She sent a command to the AI which would transmit her instructions to the other ships. “Helm, take us in.”
Within moments, acceleration began to build, as the engines strove again to overcome the massive inertia of the flagship, gradually building towards cruising acceleration. Preparations for the forthcoming battle would continue, with Marines spending their time checking equipment and running more training exercises. Other than those sent in for the ground action, they would be used primarily for boarding any raider vessels that survived or for shipboard action in the unlikely event the flagship itself came under attack by boarders.
“Captain Woods on the Courageous is requesting permission to move ahead with his command, Admiral.”
“Granted. My compliments to Captain Woods.” Frith spoke to Helm. “Instruct the rest of the task force to reform once Captain Woods has moved ahead.”
Turning to her left she spoke to her First officer. “You have the bridge,” before standing up and awaiting the formal response.
“Confirmed, I have the bridge, Admiral.”
Frith walked over to the doors, where the guards saluted, passing through the doors before turning right and heading towards her ready-room. Apart from splitting the fleet and sending Captain Woods ahead with a small task-force, everything was going by the book and she was almost looking forward to catching up with some outstanding staff reports.
Scene 25, Homeward bound
Karen was awake bright and early, having risen with the sun. A quick shower and she headed towards the canteen to get breakfast for herself and Adam, killing two birds with one stone. The seductive smell of bacon and coffee welcomed her to the canteen and it wasn’t long before she was enjoying another full English breakfast, washing it down with a large mug of strong tea. Finished eating, she put away her tray and piled up a fresh one with two plates of food and a large orange juice, before paying and heading to Adam’s room.
She knocked twice with her elbow, as her hands were tied up with holding the tray, then used it to press down on the handle to open the door, forcing her to enter his room backwards. Turning around, she was startled to see him sitting on the edge of the bed, exercising his legs by lifting them.
“Wow, that’s amazing Adam, is there any pain? Oh, and good morning by the way.”
He looked at her and smiled. It was only at this point she realised the bandages were gone from his head and he was looking at her with two, perfect blue eyes. Adams smile grew wider as he enjoyed the look of surprise on her face.
“Good morning to you Karen. No, it doesn’t hurt but they still feel bruised and it will be a few days before they are back to full strength. Ah, I take it the food is for me?” he asked hopefully, swinging his legs back onto the bed.
“Yes, it is, but first I want a good look at you,” Karen replied, moving over to him in her best no-nonsense Doctor manner, placing the food on his over-bed table.
Adam remained still while she examined the fresh skin that had almost completely regrown, by now used to her ministrations. Only a few small scabs remained and it was obvious they would be gone after he washed his head. Opening up his gown at the neck, she ran her hands along the shoulder, trying to feel anything out of the ordinary. There were no electric shocks this time as she focused on examining where he had been previously injured.
She looked up at his face again. “Any pain or discomfort at all? Anywhere?”
“No Karen. As I said, just a little sore and a general feeling that I’m not where I should be. I would prefer it if breakfast wasn’t cold. Can’t you finish this after I’ve eaten?” he asked hungrily.
Karen stepped back and swung the table over his legs so he could eat. “OK, fair enough.”
She sat on the bedside chair and watched him eat. Adam quickly finished off the food and gave the empty plate a look of regret as she moved the table away again. Karen moved closer and lifted up the gown covering his legs, running her hands over the fresh skin. No scarring, but she could see some patches of redness that hadn’t completely healed. Before pressing harder, she told him to let her know if it hurt, then began to try and see if his leg bones had set properly. Apart from his legs and general musculature still being on the thin side, everything seemed to be in working order.
Examination finished, she stood silently beside the bed, trying to think of what to do next. Adam looked up at her expectantly, not saying anything but examining her face as if trying to determine what she was thinking.
Karen moved to the foot of the bed, looking at the readings taken during the night. Everything normal. Blood pressure, heart rate, everything was fine, aside from that elevated body temperature. She asked him to try and stand. Without a word, Adam did so, the smile leaving his face, replaced with a look of concentration. Standing a little unsteadily at first, he set his balance and walked over to her. Before she could say or do anything, Adam enveloped her in a hug, resting his face against the top of her head.
“Thank you, Karen. I really appreciate everything you have done for me,” he said into her hair, “I’m in your debt.”
Unsure what to do or how to react, Karen simply stood there. After a few seconds, Adam gave a final squeeze and moved away, sitting gratefully down on the bed with a sigh, looking and sounding tired.
“I need your help one last time Karen. Is there any way you can get me back to the scene of the accident? I’m sure it will help to bring back memories of who I am. Please. I need to get there as soon as I can.”
Not letting her answer, he continued, “You can see I can walk around without pain. I admit it’s tiring for now but by the end of today I should be fighting fit. The longer I stay here the greater the risk news of my unique healing ability will get out.”
Karen sat on the bed next to him. “Are you sure Adam? I confess your recovery is little short of miraculous and I’m at a loss what to do about you.”
Earlier, Police had confirmed to her they were not looking for anyone matching his description and seemed happy enough not to get involved in the mystery. If, or when, they were ready to take action against the driver of the lorry they would let her know, but until that happened they were both free to do as they pleased. Anyway, it wasn’t as if they didn’t know where to find her, for Karen had patched up enough of the local force over the past year to be on good terms with most of them.
She searched Adams face, not really knowing what she was looking for. “I can get you back to Skye, but on one condition. You must stay with me for a few days before moving on to try and find out more of where you came from and what it is you were doing on the island before the accident. Agreed?”
Adam nodded. “Agreed, Karen. Now how do you plan on getting us there?”
Three hours later and they were flying back to Skye in the air ambulance. Karen managed to have a quiet word with James and Michael as they were coming on duty that morning and although it was against regulations, they agreed to turn a blind eye to Adam and Karen joining them on a planned flight to Broadford Hospital for a patient pick up. Pleased she wouldn’t have to catch a bus or taxi, she’d had just enough time to get to the shops and pick some clothes for Adam before they took off. He’d been as good as his word and by the time Karen had completed all the discharge papers and thanked everyone for their help, he was able to walk short distances without any trouble, enabling him to get into the helicopter unaided, much to the astonishment of the two me, who had trouble believing he was the same man they’d flown here only a short time before.
Michael and then James, had bombarded Adam with questions for the first fifteen minutes of the flight until they’d run out of things to ask, then started on Karen. After it became obvious she didn’t have answers to most of the questions either, they lapsed into a confused silence for the remainder of the forty-five-minute flight. When seeing the helicopter properly for the first time, Adam had seemed reluctant to get in, looking apprehensively at the rotors before shrugging his shoulders and strapping himself tightly into his seat. Once airborne he seemed
to relax somewhat and eventually looked as though he was enjoying the experience, gazing out of the window when not answering questions.
After landing on the helipad behind Broadford Hospital, which overlooked a bay with the same name, Karen thanked the two men for all their help, hugging them both before moving off with Adam towards the main building where a taxi was meant to be waiting for them.
Watching as they disappeared into the building, James looked at Michael and shrugged his shoulders, patting his colleague on the back before turning to the waiting orderlies for help in lifting the stretcher into the helicopter in readiness for the return flight.
Unfortunately, the expected Taxi hadn’t yet arrived, so Adam and Karen sat outside the main entrance on a wooden bench to wait. Not knowing what to say at this point Karen kept quiet, but after watching the helicopter depart and vanish into the distance, she wanted to break the awkward silence. Turning her head to look at Adam she caught him looking at her too.
“Are you trying to think of something to say as well?” she asked him.
He nodded and smiled, then looked down at his hands. The coat she’d bought for him felt uncomfortable and was constricting him across the chest, but he was happy to now blend in with everyone else. It wasn’t just the coat that was making him feel uncomfortable. Ever since waking up after the accident he had to rely on this woman and he didn’t like the feeling of not being in control or master of his destiny. Even when his father had sent him away at such short notice, he hadn’t felt so lost or alone. He was attracted to her, this alien woman from a backward planet, and it disturbed him to feel so vulnerable and helpless. He did wonder if this attraction was simply because he was currently so reliant on her and whether it would fade once he gained back his independence. However, a growing part of him hoped it wouldn’t be so.
Karen looked at him and wished she had bought larger sizes. It had been difficult to judge how big he was and perhaps it would have been wiser to go XXX-large. She realised he looked a little ridiculous in trousers several inches too short and a coat that looked distinctly uncomfortable. At least the trainers fit him.
They both looked up as a blue Mercedes, with a prominent yellow taxi light on its roof, drove between the heavy grey stone wall that marked the entrance and stopped in front of them.
The passenger door window lowered and Karen acknowledged the shouted “Karen McLeod?” from the driver. With that, the driver got out and opened the rear doors for them, helping Adam when he seemed unsure what to do next. On the other side, Karen showed Adam how to adjust and buckle the seatbelt before strapping herself in.
“Struan please,” she told the driver, “I’ll tell you what house when we get there” as he turned around to enquire.
She turned back to Adam. “It’ll take us about forty minutes to get home, then you can rest and take it easy. You’re doing remarkably well Adam, now just sit back, relax and watch the scenery go by.”
Adam did so with another grateful sigh, sinking back into the leather seat. Karen looked at him for a second then turned to gaze out at the familiar scenery. To her left and through the trees she caught glimpses of “The Beinn” as it was referred to locally, the first of the Cuillin Mountains that dominated the middle of Skye. Luckily their taxi driver wasn’t interested in chatting, perhaps feeling awkward about asking questions from a Hospital pick-up in case of bad news.
The motion of the car and white noise from its tyres soon sent Adam to sleep and Karen had the chance to look at him without being observed. His face had completely filled out and of the head injury there was no sign. The left eyelid looked completely normal and the way he had moved when exiting the helicopter or bending to get into the car, proved beyond doubt his broken bones had healed completely. Turning away to look again at the passing scenery, she asked herself again for the hundredth time just who Adam was and what on earth was she getting herself into. As a Doctor, Karen knew she had more than her fair share of empathy and a desire to help others in need and although she also owed him for saving her life, she suddenly realised there was something more beginning to grow between them, even though it had only been a few days and she still hardly knew anything about him. His vulnerability, interspersed with flashes of something strong and commanding, was fascinating and she was not looking forward to saying goodbye when he regained his memories. For all she knew, he had a wife or fiancé somewhere, waiting for him.
Scene 26, A walk in the dark
Nine days had passed since Christine’s meeting with the Chiefs of Staff. No firm decision had been made regarding the Felidae and Christine was spending the evening walking alone through the Palace gardens, debating with herself whether or not to initiate contact with Empress Freyja. The two of them hadn’t corresponded for some time and with all that had been happening, it increasingly seemed a good time to re-establish contact, yet she didn’t want to appear vulnerable or needy to a predator species such as the Felidae. Unlike the meagre efforts of the IIS, Christine was certain the Felidae were having more success in obtaining information on the Empire from greedy or disloyal humans than they were on them. Regrettably, it wasn’t hard to find humans willing to do anything for money or power, even to the extent of selling out their own kind.
Taking stock, Christine realised she had walked further than intended and was now over a mile away from the Palace. The walk had been thoroughly enjoyable, passing between all four lakes before stopping at the outskirts of the forest to get her bearings. The transition between relatively open parkland and dense forest was small, just a matter of a few dozen yards before the semi-wilderness took over. It was getting too late for her to go any further and although Vimes could always send an air-car to bring her back, her preference was to walk. Christine regularly needed to spend this time alone, recharging her emotional batteries, away from the distractions of people and responsibility. She valued these times, alone with nothing but her own thoughts.
The large flocks of birds which had provided a constant backdrop of song during the day were nearly all silent, having roosted for the night in the heavy woods and trees of the garden. All she could hear was the gentle rustle of leaves in the slight breeze and the sound of trees creaking as they shed the day’s warmth, along with the occasional chirruping insect from somewhere in the long grass.
Thoughts of the Empire brought her back to the present. It would only be a short time before Alexander’s task force engaged the raider base and while she knew it was a simple mission, with both her husband and son gone, Christine felt suddenly vulnerable. “Probably ancient fears surfacing of being alone in the dark,” she thought, dismissing the feeling.
The voice of Vimes interrupted her reverie. “Christine, I’ve analysed the financial data from the Sectors who have reported and vigorously chased those who have still to do so. There is nothing out of the ordinary apart from a number of minor tax avoidance schemes which have come to light; some of which are very ingenious. Do I have your permission to pass these on to the Dukes for action? The non-financial data from markets and auction houses has also arrived and I will summarise it shortly.”
“Thank you, Vimes, please do so. How many Sectors still haven’t reported?
“Eleven Sectors, Christine, but my surrogates are looking into the delays.”
“Any news on Alexander?”
“No Christine. I will inform you the moment anything arrives from DU-449.”
After all the years they had been communicating together, Christine felt she could sometimes sense Vimes thinking, even though she knew it wasn’t possible.
“Have you arranged to meet anyone here that I’m not aware of?” he asked suddenly, the tone of his voice taking on a serious note, bringing her to full alert.
Immediately on guard she looked around, wishing she’d bothered to take night vision lenses with her. “No, why?” she replied, wary of speaking aloud and now angry with herself for not remembering to put on the smart-metal armband before coming out.
“There are
ten persons approaching your position from the direction of the main building, about two hundred yards away directly behind you…I’m also detecting interference with the security grid and communications…”
His voice cut out for a few seconds before returning… “I am definitely being interfered with…and contact with the base and local security has been cut off. Local sensors are being jammed too. Very sophisticated…head for the tree line, it will afford cover.”
“How did they get through your security?” she thought back at him, running towards the trees and almost catching her foot on a root, causing her to break step and stumble, “It’s meant to be bloody fool proof.”
“These aren’t intruders Christine. They are all assigned and accredited as diplomatic staff, hence have free access to the grounds and buildings…I wasn’t concerned about them until the jamming began and they started to move directly towards you…head left, then run one hundred yards. Before the jamming started I’d detected another person ahead of you in the woods but it’s one of the Palace woodsmen, Francis De’ath. I don’t think he’s part of this but be careful. If you can get him to distract them, it might gain you a few moments.”
Christine had to force down the beginnings of panic. She could easily take on one, possibly two attackers, but ten was beyond even her capabilities. Even if Francis proved capable, the odds were massively stacked against them.
“Francis was the young man at breakfast the other day; the one who piqued my interest. Let’s hope the Iron Duke chose well or I’m in even more trouble.”
With that final thought, Christine burst through into a small clearing where a small one-person survival tent had been set up next to an unlit fire. Of Francis there was no sign, so she continued through to the other side and back into the wood, listening to Vimes telling her to slow down and hide behind a large, forgotten statue that would appear shortly amongst the undergrowth. As she ran, stumbling and tripping through the dense undergrowth, Christine fancied she could hear her pursuers getting closer. “Goodness knows,” she thought, “I’m making enough noise.” She finally reached the statue, a large metal affair depicting a stern looking military man. Both the statue and its nameplate were covered in a thin patina of oxidisation, moss and sundry forest detritus, but she could still read the name: Admiral Lord Martyn Rose, although the date was illegible. It stood in another small clearing which had obviously been recently cleared away and tidied, for she could see fresh cut marks on the trees and a large pile of branches and undergrowth piled up high in one corner. Her face and arms began to sting from where they had been whipped and scratched by the small branches and thorns as she forced her way through.
Imperium: Betrayal: Book One in the Imperium Trilogy Page 22
