by Chris Hechtl
Some of the civilians and even a few of the army survivors from Nuevo wanted to return home. They went to Captain Chung. He in turn took their requests to the rear admiral.
Horatio sighed heavily when he heard the news. “I can't say I blame them. They came here expecting a fresh start, and they got a nightmare instead.”
“What a PR disaster. Bek, hell, the entire Federation is going to flip over this,” Captain Chung said with a shake of his massive head.
“Yeah.” Horatio shook himself. “I'm less concerned about that than I am the damage and the loss of life,” he said quietly.
The Neopanda eyed him and then nodded.
“I'm getting some of the scuttlebutt, but not all of it obviously. Rank and all that,” Horatio said. “How bad is it with the crew?” he asked, eyeing the panda.
“Well,” the panda drawled, stalling as he collected his thoughts. “I think some are … mixed let's call it. They are obviously upset over what happened and angry over losing their friends. It is hitting the Bekians hard,” he said, eyeing the admiral. Horatio merely nodded. He'd expected as much.
“Some seem bitter over the attack as if it proved everything they knew about A.I.”
“Which isn't going to help.”
“No, no, it isn't. Others are either divided into bitterness that some of our A.I. managed to defend the ships when Dutch didn't or bitter that they didn't notice the virus. The flip side are the few, the very few that are relieved that they had managed to defend the ships.”
“Lovely,” Horatio replied.
“Dutch tried, but he couldn't get a warning off,” Ensign Justica pipped up.
“Thank you, Ensign,” the captain said.
“Uh, oh, I know that tone. It's used when the adults are having a conversation and an impetuous child pipes up,” the A.I. said.
“Something like that,” the captain replied. He rolled his eyes to the admiral. Horatio's face flickered into a brief smile before it returned to as passive normal that had inhabited it like a mask since the attack.
“Commander Fitzgerald is the worst. They all need counseling. I mean, it isn't just the trauma sir …,” the A.I. cut herself off.
“I know. We'll do our best to deal with it. Work will help to some degree. I understand both Leo and Gemma will be transferring to Ilmarinen shortly?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. With Mack on the sidelines, they will be busy handling engineering. Well, Gemma will, Leo will be recuperating, light duty,” Horatio said.
“Yes, sir.”
“We've got a couple more days before I can kick you and Bites Hard loose. I'll try to make the most of that time,” Horatio said, returning his attention to the Neopanda captain.
“Gee thanks. Work them like slaves then turn them over to me. Joy,” he said in mock exasperation.
“Now you are sounding like a parent who is complaining because the kids were fed junk food by family …,” Justica teased. “You know that analogy is inaccurate? According to my research, the kids usually rough house to near exhaustion. Then the excess sugar kicks into their bloodstream, the vibrations of the vehicle kick in, and they pass out on the journey home,” she observed with a sniff.
Horatio chuckled as he shook his head. “She's on to you,” he said.
“No, she just thinks she is. Thank you, Justica,” the captain said pointedly.
“And that's my cue to leave. Have a good day, gentlemen,” the A.I. said with a grin in her voice.
Horatio chuckled softly again as the panda seemed to slump in relief. “You have your hands full. Good.”
“Gee, thanks,” the panda said, eyeing him with a mock disgusted look.
~<><{<^>}><>~
Once the station's reactor and core were functional and enough life support was on line to allow the surviving station crew to move back in, Admiral Irons ordered his message to be taken to Bek. Horatio reluctantly followed his orders.
Captain Clayton was more than ready to depart the cursed star system and take Ilmarinen back to Bek to find out what happened to the missing ships. He was unaware of the additional mission of the rear admiral. He had his own suspicions of what was to happen when they arrived in Bek however.
Sweet Revenge was to continue her regular supply runs to Nuevo. She would be in good company; Justica would join her in her next visit. Both ships were set to depart shortly before Ilmarinen did so.
Much to everyone's surprise, it was Ilmarinen not Justica that would go to Bek when it was officially announced. The transport would pick up any additional army and other recruits in Nuevo drop off the civilians who wished to return, then check in on the station on her way to take her passengers to B101a1.
A week after the attack, Justica finished dropping off her passengers and supplies. The transport took on some cargo for Nuevo, but she already had goods to deliver in her cargo holds. She had a change in plans though, the ship would no longer be giving it away, and her quartermaster was going to barter for materials needed by the station.
The transport left the army group on the station for the time being. They would be picked up on the ship's return.
Once they were ready, Justica and Sweet Revenge headed to the Nuevo jump point to pick up recruits and drop off those wishing to return. There were some anxious moments from the stationers who watched the ships leave, but they settled back into work after the first day.
Repairs to the space station were still ongoing Horatio knew. Ilmarinen had built enough parts for the station engineering department to handle replacements for weeks. The station would go together more homogeneously than it had before. The station's internal replicators had been scrapped, but Justica had brought two for their use. They were put to use making more parts by Chief Bailey. The chief had refused to be medivaced for the moment. He insisted on remaining on the station to put her back right.
“This is my home. I'm going to see her right.”
Horatio nodded. He wasn't certain about it, but he agreed to expedite the chief's request to get the rest of his family to the station. He was no longer certain the station was safe, but he owed the Neochimp.
~<><{<^>}><>~
“You are certain you want me to go through this?” Horatio asked.
“I wouldn't ask it of you if I didn't,” Admiral Irons replied.
“And you know it could, it probably will go bad in some way?”
“I'm hoping it won't. I'm hoping that those under him will see the light, relieve him, and then we move on.”
“And if they don't?”
“Then … we have a problem. I have a series of contingencies in case it goes south. How far south is anyone's guess. Unfortunately, I can't game it out well with the little information I have. Yorgi helped me fill in some of the blanks, but the intel he gave me is old and out of date. Undoubtedly, Childress has been putting his own people in key positions. The question is, are they loyal to him or to the ideals of the Federation? You are going to find out I'm afraid.”
“It could go very badly for me. The whole shoot the messenger thing comes to mind.”
“You are saying you won't do it?”
“Admiral, you know me better than that. I'll always follow you. Right into hell if that is what it takes to get the job done. I'm your man, sir.”
“Thank you. I won't forget it, Horatio. But it won't come to that, hopefully.”
“Well, color me Guinea Pig I guess.” Horatio inhaled and then exhaled noisily. “Into the lion's den I go.” He paused then nodded grimly. “I'll get it done, Admiral.”
“Good. I've got your back. Remember that. Safe sailing, Horatio.”
“Thank you, sir.”
~<><{<^>}><>~
Horatio watched quietly as Ilmarinen disengaged from the docks and then moved clear of the station. Once she was safely away, her sublight drive awoke and she moved out.
Gemma was acting as the ship's chief engineer, though her partner tended to offer an unwanted hand from time to time. Listening to them
bicker as they crossed the star system was something of a balm to the rear admiral's soul.
When it came time, they initiated the hyperdrive for the jump.
The crew was quiet for a lot of the journey, subdued by the recent events. During that time period, the new crew were integrated and broken into the ship's routine.
Epilogue
Ilmarinen arrived in Bek's B-109 jump zone in an explosion of light and energy.
“We're going to do something a bit different,” Horatio stated from the observation seat as the ship's crew and A.I. secured her from the jump. The captain turned to him in surprise. “Admiral Irons ordered me to transmit a message upon our arrival.” He held up a chip.
“Securing from jump stations,” Lieutenant Commander Gracie Bardot, the new XO stated.
“Sir, is this wise?” the captain asked carefully.
“I'm not sure. But I'm going to follow my orders. Ready,” Horatio said quietly.
Captain Clayton turned to look at the rear admiral. He gave him a long studying look. “Are you certain of this, Admiral?” Captain Clayton asked carefully.
“It is what our orders specify. We will follow them.”
“They will crucify you, sir. You are definitely going to make a lot of enemies,” the captain warned.
“So be it. We all have our duty. I'm doing mine,” Horatio stated. He took the communication station personally. He put the chip in, set-up the broadcast as an omni one, and then linked the message he was to transmit and then hit play.
He sat back as the message transmitted in the clear on every known Bekian frequency. For good measure, he hit the button to play it over the ship's PA system.
“This is Fleet Admiral John Henry Irons, president pro-temp of the Federation,” a familiar gravid voice said. Captain Clayton stiffened and turned to Horatio. Horatio pointed to the holographic table. The captain turned to see an image of the admiral standing there.
“I come before you with grave misgivings over the situation in Bek and the deportment of some of the officers in charge there. Consequently, I have instructed Rear Admiral Logan to play this message upon his arrival in the star system. I now relieve Admiral Omar Childress of command.” He waited a beat, long enough for the bridge crew to stiffen in shock.
“I do this out of necessity since the admiral has refused to follow my orders and has placed Bek in a state of mutiny.”
There was a small gasp from a few on the bridge. Horatio noted the captain's nostrils dilate and his fists clench, but he said nothing. After a moment, the man looked at his fist, looked at the rear admiral, then turned away to stand and watch the fleet admiral.
“As I said, I do this out of necessity …”
~<><{<^>}><>~
“ …Out of necessity to protect the Federation, it's civilian population, and the officers and enlisted serving in the Republic of Bek,” Admiral Irons voice said, making Rear Admiral Toronto stared in shock and surprise. That he had been surprised by Ilmarinen's return was an understatement. He was even more surprised by the sudden message and its inflammatory contents. Before he could bark an order to jam it, the message had been sent across the solar system. He sat back and watched the message play itself out while his mind churned with what he was going to have to do to cover his own ass as the situation started to spin out of control.
He couldn't deny the order; it had Fleet Admiral Irons' digital signature attached to it.
~<><{<^>}><>~
“Son of a bitch!” Admiral Childress swore as Admiral Hill woke him with news of Ilmarinen's arrival and message broadcast. That Irons had relieved him he'd anticipated. That the son of a bitch on Ilmarinen had broadcasted that to the entire star system he hadn't, and he regretted the oversight.
He fumed, pissed about the turn of events. “Issue orders to Fortress Command. I want Toronto to arrest that bastard now. Clayton owes me; he shouldn't have allowed this to happen. Get on that ship and shut the bastard up,” he ordered his yeoman.
“Y … yes, sir,” the yeoman stuttered.
“Hill, get with our closest supporters. Have them sit on the malcontents. Anyone who steps out of line, land on them heavy, hard, and fast,” the admiral growled. The Neochimp nodded.
“Let them know the broadcast is a fake. It was created to cause confusion and sow dissent in the ranks. Anyone who tries to follow it will answer to the fullest letter of the law. The charges will be mutiny,” he said in an ugly growl. The Neochimp grimaced but then nodded once more.
“Good. Once you've done that, I want to talk to Admiral Shren. He'll play ball with me; he owes me. I sat on his promotion board twice and I covered up a couple of his little peccadillo, so I'm calling in those marks and he's going to pay all that back …”
~<><{<^>}><>~
“We're ready to transmit our log to Command 1 now, sir,” a rating said once Horatio had vacated his seat.
“Good. Do so,” the captain ordered.
Horatio frowned, but didn't say anything. He had done enough.
~<><{<^>}><>~
Admiral Draken noted grim faced officers and noncoms forming up outside the bullpen of Central Command. He knew what their intent was, but he had to spike it. He was tempted not to stop them, but if he didn't it would cause a civil war within the navy, one he wanted to avoid at all costs.
He put in a call to some of the admiral's supporters … including security on the floor. The security personnel rushed into place and stopped the group in their tracks.
“Stand down,” he ordered once he was certain the officers weren't going to start shooting it out right then and there. “Stand down. Return to your posts. That's an order,” he said, putting as much command authority in his voice as he could muster.
“But Admiral Irons …”
“The last time I heard, the orders of a senior officer on deck holds. I'm senior to you. We'll deal with the situation. Go back to your posts,” Admiral Draken ordered, eyeing the group.
A few stared at him defiantly. But when he continued to glare, they dropped their eyes. They were conditioned to obey he knew. “Yes, sir.”
He nodded to security to allow the group to pass. They wilted away back to their posts. For the moment, the mutiny and civil war had been averted.
He wasn't certain for how long however.
~<><{<^>}><>~
“Yes!” Vice President Nibs crowed as the president replayed the message in his office.
“Don't get your hopes up,” President K'k'R'll stated flatly.
“Why? It's over right?”
“Hardly. Childress has spent the past sixteen months packing in his supporters and ridding himself of all who would stand against him. Over? This is just getting started,” the president said. The Neocat grimaced. “We're trapped in the middle. But the blindfold and earplugs are off everyone's eyes and ears now. Childress is now backed into a corner. We are in for some ugly times,” he said heavily.
“You don't think he'll stand down?”
The Veraxin signaled no and then turned away to look up into the night sky.
The Neocat looked at him and then her own eyes traveled up to the image of Command 1 hovering over them like the sword of Damocles.
~<><{<^>}><>~
Rear Admiral Zekowitz heard about the transmission and groaned. He covered his eyes. “Horatio, what have you done?” he demanded.
Ensign Blakely scratched his head but didn't reply.
~<><{<^>}><>~
Admiral Toronto heard the message from Command 1 and grimaced. He was now in one hell of a pickle.
“What the hell do I do?”
“Well, technically, they didn't transmit an authentication,” Captain Bjornson said helpfully.
“Who?”
The captain indicated the tender.
“Ah …” the admiral frowned. He knew that Childress was now backed into a corner. But when no message came stating he was relieved of command, he was backed into a corner.
~<><{<^>}><>~
“Sir,
we've received the log from Ilmarinen,” Admiral Hill said. “Captain Clayton highlighted a few things you need to know. Chief among them …,” she pointed to the report of the Xeno virus attack.
“Perfect. We've got him now. Broadcast that.”
“But sir! It'll cause a panic!”
“Exactly. I want the ship quarantined. Have Admiral Shren draw up charges of dereliction, insighting a mutiny, dereliction of duty, insubordination, and other things against Commodore Logan. We'll throw in charges for the Xeno virus as well. If that ship makes a wrong move, Toronto is to blow her out of the sky, do you hear me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Also, have Shren throw in falsifying orders and broadcasting classified information.”
“Yes sir.”
~<><{<^>}><>~
Admiral Toronto continued to dither on what to do right up until he got news of the Xeno virus from Command 1 along with the order to quarantine the ship. That settled things for him. “Ilmarinen you are to heave to and prepare to be boarded for inspection. Remain where you are and do not attempt to broadcast or move. If you do, I have been authorized to destroy you,” he said.
“Have a boarding party put together, Captain,” he ordered.
~<><{<^>}><>~
Horatio stood quietly as marines and grim faced shore police boarded the ship in full suits. They came onto the bridge and took him into custody under Captain Clayton's watchful eyes.
“Commodore …”
Horatio cleared his throat, interrupting the commander. “It's actually rear admiral. I was promoted by Admiral Irons in B-102c via the ansible,” Horatio stated with as much dignity as he could muster.
“Commodore Horatio Logan,” the commander in charge said again, this time in a no-nonsense tone of voice. From the icon on his suit, Horatio noted he was a JAG officer. “I am hereby placing you under arrest. The charges are multiple counts of disobedience to orders, multiple counts of insubordination, multiple counts of conduct unbecoming, falsifying orders, mutiny, and insighting a riot to name a few. You are to be held over for court-martial,” he said as a Neochimp roughly patted the admiral down, then cuffed his hands behind his back.
