It began in the conference room at the front of the bridge with Laura delivering her summary of her understanding of the Triton as a developer of new technologies. All eyes and ears were trained keenly on the relative newcomer in the golden light coming through the transparent hull as she began. “ The Triton was designed and built to be a hard target on her own and with a squadron of fighters on patrol whenever she's running at sunlight speed it would take a large strike force to get through to her. I don't know what the Sol Defence Forces were afraid of, but judging from the redundant systems, extra armour and heavy weaponry built into every fighter or gunship design made to run off of her and the ship herself, they were definitely afraid of something.” Laura said before sitting down near one end of the bridge meeting room table. The view along the left hand wall was of the stellar nursery, the angle they viewed it on that day brought out shades of yellow and blue. All the senior officers except for Ashley were present.
“What could tha' be?” asked Frost. “This ship's harder than the Aboris moons.”
“Well, imagine being sent out on mission for half a century. You don't know if you'll see home during that time, and you know for a fact that you'll be hundreds, thousands of light years away from anyone who can help you if you run into trouble. If you run into a combat situation there's no back up. Few human organizations would actually spend the time or go to the trouble to capture or destroy this ship, so I'm thinking they were preparing to meet up with another race entirely. What's more, there are a lot of rooms made for diplomacy, they made sure that they had both options covered; peace and war. This ship is made to be Earth away from Earth, politically if this were still a Sol System owned ship this would count as one of their territories. ”
“This ship counts as a territory? How does that make sense?” Asked Cynthia.
“In the same sense that an island or a space station equipped with an embassy makes sense. The only difference is that this one can move. The other reasons why I'd say this ship is built around a model of fear is it's hardness to natural forces like meteor strikes, intense radiation and gravitational forces. The architects of this vessel wanted to allay everyone's jitters where living in space was concerned, so single people felt comfortable in her berths and families could feel at home and safe in the larger quarters,” Laura brought up a holographic schematic above the table and went on. “The hull was laid down in four sections as far as I can tell, and using highly refined materials they built the civilian habitation center first, designating it the Botanical Gallery. They should have called it the park, considering its size. The area around it came after and it includes two of the generators, three berths and critical systems, then there's another layer over top that extending to the inner command deck where the officers quarters are located. The thickest, most energy and matter resistant metal surrounds that layer. That same layer extends around the Botanical Gallery and two of the main reactors.”
“Then there's the gunnery deck and hangars?” Frost finished for her.
“That's right, but even they are surrounded by a two meter thick inner hull.”
“Figures we'd be set up in the most dangerous place. My shooters sit right between those double hulls.”
“I wouldn't go that far. In the thinnest points of the outer hull there are five meters of solid material that is specially formulated to get more resistant as more energy and pressure are applied to it. Previous estimates on thickness were based on what we were seeing from the inside, but since the exterior survey was completed I was able to finalize the analysis. Over top the outer hull there are three different types of shield emitters made to work separately or in concert. Wheeler only used one since the others require more training. Conventional shielding, using combined particle and energy emitters were his choice because they're easy to understand, the parts never need to be deployed and they defend against most weapons equally. This ship is equipped with an antigravity shield as well as another hardened energy field I'm still studying. Together they take up a lot of power, but are partially self sustaining since the energy is made to interact and they'll be incredibly difficult to penetrate. I'll also be calibrating over twenty layers of refractive shielding, so we can prevent all light based weapons from hitting us. Most of these systems are made to somehow absorb energy from the outside when they're calibrated and deployed properly, but considering the risks of bringing those functions into play, of creating a feedback across all the emitters, I'm taking it slow. I want to use the shields properly but it'll take time to fully understand them. It would be faster if I had more experience with this kind of shielding but Freeground just started implementing energy shielding less than a decade ago.”
“That all goes down as soon as someone gets an EMP weapon through, right?” Asked Alice.
“No, in fact the hardened energy shield would continue to operate along with all the other critical systems, Liam can go into why in a minute, but my point in all of this is that the Triton was made to be outnumbered. I'm starting to realize why anyone whose survived a fight with Sol Defence considers themselves so lucky. This ship is more heavily armed and shielded than seven or eight vessels in her class, with all the shield systems up and running along with the inherent cloaking properties built into her hull, she's not only hard to find, she's also hard to damage at all.”
“If that's the case, why don't we see other military outfits build ships like this?” Cynthia asked.
“I think Liam could answer that better than I can,” Laura said, nodding at the older gentleman.
Unlike the other officers, who all showed up in the vacsuit uniforms made specifically for their departments, he wore his blue robes to meetings. The Captain had privately insisted he do so, as it was a fair sign of rank on the ship as much as any. Liam had become a spiritual advisor to many crew members and his time was in great demand. “Thank you Laura. The reason why no one outside of the Sol System builds ships like this is simple. It costs at least twenty times what it would to build this compared to a carrier of similar class. That's not even considering how the core systems are built. The computing and command management is set up on a crystalline storage and organic processing system. Quite simply the thinking power behind each system is a self sustaining gel that contains microscopic organisms that calculate at an incredible speed. The crystal that contains them is a data storage system that changes microscopically.”
“I've heard of that. If you turn them off they last forever and since the crystal's structure doesn't change unless the compound inside instructs it to, there's no chance data will be lost,” Alice said.
“Right, but there's a problem. We can't make any of these core circuits with materializers. We have backups in storage, but we're low. I have a team of four working on growing more.”
“How long would it take to grow a replacement for the average circuit?” Asked Captain Valance.
“About a week, but we could grow more than one at a time once we get the mixture right. It could take us up to a month to accomplish that.”
“Can temporary circuits be used if there's no replacement?”
“Some of the left over terminals from the automation could stand in, but reaction times would go down dramatically. That's why we had a few seconds of blackout when we were struck by a nuclear warhead, some of our systems had to reset.”
“All right, keep that set up as a backup plan. How is everything else going down there?”
“Very good. Everyone's putting in a lot of hard work and it's showing. We've started using ergranian metals for several different fabrication processes since the reactors are turning out more every day. Some is being cycled into mass materializers to enhance fighter armour, we have an amount earmarked as a supply for future repairs and I've even managed to fashion a few high yield torpedoes based on Sol Defence blueprints. We'll have to keep them disarmed until the last minute, they're well beyond what any port allows within striking distance. I only made them because of your specific request, Captain.”
“Are they all code keyed?”
“Aye, it takes two codes and active biological scans to arm them from any command station.”
“Good, thank you Chief. I hope we never need to use them. How is life for your staff?” Captain Valance asked, trying to change to a lighter topic.
“We're finally concentrating on the wormhole generator and getting settled in to the lower berths. Most of the engineering and maintenance people are pretty happy, the bunks are a whole step above what they're used to on other ships from what I gather and the junior officers know they'll be getting better quarters as soon as those billets are cleared.”
“How long do you think it'll be before we have the wormhole systems up?”
“Without the right parts it'll take a month. We need to find people qualified to machine the parts to specification or buy them. It'll be hard to find parts for this ship in any port. In the meantime we have everything wired so we can test any temporary components we manage to complete. With any luck we can get it generating micro-wormholes for communications but I wouldn't expect more.”
“We'll make finding qualified craftspeople a top priority and I'll keep working a plan that could get us a replacement system,” Captain Valance reassured.
“I know, it's the first priority with the engineering staff. Anyone who has machined parts is to look over the schematics for the parts we need. I'm hoping that a few of them will have the skill, but I know none of them have the experience. My maintenance people are working on the rest of the ship. We finally got the main communications array repaired. Now we're moving on to making the living sections of the ship more habitable. There's everything from backed up waste disposal units to damaged deck plating. The more the maintenance people repair, the more damage they find, but we're getting a handle on it.”
“How is tactical?” Jake asked.
Agameg Price smiled and leaned forward on the conference table. “Very well. Everyone is in advanced training and a few are even double specializing in communications. My teams have very high scores in simulations and are working well with gunnery and heavy weapon teams.” He looked to Frost then.
He looked back at him.
“I think that's your queue.” Stephanie whispered from across the table.
“Ah, aye. We're workin' with tactical quick, that's a fact. My loadin' teams are up to speed, only three simulated injuries this week an' my gunnery crews 'ave things down pretty smooth. New recruits are fittin' in pretty well, only one in three wash out.”
“One in three?” Laura asked, quietly surprised.
“Aye, we show 'em a simulation replay that went completely wrong for one of our gunners. After tellin' all the recruits it's the real deal when they first see it some of 'em actually run outta the room.”
“What happened in the replay?”
“Well, a turret gets brought down for reloadin', a mechanic goes into the chamber ta realign the load belt, so he's right in there, then the loaders emergency handle gets caught on the magazine. The gunner doesn't give anyone a chance ta get clear afore he raises the turret back into firin' position and he dinna see the mechanic crawl into the forward servicin' chamber. He takes his first shot, the mechanic gets fried and mulched, the explosive rounds headed into the chamber detonate, kill the gunner, an' since the armoured loader is still too close, caught on the magazine as he is, he gets his arm and shoulder blown clean off, leavin' the loadin' crewman inside a right mess. I left the simulation runnin' since it was a good fire, explosion and rescue drill.”
“Did anyone survive that in simulation?”
Frost chuckled and shook his head. “No, but the medical team managed to keep the loader kinda livin', or what was left of him, on a sub deck. Seein' that's what gets most of the squirmers tossin' their breakfast 'cross the deck. I 'ave the newbies who made it clean it up.”
“Could that actually happen?” Asked Liam.
“Aye, if the gunner isn't payin' enough attention and doesn't check the status of his rig before chargin' up. I've never seen it personally, thank the powers.”
“Here's hoping you never do.” Captain Valance said with finality. “What happens to a lot of the recruits who can't stomach your test?”
“A few 'ave come back, most of the rest get sent to maintenance or to the flight deck dependin' on their qualifications. I don't think Angelo minds.” He grinned at the Deck Chief.
Angelo Vercelli smiled back and nodded. “No washouts here Captain. After they see the man eaters up top they're usually glad to get in with the grunts below. We've had a couple accidents but nothing major thanks to the vacsuits we're set up with. I've seen one hold up a whole engine pod when it came down on one of my people's legs.”
“That's what they're for,” Stephanie commented. “Fashion is reserved for off duty.”
“I hear ya. Anyway, we've just pumped out and assembled our eleventh Uriel fighter and our fourteenth Ramiel interceptor.”
“How are our pilots doing?”
“All nineteen of them are fine, but we're still very short. Ashley's a practical star in sims, but in all honesty she's not ready for teaching.”
“I know, she's a gifted pilot but not experienced enough to lead. I'd like to take control of the SSG until we find someone better,” Alice volunteered.
“Sorry, what does SSG mean?” asked Panloo, the night pilot for the Triton. She was standing in for Ashley since she was her direct subordinate.
“Space Superiority Group, sorry, I've spent so much time in the dogfight sims lately that I forget not everyone is steeped in the lingo.”
Panloo covered her pink nose with her long, white furred paws and laughed in soft squeaks. “That's all right. I prefer infantry simulations. Under fictional conditions that sort of thing can be a great deal of fun.”
“I think it's a good idea for you to take over training, I hope we manage to get a few more pilots in the next recruitment trip.” Captain Valance said to Alice. “As long as it's temporary, I still want you on the bridge.”
“Oh, it's temporary. I wouldn't give up night watch command, in fact, I'll be doing both at the same time. There's time to fill during my shifts right now so I'll program in the round the clock regimen for anyone in training and fly short patrols before and after my shift.”
“Just don't wear yourself thin. Keep it down to a combined twelve hours on duty a day.”
“Don't worry, Captain, I'll keep my head on straight.”
Stephanie nodded and started her report when she was sure the exchange was finished. “We're on patrols, watch and training in security. The Intelligence team is still backlogged but they're getting better at prioritizing. There's really not much to report other than the new recruits are doing well in drills. Even the washouts we're getting from Chief Frost are turning out to be decent grunts,” she said, not so much as glancing at Frost. “Oh, and the pay grade structure has boosted morale for the most part. Now that everyone knows that extra qualifications and good performance will directly affect their pay there has been a big improvement overall.”
“Anything new on our vigilante?”
“Only verification that his first victim was a West Keeper. She kept to herself, came aboard with Wheeler's Regent Galactic crew and used every opportunity to use a personal comm unit to contact the Order of Eden. No one can find any evidence that her personal comm was used by anyone other than her, it uses a DNA sniffer to validate that she's the one on the line so we're pretty sure it wasn't planted on her to make it look like this vigilante is on our side. Our vigilante didn't leave any security footage of him or her killing the West Keeper, there are whole chunks of footage missing going all the way back to when Regent Galactic had possession of the Triton, and we haven't been able to generate any other leads. Whoever this is has a deep understanding of the ship's security systems, probably knows the layout better than anyone and knows how to blend in with the crew. All we can do is watch for him or her and hope that they really are on our side.”
“He can keep it up for all I care. Never got along with any cultists,” Frost scoffed. “Might shake 'is hand if ye ever catch 'im.”
“Does the crew know that there's a killer running around?” Laura asked.
“No, we've been able to keep it contained in the higher ranks of the security department, I'd rather keep it that way for as long as we can.”
“All right, then no one talks about this, but we need department heads to keep their eyes open. I want to talk to whoever this is, find out if they're working in our best interest and why they couldn't operate within the chain of command. He or she has to know that we would have taken care of this West Keeper if they brought information to us, we can't have people taking things into their own hands,” Captain Valance stated, sending a sideways glance to Frost. He looked around the table at his department heads and nodded to himself. “Good work everyone. Here's what it's all for.” Captain Valance said as he leaned forward from his seat at the end of the table. This was what everyone was waiting for, details on what the Captain was planning. Over the preceding seventeen days select crew members had been making trips to nearby planets that had been ravaged by the Holocaust Virus using the Cold Reaver and picking up as many qualified recruits as they could carry. Everyone had been training hard, working hard on the ship and getting ready to be active against Regent Galactic. As to their specific goal or direction, no one was privy to that information. “Thanks to the information recovered by Frost and a little help from our Intelligence department, I've managed to verify some important supply and transportation routes. It looks like they haven't changed in weeks, so they'll be there a while. There's a problem with that plan. The sheer quantities of goods transported along those lines and the ships we might be able to capture is too much for the Triton.
“If we plan on liberating supplies, materials, equipment and slaves from Regent Galactic at this volume we'll need a place to sell excess and someone to take care of the refugees. I'm getting ready to contact all the front line worlds that are opposed to Regent Galactic. I've prepared inquiry messages to be sent out as soon as our wormhole systems are up and running. I expect the inner Lorander and Carthan governments will most likely be the first to ally with us.”
“Lorander's a government now?” asked Stephanie.
“Yes, after taking control of several systems Vindyne left in a state of famine they accepted a few applicant worlds closer to our space. They were just about to announce their outer territories before they were hit by the Holocaust virus. We'll probably be a welcome sight.”
“Captain, do you know how wide spread the virus is now?” Asked Chief Vercelli.
Jacob sat back in his chair. He had tried to estimate it earlier, but stopped as he started to see figures that just had to be wrong. “Has anyone taken an educated guess?” he asked quietly.
Laura cleared her throat and edged her chair up closer to the table. She looked at the thin command and control unit mounted on her arm. “Jason was always better at that kind of number crunching, but I managed to come up with a conservative estimate. Considering the virus spreads to ships with a hyperdrive or wormhole system then uses them to continue spreading it to other solar systems and the number of worlds we've seen infected the virus should be reaching the inner core systems within the next ten days.”
“What? How's it moving so fast?” Asked Frost.
“It's tapping into the less secure transmission and relay systems used for galactic communications to transmit itself to places it hasn't gotten to with a ship yet.” Cynthia answered quietly. “From there ships with wormhole drives carry it to other systems that have communication hubs that use wormhole technology for their relays and so on. My department actually estimates the virus should be everywhere someone can turn on a computer within six days.”
“So it actually knows where it's spreading and how to deploy itself to sensitive areas?” asked Stephanie.
“I'm not sure,” Laura said, looking at Liam.
He nodded and went on. “It behaves like it's moving in a planned way, but we only have a small part of the picture. With the speed this thing is spreading at it's already gone far past what we can see.”
“Are our systems still immune?”
“They are, and Regent Galactic is being very public about developing a disinfection program. Only two of their held worlds have been affected from the reports we're getting though they're probably doctored and censored. They have control of or own over a hundred worlds in total.” Cynthia said.
“Now tell me people aren't smellin' somethin' rotten in that! How is it that the core worlds don't have a Star Legion worth of heavy armour comin' down on Regent Galactic's head?” Frost asked, visibly frustrated. “Regent Galactic's barely gettin' hit by this, they've gotta be behind it an' if I can figure that, the big heads closer to the core gotta know.”
“Everyone uses artificial intelligences to help manage their ships, especially the military. Organizations have been trying to cut down on manpower in favour of more dangerous weapons, bigger firepower for a long time. The only reason why the Triton got away as good as it did was because the ship artificial intelligences weren't very sophisticated and didn't have direct environmental control. The only other fleets made that way belong to the Britannian and Gandish. For all we know everyone else's ships are part of some kind of new Holocaust Fleet now.” Liam said, putting a hand on Frost's shoulder to calm him down.
“Freeground ships use artificial intels but they have security systems that are very sensitive to corrupted software. By my calculations they should be one of the last to be affected, thankfully.” Laura added.
“Any word from Jason?” Asked Alice quietly.
“They had trouble with their hyperspace systems and changed course for a world called Pandem.”
“I'm taking a Uriel out to pick them up.” Captain Valance said. Everyone who didn't already know about the plan looked at him with varying degrees of surprise. “I wanted to take one of them for a test drive,” he shrugged. “If there's nothing else, everyone have a good duty shift.”
The senior officers all stood and all but Laura, Cynthia and the Captain left. Jake looked at the pair and raised an eyebrow.
Cynthia eyed Laura uncertainly and addressed him quietly. “Sir, I'm having trouble with the Intelligence department.”
“What kind of trouble?” Captain Valance asked.
“Some of the senior analysts are reporting to Stephanie and her lieutenants instead of me. She's also making decisions based on their information.”
“A few of them started reporting to me while I was doing the systems survey, sir.” Laura added.
“My point is that I'm not in control of the department. I know I wasn't qualified for this but you put me in charge,” Cynthia said, growing more irritated.
“Do you have a second in command chosen?” Captain Valance asked.
“No, I've been trying people but I haven't made up my mind.”
Jake thought for a moment then looked to Laura. “How is field control right now?”
“Almost in order. We're testing the antigravity shield later today and all three tomorrow if things go well. Aside from learning more about activating the power absorption subsystems the shields are just about ready for action.”
“Could you take command of Intelligence and make Cynthia your second?”
Cynthia boggled as Laura replied. “Temporarily. When Jason gets here he should be put in command. The department here is a quarter the size of what he was in charge of on Freeground.”
“Sir, I didn't mean that-” Cynthia started.
“You've said it yourself more than once, you don't have the training, so learn from Laura's experience and you'll get it if you want it,” Captain Valance reassured.
“Yes sir,” she replied quietly before leaving the briefing room, obviously disappointed.
Laura waited for the door to close behind her then turned to the Captain. “Thank you, watching her struggle has been driving me crazy. I sympathize, but she really doesn't know what she's doing. I'm no Intelligence specialist, especially compared to my husband, but I know what a working department looks like.”
“Do you think she'll make a good second?”
“She's a hard worker, with some direction she'll be fantastic if she wants to be.”
“Good, she's always had trouble finding her place in the crew, but she's intelligent and well liked.”
“I've noticed.” Laura walked to the large transparent section of hull and looked out to the bright yellow star clusters. “I thought Jason and Oz would be here by now.”
“I know. They should be safe on Pandem though, I'll probably find them sitting on one of its beaches sipping something that's served with a tiny umbrella.”
Laura couldn't help but smile at Jake's comical reassurance before shaking her head and going on. “Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that you're doing this yourself, but why?”
Captain Valance felt blindsided by the question and moved to stand beside her and share the view. He had good answers to the question, most of them dishonest, but they all seemed more significant than the true answer. “I feel like I'm drowning here. For five years I've dragged a small crew around the galaxy. Easy to control, easy to manage, easy to replace. Here I have literally thousands,” he answered honestly.
“That's what delegation is for. You always had a problem with that,” she smiled.
“I have been, Intelligence is the last department in real need aside from the SSG. Still, there's so much time to think while I'm going over reports, requests and interacting with everyone from the civilian representative to Liam.”
She didn't need to know more. He had been inundated with memories and over the past weeks they took root. He was quiet, sometimes even sullen, which was a good thing considering it hid the fact that his manner was becoming softer, more human. To most of the crew he was still the hard, towering icon, but his senior officers were all noticing how much more personable and approachable he was. “I need Jason here, there's no one I miss more,” she appealed to that heart she had heard of. Alice had taken her into confidence to talk about the sleepwalking incident, and knew that there was a good chance that she could start trusting Jake just as she had come to trust Jonas.
“I'll be back with him before you know it. Until then Alice knows she has the ship and I'm sure the Chiefs will have everything under control.”
“How long do you think it'll take you?”
“In an Uriel fighter with an extra reactor installed? I'll get there in twenty hours, maybe less.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “If I don't find him it's because he found another mode of transportation and I just missed him on his way here.”
“Thank you Jonas,” she said, catching her error and regretting it immediately. Laura looked at him and was surprised at what she saw.
His eyes were closed, his lips were stretched in a tight smile. “I know. I suppose it was inevitable.”
“I'm sorry, it's just something he'd do, gestures he'd make.”
Jake nodded. “I stopped fighting the memories, lifted the mental separations. There are a lot of good memories, especially from his youth. It changes things, you know, when you have good times to look back on. I had so few of my own, I didn't even realize.”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“Sometimes I think it's selfish, getting to know him so well that it's hard to tell where he ends and I begin, but then I remember meeting him face to face. He'd want this, he'd want me to be here for you, for Jason, for Oz. Even if I took his name it wouldn't phase him as long as I didn't do something he wouldn't.”
“Do you think you ever would?”
“Take his name?”
“Yes.”
“Not his first. Talking to Alice the other day, hearing about how so much of who she is was determined by her experiences with him and how she has her own distinct personality despite that, it got me thinking, and I don't have to change my name just because things are changing. Who I am is in part thanks to him and using his moral compass is tribute enough I think. If he were alive right now I don't think there would be a question that we're different people, but I know there are a lot of similarities now, a lot I can be proud of.”
“So you'll remain Jacob Valance. Still very close to Jonas Valent, really.”
He hadn't made the comparison aloud or heard anyone else do it for him and he paused to let it sink in. “I need time to think,” he chuckled. “and to do something useful, something important on my own.”
“Don't take this the wrong way, but you're becoming more like Jonas every minute. He was miserable when he didn't feel useful.”
“I think that's something we have in common,” he smiled back.
She gave him a brief hug and they started out of the meeting room. As she got to the door she stopped. “Oh, I almost forgot. The last generation of the vacsuits are ready. We managed to materialize one for each of the senior staff.”
“That's early, did you manage to weave everything in?”
“Everything, your modifications, my refinements, the special projects additions, everything.” She grinned. “Have fun.”
“How do they look?”
“They're not very customizable, but I think you'll like them. Stop by the high resolution materializers on your way to the flight deck. I'd go with you but I have to talk to Alice about power usage aboard ship. It looks like we'll be deactivating all the personal materializers in quarters and berths. Only certain officer's quarters will have active materializers, and their constant use will be discouraged.”
“So you'll be instituting specific times for chow in the observation decks and clubs?”
“That's right, and we're opening the mess hall between the fore and aft central berths. It should make for an interesting change while you're gone.”
Captain Valance took a left once he exited the bridge instead of going straight on to the main lift. As soon as he passed through the security and intelligence office doors everyone was on their feet. “At ease,” he found himself saying reflexively. That's Jonas's military training. It's becoming instinct to me as much as it ever was to him. He thought to himself as he walked between the five rows of communications and ship monitoring stations.
The last time he'd been through most of them were seated, this time only the deck watchman was behind a desk. Above it's surface were holograms displaying three dimentional information management charts and on the desk itself was a status display of each intelligence team member's efficiency, whereabouts and health status.
Cynthia was behind the desk, prioritizing files in preparation for Laura to assume command of the intelligence department. Behind her were three doors. One led to the internal security office, the other to a large meeting room and the final one to the right was specifically reserved for the head of intelligence.
“Captain,” Cynthia said with a nod, barely looking away from the maelstrom of data in front of her.
“Is Stephanie in her office?”
“She headed straight in after the meeting like her heels were on fire.”
“Thanks,” Jake acknowledged as he opened the armoured door. Stephanie was sitting on the desk at the far end of the darkened office, looking over training simulation statistics on one hologram while a playback of one security guard's perspective was displayed on the other. From the time indexes they were both from the night before.
There were over a dozen chairs lining the walls of the long office and a transparent section of hull behind Stephanie's desk. Jake knew that with a command a meeting table would lower from the ceiling, but she never used it, preferring to have everyone on their feet during staff meetings. She looked up from a cup of hot tea she was blowing on when he came through the door. “Everything all right?” she asked.
“I was about to ask the same question,” Jake answered quietly as the heavy hatchway closed behind him.
She was wearing a heavy vacsuit, combat boots, sidearm, along with her duty belt which included a basic door hacking kit, restraints, a survival cylinder and and two extra clips for her sidearm. She had draped her long coat across the back of her desk chair. Stephanie put her steaming cup down on her desk carefully before answering. “I'm sorry I left the way I did. Last night was a surprise.”
“For both of us,” Jake said quietly as he crossed the room slowly.
Her smile was mild, wistful. “I want to see where things go with Frost.”
He caught her gaze as he finished crossing the room. His vacsuit covered black hand caught hers on her thigh. “I know. I need you to be all right.”
A nod and a hug was his answer.
The embrace lasted the better part of a minute, a comfortable eternity for them both until she drew back and he let her go.
In one smooth motion she picked up her cup and took a drink of tea, it was still a little too hot but kept her eyes from welling up. She put the mug down again and cleared her throat. “If we can't get through this after a couple dozen firefights, then there's something seriously wrong.”
Jake smiled at her and squeezed her free hand. “I have something for you,”
Her eyes widened as he pulled a silvered chain strung through a fortified, rounded gold chip out of his deep coat pocket.
He opened her hand and pressed it into her palm. “Of everyone on the Samson crew I trust you the most. I found this in Wheeler's quarters, in his safe. It's the override code chip for the Triton. I need you to watch things. You'll know if and when you have to use it.”
“But I thought the command security systems were all vocal and biometric.”
“This is the override chip made to reset the systems in case the ship is captured and hacked. Wheeler never got a chance to use it. All you have to do is get to a secure terminal, pop the interface plate open and put it in. After that you can tell the ship to make you the commander and it'll take your biometric scan and whatever passwords you give it. You're already in the system as a senior officer so it makes things even easier.”
She looked down at the chip for a moment then put the chain around her neck, opened her vacsuit enough to drop the chip itself down the front and settle the chain under her collar before
closing up again. It was hidden under her uniform, no one would see it. “ Triton'll be here when you get back, don't worry Jake,” she said quietly. “So will I.”
He nodded and turned away, crossing the distance between her and the door in long strides.