by Jay Allan
Dauntless was only taking select traffic into its bays while repair operations continued, but Striker had been only too willing to give the needed authorization, showing there were no hard feelings for Stockton’s refusal of his offer.
The pilot liked Striker, he liked him a lot. He found he respected the admiral in a way he never had Winston. The fleet commander was a lofty officer, lord and master of the entire combined fleet, but in many ways, he seemed like the next guy in the wardroom. He lacked the formality of someone like Winston, and he seemed willing to find time for any of his people, from senior officers to the lowest-ranked spacers working in the recesses of engineering.
Stockton had always been a warrior who focused on his immediate world, his ship, his squadron. Now he realized he had a new optimism about the war, about the Confederation’s prospects. The fleet was a wreck, but the enemy had also been roughly handled, and Dauntless’s destruction of their supply line had compelled them to fall back half a dozen systems. The Confederation still faced a dangerous and damaging war, but it was no longer staring over the brink. And Stockton felt good about his part in that.
He shifted his throttle slightly, lining up with the entry to Dauntless’s alpha bay. He was anxious to see his friends. Still, he found himself trying not to think about it. Dauntless had been through hell, and for all Stockton knew, Kyle, Rick…even Stara…could have been lost. He’d tried to check on the fleet database from Fortitude, but the information was spotty, and Dauntless and Intrepid hadn’t even connected to the fleet network yet.
His fighter slid into the bay, and he brought it down gently in the open space that had been cleared amidst the debris. He felt a pit in his stomach, tightening with every second. It was one thing to think about friends and loved ones, to worry about them. But he was back now, after what seemed like months. In a few minutes he would know how they all had fared. He would know if they had lived…or if they hadn’t.
He popped the cockpit and scrambled out, handing his helmet to the tech instead of tossing it as he usually did. He climbed down the ladder and hopped onto the deck, his boots clacking loudly on the smooth steel surface.
“By the eleven hells, look who decided to grace us with his presence.”
Stockton turned around, a wide smile bursting out on his face. “Kyle,” he shouted, lunging forward and hugging his friend. “It’s so good to be back.”
“It’s good to have you back, my friend. I’m not afraid to tell you, I was worried about you. Hell, worried? I was scared to death.”
“Me too. About both of us.”
The two men laughed. “Seriously, Kyle, it sounds like you’ve all been through one murderous fight after another.”
“It’s been a rough couple of weeks, that’s for sure, though I suspected hardest of all on you.” He paused. “Jake, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
A cold feeling went through Stockton. “Stara?” he asked, barely gasping out her name.
“No…no. Stara is fine, Jake. She got bruised up a bit when a support gave way in launch control, but she’s fine. Rick too, though we did take our share of losses.”
Stockton felt an onrush of relief. “What is it you want to…”
“Jake!”
Stockton heard the voice behind him, and he knew instantly who it was. He spun around, extending his arms as Stara Sinclair raced across the debris-strewn deck and threw her own arms around him. All thoughts of discretion, of keeping their relationship a secret, were gone, and the two of them, a senior launch control officer and the fleet’s reigning celebrity pilot, created quite the scandal by kissing in the middle of the battleship’s crowded alpha bay.
“I was so worried about you,” she said as she pulled back and looked up at him.
“I told you I’d be back, didn’t I? I could never stay away from you, no matter what it took to get back.”
He turned around, looking over toward where Jamison had stood. “Sorry about that, Kyle, you wanted to…” But Jamison was gone, and Stockton realized just how good of a friend he had in Dauntless’s strike force commander. “I guess it was something that could wait,” he said softly. Then he added, “Good.”
He pulled Stara closer to him and said, “Let’s go find someplace to talk. There’s something I have to tell you, something I should have told you a long time ago, and I don’t want to wait any longer.” And he led her off the launch bay and into one of the lifts.
Chapter Fifty
CFS Dauntless
Ultara System
308 AC
Stockton walked down the corridor toward the officers club. He was anxious to see his Blue squadron comrades, or at least those who had survived. He’d had a chance to check the roster, so he knew who was still there, and who hadn’t made it. The ship’s data net had told him something else too, and he didn’t know how he felt about it. He knew how he would have reacted before, but things had changed over the past few weeks, and he was different as well.
He turned and stepped into the room, and a second later the place erupted into applause. Blue squadron was there, of course, as were the rest of Dauntless’s fighter jocks. And standing right in front of the bar were Captain Barron and Commander Travis.
Stockton snapped to attention. “Captain. Commander.”
“At ease, Commander…for the love of God, at ease.”
Stockton looked back, a confused expression on his face. “I’m sorry, sir…did you call me Commander?”
“You don’t miss much, do you?” Barron had a broad smile on his face. “You turned the admiral down, Jake, and I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have you back. But we couldn’t let you walk away from your promotion too, could we? I was all ready to dust off the Barron name and take it for a ride, demanding you get the bump in rank, but the admiral said yes right away. Apparently—somehow—you made a good impression. Don’t take it personally, Commander, but you wouldn’t be my first pick to grease the brass, so to speak. Still, congratulations. That trip you made will almost certainly get you a medal as well as your clusters, but for now you’ll just have to be happy being the second highest ranking pilot on Dauntless.”
“I am, sir. I really am. Thank you. I can’t tell you how good it feels to be home.”
“We’re thrilled to have you back. Now, how would you feel about drinking with your captain?” Barron turned back toward the bar. “A round for everyone.”
The room echoed with a loud cheer as the bartender started handing out mugs.
“Jake,” Barron said softly, “there is one thing I wanted to discuss with you.”
“Timmons.” He looked up at the captain and then at Jamison. “He led the Blues while I was away.” Stockton took a deep breath. His people were nothing if not loyal. Half a dozen pilots had already told him what had happened, urging him to make amends with the Red Eagle leader…but assuring him if they were forced to choose between the two, they would always be Stockton’s. “We’ve had our differences, but I’d never say he wasn’t one hell of a pilot…or a squadron commander.”
“It’s not just that.” Barron flashed a glance to Jamison and then back. “We took terrible losses, Jake, and that was on top of Santis. We need to replenish our ranks, and I’d rather not have to deal with an influx of raw trainees. So, I asked Lieutenant Timmons and the Red Eagles to stay permanently, to bulk up our roster. I’ll have to get the admiral to approve the transfer, but I suspect he owes us one for taking out the enemy supply station.”
“Did Timmons accept?”
“He said he would stay…but only if you were okay with it. He lost his best friend in the last battle, and he’s taken the survivors of the Direwolves into his squadron.”
“Captain, I’d have probably said something very different a couple weeks ago, but a lot of things have changed since then.” He looked across the room to where Timmons was standing, and he waved his hand, gesturing for the pilot to come over.
“Yes, Commander?” Timmons said, clearly uncomfortabl
e.
“We’ve had our differences, Warrior. We both know that. But maybe it’s time for all that to end. I can’t even say I remember why we ended up at odds all that well anymore. So, let’s start over now, clean. And if that’s good for you, it’s good for me.”
“It’s good for me, Raptor.”
Stockton extended his hand, and Timmons took it enthusiastically. “Welcome to Dauntless, Warrior. And you don’t have to thank us for getting you off that massive flagship. You’ve swapped the most prestigious ship in the fleet for the best one.”
Timmons nodded, and he even cracked a tiny smile. “No argument there, Raptor. And we’ll do whatever we have to do to keep it that way!”
Confederation Intelligence
Troyus City
Planet Megara, Olyus III
308 AC
“I wasn’t sure I’d ever see this office again, my friend.” Holsten sat behind his palatial desk, staring across at Vonns. “It was an…interesting…experience being with the fleet during a battle like that, but I think once was enough for me. I was able to keep from soiling my pants, which was a Godsend for my dignity, but I don’t think I should push my luck. Besides, with Admiral Striker securely in place, I believe the fleet is in good hands.”
“I still don’t know how you managed to extricate yourself from the hole you dug. The Senate retroactively approved all your actions. You’re in the clear, and while we’ve still got one hell of a war to fight, at least we’re not staring into the abyss anymore.” Vonns seemed genuinely surprised. “How did you pull it off with the Senate? I was waiting for word you were arrested.”
“I just reasoned with them. Nothing but cold logic.”
No one except Holsten himself ever need know the extent of the threats and deals and outright intimidation it had taken to secure the support of enough Senators to ratify what he had done. Fortunately, those who’d screamed the loudest for his blood and expressed the greatest outrage at his ‘betrayal,’ had turned out to be the ones with the longest lists of financial improprieties and illegitimate children and illicit affairs, all neatly categorized and documented in Holsten’s private files.
No politician could idly make an enemy of a man who’d occupied Holsten’s position, and so it had been with the Confederation’s Senate. A man like Holsten had his secret resources, and he’d made sure the politicians realized he would retain most of them, even when he’d been stripped of his post and charged with a long list of crimes. If his machinations had failed and the fleet had been defeated, perhaps he would have had a harder time, but the Senate was overjoyed that the Union forces were no longer advancing inexorably toward them. They’d found it relatively easy to get over their outrage, courtesy of a judicious combination of relief, blackmail and bribery.
“So, what is next? We averted disaster, but if the reports I’ve seen are any indication, the fleet is in bad shape.”
“It’s far worse than you imagine. But the Union forces were badly damaged too. I suspect there will be a lull while both sides recover. But based on the resources they committed in building their fleet and that supply base, I’d say the Union is in it to the end this time. I fear we face a long and difficult fight.”
Vonns just nodded. Then he asked, “What about Tyler Barron? This is the second massive victory he’s won. I know he is young, but should we be considering a move to flag rank?”
“We probably should…but not yet. He and that ship of his are a unit, unlike any I have ever seen. His people are devoted to him, and they seem uniquely able to achieve the impossible. I’m reluctant to separate them, at least so soon. Tyler Barron may yet prove to be his grandfather’s equal, but with Striker in command, we can be patient. Our new commanding admiral brings a whole generation of officers with him, and a fresh energy. Striker is willing to promote Barron to task force command now, but I asked him to wait. To give Barron and his people and his ship a bit more time together. I think they’ve earned at least that much.”
CFS Dauntless
Ultara System
308 AC
“Commander Fritz has worked wonders, Captain. It gets old saying it so often, but she really is the closest thing to a miracle worker.”
“I think Fritzie would badger a miracle worker to the verge of insanity. All this time together, and I still can’t say for certain that the woman sleeps. Ever.” Barron flashed a smile at Travis. The two were in his quarters, just catching up on the latest reports. He appreciated the quiet, and the company.
Dauntless still carried a fair number of scars, but the battleship was more or less fully functional. Barron knew she could use a long stretch in spacedock, but he also realized there were other ships in greater need. The opening battles of the war had been the fiercest and most costly ever known, and the fleet had a tremendous amount of repair and rebuilding to do.
“We’re in good shape, Ty…considering. The Red Eagles will go a long way toward bringing our squadrons back to top readiness. And even for all our losses, the pilot roster looks like an all-star assembly.”
“We’re very lucky, Atara…if that’s something we can say after all we’ve been through.” Barron paused. “This war isn’t over, not by a long shot. As soon as the Union gets their fleets refit and resupplied, they’ll be back at us. And we’d better be ready for them when they come.”
Travis looked at him, an iron look on her face. “We will be, Ty. We will be.”
Coming Spring 2017
Blood on the Stars Book 3
Ruins of Empire
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Books by Jay Allan
The Crimson Worlds Series
(Available on Kindle Unlimited)
Marines (Crimson Worlds I)
The Cost of Victory (Crimson Worlds II)
A Little Rebellion (Crimson Worlds III)
The First Imperium (Crimson Worlds IV)
The Line Must Hold (Crimson Worlds V)
To Hell’s Heart (Crimson Worlds VI)
The Shadow Legions (Crimson Worlds VII)
Even Legends Die (Crimson Worlds VIII)
The Fall (Crimson Worlds IX)
Crimson Worlds Successors Trilogy
MERCS (Successors I)
The Prisoner of Eldaron (Successors II)
The Black Flag (Successors III) – March 2017
Crimson Worlds Refugees Series
Into the Darkness (Refugees I)
Shadows of the Gods (Refugees II)
Revenge of the Ancients (Refugees III)
Winds of Vengeance (Refugees IV)
Storm of Vengeance (Refugees V) – Coming Spring 2017
Crimson Worlds Prequels
(Available on Kindle Unlimited)
Tombstone (A Crimson Worlds Prequel)
Bitter Glory (A Crimson Worlds Prequel)
The Gates of Hell (A Crimson Worlds Prequel)
Crimson Worlds Adventures
Red Team Alpha
(A New Crimson Worlds Novel)
Blood on the Stars Series
(Available on Kindle Unlimited)
Duel in the Dark (Blood on the Stars I)
Call to Arms (Blood on the Stars II)
The Far Stars Series
Shadow of Empire (Fars Stars I)
Enemy in the Dark (Far Stars II)
Funeral Games (Far Stars III)
Far Stars Legends Series
(Available on Kindle Unlimited)
Blackhawk (Far Stars Legends I)
The Wolf’s Claw (Far Stars Legends II) – February 2017
Also By Jay Allan
Gehenna Dawn (Portal Worlds I)
The Ten Thousand (Portal Wars II)
Homefront (Portal Wars III)
The Dragon’s Banner (Pendragon Chronicles I)
Table of Contents
Books by Jay Allan
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Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six