Triumph's Ashes (The Cassidy Chronicles Volume 5)

by Adam Gaffen

  Concern?

  I have stopped receiving any transmissions from Njord, Diana, or Hecate.

  Kendra’s heart stopped and restarted with a lurch.

  The girls!

  “Cass!”

  Her wife’s head appeared, a quizzical look on her face.

  “We need to go. Now!”

  “JILL, HOW ARE YOU DOING?”

  McKnight wiped her forehead. “Vision’s coming back, mostly. Still a little blurry.”

  They’d found only one more person alive in CCIC besides Colona, who had a broken leg and probably some internal injuries. Marc Reeve had survived too, but was unconscious. The rest of the staff wasn’t as fortunate. Everyone was accounted for, so they were taking a breather.

  “Any luck with the comms?” Whitmore said to Colona. At her insistence they’d found a chair for her and cleared space by the semi-functional holotank console.

  “Not yet. I can get the AI to give me basic diagnostics and system status, but I don’t have the programming skills to get it to do anything creative.”

  The electronic lobotomy Diana had suffered was, if anything, more shocking than any of the other damages. The AI would only respond to her unit designation, not her name, and so they’d stopped trying. As McKnight’s vision had returned she’d been able to do more and more with the limited capabilities of the manual interface.

  “What do we know?”

  “Well, the Q-Net node is down; as are the shields and weapons. Most of the power systems are off-line as well, though Fusion 2 and 3 are both in standby mode and could be reactivated easily. We simply have no readings below Section 94.”

  “Nothing?” The habitat was divided into sections, each of which was twenty levels deep and made up a quarter of the circumference. There were a total of 160 sections. Section 94 was just about 60% of the way from the apex, so more than 40% of the habitat was utterly incommunicado.

  “Nothing,” agreed McKnight.

  “What about radio?”

  “All down. I think the impact, and the power loss, did for most of the systems, but I can’t be sure.”

  Whitmore!

  “Hold a sec,” Davie said. “Implant. Damn. Send a general message out, see who replies. Maybe their personal systems are still working, too!”

  Whitmore. Kendra?

  Thank Zeus! What’s the situation? I can’t raise Diana!

  “It’s Kendra!”

  I feel like an idiot; I forgot about the implants. We’re a mess, major systems failures all over.

  Ah, makes sense.

  Where are you?

  Cass and I are about three minutes out and closing fast. You’re surrounded by a motherlode of debris, and...

  Kendra’s ‘voice’ trailed off.

  What?

  Sweet Leda. It looks like half of Njord is gone.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Habitat Njord

  Stardate 12009.14

  Hecate!

  Oh, Kendra, it’s terrible, I don’t know what to do, there was a crash and then everything went offline and now I can’t even ask Diana and I’m so scared!

  It’s going to be okay, Kendra assured the frightened AI. For all her capability and knowledge, Hecate had the mental age of a young teenager and a naïve one at that. Can you open the bay doors?

  I don’t have power, just the emergency systems.

  I don’t need them open much. Just enough to slip my Direwolf in. Then we can start helping others.

  There was silence, rather prolonged, as the AI calculated.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Cass.

  “Power. Not enough.” Kendra nearly growled the words. “We’ve got to get aboard and find Mikki and Lisa.”

  “I know, I know,” Cass said. She was consumed by worry for their daughters too. “Tell her, wait, I’ll tell her.”

  Hecate.

  Commander Cassidy!

  Did the Pioneer survive?

  Yes, but...

  Good. Commence power-up on her antimatter reactor using her fusion plants for the initial charge, then route the power back into your systems through the construction umbilicals.

  I can do that!

  I know you can, Hecate. We’ll wait.

  To Kendra, she explained, “The Pioneer is nearly complete. Her fusion plants were installed weeks ago and have been running on low power. She’s going to use those to start the annie, then feed it back into Njord through the umbilicals. Takes about ten minutes.”

  Kendra increased their deceleration. “Smart wife.”

  “Genius. Did you say part of Njord is gone?”

  “Brie?”

  “My scans of Njord indicate the habitat is now in two sections. The first and largest, comprising the bay and roughly four kilometers of cylinder, is maintaining position at L5. The second section is approximately three kilometers long and presumably is the lower third of the habitat. This is drifting away from the habitat at 1.3 KPS but is not accelerating.”

  “Frak me running. No wonder Diana’s out of commission; her core is near the area where the worst damage is.”

  I’ve got the connection up! Five minutes.

  You did well, Hecate.

  Thanks, Commander!

  “Five minutes,” Cass said. Kendra fired up her engines and adjusted her course. “Where are we going?”

  “Checking out the drifting part, see if they still have power.”

  They maneuvered carefully through the drifting debris. The broken end came further and further into view and they could see the scope of the damage. The exterior was largely untouched, but the end which had once been joined to the rest of the habitat was a maze of mangled and twisted metal: girders, braces, bulkheads, compartments, all splayed in a rough hemisphere and trailing volatiles.

  “Hera wept. Brie?”

  “I’m getting mixed power readings, Kendra. There is a fusion reactor functional, but it’s at minimal output.”

  “Give me whatever you can for a Q-Net broadcast, Brie.”

  “Ready.”

  “This is Admiral Cassidy. We will be mounting a recovery effort as soon as possible. Stay calm and follow the instructions of your damage control personnel. You are not forgotten, you are not abandoned, and you are not alone. Take care of each other and we’ll all get through this.”

  “Message sent.”

  “What other assets do we have, Cass?”

  “Enterprise should return in a few hours, if all went well.”

  “Not something I’m going to count on.”

  “Endeavour’s intact and working on repairs. Can we use their Q-Net node to replace Diana’s?”

  “If it’s not damaged, but that gives me an idea. Brie, can you raise Hecate on radio yet?”

  “Just about, Kendra. The whole EM spectrum is still pretty hashed, but we’re close enough to burn through the junk.”

  “See what you can do.”

  A moment later, Brie said, “Connected. Go ahead.”

  “Hecate, this is Admiral Cassidy.”

  “Hi!” She sounded much more cheerful and Kendra hoped it meant conditions were improving. “The Pioneer’s annie plant is running and feeding power to the bay!”

  “Great!”

  “But I can’t open the bay doors yet, there’s too much junk floating around and I don’t think that should get inside, do you?”

  “One thing at a time, Hecate. Since you’ve gotten some power, do you think you can help restart some of the reactors on the habitat?”

  “Oh, sure, that’s easy now I know what to do, I’ll just have to coordinate with –”

  “Hecate.”

  “Admiral?”

  “Just do it. We’re taking it slow, and I’ll be back in touch when we’re ready for the door.”

  “Okay, Admiral.”

  For the next few minutes Kendra and Brie had to concentrate on the debris slalom, but it gave Cass time to think.

  “Still with me, hon?” Kendra finally asked.

  “Still with
you. I’ve been thinking about the Q-Net issues. What about a warp buoy? Pull a couple out of stores and deploy them?”

  “Brilliant. Have I mentioned you’re brilliant? Hecate, how many warp buoys do we have on hand?”

  Before the AI responded Cass continued. “Another thought.”

  “I’m not sure I can take it.”

  “Hecate has tractor beams to assist with landing. I know they can be reversed to be a pressor beam; wouldn’t those keep debris from entering the bay?”

  “I’m sure they would. Did you hear that, too, Hecate?”

  “I did Admiral, we have four buoys in stores and I can activate them for deployment any time, and deploying won’t be an issue, I won’t even have to put them outside the bay because the Q-Net signal will go right through the hull, basically I’ll just turn them on, and I can also reverse the polarity on the tractors to keep stuff out, I’ll do that first and then open the bay doors to start letting everyone come home, and we’re starting on the first fusion plant now.”

  ”Let me know when the doors open. Out.” Kendra turned to face Cass as best she could. “You know, you ought to be the Admiral and I’ll take over your job, you’re too brilliant to be stuck as a commander.”

  “No way,” Cass said, shaking her head vehemently. “I don’t look good in white.”

  The bickering continued as they tried desperately not to think about the difficulties they’d be facing as soon as they landed. They both knew well the reality they’d be facing. Nothing could suffer the damage that Njord had endured without substantial casualties, and each one of them would weigh on their souls. But the awareness of this forced them to treasure each moment of normalcy they snatched. As with all moments, though, it ended too soon.

  “Kendra, can you hear me?”

  “Davie, I’ve got you! Welcome back!”

  “Hecate activated a buoy, and the Q-Net’s back up.”

  Cass heard this and her face took on the look of a person in communion with her implant. Kendra didn’t notice and continued the conversation with Whitmore.

  “Good, glad she listened to Cass. Status?”

  “I’ve recalled the D2 to assist the other piece of the habitat. Captain Orloff may be able to capture it with her tractors, at least slow the drift.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that,” Kendra admitted.

  “As for us, we’re pretty beat up. But Hecate’s also helping restore primary power systems, and as those come back we’ll be able to get a better handle on things.”

  Kendra asked the question she’d been dreading.

  “Casualties?” she said quietly.

  “Lots,” responded Davie, equally quietly. “We’re still trapped in CCIC, but only four of us survived in here. The reports we’re getting, well, it’s not pretty.”

  She digested the information for a moment before replying. “We’re going to land shortly; where do you need us?”

  “Let me know when you’re down and we’ll talk then. Out.”

  Her attention returned to piloting until she noticed the quiet from behind her.

  “Cass?”

  No answer.

  “Sweetheart?”

  “They’re fine,” Cass sobbed out.

  “Who – the girls!”

  “They were scared when the habitat was hit, but they knew what to do, they were already in their skinsuits, Tony and Cleo in their module, and they spent most of the time trying to explain to the ‘cats what was going on.”

  With every word the tension in Kendra eased. She’d suspected their quarters would survive but it hadn’t stopped her praying to every deity she’d ever heard of for their daughters’ safety. With a start she realized she’d totally forgotten about the ‘cats who’d adopted the girls.

  “I’ll bet that was fun,” was her only comment.

  Cass laughed through her tears.

  “Once we land, you head home and reassure them and I’ll see what I can do to help Davie.”

  “And once they’re set I’ll see what I can do from quarters.”

  “Admiral, bay doors are open. Ready to receive.”

  “Thank you, Hecate. Coming in.”

  “Just follow the bouncing ball,” Hecate said, referring to the tracking signal which appeared in the pilot’s heads up display which indicated course changes within the bay.

  They passed through the massive bay doors, open wide in welcome, and into the bright interior. The passage from the broken exterior to the nearly pristine interior was a shock; it was as if the devastation they’d seen on the shattered habitat was another structure, entirely disconnected from this.

  Wordlessly Kendra finished the docking maneuver, and they debarked. Once safely out of vacuum they shared a hug, no less comforting for its brevity.

  “Changed my mind; I’ll walk with you to quarters before heading to CCIC.” Hand in hand they made their way down-station with little evidence of the traumatic destruction a few kilometers below their feet: the corridors had power, gravity was working, there were even signs some of the businesses located within the habitat were functioning.

  The hatch to their quarters slid aside and the effect of the attack was clear. Anything which hadn’t been secured had shifted, and even some of those had torn loose.

  “Mama! Mom!” Mikki noticed them first and launched herself at them, followed closely by Lisa. The ‘cats flowed behind them, while their cats watched from the far side of the compartment.

  For a long, long moment they simply held each other, a family reunited and no more. Tears wet their faces, mingling and blending, until they pulled away.

  “Mama, something’s wrong with Diana,” Lisa said when their circle had broken.

  Cass and Ken shared a look.

  “What do you mean, sweetie?” Kendra asked.

  “Orion can’t feel her, he says.”

  “Neither can Honey,” added Mikki. “Well, sort of. It’s more like she’s asleep and won’t wake up.”

  The ‘cats telepathy! Kendra realized. So Diana’s not gone, but she’s hurt and can’t fix herself!

  “That’s good news, girls, thank you. And thank you too, Honey, Orion.”

  The ‘cats cocked their heads.

  “Mom’s going to stay here, but she needs to work. Can you four stay out of trouble?”

  “Where are you going, Mama?” said Mikki.

  “I’m going to see what I can do to help, too. I’ll be back in a while.”

  “Okay. We’ll be good. Wish Diana was talking, though.” She ended with a pout.

  “She’s my first priority,” said Kendra, finding she meant it. A functioning AI might make the difference in stabilizing the habitat. “In fact...”

  “You thought of something; what?”

  Kendra was already nearly running for the hatch.

  “Mac!” is all she said before bursting into the corridor.

  Hecate.

  Admiral?

  Priority pre-flight on my ship. Speed run to Luna.

  Working.

  Whitmore.

  Kendra, where are you?

  Heading for Luna.

  What? Why? We need you here! Davie’s sense of betrayal could be felt through the emotionless words.

  Diana’s alive, the ‘cats say they can feel her ‘asleep’, so I’m going to bring Mac back up because if anyone can wake her it will be her and Harpo.

  She ran past confused personnel and residents as she went back and forth with Whitmore.

  Open words and kind fires, Kendra. We need both of you.

  From your lips...

  Kendra the final turn and entered the pilot’s ready room.

  “Helmet,” she muttered, finding it in her storage cubicle and slapping it onto her shoulders.

  Now, let’s hope Mac’s up to the flight back!

  “Brie, crash launch!”

  “Already positioned, Kendra, reactor at full power. Where are we going?”

  “Running to Luna.”

  “Again? Boss, I’m no
t a taxi!”

  Kendra had vaulted from the floor up into the cockpit. She tried not to demonstrate her enhanced abilities in public but dammit, if not now when?

  She’d barely slid into the seat when the canopy lowered; she was fastening the harness with one hand as she ran through the single most abbreviated starting checklist ever with the other and her ‘plant.

  “Hecate?”

  “Clear for launch,” the AI answered, but they were already barreling down the launch tube.

  It had to work.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Habitat Njord

  Stardate 12009.23

  The memorials were ongoing as the dead were recovered from the two sections of Njord, and the wakes bid fair to continue into the new year. Kendra had been forced to take the step of restricting memorials to a single hour each day and for them to be conducted jointly. Otherwise she would be doing nothing but attending the services. She insisted on being present to remember every person who fell on what the survivors were beginning to call ‘The Day of Betrayal.’

  Twelve thousand, four hundred and eighty-three. That was the final death toll in the blast which broke Njord’s spine. Of those, 10,972 were in the sections and levels vaporized and had no bodies to recover.

  They all hurt.

  Then there were the friends.

  Jim and Cassie, killed in quarters when the power conduit exploded.

  Dellin, killed by falling equipment.

  The CCIC crew: Spurgeon. Shreve. O’Toole. Munro. Pipher. Shaken and battered as the CCIC more or less came apart around them and crushed or buried.

  And Kyran, who had survived the explosion. Their death hit Kendra hardest.

  They had suited up and were working to rescue a family trapped in quarters when a section of hull gave way, venting the compartment and blowing them all out into space. The family had been suited; Kyran was, but their helmet was disengaged. When the compartment blew the helmet disappeared into the black, so though the father had grabbed Kyran’s hand as they flew past it hadn’t done any good. They died inches away from others yet as alone as anyone in history.

  And yet.

  Hecate had come of age on that day. Once Cass had given her the first bit of encouragement she’d been a whirlwind. She’d dispatched the bots she used for ship construction, repair, and maintenance, into the habitat. They’d spread throughout the entire structure, patching and repairing damage and speeding the restoration of services. She’d also commandeered three spare Direwolves and used them as drones to conduct a survey of the external damage.