by Ryk Brown
“A water tanker out of Treves Alpha Four, the Raffaelle.”
“She a regular?” the lieutenant commander asked.
“Aye, sir. According to Rakuen Port Authority, the Raffaelle was in port two weeks ago. The Rakuens sell seawater to them on a regular basis, for use in their fusion reactors.”
“How late?” Nathan wondered.
“How late, Ensign?”
“Six hours, sir. They claimed they were trying to conserve propellant.”
“That’s a new one,” Cameron commented.
“At least the Dusahn are trying to be creative,” Nathan mused.
“Thank you, Ensign,” the lieutenant commander said, reaching up to turn the intercom off.
“Wait,” Nathan said. “Comms, Captain. Flash traffic for Rogen Defense Command and the fleet. Set all forces to readiness-condition two.”
“REDCON Two, aye,” the ensign replied. “Reason?”
“The Aurora is leaving the system and will be gone for approximately four days. And send the message using code two five echo.”
“Confirming two five echo, sir.”
“Two five echo, confirmed,” Nathan replied.
“Two five echo, aye.”
“Captain, two five echo is one of our weakest encryption algorithms,” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda warned. “My kid sister could break that code.”
“Let’s hope,” Nathan replied. He looked at Cameron, recognizing the confused look on her face. “As soon as everyone is at REDCON Two, take the Aurora to point alpha six tango, but make your first jump directly toward Takara. Have all four Cobra gunships do the same.”
“Are you sure about this?” Cameron asked, finally catching on to his plan.
“Sure about what?” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda wondered, confused.
“When lady luck smiles on you three times, you’d better bet big,” Nathan replied, turning to exit.
Lieutenant Commander Shinoda still hadn’t caught on. “Do you have any idea what he’s up to?” he asked Cameron.
“Actually, yes,” she replied. “And that’s what scares me.”
* * *
Three tramway connections, two cab rides, and bit of walking had finally gotten General Telles, Jessica, and the Espans to their destination.
“A boat ride was not what I was expecting,” Terig commented as he watched the dock disappear from view behind them.
“It’s a beautiful night, is it not?” General Telles said. “And a boat ride for two couples out on the town is not unusual for this time of year.”
“I suppose not.”
“Five minutes,” the boat pilot called down from the steering bridge.
Jessica pulled out her comm-unit and sent a message.
Terig looked forward. No land was in sight. “Five minutes until what?”
“Until we get you both off of Takara,” Jessica replied.
“On a boat?”
“On a submarine, actually,” she answered, smiling.
“A submarine?” Terig looked at his wife in disbelief.
“I was expecting more security checkpoints,” General Telles commented. “Has the Dusahn presence on Takara always been this light?”
“Actually, no,” Terig replied, “only in the last week, or so. The last message I was trying to send—the one that didn’t go through—was about a lot of Dusahn troops being taken off Takara.”
“Any idea where they were going?” Jessica asked.
“None,” Terig admitted. “Some think it is just a trick to make the population more complacent, so the Dusahn might lure those who are against the occupation out into the open.”
“You know of such people?”
“Not personally,” Terig replied. “I’ve heard rumors of secret meetings, mostly by anti-nobility radicals.”
“There’s a guy at my work who’s always complaining about the Dusahn,” Dori told them. “He meets with a group of men for lunch at the café, on the street in front of the offices on Bainor, but they always get quiet when I walk by.”
“No one would openly speak out against the Dusahn,” Terig explained. “A few did in the beginning and were publicly executed without even a hearing. Just shot on the street.”
“Most people think the nobles are cooperating with the Dusahn because they are making greater profit by doing so,” Dori added.
“That’s how they do it,” Jessica explained. “Ensure the profits of the powerful, keeping the economy strong, and the people will put up with just about anything.”
“The Dusahn offer the illusion of safety and prosperity,” General Telles explained. “You’d be surprised how cheaply liberty can be purchased.”
“Port bow, about a hundred meters,” the pilot called out.
“Wait, he’s with you?” Terig realized, pointing at the boat pilot.
“You think you’re the only operative on Takara?” Jessica said, moving to the port side to prepare.
Terig looked shocked.
“It is not only the younger, anti-nobility radicals who oppose the Dusahn,” General Telles stated. “Their ranks are more diverse than you might think.”
Terig moved closer to the port side as the boat idled its engines, coasting the last few meters. In the murky waters, he spotted a small black object sticking out above the surface. As they drifted closer, he realized Jessica hadn’t been joking. “That really is a submarine.”
“Of course it is,” Jessica replied as she climbed over the rail. The boat pulled up alongside the sleek, black submarine, and Jessica jumped over to its narrow foredeck, grabbing onto its canopy rail to keep from sliding off into the moonlit water.
“Am I missing something, here?” Terig asked General Telles.
“That ship will jump the three of you a few light years into space, where you will be picked up by one of our ships and taken back to the Aurora for debrief,” General Telles explained.
“You’re joking.”
“I never joke,” General Telles replied. “I am Ghatazhak.”
Terig looked down at the sub. Jessica had already opened the hatch and lowered herself inside, her torso still above the hatch. “You’ve done this before, I take it.”
“How do you think we got here,” Jessica replied. “Let’s go. We’ve only got three minutes until the next satellite pass.”
“You first,” Dori insisted.
Terig climbed over the rail and stepped down onto the sub’s foredeck, grabbing the handrail, and then reaching out for his wife’s hand. Dori was next, stepping even more carefully over. Within seconds, the two of them had descended into the tiny jump sub’s interior, disappearing from sight.
“How long?” Jessica asked the general as she stood halfway out of the jump sub’s hatch.
“I cannot say,” General Telles replied.
“I’ll send it back to the same spot, no more than two days from now,” she promised.
“That should suffice.”
“Good luck, sir,” she said, after which she dropped down inside the jump sub and closed the hatch.
“Take us back, Josa,” the general ordered the pilot as he watched the jump sub disappear beneath the moonlit surface.
* * *
As expected, the temperature had dropped quickly after the sun had gone down, yet, despite their objections, Corporal Amund had insisted that they continue for as long as possible.
“I’m freezing,” Deliza complained as they moved slowly and carefully through the dense forest, continuing up the side of the mountain.
“There is a cave not far from here,” Corporal Amund promised. “A few minutes at the most.”
“How do you know?” Deliza wondered.
“Yeah, I thought your tactical sensor
s weren’t working,” Josh added.
“I scouted the entire area while you were resting,” the corporal replied.
“The entire area?” Josh asked in disbelief.
“That was two hours ago,” Loki said.
“We only rested for ten minutes,” Deliza insisted. “You covered everywhere between here and there in ten minutes?”
“It was fifteen minutes, and it was from there to ten minutes beyond here,” the corporal corrected, “not to mention at least a click to either side.”
“Unbelievable,” Naralena exclaimed.
“I move quickly,” the corporal said, “and in your defense, it was still light out at the time.”
“Thanks,” Josh replied dryly.
“There,” the corporal announced, pointing ahead, “behind those trees.” The corporal quickened his pace slightly.
“How can he even see that far in the darkness?” Naralena wondered.
“Super Ghatazhak night vision, no doubt,” Josh mumbled.
The corporal disappeared behind the trees, appearing again a moment later. “This is it!” he shouted, gesturing for them to come toward him.
“Thank God,” Deliza exclaimed.
Loki stopped at the trees, waiting to help Naralena and Deliza down the small drop on the other side.
“The drop should prevent any sensors from seeing the cave entrance,” Corporal Amund stated as they entered the cave. “Once inside, you may turn your lanterns on.”
“If the rocks keep the sensors from working, then it doesn’t matter,” Josh pointed out, trying to be smart.
“Just because my sensors are affected, does not guarantee that the Dusahn’s will be, as well,” the corporal pointed out.
A flash of blue-white light appeared on the horizon, followed by the sound of distant thunder.
“I don’t suppose that was just lightening,” Josh said.
“I’m afraid not,” Corporal Amund said with a sigh. “I was hoping it would take them longer.”
“How long do you think we have?” Loki wondered.
“It depends on what they locate first,” the corporal said, “where the ship went down or where we landed.”
“As well as if their sensors are affected by the rocks, like yours,” Josh noted.
“Use your weapons on their lowest settings to heat some rocks to warm the cave,” the corporal instructed.
“If their sensors are working, they’ll pick up the energy signatures,” Loki warned.
“Hopefully, they will not be scanning in our direction just yet,” the corporal replied. “Besides, if we do not, we will likely freeze to death before anyone finds us.”
“You’re just a ray of sunshine, aren’t you,” Josh complained, following Loki toward the cave entrance. He stopped a moment, looking back at the corporal. “What about you?”
“I will stand watch.”
“I can relieve you later, if you like.”
“Thank you, but that will not be necessary,” the corporal assured him. “Ghatazhak can go many days without sleep.”
“How long can you go without pissing?” Josh wondered, a wry smile on his face.
Corporal Amund looked at Josh. “Not nearly as long,” he replied, smiling.
* * *
“Production has begun at the first jump missile plant on Rakuen,” Cameron stated.
Nathan looked up from his data pad. “Already?”
“The Rakuens have been working around the clock. The first missiles should start rolling off the line in about a week.”
“What about Neramese?” Nathan wondered.
“Their first plant should come online in a few days,” Cameron replied. “However, they already have two launchers in place, and the Rakuens don’t have any yet.”
“What about the Orochi?”
“Still another two weeks until the first one is ready to launch,” Cameron said. “They’ve decided to take one of the ships—the one in the worst shape—and turn it into a training simulator. They’ll start training mixed crews on her sometime next week.”
“That should be interesting,” Nathan commented, setting his data pad on his desk. “Have they picked captains yet?”
“Not yet. They’re still arguing about the selection criteria.”
“How reassuring,” Nathan said, leaning back in his chair, staring at the blank view screen on the wall.
“It’s only been twelve hours, Nathan,” Cameron said, noticing his distraction. “They’re probably still in evasive transit.”
“I know.”
Jessica entered the captain’s ready room, still wearing her Takaran civilian attire. “You guys having a party without me?”
“Welcome back,” Cameron greeted, looking over her shoulder. “Nice outfit.”
“The latest in Takaran women’s wear,” Jessica replied, rotating from side to side to show off her outfit. “Perfect for an evening on the town or a jump sub ride into space. By the way, what’s with the new location?”
“We discovered that the Dusahn are using captured cargo ships to spy on the Rogen system,” Cameron explained.
“So you moved the Aurora out and left the fleet behind?”
“His idea,” Cameron replied, nodding toward Nathan on the other side of the desk.
“An ambush?”
“We’ll see,” Nathan replied. “I take it everything went well?”
“Terig Espan and his wife are in medical, getting cleared, as we speak,” she replied, plopping down on the ready room couch, like usual. “Picked up a lot of useful intel, as well.”
“Such as?” Nathan asked, eager for a better distraction than the daily progress reports on the state of Rogen defenses.
“We paid a visit to Terig’s employer, Lord Mahtize. Downloaded his personal files. By the way, remind me to thank Deliza. The hack she gave us worked like a charm.” Jessica paused, noticing the look on both their faces. “Did I miss something?”
“Volon was attacked,” Cameron explained. “The Seiiki is overdue.”
“How long?”
“Twelve hours,” Nathan replied.
“They’re probably still in evasive, then.”
“That’s what I keep telling him,” Cameron insisted.
“Tell me more about this intel,” Nathan said, wanting to change the subject.
“Well, for starters, the nobles are doing deals with the Dusahn right and left, each trying to undercut the other; absolutely no honor among thieves. I tell you, those guys make Earth politicians look like choir boys.”
“Then the Dusahn are attempting to win over the Takarans with booming economies,” Cameron concluded.
“And they’re doing a bang-up job of it,” Jessica agreed.
“Anything about these attacks?” Nathan wondered.
“Only that they are all being done by a single assault ship. The Penta-ben.”
“Escorts?” Cameron wondered.
“A handful of gunships and some octos. But get this: there are only two warships stationed in the Takar system at the moment, a cruiser and a battleship. You got any intel on the other systems in the cluster?”
“A single battleship in the Darvano system, and another cruiser in Taroa,” Cameron replied.
“That leaves eight ships unaccounted for,” Jessica realized.
“It gets worse,” Cameron said, handing her data pad to Jessica.
“What are these?” she wondered, examining the data pad. “These aren’t Dusahn ships.”
“No, but they are parked in the middle of Dusahn territory,” Cameron replied.
“And they are in constant contact with the Dusahn on Takara,” Nathan added.
“Allies?”
“Poss
ibly.”
Jessica looked at Nathan. “You think they’re trying to sucker us into attacking Takara directly. That’s why they’re attacking the other worlds in the Pentaurus cluster.”
“We see them as spread too thin, we attack, they jump us with ships they think we don’t know about and, at the same time, they attack our fleet and flatten the Rogen system,” Nathan explained.
“It’s quite clever, actually,” Cameron admitted.
“They’re basically doubling-down,” Nathan continued. “If we attack them and survive, they squash our support base while we’re gone, so we’re still out of the game. If we don’t take the bait, they can still send the bulk of their fleet, including these new ships, to attack the Rogen system, in which case they will overpower us.”
“Aren’t you kind of forcing them to attack by being away from the Rogen system?”
“Actually, I’m using their trap to split their forces, thereby preventing an all…”
“Captain, Comms. Flash traffic,” the intercom interrupted.
Nathan pressed the intercom button. “Go ahead.”
“Distress call from the Seiiki, sir,” Ensign deBanco reported. Without missing a beat, the ensign put the recorded call through the intercom. “Mayday, mayday, mayday,” Loki’s voice called over the intercom. “The Seiiki is going down! Dead stick! Somewhere on Eralit Seven Delta! Six souls aboard!”
Nathan’s expression suddenly soured. “Coded and time-stamped?”
“Code is verified. Message was sent eleven hours and forty-seven minutes ago. Position and flight data were included in the message. They were basically dead stick, sir. Half their starboard side was missing, including the starboard engine nacelle.”
“Stand by one,” Nathan ordered, pressing the mute button. “What do have on the ready line?” he asked Cameron.
“Reaper Six is about it,” she replied. “All the other Reapers are being used for stealth detection patrol.”
“Want a few extra guns?” Jessica asked.
“No room,” Nathan replied, rising from his seat. “Six aboard the Seiiki, and a Reaper only holds eight in the back.”
