“By She Who Watches!” K’llan’s snow–white skin seemed to pale even further as her mind moved in sync with Serros’s own. “Outpost J2 signifies decades of work, Avara. Considering the risk and investment of capital this venture represents, that means the Karukai must fully intend…”
“War.” The Human Shield Operative rapped out in tandem with Z’arr. She could feel the tide of grim resolution wash over her as the two looked at one another in perfect accord for the space of a score of heartbeats. “Get us the Comm Hub location and download everything you can. Sync the data to our CPAs. Additionally, find the location of the clone–tanks. We cannot allow them to reach maturation.”
Avara could feel that K’llan understood how much Serros detested what she was proposing. In return, Avara could also sense the Vosaia’s own keen aversion to what both now knew, had to be of greater importance than escaping Dantis.
Ensuring that the Quorum was made aware of the imminent Karukai threat and most critically, that Outpost J2 was permanently taken out of play. In the end calculation, terminating the clone–production facility was more important than their individual lives.
Yet despite the fact that Lieutenant K’llan Z’arr knew that given this dire equation their live were expendable, Avara Serros felt only the barest hesitation before the Vosaia nodded in acquiescence to all that had been said and was left unsaid.
With a tight smile of grim acknowledgment, K’llan bent her head down and back to the task at hand as Captain Serros kept watch.
CHAPTER 24
Exiting the QS Excalibur’s lift at Deck 12, Commander Marcus Perez felt a well of excitement and carefully reserved optimism flood through him, as he shifted his bulky frame to dodge a Mech Technician half–jogging by towards one of the Bay’s consoles.
It had been three weeks since the TS Ardent’s explosion; twenty–one days since Avara and K’llan went MIA. Though the work schedule had been grueling and tempers had run hot under stress and strain, the starship that he and the rest of the crew called home was now entirely repaired with all systems live.
Two days ago they had finally been able to send a status update to the Quorum with a request for reinforcements and, having received confirmation, knew that help was about a week out. Though a lot could happen in a week, it was still a huge relief to know that the cavalry was on its way. More depressing, had been the reality that despite almost a month of frantic searching and the deployment of literally dozens of portable sensor relays and probes spattered throughout the system, no sign or word of the missing Captain and Lieutenant had been found.
That is, until one hour ago.
Having spied his target, Marcus forced himself to move at a measured, albeit swift pace towards a just docked Astra Striker S3 Class starfighter. Deckhands and Techs were crawling all over the fighter as the pilot worked to break free from cockpit constraints. Perez stood ramrod straight as the fighter’s canopy popped and a helmeted, blue, black, and white skinsuit clad pilot gracefully slid down the half extended ladder to the granulated surface of the docking bay’s floor.
Turning to face him, the pilot pressed the helmet release and, after it retracted into the light armor like a sort of slim torq, the pilot offered an almost casual salute.
“Welcome back, Major King. I was pleased to receive your preliminary report; I’d like to hear the full version now.”
“Yes Sir, Commander.” Ghost Squadron’s Wing–Commander replied, a smile set across her face even as she pushed back a persistent strand of shoulder length, dark golden–red hair that had been ruthlessly mashed by a half–dozen hours in a flight–helmet.
“At approximately oh–nine–hundred and twelve, while surveying Quadrant E9 of Dantis’s south–eastern equatorial region, I picked up what seemed to be back–feed from the sensor rely I had deployed thirteen minutes earlier. After sending a quick status update, I followed the signal trail to its source to check it out.”
“I see.” Perez replied thoughtfully, brows knitting as he added, “And you decided to land your fighter on a potentially hostile planet? One that is very likely occupied by Karukai, without first flying to a free communications zone for an immediate response and the deployment of back–up?”
“Yes, Sir, I did.” The Major responded.
“Because?”
“Because in my estimation, Sir, it was most important for me to discover if the message was being sent by Captain Serros and if she was in need of immediate rescue. If something had happened to me, the data I sent would’ve still been bounced back to the ship, but time could have proved critical for the Captain.”
Marcus paused a moment in consideration of the relatively new addition to the Excalibur that he had, to date, interacted relatively little with. His scrutiny of the Wing–Commander was rather intense as he considered the Major’s words and body language. He didn’t need to have a Synergy Enhancement to read King’s assurance in her decision and course of action. In fact, if anything, though her lazy drawl was respectful, her tone bespoke easy confidence and her eyes were sparkling with a sense of cocky self–surety.
“I see. Continue your report, Major.” Perez finally stated, deliberately keeping a solid, “Commander’s mask” in place as he listened to King’s report.
“Well, as I approached the coordinates, it became clear that the back–feed was indeed a distress signal from an emergency beacon. I reached its source and decided to go for a walk and take a gander.” Once more, a wide, brash smile splashed across the fighter pilot’s face as she announced, “Well, I found me a Karukai life–pod; Ardent’s missin’ Pod 4!”
Despite his determination to keep his emotions in check, Marcus couldn’t help but issue his own answering grin to the Major. In response, she smiled even wider, a grin that brought light to her rather attractive, subtle eyes like sunlight brushing moss.
“And more, Commander. A looped message from the Captain and Lieutenant! They modified the beacon to extend its range and replay the S.O.S., along with a report that the two were both whole and making their way to the Karukai Outpost J2. They intend to gather intel and find a way to make it off–planet. They listed their projected coordinates and route, and we have it all, Sir!”
Marcus couldn’t help himself. He laughed out loud and with a swift slap on the Wing–Commander’s shoulder, exclaimed, “Well done, Major! Anything else?”
“Thanks, Commander. Nope, I wasn’t able to find anything else, and that’s when I felt it would be best to return to refuel and get help. I didn’t want to miss our people or accidently stir up snake’s nest that would put ‘em in danger.” For the first time, the Major looked uncertain, as if she questioned choice as to continuing her search.
“I understand, and it was the right decision, Major. Now, go ahead and get some grub and rack–time before your next search deployment.” Perez ordered, letting the Junior Officer hear the approval he felt.
“Thanks, Sir, but if it’s all the same, I’d really like to be a part of the next sweep.”
Perez fought his immediate inclination to answer in the negative, catching the stubborn set of Ghost Squadron’s lead. It was funny, but even though she was only a little over twelve years younger, he couldn’t help but to think that she reminded him of himself. And, to a certain degree, of a less–polished and much less serious, more youthful version of Avara. He knew that she was an Arca I with a PV, meaning physically, she could handle an extra rotation with relative ease.
And, there was something about her…
“Very well, Major. After all, seems to me that you’re developing a habit of finding Senior Officer’s that have strayed.” He answered, offering a smile along with the reference to her having located him and the rest of Nova aboard the other Karukai pod weeks earlier.
“Well, I like a challenge, Commander.” King replied with a twist of her lips, her gaze both spirited and enthusiastic at the same time.
“Then you’re on the right ship, Major. Grab some food and a shower, then be ready
to depart with a search team in thirty.”
“Will do, Commander.”
Somewhat bemused, Marcus half–shook his head as he commed Adeline. “Adeline, organize a three group search: one shuttle and fighter per group. King will lead the first group, and I want Ca’rrakk, Rygel, and Naxos on the shuttles. We have a hit.”
Diana’s voice immediately rapped back “Already started before King landed. Marcus… details?” Perez could clearly hear the contained eagerness in his friend’s voice as she spoke.
“Avara and K’llan were both alive and well, and are making their way to the Karukai Outpost to escape the planet. They left a trajectory and coordinates. We know where they’re headed. And,” Marcus added, hearing the exultation he felt coloring his own voice, “We know Avara; she’ll make it.”
“Yes, she will.” Marcus noted that Diana’s voice, normally so painfully proper and modulated, was no less fierce than his own.
“I want a debrief with the pilots and Nova Squad in the Strategy Room in…”
Perez was cut–off mid–sentence as a persistent, low–toned but demanding ruuu–eem, ruuu–eem alert sounded throughout the Excalibur, notifying all aboard that an unexpected starship had just come within scope of long–range sensors.
“Diana?” Perez asked a moment later, slipping into the lift and quickly issuing the directive for the Command Deck.
“One vessel, unidentified as of yet, but… its scale and early readings indicate a battlecrusier.” She coolly voiced a second later. He could practically see her in his mind, efficiently pouring over data as her head and hands flew through information and relevant commands to dissect what exactly it was, that they were facing.
With a growl of seething irritation and worry laced with furious resolve, Perez replied, “I’m enroute.”
Dammit! With Avara so close, why now?
There was no answer forthcoming to his query, and for the moment, he found that all he could do was silently will the lift to hurry up and get him the Hell to where he was needed.
*
“Commander, ‘tis a Karukai battlecrusier… looks like an Eclipse Designs, Juggernaut Class. Cannot gather specific designation as of yet.” Lieutenant Commander Adeline crisply fired the moment Marcus entered the Bridge.
And he could see it, on the view. A massive, blood–red battlecruiser with thick, black outlined vermilion slashes and traced with onyx and gold markings. It was a ship that significantly outclassed QS Excalibur, with its likely complement of over fifteen–hundred Karukai. Further, only five–hundred or so would actually be the crew; the rest would be marines and fighter pilots. Soldiers accomplished in war, in bringing death.
His training also added other details of what the battlecruiser meant. The Karukai vessel would be decked out with at least fifteen quad cannon batteries and a like number of missile batteries, in glaring contrast to Excalibur’s eight apiece. Marcus also knew that the Karukai prime military manufacturer’s Juggernaut Class Starships were designed to carry at least twenty starfighters.
The only elements in which the Quorum’s Astra Systems Saber Class frigate outpaced a Juggernaut were speed and maneuverability.
Not to mention a few special modifications that were all the Excalibur’s own.
In response to the battlecruiser’s appearance, Adeline had already issued the Red Alert, meaning that every single able bodied person aboard would be on–duty, armed, and ready. Medical under Dr. Argos would be prepared for the worst.
“Rygel, let’s send a message so the people back home won’t feel left out.” Marcus ordered, deliberately keeping his voice light and steady to convey his confidence to the crew.
“Yes, Commander.” Dane answered, a tight grin plastering his face as he worked his console.
“How far out are they, Lieutenant Chopa?” Marcus asked, moving across the Bridge.
“Still not in range for full sensor sweeps or direct communication of a currently shielded vessel, Sir. Four–hundred and fifty miles.” The Navigation Officer answered promptly. “We have twenty–two minutes to leave system before the Juggernaut can lock–on.”
“That’s not going to happen; not until we have Captain Serros back. Is that clear?” Marcus’s question was widened beyond Chopa to the rest of the crew with a raking gaze, his stare arresting each of the present Senior Staff.
The chorus of “aye, ayes” bounced across the command center like the cheering of fans for their favorite Aglin Team. Marcus allowed himself a small smile in response, the love and respect he felt for the crew that Avara had so carefully collected and cultivated helping to bear at least a portion of the weight of the situation. Of course they wouldn’t consider leaving the Captain, even in the face of their own demise.
“Lieutenant Commander Adeline,” Marcus started when he knew he had mastered his voice as he took seat in the Command Chair. “Belay the search and rescue deployment, with one modification. I want Ca’rrakk, one pilot, and two marines aboard the ES2 in five. Instruct them to engage stealth drives and find the Captain, heading directly for her projected coordinates. Also, have Ghost Squad prepped and launched under stealth, ASAP.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“I want Ghost approximately one–hundred miles out, and readied to be our needle in the eye. No giveaways of their position.”
“Understood, Sir.”
Meeting Diana’s dark–eyed gaze for just a moment, Marcus knew she did indeed understand his logic. If the cruiser proved hostile, conventional tactics would be near to meaningless in any sort of direct engagement. And so Perez intended the Excalibur to be anything but conventional. They would use her extremely rare, fighter, shuttle, and drone stealth modifications that made each unit fifteen times the standard cost but, as a result, constituted a significant and unexpected advantage. And, just as if Captain Serros was here commanding, they’d employ their specialized tech along with hit and run surprise tactics to even the odds.
Six minutes later, Belgrum Naxos turned his sienna hued head to Marcus and reported “Commander, reading that the Juggernaut’s Shields are at full and her Weapons Systems are primed. Looks like eighteen cannon batteries and fifteen missile launchers.” Belgrum’s elongated s’s seemed to underscore the gravity of their situation, like a breath slowly exhaled to regain equilibrium after night terrors had driven sleep deep into hiding.
“Understood. Lieutenant Naxos, please release two complements of Assault Drones under stealth, thirty miles out, and also release a compliment of Decoy Drones; ring deployment, twenty–five miles out.” Marcus responded.
“Aye, Sir. Assault and Decoy Drones deployed, moving to take up formation.”
“Communications have been jammed, Sir.” Lieutenant Rygel reported a minute later, foot tapping in agitation.
“Not surprising, Lieutenant; return the favor as soon as they’re within range.”
“Aye, Sir.” Dane answered, blue–gray eyes glinting with almost predatory anticipation.
“Decoy and Assault Drones are in position.” Naxos reported five minutes later, eye membranes ticking in nerve based dynamism, though his voice and four tapered fingers moved easily across his panel.
“Good.”
“Designation Captured, Sir. Transponder reads as the TS Watcher.” Chopa announced. “They’re ten minutes out from firing range.”
“Adeline?” Perez queried.
“On it.” Perez knew if any data could be retrieved in regards to this specific Karukai vessel, Diana would be able to ferret the info out.
“They’re in Holo–Vid hailing distance, Commander.” Rygel reported.
“Open a channel, Lieutenant.”
“Aye, Sir.”
“This is Commander Marcus Perez of the QS Excalibur. As your weapon’s systems are primed, I’d like to ask your intentions, Watcher.”
After the passage of a full minute and no answer, Perez looked to the Senior Communication’s Officer.
“They’re receiving, Commander, just not answering.�
�� Rygel answered the unspoken question.
“Watcher is nine–minutes out from weapon’s range, Commander.” Chopa inserted.
“Commander Perez, we have an intel hit.” Adeline announced before Marcus could respond. “TS Watcher, part of the First Karukai Fleet, fourth in designation under the Fleet Admiral and Flagship. No other current data.”
Rygel’s whistle of surprise and trepidation exactly reflected Marcus’s feelings at the announcement, and those of the rest of the Senior Bridge Officers. The First Fleet was headed by the Military Triarch of the Karukai Triarchy; it was the highest positioned Fleet in the entire Karukai hegemony.
For the TS Watcher to be here, in Black Space, bordering the Quorum Systems…
“Eight minutes out, Sir.” Chopa’s carefully modulated voice reported, half–jarring the EXO out of his ponderings.
Marcus fervently wished Avara was here. Now. Not only was she was a tactical genius, but also a truly gifted diplomat. If there was a way around or through this particular flavor of Hell, he knew she’d be able to navigate the course. Perez would just have to figure out what she’d do if she was here.
“Once more then, Dane.” Marcus ordered a moment later, keeping his tone calm even as he could feel the shiver of dread that danced painfully from his spine to shoulders to neck. “This is Commander Perez of the Quorum Ship Excalibur, Captained by Shield Operative Avara Serros. TS Watcher, I ask again that you explain your presence and readied weapons or we will be forced to assume your intent is hostile.”
“They’re responding, Sir!” Dane reported a moment later.
“On screen, Lieutenant.”
Three heartbeats later, the close–up image of a woman seated in a dark–gray command chair garbed in a red–trimmed, onyx colored uniform appeared on the Holo–Vid. Her skin was paper white with rouge markings, and her smooth head entirely absent of hair.
The Karukai woman’s fairly plain features were set into a semi–scowl. Her rich, rubicund colored eyes were as beautiful as they were harsh. Six Karukai Captain’s pips were visible at her collar, the up–side down gold crescents denoting her rather high rank.
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