Change Horizons: Three Novellas (10 page)

“So, they’re willing to die for whatever they’re after.” Dana placed her hands on her hips.

“Am I wrong to assume the
Koenigin
is equipped with smaller star shuttles for emergencies?” EiLeen stood and approached Dana. “I cannot stay onboard and risk the lives of the passengers. If I leave, I will draw their attention and you can alert SC Command.”

Dana stared at the calm woman who clearly had lost her mind. “You’re not going anywhere. We’re already transmitting to—”

“Apologies, Captain, but we’re not transmitting anything to anyone.” The ops ensign’s red face spoke of even worse trouble. “Whatever these people are doing, it’s scrambling our long-distance sensors and communications. Putting distance between us and those in pursuit doesn’t matter. They evidently brought the scrambler onboard with them.”

“All the more reason for me to leave, Captain. Give me a shuttle and I’ll draw them away.”

“As heroic as that sounds—”

A sudden blast made the
Koenigin
rock under their feet. Inertial dampeners went offline for a few moments, sending EiLeen crashing into Dana, who managed to stabilize them. Holding on to EiLeen, Dana felt her tremble, but something told her that adrenaline from fury rather than fear had caused it.

“Now what?” Dana snarled the words, frustrated at how intruders were once again handling her ship.

“The intruders are attaching explosives, and if they keep that up, they’ll cause a major hull breach on the passenger decks. Their path is taking them directly to the bridge.”

“Damn it. If they have that type of explosives, not even our safety doors will keep them out.” Dana thought quickly. EiLeen’s idea had some merit, but no way would she allow any of her passengers to put themselves in danger alone, least of all a former queen who was connected among the SC leadership.

She rushed over to the tall cabinet that held the bridge’s stock and pulled out a plasma-pulse rifle and a few sidearms. Then she filled a backpack with as many ammunition pods as she could carry. “Commander L’Ley, I hereby put you in command of the
Koenigin
and leave the welfare of her crew and passengers in your capable hands. Madame Maxio, you’re with me. We’re going to have to make it down to the shuttle deck and make sure they see us leave. Once we’re far enough away, L’Ley, your duty is to take out the intruders and alert SC Command. Make sure Admiral Ewan Jacelon hears of this and that they send backup. Do not engage the enemy on your own. The passengers’ safety takes precedence.”

“Aye, Captain.” L’Ley pressed her lips together. “Just…the two of you in a shuttle—”

“They’ve been upgraded at the Guild Nation dock. These fools might not realize that.” Dana glanced at EiLeen. “You won’t be able to bring anything from your quarters. We need to move fast.”

“I have what I need and, what’s more, what I think they’re after, right here.” She extended a hand. “I’m quite able to handle a sidearm, Dana.”

Dana hesitated only for a moment and then handed one of them over, knowing this was the safest way since they would have each other’s back from now on, at least until help reached them. “Set to stun.”

“Of course. Very humane.” EiLeen checked her weapon expertly.

“Let’s go. Sail with the stars to protect you, Commander L’Ley.”

Her next-in-command shook her head in obvious dismay. “And you, Captain.”

EiLeen wished she had worn something a little more practical as they once again climbed through one ladder tunnel after another. Her suit was comfortable enough, but even though the
Koenigin
crew kept the cruise ship immaculate, she was starting to look worn and disheveled. If that wasn’t bad enough, her suit had no pockets, which meant she had to tuck the sidearm Dana had provided her inside her waistband. She kept feeling for it as she struggled to keep up with Dana.

“This is where we change tunnels. Level twelve. Only eight more to go to reach shuttle deck,” Dana whispered. She poked her head out into the corridor. “Damn.”

“What’s wrong?” EiLeen pressed closer, peering over Dana’s shoulder. “Source of divinity, what’s happened?”

“Someone fired their weapon in here. Those are burns from plasma-pulse weapons.” Dana pointed at the scorch marks on the walls and the floor. “Only one good thing, no sight of bodies or blood.”

“Unless it’d been their bodies,” EiLeen said calmly. She pulled her weapon and checked the setting. “Sure we should keep them at a stun setting?”

“Yes. I can’t say I have any warm feelings for anyone boarding my ship, but I’d rather keep them alive to question them.”

“I see.” EiLeen watched Dana duck into the corridor and followed her, staying close to the damaged wall. “At least the passengers are staying clear of these people.”

“So far, yes.” Dana stopped at a junction and peered around the corner. She pulled her head back quickly and pressed closer to the wall. “Damn. Two individuals in black coveralls twenty meters down that way. We need to get across to reach the last tunnel. How’s your accuracy?”

“I’m a good shot.” EiLeen wasn’t bragging. Her chief of security had trained her for years to become proficient with several types of weapons.

“We only get one chance or they’ll alert the others, and we have no way of knowing how close they are.” Dana gripped her sidearm with both hands. “I’ll aim for the one to the left. You take the one to the right.”

“By all means.” EiLeen double-checked her weapon and nodded.

Not making a sound, Dana stepped out into the intersecting corridor with EiLeen only a fraction of a second behind her. They aimed and fired as one, and the two people dressed in black fell silently to the floor.

“Should we check on them?” EiLeen raised her gun to her shoulder.

“No. No time. Come on!” Dana tugged at her arm, and they rushed to the tunnel and began descending again.

EiLeen wasn’t prone to mind ghosts, but this time she fully expected voices to yell into the tunnel and fire at them as they hurried down the steps. Her legs were beginning to tremble from the repetitive movement, but she forced herself to keep going. She wasn’t used to this type of physical exercise, even though she took pride in keeping fit and in good shape. It was hardly a surprise that Dana barely broke a sweat despite everything.

“Almost there, madame.”

“For all divinity, call…me…EiLeen!” Growling the word and hating to sound so out of breath, EiLeen gasped as she nearly lost her grip of the ladder. Her foot missed the next step and she was trembling too much to regain her footing.

“EiLeen!” Dana suddenly gripped her calf, steering her foot to the next step. “Don’t let go. Can you feel the step? There?” She kept her hand firmly where it was.

“Yes, yes. I’m fine.” Clutching at the ladder, EiLeen continued her descent. Dana’s hand seemed to be what she needed to stabilize the tremors. Was she having an onset of nerves in her middle years? Ridiculous. Nerves? If she was infamous for anything, it was for inducing bad cases of nerves, not suffering from them.

“We’re here. Let me check the corridor. Something tells me they’re not stupid enough to leave our shuttle deck unsupervised.”

Unwilling to be left alone in the suffocating tunnel, EiLeen shook her head. “I’m going with you.”

Dana looked hesitant for a moment but then nodded. “Actually, I’d rather have you where I can protect you. Good point, Ma—EiLeen.” She smiled mirthlessly and motioned for EiLeen to once again move in behind her. “Stay close.”

That last order wasn’t hard to follow. Only a few centimeters shorter than Dana, Eileen not only felt safe with the fierce captain, but for the first time she didn’t become entirely volatile when someone else took command. Well, Dana did know her own vessel best and was officially in charge.

“I hear…something.” Dana leaned back, whispering. “Who or whatever it is, it’s getting closer. It sounds…off.”

EiLeen listened hard. Yes, something sounded off, all right. An eerie sound as if something slithered along the corridor made the small hairs on her arms and legs stand up. The flickering light in the corridor from the now-muted red-alert klaxons didn’t help.

“On three?” EiLeen suggested, half-joking, half-frustrated.

“Yes. We can’t stay here. They’ll find us sooner or later.” Dana raised her weapon and nodded grimly. “One, two, three!”

Dana going high, EiLeen low, they did a quick glance outside. At first EiLeen didn’t see anything, but then she lowered her gaze and the sight of the woman on the deck made her gasp.

“Ensign Saghall.” Dana hurried over to the young woman who was crawling along the bulkhead, clutching her leg. Behind her a trail of blood told the sad story of her nearly severed limb. “Keep a lookout for the intruders, EiLeen.” Dana fell to her knees next to the chalk-white, perspiring ensign.

EiLeen kept an eye on the corridor, but the only movement came from the ensign, who seemed determined to continue along the corridor floor. Not about to stand idly by when she was needed, she knelt next to Dana, not caring that her trousers now absorbed a fair amount of blood as well. “Ensign, stop, please.” She placed gentle hands on the young woman’s shoulders as Dana removed the ensign’s belt to place around the bleeding leg. “Your captain is helping you. My name is EiLeen and you’re safe with us. No, Ensign, please. You have to remain still. You’re hurting yourself.”

“Got to alert…the captain…intruders…” Ensign Saghall’s words were hardly intelligible because blood trickled between her lips at every syllable.

“I’m here, Saghall. See? Here.” Dana pulled the belt tight and the bleeding woman whimpered. She leaned over Saghall. “I’m here and you’ve done very well getting this far. Did they surprise you in the shuttle bay?”

“No. Deck two, Capt—” Saghall shuddered.

“She got here from deck two?” EiLeen looked over at Dana, who pressed her lips into a tight line.

“Elevator,” Saghall said, then closed her eyes and slumped to the floor.

“Damn. I can’t just leave her here. I have to risk alerting the medical staff.” Dana ran a hand over her face before she grabbed her communicator. “Rhoridan to the infirmary. Casualty, Saghall, ensign, on deck four. Immediate evacuation required. Life-and-death situation.”

“Aye, Captain, Lieutenant Irah here. We’re close already but have to move with caution.” The calm male voice over the comm channel spoke solemnly.

“Use caution, but hurry. Ensign Saghall is in a bad way.”

“There in two minutes, ma’am.”

EiLeen had kept her fingertips on Saghall’s neck and was growing rapidly concerned. “She’s weak. Very weak, Dana.”

“They’ll be here. We should move on to the shuttle bay area, but…” Dana paled. “I can’t.”

“Neither can I, so just take a deep breath, Captain.” EiLeen spoke Dana’s title with a gentle, teasing tone, wanting to reassure her. Another out-of-character action. How odd.

“I think I hear the med staff. Watch Saghall.” Dana raised her weapon and directed it toward the elevators. “Guess they would have to use the elevators to move fast enough.”

The door opened farther down the corridor and a security detail moved out first, looking relieved at finding their captain and their wounded crewmate.

A tall, burly man hurried over to them and took charge. “Damn it, Saghall, what have I told you about doing stuff like this?”

“Sorry?” Saghall looked up. “Captain?”

“Here, Ensign.” Dana bent over the woman. “Yes?”

“Just…watch out. Strange weapons. Unknown. Weird-looking…”

“Understood, Ensign. Now let Dr. Irah take care of you. I expect to see you well on the road to recovery when I return.”

“Yes, Captain.” Saghall closed her eyes again.

“And we have to hurry.” Dana stood and extended a hand to EiLeen, who studiously ignored it and jumped to her feet as well. She wasn’t old enough that she needed help getting up yet.

“We better hurry. They might have picked up on you alerting the infirmary.” EiLeen raised her hands, palms forward. “I know. It had to be done.”

“Let’s go. Be careful, Irah.”

“And you, Captain.” The doctor nodded grimly before focusing on his patient.

EiLeen was relieved that the door to the shuttle bay was only a short distance away. When it closed behind them, Dana punched in a command and spoke rapidly. “Computer. Place a security seal on this door. Senior staff access only.” A long beep confirmed her command. “Good. That will delay them if they try to enter while we’re still here.”

Following Dana, EiLeen found herself standing next to what had to be the smallest shuttle known to SC space. “Are we going in that?”

“No arguing. Trust me.” Dana opened the back hatch and motioned for EiLeen to get in. The interior appeared marginally larger than the exterior, but it would still be a cramped space for two people. Especially when one of them was used to her own suite while traveling.

“Strap in,” Dana said, continuing her terse orders. “We have to be really, really quick if we’re going to get the head start we require.”

EiLeen knew it was fruitless to argue and strapped herself into the co-pilot seat. As soon as she heard Dana click her harness closed, the shuttle was hovering and the wide doors opening just enough to let them through. Stars lit up the interior with a cool light that made Dana’s hair look like the Imidestrian silver brooks.

“So, they need to see us leaving but not have time to react too fast and gain on us.” Dana spoke in a muttering voice. She punched in more commands and then leaned back and briefly closed her eyes as they shot through the opening. “Imagine that only a few hours ago, my main concern was that you had insulted a man at the captain’s table.”

“He had it coming.” EiLeen looked in dismay at the state of her clothes. “For all divinity, please tell me this dinghy has computers strong enough to replicate?”

“Yes. It may be small, my
Queen
, but it’s more fully outfitted than any of your own ships, small or big.”

Grinding her teeth at the deliberate use of her former, and so loathed, title, EiLeen unfastened her harness and stood. “Then I will clean up and change. I may be running for my life and trying to save the
Koenigin
passengers, but I see no reason to look like a space pirate’s third harlot.”

“For stars and skies! Has anyone ever told you how annoyingly shallow you can act?” Dana flung her hands in the air.

“Several people have. And frequently.” EiLeen smirked and entered the miniscule restroom. Gazing at her reflection, she made a face. Yes, a vain, shallow, and luxury-loving bitch. She had cultivated this image for years, yet it stung when the bitter words fell from Dana’s lips.

Only when she had recycled her torn and sullied clothes and stood in the cleansing tube, did she realize how Dana had worded her accusation. “
…
how annoyingly shallow you can
act
?” Not be.
Act
. There was a difference. Could it be that Dana realized she was acting, that there was more to the former queen she seemed to loathe so much than the fancy clothes and taste for luxury?