M'tak Ka'fek (The T'aafhal Inheritance) (44 page)

“They appear to have been destroyed by antimatter explosions, Ma'am. We are getting garbled reports from both the corvette and frigate squadrons.” 

“Well find out, Commander.” Not knowing what was taking place on the battle front was driving Ludmilla crazy.

“Col. Tropsha, another ship has emerged at the Beta Comae transit point—cruiser sized, type unknown...”

* * * * *

On the bridge of the Dark Lord battle cruiser the elder who had ordered the attack on Earth was observing its displays as the tactical situation came into focus. Electromagnetic radiation, characteristic of antimatter explosions, was received and analyzed.

“Significant One, it appears that the warm life vermin just disposed of the last of the minion fleets,” announced the minor functionary at the sensor station.

“Surprising, I expected the Xoosht to fare better against the upstarts. They have always been one of the more reliable vassal races. No matter, the minion fleets were overdue for a culling. Target the remaining warm life vessels.”

“Yes, Significant One.”

Much like the M'tak Ka'fek's superluminal particle cannon, the Dark Lord's ship mounted superluminal weapons. Because they fired through alter-space, the simple gravitonic deflector shields of the Earth ships would not stop their bursts of particles—the fleet was defenseless before the Dark Lord battle cruiser.

Alarms blared.

“We are under attack! Superluminal particle blasts from astern. Significant one, the sensors say that we have been fired upon by T'aafhal weapons!”

“That is not possible!” the elder Dark Lord exclaimed. “We exterminated those abominations millions of years ago! Return fire, Commander. Reverse course and head back for the transit point!”

* * * * *

“We hit them but their shields absorbed the burst. I don't think we scratched them, Captain.”

“Indeed, Mr. Taylor. I was wondering if this day would ever come.”

“Should we hit them again?” growled Bear.

“No, not with the secondaries. Tell them about our new adversary, M'tak.”

“As the Captain has indicated, the secondary batteries will not prove effective against that ship. It is a Dark Lord heavy battle cruiser.”

“What?” exclaimed JT.

Light from the Dark Lord ship finally reached the M'tak and its image appeared on the forward display—a cluster of blunt dark crystals, embedded in a large blob of rough slag.

“So that's the real enemy,” whispered Bobby at the helm. If anything, it was bigger than the M'tak, and evidently it was firing on them.

“Sir, we just took a hit on the shields—identified as superluminal positrons. No damage.”

“So how do we bring this prey down, Captain?” asked Bear.

The ship's AI answered in the Captain's stead by posing a question of its own. “Permission to power up the main battery, Captain?”

“By all means, bring the main battery on line.” Jack smiled at the concerned faces of his officers. “Didn't anyone wonder why we always refer to the particle cannon as the secondary battery?”

Bear shrugged. “I figured there was a primary but that it was out of commission. Besides, up until now we haven't needed anything more powerful.” 

“The main battery will deal with the Dark Lord cruiser?” asked JT anxiously. 

“Lt. Taylor, destroying ships like the one before us is what I was designed to do—it is my reason to exist.”

An opening appeared in the dome-like nose of the T'aafhal ship, hull material receding to reveal a dark, slightly concaved surface within. Starlight glinted off the smooth surface, as black as an obsidian mirror. It was not obsidian—in fact, not matter at all—but a discontinuity in the fabric of spacetime, the surface a complex shape stretching across more than the normal dimensions of 3-space. 

At the main weapon console, Bear closed his eyes and raised his muzzle. As targeting information flooded his senses, he emitted a low rumble. His face wore a beatific bearish smile, nostrils flaring as if he had caught scent of fresh prey across the pack ice.

Jack sat back in the captain's chair, eyes fixed on the dark ship that filled the forward display. He nodded almost imperceptibly. 

“You may fire when ready, Mr. Bear.”

Bear snarled, exposing a disquieting number of teeth, as a deep thrumming filled the bridge—a sound more felt than heard. He opened his eyes and gazed expectantly at the forward display.

While the secondaries were superluminal—skirting the boundary between 3-space and alter-space to strike many times faster than the speed of light—the ship's main weapon was hyperluminal. In effect, it acted instantaneously. Light, however, had to obey the laws of relativity, taking several minutes to reach the attacking T'aafhal warships sensors.

When it did arrive, the image of the Dark Lord ship was seen to crumple in on itself. Slowly at first, then with exponentially increasing rapidity, it shrank to a single point. Background stars close to the ship's position seemed to be pulled inward, toward the vanishing point. A fraction of a second later that point blossomed in a starburst—a miniature nova.

“What the hell was that?” asked JT. 

“I don't know,” replied Bear, “but I like it!”

“Lt. Taylor, does it not stand to reason that a starship that travels by creating annular singularities—essentially doughnut shaped black holes—could create a simple singularity at a nearby point in space?”

“The ship's primary weapon shot the Dark Lord ship with a black hole?” Bobby asked. 

“A virtual black hole. One not created by actual concentrated mass but by manipulation of spacetime—think of it as multidimensional gravitational aikido.”

“The virtual singularity dissipates before the target's collapsing mass can form a real singularity,” M'tak added. “After all, it would not be good procedure to leave a battlefield littered with miniature black holes that could persist for months.”

“The ship shoots black holes,” Bobby repeated, “that is just too wicked.”

* * * * *

“Colonel, that new alien ship just exploded,” the Commander reported. “Or rather, it exploded just under eight minutes ago.” 

Damn the speed of light!
Ludmilla swore silently. “What is doing this? We do not even have any ships in the area of the transit point.”

“Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Ludmilla,” TK admonished the frustrated commanding officer. “Whoever is blasting our attackers outta space has saved our backsides.”

“I'm receiving a transmission from yet another new ship, this one almost two AU away,” said one of the communication techs. “I think you are going to want to see this, Colonel.”

“Put it on the wall screen.”

The image on the screen shimmered and then snapped into focus. It showed a bearded man dressed in black, seated in a high-backed chair on what was obviously the bridge of a spaceship. The man spoke. “Attention all Earth vessels, disengage and return to base. This is Captain Jack Sutton, commanding the M'tak Ka'fek—the Righteous Vengeance. We have neutralized the hostile forces...” 

Ludmilla gasped, “Jack!”

TK grinned from ear to ear. “Jack my boy, I knew you wouldn't let us down!”

Jack's voice continued, “...our ETA for Farside is roughly eight hours from now. We will assume a halo orbit at the Earth-Moon L2 point. I will contact you when the time delay becomes more manageable. Sutton out.”

Chapter 26

Homecoming

The Captain's pinnace descended into the chasm that was Farside's main dock. Above, large airtight hatches slid shut so atmosphere could return to the landing space. Minutes passed.

“We have got to get that trick airlock technology working on the docks,” Bear commented.

“Relax, Bear. We've been gone for more than six months, a few more minutes will not matter either way.”

“Hey, half a year is a long time to a bear,” grumbled Lt. Bear. “We don't live as long as you primates.”

Jack knew that Bear's complaining was more out of nervousness than anything else.
I'm a bit nervous myself,
he admitted.
Six months, particularly six months at war, can change a person.
 

Jack had decided that only he and Bear would make the trip to Farside, until the details of what happened in their absence could be sorted out. Up front, Sandy was at the controls, the only other member of the M'tak's complement on the shuttle. Finally, a green light next to the exit ramp indicated there was a breathable atmosphere outside the shuttle. With an electric motor whine the rear ramp lowered.

“Ready, my friend?” Jack asked Bear.

“I was born ready, Jack,” Bear said with a grin, “you know that.”

Jack chuckled and nodded to his ursine companion. Some things about his old friend had not changed since his being wounded. Still, he did seem more reflective since spending time in the regeneration tank—not necessarily a bad thing.

“Let's do this.”

The Captain marched down the ramp to the deck below. Bear grunted and ambled after him. Outside the pinnace, a squad of Marines in space armor awaited. One of the Marines with an eagle stenciled on her shoulder stepped forward and saluted.

“Welcome back, Captain Sutton,” she barked, holding the salute.

Jack returned the salute. “It is good to be back, Colonel Rodriguez.” He smiled, glad that the briefing information sent to the ship during the trip inbound updated the ranks of those left behind. He would have to see to promotions for his crew, but that could be left for a bit later.

“If you will follow me, Sir, there are a few people waiting for you at HQ.” She motioned the pair of returnees toward the open door on the dock wall.

They all moved forward, the Marines on either side as an honor guard. As Bear padded past the Colonel, she said, “Good to see you too, Bear.”

Bear glanced sideways. “Good seeing you again, Jennifer.”

Through the airlock and down the short hallway to the Atrium, the party marched in silence. Stepping through the entrance into the large open space, Jack and Bear pulled up short. Their ears were assaulted by cheers from several hundred people, and more than a few polar bears. The Atrium was packed, standing room only. Bear stood up and the noise from the crowd grew even louder.

The Marines gently but insistently opened a path across the Atrium floor, like whifflers before a king. Here and there in the crowd, Jack noticed familiar faces—to one side he recognized Jesse, jumping up and down and yelling for all she was worth. Jack smiled and nodded in her direction. Several bears roared, prompting Bear to roar back.

“I think they might be happy to see us,” he said to Jack.

“You might be right, Bear.”

From the foot of the wide stairs leading to base HQ, Jack saw the one thing he most longed to see—Ludmilla, standing at the top level. Next to her were TK, Gretchen and an unfamiliar female officer. As Jack ascended the stairs all three women, dressed in black uniforms, went from parade rest to attention. When he reached the top they saluted.

Having returned to home port from many sea voyages, Jack understood the purpose of having a homecoming ceremony. That understanding did not lessen his desire to run to Ludmilla and take her in his arms, protocol be damned. He returned their salutes and intoned.

“Captain Jack Sutton, master and commander of the battle cruiser M'tak Ka'fek, reporting with a crew of eighteen souls.”

“Welcome back, Captain,” replied Ludmilla, her voice formal and her posture stiff. One by one the officers shook his hand as he greeted them. 

“Colonel Tropsha; Captain Curtis;” he was forced to stop at Beth. “I don't believe we've met, Commander.”

“This is Lcdr. Beth Melaku, commander of the corvette squadron,” supplied Gretchen.

“My pleasure, Commander.” As Jack turned to TK the old man grasped his hand in a two-handed grip and said, “Damn it's good to see you Jack my boy. I knew you'd come, I knew it!”

“Good to see you again, TK, it's good to be back.” Freeing himself from the older man's grasp he stepped back. “And what do we do next?”

“First, you turn to the crowd and wave, you too Bear,” ordered Ludmilla. “Then you and I will have a word in my office,” she added in a whisper.

Jack and Bear complied and the crowd went wild. After several minutes of waving and cheering, he turned and Ludmilla led him from the landing.

* * * * *

Closing the door to Ludmilla's office, they were finally alone. Both stood hesitantly, unsure how to proceed after holding their emotions in check for so long. Finally, Jack stepped forward and took her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and passionately returned his kiss. The emotional dam broken, tears streamed down her cheeks. 

“Jack! I was afraid I had lost you!”

“Never, my lady,” he replied, brushing her tears aside. “Nothing in the universe could keep me from returning to you.”

After several more passionate kisses they pulled apart. For a moment they just stood, gazing into each other's eyes.

“I think we had best stop until we are in quarters.”

“Da, my darling. We do not want to scandalize the headquarters staff.”

“Oh hang the HQ staff, they all report to you anyway.”

Trouble clouded her face and she glanced down, breaking eye contact.

“What is it my love?” 

“I was so afraid you would come back and find me different some how. That things between us would change. That you would not want a bossy administrator for a lover.”

“Oh, Luda!” He held her tight and in a gentle voice recited: “Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments. Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove: Oh no! It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.” 

She returned his embrace, saying, “then you still love me?”

“More than life itself, my lady.”

“What did you just recite?”

“Shakespeare’s 116
^th
sonnet.” 

“Jack Sutton, you are a very romantic man for a roguish space pirate.”

“Arr,” he murmured, and for several more minutes they did not talk, their mouths more pleasantly engaged. Finally, Ludmilla looked up at him with feigned wide eyed innocence.