Wrath of the Void Strider (36 page)

With a drawn sigh, she turned to regard him.  “Think you can keep a secret?”

“Not from you,” he teased.

“This is serious, Gavin.”

He sobered quickly.  “Okay, sure.  Yes, I can keep a secret.”

“I really, really want to ask Cajun out.  I have since the day he came aboard, but it’s been almost a year, and I still don’t have the guts to ask.”  She toyed with the pull strings of her hood.  “I might actually do it, one day, so you can’t tell anyone, got it?”

Gavin laughed.  “Cajun?  He’s spent all his life in space!  I mean, he’s an excellent medic, and he’s a really nice guy, but he seems a little… I don’t know, inexperienced.”  He considered for a moment.  “Well, that does mean you could show him a lot of firsts.  That’s pretty awesome, now that I think about it.”

She sighed.  “Yeah, well, that’s assuming I ever ask him out.”  She rolled onto her side, facing the wall of the tent.  “Good night, Gavin.”

“Good night, Valerie.”  He yawned and closed his eyes.  “Your secret’s safe with me.”

They drifted to sleep as the storm raged on.

Well after midnight, Zerki quietly entered.  Drenched through and through, she donned her dry, cozy attire while Gavin and Valerie slumbered.  After unrolling her blanket, she settled down near the mouth of the tent and joined them in slumber.

·· • ··

By sunup, the rain had moved along, leaving a gentle mist in its wake.

The loud rumbling of a huge vehicle shook the camp awake.  Zerki unzipped the tent door and peered out.  Her seeking gaze befell a monstrous machine sitting atop enormous treads.  It stood as tall as a factory, with a headdress of smokestacks and scaffolding jutting from its roof.  Pumps, gearboxes and hoses divided its surface.

“What is that?” asked Gavin.

“I think it’s their mill,” said Zerki.  She watched Brucker and a handful of others march Ashley Fenmore out to the machine.  They disappeared beyond the walls as it slowed to a stop just outside the perimeter of the estate.  Zerki retreated back into the heated tent.

Valerie yawned and sat up, her arms draped in her lap.  “It’s really loud.”  She blinked and yawned again.  “Also, it’s not their mill.  Ashley’s counting on Brucker not knowing the difference, but Brucker was in pharmacology before he joined the navy.  He knows the difference between a medicine mill and a dust manufactory.”

They heard blaster fire in the distance.

“Bye, Ashley,” she said, and she stretched as she got to her feet.  “What are we doing for breakfast?”

“Uh, rations, I think,” Zerki replied, and she nodded toward her pack.

“Ashley was the primary target, right?” asked Gavin.  “We’re done, aren’t we?”

Zerki nodded.  “We should be.”

Gavin breathed out.  “Good.”

By midmorning, the
Eridanis
had returned, and the strike team bore their fallen to the cargo hold.  Zerki, Gavin and Valerie joined them as they boarded and prepared for departure.

The starship lifted off and took to the stars.

She soon arrived outside Ry’lyeh and descended to the planet’s surface.  Her passengers disembarked and made their way to the Command Center.

Chapter 22

Dryden sat across from Zerki within his office.  “Mr. Santiago has the makings of an extraordinary officer.  I’ve had a chance to review the mission footage, and I’m going to recommend him for the Navy Cross.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she scoffed.  “He saved my life, and I’m grateful, but he risked the lives of everyone in the galaxy by handling it the way he did.  Twice he froze, and you lost two good men because of it.  When he finally figured out what to do, he put himself directly in harm’s way in order to satisfy some need for a show of bravado.  He could’ve just as readily executed his solution from where he was hiding.”

He coughed, somewhat taken aback.  “I disagree!  If he had acted from an unseen position, it’s likely his ruse would have only worked against one gunman.  It was bold and foolish, but if he had played it safe, it’s entirely likely the kwercian leader would have used the constrictor vines to kill everyone as soon as he realized what Mr. Santiago was up to.”  He crossed his arms.  “He’s young and inexperienced, I’ll give you that, but he’s got a tactical mind.  He acted courageously on the information he had available, and he saved lives.”

“More importantly, he proved he was the weapon you’d hoped for, and now you’re buttering him up.”  She narrowed her gaze.  “Navy Cross?”  She shook her head.  “Actually, I think you’re trying to butter
me
up, because you know he’ll listen to me.”

Coolly, Dryden said, “I’ll cut the bullshit.  You’re right—we need Mr. Santiago in order to win this war.  That much is clear.  But more than that, we need him to feel good about being a part of this team.  In three days, if we can stop the ithirals, who’s to say they won’t reappear in overwhelming numbers?  Based on our telemetry readings, we believe they originate from somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy.  It’s likely this is an expeditionary force.  Can you imagine the magnitude of destruction their response fleet would command?”

She swallowed visibly.  “I see your point.”

“I thought you might.”  He leaned back and pressed his fingertips together.  “I’m also going to promote him to lieutenant commander.”

“You’re talking like he’s already joined up,” responded Zerki.  “He hasn’t signed anything.  He’s not even technically an ensign, yet.”

Dryden exhaled into his steepled hands.  “He made a verbal agreement during the mission briefing.”

Zerki frowned.  “He said ‘us, I guess’ when you made him choose.  I don’t think it counts.”

“It’ll hold up long enough for him to sign.”

She sighed.  “Look, if you really want him on your team, you need to let him decide for himself.”

Dryden considered.  “You’re right.  I’ll make him a formal retroactive offer after we’re done here.  I’m also going to make Ms. Sawyer an offer.  I’ve never met another psychic of her caliber.”

Zerki flushed.  “You’re stealing my officers from me.”  Clenching her teeth, she hissed, “How about D’Arro?  He’s ex-military, too.  Or maybe Krane?  He’s one hell of a pilot!”

“Calm down.  I’m not after your crew!”  He exhaled evenly.  “I was hoping you might consider a career change.  I’d like to reinstate you with a promotion to the rank of captain.  It would be a formality at first, but after you get back into the swing of things, you could be heading up the
Wraithfin
with Mr. Santiago and Ms. Sawyer under your command.”

“What about the
Shadow
?”

“Promote Jackson Collins.  He knows the rigging.”

“I meant the hit she’s got on her.  And what about the ellogons?  Did you make them an offer of membership?”  Zerki leaned close.

Dryden said, “I haven’t forgotten about the hit.  Please know that it’s a slow wheel to turn.  I’ve arranged to send an emissary to the ellogons if this next operation succeeds.”  Before she could protest, he quickly added, “If it doesn’t succeed, I don’t think it’ll matter much, anyway.  The ithirals will wipe us all out.”

Her expression cooled.  “What’s the op?”

Dryden smiled.  “So far, we’ve observed that the ithiral battle stations only materialize in order to execute coordinated orbital bombardment or to attack large groups of starships.”  He pulled out a sheet of clear plastic, and a signup form flickered onto its surface.  “Before I can tell you more, I need you on my team.”

She regarded him suspiciously.  “Of course you do.”

Dryden pushed the form toward her and spun it around to face her correctly.  He pulled a lovely silver stylus from his breast pocket and placed it on top of the sheet.  With an expectant expression, he nodded toward her.

For a lengthy moment, Zerki held his gaze, the sides of her jaw bulging.  Her lips thinned, and she exhaled through her nose as she took up the stylus and studied the form.  “Four years of mandatory service, huh?”  She glanced back to him, shaking her head.

“It’s the same for every commissioned officer of the fleet.  Without an Executive Exception, I can’t change it.”

She tapped the stylus on the signature line, staring through the form more than at it.  “Can I talk to Gavin and Val about this, first?”

“Of course.  You know where to find me.”

Zerki returned his stylus and exited the room.  She joined Gavin and Valerie as they waited in the circular lobby, and they greeted her warmly.  In hushed tones, she explained what Dryden intended to do.  For some time, they discussed the implications.

Gavin crossed his arms.  “Well, I have to do this.  I don’t really have a choice.”

“How exactly would we all be on the same starship?” asked Valerie.  “He wants me on the ground.  He wants me to be part of the invasion of the ellogon home world.”  She glanced upwardly and tilted her head for a moment.  “Okay, the liberation of their home world, but he’s planning to leave a Union presence behind.”

Zerki’s eyes widened, and she whispered, “Val, don’t!  That’s top-secret information.  You could be executed for treason!”

“Whatever.  He shouldn’t have let me get this close.”

“Not whatever!  He has no idea how good you are at this.”  Zerki exhaled and glanced around.  Returning her attention to Valerie, she said, “I don’t know how he plans to get us all on the same starship.  You’d have to ask him.”

Valerie narrowed her eyes and looked to Gavin.  “Well, you’re going.  Obviously.”

He nodded, his face saddened.

Glancing to Zerki, she said, “And I can’t believe you’re going.  I really can’t.  Especially after what they already put you through.”

“That’s behind me.”

Valerie slowly shook her head.  “Sure it is.”  She exhaled heavily.  “I hate this.”  She marched toward Dryden’s office, with Gavin and Zerki close behind.

Dryden explained that Valerie would be part of an elite strike team that would be deployed to the
UNSS Wraithfin
.  Counting on Gavin to provide tactical movement, they would have the ability to arrive instantly at their target location, execute their objectives and immediately return to the starship upon completion.  He reiterated that he needed them all to join before he could discuss mission specifics.

Valerie was the last to sign.

“The ithirals use teleport beacons for fleet movements,” Dryden began.  “As soon as they got a foothold, their engineers flooded the ellogon home world with a particle fog that scrubbed all life from its surface within seconds.  Then they assembled a beacon tower inside of what used to be the imperial capital.  If we can draw them out, keep them distracted while Santiago takes out as many of their battle stations as it takes to clear a landing zone, a well-timed explosion would destroy the beacon and scatter their starships to the far reaches of the Milky Way.”

Zerki said, “That’s a longshot.”

“Everything’s a longshot.  We don’t fully understand what they’re capable of.”

“How are you planning to draw them out?”

Dryden answered, “That’s where the Star Fleet comes in.”  He explained his plan in detail.  When he had finished, he directed his new recruits to take care of their personal business and board the
UNSS Wraithfin
.  Presently, she was docked at Edenbridge Station in orbit above Ry’lyeh.  He promised a formal briefing upon their arrival.

·· • ··

Zerki, Valerie and Gavin returned to the
Sanguine Shadow
to say their goodbyes.  Valerie joined Zerki on the bridge, as Gavin hurried off to his quarters.  She embraced Collins tightly, puffing out her cheeks as she pulled away.  “See you around, I hope.”

“You will.”  He looked as ruggedly handsome as ever.

“You’ve always been like a big brother to me,” said Valerie.  “And an annoying little brother, at times.”  She laughed and sniffed at the same time.  Suddenly embarrassed, she tossed back her head and pulled back her carnation hair as she tried to discreetly wipe at her nose.

Collins grinned a sloped grin.  “You know, for someone who comes from such violence, you sure got a gentle way about you.”

“Yeah, well.”  She smiled and awkwardly kissed his cheek.

Collins bowed.  “Ma’am.”

Zerki took his hands and squeezed tightly.  “Take care of her, will you?”

“I’ll keep your seat warm,” he said.  “Sure you’re making the right choice?”

Without hesitation, Zerki said, “Yes, I’m sure of it.  Gavin trusts me, and the Union needs him to win this war.  Even though I’m just an executive cheerleader for now, if it helps him to do his job, it’s the right choice.”  She glanced to her feet.  “Look, if I don’t make it back, the
Shadow
’s yours.  Officially.”

“If you don’t make it back?”  Collins smiled affectionately.  “You’ll all make it back.”

“Well, she’s yours for the next four years, either way.  Take good care of her, okay?”

He embraced her.  “You know I will.”

·· • ··

Seated within Gavin’s quarters, Taryn, Fogg and Takeo looked to their friend as Gavin sat at the edge of his bed.  He absently smoothed out the covers.  “I’m going to miss you,” said Taryn.  “I’m scared I’ll never see you again.”

Gavin nodded, and he fought back tears.  “I’ll miss you, too.  I can’t believe this is happening.  I can’t believe I matter this much.”  He shook his head.  “Not me.”

Taryn stood and held him close.  “You dork.  You’ve always mattered.”

Takeo stared out at the stars, his expression faraway.  “Serving as an enforcer under my dad seems a little small, now.”  He glanced to Gavin.  “Filan, Fogg and I were thinking of cashing out and taking a flight to New Falkirk.  Maybe get a little starship of our own and do some freelance work.”

Fogg added, “It would provide for us ample opportunities to see the wonders of space and to do some good for those who need it.”

“Sounds awesome,” said Gavin, and he smiled.  “I’ll look you up when my tour is done.”

“Four years, huh?”  Takeo shook his head.  “I never took you for a crusader, Gavin.  I really never took you for the military type.”  Chuckling, he looked to his feet as memories played through his mind.  “But I guess you always were the heroic type.”  He stood and joined Taryn in her embrace.