Dawn of a New Age

by Rick Bentsen

  “Don’t worry about the peace conference security, Admiral,” Erin said. “I have my best people on it.”

  “I know you do, Commander,” John smiled. “I just have a bad feeling about it is all. Let’s go over the procedures involved anyway.”

  2.11.2136

  0055

  Gamma Epsilon Station

  Docking Bay 3

  Mario huffed into the docking bay, two rucksacks in his hands. Jack Benton was in the docking bay waiting for him.

  “Colonel Bonetti, Captain Keevan’s waiting for you,” Jack said. The big security chief broke into a broad smile when he saw the two rucksacks. “I see you brought some supplies with you. Good. I like to see someone who’s prepared.”

  Jack led the way on board the Creighton, smiling at Mario.

  “Just a couple things I thought I might need. Some, ah, extra firepower,” Mario grinned.

  “I’ve heard about your extra firepower. You’re the envy of half the security chiefs in the Defense Force,” Jack winked. “myself included.”

  “Well, I do have a way with weapons,” Mario snarled. “And this is personal.”

  “I know. That’s why you’re going to be planning the rescue mission itself.”

  “Captain Keevan trusts me that much, eh?” Mario said.

  “Well, you’ve been on Brentax III. You know where Captain Bryce is likely to be. You’re the best person for the job.”

  “Thanks, I think.”

  Jack and Mario arrived on the Creighton’s bridge, and headed right over to Captain Keevan’s chair in the center of the bridge.

  “Colonel Mario Bonetti reporting as ordered, Captain,” Mario saluted.

  “At ease, Colonel. Briefing’s at 0900 hours tomorrow morning. Jack will show you to your bunk.” Captain Keevan looked Mario over. “I hope you’re as good as everyone thinks you are, Colonel. Dismissed.”

  Mario nodded and slung one of the rucksacks over his shoulder. Jack led him off the bridge.

  2.11.2136

  0115

  Gamma Epsilon Station

  Guest Quarters 2335-A

  Commander Erin Sykes was dead tired by the time she got to the quarters she had been assigned on the Gamma Epsilon Station. She flopped on the bed and laid back.

  First K’Alan and now Tom, Erin sighed. All the people I care about are going into danger.

  She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before pulling her boots and socks off. She padded over to the food dispenser, her bare feet sinking into the deep plush carpeting.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something on the desk. Furrowing her brow, she went over and picked it up. It was a small box, about five inches to the side.

  “A holocube,” she chuckled. “Now who could have sent me this?”

  She placed the holocube on the floor and hit the button on the side with her foot.

  “Hello, Erin,” the life size hologram of Tom Keevan said as soon as it appeared. “I’m sorry I’m not here to talk to you in person. But Admiral Bonetti was shipping us out to bring your captain back as soon as you guys arrived.

  “I’m pretty nervous about this, even just recording this hologram. I’ve come to care about you a great deal.

  “Inside the holocube, you’ll find a ring. I’ve scrimped and saved. Even a captain’s salary isn’t that much these days. But I hope you find the ring satisfactory.” The hologram knelt down in front of Erin. “The next time you see me, you can give me your answer to this. But what I want to ask you is will you marry me?”

  Chapter 49.

  2.11.2136

  0322

  Roid Skimmer Ganthus

  “THESE controls are crazy,” K’Alan sighed. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain, but nothing’s where it should be.”

  “Can you fly it?” Crovax asked, his sibilant voice anxious.

  “Oh, I can fly it, but I’ll need help. Crovax, can you handle the scanners?”

  “Yes, I can, K’Alan,” the Cor’vat said.

  “G’Kiron, I need you to work the communications and weapons arrays,” K’Alan said.

  “Um, K’Alan?” G’Kiron said. “This may not be the best time to mention this, but roid skimmers aren’t armed.”

  “Not armed?” K’Alan raised his eyebrow. “All right. I suppose we will just have to pray we don’t run into any trouble then. Man the communications array at any rate. I’ll need to concentrate on piloting. Crovax, make sure I know about any Brentax contacts.”

  “You will know, K’Alan,” the Cor’vat assured him.

  “Let’s see what this thing can do.”

  K’Alan took a deep breath and pushed the control stick forward, launching the roid skimmer spaceward.

  Chapter 50.

  2.11.2136

  0730

  Gamma Epsilon Station

  President Jameson’s Quarters

  THE president of the Star League had woken early. Eager to get the peace talks underway, she hadn’t been able to sleep. She got up and padded over to her desk.

  Kerrin knew something needed to be done to prevent something like this lengthy war from happening again. She wanted to be remembered for ending this war, it was true. But she wanted even more to be remembered for quick thinking and for preventing such atrocities from happening again.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a memo from Admiral Bonetti. The memo had been on her desk for some time, but she had not given it more than a cursory glance before now. She picked it up and read it over thoroughly, smiling to herself.

  Chapter 51.

  2.11.2136

  0855

  SLS Creighton

  Main Briefing Room

  MARIO was standing at the viewscreen looking over a street map of Brentacchia when Tom Keevan walked in, leading the rest of the senior staff.

  “That’s Brentacchia, Colonel?” the captain asked.

  “Yes,” Mario nodded. “Although this map’s not the best, it’ll be good enough to plan our assault.”

  “You have a plan in mind then, Colonel?” Jack asked.

  “Yes,” Mario smiled. “I’m planning a full out frontal assault. I brought some extra supplies that I think we might need.”

  Mario took the two rucksacks he brought on board with him and began to empty them on the conference room table. Weapons and equipment of all kinds were soon piled on the table.

  “Some extra supplies my arse,” Tom chuckled. “You brought an arsenal.”

  “You get me to Brentax III and give me five good men, and I’ll get the captain out, Captain,” Mario smiled. “I promise you that.”

  “Good,” Tom said. “Jack, pick four more men to go with yourself and Colonel Bonetti. Colonel, you are in command of the ground mission.”

  “Understood,” Jack and Mario said in unison.

  “Captain, we’re nearing the jump gate,” a bridge officer called over the captain’s wristlink.

  “Good. As soon as we get to the jump gate, engage jump engines.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  Chapter 52.

  2.11.2136

  1106

  Roid Skimmer Ganthus

  “SO do you have a plan?” Crovax asked for what felt like the hundredth time. K’Alan thought the Cor’vat was even more impatient to leave Brentax space than K’Alan was.

  “Yes,” K’Alan said. “We’re going to hide and hope someone comes to get us.”

  “Good plan,” Crovax grunted. “I--” The Cor’vat stopped and looked at the scanners. “K’Alan, we’ve got trouble.”

  “What?”

  “Three Duhari class cruisers are headed our way,” Crovax reported.

  “Great,” K’Alan grumbled. “All right. There’s not much we can do about that. Find me a good asteroid to land on.”

  “Working on it,” Crovax said. After a few minutes, the Cor’vat said, “I have one. You should have the coordinates on your console now.”

  “I got them. G’Kiron, can that communications array send
a low frequency coded transmission?” K’Alan asked.

  “Yes, but it would have to be very short. No more than one or two words,” G’Kiron nodded. “You’d have to be very specific with the message, K’Alan.”

  “Leave the text of the message to me,” K’Alan said. “You just be ready to send that message at a moment’s notice.”

  “I will be.”

  K’Alan guided the small craft to a surprisingly gentle landing on the surface of the asteroid.

  “All right,” K’Alan said. “I’m going to cut power except for life support and minimal scanners. We’ll be harder to see that way.”

  The other two nodded and K’Alan flipped the switch, cutting the power. The lights dropped to almost nothing. Crovax monitored the scanners, and all three held their collective breaths as if that would help the Brentax from finding them.

  “They’re heading this way, K’Alan. Slowly, but they are,” Crovax reported. “They’re checking each and every asteroid in the belt.”

  Chapter 53.

  2.11.2136

  1030

  Gamma Epsilon Station

  Main Conference Room

  “THE Brentax delegation should be here shortly, Admiral,” Kerrin smiled. “They have to go through the propriety of getting to the conference room for the first day. It is symbolism at its best.”

  “I know,” John Bonetti growled, checking his chrono again. “Worried about the Creighton is all.”

  “I figure they should be getting to the jump gate any minute if they haven’t already,” Kerrin noted. “They were supposed to be doing some engine modifications. I’m not sure how well the new modifications will take though. From the jump gate, it’s about twenty hours in hyperspace then another twelve hours to Brentax III. Give them about six hours to retrieve Captain Bryce, then they have to fly back. God willing, they’ll be back in less than four days.”

  “And hopefully there will still be a peace initiative going when they get back,” John scowled.

  “Admiral, do you really think I would jeopardize the peace process on purpose?” Kerrin asked. “I’ve been looking forward to the end of this war for as long as you have. I’ve been looking forward to an end of the war even more so after Perrin died.”

  “I keep forgetting we’ve all lost people we care about in this war, Kerrin,” John said quietly. “In light of the fact that my son keeps managing to land himself in danger, there are days when I wonder how I haven’t lost a child in this war.”

  “You have been fortunate then, Admiral,” Thorrin Jade said as he entered the conference room. “I see the Brentax delegation has not yet arrived.”

  “They’re on their way, Thorrin,” Kerrin said. “They should be here in a little under a half an hour.”

  “Good. I cannot wait to get these talks underway.”

  2.11.2136

  1049

  Gamma Epsilon Station

  A Corridor

  The two Jaradan monks stood in a niche in a corridor of the Gamma Epsilon Station. Word of the peace conference had spread throughout the station, and the corridors were lined with people who wanted to get a glimpse of the Brentax delegation. The two Jaradans were able to blend in with everyone else.

  Way down the corridor the procession of security and the Brentax delegate had slowly started coming down the corridor. The security officers were doing their best to keep people away from the Brentax official. One onlooker was dragged away after trying to rush over and club the Brentax delegate.

  “Security is tighter than you said it would be, Toran,” one of the monks said.

  “Yes,” Toran said. “It is an unexpected problem, Joval. We shall not fail though. She is counting on us.”

  Toran slowly pulled the small throwing dagger he had secreted in his robes. Joval followed suit, and both monks checked to ensure that the poison had been carefully applied to the blades.

  The procession neared, and the two monks tensed for action.

  As the procession started by, the two monks let fly with their daggers before the security officers could react. Neither dagger hit the Brentax official, but each one hit one of the officers in the security detail. The two human security officers crumpled to the floor almost immediately, and the two monks rushed out and fell on top of the fallen security officers. Each monk pressed his ring against one of the fallen guards’ forehead, leaving a small mark, no more than an inch wide. It was a circle with a fancy T inset in it.

  Other members of the security detail hauled the two monks off their fallen comrades and led them away.

  2.11.2136

  1102

  Gamma Epsilon Station

  Main Conference Room

  Commander Erin Sykes led the procession into the conference room, a grim look on her face. She smiled weakly at everyone else in the room and shot a look at Admiral Bonetti that said “I need to talk to you right now.”

  John took the hint and headed over to the corner of the room, and Erin followed.

  “We have a problem, Admiral,” Erin said without preamble.

  “What happened?”

  “There was an assassination attempt,” Erin sighed. “Two Jaradan monks threw poisoned throwing daggers. They hit Ensigns Dalton and Kelleher. They’re dead.”

  “I assume the Jaradans responsible have been detained?”

  “They’re in lockup waiting to be interrogated. I thought you might want to be there when they are.”

  “You’re damn right I do,” John growled. “Let me just go explain my absence to the president and Mr. Jade. Then we can go interrogate your prisoners.”

  John stormed over to the president and Thorrin Jade and sighed.

  “What’s going on, Admiral?” Kerrin asked.

  “Assassination attempt on Commander Tarmos,” John fumed. “I’m going to talk to the would-be assassins.”

  “Assassins. What else could go wrong?” Kerrin sighed. “Go. We’ll deal with it.”

  2.11.2136

  1134

  Gamma Epsilon Station

  Security Visitation Room 3

  The two Jaradan monks were sitting in chairs in the security visitation room. They were chained, and they were both staring straight ahead.

  “They almost look proud of what they did,” John snarled. “Two good security officers dead.”

  “Let me do this, Admiral,” Masha growled. “Dalton was one of my brightest security officers.”

  “Go ahead, Lieutenant,” John said.

  “Thank you.” Masha smiled as she walked over to the two monks. “I want some answers.”

  “We’ll tell you very little,” one of the monks said.

  “What poison did you use on those knives?” Masha asked. “It didn’t register on the stations medscanners.”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” the same monk said.

  “What was that symbol you two burned on the foreheads of the security officers?”

  “All I will tell you is this, Lieutenant,” the other monk said. “It has begun.”

  Both monks bit down on something at the same time, and their eyes glazed over. Masha reached over and felt for a pulse.

  “They’re dead. I would say they’ve poisoned themselves,” Masha announced.

  “What has begun?” Erin wondered aloud.

  Chapter 54.

  2.12.2136

  0843

  SLS Creighton

  The Gym

  “ALL right, guys,” Mario said. “We need to make sure you all know how to use this equipment before we reach the insertion point.”

  “I hate to ask this,” a young ensign said. “But aren’t we bringing too much stuff?”

  “No such thing, Ensign,” Jack smiled. “Tell you what. What would you do if you ran out of charges for your plasma rifle and you had a bunch of Brentax officers still coming at you?”

  “I’m not sure, sir,” the ensign admitted. There was a decidedly sheepish look on the young man’s face.

  “That’s why I bring the extra
equipment along, Ensign,” Mario said. “Now everyone will be fitted with the same stuff, so let’s go over what you’ll get.”

  Mario started pulling equipment out of the rucksacks and laying them out in piles of identical items. As he pointed to the different piles, Jack explained what they would be using.

  “First, we have the regular plasma rifles you’ll be assigned. Each person will receive two refill charges for their rifle. You’ll also receive two rechargeable shock grenades. These shock grenades can be used up to three times each before their charges are expended. In addition, each person will receive a regulation sword and three throwing daggers. We’ll also be assigning regulation shock troop outfits for the mission fitted with adamantine linings. Our battle helmets have been refitted with IR and UV scanners. Each person will also receive a mini-computer that will be preprogrammed with as much information about Brentacchia and the Brentacchia Prison complex as we have.”

  “Over the next seven hours, we will go over how to use each piece of the equipment,” Mario said. “By the time we reach Brentax III, you will all be well acquainted with all of the equipment, and will be able to more than competently use it.”

  2.12.2136

  0902

  SLS Creighton

  The Bridge

  “Captain,” the helm officer said. “We’ve reached the Brentax jump gate.”

  “Initiate jump to normal space,” Tom ordered.

  “Jumping to normal space now,” the helm officer said.

  “Soon as we’re clear of the jump gate, I want best speed to Brentax III,” Tom said.

  “Yes, sir,” the helm officer said.

  “Shall I put up the cloaking screens?” the person replacing Jack at the tactical station asked.

  “No,” Tom shook his head. “Transfer all power from the cloaking systems to the engines. I want all available power to boost the output of the engines.”