Starship Eternia
Deep Space
1430 HOURS, 3 May 2017
Captain Majourny entered the bridge as Ace and Ensign Comorov prepared for the jump to hyperspace. Jo-jo dropped into the captain's chair, ordered battle stations, and called up the sensor readings on the stationary console at the right hand. Four ships were in pursuit. From the mass readings they were likely the scout ships that shadowed them from Mars orbit. One ship appeared to be lagging behind just a bit. That was a dead giveaway where the commander of the scout team was.
"Engine room reports ready for hyper drive activation at your discretion, captain," Ace replied, anxious to find out just what else this ship could do.
Jo-jo glanced at the sensor scan once more. The Horde ships where starting to close the distance. "Jump."
The star field outside the canopy blurred as the ship accelerated then disappeared as the ship transitioned into a cylinder-like corridor of shifting colors from across the spectrum. On the sensor screen, the four Horde ships followed the Eternia into the projected hyperspace corridor. The commander's ship still lagged behind, but they were still closing.
"Lieutenant Denton, arm the rearward defenses. How sophisticated would you estimate their sensor technology is, Mister Denton?" Captain Majourny ordered, a plan beginning to take shape in her mind.
"Very advanced. What did you have in mind, captain?"
"Would they pick up an active mine in their path?"
He didn't have to consider that for long. "Most likely. They would have plenty of warning and time to shoot it before it got within range."
"My thoughts exactly. Prepare to drop mines in their path. Set them for proximity detonation and passive scan."
Impressed by the tactic, the young man set to work. "Ready," he announced a minute later.
Jo-jo waited another five seconds before ordering, "NOW! Drop four mines. Ace push her for all she's worth."
Eternia began to shake as Ace punched the speed up to almost one hundred and twenty percent of maximum speed. Lieutenant Santana promptly called the bridge advising them the ship would not be able to take this kind of punishment for long. At the same time the ship accelerated, Jo-jo watched the four dots signifying the mines dropped from the rear of the ship and coasted backward toward the enemy ships.
Captain Majourny punched the comm button. "All hands brace for impact."
On the screen, she watched as the mines and Horde vessels met with explosive results. The first ship took two of the mines head-on. The detonations ripped open the bow enough for the force of hyperspace to finish the job. The remaining mines and wreckage slammed into the next two warships before they have any chance to evade. The last one looked to have dropped out of hyperspace, having lagged far enough behind to see things as they developed. But it also looked to Jo-jo's untrained eye like they might have gotten a piece of shockwave. The same wave that slammed into the Eternia from behind moments later. The ship buffeted and bounced for a few seconds before settling down. Captain Majourny ordered Ace to throttle back when the sensors showed no further signs of pursuit.
"Secure from battle stations. All decks begin damage check." Jo-jo leaned back in her seat and sighed. "Give it another hour, then call up the second shift. Let's give everyone a well deserved rest." She rose and headed for the hatch.
"May I ask where you'll be, captain? Just in case?" Ace asked.
"The infirmary seeing how badly we've been hurt."
Starship Eternia
Deep Space
1500 HOURS, 3 May 2017
Captain Majourny found five grim Guardians in the infirmary standing well out of the way as Doctor Carter and his staff worked. She noted Sorceress was still, almost. The woman wasn't as limp as she had been earlier when she passed out. Sorceress moaned softly, head moving a little each time. Doctor Carter turned away from the wall monitors as the captain joined the Guardians out of the way.
"Hello, captain. Come to see how everyone is doing?" Doctor Carter inquired, gesturing to the five other occupied beds.
Jo-jo nodded. "How are they?"
"Nothing fatal. Two will be out of action for about a week. The others should be out by tomorrow." He returned to monitors motioning the others to join him. "This is one very interesting patient. I have read the file on her and her abilities, but actually seeing her magic work is something else."
"How so?" Jeromy asked.
"She must have been trying to activate a healing spell of some sort. The pain she was experiencing must have prevented her from concentrating long enough to start it, that is, until I gave her that Morphine shot," Doctor Carter explained.
"You make it sound like a bad thing," Captain Majourny replied.
"Well, yes and no." Emilio pointed to a monitor. The image was a live look at Sorceress' left shoulder blade. "Since the spell has been working that hole burned through her shoulder has been shrinking. The hole in the shoulder blade is nearly healed." Before anyone could ask, the doctor gestured to a nurse, who turned down the lights enough that they could all see the pale glow surrounding the moaning Sorceress. "That's how I figured out what was happening."
"So what is down side? If she's healing, that is good thing. Da?" Sonya asked, her Russian accent still heavy in her voice.
"Yes, that is a good thing. Unfortunately, the spell fights off any drug I administer for the pain. Until the spell has done its work, there is nothing I can do for her. It's very – frustrating." Doctor Carter helped a nurse cover Sorceress in a blanket, tucking the under her bare feet, making it snug along her sides. They hadn't tried removing the black and gray uniform once they found the healing spell in work. "The best thing right now is to just leave her be. She'll be looked after, as will the others. I'll let you know if anything develops. All of you look like you could use a little rest." The doctor looked pointedly at Adrian.
Captain Majourny agreed. "Colonel Markson will likely schedule the debriefings to start at O eight hundred. I suggest we all grab a hot meal and a few hours sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day." Doctor Carter added he could help out in the area of relaxing long enough to sleep. He had an assortment of non-addictive drugs for just such cases.
Adrian was the last one to follow the others out. Captain Majourny wasn't sure what she saw in his features. She finally decided on a fixture of concern, a little awe, respect, and something deeper that lasted for only and fleeting moment. He left before Jo-jo could probe deeper.
Starship Eternia
Deep Space
Galactic Spiral Arm
5 May 2017
Debriefings. How people loved to hate them. This was no exception because they were being conducted over subspace radio with the head-shrinkers on Earth. Day Two started much as Day One had. The debriefers (inquisitioners as Jake called them) picked apart every action taken at least three times before they were satisfied, grudgingly, anyway. As usual, tempers flared and arguments ensued. General Hammond sometimes felt like a referee rather than the Guardian Force commander. He managed to stop most of the action before it got really out of hand, and then there was Adrian's debriefing.
Colonel Simmons conducted the debriefing. He and a number of others in political and scientific circles had a difficult time believing the part of Adrian's report concerning the transfer of knowledge and experience of the 'entity,' as it has become known, to Adrian at a critical time when it was most needed. The politicians scoffed at the idea while the scientists debunked such a transfer as 'impossible.' At the very best, Captain Takamora's training is what saved him not some dubious force.
Captain Majourny was sure if the Sorceress was on her feet and present at the proceedings, she could have shut them all up with her testimony. Sorceress was, at present, awake and due to be released on her own recognizance to her quarters in a few hours. All they would get from her was a written report. Though she might have felt what happened to Adrian, and could probably verify it with a telepathic scan, it probably wouldn't matter much in the long run. Colonel Simmons seemed to have it in for Adrian right from the start.
At the conclusion of the debriefing, Adrian shocked everyone on both sides of the subspace conference. Adrian rose from his seat, looked Simmons in the eye, and said, "Colonel." When Simmons looked up from his papers, Adrian continued, "When I get back I'm gonna kill you." He left shocked silence in his wake.
"Why you tolerate that man is beyond me," Colonel Simmons said gruffly to General Hammond. He stuffed papers haphazardly into a brown leather briefcase that had seen better days.
"I think it best if you left my base as expediently as possible, colonel," General Hammond replied calmly.
"You haven't heard the last of this," Simmons promised nastily.
"I guarantee you haven't," Hammond shot back. His parting shot deflated the colonel as he thought about what Adrian Cobretti might do with a man like General Eugene Hammond looking the other way.
Colonel Simmons made a hasty exit.
Before anyone could break the silence, the conference room doors parted and a pale and sore Sorceress with her left arm in a sling stepped across the threshold. She settled into the chair at Captain Majourny's right hand, careful not to disturb the left shoulder.
"While it's good to see you up and around, Sorceress," General Hammond replied, breaking the silence, "I thought you were still confined to the infirmary for the next several hours?"
"I used my feminine wiles on the doctor and he gave me an early parole," Sorceress answered, completely nonchalant.
Colonel Markson did a double take and started sifting through the data on the electronic pad in front of him while Jo-jo stared hard at the woman.
"What are you looking for, colonel?" Hammond inquired of the man's intense look.
"Oh, just reviewing Sorceress' injury report to see if she hit her head when she fell to the ramp after being shot." He did not look up from his search.
"I did so you can stop searching," Sorceress supplied good-naturedly.
"Getting shot might have had something to do with this personality change," Jo-jo observed.
"I've been shot numerous times, never thought a single one beneficial," Markson said, finally looking up.
Deciding the conversation needed a change of direction, Sorceress asked, "Did I miss anything?"
General Hammond snorted. "Just the unusual interrogation-type debriefs from Colonel Simmons."
The look that passed in Sorceress' eyes made Jo-jo shiver slightly. "That would explain Adrian's mood when I passed him in the corridor."
A dark look crossed the colonel's face. "If I hadn't seen what I did two days ago, I would put people on Cobretti to protect him from Simmons when we return. Now I would still put people on him, but to protect Simmons from Cobretti." That's when he saw the look in Sorceress' eyes. "Don't tell me, let me guess. You have some history with Simmons as well."
Sorceress nodded, but it was General Hammond who answered. "Colonel Simmons was the one who 'interviewed' Sorceress when she was coherent enough to answer questions two years ago."
"I don't recall seeing him in that video footage from those interviews you showed us," Jo-jo counted. She had a photographic memory and clearly remembered not seeing the irritating Air Force officer.
"He kept carefully out of the view while pressing hard for answers," Hammond answered.
Colonel Markson made a couple notes on his data pad. "Right. Bodyguards for Sorceress and Cobretti upon return to protect Simmons from them."
General Hammond opened his mouth to issue a mild rebuke, but Sorceress cut him off. "Even though I would have done anything to protect my home village from Horde invaders, which led to my becoming the next Guardian of Castle Grayskull, and have never harbored ill will against anyone, not even after the many times Skeletor held me captive, I changed that attitude after my interrogation by that man."
"Okay, that explains your mood. What's the bad blood between Simmons and Cobretti?" Colonel Markson asked General Hammond.
"Colonel Simmons is the one who pressed the court-marshal against Adrian after the battle at Edwards Air Force Base," General Hammond replied. "Adrian lost and was dishonorably discharged from the service."
"Are you kidding me? He saved a lot of lives getting that ammo-laden humvee to the battle," Colonel Markson protested.
"The captain in charge at the time didn't see it that way, and charged Adrian with cowardice in the face of the enemy. He's lucky he didn't get the death penalty. Anyway, I did all I could to protect him. Called in a few favors." It was clear the man had a soft spot for Adrian Cobretti. Had been since that first day in the auditorium. What a joy it had been for the general when Adrian turned out to be one of the chosen six to revive the Guardian armor.
"And the hits just keep on coming," Colonel Markson sighed.
"It doesn't get any better, I'm afraid," Hammond said. "In three days President Alexander is to appear before World President Roshenko and explain why the Eternia was launched. You must locate the planet and retrieve the armor before midnight on the eighth eastern standard time otherwise your mission will be recalled."
The news wasn't entirely unexpected except for the part about the recall. The atmosphere in the conference room felt a little bit more oppressive. "Three days isn't much time. We have no idea where we're going or how far we have yet to go," Captain Majourny said grimly.
Sorceress' thoughts already raced through possibilities. Kodec might be of help, if she could contact her. Sorceress also had an idea about using her magic to follow the calling back to its source. She did note the pull felt a little stronger. Maybe it would be enough. All Sorceress knew for sure was they still headed in the right direction.
"I may be able to help," Sorceress replied quietly.
"That friend of yours who wishes to remain anonymous?" General Hammond said. He didn't like being kept in the dark about her source of information. So far, the information had been legitimate so he didn't complain too much. He also knew some day soon this mysterious person would have to reveal them self.
Sorceress nodded, but refused to say more.
"Well, I wish I had better news for you. We received the data you retrieved from the Horde warship. Our analysts are having a field day down here. We may have better news for you in the next day or so. And I will see if I can't get an extension on the recall. Hammond out."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Jo-jo asked Sorceress.
The woman shook her head. "No. My friend usually contacts me. I'm not sure how, but I have to initiate the contact this time. All I can say is to keep following your present course making adjustments as you go. The others feel the pull same as I. They can assist just as well." She rose from her seat looking a little paler than when she entered.
"I think you should at least get a few solid hours sleep before trying to contact your friend," Jo-jo suggested politely. "You look like my last microwave dinner. Reheated twice over."
Sorceress nodded absently and left the conference room.
The captain and colonel exchanged concerned looks, neither needing to voice what troubled them.
Starship Eternia
Deep Space
Galactic Spiral Arm
Z MINUS 68 HOURS, 6 May 2017
After having a hot meal complete with chicken, the first meat she had eaten since arriving on Earth, Sorceress returned to her quarters, took a long hot shower to loosen tight shoulder muscles, and crawled naked into bed. The bed itself was a box containing two mattresses. She'd had one removed and filled the remaining space with soft furs created complements of her magic. Laying in them was like floating in a sea of fur. Even the pillowcases were fur. Sorceress settled in, pulled two blankets up to her chin and nodded off almost before she was comfortably settled.
She slept far longer than she had intended to, though she was not aware of the exact time, Sorceress knew it was the early morning of 6 May. She also stood in a place of utter blackness. She tried to convince herself she was still sleeping comfortably in her quarters aboard the Eternia, at least until she realized she wore the costume of Grayskull's Guardian.
"Kodec?" Sorceress called out, turning in a slow circle. "I need to speak with you." Nothing. No movement. No light. Just inky blackness. "KODEC!"
"I'm right here. No need to shout," the Elder replied whimsically from behind Sorceress' left shoulder.
"What is this place? Am I really here or…"
"Your body is still safe and sound in your furs on the Eternia," the Elder assured her. Kodec's features turned stern. "I thought we had agreed I would contact you, not the other way around."
"We did, but events have taken a turn for the worse. The American President has to appear before World President Roshenko to explain why he launched our mission. We have until midnight the eighth to find and retrieve the armor." Kodec looked unconvinced. Sorceress pressed harder. "We have no idea where we're going or how far to get there." Kodec still looked unconvinced. "Dammit, Kodec, we only have-"
"Three days. Yes, I know. Three days. And you are going to talk one of them away if you don't shut up." The Elder heaved a heavy sigh. "I was in the middle of something when you called. You really should do something about this subconscious need to talk to me. I'm going to press the council for help. Don't go getting your hopes up. They are very obstinate."
"So are you. Why they put up with you is a mystery to me," Sorceress returned automatically.
For an instant Kodec looked as if she would withdraw her assistance in light of the insult, then burst out laughing. "If I had known all it took was to get shot up and a good blow to the head to loosen you up and rediscover your feminine side, I'd have personally arranged it long ago!"
Sorceress relaxed. Kodec seemed to be at her best when bickering with someone. Sorceress never understood why, still didn't, but maybe now she would in time.
"I will see what I can do," Kodec assured Sorceress, still smiling. "And this time when I have news I will call you. Clear?"
"As mud," Sorceress answered, with a slight smile of her own. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. The Horde is undoubtedly following. Thank me after you have acquired the armor."
Before Sorceress could say anything more, Kodec disappeared and she was lost in the vast blackness of blissful sleep.