The Fleet (4 page)

“Time to
change a few things up gentlemen.” Dalton said loudly, grabbing the
full attention of the crewmen around him.

“Sir.” one of
them boldly replied. Not daring to question him – simply
acknowledging they were listening.

“These
coordinates,” Dalton said, slapping a piece of small paper down to
the table and sliding them toward one of his crewmen. “Get the
fleet on the same page. Let 'em know this is where we're
heading.”

“Yes sir,” the
soldier quickly replied, wasting no time executing Dalton's
order.

“Sir, if I
may,” one of the other crewmen said, outranking everyone on the
bridge other than Commander James. “The doctor is likely to push
against this idea.”

“Good
thinking,” Dalton replied. “Arrest that son of a bitch.”

“Um, alright,”
the soldier replied. His brush cut hair very trim and proper.
“Arrest him on what grounds?”

“I don't know,
just arrest him. I'll figure out the details later.” Dalton
scolded.

“As you wish
sir.”

“Gentlemen,
here is the deal,” Dalton said, quickly standing to his feet to
gain everyone's attention. “I refuse to run away from my home –
tail tucked between my legs. Sitting up here to regroup is one
thing, but I'm gonna get mine.”

His brash
statement brought a bit of chatter throughout the bridge.

“If people
revolt on this, fuck 'em. If a captain of a ship wants to run like
a scalded ass dog, let 'em. Tell them to carry their asses. But
this political shit, it's done. Over. If we are gonna hang it out
in the blowing wind each and every day for these people, they need
to understand we're in charge. If they forget, we need to pull back
on that chain just a bit.”

“Hell yea.”
one of the soldier said loudly, bringing a much needed smile to the
face of a wily one.

Dalton
continued to smile for a moment. Knowing deep down that Cambria was
right. These men would respect him for leading them with grit.

“I've been
through it all and seen it all gentlemen,” Dalton proudly claimed.
“The wandering dead below us haven't driven our race to the brink
of extinction. Weakness has. It's time for us to show our backbones
and whip some non-pulse having ass. Anybody that doesn't like it,
you tell them to hit the damn bricks. That's an order.”

Cheering burst
out inside of the bridge, taking several minutes to come to a
complete silence once more.

At which time,
Dalton leaned forward and pulled a hand-held mic from the table –
which would broadcast his coming words to the fleet around him and
any survivors on Ronica's surface below. The ones lucky enough to
have a good com unit, anyway.

“People of the
fleet, this is Commander Dalton James,” he said, bringing an entire
race to near standstill. Including his lover, who smiled wide and
listened to her cowboy. “Early this morning, I dispatched a
settlement team to a planet we've always known as Kyuly. The
purpose of their trip, to prep the planet's largest known location
for our fleet. It's an older city, one spoken of quite often by the
Husk and from what I'm told it's in very livable condition.” Dalton
added. Pausing for a moment to let those words sink in.

“There are
those among you who will not agree with this move, and I respect
each and every opinion. However,” Dalton said with a decisive tone.
“It's non-negotiable and is a military decision. In other words,
what remains of our army is going to land and wipe out any threats
which may be there. After assuring it's both safe and livable, any
civilians will be welcomed with open arms. At which time we will
form a brand new government, one that works.”

His words
would sting many within the fleet. Their commander having
overstepped his powers in what could have been viewed as
treason.

“Any
government that has led us into being a race of people hiding on
ships and leaving our own people behind is a government that needs
to go. We need something better. Our children need a future and
that future will be in that very city on the planet we will now
know as Second Glimmeria.”

Dalton knew
his words had shaken the fleet to its core. Seeing the different
opinions written to the faces of even the crewmen around him.

“I'll not
leave my home and, in doing so, leave survivors down below to die.
That's not how I'm wired. We'd like to sit in our comfortable rooms
aboard our toasty warm ships and believe that nobody survived down
below. But the truth is, there are a shit ton of people down there
waiting for us to help them. Soldiers just like the ones in this
fleet. Women. Children. What kind of commander would I be if I just
left them to die? I won't do that.”

Dalton was
convinced that it had grown so quiet that his ears could hear gears
within the ship turning – keeping the mighty war ship in orbit.
Still, he told it like it needed to be told.

“In
anticipation of heated opinions, shuttled filled with marines loyal
to me have already boarded each ship within the fleet. I won't keep
anyone here against their will, but I'll be damned if I allow our
resources to vanish. Each captain is instructed to pass a digital
log throughout his or her ship. Any person wishing not to join us
on Second Glimmeria will be added to the list. As the final list is
turned over to me, I promise you I'll see to it that you have your
own ship and enough supplies to get you as far away from here as
you want to go. You have my word.”

Dalton said,
pausing for nearly a full minute.

“Any person
who retaliates against the soldiers carrying out my orders will
answer to me.”

Hanging up the
mic, Dalton fully anticipated members of his own bridge to revolt.
Though he'd come prepared for that – several armed Husk warriors
entering the bridge at Dalton's command.

“Sir,” one of
the crewmen said, intimidated by the larger Husk soldiers. “Your
orders?”

The Husk were
an orc-like race. Well over a foot taller than the tallest of
humans and several hundred pounds heavier than Dalton, or anyone
among his bridge crew. Each green-skinned Husk rippling with
muscle. As their race was famous for grit in battle and freakish
brute strength.

“Now we wait
son,” Dalton replied. “We wait to see who's with us...and who's
against us.”

*

“I'm picking
up the unique signature of a Hunter shuttle.” one of the soldiers
announced, prompting the rest of the group to remain alert.

“It could be
any Hunter. We're not sure that it's Sarah and her group.” a second
soldier replied.

“It's her.”
Adam said.

He offered no
explanation. Just a confirmation that a woman he'd once loved was
indeed on the small moon planet – its cold air cutting through
their survival suits a bit.

“What should
we do?” one of the soldiers asked.

Without a
reply, Adam simply pulled his revolver and fired a single shot into
the air. Letting Sarah know they had arrived.

“We wait.”
Adam replied.As expected, Commander Dalton James began to hear
gunshots firing throughout his ship. Reports of similar firefights
taking place throughout the fleet.

“Sir, we're
getting a lot of resistance from two of our ships. One captain is
refusing our team of marines’ entry into the bulk of his ship. The
Sky Giant.”

His report was
quickly squashed for a moment as two Goliath units, their clanging
steel exoskeletons distinct, entered the bridge area. Accompanied
by several Husk soldiers and Dalton's lover, Cambria.

Standing to
his feet, Dalton quickly embraced Cambria and they welcomed the
presence of the other.

“Sir?”

Always with
this tin soldiering shit!
Dalton thought.

“Those who are
against staying with us,” Dalton said. “Gently usher them to the
Sky Giant. It's deep space capable and full of supplies. Let 'em
have at it. Once a ship is filled with nothing but people who want
to fight for our homes, send them down to Second Glimmeria.”

“You mean
Kyuly?” the crewman asked.

“No, I mean
Second Glimmeria. It has a ring to it.” Dalton replied with a
smile.

“Yes sir.”

“Dalton,”
Cambria said, pulling the thick leather sleeves of his duster a
bit. “What are you doing?”

“Handling it.”
he replied.

“You're
dividing the fleet.” Cambria warned.

“The fleet is
already divided. It always has been. When we get down there, I need
every able body fighting beside me, not against me. It's better to
settle this now.”

“Atlas is good
to go.” one of the crewmen said.

“Good, send
'em on. Inform the settlement group their first ship is inbound.”
Dalton replied.

He could hear
the crewman speaking into a wireless headset. Moments later, a
large ship close to the shatterproof window in front of them began
to turn and set course.

Just the first
of many throughout the course of the next hour. Each ship allowing
those who wished to leave time to do so, before breaking from the
fleet and heading to a set of coordinates which led them to Second
Glimmeria.

The history of
the planet was conflicting. Kyuly was comprised mostly of steep
mountains of snow and extreme desert, though a bit of it was rocky
hills and vibrant green fields. It had been seldom used because of
its proximity to all four of the Skyla System's suns, which blazed
onto a portion of it non-stop. Bringing extreme heat to that area
of the planet. A small area of its rear-facing side was subjected
to non-stop darkness as it sat in the shadow of the system's
network of suns. That mean it was very cold and remained dark,
which produced no growth. Only rock.

A small area
of the planet was livable. The center ring, which benefited from
its positioning between shadow and suns. Remaining the perfect
temperature and providing a decent lifestyle.

It had seldom
been used because there was a wealth of locations to choose from
before the infection began. Its location suggested to Dalton by the
Husk.

He looked a
bit odd – sitting back in the lavish chair of commander and
surrounded by crewmen that were clean shaven and dressed to code.
His brown duster nearly dragging the floor as he sat there,
thinking of days gone by.

He'd done a
great many things while wrapped inside of this old coat. Countless
times, Dalton had cursed politics while draped inside of the rough
brown leather. Now he sat atop of the political game, which was
something he never saw coming.

The truth was,
Dalton hated being in command. Always had. Having this many people
looking to you for answers was a double-edged sword. It had its
advantages, but sure did bring a lot of stress to the man who had
been accustomed to living by the seat of his pants.

“Any word on
our phantom team?” Dalton asked.

“No sir.” one
of the crewmen nearest to him replied.

“Adam?”

“No,” the
crewman replied, though he did so with caution. Understanding that
Dalton was personally vested in Adam's search for his son.
“Unfortunately not.”

“I'm sure Adam
will find his son.” Cambria said, taking a seat beside her lover
and commander.

“I should be
down there with him looking. Not up here sitting on my ass.” Dalton
said.

“He's with
capable soldiers, dear,” Cambria said, smiling a bit to comfort
him. “He'll be fine.”

“I know
they're capable, but it just feels off,” Dalton admitted. “I've
been watching his back for so many years now. If anything were to
happen to him...”

“Adam is fine
and he will be just fine. Stop your damn worrying,” Cambria said
with a grin. “That's an order.”

“Potty mouth.”
Dalton said.

If ever there
were an example of pot calling the kettle black – it was that very
statement.“Anything?” Craig asked as he rolled over a bit. Waking
from a short nap.

“Nothing,”
Anna replied. “Still nothing but rock.”

She remained
in front of the phantom's graphing equipment. Having traveled
nearly three days at full-burn, they'd covered enough miles to have
flown through their own star system many times.

“How much
longer can we go at it?” Craig asked, standing from the rack and
stretching just a bit.

“Plenty of
oxygen,” she replied. “Fuel looks to be the only concern moving
forward. I'd say a day or so before we turn back, assuming we fly
in short bursts from here on out.”

“Sounds good.”
he admitted.

Reaching down
for a moment, Craig began to sift through a few papers which the
computers aboard their shuttle had printed. Planet locations,
mineral content; everything the fleet would need to evaluate its
next move.

“Still no
water, huh?”

“Not nearly
enough,” Anna replied. “I charted one early that contained a bit of
water, but no oxygen. This is a long way out to be hauling
resources back and forth. Resources that are in such small
quantities, anyway.”

“Yea, it is,”
he replied. “This far out we're going to need to hit the
jackpot.”

“I've charted
several with oxygen and livable conditions, but not enough water to
support an entire race.” Anna said with discouragement.

“Just makes no
sense,” Craig said. “All of these huge masses of planet. Each of
them with ample vegetation, oxygen and livable temperatures. It
seems like there should be more water. It's almost as if someone
designed these perfect places to live and forgot to include one of
the things we absolutely need.”

“Yea,” she
replied. “I was thinking the same thing. The question is, what have
you been so deep in thought about since we left?” Anna pressed.

“Nothing.”
Craig said.

“You know,”
she replied. “When you tell me nothing and I know better, it's kind
of offensive.”