by Damon Alan
Sarah’s shuttle passed under the Schein and as it did the Stennis came into view. The battlecruiser was nearly a kilometer long, a honeycomb of fusion drives at the back and the large sphere of the FTL drive core in the center. Spherical antimatter tanks circled the ship just behind the FTL drive. Immediately in front of the FTL core was the habitation ring, spun out and slowly rotating to provide artificial gravity for the living spaces.
The surface bristled with railguns and missile ports, leaving no doubt as to the nature of the beast. Armor plates lined the length of it, some retracted to provide access to space for probe launchers, airlocks, and the shuttle bays. At the front the ship bristled with various antennas, sensor systems, and even thicker armor plates.
A large armored plate about two hundred meters behind the forward tip of the vessel read Alliance Navy FTL cruiser 4283A - Michael Stennis in bold white letters. Sarah knew a duplicate was on the other side, and halfway between the two was the bridge from which she commanded the Seventh Fleet.
Sarah grinned, she couldn’t help it. “I don't care if the Refugians are the next step in human evolution or not. They don't have the ability to make anything like this.”
“No, they don't. It seems as if their bodies took a step forward even as they took a step back in every other way.” Dr. Jannis didn’t seem as impressed with the vessel as Sarah was.
Nobody could be. This ship has given me everything. An opportunity for vengeance. A reason to exist. A crew to protect as my last bastion of humanity.
“I suppose that's a good way to look at it,” Sarah replied.
“Thirty minutes until struts down, Captain,” the pilot said.
“Thanks, Ensign. How many hours do you have of live stick time? You fly like a champ.”
“Forty-eight, if you take out glide time.”
Dr. Jannis audibly gulped, “Glide time?”
“The time we coast to our destination,” the pilot answered.
Sarah smiled and patted his shoulder. “You’re a natural. Keep it up.”
After that the women ignored the pilot to let him work.
The doctor leaned forward to get a good look at the Schein as they passed under it. “The Schein is impressive. But the Stennis is... he's been my home longer than yours.”
Maybe she does understand the love of a ship... Sarah liked that. A crew that cared about the nuts and bolts around them would fight harder to keep that ship alive. “We need to build a space dock somewhere away from Refuge and get to work on him. He looks like he's been mugged. Twice.”
Dr. Jannis smirked. “Sadly, my medbay looks like that on the inside too, at least since Hamor.”
“We'll get it fixed. Considering what we've been through, we’re doing well.”
“I suppose we are.”
They stared at their home for a few minutes in silence as they approached, then Sarah dragged the doctor back to the cargo area and closed the pressure door to the cockpit. “Less distracting for him.” Sarah pointed back toward the pilot.
Dr. Jannis bounced herself between two bulkheads for several minutes. The zero G equivalent of pacing. The move often substituted for real exercise on longer shuttle voyages. Sarah watched as the doctor worked something out.
Eventually Dr. Jannis pulled herself into the seat next to Sarah and shared her thoughts. “I'm sorry for what I said back on Halvi. I was out of line. Unbecoming an officer.”
“It's okay, doctor. Everyone is stressed. Alarin said you had a reason. I assumed you were the most aggressive pacifist I've ever known.”
Dr. Jannis’s smiled as she answered. “No, that's not it. Alarin was right.”
Sarah frowned. “I'm not a big fan of him learning to read our minds.”
“Don't trust him?” Dr. Jannis asked. “Or afraid he’ll tell your secrets like mine and Peter’s?”
“I have plenty of private thoughts that need to stay that way.”
Dr. Jannis looked at Sarah as if Sarah said space was dark. “You and me both, sister. I'd be court-martialed if you could read my mind.”
Sarah laughed out loud. “You don't want to read mine either, trust me.”
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, uncomfortable in the close environment of the shuttle and in the light of their sudden frankness.
“Why don't we get along?” Sarah asked.
Dr. Jannis laughed. “Are you kidding me? You're the black belt master of bitch. But I'm a royal pain in your ass too. Two career military bitches.”
Sarah snorted out a laugh. “At least we’re getting the job done.”
“I'd hate to see your definition of failure if this is success,” Dr. Jannis replied.
“We're alive. To me, that's success. And I want to keep the rest of my people out of harm’s way.”
“Everybody knows your commitment, Captain. Few know you personally, but everyone knows you're dedicated to the safety of your crews. I suspect that's the only reason none of the ships have mutinied.”
Sarah looked at the doctor, puzzled. “I know people.”
“You know them by name, by what they can do. But nobody knows you personally like they know Gilbert. Well, except Commander Gilbert, of course.
“What do you mean?” Sarah asked.
“You're joking, right? Everyone knows you two are an item. Hell, even the AIs know. I get a message in medbay last month, after Gilbert returned from Refuge. From your AI, Lucy. Her statement to me, and I quote, was “Dr. Jannis, there may be illness on board.” When I asked her what made her think that, she said, “Captain Dayson and Commander Gilbert are both currently under my surveillance, and both have elevated body temperatures, perspiration, and are making noises indicating pain.”
Sarah face grew hot. “Damn, I didn't even think about Lucy ratting me out.”
Dr. Jannis slapped Sarah lightly on the arm. “Your secret is safe with me, at least that part of it. I instructed Lucy to classify that report as a top grade medical privacy issue.”
“Lucy never said a word to me.”
“Top grade means that not even the patient gets to know. I didn't want you to be embarrassed. Although I had to instruct her to classify the subsequent six reports the same, then I finally told her to quit reporting and consider this the new normal for you.”
Sarah laughed, her face on fire. “Doctor!” she sputtered. “Thanks for trying to save me the embarrassment, but it's… wow.”
“Calm down, nobody knows the truth about your fever except me and Lucy. Well… and Commander Gilbert. Relax, you don't need to hide it. This isn't the dark ages. People know how to work together and love each other. Apparently you and Gilbert do too.”
“I suppose you're right. That man makes me feel like I'm twenty again.”
“He is a stud. Dense as a post, though.”
“No, he just seems that way. Believe me, when you get him talking, he's actually quite insightf—”
A chime sounded, indicating an open link from the cockpit. “Captain, incoming message from the Stennis. There's some sort of emergency.”
Sarah shook her head and sighed. “When isn't there an emergency? Put it through, Ensign.”
“Roger.”
The voice of Lieutenant Seto erupted from the cabin speaker. “Captain Dayson?”
“I'm here, Seto. What's going on?”
“Corriea's shuttle is down, in the water on Refuge. Corriea's unconscious, Alarin called in.”
“Alarin?”
“Yes, he's not seriously injured, he was strapped into a crash seat. Lieutenant Corriea’s seat failed.”
Sarah’s chest constricted. Will this nightmare please end? “Is Peter stable?”
“I don't know. Alarin doesn't know.”
Sarah pounded the hull beside her seat. She should control her anger, but she was tired of being frustrated in every move she made. “Tell Gilbert to meet me at the shuttle bay.”
“He's on crew rest, I'll recall him immediately.”
“Roger, Seto. Inform the shutt
le bay to be ready for us. I want Dr. Jannis on the radio with Alarin ASAP.”
“Roger, Seto out.”
“Get ready to work, doctor.” Sarah left her seat and opened the airtight doors. “Ensign, toss the rulebook. Do you think you can bring us in hot?”
The young pilot’s eyes lit up. “No recovery crane?”
“That’s what hot means, last I checked.”
The pilot grinned wide. “One hot landing, coming up Captain.”
Dr. Jannis looked at Sarah nervously, but then relented and shrugged her shoulders. She floated forward and hovered next to Sarah. “Okay, I was wrong. Kill her.”
“What was your suggestion for saving her?”
“Brain surgery. I was going to suggest that I remove the region of her brain that gives her the abilities she has.”
“I'm too angry right now to make this decision. But I'll consider it as an option.”
“No, I mean it. You need to kill her.”
Sarah looked puzzled. “Are you having an stroke or something? I thought you wanted us not to kill her.”
Dr. Jannis huffed. “Hardly, I'm eighty-six. I probably have at least another hundred years before I stroke out,” she looked at the pilot, “if you don’t get me killed first.”
“By the stars, the blast door is still open. I can hear you doctor,” the pilot said.
Sarah slapped the door panel and the hatch cycled shut. She grinned at Dr. Jannis. “Strap in doctor, we’re more likely to survive any crash that way.”
Dr. Jannis scowled and strapped in. “Just when I was starting to like you a little.”
How many times have I thought that about her?
The doctor returned to their topic. “I'm just saying that you're right. I’m tired of losing our people to this woman, so I know you have to be upset. And Peter is a sweet young man. There are enough adepts. They can afford to lose a few bad apples, I’m sure.”
“Peter is my surrogate son, although he doesn't know that. I'm going to set Gilbert free to kill Merik by any means he sees fit. I didn’t think his decision to use a nuke at Merik's estate was the right move before, but now I wonder if he wasn’t right all along. If Merik had been there, he'd have ended this.”
A deep breath was Dr. Jannis’ first response. Nuclear weapons didn’t seem to sit well with her. But she didn’t complain, only commented. “She won't go down easily.”
“But she will go down. Franklin has been surprisingly good as my first officer. But I think he's the man we need leading the assault on Merik. He'll know how to approach a threat like her.”
“This is all coming to a head,” Dr. Jannis said. “I can't wait until it's over.”
Sarah’s voice dropped as her anger crept into her words. “Within the next few days. This will be solved. Mark my words.”
Chapter 44 - A Time to Kill
28 NODER 15327
Sarah waited for the shuttle bay to pressurize, then opened the rear hatch of the shuttle. Fog rolled off the cold metal of the small vessel’s hull, and ice began to accumulate. She pulled herself out of the hatch and pushed away toward the shuttle bay airlock.
Gilbert opened the airlock door as Sarah floated toward it. He was smiling.
He must have good news.
A huge smile erupted on Sarah’s face as Gilbert caught her at the hatch. She couldn’t help it.
His eyes said what she wanted to hear. “Captain.”
“Commander. It's good to be back on deck. Fill us in.”
Gilbert nodded a greeting at the doctor. “Dr. Jannis, Corriea is conscious. Seto's been talking to him, and a medic is on the bridge talking Corriea and Alarin through a check up.”
Dr. Jannis pulled herself through the exit. “Let's go!”
Sarah bounced off the bulkhead as the doctor pushed past her. “After the doctor, Mr. Gilbert. She's in charge at the moment.”
They hurried after Dr. Jannis, and once on the bridge Seto set the doctor up with a mic.
“Peter, it's about time for your annual checkup,” Dr. Jannis said.
The light speed lag was about one second, at least Fandama was in view of Refuge, and not on the other side of Ember.
Corriea's voice sounded strained. “I'm feeling a bit under the weather, doc, maybe you can prescribe something.”
Dr. Jannis ran Corriea through a series of simple tests. Corriea was spitting blood, and had a significant amount of pain while breathing. “Okay, Peter, here's the story. I think you have several broken ribs, and potentially a punctured lung. You're not to move. Stay put in that seat. Alarin, don't let him move or do anything. If he has to go to the head, you move him slow as possible. Got it?”
“Yes,” they both replied.
“Alarin, you're with me now,” Dr. Jannis said. “There is a medkit, it should be by the back door of the shuttle, on the left side. Get it.”
The sounds of shuffling came from the speakers, followed by, “I have it, this is it, right Peter? Peter says this is it.”
“Good. I want you to set it aside, and be able to reach it on a moment’s notice. If Peter has a ruptured lung, we'll have to remove air from the chest cavity if breathing gets difficult.”
“How will I do that? He has no holes in his chest.”
“There are several syringes in the kit, you'll use one of those. First I want you to hold up syringes until Peter tells you that you have the one labeled “Sercaine”. Once you do, I'll tell you how to inject it.”
After the injection, Peter's breathing became less labored.
Dr. Jannis closed the mic and looked at Sarah. “He's not in immediate danger, there may or may not be air collecting in his chest cavity. If there is, it's not collecting fast, which means Alarin will be able to keep up with it using a syringe to extract it.”
“A syringe?” Sarah said uncertainly.
Dr. Jannis shrugged. “When all you have is a stick, you use a stick. When I can get to Peter, I’ll fix him right up. But he's not in a med facility, he's in a shuttle.”
“Ok, doctor, thanks,” Sarah said. “We'll get him out of there. I'll have Seto set up a radio patch between medbay and the shuttle so you can check on them directly.”
Dr. Jannis suddenly looked tired. “Then I'll be in medbay.”
Sarah watched Dr. Jannis leave, impressed that she'd developed a friendship with someone who'd been an adversary just a few days ago.
Alarin's voice sounded shaky as it came out on the bridge speakers. “I should have expected this, Sarah Dayson. It's my fault Peter is here, in this situation. She is much more powerful now than when I left her. I can’t hide things from her as I used to.”
“How is she getting more powerful?” Sarah asked, alarmed.
Alarin paused before responding. “I don't know. I've never seen anything like it. It's terrifying.”
Sarah agreed, but needed Alarin to remain calm. “I bet she can’t breathe water yet. You’re in a place I don't think she can reach.”
I hope.
“I’ve been talking to other adepts. She’s terrorizing everyone. She destroyed several adepts that united to oppose her in the southern reaches of Antecar. Merik lost some of her soldiers, but not a single adept.”
Sarah liked the sound of that. The other adepts were finally uniting against Merik’s madness. “I didn’t know that anyone was resisting her. Do you think we can count on the other adepts as allies?”
“I’ll keep talking to those I know, and ask them to do to same. I hope in time we’ll have the power to stand against her.”
Sarah hoped Alarin’s efforts were enough. “You do that, Alarin. This will be over soon. Take care of Peter. Dayson out.”
“Captain...” Lieutenant Harmeen said.
Sarah struggled not to sound irritable. “Yes, Lieutenant.”
“I have the location and condition of Lieutenant Corriea's shuttle.”
“Is it sound?”
Harmeen looked to be walking on eggshells. Sarah knew her irritation was making her snap at h
er people. She concentrated to stop it.
“The onboard diagnostic routine says it is, although the engines are destroyed. Fuel is leaking into the water, but it will diffuse and not be an issue. Evaluating their radio signal strength, I think they're in about ten meters of water. Quite a distance from the mainland, but not far from a nearby island.”
“So they're not in immediate danger?” Sarah asked.
“No, their air processors will outlast their water supply,” Harmeen said. “The shuttle is designed for several marines and a pilot, there is enough water for at least three weeks.”
Gilbert fumed. “The lieutenant might be hurt worse than we know. We need them out of there well before the water runs out. I’m ordering that island sterilized, with your permission Captain.”
Sarah nodded once at Gilbert and he grabbed a holodisplay to get to work.
Harmeen supported Gilbert’s assessment. “I agree with the Commander. I'm working on a recovery plan now, but I need heavy lift shuttles from the Fyurigan. They’ll take a while to get to the recovery zone, any attack on the island will be over by then I’m sure.”
Sarah patted Harmeen’s shoulder to counteract her earlier surliness. “Go to it, Lieutenant. Good job.”
Sarah waited for Gilbert to order the island operation, then grabbed him by the arm and led him off away from others. “I have an idea, but I need your expertise.”
“I like being needed,” Gilbert said.
“This isn't the time for that. We need to rescue Peter and Alarin.”
Gilbert rolled his eyes. “That's not what I meant, but I know where your mind is now.”
Sarah blushed. “Stop it. You need to get ready to kill Merik. Your team will be departing in forty-eight hours. Nuke her if you have too, our plan B is marooned at the bottom of the sea.”
“Captain, with all due respect...”
Sarah was irritable more than she’d been in a long time. Her biggest move was about to play out, and she didn’t know what was next if Merik countered her. “Or you can shoot her… whatever, Gilbert, I’m just giving you options. Inject her if you think you can. Dr. Jannis's drug works. Alarin lost the ability to interact with the fifth force.”
