by MK Clark
“No,” the man admitted, “I was curious about you.”
“And have you sated that curiosity?”
Hendricks rubbed his face tiredly. “Yes and no, I have not learned much about you, but it would be a lie to say I am unsatisfied with how our time together has been spent. Now, if my company would still be enjoyable to you, and I'll understand if it isn’t, I would like to hear a bit about your adventures. I never attended Basic, and I would like to hear what it is all about.”
Chapter 19
July 21, 626 T.A.
When Dukes entered the bridge hours later, Don was staring absentmindedly at the ceiling while the captain made an entry into the ship’s log. Dukes handed them each a cup of coffee and leaned against the rail.
“Not much longer now, aye. Captain?”
Captain Hendricks nodded and checked the time. “Jillian will need waking soon. You know how she hates to be groggy on the bridge.”
“Bit quiet, isn’t it?” Dukes asked, in a sudden change of conversation.
Don and the captain exchanged looks. “It wasn’t earlier.”
“Apparently the captain of the Eclipse was having a bit of trouble with his crew and their guest. The pilot claims self-defense, and having seen the others involved, I’m inclined to agree.”
“What happened?”
“Just a small scuffle. The captain and his crew broke it up before it got out of hand. The pilot is a little worse for wear, but nothing was broken.”
Dukes frowned. “Was the pilot transferred to another ship?”
“What available ship would that be, Mr. Dukes?”
“I just thought, for the pilot’s safety…”
“I wouldn’t worry about her,” Don interrupted. “Lana can take care of herself if she really needs to, and the captain of the Eclipse is taking appropriate preventative measures.”
Captain Hendricks nodded. “There is not much else we can do right now.”
“Of course,” Dukes conceded. “I should have known you’d have it under control.”
“Now, about our girl Jillian.”
“Ah,” Dukes shifted uncomfortably. “Well, Captain, seeing as you’ve been cooped up in here for so long, I thought I’d relieve you for a bit so you could stretch your legs.”
The captain regarded Dukes for a moment, then sighed. “Fine, I’ll wake her myself.” Jimmy smiled gratefully as the captain stood and stretched. “I leave you the bridge, Mr. Dukes.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
Hendricks rolled his eyes in reply, and the door slid shut before either could say anymore.
“She’s not the nicest person to wake,” Dukes explained into the silence. “I pity her husband.”
“She’s married?” Don asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice.
“Didn’t you know?”
Don’s eyebrows shot up, incredulity on his face.
“Well, she is. We swing by her home once every mission or two so she can see her husband and daughter. In fact, we pick up quite a few of our jobs there, so we have to go by just to collect our money. No one really minds. We enjoy going planetside.”
After unsuccessfully trying to picture Jillian with a husband and daughter, Don set the thought aside. He considered the cup of coffee in his hand and then offered it to Dukes. “I am going to try to sleep after this,” he said in explanation. “You might need it more than I do.”
Dukes suppressed a smile, but took the cup with a nod of thanks. They heard a click from the door and turned to see the captain.
“She’ll be up in a bit.”
“And Charlie?”
“She needs no help, you know that. The girl is like a clock herself.”
Don glanced at his wrist. His shift was over. He stretched slowly and caught the captain’s eye. “If you’ll excuse me, Captain.”
“Of course, O’Hara. It was a pleasure to have your company.”
Don nodded and turned. He was already winding down by the time he reached his bunk, and asleep before they entered the A-Stream.
He awoke confused, for he did not hear an alarm. He checked the time: 1945. There was over an hour before his next shift, but he was restless. He rolled out of bed and headed to the engine room.
Charlie was wiping grease from her face when he entered. She glanced at him in acknowledgement of his presence. Don shrugged, unable to explain himself, and leaned against the wall. The engine noise was strangely comforting.
Charlie dumped the tools from her hand and belt into his arms with a look that said, If you’re going to just stand there, you might as well make yourself useful.
He grinned at her and began sorting through the tools. Charlie rolled her eyes and began checking readings on her gauges. It didn’t take Don long to put the tools where they belonged. By now, he understood the rhyme and reason to Charlie’s system. He turned just in time to see her frown and her lips moving in a silent question.
Don edged closer and raised his voice to be heard. “What is it?”
“It’s strange. The internal pressure gauge is rising.” Charlie pointed to the gauge in question.
“Rising? But we should be at a steady speed in the A-Stream, shouldn’t we?”
“Correct.” Charlie turned abruptly. “Alert the bridge that we may have some engine trouble. I’m heading for the depths.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Don grabbed the com link. “Bridge, this is the engine room. Confirm, Bridge?”
“We hear you, O’Hara. What’s up?”
“Charlie requested that I inform you the Mina may be experiencing engine trouble.”
“Engine trouble? Did she say what kind?”
“She’s currently assessing the situation, but we have confirmed that the internal pressure gauge is rising at a steady rate.”
“Right. I’m gonna alert the captain and advise exiting the stream until the problem has been nailed down and fixed.”
“Affirmative.”
The following minutes dragged as Don stood waiting for a report from either Charlie or the bridge. Finally, the com fizzed to life.
“This is the captain speaking. Come in, engine room.”
“O’Hara reporting, sir.”
“Have we confirmed the situation?”
Don took a quick glance at the gauge before replying. “IP gauge currently reading six two zero and rising. No report yet on the cause.”
“I need to know what Charlie has to say about any risks involved in reducing the ship speed and exiting the A-Stream.”
“Yes, sir. Hold, please.”
Don dropped the com and moved to stick his head down the hole. “Charlie!” he shouted. “Question from the captain.”
A moment later, Don scooted backward as Charlie’s head and torso popped up from the hole. “What?” she asked as she levered herself out.
“The captain is asking what risks would be involved if the ship was to exit the A-Stream.”
Charlie frowned and reached for the com. “Captain?”
“Charlie, have you located the problem?”
“No, sir.”
There was a long pause, during which Don fought questioning Charlie’s answer.
“Please clarify that last answer.”
“Captain, whatever your problem is, it has nothing to do with my engine. She’s running beautifully. There are no leaks, there are no strange noises, and nothing is broken. Whatever the cause for this anomaly, it is from an outside force.”
“Thank you, Charlie. Stand by.”
“What do you mean, an outside force?” Don questioned.
“I’m not sure. Off the top of my head, I can only assume that something is interfering with the A-Stream’s grip on our ship.”
“If that’s true, wouldn’t the other ships be experiencing the same problem?”
Charlie nodded slowly. “That is one possibility.”
Don felt his heart drop. “I need to speak with the captain immediately.”
“He’s a bit busy!”
> Don shook his head. “The Cobras,” he started, and comprehension filled Charlie’s eyes. “Their engines are too small. I’m heading to the bridge,” he finished.
Charlie nodded.
He raced toward the front of the ship. He had to find out if he was right. There was no time. Dukes admitted him. The captain was busy communicating with the convoy.
“Captain,” he interrupted, “I would advise an immediate reduction of speed.”
Hendricks paused and glanced at him in surprise. Dukes looked mortified.
“Sir, I can explain.”
The captain faced him and clicked the com link, “Hold, please.”
“Sir,” Don said hurriedly, “I asked Charlie why the Mina would be experiencing this problem if it was not a result of some sort of ship failure. She suspects some sort of interference within the A-Stream. Supposing that Charlie is right, would not all ships be equally affected?”
The captain frowned. “True, but the IP gauge is not near the critical mark. There’s no justification for a speed reduction.”
Don nodded. “For your ship, Captain. However, a Cobra’s engine is too small to maintain such a speed without help from the A-Stream.”
“Were that the case, would not the pilots of said Cobras have noticed the threat to the success of their mission and spoken up?”
“Perhaps, yet having only noticed the abnormality in the Mina’s engine by chance ourselves, would it not be understandable if the same irregularity was overlooked by pilots whose attention is focused externally?”
“Eloquently put, O’Hara.” Captain Hendricks turned toward his crew. “Dukes, I want a status report from all ships. Ask them for specific IP readings. Start with Kitty Hawk and have them call Lieutenant Patricks to the bridge. While you wait, contact the others.”
“Aye, Captain.”
“O’Hara, use the communications panel there and contact your comrades. I will leave communication with Lieutenant Patricks and your team to you. Jillian, where are we?”
Don moved quickly to the side, scanned the controls, and slipped on the headset. He switched to the correct channel. “Talon Two-Five, this is the Mina. Do you copy?”
“Mina, we hear you.”
“Bauer, I need a status report on your IP readings.”
“Affirmative. Hold for report.”
Don glanced over at Dukes as he waited. The man’s head nodded absentmindedly as he spoke.
“Mina, this is Talon Two-Five.”
“Report, please.”
“All birds are experiencing some sort of engine failure. IP readings are nearing the critical mark. Requesting immediate action.”
“Noted. Hold for further instructions.”
“What do we know, O’Hara?”
Don turned toward the captain. “It is as I feared, Captain. The Cobras’ IP readings are nearing the critical mark.”
“Understood. Dukes, report, please.”
“All ships are standing by for reduction in speed.”
“Jillian―”
“Ready when you are, Captain.”
“O’Hara, alert your team. Dukes, coordinate in T-10.”
Don clicked into the channel. “Bauer, have everyone switch to main convoy channel and prepare deceleration in T-10.”
“Confirmed, and switching.”
“Minato all ships, deceleration in ten, nine―”
Don waited impatiently. It seemed like that was all he ever did anymore. Then a voice spoke in his ear, and he jumped in surprise. “Yo-Yo!”
“O’Hara, what is the situation?”
Don quickly relayed to her everything that had transpired.
“And you say there is nothing wrong with the Mina’s engine?”
“Nothing that we can find. We haven’t heard back about the other ships, though, and there’s no way to check the Cobras without bringing them in.”
“Does Bauer know all of this?”
“No, ma’am. I briefly spoke with him before they switched to the main channel to coordinate with the convoy.”
“I’m going to need a word with him, and your captain as well. Contact me here when he’s ready.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Don switched his attention to the bridge. Both Dukes and Jillian were absorbed, but the captain was watching him silently.
“Sir?” Don asked, a little unnerved.
“That was Lieutenant Patricks, I presume?”
“Yes, sir. She requested to speak with you, sir, when you are ready, but preferably soon.”
The man nodded and looked toward the front of the ship, briefly lost in thought. “Dukes,” he said suddenly. “I’m going to need you to open visual communication with the Kitty Hawk and the Eclipse. Have both captains call the remaining pilots to the bridge.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jillian turned and looked up at the captain, “Sounds like we’re about to have a hardcore powwow here, Captain.”
Hendricks nodded once. “Jillian, work with Charlie. I want to know for certain there is no problem with the ship.”
“Captain,” Dukes interrupted, “everything is ready.”
“Then please connect us.” The captain glanced over at Don. “I assume you have gathered that I would like for you to remain here.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Suddenly the front of the ship was split into two video feeds. Don could see almost the entire bridge of both the Kitty Hawk and the Eclipse.
“Thank you all for joining us,” Captain Hendricks opened.
In the background, Don saw Lana wink and Syke wave in return. Kyomo subtly poked Syke in the ribs and shook her head slightly at Lana. He struggled not to laugh at his comrades. They smirked, grinned, and frowned in response.
“I would like confirmation that our escort team is also listening in,” the captain continued.
“We’re listening,” Bauer answered.
“Good. Then it’s about time we got down to business.”
“And what business is that?” the captain of the Kitty Hawk asked.
Don saw Syke’s face twitch, and knew the man was not well liked.
“Perhaps you could start by telling the rest of us what is going on., why we’ve bloody well stopped in the middle of nowhere and not at a jump gate?”
“Captain Mitchell, I am sure we will be informed. Just give the man a moment,” the Eclipse’s Captain Bradley spoke, his face full of reproach.
Hendricks cleared his throat, and all eyes moved to him. “I certainly understand your concern, Captain Mitchell, but we must take immediate action before continuing any further along this course. I believe that there are varying understandings of what is happening at the moment. Therefore, I would like to begin by bringing us all onto the same page.”
Captain Mitchell scowled, and Syke rolled his eyes from behind the man. Lana frowned in response. Kyomo saw and turned slightly to whisper in Syke’s ear. He shrugged amiably and then leaned against the back wall as Captain Hendricks began to bring them all up to speed. It did not take long, and Don could see that Captain Mitchell was not impressed.
Before he could speak, Captain Bradley interjected. “That does not exactly explain why we are having this meeting. Should we not all be investigating our own ships to find the problem?”
“We do not believe it is a failure on the part of our spacecraft. Our mechanic and pilot have been working together, scouring the ship for problems. None has been found.”
“They might have missed something,” Captain Mitchell stated.
“They might,” Captain Hendricks acknowledged diplomatically, but Don knew how unlikely that was. “By all means, have your crew look after your ships. However, while we are waiting for their conclusions, we must be prepared for a different scenario.”
“Meaning what, exactly?”
“Meaning, Bradley, that we believe an outside force is interfering with the A-Stream.”
Syke perked up at this. He took a few steps forward. “Excuse me, Captain. You s
aid an outside force?”
“That is correct, pilot.”
Captain Mitchell sneered, “That’s ridiculous. Nothing can ‘interfere’ with the A-Stream.”
“Then what, exactly, do you think is wrong?” Bradley asked.
“It’s a trap,” Kyomo stated. Lana nodded in confirmation, and Don gave her a quick smile. Syke saw, and the corner of his mouth twitched. All four of them had come to the same conclusion.
Captain Mitchell spun to look at Kyomo with a look of disgust. “I don’t believe anyone asked your opinion, nor do we need some paranoid kid getting everyone worked into a frenzy.”
“I believe, Captain, that I am in charge of this convoy’s protection. That being the case, do you not think my opinion should be one of value? This is why we were hired, is it not?”
“Why,” Captain Hendricks interrupted, “do you believe it’s a trap?”
“It’s just as Captain Mitchell has said. Nothing can interfere with the A-Stream. It must be a problem with the next jump gate. I also assume, by your actions, that you have already come to the same conclusion.”
Captain Hendricks nodded, approval in his face. Don could see that Captain Mitchell was furious with their exchange.
“I suppose a scenario where some FOD could have caused the damage would be out of the question.” It was Captain Bradley this time.
Kyomo shook her head. “While that could be true, merely knowing that there is a possibility we are flying into a trap is enough to warrant being prepared for it.”
“I agree whole-heartedly,” Captain Hendricks said. “If there is to be a fight, we should be prepared, and if there isn’t, then so the much better for us. Therefore, all captains should be prepared to act as specified at the beginning of our journey. I will alert the others. Lieutenant Patricks, your men know what to do?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Then we will proceed to the next jump gate with all due caution. At our current speed, we should arrive in approximately thirty minutes. Should anyone pick up anything on their radar, they should report it immediately. Is there anything else anyone would like to discuss?”
“Two things, Captain.” Bauer spoke for the first time.
“Go ahead.”
“First, no matter what happens, we will need to activate the jump gate’s distress call. That way, a repair crew can come to fix it.”
