The Ascent

Chapter 6

"Has anyone used the word mutiny yet?" Phil asked.

"No," Sherman growled. "The crew is blaming everything on technical problems, but what else do you call it?"

"Both the right-side airlock and the hangar deck?" Phil asked with a note of incredulity.

"The service techs have partially dismantled the lock. They claim a routine inspection revealed a part that needed replacing. A spare couldn't be found and they are supposedly fabricating one now."

"And the hangar?" Phil asked.

"The one spacer who would talk to me said the deck master was redistributing some equipment when their restraints broke. They say they can't open the hangar until everything is secure and they fear the docking mechanism has been damaged."

"I assume we're talking about Sherman's flagship, The Battle of Kuzikos," I said during a thoughtful lull in the conversation.

Phil nodded grimly and I fought a perverse urge to chuckle at the mental image of the fleet commander locked out of his own ship. No matter how his crew dressed it up, this was mutiny. The only question was how far the mutiny stretched. Kouvaras shared their grim expression and I wondered how the situation involved the two of us.

"Have you been able to communicate with any of your command officers?" I asked Sherman.

"No. Most were on leave or with me on Flower of Dirt. Only my XO remained behind and he seems to be indisposed. I have no idea if it is against his will or not."

Phil leaned over the table, fixing me with a somber stare. "That's why we've called you here. Commander Sherman would like to know what's going on, but he doesn't want to involve anyone in his fleet."

"I want you and Force Leader Kouvaras to take a squad over there in a breaching pod and talk to them," Sherman said.

"I appreciate your trust in us," I began, my mind spinning as I tried to figure out what I was getting dragged into. "But I don't see how they will listen to me any more than you, sir."

"I don't expect them to listen to you. I expect them to listen to Kouvaras' men in the boarding craft with you."

Obviously, I was only going along as the token officer. "That's the thing, sir. If this comes down to an attempt to retake the ship, I'm going to need more than one squad. They must have a whole company of troopers. I'm not sure how much of a threat Commander Kouvaras' men will be."

"With all due respect," Force Leader Kouvaras interrupted. "I believe Sub-Commander Phon is mistaken. My squad can get you onboard that ship and if it comes to fighting, we can take the hangar deck and hold it until reinforcements arrive."

Sherman gave a curt nod of satisfaction. "Their stalling tells me that they're not yet committed to open mutiny, or at least not united in it. I'm sure in their minds Sunshine has violated their contracts by changing the objective and they are not obligated to follow him or any commanders who persist in an unauthorized action. If you can get me in there, I'm sure I can turn this thing around."

Ten minutes later, I sat strapped into a breaching pod with Force Leader Kouvaras, Squad Leader Marcello and eight of Sol's finest star troopers. They each wore Multi-Environmental Combat Armor, the lighter space-going version of dirt-side powered combat armor. A fully charged assault mag-gun was docked in the cradle by each right elbow. Not being rated for combat armor, I only had a standard pressure suit and a small sidearm. 

Some of us stared at a holographically projected sphere in the center of the pod as it displayed our approach to the Battle of Kuzikos. Others stared up at the low ceiling that would, should boarding be necessary, open into Sherman's flag-ship.