Sleeper Ship

by Jim Rudnick

  #

  "Ma’am, let's see if I can perhaps summarize our agreements here, shall I?" Tanner said as he leaned back in his chair in the conference room. So far, the talks with the Lady St. August had been civil, and he hoped they might continue in that vein, but then one could never count on a Royal for anything.

  The Lady turned away from him then and looked out of the view-port that stretched over the whole wall to their port side. Alongside of the Sterling lay the Gibraltar, huge with the Barony crown logo on its side in blue and red, and from here they could see an occasional shuttle flitting about on its way to and from the Keshowse, which lay a bit more distant and slightly ahead of the formation of the four consort ships. Behind them lay the Marwick and the Drozir, the last two of the ships, and other than that, just the RIM with its so few stars and the blackness that lay outside the galaxy.

  She spoke at Tanner with a slight sneer in her voice and yet she did nod at the same time.

  "Proceed, Captain, but remember that anything can be changed, anytime, by the only one at this table with a seat on the RIM Council—which, of course, is me," she added sweetly, turning to stare directly at him.

  Tanner thought for a moment that he might want to remind the Lady that the Barony seat on the RIM Council was not hers but belonged to her stepmother, the Baroness, but he swallowed that thought and nodded to her.

  "Ma’am, the issue about the abduction of a Sleeper was a false alarm—no such incident has been reported. Your scientists have been both polled and asked, and that closes that issue. We agree, Ma’am?" he said and waited.

  "More or less, yes, Captain—in this case, no such kidnapping ever occurred ... which as you will remember was my own comment at the time. Next?" she asked politely, he noted.

  "Throth as you have indicated and has been confirmed by our RIM inspection team will be ready for the Ikarians in just about sixty days or so, agreed Ma’am?" he read from the report in front of him. Beside him, Craig, his XO, fidgeted with the cup of coffee he'd been foolish enough to ask for, and Tanner doubted it had even been served warm, but that would be another conversation later on.

  She nodded and then churned her hand at him to get him to go on.

  "The change of heading by the Keshowse was handled well, and the heading will need to be corrected we think in what, XO—180 years or so—if that matters now ..." Craig nodded but smartly said not a word.

  Tanner looked down at his report and went on.

  "Ma’am, we also see that you're planning on using both the Gibraltar and the Compass to transport Sleepers in three groups over the next half year or so. Might we ask as to when the Compass will arrive and when the first of the transport of the newly awakened Sleepers will occur?"

  "In a few weeks, I expect the ship to arrive, by month’s end for sure," she said. "It will take two trips by both destroyers as each will be able to carry about 2500 newly awakened Sleepers so that they will get to Throth in two distinct ETAs." She waved off any further questions on that matter.

  Tanner knew that the Compass was the personal ship used by the Baroness herself, and taking it off that duty to make it transport children that would take a few months was not something that would make the Baroness happy. Yet it was as it was, and he moved on.

  "Lastly, Ma’am, concerning the Awakening Day ceremonies, we have received invitations for our top command officers only and that's fine—XO how many?" he asked and half-turned to Craig.

  "Sir, we're going to be sending only ten officers, Sir, in full ceremonial dress blues, Sir," his XO said quietly.

  The Lady said, "And I believe we're taking only about twenty or so, Captain. As the hosts, of course, for the Ikarians, it's up to us to be what—diplomatically correct, shall I say?"

  Tanner nodded.

  "Yes, Ma’am, we will be represented fine, but there is one thing more to comment on, Ma’am. It's the fact that well, you have been listed as the source of the negation of the Novertag contingent to the Awakening Day ceremonies, Ma’am? Is that true?" he asked as politely as he could.

  She looked directly into Tanner's eyes and said two words.

  "Positively correct."

  He waited, but she said nothing more.

  "Ma’am, the fact that the Barony won the chance to offer the Ikarians a new world instead of the Novertag offer, wouldn't that mean that the Barony could at least allow their delegation here to attend? I understand that the invitations have been sent by the Ikarians and that you have notified them that they will not be attending under any circumstances. And I understand that you've also notified them that they will be stopped from even landing on the Keshowse. Do I have that right as well, Ma’am?"

  Again, she said the same two words.

  "Positively correct."

  She nudged the spoon around the china saucer, and a steward came directly to refill her cup.

  "This Roorian tea is wonderful, Captain, you should have accepted a cup," she said and then turned back to the matter at hand.

  "Captain, while yes, we are barely a light-year off Novertag, the Drozir can leave the area at any time. We will not miss them. Neither will the Ikarians, as I will not allow the Novertag delegation to be at the Awakening Week ceremonies—in fact, your own attendance was mandated by the RIM Council itself as I would not have allowed you to be there had it been up to me. Of course," she added, "there will be no bar or any kind of alcoholic refreshments served, so I doubt you would have accepted on your own." She added the last part a bit smugly and then smiled at him.

  Tanner ignored that jibe and said, "Yes Ma’am, I'll reinforce your decision with the Novertag forces and tell them they can heave-to, Ma’am," he said. "And that's all that I have today, Ma’am." He sat back and waited.

  The Lady St. August turned back to the view-port, and her attention was back on the ships out there. The meeting was over, Tanner thought, and he and his XO rose to leave her alone.

  #

  Beside Sachem Nadie, his newly awakened Kikinamagan began to rock side to side again, trying to not look as bored as others in the Council Chamber room who were suffering through the long and winding history of the Ikarian people. As the final time the Shaman would ever talk before going back into the Sleeper tanks, he was surely, Tanner thought, getting his jollies by going into as much depth as he could—and his Kikinamagan was having trouble maintaining any kind of interest again. He noted that one of the Ikarians bent over to hiss at the youngster and wondered what was said as the Shaman-to-be suddenly stood up straighter and stopped rocking.

  Around the room, others too were at least pretending to be interested, but even that wasn't everyone. Some of the newly awakened Sleepers were toying with scraps on their plates, and every once in a while, you could hear a knife or fork clatter against a plate or the clink of a glass that was overturned. No matter, Tanner thought, it was something that one had to endure. His hand slid down the side of his chair to grasp the thermos he'd brought with him to the Awakening Week Celebration gala. So far, he'd had only the chance to fill his glass on the table twice with his cached Black Scotch, and he meant to ignore any stares if he could. Imagine, he thought, a celebration dinner and no bar in the room ...

  His table with the other members of the Marwick all had slightly turned to listen to the Ikarian Shaman's historical story. All around the room, others from the three tables of Barony personnel and the Lady St. August, who hadn't even looked at him, to the tables of Ikarians who'd undoubtedly heard this story over and over—all looked half-asleep and bored. In fact, Tanner thought, if there was one way to put a room full of celebrants asleep, it could be done easily by a Shaman who had only this last story to tell.

  Admittedly, earlier before the dinner, the displays of various Ikarian culture that they had been subjected to had actually been somewhat interesting. The huge 3D photos that showed their previous home world were interesting, Tanner discovered, and he was surprised by the various types of planetary animals. There were herds of what must have been tens of t
housands of some kind of bison-looking beasts that were bigger than anything he'd ever seen. Preying on those herds were a variety of pack predators that looked like a lizard variety and even a solo flying raptor that was big enough to carry away one of those herd creatures. Plus, he noted, as he remembered his hunting trip of just a year or two ago with the Duke d'Avigdor and the Jaels that they'd faced, the Ikarian home world had something bigger, faster, and a shade of blue that was electric to the eyes. Quolls, they appeared to be called, and their yowl was a shriek that sounded like a scared cat on a red-hot griddle. Taller and bigger with huge canine teeth, this was a predator that would take one hell of a rifle with huge knock-down power ... yet the Ikarians armed themselves with bows and arrows only, other than throwing clubs and belt knives. It seemed they had no troubles with keeping such predators at bay.

  Tanner slugged back a big swig of his drink and tuned in to the Shaman once more to find that he'd just touched on the comet that came and changed the Ikarian destiny, and he tuned him out again.

  Beside the dinner seating area, just past those beautiful 3D photo displays and streaming video monitors, was a larger area that had been loaned out to use as an archery range. It was here that many of the RIM Navy and Barony guests for the first time saw the abilities of the Ikarians when it came to combat. Many of the graduating Kikinamagans were able to shoot off eight, nine, or ten arrows in ten seconds, all using a style of delivery that no RIM Confederacy citizen had ever seen before.

  His XO had noted the variations point by point, and he was most surprised at the speed at which so many arrows found their way into the bull’s-eyes in so few seconds. Craig had noted that the arrows were all placed on the thumb side of the gripping hand, unlike what was 'normal' out on the RIM.

  "We all put the arrows on the left-hand side—the 'finger' side of the gripping hand," Craig said, "and they put the arrow on the thumb side, meaning that they do not have to take the time to align the arrow as we do—it just drops right up on top of the thumb much, much quicker like." He nodded and then went on.

  "And with the drawing hand—that's the hand that pulls back on the string—holding the arrows themselves—no quiver, understand?" He added, "Then rate of fire moves up exponentially. The Kikinamagans tonight all can do at least eight, if not ten, arrows in ten seconds," he said. "And I'm told that some of the elders can do more than that. Fourteen I hear is the best, though I've no idea which Ikarian that is ..." He shook his head in surprise as the target that was more than 100 feet away looked like a porcupine with all its dozens and dozens of quills within the four-inch bull’s-eye. "Never seen anything so fast or deadly!"

  Tanner, like the rest of the RIM citizens in the room, was quiet during the Ikarian display of archery, and he, along with the others, had “oohed” and “aahed” as the arrows slammed into the bull’s-eye. Not a single misguided arrow landed anywhere but the red bull’s-eye, and it was done almost as an afterthought by the Ikarians who displayed their talents. After that there were more displays, including some club throwing that again was accurate and quick. As the clubs were circled with rings of iron or small protruding blades, they all made quick work of the various dummies and models and ripped them apart.

  "These guys are good," Tanner voiced and got nods from all in the Marwick detachment and even some “booyas” from his lieutenants too.

  Once the dinner had been announced and eaten and then the Shaman had begun to speak, the room settled into a quiet boredom Tanner swigged once more on his Scotch hidden inside the cup in front of him and nodded. Maybe later, he thought, I’ll wander down to the gym on Deck Twenty-three back on the Marwick, and have a cocktail or two on the treadmill ... yeah, that'd work—”Wait, what the hell?” he said quietly.

  Moving into the Council room from the front and side doors that led to the Sleeper rows and the corridor to the lifts and even the large opened doors to the kitchen, soldiers quick-stepped into the room in dual lines. All had assault needler rifles at the ready. Tanner knew instantly that the uniforms were those of Novertag and wondered now if their rescinded invitation to this dinner had been a good decision by the Lady St. August. He quickly counted more than forty as he rose from his place at the Council Chamber dinner tables, as did almost everyone else. One of them, a lieutenant colonel, took the position directly in front of the Shaman, and he motioned him to back off.

  "I am Lieutenant Colonel Pelyovin of the Novertag ArmyOps corps, and we have taken over this ship the Keshowse. You will all re-sit yourselves back down and remain there until you are directed to do elsewise. There are more than eighty of us. We have you all covered—count, please, Lieutenant," he said to one of his men.

  "Six still unaccounted for, Sir," the lieutenant said after studying the room intently.

  He turned half to his left to look directly at the Lady St. August and half-bowed to her as she remained standing when the others sat down in the room.

  "Ma’am, no disrespect intended, but you will sit down too. I know who you are, and yes, I know that you will Ansible your mommy as soon as you can. If you obey our few commands, you and your Barony guests here this evening will all be fine and will be back on your ship in a few minutes. I said, SIT!" he screamed at her and motioned for a brace of his men to move in toward the Lady, which they did and pointed their needlers directly at her.

  Tanner had never seen her or any Royalty for that matter be directly threatened so he was surprised that she paled and sat down heavily. A show of that Royal pain-in-the-ass personality he'd come to know was missing, and he thought that if anything could induce that kind of retreat, a needler appeared to be the deciding factor.

  A squad of the ArmyOps troop moved to separate the Marwick table from the Barony ones, and another squad lined up on the other side too.

  "We have taken the bridge and its crewmen. Other than these missing six Ikarians, all ship's personnel are accounted for and under our control. And we will find those half-dozen aliens soon, do not worry about that," he finished off.

  Lieutenant Colonel Pelyovin nodded and addressed Tanner directly.

  "As the ranking RIM Navy Captain here, I am formally making a declaration that on behalf of Novertag, we are hereby seizing the Keshowse and all its Ikarian crew and Sleepers. We will be using a TachyonDrive-link to move the ship back within our own one light-year Novertag boundary space and making our request to reopen this whole matter with the RIM Confederacy Council at their next meeting. This is not a matter for discussion here but only at the full Council. You have received your notice," he said with an air of finality, and he didn't even look at the Lady St. August.

  Tanner nodded and said simply, "Notice received, Colonel. We will notify the admiralty on Juno as soon as we're back on board the Marwick." He wondered how this would all unfold for the Novertag Secretariat. As far as Navy regs, the seizure of an alien ship was not against them as long as normal statutes were applied and announced. But then there was the Barony claim that would undoubtedly be made at that same Council meeting that such a seizure was of Barony citizens, which is what the Ikarian were—or soon would be. More items the Council would have to deliberate upon and then make a ruling.

  He rose to stand at his place, doing so slowly and deliberately, noticing that some of the needlers in the room followed him every inch of the way.

  "The Lady St. August should, as Royalty, be allowed to retire soonest, Colonel—could I make that suggestion? And further—"

  There was no sound, but a glimmering of something interrupted Tanner. He looked around at what he had missed as the room suddenly had a familiar sound of thwack, thwack, thwack—over, and over, and over..

  In the lieutenant colonel’s chest, three arrows all within an inch of each other had sprouted, and he was looking down at them with shocked surprise as he began to slide to the floor.

  Tanner could see that more and more of the Novertag ArmyOps men were slouching to the floor as that same volley of arrows came from the hallways that surrounded the chamber r
oom. Arrows. Fast deadly arrows, he thought as he dropped to the floor and drew his own side arm, as all hell broke loose in the room. The hissing of needlers could be heard as well as the sharp reports of side arms of many calibers.

  Peering under his table at the closest Barony table, he saw the Lady St. August was under a pile of her own EliteGuards trying to provide some sense of security for her. Her own captain knelt as he was firing at someone to port, and some screams were coming from that vicinity. A needler knocked down a Barony Provost officer, and his thrashing was louder than Tanner expected.

  Tanner edged up enough to try to see where the arrows were coming from and was only able to see some of the Ikarians who were launching volley after volley of arrows into the dull gray Novertag uniforms that they could find.

  Less than a few seconds later, the room stopped. No more arrows, no more sidearm fire, and no more needler hissing either. All was still.

  Tanner stood and looked at his own mates first and saw that they too were alive yet still in shock as a result of the close quarters combat that had just happened. He ordered them up and into a defensive formation.

  "Take stock, XO," he said, and he went over to see how the Lady St. August had made out and was able to finally get through the EliteGuards to her side.

  "Ma’am, are you okay?"

  "Yes, Captain, I am fine ... though I wonder just what happened ... but am grateful as I'm sure we all are about the intervention of the Ikarians. I do have that right, correct, Captain?"

  Tanner nodded.

  "Yes, Ma’am, I suspect that ... yes, here's Sachem Hassun now." The head of the Ikarians walked into the Chamber room, his bow still in hand.

  He made a few hand motions and then said something that the PDA translators couldn't quite catch, as he watched them take stock of the various bodies on the floors and decking. Each of the ArmyOps men was checked on by an Ikarian, and each of them was then dragged into a sort of lineup of invader corpses. He noted something on his PDA, Tanner saw, and then again, and again. He held up a hand with his palm toward Tanner as he continued to make notes on his PDA on his wrist, and only when he was done, did he turn to Tanner.