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Chapter 14 - Chapter 14

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The pod was packed and ready to go. Ally and the captain had two phasers, fully charged, their sleek metal surfaces gleaming under the dim lights of the Letanya's bay. While waiting for NASA's reply, the officers had mapped out their strategy in the cramped command center, poring over holographic maps of the planet's surface. The kidnappers and the away team would descend from the mountain ridge, crossing a vast, level plain on their way to the village—a cluster of primitive structures visible on the ship's long-range scanners. The plain offered the perfect opportunity for a bold intervention, a chance to turn the tide of this disastrous mission.

They planned to land the pod on the plain, close enough to scare the bejesus out of the humanoids with the roar of the engines and the glint of the pod's hull under the alien sun. Then both she and the captain would jump out, phasers set to stun, neutralizing anyone who dared try to stop them. They would free the crew, get Greta and the doc into the bobsled, and leave the captain and Jorja behind with the C4 and blasting caps to handle the cleanup.

After the pod left, the two astronauts would pack up any gear left behind, sneak back up the mountain ridge, and return to the damaged shuttle. They'd fill the pod with enough C4 to blow it into little pieces—they couldn't leave it to be discovered later, a technological relic that would further violate the Prime Directive. Then they'd walk out onto the dry riverbed, its cracked, dusty surface stretching under the alien sky, and wait for Ally's return. When she came back for them, they'd detonate the explosives, leaving no trace of their presence, and fly back to the ship. Simple, yet elegant. Now, if only NASA would approve the plan.

Kate paced the command center, her boots clicking against the metal floor. The weight of the mission pressed on her shoulders, heavier than the artificial gravity of the Letanya. She glanced at the holographic display, where the three yellow dots representing her crew blinked steadily, moving slowly across the plain. They're alive, she told herself, clinging to that small comfort. But the memory of Hunter's scathing message gnawed at her. His words echoed in her mind: Perhaps a more experienced crew could have avoided the humanoids. The accusation stung, not because it was true, but because it dismissed the skill and sacrifice of her team. She had trained them herself, handpicked each member for their expertise and resilience. This wasn't their fault—it was hers for not anticipating every variable in this uncharted galaxy.

The incoming signal light flashed, pulling Kate from her thoughts. "Here we go," she said, her voice steady despite the knot in her stomach.

Hunter got right to the point, his image flickering on the screen. "We've reviewed your plan and reluctantly agree that a well-executed rescue mission is preferable to leaving Americans behind on the planet to influence the native population. It is unfortunate that your away team has already violated the Prime Directive. Perhaps a more experienced crew could have avoided the humanoids." Kate seethed, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

"However, under no circumstances can Captain Dyson leave the Letanya," he intoned from two million light-years away. "That ship represents billions of taxpayers' dollars, and you're not going to leave it up there alone for some salvage crew to come along."

What salvage crew this might be in the middle of the Andromeda Galaxy, he didn't say. Kate's jaw tightened. Typical Hunter, she thought. Hiding behind vague threats and bureaucratic nonsense.

"This order comes from the highest level," he continued. To Kate, that meant he came up with it himself. "Commander Egerton is to go down alone and attempt a rescue. Captain Dyson will monitor the operation from orbit. Lt. Commander Smith will return to the damaged shuttle alone to destroy it and await pickup. Report as soon as you have successfully completed your mission. Over and out."

Kate sank back into her seat, the air leaving her lungs in a frustrated huff. Dammit! I knew I should've just gone ahead! For a moment, she imagined defying Hunter's orders, launching the pod with Ally and charging into the fray herself. The image was tempting—her standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her crew, phaser in hand, reclaiming her team from the humanoids. But her training held her back like an iron tether. To violate a direct order would be career suicide. She had invested too much of her life in the space agency to throw it away on a reckless impulse. Yet sending Ally down alone was frighteningly risky, a gamble with lives she couldn't bear to lose.

Shit!

"OK, suit up. Looks like we have our marching orders. You're going alone."

Kate thought the commander looked a little stricken when she heard the captain wouldn't be coming along. Ally's face, usually composed, betrayed a flicker of fear before she masked it with a nod. Kate hated putting her in this position, but orders were orders.

Standing by the pod ten minutes later, Ally ran her hands over the controls, double-checking the systems. She paused, realizing she would not be able to wear the spacesuit. "I can't jump out and fire weapons with a helmet obscuring my vision. Not to mention that I'd have to take my gloves off first."

The captain didn't like it until Ally pointed out that Greta and the doc also would be without suits for the return trip. Because of the tight quarters on the Letanya, there was only one spacesuit per person, plus one spare, and the away team's suits were probably left behind at the other shuttle site.

Kate had a better idea, her mind racing to adapt to the new constraints. She ordered Ally to stow her suit aboard, plus the captain's and the spare. Once the humanoids were overpowered, three of them could dress for the return trip. If the canopy had been cracked on landing, at least the three would be able to survive the trip back through the thin atmosphere. Ally nodded. It made sense. "You'll be OK up here without a suit?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Kate said, forcing a smile to mask her unease. She stood alone in the bay, watching Ally secure the suits, her movements precise despite the weight of the mission. Kate couldn't shake the feeling that she was sending her commander into a trap, but she had no choice.

In twenty minutes, Ally was ready, strapped into the pod and awaiting the captain's signal. Kate leaned over the console, her fingers hovering over the release button. "Letanya to Eagle Two, can you read me?"

"Loud and clear, sir."

Kate checked to make sure Ally's subcutaneous transponder was operating normally, its signal a faint reassurance in the chaos. She released the pod, her voice steady despite her racing heart. "Good luck, commander."

"Roger, captain."

Ally sat in the pilot's seat, her hands steady on the controls as the pod detached from the Letanya with a soft thud. The stars blurred outside the canopy as she plummeted through the atmosphere, the hull vibrating with the heat of reentry. She extended the wings, stabilizing the craft, and checked her heads-up display for the landing site. Three yellow dots blinked at the edge of the plain, their movement slow but steady. Good, they were clear of the trees. She was going to catch the humanoids flat-footed, their primitive weapons no match for her training and technology.

"Letanya, this is Eagle Two. Have sighted the party. Am going in."

"Roger, Eagle Two. Good luck," Kate said, letting her fingers cross again. She stared at the console, the yellow dots her only connection to her crew. The weight of her decision pressed harder now, each second stretching into eternity as she waited for Ally's next transmission.

Ally guided the pod in, taking aim at the yellow dots, then sliding to the left just before she touched down. The plain stretched out before her, a sea of golden grass under the alien sky. She wanted to be close enough to see the expressions on the faces of the natives—shock, fear, confusion—and close enough to stun them as soon as she cleared the pod. Her heart pounded, but her training held firm. She was ready to bring her crew home, no matter the cost.

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