by John Walker
Analysts worried about the colonies losing their minds with worry about threats from beyond the borders. Part of the plan involved assurance they could be protected. That meant updating more ships. Much as the engineers had a blast updating the Triton, they wanted a field test before fully committing the fleet.
This was a sentiment the military leaders fully endorsed. Admiral Maxwell Porter became Titus’s new direct commanding officer. He visited the Triton early on in the process, then came back for the quiet, unassuming promotion ceremony. Besides those two visits, he’d been hands off.
When they got the distress call, he made it clear how important the trip was to not only the military but humanity itself.
“Even if you don’t find anything out there,” Porter said, “you’ll show everyone at home what your ship can do. Your crew will have an opportunity to prove out technology we’ve never even seen before.”
“I appreciate your confidence,” Titus replied. “I’m sure we won’t let you down.”
“You’ve always shown more flexibility than Captain Barrington. He tried to spin it as reckless, but I knew the difference. Your promotion came because you earned it more than as a battlefield boost. Don’t think you were lucky or that you’ve stepped over a body to get here. In all frankness, you’re the perfect person for the job.”
That conversation had continued to resources and personnel but the praise stuck with Titus. He hadn’t received much feedback from the admiral up to that point. The man must’ve been somewhat happy. Every request had been approved. After putting in a request to have Rhys reassigned, it went through without a hitch.
I need to learn how that guy works.
They’d been at warp for just over two and a half hours. All reports showed the Triton handled the trip well. No shorts, no problems with Engineering. Chief Huxley considered the test a success though he had serious reservations about going so far their first time out. Their initial trip was supposed to take a half hour.
Titus leaned to Rhys. “How’s it going?”
“Violet helped a lot,” Rhys replied. “You were right. The interface hasn’t changed but it’s way faster. Actually, just about every system on the ship can be described that way. I’m fairly confident in most of it. I just wish I knew how long any of this stuff took. It’ll be hard to hold people accountable for a while.”
“Most of us have that in common right now.”
If we’re just here to pick up some random archaeologists, none of that will matter.
“Sir,” Ronin spoke up, “we’re ready to reduce speed to sublight. We’ll make our destination in roughly… ten minutes.”
Jane added, “Fifteen minutes longer than our estimate.”
“I think that’s reasonable for a first time,” Titus said. “Let’s mark any discrepancies we can attest to that for mitigation later. To be on the safe side, I want defenses ready as soon as we emerge. Rhys, be sure the soldiers are ready for departure. Regardless of what we find in orbit, I think we’ll be picking some folks up on the surface.”
The crew went about their business. Titus reached out to Huxley, “Everything still good down there?”
“We corrected some general sensor bugs,” Huxley said. “But so far, everything’s running as advertised. Those Prytins weren’t kidding. What’re we expecting?”
“Full shields in a minute so keep an eye on the generators,” Titus replied. “And be ready for a quick departure in case we run into something we don’t want to see. Other than that, I suspect we’re in for a milk run.”
“Sounds good, sir. I’ll keep you informed.”
“Violet,” Titus turned to her, “have we heard from the Brekka yet?”
“They said they’re on their way,” Violet replied. “Would you like me to reach out to them again?”
“Yeah, get us an ETA.”
The ship shuddered as they slowed, the first motion he felt since they left the dry dock. All around, the artificial gravity system worked dramatically better than ever before. Most of the engineers said the system was overkill, that it could handle serious maneuvers and even take some hits without compromising their environment.
Rhys gripped his seat tightly… chuckling. “Sorry. Wasn’t expecting that after the smoothest ride I’ve ever experienced.”
“No need to apologize,” Titus replied. “When we’re done with this, I’ll get you the technical manual on the core systems. You can see how they’ve changed and gain an understanding of why it felt like you just took a calm ride down a river.”
The viewscreen came on with a flash, displaying a dozen bits of technical data concerning the system they had entered. Information about Cordal indicated it should’ve been a contender for colonization if not for the distance to the nearest outpost. Colonial control held themselves to strict guidelines for supply routes and maintenance crews.
Not to mention rescue craft. Prior to the Triton’s upgrades, a colony most likely would’ve been lost if it had to wait for a conventional craft to get there. And because it hadn’t been surveyed as a resource rich planet, that meant it didn’t warrant building a warp gate. That expense gated all but the wealthiest of finds.
“Sir,” Violet called, “we have a ship on scan. Database indicates a Kahl war vessel.” She clarified for Rhys, “Their version of a battleship with some boosts, generally in the weapons.”
“Shit.” Titus sighed. “How far?”
“Orbiting the third planet,” Violet replied. “And we’ve been scanned already.”
“Hail them.” Titus stood, stepping toward the screen. “Tell them we’re on a peaceful mission to collect our people from the planet’s surface. Let’s see if we might buy some time. Meanwhile, get to scanning for any human life.” They might already be prisoners… if the Kahl bother to take them.
“I’m on it,” Violet replied.
“Hold off on sending our men,” Titus gestured to Rhys, “until we know what’s going on, we’re on standby. Shields up?”
Jane said, “At full power. Shall we power up weapons?”
“Prep the charges.” Titus narrowed his eyes. “We can power up the weapons without giving away our intention. Instead of a full charge up, we only need about twenty seconds to go to town. We’re hoping it’ll help during negotiations. Our opponents won’t necessarily think we’re posturing.”
“No response yet,” Violet said. “They haven’t moved from their position.”
Just like before, Titus thought. Won’t play out the same way this time. I’ve brought bigger guns. “Maintain course and heading. Get us closer. Maybe they’ll let us take care of business without engaging.”
“Can they understand us?” Rhys asked.
“We have a translator,” Titus said. “We thought that might’ve been the problem the first time we encountered the Kahls.”
“Yeah,” Jane added, “then we learned that once they engage in combat, they won’t open their hails for just about anything.”
“Barbarians,” Rhys said, “no negotiations regardless of status or what’s happening.”
“To the death,” Ronin replied.
Titus stepped over to Violet’s terminal. “Let the Brekka know what we’ve found. Send them any scan data. Maybe they know who these guys are. If we have to engage, they should be aware they’re walking into a fight.” This isn’t exactly how I wanted to shake the ship down. No better way than combat I suppose.
He found himself itching for the fight, for a second chance against them. Check that nonsense. If we can do this without firing a shot, we have to. Rescue mission first. Everything else, second. That’s the point of this trip. Anything else that went down would be extra. And now, potentially deadly.
***
Renz hadn’t spoken to Kivda since he had returned to the ship. His friend gathered a new force of soldiers to head back to the planet but they were waiting until first light in that region. His excuse involved giving their quarry a chance to come out of whatever hole they were hiding in, to let
them become sick with stress.
I doubt such a thing is going to happen, but I will defer to his expertise. Renz generally ignored regular operations on the ship. The people around him knew what they were doing. He trusted them to keep him informed of anything interesting cropping up. Unfortunately, that left him with time to think. Even if we find these criminals, this won’t benefit my career.
Maybe he’d win some favor with his father, but what would it matter? He began to consider the possibilities some of his entourage discussed… assassinating the Lord Marshal to take over. I need to discredit him before he dies. The church continued to back the man because he gave them so much power.
He practically allowed them to do whatever they wanted providing he remained in charge of the military. Their goals aligned, the subjugation of the universe to the tune of religious zeal. That meant people continually looked to their religious leaders for guidance and encouragement in their ordeals.
How can I possibly offer them something greater? The truth was he couldn’t. They had everything they wanted. Short of sharing rule with them, he had nothing more to give. So unless his father proved incompetent or somehow undermined them, then he had to wait his turn. And take care of the dissidents that his spy uncovered.
The fact someone aboard his ship, someone close to him had the nerve to turn on him burned his gut. He wanted more than anything to get his hands on them. The satisfaction of his vengeance might even be worth the betrayal. However, Kivda was right. Attacking them would be unwise.
Knowing who they were, on the other hand, may well benefit his cause. Feeding misinformation to his father might give him some leeway to act on his own. I need more allies if I’m going to take over, even if he dies naturally. That had been one of his greatest weaknesses. He didn’t play well with others and as a result, he didn’t have many friends.
“Sir?” Porth interrupted his thoughts. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but a strange vessel has just entered the system. Their silhouette is not in our database. We have no idea what culture it belongs to.”
“What?” Renz stood, moving to get a better look at the viewscreen. “Odd. There’s nothing at all in the databanks?”
“No, sir.” Porth shrugged. “They’ve hailed us. Said something about a rescue mission.”
Renz stiffened. “They’re with the criminals stealing from us. The ship on the surface had been unfamiliar as well. This makes perfect sense.” He turned to Inda. “Are they as pathetic as the other vessel?”
“No, sir. Expected power generation. Shields are…” Inda turned to him with wide eyes. “Prytin design.”
“Those scum!” Renz slapped his leg. “How have they managed to develop a new line of ships without us knowing about it? Mark that down for Imperial intelligence. They should be ashamed of themselves. Put them on the screen. I want to see these Prytin bastards before we wipe them from the face of the galaxy.”
Inda tapped at her console. A man appeared, dark hair, deep eyes… not at all like a Prytin. Similar bone structure but that could be said of the Kahls as well. Renz narrowed his eyes as he took the man in, peering at the blue-black uniform jacket. It didn’t look like anything he’d seen before.
“State your designation,” Renz said, “and your point of origin.”
“My name is Captain Titus Barnes of the TCN Triton. We’re on a rescue mission from our own solar system. Who are you?”
“The translator called that a form of Prytin,” Inda said, “though it’s ancient. I’m sorry, this information is confusing. The compute says the translation is ninety-six percent accurate.”
“I am General Renz Divol. We are investigating trespassing on one of our temples. If you are rescuing the criminals, then you are in violation as well. You shall surrender to us and prepare to be boarded. We have never seen a ship like yours nor do we know what the TCN is. We will learn.”
“We’re not surrendering,” Titus replied. “And you’re not boarding this ship. The people on the surface meant no disrespect. They were under the impression they were studying an ancient site. It was a scientific mission. I can assure you we will take them back to our space right away so they don’t cause further harm.”
“But you cannot do that because they’ve destroyed the temple they invaded.” Renz took another step toward the screen. “I will not repeat my order, Captain. I see that you are still on an approach with your shields raised. If you do not surrender, then we will be forced to engage you in combat.”
“That would be unfortunate,” Titus said, “but we’re not going to let you take our people.”
“You may not know our culture. When we enter battle, we do not stop until the conflict is concluded. Until our opponents are destroyed. Do you wish to risk this? Bring it on your crew?”
“Better than the alternative. But none of this is necessary. If you’d just listen to what I’m saying, we can come to a peaceful solution here. Please. There doesn’t have to be bloodshed today.”
“I’ve lost a dozen men,” Renz replied, “an ancient temple sacred to my people. All the artifacts within have been desecrated. Your people, as you call them, came into our domain without permission to conduct these acts of sabotage. And now they are going to pay for it. As will you. For the last time, stand down for boarding.”
“Give me a moment to confer with my crew,” Titus said, “it’ll only be a moment.”
Renz huffed. “We will open fire momentarily. You have until the first shot is fired to make up your mind.” He waved at Inda to kill the connection. “Porth, prepare for combat. Break orbit.” He hurried back to his chair, slapping the comm. “Kivda, get your men down to the surface immediately.”
“What’s going on?”
“We’re about to engage in combat with an enemy ship. You need to find those people before they do. I have a feeling they’ll be sending a party of their own. Be on the ready. I believe you’ll encounter some real weapons from these people. Whoever they are.”
That’s the part I like least. Not knowing.
“They’re on their way now,” Kivda replied, “I’ll come to the bridge. I want to see these newcomers up close.”
“By all means.” Renz killed the connection. The people he sends better get me my prisoners though, or he’ll have much to answer for. The ship’s engines powered on, pulling them from orbit. Alright, Captain. Show me what you’ve brought to the fight. Hollow words and bravado? Or something to worry about?
A new player had entered the galactic arena. It was time to see how much glory their deaths would bring.
***
“Did we get an ETA on the Brekka?” Titus asked.
“Still trying to get through,” Violet replied. “I’m not seeing interference. Just… I’m not getting a response.”
“Does that mean something?” Rhys asked. “We’ve always had trouble communicating while at warp. I’m kind of guessing that it’s worse when you’re talking about the kind of speed we’re dealing with here. Surely, it has to produce more radiation… more chance for interference all around. Right?”
“Boosted transmitters,” Violet said. “I’m not sure what’s going on here. The enemy ship has yet to jam us. I’m working on it right now. As far as scans go for the people, that’s going to be a lot trickier I’m afraid. That’s some serious interference and definitely more than even upgraded sensors can get through.”
“That’s good news for the people down there,” Rhys said, “depending on how long they’ve been waiting for help, the enemy shouldn’t be able to detect them either. If they know what they’re doing, they might avoid detection for a while. Speaking of which, do we have any idea who we’re looking for?”
Violet tapped her console. “On the screen there. We’re looking for Kyle Burgess, age thirty-one.” The picture came up on the screen. Brown hair, blue eyes, beard. The vitals stated he was six feet tall. Former military sergeant. Attended university to become an archaeologist. “And here’s his partner.”
Lysa Vanden,
thirty years old and standing five-nine with dusty blonde hair and green eyes. She was also a sergeant. She had two degrees in archaeology and computer science. Titus figured their military records would show they were more than capable of taking care of themselves in the field.
Titus said, “It’s unlikely these two would ask for help if they didn’t need it. Rhys, deploy our people. Then take a moment to look over the records of Mister Burgess and Ms. Vanden. I’d like to know their areas of expertise.” He returned to his chair. “Violet, the second we hear from the Brekka, let me know. Open a frequency to the general.”
The image of the man appeared again. He scowled. “I trust you’ve come to your senses and do not wish to push for a fight.”
“Actually, we’re going to save our people, General. If you stand in our way, we’ll take whatever measures are necessary to defend ourselves. The choice is yours of what happens next, but as this does not have to be an incident, I request again that you stand down. Allow us to gather our people and everyone can go in peace.”
“Battle it is, Captain.” Renz smirked. “Work for your lives. I want the glory of this kill to be worth something.” The screen flickered back to the regular view.
“They look a lot like us,” Rhys said. “Hardly different at all. How… how’s that possible?”
Titus replied, “The Prytins talked about planets being seeded. Though it’s likely the Kahls themselves come from a different origin. One close to us but… well… that doesn’t matter now. We’ll discuss it later. Weapons hot, Ronin. Jane, give me a time to target. We need to distract them from our shuttle.”
“Yes, sir. We can be in range with our weapons inside twenty seconds.”
“Excellent.” This is payback for what you did before. “You may fire when ready.”
***
Alon Dess sat on the shuttle in preparation for the descent to the planet’s surface. He hadn’t anticipated real action, not like this. After escaping the Kahls the first time, he desperately wanted to get away. Find a planet far from any sort of action but practicality kept him on the Triton.
