She stood at the end of Michael's Vid-doc with her arms crossed over her chest, her foot tapping an angry staccato while she waited for it to open.
Michael emerged with a look of concern. “Why have you pulled us out? Has something happened with the Leath?”
Bethany Anne pursed her lips. “Please tell me you didn’t allow our fourteen-year-old child to drink alcohol?”
Michael furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “Well, yes—and no. The celebration called for the fermented milk to be consumed, but there was no way for Gabriel to have become intoxicated.”
Gabriel fairly erupted from his Vid-doc when it opened. “Mom, Aunt Addix, did you see me? They just kept coming, and I was like,” he jumped around reenacting the fight, “and then two huge guys that looked like bears tried cutting in and Dad just took them down.”
Michael beamed at Gabriel’s joy in his victory. “Our son did exceptionally well,” he bragged to Bethany Anne. “He defeated seventeen fully-grown warriors one after the other in single combat.”
Bethany Anne kissed Gabriel on the forehead. “Well done, honey.”
Gabriel scrubbed the kiss away with the back of his hand. “Mom! You’ve gotta stop doing that. I’m a man now, and men don’t get kisses from their moms.”
Bethany Anne shared a glance with Michael. “Is that so?”
Gabriel nodded. “It’s true. There was a ceremony, and the clansmen told stories of when they became men and sang songs and gave me a gold arm ring.”
Alexis pouted. “Sorry, Mom, but I kind of wish I’d done Dad’s thing, too. Why can’t I be in two places at once?”
Gabriel chuckled. “That’s weird, because I would love to be in a hot tub right now.”
Bethany Anne smiled and flourished her hands. “There we go; problem solved. Next time we go fight with the Huns together, then we all spa afterward.”
Devon, Interdiction
CEREBRO’s early warning system registered a series of blips pa good way past the outer boundary of the Interdiction.
They enacted the contact protocols immediately, and the alert spread back to the QBBS Guardian within just a few seconds.
CEREBRO activated all weapons systems along the projected path of the unidentified objects and waited for their scanners to identify the class of the approaching objects.
The next set of data identified the blips as a tight group of fast-moving bodies.
Enough of the EI group agreed that the bodies were moving too fast to be natural phenomena that they did not preemptively fire upon them.
Space trash could be blown to dust, no problem. Trade convoys, not so much.
There was a return contact from the Guardian. “What have we got, CEREBRO?”
“We are uncertain as of yet, Commander Kinley,” they replied. “Next set of scans in three, two… Ships, Commander. We have ships. What are your orders?”
Commander Kinley’s reply came instantly. “Activate the Interdiction and alert the fleet. I'm on my way.”
Tim dropped the connection to CEREBRO and scooted to the edge of the bed. He winced when he woke Sabine getting out of bed despite his efforts to slide out without disturbing her.
“Where are you going, Beefy?” she murmured, her voice husky from sleep. “‘Cause if you were planning some kind of eat, fuck, and leave move, then you got it the wrong way around. You’re supposed to take me to my place.”
Tim pounced back onto the bed and kissed her. “There’s something going on at the Interdiction. I would be more than happy if you were still here, exactly like this, when I get back.”
Sabine rolled onto her side the second Tim got up. “There’s a good chance I will be. It’s the middle of the damn night.” She fluttered dark lashes at him. “Will you bring breakfast when you get back?”
“Of course, babe.” Tim rescued his pants from the bedroom floor and did the dance of getting them on. He headed for the door, shimmying his hips as he went. “I’ll even be breakfast, if you like.”
Sabine giggled and threw a pillow at his retreating back. “You’re an ass, Tim.”
Tim slapped his rear end as he left the room. “I’ve got a nice ass? Thanks for noticing.” His teasing smile fell away as he heard movement from Sabine before the bedroom door clicked closed behind him.
He opened a mental connection to CEREBRO as he left his quarters. What's the status out there?
CEREBRO fed the reports to Tim’s internal HUD. The fleet is still headed toward Devon.
Tim’s jaw dropped when he read through the updates. Shiiit, that’s a hell of a lot of ships. Do you know whose they are?
We count fifty-three, Commander, CEREBRO informed him, and no, we have not yet been able to identify the fleet’s origin, since there are so many different energy signatures. We will know more once the head of the fleet comes into communication range.
Tim paused walking to re-read the data. That doesn’t match what we know about Ooken ships.
The probability of the approaching fleet belonging to the Ooken is low, CEREBRO confirmed. However, we also calculate that the probability of the Ooken being involved is high enough to mention.
Tim noted something in the report that gave him a better idea of what was going on than the EI group had. CEREBRO, that’s a refugee fleet. Get confirmation before standing the Interdiction down, but this looks like a humanitarian situation to me.
He dropped the link to CEREBRO and hit Joel and Rickie up.
Rickie was first to answer. Dude…
Tim cut across his bitching. Wake up, jackass. We’ve got a situation out at the Interdiction.
Joel sounded half-asleep as well. What’s the situation, big guy?
Tim got into the elevator, wishing he had Bethany Anne's ability to just vanish and appear wherever she wanted to be. I want you both at the docks ten minutes ago. We have an unidentified fleet approaching.
Dammit! Joel cursed softly. Hostile or friendlies?
Tim sighed. Again, we don’t know yet, but to me, it looks like a bunch of people fleeing for their lives. Rickie, you’re gonna stay here and coordinate the relief effort. Joel, inform the crisis teams that they’re needed out there, and scramble the ground teams in the cities to keep things calm .
Devon, First City, The Hexagon, Commentary Box
Ricole switched on the announcer’s mic and leaned in to speak clearly after Captain Holt’s all-teams bulletin had finished playing for the second time. “Training’s over for the day, people. Instructors, report to the armory, there’s a team call.”
She stood and glanced out of the box to the arena below, where a rehearsal for the month’s acting event was breaking up at her announcement.
Jacqueline pinged her on the team link. What’s going on? I saw the notification while I was on the floor teaching.
Give me a minute, I’ll be right down, Ricole replied. Jacqueline was waiting at the base of the box’s stairs when Ricole got there. “Captain Holt has ordered all the ground teams to peacekeeping duty. Except ours. We’re to get our asses out to the Interdiction. His instructions are to come loaded for everything.”
They headed over to the private elevator and waited for Winstanley to bring the car.
It arrived a whole minute later and contained one battle-ready former Ranger fully armed with a stupidly large plasma rifle and a shit-eating grin. Tabitha waved them in with the rifle. “C’mon. Joel called like, twenty minutes ago. Get your asses suited up and meet me at the Achronyx, I’ve got a couple of babysitters to round up.”
20
Devon, First City, The Hexagon, Private Dock
Tabitha brought the Pod-crib to a stop by Hirotoshi and Ryu and bearhugged them both. “Thanks for babysitting your nephew.”
“Our pleasure,” Hirotoshi wheezed as she squeezed his ribs tightly.
Peter stood at the bottom of the ramp, looking skeptically at Hirotoshi and Ryu. “Are you guys sure you know how to take care of a baby?”
Ryu drew a breath to recover from the
hug. “We took care of Tabitha for years and look how well she turned out.”
Tabitha rolled her eyes. “Ryu, you’re such a dick sometimes. Hirotoshi is now my favorite forever.” She laughed at Ryu’s indignant protest and headed aboard the ship.
Hirotoshi dipped his head in Peter’s direction. “I cannot speak for Ryu, but I had a family once. Todd is safe in our care.”
Ryu shrugged. “It can’t be so hard, can it?”
Peter looked in on his sleeping son’s Pod-crib. “Sorry, it’s just hard to leave him with anyone. I appreciate that you volunteered so Tabbie and I could both go help out.”
“Pete, come on!” Tabitha yelled from inside the ship.
Ryu grinned and bumped an elbow into Hirotoshi’s side. “I do not miss that.”
Hirotoshi bent to program the Pod-crib to follow him. “I cannot completely agree. It has been my greatest honor to guide and protect our Lady Kemosabe, although it is pleasant to take a more relaxed pace for a while.”
“You mean it’s nice to eat in places that serve human food while we’re traveling,” Ryu countered. “My nanocytes thank me for ceasing to test them with toxic alien ‘delicacies.’”
Hirotoshi shrugged and turned to leave. “I suppose if you look at it from that perspective…”
Peter waved them off and headed up the ramp.
Tabitha was on the bridge with her feet up on the console and a bag of popcorn in her lap. “Hey, babe.”
Peter snagged a handful of the popcorn as he passed her. “You came prepared.”
Tabitha snickered and lifted the arm of her captain’s chair to reveal a cavity stuffed full of her favorite snacks. “I just dipped into my emergency stash.”
He shook his head, chuckling, and took the XO’s chair next to hers. “Are we good to go?”
Tabitha looked up. “Achronyx, are we waiting for anyone?”
“Sabine was last to arrive,” Achronyx informed her. “Demon got nervous about leaving, so Sabine had to come back for her.”
Tabitha wrinkled her nose. “Poor kitty. They’re aboard now though, right?”
“Everyone is aboard,” the AI replied. “Sabine and Demon are in the cargo bay you assigned to the cat. Jacqueline, Mark, and Ricole are in the galley making a mess.”
Tabitha rolled her eyes. “Kids. They’d better clean up when they’re done.” She grinned at Peter and clapped her hands. “But if we’re all here, take us up to the Guardian, Achronyx.”
“As you wish, Tabitha.” There was no mistaking the teasing edge to the AI’s voice.
Tabitha raised a hand and gave the finger to the bridge in general. “Screw you, Achronyx.”
Peter repressed a snicker as she smiled sweetly and grabbed a handful of popcorn.
Devon, QBBS Guardian
Tim maintained a brisk pace, knowing he was cutting it fine to catch his ride. He reached the VIP hangar just as the ground crew was finishing up. He held the door while they pushed their trolleys past into the corridor, then headed over to the Achronyx.
Peter was waiting at the top of the ramp for Tim. He raised a hand to hurry Tim, then dropped it again, his attention captured by one of the ground crew. “Motherfucker! Grim’Zee, is that you?”
The two-legged Yollin named Grim’Zee turned and almost dropped the stacked catering trays he was carrying when he saw it was Peter calling. “Peter?” He steadied the trays a little. “Good to see you, my friend!”
Peter waved Tim aboard and jogged down the ramp and over to the Yollin. “What are you doing here? I mean, I get that you decided to be a cook, but I thought you stayed on Yoll?”
Grim glanced down at his chef’s whites. “I got bored being in one place, so I decided to work my way around for a while. I just need to finish up here, and we’ll catch up a minute.”
Tim boarded the ship and made a beeline for Sabine, having no wish to run into Tabitha in case he’d pissed her off being late. He followed the sweet scent of Sabine to a small, clean, cargo bay where he found her getting Demon comfortable.
He tapped on the door as he entered, more out of good manners than for any other reason. “Hey, babe.”
Sabine looked over from the crate she was kneeling next to and smiled warmly. “Hey, you made it. I thought Tabitha might leave without you.” She finished unpacking Demon’s bedding and got to her feet.
“She probably would have, but Peter bumped into someone he knew and bought me a few minutes to get aboard.” He walked across the cargo bay and offered his hand for Demon to face-bump or ignore as she wished. “How’s my favorite feline today?”
Demon chose to greet Tim this time. I am excited about the hunt.
Tim made a face, taking a seat on one of the crates Sabine had arranged to create a cubby for Demon. “You know, I don’t think we’ll be doing too much fighting today, Demon. We’ll be ready for it, but I’m convinced that these ships are filled with people needing our help.”
Sabine lifted her chin, her eyes cold. “We will help them, and then we will find out who made them run and repay them with the same hurt.”
Tim shifted on the crate, getting a splinter in his ass for his trouble. He stood and reached around to pull it out from where it had lodged in his pants leg. “Unless a threat comes knocking, we’re not going to see any action. I’m just not getting an aggressive vibe from these ships. They’re too bunched up to implement any kind of attack.”
Demon yawned affectedly, her long tongue overlapping her lower jaw. You may come to whatever conclusion your inferior senses tell you. There is a fight coming.
Her tail made one precise swish, and then another. I can taste it.
Devon, Interdiction
CEREBRO did not stand the Interdiction down completely. The satellites lay dormant for now, but they were ready to burst into action should CEREBRO command it.
The incoming fleet was within weapons interception distance but was not replying to the message CEREBRO had playing on all known frequencies.
More disturbing was the miscalculation CEREBRO had made when counting the number of ships headed their way. They did not make errors, yet there were only forty-nine ships on the approach.
Commander Kinley spoke. “Status, CEREBRO. We’re entering the Interdiction zone. What are we heading into?”
“The fleet is still some distance away,” CEREBRO reported. “They have not responded to my hails.”
A large gate spiraled into existence in the distance, and the SD Adrastea slid out, a shadow of death against the star-pricked backdrop. The Achronyx Gated in next, followed by ten more battleships. CEREBRO checked the status reports of each ship as they spread out to form a defensive line.
When they got to the Achronyx, they asked nicely.
The fleet as a whole slowed rapidly at the appearance of Devon's defenders, apart from a small group of ships that veered off from the main mass, apparently unwilling to find out what kind of welcome awaited them.
Over on the Achronyx, Tabitha waved her arms and yelled at the viewscreen. “Where are they going? There's nothing that way for millions of kilometers except asteroids.”
Sabine shrugged. “Maybe they’re not the visiting type.” Her poor attempt at humor did little to mask the concern she felt. Demon’s prediction had stuck with her, and she could not shift the unease that smothered her like an itchy too-big sweater.
Tabitha turned back to the screen showing the mismatched collection of ships. “What are they waiting for?”
Seconds later, one of the splinter group exploded.
Peter jumped to his feet. “What the fuck?”
Tabitha became even more animated. “Tim, get someone over there.”
“Already on it.” Tim lifted his hands. “What’s going on here? The other ships are still just sitting there. CEREBRO says they’re still not answering, either.”
Tabitha dropped her popcorn back into the secret compartment in her chair, then pulled her sleeves and touched the soft bands around her wrists to activate them. “Well,
if they don’t want to answer, I guess I’ll have to break in. You know, to check that they’re okay.”
She relaxed her arms in her lap and her fingers began to move, going through the motions of typing on her crossed leg. “Just… And the translation…” She looked around with a slightly too-bright grin. “We’re good. They’re trying to get to High Tortuga, they don’t know why they’re here.”
Tim’s head jerked up. “Are you in their systems?”
Tabitha grinned. “Nah, I hacked the speaker system on the lead ship. They’re arguing about where they are and what to do. Wait, I have their cameras, too. Achronyx, feed it to the viewscreen and get me up on theirs. Let’s see if we can get them chatting while you keep digging.”
A number of frightened and angry voices came from the screen, then a grainy image appeared that stabilized into a view of the bridge on the lead ship.
Tabitha sat up and raised her hands in front of her. The crew was made up of a few different species, none of which they’d seen before. “Well, hello. Welcome to Devon.”
The startled crew of the other ship clammed up when she spoke, but that was fine. Tabitha had never been one to let stunned silence get in the way of starting a conversation. “I’m glad to see there’s someone there, although why you were ignoring us is a mystery. Who are you, and what brings you this way in such a hurry?”
The silence dragged on. Tabitha pouted. “Achronyx, why aren’t they talking to me?”
One of the alien crew spoke finally. “The gods of war have pursued us across half the galaxy. We are in desperate need of a safe place to hide, but we dare not pause for long.”
Tim stood to get a better view of the screen. “We can offer you all sanctuary,” he told the alien.
“Hold up a minute,” Tabitha told them. Achronyx, does their story check out?
It appears to, Achronyx replied. I’ll keep searching.
Another voice cut over the first. “We cannot in good conscience risk any more lives. It is wrong to ask for anyone to defend us against the insurmountable. Anyone who helps us will be destroyed.”
All’s Fair in Blood and War (The Kurtherian Endgame Book 4) Page 20
