world.
Shawn stepped up beside
Ramos, wondering what the captain was gazing so intently at.
“How did the post-combat
briefing go?” Ramos asked.
“As well as could be
expected.”
“Hmm,” Ramos mused. “That
bad?”
“What makes you think it
was bad?” Shawn asked in mock defense.
“Captain’s intuition, I
suppose.”
Shawn sighed lightly.
“Well, let’s just say I don’t think there’ll be a repeat performance any time
soon.”
Ramos turned to Shawn,
himself now looking across the void at the pink world. “I’m sure, Commander.”
“So, where are we?”
“Ogolo,” Ramos said, but
with an air of uncertainty.
Shawn could understand why.
Ogolo was one of the many contested systems during the Galactic War—one that
had been relinquished to the Kafarans afterward due to its proximity to their
territory. “We’re in Kafaran space?”
Ramos nodded once. “And I
don’t have to tell you why I’m feeling nervous about that.”
“We’re working together
now, Captain,” Shawn said as he lowered his voice. “I don’t see any reason to
get worried.”
“It’s not me I’m worried
about,” he said, then cocked his head over his shoulder. “It’s some of the
crew. You and I, and many others, welcome the alliance with the Kafarans. It’s
a way to put the past behind us, and to make sure we have a secure future. Some
of the others …” his words trailed off.
“You’re worried something
will happen to jeopardize our alliance with the Empire?”
Ramos unclasped his hands,
nodded, and then folded his arms across his chest. “And if it does, this is
about the worst place it could happen. We’re staring down the barrel of a
loaded gun here, Shawn, and it’s got me quaking in my proverbial boots.”
Shawn understood the
trepidation. “Then why jump here?”
“Simple: Sector Command
wants to draw the Meltranians farther away from the Inner Sphere.”
“You mean, if they decide
to follow us.”
“Right, which I don’t think
they will. If anything, I’d say the Unified Council wants to push the
frontlines even closer to the dark space.”
The Darkness, as the
Kafarans call it. That black area of space, purported home to the
Meltranians, mostly devoid of hospitable planets, located on the far side of
Kafaran territory. “To intercept them before they even get beyond Kafaran
space?”
“Yep. And it seems the
Kafarans are more than happy to have us here.”
Shawn knew where this was
going. “Because if we do defeat the Meltranians …”
“The bulk of our forces
will be decidedly in Kafaran space.” Ramos then turned to Shawn and a devilish
smile crossed his face. “And just ripe for the picking.”
“So, if we’re here, then
who’s going to take care of the Meltranians already near our space?”
“Admiral Hansen said it’ll
be 1 st Fleet’s responsibility. I’ve been reassured that it’s being
handled, and that it’s no longer our concern. In any case, we’re here now, and
we need to start making the best of things.”
As the Duchess neared the planet, Shawn caught the glimmer of sunlight reflecting off a point
hanging just above the northern pole. Even at this distance he knew it to be a
ship—and quite a large one. “We expecting any guests?” he asked with a nod
toward Ogolo.
“The Rhea ,” Ramos replied.
“Her Marines are down on the surface right now.”
“Then she’s been repaired?”
Shawn asked. The explosion several months ago that had wiped out most of her
engineering team was thought by many to have been fatal.
“With capital ships in
short supply, the admiralty put extra effort into making sure she was rushed
into the yards. I have to tell you, I’m glad she’s back in the fight. We could
use the help.”
Shawn looked out to the
small speck that was the supercarrier Rhea. Was he
Shawn stepped up beside
Ramos, wondering what the captain was gazing so intently at.
“How did the post-combat
briefing go?” Ramos asked.
“As well as could be
expected.”
“Hmm,” Ramos mused. “That
bad?”
“What makes you think it
was bad?” Shawn asked in mock defense.
“Captain’s intuition, I
suppose.”
Shawn sighed lightly.
“Well, let’s just say I don’t think there’ll be a repeat performance any time
soon.”
Ramos turned to Shawn,
himself now looking across the void at the pink world. “I’m sure, Commander.”
“So, where are we?”
“Ogolo,” Ramos said, but
with an air of uncertainty.
Shawn could understand why.
Ogolo was one of the many contested systems during the Galactic War—one that
had been relinquished to the Kafarans afterward due to its proximity to their
territory. “We’re in Kafaran space?”
Ramos nodded once. “And I
don’t have to tell you why I’m feeling nervous about that.”
“We’re working together
now, Captain,” Shawn said as he lowered his voice. “I don’t see any reason to
get worried.”
“It’s not me I’m worried
about,” he said, then cocked his head over his shoulder. “It’s some of the
crew. You and I, and many others, welcome the alliance with the Kafarans. It’s
a way to put the past behind us, and to make sure we have a secure future. Some
of the others …” his words trailed off.
“You’re worried something
will happen to jeopardize our alliance with the Empire?”
Ramos unclasped his hands,
nodded, and then folded his arms across his chest. “And if it does, this is
about the worst place it could happen. We’re staring down the barrel of a
loaded gun here, Shawn, and it’s got me quaking in my proverbial boots.”
Shawn understood the
trepidation. “Then why jump here?”
“Simple: Sector Command
wants to draw the Meltranians farther away from the Inner Sphere.”
“You mean, if they decide
to follow us.”
“Right, which I don’t think
they will. If anything, I’d say the Unified Council wants to push the
frontlines even closer to the dark space.”
The Darkness, as the
Kafarans call it. That black area of space, purported home to the
Meltranians, mostly devoid of hospitable planets, located on the far side of
Kafaran territory. “To intercept them before they even get beyond Kafaran
space?”
“Yep. And it seems the
Kafarans are more than happy to have us here.”
Shawn knew where this was
going. “Because if we do defeat the Meltranians …”
“The bulk of our forces
will be decidedly in Kafaran space.” Ramos then turned to Shawn and a devilish
smile crossed his face. “And just ripe for the picking.”
“So, if we’re here, then
who’s going to take care of the Meltranians already near our space?”
“Admiral Hansen said it’ll
be 1 st Fleet’s responsibility. I’ve been reassured that it’s being
handled, and that it’s no longer our concern. In any case, we’re here now, and
we need to start making the best of things.”
As the Duchess neared the planet, Shawn caught the glimmer of sunlight reflecting off a point
hanging just above the northern pole. Even at this distance he knew it to be a
ship—and quite a large one. “We expecting any guests?” he asked with a nod
toward Ogolo.
“The Rhea ,” Ramos replied.
“Her Marines are down on the surface right now.”
“Then she’s been repaired?”
Shawn asked. The explosion several months ago that had wiped out most of her
engineering team was thought by many to have been fatal.
“With capital ships in
short supply, the admiralty put extra effort into making sure she was rushed
into the yards. I have to tell you, I’m glad she’s back in the fight. We could
use the help.”
Shawn looked out to the
small speck that was the supercarrier Rhea. Was he
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