by Rodney Smith
“Alistair, will you prepare a briefing paper for me to hand Admiral Minacci and his staff when I attend the commander’s call once the 3rd ALG arrives?”
“Certainly. I’ll include a complete order of battle laydown, too.”
* * * * *
Another rendezvous was taking place in the Rigel-Aldebaran sector. Friedrich Debran’s hired fleet was assembling over Rigel Prime’s pole. Captain Alden counted ships as they pulled up to his ship. He seemed to be missing a gun corvette and two missile boats. He called up Captain McDougall, the other corvette captain, and asked where the missing corvette was. Corvettes carried three forward-firing heavy guns and up to 40 medium missiles on internal rotary launchers.
“Ben,” replied Captain Mac, “Captain Dobbs accidently argued with a Fleet frigate and thus won’t be fulfilling any more contracts. Sorry, I couldn’t find a replacement on such short notice.”
Alden called the senior missile boat captain to find out why he was short two missile boats. Missile boats carried thirty heavy missiles in internal and external mounts. They were a heavy punch in a small package. It was one ship that many hostile commanders underestimated.
Captain Argo reminded Captain Alden that missile boats were no longer in production and he had to cannibalize two of them to keep the other eight operational.
Captain Delong came up on the communicator and offered that, as long as Ben was concerned with shortages, he was missing thirty assault troops from one of his armed cargo ships, but he had more ammunition loaded in their place. Ben just shook his head.
The last ship to arrive was Captain Cho in her fighter carrier. Ben breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the sun glint off her hull. Her four fighters were the linchpins to his plan to either rescue the Debran women or decimate the planet. His plan was to infiltrate a few special operatives onto the planet on her fighters and have them sniff out the Debrans’ location. They were specialists in blending into the environment.
When all ships were in laser transmission range, he set up a laser ring and video conferenced with the captains. He laid out his plan and could sense general agreement. He entertained suggestions from the gathered captains, then accepted some and rejected a few. In the end, it made for a stronger plan and ensured the captains bought into the plan because their ideas were incorporated.
Ben closed out the videoconference by telling them all to disperse but to be at the mouth of the star cluster at a given time tomorrow. Ben took his gun corvette, Cecelia, to a geostationary parking position over Rigel Prime and rested his crew in preparation for tomorrow’s events.
Chapter Twelve
Admiral Paolo Minacci sat in the astrographer’s bubble on the top of the Assault Support Carrier, Golden Eagle, as it sped through space at top speed. His command was arrayed all around him. It was a powerful but compact force for enforcing the Galactic Republic’s will throughout space. His flagship carried two fighter squadrons equipped with twelve F-48s each. These were the up-engined models with the extendable atmospheric wings. They could carry nine missiles or bombs in external and internal mounts. They were equally good in the fighter role and ground support role. He also had two attack squadrons equipped with twelve AS-76s each. These ships were his heavy hauler attack ships and each could carry the bomb and missile load of two F-48s. His support squadron had an early warning ship, four search and rescue ships, and two electronic warfare ships.
Arrayed in an arrowhead formation behind him were his three Landing Assault Carriers, each with a dozen AS-500 landing craft capable of carrying 100 marines each with their heavy weapons and providing suppressive fire from six hypervelocity plasma cannons. Each carrier could land a brigade of Marines in one lift.
Off to port and starboard were his two plasma frigates. These were bombardment ships capable of destroying planetary defenses and facilities from the edges of space with pinpoint accuracy. They could take out a single enemy shooting from inside a house without even rattling a teacup in the next-door neighbor’s kitchen. They also carried defensive missile pods to provide anti-fighter and anti-missile defense of the fleet. Following directly astern were his two replenishment ships carrying all weapon reloads, food, repair parts, and assorted supplies for the group.
Admiral Minacci was proud of his command. He was grateful that this combat opportunity came so soon after he assumed command. He had served on the Fleet Staff during the New Alexandria Campaign, and was afraid he may have missed any chance for combat experience. These pirates were going to be his ticket to higher rank and awards.
* * * * *
Thorson thought about Julia during the ride back to his home. Now that he was a captain, he qualified for a large house, almost a villa, on the southern ridgeline. Of course, he would have to pay off the house and his ship with plunder and prize vessels.
He was pretty sure he loved Julia. She was all he thought about lately. He hated the time he spent away from her. If it wasn’t love, it was probably something that would disqualify him as captain.
He arrived at his house and poured himself a stiff drink. He thought how his fortunes had shifted in the last two weeks. He had found a prize target, his share of which was enough to cover advanced weaponry and engines for his new ship. His captaincy came through and it was in the newest Undefeated class cutter coming off the ways.
He remembered how angry Captain Mabry was that she was losing her pilot/navigator. It took a sizable increase in her cut of the Debran shuttle prize before she would stop howling. Oh, but he was thankful he was no longer part of that crew.
Steven Maynard had personally escorted him up to the moon base to tour his new command. Maynard took him onto the bridge of his ship and had him swear the oath of the Brotherhood. The words were old, but still had meaning. He pledged his loyalty to the brotherhood; to come to the aid of any member in distress; to inflict no unnecessary injury on captives or their ships; and to fairly share the proceeds of his captures with the brotherhood.
After the pledge, Steven offered to give him a tour of his new ship that would be ready to launch in a week. The engines and weapons modules had been removed to make room for their advanced replacements. It was missing an engine synchronizer that would be installed starting tomorrow. Steven told him to take two weeks to shake out the bugs and he would be cleared to go hunting.
Even though this ship was almost identical to the Undefeated, he allowed Steven to give him the tour. It was obvious how proud Steven was of his shipyard’s capability, and it would have been unfair and impolite to deny him the pleasure of showing off. He followed Steven through the ship as he pointed out the almost microscopic differences between the Eclipse and the Undefeated.
* * * * *
Alistair Bennett asked for a meeting with the captain in his cabin. Kelly led him into his ready room and the two sat down to talk.
His first question was, “Captain, when do you expect the 3rd ALG to arrive?”
Kelly looked at his chronometer and replied, “The 3rd ALG’s ETA is in six hours.”
“Captain, I would suggest that I can come up with a better use of those six hours than floating free in space here at the rendezvous spot.”
Kelly looked at Alistair with a suspicious look and asked, “What do you have in mind?”
Alistair brought up the holographic display in Kelly’s conference table and focused on the pirate planet. He zoomed the display to the main pirate city and highlighted several locations.
“Captain, I believe these are the most likely locations where the Debran women are being held, or at least where I can gain info on their location. This, I believe, is the main security force HQ for the planet. This is the Defense HQ, and this is what I believe to be the main pirate administrative HQ. If I poke around and ask the right questions in the right way, I believe I can make the rescue easier to effect.”
Kelly could see the sense in what Alistair was proposing, but had misgivings.
“Alistair, you’d be on foot. How do you propose traveling ar
ound onto all these far-flung locations on a hostile planet?”
“Captain, this wouldn’t be my first ground recon on a hostile planet. If I can walk about on a K’Rang world, this will be a piece of cake.”
Kelly was surprised by this revelation, but it gave him the confidence to believe Alistair could do it. He called the bridge and ordered a course change, back into the star cluster. He figured he had a six-hour window to put Alistair on the ground and return here to meet with Admiral Minacci. It was time to put their increased speed to use.
* * * * *
Friedrich Debran was not a patient man. He hadn’t received a report from Captain Alden in over two days and he was starting to smolder. Because he was out of contact with Captain Alden, his chief of staff had become the recipient of his ire.
A very relieved Roger Delphant entered Mr. Debran’s office with a communication from Captain Alden. He keyed it up on the tabletop holographic projector and stood back. Captain Alden’s image appeared on the screen.
“Mr. Debran, I thought you might like a status update. My fleet has rendezvoused here at Rigel prime and all ships are in combat status. I have them dispersed at the moment but we will join up in four hours at the pathway into the star cluster. This is to allow the pirate planet settlement to be on the night side of the planet. We will move into the star cluster in force, move along a path the pirates were so kind as to point out to us yesterday, put our special operatives onto the pirate planet’s surface, and stage a rescue as soon as they locate your family. Once your family is secure, we will remove them from the area and conduct an attack on the pirate base to destroy any combat capability they have. Then we will systematically reduce their facilities to rubble, at which point I believe we will have executed all the requirements of our contract with you. Do you have any questions, sir?”
Friedrich Debran rubbed his hands together, “Captain, that sounds like an excellent plan. I would request one more thing from you. I would like to see copies of your gun camera and sensor files from the attack. They might prove useful at some future data when in negotiations with a tough customer.”
Captain Alden laughed and said, “Yes, I can see how that could be an effective negotiating technique. Sure, Mr. Debran we can do that and at no extra charge.”
* * * * *
Kelly’s high-speed run pushed them through the Rigel-Aldebaran sector and into close proximity to the pirate world in less than two hours. He held the Vigilant at max sensor range from the planet until the sensor section had time to resolve what reactions to their previous visit had occurred.
Sensors picked up a patrolling torpedo ship squadron and new mines emplaced along the original path, but nothing further. The mines were concentrated back toward the Rigel-Aldebaran direction, as were the torpedo ships. Space around the planet was devoid of activity.
Kelly and Alistair chose a location on the southern ridgeline for him to be put down, a large clearing in a forested area, just the right dimensions for the Vigilant to slip into. It was a good distance from the three locations Alistair was to recon, but was the best they could do. It was also in the radar shadow of the planet’s spaceport. Alistair said it would only be a good stretch of his limbs.
Kelly ordered the Vigilant to make standard approach to the planet’s surface 100 kilometers west of the drop-off point. This minimized detection from burn in and sonic booms. Then he ordered a subsonic run to the wooded clearing. The navigator put them right over the clearing and the helmsman put them down softly. Alistair came out of the Exec’s cabin in what had to be typical garb for the planet. He handed Chief Blankenship a note and came over to Kelly.
“I’ll need twelve hours to make my way to all three locations. I gave Chief B my comms channels for you to monitor. I will report every three hours. Wish me luck, Captain.”
Kelly shook his hand and walked him to the gangplank. A blast of warm moist air blew up into the quarterdeck as the gangplank lowered to the ground. He watched as the Fleet Reporting Officer, displaying another unknown skill, blended into the woods and disappeared.
Kelly brought up the gangplank and took the ship up and out to make his rendezvous with Admiral Minacci’s group. He dropped a communications relay halfway to the entrance so Alistair’s signal would carry out of the cluster.
Chapter Thirteen
Kelly rode the Admiral’s gig to the Golden Eagle for Admiral Minacci’s commander’s call. He thought it was a pretty cushy ride. He could have docked the Vigilant to the flagship, but Admiral Minacci insisted that he would send his gig instead. Kelly imagined the Golden Eagle’s captain didn’t trust his helmsman’s capabilities.
Upon reaching the flagship, Kelly was escorted by a young Marine second lieutenant to flag country. The Marine saluted him, opened the door for Kelly, and left once Kelly was inside. Admiral Minacci’s Executive Officer, Commander Oliver Digg, met Kelly just inside the door.
“Lieutenant Commander Blake, come in. The Admiral is held up, so we’re a little behind schedule. I always hate it when we come into a system and are able to receive broadband message traffic. Every bureaucrat in Fleet HQ wanting a piece of his time bombards the admiral with questions. The admiral will join us shortly. He was quite impressed with your report. Did you really land a man on the planet?”
“Yes, sir, I had a Fleet Reporting Officer embarked and he wanted to conduct a personal reconnaissance of the planet, in an attempt to locate the Debran women. He hopes to find them and move them to a place where we can pick them up and get them off planet before things heat up.”
Captain Digg tensed up slightly. “We can pick them up? Who do you mean?”
Kelly realized that Scout Force’s independent operating style sometimes grated on more traditional Fleet officers, so he chose his words carefully.
“Now that I am under the command of the 3rd ALG, ‘we’ means the 3rd ALG.”
Commander Digg relaxed slightly and said, “Good, you guys tend to be a little too independent at times for our way of operating. For instance, Admiral Minacci would have preferred that you cleared landing your agent with him first.”
Kelly looked Commander Digg in the eye and said, “I didn’t come under 3rd ALG command until our rendezvous an hour ago. Up until then I was still operating under Scout Force orders, which were to assist Mr. Bennett with his investigations. That is exactly what I did. Mr. Bennett didn’t work for me. Under the terms of my orders I was actually working for him.”
CDR Digg backed up a half step and said, “Oh, I see. That explains a lot. I would appreciate a copy of your orders and any amendments to them.”
Kelly pulled out his pocket terminal and beamed them to CDR Digg’s terminal.
CDR Digg led him over to the table with the coffee and pastry and left him to go greet another arriving captain. Kelly fixed a cup of coffee and left the pastries alone. Another CDR came over to Kelly and introduced himself as CDR Mike Milton, the captain of the Landing Assault Carrier Yellow Jacket. His carrier had the heavy brigade embarked and the Special Operations Company. He thought Kelly might know the commander of his Spec Ops Company, Captain Mary Chen.
“Why, yes, Commander, I do know Mary Chen. We shared my cabin on one mission.”
CDR Milton laughed at that and said, “You’re a better man than I. Mary has put a plan together. She proposes that if and when your reporting officer finds the Debran women, you would transport one of her platoons down close to the location, they would secure the women and load them on your ship to bring them out of the combat area. The admiral has seen an initial proposal. He sent it back with questions. Her briefing is after this commander’s call. I’m sure the admiral will want you there to offer your expertise.”
Kelly agreed with CDR Milton and looked forward to the briefing. He was about to ask how CPT Chen was working out, when the admiral walked in and the room was called to attention. The admiral looked around and saw Kelly. He made a beeline to Kelly and pulled him away from CDR Milton.
“Have you heard
from your man on the planet?”
“Yes, sir, he reported in just as we arrived here. He’s on his way to his first target. He should be there by now. He was covering ground at a good pace.”
“Good, keep me informed. I see you’ve met CDR Milton. Has he told you of his SOC’s proposal?”
“Yes, sir, he has. If we time it right and there are not too many enemy defenders, we can be in and out before they react. They should dress light. I was just down there and it’s hot and humid.”
Admiral Minacci laughed, which caused every eye not on them already to swivel in their direction.
Admiral Minacci called the room to order and they all moved into his briefing room. Kelly entered, went to take a seat in the back row in accordance with his rank and was pulled up and put in the first row by CDR Digg. He leaned close, whispered, “Admiral’s orders,” and walked away.
The admiral stood at the front of the room and activated the holographic projector. The sector came up in the projection. It was Kelly’s reconnaissance report.
Admiral Minacci started to brief the situation and expanded the projection to highlight the main avenue of approach and the pirate planet. It showed the locations of the early warning sensors, the newly seeded mines, and torpedo ship patrol routes. He zoomed in further to the surface of the sparsely populated planet and centered the projection over the main city.
Kelly thought that someone had done some good work in a short time. All the major roads were highlighted and identified by number for north-south streets and by letters for east-west streets. Security stations and government buildings were highlighted, as were the spaceport, Security HQ, Defense HQ, and the Government administrative HQ. The three Ascetic barracks were also highlighted. The admiral pointed out that the Ascetics appeared to be light forces only. He pointed out that his analysts saw no indication of heavy equipment, not even artillery.