The penultimate snippet from The Resolute, the latest episode in the Star Legend space fantasy series. This week we learn about the vessel of the title, a rather unusual ship. We also discover what’s happened to Major Wright since the storming of the Belladonna and capture of Dwyr Orr.

For earlier snippets, click here.​

Chapter Three

HMS Resolute was a grandiose name for a patrol boat, even a new boat of the latest design and top-of-the-range tech. When Colbourn had informed Wright of his new orders, she’d focused on the merits of the vessel, trying to spin the news into something better than it was. She’d emphasized he would be in command of his own ship, a very special ship. The fact that the brigadier hadn’t been able to look him in the eyes said everything. Basically, it was a demotion. After his damning psych assessment he had retained his rank, but as to his dignity, pride, and reputation…

He’d gone from serving aboard three of the most powerful and vital starships in the BA Space Fleet, the Valiant, the Fearless, and the Gallant, to twiddling his thumbs aboard a tin-pot vessel, patrolling the Australian coastline. Tasked with keeping watch for incursions into Alliance waters, all he could look forward to, probably for the rest of his career, was endless days at sea. Even if the EAC did decide to attack Oceania, his little boat’s role in the action would be minimal.

It was a hard pill to swallow, and he had a feeling it would remain stuck in his throat forever.

He leaned on the gunwale and gazed at Sydney Harbor, growing steadily closer as the Resolute cut through the water on her approach. He’d spent a brief time in the city before assuming his command, and he had fond memories of it. The buildings of the central district were sunk halfway into the ground and a network of pedestrian walkways and road tunnels connected them, leaving the tree-lined streets on the surface quiet and tranquil. The architectural style had been adopted hundreds of years ago, he’d learned, to cool the buildings and conserve energy as well as to protect from bush fires. It would be a great shame if the EAC got its hands on the place and plunged it into technological darkness.

The sun from a crystal sky beat on his back and glittered on the waves. He was uncomfortably hot in his stiff white uniform jacket, but he had to wear it to greet the Marines who would be joining the ship. He would be glad to get back to sea and informal working attire.

He straightened up and comm’d the helmsman, Warrant Officer Jeong. “How long until we dock?”

“About twenty minutes, sir.”

“Thanks. I’ll be in my cabin.”

“Aye aye, sir.”

He descended the ladder to the second deck and walked the narrow passageway to his compartment. Opening the door, he was hit by a smell.

“Shit.”

It was, literally.

He’d been house-training the cat Ellis had given him, Boots. His efforts were hit-and-miss, or, rather, the cat’s were.

He went to the litter tray in the corner and saw with relief this effort was a hit. As he was dealing with it and wondering whether a cat could be trained to use the head like a regular Marine, Boots came out from under his bunk and rubbed up against his leg. He awkwardly patted her.

He hadn’t been allowed pets as a child. His dad had been a clean freak. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with Boots, how to care for her, but he seemed to be doing okay. The cat appeared healthy and happy and she hadn’t tried to jump overboard yet. The last had been his greatest fear. If he ever saw Ellis again, he wouldn’t know how to tell her he’d drowned her cat.

He sat at his desk to go over the ship’s manifest. Five crew members would be leaving the ship when they docked and only three would be joining her. On the face of it, the loss of two Marines wasn’t significant, but it was a symptom of the difficult times. The Britannic Alliance had clawed back to global dominance by retaking the Caribbean, but its grip was weak.

All four branches of the military were stretched thin and each was finding it harder and harder to meet enlistment targets. Perhaps the younger generation felt the Alliance’s time was drawing to an end, or, with Ua Talman’s colony ships due to depart in a few years, people felt the future lay in the stars. He wasn’t sure. Either way, every military man and woman counted, now more than ever. That was why one particular name on the list of Marines joining the ship puzzled him.

Boots miaowed to be let out of the cabin. He opened the door. After staring at the gap for long seconds as if deciding what to do, the cat finally left.

Pets of any kind were against regulations, but he hadn’t even attempted to keep his a secret from the crew. At first, he’d justified his decision by telling himself a cat aboard ship would be good for morale, but finally he’d realized he just didn’t care about regulations anymore.

He opened a book on his interface to pass the remaining time until the boat docked.

***

The new crew members were standing together on the quay, kit bags at their feet. As soon as they spotted Wright walking down the gang plank followed by his lieutenant, the two men and one woman formed a line, stood to attention, and saluted.

“At ease,” he said. “Welcome to the Resolute.”

The man he was most interested in made eye contact but instantly looked forward again.

“I hope you have many happy days serving aboard her,” Wright went on. “Lieutenant Ford will take you to your berths and explain your duties. You can board now.”

The men and woman picked up their bags and began to file past him.

“Corporal Abacha,” he said. “As soon as you’ve settled in, come to my cabin.”

“Yes, sir,” the man replied, not breaking step.

It seemed an odd coincidence the man who had served under him had ended up on his ship. Marines usually aspired to be transferred from the surface to the Space Fleet. Movements in the opposite direction were rare and there was nothing about a transfer request in Abacha’s file. Maybe the Marine had done something to piss Colbourn off, and sending him to the Resolute, too, had immediately sprung to her mind as a suitable punishment.

There was a knock at his cabin door.

“Come in.”

Abacha looked uncertain as he entered, perhaps wondering why he’d been singled out to speak to his new CO.

The corporal was tall, stooping a little to get under the door jamb. Though he wasn’t burly, he was muscular, his neck muscles and biceps rounding out the lines of his shirt. If Wright hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed Ellis had defeated the man at hand-to-hand combat.

“Sorry,” said Wright, realizing Abacha had been waiting patiently for him to say something. “Take a seat.”

His look of confusion deepening, the corporal sat on the chair by the side of Wright’s desk and rested his hands on his knees.

Wright sat on his bunk. “Congratulations on your promotion.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I wanted to speak to you because, to be honest, I’m surprised our paths are crossing again.”

“I’m glad to be serving under you again, Major.”

After an awkward pause, Wright said, “Can I ask—”

A soft miaow sounded outside in the passageway.

Abacha’s eyes widened in surprise as he turned toward the sound.

Wright opened the door. “Uh, I might not be the only one you recognize aboard the Resolute.”

“Ha!” Abacha grinned with delight as the cat trotted in. “How on Earth did he get here?” Then he gave a slight shake of his head. “Huh, why am I asking? As if I didn’t know.”

“He?” asked Wright. “I thought Boots was a girl.”

“You did? Why would you think that?”

“I, er, I must have just assumed. I didn’t check.”

“Hey, little fella,” said Abacha, leaning down to pat the animal, apparently forgetting he was in the presence of his CO. “How have you been?”

From the way Boots readily leapt onto his lap, he clearly remembered Taylan’s friend.

“Gee, I used to hate this cat so much,” said Abacha. “Always shitting and pissing everywhere.”

“She…he still does that. But he’s getting better.”

The arrival of Boots had dissolved the awkward atmosphere.

“Do you know where Taylan is now?” Abacha asked, stroking the cat, a look of bemused nostalgia on his face.

Wright leaned backward and propped himself on his arms. “The last time I saw her, she was headed back to West BI.”

“Still looking for her kid,” Abacha said flatly.

“Kids, as I understand it. Two of them, pretty young, I think. That’s about as much as I know.”

“Ah. She never talked about them, but it wasn’t hard to guess what her problem was.”

I miss her.

Wright almost blurted his thought out loud but managed to stop himself just in time. What was wrong with him? He was forgetting his position. He could have made an embarrassing error in front of his subordinate. His terrible experiences in Jamaica, his de facto demotion, the loss of everything he’d worked for and believed in for most of his adult life…it was all getting to him.

He needed to get a grip.

But, then again, did he?

“Would you like a drink?” he asked. “A beer maybe?”

The corporal’s mouth fell open, but he wasn’t too shocked to refuse. “A beer would be very welcome, sir. It was hot out on the harbor waiting to be picked up.”

Wright took two cans from his refrigerator. There were some perks to being in command, no matter how small your boat was.

Handing one over, he said, “Abacha, I think I can be open with you. You seem like a good guy. Let’s face it, anyone who could put up with Ellis for any length of time has to be a saint.”

Abacha popped his can and took a long drink before replying, “Yeah, she’s a pain in the ass, that’s for sure. Whatever you want to tell me, it won’t leave this cabin, sir.”

“Right. Well, I was wondering, do you have any idea why you’re here?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Do you know why you were assigned to the Resolute in particular? It isn’t the most obvious career advancement after serving on the Valiant.”

“I don’t have any special duties, Major Wright, if that’s what you mean. I’m being straight with you.”

“I believe you, but, didn’t it strike you as strange that you would be transferred here?”

“It did. But I’m not in a position to question anything. I just do what I’m told.”

“Maybe the higher ups are holding something back from both of us.”

Warrant Officer Jeong comm’d him. Reflexively, he touched the implant behind his ear. “Yes?”

“We’re out of sight of land and visual contact with any other vessels, sir.”

“Okay, take us down.”

The ship’s speakers emitted three short, loud bleeps and a section of steel slid over the cabin window, cutting out the light. The cabin lights brightened in response. Boots jumped down from Abacha’s lap and went to hide under the bunk.

“Don’t worry,” Wright said in response to Abacha’s expression of alarm. “You’re perfectly safe.”

Clunks and whirrings sounded all around, and the ship juddered. Above them, the outer hull was extending to enclose the main deck, and the pressure hull was also rising around the bridge, which would become the control room. The Resolute’s hydrofoils also were converting into hydroplanes, and water was pouring into the main ballast tanks.

Within a couple of minutes, the transformation was complete. The ship began to submerge.

Wright remarked, “Yeah, the Resolute has a few secrets of her own.”

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this snippet from The Resolute, which goes live on Amazon on 24th September 2021.