Chapter 6

We emerged from jump into the middle of a battle. I straightened, “Battle screen and shields!”

I switched to targeting and began firing into Kullian Reapers with dozens of torps before adding lances and then the targeting further out came on and I started destroying ships a light hour away and further into the system.

The comm flickered, “Night Scream this is Grendal. Head in, we have several Reapers that have broken through and are closing with the planet.”

I turned the ship and accelerated to full power, “Target all Kullian ships Allie, use a preplot on a straight in course.”

I wove through the fight and a few seconds later Allie turned, “Targeted.”

I fired and all sixty torps fired with the lances and the phase transmitter. Ships shattered and exploded as I put us in stealth and continued to fire, “Look for Death Stalkers Ginger.”

She was staring intently at a display and glanced back, “I may have something.”

I transferred her display to one of mine and nodded as I added it to my targeting list. A moment later an explosion from a phase transmitter ripped a Death Stalker in half. It was between us and the Reapers and I knew if there was one there would be more, “Keep looking.”

I destroyed three more before the Reapers were in range and I ripped them apart. I kept going and found another two Death Stalkers that I destroyed. The battle at the jump point was over with the few Kullian still capable jumping out. I sat back as I slowed the ship, “Contact Miros orbital control Allie.”

This time we had an escort of corvettes when we came out of stealth. When I pulled onto grav pad I saw the vehicles waiting. I glanced at Ginger and Allie, “Anyone talking on the comm?”

Allie shook her head, “Nothing.”

I finished shutting down and looked at Ginger, “Do we have to report or...”

She grinned, “I will call dad and see what they have.”

I glanced at the screen I had kept up to watch the vehicles and smiled, “I see mom is here.”

Allie stood, “Good I want to speak to her.”

I watched her walk out and grinned as Ginger laughed and stood to follow. I opened the shield and the two screens by the airlock before standing. I headed for the airlock and caught Allie around the waist as mom, prince David and admiral Davis walked in.

Mom walked straight to Allie and held her at arms length, “You look a little different but I would still recognize you.”

She hugged Allie before looking at me as she stepped back, “As for you, you could not wait to get her pregnant?”

I grinned, “I am just her husband, why would I have a say in that?”

Allie grinned as Ginger snickered on her way to the hatch, “Men should not decide important issues like having a baby.”

Mom grinned as prince David and the admiral laughed. I waited until Ginger was clear of the screens before ordering the computer to close them. I led the way back to the galley and let Allie work the synthesizer for tea and coffee as I looked at admiral Davis, “You needed to speak with me?”

He nodded and gestured, “How about a walk.”

I nodded and started walking with him towards the hydroponics section, “More demands for my ship’s technology?”

He nodded, “The emperor is getting a lot of grief from the opposition for not taking your ship when he had the chance.”

I smiled, “He never had the chance.”

The admiral nodded, “The idiots do not understand that.”

I stopped to pick a flower and smell it while I thought, “If I provided the technology, Talis would have it before a month was out.”

He sighed, “Something else they do not grasp.”

I nodded and smiled, “I think I need to go straight to Talis before visiting the Kull home world.”

He looked at me, “They would have several fleets protecting it.”

I smiled, “I will work around the edge until I have their fleets down to something manageable.”

I turned to lead him back to the galley, “Lunch?”

He smiled but shook his head, “I have a few meetings.”

I nodded and looked at mom and the prince, “I will need to request a few things before we leave.”

The admiral smiled, “I believe commander Mathis will take care of it.”

I walked him back to the hatch and waited before closing the shield and screens behind him. I walked into the galley as Allie was putting a small lunch on the table. Mom took my hand as I sat, “Do you know if it will be a boy or girl?”

I smiled as I looked at Allie, “Not yet.”

Mom grinned as David laughed and reached for the soup. Something had changed in the way mom spoke to me and I was not sure what it was. I had Allie make a list of basic things we needed and send it to Commander Mathis. I slept lightly as I held her and thought about what admiral Davis and I had talked about.

There was still a lot of vehicles around our pad and I knew the emperor’s opposition council would try something. I got up finally and got dressed as Allie shifted in the bed. I checked and Ginger was back and in her room. I sipped tea as I went to the bridge and brought the ship off standby.

I checked our status before lifting the ship on her anti gravs. I turned and moved off the pads as calls started to come in. When I was clear I contacted Capital control, “Capital control, this is Night Scream. We will be leaving and moving to low orbit to maintain operational security.”

“Night Scream you are not cleared to depart.”

I smiled as I switched on the stealth systems and continued moving. I brought the scans alive and watched as a few ships took off or landed. I moved through the pattern and accelerated before lifting. As we rose out of the atmosphere I changed course and glanced at Allie as she sat in her chair, “You did not wake me.”

I smiled and rechecked the planned orbit and relaxed, “You need rest for the baby.”

She looked at me before sitting back, “I like it better with you.”

I smiled as I slowed and settled into a parking orbit over the port. I set the controls before standing and holding out my hand, “I will lay with you.”

I woke to the intercom and glanced at Allie sleeping half on me. I shifted carefully before moving off the bed and going to answer Ginger’s call, “Yes?”

“We are in orbit? Everyone is screaming.”

I smiled, “It avoided me having to tell them they could not have the technology or my ship.”

“Come to the dinning area.”

I glanced at Allie as she shifted, “When Allie is up.”

I shut off the intercom and walked to the bed as Allie opened her eyes. She smiled and sat up and I helped her out of bed. After a trip to the fresher and getting dressed we went to eat. Ginger would not look at me as I selected our breakfast and sat beside Allie, “You are on my ship. What you see here is classified and giving it to your government would be an act of betrayal as well as cause for war.”

She looked at me and I returned her look, “I came to help, not to be a victim. Now you can continue to be a Ranger and help me or I can take my ship home.”

She sighed, “The Rangers are caught in the middle, especially now that the Kull have attacked Miros itself.”