****
Aaron spun and Quintus’s personal guard escorted him to Hammerhead where he was met by Lee and Flaps.
“Commander?” Lee asked. “I didn’t know you were a diplomat with expert negotiating skills.”
Aaron recalled what Platus said to him on Atlas and his meeting with Quintus.
“Quintus is not our enemy. Let’s go, boys, somewhere out there, our real enemy awaits.”
Chapter 25 – Fortune Favors the Bold
Hammerhead
The strike craft sustained structural damage which would require repairs at a shipyard. An engineer could remedy the damage to the engines, but since neither of them qualified, Aaron chose the next best course of action—call Vee.
Despite his reservations, Quintus showed he was deserving of trust. The Imperial could have seized Hammerhead and returned to the Empire with it. Instead, he set them free with the ship. He told Quintus he would manage fine with thrusters. Hammerhead wouldn’t need working engines, a USSF ship would rendezvous with them. No doubt, Quintus thought it strange since no other ships were nearby according to his sensors, but he left the immediate area at high acceleration on a direct course to the incoming Imperial fleet.
The United Fleet wouldn’t be far from Atlas either, given the projections Aaron was aware of. That was the only way the United Fleet could arrive near the same timeframe the Imperial fleet was projected to enter Atlas.
An hour after departing the Imperial ship, Phoenix signaled.
Flaps jarred him.
“Commander, incoming hail from Phoenix, the XO is here!” he said.
About time. He triggered open a channel. “XO, took you long enough. Stand by for docking procedure. We took some hits and might be a little shaky.”
Relief was apparent in Vee’s reply. “We burned hard for your position, but backed off when that Imperial Destroyer boarded you. I was debating whether to disable them and threaten them to release you when you emerged from their docking bay. What happened aboard that ship, Commander?”
“Plenty happened, Vee. I’ll give you the details once we’re aboard. Flaps, take us in. And, Vee, once Hammerhead is secured, best acceleration for our incoming fleet.”
“Aye, sir, we’ll be on the deck in five,” Flaps said.
“Acknowledged. Best speed for our fleet, once you’re aboard,” Vee said.
****
Vee met them on arrival along with Max. On the way to the bridge Aaron gave the XO a summary of everything that occurred from the time they left the ship up to the meeting with Quintus Scipio.
When Aaron finished Vee shook his head.
“Rachael,” he said. “I can’t believe it. Just can’t.”
Aaron fixed him with serious look. “Out of everything I just told you, that’s what you latch on to?”
Vee shrugged. “I was beginning to like her. Besides, when I spoke to her last, she seemed quite fond of you.”
Did Vee hit his head?
“Fond? And how did that come up?”
“She felt you were avoiding her and she came to me and—”
“What are you, her psychologist?” he snapped. “Forget it . . . Lieutenant Delaine is the least of our problems now. Once we halt this madness at Atlas, we can focus on finding her and determining the part she played.”
They reached the bridge.
“Aaron,” Vee said. “I didn’t—”
Aaron stopped and looked at the others as they passed. “Prepare the ship to fight, Vee. We have to survive the next few hours if we intend to prevent a war.”
Lee and Flaps moved past them and took their stations, careful not to look at Aaron as they did. No doubt, they heard the entire exchange, but you’d never get them to admit it. When Max passed him, however, the doctor whispered, “Seems the spy lady got into your head, boy.”
Maybe he was right. But Aaron wasn’t going to admit it. He glared at Max as he passed. “If you remain on the bridge, Max, don’t get in the way.”
Max glared back but said nothing.
Flaps wiggled behind the helm. “This will be fun!”
“Long before this battle is over, Flaps,” Lee cautioned, as he took up the weapons station, “you will definitely have a change of heart.”
Aaron grunted as he took the command seat and adjusted the arm terminals. “When you hear the screams of your colleagues from stricken ships, their dying gasps for breathable air that isn’t coming, and no reprieve from plasma fires melting you through a bulkhead, you’ll understand.”
Aaron gazed across the bridge as the crew adjusted their stations. Flaps’ gelled hair, matted in sweat against his forehead. As usual, there was no noticeable change in Lee’s appearance. Max now gripped the sides of the seat reserved for an Executive Officer, not much cynicism present. Poor Vee looked haggard, his stubble rife with grey hairs, he also looked troubled, his brow creased.
Aaron rose and moved over to Vee and leaned in to his ear.
“What else is troubling you, Vee, besides Lieutenant Delaine?”
Vee shook his head. “I don’t want to burden you with anything else just before a battle.”
“Might be more of a burden knowing something is troubling you and not what it is. Spill it, Vee.”
Vee sighed. “While you were frolicking on the planet, I repaired the ship fluctuations. A third rate technician could have corrected the problem. That alone was strange, but it reminded me of something else and I dug a little further.” He lowered his voice. “Aaron, we’ve both seen those fluctuations when . . .”
“When Trident was destroyed,” Aaron concluded for him.
“Yes,” Vee said. “And when I dug further, I unlocked a ‘kinetic barrier’ system and the missile systems. The advanced ‘havoc’ missile system can launch ordnance, which accelerates to near superluminal speeds. They’re the same missiles which hit Trident. It means this ship is . . .”
“It means another ship exactly like Phoenix destroyed Trident,” he said. He couldn’t believe another Fleet ship destroyed Trident.
“No. This ship destroyed Trident, Aaron,” Vee said. “I’m fairly certain someone sabotaged the kinetic barrier system to cause the fluctuations, forcing them to retreat during the encounter at Orion. They would have felt they could meet us close in and finish us because of the kinetic barrier. When it failed and they were close and vulnerable to our missiles, they retreated. Like the smaller attack craft, the operators obviously weren’t ordinary starship crew. They believed the advanced systems would be enough to win the engagement.”
“Then who? Who sabotaged this ship to save us during the attack on Trident?”
“That’s the one question I wish I had an answer for,” Vee said.
“Keep this to yourself for now,” Aaron said, moving back to the command seat.
Aaron approached the command chair and clapped Max on the back as he passed and sat. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I promised I’d get you back safely to Midea and I will,” he swept his hands across the bridge, “you’re in good hands, Max.”
Max shifted to look back at him. “I think I’ve endured the exact opposite of each of your promises so far. I hope this is the one promise you keep. What the blazes am I even going to do on a spaceship in combat?”