I clapped my hands and rubbed them together. “So, a shakedown cruise where we get to take down a Corporate organo-ship. This is going to be one to remember.”
32.
It felt good to finally be getting underway, once more. An anticipation grew within me as the final preparations were made. It was strange, I’ll admit, taking such a back seat in most of the organisation – I had teams of people working to achieve the same things I did for the Dreaming as First Mate. The first time I stepped on board after my recovery was a memorable moment, for me. I had not thought I would bond with the ship as I had the Dreaming of Atmosphere, but those first moments when I strode down the passageways on my way to the bridge, seeing for the first time the finished bulkheads and refurbished fittings, passing crew who halted what they were doing to throw me a crisp salute. I felt pride.
I had close to five hundred souls calling this ship home, now. Two hundred and sixty crew, Volunteers all of them. I had shared peril with them before, faced death many times. They knew who I was, and I knew their courage and determination. That they were willing to put themselves in danger again, for me, for the Votus-Eridani Network – it was telling of the strength of their character. I was both humbled and awed at the trust they had in me and I was determined not to let them down.
As the final hatch irised open, I stepped onto the bridge. Dozens of personnel were working across various stations and consoles, but they all paused what they were doing when I stepped onto the mezzanine. Gone were the detritus and rusted panelling, the frayed cabling and damaged consoles. The bridge was gleaning a glossy black, an almost mirrored sheen that somehow made the compartment seem high tech and top of the line – which it most definitely was. Pale blue downlights cast their glow across the varied equipment and displays, mingling with the holographics.
“Commander on deck!” yelled Kekkin from my right, coming to attention. Everyone rose from their seats or stood straight.
I held my hands up before me. “At ease, ladies and gentlemen. No need to be so formal. We’re family now,” I nodded to Martine Lenser as she climbed the short stairwell beside the mezzanine to join me, “How are we shaping up, number one?”
She gave me a fierce grin, “Still takes a bit of getting used to. Never thought I’d make First Officer of a freighter, let alone a warship.”
“You should try being called Commander,” I said, sharing her grin.
“All departments reported good to go. We’re fully supplied and all manufactories are outputting at optimal levels. The Chief Gunnery Officer reports all batteries functional and missile magazines are either full or nearing full capacity. A few more days will have us fully armed, just have to wait for the manufactories to finish their runs. Chief Gannerson reports all helium-3 tanks are full and all propulsion systems functional. He even said to tell you…” she made a coughing sound, “that ‘even bloody number 3 fuel line is working’. The First Sergeant reports all troops are embarked and armouries are loaded.
“Lastly, the dock master himself is eager to see us gone, said he’d personally throw the first tether himself,” she said this last with a wry grin.
“We do seem to have overstayed our welcome,” I said, “Prepare the ship for launch, we’re leaving tonight. 2300 hours local time.”
Her eyes lit up, and a hushed whisper spread through those within earshot. “We have a mission?”
“A trial run. An active shakedown cruise. Details to follow once we’re underway.”
She frowned. “Nothing more than that?”
“For now. Stay alert for a request from Captain Cooper to dock the Dreaming, we’ll be launching with her in our bay.”
“Aye, aye,” she turned about and started issuing orders to the crew.
I spent the next few hours touring the ship, checking in with all the department heads and congratulating them on getting the ship ready. More importantly, I made sure the crew saw me up and about.
Before long, I realised that I was going to be late for a very important lunch. Zoe’s mother had arrived at Collumus Station and I was due to meet her before we launched. Her arrival, timed right as we were to leave, prompted Zoe to request leave for the duration of the maiden voyage. I could see that it pained her, as she was as eager as I was to see the ship in action. She had also not seen her mother in two years. Who was I to get between a girl and her mum?
Anthea Ward was a woman of small stature, plump yet not overly large. She had a smile that reached her eyes and a warmth that bespoke a life lived amongst loved ones. At first, I was immensely nervous at meeting her, but at first sight of me she made a squee noise that reminded me of Zoe and she rushed over to hug me tightly.
When I had extricated myself from her embrace, we sat down in one of the nicer restaurants in one of the Spurs that Zoe and I frequented. It was an outdoors affair, the high domed ceiling lit by a photorealistic hologram of open sky. A fragrant breeze hinted at a wooded glade, moist soil and pine. We ordered several small dishes, delicacies from Eridani and Harakiwa – spiced and aromatic flavours I knew they both loved. Small talk quickly gave way to pressing matters.
“So,” started Anthea, “Zoe tells me you asked her into a civil union?”
I almost choked on a dried berry. “Yes. I hope you don’t think I was being disrespectful, not seeking your approval first?”
“Nonsense, you’re both adults. You know what you’re doing. You do know what you’re doing?” she directed this last at Zoe.
So far, she’d been mostly silent throughout the meal, offering only a few words in answer to questions. She nodded and put her hand on mine.
“So what do you know of the Ward family?” Anthea said.
“Ah…not as much as I’d like. Zoe and I have talked about her childhood and education, but not much about you and her late father.”
“Oh?” she said, looking at Zoe again.
“Of course she mentioned you, but we didn’t really talk about you. It’s not that I wasn’t interested, but I…well we had other things to talk about.”
“Nothing at all about the Ward name?”
“No, I…like I said, she wasn’t very forthcoming about it and I didn’t pry…”
“So you didn’t tell him?” she said, still looking at Zoe. She shook her head, still looking down at her hands.
“Tell me what?” I said, looking confusedly at the pair.
“Have you spent any time on Kanto Prime?” she said.
I shook my head. “Very little. I trained for a few years on Kanto Moon and had a couple of week’s shore leave on Prime, but not in recent years. Never been to Pado City, either.”
She trilled a short laugh. “You don’t follow politics, I take it?”
“I’m a frontiersman, Ma’am. Politics don’t really affect my kind.”
“No, I suppose they don’t,” she said, giving Zoe a stern look, which she tried her best to not meet.
“I’m sorry, but what’s this all about?” I said, trying to divert her attention. Zoe was clearly uncomfortable with something.
“House Ward is not just a family name, Commander Donovan, it’s also a tradition.”
“Please, just call me Seth. I’m not sure I follow you.”
“House Ward is a noble house, Seth, from a long line of defenders of the Primacy of Kanto. We trace our lineage all the way back to the progenitor of the Primacy – our ancestors served on the colony ships from Eridani in the wake of the Destroyer War. Zoe’s father was an important man, one of Primarch Singh the 28th’s most trusted advisors.”
“I was…not aware.”
“I trust that your appointment as a Protectorate Commander, most deserved from all reports, means that you have at least a small measure of elegance despite your upbringing?”
“Mother!” said Zoe, earning a reproachful glare.
“I simply need to know if you will bring disrepute upon our House.”
I frowned at her. My first impulse was to say that I loved her daughter, regardless of her ba
ckground, and to hell with what anyone thought of my own background. That was the frontiersman in me. I stopped that train of thought before it left my mouth – a rare moment of wisdom for me, especially around women. I had to think beyond my own sensibilities, now. I had to think about Zoe. If I truly planned to include her in my life permanently, I needed to include her family and their way of life as well. I needed to find that common ground.
“No, ma’am. I too served the Primacy, proudly and ably. Although I do not share the importance of Zoe’s father, nor his influence, I still consider myself cut from the same cloth.”
“You do?” she said, eyebrows raised.
“Mother, please,” pleaded Zoe.
Anthea waved dismissively at Zoe, “No, Zoe. I have to know. What makes you think you and my husband served to the same degree of devotion? Over twenty generations of Wards have served the Singh Dynasty. You’re a self-professed frontiersman. Hardly known for their loyalty to any faction beyond their immediate family. Forgive me if I seem blunt, Commander, I simply fail to see how such a claim could be true.”
“Did your husband ever get awarded the Primarch’s Star?”
She seemed taken aback. “Of course not. Only those who have sacrificed immeasurably or shown the utmost valour in the face of the Primarch’s enemies are awarded such a prize. Posthumously, I might add.”
I smiled ruefully at her while I plucked my medal from beneath my shirt, slipping the chain from around my neck. As I handed it to her she looked dumbstruck.
She considered the medallion as she turned it over in her hands, finally nodding to herself as if coming to a decision. She reached across the table and gave me the medal back, then offered a delicate hand. “Welcome to the family, Seth.”
Zoe let out her breath in a gush, relief clear on her face. She gave me an apologetic look.
Anthea smiled warmly. “Sorry, I had to make sure you weren’t a political enemy, trying to sabotage our name through my daughter.”
“No, ma’am. Politics is most definitely not my strong suit. I simply love your daughter and want to make that love official.”
“Then you have my blessing, and with it House Ward’s. Now, tell me all about your heroics in the Gossamer System! The court will be the envy of me when I return!”
We talked for several hours, and I quickly realised this woman was both shrewd and sharp. Although I knew almost nothing about House Ward, I counted myself lucky I had unwittingly fostered another ally that I sensed I may need in the coming years if I stayed active in the Protectorate.
I shared my time with Zoe, and her mother, and with a heavy heart bade them both farewell as I returned to the Restitution for the final preparation for launch. The Blade of Xerxes, hidden behind one of the moons of the gas giant Barris Doon, was only a week of transit time away, but there was a lot of work to be done before we arrived and I did not know how long we would be underway before we returned.
A month, at most, I told her. How wrong could I have been?
33.
True to his word, the dock master of the Protectorate dry dock facility oversaw our launch personally. With a wave, he kicked off the gravity tether that held our ship motionless to the berth and with a graceful arc we pulled free of Collumus Station. I stood at the rail overlooking the bridge crew as they performed a well-coordinated dance, directing us along a pre-determined corridor in local space to sit idly at a parking point off the station, away from incoming traffic.
I forced myself to only watch, I wanted to see these people work. Martine had confidence in them, but old man Hieron’s words regarding their lack of experience weighed heavily upon me. What I saw heartened me. They were professional, if untried, responding immediately to commands issued by First Officer Lenser. Within the hour we had halted motion, shut down our propulsion and let the engineers inspect the systems for stress.
Chief Gannerson informed me that all inspections would be completed by 0600 ship time. Plenty of time for us the plan our assault. I called a meeting in the situation room, a compartment the crew had taken to calling The Pit, due to its downward sloping amphitheatre arrangement.
“Welcome to the Restitution,” I said, when everyone had gathered, “Our mission will be two-fold – a shakedown cruise to test the worthiness of all systems, and to issue and serve a Protectorate Warrant to a rogue Corporate Captain in the system.”
I looked about the compartment as I paced, a mannerism I had picked up from watching Maxine. I was in the centre of the room, surrounded by all my senior crew and officers. Those who Hieron and Tac had screened and passed what tests they could muster, that is. I gestured to Rego, manning a console off to one side. A holographic display filled the Pit, depicting the gas giant Barris Doon orbited by dozens of moons.
“An investigation into the attempt on my life has revealed the order came from a Koveli-Xue organo-ship called the Blade of Xerxes. Intel suggests the ship is parked in orbit on the far side of Barris Doon’s twelfth moon – Eovan. Professor Gaston has assured me that we should be able to activate our Jump Drive and navigate Phase Space in order to appear much closer to Barris Doon than the Xerxes would think possible – thus evading their notice. We’ll insert between the first moon and the planet.”
A small blip appeared close to the central image of the planet.
“We’ll have timed our arrival to coincide with the following position of the first eleven moons,” I said, as a path between the moons began to thread, “using the moons as cover we’ll advance to the opposite side of Eovan and launch the Dreaming of Atmosphere, with a squad of marines on board. Captain Cooper?”
I gave the floor to Maxine, as she joined me in the Pit. She passed through the gas giant’s hologram, scattering the light.
“We’ve outfitted the Dreaming,” she began, “With a similar stealth module to that developed by Doctor Montannis and my First Mate, Melafenaseance, then tested on the Astral Spider under Captain Garner of the Votus Defence Fleet. We’ll skirt the upper atmosphere of Eovan, masking our ion wake in the electrical storms wracking the moon. Once we’re within a few hundred kilometres of the Xerxes, the marines will deploy and assault the organo-ship, disabling the railgun spinal system and long-range communication systems.”
Several hands were raised by then. I pointed to Martine. “Go ahead.”
“Sir, that’s a lot of ship for only a few marines. How many were you planning on sending?”
“As few as possible. A few small teams should suffice.”
“There have to be hundreds of crew on that thing! I doubt even Naga Team could take out that ship.”
“On the contrary. I personally disabled it with only Tac as my back up over a year ago. Probably why I was targeted by their assassination attempt.”
“With all due respect, sir. You’re an exceptional combatant and tactician, with bleeding edge augmentations. You can hardly expect our marines to match your level of prowess…”
I held up my hand to forestall her. “You’re all exceptional beings, First Officer. You’ve all done exceptional things that I would not have believed if I wasn’t here to witness them first hand myself. We’ll have the advantage of strong intelligence, including deck plans that First Sergeant Kekkin and his team leaders have been studying carefully. You know what Kekkin and the rest of his team are capable of – they’ll be spearheading the assault.”
It was then that the Policy Officer stepped in. I’d been avoiding Lt Reza’k since she had joined, a move that I know had frustrated her. In the mingled lighting of the holographic display, her countenance and features were stunning. Although male Garz’a are featherless, the women are gifted with a fine mane of colourful down that graced their necks, backs, and upper limbs. As with many Garz’a, she was graceful and long legged, with an athletic, almost lithe build.
“Commander, I must object to this course of action. If you would take this discussion to a more private meeting, I can…”
“No, Lieutenant,” I interrupted, “You can voice
your objections here.”
She snapped her beak shut with an audible click. “Very well. Your appointment as a Protectorate Commander does not grant you the legal power to attack foreign Corporations, especially ones that have not breached their Network Treaties.”
“We have a recorded confession of the gunman who shot me, clearly indicating the Blade of Xerxes in the attempt…”
“A tenuous, unreliable confession by a known criminal. Hardly the most concrete evidence…”
“I also have a recording from my first encounter with the Xerxes, the Captain himself vowing to attack me for defending my previous ship and crew against them.”
“The Protectorate is not a tool to enact revenge against your enemies, Commander.”
“Why do you think they shot me, Lieutenant?” I said.
“Revenge! An act you yourself are perpetuating.”
“You don’t suppose it was to remove me from command? Suppose, the act of removing me from the picture could trigger a series of events that meant greater access to the highly classified Jump Drives aboard this vessel? Would you think it may even be possible the Protectorate would remove it entirely to study elsewhere?”
“I…yes, that is a plausible outcome…”
“Suppose having the Xerxes arrange this attempt would also serve to distract investigators from the true purpose of the hit? Would not reasonable minds believe the Xerxes acted purely for vengeance, and not Corporate espionage? Tell me, Lieutenant, what the Votus-Eridani Treaties say regarding Corporations stealing technological secrets from the Protectorate? Especially technology regarding the Jump Gates, the one thing that keeps the balance of power in the galaxy. The one thing that makes the Corporations beholden to Protectorate Treaties.”
She was silent for a few moments before answering. “They allow Protectorate agents of Sub-Commander rank and higher to issue warrants to arrest those involved, including any Board Members linked to the attempt. Failure to comply instils a five-year embargo on the entire Corporation from using the Network Jump Gates.”
Frontier's End: A Seth Donovan Novel Page 19
