by Tony Healey
Not good.
"It is our belief that the crew will be sent to other vessels, but that is pure speculation on our part. Please wait until you hear official word," Chang explained. "I really don't know what to say to you all."
A hand rose. She tried to pick the face out of the crowd and found herself unable to put a name to the man standing at the back. "Yes?"
He dropped his hand. "Thank you commander. I just wanted to ask what was the real reason King didn't tell us this herself."
"What do you mean, Mister?"
"The fact that it's bad news. And she probably didn't want to break it to us herself," the man said. "So she sent her right hand in here to give us the bad news."
"I'm not sure I like your tone," Chang growled. "The Captain has her reasons for it. Believe me."
"Well . . ." the man started to say.
"Enough!" Chang snapped. He stopped talking. Lisa looked from one officer to the next, sure to make eye contact. "If any of you have a problem with what's about to happen, or take issue with the Captain's decision making in this instance, please speak up. I will take you to see the Admiral himself, to voice your concerns."
The room was deathly silent.
"Right," she said. "Pass it on. The Defiant is no more. Our people are to continue as they are until they receive official word. Dismissed."
They slowly shuffled out of the room. The Chief remained where she was. When they were alone, Lisa took a seat a few spaces down. "Meryl? You okay?" she asked.
Chief Gunn nodded, slowly, without enthusiasm.
"Sure?"
"Yeah. I will be."
"I'm as shocked as you," Chang said. "But I'm sure it will all work out in the end."
The Chief laughed. It wasn't a humorous one. "Really? You sound confident about that."
"Well, I guess I have to be."
"They're taking her away from us. Grounding us. Stitching us up."
"Not really, Chief. I mean, look at the state of her. The Defiant is in need of a lot of work. And I don't think they want to invest that much time and energy on an old ship."
Gunn scowled. "Old ship? This is our home, Commander. My home. This ship is all I have to remember him by!"
Chang's throat felt too tight, too dry. She felt her eyes watering. "Oh Chief . . ."
Gunn started to sob, face in her hands.
It was all she could do to put an arm around Gunn's shoulders.
8.
Dr. Gentry opened the door nervously. "Captain?"
She walked into his quarters without waiting for him to invite her in. "Doctor," she said, looking about and settling on a chair in the corner.
The doors shut. Gentry perched himself on the edge of his sofa, hands clasped. "So, uh, I take it you're here to discuss my research."
"Yes."
"It's not been easy, that's for sure. Nearly everything about it is classified beyond my reach or, as in some cases, partially deleted. Removed after the fact, leaving gaps in the database. However I have a few clues that may prove worthwhile."
"I'm all ears, doctor. In fact, more than that. I really need something to go on."
"Pardon my asking, Captain, but what necessitates the sudden urge to find a break in this investigation?" Gentry asked. "It's been weeks, and I've been left to my own devices up till now."
"Well, a few things have changed. There's been some . . . developments," Jessica said.
"Oh?"
"They've assigned Admiral Kerrick to take over from Grimshaw. Essentially moving him off the case. I, for one, don't like it. I don't like it one bit. It seems highly suspect to me that they'd reassign him at a time like this," she said. "I feel there's motivation behind Kerrick's posting."
"Admiral Kerrick is not one to be messed with," Gentry said.
"You know him?" she asked, stunned.
"Unfortunately, yes. I had the misfortune of working with Kerrick some years ago in relation to an excavation of Namarian relics," Gentry explained. "We were on Daban, in the Xaha sector. Kerrick was put in charge, though I had authority over the dig. It didn't work out very well."
"Why?"
"We found the skeleton of a Namar starship in a jungle there. A long gouge in the ground led to a river. Scanning the bottom of the riverbed for further remains, we found a long capsule. It could only be described as an energy source. Kerrick wanted it stowed aboard the ship, to be taken to the Union for testing. I said he could not. It was not only essential in determining the details of the crash, but I could not guarantee it would be safe to transport."
"What happened?"
"I won. Kerrick didn't like it. It's probably not a coincidence I found myself posted to Spucksten V shortly after. The hind end of space. My punishment for disagreeing with the wise Captain Kerrick. The biggest ass in space," Gentry said bitterly.
"Well, that'd be Admiral Kerrick now."
The doctor shook his head, a deep frown etched into his face. "Damn."
"Anyway, I've been told on good authority that the Defiant will fly no longer. She is to be scrapped. So, time is short. I need to get moving on this before I get reassigned somewhere else."
"Has Grimshaw been making his own investigations?" Gentry asked.
"Yes, but I suppose those will be brought to a standstill now he is to be moved."
"Still . . . at least you know he is an ally. I take it none of his superiors are aware of his curiosity regarding the Enigma," Gentry said.
"Correct. It's been a behind the scenes job," Jessica told him. "He said it would be a disaster if one of them found out. After all, the order to first go in there and steal Cessqa's crew came from somewhere . . ."
"Yes. So, back to the issue of my research, I can give you some very small jumping off points," he said. "For instance, I cannot tell you much about the ship sent to rendezvous with the Enigma initially apart from the fact it carried, amongst its regular crew, a scientist by the name of Kingston."
"Kingston?"
He nodded. "Yes. I know of her work. She's a gifted scientist. An interest in races like the Namar, who have been wiped out over time. I've read several of her papers."
"And she was one of the team members?"
Gentry folded his arms. "It would seem so. There is an official report bearing her name. Every line of it is redacted. I can't see any of it. But it relates to the 'investigation of an unidentified artefact.' I can think of a pretty big one out there that might be of interest."
"So is that all?"
"No. During the course of scouring the data banks for anything that might assist our investigation, I found mention of a research facility on Zac'u IX. Apparently Doctor Kingston is in charge of things there."
"Any idea what kind of research it is they're conducting there?"
"No. Only that it, too, is restricted. Sealed off. Luckily for us, though, the facility is in the middle of nowhere. When people leave there they don't go back."
"If memory serves, all of Zac'u IX is like that. A barren, frozen wasteland."
"Makes it the perfect location for some secret experiments, eh?" Gentry asked.
"Are they available for comms?"
Gentry shook his head. "Unfortunately no. In order to talk to Doctor Kingston, we'd have to go there in person."
Jessica looked away, deep in thought. "If she was on that initial team, she must know who ordered the op in the first place . . . and who is responsible for covering it up. I'll take this to Grimshaw straight away."
"Will he allow you to go, do you think?"
Jessica made for the door. "Not sure."
"Oh, Captain. Before you go, there is one more thing I should tell you. Remember what I was telling you? About the Namar energy source we found on Daban?"
Jessica turned back around. "Yes?"
Gentry took a deep breath. "It would seem that Kingston and the Admiral are connected in more ways than one."
"I don't follow."
"A year or so after it was confiscated, I happened to find myself a
dvising on a top secret project termed 'Sun Hammer,'" Gentry said.
It felt like a hand had closed around her heart. "Sorry?" Jessica gasped.
"I said it was called 'Sun Hammer,' and I was roped into advising on it. You see, it just so happened that the very same energy source we dug up on Daban was used as the basis of the Sun Hammers' own power core. I was there for maybe three weeks. That's when I bumped into Kingston again . . ."
"I don't believe it," Jessica said.
He frowned at her. "Are you all right?"
She remembered the scene as vividly as if it had happened the day before.
Sonjiin, the terrorist who stole the Sun Hammer from the Defiant as they ferried it across the galaxy, had fired it in a populated area of space. . .
The beam of energy stretched from the front of the craft to the fierce sun at the centre of the Xilin system. At first it seemed as though nothing happened.
But within the heart of the sun, where the Sun Hammer's blow had struck true, nuclear reactions of unfathomable magnitude were accelerated to millions of times their normal speed. The sun swelled white hot in a blinding flash as it erupted, doing in moments what would have normally taken billions of years.
The expanding energies of the resultant shockwave consumed all that stood before it. It tore through the orbiting planets, vaporising their atmospheres in seconds. The billions of sentient beings on their surfaces didn't have a chance to know what had taken place. The shockwave shattered each planet as it blasted through. Entire cultures and civilisations were wiped from existence in a matter of seconds . . .
"I know of it . . ." she said, her throat suddenly dry.
"Really? How?"
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. It's a long story, and one I can't go into right now. But I know all too well what it was capable of, believe me. I saw it firsthand."
"So you appreciate the dangerous nature of Namar technology, Captain. And that Kingston's involvement runs far deeper than the development of one weapon. I believe they have been using what Namar tech they can find to further the military abilities of our fleet and armies. It cannot be a simple coincidence that Kingston's name crops up in both cases."
She let this sink in for a second. Then: "Who ran the Sun Hammer project? Do you know?"
"You won't find his name on any official document, but I know the man ultimately responsible for that awful creation," Dr. Gentry said. His eyes were filled with sadness. "Our mutual friend. Admiral Kerrick."
9.
The Admiral checked his watch yet again. "He'll be here in a moment."
She'd not seen Grimshaw so worked up in a long time and it was enough to put her on edge.
"Well do I have a yes or a no? I don't mean any disrespect, sir, but I need to know before Kerrick arrives," Jessica said.
The Admiral paced back and forth for a moment, then stopped. He turned to face her. "Jess, you must understand the position I am in . . ."
"You're saying no aren't you?" she asked, amazed. "I can't believe it. I thought you wanted this investigated? Catch the rat in the organisation. Surely you must see this is the best lead we have!"
"Jess. It's not as simple as that. You know what I'm referring to. I can't have anything that will lead back to me. Not yet. Not with Kerrick on his way," Grimshaw said. "We don't know who to trust, apart from each other."
Kerrick, she thought. The worm behind the Sun Hammer, which destroyed entire worlds. The trusty Admiral Kerrick.
"Admiral, this is what we've been looking for. Kingston was on the original expedition to the Enigma, completely top secret. She must know names. If I can just talk to her –"
"Not on my order, no."
"But sir –"
He rounded on her. "Enough! You're not listening to me. Any power I had is gone. Do you get me? Things have changed."
She didn't say anything. The Admiral straightened up, took a deep breath. He seemed to calm in an instant, like a deflated balloon.
"Just give the word, sir, and I'll go out there. I will get you some answers, I promise," Jessica said.
Grimshaw took her softly by the shoulders. "Captain . . . just because I do not give you permission does not mean you cannot simply leave. If you were that way inclined, of course. There's nothing I could do to stop you."
It sank in. Her mind raced. "Sir . . . you realize you're talking about stealing a Union starship?"
He smiled. "Am I? I don't know what you're talking about."
The door chimed. Admiral Grimshaw walked to the door, his hand hovering over the access panel. He looked back at her. "I'm afraid I don't recollect saying anything of the sort, Captain King," he said and opened the door.
Jessica wasn't afforded the time to fully comprehend what Grimshaw was telling her. Kerrick first shook Grimshaw's hand, then bounded over to her. She gave him a salute, and he insisted on shaking her hand also. "Admiral."
"I've heard so much about you," he said. "It's going to be a pleasure working together, I'm sure of it."
An older man, thin with a hooked nose and bald head. What hair he had on the sides had turned white. But he wasn't old. Just aged quickly. Still, despite his stringy appearance there was strength in his hand shake. It was firm, confident. And his eyes.
They were cold hard flints.
"Likewise," she said, trying to work him out.
Grimshaw cleared his throat. "Take a seat, Bob. Captain, if there's nothing else."
"Yes sir, of course," Jessica said. She saluted them both and made for the door.
"Oh and Captain?"
She turned back. "Sir?"
Grimshaw's eyes looked tinged with regrets, not that Kerrick could see them from where he sat. "Keep me appraised please. I'd like to know how you progress."
She got his meaning in one. "Understood."
With that she left. Her first port of call was the Defiant. There were people to see, things to do, and as was usually the case, no time in which to do any of it.
PART II
Sabotage
10.
The same day Admiral Grimshaw disembarked from Station 6, Kerrick arrived at the airlock of the Defiant for his inspection. Captain King was there to greet him.
"Captain. I trust you're ready for me?" he asked, stepping through the decontamination jets to shipside. Jessica followed him.
"Of course, this way," she said. They walked at a casual pace, all the while Kerrick looking here, looking there, making a visual inspection of whatever he could.
Is it all for show? Or does he really intend on examining every inch of the ship?
"I understand the damage was extensive," he said.
"Indeed, sir. There's been a lot of work put into getting her back to an acceptable standard."
He chuckled. "Well, one person's idea of acceptable is another's idea of lacklustre. Wouldn't you agree, Captain?"
No. Actually I'd like to punch you in the face right about now.
"Yes sir. Of course."
They arrived at the munitions section, and Kerrick made a deal out of talking to all and sundry, running his fingertips over the warheads.
"These older ships packed quite a wallop," he remarked. "I forgot."
"They were once the backbone of the fleet," Jessica said.
Kerrick rose an eyebrow. "I'm more than aware of our military history."
I didn't say you weren't, you arrogant piece of slime.
"I once served on one myself," he added.
"Very interesting sir," Jessica said. She made little attempt to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. About as interesting as listening to Doctor Gentry lecture on the varied qualities of rocks.
They walked to the engineering section. On the way there, he made her tell him all about the battle. What had happened in space, how Cessqa and her subordinate had boarded the ship. The effort to get them out of the engineering section, where they had attached an explosive device to the reactor. All of it. Kerrick had obviously read her report on what happened, but in the
most irritating way possible he seemed intent on making her go over it, from start to finish, just for the sake of it. Thankfully for her, they arrived at engineering in the nick of time.
"Ah, Captain," the Chief said in greeting as they both walked in. She stood to rigid attention, and Kerrick dismissed her with a sloppy salute of his own. "Admiral."
"At ease. Chief Gunn, isn't it?" he asked, looking around. The engineering section appeared in pristine condition, everything as it should be, the heart of the ship beating strong and steady, as always. The Admiral looked suitably impressed.
"The same," the Chief said.
"I've heard a lot about you, Chief. Word is you're quite the miracle worker."
Gunn, for her part, gave a terrific performance. Her smile looked genuine, and it may have been.
But it was a mask. A veneer. "I try my best sir," she said.
He patted her on the arm.
Oh isn't this all warm and cosy, Jessica thought. Better steer him out of here before he sees through the act.
"Uh, Admiral. Shall we press on?" Jessica said, leading him to the door.
"This is a good engine room, Chief Gunn. I'm impressed."
She nodded, that fake smile still plastered to her face.
Well done, Chief. I know that was hard.
Kerrick left first, Jessica close behind. At the last moment she turned back. She had to see. Jessica knew she'd be right. The Chief's smile had vanished the second Kerrick turned his back. Good on you, Meryl.
"Which way, Captain?" Kerrick asked her outside.
"Oh follow me, sir," she told him, feeling no small amount of grim satisfaction. "We can make a brief inspection of the aft atomisers if you'd like."
"Splendid."
*
The moment Kerrick and Captain King left, the Chief sprang into action.
"Okay everyone. I'll be debugging the buffers. It means the internal security system, the network transmitters, all of that, will be disconnected for the time being," she said, loud enough for all to hear.
Lieutenant Gary Belcher frowned. "Chief, I didn't know we were doing that . . ."
