Chapter 12

Chief of the angelic guards, awaiting night;
About him exercised heroic games
The unarmed youth of Heaven, but nigh at hand
Celestial armory, shields, helms, and spears,
Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold.
- John Milton -

Ninja looked up at Angie. "I have detected a Dragon ship in this system. It is at 10 AU and on course to this planet."

Angie's heart rate increased. "Take us out of orbit, Delphi. Put us in an orbit around the main moon so that we will be hidden from the Dragon ship when it approaches."

"Yes, Angie."

"Are we going to engage them?" Marty asked.

"No. This is a golden opportunity. I believe that they come to this planet on a regular basis to abduct people, and if my hunch is correct, they do it during Festival. That is when these people let their guard down. We'll let the bastards have their way and then follow them to wherever they take them.

"Will you alert our leader about this threat?" Gem-Ado asked.

"I've already tried to talk to your leader, but I'm afraid that she is in the rapture of Festival and cannot react. I promised her that I would find her people that have been abducted from this planet and rescue them. The only way that I can do that is to locate where they are being taken."

"I understand."

"We'll use the biometric probe to keep an eye on the Dragons," Angie said. "But, I want you to assemble a rescue team if things go badly."

"Yes, Admiral," Marty replied.

The next hours passed with much anxiety. The Dragon ship inserted into orbit around Gem-Ado's planet and dropped a large auxiliary ship to accommodate their captives. By use of the insect probes, George and Ferris kept track of them. They were surprised when the Dragons took many pregnant females.

"Keep alert, people," Angie said. "We have to calculate where the Dragon ship goes into jump and then determine the star in line with their insertion point."

"The Dragon ship is moving out of orbit," Ninja reported.

"Take us out of orbit, Delphi, but keep back from the Dragon ship."

"Yes, Angie. I will determine their jump insertion point and trajectory."

"Do it, Delphi."

As they followed behind the accelerating Dragon ship, Angie kept everyone alert. When it jumped, Delphi had a report.

"The star to which they are jumping has been determined, Angie."

"Thank you, Delphi."

"You are welcome, Angie."

"That star is 41.2 light years from here, and it's a typical G2 V dwarf," Karl said. "Its spectra indicates a high metallicity."

"Take us to jump speed, Delphi."

"Yes, Angie."

When the jump was completed, Angie issued orders. "Stay alert. This is a Dragon system."

"There are four inner planets," George said. "Planet four looks promising."

"Planet four has a decent atmosphere," Lucia said. "The mean temperature is 280 K."

"That planet has a sizable oxygen peak," Anna said.

"Take us to the fourth planet, Delphi."

"Yes, Angie."

"Prepare your landing team for combat," Angie told Marty. "I want to rescue the captives and then destroy this place."

"Yes, Admiral."

Marty assembled his landing team on the equipment deck. The landing party included Ninja, Lia, Karl, Jean-Michel and Uma, along with Moto, Sata, Toma and Kara, the Drak females. Andy and Tiana were assigned to the X-402 for ground support. Marty took the X-403 for transport of his combat team.

Marty planned the strategy of the attack on a large screen. "Here is the camp, and it's a typical Dragon layout, except for one major difference: It sits on top of a mound. I don't think that we want to attempt an assault up the slopes. We'll have to drop in. Delphi can hover the ship while we repel down."

"Won't we make a good target?" Jean-Michel said.

"We'll have the X-402 divert their attention while we drop in." He clapped his hands. "Okay, people suit up, lock and load 'em."

Marty allowed the X-402 to launch first before he plunged the X-403 into the planet's atmosphere. Neither ship attracted missiles. The X-402 shot plasma balls into all of the known Dragon troop concentrations while Marty and his combat team dropped into the center of the camp complex. As soon as they were on the ground they drew fire.

"Take cover, Marty yelled. "Return fire."

The battle turned chaotic as Marty and his team ran for cover. Ninja, Uma and the Drak females formed a fire zone to provide cover for Marty, Lia, Karl and Jean-Michel as they hurried to move in from the flanks of the Dragon defenders. Ninja and Moto dropped mortar shells on the enemy position, allowing Marty and the rest to attack.

Unfortunately, a group of Dragons counter attacked. Heavy enemy fire pinned Marty, Lia and Karl down. Seeing this, Ninja and the Drak females attacked. One of the Drak females was hit. Another fell. Marty blasted the Dragons while on a run to check out the casualties. Ninja joined him. Lia, Karl, Uma and Jean-Michel came up behind the enemy, firing as fast as they could.

Uma fired a rocket-propelled grenade into the enemy position, scoring a direct hit. Lia poured shots into several enemy, while Karl and Jean-Michel mopped up.

Marty checked one of the Drak females, but she had taken a hit to her hand. He sprayed an analgesic-disinfectant on the wound and ran to the other fallen Drak. Her wound was serious. The energy beam had scored a direct hit on her abdomen, causing internal burning.

In the meantime, Lia, Uma, and Jean-Michel had begun the task of rounding up the captives. When Marty looked up at them from the seriously wounded Drak, he gasped.

"Hey, Angie, we have problems down here."

"What's wrong?"

"One of the Drak females is seriously wounded. She's taken a hit in the abdomen. I don't like the looks of it. I think you should send a Lander down here so that we can get her back up to Onuki as soon as possible."

"Why don't you get the X-402 to do it?"

"That gets me to the other problem. We have a bunch of pregnant females down here, and some of them look like they're ready to give birth at any minute. We also have a bunch of babies and children of all ages."

"Shit. This is going to be a real nightmare."

"Okay, here's how we'll do it," Marty said. "We'll send some of the near term females up with the wounded Drak. Then we'll transport the adults. That way they'll be ready for the children."

"Copy that. I'll send Masai, Anna, Lucia and Gem-Ado down in Landers."

"We'll be ready."

Marty gathered his team. "We're going to send the near term females up with Sata. The adults will go next and then the children. You're task is to calm them."

"Gee, thanks," Lia quipped.

###

Marty joined Onuki and Ferris as they examined pregnant human, pseudo-human and near term females from Gem-Ado's planet. In fact, they had already delivered five of them--two boys and three girls. Marty had fashioned small cargo bins into bassinettes for a makeshift nusery.

"How's Sata doing?"

"She is stable," Onuki said. "Only time will tell if my stem cell treatment will work. She has some interesting DNA variations."

"That's great, but we're going to be up to our ears in babies if all of these pregnant women pop at the same time."

"We can handle them. You and Anna have medical training."

"I know how to patch up battlefield wounds, not deliver babies."

"You will do fine," Onuki told him.

"I'll go get Anna, and we'll round up the pregnant females," Marty said.

Onuki nodded. When Marty left, she turned to Ferris. "You will need to alter your theory about the people of Gem-Ado's planet. Some of the females from that species are not at full term."

Ferris squinted. "Yes, that is most perplexing. That would infer that these aliens mate at times that don't coincide with Festival."

Onuki smiled. "Perhaps, there are small Festivals year round."

Ferris smiled. "Perhaps."

Uma, Lucia, Karl were trying to calm the children. They had organized some of the older teens to act as big brothers and sisters to the younger children. They marveled at how easily children handled racial differences. If only adults would be as unbiased.

"How's it going down there?" Angie asked Marty when he showed up on the command deck. "We're five minutes away from jump."

"We'll be okay. Onuki has the children sedated. The critical deliveries have been made and the rest are in their seats."

"Great. Good job."

The jump proceeded well, with minimum effect on the former captives. A few people screamed, but nobody fainted or retched.

"We have entered normal space, Angie."

"Take us down to 1000 kps, Delphi. Open a COM to the X-3001."

"Long range scans reveal a battle in progress between the X-3001, assisted by a Drak fleet, against a Dragon fleet," Ninja said.

"Cancel COM to the X-3001, Delphi. Take us to the battle."

"Yes, Angie."

She turned to Marty. "You and Ninja take one of the fighters and let Andy and Tiana take another and go help Brian."

"Yes, Admiral."

Marty, Ninja, Andy, and Tiana rushed to the main hangar deck. They wasted no time in making ready to launch two fighters. When they arrived at the location of the battle, they beheld a chaotic scene. Drak ships were engaging Dragon ships in a melee.  The X-3002 was limping off with damage. Dragon ships that were behaving like swarming bees surrounded them while one of the fighters from the X-3001 was trying desperately to get them off its mother ship's back surrounded the X-3001.

Both fighters from the X-4001 tore into the swarm, breaking it up and giving the X-3001 a chance to maneuver around. Marty and Ninja swept through the main part of the split swarm, blasting several to oblivion. Andy and Tiana decided to pick them off on the periphery one at a time. Meanwhile, the X-3001 began blasting whole groups with plasma bombs.
When the swarm had been destroyed, the X-3001 and the three fighters went to the X-3002's aid. The damaged ship was still trying to put up a good fight, but was taking more hits than a tomato patch in a hail storm. With the extra help, the swarm that was harassing the X-3002 was decimated.

Soon the Drak ships were mopping up what was left of the Dragon fleet, and the battle was over.

"Commander Leonenko, what is your status?" Marty asked after Delphi had established COM.

"Our shields are at minimum. Engines are down. We are leaking air on Deck 3. Both of our fighters, the X-406 and the X-407, were destroyed. We also have one dead and five wounded."

"Is Delphi still functioning?"

"Yes."

"Have her send out repair bots to fix the leak. Initiate repairs to the engines. We'll transfer your wounded to the X-402 and transport them back to our doctor."

"Yes, Commander."

"Delphi, open COM to the X-3001."

"Yes, Martin."

"Hey, Brian, what's you status?"

"I'm still in one piece, old buddy. I only have one fighter, but we sure kicked a lot of ass in this battle. Thanks for the timely help."

"Hey, that's what buddies are for. Listen, you might have to help Andriy. Okay?"

"No problem."

"I'll get back to you after I give the Admiral a report," Marty told him.

"I'm not going anywhere, old buddy."

"Over and out."

"What in the hell's going on over there?" Angie asked.

"Andriy's ship is busted up bad. Brian's is okay. They lost three fighters, and Andriy had one dead and five wounded."

"Shit."

"I'm bringing the wounded back."

"Good. We're diverting to the planet to unload our cargo. We'll meet you there."

"Copy that."

"Oh, and by the way, if you talk to the Drak commander, tell him that we have some information about the Dragons as well as some weapon technology that we'll share with them."

"Do you think that wise?"

"It's pretty obvious that we need their help," Angie said. "You can figure out what to bargain for, but we'll need all the help we can get now. I'll probably have to send the X-3002 back to Earth with the humans that we've rescued, along with my report. With only two ships and four fighters, we don't stand much of a chance in a major battle."

"Agreed. Okay, I'll get back to you."

"I have COM request from a Drak ship, Martin."

"Open it, Delphi."

"COM open, Martin."

"This is Commander Sinclair. How may I help you?"

"We have defeated a large Dragon fleet, you and me. We are strong together."

"Yes we are," Marty said. "We have some information about the enemy and some new weapon technology that we will share with you. We must get together and discuss it."

Silence for several seconds. "We are interested. Where and when?"

"May I and my second officer come to your ship?"

"Yes. You can enter the storage chamber at the aft section."

"We will."

"Open COM to the X-4001, Delphi."

"COM open, Martin."

"Change in plans, Angie. Can you send the information to me in a form that the Drak commander can access?"

"I'll get Lia on it. Expect a transmission momentarily."

"Thanks."

The transmission took forty minutes to arrive. Marty recorded it on a micro-data disk before approaching the Drak command vessel. After a hangar door had opened to permit entry, he and Ninja entered and waited until the hangar was pressurized before exiting the fighter.
The Drak commander greeted Marty and Ninja with a salute that resembled something from Roman times: a fist in the chest. Both Marty and Ninja mimicked the salute.

"Welcome to my command ship," he said with some pride. "We have achieved a great victory this day. We have been searching for this fleet for a long time, and now we have defeated it."

"We have destroyed several enemy bases," Marty said. "But, I believe that the complete defeat of the enemy will be difficult. They originate in the large galaxy near ours."

"Come and we will discuss plans and strategies."

Marty and Ninja followed the Drak commander and his soldiers to a chamber with table and chairs. Marty handed the data disk to the commander and waited while his technicians scanned it. What they saw astonished them. Plans for very effective weapons were detailed.

"We are interested in this," the Drak commander said. "What do you want in return for this?"

Marty looked at Ninja and then at the Drak commander. "We have rescued many of your females from the enemy. I am not certain, but I believe we have a hundred of them, give or take a few. Give them to us and that will be payment."

They hissed. The commander appeared pleased. "If you consider our females as currency, we are wealthy beyond measure. You may have as many as you wish."

"It is a deal," Marty said. "We will share any additional information about the enemy with you. We look forward to battle."

"We are ready for battle, Commander."

When Marty and Ninja got back to the X-4001, the transfer of Dragon captives had just begun. When Marty arrived on the command deck, he found Angie in conversation with the Superior Reagent.

"We have a request, Commander," the Reagent said. "We require the services of Masai for fourteen of our rotational cycles."

"I will inform her at once. We will transport her to the surface shortly."

"Thank you, Commander."

Angie turned to Marty. "How'd it go?"

"I got the Drak females as payment. I already sent Ninja, Moto and Kata to the refuge camp to prepare them for service."

"Very good. We can certainly use them. What about the X-3002?"

"Repairs are progressing nicely. Andy and Tiana got the wounded back to Onuki and Ferris. The good doctors seem to think that they will recover."

"Good. I think that I will send the X-3002 back to Earth with the humans as soon as it is ready for the trip. We need help back here. This operation has become too big for just two ships to handle."

"I hope that they send help," Marty said. "We need it."

###

Angie, Ferris and Onuki were taking a break in the recreational area. They had been going strong for 48 hours and fatigue was beginning to take hold. Gem-Ado came in and joined them.

Angie couldn't resist the urge to know. "Gem-Ado, we would like to discuss a delicate matter."

"I will answer you as well as I can," Gem-Ado said.

"We have concluded that your males only procreate when they are whipped during Festival. However, we have seen that some of your pregnant females appear to be out of sync with the Festival. How does that happen?"

Gem-Ado smiled. "You have discovered a secret. Men are punished for violations of our conduct codes. Women are not."

"That explains it," Angie said. "The men are whipped, are they not?"

"Yes. They are whipped as at Festival."

"If this is a secret, how do you know about it?"

"I have been chosen to punish them."

Angie, Ferris and Onuki exchanged looks of astonishment.

"What are the chances of us having two different species on board that have similarly weird practices?" Ferris said.

"What are the chances of having the females on board that do these punishments?" Angie said.

"Both of these species are matriarchal," Onuki said. "We humans represent an anomaly. The reptilian species are patriarchal and treat their females as chattel."

"Are you saying that matriarchal human societies hold men to more accountable norms of behavior?" Angie said.

"Yes," Onuki said. "In both cases, men are administered corporal punishments, but the women are not. And, in both cases, women administer the punishments."

"Interestingly, Birdie and Rosie's societies punish both sexes using corporal methods," Ferris said. "It would be interesting to determine how the Dragon aliens treat their females. I assume that the species is violent."

"Rosie said that the Dragons exhibit family values," Angie said. "She said that females are treated with respect."

"Interesting," Ferris said. She turned to Gem-Ado. "Do you derive pleasure from the punishment of men?"

"I do not understand the concept of pleasure. I look forward to doing it, if that is what you mean. As you are aware, our people have a strict code of modesty. Exposure of skin, other than that of the face or hands is forbidden. I am permitted to see all of the skin of the men that I punish. This is a privilege that most women are not afforded, except at Festival, but they are intoxicated with the rapture and do not remember what they have seen. I am not in rapture and remember everything."

Angie turned to Ferris. "Is that a yes?"

"I believe so."

"All we have to do now is get a yes out of Masai," Angie said, smiling.

She got smiles from both Ferris and Onuki.