Far Space (40 page)

“No,” Ghost explained for the third time, “I don’t have a flight plan or an ATO entry. If you would crack open your classified appendix, you will find Reaper 16 listed as a SOF asset.

“I can see you’re SOF,” the controller sniffed. “But, that doesn’t exempt you from following procedures. All requests must be cleared through the CSOC. You can’t just fly in here and expect to be allowed to land.”

Ghost clenched his fist and pounded his forehead.

“…eight, nine, ten…okay, no more nice guy,” Ghost muttered. He jabbed the transmit key and said, “Reagan Tower, Reaper 16…again. Be advised I have a wounded crew member on board and will be performing an emergency landing. I repeat – Reaper 16 has a declared emergency. I suggest you clear your airspace before I do it for you.”

“You can’t land without authorization!” The controller’s voice shot back. “Reaper 16, you
will
enter a holding orbit and you
will
await CSOC approval to land!”

“I’ve used that lock before,” Robin said, pointing out a snaking access tunnel at the far side of the landing field. “There’s a nice coffee shop right inside the gate.”

Ghost toggled his mike, “Control, be advised, Reaper 16
will
be docking at Gate 24.” He switched off his net connection as the controller started to protest. “Hang on,” he said and initiated a final course correction.

Ian noticed emergency vehicles, their lights flashing, emerging from their shelters at the edge of the field as the Reaper tore down the final approach path.

Ghost hit the breaking thrusters; bringing the Reaper to a stop next to the gate. The landing gear thumped solidly down onto the packed ice

“Thank you for flying Reaper Space Lines,” Ghost announced. “We know you had no other carrier choices but we still appreciate your business.” He tapped a few icons on his control board, shutting down the drive and inertial dampening systems.

Reaper 16 shuddered and grew silent.

Ian closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief mixed with a quick prayer of heart-felt thanks.

“Well, at least Ghost’s pronouncement got some attention,” Robin said. “Emergency personnel are on the way. General Yates just called to say he’ll meet us in a sec.”

“Nice!” Ghost said dryly as he leaned forward to watch the emergency response vehicles pull up a short distance from the Reaper. “A welcoming party.”

Ian unstrapped himself from the command chair and sat still for a moment. Here, at the end of their voyage, he felt drained as he had never been before in his life. The events of the past few days, from the harrowing rescue to the tense moments as the auto-surgeon performed its life-saving work to the time spent at Jennifer’s side had nearly exhausted Ian. It was watching Jennifer struggle with pain he could do little to soothe which really bothered him. Insane humans and alien warships he could handle. Watching helplessly as his wife underwent surgery and then hovered near the brink of survival had just about cracked him.

Shaking his head, Ian pushed aside cold thoughts of death narrowly averted.

Ghost and Robin both rose with him as much as the low-ceiled compartment allowed and shook his hand in turn.

“Thanks for everything,” Ian said, looking from one to the other.

“Give me a little warning next time,” Ghost said, grinning. “We’ll set up some nice side trips; do some more sightseeing.”

“Thanks. I think I’ve had my fill of adventure for awhile,” Ian said and saluted. “Ghost, the ship is yours.”

Ghost returned the salute. “It’s been a pleasure, sir.”

Robin glanced back at her board. “Medical personnel are at the outer lock.”

“Thanks, Robin,” Ian said. He turned and squeezed through the bridge hatch

It only took Ian a few steps to reach his quarters where he found Jennifer still safely in the bunk.

Mason stood up from the only chair in the compartment to make room for Ian.

“Home so soon?” Jennifer asked, smiling weakly.

“As close to home as we’re likely to get for a while,” Ian said and took her hand. “At least you’ll be able to see a real doctor now.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Jennifer said, “I think Mason and Robin did a pretty good job.”

Ian looked over at the academic standing in the doorway.

“My wife always said I had magic hands,” Mason said, shrugging. “But, more than my meager medical assistance, I would thank Ian’s quick thinking for getting us back here in record time.”

“Sure wish I’d had my hands on the Soo translations Yates gave you, Ian,” Jennifer said.

“You and Yates’ people did all the hard work,” Ian said. “All I did was combine the two databases. I was just the lucky guy who came up with a shorter route home.”

“That’s right,” Jennifer said, squeezing her husband’s hand. “But it was my lucky guy who cut a sixteen wormhole trip down to eleven and covered it all in
four days. So allow the thankful masses to heap praise upon you and revel in it while you can. Like they say, enjoy it now, glory is fleeting.”

“Well, I was good,” Ian said, nodding.

“Okay, reveling is over,” Jennifer laughed.

Ian smiled down at his wife, reveling in his own way at the simple sound of her joy. He did not care who got the credit for the fast trip home. Four days worrying about Jennifer without proper care just about killed him. He was just glad it was over.

“She in there?”

Ian and Jennifer looked up at the sound of the new voice.

Mason turned and said, “Yes, the patient is in here.”

The new-comer looked over Mason’s shoulder then none-too-gently shouldered his way past the scientist.

It took a moment for Ian to adjust to the arrival of the medical personnel. After more than two weeks of interacting with only a few others aboard the tiny Reaper, they seemed oddly out of place. He stood and folded his seat into the wall to make more room.

The paramedics were dressed in dark gray jumpsuits with reflective strips on their arms and legs. The first man had a nametag which identified him only as Airman Smith.

Ian pulled out a data stick from his flight suit and held it out for the Airman. “Here’s a copy of the medical file we’ve compiled since we got her on board.”

Smith stared at the memory stick for a moment before taking it and depositing it in his breast pocket. “Shouldn’t need it,” Smith muttered. “Hospital scanners should tell the docs everything they need to know.”

Ian, feeling he and his crew’s efforts were being just a little bit unappreciated slipped out into the Reapers’ main corridor, to make room for Airman Smith’s colleague.

Airman Jones unfolded the stretcher he had brought through the lock. The pair transferred Jennifer onto the pallet with a minimal amount of jostling.

Rider and Ghost joined Ian and Mason. Together they handed the stretcher, tilted up at an angle, out of Ian’s quarters and through the Reaper airlock into Gate 25’s access tunnel.

General Yates met the small procession at the Gate exit.

“Hold up there,” Yates said, halting the two paramedics.

“We need to get her to the ER,” Smith protested.

“She’s been in a spacecraft for four days,” Yates said. “Four more minutes will probably not make much of a difference.”

Smith hesitated for a moment then nodded to his partner. They set the stretcher down and stood aside for the General.

Crouching, Yates looked into Jennifer’s face. “You okay?”

Jennifer gave a small smile and shrugged her left shoulder. “Been better, General.”

“Sounds like you had a little help,” Yates said, looking over at Mason and Rider. His eyes strayed back to Mason. “Doctor?”

Mason tipped his head in acknowledgement. “Sir.”

“Good work.”

“You’re very able crew was most helpful,” Mason said, gesturing toward Ghost and Robin. “I just happened to remember a few things from my days at the university.”

Yates looked at Ghost and Robin. “Sorry to hear about about Lt Col Bridges. He was a good man.”

“Yes sir, he was,” Ghost said.

“I’ve got a new mission for you, Captain,” Yates said. He pulled out two sets of silver captain rank and tossed them to Space Corps’ most recently promoted Company Grade Officer. “Please escort our friends here to SOF quarters and find someone to look after them. No one goes anywhere or talks to anyone until we have a chance to talk. Understood?”

Ghost caught the new rank. “Yes sir.”

“But, General…” Mason started.

Yates held up his hand. “You’re not prisoners, Doc. Please go with Ghost and do as he says. There are some things we need to discuss before you do anything else.”

“I suppose we can trust the folks who rescued us a little further,” Mason said, looking at Rider. “Show the way, Captain.”

Ghost and Robin started down the corridor with their two charges in tow.

Yates knelt down to speak with Jennifer again. “Don’t worry, we’ll have you back in Ian’s arms in no time.”

Jennifer nodded. “I’m just glad you sent him after me.”

“Me too,” Yates said. To the paramedics, he said, “Please take this young lady to my quarters. Dr. Joseph Crowder is setting up there to perform an examination.”

“We are under orders to take all injured personnel to the ER,” Smith said. “It’s part of the base commander’s accountability procedures.”

“And I’m ordering you to take Mrs. Langdon to see Dr. Crowder in my quarters,” Yates said, staring the young Airman down. Without breaking eye contact, he called out, “Master Sergeant Williams, make sure these gentlemen get where they need to go.”

A hulking figure dressed in crisp Space Corps Battle Fatigues detached himself from a shadowed corner. “Yes sir,” Williams said, gesturing with one hand down the corridor. “This way, gentlemen.”

Smith craned his neck to look up into William’s dark face. He swallowed and bent down to pick up the stretcher.

Williams followed the paramedics, with Jennifer in between them, down the hallway.

Ian held back a moment and stepped close to Yates. “Sir, thank you again. If we would have arrived just a few hours later…I’m not sure she would have made it.”

Yates laid a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “It’s you who completed the mission, Langdon. You’re the one who brought them all back. She’s home now. And don’t worry; Williams will look out for her.”

Ian nodded. He looked up to find Yates staring at the corner as Jennifer and the others disappeared around it. The look of concern in Yates’ face caught Ian’s attention. He followed Yates’ gaze down the empty corridor then turned to face the General.

Stepping close to his superior, Ian asked, “Is Jennifer in danger?”

Yates was uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

“The report you sent detailing what Jennifer had learned about the Soorsuri and their beliefs was leaked,” Yates replied after a moment. “There were…unforeseen reactions.”

“I made sure to keep her name out of it,” Ian hissed, “just in case the story ‘leaked’, General.”

“Everyone, including you, was mentioned in Jennifer’s logs,” Yates said.

“Crud,” Ian breathed. He had sent everything in Jennifer’s data pad along with his carefully crafted report via quantum communication three days ago. “I knew I shouldn’t have sent you those files.”

Yates held up his hand. “Don’t worry. She’s safe here on Europa. Consider Williams a precaution. There wasn’t much trouble here. The riots and fighting back on Earth are still in full swing, I’m afraid.”

“Fighting?” Ian said. “Are you saying we started a war?” His eyes widened at the full implications Jennifer’s revelation might entail. “Oh God, they’re blaming Jennifer, aren’t they?”

“Not necessarily,” Yates said, taking Ian’s arm and starting down the corridor. “Ian, when I saw the recordings Jennifer had made, I realized there was something there for all of humankind. For those whose faith was strong, it was a revalidation of a lifetime of worship and devotion. For those whose faith was in turmoil, here was the proof they needed – it would be the end of their search and the beginning of a new life for millions. But for those who do not…and probably never would believe…well, I messed up.” Yates shook his head. “I had what I considered proof of God’s existence and his plans for salvation for every being in my hands. Not just humans, but all the other alien races we have or will meet on our journeys to the stars. I should not have expected to be able to drop something like that on all of humanity and expect a pleasant response. Even the groups which did not immediately reject the claims of Jennifer’s news broke into camps which were decidedly fervent in their stances. And it was not just the non-Christian religions, plenty of groups of believers were equally divided. I knew there would be turmoil, but not this bad.”

“Then why’d you do it?” Ian asked. “Cripes, you could have at least waited until we got back. You didn’t even ask our opinion.”

“I live in a world of secrets, but there are some truths which must to be told. Some things cannot stay hidden in the dark.” Yates paused and faced Ian. “I am sorry, truly sorry, if this causes Jennifer any problems. But, I could not in good conscience sit on the information.”

Ian, his thoughts swirling with the possible threats to Jennifer’s life, could think of nothing to say.

“Ian,” Yates continued, his voice softened. “I’ve been searching for something like this my entire life. When I saw what Jennifer had learned, I had to tell everyone. Do you understand?”

Ian looked away from Yates and thought for a moment. He had actually found himself crying when his wife had shared the revelation with him on the trip back to Europa. Ian understood what Yates was saying all too well. He nodded and said, “You did the right thing, General.”

Yates gave Ian a half grin. “I appreciate that, Langdon. I really do. Go with Jennifer. Make sure she’s got everything she needs then come see me in the Ops Cell.”

Ian nodded and hurried after Jennifer. After Yates revelations, he did not want to be very far away from her.

USS Saratoga

Jupiter Space

Colonel John“Billy” Mitchell sat in Saratoga’s command chair and took in the bridge of his spacecraft. He wondered if others in his position might feel out of place wearing the rank of full bird Colonel at the point in the their career when they should be pinning on the gold oak leaf of a Major. Mitchell pushed the thought aside. There was no difference between his rapid rise through the ranks today and those who found themselves commanding combat missions during World War II in the Army Air Forces. Well there was one big difference. In World War II, the rapid expansion of the U.S. armed forces had been in response to an all too familiar and very human threat. Today, the infusion of personnel and material into the U.S. Space Corps was due to not simply a foreign threat, but an extra-solar system threat. Mitchell found himself, like those young men who preceded him by nearly a century, in the right place, at the right time, in the right service.