“What the hell do they expect us to do?” Oz exclaimed as he paced the length of the Captains quarters main room. “It's not like I can just order the ship out of the sector and leave a big gaping hole in our defence here, not to mention toss my career away.”
Jason turned the holoprojector off after looking at his wife's face one more time. “As soon as I get her second message I'm following,” he said, crossing his arms and sitting back on the recliner. The cabin was dark, overlarge. Captain Terry Ozark McPatrick had kept the crew at arm's length. The environment of mistrust surrounding his new command was the root cause.
Lieutenant Trajenko read every single one of his reports the instant they were posted in the system. She also had her artificial intelligence summarize the shift reports of every senior officer before scrubbing its memory clear of the details. She followed Freeground's orders to the letter. Jason had gotten access to them; 'provide constant oversight to Commanding Officer Terry Ozark McPatrick and guidance if necessary. Report any violation of orders to Freeground Fleet Intelligence as soon as they occur. If any critical deviation from orders takes place, assume command immediately.' was what they said.
“You're Intelligence now, it would be hard but you might be able to explain away any charges they'd put on you if you went after her.”
Jason laughed sardonically. “Not likely. She's my wife, that's pretty transparent.”
“So you're right. But we've been sitting on this message for seven days, and Trajenko is just waiting for me to step out of place,” he ran his hand over his short blond hair. “If Fleet wanted me in command, they should have just given it to me and trusted I'd follow orders. I know what we're doing out here, how hard it was winning this much ground. I don't need some watchdog nipping at my heels every second just to make sure I hold the line. If they wanted Intelligence to run this thing, they should have put her in charge, not that she's earned the rank.”
“What can I say Oz? You're right.”
He dropped into the armchair he'd brought with him from his last command. “Of course I'm right, I've been thinking about this for a week.”
Jason's command and control unit, a graft on the back of his hand, sent a mild sensation through his nervous system. He had set his priority message indicator to feel like a drop of ice cold water hitting the back of his hand. “Looks like we won't have to wait much longer,” the holographic message projected through his left palm, so he was holding it in his hand. “It's encrypted with our personal key.”
Laura's face appeared, she was smiling but tired. “We made it Jason. This is going to be hard to hear, so I'll get the bad news out in the open. Ayan passed away and Jonas had died before we arrived. He saved hundreds if not thousands of lives in doing so, it could have been so much worse. Our old Captain lives on in a different way. They made a framework of him. There are so many similarities, he even has most of his memories. Sometimes it's like I'm looking at Jonas only ten years older, grown into his skin with so much confidence. When he walks by crew members they feel it, it lifts them up.
You're not going to believe this, but he took the Triton from Wheeler with a crew of about twenty people. He's taken on a couple thousand crew, making it into a real home, a real warship and he's told me that he's going to start liberating slaves, making a dent in Regent Galactic. There's so much going on here, things you couldn't begin to believe if I told you. It feels like this is the center of everything. I want to stay, something good is about to happen here, but if you need me to go back and face Freeground Fleet Command, I'll start making my way as soon as I can.
We're needed here though, and I know you've been restless. It's up to you. The Silkstream should be minutes behind this message, so if you want to join me, refuel it and go to one of the coordinates listed in the broadcast. I love you Jason, I miss you and I hope to see you soon.”
The transmission ended and Jason looked at Oz, smiling impishly. His friend looked amazed, pensive. Just moments before he was filled with frustration, weary of his situation. If there was any time to say what he knew was going through Oz's head aloud, it was right then. “Coming with me?”
“If I weren't doing important work here.”
“Come on, you know they set you up with a senior staff that can cover for you if you ended up in the brig. This is our chance to make a difference again, to go where we're really needed. There's nothing happening here anymore, the war was won while you were out on patrol and just because they promised you this ship to go after Jonas but had to scrub that mission they left you in command. This is an apology, they're just saddling you with all this responsibility because they're afraid of what you'd do if you were left on your own.”
“You don't think I deserve this command?” Oz said angrily.
“Of course you do! But not here, you should be out at the front, running operations where each and every mission makes a difference.”
Captain McPatrick's command unit, a thin console covering half his left forearm buzzed against his skin. “McPatrick here,” he answered.
“Sir, the Silkstream Four has arrived two kilometres off our port side. It's powering down. What are your orders?”
Oz looked at his command unit for a moment, silent.
Jason stood and shrugged.
“Your orders sir?” asked the bridge officer.
While Jason looked on, Oz's attention turned to the framed portrait of the First Light crew. So many of us are gone. Minh, Jonas, Ayan, now Jason and Laura are leaving while Command puts me out of the way.
Jason crossed the room and put his hand on Oz's shoulder. “What's the word skipper?” he asked quietly.
Oz looked up and smiled. “Get that ship on the deck and fuelled. Freeground's been looking for it and I'm bringing it back personally,” he told the bridge officer firmly.
“Sir?”
“That is an order.”
“Aye sir.”
“Captain McPatrick out,” he took his gun belt from where it had been hung by the door, strapped it on, picked up his mission satchel, then put on the dark grey long coat he had made for the senior staff on the First Light years before and headed through the hatch.
“We're not going to Freeground,” Jason grinned.
“Nope, we're joining the Triton. ”
“What about your sisters?”
“They'd rather I be far off and happy than here and wishing I were somewhere else. Besides, this might actually get them to move coreward like they've been threatening to do ever since they started drafting people for colony occupation.”
“Think they'll send someone after us?”
Oz laughed openly as they stepped into the lift that would take them straight down to the main hangar deck. “Not if they know the First Light crew are at the helm of the Triton. I just wish I could see Trajenko's face when she realizes we've taken off in a prototype.”
Tactical Officer Agameg Price
The Samson was almost back in working order. He hadn't gotten the approval of Captain Valance yet, but he had some very ambitious plans for her, now that the old ship actually had some time in dry dock. He'd be able to make the modifications in his spare time with the help of a few other engineering staff that thought the ideas were equally as interesting.
That's not what brought him to the bowels of the Samson that night, however. He had been putting something off for over a week. Like Ashley, he couldn't forget Finn. Price didn't see him in the same light, but over the short time he'd known him, Finn had become a trustworthy, easy friend. He could say anything to the mild mannered engineer.
He was a good counterpart for work, an excellent companion during off hours, respectful and he didn't treat him at all differently because he was not human. Finn would be missed, and as he looked at the Big Surprise, hidden away again in a small hold, he couldn't help but feel every bit of the loss. The large electromagnetic bomb, several meters in length, was made up of many different energy storage devices all wired in haphazardly and welded, glued or taped together.
The tradition in engineering and maintenance on the Samson was to add a piece to it once you were considered a permanent member of the crew, normally after a month or two. Finn hadn't had the chance to do so himself before he was forced to set it off, saving Stephanie and Frost's lives. Sadly a large fighter engine was activated behind him by the electromagnetic surge, and Finn couldn't get away before it overloaded and exploded.
Agameg had seen what remained of his friend. It was securely held in a deep stasis tube, only the major portion of his upper torso, head and part of an arm had been preserved. The brain was undamaged, but that was all. He was told by Grace he would need a very sophisticated medical treatment center if there was to be any kind of meaningful revival. The new doctor had consulted briefly and told him that there was no hope outside of a scientific miracle. The doctor had already left the ship. The Captain and Deck Chief had arranged for the Cold Reaver to deliver anyone who didn't wish to remain aboard to the Sarnia Transit Port.
It was left to Agameg to tell Ashley, which was another duty he put off. First he would make his tribute, make a statement of his own grief and start moving on. He had to be strong for her, she had the purest heart he had ever met and watching it break would be terrible.
Price looked at the half kilogram, round regulating capacitor in his hand. He had already signed it for Finn with a permanent marker. With a sigh he pressed it against a part of the Big Surprise's frame and used his spot welder to affix it firmly, permanently.
His hands shook as he pulled two wires out of his pocket and spot soldered them to the main circuit board deeper inside the Big Surprise. “There, your part will improve efficiency and provide reinforcement. Much like you did, Finn.”
The hatch opened behind him. “This compartment is restricted to all but Samson crew, sorry friend,” he said over his shoulder.
“After all that, I'd hope I'm crew,” Finn said through a wide grin.
Price stood up in a shot and bashed his head on a low hanging beam. He crouched and turned slowly, rubbing his head and blinking his saucer round eyes one at a time. “Finn?” he slurred.
Finn crossed the compartment to him and checked his friend's head. “Yup, I just woke up in medical, all in one piece like nothing happened. All I remember before that is trying to open that damned door and a bright flash.”
Price just smiled and blinked his round eyes, staring at Finn. His breathing came hoarsely. “Finn?” he stumbled forward and embraced his friend with enthusiasm.
He laughed and hugged him back. “They used a tactical computer called Minuteman to put me back together along with a few billion nanobots and about eighty pounds of reconstructive material.”
Price stepped away and put his hand against Finn's face. “Ashley is going to be so happy, and Stephanie! The way she sees it you gave your life for hers. She does not show how much she appreciates it openly while she's sober. You should be ready to be tackled. I suggest you only meet one of them at a time.” His breathing was still rough sounding, like there was some obstruction in his throat.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, only a little…” he took a deep breath and let it out. “Emotional. We were sure you weren't coming back. There wasn't much left,” he whispered. “But we didn't let Ashley see.”
“Good. To be honest, I don't want to see either. That's one experience I don't want to remember that vividly.” He looked to the Big Surprise to see what Price had been doing. “That's for me?”
“Aye, I had been putting it off, but after the memorial a few days ago I had to.”
“Memorial?”
“So much has happened Finn.”
Finn nodded, a little wide eyed. “Tell me about it. Captain owns the Triton now and everywhere I look there's a crew member I've never met. I've even heard there are two bars on board?”
“Aye, maybe that would be the best place for me to fill you in. We could call down Ashley and Stephanie as well. I'm the tactical officer here, by the way.”
“Congratulations,” Finn said earnestly.
“I'm wondering if the Captain will want you on the bridge like he did on the Samson. They're still filling positions.”
“Well, maybe we could talk about it over a drink. I know I could use one.”
“You speak my thoughts, friend,” Price said, putting his thin hand on Finn's shoulder. “We missed you.”
The Night Watch
It was late. The night watch had been on for three hours when Stephanie finally started for her quarters. She had started her duty before day watch was on shift. Repairs were almost finished, training was going well but everyone was still learning about the ship and maintenance, engineering and security staff were all in the high demand. They were also doing training simulations and live drills. The schedule was full.
Captain Valance had made exploring the rest of the ship a priority. As a result she constantly had at least two squads moving through the ship. Slowly picking through compartments that hadn't been opened for decades, finding anything she could possibly imagine in spaces she'd never expect.
Someone had even converted an empty torpedo tube into three laundry drums. The compartment had sealed perfectly during an emergency of some kind and since no one had ever gone back to empty the makeshift barrels or turn the environmental controls back on what was inside was rotten mush. Whatever the clothes were made of had broken down into something no one wanted to deal with.
People were finally starting to settle into life on the ship though. With two large observation lounges open, called bars by the crew, and inebriating beverage rationing in place on the materializers, people even had a place to socialize and unwind without worrying about getting too intoxicated.
She normally made a stop in the lower lounge, the bar popular with security and intelligence crew at the end of her duty shift, but she had been on for nineteen hours. It had been a good day, however. The Captain had made an hour long appearance in a boarding simulation and made a very good impression on everyone. She knew he was there to blow off steam, but her staff benefited from watching him move with precision, speed and great tactical expertise. Stephanie knew him well enough to just enjoy the show, he treated the sim like a game and at his level of experience it did no harm.
People were starting to respect her more every day as well. It would take more time, but people were falling in line, finding their places and looking to her for direction.
Stephanie was completely in her own head as she rounded the corner. Barely paying attention to the long, broad hall ahead as she automatically made her way to her quarters.
“By my count you still owe me one girlfriend,” Frost boomed at her as he came out of the lift behind.
Starting at the sudden sound, she spun and glared at him. “That's the crudest thing I've ever heard.”
He grinned back at her. “Too soon?”
“There's never a good time for a crack like that,” she stood watching him, brow furrowed, her hands drawing back her long coat and settling on her hips. “She might have been on the wrong side but she deserves our respect.”
His expression softened. “I'm sorry lass, the line in the sand's real deep for me, 'specially since she used me as a bridge over it.”
Despite being offended, she had to admit he was right. She didn't like Grace much when everyone thought she was on their side, let alone after she'd exposed her as a spy. “I get it, all's forgiven Shamus.”
Frost walked right up to her, nose to nose. He really wasn't more than five or six centimetres taller. “Love it when you call me by my first, lass,” he said through a crooked grin.
Stephanie looked into his eyes, those clear blue grey eyes. “When I call you Shamus? It's your name isn't it?”
“Aye, sounds better when you're sayin' it,” he said quietly.
She glanced around, looking for anyone who might be looking on.
“There's no one about, night watch is on a skeleton crew.”
“You're fishing in the wrong pond Shamus,” she said with a tight lipped smile.
“Poor girl, hasn't sunk in yet. We're swimmin' in an ocean now lass,” he put his hand on her waist and slipped it across her vacsuit to her back. “Have ta stay together more n' ever.”
That feeling she had when he was helping her in the armoured suit, like she was wrapped in a natural moment and all the right things were happening, returned. Maybe she was just tired, but when he closed his eyes and his lips were just about to touch hers, her arms went around his neck and she kissed him back.
Few people on board would even try to stand up to her, but he was cocksure. Everyone liked to watch her from a distance whether they were in training or sitting across the table in an observation lounge, but he would step up and stand right in front of her after being the most obnoxious sod on the ship. He looked like a burly lout, but when she leaned into him, felt his big arms around her, it felt indescribably good. To her surprise there was nothing rushed in his kiss, and that magnetism just held her to him, made her feel like she was suddenly part of a pair.