he adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, and So Far From Home, continues in the final chapter The Voyage Home.
CHAPTER 3 A
The view screen showed the drones as they entered the gas cloud. Kacey sat on the edge of her seat as they listened to the pilots. The colors of the cloud shifted as the drones entered.
"Both drones have entered the cloud. The collectors have been activated and sensors are transmitting." The pilot stated.
"We are receiving data from the sensors." Natalia reported. "There are low levels of Theta radiation, as well as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ionized hydrogen, and E.M. radiation."
"Are you positive on those last two?" Kacey asked.
"That is what the sensors are reporting. Is there a problem with those?"
"They are highly destructive. How far inside are the drones?"
"Three kilometers."
"How close do the shuttles have to be to control the drones?" Kate asked.
"The drones are computerized. The shuttles are only there if the drones need a tow out." Kacey answered. "Bridge to Major Taggart."
"Go ahead Bridge."
"Jere, there are corrosive chemicals in that cloud. Back off to five kilometers."
"Understand Colonel. The collectors have several samples."
"The drones are seven kilometers inside." Natalia reported. "Chemicals are the same but in much higher concentrations."
Kacey stood and walked to the view screen. "Anything new on those masses?"
"They have stopped moving and are now four hundred thousand kilometers away."
She turned to face Kate. "You don't think that is strange?"
"We are monitoring them, Kacey and will not go looking for problems."
Kacey shook her head and turned back to the screen without saying anything. She struggled to hold her temper at Kate's disregard for the potential problem.
Natalia looked at Anya who shrugged. "Let them decide." She whispered.
"Shuttle four to the Bridge."
"Go ahead Jere." Kacey responded.
"We are getting a lot of interference and distortion from inside the cloud."
"Radiation levels have risen to dangerous levels." Natalia stated.
Kacey turned to face Kate once again. "It is your call." Kate stated.
"Jere recall the drones." Kacey ordered.
"Will do. Recalling the drones."
"Did we get anything useful?"
"We did. Now at least we know what the chemical make up is." Natalia answered.
Kacey watched the view screen as the shuttles waited for the drones to emerge from the gas cloud. Several minutes passed before they noticed any movement from the cloud. The objects that came out of the cloud bore little resemblance to the drones that went in. The hull was pitted and corroded from the cloud. Large holes were eaten through the metal. The hull disintegrated while they watched.
"What the Hell?" Kacey exclaimed. "They are being destroyed before our eyes. There will be nothing left by the time they land."
"You have no idea what is causing the erosion and you expect those drones to land?" Kate asked.
"Andromeda the drones are dead in space. Do you want us to tow them in?" Kacey hesitated, "Andromeda do you copy?"
"Shuttle four, do not tow the drones in." Kate answered.
"Jere is there any way to recover the collection pods or computers?" Kacey asked.
"Negative Colonel. Not without compromising the shuttles."
"Are the computers still transmitting?"
"They are not. All communications with the drones has stopped." Rhea stated.
Kate walked to Kacey's side. "It is your call. You know what has to be done." She stated. Kacey looked at her. "There is only one choice Kacey. Those drones cannot land." Kacey looked at her. "I will make the call if you cannot."
Kacey shook her head. "Jere back every one away and destroy the drones. Make sure no one gets hit by the debris."
They watched the ships back off and return to Andromeda. Twin burst hit the drones causing them to explode into twin fire balls until nothing was left but dust. Kate took Kacey's arm and pulled her from the view screen.
"Let's get a coffee." She said. Kacey nodded and allowed Kate to pull her from the Bridge. "As soon as the ships have landed resume our course. Keep an eye on those masses. Commander you have the Bridge."
Kate poured them each a coffee from the carafe on her desk. She sat next to Kacey. "You had no chance but to order the destruction. We could not take the chance of whatever caused the corrosion to get on the ship."
"I know that Kate."
"Then what is bothering you?"
"I helped design those drones and the equipment on them. This mission was a trial run for them. If they performed well on this mission, more would be added to the fleet."
"Up until that gas cloud, they did what we needed them to do. We had no way of knowing that the gas cloud would corrode the metal. There was no way you could have planned for that. Future models will have to have a different hull metal."
"I am not sure there is any metal that can withstand that combination of corrosive elements."
"What are the chances that we will come up against that particular combination again? Besides we do have the information the computers sent before they were compromised. That is knowledge you did not have before and can take that into consideration."
"There are times when you are good for my ego." Kacey stated.
"That is part of my job little sister." Kate said with a smile. "Now on the serious side, Rhea and Anya are keeping a close eye on those masses, especially since they are shadowing us."
"Yet you still do not want to send the shuttles to investigate."
"Correct. Let them come to us, but if you want to increase the number of stingers around us, I will not complain."
"You do suspect something? Here I thought I was the paranoid one."
"I am becoming suspicious, especially since they stopped when we did and have been slowly coming closer in the last two days."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"To avoid arguing over what course to take. I did not want you to go off half cocked until we know more about them."
CHAPTER 3 B
Andromeda resumed her journey. Long range sensors kept close track of the masses that shadowed them. Each day was long and blurred into the next.
Kate let herself into her quarters. Anya sat on the couch reading. She put her book on the coffee table and opened her arms to hold Kate. Kate laid her head on Anya's strong shoulder as she was handed a brandy.
"I am so sorry I was so late."
"We missed you at dinner. I kept a plate warm for you. The girls fell asleep an hour ago." Kate took a sip of her brandy. "Tired my Kate?"
"I think I am even too tired to eat. I just want to stay right here in your arms. I am beat."
"That can definitely be arranged." Anya kissed her. Kate sighed. "Tell me what has you so worried tonight?"
"Those masses. What or who are they? Why are they shadowing us? Why can we not get a clear reading on them?"
"Who or what they are, they have a very sophisticated method of concealing themselves. I have a thought, but you will not like it."
"Send a squad of shuttles and stingers to get close to them?" Kate stated.
"Exactly. If they are cloaked, they can get close to the masses. We can find out so much more that way." Anya responded. "I know what is on your mind. The second you mention a recon mission, Kacey will be the first one out of the launch doors."
"What can I do? She is their leader. She has stated many times that she will not ask her people to do anything that she is not willing to do.
"You could always try asking her not to go."
"That would go over really well."
"Her orders are to protect you. She cannot do that if she is off checking those masses."
"That is an absolute genius of a suggestion. That is just one of the many reasons why I love you so very much."
"I am so very glad. Now how would you like a nice relaxing bath?"
"Will you join me?"
"Of course. You finish your brandy and I will fill the tub." Anya kissed Kate and left the room. Kate could hear the water filling the large tub. She finished her brandy and walked into their bedroom shedding her clothes as she went. She removed the pips from her sweater collar before she put it into the recycler. Naked she walked into the bathroom. Anya had thrown some bubble bath into the water and was waiting in the tub for Kate. She held out her hand. Kate took the offered hand and stepped into the tub, sitting between Anya's legs. She leaned back against Anya's chest and sighed in contentment. Anya turned on the whirlpool jets when the water shut off
"This is heavenly my darling." Kate sighed again as the water jets eased away the tensions of the day.
Anya soaped a buff and ran it up and down Kate's arms and across her chest. "Lean forward Kate and I will wash your back."
"Too comfortable. Don't want to move." Anya laughed. Kate turned her head and kissed Anya's neck.
"How about we do this? You let me wash your back then I will see about making you even more comfortable once we finish here."
"Okay." Kate leaned forward. Anya passed the soapy buff across Kate's back She rinsed the soap off and gently pulled Kate back against her chest. She continued to wash Kate's body as far as she could reach and passed the buff to Kate to finish. "What about you, my darling?"
"Do not worry about me. I showered after the girls fell asleep. Now let's get you out of here and I will give you a nice massage." Kate nodded. Anya turned off the whirlpool jest and pulled the plug to allow the water to drain. She helped Kate stand and stood next to her. She grasped the bath sheets and wrapped one around Kate before she wrapped one around herself. She dried them both off before she bent down and easily picked Kate up and carried her to their bedroom where she gently placed her on the already turned down bed. Anya helped Kate remove her towel. "Turn onto your stomach sweetheart. While Kate turned over , Anya poured a generous amount of the warmed lotion into her hands. She rubbed her hands together before she straddled Kate's slim hips and worked the lotion into the tense shoulders or rather the knots that would normally be shoulders. For several minutes she worked on the knots until she felt them release. Anya poured more lotion into her hands and worked her way down to the knots she found in her lower back. An indication that Kate spent long hours behind her desk. Anya felt Kate relax until the slow even breathing told her Kate was falling asleep. She continued for several more minutes as she felt Kate relax further into sleep.
Anya carefully climbed off the bed and went into the bathroom to clean the tub before she returned to the bedroom and laid down next to Kate. She pulled the blankets up and pulled Kate close. She quickly followed Kate in sleep.
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Anya waited for Kate to enter the shower before she touched her communicator.
"Kacey?"
"Is something wrong Anya?"
"Would you wait for me before you head for the Hanger?"
"Of course."
"I will be there in a half hour."
"I will be waiting."
Anya went into their girl's bedroom to wake them up before she returned to the kitchen to fix their breakfast. The girls stumbled out of their room rubbing sleep from their eyes. She placed bowls of cereal and toast in front of them along with glasses of juice. She leaned down and kissed the tops of their heads.
Kate came out of the bedroom carrying her tunic. She handed Anya her pips. which she placed on her collar. "Thank you my darling." Kate stated. Kate picked up the coffee that Anya had waiting for her. She took a sip. "Good morning my little angels."
"Good morning mummy. "The girls said together.
"We missed you at dinner last night, mummy." Erin said.
"I missed you too. I am really sorry I could not be here. Can you forgive me?"
"We can do that right Erica."
"Will you be late tonight?"
"I certainly hope not."
"Bridge to Captain Jensen."
Kate sighed. "Go ahead Bridge."
"We have an update on those masses. They are now two hundred thousand kilometers from us."
"I will be there shortly." Kate stated and gulped down the rest of her coffee. So much for breakfast." She stated as she grabbed her tunic and pulled it on. She kissed the girls and then Anya before she headed to the door.
"I will bring your breakfast by later." Anya called out before Kate left. Anya waited for the girls to finish their breakfast. They went into their bedroom to get dressed for school. Anya cleared away their dishes and placed them into the recycler before she finished dressing. After helping the girls fix their hair, she kissed them good bye and sent them off to school. Anya made her way to Kacey's quarters and rang the admittance chime.
"Come in Anya." Kacey called out. Anya entered their quarters. "You have my imagination running wild. What is going on?" She asked, as she fed Patrick.
"I need you to hear me out before you go rushing off." Kacey nodded. "Kate was just informed that those masses moved closer during the night. They are two hundred thousand kilometers away."
"What is Kate going to do?"
"I think she is planning a recon mission with you cloaked flyers.."
"Finally." Kacey acknowledged. "I will alert my pilots."
"Hold up. Wait until Kate makes it official."
"That I can do."
"Kacey I need you to send your pilots out, but for you to stick close. Kate will not ask you to do that because you would probably get mad at her."
"That is very true Anya." Natalia stated from the nursery doorway. She brought Caitlyn out and put her into her chair. Anya took the cereal and fed her.
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Please do not get angry. But will you stay close to Andromeda?" Kacey gestured for her to continue. "We do not know what or who is out there or dealing with."
"That is true."
"Also true is that whoever or whatever is out there could attack Andromeda." Kacey nodded. "Another truth is that you have orders to protect Kate."
"Something I cannot do if I am hundreds of thousands of kilometers away. Damn Anya you certainly do not play fair."
"Does that mean you will remain behind?"
"Yes, I will send my people out and stay here. Does Kate know that you are asking me?"
"Are you kidding me? She knows nothing about this."
"Then I vote for keeping her in the dark.