"We live for today, Tabbs," I said. "This moment, standing on this cliff, looking over these trees is more than I could have hoped for last night. The Piscivoru brought hope to us, just as we brought it to them."
"Won't the Kroerak just land their troops on the other side of the planet and come at us from beneath the weapon's reach?" she asked.
"Not today they won't," I said. "But you're right, we need to deal with that. I don't like the Piscivoru’s chances in a ground assault."
"Next time the Kroerak will bring heavier equipment with better range," she said. "We've seen it before. The Piscivoru will be in the open. The Kroerak were taken off guard this time and it won't happen again."
"And who better to show the Piscivoru what the Kroerak are capable of?" I asked. "They're an intelligent people who can feel their freedom. Ferisk is already organizing a force to re-take the bunker."
"I didn't know we lost the bunker," Tabby said.
"Might not have," I said. "Jaelisk and Ferisk brought everyone to the base last night. They didn't leave anyone behind. I'd be surprised if we don't run into Kroerak patrols."
"I'll grab my staff," Tabby said, her face turning grim as the prospect of combat once again crossed her mind.
"I've a better idea," I said, hovering off the edge of the cliff.
"What are you doing, Hoffen?" she asked.
"Jonathan, we're headed north. Let Ferisk know we'll meet him at the bunker," I said.
"Yes, Captain," Jonathan answered.
I leaned over and jetted north at the maximum speed my grav-suit would allow. I had some concern that a well-placed Kroerak lance thrower would be able to knock us down, but I didn't think it likely they'd have one set up so far from the action.
"Hoffen?" Tabby pushed. "What are you up to?"
"You'll see," I answered.
As we flew, we passed over a few knots of warriors. As soon as they saw us, they gave chase for a few minutes. As our airspeed was significantly greater than their groundspeed, we easily outpaced them and they soon fell from sight. I took care to mark the locations, even though I didn't believe we'd have the resources to track them down anytime soon.
"Oooh." Understanding dawned on Tabby as the territory became familiar to her.
"Right on," I said and set down next to Sendrei's abandoned Popeye. Having been carried, the suit had more than enough fuel to reach Dskirnss and participate in the recovery of the bunker.
"You should take it," Tabby said.
"Nope," I answered. "I have the crystal that'll get Gaylon Brighton's turret up and running. I just need an angry girlfriend to protect my backside when I try to arm it."
"Angry fiancée," she corrected and climbed into the suit, allowing it to adjust to her form.
The jog back to Dskirnss wasn't particularly fast and we ran into a single patrol that Tabby dispatched, almost without breaking stride. Entering the city, we found a few more groups of warriors, but they were disorganized and disoriented. I almost felt bad as Tabby hunted them down with scary efficiency.
At the bunker, we were too late for the action by only a few minutes. Several score of Kroerak had been trying to break into the bunker when Ferisk’s group surprised them. The conflict had ended as quickly as it had started and there were no more Kroerak in sight. Even so, I wasn't about to leave the building unprotected again and with Engirisk's help, I mounted the Iskstar crystal I'd been carrying into the turret.
"What will the Kroerak bring at us next?" Engirisk asked as I instructed him on the operation of the turret. Initially, I'd been surprised and a little skeptical at how quickly the Piscivoru picked up our technology. This time, however, I was certain Engirisk understood, especially after he began training others with my exact instructions.
"The city weapon provides a space shield, which basically means the Kroerak can't drop stuff on us." I answered Engirisk’s question once he had a crew set up to monitor the turret controls. "If I were them, I'd land material and fighters outside your range and march in. It'll take them time, but they'll be able to bring in a larger force that way."
"Our ancestors have great weapons hidden in caches nearby," Engirisk said. "We will equip these weapons using the instructions left behind and we will modify them with Iskstar. I do not wish to promise beyond reason, but I believe it is within our capacity to offer safety for our city. It is a gift we could not have realized without your arrival. The Piscivoru owe you a great debt. You should tell your people to turn back, that it is not safe for them to travel here."
"Thank you, Engirisk," I said. "But as long as Kroerak control space, you will not be safe. Can't you see that it's little better than living under the mountain? We're not much better than a stalemate. The Kroerak will wait forever for the Piscivoru to stumble and then they will jump on you."
"It is not that we don't feel the truth of your statements," Ferisk said, joining the conversation. "But what would you have us do? Piscivoru have one thing in common with Kroerak — we know well how to bide our time. Unlike the warrior bugs, we will grow in power. Eventually, we will find a way to remove these bugs from the skies overhead."
"How can we help?" I asked. While Ferisk spoke, I realized there was little any of us on Picis could do beyond fight for that stalemate.
"Prepare for the next battle," Ferisk said.
"Fair enough," I said.
On the small vid-screen in her quarters, Marny inspected the pair of ships that had been dipping in and out of sensor range for the last four jumps. The Strix-flagged sloops were too small to concern her directly, but they served as a constant reminder that it wasn’t just the Kroerak that wanted this mission to fail. What she couldn't quite piece together was whether the Strix were opportunists, taking advantage of the Kroerak situation, or if the two were allies.
A hail at her door diverted Marny’s attention and she set Peter in his crib.
"I have him, Marny," Flaer said, smiling from where she sat in a comfortable chair, her eyes resting on an electronic pad.
Marny knew Flaer was reading the letter Sendrei had cleverly encoded into the background noise of their last communication with the crew on Picis.
"Ma'am," a nervous crew stammered.
"What is it, Bonton?" Marny asked.
"Seaman Bear sends his compliments to the Captain and wishes to inform you that dinner is ready in the wardroom," Bonton answered.
"Very well. Tell Mr. Bear I'll be right along," Marny answered. She smiled as she allowed the door to close in front of her.
Nick stood from the desk where he’d been working. "Dinner?"
"Duty calls," Marny answered, straightening her vac-suit.
"Did you read the latest from Abasi Prime?" Nick asked as they walked down the passageway together.
"I did," she responded. "We'll inform the crew after we tell the command team."
The smell of baking bread filtered down the hallway as they approached the wardroom. Marny could make out Ada's higher-pitched laugh and Martinez's gruff voice, even though she couldn't quite hear what they were saying. The team, as many do under high pressure situations, had grown together and enjoyed each other's company. Even the young and brilliant Roby Bishop had found his place with the group.
"Captain on the deck!" Martinez was the first to notice Marny's entrance.
"As you were," Marny answered, smiling as she entered.
"Any word from home?" Roby asked.
Communication with Petersburg station had been sparse and news of Roby's home town of York even less so.
"How about Picis?" Ada asked.
"I have news and we'll get to it; all in good time," Marny answered. "Mr. Bear, would you please start service?"
"Of course, Captain." He motioned for a pair of crew to bring trays out. Each time they transitioned to a new system, Bear made a special effort to serve one extraordinary meal. With just a single jump remaining to Picis, Marny knew this would be their last get-together until the upcoming conflict was resolved.
"Please sit," Marny said as she took her place at the head of the table. Plucking a carafe of wine from the table, she filled her glass to the top. While she knew the nanobots in her system would remove the alcohol before she delivered it to Little Pete, she rarely imbibed while nursing. Tonight, however, was different.
"You feeling okay, Marny?" Ada asked, quick to pick up on the fact that she'd poured a large amount of wine. "Is everything okay with Liam?"
"Good news first," Marny said, looking around the table. "Earlier this afternoon, I spoke with our crew on Picis. The Kroerak ground forces that landed outside Dskirnss's shield were defeated soundly. Our people are doing very well, if not a little anxious for our arrival."
"Did the Piscivoru make any progress in bringing up the other cities' defensive weapons?" Martinez asked.
"Progress, yes. Completion, no," Marny answered. "So far, however, the Kroerak seem to be unaware of their activities."
"How is that possible?" Roby asked. "The one thing Kroerak are good at, aside from global annihilation, is pinpointing their enemies."
"It is believed that Kroerak, even the drone warriors, are innately capable of tracking electromagnetic radiation associated with communication devices," Marny answered. "The Piscivoru sent their teams out in a complete communication blackout. They apparently have gone so far as to remove all devices capable of transmitting radio signals."
"Whoa, that's old school," Martinez said. "Can you imagine being blacked out for that long?"
"Yeah, it'd be like sailing aboard Hornblower," Roby quipped with a bit of an edge to his voice.
"You said good news first," Ada said. "What's the bad?"
"Mshindi informed us that the Kroerak fleets have arrived in Mhina and Santaloo," she said. "It's widely believed the Kroerak are unaware that Abasi has been forewarned of their presence in Mhina. Mshindi and the other Abasi will attempt to use this to their advantage."
"What about Zuri?" Roby asked. "Surely by now we know if the Kroerak are headed that way. It's a different path than going directly to the blockade at the Mhina wormhole."
"The news isn't good, Roby," Marny said. "The Kroerak fleet in Santaloo is headed directly to Zuri."
"There's no strategic value," Roby complained. His entire body slumped in on itself. "What could they possibly expect to gain from this?"
"We believe it's a feint," Marny answered. "The fleet is smaller than what is in Mhina. We believe it is meant to pull the defenders away from the blockade so the main Kroerak fleet is able to transition from Mhina system and attack the Abasi from behind."
"But if the Abasi fleet doesn't meet them at Zuri, the Kroerak could take the planet," Roby said. "There'd be nothing to stop them."
"That's true, Roby," Marny said. "An evacuation of Zuri has been ordered by the Abasi. Personnel carriers have been lifting people who are willing to leave."
"Dad'll never leave," Roby said. "Neither will Hog. If they don’t go, no one else will leave. It's not fair! They can't possibly evacuate an entire planet."
"That's enough, son," Martinez placed a hand onto Roby's arm. "Your father is a smart man by all accounts. Give him that much credit."
"Nothing is going to be fair, Roby," Marny said, giving him a hard look. "The Kroerak intend to end the lives of everyone you know — Felio, Human, Golenti, Pogona, and even Strix."
"Are you sure about the Strix and the Pogona?" Walser asked. "Seems to me the Kroerak could have visited the Pogona before making their way to Abasi territory."
"I'm sure," Marny answered. "Kroerak want only one thing: to live without bounds. Do you really believe they'll honor any agreement made with Strix or Pogona?"
"It doesn't make sense then," Roby argued. "Why would any sentient species make a deal with the Kroerak if they're just going to get double crossed in the end?"
"Can you think of no reason?" Martinez asked.
"Raul is right, Roby." Marny stepped in, seeing confusion in the bright young man's face. "Pogona aren't strong enough to stand up to the Kroerak. But if the Kroerak strike them first, there is danger that Confederation of Planets would come to their aid. I can't say what motivates Strix, but our interactions with them have shown their desire for power to be all encompassing. By making deals with these two species, the Kroerak has caused division within the Confederation and isolated the Abasi. By the time the Confederation realizes the Kroerak threat is real, the Abasi could be wiped out."
"There's more than just Abasi at the blockade," Roby said. "There are Musi and Chelonii and even Araneae."
"None of this information changes our mission," Nick said, firmly. The people at the table turned toward Nick, as it was unusual for him to step into the arguments that often broke out. "We cannot tell your father where to go, Roby. We cannot tell the Abasi how to fight the Kroerak. As far as I can tell, none of that matters if we are unsuccessful. To borrow a phrase from the captain, we need to get focused and stay in the moment. Any energy spent not thinking about retrieving that Iskstar weapon is wasted. A whole lot of people are relying on our success. I'll personally call it a victory if I can stand in front of one of those damn Strix again and have them call me names while they fantasize about pulling stringy entrails from my body."
Marny looked over to the ashen face of Jayden Bear, who stared in horror at Nick's rant while holding a platter high in the air. "Mr. Bear? Are you okay? Go ahead and set the food on the table, we'll be getting to it momentarily."
"It smells delicious," Martinez said, slapping his hands and rubbing them together vigorously. "What is it?"
As Bear removed the reflective silver top from the platter in a flourish of released steam, the mood at the table changed abruptly. It started with Ada, who covered her mouth and looked away, unsuccessfully trying to cover an uncontrollable laugh.
"Oh, chico, you should see your face," Martinez joined in, laughing at Roby. "It is priceless."
"What?" Nick asked, completely confused. "I don't get it."
Roby shook his head, smiling, but not quite ready to give in to the laughter. "Spaghetti, Nick. Mr. Bear is serving spaghetti."
"And it looks delicious," Nick said. "Really, I just don't get it."
"I believe it was your reference to 'stringy entrails' just as Mr. Bear was about to present the noodles," Hawthorn clarified.
"They're not even the same thing," Nick defended unsuccessfully, which only served to send Ada further into a fit of giggles.
"I think you've lost the table, little man," Marny said. "You might stop while you're ahead."
Later, while lying in her bunk, Marny stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She smiled as she thought about her new husband's inability to see the humor of the situation at dinner. Ordinarily, it wouldn't have been quite as funny, but stress amplified emotion. It was certainly stress that kept her from sleep as they approached the final wormhole into the Picis system where her crew was currently pinned down.
"You can't sleep either?" Nick asked. "I could get you a doze-patch."
"Never can before combat," Marny said. "No patch. I swear it makes me feel off the next day."
"Are you sure we shouldn’t have told the crew about how big the fleet is that we're up against?" Nick asked.
"A hundred ships? Our sensors will tell the truth when we transition in the morning," Marny said. "I guess I wanted them to get one more decent night's sleep."
"Think that'll do it?" Nick asked.
"Not likely."
Chapter 17
Honor in Sacrifice
"Captain, I have sensor lock on those ships shadowing us," Walser said.
"On holo," Marny answered.
They'd closed to within ten thousand kilometers of the wormhole that would take them into the Picis system.
Two frigates appeared at the edge of Hornblower's sensor range, racing toward them, but still nearly two hundred thousand kilometers away. There was no possibility of an intercept and Marny could only come up with one reason for their presence.
"Bold S
econd, would you have me break away and chase these sand-fleas off?" Jamani, Perasti Fifth, asked over the open channel between Hornblower and Runs Before Wind.
"Negative, Jamani," Marny answered. "Those ships are just observers. We can't afford to separate."
"Bold Second speaks with wisdom," Moyo, Perasti Tertiary, agreed.
Marny, Moyo, and Jamani had spent the morning discussing tactics with Liam and Jonathan using the quantum communication crystals. According to Jonathan, the in-system Kroerak fleet was primarily focused on Picis and continued to press a ground assault. Marny heard the pure exhaustion in the voices of her friends. The reported number of defeated Kroerak was surprising and if not for Jonathan's analytical nature, she'd have had difficulty believing that over a hundred thousand Kroerak warriors had been violently repelled. The casualties for the Piscivoru had been minor in comparison, with only a hundred dead, but still, the exchange was numerically to the Kroerak's benefit.
"Captain, we are ready for transition," Walser broke the tense silence that had once again filled the bridge. One plan they'd come up with was to have the frigate, Runs Before Wind, transition to Picis and take a peek before the two larger cruisers followed. While tactically sound, Marny dismissed the plan as she could see few scenarios where they would not attempt transition.
"Coordinate with fleet and transition at will," Marny said, thinking it would be a good moment to make an announcement to the ship. The fact was, she was also worn down. Command of an entire fleet was something she'd never aspired to and the burden rested heavily on her.
"Aye, aye, Captain," Walser answered.
The now very familiar sensation of wormhole transition did little to settle her stomach. Marny peered intently at the holo projection field as she awaited sensor resolution. The strongest sensors would focus on near space first, filling in the details within ten thousand kilometers. Other, longer-range sensors would create a sketch of the distant objects.
"We're clear," Ada exclaimed, unable to hold back her jubilation at having blindly arrived in-system with no immediate threats.
Fury of the Bold Page 19
