Lost in Time Chapter 11

[Ed Man]

The Rogue Ship
Chapter 11

Things were going well now that the Directors had joined up a steady flow of new recruits were coming in on a regular basis. The first colonizing ship was two days away from launch and the crew was ready to go. The Judge and Excalibur were already in orbit with squadrons of trained fighter pilots and a full crew. The families and loved ones of the people onboard the Judge and Excalibur would be the first ones to board the big colonizing ship when it loaded up. Things were going as planed as far as the ship building, training and deployment was concerned. The second destroyer was under construction and plans for a carrier were in the waiting. A new ship smaller than the Excalibur was under construction and due for launch two days after the assassination attempt of Sherpa was to happen.
Josh was going to jump the new ship through the gate system to a deserted sector found by a scouting ship on a earlier mission to set up a ship deployment area and operation center for the scout ships and gathering point for the capitol ships when they jumped out of the sector.
The gate codes were the same as the ones Josh had on file from his timeline giving them an much needed advantage.
Jags had decided to undergo the surgery and become a human choosing to be the first one of his kind to get it done wanting to make a new start on a new planet as a new man.
Sherpa had tried to contact her father several times keeping up the cover, while the waiting and worrying was starting to show a little more each day as the time for her demise got closer.
The stress has started to effect Sherpa so much that Josh went to see her and tell her about a new plan they had come up with to keep her safe.
Josh went into his office where Sherpa was waiting. Josh looked at Sherpa she was a wreck Josh thought of the pilots he had seen react like this to the stress of battle and were reassigned or discharged.

[Josh] “Sherpa I have a team working on your case and we got together and decided to replace you early in the meeting with a android and then replace the android with the cloned body in the ambulance. We need you to practice the switch so it will go unseen. You make the meeting play your beautiful self like any other normal day talk to your friends go inside and we will switch you out as you make your way to your seat at the table.”
Sherpa looked like someone had just removed a massive burden off her as she gave a sigh of relief saying. “Josh this was driving me crazy with the what if questions. What if we changed the time line. What if they changed something. What if the transporter was a split second late. Thanks!”
[Josh] “You need to be at the top of your game acting like you own the world till this is all over.”
[Sherpa] “When do you want me to start practicing the switch.”
[Josh] “Now if you can.”
[Sherpa] “Sounds good to me.”
Josh called for one of the team working on her case to come and get Sherpa. Sherpa was already looking more like her old self instead of the defeated person she had become worrying so much. A few minutes after Sherpa left the office Josh received a call. “Commander we have just detected a small ship exiting the gate into the sector.”
Josh left his office and into the command center. “Show me a picture of the ship.” It was a black ship headed on a direct path for the planet. Josh looked to the duty officer. “Launch a small cloaked fighter to trail the ship and have it launch a spy drone to scan the ship when he reaches range.”
[Officer] “Right away sir.”
They watched as a ship launched from the Excalibur and made full speed to intercept the slow black ship.
Within minutes the scout ship had closed on the strange black ship and launched a drone.
The data was coming in showing the ship to have a slow ion drive for space and hydrogen fuelled rockets to fly in the atmosphere. It had a small atom run power plant that was very dangerous but effective. It could convert water into fuel or power the ion drive and ship. The shield was very basic and just large enough to keep the suns radiation from frying the three man crew. Their weapons were basic but effective projectile based and one small laser based pulse weapon on the nose. They had two types of missiles onboard a little better than the locals standard load.
The ship posed no problem for the small fighter now on its six.

[Officer] “Sir what are your orders?”
[Josh] “Have our fighter to back off and retrieve the drone and return the Excalibur. Have a support ship shadow the ship to the planet. According to the tape from the future these are the assassins sent to kill Sherpa.”
Josh called the team leader in charge of Sherpa’s operation to the command center the game was on.
The ship would take four days to reach the planet and land leaving two days to setup before Sherpa was to be shot at the meeting. They had a inside man or team sending messages through the gate so far the base and mission had not been found out. Saving Sherpa was not the only mission they needed to find out who the inside people were sending info through the gate. Finding out there schedule and mission then getting them to work for them or detain them and feed false info to the ones on the other side till all the ships were full of people and safely out of the sector.

Josh watched until the support ship was in place shadowing the ship then he headed back to his office.
Mensch transported down to the base to see Josh. “Josh come have dinner with us tonight and take a break.”
[Josh] “I hear you been seeing a lot of Mary lately?”
[Mensch] “Mary is a nice person I like her company.”
[Josh] “Does she like you?” [Mensch] “I think so I’m not sure.”
[Josh] “Does see just show up or do you ask her?”
[Mensch] “She shows up at quitting time to walk me to the house and cooks special meals for me and her to share. I can’t believe I didn’t notice the attention she has been showing me and how she looks at me when we talk.”
[Josh] “Do you want get involved with Mary affectionately?”
[Mensch] “I guess it would be nice to have someone to love.”
[Josh] “Then when the time is right kiss her or just tell her how you fill and ask her for a kiss. Do you still want me to come by tonight or do you have other plans now?”
[Mensch] “No I still want you to eat with us. Well Dan and I that is we thought it would be nice to just eat a friendly meal together at the house like we use to.”
[Josh] “That sounds good to me Mensch. Do you want to meet right after work like we use to?”
[Mensch] “Yes and Dan said he was picking up our favorite carry out on the way over see you then.”

After Mensch left Josh thought of how nice the place was and how peaceful it was just to set on the back porch and watch the tall grass blowing in the wind.
Josh, Dan and Mensch had there meal together and talked and played cards on the back porch looking out at the stars not saying anything about what was going to happen but each one knowing that soon they would be leaving the planet in search of a new home world to start over on.

The launch of the first big ship went on as planned leaving the base and quarters empty looking. Minutes after the launch a second ship was started. While the multitude of people waiting on base had boarded the ship and were gone. Josh went to the mess hall to get something to eat and seen the young man that had stumbled with the knife in the restaurant working the tables so Josh asked him? “How do you like your new job?”
“I like it and think you Commander I’m going out on the next ship with my family and friends. Can I get you anything Sir?”
[Josh] “Yes you can get me my carry out from the kitchen.” “Right away Sir.” The Young man replied as he went to the kitchen and brought back his order.
Josh went back to his office to eat when Sherpa showed up. “Josh can we talk?”
[Josh] “Set down what’s wrong?”
[Sherpa] “Nothings wrong I just feel alone right now in two days my life as I know it will end do you care if I tag along with you for a while?”
[Josh] “I’m about to go and look at the new ship I’ll give you a personal tour. You know a team is watching the rouge ship and the two that left the ship together. It looks like they’re headed to a old barn the a glider is hid in.”
The two were getting into one of the small transports when Sherpa stated. “That means someone is helping them. Did you get a look at the glider?”
[Josh] “Yes they did it had some clothes and cash and a phone. And before you ask yes we’re monitoring the phone scans showed it had one number on the redial and it’s a throwaway. As soon as they turn the other phone on we’ll know the area it’s in and fine out who it is.”
As soon as they reached the ship Sherpa was trying to get out seat with her strap on.
Josh chuckle a little and said. “Sherpa you’re still strapped in.”
[Sherpa] “I want to know who it is?”
[Josh] “And you will but not till after the meeting and your back here with me.”
[Sherpa] “Why do I have to wait?”
[Josh] “Because the best trained operatives have a hard time maintaining their cover and acting normal around traders. So no you need to act normal and play this one out while we have the upper hand can you do that?”
[Sherpa] “Yes I can do it. I’ve been going over and over the switch so much I think I could do it in my sleep.”
[Josh] “Good lets take a look at this ship it’s going to be my home for a while.”

Half way through the tour the team reported they had the informant. It was one of the receptionist working the front desk in the defense building Sherpa and the Directors offices were in. She had sent them the location and building plans, time, seating and security codes for the meeting. Never saying a word she mashed 1 of the buttons waited the assassins mashed 1 button and they turned the phones off. She was in her glider one town over when she made the call and was on her way home with the phone in her handbag.
The two assassins were on their way to the building.

Josh looked at Sherpa and smiled knowing they had the one that set Sherpa up as they walked down the hallway of the ship. A team was already looking into her records and every part of the woman’s life, friends and contacts.

After the tour Sherpa went home so Josh went to the security section and into the control room assigned to her case for an update. Josh started looking over the data finding out the woman had access to the basic info but not the security codes they were written on paper and stored in a safe not on a computer so no one could hack the system. Someone in security was working with her and the assassins. Josh knew that rats stay close to each other and sleep with the rat of the moment.
[Josh] “Find out if she’s been sleeping with anyone in security and if they just run into some cash.”
Josh got a cup of coffee while the team was running down a list of names and numbers. One mans name started to show up he had called a few times months earlier and just stopped. After that a throw away phone started placing calls to another throw away phone. After searching the normal paths of the two they matched the guard and receptionist perfectly. A team was sent to watch him while the rest keep working and looking for more leads to put all the pieces together.

To help avoid detection the team pursuing the assassins had waited till the rogue ship experienced some turbulence entering the planets atmosphere then transported a small tracking marker into the ships hull. Making the ship traceable if they lost it in a busy sector tracking it back to its base.
The rogue ship was hidden under a camouflaged cover while the man watching the ship had motion dectors placed around the ships perimeter for security. A team was watching him and the ship from a distance inside a cloaked fighter.

Josh had to get some rest after working with the security team all night and the next day. The meeting was less than 24 hours away and Josh need to be at his best. Josh met with Sherpa and had some dinner while trying to encourage her the best he could till she had to leave. Josh was exhausted when he got to his quarters going straight into his bedroom and crashing.

The next morring as Josh was eating breakfast something had been bothering Josh about his birth if he had the same life span as the Ancients why did they take him back in time.
[Josh] “Sarah the people of this time are born in the past before Noah’s flood and they just live a normal 80 so years why did the Ancient take my parents to the past so I would be born in the past if it had no benefit?”
[Sarah] “Your genetic makeup shows your life span to last over 800 years and remain lively where most people get feeble in there old age you will not.”
[Josh] “My parents and the Ancient they were involved with were Godly people they may have been on a quest of some kind. I know they went back for a reason and my father always said it was about my long life and how special and blessed I was. I know God has blessed me and watched over me. It’s the trip back in time I jush don’t know about.”

Josh finished eating and headed for security to check on the progress made on Sherpa’s case and the status of the rogue ship and its crew. After a quick look the team had tied up most of the loose ends except for the way they got a message to the assassins. The team was focusing on the meeting and Sherpa. The two assassins had parked their glider in a garage a block over from the building the meeting was going to be held in.
According to the data sent back in time the assassin would come through the kitchen area open the door little and shoot Sherpa with a silent weapon that only made a snapping sound killing her instantly.
As Sherpa fell to the floor the assassin escaped unseen in the commotion.

The assassins plan was hit and run and it worked then and if everything went as planed it would be the same but this time the assassins ship was marked so they wouldn’t loose it and everyone would think Sherpa was dead.
The last time Sherpa and Josh spoke about the Ancients she was a little more helpful as Josh and Sarah asked questions about their everyday life and the man that made the armband. What sectors Sherpa had been to and the people in them. Josh learned a long time ago most people know more than they think if you know what to ask.

The day was going as plained and everyone was doing fine except Sherpa it was about time for her to go to the meeting and she was getting panicky. Josh flew over to her building and transported down into her office to try and calm her down.
[Sherpa] “Thanks for stopping by I’m just a little tense about all this I’ll be fine in a minute.”
Josh knew that in less than 30 minutes it would all be over and he needed to get her to calm down and thing about somethine else. Josh moved close to Sherpa and looked into her eyes.
“Sherpa the drone and clone are close to perfect copys of you but neather one of the has the sparkle your eyes have or the warm and tinder smile you have. [Josh pulled her close and said.] Or your smell it’s like a drug to me. [Josh tenderly kissed her neck then pulled her close and kissed her passionately saying.]
I would like to see you later if you have time? I need to go now before someone comes in.”

Josh transported back to his ship and watched as Sherpa left the office and headed for the garage. Josh could see she was acting different from before as she got into the glider Josh noticed a bamboozle look on her face. When she got to the meeting she was the forceful and bright Sherpa everyone knew as she talked with some of the people.
Sherpa keep to the plan as she went into the room went through the weapons scanner at the door moved over to the side just like planned and moved into her stance. The team transported her out and the drone transported back in as the light flashed from the scanner. The swap happened so fast no one ever seen it.
Josh watched the android on his monitor go to the table and sat down where Sherpa’s name tag was. The android performed so well Sherpa was amazed saying it looked like a move of herself.
Sherpa stayed with the team on the ship incase someone asked the android something Sherpa could answer back. When the lecturer started Josh transported Sherpa over to his ship.
[Josh] “Sherpa lets go back to the base your part is over. We can follow the operation from headquarters I need to get ready to leave.”
[Sherpa] “What do you mean leave?”
[Josh] “I’m going ahead to the sector the assassins are going back to so we can gather some advanced intelligence on the sector for the tracking team.”
[Sherpa] “I thought you wanted to see me later? You know I like you Josh when you said you wanted to see me I got all excited about the idea.”
Josh tried to thing of a way to get out of this without looking like a jerk or hurting Sherpa. Josh missed Sherry and wanted to get back to her and his time but he liked Sherpa.
[Josh] “I like you to but I still yearn for a woman from my time and I can’t just right her off just yet. I got carried away in the moment as I held you close I am lonely and do like spending time with you I just don’t want to hurt you.”
[Sherpa] “Josh I want to spent some time with you tonight I don’t expect nothing. I’m so lonely my skin hurts it want’s to be held so bad.”
Josh understood what it was to be alone every night working till he was exhausted so he could sleep easier.
[Josh] “I did promise you a date I’ll see you later but I still have to leave later the crew is loading up on the new ship now.”
[Sherpa] “What did you name the new ship you never did say?”
[Josh] “The Venture do you like it?”
[Sherpa] “I like the name it suit’s the ship and your mision.” Josh smiled saying. “I thought so thanks.”