I'm sitting in the Captain s chair on board the Helios running through systems checks, as we leave the day after tomorrow. This time around we're going to do things a bit differently, but with the same objective.
I hear foot steps behind. I get an overwhelming feeling of love and desire shake me and I can't help but smile. "My Jahní you should be helping to prep your ship."
She puts her arms around me from behind hugging me. "My, how cold of you to reject me so easily."
I turn my head and she plants one long kiss on me, which I happily return. I look around and I see the duty officer smile. "Hey." She kisses me again. "Now, I think we should do this in a more appropriate and private place."
She looks at me with curiosity. "So you will not send me away again, right."
I sigh knowing that she is right; I don't think I could send her away. "Your right, I can't do it and you take advantage of that don't you."
She laughs softly standing up straight. She is very happy going on this dangerous mission with me, which just confuses the hell out of me. "Ant, we are going to fight together and we must be as one mind for this to work."
Yeah, she's right about that point; we need to get together and practice what she did, when she entered the bridge. So, I focus in on her and she trembles a bit and steps back. I send her all my feelings for her and she breathes a little heavily, as her eyes momentarily lose focus. She looks at me and she has that look in her eyes that I understand so well. "Captain, be in your quarters to discuss something important, when you get the chance."
I watch her sensing what she wants, as she leaves. "Lieutenant, you have the com."
"Aye sir." I walk calmly to my quarters entering and I find her laying in the bed undressed waiting for me.
"Now you know I have to ask you something." As I begin to remove my clothes. "How did you know that I would show up?"
She smiles at me with a certain deviousness. "I know my man well enough, that I knew he would get the message."
"I see." I get onto the bed coming right up against her pulling her into me tightly. "Well my Princess, it seems you have me right where you want me." We kiss passionately holding on to each other for all we're worth. A simple life is all I've ever wanted next to the woman I love, but this is not my mission in life.
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We slip out out to the very edge of Majah-tu space; we're as far as we can be and still be in their domain.
"Sir, we are at the preselected coordinates."
"Outstanding." The Comms officer gives me the thumbs up. "All hands this is the Captain, battle stations. I repeat battle stations." Three chirps on the ships alert system rings out, and we are now prepared to do battle with our foe. "Comms begin transmission of the prerecorded message; let see who takes the bait."
"Aye aye Sir." The mood on the bridge is tense as we wait for an enemy ship to show up, which is understandable. After all we are picking a fight with them.
Ten minutes pass by and no response or reaction; nothing. "Comms, is the message transmitting correctly?"
She checks her instruments. "Aye sir. On all frequencies." What are they up to.
"Helm, is the fold system up and ready?"
"Aye sir. Everything is spot on and ready to go."
I nod. "Go keep your hand on the on the throttle."
"Aye aye Sir."
Sam is standing by the science station, when he comes up beside me. "What are you thinking sir?"
I rub my chin staring out at the stars. "I can't shake the feeling of a setup. They're out there close; I can feel it, but - but." I think we're leaving. "End the transmission helm make the jump." We slip through meeting up with the Red Sun Star, which is Jahní's battle cruiser.
We pull right up next to her. "Comms, open up a direct laser induction channel."
She hits the switch and nods. "This is the Helios to the Red Sun Star do read."
[We read you Helios. What is your status?] Right to the point as usual.
"Made no contact after transmitting for nearly fifteen minutes." I pause for a moment. "Need to meet and re strategize our next position."
[Right, will send new coordinates, for the war counsel.]
"Copy that." It takes a few minutes, but we finally get the coordinates. "Helm, set the new course and get us there quickly." We slip through just at almost the same time as the Red Sun Star; our ship is smaller than Jahní's, but the Helios now has all the technical advancements of the new Majah-tu patrol class of the Morning Star. Just not as automated.
I look and I see a shuttle pull out of the Red Sun Star, heading towards us. This is important since I am the commander of this mission, and she's giving me my place. I smile at her effort to put me in a position of authority, even though it should have fallen to her. "Lieutenant Gutierrez you have the bridge"
He turns smiling. "Aye aye Sir." He steps up as step I step out. I head for the docking bay as quickly as I can, to greet Jahní and her party. As I arrive her shuttle is touching down; the hatch opens and Jahní comes down in her full battle armor, as dose her security section.
When she stands a few paces from me I salute her. She puts her hand over her heart inclining her head to me. "Welcome aboard the Helios Princess."
She removes her helmet smiling at me her hair, that is now well past her shoulders is braided tightly to keep it out of her face. "I thank you for receiving me on your ship."
I incline my head. "Please come this way to the conference room." We go our way to the conference room where Sam is already there, with Tom as well.
They stand as soon as Jahní enters, and she inclines her head to them. "Please, everyone take your seats so we my begin."
Jahní looks at me once we're seated and I nod my head to let her start. "Gentleman, I have some information from an intercepted communications from four different Barhalmahní battle cruisers, that are operating in the area you were transmitting from."
Sam leans forward. "What was being communicated?"
She brings up a crystal putting it in the receptacle on the table of the conference room, and an image pops up with a written message. "This message is basically saying that they will ambush the Helios the next time you transmit, by blocking your escape routes." She manipulates the controls. "They have put ships in various locations that could be possible jump coordinates for you." We sit stunned at how many ships they have spread out at various locations across the sector.
"Wait, aren't these ships in Majah-tu space and isn't that a violation of your boarders?" I can't believe these guys have this many ships and the King hasn't responded to this threat.
Jahní pulls her lower lip. "The King is aware."
We all look at her stunned. "Wait now. He knows and has done nothing to push them out!"
She sits back. "If he acts then the traitor will not show himself, and all our effort here will be waisted."
Ok, I can see his point, but that doesn't make me happy. "Besides, they will not act aggressively unless it's you."
I rub my chin. Something is still off about their actions right now. "Why are they not attacking us to make us jump to a coordinate they would like us to go?"
"Well." We all turn to Sam. "If they could somehow predict where we are going to jump to, then maybe they would set up an ambush.
Hey now. That might be the right way to go. "What if we let one slip and kind of set them up. I mean do they know about the Red Sun Star?"
"No." I look at Jahní. "Our launch was maintained secret; no one knows except the King."
A smile comes to my face. "Well alright then, we'll turn the table on them." Jahní frowns at first, then a smile forms on her lips and she nods. "We send a message that we need repairs sending our next jump coordinates, then we actually go there."
Sam folds his arms across his chest. "How do we they'll fall for it; I mean they're not stupid."
"They'll taste blood in the water, and they're need for vengeance... that's how we'll get them to bite line." They seem to think on that for moment.
Jahní tugs on her lower lip as an idea form in her mind. "You'll capture a small mineral transport vessel from one of they're mining worlds, and bring it back with you." She smiles almost to herself. "You let them get a message out that it's you who did it."
I nod. Yeah, that's the way to do it.