Clidepp Requital (23 page)

"If we do this, what would be the best time to move the ship to the new location so we're always under cover of darkness?"

Olivetti glanced at the chronometer on the bulkhead before saying, "Six hours and thirty minutes from now."

Sydnee moved to the command chair where Weems was sitting. He started to rise, but she waved him down. Lifting the console cover on the chair's right arm, she pressed a contact point. "This is the captain. We'll be moving the ship to a new location in six and one half hours. Six hours from now we'll begin dismantling the holo-projector net. All equipment must be inside so the ship's exterior can be sealed and the ship can be made ready for flight. Carry on." Turning to Olivetti, she said, "Good job, Lieutenant." To Caruthers at the helm, she said, "Although the watch will have changed by then, I'd like you to take the helm for the move. It may be a tight fit getting into that cone, and you have an exceptionally fine touch on the oh-gee engines."

"Aye, Captain," Caruthers said with a smile.

To Weems, she said, "I'll be in my office."

"Aye, Captain."

Sydnee had barely gotten back to her office/quarters next to the bridge before Blade was at the door. "What's this about a move?"

"We're moving the ship to a better place of concealment. We're too exposed here, even if it is remote, and we're only partially hidden by the holo-projectors. Lt. Olivetti has found us a volcano where the interior surface is black and our coloration will blend perfectly."

"A volcano? Are you nuts? This ship can't sit on lava. We've learned it can't even sit in water."

"The volcano has been dormant for many years. I think it'll probably remain that way a little longer."

"Probably?"

"We can never be sure about anything, but the odds are in our favor. Also, it's much closer to potential sources of DATFA generator parts."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Captain."

"I'm doing the best I can with what I have, just as our engineers are doing the best
they
can. They've promised me they'll know the full situation with the generator by first watch tomorrow. At that time we'll formulate a plan to get off this planet. Have you been able to reach the contact you mentioned?"

"Chief Lemela sent an encrypted message to the last known contact address from the intelligence file, but we've heard nothing back yet. How about the
Denver
? Any word?"

"Not yet, but it's too soon to hear anyway. My message should reach them sometime in the next twenty-four hours, depending on their location in the sector."

* * *

"Sorry to disturb you in your quarters, sir," Commander Bryant said when Captain Lidden accepted the contact, "but we've just received a message from Lieutenant Marcola."

"Come to my quarters, XO."

"Right away, sir."

The door annunciator system at the captain's quarters sensed Bryant's presence as he stopped in front of the corridor door. After informing the captain and receiving the required response, the system opened the door.

Lidden, sitting on the sofa in his living room, lowered the report he was viewing on a viewpad as Bryant entered his quarters. "What's the situation?"

"I haven't listened to the message, sir. As soon as I saw it was Priority One, I contacted you."

"Let's view it, then," Lidden said as he used the controls on the viewpad to activate a large wall monitor and select the message in the queue. Since it was a Priority-One, it required a retinal scan. He was able to use his viewpad to complete that process.

"Wow," Lidden said as the message ended. "This is serious."

"Maybe we
should
have sent Milty as ship commander."

"This isn't Marcola's fault. If their FTL was working, they would already be halfway back."

"How do we handle it?"

"We wait."

"Then we do nothing?"

"I didn't say that. I'm going to send a message to SHQ informing them of the situation and asking for any information they might have regarding access to the necessary parts for the generator. I'm also going to suggest they notify Mars about a serious design flaw in the repository cover. Blade accomplished his mission, but the package is still in Clidepp space aboard the— what did they name the ship?"

"
Justice
."

"Interesting," Lidden said, then paused for a moment before continuing. "We can't mount an emergency rescue mission that would have us invade Clidepp space unless we receive permission from SHQ, but we can begin making preparations. If we get a go, we should probably send another CPS-14. Let's make sure we have some pilots certified to fly it. I know they've all been using the simulators, but let's put a bit more emphasis on their training and practice."

"Aye, sir. Is that all?"

"For now, that's all we
can
do."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"The surface at the bottom of the crater is forty-six point eight-three degrees Celsius," Lt. Barron, sitting at the engineering console on the bridge, said, "and appears to be adequately flat enough that we should be able to get the ship perfectly level with the hydraulic adjustment legs in the habitat units."

"Then, in your opinion, it's safe to put down?"

"Yes, Captain."

"What about the toxicity of the air?"

Looking down at his console and tapping a few touch spots, he said, "There are slightly elevated levels of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrochloric acid inside the cone. The levels don't suggest imminent volcanic activity, but anyone venturing outside the ship should have their personal body armor sealed or be using an auxiliary rebreather unit."

Sydnee took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, then said, "Lt. Caruthers, take us in."

The ship had been hovering just above the rim of the cone while the potential danger was assessed.

"Set us down nice and easy, Lieutenant. We don't want to disturb this sleeping giant."

"Aye, Captain."

The oh-gee engines held the ship perfectly level and stable as it descended into the volcano. When the ship was just fifty centimeters from the highest point beneath the habitat containers, leveling legs extended downwards from all three units and adjusted as the weight of the ship was gently lowered onto them. When the oh-gee engines were disengaged, the ship was perfectly level.

"We're down, Captain," Caruthers said.

"Excellent job, Lieutenant. I never felt even the slightest bump."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Hopefully, the seismic sensors that are no doubt monitoring this volcano didn't record anything that will cause someone to come investigate. As soon as engineering places a signal repeater at the top of the cone so we can send and receive transmissions, we can stand down. But as always, the bridge must be minimally manned."

"Do we need to set up the holo-projectors, Captain?" Weems asked.

Sydnee thought for a second before responding. "Lt. Olivetti believes we'll be adequately hidden because of our coloration— but it certainly can't hurt. Yes. Let's set up the holo-projectors. Coordinate our effort with that of Lt. MacDonald and her people."

"Aye, Captain."

* * *

"It's just not possible, Captain," the engineer said. "We can't repair the damaged components. DATFA generators are protected against the freezing cold of space but were never intended to be submerged in water, and there was no protection against that. The generator is essentially scrap because we can't use Clidepp parts. Their shipboard electrical systems are totally incompatible with ours. It's like the difference between AC and DC current. We've reviewed all the schematics contained in the ship's database and haven't found anything made in Clidepp space that's close to useable. We can't even use an entirely new generator because of the incompatibilities. We had a lot of experience with electronic incompatibilities while aboard the
Perry
, but this is too far outside the realm of 'remotely possible.'

"What do you suggest?" Sydnee asked.

"We need Space Command to send us an entirely new generator. We've determined that all of the support mechanisms, such as the shaft that extends the generator to its proper height, are fine. And the cover opens and closes without a problem, even if it isn't airtight."

"No other solution?"

"None, unless you can find a derelict ship with a workable generator from the GA here on Yolongus."

"That's a thought. Would the generator from a freighter suffice?"

"It depends on the construction. Freighters coalesce their DATFA envelopes differently than those of military ships, but the basic technology and electronics are the same. We might be able to jury-rig a workable system."

"We aren't going to find any scrapped GA military vessels in Clidepp space, but a scrapped freighter might be possible. If we got you a working generator from a freighter, how long would it take you to make it ready for our use?"

"I couldn't say that until I saw it."

"Best and worst case scenarios."

"Best— a few days. Worst— a few months."

"Okay, Lt. Barron. Get some rest. I know how hard you and Chief Luscome have been working the past few weeks. I, and everyone aboard this ship, appreciate your efforts."

"Thank you, Captain. A bit of sack time sounds really good."

* * *

"That's the situation. Major," Sydnee said as she completed the short briefing. "We need another temporal field generator. We either get one on our own or sit here until Space Command comes to rescue us. I'm open to any suggestions."

"So you want me and my Special Ops people to find you a used generator?"

"According to our engineers, it's unlikely we're going to find a new one on this planet that will work. So a used, working generator would be wonderful."

"And what do we use for payment?"

"I have the standard deployment disbursement fund of ten thousand GA credits in my safe, but I doubt we'll find a useable temporal generator for that amount. Perhaps we can sweeten the deal with trade goods. Otherwise we'll have to steal it."

"I doubt that any equipment dealer is going to accept trade goods, so we'll have to
take
the generator, and all that that implies."

"If force is used, the authorities could be on us before we can get the ship FTL operational."

"We're still well hidden."

"That may not help if one of our people is captured."

"Then I'll have to make sure none of them is captured." In response to the look on Sydnee's face, Blade said, "It may not be a surgical operation. In fact, it may get pretty messy."

Sydnee breathed in deeply and then released it. "Do your best to keep it clandestine. If you can't, make sure no one can tie it to the GA."

The corners of Blade's mouth turned up just slightly for a second, and he said, "Aye, Captain. No witnesses."

* * *

"My people have been over every centimeter of our maps for the three nearby cities containing the planet's largest industrial centers and reviewed all of the information contained in the ship's DB," Blade said to Sydnee as they sat in her office. "We've located a couple of scrapyards that might potentially have the generator we need, but since we don't have a Yolongi front man, I can see no alternative other than to visit each location after they've closed for the day and perform a physical search through the scrap piles. We certainly can't just show up there and discuss the purchase of a used generator. Clidepp Intelligence would be informed immediately if we didn't show proper documentation of our identity and travel visas issued by the Clidepp government."

"What about the intelligence contact? Could he make the inquiries?"

"We've still had no response from him, Captain," Blade said.

"Very well. We have to do what we have to do. We're not going anywhere without a generator. When do you propose to begin your operation?"

"We're ready to leave tonight, if you can provide transportation."

"Of course. Lt. Weems and a MAT are at your disposal."

"Thank you, Captain. I'll have my people begin making preparations to deploy tonight."

"I have the landing site in view," Weems said over the intercom to the rear compartment of the MAT.

The SO Marines, including Blade, were ready. As soon as the MAT touched down, they popped the hatch and were outside in seconds. The selected landing zone next to a burned out factory in one of the sadder parts of the city was clear of any signs of sentient life. Even the tramps didn't want to come down here.

"We're deploying," Blade said to Weems on Com-Two. "Stay buttoned up until you hear from me or a member of my team."

"Roger," Weems said.

Blade then used some hand signals and his people moved out.

At the first scrapyard, the Marines stunned some unusual security animals that had the general appearance of gorillas and then began their physical search while Blade headed to the office and began hunting though the computer files for any indication that the yard might have scrap from a GA freighter. He found nothing in the files, so he joined his people in the physical search.

The SO Marines had studied images of GA generators and downloaded them into their helmet's memory cores. As they searched, everything they saw was compared by their helmet's computer system to the downloaded images. Anything with a ninety percent match on size and general appearance would result in an alert to the wearer.

After almost six hours, the SO team had finished searching the final piles of scrap at the extreme end of the yard.

"Nothing, dammit," Blade said angrily. "Not one damned GA generator in this entire scrapyard. And this seemed to offer the better chance of the two."

On Com-Three, Blade said, "Okay, people, let's wrap it up here. This was a wasted effort."

On Com-Two, Blade said, "Lieutenant, we're headed back, empty-handed."

The SO team closed and locked the gate as they left. When the yard was opened in the morning, the guard animals would have recovered, and no one should be aware that the yard had been scoured for a GA ship part overnight.

When the Marines got back to the MAT, they climbed in and tiredly dropped into their seats. Blade entered last and pulled the hatch closed behind him. As he dropped into a seat, he said to Weems, "Everyone is aboard. We can head for home."