Sitting back against her couch with a heavy thud, Kate stared off into space. The man was utterly insane; she thought to herself, there’s just no any other word to describe him! She looked down at the data player in disgust as she digested what Reynolds had found in her systems. While she had thought things were bad; the reality of what Reynolds had found made her realize just how bad things were. A shut down code, she thought with disgust, a non-removable, non-changeable god****** shut down code! That sorry b******, I can’t believe he did that! A short, chopped sigh of disgust escaped her lips before she could stop it. As if a memory block wasn’t bad enough, she mused, he had to have a shut down code and receptor built into her processor. There was no way to remove it, Reynolds had said on the data chip, not without having to replace the whole chip-and Intelligence wasn’t going to give up a fresh chip. Not if they knew why I wanted, no make that needed it, changed, she thought sourly. So, she thought as she leaned back with her hands folded behind her head, he had managed to get one over on her again! This really threw a wrench in the works for her desire to see him. Gritting her teeth so hard her jaw hurt, Kate took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She really should have seen this one coming; she mused, it was so in character for him to have placed it there. It was her who had been foolish enough to think that she actually had freedom from the man! If there ever was a reason to kill someone, this was it, she thought as she ran her hair through her damp, freshly washed hair. Which makes me doubly determined to see him! With a sigh, she stood up and walked over to stand beside a large window. Rubbing her upper lip with a finger, she stared down at the streets below. Look at the world moving down, she thought, and none of them have a damned clue what their government is doing! Would they wake up in time to prevent what was starting to look like an unstoppable tidal wave? What would Carver want biological weaponry for, she wondered as she looked at the massive two mile high Fleet Headquarters building across the city. Furthermore, what would that prototype be used for? Shaking her head at her inability to put the pieces together, Kate walked over and hit the button on her holovid. The image popped into existence in the far corner, and she adjusted its feed to reach the Alliance News Network. She didn’t pay the anchor much attention as she poured herself a tall glass of bourbon. Another one of Matthews’ nanite wonders, she thought with a snort. A complete inability to get drunk no matter how much I drink… “And in the news today…” the anchor said. “Protestors on the frontier world continued to march in protest of the recent move by President Carver to install Marines on the colony of Monticello last week.” Kate felt her head snap up with a shot, her attention drawn to the news broadcast. Marines placed on a colony, she thought, there was nothing in the Fleet bulletins about that! It was customary, since they both answered to the same leadership, that Marine and Fleet movements were included in all bulletins received by commanders in the field. Yet, there had been no mention of Marines being installed on a colony, why? “Marines were sent to Monticello to quell the protests and riots over the election of George Carver to the Presidency,” the anchor said. Really? Kate asked herself with raised eyebrows. I wonder why they’d do that! “Martial law has been declared throughout the colony and other frontier worlds are protesting this move,” he said. “Calling it unconstitutional, they’re calling for the impeachment of the President and they’re taking to the street to have their voices heard.”
Jennifer wound her way through the tangle of craft on the flight deck with a sigh. Kate was being sent off on a mission that could possibly mean her death, she thought, and there wasn’t a damn thing anyone could do about it. As much as she hated to do so, she was going to follow Kate’s order and keep her mouth shut. In fact, she reflected, it was the only way to stay safe while Kate was gone. If they think they’re going to kill Kate that easily, Jennifer thought with a snort. Then I’ve got some ocean front property on Venus I’ll like to sell them! When she arrived at Kate’s fighter, she found herself shaking her head. Under the fighter on an antigravity cart was Kate’s flight crew chief, along with four of her crew. Each were busily either replacing something or adjusting something, while Jennifer chuckled. However, it was the steady stream of profanity that drew her eyes upwards. Scratching her forehead with a finger while her eyebrows rose, she found it hard not to laugh. It’s a good thing no one really can hear her, Jennifer thought. Because she sure could peel the paint off the Roanoke talking like that! “I see you haven’t lost your ability to be colorful,” she said to the open air. Jennifer watched as Kate crawled out of one of the engine hatches. It seemed different, Jennifer mused, to see Kate wearing a pair of camouflage pants. However, she found the look on her friend to be an interesting change of pace. With a shrug, she waited for Kate to finish crawling out. “It’s nice to see you too, Jennifer,” Kate said as she knelt on the top of the wing. “Are you having fun up there?” “Are you kidding me?” Kate chuckled. “I haven’t had this much fun since basic training!” “And now I know you’re lying,” Jennifer rolled her eyes. “Don’t forget our dinner party tonight.” “You think I’m going to forget that?” Kate said as she wiped her hands on a cloth she had in a back pocket. “I don’t know, sir,” Jennifer teased. “You do tend to have a one track mind at times.”
I hope he’s stewing out there, Kate thought as she slipped her black and silver jumpsuit on. Because he sure as hell needs to learn some manners! Taking her towel, Kate used it to dry her hair as she stepped out into the living room. Brindle was sitting on the couch, a finger tapping impatiently as he waited for her. Well if this isn’t a switch, she mused, the agent had to wait on her for a change! A chuckle escaped her lips as she sat down in a chair across from him. Her wet hair hung around her shoulder limply, the bangs plastered to her temples. She gave Brindle a long, penetrating look as he stared at her. There was a reason why he had come here, she told herself, and why he decided to sneak in too. Now, would he volunteer it or should she drag it out of him. Dragging it out will be so much more fun, she told herself as a sly smile crossed her face. Across from her, she could see Brindle swallow hard. He had spotted the slight, sly smile she had, and from personal experience, he knew it wasn’t a good thing. Everyone who had ever been on the receiving end of that smile had learned to regret it by the time she had finished with them. “So, Thad,” she said sweetly. “What lead you to break into me apartment?” “I came to talk to you,” he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Then talk, Thad,” she said, her tone growing softer. “I know where you can find Reyes,” he said. Sitting up in her chair, Kate leaned forwards at the mention of her former superior. Yes, she was going to have to leave for Haven in two days, but she was going to pay her dear, old friend a visit on the way. She figured it was the least she could do after the mind-f*** he had given her…oh yes it was definitely the least she could do. “Are you still working for the bastard?” she asked him. “Because I know you left Intelligence two years ago.” “Yes and no,” Thad said. “Yes I’m working for him and technically no I haven’t left Intelligence.” “So you’re working for Johansson now,” Kate leaned back, a hand covering her eyes as she groaned. “That’s just f****** great…” “I’m not working for Johansson,” he protested. “It’s just that I’m still in the Intelligence game-albeit working for Reyes as a civilian.” “So you’re making deals with the devil now?” Kate asked him. “How many pieces of silver did it take for you to sell you soul?”
Slipping quietly through the night, he was sure no one had seen him. Why couldn’t she live somewhere less obtrusive then this, he asked himself as he moved across the dark street. She had no idea, of course, how much of a risk to his own life he was taking to come see her either, which was surprising to him in the least. Looking both ways to make sure he wasn’t followed, he stepped into the building. The bright lights inside made him squint, his eyes having grown accustomed to the darkness. Closing them for a second, he waited for them to adjust to the light. Once he knew they had adjusted, he opened them up and stepped into the waiting lift. Once he selected his floor, he leaned back against the wall and waited. When the doors slid aside, he stepped out into the hallway beyond. Even though it had been over a year since he had been here, he still remembered where to go. Like there ever was much chance of forgetting, he told himself. Just like everything she touched, the woman he was heading to see was totally unforgettable. Stopping before the door to her apartment, he pulled out his sonic screwdriver. He quickly set it for the right job and applied it to the lock on her door. With a barely audible sound, the door unlocked and he pushed it aside. The first thing he heard when he stepped into her apartment was the sound of a shower running. No doubt she was enjoying another one of her long, hot showers, he thought. He hated to interrupt her taking it, but time was of the essence for this trip. He stepped toward the running shower. ### The clouds of steam surrounded her body, caressing it, as she felt the hot water on her bare skin. Luxuriating in it, twisting around like a cat, Kate felt the tension in her body leaving. A sigh a pleasure escaped her lips as she ran the soap over her body, the hot, moist air filling her with peace. Looking up at her kimber on a shelf, she smiled to herself as she drenched her hair. There was no way that she was going to let her guard down now, not with Johansson controlling Intelligence. They could try to assassinate her, she thought, but they would have a surprise waiting for them if they tried! Lathering up the shampoo in her hair, a smile of guilty pleasure crossed her lips. After her escape from Necko, learning all the things that women on the civilized worlds had taken her time; however, she had picked it up quickly and found the things she loved. There was nothing like a sweet-smelling shampoo in your hair, she thought as the lather’s aroma reached her nose. With a sigh of loss, she leaned back and let the water run through her hair. The steaming water ran through her bangs and down the top and bottom of her tresses. Running her fingers down her hair to keep it from tangling, Kate felt the smooth feel of her mane. She stepped forward out of the water, shaking her hair behind her. A sound reached her from beyond the shower curtain; no one was expected for another hour. A hand whipped up and grabbed the pistol off the shelf as she stepped towards the shower curtain. They weren’t wasting time in trying to eliminate her, she mused. Reaching for the curtain, she was thankful that she had picked a dark color. No one would be able to see her grabbing her pistol, which would give her an advantage over anyone targeting her. They would be expecting someone unarmed, she thought, and instead they’re going to get someone with a pistol. She ripped the curtain open with a roar, her pistol leading the way. Nothing could have prepared her for who she saw, and she fought the urge to keep her jaw from dropping. How many times had she told him to warn her before arriving? Damn it, she cursed mentally, do all men have death wishes or are they just plain stupid? “I thought I told you not to sneak in,”
The travel pod latched onto the air lock with a slight shudder that brought both men out of their thoughts. The additional delay due to the engine failure on Almir’s ship had done nothing to improve their moods whatsoever. Gritting his teeth, Beatty strode towards the armored observation deck. The damned bitch, he raged, she always did seem to have a flair for the dramatic also! There was nothing like having a drive failure to throw a wrench in his works! With an evil grin, he reflected upon the planning that Johansson, at his side as usual thank God, had put into eliminating her once and for all. No, he chuckled; there would be no escape this time, and he was going to enjoy it immensely when they told him Almir was dead! “A blind jump,” Johansson mumbled. “Damned woman is luckier then anyone I’ve ever seen!” “Luck,” Beatty snorted. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was the devil herself!” “Or that she sold her soul to him at the very least,”
The scream of the strained inertial dampeners was the first sign of trouble to Kate. Sitting straight up in her command chair, the bridge around her lurched. A load groan came from the bowels of the cruiser before the lights failed, leaving them in darkness. Moments later, the auxiliary lights came on at half intensity. Looking at the view screen, Kate could see that they had fallen from h-space into n-space. What had caused that to happen, she thought as her hand hit the stud on her command chair. They were still short of the outer marker for the Sol system, so this was not a good time for something to happen. “Engineering,” she said. “What just happened?” “It was the hyper drive,” Brooks said in a sad tone. “It just died; and I cannot repair it short of a full-fledged space dock.” “Do we have any propulsion?” “Just the thrusters, sir,” “What about power, chief?” Kate started to wonder about life support. “Will be able to keep our air clean?” “We’re not hurting for internal power,” Brooks said. “It’s just that we’re dead in space.” “Helm,” Kate said, keeping the line clear. “What is our location?” “We’re two light minutes short of the outer marker,” Williams said. “Understood,” Kate said. “And we have a zero chance of moving under our own power, Chief?” “None, Skipper,” Brooks was apologetic. “I’m sorry.” “Not you fault, Chief,” Kate rubbed her forehead. “You got us this far with as much damage as we took…be proud of that. Bridge out.” “Helm,” Kate sighed. “Call Space Dock and see if they can arrange a tow, please.” “Yes, Skipper,” Kate looked over at Paul and they both reflected each other’s opinion. Damaged or not, to have to get towed in from the outer marker was something they would never live down. With Fleet Captains being such a tight clique, anytime something happened to one, they all knew. And everyone would know about this before the day was out, Kate thought bitterly. “Skipper,” Williams said. “Space Dock has dispatched the tug Warlock to tow us in. Her ETA is six hours.” Leaning back in her command chair, Kate let herself stew in her frustrations again. None of this would have happened, she thought, if they had never received the damned distress call from the Toronto. If they hadn’t, then they would’ve been cruiser their assigned area in peace, and wouldn’t be sitting dead in space waiting for a tow! And if we hadn’t responded, she reminded herself with a sigh. None of us would know what was happening. “Understood,” she said. “And pass my regards to Captain Kennedy.” ### Six hours later the tug filled their view screen as she approached. Having already gone back to her quarters, Kate had caught a quick nap and a shower. Just because she had struggled the bring her command back, she thought, didn’t mean she was excused from looking presentable to Beatty and company when they reached space dock. And I know they’ll be waiting, Kate reminded herself. “Skipper,” Williams said. “Warlock reports ready to take us under tractor beam.” “Shut down all defensive systems,” Kate said. “All defensive systems and shielding shut down, Skipper,” Paul said. “Okay, helm,” Kate said. “Let Captain Kennedy know we’re ready.” Kate chewed on the inside of her lip as she watched the tug take them into tow. It was going to be a long trip back to earth at this rate, and there was no doubt the brass would be really angry when they saw her now! Oh well, she thought as she leaned back in her command chair, this is their doing in the first place, so they can get over it! “Message from Captain Kennedy, Skipper,” Williams said. “He says ‘enjoy the ride, it looks like you could use to relaxation.’” “Reply: ‘Definitely could use a vacation, Almir out,’” Kate chuckled softly at the other captain’s message. If only he knew how true his comment was! “Xo,” Kate said as she stood up from her command chair. “You have to conn, I’ll be in engineering.”
Sitting the book down beside her with a groan, Kate stretched out on the couch in her quarters. So far, everything had gone as smooth as expected on their cruise home. Yes, she thought to herself, it wasn’t the smoothest ride she had ever taken, but just to be able to bring her ship back was an accomplishment enough. What she wouldn’t give to see the faces of Beatty and company when they arrived after their best efforts to destroy them. That would be worth the price of admission, Kate thought with a chuckle. Turning her attention back to the ancient book she held in her hands, she let herself forget the troubles brewing around them. While the book itself was old, the plot and the story was more then enough to enthrall her attention. Edgar Allen Poe was the name of the author she was reading, and she found his gothic horror stories to be an entertaining read. Especially, she thought with a chuckle, when the horrors of the world around you more then matched his writing! “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,” Kate mumbled as she settled down into the poem. The Raven was a poem that fit her mood perfectly, she thought as she read through it. Somehow, she thought, the story was fitting for the world around them. Here you had one lonely man reading until the Raven came along to ultimately take him into his madness. Unfortunately, she reminded herself again, Reyes was the man who had taken her into the mouth of madness. Interrupting her train of thought, the chime on her door rang for her attention. She stretched like a cat as she reached for the com button at the head of the couch. Who would be coming by her quarters this late in the evening, she wondered. It was nearly 2330 hours for Christ sake! “Come,” The door slid aside with a swoosh sound to allow Loving to enter. A lopsided grin formed on Kate’s face as she placed her book on a table at the head of the couch. With a slow move, Kate moved herself back to a sitting position as her friend approached. To be coming to see her this late at night, Kate thought, something had to be on her mind. “Mind if I drop by?” she asked. “Isn’t it past your bedtime, Jennifer?” “I could say the same thing to you, Kate,” Loving said as she noticed the book Kate was reading. An eyebrow rose in surprise as she sat down across from Kate. “The complete works of Edgar Allen Poe…feeling a bit gothic today?” “I don’t know,” Kate said. “It doesn’t seem to be inappropriate.” “I could see how you would feel that way,” “You know Jennifer,” Kate said. “I love seeing you when you come by. However, at nearly midnight, there had to be something that made you want to see me.”
Les Paul rubbed the itching scar on his forehead absent-mindedly. With the advances in medical technology, the injuries he received wouldn’t leave a lasting scar. In fact, by the time they reached earth, the one on his forehead would be history. If only the second helm control board had blown, he mused. Staring at the nebula on the view screen, he lounged in the command chair. With the captain in her quarters, and the repairs underway, there was absolutely nothing for him to do while on the bridge. However, compared to the chaos of the battle they had escaped, the quiet was a nice reprieve. He sighed as he leaned back in the command chair, his mind drifting back to the events from the day before. Try as he might, there was nothing he could find that the Skipper could have done differently. They had entered the system expecting trouble, and had prepared accordingly. Every weapon on his board was online and ready, and the defensive grid was online too. Who in the world, he reflected, would have thought that a Victorious-class battle cruiser could be so stealthy? My God, she had already destroyed half their offensive weaponry before they had even known she was there! And what about the damned prototype they’re building back home, he thought with a grimace. He picked up a cup of coffee he had in the cup holder and he sipped at it. Well, he reminded herself, you signed up for an adventure; now you got one. See the stars, serve the Alliance, the recruiting posters liked to say. He was afraid he had seen the stars a bit too up close and personal on this mission; something he wouldn’t like to repeat anytime soon! “Sir,” Williams reported from the helm station. Since Marie was dead, and her station gone, he had to be the com officer along with helm now. “Chief Brooks reports that we should be getting main power back online in twelve hours.” “That’s good news,” he said as he hit the com stud on the command chair armrest. “Good work as usual, Chief. How long after that before we can depart for earth?” “It will be probably another twelve hours after that, XO,” Brooks said. “Do you want to inform the Skipper, or should I?” “I’ll take care of it,” Paul said. “XO, out.” “Skipper,” he said as the channel changed. “I hate to interrupt but the Chief says we will have main power again in twelve hours. In twenty fours hours we’ll be able to make way for Earth.” “Thank you for the news, XO,” Kate’s voice sounded strong, firm and in control again. “Then we can worry about making the bastards pay…”
“You’re awake, Skipper,” Looking over to see Reynolds moving through the room, Kate forced herself into a sitting position. It was a surprise to feel her right arm moving after the blow it had taken. Repairing it must have taken some work for the doctor, she reflected, especially with the amount of wounded the probably had sustained. “I feel like a truck ran over me,” Kate mumbled as she went to stand up. “But I’ll live.” The first step she took felt like it lasted a million years. Her knees nearly betrayed her as they gave way under her. This is going to be fun, she mused, as she reached out to steady herself with a hand. Looking up at Reynolds, she could see the doctor staring at her with concern. “I’ll be fine,” she growled. “You shouldn’t be up yet,” Reynolds said. “I have a ship to take care of,” Kate countered a she stood back up and took a few tentative steps before she started moving with her normal stride. “How many casualties?” she asked the Doctor, as she looked toward the filled beds in critical. “One hundred fifty are dead,” Reynolds said as her eyes drifted to the floor. “Twenty are critical, and thirty are stable.” “That’s half the crew,” Kate breathed as she closed her eyes to the enormity of the butcher’s bill. “At least your math skills are still there, Skipper,” Reynolds said. Without a word, she stared to walk towards the intensive care section. These were the people who had given their all for her, and she refused to turn her back on them. Half the crew dead of injured, she mused, all because she had to go chasing after the truth like Captain Ahab and his white whale! Entering the quiet room, she looked over each bed individually. Sometimes she found herself wincing at the injuries that Reynolds’ staff had treated. Each time she looked at a bed, it felt like an indictment on her leadership. Wiping a tear away from her cheek, she continued to go to each bed in order. If only I had done my job better, she told herself. Then these people wouldn’t be injured like they were! Stopping before the bed of a gunnery officer, Kate felt her stomach drop to her feet. The woman before her wasn’t any older then she was, in fact she was probably younger, and her injuries were severe. Missing sections on her arms and legs, her body looked like a shell of its original self. She was such a pretty young woman, Kate mused as she remembered seeing her in the mess hall, and look at her now! “What’s her prognosis, Lisa?” Kate asked softly. “With the advances that Matthews made,” Reynolds said. “We should be able to replace the segments of her limbs she lost with cybernetics.” “And be a freak like me…” “You’re alive aren’t you, Kate?” Reynolds said. “It’s time to quit throwing the pity party, damn it! You gave your best!” “And I got beat…”
Brooks sighed as her helmet visor fogged over for the thousandth time. Around her the blue lights of the arc welders danced like bulbs on a Christmas tree. Somehow, she mused, the skipper had them make a blind jump…and it had worked! How it had worked, Brooks didn’t want to contemplate, nor did she want to try to count the odds of it being successfully repeated again. Kate has always had a knack for the impossible, she told herself as she watched her crew working. However, where we emerged had been even more convenient for all of us too! While the blind jump had been a stroke of luck in and of itself, where they emerged had been even luckier still. Whoever said that Kate Almir didn’t have luck on her side wouldn’t have known her very well at all. Emerging on the outskirts of a massive gaseous nebula, they had been able to limp in to commence repairs without worrying about anyone finding them. And thank God for that too, Brooks thought at he crews worked to patch the holes in engineering. There had been plenty of damage to go around for sure, but she needed engineering up and functioning before even thinking about tackling the rest of the damage. Whoever had been commanding that damned battle cruiser, Brooks reminded herself, had been fiendishly clever on where he had hit them. God, it was going to take days to get ready to limp back to Earth! Turning away from the work crews, the giant engines were dark before her. The constant kaleidoscopes of light from the annihilation that powered the engines being missing made her soul feel cold. After spending so many years working around it, she mused, to not see it always made a ship feel more dead then alive. It was as it someone had ripped the very heart of the vessel out and not replaced it. We’ll get you back up and running around in no time, she thought to the ship itself.
“Helm!” Kate snapped. “Get us the hell out of here!” “Coming about, Skipper!” Williams shouted of the din of damage reports coming into the bridge. Suddenly, the entire bridge leapt like it was trying to commit a high jump. All lighting to the room went dark and there was a horrible screeching and rending sound as the starboard side bulkhead ripped open to space. The damage control force fields reacted as quick as they could, but not before Kate watched, with a horrified expression, as Marie and her entire station were sucked into space. Screams reached Kate’s ears as splinters of metal went shooting across the bridge. A large one struck Malone, decapitating him, and sending a spray of blood across the bridge, the blue lighting of the force fields making it visible. Another piece of metal landed in the controls beside Williams, sending them up in a shower of sparks that sent him to the deck. A second piece of metal went racing across the bridge, slicing the environmental controls officer in half. Paul started to gag as he tried to wipe the blood and bodily matter from the unfortunate ensign from his face. Spitting, he tried to clear his mouth as Kate glanced back towards the view screen. The damned battle cruiser was eating them for lunch; they need to get out of there! Seeing that someone needed to be on the helm, Kate leaped to her feet. She took a step forwards before a huge fist slammed into her right shoulder and then into her temple. The impact sent her to the deck, blood running down into her right eye. Trying to get back to her feet, she saw the main power come back online as Paul raced over to the helm. “Jump,” she whispered, feeling unconsciousness drawing her into its steely grip. “Jump…”
“Sir!” Malone said with fear in his voice. “The forward fusion reactors are going critical.” “Eject!” “The mechanisms are damaged, sir!” ### Down in the forward fusion reactor control room, Jordan Frye knew he was dead. The weapons that had struck them, it was weapons he was sure about that at least, had taken out the compartments fore and aft of his. A resulting rain of splinters had torn through his compartment, killing the Lieutenant in charge, and leaving him bleeding from a gash in his side. However, the damage caused by the splinters had been even worse to the reactor. Having cut every safety and cooling line to the reactor, it was starting to go critical, and there was no way for the bridge to eject it-or his compartment. The only way the ship was going to survive was if he managed to do something about it, wounded or not. Grasping the control panel in a blood soaked hand, Frye drug himself up to a standing position. A cry of pain escaped his lips as he felt damaged internal organs moving around inside him. There were only seconds to move, he mused, both for the ship and for himself. Spotting the red emergency eject button, he reached for it with the remainder of his strength. It was certain death; however, he wasn’t doing to fool himself into thinking he had a chance to survive. No, he would’ve died whether or not he it the button or not…Fate had decided that for him. However, he thought with pride. I did see combat and I’ve managed to save my ship, and my captain…my captain! How cool is that for a seventeen-year-old kid to do? Depressing the button, he collapsed to the deck, the sound of the explosive charges ejecting his compartment into space echoing in his ears. Fry closed his eyes to everything, and knew nothing anymore.
Brooks felt an invisible hand grab her from behind and slam her to the deck. A horrible roaring sound struck her ears, as did the screams of her crew. With a loud pop, she felt her ears equalize as the pressure in the room dropped. There was only one thing that could cause that, she realized. Hull breach! Her stunned mind was still trying to make sense of what was happening. A loud screaming sound of escaping air was cut off as the damage control force fields snapped into place. The lighting, which had been strong moments before, started to flicker as main power fluctuated in its delivery. Crawling to her feet, she could feel the blood running down her cheek from a cut that she had sustained. “Report!” “We have taken a hit from frame three fifty to three sixty!” Lieutenant Wilson Groves, her top assistant, yelled to her. Before she could reply, smoke started to fill the air from destroyed circuitry. Grabbing an air mask and portable air tank, Brooks slipped the mask over her face; the tank went onto her belt. With the flick of her wrist, she started to breathe clean, fresh air. She needed to know how badly they were hurt before she could do anything else. The screams of the wounded reached her ears as she struggled to make her way to the power control boards. Being near the epicenter of the hit, they had been the heaviest damaged parts of the engineering section. Whoever hit them; Brooks reflected with rage, they knew exactly where to hit them! “Main power is barely on, sir!” Ensign Tina Jenkins said as she worked the blood soaked board. Behind her, the mutilated bodies of the engineers assigned to the board lie on the decking. The blue lighting of the force field glowed behind them, a safety net that couldn’t fail unless every piece of energy of the ship died. “Do what you can to keep it up,” Brooks snapped. “The Skipper will need it!”
Kate stared at the holovid for long minutes, her mind blank. Inside, hidden by her calm demeanor, she raged at the information she had read. The Benham had been ordered to the system as a lamb to slaughter! President Carver, and his associates, had made contact with an Alien race known as the Treybis, and they had tested weaponry of theirs that Fleet had installed on a battle cruiser. Janice didn’t stand a f****** chance, Kate raged as stood up. With a scream, she swiped everything off the desktop in her anger. Jabbing a fist down, and through the desktop with her bionic strength, Kate snapped, her fury knowing now bounds. The bastards, she exploded with frenzied energy, they are so going to pay for this betrayal! Fleet command had sold out the honor, and respect of everyone in the service all for trying to gain, and keep, power over the entire Alliance! Damn them all to eternal hell! Leaning back against the wall of the office, Kate felt herself sliding down to the floor. Her rage had burnt itself out, only to be replaced by a soul draining sadness. Weeping for the loss of her friend, and the loss of the truth she had so believed in, Kate buried her face in her hands. Everything she had built her life upon, she reflected, had been a lie, a manipulation of others! How did one keep going after learning such as that? Silently, she cried, cried and cried as the pain washed over her in waves…
Kate looked like a bloodied demon from hell as she strode down the dim corridors of the station. After Paul had announced they had entered the computer banks, she had flown straight down without taking time to change her flight suit. Stained with the blood of the victims of the Benhem, it served as an open reminder to everyone just who, and what, they were dealing with. The echo of her footfall sounded depressingly alone in the empty corridors as she let her mind wander. Nothing would matter to her more then the find the people who had murdered Janice Long. The people inside Fleet and outside of it, she fumed, were to be brought to justice for the crimes they had committed. If it cost her life to achieve the goal, then so be it, but they couldn’t be allowed to walk away! So busy was Kate in her thoughts, she hardly noticed when Loving appeared at her side. She noted with a raised eyebrow, the stunned expression that Loving had. Kate could read her thoughts over the blood on her flight suit as they walked in silence. “You said you remember everything?” Loving said, breaking the silence. “Every damn bit of it,” Kate said as she rounded a corner. “The bast****!” “Kate,” Loving grabbed her arm. “Wait a second!” Whirling around to face her friend, Kate’s eyes blazed with the anger and determination that she felt. How could anyone question what she wanted to do now? They weren’t onboard the Benham, they didn’t see what these people had done! No, she had a mission to complete now and she wasn’t going to quit until it was completed-even if it killed her! “What should I wait for?” she demanded. “So the people who have tried to kill me, or raped my mind, can do it again?” “I understand,” Loving said. “I really do, but we need to slow down and approach this more carefully.” “Can’t you see?” Kate yelled, tear nearly welling up in her eyes. “Don’t you get it? We’re caught between two opposing forces diametrically opposed to each other-and they both want power. Yes, Fleet and the government are behind this-and the attempts on my life! However, Reyes mind-f***** me for the purpose of using me as his weapon to defeat his enemies! Lost in the middle of all of this is what is right for Kate? What is right for the Alliance?”
