RESILIENCE
Book 6 of Warner’s World
DAVE O’CONNOR
Version 1.0
WARP DRIVE PUBLISHING
Cover –Courtesy of NASA - Earth Observation taken by the Expedition Two crew from the International Space Station ISS Alpha. (Slight move tint applied.)
NASA Identifier: iss002e6840
Published by Panther Games Pty Ltd trading as Warp Drive Publishing
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Copyright © Dave O’Connor 2016. All rights reserved.
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.
For Marnie – an amazingly resilient character.
Contents
Part 1 Call to Arms
Chapter 1. Resolute over Q2, 2340, 6 September 2513
Chapter 2. Kiev in warp to Q2 1200, 6 September
Chapter 3. Cornacopia to Polaris 1345, 6 September
Chapter 4. Kiev to Q2 1500, 6 September
Chapter 5. Cornucopia to Polaris 0400, 7 September
Chapter 6. Resolute over Q2 0610, 7 September
Chapter 7. Kiev to Q2 2100, 7 September
Chapter 8. Phantom over Cheklin 0400, 8 September
Chapter 9. LZ Alpha Cheklin 0510, 8 September
Chapter 10. Neeblo 0600, 8 September
Chapter 11. Cornucopia to Polaris 0730, 8 September
Chapter 12. Kiev to Q2 0800, 8 September
Chapter 13. Slidwon, Istridium 0830, 8 September
Chapter 14. Neeblo 0900, 8 September
Chapter 15. Phantom over Cheklin 1600, 8 September
Chapter 16. Neeblo 1615, 8 September
Chapter 17. Cornucopia 0700, 9 September
Chapter 18. Intikrus, Raidom 0900, 10 September
Chapter 19. Resolute over Q2 0930, 10 September
Chapter 20. Cornucopia to Polaris 0945, 10 September
Chapter 21. Washington DC 1000, 10 September
Chapter 22. Intikrus 1500, 10 September
Chapter 23. Resolute over Q2 2100, 10 September
Chapter 24. Cornucopia to Polaris 0815, 11 September
Chapter 25. IRS Batlasan to Qwantum 1100, 11 September
Chapter 26. Resolute over Q2 1600, 11 September
Chapter 27. Resolute over Q2 0630, 12 September
Chapter 28. Aspliar over Nilsun2 0800, 12 September
Chapter 29. Cornucopia to Polaris 0815, 12 September
Chapter 30. Neeblo, Cheklin 0900, 12 September
Chapter 31. Resolute over Q2 0930, 12 September
Chapter 32. Slidwon 1430, 12 September
Chapter 33. Slidwon 1630, 12 September
Chapter 34. Cornucopia 0815, 13 September
Chapter 35. Washington DC 0915, 13 September
Chapter 36. Slidwon 1600, 13 September
Chapter 37. Intikrus 1700, 13 September
Chapter 38. Neeblo 2000, 13 September
Chapter 39. Phantom over Cheklin 0520, 14 September
Chapter 40. Hopper to Neeblo 0530, 14 September
Chapter 41. Neeblo 0600, 14 September
Chapter 42. IRS Venlin over Cheklin 0630, 14 September
Chapter 43. Slidwon 0700, 14 September
Chapter 44. Cornucopia to Polaris 0815, 14 September
Chapter 45. Lewista 0930, 14 September
Chapter 46. Neeblo 1000, 14 September
Chapter 47. Neeblo 1500, 14 September
Chapter 48. Neeblo 0630, 15 September
Chapter 49. Cornucopia to Polaris 0815, 15 September
Chapter 50. Neeblo 1100, 15 September
Chapter 51. Washington DC 1500, 15 September
Chapter 52. Neeblo 1830, 15 September
Chapter 53. Phantom over Cheklin 2000, 15 September
Part 2 Close Encounters
Chapter 1. Batlasan in Sturam 2400, 15 September
Chapter 2. Neeblo 0005, 16 September
Chapter 3. Phantom over Cheklin 0015, 16 September
Chapter 4. Batlasan in Sturum 0105, 16 September
Chapter 5. Neeblo 0106, 16 September
Chapter 6. Batlasan to Cheklin 0115, 16 September
Chapter 7. Neeblo 0120, 16 September
Chapter 8. Batlasan to Cheklin 0145, 16 September
Chapter 9. Dogon over Cheklin 0147, 16 September
Chapter 10. Venlin over Cheklin 0148, 16 September
Chapter 11. Batlasan to Cheklin 0149, 16 September
Chapter 12. Dogon over Cheklin 0151, 16 September
Chapter 13. Batlasan over Checklin 0153, 16 September
Chapter 14. Neeblo 0157, 16 September
Chapter 15. Batlasan over Cheklin 0159, 16 September
Chapter 16. Neeblo 0207, 16 September
Chapter 17. Batlasan over Cheklin 0208, 16 September.
Chapter 18. Neeblo 0209, 16 September
Chapter 19. Neeblo 0410, 16 September
Chapter 20. Batlasan 0630, 16 September
Chapter 21. Neeblo 0730, 16 September
Chapter 22. Neeblo 0925, 16 September
Chapter 23. Batlasan over Cheklin 0930
Chapter 24. Neeblo 0932, 16 September
Chapter 25. Batlasan over Cheklin 0954, 16 September
Chapter 26. Neeblo 1000, 16 September
Chapter 27. Batlasan over Cheklin, 1000, 16 September
Chapter 28. IRS Eltekin to Cheklin 1005, 16 September
Chapter 29. Neeblo 1010, 16 September
Chapter 30. Batlasan 1205, 16 September
Chapter 31. Neeblo 1300, 16 September
Chapter 32. Neeblo 1400, 16 September
Part 3 Resurgence
Chapter 1. Cornucopia to Polaris 1500, 16 September
Chapter 2. Resolute over Q2, 1900, 16 September
Chapter 3. Cornucopia to Polaris 0300, 17 September
Chapter 4. Lewista 1100, 17 September
Chapter 5. Slidwon 1200, 17 September
Chapter 6. Neeblo 1630, 17 September
Chapter 7. Orina, Istridium 0300, 18 September
Chapter 8. Eltekin to Istridium 1030, 19 September
Chapter 9. Resolute over Cheklin 0900, 21 September
Chapter 10. Resolute over Cheklin 1335, 21 September
Chapter 11. Neeblo 1336, 21 September
Chapter 12. Resolute over Cheklin 1338, 21 September
Chapter 13. RCS Rogintinam over Cheklin 1340, 21 September
Chapter 14. Phantom over Cheklin 1341, 21 September
Chapter 15. Raptor over Cheklin 1343, 21 September
Chapter 16. Neeblo 1346, 21 September
Chapter 17. Mintoslum Facility 1415, 21 September
Chapter 18. Resolute 1430, 21 September
Chapter 19. Neeblo 1440, 21 September
Chapter 20. Mintoslum Facility 1445, 21 September
Chapter 21. Rogintinam over Cheklin 1500, 21 September
Chapter 22. Resolute over Cheklin 1510, 21 S
eptember
Chapter 23. Neeblo 1530, 21 September
Chapter 24. Rogintinam over Cheklin 1535, 21 September
Chapter 25. West of Mintoslum Facility 1558, 21 September
Chapter 26. Rowisus 1600, 21 September
Chapter 27. Neeblo 1605, 21 September
Chapter 28. Resolute 1610, 21 September
Chapter 29. Rogintinam 1620, 21 September
Chapter 30. Lewista 1630, 21 September
Chapter 31. Resolute over Checklin 1640, 21 September
Chapter 32. Lima Bravo 1 over Cheklin 1645, 21 September
Chapter 33. Lewista 1650, 21 September
Part 4 The Cauldron
Chapter 1. Lewista 1700, 21 September
Chapter 2. Lewista 1830, 21 September
Chapter 3. Lewista 1840, 21 September
Chapter 4. Resolute over Checklin 1850, 21 September
Chapter 5. Lewista 1900, 21 September
Chapter 6. Neeblo 1910, 21 September
Chapter 7. Lewista 1915, 21 September
Chapter 8. Lewista 1920, 21 September
Chapter 9. Lewista 1940, 21 September
Chapter 10. Whiskey 7 over Lewista 1950, 21 September
Chapter 11. Lewista 1955, 21 September
Chapter 12. Lewista 2030, 21 September
Chapter 13. Lewista 2130, 21 September
Chapter 14. Resolute over Checklin 2300, 21 September
Chapter 15. Eltikin to Raidom 2345, 21 September
Chapter 16. Slidwon 0200, 22 September
Chapter 17. Resolute over Checklin 0800, 22 September
Chapter 18. Neeblo 1000, 22 September
Chapter 19. Mintoslum Facility 1600, 22 September
Chapter 20. Resolute over Checklin 2300, 22 September
Part 5 Replenishment
Chapter 1. Resolute over Cheklin 0700, 23 September
Chapter 2. Slidwon 0800, 23 September
Chapter 3. Cornucopia 0815, 23 September
Chapter 4. Resolute over Cheklin 0830, 23 September
Chapter 5. Eltikin to Cheklin 0900, 23 September
Chapter 6. Washington DC 1000, 23 September
Chapter 7. Resolute over Cheklin 1400, 23 September
Chapter 8. Eltikin over Cheklin 1545, 23 September
Chapter 9. Slidwon 1600, 23 September
Chapter 10. Neeblo 1700, 23 September
Chapter 11. Whiskey 1 over Cheklin 2110, 23 September
Chapter 12. Resolute to Q2 2300, 23 September
Chapter 13. Slidwon 2200, 25 September
Chapter 14. Slidwon 1400, 27 September
Chapter 15. Resolute over Q2 0930, 29 September
Chapter 16. Kiev over Q2 0950, 29 September
Chapter 17. Washington DC 1050, 29 September
Chapter 18. Resolute over Q2 1500, 29 September
Chapter 19. Kiev over Q2, 1730, 29 September
Chapter 20. Resolute over Q2 2100, 29 September
Chapter 21. Spectre over Istridium 2205, 29 September
Chapter 22. Orina 0110, 30 September
Chapter 23. Whiskey 1 to Pesminitar 1130, 30 September
Chapter 24. Karabaltus, Istridium 1940, 30 September
Chapter 25. Pesminitar (Q2) 0710, 1 October
Chapter 26. Orina 1000, 1 October
Chapter 27. Mt Pesminitar 1600, 1 October
Chapter 28. Neeblo 0900, 2 October
Chapter 29. Festina (Q2) 1720, 2 October
Chapter 30. Slidwon 1950, 2 October
Chapter 31. Orina 2230, 2 October
Chapter 32. Pesminitar 0645, 2 October
Chapter 33. Orina 1000, 3 October
Chapter 34. Slidwon 1100, 3 October
Chapter 35. Orina 1200, 3 October
Chapter 36. Slidwon 1210, 3 October
Chapter 37. Mt Pesminitar 1900, 3 October
Chapter 38. Neeblo 1200, 4 October
Chapter 39. Resolute over Q2 2100, 4 October
Chapter 40. Kiev over Q2 0720, 5 October
Chapter 41. Whiskey 1 over Q2 0830, 5 October
Chapter 42. Audacity over Q2 1400, 5 October
Chapter 43. Kiev over Q2, 1830, 5 October
Chapter 44. Audacity over Q2 0630, 6 October
Chapter 45. Audacity over Q2 0740, 6 October
Chapter 46. Audacity over Q2 1100, 6 October
Chapter 47. Slidwon 1400, 6 October
Chapter 48. Neeblo 1710, 6 October
Chapter 49. Audacity over Q2 1800, 6 October
Chapter 50. Audacity over Q2 2130, 6 October
Chapter 51. Audacity over Q2 1000, 7 October
Chapter 52. Kiev over Q2 1630, 8 October
Chapter 53. Audacity over Q2 0815, 9 October
Part 6 Back into the Fray
Chapter 1. Slidwon 1530, 9 October
Chapter 2. Kiev over Q2 1000, 10 October
Chapter 3. Neeblo 0620, 12 October
Chapter 4. Audacity over Q2 0530, 17 October
Chapter 5. Audacity to Cheylista 0645, 19 October
Chapter 6. Audacity to Cheylista 1515, 21 October
Chapter 7. Kiev over Q2 1100, 22 October
Chapter 8. Audacity over Cheylista 1500, 27 October
Chapter 9. Audacity over Slenthsl 2150, 28 October
Chapter 10. Audacity over Slenthsl 0000, 29 October
Chapter 11. Whiskey 3 to Slenthsl 0030, 29 October
Chapter 12. Audacity over Slenthsl 0228, 29 October
Chapter 13. Whiskey 7 over Slenthsl 1640, 1 November
Chapter 14. Slidwon 0850, 3 November
Chapter 15. Audacity to Slenthsl 1030, 7 November
Chapter 16. Audacity over Slenthsl 1440, 8 November
Chapter 17. Audacity over Slenthsl 0940, 10 November
Chapter 18. Audacity over Slenthsl 1000, 10 November
Before You Go
Acknowledgements
Book 7 of Warner’s World
Warnerpedia
Part 1 Trust
Chapter 1. Nova Vista 0830, 14 November 2513
Chapter 2. Slidwon 1330, 14 November
Chapter 3. Audacity over Slenthsl 1400, 14 November
Chapter 4. Ark Royal over Cheklin 1200, 14 November
Chapter 5. Neeblo 1430, 14 November
Chapter 6. Whiskey 11 to Mexl 1545, 14 November
Chapter 7. Mexl 1615, 14 November
Chapter 8. Audacity over Slenthsl 1745, 14 November
Chapter 9. Mexl 1830, 14 November
Chapter 10. Audacity 2000, 14 November
Part 1
Call to Arms
When the firing stops and the screams subside
Fear once more retreats inside
Frazzled nerves recover and tired minds assess
The outcome of the battle and whether it was success
But either way comrades have died or suffered
Lives lost and aspirations smothered
Where to from here
Do you retreat from fear?
Or regird your loins and sally forth
Striving to the next objective with all your worth
Chapter 1. Resolute over Q2, 2340, 6 September 2513
First Lieutenant (1st Lt) Crystal Wong had drunk far too much earlier in the evening at the so called celebrations. But her one-on-one with her boss, Captain (Capt) Dave Warner, and her subsequent bout of introspection and grief had somehow sobered her up.
Yes, the day had ended with victory over the Third Rogan Imperial Fleet (3rd RIF). Yes, they had avenged the destruction of large portions of Rollinium, the principal city of the second planet within the doomed Qwantum system. But it had failed to leave a sweet taste in Crystal’s mouth.
Now as she lay on the bed in her cabin she bit her lower lip. Her long, normally sleek black hair splayed out higgledy piggledy due to her fingers tearing at it. She could not sleep, even though she was dog tired. The last 48 hours had been a rollercoaster ride of emotion and stress. It had begun with anxiety over her l
over’s safety. She could see 2nd Lt John Conrad’s face right now in her mind’s eye. He was grinning at her just as he had done so many times before.
But now each time she saw that grin she felt a huge pang of guilt. He was dead and it was down to her. She had chickened out when Dave had asked her to volunteer to man the battle systems control in Rollinium. John had shamed her when he volunteered instead. Now he was dead and she was alive. She hated herself for this.
“Why!” she called out in anguish. She rolled over onto her stomach and pulled the pillow over her head in an attempt to block out the thoughts and the pain. But they came from within and so there was no relief to be gained from this outward, physical activity. “Why?” she asked again but with less force. No sound escaped from the pillow but still the words penetrated deep inside.
The tears flowed, soaking into the sheets. She sobbed hard but eventually the outpouring petered out. She recalled Dave’s words ‘You are worthy. John knew that, didn’t he?’ And this started her crying again, just as it had earlier.
‘Am I? Why am I worthy?’ she implored silently to herself. She rolled onto her back. ‘What does he see in me that I don’t?’ she asked herself.
Capt Dave Warner, commander of the Federation’s 17th Flotilla and the Federation Fleet Ship (FFS) Resolute, also lay on his cabin bed, a minute’s walk away. He was a little over average height but his feet weren’t even close to the bottom of the huge bed that dominated his spacious cabin. His hair too was ruffled. It needed a cut, especially since the first few grey hairs were now starting to fleck at his temples. He brushed back the hair with his fingers, revealing a furrowed brow.
He too was reflecting on the state of things following the battle. He too was feeling guilty, especially about John’s death. But his guilt was not borne of some perceived personal shortcoming. Rather it was the product of what some may perceive as a personal strength and that was his sense of duty. It was his sense of duty that caused him to order the deployment of the battle systems centre to Rollinium and it was his order that put John in harm’s way and for that he felt guilty. But he knew he had done it for the right reasons. He knew that he may feel guilty but he was not culpable.
‘Why is that argument wearing thin?’ he asked himself. The long procession of deaths, occasioned by his orders, was taking its toll on his psyche and he knew it. For nigh on two years now men and women that he cared for and those he had barely come to know had either died or been maimed implementing his orders.
Resilience (Warner's World Book 6) Page 1