Long Journey to Rneadal

By Sharon E. Dreyer

This romantic action adventure begins onboard the RELENTLESSa star cruiser captained by the dashing Jake Granger who narrates this voyage. Dr. Jessica L. Hunter, a wealthy and telepathic genius, joins his crew to create new systems for his ship. Jake is fascinated by Jessis abilities during several critical assignments. After the initial modifications are installed, Jessi learns the truth about herself while on a rescue mission. Jake loves Jessi and has a difficult time convincing her of his feelings. When the RELENTLESS is placed into space dock, Jake asks Jessi to marry him and is elated when she finally accepts his marriage proposal. After their lavish wedding, the newlyweds leave on their honeymoon. Jessi is later required to renegotiate another peace treaty with the Tricanorians. The time arrives when Jessi must make the perilous journey to Rneadal; although pregnant Jessi travels to Rneadal and risks all to rescue the Rtuii.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Oct 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462055630

Sharon E. Dreyer

Sharon E. Dreyer is the author of several short stories and science fiction novels. She is an excellent storyteller. Sharon takes her readers on a romantic action adventure in space as the story unfolds in her novel, Long Journey to Rneadal. Sharon lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Book preview

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A very large chunk of my discretionary time has always been spent reading a steady stream of books by some of my favorite authors. A short list of the these authors includes Isaac Asimov, Frederik Pohl, Roger Zelazny, Orson Scott Card, Poul Anderson, Harlan Ellison, Damon Knight, Ray Bradbury, and too many others to list here. Each of these exceptional authors provided my imagination with hours of entertainment as I sat transfixed visualizing alien worlds, creatures, and alternative realities as I read novel after novel. If I had never discovered these authors and their books, my imagination would have been starved for sustenance.

My goals as a writer are to have my stories entertain readers and give these readers numerous hours of distraction from their daily world especially the evening news. I hope that readers will find that this novel feeds their imagination too.

* * *

Run! No!. . . Bolting upright in bed and gasping for air, she was covered with sweat and her heart pounded in her ears. Several moments elapsed before she recognized the familiar surroundings of her bedroom and realized it had all been a nightmare. No matter how many times she had this nightmare, each of the harrowing details always remained unchanged. It was the same with the other nightmares that had haunted her sleep since childhood. The single common element in all of her night terrors was the faceless monster that always sought to kill her.

Experience had taught her there would be no more sleep tonight, even when she could bring her racing heart rate and rapid breathing back to normal levels. This was the second time in less than a week she had experienced this same nightmare. The dreams were occurring more frequently, and she was always left with the same lingering terror. Why the dreams always scared her so badly was a question she had never been able to answer. A hot shower would loosen the knots in her muscles. Afterward, she would go to the lab to see how much work could be accomplished before breakfast.

* * *

The day began with the same monotonous routine as the one before. Every day had started the same way for the past three years, i.e., BORING. The peace talks begun three years ago initially resulted in an unconditional cease-fire. Nowadays both sides patrolled their respective territorial borders, each maintaining a constant vigil for infractions of the agreed terms. Unfortunately, a stalemate developed during the negotiations and the peace talks ground to a premature halt. Both sides were holding back to see who would make the first move. He still found it hard to believe the Tricanorians could honor a cease-fire for three years. Most experts believed that the balance of power was so equally matched that until one of the adversaries developed superior weaponry, the impasse would continue. The Tricks, as they were commonly referred to, were the most ruthless and cruel adversary the Affiliation had ever encountered.

Patrols had become uneventful sightseeing excursions. Time weighed heavy on the battle-trained crews of the Star Cruisers. Even the best crews grew weary of the monotonous and seemingly endless patrols. The RELENTLESS had been on patrol for over twelve weeks and would take shore leave at the next station. Captain Jake Granger planned to spend his leave in an effort to forget the monotony and boredom that would follow once the brief furlough ended.

The three-year cease-fire had been the longest break in the hostilities in more than two hundred years. The sixty-eight worlds that composed the Affiliation were held together by the common bond of fear. The threat of invasion by the Tricks was always at the forefront of the Council’s concerns. Ten years ago, skirmishes with Trick raiding parties were weekly events. The Trick ruler, Emperor Khoulrg, had an insatiable appetite for expansion of his empire. After receiving several resounding defeats at the hands of the Affiliation, Khoulrg began making overtures for a peace conference. As proof of his goodwill, his third son was sent to negotiate the terms of the treaty with the Council. Al’ber, an experimental agricultural and scientific colony well inside the outer territories, was selected as the site for the conference. The Star Cruiser AVENGER had been stripped of all armaments as proof of the Affiliation’s mutual goodwill. The Council representatives and three chief commodores were traveling on board the AVENGER.

The prince’s ship and the AVENGER were docked in orbit around Al’ber. The Trick entourage had barely boarded the AVENGER when the attack began. Both the AVENGER and the prince’s ship were the first targets of six Trick Stalkers. Locked together by the docking throughway, the two ships were unable to separate and flee. Once the two ships were destroyed, the Stalkers turned their attention to the destruction of the entire colony. The Tricks had not anticipated the arrival of the Breurnt Emissary’s ship. In addition, one Fleet captain had disobeyed his orders to maintain normal patrol routes and diverted to Al’ber. The Breurnt ship had effectively engaged four of the Stalkers when the Star Cruiser arrived. Barely two hundred and fifty thousand people survived the attack. They would also have died at the hands of the Tricks if the Breurnt ship had not been able to reactivate their weapons so quickly.

Like most people, Jake still found it inconceivable that Khoulrg would sacrifice his own son in an effort to gain more territory. Al’ber suffered the loss of more than one million citizens, not to mention the loss of six Council members, three chief commodores, and the entire crew of the AVENGER. No matter how many times he thought about Al’ber, he could never quite understand all the events of the incident. Even Fleet captains were limited to the sketchy official reports promulgated by Fleet Headquarters. With so many missing pieces to the puzzle, understanding the attack was not possible. Those who survived the attack may be the only ones who understood why so many lives were destroyed.

The buzzing intercom distracted Jake from his train of thought. As he responded, Jake wondered what was happening on the bridge in his absence. The communications officer on duty, Lieutenant Ralph Trini, informed Jake that a coded B-1 message was coming through from Admiral Harbor. RELENTLESS had not received a coded B-1 message in over three years. Jake decided this patrol might not be so dull after all. He activated the screen on his console and was surprised by the message the computer deciphered.

Attention Captain Granger: The VICTORIOUS has confronted an unidentified spacecraft and has been disabled in the attempt to prevent its entry into Affiliation space. The spacecraft is presumed to be armed and possibly hostile. Your orders are to intercept and detain the spacecraft and its occupants. This may be a possible Tricanorian breach of cease-fire. Exercise extreme caution. Report immediately to me at Space Station K42 when this situation is concluded. END TRANS, Admiral Harbor.

Captain Granger bolted into action as soon as he finished the admiral’s message. He punched the intercom and alerted the bridge to go to standby alert. Afterward, he raced to the bridge. Chief Systems Officer, Commander Ray Pons, waved to Jake as he entered the bridge. Ray quickly briefed Jake that RELENTLESS was being scanned by powerful sensor beams. Since the source of the sensors was outside their own scanners’ range, the originator could not yet be determined.

"Each time their sensors trace the RELENTLESS, the beams appear to increase substantially in strength, indicating the source is closing on our present position," Ray explained.

Jake asked, Mr. Pons, what is the chance there is a Trick Stalker on the other end of these scanners?

Unknown, sir, there is insufficient information to make a positive identification at this time. It is quite possible the Tricks have utilized the cease-fire to improve their scanners. I’ve heard the usual rumors about new Trick weaponry. However, there is no evidence to support these rumors. According to my calculations, the ship would have to be traveling at light speed to produce these numbers, he answered.

Carry on, Mr. Pons, Jake answered.

A quick check with the rest of the crew on the bridge alleviated any doubts he may have had about his crew’s response to this crisis. The entire crew operated like the battle-honed veterans they were. His adrenaline began to surge and the anticipation of a confrontation with the unknown had routed any thoughts of boredom from his being. Jake could only wait and be prepared for whatever enemy was scanning the RELENTLESS. The usual chatter on the bridge was absent as all hands concentrated on their duty stations.

Captain, all hands are maintaining standby stations. We are still being intermittently scanned, Ray stated.

Let me know as soon as we are able to scan whoever is checking us out, Jake said.

He would be relieved when more information was available about the unidentified source of the powerful scanners. Jake liked knowing who, or what, the opposition was. Any game was easier to play when the ground rules were well understood by everyone. Since the illegal scanning persisted, Jake placed the RELENTLESS on battle alert status. Less than thirty minutes later, Commander Pons notified his captain they were beginning the scanning sequence. Less than fifteen seconds after the commander’s first attempted scan of the unidentified craft, the sequence had to be started a second time. He reported, "Captain, each time we begin the scanning sequence, mirror-image readings of the RELENTLESS flood our instruments."

Regardless of Ray’s best efforts, he was unable to successfully scan the unidentified ship. The scanners of the RELENTLESS gave no indication of how powerful an opponent they were about to face. Visual observations would be all the crew would have to discover how the VICTORIOUS had been disabled.

Confidence was high as the crewmen checked and rechecked systems while waiting for the unidentified craft to appear on the main screen. Jake studied the viewer screen intently, and wondered what the unseen craft would be like. He also worried he might not be able to avoid a calamity similar to that of the VICTORIOUS. At first, the screen appeared normal, but Jake knew this was not the time to become complacent. The strange craft seemed to materialize on the screen as it took a position just fifteen kilometers off the bow. Jake had never seen a ship come out of light speed like this one and it made him uneasy. The craft was unusual in its design and appeared to be quite small, less than one-tenth the size of his Class 10 Star Cruiser. Not only was its size noteworthy, but the ship’s configuration was most unusual. Looking like something between a narrowed and elongated boomerang and a chevron, its outer hull was featureless. The ship remained motionless as it continued to scan the RELENTLESS. Jake studied the ship and did not believe a ship of such insignificant size could have disabled the VICTORIOUS. The captain reminded himself that regardless of how small the craft was, extreme caution was still warranted.

The trespassing ship did not bear the Tricks’ usual obscene graffiti, nor did it bear any other recognizable insignia or registry. The intruder also remained unresponsive to all the normal hailing frequencies used by both the Affiliation and Tricks. Lieutenant Trini continued to advise the ship that they had entered Affiliation territory and failure to communicate would be interpreted as a hostile act.

After numerous failed attempts to communicate with the intruder, Jake gave the order to prepare to fire a short burst laser point blank on the silent ship. Before he could execute the command to fire, Lieutenant Trini reported receiving a visual message from the craft and patched it through to the lower corner of the main screen. A rather average looking, middle-aged man’s face appeared on the main screen.

The man said, Captain Granger, we are an unarmed scientific research vessel and intend your ship no harm. We request that you refrain from firing upon this ship.

You have entered Affiliation territory. Identify yourself and the purpose of your mission, demanded Jake.

We are an unarmed scientific research vessel and intend your ship no harm. We request that you refrain from firing upon this ship, the man repeated.

You will either identify yourself and the purpose of your mission immediately or face the consequences of your actions, the captain instructed.

The third response from the man was less than Jake had hoped for.

I am sorry, Captain Granger, but I am not authorized to disclose such information. I can only stress that you refrain from using your lasers as we are an unarmed scientific research vessel and intend your ship no harm, the man said apologetically.

Jake remained insistent and studied the man’s face. The fact the man appeared to be nervous, convinced Jake that the man may not be skilled at subterfuge. The unidentified man glanced to his right as if to listen to someone outside of the camera’s range. Jake pushed his hand and informed the man to have someone who was authorized to identify his ship and its purpose. Like a trained parrot, the man made his statement for the fourth time. The captain ordered his crew to prepare to fire the lasers on the ship. Before he could finish the order, an unseen woman responded to the captain.

She said, You asked to speak with me, Captain?

If you are authorized to identify your ship and its purpose, then yes, I do. You are in violation of Affiliation law by failing to identify your ship and its mission, Jake explained.

As my pilot has already explained, we are an unarmed research vessel, and it is imperative you do not fire upon us at this time, she reiterated.

Jake glanced at his personal monitor and saw that Ray had searched the criminal databases for a voice identification of the woman, but no record was found. He hoped there would be a record of the mystery woman elsewhere in the Affiliation systems.

We have already been informed you are an unarmed scientific vessel. I was under the impression you were authorized to identify your ship. If you are indeed unarmed, I recommend you identify your ship immediately, Jake demanded again.

The picture on the main screen shifted revealing the back of a chair.

She sarcastically stated, I am authorized to answer all of your questions, Captain Granger. Please be advised we are indeed an unarmed scientific vessel. However, simply because I am authorized does not imply that I will give you the information you have requested.

Jake’s voice never reflected the irritation building within him. He wished the woman would turn around so Ray could run an identification search on her also. The captain replied, "Would you care to explain how an unarmed research vessel disabled the VICTORIOUS?"

With that question the woman’s chair began to turn, and for the first time Jake saw his opponent’s face. The woman turned out to be an extremely attractive blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman.

We are technically unarmed since we carry no weapons. However, being unarmed does not necessarily mean that we are unprotected, she explained. As your capable Commander Pons has already discovered, your scanners do not penetrate our deflector shields.

A second glance at his personal monitor indicated Ray was unsuccessful in obtaining a visual identification of the woman. Cautiously, Jake listened as the woman explained that their deflector system operated on different principles than the Affiliation’s Star Cruisers. She also stressed it would be inadvisable, even foolish, for the RELENTLESS to fire upon her ship since the shields of her ship would propel any projections directly back to the source, much the same way a mirror reflects an image.

Your service record inclines us to believe you are not a foolish captain. You care a great deal about the safety of your crew and ship, she continued.

If she were telling the truth, Jake believed it was not in the best interest of his crew to fire on this ship. The last thing he wanted to do was to blast his crew and ship out of existence. In an effort to discover the origin and purpose of the craft, he asked the mysterious woman if the VICTORIOUS was given the same warning.

"Captain Clarke was advised we are an unarmed research vessel. Unfortunately, he began firing lasers before we could distance ourselves from his cruiser. The VICTORIOUS sustained considerable damage to its main drive engines, power plant, and shuttlecraft bays. However, the VICTORIOUS was capable of returning to its base under battery power," she said.

Ray flashed a priority warning on Jake’s personal monitor. The self-proclaimed unarmed research vessel continued to scan the RELENTLESS and had accessed the classified computer memory banks. Duplication of Captain Clarke’s mistake was the last thing he wanted to do, but the unauthorized intrusion into sensitive Affiliation data banks had to be curtailed. Returning his attention to the female pirate, he noticed she was also monitoring her control panels. Jake suspected this woman was going to cause him a great deal of trouble. He wondered if Ray would be able to thwart too deep an intrusion into the sensitive files. Unfortunately, Jake noticed the messages Ray flashed which indicated he was having little success preventing the data theft.

Jake found himself on unfamiliar ground. He was accustomed to being in charge of any situation confronting him and was uncomfortable with being controlled. Just as quickly as the intrusion had begun, it ceased. Jake was relieved. He erroneously thought that Ray was finally able to force the intruder out of the computer banks with one of his security programs. The message on the screen told the captain otherwise. Ray indicated that the intrusion had simply stopped. The lady pirate caught Jake off guard by informing him of a hardware defect in the main computer battery of the RELENTLESS.

Jake said, We are aware of the defect. It has been a nuisance since the equipment was installed on K67. Aside from slowing down a few of the systems, it has been tolerated. There was some scuttlebutt it was a practical joke by one of the computer technicians.

Captain, a thirty-three percent delay in proper systems coordination is not practical nor is it amusing. With your permission, of course, I can make the necessary repairs to bring your systems back to one-hundred percent efficiency, she said.

He responded, It is my understanding the repairs cannot be performed without placing the ship in dock for a complete shutdown of all systems. I have no intention of permitting such a shutdown now.

Undaunted, the woman explained a complete system shutdown was unnecessary and the repairs would require no more than one-quarter of an hour to complete. Although Jake doubted that such extensive repairs could be made in fifteen minutes, he hoped this would be his chance to apprehend this captivating criminal beauty. Jake formulated a plan and quickly sent Ray a message to have security personnel change into technician uniforms and dispatched to the transport bay. He was inwardly excited, but did his best to maintain a respectable poker face expression. Jake asked if she required the coordinates for the transport bay, and invited the blonde beauty aboard the RELENTLESS. The invitation was accepted, but Jake thought he noticed an ever so slight smile on her face as the transmission faded. He wondered if he’d made the right move. Jake began to worry that she may be the better poker player.

Jake gave orders that the woman was to be taken into custody and arrested for space piracy, theft of sensitive information, and espionage. The security personnel quickly donned technician uniforms and were on standby in the transport bay. Jake left Ray in charge on the bridge and headed for the transport bay to meet his guest.

Everyone was in position in the transport bay, and the appearance of normalcy prevailed as security staff temporarily replaced the regular technicians. Lieutenant Trini patched the communications from the mysterious woman’s transport pod through to the transport bay. The transfer between ships was proceeding well. As the pod neared the transport bay entrance, Jake noticed that even the design of her pod was unique. The teardrop shaped pod easily maneuvered through the bay doors of the RELENTLESS. The air of anticipation was thick in the transport bay’s control room. The pod gently bumped the bay doors and the conveyor locked onto the pod pulling it into the bay. The pod’s short trip through the bay doors and along the conveyor took almost five minutes. Once the doors closed, it took another five minutes for the bay to pressurize. The ten-minute wait felt like an hour for the officers and crewmen in the control room.

When the bay had properly pressurized, Jake and two of his security staff entered the bay and approached the pod. The door of the pod opened slowly, and the blonde pirate stepped confidently out of the pod. With only a few meters separating them, Jake was surprised to see she was not as tall as he had expected. In fact, she was wearing high-heeled boots. However, it was her eyes that fascinated him; they reminded him of lapis lazuli with flecks of gold. It was a shame to have to arrest her; however, he would not mind having such a beautiful prisoner in the brig.

"Welcome aboard the RELENTLESS," Jake said pleasantly.

She stood beside the pod and casually glanced around the bay. When she turned her attention to Jake, she smiled at the captain and said, How convenient that your security personnel also double as technicians, she said sarcastically.

Yes, it is very convenient, Jake said in a level voice. I must now inform you that you are under arrest for space piracy, theft of sensitive Affiliation data, and covert activities.

Everyone has their job to do, Captain, she responded.

Jake had a sick feeling at the bottom of his stomach that this entire encounter was going all too easy. His apprehension was confirmed when he reached out to take her arm and his hand passed right through her body. The pod door closed and they just stood there in amazement as Jake passed both hands completely through the woman. Ray had been monitoring the scene in the transport bay and advised Jake on the intercom that they were seeing nothing more than a projected image. Jake studied the image as the woman spoke again.

I can play games, too, Captain Granger, she said. But I like my rules better.

Lights suddenly began to flash on the control panels of the bridge and transport bay as system shutdown alarms rang out.

Commander Pons reported, Captain, we are experiencing a partial system shutdown. All vital life-support systems are unaffected and operational. Two security officers have been dispatched to Deck 25 to secure the entrance to the main computer batteries.

Jake asked, Ray, how much danger are we in?

I’m unsure at the moment, Captain. Meet me on Deck 25 and I will brief you, Ray said.

The fact Ray did not tell him everything led Jake to believe whatever had been found was something better discussed in person rather than over the ship’s intercom system. He was now convinced that inviting the cunning woman aboard his ship had been a major mistake. Jake, Ray, and four security crewmen arrived on Deck 25 and headed toward Section 22. Ray explained that he had performed an internal scan to locate the problem and discovered there was one extra person on board. The unidentified intruder was on Deck 25 in the computer batteries and was responsible for the shutdowns. Ray had already dispatched security to the only entrance of Section 22 to prevent the intruder’s escape.

The last thing Jake wanted was for the intruder to successfully escape his security people. Time seemed to drag as they ran to Section 22. With less than a few meters to go, they rounded the corner and cautiously approached the entrance. The security officers Ray had sent to secure the doorway were sprawled unconscious on the floor. Ray immediately requested a medical team for the downed crewmen. Jake gave instructions to the security men with them. Before the security team could reach the downed guards, the men heard faint whistling coming through the open doorway to Section 22. Jake glanced at Ray, and the two officers cautiously advanced toward the doorway. Once in a position to see into the corridor beyond the door, they found the source of the whistling. The intruder was at the top of a ladder with only her high-heeled boots visible. Oblivious to the presence of the security team, the intruder continued to whistle and work in the ceiling panel of the fourth computer battery.

Within seconds the intruder began to descend the ladder. Just as Jake expected, the blonde pirate stepped through the doorway into the corridor. Her whistling slowed and then stopped as she faced the men. The entire security team held back, and waited for their captain’s signal. At first, she just stood there still holding her tools. After a second, she shrugged her shoulders and flashed a smile. Jake thought he had won, and returned the smile. The woman unexpectedly tossed the tools into the air towards the men.

She shouted, Heads up, gentlemen!

As Jake and Ray caught the projectiles, the woman pivoted and dashed down the opposite corridor. The foot race was on and Jake was gaining on her when she suddenly cut left down the connecting throughway toward the lift-tubes. He was close enough on the woman’s heels to catch the scent of her perfume. Jake thought she would be cornered at the lift-tube door and he would finally be able to nab the lady pirate. As he rounded the corner, Jake lunged forward in an attempt to tackle the beautiful woman. To the complete surprise of the Chief Medical Officer, Commander Max Santine, Jake tackled him as he stepped off the lift-tube. The rest of the security team had been following so closely that they were unable to stop short and fell in a heap on top of the captain and doctor. Dr. Santine had been responding to Ray’s request for medical assistance and was unprepared to be tackled.

The doctor yelled, WHO THE HELL… UH… Oh, sorry, Captain.

Jake jumped up and looked into the lift-tube. Not only did he find the lift-tube empty, but the woman was nowhere to be found. He demanded, Did you see where she went?

Max said, Where who went, Captain?

Jake asked, The blonde woman we were chasing!

I was alone on the lift-tube, Captain, and it’s still empty, said the doctor.

To the astonishment of the men, the woman had vanished. As the men picked themselves up off the floor, the exasperated captain ordered the security officers to search for the intruder. Still smarting from being tackled, Dr. Santine grumbled as he made his way to the downed crewmen. Ray contacted the bridge to have the ship scanned to determine if she were still on board. Jake and Ray looked at each other and shrugged when the report came back that all hands were accounted for with no sign of an intruder.

The entire incident was becoming stranger by the minute. Jake began to wonder what other magic tricks the infuriating woman had left up her sleeves. They returned to the bridge while Dr. Santine began his examination of the security officers. As they arrived on the bridge, Lieutenant Trini advised Jake and Ray that the ship had remained silent since the pod had entered the transport bay and they had not been scanned since the pod arrived.

Dr. Santine arrived on the bridge to report the crewmen were uninjured. The doctor stated the downed crewmen appeared to have been put into a deep sleep. Neither of the men remembered why, when, or how they had fallen asleep. The doctor believed they had been hypnotized since no traces of stun drugs were present in their bodies. Jake took a deep breath and requested Lieutenant Trini to contact the ship. After a moment, the transmission was patched through to the main screen. The lady felon looked calm and waited patiently for Jake to begin the conversation. The captain noticed she did not even appear to be slightly winded from their foot race.

You left without saying goodbye, Jake said.

I have pressing engagements and deadlines. Sorry to have been so rude, she apologized.

He asked, What makes you think we will not apprehend you for crimes against the Affiliation?

Captain, you are free to do as you wish. I can give you two reasons why you will not be able to apprehend me, she said. My ship is simply too fast for you to effectively follow, much less catch, she continued, so let me just say it has been a real pleasure to meet you, and farewell.

He responded angrily, You just wait until I get my hands on you!

Jake knew he had not quite said it the way he intended. Even Ray cast an inquisitive eye toward Jake, as did the rest of the crew on the bridge. None of the crewmen were brave enough to laugh out loud at their flustered captain. The woman, on the other hand, raised one finely arched eyebrow.

She inquired, Is that a threat, Captain? Or, was it a promise? She sighed and continued, As interesting as your offer sounds, I am afraid I will have to decline for now.

Space piracy is a crime and is punishable by imprisonment. We will catch up with you and arrest you, Jake said. Before you leave, you said there were two reasons.

Well, Captain, I’ll have to show you to make you believe, she said.

She ended the transmission. Once again, the small ship filled the main screen. After a few seconds the ship vanished while the captain and crew watched in amazement. Ray immediately began to scan for the craft. They quickly discovered the spacecraft did not leave the usual ion residual trail to track as conventional cloaked spacecraft. The mirror-image readings of the RELENTLESS were also absent. After an hour of fruitless searching for the craft, Jake took the RELENTLESS off full alert status. He ordered a course be set for Space Station K42. Ray began to verify the integrity of all systems and memory banks. When operations returned to normal on the bridge, Jake retired to his cabin to make the necessary entries into the ship’s log.

* * *

Jake dwelled on the incident and the memory annoyed and fascinated him at the same time. As he pondered the events of the afternoon, he again attempted to understand how the woman had slipped through their security screens. How she repaired his ship’s systems hardware so fast and then disappeared into thin air was beyond his ability to understand. Had he not been with the security team, Jake would never have believed the ease at which the female interloper had eluded them. His crew was the best and most experienced in the Fleet, not to mention that the RELENTLESS was the most sophisticated Class 10 Star Cruiser ever deployed. Yet, a pirate had easily boarded and departed without being apprehended.

Even though Fleet procedures were followed to the letter, it did not matter. Whatever entry he made in the ship’s log would not be well received at Fleet Headquarters. The incident could follow him the remainder of his career, if he still had a career after K42. The longer he dwelled on the incident, the more he was convinced that those desk jockeys at Fleet Headquarters were going to give him a lot of grief. He did not want to think about the bevy of jokes that would filter through the Fleet, all at his expense. The other captains would certainly find it humorous when they learned the invincible Captain Granger had been outwitted by a pirate, and a female pirate to boot. The incident would not bring as many snickers if the intruder had been a Trick, an alien life form, or at the very least, a man. The memory of her perfume came to mind, and Jake decided it was just his ego smarting from the encounter. Still, he longed to be the arresting officer when the beautiful lady pirate with the lapis eyes and long blonde hair was apprehended.

Jake decided to begin with the B-1 message in order to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind of what had transpired. Before he could begin his log entry, Ray came to the door and requested permission to visit with him. Jake welcomed the company and invited Ray to join him and asked, Well, Ray, have you ever seen anything like today?

No, I can’t say that I have. I can’t even imagine what we could have done differently to prevent the entire episode, he responded.

Would you like a drink? I’m going to have one even if you don’t, the captain offered.

Jake brought a bottle and glasses to the desk and poured them each a drink. After finishing their first drink in silence, Jake poured a second.

Jake, there is one more problem. While I was verifying the systems, I discovered one segment of missing data from the memory banks, Ray explained.

He said, I’m afraid to ask, but what’s missing?

Ray said, We have no records regarding today’s episode, including the B-1 from Admiral Harbor. In addition, all of the internal camera and monitoring systems were also wiped clean.

Jake was not surprised and asked, I’m not surprised. Did she steal the records while working in Section 22?

No, Jake, the best I can determine is that once her ship was cloaked, we were scanned one last time. At that point all records were wiped or stolen, Ray said.

Wonderful! This makes the perfect ending to a perfect day! I can hardly wait for Admiral Harbor to ground me permanently, Jake said.

Ray said, I’m positive the admiral will not relieve you of your command. After all, aside from a few bruised male egos, the only real injury sustained during the entire episode was Max’s backside when it hit the deck. I’d much rather be in your boots than in Captain Clarke’s. Thanks for the drink. I’ll see you in the morning.

Jake had to admit that he was in total agreement with Ray, and he was thankful no one was injured or killed. However, he really would have preferred to have arrested her or better yet, to have met her under different circumstances. He had a weakness for beautiful and intelligent women. Jake finished his drink slowly. Afterward, he began the entry with the coded B-1 message from Admiral Harbor and ended with the discovery that the pirate had wiped all evidence from the memory banks. With the log entry registered and twelve hours to go before arriving at Space Station K42, Jake decided to turn in for a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow, he would have to face Admiral Harbor.

* * *

No!. . . She awoke sitting straight up in bed. After a short while she began to wonder if it had been the nightmare that had awakened her or the sound of her own screaming. At least in this dream she did not feel him the way she did in the other nightmares. Still, this dream always left her feeling abandoned and extremely lonely. She lay back on the bed and tried to relax by making plans for the next day.

* * *

Watching Space Station K42 loom into view on the main screen was always an impressive sight. K42 was the only space station located in the outer territories with the capacity to provide full support services for over one hundred Star Cruisers. K42 also supported the constant stream of commercial cargo carriers docking there each month. The undercurrent of anticipation could be felt as the crew on the bridge prepared for the docking sequence. Unfortunately, shore leave was temporarily postponed until after the meeting with Admiral Harbor, a meeting Jake would be glad to be done with. The admiral had already sent orders for both Jake and Ray to report immediately to his office once the RELENTLESS was secured in dock.

The trip to the admiral’s office was relatively subdued and, fortunately, very short. The two officers were admitted immediately, and Jake was grateful not to have to wait very long. Admiral Adam Harbor was cordial and delayed the discussion of the lady pirate’s theft and escape since more pressing matters had developed. The intercom on the conference table buzzed, and the secretary advised the admiral his next appointment had arrived. The admiral informed Jake and Ray that they were to attend a briefing shortly and should just sit back and relax. Both men snapped to attention as the admiral left his office. After the admiral had stepped out of his office, Jake glanced at Ray and shrugged. Before either could begin a conversation, the admiral and Commodore Elliot Cooper entered the office. Once again, both men came to attention as the admiral followed the commodore into the office.

Jake was an admirer of Commodore Cooper and had been a student of his battle strategies. The commodore was the most successful captain to survive the worst years of the Trick wars. Ten years ago Cooper was decorated for his battle strategies that had turned Al’ber from a devastating defeat into a victory for the Affiliation. The Field Commodore promotion came within days of the battle at Al’ber. Cooper was also placed in charge of security for the peace conference. When the peace talks broke down after Al’ber, Cooper was transferred from Field Operations to Fleet Headquarters. When the second series of peace talks began, Cooper was again placed in charge of security. The captain had always felt if he had to have one hero, his would be Commodore Elliot Cooper.

The admiral began the briefing by explaining that the commodore was on a special assignment as liaison to the Affiliation Council. Jake and Ray listened intently as the commodore explained that his assignment was to secure the scientific services of Dr. J. L. Hunter. The Council wanted Dr. Hunter to develop improved systems for the Fleet’s Star Cruisers. They also insisted the doctor be commissioned and work on board a Star Cruiser as an officer during the research and development stages of the project. The commodore explained, Unfortunately for me, Dr. Hunter is a tenacious individual who is not interested in taking orders from Fleet Headquarters or the Council, for that matter. I’ve been trying to persuade the doctor to agree to the Council’s terms for more than four years. This has been an assignment I wouldn’t wish on a Trick.

Jake requested permission to speak and was informed the briefing was an informal exchange of information and he did not need permission to speak. When permission was granted, he asked, Isn’t Dr. Hunter the founder of JLH Enterprises?

Cooper answered, The one and only, Captain. Dr. Hunter is considered to be the most creative genius in the Affiliation. However, the doctor is also reclusive, strong willed, and incredibly wealthy. Some rumors indicate the doctor is a billionaire several thousand times over. The Council prefers the doctor to take orders rather than remain a civilian. Dr. Hunter also has telepathic abilities, which complicates any negotiations. Since the doctor is not fond of the idea of wearing a uniform, obeying orders, or making a major change of lifestyle, my task is even more difficult and complicated. Yes, Mr. Pons?

Ray asked, Since the computer systems currently in use by the Fleet were developed by the scientists of JLH Enterprises, why would Dr. Hunter’s presence be required on board a Star Cruiser? Wouldn’t his abilities be better utilized in a safer and more secure environment?

The commodore shook his head, ran his hand over his face, and mumbled something inaudible under his breath. He grumbled, Gentlemen, never under any circumstances accept a wager from Dr. Hunter. Commander Pons, I was so sure I couldn’t lose the bet with you on my team.

Ray asked, Have I said something wrong, Commodore?

You see, gentlemen, Dr. Hunter is a woman. When I told her of this briefing, she said my officers would think Dr. J. L. Hunter was a man. Having full faith in Fleet officers, and especially Mr. Pons, I assured her otherwise and foolishly took the wager. I now owe Dr. Jessica Hunter one month’s salary.

The commodore explained there would be a formal presentation of exactly what Fleet Headquarters expects from Dr. Hunter. In addition, both Jake and Ray were to be in attendance. My presence here is to offer Dr. Hunter one more in a long series of revised contracts, Cooper explained. Hopefully, she will condescend to sign this one. Each time a contract has been presented to Dr. Hunter, she invariably counters with an amount of compensation in excess of what I am authorized to offer, he continued. This time, however, the Council has agreed to approve any exorbitant amount requested by Dr. Hunter.

The commodore concluded the meeting. The second briefing would convene as soon as Dr. Hunter joined the officers. The men stood as Commodore Cooper left to locate Dr. Hunter. Admiral Harbor gave the two officers the location of the conference room and sent them on ahead. The admiral would join them at the conference room after he located his assistant. With only thirty minutes until the next briefing, Jake and Ray decided to go to the conference room.

Jake asked, What do you think Dr. Hunter will be like?

Since I had assumed Dr. Hunter was a man, I’m not sure you’re asking the right person, Ray said. However, I have studied the doctor’s theories for more than twenty years and would imagine Dr. Hunter must be in her late forties or mid-fifties. The doctor’s theories are very cerebral and difficult to comprehend. Most of her contemporaries do not completely understand all of her theories, and some even refuse to make the effort. She is a very controversial individual, but I was surprised to learn that the doctor is also telepathic.

As they continued along the corridor, the officers slowed in front of the window to one of the small computer laboratories near the conference room. Commodore Cooper was in the lab speaking with a heavyset, matronly woman in a lab-suit. Jake wondered if the woman was Dr. Jessica Hunter. His attention was instantly diverted by a voice coming from the next connecting doorway. Ray likewise turned as he too recognized the woman’s voice. Positioning themselves on either side of the hallway entrance, the officers waited for their chance to nab the lady pirate. As the beautiful felon entered the corridor, the men moved in behind her.

Gentlemen, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, she warned.

Since neither officer wanted her to escape again, each one took hold of one of her arms. Jake sarcastically replied, Really? And why shouldn’t we?

Because, gentlemen, Rhaundi doesn’t like for people to manhandle me, she said.

He warned, "Right, so we’re supposed to be afraid of Rhaundi? Well, not this time. I hope you enjoy your accommodations in prison and—UGH! Who the hell… ?" Jake was roughly grabbed by the scruff of the neck and held several centimeters off the floor. Escaping the grip on his neck proved to be an impossible task. From what he could tell, Ray was in approximately the same predicament.

Rhaundi, please don’t hurt the officers, she said. Perhaps you should set both men down.

When Jake felt his feet on the floor, he spun around to see who had grabbed him by the back of the neck. To his amazement, the man he presumed to be Rhaundi was at least three meters tall with shoulders twice as wide as a normal man’s shoulders. To Jake, Rhaundi looked as if he could eat Star Cruisers for breakfast. Aside from his large stature, the man’s second most noticeable feature was a colorful dragon tattoo spiraling downwards on each muscular arm. The entire back of each hand bore the head of a dragon. Jake had seen similar tattoos on dead Trick soldiers. He again wondered who the woman and her Trick bodyguard were. The captain straightened his uniform jacket and turned his attention back to the woman and stated, I see that you are no longer unarmed. Rhaundi looks as if he could take on the entire Affiliation Fleet and win.

The commodore finished his conversation with the woman in the computer lab and stepped into the hallway just in time to see Rhaundi setting his officers down. The exasperating woman faced Cooper. She scolded him, Elliot, I really like the way you brief your people! And you wonder why I don’t want to join your little organization. Would you care to formally introduce everyone before Captain Granger has a chance to carry out his promise?

Dr. Jessica Hunter, I’d like for you to meet Captain Jake Granger and Commander Ray Pons. Gentlemen, I believe you have already met Rhaundi, Elliot said.

Jake was elated and intrigued to learn that yesterday’s nemesis was today’s valuable ally. He offered his hand, hoping to shake Dr. Hunter’s, and was pleased she accepted it. He was so fascinated with the way her hand felt that he held onto her hand longer than was appropriate. Jake hoped his lingering handshake had not been too noticeable. Ray likewise shook Dr. Hunter’s hand, but did not extend the handshake longer than normal.

The doctor asked, You seem confused, Commander Pons, is there a problem?

No real problem, Doctor. It’s been at least twenty years since your thesis disproving the Miagrenelk Theory was published, Ray said. I expected someone, well, someone slightly older.

Just as Ray finished, the commodore mumbled a curse, shook his head, and jammed his hands into his pockets.

Jessi said, Well, Elliot, not only did your people believe Dr. J. L. Hunter was a man, but an old man at that! I can give you great odds on that third wager, if you are still game.

As I have already explained, gentlemen, never wager with this woman unless you enjoy losing your money, Cooper said. Also, never cross this overgrown thug if you want to remain in one piece.

Rhaundi glared down at the commodore.

Careful, Elliot, Rhaundi is mute, not deaf, the doctor cautioned.

Cooper nervously apologized to Rhaundi. As if on cue, Rhaundi nodded to the commodore and left the group. Jake wondered about the bodyguard with Trick tattoos and how he had become employed by Dr. Hunter. He stopped wondering about the giant Trick when the commodore inquired about the status of a matter the doctor was investigating for him. Dr. Hunter stated that she had not finished gathering data, but she promised to remain on K42 long enough to ensure the problem was resolved. The commodore then suggested they proceed to the conference room.

As they waited for Admiral Harbor and his assistant to join the briefing, Ray asked Dr. Hunter how the repairs to the RELENTLESS were completed so quickly without a complete systems shutdown. Just as Dr. Hunter began to explain the procedure, she hesitated and then stopped mid-sentence. She turned to watch the admiral and his assistant walking toward them. For a brief moment Jake thought he had caught a glimpse of Dr. Hunter’s eyes as she scrutinized the admiral’s assistant. He was not certain if his imagination was working overtime or if he had actually seen her eyes darken to a deeper shade of blue as she watched the two men approach.

Admiral Harbor introduced Commander Allen Riche to the group and asked if they were ready to begin the briefing. Jake noticed that Dr. Hunter declined to shake Riche’s hand when he offered it. In fact, the doctor continued to scrutinize the commander carefully. The commodore inquired if it were possible for the briefing to be held on board the doctor’s ship.

The doctor said, "I’m sorry, but I cannot accommodate the meeting on board the ESPRIT just now."

"Jessi, I thought the ESPRIT would be a more secure location for the briefing," Elliot said.

"The ESPRIT is the best place for your briefing. Unfortunately, aside from you, only Admiral Harbor, Captain Granger and Commander Pons have security clearance to board my ship."

Admiral Harbor inquired as to the reason why his assistant had not been cleared to board the ESPRIT.

Dr. Hunter, Commander Riche has the same security clearance as Commander Pons. I see no reason for his exclusion from the briefing, The admiral stated.

Jessi said, Commander Riche may have security clearance from Fleet Headquarters, but he is definitely not cleared to board my ship or facilities. Furthermore, I do not believe that you want me to explain my reasons here and now, She continued, Elliot, would you care to lead the way to the conference room?

The admiral insisted upon an answer, as did Riche.

Dr. Hunter finally relented and said, Very well, gentlemen. I have one very strict rule at JLH which is never, under any circumstances, to allow Tricanorian operatives on board ships or into facilities owned by JLH.

That’s a very serious accusation, Doctor. I have known the commander since he was an ensign and can only commend his dedication to the Fleet, said the admiral.

You must be mistaken, Dr. Hunter, I’ve been through numerous security checks, as well as, annual physical examinations, and I can prove I’m not a Trick spy, Riche explained.

Commander Riche, I am positive if a Fleet physician were requested to examine you here on the spot, the report would be you are not a Tricanorian, she said, at least for as long as you continue to wear the artificial eye in your right eye socket. The ‘mask,’ as your artificial eye is referred to, camouflages the biological traits of a Tricanorian body when scanned with conventional Affiliation scanners.

Riche denied any knowledge of a mask and resented having his credibility questioned. Undaunted, Dr. Hunter held out her hand and requested Riche’s right eye. When he refused, she made the request a second time in Tricanorian. The commander’s eyes went wide, and he spun around in an effort to run. Silent as a shadow, Rhaundi had reappeared just as the fleeing Riche attempted to escape. Commander Riche’s escape came to an abrupt halt as he ran into Rhaundi who effortlessly hefted the man and carried him back to face his superiors.

Once again Dr. Hunter advised Riche to remove his right eye. When he hesitated, she said that Rhaundi would enjoy removing it for him. With that threat, Riche reluctantly complied by plucking the eye from its socket. He then flung the eye at Dr. Hunter who deftly caught it with her left hand. She said, Admiral, you will need to have Lieutenant Andre Gennett also arrested as a Trick operative, Jessi said. Elliot, I believe the security leak on K42 has now been effectively plugged.

The admiral hit the intercom on the wall and ordered security teams to take Riche and Gennett into custody.

Riche sneered as he said, I hope the damn thing blows up while you’re playing with it!

Calmly, and even nonchalantly, the doctor laughed. Jessie then explained, Riche’s Trick superiors told him if he were captured, the eye would explode and kill him. The explosion would also kill everyone around him. Having your head blown off is considered an honorable death by Trick standards, but Trick spies who fail to successfully complete their assignments are not treated so kindly, she paused. You see, Riche, you should thank me for saving you from a fate much worse than having your head blown off.

Dr. Hunter requested a glass