Chapter 11

“Holy shit.” Alex stared at the massive Destroyer-class military vessel sitting just off the Ascalon’s port side.

“Do you think they’re here for the alien wreckage?”

Evan’s voice had a determined ring to it, but Alex just sighed in resignation. “I doubt it. But even if they were, there’s not one damn thing we could do about it.” The Ascalon was an exploration ship, not a war machine. “I toured the Davion once, when I’d just made Captain in the navy. She could vaporize us and not even leave a dust trail.”

“What are they doing way out here, if not looking to steal your claim from you?”

Alex forced his gaze off the huge ship filling the windows of the Finder’s Keeper and looked at Evan. “I guess we'll find out.” He shrugged.

Evan didn’t have a reply, so Alex keyed up the communication panel and hailed the destroyer.

“This is Captain Alex Marcase of the exploration ship Ascalon, on approach from the planet.”

“Captain Marcase, this is Captain Lowe of the Davion. Please stand by for Admiral Rickover.”

Alex blinked, looking at Evan. “Rickover, I know that guy. He was Admiral of my division back when I served.”

“What kind of a man is he?”

It was interesting to Alex to hear someone refer to the type of man Rickover was, not the type of officer, but before he could comment or even answer the question, the Admiral’s voice came over the comm.

“Captain Marcase? Would this be the Captain Alex Marcase of the Fourth Fighter Legion?”

Alex smiled slightly. “Formerly of the Fourth, Admiral. But the same, yes. What brings you way out here?”

“Looking for you,” the Admiral replied. “You and all the other explorer vessels out here, that is. There’s been some trouble back home, Captain. Why don’t you fly that little sport-job of yours up here to the Davion and I’ll explain in person.”

Alex and Evan exchanged glances, then Alex sighed. “Sure thing, Admiral. Just point me to the right bay.”

They received docking instructions and Alex changed course.

“What does he mean, some trouble back home?” Evan stared at the huge ship as they came around the stern. “They don’t send out a Destroyer-class war ship because of some trouble.”

Alex shook his head. “No, they don’t.” He found landing bay twelve and angled toward it. “So much for a nice quiet trip back to Scotian.” It never failed. Just when he thought he was getting things in order, something popped up out of nowhere and trimmed him back down to size.

There was nothing like a war ship large enough to swallow your own exploratory vessel whole and still leave room for three more to make a captain humble. The Davion was massive, manned by a crew of two thousand and fully loaded with eight Fighter-class starship escorts attached to her sides. The escorts were smaller, typically crewed by less than a hundred, and fitted with a deadly assortment of weapons. Snuggled into the side docks of the Davion, the fighters appeared to blend in to the larger ship, adding to her already impressive dimensions.

Alex landed the Finder’s Keeper on the designated pad and powered the little ship down. He looked at Evan. “What’s your guess?”

“My guess?”

“Yeah.” He climbed out of the pilot’s seat and moved to the exit hatch. “Back home. Alien invasion, war, or it’s a lie and they’re just here to take over the nebula on behalf of the allied planets?”

“I think you should give your imagination a rest until we find out what’s really going on.”

Alex laughed shortly and opened the hatch, leading the way into the destroyer’s long corridor. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead?”

“What?”

“Never mind. Here’s our escort.” Alex noted with slight surprise the rank of the officer approaching. “Captain Lowe?”

The captain extended a hand in place of a salute since Alex wasn’t in uniform. “That’s right. The Admiral wanted me to bring you directly to his ready room, Captain Marcase.” Captain Lowe hesitated a moment when he saw Evan, but then offered his hand in greeting.

“Oh, sorry.” Alex realized his error and put a hand on Evan’s shoulder. “This is my First Officer, Evan.”

Captain Lowe smiled as he shook Evan’s hand, but Alex could tell the man was trying hard to suppress his shock at seeing a Sha’erah. It was easy to forget that outside the Ascalon, he shouldn’t assume everyone who met Evan knew what he was. The first sight of a man with black eyes and shimmering silver metal embedded in his palm -- not to mention a black, intricate tattoo on the side of his neck -- could be decidedly unsettling.

“Ah, yes, well, this way please.” Captain Lowe recovered from his surprise and led them down the main corridor to the nearest lift. “I understand, Captain, that you served in the Fourth Fighter Legion?”

“Yes, I did. And it’s Alex, please.” He could feel Evan staring at him, but he knew his friend would say nothing in front of a complete stranger. Especially one most likely bearing bad news.

Captain Lowe nodded. “The Fourth was a pretty tough group. You guys saw some interesting times.”

Alex shifted his weight, feeling uneasy with the memory. His time in the military had been relatively brief, and he’d done things he wasn’t fond of discussing, all in the name of duty. “That was a long time ago.”

“Still, it made for some impressive lessons for any captain to learn. And certainly earned you respect.”

Alex could just see Evan making mental notes to himself about things they’d have to discuss when they were alone. It was a little surprising to think there might be any aspect to his life the Sha’erah hadn’t fully investigated as of yet. But then again, as good as he was at extracting information, the Sha’erah had never had the opportunity to hook up to a military database and do any real digging.

The lift stopped and Captain Lowe led the way down the corridor to the admiral’s ready room. He paused at the door, knocking politely, then opened it and stepped aside.

“Ah, Captain Marcase.” Admiral Rickover stood and approached, smiling widely and extending a hand.

“Admiral.” Alex shook the offered hand, pointing then to Evan. “This is my first officer, Evan.” He noticed how the admiral didn’t skip a beat when he saw the Sha’erah. Either he didn’t notice, or managed to evaluate and accept the facts in a flash, controlling his reactions perfectly.

“Please, sit down.” The admiral looked up at Captain Lowe. “Feel free to join us, Captain.”

Alex took a seat and glanced around the ready room, then at the admiral. Nothing much had changed since his tour so many years ago. The admiral had been white-haired then, and except for a little thinning around the sides, nothing was different. He was a tall man, well over six foot, and barrel-chested, a shape that gave a deep resonance of authority to his voice.

“Captain Marcase, I had the pleasure of having dinner with your mother before we left Scotian space. She sends her love and wanted me to tell you she and her friends are perfectly fine.”

Alex sensed something ominous about that message, but he knew his mother was familiar with the admiral in social circles. “Thank you. But I’m willing to bet you didn’t come all this way just to deliver a message from my mother.”

The admiral sighed heavily. “No, of course not. I’ll cut to the chase.” He shifted in the large chair, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “Not long after you left Scotian to come out here, something began happening on all of the allied worlds. Hell, not just the allied worlds, but all of them.” He shook his head at his own correction and sat back again. “It started two months after you left, and by the time we understood what was happening, everyone was far too involved to take the time to send messages to any of the exploration vessels out here.”

“We were a little too occupied at the time.” Captain Lowe interjected. “Only incoming ships were told, to prevent the spread.”

“Told what?” Alex hated the military way of taking its own sweet time in getting to the point. “What happened after we left?”

“There was some kind of . . . virus. We’re not completely sure how it began, and we haven’t positively identified the method of transportation, but it appeared first on Arose. It was so sudden, so violently swift, that by the time the people on Arose got messages out about a possible plague, it was too late.”

Alex swallowed and glanced at Evan before turning back to the admiral. “A plague? How many died?”

The admiral closed his eyes for a moment before answering. “There was a forty percent mortality rate.”

“Forty percent?” Alex blinked. “What was the spread?”

“It was planetary,” Captain Lowe supplied.

“Planetary?” His mind wasn’t quite registering the scope of this. He could tell that by the sensation of each brain cell individually slowing down its processing speed. “You mean sixty percent of the planet survived?”

Admiral Rickover nodded slowly. “Whatever it was had spread over the entire planet within weeks. By the time medical teams were alerted to what was happening, it had spread to other worlds. With travel and trade, it was only a matter of months before it was too late. Every planet was affected.”

“It was so virulent, even doctors in bio suits were infected within hours of landing planet-side.” Captain Lowe shook his head sadly. “This virus eats through containment suits of every material we have.”

Alex held up a hand. “Wait a second, hang on.” He looked from the admiral to the captain and back again. “Are you saying that forty percent of the population of the planet was killed so quickly nothing could be done to stop it or identify it?”

Admiral Rickover closed his eyes for a moment. “Not just one planet, Alex. All of them. Each and every planet we’ve colonized since mankind first left Earth. It spread so fast . . . so fast.” He looked away, unable to continue just then.

Alex shook his head and stood. He needed to pace, needed to get his brain cells all working at the same speed before this would sink in. He glanced at Evan, sitting silently in the chair watching him, black eyes sparkling. His partner wouldn’t comment even now, even with this shocking news Alex was struggling to take in, but he could see Evan was thinking, absorbing the information. This was no easier for the Sha’erah to accept than it was for him.

“Why do you keep saying planets, what about moons and stations?” Alex asked.

“Only those who were on planets contracted the plague.” Captain Lowe corrected. “The virus never infiltrated a single space station or enclosed moon habitat.”

“Apparently it required atmosphere to spread, or survive. They're not one hundred percent sure yet, but it was completely species specific. It acted almost like a biological weapon, but there’s never been one created capable of this kind of spread or decimation.” The Admiral sighed. “Only humans died, nothing else. But the damn planets are unlivable now. Those who survived did so by some sort of natural immunity, but are now carriers, spread over entire worlds that are completely contaminated and uninhabitable by anyone who isn’t immune. We can’t send people down, even in the most secure biohazard suit, because this plague eats through everything. Including metal structures and sealed dwellings.”

“And we can’t allow any survivors on the planets to leave. They would spread the plague and kill more. Until we can obtain proof that whatever this was has died out and is no longer a threat to anyone.”

Alex looked at Captain Lowe, still disbelieving what he was hearing. “How could this have happened?” He turned to the admiral. “How in God’s name could this have happened? How can a virus move so quickly from planet to planet before it’s stopped? Or at least detected?” He looked at Evan but the Sha’erah remained silent and clearly confused by what was being explained. “My mother -- you said you saw her before coming out here?”

“Your mother is fine, she was at her apartment at the Scotian shipyards when news first began to spread. Her companion -- a Doctor Zane, I believe -- was there with her, along with several children he’s been tutoring. They remained there on the station conducting business and were spared when the plague hit Scotian.” He glanced at Evan. “I’m sorry, son, I don’t know if you had family . . . ?”

“No, he didn’t have any family.” Alex answered for his friend. “So what’s left? Are they making any progress in finding a cure, or vaccine?"

“It could be generations before anyone gets around to working on a vaccine. Hell, it’ll take years just to dispose of the bodies. Our only real hope is from those with immunity, and a chance this virus has burned itself out.”

Alex couldn’t pace any longer. He sat back down in the chair next to Evan and buried his head in his hands. “My God.”

“Those of us who were out on ships, or living and working on stations or moons were the lucky ones. Four of the five Allied Planet Electorate perished. But President Eljandro of Earth was immune. She set up a consolidated government there for the time being.” The admiral leaned forward, resting both elbows on the desk. “She's declared martial law, in order to insure no one can spread this plague off-world from any planet, and to prevent anyone from going down to any of the planets infected.”

“Which is basically every one of them?” Alex glanced at everyone in the room. “Except for out here. There’s no plague on Serenity.”

“That’s one of the reasons we’re out here.” The admiral sat back in his seat. “Those of us who were off-planet when the plagues hit are restricted to ships, orbital stations and satellite mining colonies. We need new planets, due to the risk of our own possibly being uninhabitable. Hell, just one would do, there aren’t that many of us left. We’re trying to consolidate, get all the large ships together in groups so we can house supplies and equipment centrally. We estimate there’s enough food and water combined to last us a few years, and fresh air can be supplied easily enough by hydroponics.”

“But people who aren’t used to long stays in space are already beginning to show signs of stress,” Captain Lowe interjected. “It’s one thing to spend some time on a station or ship, quite another to know you might never go back down to terra firma.”

Alex leaned back far enough to rest his head against the back of the chair. He’d decided everything the admiral had told him was just too far-fetched to accept, so he’d go along with things for now. Maybe later when he and Evan could talk, they’d figure out what was really going on. But for now, he’d play along with this little fantasy of being one of seemingly few humans left alive. “Serenity’s not much for safe living.” He glanced at Evan for confirmation, then continued. “We had a group of scientists down there for a few months and it was all they could take. Too many violent electrical storms. There’s no animal life, and the soil won’t support anything we can grow for food.”

“Still, it has fresh water and the atmosphere is well within normal range.” Admiral Rickover nodded slowly. “We’ll have to make do for now and keep looking.” He suddenly pushed away from his desk and stood. “Alex, how about you and I take a walk? It’s been a while since you’ve been on board the Davion. Things have changed a bit.”

Alex blinked, a little startled by the change in topic. He stood. “Sure, we’d love to check this ship out.” He assumed the Admiral understood Evan would be accompanying them and didn’t bother to explain it. He was just glad so far no one had wondered out loud at Evan’s silence. “Let’s start the tour out with how you got here so fast.”

The admiral laughed and slapped Alex on the shoulder, guiding him out the door. “Indeed, that’s one of our latest additions. It’s called the Superstring Drive.”

“You’re kidding me. That thing works?” Alex’s eyes widened. He turned to Evan as they walked down the wide corridor. “When I was in the navy they were experimenting with this drive based on this theory of super strings of light and energy that connected basically everything to everything.” Alex shrugged. “I never really understood it myself.” He turned back to the admiral. “But it works?”

“That’s how we were able to make the four month journey out here in four days.” Admiral Rickover smiled widely. “And one reason we’ve been able to hold humanity together, such as it is now.” They stepped into a lift and he pressed the button for Engineering. “I’ll give you a tour. It’s not classified anymore, and frankly I see no need for anything to be classified nowadays.”

All during their tour of the engine room and the rest of the Davion, the admiral made reference to the plague and how the remaining military force was concentrating on three fronts -- consolidation of supplies, seeking out new habitable planets, and tracking down the source of the virus. Alex had to admit, this story of humanity having come so close to being wiped out was being played to the hilt. So much so that he found himself going along as if he believed it. What he really wanted to do was to get Evan alone so they could figure out what the real scam was here.

Still, it was hard for him to imagine Admiral Rickover being party to such a deception. The man was a solid naval officer and never put up with bullshit from anyone, regardless of rank or position.

The tour continued to one of six Fighter-class starship escort vessels attached to the larger battle cruiser. Alex noted the looks they were given as officers and enlisted men saw Evan for the first time, most clearly realizing what he was immediately. The looks were almost equally divided between surprised curiosity and open dislike. Alex had to remind himself on several occasions that he and Evan were guests here, and making a scene would be an insult to the admiral himself.

“This one is the Defiant. She has a crew of ninety, lacking only in a captain and a few command officers. Fully loaded and straight off the assembly line.” Admiral Rickover beamed with pride as he showed Alex and Evan around the starship. “She has the same drive engine as the Davion. In fact they all do. But this baby is brand spanking new, never been captained. She’s been dry-driven, but not fully field tested. Everything here is state-of-the-art.”

“I’m impressed.” Alex nodded as he glanced around the bridge. It truly was impressive for a fighting ship. A far cry from the work horses he’d flown during his stint in the military. The Defiant had an engine faster than anything Alex could have imagined, navigation and drive instruments that were far and above what he could afford for the Ascalon, and there were even real wood accents on all consoles and desks.

The admiral smiled, then led the way back toward the corridors. “Let me show you the captain’s quarters.”

Alex stopped when they exited the bridge and held up a hand. “Listen, Admiral, this has been fascinating and all that, but I really should be getting back to my own ship.”

“In just a moment.” Admiral Rickover turned to Captain Lowe. “Give us a minute, Captain.”

“Sir.” The captain saluted smartly and did an about-face, leaving the Defiant and returning to the Davion.

“Alex, I have a transmission from your mother.” The admiral held out a data crystal. “I can tell you’re still not convinced that what I’ve been telling you is the truth.”

“What was your first clue?” Alex didn’t even make a move to accept the crystal, he knew it would have been futile since Evan had intercepted it deftly before he could even glance at what the admiral was offering up.

“Our psychologists deemed it important to take things slowly, but I prefer a much more direct course of action.” Admiral Rickover sighed heavily, clasping both hands behind his back. “Humanity is at a serious crossroads. We’ve faced the threat of extinction and we haven’t even identified the cause. It’s my belief -- although I’m in the minority here -- that this plague wasn’t accidental. I think this virus was spread intentionally, possibly triggered to release at a given time, insuring every planet would be infected so quickly there could be no response. The idea that some kind of plague could travel from planet to planet with such military precision wiping out only the humans on each world, to such a drastic extent as it has, simply can not have been accidental.”

Alex realized he’d been staring blindly at the Davion insignia on the admiral’s uniform, trying to take in what the man was saying and analyze it for any real truth. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” He turned to look at Evan, then swallowed and ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head slowly. “You are really fucking serious about this.”

“I am.” Admiral Rickover glanced from Alex to Evan and back again. “And I need your help, Captain. I’m out here on a mission to find all of the explorers in the Pendulum Nebula, find out if they’ve discovered any viable planets we can relocate our people to, and recruit certain pilots.”

“Recruit?” Alex looked up, eyebrows knitting together as he started to get a feel for where this conversation was going. “For what?”

“Help,” Admiral Rickover replied. “We need help organizing the space-worthy survivors, housing supplies, finding new planets we can colonize, tracking down the cause and source of the plague so we can prevent it from happening again.”

“That’s what this is all about?” Suddenly it was making sense. The tour of the Davion’s engines, the fancy new Fighter-class ship, all the hype about humanity and what was left of it. “You want my ship.” Alex sensed Evan tensing up beside him. The Sha’erah had gone from warily observant to fully alert and ready in an instant. The fact that the barely perceptible difference in Evan’s outward attitude hadn’t gone unnoticed by the admiral made Alex smile inside. He might not have the upper hand in the grand scheme of whatever the hell this scheme really was, but as far as the three of them standing in this corridor, he was in control.

“Not in the way you think, no. I’m not about to take a man’s ship.” The admiral straightened up, thrusting his shoulders back with military pride. “I’m asking you to help us, all of us, by taking the Defiant as your own and trying to piece back together what’s left of the human race. We would use the Ascalon for storage and transportation. She’s huge, and just the type of ship we need to pool what resources we have left. The Defiant would be yours, as former Navy you’re more than qualified. I’m sure there’s enough trained officers among your crew you could pick from to round out your command, along with the crew she already has. With the new drive engines, and pilots for each of these six ships, humanity stands a chance.”

“Wait a second.” Alex held up a hand. “You’re saying that as if these six plus the Davion are the only ones.”

“They are. At least with the new drive and capable pilots. Providing you and five other explorers I’m looking for out here will accept my request.” He looked at Alex intently. “I know you own the Ascalon now, Alex. And I’d like to say this is temporary, but to be honest, I’m not sure anything will get back to normal any time soon. Maybe not even in our lifetimes. But I can promise you I’m not going to simply take your ship. She’ll always be yours, even if you’re flying the Defiant. I won’t leave you without a ship to captain.”

Alex turned to Evan and spoke directly to him. “When I was in the service, there were five Destroyer class ships exactly like the Davion, each one would carry six Fighter class escorts.” He looked at the admiral. “What aren’t you saying?”

Admiral Rickover clenched his jaw and turned, pacing away several feet before returning. Finally he cleared his throat and met Alex’s gaze. “The entire Fleet had been retrofitted with the new engines. They were still in orbit, getting final adjustments, and all of the commanding officers were in for training.” He paused, clearing his throat again in an obvious effort to gain control of his voice. “On Arose.”

“Where the plague started?”

The admiral nodded, tight-lipped. “I had the Davion out with Captain Lowe for a final test run before the drive was commissioned. So we have one Destroyer class vessel and her contingent of fighters, which I am trying to find qualified pilots for. Back home we have four more Destroyer class ships with six Fighter class escorts each.”

“And there’s no one left who can command those five?”

“They’re manned and we do have capable officers, but training them on the new drive engines is pretty slow when you only have ten engineers left alive who can instruct them. We’ve only just recently -- within the past month -- had time to seriously train new captains on the newer drive systems. You’re not completely unfamiliar with the concept of this drive, and you’re a damn good captain. Among the explorers in this nebula are five more. I’m searching for them after I leave you.”

Alex shook his head. “This just gets better and better.” He looked at Evan, but directed his next statement to the admiral. “We need a little time to talk.”

“Let me show you to the captain’s quarters.”

# # #

Evan took a moment to look around the captain’s quarters after the admiral left. It wasn’t as large as their rooms on the Ascalon, but by military standards it was very opulent. And to his surprise, it was a double, with two work spaces and sleeping rooms. To the left of the door was a small galley framed with an eating bar and three stools. To the right, a soft couch in deep blue hugged two walls forming a V pattern, with a low coffee table centered in front. Evan noted with approval how the table -- just like their own on the Ascalon -- doubled as a multi-dimensional display. Next to the couch on the far wall stood a desk and computer terminal, and between the doors leading to each sleeping room was a matching desk and terminal. On the other side of the galley a small table stood built into the wall, with two chairs that could be positioned independently.

To his surprise, the entire room was carpeted in a soft gray. Not as plush as the Ascalon’s, but enough to provide comfort in bare feet and the noise reduction that was much appreciated on such a large ship.

Alex had walked to the center of the room, looking around as if taking in the décor, but he’d fallen silent even before the admiral showed them in and was now just standing, staring at one of the couches.

Evan wasn’t sure where to start, or if he should. The idea that so much of humanity had been wiped out in the short time they’d been gone was more than just a little hard to believe. But the possibility of the military taking the Ascalon away from his Keeper without his permission was unthinkable. Clearly Admiral Rickover wasn’t aware of that fact.

He watched Alex for a while, then decided this silence wasn’t getting either of them any answers. “Do you think it’s true?”

Alex looked up, startled out of his daze. “What? That there was a plague unleashed on humanity on purpose?” He shrugged, then shook his head and walked to one of the easy chairs facing the couch, sitting down with a heavy sigh. “It’s not sinking in very well. None of it.”

Evan fingered the data crystal the admiral had offered up. “Maybe this will help.” He handed it to Alex, then sat on the coffee table facing him. “I’ve already scanned it for anything unusual. It’s just a message cube.”

Alex took the crystal and looked at it, then pulled out his pager and inserted it. When he sat back in the chair he adjusted the volume so they could both hear his mother’s voice.

“Alex, thank God you weren’t here when this happened.” Madame Clarice Duvia’s voice was both stressed and relieved. Evan was assuming Doctor Zane and all the Sha’erah children they’d rescued had survived, by what the admiral had said earlier. “It’s shocking, Alex. Totally and utterly shocking. I don’t know if they’ve figured out where this came from or not by the time you’re hearing this, but Zane and I can’t believe it was natural. Oh, and the children are fine. It was a fluke that we were all up here, at my apartment on the station, when Scotian was hit. Just a fluke! We’d missed the shuttle going down, then Edward, one of the children, he had a sense of danger that was so strong, I thought he was having a seizure. He refused to allow any of us to go down to the planet and, well, we have him to thank for our lives.” She sighed audibly. “Which makes Zane believe this wasn’t a natural occurrence. It literally struck over night. If we hadn’t missed that shuttle, we’d have all died down there.”

Alex hit the pause button and looked up. “Apparently it’s true.”

“At least they’re all okay.”

“That’s just it.” Alex leaned back in the chair, shaking his head. “I’m so relieved that mother, Doctor Zane and the kids are fine, it’s hard to feel anything for all the millions of people who are gone.” He looked up at Evan with a puzzled expression. “What the hell does that say about me?”

“That you’re in shock. That you’ve just been informed of something that’s so horrifically outrageous it’s difficult to accept or comprehend.” Evan noticed his Keeper slowly twisting the ring around his finger, an action that seemed to give him an odd comfort during times of stress. “It’s easier to focus on the positive in situations like this. The rest has to sink in more slowly.”

“At least we have something positive to focus on. What about those who lost everyone?” Alex sat up suddenly. “My crew needs to be told.”

“They might already know. We’ve been here for hours, I’m sure they’ve made contact with this ship to get news.” Evan hoped that was true. He wanted the crew of the Ascalon to hear this news from anyone other than Alex. The likelihood of everyone’s relatives being off-world when the plague hit were slim. And considering the scope of this information, it was better to come from a stranger, rather than someone you trusted and admired.

Alex nodded as if in a daze. “Yeah, probably.” He looked back down at the pager on his knee and hit the play button again.

“I’m only assuming you and your people escaped this,” Madame Duvia continued. “They said it didn’t spread to any ships or stations. And that’s another reason Zane thinks this was anything but natural. And we've been hearing rumors lately, of someone they think might have visited every planet just prior to the outbreak, but that can wait. Admiral Rickover said he was going out to find you, to send you home. I need to see you, Alex. I just need to know that you are all right. I know it’s no matter to you about your half siblings, but you’re my only surviving child. Please come home as soon as you can, Alex. I just need to see you again.”

When the message ended the room filled with a strange sense of uncomfortable silence. Alex was staring at the blank screen, still looking a bit dazed.

Alex was the only family Evan had, but it wasn’t impossible to imagine the pain of such a loss on others. “How many other children did she have?”

His Keeper blinked and looked up, closing the pager. “Three. But they were contracted by their fathers. She didn’t raise any of them, just me.” Alex stood and slowly walked around the room. “If we took this ship, we could make it back to Scotian in days instead of months.”

“That would mean giving up the Ascalon.” Evan wasn’t sure what kind of authority this military had with the majority of the ruling presidential members deceased. The admiral might resort to force to take Alex’s ship, but he’d regret that decision.

“Not giving up, just loaning out. If we can find a planet suitable for human life, they won’t have need for large cargo vessels. At least not once everyone’s been transported there.” Alex wandered by the galley, running a hand over the surface of the bar as he walked. “This is a military ship, though I’m not sure how much that means anymore.”

“You were in the military, wouldn’t you still hold rank? If the admiral is offering you this ship, it must be as Captain.”

“That’s not the point.” Alex glanced into one of the two sleeping rooms.

“What is the point?” Evan stayed where he was, watching his Keeper walk out his own reasoning. “You either accept his offer or not.”

“First off it’s we. We either accept his offer or we don’t. I’m not just jumping back into this military crap and dragging you along. And since basically we’re talking about a shadow of what the navy was before, there’s going to be some changes.”

Evan blinked. “You’re not dragging me anywhere. I’m staying with you no matter if it’s here, or there, or somewhere else.” There were times when he thought smacking his Keeper on the back of the head would help, but he hadn’t found the right time to try it.

Alex walked over and put both hands on Evan’s shoulders, staring at him intently. “I have conditions that maybe Admiral Rickover isn’t going to want to go along with. If he doesn’t, then fine. We’ll keep the Ascalon, head back for Scotian and help any way we can.”

“And if he agrees?” Evan could see the struggle in Alex’s eyes.

“If he agrees, then we’ll have this ship for as long as we need it. And we’ll have the Finder’s Keeper. There’s a section on the belly of this beast to secure smaller ships for tow. We can put her there and keep her with us. As far as I’m concerned, that ship’s ours now.”

Considering the fact that any person in authority back on Scotian who might have had the power to disagree was most likely dead, Evan found no fault in that logic. “So we should find the admiral and tell him your conditions.”

“No,” Alex shook his head. “Not unless you agree with them first.”

Evan shrugged. “I do.”

“You haven’t even heard them yet.”

“It doesn’t matter.” When was he going to get it? “We’re either on the Ascalon, or we’re on the Defiant.”

“But things have changed.” Alex let go of Evan’s shoulders but stayed where he was.

“Reality as we know it has changed. Humanity has changed. Every time we head out our crew changes.” Evan wondered if now wouldn’t be a good time to try smacking his Keeper upside the head. “Where we go and what we do changes all the time.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Evan could tell Alex was still having a hard time accepting the reality of the situation. Regardless of whether or not he was ever going to understand it, Evan was Sha’erah. He wasn’t about to let Alex go anywhere without him.

“We’re not technically joining the navy.”

“They came looking for you. If they want you, they’ll have to agree.”

There was another silent staring moment before Alex continued.

“This crew is military. They’re going to use that discipline as something to hold on to, that’s how they’re conditioned.”

“Using rules and routines as a safety net is normal human behavior.” Evan shrugged. Was Alex trying to convince himself here?

“That’s why he has to accept giving you command rank. On a navy ship, the captain’s second is commander. You get that rank and the respect that goes with it from this crew, or the deal’s off. I doubt there’s anyone to pay anymore, but if there is you get a commander’s pay, too.”

They stared at each other again while Evan tried to figure out how to respond to that. When he failed to think of anything, Alex continued.

“The Ascalon is mine, legally, so we loan it to the Scotian space station for use as a transport and cargo vessel until the crisis is over. That way the navy doesn’t take possession and wind up keeping it. We use the Defiant in whatever way we deem appropriate in assisting during this mess, and we keep it until we get the Ascalon back for good. If anything happens to my ship, the navy owes me the replacement of my choice.” Alex grinned slightly. “Maybe even the Defiant.”

Evan was convinced no one could have found a better suiting ship’s name for Alex Marcase if they’d tried. “I’ll call for the admiral.”

Next Chapter