Ice and Peace (10 page)

“You haven’t even asked? Here I’m thinking we are waiting on a response, and you haven’t even asked the damn question! Why not?”

“It’s in the pipeline. And we haven’t alerted them of our approach,” he said, emphasizing the last word, “because there have been some breaches in security, and we all agreed it was best to wait. We don’t want to take any chances.”

“In other words, you don’t want to risk having a Vernean entering Wacian space?”

Gadison’s eyes widened with surprise.

“A spy on board.” Keegan shook his head. “Yes. We guessed that might be a possibility, too. If there is one, it has to be human or at least appear to be one.”

The corners of Gadison’s lips curled upward. “I don’t have any information to support that hypothesis. However, based on the reports from our soldiers who have engaged the enemy, they report them to be human-like in appearance with some exceptions.”

“Like what?”

“Their eyes are unusually round. And they have pinkish skin like that of a pig. And we think they are especially adapted to the cold. Have you begun a search?”

“If they looked like that, they’d be in medical right now. And to answer your question, no. We have seven thousand people on board. How do you supposed we do that without turning the ship inside out, not to mention inciting dissent among the crew?”

“I see your problem.” Gadison stood up and walked around the chair. His uniform showed the barest hint of a wrinkle from sitting.

“The way I figure it, the only thing we can do for now is wait for him or her to make a move.”

“Colonel, that is unacceptable. We need definitive answers. That’s why you need to make a detour.”

“Where?”

“To the Potanus research facility.”

“Why?” Keegan frowned and sipped his coffee. The cup gently vibrated as the thermo regulator turned on, maintaining its internal temperature. He placed the cup on the table beside him. “I’ve ordered an increase in the patrols in the ship especially around the infirmary.”

“So you know Dr. Rimmer is here.”

“Of course I do. This is my ship, I make it a point of knowing who comes on board.”

Gadison smirked. “Granted. At any rate, the patrols are a good start.”

“A good start?” Keegan’s voice rose. “What else did you have in mind, Commander?”

“I think you need to make the detour.”

The last thing he wanted was to take Dr. Rimmer close to her ravaged facility. Though she had escaped before it was raided, they had no idea what state it was in or who there. He did not like the idea of needlessly endangering the lives of his crew.

“Think about it,” Gadison said, crossing in front of the chair and sitting down on the seat’s edge. “If we find out what happened over there, it might give us an idea as to who is behind this.”

Keegan’s gut knotted up into a ball. They could be walking into a trap, and without help from the rest of the battle group, things could get hairy.

“No.”

“Colonel, I don’t have to tell you Washington has their eye on you. I’m sure you are well aware of this.”

His jaw tensed. Of course he considered the reasons for them agreeing to his reactivation. “And?”

“To be honest, some think you may have lost your edge and gone soft.”

“Just because I won’t put my crew in needless danger does not mean I’ve gone soft.”

“Colonel, I don’t want you to think I’m here to judge you because I’m not. I want to do my job the best way I know how and if that means going over your head, I will.”

Offended, Keegan clamped down on his feelings. He was in charge of this ship. And he’d rather rot in his grave than let a spy from Intel come in and tell him what to do.

“I disagree with your decision. We will not be going to Potanus.”

“I thought you’d feel that way so I already cleared it with Hollis. She’s all for it. Besides, we have to. One of our relays picked up an SOS from the facility. We’re obligated to go.” Gadison’s sympathetic look did nothing for Keegan’s dented ego.

Why hadn’t Hollis let him know? If she trusted him to run the Blanchard, he had right to do that instead of looking like a fool. Unfortunately, Gadison was right. All emergency beacons had to be investigated.

“Will you be sending regulars down there?” Gadison asked.

“Thought about it. Why?”

“It’s cold there. Probably too cold for our regulars. Maybe you should send a team of cryos instead.”

Keegan smirked. Caitlin’s team was new and untested. Sending them into a possible hot zone without backup could be disastrous.

“I’ll think about it,” he said, rising. He understood the implications of the Commander’s question. To say no would only confirm their speculation he didn’t have what it took to lead. It was time to check out Caitlin and her team. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

***

Keegan scrutinized Caitlin’s team of shooters as he stood in the cryo team briefing room. It was the last meeting of the day and the one he looked forward to the most. Usually a team of shooters was just that, a team of shooters, trained to go ahead of the pack and shoot to kill. But this time it was different. Yet the half dozen men and women looking at him intently had been trained by someone he loved. By someone who he cared for and someone he might have to send into action one day—his wife. It was the sort of thing that made his blood run cold, but as her and their commanding officer, it was his duty to look past it and treat them as he would any other fire team.

Keegan examined their appearance: neat, clean, and very squared away. He had to admit he was impressed. He glanced at Caitlin standing behind him.

“Welcome aboard. As some of you know, I am Colonel Keegan. I am captain of this ship. I have served here in the past and so I’m very familiar with her systems and operations. I’ve also had cryos in my command before, therefore making me familiar with your operational capabilities.”

He stepped forward, allowing himself to be closer to the group. “Aboard this ship, we treat everyone with dignity and respect. You do your job and I won’t say you’ll be rewarded, but at least you won’t get into trouble. If you do your job well, it will be appreciated and recognized. We do not tolerate harassment or fighting of any kind among the crew. Cryo or not. As I’m certain Chief Driskoll has briefed you, your team is tasked with the duties of discretionary warfare, cold weather engagement, tactical self-sufficiency, special reconnaissance, direct action, and other things. Your main liaison between the command staff and myself is Chief Driskoll. For some of you, this may be your first cruise, and it can be disorienting at times.

“There are a lot of us in a small space, so knock before you enter and don’t borrow anyone’s stuff without asking because our brig is always open and the JAG officer isn’t very busy. Any questions?”

He eyed each of them individually. They met his stare without blinking.

Outstanding. They were not timid. It was a good sign. They would need their determination if they were to survive
.

“All right. That’ll be all.”

“Attention,” Caitlin called to the group.

They responded immediately to her order.

Inwardly, he smiled at his wife’s excellent work. They were ready.

“Dismissed,” he said.

The others shuffled out of the room, leaving them alone.

She waited until the last cryo exited before turning to face him. “So what do you think?”

He heard the pride in her voice and wanted to hug her to show how proud he was of her. “I think you did a good job. And I also think they are ready for their first assignment.”

“Where to?”

He handed her a scriv. “Here, all the specs are in it. Have them up tomorrow morning with the dawn patrol. They’ll be landing on planet with recon.”

“Aye sir.” Caitlin headed to the door, then threw him a look.

He nodded and let out a deep breath. He wished her and her team the best of luck.

***

The night watch bells rang throughout the ship. The activities slowed down, finally enabling Keegan to come off the bridge. Immediately, he went to his quarters to get some much-needed rest. As he lay down, he closed his eyes and relaxed. Soon he fell into a deep sleep.

“Tap, tap, lights out! All hands turn into your bunks! Maintain silence about the decks! The smoking lamp is out in all berthing spaces,” the boatswain’s mate of the watch announced over the ship’s public address system.

The peeling sound of the small piped instrument he blew into cut through the silence on the bridge. Once finished, the Sailor lowered the wooden pipe to his side and nodded to the officer of the deck who then nodded back as if to say “carry on.”

Staring in to the vastness of space, Keegan gazed at infant stars burning their way through a reddish white nebula. The COB—chief of the boat—motioned to one of the boatswains to switch places with a newbie.

He liked the COB. She knew her stuff. Though an enlisted, she had the responsibility of an officer. She was tough and had some kick to her. On one occasion, he almost called her ma’am, though stopping himself before the fatal words left his mouth. As the others moved around the bridge, he calmly sat down relishing the order and peace.

One on lookout, another at the helm while others maintained shipboard communications. This was how life was supposed to be.

Turning to his charge officer, the Officer of the Deck—OOD—Keegan spoke quietly, “Steady as you go, Lieutenant.” He lifted a mug of coffee to his lips.

“Aye, aye sir,” she replied promptly before returning her attention to the Sailor at the helm.

Placing the mug on a stand beside him, Keegan noticed there was something different about her. Though outwardly she was spit and polish, he could tell there was something missing, something out of place. Standing up, Medoro walked over to her. He prided himself on knowing everyone who served on the bridge with him. But he did not know her. He looked at her sternly as she scrutinized the readouts in front of her. Then he noticed her gaze would occasionally become distant and fixed as if her mind was someplace else. Something was wrong.

He grabbed the woman by the arm, swinging her around to face him.

“What is your problem?” he demanded.

Her gaze was just as empty as before. “Absolutely nothing.”

“Where in the hell are we going?”

“Where we belong,” she answered, as her face morphed into a cold, gray mask covered with ice. His breath caught in his throat, suddenly recognizing her, this new person in front of him. It was Maggie, his first. Her face contorted with angst.

“How could you do this to me?” she cried.

“No, you can’t be. You’re….”

Suddenly warning lights and buzzers went off on the navigational system. A collision was imminent.

“Right full rudder on the double!” he ordered instinctively.

Maggie stood before him, shaking her head. “I can’t.”

“But Maggie,” he pleaded.

“Medoro, I’m so sorry, but it’s too late.” She pointed toward the front of the compartment.

He turned in the direction to see what she was pointing at. In horror, he realized they were plowing directly into a star.

His eyes popped open. Keegan caught his breath. Sitting up, he looked around in the darkness. Of course he was alone. He missed the warmth of Cate’s soft body. Calming himself, he lay back down and tried to go back to sleep.

Dream or not, he wasn’t going to analyze it.

Chapter Twelve

“All right!” Caitlin stared at her team. “We’re heading to Potanus. We’ve scanned the planet and received a distress signal from the cryo research facility there. You’ll be hopping a ride on a mid-range transport along with recon. You’ll be dropped approximately a half a click away from the main facility where their transport station is located. However, considering there has been no activity in or out of the station for some time, we expect it to be abandoned. Still, we’ll need to confirm its status. You’ll also be the backup for recon in case they find any scientists still alive. Any questions?”

“Mission objectives?” Jesswan asked.

“Report on the status of the transport facility, locate any friendlies, and bring them back if they are alive. And back up recon. Mission timeline, two hours. No more, no less. If you aren’t back in two hours, you’ll miss your ride home. So stay together. Any more questions?”

“Yes.” Mosely raised his hand.

“What is it?”

“Rules of engagement?”

Cate smiled. She knew it meant they were hungry. It was a good sign.

“Don’t shoot each other, recon, or the friendlies. Everyone else is up for grabs. You see something strange, shoot first, ask questions later—ammo is cheap and human life is precious. So anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. It’s gonna be cold down there so it’ll feel like home. Don’t go and get too comfortable and wind up going into hibernation. Keep your wits about you. This is your first mission. Don’t screw it up.”

“We got it, Chief,” Jesswan replied.

“I know. I have every confidence in you. Dismissed.”

***

“Transport Yuggosa request permission to depart,” the pilot’s voice said over the speakers.

“Permission granted,” the controller replied in the background.

Caitlin heard the door open to the CIC. She contained her excitement as she stood inside the darkened tactical nerve center of the ship. It was the first time she had been in charge of a mission and not been called to be on it.

“Tac, what is their ETA?” she asked the tactical action officer.

“Five minutes, Chief.”

She was nervous. It was their first mission, too, and though the threat level was low, one never knew. She hoped they would be all right. She had taught them everything she knew, and now all she could do was wait.