As soon as Nathaniel heard the word mission he
straightened, pushed up his glasses and walked forward, immediately pushing
toward the command deck. “We will need to run simulations before we get there.
Katra, I am going to need you to stay in your quarters if it gets dangerous.
Jon I want you on the weapons array. Zorn, you are on tactical. Angela and Isis
you are our helmsmen. I have been out of action so long, Kagome, I think it is
best that I serve only as a second—if that is all right with you.” He stopped
once he made it to the command deck and turned around to see his friends
sniggering. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Hold your horses,” Kagome said. “This is a simple
repair mission. There is a cruise ship stranded near sector 137. Their
communications went out ten minutes ago. We are to provide support until a
proper repair team comes.”
“Oh,” Nathaniel said.
“Don’t sound so disappointed,” Jon said. “You can get
a ton of glory on your own time. Some of us don’t like running head long into
danger.”
“Hush,” Kagome said. “In a time of war it is important
that we remain ever diligent. On the other hand, you must protect the part of
you that can shine during a time of peace.”
“A time of peace?”
“Yes, have you considered what you will do, once this
war is over?”
“Yes, the Union forces are peace keepers. I am sure I
will find a place.”
“There is more to life than serving others,” Isis
said. “There must always be balanced.”
Nathaniel rubbed the back of his head. “Yes ma’am.”
“Now,” Kagome said. “We will go with Savant’s orders,
with some modification. Katra, you can stay on the bridge with me.”
“I would love to,” Katra said.
The flight to the cruise ship was short. Shortened
possibly by Jon’s stories about growing up on a farm. Angela had similar
stories while the others remained largely quiet. Isis spoke of her childhood in
private moments, like when they went on a bicycle ride down the Triclopian
Hills of Dundar. Or fishing in the seas of Rigellia. Zorn too didn’t talk as
much. He after all was engineered to have telepathy. He spent most of his
childhood under his parent’s thumb. Nathaniel had no such problems with his
parents. Coming home was a dream. It was the hours upon hours of being among
insensitive kids in school that made his life difficult.
When they made it to the ship, it looked like a scene
right out of Scooby Doo—in space. The lights were off. The ship rotated slowly
as if some huge hand had spun it like a top. The engine appeared damaged by an
outside force. Why wasn’t that in the report? There was something more going
on.
Be wary,
Deragon said in his head. Nathaniel didn’t question the tiger’s motive. After
all, he was a psychic entity, connected to Nathaniel’s life.
“It’s a trap,” Zorn said, echoing everyone’s
sentiments.
“Hold position,” Kagome said to Angela.
Angela immediately stopped the ship. Nathaniel stared
beyond the ship.
“If they wanted to attack us, would they have already
done so?” Isis asked.
“Not, unless the attack was dependent upon how close
we got to the wounded ship,” Jon said.
“But there are people aboard,” Kagome said. “We should
negotiate with the captors. Open a hailing frequency.”
“Commander,” Nathaniel said. “There are only a few
empires capable of cloaking their ships. In either case we should see a
distortion in space.”
“We don’t have the technology.”
“But Jon was born with the talent,” Nathaniel said.
Kagome nodded. She turned to Jon. “What do you see?”
Jon removed the headband, revealing his third eye, and
stared at the screen. “Pull back, please.”
“Angela.”
Angela pulled the ship back. “Tell me when.”
“When,” Jon said.
The ship stopped.
“I got nothing.”
“But it is a blatant trap,” Zorn said.
Nathaniel nodded. “It is done by amateurs.”
“Pirates?” Isis folded her arms.
“Make’s sense,” Kagome said. “But still an unnecessary
danger. We can let the professionals handle this.”
Isis’s screen lit up. “We are being hailed, by the
cruiser.”
“I guess they their communications are fixed. Put them
through.”
Isis pressed a button, and the Captain of the ship
appeared. He was stiff with worry lines all over his face. “This is Captain
Hitsuru. We could use your help immediately. We have a—“
He glanced to the side at some one. Perhaps it was the
man that the shadow belonged too. “Pregnant woman who needs immediate attention
and countless that are hurt.”
“We are experiencing some difficulty,” Kagome said.
“Please hold on a bit longer.” She signaled to Isis to end transmission. She
stood up. “Cadet Captain Devereaux, you have the bridge.”
“You know I can’t let that happen,” Nathaniel said.
“Don’t get full of yourself,” Kagome said.
“It is regulations,” Zorn said. “The senior commander
shouldn’t go into a precarious situation and if he must, he or she must take an
adequate team.”
“An adequate team would require stealth, but power may
be needed for back-up,” Nathaniel said. “Jon, Zorn and Angela would be the best
for stealth, but in terms of pure power—“
“I know the make-up of this team, Cadet. I put it
together.” Kagome rubbed her chin. “I will send Kaywon with you. We will go
with a balanced team. I want you to get in there, assess the situation, and we
will plan accordingly.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“A team of four: Kaywon, Savant, Jon, and Angela.”
“I wish to go,” Isis said as she swiveled around.
“I gave my order,” Kagome said as she stood up. She
clasped her hands together. It was similar to the pose Nathaniel took when he
released Deragon. “Infiltration Team; be careful. It’s dark and I am sorry but
we are short on supplies. No night visor. Only weapon available are the power
batons and power staffs.”
“But—“
“Princess Isis,” Nathaniel said. He walked over and
placed his hand on his shoulder. “If you are on this team, then I can be on
this team. We represent the power for this team. You, Zorn, Kaytoo, and Kagome
are needed on the recovery team.”
Isis nodded. “I understand. My apologies Commander for
speaking out of turn.”
“It’s fine.” Gelatinous tissue formed on Kagome’s
skin. It multiplied and formed two versions of her. Kaytoo, once fully formed,
attempted to rush Nathaniel, but Kagome quickly grabbed her and set her down on
the floor.
Kaywon stepped forward and looked at Nathaniel. “Let’s
go. Once we make contact, you are the field leader.” She turned to Isis. “Don’t
ever question Kagome.”
She turned away from Isis and toward the exit.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the hand of
Katra go up.
Nathaniel stopped. “Yes?”
“Okay, I know I am a guest and all of that, but I am
hoping to live long enough to be employed by the Earth ambassador…well you.
That would make me an employee of Union. And—I know I sound like I am rambling,
but can I get a weapon, ‘cause I am listening and it feels like things are
about to get real.”
See you next Saturday
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