It had been a long day - a hard day. Dave felt wrecked. Somehow he had held it together. But now in the privacy of his own cabin he sat down on his bed, beads of water dripping down from his wet hair after his shower. He pulled on some light shorts and donned a T shirt. Then he tried to dry his thick hair. He was too tired to use a dryer. In fact he was too tired to make a proper attempt with the towel. So he just flung it over the back of the chair in front of him.
Part of him said meditate. But fatigue overwhelmed him. Instead he pulled back the covers, hit the lights and climbed in. The low hum of the ship and its air conditioning were familiar sounds… comforting sounds, but not as comforting as hearing Rihan’s voice. Oh how he missed her. How he wanted to be with her now.
‘How must she be feeling? I hope she is safe? I hope she is not blaming herself for the loss of our unborn child. Of lord please look after her’ prayed Dave. ‘Please protect her….’
He closed his eyes and repeated his mantra till he fell asleep.
Chapter 3. Hermes in Warp to Zuon 0450, 26 June
Dave woke from a fear dream. He was at the top of a waterfall. The water was rolling violently down past rocks and foaming in giant balls of froth and steam way below. For some unexplained reason he stepped out over the fall and fell tumbling over and over again. He was sure he would hit the bottom at any moment but woke up, bolt upright, before the impact.
The collar of his T shirt was drenched with sweat. His heart and pulse were racing. He was grasping for air till he realised he was now awake. His breathing eased and his pulse slowed. He tried to slow his breath down further by taking a long slow breath in. He glanced over to see that it was 0450. Somehow his mind did the mental arithmetic and told him he had been asleep for over seven hours already.
He felt the wet collar of his shirt and knew that he had to change it. ‘What the heck’ he said to himself silently. ‘I might as well meditate.’ So he went and washed the sleep from his eyes, changed his shirt and sat for meditation on his asana and wrapped his shawl around his shoulders. Cocooned in its warm embrace he felt secure and protected.
He went through his usual ritual of closing his eyes, taking some deep breaths, invoking his Guru’s grace and repeating the mantra. Because he was still partially in the waking state as opposed to the awake state he quickly drifted into the void. It was so tranquil, so peaceful here. ‘I could just stay here’ he thought. But he returned his focus back to the mantra and then fell back into the void and deeper still till the blue twinkling lights began solidifying into the blue pearl. Then nothing.
‘Oh I must have fallen back to sleep’ he thought as he came to. He checked the time and it was 0555. ‘Gee I’ve been out to it for over an hour’ he said to himself.
He was hoping to begin the grieving process. But it didn’t happen - just like last time after losing Amy and the kids in the first attack of the war. Part of him had locked it out, too painful to acknowledge, too difficult to go though, too hard to cry. ‘It had only been possible with Rihan’ he thought. ‘Oh how I wish she were here now.’
But he felt lighter, refreshed even. His head was clearer. He chanted his opening mantras and offered up his day to his Guru. He changed and made his way to the gym located down the corridor between the Officer’s quarters and those of the Senior NCOs.
As he opened the door, he could see a couple of early bird NCOs pressing weights and then he noticed 1st Lt Dan Hoyle on one of the running machines. Dave started up the adjacent machine and began jogging.
“You’re up bright and early Mr Hoyle” said Dave.
“Oh good morning Sir” said Dan. “I couldn’t sleep anymore so I thought I would get started.” In between the exertions he continued “in fact I woke up this morning with an idea that I think might just get this translation protocol working.”
“Oh really” said Dave who was content to focus on his jogging and let his younger subordinate do the talking.
“Yes Sir” said Dan “I had been concentrating on this one particular Gelk language as the possible root for the sleth language but that’s only because we have a protocol for it.”
Dan looked across to see Dave’s reaction but getting none he decided to continue. “You see there are many more Gelk languages and dialects that we don’t have protocols for. One in particular I recall from my studies would be closer to what I think the sleth language is.”
He looked across again but Dave just nodded for him to continue. Dan was glad to have his ear. No one else seemed interested to listen to him but he had grown used to that. After all, linguistics in the age of automated language protocols was hardly seen as necessary let alone cool.
“So I am going to make some mods to the code for the sleth protocol I’ve been working on and then see if it works on our prisoner” explained Dan.
“When will you be doing that?” asked Dave.
“Don’t know exactly Sir” said Dan. “It depends on how long it takes me to write the code.”
“Let me know when you are ready” directed Dave “I would like to be there for that and ask Mr Kiralenko to come along as well.”
Dan stopped his machine and turned to Dave. “That would be great Sir. I really do appreciate your interest.”
Dave likewise stopped his machine. “You know Dan, we really do need experts like you. We generalists know a little about a lot. We’re just the jack of all trades. When it comes down to implementing things we rely on experts like you.”
Dan pulled his shoulders back slightly and smiled for the first time since coming on board. “Why thank you Sir. I will try not to let you down.” He paused while he thought and then said “I better get onto it Sir. I will be in touch.” He then grabbed his towel and jogged out of the gym as Dave smiled to himself.
Chapter 4. Klaster 0840, 26 June
LCmd Liz Adair opened the door to the temporary medical facility on level 1 of the Pulton 1 mine. It was full but not as overcrowded as it had been a few days ago. She went to the back of the large room where several screens segregated a few of the patients. The bulk were lined up in rows of beds, with just enough room between each that a doctor or nurse could manoeuvre to attend them.
The lighting was still subdued and a few patients still tried to sleep. ‘How anyone can sleep in here I don’t know’ thought Liz. She saw it just in time – some spill of liquid or whatever on the floor.
“Excuse me” she said to the attendant a few beds down. “Can you please clean this up before we have an accident?”
The attendant was busy entering some report on his mobile console. He looked up, recognised who it was and responded in a quiet steady manner “Sure Maam, as soon as I’m through here.”
“Thank you” said Liz. “How’s the commander?”
“See for yourself” responded the attendant. “She’s awake and aware.”
Liz nodded her thanks and stepped over the spill, paced to the screen, drew it apart and entered to find Rihan sitting up with a pillow of some sorts stuck behind her back. Liz spotted the tear tracks and the red eyes. But she didn’t have that morose look she had the previous days.
Liz had tried to put herself in her boss’s position as a would-be mother who had lost her child before it was even born. Gut wrenching was her first reaction. But yesterday she could tell that it was the guilt that had hit hardest, producing a self-loathing that was totally out of Rihan’s normal character. But today she looked a bit different. The blank stare was gone.
Rihan even managed a faint smile as Liz said “Hi. How are you?”
“A bit better than yesterday” replied Rihan. But she still sounded weak thought Liz.
“I just got this in from Fleet HQ” said Liz. “It’s a report from the Hermes.” Rihan’s interest picked up. ‘Not quite her old self’ thought Liz ‘but definitely keen to hear some news’. So she continued. “You are not going to believe this.”
“Oh come on Liz” said a mildly frustrated Rihan “Just tell me.”
“Well they warp
ed into Chelora and found a fleet of ships waiting for them” she paused for the dramatic effect and it had the effect intended.
“Yes” said Rihan “and what?”
“They weren’t sleth ships” answered Liz.
“What?” said an incredulous Rihan. “Well whose ships were they?”
“Apparently they belong to an outfit called the Imperial Rogan Fleet” informed Liz.
“Yes” said a frustrated Rihan “and what happened?”
“Oh the rogan commander, an Admiral Soola” said Liz “told them that they had defeated a sleth fleet over Chelora, were claiming Chelora as a spoil of war and demanded to board the Hermes for inspection.”
“Well who do they think they are” said an annoyed Rihan. “So what happened then?”
“According to the report, apparently sent in haste” said Liz “they refused to be boarded and were forced to warp away to Doban.”
Rihan looked part relieved but part annoyed. “Why didn’t they tell them to go and jump” queried Rihan.
“It might have something to do with the 4 rogan capital ships and ten lights” replied Liz.
Rihan rocked her head from side to side a little and then shrugged her shoulder. “Yeah I suppose that would account for it. Oh well at least he’ll be coming back now.”
But Rihan could tell from the expression on Liz’s face that that wasn’t going to be. “He’s not coming straight back is he?”
“No” said Liz “the Admiral’s ordered him to pursue the sleth and nuke their base on Zuon in retaliation for their attack on Klaster.” Everything about Liz’s expression said ‘I’m sorry’.
Rihan let out a sigh but said nothing. A minute passed in silence. Then Rihan looked up at Liz. “Thanks Liz. I appreciate you keeping me informed. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to help with the clean-up.”
Liz put her hand on Rihan’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about that. You need to rest and get your strength back. Don’t worry I’ll leave you plenty of work to do” and she gave Rihan a wink.
“You know Liz” said Rihan “before you agreed to be my deputy you told me you wanted to create something rather than destroy things.”
“Yes I did” said Liz. “I should have been more careful what I wished for hey?”
“You got it” said Rihan with a smile. “So are we decontaminating or abandoning?”
“We’re waiting on some experts to arrive and conduct an inspection” informed Liz. “But my bet is they’ll opt to decontaminate no matter the expense. They need a base here. It’s too strategic a location. Don’t you reckon?”
“Yeah I do” said Rihan. “But I’m not sure I have it in me to rebuild everything.”
Liz could see that Rihan was tiring and she didn’t want to burden her. “Don’t worry about that” she said. “Just rest. I’ll call in later.”
Chapter 5. Hermes in Warp to Zuon 1430, 26 June
“Sir, Sir I think I’ve done it” exclaimed an excited Dan Hoyle as he hailed Dave.
“OK” said Dave as he pulled is attention away from the console. “Let Ivan know and I’ll meet you both down at the brig. When?”
“Oh I am ready right now Sir” advised Dan. “I’m already at the brig. I will hail Mr Kiralenko directly.”
“OK I’m coming” said Dave. He had been hoping to finish reviewing the data summary of the Wasp’s recent engagement. But that could wait.
He took the elevator down to the bottom deck. As the doors opened Gunter was there. He looked surprised to see his commanding officer but pleased nonetheless. “I was just coming up to see you Sir. I have some good news on the probe.”
“Very good” said Dave. “I’m on my way to the brig. I’ll drop by after that.”
“Right you are Sir” said Gunter. “You know where to find me” and he about turned and headed aft to engineering. Dave headed forward along the wide corridor that led ultimately to the dock. The brig was just before it on the right. He opened the door and asked the military police on duty for Mr Hoyle. The guard pointed to the second door on the right.
There were three different cells separated by two observation rooms. He found Dan in the first observation room. Dan was busy on his console. Dave gestured for him to carry on. Ivan wasn’t there yet.
Dave could see through the one way wall into the cell. The tall sleth prisoner was sitting with its back up against the wall opposite the door. These cells were not built to house such a tall prisoner. The ceiling was high because the bottom deck was high to house engineering and the dock. But even so this creature must have found it cramped indeed.
The sleth reminded him of a cross between an upright ferret with his lean legs and torso and a goanna with his reptilian head and scaling. The last time he had seen them in the flesh, they were suited up in the tunnel at Pulton 1. This one was now wearing some trousers and a pullover top that must have been custom made for him on Klaster by someone who was not a master tailor. ‘The crimson colour didn’t really suit either’ thought Dave. ‘But losers aren’t choosers.’
“Do we have a name for it?” asked Dave.
“I’m not 100% sure Sir” said Dan “but I refer to him as Shleek. Well that’s what I think he calls himself.”
“How do you know it’s a he?”
“Some things are obvious Sir when you see them in the flesh” remarked Dan.
“Ah…quite so” said a chastened Dave, just as Ivan opened the door and entered.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting Sir” said Ivan. “I was just…”
Dave cut him off. “No worries” and then turning to Dan. “So Mr Hoyle what have you got for us.”
“As I was telling you this morning Sir” said an enthusiastic Dan “I was going to try one of the other Gelk language roots for our translation protocol.”
Dave nodded. “One that we don’t have a protocol for?” asked Dave.
“Yes that’s right Sir” confirmed Dan. “So I have had to rely on my memory. But I have worked up a limited protocol and modified it for what I believe to be the way the sleth pronounce things with that high indrawn breath and slight hiss as they exhale. Anyway I want to try it out on this fellow now to see if we get a response.”
“So what” said Ivan. “You’ve uploaded it to your communicator and it will translate your speech automatically and you will then pipe it into the cell?”
“Yes that’s right” said Dan. “I’ve previously used the old mandrolic methods of identifying common physical objects, saying their name and getting him to repeat it and vice versa for him to provide their name for it. I have a list of what I think their names are here” as he pointed to a table of words on his console. “So I am going to say some sentences that use these words and see if he understands the whole sentence.”
“Sounds good to me” said Ivan.
“Me too” said Dave. “Let’s do it.”
“I’ll start by using this first one for a chair” said Dan. “OK here goes.” Dan activated the protocol on his communicator and for the audio to and from the cell.
“Schleek would you like a chair” said Dan.
“Hey that’s got his attention” said Ivan
“Schleek would you like a chair now?” asked Dan.
“Fuck you” responded the sleth.
“Well” said Dave “I think you just hit pay dirt Dan” and he slapped Dan on the back.
Dan turned off the audio link and said “Let me try something else.” He went outside and spoke to the guard. A minute later a bowl of soup was passed through the slit at the bottom of the door to the cell. Dan then switched it back on. “Schleek take the food.”
“You take a shit” came the reply.
“Hah” exclaimed Ivan.
Dan turned off the audio link. Turning to Ivan he asked “what?”
“He’s been messing with you” explained Ivan. “I bet he’s substituted profanities for all your words on the list. Chair is fuck and food is shit. Get it?”
Dave grinned.
Da
n reluctantly accepted that this was probably true. “Obviously” he admitted.
“But you’ve done real well Dan” said Dave “real well indeed.”
“Alright, leave it with me Sir” said Dan. “I’ll stick with this till we have a useful protocol.”
“How long will it take?” asked Ivan.
“Depends” explained Dan “on him. I need to keep him talking. The software will record all the sounds he makes and build up its dictionary. It ranks words according to the probability of it being a correct match with an English equivalent. I’ll work my way through honing each word if I have to.”
Dan looked up at Dave and Ivan and then realised that that was not the answer they were looking for. “I’ll make sure I have a protocol ready before we come out of warp” said Dan. “It won’t be perfect but it will be the best I can do in the time. How’s that?”
“That’s great Dan” said Dave. “Well done. I’ll leave you to it.”
Chapter 6. Hermes in Warp to Zuon 1610, 26 June
On his way back Dave headed over to Engineering to see Gunter as he promised. As he came to the crumple zone compartments where he had first kissed Rihan he was overcome with emotion. He propped himself up against the wall of the inner compartment and took some deep breaths.
He glanced at the temporary wall Cpl Adrian Turner had erected so everyone could get some privacy while he and Rihan were entangled there. That brought a smile to Dave’s face. “I do hope she’s alright” he said in a whisper.
He regained his composure and headed through the big bulkhead door that always clanged when Adrian tried to close it quietly. Sure enough it clanged again as he shut it. He had a mild chuckle at that.
Gunter heard the clang and turned to see his commander smiling. “It’s good to see you in good spirits Sir” said Gunter in a genuine expression of concern.
“Thanks Chief” said Dave. “Now what have you got for me?”
“Over here Sir” said Gunter as he led the way. He stopped in front a probe mounted on blocks. Its top surface panel was off. “We’ve taken out the scanner and managed to squeeze enough of the kit out of the standard 292 beacon to make it work. We tested in simulation mode a short while ago and it looks good.”
Redemption: Book 2 of Warner's World Page 5
