Stars in the Sand (17 page)

 “
Anything on the sensors?” Marshall asked Weitzman.

 “
Nothing, sir. No sign of life at all. Just the signal from the automated beacon in the inner system; we expected that. They’ll be recording our presence in about three hours.”

 “
Three hours,” he replied, shaking his head. “We really are out in the dark, aren’t we.”

 “
Nearest large body is a big chunk of ice, maybe two thousand miles across. Some atmosphere in its surface, outgassing at a guess. Five moons, no less. No sign of life on any of them at first glance, no activity in the electromagnetic spectrum at all.”

 “
I don’t understand,” Orlova said. “I was expecting something. A Cabal fleet, debris field...Weitzman, are you sure that the sensors haven’t been tampered with?”

 “
I’ve run the checks three times, and the distant universe is exactly as it should be. Besides, you only have to look out of the window to see that it matches the scanners. It’s cold out here.”

 “
I suggest we get Durman up here,” Orlova said, turning to Marshall. “Perhaps now that we are here, he might be in a better mood to talk.”

 “
Can’t see what we have to lose,” Marshall agreed, and he tapped a control next to his chair. “Cooper, have one of your team escort Mr. Durman to the bridge.”

 “
There’s another possibility,” Caine said from the auxiliary station. “Maybe the trap hasn’t been sprung yet. There could be a Cabal task force on the way right now. We’re stuck here for at least six days, after rushing things back at Sinbad.”

 “
Unlikely,” he replied. “He’s had no chance to co-ordinate anything, and he couldn’t have known that we were coming this way. We didn’t know until a few days before we left, remember. How could he have arranged for an intercept?”

 Orlova frowned, then said, “He might not have had to. There could be a regular patrol. It wouldn’t take much of a ship to bring us down.” She started to play with her controls, “Shall I set in a course out of here? There are three other egress points that we can reach in the time.”

 “
No,” Marshall said. “We came here for a reason, and I want to find out what that reason might be. There’s a mystery here, and we’ve got to solve it. And if we don’t,” he paused, then said, “then we’re going back to Alamo.”

 The doors slid open, and Cantrell ushered Durman in at a gunpoint before taking a position by the door. Her eyes never left the traitor, and her gun never wavered from its aim; she braced herself by the wall, so that the recoil wouldn’t send her spinning.

 “
Here he is, sir.”

 “
I would have come if you had asked, Captain,” Durman said, rubbing his arm. “I didn’t have to be manhandled.”

 “
Let’s cut out the fun and games. Neither of us have time to play them at the moment. Why have you brought us here? There’s nothing, just some tumbling balls of ice.”

 “
Nothing?” he said, shaking his head. “I certainly hope not. Mr. Weitzman, if you set your channel to transmit on the hydrogen band, and send the signal code-name Chameleon, you might find something very interesting happens.”

 Weitzman turned to Marshall, “Should I do it, skipper?”

 
“
It could be a trap,” Caine said, “but it’s a pretty poor one if they are counting on us to trigger it.”

 “
If it works,” Orlova replied, “then it doesn’t matter how clumsy it was.”

 
“
Then you think we shouldn’t?” Caine said, raising an eyebrow.

 “
No, I think we should. While keeping our eyes open for any risks.”

 “
Mr. Weitzman,” Marshall said, “Go ahead and send the signal. I want sensors on full, and Maggie, let’s get an evasive course instituted at once. Countermeasures to full, and isolate the communications system from the rest of the network in case some decides to have some fun.”

 “
Sending now,” Weitzman said after a brief pause. Almost instantly, something happened; a bright spot of red light appeared on the surface of the rock, a laser beam flashing around as it sought to connect with Ouroboros.

 “
Low power,” Caine said. “A comm laser.”

 
“
Shall I let them connect?” Orlova asked.

 “
Cease maneuvering,” he replied.

 Within a few seconds, the beam operator managed to follow Ouroboros’ new course track, and hooked into their reception antenna. Weitzman, turned, surprise on his face.

 “
I have someone for Mr. Durman.”

 Nodding, Durman said, “Good, I was expecting this. Could you put them on?”

 “
Sir?”

 “
In for a centicred, Spaceman,” Marshall replied. “Go ahead.”

 An image appeared on the screen, a brown-skinned man with long, flowing hair, wearing an urban camouflage jacket. The background was digitally altered, a blur of pixels – they were obviously keeping their communications room secret, but had no problem showing them that. Durman drifted into the pickup, and smiled.

 “
Hello, Ram. It’s been too long.”

 “
Have you been mistreated?” he said with a clipped English accent.

 “
No,” he replied, shaking his head. “They took some sensible precautions, but nothing more. I am fine.”

 
“
That is well.”

 
“
Excuse me,” Marshall said, “but could someone let me in on what is going on?”

 Durman turned to him, and said, “Ram, may I introduce Lieutenant-Captain Daniel Marshall, of the Triplanetary Fleet. Captain, this is Brigadier Ram Singh, commander of the Democratic Underground.”

 
“
The resistance!” Orlova said. “You’re rebelling against the Cabal!”

 “
Quite so,” Singh said. “Major Durman has elected to bring you to one of our key headquarters. I am most curious to learn why.”

 “
I think the two of you need to talk; you can certainly be of help to each other. Captain Marshall is attempting to retrieve some captured members of his crew from Ahwaz.” He turned to Marshall, then said, “Denebola VII.”

 “
I see,” Singh said. “Captain, I invite you to pay a visit to my headquarters. You may bring one officer with you; both of you will be unarmed, and no recording devices will be permitted.”
 
“
I’ve got a better idea,” Marshall said. “Why don’t you come on board my ship?”

 “
Because, Captain, I have five particle cannons trained on your vessel, and my tactical aide has just informed me that he has a good firing solution.”

 With a thin smile, Marshall replied, “That does sound like good reasoning.”

 
“
It could still be a trap,” Caine said.

 “
Captain, if Ram wanted you dead, by now this ship would be a collection of floating atoms. The Underground has a lot to offer you, and I venture that you have a lot to offer it. I’ll come with you.”

 “
That doesn’t reassure me. This could still be a means for you to return to the Cabal.”

 Shrugging, he said, “Then I’ll remain here as a hostage. This is where I get off, though; if you take me to Denebola, we’re dead. I’m wanted there.”

 “
For what?”

 “
Mr. Durman, in his youth and under a different name, assassinated Admiral Dunbar at a rally,” Singh said. “A particularly vicious thug. The Underground contacted him shortly afterward, and arranged for his escape.”

 
“
You weren’t in the Underground then?”

 With a chuckle, he said, “We called ourselves the Black Hand Gang. Too much history.” The smile faded, and he continued, “I never found out what happened to the others. I hope they got away, but I doubt I’ll ever know.”

 “
If you’re telling the truth, you don’t have anything to fear from us,” Marshall said. “Brigadier, I accept your invitation.”

 “
Excellent,” he replied. “I will send a shuttle to pick you up. It should arrive at your main airlock in ten minutes. Singh out.”

 The image flashed out, and Orlova turned to him, “Sir, let me go in your place.”

 
“
No,” he replied, and turning to Caine said, “You aren’t going either, Deadeye.”
 
“
Danny…”

 “
If this goes wrong, if it is a trap, then both of you have to stay up here to think of a way to get out of the mess I’ve got you all in. No protests on this, that’s an order.”

 “
You’ve got to take someone with you,” Caine said.

 “
I will indeed. Weitzman, have Cooper report to the main airlock. Inform him that I want
him in uniform.”

 “
Dress uniform, sir?”

 “
If he brought it along for this ride, he might as well. I didn’t, though; smart casual will have to make do. Maggie, you have the conn, and I want to make something clear now to all of you. No attempts are to be made to come after me. The ship is your first priority. Is that clearly understood.”
 Orlova looked at Caine, and said, “Yes, sir.”

 “
I’ll be in my quarters. Once the shuttle has departed, resume evasive pattern. No point making it too easy for them.” He turned to Durman, and said, “No offense, but…”

 “
You want me back in detention.”

 “
Please.”
 
“
Very well,” he said, glancing at Cantrell. “I believe this dance is ours.”
 
“
Wait a minute,” she said. “Captain, take me with you instead of Cooper. He could lead a rescue attempt if this goes wrong…”

 
“
I’ve already given orders for that eventuality, and while I appreciate your enthusiasm, I think this is a job for a trained Espatier.”

 She looked for a moment as if she was going to provide a counter-argument, then shook her head, and replied, “Aye, sir. I’ll get Durman to the brig.”

 Marshall pushed past her, diving into the corridor and out of the bridge. Orlova looked after him, then ducked back into the command couch, stabbing a button to summon Nelyubov to the bridge.

 “
Shuttle launching,” Weitzman said. “This is odd.”

 “
What?” Caine asked.

 “
It’s one of ours. Triplanetary design, Mark IV.”

 “
A copy?”

 “
No, definitely one of ours. Clearing atmosphere, so I can get a good shot at it.”
Orlova looked over at Weitzman, the said, “Any chance you can get a serial number?”

 “
I think so...got it.” He tapped a pair of buttons, then said, “CSS Daedalus. Lost
fifteen years ago
, at the Battle of Ross 128.”

 “
That ship went down fighting the UN,” Caine said. “I had a friend on board.”

 “
Are you sure, Deadeye?”

 “
My friend told me the story after the war over some drinks. Most of the crew were captured, a few got away on Thunderchild.”

 “
That doesn’t mean anything,” Orlova said. “There’s a lot of war surplus stuff flying around out there. I wouldn’t be that surprised to find some of it had made its way out this far, especially with Cornucopia on the case.”

 Weitzman shook his head, “I checked the register. We never salvaged that shuttle, or anything from the Daedalus. All of it ended up in UN territory after the war. Just the usual casualty retrieval permitted.”

 “
Which means that if anyone salvaged that shuttle, it would be the UN.” Orlova nodded, “Better page the Captain.”

 “
You think this is a trap?” Caine said.

 “
This doesn’t change anything. Not yet.” She smiled, then said, “Hell, I already thought it was a trap.”

 “
Then…”

 “
It’s a trap that has already been sprung. I just hope the Captain can talk us out of it.”

Chapter 17

Ducking down the corridor, Marshall swam towards his cabin. He swung in, and started to pull off his flight jacket, curling it up into a ball and tossing it to the wall. Folded carefully in a drawer was his uniform, and he carefully slid it on, making sure to keep it as smart as possible. After a moment’s hesitation, he clipped his medal ribbons into the slot over his breast. He didn’t usually wear them on duty, but it was as near as he was going to get to dress code.

 Running his hands through his pockets, he removed everything, just sliding his communicator into his belt, setting it to record. No point taking anything unnecessary on this trip, certainly not taking anything that could provide any information in the event he was captured. He unclipped the holster, and placed it back in the drawer, gun in position with it. Not that it would do him much good against an entire base of people if he took it with him, but somehow, he still felt naked.

 He drifted back out into the corridor, making his way towards the elevator. Cooper was waiting for him, still tugging on his olive-green duty uniform, and the two of them drifted inside, riding down the decks in silence while the trooper finished dressing, struggling to tug his boots on in the zero-gravity.

 The door opened, and they stood at the airlock, waiting for the shuttle to dock. Marshall peered out of the viewport as it approached; it was a standard atmospheric shuttle, an older mark, but one he knew well enough to fly.

 “
Definitely one of ours,” he said. “I flew it often enough during the War.”