Book of the Guardian 3: The Last Mission (11 page)

"Each of the facilities destroyed had the ability to provide the crown with real-time strategic data in the event of war. The sector itself is sparsely populated, and with the surveillance capability of those facilities, we have very little in that sector in the way of defensive force. Currently, there are several scout ships in transit to some of these locations to determine what happened to them, and hopefully discover why they did not capture any data on the attackers.

"Now, the forces of the Tammerain know we have the ability to detect ships in hyperspace crossing the border, however, they also have no idea what the range on that is, or even how we are doing it. It could be that they believed these facilities had something to do with the system, and felt they needed to take them out in order to safely cross the border without being seen."

"That would work for this sector, and maybe the next, but not the whole border, Admiral. More troubling to me is how did they take these out without us not even seeing them?" John asked.

"My apologies, Lord-General, I thought you would have gotten the notice that the Tammerain have cloaking now," the Admiral replied.

"I did, Admiral. That's not exactly what I was talking about. Each of the facilities in question is more than a light year from the border, and spread even further apart. We've detected no unaccounted hyperspace events in that sector at all. How are they getting around?" John asked.

"Sire?" Gloria asked meekly.

Mark smiled at her. "I told you, you could call me Mark."

"You did, but this isn't personal. Sire, the scout ships that are going to investigate these events; why not have them stop two or three light hours short of the facility and focus all their sensors on it. Shouldn't that give you an idea of what happened?" Gloria asked.

John chuckled. "The Temporal Witness; the event itself."

"If the sensor platforms themselves didn't record what happened, then how would stopping to record the event help us?" the Admiral asked.

"The listening post had passive, omni-directional sensors, but for the most part, it was focused on Tammerain space. If something could have come on any other vector, there is a good chance the passive sensors simply didn't have time to record or report anything," Chloe explained. "The other installations were civilian installations that had an extra module added to them in the event we need to use them for something. In most cases, they had no sensors other than their primary ones, which were most likely focused on whatever mission they had been on when they went dark."

"Ahh, I misunderstood their functionality," The Admiral said, nodding to himself. "If you will excuse me a moment Sire, I'll issue new orders for those scouts."

Mark nodded to him, and he stepped out. "Chloe, have you gotten anywhere with that code from the Tammerain Capitol World?"

"Yes and no, Sire. We did get it broken down, and it is definitely not normal computer code. I'd like to continue to work on it, but with everything that's going on, I think we should send it to Xanadu Computer R and D," Chloe said.

Again Mark nodded. "I'll make sure that happens. By the way, the Admiral has no idea about that code, or about the planet we detected. He knows that the traders jumped back here with a shit-load of data, but it's all classified and he hasn't been briefed. Last night, I issued orders to expedite the work being done to the
Flyer
."

When he didn't continue, John finally looked at him. "Not that we don't appreciate it, but why?"

"When it's finished, the TG
Flyer
will be the most advanced ship and weapons platform we'll have. I'm going to send it, and you, to destroy our real enemy," Mark said quietly. "If anyone can pull it off, it'll be you. That being said, I can't shake the feeling I'm sending you on your Final Mission."

"I thought you didn't believe that planet was the Capitol World of the Tammerain?" Chloe asked.

"No, that part I do agree with," Mark said. "What I don't agree with is that it is the Capitol of our enemy. I believe the Tammerain are being used." When the door opened again, Mark shook his head. "The
Flyer
will be ready by the end of the day tomorrow. Your mission briefing and every scrap of data we have will be loaded into her before she leaves the system. You will escort Commander William Curran to his ...retirement, and depart for the mission from there.

"Understood, Highness," John replied. "Mary's going to hate you."

"She cannot hate me anymore than I already hate myself. I know what I'm asking of you - you don't yet."  Mark said.

The Admiral, sensing he shouldn't be privy to this discussion, cleared his throat. "Sire, should I step out for a few more moments?"

"No, Admiral, there is no need," Mark replied. "Do we know how soon we should get any new information?"

"The closest scout will be in position in about an hour, Highness,"

Mark nodded again. "Let's get some lunch then."

––––––––

"W
hat do you mean you're leaving again?" Mary asked. By order of the King, both John and Chloe went to The Center for controller upgrades, Mary had come in to see them while they were getting ready for the procedure.

"Sweetheart, the Tammerain are on the move, we are probably going to war, and we are soldiers. This is what we do," Chloe replied.

"Damn it! I just got started on a somewhat long term project here, I can't just take off," Mary said. "I really wish Mark would have said something earlier!"

"He didn't say anything for the same reason its fine that you have a long term project just starting. You're not coming with us," John said. "Normally, I would discuss things with you Mary, but not this. You are a civilian, and you have no business in what's coming."

"Besides," Chloe said, "I really need you to stay here and make sure that we can have kids eventually. You'll have to carry and give birth to them, but we'll be able to have a family, right?"

Mary sighed. "When are you leaving?"

"Very late this evening, or very early tomorrow morning. I have no idea how long it's gonna take, so before you ask, the honest answer is, I don't know," John said, pulling the woman into a hug. "Chloe and I both love you, Mary. We need you to stay here, where it's safe."

"I know, I know. That doesn't mean I have to like it!" Mary said in frustration. "Well, I have your new controllers ready. They have the new protocols in them, so neither of you are leaving here before we can test them, got it?"

––––––––

T
hree hours later, when the new controller woke John, he found he was lying next to Chloe in the recovery room. On the other side of the curtain, a new IFF Icon told him that Carl and Alice were also waking up. Will hadn't been required to receive the upgrade. However, he was sitting in the room guarding his team mates.

John took a few moments to get used to the new controller and some of its improved functions. He found that he liked the suit style 'heads-up-display' option, and opted for that as his default mode. He set the icons dim unless in combat mode. He played with and set a few other options and decided that this might actually be an improvement.

"Squad, report." John ordered and got both a verbal reply, as well as an update in his vision. Lastly, Will sounded off.

"Curran, I'm still here, Boss."

"Will, His Majesty has approved your final mission request. We're scheduled to depart this evening. Is that okay with you?" John asked.

"Yeah, that'll be good, John. It's really getting more difficult to keep going," the depressed man replied. "Every time I close my eyes Holly's there, waiting for me."

"You'll see her soon, Will," Alice said. "You'll tell her how much we love and miss her, right?"

"You know I will, Alice," Will replied. "Mary wanted me to let her know when you all regained function; I'll be right back."

"He's really hurting, maybe we should have stopped on our way here," Carl said after Will left the room. 

"No, Mark wanted to see him before he retired," John replied. "Remember, as far as Will knows there really is no other mission, got it?"

Everyone replied affirmative just as the door opened for Will, Mary, and two meditechs. Mary and the techs came up to John first and tilted his bed up to an almost standing position.

"Lord General John Jacob Aster of the Temporal Guard, do you know where you are?" one of the meditechs asked. John was fully restrained and locked down by the medical computer. Even if his arms and legs would answer his commands right now, there were battle-steel bands covering them to prevent movement.

"Yes, I am at The Center, a bio-molecular research and enhancement facility outside of the capitol city on the world of Centauri," John replied as protocol directed. No joking was allowed here, the precautions were in place to make sure the upgrade hadn't malfunctioned, leaving John basically an insane killing machine.

"Correct, do you know what has been done to you?" the same tech asked.

"I underwent a primary controller upgrade and a basic enhancement functional evaluation. Status green, no anomalies to report." John recited.

"In what year was the war of 4012 fought?"

"4012."

"What color is a blue house?"

"Blue."

"What is four squared?"

"Sixteen."

Twenty more questions were asked and answered as rapidly as possible and the inevitable last question;

"What is the meaning of Life?"

"An existential question with no commonly definable answer."

The tech turned to the other meditech, "He's good, turn him loose. I'll move on to Commander Diamond next."

"Oh Goody!" Chloe said, sarcastically. The questions for each of them were different, but each had to be answered before the techs would let them loose. They were designed to evaluate the mental functions of the soldier prior to release. Obviously, a newly enhanced soldier couldn't answer them, but then again, there were a hell of a lot more restraints used, and the soldier was in an armored room, with the Techs in another room operating the equipment remotely.

Once the techs released them, Mary took each of the couples into a private room to test the viability of the new protocols. For the women, it was an abbreviated pelvic exam. For the males, well, there was a plastic cup, which surprisingly didn't burst into flames once the sample had been deposited in it.

Obviously, Manny and Mary were both working on this because once the samples had been analyzed, both doctors joined the four in a waiting room.

"So far, the new protocols are functioning perfectly, and there is really only one test left. We'll need each of you, as couples, to have sexual intercourse so we can monitor all the force vectors and your enhancements. Please, remember that as in the last tests, you will need to disable combat mode." Mary explained.

"And if this works, Doctor?" Alice asked grinning.

"None of your damn business, slut!" Chloe replied blushing.

"
Lady Commander Diamond, this is Lieutenant Carmichael. We just finished the shakedown. I have to dock with the command module for a classified data upload, but then we'll be able to transit back.
"

"
Very good, Lieutenant, I'll get you clearance to set down at the Palace landing field. By order of His Highness, you are to go dark and stay that way until instructed otherwise. After landing, you will keep the ship sealed. No one is to be allowed on board until we arrive. If someone asks, they will need permission from John or myself to board. After going dark, use enhancement comms only, do not link through the ship. No radiated signals and none received. ATC has been directed to call you directly. The ship is under a level alpha data lockout,
" Chloe finished.

"
Understood Ma'am. I'm docking with the main facility right now, so I'll see you when we get there,
" Carmichael replied.

"
Excellent, Lieutenant, see ya in a few,
" Chloe said and closed the channel. It had been on her internal comm so no one had overheard it.

"John, the
Flyer
will be arriving in a couple of hours," Chloe said to him. "I put Carmichael on internal comms only, and she knows where to land."

"Okay, but we better take care of this issue, or we'll have a bigger fight on our hands when we get back," John replied.

"You got that right!" Mary said, and turned to face Alice, who was about to make a smart-assed comment. "Remember Alice, I have your index code, I can make it so you can't have sex at all!"

Manny looked scandalized until Mary winked at him to let him know she was bluffing. However, Alice had no idea she was bluffing and sputtered. "You wouldn't! That would be punishing Carl too!"

"No it wouldn't, there are other female marines on the ship, and he won't be restricted!" Mary shot back.

Alice sat back, and finally grinned. "Okay, now I'm starting to see it. You win Doc."

Carl roared with laughter, "She did get you pretty good! Come on, let's check this new protocol out," he held out his hand to her.

When they left, Mary looked at Chloe, "What did she mean by, 'now I'm starting to see it'?"

"We never fall in love with normals, Mary. It's too painful for us and damn hard on you," Chloe replied. "When we fell for you, she hadn't gotten to know you like I had, so she couldn't see what had made us love you. Now she's beginning to understand. That was an Alice-style compliment."

Mary nodded her understanding. "Just so you know, I'm prohibited from doing anything even remotely like what I just threatened her with. We all are."

Chloe nodded. "I know, John and I helped write that section of the protocols." She turned to John, "Come on handsome, if we want to spend any time with her at all before we boost, we need to get busy."

John smiled, winked at Chloe, and held his hand out to Mary. Catching on, Chloe also held out her hand. Manny grinned when he figured it out, and nodded. As he left the room to begin monitoring. Mary was surprised and took the hands of her friends.