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Enjoy.
The 4.5th Frontier War Chapter 2
On the Trail
or
Is there a doctor
in the sector?
Scott Kellogg
- XI -
Traveller's Guide to Iakr Sector: Fan Asteroid Belt
The Fan Belt was settled 345 years ago by sufferers of Fan's
disease: genetic disease causing malformed coils in the inner
ear. Some malformations were likened to the shape of a fan thus
the name. Sufferers of the disease become dizzy while in
accelerating frames of reference including vehicles and
gravitational wells. Victims often do not live long due to
eating and balance problems.
The Fan Belt offered a zero gravity community where people
who suffered from the condition could lead normal productive
lives. It became a leper colony for the victims. However,
several other conditions of sophonts respond positively to zero
gravity. As more cases and species arrived the demand for
medical care expanded proportionately.
The entire system has become a very cosmopolitan hospital.
Species of almost every kind are to be found there trying not to
step on each others cultural toes. The medical research of the
entire sector is done there with equipment given from the
Imperium and Consulate. As the two vie for prestige, everyone
profits.
And, as the Fan Belt is only a few parsecs away from the
Zhodani Consulate, it is not surprising to find a Psi-Institute
there.
- XII -
Dr. Kissofman removed the blood stained rubber gloves, and
spoke into his computer. "Autopsy John Doe, engineer of
privateer Flamboyant. Cause of death: poison, self inflicted.
Prussic acid contained in false tooth.
"Physical characteristics: one point seven one meters tall.
Hair: blonde. Eyes: blue. Skin Color: White. Mole on left
hand. Racial Background: Solomani with traces of Vilani and
Vlazhdumecta mixture typical of Iakr sector.
"Small musculature indicates gravitational well of planet of
birth not above 1G most probably 0.7G. Somewhat large degree of
recent retinal disintegration indicates subject spent time on planet
with thin atmosphere. Thin atmospheres allowing more penetration of
Ultra Violet light. Previous medical and dental operations
indicate the subject lived in conditions of between tech levels
nine and thirteen.
"Signs of treatment of following conditions: Removal of
wisdom teeth. Correction of liver trouble..."
- XIII -
Dr. Oylessic looked on the oddest patient it had ever seen.
The human, Drert, was thirty years old, had psi-strength that
went off the normal scale while its official rating had been
five. It had an officially recorded intelligence of five, now
unreadable, had been diagnosed as incurably psychotic, but its
chief interest at the moment was counting its toes, and
occasionally sucking on them.
The little droyne flapped noisily to it's desk and puzzled.
"Dr. Jietlshaiepr," it squeaked, "Never I have such a case seen.
Had to guess I did, say I would that it some sort of psionic shock
was. It a phenomena without precedence is. Explain what
happened please."
Jietlshaiepr told the story, the ancient artifact,
Malenkoviepr's recognition of the object, the effect it gave off,
and the changes in Drert, and the reports on everyone else.
"I see." The little droyne reached into a leather pouch and
produced a dark blue crystal similar in shape to the artifact.
"This an olonde is. Used in the ceremony of casting is. When
young droyne into a caste set is, the olonde is the focus for its
concentration. By concentrating on it in certain way, young
droyne may open genetic codes which will in its proper caste set.
"Also used for the training of young are they. As you may
know, Droyne through telepathy sometimes impart knowledge and
training. The olonde used in this is.
"May be one used in ancient time energy stored as you of
spoke. If so, energy released at proper time must be. Triggered
it something did and let loose the accumulated energy in torrent,
those nearby strongly affecting."
Jietlshaiepr rested her head in her hand. "So, could the
presence of a young mind possibly be something like a trigger for
this... olonde?"
"Possible it is. Have seen I report on others of group so
affected. Affects of change, correlate with age subject. All
received increased psionic strength correlated with age of
subject and distance from crystal as described. Your self,
closest, increased strength by four points and telepath become.
Pilot Niedrsha three points, now telepath is. Engineer Shtam,
greater age, two points increased and awareness acquired.
Steward Miakr youngest: five points increased. Telepath has
become.
"Significant this is, think I. But olonde activate did not
until patient crystal touched."
Jietlshaiepr's eyebrows knitted, "So Drert was the trigger.
Something in his psychotic mind released the energy."
"Apparently it seems." The little droyne stretched its
wings. "Gunner Drert rather childlike at the moment seems.
Drert rolled over, suspended in mid air, and went to sleep
with his toes in his mouth.
- XIV -
"I've plotted our course to Massina," sighed Niedrsha.
"Three jumps: three parsecs to Talak, four more to Aramat, then
two parsecs to Massina belt. Since we're in a bit of a hurry we
can skim fuel from gas giants rather than wait to be refueled."
"Why go to Aramat?" asked Miakr. "The Ine Givar didn't have
any bases there: no clues. We could head to Axly just as well,
at least we'd be safer from pirates in patrolled system."
Niedrsha made a chopping motion with his hand. "That's just
it. It's over-patrolled. They might pull us in to investigate.
And any bureaucratic mess is going to keep us from looking for
the doc."
Shtam nodded, "True, the Axly race do tend to be rather
aggressive. Independent military craft travelling through are
very thoroughly examined. I remember once they held up an entire
convoy once because we were travelling with an armed escort."
Miakr glanced at Vole. "Well, I mean, if we're out to look
for Dr. Malenkoviepr, shouldn't we just skip Massina?"
Gresha looked at the startled expressions of the rest of the
crew. After all it seemed like a reasonable suggestion, in fact
a very good one.
Jietlshaiepr shook her head slowly. "We have our orders.
Our duty is to the Consulate."
"Of course." agreed Niedrsha.
"Indeed, and in addition, Massina, may also be as good place
as any to start our search." pointed out Shtam. "After all,
that's where the Ine Givar, if that's who they were, contacted
him."
Gresha sniffed, "Sorens is closer. That's where they
contacted the Broadsword."
Vole glanced around the room solemnly and focused on Miakr.
"Our duty is to the Consulate. If we can get information on who
used this ship we will probably save more lives than one."
- XV -
One week later the Flamboyant was on it's way out of the
system.
The emergency band burst across the bridge blaring with the
sound of an emergency locator transmitter.
Jietlshaiepr grabbed the sensors. "Ship just jumped in
system... 600 tons, heavy damage, radiation. Viepchakl! It's
one of ours! Shivva class frigate. Something really shot her to
pieces! Heavy radiation. Niedrsha, plot intercept course, there
may be survivors!"
The Flamboyant veered around to match vectors with the
glowing hulk. "ETA thirteen minutes. We'll be the first ones
there." announced Niedrsha.
A weak voice came over the band, "Mayday... Mayday...
Consular patrol frigate Uttova, Ensign Ebladatl speaking. Come
in please. Mayday...."
"This is the captured corsair Flamboyant." answered
Jietlshaiepr, "Come in Uttova, do you have casualties?"
"Affirmative, Flamboyant, request assistance. Three crew
survivors... Radiation burns... They nuked us...."
"This is the Fan Asteroid Belt Starport control," came an
authoritative voice, "Report your situation, Uttova."
"Jumped in from Acrolund... on interdiction patrol...
Deadhead's nuked us... Positive identification... Our relief
ship... Kinunir Cruiser... Heavy casualties... Fighters lost...
Bridge crew dead... Ensign Ebladatl now commanding...."
- XVI -
The Uttova was a shattered hulk. Half of her turrets were
cracked open like nuts. Most of the fuel tanks were shredded.
The maneuver drives were twisted like taffy. The bridge had a hole
right through it. While the landing bay was a fused glowing lump.
The voice on the radio whispered weakly "Two survivors
unconscious... Rest crew dead. You'll have to pull us out... I
got crew in rescue balls... I'm in a suit... Air lock controls
out... Have to cut in... Cabin pressure up... can't control... Cut
in starboard lock... Starboard lock... Cut in..."
"I read you Ensign." radioed Jietlshaiepr. "We'll get you
out in five minutes.
"Shtam, ready the gig. Niedrsha, you stay with the ship.
Gresha, Miakr, Vole, were going over there. Battle dress, every
one. The radiation level is safe for about forty minutes
exposure. Plenty of time."
The lock was obscured by wreckage. The twisted ribs of hull
bracing were bent back jaggedly over the entrance. Hours of work
with a laser welder.
"Uttova, do you read?" asked Jietlshaiepr.
A whisper came back. "...Yes..."
"Move away from the lock, we are going to have to cut with a
plasma gun."
"Affirm..."
Gresha pointed the gun to the lock, angled away so as not to
fire into the ship when it would penetrate the door. Plasma
leapt out. The hull ribs glowed. Again the plasma blasted,
licking away the outer most of the obstructing struts. A third
blast ate away at the abstract sculpture of twisted struts and
plates, and a fog sprang from the seals of the airlock as the
ship's atmosphere began to leak away.
"This may take some time..." thought Gresha aloud.
Two minutes later they had a hole large enough to see
through. Jietlshaiepr floated carefully among the molten
wreckage to the hole.
The inside's of the ship was a mess. Duct work and pipes
had collapsed, but she could see a place where she could stand.
"Roland's cruiser did a great job on this ship."
Jietlshaiepr vanished and reappeared inside the hulk.
She caught herself from falling as she adjusted to the ship's
artificial gravity field.
A vacc suited figure lay on the deck among five inflated
rescue balls. "Ensign Ebladatl?"
The figure lay unmoving. Jietlshaiepr checked the face
plate. Grease and blood was smeared on the young Ensign's face.
"Dead?"
An eye lid fluttered, no more.
Ebladatl was like a feather in her arms as Jietlshaiepr
teleported outside.
"Vole, take him to the gig. I'll have to teleport back in
for the others."
- XVII -
Shtam piloted the Gig back to the hospital complex. "ETA,
one hour fifteen minutes."
Jietlshaiepr moved quickly, the two crewmen were the worst
off. She and Vole stripped them of their irradiated rescue
balls. Radiation sickness well advanced. High fever, hair gone,
skin deterioration, tumors... "Good thing we're in the Fan Belt."
"Hmm. Looks like Ebladatl has been regenerating himself,
he's psionic." Jietlshaiepr carefully examined the medical
readouts. "Traces of Psi-double, probably taken a week ago.
give him another and he may be able to regenerate in a few hours.
He must have been using the last of his energy to send the
distress call.
"Shtam, have the hospital standing by with two doses of Psi-
double."
- XVIII -
Two hours later the Zhodani fleet crews were boiling over.
The Deadhead's had fired on the Uttova. They'd been asking for
war for years. This time they'd get what's coming to them. Ten
Zhdits class destroyer escorts, eight Zhdine missile corvettes,
four Shivva class patrol frigates prepared to jump to Acrolund to
catch the Impie if it was still lurking there.
High Consul Tlievriashav listened briefly to Jietlshaiepr
but was not convinced. Their sighting was interesting but surely
there was some mistake. The Imperials would not let one of their
newest battle cruisers fall into pirate hands. And the
disposition of all such cruisers was known: All in service save
one converted to a prison, two destroyed, one lost, presumed
destroyed years ago.
Besides Tlievriashav had seen the Kliemoshie, the
instruments could not be considered that reliable anyhow. The
Ine Givar ship could not have been a Kinunir class cruiser. And
why would the Ine Givar attack their own allies anyway?
Such a cruiser would be a valuable resource, what private
group would risk damaging it by tangling with a Consular patrol
frigate on an interdicted planet? Acrolund had nothing of value,
it's own nuclear war had seen to that.
No, the lying deadheads must have struck. They came in with
the cruiser pretending to be the relief ship and attacked. Why?
Who knows what devious plot the vicious liars had in mind.
Consular-Imperial relations were running fairly smoothly at the
moment. But, with the Fourth Frontier War twenty years old, is
the Imperium now secretly preparing for war?
- XIX -
Ensign Ebladatl smiled at his nurse and scratched him behind
his armor plated ears. "Good boy."
Vole looked at Ebladatl for a moment before replying.
"Woof. Woof. Now hold still, I'm not finished with your
physical." Vole shook his head slowly to himself.
"Well, Ensign you seem to be doing well." commented
Jietlshaiepr as she watched the proceedings.
Ebladatl grinned broadly at the curvaceous surgeon. "I sure
am, Doc! I owe you my life. I can't really thank you enough...
How are Selen and Chtanch?"
"They'll recover. Not as quickly as you, artificial
regeneration takes some time."
"Thank you!"
"Wait till you get my bill." she quipped.
"Send it to the Navy."
"Suppose you tell me about the attack."
"Well sure!" smiled the Ensign eager to impress the
beautiful surgeon. "We picked up a ship bearing in on us, but
with it's transponder cut off. They wouldn't answer our radio
either. The captain gave the order to scramble the fighters so I
ordered them off, I was the fighter coordinator. The fighters
came in close enough for visual, and with telepathy, I could see
through their eyes it was a Kinunir class cruiser.
"Now, let me explain about Acrolund, since the nuclear war
there, the Consulate and Imperium have been blockading the system
so that the planet will be forced to get back on it's own two
feet. We protect them from pirate raiders that would want to
plunder the place, and generally keep it safe.
"Our relief ship was to be Imperial one because we trade off
in shifts. Any way, we assumed there were some communication
problems with them so we held our fire."
Fury crept into the young man's voice, "Then, the stupid
liars knocked half of our fighters out of existence.
"We fought, but their first hit knocked our nuclear damper
out. They put a nuke into us that fused the maneuver drives and
half the power plant. The laser and missile turrets burned away.
I think we hit them once or twice. The captain ordered the
fighters back, we were going to jump out system.
"But as they docked a nuke destroyed our landing dock and
holed the bridge. I think I was knocked out for a moment, then I
realized rest of the bridge crew was dead."
Ebladatl took a deep breath, "Suddenly, I was in command."
He paused a moment and sat silently before continuing,
"The jump was laid in so I hit the button. I barely made it into
a pressurized compartment just before the ship jumped.
"I had to care for the survivors 'cause I was the only one
who could keep going. I took psi-drugs to keep regenerating
myself, but there was only a few doses. I was using my
regeneration almost constantly for a week. Loosing ground
though. I had to store some before I could have the strength to
make the transmissions. But I made it.
"I guess you know the rest of the story."
"Are you certain that the crew aboard the cruiser was
Imperial?" asked Shtam.
"Of course they were! Who else would attack us? And who
else would be in that kind of cruiser?"
Shtam quickly explained the presence of the Ine Givar
cruiser.
Ebladatl didn't even consider the thought. "Why should the
Ine Givar attack us? They're psionic. No, it had to be the
Deadheads. They have no honesty in their culture, their whole
system is based on lies! They're as bad as the Vargr! You can't
trust any of them! If I run into the Deadheads again, they won't
know what hit them." Ebladatl promised.
- XX -
Aramat Gas Giant
Gas giants are often the main source of fuel in frontier
systems. The fuel is free albeit unrefined, and when a ship need
only refuel one can easily jump into a descending orbit using the
forward momentum of the ship. The ship opens its intakes, makes
a quick fuel pass, close up scoops and raise itself back to jump
point. The process takes about 10 hours. However, during this
time the ship is vulnerable to attack. Inside the gravity well
of the giant there are few escape routes. With pirates above,
and crushing pressure below, one gets to feel a bit like the
filling in a sandwich which is about to be eaten.
"Keep a close watch on the sensors, Jiet." warned Niedrsha,
"We don't need any more surprises from unwanted friends."
"Everything is clear." muttered Jietlshaiepr, "Nothing on
the neutrino detector. I'd have found anything the size of a
scout ship or larger by now."
"There still could be fighter craft. A larger ship nearby,
but out of range. I want a clear scan before we start a dive
into the grav well."
"Ok," she sighed, "Nothing on the neutrino detectors.
Switching to passive EMS scan."
Jietlshaiepr studied the screen. "Nothing accelerating out
there. There's some junk that's orbiting the planet but it's not
maneuvering... that's odd... There's an asteroid in a cometary
orbit. It comes pretty close to the atmosphere. It must have
been captured recently by the gas giant or it would have burned
up. Probably will soon anyway."
"So what." voiced Niedrsha.
"Well, it's just that it... Hold it... Displacement of
asteroid three hundred tons... exact. It's a ship. Red alert!
Going active!"
Niedrsha wrestled with the controls while eyeing the
tactical display. The Flamboyant raised her nose. The ship
began blazing out of the gas giant's gravity well at four G's.
"Here we go!"
Jietlshaiepr read off the readings. "I make the target out
to be a three hundred ton ship, refined metal hull, dispersed
structure. Power unknown. Acceleration unknown. It's just
sitting there."
"Then we've got em." grined Niedrsha. "Prepare to open
fire."
"It's still just sitting there. In fact... wait a minute...
It's tumbling!"
"Tumbling?"
Jietlshaiepr looked up. "Power out put zero. Maneuver
zero. It's just drifting in space."
"It's a trap." said Niedrsha decisively. "We'll head out
and continue scanning."
Shtam came over the intercom. "If it is a trap, we should
probably power down the reactor. We will be less conspicuous to
a neutrino detector."
"Right, Shtam." replied Niedrsha, "Take the power down to
factor four. With that I still have enough maneuvering power.
When I've got us in a safe orbit, cut it down to minimum."
The Flamboyant continued to rise, looking in every direction
for signs of pursuit.
- XXI -
The Flamboyant drifted, legs drawn up tight, but with its
eyes wide.
The other ship continued to tumble.
Nothing moved.
"There's nothing out there I can find." yawned Jietlshaiepr.
"No power generated, none radiated, no radio, nothing. That ship's
as dead as garrison duty on a saturday night."
"We've only been looking for a few hours. I say we sit
tight and wait." warned Niedrsha.
"How long?" asked Jietlshaiepr.
"Till we're sure."
"I'm sure." she sighed. "Look, in its orbit, the ship comes
pretty high out of the gravity well, probably jumped in system
with a high momentum. We can match vectors with it while it is
far away from the gas giant, make a close inspection, and not
get caught too deeply by the gravity well."
- XXII -
The ship began to grow on the screen.
"Here we come to the bait." thought Niedrsha aloud.
The ship was a strange design. A main cylinder with three
pylons protruding from the center. Getting closer, the cylinder
resolved itself into a dumb bell shape, but with one end
flattened along one axis. A heavy framework obscured the lines
of the ship. Most of the ship was painted yellow and black.
This was marred by sections painted various colors almost none of
which matched: the effect of this was that the ship resembled
one which had been torn apart and put back together with pieces
of other ships of the same model.
"What a fuckin' mess." snarled Niedrsha with disgust. "I've
never seen anything like it."
"It looks familiar to me." announced Shtam anxiously from
the engine room. "I think it's a Vargr warship design, give me a
minute, and I'll get..."
"It's a Vixen." announced Gresha from her turret controls.
"Of course!" shouted Shtam. "I should have recognized it.
I have never seen one before. Wow!"
"She's hot." called Jietlshaiepr. "Reading radioactives
over there."
"What?" asked Niedrsha anxiously.
"It's armed with nuclear warheads." she warned.
"Any power readings?"
"None. I would have told you." Jietlshaiepr closed her
eyes to concentrate. Slowly, and hesitantly she reached out for
frequencies not used in electromagnetics. Psionic wavelengths
were as dead as the Vixen's fusion reactor. "Well, after all
this time, I've learned this much of telepathy: There is no life
aboard that thing."
"Vixens are robot missile strikers." explained Gresha.
"Usually armed with nukes."
"They are also incapable of refueling themselves." called
Shtam. "This one must have run out of fuel. They are generally
used as first strike waves in wars. A fleet of Vixens jump into
a system and attack shipping or conduct surface bombardment.
There's a robot crew so they are completely expendable. A bit
expensive, but they are generally considered nothing more than a
missile bus. A MIRV with a jump drive."
"Merv? who's Merv?" asked Miakr.
Shtam spelled it out "Multiple independently-targetable
re-entry vehicles. A type of missile that carries more than one
warhead."
"Oh."
"The Vixen carries a fifty ton missile bay, and three triple
missile turrets." continued Shtam. "Of course no ship that small
has the structure to take the strain of that much firepower.
Generally, the ships shake themselves apart."
"That's probably what happened to this one." commented
Jietlshaiepr. "The hull sections show as having been under
extreme stress. But the stress lines are odd. The don't match...
It could be that the ship was cannibalized from several ships to
get a complete one."
"Could the fuckin' thing be a trap?" asked Niedrsha. "It's
got atomic warheads."
"But there's no power being generated." objected
Jietlshaiepr.
"It could still be booby trapped." pointed out Gresha.
Shtam's voice came over the intercom authoritatively,
"Right, I suggest we send over a boarding party consisting of
myself, Gresha, and Miakr. We can investigate it without risking
the rest of the ship."
"Why us?" asked Miakr.
"I'll go to evaluate the engines, Gresha obviously knows a
Vixen on sight, we need you to evaluate the condition of the
robots aboard."
"I'll come too. He'll be needing me." announced Vole.
- XXIII -
Gresha pulled the gig close to the tumbling Vixen.
"Any idea's on how to get in?" asked Miakr.
"There'll be an emergency manual hatch switch beside the
main airlock." reported Gresha. "'Course that's the best place
to leave a trap. Our best bet's the turrets. The ship'll be
depressurized because there's no living crew. We can just open
on up the inspection hatch, and get on in."
"Easier said than done." observed Vole. "The ship is
tumbling end over end at a rate of one revolution every seven
point three four seconds. With a radius of fifteen meters that
will make centripetal force of..."
"Eleven meters per second per second centripetal
acceleration." interrupted Miakr. "Just over one standard G."
Shtam picked up the tethers he had ready, "We will secure
lines to the hull framework and climb to the turret on the pylon.
Any of you ever done any repelling before?"
--------------
We now return control of your TML to you...
Scott Kellogg