2.3.2

All Hands for Endra

True to Captain London’s word, the ship convened business as soon as physically possible. The crew returned, and all hands worked to secure the new cargo so Ricks could pull them back into space and set them on their course.

It passed in a blur while Astrid contemplated what this news could mean. She made her way to the Bridge, far away from the engine room, when the Aldebaran roared its heart back to life and headed for the skies. Even from decks apart, the most powerful throttles of their ship’s beastly engine rattled her senses. But she welcomed the discomfort.

Not until London assembled a formal briefing, and they sped en route to Endra, could Astrid properly process anything again.

At least being in the War Room again evoked a sense of progress. In that room they always found a way forward. They never walked away from the strategy table until they knew what to do next. And that offered some solace.

The gentle amber lights that circled the ceiling softened the sense of time between tours and helped Astrid sink further into the lifestyle to which she’d grown accustomed aboard the Aldebaran.

“We’re here for you, Kitten,” Tenya reiterated the promise. “We’ll get it done.”

Astrid composed herself as best she could, though it did require some techniques learned years ago.

“The sooner the better. Can you tell me anything, Captain?”

The Channeler turned her attention to London, and the others aboard followed her lead. A datapad lay on the table before the captain, but he didn’t reach for it.

Though, Astrid occasionally caught the furtive glances of her friends when London further explained the situation.

“More about the circumstances for us than for Endra, I’m afraid,” he said. “Keeper Alethea’s decision to seek us specifically has granted us a precarious opportunity. Under normal circumstances, authorities would have given her the runaround looking for someone else to take responsibility for sorting it out.”

“Is she okay?” Astrid immediately asked.

London’s face, carefully calm, still looked grim when he replied, “She’s alive.”

Astrid fell quiet. She noted the implication of such a neutral answer. Thankfully, he continued without provocation.

“There were some casualties. But unpleasant as that is, the rest is much more concerning. We don’t know who, or how many, but it seems some were flat out taken instead.”

“Taken?” Astrid rebalanced her weight on her feet, immediately restless at the word.

He nodded. “The only people harmed were those that stood in the way, it seems. Guardians, the teachers, or anyone who tried to stop it.”

Acrid dark bloomed in the Channeler’s heart.

“This is a good sign, Astrid,” Romo spoke to her from across the table. “It means they don’t intend to immediately execute them. Or they would have just done so outright. It means they may be recovered.”

Astrid clasped her crystal in her hand like a worry touchstone, already prepared to pour her rising anguish within.

She caught Dell’s eyes go to her fingers, as though he already anticipated such a reaction. But Anders kept his gaze on her face. And beside her, Tenya lingered close.

“The first thing on our agenda is getting to Endra,” Captain London assured them all. “We’ll get more information from the Keeper and Guardians directly. Maybe who was taken will provide clues. But take heart. They are already in a better position because we’ve mobilized.

“Anderson will serve as Commanding Officer for the ground team, but Hale, you’ll be needed on the front.” London straightened with purpose. “We’re working on a shorter roster at the moment, so everyone is going to get more time off the bench. Rest up when you can. At least for the foreseeable future, downtime will be at a minimum.

“The fact we have sanction this time means that others will be looking to see how we handle ourselves. And now it affects others beyond our own team. It’s not common for our task force to be in the public eye, and I know you aren’t used to it. But how we conduct ourselves matters. So, keep yourself level.”

The five soldiers turned to their leader, with Astrid lost in thought.

“I’m already skimming Intel files,” Romo reported. “We keep tabs on human trafficking rings. Maybe someone noticed something new and didn’t realize what it was.”

“I’ve been checking all the old S.O. outlets we uncovered,” Dell added. “Just to see if they’re starting back up again.”

“Or maybe they never stopped,” Anders suggested.

“It’s too soon to make the assumption its them,” London insisted. “There’s a lot of private organizations out there. Too many to keep track of. Don’t get sloppy or distracted with presumptions. Even we are an example of people finding use for a Channeler. And as always, we do better when we’re prepared for anything.

“Thompson, I want you to get on the horn with Governor Dara on Tetris. See if the Tetrians, or any other group, are poking their heads out again. Just in case. Romo, I want you to keep on those reports. I know there’s a lot to go through and I don’t want to miss anything.

“Davis, I need you to do some black-market window shopping. Any sudden upgrades or drastic changes to the tech market is worth noting, and no one will notice better than you.”

“Aye, sir.” Dell readily agreed.

“Anderson. I want you to work on getting a list of the all the Sanctuaries and their locations. It’s not going to be easy information to obtain, so you’re going to have to throw your weight around a little.”

“Any idea where I should start?”

“Security departments. The Sanctuaries most documented are going to be those near the colonies. But the most isolated are going to be tricky. They’re as good as cruise ships in international waters, and it’ll be hard to pin someone willing to take ownership, or responsibility for overseeing their safety.”

Anders nodded.

“Let’s get to work, and quickly. Stop for regular duties only when necessary. I’m giving permission to readjust our priorities.”

“What can I do, Captain?” Astrid interjected.

The crew turned to her, though she couldn’t overlook London left her out of his orders.

“You need to keep yourself on an even keel, Hale. And you and I should talk in private before you disperse.”

She didn’t much like the sound of that. But with everyone else already assigned to an immediate task, Captain London concluded quickly.

“Every hour we get closer to Endra. The best we can do in the meantime is make sure we’re ready for the next step after, whatever that may be. Pull out the gear, unbox the stocks, and plot potential action plans. The time will come when we’ll need them.

“Dismissed,” he ordered shortly.

A disorganized shuffle of feet and crossed paths churned about the room as each departed to their intended task. But Astrid stood still, almost numb. Her pendant nearly itched in her fingers, until she and her captain were finally alone.

“I feel the need to apologize again, Hale. But sitting in our grievances won’t bring Endra’s people back. There hasn’t been time for celebration, but you must know the crew of the Aldebaran are proud of your return.”

She didn’t have a reply. She too, fantasized a more cheerful reunion than the one that played out. But she nursed deeper wounds than a lack of festivities.

“I don’t much like having nothing to do,” she finally proffered.

“There’s plenty to be done. But some business must be attended to, first.”

Captain London stretched his hand to flick his fingertips against the edge of the datapad before him. It slid across the table, to her.

“Your release order. In case you had any doubts. This time, it’s completely by the books. You’re free and clear. I thought you might like to see. For peace of mind.”

Astrid relinquished her grip on her crystal to thumb the screen thoughtfully. It flickered to life, where sure enough, a series of serial numbers and acquisition names brought her to the line that mattered: her name, in bold print. Signed off for duty by the members of High Command. Warrant Officer Parrish’s name also glowed beneath, a reminder that her freedom still came with a babysitter. If at a distance, now.

Astrid pushed through the cheerless silence.

“You didn’t want to tell me yourself?” she inquired directly. “About my Sanctuary?”

“Anderson volunteered. I knew he would be gentle. Besides, as the new field commander, it was important for me to see him step up to the regrettable tasks of command. It was as good a test of his leadership as any.

“I trust the conversation went as well as could be expected?”

“He did his duty, if that’s what you’re asking.” Astrid failed to recognize her own voice, as she so rarely talked back. But the detached nature London adopted to such a sensitive subject agitated her. “Unless there’s more I need to know.”

“I’m not withholding anything, Hale.” The kindness in the captain’s voice cooled with her tone. “Some information we can only acquire with our own eyes.”

She set the datapad back on the table unceremoniously.

“I hate to say this,” London ventured upon her dismissal, “But this unsolicited attack on your people may play in our favor.”

Astrid’s jaw tightened. “How’s that?”

“The galaxy is not made up only of people for, or against, the Channelers. The vast majority are apathetic. But an unwarranted attack on innocents? Children, even? It might move some to act where they otherwise would not. It warrants attention. And sympathy.

“I would not wish this on anyone, Hale. But it happened. The more we can leverage it, the more it may make a difference to others in the future.”

Astrid hardened herself while London tried to comfort her with tactics and strategy. But she wasn’t ready for it.

“I admit, I expected a worse reaction.” The captain eyed her crystal against her shirt. “We were prepared for an outburst.”

“My commitment to my training is why you chose me,” Astrid reminded herself, and him, both. “I won’t pretend I’m okay. But hearing of it has only got to be half as bad as seeing it myself, right?”

“Which brings me to my next order of business.” London took a deep breath before he continued. “For the sake of those aboard, I must ask: as the risk of emotional trauma seems increasingly likely as we move forward, is there more we can do to prepare? You must take responsibility for how this might affect you. And our people.”

She finally met his dark eyes. She still felt disoriented, but the reference of “our” people rang earnest. Any irritation she felt dulled with the respect he showed her. “I’ve never been in this situation before, Captain. But surely if there were no risk, there would be no need of Sanctuaries.”

At the word “Sanctuaries” the truth of their situation sank a little deeper. Like a knife in a wound.

A place of serenity, perhaps the most tranquil in the galaxy, as much a temple as a school, fell victim to violence and hate. For all they knew, Endra lay a smoking ruin.

The last unwelcome visage finally poked through her haze of disbelief. To acknowledge her return to the Aldebaran as real, she must also acknowledge its mission. And its destination; the site of a terrible assault.

Dozens of faces passed behind her eyes, but none provided a name she could accept as dead. Each pained her heart more, to remember that any of them could be gone. That surely some of them must be.

She covered her trembling lips in an equally trembling hand.

“We’re going to figure this out,” London insisted. “We’ll get there in four days. At full speed. As soon as we can. But if you ever feel you can’t serve with clarity or stability, you need to tell me, Hale. This is where trust must extend both ways.”

Astrid gathered her thoughts, swirling and tormented as they may be.

“I can’t let the team do this alone. Even if it weren’t about me and my people.”

Captain London nodded and collected the datapad from the table. “While I wish it hadn’t taken this attack to return you to us, it’s good to have the team whole again. I am reluctant to recruit replacements for those we lost unless I can be certain of their allegiance to our long-term goals. But eventually, we will need to bring in more. You remember the conditions of your service?”

“Anyone who joins our team has to know what I am,” she recited.

“With this attack, I am confident the right people will step up.”