Chapter 23: Rescue

Can you retrieve Aesia's ship, Cassiopeia?

No, Tristan, the ship has too much mass for a long-range transport.

Are any life signs on board?

Yes, four Siccieans.

Is one Aesia?

I'm sorry, I can't tell the difference.

Um... Tristan's face started to burn. There should be Guardian DNA present.

How? ... Oh! One moment. No there is no Guardian DNA.

Then set the self-destruct. We can't afford that technology falling into the wrong hands.

Yes, Guardian, self-destruct is activated.

As soon as my ship is in range activate the transport please.

Several hours later after cursing the slowness of the black ship and pacing the deck in frustration, Tristan's stomach lurched. Bright lights of the AI hanger replaced the blackness of space.

He opened the ship's air lock and ran to the living quarters.

Cassiopeia sat playing with Tristain in the lounge. When he appeared, Tristain stood, and ran to him throwing her arms round his legs.

"You are going to get Mummy, aren't you?"

Tristan lifted her up "Yes of course, but first can you tell me what happened?"

She sat back in his arms and blinked back fresh tears. "A ship caught Mummy by surprise and she couldn't do anything to stop them. Mummy thought they had been hiding nearby. They forced their way on board. The next thing I was here with Cassiopeia."

Tristan turned to Cassiopeia. "Can you tell me where they've gone?"

Cassiopeia shook her head. "Not with any certainty. They are somewhere in this area." A hologram of the asteroid field appeared in front of them.

Tristan looked closely. His heart suddenly jumped in his chest. "I recognise that area! The Sicceians constructed a military outpost on that large asteroid as a staging post for the invasion of Mylia. It had been deserted since they were defeated four years ago. I wonder if they planned on using it again?" He had an idea. "Cassiopeia, can you detect the damping field?"

Cassiopeia went silent for a moment. "I've plotted the extent of the field, and it centres on the old Sicceian base."

Tristan thought for a moment. "Connect to the Mylian defence computers and obtain a plan of the base." Cassiopeia complied. Moments later, a hologram of the base appeared where the asteroid belt had been. Tristan remembered exploring it. "There are some store rooms on the edge of the complex with corridors leading to the main areas. Do you think you could get me in there past the damping field, Cassiopeia?"

"I can get you in, but you are on your own unless you can disable the field."

Tristan wondered what the stragglers were doing on the asteroid after their fleet had been destroyed; the sensible thing would have been to turn and run. Even fanatics must see they couldn't achieve anything with one or two ships.

Tristan took a deep breath. "I will need the maximum amount of air for my battle armour, two hand lasers and a laser rifle. I will also need two additional hand laser power packs." Cassiopeia produced everything Tristan requested. He buckled on his battle armour belt and strapped the two hand lasers to his legs.

"Activate the armour, Tristan, so I can run through the modifications with you."

With the armour fully extended, Cassiopeia showed him the modifications she had made to the armour. The left gauntlet included a manual control panel. The sensor and status displays were now physically projected into his left eye by a small lens clipped over his forehead instead of via the telepathic link.

He tried the manual de-activation. The armour folded into the belt, but the gauntlet wristband with the control panel and the sensor display on his forehead remained in place. He reactivated the suit using the manual control.

"That's perfect Cassiopeia."

"Unfortunately, the heavy weapon targeting system is not as efficient. Please remember that Tristan."

He nodded "OK I'll remember." He checked the air supply. He had two hours; the maximum the air tanks could hold. The laser rifle had a full charge with a spare power pack clipped underneath the stock. He was as ready as he would ever be.

Tristain stood, a serious expression on her face. "Punish them for taking Mummy."

Tristan patted her on the head. "I will. Now, you be a good girl for Cassiopeia. OK Cassiopeia, time for me to go." As soon as he had finished speaking the familiar lurch made him wince.

He stood in pitch black. He checked the optical helmet head-up display. There were no life forms nearby so he switched on the suit light at low intensity. He had shielded his mind for protection when he arrived, so first he needed to test the strength of the field. He tried a command to the armour suit. Normally, the sensation would be no different to thinking. As soon as he attempted the telepathic connection his thoughts slowed, his mind caught as if he were swimming in thick treacle. His thinking became laboured and slow. The slowness of his thought process had a physical effect as well. He lost his balance and almost dropped the rifle he was holding.

He shut off his telepathic ability before he fell over. Standing still he waited while his balance returned. "Phew." He let out a whistling breath through pursed lips. That's a bastard! Right I have to do this the old fashioned way. He took stock of his position. As long as he maintained his telepathic shield there would be no problem, but for once he had no advantage over the Sicceians. He had become blasé facing them in battle, here he must be on his guard and extra careful.

Cassiopeia had placed him in an empty storage building with large double doors at one end. The environmental read-outs showed the room to be pressurized. The Sicceians must be re-commissioning the base. Something was going on, and after he had located Aesia he decided they should find out what.

Tristan moved to the doors and checked his sensors. The life sign indication remained blank so he released the catch. The doors slid open, and he stepped out into a dimly lit corridor. The doors closed with a hiss behind him.

He moved down the corridor until he came to a junction. Left would take him to the main base complex. The suit sensors showed that area to be crowded. Right, the corridor ended in an airlock. Tristan turned right. He needed to see outside. The number of ships would give him a clue as to how many Sicceians might be on the base. He could also move around outside with less chance of discovery. He cycled the airlock and stepped out onto the surface.

The distant sun was low on the horizon and cast long shadows through the jagged terrain. Other asteroids in the far distance shone from the reflected sunlight like faint uneven moons. He staggered, compensating for the sudden gravitational change. Outside the building, the artificial gravity field ended. The mass of the asteroid was sufficient for only a weak attraction. He had to be careful, any sudden movement and he would fly off into space.

Two Sicceian cruisers and a battleship sat on the cleared landing field. He crept towards the parked ships, keeping to the shadows. As usual, the Sicceians had failed to station guards. No perceived threat, no guards. Don't these idiots ever learn! Tristan smiled at their incompetence.

As he rounded a jagged outcrop, he saw lights and activity around a large pit. A tripod gantry with a stack of doughnut like structures fixed to the centre stood over the pit. Cables as thick as his arms ran from the gantry to a squat concrete structure built against a low cliff. Suited Sicceians were all over the construction as well as working in the pit. "Wow, you lot have been busy!" The amount of construction suggested to Tristan the Sicceians had been working on the asteroid for several weeks. An advance party must have arrived undetected well before the fleet.

Tristan moved away from the pit towards the nearest cruiser. The ramp was down, and no one stood guard at the top. Keeping to the shadows, he worked his way round to the side of the ramp. Before stepping out of the darkness onto the access ramp, he checked the sensors for any sign of life nearby. Other than a skeleton crew in the Cruiser, the landing area was deserted. At the top of the ramp, he found himself in the ship's docking bay. Two small shuttles were parked on the deck. He walked around the nearest shuttle, keeping close to the bay wall. The airlock in the centre of the rear bulkhead gaped open to the vacuum of space.

He peered round the edge of the door. Only the inner lock was sealed. Tristan clicked his tongue. Such sloppiness would not be tolerated on any of his ships. Although the airlock had been left half open, as soon as it cycled an indicator would show on the bridge.

Adjacent to the airlock he found a computer terminal. Tristan connected his suit computer to the terminal interface. His head-up display acted as a monitor. He searched the ship's log. Concentrating on the last two days, he located a record of capturing a Sicceian in a black ship. Tristan held his breath as he moved to the next entry. Aesia had been taken prisoner on this very ship and was scheduled for more questioning and then execution as a traitor. The log even detailed the cell number and level. He let out his breath in a slow whistle. He did not have to search the base for her. All he had to do was get through the airlock without being detected. His mind raced. There had to be some way in without alerting the crew. Blast this damping field. Without it things would be easy!