Chapter 27

Being able to go to the school and watch the pageant practice brought home the differences for Joyce Jenkins. The play had been a disaster. Lines had been forgotten, a few times the little actors bumped into each other. Oohs and aahs from the observing families punctuated the action.

Joyce had parleyed the school visit into an afternoon off. The midwives wanted her to come into the birthing center to have her check up using the birthing med tube. They claimed it was to familiarize her with the equipment and lower her stress level during the birth. Joyce believed it served as a way to spread gossip faster.

First, she would get to spend an hour or so with Dena, Ben, Kurt, and Karl. Their teacher had released the class after the rehearsal. Joyce shepherded the brood back home. Her three trees and the moon were anxious to jump into the pool.

At first, Joyce was appalled that her kids were inanimate objects. They would have made much better rabbits. How could they ignore them? Then she was shocked a bit, she had accepted the three boys as her own. Bill did build a place she could learn to love again.

"Joyce." Hobson's voice startled her coming from her collar. "Insert the private communication link in your ear canal."

Reaching back on the collar she felt the larger link adhere to her finger. Joyce placed it into her right ear.

"You need to take the children to the rectory and wait there with Father Tomonaga's concubines." Being an AI Hobson never showed any emotion. At times like these, Joyce wanted a face to slap. "Please remain there until Lilith gives you an all clear."

"Joyce," that seductive deep voice belonged to Lilith, Father T's AI. "There is a potential for danger. The rectory is closer than your home."

"Guys," Joyce caught her charges attention. "We need to go to the church."

"We wanted to swim." Ben's complaint was half way to being a whine.

Turning his shoulder toward the church Joyce chided. "You heard Hobson tell me to insert my earpiece." She pointed at her ear. "It's a secret. I cannot tell you, but we need to go to the church." The deflection worked; soon they were heading away from their home.

The view of space shifted from the planet to the star field, Ensign Anya Kampar began to panic. The Sandgate began rotating on its own. There were small asteroids in the systems, but the morning survey showed no threats within censor range. She began hurrying to the command deck. "Ship is there an emergency?"

"There is no emergency." The reply was vocal through the local speakers.

A strange voice gave orders. "Prepare to fire when I instruct you."

Seeing the corridor clear, Anya sprinted to the open hatch. "Belay that order!" The fire control officer froze. "Sergeant Fischer!" she called aloud, "to the con with your sidearm!" Anya cleared the open hatch. Seconds later Fischer enter weapon ready.

"Sir," they never made eye contact.

Anya pointed at the woman in the con. "Detain that woman. Remove her from the con."

Fischer stepped forward. Serving as a combined Engineer and Security on the Castle, he followed the command.

"Stop sergeant." Janice Austin smiled, am old adage 'muscle always bowed to the power of the brain', put a smile on her face. "Dr. Nguyen invoked sealed orders. That has given her a rank of Legate and we three assistants are Tribunes."

Fischer had never been stupid; his being posted to the corvette suited the career Coast Guard member. Last year the ensign had been at Cambridge studying for a degree in technology. During the year, he served with Ensign Kampar on the Sandgate, she became one of the few 'newbie' officers he was proud to serve under. Fischer grabbed the woman's upper arm.

"Madam, those ranks are in the Civil Service." Ensign Kampar's voice betrayed her Borough of Harrow accent. Fischer also noted the bridge crew stiffened. "This is a Confederacy Naval vessel," his ensign stepped forward. "Though your newly appointed rank on the command chart is higher than mine or this ship's captain, you are not Naval personnel."

"Dr. Nguyen is in command of this mission." Dr. Austin's face flared. Her eyes bulged.

"Fischer, confine the Tribune to quarters." Ensign Kampar turned to the helm officer. "Put us back in standard orbit as we were."

"Yes, sir, standard orbit," came the reply.

Walking to the command chair, she flipped a set of commands. "Fischer, lock up everyone in Nguyen's entourage."

The curses Austin gave to Fischer were of no consequence. For the last ten years in the in the Coast Guard, one of the duties he had was to help shape young officers. Fischer placed an imaginary tally in the success column on his personally trained officer board.

"Dr. Austin is the only one of the Dr. Nguyen staff on the ship." The AI's informational tidbit did little to brighten Anya Kampar's mood.

Kampar switched to sub-voaclization to contact her commander via his implant. Dr, Austin's actions and admissions called for her report now. "Captain, Dr. Austin attempted to seize the ship and fire on the colony. She is in custody, confined to quarters. The other members of Dr. Nguyen's entourage are not on the ship."

Having a visiting warship placed the school in an uproar. The ROTC program had changed the curriculum to take advantage of this opportunity. Every cadet over the age of nine was busy cleaning the parade grounds, the simulators, or the classrooms.