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We were one day away from leaving when the the newest squad member checked in. The tall, blonde woman, dressed in a blue uniform, saluted as she walked to my desk.
“Geneva Alesong reporting, sir.”
“Ms. Alesong. Ryvenbark’s Raiders are taking a small trip and I’d like you to drive.”
“It will be my pleasure, sir.”
“I’ve read your resume and the comments about you from other officers. Are you as good as they say you are?”
“Slightly better, sir.”
I grinned. “You’ll fit right in. I see you volunteered. Did you want to be a part of the Raiders?”
She smiled. “Every military man or woman wants to be a part of the Raiders. They’re the finest. Para-military, but still the finest. It is said that with time and with a little cash incentive, there’s nothing they can’t do.”
“I hope that’s true. This mission may test that statement. Glad to have you with us, Ms. Alesong.”
I offered my hand. She shook it.
“Alesong? Did you have a relative in the military? A... Ben...?”
“Barry, sir. My brother. We come from a military family.”
“I recall meeting him. How is he doing?”
“Very well. Like you, sir, he’s a major now.”
“He’s young for a major.”
“So are you, sir.”
I laughed. “A member of the squad told me recently that he enjoys flattery. I guess I do to. Welcome to the Raiders, Geneva. We’re glad you joined us.”
“Thanks. I am very happy to be here.”
“The first thing you need to do is acquaint yourself with the Patton. We’ll be heading out in a day. Will that give you enough time?”
“More than enough time.” She gave an impish smile. “That’s because I’m slightly better than my reputation.”
“I don’t doubt it. The trip shouldn’t take that long. The excitement comes when we get there.”
Two thousand miles away from the sphere I stared at it on the ship’s screen. It hadn’t change an iota from the last time I had looked at it. Silent and deadly. Moving steadily but slowly through space. Oblivious to everything around it. Stars shone behind it; flickering spots of white and light blue in the blackness of space.
The red sun of the solar system also shone in the distance. For a moment I wondered if we could somehow push the thing into a sun. No matter how hard the outer shell was, the fury of a sun would destroy it. Nothing could withstand a solar explosion. The builders would have to start again and I guess it had taken a long time to build the first one. The problem was I had no idea how the Patton and Greene could edge the sphere into the sun. There was going to have to be another way to stop its relentless progress.
Two hours later I took my first inspection of the Patton. As I roamed down the spotless, shining corridors, I told myself I’d send a compliment to the engineers. But to be honest, one starship looks a great deal like every other one, both inside and out. I had a comfortable chair on the bridge and a good crew. But I did find the last member of Ryvenbark's Raiders in the medical office.
“Where have you been, major? I’ve been expecting you,” Dr. Charlotte ‘Cricket’ Longmount said.
‘Been expecting you.’ Sort of sneaked up on me.
“I passed by your office earlier today and you looked so busy I thought I’d say hello later. Hello.”
“I hope we won’t need your services on this trip.”
“Hope so too,” she said. “But it’s always good having me around.”
Charlotte is a tall lady. Almost six-three with ragged black hair and a bedside manner that would drive more traditional doctors up the wall. Although in her case, she uses her battlefield manner more than bedside manner. No one ever wants to get shot or lasered or suffer from any of the other infinite ways of getting wounded in space. But we know it can happen. All the Raiders get a profound sense of security knowing Dr. Longmount is traveling with us. A few of us are fair to middling singers. The good doctor doesn’t sing, but she did attend dance school while also in medical school. When she’s not mending bodies, she looks like beauty personified when spinning on a dance floor.
“We take off in two hours?” she asked.
“Yes, we’re heading out. The trip shouldn’t take long. It should be very uneventful. But when we arrive at our destination we may see a little action.”
“I’m ready,” she said.