Free Fleet Box Set 1

by Michael Chatfield

  Well, we’re just going to have to hit them as hard as possible. Trickery might be the best option. That way, they just think we’re being stubborn bastards, instead of the enemy. It would give us the best chance, I knew, as I opened a channel.

  “Eddie?”

  “Not now.” He cut off my channel.

  I pulled up a diagnostic of the ship’s power plants. I could see it directly linked into the station as a highly concentrated burst of energy was passed from the station to the ship, routed through plasma lines into the warmed reactor. The magnetic bottle strained to contain the miniature sun created by the massive power outflow. The bottle looked as though it were going to destabilize as the engineers fought to contain the power of the reactor while increasing the inflow of hydrogen to prevent the reaction from dying. They took a step back and left it to Resilient to control her own furious heart, which seemed intent on ripping her open. Finally, she balanced the bottle, containing the miniature sun that had come into creation as the reactor stabilized.

  Systems across the ship came online. Data banks that had been dead came alive. Weapons relays surged as gunners powered up and down while propulsion did the same, checking that we could outrun them at the same time. Tactical went through their checklist as the Resilient hummed.

  I rubbed my armrest. “Good to have you back with us.” I smiled, hoping that one day I might be able to get her up to full fighting trim. What a sight she would be!

  “Why, thank you. That was rather rough, balancing that bottle. Next time I hope we can do it properly. The thought of blowing up from my own power plant is more than a little nerve-racking.”

  “I bet.” I grinned as Eddie opened up the channel to me.

  “What?” he said, his voice strained. The work with the reactor revealed its pressure in his voice.

  I didn’t have enough time to let him relax. “Eddie, I want you fixing any problems that came with that power surge. Reroute if possible or shut off. We don’t have time for repairs.”

  “Understood.”

  “Good job. Let your crew know that I haven’t seen a better group of engineers in my lifetime and that I’m proud to call each and every one of them mine.”

  “Yes, sir!” I could hear even through the raggedly tired voice the pride of the chief engineer.

  “Now, get my ship working and we’ll show these bastards what she can do.”

  “They’ll know when they’ve been kissed by the Resilient, you can be sure of that, Commander!”

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  “Resilient, Shrift,” I said. Comms was busy routing a massive overload of other communications. “Shrift, have we got extra sets of Mechas?”

  “Yes, sir, a lot more than we’re going to need. Why?” Shrift replied.

  “I’m putting the trainees to work early.” My voice reflected my unsurety of the plan, but also the necessity.

  “Gotcha.”

  A chime sounded in my ear. I checked my HUD. “Got to go. Henry’s calling me.” I switched channels. “Henry?”

  “Sir, I don’t have enough men.” He sighed, not sounding pleased, but he knew I needed the facts.

  “I know. I’m pulling the trainees onto the ships. Though, they’ll need to be trained up.”

  “We’ll have three days.” His voice made it sound as though I was crazy while also trying to figure out how to make it work.

  “Yes. Tell me what you need.” My tone was soft but undeniable.

  “Damned crazy, man. If I see a normal battle plan once in this outfit I’ll be surprised.” He laughed before becoming serious again. “You’re not going to like it, but I need Takahashi.”

  I became annoyed. The man’s heart had been in the right place, but the way that he had manipulated Yasu was something I couldn’t get over yet. “Why?” I couldn’t hide the edge in my voice.

  “I know your feelings about the man, but he can get people trained faster than any other person I know. His people on Chaleel were the best group that I had. Combine him with Yasu, and I think we might be able to get something that could do some damage.”

  “I don’t need them to damage; I need them to be able to put the ship back together. This battle’s going to be one of ships, not Commandos.”

  “Still, he can do it.”

  I thought on it for a second, but I didn’t have a choice. I had picked Henry because of my faith in his abilities. If he said he needed Takahashi, he needed Takahashi. “Shit, all right. Do it. Yasu will be his commander.”

  “Yes, sir, thank you. I know how hard this is for you.”

  “I trust your judgment, Henry, and when needs must, we put everything on the table.”

  “Seems that it happens all too often.”

  “That it does. That it does.”

  “Good luck!” he said.

  “I should start buying stock of Wake-Up,” I grumbled.

  Henry laughed as he cut the connection.

  “Combined Arms, inform Heston that he is to be the last line of defense for Earth, and as such he will be a missile net for the planet.”

  I didn’t need a reply as I checked my data pad for what else needed to be done.

  ***

  A now formally retired Captain Connolly sat on a shuttle as it headed to Hachiro. He had no idea where the rest of his men were going or who else was trying to infiltrate the Free Fleet. He was completely alone among the very people he might have to turn on.

  His thoughts were interrupted as the speakers crackled to life and there was a slight sideways movement.

  “We’re now headed to the Resilient. Syndicate forces have been detected entering the system.” That was all the pilot said as the speakers went dead.

  So what the heck are we doing going to the ships? We don’t know anything of use yet, Connolly thought, as many of the people in the room reflected the same thought audibly.

  It was some time until the shuttle seemed to slow and then connect with something. While still moving, five Commandos walked in through the exit doors, one of them yelling as they entered.

  “We are your training cadre. Regardless of your rank, you are now nothing. This is space. It is nothing like you have encountered before. You fuck up and it’s Earth that gets hit.” Their tone made it clear that the trainees were nothing until they proved themselves, and for now they were just taking up their precious time.

  It reminded Connolly of his first gunnery sergeant. This is going to suck. Connolly doubted he was going to enjoy the next three days.

  The shuttles stopped moving altogether as the Commandos moved outside except for the one barking orders.

  “Get moving, junk! Shuttles weigh three hundred tons, and they will not stop landing because there is some junk in the way!”

  They were ushered through corridors to a massive medical bay, where screams could be heard.

  “Since you have enlisted into the Free Fleet, you will all receive basic implants and nerve ports. It is not pleasant, but you will need it to be of use. I will remind you that you signed up for them in your contract.

  “Two ranks, either side of the door. Move, junk! Or you will fucking die!”

  Connolly was hustled into the med bay and quickly strapped down to a chair, which turned into a bed. A woman stared at him with clinical eyes before she typed in something and Connolly passed out. He awoke to pain and being pulled out of the chair/bed contraption. His spine was sensitive, as were his hands and neck.

  He looked around the med bay and he saw limbs darting into people’s arms and backs as if they were lambs at a slaughterhouse. Then he saw another person wake up as the arms were done mangling his back and ushered out as he was. Dull metallic ports were visible in his back.

  He was ushered out as another person came in, yelling when she saw his back.

  Connolly rushed to check behind his shoulder blades, finding those same ports, as a Commando pushed him out of the room. Outside, there were mirrors that showed him his back with the new ports.

  Every
one was ushered into the room. Commandos pulled people out from the stream coming from the med bay. Connolly was no exception as he was herded into a group of people he didn’t recognize. He looked around, realizing he was in the same shuttle bay he had assaulted before.

  Commandos wearing Mechas went through the ranks, studying them individually, silently. Some flinched away; some stared back or did a variety of things.

  The Commandos didn’t seem to care.

  Connolly remembered the Mecha that stood in front of all the groups. It was Salchar. Behind him was his entire protection detail: Krom, Shreesht, Calerd, Dave, and Janice. Connolly had memorized every piece of information about the man. He doubted the United States would want the man alive when they assumed control.

  Two other Commandos stood with him. One was slightly smaller. From its armor plating, Connolly thought it to be a woman instead of a man. The other looked to be a man. Both of them had a lot more scarring on their Mechas than Salchar did.

  It was some time before everyone was done being processed through the med bay.

  As the doors shut, Salchar took off his helmet. “There is a Sarenmenti fleet heading toward us and Earth.” He let this sink in as his eyes seemed to weigh the quality of the people in front of him without coming to a clear decision.

  “As such, the Free Fleet is mobilizing to meet them. As you may have heard, the Free Fleet is understaffed. As such, Commandos will be taking over roles as ship personnel, and you as well will be taught how to keep the Resilient’s systems running and us in the fight in order to give these bastards a world of hurt.

  “Now, I know that you might be upset with the quick way that we put the most recent of you trainees through implants. For that I am sorry, but we don’t have much time. Yasu Cook and Takahashi will be in charge of getting you ready, to be of use to us in the oncoming battle. It’s going to be quick and fast. Learn as much as possible and if you don’t understand something, ask. There will be no time when we are engaged in battle.” He looked over them all again, his red eyes eerie.

  “I wish you good luck. Now, let’s show these Syndicate bastards what happens when we’re on a level playing field.” He nodded and replaced his helmet as he marched off the elevated platform.

  Yasu and Takahashi walked forward while they took off their helmets.

  Takahashi spoke first. “My name is Stone Warrior. I have the displeasure of teaching you in three days the finer points of being a Mecha user and how to keep this ship running when she is sustaining damage in battle. There is no option to fail. Otherwise, Earth and everything you know so far will be destroyed.” Takahashi’s face was emotionless as he looked over everyone.

  “Every Commando is above you; you are junk. You will not be with Commandos when they have to enter ships. You will be the fix-up crew. You will have Mechas only because all Free Fleet personnel are to have them because of the rules imposed upon us. You will be damage control, patching holes and doing likewise jobs. Thankfully, we have many holes for you to patch!” He looked over the group, his eyes judging them as unworthy.

  “This is Yasu Cook. She and I will be so far up your asses you can taste it. Shrift?” A large insectoid with mandibles came out from behind a shuttle.

  Everyone stared. It was the first time they’d seen an alien. Not many of them had realized that most of the Commandos they’d seen thus far had been Sarenmenti. Connolly knew how to tell the race of the Commando by the Mecha they were wearing.

  “My name is Shrift. I’m the guy who makes your Mechas. You put a scratch on them and I will have your asses. I will also be the one walking you through how to fix the ship with some other engineers. Listen, and listen well—we don’t have much time. Takahashi.” He nodded.

  “Thank you. Get them into battle suits and Mechas. I want them knowing how to use a Mecha by the end of a day on a one-to-one power ratio. Don’t worry, trainees—you won’t need sleep. You’ll be issued Wake-Up to solve that little inconvenience.”

  Commandos took control of groups. Connolly’s group was led off to metal closets. There was one-piece clothing waiting there and the leader picked it up. “My name is Commander George Everez. You will each get one of these battle suits.” He threw them out.

  “Where do we get changed?” someone asked.

  “Don’t worry. You’re going to see enough naked asses running around that it doesn’t matter.”

  “Are you some kind of pervert?” a woman asked as George took off his helmet.

  “Lady, if anyone’s the pervert here, it’s you. I’m eight years old.” That got a few shocked looks.

  “Then why are we learning from you?” a man asked.

  George held his hand up to a Kuruvian who moved inward to the trainees. “I was with the first round of recruits. Thankfully, I had the pleasure of serving with Commander Salchar. He kept me and everyone here alive. One thing you have to learn in the Free Fleet: we do not care what you are—we care how well you can do a job. Age, sex, race, religion—all of that doesn’t count for anything here. Here, we strive to survive.

  “You, like every other Commando in the Free Fleet, will know how to use every weapon system this fleet has, from my rail gun to the rail cannons mounted on the Resilient herself. Now, if you think the knowledge that I have is not of use to you, well, that’s your issue ’cause we’re leaving Hachiro in a matter of minutes. Get dressed. The battle suit doubles as a space suit—use it.”

  Not many moved and George shook his head. He unsealed his Mecha and stood out of it. He was a massive man now, despite his age. He pulled off his battle suit without blinking. Scars covered his body.

  “Now, you put it on like this.” He stepped into the suit and slid his arms into the sleeves. It hung off him, but a simple press of a tab on his right collar pulled the battle suit together and encapsulated him.

  Those who hadn’t been wearing it were embarrassed into putting theirs on.

  “I am not here to embarrass you. I’m here to get you ready to keep this ship in the fight. If that means I have to resort to treating you like the child that I’m supposed to be, then I will.”

  Connolly could tell George really meant it. The man nodded to himself before he continued talking.

  “You are each going through a simulation of the mark four Mecha armor. Use it wrong, and you will break your bones and kill yourself in the real thing. That was how I was trained. The simulator will not kill you, just cause discomfort.

  “We’ll begin with walking then we’ll work with different issues we might have in battle.”

  ***

  Henry looked over the rosters of the new trainees. Salchar, Eddie, Shrift, Yasu, and Rick were there in person, while all of the captains and commanders of the ships Commandos were there in holograms.

  “Henry?”

  He was broken out of his reverie as he looked up. “Commander Salchar, it’s a shit show. I just hope they’re of more use than they are the trouble.”

  “If it helps in any way, I don’t care.” Salchar nodded.

  They’d had the new trainees on board for about an hour and there were already a ton of issues coming up.

  “I agree, sir. It’s just I’ve never seen anything like this. Even we had time to train before we met the enemy,” Henry said with a sweep of his arm, as if encompassing the entire fleet.

  “Yes, but we need them. We don’t have the people to keep the ships moving and patch them up,” Shrift said.

  Eddie looked as though he wanted to argue the point.

  “For now, we just need to focus on getting us in fighting trim before the battle. Repairs are something to worry about when we’re done with all this.” Salchar looked around the people in the room, real or holographic. “Might as well get started. Prepare to undock from Hachiro and take up formation Charlie niner. Ten minute warning order.”

  Everyone saluted and James returned it as holograms disappeared, running off to ready their people.

  Henry remained. It had been a grim review of how much
the fleet was in disrepair and unprepared for this battle.

  “What issues are we having with the trainees and the Commandos?” Salchar asked, relaxing minutely.

  “Our people came from diversity and just sheer horrific training. These people haven’t. As such, they think that the Free Fleet personnel are being hard on them.”

  “Show them a video of Parnmal.” Salchar looked into the table for a few seconds as Henry, too, dealt with his ghosts.

  “I’ll see to it,” Henry said, his voice harsh with sad memories.

  “God, I wish we could rest for once.” Salchar leaned into his hands.

  “That should be the motto of the Free Fleet,” Henry said.

  Salchar laughed hollowly. “Yes, I guess it should.” He physically gathered himself, pulling his head from his hands. “Well, I better get to work then.”

  “Good luck, James.”

  “You too, brother. You too.”

  In the time it took them to stand, James the individual disappeared, and Salchar the leader was ready to do what needed to be done.

  Surprises

  I took my seat on the bridge. “Comms, do we have the holographic projection ready?”

  “Yes, sir,” they replied.

  “Okay, let’s test it. Then we’ll send a message to the other fleet.” I turned. “Intelligence Commander?” I caught the commander’s eye as he came over to me.

  “Sir?”

  “Do we know if Welick knew any of these ships’ captains?”

  “I can’t be sure, Commander.”

  I rested my head in my hand. “Very well, thank you.” He drifted back to his station as Comms announced that the holographic projection was ready. I checked it on one of my screens, seeing Welick and his couch, as well as the finery that had decorated the inside of what he’d called the Golden Refuge cover my own command chair.

  “Open a channel,” I said.

  After some time, an Orvunut, a large, blockish alien with four limbs that it used in its high gravity world to move and with a head like a hammerhead shark’s, appeared on the view screen.

  “Hello, Captain. I have been sent to escort your package into Sol system. You may return to whatever you were doing,” I said in a dismissive tone, which came out as Welick’s with some filters.