yes. Why do you think I went to the bar?” Steve felt himself getting agitated. He did not want to have this conversation with Carla.
“What did the tutor say?”
Steve ignored the question and sighed. “Thanks for bailing me. I am going home to take a shower. I think I’ll leave seeing the tutor until tomorrow.”
“What about class? You are so far behind. You need to take this on the chest and go to see the tutor today. You cannot just bury this—you need to take responsibility. We have had to skip two classes just to be here for you. You need to get back on top!”
Steve knew Jake was right.
“Okay, but I am taking a shower first and then I will go to the academy.”
Ninety minutes later, Steve stood at the doorway of the tutor’s office, and waited patiently as the tutor unlocked his workstation and gestured for Steve to sit down.
“I am impressed. Even by your standards, this is a good one. Let me guess, you left this office yesterday and headed straight for the bar, had a skin full and then took out a civilian with one punch. He is now hospitalized and by the way, will be seeking compensation. You spent the night in a cell and the morning with a magistrate. You also missed yesterday evenings extra tuition and this morning’s classes. Does that sound about right?”
Steve decided to be honest. The tutor interpreted the events of the last twenty-four hours almost perfectly. This made his reply somewhat easier.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I did throw my punch in self-defense.”
“Let’s hope for your sake, that is borne out by the judge and that you have adequate injury insurance. The question is: what the hell am I going to do with you now?”
The tutor did not wait for an answer.
“Okay. Well, this is final warning time, Steve. You are out of this academy if you step out of line again. Unfortunately, if the judge finds against you, then a conviction will result in your academy status being terminated anyway. The TG competition is now out of the question. I am grounding you until the end of term and you will use the extra time to bring your work up to date. If you don’t like it then you can give me your DOR. This is not negotiable!”
Steve stated in disbelief as he realized he could not complete in the TG. At least they had not kicked him out. Not yet anyway.
“What about Jake? Will he still go?”
“Steve, you are lucky you did not go up before the disciplinary panel, or the chancellor. You would be out for sure. As for Enson Carter, from what I understand you should b
e grateful that he provided bail. Whether he attends the TG finals is not your problem. Just get yourself back to class and keep your head down!”
Chapter Nine
The Jandas System
It was not pain in the conventional sense. To begin with, the tingling sensation as his brain was invaded was insignificant. There was no detectable impact on his cognitive ability, or apparently to his motor function. Now, though, the tingling was constant and more so after the event, rather than while the Kryl drones carried out their attack. The functions and capabilities of the cerebral cortex and the temporal lobes in particular were reduced substantially. He could still sense most things around him, his sight was still good, but his perception of things was changing and his emotional responses, his memory and his speech were confused. He did not know how long he had left. He had no perception of time, no concept of his surroundings. He was still able to move around, slowly and purposefully, but each movement was a calculation deliberately made, rather than an automated response.
He was led once again, to the Kronan’s sanctuary. All of his crew had gone and soon, he would join them.
“Ah Lieutenant Samos. Come in and take a seat. I can see that you have grown weaker. Your motor functions are slowing and even your basic functions are fading, your breathing, your heart rate and your digestive capabilities. If I allow my crew to digest again, you will not survive another day. Do you still have a significant part to play in this discussion?”
Samos waited for this. It took all his concentration just to get here, but somehow, somewhere he had stored the basic instinct for survival and this was his last chance. “I can still contribute...I could be of use to you for a long time. I know stuff.” He found it harder and harder to speak but somehow he managed to finish his sentence.
