Cassandra's Challenge (37 page)

As the battle rages on its hard to tell who’s
winning. Two against one are bad odds even when the ones a Battle
Star. So far they’d managed to prevent any direct hits on the
Retribution but that couldn’t last forever.

“Admiral! We have an inbound nuke. Starboard
side.”

“Rig for impact!”

As alarms sound throughout the ship, the ship
lurches to one side. The girls come running to Cassandra. She’s
heard this alarm before. With a child on each side she pulls them
close.

“Shhh now. It’s going to be okay.”

“But Aunt Cassie…”

“It will be okay Tori. We’re safe and we’re
together right? Isn’t that right Amina? Soon this will be over and
we’ll all get to go to Carina. What’s it like there? Where’s your
favorite spot?” As alarms continue to sound Amina tells them about
Carina.

Much later, after the alarms final cease, the
comm center rings. Leaving the girls on the couch, Cassandra picks
up the headset.

“Chamberlain.”

“Mam, this is Hutu. Just checking to see what
time you would like third meal.”

“Hutu, we’ve just finished a major battle.”

“Yes mam, but you and Tori still need to eat.”
Cassandra is constantly amazed by his dedication.

“Well, we wouldn’t refuse food but there are
three of us. Amina is here.”

“I’m sure the Michelakakis’ greatly appreciate
that mam. I will plan accordingly. What time would you like it?”
Looking at the clock Cassandra realizes it’s already 1800.

“Whenever you can bring it would be fine Hutu.
Thank you.”

“Damage report!” The Admiral demands.

“Sir, the worst damage is to Decks C, D, and E,
sections 53-68. It took the hit from the nuke. There was a moment
of decompression before the shields kicked back in.”

“Casualties?”

“Unknown at this time sir.”

“Other damage?”

“All considered minor, sir. We kicked ass! Sorry
sir.”

“Nothing to be sorry for Ensign. We did. I want
a secure line to the High Admiral, and get me that casualty
report!”

“Yes, sir.” Looking at Quinn, the Admiral walks
into his ready room.

“Will, that section on Deck E is where the class
room is.”

“I know.”

“Victoria?”

“In our quarters. Cassandra got her and Amina
out at the first sign of trouble.”

“Thank the Ancestors!”

“Yes, hopefully they are all safe.” As his comm
rings the Admiral reports to the High Admiral.

“Thanks Hutu, this is awesome!” Victoria
exclaimed as she sees a huge pile of chicken nuggets.

“I thought you and Amina might like this.”

“You bet! Aunt Cassie, can we take it into my
room? It would be like a sleep over!”

“Go ahead.” After the girls leave Cassandra
turns to Hutu.

“Tell me.”

“I don’t know much mam. The worst of the damage
is on decks C, D, and E. It took a direct hit. There will be
casualties but no one knows how many yet. Both Regulian ships were
destroyed. The threat is over.”

“But you don’t know much.” She gives him a weak
smile as she walks over to the couch to sit down, her legs suddenly
weak. “Thank you Hutu.” Seeing how pale she is Hutu picks up the
plate he’s checked and brings it to her.

“You need to eat. The Admiral will be unhappy if
he finds you passed out from hunger. Did you eat your lunch?”

“The girls needed it.”

“You should have called.”

“We were in the middle of a battle Hutu. I
couldn’t have eaten anyway.”

“You’ll eat now.” Cassandra sees the
determination in his face.

“I will,” At Hutu’s look she touches his hand.
“I promise.”

As Hutu leaves she leans her head back against
the couch. What a day and it isn’t over yet, it won’t be until
William is home safe. Leaning forward Cassandra looks at plate Hutu
has brought her. Picking it up she makes it through half before her
stomach wouldn’t take anymore. Standing she heads to the consol
ready to start on the new possibility.

What if there was something else going on, that
has nothing to do with the House of Knowledge. Just like Falco’s
attacks on her, had nothing to do with the Regulians. Falco hadn’t
even known the Regulians looking for her, it had been a
coincidence, and they’d assumed they were related.

What if some of these attacks on the fleet were
the same? If not her, then who and why?

There had been transmissions between someone in
Carina space and the Regulians. They talked about the light. Did
all of them? Had they found
all
of them? William had given
her access codes to communications. She needed to come up with a
way to search them. Something’s being missed.

Going back to the first known transmission, from
the Regulians to Carina, she studies more than just what it said.
They knew it came from a Regulian ship Cimex, but not who it was
sent too. They also knew it was about her. How did they know it
came from the Cimex? There has to be some type of imbedded coding.
Cassandra quickly writes a program comparing the first two
transmissions, looking for similar coding’s. As the program starts
there is a buzzing at the hatch. Switching the console to privacy
mode Cassandra opens the door to Leander and Javiera.

“Hi.”

“Cassandra…” Tears fill Javiera’s eyes.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“If you hadn’t taken Amina…”

“What…” Leander puts his arm around his
wife.

“Cassandra the hit the ship took,” She nods at
Leander. “It was a direct hit on the class room. If Amina had been
there…” He can’t finish. Cassandra pales at the thought.

“We owe you more than we can say.” Javiera
embraces her.

“No, no you don’t. You would have done the same
for Tori.”

“Mom? What’s wrong?” Amina sees her mother
crying.

“Nothing’s wrong honey, I’m happy everyone’s
okay, that’s all.”

“Hey baby girl.” Leander walks over to his
daughter, picking her up. “Give your old dad a hug.” As all three
embrace Cassandra sees Tori in the doorway, a sad look on her face.
Walking over to her she squats down pulling her into her arms.

“I love you Victoria Lynn.”

“I love you too.” After several minutes
Michelakakis’ leave, Cassandra looks down at Tori.

“So what would you like to do?”

“I’m tired I think I’ll just go to bed.”
Cassandra looks at the clock realizing it’s only 2000.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright then let’s get you ready for bed.”

“I can do it myself Aunt Cassie.” Turning Tori
leaves the room.

“Oh.” Cassandra is left wondering what’s going
on. Entering the private chambers, Tori’s hatch is closed.
Undecided on what to do the comm beeps, telling her that the search
was done.

Reading the results Cassandra begins to smile.
“Now we’re on to something.” Sitting down she starts refining the
search while adding more variables. “I’m onto you now you son of a
bitch!”

“Casualty report sir.”

“Eighteen.”

“Confirmed?” The Admiral scans the list,
grateful Lucas isn’t on it.

“Yes sir. Twenty-eight are in medical with
serious but not life threatening injuries. All others are accounted
for.”

The Admiral knows it could have been worse, if
the Regulians had made it to Carina, millions could have been lost.
But he considered any loss of life on his tours an insult.

“Get me the names Colonel. The families will
need to be notified.”

“Yes sir.” Quinn knows the Admiral sends a
personal letter to the families of all those he loses.

“Any news on the first son?”

“No Admiral. They’re still scrambling to
stabilize the ships.”

“Get me the High Admiral back on a secure
line.”

“Yes sir.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” Cassandra argues
with her consol. “How can it have only one!” After peeling back
layers of coding she’s finally been able to isolate two strings of
identical series’ of numbers in the first three transmissions. They
have to have some significance. But with the fourth transmission,
the one giving the location of the fleet, she could only match one
string. How could that be?

Frustrated she starts to pace. Seeing that
Victoria’s door is still closed she realizes there’d been no
goodnight hug , no goodnight kiss. Something is wrong.

Entering the room she finds her niece asleep
with the tracks of her tears still visible. What has happened?
She’d seemed okay when Amina was here. It wasn’t until Leander and
Javiera had come…. Crap! Amina’s parents had come to get her. Why
hadn’t Cassandra realized….as she’s about to wake her, the outer
hatch buzzes.

Opening it she finds Lucas, still in his flight
suit, somehow he’d known. Turning she leaves him to secure the
hatch.

“Everything okay here?” When he gets no response
he touches her shoulder.

“Cassie?”

“We’re fine. Victoria’s just a little down.”
Lucas looks towards the private chambers. “She’s asleep.”

“Oh.”

“But it might do her some good to see you.”

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s missing her parents. Leander and Javiera
came to get Amina after the battle. It reminded her of what she’s
lost. Seeing you might make her realize she’s gained a few things
too.”

Turning the lights on low, Lucas sees the tracks
the tears had left on Victoria’s sleeping face. His heart aches at
the thought of her crying herself to sleep.

“Victoria.” Gently rubbing her back she wakes
her. “Come on Tori wake up for a minute.”

“No.” Come’s the crabby voice causing Cassandra
to smile a little.

“Lucas is here to see you.”

“Lucas?” Tori opens her swollen eyes.

“Yeah, right over there.” She points to the
hatch.

She watches her niece look at Lucas and realizes
missing her parents isn’t the only thing bothering her, she’s
worried about Lucas too. The man she’d put in charge of her
protection.

“I need to get some work done in the other room.
Not too long.” Cassandra gives a pointed look to Lucas. Receiving a
nod she leaves the room.

“What’s your situation Zafar?”

“We’re good High Admiral, moderate damage,
eighteen lost, twenty-eight in medical. Could have been worse.”

“A lot worse. You did an amazing job.”

“I hear the fleet is still scrambling to
stabilize ships.”

“Yes, they got caught looking.”

“Someone gave them their location, there’s a
difference. The first son?”

“No word.”

“Fuck! How long until they are able to defend
the border?”

“At least a week, maybe more.”

“You’re sending support?”

“Three more battle ships.”

“How long?”

“They’ll be at the border in three days.
Admiral.”

“We’ll stay in place until the fleet is secured,
unless you want us at the border.”

“No, I want you right where you’re at. If the
Regulians try another attack we’ll need you to protect Carina. The
other will have to wait.”

“Understood, I would like to be kept appraised
on the First Son.”

“I know you’re his Second Father. I’ll let you
know as soon as I do.”

“Appreciate it.”

Lucas finds Cassandra at the comm center as he
quietly closes the hatch to Victoria’s room.

“Sleeping?” She turns to him.

“Exhausted, I didn’t know a little girl could
cry that much. It about killed me.”

“Seems you handled it or she’d still be
crying.”

“How do you deal with it? With everything you’ve
lost?”

“By remembering we still have each other,
remembering those we’ve lost, and being grateful for those we’ve
found.” As the comm beeps she turns back to it.

“What are you working on?”

“Trying to find connections between the Regulian
transmissions.”

“Any luck?”

“Not much.” Cassandra sees the fatigue in Lucas’
eyes. “Go home Lucas, you look like crap.” Grinning she stands up
to lead him to the outer hatch.

“You’ve been waiting to say that to me.”

“I have. Thanks for helping with Tori.”

“Anytime.”

Securing the hatch she returns to read the
results of her latest search. There is still only the single series
in common in all four communications. That had to mean it was
either the same person sending the transmission or receiving
it.

Which is it?

What about this latest attack? Was there a
transmission before it? What did the coding mean? Is it a
signature, security clearance? What! Wait, security clearance.

How did a person send a transmission? What
authorization would a person need? Is each person assigned their
own? She’d have to ask William.

Leaning back in her chair she rubs her eyes. She
needs to take a break, checking on Tori she finds she’s kicked her
covers off. Tucking her back in she leans down to give her a light
kiss and whisper.

“I love you Victoria Lynn, only good dreams.”
Tears fill her eyes as she turns to leave discovering William just
inside the room.

Coming home William isn’t sure what he’ll find.
He hoped Cassandra would be sleeping, he’s given her a bad couple
days. Finding her in Tori’s room, with tears in her eyes isn’t what
he expected.

“She’s okay?” He keeps his voice low looking at
Tori.

Nodding, she moves past him, quietly he shuts
the door. Walking into their quarters she quickly wipes her
eyes.

“What’s wrong then?”

“Nothing.” She can’t seem to stop the tears.
He’s safe, Victoria’s safe, Lucas, and the Michelakakis’ are safe.
So why is she crying? William turns her around so she’s facing
him.

“It’s not nothing, you’re crying.” With his
thumbs he gently wipes her cheeks, causing them to flow faster.
“Please tell me.”