Chapter 39
“They’re headed for Europa, Captain. Please set course. My source informs me that they’ll be at speed to arrive there in seven days,” Dawson informed Captain Whetherstone.
Dawson had rushed to the bridge as soon as the Express had departed. He should have known that the Express would be their vehicle of choice, especially considering that Terra Gates could afford to use such an expensive ship without putting the smallest dent in her fortune. “They’re onboard the Fed-Ex Express again, which is just departing Phobos.”
“Nav, contact the Fleet tracking station and have the compute the exact course for Fed-Ex Expres, determine their ETA at Europa and plot us some solutions to beat them there,” the Captain ordered. “We’ll have to retrieve the Marines that are still on the surface first and that could take some time. I’ll have Lieutenant Bowman take the launch and retrieve them immediately. I assume our covert presence is less of a priority than going after that ship.”
“Yes.” Dawson had forgotten about the Marines on the surface as soon as his link to Sam had been restored when Sam came back in to range. “And one other thing Captain. I believe that they’ve figured out based on our departure time from Earth and arrival time at Mars that we’re following them, so if possible I’d like for us to remain anonymous or take a route that will still get us there early but will keep us out of sight.” Dawson sat down in one of the chairs.
“You don’t ask for much, do you, Agent Dawson?” she responded. It was a sarcastic statement. The Captain had Lieutenant Bowman take the launch down to the surface. It took almost forty minutes for them to get back. Dawson waited on the bridge, outwardly patient but feeling that they should be underway immediately.
“Don’t worry. We’ll beat them there and Nav will plot us a solution that will keep them guessing. Then we can always use the ship’s camouflage system if we need to, not that it will fool any one who really wants to find us,” the Captain added, noticing his discomfort with the situation. “Nav, do you have the solution yet?”
“Aye, the SS system is coming through now.”
The Captain was silent for a moment studying something in her displays; then apparently satisfied she looked up again. “Nav, use option three. Thrusting to commence in three minutes.” Then she activated the shipwide intercom. “All hands, this is the Captain. We’ll be thrusting at one point four in approximately three minutes.”
Dawson sat and waited while the count down commenced. After refueling at Phobos the Powel had moved to a much higher geostationary orbit over Olympia, and Phobos was currently on the other side of the planet. When the time was up, the ship began thrusting, but Dawson could see on the navigation display that they would be coming around the planet so as to remain out of line of sight from the Express until it was absolutely necessary. Even so, the Express probably wouldn’t be able to detect them as the Powel was equipped with low observable radar stealth technology generations more advanced than the first crude attempts at stealth in the late twentieth century. The Express would have to make a visual observation of the Powel, which was unlikely as the thrust of the Express would be so bright as to occlude all the stars behind the ship and hopefully the Powel as well.
Once they were underway Dawson dropped down out of the bridge to his quarters and composed a message for Damon Harding, informing him of their destination. Dawson knew that Harding would make speed to at least meet him there if possible. He wasn’t looking forward to the meeting. He’d gotten to like having Harding at arms length. And now after his incident with the stim terminal, which still shamed him to think about, he wanted to see the man even less, especially if he knew.