by Gary Beller
“Aye, Captain.” I said. “Helm, break orbit and make your course one six seven mark three one, speed ahead one third.”
“Break orbit for heading one six seven mark three one, ahead one third aye, sir.”
“Watch the sensor readouts, Mr. Ebert, make sure we aren’t passing too close to those oncoming freighters.” Captain McCormick said. I looked up and realized, our present course would actually bring us through the space lane going the wrong way.
“Helm, five degrees port rudder, Make your speed ahead one half.” I said.
“Five degrees port, ahead one half aye, Sir.” The helmsman repeated.
For two minutes, I let us accelerate away from the merchant traffic, giving a wide berth to the massive ships. “Helm, resume our previous course, reduce to ahead one third.” I ordered.
“Returning to one six seven mark three one, ahead one third aye, Sir.”
As we made the turn, I could see the flashes from the ship’s braking and maneuvering thrusters on the bow as they translated the helm’s commands into movements.
Since the ship operated in space, where drag and gravity were minimal at best, the ship relied on her main engines and a series of reaction control thrusters and braking thrusters to move through space. The main engines provided the power to move forward through space, and also assisted in maneuvers by using vectored thrust: for example, turning the ship right meant the exhaust nozzles moved, pushing the stern of the ship to the left and the nose to the right.
Reaction control thrusters pushed in opposing groups to make the ship pitch, roll, or yaw in the desired direction. To pitch up, for instance, thrusters mounted under the bow would fire, pushing the nose up. Thrusters on the top of the stern would also fire, pushing the stern down.
As we closed I could see the massive space station growing slowly from a small gray dot into the form of a massive station. The station was disk-shaped in its core, with repair bays above and below it. Also extending from the central disk were four arms, each with multiple docking appendages. Numerous warships were docked with the station along our axis of approach.
“Helm, slow to port speed.” I ordered. Once again the helmsman dutifully repeated as he executed the orders.
“4 Delta is straight ahead. Come to all stop just outside of the entrance, and the tugs will position us.” The Captain said.
Docked at the closest arm to our approach were the battleships Fearless and New Jersey. The two battleships, both over 600 meters long, dwarfed the cruisers and destroyers docked nearby. “Those are some mighty big ships.” I said.
“It’s not the size of the ship in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the ship.” Lieutenant Webb replied, nonchalantly.
“This ship has enough fight in her for ten ships.” McCormick said with a smile.
Approaching the massive bay, I counted down from ten before ordering “All stop.” As if cued to my command, a pair of space tugs approached from above. “UCSS Armstrong this is Bay Biscayne, we’ve got it from here.”
“Roger, Biscayne, Armstrong copies.” McCormick said over the comm channel. The two tugs extended their tow arms and began pulling the ship in slowly, drawing us towards a dish-shaped connector extending from the bay ceiling. The tugs pulled the ship expertly through what must have been a challenging series of choreographed maneuvers to get us lined up with the connector off the bow and the docking tubes which would allow the crew to go aboard the station. With a slight jolt of the deck and a soft thump reverberating through the ship, the connector grabbed hold of the bow, locking the ship in place. “In port, Shift Colors.” The Chief of the Watch said over the ship wide. The phrase was archaic, as ships no longer flew flags from their mainmast, but the tradition remained. In modern space-faring parlance, it meant to set up a quarterdeck near the primary airlock.
“Mister Ebert,” Captain McCormick said, “Excellent work bringing us in. Are you sure you want to waste such talent slogging through the mud and the muck?”
“I’ve always wanted to be a Marine, Captain.” I said. Of course, after the last few days, I was questioning that myself. But I wouldn’t let that on.
“The Marines do operate warships, and if you play your cards right you might get a chance to tour one while we’re here.” McCormick said.
“Really?” I asked, my excitement growing.
“Yes, Mr. Ebert. I saw the Teufelhund and Atlantis docked here as we pulled in.” She said, then turned to the XO. “XO, set the in-port watch rotation. Midshipmen, you stand relieved, report to Sergeant Raines for further orders.”
“Aye Aye, Captain.” I said, turning on my heel and walking out of the bridge. Karissa put a hand on my shoulder. “Think we’ll be stuck on the ship?”
“No idea.” I said, hoping we wouldn’t.
***
Sergeant Raines walked into our berthing area shortly after Karissa and I. “Hope you brought a swimming suit.” Raines said.
“Is there a pool on the station?” Karissa asked.
“Nope. Captain got permission for us to go dirtside.” He said with a smile. “Greatest naval tradition in the history of navies, shore leave.”
Karissa and I smiled at each other. “I brought mine.” She said.
“Same here.” I replied.
“Alright. Miss Bielema,” He said, turning to Rachel, “Form the troops.”
Moments later, everyone was in formation. Sergeant Raines looked us over. “The Captain has granted our entire detachment shore leave. Three days on the planet’s surface.” He began. “I have some rules to go over first and foremost. Remember that you are midshipmen, you are not commissioned officers yet. None of the enlisted personnel on the base will salute you, nor should you expect them to. I hear about anyone salute farming and you’ll be on the sweepers detail for the rest of the cruise. Got it?”
“Aye Aye, Sergeant!”
“Now, a few more things for you before I set you kids free. We will be staying on Starbase Leatherneck for the duration of our time on the ground. There is a shuttle bus that runs into downtown Thylessia four times a day. If you take the shuttle, make sure catch that last shuttle in the evening coming back. If you aren’t back on Leatherneck by 20:30 you’ll be taken to Captain’s Mast. You may wear civilian clothes if you are going out in town. If you intend to stay on base, you must be in a uniform.” Raines told us. “Any of you guys get in trouble, and the Thylessia PD will turn you over to the Provost Marshall’s Office on Leatherneck, and you’ll have to deal with JAG there. I recommend you not find your way down that road. Pack a bag, change into your dress blues, and enjoy yourselves.
Chapter 12
We boarded a jumper from the Station. Karissa and I took front row seats, with Raines sitting in the jump seat across from us. I felt a slight jolt as the magnetic catapult launched us into space. The station required the magnetic catapult, since it didn’t have an exterior flight deck like the Armstrong did to facilitate a vertical takeoff. As we accelerated away, there was a mechanical whirring noise as the wings opened and locked into place. From orbit, we could see the single massive continent that made up 89% of Koliath’s land mass (The rest was islands of varying sizes).
The ship nosed up as it encountered the outer edges of the atmosphere. The ship began to shudder as friction built up. Through the window I could see the leading edges of the wings begin to glow. Soon the friction was causing the outer hull to glow and the air ionize. The cabin of the jumper soon took on an earie glow, as if we were flying directly over the surface of the sun.
The jumper banked through a turn bringing it around towards Starbase Leatherneck. Through the window, I could see the skyline of Thylessia stretching out below us, from the river to the beaches.
“Nice to see they’re rebuilding quickly.” Sergeant Raines said from the jump seat.
“Rebuilding?” I asked, my head cocked to the side. “The city was heavily damaged during the Banor
occupation. A lot of those resorts along the sea shore were
targeted, since they could have been used to house resistance personnel.”
“How long was the planet occupied?” Karissa asked.
“It was a year from the time the Banor landed troops until we landed troops to retake it. During that time, the Banor destroyed the Koliath Defense Force, leaving the civilians virtually defenseless. Luckily this place had become an ideal place for former military to retire to. So, the population formed a well-organized and heavily armed resistance.” Raines explained.
“How did they get weapons?” I asked.
“The constitution grants citizens the right to bear arms, and this world has always been a popular choice for sportsmen, so many households have handguns and rifles. Those who, for one reason or another, could not serve in the resistance would donate their weapons.”
“Wow. So they fought with just their sporting rifles and handguns?” Karissa asked.
“For the most part. Special Boat Service and Special Warfare Combat Crewman units made supply runs through the system a few times a month, delivering everything from medical supplies to grenades and other munitions.” Raines explained. The Special Boat Service and Special Warfare Combat Craft units operated small, fast, stealthy starships designed to support navy and Marine special operations units.
Below us, there was a groaning and whirring noise as the pilot lowered the landing gear. We were following the path of the Great River from Thylessia down to Starbase Leatherneck. The pilot brought the jumper around over the forest, giving us a view of the Starbase. At the center of the sprawling installation was the command center, distinguished by four hundred foot tall tower. From up here, we could see barracks, ranges, drill decks, and athletic fields. On the west side of the base, a massive parking lot held tanks, trucks, and armored vehicles; the spaceport on the south side of the base had rows of star fighters, attack craft, and jumpers lined up in front of hangars.
Our ship landed on one of the vertical landing pads then taxied up to the main terminal. Exiting the jumper, I was surprised at how nice the passenger terminal was, for being on a military base. Holographic artwork decorated the walls, while the ceiling was made of transparent steel (The same material used to make windows on starships) filling the terminal with natural sunlight.
Lieutenant Webb walked past the crew and ran to a Marine Captain, throwing her arms around him. I smiled, and looked at Karissa. “That’s so sweet.” She said.
We boarded a bus and took it to the Marine Corps Lodge on base, and were issued room assignments. I was assigned to room with Vince Kennedy. I had been hoping to have my own room, but I think Sergeant Raines made sure I had a roommate.
Stepping out of the hotel after dropping our gear off, I was surprised at how warm and humid it was. “Must be summer around here.” I said to Vin.
“Not hot enough,” Vin said, “My cousin lived here for a few years, he said even the winters are hot and humid.”
“Glad I brought shorts with me.” I said, laughing.
“Almost a requirement,” Vince said with a chuckle.
Chapter 13
Sitting around a table in the Officers and Enlisted club, Karissa and Vince pounced. “Jack, I want to know, are you okay?” She asked me.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I replied.
“Look. Four days ago, you were on a shore party that partook in a ground battle. You got shot at and fired a rifle against enemy soldiers. Shortly after that, we engaged enemy ships in battle. We all lost a friend, but nobody was as close to Howie as you were.” Vince said. “That’s a lot for anyone to handle.”
“Guys, I’m alright.” I said, but I wasn’t sure I believed it.“It’s been rough cruise for all of us. I can’t imagine the Academy or Fleet Command figured we’d encounter enemy warships.”
“Or actually participate in ground combat.” Vince said, nodding to me. “How did you pull that off, anyways?”
“I happened to be at the right place at the right time.” I replied. “Captain McCormick needed people. I volunteered.” I said with a shrug.
“It’s true,” Karissa said, holding my hand. “Surprised me. Sergeant Raines didn’t want him to go.”
“Sergeant Raines was doing his job. He’s responsible for us.” I said.
“Mind if I sit down?” An unfamiliar voice said from behind me. Karissa and Vince jumped up, standing at attention, so I followed suit.
“As you were,” The man said. “The O and E club is the one place on base where we wave the formalities of military life.”
The new arrival stood six feet, four inches tall, his hair cropped short. His collar had three silver stars, representing his rank of Lieutenant General.
“Please, Sir, we would be honored for you to join us.” I said.
“Thank you, Mr. Ebert, is it?” Hardfighter asked.
“Yes, Sir.” I said.
“I saw the report of the rescue mission you partook in. Sergeant Raines was very complimentary in his description of your actions.” He said. “I’m given to understand you are on the Marine Option?”
“Yes, Sir.” I replied.
“Keep up the good work.” Hardfighter said. “You guys are lucky. My Mid cruises were always boring. Nine days at warp speed, then watch freighters unload, then nine more days at warp.”
“I think most of us would enjoy a boring cruise at this point, sir.” Vince said.
“I imagine you probably think so.” The General said, waving the waiter over and ordering everyone a new drink. “Let me tell you a story. About fifteen years ago, I was a young Captain. I had my first command: Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. Our battalion deployed to a colony world to act as peacekeepers. One of the colonies was having some internal security issues. So two weeks into our deployment, I was leading a patrol and we came under fire. My First Sergeant took a particle beam to the thigh, so I am providing cover fire as the Corpsman is patching her up. Up ahead, I can see the flashes from the muzzle of the dirt bag shooting at us, so I leveled my rifle, put my sights on the muzzle flash, and the next time he popped his head out to shoot, I shot first. To this day I can tell you, he was wearing a red shirt, a blue bandana, and had a scar on his left cheek.”
As he described it, all I could think about was the wolf-like alien filling my rifle scope a moment before I pulled the trigger.
“After that, things got crazy for a few months. We all hated it. Didn’t matter where we went, someone would shoot at us. Or try to shoot around us at someone else. Eventually, the Battalion Commander had letters published in the press on both sides: Both sides had five days to cease hostilities or the Marines would begin active interdiction missions.”
“So what did they do?” Karissa asked.
“Both leaders sat down with our Battalion Commander and worked out a peace agreement. So anyways, after eight months or so of dealing with that, all of us are happy to go back home and relax. Except when we get home, even the most intense training missions they can come up with are boring. All we wanted then was to deploy again.” Praxis said. “You may get a boring trip home, but I guarantee you’ll wish for a cruiser to jump the convoy after the first few days.”
“Sir, how do those cruisers get behind our lines, anyways?” Karissa asked.
“The front line stretches over two hundred light years from one side to the other, we can’t possibly cover every point on that line. So they are able to slip through. Conversely, we can, and frequently do, do the same thing.” The General explained.
“So, what point is there to even having a front line?” I asked.
“The front line isn’t so much a physical thing. It’s more of an idea. Beyond a certain point, you are more likely to encounter the enemy than friends. The concept that the front line is a big, physical thing is mostly a myth.”
“So anyone can just run across the line and hit wherever they want.” I said.
“Basically. Both sides know that defending the main line is impossible, so they place their naval forces around systems that need to be d
efended. Look at Starbase Leatherneck. The current front line is about 20 light years from here, or about a day at warp speed for moderately speedy ships. We have two Battleship Strike Groups stationed here, and a fleet repair facility in orbit. Not to mention the quarter million ground troops on the planet.”
“Sounds like a tough nut to crack.” I replied with a smile.
“That’s the general idea. If you will excuse me, though, one of my subordinates just arrived and I need to throw verbiagein his general direction.”
“Thank you, sir.” We said, as he stood and walked away. I watched him as he approached another officer. The man was an inch taller than Hardfighter, and was walking with a cane.
“Is that who I think it is?” Vin asked.
“Brigadier General Tom Westover.” I said, nodding. “
***
The next day found Karissa and I sitting on the beach. The warm, humid weather this portion of the planet Koliath experienced year round was seemingly made for relaxing by the ocean.
“This trip has been a roller coaster. One day we’re being shot at, the next, lounging on a beach.” I said.
“Which do you prefer?” Karissa asked me, a mischievous smile on her face.
“The beach is nice, but it’s lacking the adrenaline rush. But, you are here. So I have that going for me.”
She laughed, then looked at me. “You do realize I have been next to you almost every time you came under fire.”
“And I haven’t had a single complaint about that.” I smiled. Just then Vin walked by, shirtless (this was no surprise: Any time we were allowed out of uniform and snow wasn’t falling, he seemed to find a way out of his shirt.) and was carrying a box of something that smelled absolutely wonderful.
“Vin! Vin, buddy. What is that amazing smell you discovered? And more importantly, where might I find some for myself and the fair lady?” I asked.
“Quit hamming it up, Jack. Barbeque stand, 75 meters on your 3 O’clock. They call it a Gnara Burger. I have no idea what a Gnara is, but it smells fantastic.” “Let’s go, Jack.” Karissa said, waving to Vin. The barbeque stand was right where he said it was. “Two Gnara burgers, please.” I asked.