by Britt Ringel
Danzy shrugged. “She’s busy upgrading your passage to Port Crown. You know her; it’s her strange way of saying goodbye.”
“You’ll probably receive a message from her later,” Wills said. “You know as well as anyone that cybertechs aren’t exactly people persons.”
Covington took a final, studied gaze at her former team and turned to walk down the narrow docking tube to her transport.
* * *
The gunnery sergeant strode down a similar tube three hours later. Waiting for her was not an elite team of corporate espionage professionals but a single, family member.
“Aoife!” her mother cried out while waving furiously at her.
Aoife quickened her pace down the docking tube and sank into the security of a motherly hug. “Hello, Mum.”
“Welcome home, dear. It’s so good to have you back safe and sound.” McKenna Covington unwrapped her arms from her daughter before holding her out to inspect her. “You look none the worse for wear.”
“Where’s Clayton?” Aoife asked.
McKenna rolled her eyes. “You know your brother. He claims the CEO of AmyraCorp is too busy to break away from his duties to greet his only sister. For what it’s worth, I’ve already issued my disapproval.” She frowned slightly. “Family is all we have and we must protect and take care of each other.”
The pair began to walk down the spaceport terminal. Aoife immediately noted two men in nondescript suits following them at a respectful distance. “Did Clayton issue you security, Mum?”
“Oh, them?” McKenna dismissed lightly. “Yes, he’s been worried about me ever since that incident south of Port Crown a couple years ago.” Her face brightened considerably. “Which brings us to your next assignment, my dear. You’ve been gone for so long.”
Aoife felt years-old embers begin to heat again. “Mum, I am not going to be some glorified security guard.” The tone in her voice left little room for debate. “It’s beneath me.”
McKenna beamed a smile that announced her impending victory. “Not even as the security liaison and team leader for Garrett and Stacy Heskan?”
Aoife stumbled to a stop. “I’d be working for the Heskans?” She looked dubiously at her mother. “Working with them? Not some peripheral job near them. Not some see-them-once-a-year thing but actually working with them, next to them?”
McKenna nodded. “You’d be responsible for their personal security. You’d go where they go, set the security schedules. You’d even be spending nights at their house if you wanted.” She waved a hand in the air dismissively and said, “But, if you don’t want to be a glorified security guard, even for one of the most respected retired admirals in Seshafi’s history, we can always look for another qualified person to fill the position. I should have realized that safeguarding Seshafian legends like the Heskans would be beneath you after the last three years in ATAC.”
“Mum!” Aoife growled.
McKenna looked at her daughter, nonplussed. “What, dear?”
Aoife fought the urge to grin. “Stop gloating! You know I want the job!”
“Wonderful, honey!” McKenna gushed. “It’s a three-year assignment. You’ll be living right here in Port Crown! In fact, you could move back to our estate with your brother and me! I simply won’t take ‘No’ for an answer.”
* * *
Minister Fane studied the fleet organization with a careful eye. “And the scout ships will arrive in Tarvos within the month?”
Schematics for four, distinct starship designs filled the entire main wall screen in Fane’s office. On a side screen, the status of eighteen vessels offered easy insight into their stages of completion. Fourteen had been commissioned with the final four due to be released from their respective shipyards in the coming weeks.
Many of the new ships bore only their designation and ship number. None of the numbers was greater than eight. One of the advanced designs had been given a completely new designation, that of DDC, or command destroyer. The two scout ships of interest bore the unique designations of SS-1 and SS-2.
“Yes, Madam Minister,” Brewer assured. “The stealth scouts were delayed by a recent modification to their t-stealth generators but the added wait will be worth it. The upgrade will reduce the time between powering the generator and the tunnel drive. It’s also given us time to construct more of the new buoys. Additionally, with an extra month’s time, the remaining ships will have longer shakedown cruises which will ultimately benefit us during our mission.”
Fane nodded solemnly. “We made the mistake of rushing ships to the front during the last war. We shall not repeat the follies of the past. What of our personnel options?”
Brewer swiped the face of his datapad. “Analysis is ongoing. With only eighteen ships to crew out, we can select the very best, most reliable sailors and marines in the Republic. Naturally, as ship captains are brought in, they will request their own favorites, to which I recommend hasty approval. I have several more pages of potentials to submit, including this man.” He highlighted a name on the wall screen.
“Yes,” Fane agreed. “His loyalty is unquestioned and his mother will be crucial when we go public with the operation. I assume his career survived Kalyke if you are recommending him.”
“Indeed, Madam Minister,” Brewer stated. “He is a full commander now with command experience. That is why, with your endorsement, I will offer him one of the stealth scouts. He demonstrated excellent ship-handling during Second Kalyke along with a tactician’s eye for when to engage and when to avoid combat.”
“Since you will be leading the fleet from the command destroyer, I am apt to follow your recommendations.” Fane offered her companion a sincere smile. The expression brought Brewer a rush of memories from a distant lifetime. “The truth be told, Sebastian, you have proven yourself more than worthy to ascend to my position when I step down. The Parasite Initiative will be my greatest triumph and it will ensure the Republic’s security for several generations.” A tired sigh escaped her lips. “There’s no one I trust more than you and I know that you will safeguard all that we’ve worked for over the last fifty years. The Republic may not know it but it is a far safer place due to our efforts.”
“Adira,” Brewer questioned while exploring the depths of her eyes. The dark circles residing underneath them were nearly opaque. “You spoke earlier of revealing this operation to the Republic. When will that be?”
Fane offered a thin smile. “When you bring word of its success.”
PART IV
Brevic Space
Chapter 41
The audience could not avoid visceral, sensory overload as they watched the massive wall screen. Frantic orders from marines punctuated screams and relentless gunfire to immerse the onlookers in the recorded holo-log. Many spectators flinched at particularly gruesome moments recorded in a sensor controls compartment aboard a ship.
They watched a Brevic marine wearing sergeant stripes swipe the air in hysterics as three people covered in a roiling mass of insects tumbled over each other, desperate to reach one Private Bethany Long. The audience’s perspective, from the helmet heads-up display of Private Long, backed away quickly as her multi-rifle entered the bottom of the camera’s view. The marine’s reluctance to fire upon fellow Brevic servicemen evaporated moments after first contact with the things that had overwhelmed the sailors.
The staccato sounds of Long’s burst fire accompanied the grisly spectacle of a sailor torn apart by six-millimeter projectiles. Gasps escaped the spectators as the insect-covered man collapsed to the deck. Hushed cries of horror sounded from the audience as the things covering his body detached from their victim and flew in a cloud toward Long.
“Fall back!” The voice was Sergeant Cooper’s, whose name appeared briefly in the lower right of Long’s HUD. Somehow, the squad’s leader had regained his senses long enough to order his seven-man team to flee.
The view swung rapidly away from the horrors of the SENS section and down an extended hallway. Long’
s HUD callout identified a private providing covering fire as Joseph Daniels, his aim toward the approaching antagonists. Long’s camera swayed violently as she raced back the way her squad had come. When she reached Daniels, a hand shot out to grab hold of the still-firing marine. Long’s high-pitched, terrified voice was a stark contrast to her confident tenor just five minutes earlier as she screamed, “Run for it, Joe!”
A ghastly shriek sounded behind her but her camera’s focus remained on a pair of doors far ahead. More seconds passed as she raced toward apparent salvation even as the mysterious, horrid insects began to swarm around the camera. Plaintive whimpers could be heard over her ragged breathing.
Caden Twist’s stomach soured further as he watched the inevitable become obvious. Seated to his right, a female navy captain unknowingly covered her mouth in revulsion.
The audience was spared witnessing Private Long’s fate. The horror-vid froze, leaving only the still image of a gloved, fisted hand, covered with the hornet-like creatures that had decimated an entire ship’s subsection with unstoppable ease.
No discussion broke out over the twenty-one audience members. Instead, a shocked, sickened silence bore epitaph to what they had just seen.
Rear Admiral Christopher Davis rose from his seat in the front row and walked slowly toward a small set of stairs leading to a podium near one end of the wall screen. Even the Brevic admiral’s pace contained a funereal quality, further augmented by the procession of two officials following him to the stage. Twist’s eyes focused squarely upon one of them.
The admiral cleared his throat at the podium, breaking the preternatural silence. “I remind each of you that what you have just seen is classified as SCI top secret material. Put simply, nothing of what you have seen or what we will discuss will leave this auditorium.” The admiral looked pointedly at each of the seated subordinates before continuing. “I will answer your questions now.”
Eighteen hands shot up in unison.
“Admiral,” a navy commander ahead and to Twist’s right started the questioning, “what we just saw… was that real?”
Davis took a half step back from the podium and glanced at Secretary Brewer briefly. “All too real, Commander,” he finally answered. “The events, as captured by Private Long, transpired during the Hollaran-Brevic conflict nine years ago.”
“Where?” asked a disbelieving, unidentified voice behind Twist.
“The Perdita star system,” replied Davis.
Rapid-fire questions brought disorder to the auditorium briefly before the Secretary of Public Relations, standing next to Brewer, stepped forward to the podium. Davis quickly stepped aside in deference.
A brilliant smile brought the room under control. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Sabrina Twist began, “side conversations will only delay your answers.” She nodded at Davis, dismissing him. “During the early stages of the war, after our successful defense of Sponde, one of our carrier strike groups was sent to eliminate the Commonwealth military bases inside Helike. It was one of the few, successful offensive military operations we would conduct. In response to that victory, the Hollarans unleashed an ambush in the Kale star system that destroyed most of Task Group Three-One, including the carrier, Eagle.”
“How?” asked a captain seated in the front row.
The secretary permitted a disdainful look to taint her beauty. “The Commonwealth violated the terms of the treaty that prohibited both governments from exploring and expanding into the unknown space along the border of the disputed zone. It is clear that they were seeking a back door into the less-protected regions of our northern sector.” She rocked back and pointed upward at the frozen wall screen. “In their search, they encountered a previously unknown alien race that we now call the Parasites. The Commonwealth led a fleet of these Parasites into the Kale star system to ambush our victorious fleet returning from Helike.”
Caden Twist felt his jaw slacken. The Republic’s defeat at the hands of the Commonwealth had been a bitter pill that had metastasized into a ball of rage inside him over the last decade. To grasp the full depth of Hollaran treachery made him want to explode.
“Hollie bastards,” grumbled the woman next to him. The sentiment was widely and audibly supported throughout the room.
The younger Twist spoke loud enough to be heard over the furor. “Why weren’t we told? Why weren’t we trusted?” His pain-filled eyes pierced the brilliant blue orbs looking back at him. He had echoed these questions many times over his career. The newest revelation fed a wellspring of fury and indignation.
Sabrina Twist’s expression turned tortured. Her tone softened as only a mother’s voice speaking to her child could. “The galaxy needed peace. We needed peace. Would that have been possible if the average citizen knew just how evil the Hollarans are?”
Another commander raised his hand. Despite being the most junior of the officers in the auditorium, the man was nearly completely grey. “How did you get this information?”
“The information, along with the marine’s holo-log, is courtesy of BRS Kite, then under the command of Garrett Heskan. After the ambush in Kale, Admiral Heskan—then a lieutenant commander—led the survivors in a weeks-long chase from Kale, to Perdita and through several unexplored star systems north of the disputed zone. Admiral Heskan not only charted a new route back to the Republic through Skathi but also defeated the pursuing elements of the Parasites so they would not discover Republic space.”
Additional but softer murmurs ran through the crowd.
Secretary Twist smiled once again. “Garrett Heskan was immediately decorated, promoted and then assigned to a think tank focused on how best to meet and defeat a Parasite threat.”
“Where is the admiral now?” asked the grey-haired commander.
“Commander Hunter,” she answered while looking directly at the man, “Garrett Heskan remains at an undisclosed location working on Parasite strategy. He sends his best wishes to each of you regarding this endeavor.”
Her son crossed his arms and snorted derisively. Naturally. When the Republic could use him the most, the coward continues to hide. How convenient.
Hunter asked another follow-up question. “What endeavor?”
The secretary turned to face Davis. “Admiral?”
Davis relieved Sabrina Twist at the podium. He docked his datapad and then entered a command. The wall screen flickered and the human hand enveloped by Parasites disappeared.
A naval organization chart labeled “Expeditionary Fleet - Task Group One” replaced the gruesome image. The basic structure was familiar to Twist; he had seen a decade of such charts during his time in the Navy. However, while most task groups were twelve- or six-ship formations, TG-1 numbered a full eighteen ships. Additionally, none of the ships was larger than a destroyer. He squinted at the top of the chart, unable to recognize the flagship’s designation. What the hell is a command destroyer? Underneath that peculiar distinction were eight regular destroyers and seven frigates. Attached to the group were two stealth scouts. He shook his head and then looked again at the chart. Stealth scout? Sure, we have picket ships and destroyers that scout unexplored star systems but what do they mean by stealth?
(Link to Expeditionary Fleet Org Chart; there is a return link after the chart to continue reading)
He leaned back in his chair and considered the formation as a whole. Around him, conversations began to pick up. As he stared at the diagram, he felt the hair along his arms rise. Twist sat bolt upright and looked around the auditorium, counting. The number of navy commanders and captains in the room equaled the number of ships in Task Group-1.
“The endeavor that Commander Hunter questioned,” Davis announced over the disorder in the room, “is the Brevic retaliation for the Commonwealth’s war crimes committed nine years ago.”
Rumbles of satisfaction answered Davis’ promise of revenge. The admiral swiped again at his datapad and names appeared next to the ships they were destined to command.
Excited gasps and
whoops echoed through the room. Twist cheered with pride that his Republic would, finally, strike back at its oppressor, even as he scanned the organization chart once more. He found his name next to one of the enigmatic stealth scouts, making him go silent. Does that mean I won’t be involved in the fighting? His eyes instinctively sought out his mother’s but he resisted the urge to voice protest.
“In less than a month,” Davis said, “Task Group One will cast off from Tarvos Four.” He tapped his datapad and the massive screen blinked from the organizational chart to a star map of the Republic’s northern sector. The system emblem representing Tarvos twinkled brightly. “Our route will take us through Narvi, Skathi, Skoll and then coreward.”
One by one, emblems traced their route toward the heart of the galaxy. After the Skoll system, the map expanded upward and left, illuminating three new systems down the tunnel chain. They were labelled J-3, then J-2 and ended at Junction.
The Junction system emblem blinked feverishly. “Here,” Davis announced, “is the last reported permanent presence of the Parasites. The star present in the system supports life on a moon orbiting the first gas giant. The system is also home to five Type-A tunnel points, lending the system its name. Task Group One will lure this Parasite presence and dive into the third tunnel point… here.”
The final leg of the route flickered into existence. Extending from Junction and continuing toward the left side of the wall screen, the route began to dip downward for the Hollaran Commonwealth. The first system was designated I-3. The next dive took the fleet in a nearly straight path toward Hollaran space to systems named I-2 and I-1. The final dive from I-1 would deposit the Brevic fleet inside known Hollaran space, into the Epona system. Twist noted that Epona was but a single dive from Honos, provincial gatekeeper to some of the Commonwealth’s most vital core systems.
Davis paused to allow his officers time to digest the proposed route. Finally, he stated, “Using our fleet’s speed, we will guide the very weapon that Hollara brought against us to the doorstep of the heart of their empire. Our think tank contends that, based on known tendencies, the Parasites will cease their pursuit of our ships upon discovery of an inhabited star system.” Davis highlighted Epona. “That means the chase ends here. However, by then diving toward Honos, we will show the Parasites the route deeper into Commonwealth territory. They will inevitably follow this route after they have conquered Epona.”
