First Command
Page 16
“It only takes one of us to execute a contract.”
Captain Ben Alden looked more like a prizefighter than a ship’s captain. He had one droopy eye and a cauliflower ear. Anyone examining his knuckles would see evidence he had forced his will on many men in his life.
“Mr. Delphant, I was sorry to hear about your brother. What a tragic loss of life.”
“Thank you, Captain, it was quite tragic. Accidents do happen.”
“Now, what can we do for Debran Industries, Inc.? Are some miners acting up again?”
“No, not this time. Mrs. Debran and her two daughters have come up missing and Mr. Debran wants to keep all his options open. He doesn’t feel that he can rely on the local authorities and Fleet is only sending in one ship. How many ships can you assemble if cost is no object?”
“In that case, I can get you a fleet of twenty ships: one fighter carrier with four fighters, three gun corvettes, ten missile patrol boats, ten armed cargo ships with 100 troops onboard each, and six medium gun boats. They won’t be cheap, but you already covered that. We’ve worked for you before and this is a family matter, so we’ll keep our price reasonable. When do you need us? I assume right now.”
“Ben, we need you within five days. There is a Scout Force ship coming in then. We assume he will patrol into the Pleiades star cluster. Everywhere else has been searched multiple times, so that’s the only real option left. If he goes in, we want you to track his path so that you can navigate to whatever he finds.”
“Mr. Debran suspects his family was taken by the Marauders that have been working the Rigel to Aldebaran trade route, and that they are based somewhere in the star cluster. He wants you to prepare your ships to launch a rescue mission into the star cluster. If any harm comes to his family, he wants you to find the Marauders’ base and destroy it. Kill everyone associated with it. Leave not one brick stacked on another when you are done.”
“If you find the Debran women alive and free them, your fee will be doubled. If they are harmed or dead and you destroy the base, your fee will be doubled also. Do you understand?”
“Sure, dead or alive we get double. You have a deal, Mr. Delphant. I’ll have that drink now.”
* * * * *
Alistair Bennett monitored the Vigilant’s entry into the sector. He watched as they advanced right up to his position, then flashed them the recognition code and was impressed as they smoothly lined up and docked with his airlock. Their helmsman was good.
He walked back to his airlock and cycled it open after checking the positive seal. An armed duo met him at the lock. He verified his identity to them as the Kelly came into view.
“Please excuse the drama, Alistair, but we have to be careful. There appears to be a lot riding on us. Please follow me.”
“Captain, there is something I need to do first. Let me show you what I’ve done to my ship since last you saw it.”
He turned and walked away before Kelly could answer yes or no. Kelly followed, leaving the two sensor crewmen to guard the airlock.
Alistair turned around just before Kelly caught up.
“I have to put my companion to bed. I don’t suppose you have facilities aboard your ship for cats.”
“Cats? No, we don’t. Fleet regs are very strict about pets and mascots on board. Only flag officers can get away with that. The health people would throw a fit if they found a flea in one of my compartments.”
Alistair kept on walking forward in his ship. “I figured as much, not that my cat has fleas. Rojo should be asleep by now. I gave him a mickey as you were approaching.”
“A mickey? What is that and what are you going to do with him?”
“Oh, he’s about to take a very long nap. I’ve done it before. He goes to sleep, I put him into a stasis chamber, and I pull him back out when I get back.”
Kelly had met Rojo before. Rojo was a very large cat, probably 9 kilos in weight. Kelly wondered about his name, because rojo was the old Earth Spanish word for red.
“Doesn’t Rojo mean red?” he asked.
“True, but it does seem to suit him. Besides, it’s the only name he answers to. I tried dozens before settling on that one.”
Alistair picked the cat up, slipped him into a cat carrier, and lowered him into a chest type stasis chamber.
“There. When I get back I’ll pull him out, let him wake up, and he’ll be the most refreshed kitty in this sector.”
Kelly was amazed, “Are you sure it doesn’t hurt him?”
“It hasn’t yet. I’ve kept him in stasis for up to six months and it hasn’t hurt him. Captain, let me show you something.”
Alistair led Kelly to the bridge and punched some buttons on the command terminal. A new holographic display opened up from the floor. In the middle of the display was their current position. Alistair stepped in front of the display and pointed to what was obviously the Pleiades star cluster.
“Here is where I lost the track of the ion trail. If I had continued, the gravity fields would have torn my ship apart, never mind the effect of the X-ray discharges from all these brown dwarves.”
“I couldn’t go in, so I scanned as deep as I could from the peripheries. I detected these energy spikes here near this yellow dwarf star. I suspect that may be where our pirates’ lair might be. Of course, knowing where it is doesn’t mean we can get at it. I’m sure there isn’t a straight line path from here to there.”
Kelly studied the holograph closely.
“No, not a straight path, but I bet my ship can figure it out. It will still be like going through a maze with dead ends and wrong turns. I’m sure they didn’t leave a breadcrumb trail.”
“That’s why I called for you, Kelly. Now, if you will authorize the transfer of this data, I’ll shoot it over to your ships data banks.”
Kelly called over to Chief B to allow a data transfer. In seconds, it was done.
“Alistair, can I help you with any gear you need to move over to my ship?”
“No, thanks, captain, I travel light. Let’s go.” Alistair picked up a medium duffle and allowed Kelly to lead him back to the Vigilant.
* * * * *
Captain Alden entered his missile corvette and immediately handed his comms tech a message to send out offering work to the various ships’ captains that would make up his fleet. He received responses almost immediately from all but a few of them. He sent the rendezvous point to those that responded and waited for the others to respond. He had enough ships from the initial responses to accomplish his mission, but wanted a full consist. He had time. None of them would be more than a few days away.
While he waited, Ben Alden took in some of the sights and entertainments available here on Rigel Station. It had a reputation as a place where a lonely spacer could find a good time. He took in the bars, gambling halls, shows, restaurants, and the less genteel pleasures available. He was looking for more than just a good time. He was looking for information.
In the morning, he made his way back to his ship and checked in on whether more responses had been received. They had and he was missing only one ship of the ones he had called for. He saw Captain McDougall’s response and thought if McDougall was coming, so was Captain Dobbs. The two were practically inseparable, at least as long as Captain Alden had known them.
He reviewed his fleet consist and thought he could face anything the pirates threw at him. He sent messages to all the responding captains to collect anything they could on the pirate base in the star cluster. Surely there were pirates or ex-pirates with loose lips that a few well-placed drinks could loosen further.
Chapter Ten
Admiral Christos Pouledoris, Chief of Fleet Operations, was not in a good mood. A Galactic Senate Defense Committee staffer had threatened him this morning over the Debran situation. Better yet, he had just gotten off the communicator with the Chairman herself. The staffer had mentioned several cuts in key programs that could result from “further inaction.” Senator Santori had threatened him personally with
a downgrade in rank upon retirement. He could care less what happened to his retirement, but he couldn’t allow those programs to be cut or scaled back. They were part of a long-term strategy against the K’Rang. The possibility of peace with the K’Rang on human terms rode on the capabilities those programs would provide. He ordered his staff to provide him with options and the briefer was right outside.
He called in the briefer and his Chief of Operations, Rear Admiral James Trent. Trent opened up the briefing by setting the scene.
“Sir, as you know after the Second Battle of New Alexandria, we disbanded the 1st Combined Fleet, and kept the 19th Battle Fleet in the Scutum sector, to keep the K’Rang thinking about a potential counterattack. The 15th Battle Fleet returned to our yards at Gagarin for a badly needed overhaul. The battle cruiser groups and assault landing groups were dispersed along the frontier, to keep the K’Rang further off balance.”
“The K’Rang reacted by reinforcing their side of the frontier through stripping forces from their main world defenses. We significantly outmatch them in every sector.”
“That’s the background. I’ll let Captain Danae brief you on your specific request for information on the Debran situation.”
Captain Elisabeth Danae wore ribbons showing a great deal of combat experience, and the Space Warfare badge, signifying she had spent her time on the bridge and in the combat information centers of numerous warships.
Captain Danae activated a small holographic projector she had placed on Admiral Pouledoris’s desk. A 3D representation of the Taurus Sector around the Rigel to Aldebaran region opened.
“Sir, to orient you: Here are Rigel, Aldebaran, and the Pleiades star cluster. Fleet intelligence thinks that a marauder base has been set up in the Pleiades star cluster, from which they have been orchestrating very successful attacks against commercial shipping until recently. In fact, if the marauders took Mrs. Debran and her daughters, it would have been only the second attack in the last two weeks.”
“We have two ships in the area, a Fleet Reporting Officer that has been in sector for five weeks and a Scout Force ship, the Vigilant, that arrived today. The Vigilant has been ordered to rendezvous with the Reporting Officer and then personally meet with Mr. Debran to brief him on our response to his wife and family’s disappearance.”
Admiral Pouledoris stopped the briefer, as she was about to continue.
“Let’s cut to the chase Liz, Debran is not going to be satisfied with just one Intel guy and a scout ship. What have we got in sector or nearby that could be brought to bear on this problem?
Captain Danae continued, “Sir, I was just getting to that. The closest force of any size is the 3rd Assault Landing Group on the western boundary of the Gemini Sector. At max speed, they could arrive in the vicinity of Rigel Station in three days.”
“What’s their mission and who’s in command?”
“Rear Admiral Paulo Minacci just took over command of the 3rd ALG from Rear Admiral Mayer, and they are part of our show of force along the K’Rang frontier.”
“Fine, send Admiral Minacci a change of mission order to move his force to the Taurus sector at best possible speed and take charge of the Debran situation. Tell Andrew Craddock to chop his Scout ship to Admiral Minacci’s command as soon as the 3rd ALG arrives in sector. Do the same with the reporting officer. Let’s see if we can get the honorable lady from Grissom off my back.”
* * * * *
Shadow Lead Analyst G’Lon, of the Imperial Analytical Cabal, had just completed his briefing to Master Tactician B’Gotil. He watched the fur on B’Gotil’s neck rise as he showed him the sensor record of the Human ship appearing in K’Rang space.
B’Gotil stood up, walked to the screen and said, “This is really a Human ship and not some mirage, some trick of space?”
G’Lon ran the sensor record back and replaced the visual view with the spectral view.
“The colors you see here in the spectral view denote metallic alloys found mainly in Human ships. We use a slightly different mix of elements in our ships. This is definitely a Human ship. Incidentally, the spectral return confirms it is real and not a mirage.”
B’Gotil turned away from the display and paced a few steps.
“We have our forces stretched along the entire frontier in a show of force. We are weak everywhere and strong nowhere. Our main world defenses have been stripped, and here is what is undoubtedly a Human scout poking its nose into lightly defended space between two of our main worlds.”
“Shadow Lead Analyst G’Lon, you will accompany me to brief my superior. He will probably carry us directly into his superior and I do not doubt we will have a video audience with the Elders before this day is done. Prepare yourself.”
G’Lon froze for a moment as he realized what B’Gotil had just told him. He swallowed, composed himself, and gathered his data for the upcoming briefings.
* * * * *
Kelly spent the better part of two watches picking Alistair Bennett’s brain. He and Alistair constructed an energy map of the star cluster showing two areas of high-energy fields. Kelly picked the one with the highest energy readings for their first investigation. Their path would be controlled by the readings from their gravimetric sensors. Kelly hoped to be able to use his 3-D gravimetric sensors to pick a safe path through the gravity wells and eddies, like running through a maze.
Kelly would have three to four days to conduct his initial reconnaissance into the star cluster, before he came under the command of the 3rd ALG. He had to make the most of that time to find out what was going on in there, while he still had freedom of action.
Once he felt he had gotten all he could from Alistair, he sat down and prepared himself for his briefing to Mr. Debran. He had already contacted Mr. Delphant and arranged a meeting at Mr. Debran’s convenience. An hour later, he notified LTJG Cortez she had the ship until he returned. He gathered up Chief Blankenship and the two of them walked through Rigel Station, until they came to the office space occupied by Friedrich Debran.
They were met by Mr. Delphant and ushered into a side office.
“Captain Blake, so nice to meet you, and who is this with you?”
“Mr. Delphant, this is my Chief of the Ship, Senior Chief Petty Officer Blankenship. She will be assisting me with my briefing to Mr. Debran.”
Mr. Delphant turned away, paced a few paces, turned back, and said, “Mr. Debran abhors formal briefings. He would much prefer a deskside one-on-one conversation.”
Kelly looked at Chief B and shrugged.
“All right, Mr. Delphant, if that’s the way he wants it. So, what are we waiting for?”
Mr. Delphant turned to a tablet on the desk, punched a few buttons, read what came up, and turned to Kelly. “Mr. Debran is in a video conference. He will be ready to see you in ten minutes. Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea?”
“Nothing for me. Would you like something, Chief?”
Chief B shook her head and they waited. Ten minutes later, Mr. Delphant’s tablet buzzed and he led Kelly, without Chief B, in to see Mr. Debran.
Mr. Debran was sitting behind a large desk, but got up as Kelly was led into the room. He was a smallish man about five foot six. He used the trick of many short men of having his chair higher than those in front of his desk.
“Captain Blake is it? So good of you to come see me.”
Kelly shook his hand and felt a firm grip meet his.
“Actually, sir, I’m LCDR Kelly Blake. Captain is my title on board ship.”
“Ah, I see,” Mr. Debran responded. “I’ve actually never really understood military ranks and titles.”
Kelly said, “Mr. Debran, first let me say how sorry I am for the trouble that has befallen your family. My mission is to do the initial reconnaissance into the star cluster. Fleet Intel has done some initial surveys of the area and we will be using that information to focus our reconnaissance. There are two areas of interest and we will be investigating both of them over the next few days.”
Mr. Debran paused in thought, then said, “Thank you, Captain, that is quite concise and to the point. I would like to ask you that if you can’t save my family that you, at least, reduce this pirate stronghold to dust and cinders.”
“Sir, there are limits to what we can do. We will see to it that the pirate base is destroyed and they are eliminated as a threat in this sector.”
Captain, pass this on to your admiral when he arrives that I want that base reduced to rubble and all the occupants eliminated. If that doesn’t happen, I will make it my job to make things miserable for the Fleet. Your own career is on the line. I could make yours the shortest command in history. Senator Coleen Santori is a close family friend and is personally interested in my family’s situation.”
Kelly quietly said, “Mr. Debran, Fleet will do everything possible to return your family to you and remove the pirate threat wherever they hide. Before you threaten someone, however, you should know who they are.”
“My mother’s maiden name is O’Toole. Her younger brother, my uncle, is Brian O’Toole. You may be familiar with that name. If there is nothing more, I’ll be heading back to my ship and my mission.”
Kelly stood up, walked out of the room, and with Chief Blankenship, left Mr. Debran‘s offices for his ship.
Debran spoke to Mr. Delphant after Kelly had departed. Mr. Delphant pushed some buttons on his pocket tablet.
“Yes sir, LCDR Blake’s uncle is the majority leader of the Galactic Senate. I think he’s just seen your senator and raised you.”
Friedrich Debran grimaced at the odds that a mere Fleet officer could have shut him down like that. He told Mr. Delphant to get his hooligans ready to shadow the Vigilant.