ASOP answered, “In three days, I will display what is happening to prisoners, not in solitary confinement.”
Lincoln asked, “And, what is that?”
The captain answered, “Simple answers, social interaction, your choice of meals, a bed that is always there for you.”
Lincoln nodded and began to scheme. “Captain, these ASOP units, can they be easily programmed? And do you have any unused units aboard?”
“You want some ASOP’s? What are you thinking, Investigator?”
…
Rena made another long anguishing trek down the corridor to the elevators that would bring her to the lower part of the ship. Because the forward elevator was inoperable, access to the Star Lab had to be rerouted. This caused more stress for Rena and her crew. She huffed and gasped with disgust as she pranced. The distressing problems were disheartening for her. Her battleship was not completely retrofitted and combat ready when she first left the confines of her lair and the underground tunnels that lay within the deep crevices of the planet, Kurros. Her impatience to leave and plunder the Ganes Trek and lure the Sim-Sa Gale could have waited. The few additional months to complete the retrofit of the Ambulas would have been worth it all, she thought. Now, the short battle with the Night Star took its toll. Where it came from and how it managed to creep up on her was still a mystery. Rena needed Qwi'mae to find the answers.
Once again, she was being summoned to the Star Lab due to another distressing problem – Qwi'mae discovered a squadron of High Guard attack ships had left Xeraxes and were headed to Isoter. Isoter had always belonged to the queen and she wasn’t about to lose her precious and covert network of communication and infiltration.
To reach the ever-important Star Lab from the bridge, one had to walk through a corridor 425 feet long to get to the midsection of the ship then take an elevator fourteen decks to the top part of the ship then navigate up a ladder seven decks. Each trip took about eleven minutes. Rena was furious the mechanical and electrical systems were not part of the main retrofit – they were less important she was told. But, as she schemed and had Qwi’mae mapping out the system, tracking the teleportation maneuvers of the Sim-Sa Gale, the hated Night Star, and other High Guard ships, the Star Lab now became more important than ever.
Rena’s anger was at a tipping point. Her problems were mounting. Not only was her Ambulas in need of immediate repairs – two laser turrets destroyed, several very expensive shadowing arrays on the forward section of the ship destroyed, and two engines destroyed, a more pressing problem developed - the Sim-Sa Gale had the teleportation device. Then there was the newest problem, a very distressing problem for her. It was a problem that clouded her mind and better judgment – Aderian seemed more distant to her following the attack on Nepa’pa.
She finally reached the Star Lab, a vicious scowl on her face, fury in her eyes, and anger in her lips.
“Qwi’mae!” she grumbled. “Where is the Gale?”
Qwi’mae saw her anger. She quickly walked over to a massive hologram of stars, planets, and tiny blips which indicated ship travel.
She pointed and answered, “Ma’am, here, in the Gorledeon system. Ma’am, the Gale teleported to Obipherion, it was there three hours then it teleported to… I don’t know where. I tried to track it but it reappeared in Obipherion.”
Rena glared and exclaimed, “Wait! What are saying? You lost it? For how long?”
“It left Obipherion for thirteen minutes. I don’t know where she went. I couldn’t find her in any system. I’m sorry!”
“Keep going!” she huffed in disgust. “Thirteen minutes! Ah!”
“Ma’am, from Obipherion it came back to Xeraxes then it went to the outer rim of the Xeraxes system - toward Gorledeon. It picked up our two space gunners with those two trackers. Right now, it’s still sitting on the outer edge. It’s been sitting there for a few hours.”
Qwi'mae took a deep breath and hoped Rena’s anger would not be directed at her. Rena slowly strolled back and forth, studying the hologram. She gently reached inside the hologram with her hand and touched the planet of Efferium. She was admiring her destruction of the city of Nepa’pa – her trap for the Sim-Sa Gale. Then she stepped over to a holo-image of Obipherion. She enlarged it and put her hand inside the image, touching and caressing the bright bluish-white planet.
She muttered, “Next time. Next time I will anticipate you, Prime of Obipherion. You and your Gale, your Night Star, I have a plan. I have a plan for you.” She gazed at Obipherion and added, “You are calling for destruction. Aren’t you? You want it. Don’t you?” Her facial expression turned to anger. “I have something for you. Just for you, and I’m coming.” She looked at Qwi'mae, Qwi'mae was gazing at her and wondering what the queen was going to do. What retaliations were coming?
Rena looked at a thin line of ships traveling from Xeraxes to Isoter. “These are the attack ships?”
“Yes, thirty-nine ships. Thirty-two guard attack ships and seven Interplanetary Class 2 gunships.”
“You’ve notified Kora?”
“Yes.”
She strolled across the wide hologram, pondering, gazing at the fascinating display; her mind planning, scheming.
“Qwi'mae, I need some things from you.” Then Rena gazed into the hologram. She fixed her eyes on the planet Efferium. “I need your COM units repaired. Immediately. That is my highest priority as of now. Can you see to that once we return to Kurros?” Rena turned and looked at her. “I need the COM unit repaired more than I need the laser turrets or shadow panels. Understand?”
“Ma’am, I will find every available person to work on my COM unit and that elevator!”
Qwi'mae nodded to her. Rena nodded back and tried to smile but she only had animosity. Rena headed for the exit then she stopped and turned toward her.
“Oh, Qwi'mae, can you do one other thing?”
“Anything!”
“I want you to backtrack that space gunner we pick up a few hours ago. Can you do that? Find as many available workers you need to monitor and do repairs. Something big is coming,” she sighed, “and Qwi'mae, it may hinge on the work you do.”
“Ma’am, yes! I will get the work done. And I will find out where that ship came from. What is she doing?”
…
Under orders from the Court of Primes, the Sim-Sa Gale returned to the planet of Efferium to assist repairs caused by the destruction from the Ambulas and help in the displacement process of thousands of people. That was not her main goal, though.
Captain Eisen asked, “Ms. Ellswood, I want you to link all three NAV stations to the main hologram. Each NAV focus your full attention on your own section of space. Understand?”
Ellswood answered, “Sir, copy. I am searching Gorledeon and Wentz is searching toward Abdom Center.” Wentz nodded to the captain as he caught his eye. “Pittman is searching the Xeraxes -Adjelon spatial corridor.” Pittman nodded to the captain.
Captain Eisen exclaimed, “Be alert! Let me know if you need a break because right now the only way to find her is by knowing where she’s not. Understand? Everyone?”
The bridge crew answered in unison, “Aye, Sir.”
“Somers?” the captain said to his second in command. “I want the ship’s complement launched and a search pattern established.”
“Sir?” he asked. “The whole compliment?”
The captain nodded and 437 guard attack ships and seventy-nine intergalactic runners launched from the massive pyramid-like structure of the Sim-Sa Gale. They divided into groups of fifty. One group searched the Xeraxes-Obipherion corridor, one group searched the Xeraxes-Gorledeon corridor, one group searched the Xeraxes-Abdom Center corridor, and one group searched the Xeraxes-Adjelon corridor. The remaining 237 ships searched the open space inside the Xeraxes system while the seventy-nine intergalactic runners searched each small spatial corridor between the three planets in the Xeraxes system; Xeraxes, Efferium, and Isoter.
The captain sat down in his comma
nd chair and huffed again, “The only way to find her now, is to find out where she’s not!” The bridge crew agreed with his assessment and felt the same trepidation he felt. Then he received a call. Gunner and Chopak insisted on speaking with the captain. They were called to the bridge.
“Sir,” Gunner explained. “We want to join the runners searching the Adjelon-Xeraxes corridor. Please?”
Captain Eisen studied the two large royal guardsmen. “And why? You think Kozak is out there? And if he is, what can you do? We are simply searching for the Ambulas. We’re not going to engage her.”
“Sir,” Chopak answered. “He is our responsibility. We have a job to do – to look out for him. If anything, Sir, we can just be there.”
“I’ll have to recall two ships. They already launched.”
“Sir,” Gunner muttered. “If you do it now, we won’t be that far behind them. We can catch up to the flight group.” The captain strolled over to the large hologram. Efferium was centered and he could see the entire star system of Xeraxes displayed. He saw his squadron of ships in each of the four main corridors and the small corridors connecting Xeraxes to Isoter to Efferium.
“Sir?” Gunner asked. “Please? Just let us be there in case.”
“COM, Mr. Jamisen, recall two runners from the Adjelon group. Let them know what we’re doing.”
Jamisen nodded, the two runners returned and Gunner and Chopak were under way toward Adjelon. The group leader slowed his search and let them catch up. Gunner and Chopak explained to the group what they were doing and gave explicit instructions. They had every assurance the Ambulas was headed to Adjelon and that assumption was solely based on Boone Nova’s gut feeling.
…
Aboard the Night Star, everyone finally ended their long discussion. Boone was delighted the talking had ended. He wanted some peace and quiet. Though he had forgiven Phia for her many lies, he wondered about trusting her further. They were ready to finally leave.
Jok walked up to him and gave him a big hug. Jok didn’t have Lorin’s ability to read people but he noticed how stressed Boone was.
“Boone,” he said. Then he glanced at everyone. “Pryce, Mace, Investigator Je’en, I can never thank you enough for answering my call that day to get involved in the search for Dr. Zay'Geis. I know it almost cost you your lives but I am very thankful the Father of the Heavens saw you through it all. I believe He will do it once again.”
Boone answered, “I ‘am’ trying to listen to Him but I’m having a real hard time.”
“Ah, yes. And you should!” Jok replied. “Listen, that is!” he chuckled.
Boone added, “I just can’t believe how awful and evil these pirates are. Zay’Geis has been trying to help me ‘see things’ differently. He blasted me just a little while ago with one of his long speeches. I’m trying to understand it all. You know? I hate the evil taking place and the Father of the Heavens, He’s just watching it.”
Jok placed his hand on his shoulder and replied, “Boone, I also want to encourage you.” He looked at everyone and with a concerned tone and added, “Everyone! Now, listen to me. There is a scripture that says, “He shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness.” I believe in the Father and His Son and even I don’t understand everything about it! But, Boone, that doesn’t stop me from having faith. He sees it and He deals with it – in His own time and in His own way. Boone, He is using you, and me, and unfortunately, my daughter!”
Jok looked at her as everyone laughed. She smiled. He added, “Our new establishment has been besieged by a great deal of infiltration and lies. And Boone, I understand why you sent Jona away. You’ve seen what it has done and the damage it has caused. You just wanted to do some infiltration of your own.”
Boone nodded as the others smirked. They eventually agreed by nodding their heads and agreeing with the much wiser prime of Obipherion.
“These lies about me, Sir, I almost quit because of them and I was almost killed because of them!”
“Yes,” the prime replied. “We are all very sorry about that. And, they all weren’t solely from Commander J’Dar. Son, I know what is ahead for you and I know you are very troubled but the truth will come out. I am working diligently to accomplish that! Do you understand?”
Everyone glanced at Phia. She cowered at the mention of her father’s name; she felt ashamed. Boone bowed his head and thought about the trip to Kova. He was fully disgusted with the many lies about him. It was there, on Kova, where another deep-seeded lie was invented against him. Boone looked at the prime then he quickly glanced at everyone.
He said, “I know the lies have hurt the High Guard and your establishment but the lies about me, they’ve ruined my life. I’m cursed with all of these lies and I hate lying, now, more than I ever have.” He looked at Lorin and Terra and added, “When we get to Kova, you’ll see.”
Jok gently placed his hand on Boone’s shoulder and softly rubbed it. He said, “Boone, I want you to listen to me this one last time. Understand? I want to tell you something important. Are you listening?”
“Yes!” he replied. “I ‘am’ listening!”
“Good. Now, this is what the Father has said about these lies and this lying problem. ‘Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation.’ Boone, you ‘can’t’ deliver yourself from what is happening. Do you understand? It’s the Father. He is your salvation.”
Boone gazed at him and smirked. “OK, Dr. Zay'Geis!” he laughed.
Then everyone laughed. Jok rubbed his shoulder and chuckled. “It is true, Boone.” He added, “Let Him lead you and He will lead you into truth. OK? He does the saving part. Believe it. Please?”
“OK, Sir. I will.”
“And another thing! About those liars, the Father says, ‘Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.’ Boone! He delights in what you are now doing – searching for this truth! Do you know that? He will deal with the trouble, you follow Him, and He will be with you. Uh,” he sighed. “We can talk while you are on your way. Just call me. OK?”
Boone nodded and answered, “Yes, Sir. I understand.”
The prime turned and headed to the exit. “I hope you will listen, Boone.” Everyone smirked and chuckled. As he reached the staircase he added, “Please do it, for my daughter’s sake?”
Boone laughed. “You sound just like Zay’Geis.”
He looked back and said, “Perhaps he sounds like me! Now, you will believe it? And you will take care of my daughter?”
“Sir!” he answered as he nodded, yes. “I will.”
“Thank you,” he replied as he stepped out of the cockpit and down the small circular staircase. “And you will forget about any affections concerning her, too.”
Boone chuckled as he heard the prime slowly make his way down the staircase. Everyone was smiling; Lorin was blushing.
“Well,” Boone muttered as he glanced at everyone. “We need to finish stowing our gear and find bunks for everyone. We’re leaving in a few minutes.”
Then Boone noticed everyone was looking out the cockpit window. He turned around to see what held their attention. He slowly approached the front of the cockpit. They followed. Then Boone sighed and a tear swelled as he looked out and saw the royal tarmac.
High Guardsmen were standing next to each other, abreast and at attention. They encompassed the entire flight deck as their formation stretched out of Boone’s range of vision. Then they saw the prime slowly walk in front of the Night Star. Boone deeply admired the prime and considered him to be a father figure just as much as Zay’Geis was. He wiped a small tear. He looked up and gave Boone a wave with his hand, smiled, then turned and made his way to the edge of the flight deck and stood with his guardsmen. Strangely, Boone noticed all the ships were gone, the royal flight deck was empty except for the Night Star. Boone was moved by the honorable gesture.
Boone sat down and said, “Lila, engine start, please?”
/>
Lila replied, “Engines started.”
Boone gripped the flight control and the Night Star gently lifted from the flight deck. Pryce put his hand on his shoulder.
“They’re sending you off, buddy.”
Terra added, “See, Boone, they do care about you.”
The Night Star entered the exosphere where clouds and blue sky met a bluish blackish curved horizon then a beautiful starlit panorama filled their view.
Terra sat down next to Boone in the cockpit seat and glanced at the instrumentation.
“I’m picking up something! Just ahead. Boone!” she exclaimed. “Thrusters only! Look!”
As the Night Star edged forward above Obipherion, a spectacular sight caught their eyes. Obipherion’s royal squadron was saluting Boone and his crew. 200 ships hovered side-by-side in two separate rows, facing each other. The formation created a path for which the Night Star could glide through and exit the system. At the end of the procession, one lone ship awaited – the commander of the squadron, Officer Shadowback.
Boone stood as did everyone on board. They gazed at the amazing sight. Boone wiped a swelling tear.
“Night Star,” Commander Shadowback echoed through the COM. “Welcome. This is Commander Shadowback. You have a ‘go’ to exit. We salute you and your crew and we all thank you for your service to Obipherion. Please proceed.”
Boone and Terra sat down and slowly guided the Night Star down the center of the procession. Boone wiped a tear as Lorin came and stood between the two forward cockpit chairs. Pryce, Mace, and Phia took a seat and watched. Lorin placed her hand on Boone’s shoulder and caressed him. As the Night Star slowly edged through the procession, each ship declared their support.
“This is Star 9-2-K. We wish you luck, Boone.”
“This is Star 9-3-K. Good luck, Boone.”
“Star 9-4-K, Boone. Smooth sailing. OK?”
“Thanks,” Boone answered.
“Star 9-5-K… Stay true, Night Star.”
“Star 9-6-K… We’re with you, Night Star.”
Return of the Guardian King Page 14
