by S. H. Jucha
Edward, Nema, Priita, Storen, Yoram, Boris, and Olawale had planned for this opportunity ever since Yoram had suggested the concept of a “new adventure.” What followed the suggestion was a great deal of soul-searching on the part of each scientist, wondering who would miss them, why they came on this mission, and what they were seeking. While the answers varied, the conclusion was the same. If the Harakens would have them, they were ready to jump ship. Unfortunately, they realized they would have to initiate their escape and hope the Harakens wouldn’t turn them away.
Priita was the last to leave the cabin, and she signaled Olawale, who waited several minutes before he followed his friends. Olawale walked the corridors as nonchalantly as he could, but he could swear his heart was beating so fiercely that the crew would surely notice. With our ages, it’s a wonder that several of us don’t have heart attacks before we make the bay, Olawale thought.
Slipping into a vacant maintenance office across the corridor from their designated bay, Olawale found all his people present. Each of them carried some sort of bag or sack, despite his admonishment to carry no baggage or anything suspicious. “Am I the only one who knows how to follow instructions and leave all personal possessions behind?” he asked.
“Yes and no,” Priita replied. “We knew you would follow your advice. That’s why we took care of your things for you.” Edward and Storen each held up a bag.
“Good friends,” Olawale said, with a generous smile for his wayward comrades. “Now give me five minutes. If I do not return in that time, make your way back to your cabins as if nothing has happened.” When the others nodded their agreement, Olawale slipped out into the corridor and entered the bay’s airlock. He barely cleared the bayside hatch when he was roughly grabbed by the arm.
“Where have you been, Administrator?” demanded the angry crewman.
“It took longer than expected. Are you ready?” Olawale asked.
“Get your people in here now, Administrator. I should have been on duty with only one other crew member. Instead, a repair crew of four was assigned to maintenance on that far shuttle,” the anxious crew member said, pointing to the opposite end of the bay. “I gave everyone your sleeping mixture more than an hour ago, but with the additional crew, each of them only received about one third of the mixture. We’re in danger of them waking soon. Now, go … hurry!”
Olawale ran back to retrieve his comrades, hurrying them through the airlock cycle and into the shuttle bay. Looking around for the crew member, Olawale spotted him slumped on the deck, an empty cup lying next to him.
“I believe you said the crew member would accompany us, did you not?” Nema asked. From Nema, it wasn’t an accusation. She was merely clarifying that she properly understood Olawale’s original explanation.
“It would appear that he changed his mind,” Olawale replied. “Please, two of you grab a crew member and haul them all to that far shuttle … the largest one. We will stow them in there where they will be safe while we depart.” While the elderly scientists hauled and dragged each crew member toward the shuttle, Olawale picked up the nearest individual like a bag of spare parts and hurried to the distant shuttle, depositing his load onboard at the rear of the center aisle. Jogging down the ramp, he grabbed the first crew member delivered by his friends, threw the weight over his shoulder, and hurried back inside.
When the crew was safely ensconced inside the shuttle, Olawale secured the gangway and hatch from its exterior access panel. “Come, everyone, get aboard,” he urged his companions, running toward the smallest shuttle in the bay, halting at the base of the gangway ramp to help his elderly companions aboard. “We will be all right. I have been briefed on the automatic piloting controls.” More than one of Olawale’s compatriots eyed him with doubt as they hurried past him into the shuttle.
Once aboard, Olawale quickly retracted the gangway ramp and sealed the hatch before he made his way to the pilot’s chair. No sooner was he strapped in than Yoram slid into the copilot’s chair beside him.
“You have shuttle skills, my friend?” Olawale asked hopefully.
“Regretfully, none. I am here for moral support,” Yoram said, strapping himself into his chair and gazing forward as if that was sufficient to force open the bay doors and launch the shuttle.
Olawale took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to calm his jangling nerves. “Apparently, the crew member intended all along to stay aboard the Reunion,” Olawale said, “which is why he demonstrated the autopilot control instructions several times to me.”
Yoram studied his large friend, who was perusing the pilot’s controls, sympathetic to his predicament. “My friend. If we are caught now, we will be executed as traitors. Therefore, whatever you do will only aid us in evading that certain fate. Have courage.”
Olawale gave his friend a weak smile, thankful for the encouragement but still sick to his stomach at the responsibility he was attempting to shoulder. During Olawale’s brief training, the flight crew member constantly stressed the beginning steps, and Olawale searched the control board for the first of those steps, tapping an icon labeled “auto launch.” Immediately, the bay’s launch horns sounded and warning lights flashed. After the stealth of their approach, the blaring noise and bright lights made the scientists cringe.
The pilot’s board popped up a small window, which indicated the bay’s status, and Olawale leaned over to carefully read it. “Pressure is dropping, my friend. The bay is depressurizing.”
Yoram was pleased to see some small semblance of confidence return to Olawale. For an extremely dark-complexioned man, his friend appeared extremely pale a few moments ago.
When the bay pressure reached zero, the horns changed pitch, the flashing lights changed color, and the giant bay doors began sliding apart. In almost no time, Olawale and Yoram were staring at the deep dark, Hellébore a faint light off to the side.
“What now?” Yoram asked.
“We launch,” Olawale replied with a bright smile. When the bay doors were fully opened, the auto-launch sequence engaged the shuttle’s maneuvering jets and eased the vessel out of the bay. Once the shuttle cleared the Reunion, the engines were ignited, and the craft was launched on the crew member’s preprogrammed course, heading for the distant planet of Haraken.
* * *
“Captain, we have an unauthorized shuttle launch,” the ops officer called out.
“Comms, contact that shuttle now,” Lumley ordered.
“Online, Captain,” the comms officer called out. He switched the signal to the central monitor and the head and shoulders of Olawale filled the screen.
“Administrator Wombo, you’ve taken one of my shuttles without authorization. What do you think you’re doing?” Lumley asked.
Olawale glanced at Yoram, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say, “I have no idea how to respond.”
“Apologies, Captain, for our unauthorized actions, but circumstances have forced this decision on us,” Olawale replied.
“Us? Who is this ‘us’?” Lumley pressed.
It appears I’m ill-suited for subterfuge, Olawale thought. “A figure of speech, Captain. I’m alone.”
“Search the ship for any other missing scientists,” García whispered to Barbas. “Start with Priita Ranta’s cabin.”
“What is your intention, Administrator Wombo?” Lumley asked.
“My intention, Captain? Why I intend to immigrate to Haraken, if the people will have me.”
García stepped up beside Captain Lumley. “Cut the comm,” he whispered.
The captain signaled the comms officer to end the transmission. The image of Olawale winked off, and a great sadness swept over Lumley. He would have wanted to wish his friend good luck, and in the future he would want to know if his friend found a new home and a good life. Instead, the cold facts of reality told him his friend would probably be dead very soon.
“Call for you, Speaker García,” the comms officer answered. “It’s Major Barbas.”
“On spea
ker,” García ordered.
“Speaker, in addition to Administrator Wombo, four other senior scientists are unable to be found. We suspect several others are also missing, and we are continuing our search.”
“Major, I don’t want that shuttle to reach the Haraken carrier. Tell your pilots that if they don’t destroy it, don’t bother returning to this ship,” García ordered.
“Understood, Speaker,” Major Barbas replied. He was smiling as he raced for the launch bays.
* * *
“Captain Tanaka, we have a launch from the Reunion,” Cordelia said. “A single, small vessel … it’s not a missile.”
“Fighter?” Miko asked.
“One moment, Captain. I’m receiving more telemetry.” After a few moments, Cordelia added, “It’s a shuttle.” She activated the bridge’s holo-vid and placed the Earther ship and the Haraken vessel in position. “The shuttle is headed in our direction. To be precise, Captain, it’s headed directly for the No Retreat.”
“Cordelia, can we talk to that shuttle?” Miko asked.
“I can attempt communication, Captain.”
Cordelia let slide her human persona programs to allow full engagement in her task. When she froze in position, eyes wide and staring, it was a reminder of the difference between humans and SADEs.
Julien had provided Cordelia the comm protocols and translation programs, which were required to converse with the explorer ship. She employed his tools and utilized the carrier’s sophisticated comm systems to enable her transmission. Within a few moments, Cordelia established a connection with the shuttle’s bridge control systems and activated its comm system.
Miko hailed the shuttle when Olawale appeared on the carrier’s central screen. “This is the Haraken carrier No Retreat, Captain Tanaka speaking. Halt the approach of your vessel, and state your purpose.”
“Hello, Captain Tanaka. I am Administrator Wombo of United Earth. I have, aboard this shuttle, six other senior scientists, who wish to seek asylum on your world.”
Miko and Cordelia exchanged glances. Cordelia sent privately to Miko.
When the shuttle’s monitor displayed two attractive women, Yoram couldn’t resist a closer view, exiting his copilot’s seat and crowding into camera view behind Olawale. He waved a tentative hand at the women.
“With pleasure, Captain Tanaka,” Olawale said, bending over the pilot’s board and struggling to recall the crew member’s instructions. “Excuse me, Captain Tanaka, would you be able to aid us in that?”
“Aid you in what exactly, Administrator Wombo?” Miko asked.
“We sincerely wish to comply, Captain Tanaka, but none of us are qualified pilots.”
“Yet you managed to get this far, Administrator Wombo,” Cordelia noted.
“I closed the gangway ramp and hatch, and then pressed auto-launch, young miss,” Olawale replied and shrugged his massive shoulders.
Miko coughed politely into her hand to camouflage her laughter. The scenario was hilarious in so many ways, not the least of which was the scientist referring to a 100-plus-year-old sentient as “young miss.”
“One moment, Administrator Wombo, perhaps I can help you with your dilemma,” Cordelia replied.
As Cordelia’s fugue state overtook her, Olawale threw a quizzical look over his shoulder at Yoram.
“So much to learn, my friend,” Yoram replied to Olawale’s silent question. The pilot’s board lit, confirming their change in vector until it was reversed, and then the main engines were fired until the shuttle’s relative velocity to the carrier indicated zero.
“Your shuttle is stationary relative to us now, Administrator Wombo,” Cordelia announced.
“You are a remarkable woman, young miss,” Olawale gushed.
“Then again, I’m not,” Cordelia replied and winked at the administrator.
“What do you think she meant, Olawale?” Yoram whispered urgently into his friend’s ear. “We must gain admittance to this world. The rest of our lives could be spent learning so many new and wonderful things.”
* * *
Barbas raced through the corridors of the Reunion, yelling at crew to clear the way. Embarrassment from the revelation of Miranda Leyton’s true identity smoldered deep inside him, and Barbas ached for a means of repayment.
Cycling through the bay’s airlock, Barbas was pleased to see the three fighters were prepped as he ordered. Two pilots saluted him as he raced toward them.
“Emergency launch,” Major Barbas yelled and his heavy, bass voice galvanized flight crew and pilots into action. Crew helped Barbas strip and don a flight suit. Snatching his helmet from a crew member, Barbas hurried to his fighter. Within moments, the flight crew was vacating the bay and the launch cycle was underway.
“Pilots,” Barbas said over his comm, “that shuttle doesn’t reach safety, no matter what we have to do. Is that understood?”
Captains Doultier and Hinnicky acknowledged Barbas’s message but each had different thoughts. Doultier was a believer, anxious to prove her value to the major. However, Hinnicky just loved to fly and a fighter was the fastest, most maneuverable craft built by the UE. What Hinnicky wasn’t prepared to do was die in the pursuit of a shuttle load of UE scientists.
The bay’s doors slid open and starlight beckoned. “Clear to launch,” the flight chief confirmed on the comm, and the pilots engaged their fighters’ auto-launch modes. Clear of the ship, engines ignited, the fighters blasted after the shuttle.
* * *
“We have a second launch, Captain Tanaka,” Cordelia reported. “Three UE fighters under heavy acceleration are chasing the shuttle.”
“It doesn’t take three fighters to return a wayward shuttle to the ship,” Miko mused. “It might be our scientists are intent on leaving the fold as they’ve stated and probably much to Speaker García’s consternation.”
“These individuals might hold valuable information about the UE and its technology, which Speaker García does not wish us to have,” Cordelia suggested.
In response, Lucia and Franz ordered three fighters from each wing to escort the shuttle to the carrier.
“Olawale, there are new icons on my screen,” Yoram said tentatively. “This is us,” Yoram explained, pointing to an icon in blue. “This is the Reunion. This is the Haraken ship, but what are these three dots?”
Olawale leaned over to examine the copilot’s board. “Those are trouble, my friend.” Turning to face his monitor, Olawale said, “Captain, I believe we are in need of immediate assistance.”
“Why would you say that, Administrator?” Miko replied, anxious to test their logic about the scientists’ situation.
“We might be the first deserters of United Earth, Captain. It would be a dangerous precedence that Speaker García can’t let happen on his watch,” Olawale replied. “Those three fighters will have been ordered to destroy us rather than see us fall into your hands.”
“Understood, Administrator Wombo. We are sending our fighters to protect you,” Miko replied. That the administrator’s story and the actions of the UE ship were aligning gave her confidence that she understood the situation correctly. The last thing she wanted to do was tell Alex Racine that she lost a great source of intelligence on the UE or that she was fooled into allowing a dange
rous vessel close to her carrier. Of course, in the latter scenario, I might not live to have to face him, Miko thought.
“Captain,” Cordelia said, interrupting Miko’s thoughts. “The UE fighters will reach the shuttle first.”
“Take control of the shuttle, Cordelia. Bring it to us at max acceleration.”
Cordelia warned the scientists, who hurriedly secured themselves, before the shuttle flipped and accelerated toward the carrier.
* * *
“Major Barbas, I have six fighters, in two flights, approaching us head-on,” Captain Hinnicky called on the comm.
“Captain, it’s not necessary to state the obvious,” Barbas replied. “You and Captain Doultier will each target a flight. Use your missiles to distract them. It will provide the time I need to take out that shuttle before you even have to engage them. Then we can return to the Reunion.”
Unknowingly, Captain Doultier suddenly found herself in Hinnicky’s camp. Three against one did not sound like an opportunity to prove one’s self. It sounded more like an opportunity to visit the afterlife.
“Major —” Hinnicky began.
“Yes, Captain, I see it,” Barbas growled. “The shuttle is accelerating toward the carrier. I’m surprised those science fools know how to fly a shuttle.”
“Major, I calculate those enemy fighters will reach the shuttle several seconds before us,” Doultier said.
“The two of you take point positions to my fighter,” Barbas ordered. “Draw their fire.” Reluctantly, the captains obeyed. All three pilots armed their missile banks, Barbas targeting the shuttle. The other two pilots locked on the enemy fighters in their assigned flight.
Despite his extensive training and experience, Barbas focused on the shuttle on his display to the exclusion of all else, wanting to witness its destruction more than he wanted to live. Once the Haraken lovers, as Barbas thought of them, died in a ball of fire, he would think about regaining the Reunion.
