Cassandra's Challenge (42 page)

“Sir! I have Admiral Carnot on the comm.”

“Is it a secure line?”

“Yes sir.”

“Ferran, what’s your status?”

“The Fleet’s 75%. Communications are now fully
operationally on all remaining ships. Last casualty report was 1403
with another 500 in medical.”

“The First Son?”

“Unknown, his name isn’t on the medical list,
we’ve only gotten numbers from the Sentinel, no names, but there’s
still crew on the Sentinel making repairs. Their communications
system is down.”

“Reports were it was dead.”

“They were able to maintain life systems. All
defensive, sensor, propulsion and communications systems are
down.”

“The Regulians are sitting on the other side of
the border.”

“See that.”

“Your support will be there in twelve
hours.”

“Affirmative
.”

Another twelve hours until the border is
reinforced, would the Regulians wait that long to attack again?
What were they waiting for? Another transmission? What was the
‘other’ to be ignored? The other person transmitting to them? Fuck
he has more questions than answers.

Putting on his headset he connects to his
quarters.

“Chamberlain.” Just hearing her voice eases some
of his tension.

“What’s your status?” The Admiral demands.

“The girls are in Victoria’s room. I’m running
searches. What’s yours?” She retorts back.

Realizing he’s treating her like a member of the
crew he rubs his eyes.

“Are you okay?” She asks.

“Fine, it’s going to be awhile.”

“Anything I can do?”

“Just what you are. What were you talking about
earlier? About Procne.”

“You used his name in a transmission. I wanted
to know what ship he was on.”

“You isolated the code.” William should have
realized she would, given time.

“Parts.”

“Which.”

“William, I don’t have it all yet, I don’t know
what it means.”

“Tell me what you’ve got!” The Admiral
demands.

On the other end Cassandra’s a little shocked
then realizes she shouldn’t be. If she was in his place she’d want
the information too. Lives are being lost.

“The twenty line transmissions were both sent to
someone on the Sentinel. Fleet locations were sent to the Regulians
shortly after by whoever initiated the transmissions.”

The line is silent. Results from her latest
search come up on her consul. She’d isolated the extra line of
coding sent to the Sentinel. It wasn’t just a code, it looks
like…

“Cassandra!” William’s voice is low and
urgent.

“What? Oh sorry, I was distracted. What were you
saying?”

“What else?”

“I know that no one on the Retribution sent or
received any transmissions from this sender.”

William takes a deep breath, his tension easing
a little more.

“Thank you. Look I…”

“Admiral, transmission from High Command.”

“Transfer it to my comm. I have to go.”

“I heard. I love you. See you later.” Cassandra
disconnects.

Setting down her headset she turns back to the
consul, studying the search results. This line isn’t like any other
coding in any other transmission. It seemed to carry little strings
of codes, almost like a search.

“Oh
fuck
! It’s a Trojan!” The person
receiving the transmission doesn’t know it’s there. He doesn’t know
he’s giving up his ship’s location. The Sentinel
is
the
specific target of these attacks. Why? There wasn’t a traitor on
the Sentinel just someone, someone wanted dead. Who?

Entering the receiver’s code into her query she
waits for the results, hoping she can track it. Hoping they weren’t
already dead. Impatiently she stands to pace.

“Aunt Cassie?” Turning to two little girls
Cassandra tries to switch gears.

“Hey girls. Sorry I kind of got wrapped up here.
Are you hungry?” At their nods, she calls Hutu.

“I know we’re still on Alert, but I’ve got two
hungry little girls here.”

“I’m just about done here mam , should be no
more than fifteen minutes.”

“Hutu, you’re amazing! See you in a little bit.”
Turning to the girls, “Won’t be long. What have you been doing all
afternoon?”

“I’ve been showing Amina pictures of Earth,
telling her about it. Carina’s not that different.”

“It’s not?”

“No, I mean the creatures look different.” Amina
tells her. “But otherwise a lot seems the same, especially when you
compare what things are like.”

“Give me an example.”

“Well. Take baisteach. It’s liquid that falls
out of the sky.”

“Rain?”

“Yes. See it’s just a matter of finding out
what’s the same.”

“You are a very smart little girl Amina. So
you’ve found lots in common between Earth and Carina.”

“Yeah lots!”

“That’s good to know.” With Hutu’s arrival the
girls sit down to eat as Cassandra walks him out.

“Thank you again, Hutu. I don’t know what we’d
do without you.”

“You’re welcome mam. Make sure you eat too.
Otherwise the Admiral won’t be happy.” Smiling at him she just
nods.

“Oh, I put some extra treats on the tray for
later. I thought the girls might like them.”

“I’m sure they will. Has the Admiral eaten yet?”
Hutu smiles at her concern.

“I’ll be fixing his next. He insisted I prepare
yours first.”

“Good, you make sure he eats too.”

“I’ll do my best.” Giving her a full blown grin
he leaves.

Sitting down to eat Cassandra enjoys the girls
chatter. It’s amazing how close the two have become in such a short
time. That bond will become even more important once they reach
Carina.

Disconnecting from High Command the Admiral
leans back in his chair, he hadn’t told him anything he didn’t
already know. Actually he knew more than he did thanks to Carnot’s
call. He hadn’t relayed that information to Command. If they didn’t
know that there were survivors still on the Sentinel then neither
did the traitor.

Hopefully the First Son was among them. Seeing
Hutu enter the Bridge he looks at the clock. 1900. Time to refuel
for a long night.

Hutu sets two plates on the Admiral’s desk, one
for the Colonel, and waits until he has the Admiral’s
attention.

“What is it Hutu.”

“Sir,” Looking around he quickly leans over to
relay Cassandra’s comments.

“Thank you Hutu.” As Quinn approaches he sees a
glimmer of humor in the Admiral’s eyes. Picking up his plate he
starts to eat.

“Hutu tell a joke or what?”

“No. Just a bit of payback.”

Realizing it must involve Cassandra, Quinn eats.
Whatever it was, it eased some of the pressure the Admiral was
under.

While the pressure on the Admiral is easing,
back in his quarters it was building. Results were coming in on the
latest search. There were matches, in both eighteen and nineteen
line transmissions.

Leaning back from the consul Cassandra runs a
shaky hand through her hair. Suddenly she was nervous. Why?
Instinct? She wished William was here. Selecting the first eighteen
line transmission she closes her eyes and listens.

“Chief you’re to report to the Retribution.”

“
What for?”

“That will be explained to you once you get
here.”

The transmission ends.

Cassandra recognizes the Colonel’s voice but
can’t quite place the other. She should know it. Reviewing the
codes she isolates the Colonel’s transmission code. Listening to
the next transmission Cassandra is no closer to the identity of the
voice then she was before.

“SHIT!” Standing to pace she grabs the edge of
the consul as the room tilts. Taking a deep breath she waits for it
to right itself.

“Time to take a break.” On her way into
Victoria’s room she grabs the treats Hutu had brought.

“Admiral, High Admiral Valerian is on the
comm.”

“Zafar.”

“Admiral, support has arrived at the border. You
can back down from Alert Status One, go to standby. You are to
maintain your present position until the border is fully
secured.”

“Understood. They’re early.”

“Yes, I ordered them to maximum warp. No other
news?”

“Not at this time, sir.”

“Tell your people good job.”

“I will sir.” Ending the transmission, the
Admiral opens a comm.

“Attention, this is the Admiral. Support has
arrived at the border. We are backing down from Alert Status One to
Standby and will maintain our current position until the border is
secured. Good job people! That comes not only from me but from the
High Admiral.”

In quarters two little girls jump up and down on
the bed.

“Aunt Cassie! Did you hear? It’s alright!”

“I heard. I told you the Admiral would keep you
safe. Now you both need to calm down before you fall off that bed.
Then we’d have to go to medical.”

Giggling the girls plop down on the bed.

“Hutu sent some extra snacks for you. Ready for
them?”

“YEA!” As the girls devour what appears to be
cookies Cassandra just shakes her head. Oh to be so young.

“It’s late, you need to get ready for bed.”

“Oh Aunt Cassie….”

“I mean it. It’s late. You need to get to bed.
You can talk for a little bit but that’s it.”

“Okay.” As the girls change, she takes the plate
out to the counter. Returning they are in bed whispering.

“Well that was quick.” Leaning down she gives
Amina a kiss. “I love you Amina. Sleep good.”

“Night Aunt Cassie, love you.” Reaching over she
kisses Tori.

“Goodnight Tori. I love you.”

“I love you too Aunt Cassie.”

“I see you in the morning.” Putting the lights
as low as they would go, she closes the hatch.

Cassandra can’t bring herself to go work at the
consul. She’s not sure why, she just knows she wants to wait for
William. She’s very close. She can feel it. She just isn’t sure
they’re going to like what she finds.

Changing for bed she finds she can’t lie down.
Entering the ready room she walks over to William’s desk, pours
herself a glass of Carinian ale, and sits. Sipping the ale she tips
her head back, and lets her mind wander. So much has happened in
such a short time. What’s connected? What isn’t? What didn’t she
know?

The ruins of Kayseri in the moonlight have
always appealed to Cassandra. The desert had reclaimed so much, but
man is fighting back. In the quiet of the night you can almost hear
the ancient voices.

What would they tell you?

“What do you want to know?”

She should be startled, but she’s not. Turning,
Sabah is walking towards her, her long flowing gown not hiding the
fact that she’s heavily pregnant. Behind her the ruins return to
their former glory.

“Everything.”

“That’s too much.”

“It’s what I need.”

“It’s only what you think you need. Think
smaller.”

“Smaller! Okay try this one. Why do
I
have to solve a problem
you
started?” Her sudden anger
surprises Cassandra.

“I am the beginning you are the end.”

“Oh please… like that’s an answer.”

Sabah’s eyes flash. “It is the answer.”

“The way I see it you took the easy way out, you
left and I get to clean up the mess.”

“Easy!” Sabah rubs her distended belly. “Nothing
about it was easy!”

“You decided it was too hard to stay and fight,
fight for what you believed was right. So you left. You made a good
life
here
. You made a difference
here
. But what you
left behind…it eventually destroys all this.” Cassandra makes a
sweeping motion with her arms. “It destroys all I love. And threw
me into a world I barely understand. One that wants to destroy
me
and all I’ve come to love, because of
you
!”

“It seems you understand it quite well.”

“This is the world you ran away from. You had
all the knowledge you needed to defeat them, I don’t.”

“You have all you need. You have your life mate,
what you don’t understand
he
will. It will take both of
you.”

“That’s a bunch of bull shit. You’re just trying
to justify running away! Seven billion people died because of
you
.”

“No
because of
you
!”

“ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!” A man strides towards
them.

“Kayden.” Cassandra whispers.

Sabah’s eyes flash “Yes.” She turns to him. “You
shouldn’t be here.”

“She’s mine as much as yours.”

“This is mine to handle.” Sabah lashes at
him.

“And you’re not.” They were nearly nose to nose
completely ignoring Cassandra.

“So you still get to fight when you’re dead?”
Angry blue and violet eyes whip around to her.

“Yes.” Sabah finally answers.

“And make up?”

“Yes.” Kayden grins.

“Good to know.” Cassandra can’t help grinning
back.

“It wasn’t Sabah’s fault.” Her grin fades as
Kayden moves to her. “It isn’t yours. Other’s decisions caused it.
They took advantage when they should have protected.”

“I want to change it.” She whispers.

“To change it,” Sabah interjects, “You’d have to
sacrifice all you’ve
found, y
our life mate your child.”

“I’d accepted I’d never have a life mate or
child on Earth, so I wouldn’t have known.”

“But you do now.” She argues back. “So you’d
give up your life mate for seven billion people, honorable. What
about the child you carry? Will you sacrifice that as well?”

“What? What child?”

“Sabah!”

“What! I’m not telling her anything she doesn’t
already know, in her heart.”

Cassandra turns away from the twos bickering.
Has she conceived? Is she carrying William’s child? Putting both
hands over her still flat stomach she closes her eyes.