by Chris Burton
Koenig laughed. “Admiral Shenke’s task force is on stand-by to attend the Tri-Star region if required. I am not completely against the possibility that there may be something in this. Alpha has learned from mistakes made in the past. I understand the Sect infiltrated ECG, but at a much higher level than we thought.”
Koenig’s attempt at humor had taken the edge of what was a challenging conversation. Roslyn acknowledged the humor and continued it. “They have infiltrated Alpha, too. Where will it all end?”
“We will soon find out, Mr. President.”
With that, the two leaders said their goodbyes and the comm link closed. The conversation was heated, but had ended on a better note. Koenig then reopened the briefing document and began to read. Once again he was interrupted by a comm link. This time it was Admiral Clarke.
“Just wanted to advise you that the Odysseus Project time lines have been agreed. The two Nexus vessels are en route to Alpha six. Have you spoken to President Roslyn about the third party funding?”
“Yes, I have just spoken to him, although he was pre-occupied as you might expect. I will emphasize to Mr. Rose when I next speak to him that it is important that we ram home the advantage and get this battle finished. I want Admiral Shenke’s mini-fleet available to potentially support the Nexus ships… Just adopting a belts-and-braces approach.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The Return to Titan
Obtaining clearance for a personal exit from Earth was always complicated, particularly in war time. Carla had confirmed a clearance for their trip to Titan three days earlier, scheduled for 16.30 hours. It was 17.15 and, as yet, no confirmation had come through.
“Vector 373D, your active clearance is denied. Alpha traffic has priority.”
“So how long before we can get clearance?”
“You are moving up the list, could be four or five hours, maybe longer.”
Carla turned to Jake. “This is ridiculous. I know they’re busy, but space way 6 is not exactly a key Alpha run. They could let us through surely.”
“Yes, but they will be re-routing non-priority traffic off the main Alpha trunk routes. There is nothing we can do about it. This is not exactly the first time we have had trouble getting off-world.”
“Don’t you still have priority clearance from Admiral Black?”
“I doubt it…maybe. I don’t suppose Joanne cancelled it with her father. The route is confirmed in your name. We could request a change of pilot. Do you want to try?”
Carla nodded and reopened the paused comm link. “Alpha control, this is Vector 373-D. If we were to change pilot to a priority level pilot, would that make a difference to our departure?”
“Yes, in theory, but you can’t just change your pilot. You will have to cancel the old one and request a new priority clearance in the pilot’s name. Do you wish to proceed?”
“We need to confirm whether the priority clearance is applicable first. Can you check an id for me?”
“Negative. We need to take the application first.”
Carla turned to Jake who was listening in. “Is it worth the risk? If we lose our slot and have to reapply for an exit, it could be tomorrow before we get underway.”
“I say we gamble,” said Jake.
“Okay, Alpha Control, this is Vector 373D. Yes we wish to cancel our exit and apply for a new one. “
“You need to contact Alpha one exit clearance and they will arrange cancellation. Then back to the Service desk, zone three, to apply for priority clearance.”
What a fool, thought Carla. She thanked the operator and immediately opened a new comm link to cancel the exit. Jake took over and contacted the service desk. He requested priority clearance and was put on hold for thirty seconds, before he received confirmation that priority clearance was granted. Vector 373D had immediate clearance for takeoff and exit.
* * * *
The Academic term ended, and one-third of Jake’s final year in the academy passed. The Christmas holiday arrived and it was time to take a break from the rigors of studying, until the next Top Gun event.
The space yacht launched at 17.40. Jake expertly lifted the yacht into the stratosphere and onto the space link. It was exceptionally busy with all manner of personal, commercial and off-world craft, but the priority lane allowed Jake to clear the logjam and move onto the space way within fifteen minutes of take-off.
The space yacht was a Challenger 600. The loaned ship belonged to Carla’s parents. When her father realized they planned to travel to Titan via passenger ‘ferry’, he delivered the yacht personally to her this morning, fuelled, serviced and ready to go. He added the caveat that this was his ‘baby’ and he expected it back in the same condition as he left it. It was not a particularly modern ship, but in mint condition. Over the years, Carla’s father had added to the standard specification in many ways. She had armor-plated shields, a state-of-the-art NAVCOM, and upgraded phase cannons. She was recently refurbished and, in the process, upgraded with a Red Dragon Stellar drive converter. This meant she had theoretical SD3 capability.
Jake enjoyed himself. The ship was a space way cruiser designed for maximum comfort for long space voyages. She was surprisingly agile, despite her sixty ton bulk. The trip to Titan would take five hours.
Jake and Carla agreed to share the piloting. He didn’t want to let go yet; he was having fun.
He felt guilty about exploiting his position with Admiral Black to gain a priority exit clearance. The Admiral gave Joanne and her boyfriend the ‘perk’ because she frequently visited her parents off-world. Neither Joanne nor the Admiral terminated Jake’s special clearance. It could not have been an oversight, as the facility must be actively renewed on an annual basis. It felt wrong to use the facility in another girl’s parents’ craft. He reminded himself that Joanne and Carla were good friends. Jake spent a few minutes more reflecting on the loss of Joanne and how he felt about it. He was still upset but time was healing the grief. Carla interrupted his thoughts, keen to take control of her parents’ yacht. Jake handed over control and left the cockpit in search of a quiet corner for a rest and a period of further reflection.
Jake awoke with a start. It was 8.30 p.m. and Carla piloted the craft for over two hours. He stood and left the accommodation bay, pausing briefly to stare at himself in a mirror. As he entered the cockpit, Carla had just taken the stellar drive offline and booted up the auxiliary drive.
“What’s up?”
“Clearance issues at Titan. Our new flight and landing schedules aren’t processed yet. They asked us to stand down while they process. We are ahead of schedule though, so we should still get in around 22.00 hours.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You were sleeping like a baby. You can take over in a few minutes and I’ll get some supper.”
“How domesticated.”
Jake brought the yacht in low at half stall speed, using the thrusters to seek out the landing strip. It was dark. The yellow lights of the space port and the pale green phased landing strips of the yacht contrasted, giving the planetoid surface a luminescent glow as he brought the ship into land. They landed at 9.55 p.m. and Jake taxied the craft into the rented port docking facility. They cleared security and customs before heading straight for the modular transport system.
They reached the AUSWAS facility at 12.45 a.m. and were pleased to find Joely had arranged accommodation as promised. They were in their rented studio apartment ten minutes later.
The apartment had two bedrooms, a kitchen diner and a bathroom, with south-facing windows looking out over the mountainous landscape and several of the brightest moons of Saturn. From here, even at twilight, you could pick out the Saturn Rings with some clarity. The view really was something to behold.
Carla poured two glasses of chilled wine and they sat down on the couch to stare out at the fantastic spectacle. This was surely one of the most romantic viewpoints in the galaxy.
The two friends exchanged a brief conversatio
n about the flight, about Saturn and about Joely, before Carla lent forward and removed the glass from Jake’s hand.
“Don’t you think it’s strange that we have known each other for so long and yet we have never shared an intimate experience like this?”
Jake was intoxicated. Carla was a friend. He knew the dangers of putting their relationship on a higher pedestal and yet he could not resist. Slowly they embraced. Jake could no longer resist and Carla was his.
Carla was already awake, when Jake opened his eyes. The two lay intertwined on the bed following a night of near endless passion.
“Hi, how are you today?” Carla’s Australian drawl was exaggerated all the more as they lay together on the substantial bed.
“Pretty good. Not sure what we should do.”
“We can make love again, if you want.”
* * * *
Carla and Jake were due to meet Joely at in the reading room. They rose, showered, dressed and took breakfast two hours before. Carla wore a skin-hugging Lycra® body suit, which was perfect for the atmospheric conditions. She looks fantastic as usual, Jake thought. Oh God, how things changed. Their feelings for each other had finally come out and what would happen?
Jake didn’t have time to reflect further, as Carla’s older sister entered the reading room. A little older than Carla, she was attractive and also wore a Lycra® suit. There was no mistaking the family resemblance.
The two sisters embraced and Carla introduced her sister to Jake. Joely led them through the reading room French doors and out into a courtyard. They climbed steps and entered a large wooden clad room. Professor Winterburn stood by the window looking out. He wore the same Betanica Sect robes as when Carla first saw him.
Jake felt suddenly uneasy. Clearly this man had a hold over Joely and entranced Carla.
“As you can see, we have moved from our temporary warehouse to the AUSWAS facility. I trust your accommodation is comfortable?”
Winterburn stared directly at Carla, when he spoke, ignoring Jake. Carla introduced Jake. Winterburn brushed him aside as he moved from the window to a desktop holographic display on the other side of the room.
“Alpha is in the process of delivering their star ships to the Tri-Star system with a view to penetrating the wormholes simultaneously.” Winterburn illustrated the movement of the Alpha vessels on the hologram.
“This will result in a blue wormhole, which will create a gateway for the Kryl. They will come through the gate, bringing with them a destructive force never seen before in this galaxy. They will systematically take apart civilization in this galaxy and the next. Their powers are beyond comprehension and their sole intent is mass destruction. The demons of Kryl are coming. Unless we stop Alpha from opening the wormholes they will soon be upon us.”
Jake decided he had enough of this. “What evidence do you have that the Kryl even exist or that a blue wormhole will form a gateway?”
Winterburn again ignored him and moved on. “The Collective tried reasoning with Alpha, Earth’s Central Government and the APF, but to no avail. The Sentinels, the guardians of the Tri-Star Region, are forced under the guidance of the Sect to destroy Alpha’s military capability. I am fearful Alpha is too strong for the Sentinels and the Collective will have no choice but to act.”
Jake was not be ignored. “What can the Collective do? You are a political body.”
Again, Winterburn ignored Jake. He addressed Carla and stared directly into her eyes. Carla was completely absorbed. Jake decided enough was enough.
“I have had enough of this. Come on Carla we are going.” Jake looked to storm out, but Carla just stood there staring into Winterburn’s eyes, transfixed.
Finally Winterburn spoke to Jake. “Mr. Carter, your presence is a distraction to this discussion. You are welcome to leave, but I can assure you Carla is highly unlikely to follow. She has an understanding of the issues and wants to help.”
“I am not going anywhere without Carla.”
“Very well, then you will listen quietly and say nothing.”
This time Jake found Winterburn’s eyes staring at him. The eyes were opaque and yet they carried such depth. He realized the eyes were not human. He found himself spellbound briefly, but resisted and pulled his eyes away to concentrate on Carla.
Winterburn preached to a seemingly converted audience. He had complete silence and his rhetoric was concise, almost fanatical in its delivery. He continued for a few minutes, expounding the power of the Kryl and the inevitability of destruction unless opening of the blue wormhole was prevented.
Then suddenly it was over. The spell ended. Jake found himself released and of his own free will and yet he still found himself unable to speak.
“I must leave, but will leave you in the capable hands of Joely and the other members of the Collective. They will continue your instruction, Carla. I feel sure you are ready to join us. Joely, escort Mr. Carter from the AUSWAS premises.”
“Mr. Carter, you are free to leave. You are not a believer and your place is with your own family.”
“No. I am not leaving without Carla.” Jake suddenly found his voice.
Carla looked at Jake and said, “Really, Jake. It’s okay. I need to spend a little more time here. Go get some fresh air, perhaps visit New Portsmouth. I will call you when I am ready to leave.”
“Don’t be taken in by him, Carla. This is not real. The Kryl don’t exist and this is all religious claptrap.”
Winterburn smiled. “I can assure you they are very real. It is time for you to leave…Joely.”
Three pairs of hands grabbed him from behind. Jake had not realized others were in the room. He turned around and saw twenty or more people stood there, believers, and all staring at him. Was it too late for Carla?
* * * *
Jake woke up. He was asleep on the bed within the studio apartment in the AUSWAS facility. They decided he could stay within the complex, but how did he get here? Perhaps his usefulness was not yet over. It was dark, and there was no sign of Carla. Jake opened a comm link to her, but there was no answer. What could he do? Should he try to find her or wait?
Jake pondered his next move for a few minutes, then suddenly felt hungry and he got up and headed for the kitchen. He found the kitchen supplied with plenty of food. He prepared himself an omelet and a glass of milk. The ingredients were unusual, not of Earth origin, but the meal looked appetizing enough so he filled up.
Carla arrived at the studio apartment thirty minutes later. She looked tired but back to her normal self. “Thank you for coming with me, Jake. We are done here and can return to Earth tomorrow.”
“What the hell does that mean? What have you been doing? The last thing I remember before I woke up on the bed was being grabbed by some of Winterburn’s cronies.”
“You passed out and they took you to the apartment. You were not harmed. Winterburn has that effect on some people.”
“Doesn’t that ring alarm bells in your head?”
“No, I know he is not human, if that’s what you mean. I don’t know what his origins are, only that Earth is his adopted planet and that he is aware that he has certain powers.”
“So what did you discuss in my absence?”
“We talked about the wormholes, the Kryl and Alpha. I spent some time with Joely.”
“So how did Winterburn leave it with you? He said you were ready to join them.”
“I am…well, I am interested to see what this is all about. Not now, I have my graduation to complete.”
“Then a posting.”
“Maybe, we will see.”
“So we spend just one day with them. I thought we were planning to stay two or three?”
“We were, but Joely and Winterburn are flying out to the Tri-Star region. There is no point in staying any longer unless you want to do some sights.”
Jake said ‘no’ to sightseeing. Titan was interesting to the extent that it was an environmental miracle, but there was little to offer in terms of history,
ancient architecture or even its physical wonders. He was keen to get back to Earth. He didn’t know where he stood with Carla, and the Academy suggested a shorter absence from study would be best.
“Okay, so we go home tomorrow. What shall we do?”
“I am tired. How about you join me for a shower and then we start again where we left off this morning?”
Jake was surprised but happy to accept. The conversation about what would happen between them when they got back could wait until tomorrow.
* * * *
Jake woke first. He yawned, stretched and moved Carla’s arm from his chest, carefully to not wake her and got up. He needed time to clear his head. He spent another wonderful night with Carla. She was fantastic but it felt wrong.
He was unhappy about what happened to him yesterday. The fainting theory didn’t ring true. He also worried about Carla. She was hiding something. To what extent has she been taken in by the Collective?
Jake sat out on the balcony and tried to address his questions. He rationalized he had nothing to hide, and that the likelihood was that he had fainted. Surely not because of Winterburn and, if so, why had Carla not also fainted? He tried to analyze the position further but gave up. He was none the wiser.. He found himself, not for the first time, staring at the moons and rings of Titans ‘mother’ planet.
Carla joined him on the balcony. She was wearing a white towel robe and looked amazing as ever.
“Hi Jakey. How are you feeling today?”
“I am feeling good. What about you?”
“I am ready to go home…but not yet. Do you want to come back to bed?”
* * * *
Three hours later, the space yacht lifted off from Titan’s surface. Jake once again requested priority clearance and the vessel was swiftly underway. He took command for takeoff and the first hour, while Carla busied herself in the kitchen area. She made a salad from ingredients she picked up at a Titan market on route to the modular transport connection. The produce was Titan in origin, but closely resembled the Earth equivalent and was tasty.
