The Aurora (Aurora Saga, Book 1) (31 page)
The fleet was now nearing the Wilarn system and James was impatiently waiting outside the convalescence ward of the hospital, onboard the
Lonori
, where Londuo had been moved that morning. Other members of the crew were gathering. The doors to the ward opened and everyone funnelled through.
The convalescence ward was a large circular room which was full a small seatras, most of which had their lids raised. James entered and looked anxiously around while other members of the crew walked over to visit their injured colleagues. Over the far side of the room he noticed Londuo laying still, her head propped up by some large pillows. He walked quietly over to her.
James glanced at the man in the next seatra. He was the fighter pilot James had seen being rushed into the hospital, but his hands and legs were now healed.
Londuo’s eyes opened slowly. She squinted and tried to focus.
‘James,’ she said, with a smile. ‘Is that you, James?’
James leaned down and kissed her.
‘Hi,’ he replied, before pulling a chair out of its storage compartment in the adjacent wall.
‘I thought I’d never see you again,’ Londuo said.
‘How do you feel?’ he asked affectionately.
‘Oh, like the morning after a serious hangover,’ Londuo said, managing a slight smile. ‘I have hissing in my ears; I can hardly see anything and it hurts whenever I move. Apart from that I feel great!’
She seems to be in good spirits
, James thought.
He felt a great relief, like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
‘Is it my ears, or can I hear distant drives?’ Londuo asked.
‘You’re on the
Lonori
. We’ve just entered our star system, so we’ll soon be back to Brinoli,’ James said.
‘Did we make it?’ Londuo enquired.
‘Yes,’ James replied, smiling. ‘You and Kalrea destroyed the base. They haven’t attacked Moulo or Earth.’
Londuo held out her hand. James gripped it lightly and looked into her eyes.
‘I didn’t think I was going to make it,’ Londuo said. ‘When I pressed the ejection button the fighter was banking sharply. I remember hitting something, which must have been the ground; then, I think I woke up for a moment, but everything was black. I thought I was dead.’
James was puzzled.
Black?
‘Oh yes, of course. We landed over the top of your cockpit, Londuo. You must have been looking up at the belly of the
Aurora
.’
Londuo smiled.
‘I should have guessed. I knew you’d come for me,’ she said.
James felt her grip his hand.
‘How long was I in the seatosipo? The doctor wouldn’t tell me.’
‘Just over six days,’ James replied.
Londuo appeared to be astounded.
‘It must have been serious.’
‘The main thing is you’re all right now. Londuo, I never want anything to happen to you again.’
James retrieved a small black bracelet from his pocket.
‘I’ve had Kalrea make this for you.’
‘What is it?’ Londuo asked, as she tried to focus on it.
James handed it to her.
‘It’s a bracelet. If you’re in any trouble, press the blue button and I’ll be there,’ he said.
She held it up close to her face.
‘I’m afraid I can only see a black blur at the moment,’ she said, squinting to try and see it. ‘It must be very beautiful. Thank you, James.’
Londuo twisted as she tried to place the bracelet on a table alongside the seatra.
‘Ah!’ she cried out in pain.
She closed her eyes; then, laid back and took a deep breath.
‘Londuo, are you all right?’ James was worried. He looked quickly around for a nurse.
Londuo placed her hand on his.
‘I’m fine. Really!’ she said, in some discomfort. ‘It only hurts when I try and move.’
James still looked concerned.
‘James, I’m fine,’ she repeated. ‘Would you put the bracelet on that table for me, please?’ she said, pointing clumsily to her left.
James placed it on a table next to her bed, where he noticed a red data cartridge. He picked it up.
‘What’s that?’ Londuo asked.
‘It’s a diary,’ he replied.
‘Oh, that must be mine,’ Londuo said. ‘I always try to have it with me. The last few days are going to make really interesting reading.’
James looked at the data cartridge more closely. Along its edge he read, ‘PERSONAL DIARY LONDUO BESIC.’ One of the corners was missing, and there were melted circles, very similar to the red data cartridge Kalrea was trying to decipher.
‘This could be it! The diary from the future.’
‘What are you talking about, James?’ Londuo questioned.
‘It’s complicated,’ James replied. ‘Look, I need this diary.’
‘What do you mean, you need my diary? It’s very personal, James. I’m not going to just let you read it!’
‘You don’t understand. Kalrea needs the encryption keys from it.’
‘James, you’re not making any sense, and you’re definitely not reading my diary,’ she said with a forceful tone and serious looking face.
‘But I don’t want to read your diary. I just need the encryption keys from it.’
Londuo shook her head in disbelief.
‘Do you want to change places? I think you need the seatra more than me.’
James could see Londuo was getting more stressed and was concerned he could make her condition worse if he continued to insist, so decided to wait until she was better.
‘Never mind! We can talk about it again when you’ve recovered. How long before you’re up and about again?’
‘The doctor said I should be out of the seatra tomorrow, but it may be another two days before they discharge me.’
‘That’s great!’ James said.
‘They’ll move me to a hospital on Brinoli tomorrow, when we arrive home,’ Londuo commented.
James was puzzled.
‘How do you know?’
‘I’ve been in here a few times,’ she said cheerfully. ‘Actually, I have been here so many times that I think they reserve a seatra for me.’
James smiled anxiously.
‘I’m not going to ask how many times.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ve lost count,’ she replied, with a large grin on her face. ‘Tell me, how did we get away from Dagnamk?’
James went on to tell Londuo what happened, until suddenly a soft bell sounded in the ward. Visitors started to leave.
‘I assume that sound means visiting time’s over?’ James said.
Londuo nodded.
James felt her grip his hand tightly when he was about to get up.
‘Don’t go!’ Londuo said sadly.
‘I’ll see you in the morning… when you’ve been moved down to Brinoli.’
But James sat down again.
‘I want you to stay with me,’ Londuo said.
‘I wish I could. You need to rest, Londuo.’
He was suddenly aware of someone approaching.
‘Sorry, sir, but visiting time’s over. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave now,’ the nurse said.
James rose from his chair. He felt sadness, tempered with a feeling of being lost as to what to do. He had to leave, but Londuo wanted him to stay.
‘I’ll see you in the morning, I promise,’ he said. ‘Love you.’
Londuo raised her hand.
‘Love you too.’
He waved back.
As James walked down the corridor an announcement was made over the
Lonori’s
address system.
“ALL PERSONNEL REPORT TO STATIONS. FINAL APPROACH TO BRINOLI.”
The telementor on James’ wrist, flashed.
Incoming communication from Milonri,
Kalrea informed James.
Put him through
, James thought.
‘James,’ Milonri’s voice came from the telementor. ‘Are you alone?’
James looked at other members of the crew walking by.
‘No, Milonri,’ James said. ‘Hold on one moment.’
Switch to mute, please Kalrea,
he thought.
You can say what you want now, Milonri. No one can hear us.
Good,
Milonri’s voice said in James’ head.
We’ve prepared a landing site for you. It’s a secret location away from the main base. The assault ship Kinfin will assist you. Captain Uloim will be in contact shortly.
He paused.
Are you planning to stay with your ship during the repairs?
I’d rather be at the base.
James thought.
I wouldn’t be of much use to the engineers anyway. Kalrea will tell them what to do.
I guessed as much. A transport will take you to the base. Quarters near the base convalescence ward have been prepared for you. I’ll get a map sent over,
Milonri said.
Thanks!
James thought, pleasantly surprised.
Shuttles and transports rushed from the surface of Brinoli to meet the approaching ships.
From the monitor onboard the
Aurora,
James watched the cranes within the
Lonori’s
docking bay swing around to grip the front and back of the
Aurora
. He felt the ship shuddered momentarily, and then he heard the distant drone of hydraulics, as the
Aurora
was manoeuvred out of the
Lonori
to where the assault ship
Kinfin
was waiting.
‘We’re been hailed by the Kinfin,’ Kalrea said over the
Aurora’s
address system.
‘Captain Brasdoi, it’s an honour to meet you. I’m Captain Uloim,’ her voice also sounded over the address system.
‘Captain,’ James replied, in acknowledgement.
Kalrea quickly informed James of the status of the repairs to the ship, while he was making a fuss of Kira, who was curled up on the seat next to the console.
‘Captain Uloim, we have one drive operational at five percent power, but our thrusters are still malfunctioning. They’re not reliable,’ James said. ‘Can you assist us?’
‘We can use grapples to carry your ship,’ Captain Uloim replied. ‘We’ve already moved the
Pulsora
down to the surface, but the
Kinfin
didn’t have very much power in reserve. The
Aurora
looks less damaged and could weigh a great deal more,’ she said. ‘Please open your cargo bay doors, so we can secure the grapples.’
‘I’ve calculated that the
Kinfin
will have a five percent reserve power, which is just enough to carry the
Aurora
,’ Kalrea said.
‘What if the
Kinfin
can’t support our weight or something goes wrong?’ James enquired.
‘I would have no choice but to release the grapples,’ Captain Uloim said.
‘The operational drive will allow us to return safely to space,’ Kalrea said, reassuringly.
‘Captain Uloim, we’re all yours,’ James said.
The
Kinfin
slowly manoeuvred itself above the
Aurora
; then, held station, while grapples descended from its belly into the
Aurora’s
open cargo bay. The grapples attached themselves onto the
Aurora’s
docking clamps, before being retracted. The
Kinfin
descended, until, with a loud bang, the hulls of the two ships touched, and the
Lonori’s
cranes were released. The
Kinfin
moved gracefully away with the
Aurora
slung helplessly below.
‘So far, so good,’ Captain Uloim said cheerfully. ‘Cut all transmissions with control. Approach on vector 25.7 Alpha.’
The
Kinfin
powered effortlessly down towards Brinoli.
‘Hold on,’ Captain Uloim said.
The ships penetrated the atmosphere.
James unexpectedly felt his stomach rise and a moment of weightlessness. He grabbed the side of the console to steadily himself, as the gravitational forces increased. He looked at Kira to check she was all right. Her claws where firmly embedded in the seat.
‘Ninety percent reverse thrust,’ Captain Uloim ordered.
James could feel the vibration from the
Kinfin’s
drives reverberating through the console. The increase in volume from event horizon drives made him release his grip and cover his ears.
We’re slowing,
he thought.
‘Maximum reverse thrust,’ Captain Uloim said calmly.
With that, the ships came slowly to a stop, hovering over the Brinoli countryside.
‘I told you the old ship could do it,’ Captain Uloim said.
‘What?’ James replied, trying to understand the captain over the noise.
Kalrea repeated the message.
‘Yes. I’m sorry, there’s a lot of noise!’ James shouted.
James noticed the tone of the drives change. He watched the ships descend towards the forest of trees, but they were heading away from the base.
Where are they taking us, Kalrea?
James thought.
I’ve no idea. There’s nothing on the forward scanners,
Kalrea replied.
‘Captain Uloim. Why are we heading away from the base?’ James said loudly.
‘We’re taking you to the Polune hangar,’ Captain Uloim said.
What’s a Polune hangar, Kalrea?
James thought.
‘Polune’ means ‘hidden cavern’ in Telecan. It must be an old Telecan science station,
Kalrea said.
What, like the one on Lavmino, where we met?
Yes.
‘Your ship will be safe there while it’s being repaired,’ Captain Uloim added.
The ships came to a stop over a large rocky outcrop in the middle of the forest. James was about to ask why, when he heard a loud cracking noise from outside. Using the monitor, he looked down, to see the surface of Brinoli below, moving. Two massive doors moved slowly downwards and then slid apart.
Kalrea, I think there’s something else you didn’t tell me about. You never mentioned the Telecan science station was here when we arrived,
James thought.
Until those doors started to open, I had nothing on the scanners to indicate such a structure,
Kalrea replied.
Even the main computers on Brinoli had no data on the station. The walls must be shielded so no scanners can penetrate them.
When the doors had finally opened, they revealed a colossal hangar. About nine hundred metres below, James could see the
Pulsora
. To the left of the
Pulsora,
he counted nine fighters in various stages of repair. He could see figures moving around them. A lone shuttle sat in the far right corner.
As the two ships slowly descended, James noticed that the floor of the hangar was covered by a pattern of circles. The tops of three of them illuminated when the
Aurora
approached. The
Kinfin
held station while three large columns rose from the floor. When they all touched the belly of the
Aurora,
the
Kinfin’s
drives decreased in power and the grapples disengaged.
The
Kinfin
moved away.
Wow, peace and quiet at last.
‘Thanks for the lift, Captain Uloim,’ James said, rubbing his ears.
James picked up his sports bag and retrieved his pictures from the seatra. Beneath them laid the red data cartridge. He picked it up and looked at the melted corner.
I need to show Londuo this to convince her.
James placed it in his pocket.
‘Come on Kira!’ he shouted. ‘It’s time to go. Kira!’
*****
When James exited from the
Aurora,
he could hear the buzz of people and machinery echoing around the hangar base. In the distance, in front of him were the fighters sitting on a small platform with many engineers working on them. To his right, were a number of doors cut into the rock-face of the hangar. He watched two people emerge from one of the doors and walk towards the fighters. To his left, partially hidden by one of the columns supporting the
Aurora,
lay the
Pulsora,
which he could see was also supported by three columns.
What time is it, Kalrea?
James thought
. I’m hungry.
He looked down at Kira.
Yes, you’re hungry too, I bet.
It’s six twenty-four after midday,
Kalrea replied.
But remember there’s only twenty-one hours in a day here.
So midday is at ten thirty
, James thought and smiled. He suddenly noticed a commander jogging towards him.
James, I’ve just cracked another encryption key from the diary,
Kalrea said.
‘Captain Brasdoi!’ the commander said. ‘There’s a shuttle waiting to take you to the base.’
He pointed to the shuttle.
‘Please follow me!’
What does the diary now tell us, Kalrea?
James thought, while he was being quickly led to the shuttle, with Kira following very close behind him.
Your name’s mentioned more than once. I think you’re right, it is Londuo’s. There’s something else—
‘Sorry for the rush, sir,’ the commander said. ‘We must close the hangar doors as soon as possible. Milonri has told me to give Kalrea anything she needs. Where is she?’
James smiled as he stepped onboard the shuttle.
‘You mean Milonri didn’t tell you…?’ James said. ‘You’ll meet her when you go onboard the
Aurora.
Kira! Come on, come here.’
She jumped onboard.
Sorry, Kalrea, go on. You were going to tell me more about the diary.
I’m making some assumptions by linking the data together, so I could be wrong, but Antaio may not be who he seems.
What do you mean?
A symbol flashed on the door of the shuttle.
‘One more thing, sir,’ the commander said to James.
He held out a small tablet.
‘This will help you to find your way around. It’s a map of the base.’
James took the tablet, just before the door of the shuttle closed.
James, I’m concerned,
Kalrea said.
The hangar’s shielding stops me being able to transmit a signal outside this structure. Once you’re outside and the doors are closed, we’ll be unable to contact each other. I can’t protect you.
Kalrea, what are your concerns about Antaio?
I cannot be sure, but I suggest for now you do not trust him, James. The diary mentions him, then death and destruction.
Surely you mean the attack on Dagnamk.
No James; it’s in our future and it’s soon.
Are you sure? Do I tell Milonri?
I need to crack another key to be certain.
Okay, I’ll get the other diary from Londuo.
Be careful, James.
James felt his stomach drop suddenly when the shuttle lifted away.
Not again!
He wanted to look outside to focus on something, but the shuttle had no windows.
It’s like being on a roller-coaster ride with a blindfold on.
The shuttle twisted and turned quickly. His face went pale.
I never did like roller coasters.
He was relieved when the shuttle finally touched down and he wasted no time in disembarking. He took two deep breaths before looking down at the holographic notepad in his hand. A three-dimensional image of the base was displayed, with his quarters highlighted within one of the large pyramid-shaped building on the perimeter of the land area. Kira rubbed up against his leg.
Where are we Kira?
He looked around to determine his position, before walking slowly toward a building. He glanced up at the sky.
It is getting late
.
James entered through two large doors and proceeded down a long well-lit corridor. Behind him, he could hear the distant noise of a ship coming into land. He looked at the number on each door.
Twenty-three, -four, -five…
His quarters were about a quarter of the way along the corridor.
Ah, twenty-eight
.
James waved his hand over a keypad next to the door. As soon as the door had opened, Kira ran in. He entered and lights came on illuminating the small room, which was very similar to Londuo’s temporary quarters onboard the
Lonori
. There was a window against the furthest wall, which was slightly tilted, and in the far left corner was a communications console. To the left was a small seatra; to the right, two chairs. He placed his bag and the notepad on the nearest chair. Kira was sniffing around and exploring the room.
James could hear a humming noise coming from outside in the direction of the window. He walked over to it, almost tripping over Kira, who was running in front of him.
‘Kira!’ James said, as he stumbled.
The window overlooked the east landing site. James looked at a large transport lifting off, its long shadow flicked across his window as it banked slowly away and accelerated. He followed it until it faded into the darkening sky.
‘I wonder how I go about getting something to eat in this place,’ James said, looking down at Kira and then over at the console. ‘You look hungry too, don’t you?’
The console was similar to the one Londuo was using to teach him, but this time he didn’t have Londuo or Kalrea to help him. He looked at the many symbols.
‘Which one was it, Kira?’ he said, running his finger over the far left symbols of the keyboard.
Kira brushed up against his leg.
‘This one, then,’ James said, before pressing a white circular symbol.
Suddenly the lights in the room went out leaving him in total darkness.
‘That’s the last time I listen to you. Now I can’t even see anything except this damn console.’