Paravoid (Rust Bucket Universe)

by Atk. Butterfly

  Marcia said, "Interesting. Are these chats responsible for the low failure rate at the Academy?"

  "I doubt it. I'm sure they usually help, but I'm not willing to ascribe super powers to myself just because I chatted with someone. Even I can't keep up with what so many cadets are doing each and every day. You might have noticed how I got her to admit that she spent time practicing?" said Dave.

  "I noticed how proud she was of her results. She's probably on cloud nine right now," said Marcia.

  Dave said, "She earned the right to be on cloud nine. She's in her fourth year and worked very hard. Flying anything has always been her weakness. It isn't her weakness any longer."

  "What is her weakness?" asked Marcia.

  "I won't tell you that," Dave replied.

  "Okay, fair enough," she responded.

  They arrived at another cadet's quarters. Admiral Oden began to knock.

  "Sheila's in the shower, Admiral Oden," a cadet going down the passageway said.

  "Thanks," said Dave.

  Dave went down the passageway toward the showers. Another cadet was coming out of the showers as he entered the locker room.

  "Is Sheila still in the shower?" he asked.

  "Yes, she just got in," the cadet answered.

  "Fine, I'll talk to her in there, then," said Dave. Dave quickly stripped himself naked and then entered through the drying chamber and on into the shower. It was quite an improvement over the showers that the Thurman had years ago and still possessed. Of course, the Dust Bunny was a much bigger and newer ship. It could afford to have better shower facilities on board.

  Marcia also stripped and followed the admiral into the showers. Only John remained behind, sitting next to the admiral's shoulder pack and uniform and staring away from the shower entrance.

  Inside the shower, Dave availed himself of the opportunity to wash himself while he chatted with Sheila. Marcia observed after asking if she could. She, too, went ahead and showered while she had the chance.

  Dave said, "Sheila, you did a remarkable job on that Mark VI gun station. I noticed that you weren't even on the target when you suddenly shifted and knocked out a gun before it could fire on the squadron. That's very remarkable."

  "Thanks, Admiral. I don't know why, but right at that moment, I had some sort of premonition or intuition about that particular gun. I just happened to shift to it as everything started to happen. I just barely realized as I squeezed the trigger that it was really moving," Sheila said.

  "It happens a lot more than you realize, Sheila. A lot of good gunners and pilots develop an intuition or instinct for doing the right thing at the right time. If you've got it, don't worry about it then. It might not even show up all the time. That's nothing to worry about, either. I've noticed that it comes out most often when it's not forced. You're fortunate if you've actually developed this instinct. A lot of times, it even carries over to other abilities," Dave said.

  "Don't force it, huh? All right, I'll remember that. I'm glad you came to talk with me. I really wondered why I did that yesterday," Sheila replied.

  "Well, call it a hunch on my part, but I wanted just as much to find out why your video was so different from many of the others I've seen so far," Dave said.

  "You mean my sudden shift onto the target?" she asked.

  "Precisely that. Everyone else was on a target. You were constantly scanning the entire wreck for danger. That's good procedure on your part. Was that more of your premonition?" Dave asked.

  "I guess so. I felt uneasy from the moment I got behind the gun. Yeah, I guess my premonition was already active right then," Sheila stated.

  Dave finished his shower and left after a few more kind remarks to Sheila. He went through the drying chamber and then into the locker room where John continued to sit and wait. Dave picked up his clothing and dressed. Then he slung his shoulder pack back on.

  "Thanks for not going through my gear," said Dave.

  "How can you tell that I didn't?" asked John.

  "Sorry, but that's something I'm not going to divulge. If I told you how, you'd know how to get around my precautions. Worse yet, you might not care to try, but you might accidentally let the information slip out in a conversation to someone with no scruples who would try," Dave answered.

  "Okay, I'll respect that. Maybe someday you can tell me how when it doesn't matter," said John.

  "I'll give that some thought," said Dave.

  ***

  Admiral Oden spent the next two days on board the Dust Bunny looking at more combat videos and chatting with more cadets on their performance. He didn't get to all of them in that time, but they knew that he would keep his word about chatting with each of them before the training voyage was over.

  ***

  Admiral Oden transferred over to the support salvage ship, Everette Dixon. He specifically requested that particular ship be part of the squadron, if only because he personally knew Everette well before the man died while saving his ship. Everette was the only ensign to captain a dreadnought in full battle against three enemy dreadnoughts. In fact, he was the only ensign to ever captain a dreadnought under any circumstances. It was Everette's first and last command. Dave could still remember their last conversation shortly before Everette died along with the rest of his crew, save for one gunner who then refused to leave the ship. The gunner continued to destroy enemy ships in what was a wild and almost desperate battle to stop the Malakins from taking Beulah.

  His first visit was to the small conference room to view the combat videos for the gunner who took out the engines. Having only one gun station, it only took a short while to view the video showing another perspective of the same battle Dave had already seen close to a hundred times. In viewing the video, Dave realized suddenly that the engines were almost the only thing visible to the gunner. He had the video slowed down just before the one shot that kept the battle one-sided. It was on the second viewing in slow motion that Dave saw what he thought he saw. There was a flicker inside the engines only a fraction of a second before the gunner fired. He wondered if the gunner saw that or not. Dave then went to visit the gunner who was performing maintenance on the gun station.

  "Hi there, care to talk?" Dave asked as he picked up some tools and started to help out on the assembly.

  "Admiral Oden! Sure, but why are you . . ." Cadet Ensign Marvin Heavywolf said.

  "Even an admiral needs to keep his hands in practice. That was a remarkable shot on the engines of that wreck," said Dave.

  "Yeah, I looked at the videos afterwards to make sure I saw what I thought I was seeing when I fired," Marvin said.

  "You saw the engines start to flicker?" asked Dave.

  "Sure did. For a second I thought I was jumping the gun when I fired. I sure thought that I caused everyone else to fire when I did. I know that Garrett fired first on the inside, but from my view I thought that I was jumping in wrong for a moment since no one gave the order to fire. I know now that I was right in firing, but it sure bothered me until I saw the video," Marvin replied.

  "Good enough. Never think that you know everything. You're a credit to yourself, Marvin. I can see that you're going to go as far as you want to. Could you hand me that spanner?" asked Dave.

  "Sure sir," Marvin said as he passed the spanner over.

  "You sure take care of your weapon," Dave remarked.

  "Uh, sir, I'm practicing assembly. I'm not too good on that yet," Marvin admitted.

  "Oh! Then you won't mind if I just watch, though I'd rather spend a little time with assembly myself," said Dave.

  Marvin replied, "Gee, you're welcome to work with me, sir."

  "Thanks, Marvin. I'll work with you until we get this back together. Then I'll visit a few others on board. This is a good ship," said Dave.

  "I think so, too. We don't get too much information about salvage ships at the Academy. This has sure been an eye-opener for me. I wouldn't mind being on one of these when I get into the Navy," Marvin said.

  *
**

  Admiral Oden enjoyed the day and night he spent on the salvage ship, Everette Dixon. It was the first time he was away from all the reporters and it felt good to be apart from them.

  The next four days and nights on board the other ships of the squadron were just as enjoyable. It was with only a little regret that Admiral Oden left the last of the other squadron ships to return to the Dust Bunny.

  Chapter 3

  It was a week to the day when the distress call came in from a commercial ship. Captain Manning couldn't believe her luck in having a second opportunity to handle a real incident as the captain of a cruiser before she stepped down to let another cadet take a turn. Immediately, she issued orders, much better than before, if only because she was spending much of her free time learning more about procedures in things she hadn't paid as much attention to before.

  Mary said, "Gene, inform them that we are responding. Navigation, plot the course and inform Communications on our E.T.A. to pass on to the other ship. Helm, change course as soon as Navigation passes the course correction to you. First Officer, assemble a response team and get further information on their situation. Communications, pass on the course correction to the rest of the squadron. Notify the Navy that we're responding. Also, notify our journalists that we're responding to another ship's distress call. I'm sure that they'll want to be in on this."

  Mary didn't even bother looking behind her to see what the Admiral was doing. With her increased knowledge of what she was to do, she gained considerable confidence in her abilities. She didn't need his approving look now to know that she was doing the right thing.

  ***

  The Academy Squadron approached the stricken freighter cautiously. Its cargo was dangerous and demanded extra care. Only a fighter would approach the freighter and deliver on board some parts and maintenance personnel to help out with the repairs. Even then, only a few personnel would be placed at risk. That was also because there wasn't much space for more than a few personnel to work inside the freighter.

  Angela piloted the fighter, not because of Admiral Oden's suggestion, but because other cadets had also viewed the combat videos and noticed just how good she was now. It made sense to use one of their best pilots to deliver the parts and maintenance personnel. Only the fighter commander and Angela stayed on board their fighter, leaving plenty of room for parts, tools, and maintenance personnel. Skillfully, Angela approached the freighter and brought her fighter to an easy stop, matching speeds before she closed with the hull, almost perfectly in line with a hatch. The maintenance personnel sealed their suits. The inner air seals snapped into place around her and the fighter commander while the air was removed from the rest of the fighter.

  As soon as the air was out of the cabin, one of the maintenance personnel opened the hatch to the fighter and stepped out, attached only by a tether. He kicked off towards the open hatch and caught the opening. Carefully he snapped a tether from the freighter onto himself before he removed the one trailing from the fighter. The tether retracted leaving him free to go on inside the air lock where he waited for the rest of the response team to catch up.

  First Officer Garrett leaped second and was helped into the air lock. Moments later, he was tethered to the freighter while his other line was retracted to the fighter.

  Within two more minutes, the last of the personnel transferred over with a special line. Using that line, the tools and parts were carefully transferred over to the waiting team. As soon as they had everything, the line was retracted to the fighter as the team closed the outer air lock hatch of the freighter.

  Then the fighter moved away from the freighter to stand by for further instructions.

  ***

  Several hours later, the fighter moved back in close as the response team was finished with its task. There was no need to establish a line for the tools since the fighter didn't carry anything at all like the dangerous cargo the freighter carried on board. Each team member leaped away from the freighter while carrying part of their tools. As each caught hold of the fighter, the remaining team member on board the fighter grabbed hold of them and pulled them inside before they released their tethers

  The freighter left to continue its journey as the fighter returned to the salvage ship first to drop off some of the team members back at their assignment. Then the fighter returned to the Dust Bunny and landed where it was taken care of by its own maintenance team.

  First Officer Garrett reported back to the bridge. Garrett passed a note, as he entered, to Admiral Oden. Then Garrett entered his report in detail, though he would leave out a great many details on purpose.

  Admiral Oden left the bridge with the note in his hand. Only when he was in a passageway by himself did he bother to take a glance at it. He saw then that it was confidential and went on to his own quarters.

  Once inside his quarters, he opened the note and read the contents.

  "Admiral Oden, this is the Q-ship. Thanks for being the ones to respond. Aren't maiden voyages a bitch? We had to brief the cadets who came over since there was no way for them to avoid seeing what we are up to. Their reports will omit some details, but we feel that's necessary in light of the reporters you have on board. They did damn good work. I hope we get one or two of them when they graduate. Knowing that you wish us luck, thanks and have a good training tour." It was signed by Admiral Dickson of the Space Marines.

  Dave opened a safe and placed the note inside, carefully locking the safe back before he left his quarters.

  ***

  Though John Christiansen wasn't as provocative as before, he still brought up the elections and pirates. He would soon have another chance to goad the admiral, he thought.

  Back on Glade, a local militia with its own armed space ship was being approached by a representative of the Daily Bread.

  "Colonel Iman, I'm Susan Gudnight. I think we might be able to help each other."

  "How so?" he asked.

  Susan replied, "Well, normally I just report stories for the press, but lately one of my sources told me something that I don't want to publish yet. I know where the pirates are who killed those crew members almost two months ago. What I'd like to do is see them brought to justice. However, by the time our bumbling Navy responds to any information, the pirates are gone. I think the Navy has holes in it that leak information so it's no wonder the pirates are always gone. Also, I don't think the Navy will take me along. They'll insist on a press pool, even though I'm the one furnishing the lead."

  "I think I'm beginning to get the picture. You want my militia to go after the pirates based on your word alone and take you with us. How do I know for one thing that you really know where they are? You could be leading us on a wild chase for nothing. For another, you could be one of the pirates and just getting us out there so they can steal our ship," Colonel Iman replied.

  She responded, "That's so, but you're free to contact the Daily Bread and get confirmation of who I am. Furthermore, just to make sure that you don't feel like you're possibly going out to waste your time, my editor is willing to pay your expenses, including what you might not make while you're out there with me. Furthermore, it won't take more than two days to reach their hideout and two more to get back home. That and a few hours to capture them and it's over. Think of the publicity for your militia when you get back. You'll be recruiting twice as many men into your militia. Also, you can claim salvage rights on the pirate ship. You'll have the beginnings of your own squadron along with the manpower to run them both properly."

  "I'll check out your story, all right. Susan Gudnight, correct?" he asked.

  "Yes, and I'm with the Daily Bread," she replied.

  ***

  The Academy Squadron landed on Melva, somewhat beyond Echo and one of the financial centers of the Union, though Earth still remained dominant in that. Melva was also one of the art centers and a choice vacation location because of its low gravity and wide variety of stable climates.

  The Q-ship, on a similar course and di
rection, continued on. Admiral Dickson was slightly glad to see them part company. If the bait was to work, her ship needed to be alone. Fortunately, her ship wasn't yet at the sector in which the pirates appeared to be operating most often.

  It was time for the cadets to change jobs and give others an opportunity to expand their own abilities in additional areas. Ensign Sheila Herndon walked onto the bridge and signed the log as the new captain of the Dust Bunny for the next two weeks. Admiral Oden was rather glad to see her in the captain's position. Her presence would keep John off the bridge except when he absolutely had to post his transmissions. Dave had already noticed that John tended to stay away from any women who were naked. Sheila was from Edun, one of four planets in the Union where almost everyone went about their lives without wearing clothes. Besides her, two other nude women were in positions on the bridge as part of her support staff.

  Already, as Dave saw in previous training trips, the cadets were beginning to show confidence in everything they did. If they weren't performing their job, they were usually studying what their present job required them to know or for their next position. It was like an avalanche that, once started, couldn't be stopped.

  She had already performed her walk through inspection of the ship with the outgoing captain. Now she began receiving reports on any maintenance going on within the squadron. Within moments of taking over, she finished coordinating with naval headquarters on Melva to advise them that her squadron would be testing their weapons after launching.

  Almost the entire day went by with various tasks being taken care of, even though most didn't require any attention. Those were being performed mostly for the experience so that the cadets would know what those tasks were and how to do them with a regular Navy ship. Additionally, some personnel were switched among the ships so that all might get a chance to serve on different vessels to broaden their experience. For the number of personnel being moved around, it was easier to combine that with the landing on Melva. Even the landing was practice.