Rust Bucket rbu-1

by Atk. Butterfly

  He said, “I wish it was that easy, but Pennyweight asked that the hull of the ship be left as is except for repairs while the Navy has regulations about its ships’ hulls.”

  I said, “I see. Then I’m going to have to figure out a way to sneak up on the enemy, even if I have to leave the Thurman behind once or twice.”

  “Yes, of course. You can transfer your flag aboard one of the other ships and then take your position. Are you going to switch crews as well?” he asked.

  I said, “I haven’t made that decision yet. I’m leaning toward not changing crews. It will give the other crew more confidence if they know I’m willing to step on board their ship without my own gunners and pilots.”

  He exclaimed, “Good for you, son! Of course, you could have your ship standing out of sensor range to come in if things start to go bad.”

  I said, “That’s true, but I don’t want the other officers or crews to think that I’ve got to have my ship nearby to bail me out. If I go out in that manner, then the Thurman is remaining behind or it can go on some other mission.”

  He said, “I see. You really don’t want any of your people to lose their confidence. I wish this problem had been spotted before we rebuilt the squadron. I hate risking you like this, but I suppose you know the risks as much as I do. Do what you feel you have to, son. Take care of yourself.”

  I replied, “I’ll do my best.”

  He asked, “By the way, how do you like Annie? Is she, uh, no, I shouldn’t ask something like that. Never mind.”

  I replied, “Yes, she is, sir. I think I know what you were about to ask. She’s a great gal and she’s beginning to grow on me.”

  He said, “She does have that way about her. Anyway, take care and good hunting.”

  I saluted the Admiral, receiving his snappy salute in return, before I turned and left his office. I wondered if I should have answered his question about Annie. I felt sure he wanted to know if she was better than Majel. Truthfully, Annie was better in bed than Majel. But, truthfully, both women had different reasons for getting into bed with me. Majel’s was more of a repayment than anything else. Annie’s reason was personal and for attention. Annie was willing to do a lot of things for attention and do them well, if not better than anyone else.

  * * *

  A week passed before we returned to patrol our border area. The squadron was surprised to learn that the Thurman wasn’t going to lift off with us at all. I moved my meager belongings off the Thurman onto the Cagney. Captain Ellen Shaw was totally surprised to see me enter her ship and take my station on the bridge as I didn’t announce the change until I actually made it about five minutes before launch.

  * * *

  When we approached the border, there was an enemy scout waiting. That time, he didn’t get frightened and run off. His broadcast seemed quite normal, I guess, for an Ape-oid. I waited for him to finish his broadcast while my squadron got closer to his ship until we were just out of range. When he finished, I yelled charge through thelightbeam radio at the other ships. The nine ships of my squadron leaped forward at top speed at the enemy scout with our weapons blazing at him. He must have forgotten to broadcast what we were doing as he tried to get out of the area fast to save his skin. He wasn’t fast enough to get out of range of the Mark IV quads that even at extreme range were too much for a scout ship. We pummeled his ship into small pieces before returning to our normal patrol area to engage in on board drills and ship exercises in tactics while remaining totally alert to any enemy intrusion of our sector.

  * * *

  I suspected that his loss would be investigated. Some other enemy ships showed up the next day. They must have looked at us carefully before they decided to move closer. I waited until they were just barely out of weapons range before I yelled charge at my squadron. We swept outward at the enemy squadron with our weapons blazing. For some reason, the enemy squadron held their position as we moved into extreme weapons range where our heaviest weapons scored hits on some of them.

  Then we were in normal weapons range and the battle began in earnest. By then, my squadron was committed to the battle. The officers and crews were enthusiastic about beating the enemy if only because of what they did to the scout the day before. Scoring the first hits on the enemy didn’t hurt the morale of my officers and crews, either.

  It wasn’t as easy a battle as others before it. The enemy must have thought that they were fighting an ordinary squadron that had enough of retreating or had been inspired by the other victories. I don’t think they knew I had been training that squadron personally or that I was on board a different ship. Regardless, the officers responded the way I wanted them to. Two of them managed to use their individual initiative to slip behind some of the enemy ships and rake them with T-shots, completely penetrating one ship’s hull and rupturing the other ship. The rest of my ships fought more in a slugfest type of battle with the enemy getting the worst of it because we got in the most shots and hits before we got into the enemy’s range.

  One of my ships was ruptured completely before the battle was over. Aside from some heavy damage to two ships and light damage to the others, we acquitted ourselves well by destroying the enemy squadron completely even though the initial odds had been ten to nine in the enemy’s favor. Our two heavily damaged ships were sent back to port. The Thurman was sent out to take their place until the patrol was over since I didn’t want to be shorthanded by four ships.

  * * *

  When we returned from patrol, the squadron got a taste of what a victory celebration was like. There was no going back for them at that point. As much as I would have liked to take them to attack the enemy home world, there wasn’t enough time. Qualified battle-hardened crews and officers were in short supply. They were needed elsewhere to protect our borders and populations until we had enough to make a difference in the outcome of the war.

  * * *

  When I got to my quarters that night, Annie was waiting outside my door for me. She smiled and pointed her thumb at the door as I once did to her. I returned her smile and opened the door for her to enter. As before, she didn’t bother with waiting for the door to close before she undressed and plopped onto the bed. She said, “Daddy was real pleased with what you did this week. He thought you were never going to skipper a ship other than that old Rust Bucket. He’d like to see you pacing the bridge of a cruiser and commanding a twenty-ship squadron. I would, too.”

  “Oh?” I said, a little surprised that her father had disclosed such information to her.

  “Yes, he said you remind him of himself when he was a little older than you. He figures that you should advance to a heavy cruiser within six months. From there, you could become a Commodore.”

  I said, “Really? That’s interesting. I didn’t think that Commodore’s could hold temporary commissions.”

  “They can’t?” she said in surprise.

  I answered, “No, they can’t. Not in our Navy at the present time with the regulations in place now. This is as far as I can go unless I receive a regular commission.”

  She said, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  Annie sounded quite sincere when she said it and I believed her. On the other hand, commanding a cruiser with a twenty-ship squadron did have its advantages. It might very well be a stepping stone to achieving my goal of a regular commission. Then I would have the choice of making a career in the Navy or not at a later time.

  I said, “Well, I guess I’ll visit your father at work tomorrow to see what he has to say officially about me taking command of a cruiser. I’ll admit, it does sound interesting.”

  * * *

  In the morning, I drove us over to Headquarters in her hover. She waited outside while I went in and talked with the Fleet Admiral. When I came out a little later, I was holding a set of orders that would send me to another planet to take command of a cruiser and the twenty-ship squadron it was a part of. I hadn’t thought of that before. When I showed her the orders, she was thrilled at first, t
hen shocked and disappointed to learn that I would be leaving.

  “I didn’t know that you’d have to leave to take a cruiser,” she said, trying to hold back tears.

  “I didn’t either, but I should have realized it beforehand and warned you since we don’t have any cruisers here. I thought I was only leaving the Rust Bucket and not you,” I said truthfully. “If it makes any difference, I’ll give you all my nights until I ship out.”

  “Would you? Would you spend one in my room?” she asked.

  “In the Admiral’s home?” I said, almost frightened at the prospect. I thought, sure, the Admiral had told me he didn’t mind if I bedded his daughter, but to do it in his own home? Would that be throwing the affair into his face?

  She replied, “Sure. He won’t mind, especially since it’s you. He’s said more than once to me that I should bring you over for a meal. Well, breakfast is a meal and it would make me very happy. Almost as happy as having your child which is another thing I want to talk about.”

  I could see the pitch coming already. She wanted to have my child in case I was killed and didn’t come back. Then she would have a piece of me to hold onto for awhile. “What about a child?” I asked.

  She asked, “Would you mind terribly if I stopped using protection to have a baby by you? I’m not asking for marriage and I’m not trying to make you feel like you have to come back to me. I know you might yet meet someone other than me whom you could fall in love with. But, you’ve really gotten to me and I’m about ready to settle down even if you’re not. Plus, I don’t want to do it behind your back.”

  “You would, wouldn’t you?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she admitted in a girlish voice.

  I said, “Well, I’ve already promised you every night until I ship out, so since you’ve already admitted that you’d probably do it anyway, I’ll give you my blessings for now. I won’t get upset if you get pregnant with my child.”

  Annie practically leaped on me as her arms circled around my neck and she planted kisses on me. For a moment, I thought she was going to take me in the hover as we sat outside Headquarters.

  I drove us back to the Mad Dogs Squadron area and broke the news to everyone in the squadron. I let the Thurman’s Captain take over the squadron and her First Officer took over as ship’s captain. A new officer would be assigned later to bring them up to strength. Then I removed my few items from the ship and returned to my quarters with Annie where we spent part of the afternoon in bed.

  * * *

  Two nights later, I spent the night at her home in her bed. As I entered the home, her father greeted me from the living room and waved me on by as Annie led me away to enjoy her sexual delights. In the morning, he said nothing about our night together as we all sat at the same breakfast table. Instead, he chatted amiably about my upcoming assignment among other things.

  “Looking forward to the cruiser, son?” he asked.

  I replied, “Uh, yes sir.”

  He said, “Well, I know that you’ll do well. Just remember that they don’t turn as fast. They make up for that with the wallop they carry. You’ll get used to it real quick. You remind me of myself a long time ago. Hell, six months of cruisers and you should be commanding a heavy cruiser, if I’m any judge of men. I know that my daughter is.”

  “Is what, sir?” I asked.

  He answered, “A judge of men. You’re the first man she’s brought home overnight and kept this long. I’d say she’s got her eyes and hooks on you. Pretty soon, you’ll probably have to call me Dad.”

  I replied, “Oh…”

  I realized then that Annie was capable of stretching the truth, if not of telling some downright deceitful lies to get attention. I wondered if she had been using any protection the entire time and was already pregnant. I decided to confront her after her father left for work.

  * * *

  We saw her father off a short time later. Then she threw off her robe and tried to seduce me on the kitchen floor.

  “Enough already. Have you been taking any protection at all during the time since you first got me in bed?” I asked.

  “No,” she admitted guiltily.

  I said, “I thought not. Your house of lies toppled at breakfast this morning. I’m the first man you’ve had at your home according to the breakfast conversation.”

  She said nervously, “Well… in bed, but not the first man I’ve brought home.”

  “I see. Just a little stretching of the truth. Okay. Can I believe anything else you told me is the truth about how you feel?” I asked.

  She said, “Yes. Well, I do love you. At least, I’ve fallen in love with you.”

  “I guessed that much. Are you pregnant already?” I asked.

  It was obvious from her face that she was. She didn’t have to answer, but she did. “Yes, and it’s your baby. I’ve known for a few days now. You were on patrol when I found out. When Dad said you didn’t take the Rust Bucket up with you after he told me about how the aliens are so afraid of that ship, I was scared that you wouldn’t be coming back in one piece. When you did, I knew I had to give you a choice about the child or have an abortion. I was going to tell you when you got to your next assignment since you’re leaving now. I didn’t want to make my whole time with you into a lie. I’ve never taken any protection when I fooled around with anyone. This is the first time I got pregnant. Because it’s yours, I didn’t want you to think that I was trying to do it behind your back.”

  “I see. You sure do like to live dangerously. I suppose you would like me to marry you?” I asked.

  She said, “Yes, well, no. I meant that part, but it would be nice if you did, not only for my sake but for Dad’s. He respects you a lot and is looking forward to you asking me to marry you someday.”

  “Is that why he took the basketball in the face?” I asked.

  She replied, “No. He didn’t know my feelings then. He did that because it was the right thing to do in his opinion. He didn’t want to see a brilliant career crushed by someone who didn’t play fair. He looked at it as leveling the playing field. I never lied about anything I told you about him or anyone else for that matter. Only about my feelings.”

  I said, “I see and I think I understand. Unfortunately, having a family isn’t part of my plans yet. I’ve already stated that I wouldn’t get upset if you got pregnant with my child since you sounded like you wanted to bear it. I’m going to stand by my statement even if you had already made the permission moot. I can’t marry you because I don’t want someone saying that my next promotion was the result of being related to an admiral. What I’ve accomplished is earned by my own effort. It always will be while I have anything to say about it. I take what comes to me and I don’t cry over the bad. I didn’t go crying to the Admiral to bail me out. What I did was merely make a report on what transpired, though I appreciate what he did.”

  She said, “Daddy warned me that you would probably feel this way. He said he did at your age. I hope you don’t hate me.”

  I said, “No, Annie. I don’t hate you. I guess I’m flattered that you want to carry my child, but I can’t put aside my own principles. Not now. Especially not now. Maybe in a year or two, I’ll return with my goals achieved and ask for your hand, if you’ll have me. And like you said, maybe I’ll meet someone that I’ll fall madly in love with and marry her instead. I can’t guarantee the future. I can only build towards it.”

  “I understand. I will have the baby then since you still don’t mind. You’ll be welcome to visit our child anytime you desire. I do hope you decide someday to return and marry me, but I’ll understand if you don’t. It’s not your fault that you’re in this predicament. It’s mine and I’ll carry the burden. Will you stay with me today?” she asked.

  “You still want me around even though I just said I wasn’t going to marry you now?” I asked.

  She replied, “Not only that, I still want you to have me as much as you want while you’re still here. Besides, if you should get a leave late
r and come back to visit, I’ll probably be too fat to fuck.”

  I decided that if we were going to part as friends, then I shouldn’t just break the relationship off abruptly. I felt somewhat of a bastard for not marrying her, but I gave in to her desires and continued to take her until shortly before I shipped out.

  Chapter 19

  I reported to the naval base on Echo, a small planet with a more Earth-like gravity than Beulah. I reported into the Headquarters there and was warmly received by the Fleet Admiral of that sector. He had received an electronic letter from Fleet Admiral Reason and was well-versed on what I was going to try to accomplish. Not only that, but he had seen first hand some of my handiwork already in the person of Commander Majel Remm, who was doing her best to carry on in training some of his officers. However, she was skilled in individual ship training and not in the refinements I made to squadron training and attack. Her work on Echo was the only bright spot in the whole defense.

  He said, “Captain Oden, I’ve taken the liberty of giving you a suitable cruiser, just overhauled with four Mark IV quads, four Mark III quads, two Mark III duals, and four Mark II singles. She has a fitting name considering your own last name. The Valhalla is all yours, along with the other nineteen ships of her command. Because this is a larger squadron than what you’ve been working miracles with before, I’m going to ask you how long you need to get ready instead of giving you a deadline.”

  I thought for a moment about the fact that the last squadron took a week, then a week of patrol, another week off, and then the successful patrol where we defeated a slightly larger squadron. Then I spoke. “Sir, I’ll have an effective squadron ready in one month. Have I got full discretion and authority?”