We can arrange for a replacement, her companion assured her, laying her head on Sarah’s shoulder.
That will not be needed, Sarah replied, stroking the woman’s hair with false affection. I have already made arrangements.
With whom? the woman asked. We have received no communications from you until now about this. Are you bringing in someone from the outside?
Yes, I am, Sarah answered. I have recruited a young woman that I discovered here in the city. I believe that she will fill Hari’s role aboard the JUDI in a more than satisfactory manner. I also think that she will make a fine agent once she has been properly trained.
This is quite irregular! the woman protested. You know that we prefer to screen prospective agents ourselves before accepting them.
I also know that I have the privilege of recruiting promising candidates, Sarah countered. I am exercising that very right, but I will be happy to provide you with any information that you might need to conduct an independent review of my choice.
Her guest was not convinced. And if you are wrong in your assessment?
Then I will personally see to it that my candidate is either eliminated, or her memory is erased. I am confident that it will not come to that, however. To anyone watching, her expression was blissful, even though she felt anything but.
Very well, the woman thought back, with definite reluctance. Give me all your information about her. In the meantime, how do you propose that we deal with N’Sarolyn?
A simple transfer would be sufficient, Sarah answered. Possibly into a less sensitive position?
That would be suitable, the woman agreed. Although you may consider her unfit for your operation, I am certain that we can find other assignments that are more suited to her abilities. How soon do you need her transferred?
Given its sensitivity, I would prefer if that took place before she becomes aware of the upcoming delivery, Sarah answered. I plan to return to Ashkele in the next week, and I feel that it would be best if she were discharged at that time.
Agreed, her contact replied. We will make the arrangements immediately.
The woman rose at this point, and planting a kiss on Sarah’s lips, left the booth with a counterfeit smile. Sarah waited for a few minutes more, and then she left as well.
As she climbed into her hovercar, Aria announced that she had a message waiting. Sarah was not surprised by this, and even though she told the car to display it, she already knew what it said, and who had sent it.
For an instant, she wondered how the sender even knew she was in town, and how she always seemed to know. Her movements were supposed to be classified.
She strongly suspected that something in Aria’s programing was responsible, or that someone in her organization was providing the information. But she had never located the subroutine, or established any definitive proof linked to anyone specific.
Not that it mattered, she thought tiredly. What mattered was that “T” did know, and that she had no choice. She had to go to her.
Someday, I’ll kill her, she vowed. Someday. But not tonight.
Ashkele Free Port, Hallasa System, Frontier Zone, Xee Protectorate, 1042.12|16|03:09:87
Maya was in the kitchen, drinking her second cup of morning kaafra, when Hari and Zara walked by. Both of them were fully dressed, and Hari who was normally sullen, looked particularly dismal. Zara didn’t look terribly happy herself.
Then Maya saw that Hari was carrying her kit bag, along with a larger duffel. So Zara was right, she thought. They really are letting her go and putting me in her place. That was fast!
She made eye contact with Hari and the other woman paused. “Good luck” she said bitterly. “You’ll need it with this bunch.”
Maya didn’t respond to her caustic remark, and merely took another sip of her kaafra.
“Now, there’s no need to make a scene, Hari,” Zara said, trying to pull the woman away.
Hari shook off the engineer’s hand and glared at her. She started to say something else, but stopped herself before the words came out. With a final frown at Maya, she walked to the front door and let Zara show her out.
And a Bian dea to you too! Maya thought derisively, Have a great day! She had never cared much for her anyhow.
The girl put Hari out of her mind completely and accessed her psiever. It was 03:29:37.
Maya suddenly realized that she only had a few minutes to get ready for Skylaar. She downed the rest of her kaafra in one gulp and pelted towards her quarters to change. Skylaar was always precisely on time, and she expected the same of her students.
At exactly 03:33:33 Skylaar arrived, and found Maya waiting for her out on the lawn. The Nemesian wasted no time and started their lesson by demonstrating some stretching exercises, and then proceeded to instruct her in basic blocks and punches.
When she was satisfied with Maya’s movements, the two of them repeated the attack from the day before, with Skylaar pausing at each stage to show her the finer points of what she had done to defend against it.
While she worked out with the Nemesian, Maya realized that she was truly happy. There was something exhilarating about the training, and at the end of their session together, her spirit felt lighter than it had been in a very long time.
“That is one of the great truths about any martial art,” Skylaar said when she mentioned this. “It is not just the crude act of trading blows with an opponent. Anyone on the streets here in Ashkele can do that. It is more of a dance between two forces; one advances, the other retreats, and in this dance, the soul finds liberation.”
“Yes, Sena-tai,” Maya answered. “I think I see what you mean.”
“Now, we shall put that understanding to the test,” Skylaar stated. “You derived a great deal from the sessions where you watched Sarah and I work together. She has just returned after completing some urgent business, and I have asked for her to join us.”
Maya scowled at the mention of the woman’s name. She had come to treasure her time with Skylaar and didn’t relish the idea of sharing it with Sarah one nanobit.
“I realize that you are none too fond of her,” Skylaar acknowledged, “but I also know that there is much that you can learn just from watching us train. That is part of today’s lesson. To learn how to open yourself up to anything that might bring you greater knowledge. Even a hated opponent can have something useful to teach--even the very key to their defeat. So, today, I want you to set aside your feelings, watch and see what you can learn.”
Even if she wasn’t overly pleased with the idea, Maya had to acknowledge its wisdom. “Yes, Sena-tai,” she said.
Privately, she hoped that she was going to get to watch Skylaar knock the stuffing out of Sarah. With that pleasant possibility on her mind, she obediently sat down on the grass.
Skylaar rewarded her with a half smile, and Maya suspected that her teacher knew exactly what she had been thinking, but the Nemesian made no comment, and beckoned towards the house for Sarah to join them. The woman appeared, and seeing Maya, inclined her head slightly in greeting. Then she bowed deeply to Skylaar.
“We will resume our lesson from the other day,” Skylaar announced. “As you may remember, our main emphasis was on distancing. Today, I will have you take up the sword, and I will defend, using each element in my defense to illustrate for Maya’s benefit the different ways that one can respond to an attack. You may begin when you are ready with an underhand cut.”
“Yes, Sena-tai.” Sarah picked up a sword that Maya had seen earlier that morning. It had been sitting alongside the usual staff and daggers, and she had wondered at its purpose. The single edged blade was at least a meter long and slightly curved, with an extremely small hilt that had seemed far too diminutive to provide very much protection for the wielder. Sarah gripped it with both hands and reversed the blade so that its edge faced up towards Skylaar.
At a signal from the Nemesian, she stepped forwards and swept the blade upwards, attempting a cut up and through the center of the o
ther woman’s body. Skylaar reacted by dropping her left arm, falling back and sideways, and using her rear leg to support her weight. The blade sung as it bit into empty air.
“That is the element of wood,” she explained, “bending in the wind of the opponent’s attack. Now, we will see water. Please, Sarah, a horizontal cut from the half-seated position.”
Sarah sat with her legs under her, and holding the sword with one hand, brought it around so that it was at her side and its tip was pointed behind her. She waited like this for a second, and then suddenly, rose up on one leg as she swept the blade outwards.
She was aiming for Skylaar’s legs. Skylaar jumped backwards, and as Sarah stood and began to make an overhead cut, rushed forwards, capturing the woman’s sword hands at their wrists with one hand, while she struck her chin in a palm strike with the other.
It was only as Sarah flew backwards, that Maya realized that Skylaar had also stepped in behind her, tripping her in the process.The woman landed quite squarely on her behind, making the demonstration all the more entertaining.
“As you saw,” Skylaar said, “I retreated like water does, and then came back like a wave to crash onto my attacker and off-balance her. Now, we will see fire. Another underhand cut, please.”
Sarah stood, gripping her weapon in both hands. Before she could even manage to begin her cut, Skylaar was on her, blocking her arms from raising the blade with an arm and sending a knife-edge hand strike rocketing towards the bridge of her nose. She pulled the blow at the last possible instant, and Sarah froze in place. The overall effect was exactly like a fiery explosion that terminated the attack before it had even had a chance to begin.
“Now, we will see steel,” Skylaar continued.”A straight, forward thrust, please, Sarah.”
This time, Sarah tried to thrust the weapon right into her belly. Skylaar reacted by dodging sideways and brought her hands downwards, hitting the top of Sarah’s arms with a pair of knife-edged strikes. The blows caused Sarah to drop the sword as her muscles contracted from the twin impacts.
“Lastly, we will see stone. An overhead cut, if you would.”
Sarah raised the weapon over her head and then brought the blade downwards. This time Skylaar didn’t even bother to dodge. Instead, she simply stepped into the cut and brought her hands up to catch Sarah’s arms just below the wrists. At the same time, she kicked her sqaurely in the stomach.
The effect that this had was like a starship under full engine power, hitting an asteroid. Sarah dropped the blade with a loud oof! and folded over as Skylaar’s foot found its target.
Maya was thoroughly pleased with the outcome.
“So, as you see,” Skylaar said as she helped Sarah up from the ground. “There are many ways to defeat an attack, based on your nature, the nature of your attacker, and the form of the attack. While you train, try to think about what element you are expressing when you move, and about what element your partner is expressing. Knowing that, and how each element interacts with one another, can provide you with the key to ensuring that the dance between you goes in the direction of your choosing. Do you have any questions?”
“Yes Sena-tai,” Maya replied, “How exactly does each element work with another? I don’t understand that part.”
Skylaar smiled. “Generally, wood bends to wind, but burns with fire and yields to steel, but with patience, wood can also split stone and stand against the power of water. The same is true of all the elements of the Great Mother Forest; each has their strengths and weaknesses, and each one possesses its complimentary opposite. Now, I believe that we have learned enough for today and I also understand that Sarah has some news for you.”
“Thank you as always for teaching us, Sena-tai,” Sarah said. “Maya, we have a mission to go on. We may be gone several days, so you will need to prepare for that eventuality.”
“Yes,” Skylaar agreed. “As we will not be meeting on those days, I would ask that the two of you use any free time that you have to practice together. Sarah has studied our art for many years, and she can help you a great deal, Maya. It would also be good for her to train with someone whose moves she is not acquainted with. When you get back, you can ask me any questions that you have, and I will try to answer them to my own limited abilities.”
“Yes, Sena-tai,” Maya responded. She wasn’t pleased with the prospect of training alone with Sarah, but she also knew that any opportunity to practice was not to be missed. And, Goddess willing, she thought, I might even get the pleasure of giving her a few good blows myself.
CHAPTER 7
Rixa Naval Base, Rixa, Belletrix System, Pantari Elant, United Sisterhood of Suns 1043.01|08|03:25:97
Rixa Naval Base was the largest fortified military installation in the Sisterhood, spanning an entire star system. At its outermost limits, it was ringed with hundreds of thousands of automated mines that interrogated any ship attempting to approach, and compared their answer to transponder signals on file. Anything that didn’t answer their challenge quickly, and correctly, found itself on the wrong end of ship-killer missiles.
Inside of this minefield was another ring of permanent missile stations, either orbiting the outermost planets, or stationed on the larger asteroids. Squadrons of deep space interceptors and light cruisers also flew picket duty there, adding another layer to Rixa’s formidable defenses. In the third and innermost ring, was the fourth planet itself, heavily fortified with anti-space batteries, and patrolled by more squadrons of fighters and cruisers.
A group of Mobile Space Hangars, or MSH ships, also hung in orbit over Rixa. Each MSH was 32 kilometers long, and fully capable of housing an entire fleet in each of its three docking tubes. Although they were now on semi-permanent stations above the planet, Lilith knew from her Academy training that the MSH ships were fully Null-capable.
In their second war with the Hriss in 715.56 ASE, several of them had actually been used as carriers to transport Sisterhood forces en-masse to surprise the enemy. It was still hard for her to believe that such huge machines could manage such a trick, but manage it they had.
The Pallas Athena was assuming its final approach to the MSH Ship USSNS Hippolyta when the helm paged Lilith.
“Commander,” Caleda bel Tridis announced, “Hippolyta Approach Control has assigned us a docking vector. Estimated time-to-dock, three standard minutes.”
“Very well,” Lilith replied, “Play the ship’s song for all hands.” While the Little Drummer Girl sounded throughout the vessel, the dockmistresses on the MSH took remote control of the helm. The Athena moved slowly into the gargantuan docking tube and began to align itself with the central rail, passing over other ships that were already parked against it.
Lilith’s breath caught in horror as they went by one of these vessels. It was the USSNS Kit Cavenaugh, a medium cruiser with Battle Group Platinum. Like her own battle group, Platinum had also been patrolling in the Sagana Territory, but in another quadrant.
The entire starboard side of the Cavenaugh was ripped wide open, and extensive battle damage scarred its hull from bow to stern. From what Lilith saw, there was no way that the ship could have made it to Rixa under its own power. Reflexively, she made the sign of the Lady, and noted that quite a few crewwomen on the bridge had copied her.
What happened? she wondered. Damage like that only came during wartime, and she shuddered at the thought of how many might have died when the ship had taken it. Clearly, something serious had occurred.
She made a quick inquiry through the ship’s computer, but the matter came back classified ‘Majestic’, the very highest level of security. Lilith herself possessed ‘Radiant’ level clearance, which was generally high enough to access most state secrets. Majestic on the other hand, was reserved for matters that were restricted solely to the Admiralty, the Chairwoman of the Supreme Circle, and her advisors.
Finding herself locked out of the file, she tried a few more avenues, attempting to access branching files and subdirectories, but got nowhere with
any of them. Whatever it was that had happened to the Cavenaugh, the Admiralty had made dead certain that the facts would remain off-limits to everyone, regardless of rank, until they decided otherwise.
Just the same, she resolved to learn what she could when she got downside. There was always the outside chance that someone with the Cavenaugh's crew, or Battle Group Platinum, would be willing to give her the facts, off the record.
“Coming up to the rail,” Caleda announced, keeping her voice carefully professional. Outside, robotic arms and embarkation tubes had swung out in preparation for mating with the Athena.
“Final alignment, ship’s speed slowing to zero. Docking now.” With this declaration, Battle Group Golden's three-month patrol was officially over. Only one task remained: submission of the official ship’s log, and the debriefing of its officers.
Lilith looked over at the Comtech stations. Katrinn was already there, retrieving a copy of the log. Ellyn n’Dira, Mearrin d Rann, and Colonel Lislsdaater were with her, making certain that multiple witnesses were present who could testify that the log had been transferred without interruption. And in keeping with this custom, a sailor with security also stood by, waiting to escort them out of the Command Center.
Once her Second had the data-orb in her possession, she placed it into a special armored, blast-proof case, and locked it by pressing her thumb against a sensor which read her bioplasmic signature. From that point onwards, only the Zommerlaandar’s aural pattern would open the lock, and any attempt to access its contents by any other means would cause the case to destroy its contents.
Lilith joined the group at the main lift and headed down with them to the Embarkation Decks. Crewwomen not assigned to stay aboard were already beginning to fill the deck, and the securitywomen made sure that everyone cleared the way for the Commander and her party. A shuttle was standing by, and in short order, they were headed down to the surface of Rixa.
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