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Forces Collide by: Travis Anderson
"Oh, drenfrell!" Annika Ryst shouted as Jarin Gelt entered her lab. Gelt glanced towards Science Officer Brun Skoda. Skoda merely shook her head and laughed softly. Both women were leaning over a rather complicated piece of machinery. "Well," Gelt spoke up, "that certainly conjures some mental imagery." Ryst turned in startled embarrassment. Gelt had entered from behind her and she hadn?t known he?d overhear her frustrated outburst. She gave him a wry grin and shrugged. He grinned at her as he stepped closer to peer at what draped across the table. "I consider myself a fairly open-minded sentient." He said, "But that goes beyond my tolerance levels." She laughed softly at his disgusted expression. She punched him in the shoulder. They?d learned a great deal about each other over the last two cycles and she knew that there was very little that could actually shock him. She was almost irritated to discover that her spirits were rising, which was undoubtedly his ambition. Bastard! She thought wryly, He knows me too well. She mentally sighed at that thought. She?d grown fond of Gelt over the period of their acquaintance, but not as fond as he was of her. Gelt was a close friend, but he didn?t offer the same challenge as Keirn Barrad. Their clashes had taken on a gladiatorial aspect and she knew half the Special Operations group based here was wagering on the eventual victor. What they hadn?t realised was that she was wagering upon it as well. She knew she?d already won the technical battle, that of convincing Peacekeeper Command of her merits and those of the techs on her staff. But that wasn?t enough for her, not now after spending over a cycle with the hard-nosed captain. She wanted his respect...and even more importantly, his acknowledgement that she was his equal. She?d explained her feelings to Gelt and had been amazed how well he?d taken the rejection. She knew her corpse would probably been in the recyclers long before that happened. That only fuelled her ardent struggle to win it and on her terms. She?d always craved challenges. That?s why she?d volunteered for this frelling mission in the first. Conquering an entire species, mastering the tech of another, and laying the cobblestones for cultural change in her own all in one fell swoop was the challenge of several lifetimes. She didn?t want to be anywhere else in the known galaxy. Gelt was still absorbed by the equipment on the workstation. It appeared to be an astrogation board. His eyebrow rose at that. He glanced up at Skoda. Brun gave him a wan smile, "The board?s interfaced, but we can?t get it to work." Gelt scratched his head and reflected upon the work they?d done so far. They?d successfully unravelled the secrets of the Poolquen "slide" tech. The problem was that it was based on a technologically enhanced biological ability. It was akin to the starburst capabilities of the Leviathans. Havish Tullick had been the first to determine that the Poolquens merely employed technology to augment their natural ability. Ryst had gone further and discovered the organs that produced the effect. She had even managed to clone a larger version of the organ and "grafted" it to a Marauder. The experiment, however, had failed. The genetic structure of the organ had degraded upon being radically manipulated. With a significantly larger infusion of original genetic material, she could force-grow several viable organs. An entire carrier had been dispatched in order to capture more specimens. That force had returned two days ago and the genetic extraction had been completed. Now, they were waiting for the growth period to finish. "Have we tried converting its power source to the organ?s bioelectric field?" Ryst blinked, Why hadn?t she thought of that? It was so frelling simple! "We?ll get right on it!" she declared and busied herself at the nearest data terminal trying to determine how to make the necessary modifications, "Brun, call Barrad and tell him we need the best Engineering tech he can drum up." "You?ve got it!" Skoda replied happily. She flashed Gelt a beaming smile as she left. Out if the corner of her eye, Ryst watched the exchange with amusement. Skoda was as taken with Gelt as he was...had been with her. It was still painfully obvious that part of him pined for her. It equally obvious, and always had been, that he and Skoda made a better pairing. As idiotic as it sounded, now that his infatuation was lessening and he was sending more time with Brun again, Annika found herself dealing with a gnawing jealousy. She knew it stemmed from the simple pleasure of being admired and desired. Knowing a thing and dealing with that same thing were often two separate realities. She knew what was right for the two people she called friend and vowed not to cause harm out of purely selfish motives. Besides, she had her own ambitions and would settle for nothing less than Barrad?s heart. "Did you come here for a reason?" she asked dryly, "Or are you just loitering about trying to win the heart of my faithful assistant?" "I don?t think I need to loiter to do that." Gelt replied, his voice carried a trace of sadness, "I feel bad about how I must have made her feel by chasing you around like a jynnas with its head cut off." Ryst found it difficult to feel bad. Stop that! She mentally kicked herself. She?s your friend. How?d you feel if the situation were reversed? "Fortunately for you chum, I think she likes you enough to realise that you were just being a typically hormonal male." "Hey!" Annika waved her hand dismissively, "Don?t feel bad about it. Women know that males have only half the cranium of any self-respecting fem. We just accept it and try to help you not kill yourselves." "And I thought your talk about ?class struggles? was annoying." Gelt muttered. "Of course you?re annoyed." Ryst replied with a shrug, "In either equation, you?re on the losing side." "Meaning?" "Not only you mentally incompetent, but," she smiled with genuine relish, "you?re also an oppressive class tyrant resting on your inherited laurels." "I?m glad you have friends in Command," Gelt told her, "You?d already be retired otherwise." Ryst gave him an unapologetic grin, "So why are you here?" "I came to tell you that the admiral and the other carriers have arrived." Admiral Jori Est stepped out of the Marauder and looked around. This was a dismal place. No wonder Special Operations and Expeditionary Command both felt a forward base here was safe. Who would possibly offer a fight to claim this pile of dren? Her nose wrinkled slightly at the smell as she proceeded towards the assembled honour guard. Admirals were exceptional rarities in the Peacekeeper forces. First Command held its power through a combination of terror and paranoia. Fleet Captains possessed their own little empires and rarely worked with other captains. That was intentional and designed to prevent any one person from gathering a following. Command relied upon the willingness of one Peacekeeper to fire upon another if ordered to do so. Est?s promotion derived from necessity. Three carriers and five lighter units were being sent into the Swarm. They needed a central commander. First Command trusted Est. Her reputation rivalled that of Dhurka. She had ambitions of her own, but enjoyed her life too much to attempt to fulfil them through an assault on First Command. Following her followed Inquisitor Oren Rhian. She could almost feel the palpable dread his presence generated. The Office of the Inquisition oversaw both loyalty of the Peacekeepers but also was the ultimate master of Special Operations. Inquisitors were only assigned to an officer?s staff as a watchdog of their loyalty. Only one face in the crowd did not tighten at his appearance, that of Lt. Larne Rhian. She was Expeditionary Forces and also Oren?s niece. Being blood-kin to an Inquisitor hadn?t earned her her rank at such a young age, but it hadn?t impeded her either. Oren was a large, broad chested man. His sharp eyes swept the assembled Peacekeepers. They twinkled with inner delight as he saw faces pale as his eyes probed their owner. His face remained impassive as Larne stepped forward to greet both her uncle and the Admiral. "Welcome aboard the Zaaratuk." Her contralto voice rose, "Captain Barrad sends his regrets, but he has been detained." "What could prevent a Captain from reporting to his superiors?" Est asked with a tone as arched as her eyebrow. A faint rose blush coloured Larne?s cheeks, "There have been some unexpected difficulties with adapting the new drive system to our equipment. Captain Barrad has decided to address the problem personally and is discussing possible solutions with our techs." An echo of a smile played across Est?s lips, "In other words, the Captain is delivering an ultimatum. The techs must find a way to adapt the equipment or face execution." Larne?s blush blossomed, "Yes, sir." Est cast a sidelong glance towards Rhian, "It seems our first stop should be the tech barracks." "Agreed." Rhian?s deep voice answered. Aeryn stood across the mat from where John stood facing her. They each held a metal quarterstaff. The ends of each staff were wrapped in red cloth. This was only a practice round after all, no one was supposed to get injured. At least I hope, John thought to himself, exercise sessions with Aeryn are always a little dangerous. It wasn?t that Aeryn didn?t control over her actions or reflexes. She just had the most aggressive streak John had ever faced in a sparring partner. Peacekeeper training and what he?d seen growing up around Air Force bases were two very different things. The Air Force wanted competition and fighting spirits. The Peacekeepers trained by virtue of survival of the fittest. Since their encounter with the Gammuck base, Aeryn had been making deliberate efforts at distancing herself from her past. John had been amazed at the changes in her attitudes. He hoped that he played no small role in those changes. He knew that he?d played a role in her changes in wardrobe. She was constantly stealing his clothes dammit! John had also done a lot of re-evaluating. Gillina?s death had shaken him, but her unabashed love for him had shaken him more. Facing that and Aeryn?s own brush with death had forced him to admit how he truly felt about Ms. Sun. It was that self-admission that had prompted him to suggest these little matches. He had two goals in mind: 1) to impress Aeryn, and 2) to get her to stop treating him like he needed protection everywhere they went! He?d penetrated a Peacekeeper base for gods? sake! Okay, he admitted, that didn?t go so well because Scorpius saw a difference in my infrared signature, so what? He was catching up with things. What had started as a way to spend time with Aeryn and relate more to her world had become an ego contest to prove his virility. He knew it was a primitive hormonal response but didn?t care. They already think I?m some knuckle draggin? savage, so screw ?em. John launched into an impressive exercise in manipulating the staff. He spun it over his head. He spun it before him. He spun it in alternating arcs to either side and brought it behind him in a savage sweep that ended in a one-handed grip and the staff resting behind him. Aeryn blinked in obvious surprise. ?Bout time! John thought victoriously, I?ve spent the last two months practising that little routine. John?s eyebrows rose and fell twice in a taunt. His free hand motioned for her to come towards him. She did. Exploding into a series of co-ordinated thrusts and sweeps, she pressed the attack with all of her considerable strength and skill. John reeled as he tried to defend himself from the seemingly endless succession of blows. Even with the cloth "safety" padding, he felt the blows as they escaped his blocks and hammered into his arms and legs. Oh shit! Crichton thought as she redoubled her efforts, That was a biiiig mistake! Now she thinks I?ve been holdin? back! Aeryn?s sweep transformed into a spin. She thrust the other end of her staff backwards. John "woofed" loudly as the blow to his diaphragm forced the air out of his lungs. He managed to block her next blow as she spun again and brought the staff down like a sword. Finally! He thought in desperation, An opening! He twirled his staff backwards, catching Aeryn in the stomach with the opposing end. He then shoved that same end between her legs and swept right as the same in and slammed into her with his right shoulder. Aeryn landed on her rear with a surprised grunt. John backed away warily, holding his staff in a ready stance. Aeryn watched him. There was a newfound look of respect in her eyes. A bemused smile tugged at her lips. "Well done." She allowed, "You?ve never knocked me down before." "I never thought I was going to get killed before." John panted. He relaxed a bit, lowering the staff. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was pleased to see that Aeryn was just as winded and grungy. "Give me a hand." Aeryn said, holding out her hand. John reached for it. As his fingers closed on hers, he felt her jerk his arm down. Her leg swept his feet out from under him. He hit the ground unprepared and the world turned white for a second as his brain hit his skull. Aeryn was upon him with her forearm across his throat. Well, isn?t this familiar? He could still breath, though. As his vision cleared, he could see Aeryn?s face hovering inches from his. "How many times to I have to tell you its not over until ?endgame? is called?" her thick contralto whispered. "At least a coupla more?" he retorted with a grin. "Crichton, this is serious." She admonished, "You have a dangerous tendency to lower your guard." "Yeah, sometimes I get distracted." He admitted. He suddenly and painfully aware of how close her lips were to his. Her closeness was an intoxication that was threatening to drive him nuts. "You?re distracted now." She whispered. He saw the spark in her eyes and realised that her breath was coming faster. His heart started thudding in his chest as her full lips parted to say something. He lifted his head and his lips were a hair?s width from hers when D?Argo?s voice came over the comm, "Crichton, Aeryn, we need you in command immediately!" Oh hell! John?s mind reeled as his head dropped to the mat, Why now? "C?mon Crichton." Aeryn urged irritably as she sprang up to her feet, "We?d best see what?s wrong now." The only consolation John had was seeing that Aeryn was as pissed as he was. Barrad was in the middle of his longest, and loudest, tirade on record. He?d cajoled, threatened, and berated every tech cadre aboard. He?d cursed them, their crèches, and their ancestors. His frenzy was winding down as Admiral Est and Inquisitor Rhian entered. Barrad?s eyes widened even as Est?s narrowed, "Admiral?" His lean, muscular frame snapped to attention as she nodded. His eyes flicked towards Inquisitor Rhian. He involuntarily swallowed as he recognised the uniform if not the man. Rhian was twice Barrad?s age, but was far more deadly than the commando. Oren appreciated the fact that Barrad?s eyes acknowledged that simple fact. Too many Peacekeepers officers that had not reached their fortieth cycle tried to challenge Oren?s wits and will. They found both to be razor sharp and well honed, to their own short-lived regret. His practised eye measured Barrad. The sandy haired captain had barely passed his thirtieth cycle, but had a fair measure of intelligence blended with experience. Oren had no doubt that Barrad would prove an implacable foe in the field. They, however, were not on the battlefield and the younger man knew he would be swiftly outmanoeuvred. "How can I serve, Admiral?" Barrad asked with sincerity. "First, you can stop harassing your techs for circumstances they have done nothing to create." Est informed him sternly. "Surely the Admiral realises that I was merely trying to motivate them." Barrad said more out of shock than in defence. "I saw a Peacekeeper striving to intimidate the very people that his life, and this mission?s success, depend upon." Est kept her voice even, "I am here to tell you that respect can be as great, if not a greater, motivator than fear." "I agree." Barrad replied with conviction, "Respect is a great motivator if one is a Peacekeeper." His eyes flicked towards the techs milling about, afraid to leave without being dismissed, "They are not Peacekeepers. They are mere techs." The scornful derision in his voice was unmistakable. "I see." Est replied coolly, though her green eyes flashed lightening, "Th mere fact that these mere techs maintain the life-support systems that provide your air, maintain the combat gear that enables you to fight and achieve glory, and even cook your frelling meals doesn?t mean a thing to you? You hold none of these things to be of any value? Perhaps we should transfer all of the techs aboard your scout cruiser to other vessels and let you carry on without them." The cold rage in her tone unnerved Barrad. He?d never heard anyone, save Annika Ryst, speak so passionately about techs. They were useful, and even entertaining when one needed sexual urges satisfied, but to consider them near equals? That was unheard of, especially coming from a candidate for First Command. To do so in front of an Inquisitor would typically be tantamount to suicide. Oren Rhian amazed Barrad by not reacting to Est?s tirade. After she finished, Oren did something that terrified Barrad. He smiled. It was not a smile of victory, the smile of the predator capturing its prey. It was a smile of approval. Barrad?s world unravelled as he absorbed the ramifications of Oren?s support for Est?s statement. "Lieutenant, you may want to take a look at this." Havish Tullick called across the bridge. Larne Rhian?s eyebrow notched up slightly. Tullick rarely spoke aloud in public. Most considered him a rather passive man, that is, until they crossed his path. Tullick was a veritable force of nature in pursuit of his duty and did not brook interference lightly. "What do have, Chief?" she asked, brushing a stray curl from her face. "I can?t be certain yet, but I think we have visitors." Tullick informed her. "What?" her brow furrowed as she leaned closer to Tullick Scan board. The shift in position caused the golden braid of her hair to swing forward and catch Tullick in the face. He chuckled softly as her cheeks burned, "Don?t think about it, sir." He pointed at a faint ripple in the electromagnetic "background" of space off their starboard, "That?s what I?m talking about." "Could it be a sensor glitch?" Her cheeks burned again as Tullick?s indignant glare informed her of his opinion of that theory, "Do you have any explanations?" "Not yet." He said nonchalantly, "Give me an arn or so, and I?ll tell you what it is, where it?s from, and what the passengers had during their last meal." She smiled despite her lingering embarrassment, "I?ll hold you to that. I?m going to scrape together a Prowler flight in case we want a closer look." "Good thinking." He grunted as he returned to his scope. Larne shook her head as walked to the comm station. Tullick was probably the best Scan operator in the Expeditionary Forces. No, she amended, the entire damned Peacekeeper Command. He was also a hopeless "demic". The phrase had been coined as a derivative of "academic". Whatever dren-for-brains that had coined it, it had become affixed in the Sabbacean idiom. As a Science officer, she supposed she fell under that particular environment shield as well. She consoled herself with the thought that she at least realised that there was a reality beyond what could be found in a sensor scope. Tullick had proven himself a valuable mentor and ally. He?d aided her through her earliest days as a junior officer. His brilliance had also been the primary reason behind her success at capturing the Poolquens. Such recollections forced her to admit that Tullick did realise that their was a larger universe, he just preferred what he found in his sensor scope over what transpired around him on a daily basis. That was a feeling she knew far too well. "Its about time you arrived." D?Argo growled as Aeryn and Crichton reached Command. "What?" John asked flippantly, "No ?how are you?? No ?we have a situation and would like the benefit of your insight??" D?Argo and Aeryn exchanged weary glances before replying in stereo, "Shut up." An amused snort to John?s right informed him off Chiana?s presence, "Stow it Pip. I ain?t in the mood." "You probably were when you were exercising." She taunted. John?s head turned towards her slowly. His eyes were pinpoint laser emitters. Chiana adopted an expression of exaggerated fear. That only served to provoke Crichton even more. "Slow down, boy." Chiana teased, "I think that commando uniform you?ve been wearing is going to your head." "Give me one reason why I should take this from you?" he hissed. "Don?t like it, huh?" her head canted to one side, "How d?you think I feel when everybody ignores my ideas all the time? I?ve proven myself, yet no one wants to listen." John grudgingly had to admit she had a point. The others had treated him the same way when he?d first arrived...well, wherever the hell here was. In light of that, John had always tried to be more tolerant and accepting of some of Chiana?s more eclectic traits. It shamed him to discover that she lumped in the same lot as the others regarding this issue. "Look, I?m..." "Sorry." She interrupted, "Yah, I knew you?d be. It happens to you too." Her blue lips twisted into an impish smile, "Someday, I hope these doggreds get a little lesson in humility." "What?re you planning?" he asked warily. Her eyes widened in assumed innocence, "Who me? Plan something? You must be joking." "Chiana." John growled in warning. "Oh, don?t worry." She patted him on the arm reassuringly, "I?ll make sure your precious Aeryn survives intact." Her dark eyes glinted, "Mostly intact, anyway." "What the frell are they doing here?" Aeryn asked harshly, interrupting John and Chiana?s private discussion. "Captain," Larne?s voice came over the comm, "please report to the bridge." "What is it?" Barrad growled. "We have an unidentified object on our scans." Larne answered. "Put Tullick on Scan." Barrad ordered irritably. "He?s already there, sir." Larne informed him. "Have the Prowlers done a fly-by?" "No, sir." Larne replied, "That requires your authorisation." Barrad sighed, "Why didn?t you just ask permission?" "And not keep the Captain apprised?" Larne?s voice contained just enough sarcasm to get her point across without being insubordinate. Est and Rhian exchanged a glance. Est flashed Barrad a cold smile, "I think I shall return to my flagship while you deal with this anomaly. Inquisitor Rhian will remain aboard and monitor the situation." Barrad nearly spat out of frustration, but merely nodded instead, "Yes, ma?am." "Good." Her smile became predatory, "I?m certain I have your co-operation Captain." She turned on her heel and left, leaving Barrad to silently fume in impotence. Rhian studied him closely. Barrad?s reactions were proving invaluable. Rhian would soon know Barrad?s true loyalties and motives. That knowledge could prove the difference between life and death for the Expeditionary Forces Captain. "Oh, frell it all." Aeryn said through gritted teeth, "We have a Prowler flight in-bound." "Can we evade it?" Chiana asked excitedly. "No." D?Argo replied grimly. "Here we go again." Crichton muttered cynically.
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