Alpha One

by Chris Burton

  Yoshi sat quietly for a few moments before concluding he would wait for a while longer, but not indefinitely. When the attack commenced, he would destroy the humans.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The Partacian Delta Cloud

  The Alpha mini-fleet was half way across Partacian space. There were no further confrontations with the Partacians but Admiral Shenke and his team were aware of a group of twenty Partacian ships following the mini- fleet for the last few days.

  Partacian space was small in comparison to many of the territorial boundaries in this section of the galaxy. It was dominated by a huge anomaly. the Partacian delta cloud: a massive gas cloud, which, billions of years from now, would form a new star. The cloud was too large to avoid going through it if you wanted to travel from one side of the territory to the other. Nebulae of this intensity and size were not usually particularly problematic. They did mean a significant reduction in velocity for vessels travelling through them. One must be careful to avoid the thicker, more impervious areas of the nebula, for fear of igniting the gas and causing a huge explosion.

  The Partacians charted the nebula and plotted safe routes through the cloud long ago. These were passed on in friendlier times and loaded to the Alpha fleet’s navigation systems to ensure safe passage.

  What concerned Admiral Shenke as they drew nearer the nebula were the Partacians and their intentions once both fleets were inside the cloud. Certainly, Alpha’s defensive capability would be severely restricted. Jump ships could not be used as their close-fire weaponry ran the significant risk of destroying them all should they fire their weapons. The plasma weaponry was far too volatile in a gas cloud, which left Shenke with few options. Most of these were ineffective, again because of the cloud, which left Shenke with the unpalatable decision to use his precious teutonic torpedoes as his main form of defense.

  Over the years, the Partacians developed Plasma weaponry effective within a confined gas cloud. This gave them an advantage. It was possible the Partacians might fire upon them. Despite Alpha’s numerical supremacy, the Partacians could obtain a significant advantage before the two fleets exited the giant gas cloud.

  Shenke pondered his next move. It was again a political decision, resting on his shoulders only. He could not take unilateral action against the Partacian ships, but he would most certainly take action if they fired upon him. This time he would not waste time with warning shots. He decided the best course of action was defensive. He would increase velocity just prior to entering the gas cloud. This could give the mini-fleet vital extra minutes when travelling though the anomaly. He rearranged the fleet so the least vulnerable ships were positioned at the rear of the fleet and all vessels set their shields to maximum. Any fire from the Partacians would have to be delivered head-on. The rear ships would deliver a salvo of teutonic torpedoes consecutively until supplies were exhausted or they left the anomaly, which ever came soonest. His team had calculated that, at 100,000 kilometers per hour, following roughly the established navigational path, it would take up to thirty hours to clear the cloud at its narrowest point. The teutonic torpedoes from the vessels deployed at the back would run out before they cleared the cloud, but they could revert to more specialist forms of weaponry.

  There was never any question of troubles in the Partacian leg of his fleet’s latest voyage. The Partacians proved amicable and helpful to the extreme. Not so, he thought. He had the power to knock out their archaic vessels with ease, but politics was a greater power. He had no choice but to play the waiting game and see what happened.

  Two hours later, the cloud became visible to the rear of the mini-fleet. Jonathan Hoskins briefed his crew, and the Halo 7 took its place alongside seven other Battle Cruisers. He transferred thirty percent reserve power to his rear-most shields and took his ship to Condition Blue. Fleet command issued the order to increase velocity to SD5, and he could already see the Partacians had not responded. They would try to match the speed, but their vessels’ acceleration was limited and they were too slow to increase to sub-stellar speed as they entered the nebula.

  Hoskins was relieved that he didn’t have to call on his jump ships once again. The loss of his pilots affected him badly, probably because losses in this region of space was unexpected. It was not thought a bad thing to be anxious over the loss of his crew. It was best not to be blasé over such issues. You could never get used to the loss of human life.

  The order to slow to sub-stellar speed came and the mini-fleet decelerated swiftly, the fleet shield system compensating for the minor discrepancies in velocity to ensure the fleet cohesion remained intact. Momentarily the fleet entered the nebula.

  Almost immediately, the cloud yielded its deadly influence over the fleet. Gamma radiation levels increased tenfold, and the radiation made communications with Fleet command impossible. Hoskins was on his own, but he was ready for battle.

  Admiral Shenke didn’t understand. He was certain the Partacians would follow his fleet into the gas cloud, but after forty minutes there was no sign of them. Surely the diplomats had not resolved the trespass issues?

  Then reality set in. They entered the cloud, but by a different and faster route known only to themselves. The bastards were sitting on top of them, and they would shortly be in range for an assault on the Alpha fleet below. This made the fleet vulnerable. He must think quickly.

  Their cunning will be their undoing, thought Shenke. The Partacian fleets position on top of the Alpha Fleet meant they were at risk from multiple warhead fire from over forty Alpha vessels. The fleet commanders had the foresight to arm all their torpedo tubes in advance, and instead of facing sixty-odd teutonic torpedoes in one go they faced hundreds.

  Shenke gave the order to fire almost immediately. He no longer cared if his actions prejudiced the political situation. It was survival of the fittest. The missile placement was perfect and the small Partacian fleet was decimated in the first salvo.

  The huge explosions ripped through the gas cloud like a backdraft fire escaping from a burning building. The force of the explosions created a huge fireball which headed directly towards the Alpha Fleet. The impact rocked the fleet, but shields held and, within minutes of starting, the fracas was over and so was the Partacian threat.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Steve’s Test

  Steve Costello woke early, dressed and jogged to the park. He had a lot on his mind this morning and wanted to clear his head before the day’s events unfolded.

  It was the third Tuesday in November. A day unremarkable for most, but for Steve it was important. It was make or break time. Geometric mathematics was compulsory in year four and, at this level, was complex. The simple arithmetic models of differential geometry, curvature and flat space were challenged and disproven in the current millennia, in favor of a series of theorems relating to four dimensional properties. This was the basis on which the universe existed and in which humans’ understanding created the possibility of interstellar travel and the development of the stellar drive.

  Alpha graduates were required to understand the complexities of the various theorems. In today’s world, their practicality was evident everywhere.

  This was unfortunate as, like many complex issues, if you didn’t comprehend the basics then there was little point trying to move on to the advanced theorems. Steve never really comprehended the basics, and that was why he was in trouble. His tutor had made it clear he needed to get his grades up to average quickly. The assessment today was part of an agreement laid down by his tutor to ensure he caught up.

  He took the ‘voluntary’ two week flight grounding following the last Top Gun event and studied hard in this subject, as well as the other four for which his grades was classed as unsatisfactory. He felt ready to take the assessment. He had received a great deal of help and advice to this point, had taken additional math tutorials. He also studied with Jake on two or three occasions, but it was down to Steve. If he failed, he could be in serious trouble.

  By t
he time Steve returned from his run, the weather turned and it was raining heavily. Not just a downpour, but warm and muggy Monsoon-type conditions. This was typical for mid-November with flash floods commonplace and Flood Warning systems at high alert. The Global warming predictions of the early 21st century proved correct and temperatures rose around the globe. In England, the average temperature in November was 15 degrees Celsius, some eight degrees more than one might have expected perhaps 200 years ago when the first projections were made. The Earth shield systems helped suppress the Sun’s powerful rays, but there was no escaping the fact the planet was slowly dying.

  Steve didn’t care too much for climate change. The planet’s stability was just fine right now, and would be for another million years. Not a problem for him and any of his offspring, should he live long enough to have any. In any case, he would probably be resettled on Titan by the time he got into all that stuff. The rain was a nuisance, but when it dried, the humidity would reduce. He could not help thinking the rain today was sent to test him even more.

  No question he had a bad few months. What the hell was Carla up to and why was the Academy picking on him so much? Bastards, he thought. All I have to do is graduate and then I’ll be flying jump ships full time. He needed to get this assessment right.

  Jake joined him at the front of Steve’s apartment block at 8.30 a.m. and they walked towards the Academy main entrance. The downpour finally stopped.

  “So, are you ready?” Jake asked.

  “I guess so. Not much choice, have I?”

  “Just stick to what you know. The Hargreaves theory, stellar mechanics and folding space theory. You’ll be fine. How long does it go on for?”

  “About three hours. Less if I can’t answer the questions.”

  Jake ignored Steve’s negativity, putting it down to last-minute nerves. His friend had run out of chances; today was critical. “We’ve got Sabres to take out today, so make sure you don’t get yourself grounded between and this afternoon.”

  “Yeah, no worries. I am not missing any more flying…see you at the Refectory at mid-day”

  Jake wished Steve good luck, and Steve strolled purposefully towards the tutorial block while Jake headed for the Resources block. He had a double free period and he wanted to continue his work on Quadroponics.

  He felt sad for his friend. Carla dumped him, his grades were appalling and even his flight training was behind schedule. To make matters worse, Carla had planned to tell Steve she was going back to Titan and that she took him and not Steve.

  Steve exited the tutorial block at 11.55 and headed for the Refectory. He passed the assessment, just barely. A pass was a pass, and this would get them off his back. He could concentrate on getting Carla back. Until then—on the Sabres this afternoon.

  He joined Carla, Jake and Maria, who sat outside enjoying the hazy sunshine and the clearer air that had arisen following the rain storm. The humidity was returning though. There will be another storm tonight, thought Steve.

  The four friends conversed and enjoyed a pasta-and-fish lunch. Carla was much chattier today than she had been of late. Steve hoped this was the start of reconciliation. They took coffee after lunch, and it was then Carla announced she was returning to Titan in a couple of weeks to see her sister again.

  Steve was just about to offer to go with her, when Carla spoke again.

  “I asked Jake to come with me. I hope you guys don’t mind if I borrow him for a few days.”

  Both Steve and Maria looked shocked.

  “Did you know about this already Jake? Why didn’t you tell me?” said Maria.

  “That’s because they didn’t want us to know about their affair,” shouted Steve. He slammed his glass down on the table, knocking plates and cutlery towards the floor and then stormed off.

  Maria made her excuses. Jake shrugged and said he would talk to her about it properly later. She departed, embarrassed, but also annoyed.

  “That went well,” said Carla.

  “Yeah, perhaps on reflection we should have spoken to them separately.”

  “Don’t you think you should go after Maria?”

  Jake sighed and stood up. “Yes that sounds like a good idea.”

  He eventually caught up with Maria as she headed into the Resources block.

  “That was not what you think,” he said.

  “So why did you not just tell me? You must have known for a while.”

  “Carla mentioned it a few weeks ago. To be honest, I forgot until yesterday. There is nothing in it. She said she would feel more comfortable if I went with her.”

  “So there’s no reason why I can’t come?”

  Jake put his face in his hands and sighed. “Sweetheart, this is something Carla needs to do on her own or with just me. She is not going to want anyone extra towing along.”

  “Because she has ‘special’ plans for you.”

  “No. Look Maria, I am going and it is best if you don’t come. Can’t we just leave it at that?”

  Maria sighed and turned to enter the building. “Jake, I think you and I need to have a chat about how we feel about each other.”

  Jake frowned. He knew this was coming. “Fine, but not now. I am on a Sabre mission until tomorrow midday. We can talk tomorrow night.”

  Maria blew Jake a kiss as she walked up the steps and Jake responded in kind, before turning and heading towards the sub rail station. She was really beginning to bug him.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The Venusian Void

  Jake arrived at the Space Port Training building, just as the doors were opening. Steve was already here and took a seat at the back of the lecture theatre. Jake climbed the steps to the back row and asked Steve if he could sit with him.

  Steve nodded, Jake sat down, and they waited for the tutors to arrive. Jake set about trying to assure Steve that his relationship with Carla was purely platonic and always would be. Satisfied, Steve said he was not upset with Jake, but he could not understand what came over Carla. Jake agreed and they proceeded to discuss the matter further.

  They were interrupted by the bellowing voice of Lieutenant Commander Teddy ‘Night Hawk’ Taylor, who had entered the theatre from the back together with his two instructors. He addressed his students from the front of the room.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, today you will be flying a twelve-hour training endurance mission in Sabre 2’s. Please group up, sit in twos and await your jump ship allocation and pre-flight. Those on your left will be the pilots for this mission, those on the right will be co-pilots, just as we did last time with the Rapier endurance mission., I am going to mix it up a bit. I don’t want my best pilots grouping together. Enson Costello, please come down and replace Enson Maguire on the left. Maguire please go and join Enson Carter on the right.”

  Taylor made a few additional crew changes. Once satisfied, he began the pre-flight.

  “Today’s mission will center on Alpha Two. You will be clear to launch under your own timing, but I do not expect anyone to still be on the ground fifteen minutes from now. You will control your own flight clearance and make your way to Alpha Two A.S.A.P.”

  Teddy Taylor was in a confident mood today. Clearly it pleased him that someone else would have the responsibility to guide his students to safety today and he could relax.

  “You will be guided by the A2 CAG to their Earth Defense Unit, and will be asked to put down and attend today’s live mission pre-flight. Please remember the basics, students. If you land on the Moon’s surface, you need to be aware of atmospherics and reduced gravity. Basic stuff, I know, but you’d be surprised how often people get this wrong. You will be joining the qualified Sabre 2 and 3 pilots in their color-coded operational groups. You need to keep up and follow the lead of the group leader. You will be at operational status for eight hours. I expect all Sabres back here by 3 a.m. tomorrow. You can revert to your original crews for your return leg from Alpha Two.”

  “Finally, pilots need to allow co-pilots equal piloting
time. Co-pilots. you will need to take your instructions from your pilot in the first instance. Questions?”

  “What chance of some real action today?” Steve called out.

  “You will be operational and anything can happen. You will be using live rounds, so I urge extreme caution. If there is any doubt, speak first to your pilot and then group leader or CAG.”

  The pre-flight completed, the trainee pilots headed to their allocated jump ship. Jake Carter and Siobhan Maguire were allocated a Sabre 3 (AA5). This was an unusual derivative. It was only about five years old and certainly looked the part. Its streamlined swing wing format made it stand out as a prized possession for the Academy. This was a superior vessel compared to the standard Sabre 2. Jake Carter could not have been more pleased.

  All fifteen Sabres cleared Earth’s defenses and set a course for the Moon within eight minutes of the end of the pre-flight.

  The Alpha Two CAG brought all fifteen ships into the same jump ship bay. The huge pressurized hangar was on the near side of the Moon, allowing a rapid response to any threat to Earth’s defenses. The local Earth Defense Unit CAG assumed control of the jump ships as they entered the hangar, and the vessels were landed in three different sections. Jake’s ship received instructions to put down in section five-green, together with four other Sabres, including Steve’s. The trainees landed their crafts and were promptly directed to their section’s operations center, and from there into the Pre-Flight meeting rooms.

  Alpha Two was a colossal base. At peak, it could hold up to half of Alpha’s Fleet capacity. The main fleet operations center was on the far side of the moon and formed part of the Alpha Two Command and Operational headquarters. Today the base was very busy, with the buildup of reserve and support craft for the main fleet’s offensive on the Sentinels in full swing. The logistical complications of serving and supporting such a large fleet were extensive, and there was continuous movement of Alpha vessels of all shapes and sizes both to and from the base.