Embracing Oblivion: Wolfpack Book 3

by Toby Neighbors

  After a few minutes the tech continued his work, spraying the burn down with cold saline water, then slowly brushing the wound with sterile pads to remove anything that might cause an infection. For the most part Dean only felt a vague ache, but occasionally there were sharp stabbing pains, almost like lightning shooting from the wound all through his body. Dean groaned a few times and the tech apologized, but kept working. Finally, more cream was applied and another bandage.

  “It’s going to seep,” the tech explained. “Those blisters will burst, new ones can form. Left untreated the ruined skin will slough off. It needs to be kept clean. New bandages every hour if possible.”

  “I’ll be back as soon as the debrief is over,” Dean said. “Any food restrictions?”

  “No,” the tech said.

  “Good, I’ve got to go.”

  His limp was noticeably worse as he left the med bay. The tech had taped up a new bandage, but walking shifted his hips, and the muscles and tendons moving beneath the wound sent pain lancing down his leg and up his back.

  The ward room was the officers’ mess as well as their meeting room on the small ship. Several of the officers from the E.S.D.F. Roosevelt were there, and most asked questions as Dean ate a quick stew. He was exhausted, but he answered as many of the questions as he could. Most were about Esma, who had been well liked on her ship. Dean didn’t hesitate to tell them that she had saved their lives and gotten his platoon safely onto the alien vessel when the other shuttles held back.

  As soon as he finished his stew Dean made his way to the bridge. He took a seat at the empty console that had become his usual place. There were several screens in front of him, and glancing over the tops of the screens Dean had an unobstructed view of Vice Admiral Duncan.

  “Ready for the debrief, Captain?” Duncan asked.

  “As ready as I’m going to be, sir,” Dean said.

  “Let’s get this over with, shall we.”

  Dean wanted nothing more. Then the images on his screen changed. Each of the ship commanders were connected through vid feeds for a virtual conference and Dean felt as if the half dozen angry faces staring back at him were looking for their pound of flesh, and he was their target.

  Chapter 16

  “It’s about damn time,” Rear Admiral Chancy declared. “Captain Blaze, please tell us exactly what happened on board that alien ship.”

  “Yes sir,” Dean began. “As you are probably all aware our Operator, Lieutenant Hugh Owens lost control of our shuttle once we passed through the alien ship’s artificial gravity bubble. Captain Esmerelda Dante from the Roosevelt accompanied us in case of just such an event. She was able to get our shuttle onto the alien craft, but it was severely damaged in the process.”

  “She wrecked the shuttle?” Chancy interrupted.

  “No sir, the shuttle wasn’t able to fly inside the gravity bubble. She saved our lives.” Dean paused for a moment but no one else spoke so he continued. “Once my platoon was on the alien ship we made our way toward the interior. We encountered a gelatinous membrane, which sealed the ship’s atmosphere. We were able to pass through it.”

  “What type of membrane?” Admiral Holden asked.

  “I believe it was the same substance used to hold ships that are captured, Admiral,” Dean replied.

  “Go on,” Chancy ordered.

  Dean spent the next half hour explaining how his platoon had gotten to the interior of the ship. There were questions along the way, but no one had challenged any of Dean’s actions on the mission.

  “You say the Kroll are avian?” asked one of the other ship commanders. “As in birds?”

  “We have vid footage,” Dean explained, “but it was very dark in their ship. We were using night vision and infrared to see them. I doubt anyone in my platoon got a decent look at the creatures.”

  “Perhaps dividing your platoon was a bad idea, Captain,” Chancy said. “More eyes would have given us a better chance of seeing these creatures.”

  “That’s doubtful sir,” Dean said. “The vid footage will show that it was impossible to see the creatures that attacked us.”

  “What did you do next?” Vice Admiral Duncan prompted.

  “Our non-lethal ammunition was useless against them, so I ordered my platoon to retreat. We used FAS Sergeant Harper’s AAV as a distraction. I ordered her to use the drone’s warheads against the structure at the center of the large chamber.”

  “You did what?” Chancy shouted. “You used lethal force against an unknown alien race? I ordered you specifically not to take any live ammunition, Captain. I was absolutely clear on that point.”

  “Yes sir, you were. But there is no non-lethal ordinance for the AAV and disarming them is a time-consuming process. Those drones are a vital part of any reconnaissance mission. And in this case, I believe they are the only thing that allowed us to escape the alien vessel.”

  “You have no respect for the chain of command, Captain. I will be filing charges against you for insubordination.”

  “Admiral, please,” VA Duncan pleaded, “the entire mission was a disaster. Captain Blaze is wounded and needs medical attention. I don’t believe this is the proper time to threaten careers.”

  “Vice Admiral Duncan,” Chancy said furiously, “as the junior commander of this armada, I will let your disrespect slide just this once. But contradict me again, sir, and I will see that you never command another ship for the rest of your career.”

  “I stand by my actions, sir,” Dean spoke up. “We brought nothing but non-lethal ammunitions for the weapons we carried. But without the back-up of the Recon platoons from your own ship, we had no other means of escaping the alien vessel.”

  “So you decided to declare war on an alien race?” Chancy thundered back.

  “Sir, the Kroll attacked the Alrakis Ship Yards, the Roosevelt, and the Charlemagne. I would not call that unprovoked.”

  “You little fool,” Chancy snarled. “We don’t even know who the beings on that ship were.”

  “That is correct, sir, but we do know they were hostile to us, and to the Urgglatta. And from the look of their vessel, they have captured many other ships as well.”

  “So your AAV attacked the central structure?” one of the other ship commanders asked. “Is that why the alien vessel blew apart?”

  “I can’t say for certain how much damage the AAV did to that structure,” Dean replied. “Nor can I say for certain exactly what the structure was. Sergeant Harper used half of the AAV’s warheads on the initial attack, which drew the avian creatures away from us and allowed us to retreat back to the hatch we entered through. At that point the Kroll responded by scuttling their ship. I don’t believe that the structure we hit housed the ship’s power plant or vital systems.”

  “Something destroyed that ship,” the commander said.

  “Yes sir, I believe the Kroll did that on purpose. They released the membrane that held the captured vessels to their own.”

  “How can you know that?” Chancy asked.

  “Well sir, the chamber we were in never lost gravity. The break-up of the alien ship didn’t occur at the moment of impact. In fact, it happened several minutes after the AAV dropped warheads on the structure. No other damage was done to the ship by my platoon. Also, sir, the membrane that sealed the alien ship dissolved.”

  “It dissolved?” Admiral Holden asked.

  “Yes sir, I didn’t see it, but two of my Specialists, along with Captain Dante were present when the membrane seemed to lose consistency and then drain away. We know that it was this substance, or one similar to it, that held the captured ships in place. We know that the Kroll have some control over the substance, from the way it was manipulated to create a tunnel between the alien vessel and the Roosevelt.”

  “Not to mention it was used to seal off the alien ship after the foundry tore the vessel in half,” VA Duncan said.

  “The flying creatures spit the substance. Which leads me to believe, along with the fact that thei
r chamber was at the heart of the alien vessel, that they were the commanders of the ship. I think they released the captured ships as a diversion.”

  “A diversion from what?” Chancy asked.

  “As a way to escape the system, sir,” Dean said.

  “Their ship is destroyed, Captain. The aliens are probably all dead or will be soon.”

  “No, I don’t believe that to be the case,” Dean went on. “Like I said, their section of the ship didn’t lose gravity. I don’t even think they were crippled when we attacked them with the foundry.”

  “I can’t tell whether you’ve lost your mind, or you’re just trying to cover your own ass, Blaze. This is the craziest story I’ve ever heard.”

  “I would like to hear the rest of it,” Admiral Holden said.

  “I’m not trying to do anything but make sense of the situation, sir,” Dean said calmly. “We know the Urgglatta use a gravitational drive to move their ships through space. I’m no physicist, but we know the alien vessel had gravity control of some sort. Whatever the field was that gave their ship gravity, also blocked all communications and the remote controls of our Operators. I believe their vessel had full functionality, and still does.”

  “You’re saying they stayed here for days after their ship was torn in half because they wanted to? Even with an armada of EsDef war ships in the same system?” Chancy demanded to know.

  “Yes sir, I do,” Dean said. “I think they’ve been studying us.”

  “That is ludicrous.”

  “Isn’t that exactly what we’ve been attempting to do?” VA Duncan asked.

  “Why would any ship stay in system when it is vastly outnumbered?” Chancy argued.

  “Probably because they don’t feel like they’re in any danger,” Dean said. “They can leave any time they want and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

  “You obviously don’t realize the capabilities of my armada.”

  “I’m not saying the alien ship can beat you in a fight. I’m saying they’re too fast for us to keep up with and they know it. Unless your ships can cross the heliosphere of this system in under an hour, I’d say they’re pretty safe.”

  “No intelligent being stays close to danger, Blaze,” Chancy snarled. “No matter how fast they are.”

  “Sir, I don’t want to be argumentative, but have you ever studied the way herds act around large predators.”

  “They run,” Chancy said.

  “Yes, when the predators attack or until the weakest in the herd is captured. Then the running stops. I’ve seen herds of gazelle being stalked by lions and they don’t run until they have to because they know they’re faster. As long as food is available, the gazelle will continue to eat while prides of lions inch closer and closer.”

  “We’re not talking about a safari,” Chancy said. “We’re talking about a ship that was torn in two. You really expect me to believe that they can leave whenever they want and they’re choosing not to.”

  “That’s right, but it’s just a hypothesis,” Dean said. “Not too many animals can scare away a lion.”

  “What happened once you got out of the avian chamber,” Duncan asked, trying to get the debrief back on track.

  Dean spent another hour describing their escape from the alien craft, including Captain Dante’s loss of oxygen. Rear Admiral Chancy was silent nearly the entire time. He was obviously angry, but he held back his criticism and his silence made Dean nervous.

  “The data from the Wolfpack’s battle armor is being downloaded onto the Charlemagne’s local network,” VA Duncan announced when Dean finished his report. “It is my intention to leave the system and return to Sol. I have the crew of the Roosevelt and the intelligence gathered by Captain Blaze’s platoon, which I intend to turn over to EsDef Brass as soon as possible.”

  “I’ll have our communications beamed to your ship within the hour,” Rear Admiral Chancy said.

  “Very well,” Duncan said. “If there is no further need for us I shall began making my preparations for the journey home.”

  Most of the other commanders wished them a speedy trip, but Chancy didn’t. He was planning something, although Dean had no idea what it could be. And, truth be told, he didn’t care. He just wanted to check on Esma and go to sleep.

  As soon as the vid feeds dropped off the screens in front of him, Dean got slowly to his feet, clenching his teeth against the pain he felt in his hip. The skin seemed to be shrinking and the movement pulled painfully at the wound.

  “Sir, is there anything else I can do for you?” he asked.

  “No, Captain, you’ve done enough,” Duncan said sympathetically. “It should take us twenty plus hours to reach the jump point. Then another week or so in FTL to reach Sol. See to your platoon and we’ll take care of the rest.”

  “Thank you, sir. And thank you for your support today.”

  “You’ve proven yourself to be a good officer, Captain. And I’m a firm believer in looking after our own.”

  Dean left the bridge and limped back to the medical bay. The Tech was waiting for him and Dean moved gingerly to the bed nearest Esma.

  “Any change?” he asked.

  “No, sir,” the Tech replied. “She’s stable. You have time for treatment I hope?”

  “Yes,” Dean said.

  He stripped off his utility fatigues and settled onto the bed. It wasn’t comfortable, but the Tech started an IV and pushed a narcotic into Dean’s system that made him forget about everything. He laid back and let his body float on the drugs. For the first time since taking the laser beam blast his body relaxed and he felt no pain. He wanted to know that Esma was okay, to hold her, to escape all the scary aspects of space and war so they could be together peacefully. He held onto that hope as the rest of his body and mind seemed to slip away. It felt good to let it all go, to just relax and let the drugs run wild through his system. The Med Tech was doing things nearby, the Med Bay was filled with a soft light, and the steady hum of the machinery around Dean lulled him to sleep.

  Chapter 17

  “Welcome back, Captain,” Chavez said happily. “They must’ve had you on some good shit to sleep for twenty-four hours straight.”

  “He was only out for twenty hours, Staff Sergeant,” the med tech said.

  “Still, I gotta get me some of that the next time I take one for team,” Chavez said with a grin.

  “Staff Sergeant,” Dean said, struggling to sit up. “How’s our platoon?”

  “Everyone is good. We’re low on battle armor parts, but we’ve got plenty of ammo. Chancy’s back to sulking in his room. Cat’s nearly back to full strength. No change in Corporal Pimrey. And we just left the Alrakis system about half an hour ago.”

  “So I didn’t miss anything?” Dean asked.

  “Not a damn thing,” Chavez agreed. “I’ve got everyone on short duty. We’re cleaning armor, reloading weapons, that sort of shit, but in rotating shifts. I’ll add PT to that soon, and when you’re back on your feet you can put together a regular schedule.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Dean said, before turning to the med tech who was working at a station nearby. “When will that be…”

  “Petty Officer Wayne,” the tech said. “Sorry I didn’t introduce myself yesterday.”

  “That’s fine,” Dean replied. “When can I get out of here?”

  “Anytime you want. The treatment is finished. You might have some minor pain as the nerves settle down, but the burn is completely healed. You’ve got synthetic skin over the burned area, but it will peel away over time, sort of like a sunburn.”

  “Do I need to keep it bandaged or anything?” Dean asked.

  “No, sir, you’re good to go.”

  Dean sat up, swinging his legs off the bed. He expected to feel a stab of pain but there was nothing. He ran his hand down the skin of his hip. The synthetic skin felt slick, almost like plastic, but otherwise everything was normal. Then he turned his attention to Esma.

  “Any improvement in Ca
ptain Dante?” Dean asked.

  “Her vitals are all good. She’s strong, sir. She could come to at any time.”

  “Or never?” Dean asked.

  “That is a possibility, but I don’t think that’s likely.”

  “I want to know immediately if anything changes,” Dean said.

  “Of course, Captain. I’ll notify you when she wakes up.”

  Dean’s stomach growled.

  “You need some food,” Chavez said. “And a shower. Definitely need a shave. A haircut wouldn’t be a bad idea either.”

  “Don’t you have somewhere you need to be,” Dean said as he pulled on his utility fatigues.

  “Well, I did promise Eleanor that I’d spend some time with her.”

  “Do that,” Dean said. “I’m sure she can handle your bullshit better than me.”

  “Oh, she handles things alright. No complaints here, sir,” he said with a mischievous grin before walking out of the med bay.

  Dean couldn’t help but smile. It was the first normal thing he’d seen since they returned from the alien ship. Part of him felt like the world, or his perception of existence, had been forever altered by the encounter with the strange, avian creatures. They were dangerous, Dean was certain of that. He felt a little like a camper in the woods who just caught a glimpse of wolves nearby. Nothing felt safe anymore, and while he was confident in the strength of humanity to face any threat, he also wondered just how deadly the Kroll truly were.

  He made his way back to his quarters and took a shower. The hot steam was nothing like the feeling of water pouring over his skin, but it allowed him to clean up and afterward he felt much more like himself. He shaved, got dressed, and went in search of something to eat.

  The rest of his day was spent filing reports. He dictated his personal account of their mission inside the alien ship, using fixed images from his vid feed to illustrate the strange creatures they encountered. Once that was done Dean still had to report on his platoon, giving updates on personnel health, and finally he planned a training schedule for their trip home. He could have simply given his Specialists time off, but he had a feeling they all needed to stay in fighting shape. The flying creatures kept reappearing in his mind, like visions from a horror flick he couldn’t shake off. Perhaps if he’d been able to see them clearly he wouldn’t have been haunted by the ghostly images in the darkness that looked strangely like dragons or prehistoric Petinosauruses only with longer forearms. And in the back of Dean’s mind they circled, just out of sight, always in the shadows, just waiting for an opportunity to attack him.