Clidepp Requital (34 page)

"Cancel the engines when we have just ten percent of our fuel left," she said to Weems.

"Aye, Captain."

There was a noticeable lurch as the sub-light engines engaged, but once the gravitative inertial compensators kicked in, everything settled down.

"Anyone seen Chief Luscome?" Sydnee asked.

"He hasn't been on the bridge this morning," Weems said.

"Okay, I'll find him."

Luscome wasn't in the sickbay, but Sydnee found him sitting at the console in the engineering section of the ship.

"Before you ask, Captain, I don't know yet. But I'm working on it. I'm checking all the readings for the past several days. There has been a slight but constant increase in internal heat in the generator housing since the generator was activated. I was surprised by that because of the freezing temperature of space. I guess that without the cold, the unit may have overheated much sooner. It was probably related to the rate at which new envelopes were being created since heat is generated by the flow of electrons. That generator was only designed for a maximum of Light-150, not Light-12241."

"You're saying it's burned out?"

"For now I'm only saying the temperature far exceeded the safe operating temperature."

"Why didn't someone notice?"

"Lt. Barron is dead, and I've been laid up in the sickbay. In fact, if the doc finds out I've been sitting in here, he'll have a fit. I'm not supposed to be putting any stress on my back yet. I'm not even supposed to be upright except when I'm in the oh-gee support unit you gave me. And there was no one else to monitor the ship's operating condition."

"How do you feel, Chief? How's the back?"

"I feel great, but the doc says I'm at a delicate point. My back is healing and I feel good, but if I try to push it a little too fast, I can undo everything and wind up bed-ridden again."

"He's right. Better get back in your floating support."

"What are you going to do now, Captain? We haven't reached GA space yet, right?"

"That's right, Chief. So I guess it's time for another hull walk with you monitoring— from the sickbay. I'll tell Padu and Addams to suit up."

"Aye, Captain. I'm headed for sickbay."

The
Justice
had exhausted ninety percent of its small fuel supply and gone ballistic before the two Marines left the airlock. As soon as they were topside, they set up a vid unit and went to work. As before, Luscome watched on the monitor from the sickbay and directed their efforts. When the results were in, the two Marines packed up and returned to the airlock.

"Not a chance, Captain," Luscome said. "It's fried. That generator will never work again. It's as kaput as the one that had been submerged in water when we tried to use it."

"Recommendations?"

"I have none. Without a spare generator, we're going nowhere fast."

"Okay, Chief. Thanks. I guess I'll have to try to pull a rabbit out of my hat."

* * *

"We just got a message from Marcola," Lidden said to Bryant when the XO arrived at Lidden's office in response to a summons.

"Is she back in GA space?"

"No, and she not going to get here on her own. She's about eight light-years inside Clidepp space and her envelope generator has burned out. She believes it's owed to the rapid generation of envelopes in a generator only designed for Light-150."

"Like you predicted."

"I wasn't serious. I didn't really expect their generator to burn out."

"Perhaps you weren't serious, but the more you think about it, it was a good call. So what do we do now?"

"I'm considering a rescue mission."

"Have you received permission from SHQ to enter Clidepp space if it was absolutely necessary?"

"No. Every time I've asked, they've refused."

"If you send in a rescue team, you could lose your ship."

"Yes, if SHQ learns about it."

"You'd withhold information from SHQ?"

"I've always played it by the book, but I'm not going to desert our people. I sent them into Clidepp space, and I'm damn sure going to make every effort to bring them out. I love my job, and I love this new ship, but I couldn't look at myself in the mirror each morning if I just turned away now."

"So are you asking me to volunteer?"

"No, I've already selected someone." Looking up at the chronometer on the wall, he said, "He should be here any minute."

"Lieutenant Mark Milton is at the door," the annunciator system said.

"Right on time. Come."

The door opened and Lt. Milton entered.

"Come in, Milty. Have a seat." When Milton was seated, Lidden said, "We have a little problem, and I'm hoping you can solve it."

"I'll do whatever I can, Captain."

"I know. I want you to illegally enter Clidepp space and rescue our stranded shipmates."

"Shipmates?"

"The
Justice
is stalled between seven and eight light-years over the border. I need someone to go get it."

"The
Justice
?"

"The CPS-14 that Lt. Marcola took into Clidepp space. Their generator is fried and they're stuck."

"Took inside Clidepp space? With permission from SHQ?"

"Yes."

"Can't they simply replace their generator?"

"They could if they had one. It seems the Quartermaster Corps decided to give them an extra office desk instead of a spare generator."

Milton looked first at Bryant, then back at Lidden to see if they were joking. There were no smiles. "You're serious?"

"Perfectly. You haven't been included in the briefings until now, so it's understandable you're confused by what I've said. Only myself and Commander Bryant have been on the inside track since Marcola's mission began. Here're the basic facts. She took a Marine Special Ops team and a platoon of our Marines inside Clidepp space in an effort to catch the person responsible for the bombing of the GA Trade Show."

Milty's mouth dropped slightly in surprise. He recovered quickly. "So that's where they went. There's been a lot of speculation, but no one suggested they might have been in Clidepp space all these months."

"You can't imagine what they've been through. Their envelope generator broke, and instead of a spare generator in the engineering storage locker, there was an office desk. We're lucky that so far there's only been one casualty— Lt. Barron."

"Bill Barron is dead?"

Lidden nodded. "Yes. He was killed by a guard animal while they were trying to get a replacement generator from a scrap yard on Yolongus. Sydnee was also injured by one of the beasts and had both legs broken. Chief Luscome received a serious back injury, broken ribs, and a punctured lung. Both Sydnee and Luscome are recovering. But now the used generator has broken down and they're stuck seven light-years on the other side of the border."

"How soon do I leave, sir?"

"Before you decide, I have to tell you that SHQ has forbidden us to rescue the
Justice
."

"Forbidden a rescue mission? Why?"

"They haven't been forthcoming with that information, and we can't imagine a reason."

"So you want me to go against the dictates of SHQ?"

Lidden looked him in the eyes and said, "Yes. And I'll be just as culpable for asking you to go. And if you're successful without getting us into a shooting war with the Empire, no one will ever know except me, Commander Bryant, you, and whomever you select for your team. Plus the people you rescue, of course."

Milton was silent for about ten seconds. "Sydnee risked her life to save the lives of everyone aboard the
Perry
. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't make every effort to save hers."

"Think you can put together a bridge crew that can keep their tongues in check?"

"In a heartbeat, sir."

"Everyone has to understand the potential risks to their career and understand they can never talk about it afterward."

"Not a problem, Captain. When do we shove off?"

"As soon as you're ready."

"How many people can I bring?"

"How many can you get?"

"Far more than I'll need."

"You should have a crew of seven, including yourself."

"No problem, sir. How will I find the
Justice
?"

"Marcola sent us her position. We'll load it into the navigation computer aboard the CPS. She's currently traveling ballistic at Sub-Light-45. The navigation computer will continue computing her approximate location. When you're near, contact her and home in on her signal."

"Aye, sir. Is that all?"

"Yes."

Milton stood and started to leave, then stopped and didn't move for several seconds. When he turned back to face the Captain, he had a strange look on his face. "Sir, on second thought, I really don't think I should get involved in something not sanctioned by SHQ."

"What?" Bryant said incredulously.

"I don't think this is a good idea, sir. I don't want to be part of anything not approved by SHQ. And I don't think you or Commander Bryant should be involved in anything like this either. It could mean the end of your careers. I think it best that we all completely forget the idea, no matter how well-intentioned it was. SHQ is the final authority in matters involving travel in the territory of a foreign nation without prior approval, and we cannot take that responsibility upon ourselves. However, if you permit me, I'd like to use a CPS for twenty-four hours. The simulators are great, but the real thing is always better. I'll put together a team and we'll cruise around this part of the border area running battle simulations and trying to get a real feel for the ship."

Lidden smiled. "You're right, Milty. It was an absolutely crazy idea, and I'm glad you're not going to do what I suggested. Let's forget I ever said anything. And of course you can use a CPS for twenty-four hours to get some hands-on experience. Take anyone you wish along."

"Thank you, sir."

"Have a good trip, Milty," Bryant said.

"Thank you, sir." Milton braced to attention, then turned and left. As the doors of the captain's office closed behind him, he immediately began contacting shipmates and asking them to join him in his quarters.

"He really had me going for a minute," Bryant said after the door had closed.

Looking at Bryant, Lidden said, "He was right, Bry. It
was
a foolish idea. If SHQ ever learned we sanctioned a trip into Clidepp space against their orders, both our careers would be over. But it would sure be nice if he happens to run across our missing CPS while he's conducting his training mission. Make sure his navigation computer has the latest maps and information so he doesn't accidently stray into Clidepp space."

Commander Bryant smiled knowingly. "I'll take care of it immediately, Captain."

~ July 20
^th
, 2286 ~

"That's all I can tell you unless you agree to go," Milty said to the four officers in his sitting room. As the third officer on the
Perry
, he'd been assigned the quarters normally reserved for a Lt. Commander. Aboard the
Denver
his quarters were the standard size for a lieutenant, and they were still triple the size of his former quarters.

"You want us to agree to something without telling us what it is?" Lieutenant(jg) Balarro said. During the discussion he had sort of assumed the role of spokesman for the group.

"I've told you what it is. It's a rescue mission. But you can
never
talk about it because it's not sanctioned."

"Not sanctioned by whom?"

"By anyone above our level. So nobody, outside of the people involved, may
ever
know about this. You can
never
talk about it after it's over. If anyone learns of this, it could end all our careers. But I promise one thing— if we pull this off and no learns of our involvement, you'll never regret doing it."

"And just who would we be rescuing?"

Milty drew in a deep breath, and released it. "Okay. But this is
all
I'll say unless you agree to go. We're going to rescue our shipmates. The ones who left here on January 1
^st
."

"You mean the ones who left in the CPS?"

"Yes."

"I'm in," Lieutenant Redding said.

"I'm in also," Balarro said.

The others immediately agreed as well.

"Okay, so tell us, now that we've all agreed to go," Balarro said. "What's the mission?"

"I told you. It's to rescue our shipmates."

"Why do our shipmates need to be rescued?"

"Because they're stuck in Clidepp space. Their envelope generator broke down eight light-years inside the border, and they don't have a spare."

"And the captain approved our entering Clidepp space?"

"No. Absolutely not. I knew he couldn't grant that permission, so I asked him if I could use a CPS for a training mission. I told him that even though the simulators are great, the real thing is always a little different. He's agreed to let us have a ship for twenty-four hours. We're going to find our shipmates, link up, and bring them back here. It's twelve hours from here to where they are, and then twelve hours back— a quick, one-day operation. If we find them and bring them back, the story is that we were training and came across the other CPS on
this
side of the border. Are you still with me?"

"More than ever," Balarro said. "When do we shove off?"

"We five are command, tac, navigation, helm, and engineering. We still need a com chief and an engineering chief. Will, if you can find us a good engineering chief who can keep his mouth shut, I think I know who can handle our communications."

"I'll take care of it, Milty."

"And in case I forget, we need to ensure there's a spare envelope generator in the engineering storage locker and not a damn office desk."

* * *

While the CPS-14 moved to the temporary airlock aboard the
Denver
, a ground crew chief was attaching oh-gee blocks to a crate that contained a brand new office desk. The storage locker in the CPS where the desk had been residing now contained a brand new envelope generator.

As the CPS cleared the
Denver
, the bridge crew prepared to begin their training mission.