Twin Stars 1: Ascension (34 page)

“I still say you’re crazy, what if they’re there waiting for us? I say we wait here until everything blows over and just leave.” Said Ulstead, leaning back into his seat with his arms crossed.

But Kip shook his head. “That’s not what the captain would want us to do.”

“So? Who cares what he’d want us to do? It’s our own necks we need to be worrying about- not some sleeping beauty’s dreams.”

The plan had generated debate among the crew present, with a number siding with the security man while the rest followed the executive officer. In the end, it was Esther that broke the deadlock.

“I agree, the Captain would want us to rescue them if it were at all possible. Also, it is highly likely that we are the sole remaining ship of our group. Does that not make us responsible for taking action?”

Kip looked around the room as the question hung in the air, and then finally made his move. “I’d say it does.” He agreed. “Okay then, since I’m in charge I say we’re doing it. So let’s worry less about what to do, and more about how we’re going to do it.”

“A sensible approach.” Esther commented. “The ships’ computer core is still intact and we have the detailed navigation maps we charted for the asteroid field. It should not be difficult to plot a course into the field and reach the mining colony is a short time.”

That brought a snort from Ulstead, who was still unhappy with the idea. “You’re forgetting about those attack dogs out there, Sheila- the ones that want to put a few holes through us.”

“Well, let’s take a look at our options.” Kip suggested.

A few minutes later, they were almost back where they’d started. All they had were hypothetical numbers to work with in terms of the enemy and locations. They could come out facing the whole fleet, or none, and then there was the matter of actually rescuing the delegates. On the surface, it was a simple operation, but in the details it was much more complex thanks to their limited resources. There was only the small crew of the former
Crystal Leaf
, and Ulstead’s “Flowers”, as the infiltrator and security bots had all be destroyed during the ship-to-ship engagement.

Finally, Kip dispelled the holographic displays.

“Okay,” he said in frustration. “This really ain’t gonna work. We need an expert at doing stuff like this.”

“Be nice if we had one who was conscious.” Ulstead commented dryly.

Kip considered a moment, then looked at the security man. “Actually,” he said. “We do. I just dunno if we can get him to help.”

* * *

“You think you can get them working?”

Captain Andrews gave her a thumbs up, and so Ping An left him and his people to it. They’d found a collection of old grav-transports in a corner of the hanger bay, and Andrews had asked permission to load them up. Any salvage was good salvage, and Ping An didn’t see a reason to waste even old equipment.

She’d sent out several search parties, but none had found anything but an empty room and cold food. The grav-transports could speed things up if they needed to cover a wider area.

As she walked, she got a message from one of the crew leaders at the far side of the hanger and walked over to check the situation. There she found a group of pirates gathered around a slender old woman with a purple shawl.

Lady Whitcombe!

Ping An quickened her pace when she saw the old woman.

“Ping-An! We’ve caught this one trying to sneak into the hanger!”

“Yes,” the old woman said dryly. “These brave men have captured me. I think you should reward them.”

“Thanks people,” Ping An waved them off. “I’ll take it from here.”

Ping An watched the group disperse, and then looked at the senior with concern. “Your Ladyship, are you okay?”

“None the worse for wear,” said the lady, surveying the hanger. “I see your plan came off well enough.”

“Everything’s going according to schedule.” Ping An said, then asked. “Where are the other VIPs?”

Whitcombe gave a dismissive gesture. “Oh. Skulking around trying to figure out a method of leaving this station I would imagine. I couldn’t stand being near that man any longer, so I left.”

Ping An thought about asking who “that man” was, but decided against it. She was more concerned with getting the lady out of the sight of the other captains who might consider the woman a prize. Gesturing toward her personal shuttle, Ping An began to lead the woman to it.

“I still don’t understand why you had to come here in person. Couldn’t you have talked to them after we caught them?”

This brought a grim smile to Whitcombe’s face. “Child,” he said in her grandmotherly tone. “Some things require a personal touch.” Then after a moment she added- “And, I admit part of me wanted to give them the chance to see things my way. Capturing them is well and good, but there’s no excuse for willing victims, is there?”

“Ahh, no. I guess not.” Ping An agreed. The more she came to know this woman, the more she understood the fear so many had of her.

“However,” Whitcombe added as they reached the base of the shuttle rear entry ramp. “There’s something you need to know- something we didn’t expect. An Imperial fleet is on its way here. It seems the Grand Admiral also wants to add them to his collection. They’ll arrive within the next few hours.”

“I see,” said Ping An with concern. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of things.”

“See that you do,” said Whitcombe, climbing the ramp.

As she watched the lady go, Ping An couldn’t help but smile just a little.

Everything was still going according to plan.

* * *

“So that’s the situation Colonel Cole.”

Now comes the hard part
, thought Kip nervously. He needed this man’s help, trusting him was another matter. He expected a hard bargaining stance, but knew what he was prepared to give.

“Then, I accept.” Said the man inside the cell.

Kip’s eyes widened. “But sir, you haven’t even heard our terms.”

The Colonel stood up, letting the blanket fall away and revealing his densely muscled chest and the many scars that decorated it. The newest one, a pink mark left by Tysen’s weapon, was almost completely healed now. He looked down at Kip with serious, but determined eyes.

“Lieutenant Kipps, I’m a military man. The service is my life, and I swore long ago to do whatever it took to bring honor to it.” He said clearly. “If you tell me a fleet Admiral and several dignitaries are going to captured by pirates if nothing is done, then it’s my duty to save them. Regardless of our political feelings we have the same master- the state. We can sort out who goes where after, but right now there is a mission that needs doing and I am the best able man to do it. So free us and let me help.”

“Well? What do you think?” Ulstead asked through a link. He’d been listening into everything said though his hidden warbot in the cell. “I’m still not sure sure I like this. This is the man we stole this ship from- who tried to capture us before.”

As if sensing their conversation, Cole added. “If it makes you feel better, I give you my word as an officer I will not try to retake the ship.”

Kip looked into Cole’s eyes for a time, then at Ashe, who was also looking at him with an intense, pleading look. He made the call.

“Let them out.”

“All of them?”

“He can’t do it alone.”

“You sure?” Said the security man, who clearly didn’t sound sure.

“Yes. We need him if we want to make this work.”

Suddenly the field between them vanished.

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Cole said, stepping from the cell. “You made the right choice.”

“I hope so, sir.” Kip answered. “I really do.”

“Ashe, Lieutenant, let’s go.” The Colonel said, striding past them and taking the lead. “There’s much to be done, and not much time.”

* * *

Ping An hung in the void of Linkspace, looking at a three dimensional model of the refinement station floating in front of her. It was like looking at the roots of a tree- there were tunnels, side tunnels and nodules everywhere. The station’s builders had just kept adding more space during its heyday, and they had abandoned so much after that it was hard to know what was active and what wasn’t anymore.

She’d have a better idea once Vaela had full access to the station’s computer core.

“Andrews, Dragonov.” She sent out to the two search leaders. “What’s the situation?”

Little icons representing both appeared before her- their personal ship sigils of a fox and a pair of crossed swords respectively.

“We’re searching level 14, no sign of them yet. You sure they’re here?” Andrews answered.

“Oh, they’re here. Keep searching. Dragon, any luck?”

“Nyet,” said the swords. “There is nothing on my level either, Squadron Leader. This colony is like a maze, and there are too many places they can hide.”

“We don’t have much time, Dragon.”

“Da. I know. I will keep you informed.”

Ping An looked at their search routes on the model. She had twelve teams out searching for the delegates, and they’d barely covered a tiny part of the station. This was all happening too slow.

“Ping-An!”

The little cartoon dog icon with the brushcut suddenly appeared next to her looking worried.

“What is it, Leederman?”

“We just got a call from Haskett and Michaels. A Cutter just dropped out of hyperspace right on top of them and then took off into the field. They said it’s coming right at us!” The dog exclaimed.

Ping An immediately began summoning up all the data available, then quickly scanned it. Visuals from Michael’s ship showed a Cutter minus its bridge section- the same one she’d seen Betsey target. So, it wasn’t new, and it was already damaged. Nothing serious, but she’d best be cautious.

“Okay, put the fleet on alert. We outnumber him six to one, but I don’t want to take any chances.”

“You got it, Bosslady!”

The dog bowed to her and vanished.

One less loose end that needs tying up.
She smiled. Actually, they were doing her a favor by coming. She had no desire to leave any witnesses around who might trace this back to her.

A new icon appeared in front of her, one that had always been there, but which she’d kept hidden from the other visitors for her own reasons. It was a smooth lens-shaped stone that rotated end over end- one side black, the other white.

Did she want assistance? Asked the stone.

“Oh, no.” She told the it. “You just stay where you are, let the other ships handle this.” Then added impishly- “I want you to be a surprise.”

* * *

“They’re not pursuing us.” Helgi reported.

“Course not! They know most’a their fleet is bleedin’ ahead of us!” Ulstead cursed, shaking his head in disgust.

The young helm officer looked at him worriedly, then quietly went back to work on her station in the auxiliary control room.

“They are, Mister Ulstead, but we have time before we reach them.” Colonel Cole commented as he watched the tactical display. He was wearing his full uniform now, a blue-grey smartsuit with his rank insignia on the collar- the whole thing styled to exude a aura of command that suited him. “Are the crews ready Lieutenant Kipps?” He added, looking at the man on the other side of the display.

“They are, sir. We’ve got as many men as we could spare crammed into those shuttles.”

Cole nodded, “Mister Ulstead and I will lead the rescue teams. Your job will be to carry out the plan and retrieve us when we’re done.”

Kip made a face. “Great! No pressure.”

“You’re an Imperial Naval Officer, you will persevere.” Cole answered confidently, then turned to leave.

Kip hesitated a moment, then said “Good luck, Colonel.”

Cole paused at the door and looked back. “Good luck to all of us, Lieutenant.”

* * *

In the
Silverthorne
’s empty sick bay, Esther stood watching the limp silhouette of her captain suspended in the fluid of the healing tank. The bioroid’s own wounds had long ago healed themselves, and the skin that had been a patchwork of black and blue from exposure to vacuum was already returning to a healthy pale pink.

The same could not be said of her captain, for although the nanomeds were hard at work, the damage had been substantial. He had not only been exposed to vacuum, but also suffered severe burns and radiation damage as well from his exposure to the plasma stream that severed the bridge section. Were he a standard human, and not a Noble, he would have been long dead already, but even his enhanced physique had limits and those had nearly been reached.

In her head, Esther could hear the whispers of fear and worry, as even without being connected to the navigation system a Squire retained a low level of empathic awareness of the beings around them. Her superhuman senses could also perceive the minute shifts in gravity that were running through the hull, shifts that were now happening in rapid succession.

“I believe they have started their final maneuvers,” she said. Esther had learned that even while people were unconscious, there were layers that were aware, and she worried her master might be concerned about what was happening aboard the ship. “I was told they are attempting a rescue, Tysen.” She continued. “They are following your lead- you should feel proud of that I think. You have been quite an inspiration to them.”