by Damon Alan
Sarah agreed. “It will. Personally, I can't wait to eat at a table with the food actually sitting on the dishes. In fact, if this all goes smoothly, I'll serve the first bowl of soup at the officers mess myself. Dismissed.”
After Corriea left, Sarah called the bridge.
“Bridge, Gilbert.”
“Commander, did you see the drone footage I forwarded to you?”
“Yes sir, I did. Lieutenant Seto and I reviewed it here.”
“And?”
“I think these guys are human.”
“It looks that way. Do you know any subgroup with the coloration of these guys though?”
“No. I’ve known blondes, but these guys are pale as ghosts.”
“Maybe Dr. Jannis will have an answer for us later.” Sarah wanted Gilbert’s expertise on ground ops. “I also think we should send a recovery team down to pick up that drone. We have fuel, what we don't have are replacement parts. Something might still be usable. What do you think?”
Gilbert paused. “I think you're right, but we should take care. For all we know the locals are worshiping the parts as mystical artifacts by now. Four Marines, full armor, orders not to engage the locals unless their lives are at stake. Bows are no threat to armored infantry, so it should be an in and out operation.”
“The drone AI thought bows were no threat and we're sending people to pick up the pieces.”
It was silent for a moment before Gilbert replied. “Right. We’ll be careful. A shuttle will launch within the hour. I also tasked a couple of probes to look for a colony ship. The locals had to get here somehow. There should be wreckage, or an intact ship in space.”
“Great. Tell Dantora to have our hounds on the planet to widen their search. Look for technology remnants. I also want information on population centers, numbers, road maps, or anything else we might be able to use. I want to know if all the larger landmasses are inhabited. It would be great if we weren't limited to islands.”
“Will do. Corriea just floated in. Anything else, Captain?”
“No. I'm headed to get some sleep. I have bridge duty in six hours. Dayson out.”
* * *
Sarah arrived for her shift on the bridge tired. During her sleep the ship was under acceleration, and her muscles felt it. She pulled herself through the hatch onto the bridge.
“Captain on the bridge,” Seto called out.
Everyone acknowledged her arrival, despite being quite busy. She walked to Gilbert. “Something going on?”
Gilbert turned his holodisplay toward her. “I'd say. We have a decision to make. Check this out.” The screen displayed purple-green grass and rolling hills of roughly the same color.. The image bounced and turned back and forth.
“What am I looking at?” Sarah asked as she moved to her station.
“The marines sent to retrieve the drone landed a few minutes ago. This is the scene on the ground.”
The marines moved forward, one directed an AI walker to recover the drone wreckage. Two others rushed to a body on the ground. As the pair of marines knelt over the body, the marine wearing the helmet camera scanned the area. His head swiveled frequently, offering a good view of the surrounding landscape. The image was jumbled despite automated software designed to stabilize it.
“Sound?” Sarah asked. She wasn’t sure if she believed her eyes. “Is that a wounded native?”
Gilbert turned up the sound on the bridge speakers. “Sorry, it was in my ears.”
“... he alive?” a voice said.
“Not sure yet, sergeant. Looks like he took an impeller blade through his right lung.” The camera swiveled to the body. One of the marines took off his glove and put his hand on the neck of the victim. “I got a pulse. Weak. He needs a doctor.”
The man with the helmet cam spoke. “Stennis, we got a man down. Local casualty, going to die without assistance. Request permission to recover.”
“I have the conn,” Sarah said.
Sarah strapped into her station as Gilbert relinquished the bridge. “Marines, secure that civilian. Take him to the biological isolation unit on the Yascurra. We’ll have medical help standing by. Until told otherwise, your unit is in isolation as well.”
“Roger,” the marine on the radio answered. “We'll grab the native and the drone, orbit in sixty, then a hot burn back to the fleet.”
The marines moved the local to the shuttle. They applied first aid as Dr. Jannis guided them from the Stennis’s medbay, then closed the link as they prepped for launch.
Dr. Jannis called the bridge on her priority channel. “Captain, that boy is going to need surgery.”
Sarah wanted confirmation of the local heritage. “So you agree he’s human?”
“He's human, it's ridiculous to think he's not. He needs surgery, but there are medical issues to consider.”
She’s so irritating. It’s even more annoying when she's right. “What issues?” Sarah said, resigning herself to the discussion.
“Local infectious agents, deviations from the genetic standard. These people have been evolving separately from the rest of humanity. We have no idea how long that’s been going on. The locals could have a unique blood type for all we know.”
Sarah knew all this. “I ordered the marines to the biological isolation unit on the Yascurra. They’ll get nanobiotics as per regulations. The local will be in a separate isolation unit, I assume you have a means of treating him.”
“I do. I’ll be operating on him myself, with the help of Dr. Inarra on the Yascurra. Between us we should be able to sort out any evolutionary difference in the young man.”
“So you'd potentially be infected by local pathogens? You're the fleet’s chief medic.”
“If he doesn't get surgery, he dies. We’ll use a breather and take our nanobiotic doses. But we’ll need to be isolated in quarantine with the marines after the surgery.”
“Okay, Doctor, you win. Save this kid, fate may have made him an ambassador for his people. A shuttle will be prepped to take you to the Yascurra, and I'll have the marines fly straight to you and isolation. Satisfied?”
“Absolutely.”
“Dayson out.” Sarah severed the link.
“I'll take care of the logistics,” Gilbert said.
“Thank you, Mr. Gilbert.” Sarah switched to command mode. “Mr. Corriea, time until orbit?”
“Seven hours, Captain.”
“Good. How long until the returning shuttle docks with the Yascurra?”
“In three,” Gilbert replied. “They're pushing to get their patient here alive.”
“Excellent, Commander.” Sarah wanted answers. “Lieutenant Seto, make sure they check his DNA. I'm sure the doctor will put that at the top of her list, but if she doesn't report it, ask. I want to dispense with the alien civilization idea ASAP.”
“Yes sir.”
“Mr. Gilbert, after you get the shuttle situation squared, I think you're on crew rest. Get off my bridge.”
“I'm going to be off duty when we reach Refuge? Just my luck.”
Sarah smiled, “You didn't think I was going to be off duty when we arrived, did you? It will be there when you wake up.”
Sarah watched Gilbert leave the bridge, then put the growing image of Refuge on the main screen.
A blue and green marble, full of questions and potential. Probably trouble as well, nothing is ever easy.
Chapter 8 - Captain's Personal Log
36 JUNI 15327
AI Lucy82A recording, Captain's personal log, Michael Stennis archive: Galactic Standard Date 01:03:21 Juni 36, 15327
Personal log entry #674, Captain Sarah Dayson, origin Korvand, Pallus Sector.
Current Location: Star System Oasis, approaching Refuge.
[Sounds of air handlers and people talking in the background]
I'm in my ready room, off the bridge. I normally do these from my quarters for the quiet, I hope this is clear enough.
We should reach Refuge orbit a few hours from now.
I'm excite
d, I can only imagine how excited the crew must be. I was born to be on a ship, but many of them are volunteers. Some had never left their home world before joining the Alliance Fleet.
[18 second pause, broken by a heavy sigh]
We injured a local, but Dr. Jannis says he's going to be alright. I have to trust her on that. I probably shouldn’t have let her treat him personally, but now she’s on the Yascurra, not the Stennis, which means less hassles for me.
[chuckling]
Focus on business, Sarah, focus.
I'm not happy about the loss of the drone, or more importantly, the AI on board. We can't afford to lose any equipment that complex. We can manufacture guns, we can make impellers, even fusion thrusters if we need too, but replacing an AI... that's beyond us. As much as I want to get pissed about it, I'm not sure I wouldn't have made the same mistake Corriea's team did. Who would think a bow could take down a drone?
[43 second pause, a sound AI estimates 82% probability to be a data pad striking a desktop]
Each task we create outside the fleet is crew taken from the ships, we don’t have another source of trained people. Every captain knows crew taken from a ship is a less efficient ship. We're already under full crew counts, we were under crewed when we went into battle at Hamor. If we have to divert personnel to anything big, I'm going to have to mothball some ships. I suppose the Palino would be first to go, we can store the supplies it carries at an asteroid station. We're going to have to set up a fuel depot, manufacturing stations, and possibly asteroid farms if the local food doesn't agree with us.
[24 second pause, a sound AI estimates 91% probability to be a hatch closing. Background noise is reduced to the sound of air handlers]
On a personal note, I can't stop thinking about Franklin. What's gotten into me? I'm professional on duty, of course, but at the officers mess I want to reach across the table and squeeze something. At this point, anything will do. This colonization concept must really be getting to me. I feel like a damned schoolgirl.
But I’m scared. I lost everything before. That sort of commitment is… nevermind.
End the log, Lucy. File it to the personal storage files in my quarters.
Chapter 9 - Becoming a Guard Dog
39 JUNI 15327
Sarah laughed. “You’re not bad at zeroball, Commander, but you still lost.”
Gilbert wiped sweat from his face with a towel. “You're stronger than you look, Captain.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I play a lot. It beats the treadmill.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“Stow it, Mr. Gilbert. I’m not offended.”
They arrived at the door to the Captain's quarters, and Gilbert started down the gangway. “Night, Captain.”
“Not so fast. Get a quick shower, then come back here. There’s a reason I wore you out at zero ball. I have something to show you, and I don't want you breaking anything in my quarters.”
Gilbert sniffed himself as he answered her. “I guess a shower is in order, you did wear me out. I'm going to have to start my marines on a zeroball training program.” He started to turn away, but then a confused look crossed his face and he stopped. “What makes you think I would break something?”
“Because I did. I have a pouch of wine with your name on it. At least one. Go make yourself civilized.”
Gilbert tilted his head, feigning surprise. “Wine for me? You must like me as XO. I'll go wash off the stink.” He headed toward his cabin.
Sarah stepped inside her quarters and took a quick shower. Finished, she retrieved a data pad from her safe and browsed it as she waited for Gilbert to return. Her hatch chimed, and Gilbert’s visage appeared on her wall monitor.
“Cycle,” she said.
The hatch opened and Gilbert floated into the room. He was in civilian clothes. His hair wet and slicked back, he wore a pair of cotton pants. She was surprised to see him barefoot. A tight fitting black shirt bore scattered wet spots from his shower.
That man is ripped. I wonder if he let me win zeroball?
Gilbert carried a small box in his hands. He whistled. “Nice quarters, I don't think I've seen how you live since I came on board.” He rotated full circle, looking at the decor of her quarters. Sarah opened the cooler pulling out two foil pouches of wine.
“Benefits of being Captain.”
“Significantly better than the benefits of being first officer.”
Sarah laughed. Gilbert was quite charming when he wasn't quoting some gung-ho infantry bullshit. “Well, you're first officer of the Stennis, I'm the fleet captain. Think of this as twenty-four ships worth of captain's quarters.” She pushed a wine pouch toward him. “An excellent vintage. Packet, Squirt, Factory Process Four.”
Gilbert smiled as he grabbed it. “Appetizing name. Another benefit of being the big dog. You get to have alcohol, despite the regs.”
Sarah looked at him like he was insane. “You didn't bring any booze on board?”
“Of course not.”
She laughed. “Stupid.”
Shit. Did I just call him a name?
“Yes, sir. I'll make sure to get a few cases of...” he read the label, “Packet, Squirt, Factory Process Four to keep in my cabin if I ever get a chance.”
He didn’t seem to care… does he realize how playful we’ve become? Friends?
Sarah smiled. “Some regs are meant to be broken. You know that, with what you did for Admiral Heyden helping him acquire supplies for the battle group.” She winced a bit mentioning Heyden. “As for liquor, I bet every captain in the fleet has a reserve.”
“I brought something else on board instead.”
She arched her eyebrows. “Illegal?”
“No, sadly, not.”
“What then?” Sarah grinned. For a guy who stole weapons back on Mindari, Gilbert was sort of rigid about rules.
Gilbert showed Sarah the foil wrapped package he pulled from the box. “Chocolate.”
Her opinion of him jumped several notches as her mouth started watering. “By the stars, Gilbert, you brought chocolate to my quarters? That’s the nicest thing a first officer has ever done for me.”
“Half a bar for you, half a bar for me. I'd have brought more, but if I run out of these, I'll die.”
Sarah made a rude noise. “Pffffbt. When I run out of Factory Process Four, I'm going to be mean as shit for weeks.”
“Let's hope we don't run out at the same time.”
Or we find other distractions as colonists.
“Hand over my chocolate, then tether yourself to the wall, I have something to show you.”
Gilbert opened the foil pack and broke the bar in half. “I suppose I can give you the big half, but you'll have to come get it.”
Sarah tilted her head and stared for a moment, trying to read him.
Is he flirting?
Her stomach twisted at the thought. Franklin’s eyes remained locked on hers and one corner of his mouth rose in a smirk.
Shit, this is happening. He is flirting.
Sarah pushed off the wall, and floated to him. She expertly twisted and absorbed her energy on the bulkhead, stopping right next to him. He reached to balance her, but there was no need. She snatched the chocolate from his hand before he could change his mind, left the datapad floating motionless, then pushed off to her original spot.
Her butterflies eased once distance was once more between them. “Don't break that data pad, we can't buy a new one.”
“Do I need to read this?” Gilbert waved the pad. “I don't do nervous well.”
Apparently I don’t either.
“You'll do pissed in a moment.”
Gilbert took twenty minutes to read the pad, pausing several times to stare at Sarah in astonishment. Sarah knew where he was by the expression on his face. His only comments as he read it were “shit, oh shit, and damn.”
When he finished he floated the pad to Sarah.
“You’re right. I'm pissed.”
Sarah stored
the pad in wall netting as she watched his rage fight his self control. “Do you remember when we arrived at Hamor, Corriea commented that Third Fleet had four more cruisers than any other fleet?”
“Vaguely.”
“The reason for those extra strike cruisers was what you just read. Basically the new Alliance tactic is to deny the Hive feedstock by killing everyone on planets the Hive attacks. At least this data indicates they don’t do so unless the battle is lost.”
“Those fucking bastards.” Gilbert spat out. His face was bright red. “This is real? They nuked our people?”
“It’s real. Do you think that's a valid tactic, Commander?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” He could barely speak over his anger.
“They are not only denying the Hive recruits, but burning a fire break of dead star systems between Hive space and Alliance space. Hamor is so radioactive that life will never exist there again, organic or machine.”
Gilbert held himself steady by grasping a conduit on the wall. Sarah watched as muscles flexed in his arms. “When I watched Hamor burn when we were there… I wondered what the Hive was trying to prove. I was asking the wrong question.”
“We weren’t proving anything. The Alliance is trying to survive, and nobody can evacuate billions of people. It can’t be done. Those people were dead no matter who killed them.”
“You knew about this? Was this the first time?” Franklin’s eyes drilled into her.
“Of course I didn’t know about it. That’s not how I play the game.” Sarah shrugged. “I don't know if this was the first time. Apparently my security clearance wasn’t high enough to know the plan. I’m not sure what I think of it.”
Gilbert's jaw clenched. “How the hell can you not be sure?”
Sarah told Commander Gilbert about Vonn, and Jac, her family. She'd heard the Villotte transmit a distress call, then spoke to her family as death came for them. “Would you have nuked the Villotte given the chance, Franklin?”
“That’s different. Are you trying to justify this, Captain?”
“The Hive are rolling over the human race. Those people were dead anyway. Answer my question. Would you have nuked the Villotte?”
Gilbert sighed, and pulled himself closer to the wall. He looked at the floor for a few minutes.
