Hawk Flight (Flight of the Hawk Book 3)

by Robert Little

  Within a fairly short period of time the captain commed, “Crew, we’ve destroyed all twenty missiles, but the destroyers are continuing to overtake us and should be able to come within energy weapons range. We should also expect more missiles.”

  Kan’s crew had done everything they could to restore power and functionality to the ships systems. He and three other crewmen brought down body bags and carefully wrapped the two dead people in his area and moved them up to an empty storeroom, now no longer empty.

  Spatters of blood had managed to smear much of the area near the control station, but Kana ordered his people to leave it alone. For some reason, it felt wrong to clean it, as if he was erasing the dead officer’s existence along with his blood.

  It had been a long battle, and all of his people had at least a few aches and sprains from getting thrown around, but the prospect of imminent and permanent death was a powerful incentive to continue working.

  Kana commed the bridge and once again got the captain. He said, “Sir, we sustained a huge power overload when that missile went off, and we’ve run out of replacement parts. The designers never anticipated this large a load on the systems, and none of us did either. We can run and shoot a couple of lasers, but not all of them, and it’s going to take longer between shots to charge the capacitors back up. I’m sorry sir. I’ve got my best people trying to rebuild some but I wouldn’t count on it. When we get a chance, we can borrow enough from the other Dresdens to get us home.”

  The captain acknowledged his report and said, “We’re going to fire all available lasers simultaneously, starting well outside of normal range. We want to first target those ships, which are still firing at us.”

  Kana was able to monitor the ship’s movements as it swung back and forth in sync with the Lee, enabling the two ships to bring more weapons to bear on the approaching destroyers.

  As the destroyers approached one hundred thousand kilometers one of them figured out what the two Federal destroyers were doing that enabled them to fire back with more than two mounts. First one, then all of them began weaving back and forth along their main course, and firing their energy weapons as they momentarily came to bear. Ten destroyers is a lot, and both the Grant and Lee began to get hit.

  At that range, they weren’t able to do much more than warm up the skin, but they were going about it as aggressively as possible. The Lee could have accelerated hard enough to already be opening up the distance, but she had remained to support the Grant.

  Within another twenty minutes the two Dresdens ganged up on the missile destroyers, and managed to explode all three, leaving a number of inbound missiles and nine destroyers.

  The captain commed the crew, “We have seven remaining destroyers. They have closed to within reasonably close energy weapons range and we are getting hit, but the Brezhnev fighters have launched a large flight of missiles that will pass us within just a few moments, so we should get some relief from this excessive attention.”

  A minute later the captain replayed a comm from Admiral Lee, “Robert, hold out for ten more minutes. I’ve ordered our fighters to launch their missiles, and they should pass your position within moments. Is your IFF functional?” They heard the captain reply, “Yes sir, it’s functional. Thank you sir, for asking.”

  The admiral said, clearly smiling, “You are a lucky man, Captain Padilla, but even an old as dirt admiral recognizes insubordination when he hears it. Remember Station 86?” The captain laughed, as did Kana and a few others who knew the story.

  An ETech asked Kana, “Chief, where, or what is Station 86?” Kana grinned and said, “Captain Padilla once threatened one of his personnel with getting sent to Station 86, which, as it happens, doesn’t exist. However, she, the officer, didn’t know that and she must have made a very exhaustive search. I say that because the admiral threatened me with it about a day later.” The ETech laughed.

  The Grant got hit, hard. It was weaving when the laser hit up near the bow. It took out the primary radar antennas, but the ship didn’t lose any more crew. One more destroyer exploded just before friendly missiles hit the pursuers.

  Captain Padilla announced, “The Brezhnev missiles have destroyed all but one destroyer, the last remaining Bug ship in known space.”

  At a distance of seventy-five thousand kilometers it broke in two and exploded in a savage fireball.

  Captain Padilla commed Kana, “Reduce acceleration to six G’s.” He promptly made a general comm, “Stand down from battle stations. First priority is to ensure that all systems are secure; second, let’s see if there’s enough power available to burn some steaks.” Kana could hear cheers all over the ship as they learned that all known Bugs were, as someone quipped, promoted to ‘good’.

  Chapter 49

  Admiral Shin Ho Lee, Fleet Carrier Constitution

  Admiral Lee looked up from his desk as his aide knocked and entered. She said, “Sir, Chief Kana is here.”

  The admiral nodded and his last visitor of the very long day entered. He stood and with a smile shook Kana’s hand, and then waved him at the coffee service and a chair.

  Once comfortably seated the chief took an appreciative sip and said, “Sir, your hospitality is most welcome. My own captain insists that when I leave his office, I have to back out.”

  Shin Ho shook his head, “You fucking liar. The man treats you with the utmost respect. I know because I’ve seen videos of some of your sparring matches. Speaking of that, is he ready for a black belt?” Kana nodded, “Has been for some time, but Captain Padilla keeps getting these weird assignments that takes him away from...well, from me.”

  Shin Ho grinned, “You have to admit, you aren’t bored.” Kana nodded, “No sir.”

  Admiral Lee turned serious, “Chief, tell me about the Grant.” Kana knew that his captain had provided a full report, and knew that the admiral held both Lt. Commanders Padilla and Turner in high esteem. This was a request for more information rather than a search for blame.

  Kana said, “Sir, the Grant took a hit no other Federal warship could have survived, and suffered no substantial damage to her basic structure. In fact, if we hadn’t modified the power systems so heavily, she would probably have suffered almost no damage. The ship now makes about three hundred percent more power than originally, and her basic transmission systems weren’t up to the huge overloads. We didn’t have enough spare breakers to restore full power to either the drive or the energy weapons. If we had, we could have accelerated hard enough to avoid some of the damage from the fighters and any damage from the destroyers. I’ve put in a request that when we go into drydock we try to ascertain if there is an easy method of increasing her basic transmission systems. I think that we ought to be able to string additional runs of Zerohm cabling and add in additional junction boxes. We have the room, I don’t know about the hardware. The new software that allowed one ship to take over the energy mounts of the other worked better than expected. It accurately maintained our separation and calculated the offset for the other weapons mounts well enough that I didn’t really notice a lessening of effectiveness. I think that this particular modification can be used to increase our effective kill range out to as much as one fifty thousand kilometers, and it won’t require a visit to the yards.”

  Shin Ho nodded, “Anything else?” Kana asked, “Sir, hardware or personnel?” Shin Ho asked, “Would a larger ship’s complement have helped?” Kana nodded glumly, “Yes sir, but only under that one particular circumstance where the ship is damaged but not destroyed.

  Shin Ho asked, “I know about your officer. He wasn’t wearing his harness?” Kana shook his head, “No sir. He’d been strapped in, but he unhooked to check on one of the PowTechs, who couldn’t get his harness properly adjusted. He’d just returned to his couch when we got hit. Five seconds.”

  Shin Ho nodded, “I’ve put him in for a posthumous award, wish I could pin it on his chest. What can you tell me about the Grant’s exec?” Kana smiled, “She’s good, very good. If you’
re looking to give her her own ship, she’s ready. Captain’s Padilla and Turner are extremely good ship handlers, but now that they’ve got a few hours under their belts as captains of large ships, I think they’ve become even better at getting the most out of their crews and at teaching everyone not merely their own particular assignments, but how to think on their feet and out of the box.”

  Shin Ho shook his head, “Is there anything you don’t like about those two? Anything you’d change or improve upon?” Once again, the question was analytical. Kana frowned, “I wish they were full captains, and maybe looked older.” Shin Ho laughed, “Agreed.”

  He took another sip and said, “Just between you and me: Captain Speer?” Kana said, “Sir, I’ve not worked for the captain, so I can’t really offer an opinion.” Shin Ho shrugged, “You’re still a fucking liar. Fortunately, I can read between the lies. Unfortunately, I can’t sack him.”

  Shin Ho pointed at a closed box of doughnuts, “Those are for your two. Oh, I noticed that Chief Cadiz managed to turn up on Base Jupiter, right about the same time as you showed up. A coincidence of course. Um, is she going to get her crown back?” Kana nodded, “I think so sir, she’s ferociously fast and the few times we sparred I developed some bruising on my butt from landing on it.”

  Shin Ho grinned, “Serves you right. I’m told that the chief can be...what’s the word I’m looking for?” Kana grinned, “Assertive?” Shin Ho laughed, and rose to his feet, “Far too polite, but that’s the direction.”

  He shook Kana’s hand and said, “I’m sending the Grant to Lubya, with the Lee along as escort. Might send a few Hawks as well. Should give you a month or thereabouts. Do you think you’ll require any assistance in, oh, modifying Jupiter Base’s records to reflect yet another transfer for Chief Cadiz?”

  Kana grinned, “All handled sir, but thank you for the kind offer.” Shin Ho smiled, “Chief, you be careful, not everyone is as selectively blind as I am. What did that unnamed PerTech decide?” Kana nodded, “As a result of battle casualties, Senior Chief Cadiz is going to be TDA on the Grant.”

  Shin Ho looked suspiciously surprised, “What a coincidence. Isn’t that your ship?”

  Kana shook his head, “Begging your pardon sir, that’s Captain Padilla’s ship – I merely work on it.” Shin Ho shook his head in respect, “Refer to my previous statement.” Kana started to ask, but grinned, “Fucking liar. Yes sir, ten pounds sir!”

  Next morning, Admiral Lee spent some time in one of the ship’s gyms, trying to work off the result of too much coffee and stress. It wasn’t going well.

  He read a readiness report on the Fleet Carrier Breshnev. It hadn’t been compiled or forwarded to him by the captain of said ship, despite the admiral’s extremely clear instructions that he be brought up to date.

  The report came from the executive officer, currently highly conflicted due to having served under an extremely authoritarian captain who knew little to nothing about ship handling or the people required to ‘handle’ them. The conflict came from two decades of service where the executive officer always backed up the captain, and admirals never ordered them to go behind the captain’s back. Lessening that conflict was the fact that Captain Speer excelled at utter disdain of his inferiors, comprising nearly everyone he’d ever met.

  According to the exec, the ship was suffering repeated and increasingly serious breakdowns. Additionally, the source or sources of those breakdowns was frequently difficult to trace. Shin Ho had served a long time, in many different ships and bases, and recognized the pattern.

  He got up and yelled at his aide, “Close the damn hatch, unless you want to enlarge your vocabulary.” She peeked in through the opening, sporting the most innocent pair of eyes he’d ever seen, and asked, “Sir are you certain? From previous vocabulary lessons, I’ve learned an impressive amount.” He laughed, “Shut the damn hatch. I need thirty seconds.” She said, “Goodness, that’s quite a lot of vocabulary.”

  The hatch closed and exactly one minute later she opened it. He was grinning, “Send a shuttle to the Brezhnev. I want Captain Speer to report to me, and to me alone. He is not to be told why, nor is he to be given time to change clothes or personality.”

  She disappeared from sight.

  Two hours later, she reappeared, “Sir, Captain Speer is here.” He nodded, “Five minutes.”

  He said it loudly, knowing that the captain would hear, and if the man had half a brain, would recognize the ploy – he routinely demanded that subordinates appear before him, and then forced them to wait.

  Admiral Shin Ho Lee wore his dress uniform, with full medals and cap. The captain entered his office, looked around and stood a bit straighter.

  After a very brief pause Shin Ho mildly asked, “Captain, when a junior officer enters an admiral’s office, what do Navy regulations require?”

  Captain Speer flushed and saluted. Shin Ho waited a beat before returning the salute. He sat behind his desk. There were no other chairs.

  Shin Ho said, “Captain, some six months ago you were given the Brezhnev. Two weeks ago I personally ordered you to provide me with a status report. You have failed to do so. Do you now have the report?”

  Captain Speer said, “I am in the process of compiling it.” Admiral Lee said, “Captain, you have been in my office for less than two minutes and this is the second time you have neglected to pay your superior officer the slightest trace of respect. Is this deliberate or are you ignorant of military protocol when in the presence of a full admiral of the fleet?”

  Captain Speer’s face turned almost red, “Sir, I am compiling the report.” Admiral Lee calmly looked at the man, “Captain, your failure to answer my question could be construed as the third instance of disrespect, your failure to obey a lawful order as a fourth. We are currently operating in a designated war zone, with the prospect of hostilities, and yet you have failed to signify in writing or otherwise the status of your command. I want an answer, and I want it now.”

  He waited, a deliberate and faint smile curling his lips. Captain Speer asked, “Sir, permission to speak?” Admiral Lee said, “Denied.”

  Captain Speer may have entered the space entertaining the assumption that he could bluff his way out of any possible negative consequences. However, he seemed to be slowly realizing that he was in some trouble. He managed to control his temper, smoothed out his expression and said, “Sir, I do not have the report you requested. I can have it ready by nineteen hundred hours.”

  Admiral Lee considered the offer, which was what it was. He made a show of looking at the time, and said, “Captain, it is fourteen forty-five. Comm your executive officer and instruct her to courier the report to the Constitution. On or before nineteen hundred hours I shall have in my hands a full and comprehensive status report on your command. Do you fully understand the orders I have just given you?”

  Captain Speer was clearly furious, and doing a relatively poor job of hiding his feelings. He gritted, “Yes sir.” Admiral Lee leaned back in his chair and said, “Captain Speer, repeat back the orders you have just received.”

  Captain Speer said, “Sir, I am to comm my executive officer and order her to courier a status report on the Brezhnev, to be delivered to your office on or before nineteen hundred hours.”

  Admiral Lee smiled nicely, “Please stand by in my anteroom. I’ll expect you to provide information to any possible questions. Dismissed.”

  Admiral Lee made a deliberate show of looking down at a screen on his desk. Captain Speer managed a jerky salute, held it until the admiral returned it, and left the office.

  Admiral Lee was in fact watching his desk – the screen showed a view of the anteroom, providing a very clear video and audio recording of the furious captain, walking in a circle as he tried to gain control of his temper.

  He listened in as the man commed his own executive officer. If he’d been less angry, he would have realized that he just might be under surveillance. Unfortunately, his higher mental functions were at presen
t swamped.

  Admiral Shin Ho Lee could be very devious.

  Captain Speer got through to his exec, and unbeknownst to both individuals, Admiral Lee was able to monitor both sides of the conversation, “Commander, this is Captain Speer. You are to bring my copy of the Brezhnev Status Report. I want it sealed, my eyes only, and it must be couriered over to the Constitution. I shall be in the Admiral’s quarters.”

  She asked, “Sir, your copy, or the one I compiled?” He almost yelled, “I told you, my copy. It is now nearly fifteen hundred, I want it here by sixteen hundred.”

  She asked, “Sir, am I to personally deliver it?” He did yell, “I...yes, you will personally deliver it into my hands. Keep your shuttle and immediately return to the Brezhnev.”

  Admiral Lee smiled, and as soon as Captain Speer closed the comm, called his own aide. He sweetly asked, “Lt. Graziano, will you please comm the executive officer of the...um, here it is...the Brezhnev? It is my understanding that someone is to courier over that status report we’ve been missing. Would you please request from her all earlier versions as well? I’d like to...get a feel for the way in which the data was gathered. Oh, inform her that I may wish her to attend the briefing. She may be able to add information not found in the actual report.”