Voyage of the Sanguine Shadow 1: Shadow Galactic (24 page)

“
It is
important to our friends to believe that we are unreservedly frank with them,
and important to friendship that we are not.
” –Mignon McLaughlin

Dryden sat across from
Zerki within his office.  “Gavin 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’re talking like he’s already joined up,”
responded Zerki.  “He hasn’t signed anything.”

He 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.”

“You need to let him decide for himself.”

Dryden nodded.  “You’re right.  I’ll make him a
formal retroactive offer after we’re done here.  I’m also going to make Valerie
an offer.  I’ve never met another psychic of her caliber.”  He leaned forward. 
“Furthermore, I’m willing to reinstate you with your old rank of captain.  It
would be a formality at first, but after you get back into the swing of things,
you could be captaining the
Wraithfin
with Gavin and Valerie 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, “Right, the hit.  Please know that
it’s a slow wheel to turn.  I’ll be sending an emissary to the ellogons if this
next op 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.  We don’t know how
they can sense a gathering of starships, but they do it with perfect
reliability.”  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 raised brows, 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.  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 Valerie
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.  “OK, 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, “I can’t believe you’re going.  I really can’t.  Especially
after what they put you through.”

“That’s behind me.”

Valerie slowly shook her head.  “Sure.”  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 their 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 in seconds.  Then they assembled a beacon tower inside of what used
to be the imperial capital.  If we could draw them out, keep them distracted
while Gavin 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 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 father to me,” said
Valerie.  “And an annoying brother.”  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 both make it back.”

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

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, along with
a sudden swell of sorrow.  “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.  “Being an enforcer for 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.

“Gavin,” said Fogg.

“Yes?”

“Please return to us.”

Gavin pulled Fogg into the group hug.  “I mean
to.”

“Actions
are the seed of fate.  Deeds grow into destiny.” –Harry S. Truman

In orbit above Ry’lyeh,
Edenbridge Station skimmed the thermosphere, steadily rotating as it drifted. 
It was a deep space kraken that served as the Navy Star Fleet’s grand
harborage, as intricate as it was rugged in appearance.  Wider than the decks
below it, a down-sloped command ring capped the structure, its ceiling crowded
with communication and sensor towers.  Matte plates composed the outer hull,
lit brightly by blue and white lamps embedded throughout.  Below the crown, a
dozen evenly spaced rings connected to the station’s central keel, providing dormitory,
social and maintenance services.

At the station’s base, a structural ring flared
out wider than the cap.  Massive and lengthy piers jutted into the dark, like
the tentacles of a titanic squid, joined and reinforced by girded passageways
and maintenance catwalks.  At full occupancy, it hosted thousands of starships.

In the hours that followed the successful mission
on K’n-yal, dozens of battleships had arrived to make berth.  There were a
dozen starship carriers, scores of heavy cruisers, almost as many light
cruisers and several hundred destroyers.  A few hundred corvettes and countless
heavy bombers filled the ranks of Dryden’s battle groups.

Aboard a transport shuttle on approach, Zerki took
in the extent of the station and whistled quietly to herself.  “There must be
five full fleets in harbor,” she muttered.  “This might be the largest fleet
action in Union history.”  Wearing a faraway smile, she stood beside Gavin and
Valerie as they looked on.

“They’re taking an awfully big chance, calling so
many starships together,” said Gavin.  “If the ithirals get wind, they could
wipe out what’s left of Star Fleet.”

“It’s all part of the plan.  Even the ithirals
need time to run their scans.”

“What about Scar?” Valerie asked.

Zerki glanced her way.  “The ellogons had a fleet
stationed around its moon.  I’m guessing the ithirals had already added it to
their queue.”  She looked back to the approaching station.  “All of a sudden,
the ellogons are on the move, and the ithiral captain that was watching them
panicked.  He attacked before the fleet could slip away, as he saw it.  But he
tipped their hand when he did that, and the ithirals needed to advance their
plan of attack prematurely.”  Thoughtfully, she shook her head.  “It’s quite
possible that if given a little more time, the ithirals could’ve placed enough stardromes
outside the major worlds to execute a single devastating attack against both
the Union and the Empire.  I’m sure that’s what they were planning to do.”  She
rested her arms at the edge of the porthole.  “The ithirals had no way of
knowing that the ellogons only planned to return to their orbit around the moon
after they’d dealt with us.  If Filan hadn’t accessed Behemothylax’s memory
core when she did, if Taryn hadn’t rescued her from Lodoxol’s starship, if I
hadn’t decided to grab Gavin’s friends, if you hadn’t gotten your—”

“It isn’t Fate,” Valerie interjected.  “Fate
wouldn’t be satisfied with billions of dead ellogons, and who knows how many
we’ve lost—a couple thousand starships and a handful of colonies?  What is
that, millions, so far?  This is our last stand, Captain.  We’re on the ropes,
because the ithirals outmatch us.  Pure Darwinism.”

Zerki shook her head.  “I would’ve agreed with you
a few days ago, but not now.  The timing of it all is just too… convenient.”

“For
who
!?” Valerie exclaimed.  Zerki
didn’t respond.  Exasperated, Valerie huffed and sank back into her chair.

Gavin squeezed Zerki’s shoulder.  “Hey, I’m glad
you picked us up, Captain.  I really am.”

Zerki glanced back to him.  “Me too.”

They watched in silence, until they arrived at the
space dock.  Dryden appeared at the airlock, wearing a hopeful smile.  At
seeing Zerki, he offered his hand, and she took it.  Moving with purpose, she
followed him up a set of stairs into a hallway that arched ever upward in both
directions, following the curve of the command ring.

“How was the flight?” he asked.

“It was fine,” replied Zerki.  “Edenbridge is
amazing!”

He nodded and looked to her sidelong with a proud
smile.  “Wait until you see the
Wraithfin
.”

“Are we getting uniforms?”

“Already waiting for you in your quarters,” Dryden
answered.  “We kept your measurements on file.”

Gavin slowed down for a moment and tugged on
Valerie’s sleeve.  She slowed too and glanced his way.  “What’s up?” she
asked.  They resumed following Dryden and Zerki at a distance.

“Are you OK?”

She laughed dryly.  “Sure.  Actually, no, I’m
not.  I haven’t had a vision since the one on Ry’lyeh, and I’m scared.  Even if
it sucks, I’d rather know how this is going to end.”  She glared toward Zerki. 
“Plus, Captain’s got religion, all of a sudden.”

“Is that so bad?”

Valerie narrowed her eyes.  “You too?”

Gavin considered for a moment.  “Not exactly.  I
don’t know what I believe, but at times like this, I can’t fault anyone for
trying to find some meaning.”

“That’s what people do.  They find patterns, even
when there aren’t any.”

“I said meaning, not patterns.”  He nodded toward
the silver cross around her neck.  “You used to believe.”

“What, this?”  Valerie lifted it from her bosom
and let it drop.  “That was my mom’s.  It’s the only thing she ever gave me
that was worth anything.  I wear it as a reminder of why you should never stop
thinking for yourself, why you should never just do what you’re told.”

With a warm squeeze of her hand, he said, “I’ve
never seen you this worked up before.”

“Yeah, well, I’m sorry to disappoint you.”  She
pulled free her hand and walked slightly ahead of him.

He hurried to catch up.  “Valerie, wait!”

She halted, facing him.  “Gavin, stop.  Please?  I
just need some space right now.”  Without waiting for his response, she turned
and marched after Zerki.  Flushed, he collected himself and followed several
paces back.  In time, they arrived at the airlock leading into the
UNSS
Wraithfin
.

Slighter longer from nose to tail than the
Sanguine
Shadow
, she was much broader and twice as tall.  She had a teardrop nose,
and her hull flared out to the sides, giving her a manta-ray appearance with an
up-sloped dorsal ridge that joined with a down-swooping upper wing.  The
extents of the upper wing converged with two primary wings, mooring the
vessel’s warp engine nacelles.  Half their length jutted out past the trailing
edges, nearly as far aft as the rearmost shuttle hangar and cargo bay.

Emblazoned upon the ends of the wings and her
topmost curve was the registry designation, CVG-8717.  Below that, in smaller
letters, was her proper name:
UNSS Wraithfin
.  Bright lights bathed her
designations, and dim light shown from her multitude of windows, giving her an
ethereal glow not unlike the deep sea predator for which she was named.

At seven decks tall, she carried a crew of 16
officers, 95 crewmen, and Valerie’s elite strike team of 24 soldiers.  Nestled
in the dual wings, positioned against the engine nacelles, advanced missile
arrays carried a variable ordnance system that armed its warheads with any one
of several types of munitions at the time of firing.  During periods of
tactical movement, laser turrets sprang from the upper and lower halves of the
starship.  Fixed plasma cannons lined the edges of the wings.  Two shuttles
docked in her main hangar bay, and two more rested in the port and starboard
mini-hangars, one to each side.  Escape pods were located on A, C, D and E
decks.

In order to keep as low a profile as possible, she
employed point-defense cascade shields.  If brought to bear in time, they kept
her safe from most direct hits, but she was vulnerable to surprise attacks as a
result.  Consequently, she needed a crewman at the active defense station to
direct her shields.  She was painted black as the void, and she carried a
warp-driven cloaking system that masked her from detection when activated. 
Furthermore, she carried a quantum phase hopper that could take the vessel out
of the flow of time for up to three seconds per use.

Dryden led Zerki, Valerie and Gavin through the
boarding tunnel to the main airlock on C-Deck.  The door hissed open, and they
stepped into the corvette’s narrow, black halls.  Thin strips of red lit
junctions and access panels, under a ceiling of dim white, and the floor they
walked upon was heavy yellow rubber.  It muted the sounds of their footfalls.

In time, they reached the bridge.  Overhead lights
winked on as they stepped inside the oval command room.  Directly ahead of them
was the captain’s seat, framed on either side by the engineering and tactical
stations.  Beyond the command chair, navigation and the helm shared adjacent
consoles.  Embedded in the walls, communications, scanning, active defense and
special systems stations outlined the bridge.  Clustered above the command
chair, a chandelier of holographic projection tubes modeled live tactical data
when active.  Every station was matte black, trimmed with softly glowing red,
and like the halls, dim ceiling lamps cast gentle light upon the room.  Dryden
took a moment to point out and describe the function of each station before
leading his companions to the starship’s main lift.

“Your quarters are here on C-Deck,” he said,
“along with all the rest of the officers.  Valerie, you’re on C-Deck too, but
the rest of your team is quartered on G-Deck, near the main armory.  You can
find enlisted quarters on F-Deck.  Why don’t you all take a moment to get
cleaned up and dressed into your service uniforms?  Meet me in the main cargo
bay, and I’ll introduce you to the crew.  It’s in the aft section, accessible
from A- or B-Decks.”

“Thank you, sir,” said Zerki, and she saluted. 
Gavin hurried to salute, and Dryden returned the gesture, holding it as he
looked to Valerie.

She rolled her eyes and saluted, and Dryden
lowered his hand.  “I’ll call the crew to order in fifteen minutes.  Meet me
then.”  He stepped into the lift, heading up, and they found their way to their
respective cabins, where they took a few minutes to shower and get cleaned up.

Dressed now in sharp, black uniforms and caps,
they soon convened within the main shuttle hangar and cargo bay.  Dryden wore a
friendly smile as they entered and took position at his back.  The rest of the
crew stood rank and file, organized into rows and columns.  “Welcome,” he said
without facing his newest officers.  Raising his voice, he announced, “Step
forward, Captain Zerki Ibarra,” and she did so.

“Everyone, this is Captain Zerki Ibarra.  After
she’s got the hang of things, she’ll be taking over for Captain Hull.  She’s a
quick study and a sharp thinker.”  He grinned proudly, moving his hands to the
small of his back.  “After I get a chance to review her tactical performance,
I’ll have a better estimate of the time it’ll take her to fill Captain Hull’s
capable shoes.”

Under his breath, he said, “Valerie, you’re next,”
but she was already stepping forward on the other side of him.  “This is Ensign
Valerie Sawyer, and she’ll be sharing command of the elite strike team that’s
at the heart of our next war effort.  She’s a talented psychic, so try to keep
your thoughts civil when she’s close.”  Quiet laughter circulated through the
crew.

Dryden waved Gavin over.  “Lastly, this is Ensign
Gavin Santiago, our best hope for winning this war.  He’ll be stationed on the
bridge with Captain Ibarra and Captain Hull, where he’ll be executing special
attacks as they become available.”

Captain Aaron Hull saluted and said, “Pleased to
meet you all.  Welcome aboard the
Wraithfin
.”  His crew saluted,
prompting Zerki, Valerie and Gavin to return the gesture.

“In about thirty minutes,” Dryden continued,
“we’ll be weighing anchor and heading for the ellogon home world at full warp,
along with the rest of the fleet.”  He called up a holographic image of a
clouded, blue and green world.

“This is Thasad, the birthplace of the ellogon
people.  It’s twice the size of Earth, and the gravity’s twice as strong. 
Before we made contact with the ellogons, she was known to us as Kepler-22b. 
She was one of the first worlds Earth’s ambassadors jumped to.”  He smiled
flatly.  “As you know, the Galactic War followed closely on their arrival.”

He nodded.  “It’ll take us about two days to get
there, and when we do, all hell is going to break loose.  Your job is to keep
this starship running while Ensign Santiago disables key targets that will
allow for the strike team to get under the ithiral ceiling and take out their
beacon tower.  At that point, you will tour the battlefield, where Ensign
Santiago will hit targets of opportunity.”

His expression hardened.  “We will lose
starships.  You will lose friends.  Make no mistake.”  He shifted his weight
and settled.  “Ours is a merciless, unfeeling enemy that doesn’t abide by the
rules of war.  But when that beacon is destroyed, and the ithirals are
decimated and stranded, the sacrifices made by our warships, by our men and
women will mean everything!”

Dryden cleared his throat.  “We don’t have a Plan
B.  You are the sole hope of our great Union, the saviors of Earth and all free
people.  We don’t know where the ithirals came from, and we’re only beginning
to understand their hatred for us.  What we do know is this: it’s our darkest
hour, and a galaxy is looking to you to light it.  Be the light,
Wraithfin
.” 
He stopped, and he straightened.  “With all the fury of heaven,
burn bright
! 
And send those bastards back to the deep dark hole they crawled out of!”