Treason, page 7
part #2 of The Descendants War Series
"He left Jane up there to contend with it alone," Titus said. "Fortunately, she was up to the task. I have to ask, do I dare put him back on the bridge? Or should he be sectioned out?"
"Naturally, he wants another chance." Brett lifted his hands. "He's a proud guy who needs to make it right in his own head. Whether or not he can do it, that's another story altogether. The fact he has the desire is a good start. Whether that translates to safe to put on active duty... that's another story."
"The backup..." Rhys chewed his lip. "He's pretty green. Ensign Samuel Barks has good marks according to his record. His record indicates he's only got training time behind the helm. Simulator efforts."
"What's your suggestion?" Titus asked.
"Jane's primary, he's copilot." Rhys turned to the Doctor. "If you agree that he's up for the psychological strain of the job."
Brett drew a deep breath. "Sam's... interesting. A character, you'd say. I like him despite his flash. If you remind him to keep his nonsense under wraps on duty, he's got what it takes. Maybe Ronin can rotate back in during downtime. Get used to being on the bridge without a threat."
"I like that plan," Titus replied. "Sounds good. Is there anything else we should go over?"
"Yes, one more thing," Rhys said, "when do you want to shoot all this up to high command? I'm sure they want to know what we're doing with their new toy."
Titus smiled. "Already done. I had a meeting with the admiral about an hour ago. We're operating under carte blanche to investigate why this cube was so important for now."
"Are you serious?" Rhys huffed. "I'm... amazed by that."
"They'll probably call us in for something soon," Titus said, "so don't get too accustomed to our current freedom. But for now, we'll take advantage of it and keep this rolling. Doctor, have you had a chance to look into what the archaeologists are up to? It's pretty fascinating."
"I ran their physicals," Brett said, "and after that, I haven't had any real interaction with them. They seem like nice enough folk. Ex-soldiers. Their records were solid. Give them some decent gear and they can probably back your people up. Or at least stay alive in dangerous circumstances."
"They certainly proved themselves on the ground," Rhys added. "Survived while we got into position to help."
Titus stood. "When they're done down there, we'll invite them to a briefing. Everyone should be up to speed about what we're doing. Rhys, I'll let you take care of Sam, Jane and Ronin. I don't mean to make you feel like I'm ushering you out, but I've got some things to do before we head out."
"Thank you, sir." Rhys headed for the bridge, thinking through his conversation with the ensign. He decided to chat with Jane first, to give her a head's up. She'd already found herself in the unexpected role of lead pilot twice during combat. He figured letting her know she got a kind of promotion was the right thing to do
The lady's got the stones for it. Now I get to find out how confident she's feeling. And whether or not I'll have to grease the wheels to make her comfortable with the move.
***
Kivda sat with Renz in the shuttle on the way back to what remained of their ship. His friend didn't say a word through the trip, and he didn't push to get him talking. A sense of frustration weighed heavily in the vehicle; tension thick enough to make it hard to breathe. The Lord Marshal gave them a second chance... perhaps a final one.
Their vessel docked with the escape pod where the other bridge crew continued to labor at their various tasks. They'd likely be transitioning to a new vehicle shortly, so he hoped Inda had finished her work. Or at least had something to report about the temple they found. Without a solid update, they'd be in serious trouble.
I have a bad feeling we'll be stuck here. Kivda wondered if they might gather a larger force, return to the planet to see about contending with anyone who remained. They won't wait around for us to go back and anything of value has been destroyed. Might as well plan for the future rather than look to the past.
Kivda needed to call up his reserve troops and get them drilling so they might catch up to the men he lost. He had a lot to do and little time to do it. Considering the change in leadership, he had to worry about things being strange with Renz. He had the ability to manipulate the general into doing the right thing, but this... this was huge.
And he won't take kindly to it. Kivda recognized their differences. He was smarter than the general in many ways, but he lacked the brash, dive in attitude that tended to earn glory. At least when it worked. When it didn't, a man looked like an overconfident fool. A person looking to make a name for themselves at all costs. Hopefully, our failure doesn't get around.
He didn't know who would tell anyone. The bridge crew should've been loyal. The rest of the crew was gone. Dead in the destruction of their vessel. Kivda didn't understand why those closest to them remained faithful when that happened. He assumed they were just happy to be alive, but that shouldn't have been enough.
As the shuttle came to a halt, he leaned to Renz. "We'll need to offer some words of encouragement. Something to rally them after this... situation."
"Defeat," Renz spat. "You can say the word. You may as well not be afraid of it. Not when we have to face it if we hope to do better next time. I want data on that fight. Our commander needs to study those moves so he can be better prepared for the next time we face that vessel."
"But... the people side?"
"Yes, yes!" Renz waved his hand. "I'll tell them that we appreciate and honor them for their contributions to the cause. They'll feel like we care. I promise you that much." He scowled. "But their feelings and morale are the least of our worries right now. We must contend with--"
"Renz..." Kivda touched his arm. "I know. And we will. I promise you. Our people are all we have left."
"Fine. I'll do that. What will you be dealing with?"
"Before we do anything, we need to transition to the new ship. I'd like to hear what Inda has discovered first. Then I'll call up some more forces from the selection. I'll address the crew with you if you'd like."
"Get our forces. That's the important thing." Renz departed the shuttle at a fast clip. Kivda rushed to keep up.
Porth Mundal met them at the door with a salute. "Sir." He spoke directly to Renz. "We have made some small breakthroughs in our research. We may need to travel soon. What is the status of another ship?" He cleared his throat. "Are we... are we getting another one? Or will we have to--"
"Stop," Renz interrupted. "We will be assigned a new vessel shortly. After Inda's report, we'll transition to it. Right now, tell me what you've discovered."
Kivda cleared his throat.
Renz sighed. "Before we do that, please note that you have all done admirably. We would not be alive right now if not for your fast thinking and efforts. Studying the enemy we fought should present us with a solid path forward so we can defeat them when next we meet. Now. Let's get to work."
Not exactly the most inspiring commentary, Kivda thought. It'll have to do. They're likely used to his sparing praise by now anyway. He followed Renz down to Inda's station. The woman didn't even look up, continuing to stare at her monitor while tapping her console with her left hand.
They stood in silence for some time before she finally noticed them. "Oh! Um... sorry, sir. I was just..."
"It's alright," Renz held up his hand, "you're fine. What have you learned? Do you know more about that location?"
"That was an ancient temple." Inda brought images of the walls up on the main monitor. "If you look at these, they look vaguely familiar. Writings from our ancestors. I checked every data source we have access to and didn't find a single reference to planets that far out. Or at least, such a remote world."
"What do they say?" Kivda asked.
"They are prayers to the gods. Many of which have been translated to the modern equivalent here at home. However, when our people passed by the dais in their efforts to track the enemy, I saw the pedestal where an artifact had been suspended. These are quite common within our current structures."
"Yes," Renz said. "I've seen them in the alcoves holding spoils of war. Trophies. Statuettes. That sort of thing, right?"
"Correct." Inda nodded. "I reached out to the priesthood with some general questions about their setups. I didn't tell them why I needed to know, but they were able to describe this down to the single altar and suspension module. Apparently, in the earliest days we used to keep data cubes in these places."
Kivda hummed, pacing toward the screen to get a closer look at the image. "What did they store in the things?"
"Historical records," Inda said. "Information about our past. The way our people interacted with one another. That sort of thing. But... this one is special." She zoomed in on the suspensor pad. "Right here you'll see it wasn't merely a data cube. It acts as a sort of key. A method to enter other buildings... access other data... that sort of thing."
A string of characters had been etched into the stone, a code that not only allowed one to access the cube but spelled out it was a master data key. Kivda hadn't seen anything like that before, though he wasn't entirely surprised. After all, he didn't find himself in the temples very often.
"You're telling me," Renz replied, "that this artifact we failed to collect happened to be a universal key? And that there are more locations like this elsewhere in the galaxy?"
"Yes, sir." Inda stood. "That's correct. I can't tell how many there are. Not yet at least. It would have been easier with data available in the cube itself, but according to information from the priesthood, there are a minimum of three. More likely five to seven. And what they unlock... I can't say."
"But if the enemy wanted it," Kivda said, "it might support their cause. The internal one as well." He kept that second thought vague. The others on the bridge didn't need to know they were worrying about the Prophet. He had no idea how much the rank and file troops even knew about the guy.
"Yes." Renz turned to Inda. "Can you glean anything else from studying this?"
"I'm translating all the walls now," Inda said. "In the event that there's something different than prayers."
"Good. Is that an automated process?"
"It is now." Inda tilted her head. "May I ask why, sir?"
"Because when we've transitioned to the new ship, I want you to get some rest. All of you need downtime. Porth, take care of whatever command responsibilities you have then sleep. If anything comes up, any new development we need to be aware of, let Kivda and myself know right away."
"Yes, sir!" Porth saluted.
"Are we good for now?" Renz asked Kivda.
"I think we're fine. We might as well spend some time prepping for the new ship."
"Very well." Renz took his seat. "We just have to wait for instructions, everyone. Hold tight for now."
Kivda joined him, sending word to the barracks where his men stationed when on downtime. He called them all up, letting them know to prep for departure in the next two cycles. They needed time to lock down their little base then head to the new ship. He'd send them the name soon.
Looks like we'll be on a scavenger hunt. Kivda leaned his head back with a sigh. And a race if I know our enemies at all. If Renz calms down, he may be up to this challenge. If he was not, then the Lord Marshal may well be looking for another heir. And that didn't bode well for either of them. I have to make us both look good... no matter the cost.
He just didn't know exactly how to do it. Or where to start, for that matter.
***
Aeton Vhel held his promotion slate tightly to his chest. He'd worked hard to move up the ranks yet seemed to trail behind those men and women he attended the academy with. Why, he had no idea. Perhaps he played too closely by the rules. He considered himself a cautious commander, one who brought his people back alive.
It didn't surprise him that he'd ended up as an operational commander. That title amounted to logistics, ensuring supplies and resources were properly allocated. The good news was he'd work closely with General Renz. They hadn't seen each other since they celebrated the momentous promotion.
I wish the Lord Marshal hadn't been responsible for this change of pace. Vhel believed in the military; in the hierarchy of command. While he had no intention of turning down the promotion, it would've been nice to receive it properly. Though I suppose who am I to say this wasn't proper? The highest authority granted me this.
Spying. There was no other word for what was expected of him. Gathering information, ensuring success. Though his title may have seemed like one that pushed reports, he had the authority to take command in certain circumstances. It was a benefit he prayed he would not have to use.
Renz would never forgive me. And with Kivda as a sort of second to the general, that complicated things even more. He got along with both men, but of the two he trusted Kivda less. Mostly because of his private army. Few ground soldiers like him had their own force; their own barracks.
That made him a frightening man to cross. Not that Vhel had any intention of doing so. Unfortunately, some officers proved to be cagey, enough so that a perceived slight could be taken too far. And he worried he might find that on this new assignment. The higher one climbed in the military, the more pettiness they had to contend with.
Who will meet me when I arrive? Vhel half believed no one would. That he'd be forced to interface with the ship's computer to determine where his quarters were then set up a meeting with his new commanding officers. I don't know how sentimental they are about old faces.
The thought saddened him. Vhel missed many of the people he went to school with. The service took them all in different directions, to various assignments throughout the universe. Conquest required young officers to fill positions left behind by the dead. Those glorious souls lost to the cause.
One I barely believe in. Vhel had never bought into the zeal of his people. He believed in the superiority of the Kahl but not necessarily the need to destroy every other species they encountered. They all had better purposes. The slave camps made the most sense. Putting them to work appealed to the admin side of his brain.
One does not waste perfectly good resources.
These were opinions he generally kept to himself though he did endorse an increase to the slave population. They preserved some of the strongest fighters, going so far as to provide medical aid and better food so they'd last longer. Many structures had been built as a result; good work done that allowed the Kahls to focus on more important matters.
Like subjugating the rest of the universe.
The shuttle docked. His pilot stood, offering a salute, but otherwise remained silent. Vhel grabbed his bag, turning away to disembark. The rest of his belongings had been delivered while he met with the Lord Marshal, a fact that startled him in all honesty. It made it clear he wouldn't have been able to turn down the assignment no matter how unappealing.
After he told me what I'd be doing, there was no turning back. That fact bothered him. There were two implied points to the meeting. First, no one turned down the Lord Marshal, so there was no risk of it. And second, even if someone thought they might, they wouldn't have the choice. My promotion states assigned by fleet to offset the chance of discovery.
Vhel struggled with the concept of double loyalty. If the Lord Marshal believed his son needed guidance, why hide it from him? Make a point of bringing it up. Fix the problem. But convincing a man to spy on him? To work closely on an assignment while essentially reporting back to high command?
At least I'm not expected to do it all the time. That had been a relief. He had been forced to find a way to send messages back constantly, he would've been in serious trouble. While an operations commander had considerable power on a ship, he could not change outgoing comm calls. They would be easy to track.
Vhel created a private, secure place on his device where he'd store reports. When they visited locations with external comm buoys, he could send them then. The trick was keeping them detailed enough to be of value and securing them against discovery by some overzealous security officer.
Or even the tech on the bridge. He'd never heard of Inda Ushe before, but if she served on a flagship, she had to be top quality. Everyone did. Which meant Vhel needed to be at the top of his game. In many ways. His hope was that Renz operated within the bounds of expectation.
Then the Lord Marshal could free him of his obligation.
Vhel stepped down the loading ramp, smiling as he caught sight of Kivda. "You look stern as ever!" He waved. "How long has it been?" They embraced as they drew together. "I swear, I haven't seen you since assignment day."
"It has been that long," Kivda confirmed. "I've been working with Renz the whole time. You should've stuck with us. We could've had you on the ship in this capacity long before now. I'm offended you never reached out." He clapped him on the back as they started walking. "What was it? You wanted to make your own way?"
"It wasn't that." Vhel shrugged. "I thought you might not have wanted me around."
"Nonsense. That lack of confidence made you take so long. We would've replaced the last man. Though... maybe you're lucky. I'm sure you heard about our little disaster already."
"Just that the ship was destroyed," Vhel said. "What happened?"
"A new vessel, one we hadn't encountered before, and Prytin treachery. Combine the two and you get what happened to us." Kivda shook his head. "I've assigned you to the bridge to keep you out of harm's way. If anything else happens, you'll be right there with us on the escape platform. And this way, we benefit from whatever wisdom you've collected."
Thank God.
Vhel had wondered how he'd get close to Renz. He had planned on suggesting a station on the bridge but hadn't figured out how to breach the subject. "I appreciate it. I think I'll be of more use to you in that capacity anyway. It's best to have your resources at your disposal."
"Not to mention the unwritten part of your doctrine, eh?"
