by GARY DARBY
“Last option, we head for that Star Scout distress call site that the Queen picked up on her sensors just before we lost contact with her. However, since we don’t know where it landed, we could spend a lot of time looking for the ship.”
“True,” Dason said, “but we have a general idea of where the signal originated. The Queen gave us a point planetary north and thirty kilometers distant.”
He turned and using one hand, motioned toward the far hills. “If I’m oriented right, it would be in that direction.”
“Right on both counts,” Bianca replied. “The problem is, we don’t know their situation. It’s possible the ship has working communication gear, or the ship might be destroyed, and there are no survivors. They may have sent that distress call just before they cracked up.”
Pausing as if collecting her thoughts, she then went on, “In whatever we do, we cannot lose sight of the fact that we have scouts from our team in trouble, and they must also be a consideration in our plans and actions. It is not my intention to leave anyone behind from my command if at all possible.”
She then said, “I want to hear your opinions, your ideas, particularly if you think there’s a better way than what I’ve outlined. Now is not the time to be shy, I want to hear whatever you have on your mind.”
The five looked at each other, waiting for someone to speak first.
Sami spoke up. “Cap’n, ma’am, you’ve done real good to this point, and I think heading for the scouters is the only play we have, so you have my vote on that. And since you’ll need a good Path Finder—I’m your guy.”
Bianca gave Sami a thin smile in reply. “I didn’t realize I needed your vote, Sami, but thanks anyway.”
“Wait,” Sami began, “That’s not what I—”
Bianca held up a hand to stop him. “I understand, Sami.” She waited expectantly for one of the others to speak.
Dason cleared his throat. “If these were ordinary circumstances, I wouldn’t advocate for the splitting of our forces, but given our situation, perhaps we should consider dividing into two teams.
“One team goes for our scouters, the other heads for the downed Star Scout ship. If it was a platoon transport, it might have working comms and other Star Scout teams.”
He glanced down before saying, “Of course, I’m basing that on the assumption that they were able to set down in one piece.”
Bianca nodded at Dason. “You’re thinking double our chances of at least one team finding a working ship.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dason answered. “Or, if that ship did have Star Scouts, we join up with them until help arrives.”
“It would also increase our chances against the Jakuta,” Shanon offered convincingly. “A two-person team, moving fast and quietly should be able to avoid them and start a search pattern for that other ship pretty quick.”
She hitched at her vest while she continued, “Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky, and they have a working n-space transmitter.”
Bianca eyed Dason and Shanon before saying, “Yes, but even a small search area on an unknown planet is going to take time; easy in concept, difficult in execution. And whoever does the search would have to be on the alert for the big aliens.”
Nase spoke up to say, “And that’s assuming that the Jakuta haven’t found the downed ship.”
“Yes,” Bianca returned. “There is that to factor in, too.”
She took a breath and went on, “As far as a working n-space transmitter, the Queen only picked up a short-wave signal, not an n-space transmission. That could suggest the ship’s off-world communication system is down.”
Rubbing a hand on the back of her neck, as if to massage tense neck muscles, she mused aloud, “I had discounted the thought of trying for that site because of those very reasons—and others.”
She looked over at TJ. “TJ?”
TJ slid her foot over the ground several times, making a little pile of dirt, before saying, “I like the idea of a second team. We don’t have the force to take on the heavies with what we have—splitting up makes sense.”
“You know, you’re absolutely right,” Sami remarked. “That’s what we should do. Split up, head for the other ship. When do I start and who’s going with me?”
Bianca eyed Sami. “Sami, a minute ago, you said going for our scouters was the only way, and now—” she was cut off in midsentence by a voice coming over the comms, “— hear me?”
Bianca looked at the other scouts. “Did you hear that?” All nodded in quick response.
Bianca opened her communicator to answer, “Repeat last message. I say again, repeat last message.”
“—Stinneli—”
“Stinneli!” Bianca shot back. “Good to hear your voice. Where are you?”
“—comms—say—”
“Stinneli, you’re breaking up. I can’t understand you. What is your location?”
Several seconds went by before, “—valley—landing site—”
Bianca looked at the others in exasperation. “What did you catch?” she asked.
Dason replied, “I think he’s saying that he’s on the other side of the valley near our landing site.”
Bianca nodded and replied, “Stinneli, understand you’re near our landing site. Is that correct?”
“—roger—one k—”
“Okay, you’re one kilometer from the site. Are there others with you?”
Stinneli’s response was broken up but telling, “—hurt—help—”
Bianca shook her head in frustration. “Either’s he’s hurt or he’s got injured scouts from our team.”
She studied the ground as if weighing their options before saying, “Either way, we’re going to have to go after them.”
“Captain,” Sami began, “I’m all for that, but I think we need something a little more to go on than one kilometer from the landing site. That covers a lot of area, especially with hostile XTs still running around.”
“Agreed,” Bianca answered before saying over her comms, “Stinneli, we’re coming for you, but we’ll need some terrain recognition to guide us in.”
“Hill—ra—up—”
“Say again,” Bianca ordered, “All I caught was hill.”
“—up—ravine—”
“Got it, you’re at the hill’s base near our landing site and there’s a ravine leading up to you. Correct?”
“Rog—”
“We’ll leave as soon as we have enough daylight,” Bianca replied. “But it may be several hours before we reach you.”
The comms was silent in reply before they heard, “—xterres—”
Bianca sucked in her breath. “Are you saying that there are large extraterrestrials near your site?”
“—no—small—”
Bianca sighed and said to the group, “Whew, I thought he was saying he’s got Jakuta near him, but he’s asking about the smaller ones.”
She responded, “We have them, they’re safe.”
“—rog—”
“Keep concealed and tend to your patients, we’ll be on our way soon.”
Bianca ended the conversation and turned to the other scouts. “It would appear that our trail is defined for us, at least for now.”
She peered at the sky, which now had faint lime-colored light streaks. “Grab a quick bite and get ready to move out.”
As Dason and the others walked toward the cave, TJ grabbed Dason’s sleeve and pulled him close. “Something’s wrong!” she whispered in his ear.
“What?”
“That whole conversation with Stinneli. I don’t think it was him.”
Dason gazed at her with a doubtful expression. “You heard Bianca, she thinks it was, and she knows him better than we do.”
“I know, I know,” TJ replied. “I can’t explain it, but I’m pretty sure that wasn’t Doctor Stinneli.”
Dason searched her face; saw the concern and the conviction in her eyes. “Then,” he began, “you need to speak up and tell Bianca your suspicions.�
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“But if I’m wrong, she’ll think I’m an idiot.”
“And if you’re right and don’t speak up,” Dason rejoined, “then you’ll certainly be one.”
TJ’s cheeks dimpled while her mouth turned up in a half grimace. She gave Dason a quick nod and hurried over to give Bianca a light touch on the arm. “Ma’am, wait.”
Bianca turned at TJ’s tap. “What is it, TJ?”
TJ looked around at the others before saying, “I know that what I’m about to say may sound odd, but Doctor Stinneli didn’t sound, well, he didn’t sound normal.”
“Of course, he didn’t sound normal, scout,” Bianca returned. “Garbled comms and stress do that.”
“No,” TJ persisted. “It wasn’t stress or the comms, there was something else—something strange and peculiar about the way he talked. I worked with the doctor in the ship’s sick bay several times after you, uh, ‘captured’ us. I got to know his voice pretty well.”
TJ stopped as if to gather her thoughts before saying, “That’s not Doctor Stinneli. Someone is trying to trick us into thinking it is.”
Bianca stared at TJ with questioning eyes before she let out a breath and said, “Okay, if it’s not Stinneli, then who?”
TJ’s breath was short, sharp as she shifted her stance. “What if it’s the same thugs that bushwhacked us last night? We could be walking into a trap. And this time we might not have any tricks up our sleeve to save us.”
The scouts gave each other uneasy glances and several shuffled their feet.
“Ma’am,” Shanon spoke plaintively, “if TJ’s right, then there’s just a chance that we’ve got scout mates that are in the—”
“Hands of some vicious murderers,” Dason finished for her.
Chapter Eleven
Star Date: 2443.062
Unnamed planet in the Helix Nebula
“Don’t,” Bianca said sternly in response to Shanon and Dason’s throat-tightening statements, “start seeing goblins around every bush. I need for all of you to stay on an even keel. There’s a reasonable explanation for his voice sounding different.
“His comms are obviously on the blink which means he’s not going to sound the same. Plus, Doctor Stinneli does not have extensive starside experience.
“I’m sure these events have been very hard on him, in particular if he has injured patients that he can’t care for adequately. Stress, frustration, fear, that’s what you hear, nothing more.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Dason could see TJ bite down on her lip. Her scrunched-up nose and furrowed brow said that she was struggling hard not to snap out her own retort at the Star Scout captain.
He knew all too well that determined expression and the way she planted her boots in the soft earth. When TJ believed she was right, it would take a supernova blast to back her off her stance.
Besides, Dason had that uncomfortable nagging feeling that she just might be correct. If so, then they needed to slow down and think this through before taking action.
“Captain,” Dason began with a little hesitation, “you trusted me when I said there was something wrong even though things appeared normal.”
He gestured toward TJ. “Trust her. I do. What if she’s right? If she is, who knows what we might be walking into?”
TJ flashed Dason a grateful smile.
Bianca started to speak, but seeing TJ’s resolute expression, she paused. She glanced from one to the other before saying, “I’m listening. Spit it out, scout. What are you suggesting?”
As if to appeal her point, TJ spread her hands in front of her while saying, “I’m not sure. But, if that wasn’t Doctor Stinneli we heard, then someone is trying pretty hard to convince us it was. On the other hand, if that is him, then he’s hiding or covering something.”
“Or being forced,” Nase stated.
“That’s possible too,” TJ returned. “Whatever the scenario, this whole thing just doesn’t feel right.”
Bianca’s fingers drummed on her vest before she expelled a breath. “Feelings again. That’s pretty flimsy evidence to act on.” Her eyes held the five as she considered their comments.
She turned and asked, “Sami, what do you think?”
Sami looked startled before he replied, “Me? Think?”
He hooked a thumb towards the others. “They’re your thinkers. I’m the action guy. You know, bronzed body, rippling muscles—”
“Got it,” Bianca remarked. “Nase?”
“I think TJ’s right in advocating caution.”
“Shanon, your thoughts other than the ones you’ve already voiced?”
Shanon stood with her thumbs hooked into her torso vest, her eyes staring at the ground for the moment. She glanced over at Dason before saying, “It would seem that we’ve made some important decisions based on gut instincts of late, and they’ve turned out pretty good.”
Bianca’s fingers drummed a staccato beat on her vest before speaking. Dason didn’t know what she was thinking, but it was evident that she wasn’t as sure of herself as before.
“Okay,” she admitted, “we’ll assume that you’re on to something. Though, like you said, ‘What?’ is the question.”
She ran a hand through her short hair, her eyes going from one face to the other. She then nodded as if she had come to a decision within herself.
In a brisk tone, she declared, “We’ll use the same plan when Dason convinced me that we were closing in on the XTs.
“We won’t risk the whole team. I’ll take Nase and Shanon with me. We’ll cross the valley and find our teammates or whoever might be pretending to be scouts. We’ll deal with the situation as we find it.
“Afterward, if we’re able, we’ll do a sneak to our landing site. Maybe, just maybe, the scouters will be unguarded. If so, we’ll fly back here and pick the rest of you up.”
She looked upstream and gestured. “That large clearing we passed should suffice for a landing pad. If we can get a ship in the air that will be our touchdown site.”
Pointing at Dason, she stated, “You’re in charge here. One outside sentry, everyone else stays concealed in the cave.”
Speaking to the stay-behinds, she went on, “If the Kerebs wake up and decide to hike out of here on their own, let’em go. I know you would like nothing better than to get them to safety and then bring in an Alpha Prime team to establish communications.
“Me, too. However, under the circumstances, we have no right to force them to stay if they choose to leave. Same with Alena. Urge her to remain with us, but it’s her decision. If she stays, then she shares what we have and to whatever extent she’s capable of, trail duties.
She paused before continuing, “I know that’s hard to swallow, but right now our mission is to get back, alert Star Scout Command and get some real help—understood?”
“Roger,” all replied in unison.
Nodding in satisfaction, she directed, “Nase, Shanon, grab a bite, gear up and meet me back here in ten minutes.”
A short time later, the scouts gathered for last-minute instructions. Bianca motioned Dason aside and spoke to him in private.
“One last thing,” she said in a soft voice. “Remember that more battles have been lost because of command indecisiveness than by anything else. Don’t doubt yourself. Trust your instincts. Make the decisions as they come. But make them you must.”
She stared into his eyes. “Copy that?”
Dason nodded and swallowed. “Yes ma’am, copy that.”
“Good. As our former Scoutmaster would say, ‘You can neither truly lead nor truly follow until you have learned to do both well.’”
She squeezed Dason’s arm and then joined Nase and Shanon. “Nase,” she ordered, “take the point. Shanon, rear guard. Short intervals and snoopers on until full daylight.”
After adjusting her IR headpiece, she said in a quiet but commanding manner, “Scouts Out.”
Dason watched the three head down the incline. Just before they blended into the dark f
orest and were lost to sight, Shanon turned and gave Dason a smile and a wave. He waved back, wishing that the two had had a few moments alone beforehand.
He knew that Shanon and Nase were in good hands with Bianca, but still, this was the same desolate feeling he’d had when he thought Shanon was missing on The Queen Bee.
Shaking his head to clear such thoughts from his mind, Dason felt as if a giant hand pressed down on him as he grappled with the gravity of the situation.
Though his team was small, nevertheless, he was team leader; the burden was his, but he had broad shoulders, courtesy of a mother who had taught him early in life to accept responsibility and not to run from monsters in the closet.
Motioning to Sami and TJ who stood nearby, “You two get something to eat. I’ll take the first watch.” Sami nodded assent and slid into the cave, but TJ lingered behind.
She took Dason’s elbow and led him a short distance away from the cave. “I didn’t bring this up last night because we had other things to talk and think about, and not this morning because of what just happened, but you need to know something.”
Dason cocked his head in question. TJ took a deep breath before saying, “I don’t think Alena’s story is true.”
Raising his eyebrows at her statement, Dason gave a little grunt. “You’re on quite a roll here, TJ, first Doctor Stinneli and now Alena. So what’s raising your hackles about her?”
“For starters,” TJ was quick to say, “that cock and bull story about her ship. Nase told me that they got pretty close to the vessel before they were attacked. He said it resembled a scouter, a newer model, in fact.”
“Which is what she stated,” Dason pointed out.
“Yes,” TJ returned, “but Nase said that he thought he saw markings. He wasn’t sure, but he was pretty positive that they were Star Scout Command.
“What?!” Dason sputtered. “How sure of this was Nase?”
She screwed her mouth to one side. “Not entirely. They only had a few moments before the blasting started, but Nase said that they were newer markings, too. Fresh as if they hadn’t taken any beating from long flight hours.”
“When did he tell you all this?”
“During our run from the Jakuta,” TJ replied. “He wanted to know if we had found the ship and if his suspicions were correct.”
