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"These stories are dedicated to memory of Benjamin Thomas W. and to anyone who has had to deal with the loss of a child." Part I The Ruse Log entry 42 Well John you should see me. I feel like it's my first day of astronaut training back at the Cape. I keep saying "Wow!" and "That's amazing!" all of the time. I know my associates are getting tired of it, but I can't help it. You have no idea what it's like - well actually I'm praying you do. Ulric has tried communicating with Lursa a couple of times in the past few weeks; she - or they - have no new communication from the Leviathan Moya. Ulric seems concerned as it's unlike a Leviathan to stop singing for such a long period. Pilot says that they only stop singing when they know they are dying or during reproductive gestation. I still can't get over the fact that these ships are alive. Imagine the technology which created them. It's been three months and we've had two contacts with Peacekeeper patrols. Mostly com traffic. Ulric has been drilling me hard on Peacekeeper protocol, cultural identity and the all-important Deca. Ah the Deca, The Peacekeeper Declaration of Principals. Over seven hundred rules and regulations that define a good Peacekeeper! Ulric keeps saying our luck will run out and he doesn't want me to look like a frelling imbecile in front of a Peacekeeper firing squad. And so I study. It's scary John. It's difficult to imagine how a culture like this came to power. This Leviathan was a long-range support ship before she decided to help us. She is filled with Marauders and Hetch drive components. Ulric was able to get us some black market Peacekeeper Ident Chips. They are about the size of a domino and they contain your ID and command assignment. You can say good bye to Colonel Jack Crichton and say hello to Captain Jass Delin of Durka Regiment. It's a demotion but I've gotten used to it. I have spent a lot of time helping Ulric remove Peacekeeper devices around the ship and I'm beginning to feel more like a surgeon than an astronaut. It's strange John. Ulric looks so much like you, yet you and he are nothing alike. I don't know - it's almost eerie. But there's no doubt that he saved earth and I owe him a lot. Right now, we're headed in a spiraling course that will slowly bring us into the Uncharted Territories. I find it frustrating tha...' "Excuse me Colonel Crichton!" Pilot's head projected from the imager to the side of the galley. "Jack! Please Pilot, its Jack!" slightly annoyed that after the time they'd spent together Pilot still wouldn't call him by his given name. "As you wish ... Jack. Lursa has detected another Marauder on an intercept course. " "How much time Pilot?" "Ninety microts." "I'm on my way Pilot, thank you." Jack closed his logbook and headed for Command. "Pilot, while I have you. I have a question. What are food cubes made from?" "Are you sure you wish to know?" She looked at him oddly through the projector. "Pilot I wouldn't ask if I didn't." He said with a grin. "Very well. Jack, Lursa is made up of forty five thousand trads of biometric material. Her outer hull is inert. But her interior is constantly exfoliating. The DRDs collect this material along with the waste recyclers from your quarters. This material is broken down into primary elements then reconstituted into nutrient-based substrate. Does that answer your question? "More than enough Pilot thank you." He exited the galley. "Looks like I owe you an apology Mr. Heston." Captain Jass Delin in
action He took a deep breath as he moved to the
center of Command. "This is Delin. Captain. Durka Regiment. What is it?" This is Ros, Commander of Black Star regiment. I have orders from Fleet Captain Crais of the Omega Star regiment to hold you here until arrival. Under Article 011 of the Deca..." Jack cut him off. "You don't need to recite the rules Commander Ros." He turned his mic off and looked at Ulric. "It's one thing to talk our way through a bunch of grunts. But to have to deal with a fleet Captain. That's asking for trouble." Ulric smiled. "I know Crais. I think we can pull this off. We're too deep in Peacekeeper territory to try and run. Just do as I instructed." "Commander Ros, I have no time for friendly visits. Please dock at Pad 3. The DRDs will tend to your needs. Delin out! Pilot close and lock pressure doors. We don't need a bunch of Peacekeeper grunts poking around in Lursa." "Yes Captain Delin. Doors are sealed." "You've picked up more than I thought Jack. I'm surprised and pleased." he smiled. "Hey It's Jass. You calling me by the wrong name is all we need." He cracked a smile. Ulric came to attention. "Yes Captain Delin! Just don't let this go to your head." As he exited Command and made his way to his quarters, he couldn't help but feel troubled. Why would Captain Crais bother to stop us? Prepare
"Fleet Captain Crais, this is Captain Delin of the Leviathan Lursa. To what do I owe this honor sir." The knot that had been slowly building in his stomach, tightened sharply. "Captain Delin I request an audience with your Pilot." Crais watched Jack, while trying to place his face; there was something familiar about him. Jack acted slightly annoyed. "Captain Crais you are welcome at any time sir," he bowed slightly keeping eye contact with the image. Jack's mind raced. Why would he want to speak to our Pilot? "I will be aboard in two hundred microts." Jack broke contact. "Ok Ulric it's show time." Jack ran out of Command to meet the arriving shuttle while Ulric went to Pilot's den to get her ready. He quickly got the Biometric patch out and placed it on Pilot's shoulder. "Remember Pilot. No eye contact and favor this side." "I cannot act injured commander. It is not within my capabilities." Ulric finished connecting the bio regenerator. "Pilot." he explained paitently, "If we don't acknowledge that you tried to escape, the damaged control collar may raise suspicion. We have been through this before. Besides, if we don't pull this off you will back under Peacekeeper control within microts! Do you understand?" "Yes commander. We understand, it is just that we are frightened." Ulric stared at the huge being. "It's okay Pilot. I'm scared too. Everything will be okay." Ulric jumped from the console and sprinted to the hangar bay. He met Jack at the hangar doors, relieved that the shuttle had not yet docked. "Any idea why Crais would want to speak to Pilot?" Jack looked at him. "I don't know what to tell you my friend. It's time for you to fly by the bottom of your flight suit." He turned to Ulric "Close Ulric, close. But it's fly by the seat of your pants." Fleet Captain Bialar Crais Crais walked in, surrounded by guards, two in front and two behind. He started to introduce himself but stopped and stared at Ulric. "Uli is that you?" He broke into a monstrous laugh that reverberated through the hangar. He walked past Jack and stopped in front of Ulric. "What are you doing here?" He gave Ulric a huge bear hug. "I thought I had lost you too. How...?" Crais seemed to glow at the sight of his old friend. "Captain Bialar Crais this is Captain Jass Delin." "Yes--yes hello Captain." He turned back to Ulric. "I don't believe it! I thought you were on board the Mordin." Ulric Smiled. "It's a long story, and it's great to see you again Sir." Memories flooded back to Ulric as thoughts of his time in commando training came to the fore. This was not the face that he had painted for Jack, of what a Peacekeeper was. Crais struggled to control his emotions. "Uli, join me for dinner. We have much to catch up on." The smile suddenly drained from his face. He stared at Ulric. Ulric looks like... Stop it! What are you saying? You are going mad! He turned to Jack. "Captain Delin please take me to your Pilot." He turned and spoke to his guards who retreated to the hangar. Jack was starting to feel like they might be able to pull this off. "Follow me Captain Crais. I must warn you we had some problems with Lursa. She spaced three of my command staff in an escape attempt. We were able to stop her by dealing with the Pilot." Jack smmiled thinly, knowing he had to make a good impression for this ruse to work. "Yes we observed the damage to the control collar." Crais gave him a long look, as though trying to size him up.
As if reading Ulric's mind, Jack stopped abruptly. "Commander Selton! That is quite enough. I believe you have work to do. Dismissed!" Jack turned to Crais. "I must apologize, obviously he is happy to see you. But I demand a certain amount of self-control from my officers." Ulric left the two men. He headed for the ion backwash chamber that was directly below Pilot's Den. "Understood, Captain. He and my brother were close." Crais let his eyes fall to the floor, trying to hide the emotions that welled up at the mention of Tauvo and Jack found himself surprised by the obvious tenderness this man displayed towards Ulric. When he had pushed the unwanted feelings back down, Crais looked up and met Jack's gaze. "I like a commander who operates his ship by the book." He said dryly. Pilot's Den As formally as he could, he presented the Pilot. "Captain Crais this our Pilot." Crais moved up to the console. "Hello Pilot, I hope you are recovering quickly." Pilot looked towards Jack, and Jack's heart skipped a beat. The poor thing is scared. "Tha...Thank you Captain Crais. It will not happen again." "No, I'm sure of that, at least not while Captain Delin is on board." He smiled icily. "Pilot, I need some information." "Certainly Captain Crais, what knowledge we have is yours." Pilot bowed her head. Ulric listened through the open com from the tier below. He moved closer. "Pilot I need the location of a missing Leviathan. I want to know if you have heard her songs." "What I don't...understa..." She looked to Jack. "Silence!" Crais exploded. "We know that Leviathans can communicate over great distances. Do not insult my intelligence." He glared at Pilot. "If I do not get what I am looking for we will leave this vessel, cut Lursa's higher brain functions and unleash the Command Carrier's Frag Cannons on you!" He moved closer. "Do you understand?" "Yes!", She stuttered, "Yes. We understand! What is his or her name?" The word rolled of Crais tongue. "Moya." Jack felt as if he had been hit in the stomach. He fought to retain some semblance of control. Ulric who had been listening in the chamber below Pilot's den sprang into action. He sent the message to Lursa. Lie! Give a false location! I will not let him hurt you! A wall of emotion hit him. Fear! Blind fear poured though him like lightening. It took all his strength to break his link. He fell back against the wall and he patted it gently. "It's okay Lursa, I will not leave you, it will be okay." He promised, as he became aware of blood pouring from his nose. Pilot received the information from Lursa with the added knowledge that this was a ruse sent by Ulric. "The last location was 758 by 388 by 006. Is that useful to you Commander Crais." "Yes Pilot, thank you! You have cut my search down significantly." Jack walked toward Crais "How does Lursa know where another Leviathan is? "Captain they know more than you could ever imagine." He turned to leave, then stopped and turned back to look at Jack. "Or maybe you can?" Something is wrong; there is something about this man. But just what it is ... Jack escorted Crais back to the shuttle where his men were waiting. "Captain Crais, I must ask. What is so important about that Leviathan?" Crais turned, the hatred in his eyes was almost tangible. "My brother was murdered by a being that is hiding on that Leviathan." Saying it won't make it true! You made him be a fighter pilot. It's your fault he's dead. He studied Jack's features again. "I'm sorry Captain. I know what it's like to lose a family member. "He will be avenged" You are mad! It's your fault that Tauvo is dead. What sort of being?" Jack stared into Crais's eyes. Steady Jack, don't lose it now. "What business is that of yours?" He asked angrily, his eyes narrowing. "If there is any connection between Lursa's attempted escape and your prey, I need to know. Under Article 009 of the Deca, I am entitled to any information that affects my vessel or crew." Jack replied, his own anger beginning to burn. "Point taken Captain. You have nothing to worry about. I assure you, there is no connection between you and your Leviathan and Crichton and his Leviathan." He smiled. "I would like you to join Commander Selton and me for dinner tonight Captain." He said it! Jack's heart stopped. He didn't know how to react. Quick Jack, say something; do something; don't just stand there! His mind raced. "What's a Crichton?" He blurted out quickly, as if the speed of its exit would drain all emotion from his voice. Crais looked at Jack and smiled. "No - that's his name, not his species. He is something new to us. There are no Peacekeeper records of his kind. He is a weak, pathetic, inferior being. Nothing at all to worry about. I will see you this evening at 17 mark." Without another word, he turned and disappeared into his shuttle. "Yes Captain, we will be there." Jack replied to his visitor's retreating back. That weak, pathetic and inferior being helped destroy the Mordin. One of your most powerful fortresses! Jack's smile widened as a warm sensation coursed though him. He walked through the large pressure doors at the end of the Docking Bay. They closed behind him and he fell to his knees and screamed aloud. "He's aliiiiiiiive!" He was somewhere between laughing and crying when Ulric found him. "What's going on!" Ulric was obviously confused. Jack looked up at him, grinning from ear to ear. "John's alive!" He said joyfully as tears rolled down his cheeks. He sobered up when he noticed the dried blood on Ulric's face and he asked with genuine concern, "What happened to you?" "I don't know. I think Lursa tried a little too hard to communicate with me." He pulled Jack up from the floor. "That's great news Jack, but we have to get ready for dinner." "Pilot!" Jack called. "Yes Captain Delin?" Pilot's image projected on the clam shell viewer. "Thank you Pilot! You were very convincing! Please thank Lursa for me as well." |
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He snapped, trying to sound as
authoritative and annoyed as possible.
"Captain Delin you are being hailed. It's fleet
Captain Crais," Pilot said with a nervous tone.
The three men walked down the tier seven towards the Pilot
den. "You should have seen it. Captain Delin walked up to the Pilot and warned
her once to cease the escape attempt, then unloaded his pulse rifle into her
shoulder." Ulric endeavored to instill enthusiasm into his voice as he relayed
to Crais the violence of 'Delin's' act. Come on Jack! I am stepping on your
toes, get rid of me! A real Peacekeeper Captain would not allow such out
burst!