Starship Insurgent (The Galactic Wars Book 6)

by Tripp Ellis

  "Deploy a relay transponder and set the encryption to 21176.235.”

  Chloe punched the data into the keypad, then launched the transponder. It was a small orb that hovered in space, about the size of a softball.

  Emma tested the transponder to make sure it was working. She switched her PDU to route through it. The signal was crystal clear. "Let's hope this thing has the range to transmit back to New Earth."

  "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't see or hear anything.” Chloe winked.

  Emma smiled.

  Chloe engaged the slide-space drive. The bulkheads bulged and warbled as the Vantage disappeared, leaving a wake of quantum distortion.

  49

  Walker

  “With all due respect, Admiral, I don’t appreciate your recruits utilizing my ship as some kind of training toy.” Captain Burke of the Bunker Hill was livid, yet he was trying to maintain a respectful tone of dissent to a superior officer.

  “I can understand your frustration, Captain. But it was crucial that these trainees performed an operation in as realistic an environment as possible. I apologize for any inconvenience it caused you.” Jenkins had a slight grin on his face. He was sitting in his office at the Naval Special Warfare Center. He shrugged. “The needs of the Navy.”

  “Yes, the needs of the Navy,” Burke grumbled. It was a phrase you heard with frequency every time you got screwed over by the Navy. He realized the conversation wasn’t going to end to his satisfaction. “Thank you, Admiral. Good day.”

  Jenkins ended the transmission, and Burke’s angry face vanished from the display on his desk. Jenkins looked to Walker. He was sitting across from him.

  “It seems the recruits accomplished their mission undetected.” He held back a chuckle. “Discovery of the dummy bomb sent Burke into a tizzy. He called in an EOD team. It took them four hours to figure out it wasn’t live.” Jenkins couldn’t stifle his laughter any longer.

  Walker grinned. “The recruits are operating at a very high level, and have retained the knowledge transferred during the protocol.”

  “I’ll admit, I’m beginning to see the potential value in this program. I’m anxious to see more. But proceed with caution.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The Pulverizer had been transformed. Once host to grueling PT sessions, it was now ready for a celebration. Flags of the Federation ringed the area. Centerstage was a riser with a lectern against the background of Federation flags. Rows upon rows of folding chairs were laid out across the blacktop of the Pulverizer. Several hundred guests would be in attendance. T-shirts, keychains, koozies, pennants, and other memorabilia, all emblazoned with the Reaper logo, were for sale. There were refreshments including beer and wine, as well as appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. The weather outside was magnificent. You couldn’t ask for a better day to graduate from BSCT.

  The neural transfer process allowed the students to complete six months worth of Reaper qualifying training within three weeks. Class 276 had reached the end of training.

  They had been put through final qualifications, passed their physical evaluations and readiness tests, and were ready to be anointed as new Reapers. It was a day Ryan thought would never come. Though, there were many older Reapers who were grumbling about the shortcut this class had taken.

  Captain Walker took to the podium and addressed the crowd. “Good afternoon. I’d like to thank Rear Admiral Jenkins, all of the Naval Special Warfare Center instructors and staff, our esteemed guests, friends, and family, and of course, Class 276. I am honored to give this commencement address. I remember my Biscuit graduation like it was yesterday. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. But that moment pales in comparison to the sense of pride I feel today in Class 276, and the entire Special Warfare community. It is the selflessness and sacrifice of men and women such as yourselves that will allow this great Federation to remain a beacon of freedom and integrity throughout the galaxy.”

  The crowd cheered.

  “This is also the first BSCT class that will not only graduate, but will also receive their Reaper qualification. Due to the tireless work of Dr. Holly Noble, we will be able to award these recruits their Skull & Scythe six months ahead of schedule. After today, they will be ready to begin their life in the Teams.”

  The crowd cheered and hollered again.

  “This class started with 95 recruits. Today, 18 are graduating. It is a testament to your tenacity and dedication that you are still here. Unfortunately, there is one recruit who should be standing among you today, but is not. I asked all of the recruits to list other recruits in order from highest performer to lowest performer. Spaceman Gavin Kirby was at the top of everyone’s list. It is a rare occasion that we do this, but Gavin Kirby will be named as an honorary graduate of Class 276.”

  “Hooyah!” the recruits shouted.

  “Without further ado, welcome to the Teams.”

  The Pulverizer erupted with applause. The whistles and cheers were deafening. When the chaos died down, Walker called up the newly minted Reapers one by one to bestow them with their coveted Reaper pin.

  Ryan accepted his badge and shook Walker’s hand with a wide smile. He stepped off the stage and found his father who was beaming. The two embraced.

  “I’m proud of you, son. Your mother would be too.”

  “I wish Colton was here to see this.”

  His father returned a grim smile. “He’d be proud of you too.” There was a somber moment of silence between them. Then he tried to lighten the mood. “I see that Colton’s O-course record still stands.”

  Ryan shrugged. “I didn’t have the heart to take it from him.”

  Bill smiled. “I don’t think anybody ever will.”

  Ryan agreed.

  “Come on. Let’s grab a beer. I want to hear all about BSCT. I want to know how much it’s changed.”

  “It’s way tougher than when you went through, Dad.” Ryan was teasing him.

  “I’m not so sure about that. We didn’t have all this technology.”

  “You had to rub two sticks together to make fire back then, didn’t you?”

  “Watch it now.”

  “Spaceman Hunter,” Walker said, approaching Ryan. “I’d like a word with you, if you have a moment.”

  “Absolutely, sir. I’d like you to meet my father, Bill Hunter.”

  “Bill, it’s nice to meet you.”

  Bill shook his hand. “Likewise, Captain. You’ve got quite the reputation throughout the Teams.”

  “As do you, sir.” Walker smiled. “I’ll just keep him for a moment.”

  Ryan and Walker stepped aside.

  “You and Ensign Parkes are at the top of the class in just about every metric that’s tracked.”

  “Thank you, sir. We’ve worked hard.”

  “You two get along well?”

  “Not at first. But we’ve since cultivated a… mutual respect.”

  “Is there anything… extracurricular going on between you two?”

  “That would be against the rules, sir.”

  Walker wasn’t born yesterday. He had seen them interact. He knew full well they were attracted to each other. “I trust you’ll keep things professional.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  New Reapers were like college football players entering the PFL draft. The various Reaper teams were always scouting for new guys who might be a fit within their platoons. Each platoon was a close-knit, cohesive group that didn’t let just anybody in. You needed the right mix of skills and personality. OICs wanted new guys to blend seamlessly with the existing culture established within the platoon.

  “I’d like you to join my team.”

  “I’d be honored, sir.”

  “This class is going to come under a lot of scrutiny during their first deployment, and possibly beyond. You’ll be expected to perform at, or above, the level of the existing Reapers.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

  “Good.” Walker extended
his hand. “Welcome to Team Punisher.”

  50

  Emma

  The Revenant was a sight for sore eyes. Emma felt dirty and grimy, and her hair was flat and matted. It was like being a grunt in the field all over again. She was sure she smelled like garbage. Emma felt sorry for Chloe who had to suffer through it for 9 hours on the ride back to the destroyer.

  "A hot meal and a shower sounds really nice right about now," Emma said.

  Chloe made her approach to the flight deck.

  The LSO's voice crackled over the comm system. "Rockstar, I have you on approach. Call the ball."

  "Bravo two-one-one, Vantage ball, 5.8."

  "Roger ball."

  Chloe was in the groove. The Vantage crested the edge of the flight deck and made a perfect landing. Chloe flipped switches and powered down the vehicle.

  "Thanks again," Emma said.

  "What are you going to do now?”

  "Meet with Graham and beg for my job back.”

  "What if that doesn't work?"

  Emma shrugged. "Assemble a team of mercs and try to do the job myself."

  Chloe smiled. "I think they're making a mistake letting you go."

  "I hope my boss thinks like you."

  Emma climbed out of her seat, and strode down the ramp to the flight deck. She didn't have any gear to grab. Everything had been left behind. All she had were the clothes on her back. She marched through the maze of corridors to the UIA office.

  Her security clearance and privileges had been revoked. She wasn't even allowed into the compartment the UIA was occupying. She was escorted by two Marines to a waiting area. 15 minutes later, Graham arrived. She couldn't totally read the expression on his face. He didn't look as angry as she expected him to be. But he didn't look particularly happy either.

  "Your guy checked out."

  “Vynx?”

  "Former special forces. Did two tours in Razurvan. Medical discharge after a piece of shrapnel lodged in his spine.”

  “I told you.”

  “He got himself in a little bit of trouble. He's a fugitive from the Federation. Armed robbery. He and six other former special operators hijacked a shipment of medical supplies en route to Arcturus Vega."

  “Doesn’t mean his intel is not good. He led us right to Suspa. I’ve set up a drone network on a relay. You should be able to monitor the feed."

  Graham grimaced. "You've already caused enough trouble. Do you know what kind of shit storm it's going to cause if the Aldebaranian government discovers an unauthorized surveillance network?”

  "They're not going to find it. They’re mosquito drones. Just watch the feed. If it is, in fact, Suspa’s residence, he will lead you to Ragza.”

  "How can you be so sure?"

  “Ragza does not allow any type of electronic communication to emanate from within his compound. He knows these devices can be tracked. Mobile devices aren't even allowed on the premises. He meets once a week with Suspa to relay commands. From there, Suspa disseminates the communications to the rest of the cells."

  Graham surveyed her. She could see the conflict in his eyes.

  "Just follow this lead and see where it goes. No harm no foul.”

  "I've already taken a lot of heat on this."

  "And you're going to take even more the next terrorist attack."

  Graham exhaled deeply. "Go back to your compartment and lay low for a while."

  Emma didn't like that suggestion one bit.

  "Look, I can't get you reinstated right now. This incident has gone way beyond me."

  "I don't need to be reinstated. Work with me off the books. We do it all the time. If this lead pans out, I’ll put together a black ops team myself. We’ll work like contractors, and you can deny any involvement if things go south."

  Graham pondered this for a moment. "Go get yourself cleaned up. You stink."

  Emma smiled. "That's not a no,” she said in singsong.

  "That's not a yes either.”

  Emma took a long, hot shower and changed into some fresh clothes she had grabbed from the ship’s store. She headed down to the 2nd deck mess hall to grab some chow. Even though the food was coming from a processor, it was far better than anything she had back on Aldebaran.

  She took a seat at a table and dug into her meal. She had been craving bacon and eggs for weeks. She didn't care what time of day it was, she felt like breakfast. The crispy bacon was divine. After the chalky sludge she was fed in solitary, this tasted like the best meal she had ever had. It was almost worth spending time in the dungeon just to have the pleasure of this moment. Almost.

  "Mind if I join you?" a familiar voice asked.

  Emma looked up to see Anderson's piercing blue eyes. "I don't see any harm in two former secret agents having lunch together,” she said with a smile.

  Anderson set his tray on the table and took a seat. "Yeah, that was a raw deal. You make out okay in prison?"

  "Piece of cake."

  Anderson chuckled. "Right."

  "What about you?"

  "We train for that shit. I don't think anything could be as bad as the Advanced Prisoner Survival Training back at the Academy."

  Emma agreed. APST was a grueling 30 day simulation where new recruits were pushed to the breaking point. It was the closest thing to a real POW situation that you could get. It was modeled after the APST Navy Reapers went through.

  It was good to catch up with Anderson. He was the only other person that could relate to exactly what she was going through. Plus, she had to admit he was easy on the eyes.

  “Since neither one of us are employed, how about we grab that drink now?” She felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter a little as she waited for a response.

  Anderson gave her a skeptical look. “I don’t know. Might not be such a good idea.” He was playing hard to get and spitting her words back at her.

  “Come on. Don’t make me drink alone?”

  “I’m sure you won’t have a hard time finding a companion.”

  “Okay. Suit yourself.” Emma pushed away from the table and picked up her tray.

  “Well, I guess I can make an exception. Just this once.” Anderson flashed a devilish grin.

  51

  Ryan

  The day after graduation, Ryan transferred to the Revenant. He was settling into his new quarters when there was a knock on the hatch. “Come in.”

  The hatch slid open, and Ensign Parkes hung in the doorway. “Wow, your quarters are so much smaller than mine.”

  Ryan frowned at her. “Rub it in, why don’t you?”

  She stepped into the compartment and glanced around. “How many people do you share this with?”

  “Four. The joys of being enlisted,”

  Parkes grinned, flaunting her officer status. “And where are your roommates now?”

  “Down in the chow hall on 2nd Deck.”

  “It’s going to take me forever to learn my way around this ship.”

  “At least we got the same platoon assignment.”

  Parkes scrunched her lips up. “I was kind of hoping we wouldn’t.”

  Ryan looked confused. “Why?”

  “Cause I’ve been wanting to do this.” She planted a fat kiss on his lips.

  Ryan’s eyes went wide. But he wasn’t going to argue. Her plush lips felt silky smooth. His heartbeat elevated.

  Piper muttered in between pecks, “I know this is a prohibited relationship. Officer/enlisted in the same platoon.” She nibbled on his ear. “But I’ve wanted you since Second Phase.”

  Her voice felt like velvet in his ears, and her steamy breath tickled his neck. Her skin was smooth, and her hair smelled divine. His hand traced the supple curves of her body. He knew this was going to be trouble. But six months of zero action, and an overload of testosterone, and there was no stopping.

  Ensign Parkes pulled on her clothes in a hurry. She had a satisfied glimmer in her eyes. “Next time, we’re going to have to find a bigger space. That rack is way too
tiny for both of us.”

  Ryan arched an eyebrow at her. “So, there’s gonna be a next time?” There was a hopeful tone in his voice.

  Piper was suddenly insecure. “Well, I mean… you want a next time, don’t you?”

  “I don’t know about you, but I could go again right now.” He had a cocksure grin.

  “Believe me. It’s tempting.” She growled with frustration. “Ugh, what am I thinking. This is insane.”

  “But fun.”

  They finished pulling on their clothes just as Spaceman Phillips entered the room.

  Piper’s sultry voice instantly changed to an authoritarian tone. “Well, thank you, Spaceman Hunter. I will take that under advisement. I’ll expect a full after action report by tomorrow.” She spun around and marched out of the compartment.

  “After action report?” Phillips asked.

  Ryan shrugged. “Classified.”

  Phillips looked a little perplexed, but shrugged it off. He didn't seem to put two and two together.

  Ryan's mobile buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the display screen. The call was from the last person he expected. He accepted the call and Kendall’s bubbly face appeared on the screen.

  "Congratulations! I'm so excited for you!”

  Ryan was a little confused and proceeded with caution. He hadn't heard a word from her in months.

  She read his expression. "News travels fast. Nothing happens in the galaxy that I don't know about."

  "Who told you?"

  "I have my sources."

  "I didn't think you approved of my Naval career."

  "Is there something wrong with one friend offering congratulations to another?"