Wouldn’t have done any good, said Nickelo. Jonathan and I can still communicate when we’re in the armory. Besides, you’re going to need me for some of the testing and prep work at the DNA Center.
Just my luck, Richard thought disgustedly.
Yes, you’re lucky to have me, smirked Nickelo. I’m glad you’re starting to appreciate me as deserves a battle computer of my stature.
Hangar 1 came into view and saved Richard from answering. Stella was a good five meters ahead. They weaved their way past several astonished mechanics as both Stella and Richard sought to beat the other. In the end though, it was no contest. Stella dashed through the open bay door of hangar 1 a full ten meters ahead.
Once Richard was inside, he joined Stella. The big Sterilian was bent over near a work bench heaving her breakfast into a waste can. One of the mechanics started to say something, but then he caught a whiff of Stella’s half-digested worm porridge. The mechanic put his hand over his mouth and backed up to find fresher air. Richard didn’t gag, but he backed up anyway.
Both Stella and Richard stood there a good thirty seconds drawing air into their oxygen-starved lungs. After sniffing the air, several of the mechanics decided it was a good time to take a break outside.
“Good run,” panted Stella. “Fast time.”
Richard nodded his head. They’d made very fast time.
“Whew-ee,” said a voice from the back of the hangar. “What’d you cadets bring into my hangar? A dead contorsaur? I haven’t smelled anything this bad since I was put on extra duty cleaning out sewer pipes in basic training. Now that was a stink I won’t ever forget.”
“Sorry, Sergeant Ron,” Richard said finally catching his breath. “We need a favor.”
“Another favor?” grinned Sergeant Ron. “I pulled your bacon out of the fire last night. Now, what do you want? Eggs and toast as well?”
Richard grinned back. He’d been around the sergeant long enough to know he wasn’t serious. But freshly chastised by his battle computer about giving thanks, Richard remembered his manners.
“We want to thank you for last night, Sergeant Ron. We were about at the end of our rope until Charlie and you showed up.”
“Think nothing of it,” said Sergeant Ron. “You’d have done the same for me. It’s just lucky we were on our way back to hangar 4 to de-arm the cat. You know it’s against regulations to keep an armed cat in a training environment except during live fire exercises.
Something about Sergeant Ron’s demeanor tickled Richard’s curiosity. The old sergeant seemed to be trying to tell him something without really telling him. Richard looked behind the maintenance officer. One of his mechanics was working on the armament system for a Warcat. Richard glanced to his right and left where other mechanics were working on the armaments of other cats as well. Richard heard Stella take in a sharp breath behind him.
“Ah…, Sergeant Ron,” Richard said slowly as he pointed to the cat behind the sergeant. “Aren’t those live plasma rifles on that Warcat?”
“Well to be honest, I wasn’t expecting any visitors today,” confided Sergeant Ron in a hushed tone. “And yeah. Those are live plasma rifles.” Pointing to the Warcat to Richard’s right, Sergeant Ron added, “And that’s a live phase cannon. I can’t get rockets or chain-gun ammo out of the airfield’s ammo dump without drawing suspicion. But the energy weapons stay in my armory. I control them.”
Richard mentally whistled. Installing live weapons on training equipment without authorization was a chargeable offense.
Maybe he has authorization, suggested Nickelo. I calculate only an eight percent chance he’d be foolish enough to install live weapons without authorization. That would be completely illogical.
Although Richard wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer, he couldn’t let the matter drop without asking. “Ah…, Sergeant Ron. Does the commandant know?”
“No,” Sergeant Ron unabashedly admitted.
On the other hand, said Nickelo, maybe he is that foolish. I always have trouble calculating illogical things.
“Oh,” was all Richard could think to say. What really confused him was Sergeant Ron wasn’t even trying to hide it from them.
“You know, I had mechanics in these hangars last night with enough cats to equip an armored battalion,” said Sergeant Ron. “But they couldn’t do squat to protect the airfield. That ain’t gonna happen again on my watch.”
“Er…, Sergeant Ron,” Richard said. “You know they’re going to need cats for the sophomores. You can’t issue the cadets cats with live weapons.”
Sergeant Ron gave Richard a wink. “What do you take me for, Rick? I wasn’t born yesterday. Of course I can’t. That’s why we’re only equipping ten percent of the cats with live energy weapons. The other ninety percent will stay equipped with their training armaments.”
“Oh,” Richard said. He saw numerous problems, but he hesitated to mention them. Not the least of them was that considering there were probably hundreds of tele-bots in the area, the central computer undoubtedly already knew about Sergeant Ron’s little mutiny. But Richard didn’t point out the flaws in the plan. Sergeant Ron had always been pretty friendly with him, but Richard didn’t want to push the envelope.
Well, Richard thought, at least I’m not involved. It’s between Sergeant Ron and the powers that be.
“Actually, I’m glad you cadets are here,” said Sergeant Ron. “I was going to look you up anyway, Rick.”
“You were, sergeant?” Richard said growing suspicious. He wasn’t sure he wanted to get involved in any of the maintenance chief’s schemes.
“Yep, I sure was,” said Sergeant Ron. “I keep the cat’s energy weapons in my armory, but I don’t have the isotopic keys. Those are kept in the headquarters’ armory. The weapons don’t do me any good without the isotopic keys.”
A chill went up Richard’s back. He had feeling he already knew where Sergeant Ron was going.
“And…?” Richard prodded.
“And…, I’d like you to get me twelve isotopic keys,” said Sergeant Ron. “I got the RJ25 hydraulic control system you left for me. I was impressed. Those systems are in short supply what with the war and all. Isotopic keys are a credit a dozen compared to an RJ25.”
“Sergeant Ron,” Richard said, “I don’t have access to that kind of stuff.”
“Sure you do,” grinned Sergeant Ron conspiratorially. His voice was still friendly, but Richard got the impression the maintenance chief was maneuvering him into a trap. “Sergeant Hendricks has told me all about that dimensional pack of yours. A handy little item to have, I would say. If what he tells me is true, all you have to do is summon me twelve isotopic keys. After you do, then we’ll see about getting whatever it is you came here for.”
“That’s blackmail, Sergeant Ron,” Richard protested.
“Naw,” grinned Sergeant Ron. “It’s just a little horse trading. After forty years working in maintenance, I’ve gotten pretty good at it.”
Richard looked for support from Stella. The big Sterilian turned her head upward and began studying the ceiling in the hangar.
Thanks for nothing, buddy, Richard thought.
Cautiously, Richard said, “Sergeant Ron, we need a ride to the spaceport. Our cohort is already at the DNA Center. You can’t expect me to do something against regulations just for a ride to the spaceport.”
Sergeant Ron made a show of pretending to consider Richard’s argument before answering. “Hmm. So you want me to break regulations by coming up with some way to get you on an unauthorized transport, but you don’t want to give me twelve little isotopic keys?”
Sergeant Ron snapped his fingers. “I don’t give that for regulations at the present. Things are happening that you’re probably not even aware of. In my opinion, the Empire’s not going to court martial you a week before graduation. Your cohort will be the last of the wizard scouts. The Empire needs you.”
Richard wasn’t convinced. He was too close to the prize to screw it u
p now.
You tell him, Rick, said Nickelo. Don’t let him confuse you.
“I can see you’re undecided,” said Sergeant Ron in a tone that was more serious than any Richard had heard him use before. “Let me put all my cards on the table.”
Richard nodded his head. “Go ahead, sergeant. I’m listening.”
Sergeant Ron seemed to hesitate, but only for a moment. “I was talking to Commander Stevens this morning. She said–”
“Commander Stevens is here?” Richard said. The commander had been in charge of the special operations team he’d been assigned to during his internship the previous year.
“Yeah,” said Sergeant Ron without seeming to take offense at being interrupted. “She’s in charge of the special operations battalion that got assigned to provide security for the airfield. Her troops are also guarding the spaceport and the Academy administration area.”
Sergeant Ron paused before adding, “It was her troops who died in the shuttle last night.”
“Oh,” Richard said. “I didn’t know.”
Richard had heard a battalion of special operations soldiers had been assigned to Velos to beef up security, but he hadn’t known Commander Stevens was in charge.
“Well, as I was saying,” said Sergeant Ron. “I was talking to her this morning. Her battalion is being pulled off of security duty, and they’re being shipped off planet. She said they are loading up on a starship tonight and heading back to the frontlines.”
“What?” Richard said. “They’re leaving after the airfield was attacked. That doesn’t make sense.”
“Tell me about it,” said Sergeant Ron. “It wasn’t Commander Stevens’ idea. The orders came straight from the Imperial High Council.”
“That’s crazy, Sergeant Ron,” Richard said. “Who’s going to provide security? The local security guards? They’re mostly disabled veterans.”
“Nope,” said Sergeant Ron, “not them. The Deloris Conglomerate will be handling all security on Velos starting tonight. Basically, we’ll have a bunch of civilians guarding us.”
Richard was speechless. Both the spaceport and the airfield had been attacked in the space of a month. Surely, even the Imperial High Council could see Velos needed more security, not less.
“Now you understand why I want some of our cats equipped with live weapons,” said Sergeant Ron. “Something big is going down, and I’m not going to sit around here doing nothing.”
Making up his mind, Richard said, “Okay, Sergeant Ron. I’ll try. But I can’t guarantee anything. Myers confiscated my dimensional pack and put it back in the armory.”
“Oh,” said Sergeant Ron as he realized his plan was going down in flames. “Too bad. Commander Stevens is sending her assault shuttles back to the spaceport this afternoon. I was thinking I might talk her into sending one back this morning with you two as cargo.”
Nick, Richard thought. Can I summon my dimensional pack out of the armory?
Under normal circumstances, you couldn’t, said Nickelo. But since Jonathan and I discovered that security flaw, it might work. However, maybe you should keep that little ability a secret.
The thought of secrecy had crossed Richard’s mind, but he figured he’d only be on Velos another week. In the big scheme of things, what would it really matter? At the same time, he didn’t want to advertise his ability to the world either. Plus, there were tele-bots to worry about.
Ah, actually, said Nickelo, Jonathan and I can take care of any tele-bots in the area. The only exception would be static tele-bots. They’re non-detectable. But I don’t think that applies in our case.
Perplexed, Richard asked, What’s a static tele-bot? I’ve never heard of it.
It’s a tele-bot that’s completely shut down except for a low-powered timer, Nickelo explained going into teacher-mode. They can be useful as marking devices for coordinated attacks. Since all energy except for the timer is in sleep mode, even sophisticated security scans can’t pick them up. Then when the time comes for the attack, they wake up and guide incoming missiles to their target. Of course, the bad side is someone has to place them on the target in the first place.
Richard doubted he had to worry about such tele-bots, especially if he went someplace less conspicuous than the main floor of the hangar.
“Sergeant Ron,” Richard said. “Do you think we could use your office for a minute?”
Richard noticed the maintenance chief get a gleam in his eyes as a sly smile spread across his face.
“Why, yes, cadet 832,” said Sergeant Ron. “I have a holo-phone in my office. We can call Commander Stevens while we’re in there.”
“Come on, Stella,” Richard said. “I think we’ve got a ride.”
Chapter 38 – Commander Stevens
_____________________________________
“Five minutes out,” came the words over the assault shuttle’s intercom.
“Roger that, sir,” Richard replied.
The tops of some hangars were barely discernible on the horizon, but the distance was closing fast. To Richard’s surprise, Commander Stevens had opted to fly the assault shuttle herself. Her battalion executive officer was flying copilot. Although the two officers had been senior staff officers for several years, Richard didn’t think their flying skills had deteriorated any since they’d rose in rank. Richard watched Commander Stevens’ hands moving deftly across the shuttle’s control panel as she took advantage of every little dip in the desert terrain for cover. The agile assault shuttle was maneuverable as well as fast, and the commander took every advantage of the shuttle’s capabilities.
“We really appreciate the ride, sir,” Richard said. “Our cohort is getting tested today at the DNA Center. We didn’t want to miss it since we’ll be getting our DNA baselines at the end of the week.”
“Well, I hope it works out for you, wizard scout,” Commander Stevens said in a different tone than her usual gruff voice.
Richard didn’t like the commander’s tone or her words. “What do you mean, sir?”
If the commander knew something, Richard definitely wanted to hear more.
“Well, it’s not like it’s a secret,” said Commander Stevens. “The Deloris Conglomerate is not only taking over security tonight. They’re taking control of the DNA Center and all the teleporters tomorrow morning. The word is some members of the Imperial High Council believe DNA baselines are wasted on wizard scouts. I think they believe the DNA baseline’s longevity benefits should be saved for important scientists and politicians.”
“But, sir,” Richard said. “Only someone with a Power reserve can benefit from a DNA baseline.”
“Lots of people have access to Power reserves, wizard scout,” said Commander Stevens. “Normally, they’re too small to be useful. However, they’d have enough Power to take advantage of a DNA baseline.”
“The DNA baselines have been reserved for wizard scouts for the past eight hundred years,” Richard said. “I can’t see how a few council members can change that without approval of the entire Imperial High Council.”
“Well,” said Commander Stevens, “that’s beyond my paygrade to worry about. The end result is Councilwoman Deloris and the commandant was going at it tooth and nail last I heard. The commandant’s adamant your cohort at least will get your DNA baselines. Councilwoman Deloris thinks otherwise. I’m betting the council members pushing to take control of the DNA Center are first in line for getting a DNA baseline themselves.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” Richard protested.
“Probably not if you’re a wizard scout,” said Commander Stevens. “However, the vent at the DNA Center makes only so much DNA modifier gas each year. I think some powerful people would like it reserved for them. I’m concerned the commandant may lose his say in the matter when the Deloris Conglomerate takes the place over. All regular military are being shipped off Velos tonight, myself included. The commandant won’t have any muscle backing him up.”
Richard didn’t say anything fu
rther. He just mulled over the little information he’d been given.
Don’t worry about something that may not even happen, Rick, said Nickelo. Just wait and see. That’s all you can do.
Richard had returned his dimensional pack to the airfield’s armory after he’d summoned the isotopic keys for Sergeant Ron. He still wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing. At least Commander Stevens had jumped at the chance to fly Stella and him to the spaceport. Richard had a feeling she thought of it as a minor act of rebellion against the Deloris Conglomerate.
Richard adjusted his battle helmet on his head. Battle helmets were needed for the day’s DNA testing but not battle suits. As a result, Stella and he were wearing normal jumpsuits.
“One minute out,” said Commander Stevens. “Since you aren’t in battle suits, we’ll touchdown. But don’t dawdle getting out. Some of my crews are already at the spaceport, and I don’t want you making me look bad.”
“Sir! No, sir,” Richard and Stella said at the same time.
Commander Stevens brought the assault shuttle in at a speed Richard thought was much too fast. But, the commander flared at the last second and made a soft-as-silk landing not forty meters from the door of the DNA Center. The entire trip from hangar 1 to the DNA Center had only taken twenty minutes.
Actually, it took nineteen minutes, said Nickelo.
Whatever, Richard said as he hurriedly jumped out the door of the assault shuttle.
Both Stella and he turned around and gave the commander a salute. The commander saluted back. She then lifted the assault shuttle off the ground and headed off at a high speed for one of the military staging points on the far side of the spaceport.
Richard looked at Stella. “Well, let’s see if we can catch up with the cohort. I’m betting Myers will be surprised.”
Wizard Scout (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 3) Page 39
