by H. M. Clarke
Katherine did not answer. Who was this woman who thought she could speak to her before the Admiral? This was a reason why Katherine hated bureaucrats – always so full of themselves. The Admiral flashed the woman a curt look before speaking to his officers.
“Commander Kirk, Lieutenant Shepherd. The Ambassador is on his way. He sent his aide ahead to finalize the naval arrangements for this embassy. And now, Ms Hayes,” the Admiral gestured towards the door. “Please wait outside.”
Admiral Baverstock was polite, but it was still an order and for a moment it looked as if this Ms. Hayes was going to try and stand her ground. Katherine would have liked to physically turf her out on her skinny butt, but was disappointed when the woman slowly got up and left the room, clearly angry.
Once the door was securely closed, the Admiral visibly relaxed. “That woman is a pain in the arse. I can’t see how he puts up with her,” Baverstock muttered under his breath.
Katherine said nothing though she let herself fully relax now that Hayes was gone. Tom shuffled beside her and Katherine noted that his face was now that of a hardened RAN Officer. Tom was known to have an eye for the ladies, but Katherine thought that he had better taste.
“We have a few moments before he arrives. Commander, as you are aware, this is not just a simple cruise to the Junter system. Fleet Command has become aware of some activity on Junter Three that is of concern to them. And your name has been recommended to assist the Ambassador and his staff,” this was uttered more as an insult, “in their investigations.”
`“Sir, may I speak?”
The Admiral gave a nod.
“How, exactly, are we to ‘assist’ this investigation? We were drawn off a critical mission that was important to members of the Adelaide for this. My crew has a right to know the real reason they have been denied their part in delivering justice to Hyde.”
The Admiral’s normally calm face turned into a scowl. “That I can’t tell you Kirk. I haven’t been told myself.”
Katherine’s head jerked in surprise.
“But…you are the Third Fleet. How can they not tell you?”
“This operation comes under RANSIOs umbrella. And they hold their intelligence close to their chests.”
RANSIO, the Republic Australian Navy Security and Intelligence Organization. The rest of the Australian Fleet just called them Rancids – or ‘Sids’ for short. They were the eyes and ears of Fleet Command and only the best of the best were admitted to their ranks. But they could also be a law unto themselves, holding wide-ranging powers. Their operatives could counterman Fleet orders, requisition anything and anyone and have the authority to back this up with strength.
“Sir. Don’t tell me that this so called Ambassador is a ‘Sid,” Katherine said in disgust. She had no respect for the agency after their complete lack of intelligence on the attack of Adveral; they should have known it was coming.
“Yes he is Commander.”
Katherine stilled at the new voice. A voice she had not heard in ten years.
“So. You’re a naval spook now.” Katherine couldn’t keep the scorn from her voice as she turned to look at the man standing in the doorway. Behind the man was Hayes looking in with her superior smug look. Katherine’s instant dislike for the woman jumped up another notch.
“Yes. Ironic isn’t it?” The man stepped into the room and closed the door firmly behind him on a surprised Hayes who thought she would be joining them.
Katherine enjoyed the look on Hayes’s face, but it was a short-lived amusement. She felt Tom’s presence flare up beside her, protective but ready to strike. Katherine made a small gesture and felt Tom pull back slightly. She was in no danger from this man.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had joined the Service?” she asked her brother.
“Would you have looked at the message or taken my call?”
Katherine conceded his point. She would have junked it as soon as she saw the caller ID. “Fair point,” she grudgingly said. But the fact that he joined the Service after arguing vehemently against her application was galling. He had vowed never to speak to her again when she was accepted to Duntroon. He had thought the military wasn’t good enough for their family, that it was a draconian machine that would eventually consume itself into oblivion and war.
But, so far that had not happened.
And then, after she had graduated from Duntroon, Katherine discovered that her brother had been head hunted to work for the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization (ASIO). And now it seems he was a ‘Sid, working for the service he had despised.
“You’re the reason I’ve been ordered back to Curtin?” Katherine could not keep the resentment from her voice.
John gave her a small nod. “Yes I am. And before you say anything, I requested you for good reason, a reason I won’t tell you until we are on our way to Junter Three. I cannot risk this information leaking out.”
“And I’m supposed to take a spook’s word that there is a good reason!”
“Commander-” Tom’s shocked warning was immediately shrugged off.
“Lieutenant, this is that butt feeding, pox off a knat’s flea, hypercritical brother I’ve told you about,” she snapped by way of explanation. “I can speak to him any damned way I like.” Katherine knew she was probably over reacting but the anger and stress over the last day had got the better of her. She should have better control as a commanding officer Katherine noted sourly. This realization just made her more annoyed. But to see John standing in front of her after ten years made her see red.
“Commander Kirk, remember what we discussed on the Adelaide,” Baverstock’s voice cut across the tension of the room. She had momentarily forgotten the Admiral’s presence. Katherine felt her cheeks flush warm in embarrassment. She was a representative of the Service and should not let her personnel feelings affect the performance of her orders. Katherine took a tight grip on her anger and squashed it down deep inside before letting her body fall stiffly to attention. She gave an imperceptible nod to her Lieutenant, her apology for rebuking him. He was just being a good junior officer, trying to protect his senior from making an arse of herself. Katherine had to remember she would be dealing with people used to the formality of the Central Systems.
“Yes Admiral.”
Any vitriol that she needed to spew at her brother can be done when he boards her ship and comes under her authority.
“Why place a request for me to ferry you John? Surely one of the fleet of ships currently in dock at the moment would have been adequate for your needs. Instead you have me pulled from finally getting the man that murdered my husband and son. Your nephew!”
“Katherine. All I can tell you at the moment is that there is a good reason why I requested you. When I deliver your full orders, you might even thank me.”
“Fat chance,” Katherine muttered.
“That’s enough Commander. You have your official orders and Fleet expects them to be obeyed.”
Katherine snapped to attention quickly followed by her lieutenant. “Yes Sir.” She then endured the rest of the meeting in silence.
Chapter
Four
“Damn the Val Myrans. Why did they have to choose now to defect to the Earth Federation?”
Katherine moved in her chair on the Operations Deck. Her brother and his entourage would be arriving shortly and she was not looking forward to it. Coulthard had already made arrangements for Ambassador Kirk’s living quarters (the XO had given up his own) and the rest of the Ambassador’s staff will have to bunk down with the rest of the Adelaide’s crew. There will be some complaints about that from certain quarters. But this was her ship, her fief, and people will sleep where they are allocated.
“Captain, Curtain Port Authority has sent ahead to say they have cleared the Ambassador’s party. They are heading our way.”
“Thank you Mr. Coulthard.”
Katherine rose swiftly from her seat and primly adjusted her uniform jacket until it was sittin
g perfectly. She then plucked her hat from the arm of her chair and settled it carefully on her head. Richard Coulthard was similarly primped and pressed along with the rest of the on duty crew.
“Is the welcoming party ready and waiting Coulthard?”
“Yes Skipper.”
“Good, very good.”
Katherine glanced once more around the Operations Deck and was pleased to see nothing out of place. She turned and headed down the corridor towards the primary airlock.
“Captain. May I have a brief word before we meet the Ambassador?”
“Of course Richard.” Anything to delay seeing her brother.
“I’m not happy about this assignment.”
“That makes two of us,” Katherine agreed.
Coulthard gave her a small smile. “I’ve read the briefing notes from your meeting with the Admiral. I can understand the Federation sending an ambassador to negotiate terms for Val Myra’s entry, but if it is true that the Alliance has blasted the city for wanting to secede from them and join the Federation, wouldn’t that mean they have an active force in the system that might try to make things ‘difficult’ for a Federation ambassador coming to draw up terms? After all, if I was the Alliance, I would like to send a warning to other Alliance members who were also contemplating leaving. And if I were Fleet, I would have sent a sizable escort to ensure the protection of our Ambassador.”
Katherine listened to her XO in silence. The same thoughts had crossed her mind and that made her wonder what the real purpose of this mission is. Whatever was going on, these poor bastards from Val Myra were the ones caught in the crossfire.
“Richard. I wonder what we are flying into as well. But Ambassador Kirk has promised to update our orders during transit. Hopefully they will give us a bit more clarity on the situation. I just want to know why we were targeted especially for this assignment. And it had better not be because the Ambassador is my brother!”
“I just have a bad feeling about this,” Coulthard muttered quietly as a crewmember squeezed passed them in the corridor.
“I always have a bad feeling where my brother is concerned.”
The beeps preceding a bridge call interrupted their conversation.
“Captain, the ambassador’s party has just passed through the final gate.”
“Thank you Mr. Johnson,” Katherine said over her comm link.
“I note your concern Richard and, just for the record, I feel the same.”
“We’d better get going. Don’t want to keep the ambassador waiting do we,” Coulthard replied with a grin.
“The sooner he is aboard and away, the sooner we can really find out what is going on.”
“Welcome aboard Ambassador.”
Katherine stood stiffly at the head of the welcoming party who were now standing crisply to attention. She let no hint of emotion touch her face, Katherine will treat her brother like any other dignitary that had boarded her ship. Unfortunately John had bought along that blonde harridan Hayes, who still had that ugly smirk on her face.
“This is my Executive Officer,” Katherine gestured towards Coulthard who was standing beside her. “Lieutenant Commander Richard Coulthard.”
Coulthard held out his hand and John shook it warmly. “Ambassador Kirk.”
“Good to meet you Richard.” John turned to his aide. “This is Julie Hayes, my assistant.”
Coulthard held out his hand again and Katherine saw that smirk of hers slip a little. The woman hesitated before taking the XO’s hand in what could barely be called a handshake. Katherine glanced at Coulthard. Outwardly he showed no emotion but Katherine could see the signs of his discomfort. The tightness of the mouth, the straightening of the shoulders.
Hayes has something against Nungas then, Katherine thought in disgust. This is going to make life on board for this trip difficult, as Ms. Hayes will have to place all the ambassador’s requests through Richard Coulthard. The woman’s attitude was nothing her XO could not handle, but it did show Hayes’ inexperience in the diplomatic corps in the fact that she let her dislike outwardly show.
John seemed not to notice the exchange.
“Ambassador Kirk, Mr. Coulthard will show you to your sleeping quarters, and since space is at a premium on a frigate, the rest of your staff will have to bunk down in the crew quarters.”
“That is unacceptable Commander Kirk,” Hayes snapped.
Coulthard stiffened. “The correct address for a ships commanding officer while on board is Captain.” The welcoming party shuffled uncomfortably making their displeasure unofficially known.
“Captain Kirk, please excuse Ms. Hayes. She is new to this position.”
Katherine ignored her brother. “What is unacceptable Ms. Hayes?” Her question was quiet.
“That I must share quarters with the crew, I’m a woman.”
“So is a third of my crew, what has that to do with giving you separate quarters?”
“Leave it Julie. Just bunk down where you’re told,” John cut across his assistant’s reply.
The woman gave the ambassador an angry look before stepping back out of the limelight.
“Now Mr. Coulthard, I would like to see my quarters.”
“Yes Ambassador.”
Coulthard escorted the ambassador’s party away from the airlock and Katherine was not sorry to see them go.
“Welcoming Party dismissed.”
Katherine returned to the operations deck and gave orders for the Adelaide to leave Port Curtin and head for the Curtin Stargate.
“That was interesting,” Richard Coulthard said as he seated himself at the briefing table beside Katherine.
“Anything else happen that I should know about?” Katherine would love any excuse to have that woman locked in the brig but her XO shook his head.
“Nothing that I can’t handle Skipper.”
“What happened at the boarding?” Tom asked with sudden interest.
“Nothing that concerns you Lieutenant,” Katherine said. What had happened this morning is now a matter for her XO to sort out. If he chose to tell the Lieutenant himself that was his prerogative, not hers. Katherine’s friendship with Tom did not include discussing her senior officers with him, especially in front of the rest of her officers.
“Okay people. Let’s try to make this quick. Ambassador Kirk and his people should be here in about ten minutes, even with the midshipman taking my ‘suggestion’ of bringing them the long way around. Now I’m hoping he will give us the real reason for this trip. He will only want to inform myself but I will pass on to my senior officers any information that I think pertinent to the successful operation of our orders. I realize that there is more going on here than meets the eye, but in the meantime we will treat the ambassador and his staff with the respect due his office and, hopefully we can get this trip over with as soon as possible.”
There was a murmur of agreement around the table that was stilled as the courtesy chime buzzed from the door. All eyes in the room watched as a young midshipman came through the door and gave Katherine a smart salute.
“Ambassador Kirk is here to see you ma’am.”
“Very good Mr. Long, show him in.”
The midshipman disappeared but quickly returned to show John Kirk into the briefing room. Ms. Julie Hayes was not in attendance; Katherine let herself breathe a mental sigh of relief.
Katherine stood up from the table and forced what she hoped was a friendly smile to her face.
“Welcome aboard Ambassador. You have already met my XO and my Second Officer,” Katherine gestured to the two men on either side of her. John nodded to them. She then went around the table, introducing her department heads.
“This is Lieutenant Commander Jeff Maguire, Chief of Engineering. Lieutenant Mark Hunter, Senior Helmsman. Lieutenant Andrew Gates, Astrogator. Lieutenant Steven Tran, Tactical Officer and Lieutenant Susan Mayer, Communications Officer.” Katherine gestured to the only empty chair and waited for her brother to be seated before reclaiming
her own chair.
“Now that the introductions are over with, let us get down to business. Ambassador, are you ready to tell us the real reason for why we are on our way to Junter Three and not celebrating at Port McMahon with the rest of Battle Group Two?”
She watched the smile spring to John’s face. “Blunt and straight to the point, as always,” he murmured. “But the orders I have are sealed until we enter the contested zone. All I can say for now is that you won’t be displeased.”
What a thing to say? ‘Will not be displeased!’ If her brother had looked around the table he would see a lot of bared, seething anger. But the fact that he did say it made her gut feeling about this mission solidify into something more substantial. And if she was right….
“Very well then,” Katherine drew a breath to steady her gut. “Can you inform us on what we are allowed to know about this mission?”
“Of Course.”
John sounded so cheerful that Katherine had to resist the sudden urge to thump him. He plucked a datapad from his pocket and thumbed it on. A holo display of a planetary system suddenly appeared above the centre of the briefing table.
“As you all know, we are currently heading towards the Junter System, Junter Three to be exact.” John gave everyone a wry smile. “It has been a thorn in the side of the Earth Federation since the deserter colonies cut their ties to Sol completely.”
Katherine’s faced hardened at the mention of the deserter colonies. Practically they were whole nations who fled Earth centuries ago for new worlds because they feared an Armageddon that never came. Then a century ago a group of deserters broke their ties to Earth entirely and placed trading sanctions on any deserter or new Earth colonies that stayed loyal to Sol. But during the last decade relations between the Earth Federation and the ‘Systems Alliance’ have practically broken down into a septic atmosphere that created the likes of Nigel Hyde.
“Junter is one of a pair of systems that are occupied by both deserter and New Earth colonies sharing the same planet.” John ran a finger over his datapad and the third planet of the system suddenly enlarged to fill the holo display. “This is Junter Three. Its southern hemisphere is under the control of the Federation based at the New Holland Prefecture. The Northern Hemisphere is under Alliance control via the city of Val Myra. Now according to our intelligence, Val Myra has voted to leave the System Alliance and wanted to form a neutral territory above the influence from either the Federation or Alliance. But the powers that be in the Alliance did not accept Val Myra’s application for separation and decided to make an example of them to any other member colony that might be having the same idea.” John tapped at his datapad again and two red spots burst into life on the holo of Junter Three.
