Lens of Time: Book 05 - Star Rover-The Worst of Time (14 page)

The two weeks flew by and Dat sat onboard his ship holding Gresha. He hated leaving and worried about leaving her behind. Who would make sure she was ok? She held him tightly and said, “Come back as soon as you can.”

“You know I will. Just do your best and you should be so busy you won’t miss me.”

Gresha leaned back, “You know better than that.”

Dat sighed, “I know. Just do your best. I want you to pilot a ship and only the top graduates are given that assignment.”

“I am at a disadvantage but I’ll see if I can’t make up some lost ground.”

His board beeped and Stein said, “We’ve been cleared for departure.”

Dat kissed her and Gresha hurried out the open port and moved away to watch him leave. Dat went to his chair and the port closed and sealed. “Take us out, Stein.”

Gresha watched the small ship lift and disappear into the bright blue sky. She stood watching the sky for a long moment and then turned and boarded a train for the Academy. She managed not to cry but it was a very close thing. Three hours later, Jill’s wing arrived.

“You’ve missed him.”

“What?”

“Dat just lifted three hours ago and shipped out to another assignment.”

“Drat!”

Bucket said, “I have an incoming message.”

Jill nodded and saw Captain Anders on her panel, “We have been asked to report to the Academy to meet Admiral Hull.”

“Why the Academy?”

“She’s going to address the newest graduates later today and wants to see us immediately.”

“Is there a problem?”

“You know how smart she is. I think she might have some questions about your success with the Command System.”

“What are we going to tell her?”

“Let me do the talking and I’ll try to protect you and Dat as best I can.”

“I’ll follow your lead, Sir. Jack, go and get serviced and let me know if you have any issues.”

“I think my field emitters need replacing. They’re not reading at their optimum level.”

“Do what you need to do. I suspect we’ll be back in combat soon.”

“Have you heard something?”

“No, just a hunch.” The white ship landed and Jill stepped out of the port and saw Jon standing outside a shuttle that was waiting for them.

Jon opened the door and whispered, “Don’t say anything.” Jill nodded and stepped inside. The shuttle lifted and Jill felt immense sorrow at having missed Dat.

• • •

Admiral Hull looked at Dat on her display and said, “Captain, I’m of the belief that you violated protocol and revealed a Prime Secret.”

Dat stared at Kat and said in an angry voice, “Admiral, I am activating my rank for the next twenty minutes, do you understand?”

Kat twitched and said, “Yes Sir.”

“Who suggested that we attempt to use the Command Circuit with my wing?”

“I did.”

“And who authorized it?”

“President Connor.”

“Was this an attempt by you to ensure your rank in Fleet?”

Kat stared at Dat and saw his building rage. Katherine didn’t blame him. “No, it was an attempt to get President Connor to force you to not to make that idiotic run. I never expected her to agree with her daughter’s presence in your wing. You are too important to Fleet to take the risk you were planning.”

Dat was shocked by the Admiral’s response and his anger began to diminish, “I recognize I was foolish. However, why didn’t you call off the exercise when she did agree?”

“What would be my justification?”

Dat thought a moment and said, “Why didn’t you offer to transfer all the information of what we’ve learned about the system to date?”

“I don’t know what we’ve learned. That information falls under a Prime Secret Stamp and you’ve never shared that information with anyone else. I didn’t know that you had developed protocols to use it.”

“President Connor knew.”

“She didn’t give any indication she knew anything. However, if she did know, that information was protected by a Prime Secret stamp. You would have to have her approval to reveal it.”

Dat stared at Kat and said, “You need to decide what’s more important to you; following policies or the safety of the sailors under your command. You should know that I don’t even have to think twice about that question. My rank is no longer active. Do you have any questions, Sir?”

Kat stared at Dat, “I’ll get back to you.” Her display went dark and her XO stuck his head in her door, “Anders and Connor are here.”

“Send them in.”

• • •

Gresha’s first class was brutal. The material on the structure of the universe was mind numbing. Thank God she had spent her time on Dat’s ship downloading the computer’s information. Actually seeing the billions of Galaxies in the database helped her grasp the scope of what was being taught. Stein and Loree had added more information than the library on Earth had provided. It was that additional information that prevented her from being completely lost. Her second class on human history was just as bad but much more interesting. She found learning it enjoyable and the second class was over before she knew it. Several cadets invited her to join them for lunch. She smiled and followed them out wondering at just how young the human species was. Their advances in technology were amazing.

• • •

Kat stared at the two Rovers standing at attention in front of her desk and after a long moment she said, “At ease; take a seat.” She leaned back in her chair and put her right thumb on her chin and her index finger on her lips as she rested her head on her hand. She didn’t want to do it but couldn’t stop herself, “Captain, I am of the belief that you were given the contents of a Prime Secret Folder.”

“What secret was that, Sir?”

Kat’s eyes narrowed and she said, “Just what do you think I’m talking about, Captain?”

“Sir, I’ve been given a great deal of information that is considered Prime Secret Material more times than I can count.”

Jill listened to Jon and knew he was trying to keep Admiral Hull from learning what had happened. Kat said, “I believe you were given information about the new Command Circuit that was covered by Prime Secret Protocols.”

Jon stared at the Admiral and said very deliberately, “Sir, are you telling me that you sent my wing into combat with a new system and deliberately withheld information on how to use it?”

Kat stared at Jon and now recognized the trap he had sprung. She wasn’t supposed to know the information existed and if she admitted she did…she would be in the same box she was trying to place him. She moved her hand from her mouth and started to speak but Jon spoke first, “Sir, if there was information on the system that would make a difference in my wing’s survival, we should have had it.”

Kat quickly said, “You were charged with learning the new system to determine if you could use it effectively. We wanted to know if others could use the new system.”

Jon lowered his gaze and Kat saw his anger, “I want you to think about this a moment, Sir. Let’s say that I am the best in the military at firing a hand blaster and you want to see if others are as good as I am. Are you going to hand them a blaster with the trigger removed to see if they can fire it as well or are you going to give them a fully functional blaster with all the parts available? You have a system that had information on how to use it. If you want to see if others can use it as well, they should have everything known about that system; especially if you are putting their lives on the line in combat. Or can we assume our lives carry no importance to those that command us?”

“You are bordering on disrespect, Captain.”

“I intend no disrespect but if there was information available about that system, which was deliberately withheld from us, what other conclusions can be drawn?”

Kat had her hand back up to her mouth and was rocking back and forth slowly in her chair. Dat was right. This shouldn’t have happened. She decided that the question of choosing between policy and safety would never be an issue with her again. She looked at Jillian Connor and saw her anger. Good! She would know what happened and that was information she should know. But she wasn’t going to tell her. She looked at Captain Anders and said, “I was obviously wrong about this. Lt. Connors, you are dismissed. Captain Anders, I want you to remain.”

Jon looked at Jill who was showing reluctance to leave him without support but he nodded slightly and she stood, came to attention, saluted, did an about face, and left the room. Kat saw Jill’s reluctance and knew that Jill was right during the mission in the Black Creature’s galaxy. The wing respected their commander.

• • •

Jill walked out of the office and went to the cafeteria and waited for Jon to exit. She had to know he was ok. She was worried what might be done to him.

• • •

Gresha took her tray and went to the table with her fellow cadets and sat down. She looked across the huge room and saw a female Rover pilot sitting by herself at the edge of the cafeteria tables. She stood and said, “Excuse me a moment.” She began walking toward the Lieutenant sitting alone.

Jill stared at the door and heard, “Are you Loree?”

Jill jerked her head around and saw the female alien standing behind her. She was shocked at the alien’s beauty and knew the pictures did not really do her justice. She nodded and the alien said, “Do you mind if I sit down a moment?” Jill indicated a chair and she sat down. “I understand that you and Dat were once lovers.”

Jill felt her ire go up and said, “We were never lovers; we dated for a time.”

“Well, you know that he loved you a great deal and suffered from your rejection for years afterward.”

Jill took a deep breath and said, “I never intended that to happen.”

“I know.”

“Just how could you know that?”

“I know Dat. I’m shocked beyond words that you rejected him; however, I am glad you did. I just want you to know that I can see you still care about him and I would understand if you tried to get him back. I will not have any bad feelings for you if you do.”

Jill was stunned. “How do you know I still care?”

“I saw it in your eyes when I mentioned his name.”

“I do still care. Actually, I’ve beat myself up every day since I made that idiotic mistake.”

The beautiful alien smiled, “You shouldn’t have waited to tell him. He’s endured so much pain from your rejection over the years.”

Gresha stood to leave and Jill said, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I love him very much and his happiness is the most important thing for me. If you can make him happier, then I will rejoice in that. He deserves it.”

Jill stared at her and was dumbfounded. Can anyone love another that much? She would rip a competitor’s eyes out. Jill said, “You know the two of you can never have children?”

Gresha’s smile vanished and she lowered her head. She looked back up at Jill and the anguish on her face was clear, “I do. But even without that, he is the greatest gift creation has ever sent to me. That price is worth having him.” Gresha turned and walked away.

Jill watched her go and knew she had no chance. She had betrayed Dat’s trust and that betrayal would always be a part of his feelings for her. He would have to hold something back to prevent being hurt again. Jill had absolutely no doubt that this beautiful alien would never betray Dat. If she could see it; so could he. Now she understood why he had run for the planet’s safety. It was to protect her. Jill wanted so much to hate her but just couldn’t make herself do it. She didn’t possess enough evil in her soul to pull it off. She lowered her head and fought the tears that wanted to come. She just wasn’t as hard as her mother.

Gresha sat down at her table and forced a smile. One of the cadets asked, “Who is that?”

Gresha looked at the cadet and said, “She is the one that fought the Masters in my galaxy. She’s a brave Rover and I do hope I can be like her one day. She’s a friend.”

The cadets all turned and looked at the Lieutenant who had stood up and went to a Captain that had just exited an office. They looked at Gresha and decided they liked her. The three women in the group decided that they were going to take Gresha under their wing and make sure none of the male cadets treated her irresponsibly. They really didn’t have to worry about that. No other male would take her eyes off her studies. She had a goal and nothing was going to stop her from achieving it.

• • •

Jill walked up and Jon saw the beautiful alien walking away from her table. He looked at Jill and saw the sorrow she was trying so hard to hide. “Are you alright?”

Jill said, “Are you alright?”

Jon nodded, “The Admiral and I came to an understanding. Everything is ok.”

Jill blew out a breath, “Thank God; thank you for protecting me.”

“It’s what I do, Lieutenant. Get used to it.”

“Why do you say that?”

“We’re shipping back out to take on the Black Civilization.”

“When are we leaving?”

“In about two weeks. You are being sent to the advanced training facility to better learn how to use the Command System. I expect you to pay attention.”

Jill smiled and looked into Jon’s eyes, “I will, Sir.”

“I expected nothing else, Jill. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

• • •

Gresha stared at the two across the room and could see them clearly. Loree was hurting and the male knew it. She wondered why the male shared her pain. She could see that the female didn’t recognize his feelings. She needed to open her eyes. She turned back to her lunch and thought about Dat.

D
at was at the point of exhaustion. He had worked with the eight hundred Rovers assigned to his command for a year and getting them to follow orders was proving to be beyond troublesome. They were just not accustomed to working in groups. They had always operated alone and habits were hard to break. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Call it a day, Stein, and tell the fleet to be here tomorrow.”

“Are you ready for your Gresha update?”

Dat looked up and smiled, “I am.”

“She’s ranked number one in her class at the end of the first year.”

“Get the frack out of here.”