Audacity (Warner's World Book 5) (15 page)

“Move away and warp later” said Chase.

“If we engage that frigate now we will have lost the element of surprise against the enemy cap. That’s our biggest threat” stated Jasmin.

“But there’s a real risk that enemy frigate will detect us” said John “even if we try and move away. They will be well within visual detection range.”

“You’re assuming they will be looking for us” said Chase. “They’re looking for a small pod on a track towards the gas giant.”

“Time’s up” said Dave “We won’t engage the frigate now. Chase, get us a different route away from this area and John double check the calculations for the no go zone.”

Chase felt the sting in having John check his work but he knew he’d cocked up. He avoided any eye contact and instead focussed on his screen.

A couple of minutes later they powered away at high speed.

Chapter 6. Phantom in Sturam 1400, 13 August

“Uploading now” hailed Martin Lodi triumphantly after successfully retrieving the probe.

“Love your work” responded Tola from the command centre. She then turned to Phil “What do we now have on that space station?”

“Give me a minute, please!” said Phil desperately.

Neo, who was also scanning the new data, piped up “Huge sensor arrays…facing back towards the planet.”

“Standard fare” responded Felis “if you’re spying on your own people.”

“It’s armed to the teeth” announced Phil. “Missile batteries, beam weapons, fighters, shuttles and this looks like a ship repair or maybe even a ship construction facility.”

“What about visual scanners facing out?” asked Aubrey.

“Don’t appear to be any Maam” responded Neo.

“Good!” said Aubrey.

“But those facing the planet may well detect a warthog, cloaked or otherwise” said Tola. “They’re a real threat.”

“What about the far side of the planet? Is there another space station there?” asked Aubrey.

“Negative” responded Phil. “But there is another cap and two frigates. The holo should update now. There it goes. See. We could go over the north pole when it’s night this side.”

“Mmm” pondered Aubrey. “When will that be?”

“Aagh…1914” advised Alice. “We could start our run at 1812.” Alice had already set the controls to display a possible approach route on the holo. “See there” she said highlighting a point along the route “that’s where we will enter the field of detection of the enemy viz scanners.” A time indicator appeared next to the point saying 1930. “I thought I would give us a bit of leeway, just in case” she added.

“Good work” said Aubrey. She turned to Pious and Evie. Evie nodded first and Pious followed suit. “OK Alice, lock it in. Evie you had better get ready.”

Evie stood up from her observer’s chair like someone who had been waiting for this moment for a long time. “Thank you commander” she said just before turning and leaving the command centre. Felis was in tow.

Julian took this opportunity to approach Aubrey. He bent forward and when his head came along side Aubrey’s he asked in a quiet and measured voice “what do you reckon the probability is of that station detecting us on the way in?”

Aubrey cocked her head so she could bring both eyes to bear. She too spoke in a quiet manner “Not high, but not insignificant either.” Julian nodded as though he had expected that answer. “We’ve come a long way Sir. We can’t take it out, not by ourselves. So the only options are to try and go around it or warp away. I know that Evie wouldn’t be impressed if we turned and ran.”

Julian nodded again. “No she wouldn’t. Let’s hope this roll of the die is in our favour.”

Chapter 7. 
Resolute in Qwantum  1410, 13 August

Dave had retired to his office. He was still annoyed with himself for losing his temper back there. He sat down on the small couch and closed his eyes pondering his own motivation. He used his breath and the mantra to still his mind. After a good two minutes his mind stopped racing, another minute and he felt the agitation dropping away.

‘Yes, I’m attached’ he thought to himself. ‘But to what?’ He shook his head determined to stop interrogating himself. He sought the comfort of the mantra’s repetition. There it was the dark void of his inner vision. ‘So peaceful’ he thought. Then nothing. He was lost.

A few minutes later it came to him like a thunderclap. ‘Of course. I really want that quick kill, to dominate and prevail…the hunter…my ego.’ Part of him wanted to explore that thread more but the inner pull was greater. He dropped deeper into the void.

The knocking sound was getting louder. “Sir” said Ivan, a little exasperated, as he poked his head in through the partly opened door.

“Oh sorry Ivan what is it?” asked Dave as he recalibrated his bearings from the inner world to the outer.

“We’re at the waypoint, ready to warp.”

Dave shook his head. “Belay that. Change of plan. We’ll loiter here cloaked.”

Ivan pushed open the door fully and came in. His tall frame seemed even taller from Dave’s seated position. “Why?” asked Ivan.

“Commander’s intuition. Is that good enough?” Ivan shook his head. “Something’s not right” added Dave.

“With what?”

“My motivation.” Dave could see the puzzled look on Ivan’s face. “Look I was all too keen to come to grips with the enemy. That’s not really our prime objective here is it?”

“We’re at war and we have the opportunity to destroy the enemy and advance our interests here like you said.”

“Yes but our prime mission is to find out the cause of this anomaly.”

“I think that broadcast answers that.”

“We haven’t even interrogated that sleth we just hauled in let alone determine the rate of increase in the gravity and established the likely time frame for it to wreak havoc on Q3 and this whole system.”

“Surely we can walk and chew gum at the same time.”

“Yes we can but I think in this case it’s best to take things slower. As long as we avoid detection from that frigate we will still have the option to take out the enemy cap tomorrow.”

Ivan looked intently at Dave. He could see his resolve and he had known Dave long enough to know when it was pointless arguing with him. “All right you’re the boss. Leave it with me.”

When Ivan entered the command centre he simply said “Change of plan. The boss wants to loiter here cloaked till tomorrow.” Ivan looked around the room, saw that everyone was cool with that and he walked out. Anyone walking in would have seen a smile on Ivan’s face. Unlike himself everyone else was quite happy to accept their commander’s intuition. If the truth be known Ivan had been prepared to accept it too. It was just that when Dave had left open the question he was intrigued to delve further.

Chapter 8. Resolute in Qwantum 1800, 13 August

Dave approached the dining tables in the officers’ mess where Chase and Kat were seated. “Do you mind if I join you?” he asked.

Chase looked a little surprised. Kat spoke up “Please do Sir.” She already knew about what had happened earlier. It had taken a bit of coaxing to get it out of Chase but she was good at that. Her relationship with Chase had developed in leaps and bounds since he had introduced her to his parents on Nova Vista and declared in front of them that he loved her. They now alternated between their cabins but rarely slept alone. They made a good looking couple.

Dave sat down with his plate but he paused rather than take up his knife and fork. Chase was still avoiding direct eye contact even though he sat directly opposite Dave. Dave turned to Kat. “You heard about what happened earlier?” Kat nodded.

“Chase” said Dave. This time Chase looked at his boss. “I owe you an apology Chase. I lost my temper earlier on. As annoying as your oversight was it didn’t justify my outburst. I’m sorry.”

Chase hadn’t expected this. For a moment he didn’t know how to respond. Kat used her elbow to poke him. “No Sir you don’t need to apologise to me. I cocked up good and proper. I deserved to be balled out. It really should be me apologising to you.”

There was real contrition in Chase’s expression and Dave recognised it. Dave smiled. “OK then. We both cocked up. Matter closed?”

Chase nodded.

“Sir” said Ivan who had walked in a few moments earlier but had waited for the right time to interrupt. Dave turned around. “Jelka just been talking to this sleth guy we pulled out of the escape pod. According to him that device they used on Q4 was made by the Mintoslum Corporation on the rogan planet Cheklin. That’s where Aubrey’s headed isn’t it?”

Chapter 9. Phantom in Sturam 2000, 13 August

It had been a tense time while the Phantom cruised through the night over and through the enemy space stations viz scanning arc. The first couple of minutes had been the worst. But now they had crested Cheklin and were safe from detection by the space station. 

Aubrey Bellard relaxed back in her commander’s chair. If she had dared lower the shutters she would have observed the transition between night and day. But doing so was definitely prejudicial to their cloaked state.

“Enemy cap and two frigates in geo over the equator” called out Phil. “They won’t have seen us” he added for the comfort of the observers, which included the Commodore.

“Five minutes to shuttle launch” called out Alice.

Tola double checked that the shuttle was ready and gave Aubrey the thumbs up. Tola focussed on the holo display and could see the Phantom’s icon over the northern hemisphere. When it reached the waypoint it turned green and Tola commanded the shuttle to launch. “Their away” she advised.

Aubrey nodded her appreciation to Tola then turned to the Commodore. He raised both eyebrows, acknowledging that their role was now one of waiting.  Aubrey turned back to Tola and ordered “Loiter station.”

“Pilot, waypoint 2 and loiter” commanded Tola.

As the Phantom cruised up and away her Whiskey 7 Warthog shuttle was gliding down to the planet’s surface. It was aiming for the northern edge of the great land mass. It would layup in the northern tundra till nightfall before heading south into the temperate zone to the city of Lewista.

Chapter 10. Resolute in Qwantum 2230, 13 August

Chase turned over as he heard the door open to his cabin. The lights in his cabin were out and those in the main corridor were dimmed but he could tell by the silhouette that it was Kat. She put her pass keys down on the desk and the motion sensor triggered the courtesy light just above the floor. It was enough for her to make out Chase’s form.

“Chase?” she said in a soft voice.

“Yeah” he responded without enthusiasm

She could tell he was still down. “You were supposed to come to my cabin, remember?”

“Oh sorry.”

Kat lost her robe and jumped under the cover. She cuddled into Chase’s back as he lay on his side. Normally the sensation of her bare breasts on his back was enough to arouse him, but not this time.

“I’m really tired” he muttered.

“Depressed more like it” she said. “Cabin, lights dimmed” she commanded. The cabin lights came on. Kat was pleased that the cabin AI was now responding to her commands. She raised herself up onto her elbow.

Chase didn’t move. “Do we have to?” he mumbled.

With her uppermost arm she pulled on his upper shoulder and forced him to roll toward her. “Chase Hanlon you get one little reprimand and you sulk all day” she chastised. “The Captain even apologised. What is your grief?”

Chase looked through his tussled hair and shrugged his shoulder. It was clear from her expression that she expected him to respond. “I just feel so bad about the cockup and then the boss apologising made it even worse.”

“What?”

“I should have been the first to apologise…another failure on my part.”

“Oh for god sake Chase, grow up. Listen to yourself. You’re behaving like a little spoilt brat. All this ‘poor me’ is a bit much. You’re supposed to be a Lieutenant Commander, remember.”

“See, I’m even failing you now.”

“Oh!” said Kat with a cross look on her face. She threw off the covers and began putting on her robe. She did the tie up and then looked at Chase.  “I get corrected all the time as a pilot. I don’t have the luxury of sulking. Mistakes kill people and they need to be corrected. I accept that. You suck it up and learn from it and make sure you don’t make it again. That’s what mature people do.”

She turned and exited leaving Chase to stew and stew he did. He turned off the lights and tried to go to sleep. But after half an hour of his mind flailing over one thing after another he sat bolt upright on the edge of the bed. “You’re a fucking idiot” he said out loud to himself.

He threw on his shorts and a tee shirt and grabbed both pass keys. This time it was his turn to enter Kat’s darkened cabin.

“Yes?” she said warily.

“Cabin lights dimmed” Chase ordered quickly. He sat on the end of the bed as Kat rolled onto her back and came into a sitting position with her back against the wall. Chase went to hold her but she put out her hand. Chase dropped his hands to his side. “You’re right. I’ve been an idiot. I’m sorry.”

“What specifically are you sorry about Chase” she said. “About earning my ire? About me not staying with you? Or is there something else?” There was real annoyance in her tone.

“I’m sorry for being a dick, for not being mature and for disappointing you.”

Kat could see that he meant it. She nodded. Chase smiled. She smiled back. He leaned forward and they kissed gently. “Still tired?” she asked her eyes searching his.

“Not one bit.”

She pulled his head closer and kissed him strongly, penetrating his mouth with her tongue. Chase responded in kind and began pulling her tee shirt up. They parted lips. Her tee shirt went flying. “I can see that” she said.

His shirt went next. “Are you tired?” he asked.

She pushed him down onto the bed and began pulling off his shorts.

“I guess not” he said smiling.

A few cabins down the officers’ deck Jasmin rolled off of Ivan’s body and withdrew to the ensuite. Ivan’s eyelids gave up the fight and he succumbed to the little death. A few minutes later Jasmin returned and nudged him to roll over onto his side. The bed was not big enough for them both to lie side by side on their backs.