Chapter Eight: Betting It All
Mjolnir Anchorage:
The gas giant Mjolnir was the site of Mjolnir Anchorage, an anchorage dating back to the Cylon War. At this location, there came a series of bright flashes that heralded the arrival of the Battlestar Libran and its task force. The Cylon War-era battlestar and its accompanying faststars had come here for one purpose, to destroy what was believed to be one of the main bases of the Tauron-based pirate group Erebea. It had taken over a year to finally get this far, and if all worked out according to plan then they would strike a damaging blow.
Libran, CIC:
"All ships are on DRADIS," Lieutenant Lancelot Freyburg, the Libran's Tactical Officer, announced.
"Commander Mandeville is requesting to speak with you," Lieutenant James Ward informed him.
Tattnall picked up the receiver at Command and Control and nodded to his Communications Officer to connect the call.
"This is Actual," Tattnall said after he heard the familiar 'click'.
"Actual, we have received a report from the Ministry of Intelligence. They are sending four troop transports to join us for the attack," Commander Geoffrey Mandeville said. He served as the Commanding Officer of the faststar group that was was responsible for the safety of the Libran.
"What are the names of the transports and why are they joining us?" Tattnall asked. He had a natural suspicion of having orders changed so close to the start of a mission. In his mind, there were simply too many variables to factor in too short of a time.
"The Galilee, Negev, Adurim, and Sheridan will be joining us. The plan appears to be for them to stay on the outer edges of the battle. Once we've disabled the base's weapons the ships will land boarding parties and secure the base."
Tattnall thought this over, "The higher-ups in Gray must think they can secure new intel on the Erebea. Where are the ships at now?"
"They're at Verona Shipyard being prepped for the mission."
"All right, we'll stay here on the edge of the system and wait. I really wish the MoI would stop trying to change the mission at the last minute."
"I second that, Actual. My ships will be ready to attack when the time comes," Mandeville said before the connection was severed.
"Judging by the look on your face we've had our plans changed," Colonel Susan Minerva said once she walked over to Command and Control.
Tattnall nodded, "It would appear that instead of destroying the base we're simply going to disable the base and allow a boarding party from the MoI to get onboard."
"I think all of this waiting may ratchet up the tension among the crew, we may want to maintain Condition Three until we know we're about to head into battle," Colonel Susan Minerva suggested.
"That's not a bad idea," Tattnall said before turning to Freyburg and giving the order to maintain Condition Three.
"You look like you're pondering something," she said to Tattnall.
"I'm going to down to the brig, I need to have a chat with our Erebea friend. You're in charge until I return," Tattnall said before heading out of the CIC.
"Aye, Commander, the XO has the deck," Minerva announced to the CIC.
Libran, Brig:
"You look quite comfortable," Tattnall said to the man in the cell.
Thomas Carr, onetime member of the Erebea, shrugged. "I admit I prefer it here to being at Fort Milledge. Here the only time I get chilled to the bone is when the guards decide they want to turn the air conditioner on full-blast."
"It'd be a shame to let you forget where you could be if you hadn't been made our guest."
Carr shook his head. "That MoI guy wanted me dead; I've heard enough stories about how those people operate."
"Would it scare you to know he intended to kill you?" Tattnall asked and he could not help but notice Carr tense up.
"You're sure of that?"
Tattnall nodded. "He thought it would be more efficient and save the taxpayers' money. Sounded to me like he was talking about gangland justice but I doubt he was mixing the two up."
"I take it you talked him out of killing me," Carr said as more of a statement than a question.
"You could assume that, I had come to the conclusion that you would do more for us as a live information source than as a dead martyr."
"You may find it hard to believe but I'd rather you had let the MoI kill me."
Tattnall folded his arms across his chest, "Why do you say that?"
Carr motioned to the area his prison cell occupied. "This is what my world has been reduced to and it's only marginally better than what I had at Fort Milledge. I'm never going to see the outside of these walls and will never be a free man again."
Tattnall shook his head, "You're not going to be a free man for some time, and it's called 'prison' for a reason. You seem to be forgetting that you were taken off the ship when the Libran was repaired. I checked and they did not send you to Fort Milledge."
"You're right, Commander; they didn't send me back to Fort Milledge. Instead I was sent to a MoI prison in the Soranus Desert."
"Were you hoping they'd release you to Tauron simply on your word that you'd promise to behave?"
Carr shook his head in disgust. "First, they throw me in that frozen dungeon on Caprica, and then they throw me into that blast furnace of a prison on Canceron."
"I'm sure they kept you perfectly hydrated the whole time," Tattnall said before looking at his watch, "Are you done with all of this complaining? Personally, I've about reached my limit as to how much I can stand."
Carr sat down on his bunk and started to lie down on the mattress before saying, "Yeah I think I've vented about all I can. Did you come here for some kind of therapy session for me?"
"Not particularly, I did have a question that I hoped you could help me with asking."
"I'm not exactly going anywhere, so go ahead and ask."
"We're at Mjolnir Anchorage at the moment but when the word to proceed is given we'll jump to the Centaurus System to attack an Erebea base, is there anything you can tell me about it?"
"I had a feeling she was going to use some of Admiral Renoir's bases!" Carr exclaimed.
"At least I can assume you know this base."
"Absolutely; when I first joined the Erebea, this base was one of my first postings."
Tattnall could not help but be interested in what all Carr knew. "Care to enlighten me?"
"Of course, but it's going to cost you."
"You actually want to negotiate?" Tattnall asked after fighting down a laugh.
"Truth is I have been feeling a bit malnourished and the food here in the brig is not really exciting my appetite. How about this, you bring me a menu of the items from the Officers Mess and after I have a satisfying meal I will be happy to tell you every detail I know."
"Does that include dessert?"
Carr smiled. "Isn't that the best part of any meal?"
Tattnall turned to the guard, "Get this prisoner whatever he wants to eat from the mess. Let me know when his appetite is satisfied."
"Commander Tattnall, I underestimated you, it seems you do know how to negotiate."
Tattnall would have used more hardball tactics but this close to the battle he needed every edge he could get. Thomas Carr could have whatever he wanted off the menu but after that he would have to get used to prison food once again.
The guard left to get Carr a menu from the mess so that he could decide what he wanted for his meal.
He reached into his pillow casing and removed a small transmitter that had been smuggled to him by the Libran's intelligence officer. From the moment he had joined the Erebea, Thomas Carr had been living a triple life. He had served as a spy for Colonial Military Intelligence, the military version of the Ministry of Intelligence, and was a part of Major Arthur Wallace's plan to take down the MoI from the inside.
He quickly turned on the transmitter and entered the decryption protocol to activate the secure line. Entering the correct sequences of dots and dashes, he quickly got his message sent off to its recipient before the guard returned. Everything from the last few years had been part of an overall plan. When it was accomplished, he was certain he would be rewarded handsomely.
Aerilon, Verona Shipyard:
Sheridan:
Cargo Hold One:
The troop transport Sheridan dated back to the Cylon War. When the time had come to decommission the ship and its sisters, the Ministry of Intelligence had purchased them to serve as transports. The Galilee, Negev, Adurim, and Sheridan were formerly transport ships with the Colonial Army. When the first ten of the Tomich class transports had been taken out of service, the Ministry of Intelligence had purchased the ships to use for its various classified missions.
Captain John Ashe took the Caprican cigar out of his mouth and pointed towards the base schematics on the view screen, "The plan for this operation is to split the Gladiators up into three squadrons. That will allow us to take the upper, middle, and lower levels of the base. Three of the four ships will be tasked with landing the boarding parties; the fourth will stay back as a command base."
"Are you worried about the remaining crew activating scuttling charges?" Lieutenant Shaylyn Rexana asked. She had been assigned to the Gladiators to serve as a weapons and explosives expert.
Ashe pointed to the area of the schematics where it appeared the base's power plant was located, "According to our intel, the power for the scuttling charges is located in a room that is to the left of the power plant. I want you on the team that secures the lower level so you can get to this room and disable the scuttling charges."
"What if she's not able to?" Dallas Garza asked.
Ashe fixed him with a stern look. "Then it's going to a damn short op. Not to put too much pressure on Lieutenant Rexana but she wouldn't be a Gladiator if she couldn't get the job done."
"Wouldn't it make sense for the Libran to serve as the command base?" Luther Royal asked.
"It's been discussed, but the Libran and the faststars are going to be busy keeping the area secure. If the Erebea show up while the boarding is underway it would create more confusion," Ashe said.
"Who's going to lead the teams?" Yavuz Selim asked.
"I am going to lead Team One and we'll be tasked with the upper levels of the base. Lieutenant Bryant will lead Team Two and her team will be responsible for the middle levels," Ashe said as he looked in the direction of MoI Lieutenant Victoria Bryant who nodded her understanding.
"Who leads the third team?" Jacob Lane asked.
"Sergeant Wren will lead Team Three, and as I mentioned before, the scuttling charges it's important that those are deactivated as soon as possible," Ashe said before adding, "Assignments have been posted on the bulkhead by the hatch you entered this cargo hold through. We leave within the hour; Gladiators, dismissed!"
The Gladiators headed towards the hatch to organize into their assigned teams. Ashe headed through a hatch near where he had addressed his troops. Soon they would be boarding the Erebea base and there was no telling exactly what they would find once they were on there.
Palaiologos:
Ministry of Intelligence Lieutenant Whitney Thompson was doing her third round of pushups in her quarters on the faststar Palaiologos. Soon the assault on the Erebea base would begin; she was doing what she did whenever her nerves threatened to get the better of her. She began doing pushups until the nervousness had dissipated so she could focus on the task. She knew the reason why her nerves were on edge so badly and it had to do with the last time she had engaged the Erebea.
At the time, she had been stationed on the faststar Robert Smith and it had taken serious damage during the battle. She had been trapped in a compartment by burning wreckage and she had been worried whether she would survive. Even stepping onto the Palaiologos was a problem at first, especially since it had been a sister ship of the Robert Smith, and she was sure there was a part of her mind that made the connection and caused her to feel so uneasy.
A knock on the hatch brought her out of her thoughts. She crossed the room and opened the door. Standing there was Lieutenant Colonel Constantine Pierozzi, the top aide to Commander Mandeville.
"Colonel Pierozzi, is there something I can do for you?" She asked as her breathing began to return to normal. It seemed her pushups had winded her more than she had thought.
"Commander Mandeville wanted me to let you know that we're going to begin the attack within the hour. When can we expect you to join us in the CIC?"
She thought it over and realized that she had an hour to make her way up to the CIC. She would rather be there when the attack began. "I'll be there in half an hour; I have some paperwork to take care of before I leave my quarters."
"I'll let the Commander know," Pierozzi said before turning to leave for the CIC.
Thompson closed the hatch and sat down at her desk to fill out more of the paperwork that only the higher-ups in Gray would ever lay their eyes on.
The phone on the desk began to ring and she answered it expecting it to be Commander Mandeville or one of the other MoI officers with the task force.
"Before you answer, I just have to know if you're wearing something sexy under that gray MoI uniform of yours," Major Arthur Wallace, Ministry of Intelligence officer and her fiancé, said with a strong hint of mischief in his voice.
"I'm sure you're just dying to know," she teased before she realized it sounded as though he was trying to talk over the wind blowing. "Where are you?"
"I'm on Caprica; did you forget me telling you I had to be here for a visit?"
She shook her head, "No, I didn't forget, but why does it sound as though you're in some kind of wind tunnel?"
"I'm on the Carolina with some of the gang for a little excursion."
"I thought the MoI told you the Carolina was unavailable for the foreseeable future."
She heard Wallace laugh and say, "I called in a favor that Director Wolverton owed me and he agreed to let me use the Carolina. I'm telling you, Whitney, this submarine is incredible! You should check out the spacious quarters provided to the Commanding Officer."
She shook her head again. "You must really want to get back in my pants."
"Think of it as a chance to get in some practice before our honeymoon."
"When this is over we'll have to look into that; so where on Caprica are you heading to?"
"A small city called Tzorah, have you heard of it?"
"It was in some reports I remember reading back before I got put on this mission. Is there any particular reason why you're going there?"
"To see a man about a horse," Wallace said knowing that he could not give even his fiancée the reason for why he was taking the Carolina to Tzorah.
"Well, have fun and I'll see you when this is over; love you!"
"Love you, too," Wallace said as the call ended.
She put the receiver back into its cradle and let out a laugh. There a certain quality to him that she liked and it was a large part of the reason why she fell in love with him. Signing the last of her papers, she left her quarters and began making her way to the CIC.
Libran, CIC:
"All departments report that they are ready for action," Minerva said once she had received a report from Tactical.
"Excellent," Tattnall said before turning to Freyburg, "Mister Freyburg, I want you to summon the crew to Action Stations and set Condition One throughout the ship."
Freyburg nodded and picked up the receiver at his Tactical station. "Action Stations! Action Stations! All hands to action stations. Set Condition One throughout the ship."
"It's time for payback," Minerva said as the ship's crew set Condition One.
"I am more than ready for it, the last time we met they got in some lucky shots but this time is going to be different," Tattnall said.
"What about the MoI piggy backing their people onto this operation?" she asked.
"Seems like a waste of time to me; if anything it's more of a handicap to us. We should be blasting the base into oblivion with our weapons but now we have to pick our shots and disable the station's defenses so their people can board the station and get intel that they think could make this shadow war easier to fight."
"Well, do you think it could be helpful?" Minerva asked.
"In the end our orders are to kill these Tauron bastards so if that's our endgame then does it really matter what we learn?"
Caprica, Helenus Sea:
Ministry of Intelligence Submarine Carolina, CIC:
"How much longer until we reach Tzorah?" Wallace asked the Carolina's navigator.
"We should be there in a couple of hours barring anything catastrophic," Lieutenant Charlotte Lockhart said as she looked over the map of the shipping lanes for the Helenus Sea.
"Have you mapped out the best course for us to take when we near the coast?"
Lockhart nodded. "When we reach the coast of Egeria we can head north to Fortuna Bay. Storms are common this time of year so if one was to hit we can be sheltered from it by the bay."
"Is there a chance of us running into a storm?" Wallace asked. The truth was that he had only glanced over the weather reports.
She motioned to a nearby monitor showing the large circular formation of a hurricane. "Say hello to Hurricane Mestra."
"Heading straight for Tzorah by the looks of it," Wallace said as he studied the projected path of the hurricane and saw that it was on a direct course for the city that he was planning on visiting.
"Exactly, I don't know why it's so important we go to Tzorah but I hope it's going to be worth it."
"Believe me it is going to be worth it, especially if this source pans out," Wallace said. He had kept the details of the mission secret for the most part. Only a select few knew the real reason why they were going to Tzorah.
"We're going to need to go up to periscope depth, there's an incoming transmission," Lieutenant Elizabeth Elbra.
"Take us up to periscope depth," Wallace ordered.
"Taking us up to periscope depth," Lieutenant Maurice Price acknowledged.
When the submarine reached periscope depth Wallace grabbed the receiver. "This is Wallace."
"Arthur, how are things on your end?" Darrell 'Tank' Robinson asked.
"We're making our way there; hopefully it won't be longer than a couple of hours. Where are you?"
"The three of us are here in Aredvi waiting for you, Fortuna Bay looks peaceful for the time being but with that hurricane coming this way there's no telling how long that will last."
"What are Heavy and Little Tank doing?" Wallace asked. David and Derrek Robinson were Tank's brothers and were respectively known as 'Heavy' and 'Little Tank'.
"They're making their way here with our contact from Tzorah. When they arrive I can see if our new friend is on the level about what he's claiming."
"Here's to hoping, the intel we gather could be useful for dealing with the Erebea," Wallace said.
"That's your opinion, Arthur; to me the whole thing is too good to be true. By the way, Little Tank asked if you've tried to seduce the women on the submarine yet."
"I'm an engaged man, Tank, if Whitney thought I was cheating on her it would not end well for me."
"I couldn't agree more, we'll see you when the Carolina arrives," Tank said before the line went dead.
"Is there anything else I need to know before we dive?" he asked Price.
"A message came in for you while you were talking to your friend," Price said as he handed a message that had just printed.
Wallace took the paper and looked over it. "That's reassuring."
Price was puzzled. "May I ask what is so reassuring?"
Wallace folded the paper and put it into his pocket. "A contact of mine that has been a useful asset to me. It's just a reminder to let me know that his cover is secure and is in no danger of being blown."
Truth was that the man known as 'Thomas Carr' was in fact an alias of Colonial Military Intelligence agent Adam Kasia, and the report told him more than just the fact that his cover had not been blown. The information contained in that message was something he was not about to share with anyone inside the Ministry of Intelligence.
"I'm glad that your asset is still uncompromised then. In our field that qualifies as good news."
"Indeed it does. Prepare to dive. I want us as deep as you can get us," Wallace said before he turned to leave the CIC.
"I'll let you know if anything develops," Lieutenant Olena Kyrylenko said.
Erebea Base, Shuttle Bay One:
"Admiral, there's no more time to waste, if we don't get out of here soon the Colonial Fleet will have our escape blocked," one of the members of her personal guard said as he motioned for her to hurry through into the escape shuttle.
"I feel like I'm running away like a coward," Cinta Melati, the Admiral of the Erebea, said as she stepped through the hatch that led to the interior of the shuttle.
"If you think about it, we're escaping so we can live to fight another day," Armas Lehtonen said in an attempt to find a silver lining.
"That may be the case but it doesn't mean I have to like it," Melati said as she took a seat with four of her personal guard nearby, "I know we're leaving some of our people behind, if we're lucky they will take some of these Colonials with them."
"Have you thought about using some of our ships as bombs? If they can get close enough to the enemy before they explode then that would hurt them somewhat," Lehtonen said.
"That is a battlestar and its escort vessels, any ships of ours would be torn to shreds before they could get close enough. The ships we would need are at Muta," she said in reference to the anchorage near the Red Line where the Erebea kept its warships.
"Admiral, I'm disengaging the docking clamps. Jump will proceed in 5,4,3,2,1…," the pilot said as the shuttle pulled away from the base and jumped to one of the fallback locations.
Nineteen Minutes Later:
Libran, War Room:
"Who's coming to meet us?" Commander Geoffrey Mandeville asked. The thirty-seven year old officer was looking at the arrangement of the ships and the Erebea base setup on the War Room's center table.
"Captain Ashe is coming over from the Sheridan and my CAG is going to be joining us as soon as she's done conferring with the squadron leaders," Tattnall said. He was still getting a feel for his new CAG, Major Cynthia Shannon. She had been assigned to his ship recently when the officer she replaced, Major Alexander Mason, had been reassigned.
The hatch opened and in stepped Ashe with two Marines accompanying him, "Commander Tattnall, I hope you only had these Marines with me in case I got lost."
"It's a big ship Captain, I didn't want to take any chances," Tattnall said. Truth was he felt uneasy about having someone he did not know wandering around the Libran unescorted.
"I have been spending time on the Gemenon so you don't have to worry about me not knowing my way around this ship, the two are virtually identical," Ashe responded with a tone of voice that would lead a person to believe he did not believe Tattnall's reason for an escort.
"Since we have yet to make introductions, I am Commander Nicholas Tattnall and I'm in command of the Libran. With me is Commander Geoffrey Mandeville and he is in charge of the faststar group. Joining us will be my CAG, Major Cynthia Shannon."
"I'm Captain John Ashe and I'm with the Ministry of Intelligence, anything else is classified above your pay grade, Commanders."
"So I've learned since the MoI came into my life," Tattnall said before adding, "I was told by Captain Harmon that you will be leading the boarding party onto the station once we've disabled its defenses."
Ashe nodded. "My people are going to stay off on the sidelines until the two of you have made it safe for us to board. If you put in the kind of performance you did last time you encountered the Erebea then I might as well turn my ships around and head back to Aerilon."
"If you're referring to the Erebea disabling the Libran and some of the faststars that was a fluke, you don't worry about disabling the base's defenses. Just focus on your part of the job. There's no reason to worry about us holding down our end," Tattnall responded perhaps a bit more hotly than he had intended. Ashe's words had carried the accusatory tone that implied the damage to the Libran was not just because the Erebea scored a lucky hit.
"You're forgetting that I have to worry about your job because if you don't perform like you're needed to then we don't get to board that station and then the whole mission is for nothing. I don't know how you feel about losing people but I can assure you I don't want to lose more than I have to. I'd prefer it if I didn't lose any of my team," Ashe shot back.
"In a perfect world you would never lose one of your people but in our business casualties are inevitable," Tattnall said and he would have said more but it was then that the hatch to the room opened again.
"I've briefed the squadron leaders and they are ready to go as soon as the order is given," Major Cynthia 'Scorch' Shannon said once she entered the War Room.
"Major Shannon, allow me to present Captain John Ashe from the Ministry of Intelligence," Tattnall said and watched as Ashe simply nodded his head in her direction.
"A pleasure to meet you, Captain, my pilots will be providing cover for your transports when it comes time for you to board," Shannon said.
"How do you plan on doing this?" Ashe asked.
Tattnall pressed a button and a holographic display came to life on the table. In red was the holographic projection of the Erebea base. The Libran, the faststars, the transports, and the Libran's air group were displayed in blue.
"I've been crunching the numbers and I can spare two squadrons of Vipers to cover your approach as well as a squadron of Raptors if you feel as if you need them. The rest of the air group can support the faststars in their attack on the base as well as help provide cover for the Libran so that no missiles will get through and hit the ship this time," Shannon said and she noticed Tattnall's face flush slightly at hearing the last part of her comment.
"I'm glad you have thought it out, Major," Ashe said before turning his attention to Tattnall and Mandeville, "How will your ships be deployed?"
"The plan is to split the faststar group up," Mandeville said as he began to separate the twelve holographic projections of his faststars into three groups of four. "I'm going to have one group stay with the Libran to provide protection for the ship while my other two groups will form a pincer movement that will allow us to concentrate on the flank while the Libran comes up the middle and brings its guns to bear on the base.
"I think with the firepower we can bring to the fight will overpower whatever the Erebea throws at us," Tattnall said.
"You're acting as though this will be some sort of cakewalk, are you sure you're not underestimating the Erebea? Seems to me they've gotten more hits on you than you have on them," Ashe said. The truth was that he believed they had the right plan but he felt the need to see if he could poke holes in their plan to see if they could refine it further or alter it if necessary.
"We've spent time working on this plan and when we attack it will go as we planned and if it doesn't we'll be able to adapt and get the job done," Mandeville said before Tattnall had a chance to respond.
"If you feel that strongly about it then we'll see how it plays but I'll be keeping an eye on how this battle develops, and you can rest assured I will not deploy my people until I know for a fact that the Erebea has been neutralized and that base can be boarded. My people will need about two to three hours to make our final preparations for the battle. I'll send word to your ship when you can begin the attack. You can leave your Marines here, I can find my own way to the hangar deck," Ashe said and he turned and walked out of the hatch.
"What a jackass," Mandeville said after a few moments of silence.
"I couldn't agree more," Tattnall added.
"I'm heading to the hangar once I get my flight suit on, don't worry about my pilots and I…we won't let you down out there," Shannon said before she too was gone.
"Well, Commander, I think I'll have you fly in a separate Raptor back to the Palaiologos. Something tells me you wouldn't want to be in the same Raptor with Captain Ashe," Tattnall said.
"A very astute observation," Mandeville said as he left the War Room to make his way down to the hangar deck.
Tattnall put his hands on the table and let out a deep breath. He would not admit it but he had to battle his nerves when it came to this battle. The last time he had led the Libran into battle it had not gone well for the ship and its crew and here he was again about to put his ship in harm's way. With two or three hours to go until the battle began, there was plenty of time for him to reflect on what was to come. While he at times had an uncertain feeling about the existence of the gods, he hoped that if they were real then perhaps they would smile favorably upon him and his ship.
Two Hours and Twenty-Six Minutes Later:
Caprica, Helenus Sea:
Ministry of Intelligence Submarine Carolina, CIC:
The submarine was starting to roll a bit less now even though the waves of the Helenus Sea pounded against the hull of the Carolina. The order had recently been passed down to bring the vessel to the surface so that it could make the transit into Fortuna Bay. At first, it seemed as though the order was a mistake as the effects of the oncoming hurricane were starting to make a noticeable impact on the area. Wallace had hoped that the closer they got to Fortuna Bay the easier the sea would be on the submarine. It was appearing that he was wrong.
"Charlotte, come up with me to the conning tower. I want to be with you when you bring us in to dock at Aredvi," Wallace said as he began to climb the ladder that would lead up to the navigation bridge at the top of the conning tower.
"Right behind you," Lockhart said as she began to climb up the ladder behind Wallace.
When the two got to the top of the conning tower Lockhart immediately closed the hatch and secured it.
"Would you look at that?" Wallace said as he looked out onto the horizon to the east.
"Gods," Lockhart exclaimed before adding, "You'd think only Aquaria would have storms that size."
Off to the east was a huge wall of darkness that could have only been the hurricane. If they could get their ship secured at a dock in Fortuna Bay then they should be fine. If they were unable to then it would provide an unexpected adventure.
"Remind me again, what part of Aquaria you're from?" Wallace asked in hopes the small talk would keep Lockhart focused.
"I grew up in Fort Hawkins," she said as she affixed the wheel to the conning station and transferred control to it so she could maneuver the submarine into place, "My parents worked for Penegor Communications."
"Did you go to college on Aquaria or one of the other colonies?" Wallace asked. As best he could tell it was one thing to navigate a submarine during ideal conditions but another to try to navigate with a hurricane bearing down.
"I went to Rutherford College in Port Leopold, it was there when the MoI recruited me," she said as she kept her gaze focused on the entrance to Fortuna Bay. This narrow entrance would prove to be the challenging part.
Wallace was quiet for a moment before he said, "I'm going to head back down to my quarters. Do you want me to send one of the crew up there to keep you company while you pilot the ship into the harbor?"
She shook her head. "Thanks, but I have this under control. If I need any help I'll hit the button and someone will come to check on me."
Wallace smiled and patted her on the shoulder before opening the hatch and descending the ladder. None of the crew said a word as he made his way past them and through the hatch that led back to the rear of the ship.
He quickly entered the combination that opened the door to his quarters. With the classified materials he kept with him at all times, it was necessary to provide an added security measure in case any of the crew decided to get curious. Wallace sat down on the bed and took the note he had received earlier out of his pocket. As he scanned the document, he thought about what was about to unfold out at the Erebea base where the Libran and its battle group would undoubtedly begin their assault soon.
Whitney would be among the faststars taking part in the battle. His fiancée was a dedicated Ministry of Intelligence officer and believed her actions with the agency were for the betterment of the Twelve Colonies. She was loyal to the MoI, and he could tell how proud she was to be a part of it every time she spoke about her assignment with the Libran force. In his case, loyalty to the MoI could not have been further from the truth. He was a man on a mission and that mission would be the ultimate demise of the Ministry of Intelligence. Fleet Admiral Jonas Stryker had given the task to him in the time shortly before the venerable flag officer had shuffled off the mortal coil. Major Arthur Wallace, Ministry of Intelligence officer, was a cover to keep the agency's higher-ups from becoming suspicious of him. Everything involved with the MoI was a part of his cover, and in his mind, he knew his relationship with Whitney would be a part of that cover.
He cared about her and worried for her safety, but in the back of his mind there was a small thought that nagged away at him and no matter how hard he tried to push it away it came back to him. Did he truly love her or was he just using her as a part of the elaborate ruse he was running? In a way, he knew the answer and he knew she would not like what it was. He lay there on the bed after putting the message away and thought back to the journey that had taken him to where he was now. Perhaps in another dimension he would be in the Colonial Fleet instead of the Ministry of Intelligence. Just what kind of life would he have compared to this one?
He was not sure how long he was there on the bed but he heard the engines stop and the motion of the hull cease as the Carolina came to a stop. There was no need for the crew to rouse him from the cabin, he got off of his bunk and splashed some cold water from the sink onto his face before making his way out of the room heading up to the conning tower. He got up to the tower and saw the crew had already landed on the dock to secure the submarine to its moorings.
He was about to call out to the crew when he felt a sharp sting at the base of his neck. His hand reached up and pulled out a dart. He stared at it and then saw the submarine's crew begin to stagger and fall down to the ground. He tried to call out to them but a sudden dizziness began to take over and he felt incredibly disoriented. He fell back against the conning tower and barely managed to avoid falling through the hatch and crashing to the deck below. He stared up at the sky and watched the clouds as his field of vision blurred further before fading away into the blackness of unconsciousness.
Libran, CIC:
"Commander, all ships are reporting that they are prepared to jump," Ward announced.
"Excellent, Mister Freyburg prepare for our jump. Begin jump countdown…now!" Tattnall ordered and watched as Freyburg announced to the crew to prepare for the imminent jump.
"Time for some payback," Minerva said with a smile on her face that showed how excited she was to finally get to attack the Erebea.
"Exactly, and this time we're not going to have to put into the yard for eight months of repair and refit," Tattnall said confidently.
Ten seconds later the Libran and the other vessels at Mjolnir Anchorage vanished in a series of flashes; their next stop, the Centaurus System, would bring them into conflict with the Erebea.