The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles #4, Retribution (21 page)

For every ship the Syndicate fleet destroyed it seemed like two more were detected by the flee
t’
s sensors. While it was true that the GCP forces were not scoring many hits, those weapons that were getting through were having a devastating effect. Already a third of his battle group was reporting minimal to severe damag
e
… and still there seemed no end of new ships from the GCP joining the battle.

The bridge of the MS Typhoon shook as another kinetic round from a GCP rail gun impacted with her hull. Alarms sounded as the ship began venting atmosphere yet again. It was the third time that particular alarm had sounded. The damage-control team was being run ragged.

“
Captai
n…,
” the shi
p’
s executive officer said
,“
we are getting a transmission from the Moon-Tide. The situation in the prime territories is deteriorating rapidly
.
”

The captain looked at Snatch-Bait. The Chairman turned to face the shi
p’
s XO
.“
Explain, Commander
.
”

“
There are reports of general and wide-spread uprising on Naanac. The loss-mitigation systems are currently on highest alert
.
”

“
I’
ve already deployed forces to deal with this
,
” Snatch-Bait said, dismissively.

“
Yes, sir; however, there are now reports of similar uprisings on Drian IV, Haden, Morrtan, and about a dozen other systems. Most, if not all, are receiving aid from the GCP
.
”

***

“
They seem to be pulling out
,
” Admiral Faragon said, with a relieved sigh. The Bridge of the GCP
Victory
was subdued. Fourteen ships had been lost in the battle for Sol. The losses had been hidden from the Syndicate forces by the clever use of holographic decoys. Even now the GCP
New Sidney
was falling into Jupite
r’
s gravity well. She was a lifeless hull, with all hands lost. At the same time the
New Sidney
appeared hale and stalwart on picket guarding the Sol system with dozens of other phantom ships.

It was a victor
y
… but it felt hollow.

“
Notify the fleet
,
” Admiral Faragon said
.“
W
e’
ll take twenty-four hours to lick our wounds and then we are heading to support our new allies in the Betaverse. Any word yet from the Suhtian Defense League
?
”

Lieutenant Commander Sherry Melbourne picked that moment to step on to the bridge. She had been coordinating non-aligned world participation in the executive conference room.

“
I can answer that, sir
,
” she said
.“
Their flagship, the Divine Purpose, will meet us at sector 1-1-4 to offload some special technology they say will help us
.
”

“
Did they say what this technology was
?
”

“
Negative, sir. They wer
e‘
characteristically vague
,
’ however I got the impression they were excited for us to have whatever it is. It was the same look my parents had when they bought me my first bike but would
n’
t tell me what was in the big box
.
”

The Admiral smiled weakly. Lord, he was tired
.“
Have we heard from any of the others
?
”

“
Yes, sir, the Kay-Bees are on board, as well as the Agur
.
”

“
Tha
t’
s a relief. Have the Kay-Bees been apprised of the modifications we want to make to their FTL links
?
”

“
They have, sir. Understandably, given what they just went through, they were somewhat reluctant, until we explained what the Hupenstanii had in mind
.
”

***

Jason Ruck paced back and forth on the Bridge of WhimPy-101. He was trapped in the Naanac su
n’
s corona, hiding from an adversary that was impossibly strong. The massive Heshe weapo
n’
s platform had nearly been destroyed by a Modos war ship that was sporting technology that was in many ways superior to the Heshe weapo
n’
s platform. Admiral Kimbridge had begun to suspect there was another player operating behind the scenes in this battle with the Modos, and it seemed she had been right. The truly scary part of this situation was the speculation by WhimPy-101 that the Hesh
e’
s ancestors, the Uruk, might well be this mysterious third party.

“
What I do
n’
t understand
,
” Jason said to Ben, who shared the bridge
,“
if the Uruk are the Hesh
e’
s ancestor
s
… how is it that their technology is superior to the Hesh
e’
s
?
”

The
D’
lralu engineer was pacing on all six paws; this was a clear sign of his agitation
.“
I
t’
s not as if time stood still for them, sir. The
y’
ve had several thousand years to perfect their art of war while the Heshe have spent the same time engaged in peaceful pursuits. I
t’
s not surprising the Uruk are more powerful at this point
.
”

Jason nodded his head. His friend had a point. The question was, why were the Uruk operating behind the scenes using Modos proxies? Even more interesting, why were not all the Modos equipped with Uruk technology?

“
Commodore
?
” The WhimPy platform voice filled the bridge.

“
Yes, 101
?
”

“
I have distressing news
.
”

“
More distressing than being trapped within the corona of a sun trying to hide from the Uruk
?
”

“
Admiral Kimbrigde has been gravely hur
t
… by the Uru
k
”

***

Private Anthony Stone was surprised to see Admiral Kimbridge standing in the middle of a small room drooling. Her expression was blank, and as far as he could tell she had no idea who he was, or even who she was. All attempts to talk with her had resulted in blank stares. She basically did
n’
t even acknowledge his presence. Whatever had happened to her was serious.

He tried to guide her out of the room, but she resisted. The private knew they had very little time. The Modos security forces were even now making their way down the makeshift tunnel he and the Admiral had created. Again, he tried to lead her out, and again, she resisted.

This was definitely not something that had been covered in boot camp. Normally he would have signaled for help, but all of his equipment was frie
d
… probably by the same thing that had hit the Admiral. He looked about the room. There was a lot of computer equipment, but all of it seemed dea
d
… except for a handful of stations that were actively sparking and sputtering. There was no help here.

Slowly he sensed the Admiral was beginning to recognize that he was presen
t
… even if she did
n’
t know who he was. He also knew she was many times as strong as he was, even if he had being wearing his Stark -- but he was not. Nevertheless, the Syndicate forces could now be heard making their way through the tunnels. He had to get her moving or they would be captured or worse.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and began to move her physically toward the door. Thankfully she seemed no stronger than a normal human. They were almost to the door when she spoke her first word.

“
No
.
”

It was more of a soft moan, but she followed it up with a powerful backward roll of her arms. The action caused him to lose hold of her. At the same time, she dropped to a squat and spun about using an outstretched leg to sweep his feet out from under him.

“
No
!
”
she said, more forcefully.

He rolled as he hit the ground and was instantly back on his feet.

“
Admira
l
… we have to go
,
” he pleaded.

“
Admiral
?
” she said, hesitantly
.“
W
e
…
I
… have to stay. There is something important I have to d
o
… I must d
o
… lives depend on it
.
”

“
The stand-down codes. Yes, I know, m
a’
am
!
” he yelled
.“
But look at this room! The equipment is fried. Ther
e’
s no way yo
u’
re going to be able to enter them from here
.
”

The Admiral looked around the roo
m
… seeing it for the first time. Panic filled her face
.“
Code
s…,
” she said
.“
Yes, code
s
… what codes
?
”

Private Stone shook his head. Clearly the Admiral was thoroughly confused. He had to get her out of there. They were running out of time.

“
M
a’
a
m
… We must go. W
e’
ll have to find another way
.
”

It was at that moment that Lieutenant Quick-Kick of the Uruk Battle Cruiser
Retribution
entered the room leading a squad of fifteen combat-hardened Modos Syndicate soldiers.

Chapter Eightee
n
– Confusion

The woman was having trouble remembering what was going on. Her mind felt like mush. She knew she had something important to do, but whatever it wa
s
… it lay just beyond her mental grasp. They were in a small landing craft making their way to a ship in orbit around the planet. The name of the planet was Naanac. It seemed odd to her that she could remember that little detail but not other
s—
like who she was or what it was she had so desperately needed to do.

The beings who held her captive kept asking her confusing questions. Questions to which the answers seemed perpetually elusive. How would she know how many ships were in route to this system? Why would she know how many troops were deploye
d
… or how they were armed? Who were these rebels they kept referring to?

“
I do
n’
t kno
w—
I do
n’
t kno
w—
I do
n’
t know
!
”
she screamed
.“
How many times and in how many ways do you need me to say the same thing
?
”

A Modos soldier drew back to slap her face, but another of the soldiers, a Lieutenant Quick-Kick, grabbed his arm before he could deliver the blow.

“
Enough
,
” he said
.“
I
t’
s obvious her current mental state will not allow her to answer. Continuing to beat her will only make the job of the medic onboard our ship that much more difficult
.
”

The Lieutenant used a cloth to wipe away blood from a small cut above her right ey
e—
a souvenir from an earlier conversation. The woman stared at the blood on the rag and shuddered. It seemed odd to her. Somehow she had been under the impression that she should not be able to bleed, but that made no sens
e
… of course she could bleed.

“
Why are we even bothering to treat them
?
” the other grumbled under his breath.