Assured (Envoys Book 2) Read online

  Assured

  Peter J. Aldin

  Copyright © 2021 by Peter J. Aldin

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Author Notes

  Cast Of Characters

  Prologue: Flashforward

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Please don’t forget …

  Short Lexicon of Terms Used in Third Contact

  To Grandma and Grandpa.

  You bought me my first typewriter.

  One day I’ll see you both in Glory,

  and thank you again for your many kindnesses.

  Author Notes

  At the back of this novel, there’s a lexicon explaining some of the colorful terms and locations you’ll find in this story.

  An astute reader will note that human characters sometimes get Tluaan terms wrong—and Tluaan characters get their English wrong too! This is only natural for people still learning a different species’ language. I promise: I did this on purpose.

  Heartfelt thanks to my novel buddy and esteemed beta reader, Andre Jones.

  My thanks to you, dear reader: it’s your patronage that keeps me writing.

  And, of course, I’m always always grateful to you, Neen...

  Cast Of Characters

  Diplomatic Staff from the Democratic Confederation of Human Colonies

  Chris Gregory, Ambassador

  Grace Renny, Diplomatic Assistant / Bodyguard

  Piers Luigi Vido, Diplomatic Yacht Pilot

  Peacekeeper Marines

  “Chipper” Tukimatu, Peacekeeper Corporal

  Lyford Stines, Peacekeeper Corporal

  Denise Westermann, Peacekeeper Corporal

  Bradley “Widowmaker” Bradstock, Peacekeeper Corporal

  Pandora Chandrasekhara, Peacekeeper Corporal

  Eddie Wepps, Peacekeeper Sergeant

  Xerxian Tacticals

  Enforcer Antonia Jogianto

  Enforcer Hecate

  Enforcer Umbrano

  Enforcer Manolo

  Colonel Andre Fowler

  Crew of the Confederation Naval Vessel Assured

  Pan Xinchun, Captain

  Wisdom Chinyama, Commander, XO

  Henry Sintopas, Ensign, Chief Comms Operator

  Leonard Toller, Lieutenant, Primary Helmsman

  Janey Yassim, Lieutenant, Assistant Helmsman

  Aliz Esana, Able Spacer, Bridge Sensor Operator

  Renee Lindberg, Chief Petty Officer, Systems Oversight

  Milena Berderhan, Lieutenant, Pilot of Devilfly Space Fighter/Interceptor

  Ronald Catanno, Lieutenant, Support Vehicles Pilot

  Masters-At-Arms (MAAs): Petty Officer Lukic, Able Spacer Seroughi, Able Spacer Mikita

  Tluaanto

  Buoun: Envoy, Domain Space

  Naat: Grand Councillor, Domain Space

  Pi: Auxiliary Councillor, Domain Space

  Vazak: Warrior, Domain Space

  Suran: councillor, Domain Moon

  Mingatat: councillor, Domain Surface

  Vren: councillor, Domain Ocean

  Yimiun: Domain Moon interpreter

  Chlalloun: Scientist, Domain Space Kh’het Expedition.

  “By their deeds, ye shall know them”

  - The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 16

  Prologue: Flashforward

  Beyond Chipper’s e-suit faceplate, the corridor was a sea of bodies, some still smoking from grenade blasts or multiple EM pulses. The visor gave him a sense of separation from the carnage, making it seem strangely unreal as if he were watching a violent streamie. Another reason to be glad for the environment suit.

  Something jostled him and he glanced down to watch Stines slip a spare air recycler into a suit pouch for him. The sour-faced Peacer tossed another spare up to Warrior Vazak waiting on the Lioness’s roof. Chipper grabbed him before he could return to his firing position.

  “You really wanna follow my lead?” he asked.

  Stines shrugged one shoulder. “Why not? I ain’t got any ideas.”

  Chipper nodded, then thumped on the hull of the Lioness. “Lieutenant Catanno, you hearing me?”

  “Yes.” The pilot’s reply was cut through with static, another sign that the vessel’s comms were in bad shape.

  “Where you at with repairs?”

  “I need a code-jockey in here to look at this mess. Man, I can’t even tell if it was a signal that screwed everything up, or if it’s some kind of virus. Maybe some fragment left over from the Domain Surface thing last week.”

  Chipper frowned. “Why didn’t you say that before?” This new possibility could undermine the sketchy plan he’d just come up with.

  “Just thought of it.”

  Chipper put a finger to his helmet and mimed pulling a trigger. Stines actually chuckled. “Catanno, you’re a navy lieutenant. You fly ships for a living. You make important life or death decisions as part of that job.”

  “What’s your point, assface?”

  “Make a decision now. Is it a virus shutting you out, or is it a signal?”

  Almost grudgingly, the pilot said, “I think it’s a signal.”

  “You think?”

  “It’s a signal, all right? It’s a jamming signal or a scrambler or something.”

  “All right, then. I’ll tell you guys my plan. None of us are gonna like it.” He thought about that a second. “Except maybe Vazak.”

  While he got his thoughts in order, Chipper wondered, How in the hell did we get into this mess?

  Six days earlier…

  April 12th, 3014, Old Earth Calendar

  1

  Assured’s Rec Hall was quiet when Ana Jogianto came in. Not so surprising, given the time was 0022, the middle of the ship’s night.

  A more likely reason was that any crewers not sleeping tended to be working, ensuring Assured’s operational viability. It had been eight days since the Domain Surface cyberattack on the ship’s systems, but there were still glitches all over the damn place.

  That’s coz all you bulalas won’t let some real coders at it. Us Xerxians’d show you how to fix that crap in a heartbeat.

  The only other people in the Hall were two wrung-out ship’s mechanics playing checkers plus a tech using the weights machines. Ana kept her distance from all of them. Since their help raiding the enemy cyberwarfare facility the week before, there’d been some very real thawing of opinions towards the Xerxian Tactical unit—and her and Hecate particularly. But from time to time, she still heard that Confed term for Xerxians muttered around the place.

  Silvers.

  Guess my ancestors earned that tag. Just wish they’d see I’m different to those pirate assholes. Or I’m trying to be.

  After a minute of her pacing around and wondering why she’d been called in here, Commander Chinyama came in. The ta
ll XO chased the exerciser and checkers players out, telling them he had a meeting to conduct. Once they were gone, he nodded a greeting to her—she saluted him—and he moved off to the side to consult his tab.

  More people coming, then, she thought and tried to stand still while she waited for them.

  Another minute later, the rest of those invited began filing in. Three crewers she didn’t know. Plus Assured’s complement of soldiers, its Confederation Peacekeepers, and the other Xerxian Tacticals.

  Or what’s left of them, she thought sourly as they lined up either side of her.

  A month back, Clan Lobos pirates had nuked a Lioness full of Xerxians and Confeds. It was still fresh in everyone’s mind. Not even the distractions of traveling to an alien civilization and the resulting melee between the Tluaan “domains” could wipe that away completely.

  Was up to me, we’d be outta this crap-hole star system. We’d be going home to heal and find something else to do. It’s just helldamn common sense.

  It seemed like good sense wasn’t so common amongst the expedition’s leaders. All those leaders were about to accept the Domain Space invitation to visit yet another star system—and take a gander at yet another form of sentient life.

  She shook her head just thinking about it. Way of the universe, chica: the smartest people end up working for the dumbest.

  Xerxian Colonel Fowler had been one of the earliest to enter the Rec Hall. He and Chinyama were now locked in private conversation by the card tables, apparently killing time until everyone else arrived. Ana checked over her shoulder to see Peacekeeper Corporal Westermann hurry through the door, tucking her T-shirt into her fatigue pants. She squeezed into line beside Ana, grumbling.

  “A girl gets little enough beauty sleep as is. Goddamn AODs.”

  It took Ana a second to translate the Confed military acronym: Assemble On Deck.

  She didn’t bother to reply. There were far worse things in military life than being pulled from your bunk at midnight for assembly. A lot worse. Hells, this was normal, even for Confeds. As much as she was coming to like Westermann herself, Peacers could be pretty soft at times. Ana’s Tactical training had included fifteen weeks of living and sleeping in a bare concrete box—when they let her sleep at all. And Xerxian weeks were longer than DCHC-standard weeks.

  Chinyama and Fowler had started ambling over. Westermann must have been the last one invited. Ana looked both ways along the line: the only person she could see missing was Peacekeeper Sgt. Wepps.

  Must be on bridge watch.

  Chipper had positioned himself at the far left-hand end of the line. He smiled back at her. She made a face at him as if to say, How much fun is this? All three of her fellow Xerxian Tacticals stood between her and him. To her right and beyond Westermann stood the three crewers she didn’t know. They weren’t soldiers; she knew that much. Two males, one female. She recognized their faces but not the icons on their sleeve badges, the designators of their duties. Peacers Bradstock, Chandrasekhara, and Stines made up the end of the line, with Stines as far as he could get from the Tacticals.

  Fine with me, you dirty sonofabitch. Mierda de rata.

  She didn’t want that dirtsack anywhere near her. Not after his treachery during that cyberwarfare base mission. She tried to put him out of mind and took a final glance at the unfamiliar crewers. All three acted like nervous people trying to act nonchalant, hands clasped in front of their dark blue jumpsuits, feet spread wide—but blinking rapidly, chewing their lips, swallowing a lot. Why were they invited?

  Oh, I get it. We lost people so these bakas are raw meat for the stew. Well, I ain’t babysitting no—

  Fowler and Chinyama came to rest in front of the line, clearing their throats.

  “Happy Midnight,” Chinyama said. “It’s nice to have a quiet moment.”

  “Was having a quiet moment when I was asleep,” Westermann said. At a wry raise of Chinyama’s eyebrow, she added, “Sir.”

  “We’ll have you back in your bunk in no time, Corporal,” said Fowler with zero trace of good humor.

  Chinyama continued, “The reason we’ve pulled you from duties—and bed—is to update you on two things. First, I’d like to formally introduce three colleagues you’ll work more closely with for the foreseeable future.” All three of the newcomers stiffened. Chinyama indicated the two males. “At the time of the Pollyanna mission, Leading Able Spacers Seroughi and Mikita were undertaking Masters-at-Arms training aboard the carrier Bountiful.” He nodded to the female. “Petty Officer Lukic was the Bountiful’s longest-serving MAA and she was training them. All were seconded to us to work as systems techs when we departed the Pollyanna blockade. Having a Peacekeeper and a Tactical squad aboard meant that we haven’t needed their MAA specialties thus far.”

  “You’ll have to explain to my people what a Master-at-Arms is,” Fowler said.

  “Ship security,” Chinyama said. “On ships without Peacekeepers, they serve as both military police and potential defense in the event of hostiles boarding.”

  “When’s the last time anyone boarded a Confederation ship?” snorted Tactical Manolo.

  “Not for a while,” Chinyama admitted.

  If he was offended by the challenge in her tone, it didn’t show. Ana felt like slapping Manolo with the butt of a rifle.

  The XO continued, “Never hurts to have contingencies, though. The point is that these crewers will provide watch relief for the rest of you so you can focus on drilling and so forth. Petty Officer Lukic will also lead them as an auxiliary fireteam in case of unforeseen threats.”

  “We can handle threats.”

  Manolo again.

  This time, Fowler stirred and said, “Shut your beer-hole. More trained people in a firefight is a smart move. If the ambassador and captain agree to transport the Tluaanto to the Kh’het system, we’ll be heading into yet another new and unknown situation. Captain Pan was right to activate his MAAs.”

  “Weaners,” Umbrano stage-whispered. Fowler’s hard gaze swung his way and Umbrano found something by his feet to stare at.

  “Sir, we welcome our new colleagues,” Bradstock rumbled from his end of the line.

  “And we’ll work alongside them with appreciation and respect,” said Chipper from his.

  “Aye,” chorused the other Peacers, even Ana’s least favorite, Stines.

  “Aye,” echoed the Tacticals in ragged fashion.

  “The other matter,” Chinyama continued, “is the potential extension of our mission the colonel just mentioned. It’s no secret that Ambassador Gregory will invite delegates from the other domains to travel with us aboard Assured. In light of recent events, we desire positive relations with all of them. At the same time, we humans continue to find ourselves in foreign territory, literally and figuratively. All of you are professionals. Tread carefully, behave diplomatically, and cooperate with each other.” His gaze took in both Peacekeepers and Tacticals. “Uncertainties are to be sorted out at a leadership level, particularly with respect to any Tluaanto we end up transporting. Those uncertainties are to be brought to your direct reports, Sgt. Wepps or Colonel Fowler. Do not attempt to correct misunderstandings directly with the Tluaanto; they will have aboard Envoy Buoun for that very purpose.” He put his hands on his hips, gazing up and down the line. “Questions?”

  There weren’t any. Apparently even Peacers were smart enough to keep their mouths shut lest they prolong a meeting.

  “All right, then. Corporal Chandrasakhera, you’ll relieve Sgt. Wepps on bridge watch in ten minutes. After that, you’ll have a full day off-duty.”

  “Score!” she whispered.

  Chinyama continued, “Those of you leaving in the morning on escort duties are to meet Sgt. Wepps on hangar deck at 0915. Everyone else will meet me at the drill center area between 0900 and 1200 where I plan to keep you all sharp. I recommend plenty of sleep between now and then. Dismissed.” But it was he and Fowler who headed for the exit first.

  When their commanders wer
e out of earshot, Westermann yawned. “Plenty of sleep, aye. Night all.”

  Stines told the new MAAs, “Welcome to the party, noogs” then joined Westermann in heading for the exit.

  Chipper pumped the hands of the “noogs,” as Stines had called them, engaging them in friendly conversation, while the remaining soldiers huddled together away from them.

  “We should give ’em call signs,” said Chandrasakhera with a sadistic grin. “Make ’em feel at home.”

  Umbrano picked his nose and studied his fingertip. “Call whats?”

  “Signs,” Ana explained, drawing the word out slowly as if to a child.

  Hecate added, “You know, like they call this guy ‘Widowmaker.’” She pointed to Bradstock who acknowledged the attention with an unconcerned nod.

  “Oh, right,” said Umbrano. He showed the huddle his fingertip. “How about Booger One, Two, Three?”

  Manolo slapped his hand away.