“Aye, aye sir,” Nelson said and left.
Leonessa squeezed his shoulder.
"That’s two I owe you,” Leonessa said.
“Stop counting because I won’t be collecting,” Luke said, trying to sit up and realizing he was naked under the sludge. Suddenly the presence of attractive women in the room became a problem.
Brita picked up his uniform and held it up. “Let me help,” she said.
“He can get up on his own,” Musashi said. “I think we need to go to the dojo Brita. You were slower than me in taking down the last Srakka. You can use some practice as well Lieutenant Ferraro.”
Brita looked between Musashi and Luke. Felix stood up to place his paws against the side of the bed and looked at Luke. Satisfied Felix dropped back down to the ground.
“I’m fine,” Luke said. “I’ll move slow.”
Brita nodded and Musashi pointed to the door. Leonessa smiled at Luke before she followed them out. It was a smile he would like to see more of.
“Thanks,” Luke transmitted to Musashi.
“No problem Commander,” Musashi sent back. “Slacker. Heal quickly so I can beat your ass and put you back in the sludge.”
Luke laughed.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Back in Business
An hour later Luke entered the CIC, still stiff and sore. Nelson and Gray were there.
“Anything new?” Luke asked looking around. Nothing had changed, not that he expected it to have.
“We have found the Mashgol and his compounds. The Mashgol is named Jangol. Near as I can tell he has an entire tower block under his control, maybe a full regiment of Tonkan, and assorted other mercenary units.”
“Do they have them?” Luke asked looking over what Jangol had listed as assets. Jangol, and Jangal, he wondered if the two were related with such a similar name.
“Not entirely sure,” Nelson said. “He is the most likely suspect, always looking for new slaves, new products, and new ways to make money. A real cold, heartless individual with no loyalty or concerns beyond his own personal profit and power.”
“So,” said Gray. “What’s the plan?”
“Prepare the battalion for an assault drop,” Luke said sitting back in his chair.
Gray nodded.
“No,” Luke said. “On second thought prepare them for space assault.”
“Space assault?” Nelson asked.
“Yep,” Luke said. “And get me Jangol’s contact information and a list of his ships.”
“You have a plan?” Nelson asked with a smile.
“Summon the team,” Luke said to Gray. If Jangol had Bebchuck and the others, the plan should work. “It will take a few days to set up.”
* * *
“Risky,” Brita said. “Very damned risky.”
“I’ll second that,” Leonessa said. “You don’t have another plan?”
Luke shrugged.
“It is bold,” Carmichael said. “And aggressive.”
“Can you do it?” Leonessa asked.
“Yes,” Luke replied.
“Then I’m in,” Leonessa said.
“Heck,” Brita said with a feral smile. “Should be interesting. I’ll go along with it, but my vote is still on a direct assault on his tower.”
Carmichael nodded; Nelson and Gray smiled at each other.
“Then let’s transfer my flag to the Cutlass along with as many warbots as we can fit,” Luke said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Setting a Trap
“Sentient Jangol,” Luke said over the communication link. “I am Shoka Luke. It is my understanding you have in your possession four humans you intend to sell as slaves.”
“You are mistaken Shoka,” Jangol said. “I am unfamiliar with the human species and you are the first one I’ve encountered.”
“I will not argue with you,” Luke said. “Spies from my ally Jangal have video and proof. If you do not surrender them, I will attack your facilities and installations. I can place very accurate, high velocity kinetic weapons into your buildings from orbit. I have received level three authorization to commit violence against the Mashgol for crimes against my species.”
“That is extreme,” Jangol said. “You would kill innocent people?”
“An Earthling’s code of honor states humans must not be taken slaves. Should humans be enslaved, extreme violence will be used to kill violators of this code.”
“That is absurd,” Jangol said. “I find it hard to believe a sentient species would behave in such a way.”
“How familiar are you with humans then?”
Jangol remained silent, probably checking references.
“We demand either you allow us to inspect your facilities and preform DNA scans to verify humans have not been there, or you surrender them immediately. Failure to allow for either option will result in orbital strikes followed by ground assaults.”
“I have many slaves and subordinates,” Jangol said. “I will need time to verify this claim.”
“I am aboard my ship the Ultio,” Luke said. “You have less than a day to indicate your compliance. Luke out.”
“Now we watch and wait,” Nelson said.
Luke nodded and watched the view screen. The bridge of the Cutlass was much smaller and having five humans aboard made it crowded. Most of the ship was automated and controlled by the ships AI cluster, but there were facilities for a small crew of humans and several bays for assault droids. Luke had designed it so it would be useful to New Alamo after his death and it could double as an assault craft or long-range patrol ship. Overall the frigates were built around their main gun, a plasma lance, with an arrow shaped head and swooping wings on the side. From the front, it looked like a bird of prey swooping down on a target. They had their own wormhole capable drives and while they could operate independently of the Leonis Ultio, Luke never used them except as support vessels for the Leonis Ultio.
Living quarters were cramped, to put it mildly. The Captains quarters were barely large enough to move around in, a real claustrophobe’s nightmare and the crew quarters were not any bigger, but they had to be shared between two crew members. The goal had been to pack as much weapons and gear into the hull as possible with crew comfort being at the bottom of the priority list. It reminded Luke of ancient submarines he had seen so long ago back on earth. The frigates were small, but they had what he needed.
* * *
“Jangol Freighter forty-nine is taking off,” Nelson reported.
“Classification?” Luke asked.
“Small fast delivery,” Nelson replied. “Lightly armed, but more than capable of transporting about fifty bipedal slaves. Looks like the flight pattern will keep the planet between it and the Ultio.”
“Bingo,” Luke said even though there were hundreds of ships arriving and departing daily, he felt this was the right one. “ETA for high orbit?”
“Four hours it looks like,” Nelson said. “I’m transmitting a likely intercept course to you. Interesting enough, it is not appearing in the public flight plan database. He must have a lot of pull with Bizzen control.”
“Only took three hours to try to evacuate the prisoners,” Luke said and sent a message to Leonessa, Brita, and Carmichael and warning them he would call general quarters in about three and a half hours.
Leonessa entered the bridge less than a minute after he sent the message.
“Hello Commander,” she said. “Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all,” Luke said. The primary screen showed the track of the targeted transport and the Cutlass’s interception path. “It will be boring for a few hours while the transport climbs out of the atmosphere.”
“Why so long?” Leonessa asked.
“The class of ship, and the fact they are taking a course which keeps Bizzen between them and the Ultio. We are meandering in the general direction for an intercept but trying to be subtle about it. We look like another ship in orbit, and we’ve made a request to orbital control asking for a d
ifferent course so we can pick up a shuttle tomorrow along a certain course. Incidentally the new course puts us on short intercept with the transport but not direct intercept. It is unlikely to raise any flags and Conglomerate privacy laws will not show this ship associated with the Ultio unless I allow it.”
Leonessa nodded and looked over the boards and tracks.
“But you could identify all of Jangol’s ships?” Leonessa asked.
“The information is available for a price,” Luke said. “Being new to Bizzen I doubt anyone knows about me and my ships.”
“I never liked waiting,” Leonessa said.
Luke nodded, watching the tracks.
“Waiting hoovers,” Leonessa said.
Luke looked at her and raised an eyebrow. Leonessa blushed.
“I don’t like swearing,” Leonessa said. “Hoover means-“
“I know,” Luke said. “When did you stop swearing and why?”
“I don’t know,” Leonessa said. “I’ve never been into swearing. Even in the Marines.”
“Marines?” Luke asked his eyes locking onto Leonessa’s.
“Yes,” Leonessa said. “I was with the fifteenth Commando’s, a Jupiter Alliance commando team for about eight years before I transferred to fleet. We were active, and I saw action frequently against the Caliphate.”
“Did you swear before joining the Marines,” Luke asked.
“No,” she said. “Weird I know. It’s just. I don’t know.”
“You said ‘fiddle sticks’ on Bizzen before the fire fight?” Luke asked.
Leonessa shrugged, “Probably. I don’t remember.”
“How old are you if you don’t mind me asking?” Luke asked.
“I’m forty-five,” she said and then smiled. “You should know it’s not polite to ask a woman her age.”
“Sorry,” Luke said and turned to look at the track without seeing it.
Brita came onto the bridge.
“Anything exciting?” she asked looking at the two.
“Not yet,” Luke said. “You got the message?”
“Yep,” Brita said. “Waiting sucks, I figured I could wait here, as well as in the shoe box galley.”
Brita looked at Luke and Leonessa.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
Luke and Leonessa nodded and Luke wondered what she saw.
“When we were coming back from Bizzen were you there talking to me?” he asked Brita. It seemed safer than asking Leonessa, less direct.
“I was there but Leonessa did most of the talking,” Brita said sinking into a chair. “You were delirious and not making sense. We almost lost you because of that contagion.”
“It was that bad?” Luke asked.
“Yea,” Brita said. “You were calling for Elena and wanting to die.”
Luke nodded and sent a request for Nelson. There had to be a recording from the medical droid if not a suit recorder.
“Hmmmm,” Luke said and turned back to the track.
Minutes later Nelson sent the video and Luke played on his InnerBuddy display where Leonessa and Brita could not see or hear it. He took several minutes to listen to the recording and match what he remembered but he found the section.
“Hang in there, cupcake,” Leonessa said. “You can’t die on me now.”
“Elena,” Luke said. “Please don't make me go on living without you.”
“I need you to live,” Leonessa said.
“No,” Luke said. “Life isn’t worth living without you.”
“Live,” Leonessa said.
“Please no,” Luke cried out.
“An atmospheric biological has infected him,” the medical droid said. “He needs to hang in there and fight it.”
“I don’t think he wants to,” Brita said. “Please Luke. We need you to stay with us. Fight it.”
“That is one incredibly nasty virus,” Gray said.
“Please,” Leonessa said, and the camera picked up her tears. “I need you to live.”
“I don’t know how,” Luke said. “I want to die and join you.”
“If you die you won’t be joining me,” Leonessa said. “I need you to live.”
“I don’t know how to live,” Luke said.
“I will teach you how to live and be happy again. Fight Luke. Live!”
“I want the pain to end,” Luke cried.
“You can’t know pleasure without pain there, cupcake,” Leonessa said. "LIVE!”
“Please?” Luke begged.
“No,” Leonessa said and sobbed.
Luke screamed.
It almost matched what he remembered. Almost. He did not like how helpless and out of it he appeared though. In his delirium, it had been Elena’s voice. Why? Luke did not know what to think, or who to ask as he sat there looking at the screen. Leonessa said she was forty-five. Elena had died forty-five years ago. Was Leonessa actually Elena reincarnated? Was it possible? Luke reviewed the video again. Leonessa was obviously very concerned about him but she was also injured and he was the only chance she had of getting her crew back. If he had died, Brita would have taken command but she would not have the authority or ability to track down and rescue her crew.
“I’ll be in my quarters,” Luke said. “I’m going to try and take a nap for an hour or two. You two do the same. The Cutlass and Nelson can handle anything that comes up and will notify us of any changes. Do you need anything?”
Leonessa nodded and spoke, “I’m okay thank you.” She seemed lost in her own thoughts, staring at the converging tracks.
“Sorry commander,” Brita said. “I’m too wired right now. I’ll just sit here and bounce off the walls. You sure you won’t let me go with the first wave?”
“No,” Luke said. “Warbots first, I want you guarding my back.”
Brita nodded, her unhappiness evident.
Luke nodded with a smile and left the bridge.
Sitting down in his cabin, he pulled up the view screen and stared at it for several minutes.
“Musashi,” Luke sent on a private link.
“Yes Commander?” Musashi asked.
“Is reincarnation real?” Luke asked.
“You are asking me? An artificially created life form that you programmed with life goals? Did I miss you programming me to be religious or stupid? You don’t have many, but that is one stupid question. Shall we fight over who has the best invisible friend next? I have absolutely no idea, but I’m curious as to why you ask.”
Luke sighed and explained his reasoning to Musashi who listened patiently.
“Makes sense,” Musashi sent.
“I’m not going crazy?” Luke asked.
“No, you are not going crazy, you are already there. Been there for a while now actually,” Musashi replied. “Why are you asking me? Why not ask a fellow meat sack?”
“Gee, thanks metal head,” Luke sent.
“No problem there, meat sack,” Musashi sent. “I guess there are some things that can be explained away. Sounds like your last conversation with Elena was broadcast and many people heard it. I would guess there is a lot of literature or history available in the Jupiter Alliance. It is possible Leonessa got hooked on something there when she was younger. A movie or book or something. Happens. Kids like heroes.”
“Elena only called me cupcake in private,” Luke said. “It was a private joke and. . . it was personal.”
“Coincidence,” Musashi said but he did not sound convincing.
“Really?” Luke asked. “What do I do?”
“You are asking me for personal advice with a woman, and you are asking me about spiritual matters?” Musashi said. “Meat sack you really need to get out more. Asking droids for love life advice? Maybe you should get a new droid, a psychologist, name him Freud, or Mommy.”
“Thanks ass wipe,” Luke sent trying to convey as much sarcasm as he could. “You’ve been a big help.”
“No problem, meat sack,” Musashi said. “I would like to point out one thing. Sometimes you
have to figure out your own problems and what you want to believe. You won’t always have the evidence to prove you right and sometimes you never will. That is where faith comes in. You will screw it up occasionally but you are an expert at screw ups, so it won’t be new.”
“Thank you Musashi,” Luke said, laying back on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. Sleep was the furthest thing from his mind now. Had Elena returned? She was not Elena though, she was Leonessa. It would be nice to talk to someone but who would understand? Musashi was the most spiritual and philosophical person Luke knew, unfortunately Musashi’s ‘spirituality’ was more warrior centric than anything else. That was the problem. Luke had programmed him to be a warrior, had focused his attention on the warrior skills and a warrior mentality. There was no need for him to diverge from that path into more exotic realms of spirituality, not very far at any rate.
Luke began mentally planning what kind of programming would go into such a droid. What should its life focus be? Operating parameters? Strictly non-combatant? A name was extremely important as they would likely latch onto the name and emulate the originator.
The alarm went off.
“General quarters. All hands, General Quarters,” the Cutlass broadcast.
Luke got to his feet, narrowly avoiding hitting his head again on the overhead compartment, and headed to the bridge. Leonessa and Brita were still there.
“Commander on deck,” the Cutlass announced when he arrived.
“At ease,” Luke said before anyone could get up. “Any changes?”
“Negative Commander,” the Cutlass reported. “Target One will entering weapons range in ten minutes. All sections reporting ready, status green.”
Luke took his seat and looked around him. His team was busy watching their instruments. There was really nothing for them to do since the Cutlass had full control. Usually the Cutlass would fight without a crew and with only basic supervision from Luke or Nelson. It had been hard for Luke to get used to being useless on his own bridge but his droids did a much better job on their own.
“Target one has cleared atmosphere and is in low orbit,” the Cutlass reported. “Target one is still maintaining eclipse with the Ultio.”
The Return: The Conglomerate Trilogy (Volume 1) Page 26
