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“They’re definitely on a course back home, Skipper,” reported Ensign Skaggs.
“Good. Did we get any useful readings while we were in the neighborhood of Alpha Phoenicis?”
“We recorded everything we could,” said Wilder from Tactical. “Our closest approach was about a light month; call it 800 billion kilometers.”
“Anything interesting?”
Wilder was clearly out of her depth but pushed on regardless. “Confirmation of the system composition. It’s a binary star: one orange giant, fifteen times the diameter of Sol; one white dwarf, one quarter the diameter of Sol. No planets, but a fair amount of junk.”
“So not a destination we would have chosen.”
“No, Ma’am.”
“Well, I’m sure the Science Division back home will be excited to get the data. Thank you, Lieutenant.”
Home.
Three weeks into this chase, the idea of home was weighing heavily on the crew. The minor design oversights were looming larger and larger the longer their mission extended. She’d been keeping a log of improvements to the basic design for submission to Hecate for consideration for the next generation ships. Exploration might never be their purpose, but having a convenient home base to return to every couple days was also a luxury easily lost.
Now she had the long run home to look forward to. Over the past week they had replaced the langasite crystals twice more, each time dropping out of warp for nearly an hour as the finicky, if straightforward, procedure was completed. Both times they’d been able to pick up the trail of the Artemesian ship without much difficulty, information which would be invaluable once they got home. Which got Chloe thinking.
“Ensign, you have the conn.” Technically, Lieutenant Wilder should have been placed in command, but after three weeks of pursuit things had become routine and Chloe wanted to give all of her bridge officers a chance to be officially ‘in charge.’ She believed it would pay off in their abilities and growth, in the end.
“Aye, Ma’am. I have the conn.” Skaggs waited while Chloe exited the bridge, then settled into the command chair, her console’s controls fed to the subsystem built into the arm.
Engineering was a place of relative calm today, with another maintenance item behind them and KC’s crew doing their usual sterling job.
“Engineer, can I have a word with you?”
If Wardell was surprised by her Captain’s appearance in Engineering she didn’t show it.
“Certainly, Captain. My office?”
“That would be nice.”
Once they were settled, Wardell said, “Is there a problem?”
“Not at all. I thought today’s changeover went quite smoothly.”
“Thank you, Captain. I’ll pass that on to my crew.” She sat back and waited. She didn’t have to wait long.
“KC, what if we overtook the al-Battani before we changed the crystal?”
“What do you mean, Captain?”
“Well, when we changed the first crystal, I know we were running on the ragged edge of failure and we couldn’t push the system hard.”
“No,” agreed Wardell. “I did an analysis, and we were less than fifteen minutes from a full-blown decrystallization failure.”
“That sounds bad.”
“Think of a diamond turning to dust as you’re looking at it.”
“Definitely bad.”
“While thousands of volts are running through it.”
“I got it.”
Wardell relented. “But that was a crystal which was at over 200% of its rated life. I’d feel confident pushing a crystal hard, even if it’s at or near 100% of rating.”
“I hoped you’d say something along those lines. See, the al-Battani has kept to a straight-line course, first on the leg toward Eridani, then to Alpha Phoenicis, and now we’re on course for home. There’s nothing in-line between here and about ten light-years from Sol, so I don’t anticipate any alterations to their course.”
“I think I’m following you.”
“If we accelerate past them, far enough so we’re an hour ahead, then do the changeover, shouldn’t we be in the near vicinity of their course when we’re ready to re-enter warp?”
“I’m not a navigator, but what you’re saying seems to make sense.”
“My question, then, is can the crystal handle the increased speed?”
“I’ll repeat my answer. I feel confident pushing a crystal hard as long as we’re not over 100% of rated time. Besides, you’re not talking really pushing the drive. We managed to catch them again barely touching warp five.”
“Good. Maybe we won’t have quite as much anxiety on the way home.”
“Be nice. Anything else, Captain?”
“No,” Chloe said, standing to leave. “I’ll keep you in the loop.”
*
“ARE YOU SURE THIS IS safe?” Nicole asked, fastening the harness.
“I haven’t crashed yet,” said Kendra by way of an answer.
“You’re not doing anything to reassure me.”
“I thought you could use some time away from Luna,” Kendra said. “I know it’s maybe not the ideal moment, with the speech tomorrow and the announcement, but you’ve been working hard. Besides, the view from one of these has to be seen to be believed.”
As she talked she worked her way through the prelaunch checklist, communicating with Brie through her ‘plant.
“Ready?”
“Try to be gentle,” said Nicole with a hint of a smile.
“Don’t crush the Minister. I can do that. Tycho Control, this is Direwolf 1314, requesting clearance.”
“Skies are clear, Direwolf 1314, you are cleared.”
“Thank you. Hold on.”
Despite Kendra’s seeming casualness, this flight had been carefully prepared in the limited time she had. Most of Wolf Squadron was strung out in a protective corridor which extended past Venus in-system, and Endeavour was two light- minutes North of Luna to track their Direwolf from a distance. Nobody was getting through.
“Launching.”
A giant’s hand pushed them both back into their seats. Kendra had done a standard military lift-off, fifty percent power, and even through the improved compensators they were subjected to two g. For Kendra, having grown up on Earth, it was uncomfortable; for Nicole, having grown up on Luna, it was torment, despite her nanobots’ adjustments.
“You planning to ease off anytime soon?” Nicole managed to grunt a few minutes later.
“Nope,” said Kendra. “I can, but I’d need to kick us up to full throttle for about ten minutes before I can rein it in.”
“How bad?”
“Five g.”
“Ten minutes?”
“Brie? Am I right?”
The AI’s bright voice filled the cockpit. “Close enough. Nine minutes fifty-two point eight seconds, then you can throttle back. If you want to maintain your schedule.”
“You heard the woman,” Kendra said. “You game?”
“I can take it if you can.”
Kendra shrugged in her harness. “Then here we go.”
She pushed the throttle full forward and held it.
How’s she doing? she commed to Brie.
Heartrate elevated but steady. She’s not enjoying this.
She’s not supposed to. Diana, you monitoring?
Yes, Admiral.
Nine minutes and change later, right on cue, Kendra pulled the throttle back down to 200 g acceleration. Breathing her own sigh of relief, she said, “Still with me?”
“Ugh. Why do you do this?”
“It’s fun!”
“Fun?”
Kendra laughed. “I used to drive my car flat-out across the desert for a good time. Speed was pitiful compared to this, but the feel of the ground beneath the wheels? Nothing like it. Nowadays, this is the best I can do.”
“Level with me, Kendra. Why did you drag me into space?”
“I told you, give you time away from Luna.”
“Damn it, Kendra, why won’t you tell me?”
To Nicole’s horror, Kendra turned around to face her without slowing the ship.
“I am telling you!” she blasted back, her voice magnified by the suit. “I’m telling you everything I can, against the advice of others I might add, because I trust you and believe in you!”
She turned her attention back to the controls and Nicole pondered what she’d said.
“What else can you tell me?” she finally asked.
“I shouldn’t have told you this much,” Kendra muttered. “Probably get me in trouble.”
“From whom?” laughed Nicole. “You’re the head of the most powerful organization in the System!”
“I still have to listen to others; something I’ve learned, the hard way, over the past couple years.”
They flew in silence for a while.
“Where are we going?” Nicole finally asked. “You obviously have a destination in mind.”
“I thought a quick loop around Venus. It’s just past opposition, and it’s gorgeous from orbit.”
“Venus?” Nicole squeaked. “I’ve never been farther than, well, Njord!”
“I checked, yeah. Unlike Davie, you didn’t spend any time hopping out to the other Union members, and you haven’t gone anywhere since you joined us. So, Venus. I’ve heard Mars is nicer, but I don’t feel like taking on the Martian Navy solo, and Jupiter’s just too far away to reach in a Direwolf. Quickly, at least. Venus is only about ninety minutes at our current speed.”
“So I get a personal tour?”
“More or less. Plus, well. There’s this thing.”
“What thing? The thing you won’t tell me?”
Kendra nodded, then realized Nicole might not be able to tell. “Yes.”
“Why am I feeling a little insecure?”
“I don’t know, Nicole. Why are you feeling a little insecure? You have anything you want to tell me?”
“Tell you?” Nicole’s confusion, fear, and frustration suddenly coalesced into anger again. “Kendra, stop playing games and just ask the fucking question!”
“Who are you talking to in Artemis City?” Kendra’s tone was flat and as dispassionate as she could manage, balancing out Nicole’s bark.
“Nobody!”
“You want to think a little longer?”
“No. I can count to zero real quick.”
Diana?
She’s telling the truth, Admiral. All of her physiological indicators are consistent with her baseline measurements.
Good. Keep an ear out.
“I believe you. Now, who do you think would want to make me think you were contacting Artemis?”
Nicole’s answer was slower, more considered. “Within Free Luna, or the Federation?”
“Hmm. Either. Both.”
“Well. I’m not sure. I really don’t think anyone on Njord has any reason to frame me, and most of them are pretty solidly loyal to you. In Free Luna, though, I suppose it could be just about anyone. Nobody really knows me, except maybe Autumn a little, and has no reason to trust me. On the other hand, they have no reason not to, either. Tell me what’s going on; maybe knowing the situation will give me an idea.”
Kendra did so, as briefly and factually as she could.
“But I don’t have a padd,” Nicole objected when Kendra finished.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t have one. I had one on Njord, yes, but I didn’t bring it with me, and I’ve only used fixed and portable terminals, plus my implant, since arriving. You can ask Mike.”
“Let’s.” Kendra flipped the comms to reach Luna. “Direwolf 1314, I need to speak to Mike.”
“How can I help, Kendra?” said the AI instantly.
“Mac said you had confirmed the information about the transmissions from Nicole’s padd.”
The AI didn’t answer immediately. When he did, it was through Kendra’s implant.
Admiral, Nicole Crozier is currently in the cockpit with you. Should you be discussing this aloud?
Kendra answered vocally. “Yes, Mike, and you will too.”
“Yes, Admiral. I confirmed the information.”
“That the transmissions had been sent from Nicole’s padd?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“To Artemis City. Mike, don’t make me drag it out of you.”
“Yes, Admiral. I confirmed that the padd belonging to Nicole Crozier was used to make the transmissions to Artemis City, and then inexpertly wiped clean of data.”
“But I don’t have a padd, I didn’t bring one!” insisted Nicole.
“The padd in question is registered to you, Ms. Crozier.”
“It’s not my padd!” she said, hotly.
“Whoa, whoa.” Kendra interceded. “Mike, how do we know it’s her padd?”
“It is registered to her.”
“How? When?”
“The padd was registered to Nicole Crozier on 17 July, 2119.”
“Last year?” Kendra’s face twisted in puzzlement.
“Correct.”
“While she was still Minister of War?”
“Correct.”
“But I didn’t bring anything with me when Chief Stone pulled me out of Artemis City!”
Kendra was nodding again. “Right, I know. I was there when your Wolf landed, remember? Mike, can you trace the movement of the padd?”
“No, Admiral; records are incomplete. There are a number of entries logged as originating from the padd from the period July 2119 to January 2120, but then it disappears from records.”
“Because I left it behind!”
“Hold on,” Kendra said. The picture was starting to clear. “Mike, who was the contact between Free Luna and the Ministry of War, after Nicole’s escape?”
“Mistress Sharon Novak and Minister Jacob Taylor were in frequent, if indirect, contact until his defection on July 4th.”
“Is there any record of Novak receiving actual items from Taylor? Documents, equipment, that sort of thing?”
“Checking. Three shipments were sent from Taylor to Novak in the lunars in discussion.”
“Got it!” She slammed her hand on the controls.
“What?”
“Jake sent your papers and other records, other plans, to Novak, to help her prepare for the Revolution. It’s the only way they could have stayed a jump ahead of MinSec and MinInt. I’ll bet he packed up your padd as something they might have found useful.”
“It doesn’t work, Kendra,” Nicole said. “My padd was locked to my ID. Even if they had it, and I suppose they did, they couldn’t use it.”
“Exactly!”
“Huh?”
“They got the pad but couldn’t use it, so Novak put it away. Sometime later, we don’t know when, another person retrieved it, cracked the security, and started using it to contact Artemis. Mike, how far back did you find traces?”
“Three lunars, Admiral.”
Kendra’s grin was triumphant. “Which proves it can’t be Nicole!”
“I concur, Admiral. I will inform –”
“No!” Her sharp command stopped Mike in mid-sentence. “Inform nobody. We still don’t know who it is.”
She put the Direwolf into a turn. “Better strap in tight, Nicole. We’re doing a full-speed run back to Luna.”
“Oh, no,” she muttered but started pulling the belts tight. “So now what?”
“Now I get to do what I used to do best.”