Ep.#14 - "The Weak and the Innocent" (The Frontiers Saga) (35 page)

“Yes,” Nathan nodded, “but more importantly, we created an Alliance. One to not only stand against the Jung, but against any force that tries to impose rule upon the unwilling by force or intimidation.”

Kata took a deep breath, pausing to contemplate her next question. “Captain, the people of Kohara have never had a military. Not even before the great plague. They have never needed one. We have always been peaceful people who believe in settling our differences diplomatically. The Jung had never raised a gun at us, until your Alliance came along and attacked them. Many would point out that the Jung have greatly improved the lives of not only Kohara, but of all of the Cetian worlds. Now, your Alliance comes along, perhaps with truly noble intent, but you attack with force, killing thousands of Jung as well as thousands of innocent Koharans. How would you respond to that?”

“I’m not sure you’ll like my answer,” Nathan warned.

“I’ll like it if it’s the truth, Captain,” Kata insisted.

“Very well.” Nathan took a breath. “Although I regret having to take innocent lives, I shall not apologize for doing so. The Jung have killed
trillions
of lives, for no reason other than those people refused to be subjugated. Your people can choose to live under the rule of any power you choose. That is your right. However, we have a right to defend ourselves as well. The Jung attacked our world, multiple times. When we took innocent lives, it was because the situation forced us to do so. I hated every minute of it, believe me. But where is the line to be drawn? At what point do we say, we cannot defend ourselves because we might harm others by doing so? I understand that your people prefer non-violent solutions, and I applaud your resolve. The problem is, humanity
is
a violent, predatory species, and our favorite prey is one another. It is sickening to think of, but it is true nonetheless. Perhaps it is
that very reason
that humanity continues to survive,
and
thrive, against overwhelming odds, time and time again.”

The intercom beeped, interrupting Nathan’s response.

“
Captain, urgent message from Admiral Dumar. He is on his way over and needs to meet with you and Commander Telles, ASAP.
”

“Did he say what it was about?” Nathan asked the comm officer.

“
No, sir, just that it was urgent. He should be arriving in ten minutes.
”

“Very well.” Nathan sighed, looking at Kata. “I’m sorry, Miss Mun, but duty calls.”

“Quite alright, Captain,” she assured him, standing. “Perhaps we can continue later?”

“Of course,” Nathan promised, showing her to the exit.

CHAPTER TEN

“Can we determine their precise location from their transmission?” Commander Telles asked.

“They are likely masking their source,” Admiral Dumar replied.

“We destroyed the Jung
satellites in
orbit over all three of the Cetian worlds during the initial attack,” Nathan reminded them. “If this guy
is
the Koharan president, wouldn’t he be trying to hide his signal from ground-based detection, the kind the Jung on the surface would be using?”

Admiral Dumar nodded. “I see your point.”

“If so, Mister Navashee can probably pinpoint their location to within a meter,” Nathan insisted. “We could send a team in and rescue them both.”

“They will undoubtedly be well guarded,” Commander Telles pointed out.

“How do we know that?” Nathan wondered. “Maybe they’re just a handful of guys with guns?”

“Mister Bowden is a trained operative. Were they
not
well guarded, they would have escape on their own.”

“But Naralena is not. He may be waiting for the right moment,” Nathan argued, “and this may be that moment.”

“Do not misunderstand, Captain,” Commander Telles replied. “Even if they were being guarded by all of the Jung on Kohara, I would still be willing to attempt a rescue. I am simply weighing the odds and trying to determine the best plan.”

“We will need a way to communicate our intent to Miss Avakian and Mister Bowden,” Admiral Dumar commented.

“Naralena speaks many languages, which her captors do not,” Commander Telles said.

“Perhaps, Corinairan?” Admiral Dumar suggested. “I speak it as well.”

“It would be better if it were a language that both of them spoke,” Commander Telles pointed out. “Are not all EDF special operatives required to speak at least a few languages?”

“We are,” Jessica said as she entered the command briefing room. “Sorry it took so long, sir. I had to dig pretty far back to find Lieutenant Bowden’s original graduation records. Primary Earth languages are English and Spanish, off-world are of course, Koharan and Cetian, both of which are very similar. He also speaks passable Russian, due to a grandparent.”

“Naralena speaks Russian as well,” Nathan pointed out. “You should have seen how excited Vlad got when she spoke Russian to him in the mess hall once.”

“Then Lieutenant Commander Kamenetskiy will pretend to be the comm officer,” the admiral decided, “just long enough to warn her and the lieutenant that the Ghatazhak are about to attack.”

“I will need more information about the area in which they are being held before I can determine a plan of action,” the commander warned.

“Once we determine the location of the transmission, Mister Navashee can give you all the site data you need,” Nathan explained. “Right down to the color of their underwear.”

Commander Telles cast a sidelong glance at the captain. “That level of detail will not be necessary, Captain.”

Admiral Dumar took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he contemplated the situation. “If we go in, I want the man claiming to be the Koharan president as well.”

Commander Telles exchanged worried glances with Jessica and Nathan.

“If he wants to talk, then we will talk,” the admiral continued, “but we will do so here, on board the Aurora.”

* * *

Jessica walked quickly across the Aurora’s main hangar deck, trying to catch up to Commander Telles and his men as they headed toward one of the four combat jump shuttles idling at the aft end o
f the bay. “Telles!” she called out, breaking into a jog.

Commander Telles looked back, taking note of the fact that the lieutenant commander was dressed in EDF spec-ops battle gear. “I will catch up to you in a moment,” he told Master Sergeant Jahal, who was walking in front of him.

The master sergeant looked back as well, also noticing the lieutenant commander’s attire. “Oh, not a chance…”

“…I will take care of this,” Telles assured him. He stopped and turned to face Jessica as she approached. “Lieutenant Commander?”

“I’m going with you,” Jessica, determination in her tone.

“No, you are not,” the commander replied with unwavering confidence.

“The hell I’m not,” Jessica insisted, looking him straight in the eyes.

“Lieutenant Commander…”

“Out of my way, Telles,” Jessica demanded.

Commander Telles stepped directly in Jessica’s path, forcing her to stop. He looked down at her, standing toe-to-toe. “You will follow my orders, or I will forcibly subdue you, and it will not be a pleasant experience for you…I promise.”

“Telles…” Jessica began, as if giving him a final warning.

“…You are neither trained nor qualified for operations with the Ghatazhak,” he explained. His voice was calm and even, but full of confidence and conviction. “In addition, you are in an emotional state. These factors create additional risk to the well-being of my men, as well as to the people we are attempting to extricate. I cannot allow this.”

Jessica said nothing, just standing there staring at him, seething with frustration and anger. Her anger was not at the lieutenant, rather at the situation, and the fact that she felt helpless to do
anything
to help her friend. She had felt the same way when she had stood on the bridge, wondering if her brother was still alive.

“Are we clear?” Commander Telles asked calmly.

Jessica stared at him a few seconds longer before speaking. “I can take you, you know.”

Commander Telles almost smiled. “No, you cannot.” His expression suddenly turned into one of fierce determination, the likes of which Jessica had never seen. “Are…we…clear?”

Jessica’s eyes narrowed, as if she were sizing up the commander’s resolve.

“You have five seconds to respond, Lieutenant Commander, or I will drop you where you stand.”

“Yeah,” she finally replied. “We’re clear.”

“We’re clear, sir,” Commander Telles corrected.

“Perfectly…clear…sir,” Jessica replied, having to force the words past her lips through gritted teeth.

Commander Telles did not back away as she would have expected. Instead, he turned his back on her and continued toward the waiting jump shuttles. She thought for a moment, wondering if he was honestly that confident that she could not harm him, or if he was just stupid.

As much as she hated to admit it, she decided he wasn’t stupid.

* * *

“We are
in comm position over Kohara,” Mister Riley reported.

“Very well,” Nathan replied as he rotated his chair aft. “Ensign Souza, you may initiate contact.”

“Yes, sir,” the ensign replied as he went to work. “You can start your hail, sir,” he said to Vladimir, who was standing next to him wearing a comm-set.

“One Four Romeo Sierra, One Four Alpha Alpha,” Vladimir began in English.

“It is them,” Gerard announced, reaching for the comm-unit controls. The guard next to Naralena raised his weapon to her head in response. Gerard looked up at the president. “I have to respond…”

“Not you,” the president said. “Her.”

“But…”

“You have been operating on our world covertly for twenty years, without being caught,” the president explained. “She, on the other hand, was captured within weeks of her arrival. She will answer.”

Gerard got up and exchanged seats with Naralena. She picked up the microphone and replied. “One Four Alpha Alpha, One Four Romeo Sierra.”

“Tui v poryadke?
” Vladimir asked over the comms.

“Da.”

President Kanor eyed her suspiciously, unfamiliar with the language they were speaking.

“
Tui mozhesh gavareet?
”

The president looked at Gerard. “What are they saying?” he demanded.

“Da,” Naralena replied again.

The president’s concern increased with each unfamiliar word that was spoken. He glanced at the nearest guard, who responded by putting the muzzle of his weapon against Naralena’s head to quiet her.

“
Mui seichas tam bydyem. Byd’gotova,
” Vladimir said over the comms.

“It’s an authentication handshake!” Gerard explained.

The other three guards in the room also advanced in response to Gerard’s shouting.

“To prove her identity!” Gerard continued.

The president eyed Gerard suspiciously, as his guard pushed Naralena’s head to one side with the muzzle of his weapon in a threatening manner meant to prevent her from speaking further.

“They always do it in a language the enemy is not likely to understand,” Gerard explained, lowering his tone in an attempt to get everyone to calm down. “If you don’t let her finish the authentication, they will assume that she is not who she claims to be, and that neither are you. You will get to speak with no one!”

The president looked at Gerard, then back at Naralena. Finally, he tilted his head briefly to the side, gesturing for his guards to back off. “Finish,” he instructed Naralena.

“
Ponyala
,” she answered hesitantly. She glanced sidelong toward the guard, making sure that he was no longer pointing a gun at her head before continuing. “
Ne zastreli prezidenta. Eto tot starik s blestyashei golovoi.
”

“
Standby
,” Vladimir replied, switching to English.

“Authentication has been accepted,” Naralena announced. “They are now convinced of our identities.”

“
This is Admiral Travon Dumar, commander of all Alliance forces within the Sol sector.
”

“
The Aurora reports they’ve located the source of the transmission,
” the copilot reported over the commander’s helmet comms. “
Mister Navashee is linking his live ground surveillance sensor data to your tactical systems now, Commander.
”

“Very well,” Commander Telles replied.

“Center building, in the room to the south,” Master Sergeant Jahal said, also watching the feed on his tactical display. “Those are our subjects, the two sitting down.”

“Five in the room with them, four with guns,” the commander said as he watched the infrared sensor readings displayed on the inside of his helmet visor, as if looking down at oddly colored people, going about their business in a building without a roof. “Good bet the one without the gun is the president… Old and bald.”

“Two more at each end of the corridor, also armed,” the master sergeant added. “More men in adjacent buildings. Some armed, some not.”

“Lieutenant,” the commander called to the combat jump shuttle’s pilot. “Instruct all ships to prepare to jump in around the central building. One ship on each side. Three meters off the deck, three out from the building. One minute.”

“Those are awfully close parameters, Commander,” the pilot warned.

“I thought you Corinari were good?”

“Damn good, sir.”

“
We were not attacking Kohara, per se,
” the admiral explained over the comms, “
but rather the Jung forces on the surface.
”

“Yet your attacks killed thousands of my people,” President Kanor accused him. “Thousands of innocent people, I would add.”

“
We regret the collateral damage that our attacks have caused, Mister President, but you must understand…
”

Naralena and Gerard exchanged knowing glances.

“
Had we simply destroyed the Jung forces in space and left those on the surface alone, those Jung on the surface would be even
more
convinced that your people were collaborating with the Alliance. Even more executions would be taking place in your street than already are.
”

“Which is why you never should have attacked
any
…”

There was a brilliant blue-white flash of light and a tremendous explosion outside that shook the entire building and blew out the windows in the communications room. Naralena and Gerard both fell to the floor instantly. Naralena covered her head with her hands and Gerard scrambled across the floor to her, covering her with his body. There was a deafening roar of multiple rocket engines outside. Sections of the wall blew inward as energy weapons fire blasted rows of holes at chest height, spraying the still stunned guards with debris. The president fell backward from the shockwave, as several of his guards took energy weapons fire directly in the chest.

Another explosion rocked the room, as the sound of heavy energy weapons outside screeched repeatedly. A portion of the roof collapsed, and four Ghatazhak dropped into the room from above.

Two of the Ghatazhak soldiers moved between Naralena and Gerard and the exit, dropping to one knee to act as physical barriers against incoming fire. The other two moved to the doorway and opened fire on the guards rushing toward them from the two opposite ends of the corridor.

“Corridor is clear!” Master Sergeant Jahal called from the doorway.

Commander Telles stepped back from the doorway, leaving his master sergeant to cover the corridor. The two Ghatazhak soldiers acting as shields for Gerard and Naralena rose and moved into covering positions; one at the window, the other at the door with the master sergeant.

“
Building one is secure,
” a voice called over the comms.

“
Building two; secure.
”

“
Building three; secure.
”

The President rose to one knee, coughing and sputtering from the dust still swirling about the room.

“Are you President Kanor?” Commander Telles yelled.

“Yes…yes… Please, do not hurt me!” he begged, shouting to be heard above the cacophony of shuttle engines.

“You are to come with us!” Commander Telles ordered.

“But…”

“You may remain, and explain to the Jung what happened here, if you prefer!”

“No…no! I will come with you!”

“
Perimeter secure!
”

“Jahal!” the commander barked. “Time to go!”

Master Sergeant Jahal grabbed the president by the arm and pulled him to his feet, shoving him through the door and down the corridor.

Commander Telles turned toward Naralena, reaching down to help her up. “Miss Avakian, are you ready to return to the Aurora?”

Naralena said nothing, only nodding.

“Lieutenant?” Commander Telles said, addressing Gerard as he pulled Naralena to her feet. “I assume you are coming as well?”

Gerard stumbled to his feet, still in shock as he glanced about at the precision and devastation he had just witnessed. “Hell yes!”

* * *

President Kanor sa
t at the conference table, attempting to look as dignified as tattered clothing would allow. His business jacket was torn and covered with dust, as were his pants and his shoes. Try as he might to maintain his composure, it was obvious he had just been through an ordeal.