“Sorry.” The big NCO rumbled, reddening. He turned and began to bark orders. Within moments Kelsoe, her small empty sled already tucked neatly into the saucer by Mia, ascended the ramp.
Charybdis dropped away below them as Kelsoe slumped down into her command chair. “I’d forgotten about Admiral Bacheva.” She grumbled, reddening. “We need to coordinate things with the Admiral before we go bulling into the battle. I don’t want us shot by our own team.”
Dashtra gave her an ugly look. “That wouldn’t be very nice.”
Kelsoe drummed her fingertips on the arms of the command chair. “I wonder where the Vonuborg Armada is right now.” She mused more to herself than anyone else.
Dashtra piped up. “If you were an Armada, where would you be?”
Kelsoe smiled at the pun, and then frowned. “If I was a very thirsty Armada, where would I be?”
Kelsoe, Dashtra, G’Fleuf and Mia stared at each other for a moment. It was Mia that came up with the answer. “From Aarlan’s memories and various Fleet maps,” She murmured, “I seem to recall that the Empire had a secret fuel refinery, a six or seven parsec jump from here. Is there a chance the Vonuborg know about it?”
Kelsoe shut her eyes. “It was the Empire that coordinated the Vonuborg attack in the first place. Do you think they would hesitate at a minor infraction like giving away the location of a secret base?” Her fingers resumed their tapping. “Now, if I were Admiral Bacheva, where would I be hiding?” In the bridge she heard G’Fleuf and Mia in a hurried conversation, and then the view screen flickered into a holographic star map.
“The fuel refinery is here.” Mia said in a businesslike voice as a small red dot appeared on the map. “The Imperial Fleet was here.” A green dot appeared on the map. “This is the location you told the Fleet to meet at.” Another dot appeared, a half dozen parsecs to the side of the refinery world. “Now, where do you think the Admiral would hide her Task Force?”
Kelsoe studied the map and wished for a handy nail to gnaw, but knew that it wasn’t to be. She bit her lip. Finally she pointed. “I’d hide my forces on the other side of the refinery, while leaving the approaching Fleet a message to catch the Armada in the middle of refueling above the planet. That deep in the planet’s gravity well would make maneuvering…difficult for the Armada.” She studied the map carefully and pointed again. “Zoom in there please.” The map zoomed helpfully. “Isn’t that a small reflection nebula?” She asked, pointing at a insignificant bluish glow that looked no more than a smudge on the screen.
“Yes it is.” Mia replied in a voice that lacked all emotion.
“With all that dust to reflect sensors, it would be an ideal place to hide a small Task Force. If I were the Admiral, that’s where I’d be.”
Dashtra frowned at the map. “Couldn’t you just call the Admiral on an FTL Com, tell her you’re coming and have her tell the approaching Fleet where to meet them?”
It was G’fleuf that answered. “An FTL Com is a moderately small device, but the power plant that is required to push an instantaneous signal across lightyears, the transmitter itself, is enormous. There were only two on Wecarro, and only the very largest capital ships support them. At this point in time, there are only four.” The Drugud gave her an unreadable look. “Or perhaps three. An FTL Com will not work when the ship is in jump space.”
“Oh.”
“Captain.” Mia interrupted. “Short range scanners indicate that the destroyers and the Vonuborg transport are only a day out, and decelerating hard for Charybdis.”
Kelsoe smiled. “Are we within com range yet?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Put me through, please.” The screen flickered and cleared to show a stony-faced Lieutenant Justus Rehn. Kelsoe schooled her own expression. “It’s good to see you again, Justus.” She said calmly.
He bowed his head, microscopically. “Primus.”
Kelsoe sighed. “We are just departing the moon, and all seems to be going very well. The frigate and the troop transport with the Smith family will be arriving in a week to ten days. Some of the people are in a bad way, Justus. Transfer might go easier if you were to set the Vonuborg transport down in such a way that the Terranen could set down right beside it.” She studied his dark expressionless eyes. “Please have medical teams standing by also.”
He nodded. “Those are good ideas.” His face still held no emotion. “What are your plans now, Primus?”
“I am going to meet with Admiral Bacheva, and discuss our role in the upcoming Fleet engagement.”
His face hardened. “You have taken enough risks, Primus.”
Kelsoe shut her eyes. “If I hadn’t gone to Wecarro, the rescue attempt would have been a failure, and not only would the Smith family be forfeit, the frigate and transport would be lost. This ship and her crew have a unique skillset, Lieutenant.” She added his rank with a certain snap as she opened her grey eyes and he winced, getting the point almost immediately. “I will use it when and where necessary. Is that clear?”
The Lieutenant seemed to deflate slightly under the withering tirade. “Yes Primus.”
“Justus, you know my name, and it’s not all that complicated. You might use it once in a while.” She added in a gentler tone. “Just to make me happy.” He almost smiled.
“As you wish…Kelsoe.” He managed to get her name out with a visible effort, and she rewarded him with a bright smile.
“Thank you. By the way, I’d like to compliment you on Sergeant Major Nakov. He seems to be a very competent NCO.”
The Lieutenant’s face didn’t change, but his eyes brightened. “Thank you, Kelsoe.”
“How was the job with the Vonuborg transport?”
His face paled. “Challenging. The transport was nearly full when she was holed, and the emergency systems on Vonuborg troop transports are…nonexistent. They didn’t even have airtight doors within the ship. One hole and pffttttt!” He grimaced. “All the air was gone. What were they thinking?” She could see him swallow. “We pushed the bodies and the pieces of bodies out into space. The reactor had scrammed, and after we patched the hole and restarted the power, the drives came back on line. How many Smiths will be staying in the ship?”
“We rescued two thousand and thirteen or fourteen.” Kelsoe said softly.
The Lieutenant’s eyes went large. “That few? There were three to four thousand living in the Smith residence when I visited there a year ago. Would you happen to know who…” Kelsoe saw him stop and take a deep breath. “I’m sure you don’t know who is aboard the transport that picked up the Smith refugees.”
“You’re right, I don’t.” She replied sympathetically. “But Mia does. I’ll have her send the list to your ship.” She chuckled as Mia whispered softly in her ear. “Mia said that it’s already done, Justus. I have to go.”
“Thank you, Kelsoe. Be careful.”
“Your Sergeant Nakov said almost the same thing.”
“He’s a smart man. Rehn out.” Kelsoe stared at the blank screen for many long seconds before she noted that the image was gone.
Space is a vast empty place, for the most part. As close as the remnants of Task Force Seven were to Charybdis, relatively, Kelsoe knew that they would never have been found if she didn’t know exactly where to look. As it was, the Wyvern was almost into the small blue reflection nebula before their scanners picked up anything at all…and they were looking.
“There they are!” Mia said with some relief. “Oh dear!”
Kelsoe stared in horror at the small number of ship. “Fifteen ships. My gods.” She whispered. “Is the flagship…?”
“Yes Kelsoe, the flagship is still there. Do you want me to disengage stealth systems?”
Kelsoe let out a small bitter laugh. “And ruin our mystique? Not on your life. Take us right up to the back of the flagship before we call them.” Every ship in the Task Force was damaged, some more than others, with several visibly venting gas. As she watched the ships there was a small explosion on the hull o
f a frigate, and the crewman who had been working was now drifting rapidly out into space. Dashtra gasped, and Kelsoe felt herself sitting on the edge of her command chair. “Can they rescue him?” She asked in a pleading voice.
“They can, but not before his air is gone. The explosion tore a hole in his suit.” The view zoomed in on the floating person, and Kelsoe could see the small thin jet of air actually pushing the crewman away from the Task Force, and toward them.
Kelsoe glared at Mia. “This is one of those cases where you don’t have to wait for an okay from me to do something. Use our tractor and pull him into the airlock.”
“Yes Captain.” Mia said contritely. “I think we startled him.” In the view screen they could see the startled look on the young crewman’s face as he was dragged into the invisible saucer.
“Dashtra, would you please go greet our involuntary guest while I make docking arrangements with the flagship?”
Dashtra got to her feet and stretched like a big black cat. “This is going to be fun.”
Kelsoe shook her head as she turned back to the view screen. “Please put me through to the flagship.”
Admiral Bacheva, despite the weeks of grueling interstellar fighting, looked to be twenty five years old. Her glossy hair was long, and held back with a simple golden band. She was smiling. “I suspected that it might be you, show off.”
“We should speak, Admiral.” Kelsoe returned in a dry voice. “If you would open your, hangar door I’ll have the Wyvern tucked in.” The Admiral turned and gave a quick command. “Thank you.” Just as it had the last time, the saucer dropper her cloaking only as soon as she touched the magnetic containment of the hangar, making it look as it the Wyvern was simply materializing from the black of space. The ship stopped moving when fully in the hangar, and the ramp flowed to the deck. Kelsoe smiled when the young crewman they’d rescued, now with his helmet tucked under his arm, was helped down the ramp by a grinning Dashtra. Attired in her black shipsuit, she looked like a stalking panther. She snapped to attention and rendered a perfect salute as another woman approached.
“Second Lieutenant Dashtra Varoshi at you service, Ma’am.” The Admiral returned her salute, and that of the young flustered crewman. There was a whimsical half-smile on her face. “If you’ll come this way, Ma’am. Captain Smith is anxious to see you.” Dashtra smiled. “Welcome aboard the Wyvern, Admiral.” She waited for the Admiral to board before she turned up the ramp to follow. The young crewman followed her retreating form with his eyes, and in the view screen Kelsoe could see him sigh.
“Hello Kelsoe.” Admiral Simona Bacheva stepped up to the startled young woman and hugged her warmly, laughing lightly. “I think we’re past salutes and handshakes, don’t you?”
“I agree.” Kelsoe admitted, guiding the Admiral to a bridge seat.
“Thank you for saving my crewman.” Simona murmured. “I don’t have enough left to waste them, not that I ever did.”
“Your Task Force Seven is pretty chewed up.”
Simona snorted. “You should see the other guy.”
Kelsoe gave her a level look. “I plan to. That’s why I’m here. Did you get my message?”
The Admiral nodded briefly. “I did. Is it really that bad?”
Kelsoe looked away, her grey eyes burning. “Actually, it’s even worse. I rescued two thousand members of the Smith family. A year ago there were three to four thousand.” She looked back. “You do the math.”
“Damn.” Simona breathed.
“There is one good thing, or rather two.” The Admiral raised an eyebrow. “I have a place for us to stay.” She gave the Admiral a shy smile. “The Wrecker’s Moon is back in business, with facilities just a hair short of a full shipyard.”
Admiral Bacheva returned a wide smile. “Well now, that is good news. I have three ships that are barely spaceworthy, and two more empty freighters that aren’t warships.”
“The crews on the moon can repair anything, I’m convinced. They repaired both the troop transport and the freighter that crashed in the convoy. They can handle your three ships.”
Simona gave her a small smile. “That’s OUR ships, Primus. You are collecting quite a little Task Force of your own.”
“What are you sending us?” Kelsoe asked curiously.
“A light cruiser, a destroyer and a frigate. The cruiser took a hit that killed the entire bridge staff.” She sighed. “I don’t have experienced cruiser captains in my back pocket, so I seem to be in a spot, but that’s my problem.”
Kelsoe smiled. “Perhaps not. I just happen to have an experienced cruiser captain available.”
Simona’s eyes widened. “You aren’t talking about Horatio Smith are you?”
Kelsoe’s grin widened. “Uncle Horatio.”
“That son of a…,” she fought for words, “gun turned down promotion to admiral to captain his cruiser—twice!”
“He’s coming back from Wecarro with the Smith refugees.”
“Is his son with him? He was a hot pilot too, if I remember right.”
Kelsoe swallowed. “Donovan and I were injured when we broke into Fleet Headquarters to send the messages to you and the Fleet. He lost his legs.”
The admiral went pale. “Oh no!”
“I’ve been assured that he will be up and dancing in no time.”
“Really?” Simona asked, and then a thoughtful look crossed her face as she unconsciously touched a long strand of her glossy hair. She turned back to the young woman. “What was the second thing you mentioned?”
Kelsoe ignored the Admiral’s question for the moment. “You’ve already met my companion Lieutenant Dashtra Varoshi.” She grinned at Dashtra who reddened. “This other person,” she announced, looking at the grey Drugud, “is my friend, and an old family retainer G’Fleuf Bolsorg.”
The small creature waved a tentacle, and greeted the Admiral with a tinny voice. “It is very nice to meet you Admiral Bacheva. I’ve heard a lot about you, and your exploits.”
Simona gave him a bemused look. “I’ve heard of Druguds before, but you are the first I’ve ever met.”
A high chirping titter came from G’Fleuf’s speaker. “We are usually a solitary species, Admiral, and not much inclined to travel. I am somewhat of a…black sheep among my kind.”
Kelsoe smiled at her old friend, and then turned back to Simona. “I was told to tell Admiral Bacheva’s assistant, Lieutenant Petor Nakov, that his brother Todor is well. I was told that Todor’s brother worries about him.”
“That is good news.” Simona said softly. “Petor was worried, although he wouldn’t admit it.” Her eyes sparkled. “Tell me more about our moon.”
“The warships we can begin working on immediately. The freighters can hide in the planetary rings.” Kelsoe gave Simona a wink. “It works quite well I’ve found.” Her mood darkened. “How much of the rest of the Fleet will be loyal to the Smith family?”
Simona shrugged. “Out of one hundred and forty ships—maybe fifty.”
Kelsoe winced. “So few?”
“Sorry. The only solace we have at this time is that I am the ranking Fleet officer, and am in overall tactical control of this operation.” Her face widened into a toothy smile. “After I push a promotion down his throat and give him command of a cruiser, Horatio will be my second in command, but right now I have a Fleet engagement to worry about.”
Kelsoe sat for a moment, her mind whirring. “As far as I can see, you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. If you ensure that the disloyal elements are destroyed you’ve decimated the Imperial Fleet, leaving Wecarro and the human worlds defenseless. If you don’t, and still manage to survive they will arrest you and send you to a firing squad, simply for having Smith blood in your veins.”
Simona gave the young woman a weary smile. “My Flag Captain, Gregor Ristani, and I have had the time to give this some thought, and he’s as devious as you and Horatio. They can’t arrest me if they think I’m dead.”
“What?�
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“If I split off the ships loyal to the Smith regime and add them to my forces, and then stage an elaborate battle in which it appears as if this entire Task Force has been destroyed while defeating the enemy, we may be able to slip away. I’ll make sure that it is well known that the facility on the Wrecker’s Moon was thoroughly destroyed.”
“When we passed that way just a few days ago the facility on Charybdis was so well concealed we weren’t able to find it, and we knew where to look. Your people did an excellent job hiding the base.”
“That’s one good thing.” Simona muttered, rubbing her eyes.
Kelsoe grinned, standing. “Let’s grab something to eat. We can continue our discussion in the wardroom.” She made a motion, and Dashtra and G’Fleuf rose to follow them. Kelsoe grinned. “I’m afraid I coopted Dashtra as my bodyguard and confidant.”
Simona smiled. “We’ve already met, and I was going to suggest an even dozen guards.”
Kelsoe winced. “Dashtra is just fine, Admiral. I don’t like crowds. I might request that you consider giving her a promotion for such an important job.” The blond woman flushed to the roots of her shoulder length hair. “Justus Rehn is another worthy of promotion. I’ll let him figure out how to promote his Sergeant Major.”
“That wouldn’t be Todor Nakov, would it?” The Admiral asked, frowning slightly.
“It would.” Kelsoe admitted, sitting at the wardroom table and waving the others to their seats.
“He’s the best top NCO in the whole Fleet, and a pain in my ass because I’ve been trying to find a way to promote him for the last two years. He keeps slipping out of it, however.”
“After you promote him, have Justus Rehn make Todor a Warrant Officer. He won’t be able to squirm his way from Justus. After that you can promote him just as you would promote any officer.” She gave the Admiral a conspiratorial grin.
Simona gave a clear ringing laugh, just as their food appeared before them. “Has anyone ever told you that you are a truly horrible little girl?”
Kelsoe sat back, sipping her klah and smiling. “G’Fluef used to tell me that all the time.”
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