Ravyn's Flight by Patti O'Shea Page A

Jarved Nine rescue mission, sir.”
    “It’s not a rescue mission, Colonel, and you will not refer to it as such. Officially, it is a fact-finding mission.”
    “Yes, sir,” Alex said impassively. He would call it a pleasure cruise as long as he received orders to go to J Nine.
    “Good. You’ll have a full-sized K-110 transport ship for this mission. Two crews of military pilots will be flying. CAT Command wanted to send one of their own ships, but I convinced them we could get there faster.”
    Alex nodded and tried to look appreciative of the general’s supposed brilliance. Evidently the performance was good enough.
    “You’re in charge,” Bouchard continued. “Pick five men. I imagine you’ll choose from Spec Ops since you are most familiar with personnel in that group. CAT Command will supply the communications specialist and the team doctor.”
    “General, I believe this mission will run more smoothly with all military personnel.”
    The general’s expression of a pleased and benevolent leader disappeared. “Colonel, the emergency call came from a CAT base, not military. You’re lucky you’re not shipping out on a Colonization Assessment Team transport.”
    “Yes, sir.” Alex hid his frustration. Of course, CAT Command wanted to handle this themselves. Unfortunately for them, the charter of the organization threw this set of circumstances squarely in the military’s lap. Grudgingly, he had to concede the general had done a good job limiting the CAT personnel to two.
    “I have one more piece of information before you’re dismissed. A Spec Ops team was on a training mission to Jarved Nine. They were scheduled to land on the planet mere hours before the beacon was triggered. Not only has CAT Command been unable to raise their team, we have been unable to raise ours.”
    Alex stiffened. His heart had stopped when he’d heard the CAT team had not responded, but for a Spec Ops team to be unreachable at the same time meant trouble greater than he’d imagined. “Who was in command of the team, General?”
    Blowhard pulled a folder from one of his stacks, opened it and flipped through several pages. “Brody, Captain Damon Alan, Team Two Spec Ops. Do you know him?”
    “Yes, sir. Team Two is one of our finest. They would have responded to the CAT base as soon as they heard the emergency beacon. I’m concerned that we have not been able to establish contact with them. We need to send in several Spec Ops teams.”
    “Colonel, there will be no additions to your team. You have your orders.”
    “With all due respect, General, I believe the situation on J Nine is more serious than you believe.”
    “What are you basing this insight on, Colonel? The fact that a Spec Ops team is late reporting in?”
    Outwardly, Alex remained cool, but his frustration started to rise. Blowhard didn’t work with Spec Ops enough to know, but the only way a team wouldn’t have made contact in a situation like this was if they were incapable of it or it would endanger them to do so. On a personal level, Alex didn’t like Brody, he never had, but professionally, the man had become one of the best officers they had and he led a top-notch team.
    “Yes, General, that is what has me concerned.”
    “It’s probably a communications glitch. There’s never been a serious problem at a CAT base in the history of the program.” Bouchard leaned back in his chair, clearly unconcerned.
    “Jarved Nine is only the third planet to have a CAT team assigned. Just because nothing happened on Cymara or Rotesen, doesn’t mean the situation isn’t critical on J Nine, General,” Alex persisted.
    Blowhard straightened in his chair, his face mottling in anger. “Colonel Sullivan,” he said, his tone brooking no further argument, “this is a low-level assignment. The only reason Spec Ops personnel are being allowed on this mission at all is because amateur comm operators picked up the distress signal and the press is about to run with the