Ghosts from the Past (The Wandering engineer Book 7)

by Chris Hechtl

  Ten of the new Hidoshi recruits were interested in becoming pilots. Two had prior experience, even if it was just barn storming and crop dusting. Another six were interested in becoming shuttle or fighter mechanics. Building the new fighters along with the new shuttles and tugs was an eye opening experience for all of them. He'd even talked the marine sea lion pup into taking an interest in becoming a marine aviator.

  It was good for them too. Getting a hands-on experience would bring them closer to their craft and the work crew who serviced and maintained it. They and the two recruits Meia had initially started training with the four veterans would go a long way to forming a nucleus of pilots on the ship.

  They were also taking half shifts on the helm to gain experience there. That wasn't just to keep them busy; it was a sneaky way to try to get the sea lion back on board with being a helmsman on his part. It hadn't worked yet, and he doubted it would, but the experience and responsibility was helping to mature all those involved.

  “Can I get some hands to help make the fine connections?” Proteus asked.

  “No,” the admiral replied softly, flipping his attention to the party video feeds. He snorted at the vision of Commander Sindri dressed as Poseidon lord of the sea. Ariel should have been drafted for the role considering her name. Apparently someone had thought that was typecasting. Besides, seeing the commander's discomfort brought everyone except the dwarf to giggles of amusement. As he watched the dwarf tugged on his collar and growled at a snickering Ariel. “Let them have their fun. Tomorrow will be here soon enough,” he replied, returning his attention to navigating and running OPS.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  While in transit Sprite balanced drills and training with the crew's regular duties and downtime. They had a third of the navy recruits and most of the marine recruits on the ship, getting them squared away was a priority since she was the acting XO. The last thing she needed was for one of them to do something stupid and kill everyone on board.

  Since they had gotten a handle on a lot of the repairs and replacements on their jump to B100 omega as well as while they were in the system, the engineers took a much needed break for several days. She didn't call them on slacking off, though Commander Sindri seemed annoyed but resigned to it. When the admiral introduced several side projects he wanted to start up, more of a hobby at that point then actual official projects, the commander became intrigued.

  The idea of not only building a component but a full on ship was fascinating to the dwarf. Apparently every organic with an engineering bent had gone through the phase, the dream of finding a yard or finding a way to build ships again. Now the admiral intended to introduce the dwarf into ship chandlery with the fighters and shuttles. It was a good way to get their toes wet and draw the interest of like minded individuals with too much time on their hands.

  Technically the admiral didn't have the free time to spare. Not that she could easily come out and tell him that. He took it on as a hobby though, and apparently such projects were good for crew morale as well as individual morale so the AI did her best to keep it into perspective. Besides, not only would it be another bonding experience but it would serve several purposes. Not only showing them that they could do it, but it was also doing something positive that would help the fleet later.

  Those realizations made her stop and think about the admiral for a second. Was the admiral thinking of this consciously? These reasons? Or did he come up with them later to rationalize what he had already done? She was tempted to call him on it and check his vital signs and see which was true but decided against it. Besides, she thought, noting the time and her own schedule, she had her own duties to attend to.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  The fleet exited hyper in Beta 99 after spending two weeks in hyper. Beta 99 was a binary system with a K1 and G2 star much like Alpha Centauri. The system even had a companion star a light year out called Beta 98. It was a red Dwarf called a Proxima due to its proximity to the other star system. The trio of stars had cut a swath through a thick nebula in the sector. Since both the nebula and the stars projected mass shadows in hyperspace, the only safe way through the area was to drop to sublight, cross the binary system, make the short hop to B98, cross it's star system, and then jump out to Kathy's World.

  But over the millennia both systems had picked up massive amounts of junk from the nearby nebula, gases and debris from what could have been entire star systems. Navigating through the outer belt was difficult for civilians. They took their time and picked through the space carefully. But Admiral Irons took it as an opportunity to gather materials and target practice. It turned into a brute force approach, but one that was gratifying to the crew. The fleet used the weapons of the ships to cut a hole through the belt. Bussard scoops and molecular furnaces sucked up the molten gases into the ships for processing.

  Together they cut a swatch as they crossed the binary star system. Within days the fleet was stuffed to the bulkheads with raw materials once more. That gave them the material to make and kick out the recon satellites he wanted in the system as well as stock up on missiles. Ian would only place recon satellites in Richalu but would strip the satellites as he caught up with the fleet.

  “Admiral, can you imagine what these systems would have been like had they been properly utilized?” Proteus asked, surprising the admiral.

  “Oh?”

  “The raw material here is quite available for processing. Had the Federation sent sufficient vessels here like they had at other nebula and empty star systems they could have used the material for any number of projects. Such as another Dyson sphere.”

  “True,” the admiral said with a nod as he tugged on his ear. It was a little strange to see and hear Proteus starting a discussion. The AI must be evolving a bit. “Rho sector wasn't used much before the war; that was why they put the galactic gate here. Lagroose Industries owned a lot of the sector.”

  “And parts of it were considered neutral territory between humanity and the Taurens,” Sprite interjected. “Mind if I add my two cents worth?” she asked with a half smile on the HUD. Proteus's blob bobbed about, but he didn't object. “The southern part of this sector was considered a neutral zone for a half century, which meant it missed the early colonization efforts here.”

  “And no one wanted to come here and be on the front line of a potential war zone if the Tauren treaty was breached,” the admiral said. “But back to your point, I don't understand why these worlds and nebular weren't used. It would have made a dandy place to stick a yard nearby for instance,” he said. He waved to the thick shoals of material around the fleet. “If the navy had put a yard nearby ...”

  “Like Bek?”

  “Politics may have been involved. Also, with the Bek yard this sector didn't really need another yard,” Sprite said, sounding thoughtful.

  “Can we place a yard here? Eventually?” Proteus asked. “Will we?”

  “It's too close to the front lines with Horath for my comfort,” Admiral Irons replied, shaking his head. “Now you have me wondering, why didn't they use this material to make new planets?”

  “Perhaps because there were so many available already?” Sprite asked, playing devil's advocate. He waved a dismissive hand.

  “Do we know what's in the nebula itself?” Proteus asked.

  “You're wondering if there is a base there?” Defender asked.

  “Gee sure, let everyone join in,” Sprite said with a shake of her head. Irons shot her a quelling look.

  “You're thoughts, Lieutenant?” the admiral asked, trying to draw the security AI out.

  “None, Admiral. There are no records of a navy base here,” Defender said simply.

  “That we know of,” Sprite replied. “And you are saying navy base. There is no stopping someone, say a pirate from sticking a base here. Remember the Raven clan?”

  Irons nodded. The information his ship had managed to get back to the navy had put them on the scent of the clan. Intel had picked up on space sta
tion depots used as fence locations, and from there they'd back tracked a pirate support vessel to their base in the Gum nebula. Or one of their bases, there had been no telling just how many the pirate clan had. According to the records they'd put up a hell of a fight while trying to evacuate the base. He just wished he'd been there to see the pirates get a taste of their own medicine.

  “Admiral?” Sprite asked.

  He grunted. “Sorry, wool gathering again I guess,” he said then cleared his throat. He turned as the wardroom door opened.

  Miss Tormell stuck her head in. “Um, am I late, sir?” she asked.

  “No, early actually,” Sprite said from the holo at the end of the table. She hopped her image back to the one next to the admiral. “The admiral came in here to hide from the paperwork and enjoy the view.”

  “Well one of them,” the admiral replied picking up his cup. The coffee was cold and down to a sip. He grimaced and got up to get himself another cup.

  “Did you get the paperwork sorted out, sir?” The midshipman asked.

  “Something like that,” the admiral said.

  “He means no. The battle with paperwork is never ending midshipman. Which reminds me, you need to pass the next series of tests if you wish to get promoted to senior midshipman,” Sprite said, eying the young woman.

  “I'm working on it, ma'am,” the young woman said, now self-conscious. She rubbed her arm, head down.

  “See that you do. And finish your homework,” Sprite said.

  “Aye aye, ma'am,” Miss Tormell said, now grimacing herself.

  “Problem?” The admiral asked from the open door to the steward's pantry. She looked over to see him pouring himself another cup of coffee. “With the workload?”

  “No sir, just a little, uumm, out of my element. Some of the subject matter is taking me places I never got a good foundation on in the first place,” the young woman admitted.

  “And you know this ...”

  The midshipman waved a hand as she looked to the AI. The admiral followed her gaze and then nodded. “Okay ...”

  “But I'm in a hurry to catch up and do my part so ...”

  “Sometimes you have to take a step back to get the perspective and see the big picture. And Commander Sprite's point about a proper foundation is valid,” the admiral said. “History?”

  “Reading, history ...” the young woman frowned then sighed. “I spent a lot of time on the bridge, sir. I learned how to man OPS and various stations, and it was boring but I did it. I learned a bit about jury rigging repairs and some other stuff. I do know how to read,” she said, glancing at the AI. “Just not at the level as I'm supposed to.”

  “Agreed. Your level of comprehension is improving steadily however,” Sprite said with a note of approval in her voice. “The more you read the better you'll learn and understand what you've learned.”

  “I see, ma'am.”

  “I hope you do.”

  “I'm going to check the bridge before the meeting. It's not for another,” the admiral frowned and checked his chrono. “Twenty minutes anyway. I need to stretch my legs,” he said.

  “Can I go with you, sir?” Mia asked.

  “Interested in picking his brains again?” Sprite asked in amusement.

  “Well, he lived a lot of the history,” Mia said, waving a hand. The admiral nodded. He knew Sprite had stuck to a general history for the young woman's education but leaning heavily to naval history with a side in constitutional law. She was doing well, and he didn't mind a few of her questions. Some strayed into areas he was uncomfortable or forbidden to answer though, and he had to end a couple discussions when she had inadvertently come close to figuring something out.

  She waved a hand for him to proceed her. He cocked his head. “Well, I was going to say ladies first, but if you insist,” he said. Sprite snorted as her holographic image ended.

  “You've been in this sector before, sir?”

  “As I told you,” The admiral said as they made their way to the lift.

  “Sorry, sir, I was just collecting my thoughts. You know this space? What about the hyperbridges?”

  “What about them? Oh I know where they are. Or I should say were,” he said. “I don't know if any are still active.”

  “Could they be rebuilt, sir?”

  “Even during my time we didn't even know how they had been created. The Uinsp insisted that the network was created by the ancients but refused to offer proof,” he said, making a face. “They even refused to tell us which of the ancient species made it,” he said as he entered the lift. She quickly followed.

  “The Dagoth or the Tortoises, sir?” Mia asked brightly.

  Irons nodded. “You know some of your aliens,” he said in approval. She flushed as the lift moved out. She glanced at him. “Lobsterman knows where we're going,” he said in an aside. She nodded. “Back to the aliens, we know of the big three, but apparently there were more. At least one other, possibly more. Unfortunately the three we knew didn't talk about the other races much.”

  She grimaced as the lift came to a stop and opened. She stepped to the side to allow him to proceed her, remembering the protocol about highest ranking officer's prerogative of first in first out. Or was that last in first out? Oh, wait, was that only for small boats? She frowned and then made a note to look it up later.

  “I remember the Dagoth were sanctioned by the others several times. And when the Federation came into being they went to war with us for a time before they were severely sanctioned.”

  “By the time we humans had come onto the galactic stage they had been sanctioned to a small area of the galaxy. They applied for membership and due to the constitution the government had to accept them,” he said, frowning. “We were warned about them but we didn't listen. The warnings proved correct.”

  “They went on a rampage.”

  “For some reason some predatory species are like that. I am not sure why,” the admiral said, shaking his head. “They get a superiority complex or something. Studies have been floating around about the subject for decades, hell, centuries before my time.”

  “According to the records they were contained and quarantined to two worlds though,” Sprite said through his implants.

  “True,” the admiral said as they entered the bridge.

  “Admiral on the bridge,” Lobsterman intoned from his pedestal.

  “As you were, I'm just checking in,” the admiral said before Ensign Poseidon could relinquish command to him. He wanted her to get as much seat time as she could get. It was doing wonders with her maturity.

  “Sir, aren't you concerned about the other ships? Won't this delay them?” the young woman said, rising out of the captain's chair.

  “Why?” The admiral asked. He knew about the concern for Bounty and Le More floating about in the net forums and ship's scuttlebutt grapevine. “They'll catch up,” he said simply, checking things over with a cursory look.

  “Yes sir, but the Le More is slow. They are civilians after all,” Miss Tormell said, making a face.

  Irons hid a smile. A lot had changed with the young woman mentally it seemed. Her whole perspective was now skewed. “So? We've got a few civies of our own,” he reminded her. She nodded. “Carnegie is very slow,” he said making a face. She echoed his disgusted look.

  That was very true, old Carnage was now the slowest ship in their fleet. Even the tankers could move faster than her. Not by a lot, but by at least a thousand kilometers faster despite massing the same or slightly less. Having her loaded down with fuel and materials didn't help either. The admiral made a mental note to have her sublight engines rebuilt the first chance they got.

  Midshipman Tormell nodded, but she still looked troubled as she bit her lip. He caught the look and shrugged again. “Don't worry, McGuyver's good. He's got the situation in hand. We'll stop in Kathy's World for a bit if they haven't caught us by then,” he said by way of reassurance. She nodded. “We'll need to top off on food consumables by that time anyway.” T
hat was a bit of a white lie but she didn't need to know that now. The replicators could keep them fed for years from the bounty of material the ships had recently sucked up. What he had in mind was a bit of shore leave. Sprite wasn't the only one who could think of such things. Though he was tempted to just pass the system by. He'd have to make up his mind about the system once they were there he thought.

  Mia nodded dutifully. “Aye, sir.”

  “Meanwhile, what can we do in Beta 98? Ideas anyone?” He asked to the bridge at large.

  “Not much if we're going to keep moving Admiral. Any survey team we send out will have to catch up with us. We could slow and send a ship or two ahead, there are two prospects that we could see about exploiting. I don't know if they will be worth it,” Zen reported from his station.

  The Admiral frowned. They'd have to slow to allow the dance of shuttles to keep up with the fleet. “Let me see the spectrographic analysis of them again. Get NAV to run a plot on them and see who is best to dispatch ahead.”

  “Aye sir. I've got the data here,” Ensign Poseidon said, hearing her queue. She pulled up the relevant data and sent it to him in a file. “I was thinking Baker did well in 100 omega ...” she explained, turning to face him.

  The Admiral listened in approval as she laid out her plan.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Apparently some of his discussion with the young midshipman as well as the discussion on the bridge had been twisted up in a tangled mess by various people that had overheard them at different times. Several different interpretations of the discussions hit the grapevine with predictable results. The stories grew out of control since they had only supposition and little facts to be based on. Also, since no one was refuting them, they grew out of control.

  Admiral Irons was indirectly accused of planning to take the fleet to the Beta 92c hyperbridge to go to the core worlds. It was an ugly rumor, one that was completely false on its face.