Panther in the mist 5:
In the weeks that followed the crew transfers, Zak found himself under Baaca's wing, learning to perform the duties of an officer aboard the Panther. He spent hours on Deck One coordinating the command crew and interacting with other ships. It was fascinating and all encompassing, swirling him away in a living fantasy.
Tonight he had third watch on Deck One, which he had started calling the Bridge because that's what all the movies and literature had called it. He had also thought of the command chair as the Conn., although he kept that to himself. He sat in the command chair now, going over computer routing for the main engines, receiving and sending information to Krill's crew at the rear of the ship. The new Grav Drive engine had been installed and tuned, and tomorrow they would test it at power.
"Generating fields within tolerances." Panther's rasping growl echoed in Zak's head. "No further sims needed."
Zak rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Kill the simulators. Tell engineering we're done." Panther indicated the affirmative, and Zak stood up to stretch. The worst thing about third watch was staying awake. He stepped down from the raised platform and walked over to the engineering workstation, satisfied with the indicators being in the green.
"Engineering wants permission to power up the new engine, sir." Tass, one of the new crewmembers asked, leaning back from the power sub-systems board. Zak nodded, and Tass touched several controls, releasing the power lockouts. "Engineering, it's all yours. Your clear for power up."
"Sensor ghosts." Panther purred, almost giving Zak the feeling that he was licking his chops. The main tactical screen lit up, showing four dots moving on a course towards the fleet. Panther and six other ships had been moved to the outskirts of the Terran solar system, maintaining patrol over the shipyards orbiting Earth and Mars.
Zak's pulse increased. "Positive ID?" He asked Panther through the link. Information about the four ships began to appear under each image. "Oh, shit!" Zak touched a control on the command console, causing a klaxon to go off. "Captain to Deck One, all hands battle stations!" He said into the comm system.
The navigator turned towards him. "Zak, they've changed course. It's a jump." He went back to his board and began to bring the weapons on line. "Panther confirms, they're on a Terran insertion course."
"Watch for the time signatures and warm up the Bercolli drive." Zak's hands flew over the console in front of him. He heard Baaca enter and waited for him to get to the platform before he stood up. "I have four confirmed signatures, Captain. Two of them have quantum traces."
"Intercept course laid in, Captain." The navigator said.
"Go, Storm." Baaca glanced towards the door as Krill, Tony, and two others came in and took their stations. Zak listened intently to Panther before reporting. "Panther estimates a less than thirty percent chance of stopping them. He suggests we set up to chase."
"Set it up as a second plan, Zak. Storm, set up your attack run." Baaca looked over the sensor readings and speed of the four ships.
"Ready, sir." Storm called back.
"Kallistan reports the Star Shine is ready, Baaca." Tony turned from the communications station. "They'll follow us in."
The ship rocked gently under the first volley from the Jur-Kalchik ships. "Return fire." Baaca called out. Through the massive glass ports surrounding Deck One, they watched as Panther fired, then the Star Shine. The enemy ships were right on top of them, and Storm wheeled the Panther into battle.
The ship shook again, and one of the ships exploded, destroyed by the Star Shine. Panther took two direct hits, then scored on one of the ships that registered a time trail. It blossomed on one side, then narrowly missed one of the terran ships as it spun out of control.
"The other time ship is engaging its quantum drive!" Tony shouted, then routed the information to Baaca.
"Panther is locked on. Their gonna jump." Baaca stood up and moved to the navigator's station. "Storm, get ready to follow them. Tony, tell Star Shine to get that last boat."
"Got it."
"Panther just picked up their time drive going active." Zak stepped up to the vacant command station and worked the controls. "He says the time slot is in the early nineteen hundreds. He's narrowing the focus." The ship lurched under a hard impact, throwing Zak over the rail. His wind knocked out, he grabbed the rail support and held on.
"Tass, engage the B-Drive!" Baaca shouted over the sound of circuits exploding. The air around them wavered, and the Jur-Kalchik ship disappeared, then reappeared in low orbit around the earth. "Match orbits." Baaca stood up and moved towards the doors, pulling Zak up as he went.
"Panther has the retriever corps moving into the flash chambers." Zak said, holding his sore ribs as they walked into the lift.
"When we hit the ground, I want you to stay with Tony. I'm not kidding, Zak. You don't leave Tony's sight." Baaca patted his shoulder. "You need to learn this so I won't leave you on the ship, but I warn you, I need you to stay detached. We're not here to save the world, just certain people. Panther will tell you what you need to know."
They walked into a large room and found fifteen troops waiting. A soldier handed them weapons as they entered. Zak took his and felt nausea wash over him. Following Tony's lead, he clipped it to his belt. The first team stepped into the flash chamber and Baaca winked, then disappeared.
Tony stepped up onto the platform. "Second team, let's go." He said quietly. Zak stepped up next to him, surprised by the mantle of authority that settled onto his lover's shoulders like it belonged there. The remaining eight soldiers stepped up and Zak caught Tony's eye briefly. Tony smiled just slightly, then nodded at the operator.
They appeared in a barnyard shrouded in mist. Tony waved the troops in two directions, then lead Zak towards a barn. It was quiet as they walked, and Zak fought an involuntary shudder. Panther spoke into his head, and he told Tony that the enemy was south about 500 meters. Occasionally, he caught a glimpse of their team making way through the brush.
Tony stopped near a tree and spoke into his comm. Baaca had sighted the Jur-Kalchik, and Tony was to bring up the rear. They set off again, correcting the paths of the troops towards Baaca. Panther informed them that three more teams were down.
"It's to quiet." Zak whispered, almost scaring him self. "No bugs or dogs. That's not right."
"They know things we don't." Tony responded, then held a finger to his lips. Zak nodded. They crossed a fence and a shallow creek, then made their way through a plowed field. Ahead there was a purple flash and a muffled explosion. Tony knelt down quickly pulling Zak down. "Remember, Zak, if it's purple, shoot it. If it's not, DON'T!" They drew their weapons and moved forward in a low crouch. Tony held up two fingers and waved towards the right side of the field. Part of the team hustled up and took up defensive positions.
Zak couldn't help but be impressed. Tony was a natural at this, and it was cool to watch. He almost forgot why they were there. Several flashes of light went off, and they ran behind a tractor. Purple bolts of energy hit near them, causing dirt to erupt. Zak jumped and fell against the tractor. Bile rose in his throat. "Fuck me! This is bullshit!"
"Quiet!" Tony hissed. He looked under the belly of the tractor and jerked back up. The purple lasers came under the machine and blew holes in the ground right in front of them. Their comms went off and Zak grabbed his. Baaca's voice was calling them frantically.
"Tony, get the fuck out of there! We pushed them out of town right at you!"
"Get ready to run!" Tony hissed, grabbing Zak's arm. He signaled, and the troops opened fire. "Now!" They pelted back through the furrowed field, beam s narrowly missing them. One of the soldiers waved to them from a cement wall, then to a hit in the chest. Zak slowed down, watching the man fall, then nearly got yanked off his feet as they continued.
They hooked around the corner of the barn and leaned heavily against the wall. Tony pulled out his comm and called Baaca. There was no response. "Shit!" He spat, trying again. "Anyone see Baaca?"
"Lead Three. His team just ran the bastards into the woods. Standby, Two." A man's voice said.
Tony looked at Zak, then around the corner of the barn. "Stay right here. If you see anything, have Panther retrieve you. I mean it, Zak." He spun around the corner and ran, taking part of the team with him.
"You asshole, he said to standby!" Zak shouted. He nearly followed, but was stopped by one of the soldiers.
"You can't go, sir. They'd love to get a hold of a Comp Tech." The guy was only barely older than Zak, but was built like a rock. He sighed and pulled out his comm.
"Panther Deck One." He said, looking out around the barn.
"Go, Zak."
"Do you have any teams left to drop?"
"Two. Where do you want them?"
"Right here, by the barn." Zak clipped the little device back on his belt and contacted Panther through the link. "Panther, put half with me and the other half inside the barn." He detailed his plan to the computer.
"Affirm." Panther whispered, filling Zak's head with desires of a hunt.
"What's going on, sir?" The soldier asked, then disappeared in a flash back to the ship.
"I hate baby sitters, that's what going on." The new team appeared in front of him. "Here's the deal, guys." He crouched down and detailed his plan, getting nods of approval. "You three take the lead. Team five, left side. I'm the quarterback."
"The what?" One of the soldiers asked.
"Just go get Tony, okay?" Zak shook his head and waved them on their way. "Panther, locate Tony and Baaca, then feed me a map." Panther purred his compliance and Zak walked into the barn. "You guys ever play hide and go seek?"
Tony rolled behind a tree and dropped the Jur, his weapon disintegrating the walking pile of bacteria. He glanced around, still looking for Baaca. Two soldiers popped up and signaled. Tony crouched down and made his way towards them. The ground in front of him exploded, throwing him off his feet. He blinked hard, trying to clear his eyes.
"Sir!" One of the men dashed over. "Are you all right?" Tony nodded, and the man helped him to his feet. "Over here, Tony." He led the way towards a scorched circle on the ground. Three soldiers were dead near a tree, and there were over a dozen piles of purple goo. Tony could see a pair of black boots sticking out from behind a rock. He swallowed hard as his vision blurred. Only two people had black boots, and Zak was back at the barn. Unable to stop himself, Tony threw up in the bushes.
Zak's team in the barn looked through cracks in the boards and knotholes, waiting for the trap to be sprung. Zak stood up in the loft, Panther's map in his mind. He directed the other team through the comms and waited. At the edge of the clearing, the tree rustled, sending shivers down his back.
There they were. The slimy violet things he remembered from the day his family died. His throat went dry. Images of those things crashing through the camp and the screams flooded his mind. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. Panther drifted into his head, purring, and Zak looked up. The Jur- Kalchik were headed towards them.
Zak looked down at the team leader and held up one finger, then two. On the third finger, the team ran out of the barn and knelt down, firing at almost point blank range into the enemy. The other team broke free of the trees and opened fire, pinning the bacteria creatures in a massacre.
The shooting stopped, and only humans stood on the field. Zak gasped, suddenly remembering to breathe, then laughed. "You stupid sons of bitches!" He screamed at the sky. "If that's your best, you're fucked!" He jumped to the floor and wandered out, then froze to the sound of his men cheering. It took a second to realize that the noise was for him. He was clapped on the shoulder and shook several hands.
"Looks like you had a good hunt." Tony said, walking up from the trees. He looked like shit, Zak thought, and was limping.
"I used a trick I learned on Wild Kingdom. What the hell happened to you?" Zak looked Tony over more thoroughly. "Boy, you're gonna do some tank time for those burns. Where's Baaca?"
Tony didn't speak for a long moment, looking like he couldn't form the words. Zak felt sick, knowing what he was going to say. "He's dead. Tell Panther to bring us home."
They entered Deck One together, and Zak ached in his heart for the look on Tony's face. Tony stepped up onto the command platform, the looked at the chair, resting his hand on the back of it. After a few seconds, he sat down. "Communications, hail the Shining Star please."
"Yes, sir."
The view screen on the workstation lit up with Captain Kallistan's face. "I just finished off the cruiser. You boy's did good." The man said, sitting down and leaning back. "Our scans show that we got them all." Kallistan's eyebrows bunched up with a look of concern. "Where's Baaca?"
"They got him, sir. I found his body intact." Tony said thickly.
"I see. I'm very sorry to hear that, Tony. He was very fond of you."
"Thank you, sir. I was fond of him."
"Your orders are clear, you know that don't you?"
"Yes, sir."
Kallistan stood up and touched a control. "Computer, effective immediately command of the Panther is transferred to Tony until further notice. Authorize Kallistan." A light shown down, scanning the other man, and several lights blinked on Tony's console.
Zak stepped up and met Tony's eyes. "Panther has the code. You're in command, Captain."
"Bacca would be proud of you, Captain," Kallistan said, settling into his command chair. "Don't beat yourself up, Tony, I'll miss him too." The viewer went out, and Zak caught himself holding his breath, unsure of what to say or do.
"Navigation, set a course for home. Engineering, I need a repair schedule as soon as you can." Tony waited for a chorus of `yessirs', then turned to Zak. "I have a packet to go over from Bacca. I'll be in my quarters. You have the watch."
"Yes sir." Zak answered quietly, tentatively raising his hand to touch Tony, then letting it fall as he passed by. He watched the new captain walk through the doors, then slowly lowered himself into the command chair, sighing audibly.
"Return course is on your console, sir." Storm said, glancing back from his workstation. Zak appreciated their concern, but really wasn't in the mood for it. He nodded, then keyed in the command sequence for temporal travel.
"When you're ready, Storm." He said, then leaned back in the chair. The great ship leaned hard over, and Zak watched the stars move past the windows. They accelerated out of orbit and in a flash they were home.
Comments and suggestions are always welcome, and I am still soliciting drawings of Panther and the characters to go on my new web site when it's done. If you're good with a pen, or any other material, I'll be pleased to post renditions from this story. Thanks for the emails, keep them coming.
Rimshot@planetaccess.com