Embracing Oblivion: Wolfpack Book 3

by Toby Neighbors

  For the rest of the trip Dean fell into an easy routine. PT in the morning, training in the afternoon. He spent time with Esma every day, always talking to her as if she were awake even though she showed no signs of comprehension. A sense of depression fueled by Dean’s dread set in and threatened to engulf him, but there was no way to escape on the little ship, which was crammed with twice as many people as usual. It was not an ideal way to spend eight solid days in FTL, but like so many other things in EsDef service, there was simply no other choice.

  When they finally reached the Solar System and dropped out of FTL, Dean only had to wait half an hour before new orders arrived. His wrist link vibrated and he pulled up the message from EsDef Command on the large view screen in his office. He was sharing that space with one of the officers from the Roosevelt which wasn’t ideal, but Lieutenant Jones wasn’t intrusive and didn’t need to use the space often.

  A quick read of his orders revealed exactly what he’d expected. He was to report to Space Base 13, or Grooms Lake as it was sometimes called, for a formal debriefing. His platoon would be shuttled to the lunar facility for a few days, except for Corporal Pimrey who would be ferried down to Earth for medical treatment. Dean guessed that Esma would be going down too, and he wished more than anything that she would wake up before they docked at the space base. He wanted to know she was okay before he was swept up in what he knew would be a long, unpleasant debrief.

  Dean used his wrist link to assemble his platoon in the ready room, but stopped at the bridge to find out exactly how much time they had before they docked with the space base in Earth orbit.

  “Twenty-seven hours, Captain,” Vice Admiral Duncan informed Dean. “There’s a lot of traffic in the system right now.”

  “Well, that gives us plenty of time to ensure everything is in order.”

  “I’m assuming you’ll be going straight to a debrief with EsDef Brass,” the admiral continued. “They’ve given us a clear comms channel since we came out of FTL. I’m uploading all the data from the Alrakis system to them now. It won’t be finished before we reach the base, but you should know that Rear Admiral Chancy added an addendum to his report. I’m not sure what it says, but odds are it’s his recommendation about you. He’s known for that sort of underhanded, backdoor deal making. And he has the ear of some powerful people at Command.”

  “Thanks for the heads up,” Dean said, not wanting to speak ill of the rear admiral in open company. He didn’t know who might end up testifying or recording his response.

  “Of course, Captain. It has been an honor serving with you.”

  “And with you, Admiral. You run a fine ship.”

  Dean left the bridge and went straight to the ready room. Everyone was there, even Corporal Chancy. His platoon was down two Heavy Armor Specialists but he thought they still looked ready for a fight.

  “Good news,” Dean said. “We reach Grooms Lake in about twenty-seven hours. From there, you will all catch a shuttle over to Luna for some much deserved R&R.”

  “What about you, Captain?” Chavez said.

  “I’ll be debriefed at the space base.”

  “Are they breaking up the platoon, sir?” Ghost asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Dean said. “We should get new orders in a few days and be back out of the system by the end of the week.”

  “What about Pimrey?” Adkins asked.

  “Corporal Pimrey is being sent planetside for medical care. I suspect we’ll be assigned new HA Specialists to get us back to fighting strength. I want your armor and weapons cleaned and stowed. Make sure everything is clearly labeled. The chances of coming back to the Charlemagne are slim. We don’t want the handlers to get confused about our gear.”

  “What about our shields, sir?” Wilson asked.

  “I’ll make sure you have full armor replacement before we set out again. Ammo isn’t our concern, but double check our inventory. I don’t want any question marks coming up about our platoon. We’re under a microscope as it is.”

  “Why is that, Captain?” Tallgrass asked.

  “Because he disobeyed orders,” Chancy sneered.

  “No, it’s because we’re the only platoon to have faced the enemy,” Dean explained. “Off World Force Recon exists to probe the unknown and face threats that civilians aren’t prepared to deal with. But our little adventure in the Alrakis system is the first time we’ve faced a hostile race with interstellar capabilities. That means we have experience that no one else has and our actions will be double and triple checked. But none of that is anything you need to worry about. Just get the Recon space and gear in tiptop shape, then you can go have some fun.”

  There was plenty of excitement as Dean left the platoon. He wanted to say more, but he knew it wasn’t the right time. He returned to his quarters and sent Corporal Chancy a summons via the ship’s network. A few minutes later there was a knock at his door.

  “Come in,” Dean said.

  Chancy entered the tiny office and immediately dropped into one of the seats facing the desk.

  “You wanted me,” he said in a challenging tone.

  “Corporal, we have a decision to make,” Dean said. “I want to know what it is you would like to do with your career.”

  “No you don’t,” Chancy said. “You just want to get rid of me because you know I’m smarter and more capable than you. I challenge your leadership, if you can call it that. The truth is, you’re afraid of me.”

  Dean had to stifle the laugh that sprang up inside him. Chancy was a classic narcissist. He actually believed the fantasies he created in his mind. Dean knew the corporal had problems that were on the edge of needing major medical intervention and that he shouldn’t laugh at Chancy’s delusions, but it wasn’t easy.

  “That’s not the case,” Dean managed to say with a straight face. “But, I will admit that I don’t want you in my platoon. No matter what your reasons are, Corporal, you simply don’t follow orders and that puts us all in jeopardy.”

  “I don’t follow stupid orders,” Chancy said.

  “You have the right to classify my orders in whatever way you choose, but your responsibility is to follow them.”

  “That’s rich coming from you, Captain.” Chancy said the rank with such contempt that his face twisted into a sneer. “You haven’t followed orders once. Now you want me to follow yours?”

  “No, Corporal, I want to find a place in the service where you can thrive,” Dean said honestly. “I’m going to recommend you be removed from my platoon, but I have no intention of bringing up charges or attempting to ruin your career. I’ll be honest in my evaluation of your performance as a Demolitions Specialist, and if you would like I’ll make a recommendation for your reassignment, but it’s entirely up to you.”

  “I think we both know where I belong,” Chancy said.

  Dean wanted to say the delusional corporal belonged in the insane asylum, but instead he just waited.

  “Officer’s Training,” Chancy announced.

  “I can’t recommend that, Corporal.”

  “You can’t or you won’t,” Chancy snarled.

  “Can’t,” Dean said honestly. “Officers get selected during the screening process, Corporal. You know that as well as I do. I have no influence in that regard. I do however, have the opportunity to recommend a job within EsDef that is rank and specialization appropriate. You might be happier in a training position.”

  “Bullshit,” Chancy said. “I’m combat qualified, you bastard.”

  “Corporal, I’m going to let that insult go because I know you’re angry and by this time tomorrow you won’t be my problem anymore. But I’m going to be frank with you. You have the worst attitude of anyone in the service. You don’t understand the privilege of being selected, probably because your father pulled some strings to get you into Recon to begin with. Your skills are well below average and your temperament makes you a liability in combat. To be honest, you and the Extra Solar Defense Force would be best served by di
scharging you, but I doubt that will happen as long as your father is looking out for you. I won’t argue with you any further, Corporal. Good luck in your future endeavors.”

  Chancy was angry. He jumped to his feet and leaned over Dean’s desk. His face was red and his eyes bulged as he shouted his reply.

  “It’s you who’ll be kicked out of the service! My father will see to that. No one treats me this way. You’ll see. I can’t wait to see you begging in the street. Your career is over. I’d sleep with one eye open, because one of these days I’m going to find you and when I do I’m going to make you eat every word you ever said about me.”

  He stormed out of the office, and Dean watched him go. Of all the tasks required of him by EsDef, leading Corporal Grayson Herbert Chancy III, was his most painful failure. Dean understood that connecting with the members of his platoon and bringing the best out of them was his first responsibility as an officer. But no matter what he had tried, Chancy resisted him at every turn. As ironic as it was, the Demo corporal was himself a ticking time bomb that someone would have to deal with eventually. Dean was just glad his time with the entitled corporal was finally at an end.

  Chapter 18

  The hours it took to reach Space Base 13 flew by in a blur. Dean was busy filling out personnel evaluations, and packing up his meager belongings on board the Charlemagne. He also checked in on Esma as often as he could. She still hadn’t woken up and Dean felt cheated, not to mention a little guilty over her condition. They could have spent the last week together, but she wasn’t well enough and according to Petty Officer Wayne, there was nothing physically wrong with her.

  When the Charlemagne docked with the space station, Dean escorted his platoon off the ship and was immediately met by a friendly face.

  “Captain Parker,” Dean said with a smile.

  “Captain Blaze,” his old training officer replied. “You’ve moved up in the world.”

  “My promotion was a publicity stunt,” Dean said in a quiet voice as he watched the rest of his platoon shuffle down the corridor in search of the shuttle that would take them to the lunar base. “I’m just trying to be a good officer.”

  “Well, you’ve certainly found a way to be in the thick of things. Come with me, I’ll show you to your quarters, then escort you to the debrief. The brass is waiting for you.”

  Dean didn’t express his trepidation over the prospect of the debrief. There was plenty of opportunity for criticism, and Dean had never left a debrief feeling good. Having someone question his every decision always made him feel insecure.

  The room he was taken to was exactly like the room he’d used during the Officer Training Academy, although it was in a different section of the base. It even had a large view screen that served as a kind of window. There were two beds, and a locker. Dean was relieved to see that both beds looked unoccupied. He dropped his rucksack and turned around.

  “All set,” he said.

  Captain Parker nodded and he followed her back out into the hallway. She led him to a room with a refreshment station near the door. It was big enough to have been a classroom, but instead it had been transformed to serve as a debriefing space. Normally Dean met with three officers, usually from the administrative side of the O&A branch of EsDef, but it was immediately obvious that Dean wasn’t facing a normal debrief. Instead of a single table, there were several long tables arranged in a U shape. Dean saw members of all three branches of service in the room, all high-ranking officers. There were also large vid screens set up around the room and cameras in place directly in front of a lone chair at the center of the neatly arranged tables.

  “Captain Blaze,” said a man in the formal dress of a naval officer. “I’m Fleet Admiral Cummings. Thank you for joining us.”

  Dean saluted and then extended a hand to shake the hand Cummings had thrust out toward him.

  “We’re scheduled to go live in just a few minutes. Do you need anything to drink?” the fleet admiral asked.

  “No sir,” Dean replied. “I’m fine.”

  “Good. Let’s make sure all feeds are online and that we are recording this session,” Cummings said. “Time is of the essence, people. Let’s get this right the first time.”

  Captain Parker took Dean to the seat at the center of the room, then she found her own spot not far away. A quick glance showed that a lot of important people had gathered to hear Dean’s debrief, which only made him even more nervous than usual. On the vid screens, faces began to appear. Dean didn’t recognize most of the people, but one face was familiar. Major Alphonse Gheridelli was smiling from the screen directly in front of Dean.

  “Let’s get started,” Cummings said. “Can everyone see and hear us?”

  The fleet admiral paused long enough for everyone to acknowledge him, and ensure that the connections were good. Dean’s heart was thumping hard in his chest and he wished that he was more prepared for whatever was about to happen. He felt exposed and slightly embarrassed, but did his best to seem calm.

  “This is the debrief of Captain Dean Blaze,” Cummings said, announcing the date, time, and place of the meeting. “Our priority is to learn as much as we can about the newly encountered alien race in the Alrakis system. Captain, we want to begin with a description of the aliens you encountered on your mission.”

  “Sir,” Dean said, resisting the urge to clear his throat. “We encountered three different alien species, along with some of the Urgglatta. I’ll do my best to describe them, although the vid footage from our mission would be more enlightening, I think.”

  “We have the footage, Captain. We want to hear your assessment of the creatures you encountered.”

  “Yes sir,” Dean said. “Our first encounter was with intelligent, four-legged creatures that strongly resemble large cats. They are powerful, capable of manning small ships, and can adhere to vertical surfaces.”

  “What do you mean by that last statement?” Cummings asked.

  “They climbed the walls of the alien vessel.”

  “Go on.”

  “They had dangerous-looking teeth, but most were armed with laser weapons that were mounted to their backs. Our armor was superior to their weapons, which were stationary. I got the feeling they relied on massed firepower rather than accurate marksmanship.”

  “Excellent, anything else about these creatures?”

  “They attacked us in groups. We encountered several groups, none larger than a dozen.”

  “What about our weapons, Captain?” asked a pudgy man with a single gold star on the shoulder of his dress O&A uniform.

  “We used a variety of ammunition against the four-legged creatures,” Dean explained. “Mostly utility flechettes that were extremely effective.”

  “Did they have armor?” asked the gold star.

  “They had what looked like a kind of rubber suit,” Dean explained. “My impression was that it was useful against laser fire, but not against the regulation ammo we were using. It did however stop the non-lethal ammunition.”

  There was some murmuring but Cummings quickly took control of the questioning again.

  “What about the other species?” he asked.

  “We encountered a type of large simian creature. It looked like an ape, only much larger and with a very small head. No armor other than a helmet, no real sign of intelligence, just a violent nature.”

  “What do you mean by violent nature, Captain Blaze?” asked Major Gheridelli from his video screen.

  “The one we fought came charging right at us, straight into overlapping fire. It was a bit like trying to stop a charging elephant with small arms. We did manage to defeat the beast, but only after it smashed into a modified Heavy Armor line, killing Sergeant D’Vris and injuring Corporals Adkins and Pimrey.”

  “Thank you for the clarification,” Major Gheridelli said.

  “Any other encounters with these creatures?” Cummings asked.

  “Yes sir, in the alien ship we came to a section of detention cells. There were sev
eral more of the simian creatures. Some threw themselves at the bars of their cages in an effort to harm us, others seemed more domesticated.”

  “And their susceptibility to your weapons?” the gold star asked.

  “Like I mentioned, our flechettes were effective but only after dozens of hits. Likewise the non-lethal ammunition took effect only after multiple shots.”

  “And the third creatures you encountered?” Cummings asked.

  “At the center of the alien ship we found a very large chamber,” Dean said. “It was oval shaped, with a structure at the center of the room. There were no lights so we never saw the creatures there. But with infrared we picked up their heat signatures. They were avian creatures, very fast in the air, and they expelled a type of adhesive that was very difficult to counter.”

  “You didn’t see them?”

  “Not really,” Dean said.

  The questioning began in earnest at that point. The assembled officers wanted to know Dean’s thoughts about why the flying aliens attacked him the way they did. Were there any signs of intelligence from the aliens or any audible sounds that could have been communication? Dean could only explain his own actions and had to guess at most of their inquiries. It was in many ways a very unusual debrief. He described how the aliens moved, what their ship was like, and his thoughts on their weapons capabilities. No one questioned his actions against the aliens or second guessed his orders, which came as a great relief to Dean.