Read Ep.#9 - "Resistance" for Free Online Page B

prepared a communications schedule that will provide comm opportunities at intervals of approximately every six and a half hours, give or take an hour. The window will last five minutes, no longer. The shuttle must jump in and out during that time in order to use the positions of the other moons to avoid detection by the asteroid base. This is all based on shipboard time, of course. I have no idea how the people of Tanna track their time of day.”
    “The sooner you wrap this up and call for extraction, the better,” Nathan said. “Get in, make contact with the resistance, determine if they know of a source of usable propellant, and get out again. Do not engage the Jung other than to defend yourselves. If we do not hear from you within 72 hours, we will consider you missing in action, and we will depart. Is that understood?”
    “Depart, as in gone for good, or as in we’ll come back and check on you later?” Loki said. The lack of response to his question served as his answer.
    “I included the coordinates for the laser-comm unit,” Cameron told them. “No omni-directional broadcasts, and all comms shall be encrypted using the new cipher developed by Lieutenant Montgomery’s people.”
    Nathan looked at Cameron. “Not standard fleet encryption?”
    “Jessica thought it best to assume all fleet encryption had been broken, perhaps even long before the invasion. She asked one of Lieutenant Montgomery’s men to develop a replacement cipher.”
    “Our cryptology is considerably more advanced than what I’ve seen of standard fleet ciphers,” the lieutenant explained. “I expect it will be nearly impossible for the Jung to break, assuming their computational technologies are not significantly advanced over you own.”
    “Very well,” Nathan said. “Lieutenant Commander Kamenetskiy is finishing the validation testing of the rebuilt jump shuttle. As we still have a few hours before departure, I suggest you two get a bite to eat and some rest.” Nathan looked at the faces gathered around the conference table. “Dismissed.” As the attendees stood to exit, Nathan added, “Loki, would you remain for a moment, please?”
    Cameron followed the rest of the staff out of the command briefing room, closing the hatch behind her as she exited.
    “You sure you’re up for this, Loki?” Nathan asked. “You seem a bit apprehensive.”
    “A bit? That’s all?”
    “I was being kind,” Nathan said. “You know, you don’t have to do this. We can send one of the major’s men along with him. Garrett said to send the knife along with anyone that came to find him.”
    “I know, sir. Lieutenant Commander Nash and I talked about this at length. She believes we will have a better chance if someone that Garrett already knows is there.”
    “You do realize how dangerous this mission could be? I’m not just talking about the space jump itself. God knows that’s dangerous enough.”
    “I know, sir. Master Chief Montrose has been helping me prepare, teaching me to shoot straight and such. He’s even been teaching me a few Corinari combat moves. Marcus even rigged up a harness and a pulley system to simulate the landing. Can’t say that I’m that good at it yet, but at least I’m not landing on my butt anymore.”
    Nathan chuckled. “That’s good to hear. Now go and get something to eat.”
    “Yes, sir,” Loki said as he stood. “And thanks for offering me an out.”
    “No problem.”
    Loki headed for the hatch, but paused and turned back toward the captain. “Sir, did you mean what you said? About leaving us behind after three days? Would you really do that?”
    “I’m the captain of the last ship capable of defending Earth, Mister Sheehan,” Nathan said as he looked Loki in the eye. “I did it before, and I’d do it again if necessary. I’d hate doing it—probably even more so than I hated doing it the first time—but I’d do it nonetheless, as I expect you would if you were in my place.”
    Loki stared