A knock came at Cody’s door, and she opened it to see Silas standing there. “They’re trying again.” He said. Without a word the two of them ran through the derelict base to an operations and maintenance center.

“Jared, what’s the rub?”

“See for yourself,” he said, pushing himself out of the way and pointing at one of the scratched and dinged monitors. There was a line on the side of the screen that was jumping and falling rapidly, words flicking across the screen as they did. Cody waited with baited breath, drumming her fingers on the desk as the line rose from green to yellow, falling back to green, and then spiking up to higher in the yellow. There it held for two very long seconds before falling again. The line remained devoid of color for a moment, and then spiked up. Her breath caught in her throat as the line touched orange and held.

One second.

Two.

On the third it fell, and the line winked off the screen. Breathing a shuddering sigh of relief, she let her head fall forward before standing up to her full and considerable height. “I wonder how many died in that attempt.”

“Closer than they’ve ever gotten.” Jared said, pushing some of his long black hair out of his face. “Not good, Black Bear, not good.”

“None of it’s good, except that they failed again. And will hopefully keep failing until we can find a solution to this problem.”

The three of them remained silent on that note, each of them thinking in their own way about how the possible solutions to prevent Angel from getting Ashwind back online eventually were remarkably thin. “Is there any word from beyond?”

Jared sighed, and shook his head. “But to you expect anything else?” He called, as Cody spun on her heel and marched away. Silas followed her out into the harsh Martian sunlight, and together they stood facing Olympus Mons and the Tharsis Montus. The four mountains were always visible from their hideaway base, an abandoned outpost from the Republic’s reach on Mars.

“Are you actually expecting her to contact you?” Silas asked, crossing his arms as the wind tousled his grey hair that was still streaked with black. “Or is it wishful thinking at best?”

“I have my hopes.” Cody said. “But I can’t send out a transmission without it being intercepted long before it reached her.”

“We'd be ash and slag by the time she even knew.”

“But she has to know what’s going on out here.” Cody said, sounding as though she were trying convince herself of the fact more than anything. “Someone has to know.”

“It’s the Republic.” Silas said with the slightest sneer. “Do you think they’ll do anything? They’ve long since abandoned these waters.”

“Not if someone knows what Angel’s up to. If they get Ashwind back online…” She shook her head. They didn’t need to rehash that old ground. It was well worn for everyone in their pitiful little band. Once they had called themselves rebels, resistance, intelligence cell, or anything else that was usually attributed to a hopelessly small group trying to stop an impossible foe from doing horrible things.

But it was that last that summed them up, and everyone knew it.

“If we go to them with the information we have,” Silas said. “If we present our case before the Senate and the Triumvirate, they might listen.”

“The operative word there is what I don’t like.” She said. “Half the people here are deserters of one kind or another. They’ll take our intelligence and lock us up for traitors, they’ll find a reason.”

“Not everyone in the Republic are evil and power hungry monsters greedy for power.”

“If I thought that, do you think I would ask if we had contact every chance I could?” Cody shook her head. “We’re stuck here, Silas.”

“I know.”

Of course he knew. Silas knew as well as anyone, despite his wish to return, that all they could do was wait, and hope, and try to keep their last stronghold safe. Angel knew where it was, but had let them be ever since that disaster with the extraction. And there it was… Cody’s mind turning to the soldiers killed on her planet, hoping that those who had gotten away were safe, recovering… even thriving.

Silas watched her with compassion in her eyes. “We couldn’t have done any more than we did.”

This time it was her turn to look down and say, “I know.”

“Black Bear!” Jared’s voice falled from the doorway. “We’ve got activity!”

A minute later Cody and Silas were hunched over the terminal screen again, and Jared pointed to the five dots making their way out around the planet. “Republic Reconnaissance.” He said, tapping the screen. “Not ground forces, so we won’t have to worry about a repeat of the last time.”

“What are they doing?”

“Just observing, by the looks of it.” Jared said, leaning back. “There’s no drag transmissions or probe sensors going out. Looks like a routine sweep.”

“It would be routine if they never came out here for recon ever.” Silas said, turning to Cody. “Your woman?”

“No, this isn’t how she does things.” Cody said, watching the dots.

The two men looked back and forth between each other. “Do you want me to open a hailing channel?” Jared asked.

Cody thought about that as the dots continued to wink away, making their traversal of the planet. “No, not right now.” She said. “Return the favor. Watch them.”

“Can do.” Jared said, leaning back.

Silas and Cody walked from the room in thought. “What do you think it is?” He asked.

Cody shook her head. “I don’t know. But it’s not nothing.”

--

Lieutenant Commander Jericho slowed her run as her comlink pinged. “Admiral Neerson just docked, ma’am.”

“Thank you Aaron.”

“Looks like he’s coming to you.”

Swearing, Jericho cut the power to the all directional running machine and hopped off, sprinting to where she had dropped her gear. She had barely finished toweling herself off when the door to the physical training center opened. Turning to watch Neerson walk in, Jericho was acutely aware of the athletic attire she was wearing in place of her uniform as she went to attention.

“At your ease, Commander, I am here without appointment.”

“Yes sir.” She continued drying herself off.

“How is the command of your ship?”

“Very well, sir. Honestly it’s not that much different than before, just with more bodies and better senior leadership.”

“I appreciate that, Commander. The additional crew I sent aboard have been heeding your command well?”

“Well enough,” she shrugged. “I think a few of the other LCs were off put at first, but they’re adjusted.”

“Competent senior leadership can have that effect.” The admiral said without ego. “Should issues arrive on that front, please inform me at the outset. Such matters are easiest handled in their fledgling state.”

“Yes sir.”

“I was hoping to discuss with you a matter of intelligence gathering and range. Do you have a moment?”

“Of course sir.” She pulled on a hooded shirt over her and picked up her bag. “My office?”

“Certainly.”

“Uniform, sir?”

“As you are is sufficient for this meeting, I think.”

Together they walked to the office Jericho had selected for herself. Neerson eyed it, and turned to her. “This is not the office designated for the commanding officer of this vessel, Commander.”

“No sir.” She felt unease for a moment. “I didn’t feel right taking an admiral’s office when I was a captain, and it became what I was used to.”

“Indeed. You will move your office to the appropriate designation today, completed to standard before the close of business. I can make it an order if you would be more comfortable with that.”

“That won’t be necessary sir. I’ll see it done.”

That settled the matter and they went into the smaller, more cramped officer and were seated. A little embarrassed at the small desk and chairs, Jericho did her best to make it look like she was indeed as comfortable in the office as she had made it out to be. Neerson made the small chair look like a throne as he said in it, straight backed with his hands folded in his lap.

“What’s the matter you want to discuss, sir?”

Neerson didn’t answer at once, but took his time before saying. “Were I of the mind to send a transmission to communicate with the Cluster, would that be possible from here?”

“Of course, sir. The Onslaught is equipped with the capabilities. Only the Deterrence would need to go through a bunny channel.”

“A bunny channel?”

“Err, a routing channel through the Vigilance. It would still be simple enough though.”

“I see. What’s the range on the capabilities aboard the Vigilance?”

“I’ve never tested it fully, sir, but in passing I’ve seen what I can pick up before and was able to reach all the way back to the old stations of Ashwind and the stasis signals they’ve got going there.”

Neerson’s eyes flashed at this, and he considered her words. “Was a routing channel needed for such a range?”

“I went through the Venator, through my contact. I told them it was for diagnostic purposes, which was true, and they patched me through. Easy operation.”

“But was it needed?”

“Yes sir. Jupiter plays merry hell with anything going past it, so even though it's theoretically possible to get a signal all the way to the old borders, the odds of it being any type of readable are slim to none.”

“Possible, though.”

Jericho sighed. “Sir, it would be similar to dropping a stone into the ocean. You can guess to a point where it’s going to land, but the current and pressure in the water are going to do enough that pinpointing it will be hard enough to warrant catching it halfway down and making sure it gets where you want it to go. Not a perfect analogy, but it’s the best one I’ve been able to come up with so far.”

“You’ve studied oceans?”

“Sure.” Jericho said. “Mostly old sonar technology and the like. It’s interesting to correlate the old tech with the way we do things now.”

The look that Neerson regarded her with then was a little more off putting that she had expected. It was like a man looking at a tool he was only just beginning to know how to use properly.

“I see. For the sake of this conversation, though, we will assume that it is impossible?”

“That would make things easier.”

“Very well.” He thought for a moment. “Is the Venator the only station with these capabilities?”

“There’s a few others that could do it.”

“Do you have a list?”

“Sure.” She pulled a tablet and tapped it a few times. “Venator, Unity in Understanding, Rook’s Rest, Varon’s Point, Outside Citadel, Spear Tip, Veritas, and The Seat of the Triumvirate, could do it, sir.”

Neerson sat completely still as she read the names off, and when she had finished he nodded once. “Please send me all pertinent information regarding the subject discussed here. And consider this meeting confidential, Commander.”

“Yes sir.” She said, rising as he rose. “Permission to ask a question?”

“Of course, Commander.”

“Is this going to be the usual conduct?”

“I’m not sure I understand your meaning.”

“Confidential meetings, unannounced calls, ambiguous subject matters?”

Now Neerson smiled very slightly. “I have an above average opinion of your intelligence and reasoning, Commander. I will allow you to make your own tactical assessments based on the information afforded to you.”

“Yes sir.”

See to the transference of your effects to the appropriate offices.”

“Yes sir. Would it be possible for me to keep this office as well?” She took his stare and shrugged. “I’ve been working in here for a long time. It’s a good place to mull over difficult problems.”

“I see. Yes, that is acceptable.”

Neerson left, then, and returned to the Onslaught, coming to the bridge and standing silently as his crew went about their business.

“Sir,” A scared looking Captain said after approaching Neerson cautiously. “A docking shuttle is requesting permission to board.”

“Thank you. Crew?”

“Captain Benson and Nurse Rayne.”

“Permit them at once and show them to my office. I will await them there.”

“Yes sir.” And the Captain scuttled away.

Overlooking his bridge, Neerson took it all in. The crew there was almost entirely soldiers from outside of his previous commands. All the ones whom he knew would perform to the standard he expected had been briefed and disseminated between the Deterrence and the Vigilance, those he was most sure about crewing the latter.

None, besides those under the command of Lieutenant Commander Jericho, were from the fleet’s previous command. Neerson used the reputation that went before him to see that all present were both aware of his expectations and saw that he himself was keeping them. Wherever he walked he got frightened looks that were being tempered by respect every day. It was not a thing that he demanded; the only thing that fell into that category was the discipline that was expected from all naval personnel, officer, enlisted, or otherwise. But it was something he endeavored at all times to earn from his subordinates.

He turned and went to his office, readied himself, and permitted entrance when it was requested. Rayne walked in, Benson following her. The Captain took up a silent stance behind the Admiral’s chair and said nothing.

“I relinquish my patients to your charge and command, Admiral.” Rayne said a bit stiffly.

Neerson inclined his head. “Just like that?”

“Just so. I have put things in jeopardy for too long by my lingering. I appreciate your patience, I know it was wearing thin.

“You have more than earned more of that measure than most.” Neerson said. “The three Sergeants will be looked after to the highest level of my ability. But they will not be coddled.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

“And I take it you’ll be leaving us? There will be a freighter here today, if that is convenient.”

“It is.” She said with a small smile. “I believe I have business to attend to elsewhere.”

“I believe you do.” Neerson said, leaning back. “And you’ll be in touch, if that business comes to anything?”

“Or if it doesn’t. I believe that it will be important either way to what is coming. Have you heard anything from the Cluster?”

“No.” Neerson shook his head. “Not from the Cluster.”

Rayne inclined her head. “I can find my way, Captain. Thank you for your assistance.”

“It’s been my honor, ma’am.” Benson said. “Fair winds and smooth sailing to you.”

“Admiral Neerson. Permission to depart the fleet.”

“Permission granted, Nurse Rayne. Fair winds to you.”

When Rayne had departed, Neerson sat in silence for a long time. When thirty minutes had passed, he turned to Benson. “You will rest here. In the morning, you will dock first at the Vulcan in wing Z and pick up your help.”

“Yes sir.”

“Be patient with them. They are all three of them working through many things by themselves, and what is inside will eventually come out. Make sure that when it does, none of them are damaged.”

“And Commander Ziggenbor?”

“He should be briefed to do the same.” Neerson eyed the captain. “I hope you both understand that I place a great deal more trust in the both of you than I have in any others in quite a long time.”

“Understood sir.”

“Dismissed, Captain.”