Star Rover-Chosen to Die (Lens of Time) (36 page)

Dat jumped up out of his chair and yelled, “WHO FIRED ON THAT SHIP!?!”

Angel took a deep breath and said, “I did, Sir.”

“ARE YOU INSANE? YOU MAY HAVE JUST STARTED AN INTERGALACTIC WAR!” Angel sat at her panel and Dat yelled, “Take Admiral Arvolo to the brig now!”

Angel stood and walked toward the entrance to the bridge and was greeted by two Marines who led her away.

Gresha looked at Dat and he saw the shock on her face. What was going on!?!” He looked at Gresha and said, “You have the bridge. I’m going to find out what’s happening.”

Dat stormed into Angel’s holding room and screamed, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!”

Angel blew out a breath and said, “It had to be done, Admiral.”

Dat shook his head, “Have you lost your mind? We are outgunned and outnumbered by the Blue Civilization. They’re going to attack us for this destruction of a ship that had its force field down.” Dat stared at Angel and saw her sorrow. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”

Angel said, “I do.”

“Why did you do this?”

“I can’t tell you.”

Dat’s anger got the best of him, “Well you are out of this navy and your court martial will lead to a death sentence for your treachery.”

Angel lowered her head and said, “I know.”

Dat threw his hands up and stormed out of the room.

• • •

Bret listened to Dat contact Admiral Hull and tell her what happened. He looked at Angel’s mother and saw her distress. Angel had refused to tell her anything as well.

“I know what this is going to cause. Get General Robinson to issue a war warning and get the fleets organized to meet the expected attacks.”

Katherine looked at Dat, “What are you going to do about your daughter?”

“She’ll be held in confinement until a Board of Inquiry can call for her trial.”

Katherine shook her head, “I’m so sorry, Dat.”

“Thanks, Admiral.”

Bret looked at his panel and then made a decision, “Admiral, may I have a word with you.”

Dat looked at Bret, “Yes.”

“In private.”

Dat stood up and walked toward the conference room. Bret opened his panel drawer and took something out. He followed Dat off the bridge. He entered the door to the conference room and went to the reader on the front station. Dat watched him go to the reader and insert a chip, “What are you doing?”

Bret activated the reader and picked up a transfer helmet, “Please put this on.”

Dat’s eyes narrowed and he said, “I will not; what is this about?”

“Do you want to know why your daughter destroyed that ship?”

“Tell me!”

“No Sir. You’ll have to take the transfer.”

“I just told you I’m not going to do that.”

Bret went back to the reader and removed the chip, “Have it your way, Sir.”

Dat raised his head and said, “AUUUUGGGGGHHH.” He looked at Bret, “Will what’s on that chip explain her actions?” Bret nodded. “Start the transfer.”

Bret reinserted the chip and held the transfer helmet out to Dat. Dat jerked it out of his hand and laid down on the couch. Bret started the transfer, saw Dat close his eyes, and then he stepped out of the conference room.

Gresha saw Bret exit the room without Dat and she said, “What’s going on?”

Bret smiled, “Fleet Admiral Arvolo is going over a number of secret files and he’s asked that he not be disturbed.”

Gresha started to stand up and go in but decided it would set a bad image for the rest of the bridge crew. She leaned back in her chair and decided she needed to try and get Angel to tell her why she fired on the Blue Warship. She stood and looked at Bret, “You have the bridge, Commodore.”

“Yes Sir.” Gresha left and entered the tube shuttle. Bret sighed and prayed he was doing the right thing. Twenty minutes later he worried he had made a mistake when Dat stormed out of the conference room with the transfer helmet still on his head. He headed toward the tubes and Bret said, “Sir!”

Dat turned and said, “WHAT?”

“Uhhh, you still have the helmet on.”

Dat’s reached up and snatched the helmet off his head and threw it at Bret, “You know where it goes!” He went to the shuttle tube and pressed buttons. When the shuttle didn’t instantly appear, he slammed his hand on the panel. The door opened and he disappeared into the tube shuttle. Bret took the helmet back to the conference room and then came back and sat down in the Wellington’s command chair. He hoped he had not made things worse for Angel.

• • •

Dat arrived at the holding room and saw Gresha sitting with Angel and it was clear his wife was not happy with the conversation. He stormed out of the shuttle and the marine on duty barely had time to shut off the force field before the Admiral walked into it. Dat had his chin thrust out and Gresha and Angel saw him coming. Both of them said, “OH CRAP!” They both knew what he was like when he was this angry. Angel jumped to attention and Gresha joined her just in case it was her he was angry with. When Dat stormed up to Angel and stuck his nose a quarter of an inch from hers, Gresha released a sigh of relief. It wasn’t her, thank God.

“WHY COULDN’T YOU BE HONEST WITH ME FROM THE BEGINNING!?!”

Angel said, “Sir?”

“WHY DID I HAVE TO FIND OUT FROM THAT BOYFRIEND OF YOURS!?!” Angel stared into her father’s eyes and he said, “I saw the transfer!”

Angel leaned back slightly as Dat leaned in closer. She said “Then you know why I didn’t tell you.”

Dat said very slowly and very deliberately, “AND WHY WAS THAT?”

“You didn’t instruct anyone to tell you.”

Gresha saw Dat’s expression change from almost rage to surprise and then to introspection. She saw him thinking intently about Angel’s comment and he stepped back and walked over to the small port hole and stared out of it as he reflected on her statement. After a minute he said, “No, I guess I didn’t.”

Gresha looked at Dat, “What’s going on?”

Dat shook his head and said, “Angel was carrying out my orders.”

“What orders?”

“I haven’t made them…yet.”

Gresha shook her head, “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!”

Dat looked at her, “Sit down and try to catch up.” Gresha sat down on the small cot and stared at her husband and daughter wondering what was going on. Dat said, “So you didn’t do what you were sent to accomplish?”

“No, Admiral, I didn’t.”

“It’s probably good you didn’t.”

Angel’s eyes narrowed and she tilted her head, “Why do you say that?”

“Angel, what happened when you fired a penetrator at the planet?” Angel remembered the recording and her eyes widened. Dat said, “I suspect the one you thought would die wouldn’t have been killed.”

“I didn’t think about that.”

“That doesn’t tell me why you chose to kill that ship. They are coming again in a few weeks and that would give us more time to prepare.”

“Yes, but they’re coming with thousands of ships. If I did it there, the war would have kicked off immediately. Our ships at the site of the attack would have been overwhelmed. I think you would have given them hope of helping them with the ship I destroyed. That’s why they sent the ships away before our arrival when they came the next time.” Dat remembered the second meeting from the transfer and blew out a breath. Angel said, “Something different had to be done and the sooner the better.”

Dat nodded, “We might still be defeated.”

Angel’s expression changed, “I’ll take might over certainty any day.”

Gresha was still lost. Dat lifted his wrist unit and punched in a code. Grand Admiral Hull appeared on the small display and Dat said, “I’m placing Angel back in command of her fleet, Sir.”

“Why?”

“She was following my orders, Sir.”

Katherine stared at Dat and said, “I trust she put the Ninja back under lock and key.”

Dat and Angel were shocked at Katherine’s statement. Dat started shaking his head and said, “You never cease to amaze me, Katherine. You are incredible.”

Katherine smiled, “I guess we lost the first round, let’s make sure we win the second.”

Dat nodded and said, “Please have Brad send out a war warning and have the fleets organized to be sent where they’re needed. I trust Fleet Operations will stay on top of any invasion.”

“You know we will. Use what time you have to continue to prepare for what’s coming.”

Dat nodded, “Yes Sir.”

The call ended and Gresha looked at Angel, “You used the Ninja.”

Angel looked at her mother and nodded. Dat said, “I had Commodores Young and Connor assigned to learning how to use it. I ordered them to come back and have Angel go and kill a very critical being that caused the destruction of Earth.”

Gresha looked at Dat and then Angel, “But I heard she didn’t do it.”

Dat turned his head to the right and then back, “I suspect she wouldn’t have been able to do it even if she wanted. There is some kind of…I don’t know…something on the planet where it was that would have prevented it.”

Gresha nodded and said, “What now?”

“You will go to our fleet and kick the crap out of any Blue Ships that come here.”

“You’re not going to be with me?”

“No, my Love. Angel and I are going to have to stay together on her ship directing the actions of the Union Forces. We can’t make the same mistakes again.”

Gresha went to Angel and hugged her, “I knew you were right in choosing to destroy that ship. I’m glad your boyfriend let us know why.”

Angel looked at Gresha and then at Dat, “Mom, Dad, I’m going to marry him.”

Dat’s eyebrows went together, “When did he ask you?”

“He hasn’t yet. But he will.”

Dat’s head lowered as he said, “Isn’t he somewhat older than you?”

“Dad, everyone’s older than me except Arve and Grest. I’m nineteen and he’s twenty five. I think that’s not too bad.”

Gresha sighed and said, “It’s probably better he is older. He’ll need to be to keep her in line.”

Dat and Angel laughed. Dat said, “He doesn’t scare easily. He held his ground with me. I think you’ve chosen well.”

Angel smiled, “The thing that makes me certain is that he chose me first and never gave up on me. Even when he could have,”

Dat’s eyes softened. He knew that was in another time, but it still held true now. Dat said, “Alright, let’s get moving we have a war to fight.”

• • •

Bret sat in the command chair and wondered what was taking so long for the Admiral to return to the bridge. When he and Angel walked through the port he jumped up and came to attention. Angel’s expression said it all. She walked up and put both hands on his cheeks. She pulled his face down and kissed him hard. Bret’s face turned deep red. They had never shown any affection on the bridge. The crew began cheering. Dat yelled, “Yes, she’s back in command. Now let’s jump out to the fleets and get things moving.”

Angel held on to Bret’s face and said, “Thank you. I love you.”

Bret stood frozen. This was the first time Angel had used those three words. He smiled as she turned and went to the Ship Commander’s Chair. Dat sat in the Command Chair and he moved to the Second Pilot’s Chair. The Wellington was ready.

• • •

The Pumgas Masters stood around the table and watched the Blue Ship sent to communicate with the Spiral Galaxy blown into rubble. There was silence around the table until the Second said, “Well, I expected that to happen.”

The Sixth said, “It worries me that they don’t appear to be concerned about their actions. If we are so much more powerful, why would they fire on our ship?” The Sixth paused and said, “We have also been detecting strange probes in our domain.”

The Leader looked quickly at the Sixth, “Have you been able to destroy one?”

“No, we have not. They disappear as our forces move in on them.”

“Do you think those probes are from the Spiral Galaxy?”

“Who else would have sent them? They have to have come from them.”

The Leader pondered what to do. The Second looked at the Sixth, “How many warships like the one that fired on the ships we’ve sent to their galaxy do they have?”

“My seekers have not seen any ships but those three. Every other ship is the model they used to defeat the Servants.”

“That ship cannot stand up to our battleships.”

“No, but they do have more than seventy five million of them in that galaxy.”

The Second leaned back, “That is still far below our hundred and twenty million first line battleships.”

“If they only have those three new ships to use against us?”

The Leader looked at the Sixth, “How many probes do we have that are not currently being used?”

“Six million.”

“I want every one of them sent to that galaxy to find the true extent of their forces.”

“They’ve shown they can destroy our probes.”

“They won’t destroy them faster than that number could take a look around.”

The Sixth raised his head in a shrug, “We can also extend the time they have by having them constantly jumping away every time their warships are not detected immediately after emerging in to normal space.”

The Leader’s head rose slightly, “Get the fleets into attack formations. Launch the probes and find out what’s going on in that galaxy.”

The Second looked at the Leader, “How long before we launch our attack?”

The Leader was silent for a moment and then said, “We will give our probes time to collect information. We’ll attack once we see what we’re up against.”

• • •

Dat looked at Angel, “There are millions of probes jumping in to the Milky Way.”

Angel nodded and turned around to look at him, “We need to send the old model Jukeboxes in to the planets in the Union. The new ships should be jumped out into deep space now so they won’t be seen.”

Dat nodded and said, “You and your two brothers are going to have to jump in to Earth and hold station above the planet.” Angel’s eyes narrowed. “They know about your three ships and if they don’t see them, they’ll suspect we have more than they’ve seen.”

Bret said, “They probably suspect it anyway.”

Dat turned to look at Bret and smiled, “Knowing and suspecting are two entirely different things. They’ll want to believe we only have three.”

Bret shrugged and Angel said, “Assign at least a million old Jukeboxes to Earth’s defense. I am going to have Arve and Grest turn their ships over to their Second-in-Command and go with the new Jukeboxes to continue their training. We’ll jump them back when our probes show the Blue Ships preparing to jump.”