Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Day 52
I looked around the mess hall, and wasn't very pleased with what I saw. At one table in the mess hall, Myla and Tengo talked to each other, laughing. At another, Iliom Se, Krrra'k, and Hal were discussing inter-species relations. And, at yet another one, May and Jacyn sat, supposedly discussing their experiences in Fleet Intelligence. Looking at these groups of people, I began to feel very alone.
Command was a lonely position.
Nolan walked into the room, and I waved him over to my table. He sat down, immediately guessing my intentions. Grinning, he said, "Jake, are you feeling lonely?" I sighed. "I should have taken advantage of our shore leave to meet someone, but I didn't. I kind of miss being a singles man."
Nolan replied, "Well, you're only 26. You have time to meet someone, and it's just as good that it isn't someone in the squadron. Loving someone in a profession where death is an ever-present danger can only lead to heartbreak."
I scoffed, "What are you talking about? Remember, back in the days of the Ion Accelerator, when you were rather fond of Alia Pak-"
"That was different," he cut me off sharply. I nodded slowly, realizing that I had hit a sensitive area. Alia was only one of three squadron members who'd been slaughtered in our second combat situation during our first campaign. I thought back through that time, at all the different members of the squadron who'd died. So many livesβ¦
I wondered how many people would survive this campaign. We had already lost two. As if he read my mind, he said, "So, what are we doing about Mara?"
I cracked my knuckles. "As a matter of fact, I have been working on that. We're going on a rescue mission." He put down his coffee cup. "What?" I continued, "You know the Xorpaulin freighter we picked up back at that junkyard?"
He nodded. "The Concealed Treasure. An impressive ship."
I nodded back. "We're going S&R; with that thing. Commander Paktu informed me that that Kadeshi fleet, the task force that was sent out to ice Halen Chell, was intercepted by a Manaan battle fleet, headed by the Ken'lo, only hours after assaulting the station. They only barely managed to destroy them, but they managed to snatch one of their new Multi-Beam Frigates. They were able to extract their recognition codes, and they just relayed them to us. Our engineers are working on integrating them into the Treasure's databanks, as well as doctored flight histories to fill in the blanks of the last few weeks. I will take a team out to the Bentari sector, where the Kadeshi fleet is stationed, and infiltrate their ranks."
He said, "How do you plan to do that?"
I said, "Well, since we are already genetically identical to the Kadeshi, we should have no problem on a molecular level. All the changes we would need to make would be cosmetic, and our biologists are already working on a layering of makeup that would make us look like them as well."
He swallowed his food slowly. "Have you told the squadron yet?"
I shook my head. "You and Jacyn are free to come along if you want. I need six volunteers for the mission. We take the ship in, grab Mara before they finish downloading her memory, and get out. You in?"
He hesitated for a while, and then nodded. "I will join you."
"Good. Now, we need four more people. Do you think that the rest will join up?" Nolan was skeptical. "I don't know. In an ideal world, all the remaining Hiigaran officers in the squadron, since we can't really have our four aliens/robots on the team. We can definitely get Jacyn, and quite possibly Hal. He seems to have taken quite a shine to you. As for May, she may if Jacyn comes along, but Tengo and Myla may not be as enthusiastic. Ever since that whole rushing off to the Kadeshi fleet thing, they haven't trusted you or any of us old timers. As for the last one, I think I know someone down in the Mobile Infantry ranks that could be useful."
* * *
The man was tall, and broadly built. He was rank of perspiration, and just the sight of him, even though I was of a higher title, I was still afraid that he would do whatever he wanted to me. He rubbed his towel through his short, black hair, drying himself after his shower, and said, "So, Captain. You want me to help you ice some Kadeshi bastards?"
I shivered. "Well, Sergeant Aryl Soban, Nolan here tells me that you are the best soldier he's ever met. I was hoping you could live up to that appraisal." He looked at Nolan, and smiled. "Hot damn, Nolan. What are the odds? When I heard that Angel Squadron had signed on to this fleet, I wasn't expecting that you would be here." Nolan explained, "Jake, Aryl and I were working with each other during the Turanic civil war in the Kelar system four years ago. My Corvette squadron flew cover for his strike team on more than one siege mission."
I continued, "Sergeant, you will be asked to masquerade in a Kadeshi biological suit. This will not be a heavy attack mission; it will be espionage. No outward battles unless I deem it necessary. You will be required to act the most important part of your entire career. If you get out of character, millions could die, after they are through with us. Do you accept all these conditions?"
He did not respond immediately, but walked through the barracks of the Construction Yard to look out the viewport into space. He sighed. "During the campaign of Taros IV, when our backwater colony there was under attack by Tiamat forces, Fleet Command wouldn't allocate forces to evacuate the colonists. They thought it was "unnecessary risk," and that it would tarnish our shaky ceasefire with the Tiamat. I decided to take matters in my own hands, and sent out a squad of my best troops to save them. I managed to save half of them before they were brutally slaughtered. A six-month prison sentence, and a demotion to Private were awaiting me. At that point, I was a Head Marshall. I spent the last few years getting up to my former position, but I haven't gotten there yet."
He looked in our direction. "If I can save your one squadron member, no matter the cost, then that is what I'm going to do." He saluted. "At least this rescue mission is approved. At your service, Captain Sjet."
I nodded, and smiled. "Welcome aboard, Sergeant Soban. You'll fit right in."