Authors: Thomas DePrima
"Yes, sir. Thank you for your help, sir."
"Our honor, Captain. Carver, out."
"Marcola, out."
Sydnee sat back in her chair and relaxed. She was so happy to finally, almost, have this mission finished, and she was looking forward to getting home to the
Denver
. She wondered if the Marine range had been completed, but even if it hadn't, she'd at least be able to spend some fun time in the simulators wave-hopping over the ocean in a Marine FA-SF4 fighter.
Once the freighter cancelled its envelope, MAT-One returned to the
Justice
with all the Marines on board. Meanwhile, the
Seoul
was recovering all of its teams as well. Lt. Olivetti had her hands full with the habitat container, but she finally got it into proper position using the remote-controlled tug. Working with the tac officer, she got it locked into its link section.
Lance Corporal Addams and two volunteers suited up in EVA gear and were ready to leave the ship when the freight handlers separated the container from the link. The small, remote-controlled tug used by Lt. Olivetti to assist with docking the habitat was pressed into service as a ferry to take the three volunteers to the free-floating container.
Once the three Marines managed to unlock the twenty-meter-high doors at the end of the container, they opened one of them just far enough to get the generator out. The freighter crew had attached a small power supply to the top of the container so the gravity decking inside remained at ten percent. It wasn't enough to interfere with the Marine effort of removing the generator, but it kept everything else from immediately floating out into space. Once the generator was out of the container and anchored by rope to the remote-controlled tug, the Marines closed and sealed the container doors. Two remote-controlled tugs being manipulated by freight handlers then re-secured the container in the link section and reconnected the stern cargo section to the rest of the ship.
By the time the Marines were back inside the
Justice
with the generator, the freighter was building its envelope. It disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving the
Justice
and the
Seoul
to complete their own preparations for departure.
"Lt. Caruthers, let's build our envelope and put a little distance between us and this part of space. Lt. Olivetti, our destination is Earth."
"Aye, Captain," both officers said.
In two minutes the
Justice
was headed for Earth at Light-9793.48.
It was impossible to hear anything that was going on below in the Marine's habitat unless she had the com chief eavesdrop using the ship's security system, but she imagined there was a bit of partying taking place. She'd love to join them, but military protocol dictated a layer of separation between enlisted personnel and officers, and especially between enlisted personnel and the ship's captain.
Sydnee remained on the bridge for an hour, then turned command over to Caruthers and went to her office/quarters to relax and compose some messages. As always, Olivetti immediately moved to the helm console. With the course to Earth laid in, there was no need for a presence at the navigation console.
Weems was coming from the Marine habitat and met Sydnee in the corridor outside her office.
"It's so great to take a long, hot shower, knowing that the search for the generator is over."
"Is that where you've been the past hour?"
"Oh, yeah. And I probably could have stayed in there another hour, but I figured I'd save some of the delight for tomorrow. You know what this ship needs? A large soaking tub."
"I'd pass on your suggestion to the folks at Mars," Sydnee said with a grin, "but they'd probably say they just got rid of our soaking tub. Or they'd probably just say you should wait until we get back to the
Denver
."
"Yeah, probably. Bunch of party poopers. Are you up for a little dinner?"
"Why not? I was going to write an update report for SCI, but it can wait."
After traveling to Earth at Light-9790, it was a little frustrating to spend the better part of a day in the traffic pattern as they slowly worked their way closer and closer to the planet. The
Justice
finally reached a point where they could adopt a geosynchronous orbit and wait until the time over North America was right for a trip to the surface.
MAT-One, piloted by Sydnee with Weems and MacDonald aboard, set down on a shuttle pad at the Space Command base in Nebraska just after 0800. An oh-gee truck immediately approached the small ship and parked alongside. After shutting down all systems, Sydnee and the others exited the ship. A Space Command Lt. Commander wearing an SCI collar insignia steeped forward to greet them.
"Welcome to Earth. I'm Lt. Commander Trent. I understand you had quite a bit of difficulty finding the generator."
"You could say that, sir. The entire Marine complement of two ships spent six weeks searching through cargo containers to locate it. Of course, we never would have found it if it hadn't been for SCI."
"Yes. By working together we were able to reacquire this valuable piece of equipment. Now, if you don't mind, I'll like to get it loaded aboard the truck. The R&D people are nibbling their fingernails down to the quick waiting to get their hands on it."
"Just a minute, sir," Sydnee said. Touching her Space Command ring, she said, "Captain Wherton." A second later she said, "Sir, I'm on the base at Nebraska. An officer identifying himself as Lt. Commander Trent is requesting that I turn over the generator to him. I'm just confirming that he's the proper contact."
Lt. Commander Trent touched his ring and said, "Trent." Then, "Yes, sir, I'm at the pad with Lieutenant Marcola." Then, "Yes, sir. Trent, out."
Sydnee heard via her CT, "Yes, that's Trent, Lieutenant. You can give him the generator."
"Yes, sir, Thank you, sir. Marcola, out."
"Sorry, Commander," Sydnee said to Trent. "I hope you understand."
"Of course, Lieutenant. After what you've been through because of that imposter, we all understand the extra caution."
Thirty minutes later, the generator had been transferred to the truck and was disappearing into the distance.
"Anybody have any business to conduct on Earth while we're here?" Sydnee asked her companions.
"I know a great little restaurant near here," Weems said, "but— it's too late for breakfast and too early for lunch."
"Kel?"
"I'm good, Syd. I saw all the relatives the last time we were on Earth— and I don't know a single restaurant near here."
"Okay, guys," Sydnee said with a chuckle, "Let's go home."
* * *
"What now, X?" his chief of staff asked. "The Spaccs now believe we were responsible for the bombing after all."
"Only temporarily."
"Temporarily? By now they've learned the Minister of Antiquities was just a dupe. They'll be coming after us soon. Being in Clidepp space won't protect us. I'm more afraid of them than I am of the Triumvirate."
"Think back. Do you remember when I told you they would blame us, then blame the Clidepp government, then blame us again, then blame the Clidepp government again?"
"Uh, yes."
"This game is just beginning. Very soon they'll be blaming the Clidepp government again. I have it all planned. I expected things to move along a little quicker, but you can't always manage intrigue like this. Mark my words, the GA will soon declare war on the Clidepp Triumvirate."
His chief of staff looked at X for a few seconds before addressing a different matter. "We haven't heard from Melorriat in some time. The last message said he was helping a Space Command ship stranded in Clidepp Space and that they had promised to turn over a Raider ship they'd been chasing if they were able to capture it."
"A Space Command ship? Other than the one that kidnapped the Minister of Antiquities?"
"We don't know. Melorriat said they claimed to know nothing about the kidnapping."
"I'd hardly expect them to admit it. I wonder if they took Melorriat as well."
"He'll never say anything. He's one of the most loyal supporters of the cause."
"But they might be able to make him talk with drugs."
"That's the way the Triumvirate operates, but Space Command doesn't do that."
"Perhaps not, but I have to wonder if he was carrying anything they could use. Did he suggest they might believe he was aligned with our cause?"
"No. They were treating him as a paid informant. He was worried though. He said there were three strangers hanging around his neighborhood. He was worried they might be the Secret Police."
"Damn, I should have been told that earlier. If the Secret Police have him and they use truth drugs on him, an entire cell could be compromised."
"He disappeared long ago. If they had any information, they would have acted before now."
"Perhaps— and perhaps not. Alert everyone to be on guard even more than usual."
~ Oct. 30
th
, 2286 ~
One week out from the sub-sectors where the
Denver
normally patrolled, Sydnee had the com chief send a message requesting information about their current location. When the answer came, Sydnee had Lt. Olivetti plot a course to that approximate area.
"Almost home," Sydnee said to Kelly MacDonald as they sat drinking coffee in Sydnee's office.
"Home? Do you realize we've spent ten full months aboard the
Justice
and only a third that much in the
Denver
? The
Justice
seems more like home right now than the
Denver
does."
Sydnee chuckled. "You're right, but I'm still looking forward to being back at the
Denver
. I miss my great bed and large quarters there. The tiny bed I have here is comfortable, but the full-size bed on the
Denver
allows me to stretch my arms out without banging my elbows on the walls. And my bedroom here is so tiny, it makes my old quarters aboard the
Perry
look spacious."
"I hope we get some downtime when we get back. Not a lot— just a few days to do nothing except relax and get back into shape."
"I know what you mean, Kel. I want to go down to the track every day and run until I'm ready to drop without stopping to turn around every couple of minutes to run twenty meters back the way I've just come."
"The only good part about being on the
Gatherer
was that I was able to run every morning on that ten-kilometer tunnel track. I'd run to the stern from the maintenance bay where the MAT was parked every morning before breakfast and then take a maglev sled back to the habitat. I was always too tired at night to do any running."
"It was an experience none of us want to repeat. I just hope it was worth it."
"It will be if the R&D people are able to figure out what gave us that speed improvement and reproduce it."
"I wonder if we'll get any credit for it," Sydnee said, "It
did
happen during a covert mission."
"What covert mission? I don't remember any covert mission."
Upon seeing the expression on MacDonald's face, Sydnee smiled and said, "Who said anything about a covert mission?"
Both smiled knowingly in the way that co-conspirators often do.
* * *
As the
Justice
arrived alongside the
Denver
, Commander Bryant gave orders to link to the larboard bow airlock. Sydnee had expected to see robotic tugs approach and detach the habitat containers, so the entire Marine Complement had assembled in MAT-One. When the order for the link came through, the Marines all moved to MAT-Two, which was linked on the starboard side of the
Justice
.
Once the airlock connection was complete and the seal had been tested and approved, the Marines entered the
Denver
. Sydnee and the flight crew had to shut everything down and gather their belongings before they left the small ship.
Inside the
Denver
, Lt. Milton and the crew of the
Lifeguard
were waiting to welcome the
Justice
crew home. Sydnee stepped through the airlock first.
"Hello, Syd," Milty said, "Long time no see."
Sydney suspected that from the way he worded it, he didn't want her to say anything about the
Lifeguard
coming to their rescue, so she said, "Hi, Milty. It's good to see you again. It's
always
good to see you."
"That was a hell of a long training mission you folks had. Everything work out okay?"
"I don't know if you heard, but we lost Lt. William Barron. He died while trying to fix our envelope generator."
"Yes, I heard about that. He was a great guy."
"Yes. He'll be missed."
"I heard you and Chief Luscome were both injured at that same time."
"Yes, but our injuries were minor. We're both fully healed."
"That's good. Well, welcome back. Oh, the captain wants to see you as soon as you've put your gear away. He's on the bridge."
"Okay, Milty. Thanks. Thanks for everything."
"Our pleasure, Syd."
As Sydnee passed the other officers and two noncoms, she smiled, shook hands, and exchanged greetings. She had immediately assumed they were the crew of the
Lifeguard
. None of them knew what mission had taken the
Justice
into Clidepp space, but they knew it had to be vital to the security of the GA for an SC ship to violate another nation's space without authorization.
When Sydnee entered her quarters, she had an overwhelming desire to leap onto her bed and take a quick nap. It felt so great to be back and have the burden of command lifted from her shoulders for a while. But the captain was waiting, so she just dropped her gear and tried to make herself look a bit more presentable, or at least less like someone who had just returned from a ten-month-long 'quick' mission. She pulled a brush through her hair a few times and then left her quarters.
* * *
"Lieutenant(jg) Marcola reporting to the captain as ordered," she said as she braced to attention in the captain's briefing room on the bridge.
"At ease, Sydnee. Be seated."