Knight of the Empire

Three weeks into our journey to Nthus and I settled into a routine finding it easy to slip back into my role as Marsha’s executive officer and training with my old squad. It felt as if I’d never been away. As I strolled into the shuttle bay for a training session with the squad I immediately noticed the heat and the humidity. I felt as if I was taking a sauna. Gena followed me in and stopped stock still.

“What’s with the temperature in here. Ross has not been testing the shuttle’s engines has he?” I said. Gena looked as she was wilting in the heat I felt sorry for her.

“Not that I know,” Shawna said fanning herself.

She was here with Vorra, Bacare and Kriaeusus. Steve Tutor and the new guy Corporal Lawrence were absent. Just as I was about to ask where they where when Steve walked in.

“Morning LT,” I said sarcastically he looked too cheerful for the heat.

“Morning ma’am,” he replied without batting an eyelid.

At least he wasn’t calling me ‘Princess,’ which he had done on several occasions.

“What’s on the agenda today?” It was really too hot in here to train properly. “And where’s Lawrence?”

“Excused, dislocated shoulder.” he gave me a pointed look. “Someone decided to throw him half way across the bay.”

I winced that wasn’t one of my best moments. We’d been practising hand to hand combat and he had slipped behind me. I had to admit I reacted on pure instinct the next thing I knew was that he flew across the bay to land hard on his shoulder. I was lucky that I hadn’t broken his neck.

“That was an accident LT,” Shawna defended me.

“That’s as it may.” I stepped in before things went any further.

“Right you lot!” Tutor yelled startling all of us. “Two hundred touches and no slacking otherwise another two hundred.”

I heard a chorus of groans. No one wanted to run from one side to the other touch the wall and run back repeating the sequence over and over again. “It’s a bit warm in here to do that?”

“That is the purpose. I wanted to recreate the climate of a hot wet world.”

“Like Calistri?” I hadn’t been training on that world but I had heard things second hand. Bugs the size of your head and quagmires everywhere.

“Exactly,” Steve smiled it seemed a bit vindictive to me.

“You should wait this one out,” I said to Gena.

“No my lady,” Gena was always formal to me outside of my quarters.

I was too hot to argue with her so I started my run, running from one side of the bay to the other as fast as possible. Finally it was over I was drenched in sweat from head to toes even my running shoes squelched. Rivers of water tickled down my face and I blinked hard from the salt in my eyes. I wasn’t the only one that looked like a walking river.

“I could do with a towel,” I commented to myself trying to wipe the sweat from my brow.”

“I’ll get you one my lady!” Gena said and ran off before I could stop her.

Gratefully I slid to the floor followed by the rest on the squad.

Twenty minutes later and Gena had still not returned. I was starting to worry about her. Sitting on the floor with Shawna and Vorra had lost it appeal we had been chatting like old friends. Tutor and the others had already left. I felt a bit drier and least the temperature within the bay was back to normal. I rose from the floor and dusted off my rear. “I’m going to find what happened to Gena.”

Gena was never tardy and knowing her she would have run all the way to my quarters and back even if she were exhausted.

“Perhaps she got talking?” Vorra asked me.

“That’s not her way,” I replied.

“Sandra’s right,” Shawna said with a frown. “Who would she talk to but us she doesn’t speak Galactic.”

Vorra glanced from Shawna to me. “I think we’d all go.” She got up and hauled Shawna to her feet.

The minute I stepped into the corridor that led to my quarters I knew something was wrong. The door to my quarters was open and lying face down in my doorway was Gena.

“Gena!” I screamed horror filling my soul. I rushed over and bent down feeling for a pulse. It was barely there. “Crash team to the XO’s quarters medical emergency!” I called into my comms unit. Gently I turned her over she was still clutching the towel she had been fetching. “Damn it girl don’t die on me!” Blood had trickled from her ears and nose. “Where’s that damn crash team!” I felt as if I was about to explode.

The door slid open and Doc Brown and the crash team rushed in.

“What happened,” Doc Brown asked as he pulled me away from Gena. I hadn’t noticed how close I had been holding her.

“I just found her like this?” I was barely holding myself in check.

Doc Brown just frowned and ran his portable scanner over her body. “This is bad. Get her to the medbay and hurry.”

I stood to go with her as they bundled her onto a stretcher and felt a hand on my shoulder restraining me. Anger filled me and I turned to confront whoever was holding onto me. “Let me go!” I hissed.

“Sandra you can’t help her. You’ll just get in the way. They know what they are doing.” Shawna had not let go of my shoulder.

Shawna was correct I hated it but she was right. I felt responsible. Gena had pledged herself to me and I had let her down. “Damn it I hate it when you’re correct.”

“Go take a long cool shower. We’ll wait here.” She nodded to Vorra who nodded back silently.

Reluctantly I entered my quarters. The lights should have come on automatically. “Vorra see what you can do about these lights!” It wasn’t her job but I wasn’t going to call maintenance and wait for them to fix it. I shuffled further into my quarters my mind on Gena. Something crunched underfoot I hadn’t time to ponder what it was when searing burning pain filled my lungs, my vision blurred and blood trickled from my nose. I turned towards the door struggling to keep conscious. The open doorway was a fuzzy grey outline. I staggered a few steps towards the door trying to call out but my lungs and throat felt like they were on fire. I felt hands on me as I blacked out I hadn’t time to warn them of the danger.

I woke seeing the familiar shapes of the medbay through my still blurred vision. There was an oxygen mask on my face. I tried to remove it but my hands didn’t seem to work. Looking down I saw restraints pinning my arms to the bedsides. My vision cleared enough to make out more detail. The medbay hadn’t changed from the last time I was confined to bed. That was months ago after I had been wounded on Tate’s world escaping from the Usurper’s trap. I jerked my arm trying to free myself but I was too weak. I sagged back down seeing a shadow flicker across my eye line.

Doc Brown leaned over me and placed drops in my eyes. I blinked back hot searing tears.

“What happened?” I croaked my throat hurt like hell.

“You were hit by a neurotoxin.”

“What!” I could believe what I was hearing.

Doc Brown left and returned minutes later with a small clear plastic box. Inside was an ampoule suspended in gel. “These were scattered all around your quarters.”

“Why,” I gasped my voice sounded strained.

“That we don’t know,” Doc Brown sounded unhappy.

“What we do know is that someone tried to kill you.” I recognised Bacare’s voice.

I turned my head to see Bacare standing by the door in full armour an AR 32 cradled in his arms.

“Bacare?”

“Good to see you getting better major.” Bacare nodded in my direction.

I wanted to ask him why he was here but Doc Brown was talking. “This neurotoxin was designed to kill humans.” I stared hard as he waved his sample about. “Oh I’ve neutralised this specimen.”

“Wonderful!” I tried hard to be sarcastic but talking was hard to do.

“You would have been dead had Vorra not dragged you out. It didn’t affect her.”

Suddenly a sinking feeling hit me. “Gena?” I didn’t want her to be dead. I don’t think I could have lived with myself.

“Alive,” Doc Brown told me.

I felt relieved but not much I should have told her no. Curse Tony for making me take her she would have been safe on the Jakarta. “Where is she?” I couldn’t see her in the medbay.

“We had to put her in the regenerator.”

I shuddered at the thought I’d been in one several times before. She must have been in a bad way for the Doc to put her in there. Cell stitchers was the other name for upright silver coffin at the back of the medbay. They repaired you cell by cell it felt as if a thousand spiders were running across your body. I tried to move but my arms were still restrained. “Any chance you can remove these?” I waggled my hands.

“Sorry,” Doc Brown apologised. “When they brought you in you were thrashing about. Captain Yanik had to physically restrain you.”

“Captain Yanik?”

Doc Brown shook his head. “I’ve never seen her in such a rage.”

I hadn’t thought she would be involved. “She ok now?”

“Shawna and Ocynca talked her down.” He glanced to Bacare and lowered his voice. “I’m glad she has Shawna, she came near to losing it again. She nearly did when Thomas Carlton died.”

“You know about Shawna?” I wondered if the rest of the crew knew.

“Yes, Ocynca told me.”

That I understood Ocynca’s job was to make sure that everyone was mentally stable.

I lay back feeling less in pain. I called Bacare over while the Doc was busy at his desk. I had a lot of questions I needed answers to. “Bacare.” I gestured him close.

“Ma’am?”

“Vorra ok?”

“Fine.” I could hear the tension in his voice although I couldn’t see his face because of his helmet.

“What’s up?” I asked him directly.

Bacare glanced over to where Doc Brown was sitting at his desk not answering my questions.

“You will tell me?” I put as much authority in voice as I could. I wasn’t sounding so gravelly.

“Major?”

“That’s an order corporal!”

“Yes ma’am!” He still sounded reluctant.

“Tell me!”

“Someone bypassed the safeties in your room and turned off the alert system in the corridor. Also disabling your auto lights and hacked the door code.”

I understood the implication on a Confederacy ship. The only ones with those skills were Ezarans. “You suspect an Ezaran?” They practically ran Confederacy ships.

Bacare winced. “They are all suspect. Including Vorra.”

“Corporal I seriously doubt that an Ezaran was capable of this, any Ezaran.”

“But that stuff was designed to kill humans.”

I gave him my sternest look. “And that makes you suspect an Ezaran did it?”

“Putting it that way ma’am I guess not.”

“Good now get Vorra.”

“Can’t comply ma’am!”

“Corporal Bacare I gave you an order!”

“My orders were to guard you!”

That could be a problem I thought of a way around it. “Hand me your weapon.” I waved in his direction.

“Weapon?”

“Keep your AR 32.” Even with me feeling stronger I seriously doubted it could lift it. “Give me your sidearm.”

Doc Brown looked up from his desk he had been silent all though my exchange with Bacare. “You’re sure that’s wise?” he asked sounding concerned.

I met his eye. “Wise or not it’s what I want to do!” I turned my attention back to Bacare. “The Doc’s here.” I think that was the clincher.

“Yes ma’am!” He handed over his sidearm and left.

“Yes!” I glared at Doc Brown.

“Nothing,” he chuckled.

I had a bad feeling he was laughing at me.

Bacare returned with Vorra and an older male Ezaran. His fur was streaked with grey and his loose fitting skinnies bearing the insignia of engineering the Chief Engineer. I recognised him from Marsha’s duty rosters everyone called him the Chief and he seemed to like that.

“Vorra, Chief.” I nodded in his direction. Vorra must have called him in for support.

She looked upset. I really didn’t blame her. “Specialist Vorra I need your help.” I put it as honestly as I could.

“We didn’t do it!” Vorra moaned. “I gave you my oath.”

“I know that Vorra.”

“You are placing a great deal of faith in the accused,” the Chief said staring at me.

“Who Vorra?”

“We all stand accused!” I heard Ezaran pride in his voice.

“Vorra has already given me a blood oath.”

The Chief turned his stare on to Vorra. “Blood oath when was this?”

“Months ago. The major asked for my blood oath after I tried to hack her implant.”

“That’s a very serious offence!” He turned to me. “I can only apologise for that. She should have been punished.”

“I considered the matter closed.”

“Thank you.” He paused and spoke again. “We are willing to give you blood oaths from all Ezarans aboard.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I told him. “I need Vorra’s aid to find the real culprit.”

“We’ve only got minimal access our rights have been revoked,” the Chief sounded thoughtful.

“I can get that rescinded.”

“Thanks and you still have our oaths.” He gave Vorra a significant look. “I’ll keep the youngsters in order.”

At that moment Marsha strode in fury written plainly across her face. “Here to finish the job!” she stared hard at Vorra and the Chief.

“Marsha!” I yelled pulling the oxygen mask from my face.

“Sandra, XO?” She was surprised to see me awake and coherent.

“Captain Yanik the Ezarans are not to blame.”

Marsha stepped close her hand resting on my arm. “Someone tried to kill you.” Her eyes were searching my face.

“I’m well aware of what would happen if I died.”

“That is?” she asked.

“War!”

“You can’t be serious?” she questioned me.

I was aware I was the centre of attention. I had no choice but to lay it out. “My death will force Ellie to go to war. Ellie’s position isn’t as strong as anyone thinks. She’s at the mercy of her admirals,” I frowned most of those I knew were loyal to her but there were others.

“Ok I get that?” Marsha had conceded the point.

“I am the Duchess of Mars and third in line for the throne.” I hadn’t liked it when she had done that and still didn’t like it now. I couldn’t chance it and that would make Ellie weak and that was the last thing I wanted to do to her. The Rhosani sure made a mess of Terran politics and it would take time to sort out. Time Ellie didn’t have on her side.

“We’ve fought them before and won!” Bacare declared.

“The Usurper only sent two fleets and then the admirals involved thought their orders illegal. Their navy and ground forces vastly outnumber us. Those ships and men not currently committed to the Commonwealth war could be turned on us. There would be huge casualties on both sides and the Terrans would still win. The only victor in that war would be the Rhosani. Ellie would weep every step of the way. She hates war and fighting but the hawks in her council would all for it.”

“Hawks?” Marsha asked.

“Those Terrans happy to wage war at any cost whereas the doves favour peace. At the moment the doves have the upper hand.” This was why Com Ops had refused my reinstatement to the 43rd all those months ago. If anything happened to Ellie and Camelia I would be the next Empress and that wouldn’t have boded well if I was fighting against my own Empire. I fervently hoped she found herself a man. An Empress with a child would push me further down the line.

“It’s not that I believe you,” Marsha said. “But I’ll need to contact Com Ops.”

“We’ll be at Nthus by the time you can contact them.”

“We’re not in hyperspace,” she stated firmly.

“What?” I found myself staring at her. “How?”

“All ships can drop out of hyperspace in an emergency. The attack on you was the sort of emergency. Not many do, recalculating the route is a pain.”

“So why do it?”

“Com Ops needed to be told and I have the best damn navigator in the whole fleet. The course is already laid in. As soon I message Com Ops we’ll be underway.”

“If that’s the case I’ll need to contact Ellie and tell her not to worry.”

“Com Ops can do that.”

“It better for all if I do.” I grimaced. “I said some nasty things to her the last time I spoke to her. I need to make amends.” I didn’t want to say it in front of Marsha but I wanted to find out how Tony was. I hadn’t wanted to think about him but I was worried and I couldn’t think why.

“You sure?”

“Certain.” I glanced across to the Ezarans. “That’s the easy part. You do know that they’ll try again as soon as we jump?”

“That’s why I’ve assigned you a guard.” Marsha didn’t look happy about it.

“They’ll find away around that and I’d rather not spend the rest of the journey looking over my shoulder and as to guards I’ve had enough of them on Earth. That didn’t stop someone from shooting at me and trying to kidnap me even with all my guards?”

“My orders are to protect you. I can’t do that if I’m worrying about your safety?”

I considered what she was saying. “Give the Ezarans back their access the ship can’t function without them. Besides if they couldn’t be trusted Ellie would have never let them work on the Jakarta’s refit.”

“What do you mean by that?” the Chief sounded surprised I could see it mirrored in Vorra’s eyes.

“Ellie had the Ezarans do upgrades to the Jakarta. I saw their notations on a number of panels in engineering. She had the Jakarta rebuilt to handle the Rhosani. I expect Com Ops had a full report.”

The Chief grinned broadly. “I’d heard the rumours but I had dismissed them until now.”

“I sorry but you will have to pretend that you are still under suspicion.” I could see Marsha was going to object to my plan. “ The aim is to draw my attacker out. At a time and place we can deal with him without anymore casualties.”

“Or we could have Ocynca do a sweep of the crew?” Marsha stated firmly.

“Leave Ocynca as a last resort. I don’t want him to violate his license.” He had the tattoo on his hand that indicated that he was a licensed telepath. All tepes on warships had to be licensed.

Marsha sighed and nodded mutely. She would be the one in trouble if he violated his license.

“And me?” Vorra asked.

“You will be confined to your quarters.” I raised my hand to forestall any protests. “Where you can investigate how they smuggled neurotoxin onto the ship. Search for any discrepancies in the cargo manifests.”

“I’ve already done that!” Marsha protested.

“Not like Vorra can!”

Vorra’s smile was smug while Marsha seemed to be wavering.

“Are you sure?” she said looking resigned.

“We have a plan of sorts. Now let’s see where this fishing trip will take us?”

“Fishing trip?” Marsha sounded confused.

“Terran expression. I’ll explain later.” I was starting to feel tired. “This is the best course of action,” I tried to reassure her.

“I’m not letting you walk around the ship with a big target painted on your back?”

I was surprised she even knew that Terran expression. “We need to draw them out.” Her blue eyes locked on to mine it became a contest of wills one I was determined to win. “I don’t want to tip them too early otherwise they’ll do something stupid, like blow up the ship.”

Marsha looked away first her face pale, paler than her normal milk maid complexion. Another Terran phrase I had picked up. Neither Bacare nor the two Ezarans had said anything.

Before I could ask their opinions Doc Brown spoke up. “Whatever you do or do not, Sandra Locke is still my patient and she stays here until I’m satisfied she fit and able to do her duty.”

“But...” I protested seeing the smirk on Marsha face. I hadn’t thought the Doc would betray me like that.

“But nothing I am your doctor. I can overrule you XO and you captain on medical case and I am ruling on this.”

“Doc Brown!” A wave of tiredness washed over me.

“I could easily sign a section 192.”

I winced the code was for a soldier with posttraumatic stress disorder. I nearly ended up on one after Anoxi. I wasn’t about to go back to that state again. Tony and Alice had stopped me heading that way again when I nearly lost it on the Jakarta. I was grateful that they did. Marsha grinned at me as I saw all my plans fly away.

“Shut up Marsha!”

She grinned harder. “I leave your patient in your capable hands.”

I heard her chuckle as she herded the two Ezarans out leaving Doc Brown and Bacare. All I could do was wait for my attacker’s next move.