Dark Space

by Stephen A. Fender

  Shawn smiled. “Maybe he’s forgotten all about us.”

  “Unlikely,” she said dryly. Shawn felt the same. While most things about Kafaran lifestyle were conjecture, there was one undeniable fact that most anyone who dealt with them would agree: Kafarans had a crack memory. Whether you wronged them or honored them with your actions, it wasn’t disregarded. Ever.

  “Tausan owes me a favor,” Shawn said with a smirk. “I’m sure of it.”

  This time Melissa laughed. “I’m pretty sure he saved your life … on more than one occasion.”

  “Are you sure?” Shawn asked in jest.

  “Pretty sure.”

  “Huh,” he mumbled, then dismissed her words with a wave of his hand. “He still owes me … something.”

  “Why wouldn’t he just do it because it’s the right thing to do?”

  “It’s never that easy with a Kafaran.”

  “He’s no ordinary Kafaran, Shawn, and you know it,” she said in defense of the colonel. “Admit it. Even you liked him.”

  “Liking someone isn’t a prerequisite for being able to successfully work with them, Angel.” When he turned to her, there was a strong look of disapproval on her face. “We have an understanding, that’s all.”

  “The word ‘respect’ just isn’t in your vocabulary when it comes to the Kafarans, is it?”

  He stared at her for a long moment, knowing she wasn’t about to back down on this point. “Fine. Yes,” he said in defeat. “I respect him. I respect the hell out of him, but don’t think that means I’m going to take him to the spring dance.”

  Sighing, she began to fidget with her fingernails. “You said once that he was a friend. What’s changed?”

  “Friends come and go,” he said distantly.

  “You talking about Tausan … or Jerry?”

  He shot her a glance, but saw a look of sincerity on her face. “We can’t trust anyone right now. Even friends. Isn’t that what you said before we took on this mission?”

  He was right, and Melissa knew it. “Sorry I brought it up,” she said.

  Shawn saw the look of discomfort on her face. It was a look he’d come to hate. “Still, Tausan is a good friend. I’m sure he can help us out.”

  She locked eyes with him, her frown quickly turning into a matching smile. “You’re really something sometimes. You know that, right?”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  They shared a laugh before settling back down into silence.

  “How’s the good doctor?” Shawn asked after a moment.

  “Resting in his cabin, I think.”

  “You did lock his door, didn’t you?”

  She nodded. “I’m still a little unsure why you asked me to do that.”

  “You saw what he did back there,” Shawn said as he shot a thumb in the direction of Torval. “He’s not too happy about tagging along with us. I’d hate to see him do something to our ship that could jeopardize our safety.”

  “He may be a little eccentric, but I doubt he’s dangerous.”

  “That has yet to be seen,” Shawn said, rubbing his eyes a final time. “What about his droid?”

  “In the cargo hold, deactivated. I still have no idea why we bothered to bring it along. We could have just left it with his ship.”

  “Because that droid has been privy to the doctor’s movements recently. If necessary, we can access its databanks to verify his story.”

  She watched as Shawn continued to stare out the forward window. “You think he’s under the influence of the Meltranians?” she asked.

  “Uudon said the boosted signal was directed deep into Kafaran space. That’s not really a place I feel comfortable going—with or without Tausan’s help. I think anyone in the Unified Government would feel the same way. But, there’s no way we can simply ignore it, and I think our friend the doctor is aware of that fact.”

  “You’re saying we could be walking right into a trap?”

  “That’s always a possibility. If he knows more than he says he does, and by that I mean he knows what was actually in the signal, then the best course of action would be to eliminate the people who are searching for answers.”

  “Meaning us.”

  Shawn nodded. “And anyone else who might come after us.”

  A flashing light on the right-most console drew her attention away from Shawn. “Signal coming in. It’s on a Unified frequency.”

  “Put it on the overhead.”

  When she diverted the incoming transmission to the speakers, she gave him a nod before speaking. “This is the transport Nautilus. With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”

  “Nautilus, this is Captain Litto of the Rugorian cruiser Honor Guard.”

  Recalling that Litto was at one time the first officer under their mutual friend, Fleet Captain Ariah Voula, Shawn turned to Melissa and smiled. Evidently, Shawn’s emergency request to Graves for assistance had been routed to Voula. He only hoped that Litto came bearing good news.

  “Understood, Captain Litto,” Melissa replied. “Permission to come alongside?”

  “Where do you hail from, Nautilus?” Litto asked. The captain’s tone was casual, and if he recognized Melissa’s voice at all, he didn’t let it show. Shawn surmised Litto was playing it safe. If their communications were at all being intercepted, any show of recognition between the two vessels would betray their ruse.

  “Minos,” she said quickly. “We’ve been out here for almost a week now. We haven’t seen a friendly face in some time.”

  “Understood, Nautilus,” Litto responded after a moment. “We’ve run the transponder codes from your vessel through our security systems. You are indeed in the presence of friends. I would like to offer you safe berth in our cargo hold. I believe you will find the accommodations … acceptable.”

  Cargo hold? That mean Litto was in command of a sizeable vessel, but nothing that would arouse suspicion if it had departed the main body of the combined Unified fleet. Needing to satisfy his curiosity, Shawn flipped on the short-range sensors and was rewarded with the sight of a Rugorian blockade runner—not at all dissimilar to the one on which he and Melissa had once been held captive. She was fast enough to outrun most any hostiles they might encounter, small enough not to be missed from the fleet, and had a pressurized cargo area just large enough to envelop the Nautilus.

  Shawn nodded to Melissa, who in turn accepted Litto’s offer graciously. “We’ll be glad to come aboard.”

  “Excellent, Nautilus. We will make preparations for your arrival. Change heading to three-three-two mark-one. When you are within five hundred yards, our guide beams will tractor you into the cargo bay.”

  “Understood, Honor Guard. We’re changing course now,” she replied.

  Shawn did as he was instructed. As soon as he began to turn the transport, he caught sight of the Honor Guard hanging motionless in space. Slowing as he neared the stern, he saw the large exterior door begin to open upward, displaying the well-lit and empty bay within. An indicator on his panel began to flash, and Shawn quickly relinquished maneuvering control to the Honor Guard’s navigational beam. A few moments later the Sector Command transport was pulled slowly into the cargo area. As soon as the vessel was clear of the stern door, the opening closed quickly, and the bay pressurized. By the time the Nautilus’s landing pads touched the surface of the Honor Guard’s hold, the air had equalized to Terran-normal.

  While Shawn powered down the ship’s systems, Melissa watched as a single officer appeared through a doorway just ahead of the transport. As the man stepped closer, she recognized him as Litto. “Looks like the captain is in a hurry to deliver us some information.” Shawn looked at her, then followed her gaze out the forward window.

  “Hopefully it’s what we want to hear.”

  “What should we do with Doctor Uudon and his robot?”

  Shawn considered the question for a moment. “Keep the robot powered down in the cargo hold. No sense in letting it tag along. We’ll bring the doctor
out with us. Just to be on the safe side, though, keep a fast-acting tranquilizer handy. I don’t want him running off if he thinks he has half a chance.”

  Melissa patted the small bag lying beside her. “I have just the thing in here.”

  One they had Uudon in tow, the three exited the side of the Nautilus with Shawn in the lead. When Litto caught Shawn’s gaze, the handsome Rugorian officer stepped forward with an outstretched hand.

  “Greetings, Commander Kestrel.”

  “Pirates,” Uudon spat in disgust as he eyed Litto. “Fantastic job, Commander Kestrel. You’ve managed to get us apprehended by a band of thugs!”

  Shawn gripped Litto’s hand and shook it. “Don’t mind him,” he said as he nodded his head back toward the doctor. “He’s been out of the loop for some time, and his etiquette skills are a little rusty.”

  “Captain Litto?” Melissa asked with a smile, admiring the crisp lines of Litto’s maroon uniform.

  Releasing Shawn’s hand, Litto bowed gracefully toward her. “It was granted to me just two days ago for this very mission.” He then turned his ice-blue eyes back to Shawn. “It’s good to see you as well, Commander. Fleet Captain Voula sends his regards to you both.”

  “I trust he’s well?”

  Litto smiled. “All things considered, Commander, he is. He did ask that I find out, before I deliver the information you requested, if you had made a final decision on a question he’d once asked you.”

  Shawn chuckled, recalling full well what Voula wanted to know. With his current commission hanging in the balance, there was certainly little stopping Shawn from accepting Voula’s offer of a commission in the Rugorian fleet—not to mention the command of a fleet warship.

  Litto was unsure how to decipher the mixed expression on Shawn’s face. “I’m afraid I don’t know what Fleet Captain Voula was referring to, Commander, so I’m equally unsure of what answer he’s expecting.”

  Shawn nodded. “Next time you talk to him, tell him … tell him it’s not out of the question anymore.”

  Melissa gave Shawn a puzzled look, which he smiled at. After all, the conversation in question between the two men had been for their ears alone, and Shawn had yet to share the proposal with anyone else. Why should he have? Until the moment his future in Sector Command had been questioned, there was little reason to leave the Unified fleet. Now, however, he was beginning to give the proposal some consideration.

  Litto nodded curtly. “I’ll do that.” He then lifted his arm and motioned to the doorway he’d come through. “If you’ll please follow me. I believe we have a pressing matter to discuss.”

  “There were very few humans that I felt were completely capable of both entering Kafaran space and operating amongst my people. As much as I admired him, I didn’t believe Shawn Kestrel was one of them. History, it seemed, had a way of correcting that oversight.”

  -Colonel (later General) Tausan

  Imperial Kafaran Assault Forces

  Chapter 14

  Once they were out of the landing bay, Litto ushered the trio into a small briefing room not far from the bridge. By Unified standards, the room was quite small, and not at all like what Shawn was used to seeing. In fact, the “briefing room” was little more than a converted machinery space, with a computer table and several chairs hastily situated off to one side, and a several generators humming in a far corner.

  “I trust your journey was well, Commander?” Litto asked as everyone took their seats.

  “As well as could be expected,” Shawn said, his eyes momentarily shifting to Doctor Uudon.

  Litto’s eyes followed the Commander’s. “And … your guest?”

  “Doctor Uudon,” the doctor answered sharply before Shawn had the opportunity to make up another fantastic story. “Unified Historical Society.”

  “I understand,” Litto responded, but sounded anything but. “Well, you all seem none the worse for your travels.”

  Melissa smiled nervously. “We’re here, but I’m not entirely sure exactly what that means.”

  “Nothing illegal, I trust,” Litto said with a devilish smile.

  Shawn gave the former pirate a skeptical glare. “If it is, then I’m sure we’re in the right company to make sure it gets done as quietly as possible. Or … are we aboard the wrong ship?”

  Litto didn’t hide his amusement, laughing heartily at Shawn’s remark. “No, Commander. In that regard, you are exactly where you need to be.”

  “Maybe you can be a little more specific about that, Captain,” Shawn said, then glanced to Melissa. “I’m sure we’d all feel a lot better if we had more facts and less speculation about what you’re doing here.”

  Litto nodded as he leaned back in his chair. “Your request to Admiral Graves was forwarded to Fleet Captain Voula with more expediency than I have ever seen. Before you ask, I’m not even vaguely aware of the nature of that request. My orders in this matter have come directly from Voula, which is why the Honor Guard is here to greet you. He has given me very specific directions about entering Kafaran space—instructions that come directly from the Kafaran Imperial high command, it would seem. In that regard, I wonder if I should be asking you what I’m doing here.”

  Shawn nodded in understanding. The Rugorian blockade runner was just about the fastest ship in the combined Unified fleet—when compared to similar vessels fielded by either Sector Command or the Kafarans. Besides, being former allies, a Rugorian vessel would look far less suspicious than the Nautilus.

  “And what can you tell us about that?” Melissa asked, sidestepping the captain’s curiosity. “About what the Kafarans have told you?”

  “Colonel Tausan has assured me of safe passage into Kafaran space. However, I do not know how far that courtesy extends.”

  “Meaning?” Doctor Uudon said in frustration.

  Litto leaned forward, placing his hands before him on the tabletop. “Meaning, Doctor, that it’s unclear just how far into Kafaran space we’ve been allowed to navigate. As you may have heard, there is a war going on, and the Kafarans have become very … selective about who travels through their space.”

  “As if they weren’t before,” Shawn mused.

  “Quite right, Commander,” Litto nodded and smiled faintly. “In fact, we have a secure data channel established with Commodore Savath’s flagship, the Saa’krular.”

  “For what purpose?” Melissa asked.

  “Colonel Tausan feels—and I fully agree—that any protracted journeys into Kafaran space could be exceedingly hazardous, both to yourselves and to this vessel. Concentrated pockets of Meltranians abound there. Due to the fact that the Kafarans have divided their forces evenly between two battle fronts, we’re going to be far removed any appreciable assistance.”

  Shawn nodded. The Kafarans weren’t just fighting alongside the UCS, they were also battling the Meltranians in their own backyard—or, the Darkness, as Savath had once called it.

  “But as you said, you don’t know why we’re here,” Melissa began. “That doesn’t worry you?”

  Litto made an almost imperceptible shrug. “It does concern me, my lady, but in the end, I trust Fleet Captain Voula implicitly, and he seems to place a great deal of faith in Commander Kestrel and yourself. That is all the assurance I require.” He then turned his gaze to Shawn. “I trust, Commander, that you have a heading in mind for our journey? I’ve been asked to relay the information to Commodore Savath in order to make sure our path is free of … unnecessary entanglements.”

  Shawn looked to Melissa for assurance. Perhaps it was the glint in her eyes, or the slight twitch in the left corner of her mouth—but whatever it was, she wanted to discuss the matter with Shawn in private.

  “If Miss Graves and I could have a moment, Captain?” Shawn asked, to which Litto nodded in response.

  “Your affairs are your own until I’m needed, Commander. I will return shortly.” Litto then rose and bowed slightly toward Melissa before exiting the compartment.

  “Do you thi
nk it’s wise, giving him the information?” Shawn asked, guessing that was the question she had on her mind.

  “I don’t see that we have much of a choice in the matter. I’m finding it difficult to fault the logic of his plans.”

  Shawn stood, then walked to a nearby generator. Not really examining the bulky equipment, he nodded slowly. “That’s what worries me.”

  “You think Savath knows more than he’s letting on.”

  Shawn wagged his head softly. “I’m just taking your father’s advice to heart. I’m not trusting anyone until we have some concrete evidence stating otherwise.”

  “Regardless, Savath and Tausan know something at this point, as does Voula,” she replied.

  “That means your father has let them into the loop. Let’s just hope it’s only the outer edge. Otherwise we could be walking directly into a big mess.”

  Melissa glanced down to her footwear. “Well, I wore my tall boots just in case we get in deep.”

  Shawn smiled kindly at her. “Always prepared. That’s my girl.”

  Doctor Uudon looked from one to the other. “Could someone please tell me what on Third Earth this is all about? I have important research to get back to.”

  Shawn turned his smile to the doctor. “You’re the one with the coordinates. Something tells me you’re going to have a lot more research on your hands when we get to wherever that transmission was sent. As for what we’re going to find there, I haven’t the faintest idea. That’s why you’re here.”

  Uudon glared at Shawn a moment before speaking. “I have little faith you will lead me to anything of stellar importance, Commander. Must I remind you that I am here totally against my will, and that I fully intend to file that complaint with Sector Command when we return?”

  “By the time you do, I’ll be out of the service at this rate,” Shawn jested, but knew there was more than a modicum of truth to the statement. The look he got from Melissa in return was anything but jovial. “We need to give Litto the heading, but nothing more. He doesn’t seem to want an overabundance of information anyway, so I’m not in a hurry to spill my guts.” He got a nod of understanding from Melissa, then he turned to the doctor. “Believe me, I don’t want you here anymore that you want to be here, Doctor. I don’t much care for putting civilian lives in jeopardy, especially ones as fun-loving as yourself. However, you’re the expert on the Meltranian sub-space amplifier, and I have a feeling the receiving station is going to have similar technology.”