Along the Watchtower: A Gritty Space Opera Adventure (Frontier's Reach Book 4) Read online

  Copyright © 2019 Robert C. James

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  This book is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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  Welcome

  Welcome to Frontier’s Reach. Along the Watchtower is the fourth book in a series following the exploits of the Cargo Ship Argo and a cast of recurring characters. The installments will be released as serials, with overriding arcs spanning several books.

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  Thank you and enjoy.

  Robert C. James

  ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

  FRONTIER’S REACH BOOK 4

  ROBERT C. JAMES

  Contents

  Welcome

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Author’s Notes

  Connect with the Author

  Chapter 1

  October 31, 2213

  Caput Mundi House – Istanbul, Earth

  “I won them the war, and this is how they repay me?”

  President Glendon Jarret clenched his jaw and slammed his fist against his desk. “Where are the polls at their worst?”

  His media advisor, Patrick Ryland, viewed his data tablet. “Your numbers continue to struggle on Centauri. But that’s not unexpected.”

  “Naturally,” Glendon lamented. “I shouldn’t have agreed to give those people back the vote after the war.”

  “Your popularity has also fallen across the outer worlds,” Ryland continued. “Our polling in those population centers reveal Marauder attacks, and any backlash if they should want to declare their independence concerns them the most.”

  “What about Earth?”

  “Support is slipping further. There are areas where you’re still favored, but it has been dwindling every year you’ve been in office.”

  They’ve betrayed me. It was universally agreed that if he wasn’t elected during the Earth-Centauri War, it would’ve waged much longer than it had. More people would be dead. The conflict may have even been lost. To be thrown out of office after one term would be an embarrassment.

  “I’ve heard enough. Send in Ntini.”

  Ryland nodded and exited. Glendon stood and walked over to the window, taking in the vast skyscrapers of Istanbul. The gorgeous old-world architecture complemented the modern metropolis.

  Napoleon Bonaparte once remarked that if Earth ever had one true capital city, it should be Constantinople. Where east meets west. When the commonwealth was formed, the founders had taken his advice.

  Glendon often thought about the emperors of the ancient town and wondered if any of them could’ve imagined that one day the fate of not only Earth, but many other worlds, would be decided on the same patch of dirt, where they once stood.

  The door to the office opened, and Luan Ntini stepped in. Glendon turned to his chief of staff, who ambled to the front of the desk with his hands behind his back.

  “You’ve looked at the polls?”

  Luan nodded. “This morning.”

  “I’m in trouble, Luan.”

  “As with all opinion polls from the Martian Tribune, we must be wary of how often it swings.”

  “You know as well as I, even if it’s a slight outlier, all the other polls confirm they’re in the same ballpark.” Glendon sat behind his desk. “Our internal surveys show similar problems throughout the commonwealth.”

  Luan sat across from him. The sage old man had been the president’s confidant since he’d taken office and was the rock of his administration.

  “If things stay as they are,” Glendon continued, “I will lose the election in a year’s time.”

  “I won’t lie—”

  “Good, because I don’t pay you to.”

  “If we follow the same trajectory we’re on now, not only are you going to lose but you’ll face a wipeout like no other president has since the founding of the United Earth Commonwealth.”

  Glendon narrowed his eyes at the portraits of the various presidents who had come before him, wondering how loyal the people were to them. “I was their savior.”

  “To be blunt, Mister President, the public don’t care. You were who they needed in wartime. Now they want a leader during the peace.” Luan steepled his fingers. “The British hailed Winston Churchill in a similar light during World War II. But that didn’t stop his soldiers returning home and voting him out of office. And he didn’t have to contend with…”

  Glendon glared at his as chief of staff, while Luan trailed off mid-sentence. “You were saying?”

  Luan cleared his throat. “He didn’t have to contend with concerted opposition objecting to his use of tritonium weapons ending the war.”

  “See, that’s what I pay you for.” Glendon stood and paced behind his desk. He pondered about the main issue he’d had since the end of the rebellion. By forcing its conclusion with tritonium weapons, not only were pacifists protesting against him, he had an opposition leader in the parliament constantly calling him a war criminal. How easily the sheep are swayed.

  “Well, we know what the problem is, what do we do about it?”

  Luan’s eyes betrayed a man who’d had restless nights thinking of just that. “Win Earth and win the presidency. If we can gain back the swings here, it won’t matter how the rest of the commonwealth votes.”

  “Any ideas?”

  Luan opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Glendon’s secretary’s voice rang out over the intercom.

  “Mister President, the Minister of Defense is here to see you.”

  “Send him in.”

  The door to the office once again swung ajar, and Minister Takashi strode in. “Mister President,” he greeted his superior.

  Glendon put a hand out to take a seat next to Luan. “What brings you here today? I thought you were in Miami.”

  “It’s actually Miami that brings me here, Mister President.”

  “Oh?”

  “Do you remember the briefing I gave you on the Orion V incident?”

  “Of course.” How could I forget?

  The mystery of what had happened at the far-flung mining operation had been foremost on his mind ever since he’d received word of its destruction. The fleet carrier, Repulse, which he’d sent out, had found few answers. If anything, they’d discovered more mysterie
s with the Vanguard’s debris in orbit.

  Analysts assumed someone found out about the discovery of the ancient extraterrestrial artifact beneath the planet’s surface, and possibly of the extraterrestrial the Vanguard was transporting there.

  Glendon wanted answers before anything hit the presses. If his presidency wasn’t already in trouble, it would be with the death of over a thousand people near the Reach.

  “Do you remember me mentioning the Argo?” Takashi asked.

  “The cargo ship that had logged a flight plan to Frontier’s Reach from Vesta III?”

  None of the analysts believed the Argo responsible for what happened at Orion V. It was more likely they were responding to a distress call, as their buyer from Tau-Zeta claimed.

  “Well, Mister President, the Argo has appeared, and they’re heading for Outpost Watchtower as we speak.”

  Glendon raised an eyebrow. “Has there been any communications broadcast by the Argo?”

  “Only that they’ve got damage and an injured Doctor Susan Tai on board.”

  “Susan Tai? The doctor from TIAS?”

  Takashi nodded.

  “Which confirms the Argo was at Orion V. They could know a great deal. Is the Repulse nearby?”

  “It is.”

  “Good. Make arrangements with Admiral Mueller to intercept the Argo. They mustn’t reach Outpost Watchtower. Also ensure any further communications are jammed.”

  “Yes, Mister President.”

  Glendon sat in his chair and peered over at Luan. He pondered and looked back at Takashi. “Do we happen to have any Zero-Five operatives in the area?”

  Takashi fidgeted in his seat. “We do.”

  While Glendon didn’t want to use them, their skills in this situation may be required. “Liaise with the Minister of Intelligence. Put them on standby.”

  “Yes, Mister President.”

  “Okay, that’ll be all.”

  Takashi stood and left the office, closing the door behind him.

  Luan stared at Glendon. “Will Zero-Five be necessary?”

  Glendon shrugged. “It’s best to plan for all contingencies, just in case…” He decided to change the subject. “Now, where were we? That’s right. You were going to tell me how to win next year’s election.”

  Chapter 2

  November 1, 2213

  Cargo Ship Argo

  “Unable to achieve commlink.”

  Jason Cassidy shook his head at the computer’s confirmation. After contacting Outpost Watchtower and apprising them of the Argo’s situation, all communications in the area were jammed. He wasn’t surprised. He knew how the military worked.

  Jason peered through the viewport at the stars ahead. The Argo’s return trip through trans-space was successful. Just as last time, the crew were all knocked out from the effects of the trans-space corridor and awoke upon the ship’s departure from the vortex. What’d been unusual was they hadn’t exited at Orion V where Professor Petit had expected. He’d theorized it was because the corridor had decayed since their first journey through it.

  Luckily, however, it put them half a light-year closer to Outpost Watchtower where they were heading for the aid they desperately needed. That’s if we get there.

  Jason turned back to the console and ran his hands over the keypad. The comms may have been jammed, but he knew a few tricks from his days in the service.

  “Data packet sent.”

  He smiled and stood, walking from the bridge, leaving the autopilot to do its thing. In the A Deck corridor, he bumped into the hulking figure of Conrad Althaus.

  The man was a wreck. He’d taken Tyler’s passing worse than anyone else, which was saying something considering how sick Jason felt. There’s been too much death.

  The pair stared at each other. There was nothing to say. Althaus brushed by him and walked through the hatchway onto the bridge.

  Past the elevator shaft, Jason entered the engine room. Spare parts were scattered everywhere. Since they’d exited the trans-space corridor, it’d been all hands on deck to repair the small cargo ship. He poked his head around, wondering where everyone was.

  A noise came from one of the maintenance junctions. It was Aly. She slid out, looking grimier than usual.

  “How’s it coming?” Jason asked.

  “Getting there slowly.” Aly threw down a set of fried linkages on the maintenance console.

  “Where’s Professor Petit? I thought he was helping you.”

  “He was, but Doctor Tai was waking up for the day, and I said he should go and see her.”

  “That’s fair.” His mind wandered.

  “Are you okay?”

  He wasn’t. How can I be with everything that’s happened? During his time in the service, every leader he’d served under had kept their emotions in check. They didn’t waver, appearing as if they were always in control.

  Since listening to Tyler’s last will and testament, putting him in command of the Argo, there’d been an incredible weight on his shoulders. He hadn’t remembered what responsibility felt like. Regardless, he had to get his people home.

  What he’d do after that, however, was something else entirely. As long as he was far away from the Argo, he didn’t really care.

  “I’m fine.”

  She looked at him knowingly. “Uh-huh?”

  He could tell she saw straight through him. “Keep me updated with your progress.”

  Aly nodded, and Jason strolled from the engine room and turned into the infirmary. He peered through the observation screen at Doctor Susan Tai lying in her bed with Petit and Kione sitting beside her.

  Kevin Rycroft appeared alongside Jason. He was tired like everyone else. Kevin always had a youthful glint in his eye, but with the hell they’d been through, it was all but gone.

  “How’s our patient?” Jason asked him.

  “She’s not getting any better.” Kevin rubbed his hands over his eyes. “If we don’t get her to a proper medical facility soon, she’ll die.”

  Enough people have died out here.

  “What about Kione? Has he exhibited any of those mental powers since leaving the weapon ship?”

  “It doesn’t appear so. Whatever connection he had with the sphere is gone, along with any of his abilities.” Kevin leaned on the door, almost slipping down it. “How long until we reach Outpost Watchtower?”

  “Two days. Will she hold on?”

  “I believe so. Do you think we’ll make the outpost?”

  It was a question Jason had wondered himself since the comms had been jammed. “I hope so.”

  Kevin put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “If you need me, I’ll be in the galley getting a coffee.”

  He disappeared into the corridor, and Jason nudged the door open to the infirmary. Tai was sleeping. Over the speakers, a piece of classical music was playing.

  Jason stared at Kione. It was hard to take his eyes off him. Even after all they’d been through, the extraterrestrial still astonished him. He was a far cry from The Bug People of Alpha Prime. He chuckled remembering the horrible show.

  Petit stood and strode over to him. “Mister Cassidy, I hope you don’t mind me leaving the engine room for—”

  Jason shook his head. “Please, we appreciate all the help you’ve given us. I know you and Doctor Tai are friends.” He pointed up to the speakers. “What’s this?”

  “Ode to Joy. Beethoven.”

  “Not many people are into the classics these days.”

  “Captain Marquez played it for her. I guess she finds it comforting.”

  “Bridge to Jason.” It was Althaus.

  “Go ahead,” Jason said, pulling his commband toward his mouth.

  “The scanners have picked up a bogey heading our way. It’s a commonwealth carrier.”

  Jason’s stomach churned. They’ve sent in the big guns.

  *

  The giant CDF ship heaved out of FTL and approached the Argo. Her immense size filled the bridge’s viewport. During the
war, whenever Jason saw a carrier it was a joyous sight. Now it just made him nervous.

  “I’m detecting a pair of fighters heading our way,” Althaus said from the operations station.

  Overkill much?

  The two craft emerged from the stern of the huge vessel and veered toward the Argo on an intercept course.

  “They’re opening a commlink.”

  Jason took a seat in the captain’s chair. “Let’s hear it.”

  “Cargo Ship Argo, this is Admiral Kostecki of the fleet carrier Repulse. Stop your engines and go to maneuvering thrusters. Our fighters will escort you to our hangar deck. On arrival, prepare for boarding.”

  Jason never much liked being told what to do. “This is—”

  “The commlink’s been cut off.”

  “Sons of bitches hung up on me!”

  Aly and Kevin appeared from the hatchway. Both their faces were riddled with concern.

  Jason ordered Kevin to the helm. “Do as they’ve instructed. Let them show us the way in.”

  Kevin took the controls while Aly stood by Jason’s side. Within moments, the darkness of space disappeared, and the Argo found itself in the new surroundings of the Repulse’s hangar deck.

  With a thud, Kevin brought the old girl down. After the hangar deck pressurized, a team of Marines bounded toward the Argo.

  “Open the rear access ramp,” Jason said.

  Althaus stared at him for a moment, then relented. He knew as well as Jason they’d come aboard regardless. It’d be better they didn’t involve explosives.

  The ramp came down, and the Marines stepped on board. A few minutes later, they were on the bridge. Jason swiveled in his seat to face them while Aly clenched the arm of his chair.

  From behind the Marines, a woman with commander rank pins on her collar strode toward him. “Tyler Cassidy?”

  Jason twitched at his brother’s name. He remained in his seat and crossed his arms. A hush permeated around the bridge.