Bajes's ears rang with the urgency of an emergency message. His second in command, Maria, sounded distressed as she spoke, "Bajes, hold on! We are coming for you! Reinforcements have arrived, and the enemy is fleeing!" However, Bajes's head throbbed painfully; immobilized, he couldn't respond. Doubt clouded his mind—would they reach him in time? His psi link teetered on the brink of failure, his brain at risk from the escalating heat. The cooling system was compromised, and the relentless demand of psi technology was exacting its lethal price.
Amidst the chaos, Bajes's thoughts drifted to Maria, recalling the day of their first meeting. He had just been appointed commander of a patrol unit, comprising one large ship, three medium ships, and seven small ships. The human authorities, eager to ensure his well-being among the Terellians, had insisted on assigning someone from their ranks to his side—a gesture he found unnecessary. Nonetheless, at his adoptive mother's urging, he had acquiesced to their demands.
Seated in his command chair, Bajes was reviewing the fleet's status when a young woman with blonde hair and jade eyes entered the command room. She introduced herself as Colonel Maria Swarna. Bajes acknowledged her with a mere wave of his hand, his attention elsewhere. "We're in the middle of something. Take your seat, or don't bother us," he said tersely. He had no intention of extending a warm welcome to Maria; he recognized her from their school days as a skilled and ambitious soldier, her sights set firmly on climbing the ranks. To Bajes, her presence on his ship was nothing more than a surveillance mission, and he was determined not to let her career ambitions disrupt their operations.
An officer from the deck announced, "Sir, we have located them." Without hesitation, Bajes commanded, "Prepare for battle. Position the medium ships on their flank. Establish a communication link with them." The crew quickly responded with a brisk, "Yes, sir!" Soon after, a voice filled the command room, pleading, "We did nothing wrong. Allow us to warp! Or else..."
Bajes, unimpressed by the plea, responded firmly, "This is Patrol Unit 6-9-6. I am Commander Colonel Bajes of the Galactic United Fleet. Disarm your weapon batteries within two minutes, and we will hold our fire. Fail to comply, and we will engage." Before the voice could protest, Bajes signaled to sever the communication.
He then established a direct connection with the ship's command system. Maria, looking to confirm her orders, asked, "What are your instructions, sir?" Bajes, glancing her way, retorted, "As my second in command, and now that I'm fully in charge, you might as well rest. Your assistance isn't needed." Despite his dismissal, Maria maintained her composure, took the seat next to Bajes, and also linked directly to the ship's command. The system recognized her as the second in command and prompted Bajes to delegate specific responsibilities to her. He initially refused but, for the sake of appearances, eventually assigned her to manage the damage reports and status updates.
The ensuing battle proved uneventful, with the enemy attempting to flee at full throttle. Their speeds were nearly identical, suggesting a lengthy chase before the enemy could be apprehended. As Bajes pondered their next move, Maria's voice came through the communication, offering a strategy, "If we lower our shields, we can let them initiate a warp and track them. Our technology is superior; it should work." Bajes found himself surprised and considering the same tactic.
Bajes swiftly commanded the lowering of their shields to allow the enemy's jump. As the adversary's ship vanished into warp, Bajes, with the aid of his psi link, had already anticipated their trajectory, executing a warp for his patrol unit that landed them just beside the enemy ship. The sudden appearance of Bajes's fleet caused a massive shockwave, further crippling the enemy's systems.
Maria, caught off guard, exclaimed, "What?!" before quickly regaining her composure and muttering, "Well, shit..." This manoeuvre made Bajes reflect on the implications of his actions. Such a feat, if attempted by any human in the galaxy, would likely result in failure and death due to the psi link's intense strain on the brain. What Bajes considered almost trivial was, in reality, a manoeuvre so perilous that even the most resilient races like the Terellians or Silicarids would hesitate to attempt it. The psi link, a double-edged sword, could lead to death if overused but, when wielded with precision, could extend life significantly, maintain health, and simplify life's challenges.
Warp calculations, typically requiring 2-3 minutes for a coordinated jump among the most advanced races and 20-25 minutes for humans, were completed almost instantaneously by Bajes. Refocusing on the battle at hand, he noticed the medium ships had commenced firing. Without hesitation, Bajes issued his next command, "Prepare the Sigma cannon. No one can warp or use shields now. Fire as soon as it's charged."
Maria promptly reported back, "We need 20 more minutes for the next warp, and the shield will be back online in 5 minutes. Cooling is already in progress, sir!"
Just as the Sigma cannon was primed to fire, the enemy disabled their weapons in a last-ditch effort to surrender. However, the battle did not cease. An unwritten rule dictated that if a surrender was refused once, any subsequent offer would be disregarded—a harsh reality understood by all involved. Thus, despite the enemy's desperate attempt to yield, the fight raged on. The Sigma cannon ruthlessly bisected the enemy's large ship, while the smaller ships targeted and obliterated the safety modules. Soon, only space debris remained where the enemy once stood.
Feigning health issues, Bajes disengaged from the ship's command, announcing, "Colonel Swarna has the deck. I'm off to the medical wing." His deliberate slow pace was part of the ruse to appear unwell. Maria promptly issued a ship-wide command: "I am Colonel Maria Swarna. Colonel Terellia is en route to the medical wing; prepare for his arrival. I will assume command until further notice." Bajes, now genuinely irritated by the unnecessary fuss, realized he had no choice but to appear in the medical wing as announced.
As he left the command centre, formal guards instinctively followed, one offering assistance. Bajes dismissed them with a wave and a shake of his head. Upon his arrival at the medical wing, three medics immediately attended to him, guiding him into a chair. "Symptoms, sir?" one asked. "My head hurts. I overused the psi link again," Bajes admitted, just as the voice in his head criticized him for his recklessness. He couldn't help but chuckle, despite the discomfort, as a medic positioned a cooling mask over his head.
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The mask's intense cooling sensation was akin to plunging one's head into snow—a necessary countermeasure to prevent brain overheating. Given the potential for psi link overuse effects to persist for hours, Bajes was resigned to wearing the mask for at least 2-3 hours. What an inconvenience.
Bajes was promptly escorted to his quarters, where he swiftly removed the cooling mask and settled behind his desk. He connected to the console and completed his daily report in mere moments. Sitting back, Bajes pondered the tasks ahead. The debris from the destroyed ship needed to be scoured and examined. It was clear they had been smuggling something of value, and it would be hours before his unit could depart.
His contemplation was abruptly interrupted when the door to his room swung open, revealing Maria. Bajes's annoyance was palpable. "Since when can you enter the commander's office without permission?" he demanded.
Maria responded with a practical tone, "The second in command, who had the deck, has the right. I’m sure you’re aware." Bajes thought to himself that she clearly didn't understand Terellian customs; no one would dare enter a royal's room uninvited. Her presence was becoming increasingly inconvenient.
"I came to check on you. Are you alright, sir?" Maria inquired.
Bajes, weary, replied, "I am. If that's all, please leave."
However, Maria remained, her gaze wandering the room until it landed on the discarded cooling mask. Approaching Bajes, she ventured, "Sir, may I have 10 minutes of your time? I'd like to discuss something with you. If you’re still dissatisfied with me afterward, I promise not to broach the subject again. I swear on my honour."
Bajes's eyebrow arched in surprise. Was she attempting to gain his trust through flattery? Regardless, he decided he could spare her 10 minutes, seeing an opportunity to finally dismiss her from his concerns thereafter.
Maria proceeded to attach cables to the psi link nodes on her temples, an action that piqued Bajes's curiosity. What exactly was she planning? Handing the cables to him, she declared, "I don't believe words alone can change your opinion of me. However, a direct link to my memories will allow you to verify the truth for yourself. You'll have complete access."
Taking the cables, Bajes suggested, "You might want to lie down; this could potentially knock you out." Maria confidently responded, "That won't be necessary." Bajes, intrigued by her determination to prove her sincerity and the promise of unrestricted access, connected the cables to his own psi link nodes. The psi link facilitated a one-way connection directly into her mind, allowing Bajes unprecedented entry into her memories.
Deciding to test the extent of her offer, Bajes chose to access her most personal memories. The invasive force of his entry momentarily overwhelmed her, forcing Maria to her knees. Through his exploration, Bajes indeed found what he was looking for. Maria struggled to breathe, her cheeks flushed with the intensity of the experience.
In her mind, Bajes prompted, "Show me what you've got." Acknowledging his request, Maria shared her memories from military university. She was seen observing Bajes with a mixture of envy and aspiration, yearning to escape the confines of the human military and join the Galactic Fleet, away from the stifling politics she was being coerced into participating in. Her assignment had been to spy on Bajes, to fabricate stories of his mistreatment by the Terellians as a pretext for Earth to question the treatment of humans within the galaxy.
Bajes found Maria's revelations both enlightening and compelling. Here was irrefutable proof that she had been dispatched to spy on him since their university days. Maria proceeded to share another memory, a more recent one where a general tasked her with a mission. "Swarna, you're a capable soldier, but we need you to infiltrate the Terellians and gather intelligence. They've enhanced that boy to surpass any human capability. Uncover their secrets; our expansion and influence depend on it. We must be prepared for the possibility of another Bloody Joke."
Bajes couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. He was well aware that the Terellians had extended a message of peace to the humans, which was blatantly ignored in favor of aggression. Maria then shared a more personal memory: sitting alone in a transport ship, she made a vow to herself to gain Bajes's trust and leverage his influence for a permanent transfer out of the human military—ideally to work directly under him, though she was open to any opportunity to escape serving her own kind. Her disdain for her superiors ran deep; they had abducted her sister, continually lied about her well-being, and, despite knowing she had passed away years ago, continued to fabricate tales of her life. The thought of continuing her service filled her with revulsion. If it meant remaining a pawn in their schemes, she would rather abandon her military career and seek refuge elsewhere.
Bajes smiled at this admission. So, Maria genuinely sought to escape being manipulated by her superiors. This insight into her motivations was intriguing.
Bajes inquired thoughtfully, "How far would you be willing to go? Would you continue to deceive them under my guidance?" Maria pondered the question. Yes, she realized, without hesitation. Her ties to Earth and humanity had long since frayed; she was more than willing to act as a double agent for Bajes. If this was what it took to prove her loyalty, she was ready to embrace it. Bajes absorbed her thoughts with a nod. "Good... Very good," he affirmed.
Maria's thoughts briefly faltered as she considered the extent of her willingness to support him—there was nothing she wouldn't do for or with Bajes. His laughter broke the serious atmosphere. "For that, you'll have to get past my wife. We'll be picking her up soon, so you'll have the opportunity to introduce yourself. And a piece of advice—offer her the same transparency. She won't trust you unless you show her everything," Bajes suggested, implying the use of the direct psi link.
With that, Bajes disconnected the cables. Maria, momentarily relieved, attempted to rise but found herself unable. Bajes, understanding the toll the direct link had taken, gently placed the cooling mask on her head. "Now, you're the one in need of this. Stay here to avoid raising suspicion," he advised.
"Yes, sir!" Maria responded, her voice steady despite the physical strain. Bajes helped her into a chair, ensuring her comfort. "Well, Maria, as my second in command, I think it's time we adopt a more informal relationship off duty. Call me Bajes. It'll foster trust among the crew if they see us united. I'll arrange your transfer, but in return, you'll help us gather intelligence. We'll feed them seemingly valuable information and use it to our advantage. How does that sound?"
Maria's smile was genuine. "Well, Bajes, I think I just fell for you, if you truly meant everything you just said." His laughter echoed in response. "Good, I see I've greatly underestimated you. I'm looking forward to our collaboration, Maria!"