“Captain. The Nacuru’s sensors were recalibrated to omit data signatures of subspace singularities like the ones used in the VEGA and hyperdrive.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Let’s get the crew in here.”
A short while later the captain assembled his command crew in the ships conference room. This room, bellow the bridge, was the only room other than the avatar room with projectors capable of reproducing the avatar. In this room she could interact as a member of the crew.
They were all sitting around an oval table the captain on one end, Akema on the other and the other members between them on both sides. Brice, Chaz, Galloway, Lokae, Sotaki, and Deas were all present.
“We have uncovered some disturbing news.”
He related their discoveries from the Nacuru’s data with them.
“What does that mean?” Daxton asked. “And why would someone make us invisible to the stations sensors?”
“What it means is this attack was planned to lure us in. Planned by someone on the inside,” the captain said.
“Changing the command code of an SI unit remotely could only come from high up the chain of Union command,” Hirusho interjected.
“Unfortunately that is the case, we are being played. Why I don’t know, nothing makes sense.”
“Sounds like someone is moonlighting as a bad guy,” Dax said sarcastically. “Probably the president. Those politicians are shady folk.”
“President Maedar would not have access to alter command code Mr. Deas,” Sotaki said.
“No but Jennings might,” Dax retorted. “And only he and the president know we are out here right?”
“Regardless of who is behind it we find ourselves in a situation that can go sideways quick. I want everyone on their toes. Any sign of the Telarian ship Mr. Lokae?” the captain asked.
“None Captain. I did an analysis of the weapons fire on the Nacuru. Most of it was high velocity precision rounds meant to destroy the key systems or sever power to them. That takes highly advanced and delicate sensors. Some of it was ion cannon fire meant to disrupt critical systems. If it was the same ship that attacked the Voltari it did not use the disruptor weapon you encountered. I would imagine they did not want to destroy the station. Which begs another question, what did they come here for?”
“That is a very good question. Maybe they came for a researcher or a prototype. All of the information on the crew and research were corrupted and irretrievable. We have no way of knowing who or what would be missing if anyone or anything.”
***
One twenty-one, one twenty-one. The numbers repeated in her mind. There had been one hundred twenty-three crew members including herself. Jacob was alive. Hopefully.
Kara slowly opened her eyes. She felt heavy. She tried to move but her body refused to respond as if the artificial gravity were increased. She rolled over onto her back. After many moments she realized she had been contorted in such a way that her extremities had falling asleep. The pins and needles set in as feeling came back slowly. Every movement became an electric jolt from her nervous system.
Tears rolled down Kara’s face and into her ears. Her heart broke over her son. She felt so helpless. She did, however, have a great deal of hope that her son would be rescued once a ship arrived in response to the distress call.
She had sacrificed much over the years in an effort to be there for him and to keep him safe. Her skills had afforded her the ability to be demanding about her working conditions so she chose positions far away from the front lines. Her choice had failed her this time. Somehow she had been found by an enemy of her ex-fiancé.
Sean. She felt the pangs of loss deep in her chest at the thought of him. There was nothing she could do about it either. She had been so in love with him and when he had proposed marriage to her she didn’t see the problem with taking the next step for a Bvaltari, life bonding.
She had no way of knowing at the time, her father had set in motion plans to end the relationship by any means necessary. When she told her parents of his arrest and begged her father for help. He told her he would get him released but only if she agreed to never see him again. She could not bear the thought of him being executed for treason or imprisoned for a lifetime over her.
Kara made the deal. She had not seen him since that day but his image was burned in her mind and her heart.
Many times she wished she could forget him, could undo what she had done to herself. At times she would become enraged, throwing things and screaming out loud about how she regretted ever meeting him. Other times she curled up in her bed crying for hours missing him and begging for a chance to be together again. Fortunately most days she was even keeled because she always took her replacement therapy.
Perithricine was the molecule responsible for the bonding. It became the carrier of the DNA transferred during the bonding creating a unique molecule and it was this unique Perithricine molecule that a bonded individual’s brain needed forever more. Perithricine was always present on the skin secreted similar to sweat. Combined with DNA it would be absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream.
Replacement therapy was Perithricine that was bonded with an individual’s genetic material in a laboratory to create the specific molecule for a patient.
Right now it had been over twenty-four hours since her last dose of Perithricine. She was starting to feel the effects of withdrawal. Anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts would all be symptoms she would begin to experience soon.
***
Jacob had been observing the doctor all afternoon.
“What do you do in here all day?”
Dr. Pendrie looked up from her display at Jacob. The child was becoming quite restless in sick bay. It seemed with everything going on, no one had thought of what to do with him and the others.
“Today, I am reviewing some of the information our teams collected from the Nacuru.”
“What do you do when no one is sick?”
“I work on my research. I specialized in reconstructive surgery. When tools or methods aren’t available to accomplish a job, I try to find ways. My research in reconstructive methods has saved countless lives during the war.”
“That’s interesting.”
His stomach growled.
“Let’s get you something to eat Mr. Jacob.”
A short while later the doctor and Jacob were having dinner in the mess hall. Jacob quietly played with his food eating little bites.
“What’s wrong? The food isn’t that bad is it?” she asked.
“No.”
“Dr. Pendrie,” Sotaki’s voice came over her commlink.
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“Have you completed your work on the Nacuru?”
“Yes. I’m finished. Oh— wait. Our young guest may need some things from his quarters on the station, clothes and such.”
“Thank you doctor. I’ll send someone to retrieve them, we will be getting underway soon.”
“I’ll take him myself, quickly, before we get under way.”
“Okay. Make it quick.”
“Let’s go get some of your things,” she said to Jacob as she stood up.
He nodded his agreement as he put his fork down and followed the doctor.
As he packed his bag he thought of his mother. Jacob was worried about her. Everyone on the Nacuru was dead, however, the Nacuru was pretty sure she was not onboard, that gave him some hope.
The attackers had searched their quarters. The beds were overturned as well as the sofa. Anywhere a person could hide had apparently been checked. That meant they weren’t looking for a ‘thing’ but a person he deduced, seemingly his mother. She was after all the chief architect for top secret programs.
The doctor stood by the door while he packed his bag. He liked her and he found it hard to keep his tight lipped security plan together around her. Maybe they weren’t the bad guys but he couldn’t risk it. He grabbed several changes of clothes
and his personal tablet. As he finished up and started to zip his bag he noticed the holocube from his nightstand on the floor. He picked it up and watched as the images of him and his mom cycled from one to another. He held back the tears he felt coming and stuffed the cube in the bag. He stopped by his momma’s room. He grabbed her medicine box from her bedside table, she would no doubt need it when he found her.
Dr. Pendrie was still waiting in the same spot. She smiled at him.
“Did you find everything you needed?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe you should grab some of your mother’s things for when we find her.”
Milli knew it was a long shot the child would ever see his mother again. If he did not, at least he might have some of her belongings to remember her.
“I guess we can do that. Let me find her bag.”
“Gather things that she enjoyed or were special to her. She will appreciate it when you see her again.”
He grabbed her suit case and began to fill it with things he thought she may need or want.
He remembered she had a dress, it must have been special to her. She kept it in a plastic bag in her closet. He had never seen her wear it outside their quarters but he had seen her take it out and admire it on occasion. One time, that always stood out in his mind, from when he was very young, he had seen her try it on. She was crying although he felt they had been happy tears. Jacob didn’t know what the dress meant to her but she kept it all these years for a reason, he decided to take it.
His mother kept some other items from her past tucked away in a box in her closet, he took this too.
Jacob packed these things and with the doctors help picked out some clothes. With one last look he grabbed his bag and left his life behind.
Chapter Eight
Retribution
Retribution, (from late Latin retributio(n-), from retribut- ‘assigned again’. Punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act)
Yasa sat on the edge of his bed in a mostly unadorned room. He had a cylindrical device in his hand that held a vial of clear liquid. It was his replacement therapy. The Sharing he could no longer have with his wife contained in a tube.
Just as some other races tried to invest in the future with a last will and testaments or life insurance or heirlooms, Telarians, if they could afford it saved the essence of their Sharing. Beya had saved twenty some odd different very happy, wonderful days. All of them would be slightly different based on his hormonal load for the day as well so he could experience a multitude of different Sharing experiences.
He touched the device to his neck and then sat it down on the bedside table. It only took moments for the pheromones to take effect.
Beya was sitting on her knees behind him massaging his shoulders.
“Such a rough day Yasa,” Beya asked.
“Very much so my darling,” he told her. She pulled him back to lay his head in her lap. She rubbed his temples and played with his hair.
“Llihanan has been such a wonderful baby today. So happy and playful. So full of life. I love being a mother to your children Yasa. She is so beautiful as well,” Beya’s voice was soothing.
“She takes after her mother,” he smiled.
“We spent most of the day in the arboretum.”
As she told him the scenery shifted to the arboretum but the couple’s position remained the same. Now instead of a bed they were on a blanket in the arboretum. It was a beautiful day as always. His darlings loved playing together outside. They had spent hours collecting flowers and making crowns from them. Llihanan was spinning in circles making bubbles wearing the crown they had made together. “You seem sad today Yasa. Was work so terribly bad?”
“I have killed many people Beya, and it brings me no pleasure. Yet I must continue my wickedness until I have avenged my darlings,” he spoke to her solemnly as he stroked her jawline down to her chin with his finger. She grabbed his hand and kissed his fingers.
“I understand,” she spoke in a calm reassuring voice, never seeming to judge his actions. “Forget this horrible day and come lay with me.”
She sat him up and they were again in the bedroom. She kissed him gently.
“I love you Yasa,” she spoke the unnecessary words. He always knew.
“And I, you, Beya,” he told her sincerely staring into her eyes.
Yasa grabbed her face. He returned her kiss laying her back on the bed. The kisses became more passionate as did the touching. He slid his hand slowly up her thigh pushing the shirt away as a plow.
He reveled in her touch. Her scent intoxicated him. The taste of her tongue made him swell.
He opened his eyes to look at his wife. It was no longer her underneath him. It was Sean Connor. He rolled on to his back tears streamed down his face. Anger began to boil from within. His intimate time with his wife had been disturbed by a moment’s thought of revenge. Thinking of Sean Connor had broken his wife’s spell.
“DAMN YOU SEAN CONNOR!” He screamed, forming his hatred into words.
He reached across his body one hand to his wrist and activated his commlink.
“Bring Ms. Novellas to the airlock.”
***
Travelling through hyperspace was exhilarating for Akema. Hyperspace felt more viscous than realspace, a sensation akin to gliding through warm water. Similar to diving to the bottom of an ocean, the longer she stayed submerged the pressure and heat increased on her hull until it reached a point of saturation. The sensation would become unbearable at which point she would be forced to transition back into realspace. She had not travelled long enough in hyperspace to build up to that point but she knew it was a limitation of the drive.
Realspace was chaotic. Temperature variances, gravity, electromagnetic radiation. All of which varied based on location and which side was facing the source. Her hull might be hundreds of degrees on one side and in negative digits on the other. It was her standard operating parameters so for her it was like room temperature, status quo. Hyperspace was a relaxing hot tub.
Exiting hyperspace into the chill of realspace felt good as her skin cooled to normal. She was like a bird in flight. The solar wind rippled across her wings. The waves of gravity, electromagnetism, light from trillions of stars and galaxies, the entire spectrum of quantum physical reality rolled across her skin in a relaxing current, she was tranquil. Calm. At piece.
Then there was a stinging pain like standing in a hail storm or wind driven rain. The Relentless had exited its hyperspace window in the middle of a debris field.
“Are we at the right coordinates? Did the hyperdrive malfunction?” the captain asked.
A large chunk of debris rocked the ship.
“It appears we are right where we are supposed to be,” came the response from Ensign Deas. “It appears that what’s supposed to be isn’t here anymore.”
The moon and stardock where the Relentless had been constructed were gone. Where they had been was now a large debris field starting to stretch out as it orbited the planet. Eventually it would ring the planet as it did so. That fact was of little consequence to the crew of the Relentless. Everyone on the bridge just stared for a few moments.
“Initiating active scan of debris field sir,” Lokae announced. After a brief pause, he continued with his observations. “The debris is consistent with remains from the moon and stardock. The debris fields mass is a close equivalent. There is a large disturbance in subspace where the moon used to be. I would say it’s possible the wormhole destabilized causing an explosion that destroyed the moon and stardock.. Judging by the expansion of the debris field I would say it happened soon after we left.”
“That explains a few things and begs even more questions. Scan for possible survivors stranded out there somehow. Also scan for remains of data cores. Somewhere out there are some answers. Find them,” he instructed as got up from his chair and paced the bridge.
Sean was becoming frustrated with all of the events that had transpired. His
mind was racing with questions. This assignment was more than he bargained for.
“Captain, a Telarian ship is hailing us on a secure channel,” Sotaki informed the captain.
“Send it to my quarters.”
Because of the treaty he was obliged to take any secured communication from a Telarian ship under the same confidence as he would from a Union ship. He walked to his quarters and sat down at his desk to receive the hail.
“Greetings Captain Sean Connor,” Tomac appeared on the monitor speaking jubilantly. “I am Captain Yasa Tomac of the Telarian Sovereignty warship Tanari. I am contacting you in a plea to surrender yourself to me for crimes against the Telarian Sovereignty. You will bring yourself to the coordinates, at the time specified. They will be included in a data pack transmitted with this message.”
“And if I don’t?” Sean challenged him.
“I am not unreasonable, perhaps you need motivation, something to be gained.— I have in my possession one Ms. Kara Novellas. I will trade Ms. Novellas for yourself.”
Sean tried to remain unflinching but he was sure the surprise and disbelief showed on his face.
“How do I know you have her?” Connor inquired.
The view zoomed out to reveal the Telarian was standing in an airlock with a Bvaltari female.
“Fair question,” Tomac reached to the side grabbing Kara’s arm and pulled her closer. “Satisfied?”
Sean couldn’t really tell if it was Kara. It had been so many years since he had seen her. This woman appeared unkempt and frazzled but she did resemble Kara to a pronounced degree.
“Yes.”
“Arrive promptly and alone, she will not be harmed. Play games with me and she will die slowly in my airlock,” Tomac said to him coldly.
The transmission ended.
He tapped some commands into the console. He examined the packet of information Tomac sent.
Sean spent the next hour scouring the database for every reference to the coordinates Tomac had sent for the rendezvous. There wasn’t much. The area was known as the Expanse. It was the name given to the almost empty void between the spiral arms of the galaxy. The edge was well mapped, however, most travelers would avoid the area beyond. This part of the Expanse was behind Telarian held space. Direct observation from most of occupied space was obscured by NGC1579, the Northern Trifid nebula. The only information available on the destination coordinates were a long range scan completed years ago by a mapping ship named the Corvus that attempted a crossing before the war. According to spectrographic analysis there was a planet that had breathable air and very little water. He would have to wait until they were in the system to get a more detailed analysis and that would take almost two weeks even with the hyperdrive.
Relentless: Book One of the Union Warship Saga Page 19
