Alpha One

by Chris Burton

  “Afternoon everyone.” Green Squadron Commander Harry Wong stood at the front of the meeting room and addressed his audience. “We have been joined today by the final-year trainee jump ship pilots from the South Downs Academy. Welcome to our world, people. You will all be joining us today in an operational sweep of near-Earth Defenses, by near I mean sunny-side Venus and Mercury.”

  Steve was distracted. He was paired today with Lydia Lyons, a particularly fascinating young lady. She was not attractive in the conventional sense, but her pale unblemished completion made her look almost pure. She was bright too. Beauty and brawn, he thought to himself.

  “Three groups of five ships coded Green 1 to 15 will launch today,” Wong continued. ”Squadron Leader Dempsey will command Green 1 to 5 with group leaders Paris and Lambini leading 6 to 10 and 11 to 15 respectively. The five Sabre 2’s will be split between Lieutenant’s Paris and Lambini. I will let you draw lots, gentlemen, as to whether you have two or three trainees in your group,” he continued, smiling at the two group leaders sitting to his left.

  Lydia Lyons was an interesting person. She was eccentric in an unassuming way, so typical of English girls, thought Steve. He found himself suddenly distracted by Lydia. He had known her for nearly four years, but had never partnered with her in a jump ship before. Probably just as well, he thought.

  Steve maneuvered the Sabre into position behind group leader Green 6 and handed the controls over to Lydia.

  “Thanks,” she said. “I was hoping to have a go sometime today.”

  “Sorry if I hogged the controls. You can have the con for the next hour, if that’s okay.”

  “That’s fine, keep your eyes peeled. Soon we will enter the Venusian Void.”

  The Void was an area of space between Venus and Mercury. It had no real significance other than being an area of the space way between the two planets, frequented by ‘Wasps’. The Green group’s main responsibility today was to cover the area and seek out the ‘Wasps’. They were here to support the Alpha Patrol vessels covering the space way 24/7, mostly to prevent the ‘Wasps’ from attacking tourist or cargo vessels.

  The “Wasps” were modern-day space pirates. They were highly-organized and skilled pirates whose treasure was routed out by firing and disabling their prey, then boarding and hoarding their cargo. They were unusually aggressive and persistent and earned their nickname for this reason. The yellow color of their ships stood for peril. They wanted their prey to know they were coming.

  A group of four ‘Wasps’ were detected, one hundred kilometers to port. They attacked a space freighter and were in the process of boarding. Two patrol vessels intercepted and engaged in a dog fight with the ’Wasps’, which was proving futile.

  The five Sabres entered the fray, just as the ‘Wasps’ gained the upper hand. The group leader, Lieutenant Paris, signaled to the group to spread out, attack and take out the ‘Wasps’ thrusters and weapons. Lydia took the Sabre in wide and Steve fired the Plasma cannons as they made their first pass.

  The first ‘Wasp’ continued to attack one of the patrol vessels, which listed, immobile. Lydia’s Sabre, Green 9, aided by Green 7 and 10, worked together to remove the threat. The ‘Wasp’ was powerless to respond and exploded, taking a chunk of the Freight vessel’s outer hull with her.

  The second ‘Wasp’ engaged in a one to one with Green 8, Jake’s ship. Jake had it covered, and the disabled ‘Wasp’ ground to a halt, with smoke billowing from its main drive manifold.

  The skirmish was not all one-sided, and there were plasma burns down one side of the Sabre with the main thrusters and nose cone badly damaged. Jake tried to push on and continue his assault, but the damage was hindering the jump ship’s maneuverability.

  “Green 8, what’s your status?”

  “We have lost our main thrusters on one side. We don’t have full control, Should we continue or return?”

  “Return to base, Green 8. You’ve done your job for now. Get back to Alpha Two and arrange repairs. Should be able to get out again in an hour or so.”

  “Okay, will do.” Green 8, under Jake’s command, banked, returned to main drive thrust and began her return leg back to Alpha Two.

  Siobhan Maguire stared at her visor monitor and enlarged the font just to ensure what she read was correct.

  “Jake, we have another problem.”

  “What kind of problem?” Jake piloted the Sabre 2 back to the Moon base. The plasma burns took out one of his two thrusters, meaning bringing the jump ship in to the hangar would be interesting.

  “The aft thrusters are off-line too. I think we burned out a power unit, by overstretching the drive mechanism.”

  “You think…do you know for sure?”

  “I need to pull off the internal side panels to be sure. We can access both sets of thrusters internally.”

  “Okay, this is your thing, Siobhan. Make sure there is no decompression risk when we hit atmospheric conditions.

  Enson Maguire was an engineering specialist. She was a good jump ship pilot. She was still involved in the Top Gun tournament, albeit as a bit player; she was no match for the best pilots in the tournament. She was graduating as an engineer. Jake was grateful for all of it. She could make their landing at Alpha Two infinitely easier if she could get the aft thrusters on-line again.

  Maguire pulled off the fascia panel and began to disconnect the thruster compartment unit. The unit was accessible both externally and internally, making it complex. She needed to ensure the external pressures were equalized before accessing the unit, in case the external panel’s seal was damaged. Fortunately the seal was still in place and, within five minutes, she successfully accessed the unit. She didn’t need her palm monitor to analyze the problem; the power unit had burned out.

  “Okay, this is not good. The power unit is fried. The coupling welded itself to the free wheel. I don’t know whether the spares inventory has any free wheels. Even if it does, Sabres are not really my forté. I prefer Rapiers from a mechanical perspective.”

  Maguire stood up and accessed the spare parts bin. The thruster came with a backup Power unit, within the thruster compartment. She only needed to find the right power coupling within spares to allow the new power unit to attach correctly to the thrusters. Fortunately, the maintenance division at the Academy was thorough, and a full complement of parts was available.

  “I am going to need to open up the compartment on the other side to see how the coupling connects to the power unit. My palm monitor diagrams are unclear. I may need you to set up a temporary shield around the damaged thruster to ensure we don’t create a vacuum.”

  “Okay, let me know. Is there anything else I can do?”

  “No, get some rest. It’s going to be your piloting expertise that will get us out of this one. Especially if we end up with no thrusters.”

  Jake didn’t reply. The thrusters were critical to a jump ship. They were used to adjust trajectory and maneuver into the correct position. More importantly, they were the means for both take off and landing. The unit had a 90-degree swivel device which pointed the thrusters toward the landing surface when a jump ship took off or came in to land. If the thruster power unit was not working, then landing must be conventional via a landing strip. This was extremely difficult on a surface where gravity was much lower than it was on Earth.

  Ten minutes later, and following Jake’s creation of a shield to prevent a vacuum forming, Maguire accessed the opposite thruster panel and noted the set up of the power coupling. She then looked again at the damaged thruster. She realized there was no prospect of her repairing the thruster power unit and proceeded to prepare to install the new unit.

  Armed with the correct installation method, Maguire set about disconnecting the old power unit and coupling, then connecting the new one. Within forty minutes, the aft thruster was repaired. She also decided there was no possibility of repair to the damaged front thruster. While it was important for maneuverability, it would not prevent them from landing.
She retook her co-pilot seat.

  They both felt relieved. The remainder of the return trip to Alpha Two was uneventful and, within a half hour, the Sabre 2 neared its destination.

  It was Jake’s turn to work his magic. He was given clearance to land by Alpha Two control and he set up the landing parameters on his visor display. He needed to compensate by bringing the aft thrusters on line twenty-three seconds later than if both the main and aft thrusters worked. He took his time and waited for the jump pad’s emergency tractor beam to grab the jump ship before applying pressure on the thrusters’ manual controls. Split-second timing was required to ensure he didn’t overrun the jump pad. He eased off on the thruster controls expertly and the jump ship landed with a thud. Jake allowed the sensor controlled grabbers to lock the ship in place and disconnect the tractor beam. He heaved a huge sigh of relief.

  “Great landing,” said Maguire.

  “Great mechanics,” said Jake.

  They both laughed as they climbed down from the cockpit and watched the CAG team set about securing the ship and commencing repairs to the damaged thruster.

  “No point us sticking around here,” said Jake. “Let’s grab a drink and come back in half an hour or so.”

  “The thrusters and nose cone are going to take about two hours to repair, so there is little point you going up again. The shift will be over before you are able to rejoin your group.” Harry Wong located the two Academy rookies’ in the mess hall.

  “You did well today—both of you. Your group leader reports you took out a ‘Wasp’ single-handed, Enson Carter. You have made your first ‘kill’. You are among a select few to have achieved this before graduation. One thing, though; it might have been better if you had waited for a wing-man. You are much safer in pairs and the format usually allows you to work as part of a team.

  “Enson Maguire. Your repair to the power unit and innovation with the power coupling was fantastic. All in all, you guys proved yourselves well, and I would be more than happy to take you both in here, should we have a vacancy when you graduate.”

  Jake and Siobhan thanked the Commander and watched him as he left the Mess Hall.

  “I guess you could say that was a double hit.”

  “Yes. I think I owe you a drink,” said Jake.

  “Don’t you be coming on to me, Enson Carter. I know your reputation.”

  “Don’t worry. My love life is complicated enough without you adding to it.”

  The two pilots chatted for a while before Jake stood up. “I think I am going to take a stroll, care to join me?”

  The Squadron had a relatively quiet time once the ‘Wasps’ were rounded up. The captives were taken by the Patrol vessels directly to Venus command, where they would be processed and tried. The evidence would be compiled quickly, allowing for a quick trial, conviction and immediate transfer to a penal colony.

  Steve was impressed. The Green Squadron was not made of front-line pilots. They were more than capable and they dealt with the pirate threat consistently without fuss. It was good today and he spent the day with Lydia Lyons. He was tired and ready to return to Alpha Two, debrief and get back to Earth as quickly as possible.

  The debriefing was straightforward enough. The operation was effective and, collectively, eighteen space pirates and their ‘Wasp’ ships were taken into custody. Commander Wong had thanked the Academy trainees for their ‘active’ participation and had praised the group as a whole without singling out any particular jump ship crew. Wong finished by saying he welcomed approaches from new jump ship graduates six months from now. He exploded the myth that the front line was the only place to find notice and move up the ladder.

  The trainee pilots made their way to the mess hall following the debriefing. Steve and Lydia met up with Jake and Siobhan for a drink. Jake’s ship was ready and the four pilots agreed to swap so that Jake and Steve could fly home in the AA5, with the two girls taking the other ship.

  Steve relished the opportunity to take the swing wing variant into orbit and took control as they launched. They sat in silence for the first few minutes, before Steve broke the silence.

  “So, your first kill?”

  “I didn’t kill anyone. I simply took out their weapons and their drive systems.”

  “It’s still a kill and you did it on your own.”

  “I was told off by Wong for not waiting for a wing-man. I am grateful I didn’t kill anyone.”

  “They’re pirates, for God’s sake! Vermin, and they deserve to die for what they inflict on their prey. I felt a sense of satisfaction when our target ‘Wasp’ was destroyed.”

  “They are probably humans, you know that don’t you. Maybe with a family and children?”

  “Jake. This is what I joined up for. No worries. Look, you’re okay because you disabled a ship single-handed and I am okay too. Anyway, I understand Siobhan helped.”

  “Yes, the repair job she did on the thrusters was amazing.”

  “Cute girl. What say we link up with them this weekend? Lydia is a stunner.”

  “Oh come on, Steve. You are with Carla; on a break, yes, but you are still with her and you will work your way through this. Don’t throw it away on a one night stand. I am still with Maria.”

  “Cut the crap, Jake…you and Maria are history. Let’s be honest, you’re bored. As for me, I am a free agent, until Carla sorts herself out. I can do what I want.”

  Jake paused before replying. “I’m going to pass on this one.”

  Steve smiled. “Okay, but if you change your mind, I have arranged to meet up with Lydia tomorrow night.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The Ionian Front

  Admiral Koenig was pleased. In a little over six weeks, Alpha mobilized sixty percent of its capability across light years of space to confront the enemy en masse. This was the first time in Alpha’s history that a large battle force was deployed in deep space. It was an achievement to comprehend.

  The Fleet amassed in open space along the Ionian corridor. The main fleet numbered some five hundred forty ships of the line with over eighteen hundred support craft. The total crew complement, including infantry, troopers, marines, jump ship crew and support was nearly five hundred thousand. This truly was a formidable force. Coupled with the capable support of over the Sabres, Rapiers and Hunters, they were a force to be reckoned with.

  The Sentinel fleet was vast. It consisted of over eight thousand ships, most with fighting capability. There was no question Alpha would be considerably outnumbered. However, like for like, his ships had superior speed, maneuverability and weaponry, coupled with significantly better tactical awareness and support capability.

  Losses, he reasoned, would be considerable. The bottom line was, his ships of the line must destroy, on average, fifteen ships each just to win the battle. Fifty percent losses were the least Alpha could expect.

  This was a political minefield. Opinions on Earth varied as to the necessity of the war. Those against, reasoned the Sentinels simply protected their interests in their own backyard, and there was relatively little confrontation between the two parties in the last few months. Those for, pointed to the deliberate build up of Sentinel forces on the edge of Earth’s territory, which was confrontational and the potential for invasion.

  There was also the issue of the Tri-Star region itself.

  The APF tried to play mediator, as had ECG diplomats. There was some success in terms of diplomatic channels and that the Sentinel power lords held back launching an attack, when intelligence reported them in a state of readiness. There was an inevitability to this. General Yoshi flexed his muscles and, ultimately, he was his own man. Eventually, his patience would wear thin and he would launch his offensive, irrespective of the power lords’ approval.

  This suited Koenig. He wanted the battle to commence for purely personal reasons. He wanted to cement his position as the power horse of Alpha, by presiding over a successful campaign. The defeat of the Sentinels would galvanize his support on the
Admiralty bench and strengthen his position with Earth.

  Ambassador White was Earth’s envoy within Alpha and he had an important role to play. White was an older man, but this was his strength. He had seen this all before, and brokered many a deal between Alpha, Earth and other parties when all else seemed lost. He was a respected man and the obvious one for the job. President Roslyn appointed him to this new post to do just that. He wanted Alpha back within ECG influence, and he felt White would deliver just the right amount of persuasion, tact and diplomacy to achieve this. In essence, White was his secret weapon.

  The scheduled comm link opened and Ambassador White appeared on Koenig’s 3D wide screen.

  “Conal, how are you? Are you well? It’s been a while.”

  “I am well, Admiral. Despite my age, I still have the energy of a teenager. Especially when it comes to my wife and children.”

  They chatted for a few minutes about family and old acquaintances, before White cleverly moved the conversation to Alpha and Earth’s commitment to her.

  “You realize support for your forthcoming campaign is still good on Earth.”

  “Yes, although it is clear there are divisions.”

  “ECG is working to remove them but we must do our part. The problem is that Alpha appears removed from the political aspects of this. I presume you would relish the prospect of enhancing your support on Earth.”

  “Why not cut straight to the chase Ambassador?” Koenig was bored of White’s circling of the issue and wanted to find out what ECG was putting to the table.

  “Well, my friend, ECG asked me to broker a new relationship between Alpha and themselves, one which serves both parties in the current climate. They don’t want a controlling influence again, but to develop relations, perhaps establish a reporting line, without having a direct say. They want to be in a position to influence Alpha’s decision-making process. In return, they will offer a new and considerable funding line. I am sure this would be of extreme benefit to you.”