"Valerie, ARE YOU NUTS?" came a voice over the comm. It was Miri on the Excalibur.
"You WILL NOT surrender yourself, 'cause I owe you an ass kicking!"

 
by Lisa Caitlin Grey

 

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This story is dedicated to my beloved friend and soul mate who passed away in November of 2002. Dana, I will always miss you terribly.
 
Part 10: Homecoming
 
Chapter 33
 
 
Once again we stood in the docking bay of Talia's ship. She had taken us to the edge of Drandian space and had provided us with nav data for the heretofore-unexplored region of space bordering the human sphere. This, it was hoped, would allow us to make contact with the fringe colonies and hammer out an agreement with them.

Talia was once again holding little Brock, who was clutching her possessively. He seemed intent on not letting her go. She nuzzled his neck again affectionately.

"I am sorry, little one, but you must go with your parents," she explained to him. "They have big important things to do and they cannot stay any longer. Perhaps when things have been resolved you can come visit me again."

"I don't wanna go, Auntie Tally," Brock said tearfully.

"I know little one," she purred. "I can feel your pain. But your place is with your parents. They love you very much and they need you to be brave for them."

"Okay, Auntie Tally," Brock said, wiping tears from his eyes. "I love you, Auntie Tally."

"I love you too, little one," Talia said tenderly. "Good journeys to you until we meet again."

He reluctantly let go of her and let Miri take him. The others had already said their good-byes and disappeared down the umbilical. I smiled, with just a hint of sadness. What was happening here was very special, given it was basically the first human interaction with an alien race. Talia turned to me.

"Good journeys to you as well, Valerie Callaway," She said, offering her hands in the Drandian form of a handshake. "I hope the beginnings of what has been forged between our two peoples blossoms into a great alliance when your people are ready for it."

"Thank you, Talia," I said taking her hands. "I'm profoundly in your debt for the hospitality that you and your people have shown us. I hope someday to be worthy of it."

"Just take care of that young one and teach him the admirable qualities you have shown time and time again," she said, smiling. "That will be enough."

I dropped her hands and gave her a hug that, at first, surprised her but then she returned with crushing enthusiasm, reminding me that I was still pretty beat up and not quite healed yet. Miri handed me little Brock after I released Talia and followed suit.

"Farewell, my friends," Talia called after us down the umbilical with...was that a tear in her eye?

We undocked with the Drandian vessel and made ready for our jump out of Drandian space. A month later, we arrived at the appointed place where we were to meet with the Fringe Colony Resistance Movement leadership. We spent a month there as Samsual Keller shined in his role as diplomat.

The Resistance had heard of our exploits and were greatly impressed with the agreement we had struck with the Drandians. Still, they were reluctant to commit too heavily to the defense of the Zone. However, it was decided that they would provide us with raw material and labor to begin building a fleet to take the battle to the TSN. In return, we would provide them with nextgen warships that would be crewed by their people.

To protect their investment, they surprised us with one of their greatest coups. They had a whole TSN Dreadnought, the Excalibur, defect to them after the crew successfully mutinied. They sent the Dreadnought to escort us since the TSN was out for our blood, and, in return for this protection, we agreed to retrofit the Dreadnought with some of the new improvements we planned.

During the return trip to the Zone, Sam traveled on the Dreadnought, preferring a ship more spacious if not more luxurious. That worked for us since we could give Brock his own cabin and Miri and I could get some much-needed alone time. It would also make things more comfortable for us, I realized. We had never fully accepted Sam into our crew because he didn't share the bonds the boys, Miri and I had developed in the TSN. He was basically a burden, someone we had to take care of if things went sour.

Our return voyage to the Zone was surprisingly uneventful given that we were the most hunted ship in the history of the TSN. That’s not to say we didn't run into any TSN ships, but they were mostly picket ships and faded away as soon as they sighted us. The few large ships we encountered declined to engage both the Duality Too and the Excalibur at the same time. They likewise faded back.

By the time we reached the last jump without any concerted resistance, I was sure that the next jump would have a nasty surprise waiting for us, courtesy of the TSN. I called a conference with the officers of the Excalibur. It was decided to hold it on board the Dreadnought, so I utilized the capability of the Duality Class corvette that made her so versatile. I docked her in the fighter bay of the dreadnought and we joined the officers in the planning room.

"It's clear to me," I addressed the assembled officers, "that the TSN is planning something. We didn't come this far unchallenged for them to just let us waltz right home."

"Maybe they will," the Excalibur's engineering officer commented. "Maybe they have more important things to worry about than one small ship of outlaws, no matter how badly they are wanted."

"It could be that they are gathering their forces to mount an offensive against the Resistance, or even to invade the Zone," the Tactical officer theorized.

"Unlikely," I said. "They have been monitoring us for sometime now, and in spite of our round about course, they know very well where we are headed. I don't think they fully recognize the threat we present to the Terran government due to the Drandian assistance, but they must figure that we have struck a deal with the Resistance, and they will be keen to stop that from bearing fruit."

"Also the chance to eliminate or recapture a plum like the Excalibur would be a real feather in some task force commander's cap," Brian observed. "No, I think Valerie is right. We are way too high profile for the TSN to ignore us."

"So, assuming you're right, Captain Callaway, and the next jump dumps us into a shit storm," Captain Evan Russell asked, "what do we do about it?

I grinned wryly at him. He was a good officer and just the type that I liked to have at my back when things got dicey. He was also real cute, in a rugged cowboy sort of way. Where did that come from? Sheesh, I must be getting daft or something.

"Well, first we have to consider their options. Put ourselves in their position," I said. "They could mass their ships around the hyperspace exit point, in which case we are toast, but that assumes they know for sure which exit point we will use. They have probably surmised that we are getting past the Drone guarded point somehow, but they don't know that for sure. IF they do have their ships massed around that point and we go through it we are toast. However, for all they know, we could be using another exit point that they don't know about."

"So we could use another exit point," The tactical officer suggested. "We may have to fight off a few ships but it would be doable with our combined firepower."

"It would also be risky. If one of us took damage, "Miri explained, "whatever task force they have amassed there, and you can bet there is one, would easily catch us and cut us to ribbons."

"Here's what I would do if I were in their place," I suggested. "I would keep my task force of ambushing ships back, perhaps hedging my bets by placing the group closer to the jump point I suspected my opponent would be coming in at. I would set picket ships on all the jump points in the area and maintain constant hyperwave communications with them. I might set smaller delaying forces at some of the more remotely located possibilities to give my main force time to get there and engage, but I wouldn't amass around any one jump point. Too much of a chance that my adversary would have intelligence that would let him jump in at a point too far away for me to catch him."

"That's what I would to as well," Captain Russell agreed, nodding. "So where does that leave us?"

"Nowhere good," I said, "but it does at least give us some room to maneuver. There is a chance that if we jumped in and were able to destroy the picket ship before they could get a message off that would buy us some time to get lost. Then they would have to find us again and wouldn't know how much of a lead we had on them."

"And if they do get a message off?" one of the other officers asked.

"Well, I am betting that they don't have the grand fleet waiting for us," I said with a grin. "They probably have what they feel is overwhelming force, probably a Dreadnought, two heavy cruisers and a few smaller ships. The Dreadnought would be the most dangerous ship, obviously, but the Excalibur has the armor and firepower to trade blows with one. That would leave us to deal with her escorts. Here's what I propose..."

Sometime later we had a plan hammered out that everyone agreed on. It was time for me to bring up a point I had been dreading throughout the meeting.

"Because I give the Excalibur a far better chance to get through this than my lighter ship, if it would be alright with you, Captain Russell," I said, bracing myself for the coming explosion, "I would like to transfer Miri and my son to the Excalibur until we get back into the Zone."

"VALERIE NICOLE CALLAWAY!" Miri detonated right on cue. "If it would be alright with HIM?!? What about if it's alright with ME, because it ISN'T! HOW DARE YOU even think about sending me away from your side when you are about to be in harm's way? If you think I will just let you do this, GUESS AGAIN, MISSY!"

Miri stood there glaring at me, green eyes alight with withering fire. The people around the room blanched and looked as if they were about to duck for cover as I evenly met Miri's gaze. I turned my gaze to Captain Russell and arched an eyebrow inquiringly. He put up his hands indicating that as far as he was concerned this was a family matter and he didn't want to be involved. I couldn't blame him really, with Miri glowering at him like a force of nature.

"Captain Callaway," Russell said diplomatically, "Commander Flowers and your child would be welcome on board the Excalibur, but to be honest, I don't think you have a snowball's chance in hell of getting her," he jerked a thumb at the ash blonde Valkyrie standing a few feet away radiating ire, "to agree to it."

I glanced at Miri who was now grinning smugly, knowing that I couldn't make her stay without the assistance that had just been declined. I turned back and winked at the Captain, then drew my dart gun and shot Miri. The look of betrayal on her face as she collapsed from the tranq dart cut me to my very soul and haunted me for the rest of my days.

"She's all yours, Captain," I said tightly. "I suggest you put her in the brig. She's apt to be a might unpleasant when she wakes up." With that, I spun on my heel and walked quickly back to my ship before I lost control of my emotions.
 
 
Chapter 34
 
 
"Do you think that was such a good idea?" Brian asked me when he caught up to me on board the Duality Too.

"No," I said with a sigh. "It was the worst thing I have ever done in my life. I feel terrible about it, but to keep her and Brock safe I would do it again, every time."

"How much safer do you think they will be riding that big target," Brian said. It was clear he was a bit miffed at me.

"Brian, don't you understand?" I asked. "Our chances of surviving this are about non-existent. Sure, they will be wary of the firepower of the Excalibur, but it's us they will be gunning for. Once they see she is not trying to engage them they will concentrate on us. I plan to make it that way by dealing out as much damage as I can. As long as the Excalibur gets through, we are expendable."

"Okay, I agree that it was a good thing to get Brock on to the Excalibur, but don't you think you should have let Miri decide for herself what to do?" Brian rejoined.

"No, because she would have made a choice from weakness," I said, slumping against the wall. "Her desire to protect me would have made her stay with me, and I can't let our son lose both of us."

"I understand," Brian said, putting his hand on my shoulder. "You know she will never forgive you for this, if by some chance we live through it."

"As long as she's alive by the time it's over she can hate me all she wants to," I said as the dam began to crumble.

Brian felt my shoulder begin to tremble as my control slipped. He spun me around and held me tightly as I cried softly into his chest.

Once I managed to pull myself together, I set about making ready to put our plan into action. The two ships jumped together because we might need the firepower to take out and picket ships on station. We made ready and on the signal, I felt the double jolt.

As soon as we dropped into normal space we began taking incoming fire. We began evasive maneuvers, but as the sensor data began coming in, it was clear the fire was coming from two picket ships mounting heavy lasers. Our Drandian Energy Shield (DES) absorbed the energy and our hull paint wasn't even blistered. The first Picket ship exploded as return fire from the Excalibur gutted it. The second had taken advantage of the initial confusion to send off an encrypted burst before it, too, disintegrated in a cloud of expanding gasses. So much for surprise, but at least our bypass was still working because the drone was as quiet as ever.

"Okay, Captain Russell, I am starting my run," I said. "Let's hope they assume that you were just escorting us this far and leave you be until it's too late."

"Roger that, Valerie. Holding position," Russell said, "Good luck."

As the scope lit up with incoming ships, I firewalled the throttles and headed toward the asteroid field. There were eight contacts in all. It was worse than we thought. There was one dreadnought, which we expected, but it was clear from her escorts that they were loaded for bear. They were two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and three destroyers. As we began to gain speed, the incoming ships vectored to follow me, just like we had planned. They were closing range on me when suddenly the Dreadnought and a heavy and light cruiser flipped and began to burn toward the direction of the Excalibur. "Damn!" I swore, recalling the old adage about battle plans and enemies and the one not surviving contact.

As the remaining attackers closed on us, I flipped the Duality Too to bring her weapons to bear on the incoming ships. Our range was a little greater than theirs so I got the first shot in. I sent the first shot right down the throat of the light cruiser, causing major damage. She slowed a bit but kept on coming. I launched a full spread of nukes at the Heavy and sent another shot into the light cruiser. Then I had to start making evasive maneuvers to dodge the incoming PBC fire. Our missiles failed to hit their mark, but on proximity, detonated and took out the two turret batteries on the lower side of the heavy cruiser. That cut its firepower in half, leaving only the upper batteries. I sent a third shot into the light cruiser and it began to tumble, dead in space and venting atmosphere.

I launched another full spread of missiles at the heavy and the Duality Too took a major hit on the port drive strut. We lost our missile batteries on that side. Our point defenses were constantly firing now as incoming missiles came in one wave after another. The last full spread I had launched found its mark and the heavy cruiser lit up in nuclear fire. That left the three destroyers. Three big slow destroyers with two PBC turrets apiece. Four under-powered PBC's whose effectiveness was further degraded by the fact that our DES absorbed 30 percent of their damage potential. As damaged as we were, they were toast.

As I watched the last Destroyer go dead in space as it out gassed cabin pressure, I called for a damage report from Dan.

"It's not good, Val," Dan said grimly. "We've lost the upper aft point defense turret. Our port missile batteries are gone, and it's a wonder we haven't lost the port secondary drive yet. It won't take too much more stress before it tears away. Our starboard secondary took a hit and is down to 50 percent capacity. Our armor is paper thin in places, but we are holding cabin pressure..." About then an alarm siren went off and my ears popped from pressure loss for a moment before cabin pressure returned. "Correction, we have just lost cabin pressure in the engineering section. Airtight doors are deployed and holding. On the plus side, our main drive is running at 100 percent and we have 100 percent reactor availability, our DES is still on line and in the green, our main gun is online, and our starboard Missile tubes are functional, although we only have one shot per tube left."

"Alright boys," I said. "We still have some fight left in us, let's go see if we can get the rest of the bad guys off the Excalibur. Do we still have stealth mode?"

"Affirmative, Valerie," Dan said.

I firewalled the throttles back the way we had come, praying we weren't too late. We came upon the second light cruiser limping along crippled by the Excalibur's fire. I would have passed her by and left her be, but as we came in range, she began to fire at us. I finished her with a main gun shot to her drives and she quit firing. We soon got the Excalibur's IFF on our scope and I made for it. I gasped as we came into visual range. She was taking a beating. Her fire had been effective though. The enemy dreadnought was down to 25 percent of its full firepower and the other heavy cruiser was trailing atmosphere. One of her turrets appeared to be damaged and useless.

I fired our PBC into her drives and she began to fall back. The Duality Too was still no match for even a damaged dreadnought and one good hit and we would be vapor. The same went for the Excalibur. She was limping, having sustained drive damage, and most of her turrets were destroyed. It was time to negotiate. I opened a channel to the TSN dreadnought.

"TSN dreadnought, this is Valerie Callaway, requesting a cease-fire," I broadcast in the clear.

"Well, well, well, we meet again MISS Callaway," a familiar face said. It was Captain Edmunds and the Aquinas. "Why would I want to cease fire at this point? You are beaten. You can't hope to take out the Aquinas with your little ship, no matter how full of surprises it is."

I looked at my readout and saw that most of the point defense turrets on the port side of the Aquinas were destroyed. I also saw that we were very close to the blockade line, though we had all stopped when I made my transmission.

"Because Captain Edmunds, I still have one ace up my sleeve. I have four nukes left and you have a very vulnerable port side," I explained. "You’re right, I can't trade blows with you, but I can still take you out. However, I can't be sure that I can do it before you take out the Excalibur. Please don't destroy that ship, Captain Edmunds. My life partner and child are aboard her. Here's what I am offering. If you let her go, I will surrender myself and my crew to you as soon as the Excalibur crosses the line and gets out of weapons range."

"You will surrender to me?" Captain Edmunds asked incredulously. "All I have to do is let the Excalibur cross the blockade?"

"Valerie, ARE YOU NUTS?" came a voice over the comm. It was Miri on the Excalibur. "You WILL NOT surrender yourself, 'cause I owe you an ass kicking!"

"Shut up, Miri, I'm doing this to ensure your safety and that of our son," I snapped, "What do you say, Captain? Do we have a deal?"

Miri sputtered and Edmunds looked pensive.

"Okay, Callaway, you have a deal," Edmunds said after a minute.

"I have your word of honor that you will let them go, right?" I asked.

"You have my word of honor, Callaway. They are free to go," Edmunds confirmed. Miri made a strangled gasp.

"Valerie, how dare you leave me after I pulled you ass out of that TSN brig," Miri ranted. "You complete BITCH. I love you, dammit!"

"I know," I told her as the Excalibur began to limp away. "I love you too, both of you, more than life itself. Do right by our son, Miri. Take care of each other, my love." I reached out and touched the view screen where her face was displayed. Tears were flowing from those emerald green eyes for the first time I could remember. She had always been the strong one of the two of us.

Just then a new voice came across the comm.

"This is the TSN light cruiser Raptor," yet another familiar voice said. "Captain Edmunds, you can disregard your deal with the enemy now, I will take care of the enemy dreadnought while you deal with the other scum." It was Kim Li.

"Negative Raptor, I have given my word of honor," Edmunds said. "Hold your fire."

"Your word of honor means nothing to criminals and traitorous mutineers, Captain Edmunds," Kim Li said. "These scum are all wanted by the Terran government and it is our duty to bring them to justice."

"What do you know of justice, Li," Captain Edmunds said acidly. "I am sick and tired of swallowing my honor for the justice of the Terran government. Break off and do not fire. That's an order from a superior officer."

"It's an illegal order and not one I am obligated to follow," Kim said.

"Kim, please, you were our friend," I implored her. "Miri and our child are on that ship. I am begging you, please don’t fire on her."

"All I wanted to be all my life was a naval officer," Kim said sharply. "It's everything to me. It sickens me the way you all threw it away so blithely. Your deviant lifestyle sickens me. I am no friend of yours, pervert."

"Well, you owe your career to a bunch of deviants and perverts," I said bitterly. "You would have washed out of the academy without our help."

"Big deal," Kim dismissed. "I owe you nothing, freak. Prepare to die."

"Don't do this, Li," Edmunds warned her one last time as she crossed into weapons range.

Kim opened fire with a full salvo. The Excalibur took a critical hit on her drive section and her drives went offline. Then something amazing happened. The Aquinas opened fire on Kim's ship and before she could get another shot, the remaining batteries on the Excalibur joined in, along with the Duality Too's PBC. In seconds, the Raptor's reactor went critical and she was incinerated in the ensuing nuclear conflagration.

After a moment's pause as what had just happened sunk in, I said to Captain Edmunds, "Thank you for that, Sir, but now it seems we have a problem."

"Oh?" Edmunds asked with a raised and very bushy eyebrow.

"Yessir," I said. "As per the terms of our deal, I would surrender to you only when the Excalibur crossed the line and got out of gunnery range. Her drives are destroyed and she won't be getting across the line without help."

"So I have noticed, Miss Callaway," Edmunds commented dryly.

"You also have another problem," I said, knowing full well that he was acutely aware of his position. "You have just opened fire on and destroyed a TSN vessel. While you might have gotten away with letting one ship go to capture me, they will execute you for the other."

"Indeed," he said. "So what do you suggest we do about that?"

"Join us, Captain Edmunds," I said. "We can deploy the mooring grapples, lock both ships together and slip them across the line to safety. I'm sure with your experience you will be a valuable asset to the Resistance and the Zone in the coming war. You are a good man, Captain. It's time to take a stand for what's right."

"You make a compelling case, Miz Callaway, but I need to talk to my crew," Edmunds said. "I won't force them into exile with me."

"By all means, Captain," I granted magnanimously, "but don't take too long, or we will be fighting off more TSN ships and at this point I don't think any of us can take much more."

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