Annals of the Keepers: War 267 (Book 1 in the Gashnee Saga) (4 page)

Data Cell 4

The mist of
the sonic sprays enveloped Kason. His hands rested on the cool blue surface within the shower chamber of his room onboard the
Orion’s Rage
. The water ran down the top of his shoulder-length black hair.

Kason sighed as he felt the last of the battle drugs wear off. The nausea after hyper-accelerated combat on the outpost would soon be followed by intense hunger as his body demanded nourishment.

“System. Sonic wash off. Commence full heat dry,” Kason snapped to the computer.

A quick double beep acknowledged his command. “Sonic wash off. Commencing full heat dry.”

The heated air
whooshed
over Kason’s body, drying him from the gel wash that removed the grime of combat.

He arched his back, leaving the surface of the shower wall. Kason stepped out into his room and approached a bench to sit on.

He reached for a Mlaxtin-Protein bar. He took a bite, though his mind was elsewhere-with Ramek-- and not on food.

Kason winced again with another bite. He tossed what was left of the remaining bar on the table next to him.

How could this have happened to Ramek?

Unless there was a Kryth twice his size with twice the prowess, they wouldn’t stand a chance against him, or any Reaver for that matter.

Kason sat, deep in thought, wondering about the events which brought Ramek down. He knew his suit’s readings would hold the answers and they would soon have them, with the help of Doctor Solome.

Kason just couldn’t get over all the mistakes made on the mission.

A double beep came from the door to his room. “Keeper Alon Renske awaits your presence, Captain,” the computer chimed.

Kason was angry with himself for Ramek and letting the Cuukzen escape. “Why, damn it!” he said through clenched teeth.

The computer beeped. “Please repeat last command.”

“Nothing,”

Then, on the heels of Kason speaking his thoughts aloud, the computer toned again.

“Please repeat last comm . . .”

Kason cut the computer off. “System, stop. Tell Keeper Renske I will be with him in a moment.”

The computer beeped twice, acknowledging his command.

Kason turned and approached the dressing area to don himself in his Reaver officer uniform. He would have many more opportunities to think about what happened aboard Dalyth outpost later.

The doors to Kason’s room parted, he exited and stepped out into the corridor.

He spotted his good friend and mentor, Keeper Alon Renske, leaning back against the bulkhead, no doubt waiting for him.

Kason approached his older, gray-haired friend.

The two men embraced. Kason spoke first. “It’s good to see you again, my friend.”

With a warm smile, his hands resting on the sides of Kason’s shoulders, the Keeper replied, “Indeed. It’s always good to see you, Kason.”

The Keeper paused, glancing over Kason’s officer’s uniform.

The all-black uniform fit Kason’s frame well, the Keeper thought. The jacket was tapered to the waist from the broad shoulders. The button-less collar held tight to Kason’s neck. Silver stitching ringed the top of the collar ending in a “V” cut in the front. Each side had a small silver emblem, one of the rank and one of the Reaver regiment’s crest. The black pants tapered and tucked into black combat deck boots. The only color, other than the silver-lined coiler and the small emblems, was the red regimental Reaver sash worn on the waist band. 

“I like the new uniforms. For someone who got out of combat a few hours ago, you look much better than I do, and I only write for a living,” Alon said.

Kason smiled back at his friend. “But don’t I always look good?”

“And modest.”

“You’re looking good, yourself, Keeper. Not wearing the long ‘bath’ robes anymore?” Kason teased.

Alon chuckled. “No, we no longer wear ‘bath’ robes. We Keepers also updated our attire. You approve?”

Kason’s hand went to his chin. He looked deep in thought, and then quipped, “Is that a long skirt below the waist, there?”

The light brown, long sleeved outfit tapered from a jacket to the waist, which then flared out to an outer skirt around the pants.

“It’s a skirt-type, ‘bath’ robe. Do you mind if I borrow your hand towel?” Alon gestured to Kason’s sash.

The two men smiled.

“I concede, Keeper.”

The men began to move through the corridor together.

The inside of the
Orion’s Rage
did not look like warships of past, Kason noted.

Its corridors were of clean black metal arranged in rounded triangular arch supports. The walls, ceiling, and floor were clear of any conduits or electrical tubing. The clean metal finish stood out by recessed white lighting on the ceiling and outer lower edges of the center deck plating. White frosted glass terminals intersected door entrances and major crossways.

A mag-lev sled with equipment passed in front of Kason and Alon from another adjacent corridor.

“How’s Ramek?” Alon asked.

“He’s stable. Doctor Solome is running tests.”

“Do you know what happened to him?”

“Not yet. We’re still reviewing his battle suit’s recordings, but he may have had a run-in with a Kryth Mahr commando we didn’t know was on the outpost.” Kason took a breath. “It was supposed to be a flawless mission, Alon.”

The Keeper walked alongside Kason, his arms behind his back, Alon measured his words. “We weren’t going to solve the riddle of the Kryth invasion with one mission, Kason. We’ve been searching for the last two centuries and have only gleaned bites of intel on why the Kryth did what they did to our species all those years ago. I know all mission parameters are important to you. And I know you don’t take these to heart, but you must be measured in your expectations regarding the Reaver Regiments, Kason.”

Kason’s face tensed.

He knew the words the Keeper spoke were true, yet he still struggled with the notion that his team did not perform without error.

They came to a stop near a large arched door.

Kason was lost in thought, and Alon -- knowing Kason better than he knew himself -- placed a hand on the Reaver’s shoulder.

“Free your mind as I taught you, Kason. There will be a time later to contemplate missions past and what you could or should have done differently. If you come back from a mission, you are able to do these self-reflections, but only if you come back, which everyone did in this instance, including Ramek. Think more of what you and your team have accomplished, Kason. It’s a great achievement.”

Kason raised his eyes to be even with his friend’s. “You always know the right words to say, Alon.”

Alon smiled, pointing towards the large door awaiting the two men.

“I should, as your superiors await us for debriefing.”

“Thanks for the talk.” Kason patted his friend on the back as the two men entered the room.

∞∞∞

Shenta Parejas looked up from his seat at the head of the table towards the open sliding door.

Kason saw Shenta Parejas look up from his seat at the head of the table, towards the opening sliding door, as he and Alon entered. 

“Close report.” The small holographic image in front of Shenta flashed out on his command.

The other four officers seated near commander Parejas studied their own various holographic reports. The multiple holographic projections lit the entire length of the conference table in a myriad of colors.

Jesan Takkar sat next to Shenta’s left discussing the performance of the fleet’s ships with his counterpart, Nevlen Bossarios, who sat across from him. Jesan was First Rank Commander of the fleet’s starships. Nevlen was of the same rank, commanding the fleet’s ground forces. Both men occupied considerable positions of power within the Ordinance but still fell under the direct command of Shenta Parejas, Commander of the Ordinance forces and the fleet in its entirety. 

Doctor Solome brushed a light hair out of her face as she studied her medical reports, seemingly oblivious to the loud conversation between Jesan and Nevlen.

Seated next to Jesan, she had probably grown accustomed to the often-heated confrontations between the two commanders.

Lieutenant Commander Droe Temin stood and greeted the Keeper Alon, motioning him to sit in the empty chair between her and Nevlen Bossarios.

She ignored Kason Bender.             

Kason stepped up behind her. “Hello, Lieutenant. Commander Temin.”

Now acknowledged, she had to respond. She turned her head in his direction. “Captain Bender.”

Kason found his seat across the table from Droe.

Nevlen stopped his conversation with Jesan to glare at Kason.

Alon winked across the table at Doctor Solome, who smiled back at him at some shared private joke. 

The holographic displays winked out as all present turned to face Ordinance Commander Parejas.

Shenta’s short, white hair contradicted his age. For the past seventy years, Parejas was still the youngest fleet commander in the Ordinance’s history. He was still in his physical prime.  Broad shoulders filled his uniform. Not as mine, Kason thought, but only slightly less.

Parejas swept his pale gray eyes over the assembled officers.

Droe Temin fidgeted in her chair. She seemed nervous.

Kason sensed that he was the cause of her discomfort. Whether she was angry, irritated, or afraid, he could not say. Kason made a mental note to ask Alon about her emotional state later. Alon could discern the mental and emotional state of everyone in this room with ease.

He noticed Doctor Solome was relaxed, but that was expected. She was the medical officer for Kason’s Reaver team and didn’t delve into anything that wasn’t science.

Commander Jesan Takkar smiled at Kason, his teeth bright against his black skin, and inclined a friendly nod in his direction. Kason nodded in return towards the fleet commander whom he liked and respected. 

Kason returned the cold stare he received from Nevlen Bossarios, Jesan’s counterpart.

Commander Nevlen did not hide his dislike of Kason, confirmed as he burst out, “Commander Parejas, shall we proceed with the debriefing now that all parties are finally present?” Nevlen addressed the room in general, but obviously meant it for Kason. “I’ve got a thousand tasks and precious little time to waste.” 

Captain Takkar laughed. “Join the club, Nevlen. We’re all just as busy as the next. Delegate, man.”

The remark caused a few chuckles around the table.

Nevlen glared across the table at Takkar and muttered, “I don’t even see why he has to be here,” indicating Kason. “It’s all in the reports.”

“Reports are fine,” Parejas said, thrusting his remark in before Nevlen had the chance to say anything else, “but we need more than numbers, extrapolations, and conjecturing,” he continued. “We know much about the Kryth Mahr but have had no actual contact with them until now. Kason Bender and his Reaver team, as you are aware, completed their mission aboard the Kryth Mahr outpost named Dalyth Point at 1430 standard time.”

All present in the room knew what the mission parameters had been. Parejas’s statement was only for the records. Parejas continued. “I requested Kason Bender’s presence to enhance our current information. Lieutenant Commander Temin, please give us a brief overview of the mission.” 

Kason heard Commander Nevlen blow his breath through clenched teeth, annoyed at the redundancy of this debriefing.

All of the senior staff officers present had followed the mission in real time aboard the
Orion’s Rage
from the tactical command center on the bridge. 

Parejas looked at Commander Nevlen, then to Droe, before speaking again. “Lieutenant Commander, include the information omitted from the official record.” 

Nevlen’s eyes narrowed at Parejas.

Lt. Commander Droe Temin stood up and keyed a larger holographic projector to life.

She spoke with clarity.

“The mission to neutralize Dalyth Point in sector S12D4 began at 1300 standard hours. The Reaver team, led by Kason Bender, infiltrated at 1304. Levels one, two, six and seven were cleared by 1345. Level three, by 1400. Primary and most, but not all secondary objectives were achieved by 1410. The mission ended by 1430. The data core was taken intact with full reference to Kryth Mahr military holdings and positions around Earth. Four hundred seventy-three Kryth Mahr confirmed dead. Seventeen escaped Dalyth Point in six life pods. Five of the survivors were Kryth Mahr. The remaining twelve were of other racial origin, including the Cuukzen scout. One of the Reavers was wounded, but is now recovering in the medical bay. There was no information found regarding the invasion of the Sol system by the Kryth two hundred and sixty-seven years ago. Current time 1940 standard,” she finished and sat down as Commander Nevlen jumped to his feet.

Nevlen slapped the table with one hand, and with the other pointed an accusing finger across the table at Jesan Takkar.