Rush Into Dawn

Chapter 2

Usually calm before missions after a lifetime of preparation, the General's sleep that night was fitful and he spent most of it staring at Daez's relaxed face and listening to her nighttime noises. The soft cooing and whistling reminded him of simpler times, when they had none of the luxury and responsibility and he would sometimes watch her at night, still amazed that he had been able to win her heart and bring her back to Millez. He knew deep down that she had chosen him for reasons he did not fully comprehend. It was a topic he had pondered frequently in the early days, searching desperately for the part of himself that could have attracted a woman like this. He knew that was the part he needed to nurture and keep developing to ensure their relationship would be a lasting one. Too insecure to ask, he never did feel comfortable or satisfied with the answers he found on his own. It mattered less and less to him though as time went on. Whatever the source, he felt her love for him was strong and true and the fact that no one in their right mind becomes a Wander on a whim convinced him her feelings ran deep.

Rising early, he quietly dressed and ate, studying the plans and waiting for the time when he could go to the hangars and meet Arez. No point in showing up early. He would just disturb the soldier's rhythms as they readied for the mission or, even worse, make them feel that something was wrong. He wondered what Jehz might be up to. Having finally received his assignment, he likely would have been at the hangars for hours already. This was a big step up for any "schoolie", with an incredible amount of information to process in a short time. War games were one thing, but a mission by the mighty Given to add another planet to the ranks of the Protected was something altogether different.

Walking through the loading door #9 exactly on time, the General found Arez standing at attention, his planning computer tucked under his arm. The General felt his uneasiness pass into the adrenaline-filled rush of a mission almost underway. "Good morning, Arez, any overnight developments?"

"Morning, sir, nothing you would classify as major, I would imagine. Probes still picking up the abnormal power readings from Rising Sun. We are no closer to determining the source but there's still no evidence they know we are coming."

"Good, continue to keep an eye on the probe data. We're still at go status."

"I'll relay that immediately, sir. Where shall we start, the Time Jumper?"

"Sure, we might as well get it out of the way, Arez" The Time Jumper was the only fleet ship not fully manned by military personnel. Responsible for opening the jump ports used by the Given to travel to different solar systems, they were largely manned by Illuta, the scientists' kiln. Time Jumpers operated under a unique joint command structure that was an endless source of frustration for the military - the success of their missions and therefore the fate of the Given itself relied on these ships. To have to subjugate their military authority over this critical strategic resource to a group they considered mostly unfit for combat rankled all in the military kiln. Of course, they were told by their command it was part of the Balance. They were also reminded on a regular basis that they did not have the expertise to run the technology on their own and it would be a violation of Given law to have the Illuta operate under military authority. Still, it still felt like a painful and unwelcome intrusion into their world, one the Illuta commanders seemed to enjoy.

They arrived at the Time Jumper and were greeted and led on board by the Musa and Illuta commanders. Before they had a chance to take their seats at the meeting room table, the Illuta commander, in a clear breach of protocol began a review of the jump plan.

"The plan is to launch by midday and we should be in final position by nightfall. That should give us plenty of time to open the jump port based on current energy projections. Please look at the screen..."