by Rick Bentsen
2.8.2136
1041
SLS White Knight
Main Engineering
Sarah Hodge settled into the leather chair behind the desk in her office and put her feet up on her desk. It had been a long morning. Since she left the briefing, she had had about a hundred minutiae adjustments to do on the engines. Nothing serious, but just little things that affected the smooth operation of the fusion drive. She was insufferably pleased with herself. Her engines were performing better than the engines on any other Star League vessel. And they had originally laughed at her designs.
“Root beer?” a voice from the door asked, pointing at the bottle on the engineer’s desk..
“Sure is, Commander,” the young engineer smiled. “You want anything to drink?”
“If you’ve got another root beer, I wouldn’t mind,” Erin chuckled. She took a seat and smiled before continuing. “How are the engines holding up?”
“Same as they were an hour and a half ago, Commander,” Sarah chuckled. “Although I think I may have coaxed a little extra speed out of them. Maybe a half a percent. No more than that. You must be pretty bored to keep checking up on the engines.”
“Bored out of my skull,” Erin sighed as she opened the root beer. “Nothing for me to do. I don’t know how K’Alan and other unit commanders handle this waiting.”
“Pretty much the same way you are,” Sarah smiled. “Captain Bryce kept checking with me about every twenty minutes while I was refitting the shuttle.”
“God, I hope I never get that bad,” Erin laughed.
“I just hope Mario’s bringing my shuttle back in one piece. I put a lot of time into that thing,” Sarah chuckled.
Chapter 35.
THE three of them had been watching the holosphere unceasingly for three days. Others had come and gone, but the three had remained constant, turning away only when sustenance was brought to them by one of the others. The three of them all felt that they needed to be there to see what happened. It did not matter how long it took for events to develop, they would be there to watch them.
“An interesting twist,” Kiara said. “See? I told you he would find a way out.”
“Yes,” the one called Alan said. “You did. This is a factor I did not consider. The Cor’vat being freed is an unexpected happening.”
“It changes nothing,” the other male said. “That one is still the key. If he does not survive, then we are lost.”
“He will survive, John.” The one called Alan shook his head. “He is stronger than we believed.”
The three fell silent as the scenes in the holosphere shifted yet again.
Chapter 36.
2.8.2136
1214
Shuttle Kiarin
MARIO sat staring at the scanners. The Torellia Corvax was still following them at a bit of a distance.
The Brentax official was asleep in the chair next to him. It was quiet. It was, perhaps, the only time this ride had been truly quiet. Mario shrugged to himself and picked up a data pad. He began to slowly write a personal log entry into it, something he hadn’t had a chance to do since they left the White Knight.
Personal Log: Mario Bonetti: 2.8.2136: I’m not really sure where to begin. A lot has happened since I left the comfort of the White Knight four days ago. And so much has happened since I had a chance to write my last log entry a couple weeks ago.
It was interesting to see my father again without the fights this time. It’s so rare that we get a chance to spend time together without arguing with each other. I just wish I could have seen all the rest of my family. It’s been ages since I saw all of my sisters and brothers. And Mom’s still upset that I didn’t make it home for Christmas last year. You would think after having so many career military officers in the family as there are in ours, she would have gotten used to the fact that none of us ever make it home for holidays.
This mission I am on never really went right from the beginning. There were so many problems even during the long flight to Brentax III. Then there was the abortive first attempt to capture M’Bek Tarmos. And the disappearance of Chancellor G’Kiron. So I’m not at all surprised that this mission went south.
I’m on my way back to the White Knight. With the Brentax Supreme Commander, M’Bek Tarmos. Unfortunately, I’m returning to the White Knight without my friend and commanding officer, Captain K’Alan Bryce. He’s stuck somewhere on Brentax III, and instead of going back and helping him, I’m ferrying this Brentax official back to Star League space. Given the option, I’d space him and go back and save Kal.
My thoughts keep going back to S’Era and Kit. God, how I don’t want to tell them that Kal’s missing. Kit’ll probably deck me. And S’Era.
I don’t know what S’Era will do. S’Era’s been on my mind a lot lately. I definitely love her. I’m not sure when I realized this. Nor am I sure when I realized that she loved me too.
I always figured I’d never find someone to settle down with. Boy was I wrong. I’m glad Kal approves. I just hope I didn’t mess up my chances with S’Era by losing her brother.
I don’t even know if Kal is still alive down there. He went to check on Chancellor G’Kiron, and that’s the last I saw of him.
Chancellor G’Kiron was, to say the least, an interesting individual. I wish I understood half of what he was talking about, but I get the feeling that Kal didn’t really understand it either. That’s the price of being a great thinker I suppose.
I hope someday someone doesn’t understand what I say to them.
Mario sighed as he put the data pad down and looked over the scanners again. The Torellia Corvax was right there still constantly watching them.
Chapter 37.
2.8.2136
1225
SLS Creighton
The Bridge
CAPTAIN Tom Keevan drummed his fingers on the armrest of his command chair impatiently. He wanted to be doing something other than just sitting there waiting for his ship’s replacement in the Khrinnus system. He wanted to be out there trying to save Captain Bryce’s butt. He owed K’Alan that much.
He had known K’Alan about as long as he’d known Erin Sykes. The three had served on the Endeavor together. Tom had been the Strike Leader and K’Alan and Erin had been two of his more hotshot pilots. They both made squad leader during that trip. He’d not been surprised when he found out that K’Alan had been given the XO position on the Gamma Strike unit. He was even less surprised when K’Alan was promoted to Captain and given the squad when Thala Ker’sal stepped down. And when K’Alan had selected Erin Sykes as the new XO, all Tom could do was chuckle.
He was curious about the circumstances surrounding the departure of Captain Ker’sal. He’d known Thala since the academy. He knew that the Jaradan was a hot head, but he couldn’t think of what could possibly have prompted her to step down from a command position that most captains would kill for. There were rumors of course, but Tom Keevan had long since learned not to listen to rumors.
It was funny to Tom how situations kept working themselves out in such a way as to keep involving him. It did not seem to matter if he was involved from the beginning or not.
“Captain,” Kim Ericson called from the communications station. “We’re receiving a tight beam communication from the Atlantia.”
“Holo,” Tom barked.
Captain Laura Goldthorne was a fairly attractive woman, if you could get past the scars on her face. She had short cropped golden hair and deep blue eyes. There were scars running along each cheek and one across her forehead.
As the holo of Laura Goldthorne appeared in the holo viewer by Captain Keevan’s chair, he was once again struck by her beauty. He had courted her once upon a time. The relationship had faltered, but they had remained good friends.
“Hi, Laura,” Tom smiled. “Long time no see.”
“I hear you’ve been whooping the Brentax good here in the Khrinnus system,” the woman smiled.
“Took out two Duhari class heavy cr
uisers in the last two days,” Tom nodded.
“Good work!” Laura smiled even broader. “President Jameson sends her greetings. We should be there in three or four hours.”
“Yeah,” Tom nodded again. “Soon as you guys get here, we have to jet. Bryce needs his arse pulled out of the fire again.”
“You’re always saving someone’s butt,” Laura laughed. The laughter died quickly though. “Bring him back alive, Tom.”
“That would be my intention. I don’t want to have to face down his wife if I don’t.”
“I’ve heard that the Duterian High Gentlewoman is actually quite reasonable,” Laura raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure she’d understand. Just the same. Bring him back alive.”
“I will do my best,” Tom smiled.
“See ya ‘round, Swamp Rat, Laura winked as the holo faded.
“Swamp Rat?” Kim chuckled, her eyebrows raised.
“Never mind,” Tom groaned. “Helm, as soon as the Atlantia gets here, give me best speed back to the Gamma Epsilon Station. I want to be there before Gamma Strike.”
“Acknowledged, Captain,” the helm officer said.
Chapter 38.
2.8.2136
1411
SLS White Knight
The Gym
“AND she just split the bag with one punch?” Erin asked, her face registering pure shock at the concept.
“I’ve not seen her so angry in a long time,” the trainer shook his head. “And I’ve known her over ten years.”
“This isn’t good. All right,” Erin sighed. “I’ll have a talk with her.”
“She did promise to replace the bag when we got to the Gamma Epsilon station, so don’t be too hard on her.”
“I’m more afraid of her being too hard on me,” Erin chuckled.
The trainer shook his head and began picking up the pieces of the bag.
2.8.2136
1422
SLS White Knight
Soran’s Bar
It was hard to get the security chief drunk. The Sandarian had one of the highest alcohol tolerances on board the White Knight. Yet she was just a little past tipsy, her words starting to slur just slightly.
“Ok, Masha,” Soran said quietly. “I think you’ve had enough.”
“Whazzat?” the security chief said. “Nozzo fazz with that had enough stuv, Zoran. I’makay.”
“Sure you are. You want to talk about it while I get you some coffee?”
“Izza captain. He never jouda gone on that mizzion without a security type person.”
“But he went with Mario,” Soran nodded. “Shouldn’t that have been enough to ease your fears, Masha?”
“Don’t you understand, Zoran?” Masha shouted. “The captain’z mizzig.”
“Missing?” Soran raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps we should talk about this in a less public place, Masha.”
“No point talking public or private, Zoran. I’z juzz gonna get good and trazhed.”
“How will that help the Captain though, Masha? And won’t Commander Sykes need your expertise on the bridge?”
“Yeah, zhe prob- probably doez,” Masha nodded. The security chief stood up from the barstool she was on—
And promptly fell right on her rump on the floor.
“Masha? You OK?”
“Juz peachy!” Masha looked up. “Got any detokz pillz, Zoran?”
2.8.2136
1432
SLS White Knight
Main Engineering
“Ensign, we have an energy spike,” Jen Hutchins called from one of the engineering situation stations around the engines.
Sarah raced out from her office and headed over to the status monitor, a look of concern on her face.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Momentary energy spike in the cloaking systems,” Jen noted. She ran the monitor data back to the spike. “See? Could have been enough for any nearby Brentax vessels to see us, but not for long."
“All right,” Sarah nodded. “Run a diagnostic and keep an eye on it. I’ll report it to the Commander. I’ll be in her office and then monitoring from the bridge If anything more comes up, call me immediately.”
“You got it boss,” the engineer said.
Sarah scowled as she left Engineering.
2.8.2136
1445
SLS White Knight
Commander Erin Sykes’ Office
The headache that had started as a gentle throbbing in Erin’s temples had progressed to a full fledged migraine. She promised herself that she would go see Jewel about it, but she had too much to deal with before she could break away to go to the medbay.
She wasn’t sure what to do with Masha. Between the incident in the gym and her getting drunk in Soran’s bar, the security lieutenant was being a huge pain in the arse today. She wished one more time that K’Alan was there to deal with this instead of her.
Of course, she mused to herself. If K’Alan were here, none of this would have happened in the first place.
It was just these kinds of situations that made Erin not want to be promoted to Captain. She was happy to sit on the sidelines and help things run smoothly.
Command, she decided, was not all it was cracked up to be.
She looked across her desk at the security chief sitting across from her. Masha just sat there with her hands folded in her lap and her head bowed. Erin just shook her head and sighed as she looked at her.
“Masha,” Erin sighed again. “Believe me, I don’t want to have to deal with this any more than you do. But I have no choice. What did you think you were doing, destroying the gym bag like that?”
“I promised to buy a new one as soon as we got to the station,” Masha said, looking up.
“I know. That’s the only thing that’s keeping me from ordering your pay docked for this.” Erin closed her eyes and counted to ten. “But such displays of anger are not good, Masha.”
“Commander, with all due respect, that’s just bull.” Masha shook her head as she glared Erin down. “Hear me out. My job is to make sure every member of this crew is safe. Especially the captain. By disregarding my recommendation the way he did and placing himself in imminent danger, he made my job impossible. How am I supposed to carry on and do my job to the best of my ability if the person I’m supposed to be protecting goes and gets himself in trouble?”
“There’s no guarantee that had you been on the mission it would have gone any differently.”
“There’s also no way to know that he wouldn’t have been captured if I were there, Commander,” Masha yelled, making the commander wince.
“But getting angry about it then getting yourself drunk isn’t going to make a difference, Masha. It’ll just be counterproductive.”
“I know. I’m sorry, Commander. It won’t happen again,” the lieutenant said sullenly.
A knock on the door caused both women to turn immediately to face the door.
“Enter,” Erin called.
Sarah Hodge huffed into the room, having run all the way from Engineering.
“Next time I design a ship, I’m going to design a more direct route to the bridge from engineering,” the young engineering chief muttered.
“What can I do for you, Sarah?” Erin sighed. Is this day ever going to end? she added to herself.
“Sorry to bother you, Commander. We had an energy spike in the cloaking systems. Not a long lasting one, but the cloaking system may have been compromised briefly. We’re running a full diagnostic now on the systems, but you should be ready for any Brentax vessels that may have seen us.”
“Great,” Erin rolled her eyes. “Just great! Sarah, do your best to keep those cloaking systems online.”
“Commander,” Masha said. “With your permission, I’m going to head to the bridge and start prepping the weapons array. I’ll also be able to give you a report on Brentax movements within ten minutes.”
“Good. Go,” Erin nodded.
After the two other officers left, Erin
allowed herself a couple moments to bury her head in her hands and cry before wiping her eyes and leaving the office.
No, she thought bitterly. Command is definitely not everything it’s cracked up to be.
Chapter 39.
2.8.2136
1500
Brentax III
Brentacchia Prison
“OH, this is just swell,” K’Alan rolled his eyes.
“You were the one that said he had a couple things he had to do before he left,” Crovax reminded him.
“Yeah, I know,” K’Alan growled.
K’Alan and Crovax were pinned down in a room in the prison. They’d been pinned there most of the day. The guards had found out about his escape and were trying to keep him from leaving.
“So, you got any bright ideas, Duterian?” Crovax asked.
“Please, Crovax. Call me K’Alan. That’s my name,” K’Alan said, closing his eyes. “As far as ideas, I’m fresh out.”
“Then we will die here. I do not wish to die so close to freedom for my people, K’Alan,” Crovax hissed.
“Believe me, I have no intention of dying,” K’Alan smiled a grim smile. “But I won’t leave this prison without rescuing Chancellor G’Kiron. He deserves better.”
“Yes, he is much less ruthless than other Supreme Commanders have been. He was even considering releasing all the slaves prior to his retirement.”
K’Alan nodded as a blaster bolt whizzed above his head.
“Ok, this is getting me seriously honked off!” he yelled.
K’Alan gripped his energy bow tighter. Crovax had made sure all of his stuff had been returned before they attempted to leave the prison. Seeing that the charge was nearly gone, he slipped a new charge cell in and grinned in satisfaction as the energy bow hummed to life, the twin blades of concentrated energy extending from the center grip.
