by Kris Powers
Elliot motioned to a line of Alliance naval personnel along one side of the crowded courtroom. Four men armed with PBPs detached from their positions along the wall and gathered around the Ferine.
“Get them to Black Hills Island.” The officers nodded and formed a protective formation around the two Ferine.
“You’re not coming?” Lathiel asked with a worried wrinkle of his spotted forehead.
“I have to consult with my superior. I’m sure he’ll want to meet with both of you. This isn’t over yet, Lathiel.”
The four officers saluted the Admiral and marched out of a side door at the left of the courtroom with their charges.
Peter waited until after midnight before he left his bed to sneak through dark corridors. He knew of the minimum patrols conducted at this time and stealthily avoided them. He used a device he had assembled to allow him access to the warhead room and slipped in.
All work on the warhead had been finished and it was coming online tomorrow. He had only this one chance to bring the weapon under his control before the computer was brought online.
Peter went to a large station against one wall of the cavernous room and pushed the short series of activation buttons which powered the computer. He immediately put the computer into a diagnostic mode before it could load any of its software. With a series of brilliant commands he went into one program and manipulated it into allowing him access to the main directory. Once there, he jumped from directory to directory and program to program. Finally, he planted a lock command that would deny everyone access except for him. Peter changed the closed system to allow him access to any of the communications stations throughout the base.
“Sir?”
Peter nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice coming from behind him. He slowly turned towards the intruder. His mind raced for a cover story for a superior officer and a second if the interloper was a subordinate. He was relieved to see a naive young man in front of him. His navy blue tunic had a single silver bar on each side of a high collar.
“Ensign,” Peter said.
“Forgive me Sir, but what are you doing here at this time of night?”
He couldn’t have been a day over twenty—one. The last remainders of baby fat still hung from his cheeks. His weak chin nearly trembled at the suspicion that he may have stumbled onto something he shouldn’t have.
“Just a bit of late night work, Ensign. Exactly what are you doing here?”
“Night shift, Sir. I’m on patrol.”
“I’ve never seen you before Ensign, and patrols usually don’t go through here,” Peter said, managing to sound contemptuous of any non—regulation behavior.
“I’m new Sir, I’m Ensign Murphy. I was a few minutes behind on my rounds and I thought I heard something in here.”
“I see,” Peter said, quietly.
“Sir, it is my duty to ask what you are doing in a restricted area after hours and report you to my superiors.”
“Yes, I know. We’ll both report to the duty officer and clear this up. As per regulations, I will walk in front of you and you will escort me to the duty office,” Peter said to the young man.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Oh,” Peter said, feigning a lapse of memory, “you should take my sidearm.”
“Sir, I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“No, I insist,” Peter said removing the PBP from its holster at his hip.
“Sir, it’s really not—,”
“I didn’t get your first name.”
“It’s Nathaniel,” Murphy got out before he heard a crackle of energy. A shock of pain contorted his face. His consciousness left his body before he could think to look down at the source of the agony. A smoking black spot the size of a baseball marred the front of his tunic. The lifeless Ensign fell to the floor. Peter increased the setting of his pistol to the necessary intensity and fired another shot at the body. The young Nathaniel Murphy was vaporized, leaving no evidence behind as to what had happened to him.
Peter removed the power clip from the PBP. It showed a glowing emerald stripe on one side of it. The line nearly reached the top, indicating it had been fired as some of its charge was gone. Peter would dispose of it in the morning. The American Sea was an unlikely candidate to reveal this particular secret. In the meantime, he slapped a fully charged power clip into the handle of the weapon.
Peter hurried back to his quarters and climbed into his bunk after quickly tearing himself out of his uniform and placing the PBP on his night table.
He knew the officer would be reported missing within minutes. They may even question him, but there would be another thousand officers whose alibi would also be that they were asleep in their beds at the time.
Like them, there was no reason or motive for murder and he had been careful to ensure that he had left no traces of his identity in that room. The case would be another unsolved murder. The naval authorities may even come to believe that he had simply gone AWOL.
Peter closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Maria stepped out of a shuttle at the dry—docks above Mars. She walked along a broad corridor with a wall of grey metal climbing up thirty feet to a curved ceiling that joined the left wall at its apex. The great curved right side of the corridor gave an incredible view of a red planet through tall windows which stretched from the floor to the interior bulkhead. Having arrived early, she took her time to get to Dock Three.
While she strolled down the long corridor, Dock Three began to come into view through the grand windows to her right. The beginning of an enormous skeleton of titanium peaked into view. To her surprise, she didn’t see the grey colored hull of a typical cruiser, but the beginnings of a pearlescent one. Her feet followed the natural inward curve of the station. The windows in the station stopped for several feet, obscuring her view. Maria found her pace increasing in anticipation. Once the next set of windows began, Maria stopped to gather herself.
The cruiser glowed white inside the titanium skeleton of the dry dock. Maria counted twenty—five decks on the wings alone which flowed into a primary body of thirty—seven decks. The wings seemed a natural outgrowth of the elongated, almost cylindrical, body some eight hundred yards long. Three columns, a hundred yards in length and fifty yards high, extended up from the hull to connect to a pill shaped module. Large grey domes dotted the rest of the ship.
The greatest surprise to her was the bow of the new warship. Where a plasma turret should have been there was a peculiar dark green grid nearly two hundred and fifty feet across and hexagonal in shape.
“I thought you’d get here early,” Nelson’s voice said from behind her. “It’s a good thing, too. As it turns out the results of the inquiry were even worse than we thought.”
“What happened?” Maria asked. Nelson began to walk forward at a leisurely pace towards the best vista of the prototype ship. Maria joined him, temporarily forgetting the beautiful sculpture in the distance.
“The Coalition has taken Ferine hostages. They haven’t called them that, but that’s what it amounts to.”
“So what is the Alliance going to do?”
“That’s why I can’t stay long. I’m meeting with Eli and the Ferine representatives at Phoenix in about an hour. After that, I speak with the Prime Ministers.”
“I’m glad I don’t have your job. How is Admiral Fredericks?” Maria asked.
“As well as can be expected. I heard the Admiral was at your bedside when you were injured.”
“Yes, for a while. So what’s your next move?” Maria asked.
“Don’t know yet. That’s why I’m going to see him.”
“How long do you have?”
“Maybe fifteen minutes. Do you want to see your new ship?”
Maria looked to the vessel growing larger through the window. “Definitely.”
“I won’t have time to personally show you through the ship, but I can give you the brochure,” he said while they continued at their slow pace.
“Go ahead.”
“First of all, any questions?”
“It is a cruiser isn’t it?” she asked.
“Actually, no. Our plan was to construct another fleet after we finished the battleships. The second fleet would have had scouts, destroyers, cruisers, even dreadnaughts.”
“So it’s not a cruiser,” Maria said.
“The cruiser of the fleet would have been over twice the length of this ship.”
“So what is it?”
“A corvette,” Nelson replied.
“You’re kidding.”
“No. The cruiser would have been over a mile long.”
“God! How long would a dreadnaught have been?”
“Two and a half miles.”
“I would have liked to have seen that fleet,” Maria said.
“So would I, but this ship is nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Well, tell me about it,” Maria asked with another glance to the elegant vessel.
“She’s got an AI for starters.”
“We never got that right, if I remember correctly. Especially after what happened with the Easter Island Agreement’s Artificial Intelligence,” she said.
“I know, and this one isn’t working yet. She and the ship don’t have a name either.”
“And the ship doesn’t have a crew.”
“I can think of one. Phoenix Base is up and running now. The Excalibur’s former crew is available again. A few had to stay behind but the rest of them are already aboard. That is if you want them back.”
“They stood by me through the court martial even though they hadn’t known me for very long. All of them did. You’re damned right I want them back.”
“Then we’ll keep things the way they are,” Nelson said.
“This ship might take some getting used to,” Maria said as they approached the dry—dock entrance. She stopped, and stood looking out the window to the bright white eagle floating in the dry dock.
“You don’t know the half of it. She has an entirely different weapons system.”
“I noticed those grey domes. They’re everywhere,” Maria said.
“Very observant, Maria. They retract back when the ship goes to battle stations. They’re new batteries that have improved tracking ability. The big news is that you’ll have about a dozen plasma cannons in addition to a dozen PBCs.”
“Twelve?”
“Twelve,” he confirmed. “Some are forward mounted, some aft, some on the dorsal and ventral sides of the hull. You’ll have the same number of torpedo batteries similarly mounted. We wanted to equip you with the new plasma torpedoes, but none are available for this size of ship. You’ll have to make do with C—9 torpedoes.”
“I think I can manage.”
“I’m sure you will. By the way, that big green thing on the front.”
“I noticed that. What is it?”
“It’s called a PBG,” he said. “That stands for Particle Beam Grid. It can fire a single shot that can cut a frigate in two or it can fire multiple beams, pulses, whatever you need. Remember though, that it has a five minute recharge time once it’s depleted of power.”
“Got it.”
“One more thing,” Nelson said while they looked at the metallic bird.
“Yes?”
“As I said, the AI doesn’t have a name yet,” he said.
“I can give her a name.”
“Can I make a suggestion?” Nelson asked with a smile on his face.
“Of course you can.”
“Cali,” he said.
“Why Cali?”
“As in Excalibur,” Nelson replied. “I’m prepared to give you a special dispensation and name the ship the AWS Excalibur.”
“It seems like the right thing to do.”
“Good. Well tour your new flagship, Admiral. I’ve got a few things to take care of.”
“Weight of the world and all that, I understand,” Maria said.
“I’ll see you later.”
Nelson marched back in the direction they had come from but at a faster pace. He was bound for Earth and the Phoenix Base. Maria released a sigh of happiness and moved towards the dry dock entrance.
Nadine rushed to the small waiting room next to the Twelve’s chambers, having taken a shuttle directly from the UN to MERA headquarters on the east side of the Asian continent. She was relieved to find that the acolyte in the waiting room told her the Council was ready to see her.
“Thank—you,” she said and rushed past him to the door. Nadine stopped at the centre of the room and looked up to find only Catherine there. All of the other councilor’s seats were vacant. Catherine impaled her with a cold stare made even harsher by her all white eyes.
“What were you thinking, child?”
“I was following your orders,” Nadine stammered in confusion.
“Orders?” Catherine repeated and leaned forward in her high backed chair on one side of the dodecagon shaped room. “When did I give you orders to disobey us?”
“Disobey you?”
“Peace with the Alliance, we are all brothers,” Catherine quoted.
“To sow trust with Admiral Fredericks.”
“A little far for a simple seduction,” Catherine said.
“He is not a simple man.”
“Maybe not, but you have interfered in larger plans and priorities.”
“If I had been informed of them,” Nadine began.
“We decide how much information is given to you!”
“I am sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused,” Nadine said.
“You are lucky you didn’t completely upset everything. There are larger issues to consider beyond the reach of your own small world.”
“Again, I apologize.”
“We had planned to try both of the Ferine delegates as representatives of their race. That path would have gotten rid of them quickly.”
“You wanted the Ferine gone?”
“Don’t worry. We have found another solution to that problem. This solution is actually better than the previous one, no thanks to your petty interference.”
“Taking the Ferine ships,” Nadine said.
“Yes, fear of the masses,” Catherine said. “You will have a penance to pay: You will help.”
“You do realize that the Alliance will attempt to recover them.”
“We’re counting on it and you will ensure that happens.”
“Yes, Catherine.”
“Good. You are going to go to the dry docks at Waypoint Eleven. Ensure that Elliot Fredericks knows of your orders to begin interviewing the Ferine there.”
“Interviewing?”
“A euphemism, I know, but you understand my meaning.”
“Yes, Catherine.”
“Part of your penance, but this is temporary. It is more important that Admiral Fredericks knows you are bound for the Waypoint Eleven Dry Docks.”
“You want them to know where you’re holding the detainees?”
“It is much more difficult to mount a rescue without knowledge of where a prisoner is located.”
“Yes, Catherine. I will dispatch the message as soon as I can,” Nadine said.
“Once you are finished there, return here to report on your findings and then you may continue to liaison with the Ferine delegates. It is good practice. They trust you, especially after today.”
“Catherine,” Nadine began.
“I am being very lenient with you considering what you have done. Tread carefully.”
“I sense that there is something that you are not telling me.”
“Yes, that’s correct. There is a great deal of things I have not told you. Be glad of that. Now get out.”
Nadine nodded and kept silent. She turned to her right and exited through the door she had come through. Once outside and in the hall, Nadine released a long, slow breath. Some of her anxiety left with the exhalation, but much remained as she knew of the difficult times ahead of her. She had hoped to never be an inte
rrogator again and yet now she was left with the repulsion of conducting nearly eighty in a row.
For the first time she could recall, Nadine wished that Elliot was here to offer a sympathetic ear.
She exited the great building of dark stone and walked across the large courtyard occupied by small groups of uniformed MERA personnel speaking amongst themselves. Nadine boarded a small shuttle supplied to her by the UN and set a course for the waypoint dock.
Many have been in awe of the gargantuan juggernauts of the new Alliance Fleet. They were impressive, measuring nearly two miles in length, as I have mentioned before. Even the arks were appropriately named, with their ability to move nearly a million people across the galaxy in a short period of time.
What I was in awe of was the armada of support ships that they carried in their bellies. Besides the myriad shuttles, each of the warships had sixty squadrons of gunships, for a total of thirty thousand of those maneuverable little vessels, and they could pack quite a punch. With five times that number of fighters it was possible for us to defend the Ferine from the Nevargh. Believe me, I know this from experience.
What I Learned From Cats
by Fleet Admiral Maria Peterson (ret.)
Chapter XIV
Fleet Admiral Nelson walked into the command center of Phoenix Base. He spotted Elliot standing next to the command chair with Lathiel and Ranik. The three were deeply involved in conversation amidst the furious activity of hundreds of officers and enlisted men on all floors of the center. Having found his target, Nelson walked at a brisk pace to the unlikely trio.
Elliot stopped speaking the moment he saw Nelson’s approach.
“I take it this is Lathiel and Ranik,” Nelson said, offering his right hand. Ranik was the first to take it, but was unable to bring a smile to his concerned features.
“I’m Ranik, good to meet you Admiral,” he said and withdrew from the handshake. Lathiel grasped the Fleet Admiral’s hand afterwards with a quick nod.
“I thought it fair to brief all of you on the most recent events. We have demanded that the Ferine ships and their crews be released to the UN.”