“The admiral was makin’ backroom deals with other races during the trial, lad,” Booth explained. “The whole time Rao was orderin’ ships here and there, the admiral was sending them to the right places, coverin’ up the orders and sharing information with our allies.”
“It was your trial that gave Chang the time he needed to prepare,” Farthing said.
“Prepare for what?” Lee said, shaking his head at the complexity of the plan. “What are we prepared for?”
“A signal was sent from the station just after your stasis pod was released,” Melaina began. “The signal should have reached our relay station in the Sol system by now, and forwarded to the advance teams on Earth.”
“Earth?” Lee said, his face brightening
“It was the order to prepare, Lee,” Booth answered. “We’re goin’ home.”
“When did we send advance teams to Earth?” Lee asked, bewildered. “Is that where Henry is?”
The group looked at each other around the table. Lee’s last meeting with Henry Moore had taken place in this conference room. In the end, Henry had declined to help Lee undertake a rescue mission to save Alice Bennett and was ejected from the ship in an escape pod. The ruse had been meant to show Banu Rao how unstable Lee was and keep him from taking the Resolute for his own purposes. Lee regretted not being able to see Henry when he returned from his mission, and had heard only rumors of his friend from his cell.
“Henry led one of many teams to Earth, Lee,” Melaina replied. “We know his team survived re-entry, but the admiral has kept radio silence for several months due to increased Ch’Tauk patrols. We’ve been unable to confirm his status.”
“How did you guys do this?” Lee asked. “I thought Earth was supposed to be a fortress since the invasion. How did you get a team there?”
“Connor,” Melaina said, dropping her gaze to the table. “Connor has been flying the Red Sweeney in for the last few months, disguised as a slaver. He’s been able to get teams in all over the world without being detected.”
Lee noticed as Tuxor’s lower arm reached out and pressed itself to Melaina’s back in a comforting gesture. Melaina and Connor Jakes had become close over the years, and Lee knew they were in a deep relationship with each other. The pain of not knowing where he was must have been devastating for her. It was a pain Lee had felt for too long himself.
“Captain to the bridge!” a voice sounded over the speaker. The sound was startling in the midst of the quiet reflection. For a moment, Farthing and Lee both looked to each other, each having held the title of captain on this ship. Farthing finally chuffed a response and nodded to Lee, abdicating the title to his friend.
“This is Pearce,” Lee said, activating the comm panel embedded in the table. “What’s up?”
“Captain, there’s a new contact entering the system,” replied the voice of Josh Goldstein. “It’s one of ours, but it isn’t on the schedule for an incoming route. It’s coming straight at the station.”
“Put it on the viewer,” Lee ordered, switching the image from the station broadcast to a simulation of the outside space.
The image shifted from a filtered view of the Perigee star’s corona to a relayed video from a transponder on the far edge of the system. The ship was an Independence class battleship of the same vintage as Resolute, but the lines between the ships had been changed by a massive construction effort. Resolute now had a rounded nose that tapered back to the engine field generators on the sides. Various projections for gun ports and antennae dotted the surface of the old warhorse and gave her character. The new ship lacked the edges and battle scars of her sister. The armor had been thickened and many of the gun ports were closed altogether. The nose of the ship had a flattened hole carved in the center like a hollow tube. Lee leaned in closer to try to see the modifications, but the resolution was not clear enough for a closer examination.
“What the hell is that?” Lee whispered. “What have they done to that ship?”
“I’ve never seen that configuration on an Indy class before,” whispered Booth, clearly taken with the image. “What did they do to her bow?”
“It looks like some kind of scanner dish, but on a scale I’ve never seen before,” Farthing said, also trying to peer closer to the image.
“It’s no scanner, Captain,” Melaina said, pushing away from the projection and turning to Tuxor. “It’s a gun port.”
Lee stared at the woman in astonishment. When he turned back to the image, the ship had moved even closer to the station and now seemed to be passing very close to the transponder. He could see that many of the weapons placements were, in fact, armored over, and the shield system practically crackled with power. The revelation that the huge hole in the front might be a weapon left him momentarily speechless.
“Lass,” Booth said, breaking the silence. “There is no weapon in the entire Alliance that would need a port that size.”
“That’s because it wasn’t developed in the Alliance, Mister Booth,” Melaina said, turning back to the table. “It was developed by Erik Heyerdahl before the fall of Terra.”
The mention of the dead scientist’s name sent a chill through Lee. Heyerdahl had been the object of a search that had led them back to Tuxor’s home planet and their eventual betrayal by the human. Heyerdahl had once worked closely with Melaina and the other Confederate scientists there.
“Erik Heyerdahl is dead,” Lee said, standing faster than he had intended and scraping the chair against the deck. “We confiscated everything he was working on when we took back Karisia.”
“The Alliance took it back, Lee,” Melaina said, anger tightening the edges of her mouth. “That means Banu Rao.”
“Captain, the ship is signaling Perigee station for docking permission,” Goldstein’s voice interrupted. “They are claiming diplomatic rights and a request to evacuate the council.”
“Send a signal to the admiral,” Lee ordered. “Let them know about the—”
“Belay that, Mister Goldstein,” interrupted Farthing. “The admiral requested radio silence, Lee.”
“He couldn’t have known about the weapon, Farthing,” Lee replied. “They may try to use it on the station.”
“Rao is unstable when it comes to you, Lee, but he wouldn’t do anything to hurt that station or the humans living there,” Melaina said, stepping closer to Lee. “He thinks he will be the savior of Earth, not the destroyer of worlds.”
“How can you be so sure?” Lee said. “We’ve got to let them know and stop that ship.”
“Sir, the fleet has mobilized around that ship,” said Goldstein, still on the comm-line. “The admiral has granted permission for the council to disembark Perigee. Sir, the government has been declared in exile by the Alliance military.”
“Get me the feed from the station again, Goldstein,” Lee ordered, turning back to the table projection. “I want to see what’s going on.”
The projection switched from the view of space back to the corridor outside the government tower. Military troops had cleared a path from the doors to the mag-lev tunnel. There was a commotion as the doors slid open and the Alliance Council re-entered the population. Banu Rao stepped from the lift first with his robes held proudly. He did not look to either side as the others followed into the commons area. There were shouts and curses thrown at him as he led the government along the path to the mag-lev doors. A set of guards met them and escorted the group the rest of the way. Banu allowed the rest of the council to enter the station before he turned back to the crowd.
“You have all sealed your doom,” Rao said over the crowd. “I would have taken you all home and destroyed the enemy once and for all in the name of Terra. Now, you must look to the military to defend you. They are the same interfering fools ho lost the war to begin with. I have pity on you, but know this: I will return to you when you need me the most. I will not rest until Earth is back in the hands of the humans who belong to her.”
With that, Banu Rao, First Minister of the
Alliance, turned and stepped into the station. The door slid shut and the crowd fell silent. The man’s words hung in the air for a long moment before a tentative hand began to clap. It took only moments more for the applause to turn into cheers. The guards stepped aside as the people began to cheer for joy at the loss of the government. The sight both excited and terrified Lee.
“What is he planning?” Farthing said, breaking the silence in the wardroom. “What was that all about?”
The image changed to the airlock at the other end of the mag-lev tunnel. Rao exited the car and met an officer at the door. Lee leaned in closer and recognized Captain Loesser from infrequent gatherings a year ago. The man had always appeared arrogant and condescending for a transport captain. Farthing had told him that Loesser had been transferred to Rao’s private project. It was a project that Lee had left Perigee to keep from joining.
“Is that ship the Victory?” Lee asked.
“I think so,” Booth responded, calling up a schematic of the ship stored in the library. “My God, what have they done to her?”
Lee watched as the guards turned over custody of the ministers to Loesser. Rao stood at the airlock door until last, waiting to be the final minister to exit. When he did, Lee felt a sense of loss that he could not account for. Rao was a maniac, but once upon a time he was one of Lee’s greatest supporters. Seeing another human government fall was sad, and a pitiful commentary on what the species had not learned.
Before the airlock door closed, however, Lee was surprised to see a group of Karisiens exit the ship. Black-clad guards escorted them from the interior of the ship with rifles held high. The creatures did not appear harmed, just frightened and a little sad. Lee looked to Tuxor, who seemed to take the image in stride. The airlock closed and the lights began to cycle in the chamber. Lee saw the image begin to shudder as the ship undocked and moved away.
The feed cut out again and switched to an exterior view. Victory moved away from the station and through the asteroid field with a slow majesty. Lee had to give credit to the pilot of the ship. If an immense battleship could be said to hold its head high, this one seemed to. The fleet backed away as the ship cleared the field and made for open space. It was only a few minutes more before he saw the telltale signs of an M-space portal opening. The blue-brown swirl of energy swallowed the ship whole and closed up behind.
“Sir,” Goldstein cut in. “We’re receiving a burst transmission from Perigee. It’s the admiral.”
“That didn’t take long,” Lee said to the group. “What does he say, Josh?”
“No words, Captain,” the man replied. “Only coordinates. I think he wants us to go somewhere.”
Lee looked around the room at the group. He had known most of these people for years and trusted them with his life. Booth had already stood and was heading for the door to ready the engines. Melaina had drawn back to Tuxor and the two were conferring about the Victory. Only Farthing looked back at him. The big feline seemed troubled.
“Set a course, Mister Goldstein,” Lee said as he pressed the intercom off. “It looks like Chang is finally getting things rolling.”
“Indeed, Captain,” Farthing replied. “I suppose we should get back to the bridge.”
“That sounds about right,” Lee replied. “You look disturbed, Commander. What’s the matter?”
“I am thinking about the rioting on the station, Captain,” Farthing replied, his crest rising above his white-furred head. “I don’t understand something.”
“What’s that, my friend?” Lee asked.
“Why didn’t they riot when I died?”
6
Vadne System
The fiery corona bled away from the battleship Resolute as she left the M-space vortex and re-entered reality. Lee stared at the projection from his command chair showing the vortex closing behind them. He had once been fascinated by the blue-brown void that separated the regular dimension from others, but had grown tired of the monotony of travel. He longed for the stability of a home and a life away from the stars and battle.
Switching his own projection back to the forward scan, Lee saw the beautiful blue world of Vadne. The world was temperate like Earth except for an equatorial band of desert that made a belt around the middle of the world. Vadne orbited in a stable, near-oval around its main sequence yellow star slightly closer than Earth to Sol. The planet stayed warm and tropical most of the year, with only a slight orbital wobble providing seasons to the feline population.
Lee could see dozens of sleek Vadne warships orbiting the world, highlighted bright green on his projection. The main viewer was calculating tactical and defensive course changes even as the communications system chirped an incoming signal. There was a pause as Farthing tapped the keys on his panel and brought up an image of the Brindle Vadne from his trial.
Lee addressed the image: “Ambassador.” He was surprised to see the felinoid who had remained so silent during his trial. “We mean no disrespect to you or your world. We are here under orders of Admiral Chang of the Alliance Fleet Command.”
Lee stared at the unreadable face of the felinoid. There was a twitch at the corners of the alien’s mouth as the emissary stared back. Most of the Vadne language relied on scent and subtle body twitches and spasms. Lee wondered what the passivity of the other man said about his intentions.
“Resolute,” said the surprisingly mellow voice of the ambassador. “You are ordered to remain at station until the arrival of his representative. You will stand down and prepare to be boarded.”
Lee glanced over to Goldstein, who had already begun tapping keys into his panel for an escape route. His co-pilot, Stowe, looked closely at her board, noticing the movement of several more of the bullet-shaped Vadne ships closing on their position. Lee looked to the octopod manning tactical. The creature was tapping several keys at once, activating the shield systems and alerting the fire crews for possible action. He had missed the teamwork of the crew and how efficiently they all worked when danger was near.
“Ambassador, I would like to repeat,” Lee said, signaling the other ship again. “We are here under orders of Admiral Ronald Chang of the Alliance—”
“Your Alliance no longer exists, Captain,” replied the felinoid. “But then neither do you if I am not mistaken.”
Lee could feel the heat in his cheeks as the knowledge of his recent death was returned to him. There was a chuffing sound from his right as Farthing gained Lee’s attention. The felinoid was motioning to Lee to cut the signal.
“Mister Ambassador,” Lee said, waving to the image projection with open hands. “If you will pardon the interruption, my communications officer has asked to confer on this matter. I would not wish to offend you by saying the wrong thing.”
“Of course, Captain,” the felinoid replied. “Please extend my welcome to Mister Farthing.”
The line was cut and Lee turned to his first officer. Farthing’s crest was up and it made him look ominous on the cramped bridge. The man was clearly agitated by the situation and needed to regain his composure. He was making a soft chuffing sound that Lee recognized as the Vadne equivalent of a heavy sigh.
“Captain, you have to be prepared,” Farthing said. “He just mentioned the Alliance is no longer valid here. If he thinks you are a threat to him or his world, he will destroy this ship without warning. I am also reading a strange signal interrupt from that command ship. They are blocking our outgoing signals and containing signal excess. At this moment, the only people who can hear us are on that ship.”
“Wait a minute,” Lee replied, standing and walking to the edge of the command well. “We received an open invitation from your leader two years ago. I earned his respect and thanks back then. Even if the Alliance is … whatever it is, he should still honor that commitment to me and this ship.”
“Did you hear him mention your death, Captain?” Farthing said, looking down his muzzle at his captain. “The kind of thanks you earned was like a life debt to him. When you died, that res
pect was lost. We are truly on our own, now.”
“I see,” Lee replied, returning to his chair and slumping back into the cushion. “It might have been nice of you to mention that before we arrived, you know.”
“I was busy, sir.”
“Sir,” the synthesized voice of the octopod tactical officer hissed across the bridge. “Vadne ships have cut off our escape routes. We have no alternative to fighting.”
“There is always an alternative,” Lee muttered. “Farthing, connect us back to that ship, please.”
“Aye, sir.”
The projection snapped back to an empty seat. Lee could see a series of felinoid creatures in the background sliding displays across a master systems screen. He waited for a moment, wondering what had called the ambassador away.
“Captain,” Goldstein alerted. “I show an incoming ship just beyond the Vadne perimeter. M-space exit opening at 179 mark two-one.”
“Switch the display,” Lee ordered. “I want to see what we’ve got.”
Lee had been in a number of engagements where the addition of a single ship, usually his, had changed the tide of a battle dramatically. He hoped that whatever came through the blue-brown vortex was on his side. He watched as a shape, roughly the same size as Resolute, erupted from the swirl. As the blazing energy corona bled off into space, the familiar lines of the cruise ship Terran Hope came into view. It was a mixed blessing, Lee knew. The ship was not meant for battle and could barely defend itself in an engagement against the Vadne ships, but the addition of Alfredo Ortiz might be able to calm the felinoid nerves.
“Captain!” the ambassador shouted across the comm. “We were not informed of any further arrivals. Who is this?”
“Ambassador,” Lee said, leaning forward in apprehension. “This ship is no threat. Stand down. It is a transport vessel.”
“It is an unauthorized entry into the port of Vadne, and as such is subject to military jurisdiction,” the ambassador replied. “If you will excuse me, Captain Pearce.”
Resolute Victory (The War for Terra) Page 5
