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Resilience (Warner's World Book 6)

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by Dave O'Connor




  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

  ABN66 008 609 541

  3 Valli St Chapman ACT 2611, Australia

  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.

 

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