The Rise of Atlantis Pt. 02

"I know you're young Amy. I chose you for a lot of reasons. Number one being you come highly recommended. Ron Lewis has been a friend to Sue and me for more than twenty years. He tells me you're one of the best young officers he's ever seen. Kendra's another person I trust and she really thinks a lot of you as well. In a couple of weeks we're gonna be moving what's left of our civilization to what's essentially an unknown quadrant of the galaxy. While we're gonna follow the same route the Vengeance took two years ago; that doesn't mean it won't be dangerous. It also doesn't mean it will be. But if anything should happen, I need the very best in command of my combat ready ships. I need officers that understand strategy and tactics, and that can not only think quickly on their feet, but can also think outside the box. This is not a normal situation Amy. It calls for innovative thinking and the ability to adapt to unusual circumstances almost instantly. My instincts tell me that you have those qualities, so you get stuck with the job."

"I know I shouldn't disagree with my queen, but I don't think I'm getting stuck with anything Lyssa," Amy laughed. "The way I see it, this is a huge step up. I really appreciate your confidence in me. I promise you, I won't let you down. So what do I do about a crew? The last I heard you were pretty shorthanded."

"I am, but we'll make do. You'll have at least a hundred people under your command, but I can't say exactly how many just yet. I still have a few details to work out. Sue and I will pick them for you and you'll have their service records by tonight. I'll tell you the same thing I told Ron. You can pick your own officers and feel free to promote or give battlefield commissions to anyone you think deserves it.

There's one thing you should know. Atlantia's Revenge was originally commanded by Prince Donald bin-Dickhead El-Chump himself. The entrance to his quarters is on the command deck. It's been sealed off by me. That door can only be opened by an encryption key transmitted from this ship. Make damn sure your whole crew understands that those quarters are off limits to everyone including you."

"Understood Lyssa. I'll make sure that's the first thing I tell my crew. Is there anything else I should know about? Anything you can tell me about Atlantia's Revenge herself would be helpful, and I'd really appreciate any advice you might have for me."

"There aren't any more special orders if that's what you're asking. As far as the Atlantia's Revenge goes. I've only been aboard her once myself, so there's not much I can tell you about her. I will say she's huge, a mile long, a half mile wide, and fifteen decks deep. She may look like a fighter carrier externally but that's not what she was originally built for. She's actually a gigantic colonizing ship. The Groms designed her to carry five thousand colonists along with everything they would need to build a second home world. They intended to use her to explore the Beta Quadrant until they found a suitable planet. She carries enough water and fuel for a ten year voyage and her engineering specs say she'll cruise at warp six. You shouldn't have any trouble keeping up with the rest of the fleet.

There's a five man watch aboard her right now commanded by Ensign Davidson. He's twenty one, fresh out of the academy, and still a little green. But he's bright, and a quick thinker. He and the rest of his watch will be your first crew members. They've been aboard for a few days and I'm sure they've done some exploring. I'd suggest asking them about what they've learned. It might prove to be useful. The only other advice I can give you is that your job is to command a starship. Expect your orders to be obeyed instantly and without question. Listen to the advice of your fellow officers, but draw your own conclusions, and make your own decisions. You're the one in command, so command. You can assume command of Atlantia's Revenge anytime today if you want, but I expect you to be on her control deck no later than zero eight hundred tomorrow. Do you have any more questions?"

"No Ma'am. I think I know all I need to know to get started. All my gear's packed already. So when we're through here, I think I'll say goodbye to my former captain and shipmates and assume command of my ship. Once again I'd like to thank you for the opportunity you've given me Lyssa."

"In that case, you're dismissed Commander Thomasin. Good luck."

As soon as Amy left Lyssa said, "Well, that solves part of the problem. Atlantia's Revenge has a captain and she'll have a crew. But she's gonna need a damn good engineer. Kendra's busy and I don't wanna assign her to another ship anyway. All of Ron's engineering teams are helping her with the Constellation so that just leaves ours and Jim's. Can you think of anyone off the top of your head that suits our needs?"

"Look Lyssa, the rest of our engineers are pretty damn good; so are the ones aboard the Destructor, but you and I both know that none of them fit the bill. Besides Kendra, there's only one other engineer good enough to get Atlantia's Revenge ready in time and he's sitting in the brig right now."

"Yeah I know, but I can't just release Ensign Rodgers without risking all kinds of political problems that I don't have time to deal with right now, Sue."

"You're right Lyssa, YOU can't do it. But I can. I've got an idea that I think will work. Just listen and hear me out before you say anything. Okay?"

Lyssa placed her elbow on the table then rested her chin in the palm of her hand and said, "I won't promise to go along with it, but I'm listening. Go ahead and tell me what you have in mind."

"Okay. Let's start with the fact that while Ian Rodgers knows the mechanics of protection services, he has no grasp of the political situation, nor does he understand the personalities of the people he's supposed to be protecting. But you have to admit that he's one hell of an engineer and we could really use those skills right about now. So with that in mind, I suggest you decide not to charge him with any capital crimes. Wash your hands of the whole matter and let me deal with the situation.

I'll dismiss him from the Special Security Services, assign him to fleet permanently as an engineer, and transfer him to the Atlantia's Revenge. Everyone in the fleet knows why he's in the brig, but they also know his reputation as an engineer. I don't think my releasing him that way will cause you any political problems. I can also put a notation in his personnel file for Amy, telling her that she's free to use his skills as she sees fit. If she wants to bump him up a step or two in rank and make him her chief engineering officer, we won't stand in her way. But that SHE'S the one that has to make that decision; we can't make it for her."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea Sue. It gets me out of the hot seat politically without making me look like a weak sister, and it helps give you a reputation as a strong leader as well. As an added bonus, we get brownie points for being compassionate and forgiving. I like it and I think it'll work. When Amy notifies you she's assumed command of Atlantia's Revenge, arrange a private meeting with her. Bring Ensign Rodgers' file with you and explain everything to her. I don't want her thinking that we're dumping one of our problems in her lap just because she's a new commander. After that, take a security team down to the brig, tell Ensign Rodgers what's happening to him and then escort him off my ship."

It was about forty five minutes later when their communications terminal beeped signaling in incoming message. Sue opened the channel to a beaming Amy Thomasin. "Hello again Admiral Sullivan. Commander Amy Thomasin reporting that I've assumed command of H.M.S. Atlantia's Revenge. Her new IFF transponder should be coming online right about...now."

Sue looked up at the tactical display on the ready room wall and said, "Yup. Our sensors have picked up her IFF. She's now recognized as one of her majesty's capital ships and you're now officially her first captain. Congratulations Commander Thomasin. When you have a free moment, I'd like to shuttle over. There are a few things I'd like to discuss with you in private."

"I'm available whenever you're ready Admiral. It seems that Prince Donald bin-Dickhead El-Chump wasn't planning on handling the day to day operations of this ship. There is a captain's quarters complete with a ready room directly across from his on the command deck. The quarters are soundproofed and the door can be secured so you'll have all the privacy you may want or need. Also, Queen Lyssa was right about the watch aboard ship. They did do quite a bit of exploring and they found some equipment that I think her majesty will be very interested in. I'll have a full report ready for you by the time you arrive."

"Good work Commander. I'll shuttle over as soon as I can arrange for an escort with Lieutenant O'Neil."

When Sue closed the channel, Lyssa grinned then said, "It took Amy less than an hour to assume command of the Atlantia's Revenge. She's gonna make a fantastic addition to our command staff. You do know the real reason why I chose her don't you?"

"I knew the instant you started questioning Ron about Amy that you'd already made up your mind to promote her and give her command of the Atlantia's Revenge. I didn't understand why then, and I still don't know why now. But I do know better than to question your instincts, and I figured you'd tell me why when you were ready."

"You're right Sis, Amy WAS the prime candidate for the job from the beginning. The things that Kendra and Ron told us were just icing on the cake. While you were in the shower, I took a few minutes to look at the very last message Daddy sent just before Atlantia was destroyed. That message was almost entirely about Amy. She's a very unique psychic, the first of what was originally intended to be a whole new class of psychics Mom named 'Guardians'. She was injected with a special serum while she was still an embryo then implanted in her mother's womb. Daddy calls Amy 'the ultimate weapon'. In addition to the usual psionic abilities, she can manipulate matter AND antimatter at the sub-atomic level. She also has pyrokinetic and electrokinetic abilities. The serum altered her DNA in such a way that Amy will be absolutely loyal to any McDonald ruling the Atlantian Empire. In fact Daddy said it was Amy's neural pathways that Mom copied when she rewrote Kendra's.

But I really think Amy's most interesting ability is one that prevents enemies from attacking any ship that she's on a second time. Ron was doing an active sensor sweep as he dropped out of warp. The Vengeance still carries those extended range scanners. I'm betting three or four of those gunboats fired on his position simultaneously because those sensor sweeps were so powerful that they confused the hell out of the Groms targeting systems making them think that more than one ship had appeared in that spot. Once Amy cast a protective ward over the Vengeance, the Groms saw her as destroyed and moved on to the next available target. If it wasn't for Amy and her abilities, nobody would've survived on board that ship.

The funny thing is Ron has no clue as to Amy's psionic abilities. Daddy never told him and Amy was ordered never to divulge them to anybody. It seems the planning for the exploration of the Beta Quadrant began before Amy was even born. She was given those abilities expressly for THAT particular mission. She was monitored, guided, and trained from birth, and then placed aboard Ron's ship as a 'failsafe' measure. Her orders were to protect mission security at all costs, even if that meant the total destruction of the Vengeance and all life aboard her.

You should also know that both Amy and Kendra have almost exactly the same abilities. Although Amy's are a lot stronger and better developed than Kendra's. But only because Amy's had a hell of a lot more time and training to develop her abilities than Kendra has.

The message itself was in seven parts, transmitted live in short micro-bursts. It was like daddy was trying to tell me as much as he could as quickly as he could. He was using a holographic projection to talk to me on the ship's main screen while he fired off the micro-bursts as fast as possible just in case the Groms had tapped into our secured channel. The final part of the massage was distorted by the huge increase in gravity. It's pretty garbled, but I get the impression that daddy was trying to tell me something about a third and final guardian. Although I can't be absolutely certain that's what he was trying to say. Even if I'm right, it doesn't help me much. I have no clue who it would be, or how to go about finding them."

Lyssa looked at Sue with tears streaming down her cheeks. "The visuals in that final part of the message are really horrific Sue. I saw Daddy die. There was this massive increase in gravity and his body just compressed into itself until there was nothing left but a bloody, messy blob." For the first time since it all began, Lyssa lost it. She laid her head on her arms on the table as her whole body wracked with deep sobs.

For a minute or so Sue's mind went into a panic and her eyes went blank as she thought, "This isn't supposed to happen! Lyssa's the strong one; not me! She's my queen; she can't fall apart on me; not now! NO! NO! NO!" Then Lyssa heard Sue's voice intone, "Activating GO7 Guardian protocols now." A minute or so later Sue said, "All GO7 protocols active and online."

When Sue's mind cleared, Lyssa was staring at her in shock the tears still streaming down her cheeks shouting at her. "SUE! SUE, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? DAMN IT ANSWER ME! I CAN'T FUCKING LOSE YOU TOO! ANSWER ME PLEASE SUE! ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? DAMMIT I NEED YOU SIS! ANSWER ME PLEASE!"

Lyssa watched in shock as Sue's crystal blue eyes turned a piercing emerald green. "Lyssa Danielle McDonald calm down! We're fine!! Your sister Anna and I just had to figure out how to share the same space at the same time that's all."

Lyssa nearly fainted she was so shocked. The ONLY one who ever called Sue by her birth name was their mother! "Mo...Mo...MOM? bu..bu... but how?"

"Yes and no Sweetie. It's kinda complicated, so just calm down. Try to relax and I'll explain. I suppose I should call Anna by her legal name so you don't get too confused by it all. One of my special gifts is the ability to merge minds with another person. It has to be someone I trust and who trusts me. I had originally wanted it to be you, but your father overruled me. He and I both knew you would have to implement General Order Seven. We didn't know exactly when, or why, but we knew it would be sooner rather than later. He wanted to be sure any decisions you make are entirely your own without any unintentional interference from me. The next logical choice was Ann...excuse me, I mean Sue. Anyway, the last time Sue was planetside we agreed to merge minds with the understanding that I would remain in the background until, or unless I was needed.

When you started to cry over what you saw in the last part of your father's message, Sue started to panic a little. She thought you were about to fall apart on her. I, on the other hand, knew you were simply releasing some of the grief you haven't been able to express since this all happened. But your sister's momentary panic caused her mind to think I was needed, so here I am. At least a part of me anyway. You see, together, Sue and I are your third protective guardian. We've worked out a way to co-exist. But most of the time I'll stay in the background unless you really need me. Right now my being here is really taxing on Sue's psionic energy reserves. Her pool of psionic energy will get bigger as more of our GO7 guardian protocols are merged. I'll let Sue answer the rest of your questions. Now that I've been activated she'll have total recall of our merging and all that it means. Just remember, if you need me I'll be right here. Bub-bye for now my Baby Girl... I love you."

"I love you too Mom," Lyssa replied.

Lyssa watched in continued amazement as Sue's eyes returned to their usual sparkling crystal blue.

Sue put her hand over her mouth, giggled then said, "WOW! That was some really freaky shit! I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it, but I honestly didn't remember anything until Mom triggered my memories. I realize you're still a little shocked by everything. But I feel pretty good knowing that while we don't have all of Mom, we still have a part of her, even if she is stuck inside my head. Right about now you must have trillions of questions. Ask away Lys, and I'll answer what I can."

"Questions? My stars Sue, I have so many I don't even know where to start. On top of that, your timing is a little less than perfect to say the least. I have so many things on my plate right now that I don't know whether I'm coming or going."

The door chimed and Lyssa threw her hands up in frustration. "This is what I'm talking about Sue. I don't have the time for all of this. We'll just have to take things as they come up for now." She turned her head towards the door and said, "Come on in Lisa."

Lisa entered with a smile and said, "The Destructor's fully resupplied Sue. I even had the salvage crews stock her a month ahead so that you wouldn't have to worry about topping supplies off before we left. I had them do the same thing with the Victorious. We're a month ahead on supplies too."

"Well done Lisa," replied Sue. "Now I want you to split the salvage teams into two groups. Get one resupplying the Constellation, food, fuel, ammunition, medical supplies, and water. As much as she'll carry. Put the other group to work filling the Atlantia's Revenge galley and surrounding storerooms with as much food as possible. Also have them locate her sickbay and stock it with as many medical supplies as they can find space for."

"Consider it done Sue. I guess the scuttlebutt was accurate for a change," Lisa said with a smile. "I kinda thought it was when I saw those two IFF transponders light up the main sensors earlier. I don't know Admiral Lewis personally, but I do know his reputation as a great tactician, and a tough but fair commanding officer. Commander Amy Thomasin is a different story though. When I did my mandatory one year stint as an instructor at the fleet academy, Amy was a student in my advanced strategy and tactics class. She has an absolutely brilliant mind. If anyone left in this fleet can learn the quirks of an unknown capital ship, it's Amy Thomasin."

Lyssa rolled her eyes and laughed softly. "I keep forgetting just how small this fleet is now. Carry out your orders Lisa, and yes, it's okay to give Amy a congratulatory call once you've got things rolling."

As soon as Lisa was gone, Lyssa turned to Sue and said, "Get on the horn and get Kendra back here. You've still got your orders to carry out. When you get back we'll have a quick lunch and then we'll see where we're at."

Lyssa sat at her communications console thinking quietly for a while after Sue left. Finally she said, "Lain, what can you tell me about the Guardian project?"

"Not a thing Lyssa. I can't find a single mention of that particular project anywhere except in your father's last message. I find it rather odd that a project that's been in existence for at least twenty five years has absolutely no computer trail. One would think that status reports and updated information had to be filed. Yet there's nothing about it on file even on your GO7 computer."

"Yeah that is kinda strange. Maybe Daddy had the reports hand delivered or something. I'll have to ask Sue about that sometime. Tell me something Lain. How much do you think it would tax your resources to remotely pilot those six ships to the Beta Quadrant?"