Chapter 378: Station Veyra Nine

The first jump toward Veyra Nine was quiet.

That was useful because it gave Aurelian time to review the station records properly, instead of making decisions from a few lines pulled from the captured transport.

The Black Crown remained at the center of the formation while Solenne’s ships spread around it.

Neris kept the medical transports farther back, where they would be protected if the fleet arrived under fire.

Rhoswen had complained for several minutes about being told to sleep before eventually disappearing toward the quarters assigned to her.

Aurelian was surprised she actually listened.

Astra was not.

"She knows she is tired," Astra said as they entered the Black Crown’s command room. "She simply dislikes admitting it."

"That sounds familiar."

Astra looked at him.

Aurelian decided not to continue that thought.

Eirenne appeared beside the main display and opened the information recovered from the research transport. The data was much more complete now.

Station Veyra Nine had originally been a small Compact medical research post built around an older industrial platform.

After Sanctuary Ardent was occupied, the station had slowly become one of the main places where Compact researchers sent anything they considered too dangerous, too valuable, or too difficult to study inside the sanctuary itself.

Human equipment had been moved there.

Medical samples had been moved there.

And people had been moved there.

Aurelian looked at the prisoner transfer list again.

"How much of this can we trust?"

"The transport records match the files recovered from Sanctuary Ardent," Eirenne replied. "Dates, names, transfer numbers, and receiving officers all agree."

"What happened after arrival?"

"That is where the records become incomplete."

A second display opened.

Some prisoners had been assigned to technical work.

Others were listed under medical observation.

A smaller number had been transferred into something called long-term study housing.

The name sounded harmless.

Aurelian did not believe it was.

"Any death records?"

"Forty-one confirmed."

Aurelian was quiet for a moment.

"Causes?"

"Several illnesses. Some preservation complications. Nine were listed as treatment failures. Five died during attempted escape incidents."

Astra’s expression did not change, but her eyes stayed on the names.

"That leaves two hundred and seventy-one unconfirmed."

"Correct," Eirenne said.

"Any transfers away from the station?"

"I found thirty-eight."

"Where?"

"Mostly deeper into Compact territory. Twelve went to a military medical center. Seven went to a biological research facility. The remaining nineteen were divided between several locations I cannot identify from the current records."

That reduced the number who might still be at Veyra Nine.

But not by enough.

Aurelian studied the station layout.

"What about the others?"

"Two hundred and thirty-three have no confirmed departure."

That was the number that mattered now.

Two hundred and thirty-three people might still be waiting at the station.

Aurelian enlarged the map.

Veyra Nine consisted of a central research platform connected to four older modules. One contained laboratories.

Another held habitation areas. The third was mostly storage and power systems. The last had originally been industrial space before being converted into secure medical housing.

That last module was where most of the Sanctuary Ardent prisoners had been kept.

"How strong is the station defense?" Astra asked.

"Fixed weapons are limited," Eirenne replied. "Four medium batteries, several point-defense systems, and a station shield strong enough to stop raiders. The larger problem is the local fleet."

The tactical map changed.

Five Compact warships remained in the system according to the latest passive scan.

Two light cruisers.

Three destroyers.

Several civilian transports were also near the station, most of them already being loaded.

"Any sign they know we’re coming?" Aurelian asked.

"None."

"Good."

The captured research transport had failed to report its loss, and the scout near Helion had also disappeared without sending a warning.

For once, the Compact did not know exactly where Aurelian was.

He wanted to keep that advantage until the fleet reached Veyra Nine.

A new message appeared from Sanctuary Ardent.

Vaela had sent him the names collected from the survivors before departure.

Forty-seven people had identified relatives or friends believed to have been sent to Veyra Nine.

Eirenne had already matched thirty-one of those names to prisoners who were not listed as dead or transferred elsewhere.

Aurelian read them carefully.

Serena Hal was one.

So was Mirelle Dain’s nephew, who had apparently been taken years before Mirelle entered preservation.

Astra noticed the name.

"She did not mention him."

"No."

"Maybe she did not want to make the mission personal."

"It already is."

Aurelian closed the list.

"We treat every prisoner the same. Family connection to the council does not change priority."

"Of course."

Aurelian sat down at the command table.

"There is another problem."

Astra understood immediately.

"What happens after we recover them?"

"Yes."

If more than two hundred prisoners were still alive, most would need medical care. Some might have spent years working under Compact supervision. Others might have suffered long-term experiments or injuries.

Neris had transports.

Doctor Marr had medical teams.

But Sanctuary Ardent was already supporting thousands of awakened survivors, while Larkspur Haven and Helion Bastion Twelve were receiving the earlier evacuation groups.

Aurelian could bring the prisoners home.

Keeping them safe after that required more planning.

"Eirenne, connect Astercourt."

The channel opened after a short delay.

Astercourt appeared from Sanctuary Ardent’s temporary council office with several files floating beside her.

"You are supposed to be on the way to a rescue mission."

"I am."

"Then why are you giving me more work?"

"Because the rescue mission may bring back more than two hundred people."

"I know."

Aurelian paused.

"You already prepared for that."

"I began preparing when you said you were leaving."

Astra looked toward him.

Aurelian ignored her.

Astercourt continued.

"If you recover everyone still listed at Veyra Nine, Sanctuary Ardent can hold them temporarily. The Arcturus medical ships have enough unused capacity, and the council has cleared one residential level near the eastern medical hall."

"Food?"

"Enough for now."

"Long-term housing?"

"Not enough."

"Helion?"

"Seris offered space for another two thousand if necessary, though she warned me that the lower habitation sections still need repairs."

"Larkspur?"

"More room, less medical capacity."

That matched what Aurelian expected.

"Then Sanctuary first, Helion for anyone requiring long-term technical treatment, and Larkspur after stabilization."

"I already wrote that."

Aurelian leaned back slightly.

"Why did you need me?"

"You called me."

Astra looked away.

Aurelian could tell she was hiding another smile.

"Anything else I should know?" he asked.

"The temporary council wants the recovered prisoners recognized as Sanctuary Ardent civilians unless they choose otherwise."

"That makes sense."

"They also want family reunification handled before relocation."

"Also reasonable."

"And Meriel Voss wants copies of the prisoner transfer evidence."

"Give her the transfer evidence. Not private medical records."

"Already done."

Aurelian was beginning to wonder why he had called at all.

Astercourt seemed to realize it.

"Commander?"

"Yes?"

"You can rescue the prisoners now. We can handle the paperwork."

The channel closed.

Aurelian looked at the empty display.

Astra finally allowed herself a small smile.

"Efficient."

"I heard it."

Eirenne appeared beside them.

"She has been spending too much time with me."

"That explains several things."

Astra turned toward the main tactical display.

"How long until the next jump?"

"Twenty-six minutes," Eirenne replied.

Aurelian used the time to contact Vaela aboard Neris’s medical formation.

She answered from one of the transport treatment rooms.

Doctor Marr was visible in the background, checking emergency beds.

"Do we have room for two hundred and thirty-three?" Aurelian asked.

"We can make room."

"That did not answer the question."

"It did."

Aurelian waited.

Vaela sighed.

"Comfortably, one hundred and sixty. If we use the cargo medical sections and convert two crew areas, two hundred and thirty. If there are more, Neris says she can move stable patients aboard her support ship."

"That is close."

"We only need enough to get them out of Veyra Nine. Sanctuary Ardent has better facilities once we return."

"What if some cannot be moved immediately?"

Doctor Marr answered from behind her.

"Then we stabilize them on the station before transport."

Aurelian looked toward Vaela.

"You stay aboard the medical ships until the station is secure."

"I remember."

"Good."

"You have reminded me three times."

"Because you keep sounding like someone planning to ignore it."

Vaela gave him a tired look.

"I have no intention of running through a Compact research station with a medical bag."

Rhoswen’s voice came from the doorway behind Aurelian.

"That sounds disappointing."

Everyone turned.

She had changed into lighter clothes and looked slightly more rested.

Aurelian checked the time.

"You slept for thirty-eight minutes."

"I slept."

"That was not enough."

"It was more than zero."

Eirenne appeared beside her.

"An impressive mathematical observation."

Rhoswen looked at the projection.

"I liked you better before you learned sarcasm."

"I learned it from the fleet."

Vaela’s expression softened slightly.

"At least someone is making him rest."

"He is next," Rhoswen said.

Aurelian ended the channel.

Rhoswen looked offended.

"I was helping."

"You were extending the conversation."

"Same thing."

The second jump began shortly afterward.

The Black Crown entered warp with the rest of the strike group following its route. For several minutes, there was nothing to do except wait while normal space disappeared from the displays.