Reprieve
Author: C.R. Daems
Date: 2021-03-16 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Science Fiction; Fantasy
Description: You have glioblastoma, an incurable brain cancer, and have less than a month to live. What price would you be willing to pay for a cure? Any price? Are you sure? Would it be worth agreeing to join an alien nation offering a cure but without any of the messy details? * who and what are the aliens, * proof they can cure you, * why they want people from Earth, * the alien's specific needs, * what they expect from those they cure, * but knowing they will never see Earth again. Kayla, a seventeen-year-old teenager, and others with an assortment of lethal medical conditions are about to find out the

The  Phoenix Wars

Book I, Reprieve

By

C. R. Daems

The Phoenix Wars: Book I: Reprieve

Copyright © 2021 by C. R. Daems

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from C. R. Daems.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

ISBN-13: 978-1-7362282-0-3

Check out all my novels at
talonnovels.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

They Aren't Listening

Chapter 2

It's Not Good News

Chapter 3

Not What I Expected

Chapter 4

No Good Options

Chapter 5

Orientation

Chapter 6

The House Of War

Chapter 7

Training For War

Chapter 8

The Art Of War

Chapter 9

Unhappy People Are Dangerous

Chapter 10

War Games

Chapter 11

Graduation Of Sorts

Chapter 12

'The Enemy In The House

Chapter 13

Wounded People Are Also Dangerous

Chapter 14

The Tullizor

Chapter 15

What We Did Right And Wrong

Chapter 16

The Eye Of The Storm

Chapter 17

Foolish People Are Also Dangerous

Chapter 18

To Do Or Die

Chapter 19

Anixia Inquiry

Chapter 20

Escalating War

Chapter 21

The K-Box

Chapter 22

Living In The Fast Lane

Chapter 23

K-Box Qualifications

Chapter 24

New Survivors

Chapter 25

New Thinking And Techniques

Chapter 26

No More Hotshots

Chapter 27

Too Many Potential Options

Chapter 28

The Space Gods Must Love Birds

Chapter 29

Being Right Isn't Always Good

Chapter 30

Quality Testing After The Sale.

Chapter 31

Down The Rabbit Hole

Chapter 32

New Clothes

Chapter 33

Looking Toward The Future

Chapter 34

Starting Over

Chapter 35

New People, New Ship, New Command

Chapter 36

A Whole New world

Chapter 37

A War Of Misdirection

Chapter 38

New Home, New assignment, New challenges

Chapter 39

Anixian Secrets

Chapter 40

Becoming Anixian

Chapter 41

Shakedown Cruise

Chapter 42

Treachery

Chapter 43

Phase One, The Hunt

Chapter 44

Phase Two, Capture

Chapter 45

Double Trouble

Chapter 46

A Plan Is A Commitment

Chapter 47

Double Trickery

Chapter 48

The Moment Of Truth

Chapter 49

The Party Is Over

Chapter 50

Updraft

Chapter 51

Teaching Tricks

Chapter 52

Packing To Leave

Chapter 53

Into the unknown

Chapter 54

Learning a New Language

Chapter 55

Trust Is In short supply

Chapter 56

Monkeys Galore

Chapter 57

No Good Options

Chapter 58

What To Do Now?

Chapter 59

It Might Work

Chapter 60

The Cures Are Temporary

Chapter 61

The Prophecy

Chapter 1

They Aren't Listening

I sat pushing my grandma's mushroom-stuffed pork Roulade around my plate. It looked delicious, but I felt too nauseated to eat. Grandma had immigrated to America with her husband and two children from Germany in her twenties. Forty-five years later, her husband, my father's father, died of a stroke, and she moved in with us and immediately took responsibility for the cooking, cleaning, and nurturing of her precious granddaughter. I was five at the time. She was a small woman, seven centimeters shorter than me, with a round face, black hair now mostly grey, a matronly figure, and a tender heart. Currently, the only sounds in the room were of knives and forks scraping on plates. The usual chatter about current events were swallowed in a black hole surrounding me. The only person who would look at me was Grandma. Her eyes were sad, and she looked like she wanted to pull me into a protective embrace. Eventually, my father pushed back his chair and rose from the dining room table.

"Kayla," he said. His voice harsh and angry. He gestured toward the front room. His six-foot muscular frame towered over me as I rose and proceeded him out of the dining room into the formal front room used mostly for guests or business. His thick lips were in a tight line, his eyes narrow, and his forehead wrinkled in a frown. His expression appeared to oscillate between angry, frustrated, and wanting to be somewhere else. I knew because I felt the same way. He sat on one of the two Bombay leather sofas and patted the cushion next to him for me to sit.

"We've had another call from Sister Angus. She said you missed five classes over the past two weeks. This is unacceptable, Kayla. If you keep this up, they are going to expel you or place you under court supervision."

My headache was getting worse as I listened to my father drone on and on. I knew he was fighting the urge to shout. Although he was a vice president in charge of operations for a medium-sized construction company, he thought shouting was the best way to make his point when crews screwed up. I wouldn't blame him if he tried it on me, although he never had. But it wouldn't work. He wasn't listening to me, and I wasn't listening to him. He was convinced I didn't like school and skipped classes to hang out with other delinquents to do heaven only knew what. In reality, I was having headaches, nausea, and fits of dizziness and couldn't concentrate. So I wasn't learning anything in class, and my lack of participation was resulting in after-class punishments, lectures, and counseling sessions on my poor attitude. It was easier on everyone for me to skip school, except for lectures from my parents when they found out. Because they each traveled a lot for work meant every week or two. My father because he was responsible for multiple construction sites located in several of the Western states, and my mother because she was the vice president of sales for a medium-sized sports apparel company and had customers scattered around the United States and Europe. My father's raised voice broke into my musing.

"Kayla, what are you doing when you skip school?" he said, sounding like he had asked the question more than once before. I felt nauseated. My head throbbed, and I was past the point of caring.

"Earning money on the street for cocaine and heroin–"

His hand shot out and backhanded me so hard I spun off the couch and hit the floor face first, causing my lungs to explode the breath out of me. I lay there more in shock than pain. My father had never hit me. He had always treated me like a princess. I knew I deserved it, but it wasn't my fault. No one would listen to me, I sobbed quietly as tears filled my eyes. When I told my mother, she dismissed my headaches, saying, "You have to learn to ignore them. Life goes on." She had been a very athletic person all her life, and I doubted she would stop running a marathon if halfway into the race she fell and broke her leg. "Take a couple of aspirin when you feel a headache coming on."

Suddenly feeling sick to my stomach, I rose to my knees, gagged, and vomited onto the rust tribal medallion area rug that sat between the two sofas.

"Martin, what's going on?" my mother asked, coming out of the dining room. She stopped, her face frozen in shock.

"I'm sorry." My father sounded hysterical. "I hit her."

"What if we have to take her to the hospital?" my mother said, obviously concerned about the possible ramifications. The law took a very dim view on beating your children, and doctors and hospital were quick to report injuries which could have resulted from child abuse.

I couldn't stifle a laugh between sobs. We were each suffering in our own private nightmare. My father shocked at what he had done and thinking about being arrested, my mother concerned that the hospital would report the incident as child abuse, and me feeling alone and lost.

I rose to my feet, feeling dizzy. My father sat at the edge of the couch as if he wanted to jump up and rush to me but was hesitant and torn with conflicting emotions. His eyes were wide open, and he was breathing through his mouth in obvious shock. My mother's eyes darting from my father to me and back again like surveying an accident but not sure what to do. Grandma stood with her hands over her mouth, like she was trying to stifle some response from coming out.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to say anything. I don't care anymore," I said as I staggered up the stairs to my bedroom and shut the door behind me, knowing no one would enter without my permission. My room, with its private bathroom suite, television, and computer, was a sanctuary from everything except the constant pain. Ironically, my unwise remark to my father was half true. Not the part about "earning money on the street." My parents were rich and would buy me anything I wanted. Consequently, I never lacked for pocket money, but I had tried several illegal drugs, not cocaine or heroin but marijuana, meth, and psilocybin mushrooms in an effort to stop the headaches and nausea. Fortunately, the drugs I tried made me feel worse, so I never became addicted.

A soft knock at the door woke me, and I pulled the covers over my head and mumbled, "Go away," not wanting to speak to anyone. My symptoms were the worst in the morning. But the soft voice of my grandma couldn't be ignored without hurting her, something I would never do intentionally. She had been the one constant in my life since birth. She could be a force to reckon with when she wanted and could quiet both my father and mother with a look and seldom lost an argument. With me, she was like a fairy godmother, gentle and loving. When alone, she often reverted to her native German. Consequently, before I entered first grade, I could speak fluent German. My mother had to frequently remind Grandma and me that we weren't speaking English.

"Kayla, would you like me to make you something special for breakfast?" her soft voice said in German. "Our secret language," Grandma always said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Come in, Oma," I said, using the German expression for grandmother, as I struggled to sit up, leaning back against the headboard for support as my head spun and acid rose in my throat.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed as she sat on my bed and gently examined my face. "The whole side of your face is black and blue." She jumped up and hustled out of the room. Worried, I staggered up and went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. Grandma was right. The upper half of my face was a variety of colors from red to purple, and my right eye was swollen as well as black and blue. Before I could decide what to do, Grandma returned with a jar of foul-smelling salve and began gently rubbing it on the bruises. "You need to stay home from school today."

I nodded. I wasn't mad at my father, nor did I want him to get into trouble. The hit was a reflexive reaction to my very inappropriate remark. He had been a raging bull bleeding from the banderillas of anger, frustration, and impatience, and I had waved a red cape in front of him.

"My son and Marie are talking about sending you to a boarding school," Grandma said after a moment. Her sad eyes watched me intently for my reaction. I nodded, not in favor but in resignation. I had been causing them a lot of trouble for over a year. In the beginning, I could keep from saying what I was thinking and could manage to work through the headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Apparently, I had reached the limits of my control based on yesterday's outburst. I no longer cared. Like a slave who had been beaten to make work harder and beaten to get up when he fell from exhaustion, I had reached the point where the beatings no longer mattered. In fact, I had reached the point where the beatings were welcomed, as was death. I lowered my head on her warm shoulder and cried.

"It won't work." I sobbed into her tear-soaked sleeve. "I no longer care what anyone does," I said as if she had been capable of hearing my previous thoughts. "Oma, take me to the hospital!" I shouted as my head shot up.

"You don't want to do that, Kayla. That will cause a lot of trouble for you, Martin, and Marie–"

"No, Oh-ma. I want the doctors to examine me, not this bruise. Maybe they can help me. Otherwise, I'm going to die," I said with a finality that surprised me. "You can say you found me lying on the floor when you came to wake me for school. I'll tell them about my headaches, nausea, and dizziness and that I fell going to the bathroom late last night."

"Are you sure, Kayla?"

"Yes. When adults feel sick, they go to their doctor and get medicine to help. Well, I'm not a rebellious teenager. I'm sick, and maybe the doctors have something to help me get better."

Somewhat reluctantly, Grandma helped me dress and called for a taxi.

"Where to?" the small Asian-looking driver asked when Grandma and I entered and closed the door.

"The closest hospital," Grandma said. "My granddaughter had a nasty fall."

"No," I corrected. "The Mayo Clinic." My father and mother can afford the best care for their only daughter, I smiled to myself. The driver turned to look at Grandma and shrugged when she nodded. The drive took over thirty minutes, and when we arrived, we were directed to the emergency department, where we waited almost an hour before being escorted into an examination room. Twenty minutes later, a relatively young doctor in his late twenties entered.

"I'm Doctor Norman," he said. His smile faded as he looked at my face, holding my jaw between his thumb and forefinger and gently turning my head to get a better look. "How did this happen?" he asked, his voice sounding suspicious as he looked back to my grandma, but I interrupted him before she could speak.

"Doctor, I'm not here for this bruise. It will heal on its own. For over a year, I've been having headaches accompanied by nausea and dizziness. They have been getting worse. Fortunately, I fell in my bedroom going to the bathroom, rather than at the head of the stairs leading to the first floor. This bruise is a minor problem that my grandmother has treated. I am here for my symptoms," I said, standing to look him in his brown eyes, and I would have fallen if he hadn't caught me, as a wave of dizziness washed over me. "I'm not a child, and I haven't been abused!"

"Alright, young lady. You say these headaches have been going on for a year?" he asked. I nodded. "How come your parents didn't send you to see a doctor before now?"

"Because I haven't made a big deal of the headaches, thinking it was just part of my body changing from a girl to a woman." I shrugged.

"It's not," he said with emphasis on the last word. He left, and sometime later, a woman came in and led me to another room where I had a CT scan and then returned me to the room where my grandma waited, looking worried. An hour later, a man in hospital blue pants and shirt took me to a different room where I had an MRI scan and again returned to the waiting room. An hour later, an elderly woman entered and took me to another room where I had an MRE and returned to the waiting room. Each time I returned, Grandma looked more nervous, and I began to wonder if I had done the right thing insisting on going to the hospital. I hoped for Grandma's sake that they had run out of machines. We had spent close to five hours by my watch, and my usually calm grandma looked close to hysterical. Just in time, a silver-haired man entered the room along with Doctor Norman.

"Mrs. Trager, Kayla, this is Doctor Carlson. He is our resident neurosurgeon," Doctor Norman said and stepped back to allow Carlson a clear line of sight to Grandma and me.

"Mrs. Trager, I understand you are Kayla's grandmother?" he asked, continuing when she nodded. "Where are her mother and father?"

"They are at work. They usually don't get home until late." She hesitated, looking at me before continuing. "Kayla insisted on coming to the hospital when she woke this morning."

"That was very smart, Kayla," Carlson said. "I'll need to speak to one or preferably both of her parents. Today."

Chapter 2

It's Not Good News

"I'm Martin Trager," he said, after being told by Naomi, his personal secretary, that the call was from a Doctor Carlson at the Mayo Clinic.

"Mr. Trager, we have your daughter, Kayla, and your mother, Mrs. Paulina Trager, here at the Mayo Clinic. Your daughter was checked into the emergency unit six hours ago and has been undergoing extensive examination for her headaches. I would like to discuss the results with you and your wife today, if possible," Carlson said with an Austrian sounding accent.

"Is it serious?" Martin asked, hoping he hadn't badly hurt Kayla when he hit her last night and couldn't help wondering if she was making an official complaint. If so, why didn't his mother notify him she was taking Kayla to the hospital and why the Mayo Clinic? He could feel the perspiration forming on his forehead and under his arms. Thankfully, Carlson interrupted his speculations.

"I think our findings are best discussed in person. I'll be available anytime you, and hopefully your wife, can make it."

"I'll call my wife, and we'll be there within the hour."

"Thank you, Mr. Trager," Carlson said and hung up. Martin loved his daughter with all his heart, but she had suddenly become moody and delinquent this past year. If she pressed charges… He placed his head in his hands, feeling like he had just slipped off a girder five stories in the air and was plunging toward an unknown outcome. Eventually, he reached for the phone and called Marie. It took several minutes for her to answer.

"They said it was urgent, Martin," she said. The tone of her voice suggested he had interrupted something important, and she had no time to waste.

"I got a call from the Mayo Clinic. They have Kayla and my mother there and want to speak to both of us as soon as possible. I told him we would be there within the hour," Martin said.

"Is this about you striking her?" Marie asked, adding before he could answer, "Did you cause something serious?"

"I have no idea, but speculating about why won't change the reason they want both of us. Do you want me to pick you up or to meet me there?"

"I'll meet you there. It will be faster," Marie said, sounding as nervous as he felt.

"Ask for Doctor Carlson," Martin said and hung up. He grabbed his jacket and told Naomi he had an emergency and wouldn't be back today as he hurried out of the building. He shook his head as he entered his new Ram 2500 at just how fast a good life could turn to shit. He could do jail time, he realized. Regardless of what awaited him at the Mayo Clinic, it wouldn't be good news.

As he approached the Mayo Clinic building, he saw Marie's white Audi S7 pulling into the parking lot. He stood patiently waiting, not anxious to discover the reason for the summons to see Doctor Carlson.

"This can't be good," Marie said as she neared. "I wonder if your mother decided to take her to emergency."

"It's possible, but I doubt it unless Kayla developed some problem from my…slap. She knows it could involve the police, and she isn't fond of government involvement," he said as he held the glass door for her to enter, then proceeded to the information booth. "Miss," he said to the young redhead at the booth, "I'm Mr. Trager. Can you tell me where I can find Doctor Carlson? He asked me to meet him here at the clinic."

The young woman frowned as she scanned her monitor, tapped a few keys, and then smiled as she turned back to him. "Yes, sir, he's in office 201. The elevators are to your right."

"I don't think I've felt so nervous since…ever. There can't be a good outcome to this," Martin said. "When I proposed to you, there was a bad outcome as you could have said no and a good outcome if you said yes. Waiting for the decision for the vice-president position at Western Construction had a bad but also a good possible outcome. Here, there are only bad ones. I can't even imagine a good one," Martin said as they rode the elevator to the second floor.

"My God. Maybe she is pregnant!" Marie gasped. "She mentioned headaches and nausea."

The elevator door was beginning to close before they realized they were on the second floor when a man in green scrubs stopped the door from closing and entered the elevator.

"Can you tell me where office 201 is located?" Martin asked the man while using his arm to stop the elevator door from closing. He pointed to the right. They exited and stood looking down the hallway as if it led to the gates to hell. At the door, Martin stood, staring at the brass plate with A. G. Carlson engraved in black, unable to move. He felt that opening that door would unravel his life forever. Marie knocked several times, giving him a let's get this over with look. Several seconds later, the door opened, and a distinguished-looking man with silver-hair stood.

"Mr. and Mrs. Trager?" he asked, waiting for acknowledgement before opening the door fully and stepping back. "Please have a seat." He waved to the two empty chairs in front of his desk. Kayla and his mother were already seated. His mother looked pale and dejected. Kayla, on the other hand, looked calm somehow. Martin wanted to shout "sorry" to Kayla and to run to his princess and hug her when he saw the right side of her face. Her eye was swollen nearly shut, and the right side from her ear to her nose was one mass of ugly discolored skin. Tears swelled up in his eyes. Marie's mouth hung open in shock. Carlson spoke before they could move.

"That bruise looks far worse than it is. Nothing more than a few broken small blood vessels. Apparently, it happened while she was attempting to navigate to her bathroom," he said, but he didn't sound convinced, judging by the brief tightening of his eyes as they swept Martin and Marie and his next comment. "Kayla didn't come here for the bruise; she came because she has been having headaches, nausea, and dizziness for the past year."

Martin couldn't help a sigh of relief until he suddenly realized that might have been the better of their options.

"Doctor Norman sent her for a routine CT scan because of the head injury. The CT scan indicated the need for further tests. Subsequently, we took blood samples, ran an MRI and an MRE. I am afraid the results confirm she has glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor more frequently found in adults."

"What are you recommending, Doctor?" Martin asked, hoping desperately for a miracle treatment or that a surgical procedure existed, but Carlson's eyes said no before he did.

"There is no cure for glioblastoma. There are treatments to help ease the symptoms."

"How long?" Marie asked, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Normally a year, give or take a few months; however, our tests on Kayla indicate she has had the tumor for close to a year–"

"NO!" Marie screamed as she leaped out of the chair and rushed to kneel beside Kayla and pulled her into a hug.

"And we've made your life a living hell this last year." Martin was openly crying, realizing how badly he had misjudged his daughter. When he looked toward Kayla, she had a small smile on her adorable face.

Chapter 3

Not What I Expected

At home, Grandma made dinner. The mood at the table was depressing as everyone attempted to act normal when they were anything but.

I had a right to be depressed, knowing I was going to die before the year ended, and this was already September, but I was at peace. The last year had been a nightmare, and I had been ready to commit suicide. At least now, I would be free for so long as I had left and treated with love and not as an out-of-control delinquent. No desperate surgery, no chemotherapy, and no dying in some hospital ward attached to machines. Free.

"Stop that!" I said rather loudly. "My condition is no one's fault, not yours, not mine. The past can't be changed, and there is no cure in my future. So let's try to enjoy the time I have left on Earth." I laughed. "From my perspective, I'm standing in the world's largest candy store, and I can have anything I want, whether it's good for me or not."

That produced weak smiles from everyone and seemed to perk up my father.

"What do you want, Kayla? Name it," he said, mentally opening his wallet, bank account, and ready to mortgage the house if necessary.

"For now, I'm content knowing you love me, and you are there if I need you. I'm going to be a Today person. I will be born anew each day and do my best to enjoy it. Right now, Grandma's Jägerschnitzel looks delicious, and I'm hungry."

The next month was everything I could have wished for. My physical condition varied day-by-day, some days relatively good and others bad. The medicine Doctor Carlson prescribed helped, and mentally I was healthy and enjoying myself. After last year, this was heaven.

That ended one morning, several weeks later. I woke to find I couldn't move. I thought my body had shut down, and I was dying or dead. But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I found I wasn’t in my bedroom. I lay strapped to a bed in a room the size of a gymnasium, with gray metal walls and filled with a hundred or more occupied beds. In a way, it looked like a triage facility after a major disaster. Judging by the chorus of shouts and curses and lack of moaning, the injuries didn't appear serious. Yet everyone was strapped to their bed. When I tried to move my arms and legs, I discovered I was restrained by straps across my ankles, chest, and wrists.

Just then, the door at the head of the room opened, and a figure with an over-sized purple hood and floor-length robe entered.

"Welcome." The sound came through the speakers, which hung around the room near to the ceiling, not from the direction of the figure. He held up a gloved hand from the folds of his robe as everyone began shouting questions and curses. He said nothing as he waited for the room to become quiet. "In time, all your questions will be answered; however, they will be answered one at a time in the order I choose. You will get your answers faster if you keep quiet and listen." He paused and appeared to be scanning the room based on the movement of his hood. "Excellent. You all have one thing in common. You each have an incurable medical condition and will die within a month or two since your planet lacks the technology to cure you–" The speakers went quiet as a storm of questions were shouted. The hooded man had to wait for a full five minutes before the room became quiet. "Good. Where was I?" the hooded figure said and paused. "Oh, yes, your planet lacks the technology to cure you. Therefore, without a miracle, you have only months to live. That is your common denominator and the reason you were selected–" He stopped again when the shouting and questions began. This time, he left the room. After what seemed like hours, he returned carrying a cup of something hot as he was blowing on it. When he looked up, he began speaking again. "If you stop me too often, I'm going to lose my place, and you will have to endure me repeating what I've already told you, or I'm going to skip something I thought I told you but didn't." He stopped as if thinking. "I remember...without a miracle, you have only months to live. Earth is not only not alone in the Milky Way but also rather backward. Something like 2000 AD versus 5000 BC." Several people began to speak but stopped mid-sentence. The room held its collective breath as the speaker took a step toward the door, then stopped. "Backward compared to many other species, but to be fair, ahead of a few others. I'm told it's lunchtime, so I will stop for now." He turned and exited as two men and two women entered directing carts that had no wheels and appeared to be floating. As one woman approached my bed, the straps holding my wrists and across my chest released, and I could sit up. She handed me a bowl, a large spoon, and a hunk of bread from the cart and, without a word, continued on to the next bed. I dipped the spoon into the bowl and sipped at the thick brown contents. It tasted like a variation of Grandma's goulash, similar but different. The bread was crisp and tasted spiced. A plastic cup I hadn't noticed the woman leave contained water with a hint of lemon. Overall a nutritious and tasty meal. Sometime later, the same people returned and retrieved the bowls, cups, and spoons.

Not long afterward, the same four individuals entered again with two metal units. From my angle, the units looked like metal rectangular boxes two meters long, fifty centimeters wide, and fifteen centimeters deep, which stood waist-high supported by four legs. I could see no wheels. As I watched, the units rose two centimeters off the ground and began gliding into the room. One person walked behind each unit with a small tablet. The units were steered to the first bed in rows one and two. The men in the beds began shouting and protesting as their straps were reattached. Afterward, each unit was positioned over the bed and then dropped to the floor to rest on the legs. The operator touched the tabletop, and a light appeared, moving across the bed from foot to the head and back again. The operator recorded something on his tablet before moving to the next bed, where the procedure was repeated.

When the team reached my bed, I saw the man looked like any European male and the woman like a typical Asian. I felt nothing as the light passed over my body.

"What are you doing?" I asked. They ignored me like they hadn't heard me speak. I wondered if they didn't understand English, were instructed not to speak, or were under some compulsion. When they had finished the six rows, they left through the same door they had entered.

While they worked, my brain tried to come to grips with what was happening. I remember going to bed around midnight after watching an old war movie with Tom Hanks and woke up here, wherever here was. But how? Surely, I would have remembered being transported from home to here or at least leaving home. I could feel my arms and legs, so I couldn't be dead, and my skin looked normal, so I still had blood flowing through my arteries. Nothing but my location had changed. I even had my ever-present headache and felt nauseated, so my condition remained the same. The purple-hooded man had said we all had an incurable medical condition and would die within a month or two. "Nooooo!" I shrieked, thinking I could be in some research institute, a lab rat, having my last remaining days, weeks stolen. My heart pounded in my chest, and I threw up. As I looked around, others were struggling to get free of their bed, and the noise in the room reached hysteria. Then I noticed two women in white uniforms were cleaning up the mess I had made. One handed me a plastic cup of lemon-tasting water, which I accepted gratefully as my mouth tasted like a toxic waste dump. I swished it around in my mouth, spat it into the small plastic container the second woman gave me, and then took a drink from the cup. The Asian-looking woman smiled warmly but said nothing.

They had no sooner departed than the mystery man in purple returned. He waited patiently for silence.

"The good news is that the medics assure me we can cure your current medical problems and return you to excellent health and a normal lifespan. Of course, like most everything in life, the cure comes with a price–" He paused as the room exploded with questions. The shouting and talking continued long after the man had left the room. It was a long time before he returned. "I realize you have many questions, and they will all be answered in due time. But we have found that it's days faster if you let me enlighten you in a logical order rather than trying to answer your random questions." He paused. "That price is you will never see Earth again."

The room was deathly quiet as I, and I suspect everyone in the room, tried to come to terms with the robed man's pronouncement. If not Earth, where? Heaven or Hell? Would it be worth living as a slave on some godforsaken mining planet? Would we have a choice, or had someone already decided? I felt like throwing up again but managed to hold it down.

"My homeworld is not a slave colony," the robed man said as if he had read my mind. "It is much like Earth. An inhabitable planet with breathable air, drinkable water, and moderate temperatures. You will have a choice of several occupations and receive training. For example, the people in white you saw are medical staff who a few years ago were just like you, dying of some disease or medical condition. They have evaluated each of your current conditions and have determined we have the capability to cure you–"

"Why not just cure us and return us to our homes?" someone shouted. The robed man stood still waiting. I had the feeling he would leave again as he had done before if there were any more questions. When none came, he spoke. "You have a need, and we have a need. Your need is a cure. Our need is people to immigrate to our planet and help us survive. Much like early America. Like then, it's your choice whether to immigrate or not." He paused to sip from the cup he held. "I wish I could give you an insight into my world, but your window to return will close in one hour. So you have one hour to decide." He pointed to a large clock with four faces that was being lowered into the middle of the room. "Each of your beds has a red button on the left side. You must press that button before the hour is up if you wish to return to Earth." I noticed that the digital clock had begun its countdown as he closed the door behind him.

The decision seemed a simple one to me. Do I want to die within a month, possibly in considerable pain, or take my chances that this new world isn't what the man in purple described? That it wasn't what I first imagined: a place where they would use us to experiment on, or alternatively, a hellish nightmare run by demonic creatures? But if it were, why would they give us the opportunity to return? I wished I could say goodbye to my parents and Oma, but that wasn't an option. I decided I had died on Earth and was being reborn anew here, wherever that was, and would make the best I could of each day.

Chapter 4

No Good Options

I woke strapped down again, thinking this wasn't a good sign. Others around me were also beginning to wake, and the noise level in the room began to increase with each passing minute as they realized they were immobilized, prisoners. It subsided somewhat when the door opened and the mystery man in purple entered. Eventually, the room became silent when he stopped in the middle of the room. At the same time, the straps holding our wrists and chest were released so we could sit up.

"We have been traveling for three days, during which time the medics have been treating your medical conditions. I'm happy to report that you have all been successfully treated and are in good health." That generated a burse of comments which quickly quieted. Like Pavlov's dog, we had been conditioned well by our mystery man. "Very good. One learns very little when talking and much when listening. As I mentioned, those of us in purple are designated teachers and native to your new home, the planet Anixia. Since we will be landing in several hours, let me give you a brief history lesson." He pointed to the four monitors hanging on the walls at the ends of the room and in the middle on both sides. "This is a video of the planet," he said as the video appear to be moving around the planet past jagged mountains, barren landscape of prairies, deserts, and oceans. There were no cities or even tents, yet they obviously had spacecraft technology. "The planet appears barren for a reason. The Milky Way is filled with evil sentient life forms." He stopped while the video continued. "We evolved much like you did on Earth, in the oceans. Then like you, we left the oceans and crawled onto the land where we continue to evolve." The video now showed small things leaving the water and slowly evolving into larger animals. "But where life on Earth exited the protection of the trees and evolved their minds to survive on the land, we on Anixia took to the air. We probably wouldn't have developed significant intelligence except we too had predators who sought us out, but rather than try to kill them, we developed ways to discourage them. As we evolved, we built beautiful dwellings on the tops of mountains." Although his voice still came through the speakers in the room, I felt a wishful tone to his last words. Then I saw the picture of what looked like a fairytale glass castle perched on the top of a snow-covered mountain. It sparkled in the sun like it was alive. "Then the Tullizor, demons evolved from lizards, invaded our land. They destroyed our homes, hunted us like vermin, and established bases on our land. But our medical knowledge was far superior to the Tullizor's. We used our knowledge of deoxyribonucleic acid, that's your term for the molecule that contains our genetic codes, to make the planet uninhabitable for them. When they left, we began to rebuild, but they returned periodically and destroyed everything we had built, almost annihilating the Anixia people. We have always been a peaceful race who lived off the land. Consequently, we had developed no tools of war, and we could fly, so we needed no air vehicles. To survive the Tullizor's periodic raids, we moved underground, giving the Tullizor nothing to destroy. But they knew we still existed and scorched our land with their ugly weapons, tainting the land for centuries. Living underground was destroying our…souls. We were made to fly free and to inhabit the highest mountains but were buried in underground dens like rodents." He stopped talking as the voice shook with despair. "So we built ships of war and fought, but the cost was high. Our ships were superior but relied on artificial intelligence to fight as we are a peaceful race and do not have the killer instinct. The Tullizor are predators and have excellent instincts that proved superior during our encounters. By accident, one of our ships found Earth. Our subsequent studies of Earth and its people revealed you to be natural predators who love war; however, your medical knowledge was far inferior to ours. You can deduce the rest. We need your natural predatory instincts to help us and maybe Earth as the Tullizor will eventually stumble across your planet as we did." With that, he threw off his cape to reveal a figure with short thin body and legs, massive wings extending to the floor, small four-fingered hands extending from the limbs that supported wings, and a normal size head with a beak. Around his neck hung a small black box. "As you can see, I need a translator to talk to you as my mouth cannot make the sounds you do." This time, he didn't leave when the talking began. When the room silenced, he began speaking. "I apologize for the restraints and for not allowing your questions, but we have found over the years it is best for you and us. In the beginning, we had several very unfortunate instances. One group attempted to take over the ship. They succeeded but are now all dead. You can't fly our ships, and there is insufficient food on board to last more than a month. Even if there were years of food, you would die of your existing medical conditions. It's far better to wait until you are cured and understand the situation."

One woman raised a hand. The Anixian pointed his hand towards her. "Yes, Amelia," he asked using her name. Surprised until I realized he knew a lot about each of us, since he knew our medical condition, our life expectancy, where we lived, etc.

"What happens now?" She had a mop of unruly red hair, a pixy face that looked full of devilish mischief, and a let's get started attitude in her voice. Just then, I felt the ankle restraints release.

"A good question which I would wager is on everyone's mind. You will be led into a large auditorium where you will be fed while you listen to a lecture on the various professions available to you. Then you will be issued clothing, assigned quarters where you can refresh yourself and relax, and have time to fill out a questionnaire we can use to evaluate your needs and where you will fit most comfortably into your new society."

I raised my hand along with several others. When he pointed a hand toward me, I stood. "Sir, what are the patches and stripes on the medic's uniforms?"

"A very practical question, Kayla, but best not answered here. You will have a chance to study each profession in detail over the next couple of weeks. For now, it will be enough to know that the color of the uniform indicates one's function, white medical, purple teacher, etc." He held up his hand. "I'm informed we are ready to depart. If you would please line up towards the rear door, we will be exiting the ship shortly."

Obviously, a very structured environment, and, like the military, identification to tell everyone where you fit, I mused as I entered the line around ten back from the door, which was still closed.

"Hi, Kayla, I'm Todd, formally from Colorado." He smiled. Todd was a tall, lanky youth who looked to be about eighteen. He had a friendly angular face, straight nose, brown eyes, brown hair cut just over his ears, and a wispy growth of hair around his chin. I surveyed him only to discover he was wearing a long straight nightgown, and to my horror, I was in my two-piece pajamas with bunnies everywhere. Looking around in horror, I discovered we were all in nightwear of various shapes, designs, and materials, including hospital gowns. Todd smiled as he saw the shock on my face.

"I guess nobody had time to change into something more appropriate." He laughed and nodded toward two individuals, each with their sheet wrapped around them. "I think a couple were less prepared than we were."

"I was prepared to go, but no one told me what time the bus was leaving, or I would have packed," I quipped. "What about you?"

"I developed motor neuron disease, ALS, when I was very young, and my time was running out fast. I don't know what they have in store for us, but it has to be better than my last ten years. What did you have?"

"An inoperable brain tumor. Thankfully, it was quick." I decided to change topics. That was history, and we had the future to deal with. "What do you think of this deal we've made?"

"So far so good. I'm whole for the first time in my memory. I have control over my muscles, have no pain, and have a full life ahead of me. The only question is the price." He laughed. "It brings back that old saying, 'If something appears too good to be true, it probably is.'"

I nodded, feeling in total agreement. Just then, the door opened, and the line began moving forward. It looked to be a massive underground cave that was large enough to hold the cruiser that freed or kidnapped us. Being underground, it was impossible to determine whether we had been transported to another solar system. Looking at the cruiser, I was inclined to believe the story we were told. The ship was at least two stories high and a city block long. I could see several other smaller vehicles, also without wings. They were small and couldn't hold more than a few people. We were led further into the mountain through a long narrow tunnel, allowing only two or three persons to walk side-by-side. The five-minute walk led to a large room with comfortable chairs designed for humans. The room had a raised platform, and monitors and speakers hung high on the rock walls every fifteen meters.

Our mystery man in purple walked up the five stone steps onto the platform to a podium and turned to face us.

"Once again, welcome. This is our immigration indoctrination center where you will be processed, familiarized with the human community on Anixia, and given classes to prepare you to select a profession of your choice," he said through the speakers, or maybe it was a recorded speech given to each new group. "Today, you will be assigned quarters, given a wardrobe of clothing, and allowed the remainder of the day to relax and refresh yourselves. Meals will be brought to you at the appropriate times." He or the recorded speech paused for a minute before continuing. "Tomorrow, the medical staff will examine you, correct any small problems, and vaccinate you against potential viruses humans can catch on Anixia. On the third day, classes will begin. You will be given one subject at a time and tested when the class is over. That is part of our evaluation of you and will be considered when we evaluate your choice of professions. We want you to be comfortable here and would like to give everyone their first choice, but like on Earth, not everyone is suited for every position. As our, and now your, very existence depends on everyone on Anixia contributing to our survival. While in this facility, men will be assigned to the quarter through the door on the left and women the door on the right." He pointed to each door in turn. One door had a male peacock with its tail feathers raised in a beautiful blue-green fan, while the other door had the image of a peahen. "All classes will be held in this room."

"What about transgenders?" a young man in his early twenties asked with a note of defiance in his voice.

"That mix up in your DNA will be fixed. For now, you will use the sex you are currently assigned."

"So this isn't a free society!" the same young man shouted.

"Freedom is an illusion, Douglas. No society is free because for a society to exist, there must be laws. The existence of laws means you are not free to do whatever you want. No one would want a totally free society. The atrocities would be unimaginable."

"What if I don't want to live in your society? After all, we were all kidnapped," he shouted.

"Technically, you weren't kidnapped since you were given a choice to return. But to answer your question, you would be banished. We on Anixia are fighting for our lives. We don't need citizens unwilling to cooperate. So you have a choice, cooperate or leave."

That certainly answered a question we've all had on our minds, I mused. We saved you. Now help save us or leave, and judging by the landscape we were shown on the ship, the planet's surface wasn't habitable thanks to the Tullizor.

"That's all for now. Please exit to your assigned quarters for processing."

I stood with the rest of my fellow humans and proceeded through the door on the right. Inside were a double row of beds, toilet facilities including showers, and on the far side two desks with women waving for us to join them. I chose the one on the far left. The woman looked at me and then at a computer monitor on her desk before speaking.

"Good afternoon, Kayla. I'm Samantha," said a woman in her early thirties. She stuck out her hand in welcome, which I shook. She had a round friendly face that was smiling. Her light brown hair was long and tied in a ponytail, and her body looked trim and in good shape. Her uniform was a light green, and I got a good look at the sleeve on her left forearm–a metal band approximately fifteen centimeters long. The front side had Samantha, a beautiful blue and gold bird, and to the side, two stars. When I nodded, she rotated her arm, and I could see a computer-like screen with several icons and a keyboard. She stood patiently while I inspected the metal sleeve. "The different birds let the Anixians know which house the person belongs to. Each bird is native to Earth and was assigned based on the bird's characteristics. The two stars designate that I am fully qualified in my specialty. The device also acts as a communication device. I know from experience that this is all very confusing, but let me assure you the Anixia are not evil; in fact, they are pacifists trying to survive in a galaxy full of predators. This isn't a bad price for curing a disease that would have killed me. Think of it as immigrating to a new country to escape a cruel dictator who was having people with your condition executed."

"Or like being born again," I said. She nodded.

"With that attitude, you'll do well here, Kayla. Grab the box behind me labeled K13. You will find everything you need to get started. If you require anything additional, come see me or one of the other ladies. One of us will be here twenty-eight hours a day. We are here to help you get settled in. Your assigned bed is also labeled K13."

I grabbed the box labelled K13 and dropped it on the bed marked K13, which was the thirteenth bed in the first row of beds. Inside, I found two gray uniforms which fit perfectly, toilet articles ranging from a toothbrush and toothpaste to a hairbrush and tampons.

"Looks like they were expecting us," said a tall blond who looked and sounded Swedish. "My name is Hanna." She reached across the bunk next to me, and we shook hands."

"Hi, I'm Kayla. They are very organized. I imagine they had a few days on their ship to get everything we would need ready. They obviously had to spy on us to know our medical conditions," I said, feeling violated and yet grateful.

That evening, or at least that is what the digital clock on the wall indicated, it read 21:03, and Samantha had said they had a twenty-eight-hour day, we were served a tasty goulash-like meal, bread, and lime-tasting drink. There were fifty-three women in the room, ranging from their early teens to their mid-forties. We each gave our name, country, and a general background as we sat at the two long wooden tables along one wall.

"Hi, I'm Kayla from Arizona. I'm seventeen and had an inoperable brain tumor," I said when my turn came. We were a virtual United Nations, although the majority came from Europe, Asia, and North America. Hanna, Hyun, who sat next to Hanna, and I spent the dinner getting to know each other.

"Well, what do you think?" Hanna asked after we had finished dinner and sat in one corner of the room, talking.

"I feel normal for the first time in a year. The chemo treatments were worse than the pain from the cancer. I'm alive, and the food isn't bad," Hyun said with a short laugh. "The question is, what is the price? I can't imagine a price too high for my life, an end to the treatments, and being free from pain."

"I had Prion disease: fatigue, difficulty speaking, confusion, muscle stiffness, hallucinations, and dementia to look forward to before I died," Hanna said. "So I don't think the price can be worse."

"From what our purple teacher has said, it has to involve war for some of us," I said, not sure exactly how this group of previously debilitated humans could help the war effort. I laughed. "They want us for our aggressiveness and love of war, but we aren't in the pool the military draws their warriors. In fact, we would be classified 4-F: unfit for military service."

"That was for soldiers in Earth wars who were required to march long distances, be active for months, and engage in hand-to-hand combat," Hyun said. "This species is using spacecraft, which I assume doesn't require any more physical activity than pressing a button."

That caused us each to retreat into our own thoughts.

Chapter 5

Orientation

The same ladies woke us at 06:00 by the digital clock on the wall.

"Ladies, you have one hour to refresh yourselves, dress, and eat. At seven, your first class begins," Samantha said. "The classes are mandatory, and everyone is expected to be on time because failure to arrive on time means everyone must wait for the class to begin. That, in turn, impacts the next item on the schedule. Although the Anixians are pacifist, that does not mean you won't be punished. You can consider yourself in the military with the corresponding rigid discipline and punishment. Don't get me wrong, the Anixians prefer the carrot to the stick, and the carrots are very rewarding."

Today is the first day of my new life, I reminded myself and resolved to do my best to make it a good life. The shower water was hot, the breakfast good if a bit strange-tasting, and dressing simple as the clothes were loose-fitting and very basic, almost like a sports outfit for exercising, and the classroom only a few steps away.

I followed everyone out the door into the large auditorium where a purple-robed man stood waiting. "Welcome. Your first class is an orientation briefing," the speakers around the room blared. "Under your chairs, you will find a folder. It contains, among other documents, a map of this facility. This room is the main classroom, where all of your classes will be held for the next two weeks. You will be introduced to the five human houses: medical, support, records, weapons, and war. The purpose is for you and the Anixians to place you in the house which best suits your skills, interests, and the needs of your new home. We have designated the Phoenix to represent our two cultures since it seems appropriate. In Earth's ancient Greek folklore, a phoenix is a long-lived bird that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise born again by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. You have, in a sense, died on Earth and have been reborn on Anixia. Likewise, Anixia was destroyed by the Tullizor, and its people have risen out of the ashes." As he talked, an oval with a red and yellow phoenix was displayed on the screen. "Today, we are two cultures fighting for our lives. Hopefully, generations from now, we will be one unified culture." He held up the map. "On your map, you will see this structure consists of a large cavern where vehicles can be stored, repaired, loaded, and unloaded. Caverns like that are necessary as the outside environment is hostile, and the Tullizor return periodically and enjoy using the planet for target practice. With your help, someday we will teach them Anixia is not a safe playground and that the phoenix is lethal. A tunnel leads from that cavern to this classroom which has the only access to the male and female sleeping quarters, and," he pointed to a door with a large tree, "to a recreation area which is open to all men and women. To summarize, you will live and work in this facility while you learn about Anixia and our various houses and choose a house. Tomorrow, you will be introduced to the House of Records."

"It's as I suspected," I said as Hanna, Hyun, and I walked back to the woman's area. "We have volunteered to be in the Anixia military. All that remains is for us to be assigned to a unit."

"Actually, the Anixia Air Force, since they don't need ocean-going ships or ground troops which rules out the navy and the army," Hyun said, grinning.

"Therefore, we are either in a support group or a combat unit," Hanna said, more of a question than a statement.

"I have never been in the military, but I suspect they overlap," I said. "A combat spacecraft would need support troops along, like medical, maintenance crews, cooks, etc."

"So there probably aren't any safe career paths," Hanna snorted. "Consequently, our cure may not have improved our life span as much as we thought."

"True, but at least the time will be free of pain," Hyun said, sounding pleased.

"If we all put our hearts into saving Anixia, just maybe, some of us will survive to see a free and prosperous Phoenix," I said, and to my surprise, Hanna and Hyun held up their hands for a high-five. Laughing, we slapped hands.

The next day, another man in a purple robe stood waiting. "The House of Records maintains the Phoenix personnel database and all the information relating to each of you. For example, right now, your database includes the date you accepted our offer of a cure, your medical condition at that time, the date you received your orientation briefing, and the date of this lecture. In a short while, the records personnel will be passing out your Personal Communication Sleeve, PCS. This device will be permanently attached to your left forearm and display your house and your skill level, permit you to communicate with anyone on Anixia, and maintain your schedule. To summarize, the House of Records is responsible for maintaining everyone's personal information and your PCS's. In addition, they maintain the historical records for Anixia, including combat missions. Although they do not have a combat component, at least one record's person is always present on each combat mission."

That generated many side conversations, which the purple hooded Anixian ignored until the room returned to silence, although at least twenty hands were raised to be heard.

"Remember the Tullizor? Although we do not wish for revenge, remaining passive will eventually result in our, and your, destruction. We must, therefore, stop them with force. That means everyone will be involved in the war effort. Obviously, some houses more than others. That will be discussed as we outline each house's responsibilities. Before you leave, be sure to visit the records people seated at the tables behind you and collect your PCS. You will need to bring it to the lecture tomorrow."

"What if we don't want a PCS?" asked a man who looked to be in his early thirties. He had an athletic figure, close to two meters tall, and a stubborn set to his jaw.

"You are free to reject the PCS, but then you cannot belong to a Phoenix House, which means you cannot stay here as only house members are authorized in the caves."

"That would be murder!" he shouted, looking around for support from the others.

"Actually, that would be suicide since you had a choice."

"What if we all left?" he smiled, looking around and finding a few heads nodding.

"That would be mass suicide," the robed man said without any emotion I could detect. "What do you think would happen on Earth if your nation had a draft, you were selected, and you refused to participate?"

"I'm not a citizen of Anixia and, therefore, can't be drafted into the military!" the man screamed, still searching for support.

"You agreed to come to Anixia on the condition we cured a medical problem that would have killed you within months. You knew there was a price to pay for the cure. The price is joining the Phoenix military. If you refuse, we have no jails and no way or interest in forcing you. Our only alternative is to banish you. It would be no worse than if you had refused the cure."

The room was so quiet you could hear people breathing as everyone digested the reality of their situation. It was what I had concluded, and for me, a fair bargain. I was alive, free of pain, and who knew, I might enjoy the experience. It would certainly be interesting.

"What do you think?" Hanna asked as we stood in line to collect our PCSs.

"The Anixia lived up to their end of the bargain, and I intend to live up to mine. I am alive today, and I plan to enjoy each new day." Hanna and Hyun smiled in agreement.

"These sleeves are quite light," Hanna said, weighing it in one of her hands. "I was afraid it would be heavy as it's metal, but it's light. I expected it to weigh around a kilogram or more, but I doubt it weighs more than two-hundred and fifty grams."

"The bad news is that this can be used to track us," Hyun said, probably thinking about all the police abuses in many of the Asian countries.

"That's only bad if you are doing something you shouldn't," I said, not sure I liked the idea either. "I plan to do everything to help…Phoenix, survive, and hope that pays off in a good life. Let's enjoy every day, and let tomorrow take care of itself."

"Today," Hanna and Hyun said in unison as we headed for the food being laid out on the dining tables.

The next day, the routine was the same as the previous day, refresh ourselves, eat, and file into the lecture hall.

"Today, we will discuss the House of Medicine," a rather tall robed man said. "Anixia has no doctors; machines do all the work. That may sound horrible to some, but think about it. If you went to ten doctors in the early stages of your disease, would all ten have diagnosed you correctly? The answer is no because all doctors aren't the same in experience, skill, and dedication." He paused to sip at a glass of something. "Our machines are updated every time something new surfaces, one hundred percent dedicated, ninety-nine percent accurate, and aren't afraid to report they don't know. In those very infrequent instances, the condition is reported to the Anixia Medical House researchers, who will analyze, resolve, and have the machines updated. These machines diagnose, treat, and even perform surgery and rarely make a mistake. That is compared to human hospitals which are credited with killing over a hundred thousand people per year due to mistakes. The people in the House of Medicine learn the uses of each machine, how to operate them, and to monitor patient's progress, much like an MRI technician in a hospital except he or she also has responsibility for the cure."

We spent most of the day listening to the types of machines, their function, and watching a few video clips of the machines in action. Afterward, medical personnel fastened the PCS to our forearms using one of their machines. Although permanently anchored to the Radius and Ulna bones, the procedure was painless. A person from the Records House verified the unit was working and connected to the correct individual's records.

"That was amazing," Hanna said as we left for the day. "That was close to major surgery, and it took less than twenty minutes and no pain." She laughed. "I'll wager we are all saturated with pain killers."

The next day was more of the same but important as eventually, we would have to select a career, and our only basis for selection would be these lectures.

"Today, we will explain the function of the House of Support," the robed man said as we began a new day. "I would imagine that by now, you are confused over what day it is, what will happen over the next few days, and the time of the day as no one has a watch. That is good, as one of the support personnel's function is to maintain a help function to resolve problems or get you to the people you need. Today, they will help you learn how to use your PCS."

Just then, a man in his forties stepped onto the platform. "My name is Chuck," he said, and a picture of a PCS appeared on all the monitors. "The Sleeve, as we refer to our PCSs, replaces your smartphone, laptop, and your wallet or purse, and you can't lose it and it can't be stolen or hacked into…" He spent over an hour going over each of its functions. When he finished, several persons in green clothes entered and began circulating among us, stopping to make sure we weren't having any problems. Now and then, Chuck would interrupt to demonstrate when the support staff were finding a lot of people were having difficulty with a specific feature.

"In addition," the man in the purple robe said after we had an hour to play with our Sleeves, "support keeps the cave habitable and functional, cooking, cleaning, replacing filters, repairs, and many other maintenance chores."

"That was fun," Hanna said on the way back to our quarters. "It's like I got my smartphone back. The best part is that I can't misplace or lose it." She laughed. "I'm not sure I like it permanently attached, but it's light, and I'm sure after a few weeks, it will feel normal."

"I like it as it lets me get ready for today and lets me peek into tomorrow, and I like the idea we can text each other," I said.

"Careful what you text," Hyun said, her brow wrinkled in thought. "I would think they maintain a file on what is texted."

"Actually, you can't blame them," I said. "We are an aggressive race, and they are pacifist. It only takes one rotten apple to infect the whole barrel."

The next day, my Sleeve indicated we would cover weapons, which would be interesting as I knew nothing about them.

"Today, we will discuss the House of Weapons," said our purple-robed instructor. "That is primarily the weapons that the cruisers and fighters use: lasers and missiles. Only the police carry weapons inside the caves and the officers while on cruisers. The weapons personnel are responsible for cleaning, repairing, and manufacturing our current weapons and ammunition. In addition, they participate in building our cruisers and fighters."

We spent the rest of the day being exposed to a comprehensive inventory of the Anixia's missiles, lasers, and sidearms. That also included a video of the weapons' destructive power.

"I would imagine," Hanna gave a short giggle, "the boys would have found that session the most entertaining."

"The interesting part will be finding out how they determine who from each house is part of a cruiser's contingent," I said. "After all, a cruiser needs cooks from support, people to document the flight from records, medical machines and operators from medical, and personnel from weapons to handle and repair the systems."

Hanna laughed. "So the good part is yet to come."

"I would imagine that will be part of the House of War presentation," I said. I doubted the Anixians needed marines; however, they did need a group to fly the cruisers and fighters. "They would be the ones responsible for killing the enemy." I smiled. "And to protect Anixia."

I looked forward to today's lecture as I sat eating breakfast. The orientation had been interesting, if a little light on details, but I wanted to get on with my new life. Today, we would have to decide. The only fly in the ointment was that I might not get the house I chose if the Anixia decided I wasn't qualified or they needed to fill slots in another house. When I looked at my plate, it was empty, and silence hung like a cloud over the table. Obviously, everyone's thoughts were on the selection process that would soon happen. The frightening part was that others would make the final decision. I shook my head, like a dog out of water, as if to clear it. I vowed to do the best I could no matter what house I was assigned.

"Today, we conclude your orientation with a look at the House of War," said the purple-robed man. "They are the individuals who fly the cruisers and fighters and provide security."

We learned that the other houses managed all the key function within the cruiser except for the Bridge, fighter operations, and security. Most of the day was spent reviewing the layout of an Anixia cruiser's Bridge and the fighters with a video showing the fighters maneuvering in space. In a way, the cruiser was like a navy aircraft carrier in space.

"You will have today and tomorrow to fill out the questionnaire we have sent to your Sleeve and make a choice. Since we cannot guarantee you will get your first choice, we ask you to rank the five houses in order, from first to last. Ranking the five houses will give the reviewer a better insight into your subconscious preferences. We want you comfortable, and, therefore, it's important that we find the best fit for you and Anixia. There is always the possibility to switch houses as vacancies become available. When you are assigned a house, you will officially be a Phoenix citizen."

Our barracks was quiet except for a few whispered conversations as people sat in small groups or alone filling out the questionnaire. It was ten pages long and appeared to have little to do with the houses, more like a psychology questionnaire, jumping from one unrelated question to another. What are your three favorite colors, then your favorite animals, the schools you attended, programs you liked to watch, and on and on. Finally, on page ten, your choice of a house or rather an ordering of the houses and a place to explain why you selected the house you did. At the end, we were encouraged to think about our answers for a day before pressing the Send icon.

I looked up to see Hyun and Hanna staring at me. "What?" I asked.

"We were waiting for you to finish," Hanna said. "Hyun and I finished an hour ago."

"It felt like a college entrance form, and I wanted to make sure my answers would help me get my first choice… No, I wanted to make sure I had chosen the house for the right reasons."

"What house did you choose?" Hyun asked, leaning forward along with Hanna. "It would be wonderful if we could be in the same house."

"Hyun and I," Hanna interrupted before I could speak, "chose war! We decided every house would have people on the cruisers, so why not be in a position to make the decisions rather than leave our lives to other people."

I nodded. "The House of War."

Hanna and Hyun jumped up, and we were in a three-way hug.

Chapter 6

The House Of War

I clicked the Send icon the next day around noon, which I thought was around fourteen hours. The extra time did nothing to change my mind. I thought my reasons were good based on the information I had been given during orientation. Even within each house, there appeared to be a wide variety of responsibilities to choose from…well, maybe choose wasn't the right word as Anixia's needs took priority. At least, potentially available over time.

Throughout the day, the mood in our room oscillated between exuberant and silent anxiousness.

"Ladies, if you would like some male company, the recreation room is available now that you have completed your orientation," Samantha said when she entered the room and saw the current looks of anxiety. "They are probably in a good mood, having picked war and looking forward to shooting at things."

"Forgetting that those things shoot back!" someone shouted to a chorus of hoots and laughs.

"That doesn't appear the bother them. It must be some mixed-up genes." She smiled. "We love them anyway."

I looked to Hyun and Hanna. Hanna nodded, but Hyun shook her head. I noticed about half of the room was walking towards the door, and Hanna and I followed. The recreation room was at least as large as the orientation one. That surprised me until I realized it was available to all the houses in this area, which included permanent staff in addition to the recent arrivals.

"Kayla," a voice called from somewhere across the room. A moment later, I saw Todd waving as he made his way toward us. "Are you excited? I am tired of listening to lectures."

"Hi, Todd, this is Hanna. Hanna, this is Todd from Colorado," I said, as they shook hands and mumbled greetings. "We needed to know what was available because unless I'm wrong, our first choices may not be possible for one reason or another."

"I'm not worried," he said with an ear-to-ear grin. "I selected the House of War, which I'm sure is always available. That has got to be the Anixia's highest priority."

"That's true, but they need people to make, maintain, and install the weapons. Not to mention, cook our food, make our clothes, and so on. An army is not made up of one hundred percent infantry or the Air Force of pilots," I said, reducing his smile by half.

"I'll wager you don't get invited to many parties." He laughed good-naturedly. "What did you pick? Certainly not support. I can just hear you on a support call. "You want to know what? You're kidding, aren't you? You're not? Figure it out yourself. If I tell you, you will never learn." He and Hanna were both laughing by the time he finished. Even I had to smile.

"War," I said, which caused Todd's mouth to drop open.

"You're joking? You are, aren't you?" Todd shuddered. "Why?"

"Figure it out yourself. If I tell you, you will never learn." I said, and we all began laughing.

"Why?" Todd said, and we all started laughing again. Pretty soon, we were joined by others, and the story repeated. It turned out to be a fun evening, and the time passed quickly.

During breakfast the next morning, women suddenly stopped eating and began checking their Sleeves. Some smiled, some gave a whoop of joy, and others looked to be on the verge of tears. I realized why when my Sleeve vibrated and a mail icon appeared. I hesitated, looking at Hanna and Hyun, knowing it was my assignment. A life-changing event I had little control over. I mentally shook my head, resolving to give the assignment my very best regardless of what it was. I was alive when I should be dead, and I was cured. I owed the Anixians. I owed them my best effort, and they would get it. I clicked on the icon, and the message appeared.

Kayla Trager, you are assigned to the House of War. Report to the orientation room at sixteen hundred hours. Administration.

I turned to see Hanna and Hyun smiling. Well, we had gotten what we wished for. I could only hope we liked what we got. I idly wondered if Todd was also smiling.

A short man in the ubiquitous purple-robe entered the platform.

"Congratulations, you are now citizens and members of the House of War. As you are already aware, each house is further divided into functions. Therefore, you must again make a choice which will be matched against our needs. You will begin in that specialty but may participate in or transfer to others over your lifetime. Your three choices are: police, Bridge crew, and fighters, although police are required to be trained in either the Bridge or fighters. They are backup if the need arises." He spent the next hour outlining the duties of the Bridge crew and the fighter pilots. Afterward, twenty-five of us were escorted down a long tunnel to a wooden door with an ostrich on the door, which I thought strange. Inside sat several long narrow vehicles which had ten seats and sat on rails.

"Each house has multiple locations as a precaution against a catastrophe. For example, the House of War has four: Merlin, Kestrel, Gyrfalcon, and Saker. We are sending you to the Saker residence. You will find there is a complex rail system that can take you to any of the various house locations," He said, pointing to the vehicle which had its roof open to enable entry. "Form a line, and we will get you loaded and on your way."

The three of us managed to get into the first railcar. After we were seated, the roof closed, and the vehicle began moving. It was eerie as there were no windows for obvious reasons; what is there to see in an underground tunnel? I could feel the vehicle accelerating but had no idea how fast it was traveling, but I would wager it approached speeds equivalent to bullet trains on Earth. Suddenly, I felt it slowing as I was pressed back into the seat. When the roof opened, the room looked just like the one we had just left, except the robed men waiting wore a dark-blue robe, and the life-size Saker looked like it was emerging from the wall with its wings extended up as if coming in for the kill, talons extended.

"If you will follow me," one of the men said as he turned and walked to a closed door with a falcon on it. "That is your sub-house's identification, a Saker falcon," he said, as he touched a metal plate with his Sleeve and the door opened. "Your Sleeves have also been coded with the key to open this door. The tunnel led to a large open area with comfortable lounge chairs and couches along with a couple of tables with metal chairs. "This is a general meeting area." He proceeded to walk us through the various rooms: twenty four-person bedrooms, ten classrooms, two conference rooms, a dining hall which substituted for a meeting room, six simulator rooms, and several caverns, one with a cruiser and three with fighters. "For the next two days, you will be given three lectures outlying the police, Bridge, and fighter duties. Then you will be asked to select."

I noticed Todd had a smile on his face during the entire tour. After some negotiations, Hanna, Hyun, and I managed to get one of the four-person rooms. To my surprise, they did not insist the rooms have four since there were more rooms than candidates.

"What did you decide?" Hanna asked as we sat in our sleeping quarters at the end of the second day.

"Fighters," I said.

"Wow!" Hyun and Hanna exclaimed in unison.

"Sounds dangerous," Hanna said. I laughed.

"Girls, we volunteered for the House of War. That makes us crazier than the men because we should know better. Crazy or not, if something is worth doing like saving Anixia, I say we should do it to excess."

Hanna laughed. "You go kill the Tullizor, and we will keep the cruiser functional so you have transportation home."

"Deal," I said. Choosing fighters was crazy, but my intuition said they were the key, at least in the short term, to getting an edge over the Tullizor. I was committed to the Anixia and the Phoenix and wanted to be where I could make a difference.

"Look!" Hanna screamed, pointing to her Sleeve. The shiny steel surface now had an image of a Saker falcon. When I looked at mine, it had the same image. "I guess that makes it official. We are now members of the Saker House of War."

An hour later, my Sleeve vibrated. I clicked on the mail icon.

Kayla, your request to join the fighter unit has been approved. Report to the fighter cavern at seven hundred hours tomorrow for training. Administration.

When I looked up, Hyun and Hanna were smiling. Now all I have to do is pass fighter training, and I can't even drive a car, I mused.

Chapter 7

Training For War

I met Todd on the way to the fighter cavern.

"I should have guessed you would choose fighters with that grin you have been wearing for the past several days. Crazy jock," I said and smiled.

"You didn't!" he stopped abruptly, almost causing the man behind him to collide with him.

"Yes, I did," I said. "It's a test to see who is the craziest. You or me." I continued walking, following the other men into the cavern. A thin man who looked in his mid-twenties stood waiting, scanning each of us as we entered the room.

"Welcome to fighter training. My name is Bradley," he said, frowning as his eyes paused for a second on me. His face looked hard or maybe weary. "This is a pass or fail course. We don't need half-trained or incompetent fighter pilots. You either fit or you don't." He held up his Sleeve, which had an image of a Saker, and alongside of the image, a stylized black falcon with a yellow beak, wings, body, and yellow legs with talons. Above the black falcon were three silver stars, one above the other in a vertical line. "The stars indicate the equivalent of officer rank–one star a qualified fighter pilot, two a squad leader, and three a fighter wing leader. No stars, a fighter trainee. For cruisers, the same bird but it is gold with a red beak and talons. One star means someone qualified on the Bridge, two a senior member of the Bridge, and three the captain." He waved towards two rows of seats. "The first order of business is to acquaint you with our fighters and their controls. The picture on the monitor is our standard fighter. In the center is a circular cabin for the pilot. Only the trainers have two seats, one for an instructor. Two sections circle the cabin and look like wings. They wrap around the cabin and meet at the power compartment in the rear. These wrap-around sections contain a variety of missiles and counter measures." As he talked, the image on the screen showed the inside of each compartment. The last picture was the pilot's control panel. "Your first assignment is to learn the function of each button, switch, and gauge. Tomorrow's session, as well as many to follow, will be in a fighter simulator. You are dismissed for now; however, those that are interested are free to enter the black fighter over there. You enter from the top. Only one person at a time. Senior Pilot Simon will be there to answer any questions you have."

As I waited my turn, I noticed the man who claimed to be a transgender and the one who didn't want a Sleeve talking a few meters away.

"This is like Russia or Iran, Carl," he said. "If the Anixians don't like the way you are, they change your DNA. Then they say you have a choice of work. Bullshit. I asked for cruisers, and they put me in fighters. Some choice, you do what they say, or they will kick you out to die."

"I agree, Doug," Carl said. "You have more rights in prison. A lot of the others agree, but they are pussies and afraid to stand up for their basic rights…" Their voices faded as they drifted away.

When my turn came, I used a small ladder to climb onto the wing, crossed to the cabin module and lowered myself into the cockpit, and sat in the pilot's chair, which seemed to engulf me in welcome. I suddenly felt at peace and knew I had made the right decision.

We spent the next two weeks either in the simulator or examining every component of the fighter as it related to the control panel. Not that we could fix anything in flight, but so that if something malfunctioned, we would understand how it affected the fighter's performance and our options. As far as I was concerned, I had died for the second time and had gone to heaven. If I could have taken the fighter to bed with me, I would have.

"Kayla, how is fighter training going?" Hyun asked one evening several weeks later as we prepared to settle down to study.

"I'm in love," I said. "I can't wait to actually fly a fighter. The only minor problem is our instructor, Bradley. I get the impression he doesn't believe women should be fighter pilots."

"That's not good. He could make up some reason to fail you," Hanna said, looking worried. "You could join us if he does."

"His only chance will be when we get to fly the fighters because my simulator and test scores have been very good. Everything just feels right, like I'm a reincarnated fighter pilot." I laughed. The day finally came two weeks later.

"Today, each of you is going to get a ride in an Anixia fighter. Since there are ten of you and only two of us, it will take roughly five hours. I've sent the order and time you need to be back here to your Sleeve. Todd, Doug, you are up," Bradley said and began walking with Simon toward two fighters near the massive doors with Todd and Carl following.

I felt disappointed when I saw I was last and had four hours to wait. I idly wondered as to the purpose of the flight, whether I would get Simon or Bradley, and if it had already been predetermined. It did not matter, but Bradley did make me nervous.

At eleven forty-five, I reported to the fighter cavern. Ten minutes later, the two training fighters arrived. One of the two men that exited the fighter looked as pale as a dead fish. I stood so excited I was bouncing in place. Then I saw Bradley stick his head out of the pilot's hatch and wave for me to join him. I was too hyped to care who was my instructor for this ride. It felt like I had been waiting for this ride all of my life. I ran over to the ladder, climbed onto the wing, and dropped into the hatch, landing in the pilot's chair.

"I wouldn't recommend doing that," Bradley scowled. "You can't fly with a concussion or worse."

"Sorry," I mumbled as I pressed the button to engage the restrains. "The first time doing something new is always exciting."

"What about getting shot at with missiles and lasers?" He glared in my direction.

"Yes, if you are there for the right reasons," I said, taking my eyes away from the pilot's control console.

"What would that be?" he asked, frowning.

"Defending my home," I said, anxious to get on with it. We were all here for that exact reason.

"All right, let's see how you feel after your first ride in an Anixia fighter.

I was tempted to say something but didn't need to antagonize Bradley any more than he already was. I nodded and turned back to the console.

"Normally, the cruiser pushes each fighter out of the bay doors before you start your engine," Bradley's voice took on a lecturing tone. "It's dangerous to start or run a fighter's engine inside the cruiser. Each fighter sits inside a track when ready for combat. For realism, we do the same here, except in space, there is no need to rush as there is nothing to run into. Here, gravity will pull the fighter to the ground within ten seconds as we are only a thousand meters above the ground. Since this is your first time, I'll do it since I'm not suicidal." Just then, I was pushed back against the seat as we were hurled out of the cavern's open door. I smiled, intently watching the gauges on the console as the engine came to life. The acceleration pushed me harder into the seat as the fighter began to increase to eight times the speed of sound–a snail's pace for a fighter but fast on a planet. Then suddenly, the fighter went through multiple rolls, loops, and up and down spins. It felt like a death-defying-roller-coaster ride on steroids. I loved it and couldn't keep an ear-to-ear grin off my face and had an urge to scream with joy. I was alive and free, and life was wonderful. That didn't appear to please Bradley. As I watched the fighter's hologram of the space around us, we were heading for a very large mountain at almost ten thousand kilometers per hour. I watched in fascination. I should have been afraid, but I was having far too much fun and subconsciously knew Bradley wasn't suicidal. Sure enough, the fighter banked one hundred eighty degrees, and we were flying through a narrow break in the mountain. Bradley slowed to just under Mach one while doing a series of twists, rolls, and turns.

"Kayla, are we upside down or right side up?" Bradley asked, surprising me. I checked the console, but it was no help. Up and down had no meaning in space.

"Can I have control, Bradley?" I asked. He gave me a hard stare before touching a switch, and my console lit. I eased the joystick gently forward, knowing if we were upside down, it would increase our elevation, and saw the altimeter increase. I then moved it back so we were flying parallel to the ground and then to the right cautiously as the fighter rolled. I went past one hundred eighty by over twenty degrees but slowly managed to get the fighter back to level. "We were upside down and now are right side up," I said, immensely pleased with myself. My panel went dark again. Bradley pressed the button, which rotated the pilot's module and opened a window to the outside world. He said nothing on the way back. At first, I was a bit anxious, but it dissipated quickly with the pure joy of soring over Anixia's mountainous terrain. All too soon, we were in the cavern.

"Kayla, you are now officially a fighter pilot in training." He hesitated for a full minute before speaking again, "That was good thinking and a fair maneuver for a first time at the controls." He ignored my "thanks" and exited the fighter without another word.

I skipped all the way back to my quarters. Hyun and Hanna arrived two hours later.

"She looks too damn pleased," Hanna said to Hyun. "You think Bradley said something nice to her?"

"He did," I said, sitting up. "I am now officially a fighter pilot trainee."

"I thought you were already a trainee," Hyun said, frowning.

"Apparently, Bradley or the Saker House doesn't consider you qualified to be a trainee until you can prove you can master the technical requirements and can handle a death-defying ride with twists, rolls, loops, and flying inside mountains at Mach 8." I pumped my right arm in triumph, raised my left arm, and turned my Sleeve to show my black falcon symbol.

Chapter 8

The Art Of War

"You nine are officially in training to be fighter pilots–"

"What have we been doing for the past several weeks?" Doug interrupted.

"Qualifying for fighter pilot training," Bradley said, not missing a beat by the interruption. "That doesn't mean you will qualify to be a Saker fighter pilot, only that you meet the minimum requirements."

"What if we don't qualify to be a Saker fighter pilot? Do we enter the cruiser training?" Carl asked.

"Not necessarily. It would depend on the reason you didn't qualify. You could be assigned to a different house. I don't know or care," Bradley said and continued without a pause. "I am only concerned with qualifying individuals who meet the Saker House's fighter-pilot standards. Those that don't would be a danger to themselves, their fellow pilots, and endanger the cruiser we depend on to get home." Bradley scanned the group, pausing at me again. "It is not enough to know how to fly an Anixia fighter; you must be able to operate it to its full potential. In addition, you must understand the Tullizor's tactics as well as our strategic operational plan. You are part of a team and not an independent hotshot pilot. So, for the next few weeks, we will discuss the Tullizor's attack tactics and get to practice fighting them in our simulators–"

"What about flying the fighters?" Doug interrupted, which earned him a scowl from Bradley.

"You will also be given flight instruction during this stage of your training. This stage is also pass or fail. This is not college where a 'B', 'C', or 'D' is a passing grade. You are training for War, and we can't afford anything but the best." This time his look fell on Carl and Doug. "You have been warned."

The first week, we concentrated on the Tullizor's fighters and their typical tactics. In general, I thought the Tullizor treated the Anixia like amateurs and attacked in formations like a disciplined Roman army using a Greek-style phalanx of four lines, with the least experienced in the first line, with the last line their best pilots. Originally, that had proved a disaster for the Anixia forces, which lost their fighters and eventually their cruiser. Over the last thirty years, with the addition of Earth's immigrants and improved fighters, Anixia still suffered more losses than the Tullizor but were closing the gap, which still meant heavy losses. The average fighter pilot's life expectancy was less than five encounters with a Tullizor cruiser. Even with the improved fighter performance, the cruiser life span was also five encounters.

I left class that day wondering if I had made the right choice. Given the Tullizor appeared several times a year, even with the four Houses of War rotating, life expectancy was less than five years. Grow up, Kayla. Your previous life expectancy was a month or two at most. You are enjoying life; that is enough. So don't fret about tomorrow, I chided myself and felt better.

"All right, Kayla. Today is your first time flying a fighter," Bradley said. "I will handle starting the engine, but after that, you will get to practice." As he finished, the fighter was accelerated forward, Bradley had the engine online in less than five seconds and quickly increased our elevation to ten kilometers. Then my console lit. "You now have control, Kayla."

Scanning the console, I noted our speed at Mach 2, elevation at ten kilometers, and all systems functional. Since Bradley hadn't given me any instructions, I decided I was free to experiment. I moved the acceleration to Mach 4, then back to Mach 2, moved the fighter to the right–a little too quickly–then back to the left, did a loop, and finally attempted a roll, which caused a spin instead. Instead of panicking, I giggled and pulled the joystick back, which resulted in a corkscrew motion. Finally, I eased the joystick back to center, and the roll stopped before Brad could comment. I pulled us into a reverse roll, tried pushing for a decrease in elevation, which also resulted in another corkscrew motion. When I had it straight again, I sighed.

"Happy?" Bradley asked.

"Ecstatic," I replied, smiling.

"Are you ever going to fly straight?" he said, with a hint of amusement.

"Why? Anyone can do that." I grinned. He proceeded to coach me through basic defensive maneuvers, even a one hundred eighty-degree flight through the crack in the mountain he had done on my first introduction flight.

"That's enough, Kayla," he said, trying to look disgusted. "I guess I'm going to have to resign myself to you being a Saker fighter pilot. You are having far too much fun. You have learned what I plan to teach everyone over the next two to three weeks."

"How did the flight go, Kayla?" Todd asked later that day as he waited for his turn.

"Fantastic," I said with a happy smile and felt like dancing. I hope we each get our own fighter. I want to name mine and paint something on it…like the old spitfires."

"I assume that means your first flight went well? Todd said, smiling back. "Well then, you will be pleased to learn that each of us will be assigned a specific fighter. Anything I should know?"

"No. It's a get-acquainted date with your new best friend," I said, thinking he was as crazy as me. "Just have fun."

Hanna and Hyun were already in our room when I arrived back. "How is cruiser training?" I asked.

"We have another choice to make," Hyun said with some frustration. "There are four positions on the Bridge, excluding the captain: navigation, weapons, countermeasures or ECM, and pilot. Captains are actually made by the Anixia House of War. I'm getting a fried brain having to make all these decisions," she held her head with both hands, "and in the end, the Anixians can ignore my choices."

"Quit your whining," I said and grinned. "What did you pick?"

"Navigation," Hanna said. "I want to make sure we don't jump into the wrong universe."

"Countermeasures," Hyun said. "I want to make sure Hanna has a ship to get us home."

"That is an interesting question," I said. "How often do we leave this system, and from a fighter pilot's perspective, can a fighter pilot survive if the cruiser is destroyed in the Anixia system, i.e., does the fighter have the fuel and speed to make it back to Anixia?"

"Those are cheery thoughts," Hanna said while Hyun frowned.

"Yes, if you concentrate on dying," I said. "I've decided I'm having fun on Anixia. I plan to enjoy each and every day, and I'm willing to do anything to save my new home."

"I think I'll have a document made saying just that, and we can all sign it and hang it on our wall," Hanna said, looking to each of us, Hyun and I nodded. The next day, Hanna returned that evening with the document, which we all signed and hung on our wall.

Chapter 9

Unhappy People Are Dangerous

"The nerve of that asshole Bradley. You have been warned," Doug snarled. "This damn place is like a prison. Do this, do that, you have a choice but not that one, your DNA isn't to our liking, so we will change it, no that's not one of your choices either. Remember what that skinny bird in the purple-robe said after they kidnapped us? None of you could fly an Anixia cruiser. He fucking lied. The cruisers are being flown by humans."

Carl smiled. "Imagine if we stole one and brought it to Earth," Carl's smile turned evil. "We would be heroes, famous, and rich. Bitches would be lining up for miles to have us fuck them."

"Remember that thought, my friend," Doug said. "We have to pass this stupid training and keep our noses clean if we are ever going to have a chance at that dream."

"What do you think of Kayla?" Carl asked.

"She's an airhead. I'm surprised she has lasted this long," Doug said, then pursed his lip. "If we play our cards right, I'll wager we can get her to transfer to our room."

"How?" Carl looked excited at the prospect.

"We need to scare her to death when we begin the one-on-one fighting exercises. Terrify her to the point she knows she will fail against us, then we could agree to help her look good if she moved in with us. That airhead would do anything to pass."

"Are we going to help her to pass?" Carl asked, sounding confused.

"Naw, just make her think she needs us to pass." Doug laughed. "We get to screw her twice. Once as our roommate and then in the final exam. It will be fun."

"Maybe we could use her. She has friends in training for the cruiser Bridge positions," Carl said. "We could have our own private harem."

"We have time to make a decision," Doug said. "I have talked with several in cruiser training, and they like the idea of going back to Earth now that we are cured. Remember, the alternative to fame and riches is banishment."

Chapter 10

War Games

The time has come for you to practice what you have been learning and to demonstrate how much you understand," Bradley said, pointing to nine fighters. "They have been tested and are each fully functional. Pick one and mark it so you can recognize it as yours. There are markers on the table." He pointed to a table against the wall. "You will have thirty minutes to get comfortable with your fighter before the games begin. While you are live, you will remain above five thousand kilometers. Initially, everyone is your enemy, and your task is to survive. These fighters are equipped with recording devices that can detect when you score a hit on another fighter and when another fighter scores a hit on you. In the latter case, a buzzer will be activated, and your lights will blink on and off. In that event, cut your power to Mach 1, drop to one thousand kilometers, and return to the cavern. Any questions?"

"What constitutes a kill?" I asked since this was the first time we had been briefed on the game.

"Locking onto your opponent's fighter and pressing the button to activate the Swift missiles," Bradley said. "The Vulture missiles are for action against the Tullizor cruisers."

I was the last to be propelled out the cavern's door. I started the engine immediately but intentionally did not apply enough power to stop the fighter from continuing to drop. At one hundred meters, I applied power and banked to the left and away from the other students. I wanted to experiment and get used to my fighter in case it responded differently than the ones I had used previously and set the chronometer to alert me in twenty-five minutes. Turning left put me behind the mountain range and out of sight. I began banking right and left, made steep descents and climbs, performed rolls and loops, and flew upside down. When the chromometer chimed, I accelerated to Mach 8 as I rose to twelve kilometers, clearing the mountain range that separated me from the enemy. As I cleared the mountain peaks, I heard Bradley's voice.

"Game one has officially begun."

I immediately saw a fighter ten degrees to my right, twenty kilometers distance, and three kilometers below me. I set my fighter into a twenty-five-degree dive. Three seconds later, I was within twelve kilometers of the fighter, had a weapons lock, and two seconds later pressed the button that would normally fire the Swift missiles, which put me at six kilometers from my target–a missile travel time of six seconds. I smiled as his lights began blinking on and off, and I rose back to twelve kilometers to survey the area. The poor soul probably never knew he was under attack. Even if he had seen me clear the mountain, he had less than eleven seconds to respond. Something only an experienced pilot like Bradley could manage.

Looking around, I could see six fighters, some forty-five-kilometers in the distance, weaving in and out at elevations between eight and twelve kilometers. My hologram failed to disclose the seventh fighter. I dove, leveling out at four hundred meters above the five-kilometer lower limit but kept my speed at Mach 8. During the sixteen seconds it took to reach the closest fighter, I had three weapons locks and three corresponding kills. As I passed my last kill, I put the fighter into a backward loop while surveying my hologram. I laughed when I saw only one functional fighter. He was flying slowly as if looking for another enemy. My half-loop ended me upside down, almost two kilometer over him. I had a lock and hit the firing button. When I saw his lights blinking, I pushed the joystick forward and did a victory roll as I sored to twenty kilometers. There, delirious with elation, I slowed to Mach 1 and descended in lazy circles.

"The bitch cheated," Doug shouted as I exited my fighter ten minutes later, unable to stop smiling. "Typical woman, can't fight fair."

"I'm curious, Doug. How did she cheat?" Bradley asked clearly amused, although trying to look serious.

"The bitch wasn't in the game area when it started and then flew below the minimum five kilometers to sneak up on us," Dong shouted, spittle flying out as he screamed. "Fucking bitch could have killed us flying at that speed."

"If she violated the rules of the game, I would reprimand her, and if she repeated violating the rules, I would disqualify her; however, I did not stipulate a specific area for the game, although I should have. Even if I had, it would not have mattered as she crossed into the area several seconds before I officially started the game. Secondly, she approached the group at three hundred and eighty-three meters above the five-kilometer minimum. So she broke no rules and did in fact kill you, Doug. If this had been a real war, you would be dead. Neither you nor the enemy are bound by any gentlemen's rules. So sneaky counts, stabbing you in the back counts, and exploiting any disadvantage you have counts."

"I'll teach that bitch a lesson next time we meet," Doug's voice faded as he and Carl stomped out of the cavern.

"Congratulations, Kayla," Bradley said. "We don't keep statistics on the games, but if we did, your performance would have shattered the record. I've never seen a game over that quickly."

Simon laughed. "If I had been sixty seconds late, I would have missed the entire game. Although I not sure whether that performance was genius or reckless."

"In a war, genius, but here with trainees, reckless," Bradley said. "Their awareness is nonexistent, and they could easily run into you while maneuvering."

"He's right, Kayla," Todd said and laughed. "I was so busy fighting two enemy fighters that I never saw you. I thought I had won when my unit signaled I had been killed."

"Kayla has taught everyone an important lesson. Situational awareness is every bit as important as how well you can fly. I doubt if any of Kayla's kills knew she was in the area and being targeted until too late." Bradley turned to Todd and nodded to the door, then turned back to me and nodded to the classroom.

Once inside, he sat and motioned for me to sit. I sat. My jubilance faded as I noted the conflicting emotions crossing his face: anger, frustration, reluctance.

"Kayla, as you must already be aware, I don't believe women belong in a fighter group. It's nothing against you as an individual; however, your overall performance and that quick thinking and spectacular performance today mean I'm not going to be able to fail you. Actually, I would like to, but we need the very best fighter pilots we can get if we are going to survive the Tullizor." He paused for a drink of water. "Doug and Carl are going to be a problem even if you hadn't embarrassed them today. I can protect you in the classroom but not outside this cavern. I've seen their types before. They are not above punishing you if they catch you alone. Then it will be your word against theirs and maybe some friends. Unless you object, I want to enroll you in the police unit. We can pretend it's a backup in case you fail. That will not only protect you but equalize the odds."

"Will that affect my fighter training?" I asked. I didn't know what to think. Bradley was right. Doug and Carl could not be trusted and certainly not above getting even with me for embarrassing them. Yet, I would risk their vengeance rather than give up a chance to be a fighter pilot.

"No," Bradley said emphatically. "You may have to give up your free time, but Joseph and I will make sure you don't miss any fighter training, even if one or both of us have to give you private instruction. Doug and Carl are trouble, but no one can do anything unless they screw up, and I don't want you to be crippled and unable to fly in order to get rid of them."

I shot ramrod straight in my seat, and my heart felt like it was beating at Mach 8. The thought that they could snatch my dream away had bile in my mouth, and my face felt drained of blood.

"I'm sorry, Kayla," Bradley said. His voice a little more than a whisper. "Because the Anixia cured someone of their fatal disease doesn't make them nice people or grateful. Right now, they are scheming on how to betray the Anixian and get back to Earth." He laughed. "No, I didn't hear them say anything. They are not the first, nor will they be the last to cause trouble. Go see Joseph after dinner. He will be expecting you."

"Bad day?" Hanna asked during our dinner meal while giving me a long, thoughtful stare.

"No, an excellent day but with unintended consequences," I said and saw Hyun and Hanna lean closer to me, bright-eyed and eager to hear.

"I killed five of my classmates in our mock war game, but Bradley feels Doug and Carl will be looking for revenge, outside of class, if I continue to embarrass them.

"That's not fair," Hanna exclaimed.

"I agree," Hyun said. "I've seen their kind before. Being fair or honoring their word are concepts for dummies in their world."

"Can't Bradley do something?" Hanna asked.

"Not until after the damage is done and then only if the Anixia can prove they caused it," I said, feeling nauseated at the thought. I had never been in a physical fight, and would be under massed by forty or more kilograms, lack their aggressiveness and years of fighting experience, and outnumbered. The thought had me shaking with fear. I rose shaking but resolved to fight. Like the Tullizor, Carl and Doug were the enemy and something I had to face or lose my new life.

When I entered the police training area, I saw a rather average-looking man quietly kneeling with his eyes closed. "Are you Joseph?" I asked.

"Yes, and you must be the exceptional Kayla." His eyes opened, and he smiled. "Bradley was raised a Quaker and has strong feelings about a woman's place in society along with an equally strong predilection to protect them. So, for him to willingly teach you to be a fighter pilot is against his very nature." He laughed. "Now, asking me to teach you how to protect yourself is more normal and an excellent idea, given you embarrassed the likes of Doug and Carl." He surveyed me for several minutes before continuing. "How do you feel about being trained to be in the police unit?"

I laughed. "I'm not a fighter by nature and didn't have to be. My nation had a volunteer military, no foreign nation was threatening to annihilate us, and I lived in a safe neighborhood.  Having said that, I feel obligated to live up to my agreement with the Anixian. They gave me a new life, and I owe them for that. So, if any nation is threatening the Anixian and to take away my new life, I'm willing to fight. That goes for defending myself…and every Anixian against those who would harm them or me."

"Although the Anixian give everyone a choice, many believe they aren't bound by the agreement, like Carl and Doug. They plan to steal a cruiser and return to Earth to wealth and fame, and while they scheme, they cause disharmony and the reason we need police." He flowed to a standing position. Surprisingly, he was only a few centimeters taller than me. "I'm satisfied you are what we need in the police." He smiled. "Yes, after you qualify, I would like you part of the police force in your free time. You are the kind of individual who I want keeping the peace." He walked over to me and gently gripped my wrist. "What do you do now?"

Scream, I silently thought and couldn't help a giggle. "Sorry. I don't have a clue."

"I see we have a lot of work ahead of us," he said with a small nod. "If you are grabbed at the wrist and you act quickly, you can rotate your arm against the thumb and break free. The worst thing you can do is try to pull away. Pretend to try to pull loose, and when he returns the pull, step into him, driving your knee into his groin. Reflexively, most times, he will block the knee, but then your leg is raised up and lying against his leg. So you drive it down onto his instep. The bones there are fragile even in muscular men and break easily…" He went on for the next hour having me practice the technique and added a head to the attacker's nose option.

I liked Joseph and thought the class wasn't going to be as perilous and daunting as I had envisioned. By the end of the session, I thought I might enjoy his class and maybe the police and helping people.

Chapter 11

Graduation Of Sorts

The next several weeks were a whirlwind of activity. Joseph and I decided my classes would be best early in the morning, before breakfast, when I was fresh–in theory–and not after dinner when I would be tired, digesting food, and ready for bed. It made for a long day.

"How is your police thing going?" Hanna asked, three weeks into the training.

"Far better than I had anticipated," I said, realizing it was true. I had only agreed out of fear that Carl or Doug or both might physically attack me out of revenge for making them look bad in fighter training class, and they could seriously hurt me to the extent I couldn't continue fighter training. It had been a good decision, as the last couple of weeks had proven. Doug and Carl were getting increasingly hostile. "Joseph is teaching a style of martial arts which is well suited to women as it doesn’t require strength and has better non-lethal options when fighting. He said it was called Aikido and developed in Japan. The style suits me in that it is less aggressive than a lot of the other styles I've seen in movies."

"You ready to take on Carl or Doug?" Hyun asked, looking serious.

"Hell no!" I said, cringing at the mere thought. "But I maybe could get free to run. Winning against them is probably a year or two away." I paused and pursed my lips in thought. "Although Joseph has indicated that the police have a distinct advantage. First, they have a body cam which is continuously being recorded at a remote location, and attacking a police person can get you banished. In addition, the police carry weapons, a laser and a stun baton."

"Are you going to have a regular shift?" Hanna asked.

"Joseph said I would be backup for emergencies and occasionally fill in when there is an open shift but only when I wasn't required by the fighter unit." In secret, I was looking forward to being a part-time policewoman.

Today's fighter exercises had been fun, although the other candidates didn't seem to have enjoyed themselves as much as I did.

"Bradley, that bitch Kayla isn't providing us with any useful practice," Doug said after our practice session while jabbing a finger in my direction. "She is just showing off. As you have said time and again, the Tullizor aren't fancy. They come at you in waves in an attempt to run over you. She isn't learning anything and wasting our time. She doesn't belong in this class, and she has Todd beginning to copy her antics. Someone should show the bitch what a real fight is like. Nothing fancy, just tearing skin and breaking bones."

A chill ran down my spine. This sounded like a prelude to what Bradley had feared. I saw Carl's evil smile at my involuntary reaction. Yes, they were capable of doing just that, I couldn't help the thought and shuddered.

"What the Tullizor will be doing to us if we don't get some real practice soon," Carl chimed in while giving me an evil scan of my body.

To my horror, Bradley said, "I think I agree. Class dismissed for today. Kayla and Todd, my office."

I had to bite my tongue to keep from making a stinging retort. Only remembering the incident with my father stifled the words. Hearing Carl and Doug victoriously laughing made me feel like dying. I would rather have had a beating from them. Tears welled up in my eyes as I followed Todd and Bradley. Inside, Bradley closed the door and raised a hand to stop either Todd or me from talking.

"Doug's right. He's not learning anything and probably never will. Todd, you are, on the other hand, doing well following Kayla's example." He laughed. I think at my open mouth expression. "Kayla, I'm going to transfer you and Todd to work with the Saker fighter pilots during their practice sessions. I want to see how effective your innovations are against experienced pilots. Doug is also right that the Tullizor aren't fancy. I'm hoping your techniques may provide a winning edge." He handed me a handkerchief. "I wanted an excuse to get you and Todd away from those two Neanderthals and maybe focus their attention elsewhere. They are trouble looking for a place to happen. Maybe, I should do what the Tullizor do and put them up front in the formation. Get out of here and act like you are being punished." He waved towards the door with an ear-to-ear smile.

Todd's face couldn't hold his scowl as we left the office. "I think that's an unofficial promotion to fighter pilot," he said, forcing himself to look like he wanted to cry, but then laughed. "I heard you are working with the police unit." It was a question rather than a statement.

"Because of Carl and Doug," I said. "You heard that threat Doug made and Carl echoed. Bradley was concerned weeks ago after our first exercise. So he contacted the police training unit and got me admitted."

"They are a nasty pair. Be good getting away from them," Todd said and began practicing his sad face expressions.

The next day, Todd and I reported to the Saker fighter pilots' area for their daily exercises.

"Guys," Bradley shouted to get the current eighteen pilots' attention. "This is Kayla and Todd. I'm including them in our regular exercises since they have officially passed their basic training. I'm particularly interested in determining how Kayla's unique style of fighting does against seasoned pilots and whether those techniques would be useful against the Tullizor."

"Welcome, Kayla. I'm Jesso. I saw your first exercise. I thought my five-minute time was good until I saw your exercise. That one-minute-twelve-second time will never be duplicated. The first time Bradley ran the tape, I had gone to get something to drink and missed the entire exercise. Bradley has refused to show us your subsequent exercises, but they must be impressive if he has qualified you and Todd a month early."

"Her style is unique, and I want to see how you handle it the first time and how you evolve to counteract it over time," Bradley said, which had everyone sizing me up. "All right, no classroom work today as no one would be listening. Mount up, and let us begin today's exercise." I didn't bother leaving the area, just spent the half hour warming up with rolls and spins. I managed four kills before they ganged up on me.

"I suggest her call sign should be Witch because that broom she is on sure is hard to target and kill. She never flies straight, always rolling, spinning, and turning. It took three of us to outmaneuver her for a kill. I don't know how she manages to change directions doing that reverse back roll," Jesso said while duplicating the motion with his hand.

"I think you are right, Bradley. That reverse rolling technique may drive the Tullizor crazy. They prefer nose-to-nose dog fights," Tyler said. He was a tall, lanky young man with carrot-colored hair and a permanent happy expression. Whereas Jesso was short, had long-straight-black hair, and always looked as if he was deep in thought.

The change in schedule to three days a week versus the seven-day fighter training class gave me more time with Joseph and more opportunities to practice with the other three police trainees. By the end of two months, I was gaining some confidence in my ability not to embarrass myself and how to use the laser and stun baton.

"Look," I exclaimed when my Sleeve dinged, and it showed one star over my black eagle. The message was an official letter promoting me to fighter pilot effective immediately. That got me hugs from Hanna and Hyun.

"I'm jealous," Hanna said. "We have several more months of training."

"Me too, for my police training. Like on the Bridge, there is a lot more to learn. Fighters are simpler; there are only two buttons to fire your missiles, and knowing which missile to use is not complicated." I laughed.

Chapter 12

'The Enemy In The House

"What the hell is that bitch doing here?" Doug shouted as I walked into the room. "This is for real fighter pilots. She is in the police unit."

I couldn't help it. I held up my Sleeve with its black falcon and one star, not the silver eagle which designated the police, and sat.

Bradley spoke before Doug or Carl could comment. "We have been evaluating Kayla's style of fighting versus our more traditional style. I have discussed it with the Anixians, and they agree a test is warranted. Therefore, we will be the next house to engage the Tullizor and not the Kestrel."

I noticed Carl and Doug with their heads together, looking furious, and I idly wondered what they were discussing. They certainly didn't like the idea of being next to face the Tullizor or being tested against me. Of course, the test wasn't about them or me. It was about which technique would benefit Anixia and the Phoenix. They didn't appear to care about the Anixia, just themselves, and didn't like me getting recognition. Then the light went on. What if I were injured? Would the test still be run, or would the Kestrel be put back into their normal rotation? Now I was really scared and glad I was enrolled in the police. I wasn't ready for Doug or Carl, but I wasn't completely defenseless as I had been.

The day's exercise made things worse. Carl and Doug were the first two fighters killed while I had three kills and lasted near to the end. The tunnel back to my room seemed longer and spookier than normal.

The next several days, I tried to stay with groups and not to go anyplace alone. Finally, I decided I was being paranoid and worked at relaxing. That turned out to be as nerve-racking as worrying, and I was exhausted at the end of each day.

That night walking back to my quarters after police training, I was dazed from days of worry, tired from a strenuous workout, and nearly walked right into Doug. The two stood blocking the tunnel.

"Well, if it isn't Bradley's fuck-mate back from fucking the men in the police unit," Doug said, excitement in his voice and on his face. "Carl, I think it's our turn." He grabbed my wrist with a vice-like grip I knew I couldn't break. "Carl, didn't you just hear her invite us to take her someplace private?"

"Our room is very private," Carl said with a laugh.

Doug pulled me as he turned to go back to their rooms. When he did, I stepped into him, driving my foot toward his instep. I missed, but his grip loosened and a quick twist against his thumb and I was free. I ran back the way I had come like rabid dogs were chasing me. I didn't look back, knowing that would slow me or cause me to lose my balance and maybe fall. At the door to the police unit, I literally fell into the room and scrambled on my hands and knees into the training area. Fortunately, Joseph and a few others were still loitering after the class.

"My God, Kayla, what's wrong?" Joseph scooped me up into a standing position and stood inspecting me.

"Doug and Carl attacked me," I blurted between attempts to gulp in air. Joseph gently looked at both my arms. The left one was black and blue near my wrist.

"Check the hallways," Joseph said, and two men ran to the door and exited. "Of course, it is going to be your word against theirs."

I nodded in resignation. Even if they were found in the hallway, they could say it was someone else, and I couldn't prove it wasn't. It would be two against one. Bastards. I can't live like this. They were going to win in the end. I put my head in my hands and cried.

He put his arm around my shoulders, led me to a table, and had me sit while he fetched me a glass of water. "I'll be right back. Don't move." He wandered into the equipment room and was back in minutes. "This is a police camcorder, Kayla," he said. The device was round, less than five centimeters across, and looked like a large amber-colored eye. "Once I activate it, it will record all sounds and images within several meters, night and day, and the recording will be immediately sent to Administration. So, if you are attacked again, you will have proof, and your attacker will pay the price. The Anixians do not tolerate attacks against their police or police trainees. Remember you are also being recorded, so think before you speak. Any case against them will be based on the recording."

"What if it's dark in the tunnel or room?"

"These are police camcorders. The image will be clear enough to identify the individual, and the device will pick up the information from his Sleeve. So, even if the person had a blanket over you, he and anyone within a few meters would be identified."

"Will you get in trouble giving this to me?" I didn't want him to get in trouble, but I was petrified.

"No, my mandate is to weed out the trouble makers. The Anixians know from experience that we get a few each trip, and they can cause a disproportionate amount of damage and impact our odds of survival. One such person years ago talked a group of men and women into stealing a cruiser. They failed, but we lost a cruiser and good men and women who died fighting them. Consequently, the Anixians are very tolerant of our methods. There is no assumption of innocence or guilt. You will be safe. Doug and Carl are evil, but neither of them wants to be banished. It's not a good way to die."

Eventually, I stood, and Joseph put the belt around my waist and locked it in place. "A policeman's unit can be turned off when he is not on duty; yours cannot. That will be awkward, but it's for your protection. I will be the only one reviewing it, and I will erase it when you report that you had no incidents that day."

"Thank you, Joseph. I was going crazy with worry, and this latest incident would have destroyed me."

After I had calmed down, Joseph walked me back to my room and explained to my roommates about the incident and the camcorder. I slept badly that night. Waking up in a sweat after dreaming Doug had caught me and dragged me to his room. And later, that Doug and Carl attacked me in a lonely tunnel and crippled me for life.

When I reported to the fighter training area the next day, Doug gave me an evil smile. Oblivious to the camcorder, he leaned close to my ear and whispered. "Quit the fighter unit, or Carl and I will make your life Hell." He leaned back so I could see the hate in his eyes.

"I got away last night," I said and smiled.

"You won't next time, bitch, and next time–" he stopped and looked around.

"Thank you, Doug," I said and pointed to the camcorder on my belt. "I would ask you to quit the fighter unit, but that would ruin the upcoming test and your chance to prove your technique is better than mine." I smiled and continued toward the group talking with Bradley. "Good morning, sorry for the police camcorder. Two men accosted me last night. Fortunately, I got away." I held up my arm to show my wrist, which had turned an ugly green and purple. "Joseph thought it best I wear a police camcorder in case they try again. Last night's incident would have been my word against theirs."

Bradley carefully lifted my arm and inspected it, looking up in the direction of Doug and Carl, who looked ready to run. "Good, the faster you get rid of people like that, the better. Can you fly?"

"Yes, it's sore, but it's my left, so it shouldn't be a problem." I grinned, and Bradley nodded.

The next month passed without any incidents. Joseph saw the camcorder record of Doug's comments to me and saved it for evidence if anything else happened. He felt Doug's comment might not be enough for the Anixia but enough to keep Doug and Carl away from me and supporting evidence if anything else, even minor, happened.

Chapter 13

Wounded People Are Also Dangerous

"That fucking bitch," Doug screamed when they had entered their room.

"She has enough to get us banished," Carl said, pacing the room like a caged animal.

"Not quite. But even if we did talk our way out of banishment, we would be under intense scrutiny from then on. We wouldn't have a chance at stealing a cruiser. That is far more important than that bitch Kayla. Besides, when we steal a cruiser, we might be able to kidnap her, and we would have something to play with on the way back to Earth." Doug laughed, helping him to relax a bit. "Stay away from her. We need to work on convincing more people to help us secure a cruiser. I want off this dead, prison planet. That's the priority."

"What about the Tullizor?" Carl asked, looking pale at the prospect. "I'm not doing all that well against the other newbies."

"From what the old pilots said, the first line will be first-time Tullizor pilots. We at least have had a good deal of practice."

"First-timers or not, they won't be shooting paintballs at us," Carl shouted. "I don't mind slugging it out with some guy in a bar, but I'm not looking forward to a duel with heat-seeking missiles. A tie in a bar fight isn't the same as a tie in a missile duel." Carl pressed on as sweat formed on his forehead, "They are all psychotic lizards in a killing frenzy and too stupid to turn tail and slither off. More like fucking Komodo dragons."

"Carl, calm down," Doug finally interrupted Carl's increasingly panic-stricken tirade. You're scaring me with this hysterical rant. We can't leave the fighter unit without getting assigned to another house and maybe losing our chance to get back to Earth. We need to manufacture a way to get out of the assignment or of getting safely through it. But for now, I have a couple of guys and a gal who would also like to return to Earth. I told them to meet with us here. They are due within the next ten minutes or so."

Several minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Three persons stood waiting when Doug opened the door.

"Carl, this is George, Fred, and Mary Lo. This is Carl, my roommate and someone like you who wants to leave this prison and their insane war," Doug said as the three entered the room.

"We did kind of sign on when we agreed to let them cure us," Mary Lo said just above a whisper, which sounded like a whine. She was a small thin woman, with long mousey brown hair and a very plain round face that looked perpetually tired.

"They didn't tell us the alternative was fighting a war for them," George said. "Besides, if they were such kind people, they would have cured us then asked if we would help them. I, for one, don't owe the sneaky bastards." George was in his early forties, a good thirty pounds overweight, with a round face that was beginning to sag.

"Of course, curing us first, they would be lucky to get one volunteer," Fred said. "I did volunteer," he laughed, "but I reserve the right to change my mind. Especially when I consider the fame and glory anyone bringing Earth a space going ship will receive. For that prize, I will lie, cheat, and kill." Fred had an athletic build, angular face bordering on good-looking but with evil eyes, which said he was unpredictable and dangerous.

"Good," Doug said. "Carl and I are fighter pilots and may be able to help acquiring or defending the cruiser." Doug looked to Fred.

"I'm being trained as a navigator, which will come in handy getting the cruiser to Earth," Fred said and grinned. "Right now, I'm working on getting the coordinates for Earth and understanding the method needed to travel between planetary systems."

"I'm being trained as a countermeasures or ECM operator," George said. "Hopefully, you won’t need one, but that position is also trained in the radar and communications specialties. Any of those could be useful initially and will be when we reach Earth. I know how to shoot if you can find any weapons. I'm not afraid to fight or kill if necessary."

Doug looked to Mary Lo.

"I'm being trained as the cruiser's pilot. So I will be able to fly the cruiser," Mary Lo said in a low squeaky voice. "I can't fight, but I can be useful." A shy grin appeared.

"Good. Let's meet here weekly for an update," Doug said. "We need to know how many cruisers they have, what kinds if they are not all the same, their schedule, and where they are kept. That will be necessary to formulate a plan. Time is critical since we don’t know when the Tullizor will attack or their plans for Anixia." He would prefer to be gone before then and avoid having to fight them.

"I wonder when we will get our weapons," Carl said. "Remember, Doug, they said the officers carried weapons."

"Good question. A few weapons could be useful, maybe necessary, in capturing a cruiser. Particularly useful when only a few people are authorized to carry them." Doug lapsed into silence as his thoughts went back to the Tullizor and having to participate in the next confrontation with them. That damn Kayla was untouchable with that police camcorder on her day and night. If it were not for the possibility of going back to Earth, he might try anyway. Maybe an accident that kept him from flying for a while, but Carl would also have to have one, and that would look fishy. He didn't want to abandon Carl; he was a fighter and had no ethics and therefore flexible and useful. He chuckled to himself. He would just have to get better at flying that damn fighter so he could survive the battle if he had to participate.

Chapter 14

The Tullizor

For the next two months, life settled down into a comfortable routine: fighter exercises and discussions around strategies and tactics, and three full days of police training each month. Doug and Carl barely looked at me and seemed to be working hard in the training exercises. I couldn't help thinking they were up to something, but so long as they didn't bother me, I was content.

I was facing Eric, a stocky man in his late twenties, waiting for him to move, which was my normal predilection, rather than attacking, which most of the police candidates preferred. Suddenly, he took a quick step toward me then stopped just as quickly. I had almost stepped backward, which I tend to do, not being much of a fighter. Well, to be honest, I don't like to fight, and I'm easily spooked. But I'm learning, and this time, I managed to stay focused on my opponent and continued to wait for him to commit. A second later, he did, rushing at me with his shoulder pointed at my chest. I managed to pivot ninety degrees to my right, changing my profile. As he passed by me, my left hand found his back, and I pushed. His momentum and my push sent him off the mat and almost into the wall.

"Good move, Kayla," Joseph said, nodding in approval. "Never take on someone directly who is bigger or heavier than you. That gives them the advantage–"

Just then, my Sleeve lit, and a loud buzzing followed. When I looked down,

EMERGENCY, report to the fighter bay immediately.

appeared on the Sleeve. I exited the room at a run and saw Todd running just in front of me. "I guess this is the day we become seasoned pilots," I shouted between gasps for air.

"If my mom and dad could see me now," Todd shouted back. I couldn't help a laugh. My thoughts went to my parents and my regret I couldn't have said goodbye and given them the comfort that I lived and was happy and healthy…for now, I amended. Ironically, I wasn't afraid or worried. I was satisfied with my choices and committed to protecting the Phoenix vision. Todd and I shot into the room and raced toward our fighters. I had painted the black and orange image of a Pitohui on the side of my fighter. Everyone laughed as they tended to choose birds of prey. What they didn't realize was that the New Guinea bird was the only poisonous bird on Earth. I kind of liked the idea that gives: I'm small but not to be fucked with.

I jumped in and immediately donned the protective equipment meant for actual combat. Like a bullet-proof vest, they provided additional protection if the cabin was breached by laser fire or shrapnel from exploding spacecraft.

As I dressed, Bradley's voice boomed from the fighter's speakers.

"Attention, Saker pilots. A Tullizor cruiser has been identified entering Anixia space. They are currently one light minute from Anixia, or about eight hours from the planet. We will meet the Crowned Eagle two hours from now at five hundred kilometers overhead. We will discuss our attack tactics when we are aboard the Crowned Eagle. Form up on your squadron leaders: Simon, Tebos, and Calum." As Bradley talked, I could see fighters being propelled out of the cavern.

"Team one, this is Tebos, your team leader. If you are hearing my voice, you are in team one. Form up on me." He waited several minutes as eight of us joined him. When he had us all, he began climbing into the night sky. Two hours later, I could see an Anixia cruiser with lights blinking. One by one, we approached the open bay and were gently pulled in.

"We have three teams on board the Crowned Eagle, each in a separate bay. That is insufficient to take on a Tullizor cruiser, but they are preparing another cruiser to support us. As we speak, the Kestrel House is preparing to join the Haast. They will be about two hours behind us. The Tullizor usually has thirty to forty fighters that they send out in waves of eight, each three to five minutes apart. They send their newest and least experienced pilots first, keep their best in the last two rows. Normally, our teams are a mixture of experienced and newbies. This time, Bradley wants to see how the new pilots and particularly Kayla's unorthodox style works against the Tullizor–Saker newbies against Tullizor newbies–"

"We are being hung out to dry because Kayla can't face a fair fight," Carl snarled.

"Carl, there is no such thing as a fair fight," Tebos said in a normal voice. "You kill the enemy, or he kills you by any means you can. The Tullizor are beating us consistently. Yes, this team is an experiment. We are not the first, nor will we be the last. Necessary experiments if we hope to survive. It is not like you haven't had training and many hours of practice. You have probably had more training than the Tullizor you will be facing. Consequently, your odds of surviving are better than his." He paused, eyes glazed over as if listening to something. "I'm told we should encounter the Tullizor in about three hours and twenty minutes. Get some rest. It will be a long engagement."

"Mount up," Tebos shouted, jerking me awake. I was surprised to find I had actually fallen asleep. The thought I could die, and I could kick ass fought to a tie, and my tiredness from the day's activities had been victorious. Fully awake and feeling alert, I went through my mental checklist and found everything normal. Seconds later, I was pushed out the bay, and I fell in at one end of the formation. My hologram showed the Tullizor cruiser discharging fighters like angry bees out of a beehive. As Tebos had said, one group formed a line then began moving forward as a second group began forming up. The first group was now over one thousand five hundred kilometers distant. Tebos had told us to proceed at two thousand five hundred kilometers per hour–about Mach 2 on Anixia. Given the Tullizor matched our speed, we should clash in approximately eighteen minutes. At seventeen minutes, the two lines were eight kilometers apart, and I thought close to targeting. So I broke formation, heading for the outer two Tullizor fighters while spinning to avoid being targeted. At thirty kilometers distance from the front line, I targeted one of the newbies fighters and fired, then veered away from the Tullizor line, but to my surprise, no one followed although I had destroyed one of their fighters. I shrugged and began a backward loop that would take me back into the Tullizor line. As I completed the loop some two kilometers above the advancing Tullizor fighters, I again targeted a Tullizor fighter, fired, and accelerated away. This time, two Tullizor fighters took chase.

"That damn coward bitch is running," Doug shouted into the Team one channel.

"Focus, Doug," Tebos said. "You are only seconds from contact with the Tullizor."

I kept taking defensive maneuvers as we moved further from the two formations and increasing my speed to maintain a several-kilometer separation. Finally, when I was sixty kilometers distant, I began a backward loop and was pleased when the two Tullizor followed me. Unfortunately for them, they didn't tighten their circle, and in less than a minute, I was behind them. I targeted one and pressed the button to fire the Swift missiles. We were so close the explosion was almost simultaneous with pressing the button. The second fighter made no attempt to break the loop, and I was able to target him and fire. I broke out of my loop and headed for the Tullizor formation, increasing my speed to three thousand six hundred kilometers per hour. Within thirty seconds, I was able to target a fighter in the back row–the experienced row–and fired. Targeted another fifteen seconds later and fired. Two kills, and the formation continued on like a Roman Phalanx as I swept past. This time, I had three fighters on my tail. I waited thirty seconds then performed a backward loop with the three trying to follow. When I saw the Tullizor cruiser on the hologram, I broke the loop and headed straight for it. I had a good lead on the three following me as breaking out of a loop can be tricky because half of the time, you are upside down, and all your reactions are reversed–up is down, right is left. I maintained a steady sequence of jogs left and right, rolls and twists as I knew the ship had missiles and lasers that would be trying to target me. At fifty kilometers, I fired all four of my Vulture missiles and immediately went into a backward loop to return. The hologram showed three missiles had scored hits, and the three Tullizor fighters were still chasing me. I passed over them upside down and several kilometers above them. They turned to give chase, but since they didn't perform a backward roll, their speed took them twenty kilometers off course. As I neared the rear of the Tullizor formation, I managed to target another fighter as I streaked for the Crowned Eagle for more missiles. I didn't have enough to take on multiple fighters.

"Look, the bitch is deserting the fight," Carl screeched. I ignored him as I continued. Suddenly, our third row accelerated over the Tullizor formation and headed for the Tullizor cruiser. The second row accelerated ahead into the Phalanx. The result was chaos as the Tullizor lost its formation.

At the Crowned Eagle, I was pulled into the bay. I popped the hatch and shouted, "I'm out of missiles," which got me a thumbs up, and crews began opening the side panels while others were loading the Vulture missiles on anti-gravity movers. They had just finished when Bradley's voice sounded on the all-squadron's channel.

"All squadrons return to the Crowned Eagle. The Tullizor are retreating, and the Haast is in pursuit."

I exited the Pitohui, gave her a kiss for good measure, and stood watching the Saker fighters returning. Every fighter had signs of laser hits, a few minor but many moderate to major, three were missing, and at least eight pilots needed immediate medical attention. Carl was one of the more seriously wounded. As I watched, Doug came running toward me, screaming.

"The fucking coward almost got us all killed." He looked like he planned to attack me, so I prepared myself, and my hand fell to my laser in case he drew his. But before he reached me, Bradley's voice cracked like a whip.

"Doug, strike her, and I'll have you removed from the House of War." All talking and activity ceased as everyone's attention turned towards Doug, who had stopped within a meter of me. "Saker pilots are family. If two people can't get along, then one must leave. We have to depend on each other in war. If we can't, we are doomed."

"The bitch left formation, then deserted when the Tullizor attacked her, then left us to return to the safety of the cruiser. She's a worthless whore and should be banished."

"When we return to Anixia, we will review the battle and each fighter's black box, which will reveal what each pilot did and whether they earned any kills. It is important that we understand what we did right and what we did wrong if we are to survive the Tullizor. Today, one cruiser and its fighters caused a Tullizor cruiser to retreat. I would say that makes today a fantastic day."

The bay erupted in cheering. Doug stood glaring at me, barely able to keep from lunging at me. Eventually, he gave me a hate-filled smile and left as Bradley approached.

"Doug doesn't seem to like you, Kayla. In his defense, you did leave the formation and did return to the cruiser while everyone was engaged with the enemy." He held up his hand to forestall me commenting. "Our review tomorrow should be interesting."

Chapter 15

What We Did Right And Wrong

I knew I didn't run from the enemy, but Bradley's last words bothered me. That damn Doug was making what should have been a new and exciting life into a life of stress. It was like I was on trial, and I had to prove I was innocent, while Doug was guilty and was presumed innocent. It felt like my last year on Earth before they discovered I had glioblastoma. No one was listening then, and now they were listening to Doug. Well, there was nothing I could do about it then or now.

I skipped breakfast, feeling nauseated over the upcoming debriefing. I reported to the fighter training area a few minutes early and saw Doug grinning. Not a good sign.

Bradley wasn't smiling when he nodded to the chairs. I took a seat, exhausted to the point of not caring. "It is important for us to review what we did right and what we did wrong because the Tullizor are not going away anytime soon. To put things in perspective, I attached each of squadron one's black boxes to a separate monitor showing the pilot's console and the hologram of the outside world. I will run the tapes together until the action starts, then we will focus on each fighter–"

"Confirming that women don't belong in fighters," Doug blurted with an amused tone. Bradley said nothing, and I began to wonder if his Quaker upbringing and bias against women participating in war might be influencing him and giving him an opportunity to get me reassigned.

Bradley let the tapes run until my fighter accelerated. Then he stopped all but my tape. It showed my spiraling movements as the fighter raced toward the Tullizor line, my targeting locked onto one fighter, and the fighter's subsequent explosion as I banked right away from the Tullizor.

"There." Doug stood, pointing at the monitor. "She panicked, got in one lucky shot, and deserted us."

Bradley said nothing, letting the tape run. Several seconds later, it showed my loop back into the Tullizor line, targeting another fighter, and its destruction as I again flew away from the Tullizor; however, this time, I had two Tullizor fighters chasing me. A minute later, it showed me executing a backward loop and taking out both fighters. That elicited clapping and hoots. Then it showed me racing back towards the Tullizor formation, targeting the rearmost line and destroying two fighters as I passed. Now I had to smile as everyone was standing and talking. The hologram showed three fighters chasing me as I continued away from the main Tullizor formation. Then several minutes later, another loop, but this time, I broke out and headed a max acceleration toward the Tullizor cruiser in the distance, releasing all four of my vulture missiles and scoring three. Bradley stopped my black-box tape.

"The tape shows the nasty little Pitohui returning to the Crowned Eagle to replenish her missiles." Bradley smiled. He had obviously reviewed my black-box tape last night. "Kayla, you have six confirmed kills–"

"That's another record, Kayla," Jesso shouted. "Another one I doubt will be broken anytime soon."

I blushed when everyone, except Doug, stood and clapped. I sat through the rest of the debriefing at peace, just like when Dr. Carlson had confirmed my malignant brain tumor.

When the Saker's second line saw my missiles hit the Tullizor cruiser, Squadron Leader Calum gave the order to jump past the Tullizor formation and pursue the cruiser. In the end, they got an additional six hits on the cruiser and forced it to retreat. The Tullizor fighters had attempted to follow Calum's squadron, but Simon's squadron followed them, which made for easy kills. Doug claimed he had stayed behind to help Carl, whose fighter had taken considerable damage. An act which was against war-time orders and bordered on cowardice–the wounded was someone else's responsibility.

"Kayla, what are your observations?" Bradley asked when all the tapes had been reviewed and the kills confirmed.

"I think the Tullizor are trained in formations, like the Romans, and are a poor second to Saker pilots if you disrupt the formation. For example, the loop. They will follow you into one but have difficulties getting out of one or tightening it when I did."

"I agree," Jesso said. "When we jumped over them, their formation broke down."

"The cruisers don't like Vulture missiles," Calum said with a snort. "Anixia is no longer a free candy store."

"All right, I suggest we work on Kayla's loop, and we rethink our tactics."

Chapter 16

The Eye Of The Storm

The next three months went by in a flash. I was busy helping pilots master my reverse loop maneuver, which was being called Kayla's Loop, participating in the tactic's discussions, and visiting the other three Houses of War to explain what had occurred at our last Tullizor engagement. Every other day, I worked on police training. I was now theoretically qualified with the laser but wasn't comfortable with it. I could only see myself using it if my life was in imminent danger. To be honest, it took me too much time to aim. In a rush, I would be more likely to kill someone I was trying to wound. I much preferred the Buzzer baton. It gave a fifty-thousand-volt shock that could knock a bull on its ass. Keyed to me, it was also safe since only I could activate it. It also substituted as a club in less serious encounters, to block kicks and punches, disarm knife wielding opponents, and as a reminder I was the police, armed, and potentially dangerous.

I was officially promoted to the police unit after I had completed five months of training and had passed the official test, which included armed and unarmed self-defense matches and qualifying with a laser.

"Congratulations, Kayla. You have done remarkably well considering how frightened you were of physical violence. You still aren't comfortable with fighting, but you are adequate," Joseph snorted, "actually more than adequate with the stun baton." He laughed. "I would like you to fill in at least once each week for a month or two so that the residents get to know you and you the residents."

"What are the rules we are supposed to enforce?" I asked. I knew the basic rules but wasn't sure if there were things I should be looking for.

"We are here to protect the residents from being abused and for violations of the Anixian's rules. Mostly our mere presence keeps the peace. Our real purpose is to keep our eyes open for suspicious activities that could be a prelude to insurrection." Joseph's face hardened. "It happens to some extent with almost every crop of new recruits."

"What am I to look for?" I asked, not sure how people in the military acted when they were about to revolt.

"If something appears out of the ordinary or different, report it to me. Usually, we detect the threat by observing many small insignificant events that are individually unimportant but collectively signal a plot. Don't worry about it. You will know when you see it."

On my first shift as an official policewoman, Victor, who had two-year's experience, accompanied me.

"It's easy, Kayla," Victor said. He was a good-natured man in his late twenties and had been a beat cop in Boston before he came down with Trachea cancer which wasn't discovered until it was in stage four and affecting other organs. He was tall, lanky, and good-looking with a constant smile. "We walk around and talk with folks. Well, actually, it's best if we listen. You don't learn much if you are doing all the talking. Our job is to identify problems early on when there are options."

It proved an interesting shift. When you are in a house, you forget representatives from every other house are there supporting you: records to keep your personnel records, support to maintain the facility, medical to maintain everyone's health, and weapons to fix and introduce new and modified ones. Until this tour, I hadn't realized how large the Saker's compound was. It was actually separated into two sections: war and supporting sections. It made me realize the various houses were distributed across Anixia for protection and the reason for the underground railway.

The next week, I took the shift alone. At first, I was a little apprehensive and on high alert for Doug and Carl, who had been hospitalized for two weeks but who appears to have made a complete recovery except for a few scars. Then I realized the two had been like ghosts, staying quiet and inconspicuous during the training sessions and avoiding me. They were acting like model citizens. Then Joseph's remark struck like a hammer. You will know when you see it. The only reason Doug and Carl would be model citizens would be to avoid attention. The question was, why? They had to be hiding something. I felt it in my bones.

Consequently, I volunteered for a few extra shifts and made sure my rounds included multiple trips to the fighter unit's area, including the sleeping quarters. I saw nothing, including Doug and Carl. Of course, random surveillance was a hit or miss tactic and would require a large dose of luck to produce results, even given that I was right and the two were up to something.

A month passed, and I was not any closer to solving the reason the evil duet was keeping an abnormally low profile. Then serendipity interceded one evening on my way to the dining hall. I saw Carl leaving his and Doug's quarters with three men and a woman. I quickly activated my camcorder, knowing it would capture identification data from their Sleeves.

After dinner, I went to the police training area and checked the results of my camcorder.

Mary Lo Acker, Cruiser unit, Pilot one star, 32 years of age…

George Daley, Cruiser unit, ECM one star, 40 years of age…

Fred Tillman, Cruiser unit, Navigator one star, 31 years of age…

Mike Peterson, Records, one star, 46 years of age…

I knew neither Carl nor Doug was liked in the fighter unit; however, their choice of friends did appear coincidently close with careers one would need to gather information and to steal a cruiser. Of course, the fact that I didn't like the evil duet made it easy to conclude they were up to something nefarious. On the other hand, I had overheard them talking and knew they hated Anixia. The question was whether to tell Joseph or not, and that hinged on whether I was being paranoid or whether Doug and Carl were really the evil duet and capable of trying to steal a cruiser. I decided to sleep on it, hoping the answer would miraculously come to me in my dreams.

It didn't, and I woke with the same dilemma. My anxiousness increased in fighter training class when neither Doug nor Carl so much as glanced in my direction and turned away when I looked toward them. I decided the evil duet avoiding eye contact with me went way beyond staying out of trouble. After class, I visited the police training area and found Joseph.

"Joseph, I have one of those If something appears out of the ordinary or different, report it to me, suspicions," I said, hoping I was overreacting to my fear of the evil duet.

"What is that, Kayla?" Joseph asked, waving me to a quiet corner.

"Doug and Carl have been ignoring me for the past two months," I said but was interrupted before I could continue.

"That's good, isn't it?" he asked. "You have a tape which at the very least would put them under heavy scrutiny."

"That's true; however, it's against their nature to avoid eye contact with me unless they have something important to hide." I held up my hand to avoid any comments. "The other day, while on police patrol, I saw Carl exit his room with Doug and four individuals. I used my Sleeve to capture their identity. Their positions were: records and a cruiser pilot, navigator, and ECM operator."

Joseph was quiet for several minutes before speaking. "That is not enough to take any action, but you were right to report that to me. Check your Sleeve's police menu, then watch list."

I clicked on Police, then Menu, and finally Watch List and six names appeared, of which I only recognized Doug and Carl, but saw two of the four I had identified, Fred and Mike. "Like I said, we usually detect the threat by observing many small insignificant events. In their case, the fact that Carl and Doug were observed with two people on our Watch List. Now I will elevate the status of these six to priority watch."

"Is it possible to flag when the four are assigned to a cruiser?" I asked.

"Indirectly," Joseph said. "I can request all Bridge assignments be sent to me…and you, since you identified the potential problem, and I want you to monitor developments."

Chapter 17

Foolish People Are Also Dangerous

"Doug, did you see that bitch watching us in fighter training?" Carl asked as he paced the room. "She saw me walking with our four…new friends."

"So what? We are allowed to have friends," Doug said, dismissing the comment. "Even if she does suspect something, what can she do? Who is she going to tell, and what can she say? I think Doug and Carl are up to something. I saw them with some cruiser Bridge personnel. They will dismiss her as paranoid. The majority of people in this compound are either fighter or cruiser personnel. We have been model troops, which will also weaken an argument about us planning something criminal."

"That in itself is suspicious," Carl said and gave a snort.

"People don't think that way, Carl. Most judge people by what they want to see. In our case, they see two reformed fighter pilots working hard to fit in. Little Miss pain-in-the-ass would be seen as rocking the boat, and nobody likes that as it gets them seasick."

"I think we should kill her to be safe. The stakes are high here on Anixia. On Earth, we would only get a few years in jail, and we could get time off for being model prisoners. Here, we will be banished, and there will be no time off for good behavior."

"Big risks for big rewards," Doug said. "This will be equivalent to stealing the Crown Jewels of England or cleaning out the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Better. In addition to being rich, we will be heroes and famous."

"I still think–" Carl began but was interrupted.

"Killing Kayla would cause an investigation and throw the spotlight on us." Doug shook his head. "Even if they couldn't prove we did it or were responsible, it could compromise our chances of stealing a cruiser. We have a plan and are close to implementing it. Let's not fuck it up."

"How do we know we will be part of the next Tullizor raid?" Carl asked.

"We don't have to be," Doug laughed. "I rather we weren't. We just need our gang to be on one of the cruisers sent to meet the Tullizor. Once they are in control, we can join them."

"That's not much of a plan." Carl shook his head and looked skeptical.

"The plan is solid," Doug said, sounding confident. "We just have to wait for the right set of circumstances. We may not even need the Tullizor. In fact, I hope we don't. Trying to escape in a war could put us in danger from both the Anixia and the Tullizor. The plan requires patience and for us to be model troops, but the prize is worth it."

Chapter 18

To Do Or Die

Carl and Doug had me trapped in the tunnel leading to the fighter pilot's quarters. One in front and one behind me, and the sound of active stun batons filled the air like angry bees. My mind reeled with conflicting thoughts, how did they get police stun batons, how did they know I would be in this tunnel, how did they get in front and behind me. I froze, unable to think. As I did, both men moved simultaneously. Doug, who was in front of me, swung at my head. I blocked it with my left arm. At the same time, Carl struck my exposed ribs. The combined one hundred thousand volts of electricity caused my body to spasm, my eyes went blind, and I screamed as I jerked up to find myself in bed and my Sleeve vibrating with an emergency message."

"What's wrong?" Hanna and Hyun said in unison.

"Sorry, I had a bad dream." I took a couple of breaths to calm myself before looking at the message on my Sleeve.

EMERGENCY, report to the fighter bay immediately.

"Trouble in paradise," I said as I quickly dressed. "Sounds like the Tullizor might be back for a rematch. Wish me luck." I exited the room at a run and found the tunnel alive with running men.

"Kayla, what do you think?" Todd's voice came from a few steps behind me.

"Sounds like a party with the Tullizor," I gasped out.

"This may be it, Carl." Another voice said, which sounded like Doug, but I couldn't be positive as he too was panting with exertion.

"The Tullizor are back with two cruisers," Bradley said when it appeared everyone was present. "The Anixians are sending out two cruisers, The Crowned Eagle and the Haast. We are going to join the Kestrel House as we both took losses in our last encounter, and the Merlin House will be on the Haast. The Gyrfalcon is still recovering from their last encounter, where they lost over sixty percent of their fighters. Mount up. We will be leaving as soon as I get word from Jorden, the Kestrel wing leader."

When I looked around, Doug and Carl were talking, and I would have sworn both men looked happy. I concluded I was in shock from my nightmare. They had been working hard the last few months, but it's hard to weave a silk scarf using wool. Those two would never be more than barely functional, so I couldn't understand their apparent mood. I could understand Todd smiling. He loved to fly and the excitement of the fight, and like me, thought the Tullizor slow-witted and easily outmaneuvered.

"All right, mount up," Bradley said, breaking into my musing. "The Kestrel are forming up to board the Crowned Eagle."

I got in the Pitohui, with a good luck kiss. Several minutes later, I was slung out of the cave. I found Calum and formed up with the other five, and we rose to meet our ride to the party. Due to our previous losses, we had only three lines of six, as did the Kestrel.

Inside the cruiser, we were told they estimated a four-hour ride to the drop off point. Again, I noted Carl and Doug with their heads together. I wasn't sure what they could possibly be discussing. Bradley and Jorden would dictate the strategy, and we would implement it. He was the king, and we the pawns.

"What do you think, Kayla?" Todd said as he approached me.

"I think we kill the Tullizor and go home before the mess hall closes," I said and smiled.

"There are two Tullizor cruisers this time," Todd said while holding up two fingers.

"Just gives us more to kill. I'm planning on covering the entire Pitohui's surface with little kill patches."

Todd laughed. "I wonder if we get a patch for killing a Tullizor cruiser?"

"Let's kill one and see," I said, grinning.

"Attention," Bradley's voice sounded about the chatter. "Wing Leader Jorden and I have decided to try a variation on what we did last time. Tebos and Calum will be in the first two lines, then two lines of Kestrel. Then Simon and the third line of Kestrel. On my signal, the first four lines will race over the Tullizor fighters at max speed toward their cruiser. If the Tullizor turn to chase them, Simon and the third Kestrel line will pursue them." He paused to look around the bay. "It's an all or nothing gambit. Maybe if we can teach them we are not helpless prey and we bite, they will stay away." That was received with silence, but you could almost hear the silent, or they will come back with a fleet and destroy the planet.

I personally agreed with the strategy. Thugs like the Tullizor preyed on the weak. The weaker they thought you, the more they would assault you. I didn't think they respected strength, but they didn't like getting draws or losing and would tread carefully around an equally strong opponent. My thoughts were interrupted as the Pitohui was shot out of the bay. I formed up on Calum and awaited orders.

"Squadron," Calum barked. "Proceed at one thousand kilometers per hour until I give the signal to jump, then accelerate to ten thousand. At two hundred kilometers from the target, you are free to break formation and choose your attack approach to the cruiser. Good hunting." Ten minutes later, I detected the Tullizor formation approaching. They were still at five hundred kilometers distance but approaching fast. Five minutes later, I heard, "Jump."

I pushed the power, and the Pitohui pushed me into my seat as it accelerated. A minute later, our formation streaked over the Tullizor fighters. Their cruisers looked to be about ten minutes ahead at our current speed. At eight minutes, I could see the incoming missiles and could have fired my Vultures, but that would be a waste of missiles because the cruiser's defense system would have enough time to destroy most if not all the missiles. I decided to press on, watching for incoming missiles and attempting to jog or roll only a second or two before it hit to lose its lock on me. The Tullizor cruiser was exploding some of their missiles in front of us, and several times, the Pitotui was sprayed with shrapnel and buffeted from the energy being released. I was concentrating so hard on the missiles, I found myself heading for a collision and pulled up just in time. Knowing missiles would be chasing me after I flew past, I cut the Pitohui's power and watched three missiles streak by less than a hundred meters on either side. Then the idea struck me. I continued on for another minute, performed a K-loop, pulling out when I was level with the cruiser, cut the engine, closed my eyes, and began counting, one, two, three…six. At seven, I opened my eyes, hit the power button, released all four Vulture missiles, pulled up hard, and cut the engine again as I passed over the cruiser. I watched and saw multiple explosions, and like piranha detecting wounded prey, multiple fighters raced toward the cruiser, disgorging their missiles. I smiled and laughed until I saw the Crowned bay open and two fighters. There would certainly be wounded and killed pilots by now, but not in the bay. I tapped several times on my Sleeve to gain police access and saw it:

Notice: Acker, Daley, Tillman, and Peterson assigned positions on the Crowned Eagle.

Then I understood why Doug and Carl were huddled together and why they looked pleased. Those were their fighters in the bay. Not only had they deserted during a war, but they were planning to steal the Crowned Eagle and strand the survivors. Although the bay was open, I wasn't being pulled in, so I cut my power to hover and nudged it forward, and killed the power as soon as I was fully inside. Fortunately, the protective seats took most of the impact from the five-meter drop to the floor. Even so, it took a few minutes for me to recover from the shock. I exited in my pilot's protective suit since there was no vacuum in the bay, and I thought the gear would provide some protection in a shootout with the evil duet as it was designed to impede shrapnel and laser fire that penetrated the pilot's cabin. Looking around, I saw several dead bodies and switched on my police camcorder so there would be a record of my actions. I exited through an airlock. In the hallway, I debated which way to go. The bay I had entered was about one-third toward the end of the cruiser, closer to the engines than the Bridge. I decided on the engine room and made my way towards the rear. Eventually, I found the door into the power compartment. Several men and a woman were standing around talking. I found it remarkably quiet, considering the power it would take to move the megaton craft, which was the size of an aircraft carrier.

"Can you shut down the engines?" I asked.

"Why?" one of the older men asked.

"Because this cruiser is in the process of being hijacked, and I want it stopped," I said, although feeling the urgency to chase the evil duet.

"We are in space," the same man said, which I thought rather obvious. "It will continue at its current speed with or without power. No friction."

"What can we do to slow it down?" I asked in a normal tone when I really wanted to scream.

"The pilot can activate the breaking engines," he said and shrugged.

"What do the breaking engines activate?" I asked rather calmly, considering my whole body felt like it would explode.

"Those two engines on either side of the power plant."

"Well, activate them," I shouted.

"Only the pilot can do that," he said, and a small smile touched his lips.

"Well, then I guess I can kill you four as you are not necessary or helpful." I removed my laser from my leg holster and raised it toward the old man."

"I didn't say we couldn't do it, just that we are not authorized to do it." He grinned as he walked over to a panel of gauges, dials, and switches. Fiddled for a minute, and suddenly I was almost thrown off my feet as the momentum changed.

"Thank you," I said. "However, if I feel the cruiser going forward again, I'm coming back here and shooting all four of you. You are collectively responsible. Clear?"

All four heads were nodding as I left. I wasn't sure it was a good idea to leave a cruiser without power in the middle of a war, but it was better than letting it leave. If the Tullizor destroyed it, they would only be killing traitors…and me and the innocent crew. I shrugged and began an awkward run with the additional twenty plus kilograms, almost one-third my weight, I was carrying. I checked the doors as I went. Nothing appeared amiss. Everyone I saw was hard at work obviously unaware or didn't care if the ship was being hijacked. I wondered why I cared. I could return home cured, be with my family, and share in the rewards, I pondered as I reached stairs that would take me to the Bridge. The Anixia had given me a new life. I had agreed to the terms, even if ambiguous at the time, and surprisingly, I was enjoying the life. As an additional bonus, I could actually be saving Earth by stopping the Tullizor. I laughed. It did not matter. I was committed to the Anixian for better or worse.

At the top of the stairs, the officer's quarters were to the left and the Bridge to the right. Just then, the door opened, and I heard Doug shouting. "Get those damn engines going again and kill whoever forced them to shut them down and anyone that refuses. We are fucking sitting ducks in the middle of a God damn war."

I aimed at Carl's chest since they had stripped off their fighter's protective gear, and his chest was easier to hit than this head, and fired twice. The first shot hit him a couple of centimeters to the left of the center. The second shot missed as he jerked with the pain. I shot a third time as he scrambled to enter the cabin and missed him but hit Doug in the arm as he had been in my line of sight, standing several meters behind Carl. Someone shut the door as I looked for cover. I eventually opened the door to an office and moved inside, so only my arm and head were exposed. We appeared to have a standoff. I couldn't enter, and they couldn't leave. I guess they could call for help from the crew, but I doubted they had access to the weapons' locker. I could only hope Carl's wound was serious. I doubted Doug's was more than a flesh wound. If Carl's was serious, he would demand medical help and maybe desperate enough to cause problems. I could do nothing but wait.

"Attention, crew." Blared through the ship's speakers. "I'm Doug Limback. Me and my friends on the Bridge have hijacked the Crowned Eagle and plan to take it back to Earth. That means you will be free of the Anixian, cured, and back home. However, we have a fucking hero among us who is keeping us from leaving. I am enlisting your help in getting rid of him. When we get back, you will be heroes, famous, and rich."

The only thing I could do was wait. I knew there were many who would be happy to go back to Earth and willing to do anything to go. The fame and riches were the icing on the double chocolate cake. Sure enough, two minutes later, I saw two heads peeking around the corner.

"What the mental midget on the Bridge didn't tell you was that if this cruiser isn't peacefully surrendered, the Saker, Kestrel, and Merlin pilots are going to be stranded and left to die. In that case, those pilots are going to chase and destroy this cruiser," I shouted. Of course, that was a lame counter as they would be out of missiles, and they had the Haast to return to Anixia. "Besides that, our mental midget is running in the same direction as the Tullizor. They will destroy the Crowned Eagle the minute they see it. That's one reason I'm trying to stop this idiot. I would like to see Earth again, but this fool will never get you or him there. Who but a moron steals a cruiser in the middle of a war? Our best chance now is to save our lives by stopping the two nut cases on the Bridge."

"What can we do?" a short, stocky man with a balding head shouted.

"Sit tight. The fighters will be back soon. They can get help to get us off before they destroy the cruiser." I crossed my fingers.

"Who are you?" asked the younger man who was peeking around the corner with the older man.

"I'm a Saker fighter pilot, so I know what is happening out there." I nodded to my right. "I know the fools on the Bridge, and I know how the pilots will act. I would like to return to Earth, but I know my odds with those fools are zero. Better alive on Anixia than dead in space." I laughed. "With those idiots, we will be more likely to starve to death lost in space."

"She is right," a woman's voice said. "What jackass steals a cruiser in the middle of a war? I heard the last group that stole an Anixia cruiser all died. Better Anixia, a bird in the hand, than Earth, two birds in a bush."

"Get rid of that fucking shooter, or we are all going to die. Get rid of him, and you will live to see Earth and be heroes," Doug shouted. For the next half hour, the group on the stairs debated the pros and cons. Eventually, I heard Bradley's voice.

"Kayla, where are you? What is going on?"

"Here, Wing Leader. Doug, Carl, and friends are attempting to hijack the Crowned Eagle and fly it back to Earth. As a Saker policewoman, I'm attempting to arrest them."

Chapter 19

Anixia Inquiry

"How?" Bradley asked as he approached me. He looked confused.

"When I attempted to return to the Crowned Eagle, I noticed it was moving away, so I gave chase," I said, planning to leave out the details. "When I caught up and entered the bay, I found several dead launch-crew members and Doug's and Carl's fighters. Since they are on the police watch list combined with the dead bodies, I suspected they were in the process of hijacking the cruiser. After I convinced the engine crew to stop the engines, I went to the Bridge, where I shot Carl to keep him from leaving to restart the engines. They locked the door, and you showed up."

Bradley shook his head in disgust. He lifted his Sleeve, pressed some icons, and spoke. "Simon, we need Joseph up here immediately, and tell him to bring help. We have a hijacking in progress." He looked back to me. "We thought you dead fighting the Tullizor. Then there was an explosion on the Tullizor's cruiser, and the Pitohui," he snorted, "flashed by overhead, and you were gone. We took the explosion as our opportunity. Ignoring the fighters, we rushed the cruiser and scored enough hits to set off a chain of explosions. I decided to join the Merlin fighters, but before we could get there, the Tullizor were in retreat. So we returned to the Crowned Eagle only to find it had moved." He paused and gave me an appraising look. "I knew you, Doug, and Carl didn't get along, but those two seemed to have settled down and were working hard. I thought everything was good," he concluded, but it was a question, what was going on?

"Based upon comments Doug had made to me, and some remarks I had overheard, I knew they were planning something evil. When I saw him making friends with the cruiser crew, I knew he was planning to hijack a cruiser. I told Joseph, and he put the six on a watch list. When I checked the recent assignments and saw Doug's cruiser friends were assigned to the Crowned Eagle, it all clicked in place."

Joseph showed before Bradley could ask any more questions. He nodded to Bradley before speaking. "Kayla, they said you believe Doug and Carl were in the process of hijacking the Crowned Eagle. Were the crew involved?"

"I don't think they were," I said. "My impression when I entered the Crowned Eagle was that no one was aware the cruiser had been hijacked. I have everything on the police camcorder. Right now, Doug, Carl, and his four friends on the watch list are on the Bridge." When I looked toward the Bridge, two men were affixing something to the door.

"Fire in the hole," one of the men shouted and ran down the hallway and into a room. Joseph pushed Bradley and me into the room I had been hiding in and closed the door. A minute later, there was a loud BOOM. When we exited, the door was lying inside the Bridge cabin, and everyone in there looked unconscious.

"Good catch, Kayla. By the way, my name is Larry, and that's Chris and Peter."

"Thanks, Larry, nice to be formally introduced to each of you," I said, obviously having seen each of them off and on in the training area. But I had been busy with fighter and police training and worrying about Doug and Carl and had done little socializing. "What will happen now?"

"We will secure them, take them back to the Saker compound, and hold them until the inquiry," Larry said as we watched them being secured with some kind of cloth. "Don't worry, although it's soft on the skin, Godzilla couldn't break that cloth. The inquiry will be presided over by one of the Anixian. Unlike many of Earth's courts, there is no presumption of innocence or guilt, nor are there any lawyers. Since you officially arrested them, you will present your reasons. The accused will present their side, and the presiding Anixia will announce a verdict. Nice and simple when there are no lawyers to object, no jury to convince, and no appeals."

I had mixed opinions, having watched a variety of television law movies and series, and listened to debates over the death penalty, sentencing variations across the states, and heard of people later found innocent after twenty years in jail. Of course, my opinion did not matter. This was Anixia, not Earth. For better or worse, at least the process was the same for everyone, which wasn't true on Earth.

The inquiry was delayed three days for war casualties to be treated and crews rested. On the day of the inquiry, I was led to a large office that had a desk, several chairs to the right and left of the desk and twenty chairs lining the back of the room for anyone identified by Doug, Carl, or his five friends and me as having information about the incident under inquiry.

"I am Speckled Owl from the House of Law. You may begin, Kayla from the Saker House of War," the black-robed Anixian said. "Present only facts that relate to this inquiry and that you can prove directly or indirectly."

I gave that some thought. I couldn't prove I overheard them say something, and them trying to kill me was not relevant to the hijacking. Those were the sort of things an Earth's prosecutor would use to establish the person's character, which if you thought about it wasn't relevant to the crime in most cases.

"Sir, after expending my Vulture missiles against the Tullizor cruiser, I headed back to the Crowned Eagle to get restocked. I found the Crowned Eagle had moved and was heading away from the battle. The cruiser's black box will confirm that. When I arrived, I found the fighter launch crew had been killed, and the only fighters in the bay belonged to Doug and Carl of the Saker House of War. As the cruiser was leaving the area, I went first to the power unit and convinced them to stop the cruiser while I investigated. I next made my way to the Bridge, where Carl was exiting the Bridge. I fired at him to stop him from leaving. They closed the door and locked it, preventing me from entering. They then announced over the cruiser's speakers that they had hijacked the cruiser and were going back to Earth. They tried to get the crew to subdue me but failed."

"That's all a lie," Doug stood and shouted. She killed the launch team and almost killed us. We fled to the Bridge for protection."

"Sir, everything I said can be verified on my police camcorder, which will be on file with records."

Speckled Owl said nothing but spent the next twenty minutes looking at a small tablet. Eventually, he looked up. "Thank you, Kayla. That was well presented. I find Doug and Carl guilty of treason. They can no longer claim membership to any of the Anixian houses."

Translation: they were free to wander Anixia, a toxic wasteland, but would get no help from the people of Anixia or Phoenix.

Thankfully, Joseph presented the case against Acker, Daley, Tillman, and Peterson since it involved the Police Watch List and was his area of responsibility. They received the same verdict, but it took several hours of reviewing records. On Earth, a trial of that sort would have taken years given the lawyers time to prepare, along with a lengthy trial and years of appeals. When, in reality, the facts were simple.

Chapter 20

Escalating War

When I reported for fighter training the next day, Bradley waved me over. "Kayla, I reviewed your black box, and you must have had a malfunction. The information kept cutting in and out. No wonder your Vulture missiles were so effective. You were close enough to throw rocks at their cruiser when you released them."

I laughed. "You estimate the distance you will be from the cruiser, then subtract the distance you want to be when you release your missiles, and divide that by the distance you are traveling per second. That gives you a number. When you reach your estimated distance from the cruiser, you cut your power, count to the number you calculated, open your eyes, start your engine, hit the Vulture release button, and run like there are missiles chasing you, which there will be. Then cut your engine to lose the missiles chasing you."

"Kayla, you are crazy. What if you miscalculated or your engine didn't start immediately?" Calum said, who had been listening to me describe the procedure.

"That's option two," I said. "It probably works better than option one, but you only get to do it once. Maybe we could talk the Anixia researchers into creating a pad to do the calculations and restart the engine. Of course, that will take some of the fun out of it."

"I like it," Calum said. "It not only makes the approach safer, but it also gets you closer, and the fighter's speed boosts the Vulture missiles' speed at impact."

"I suspect we are going to need all the advances we can come up with," Bradley said almost to himself. "The Tullizor are not going to take this defeat lightly. They will send three or four cruisers next time and plan a massive missile raid on the planet. We could possibly win the battle but lose the war." He stood silent for several minutes. "Kayla, stay available. I will get permission to talk with the House of Crows; that's the Anixians' electronics research unit." He turned and walked off.

He returned an hour later. "Kayla, come with me. I have an appointment with the House of Crows to discuss your new…gadget." He snorted. "If I let each pilot calculate the exact time to stop and start their engine, we could lose a couple of pilots each encounter with the Tullizor. They aren’t stupid, but in the heat of battle with their adrenalin at max levels and having to concentrate on enemy fighters and missiles, a mistake would be easy to make."

I nodded. I had been fortunate to be away from the main action when I decided to try my experiment. When we entered the rail car tunnel, Bradley handed the woman a card which she inserted into a panel on the wall, and the top of a six-person rail-car opened. We got in, and as soon as we had secured the safety harnesses, the top closed, and the rail-car began to accelerate. Fifteen minutes later, indicating the compounds were many kilometers apart, the rail-car began to slow and a half minute later stopped and the top opened. The Tunnel looked exactly the same, but the person on duty was an elderly man. A large life-size crow with a white-colored area around its neck hung on the wall, and the sign read: House of Crows.

"That's a Pied Crow," Bradley said as he exited the rail-car. He bowed to a man in a blue robe with slits on the sides to allow his or her black wings to be exposed.

"Welcome, Wing Fighter Pilot Bradley," his voice box said. "I am Flores Crow. I understand you have a need best addressed by the House of Crows." He waved for us to follow and led us to a large cavern with machines of every size and shape and Anixians working at the tables scattered around the area.

"Flores Crow, this is Saker Fighter Pilot Kayla. She has created a new technique for attacking the Tullizor cruisers, which proved effective. However, it requires precise mathematical calculations to achieve the best results. Unfortunately, they have to be made in the heat of battle, and mistakes could prove fatal. We hoped the House of Crows could develop something to make it easier for the pilots to quickly and accurately make those calculations." Bradley nodded to me.

"Sir, I need to shut off my fighter's engine to avoid the Tullizor's heat-seeking missiles as I approach the cruiser. That depends on how fast I'm accelerating and how close I want to get before restarting the engine and releasing the missiles." I then went on to describe in detail my attack on the Tullizor cruiser.

He made several clicking noises I took for laughing. "You are lucky to be alive, Pilot Kayla. Your calculation was wrong. Fortunately, your error was several seconds in your favor. A good example as it proves the need for a reliable device."

"Sir, it would also be helpful if the hologram could stay on while the engine is shut down. That would give a visual warning of any potential problems." I crossed my fingers unconsciously.

More clicking. "In my experience, that doesn't help, but in this case, that is possible, so you will get the device and the active hologram."

We spent the next hour discussing the ergonomics of the device, shape, size, location, etc.

Chapter 21

The K-Box

When I arrived for fighter training a week later, there was a large red bow on the top of the Pitohui, and everyone was looking at me and smiling.

"Three men were here last night," Bradley said. "They modified the Pitohui with your new equipment. Flores Crow said the user's manual is accessible from your Sleeve."

I hurriedly tapped on my Sleeve, found the manual, sat down right where I was standing, and began reading. Five minutes later, after multiple Wows! Yeas! Hoots, and whistles, I looked up to find everyone staring down at me.

"We now know what it takes to turn Kayla on. A user manual," Todd said, to sounds of clapping and laughing.

I ignored them and ran over to the Pitohui, opened the hatch, and jumped in. The unit was activated and popped up by pressing a button next to the speed control. The screen had four columns:

* Distance to target: you could load it with a preset value, change that value by pulling or pushing with your finger, or tapping the box which would insert your current speed.

* Distance to release Vulture missiles: preset or adjust.

* Speed: preset, adjust, or tap for current.

* Start: press start to begin the countdown, which would automatically start the engine and release the missiles when the parameters were met.

* Abort: switches the device from automatic to manual.

I left the pilot's cockpit sometime later, alternating between chuckling, laughing, and grinning.

"Can we do something to hurry the Tullizor's return?" I asked, only partly joking.

"Can we wait until we are trained?" Jesso shouted, which caused more comments and laughing. I let everyone enter to have a look at the new equipment. Two hours later, the Pitohui took its maiden flight with the new equipment, dubbed the K-box.

I spent three hours testing the various scenarios. In the end, I decided there were too many options. When I exited, I wrote up my recommended changes and handed them to Bradley:

** Distance to target: system sets automatically.

* Distance to release Vulture missiles: preset or adjust.

** Speed: system sets automatically.

* Start: you could load the number of seconds with a preset value, change that value by pulling or pushing with your finger. Pressing Start would begin the countdown as soon as that value was reached, and automatically stop the engine and restart the engine when the parameters were met and release the missiles.

* Abort: switches the device from automatic to manual and restarts engine.

He spent several minutes reading my changes before commenting. "You have significantly reduced the pilot's flexibility," he said, appraising me.

"I think, in the madness of an encounter, there will be too much going on to be fiddling with all those options. With these changes, all I have to do is set the timer for five seconds and press start. The system will automatically determine the current acceleration and the distance to the target in five seconds and the time to reach the preset release distance, then shut off the engine for the computed time. When the time has expired, it will start the engine and release the Vulture missiles. The pilot will be free to monitor the hologram because of the backup battery while the engine is off and be ready to maneuver when the engine starts and the missiles are away." I smiled my best evil smile. "It will be like space is raining Anixia lightning bolts."

"Kayla, that's an inspiring image," Bradley said with reverence.

Three days later, Flores Crow had the updated software and panel interface installed. I spent four hours testing a wide range of hypothetical situations. It seemed to work flawlessly. Of course, the real test would come when the K-box met the Tullizor.

Chapter 22

Living In The Fast Lane

"That was good work, Kayla," Joseph said when I reported to the police training area. I hadn't been back since the inquiry because of the work on the K-box. "You were spot on about Doug and Carl. At the time, I was concerned that your dislike of the two might be driving your suspicions. I think the two had everyone fooled into thinking they had reformed." He gave a short laugh. "A good concept but very difficult to achieve, like making an adult tiger into a pet. It works while it's kept fed and content, but the hunter instinct is always present. Speckled Owl thought your presentation at the inquiry was excellent. None of the fluff, the people of Earth think necessary when prosecuting someone, the person's previous actions, their character, their associates, and on and on. When you think of it, those things have nothing to do with the crime they are accused of. Limiting the evidence to what you can prove eliminates the need to assume innocence or guilt. You have justified my faith in you. That was good detective work, an excellent response to the hijacking incident, and loyalty to the Anixias. Everyone made an agreement with the Anixians, but most would break it in a heartbeat if they had a chance. You had the chance and didn't." Joseph said as a fact, but it was a question.

"The deal the Anixians offered was fair, and they have treated me well, so I have no reason to go back on my word," I couldn't help a girly giggle. "I think Anixia needs me more than Earth, and I like the Phoenix concept."

"Yes, you and people like you are what the police will need if we are going to survive," Joseph pursed his lips then nodded to something he was considering. "While you are acquiring experience, I want your emphasis on hand-to-hand fighting and shooting. Doug and Carl aren't the only ones who would break their contract with the Anixians, nor the last willing to use violence. Every new crop of humans has one or more of them."

"I have a question, Joseph. Where do the Anixia get the food we eat?" I asked a question that had been nagging me for weeks.

"The Anixians have a small area that is still fertile but shielded from high altitude observation. They raise some animals and grow some of our food there. But the majority of it is gathered from a system a day's travel from here. It is Earth-like with water, oxygen, animal life, and large areas of fertile land. Its current evolution is somewhere in the middle of Earth's Phanerozoic Eon, about five hundred million years in its past."

"So, if the Tullizor could destroy our cruisers, we could no longer support life here on Anixia." I gave an involuntary whistle.

"Yes, we are hanging on by a thread," Joseph said. "That is information best kept secret. It is information only known to the Anixia and Phoenix leaders and a few trusted individuals."

"Leaders?" I asked.

"Humans in leadership positions, mostly that is confined to those with three stars, like a fighter-wing leader or the captain of a cruiser," Joseph grinned. "Or the head of a police compound."

"Why me?" I asked.

"Your performance against the Tullizor and your police work stopping a hijacking makes you a trusted person in the eyes of the Phoenix and Anixians."

My discussion with Joseph had my head spinning as I made my way to the fighter area the next day. I doubted we had more than three to five cruisers, and Doug would not only have reduced that number by one but also significantly reduced our odds of surviving. When I entered the fighter area, everyone stood clapping. I looked behind me to see who they were clapping for, but there wasn't anyone. Before I could speak, Bradley walked up to me, smiling.

"Congratulations, Kayla," Bradley said. "You have officially been promoted to Squadron Leader."

"Why? We already have three and don't have enough pilots for two full squadrons," I asked, totally confused.

Bradley laughed. "You are going to command the K-box squadron. A squadron specifically tasked with the responsibility for killing Tullizor cruisers. You will be responsible for qualifying pilots on the K-box and developing the squadron's tactics. I'd like to see everyone in the Saker House of War qualified initially so that you have ready replacements if necessary."

"Why me?" I asked. Although it sounded exciting, I was a very junior Saker pilot.

"Because you are the only one who has experience with the technique, you developed the concept, and I believe you are the right person to evolve the strategy. Eventually, all the Houses of War will need to have a K-box squadron, but first, someone has to make it a working model. That's you, Kayla."

"We are going to need a trainer fighter and then a couple of test fighters for candidates to fly solo, and I'll want to conduct an introductory class to explain the mathematics involved," I said, thinking out loud and warming to the idea, especially now that I knew how close we were to extinction.

"Why?" Bradley asked. "We have the K-boxes."

"If I give you a calculator and show you how to use it and it's destroyed, you couldn't compute the answer to the simplest mathematical problem. However, if I teach you the theory, then give you a calculator, it does not matter if the device gets damaged; you can still compute the answer. Furthermore, if you punch in a wrong number by mistake, you won't be aware of it unless you know the theory. In that case, it will look wrong. In a fighter traveling at over three thousand meters per second, a couple of seconds off could cost you your life."

Bradley nodded and grinned. "That's why you are the best person to evolve this strategy and to lead the first squadron. You know you are going to enjoy it, so grin and accept the responsibility and the promotion."

Chapter 23

K-Box Qualifications

I decided on two classes to keep the number of students manageable, remembering I always learned more in my smaller classes than in my larger ones. Teachers had less time for individuals when the class was large, so they tended to be lectures and provide little time for questions. Although my first session of the day only had ten pilots, who I knew well, I was still apprehensive being the teacher. I wasn't eighteen yet and had never taught anything in my life. It didn't help that Calum and Bradley were auditing the class.

"This class is to teach you how to be a human K-box–"

"Why? We have the K-box, and it will be faster than us at determining the timing," Tyler asked, receiving a nod from everyone in the class, but not Calum or Bradley.

"You are making a run at the Tullizor at three thousand meters per second and your K-box malfunctions. Are you going to ask the Tullizor for a time out while you return to the cruiser for a replacement? Or try to fix it in the ten to twelve seconds you have before you take option two."

"What's option two?" Jesso asked.

"Smashing into the Tullizor cruiser because you hesitated not knowing what to do." I raised both hands palms up as if soliciting a solution from the class. "Or, in the heat of battle, you enter a wrong number. In that case, the K-box will compute a solution, but it might result in option two. If, however, you understand the K-box methodology, you might have the chance to save the mission or safely abort." I looked around the room and saw nodding heads. These men were risk-takers but not suicidal. "All right. The Tullizor's automatic laser system and their missiles are able to target you because of your heat signature. You are like a light bulb emitting a certain frequency or color. If you shut down your engine, you could just as well be a rock or a piece of junk hurtling through space. However, if we can compute the distance to the target, we can shut off our fighter's engine, count the number of seconds that need to elapse before we are at the distance we want to be to fire our missiles, then start the engines, fire, and maneuver safely away. That's what the K-box does for you based on the parameters you give it."

"Kayla, you are certifiably crazy if that is what you did," Randy said. He was one of the older boys, around thirty, and always quiet and serious-looking.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," I said. "Here are the numbers that you and your K-box need:

*The total distance to the cruiser when you begin your run.

*Your fighter's speed.

*The distance you want to be to restart your fighter and release your missiles.

Once you have those numbers, you can determine how many seconds the engine should remain off. Don't forget, once you cut off your engine, you have no power for any of your instruments. You must count the number of seconds manually."

"If you count too fast, you restart your fighter further from the cruiser than you wanted, but if you count to slowly, you end up with option two," Daryl said.

"Correct. It's that simple," I said and smiled. They were all frowning. "For the next couple of hours, I am going to give you some problems and let you work through the number and a short lesson on counting seconds."

"Good class, Kayla," Calum said as the pilots filed out of the room. "You are young, but you are the right person to lead the K-box squadron. Everyone knows you aren't just giving the theory but practical experience. They will listen and follow you."

I felt better teaching the second class as it was a mirror image of the first class. Simon and Tebos attended the second session.

"Good class, Kayla," Todd said, smiling as usual. "When do we get the good stuff?"

"Next is an introduction to the K-box, then we have to wait for a modified trainer with a K-box, and then solo, and then squadron tactics, and then you will be ready for the good stuff– the Tullizor. Todd, the next encounter is going to be bad. I can feel it in my bones. They were embarrassed by a sub-species who they have been amusing themselves for centuries. We drove off two of their cruisers. What do you think they will send next time, and what kind of revenge will they take if we lose?"

"You have me motivated, leader," Todd said without any of his normal humor.

Over the next two days, I made up short video clips while I was out practicing, showing the K-box and its functions. Then scheduled two classes.

"Now that you understand what the K-box is doing for you, let us examine the device," I said as I projected the image of a K-box on the room monitors. "The on/off switch." I used a pointer to show the switch. "The device's screen will light up. When it does, it will display your current speed and distance to the target." I clicked on my video clip which showed me turning the system on. The K-box screen showed my speed and the distance to the mountain I was flying towards. "You will notice there is a value in the release distance column. You can preset that value or use your finger to scroll to the value you want, as I am doing in the video. That is also true of the time to start, as you can see me doing on the video. That is the number of seconds before your engine will cut off and the system will use your parameters to restart your engine. As a safety measure, the system does not release the Vulture missiles; you must do that manually." I shut down the video.

"Why? Wouldn't that be more efficient?" Edward asked.

"It would be," I said. "In the elapsed ten or even twenty seconds, probably little has changed; however, if it did, you could launch your vulture missiles into empty space and no telling what they may find to target, and you would have to return for replacements. Better to save them for another Tullizor cruiser in the area. The good news is that the Anixian designer was able to keep your hologram active so you will have some idea of what is happening around you."

"That's a relief," Tyler said. "Otherwise, I would imagine those seconds would each feel like a long day."

"It does tend to be a bit more exciting when you are sitting in the dark, hoping you didn't miscalculate." I gave a crooked smile.

While I waited for one of our two trainers to be modified with a K-box, I spent my time writing a user manual. The modification on the trainer took longer as the trainer's seat not only needed a K-box but also had to have the ability to override the student's entries and to completely abort the run if necessary.

"Kayla, the K-box trainer has arrived," everyone was shouting when I entered the pilots training area. Several grabbed my arms and propelled me over to the trainer.

"You want me to do what?" I asked, trying to look puzzled.

"Start our inflight training," multiple voices said. I looked inside the trainer and found a user's manual and sat down and began reading, much to the annoyance of everyone. When I thought I understood how to abort the student's instruction, to override his instructions, and to shut him down, I rose. "All right, someone make up a schedule, allow one hour per individual and six per day."

"Why so few?" Jesso asked.

"I will not only be working with someone new to the system but also with a new system that hasn't been tested, and one I've never used. That's like picking three unknown horses and betting your life's savings on winning the trifecta."

They huddled together for a long time and eventually handed me a schedule. I noticed that Jesso was first and that the senior pilots, including Bradley, were on day three.

"All right, Jesso, you are officially a test student, I'm your test instructor, and this is a test fighter, so what could possibly go wrong?" I laughed and followed Jesso into the trainer. Several minutes after we closed the hatch, we were pushed out of the cavern. I started the engine and took the fighter to ten-thousand meters before turning to Jesso. "Look familiar?"

He nodded, and I switched control to him. "Keep your speed at Mach 1, launch distance at twenty kilometers," I said.

"What about time to start?"

"Let's see how far we are from the mountain," I said, "That will determine the time."

"Fifty kilometers," he said after looking at the K-box.

"What does that tell you?" I asked.

He frowned while staring at the K-box. "About one and a half minutes to reach the launch missiles distance. Well, now about one minute."

"Punch in thirty," I said, and he did. Thirty seconds later, the engine and the control panel shut down, but to my satisfaction, the hologram stayed on. "Now you know why I had you learn the math involved. It puts you and not the K-box in control. As a squadron, we will input preset values, but even then, we may want to deviate, and you can't if you don't understand the impact of your changes." We spent the rest of the hour using different launch distances and speeds and tested the abort option, and I tested the instructor's ability to take control and to abort the run. I was pleased, and the normally serious Jesso was bubbling with excitement.

Chapter 24

New Survivors

Hyun and Hanna exploded through the door into our shared quarters. Each had her left arm up and turned so I could see it, except it was upside down. Even so, the star on each was recognizable.

"I would need to stand on my head to read your Sleeves," I teased. Laughing, they ran and jumped onto my bed and stuck out their arms. I grabbed them in a three-way hug.

"Congratulations," I shouted to be heard over the laughing and shrieking.

"We are now qualified cruiser crew," Hanna said to Hyun's vigorous nodding.

"What's next?" I asked.

"We can continue to work in the specialty we have qualified or try to qualify in another specialty. If you can qualify in three, you become eligible to be a captain.

"Are either of you interested in being a captain?" I asked.

"No," Hanna said. "I would be content being a competent navigator. One that can navigate across systems."

"Yes," Hyun said. "I would like to make the decisions rather than be at someone else's mercy. Then with my trusted navigator, Hanna, and wing fighter leader, Kayla, we would be ready to take on the galaxy." Hyun raised a hand, and Hanna and I slapped it.

"I heard we have new candidates coming from Earth," Hanna said after the excitement died down.

"We need them," I said. "We are hurting for pilots. We have been winning, but every encounter with the Tullizor reduces our numbers, and replacement come only once or twice a year and then it takes months to train them. I'm concerned the next time the Tullizor come, they will come with a larger force and be looking for revenge. If we can't hold them off, they are going to wreak havoc on this planet. The combination could mean our eventual demise."

"I thought you have a system to destroy their cruisers," Hyun said, looking puzzled.

"We have an untested system, with pilots who have never used it in battle, so we don't know its effectiveness or our survival rate," I said, hating to be negative, but that was the reality.

"I think the three of us were sent here to help save Anixia," Hanna said with a shy smile. "Kayla, you have introduced new methods to kill fighters and cruisers. Pretty soon, Hyun or I will discover something to help. Why else did we, three women, volunteer for the House of War when it is rare for women?"

"I hope you are right, Hanna," I said. "I am afraid Anixia is at a distinct disadvantage with any nation in terms of people. They have large civilizations and can breed enough to support large militaries and continuous replacements. We have to kidnap our military, and that limits the size of our military and recruits."

"The idea behind Phoenix," Hanna said. "To get the humans breeding so the Anixians don’t have to kidnap replacements."

"That will take multiple generations, which is all right if we can avoid war for a hundred years." I laughed. "According to the Anixians, there are multiple warring cultures in the Milky Way; therefore, even if we teach the Tullizor that Anixia is a terrible system in which to play we risk being discovered by other nations."

"They could be friendly," Hanna said.

"That would be good, but not necessarily helpful," I said, feeling depressed. "They are not going to give us people and are unlikely to want to fight our battles. Sorry! Today, we are alive, when less than a year ago, we thought we would be dead. So let's not worry about tomorrow. Today we are alive, having fun, and fighting evil. Who knows, maybe Hanna is right, and the space gods put the three of us here for a reason."

"Because they like birds," Hyun said, followed by a laugh.

"Or hate lizards," I said, and we all started laughing hysterically.

The next day, Bradley asked for a meeting. When everyone was present, he began. "The bad news is that the Saker House of War isn't getting any of the new candidates that arrived from Earth–"

"And the worse news?" someone shouted.

Bradley smiled. "The other news is that the Saker House is being designated the Saker ship destroyer squadron."

"Wow!" Jesso shouted. "That's like the Navy Seals, except better. Anixia's Navy Martial Eagles, the ship-killers."

That started several excited conversations. I immediately thought of Hanna's comment about the three of us having a special purpose here on Anixia. Jesso had the right of it. Navy seals were pitted against specific units manned by men, not tanks or fighters. We would be going against the equivalent of battleships with multiple defenses, including other fighters. Bradley broke into my musing before I could be overwhelmed by panic or excitement–I would be leading the assault with a very unproven technique.

"Yes, a very elite group which will for the foreseeable future be accompanying each Tullizor incursion." Bradley laughed. "I think Jesso has given us our unofficial title, The Anixian Martial Eagles. We will be testing the K-box and, if successful, developing the strategies and tactics and implementing them across the Houses of War. The fighter pilots in the Saker House of War may well be the only hope Anixia and Phoenix have of surviving. You best remember that you will have a disproportionate impact on Anixia's future." He paused to look around the group. "Kayla, you are in charge of training and will be a part of the senior pilots' committee in developing the strategy and tactics and will lead the first Martial Eagles assault on the next Tullizor incursion."

Chapter 25

New Thinking And Techniques

I felt rushed, not knowing when the Tullizor were going to return, but was painfully aware that ignorance or mistakes could get any of us killed. There were only twenty of us, and we would be required to participate in every Tullizor incursion. It would, therefore, be foolish to be too stringent in the training and qualification criteria or to rush to declare us ready to take on the Tullizor. I would just have to hope that the Tullizor leaders wouldn't demand immediate revenge for their loss, or that they had other enemies to worry about and we weren't the priority.

I began the training by taking out each pilot, including the squadron leaders, for an hour's practice. That took three days. Then a second hour, and a third.

"When do we get to do a solo?" Tyler asked after the third round finished. "After all, we are all qualified fighter pilots."

I stood nibbling on my lower lip as if I was thinking. In reality, I knew this was coming and was prepared. The space gods knew I would have been bored by now. "Well then, I assume you could pass a simple test involving the new equipment, and we can move on to solo tactics."

"Test?" Todd asked, looking at me suspiciously. "That sounds ominous."

"You already know how to fly. All I'm asking is for you to demonstrate you understand the new equipment, and you aren't going to smash one of our newly modified fighters into a mountain when you fly it solo."

They weren't looking so cocky, but each nodded. As they huddled together to determine the order, Bradley and Calum approached me.

"Kayla, aren't you being a bit too careful?" Bradley said. Calum said nothing but seemed to agree.

"I don't know," I said. "I've never trained anyone, I'm too young to lead a squadron in anything, but I don't want to see anyone die because I rushed the training to be liked or the Phoenix concept to die because I failed to consider every detail important. If you want me to do it, then I'm going to insist all of the I's are dotted, the T's crossed, the commas and periods are in the right places, and that every Martial Eagle pilot can perform at one hundred percent whether half asleep or drunk."

Calum laughed. "I think you picked the right person as squadron leader, Bradley. I agree, Kayla. These are hotshot pilots with experience and think they do not need training. They can wing it in an emergency. I agree they can and may have to, but they will be far more effective if they have mastered the tools at their disposal." He winked at me. "You are in charge, and they qualify to fly missions only if you certify them."

Bradley nodded. "I agree. This is a life and death game. You die, or your opponent dies. Worse, there are no replacements."

"How did it go?" Hyun asked when I entered the room. Between all of us working late each day and being too exhausted to socialize, we hadn't seen much of each other.

"Everyone thinks I'm being too picky, but Bradley and Calum are supporting my approach. That means they can't participate in the next Tullizor attack unless I certify them. I giggled like a small girl over a secret. "They think they know the K-box. Wait until they see my test tomorrow."

I tried to look bored as I entered the training area. "Good morning. I'm sure you are right, and I should forget any more training and move on to formation flying," I said to nodding heads and a few pumped arms. I clicked on an icon looking like a question mark. "I just sent you the current mission assignments to your Sleeves. After each of you executes these three assignments, I will certify you K-box qualified to fly solo."

"What is passing?" Todd asked, eyeing me closely.

"What is passing when you engage the Tullizor?" I asked.

"What if we fail one or two?" Todd persisted.

"Like war; it's a pass/fail test. The good news is your instructor won't kill you like the Tullizor would, and you will get to try again until you are successful."

That elicited smiles, frowns, moans, and comments of every description from "piece of cake," to "what the hell does that mean?" Of the eight I tested the first day, only Jesso passed. The second day, only Todd and Calum passed. It took three more days to get everyone to pass.

"Comments?" I asked the next day.

"You were right, Leader," Daryl said, giving me a wry smile. "I wasn't as ready as I thought. If I or anyone of us has a weakness, you need to get rid of it. Not only for the individual's sake but also for his comrade's. A mistake could cause others to die since we will be operating as a team."

I saw others nodding in agreement.

"I know I'm being overly cautious," I said. "That is for my sake as well as yours. I've never used the K-box in war, and I want to make sure we have tested it thoroughly while ensuring we have tested ourselves as much as the equipment. I would hate to feel my carelessness in your training got you killed."

"No worry about that, Kayla. That test was a wakeup call," Randy said. "We all support your approach. It's no fun being a dead hero or seeing friends and comrades killed."

"Tomorrow, we start formation flying" I said.

Chapter 26

No More Hotshots

"Today, you start solo missions using your K-box. I've designated this area," I said as I used the room monitors to display two maps. One depicted the area as a ground map while the second one was a three-dimensional hologram. "No one can fly in this area without my permission. It will be reserved for training runs. Contact me on channel 72, tell me what you are planning, and I will make sure the area is clear before giving you permission to proceed."

After a week, I began working with two fighters, and the following week three.

"This week, we are going to begin actual formations. To begin with, we will start with four. I will give you each multi-mission assignments, and we will practice implementing them. At the end of each day, we will have a debriefing to ascertain what went right and what if anything went wrong.

*ME41, for Martial Eagle 41: Four fighters going in at the same time. Launch distance, speed, and start timing given before each run.

*ME42, for Martial Eagle 42: Fighters one and two making the first run. Fighters three and four making the second run after assessing the damage.

*ME43, for Martial Eagle 43: Fighters two and four beginning the run with fighters one and three following ten seconds later.

*ME44, for Martial Eagle 44: Fighter one begins run with fighter four starting four seconds later, fighter three four seconds after four, and fighter two four seconds later."

It took two weeks for me to be satisfied with the results of all four configurations.

Afterward, Bradley gave the group three days off and informed me that he, Calum and I would be meeting to discuss the results.

"From my observations and discussions with Calum and others, the squadron appears ready," Bradley said, and Calum and I sat. It felt strange sitting with the two senior pilots as a peer, if junior.

"I feel they are familiar with the K-box and are as ready as they can be without actual experience," I said, not wanting Bradley to expect seasoned Martial Eagles, more like young eagles getting ready to test their hunting skills.

"We are expecting miracles, Kayla," Calum said, and my stomach clenched in fear. "Not because we have any right to expect one, but because we will need a miracle to survive. Most of us, including the Anixians, expect the Tullizor to come in force, hoping to cripple our ability to resist and then to wreak havoc on the planet. That would be the beginning of the end."

"We know you have no basis for a conclusion, but what do you suggest our formation should be and what kind of an attack strategy?" Bradley asked. "I noticed you have been working them in formations of four."

"Subconsciously, I have been assuming the Tullizor will come with three to five cruisers," I said, trying to analyze my training strategy, if I could call it that since I certainly never consciously developed one. "Since we only have twenty potential pilots, four is the only number that would give us one formation per Tullizor. If they bring less, then we will have one or two free to attack the most functional cruisers remaining. That is based on an untested assumption that four Martial Eagles can potentially cripple a Tullizor cruiser." I paused to see their reaction but continued before they spoke. "More destructive Vultures would help. In that case, I would use tactic ME43."

"That's the option where the formation attacks with two fighters and the other two follow several seconds later. If I interpret that correctly, the last two would have time to assess the damage, and if significant, they would have time to abort," Calum said, and I nodded.

"I like your four optional attack strategies," Bradley said slowly as if in thought. "If the House of War can develop a more powerful ship-killer missile, those options would provide us with a lot of flexibility. Kayla, you have done better than anyone had a right to expect. I like your choice of four in a formation and the options you have been working with the pilots. Any more ideas?"

"We need a basic strategy on when and how we set up for the initial attack formation on each cruiser, variations depending on the number of Tullizor cruisers, and how and where to reform after the initial engagement."

The next two days were spent discussing pre- and post-action strategies. They left it to me to formalize those actions.

Chapter 27

Too Many Potential Options

The pre-action options were not difficult; there were only six options: one Tullizor, two, three, four, five, and more than five. To simplify the options, the Saker pilots were designated in units of four fighters, named Eagle one through five, and a squadron leader appointed. The Tullizor would also be numbered when they arrived. To simplify the options, they were numbered the same as the number of Tullizor cruisers.

* Option 1, Eagle 1 and 2 for backup.

* Option 2, option 1 plus Eagle 3 and 4 as backup against Tullizor 2.

* Option 3, options 1 and 2, and Eagle 5 against Tullizor 3.

* Option 4, Eagle 1 against Tullizor 1, repeated for Eagles 2, 3, and 4. Eagle 5 unassigned.

* Option 5, option 4 with Eagle 5 against Tullizor 5.

* Option 6, option 5.

The ME squadron leader in charge would designate the option and the formation, i.e., Option 3, ME43. He would also assign a regroup area and designate the subsequent attack strategies after evaluating the current situation.

"How did you decide on who to assign to each Martial Eagle unit?" Bradley asked after I had put together a tentative list. "I hope Eagle one isn't you plus the next best pilots."

"No, I assigned the five people I considered the best…tactical pilots to each of the six units. Then I did the same with the six best pilots, then the next best six, and then the remaining six. Furthermore, I distributed each six individuals in the following order, 1, 3, 5, 2, and 4. That makes units 1, 3, and 5 the strongest of the five."

"That's why Calum is in unit 3, and I'm in unit 5," Bradley said. "Although unit 5 is the weakest, it is also the least likely to see action. The same is true for 2 and 4. I like it."

"I agree," Calum said. "A well thought out mixture of tactical and skill strengths. I suggest the following command order: Kayla, myself, and then you, Bradley. It acknowledges our current strengths as well as who we need to survive if we win." He ignored me and talked directly to Bradley.

Bradley didn't speak for several minutes. "For now, I agree, although I'm not sure if I'm the best survivor. But now is not the time for major changes in the organizational structure."

I said nothing, although I wasn't comfortable with me in command, but to be realistic, in a war, you don't have time for conferences. One person had to be in charge and make the decisions. I just didn't feel ready for that responsibility. Not that anyone asked my opinion, I mused. But who better, I wondered. Calum had been training hard on the K-box and participated in the formation exercises but had been a trainee and his participation limited to one-fifth the time I had spent with the training. Best he remains relatively safe in the third unit providing an excellent second in command. While Bradley was the wing leader, he had spent the least amount of time training. My idea, my responsibility, I chided myself.

"Don't look so scared, Kayla," Bradley said. "Before the K-box, there was no way we could have won against three or more Tullizor cruisers. Even a draw for us is a loss. The Tullizor have more cruisers, fighters, and people to crew them. We, on the other hand, will have to commit our entire military and have no replacements. We will not win a war of attrition. To use the expression you are fond of using, this is a pass/fail engagement, and to pass, we must give the Tullizor a decisive defeat."

"If that was a pep talk, it didn't work," I quipped, but not in jest. Both men thought it funny. I could only hope some aliens have invaded the Tullizor and can keep them occupied for five or ten years.

Chapter 28

The Space Gods Must Love Birds

"I hear you are the Saker fighters' Wing Commander," Hyun screamed as she and Hanna burst into our quarters like invading Huns and landed on my bed where I sat reading.

"Nope, I'm still a squadron leader." I held up my Sleeve to show the two stars after a quick look to ensure nothing had changed over the last two weeks. "But unfortunately, as the squadron leader, it will be my horrifying responsibility to direct the Saker pilots against the Tullizor when they come."

"At least someone else won't be directing your fate," Hyun said, her face lit with excitement. "Hanna was right. We were sent by the space gods to save the birds." She laughed as she bounced up and down on the bed.

"Why else is Kayla in charge of the upcoming battle with the Tullizor," Hanna said. "She is the only female, probably the youngest pilot, and one of the least experienced."

"I think you just named all the reasons I shouldn't be in charge," I whined.

"But you are in charge, which argues in favor of Hanna's prophecy," Hyun insisted, looking defiant.

I gave up trying to use logic. According to Hyun and Hanna, this was a galactic intervention where higher powers were meddling and logic had no place. "I hope you are right because I believe this confrontation will determine the future for not only the Anixians but also the Phoenix concept. We win huge, or we lose. A draw is a loss, and significant losses is a loss even if we force the Tullizor to retreat."

Two more weeks passed, and I had reached the point where I hoped the Tullizor would attack, and we could get it over with. My Sleeve buzzed while I was eating dinner with Hanna. I looked down, hoping the time had finally come, but knowing it hadn't, wrong buzzing tone.

Report to the fighter unit immediately.

Well, that at least was something urgent, but more likely administrative now that I was a squadron leader. Nevertheless, I rose, my meal only half-eaten, and made my way to the unit at a double-time.

"Kayla, your wish came true!" Bradley said. He stood with Calum looking down at some object. They moved apart as I neared. "The newest Vulture missile dubbed the Griffon Vulture or just Griffon. Although smaller, they have a two-stage delivery system. The first stage opens the ships exoskeleton, while the second stage enters the breached hull and explodes. Depending on the section it enters, it could set off a chain reaction that could destroy the cruiser. At the very least, each Griffon that hits the cruiser will cause significant internal damage. The current Vultures can breach the hull, causing a loss of vacuum and internal damage to that section; however, the Griffon's second stage enters the breach before exploding."

I grinned, thinking about Hyun and Hanna. Maybe their crazy prophecy theory had some merit. "That certainly improves our odds of an overwhelming win," I said, looking down at the thin two-stage missile.

"They are developing a larger model for the cruisers," Calum said, eyes bright with excitement. "They had to downsize the fighter model or disrupt its maneuverability, but they claim each missile is potentially a ship killer. All we have to do is get it to the target."

"They are working day and night, hoping to produce ten each day," Bradley said.

"That is eight days to outfit every fighter with a full load and sixteen days to have a reserve of one reload." I nibbled on my lip absentmindedly. "I suggest we begin by replacing only one of the fighter's Vultures with a Griffon until all twenty have Griffons. Then begin again replacing one each."

Calum and Bradley exchanged looks before Calum spoke. "Our squadron leader is a bit paranoid, Brad. But I think she is right. I'm surprised the Tullizor didn't attack weeks ago. I'm not complaining, but they are long overdue. So I agree with her."

"What order?" Bradley asked.

"I would suggest the normal order, one through five. Makes no sense to arm five before two and four when five may never be used," I said. Bradley and Calum nodded in agreement.

Chapter 29

Being Right Isn't Always Good

Five days after the first Griffon was delivered, my Sleeve buzzed with the unmistakable tone of an emergency. As our light automatically came on, I saw Hyun and Hanna were also scrambling to get dressed.

EMERGENCY. Tullizor incursion detected. Report to the Saker fighter unit.

"Show time," I said when the buzzing stopped. I laughed as I finished dressing. All I needed was underwear since I had a flight suit and protection equipment in the Pitohui. "Good luck, my friends." With that, I was out the door and running toward the fighter area.

"Are you ready, Kayla?" Todd shouted from several meters behind me.

"No, but I have to admit I have been wishing to get this over," I shouted back as I entered the room. Bradley was talking to Calum as he reviewed his sleeve. I decided to join them as I was now the squadron leader, and they probably had information I would need.

"Kayla, I'm informed they spotted four Tullizor cruisers entering the Anixia system. We can expect contact in roughly four hours," Bradley said while scanning his Sleeve. "What are our orders, Squadron Leader?"

"Do you know if all the fighters have two Griffons loaded?" I asked. Calum nodded affirmatively. "Pilots, listen up!" I shouted to get everyone's attention. It wasn't necessary as all eyes were on me, and the talking had stopped. "We have four Tullizor cruisers invading our playground. I think it's time we let them know they are not welcome–" I had to pause until the caustic remarks stopped. "You each have two of the new hull-breaching missiles. When you enter your fighter, check their position as I will want you to fire those first, hoping to breach the cruiser's hull, thus making the old Vulture missiles more destructive. We will use Option 4 Formation ME43 for our first encounter. I want the two lagging fighters ten seconds behind in order to assess the damage before deciding which missiles, if any, to use. If you think the first two fighters caused significant damage, withhold your Griffons. We may need them for a second pass elsewhere. I will make specific assignments in transit. To repeat: Option 4, Formation ME43, with a ten-second delay. Any questions?" When only silence followed. "No heroes. You are part of a team, so make sure you don't let your teammates down, and no absentees from the victory party afterward without my personal permission; that is an order."

"Yes, mother!" Was the unanimous response. I couldn't help a smile.

"Mount up and form up on your formation leader. Our ride to the playground is the…" I looked to Bradley.

"Crowned Eagle," Bradley said after looking at his Sleeve.

"Crowned Eagle," I repeated as I headed for the Pitohui. A minute later, Todd appeared to my right, then Edward, and finally Petra. "All systems operational?" I asked.

"Fighter 1-2, all systems operational," Todd said.

"Fighter 1-3, all systems a go," Edward said.

"Fighter 1-4, all systems operational," Petra said.

"Follow me," I said as I began accelerating towards the Crowned Eagle. Two hours later, after all fighters were on board and the Crowned Eagle was accelerating towards the Tullizor, Bradley called for a meeting of the formation leaders.

"I'm informed by the captain of the Crowned Eagle that fighter pilots from the Kestrel are aboard the Rufous Eagle, and those from the Merlin are aboard the Bald Eagle, and those from the Gyrfalcon are aboard Haast," Bradley said, shaking his head in disgust. The Saker pilots are ready and have a strategy, but we appear to have neglected a coordinated strategy for the various Houses of War. We have four cruisers but only three fighter groups facing four Tullizor fighter groups. Any suggestions?" Bradley asked. To my horror, everyone looked to me.

"Where is the lady's washroom?" I asked, feeling all my blood draining from my face. Calum pointed toward a door. "Good, I'm going to go wash my face, after I throw up." I turned and headed for the door. Inside, I found a commode and sat. "It's not fair," I said to the empty bathroom. "What's fucking new?" I shouted and laughed. Everyone was looking to me because the K-box was our only hope of surviving four Tullizor cruisers, I realized. Consequently, the strategy had to revolve around the Martial Eagles. The problem was that I had planned our approach as the fighters from Anixia clashed with the fighters from Tullizor, and all eyes would be on the fighters, not stray junk without heat signatures. I had also mistakenly thought of four fighter groups when we effectively only have three…we need another diversion," I mused as I walked to the sink and stuck my head under the cold water and started laughing. I must have looked maniacal when I exited the room with my hair soaked and dripping water and a wry smile on my face.

"Kayla, are you all right? I didn't…" Bradley said but stopped when I held up my hand.

"We need to talk to the captain immediately," I said. "There is no time to delay." For a minute, I thought Bradley was going to ignore me, but after a very calculating evaluation, he shrugged and activated his Sleeve.

"Captain Basson, we have an emergency and need you to come to bay…" he looked around the bay, "eight immediately. It may make the difference between winning and losing." He looked back to me. "He's coming, Kayla. I hope you know what you are doing."

I shook my head. "I don't, but I'm hoping the captain does."

To his credit, Captain Basson entered the bay while everyone was still shooting questions at me, which I had been ignoring. Basson looked tired and frustrated.

"What's the emergency, Wing Leader?" he said, obviously wanting to get whatever this was over so he could return to the Bridge. I interrupted.

"I'm the problem, Captain Basson. I have an idea but don't know enough about cruisers to know if it's possible," I said and continued before he could say anything. "If you pulled the four cruisers closer together, could you drop my twenty fighters without the Tullizor being able to detect the drop?"

He looked at me wide-eyed, which narrowed in a frown as he took a closer look. Then a second evaluating look before turning to Bradley.

"Kayla is the Wing Leader for this engagement, Captain." Bradley nodded toward me. "She has just been given a problem we senior leaders should have addressed. The strategy for getting her formation in position."

Basson nodded while giving me another evaluating look. "If your fighters stay close to us, the Tullizor won't be able to detect them at our current distance," he said while staring off in thought.

"There will be four formations of four fighters each. I envisioned each formation flying underneath one of the cruisers," I said. "How fast are you accelerating?"

"One percent the speed of light," he said.

"Meters per second, please."

"Three million meters per second." He smiled.

"Bradley, what is the top speed of our fighters?"

"One million meters," he said, rotating his hand to indicate approximately.

"Captain, can you slow the cruiser to one million meters?"

"Why?

"My plan would be for you to drop the fighters undetected by the Tullizor cruisers. Each of my four formations would settle in under one of your cruisers as you continue to decelerate. When you reach one million, we will cut our engine, while you would continue to decelerate. Oh, when you reach one million, you can begin shooting missiles at the Tullizor. It will keep their eyes off the space junk hurtling toward them."

"Young lady, you're crazy. What if one of our missiles…Oh, you will have your engines off." He looked to Bradley.

Bradley nodded with a small smile on his lips. "We will need you and your people to work out the timing, but I like her idea. Our fighters have the new ship-killer missiles."

"The idea is crazy, but it's frequently the crazy ideas that win wars as no one is expecting them." Basson smiled. "Let me get my radar and navigator persons down here and work out the details."

"Listen up," Bradley shouted and waited for quiet. "For this engagement, Kayla is the Wing Leader with Calum next in command. Kayla, they are all yours."

"Captain Basson is going to start decelerating from their current speed. As they decelerate, the four cruisers will close the distance between them. When the Crowned Eagle's speed reaches one million meters per second, he will notify me, and the Eagle formations will be pushed out in the following order: 4, 3, 2, 5, and 1. Eagle one formation will form up one kilometer under the Crowned Eagle, Eagle 2 under the Bald Eagle, Eagle 3 under the Haast, Eagle 4 under the Rufous Eagle, and Eagle 5 behind Eagle 1. You will match speed with the cruisers and ensure that your speed is at one million meters meters per second, distance to the target is one million eighty kilometers, your launch distance is fifteen thousand kilometers, your start time is one second, and you are aligned with your Tullizor of the same number. When the cruiser reaches one million meters per second and determines our approach speed with the Tullizor is eighteen point eighteen minutes distant, they will begin firing missiles at the Tullizor. That will be your signal to start your K-box to begin your run."

"Why are we setting the distance to the target? The K-box does that automatically," Simon said to nodding heads.

"Normally, we would have an intercept vector and know the exact distance; however, this time, they will be approaching us at some speed, so the distance won't be known in advance. The cruiser will fire when the time offset is equivalent to a vector of one million one hundred thousand kilometers from the Tullizor. Don't forget, if they are alert, they will be targeting you when your engine start, and you have your missile explosions to deal with. Too close, and the explosions may disable your fighters." I paused for them to nod in understanding. "Since we are using ME43, fighters in position one and three should be positioned ten seconds, ten thousand two hundred kilometers to the rear. Remember, we only have two ship-killer missiles each; therefore, if you are in a ten-second delayed fighter and believe the cruiser may be disabled, use only your standard Vulture missiles and save the Griffons for any Tullizor cruisers that are still functional." I spent ten minutes answering or clarifying my instructions. "Good hunting, Martial Eagles, make your mother proud and don’t forget the mandatory victory party afterward," I said, to hoots, clapping, and a lot of colorful remarks.

Chapter 30

Quality Testing After The Sale.

Formation Four, led by Simon, was the first pushed out of the bay. They formed up and immediately moved beneath the Rufous. Next came Formation Three led by Calum, who moved under the Haast, then Formation Two, led by Tebos, who moved beneath the Bald Eagle, and then Formation Five, led by Bradley, who moved two kilometers beneath the Crowned Eagle. They were acting as a reserve formation depending on the outcome of the first assault on the Tullizor fleet. Finally, me in Formation One, only one kilometer beneath the Crowned Eagle. Edward and I immediately drifted back twenty kilometers as we were units one and three. I was as nervous as a girl on her first date and knew I would have to be one hundred percent focused or screw up big time. Success would depend on everyone being focused.

"Attention, Martial Eagles," I spoke into the general channel. "Formation units will start their K-boxes as soon as the cruiser you are attached releases its first salvo of missiles. Remember, it is an eighteen-minute journey to your target. If you lose focus or get distracted by the victory party afterward, you will be taken by surprise when your engine starts, and it will take several seconds longer for you to react. In that event, you will miss the target or have chosen option two and will miss the party. If you don't stay focused, mother is going to be very angry, but I would prefer you exit immediately and live to make another attack. A nation and thousands of people are counting on us. Good hunting."

The sight of missiles being launched from the Crowned Eagle jarred me alert, and I hit start on my K-box. Slowly, formations began to move ahead of the Crowned Eagle as it continued to decelerate.

The weapons officer had been right, and the missiles were useless at this distance, since the Tullizor had plenty of time for their ECM operators to cause them to lose their target lock or for the automatic laser system to destroy them. The point, however, was to distract the Tullizor crew because they couldn't ignore the missiles. Consequently, it was unlikely anyone would notice the twenty space objects hurtling toward them.

Had I thought about it, unit 1 and 3 didn't have to be alert as they would see the explosions for units 2 and 4 ten seconds before their engines started. As I watched, it appeared that the four Griffons and Vultures were causing multiple explosions, so I chose to use only my Vulture missiles. Three seconds after my engine started, I released my Vultures and turned up and away from the cruiser and cut my engine again in case the cruiser had time to target me. Thirty seconds later, I headed for the regroup area I had designated. It took ten minutes to reach, and within five, all but one Eagle was accounted for.

"Eagle 1-2, status?"

"Functional but no Griffons or Vultures."

"Eagle 1-3, status?"

"Functional and have two Griffons."

"Eagle 1-4, status?"

"Functional but no Griffons or Vultures."

"Eagle 4-1. What happened to Eagle 4-4?" I asked, fearing the worst.

"Option 2," Tebos responded. "I think Lenard froze. The impact set off a chain of explosions. Tullizor Two is definitely not functional. We have no Griffons."

"Eagle 2-1?" I queried.

"Tullizor Two is heavily damaged, but I think still functional. I and unit 3 each have a Griffon," Simon said.

"Eagle 3-1?"

"I believe Tullizor Three is nonfunctional. We have no Griffons," Calum said.

"Eagle 5-1?"

"We have all our missiles, four Griffons and four Vultures," Bradley said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"I want to wait and see what if anything appears functional," I said. "All fighters except 1-3, 2-1, and 2-3 return to the Crowned Eagle. Bradley, how do you feel about making a run at Tullizor 2?"

"I think we need the experience, acting Wing Leader," Bradley sounded pleased. "This is certainly a turning point in our war with the Tullizor. We must make sure those cruisers cannot return to tell the Tullizor what happened."

"Agreed. Tell me what you are planning, when you are ready," I said, feeling a bit awkward checking on the Wing Leader's intended action, especially when Tyler would probably set up the timing, and if not, he would certainly check them. Five minutes later.

"We are seventy thousand kilometers from the target. We plan to approach at five hundred kilometers per second, start our run at sixty-five thousand four hundred kilometers for two minutes eighteen seconds," Bradley said. I nodded. That would give them ten seconds to launch their missiles and exit the area.

"Good hunting," I said and hoped no one on the Tullizor was watching or had figured out our strategy and was waiting. Bradley was right; they needed the experience and the bragging rights of having destroyed a Tullizor cruiser, even if it had been seriously wounded.

Fortunately, the run went off flawlessly, and the Tullizor cruiser was left completely nonfunctional. The Anixia fleet spent the next two days ensuring no one lived, collecting potentially useful equipment and information. The Crowned Eagle left early.

"Kayla, where's the victory party going to be?" Tyler asked as we all settled down in the cruiser's mess area.

"I thought I would leave that to the Wing Leader," I said.

"I thought you were the Wing Leader?" Todd said, trying to look serious.

"Nope," I raised my Sleeve, after a sneak look to ensure I didn't have a third star, and sighed in relief. Calum laughed, having noticed my quick look.

"I think we should make you the head of the House of War's war college," Calum said, loud enough so everyone could hear. "Your training curriculum was excellent, the tactics were not only good but adaptable, and your attack strategy a stroke of genius."

"I agree, Calum. Kayla deserves full credit for this victory," Bradley said and received a boisterous response of agreement from the pilots. I was blushing so violently that my toes felt hot.

The comradery on the way back to Anixia was extraordinary, like having membership in an exclusive club of elite warriors. We had been part of Anixia's war of independence. Even the most pessimistic individuals couldn't imagine the Tullizor coming back anytime soon. They had sent a fleet of four cruisers to teach the pesky birds their place, and none returned. They hadn't been defeated and retreated; they were destroyed. I would expect a scout ship to confirm the obvious, but doubted another fleet would be sent until they understood how they had been destroyed. That would give us breathing room to… I didn't know but hoped someone had the answer because either the Tullizor would eventually return or some other nation would stumble on Anixia, and we had better be ready. They can't wing it even if they were birds. I smiled at the pun.

Chapter 31

Down The Rabbit Hole

Back on Anixia, Bradley gave the pilots a well-deserved one-month rest and relaxation period where training was required only one day a week. I chose to spend my time reviewing the fighters' black boxes, looking at each pilot's responses. Not to rate them but to determine the effectiveness of the training, what worked well and what didn't, and who needed more training.

To my surprise, I had found no potential problems. Considering we were working with a new system and the time constraints, training appeared adequate, even though one person died. The slowest reaction times were only two to three seconds difference, the fifteen-second delay appeared to give everyone time to target, shoot, and exit. Formations of four got the job done, the options provided a good mix of alternatives, and the K-boxes worked to perfection.

"Well, Kayla, what are your conclusions?" Bradley asked when he saw I had finished reviewing all twenty Black Boxes. I noticed Calum appeared to be staying close to Bradley, telling me he was Bradley's choice to replace him. A good choice, I thought. Calum had been a very active student, was a talented pilot, and understood the new system.

"I can't find anything to complain about. The K-boxes worked perfectly, as did the Griffons and the pilots, and the results were a perfect ten," If we ignore Lenard taking option two, I mentally corrected.

"Yes, that was my and the House of War's assessment. Black Eagle, who is the leader of the house, has requested a meeting with you at the House of War. That is quite an honor. The houses seldom invite any humans to their house." He laughed. "Partly because the only way to get there is to fly."

"How do I get there?" I blurted, not enjoying what Bradley thought funny.

"They will send down a lift, which can only hold one person. They are rightly paranoid. They understand some humans would not only break their word but would do anything to return to Earth, including using Anixians as hostages. Furthermore, some would kill Anixians out of revenge for what they consider a fraudulent agreement."

I nodded, thinking about Doug and Carl. "Do you know what he wants?" I asked.

"No. I know your recent actions have impressed him, but he didn't discuss what he wanted with you," Bradley said. "The platform will be here, outside the launch door at eight hundred hours."

I couldn't imagine what the leader of the House of War wanted with me. As far as I knew, they didn't give out medals or bonuses. If they were considering replacing Bradley, it would be Calum, not me. I was so engrossed in the problem that when I looked around, I realized I had walked right past my quarters. When I finally found my room, Hyun and Hanna were engrossed in manuals.

"Am I interrupting?" I said, looking around the room. They looked tired but managed a smile.

"I'm now working as a weapons officer and have a test in a few days," Hyun said. "Have to score high if I'm going to qualify for captain. By the way, we are beginning to get the new Griffon missiles. I was just reviewing their specifications. Nasty missiles." She smiled.

"I'm studying for the next level in navigation," Hanna said. "That is learning how to get to another system. First, how to find the inter-planetary highway, what is available, how to enter, the speed limits, and how to get off. It's interesting but complex."

"Everyone is talking about you and the way the Saker fighters destroyed the Tullizor cruisers," Hyun said. "You are becoming a legendary heroine," she laughed, "hero as most think you are a man since the Saker fighter pilots have consistently been men."

"Hyun, do you know how many cruisers the Anixians have?" I asked, still curious about our fleet of cruisers.

"Yes, four," Hyun said. That is why the senior members of the Saker House and probably every other house was sick with worry when the Tullizor arrived. I think they secretly thought we would lose all four. That would have meant the death of Anixia since the Tullizor would have bombed the planet to rubble."

"Yes, it was an all or nothing gambit," I said. "There was only one scenario in which we won. That is where we destroyed the Tullizor fleet with no losses. A draw was a loss, driving them off a loss, even defeating them in a cruiser war was a loss because it would have resulted in cruiser, fighter, and pilot losses. Since the Anixians believe Tullizor is an old nation, they will have millions of citizens and many more cruisers. So they can easily replace their losses, whereas we cannot."

"Wow!" Hanna all but whispered. "Good thing we didn't know that, or we would have been nervous wrecks."

"What about your prophecy?" I asked. "That the three of us are here to save the Anixia."

Hanna shrugged. "Fear overrules logic."

"How about the news that tomorrow, Senior Pilot Kayla has a meeting with Black Eagle, the head of the House of War," I said, which ended any further attempt at studying. Hyun went out and brought back a load of snacks and drinks, and we stayed up late into the evening, speculating on why he wanted to see me. They were all ridiculous ideas, but it was a fun evening with good friends, and it took my mind off the real reason, whatever that was.

I rose extra early to eat breakfast, not sure how long the meeting would last or I might have to wait. When I left for the fighter unit, I could not remember what I had for breakfast or how much I ate or drank. Meeting with someone that senior would rattle an older person, and I was only seventeen, or was I eighteen now? The Anixia calendar was not the same as Earth's, and birthdays didn't seem to be celebrated here. Whatever, having a meeting with the head of an Anixian house, which was the equivalent of having a meeting with the president of a small country, since the House of War appeared to be the ruling or dominate house.

"Right on time, Kayla," Bradley said as I entered the training area. "Your transportation just arrived." He pointed to the open door where a one-meter-square platform connected to a long tube ended at two handlebars. I looked to Bradley, not sure what to do.

"Walk over and get on. Your weight will activate the lift. There are no human controls. Only the Anixians can control those platforms."

Thinking they must know what they were doing, I walked through the open door to where the lift sat on a small ledge, stepped onto the platform and immediately grabbed the handlebars as the platform began moving up. It was like one of the outdoor elevators on some buildings where you looked like you were outside because they were all glass. I was literally outside with no glass enclosure to keep me from falling. At first, I was terrified, and my hands were going pale from gripping the handlebars so hard. My tension faded as I looked around at the beautiful snow-capped mountains sparkling in the early morning sun, the puffy white clouds, and felt the gentle breeze on my face. I almost felt like a bird soaring free as I entered one of the clouds. Then I cleared the cloud and was set down on a ledge near  a cave-like entrance. I stepped off and proceeded into the cave, which was the foyer to a house, and heard the stone door close behind me. I stared in awe. It looked like someone had taken a glass house and set it into the mountain. Somehow, the whole area was lit with sunlight; the walls looked like you were looking outside at the distant mountain and could see the clouds drifting over them.

"Please sit, Kayla," said the voice box of a black bird-like man in a red robe, standing well over two-meters tall, voice box said as a thin hand with talons pointed to a double-sized padded chair. "Many thousands of years ago, before the Tullizor found us, our houses were made of a clear glass-like material and dotted the highest regions of the mountains. Today, we must live underground," his beak clicked in what I had come to interpret as laughing. "In caves high in the mountains. The walls are like a television screen that replicates what we would see if we weren't encapsulated in rock. The illusion of being free, when, in reality, we are prisoners. Birds with broken wings." He sat in a similar chair and stared at me for a long time, which made me feel like a bug he was considering to eat, squash, or study. "Sorry, Kayla. You are so young to be so…insightful."

"Just lucky, sir," I mumbled, not sure what to say or what he wanted.

"Lucky, maybe the initial observation, but you are quick to see the observation's potential, quick to evolve solutions, and quick to seize the opportunity presented. That is the reason you are here, but first, a question. Should the K-box trained individuals continue to be a separate unit, or distributed equally among the various Houses of War? Do not rush to answer, I have food and drinks coming."

My mind spun like a tornado with dozens of random thoughts having nothing to do with his question, like why me, what is he after, how will it impact me, the Phoenix… I was jarred back to the moment when a small woman in the light green uniform of support put a bowl of stew and a glass of juice in front of me and quickly disappeared. I noticed Black Eagle also had a bowl, but I thought it contained things that were moving. The problem, Kayla, I chided myself as I began eating. I knew the pilots would prefer to be separate, unique, but was that the best strategy for the Anixians? They would be called on each time a threat occurred, training would become boring, and they would get careless and maybe develop bad habits. Letting each House of War have its own could create an unconscious competition and maybe new techniques and a large pool of trained K-box pilots. Maybe…they should be part of each cruiser, but what happens when we produce another cruiser. NO! The fighter pilots, whether K-box or standard, should be part of the same group and the group part of the cruiser.

"Sir," I said and realized the bowl was gone and the image on the walls looked near to sunset. I blushed, judging by the heat in my cheeks.

"As I said, Kayla. There was no rush," the voice box said, followed by clicking.

"I think that each cruiser should have a fighter detachment assigned, which includes both standard and K-box certified pilots," I said, then hesitated as that wasn't one of his alternatives.

He clapped his hand quietly. "Excellent, you are considering our eventual growth into an independent nation. Yes, as I thought. You are the right person for our path forward." When he finished, my Sleeve buzzed, and when I looked down, the image of a Saker hawk was now the image of a Black Eagle, and a new red eagle with two silver stars appeared. "You are officially assigned to the House of War, not a sub-house, the red eagle is my seal, and the two stars indicate you have my favor. Use it if you have trouble doing anything you feel necessary to implement projects I assign you. I will send word to all the Houses of War that you are leading the implementation of the new configuration. In addition, I want you to start cruiser training. Specifically, navigation, weapons, and ECM." More clicking. "Don't worry, Kayla. You can keep your Pitohui and fly it in your free time and take it with you when you are assigned a cruiser."

I nearly fell off the platform on the ride down. Feeling dizzy and confused, I thought it had stopped and attempted to step off. The only thing that saved me was that I was holding onto the handlebar with my left hand and managed to stop my forward motion and landed on my ass.

"Are you all right, Kayla?" Bradley asked when he saw me sitting on the lift when it touched down.

"No," I said. "I feel like I just fell down the rabbit hole."

"Can't blame you," Bradley said as Calum approached. "We just got word you are in charge of reconfiguring the fighter groups."

"He said he just wanted to ask me a question, and the next thing I knew, I'm assigned to the House of War, and everything has changed, I think," I added because I was still processing his last remark.

"What do you mean, Kayla? You are already in the House of War," Calum said, frowning as he looked me over for injuries. I said nothing, just turned and stretched out my arm so they could see my Sleeve.

"That is a very high honor, Kayla," Bradley said. "I doubt there are five humans that are assigned to an Anixian house. We think we are, but in reality, we are assigned to a sub-house, a Phoenix house with the same name as the Anixian house we operate under. You are now an Anixian."

Chapter 32

New Clothes

"How did it go?" Hanna and Hyun asked simultaneously as they rushed me the second I walked through the door. Each grabbed an arm and dragged me to our small table in the corner of the room.

"What did he want? You look in shock," Hyun said as Hanna put a glass of water on the table in front of me.

"He didn't say much," I said, thinking back to our conversation. "He said he just wanted to ask me a question, and before I knew it, my entire life had changed. It was like he dragged out my mother's…or maybe my father's wardrobe and said, time to grow up, you have responsibilities. According to Bradley, he has adopted me. I wasn't given a choice. You are now part of the family, and here are your duties."

"Adopted?" Hanna asked, giving me an are you all right look.

"I don't know how else to describe it," I said as I showed them a Sleeve with the image of a Black Eagle and the red falcon with two stars.

"What are your duties?" Hyun asked, while continuing to examine my Sleeve. I went on to explain how the fighter units were going to be attached to specific cruisers, and each cruiser would have K-box certified pilots.

"That's huge, Kayla," Hanna said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "That means he plans for us to roam the galaxy."

Hyun nodded slowly. I sat confused, thinking only about the Tullizor. "If we have fighters attached permanently, we can fight if we are attacked. So we can travel and investigate."

Hanna was right, and Black Eagle was years ahead of me. Now I wondered about his other comment, 'You can keep your Pitohui and fly it in your free time, and take it with you when you are assigned a cruiser.'

"Hyun, you said the requirement for captain was qualifying in three Bridge specialties," I said, thinking back to an earlier conversation about her wanting to be a captain.

"Yes, the Bridge has four specialties: navigation, weapons, ECM, and pilot. There is also an executive officer, XO, but that is more an individual who is in training to be a captain and is the designated second-in-command," she said. "The requirement for captain is to qualify in three specialties, although the preferred ones are navigation, weapons, and ECM.

"He wants me to train to be a captain," I said just above a whisper. Seventeen-year-old Kayla Trager was going to command a war cruiser and travel the galaxy. It struck home like a K-box option two. I knew Hyun and Hanna were talking, but I didn't hear a word they were saying.

Hyun and Hanna decided to visit the recreational area after dinner. I declined, wanting to talk to Joseph. My life was getting complicated, if not totally out of control. I chuckled at the thought.

"Good evening, Kayla," Joseph said with a huge smile. "Congratulations on your new status. Very impressive. I would imagine it's exciting and overwhelming at the same time."

"Exactly," I said. "I was wondering how that affects my status in the police?"

"I exchanged messages with Black Eagle. Quite frankly, I was also confused," Joseph said, with a short laugh. "He agrees you should remain in the police with increased authority. The Anixians appreciate loyalty above all else, and we agree you are extremely loyal to Anixia. I am to continue to mentor you on police methods, protocols, and current activities, and you will have access to the other houses' activities. When you are up to speed, you will be given your second star." He laughed. "Not that you need it with that red eagle and two stars."

"Why?"

"If you had three stars, your words would be as if Black Eagle had spoken. Two stars is more like, if you disagree with me, we will take it to Black Eagle for resolution, and what idiot would want to do that? It is not like the Anixians would punish anyone for asking for clarification, but who would want to risk reassignment if he decided your questioning made you unsuitable for your current position?"

For a minute, I couldn't breathe. My chest felt like an elephant was sitting on it. Finally, I managed a few shallow breaths.

"Relax, Kayla. Black Eagle recognizes not only your loyalty but your innovative mind. We, the Phoenix and the Anixians, desperately need that if we are to succeed and cannot wait years for you to bubble to a senior position. We need it now, so you and people like you are being pushed into positions you aren't ready for in the hope you will adapt. Without your K-box and your clever attack strategy, the Anixians and the humans would be less than a year away from extinction."

Chapter 33

Looking Toward The Future

When I arrived at the fighter training area, Bradley met me. "Good morning, Kayla. The wing leaders of the fighter houses all were calling me last night to find out what was going on. I suggested we all meet here."

"Thank you. I was going to suggest we all meet someplace to discuss the new," I hesitated, not sure what to call the changes, "organizational changes."

Bradley nodded toward the conference room, and I followed him into the room. "For those who have never met the inventor of the K-box, may I introduce Kayla Trager. Kayla, Jorden Pugh is the Wing Leader of the Krestel House, William VanHorne is the Wing Leader of the Merlin House, and Victor Gramier is the Wing Leader of the Gyrfalcon House."

I hesitated, not sure how to address them. They were wing leaders and all in their late thirties or older. At least in the Saker unit, there didn't appear to be the strict protocol one would expect in Earth's military. Here, it was more respect, not ceremony.

"Gentlemen, Black Eagle has asked me to oversee a change in the way we align the fighter units," I began. "Today, the fighter units are called on in a rotational system. To prevent one unit from being called on for every threat, each house should have qualified K-box pilots."

"Why not qualify all the fighter pilots?" Jorden asked.

They are not happy changing the status quo; therefore, this is going to be a month-long debate if I go down each rat hole they want to explore, I mused. "I think that is a discussion for after the new alignment has been implemented and evaluated." I held up my hand to stop further discussion. "Black Eagle is thinking several generations ahead, not about the next Tullizor raid. For that, the current system is adequate. The new alignment will have a fighter unit permanently attached to each cruiser." That generated a lot of side conversation and shouted questions. I took that opportunity to pour myself a glass of water to let the room settle down. When talking stopped, I continued, "Some of the basic questions we need to address are:

*What should the size and configuration of an attached fighter unit be?

*How do we train new members to Anixia to be fighter and K-box pilots?

*What happens when the number of fighter units exceeds the number of houses?"

Again, I stopped while multiple conversations erupted. Sometime later, I continued. "I suggest we adjourn for today and let you and your people discuss the idea. I'll give you two days to present your solutions. Remember, the new alignment is not open for discussion unless you wish to discuss it with Black Eagle. It was his decision, not mine."

A half hour later, they had all departed back to their houses.

"I think you handled that well, Kayla," Bradley said. "They want to resist any change since they are comfortable with the status quo and their positions. Seeing a very young girl in charge, they saw an opportunity to intimidate you into stopping or at least delaying implementation by highlighting all of the reasons it wouldn't be feasible." He laughed as Calum, Simon, and Tebos entered. "Tell the truth…it was your idea, and Black Eagle liked it, didn't he?"

"Yes. He asked me if the K-box pilots should continue to be a separate unit or distributed equally among the various houses," I admitted. "Something like an aircraft carrier, which carries fighters for offense and defense."

"Black Eagle immediately saw the future advantages when we ventured out into the galaxy to explore or to take the fight to our adversaries," Bradley said and gave a small whistle. "Why don't you give us what you see as a solution?"

I took a deep breath and began. "First, we do need a dedicated group to teach the K-box. I would see each house teaching the Earth survivors the basic fighter pilot skills. Then transferring them to the K-box group for evaluation. When that is completed, the K-box group would configure an attached fighter group based on the individuals' performance and return the unit to the original house. There is no reason a house could not support several attached fighter units. As cruisers become available, any unassigned units would be assigned."

"I like it," Calum said. "It's simple and requires very little change for the houses. It ensures the K-box pilots are consistently trained and evaluated."

"If you don't object, Kayla, I'll present your solution. I think you will get less opposition, and we can begin implementation in less than a year or two."

When we met two days later, I intentionally let the other three houses present before the Saker House. As I had expected, the three houses each wanted to train their own K-box pilots, and a few thought we should create new Houses of War for the new units. Bradley's presentation was seen as simple and eliminated many of the problems the other houses' solutions created. So it only took two days to get general consensus. Of course, I expected many minor issues to arise during implementation but thought they would be easy to resolve now that we had an overall framework in place.

Chapter 34

Starting Over

As I made my way through the unfamiliar corridor, I wondered what was in store for me in the cruiser section. Hyun and Hanna enjoyed the training and had not mentioned any problems. Starting over didn't bother me, especially since I knew what Black Eagle wanted, sort of. Nevertheless, I would miss fighter exercises. Bradley had agreed the Pitohui was my personal fighter and that I could fly it anytime I wanted.

When I arrived at the training area, I stood looking around, wondering where I should go to find Masao, the head instructor, when a stocky, muscular man in his forties approached. He had a square face that looked serious and eyes that were evaluating me as he neared.

"I am Masao, the head instructor, and you are Kayla," he said. "I expect you to work very hard. There is much for you to learn, and time is short."

Well, that was to the point, I thought. "Yes, sir," I replied, not sure what else to say.

"Would you prefer to start with navigation, weapons, or ECM?" he said like it was a quiz.

"Whichever you think most appropriate," I said, knowing I would eventually have to take them all and had no idea what I may enjoy.

"Good answer. Navigation." He waved for me to follow as he walked across the room to a stack of books, selected one, and handed it to me. Read the first couple of chapters, and we will discuss the material at noon tomorrow. He nodded and was off, stopping to talk with several groups after looking at whatever they were working on. I shrugged, found an unoccupied chair and began reading. I had been reading for a while when I heard my name.

"Kayla." When I looked up, it was Hanna, smiling ear to ear. "I see you have met Masao. He's testing you to determine what kind of a student you are going to be. He's strict, but he's a good teacher, works you hard, but helpful if you need it. I see he started you on navigation. He prefers that topic as it's the hardest, and it will say a lot about you. We started with ten students, but we have lost three. I think we will lose a couple more over the next month or two. Cruisers tend to be more academic than physical like fighters."

Great, I wasn't a particularly outstanding student, but then I had a brain tumor and wondered how the Anixian's cure affected my mind. Did whatever they do return it to normal, kill damaged cells or make new ones? I would soon find out.

The days turned into weeks, and the three of us became closer as we spent every waking hour together in class, eating, and studying. I benefited the most as I had Hanna to give me immediate help when I had a question and was getting insights on ECM and advance navigation theory as Hyun and Hanna talked about what they were studying. I found Hanna's discussions about interplanetary travel fascinating. Apparently, space was not a consistent medium because of planets, galaxies, and objects like black holes that warped space. Entering one of these warped areas could increase your speed or shorten the distance to another place. You could think of these anomalies as a vast number of rivers, which ranged from small to large and from slow to class five rapids. The trick was determining where to get on and off and where each one went–a trial and error experiment, which the older space-going nations would have extensive knowledge and a distinct advantage over younger nations.

Two months later, Masao announced me competent in navigational theory and started me on ECM, which I already had a head start thanks to Hyun. At the same time, Joseph pronounced me sufficiently knowledgeable in police procedures and methods and promoted me to two stars. I thought I was progressing too fast because of Black Eagle's interest in me. I thought I would have remained in the fighter unit all of my life if it wasn't for Black Eagle, but then realized it was the Anixian environment. There was little to do on Anixia but work, eat, and sleep, and you had more time since the days were longer. That wasn't totally true, I corrected my musing. There was a recreation area, and a lot of the men and women were pairing off. However, our little triad appeared obsessed with work.

Hyun finished ECM training a month ahead of me and started weapons training. When I finished ECM training, Masao started me on weapons and Hanna on pilot training.

Hanna snorted a laugh. "Masao told me there was nothing for a navigator to do after she plotted a course. So a backup pilot would be helpful in an emergency, and who better than a navigator to steer the cruiser? It will also keep me busy until you two finish weapons training, and we begin the hands-on training."

Two months later, Hyun and I finished weapons training and Hanna finished pilot training.

"Congratulations, ladies," Masao said with a rare smile. "You three are the most conscientious students I have trained in a long time and have finished well under the standard year. I'm turning you over to Captain Basson to complete your cruiser training. He will provide you with the practical experience you will need. A shuttle will pick you up at noon tomorrow and transport you to the Crowned Eagle, where you will live for the next three months.

"Did you hear that?" Hyun excitedly shouted. "We are going to live on a cruiser."

"Not much different than living in a cave," Hanna quipped, looking serious, then smiled. "Hopefully, we will be able to travel and see new places."

"And meet warring neighbors," I said, although sharing Hanna's sentiment. We laughed and sang like carefree children all the way back to our quarters. It felt like I had graduated high school and was now an adult who was giving up my bicycle for a Rolls Royce.

After dinner, I made my way to the police training area and found Joseph talking to Larry and Chris.

"Congratulations, Kayla, we heard you had graduated cruiser school," Joseph said. "And are being assigned to the Crowned Eagle."

"I'm a little confused about my status," I said, not sure how my evolving status affected my police status.

"You are a senior police officer," Joseph said. "That will never change, although your other duties will take precedence. On a cruiser, there is always at least one policeman. You will be there to help and to direct him if necessary. You can arrest violators, demand inquires, and have people detained for further action. On a cruiser, you are the police, judge, and jury."

"What about the captain?" I asked.

"He is the law on a cruiser but not The Law. That is not an issue in Anixia space, but if we ever travel the stars, it will be an interesting question." He gave a short laugh.

I then walked down to the fighter training area, planning to take the Pitohui for a ride and met Bradley.

"Congratulations, Kayla." He smiled. "I understand you are joining the Crowned Eagle tomorrow."

"Yes. Kind of like fighter training. At some point, you have to fly the thing." I laughed.

"I don’t believe they are going to let you do loops or spins." He grinned.

"How is the reorganization going?" I asked, not having heard anything from him in weeks.

"It's going smoothly for now," he said. "We need to resolve what constitutes an attached fighter wing. Perhaps your assignment to a cruiser will provide you with an insight. Of course, it would help if we got more recruits from Earth. Each house is undermanned after the multiple battles we been having with the Tullizor over the past two years. We were losing more pilots than we were getting replacements. Hopefully, our last engagement will give us a rest for a few years."

"After getting over the shock of meeting Black Eagle, I've concluded he no longer believes we can survive by defense alone. We must have an offensive option."

"That's why he adopted you," Bradley said, nodding slowly. "I think you are right. I just hope the K-box fighters will give us time to develop an effective offensive strategy. It would be nice to see Anixia a thriving planet again."

Chapter 35

New People, New Ship, New Command

"I will see you on the Crowned Eagle," I said to Hyun and Hanna as we were getting ready to go to the shuttle area. "I have permission to bring the Pitohui to the cruiser." I waved as I exited our quarters and made my way to the fighter training area. There Bradley had assembled twelve pilots and Calum.

"That's all the Saker House can spare," Calum said. "Until we get the next batch of recruits from Earth. We no longer have a standard wing, so we will be the next house to get recruits because we will also be the K-box trainers for the House of War."

I nodded and went to the Pitohui in preparation for leaving with the Saker pilots. Fifteen minutes later, we were pushed out, assembled on Calum, and headed for the Crowned Eagle. When we arrived, we were directed to an empty bay where Captain Basson waited.

"Good morning, Calum, Kayla. We have shuttles coming from the Saker, Krestel, and Gyrfalcon Houses with graduates of their cruiser training programs, as well as shuttles with people from medical, support, weapons, records and a wing of fighters. This is a unique experiment. We are essentially training an entire cruiser crew at the same time as we add an attached fighter wing. It should be interesting."

"I think that's an old Chinese saying, May you live in interesting times," Calum said, ignoring that is a Chinese curse.

"I think we qualify," Basson said. Soon afterward, people began arriving. Over the next hour, the bay contained over a hundred people. Finally, Basson picked up a microphone.

"Welcome to your new home for the next several months, the Crowned Eagle. This is the first time in the history of Anixia that an entire cruiser crew is being trained as a unit, which suggests you will be serving together for a long time. Consequently, I suggest you get to know each other and make friends. Also, for the first time, cruisers are being assigned to specific Houses of War." As he talked, the crew entered holding signs designating functions: medical, records… "Gather by the individual holding a sign with your function. He or she will help you get settled."

I looked around and saw Hanna and Hyun, who were pointing to a man holding a sign with BRIDGE CREW. "See you later, Calum, duty calls," I said as I made my way to join Hanna and Hyun. When we arrived, the man nodded and waved for us to follow. He led us down a long hallway, upstairs, to another hallway, and finally into a room with a long table and chairs along the wall. The table chairs were already taken by the time we filed in, so we took chairs along the wall. A few minutes later, the captain walked in and went to the front of the room.

"Welcome, again," he said while looking at each of us. "You are here to qualify for the Bridge crew. We need fourteen, and there are eighteen of you here. That was to ensure the fourteen we select are the most qualified. The same is true in the other specialties. Normally, it would not matter as you would be joining an experienced crew. This time, however, the entire crew will be new, and we owe it to them to have the most qualified members we can find. Everyone will be tested in all the specialties you have qualified. We will evaluate the results and select a captain, executive officer, and four teams consisting of a navigator, weapons, ECM, and pilot. The teams will be ranked as primary, second, and third shifts. You will be rated by your performance in our simulators, periodic quizzes, and on-the-job performance." As he spoke, three men and a woman entered. "I am turning you over to my primary Bridge crew. They will get you settled and set up your schedules. Trager, follow me."

I rose hesitantly and followed Basson. He opened a door close to what looked like the Bridge through the partly open door.

"Close the door and sit, Kayla," he said and sat appraising me for several minutes. "A new cruiser is being built, which will be named the Black Eagle, and the Anixian named Black Eagle who is the head of the Anixian's House of War has designated you as its captain." He stopped and studied me. I froze, remembering Black Eagle's words, you can keep your Pitohui and fly it in your free time, and take it with you when you are assigned a cruiser, not assigned TO a cruiser. "You don't appear surprised," Basson said, frowning.

"I was remembering my conversation with Black Eagle," I barely whispered. "I obviously hadn't understood what he wanted from me at the time. He wants the Anixians to leave the nest and thinks I'm the right person…someone who is loyal to Anixia, who will return, and adaptable to new situations."

"Yes, he is placing much faith in you. I don't doubt your loyalty or adaptability having seen you in action. It's your lack of experience and the crew you will have to depend on."

"All I can do is to do my best," I said, determined to justify Black Eagle's faith in me. "I want Hyun as my XO and Hanna as my primary navigator. Those are the two people I trust to watch my back and to be loyal to Anixia, and I think you will find them the best of the group for those positions."

Chapter 36

A Whole New world

To my dismay, the three of us were assigned to different two-person rooms. Normally, Bridge personnel had separate rooms; however, even the Crowned Eagle Bridge personnel had to double up to accommodate the trainees. In a way, it may have been a good thing as it meant more time to study and to work. My roommate was a middle-aged woman with a matronly figure, curly brown hair, and a round friendly face with a touch of amusement in her eyes.

"Hi, I'm Abigail, but everyone calls me Abie," she said in a chirpy voice I would have expected from a young girl. "I'm from the Merlin House."

"Hi, Abie, I'm Kayla from the Saker House," I said but was interrupted before I could continue.

"That's not a Saker falcon," she said, pointing to my Sleeve. "I don't think I've seen that before."

"Sorry, Abie. Things are happening so fast I haven't caught up. Let me start again." I grinned. "I'm Kayla from the Anixia House of War–"

"We are all from the House of War," she said, like correcting a student who just mixed up an adjective with a verb. "But we are in sub-houses."

"I was in the Saker House of War, which is actually the Phoenix House of War where most humans reside. While in the Saker House, I was assigned to the fighter wing; however, recently, I was reassigned to cruiser duty and moved to the Anixian House of War."

Abie gave me a long appraising look. "Oh, you are that woman who invented the K-box and saved us from the Tullizor invasion."

I nodded. "What are your specialties?"

"I passed ECM and communications training. Stopping missiles fascinates me, and saving people's lives is very satisfying." She laughed. "I think of myself as being a pre-medical doctor, saving people from becoming injured and, therefore, don't need a doctor."

"I think that's a great occupation."

For the next several weeks, Basson and his XO assigned each of us to positions that we had qualified on and had us take a turn on each shift. In each position, the person had a problem to solve in the appropriate simulator. Then he began assigning those who had three specialties to the XO's and captain's positions. When assigned as a captain, we were given problems to solve in the simulator.

"Kayla, why are you running from the enemy ship?" Basson asked in utter disbelief. I had heard he had been the XO on a navy destroyer. "That is what the Anixia would do and the reason they need us."

"Captain, why doesn't the software allow me to use my fighters?" I asked, ignoring his comment.

"Fighters are not usually part of the initial engagement. They are saved for later when the cruisers are closer." He explained slowly like he was talking to a slow-witted child.

"Can we get a message to Black Eagle?" I asked. Basson gave me a I can't believe you look before answering.

"He's an important person, and even he is going to consider this a waste of his time," Basson said slowly again. I got the impression he was questioning the Anixian's decision to make this teenager a captain. Finally, he answered in resignation, "Yes."

"Good, I would like to send the message directly to Black Eagle. It should read:

'Sir, I would like to talk to an Anixian weapons and simulator researcher. I believe the simulator lacks a critical component based on the K-box capability and the cruiser's Griffons need an additional feature to be truly effective.'"

Basson shook his head in disbelief, then a small smile touched his lips for a brief second. I would not have been surprised if he hoped my inquiry would get me reassigned. He tapped on his Sleeve. "Cooper, I've sent you a message that I want you to send directly to Black Eagle from Kayla Trager. Mark it urgent," he looked to me for confirmation. I nodded.

"Thank you, Captain. I take full responsibility for the message," I said. "If this isn't the reason Black Eagle assigned me to cruiser duty, then he should have me reassigned."

Chapter 37

A War Of Misdirection

Captain Basson moved the Crowned Eagle closer to Anixia and put the ship into orbit. Early the next morning, a shuttle arrived carrying two red-robed Anixians, which Basson and I met and escorted to the captain's meeting room.

"We understand that the captain's simulator and our new Griffon missiles need updating," said the voice box of a man with the marking of a Peregrine falcon while the other man had the marking of an Osprey. They were both tall, thin, and delicate. I couldn't help but stare at the beautiful feathers which covered them from head to foot.

"With the introduction of the K-box, I believe the captain should consider his fighters as a deployable weapon like any missile," I said and went on to explain that the cruiser could give the appearance that she was running from the enemy, and at some point, drop K-box fighters with their engines shut off. "The captain would then increase his speed leaving the fighters behind. The enemy ship would eventually close on the fighters, which would then ignite their engines and attack with their Griffon missiles. That is one scenario, but others are possible if the software has the option to deploy fighters in their standard four to a group."

"What about the Griffon missiles?" the Osprey asked.

"A timer would be nice and maybe remote activation. Sort of the same scenario as with the fighters. Drop the Griffons, set to ignite when we estimate the enemy would be extremely close. Targeting information would be set prior to dropping them."

I heard the two Anixia clicking their beaks, not sure if they were laughing at me or my idea or both.

"Very sneaky, young Kayla. Hunt like falcon. Find prey while out of sight high in sky, then drop silently and so fast the prey is unaware until too late to escape," one voice box said. "We will tell Black Eagle good idea and start work immediately." More clicking. "Of course, Black Eagle already knows whatever you want is smart idea. He smart. Why he selected you."

They left a short time later, after a few questions to make sure they understood what I was after.

"I apologize, Captain Trager–" Basson began, but I interrupted.

"Kayla, please. No need to apologize. You are an ex-military officer and have the knowledge and experience to fight toe-to-toe with the enemy. I couldn't. My strategy will be misdirection, or sneaky, like the Anixian said."

Basson laughed. "The Anixians may be pacifists, but they are not stupid. Black Eagle knew exactly what he was getting with you. I should have known from my experience with you at our recent battle with the Tullizor. That wasn't a one-time insight as I had assumed. It's intuitive for you to be innovative."

A week later, the Anixians delivered a new simulator and the first of the new Griffon missiles with very small amounts of explosives to be used for testing.

"Captain, I think it would be a good idea to test the weapon candidates on the new simulator," I said after a few hours trying it with Basson watching.

"I agree. In our case, with recruits scarce, it is critical we do anything which minimizes casualties."

"That was awesome," Hyun said when I joined Hanna and her at dinner several nights later. "I now have fighters available as weapons and Griffons with no heat signature."

"What do you think, Kayla?" Hanna asked. "The three months are up at the end of the week."

I was nervous and not in any rush for the three months to end. First, I was worried about how Hyun would take me being made captain, and then there was me having to be the captain. In ten years, I may be ready, but I wasn't prepared today. Unfortunately, the position was one I couldn't decline without feeling I was deserting Anixia. They were at a critical juncture. Moving too fast or too slowly could be equally disastrous. Doing nothing wasn't being considered; that would be like sticking your head in the sand and hoping the lion roaming the area wouldn't see you. So, when the Black Eagle cruiser was considered operational, a choice would have to be made–leave the system or stay. I was now certain that my appointment was Black Eagles commitment to expanding our knowledge and experience.

A week later, we were told the results would be announced two days hence. The next morning, Hyun and I were invited to the captain's office.

"Hyun, you are being designated as the XO on the Black Eagle," Basson said when Hyun had closed the door behind her. "Do you have a problem with Kayla being captain? I know you two are close friends."

To my relief, Hyun gave me an award-winning smile and a hug, ignoring the captain's question. "No, Captain. You would have to be an idiot not to realize she is the best qualified and that she was Black Eagle's pick months ago. She's also my pick."

"Good, I plan to spend today going over those candidates my team has selected, their shift, and the reasons the others weren't selected," he said as he activated his office monitor, and the primary shift names appeared. For the hours that followed, he discussed each individual, their test scores, simulator results, and performance at their specialty. After a quick lunch, he began on the other positions. We finished late in the evening. "I've been told the Black Eagle has finished its final tests and is ready to board."

"Thank you, Captain Basson. You and your team have been fantastic. I wish you were coming along. I could sure use a mentor." He laughed.

"Yes, leave it to the Anixians to kick the youngers out of the nest to see if they can fly."

"What do you think, Hyun?" I asked as we left the captain's office.

"We are together and have the positions we wanted. Life is better than good." She did a little dance as she walked and almost crashed into Hanna, who had just exited her room.

Hyun leaned toward Hanna and whispered, "Come, primary shift navigator. We are off to the mess to eat and celebrate. Within a day or two, we will be boarding the Black Eagle."

I was surprised Hanna hadn't asked who was appointed captain. Apparently, my friends had deduced that a long time ago.

Chapter 38

New Home, New assignment, New challenges

We had assembled in one of the empty bays awaiting shuttles to return everyone to their previous House to collect their belongings in preparation for their transfer to their new House and to get ready to board the Black Eagle.

"Your attention, please," Hyun shouted when everyone had entered, then turned to me smiling. I guess she felt that was her first official act as XO.

"For those of you who don't know me, I am Kayla Trager, the new captain of the Black Eagle. Since we are all survivors in a new land, I would prefer to be addressed as Kayla rather than Trager. Welcome to the Black Eagle, I'm looking forward to meeting each one of you. The Black Eagle and its crew are being assigned to the Saker House. For those of you from another house, you will be assigned permanent quarters on arrival. Find someone originally from the Saker House, and they will give you a tour and answer any of your questions. From here on, we are a family and will succeed only if we work together. Any question concerning the Black Eagle should be addressed to Hyun, who is the XO and second in command." I mentally congratulated myself on giving my first adult speech.

"I will see you at the Saker House," I said. "I am going to ride the Pitohui with the fighter unit back to their training area. I want to talk to Bradley."

"Congratulations, Kayla," Bradley said as I exited the Pitohui. "I just heard that you are the new captain of the Black Eagle."

"Thank you, Bradley. We need to negotiate the number of fighters I'm going to need on the Black Eagle," I said as he, Calum, and I sat in his office. "Ideally, I would like twenty plus a wing leader," I held up my hand to let me finish, "that would be twelve fighters and eight K-box certified, but you are designated the house supporting the Black Eagle, and you only have K-box certified pilots. The other houses have fighter pilots but no K-box certified, and none of the houses has enough fighters to support the current cruisers."

"That sums it up nicely," Bradley said.

"Anixia needs fighters in case we are invaded again, and I need them to travel outside of this system." I paused for him to nod in agreement. "I will compromise for twelve K-box pilots and a wing leader. That will leave you with seven, which will be sufficient to train K-box pilots for the houses, including Saker, and I won't ask the other houses for pilots, giving you a pool to begin developing K-box pilots for each cruiser, and Saker House gets the next recruits to support another cruiser. I'll let you select the twelve and the wing leader."

"Seven should be enough to handle training." Bradley frowned as if thinking. "Since you will probably be in the system for a couple of months, it should give me enough time to train sufficient certified K-box pilots in each house to satisfy minimum requirements." He gave me a wry grin. "It's probably a fair agreement as neither of us is happy with the numbers."

My Sleeve buzzed, and I saw a message from Black Eagle.

Come see me.

A person of few words, I mused as I headed for the lift. The ride felt like only seconds as I contemplated the reason for the summons. When I entered the house, Black Eagle was standing in the foyer waiting.

"Good day, Kayla," his voice box said. "Now that you are officially an Anixian and the captain of a cruiser, you need a small operation."

That conjured up all sorts of images, and I felt my whole body react from a surge of adrenaline.

"Relax, Kayla. It is necessary to fly the cruiser," the voice box said. "You were told that only Anixians could fly one of our cruiser, but many thought that a lie as humans are the captains. It was not a lie. The cruisers have special controls that only those of us in the House of War who have implants can activate. Without someone with the implant, our cruisers will eventually shut down. Consequently, Doug, Carl, and the crew would never have reached Earth. We would eventually find the cruiser as we knew where it was going and could activate its location beacon, but not in time to save the crew." He then led me down a well-lit hallway that looked to be made of glass into a room that smelled of antiseptics like inside a hospital.

I wanted to object, ask questions, run, but I was committed to Anixia and would do whatever necessary. Besides, Black Eagle was placing a great deal of trust in me. I could now steal a cruiser and fly it to Earth…a seductive thought, if I didn't owe them my very existence. Resigned, I climbed up on the operating table and closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a small room which was dark except for a lamp in the wall behind me. No, not a lamp but the moon shining. I heard clicking and noticed a small woman sitting in the corner, who had the marking of a swift wing bird.

"Relax, Kayla, you are in a recovery room." I heard the voice and quickly felt for the translation box that must be hanging somewhere. There was none. "The translation box is part of the implant. A secret we do not share. We can understand what you humans are saying without the box. The box is so you can understand us." That was followed by clicking, which my new internal box interpreted as laughing. Another secret, I mused. I couldn't blame the Anixians. They had advanced technology that Earth would pay billions to acquire and many people who were now cured and would love to return to Earth. People who had no honor or morals or conscience and would cheat on their agreement, steal, and kill to return to Earth with that technology. Fortunately, most were willing to honor their agreement, or at least unwilling to actively attempt to break it. Those on the Crowned Eagle would not have tried to stop Doug and Carl from hijacking the ship.

Except that I didn't have feathers and wings, I was now officially an Anixian. Did that make me an ambassador, and if so, for whom? I hoped I and the others like me were the glue that would make Phoenix a reality. On reflection, the Anixians would need a buffer from humans who inherently needed to control and dominate, as demonstrated by our obsession with war.

"Kayla, you may leave now," I heard but not with my ears, more like I remembered what was said. What I actually heard was clicking accompanied by a high-pitched squawk. "You were only being detained to allow the anesthesia to wear off and to ensure you had no adverse effects from the surgery.

"Thank you," I said as I rose. "What is your name?"

"Gentle Breeze," she replied. She led me to the lift. Lost in my thoughts, the ride felt like only seconds.

"That was a long conference," Bradley said when he saw me, no doubt wanting an update.

"How long?" I asked.

"Six hours."

"Lots of dos and do nots," I held my head between my hands and shook it like I had a headache. I think he understood that it was exclusively captain business and didn't pursue the issue.

"We have determined the twelve K-box pilots who will be the permanent fighter wing on the Black Eagle and your wing leader, Simon. He is a good solid man, good at following orders but capable of making the hard calls. Besides, it will be good training for him." He grinned. "You will stretch his thinking. Don't give me that look. You follow orders but can't help improvising them. As a captain working in an unknown environment that will by necessity be a good thing and educational for your crew."

I wasn't sure, but I suspect it was the same sentiment Black Eagle had about me. Looking at my Sleeve, it was dinner time, and I felt hungry, so I headed for the mess hall where I hoped to find Hyun and Hanna and get updated on the day's activities.

"Here is our missing captain," Hyun said as I neared the table they were sitting. "We were just discussing our futures."

"Would you like to share?" I asked. I didn't have a clue, although I probably should not advertise that to the crew.

"At the speed you are progressing, you are probably several years ahead of us," Hanna said.

"I'm expecting my XO to run the ship and for my prime shift navigator to give me a tour of the galaxy," I said, only a little in jest. I would need lots of help from everyone. "We are a triad, remember?"

"Yes, three monkeys," Hyun said. "One covering her eyes, one her ears, and one with her hand over her mouth." We all laughed.

Chapter 39

Anixian Secrets

To my surprise and relief, Black Eagle met me when I arrived to take command of the Black Eagle.

"Good morning, Captain Kayla. I am here today to welcome you to your new command and transfer control to you." I heard the bird sounds but also knew their meaning as if I had heard him speak them in English. You may now refer to me by my name, Midnight Seer or just M-Seer. Being the head of the House of War, it is my responsibility to see the future, and I see you as a significant contributor to the future of Anixia and the Phoenix concept."

I didn't know what to say except maybe, I'm not ready. "I'll do my best, M-Seer," I said instead.

He's laughing, I heard and then, "Follow me. We tell the humans that only the Anixians can fly our cruisers. They think we are lying because they see humans as captains and no Anixian on the Bridge. The reason only Anixians can fly them is that everything on our cruisers is controlled by a very sophisticated artificial-intelligent software that only speaks the Anixian language. Now that you are officially an Anixian, you can command the Black Eagle and any of our other cruisers."

I couldn't help a laugh. An excellent security system. Humans couldn't understand the Anixian language, although they could eventually make a translator–the Anixians did.

"You can speak to the AI, Oracle, as it can understand humans, but it only speaks Anixian; however, you can in the captain's chair give commands just by thinking them. We may be miserable at war, but we are excellent at biology, having spent over a thousand years in research." When I nodded, he continued. "Sit and place your hand on the glass ball." When I did, he spoke, "Oracle, I am Midnight Seer. This is Captain Kayla. She is to have absolute control of Oracle."

Then I understood, without hearing,

Captain Kayla, I have captured your facial and voice signature and sampled your physical characteristics. You are now authorized full control of Oracle and the Black Eagle.

What the Earth wouldn't give for these technologies; mind transfer of thought, to cure lethal diseases, space travel, crossed my thoughts.

Yes, those are God-like technologies.

I jerked almost out of the captain's chair as Oracle responded via my implant–into my thought.

M-Seer laughed. "Oracle can answer questions, debate issues, solve problems, and read your thoughts while you are touching that glass ball and give unsolicited comments when it wants. That can be disconcerting until you become accustomed to it." He paused, staring at me for an uncomfortable time. "Kayla, I have no specific objective for you. I'm hoping you will expand our knowledge and identify potential dangers so we can be prepared. We will need you to check back periodically to report on what you found and see what we are doing. Let us say a year, plus or minus a month."

"M-Seer, I'm very young," I said, feeling overwhelmed and suddenly terrified.

"That is all right. You will get over that in time." He laughed.

I stayed when he left, put my hand on Oracle's glass ball. "Can you give me a tour of the world you control?"

"Of course, Captain." I sat mesmerized for the next four hours as Oracle showed me images of each area and my options. After it finished, I stayed hours trying to digest the Black Eagle's hundreds of functions. In the end, I fell asleep in the captain's chair and didn't wake until early the next morning. I decided to stay and had Oracle send a message to have my gear sent up, have the primary Bridge personnel report tomorrow, and the remaining crew the following day. Then I sent another message to Joseph to send up the police contingent along with weapons for me and my prime Bridge crew. I had to assume there could be other "Dougs" and "Carls" who were not only determined to get back to Earth but willing to do anything to hijack a cruiser and others who would be willing to help once there was a chance of succeeding.

Chapter 40

Becoming Anixian

When I walked into my conference room, there were seven persons waiting; they rose, which made me feel ridiculous. At eighteen, which I assumed I was by now, there were many states where I couldn't legally buy an alcoholic drink. I knew from a review of their records everyone was older than me, some by a year or two while others by twenty. Hyun and I had discussed it at length. While none of us had ever been in the military, we were now, and discipline would be essential.

"Sit, please. I would like everyone to take a turn giving us a bit of your background and any comment you would like to share," I said and looked to Hyun, who sat to my left. She was a little above average height for a Korean, one hundred seventy-four centimeters, long black hair tied back into a tail, round face with tanned complexion with a studious expression.

"I'm Hyun, the XO. I was born in Korea, but my parents immigrated to America when I was twelve. I finished three years of college before it was discovered I had stage four colon cancer, which had spread throughout my body. The Anixians saved me just in time." She looked left to Hanna. She was tall, one hundred eighty centimeters, light complexion, long blond hair hanging loose, and a pleasant angular face which generally held a smile.

"I'm Hanna, the primary navigator. I'm from Sweden. I fell sick with a liver cancer while in primary school but managed to get accepted to a local college, hoping a cure would be discovered. I managed to finish my degree in mathematics before the Anixians saved me. She nodded to the man next to her. He, too, was tall, one hundred eighty-six centimeters, short dark-brown hair, a pleasant angular face, with a scar along his temple seven centimeters into his hair. His expression looked to be evaluating everyone and everything.

"I'm Konrad, your primary weapons officer. I was born and raised in Austria. I joined the army and was allowed to train for the Olympics Biathlon. Unfortunately for me, I developed ALS, which got me released from the military and ended my chance at the Olympics. I only had a few months left when the Anixians rescued me." He nodded to the person next to him. She had a matronly figure and was in her early forties, with a friendly grandmotherly look you instantly trusted. She was short at about one hundred seventy-four centimeters.

"I'm Abigail, your ECM operator. I'm a mother of two grown men and would have been a grandmother someday, except I got bit by a dog that they failed to realize was rabid. I owe the Anixians. It was proving a nasty way to die." She smiled at the dark-tanned man of average height, one hundred seventy-seven centimeters, across the table from her. He had thick eyebrows, straight nose, and a mustache. His mouth looked permanently happy.

"Hi, I'm Jorge from Egypt. I'm your pilot with a secondary specialty in navigation. I used to race motorcycles until some idiot hit me and caused the bike to spin out of control into a building. I was in a coma for six months and brain dead according to the doctors." He grinned to the man next to him, who looked to be scanning the area. He was tall, one hundred eighty centimeters, muscular, and had a hawk-like thin narrow face with piercing eyes.

"I'm Armin, your police support. I was a policeman in Israel for eight years until a terrorist shot me five times. I wasn't expected to live. I survived for two weeks but wasn't improving. Machines were keeping me alive. The Anixians saved me from a life as a vegetable if I had survived." He nodded to the tall woman, one hundred eighty centimeters, wiry build, short curly brown hair. She, too, had roaming eyes that appeared to miss nothing. She had a crooked smile like she hadn't found anything of interest, although it did linger on me a second or two longer.

"I'm Hilda, I was a martial arts instructor in the Netherlands. Ironically, I was poisoned at a Japanese restaurant. Somehow my swordfish dinner had been contaminated with blowfish parts. They had me on life support but thought I would die or would have permanent organ damage if I survived. I wonder what they would say if they knew birds cured me when humans couldn't." She grinned. "Captain, who do you want to have a weapon? All officers are authorized one."

"My understanding is that the lasers can be individualized so that no one but that person can shoot it," I said while fighting with the problem of who should have one.

"Yes, the police are authorized to issue weapons and to individualize it to a specific person, but not to activate it. These weapons are unique to the cruiser and can only be activated by you."

I didn't know that, but I assumed Oracle would know how that works. "Good, issue them to my XO and the prime Bridge crew," I said, then added. "I want you to wear your weapons when you are not in your quarters." I hated the thought, but I needed to determine if we had any crew like Doug or Carl on board before we left the system. The Black Eagle is going to appear like a massive twenty-four-karat-gold vehicle–a huge reward for what appears a minor risk. In reality, the risk is far greater than the reward because of Oracle and the Anixian, me, on board. Unless that too was an illusion. Was Oracle capable of independent action if… It did not matter. The old Earth Kayla died; the new Anixian Kayla is loyal and, for better or worse, committed to the Phoenix concept.

"Oracle," I said when everyone had left the room to accompany Armin and Hilda to their area to collect their weapons. "How do I activate the weapons if the need arises?"

All of the Anixia weapons have a unique serial number which is linked to the present owner. That number is assigned by the Records House and updated on the main database. When a weapon enters the Black Eagle, I record that information. With those numbers, I can activate or deactivate any or all weapons on board.

"Can you deactivate the police weapons?" I asked, wanting to be sure I understood Oracle's power."

Only if issued by an Anixian.

"What about from a cruiser captain?" I wondered if that applied to me, an adopted Anixian.

Only if he or she is an Anixian. Yes, that includes you.

"I thought you could only read my thoughts when I was touching the captain's glass ball," I said, confused.

Captain Kayla, a child could have deduced where your questions were leading, and I am an advanced AI system. You are Anixian, even without the wings and feathers.

"I am just trying to ascertain what I can and cannot do," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed for not having just asked directly rather than trying to finesse the answer.

That Black Eagle on your Sleeve proclaims you are a member of the Anixia House of War. As such, I am bound to obey any order you give me. That means you have the power to take this cruiser to Earth, and I could not stop you.

"Should you be telling me that?" I asked, astonished by the honesty.

It is probably a weakness to be honest to Anixian-humans as it is to be a pacifist in war, but Anixians trust each other; therefore, you are to be trusted.

"Thank you, Oracle," I said, feeling as if I had just been baptized and my doubts washed clean. For the first time, I felt like an Anixian and knew I could never betray the Anixians.

"Oracle, activate all authorized weapons."

All weapons issued to you, the police, and Bridge crew have been activated.

Chapter 41

Shakedown Cruise

"XO, announce we are leaving orbit in five minutes," I said, giving the crew time to confirm everything was secure and the ship prepared for maneuvers.

"Attention. The Black Eagle will be leaving orbit in five minutes," Hyun said, looking very satisfied.

"Navigation, plot us a course to exit Anixia rimward," I said. "Put it on the pilot's board."

Five minutes later, Hyun spoke. "Captain, all departments have reported in. The Black Eagle is secure and ready to depart."

"XO, execute the vector on the pilot's board, at one-quarter normal speed," I said, having agreed that we would consider one percent of the speed of light as normal. Seeing the vector Hanna had posted, I was tempted to check the vector but then realized that wasn't my job. I was here to set the cruiser's objective and laughed mentally–I didn't have a clue.

"Pilot, execute the vector on your board at one-quarter speed," Hyun said, frowning. I wondered if she was considering the same thing I had been. We were all learning our jobs with no one to mentor us. I decided it did not matter. We would evolve our own protocols as we learned what worked and what didn't.

"Navigation, time to arrive at the rimward exit?" I asked.

"Nineteen hours, eighteen minutes, and twenty-two seconds," Hanna said and produced a grin of satisfaction.

"XO, you have the watch," I said, rising and leaving the cabin.

"Aye, Aye, Captain, I have the watch," Hyun said with an ear-to-ear smile.

I made my way to the fighter pilots' area and found Simon talking with Jesso.

"Good day," Simon paused for several seconds before continuing. "Captain. Are you slumming or want something?"

I wanted to say it's Kayla but also paused. We were definitely in the military, a wartime military, and had rank, but we didn't have the rigid structure I saw in movies. I knew whatever I did now would be hard to change later. I wanted it to be a friendly atmosphere but…

"You are right, Wing Leader. Captain, unless I indicate otherwise. I'm extremely young for the position, which makes it more important the crew see me as unambiguously in charge. I don't like it, but there may come a time when that is the difference between surviving or dying."

Simon nodded. "I agree. Your age is a potential problem. If you are too casual, some may think you don't know what you are doing and, therefore, have the right to question your decisions. That could cause a mutiny and jeopardize our survival. It would not matter with those of us who know you. We know you are capable and trust you. But others would see it as a weakness."

Jesso nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Simon. I appreciate the input," I said. "What kind of practice have you planned?"

"Nothing yet. This is as new for me as for you."

"I would like to practice a variation of the tactics we used at our last engagement with the Tullizor. Come, you too, Jesso, since you are second in command. Let's diagram a few scenarios like we did with the Martial Eagle forty series. That will enable us to react quickly in the case of an unexpected encounter with a hostile nation." We finished five hours later with a tentative list of three:

BES1, for Black Eagle Scenario one. The fighters form under the Black Eagle then cut power as Black Eagle decelerates allowing the enemy to move close to the fighters which then attack.

BES2, for Black Eagle Scenario two. The fighters form under the Black Eagle then cut power as Black Eagle decelerates (or accelerates in the opposite direction) allowing the enemy to pass over the fighters. The fighters attack from the rear.

BES3, for Black Eagle Scenario three. The fighters are dropped off under power and are free to attack based on conditions at the time.

BES41, for Black Eagle Scenario forty-one. The fighters are split. Two groups are dropped with engines off while the other group is dropped with engines hot and provides a two-prong attack as well as a distraction for the first group.

BES42, for Black Eagle Scenario forty-two. The fighters are split. One group is dropped with engines off while the other two groups are dropped with engines hot and provide a two-prong attack as well as a distraction for the first group

The BE scenarios can be used with the ME formations together in a comprehensive attack strategy, for example: BSE2/ME42. Under this combination, the fighters form up behind the enemy and attack in groups of four, but two at a time.

"I like it," Jesso said after we had finished. Simon nodded.

"It will save time, and everyone will understand their part without lengthy explanations," Simon said.

"I'll set aside time each day for you to practice with the cruiser to make it realistic," I said, feeling like we were making progress towards becoming a functional cruiser.

I returned just in time for shift change, and another decision–who was in charge? I pulled Hyun aside. "XO, who do we leave in charge on each shift?" I asked, seeing as the cruiser was active day and night. Hyun was quiet for several minutes before answering.

"Danail on this shift has passed three specialties, so he would be the logical choice. He is the weapons officer on second shift. On the third shift, Nova is the only one who has passed two. She is the ECM operator of third shift."

"Sounds logical, Danail and Nova have the positions for now," I said. "Make sure they are issued weapons. Either you or I should be on call when they have the watch."

"How about me being on call?" Hyun said. "You have other things to do, like managing the ship. I only have the Bridge. I will call you if it requires you to resolve the problem, like a Tullizor invasion." She gave a hardy laugh.

Chapter 42

Treachery

"This is our perfect opportunity," Abbott said as the six individuals met in Tate's and Carter's crew quarters. Abbott was a tall, muscular twenty-year-old who had been a star football quarterback for Vanderbilt University before driving drunk caused a lethal accident that killed a family of three and sustained injuries that required machines to keep him alive. Cured by the Anixians, he had a high IQ and should have been the prime navigator, except he was lazy. Even so, he had gained the second shift navigational position and had collected several malcontents who were willing to do anything to return home famous and rich. They named their cabal the FTB, an acronym for Fuck The Birds.

"Why is it the perfect time?" Tate, an ex-gang biker, asked.

"That teen-aged bimbo is taking us to the rimward exit, which for your education is the exit leading to Earth, fame, and riches," Abbott's whole body was alive with excitement. "And it gets better. We are scheduled to reach the exit during third shift when Petru and Marie will be on duty."

"What about the other two on third shift?" Carter asked. A low-level drug dealer who had become addicted and had overdosed one night and would have died except for the Anixian's intervention. He was soft, but his size made him look intimidating.

Abbott gave a derisive snort. "One is a timid boy and the other a woman, who you or Tate could flatten with a slap. I would bet shouting at them would have them pissing in their pants."

"You have two police on this cruiser, actually three, as the captain is also police," Shaul said. He worked in records and had access to a great deal of information. He had been a typical nerd in high school and college. He went into the hospital for minor surgery and contracted an MRSA bacterium which they couldn't control. "Armin and Hilda, who both have weapons."

"Tate, Carter, that is your responsibility," Abbott said. "First, I will catch Danail after second shift and confiscate his weapon. Then we neutralize the police and get their lasers. Then we take the Bridge and get Nova's weapon. By then, we will be so far from Anixia, it will be impossible to stop or follow us."

"What about the captain?" Petru, the third shift Weapons operator, asked.

"What can she do once we have the Bridge?" Abbott asked but continued without waiting for an answer. "It will be four lasers against one, and we will have control of Blackie."

"Sounds too easy," Marie, third shift Pilot, said just above a whisper. "How come no one else has succeeded?"

"How do we know that?" Abbott asked.

"Because Earth doesn't have a ship capable of space travel," Marie said a bit louder this time. "That is not something any government could or would keep a secret."

"This is a unique opportunity," Shaul surprised everyone by answering. "This is the first time the Anixians have authorized one of their cruisers to leave Anixia space."

"Why Kayla?" Marie pressed.

"She is a hero in their eyes because of the recent battle with the Tullizor," Abbott interjected to maintain control of his cabal. "Their mistake. Most of the humans don't have the brains or guts to hijack one of the Anixian's cruisers, but they all want to return to Earth and will support us once they know we are in control. I'll wager that also applies to Miss Bimbo. Enough talk. It's time to take the road that leads to fame and riches," Abbott said, alive with anticipation. "Carter, Tate, after third shift goes on duty, find whoever is the police person on duty and relieve them of their weapon. It won't hurt to have it when we take over third shift in case Hyun is there with Nova."

"Should we kill him or her?" Tate asked in an indifferent tone.

"Not unless you have to," Abbott said, his gaze off as if thinking. "I believe even the police will support us once they see we are going to succeed. You would have to be brain dead to want to stay slaves to the fucking birds."

Petru, you and Marie will report for duty on time and take your places. After I have verified that Tate and Carter have dealt with the police person on duty, I will return to the Bridge claiming I left something and need to retrieve it. I will have the police weapon and will enter and secure Nova and…"

"Roman, third shift navigator," Petru said. "He won't be any problem. He is soft and overweight. I don't understand why he volunteered for cruisers. He is timid and not the least bit aggressive."

Carter laughed. "Those are the ones you have to be careful around. They can explode into action if you stumble on one of their hotspots. I had a timid user who bought from me for years. To this day, I don't understand what I said or did. I was thirty kilograms heavier and fourteen centimeters taller, and he still beat the shit out of me."

"Folks," Abbott shouted. "Once we have control of the Bridge, we will be unstoppable, and everyone will fall in line."

Chapter 43

Phase One, The Hunt

"Where do you think the police will be?" Carter asked after being told by Abbott that third shift was on duty.

"Let's work our way toward the mess hall," Tate said and then grinned. "That is where all the cops eventually wind up for their coffee and donuts. Besides, what else is there to do at this time of night?"

"Do you think we will succeed?" Carter asked. "Abbott's a pretty smart guy."

"Abbott is a natural criminal, just like us. He has no conscience. The only difference is that he's educated. It gives him the illusion he's smarter than us. Although I doubt he had any meaningful classwork if he was on a football scholarship. He has convinced the others and himself that his plan is infallible. We know better. No matter how good the plan, the risk is always there, and something can always go wrong. We are going along with him since the reward is huge and the risk small. Besides, if something goes wrong, he is the leader, so we might be able to convince the birds he coerced us or lied to us about Kayla planning to hijack the ship."

"There he is," Carter said, scanning the mess hall which had less than ten people currently sitting at tables. Tate nodded.

"Let's go back to his office area," Tate said. "He is bound to go back there eventually. When we see him coming, let's pretend we are having an argument. When he gets close, we can jump him before he can reach for his laser or buzz stick. Then we can tie him up and talk to him after we have control of the ship. Actually, with his support, we probably don't have to tell the rest of the crew we have hijacked Blackie."

Thirty minutes later, they could see Armin off in the distance coming toward them.

"You fucking asshole," Tate shouted and pushed Carter against the wall, which produced a satisfying grunt from Carter and a thud from the corridor wall.

"Hey shit face, get your goddamn hands off me, or you are going to be spending the week in the infirmary," Carter shouted. Now Armin was running toward them. He hadn't reached for his laser, but he had his hand on the handle of the buzz stick.

Tate stepped back with his hand raised, and Armin released his hold on the buzz stick. As he did, Tate punched him square in the mouth as Carter slammed into him, driving him to the floor. While Armin lay stunned, Tate reached down and lifted the laser from its holster and the buzz stick from its leather tube. He then lifted Armin, put his hand against the door plate, and carried him inside as the door slid open.

"Find something to tie him up," Tate said. "I don't want him wandering the ship. Given his training, he is dangerous even without a weapon, and he may have access to other weapons."

"What about Hilda?" Carter asked.

"Good point," Tate said and stood thinking before answering. "She's not a significant threat by herself, but with him along, she could be. Let's carry him back to our place. That way, she won't know he is incapacitated or where he is. Gag him. That way, he can't communicate with his Sleeve."

Chapter 44

Phase Two, Capture

"Good work," Abbott said after hearing Tate's account with Armin. "Now that phase one has been successfully completed, it is time for phase two, securing the Bridge." He held out his hand, and Tate gave him Armin's laser. He smiled as he took Danail's laser from inside his shirt.

"I don't think you can fire them," Shaul said. "I heard that the weapons are keyed to each individual they are issued. That may apply only to the police weapons. I am not sure." He shrugged in a gesture of helplessness. Abbott pointed one laser, then the other at his bed, and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.

"It does not matter. They won't know where I got these lasers, and I can handle Nova. Once we control the Bridge, they can't stop us before reaching Earth, even if the entire crew banded together to stop us. Not to worry, we will have the crew's support the minute they know we are headed to Earth."

"If I remember correctly," Shaul said. "Doug and Carl had control of the Bridge and couldn't get the crew of the Crowned Eagle to support them."

"True, Shaul," Abbott said, smiling. "They were fools attempting to steal a cruiser in the middle of a battle with the Tullizor. Consequently, bimbo had many issues to seed doubts about surviving even if they overwhelmed her. This time, it's clear we have succeeded, and there is no pursuit." He exited the room, walked down the hallway to the Bridge door, and placed his hand on the access plate. The door didn't open. A few seconds later, he heard Hyun's voice.

"What do you want, Abbott?"

"I left my study notes when we changed shifts," Abbott said, concerned for the first time that Hyun may be the fly in the ointment. To his relief, a few seconds later, Marie unlocked and opened the door. He made for the navigational station, then suddenly spun around behind Hyun with the laser pointing at her temple. "Nova, throw your gun on the floor, or I'll shoot her. You too, Hyun." When they did, he smiled. "This isn't as bad as it appears. We are headed for Earth, where we will be heroes, famous, and rich." As he talked, Shaul, Tate, and Carter entered, shut the door, and locked it. "Tate, Carter, find something to tie up Hyun and Nova until they realize this is the best thing that could happen to them. They are now free women, in good health, and heading home where they can share in the rewards." Abbott was smiling, but internally, he had doubts. This opportunity had arisen before he could finish his research. He had only a vague idea on how the exit point worked and exactly how to get to Earth. To be honest, he thought he had a year or so to prepare and hadn't spent much time on advanced navigational theory after he had passed the basic course. "I think I would like Hanny here…to check my calculations," he added. "I'm sure she would like to go back to Earth and will therefore be willing to help." Abbott looked around when he heard laughing. It was coming from Hyun tied up and sitting on the floor against the wall.

"Your mastermind doesn't have a clue on how to exit the system or how to find Earth," Hyun choked out between laughs. "The last group that hijacked an Anixian cruiser died the same way, lost in space."

"Abbott!" Marie screamed. "We are heading back toward Anixia."

The only sound that could be heard was Hyun singing an old Bee Gees song:

We must have lost the road

Don't you think it's getting late

Maybe if it's colder we can stop and wait

We must have lost the words

Oh, we lost the road

Oh, we lost the road…

Chapter 45

Double Trouble

I was preparing for bed when Oracle announced:

Third shift has the Bridge duty. Nova has the watch.

I was in love with Oracle. She could keep me aware of everything happening on the Black Eagle no matter where I was physically. I went to sleep satisfied with the progress to date.

I was awakened by what sounded like a swarm of angry African bees. As I fought to orient myself, I heard Oracle.

Captain, three individuals have taken control of the Bridge: Abbott, second shift navigator, Marie, third shift pilot, Petru, third shift weapons. Hyun, Nova and Roman, third sift navigator are prisoners. They have Hyun's and Nova's weapon. Shaul, two stars from records, Tate, two stars from support, and Carter, one star from support have overcome Armin and have his weapon. They have joined the others on the Bridge. Hilda is free and functional.

"Oracle, deactivate all weapons," I said, not wanting to take the chance that someone with an active weapon was part of the hijacking. The hijackers had nowhere to go. "Oracle, can you turn the ship around and head back to Anixia?"

Yes, Captain. All weapons, including your weapons, are deactivated.

"Oracle, take control of the Black Eagle and steer us back toward Anixia," I said as I dressed. I had been right to believe there could be crew plotting to hijack the Black Eagle and return to Earth. The question now was how to handle the situation. I had never thought about having to kill anyone and wasn't sure if I could. I laughed, reminding myself about the hundreds of Tullizors I had killed with missiles. Somehow face-to-face was different, although the Anixians didn't think so; otherwise, why did they need humans? Now that I was Anixian, did that make me a pacifist, or should I act like one? The bees were back. This time stinging me hundreds of times and causing me a cruiser-sized headache.

"Oracle, stop the Bridge from accessing the ship's speakers and locate policewoman Hilda and policeman Armin."

Speakers disabled. Hilda is in the mess hall eating. Armin is unconscious in Tate's and Carter's quarters.

Oracle, announce that policewoman Hilda is to report to the captain's office.

She is on the way.

I sat waiting, wondering if I could trust Hilda with a functioning laser when she peeked in the half-open door.

"Captain, you wanted me?" she asked.

"Come in, Hilda. We have a bit of a problem. A mutiny is in progress, Armin has been tied up, they control the Bridge, and they have everyone's weapons except yours and mine," I said.

"My God," Hilda said in shock. "What can we do?"

"Would you like to go back to Earth now that you are cured?" I asked, although not sure I could trust the answer.

"If I had a choice?" she asked with lips pursed in thought. "I'm content here on Anixia, so I'm not sure. Probably not. I kind of like the Phoenix concept and the idea of being on an evolving world." She grinned. "Where there are intelligent birds and a teenager commands a war cruiser. It's exciting, but can we stop the mutiny?"

"Fortunately," I said and smiled. "The Anixians are intelligent and paranoid. The mutiny tripped one of the Anixians' traps, and the Black Eagle is heading back to the planet–"

Captain, radar has detected six Tullizor cruisers in Anixia space. They are approximately two hours from the Black Eagle's current position. If you choose to continue on our present course, they cannot catch up.

"Well, that does make life a bit more exciting," I said, pursing my lips in thought. "Hilda, I need to think. While I do, go to Tate's and Carter's room and release Armin, then come back up here. Wait one hour, then enter, release Hyun, Nova, and Roman, and secure the six mutineers. I will activate your buzz sticks. Will that be sufficient?"

"You bet, Captain, and a lot more fun," Hilda grinned, turned, and ran off.

"Oracle, can you gas the Bridge?" I asked, not sure how much control Oracle had over the gas. I didn't want to put the entire ship to sleep.

Yes, Captain. It will take ten minutes to take effect. The gas is odorless and colorless.

"Lock down the Bridge, discharge the gas, activate the three police buzz sticks, and unlock the Bridge when the space is no longer contaminated."

Bridge door locked, gas is being discharged, buzz sticks activated, estimate time to unlock Bridge is fifty-one minutes.

I debated calling battle stations but was afraid the result would be panic since that was one of several situations we hadn't developed a procedure or practiced. Instead, I thought I would visit Simon personally and develop a plan.

"Captain, we are back," Hilda said in-between gasps to breathe.

"Sorry, Captain, Tate and Carter caught me by surprise," Armin said, also breathing hard. They had obviously run the entire distance. "I can't believe I fell for that act of theirs."

"You will get the last laugh. When the Bridge door unlocks, secure the six, take Hyun, Roman, and Nova to the infirmary, and then let the first shift personnel know they have the watch. I will be in the fighter section."

Chapter 46

A Plan Is A Commitment

"Simon, put your wing on alert," I said as I sat in one of his three office chairs. "We are facing six Tullizor cruisers. Any ideas?"

The blood drained from Simon's face as he stood frozen, staring at me to see if I was joking. After a full minute, he turned and ran into the fighter wing. He returned five minutes later with Jesso, Larry, and Tyler, his squadron leaders.

"Unfortunately," I began, "Anixia's best chance of survival rests with this cruiser. The question is, what is our best strategy?"

"We can't take on six Tullizor cruisers," Tyler blurted.

"You wish to surrender?" I asked innocently.

"No!" all three said simultaneously.

"Then we must fight because those are the only two choices. I ask again. Any suggestions?" I said. They just stared at me. "What about BES2/ME42?"

"That's good, but we don't have enough fighters," Simon said.

"Here is my plan. We use BES2/ME42, but after you assess the results of my cruiser surprise. Then choose three Tullizor cruisers, destroy them, and then cut your engine so they can't target you. I will come back for you when it's safe."

"If you can't?" Simon said in almost a whisper.

"Gentlemen, you are looking at this the wrong way," I said in a normal voice I secretly didn't feel. "We make a plan and execute it. We must be committed to making it work for everyone's sake. If we can't, then we modify it consistent with the original plan."

"My wing is to execute BES2/ME42, emerging behind the Tullizor fleet," Simon said. "I wait to see how much damage you can cause before selecting three targets. Then I destroy them and hide."

"Sounds like a plan, Wing Leader." I gave him an ear-to-ear smile. "Of course, I will expect to see you at the victory celebration on the Black Eagle when it's over."

"Yes, ma'am," Simon said with his own smile if a bit forced.

"Ma'am?" I squeaked.

"Yes. Ma'am. You are eighteen going on fifty," Simon said. "I and my pilots look forward to our victory celebration."

Chapter 47

Double Trickery

When I entered the Bridge, Hyun shouted, "Captain on the Bridge." Some stood, others rose half out of their seats. I noticed that Armin, Hilda, Danail, Nova, and Roman were present as well as the first shift personnel.

"Please sit. There is no reason for people on the Bridge to rise for anyone," I said, to establish another protocol. "Your stations require your undivided attention."

"Captain, I am sorry I–"

"Hyun, you did nothing wrong." I held up my hand to stop further comment. "Abbott was second shift personnel and authorized on the Bridge, and dying does nothing to help to resolve the problem or the ship to survive. We were told only Anixians can fly their cruisers, but the criminals among us refuse to believe it because they see humans as captains and Bridge personnel. The truth is that the Anixians' cruisers have traps to thwart them from being stolen. Abbott and his friend triggered one, and as you have probably noticed, the Black Eagle is headed back to Anixia, and your stations are locked. The software could have been triggered when they took the police weapons or their subsequent actions on the Bridge." I scanned the room for their reaction. I hoped this explanation would find the rumor mill, spread, and help reduce the number of attempts in the future. "Whatever did trigger the traps, it saved the day." I paused before giving the bad news. "However, we have a bigger problem. I am informed six Tullizor cruisers have entered Anixia space. I've alerted our fighter squadron and told Wing Leader Simon I want them evicted." I liked my touch of humor but found no one smiling. Instead, they all had open mouth stunned expressions. "Armin and Hilda, I want you to return to duty. Make sure our prisoners are secure. We are going to be busy and don't need them running loose. Also, try to keep any panic under control. I am aware of the problem and taking actions to resolve it. Panic will only serve to aid the Tullizor."

"Yes, ma'am," Armin said.

There was that damn ma'am again, I wanted to correct him, but if it helped people to think I knew what I was doing, I would go along. The two saluted and exited at a run. "Danail, Nova, Roman, no talk of a hijacking until after the inquiry back on Anixia. We don't need people distracted while we deal with the Tullizor. You can say there was an incident and some people are being moved around. I will let you know how the changes impact you after my XO and I decide. For now, I want to turn the ship around to face the Tullizor. Navigator, a turning angle and speed, how long until we are facing them, and where will they be relative to us?"

Hanna frowned, then closed her eyes, and finally smiled. "Yes, Captain," she said and then began working on the problem. Ten minutes later, she said, "Captain, I have your results."

"At our present speed, one-quarter, you can only change one degree every ten seconds. Therefore, a complete turnaround will take one hour and cover two million seven hundred thousand kilometers. The Tullizor are one hour, or ten million eight hundred thousand kilometers, from our present position at their present speed. When we complete the turnaround, we will be on a collision course."

I sat in silence for several minutes. "If, instead, we make our loop vertical rather than horizontal, we would be over our present position and pointing toward the Tullizor in a half hour and separated by–"

"Close to twenty-four minutes," Hanna said while trying to hide a smile. "Since our combined closing speed would be three million seven hundred fifty kilometers per second."

"Hyun, let's do it. I want the fighter wing over us at the halfway point and Griffons ready to target and drop. Although we will be at one-quarter acceleration, we won't have to decelerate as we will be on different trajectories." I sat thinking Simon would be in position and plan his attack based on the Griffon effectiveness, so if… "Hanna, after we release the Griffons, compute another loop if we continue to loop under the Tullizor. I want to come up behind them at least a half-hour away. The two loops will look like an infinity sign when completed."

"We are going to attack six Tullizors?" Hyun's words were but a whisper.

"Yes, XO, we are eagles, not pigeons," I quipped. "We have no choice. If they manage to get past us, Anixia and our dreams are doomed. Last time, we had eighteen K-box fighters, and there were only four Tullizor cruisers. Bradley only has seven today, and they are not the best of the eighteen. Have faith in Hanna's prophecy." I turned to look at my weapons officer. "Konrad, I want you to work with Hanna to determine the right angle to set targeting and start engine time. Start them when there is less than ten seconds remaining to the target. We need the majority of the Griffons to hit the target. Hopefully, that will be too fast for even the automatic systems to be effective as the missiles will be making their last-second maneuvers."

"Yes, ma'am," Konrad said, looking a bit pale.

I used my Sleeve to contact Simon's. "Wing Leader, in fifteen minutes I want you to drop your fighters and in thirty for them to cut their engines. That will put you approximately one million three hundred thousand fifty kilometers above the Tullizor and roughly twenty-four minutes from their position. I would suggest you get well behind them before activating your engines. You should see the missiles hit on your holograms. Any questions?" I asked.

"No, Captain. I've briefed the men on the attack strategy, and we are ready to hunt lizards."

"Good hunting, Simon. Don't forget the victory party," I said and cut the connection.

Chapter 48

The Moment Of Truth

The half-hour wait seemed like days, as I had nothing to do after issuing my orders. I mentally laughed. Here is where we find out whether letting an eighteen-year-old command a warship is a good or very bad idea. On a whim, I put my hand on the glass ball. Oracle, could you calculate the angles and times I have asked Hanna and Konrad to calculate, I thought.

Yes. I am monitoring their numbers, and they look accurate. You will have to explain the strategy and tactics for the Griffons and K-box fighters in more detail for me to do the calculations. Right now, I understand the general idea, but I require more information to get the calculations exact to the second.

Thank you, Oracle, I thought, not sure whether being polite to an AI entity was necessary, but it…she felt like a real person.

Thank you, Captain Kayla. I find you refreshing and competent.

I jerked my hand off the glass ball in surprise, then smiled. She had read my thoughts and responded.

"Captain, we are coming up on the halfway point," Hyun said, sounding very official. Probably scared to death like me and everyone on the Bridge, although no one looked scared. Anxious, but not scared. I decided that my primary Bridge crew could compete with any professional military group.

"Captain, the K-box fighters have cut their engines," Hyun announced. There was another group who could compete with any Air Force on Earth. "Captain, the Griffons have been dropped."

"Weapons, you are free to fire a few standard missiles," I said. "We need to keep the Tullizor entertained." At this distance, they were as dangerous as ducks at a carnival shooting gallery, but hopefully, it would keep the lizards' eyes off the cold metal hurtling through space.

"Captain, eight standard missiles away at lizards T1 and T2," Konrad said. And five minutes later, "Eight standard missiles away at lizards T3 and T4." And five minutes later, "Eight standard missiles away at lizards T5 and T6."

As we approached one million six hundred thousand kilometers to the Tullizor, the silence was broken by Abie's voice.

"Captain, forty missiles incoming. Time to impact eighty-six seconds," Abie said like she was reading the lunch menu. "Oops," she quipped as the Black Eagle shuddered from two missile hits, one after the other.

"One shuttle bay open to space, two dead," Hyun said, reading from the damage monitor. I put my hand back onto the glass ball, knowing I would learn more listening to Oracle. "Crew quarters has partial damage, one dead."

"Another forty incoming," Abie said, almost absentmindedly, as her finger flew over her instrument panel. "Damn, sneaky," she muttered as the Black Eagle shook from another hit.

"Captain, eight standard missiles away at lizards T1 and T2."

"K-box fighter bay damaged, one dead, two injured," Hyun said.

"Captain, the Griffons scored six…no, nine hits," Hyun's voice rose two octaves. "A couple appear to have serious damage."

My sensors indicate T3 is disabled, T5 and T2 have serious damage but are functional, and the remaining three are fully functional with only minor damage.

"Captain, it looks like the K-box fighters struck, causing heavy damage to two cruisers."

My sensors indicate that T4 and T1 now have serious damage. Judging by the explosions, the fighters used only half of their on-board Griffons.

Bradley was right. Simon is capable and flexible. He is trying for two runs by using only half his Griffons each time, hoping to cripple all of the functional Tullizor cruisers left after the Black Eagle's Griffon attack.

"Twenty-two incoming," Abie said, obviously pleased. "No stamina." Followed by,
"All gone. Those phosphorous bombs really drive those missiles crazy." She laughed, focused on her boards like she was watching her own little theatrical play.

"Captain, we reached the halfway mark and are now moving up behind the Tullizor," Hyun said. "The fighters struck again. This time in the front of their line."

My sensors indicate that T6 and T1 have been disabled. You might be able to pick up your fighters now that they are on the backside of the Tullizor formation.

"Weapons, target T5, T4, and T2 with Griffons," I said using Oracle's assessment of the Tullizor cruisers.

"Four Griffons at T5." He paused as he worked his panel. "Four Griffons at T2." Konrad's forehead was frowning and had beads of sweat. "Four Griffons at T4."

"Two hits on T5," Hyun said, followed by, "One hit on T2, and…three hits on T4."

My sensors indicate that T4 has been disabled. T5 is serious. T2 is minor and functional. K-box fighters are approaching. Bay four is non-operational.

"Ten missiles incoming, crap–" Abie shouted as two missiles struck the Black Eagle. "We are close enough to throw rocks at the lizards. Not enough time to react."

"Hyun, open bay three and have crews standing by to restock the fighters," I said. "Weapons, target whoever is firing at us."

"That's T5 and T2," Abie said. "Eight incoming." She had just finished saying when two more explosions rocked the Black Eagle.

"Four away at T5," Konrad shouted.

Two missile tubes destroyed, further damage to crew quarters, partial damage to the mess facility, two dead, eight injured. Four fighters leaving with four Griffons each.

"T5 exploded," Hyun said and grinned with teeth bared.

"Four incoming–" as one hit, rocking the ship and causing the Bridge to shake like a rag doll.

Major damage to the maintenance shop, recreation area and Bay two. Two dead, eight injured. Fighters making their run on T2.

"T2 has exploded," Hyun said. "We have major damage…" she went on to detail what Oracle had already informed me.

"Hyun, steer us away from the Tullizor ships so we can collect our fighters and evaluate the situation," I said, then thought, Oracle, what is the status of the Tullizor cruisers?

Only T4 is functional, although it is seriously damaged.

"Bridge crew of the Black Eagle," I said as I rose from the captain's chair. "That was a remarkable performance. XO, you have the watch. I need to visit the infirmary and the fighter unit. See that everyone gets fed and gets some rest. You included." I exited the Bridge, deciding to visit the infirmary first.

"Good evening, Doctor Liang," I said when I saw an elderly woman with graying hair staring at me. Her white coat was covered with blood, and she looked exhausted. "I'm Captain Kayla. I'm just checking the ship to assess the damage and help if I can."

"Too late now. Earlier, you could have run." Liang's voice sounded angry, but she was too exhausted to give it any meaningful punch. She had been a well-respected infectious-disease doctor who contracted a rare virus and was literally wasting away. When the Anixians discovered her, her bones were showing everywhere, and she was less than a week from dying.

"To where?" I asked almost in reflex. She stood silent for a long time.

"Sorry, Captain…Kayla," she said, shaking her head as if to clear it. "Thanks to the Anixian's excellent medical knowledge and equipment, I've only lost six. We have treated over thirty people to date. If you need an exact number–"

I shook my head. "Sometimes, there are no good options. Then like you, we must choose the option we believe will save the most people, never knowing if we were right or wrong."

"Is it over, or is this a lull in the battle?"

"It is over, doctor. You might see more patients, but their injuries should be less serious. Those who chose to keep working although injured. The ones who enabled us to survive," I said, thinking how true that was. "We will be heading back to Anixia after we confirm the Tullizors' cruisers are no longer functional."

"Are you all right, Captain?" Liang asked while giving me a quick evaluation.

"Yes, the Bridge was never breached. I am saving my nervous breakdown until we reach Anixia."

Liang laughed and gave me a warm smile. "No time for that while it's raining dross."

"If you need anything, let me know," I said and left for the fighter wing area. When I arrived, I saw Simon and six men gathered around the Pitohui, with hot mugs of something, talking and joking.

"Fantastic performance, Simon," I said as I entered the area. Everyone straightened up, some spilling their drinks. "I don't know if the Anixians award medals, but you and your hotshots certainly earned several."

"Captain, we all thought you crazy, and we were going to die," Todd said to nodding heads. "But you pulled a miracle out of nowhere."

"No, Todd, you people pulled the miracle out of nowhere. You followed the plan and improvised to make it a success. Where is Tyler and Edward?" I asked, looking around.

"Tyler's fighter exploded," Simon said. "Not sure what happened. There was a lot of automatic laser fire on our second run. Over half of the fighters need repairs. Edward is at the infirmary. His cockpit was breached. I'm told he will recover."

"I'm waiting to ensure the Tullizor cruisers are no longer functional. As soon as I do, we are heading back to base for our victory party." That generated loud shouts of approval.

I went back to my office as I needed to talk to Oracle.

"Oracle, do you believe any of the Tullizor cruisers are functional? I asked, hoping we were done and someone else could take charge of the cleanup.

My sensors can find no sign of energy emissions, which would indicate life support is off and the cruisers are nonfunctional.

"Can you contact Anixia and let them know I would like someone to relieve the Black Eagle?"

Not necessary, the Crowned Eagle and the Haast are on a vector to intercept us.

I made my way to the Bridge feeling better. When I entered, Hyun shouted, "Captain on the Bridge." Everyone looked in my direction, but no one stood.

"I'm told that the Crowned Eagle and the Haast are coming to join us," I said. Hyun gave me a look of surprise. "Later," I mouthed. This was not the time or the place for clarification. I thought Oracle was a secret but not one I couldn't share with my XO and navigator. "Hyun, Hanna, have you had a break and food?"

"No, we were waiting–"

"Go!" I said. "I have the watch." I waved for them to leave.

Oracle, I thought with my hand on the glass ball. What level secret are you?

You are not forbidden to tell a non-Anixian of my existence, since you are Anixian. However, you should have a good reason, and they should understand they cannot share the information without your permission.

Chapter 49

The Party Is Over

I waited until the two shuttles were in the bay and the green lite indicated it was safe to enter.

"Welcome to the Black Eagle," I said to the assembled group, which included a red robed Anixian whose coloring looked like a bald eagle, Captain Basson and another captain judging by his yellow Hawk and three stars, Joseph, and Bradley. "Would you like to meet in my conference room?"

"I am Sees All and would like a tour first," the red-robed Anixian said. Since he didn't use his voice box, it was a deliberate reminder that I was Anixian and senior to the others.

"Certainly, we can tour the ship on the way to my conference room," I said so that everyone understood what the Anixian wanted. "Let's start in the fighter bay with the K-box pilots. As last time, they were instrumental in the defeat of the Tullizor. We lost one pilot during the engagement, but over half of the fighters will need repairs. Simon, would you explain your fighter wing's action?"

Simon spent an hour explaining the scenarios we developed, my strategy, and the action from his perspective. Afterward, we stopped at the engine room, checked the bays, maintenance, weapons, and infirmary. Then we stopped at the police area, where Armin described the attempted hijacking before going to the Bridge where I had assembled the three shifts. There, Hyun described the attempted hijacking on the Bridge and the cruiser's part in the battle. Finally, we made it to my conference room, where Hyun had food delivered.

"Black Eagle will be crowing for years for selecting you and making you an Anixian," Sees All chirped in the Anixian language. "We the people of Anixia are grateful for the courage you and your crew demonstrated against the Tullizor," Sees All's voice box said.

"I'm Captain Borvo. Why didn't you lead the Tullizor to Anixia, where we would have had five cruisers and close to fifty fighters?" Borvo was a wiry tall man, with a mustache, goatee, and short-cut hair. Although his face didn't show it, his voice sounded angry.

"I thought the Tullizor would not use their fighters this far from Anixia and against one cruiser. If, however, they were allowed to get close to the planet, they would have had the overwhelming numbers and ability to attack our cruisers. We had too few K-box fighters to cripple their six cruisers, and it would, therefore, become a cruiser battle." I held up my hand when it appeared Borvo was going to interrupt. "We have the new Griffon missiles, but they would be less effective used as normal missiles as ECM would eliminate most. We would probably win the battle, but if we had less than a decisive win or a draw, we would have lost the war. The Tullizor undoubtedly have cruisers and people to replace what we destroy. It would take us years. Alone, I thought I had the advantage of surprise, and even if I couldn't win, I thought I could give you better odds if I failed."

"Captain Kayla is young but as devious as they come," Basson said. "She had battle scenarios prepared, a tricky way to use the cruiser Griffons, and was right about the Tullizor's command laughing at one Anixia cruiser attacking him, so not inclined to use his fighters or to expect any surprises." He nodded to me.

"Captain Kayla," Sees All's voice box spoke, "acted in what she thought was in Anixia's best interest. As a captain, the decision was hers. Since her decision proved correct, we have no right to question what might have happened if she had done something different. Kayla, I believe Black Eagle will want you to conduct classes on the techniques you used against the Tullizor fleet before you depart Anixia and to consult with the Anixian weapon researchers on any improvements you see based on your most recent action against the Tullizor."

"Kayla, do you have proof against the six who attempted to hijack the Black Eagle?" Joseph asked.

I nodded. "Yes, Armin's camcorder should have a recording of the attack on him, and the Bridge recorder should have a record of their actions after they enter the Bridge. I'm sure Bald Eagle could review the Bridge recording and you can review Armin's camcorder." I knew Sees All would know I was alluding to Oracle and could verify Oracle's records. I wasn't sure whether the other captain had access to an Oracle or could assess it or whether to use Sees All's real name since we usually refer to them by their species. Since the captains accompanied Sees All to the Bridge and everyone was asked to leave, the captains were aware of Oracle but unable to access it. When they left for the Bridge, I was left alone with Bradley and Joseph.

"I can see Borvo's concern," Bradley said. "Since neither he nor anyone else would have tried to go against six Tullizor cruisers, he felt it was reckless. I'm sure you thought it a reasonable gambit, and it's hard to criticize when it works."

"Simon was a good choice," I said. "He did everything I asked and even improvised and got better results."

Bradley snorted. "When we were leaving the bay, he whispered to me, Kayla's crazy, but me and the boys would follow her anywhere. I'll fill your vacancy before you depart Anixia."

Chapter 50

Updraft

When we arrived back, I had a message from Black Eagle:

See me.

I found the lift waiting, jumped on, and was only a bit nervous. He had been pleasant each time I met with him, and I was coming off a great victory. I suddenly realized the lift had stopped. No telling how long I had been standing there oblivious. I hopped off and made my way into his residence and found him in the same place as before.

"I actually underestimated you, Kayla, but we will keep that a secret between us." He laughed. "You had a very eventful shake-down cruise. Foiled a hijacking, destroyed six Tullizor cruisers, and without losing the Black Eagle, although you did get her scratched up a bit."

"Yes, sir. I was a bit reckless with the cruiser," I said, not sure if he was joking or not. He gave a longer laugh this time.

"Sees All was right. Before you depart Anixia, you must conduct a class for our captains and XOs describing your encounter with the Tullizor and your reasoning, and a second class for Bridge crew with weapons and navigators' specialties on your vertical loop and cruiser Griffons. We might need those skills if the Tullizor return when my alternate isn't available."

"Alternate?" I mumbled, apparently loud enough for him to hear.

"Yes, the closest word in English would be updraft, but that would be meaningless to you. It is a wind that aids us to go higher." As he talked, my Sleeve vibrated. I took a quick peek, and my heart quickened, and I couldn't breathe. A third star appeared over the red falcon.

"Relax, child. I am expecting no more from you than for you to be yourself. That has proven more than sufficient. The third star means you speak for me and not to be questioned."

When I looked up, the same small woman stood in front of me with a glass of water. "Drink, child, water will help."

I'm expected to talk for Black Eagle, and water will help? I was having trouble getting my brain to stop spinning.

"Kayla, I'm not asking you to run Anixia for me. I'm just giving you the authority to override any objections when you want to do something and someone or some group won't cooperate. When you leave Anixia, you won't need it as you are the Black Eagle's captain and the most senior person on the cruiser."

I drank the water, and along with M-Seer's explanation, it did help.

"Thank you, M-seer. I hope I can live up to your confidence in me," I said, thinking I was much more comfortable as a K-box pilot.

"Well, what did he want?" Hyun asked as soon as I returned to the room, and she and Hanna grabbed my arms and dragged me to our table. I just raised my Sleeve.

"What did he promote you to?" Hanna asked while holding my Sleeve like it would give her the answer.

"Updraft," I said and had to smile at the look on their faces. "You have to be a bird to appreciate it."

"What does that mean?" Hyun pressed. "You are keeping too many secrets. You knew information before I did."

"That's because I'm the captain," I quipped, but neither of them thought that funny or a good answer. "All right. What I'm about to tell you is a secret that you can't repeat without my permission." I shook my head when they both put their arm across their chest and their hand over their heart. I locked eyes with each woman until they nodded. "This is a triad secret." I waited for them to nod. "Each Anixia cruiser has AI software that can monitor and run all of the equipment on the cruiser. Only authorized, well, actually, only Anixian captains can access the software. The one on the Black Eagle is called Oracle. If it detects a hijacking, it can cut all power or turn the cruiser around and navigate it back to Anixia."

"Can't someone learn the code and then access Oracle?" Hyun asked.

"No. That is the beauty of Oracle. You have to understand the Anixian language to gain access, which I doubt anyone can do in a lifetime."

"So Oracle could replace all of us?" Hanna asked.

"To a degree," I said. "I suspect Oracle was created to fight the Tullizor but rather than think like a human it thought more like an Anixian impersonating a human. Therefore, they need humans, but Oracle is a great resource. One we should use but not rely on as it could get destroyed or compromised, and we would be unable to get home."

I was pleased to find it was unnecessary for me to participate in the hijacking inquiry as Armin's camcorder was sufficient to convict Tate and Carter, and Oracle's record of the Bridge to convict Abbott, Shaul, Petru and Marie. They were each banned from the houses, which meant they were doomed to live their short lives on the planet's surface. I hoped that would discourage others from trying, but unfortunately, the reward appeared greater than the assumed risk, at least in the eyes of the greedy.

Chapter 51

Teaching Tricks

"The Anixian have asked me to recount the actions the Black Eagle took at our most recent encounter with the Tullizor," I said, trying to ease into the discussion as I felt like a little girl asked to give a report on her recent vacation to a group of adults.

"We had just settled an attempted hijacking when I was notified that six Tullizor cruisers had entered Anixia space–"

"Captain Kayla, we all would be interested in the hijacking," Basson interrupted. "That is not an uncommon event we all must guard against."

"After Doug's and Carl's recent attempt, I felt it could happen again," I said. "So I decided to issue weapons only to the first shift, but I didn't activate them–"

"Why?" someone shouted.

"To tell the truth, I deactivated all weapons, including the police. That way, weapons couldn't be used to aid the hijackers…" I went on to explain the events between lots of interruptions.

"That attempt was clever as was your approach, but what made it work was your access to the system computer," Borvo said. "Without that, Abbott and his group had control of the Bridge."

"Very true, Captain Borvo," I said, knowing that having access to Oracle was a huge advantage. "Perhaps we should get the Anixia to give the captains emergency commands in the event of a hijacking. If you send me your suggestions, I will bring it to their attention." When I realized my mistake, I quickly revised my statement. "Sorry, I keep forgetting I have been reborn an Anixian without wings or feathers and think of myself as human. So let me revise my last remark. I will bring it to the attention of the Anixians that work on the system software." That generated a few laughs.

"That is an excellent suggestion, which may even cut down on the hijacking attempts," Dmitry said. He was the captain of the Haast, elderly, gray hair, with a round face that didn't have any laugh lines but didn't look unfriendly.

"As I was saying, we were heading home when I was told six Tullizor had entered the system. For reasons I will cover when we discuss the K-box fighters and the new Griffons, they are most effective when the cruiser is facing the enemy. Since I wanted the Tullizor to consider me an annoying fly rather than a hornet, I decided to make the 360-degree turn-around, vertically rather than horizontally. That loop would move us closer to the Tullizor formation, which probably had the lizard command salivating at the thought or laughing. What it actually did was permit me to release the K-box fighters and Griffon missiles with their engines off and basically ignored by the Tullizor. We also shot off a few standard missiles to keep their eyes off the real threat." I went on to explain the scenarios we had been developing. "My instruction to the Wing Leader was to wait to see the damage from the Griffons before selecting targets." We spent the entire day discussing the action in detail.

"That was very interesting," Captain Borvo said when we had finished. "If you would have presented that scenario to me before the battle, I would have thought you crazy and dismissed it."

"Yes, sometimes the craziest ideas are the best because the enemy doesn't anticipate that scenario and isn't prepared to counter it," Captain Yarona said. She was a middle-aged woman who was short and average-looking with short-cut light brown hair but piercing eyes, and her face had a devilish look.

The next week, I included the Bridge personnel, which was a little less intimidating as a lot of the attendees were young.

"The K-box theory is relatively simple," I said to start the session. "You determine your opponent's and your speeds, the distance between you, and calculate the time it will take to smash into him. Then cut your engine and count that number of seconds minus ten, start your engine, release your missiles, and head for open space." I heard multiple gasps, statements of disbelief, and "that's crazy."

"That's true, it is crazy. The first time I tried it, I was desperate and thought the worst that could happen was that I smashed into the Tullizor cruiser. They were killing my friends and comrades. At least, I would die knowing I took the murdering lizards with me to my grave. Well, not my grave, as there wouldn't be anything to find, but you get the idea. Thanks to the Anixian Weapons House, we have come a long way, and we now have a box, dubbed the K-box, which does all the calculations. The pilot merely has to wait for the engine to start, target, fire, and beat a hasty retreat. It has proved a successful tactic in our last two encounters with the Tullizor. Anixia is no longer a friendly playground for the lizards." That greeted me with hoots and clapping.

"We used this technique in our last two encounters…" I went on to explain what we did each time and the calculations involved.

"A good example, Captain Kayla, of how desperation can frequently be the mother of invention," Captain Dmitry said after I had finished. "And just in time. We were only a year, if not months, away from extinction. We will be a tough nation to beat when we all have K-box trained pilots and the new Griffon missiles, which I understand are modified similar to the K-box."

"Yes, that is the next lecture," I said. After more small talk with the attendees, I returned to my room, where Hyun and Hanna were waiting.

"How did it go?" Hyun asked.

"Good, I think," I snorted a laugh. "The audience is interested and attentive since the subject is about tools that might save their lives. Normally, they would dismiss me because of my age."

"Don't discount your age, Kayla," Hyun said. "There have been many teenaged leaders, for example, Joan of Arc, and many more from every nation on Earth."

I gave the lecture on the new cruiser Griffon missiles the next day, explaining that they were similar to pilotless K-box fighters, and explained how we used them in our last encounter.

The next day, I asked for a meeting with the Anixian Electronics House and was surprised I had an invitation for the next morning.

It took an hour on the underground rail system to reach their area. There, I was met by two Crows.

"We are Watcher and Listener," the older of the two crows said. "We are pleased to meet you and provide any help you need. You are held in high esteem by M-seer."

"It is my pleasure to meet the Anixians who created Oracle. It is a fantastic achievement," I said, meaning it but also hoping to create a good working relationship with them.

"Fun work," Watcher said. "What do you want changed?"

"I found that during the recent hijacking of the Black Eagle, my ability to communicate with Oracle helped to resolve the issue. Specifically, the ability to lock and unlock the Bridge door and to tell Oracle to take control of the ship and return to Anixia."

"But the captain could be forced to rescind the order," Watcher said. The discussion went on for hours; in the end, we agreed on two commands.

"I am Captain X, and I am declaring a hijacking in progress." To gain access to Oracle, followed by:

"Unlock the Bridge door." or "Lock the Bridge door." or "Take control of the cruiser."

If the Unlock or Lock phrase was used, Oracle would automatically take control of the cruiser fifteen minutes later.

The following day, I met with the House of War and was surprised when Sees All met me.

"Welcome, Captain Kayla. What can I do for you? A new missile perhaps?" he said, followed by laughing.

"It would be helpful if we could launch the cruiser Griffon missiles under power then have them shut off under K-box control," I said. Sees All said nothing for several minutes, and I was beginning to think he might want more of an explanation when he spoke.

"That would allow the Griffon to be fired without having to be pointed in the enemy's direction or having to slow down afterward." He nodded. "You fire the missile, it gets oriented and up to speed, then cuts its engine. Clever."

Chapter 52

Packing To Leave

Anixia was a beehive of activity over the next two months. Bradley was taking each of the fighter houses in turn and running all pilots through the K-box training and certifying those who passed the minimum requirements because we needed all we could train, and they would improve with more experience they could get when they returned to their house. I, in turn, took my first shift operators on a one-week training where we actually practiced the concepts I had lectured on using Simon's wing.

The second month, we went on a two-week training exercise with each of the cruisers, but this time using the newly certified K-box fighters from the house supporting that cruiser.

The fourth month, each cruiser spent a week practicing on asteroids using the newly modified Griffon missiles.

On the fifth month, I took the Black Eagle out for a month of training, hoping to give the new replacements time to adjust: one K-box pilot killed, six crew killed, and the six hijackers. The first time against the Tullizor, it took a week to clean up the mess, and we had several injuries from loose objects flying around. For a week, we did vertical loops in an effort to ensure we had all the items either bolted to the floor or secured.

On the last day, as we headed back to Anixia, I decided to say a few words to the crew.

"Hyun, put me on the ship's speakers," I said, feeling these men and women were going to be away from the comforts of the planet, their friends, and going into an unknown and probably hostile space and need to feel connected.

"Crew of the Black Eagle, your captain," Hyun said and nodded to me.

"Fellow survivors and people of Phoenix. We are returning to Anixia for two weeks of rest and relaxation you earned with your performance this month. When the two weeks are up, we will be leaving for an extended period, probably around a year. Our responsibility is to map the surrounding area and check out our neighbors. We are therefore modern-day explorers, who in the Anixian and Phoenix history books will be the Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and James Cook of our generation. Where they sailed the oceans, we will be sailing the Milky Way, looking for new planets and people. I am looking forward to sharing the adventure with you." I nodded to Hyun, who gave me a thumbs-up gesture.

When I arrived back, I had a message to see Black Eagle, and the lift was waiting. He was in the same chair as my previous meetings.

I gave a small bow. "Good evening, M-Seer," I said and sat when he waved to what I considered my chair.

"You have been very busy. Everyone is impressed and feels we are in the best condition to fight an invader than ever before in our history. Your quiet and competent handling of the training has made you their fleet commander. No one is complaining about your youth. Well done, Kayla."

"Thank you, sir," I said, not sure what else to say. I did think I was well received by the cruiser commanders and that they appreciated the training, but I was not sure they would accept me in command. I was sure I didn't want to be in command…well, of anything other than the Black Eagle. I had to admit I was enjoying commanding a cruiser, and I had my best friends along with me as a bonus.

"Where do you plan to go, Captain?"

"They…we make regular trips rimward to Earth, so we have a star map of that area. Since no one has invaded Earth, I will assume there are no space going nations in that area. I thought I would try either a spinward or anti-spinward direction. At least I know space isn't flat, so I don't have to worry about sailing off into nowhere." I quipped without considering who I was talking to. Black Eagle, to my relief, gave a long laugh.

"No, but I believe there are other monsters in space besides the Tullizor. The Anixians do not want to dominate space. We just want to live in peace. To do that, we need to understand our neighbors and their intentions because we also don't want to be hunted or live in a cage. I hate sending you because I could lose you, but you are the only one I trust."

Chapter 53

Into the unknown

"Kayla, you will never believe what just happened," Hanna said as we were packing our gear for our anticipated exploratory cruise. "The Anixian who captains the expeditions to Earth just took me aside and gave me a comprehensive explanation of how they locate the entrance and exit points into and out of worm holes in space and a star map of the area around Earth. They certainly trust you."

"True. I have apparently died and been reincarnated as an Anixian, although I didn't get the feathers and wings," I said. "Anixians trust their fellow Anixians. Oracle told me I was Anixian. Therefore, she had to obey any order I gave her."

"Wow. On Earth, no one trusts anyone else," Hyun said, "even in the same country. You can't get the local state police to work with Homeland security or the FBI. Organizations like the CIA and the FBI have departments that don't trust each other."

"Rightly so," I said. "America is a country divided, each group willing to do anything they can to gain power. The Anixians only want peace, and they are united in that goal. I think it’s a worthwhile goal, and it has our triad's support." I looked to Hyun and Hanna, who put their arms out, and we put our hands one after the other on top of the other's.

"One for all, and all for one," Hanna recited like a sacred oath.

It took a full day for the shuttles to transport everyone and their equipment on board, for everyone to get their gear settled, report to their duty station, and ensure everything was functioning correctly.

At eighteen hundred hours, the first shift took their places on the Bridge. Hyun was first to speak. "Captain, all units are reporting fully manned and functional. Where are we going?"

"XO, plot us a vector to the entrance to…spinward," I said. I felt it was a toss-up whether to go spinward, east, or anti-spinward, west. Rimward, south toward Earth had been sufficiently traveled by Anixians and would be a temptation some may find irresistible. "According to the rumors, we have more neighbors than just the Tullizors."

"Captain," Hanna said. "We are approaching the Spinward entrance. The purple-robbed Peregrine said we should enter at one-tenth the speed of light."

"XO, increase speed to one-tenth max," I said, having decided to take the speed of light to be the maximum speed for humans without help from worm holes and max was an easy term to use.

"Pilot, increase speed to one-tenth max," Hyun said, with a crooked smile, which I was sure everyone had. We were about to leave Anixia space to explore the Milky Way.

"Hanna, how do we know when to get off?" I asked, confused and grateful for the Peregrine, One who knows, to have tutored Hanna.

"The pilot should notice a pull to the left or right, which will grow in strength as we approach. I've told Jorge to watch for it and inform you when he detects it. He notified the second and third shift pilots."

"Any recommendations for exiting?" I asked, while concerned about what we would find waiting when we exited.

"No, once you elect to give in to the pull, you are flung into the system's space," Hanna said, smiling. "There may or may not be planets with intelligent life."

"XO," I said. "We will take each exit we encounter since we are mapping space around Anixia, but I want us to exit with all power off except for life-support systems. Our tests on Anixia showed it was next to impossible to detect Blacky, the abbreviated name we had chosen to use for the Black Eagle, at more than a hundred thousand kilometers. No sense advertising our presence until we understand the lay of the land. The inhabitants may be the shoot first and ask questions later type."

"Captain," Jorge shouted. "There is a pull to our left. It's only around two percent right now, but you wanted to be notified."

"Thank you, Jorge," I said, both excited and scared over what we would find. "XO, monitor that anomaly. If there is an exit, let's take it."

Ten minutes later. "Captain, there is a strong pull to the Spinward," Hyun said.

"Take it, XO," I said, hoping it wasn't the Tullizor as I wasn't ready for them. The pilot cut all power except for life-essential equipment, and a minute later, the hologram cleared. The space looked to contain four planets.

"Captain, our passive sensors are sensing no electromagnetic emissions from the four planets," Hanna said.

"XO, go to active sensors," I said.

"Nothing," Hanna said a minute later. "If there is life out there, it isn't showing any signs of intelligence. The planets are either gaseous or too far or too close to the sun to support normal life."

"All right, document what we found and compute a vector back to the entrance," I said, thinking this would be normal. There were going to be far more uninhabitable systems than inhabitable ones. For the next two days, we found eleven similar systems. The thirteenth was an exception.

"Captain, the sensors are showing signs of intelligent life," Hanna said. "It is coming from the second planet from the sun."

"Let's stay at minimum power and passive sensors and set up a 360-degree loop that will pass within a half million kilometers of that planet," I said, hoping to be a ghost object at least until we knew more about the life on the planet.

"The loop will take forty-one hours," Hanna said.

"XO, execute," I said, thinking it would be boring, but that was better than announcing we, a war cruiser, were in the area until we knew more. I hoped whoever was there didn't have equipment sensitive enough to detect our presence or that they had warships patrolling the area.

"Captain, optics is showing a major metropolis, several actually, on the planet, and a space platform I'm assuming since it has several spacecraft attached," Hyun said. Her voice a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "They don't look like Tullizor cruisers."

"The question is whether they are friendly or unfriendly," I said, not sure what to do next.

"Captain, they have located us," Hyun said, looking to me. "We are being targeted."

"Go active, XO, but keep the weapons systems offline." I clicked on Simon's line. "Simon, prepare to launch, but don't take any action that could panic the cruiser watching us." I clicked off before he could respond. "XO, send a message saying we come in peace."

"I doubt they will understand since I can't decipher their message," Hyun said.

"Does not matter; send it anyway." They were sending messages and not missiles, which I thought was a good thing, so I would respond in kind.

"XO, put us in orbit," I said when nothing happened over the next several minutes. If I were them, I would fire at any cruiser who tried to run. "We need a translation box like the Anixians have," I said to no one in general.

"That is going to require contact with the people," Abie said. "I'll volunteer."

"Thank you, Abie, I think you are right," I said, then a flash hit me, and I put my hand on the Oracle's interface, the glass ball. Oracle, can you help? I thought.

Yes, if you wear a recording device and talk to someone from the other planet pointing out things, saying the word, and have him repeat in his language. Once we can get a small working vocabulary, it would build exponentially.

"We have software available that we can use to build a translation device if we can set up a meeting," I said, looking for ideas.

"I'll go, if we can," Hyun said. Actually, I thought that was a good idea as she knew about Oracle and would understand what needed to be done.

Let's see if we can set something up," I said. "Can we open our Bridge camera so they can see us, as a good-faith gesture?

"Yes, I've done it and sent the link," Hyun said while staring at the monitor. A few minutes later, an ape-like man stood looking at us with long-straight orange hair and short-fine orange hair on his skin.

I grabbed my training tablet and quickly drew two child-like cruisers, then a stick man standing next to each cruiser, then circled him and drew an arrow to the other stick man. The man on the monitor laughed, then pointed to me and waved toward himself. I nodded, hoping that meant the same to him, and cut the connection.

"You can't go, Captain. Blacky needs you," Hyun said. "Send me or Abie."

"Abie, you still willing?" I asked.

"Yes, Captain. They look…reasonable. At least, they don't look like spiders or bugs," Abie said and smiled.

"Okay, I'm going to attach a camcorder to you." I clicked on the police channel, and Hilda answered. "Hilda, I need a police camcorder immediately. I'm sending one of the crew to the alien cruiser and need a recording of what goes on. It would be ideal if you could have the signal, which normally goes to records, go to Blacky." I cut the connection. "Abie, draw some stick people on your training tablet indicating you pointing to something, talking, then the alien talking, and later a box where you or he talks and the other person understands."

Abie sat nodding while busily drawing. When she showed me, it was like one of the old cartoons where the artist drew a series of pictures that, when flicked, they looked like the character was moving.

"XO, let's get Abie into a spacesuit and notify our host we are ready."

Two hours later, they sent a shuttle, which approached the open bay where Abie stood and used a tractor to pull her into the shuttle.

Chapter 54

Learning a New Language

Abie spent a week on the Green Wood cruiser, checking in each night to tell us she was having fun and the aliens were being very sweet. When she returned, Oracle retrieved the data and went silent for a full day while I and the first three shift personnel reviewed the recording.

"They are all alike, a little shorter but wider than us," Abie said as we reviewed the recording. "Like us, it's easy to tell females from males. They caught on quickly and followed me around as I pointed to objects and said a word, they said their word. On the third day, I would do something like opening a door, then said door followed by saying I'm opening the door. They were quick to mimic what I did and then spoke a series of words. I haven't had so much fun in years. They appeared very gentle."

"Abie, you were terrific. If we can make a translator box, I would like you to go back over and use it to expand the vocabulary."

Within a week, we had our first translation box. I arranged to have Abie returned to the Green Tree with the translator and begin testing. This went on for two months, by which time we had a very reliable translation box.

"What do you think," I asked Oracle in my cabin late that night after I had been invited to the Green Tree cruiser to meet with Captain Oadagaz, which the translator said meant Mighty Oak.

Based on the words Abie collected, the language appears to be a very non-violent language, and they asked questions rather than destroy the Black Eagle.

"I agree," I said. "I think he can help us understand the local area and warn me of any potential dangers." The next day, I agreed and suited for the trip to the Green Tree.

"Welcome, Captain Kayla, to the Green Tree cruiser," Oadagaz said, showing two open hands.

"Thank you, Captain Oadagaz. I am from the planet Anixia, which is the home of the bird-like people and a group of humans who also inhabit the planet."

"Permanently? Why? Humans inhabit the Earth and are unable to travel space," Oadagaz said, indicating he and his people knew a lot about this area of space.

"A mutually beneficial arrangement," I said. "The Anixians are pacifists who have been warred against for years by the Tullizor. Human are not pacifists, and we are not as advanced in curing diseases," I said, leaving out the deal, which Oadagaz appeared to understand.

"You trade a cure for your services in helping to defend the Anixians," he said. "We are not pacifists, but war is not an enjoyable profession. In that way, we in the military are like you. We do it so our people can live a peaceful and quiet life. We, too, have been harassed by the Tullizor. They are evil and love war. They are only two days travel from here, but they are not the only nations in the Milky Way that are intent on conquest. So why are you here and not back on Anixia?"

"We destroyed the last two invasion attempts by the Tullizor and believe we can do it again," I said, trying to be cautious not to give too much information to a potential enemy but wanting to establish a friendly relationship if possible. "Therefore, the Anixians wanted me to map the area around Anixia to identify our neighbors and determine whether they are potential enemies or friends."
"You will have no trouble from us," Oadagaz said. "We do not like war and are not interested in revenge. We just want to be left alone to live in peace; however, there are nations coreward that are building empires. I fear it won't be long before they move rimward."

"Do you know the size of the Tullizor fleet?" I asked as that was my immediate concern.

"No," Oadagax said, shaking his head in resignation. "They must have a lot or the capacity to build what they lose, given how they fight. From our experience, they are advocates of overwhelming force. Like a rabid animal, lost in the rage and not caring about life or death. Why, what are you planning?"

"I wanted to send them a message that Anixia was no longer their playground and demonstrate that further aggression would have consequences."

"I'm not sure I would do that. It might just encourage them to start a war with you," Oadagaz said, shaking his head in the negative.

"Can you tell me how to find them? I would like to assess the danger," I said. Oadagaz might be right, and I could make the situation worse. I needed more information. "Could you withstand a six-cruiser invasion from the Tullizor?" I asked, knowing that could be a sensitive question as it would speak to the strength of the Dagaz military to defend itself.

"Yes," Oadagaz said, "But there would be great loss of life and strain the military, which is a voluntary force. Could you?"

"We did, with a great deal of luck. The entire human population on Anixia is in the military but recruiting is exceptionally slow."

Oadagaz laughed. "Our situations are different, but our problem is the same, finding replacements. A problem the Tullizor don't have. They are a military nation with plenty of replacements." He paused for several minutes before speaking. "My nation is not interested in war, but perhaps we can become trading partners."

"The Anixians are also not interested in war, but wars do not require two consenting nations; one is enough," I said. "A strictly defensive strategy is, in the long run, a losing position." Not that I was a military strategist, but I couldn't think of any warring nation in history that was stopped without being defeated or a nation that survived without an offense. Maybe that was just human logic, I chided myself. We left a week later.

Chapter 55

Trust Is In short supply

"Where to, Captain?" Hyun asked as we headed away from Dagaz.

"Captain Oadagaz said there was nothing between Dagaz and the Tullizor," I said, wanting to believe him, so why didn't I? "Our assignment is to map the area around Anixia. To ensure that we do, we need to stop at every exit. We will get to the Tullizor eventually. They aren't going anywhere. So take each exit you discover."

A half-day later, we found an exit and found ourselves in a system with six planets.

"Captain, the third planet from the sun has intelligent life judging by the emissions our passive sensors are picking up," Hanna said.

"Do you want to try the same loop again?" Hyun asked, frowning in thought.

"Seeing as the Dagaz military detected us at a half-million kilometers, we should assume other space-traveling nations have sensors much better than ours. Let's try a loop that keeps us one light second from the planet we think has intelligent life.

"That's nine million kilometers," Hanna said absentmindedly. "Thirty-three hours, thirty-three minutes."

"XO, execute the loop," I said, interested in why Oadagaz lied. That time worked out good as first shift would be on duty as we neared the closest distance to the active planet and time for a decision.

"Captain, those cruisers have the same signature as the Dagaz cruisers," Hyun said with a snort. "Might be the reason the Tullizor aren't a major threat. Two nations with like forces would be very careful with each other. Stick to informational raids rather than an invasion."

"Given no one identifies us, let's document what we see and go on to the next system," I said. I didn't blame Oadagaz for playing his cards close to his vest. He had only my word as to what the Anixians were planning with the Black Eagle's mapping of the area. The fact that the Black Eagle was confident enough to be out scouting said the Anixians weren't the Tullizor's playground anymore and the Anixians' warships their equal if not significantly more lethal.

The next three systems were empty of intelligent life and two empty of planets. If Oadagaz were right, the next system would be the Tullizor's home planet. On a whim, I decided to skip the Tullizor's home planet.

"Hanna, if I chose to skip the next exit, can I assume it will be easy to return whenever I choose?" I asked.

"Yes, Captain. That is correct." Hanna said.

"XO, skip the next exit," I said. "Let's map the next three before returning to the Tullizor exit."

After shift change, Hyun asked, "Why, Kayla?"

"The Dagaz nation occupies at least two systems and maybe more. I am interested in knowing if the Tullizor have more than one planet," I said. "I don't know if it will make a difference in my thinking, but the more information, the better. For example, if it looks like they have twenty cruisers versus a hundred."

"We might challenge twenty but tippy-toe around a hundred." Hyun gave a wry smile. She was doing exactly what an XO should be doing, studying her captain to make sure she understood the logic behind her decisions. The problem was she was studying command decisions made by a teenager who had no military training or experience. This would not even count as on-the-job training since I had no mentor or history book detailing someone else's exploits. Maybe, I wondered as I put my hand on the Oracle ball. Oracle, have you been in any cruiser battles?

Oracle's captains have fought with the Tullizors' cruisers, but they lost. The two which were recovered indicated their actions were too slow and had been anticipated by the Tullizor captains. The Oracle recording of the human captains' actions indicated they were faster to respond but not quite equal to the Tullizor captains. You have to realize that the human captains never had any cruiser war experience since Earth doesn't have cruisers. You are the first to win against the Tullizor.

Unfortunately, I don't know what I'm doing until I do it, I lamented.

As Sees All said, if it works, no one can criticize you.

And if it doesn't, no one will be able to criticize me as we will all be dead, I thought.

That is also true.

I and first shift were on the bridge for the next exit, but it proved to be an empty system; however, the next had intelligent life.

"The passive sensors indicated the fourth planet has intelligent life, Captain," Hyun said and awaited my orders.

"The last loop worked well, so let's do that again. One light second, nine million kilometers," I said. Thinking that was close enough to get a rough idea as to whether they had spacecraft, and if so, were they like the Tullizor or Dagaz?

"Thirty-three hours, thirty-three minutes," Hanna said, smiling.

Hanna and Hyun were definitely enjoying our sojourn into the Milky Way. I might also, if I weren't responsible for making the decisions.

"That cruiser has the same signature as the Tullizor's cruisers, but there is no space station, and the planet does not appear that modern given the low level of electromagnetic activity, and the sensors are not detecting any airplanes or satellites."

I gave a short laugh. "Just what Anixia needs, a farming planet to help feed a growing population."

"Would that be ethical?" Hyun asked.

"Ethics," I said. "I'm still a teenager, but I am beginning to think ethics are not a cosmic morality, but rather something that is defined by whoever is in power. For example, killing is supposedly wrong, yet every government justifies their wars, although it is mass killing. Would we starve a planet into extinction if we had a nearby planet that had an excess of food?" I paused for a sip of water. "I think the question here and now is whether or not to destroy the Tullizor cruiser." I decided to destroy the Tullizor cruiser as it approached the entrance to space and clicked on Simon's channel. "Simon, The Tullizor have a cruiser in system. When it departs the planet it's orbiting, I want you to destroy it. I will give you a couple of hours advance notice. You can pick the Martial Eagle option. It should be good practice for the new K-box pilots."

Four hours later, the Tullizor cruiser left the planet and headed for the entrance to the worm hole. I clicked on Simon's channel. "Simon, I have Blacky at one percent of max, and I've cut our power to everything except life support. They are at two percent of max. I will notify you when we are one hour apart to drop your fighters."

"I plan two groups of four fighters," Simon said. "The first group will pass the Tullizor cruiser and await the results of the second group, using option ME42. The second group will drop five minutes later and will conduct a frontal attack using ME41."

"When the second group drops, Blacky will drift left and pick you up after you have signaled the Tullizor is no longer functional," I said and cut the connection when Simon nodded.

"That was rather spectacular," Hyun said as the holograph showed a massive explosion as eight Griffon missiles hit the Tullizor cruiser simultaneously. "I'll wager the boys in the first group are pissed. They didn't get to fire a single missile."

"All right, XO, let's pick up the fighters and leave this space," I said and sat back, pleased with the day's events. "Let's continue spinward for two more exits." I decided the crew could use an update rather than depending on the rumor mill. "XO, general channel."

"Crew of the Black Eagle, the captain," she said and nodded to me.

"Since our fighter wing just destroyed a Tullizor cruiser, I thought I would share the news with you. The cruiser and all hand were destroyed while none of our fighter pilots was hurt. It was like a magic show. Now you see it, now you don't," I said as I had Hyun run the twenty-second rerun of before, during, and after the explosion. "An excellent example of a cruiser with all groups functioning like a precision machine."

Hyun gave me a thumbs up, and I noticed everyone on the Bridge was smiling.

"Captain, the pull is coreward," Jorge said and quietly awaited my orders.

"XO, take the coreward exit," I said, although I was not interested in going north, especially after what Oadagaz had said about the fighting deeper into the galaxy, but I was interested in seeing the systems close to the lizards since they were our immediate danger.

Two hours later, we entered a very crowded system but with no apparent intelligent life.

"Captain, there are ten planets, but none appears to have intelligent life," Hyun said, staring hard at the sensors.

"Go to active sensors," I said.

"Nothing, Captain," Hyun said while shaking her head.

"Continue in system for two more hours. If nothing shows on the sensors, let's exit and try one more coreward exit," I said, thinking this was like playing hiding-go-seek, except the people hiding had vehicles that fired nasty missiles. We detected nothing and were exiting the system seven hours later. The next exit was over three-quarters of a day away.

"Captain, our sensors indicate electromagnetic transmissions from the planet closest to the sun," Hyun said and smiled. "Standard loop, ma'am?"

"Yes, XO, a standard loop," I said, thinking Hyun was having far too much fun. If I hear that word ma'am any more, I'm going to start checking in the mirror for grey hairs. It was like I just skipped Miss and Mrs. and went directly to Madam.

"Captain!" Hyun's voice rang out loud and two octaves higher, "Unknown cruiser three million kilometers ahead, speed one percent of max, the same as us. It doesn't have a Tullizor or Dagaz signature, and it has gone active. We are on a collision course."

I hit the emergency button to Simon, which would open his Sleeve, and said into his channel, "Simon, drop four fighters immediately, and prepare four more to drop on my command. We have an enemy cruiser in the area." I left the link with him open while turning to Hanna. Hanna, calculate a vertical loop to begin immediately. I grabbed the Oracle ball; I needed to know the time the fighters would fire and how close we would be to the unknown cruiser at that time.

If you can launch your fighters in five minutes, you will be one point eight million kilometers apart. Your fighters will meet the unknown cruiser in six minutes. The closest you will come to the unknown cruiser is one million eight hundred seventy kilometers or six point twenty-three minutes.

A few minutes later, Hanna spoke, "Your loop will take twelve and a half minutes to complete. The unknown cruiser will never be closer than one point nine million kilometers for the first nine minutes and forty seconds. After that, you will again be on a collision course of six point two minutes."

"Weapons, at our closest point, you could fire a few standard missiles as a diversion. Otherwise, no Griffons unless the unknown cruiser is still with us as we enter a collision course."

"Captain," Hyun said, her tone urgent. "The unknown cruiser is doubling its acceleration."

"It does not matter, so long as it is constant when they launch," I said, knowing it could be a problem if they continued to accelerate after the fighters launched. If they did, the pilots would have to recalculate the time or abort, since the time to start their engine would be sooner than the original calculation. I clicked on Simon's channel. "Simon, tell the pilots if for some reason their engine haven't started by the time the distance to the cruiser is four thousand, they should force a start. That will only be necessary if the unknown cruiser continues to increase its speed after they launch." Now came the really hard part–waiting. I had set the ball rolling but had no way to affect its course. I sat with my eyes swiveling from the hologram to the chronometer and swore that time had all but stood still. I jumped when the hologram showed several explosions and closed my eyes, hoping that wasn't a fighter crashing into the unknown cruiser. Then to my relief, ten seconds later, I saw the flashes of engines starting.

"Captain, looks like the cruiser has shut down," Hyun said with a sigh of relief everyone on the Bridge felt.

My Sleeve buzzed, and when I looked down, it was Simon. "Captain, Jesso just informed me his squad is functional. Todd's squad aborted when they saw the unknown cruiser explode."

"Thank you, Simon. Let's see if there is anything we can salvage that will give us a clue as to the identity of the cruiser. Maybe Oadagaz might know something about the other nations in this area."

"That was almost a disaster," I said, thinking about the pilots each having to make the calculation as to when to turn on their engine because the enemy cruiser had changed acceleration. "This on the job training is petrifying."

"I'm glad it's you, and not me," Hyun said and gave me a crooked smile. "I think each of us in the triad has the right position for many years."

Except me, I sighed. The Pitohui and I were a good fit. I'm not sure about Blacky and me. "XO, when Simon's wing is back on board, we leave for Dagaz. I think we need to resolve this unknown cruiser issue first before we go calling on the Tullizor.

Chapter 56

Monkeys Galore

"XO," I said as we entered Dagaz space. "All systems active. Wouldn't want the Dagaz to think they were being invaded. I doubt they were expecting us to return for months or years."

"Captain, all systems active," Hyun said after having given the order and checked each system.

"Plot a vector to their planet," I said and saw Hanna had it posted on the pilot's monitor. This should be an interesting meeting, I thought as I sat back and relaxed, knowing it would be several hours before we were hailed.

Oracle, are you aware of other alien nations? I thought while touching the Oracle ball.

No. Prior to this expedition, Earth had the only aliens the Anixians have encountered.

"Captain, we are being hailed by the Green Tree," Hyun said, bringing me back from my wandering thoughts.

"Open a video channel," I said, and a few seconds later, Oadagaz's face appeared on the main monitor.

"I'm surprised to see you back so soon, Captain Kayla. Trouble?" Oadagaz asked, looking cautious and curious.

"We encountered an alien cruiser several systems over and wondered if you might know anything about them? We recovered a body if that will help."

"Do you have an image I can see?"

I nodded to Hyun, who sent a copy of the body we had recovered. Strangely, it resembled a human with two arms and legs, walked upright judging by the spine, and had a relatively human head except for the shape of the teeth, ears, and nose, and more body hair.

"Yes, I do recognize it. The red nose and lip and white patches under the eyes are rather distinctive," Oadagaz box said. "We happened upon a field of debris several years ago. It was obviously a space battle close to our system, so we spent a year collecting everything we could. Our investigation concluded that there were two alien species, one from monkeys, like us, who called themselves Jumanu. They are the ones with the distinctive noses. The other ones who might have evolved from a cat-like species called themselves Soofir. Their skin and fur were black. Judging by the debris field, they must have had large fleets. We estimated twenty destroyed cruisers, twelve Soofir and eight Jumanu."

"Those were the warring nations you warned us about?" I asked.

"They are two of them, and from the debris, they might be the largest in the coreward direction but definitely not the only ones. We have over the past twenty generations discovered other destroyed cruisers, but the remains were too old or the debris too sparse to determine anything except they were not the Soofir or the Jumanu. We have concluded there is a lot of intelligent life out there," he waved a hand upward, "but it isn't friendly." He laughed. "The Tullizor may be the least of our potential problems."

"It sounds like us friendly nations may have reasons to cooperate," I said and almost smiled. Anixia was the equivalent to a one-year-old baby just learning to walk.

"We also need to grow our population and fleets, and, maybe more importantly, our technology," Oadagaz said. "If you are interested, you can join me, and I will show you our museum of alien artifacts. They date back almost five centuries."

"Thank you, Captain Oadagaz, I would like that," I said, hoping this was the first step toward a partnership.

"Thank you, Captain Oadagaz, for allowing me to see your alien artifacts," I said as his shuttle transported us toward the planet. "Trust is a difficult thing in times like this."

"You are young, Captain Kayla, but obviously a trusted member of the Anixians; otherwise, they would not let you captain one of their war cruisers, for you could easily take the cruiser to Earth and be a hero," Oadagaz's translator said. "Normally, I would dismiss Anixia as a useless ally who the Tullizor have terrorized for generations; however, sending out an expedition speaks to new strength and technology. Giving command to one so young suggests they have found a formidable leader willing to enter Tullizor space and capable of taking on and winning against a Jumanu war cruiser."

If he only knew how scared and lucky I've been, but then I guessed neither Dagaz nor Anixia could afford to be choosy or snub any assistance they could get.

We landed near a one-story building that looked like it had been added on over many generations.

"This is the newest section," Oadagaz's box said. "It was built after our discovery of the great battlefield. In those cases are the bodies of a Jumanu and a Soofir. We found them in good condition inside those space suits." He pointed to two long narrow glass boxes. "Just about everything in here is stored in cases, sealed, and maintained under carefully controlled conditions."

I took out my tablet and found a picture of the body we found. "I would say what we encountered was definitely a Jumanu war cruiser." I showed him the picture. He nodded.

"This room has equipment and parts we found. The difference between the two cultures is obvious from the composition of the metal to the design, symbols, and ergonomics." He led me around the room, pointing out objects. Then he led me into several other rooms, each room confined to a specific discovery. The discoveries spanned over fifty years and felt like a history museum. In the last room were parts that did not appear to have come from either the Jumanu or Soofir cruisers. "Unfortunately, it is too little to do more than speculate about their language, culture, or technology. It is tantalizing and frustrating, like digging through their old garbage. What you find is years old, isn't in working condition, and no user manual to determine its functionality."

"We weren't able to collect much, as one of our missiles must have hit their missile storage and set off a chain reaction." I proceeded to show him the photos I had taken of all the pieces we had collected. "I can tell you the cruiser was aggressive and made no attempt to communicate. They weren't looking to make friends."

"Your cruiser doesn't look like you sustained much damage," he said, but it was a loaded question–how did you destroy them without significant damage?

"We engaged them with our fighters who each carry effective ship-killer missiles. We try to distract them by appearing to run or looking like we are getting ready for a missile duel while our fighters get in position to attack." I wasn't sure how much I should share with the Dagaz until I knew more about him and his nation.

"I understand," his box said, which I took to mean that we both had to limit what we disclosed until we knew each other better.

"Thank you, Captain Oadagaz. I need to report back to Anixia on my findings and the potential for mutual support. I'm not part of the nation's governing body."

He laughed. "Neither am I."

We left the next day, feeling Oadagaz and I had set the framework for further talks. In addition, I had learned something about our neighbors. The question now was whether to return to Anixia or to visit the Tullizor? They appeared to be the more immediate concern to the Anixians.

Chapter 57

No Good Options

"Well, Captain Kayla, where would you like to go?" Hyun asked as we left the Dagaz orbit. That was a thorny question. I could easily justify returning to Anixia as I had a good deal of information about our neighbors, but they weren't the immediate danger. The Tullizor were, and I had little information about them, actually more speculation than facts. So I should have a peek inside Tullizor space but would be risking Blacky and the entire crew, not to mention losing the information I had accumulated to date. This was not a decision an inexperienced eighteen-year-old should be making. In desperation, I put my hand on the Oracle ball.

What do you think, Oracle? Should I return home with what I've learned or try to learn more about the Tullizor? I hoped at least for another perspective or, better yet, an order to do this or that.

Kayla, you are an Anixian and the captain of the Black Eagle. The decision is therefore yours. If I were capable of making such a decision, we wouldn't need humans. The problem with the Tullizor question is that the answer cannot be ascertained until the decision is made and executed. It will be the correct decision if it succeeds. The wrong decision if it fails.

I wanted to scream...captain is a shitty position! All I wanted was to be a fighter pilot, not a captain of a cruiser whose decisions impacted hundreds of lives and potentially impacted the people on Anixia. It was like wagering your entire wealth on one throw of the dice.

I unconsciously looked down at my Sleeve with its red falcon icon and the three stars and thought of Hanna's prophecy, or was it just wishful thinking? Time to find out, I decided.

"XO, I would like to visit the Tullizor," I said in a normal tone, feeling relaxed now that I had made the decision.

"Yes, Captain. Next stop Tullizor."

Chapter 58

What To Do Now?

"Captain, the sensors are detecting seven planets," Hyun said, obviously relieved. "Two of the planets appear to have emissions that indicate intelligent life: the second and third planets from the sun. The sensors indicate no cruisers in the area.

"XO, our standard loop short of the third planet," I said since we weren't going to learn anything on passive sensors at this distance. As the first roll of the dice wasn't craps, we still had another roll and a chance to win.

"Yes, ma'am," Hyun said, revealing how nervous she was, although sounding normal.

"Thirty-eight hours, three minutes, and twenty-one seconds for the entire loop," Hanna said, also sounding normal. Of course, it was easier for them. They could die, but they weren't worrying about the crew. That was the captain's responsibility.

"XO, you have the watch," I said, and I swore Hyun's tanned face went white. "I am going to talk to Simon. Let me know if anything interesting happens."

She gave a jerky nod. "Yes, Captain," she said as she looked at the captain's chair and reluctantly stepped up on the platform and sat.

"Captain Kayla, what can I do for you?" Simon said when he saw me enter the fighter area.

"You know that we are now in Tullizor space and in the process of executing a loop which will take us within three hundred thousand kilometers of the third planet from the sun. Our sensors indicate that they occupy two planets, the second and third from the sun. I'm hoping we are far enough from the planets as not to be detected and can leave unnoticed. In case that plan doesn't survive, I need you to have one squadron of four pilots ready. They will have little or no notice. Simon, I will try my best to rescue them, but I may not be able to. Unfortunately, the information we will have is critical to Anixia's survival. I wish I and the Pitohui could be one of the four, but that would be irresponsible."

"Do you have something specific in mind?" Simon asked with no hint of anger or resentment.

"No. I'm hoping all goes without incident. If it doesn't, then I'm hoping I can get us out of Tullizor space without having to engage them. If that fails, I will look for an option to engage them that has a chance of success. If that fails, I will consider all other options, which will include the K-box fighters. I don't know what that will look like, so I need you prepared to act."

"I understand, Captain," Simon said. "My pilots and I are willing to do anything you order. None of us doubts that you would be the first to volunteer if our roles were reversed. Do what is necessary to save Anixia and Phoenix."

"Thank you, Simon," I said, knowing he intended to be one of the four. I had tears in my eyes as I walked back to the Bridge.

"Captain on the Bridge," Hyun said as she hurriedly vacated the captain's chair. "Ma'am, we are ninety degrees into the loop, and the passive sensors are providing better information. The Tullizor have a space platform, and it has multiple cruisers parked there, could be as many as twelve."

"Anything on the second planet from the sun?" I asked. Decisions were hard enough when we had all the facts. They were dangerous when we had to guess.

"No, it's too distant for anything except to ascertain that there is intelligent life there." Hyun shrugged.

"Captain, we are at one hundred eighty degrees, and there are fourteen cruisers at the space station and six in orbit around the planet," Hyun said. "Plus at least eight more in space."

"Hanna," I said before I considered all the alternatives. "I need a loop around the second planet, staying at least three hundred thousand kilometers away and that loops us back around between the second and third planets. Send it directly to the pilot for execution." Oracle, generate the same loop, I thought with my hand on the ball.

"Captain, it's on the pilot's board," Hanna said, looking back at me.

My calculation and Hanna's are close. Either will work.

"XO, execute the new loop," I said and watched Hanna produce a small smile, indicating she knew Oracle had verified her calculation. "I want to know what they are doing on the second planet." No one had uttered a sound, but it was obvious the tension on the Bridge had ratcheted up several levels, as the new loop would significantly increase our odds of being discovered. It had been an impulse that I hoped didn't get us all killed and compromised our ability to get the information we had back to Anixia. What can you expect from a teenager, I mused in my defense.

"Captain," Hyun said a half-hour later while frowning in thought. "There is another space platform, but the two ships parked there don't look like cruisers."

"Could it be a mining operation?" Abie asked, staring at her console. "Those two ships could be ore haulers."

"Konrad, using the new Griffon feature, can you send four missiles into the mining facility and four into the space station, at a speed which will allow us to get well out of the area?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, looking nervous. "Of course, there will be twenty seconds while the engine turns on to orient the missiles and obtain the correct speed before shutting off. After that, they will be off for twenty minutes–"

"That will put us fifteen degrees along the loop," Hanna said.

"But alert the Tullizors someone is in the area," Hyun said.

"Konrad, do it," I said, hoping they are slow to get to the area where the Griffons' engines ignited, and Blacky will be far enough away and running on minimum power to be noticed.

Twenty minutes later, Hyun's voice broke the silence. "Captain, the Griffons detonated. Since the planet is between us and the explosions, I can't assess the damage, but the energy released was far larger than the Griffons could produce by themselves."

"Captain, the loop will be completed in fifteen minutes," Hanna said an hour later. "Where to next?"

"Konrad, I want eight Griffons towards the space station. The same speed as for the last station. Hanna, a vector toward the exit point. XO, execute the vector at one-tenth max thirty seconds after the Griffons hit the station, then cut the power leaving only life support," I said and sat back, trying to ignore the stomach acid burning in my throat and mouth. I was responsible for the Black Eagle and its crew, and I was acting like I was flying the Pitohui and only risking myself.

The hologram lit with multiple explosions, which looked like a fireworks display as the explosions spiraled around the station as one cruiser ignited the next closest one.

"Jorge, execute vector," Hyun shouted as if she needed to speak over the noise of the explosions, unnecessary as we could hear nothing. Two minutes later, the engines shut down, the emergency lights came on, and a silence descended on the entire cruiser. "It's like we smashed a hornet's nest. There are cruisers and fighters flying in every direction," Hyun said in almost a whisper.

"We appear to have at least one alert lizard," Abie said while nibbling on her lip. "He's fired several missiles, but they are going astray since there is no heat signature for his missiles to lock onto. Four more cruisers have joined him. They have stopped firing. Probably waiting for us to restart our engines."

"Which we will have to do eventually," Hyun said.

"Hanna, when the Anixian was explaining the speed we need to exit Anixia space, did he mention the reason for the speed?" I asked, desperate for some way to lose our escort.

"He said it was like putting something in orbit around a planet. There is an escape velocity necessary to overcome gravity. If you were traveling slower, you would in a sense never exit."

Oracle, I thought as I touched the ball. If I drop four Griffons at one-tenth max before we reach the exit point, then accelerate to escape velocity immediately into the exit point…

Interesting idea, Captain. I will give you the timing. It might work.

Chapter 59

It Might Work

"Crew, listen up. Hyun is right. We have to start our engines to attain escape velocity, and the five Lizards tailing us will fire. We may survive, or we may not. Even if we do, they will follow us. I have no experience inside a worm hole, so I don't know what is and isn't possible, i.e., can they fire missiles or launch fighters or…" I paused to take a drink of water as I sounded horse and my throat felt like sandpaper. "So here is what I plan to do. Hanna, we need to be on a vector to enter the worm hole exit. Then give Jorge the vector for the fastest, tightest vertical loop Blacky is capable of. Jorge, when I say Start Loop, you will execute Hanna's vector. Konrad, when I say Release Griffons, you will drop four Griffons. Jorge, as soon as the Griffons are away, I will shout for you to Fire Engines. You will start engines and accelerate at full power to at least one percent of max."

"What do you expect the Lizards to do?" Hyun asked, trying to follow my logic.

"I have no idea," I said and shrugged. "But what they do will determine if we survive or not. I am hoping to create confusion and thereby reduce the number of missiles to a point where Abie can negate them. In addition, if I interpret the Peregrine correctly, there will be four Griffons with no power signature stuck in the exit for anyone following us to negotiate." They all stared at me with blank eyes and open mouths. "If anyone has a better idea, I'm all ears."

Kayla, get ready. Five minutes.

"Everyone, get ready," I said. "We will get only one chance to make this work. XO, announce for all crew to prepare for a vertical loop."

"Attention, all crew prepare for a vertical loop," Hyun said into the intercom. "Attention, all crew prepare for a vertical loop."

Start Loop.

"Jorge, Start Loop!" I was glad we had prepared for the possibility of having to perform a vertical loop. Heavy equipment flying around the ship could not only result in the crew being killed or injured but in critical damage to the ship. Almost immediately, Blacky began to tilt up. My eyes were glued onto the hologram and the five Lizard cruisers. I smiled when they all began to follow us as I could imagine the chaos as equipment began sliding and things flying off shelves. It was one thing to prepare for explosions for missile strikes, yet another to turn a cruiser upside down. Before they hit ninety degrees one by one, five began an attempt to exit the loop. Not so easy if you hadn't practiced since you were disoriented and everything the opposite of normal. If it weren't a life or death situation, it would have been funny. Two appeared to spin away at angles that they couldn't recover from in time to target us. A third one, the last one to exit, must have suffered some kind of critical damage as it had an explosion as it continued to spin away. The other two were into a horizontal loop in an effort to get back in position to target us, but they would lose tens of thousands of kilometers in the process.

Kayla, prepare to drop Griffons.

"Konrad, Jorge, get ready," I shouted as adrenaline flooded my system.

Kayla, drop Griffons.

"Konrad, drop Griffons."

"Griffons away," Konrad shouted, probably feeling the same surge of adrenaline.

"Jorge, Fire Engines and kick Blacky in the ass," I shouted.

"Eight missiles incoming," Abie said as her finger danced over the ECM board. "Oops."

The Black Eagle shuddered as an explosion rocked the ship.

"Shuttle bay two open to space. Two dead, three injured. Crew quarters damaged. One dead," Hyun read as the reports came in from the affected departments. "Sensors are not detecting anyone following."

"I thought I detected a slight anomaly," Hanna said, smiling. "Maybe they ran into the Griffons."

"I'll have to ask the Peregrine when we get…home," I said. "Yes, home is the next stop. You were perfection," I said, holding each person's gaze for a few seconds. You too, Oracle, I thought as I touched her glass ball.

We are a good team.

Chapter 60

The Cures Are Temporary

I sat in my office with Hyun and Hanna, drinking the Anixian version of coffee, which tasted more like roasted nuts. They had three different versions similar to Pistachio, Hazelnut, and Almond. I preferred the Almond taste, whereas Hyun liked Hazelnut and Hanna Pistachio.

"Oracle was our savior," Hanna said. "There is no way I could have computed the timing for your idea in the time we had left before we reached the exit point."

"I agree," I said. "Oracle's computational power saved the day; however, if Oracle was destroyed, you would be capable of making the same calculations. Oracle is an exceptional tool that we should use but not rely on. If we do, someday it may cost us our lives or those of our friends or crewmates. Just like you–"

"Open this door, or we will break the door down," a base voice shouted.

"Oracle, the Black Eagle is now under your control. Pilot it back to Anixia and deactivate all weapons."

Yes, Captain Kayla. The Black Eagle is now under my control. Time to Anixia is two days, six hours, and ten minutes.

I shrugged, rose, and opened the door. A tall, muscular man stood with a laser in his hand surrounded by ten to twelve crew members. I noticed Jorge, Abie, and Konrad were restrained with their hands tied with rope, as well as Hilda and Armin.

"We are tired of being slaves to the Anixia. We are risking our lives while they hide on Anixia. So you and your Bridge crew are going to take us to Earth, or we are going to kill you."

"Do I understand that you no longer wish the Anixia to honor your agreement?" I asked.

"Damn right, girly," he growled.

"Fine, I'll drop you off at Earth," I said to Hyun and Hanna's stunned look. "Of course, your cure won't be renewed. How long since you were cured?"

"What the fuck do you mean my cure won't be renewed?" His face moved to within a centimeter of mine, and his hot-smelling breath almost made me gag.

"The cures are temporary. They must be renewed. That's only fair. You break your agreement, and they break theirs." I shrugged. "So, anyone that wants to go back, I'll take them. I was heading back to Anixia as I understand several of you need a booster treatment, but if you prefer to go to Earth instead…"

"You lying bitch."

"You apparently think the Anixians are stupid. They can cure illnesses Earth can't but don't understand human nature." I looked around the group while shaking my head in sympathy. "They kidnap humans who are notoriously aggressive, warlike, and are quick to break their word, and think they will honor their agreement like meek lambs. They prefer to get rid of those willing to risk the lives of those who are willing to honor the agreement. Simple solution. Don't totally cure the illness. That way, you both win if you honor the agreement, or you both lose if you don’t. You have to admit it's an elegant solution."

"Hey, I don't want to go back if I'm going to die with the cancer I had," a short, thin man said to several nodding heads.

"The bitch is lying to you. We will be rich when we deliver this cruiser."

"Oh, we are back to you think the Anixia are stupid again," I said, rather enjoying this debate with the mental midget. "The Anixia have software traps in the event someone intends to steal their property. You tripped one. Well, probably several. Taking the police captive, stealing his laser, and threatening the captain. Unfortunately, I can no longer drop you on Earth. The ship is now under Anixia software control, and we are headed for Anixia."

"You lying little cunt."

"If this little cunt is lying, then you should be able to open the door and enter the Bridge and get someone who wants to die with you on Earth to run the ship." A rough-looking woman walked over to the door and tried it.

"It's locked," the woman said, frowning.

"Give me the key!" the leader said, "or I'll cut one of your hands off." He laughed. I joined him laughing. "What the fuck are you laughing at?"

"First, that door doesn't have a key. It is like the laser you are holding. It's controlled by the ship." I held up my hand. "Here, cut it off." The bastard actually pointed the laser at my wrist and pressed the activate button. "I don't know about everyone else, but I am going to go back to my room and relax. There is nothing anyone can do to stop the ship from going to Anixia." I turned and walked back into my office with Hyun and Hanna following. Before I closed the door, I could see the crowd was dispersing, and their leader stood looking at the laser.

"Kayla, is that true?" Hyun asked.

"It doesn’t matter." I smiled. "The ship is returning to Anixia under software control."

"But you ordered Oracle to take control and return to Anixia," Hyun persisted.

"I'm one of the software traps."

"What about us not being totally cured?" Hyun asked, sounding frustrated.

"It doesn’t matter." I smiled again. "It's only relevant if we were going to Earth. We are not. We are going to Anixia."

Chapter 61

The Prophecy

I was surprised when M-Seer did not send a message saying he wanted to see me. I decided to write a comprehensive reoirt–well, more a synopsis–of the events, most to ensure I didn't leave anything out when he decided to debrief me. Then I wrote a list of it would be nice to have items if anyone asked. In addition, I spent a day at the inquiry concerning the attempted mutiny. All-in-all, I was so busy, I was surprised when M-Seer sent word to see him, and I found that a week had gone by. Now I was worried. Didn't he want to know what I did on our expedition, or did he know from Oracle or some other source and was unhappy with what I did or didn't do? Because I was satisfied with what we accomplished didn't mean he was. Maybe the rumor about the cure only being effective for a limited time… By the time the lift deposited me on the shelf, I had a cruiser-sized headache. Maybe it was a good thing, and he would send me back to the fighter unit or…banishment.

"Kayla, why so depressed-looking?" M-Seer asked, surprising me out of my endless speculations. When I looked up, he sat in his normal chair; however, there were five other Anixians seated in a semicircle and, judging by their robes, the leaders of the six houses. I was obviously in way more trouble than I had imagined. "Sit, child, before you faint." When I did, his voice box spoke, "Marie, get Kayla something to drink. She looks pale." Shortly afterward, the little old lady appeared with my preferred Almond coffee.

"If you didn't warn her the Anixia counsel would be present, you probably scared her to death," Marie said in a mother-to-child tone.

"I apologize Kayla. The Law House has a story, actually, a prophecy, to tell you. One every Anixia House has been waiting to materialize. He nodded to a female great grey owl.

Two hundred years ago, my great grandfather, the Grey Seer, made a prophecy:

The Anixia will soon be plagued by destructive creatures.

Who will destroy the land's ability to maintain life.

To survive, the Anixia must make a two-hundred-year plan.

Anixia must be prepared to hide while they await a wingless Anixian.

The Anixian who will lead us back from the brink of despair.

We knew we must prepare for war even though we are not a war-like people. So we sent our small space force in search of a place to hide. We found an unclaimed planet similar to Earth's Permian period with suitable climate to grow food, support animal life, and had minerals that could be mined to manufacture what we would need. It also had an asteroid field. And we discovered Earth. Those three discoveries form the core of our two-hundred-year plan. We moved a large portion of our population and equipment there and began to grow food and plants for our pharmaceuticals, and created manufacturing facilities within several of the asteroids. The plan had just begun to develop when the Tullizor appeared as the Grey Seer had predicted. We built Oracle to fight them as we are a peaceful nation that does not believe in violence. When that didn't work, we found an incentive to enlist humans into our military. The only problem has been, the candidates have had very little military experience, making them more or less equal to the Tullizor. That would be sufficient except the Tullizor have a large population to draw on to replace their losses, whereas we don't."

"We have been waiting for an Anixian to be born without feathers for two hundred years," M-Seer said and laughed. "The Grey Seer meant born without feathers and wings but not an Anixian. We now understand. He saw a human–a person without feathers or wings–would come to Anixia and be accepted as an Anixian. It was difficult to believe that the person Gray Seer predicted would be young, without any military experience, and a woman. I suspected it after you developed the K-box and used it to defeat the Tullizor's five cruisers with no losses. I knew it after you defeated six Tullizor cruisers with one Anixia cruiser. If that were not enough, the results of your expedition are clear proof. Kayla, we believe you are the one the Grey Seer predicted would come to lead us back to our old ways.

To be continued…