Part 4 (1/2)
Lefol nodded. ”Yeah, things are, usually, quite confused when you're in contact with the enemy.”
”Shall I have the s.h.i.+p go to Yellow Alert just to be on the safe side?”
”Yes, and tell Mister Sheridan that I want Marines placed outside of the engine room, armory, and the bridge until we arrive at Derra-5. I don't want any surprises.” Looking back at the tactical display, Lefol began to wonder if she had waited too long to order added security placed at the vital areas of the s.h.i.+p. Time would tell, she thought to herself. The only problem was that there wasn't much time left before they arrived.
Chapter 7.
Sheridan and Cole waited in the cargo bay with the remainder of the Marines. All of their personal gear and equipment was piled neatly on the floor, ready to transfer over to the first shuttle that would dock alongside the Churchill. While most of the soldiers relaxed, Sheridan and Cole stood at the back of the packed room discussing what was about to happen next. They expected to be scattered to the four winds, going wherever they were needed. Sheridan had lost his initial concerns and had grown to trust and respect Cole's experience and advice. He intended to ask whoever was in charge of the replacement pool to ensure that they stayed together. With a Kurgan attack coming, he didn't want to go into battle with someone he didn't know.
”Well, sir, I guess this is it,” said Cole, looking over at a couple of soldiers tossing a football back and forth.
”Yeah, I suppose it is,” replied Sheridan.
”Whatever happens next, trust your men to do their jobs and no matter what, you have to be the one to make the decisions. Listen to the counsel of your NCOs, but when all is done, you're the one in charge. That's why you wear that gold bar.”
”I never thought it would be this way. I always imagined being posted to the First Division and being a platoon leader somewhere in Earth's solar system. Now less than a week out of the academy, I'm light years away from home and about to land on a planet that is about to be pounded into rubble.”
”Yeah, those poor schmucks in the First Div don't know what they're missing,” said Cole, grinning.
A voice boomed over the s.h.i.+p's intercom. ”Second Lieutenant Sheridan, please report to the armory.”
Sheridan glanced down at his watch; they were due to arrive at Derra-5 in less than five minutes' time. ”What the h.e.l.l?”
”Come on, sir, let's stretch our legs one last time,” Cole said, standing up.
A minute later, they stood outside of the armory. Garcia and Agnar were on duty. On the floor, sitting with his hands on top of his head, was Tartov.
”What's going on here?” asked Sheridan.
Garcia said, ”Sir, PO Tartov tried to gain access to the armory. When we told him it was out of bounds, he became agitated and insisted that we let him inside. He tried pulling rank, but Sergeant Cole's orders were quite specific, no one other than an officer was to be granted access to the room.”
”When I said no, he struck me,” added Agnar.
”Dumb move,” observed Cole.
”What happened next?” asked Sheridan.
”Sir, he left me no recourse, so I struck the PO and then forced him to sit on the floor. I would have cuffed him, but we don't have any.”
Sheridan could see a s.h.i.+ner beginning to fill in just under Tartov's right eye. ”What have you got to say for yourself, PO?”
Tartov looked down at the floor.
”Hey, the officer asked you a question!” snapped Cole.
Tartov didn't respond.
”Pick him up,” Cole ordered Agnar.
With as much effort as picking up a small sack of potatoes, Agnar lifted Tartov up and turned him to face Sheridan.
”PO, answer my question. Why do you want access to a restricted room?”
Tartov stammered, ”Sir, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
”Try me.”
”Sir, there was a saboteur onboard the California,” explained Tartov. ”I lied when I told you that I pa.s.sed out in the engine room. The truth is that I was found trying to steal a pistol to protect myself with. When I wouldn't come quietly, I was detained, sedated and placed in a survival suit. I think they were going to put me in the zero gravity brig when the Kurgans attacked.”
”What made you believe that there was a Kurgan spy on your s.h.i.+p?” asked Cole.
”Sergeant, I'm a computer technician. A couple of days before we were attacked, I was running a backup on the s.h.i.+p's computer files and found a couple of odd-looking messages hidden in some of the outgoing transmissions. When I took a closer look at the transmissions, I saw that they were our flight plan and the composition of the convoy. The kicker was the fact that the information was being sent out into s.p.a.ce towards the Disputed Zone.”
”Did you tell the captain?” queried Sheridan.
”I did and when the s.h.i.+p's communications officer checked my findings, the messages weren't there. It was as if they had been deliberately erased from the vessel's databanks.”
”PO, why didn't you tell any of us what happened?”
”How do I know you're not a Kurgan spy?” responded Tartov.
”Sir, we need to tell the captain,” said Cole, ignoring the PO's last comment.
”I agree,” replied Sheridan. ”Garcia, remain at your post. Agnar, you can accompany us with the PO to the bridge.”
The mood on the bridge was tense. The countdown clock on the tactical screen displayed thirty seconds before their scheduled arrival above Derra-5.
”Anything new from the planet's ops center?” Lefol asked her communications officer.
”No, ma'am, there's just a lot of traffic from other s.h.i.+ps jumping into orbit.”
Lefol looked over at her first officer. ”Terry, by now we should see a ton of transponder signals on the screen. I don't see any. What do the s.h.i.+p's sensors say?”
”Ma'am, there's nothing on my screen. It's as if the area around Derra-5 is devoid of anything.”
Lefol's gut told her to be wary. Something wasn't right.
The navigator began to count down. ”Ten-nine-eight-”
The comms officer turned in his seat and called out, ”Ma'am, I've just lost Derra-5. We're being jammed.”
”Seven-six-five-”
”Emergency course correction now!” yelled Lefol to the helmsman.