Riss Series 5: The Riss Challenge (9 page)

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"How does it feel to be returning to the Mnemosyne?" Anca Sa'Veltre asked as the Riss fighter rose into the night sky. The choice of using multiple engines made it ideal for operating on the planet as well as in space.

"I'm relieved this phase of the occupation has finally arrived—the chance to free Freeland from the JPU, and I'm looking forward to being in space again. How is it going with the Wraiths, Commander Sa'Veltre?"

"Great. The Mnemosyne is an amazing ship, the Wraiths are exciting to fly, and thanks to Commander Vanbeck and his squadron of Ghosts on the Minerva, we've learned a lot about fighting in stealth fighters. We have a lot to learn, but ironically we may be a bit better off than the Ghosts. Because the Wraiths had to be adapted for use on a planet, we have a visual window and therefore have some idea where our comrades are."

"That has always been a problem with the Ghosts," I said. "Any other concerns?"

"No, the Riss are wonderful to be around, the troops are excited to be Wraiths, and they are looking forward to helping you get rid of the JPU invaders," she said. I spent the next hour playing with the weapons controls under Anca's directions.

When I exited the Wraith, Terril stood waiting with another man dressed in a dark blue uniform. On his right arm was a black patch with blue and a grey-banded Krait in the middle and two scrolls with the words "First," and "Blue Kraits." He had the standard black and grey Aiguillettes on his shoulder.

"Your security detail, Leader Reese," she said with a determined look that warned me there were no more exceptions. I knew it had driven her crazy she couldn't follow me on Freeland.

"Yes, Master Gunnery Sergeant Terril, permanent and no exceptions." I smiled, and the muscles in her face relaxed. I made my way to the Bridge. Entering, it felt like I had been reborn as my sisters welcomed me back.

Damaass's smiling face appeared on the monitor. "Party time?"

 "Time to slowly get into position. Once we are within a light-second of the main group, we can determine specific assignments. Neifeh is leaving tomorrow, and unless I'm mistaken, it won't take the new Admiral long to begin his reign of terror. If we are in position, hopefully we can limit the damage. Maintain tight-beam communications," I said, cutting the connection.

I asked Thalia. Looking old didn't affect my energy level, but I wanted to look normal again.

An image of me slowly changing. My tattoo returned, skin tightened somewhat, age spots disappeared, and I straightened up a bit. The image looked to be about sixty rather than ninety.

I sent and proceeded to my cabin, crawled into bed, and let Thalia work her magic. When I woke, I showered, examined the results in a mirror, and dressed.

When I opened the door, Terril and another Krait stood in the hallway. He stood with his mouth open. Terril frowned.

"I'll feel better when I can fight with you without thinking you are going to have a heart attack." A twitch of a smile touched her lips.

"Life is good, Terril. I'm even enjoying your nagging," I said as I made my way down the hallway to the conference room. At the door, the Krait inspected the room and then opened the door wide for me. Terril had obviously been drilling them on security procedures.

"Attention," Anca shouted, and everyone bolted to their feet.

"At ease," I said, still struggling with the balance between this being a Riss ship and the need to maintain military discipline.

"Commander Ja'Kazak, any problems or concerns?"

"No, ma'am. The Mnemosyne is a great ship, and the last couple of months have given us a chance to get adjusted and do some real flying. We obviously need experience, but we're as ready as we can be under the circumstances," he said, looking to Anca, who nodded agreement.

"Colonel Ja'Shar, do you have any problems or concerns?"

"No, Gunny Terril has managed to beat our inflated view of ourselves out of us and enlighten us as to the difference between Raiders and commandos. Like Commander Ja'Kazak, I believe we are as ready as we can be under the circumstances. I would like to introduce Lieutenant Ja'Dalle, my second in command." He nodded to the stocky scarred-faced man next to him, who stood and gave a short bow.

"Ma'am."

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Ja'Dalle," I said, nodding in his direction. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you and your units. This is a Riss ship, so it won't be uncommon to see me wandering the ship, visiting your sections, and talking with your people. It's just part of the relaxed environment of a Riss ship, but it does not affect the normal military chain of command, protocol, or discipline," I paused for questions and took a sip of the kaffa someone had placed in front of me. "Unfortunately, that will have to wait until we kiss those arrogant want-a-bes out of our space—"

That produced a unanimous "Yes, ma'am!"

"Good, I'm glad we are in agreement. We are now moving into position for when Admiral Neifeh leaves with the last of his invasion force. That will leave one Heavy and sixteen Lights. Fortunately, they are old Lights, not to be confused with harmless. We will remain on Standby even after we are in position. I know that sounds strange, but in reality the chances of needing Wraiths or Kraits with less than five minutes' notice is zero. And I'm confident that with five minutes' notice you can have your units ready to deploy." I waited until each person nodded. "Standby will keep you and your troops relaxed and better prepared when the call comes. I won't forget you want your bite of the JPU's ass," I said, to smiles all around.

CHAPTER TEN

Freeland: Eviction

Damaass's smiling face appeared on the monitor.

"Admiral Huber has conveniently split his task force into two groups, one closer to the exit from the Wave, and one with his Heavy, closer to Freeland. Why don't we do the same?" I said.

"Nice of him. I suppose you would like the group with the Admiral?"

"Yes, Admiral Huber has been fantasizing what he was going to do to the bitch Ioana the next time he saw her. Don't want to deny him his last wish," I said, causing Damaass to roar with laughter. "R-Kharis informs me you will need seven hours to get in position at one-tenth power. Let's plan our party for eight hours from now."

"Six thirty-two hours, dybbuk," he said, and cut the connection.

I sat back with mixed emotions. I was on the Mnemosyne with my sisters, but unknown death and destruction lay ahead. People would die, humans and Riss, and the thought made me sick.

No images.

Images of Riss being hunted by humans for their fur, then the human-hosting experiment, and finally the monitoring of Freeland to avoid mass murder.

I lapsed into silence.

Damaass's Riss companion, Cethlion, had the Riss position of Seer. I hoped they had picked the right person. Before I realized it, we were in position, and I began setting up a jump to within one kilometer of the Sentinel, a subsequent skip close to two other Light cruisers, and the firing sequences, while I waited for the Minerva to get into position.

R-Galene jerked me alert.

As I watched the Visual Tracking Hologram (VTH) in the middle of the Bridge, small red dots began to appear, tagged as: SS-1, Sentinel shuttle one, most likely Huber's personal shuttle, SS-2, L1S1-1 (Light one, squadron one, shuttle one), L1S1-2, L2S1-1...L8S1-2, until eighteen shuttles were heading toward Freeland. I concluded Admiral Huber was planning the first of many demonstrations to teach the Freelanders and Riss who was in charge. Seventeen combat shuttles with approximately twenty-five on each meant four hundred twenty-five commandos with air support.

I was equally sure these weren't meant to maintain order. They were revenge sessions that would eventually end in the destruction of Freeland; however, that would not be soon. Unless I was wrong, Admiral Huber was a sadistic psychopath, and he meant for these sessions to drag on for months, maybe years.

Red lights flashed for several minutes, then remained red.

Sorin's face appeared on the monitor.

"Commander, as you can see on your feed from the Bridge, Admiral Huber is planning on visiting Freeland with over four hundred commandos. If those shuttles reach Freeland, many innocent people are going to die. I estimate it will take two hours ten minutes for the first ones to reach the planet. It is now five hundred hours. I would rather none of those shuttles reached Freeland."

"No, ma'am. None of those shuttles will reach Freeland...whole. Some pieces may." He smiled.

"You are not to begin your attack until six thirty-two hours. Is that clear, Commander?" I said, watching his reaction.

"That's cutting it very... Yes, ma'am, six thirty-two hours."

"Make sure everyone understands they are part of a team. The party does not start until six thirty-two hours."

"Yes, Captain. I understand." He cut the connection. Ten minutes later, ten Wraiths left the Mnemosyne in stealth mode—using only one engine for power.

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My dilemma was whether to go for the kill or to disable and hope for some luck. That is, whether to hit the Heavy with six or twelve missiles, and the lights with three or six. Would it be easier to fight damaged cruisers or undamaged ones? Of course, it depended on the damage. A lucky hit could take out critical systems. An unlucky series of hits would open some areas to vacuum and kill a few crew but leave the ship fully functional. I decided to go for the kill each time.

The second skip would take the Mnemosyne out of harm's way and give us time to reload all tubes.

I watched the overhead monitor countdown to six thirty-two hours.

No sooner had I thought it than the Bridge and the people faded to ghosts and two seconds later back again to normal.

The Mnemosyne shuddered twice.

The Bridge faded in and out for the one-second jump away from the Sentinel. The Mnemosyne coasted silently in space while the missile tubes were recycling.

None of the usual human shouting. Although necessary, lives were being lost—people were dying.

Again the Bridge faded, this time for two seconds.

I sat staring at the VTH as I awaited the missile tubes being loaded and contemplated my next move. As I watched Damaass's sector, S2L2, S2L5, and S2L4 disappeared, and S2L1 seemed to have sustained some significant damage. Of course, the Minerva had all of its fighters for support.

 Except for one Light, S1L8, all of the cruisers in squadron one began moving in the direction of our last missile release. S1L8 headed in the direction of the rapidly disappearing combat shuttles.

Of course, by the time they located the area and fired, we were twenty seconds gone and the space empty.

Time for a little luck. The next missile launch would disclose our position, but we had no more than a two-second skip remaining without recharging the system, and that would take at least eight hours.

I waited as the Lights approached, slowly fanning out to cover the maximum area. A Riss solution would mean a high number of hits, since the missiles weren't using sensors of any kind. The difference of stopping a bullet coming toward you at night with a light at its tip versus stopping one without a light. ECM had time to handle the one with the light but not the one without.

The Riss Demons travelled one light-second in forty-five seconds, which meant they would arrive as our tubes finished reloading. We could fire one more time and jump before they could respond.

And ten seconds later,