Retribution (43 page)

This reference document comes in three formats - Word, PDF or MOBI. It contains a listing of all the characters in all the books, listed by first name, last name, rank, role, organisation and the book they first appeared in. There is also a list of the weapons, vehicles, ships and other equipment used in the series. All the cities, places, planets and star systems are listed so you can look up exactly where events are happening. A glossary is also provided.
With the Word format the data is listed in sortable tables. So it makes it easy to find that character using one of their attributes - first name, last name, organisation etc.

Part 1
Penetration

When the firing stops and the screams subside

Fear once more retreats inside

Frazzled nerves recover and tired minds assess

The outcome of the battle and was it success

But either way comrades have suffered

Lives lost and aspirations smothered

Where to from here

Do you retreat from fear?

Or gird your loins and sally forth

Striving on for all your worth

Chapter 1. Beijing, Earth 1910, 5 July 2513

A weary Harry Chen dropped his carry-on next to the visitor’s chair in his study. The flight had been delayed leaving Washington. These High Council meetings were taking a toll on his stamina. ‘Home should be a refuge’ he said to himself.

On cue he heard the tone he dreaded. “You’re late again” called out his wife Amelia Hubbard. “We’ve already started” she added with more than a hint of disapproval.

Harry blew out some air, girded his loins and somehow found the energy required to walk down the hallway to the dining room. He brushed across his thinning hair endeavouring to hide the growing expanse of bare skull. It was another of life’s disappointments. Why his parents opted not to cull that gene he never knew. ‘Hum’ he thought ‘it’s the least of my worries.’

As he approached the entrance to the dining room, he took in a deep breath. The third most powerful person in the human federation entered the dining room of his own house feeling inadequate.

The face that looked up from her plate was no longer the lure it had once been thirty years ago. It was a long face whose cheeks had hollowed out despite the best efforts of earth’s finest cosmetic surgeons. Her dark brown eyes rolled up to meet Harry’s. He felt them interrogating his form. He knew they would not fail to realise that he was weary but he also knew that there would be no acknowledgement let alone a soothing word. She gave him a slight nod before inserting another mouthful of filet steak into her mouth with the ornate silver fork.

Harry sat down in the chair on Amelia’s left. The chair opposite, on Amelia’s right, was occupied by their son, Commander Charles Chen. His son was in the middle of chewing his own mouthful. There wasn’t much left on his plate. Charles made an attempt to smile but opted to nod instead.

Harry removed the lid from his plate and took in the aroma of the steak diane. It was to his liking. He reached forward and took hold of the bottle. He inspected the label and nodded in appreciation. The Penfold’s Grange was the best cabernet sauvignon on the planet and his cellar was well stocked with them. He poured a glass and brought it to his nose and inhaled the satisfying aroma.

Amelia knew he loved his wine. She had witnessed this ritual of his all too often. She appreciated the benefits that came with being married to the Federation Treasurer but as she had done more and more of late she robbed him of his pleasure by interrupting him just as he was about to take a sip. “So?” she demanded.

Harry shook his head slightly. He was onto her little games. This was becoming annoying. It was a form of harassment. If Charles had not been here he would have said something. For now, he exercised all the restraint he was famous for. He slowly lowered the glass to the table. His prize would wait. He took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly. He glanced across to Charles.

“It’s done. You have your war. You report to the spaceport tomorrow morning 0800 sharp.” Harry turned to Amelia. “I hope you are satisfied?” he said with more than a trace of sarcasm.

“The Resolute?” asked Amelia ignoring Harry’s tone. Her focus was only on the outcome. She had long since given up caring about how Harry felt.

Harry nodded but then decided to add “this cost us big time.” He turned to Charles “Don’t screw this up.” With great determination Harry took a good swallow of the precious red liquid. He forwent the niceties, keen for the after effects that only alcohol provided these days.

The rest of the meal was had in silence. Amelia excused herself at the earliest opportunity. A minute later Charles followed suit leaving his father to savour his food and wine in peace.

Charles made his way to his bedroom and began packing his gear. Most of it was done already, save for his Fleet whites that were now folded neatly into the suit compartment of his case. There was no expression on his face, no indication of how he felt.

The impassive demeanour was still there when Amelia entered a minute later. Amelia noted it just as she had done so many times before. There was something missing, emotionally, in her Charles. She put this down to Harry just like everything disappointing in her life was down to Harry.

She put her hand on Charles as he was closing the case shut. Charles turned and gave her a half smile. That was the best she would get from him. But her payoff would not be in terms of an emotional response. No, her payoff would be in terms of status.

Ever since she had graduated from Oxford she had only one goal and that was to attain the highest office in the Federation. Harry’s own ambition had torpedoed hers. She had reluctantly agreed to back his political career instead of her own when it looked like he would have the best chance of going all the way. Oh what a mistake that had been. Not only had Harry failed to deliver but he had seemingly, willingly accepted his fate as the loyal lieutenant – fool! It was now down to Charles. 

“You know your father’s right about not screwing this up” she said in an even measured voice.

Charles put the suitcase down onto the floor and then looked back at his mother. “I got that. You don’t need to give me the lecture. I know what I have to do. Don’t worry. I will return the hero and claim my birth right.” He paused and waited for the response from his mother. She gave him the smile he knew would come. He then added “but I won’t be doing this for you mother. I will be doing it for me.”

Amelia winced. She felt the pain, but she was determined to have the last word here. “Yes do it for yourself Charles. Stay safe and succeed. I have had enough disappointments for one life.” She then turned and exited.

Another half-smile came over Charles Chen’s face. ‘Oh I’ll succeed alright’ he thought to himself. ‘Whatever it takes.’

Chapter 2. Nova Vista, Polaris 1800, 5 July

Lieutenant Commander Sheldon Brice shifted his weight in the chair by the bed in ward 1202 of the North Shore Hospital as the attendant wheeled in the trolley with the meal. Being an active man Sheldon hated sitting for any length of time but his duties as the Comms and Intel (CI) Officer had taught him to control the urge to rise.

His best friend First Lieutenant (1
^st
Lt) Jake Holman winced as he adjusted his position in the bed. The bubble wrap dressings around the right side of his face, neck and shoulder groaned under the adjustment. They were designed to be flexible while still protecting the burned skin but the noise they made did not suggest flexibility at all.

“Do you need me to move the pillow?” asked Sheldon.

“No” barked back Jake angrily.

Sheldon just nodded. He’d seen this before. He knew his buddy was going through the post trauma anger stage. Jake had been the engineering officer on board the FFS Auckland, Admiral Rudi Holland’s flagship during the recent battle for Polaris. He had been badly burned when the Auckland had been hit with rogan missiles during the opening salvoes.

Sheldon was the senior CI on the Auckland. He and Jake had served together now on three different ships since graduating from the Academy nine years ago. It had stressed him no end when he heard the damage report after the enemy strike and even more when he was told to stay at his post.

Sheldon knew that to pass through this anger stage, Jake needed support and that was why he was here. Prior experience had taught Sheldon not to react to the displays of anger, just to be quiet and most of all just to be there.

The attendant gave a weak smile and placed the tray of food on the adjacent bedside trolley, rotated the arm so the meal was now in front of Jake and said in a quiet and measured manner “You good?” Jake nodded and the attendant left.

Jake pulled off the lid revealing the usual hospital fair. Tonight it was sliced roast lamb, carrots, beans and the ubiquitous mashed potato with gravy. He let out a sigh of disappointment but still lifted his fork and dove it into the mash.

Sheldon’s communicator chimed. “Do you mind if I take this?” he asked Jake. Jake shook his head ever so slightly. Sheldon stood up and went out into the corridor. He walked down towards the lounge area which was currently deserted. “Yes” he answered.

“Commander Sheldon Brice?” asked the voice on the other end.

“Yes.”

“It’s Captain Alex Peabody, PERS (Personnel Staff Officer) for Admiral Yomoto. Can you talk?”

“Yeah go ahead.”

“I have a new assignment for you. It’s effective immediately. Report to my office 0800 tomorrow and I’ll fill you in.”

“Have you cleared this with Admiral Holland?”

“Yes. He’s the one who recommended you. Don’t worry. I think you’ll like it” said Alex with a wry smile on his face.

“OK Sir 0800 tomorrow.”

As Alex put down his communicator on his desk in the Combined Fleet Alpha HQ he said to himself “and who wouldn’t like being the commander of the Spectre.” The Spectre was the second in the new series of Phantom class stealth frigates.

“Now who am I going to get to command the Raptor” he added. The Raptor was the third in the series.

Chapter 3. Nova Vista 2240, 5 July

LCmd Meg Songa rolled out of the bed careful not to disturb her latest conquest. She instinctively brushed away her frizzy black hair from her forehead. ‘I should have had it cut this afternoon’ she chastised herself. She was tall, athletic and her dark complexion looked positively shiny under the glow from her communicator. She threw on a robe, grabbed the communicator and exited the bedroom into the main living area of the two bedroom apartment high up in the Sea Breeze complex overlooking the bay.

She made her way out onto the balcony of her lover’s apartment. A breeze had finally picked up and the smell of saltwater wafted in. She sat down on the cane chair and briefly caught site of ground zero, where the rogan nukes had impacted in the north of the city some fifteen kilometres away. The arc lights from the decontamination crews could be seen clearly. ‘Pity’ she thought ‘the view would have been lovely before the rogan ruined it.’

She glanced down at her communicator, recognised the sender and double tapped the urgent message.

‘URGENT NEW ASSIGNMENT. Report to F1 CFA HQ, 0800 6 July ready to deploy. CONGRATS!’ It was from Captain Alex Peebody.

A beaming smile came over Meg’s face. “Yes!” she exclaimed out loud. She sat back in the chair and started to think of all the things she had to do. Through all the different strands of thought one came that forced itself to the fore. ‘Oh yes’ she thought.

She crafted her thankyou email to her aunt beginning with her normal term of endearment for her. ‘Bumbles, I got it. Thank you so much. I won’t let you down…’ The recipient would have to be careful and ensure she opened it in private lest word got out that the Federation Health Minister was referred to as ‘bumbles’ by those that knew her the most.

Meg crept her way back into the bedroom and let the robe fall to the floor. The night light penetrated through the partially opened curtains but she couldn’t find her underwear. She bent over and began feeling for them under the sheet.

She got a shock when she felt his hand on hers. Her lover rolled over onto his side and looked up to her admiring the light playing off her trim body. “Do you have to go?” he asked quietly.

“Sorry new orders” she replied. She liked this one. He was a country mile ahead of the rest. But now was not the time for attachments she reminded herself. She leant forward and kissed him on the cheek.

He took advantage and pulled her on top. “Surely you have time for a farewell embrace” he said.

Meg smiled. “But that’s not an embrace I’m feeling is it?”

“What can I say” and he chuckled.

Meg leant closer to him and rubbed her breasts over his chest. She felt his hands squeeze her ample bottom holding her in place while he thrust up to meet her. She arched her back up and with real pleasure took all that he had to give.