by Ricky Sides
Gently, Jeff flew the fighter into position. The maneuver was made all the more difficult because he couldn’t see what was happening beneath his fighter. He had to rely on shouted instructions to help guide him into the proper position and then tell him to stop at the appropriate time.
It took two attempts, but on the second, Jeff managed to place Namid near enough that Jack and Lieutenant Farns could grab her. The lieutenant cut the rope with his knife.
“Thanks, Cowboy! I owe you one!” Namid shouted as Jack pulled her inside the outer cargo bay. He unhooked the carabiner from her harness and was about to toss it out, but Namid placed her hand on his, stopping him. She said, “Save it for Cowboy. It’s lucky now. It might save another pilot one day.”
Nodding his head, Jack then took Namid in his arms and kissed her. “For a minute there, I was afraid I’d lost you.”
“Actually, I don’t know why I didn’t go down sooner. I should have,” she stated as the cargo bay door closed.
“Pol,” Jack responded.
“Huh?” Namid asked. Then she said, “You know, Pol said he had me after my fighter lost all power.”
“He did. He got a drone under your fighter and attached it to the hull, then he supported the fighter long enough to get you clear of the fleet,” Jack explained.
***
Aboard the Peacekeeper, Pol looked down at his trembling hands. He tucked them between his knees to stop them from shaking.
“Pol? Dear, are you alright?” Patricia asked her dearest friend on earth.
“I’ll be fine. I’m just a nervous mess after that incident. I need a few moments to calm down,” Pol explained.
“Once again, you use a drone to save one of us. The last time it was Evan,” Tim observed.
“As Namid once so aptly put it, ‘never look a gift horse in the mouth,’” Pol said.
“I’m afraid I don’t follow you, Pol,” Tim said. Then it hit him, and he asked, “This is another of those impossible rescues, isn’t it?”
Pol nodded his head but remained silent.
“What do you mean impossible?” asked Sergeant Thompson. The strike force leader had just seen it done, so he knew it wasn’t impossible.
“The most I was hoping to accomplish was to cushion her fall,” Pol explained. The drone lift engine isn’t strong enough to support the weight of a fighter,” he clarified.
“But it did, which is why Pol quoted Namid,” Tim explained. “You know, Pol, Pete has a saying he’s used a few times in my presence that is also applicable.”
“What might that be, my friend?” Pol asked.
“Sometimes, it just isn’t your day to die,” Tim quoted.
“Another good one to remember,” Pol said with a nod of his head.
***
For the next two hours, the Arizona and the Peacekeeper pounded the fleet. Twice more, the drones tried to take out the troublesome frigate that had shot down Namid’s fighter, and twice more they failed. However, they did succeed in destroying most of the deck guns.
Unfortunately, the frigate succeeded in opening a small hole in the battery compartment of the battleship drone. Sergeant David Thompson volunteered to take the sled outside and slap a patch on the small portion of the hull that was leaking. He had just installed that patch when a rogue wave swamped the sled, which was used for maintenance and cargo transportation. If not for Tim’s insistence that the man be equipped with a safety harness that was tied to the ship, David would have been lost along with the sled. As it was, the man was half drowned by the time the strike force team got him out of the water.
“I’m afraid that’s going to be all we can do for now, Captain Wilcox,” Tim said over the radio. He added, “Pol thinks the patch will hold, but advises we get back to Base 1 for a proper repair.”
“Did you lose a critical amount of battery fluid? If you did, we can accompany you,” Jack stated.
“Pol says from the energy readings he can tell we’ll be alright. We just need to head for home,” Tim responded.
“In that case, we’ll stick around. It’ll be dark soon, and I still haven’t tried this ship on the surface,” said Jack with a wicked grin. “Thank Jeff again for me. I owe him a steak dinner,” the captain added with feeling.
Laughing, Tim responded, “He says he heard you, and he’ll remember that promise.” Then turning serious, Tim said, “You’ve done a great job, Captain Wilcox. Thanks to your work last night, several hundred ships left this armada today. Just remember, you don’t have to do it all. When it gets too hairy, I want you to withdraw with your ship. Peacekeeper out.”
“Will do, Captain Wilison. Arizona out,” Jack replied.
***
Captain Lynch stood on the deck of the ship his men had captured when it had tried to flee after the warning Captain Wilcox had issued that morning. The captain and former ally stood before him as a defeated man. Most of his loyal crewmembers were dead. They had died fighting Lynch’s cutthroats. The man was under no illusions as to his own fate. The late evening air blew through his hair, reminding him of the more pleasant times when he had been at sea.
Bran Lynch saw the man before him as a traitor and a coward. He signaled the men beside the captured captain. One of Lynch’s men placed a noose around the doomed man’s neck, tightening it behind his head. Without further ado, the men pulled on the free end of the rope and hoisted the man ten feet into the air above the deck.
Several minutes passed before the captain slowly strangled to death. When the surviving crewmembers of the captured ship tried to look away, Lynch had his men force them to watch as the captain kicked uselessly at the air in his agony. When the man finally stopped kicking, Lynch said, “Thus, die all traitors and cowards.”
Turning to face the surviving crewmembers, Lynch said, “You will live, but only because I need a crew for my new acquisition. Leave his body for all to see until I tell you otherwise.” Pacing the deck before the defeated men, he added, “Serve me well, and I will in time forgive you. Fail me in any way and you will join your former captain hanging from that boom.”
Lynch boarded his own ship, which was currently his only remaining battleship. From time to time, Captain Lynch boarded a different ship among his personal fleet and stayed aboard it for periods of time ranging from days to weeks. He ordered the battleship to escort the newly acquired ship with the body of the former captain hanging from the boom. The crew of that ship was under orders to sail back through the center of the rest of the fleet, so that everyone could see what happened when a captain crossed Bran Lynch. As the two ships made their macabre journey, Captain Lynch’s recording played the same message repeatedly. “This captain tried to abandon our fleet in the face of battle. Thus die all traitors and cowards.”
This had the desired affect on the rest of the fleet. After Lynch finished that run through the fleet, it would take much more than a few threats from the enemy to persuade any captain to leave the armada.
***
“Captain, it’s full dark now, and the pirate ships are searching the sea near their vessels with spotlights,” Namid reported. She had just settled the Arizona a quarter mile behind the fleet, and was holding the aircraft in a hover just above the surface of the sea.
“Thank you for the report, pilot,” the captain replied. Then he asked, “Are you sure you’re ready to return to duty?”
“The doctor gave me a clean bill of health. What I really need is to get back to work and forget the incident,” Namid responded.
Nodding his acceptance of his wife’s wishes in the matter, he dropped the subject.
Depressing the intercom button, Captain Wilcox activated the system, and said, “Lieutenant Farns, give me a progress report.”
A few moments elapsed, and then the lieutenant’s voice came over the intercom. He said, “Sir, I just finished the inspection. Since it’s the first time we’ll be utilizing that capability of the ship, I felt more comfortable with our engineer in on the inspection. Sir, both entran
ces to the ship are sealed and watertight, as is the inner cargo bay door.”
“Abe agrees with that assessment?” queried the captain.
A moment later, Abe’s voice came from the speakers when he said, “Yes, Captain. The ship won’t flood, nor will it sink. The upper ventilation baffles can be closed at the touch of a switch, should we need to do so. I just confirmed that they are functioning properly.”
“Thank you, gentlemen. You’d better get to your duty posts. In a moment, I’ll order the ship to the surface of the sea. Specialist Garner, no doubt Pol will want a thorough report on all aspects of performance. Please grab a video camera and document everything he’d want to see,” the captain ordered.
“Aye, Captain. I’d never hear the end of it if I didn’t document this in some way. I’m on it, sir.”
Turning to address Namid once more, Jack said, “Pilot, remember that she is going to steer sloppy. Please practice an abundance of caution until you learn our limitations.”
“Aye, Captain. Those were my thoughts on the matter as well. I’d like permission to bring us about for a brief test ride and execute a few maneuvers to establish some handling parameters,” she said hopefully.
“Let’s do that. Let the enemy waste their energy with fruitless searches for a bit,” Jack responded with a grin.
“Ready to descend on your orders, sir,” Namid said.
“Begin,” replied Jack.
The first evidence the crew had that the ship was now sitting on the ocean was the tilting of the deck, which was always level when they were in flight. Upon the surface of the sea, the ship was subject to the action of the swells and waves.
“Shutting down the lift engines now and switching to the surface drive engine,” Namid dutifully reported as she manipulated the controls. Moments later, she added, “The ship is answering to the helm, sir.”
“Thank you, navigation. Execute your series of tests, but be ready to engage those lift engines if I give the word,” Captain Wilcox responded.
“Yes, Captain,” replied Namid as she steered the Arizona into an oncoming wave.
“Communications, warn the galley personnel, if you please. These waves may cause an incident there,” Jack stated.
“Yes, Captain,” responded the communications officer.
Depressing the intercom button again, the captain said, “Lieutenant Farns, please send your men through every section of the lower deck. I want every nook and cranny examined under strong lighting. They are to seek any sign of a leak. I don’t care how small it is, if we are leaking I want to know, so that we can abort this mission.”
“Understood, sir,” the lieutenant replied so quickly that Jack thought he may have already issued such an order.
“She does steer sloppily, Captain. Making abrupt turns is going to be a problem if you want to depend entirely on the surface propulsion,” Namid reported.
“Do we have an option in that regard?” asked Jack curiously.
“Built into this system? No, Captain. But I was thinking, why not engage the lift engines, go to a few feet above the surface, execute a course correction, and then resume sea travel,” Namid explained.
“That sounds pretty complex, especially in the heat of battle,” Jack observed dubiously.
“I can help there, Captain,” said specialist Sharon Winters.
“What do you have in mind, Sharon?” Captain Wilcox inquired.
“As you know, sir, the navigation panel has three toggle switches that can be programmed to perform a single navigation function. Currently, we aren’t using either of those switches. I can program the switch of Namid’s choice to lift the ship to a designated height, and then land on the surface again once it is deactivated,” Sharon explained.
“So all our pilot would have to concentrate on is hitting the switch, executing the turn and then deactivating it?” he asked.
“Yes, Captain, that sums it up,” the computer expert agreed.
The captain knew that Sharon Winters was among the top four computer experts in the service of the peacekeepers. She could have had her choice of assignments, but she had chosen to volunteer for the Arizona. After reviewing her credentials, he had jumped at her offer. When it came to computer programming, he trusted her almost as much as he trusted Patricia, and that was saying a lot.
However, Namid was the pilot. She would know if that solution was worth the effort, so he asked, “Pilot, would that simplify issues sufficiently to warrant the work?”
“Oh yes. Yes it would, Captain,” replied Namid. Then she added, “However, if I may make a suggestion, don’t use it in battle until we need the trick. Let the enemy think we’re sitting ducks when it comes to turns. They’ll try to capitalize on that liability in a predictable manner.”
“Namid,” Jack said with a thoughtful look in his eyes.
“Yes, Captain?” she asked.
“I had no idea you had such a devious and vindictive mind when it comes to the enemy,” he said, and then he laughed.
“They shot me down, Jack. I took that personally,” she said with dignity, but as she turned to face the sea again, she turned her face toward the gunner sitting beside her and winked.
“Do it Sharon,” Jack ordered.
“Yes, sir. I’ll have the switch programmed in a matter of moments,” she responded.
“Helm, what’s our current speed?” the captain inquired.
“Approximately twenty-five knots, Captain, and we’re running at half throttle. I’ve been pacing the fleet, but with a slight gain. I estimate the armada is cruising at about twenty-two knots,” Namid explained.
“Come about and let’s head away from the fleet for a few minutes. I want you to test that navigational technique when the system is ready, and would rather not risk the enemy seeing us,” the Captain explained.
“Aye, sir. Coming about to an easterly heading,” Namid said as she executed a starboard turn.
However, in the midst of the turn a large wave hit them broadside on the port side of the ship, causing the ship to list heavily to starboard. Jack felt the arm of his chair digging into his ribs as he was thrown against it. The ship came back to trim moments later. “Sorry, Captain, I didn’t see the wave coming,” Namid stated.
“It’s good to know. That means the same thing will happen to the pirates if they attempt to turn in that manner,” Jack said thoughtfully.
Fifteen minutes later, Namid had fully tested the new turning method.
***
On the deck of the cargo ship Henry, first mate Jake Bassenger stared out into the night. All day long, the man had felt a sense of impending danger. His ability to detect danger that others might miss had often given him an edge in his career as a pirate. This time he had a pervasive sense that his time on earth was short.
Staring up at the night sky from the deck of the small cargo vessel, Jake thought for the first time in many years of the wife and son he’d lost during the disasters. As he stared out to sea, he thought he saw his wife standing on the water with her arms outstretched in a pleading manner. “Soon, Mary, my girl,” Jake said softly. Then he thought he saw the ghostly form place her hands together in a prayerful pose. “Ah, Mary, me, darling. I’ll not be beggin forgiveness now as I see my fate at hand. I’ll not go a crawlin to God, hat in hand, this late in the game.”
The vapory figure placed her face in her hands, as if weeping. “Don’t cry for me, darlin’. Just see to our son. He deserves better’n me for a father and you deserve a better man. Go now, Mary. Be happy with our son,” he said.
The apparition turned her head to face the east. “Yes, and I know it, girl. I can feel them coming. Go now. You needn’t stay with me,” Jake said. It was the first compassionate thing he had done in years.
Other men on the deck of the cargo ship, the Henry, heard a feminine mournful wail. Turning their heads toward the sound, they saw a brilliant blue laser cut the first mate in half. The laser passed through the man and then struck the side of the wheelh
ouse, which was its intended target. Men turned to run, but at sea on a small ship, there is nowhere to run. Some saw the red pulses race down the blue beam of light. Then, there was an explosion that rained fiery debris into the night sky. Much of that debris landed harmlessly in the ocean, but some also landed near the fuel storage drums that had been loaded on deck by the crane operator in preparation for refueling their ship come first light. The shrapnel from the explosion had punctured some of those drums. Soon, the deck of the ship was a raging inferno.
With no one at the wheel, the ship began to turn. Too late, the men aboard the nearest vessel realized that it was on a collision course with their ship. The captain of the second vessel applied full throttle in a vain effort to escape the collision, but the Henry, now fully engulfed in flames, collided with the stern of the ship, damaging the steering mechanism. Now, two out of control ships plowed through the fleet, causing widespread panic and still more accidents.
Aboard the Arizona, Lieutenant Rockwell added to the mass confusion by firing at ships just out of range of the multiple collisions that were taking place. He had just destroyed the third ship for the night when he saw the frigate that had been such a thorn in their sides approaching.
“Frigate to port, Namid,” he said and tried to target the approaching vessel. “She’s got the angle on us,” the lieutenant said. “I can’t touch her.”
The crew heard the now, all too familiar hammering at their hull, as the deck guns opened fire.
“Execute jump turn, hard to starboard!” Jack ordered, thus inventing a term for the maneuver on the spot.
“Aye, sir. Executing turn,” Namid responded. “Damnit, he’s trying to ram us!” she shouted.
“All hands, brace for collision,” Jack said calmly into the intercom.
However, that collision never came. Namid had switched over to flight mode and accelerated away in time to avoid the deadly frigate. She was bringing the Arizona about to engage the frigate when she saw the fuel tanker they had been trying to get to earlier. Swearing under her breath, Namid said, “There’s your fuel tanker, Gunny.”