"I admit it's unusual, but these are very unusual times. Space Command resources had already been stretched to the breaking point before you secured this new base for us. We just don't have any extra two-star admirals in need of a post, and you're the only Space Command officer to destroy one Raider base and capture another, almost single-handedly."
"Now Barbara, it's never been proven that I destroyed Raider One, only that I planted an explosive device that could have destroyed it."
"Oh, it was proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that you were responsible."
"It was?"
"I thought that Space Command would have sent you a copy of the final report. Residue found on many of the collected samples of the asteroid, and all of the samples from wrecked ships, contained the marker tags that the manufacturer had mixed into the shipment of Corplastizine the Vordoth was carrying. The explosion was definitely caused by the eighty-two metric tons that you planted, coming into contact with properly synthesized dithulene-35. The explosive force in the enclosed cavern was enough to destroy a base twice as large, which is why the destruction was so complete. I'm sure that your official record has been amended to show that the base was definitely destroyed by your hands."
"Hmm. I was never told, although I've always suspected that was the case. I guess that Space Command just wanted to keep it quiet once the news of the event and the resulting court martial died down. I'm glad they did."
"It's sort of an open secret anyway. Everyone credited you with the destruction, long before we proved it, while the court martial was still making headlines in every part of Galactic Alliance space. Oh, I want to thank you for sending that security ship to us after you became the base commander at Dixon. We learned quite a bit from it."
"I'm glad. Anything that we're likely to see in new ships?"
"Not right away. The weapon that they use to disable small craft by draining all power, can really only be used inside the cavern where the ships are moving slowly. It won't function in open space where ships are traveling at FTL speeds because it can't move between temporal envelopes. It also has little effect on ships that are heavily shielded, such as Space Command Vessels, which is why we hadn't encountered it before."
"We haven't seen any sign of it in the large ships that we've captured, but most of them have been scrap when the engagements are over. The lightly armed ships that we took here didn't have it either."
"I'm not surprised. I'm sure that the Raiders are very aware of its severe limitations."
"How does it work?"
"Well, the security ship releases a collimated ball of highly charged, electron plasma with magnetic properties that allow it to be directed by a theta-pinch device. It very much resembles ball lightening on Earth, that normally appears yellow or orange, but in the vacuum of space would appear bluish. When the ball strikes a ship, the effect is like the explosive decay, and there would be a loud noise but for the vacuum. Any occupants of a craft would feel the effect, but that's not what causes the problem.
"A discontinuous magneto-plasmatic configuration of extremely high internal energy, passes through the craft and acts like the Source Region Electro Magnetic Pulse that results from a thermonuclear device detonated at low altitude over a planetary surface. The extreme effect of the electro-magnetic resonance in an unshielded ship either disorients or renders any crewmen unconscious. As you suggested on Higgins, a ship in outer space doesn't provide an easy migration path for the electrons at the outer part of the deposition region towards the burst point, and a large ship's artificial gravity system totally overwhelms the SREMP effect anyway. We're continuing to work on a solution."
"It would be great if your section could come up with something that would allow us to disable a ship traveling at FTL speeds. The envelope-merge procedure is so potentially hazardous that it could lead to a complete loss of life aboard both ships."
"We'd love to come up with something, but don't expect it soon. Everything that's been tried has been a complete failure. You know, there are days when you begin to think that science has reached its zenith and there's nothing new left to discover, but then something happens, such as your twelve-day trip in a small scout ship, that makes you feel that we've only scratched the surface. Several of our brightest minds at Higgins were sent to the dockyard at Mars to work on solving the mechanics question of your little ship. That must have been quite a ride you took."
"That's a good way of describing it, Barbara. Hey, it's lunchtime. If you'd like to join me for lunch in my dining room, I'll tell you about it. I know that you have clearance to hear the facts about the biggest non-secret secret in Space Command."
"I'd love to, Jen."
* * *
The Maid of Mephad was at last fully loaded. Two workers had to hold packing crates to keep them from falling out of the last hold until the doors could be completely shut. For safety reasons, Vyx had refused to allow the corridors to be used for storing ordnance, but twelve crew staterooms had been filled. Only the bridge, engineering, and galley were totally free from boxes and crates.
With the completion of the loading, Vyx returned the ship's gravity to normal, then walked to his quarters and took a long, hot shower. As he was dressing afterwards, one of Rivemwilth's bodyguards came to find him.
"The Shev wishes to invite you to dinner on the surface."
"Thank him for me, but tell him I'm so exhausted that I wouldn't make good company. I'm going to turn in early and sleep all night."
"The Shev would prefer that you leave orbit, and then catch up on your sleep while on route. He'll give you your course directions during the meal."
Vyx sighed. "Very well. Tell him that I'll be there shortly."
Vyx headed towards the shuttle as soon as he finished dressing. He was anxious to get down to the surface, get the directions to Rivemwilth's new base, and get back to the ship and his comfortable bed. Arriving at the bay, he found Nelligen waiting for him in the craft.
"You get a personal dinner invite also?"
"Yeah, except it sounded more like an order."
"Mine too," Vyx said. "I wonder what he wants. I was hoping not to see that toad's face again for awhile."
"Maybe he intends to come along with us."
"That's a gruesome thought. I figured that he wouldn't want to be anywhere near the shipment in case we get stopped."
"If this is everything that he owns, he might not want to let it out of his sight."
"Where's Byers?"
"I saw him in the lounge about ten minutes ago."
"He wasn't invited?"
"I guess not."
"Good."
"Why good?"
"Because then I'd start to think that Rivemwilth was looking for an excuse to get us all off the ship."
"Think that he'll pull something."
"I don't trust him if that's what you mean, but they have us outgunned six to one. I'm going to trust that his reputation will keep him honest. If he cheats us, then others won't trust him."
"But nobody knows we're here, except for Space Command."
"We know that, but he doesn't."
"Gotcha."
"Buckle up and we'll go have dinner."
An escort was waiting at the flight bay when they landed, and he showed them to a dining room where Rivemwilth was waiting.
"Gentlemen, come in. Dinner is almost ready. Help yourselves to the appetizers. I especially recommend the pickled Keenie eggs and the fried Oulee. They're my cook's specialty."
Rivemwilth filled his plate with a little of everything on the appetizer buffet table, and sat down to eat. Vyx took a few things and sat down while Nelligen filled his plate before taking his seat.
Speaking with his mouth half full and dripping food, Rivemwilth said, "I'm extremely pleased with your efforts thus far, gentlemen. We couldn't fit everything in the ship, but we got the best of it, and what's left is older ordnance of limited value. We'll seal up this base when we leave, and trust that no one will find it unti
l I can send someone to pick up the rest. I won't need a ship nearly as large as yours for the remaining stockpile."
Dinner was served before they had finished their appetizers, and Shev Rivemwilth continued to relate tales of arms deals in between mouthfuls of foods. Vyx was getting tired of the stories and was spared further tales when the door opened and Byers walked in. Vyx tensed visibly as a half-dozen, heavily armed bodyguards followed Byers in.
"Ah, the last member of our transport crew has chosen to join us."
"Chosen, hell. I was brought down here at gun point after I refused to come earlier."
"What is this, Shev?" Vyx spat out.
"Just wrapping up our little deal, Trader. You see, we won't be needing your services any longer. But thank you for providing us with an excellent ship."
"If you kill us, I guarantee that you'll never be trusted again. If I don't make it back to Scruscotto, I arranged for word to be spread that you murder you business associates and steal their ships. That'll put one hell of a dent in your arms deals. Your reputation isn't everything, but it's extremely important in a business where cheated customers can't complain to Space Command or justice courts."
"I'm not going to kill you, Trader. I'm going to leave you and these other gentlemen here, alive, unless you give my people cause."
"And the punch line is?"
"The communications devices have been totally destroyed so you can't call for help. There's enough fresh food for a couple of weeks, and the synthesizers should keep you going for six months or more. Someone will be by to pick you up in a couple of months, but you'll never be able to tell anybody where my new base is located.
"This wasn't the deal, Shev."
"I'm altering the deal. If you make it back to Scruscotto, you can pick up the credits that I've paid over to Blasperra."
"What about my ship?"
"I'll change the identification information and dispose of that for you. It wasn't really yours anyway; you stole it from Space Command. With the five-hundred-thousand credits, you can pick yourself up a nice, little, used ship."
"The Maid is worth fifty-million credits."
"Yes," he said, smiling, "it seems that I've done quite well on this deal."
"If you do this, Shev, it'll be the biggest mistake of your life. I warn you that you'll regret it very soon, but not for long."
"Enough with the threats, or I'll forget my promise to leave you alive. Gentlemen, enjoy the rest of the food, I have a ship to catch."
Vyx just glared at Rivemwilth as the arms merchant and his bodyguards left the room. Byers hurried over to the door, only to discover that it was locked. Nelligen tried the kitchen door and found that locked as well.
"I'm starting not to like that overgrown toad," Nelligen said.
Vyx sat down and calmly resumed eating his dinner.
"Are you just going to sit there and eat?" Byers asked excitedly.
"Might as well. It's getting cold. I'm not charging, unarmed, into a group of bodyguards with laser weapons. Try the champagne, it's excellent."
"But they're getting away."
"They're already away. After dinner we'll find a way out of here and then see what our situation is. Try the fish. It's like brook trout on Earth. The late Shev Rivemwilth set a good table."
* * *
Chapter Fifteen
~ June 26th, 2274 ~
Christa completed her duty shift aboard the Chiron at 0800 hours each morning, immediately changed her clothes, and hurried to the base gym to work out with Jenetta. Jenetta worked from 0600 to 0800, then took a two hour break so that they could have this time together each day, before returning to her office and the staggering workload that always awaited her.
They began their morning routine each day with kickboxing practice. Having had different practice partners over the past year, their techniques had altered slightly, and they could no longer always predict the other's moves. After kickboxing, they ran on the track for an hour with Jenetta's cats, and then showered. When Jenetta left for her office, Christa would go to her quarters to get some sleep. They would get together again at dinner each evening.
Christa was in Jenetta's quarters following their evening meal when Jenetta's com unit buzzed. Lifting the cover of the unit on her coffee table and depressing the 'play' button, the face of Captain Crosby of the GSC Destroyer Ottawa filled the screen.
"Good evening, Commander. I just wanted to let you know that the ship we have under surveillance is now moving towards the Frontier Zone after being stationary for the past month. We'll be trailing and standing by until we receive the call to move in.
"Jeffrey Crosby, Captain of the GSC Destroyer Ottawa, message complete."
Jenetta tapped the record button. "To Captain Crosby, GSC Ottawa.
"Thank you for keeping me informed, Captain. I would assume that our contact will be summoning you sometime in the next few weeks as an opportunity presents itself. Warheads on the ship's torpedoes have reportedly been neutralized, and all laser weapons will fail within seconds of first use. Please take care that no one is injured when you seize the ship.
"Jenetta Carver, Commander, Stewart Space Command Base, message complete." Jenetta tapped the transmit button and lowered the com screen.
* * *
Without proper tools, it took over two hours to get the dining room doors open. Vyx, Byers, and Nelligen headed to the flight bay first. From the control room viewing window, they could see that the outer doors were open and the bay was empty.
"Nothing," Byers said. "Not even an old tug that we might try to get working."
"Let's check out the communications gear to see if there's anything that I can do with it," Nelligen said.
After an hour of digging through the mess that used to be the communications room, Nelligen threw up his hands. "Not a chance. Everything is fried. I can't even rig up a simple RF transceiver with this junk. We'd be long dead by the time that a message reached Stewart anyway."
* * *
Working in her office when a message came from the Ottawa, Jenetta lifted her com screen and pressed the 'play' button. An image of Captain Crosby filled the screen.
"Good morning, Commander. We've been paralleling the course of the Maid for about a month now. Two weeks ago they dropped their envelope. Should we continue to monitor them, or should we move in?
"Jeffrey Crosby, Captain of the GSC Ottawa, message complete."
Jenetta touched the record button. "To Captain Crosby, GSC Ottawa.
"Continue to monitor, Captain. I promised Vyx that we wouldn't move in until he called. They might simply be trying to correct some engine trouble. It's better to keep our distance until we have some better indication to go by."
"Jenetta Carver, Commander, Stewart SC Base, message complete."
Jenetta tapped the transmit button and then pushed the screen panel down and leaned back in her chair. Why would Vyx stop the ship at this point? Had he tried to send the signal but experienced com trouble? Was dropping the envelope supposed to be a signal? They were still months away from the Frontier Zone so the reason couldn't be to stop the arms merchant from getting across the border, and Rivemwilth wouldn't order stopping a ship loaded with illegal arms. It must be a problem with the drive.
Another week passed before Captain Crosby contacted Jenetta again.
"Commander, the Maid is still not moving, and we haven't heard from Vyx, so there must be a serious problem. Please advise.
"Jeffrey Crosby, Captain of the GSC Ottawa, message complete."
Jenetta sighed. She tapped the record button. "To Captain Crosby, GSC Ottawa.
"It would appear that something serious has occurred. Okay, Captain, coordinate with the Geneva and move in. Contact me after you've made contact with the Maid.
"Jenetta Carver, Commander, Stewart SC Base, message complete."
A new message arrived from Captain Crosby the following evening.
"We've moved in and are standing a thousand kilometers off. The Ma
id isn't responding to our hails. Her running lights are on, but there's no sign of life otherwise."
"Jeffrey Crosby, Captain of the GSC Ottawa, message complete."
Jenetta thought for a few seconds, then sent a message in response. "Board her and determine the condition of the ship, crew, and cargo. If they open fire, use your best judgment. Don't put your crew in danger, but try not to destroy the Maid. We have three of our people aboard. Contact me after securing the ship.
"Jenetta Carver, Commander, Stewart SC Base, message complete."
Jenetta sat sipping on a cup of coffee as she thought about this new situation.
The next message from Captain Crosby arrived a day and a half later.
"My people are inside the Maid, Commander, and they've found nineteen bodies. The hull is breached in a dozen places and the crew died when the atmosphere was lost. It appears that the damage came from within. The emergency doors never closed, so there are no protected areas. They all died in minutes. They're all Terrans, except for one Alyysian."
"Jeffrey Crosby, Captain of the GSC Ottawa, message complete."
Jenetta recorded her message and transmitted it.
"To Captain Crosby, GSC Ottawa.
"Okay, Captain. Send me their ID information when you have it, then bring the ship to Stewart. Under power if possible, otherwise tow it with your tugs. You can release the Geneva so it can return to its regular patrol route. You won't be able to travel faster than Light-187 at best, so we'll see you in a couple of months. Thank you for your help in this operation.
"Jenetta Carver, Commander, Stewart SCB, message complete."
The images, retinal scans, and DNA of the dead aboard the Maid, along with the fingerprints of the Terrans, were forwarded to Stewart two days later. Several of the corpses contained criminal marker tags making their identification easy, but it took several weeks to make positive identification of the remainder because the information had to be sent to Space Command to be checked against a central database. The desiccated corpses were grotesque looking after weeks of being subjected to the cold vacuum of space. It turned out that none of the victims were Vyx, Byers, or Nelligen, but their bodies could have been sucked out of the ship when the hull was breached. Captain Crosby also forwarded images of each hull breach to Stewart. The damage had been patched, but they had recorded images before the work commenced. The Maid was re-pressurized, and headed for Stewart SCB under its own power.
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