The Fifth Reich: Beyond The Stars Read online

  "Excellent. My name is Lieutenant Toyama. I am the ranking security officer responsible for everything from Main Engineering forward on decks 12 through 26. It is our job to ensure the safety of the heart of this ship. We are responsible for most of the ships torpedo launchers, Main Engineering, the Battle Bridge, the Main Armory, the Exobiology Labs, and the Astrophysics Labs. The other two security areas are the saucer section and the aft decks. Lieutenant Gruber is responsible for the head. Lieutenant Weber is responsible for the ass." A chuckle went through the room.

  "We are based out of this room, the Main Armory. It contains a firing range, equipment maintenance area, the quartermaster's post, and your equipment lockers. All of your security equipment is stored in those lockers," he said, pointing to the lockers. "Your locker will have your name on it. The access code will be the last six digits of your service number. Change the code as soon as possible. When on duty, you are required to wear your body armor and carry your sidearm."

  "There are 30 of you to cover 15 decks for 8 hours. To do this, I am splitting you into teams of four. Each team is led by an officer, and is responsible for two decks. The only exception is my team, team 4, which will consist of six men and cover three decks, 17, 18, and 19. Here are the team assignments." Sonya's thoughts drifted as he read off the assignments. She had already received hers, and was thinking about how she would organize her team. "Suit up, and report to you team leaders. Dismissed."

  Sonya searched for a few minutes before finding her locker. She entered the access code and opened the locker. Inside was a suit of body armor. She stripped off her jacket, boots, and pants, leaving only her dark green undershirt and panties. She hung them in the locker and pulled on the body armor. First was a specialized jacket similar to the standard uniform jacket, except it was made from thicker, denser material resistant to penetration by shrapnel or blades. The pants were nearly identical to her normal uniform pants, but were made from the same material as the jacket. She strapped on a black armored vest and put her boots back on. The armor itself was heavy, but flexible, and covered her chest, stomach, back, shoulders, and groin, and was secured to her waist by a belt.

  She pressed a button on the access panel, and a drawer slid out from beneath the locker. It contained MOD3 tracer pistol, holster, and spare clips. Sonya attached the holster to her belt and picked up the pistol, examining it. She pulled the clip from the grip of the weapon, ensuring it was undamaged and loaded with tracers. Sonya slid it back into the base of the pistol, clicking it in to place. She checked the stun taser, checked the batteries for damage. She flipped the safety switch, disarming the weapon, and slid it into the holster. From her other uniform, she retrieved her communicator. Sonya grabbed her helmet and closed the locker.

  It's a little tight , Sonya thought, adjusting her jacket. She placed on boot on the bench and tucked the cuffs of her pants into the boots. As she was looking down, another pair of boots silently entered her field of view. Sonya looked up to see a tall woman in full armor, her helmet resting under her right arm. Sonya was immediately struck by the woman's near total lack of hair. With the exception of small eyebrows, she seemed to be to completely hairless. A Delkan, Sonya realized.

  "Senior Chief Petty Officer Zira reporting, sir," she said, standing at attention.

  "At ease. Ensign Sonya Mueller. Good to meet you, Chief Zira" Sonya extended her hand.

  "Thank you, am'am." Over Zira's shoulder, she saw two men approaching.

  "Crewman Becker and CPO Schultz, reporting." "At ease. Since that's all of us, let's get going," Sonya said. They exited the Armory and entered the turbo-lift. "Deck 15," she said. The turbo-lift began to move, and she turned to face the others. "We have one of the most important areas on the ship: the Main Torpedo Bay and Upper Launchers. Becker, Schultz, I'm putting you two there. I want one each at the entrance to the launchers. We will patrol the rest of the area, and will relieve you after two hours. Understood?"

  "Yes, ma'am," Becker and Schultz said as the door opened. "Go to it," Sonya said. The men nodded and left the turbolift, putting their helmets on. Sonya and Zira followed, stopping just outside the turbo-lift while Becker and Schultz continued to their posts. "Shall we?" she asked, pulling her helmet on.

  "Aye, ma'am," Zira said, already having put her helmet on, "Although..."

  "What?" Sonya asked. "Well, we aren't actually on duty until after we launch. We could go down to the Aft Crew Lounge to watch." Sonya thought for a moment.

  "Alright. Let's go."

  4

  Three

  Deck 15, Aft Crew Lounge, 0755 hours The lounge, located on the aft-most section of the ship, consisted of a bar, a handful of tables, and a large window taking up one wall. It looked aft, providing an unobstructed view of Mars. Around a dozen crewmen had gathered to watch the ship depart.

  " All hands, this is Captain Kurtz," said a voice over the intercom. "Stand by to decouple from space dock. Control, Bismarck requesting permission to depart."

  "Granted. Decoupling docking arm. Good luck, Bismarck."

  "Here we go," Zira whispered to herself. The ship shuddered, and then was still. "Helm , take us out. thrusters only." There was a gentle rumble, and the ship began to slip out of the dock. A hush fell over the lounge as the ship slid out of the dock.

  "Captain, we are clear of space dock." A cheer came from the men and women in the lounge.

  "Helm, one half impulse. Take us clear of the yard." " Aye, sir." The rumble faded, and was replaced by a low hum. The lounge was again silent, and Sonya jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned, finding herself face to face with tall, thin woman, and Sonya's hand started to go to her pistol.

  "Sorry," said the woman. "I didn't mean to startle you," she smiled warmly. While her expression was reassuring, her hand remained on Sonya's shoulder. But instead of unnerving her, Sonya found it comforting. Her body relaxed and she looked at the woman. She was a bit taller than Sonya, with tanned skin and platinum blonde, almost silver, hair. Her face was round and her brown eyes soft. She looked human except for a small mark in the middle of her forehead.

  "It's okay. I'm just a little nervous," Sonya said.

  "Oh, why is that?"

  "This is my first assignment. I've never left the system." "Well, don't be nervous. This is a new experience. You should be open to it," the woman said. Her voice was warm and sincere, and it comforted Sonya.

  "I am. I just don't know what to expect, and I want to do my job well," Sonya said. "Most of my family was in the Kriegsmarine at one time or another. I want to live up to their expectations." Sonya was not entirely sure why she was saying this to a stranger, but those eyes were so full of compassion, and she felt totally at ease.

  "Performance anxiety, huh?" the woman laughed softly. "Don't worry. These people, everyone around you, are your friends. You can trust them. They won't hurt you," she smiled at Sonya. She began to feel warm under her armor. Then Sonya noticed that the woman was wearing a civilian jacket and skirt instead of a uniform.

  "Why aren't you in uniform?" she asked.

  "Oh, I'm not with the Kriegsmarine. I'm a passenger. I'm on my way to Salsola for a conference."

  "What kind of conference?" "It's a Psychology symposium. It's on new therapy methods for individuals suffering from emotional or psychological trauma, or a more correct term 'post traumatic stress disorder'"

  "Why are you traveling with us? Isn't there another, more comfortable way to get to Io?"

  "I'm in a hurry. I had to delay my departure because of a technical problem at our clinic."

  "Captain, we are clear of the space dock," said a voice on the intercom.

  "Very well. Take us out of the system, activate gravity-drive." " Activate gravity-drive, aye." From all around them, a loud hum built and faded quickly. As Mars fell away and stars seemed to streak by. "Gravity-drive achieved, sir."

  " Very well. Crew of the Bismarck, we are under way."The room filled with the sound of clapping and cheering. E
veryone was caught up in the excitement, except for Sonya and the woman in front of her.

  "Welcome to the Kriegsmarine," she said as she hugged Sonya. Sonya was surprised, but quickly relaxed and embraced the woman. After a moment, the blonde pulled away. "Well, you should get back to your duty, Ensign... uh, what was your name?"

  "Sonya. Sonya Mueller."

  "I'm Lina. Pleased to meet you."

  "Me too, Lina." Sonya started to leave, but Lina gently grasped her arm.

  "Hey, when you get off duty, you should come by and have a drink with me," she said.

  "Sure. See you later." "Bye." As Sonya stepped out of the room, she noticed a smile on Zira's face. "What?"

  "I'll tell you later," she said, still smiling.

  ***

  Deck 14, 0900 hours

  Sonya stepped out of a storage room on deck 14. "What's in that one, ma'am?" "All of the socks in the Alpha quadrant," Sonya said. Zira smiled. "We'll check out the Exobiology Lab next," Sonya pointed down the corridor.

  "Aye, ma'am." They walked down the corridor and Sonya reached for the door, but Zira stopped her. "Ma'am, before you go in there, you should know something."

  "What's that, Chief?"

  "Well, ma'am, these people, Exobiologists, they tend to be a little... off."

  "How so?" Sonya asked. "They can be a bit... enthusiastic. And they have a kind of dark sense of humor. Just be ready for anything when you step through that door."

  "Understood. Thanks, Chief," Sonya said. She pressed the control panel and the door opened. Sonya was completely unprepared for what was on the other side. In front of her was Casana who was staring with rapt attention at a specimen container she was holding. The jar appeared to contain an unusually large shrimp. "Casana?" Sonya said in surprise.

  Casana looked up in surprise. A look of excitement spread across her face. "Sonya!" she cried. Casana put the container on the table she was standing next to and threw her arms around Sonya. "I am so glad you're here! Take a look at this! It's a new species of crustacean from a system outside of Reich space. I call him Tom. Dr. Rollins received it from a friend on the Copernicus. He got it from a Trassian trader. According to the trader, it's a common food in its home system. They're supposed to be delicious," Casana said excitedly. "Wait, why are you here, Sonya?"

  "I'm on duty. I was assigned to decks 14 and 15." Casana's eyes lit up as she heard this.

  "Really? That's great! I'm kinda busy right now, but I can show you the lab later. Who's your friend?" "This is Senior Chief Petty Officer Zira. She's on my security team. Chief, this is Ensign Casana Olan. We're quartered together." The shook hands, and Sonya turned to Casana. "What are you doing?" she asked before she realized what would happen when she did.

  "I'm so glad you asked! Dr. Rollins wanted me to take a tissue sample and run some tests. Genetic sequence, blood chemistry, neurotransmitter profile, that sort of thing. Well, I went to take the sample, but when I opened the incision in the carapace, I saw eggs. She's pregnant!" Casana grinned.

  "Wait, it's a she?"

  "Yeah, why?"

  "Then why did you name it Tom?" "It's my mother's name. It's short for Tomizia," Casana said with a confused expression on her face. "Anyway, I told Dr. Rollins, and he asked me to set up a tank for Tom to lay her eggs in. So I was just doing an electrolytic analysis of the water in its tank to get an idea of the kind of chemical environment it would do best in."

  "Casana, isn't this your first day?" Sonya asked.

  "Yeah, so?" "And Dr. Rollins is having you set up a breeding tank for the only known specimen of a new species within Reich space?"

  "Yeah."

  "Why? I mean, why you? Isn't there someone more... qualified?" "Oh, I have Premier Distinctions in Exobiology, Organic Chemistry, and Military Sciences from the Arcadian Science Ministry," Casana said casually.

  "Wait, you have three doctorates? How old are you?" Zira asked.

  "24." Casana said. Zira smiled knowingly.

  "When did you join?" "What?" Casana was clearly taken by surprise. Sonya saw that she was clearly nervous, and Casana began to blush heavily. Casana's embarrassed?

  "When did you apply to the Academy?" Zira smiled.

  "Oh, umm, I, three years ago," Casana stuttered.

  "Hmm," Zira said, still smiling. Then, turning to Sonya, "We should get back to our patrol, ma'am."

  "Right. Okay, Chief, let's go. See you later, Casana," Sonya said, looking back and forth between Zira and Casana. "Yeah, see ya," Casana did not take her eyes of Zira. "Good to meet you, Chief Zira," Casana said, speaking much more formally than Sonya expected.

  "You too, ma'am," Zira said as her smile continued to grow. They turned to leave, but on her way out, Zira looked back at Casana. "Hey, Casana." "Yes?" "I'm sure you will impress your... supervisor," Zira said, emphasizing the last word. She was still smiling, but it had become more reassuring and less devious. Casana smiled back warmly.

  "Thanks," she said. Sonya and Zira left and returned to their patrol. As soon as the door closed, Sonya turned to Zira.

  "What was that all about?"

  "What do you mean, ma'am?" Zira asked innocently.

  "Oh, no. Something just happened between you two, and I want to know what it is."

  "I don't know what you are talking about, ma'am." "Casana's my bunk-mate. Until a moment ago, I was pretty sure she was physically incapable of not sharing every thought she has with everyone she comes across. But back there, I saw her flustered and embarrassed. And about what? The date she applied for Kriegsmarine Academy? No. Something else got to her, and you know damn well what it was. So spill, Chief." Zira stared at her for several minutes. Finally, she spoke.

  "In my 30 years in the Kriegsmarine, I have met hundreds of intelligent species. But the Arcadian's, by far, the most interesting to me. They are very open, confident, and outgoing. But they also keep a big secret."

  "What is it?" "Oh, I couldn't tell you. I only found out by accident. I can, however, tell you this: Keep that girl close. She is special, and if I'm right about her, she is going to become VERY special. When she does, you are going to see a whole new person, and that person will be one of the most valuable friends you could possibly have."

  "How do you know so much about the Arcadians?"

  "Because Daniel sometimes talks in his sleep," Zira snickered.

  5

  Four

  Deck 14, 1200 hours Three hours later, the excitement of leaving space dock had been replaced by the mind-crushing boredom of guarding a door for two hours. Sonya was still thinking about Lina. Out of everyone she had met, Lina seemed to be the only one who was relaxed. The experienced crew members were anxious to get under way, and the greener ones were nervous. Well, not Dejah. But Centuri don't count, Sonya thought to herself. She wondered what her friend was doing. Sonya had never actually asked Dejah what her job was, and it made her curious.

  "Ma'am, I am ready to relieve you," Schultz said as he came around a corner.

  "Very well, Chief Petty Officer. Report." Schultz chuckled. "We took a look around. Got to know the layout of the area. We noticed some small equipment issues in one of the storage rooms and reported it to Engineering. Also took a peek inside the Exobiology Lab."

  "And?" "Well, ma'am, I think one of the techs, Ensign Olan, I think she likes Crewman Becker. They are going to meet later in Forward Observation after their shifts end," he said.

  "Lovely," Sonya sighed. At least Casana has someone to focus her energy on. Poor bastard. "Carry on, Schultz," Sonya said as she saw Zira approaching.

  "Aye, ma'am."

  "Ready, Chief?" Sonya asked Zira.

  "Yes, ma'am." "Let's go then." As soon as Schultz was out of earshot, Sonya looked at Zira and asked "You hear about Becker's date?"

  "Yes. He was very excited. Poor kid is in over his head," she smiled.

  "Casana is going to talk him into the ground," Sonya said.

  "Wasn't the verb I would have used, ma'am."

 
Sonya stopped. "What does that mean, Chief?" "Arcadians tend to be sexually... confident." Zira was clearly choosing her words carefully.

  "Aggressive?" Sonya asked. "Not really. Just... in control. If he is expecting a simple conquest, he is in for a surprise," she said. "They can be slow to enter a relationship, but when they do, it's intense and passionate."

  "You speaking from personal experience?" Sonya asked as they continued their patrol.

  "Yes."

  "That was easy," Sonya marveled. "Usually, humans are kind of evasive when asked that question."

  "Sexuality is a very important part of Delkan society. Every social interaction has at least a minor sexual component."

  "Really?"

  "Yes. And we aren't the only such culture. You'll see," Zira smiled.

  "Huh?" Sonya was confused again.

  "Lina. She's Trisian."

  "I don't think that's what she has in mind," Sonya said. "Oh, it most definitely is. My advice is to go along with it."

  "Why?"

  "Trisians are not just sexually open, they are very skilled. Just make sure you ask about jama-ha-ron."

  "What's-" Sonya was interrupted by the intercom.

  "Security to deck 14 Exobiology Lab!" It was Casana's voice, and she sounded desperate. "Security team responding to deck 14 Exobiology Lab," she said into her comm. They ran to the turbo-lift, slipping through the door as it was still opening. "Deck 14, Exobiology Lab." The trip took a few seconds, and when the door opened they ran towards the lab. They stopped just outside the door and Sonya looked over her shoulder at Zira. "Ready, Chief?"

  "Yes, ma'am." Her hand on her pistol, Sonya stepped in front of the door. As it opened, something shot out of it directly at her face, just missing her.

  "What the hell?" she yelled, swatting at the object. It avoided her arm, went past her head, and down the corridor. Before Sonya could turn to follow it, someone ran into her and she was knocked to the ground. She looked up to see Casana lying next to her. "Casana, what the hell is going on?"