Shadowed Passage, page 23
"I'd like a shot at demonstrating my utility. Before I take a swing at him."
Chels stepped between them. "The Rickover's being pursued."
DualE shifted focus. "Who?"
"Rowland dropped his escort to buy him time. I'm guessing no one friendly."
"God, I hope he isn't preparing to start a war with the Realm." DualE had to see him. Convince him this course was wrong.
The door opened again and Altman came in, supported by a marine. Altman bled from a gash on his cheek.
Chels made a sudden move toward the marine. He lowered his sidearm and shook his head. "Behave."
She changed tack and put an arm around Altman. "What happened to you?" she asked.
Altman collapsed into a chair. "The Admiral wasn't pleased with the outcome of my work."
DualE accosted the marine. "Striking a civilian is an offense. Did you witness this?"
"I saw nothing. This man is no civilian, he's a Realm partisan."
DualE stuck her face close to the marine's. "Your commander is unfit." She faced Altman. "Why?"
Altman pressed a towel to his face. "The artifact's junk. A fused mess. It must have burned out when Perry and I fired it. A one-shot deal. The Admiral took exception to my 'incompetence, irresponsibility and traitorous actions against the Confluence'."
DualE addressed the marine again. "Tell Admiral Rowland I must see him. I have information crucial to his mission. Mr. Denz must come with me. He is my colleague and partner fulfilling my role for the admiral."
The marine stepped back and whispered into his lapel comm. He nodded, then spoke to the pair. "Follow me."
Carver feared the fluid, uncertain situation. He had no idea what DualE planned, if any concrete plan was in her mind. 'Follow my lead' she'd said aboard the Penance. As far as he could tell, she was leading them into confronting a very angry, very powerful man.
"Admiral Rowland's cabin." The marine stood aside, allowing them to enter.
Rowland had aged a decade since Carver had last seen him. The stress from dissonant thinking would do that.
"This had better involve some way to restore that artifact," said Rowland. "DualE, if you damaged it in your clumsy pursuit, your alliance with me won't save you."
Rowland's attention flashed from one place to another. He moved around the room, unsettled. The man was unbalanced in thought and action.
"We'd have to examine it for ourselves but I assure you we didn't interfere with it," said DualE. She was on the offensive. "We wanted it intact as much as you did."
"Altman says it's useless. Why would you think different?"
"We aren't reliant upon Altman's opinion," she answered.
"Altman's a drunk," added Carver. He backed her up, though he didn't know where DualE was headed.
"My technicians support the drunk's view."
"They haven't seen what we have in the Eddy."
It dawned on Rowland's face. "More alien artifacts?"
"We're not certain but it's a possibility," said DualE. "Carver's Schoenfeldium lode had signs of unnatural orbit tinkering deep in its past. Before humans arrived."
Now she'd left Carver far behind. What possible advantage could such a lie gain?
Rowland's comm lit up. "Ahoy Rickover." A woman's voice. "This is the Marlborough, Admiral Bakken speaking. I am accompanied by Chancellor Mekli representing Argosy Realm and Sector General Raddam Shoop on behalf of the Bohr Confluence. Rowland has been declared 'Rogue' and is hereby notified of his formal 'Relief From Command'. Ranking officers will assume Rickover control and surrender immediately."
Rowland lunged for the comm. "This is Admiral Rowland. I remain in full command under my charter to enforce the peace accord by whatever means necessary. Marlborough will draw away. I have control of the alien weapon system and will not hesitate to fire upon your ship. Ask Chancellor Mekli if that's how he chooses to die."
DualE gave Carver the head signal. A moment later, she launched herself at the marine. Carver grabbed Rowland in a Full Nelson. By the time he'd spun Rowland away from the comm, DualE had the now-prone marine's sidearm.
"This is ex-commander DualE, Rowland's bluffing. The alien device is garbage."
"Relieved and disappointed in the same breath, DualE. What is your situation aboard? Hold that response, there's another..."
Rowland laughed. "My backup, I would say."
"One fighter escort isn't much backup," said DualE.
Rowland continued to grin. "No, but the Indefatigable is. The dreadnaught follows my orders. You can release me now and I'll ensure your sentencing is swift."
Carver remembered the ship from Argosy station. The balance had changed. "Bakken's cruiser...?" His question was drowned in a chorus of threats over the comm.
"They're engaging," said Rowland. He twisted in Carver's grasp. "Your question is about to be answered, Denz. No, Bakken can't. Captain Siebe, fire on the Marlborough. Escort fighters attack."
"Fighters are out of the fight, Admiral. We're spidered."
Carver raised an eyebrow in query. "Spidered?"
"Trapped eight or more directions with the Marlborough and her escorts and drones," DualE explained.
There were more command-response exchanges, then silence.
"Siebe, commence fire. This is an order." Rowland dragged Carver around the cabin.
Carver tried to put a hand over Rowland's mouth and got bit.
"Siebe here, Admiral. I'm not going to sacrifice my ship in a friendly firefight."
DualE spoke. "Admiral Bakken. We have Rowland restrained in his cabin. I don't know the status or mindsets of his officers listening to this. What is your situation?"
"This will be interesting," said Rowland. He'd relaxed under Carver's restraint. "Their situation is one of choice. Support me or be declared traitors to the Confluence."
"This is Admiral Bakken. Situation is under my control. We will continue our approach. DualE, you are re-commissioned and in command of the Rickover. Senior staff aboard acknowledge."
Slowly assents pinged the comm.
"What happened?" Carver asked. "What happened to Rowland's dreadnaught?"
"Not his," answered Bakken. "I had my own loyalists aboard. Rowland's allies were few and quickly subdued once the situation was clarified for them."
Rowland resumed his struggle. "Idiots. They'll settle for half when we could've had it all."
"For how long?" asked DualE. She removed his belt and secured his hands behind his back.
Carver used his own belt to bind Rowland's feet. "You'd create resentment which would eventually boil into a full rebellion."
DualE addressed the Rickover crew. "This is your interim commander. I want to see all senior officers in the wardroom in ten minutes." She lifted the marine to his feet. "You heard Admiral Bakken. Are you on the navy's side or his?" She pointed to Rowland.
He stood at attention as best he could. "Navy."
"Good. Me too. Lead the way." She kept the marine's weapon in her hand. "Carver, would you keep an eye on our former commander?"
He rummaged in the desk until he found another sidearm. "Glad to. Glad you chose the right loyalty, DualE."
"It took a long time to sort out my mind. But the mission helped. I hope you can find your singularity."
"My time out here blurs my choices. Am I Realm, Confluence, both or neither?" Who was he? Carver wasn't certain whose philosophy he followed. Did he have his own buried inside? One revealed in spookspace but repressed?
Epilogue
Pious sat up in the bed, two tubes running beneath a bandage on his arm. Brother Cardinal dozed in a chair beside him, chin resting on his chest.
Carver nudged Cardinal. "Take a break, brother. I'll spell you."
Pious opened his eyes. "Denz. Glad to see you. We are all sound? Chels came by to apprise me of your and DualE's heroics in avoiding armed destruction."
"Mayhem seems to follow us around, brother. I'm not certain we're the ideal team to run protection for your mission after all. DualE's considering resuming her naval career. Officer candidate. Wants to command something larger than either Penance or Crossed Swords."
"What about you?"
"I don't know. I'm missing clarity. Maybe I can find it our here. Nothing's tugging me back to Bohr."
"We often miss it when it stands directly before us."
"That's typical Pious enigmatic counsel. You're recovering, then?"
Pious' attempted smile was more grimace than grin. "No. I am...terminal. Don't mourn me in advance, Carver. Look at me and tell me you don't see your future."
Carver racked his brain. What did Pious mean? He looked at the brother's face, then past him. Unfocussed. "Me?"
"You'd make a fine replacement, Carver. A secular leader for now if you choose. You'd have three disciples to guide you through our religious mission as they've guided me. And one more, a sister to compliment the brothers."
"Not Zofie."
Pious chuckled. "No, she is committed to fulfillment through economic endeavor. Chels has indicated her choice to remain with us rather than return to Slate's Progress." He sighed. "My disciple has suffered a setback with her attempts to conquer jumpspace trauma. I fear she will be bound to normal space."
Carver paced, mind whirling. "I've never considered myself a man of the cloth, Pious. I have no history with your order. I'm more friend than adherent."
"That is why you struggle to find direction. This is your path. Embrace it and you will be rewarded more than you can imagine."
"I'll think about it."
Pious lifted his arm trailing the IV tubes prolonging his existence. "Don't take too long."
Chels entered the room. She hugged Pious, tears in her eyes. "Carver, DualE told me you voted to destroy the artifact and remove its temptation from existence. It was the right choice, even though unnecessary. I think the 'Denz luck' Zofie told me about is developing into a deeper connection to the universe."
Carver gripped Pious' hand. "Who am I to argue with the universe?"
"You are Brother Denz," said Pious.
The end
Other ebooks by Al Onia
Javenny
Transient City
Rogue Town
The Sixth Helix
About the Author
Al lives on Vancouver Island with his wife Sandra. Shadowed Passage is his eighth novel following Javenny, Transient City, Rogue Town, The Sixth Helix, The Fourth Vertex, The Third Redux and Barnacle Passage.
Read more at Al Onia’s site.
Al Onia, Shadowed Passage
