by Britt Ringel
A dozen freighter models cluttered the screen. Brown’s hand swept over them one by one, purging six from view. “These ain’t no good, L.T. Anythin’ their size is gonna be a liner an’ that’ll raise red flags as soon as we divert from their established trade routes.” Brown used his index finger and thumb to zoom in on the remaining six ship types.
“You don’t have to call us by our ranks anymore, Chief,” Vernay said before reflecting on the irony of her statement.
Brown ignored the comment. “We need a tramp freighter so we can go where we want. Somethin’ small enough that we can operate safely back to Anthe an’ we also need it to have internal holds.” He stopped his scan and looked at Vernay. “Do we know how many Hollarans we’re gonna have to fit?”
Vernay scratched her head before shaking it. “No, but a heavy cruiser can have upwards of eight hundred personnel.”
Brown exhaled loudly. “Yeah, I know. That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Even the largest freighters in the Republic don’t have anywhere near the living quarters fer that many people. Not to mention the logistics capability to wash an’ feed that many folks.” He stared absently at the wall.
Vernay leaned closer to the monitor. “These designs are the freighters matched to the names that we think were involved in the Skathi pirate activity.” She pointed at the computer screen. “These are our choices, Chief.”
Selvaggio sat back in her chair. “How do we know this, Stacy?”
Vernay opened her mouth but Truesworth answered for her. “Because the captain’s brilliant, that’s how. All those months we spent in Skathi, Diane? Captain Heskan analyzed the shipping patterns of the freighters that operated in Skathi and discovered that the pirate freighters all eventually sailed to Erriapius after loading their drugs in the Beta Field.”
“The captain thinks that’s where their main distribution system was,” Vernay added. “They used big freighters to get the drugs out of Skathi in periodic, huge shipments and then went to Erriapius to allocate the drugs to smaller vessels that would transport them to individual systems in the Republic. His analysis of tramp freighters routinely in Erriapius with the freighters seen in Skathi resulted in our list of targets.”
“At least, that’s the theory,” Truesworth said. “Paragon turned out to be a pirate freighter so it does bear out.”
Vernay pointed to a list of ship names off to the side of the computer screen. “This is the master list Captain Heskan worked out. He thinks these ships are running the contraband and that makes them open game for us.” Vernay manipulated the computer controls, eliminating two additional unsuitable freighter models from the screen. “Getting back to the chief’s point, the captain thought we could use internal holds as makeshift barracks,” Vernay said. “I don’t know how he was planning on handling the logistics of food and such but it’s not like we’re deploying for six months; we just have to get to the Commonwealth.” She looked at Brown. “How long do you figure that will take?”
“Depends on the route,” Brown answered. “Take the shortest route an’ we could be there in a little more than a week but that means sailin’ straight through the front lines. There’s no way we’d make it past Second Fleet. It’d be suicide tryin’ to run the freighter blockade in Sponde.” Brown quickly input commands into Vernay’s datapad and a map of the Brevic Republic appeared on the desktop. The Anthe star system glowed in the Republic’s upper left corner.
“The safest route would be east,” Selvaggio said. “We could be out of the Republic by our fourth dive.” She pointed at the tunnels between Anthe, Titan and Tetium. “And these tunnels are Type B; we could be in Tetium in less than a day.” Her finger continued to trace the route farther east. “Then, just a standard dive to Despina and after that, we’re out of the Republic.”
Brown zoomed the galaxy map out to display not only the Republic but also the Solarian Federation and Hollaran Commonwealth. Selvaggio’s route ended in the Federation, on the opposite side of the Republic from the Commonwealth.
The raven-haired navigator sighed. “I know, Chief. We’d have to spend months sailing to the Commonwealth, skirting the Republic’s border.” She looked away from the desktop map and at the window-mode wall screen of Vernay’s cabin. The Jewel was in tunnel space between Anthe and Tarvos but the starscape looked ordinary. “If we don’t take the direct route to the Commonwealth or the safest but longer route through the Federation… then what?”
Brown considered the map for several moments. “Well, we’re gonna have to sail through Titan. There’s no way around it. An’ since east an’ west are out of the question, that really just leaves Bree.”
Truesworth shuddered. “Would we really risk sailing through the capital? Isn’t that where they’ll take us after we’re captured? Why rush it?”
Vernay chuckled lightly. “We have to stay ahead of the information wave, Jack. When we break out the Hollarans, we won’t just slip away like we did last night. If we don’t take the routes that keep us ahead of the alerts that they’ll send from Anthe, the Republic will set up blockades that we won’t be able to avoid.”
“But, Stacy,” Selvaggio stated, “information travels at the speed of light.” She pointed at the freighter designs. “These ships will be lucky to make point two-C. We’re dead meat.”
* * *
Heskan entered Envoy-3’s lavishly furnished conference room behind Jennings. Brewer and Neal, already seated in plush leather chairs, waited until the pair reached the table before Brewer brusquely stated, “I trust your investigation moves forward.”
Jennings cast a sideways glance at Heskan before answering, “Yes, sir. We have several items to report. Since the search of quarters on Kite yielded nothing, we have allowed the destroyer to move to the Anthe construction yard. Also, the traitors did not remain on this orbital. Our search was exhaustive. This leaves us with either the planet or the group took passage on a ship. Thirty-nine ships departed the Anthe orbital between the time Truesworth and Brown freed the traitors and when we suspended departures.” Jennings punched at his datapad briefly before the inlaid conference table console flashed into brilliance. “As you can see, three of the departures were system defense ships, while the other thirty-six were civilian.”
“We can immediately rule out the SDSs,” Heskan interjected.
Jennings looked crossly at Heskan but continued, “Seventeen ships that departed were intra-system journeys, and all but six of those have already returned to the orbital. The remaining ships were fourteen freighters and five passenger ships that left the system.”
“Where are the six remaining intra-system ships right now?” Brewer asked.
Heskan remained silent as Jennings answered, “Two are private ships touring the outer planets, one is a maintenance ship for an asteroid mining company and another is a helium-three skimmer. The last two are docked, one at the research station around Anthe Five and the other at the fortress near the tunnel point to Titan.”
Brewer continued to gaze at the information on the table console. “An intra-system ship would be pointless to run in. What about the ships that have left Anthe?”
Heskan looked at Jennings and, when the I.S. agent remained mute, began to speak. “The freighters are very difficult to account for, sir. We have each of their names and listings but only nine are regular liners with established routes. The other five are privately owned, tramp freighters and they go wherever the profits take them.”
Jennings added, “It’s unlikely that the traitors hopped a freighter, but possible. A group that small could have booked passage on a freighter with enough living space and we’d never know because freighters aren’t required to have a passenger manifest other than their crew.”
Brewer hissed under his breath. “Have we at least checked the five passenger ship manifests?”
Jennings nodded quickly, eager to assuage his superior. “Yes, three are regular cruise liners. None of the fugitives appear on their passenger lists. The other two were private
charters for businesses, one is a company named Adventures Incorporated and the other is called Hydroculturists Limited. However, because the companies sponsored the trips, only the company names appear on the manifests.”
Brewer looked away angrily but remained silent.
“We’re working with both liners to get the actual passenger manifest for each trip but since neither ship’s home port is Pallene, it will take some time.” Jennings shrugged apologetically.
“One good thing,” Heskan offered. “Both of those charters have destinations that make it unlikely the traitors boarded these ships.” Heskan pointed to the first ship and struggled over its Russian name. “Meh-fech-skya Ez-ye-da is headed toward Novyah Dom. The other ship, the Jewel of the Night, will dock in Erriapius.”
“Do any of these people call either of those systems home?” Brewer asked.
Jennings shook his head. “No. Erriapius would be a horrible choice because it’s a dead end system. Novyah Dom would be marginally better but there are much wiser systems to charter a ship toward if you are looking to escape Brevic justice.”
Brewer pointed at the Russian ship’s name. “I want more investigation into this ship and its passengers. They may have chosen a less optimal destination to throw us off.” He nodded as if to confirm his own findings and then scrutinized Jennings. “I hope you have accomplished more than this during the last week.”
Jennings shifted nervously on his feet before responding, “Well, they are not on the orbital and it’s unlikely they have left the system. That leaves only Pallene. We’re scouring electronic records for telltales of financial transactions by any of them. We believe it’s only a matter of time before they’re forced to use a datapad to pay for something. We’ll be alerted when that happens. We also have agents pouring through the surveillance records at Duresin’s star port on the night of the escape. Lastly, and most importantly, we have a solid lead.” Jennings looked optimistically to Heskan.
Heskan manipulated his datapad and the conference table console blinked briefly to replace the list of ships with an electronic message. “I received correspondence from Jack Truesworth, sir. Agent Jennings analyzed the message trail and it originated from Pallene.”
Brewer sat up immediately. “This would confirm that he fled to the capital city then, yes?”
Heskan nodded. “Yes. This message was most likely sent from his datapad and Jennings says the transmission trail shows it passed through several Pallene relays on its way to me. It appears to have been sent on a delivery delay, but Agent Jennings’ people insist that the datapad that sent this is on the planet’s surface.”
“This is fact,” Jennings attested. “I believe the time delay was meant to cast doubt on whether they are still on the surface but a delayed message sends out two pulses. The first, at the moment the message is entered into the buffer and a second when the message is actually sent. Both pulses occurred on Pallene.”
“In other words,” Heskan simplified, “Truesworth’s datapad was on Pallene the night of the escape and on Pallene when I received this message three hours ago.”
“We must double our efforts on Pallene then,” Brewer concluded.
Heskan held up a hand and then motioned to the table. “Please consider the message first, Mr. Secretary.” Brewer cast his eyes down and read:
Commander Heskan,
I have no doubt been branded a traitor and deserter but I promise you that I am neither. I simply could not sit idly by and watch the woman I love be wrongfully detained. Diane is a Brevic loyalist and to say otherwise is to cast doubt on what loyalty truly means. I can’t help but feel a great hatred toward the Hollarans because, quite simply, Diane would never have been thrown into this situation without their interference. I understand why you, sir, were forced to work with them; Kite’s survival depended upon the Hollies. But to think that our hated enemy would deal such a blow to not only Diane’s career but also her very freedom is beyond belief.
Then there are the pilots! Denise Gables was one of the Navy’s best, most loyal sailors, and the Republic would throw her life away. Think of how much your crew has bonded during the war. Now understand that Denise, Andrew, Diane and I have known each other far longer than even that. We all go back to Anelace. How could we allow people we love, comrades we know to be faithful citizens of the Republic, to endure this travesty?
We have been devoted to the Republic, many of our shipmates giving their lives in defense of it. And what has the Republic offered in return? Imprisonment? Worse? I now look sadly at a Republic that is no longer my own. Perhaps she died in this war, just another casualty among millions. All that remains now is a bloated corpse of a government willing to throw its faithful citizens into the abyss. Bree has turned against us. They are as much the enemy now as the Hollarans. Both are responsible for this injustice and both will suffer the consequences.
Escape was never our intention. Enlightenment is. It is my hope that our next actions will remove the mask from this dead thing and show all loyal citizens that the Republic must be refreshed. If you doubt our loyalty, Commander, perhaps our heroic rebellion, in service to the TRUE Republic, will remove any doubt.
You deserved some warning to be careful in this system. We owe our captain that much. You are a loyal and true citizen and perhaps you will feel it is your duty to report this message. Before you do so, reflect on the comrades we have lost due to Hollaran aggression and Republic incompetence. Both governments deserve to pay for those lives wasted. I know that because of your oath to the Republic, you place your trust in the wheel of justice regardless of how slowly it turns. However, I can act and I will!
Doesn’t justice demand that good citizens stand up and defend the Republic from all enemies? Aren’t I merely accelerating the inevitable process where the Republic once again fights for the people? I respect you tremendously, Commander Heskan. I believe you feel the same call to action as I do. Therefore, I know the hands that hold this message will do the right thing and let our enemies, Hollaran and Brevic, reap what they have sown. Perhaps after I have delivered swift and decisive punishment to our enemies and exposed the Republic for what it is, all of the people of the Republic might reconsider their loyalties.
Respectfully, J. Truesworth
Brewer slowly scratched his chin while he considered the contents of the message. His fingers found the groove of the scar that bisected the skin. “This is the ranting of an unbalanced mind,” he judged. “Garrett, do you believe this man is capable of actually making some kind of an attempt on the Hollaran prisoners or our government?”
Heskan paused as if considering the question. Finally, he looked grimly into the secretary’s eyes. “I’m afraid so, Mr. Secretary. Both Truesworth and Selvaggio harbor an intense hatred of the Hollarans. I told you this during our first interview. I can even show you holo-logs of Selvaggio arguing with my first officer over why Bree was right to use fusion weapons on a Hollaran planet.” Heskan looked past the seated man as if in deep thought. “As far as this hatred of the Republic… I think something has tripped in Truesworth’s mind. He’s always hated the Hollies, but I think he believes the Republic has abandoned Selvaggio and the pilots. I think he believes he can prove his loyalty to me by acting, by killing the Hollarans on the orbital and unmasking the Republic, whatever that means.”
“Such an attempt would be suicide,” Jennings stated.
“Probably,” Heskan agreed but faltered. “However, Truesworth won’t see it like that and after his audacity on Kite, do we really dare to underestimate him?” Heskan once again looked firmly at Brewer and added, “I think the prisoners are in danger, and maybe even you, sir.”
Brewer’s lips pursed into a thin smile as he assessed Heskan. “Perhaps you have a greater aptitude for this type of service than you first thought, Garrett.” After a slight pause, he added cryptically, “It’s in your blood.” Brewer glanced once again at the conference table before ordering to Neal and Jennings, “Find these traitors, gentlemen.
Failing that, and I am sure you will, you must gain more information about how these renegades plan to act.” He gestured toward the chair next to him and said, “Garrett, sit down. Together we are going to compose a response to this madman.”
Heskan moved around the table as directed. Jennings stood immobile until Brewer announced to the I.S. agent, “Leave us now. Perhaps you can find productive use of this time and demonstrate to me that the Bureau’s credits have not been squandered on your training.”
Heskan saw the agent’s eyes narrow at the rebuke as Jennings glared at him before spinning in place and launching himself toward the chamber’s portal.
Brewer tapped the table with a knobby, wrinkled finger. “Pay attention, Garrett. Watch how a hunter sets his trap.”
Chapter 3
Lieutenant Vernay ensured she was the last person to disembark the Jewel of the Night. The climate conditioning on Jewel had gradually increased the temperature by two degrees and decreased its humidity by three percent over the last seven hours to match the climate levels on the lone station orbiting Baradis. Leaving Jewel, the only environmental difference Vernay could detect was the faint but pungent aroma of disinfectant.
Vernay exited the docking tube to be greeted by the ever-present smile of Jewel’s Chief of Passenger Relations, Joanne Scott. “Thank you for choosing Lux Liners, Ms. Vernay. Your baggage has been forwarded to orbital receiving. We hope that all your expectations were exceeded.” Scott let her statement hang, seeking validation that the voyage to the Erriapius star system had been sufficient.
“Things were great, Joanne. The accommodations and, more importantly, the privacy afforded to my group were outstanding,” Vernay praised. Indeed, the crew aboard Jewel had been so eager to give Vernay’s charges such great seclusion that attending to their needs had been tempered by an obsessive fear not to disturb them.
