Riss Series 3: The Riss Survival (10 page)

Wachal was an elderly man who had over twenty-five years service. He was slightly overweight, with thinning hair, and jowls, but he was quick witted and appeared to know his job. He was excited to be on a Hunter, looking forward to working around the Riss, and learning Symath, as it applied to Navigation. Ommen was a Lt. Commander with minimum time in grade. He was qualified in Communications and had some experience at Radar. He looked in good condition, with curly dark brown hair, a neatly trimmed mustache, and a long thin face. I suspected he was a woman's man and this would be a long tour with no planet-side leave. I asked Alena to stay after the meeting ended.

"How are you enjoying Freeland? I'm sorry we haven't had much time to talk. There never seems to be enough hours in the day. I'm moving you around because you need experience in different positions and ships."

"It's great. Ever since I've been sailing with you, life has been wonderful. Before that, it was a nightmare, not only the prejudice but also not having any support. I was alone in a sea a hate." Her face lost its smile. "I don't know if I'm ready to be the primary ECM officer. Captain Corbitt had me apprenticing at ECM, Weapons, and Communications, but I only had a couple of months at each station."

"Alena, I'm going to work you until you drop. In less than a year, the Mnemosyne will be ready, and the year after that the Eirene. You will command that ship."

"What?" Alena looked ready to run or hide or both. "Me?"

"Yes, you. The Riss-humans will initially be the captains of the Riss cruisers. I’ll captain the Mnemosyne and you the Eirene. So, I expect you to be ready and that will require hard work. Do you understand?"

"Yes Nadya… Captain Reese… Leader."

"I know you don't feel ready, and you won't be because it's coming too fast. But you, like me, have no option. The Riss need us now, not ten or twenty years from now." I felt sorry for Alena, but she was the most logical person to take the Eirene.

"I understand. Ma'at, Quiet Night under the Moon, and I will do whatever is required. Thank you for your support and faith in me. I won't let you or the Riss down."

CHAPTER TEN

Inspection problems

The next several months slipped by without a major incident. Da'Maass continued to assure me the project was proceeding on schedule. The few times I visited, the buildings looked like junkyards. Components lay everywhere in no discernible order. The pieces had irregular surfaces, and most were covered with a black fungus-like texture. I was nervous. Last week, he had informed me that the components were being delivered to the space station and assembly had begun.

I felt a devilish smile and saw an image of me fitting pieces together on a giant three-dimensional puzzle.

Laughter. An image of a Gorillai running away, skipping and laughing.

* * *

I was in my office, looking over reports when my SID lit with Varisko's face.

"Yes, XO?"

"Skipper, I think there may be a problem on the Lost Traveler. I haven't got all the details yet, but apparently, the army had to intervene between a navy inspector and the merchant. And there was a shooting. Captain Corbitt said he'd update you a soon as he had the specifics."

"Let me know when he calls. I'm going for breakfast." I decided it was best to occupy myself until he called, so I went to the navy dining hall. Commander Marken was sitting at one of the tables when I entered. He waved me over.

"What do you think, Skipper?" he asked as I sat down, obviously referring to the recent incident.

"It's sort of like the army. They train to fight, but mostly they sit around bored, hoping for action. Then there's a battle and they wish for boredom. I hope for boredom." I had vivid memories of the army after boarding actions against the raiders. War looked good only in the history books, written by people who had never had to kill or watch others being killed.

"If you don't mind me asking, are you going to let us see the new Riss cruiser?"

"Yes, I promise I'll give you and the staff a tour of the Mnemosyne as soon as the hull is finished and another when she's operational."

After breakfast, I decided to visit the Bridge, although I knew Varisko would have notified me if Corbitt had contacted her. I was right, nothing new had happened, so I went to my office and sat reviewing the Mnemosyne's design plans—again. I felt like I imagined a five-month pregnant woman must feel, dying to have it over so she could see the baby—in my case, the Mnemosyne.

"Skipper, Corbitt is on the Comm," Varisko said, using the override on my SID. “I've had him transferred to your SID.”

Corbitt sounded grim. "Captain, we had an incident on the Lost Traveler. How would you like to handle it?"

"I'd like you to conduct the investigation and send me your findings. Until I've reviewed your findings, hold the Lost Traveler in orbit. Be thorough but expedite your investigation."

"Yes, ma'am. Corbitt out."

Of course, she was right. It wouldn't be good for morale for me to interfere. As station commander, I could review his findings without making him look like he was incapable of doing his job. Beside, Corbitt had consistently conducted himself professionally, and I felt I could trust him to be fair.

After waiting all afternoon, I decided to take a break—from doing nothing— and visit Terril. I had just reached the workout area, when Varisko called.

"Skipper, it's Captain Corbitt. I'm transferring him to your SID."

"Captain Reese, I finished my investigation and have sent you my findings—marked
For Your Eyes Only
."

"Can you give me a quick synopsis?"

"Yes, ma'am. A petty officer third class broke one of the merchant's vases, valued at three hundred credits. The sailor claimed he dropped it by accident. The Wasp on duty wasn't sure one-way or the other. However, when the merchant called the sailor an idiot, the sailor picked up another vase and threatened to smash it. One of the Wasps told him to put it down or he'd shoot him. He told the Wasp to go to hell and turned on the merchant, screaming the clans were all murderers. Just then, another sailor attacked the merchant calling him a murderer and rapist. The Wasps shot both men in their legs, put them in restrains, and sent them back under guard." Corbitt paused for a sip of water.

"What did the merchant do?" Silly, but I crossed my fingers.

"As far as I can tell, he did nothing except to call the sailor who broke his vase an idiot. When the one attacked him, he backed away. The sailor who physically attacked the merchant claimed another sailor's brother had been killed by the raiders and his sister raped."

"How do you plan to proceed?" I asked.

"I'd like to verify the sailor’s story about his brother and sister. That doesn't justify either of their actions, but it may influence my recommended punishment. I think we should let the merchant proceed to the space station. And I'd like to talk to Colonel Babbert before I consider whether the Wasp used appropriate force."

"Thank you, Captain. I concur with all your recommendations. Let me know when you've reached a decision." I itched to get involved but Corbitt was handling it well.

* * *

At his request, Corbitt met with me several days later.

"Ma'am, we checked on Petty Officer Jako's records. He has a brother but no sister and his family’s planet, Backdoor, has never been raided. So, we checked further and found his brother was alive and well. A subsequent search of his locker turned up three one hundred-credit chips issued on an Eden bank. His ship account has never had more than a hundred in it over the past several years." He stopped to take a sip of kaffa and seemed to be waiting for my comments.

"Sounds like he was paid to cause problems. I assume he's been spreading the rumor about his brother and sister to all his friends, who will have spread it to their friends and so on." It didn't surprise me. Hate seemed to be a natural human emotion. "And the Wasp?"

Corbitt smiled "I talked to Colonel Babbert. We discussed your concerns and the army's commitment to you, and agreed they were only following orders. I came away impressed with the respect you command with the army." He seemed to study me while he waited.

"I concur. Every day I'm glad to have you and Captain Pavao on station. It's going to take good people like you if this Treaty is going to succeed."

I invited Varisko and had Pillon serve dinner. Afterward we sat around discussing our careers and past assignments. I enjoyed myself and felt I was beginning to know Corbitt the person, not just Corbitt the Captain.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Errant missile

The days and weeks settled into a monotonous routine. The three merchant ships went and arrived approximately every three months. On the way out, we checked the cargo area against the ship's manifest, conducted a visual check of all compartments, and documented the names of the crewmembers.

On arrival, we went through the same procedure, checking the results against the record we had made when they departed. The black box was collected and Iglis verified it against the ship's log. It was all very boring since the records so far were always in agreement. And the inspections went smoothly. The merchants remained cooperative and the navy inspectors cautious under the watchful eye of the army—more so because of the incident on the Lost Traveler.

Mnemosyne
will be through soon.>

I agreed with Thalia but it was much better than the alternative. Da'Maass had indicated that the assembly was going well at the space station and anticipated a completion date around the time the next replacements were due to arrive in a little over a month. The last time I had been at the factory the pieces were scattered over eleven buildings. I couldn't imagine it being a hull or that it was ready to be assembled. After the hull was assembled, he planned a tour of the factory at Alesd, where the ship's internal components were being designed and produced, and the Rupea factory, where the engines and other machinery were being made. He said they were making good progress but I needed to clarify some of my vision. I was looking forward to that as was Thalia.

"Captain on the Bridge," Varisko said as I entered.

"Anything new?" I asked hoping for something to do.

"The Merlin has finished the inspection of the Wheeler and has released it for transit to Ruchild in the SAS. It should pass us in about—"

"Captain Reese! The Bobcat just fired a missile!"

"Comm, get me a line to the Bobcat. Radar, where's that missile heading?"

"The Wheeler!"

I was lucky Riss were at the stations along with the humans. Humans couldn't possibly act fast enough.

r-Artemis sent to Thalia as the vector appeared on the Helm's board. Fortunately, Lieutenant Skadi was a helm. He had been with me a long time and was use to the Riss and silence in emergencies. He didn't hesitate.

"Helm, a five second skip to the vector on your board in … four ... three ... two ... one ...  execute!"

The ship lurched and everyone turned a ghostly translucent grey for several seconds before returning to normal. Some people hated skipping and got sick. Thalia loved it. As we came out of the skip, r-Selens hands flew across the ECM board. The new crew was frozen with shock. Anti-missiles burst from the ship and the defensive laser systems activated. I could do nothing but watch and hope if r-Selens couldn't kill it the battle steel would hold.

Leader
.> From r-Selens. A nanosecond later the
Lynx
shuddered with the shock waves from the explosion, which detonated less than five kilometers away.

Several of the new crew sat staring with mouths gaping.  The old crew understood. I looked up to see Pavao on the monitor.

"What happened, Pavao?"

"I think you just saved the Wheeler. Sorry, Captain. I don't know but I'm going to know minutes from now. Scorpions are securing the weapons systems as we speak. I'll have an answer shortly. Pavao out."

"Nav, plot us an intercept course with the Bobcat." I sat back, pretending nothing exciting had happened.

A grin tickled through me.