The Gods had long before realized the limitations of remote warbots as well as fighter drones and had dropped the concept since the life and death of armies and ship’s crews was the cornerstone of their power and live Gronks were cheaper in the long run. Not that the Gods did not believe in maintenance bots as well as remotes that were useful and even needed for some jobs but that they were a waste and even a handicap salving or tracking down problems. While bots added another layer of failures and maintenance for live minds and bodies to perform.
Besides, Jack had decided that trying to save the lives of most of the Admiral’s ship’s crews was not worth even one of his marines lives or the hostages that they would be if it came down to a fight. The bluff was too much of a gamble to risk any more lives than he had to. The fact that he could get 4 or 5 R-bots into the transport space of one armored Ape or Exo-suited Marine, reducing the number of Assault Shuttles he had to risk, was a big factor as well. The new jam proof comms (even the Gods did not know about,) that treated mettle bulkheads and hulls as if they were not there without the need for repeaters just made using them aboard enemy Battleships possible.
Jack with the Lieutenant and Pan, followed the rush of bots as Jack went straight to Sick Bay that was not that many decks above the hanger. Walking into Sick Bay Jack was pleasantly surprised that they did not have as many casualties as he had feared. Though they did have several critically wounded from the knocked out turrets that the Doctor did not want to transfer. Jack had the Ex-slave Alturian Doctor he had left safely on the Assault Shuttle come up to talk with the Ship’s Chief Surgeon before the critical as well as several others that would benefit from the advance care, were taken for transfer to the Red Pepper. The Alturian Doctor leaving several pieces of medical equipment that the Chief Surgeon fell in love with. The wounded being taken to the Red Pepper since the Hulk Station was still mostly abandoned as far as civilian Refugees were concerned and would stay that way until the Vice Admiral’s situation was resolved.
Jack stepped into the Flagg Conference Compartment a half hour after the Assault Shuttle had touched down on the Hanger Lock’s deck. The inspection was done and the casualties already evacuated on a small Medical Shuttle that had slide in through the air curtain just long enough to load.
“Commodore Hendricks.” Jack said with a smile. “Glad to see you coming to your senses.” Jack talked directly to the Commodore ignoring the Vice Admiral. “Please have the rest of your squadron’s ships open a cleared lock for my inspection Shuttles standing by and not interfere with their inspections. Any resistance will be met with overwhelming force. Even if every crewmen in your ships were marines they would not win. Most would die so I will hold you personally responsible for their actions and safety.” Jack smiled at the Commodore. “Each inspected ship can then dock with the Station tomorrow morning and we will start repairs on your engines and even perform upgrades to weapons and power generation and distribution systems if you wish Commodore.”
The whole time Jack was talking the Vice Admiral was getting redder as he built up a head of steam. “You will address me Captain Turner. I am in Command here.” Vice Admiral Ditzen demanded.
“Sorry Vice Admiral but you lost your Flag ratting before they made you The Rock’s Chief of security. You can’t order an Ensign to get you coffee on any Republic Ship. Though I am starting to think you probably can on an enemy ship.” Jack shook his head side to side disgustedly as he looked around the conference table at the Officers before looking back at Ditzen. “The Commodore may follow your advice if he so wishes to but the responsibilities for his squadrons Actions are all on his shoulders as well as the Charges of munity and sedition that can and will get him executed if he continues listening to you, while you walk away free simply because you have no official authority here.”
Looking back at the Commodore that was turning white. “The Commodore does not strike me as the fool you take him for. It is a shame he has let you lead him down this path with all your lies trying to get back your Flag, more stars and now wealth.” Turning back to the Vice Admiral. “The shame is that if you succeed all you will do is insure that the Spider Fleet slaughters 90% of the human race and enslaves the rest. Your keeping vital technology from the development labs and factories of The Rock may have already insured that fact. The shame is that The Rock will have to put you on trial for that. All I can do is charge you for what you do here but since you are officially not a flag officer, unless you physically attack someone, the Commodore and his Captains are the ones that will die for your sins if they continue to listen to you.” Smiling at Ditzen and his still red face as he clenched his fists. “So I really do not give a bilge rat’s ass if you don’t like me ignoring you or not.”
Turning back to the Commodore. “What are you going to do Commodore Hendricks?” Jack asked politely.
“I am going to follow regulations Vice Admiral Turner. I will order the rest of my ships to comply with all inspection teams immediately and then dock at your Station to make repairs and to make sure you are telling the truth about not being a pawn for the Spiders. That the Battleships really are hulks with their engines and weapons destroyed and that the Station really is under your control before returning to The Rock to finish repairs and return to our squadrons.” Looking at Ditzen and then back at Jack. “I see that you are picking up the marines you flushed out of my lock. Thank you.”
“If you wish, by the time you leave here you won’t need repairs. As for your marines, I will return the survivors as soon as you dock Commander.” Jack smiled. “I have already been informed that 37 have died with another 23 in critical condition but are expected to survive, another 30 only suffered moderate vacuum damage. All the rest had their helmets on according to regulations.”
The Commodore looked at Ditzen again. “I would appreciate it if you only return my ships platoon. You can keep the Vice Admirals Company of marines. I don’t want those monsters or his other platoons on my ships again.”
Jack smiled. “Already got your platoon segregated and will be waiting for you at your dock. All of them alive and well. I will decide what to do with the Admiral’s surviving marines later since you don’t want them back.” Looking at Ditzen. “I have been told that all of the ones in preliminary interviews have confessed to being strait from the Vice Admiral’s brig. Most with life sentences for rape and murder. Some have admitted to being scheduled for execution with a few that were supposed to have been executed long ago somehow missing their appointed execution date. It seems the Admirals famous liberal leanings against harsh treatment of prisoners and executing criminals are only for those criminals that he can use to kill and control others that get in his way.”
Hendricks looked shocked and swallowed before speaking. “I have some officers and crew that the Vice Admiral found to fill out the crews for the ships in my squadron. Most of them are from his brig as well. Supposedly for minor infractions again. Though their records were slow coming from the Admiral and did not arrive before we left The Rock. If you could take them off with your inspection teams until their records show up I would appreciate it Vice Admiral Turner. The incidents of theft, assaults and rapes have gone up ridiculously since we left the Rock with most of the crimes unsolved except for accusations and disappearing evidence pointing to the new officers and crewmen. Including a couple of murders. The only exception is the one ship in my squadron that refused additional crewmen. Even after the Vice Admiral demanded they take them or face the consequences of a bad quarterly review and charges later.” Looking over at the Vice Admiral who looked like he could kill the Commodore.
“Very well. Deliver them to us when my inspection crews dock. We have special places for just such crewmen. We don’t have a brig but the Ex-slaves know how to control working prisoners from personal experience so no one will be lazing in brig cells when they could be wishing and even praying that was what they were doing.” Jack stepped to the hatch and turned back. “Your squadron is scheduled to dock tomorrow morni
ng including the Assault transports. It will take your Battleships that long to get their on maneuvering thrusters. Contact Approach Control when you are ready to move that way Commodore. The Supply transports are schedule for docking when they arrive tomorrow afternoon if they follow Republic Regulations and do not resist inspections as well. Good day Gentlemen.” Jack smiled. That is if he did not send them elsewhere. Which was sounding better by the minute. The last thing they needed here was all the construction material here for an even bigger Base Station. Not to mention that he had been told repeatedly that all the Admiral had to do was make a quick trip back to The Rock and return to take command, even if he succeeded getting rid of Ditzen temporarily. No he was starting to think of better things to do with the materials and mining equipment Ditzen was planning on getting rich off of
The officers around the table jumped to attention as Jack turned to leave. That is except for Vice Admiral Ditzen whose face looked like he was panicking as he remained seated.
Saluting, the Commodore said “By your Command Admiral Turner.”
Jack returned his salute and then turned around and stepped to the hatch as Ditzen’s face suddenly lit up. “I relieve you Captain Turner.” He said to Jack’s back.
“What?” Jack stopped and turned back half through the hatch. Looking at the Admiral.
“I as the senior Vice Admiral in the district officially relieve you of Command of the Gama Hulk Basestation.” Smiling from ear to ear. “I may not be a Flag Officer but I am still a damn Vice Admiral and Basestations are commanded by Vice Admirals and they don’t have to have a fucking Flag rating.” Almost laughing as he talked already planning what he was going to do to all those that had betrayed him. Giving the Commodore a deadly look before turning back to Jack. “Your ass and the slaves are mine Captain Turner.”
Jack’s face turned to shock as he swallowed. His mind racing. He knew full well what a Vice Admiral could do to a lowly Captain. While he could not strip him of Command of the Red Pepper unless Jack allowed him to by resigning his Command. The Vice Admiral in charge of the Basestation could make him and his crew wish he wasn’t alive let alone in command by cutting off all power and services and supplies and arresting any crewmember that stepped foot on the station. The Commander also controlled all movement and assignments of the ships assigned to the Station. In short the Admiral could make Jack and his ship’s life even more hellish than it already was. Including finish starving them to death.
The Lieutenant standing out in the passageway tapped her wrist comm and whispered into it.
Jack turned and glanced at the Lieutenant as the panic that was flooding his face turned to hope and then determination as her spoken thoughts flooded into him now that he was facing her for a few seconds before turning back to the Admiral. “Sorry Vice Admiral without a Flag. You need another star before you can change the Commander of a Basestation even if I am only a Temp Vice Admiral under regulations. Unless you have orders from The Rock’s Base Command Authority, you can go take a shit. That’s the only thing you are in command of around here.”
Jack started to turn around to leave again.
“I have orders from The Rock to relieve you Captain.” Ditzen smirked.
Turning back around Jack knew that was impossible. “Very well let’s see your specific notarized and signed orders to take command of the Gama 13 BASE Station.” Jack said emphasizing the word Base as he held out his hand.
Ditzen frowned then looked down as he started tapping away on his PDA’s screen and then stopped as his face turned white. Looking back up at Jack and said unbelievably. “Base Station?” Looking back down at the PDA then back up at Jack. “Base Station?” Ditzen slapped the screen up against his chest with both hands covering it to keep anyone from seeing what looked at first glance like an official order without close examination. “Aaa. I will have the orders for you when we dock tomorrow morning and you can turn the Station over to me then. Have my marines at dockside suited up armed and ready for my orders Captain.”
“Really, do I look that stupid Ditzen? If you can’t hand over the orders now you don’t have them. Even then, why would I want to give you two companies of killing machines as soon as you walk onto the station?”
“Because… Because I don’t have to show you my orders until I take command and it is my right according to regulations to demand that you turn out the entire crew of the station and the ships under your command to facilitate the smooth turnover of Command Authority. That would include the two marine Companies that you are picking up around this ship and from the other ships that are part of my Staff.” Trying to keep from laughing. “All according to regulations right Captain.”
Jack’s eyes tried to pierce the man’s head but he only got a bunch of jumbled mixed up words that he could not understand. Jack knew Ditzen was up to some trick because he could not possible have orders he did not know he needed before this minute by tomorrow. But what it was, Ditzen was not talking about even to himself. Giving up Jack turned and headed out the hatch.
“Regulations say you also have to come to Attention and Salute me Captain.” The Vice Admiral demanded with a shit eating grin on his face.
Jack looked back over his shoulder forcing himself not to salute automatically as he took a breath. “Until you relieve me Ditzen, you can salute your dick if you want something to come to attention. At least it will respond if you salute it enough.” Then left the ship.
Chapter 17; To Desert or not to Desert.
The next afternoon Jack looked out the port overlooking the new Docking deck from the control room that hung down from the overhead around the central shaft that ran between the overhead deck and the main cargo deck 200 feet below them. The 8 Battleships and 4 Assault Transports were spread out around the ring of docks about a 1,200 feet apart in the only docks that had been partially finished. The rest were on hold as more important matters had come up with Ditzen saying he had official orders to take command of the Basestation. The Bounty and the Red Pepper were no place to be seen. The 24 Destroyers were sitting upside down on their landing legs on the overhead in a ring a couple thousand feet from the Control room. Their crews walking around the ships as they finished installing the 16 inch guns and their power pods and making minor repairs associated with faults in all the new equipment that had been installed over the last month. Gravity coils had turned the overhead into an upside down deck in relation to the main cargo deck 200 feet below. A trick the exslaves had been using for thousands of years on the ag-decks to increase production space.
Jack watched the marines from the Assault Transports and Battleship crews of the newly arrived ships start to file out of their locks toward their assigned places in front of the stage set up to one side. Knowing it would take time for the thousands to assemble in their assigned places Jack turned to an officer standing with a pair of binoculars studying the ships and the troops coming out of them. “Is everything set up and ready Sam?”
“Yes Admiral. As ready as we can make it in the short time we had. Do you really think he actually has orders to take over this station?”
“I am sure he will present orders that look very official and real Sam.”
“Look Admiral?”
“Yes. Look. I am going for a walk. I want to inspect those new 16 inch gun mounts for the Destroyers.”
Sam smiled. “They shrunk Admiral. They are only 12 inches now sir.” I just hope that they don’t tear up the Destroyers when they fire them.”
“They should be fine. They were designed with 8, 8inch guns so one 16/12 should not be a problem if we didn’t fuck up our calculations about the size of the bracing needed. Just make sure the transports get away on schedule.” Jack walked out of the open hatch onto a ramp that had him looking up at the overhead and the Destroyers but as he walked along the twisted ramp he quickly turned 180 degrees and walked out onto the overhead deck looking up at the cargo deck 200 feet above and the marines and crews marching out of their ships now upside-down to hi
m. The destroyers suddenly looking as they should on their landing gear.
Jack walked under the closest Destroyer and up a short ladder into the gun pod tank housing the 16/12 gun. This was the first chance he had to actually see what the engineers and he had designed in a rush only to miss the deadline to use them during the battle the day before because of one stupid oversight. No power cables. Well, they had plenty now and depending on what happened in the next few hours they just might have to use them to escape Vice Admiral Ditzen. Jack spent a few minutes climbing around the small space between the gun and the reinforced hull of the mass tank that made up the pod and then climbed out and examined the braces and attachment points for the gun pod. Not the most aesthetic mount with the external braces distributing the load and recoil forces across several hard points on the Destroyers hull but it had gotten it mounted without a major hull refit they had no time for. After checking the Generator pods straddling the gun, Jack continued out along the deck. The crews and marines above still streaming out of their ships.
A thousand fighters and torpedo bombers were parked in nice rows in another ring around the control room a thousand feet farther out beyond the Destroyers. Mixed human and Ape pilots and ground crews worked on the fighters repairing the damage from the day before. Not that they actually had pilots for all the spacecraft but he was not about to leave good fighters for the ass hole and with a fighter slaved into formation with a piloted fighter or bomber, they could be greedy. Each Bomber was packed out with torpedoes and missiles. He was surprised that they were able to get so many mounted. It almost looked like they had simple welded some of the mounts onto the hull and then slapped racks of missiles on them. Rows, of the newly built transport bombers were mixed in with the bombers. Packed with maintenance supplies inside as well as weapons outside. The weapons officers now full fledge pilots, as well as hundreds of human crewmen with a lot of game Simm time and some gifted maintenance crewmen with a few hours of simulator time were piloting them. He watched one taking off after the ground crew had finished prepping their two fighters and head out toward the new mining base that was being called New Home. Though he could not blame the Ex-slaves. New Home was a major miracle all by itself. Jack had to chuckle. A major miracle sitting on a miracle wonder of the universe.
Battleship Destroyer 2 (Battleship Destoryer) Page 69