Alutia Rising, Anniversary Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 1) (43 page)

“We are doing this, Lieutenant Daniel,
because it our duty to protect the sanctity of Earth, along with
the commander, vice-commander, and this and every other Earthling.
If you have a problem upholding the vow you took upon entry into
the TSB, I can, at this moment, relieve you of duty and confine you
to quarters until this is over,” Captain Aysi flew to her feet.
“But let me make this crystal clear, Lieutenant. If you do...or
ever dare question me or the TSB again...I will formally charge you
with treason. Do you comprehend, Lieutenant Daniel?” the menace in
her voice told him, quite clearly, that this wasn’t a mere
threat.

“I beg forgiveness, Captain,” he apologized,
peppering his speech with remorse, “my words were brought on by the
stress of the moment, and I meant no disrespect,” he finished, a
face flashing within his mind, a new target for his hatred, the
Earthling named Trent.

I will destroy him,
he vowed.

“You are forgiven, Lieutenant, since I do
understand the strain we currently face, but,” Captain Aysi stared
at him with eyes that could bore holes through the thickest armor,
“think before you question me or the TSB again. Understood?” She
stared him down for a moment longer, before returning to her
seat.

“Yes, ma'am,” Daniel turned back to his post,
bringing up his tactical display. But his mind was elsewhere,
forming a plan to save himself, and most importantly of all,
prepare his revenge.

During the next 15 minutes, as they continued
to close on the HZBF invasion fleet, Daniel considered his next
course of action. He thought of taking drastic steps, like killing
the captain and escaping on a ferry shuttle in the chaos, or
sabotaging the starship to force them out of formation, but knew
they were way too risky. He then considered trying to get a message
to Duke Zehman and offer to defect, somehow get the duke to ignore
their starship, and once the battle was over, for them to
surrender. But that too was just too risky, all outbound
communications currently logged and tracked. Though even beyond the
risk, he found none of the plans would allow him to extinguish the
fire that raged within his chest, the fire for revenge against the
person responsible for his current plight...Trent.

“Ma'am!” Lieutenant Howe shouted with
excitement, “the new contacts have been identified, I...I don't
know how, but they're from Alutia! Four ABF battle groups,
Captain!” relief filled cheers echoed across the bridge.

“That's fantastic news, eyes!” Captain Aysi
shouted, her previous boisterousness returning.

“Fleet Command has ordered us to reduce
speed,” the captain told over the bridge’s closed com, “it appears
that the HZBF doesn't know about the arrival of the ABF
reinforcements. To make sure it stays that way, we will be sending
the remainder of the EW Frigates forward and have them run fake
battle group signatures, so when the Alutia Battle Fleet reaches
sensor range, they should figure it as just another trick. We will
then accelerate to max weapons range, fire a salvo, then decelerate
immediately as the ABF engages,” Captain Aysi explained.

It was a good plan, but Daniel thought it
relied too much on the HZBF not being able to see through the EW
frigates, or pick them off before the ABF could reach weapon’s
range. A different plan popped into his mind. He felt a wicked grin
cross his lips.

“Captain,” he linked a closed channel, so as
not to be overheard.

“This better be good, Lieutenant,” the
captain’s voice was ice.

“I have an idea, ma’am,” he said, trying to
mask his excitement.

“Which is?” she pushed, obviously low on
patience.

“Ma’am, as we all know, the EW frigates are
not 100% effective at creating battle group signatures. So it is
likely that the HZBF may see through our rouse,”

“And your point, Lieutenant,” the captain
growled, Daniel reaching the end of his rope.

“What if we let them know of the ABF fleet,
ma’am,” the com channel went silent.

“Explain,” she said, her tone low, but
curiosity peaked...
I have her.

“If we were to have someone...say, me...act
as if I wanted to defect by sending a hidden message to Duke
Zehman, informing him of our plan. Then, when the ABF and EW
frigates come into weapon’s range, instead of a random chance they
will fire upon the right battle groups...we can guide him into
thinking a group of the EW frigates is actually the real one,” he
explained.

“It’s devious, Lieutenant,” she sounded
dubious, “and risky...but,” he glanced up at the captain, finding
her rubbing her hands together, “it may be less risky than the
current plan. While I send this off to fleet command, put a message
together,” he started to close the channel, “and Lieutenant, don’t
think this will fully make up for your earlier comments,” she
finished, closing the channel in his stead before he could respond.
But that didn’t matter. His plan had been set into motion.

He started his message: “Dear Duke Zehman
Hulk’Zif, This is sent to you in secret from my station aboard the
TSB Ero’Cia. I see no reason to continue the charade that I
actually support the TSB and their resistance to hand over
Commander Quinn, Vice-Commander Daiyu, and the Earthling known as
Trent,” a shiver of hatred coursed over his flesh at the mere
thought of Trent, “with this, I beg you, Duke Zehman, My Lord, to
allow me the honor to defect to the Hulk’Zif Duchy so I can serve a
master who’s beliefs more closely coincide to my own. To show my
intention, I provide to you with this information. A fleet of ABF
battle groups has arrived in the Earth star system, and will breach
sensor range in a little under 10 Earth hours, or hours 17 minutes
NHA time. I hope for a favorable response, TSB Lieutenant Daniel,”
he finished the message, then glanced back to the captain, who was
in discussion with someone over the com.

“Lieutenant Daniel, have you completed the
message?” the captain asked as the closed com channel came
active.

“Yes, ma’am,” he responded.

“Good, forward it to me and Lt. Commander
Xi,” she instructed. He paused, uncertain, but found no harm in
including the com officer.

“Looks good. Xi, you know what to do,”
Captain Aysi said after a moment.

“Yes, ma’am. Message encrypted to look like
it was sent secretly by Lieutenant Daniel,” she responded.

“Good, send it,” she ordered. Daniel started
to tremble with excitement. He went back to work, checking the
status of his weapon crews while glancing constantly at his station
queue, waiting for the return message. An icon blinked.

“Captain, I received a response,” he said as
he forwarded it to her station before streaming it directly through
his BC node.

“Lieutenant Daniel, I am always honored to
receive others of the TSB who would leave the side of wickedness.
Your information pleases me, and if you can provide additional
details of this ABF fleet, you can name your reward. Duke Zehman,”
the message ended.

“He took the bait. Lieutenant Daniel, compose
a response and include the following approach vector for where he
can expect the “real” ABF reinforcements, then forward the message
to me and Xi,” the captain ordered. He went to work, unable to
fully mask the devious grin that had spread across his lips.

He prepared a thorough response, going into
detail about their current plan, then, through a trick he had been
taught years ago by one of his cronies, he “masked” a second
message within the first that neither the captain nor the com
officer could possibly locate, and would only be revealed to Duke
Zehman himself.

This “masked” message stated: “Duke Zehman,
the location listed for the ABF fleet’s approach vector in this
message are incorrect and meant to keep you from the correct
target. I’ve attached the actual approach vector below. Your Loyal
Servant, Lieutenant Daniel,” with this he would seal the fate of
the TSB, and use the favor provided by Duke Zehman to not only get
his revenge on Trent, but totally annihilate him. The memory of
Trent’s lost lover returned. He would take her from Earth, make her
his own...then use her to destroy Trent fully, both in body and
mind.

“Looks good, ma’am,” Xi said over the com,
though her tone was a little off.

“Send it,” the captain ordered.

Time ticked slowly, and Daniel forcibly
suppressed his rising tension, trying not to be overly obvious as
he wiped the growing sweat from his brow. Another 15 minutes passed
and he was about to send a message to Xi, to find out what was
taking so long, when a response flashed on his station.

“Lieutenant Daniel, this information pleases
me. We will mark your starship as friendly. But once the ABF forces
have been destroyed, you must convince your captain to surrender to
me, and not try to flee, by any means necessary. Then, as is your
desire, I shall allow you to pledge your eternal loyalty to me and
me alone, and gift you whatever further reward you so crave. Duke
Zehman.”

“He’s ours,” the captain growled over the
com.
And your mine,
he thought in response.

“Attention!” the captain shouted, “battle
stations are canceled for the next six hours. Everyone is to eat
and rest. I want each and every one of you fit for the coming fray.
Dismissed,”

Daniel, relieved by the break, stood and
hurried past the captain, who nodded her approval. He returned it,
hoping she wouldn’t notice his unnatural blush. As he entered a
tube transport heading for the officer’s mess, he wondered how he
could force his hot blooded captain to surrender. His eyes fell to
his laser arc and he smiled.

Tiana rolled over in her bunk as the tears
that had been flowing for so very long, finally ran dry.
Why did
Sasha leave me behind?
She kept questioning, over and over, and
no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't think of a reason.

They'd been together for as long as Tiana
could remember and had always been there for one another, through
the good times and the bad.
What had changed that caused Sasha
to leave her, to forget their friendship?
She tried to force
out more tears, but it was impossible, the well, like her heart,
was now empty.

“Being left behind can be an act of kindness,
my mother once told me,” Regalia crawled into the bunk, snuggling
against her back. The young girl's presence helped her calm, but as
she lay silent, the grip of sadness began to fade as understanding
washed over her like a wave, leaving only anger in its place.

I can’t believe you Sasha
! Her mind
screamed as Regalia's words fully registered. Her friend had left
her behind thinking to protect her, keep her from harm, thinking
she was responsible for what happened on the shuttle. She rolled
over and embraced the young Regalia.

“Your 10 years old! Stop talking like you're
a 100!” she tickled Regalia relentlessly, who squealed with
delight. Gil'Da sat on the edge of the bunk, staring upon them both
kindly, looking much older than Tiana remembered.

Gil'Da had been a servant and tutor for
Tiana's family for over 150 years, though normally you’d never be
able to tell. The woman had short black hair flecked with streaks
of white that looked cosmetic. Fine creases covered her common, but
attractive face, that didn’t look a day over a 100, while her skin
was still a smooth, buttery bronze, like a woman a third of her 227
years of age. Gil'Da began to lightly caress her leg, smiling when
their eyes met.

“Regalia, it's time for your bath and I need
to wash that jumpsuit, it's starting to smell quite horrible, and
even the star god would be unable to stand your presence,” her
words brought back memories and Tiana laughed playfully as Regalia
buried herself further in her chest, acting all of her 10 years of
age.

Gil'Da all but raised Tiana as her mother was
usually busy with court affairs and her father, by name only,
traveled the universe with her older brother. Tiana held no ill
will towards her parents, since she always had Gil'Da and Sasha to
keep her company. The two were like her parents, Gil’Da would teach
and scold her when she fell out of line, and Sasha would raise and
guide her through the life of a noble lady. A specific memory Tiana
had long forgotten, suddenly returned as Gil'Da escorted the
pouting Regalia to the washroom.

The memory was from the time of Sasha’s
greatest horror, when they snuck out of Tidelia Castle so Sasha
could meet Sir Roberto, who she had been courting at the time. But
Sir Roberto had no intention of courting Sasha properly, and when
she and Tiana traveled alone to the noble rendezvous, hidden deep
in the woods outside Tileenia, Roberto had become a monster. The
eight year old Tiana watched helplessly as Sasha was stripped and
tied to the bed. Then, to her growing horror, a group of noble boys
entered the refuge, assaulting Sasha with their touch while begging
Roberto to allow them to rape her. But he refused, only permitting
them to take detailed scans of her naked flesh that they could then
use as they pleased.

When it ended, and the boy’s left them in
tears, Tiana had freed Sasha. With a look Tiana had only witnessed
twice in her short life, Sasha instructed her to tell no one, ever,
of what had occurred that day. Tiana reluctantly agreed, and after
a month of total isolation, Sasha emerged little changed on the
outside. But on the inside, the kind, playful girl Tiana knew, had
vanished forever. A demon now existed within her friend that would
forever haunt and keep Sasha from becoming intimate with anyone,
for fear of such an event repeating.

Tiana’s thoughts returned to the present.
Regalia could be heard humming in the shower as Gil'Da hand washed
the young-girls jumpsuit.
Why did that memory return, and so
vivid?
She wondered, thinking it may have been caused by the
interaction between Regalia and Gil'Da, reminding her of their
childhood. Though another reason seemed more likely, one that held
of her failure to her friend, not once, but twice. She wiped the
fresh tears from her eyes that had begun to well from a new source
at the last thought, shaking free her wavy, long blond hair as she
slapped her cheeks.