CROSSFIRE - Atlantis DSV - New Cape Quest

“I think you should listen to her, Ainsley. There is more going on here than you
realise.”
Now the Admiral laughed. “Yep, and I‟m going to find out just what the sum of that is
before I do another damned thing. I wonder if you could do me a favour, and have that
bastard Stiles get over here.”
Ainsley continued down the hall, leaving Adamson watching in his wake. “And where
are you going?”
“To make a call.”
UEO Aquarius DSV-8200, the Polynesian Trench. April 13 th , 2043…
~
Lieutenant Commander Davis Akara had watched the movements of John Razak‟s
boots as he continued to pace the upper bridge deck, the slight „clank‟ as boot heel met steel
grating having all the precision of a well-made watch. It was a nauseating rhythm, and
minutes had passed like hours. The XO‟s eyes looked downward, tracing the lines his feet
followed where two of the deck gratings met along a frame, well astride.
“Is something the matter, Davis?”
Akara smirked. “Nothing at all, XO.”
“Damn it!” Razak smashed his fist against the small, holographic pedestal on the
conn. “This was foolish, she should never have gone over there...”
“Commander...”
“-At the very least, we should have sent a full detachment of marines with her, or
brought Ainsley to the Vengeance.”
Akara got up, and climbed the stairs from hits tactical station to the command deck.
Lieutenant Mackenzie had been standing silently behind Razak. “John,” Akara said quietly.
“Captain Hornsby knows what she‟s doing. You need to give her time.”
A shrill chirp from communications brought all three officers around. Mackenzie
finally sighed in relief. “Communications, your report?”
“Ma‟am, it‟s the Commonwealth. She‟s hailing.”
“About bloody time,” Razak muttered. “Put them up.”
All three officers turned and faced the massive, curved view screen at the front of the
DSV‟s bridge. The image of a man more worn than any of them remembered filled it, tellingly
wearing the gold tridents of a UEO captain.
“Commander Razak,” James Banick said with uncertainty. Akara sensed a
discomfort there as well, as if something had transpired that had pulled the rug from under
his feet.
“Hello, Captain Banick... It‟s been quite some time, sir.”
“Indeed. Commander, and I look forward to hearing about exactly where you and
your ship have been, but for now, I require the Aquarius to stand down all weapons and
sensors.”
Akara didn‟t need to hear Banick twice as he moved to the tactical station, and
checked the ship‟s weapons. He looked at Razak, waiting for the word.
Razak frowned, and walked down the stairs to take a position next to Akara‟s bank of
tactical monitors, risking a sideways glance to check the loadings on Aquarius‟s forward
batteries. “I don‟t understand, Captain, who‟s giving this order?”
“Admiral Ainsley, and if I were you, Commander... I wouldn‟t spend too long thinking
about it.”
“I see...” mused Razak, moving his hand from view behind the console to where he
could indicate the WSPRS controls and intercept tubes. “Where‟s Captain Hornsby?”
Banick‟s jaw tensed. “Captain Hornsby has been placed in custody.”
“What? Why?”
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