by Frank Carey
Trisha stared down at her desk for a few moments before yelling, “What the hell were you two thinking when you attacked a three mile long space ship?” Before either could answer, she continued. “I remember giving an order for you to hold position until we got there, but did you? No, you went in guns blazing. Then that thing fired a single shot at you from a gun with an emitter one hundred feet wide!”
Katana made motions of answering, but Trisha would have nothing to do with it. “Quiet! You’re damn lucky that single shot only grazed you because if it had hit you, you would be a ball of plasma. You want to know how I know this? Because the damn thing passed through a hundred miles of atmo before hitting in the middle of the Sahara. It turned a mile-wide spot of desert into GLASS!”
“Admiral!” Haruki yelled while going to full attention. Katana just stared in shock. “We had the situation under control...”
“BULLSHIT! The only reason you're still here is because the LTV Hippolyta decided to put itself between you and the end of that gun while a survivor from a previous engagement found a way to order it to stand down. You saw the recordings! That thing ate three-Protector-class warships as if they were toy rocket ships.” She glared at the two of them a moment longer before sitting in her chair, elbows on the desk, and fingers steepled in front of her. “You may now speak.”
Haruki looked at Katana who shook her head vigorously, knowing what he was about to do. He did it anyway.
“Ma'am, I take full responsibility for this. I will resign my commission immediately.”
“Nope, not going to happen. I looked over the Nova's roster, and it disturbs me how many members of your family are on board,” she observed. “You do realize that this isn't feudal Japan and you’re not a shogun, don't you?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“I don't know if you heard this yet, but Nova has been declared scrap. A shame; she was a fine ship. When this is over, I am going to split all of you up and spread you through the fleet.”
“Admiral, I...” Haruki said in shock.
“Your rank is being reduced to commander and you're being reassigned to Protector where you will pilot Battle Shuttle Clemson, which means you will be taking orders from Capt. Angela Thurgood. You remember Ange. You insulted her at the Halcyon welcoming ceremony. Pissed her husband off something fierce. I don't think I have ever seen him so angry. By the way, he's head of Protector’s Security Forces.” She turned to Katana. “I'm promoting you to the rank of captain and sending you to the Office of Security Center for Advanced Weapons Research where you will be in command of the Military Shuttle Bromeliad. Details will follow, but in the meantime, both of you will aid Kelly in dealing with this mess. Be advised, Haruki, you are Kelly’s subordinate, and I will be personally insulted if you give her any guff, copy?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he said.
“One last thing: are either of you curious as to the status of the Hippolyta?”
They looked at each other. “What is a Hippolyta, Admiral?” Katana asked.
“The LTV Hippolyta, the freighter which put itself between Nova and Annihilator, saving the asses of you and your crew,” she said, disgusted. “For your information, they're inside Annihilator, their fate unknown. What I do know is they have a better shot at saving Earth than the combined forces englobing that thing. I'm surprised at your lack of interest considering members of your family are aboard the Hippolyta.”
“What members of my family?” Haruki demanded.
“Your brother, Akira, and his wife, Fiona. The rest of Earth Fleet arrived just after your ship was crippled. We all thought you were going to buy the farm when this freighter appeared and put itself directly in the line of fire. As they came to rest, the Olympian woman they rescued got on the horn and fired off stand-down orders. Just as we thought Annihilator was going to shoot both ships, the damnedest thing happened; the weapons battery retracted while a shuttle bay door opened, inviting the Hippolyta inside.”
“Akira and his crew are inside Annihilator?” Katana asked as she went white.
“Aye. You didn't know?”
They both shook their heads. “When Annihilator hit us we lost virtually all systems. We were trying to bring the ejection pods back online to save the crew thinking we were going to die at any moment. Then we felt the tug take hold of us and start the tow.”
“You almost did die. Annihilator had acquired weapons-lock on Nova moments before Hippolyta arrived. I'm pretty sure you, your crew, and your ship would be a cloud of plasma if it wasn't for your brother and sister in-law. Not to pry, but what the hell is going on with you Hisakawas?”
“It is a family matter,” Haruki said.
“Haruki and I felt that our parents should have stopped at two children and never let Akira forget that,” Katana explained
“Katana!”
“It's true, brother. We have acted without honor. Even Father realized it, but he had tied his fortunes to us.”
“Enough!” Haruki ordered.
Katana walked up to him and faced him with only inches separating them. “From this point on, we will do everything we can to fix this with Akira. He, his wife, and their crew willingly put themselves in harm's way to save Nova. No more anger. No more resentment. We act like family. Do I make myself understood...Commander?”
Shocked, Haruki stared at her a moment before saying, “Yes, Captain.”
“Why don't you two figure all this out while you head back to the Bridge and give Capt. Brock a hand?” Trisha said as she hustled them out of the room and closed the door behind them. “Families!”
###
Haruki and Katana made their way to the bridge in silence as Katana caught her breath after the tongue-lashing she gave Haruki. Both were still in shock over what had just occurred both in the admiral's Cabin and when they encountered Annihilator.
Haruki stopped and leaned against the wall, as if unable to continue with the weight on his shoulders. “Katana, why did Akira save us?”
“We don't know if he did. He may have just not belayed the order. Perhaps they saved Nova on general principles. What bothers you, Haruki?”
“What we did to Akira.”
“It was a prank by unknowing children.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps I wasn't so unknowing.”
“What are you saying?”
“Perhaps I was jealous of him, of his relationship with mother. Perhaps I wanted things to be like they were before he entered our lives.”
“Do you feel that way now?”
“No. I only feel remorse and shame, made more intolerable by the events earlier in the day.”
“We're alive. At least that's something.”
“But what of Akira? He, his wife, and his crew are literally in the belly of the beast, and we helped put them there.”
“Which means it is up to us to get them out safely. Come brother. We're expected on the bridge. Move, mister,” she said as she took his hand.
“You're enjoying this promotion, aren't you?”
She smiled as she headed to the bridge with Haruki close behind.
When they arrived, they found Capt. Brock waiting for them. “So, you two survived to live another day. Good, we sure as hell need the help.” She picked up a small box and handed it to Katana. “Congratulations, Capt. Hisakawa, these are your new rank insignia. About damn time if you ask me,” she said, giving Haruki a withering look while handing him a box as well. “Commander.”
Haruki gave a small bow as he accepted the box. “Thank you, Captain.”
“Orders, Captain?” Katana asked.
“I have a job uniquely suited to your skills. The League is sending a full battle fleet which should arrive in an hour. I need an englobement plan which includes League ships, Earth ships, and Olympian ships. I want them mixed together--no bunching, got it?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I take it we believe the Olympians aren't a threat?”
“You take it right, Captain. Adm. Fenstrom is aboard the Olympian flagship, and h
e is confident they're telling the truth. Our problem right now is Annihilator. Just before you spoke with the admiral, she was in a conference call with Admiral Fenstrom and the Commanders of Hippolyta. We have now learned that the Annihilator is controlled by two pilots through something like our remote telepresence systems. One of their pilots is intent on destroying Earth while the other is intent on stopping her. Hippolyta, an unarmed, non-military freighter, is caught in the middle.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Katana said.
“Don't worry. I've read both your brother's and his wife's dossiers. They're tough and resourceful. They'll figure out something.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Thank you,” Katana replied once more.
“Now, go and make me a globe. Dismissed!”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The three teams assembled in the starboard cargo lock and prepared to debark. Akira handed out datapads loaded with the maps generated from the scan data and annotated by Andromeda.
“Commander, what about internal security measures?” Nyla asked as she checked her weapons.
“Normally, there would be a security contingent on board. On this trip, several hundred computer and pilot controlled drones were brought on board in the event someone tried to take the ship.”
“Specifications?” Akira asked.
“Bi, quadra, and hexapedal, fifty to one hundred pounds in weight. Dual blasters tuned to stun so as not to damage interior structures. Lightly shielded, but not blaster proof.”
“What do you suggest we do if we see one?” Sheila asked.
“Shoot to destroy, preferably before they get a lock on you,” Andromeda answered.
“What happens if they get a lock?”
“They'll call in a swarm and overrun you, something you want to avoid at all costs.”
Fiona looked around at her people and prayed a short prayer that all would return safe. “Move out,” she said as she led the way out of the ship and on to the alien deck.
Loitering near the back, Nyla waited for Resh, grabbing him when he walked past. “Listen, fur ball, I want your hairy ass back here in one piece when this is over, got it?”
“Got it,” he replied before giving her a long kiss. “You just remember to do the same.”
“Copy that,” she replied, patting him on his shoulders before they headed out the door.
From the corridor, John stood and watched most of what he considered his immediate family walk out into an alien environment. Around his neck hung the failsafe key, a hard reminder that none of them may return from this trip.
“You look troubled,” someone said from beside him, jarring him from his reverie. He turned and saw Andromeda standing there, looking for all the world like one of the Space Marines from science fiction.
“Yeah, I get that way when members of my family are going off to possibly get killed inside a big nasty warship.”
“I'll take care of them. I promise,” she said with a smile.
“Do that, but bring yourself back as well,” he replied. He watched her walk away, praying she and others came back alive and in one piece, especially her.
The three groups walked across the deck to a large double-door hatch inset in the wall. Beside it was a palm scanner. Andromeda walked up to it and stopped. “When I press my palm against the plate, the system will know I'm here. It could open or all hell could break loose.”
“Oh yeah, I vote for the latter,” Saul said, smiling as he made a show of jacking his gun's power level to full.
Shaking her head at the bravado, Fiona looked at Andromeda and said, “Do it. We'll deal with whatever happens.”
Andromeda placed her palm on the plate which responded with a bleep as the doors opened revealing the interior of Annihilator.
Once inside, it was apparent to the crew of the Hippolyta that Annihilator was a work in progress. An open access panel along a supervisor's podium was Andromeda's immediate target. She ran up to it and pressed her palm against a small lock pad on its front.
“Access code...” the podium said.
“Persephone,” she replied. An audible click could be heard followed by an access door opening in the back of the podium. Andromeda reached inside and pulled out a metal box which she opened. “Perfect,” she said as she reached inside the box and pulled out several metal disks on lanyards which she handed out to everyone.
“And these are?” Nyla asked as she slipped the lanyard around her neck.
“Access keys for the workers. Security was getting overwhelmed with access requests from the tradeswomen, so they made these keys. Flash one in front of any door on the ship and it will open.”
“Handy,” Joanie said. “I thought we were going to have to cut our way through a lot of doors.”
“Or borrow one of Andromeda's fingers,” Cora quipped, getting a startled look from Andromeda. Seeing this, Cora backpedaled. “Just kidding, Sweety!”
“I knew that,” Andromeda said as she closed the box and put it back in the podium, leaving the door open. She walked down to an intersection and pointed toward the bow. “Weapons Control, about one-quarter mile that way.” She then pointed aft. “Engine Room about a thousand feet.” She was about to continue with the Control Center when a sentry bot dropped from the ceiling. Without missing a beat, she pulled up her blaster rifle and blew its head off. She then pointed down the hall toward the center of the ship. “Control Center just over two thousand feet. Any questions?”
Fifteen people gave her slack-jawed looks. “Yeah, got it. Everyone move out,” Fiona said. As she was about to walk around Andie, she had second thoughts and said, “Why don't you take point?”
“Great. Love to,” Andie said as she stuck a marker beacon to the wall before heading off toward the Control Center.
“I could still take her,” an unsure Nyla said as she gave Resh a kiss before he fell in behind the Olympian Commander.
After everyone else had set out, Fiona and Akira said goodbye. “Bring everyone back in one piece, old man,” she said with a kiss.
“You do the same, my wife.” He released her and took off down the hall.
She watched him leave before turning and heading off down the corridor to catch up with her group.
###
Akira, Nyla, Joanie, Cora, and Maddie headed forward with Cora tracking their progress on her datapad. “Did you see Andromeda take out that bot?” she said to her companions.
“She's an enigma,” Maddie said. “One minute, all nice and demure; the next, she's blowing the heads off bots. Her reaction time is amazing.”
“Joanie,” Akira asked while watching the corridor ahead. “Anything on scanner?”
She pulled out her scanpad and ran a survey. Unlike the ship's civilian scanpads, this one was military with greater range and sensitivity than any civilian model. She saw several bogeys which were not organic in origin.
“Four targets around us, Sir,” she reported. “Nothing heading our way.”
“Keep watch for threats anyway. That bot Andromeda shot was silent as a flower in a light breeze,” he said as he checked another corridor.
“Boss, you seem to be getting more philosophical lately,” Nyla observed as she listened for danger with her heightened Tyen hearing. She had removed her earrings so their clinking didn't distract her.
“Yes, Fiona mentioned that earlier. I don't like being inside strange spaceships.”
“Really?” Joanie exclaimed. “Any reason why?”
“You mean no one told you the story?” Nyla said. “You sure you work here?”
“Don't mind her,” Maddie said before launching into the story about Akira's encounter with the demon in the freighter when he was a child.
“For real, Boss?” Joanie asked with a nervous edge to her voice.
“For real, Joanie,” he said. “Never saw the demon again, so you're safe...I think.”
“Stop it already. You’re giving me the heebie-jeebies,” she said, suppressing a shudder.
The rest chuckled whi
le Akira looked around, the feeling of unease growing in him.
Ten minutes later, Joanie called a halt as she studied the pad. “Boss, got trouble here,” she said.
“What is it?”
“I've got twenty-five targets incoming.”
“Direction?”
“All of them, Boss. They're not following the corridors.”
He looked up at the ceiling and swore when he saw the open plenum above him. “They're in the ceiling!” he yelled. “Run!”
They sprinted down the corridor as bots dropped from above and ran after them.
“Boss, in here,” Cora yelled as she fumbled with her key while the others shot at the approaching bot swarm. Her worst nightmare was coming directly at her on the walls, floor, and ceiling. Finally, she got the key, but too late as a bot jumped on her and drove her to the ground. She tried to bring her weapon up, but it was knocked away by the bot as it glared at her with its glowing red eyes.
Without warning, the bot was dangling above her, held aloft one handed by Nyla. As Cora watched, transfixed, a silver blade arced through the air, severing the thing's head from its shoulders before Nyla, with a disgusted look on her face, threw it into the crowd of advancing bots followed by a hand grenade. The next thing Cora knew, she was being dragged into the Weapons Control room, the doors slamming shut just as the grenade went off.
“You okay?” Maddie asked as she helped Cora off the floor.
Maddie looked around and saw Akira putting his sword back in the scabbard strapped across his back. The rest were checking their weapons. Joanie walked up and handed Cora her weapon. “I think this is yours.”
“Thanks,” Cora said as she took the rifle and checked its charge, “all of you, I mean that.”
“Can't let some robot hurt our Cora, now can we?” Joanie said while patting Cora on the shoulder. “Boss, is there anything that thing can't cut?”
Akira smiled. “Only red tape.” He stopped when something large and heavy hit the door from the outside. “Did someone order take-out?”
Joanie pulled out her scanner and aimed it at the door. She went white when she saw the results. “We really need to finish up here and get out,” she said with a quaver in her normally steady voice.
