“We have intercepted a message,” Jalea translated.
“From who?” Nathan’s gaze was focused on the two of them, as if staring at them would make him able to understand what Marak was saying before she translated it.
Jalea listened in on Marak’s conversation with their ships, translating what she heard. “From another Takaran ship, directed to the first one, the one that is searching for us,” she explained. “They will soon join them.”
“How soon?” Nathan asked.
“Contact!” Ensign Yosef reported.
“That soon?” Nathan exclaimed, throwing his hands up.
“Just dropped out of FTL! Transferring track to tactical!”
Cameron studied the tactical display. “It’s another Takaran ship, Sir. About the same size as the first one. The must’ve sent the message just before they arrived.”
“There is more to the message, Captain,” Jalea warned. “More ships will be arriving to join in the search.”
“I’m afraid to ask how soon,” Nathan admitted.
“The next one within the hour.”
“Great,” Nathan mumbled.
“Every ship they add to the search increases their chances of finding us,” Cameron pointed out.
“Really?” he replied in a sarcastic tone.
“Marak, says we must leave now,” Jalea warned, interpreting Marak’s words as he spoke, “or we will not leave this place alive.”
“Damn it!” Nathan swore. “We can’t crawl out of here, they’ll be on us in seconds!” Nathan looked around the bridge. His outburst had startled more than one of his crew, and he knew that he shouldn’t have lost control that way. But frustration had gotten the better of him. “We’re gonna have to jump from here,” he resigned.
“Nathan…” Cameron began.
“…Captain,” Abigail interrupted, standing to protest. “I cannot allow that! It’s too risky!”
“I don’t see that I have much choice, Doctor!”
“You don’t understand, this system is the only one in existence.”
“Don’t worry, Doctor. I’m sure that Fleet will start building another one as soon as they figure out we’re overdue.”
“No, they won’t,” Abigail disagreed. “You don’t realize how secret this project has been. There is no evidence of its existence anywhere on Earth. The research it was based upon was erased from the Data Ark, and we brought all of our research with us when we came on board. Our leaders could not take the chance that it might fall into the hands of the Jung. Captain Roberts even had standing orders to destroy the entire ship if captured. There are only a few people on Earth who even know that the project exists. If we don’t get this system back to Earth, they will have no defense.”
Nathan stared at Abigail. Other than Jalea’s constant translations to Marak, the room was quiet. Nathan Scott had come aboard the Aurora as an ensign fresh out of the academy just three weeks ago. Since then he had become the primary helmsman, a lieutenant, and now he was Captain. And not only was his ship badly damaged and half his crew dead, apparently now his entire homeworld was depending on him to somehow quickly cross a thousand light years in order to save them from invasion. And he had hoped that this would be an easy assignment.
But at least now he finally understood things more clearly. This had been the reason that Captain Roberts demeanor had changed so drastically during their flight to Jupiter. This is why he had attacked that Jung patrol ship in the Oort without provocation. And this was the reason he had so adamantly ordered Nathan to get the jump drive home. It was their only hope.
After what seemed like an eternity, Nathan looked at Cameron. She was always so calm, so confident. But now, he saw something different in her eyes. She was looking to him to decide what to do. They all were. And for once in his life, he was determined not to let anyone down.
“Alright,” he started calmly, “we’re going to need a diversion. We need to draw them away from us if we’re going to get far enough out to jump safely before they open fire.”
Marak began speaking into his communicator.
“Captain,” Cameron reported. “Two rebel ships just began accelerating away from us. They’re on a course out of the asteroid field.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Nathan sputtered at Marak, forgetting that he didn’t understand English.
“Marak is sending ships to draw the Takarans away from us,” Jalea explained.
“Are you crazy? They’ll be slaughtered! Tell him he cannot do this!” he ordered.
Marak continued speaking to Jalea as she spoke for him. “We need a diversion, you said this yourself. This is the best way to achieve both our goals.”
“You’re just going to send them to their deaths?”
“It is what soldiers do,” she translated.
“You fuckin’ bastard!” Nathan screamed as he violently grabbed Marak by his tunic with both hands, quickly drawing him in closer, and yelling in his face, “you can’t do this!” In the blink of an eye, a small but deadly blade appeared in Marak’s right hand, pointed at Nathan’s throat. Just as quickly, Jessica, who had been quietly observing, had her sidearm out, safety off with the weapon sighted on the back of Marak’s head. Both the marine guards at the doors had done the same with their close-quarters weapons.
“Drop it!” Jessica ordered in no uncertain terms. “Or I drop you!”
Jalea translated Jessica’s warning to Marak, repeating the translation at least two more times before he began to relax and bring the knife slowly away from Nathan’s throat.
“He was only defending himself!” Jalea insisted. “It was a reflex! He will not harm your captain!”
As Marak’s right hand slowly withdrew from Nathan’s neck, Jessica stepped up and swiftly snatched the blade from his hand.
“We’re clear!” she instructed the two marines, holding the knife up high for them to see. “It’s all over, everybody just calm down.”
Marak said something else, in a tone that could only be described as arrogant.
“What did he say?” Nathan asked after releasing his hold on Marak. Jalea was hesitant want to answer. “What did he say?” Nathan repeated more sternly.
“He said, it is already done.”
Nathan continued glaring at Marak, who stood confidently beside Jalea. He could tell by the rebel leader’s steely eyes that he was not one to back down when challenged. Nathan knew that the man had made his decision and there was nothing he could do to change it. The only question was, how he could make this work in their favor?
“Is there another place we can go?” Nathan was asking the question of Jalea, although his eyes were still locked with Marak’s for the moment. “Some place where we can make repairs? Get some supplies?” Jalea translated his request to Marak. For a moment, Nathan sensed that Marak was pleased that Nathan still sought his assistance. He had no doubt that Abigail’s words had been clearly and accurately translated to him by Jalea. And now had to wonder if Marak somehow felt like he had power over them because of their desperate situation. However there was nothing in Marak’s expression or demeanor that might reveal his intent.
“There is a world,” Jalea translated, “that still supports us. Not openly, but covertly. They are just beyond Takaran space. We have contacts on this world. Through them, we may find the assistance you require.”
“Please give the location of this world to Doctor Sorenson,” Nathan requested coldly.
“As you wish,” Jalea nodded, turning toward Abigail.
Nathan stared at Marak a moment longer, until the tension was broken by the communications officer.
“Sir, message from engineering. They can give us limited forward propulsion, but no more than ten percent thrust.”
“Thank you, Ensign.”
“That should be enough, for now,” Cameron noted.
Nathan finally broke eye contact with Marak, turning to Cameron instead. “Can you handle both helm and navigation?”
“Shouldn’t be a problem, especially not at that speed.”
