by John Walker
The news could’ve been far worse. Jacks sighed. “Of course someone saw it. Why wouldn’t they?” He stood up. “I’ll make a statement right away. Let them know to expect me. Meyers, talk to the Leviathan and find out what’s going on. I want that ship up there soon so we can get some better news than what they’ve drummed up for themselves.”
“I will.” Meyers nodded. “What’re you going to say?”
“Something like the truth,” Jacks replied. “Only with some positive spin on it. Don’t worry, I think I’ve got this … unless one of those astronomers turns out to be our leak.” He scowled at Madison. “Speaking of which, any luck?”
“No, sir,” Madison grunted. “You understand, I’ve been a little busy. Too busy to worry about that!”
“I told you, two investigators can be pulled.” Jacks put his jacket on. “Are they not working on it?”
“I honestly didn’t get around to it.”
“Get around to it. Now.” Jacks moved to the door. “I won’t ask you again and I expect you to fulfill requests. Go and I’ll see you both later. Hopefully, we can spin this our way and if not … well, public opinion might not matter much if we end up going to war with the first aliens we come across. Wish me luck either way.”
***
Victoria fought hard not to tap her foot. Delgado hadn’t reported in for a while and everyone sat on pins and needles waiting for action. The vast majority of crew members aboard the Leviathan were soldiers, fighting people who had been in conflict before. While they might’ve been accustomed to waiting, they weren’t particularly good at it.
The world outside raged against the situation. Victoria knew where it came from. History proved it out. A technologically superior force arrived and the lesser civilization suffered as a result. Those who survived the attack tended toward panic, insular fighting and all manner of other horrors. Sometimes, they banded together but not before they suffered a great deal first.
“Doctor Meyers is on the line,” Madeline announced. “He’d like to speak directly to you, ma’am.”
“Put him through, please.” Victoria watched her console and when the light turned green, she spoke up, “what can I do for you?”
“Colonel Jacks is about to meet with the press,” Meyers replied. “He’d like an update on your status. How soon can you launch?”
“I’m afraid we’re still working out the problem,” Victoria said. She wanted to express frustration about it but kept her tone all business. “It’s a delicate procedure, as I’m sure you know. A mistake could lead to a catastrophic result. We’d like to avoid blowing up before we even get into space.”
“Understood. I’ve sent technicians over to install a device that will help defend against EMP attack. We’ve seen the aliens use that now.”
Victoria’s brows rose. “Explain that last part. What do you mean?”
“We … approached the object with some of our other vessels. One of them was attacked and disabled. Our studies indicate that they’ve found a way to use directed EMP attacks, not only at our ship but key areas around the planet. Even our facility was hit. When we finish installing the shield in your reactor room, you should be able to weather such a blow.”
“Should?” Victoria sighed. “That doesn’t instill me with much confidence, doctor. If I have to lead this ship in an offensive, I need to know I can withstand the enemy’s counter assault. Consider this, it may not even matter if we can get the ship up there if they can simply shut us off the second we move into attack range.”
“That’s why you’re getting the upgrade.” Meyers paused. “I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news. I wish I had something more positive to report but that’s what we’re dealing with right now. Please inform me when you hear from Chief Delgado. We want to authorize a launch the moment you’re ready to go.”
“And Captain Miller?” Victoria asked. “Have we given up on him?”
Meyers paused for a long moment and she started to wonder if he dropped the line. When he finally spoke again, he did so hesitantly. “At the risk of sounding fatalistic, yes. We have. You’ll be taking effective command of the Leviathan.”
“Did Colonel Jacks tell you that?” Victoria asked. “Because I’ll need to hear it from him to make a change in the roster.”
“I’m sure he’ll tell you when he’s out of his meeting, ma’am. I … I’m obviously not authorized to give you an order.” Meyers cleared his throat. “I have to go now. Um … Meyers out.”
Victoria crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair, staring at the screen. She admitted, she’d written off getting Warren on board but she couldn’t quite place the moment she allowed herself to believe he wouldn’t arrive. Launching the Leviathan had always been a privilege she hoped to share with him, not take it in such a paltry way.
We’ll be going up there to avenge his capture and possible death. The thought didn’t really give her any solace. I suppose I should be thankful that I’ll have the opportunity to be part of that instrument, to give these ‘visitors’ a taste of what they deserve. They certainly have cost us enough.
Victoria stood, pacing down to Nicolas’s station. “I’m going to see what’s keeping Delgado. They’re also installing a new piece of technology on board and I want to know how long that will take. You’ve got the bridge until I get back. If anyone contacts us, Colonel Jacks or Doctor Meyers, patch it through to my private com.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“With any luck, we’ll be up there soon but until then, hold things together.” Victoria left the room, clenching her fist as the door closed behind her.
A concern crept in the back of her mind, about the facility they were on the verge of attacking. If the humans they abducted were alive, if they somehow survived their capture, then launching an assault very well might’ve meant killing them all. Somehow, there had to be a way find out for sure.
But if the technicians couldn’t figure it out with their scans, the Leviathan would not likely do a better job. Could they get someone on board? A shuttle might be able to land and save people but would it be swift enough to avoid the EMP attack Meyers talked about? She needed to put some plans together and offer them up to Jacks.
Before they got into space, they needed some tactics to win a conflict. They’d been so worried about interception, they didn’t talk about specifically what that looked like. Now was the time to put some strategy in motion. When she finished talking to Delgado, she’d put together a proposal.
Until then, the ability to launch would be nice.
***
Avania began to worry about stealing one of the collector’s shuttles. She knew how to operate them, but they weren’t designed to transport people about comfortably. As long as the occupants survived the trip, they did their jobs. Most suffered severe damage while traveling in them, especially with the lower oxygen levels.
Life support was kept to a bare minimum and Avania wasn’t sure she could regulate it to do any better. Environmental suits were out of the question as well. They were kept in crew quarters and in the upper decks, neither of which they would be visiting. This meant they’d have to take their chances.
She figured out what must’ve happened with Warren’s craft. They didn’t collect enough people to use the majority of the oxygen. Those people began to wake up and when they did, they rested through the trip, ensuring they would be fit to attack their captors and ultimately overpower them.
Then they began their crusade to disrupt collection activities, a cause Avania had no problem getting behind. The humans didn’t prove to be as practical as she would’ve liked but they had spirit and compassion, two things the majority of her caste seemed to lack. Especially her cousin and his sycophantic regime.
This chance meeting with these people is a gift from fate. I cannot hide in the shadows any longer. Would the humans help? Probably. They were passionate about the people they lost, the incursion into their space offended them and they definitely seemed like the type
of race to hold a grudge.
I’ll need to understand them better if I’m to make them allies.
Captain Miller seemed to be an overly emotional, head strong type. He commanded his people well enough, compelling them toward dangerous action to save their fellows. But he seemed so abrasive. When he and his friends first released her from the cell, he’d seemed confused, but genial.
After explaining the converter, transference and what it was for, he became distant and harsh. Perhaps it wasn’t directed specifically at her. The situation was stressful, particularly to the humans. They were stuck in a terrifying situation without a full understanding of who they were up against.
It would try anyone’s patience.
“You,” Warren said, nudging her with his elbow. “Avania. I need a better understanding of this ship if we’re going to stop it. Furthermore, how can we communicate with Earth? We need to let them know what’s going on.”
Avania glared at him for the nudge. “When we’re on the smaller pod, we’ll be able to communicate with your people. As far as an understanding, I can tell you they have powerful shields but mostly defensive weapons. This is not a vessel built for combat. They disable their enemies and flee. That’s the tactic.”
“How?”
“They can directly target parts of a planet or other ships, shutting their power down in the process.”
“That seems bad,” Dex said. “Is that bad?”
Warren nodded. “It’s bad. We’ll have to find some way around it.”
“Yes, well … we’ll have some time when we leave since you’ve deprived them of their prize.” Avania looked around, ensuring they were still going the right way. If they followed the protocol she was familiar with, they would be securing the other converters and plotting their next move.
Meaning the collection crew wouldn’t bother with an attack until they felt more confident about a victory. They’ll probably hit us when we try to take the shuttle. The confined space will make for a nightmarish battle, but one they will have the equipment for. And we can’t simply depart. I have to override their remote controls.
“What is it?” Warren asked. “You look concerned.”
“We’re captives on a massive space vessel designed to murder people,” Avania said. “They planned on taking me back for execution all for profit. What’s not to be concerned with?”
Warren scowled. “What should we expect when we get to the shuttle?”
“Opposition. Though not right away. I will need to do some work on the computer before we can launch. I’m afraid it will take several minutes.”
“Meaning we have to hold it down.” Warren sighed.
“It’s not all bad,” Dex said. “If it’s basically the place we woke up in, then we’ll have a narrow door way they have to get through to take us on. That will limit their numbers and they can’t possibly overwhelm us. Four shooters could hold that room and we’ve got more than that. I’m feeling good about our chances.”
“There you have it,” Avania replied. “The challenge will be on me to set manual control.”
Warren put his hand on her shoulder, drawing a withering glare. He moved it away quickly but didn’t seem as bothered as he should’ve been. “I had another thought. What’s to stop them from blasting the shuttle and shutting down the power? We’d immediately be captured again.”
“Their crafts are immune to the attack,” Avania explained, “they often hit places on a planet while their shuttles are in action. The metal compounds are, essentially, shielded. On the surface, you’d see lines riding all over them. Those are one part emitter, one part insulation against their own attack. Believe me, we will escape.”
“But?” Warren asked. “I sense there’s a second part to that.”
“Chances are good they’ll be making a second run. So far, nothing’s stopped them. Why not dip again? They’re going to make a fortune. May as well push.”
Warren started to respond but hesitated. He smiled. “Okay then. How much further to the shuttle?”
“We’re almost to one of them now.” Avania gestured ahead of them. “We’ll be in the hallway with all the hangar bays. Then, we pick one, I crawl into a horrifyingly confined space and you kill any collectors who try to stop us. I’d like to say it will be as simple as I made it sound but … well … you’ll see.”
***
Jacks finished the press conference, feeling like he’d just been kicked in the face repeatedly. The reporters were like wolves nipping at his heels throughout his report and no matter what he said, he didn’t seem capable of satiating them. By the time it was done, he wanted a drink but there was still plenty of work to do.
They discussed the mission seen by anyone still in front of a screen. He let them know that the crew of the Probity was likely alive and that they were planning a rescue mission. People wanted to know why the Leviathan hadn’t performed the mission. One of them even called out the technical glitch, another tidbit thrown out by the leak.
He distracted them by explaining that they’d learned the enemy’s strengths and would soon be attacking it. This seemed to get them back on track before he cut the meeting short and headed to the control center. The moment the door closed behind him, irritation was replaced by rage and he had a hard time keeping his voice down.
Jacks approached Meyers and leaned against his console. “Did you speak to the Leviathan?”
“They’re almost done with their problem,” Meyers replied. “Our EMP shielding is also installed and should be working. Oh. Commander Serling needs an official order to place herself in command of the ship. Her words, not mine.”
“I don’t think that’s a problem right now.” Jacks rubbed his eyes. “If Miller somehow magically shows up, he can take over but she’s in charge anyway so … it doesn’t matter. Will your shield thing work? Will it stop the enemy attack harming the Leviathan?”
“In theory, yes.”
“I’m sick of everything being a theory, Meyers.”
“You think I’m in love with it? You think I want to have so much unknown? Science is about making an educated guess then using a set process to prove whether it was right or wrong. I can’t simply tell you something will work when I have no ability to test it under the proper circumstances.”
“Understood. I’m sorry.” Jacks rubbed his temples as fatigue set in hard on his shoulders. “The reporters were on a serious roll. They knew some of our problems. I guess we’ll wait for Serling. That seems to be our only choice right now. Do we have any idea about the state of Singer?”
“No, sir. I’m afraid our scans aren’t much good with that thing so close to us.”
“Damn it! We’ll prioritize them for the Leviathan mission.” Jacks arrived at the control room. “I’ll talk to you soon, Doctor. Jacks out.”
***
Victoria arrived in engineering, nearly colliding with a young technician dashing through the door. She stepped aside, looking over the chaos in every section of the room. Delgado stood at the center of it all, shouting commands and pointing at people as he went. Somehow, he managed to conduct the people, keeping them moving in a semi-orderly fashion.
“Delgado!” Victoria shouted. She didn’t dare step onto the floor for fear she’d disrupt the careful choreography of their repairs. “I need a report! What’s going on down here? Why haven’t you finished the installation of that regulator?”
“Because some asshole thought it would be a good idea to throw on this EMP shielding thing!” Delgado said. “We’ve had to take some precise measurements to ensure that it covered the reactor and all the generators as well. Otherwise, the thing would be a pointless waste of space. Believe me, I’m not happy about it!”
“How long?” Victoria asked.
“For what?”
Victoria sighed. “Seriously? Until we can launch!”
“Oh.” Delgado looked around and shrugged. “Soon? Start the countdown again.”
“You couldn’t have reported that sooner?�
� Victoria bit her tongue from saying anything else. She simply nodded. “We need to talk but we’ll start the countdown up again. You let me know if anything comes up. Don’t go radio silent again. We’ve got too much going on to be running all over the place.”
“Sure thing!” Delgado went back to his routine of guiding his people as if she’d never shown up. Heading back to the elevator, she contacted Nicolas while waiting. The situation made her fume. None of them had worked together during truly stressful situations. Now that the pressure was on, they had the opportunity to see how each of them responded.
So far, Victoria wasn’t impressed.
“This is Nicolas.”
“Start the countdown again. The regulator’s in place.”
“Just now?”
Victoria scowled. “Probably a while ago. I don’t know. Just … start the countdown. I’ll be back up in a moment.”
She barely boarded the elevator when her com chimed again, this time from Jacks. Either he had more bad news or he just wanted to follow up on the challenges they were facing getting the ship launched. Regardless, Victoria didn’t really want to have the conversation. She clicked it on.
“Serling.”
“I just spoke with Meyers. He said you were still in a holding pattern with that regulator.” Jacks drew a deep breath before continuing. “I’m assuming you’ve checked into that by now and have an update.”
“You assumed correctly. We’re starting the countdown again. The shielding device Meyers had installed should be done momentarily. The regulator’s ready to go. Nicolas is reaching out to ground control as we speak to initiate the sequence. We should be good.”
“One last thing,” Jacks said. “We’ve got someone leaking information to the press. Madison’s supposed to have put investigators on it but they might be on the Leviathan. Lock down coms from the ship. Authorized connections only, understood?”
