Chapter 135

THE RETREAT

After the introductions, Bobby and Sandra resumed their seats beside the healing chamber. Diana was soon seated with them and carrying on a quiet conversation. When Jeff stepped over to his Queen, she reached to take his hand. "I'm going to sit with them while they wait for the chamber to finish with their mate," she told her husband.

Turning to Laura, Diana continued, "Send us a plate back when you eat, please, Love."

"Sure," Laura responded.

Laura didn't ask the nurses what they would like to eat. Jeff almost made a comment, but managed to clamp his mouth shut just in time to keep from embarrassing himself when he suddenly realized that this was Laura. She would send some of everything, most probably, and the food would be beautifully presented as well.

Jeff watched Selina quietly withdraw and start down one of the passageways. He touched the Ship's mind for a moment, but made no effort to say anything to the six-year-old.

He caught Diana's eye for an instant before walking a little way away. When his Queen came to him, he said, quietly, "Baby, we have a ... tradition in the unit. After a true combat mission and our safe return, we have a steak and egg breakfast — no matter what time of day. It started a long time ago, and..."

"You're afraid to break with tradition because your luck might turn," Diana completed for him.

Jeff let out a quiet sigh. "I ... yeah. We've never voiced it, but I imagine all of us feel that way. We also use the time for our after-incident debriefing. It's all a way for us to wind down, and also review the things we did right, and ... the things we screwed up on, while everything is fresh on our minds."

Diana reached up and put a hand on either side of her husband's face. "I was looking forward to breakfast with my husband where you could share everything that happened, but ... I understand. We'll wait until you get back, but understand this, Husband, all of your wives are frantic to know what happened. You can't just run out in the middle of the night to save a group of FBI agents, then return home like nothing happened. You have no idea how afraid we were for you two."

"I'm sorry, Baby. It was something that had to be done."

"Kayla is going with you, I suppose?" she asked.

"Yeah, Babe. And I'm proud of her. She did well — very well indeed for a first combat mission, particularly with no more combat training than she has had. The Sergeant made a point of inviting her to our breakfast. She isn't actually a part of the unit, of course, but she fought with us today. There doesn't seem to be any resentment to her being with us this morning."

Diana pulled his face down and kissed him hard. Turning, she walked over to Kayla, who was standing back to give the Queen time with their husband. Taking Kayla's face in her hands, Diana kissed her sister-wife every bit as hard as she had Jeff, although the duration was much shorter. "We were scared out of our minds for you," she whispered in Kayla's ear.

The Queen stepped back. "Now, you two go do your thing, but please return as soon as you can. We're dying to hear about what happened."

Jeff ushered Kayla in front of him as they walked through the hatch. She grabbed Jeff's arm, snuggling to him as they penetrated the forcefield and hit the cold, but the all-weather uniform quickly adjusted. At the bottom of the ramp, they waited, helmets in hand, as one of Security's Escalades came toward them and stopped. A security trooper jumped out and opened one of the back doors for the Colonel and Lieutenant.

"You sure you want me to be part of this?" Kayla quietly asked as she and Jeff slid into the second seat. The driver turned the vehicle around and started for the Ski Lodge. "I know this is tradition," she continued, "but I'm not a member of the unit and..."

"The Sergeant said the team asked him to invite you. You fought with them, and they respect that. You killed one of the mercenaries, which I doubt anyone on the team expected. Gomez wouldn't have invited you unless everyone wanted you to be there — everyone. So relax. But remember, they'll hassle you — probably not as much as they would if you weren't my wife, but then again, I can't guarantee that, either. They might hassle you more because of it. Oh, and there is no rank at the breakfast table or the debriefing. Everyone is free to give his or her opinion without the worry of repercussions later. If I, or the Sergeant or the Lieutenant, did something that any of the troopers think was wrong, he or she is free to air it — without later repercussions. As you well know, we normally adhere strictly to rank, but that's not the case at this breakfast. This is one of the reasons we have become the team we are. I suspect that each of us has improved because of these debriefings.

"Two years ago when I was shot by that sniper, Lieutenant Richardson had just become part of the unit. He was good or he wouldn't have been there, of course, but he was new to the unit. I am alive because he had sense enough to use his Sergeant's expertise. Now Richardson has a number of missions under his belt and he's a vital member of the team. Unfortunately, my promotion moved me further away from them. The General thinks a Colonel has no business running a team. That's Richardson's job now as far as Whitworth is concerned, but ... I command the ship, so I had to be there with them, at least on this mission. We'll work things out in the future. I know that Whitworth didn't want me to be part of the rescue last night, but the team needed to be there in a hurry. The only way to do that was by using the Ship. So I had to go whether Whitworth liked it or not.

"And before you ask, we eventually had our debriefing breakfast after we returned from the mission where we found the Ship and I got trashed by that sniper. I fucked up and stupidly — arrogantly — got my ass shot, and ... that's a debriefing I hope to forget. I made a rookie mistake and assumed I was out of range. That stupid mistake damn near got me killed — would have but for Sergeant Gomez and his quick thinking. To say that they rode my ass at that debriefing would be an understatement — despite my having brought them home on the Ship. They had no mercy, and I deserved everything they said. I knew better, but I fucked up. That not only got me shot, but endangered the mission as well as the team."

"Now I'm more worried than ever," Kayla admitted, her voice tense.

Jeff chuckled and squeezed her hand. "They won't hold you to the same standard — yet. Besides you handled yourself just fine. You did exactly what you were ordered to do, and you did it well. What they will be doing to you will only be kidding, and trust me, you will be able to tell the difference."

Kayla turned to stare at her mate and said, "Jeff, I don't deserve to be part of this group, and I especially don't deserve to eat this meal with them. I was scared to death. On the radio, while we were fighting, they seemed to be almost ... casual about what was going on. Their voices were very ... clear and precise. Even I could tell they worked together like a machine. I did what I could, but I felt so damn inadequate."

"Time, training and experience. You picked up a touch of experience last night. They have an abundance of all three. Experience comes one year at a time for all of us. You can't rush it, no matter how hard you try. The team has been together so long, have fought so many battles together, that they think almost as one. Besides, anyone who goes into a firefight not at least a little scared, is a damn fool."

A few minutes earlier.

Selina knew that Jeff had seen her, but the Queen had not because her back had been turned. The two new women — Bobby and Sandra — had eyes only for whoever was beneath the forcefield in the healing chamber. Selina was intrigued by the chambers, but it was obvious she would learn little about them at this time. This was her chance to slip away and explore the Ship.

When the Prime had looked up, Selina froze for a second as she stood in the passageway, but he said nothing to her. She saw the Prime and the Queen move away from the others to converse for a moment. Still, he did not call her back, and apparently he said nothing about her to the Queen. They kissed as Selina walked casually around a turn in the passageway.

After Jeff and Kayla had left, Diana had sat back down with Sandra and Bobby. As they conversed, the Queen glanced down the passageway and smiled to herself. She had seen her mate's eyes shift to the passageway, and she had suddenly known that Selina was sneaking away. If Diana had been asked how she knew exactly, she wouldn't have been able to specifically relate her reasoning, but years with her mate, his subtle mannerism as he glanced down the passageway, his body language, Selina's absence, plus a mother's awareness, all combined to tell her things that Selina didn't notice.

Selina was almost certain the Ship had more than one level, even though she had not ever been able to actually see the Ship. It just felt as if it did. Not it, she told herself. She had several levels. The Prime called the Ship, "Her."

Selina had expected Jeff to call her back when he saw her start down the passageway, but he had not. With few exceptions, she had been treated as an adult by the Prime, his Queen and the others at the Retreat. Odd that my parents now call every day. I have conversed with them more in the last few days than I did in months when I lived at home. It is apparent that my Queen and my teacher have entered into dialogue with my parents. I am well pleased to note the alteration in my parent's side of conversations with me. Indeed, we have had several actual conversations, instead of adults addressing a six-year-old. Perhaps I used the incorrect strategy with them as I endeavored to project a child persona. But I did not wish to be enrolled in some school for "gifted" children. I preferred to pursue a curriculum of my own choosing. But that has changed somewhat now that I attend classes directed by a true genius.

Doctor Boswell is an extremely interesting person. She is obviously ... amused by me — and also amused by my efforts to test her knowledge. Never before have I interacted with anyone who can discuss in detail any subject I wish to explore. I have met my equal, only ... that is not entirely correct, either. She has had years to study, and I have had but a very few. With a mental sigh, No I have not met my equal. She has had time to accumulate a truly vast amount of knowledge. It will require many, many years of study to become her equal — if I ever do.

Then there are Arlene and Ann. Why did Ann call herself Arlene's handmaiden? I shall have to inquire in regard to that. Arlene isn't a genius, but she is exceedingly intelligent, and Ann is as well. Arlene has related the story of being healed on the Ship, yet she has said nothing about exploring it. Arlene is inquisitive in class, sometimes apparently even stressing Doctor Boswell to some extent with the detailed explanations that Arlene expects. She has vast intellectual curiosity, yet, she did not mention her explorations of the Ship when she was here before. Is it possible she did not explore? If she did not, then what is the explanation for that?

After turning left off the main corridor, Selina had waited just around the first corner in case the Prime or Queen would call out to her, but they had not. This should be a cross corridor since the main corridor in this direction would logically parallel the side of the ship. Odd. The central passageway seems far too long, however. She looked behind her, then stopped and turned to stare. There was now a passageway that turned right off the main corridor. That was a blank wall before. I am almost certain it was. The main corridor I began in was not very far from the entrance doorway, perhaps twenty feet. The main corridor appeared to parallel the side of the Ship, but this right side cross corridor appears to be at least one hundred yards in length, and that might be a low estimate, since I cannot see the end. That would mean that this corridor extends almost to the Retreat, but that is impossible since it would then have to extend well beyond the boundary of the Ship.

Standing a short way into the cross corridor, the genius stood looking first one way then the other. I must proceed with due caution and certainty regarding my route, and ... my return route. It would appear that the physical laws I am familiar with due not exist in the same context here. She turned to look down the right corridor again. Upon reflection, I am now positive that the right corridor did not exist when I turned left off the main corridor.

As Selina turned to continue down her chosen passageway, she again stopped to stare at an open doorway. That doorway did not exist a moment ago. Will it close up — cease to be — and trap me if I enter? The Prime saw me leave. If I could be easily injured, he would have stopped me, or at least cautioned me. He did neither. He has said the Ship is intelligent; therefore, either he expects the Ship to keep me from harm, or there is no danger to me, or a very little possibility of my being injured. I shall proceed.

Selina stepped through the doorway and into a room with a tall, domed ceiling. As she stood looking upward, she estimated that the center of the dome would have to be at least forty feet, sloping down to sides of approximately fifteen feet. There were large objects all about the huge room. The walkways between the objects were jumbled, seemingly almost random, some wide, some narrow, some straight, some winding through the ... objects that seemed to be everywhere. Some of the objects extended upwards at least halfway to the center of the dome. As she walked nearer, she realized that she was having difficulty focusing on any of the objects.

Are they some type of machine, or machines? I shall think of them as machines. Some of the machines look as if they have been melted, their surfaces sloped in odd directions. No, melted is incorrect. It is as if I am looking through some type of warped mirror similar to what you might incur in a funhouse such as is portrayed on television.

Selina put a hand out to tentatively touch the nearest object that towered above her. Much to her astonishment, her hand did not touch the object (machine), but instead, seemed to slide to the side, with her brain receiving no signals that she had touched anything. She tried again with no result other than her hand sliding to the side. Frustrated, she put both hands side by side in front of her and tried to push against the machine. Her hands skittered away and she almost fell before she could catch her balance.

She whirled around to look behind her. I thought I heard laughter. There is an odd ... feel about this room, but there is no one here to laugh at me. I refuse to be frightened, she repeatedly told herself.

She put her face as close to the surface of the machine as she could manage, then tried to put her hand flat against the surface close to her eyes. As far as she could determine, her hand appeared to touch the machine, but she felt nothing and she saw no discernable area between her hand and the surface of the machine. Hmmm. My hand appears to touch the surface, but I feel nothing. If there is an area between my hand and the machine, it is so minuscule that I am unable to detect the gap. Hmmm, a small light shined from the side could conceivably allow me to see the area beneath my hand. I shall bring a flashlight, or a small keychain laser with me the next time I visit the Ship.

Selina tried slapping her hand against the surface, but her hand was turned to the side without a sensation of hitting anything. Is there a forcefield of some type surrounding the machine? When the entrance to the ship is open, there is some type of field to keep out the cold. Kayla mentioned that they fought during a storm, but I saw no sign of wet or muddy uniforms.