Solbidyum Wars Saga Book 1: Battle of the New Orleans (15 page)

No one raised their hand.  “Just one more thing
, even though this ship appears to be the same as all the other patrol ships, it isn’t.  The power distribution is much more advanced; it is faster than anything else in the fleet; it is better armored.”  I hoped this would raise their confidence in the mission, “The ship’s computer should be programmed to respond to all of us and our commands according to rank.  Though I hold no official rank in your Federation military service, the ship will recognize my orders as priority one commands, overriding any and all conflicting commands.  If all goes well, we should make it to Megelleon in three weeks. The prolonged travel time is a result of the indirect route we must take.”

I turned to Kala, “Major, does everyone know where they are to be quartered?” 

“Yes.  You will have the Captain’s cabin, I will have the First Officer’s cabin and the rest of the crew will be bunking in the main crew quarters”.

“We will be departing shortly.  I’d like to change out of this mechanics uniform before we do.  In the meantime, make sure all gear is secured and support items are stowed and that you’re at your stations, ready for take-off.”  I went to my cabin and opened my duffel
bag; inside I found several suits of the dignitary cut and two that looked like they would be something one might wear on a spaceship.  Both were solid black, a color that didn’t seem to be of any military significance.  I put on one of the plain uniforms, noting that the top had two breast pockets with flaps and the pants had two pouch like pockets on the outside, also with flaps.  When I glanced in the mirror to see what it looked like, I was shocked to see my now brown hair.  I had forgotten about the color change and the sudden sight of it startled me.  Kala had assured me she could restore the natural color with a style stick.  I was contemplating having it changed before leaving the hangar; but I recognized that it might be best if I didn’t have red hair, if I needed to be seen on a view screen before we completed the mission.

When I arrived in the control room, everyone was seated at the console stations, with the exception of Lunnie, who was at her station in the engine room.  The center chair was reserved for me and
Lieutenant Reidecor was positioned at my right in the pilot’s seat.  Corporal Lexmal was on my left in the Navigator’s chair, Kala was behind me to the right and Sergeant Marranalis was behind me to the left.  I noted that Marranalis was wearing a helmet equipped with a view screen that simulated a view of the area outside the ship in the direction he turned his head.  On the armrest was a series of buttons that I surmised were weapons controls.

Kala was smiling at me.  “Is there some significance to this uniform?”  I asked.

“It’s a typical uniform worn by mercenaries who are affiliated with the Federation and deployed for special operations.” Kala answered.  “It suits you well.”

Sergeant Marranalis
glanced at me and added, “I agree.  You look like you belong in that uniform.”

Just then a slight tremor shook the ship.

“Looks like the action is starting,” said Lieutenant Reidecor.  “It won’t be long now.”  A second, larger tremor shook the ship.  “That would be them blasting out the hangar door.  Any moment now we should hear –” He was cut off by a general alarm signal coming through the speakers on the
TRITYTE
.

“Attention all ships and military personnel:  An attack has taken place in the hangar
.  A patrol ship containing an extremely valuable cargo has been commandeered.  It is imperative that this ship be captured at all costs.  All flight crews are ordered to report to their ships immediately.  The ship you are seeking is the
TRITYTE
.  I repeat, the objective is the
TRITYTE
.  This craft can be identified by a specific signature detectable on frequency Delta95446.  I repeat, frequency Delta95446!!  This ship also does not bear the Federation logo on its hull  If encountered, DO NOT DESTROY!  It is imperative that this ship be taken intact with its cargo. All flight crews are ordered to report to their ships IMMEDIATELY!!”  The voice overhead boomed out its orders through the alarm system. 

The
TRITYTE’s
crew grinned, fully aware that, as soon as people on the
DUSTEN
heard the name
TRITYTE
in the broadcast, pandemonium would erupt.  Teams raced to their ships, knowing full well that any crew capturing the
TRITYTE
would be well-rewarded.  This craft was the ship of history – the golden egg.  At that moment I envisioned every ambassador and diplomat on the
DUSTEN
launching GW message pods to their home worlds with news of the ship, hoping that the
TRITYTE
would somehow be heading near enough for their troops to intercept.  Most of those message pods wouldn’t arrive at their destinations until the real TRITYTE was already on or very near Megelleon.  Since the Bunem System was nearby, the pods sent earlier by the one crew of loyalists were already being received and preparations for deployment were most certainly in progress.  By the time the Bunem fleet assembled and moved to intercept the
DUSTEN
the
TRITYTE
would be well out of reach of their ships.  Everything was falling into place so far.

Lieutenant Reidecor
activated the screen so we could view the flurry of activity in the main hanger.  It reminded me of a nest of angry hornets.  One ship after the other zoomed out the main hangar access.  Several ships nearly collided in their haste to get into the chase after the decoy
TRITYTE
and the unfathomable fortune held in its cargo.  Crewmen were racing all over the place, while we stood by watching the commotion.  The number of ships leaving the
DUSTEN
began to slow down, when a light on the console lit.

“That’s our signal Lieutenant,” I said. “Move us out of here and let’s get this ship on the way.”

Lieutenant Reidecor activated a few controls on the console.  Silently the
TRITYTE
rose and headed out into the launch area.  We lined up with other exiting ships.  Then, on the signal from the
DUSTEN
bridge, the last battalions of airships launched into space and away from the
DUSTEN
. Slowly Lieutenant Reidecor navigated to the outer edge of the fleet and away from the Bunem System, until the last remaining indicator signaling the position of a Federation ship disappeared from the
TRITYTE’s
monitoring systems, everyone relaxed and let out a breath of air 

At that point we turned
ninety degrees, heading even farther away from the pursuit ships.  After an hour we turned back on a course that would bring us in front of the
DUSTEN
but out of range of its sensors. Once we had traveled about an equal distance to the other side of the
DUSTEN
, we began a course toward Megelleon, but on a course that would take us farther away from the Bunem System until such time as we had navigated past their colony.  The crew was on full alert, remaining focused and pretty much silent in their own contemplations, as we headed away from the
DUSTEN
and the Bunemnites.

The first two days of the journey were pretty quiet.  Two of the crew
members were always on the bridge monitoring space for ships and the air waves for transmissions.  Most of this was actually being done by the ship’s computer system with human eyes scanning the screens out of habit.  Kala, Sergeant Marranalis, Lt. Reidecor, Lunnie and I practiced martial arts moves in the cargo hold.  Originally it was just Kala, Sergeant Marranalis and I; but after seeing our practice sessions, Lunnie and Lt. Reidecor joined in.  Corporal Lexmal watched, but showed no interest in joining our activities and either spent his time on the bridge or in the crew lounge watching vids.  While he talked with the crew and occasionally joked, he didn’t appear as interested in socializing with the team.

It was on our third day out after one of our more strenuous training sessions that I was taking a shower when
Lunnie arrived.  Sargent Marranalis had just stepped out and Lunnie took his place at the second shower.  Without her clothing there was more of a resemblance to her sister than I had noticed when she was in uniform and I could not help admiring her form.

My shower was just going into the drying mode and hers into the rinse mode when she looked me and said, “Hey Tib, how about I stop by your room and we can enjoy some sex? I’ve not had any for several days now and I’m rather on the horny side
.”

“Wow, Lunnie… I am deeply flattered…and…you definitely have
an attractive body… “ I stumbled trying to gracefully get out of this situation with no wounded feelings, ”I must decline though…for…Ahh well ... because I care…um.. Uhh….” I continued stumbling.

Lunnie was looking at me with a very strange and analytic look
, eyes slightly squinted, until suddenly, a huge smile spread across her face. “Oh I can’t believe it! You’re in love with my Kala!  Oh my, this is too funny, and she“ Lunnie was almost doubling over with laughter unable to finish her sentence, “…she doesn’t know, does she?”  I could see that, far from feeling rejected, Lunnie was finding this all very funny.

“I never said that
!” I blurted,” I mean I wasn’t going to say that.  It’s just..”  I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence.

“Look,” Lunnie
said, “Your little secret is safe with me.  I won’t tell a soul, “she giggled, “This is too much,” she was cracking up now.  Just then Kala came in to take her shower.

“What’s so funny,” she asked Lunnie, “I’ve not seen you laugh this hard in years.”

“Sorry sis, but you’re going to have to get Tibby to tell you, because I sure am not going to,” and with that she burst out laughing again. 

I was trying to get out of the shower as it only was big enough for two and my shower was over, but Kala blocked the exit
. 

“Tib?” Kala looked at me
, eyebrows raised, and ask questioningly.

“
Don’t ask,” I said while blushing brightly while looking down, trying to conceal my face, “I have no idea what she is talking about.”

That only made Lunnie laugh all the harder and she was leaning against the wall for support as I slipped pass Kala out of the shower area and into the dressing area.  As I slipped on my uniform I could hear Kala saying. “All right Lunnie
, what’s this all about?  You didn’t go and say or do something offensive to Tibby did you?  You do realize he is considered of the highest importance to the Federation and is my responsibility? If you have offended him in any way I will, well I’ll…” By now Lunnie was sitting on the floor laughing so hard the tears were rolling down her face and she was gasping for air.

It’s funny how sometimes it takes someone else to point out something that has been under your nose all the time, and that’s what happened to me.  Since I had been picked up by the Federation I had been
experiencing a range of feelings for Kala.  I was very aware that I found her attractive and liked her company and even that I found her sexually appealing, but until Lunnie said it, I hadn’t realized it.  But suddenly in dawned on me: I really was in love with Kala.  But how did Lunnie know?   How did she figure it out in mere seconds when I couldn’t?  And why did Lunnie find it all so funny? 

I quickly headed into the control room to take my shift
, all the while wondering what I was going to do about my feelings for Kala.  How would she react when she found out?  I feared that she might want to leave and not be my attaché as it would most likely be inappropriate.  I feared that if she left I might even lose the friendship I had with her.  I also didn’t know her relationship status, maybe she was already in one.  Or perhaps she was a lesbian, which certainly explain Lunnie’s reaction.

Kala and Lunnie were very different despite their family resemblance
.  Kala was methodical and cool, she wasn’t cold, but she certainly wasn’t overly outgoing, she was competitive and wanted to be the very best at everything she did. She tended to be more formal (which was required by her profession).  Lunnie on the other hand was very outgoing and often showed physical affection towards the crew members; which Kala seldom did.  It wasn’t that Kala avoided physical contact, but she never went out of her way to initiate it.  Lunnie on the other hand was always touching people when she talked to them, joking laughing, touching their arm or hand, putting her arm around someone as she walked down the corridor, nothing overtly sexual, although Lunnie did radiate sexual energy that boosted a male’s libido, but you knew that it was all mostly play with Lunnie and a part of her nature.  Despite their differences Lunnie and Kala seemed to be very close and talked and shared things often.]

Kala
and I spent a lot of time together on the
TRITYTE
, usually when I was in the control room she was there also.  We spent a lot of time together for martial arts exercises and after we often talked in my cabin about issues of protocol and cultures in the Federation.  After I got off duty in the control room I met with Kala in my quarters with the intention of her explaining to me more about the workings of the Federation government.

The Federation government in some ways was structured similar to the American system of government in that they had senators as representative of the people, only in this case planets, but because there were over one million planets in the Federation it was too many voices for them all to be heard.  So groups of planets collected together into “
Systems” with single representatives, even so Kala told me there were nearly one thousand representatives in the Federation. Another difference was that they didn’t have a single elected President over the entire Federation.  Instead they had three, what they called “Leaders”.  For any executive decision to be made at least two of the three Leaders had to be in agreement.