Cassandra's Challenge Read online

  “What else.”

  “All these transmissions have eighteen lines of coding. Which means some security, but not high level, high level might cause someone to look, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I found transmissions with nineteen lines of coding. I’m assuming they are communications between you and the High Admiral.”

  “Assume?”

  “I didn’t open them.” She looks at him.

  “I gave you my codes.”

  “I know…”

  “What?”

  “Giving me your codes, you could get in serious trouble for it.”

  “That’s not important.”

  “Don’t start with that again, please. Your career is important William. There’s been enough damage to it because of me. I’m not going to knowingly cause more!”

  “So you’re going to protect me.”

  “Someone has too. You don’t deserve to have people doubting you when all you’re doing is your job.” Pulling her into his lap he just holds her for a minute.

  “Thank you.” His voice is low. Reaching around her he enters his code playing the transmissions.

  Cassandra listens hearing the Admiral blow up at the High Admiral, telling him of his suspicions, asking for the Dioscuri to replace the Retribution, knowing what it means.

  He feels her stiffen in his arms but she says nothing. This will always be a sore point between them. Listening to the rest she can hear the High Admiral’s frustration. But she also realizes something else.

  “You never told him we were involved.” Sapphire eyes look up at him.

  “No.”

  “Because it would complicate things or because he wouldn’t take you as seriously?”

  “Both.”

  “So what’s he going to do when you leave the Retribution with me?”

  “He won’t be able to do anything.”

  “William…”

  “Once we arrive, there will be a meeting, here, I’ll demand that. We’ve already arranged a security detail here on the ship, you know that. Since the return of the Retribution is already being questioned my leaving the ship won’t raise any eyebrows.”

  “But…”

  “Let it go for now, we’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

  “As long as we do.” William gives her a fierce kiss.

  “We’re a unit Cassandra, nothing separates us.”

  “Okay.” She looks back at her data.

  “Who would have more security then the High Admiral?”

  “What?”

  “I found two transmissions with twenty lines of coding.”

  “Twenty? No one has twenty. The High Admiral has the highest security.”

  “But I have two transmissions. And William, they are both right before the transmissions to the Regulians with the fleet’s locations.”

  “There’s no higher security. It has to be something else.”

  “So I need to compare the two to one of your transmissions to the High Admiral find the differences. I can do that.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” Looking at the time he lifts her to her feet. “I need to get cleaned up and relieve Quinn.” As he heads to the shower she sits down to write a new search.

  “The ships are a day and a half away from the fleet Admiral. All ships are stabilized but not yet fully operational. Communications are still spotty. There’s been no contact on any sensors. It appears the Regulians have returned to the Relinquished Zone.”

  Nodding the Admiral takes the report from Quinn.

  “Our repairs?”

  “100%. All decks. All posts manned.”

  “Good. Dismissed Colonel, get some down time.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Leaving the bridge Quinn heads for quarters, passing the Admiral’s quarters he sees Cassandra opening the hatch for Hutu.

  “Colonel.”

  “Cassandra.”

  “Could I speak to you for a minute?” Wondering what’s up Quinn enters the ready room.

  “I’ll just be a minute.” Leaving him she gets the girls set up for first meal. Closing the connecting door she walks Hutu to the hatch, securing it. Turning she looks at him, William’s friend, he returns her look.

  “Look Colonel, I know we haven’t always gotten along.” She starts.

  “I have no problem with you.” Cassandra gives him a little grin.

  “Oh we’ve had our moments, but that’s beside the point. You are one of the Admiral’s oldest friends, in addition to his second in command.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re willing to tell him when he’s wrong.”

  “The Admiral is seldom wrong.”

  “Agreed.” She runs a hand through her hair not sure how to approach the subject.

  “If you’ve got something to say just say it!” The look he receives tells him he’s pissed her off.

  “Once the fleet is up and running we will be proceeding to Carina.” She waits.

  “Yes.”

  “There is going to be some controversy over my arrival.”

  “That’s an understatement.”

  “Yes. You’ve been involved in the planning understand what’s happening, and have a unique view on situation.”

  “What do you want?” Tar is blunt.

  “I want you to leave the Retribution with us. I want you to watch William’s back.” The shock in Quinn’s eyes is unmistakable.

  “He knows this?” He questions.

  “No.”

  “You want me to go behind his back and…”

  “No! This is about me building my House. That’s what it amounts too. You know there is no guarantee. Lucas will protect Victoria, William will protect me, but someone needs to protect him.”

  “Just how am I supposed to do that?”

  “By being there, watching his back. I’m not the only one that’s going to be attacked, is already being attacked, you know this.”

  “I know.”

  “It means risking your career, I know that too. That’s why I asked you without the Admiral here. It’s your decision, if you decide you can’t he’ll never know.”

  “You think I wouldn’t back the Admiral!?!?”

  “You always have his back. But this is different. You know that. You also know he’d never ask it of you. So I am.”

  It’s Quinn’s turn to run a frustrated hand through his hair. She is asking a lot and she knows it. But she’s not asking him to help her, she’s asking him to help Will. She’s right, the Admiral would never ask and they are going to need all the help they can get. From people they can trust.

  “I’m in.” He makes his decision.

  “Thank you.” She momentarily closes her eyes, another piece.

  “I’m not doing it for you.” Her eyes flash to his.

  “I know, thank you anyway. He matters to me more than you can know.”

  “More than being Queen?” Quinn has to ask.

  “I’ve never claimed I wanted to be Queen.” She turns as the connecting door opens.

  “Aunt Cassie we’re done.” Tori enters the room. “Hi Colonel.” She gives him a brilliant smile.

  “Hi Tori.”

  “I’ll be right there.” She turns back to the Colonel. “Thank you Colonel, I’d appreciate it if you’d keep this between us for now, the Admiral is dealing with enough.”

  “I can do that…for now.” When he leaves Cassandra secures the hatch.

  With the girls in the shower, Cassandra cleans up the dishes. Realizing she never read the overnight search results she heads to the comm. Pulling them up she reads.

  “Shit!” The new signature she’s searching for was in both of the twenty line transmissions.

  She needed to know if the same person received those transmissions. The search is quick. Not only were both transmissions received by the same person, they were nearly identical in every line of coding.

  “Who is giving up the fleet’s location?”

  “Admiral, incoming tr
ansmission from High Admiral Valeria, secure line.”

  “Zafar.” The Admiral says into his headset.

  “What’s your status Zafar?”

  “100%.”

  “Good, still no news on the First Son. The communications out there are still sporadic.”

  “Crap, how hard can it be!”

  “Look I know you’re frustrated, not being there. But I need you right where you are.”

  “I know that. We’ve been doing long range scans. The only ships we’re picking up are ours. We’re staying at Alert Status Two until the border is secured.”

  “Understood, once it is, we’ll get back to the other matter.”

  “Understood, by then I might have some more Intel for you.”

  “What are you sniffing?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but it’s something.”

  “Dig it out Admiral. I want this traitor!”

  “So do I sir, so do I. Zafar out.” Removing his headset the Admiral leans back in his chair. Thinking about the transmissions Cassandra has found. Twenty fucking lines, what did that mean?”

  Opening the hatch Cassandra finds Leander and Javiera.

  “Hi, come on in. The girls are in the back. They just got done with their showers.” Securing the hatch she finds the Michelakakis’ standing by the Admiral’s desk.

  “We wanted to talk to you alone first.” Leander tells her.

  “You’ve reached a decision.” Seeing them look at each other she knows they have.

  “We leave the Retribution with you.” Javiera announces.

  “You’re sure?” Her eyes jump from Leander to Javiera. “Really sure, you’ve thought it through?”

  “Yes we have.” Leander tells her. “Especially after this last attack, it really brought it home. Someone on Carina is helping the Regulians. They destroyed your planet. If the Retribution hadn’t been here to stop them they would have done the same to Carina. This isn’t just your fight anymore, it’s ours too. We need to find this traitor.”

  “Whoever it is?” She has to ask.

  “Whoever it is.” Giving them both a hug Cassandra takes a deep breath, her eyes full of gratitude.

  “Thank you, both of you. I can’t tell you what it means to me that….”

  “Mommy! Daddy!” Amina comes running out into the ready room. “I didn’t know you were here! We’ve been having the best time!”

  Hugging their daughter they listen to her excited chatter, knowing how close they’d come to losing her just days before.

  “Do I have to go home now? Tori and I wanted to play more.” Young eyes turn to Cassandra.

  “She’s welcome to stay. Especially since you both are on alert. I think it’s good for both of them.”

  “I tell you what. Why don’t we take them for awhile, give you a break. Then if she could stay again that would be great.”

  “Please Aunt Cassie?!?” Tori pleads.

  “That’s fine with me.” Leander turns as they leave.

  “We’ll talk more later.”

  “We will.” Securing the hatch Cassandra takes a moment to be thankful for her new friends then heads back to the comm center.

  “Time to find a traitor. So if I want to know where the twenty line transmission went I need to compare them too…the sixteen will take too long…the nineteen I’m not opening without William…so that leaves the eighteen. I need to set it up to find any matches between the strings it. Here goes.” With the search running it was time for a shower.

  Washing her hair, she lets her mind wander. Lucas is in, he’ll protect Victoria. Tar is in, he’ll watch William’s back. Leander, Javiera, and Amina are in. Leander will be with Lucas, helping watch both girls, Javiera will help her understand Carina from a woman’s viewpoint. She’s going to need to know how to present herself, and that includes dress plus all those little rules she doesn’t know.

  It’s starting to come together, she needs to talk to William, he’ll know what’s missing, but now isn’t the time. When they start back to Carina, off Alert Two, there will be time.

  Turning off the shower, she leans over wrapping a towel around her head, standing up the room starts to tilt. Grabbing the sink she steadies herself.

  “What the hell was that?” Looking at her reflection she takes a deep breath. “Time to see what Hutu has brought for breakfast.” Wrapping a towel around her, she leaves what’s become an overheated room for the coolness of their chambers. Dressed she heads to her covered plate.

  Finding her favorite loblolly she sits down, managing to finish over half of the oversized portion. With her hunger satisfied she puts the bowl on the tray, turning as the comm buzzes.

  The search has uncovered matches to different codes within the string. Pulling up the first match, she plays the transmission and is surprised to hear the Admiral’s voice.

  “Admiral, this is Captain Procne.”

  “What the fuck are you doing over there Procne! It takes you TWO WEEKS to send over Regulian traffic for translation!”

  “Admiral, I can explain.”

  “It’d better good!”

  “Admiral, the transmission was recorded after the battle but it wasn’t on any of the normal Regulian channels. As you know we took a serious hit during the attack losing a communications specialist.”

  Stopping the transmission Cassandra realizes it’s the first transmission found in Regulian. But who is Captain Procne? Captain of what ship?

  This is a transmission between the Retribution and another Coalition ship. Comparing this transmission to a nineteen line one between the Retribution and the High Admiral Cassandra finds the Retribution’s code. And knows it means no one on the Retribution revealed the fleet’s location. She hadn’t realized she’d been worried the traitor was on board. But what ship did?

  Connecting to the bridge she hopes William can tell her.

  “Sensors?”

  “No contacts Admiral.”

  Looking at his comm, he sees his private line is ringing.

  “Zafar.” He answers putting on his headset.

  “Question.”

  “Okay.”

  “Who’s Captain Procne?”

  Silence answers her.

  “William?”

  “He’s the Captain of the Sentinel.”

  “The Sentinel. The ship that’s dead in space?”

  “Yes.” He can hear her mind racing through the comm.

  “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “What doesn’t?”

  “Admiral! I have long range sensor contacts!”

  “Location!”

  “Sir, they are still in the Relinquished Zone.” Disconnecting the Admiral removes his headset.

  “Communications! Contact the Dioscuri make them aware of the situation.”

  “Yes sir!”

  “Move us to Alert Status One!”

  “Yes sir!”

  “Communications have you been able to raise the Dioscuri?”

  “No Admiral, I’m transmitting but have received no response.”

  “Keep trying! Get me a secure line to the High Admiral.”

  Picking up his headset he suddenly realizes he’d hung up on Cassandra.

  “Zafar! What have you got?” Valerian demands.

  “Sir at this time we’re tracking multiple long range contacts, still in the Relinquished Zone. We’ve trying to raise the Dioscuri but get no response. We are at Alert One.”

  “Fuck!”

  “Couldn’t agree more sir.”

  “Stay on it, keep me informed.” The High Admiral disconnects.

  Cassandra’s waiting at the hatch when Javiera comes rushing up.

  “Go! I’ve got them!” Securing the hatch she ushers the girls back to the private quarters, closing that door too. Turning she finds two frightened faces staring up at her.

  “Hey, it’s okay. Come on lets go sit on the couch.” Leading them over, one sits on each side of her.

  “Are the Regulians attacking again?”
Tori whispers.

  “No honey. I was talking to the Admiral just before the Alert. They are still in the Relinquished Zone. Nowhere near here. We’re okay.”

  “So why the alarm?”

  “Because the Admiral is doing his job, keeping us safe.” The two girls look at each other.

  “Can we go play in my room then?”

  “If you want.” Watching them close Victoria’s door Cassandra takes a deep breath.

  What a morning it’s turning out to be. Thinking about the Sentinel she returns to her comm.

  The traitor contacted the Sentinel twice. Once before each attack. Who is he talking too? The Sentinel is being targeted. Why? Why would you target the ship your informant is on? What if they didn’t know they were?

  The Sentinel isn’t about the ‘Light’…about her. This is something different. Someone different. But who?

  As the day wears on the Retribution remains at Alert One.

  “Sensors?”

  “Sir, the Regulians have not crossed the border. They are maintaining their last coordinates.”

  “Sir! I have Admiral Carnot on the comm.”

  “Is it a secure line?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Ferran, what’s your status?”

  “The Fleet’s 75%. Communications are now fully operationally on all remaining ships. Last casualty report was 1403 with another 500 in medical.”

  “The First Son?”

  “Unknown, his name isn’t on the medical list, we’ve only gotten numbers from the Sentinel, no names, but there’s still crew on the Sentinel making repairs. Their communications system is down.”

  “Reports were it was dead.”

  “They were able to maintain life systems. All defensive, sensor, propulsion and communications systems are down.”

  “The Regulians are sitting on the other side of the border.”

  “See that.”

  “Your support will be there in twelve hours.”

  “Affirmative.”

  Another twelve hours until the border is reinforced, would the Regulians wait that long to attack again? What were they waiting for? Another transmission? What was the ‘other’ to be ignored? The other person transmitting to them? Fuck he has more questions than answers.