by Rick Lakin
“Very well. Good job, Maiara,” Jennifer said. “Ani, tactical report.”
“We lost signal on the STALT Two. Camdex is StarDrive capable but limited to point-four light-speed in the gravity well. The STALT disabled the port side sensor array, port meteor cannon, and port side close-in plasma on Camdex.”
“Very well. Tayla, release STALT Three and track it around the port side until it's on the Camdex’s left flank at very close range. We'll turn to attack Camdex on their starboard. They will release their drone fighters when we turn. Any questions?”
“Officer of the Deck, there's a soft spot near the keel on the port side. If your STALT attacks that location, it will disable their main reactor,” Anthen said.
“Tayla, use the information from Anthen and program the STALT to uncloak and attack when Camdex turns to meet us,” Jennifer said.
Jack entered Sick Bay. The two doctors now had David hooked up to tubes. They were about to insert a tube into his lungs. “David,” Jack said.
“Dad, I should have ducked.”
“I’m proud of you, Son.”
“We need to put him under for surgery,” Dr. Goldstein said.
“How bad is it?”
“His liver, pancreas, and left lung are destroyed. His heart is severely damaged. We are doing all we can.”
“Will you do the surgery?”
“I'll assist Dr. Ami. She's extremely competent in this operating theater.”
“I'll be right here.”
As he watched the two doctors perform, he noticed the actions of Dr. Ami got faster and faster. Foreboding medical alarms sounded continuously. The efforts of the Artificial Medical Intelligence became almost a blur as Dr. Goldstein simply watched and assisted where he could.
Twenty-Two
The Return of StarCruiser Brilliant
“Officer of the Deck, we are five minutes to exit from the gravity well. Camdex is now one-hundred-thousand kilometers behind us. We are in range of her close-in weapons,” Ani reported.
“STALT Three is in position on her port side,” Tayla reported.
“Ops, release STALT Four to attack forward weapons at the turn.”
“STALT Four ready,” Tayla said.
“Pilot, turn to intercept the Camdex. Owwie, configure this chair for the Dorsal Plasma array. Assign Port array to the Science Station and Starboard array to Ops,” Jennifer ordered. “Good shooting, everyone. Riley, turn to intercept.”
“STALT Four is away.”
“Sensor Alert. Camdex has released two fighter drones designated Fighter One and Fighter Two.”
“Tayla, you have Fighter One, Anthen, you have Fighter Two. Riley, take me in for a shot on the starboard Meteor Cannon.”
“Sensor alert. Three rock salvo incoming.”
“Pilot, evade right.”
Jennifer blasted the first meteor into sand. She broke the second rock into several large pieces.
The display flashed when the small pieces struck the shields. “Damage report, Ani.”
“We lost the port electronics pod. We won’t be able to cloak or camouflage,” Ani reported.
“Very well, Ani.”
The third meteor was fast approaching Brilliant’s broadside. Faster than she could see, Anthen shifted focus and destroyed the meteor. “Good Shot.”
Riley piloted the Brilliant close aboard on the Camdex’s starboard side, Jennifer didn't waste the opportunity and got a bullseye on the starboard cannon.
“Good shooting, Jen,” Tayla said. “Dazzling Fighter One.”
Ani reported, “Fighter One is blind.” Tayla fired five plasma shots at the fighter and sent it to drone heaven.
“Excellent, Tay,” Jennifer said. “Pilot, pursue Fighter Two.”
“Fighter Two, Aye,” Riley said.
Anthen said, “I know the pilot controlling this fighter. He's going to jink right and then roll back toward us. Riley, when he jinks, I want you to pitch down and roll right.”
“Aye, Sir.”
“There's the jink.” Immediately, the starfield on the display began moving upward and twisting counter-clockwise. On tactical, Fighter Two jinked back to the left and began his tight roll backward. “Got him!”
Jennifer saw a single plasma shot that struck the fighter head on, and it exploded at close range on the screen.
“Way to go, Dad,” Jennifer.
On display at that moment, the Camdex shook, and its lights flashed out.
“Pilot, turn to target Camdex’s bridge.”
“Ani, report?” Jennifer asked.
“STALT Three took out the main reactor. STALT Four disabled port weapons. The Camdex is dead in space.”
“Tayla open comms and then recover STALT Three and Four.”
The bearded Predex of the Camdex appeared on screen and looked surprised. “Daughter of Kalim, we meet a third time. My compliments. You are a worthy adversary.”
“Predex Komdor, I'm targeting your bridge with all of my shipboard weapons. We can keep shooting at each other, or you can wait for the Mendex to catch up and return you and your crew to your home. Your choice.”
“I accept your terms, Brilliant. Will you treat my granddaughter well?”
“Kalinda is my half-sister, Predex. Along with our father, we'll treat her like our family and raise her as well as her mother and father have so far.”
“I trust you as one warrior to another, and I'll keep her in my memories.”
“Maybe one day, we can meet as one friend to another, and you may make new memories with your granddaughter.”
“Maybe it is time for that, Young Captain. Until then, Daughter of Kalim.”
“Until then, Predex Komdor,” Jennifer said. “Screen off."
“STALT Three and Four are aboard,” Tayla reported.
“Very well, Ops. Ani, lay in a course for Earth, maximum speed and engage StarDrive when we are clear of the gravity well.”
“Two minutes to gravity well clearance. Fifteen hours to Earth.”
“Very well, Ani.”
“Good job, Brilliant,” Jennifer said. “Let’s hope we get everyone home safely.”
Anthen spoke up, “Jennifer, I'm confused. You called me Dad and why does Kalea think I'm your father?
Jennifer turned, “I'm guessing that he sees the resemblance. Sheila Gallagher is my mother. She was pregnant with me when you got kidnapped.”
“And Dr. Allen?”
“He's my step-father.”
“Jennifer, your mother has given me a daughter that I'm most proud of.”
“And you brought me a wonderful sister. Welcome home, Dad.”
Tayla observed another life-changing moment that her best friend went through with a straight face. “Definitely father-daughter.”
Allen came up to Jack, “We have done all that we can on board the Brilliant, but he needs regenerated organs as soon as possible.”
“How long?” Jack asked.
“If it takes more than fifteen hours, he will start suffering irreversible decay of his brain function.”
“I understand, Doctor.”
“Can we communicate with Hollywood Methodist? That's Dr. Ami’s hospital, and they have organ regeneration capability.”
“Of course, whenever you need.”
“I'll be up in a few minutes. We'll need to send a large data file.”
“We communicate through a repeater at Tovar,” Jack said. “Thank Dr. Ami for me. I have never seen anyone perform as fast as she did to save David.”
“Captain, I can assure you that no one ever has.”
“I need to go up and see if your step-daughter has kept the Brilliant in one piece.”
Three steps and a bounce later, Jack was on the Bridge.
It was almost midnight, at the end of a long Friday. The bridge crew had worked eleven hours straight.
“Brilliant has now transitioned to StarDrive at maximum speed.”
“Very well, Ani.”
Jack came up to the Bri
dge and looked around to see relaxed watch standers.
“Jennifer, report. Did I miss anything?”
“Captain on the Bridge,” Jennifer said as she and Tayla shifted to their normal seats. “Sir, the Camdex is in orbit around Proxima Centauri. She's disabled and waiting for the Mendex to rescue her. Brilliant is at maximum speed to Earth with arrival at 1500 local time. We suffered damage to port electronics and won't be able to camouflage on our descent to Earth. STALT Three and Four are recovered and replenished, Sir.”
As he listened, the Captain became more astonished. “Anthen?”
“Buddy, my daughter led this crew with great competence and distinction. She fought the ship better than we ever did.”
“My compliments, then, to the First Officer of the Brilliant.”
“Captain?” Jennifer turned with a look of surprise.
“Yes, Number One?”
“Well, Girlfriend, I believe you just got promoted,” Tayla said.
Allen came up to the Bridge just in time to share the moment. “Allen, your step-daughter done good,” Jack said.
“That’s all Sheila’s fault, but I'll tell her how proud I am,” Allen said. “Can we get a line to Hollywood Methodist Trauma Center?”
“Tayla, contact the repeater and get us a landline,” Jack ordered.
“Dad, how is David?”
“We’ve done all we could, Jen. It’s up to Brilliant now to get us to the helipad at the hospital as fast as we can.”
“The line's open,” Tayla said.
“Hollywood Trauma, this is Dr. Vinod Prashad.”
“This is Dr. Allan Goldstein from UVN.”
“I'm honored to speak with you, Doctor. I recognize your voice and picture from a conference. How may I help?”
“I'm on the StarCruiser Brilliant. We are en route to your helipad and will arrive at approximately three p.m. I have a previously healthy nineteen-year-old male in critical condition, with severe thoracic injuries due to a weapon discharge. We need an immediate transplant of regenerated heart, left lung, and liver.”
“Did you say StarCruiser Brilliant, Dr. Ami’s ship from the movie?”
“Doctor, you need to suspend your disbelief so we can save this patient. I'm transmitting a file with his complete DNA and Patient History.”
“I'll call in the Regen team immediately. We'll have a full trauma team and operating room at your disposal when you arrive. Will you be performing the surgery? We need to assign you admitting privileges.”
“Dr. Ami will be the admitting surgeon.”
“I know Dr. Ami and she's an exceptional non-surgical resident. She has never performed OR surgery here at Hollywood Methodist.”
“Dr. Prashad, I observed and I certify that Dr. Ami is the most competent surgeon with whom I have ever worked."
“I received the data file. We'll begin preparing now. Have a safe journey. I look forward to meeting you upon your arrival.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” The connection ended. “Jack, you owe him a sight-seeing ride.”
“Allen, I'm going to owe many doctors and nurses quite a bit when David walks out of that hospital.”
Just then, Kalinda came to the bridge. “Hi, Father. Hi, Sister. Captain, Maiara has been teaching me how to cook. There's a meal ready for the crew in the Galley.”
“Very well, young lady. I love mid-rats. Set condition three for underway watch standing. Number One, relieve me to get food and then I'll take the watch with Ani until morning, and you will return at 0800.”
“Aye, Captain,” Jennifer said. “Dad, is there room in Sick Bay for one more. Riley has a broken leg, and the painkillers are wearing off.”
“Of course, Jennifer. Tayla, can you help Riley get to sick bay?” Tayla got up, gave Riley a hug and a kiss, and then helped him down the ladder.
“Captain, I have the ship. I'll see you in a bit,” Jennifer said.
“You saved the ship again.” Jennifer beamed with the Captain’s compliment.
The Brilliant was one hour from Earth. The faces of each member of the bridge crew were grim. David’s health was declining. Every minute would count in getting him to Hollywood Methodist to receive the transplant organs. Navvy sat next to Anthen at the Science Station. Riley wore a walking cast at the Engineer Station. Tayla handled communications from the Operations console. To her left, Jennifer prepared for a very steep re-entry. Jack sat in the captain's chair, wishing he could move Brilliant faster toward the hospital that might save his son’s life. Jennifer’s half-sister Kalinda was below with First Lieutenant Maiara, or “Auntie” Maiara as Kalinda now called her. Dr. Ami and Dr. Allen were watching closely over David who was in extremely critical condition.
“StarDrive is disengaged. Brilliant is decelerating to sub-light,” Jennifer said. “We'll pass the Moon at point-one light-speed in forty minutes.”
“Very well, Pilot. Navvy, it looks like we are going to reveal a big secret after forty years.”
“On a better day, I'd look at this as a publicity gold mine for the next movie.”
“On a better day. Pilot, what's our track?”
“Sir, we'll come in from the northeast over the Wasatch Range and bleed speed to subsonic over Barstow. We'll be on the helipad at 2:47 p.m. We are going to rattle some windows on the Las Vegas strip,” Jennifer said.
“Very well, Pilot. Ops, you need to phone this one in.”
“Yes, Sir. Request classified channel to SoCal Tracon,” Tayla said.
“SoCal Tracon classified.”
“Tracon, this is Brilliant. We are carrying an extremely critical patient to the helipad at Hollywood Methodist. We are unable to camouflage. We'll go subsonic over Barstow at 1440 and will arrive at 1447. Advise Las Vegas Traffic that we'll be rattling windows on the strip. Request clearance for our track and a one-mile radius around HMH.”
“Brilliant, be advised that five news helicopters are circling the hospital. You have clearance to Hollywood. Airspace is clear from Barstow direct to Hollywood.”
“StarCruiser Brilliant,” Tayla acknowledged.
Hollywood Methodist Hospital
The reporter heard the break-in and the toss in his ear. “We have Breaking News in Hollywood. I'm Lorena Nancarrow, KLAX NewsFive. You are seeing live pictures of the helicopter landing pad above Hollywood Methodist Hospital from NewsChopperFive. We received information from two sources at Hollywood Methodist that an unidentified aircraft will arrive on the helipad to deliver an extremely critical patient, said to be an unidentified nineteen-year-old male with gunshot wounds. We now take you live to Bernard Gonzalez in front of Hollywood Methodist Hospital.”
“Thank you, Lorena. I'm standing in front of Hollywood Methodist Hospital at Vermont and Fountain. At one-fifteen, KLAX received reports from an anonymous source that an unidentified aircraft was set to arrive above us at three p.m. We have been unable to confirm that the aircraft originated from Tovar Studios. I can tell you that in the last thirty minutes, four-time best actor award winner Ellie Masing arrived here accompanied by Hanna Kelrithian, wife of the Chairman of Tovar Studios. You might remember that Ellie Masing started her acting career in the second StarCruiser Brilliant movie and is married to Jack Masing, the long-time star of the StarCruiser Brilliant series,” Bernard said and then paused listening to his earpiece. “Now, back to Lorena in our studios.”
“Thank you, Bernard, we just received reports of a major earthquake in Las Vegas. We haven't been able to confirm this with the United States Geological Survey.… Wait… Yes? I have just been told that the event in Las Vegas involved multiple sonic booms. We have a viewer calling in from Las Vegas. You have a report, Sir?”
“Yes, I was at Cape Canaveral in 2011, as a ten-year-old, to witness the final landing of the space shuttle. The sonic booms today sounded very much like that,” the caller said.
“Thank you, Sir. To update, we have a confirmed report that an unidentified aircraft will land in Hollywood in just a few minutes. We cannot confirm at
this time any connection with the Sonic Booms over Las Vegas. You are watching live pictures from NewsChopperFive. Now, back to Bernard Gonzalez…” the anchor said.
“Captain, we are subsonic at sixty-thousand feet. Six minutes to our landing point,” Jennifer said. “Airspace is clear ahead of us. There are five rotor-wing craft and over a dozen newsdrones circling Hollywood Methodist.”
“Looks like we are going to make a Hollywood entrance,” Navvy said.
“Two minutes, I have the helipad on tactical,” Jennifer said. “Indicates a clear approach. We are at twenty-thousand, descending at eight-thousand per minute.”
“Very well, Pilot.”
“This is Bernard Gonzalez. Our crew has moved to the helipad above Hollywood Methodist. The hospital’s trauma team is standing near me ready to receive an unidentified patient. All eyes up here are focused Northeast where we received reports of sonic booms over Las Vegas, originating from a spacecraft re-entering the atmosphere. Just a moment…Doctor, can you tell us the name of the patient being brought in?”
“We cannot identify patients without their consent.”
“Doctor, can you identify the aircraft that's bringing the patient in?” Bernard asked.
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
“Can you tell us your name?”
“I'm Dr. Vinod Prashad, head of the Hollywood Methodist trauma team.”
“Again, we have very little information concerning what's about to happen here at Hollywood Methodist, but I can report that Ellie Masing and Hanna Kelrithian are now on the apron of the helipad. Lorena?”
“Thank you, Bernard. Our NewsChopper Pilot has just informed us that Air Traffic Control has asked all of the news helicopters to move one mile from the helipad. Bernard?”
“I have the helipad on visual. Wow, it’s crowded down there.”
“Very well, Pilot. Ani, can you magnify the pad on the left screen?”
The screen now showed the helipad in detail. “There are Ellie and Hanna off to the side. Engineer, drop the ramp as soon as we touchdown.”
