"Really? Did you know her?"
"Unfortunately— no. I was two years ahead of her so I didn't associate with anyone in her class year. I heard a lot of mixed things about her though."
"Really? What kind of mixed things. What did you hear?"
"Some cadets were always putting her down, saying that she was a joke and should have been expelled at the end of her first year."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But others had a different take. They claimed she was the most brilliant cadet ever to attend NHSA and that the detractors were just jealous."
"Wow. Why the discrepancy?"
"I'm not sure, but I heard she played some kind of practical joke on old Hubera that made him so angry he flipped out and began screaming at her in class. People say that anyone other than her would have been kicked out the same day but that the officers in charge recognized her brilliance and let the joke slide. And Hubera wasn't very well liked by the academy superintendent or anyone else. They might have even been applauding her action, secretly. Anyway, her supporters must have been right because she graduated from the academy with the highest math and science grades ever earned. She still holds that distinction."
"I've heard she has a genius for tactics."
"That's the story I've heard as well. But the practical joke she played on Hubera did cost her in a major way. Instead of sending her to the Warship Command Institute when she graduated from the Academy, they made her a science officer and immediately shipped her out on a quartermaster's ship. Quartermaster ships need a science officer like I need a heavier beard."
"Yeah, I know the story after that. The ship blew up because of a fault in the antimatter system and Carver was believed lost for more than ten years. And now she's the top officer in all of Space Command and still looks like a recent graduate of the Academy because the Raiders did something to her to enhance her value as a whore in one of their sex colonies before she escaped and blew up their entire hidden base."
"Yeah. Pretty amazing story, eh? Well, the transport is closing its hull so I guess it's empty. Let's get the crews in the yard tractors out there so they can start separating the good from the bad. And remind them to keep a sharp eye out for those chambers Admiral Plimley wants."
"Okay. What are they, by the way?"
"Damned if I know. I saw old black & white pictures once from the mid-twentieth century that showed something they called phone booths back then. Supposedly you stepped into the booth to call someone. I have no idea why anyone would need a tiny booth to make a call instead of just calling from wherever they were sitting, standing, or walking. Anyway, these chambers look sort of like those, except they're about five times larger and don't have a door. I was just ordered to find them if they exist, and we'll do as ordered. They're all supposed to be the same size— two meters square by four meters high— so they'll be difficult to spot in all this mess. But the admiral wants them even if the chamber has been crushed flat or destroyed in the battle. And all cyborg bodies are to be saved in a separate area without being ripped apart."
"The yard guys only started doing that because some of them started to move their arms and legs after the first ship unloaded."
"If any move, have our guys notify security. Some of their people are standing by in donkey tractors in case they're needed."
~ ~ ~
"Welcome back, Christa," Commander Ashraf said when the Koshi rendezvoused with the Seeker, Khatanga, and Ottawa.
"Thanks," Christa said with a smile. "I wish I could say I was happy to be back. I missed the holidays with the family again, just as all of you have missed the holidays with your families."
"It's just part of the job," Commander Kalborne said. "The worst part is that we're unable to contact family members because of the com blackout rules for an engagement area."
"Space Command sent holiday messages for everyone here and informed the families that although you were unable to send personal messages, everyone here is healthy and safe."
"Yeah," Commander Fareman said, "this is the third year in a row that holiday message has been sent to my family. I hope next year I can send my own."
"We're going to ensure that the Denubbewa aren't responsible for ruining our holidays next year," Christa said. "Have we determined where they're hiding?"
"It's kind of funny to suggest they're hiding," Commander Ashraf said. "There are so many ships congregated at one location that it looks like a Denubbewa convention."
"How many occupied RPs are we talking about?"
"One."
"One? Just one? We expected them to be spread out over the eighteen RP locations we learned about from the cyborgs we took back to Quesann."
"I guess they feel safer in numbers," Kalborne said. "It's like the first images we saw when we arrived. The rows of warships just keep going on forever, except there are no motherships."
"So when do we attack, Commander?" Fareman asked.
"The Ares is underway for this location by now. Captain Gavin will take command of the mission."
"Why?" Kalborne said. "Have they lost faith in us because we allowed the warships to get away from us while we were busy destroying the others?"
"Not at all. Admiral Holt is extremely pleased with our performance. Gavin is bringing another three hundred ships to the mission."
"Three hundred?" Commander Ashraf said.
"Yes. Every CPS-14, 15, and 16 that could be spared has been altered to perform as a bomber using the new technique. Every available SD is also coming. Admiral Holt wants to ensure that not a single warship escapes this time. In addition to the ships that attack directly, there will be ships waiting on the periphery to chase any that manage to get away from the RP. The intelligence info they've gotten from the cyborgs aboard that ship we captured indicates that every single Denubbewa vessel in G.A. space was summoned here to have its hull sheathed with Dakinium. If we destroy every ship here, G.A. space should be completely clear of Denubbewa vessels— at least until more arrive."
"So we're going in with enough ships that the ratio is less than seven to one," Fareman said. "I like that, but it's going to be pretty crazy in there for a while."
"Yes," Christa said. "We weren't expecting the Denubbewa to be congregated at just one location."
"Is that going to be a problem?" Commander Ashraf asked.
"It's going to confuse things a little. I have orders to drop off a package inside one of the ships as soon as possible."
"Can we ask what kind of package?" Kalborne asked.
"It's a cyborg."
"Carrying coal to Newcastle?"
"What?"
"Oh, just an old expression from my hometown on Earth. Newcastle was our first coal exporting port in the UK. The expression refers to someone performing an unnecessary task."
"In this case, it's not an unnecessary task. The cyborg we're carrying is an SCI creation. They took one of the spare cyborgs from the ship we found and gave him a new identity and memories. It's sort of like what the Denubbewa did to him originally. He's now an undercover operative for the SCI, with all his loyalty going to the G.A. His job is to infiltrate one of the Denubbewa warships and kidnap the highest-ranking officer he can. The captain will be the main target unless there happens to be a Denubbewa fleet commander aboard. Someone like an admiral would be ideal."
"Does SCI think they can force a Denubbewa admiral to talk?" Commander Fareman asked.
"I don't know. I'm not even sure if the rules of war allow us to do what we're doing. We're treating the cyborgs as machines rather than biological beings."
"How do they expect this cyborg to enter one of the Denubbewa ships?" Kalborne asked. "He can't exactly just drift over and knock on the hatch."
"No, he can't. That's where we come in. The Koshi is going to bomb him in."
"What does that mean?" Commander Ashraf asked.
"SCI and the shipyard people created a casing, like a bomb casing, made from recycled Denubbewa Dakinium. It will protect him as we drop
the bomb casing inside one of the warships. Hopefully, no one will question his presence and he'll be able to select his target and escape in a shuttle or something."
"That's got to be the craziest plan I ever heard," Fareman said.
"Crazy?" Christa said. "Maybe. I think of it as audacious. Who knows? It might work. If it doesn't, we're no worse off than we are now. And if it does, we might have access to information that could help us tremendously in the fight ahead."
"It'll help us with destroying the two thousand, seven hundred warships?" Commander Ashraf said. "How?"
"I don't mean in this battle. I mean the overall fight for the survival of the G.A. This attack by the Denubbewa was only a test of their new wormhole equipment. If it was successful, a massive armada of Denubbewa vessels was assembling to attack. We've interrupted their plans, but they're not going to stop until one of us is out of the game. We're fighting for our very existence as free-thinking biological beings, and we're not going to stop until the Denubbewa are dead, or we are."
"Where did you hear all this?" Kalborne asked.
"From the cyborgs we brought back to Quesann. They unburdened themselves and told us everything. The Denubbewa mean to crush us and turn us into cyborgs. Even if we destroy every Denubbewa warship at the upcoming engagement, the war won't end. This is a fight to the death—their death or ours. And this is privileged information you're not to pass on to anyone. It could create panic if it ever got out."
~ ~ ~
Christa held a conference with the entire first watch bridge crew to ensure that everyone knew was what going to happen when the Koshi entered the area where the thousands of warships were sitting.
"We're going to plant a special bomb inside a Denubbewa warship. It's special because it doesn't contain any explosives. Instead it contains a cyborg prepared for this mission by SCI. We will fly into the Denubbewa area encased in a double envelope and come to a halt inside a warship that is not Dakinium-sheathed. That's critical. I'll make the selection when we enter the RP. Ideally, we'll be able to stop in an area of the ship where no other cyborgs are present and the drop to the deck won't exceed four meters after the special bomb casing passes through the double envelope. If the casing opens properly and the cyborg is okay, he'll send a signal to indicate he's beginning his mission. We can't receive a signal if the Denubbewa ship's hull is Dakinium sheathed. By then we should already be on our way out of the area. Any questions?"
"Just so we're perfectly clear, Captain," the tac officer said, "we will not be dropping any ordnance?"
"Affirmative. No ordnance this trip. This is just to deliver an undercover operative and return."
"And we're going in without cover?" XO Mollago asked.
"Yes. We're in no danger. We'll be protected by the double envelope. This is just a quick in-and-out mission. With luck, no Denubbewa will ever know we were there."
"May we know what the undercover cyborg is going to do?" Mollago asked.
"He's going to attempt to kidnap a senior Denubbewa cyborg. We need the intelligence data it might have stored in its electronic memory component."
"How does our cyborg get back to us with the other cyborg? Do we pick them up?"
"He's on his own. He'll have to find a way back to us, such as with a shuttle. When he's away from the ship, he'll signal us and we'll go pick him up. Hopefully, he'll have a second passenger for us to bring to SCI."
~ ~ ~
As the Koshi entered the area where thousands of warships sat, it was difficult for the bridge crew not to feel a little nervous. But the mission went off without a hitch. The phony bomb casing protected the cyborg and opened as it should. Once the cyborg was out, it picked up the pieces of the casing and dropped them into a waste disposal tube. Then it sent the signal to the Koshi and began its mission.
~
"Okay," Christa said to the bridge crew, "the excitement's over. Helm, take us back to our RP."
As she leaned back into the command chair, she thought about the SCI cyborg. It had no memory of its past life. She knew that when SCI activated it, it had resisted even though it was simply a drone programmed with a specific task it was to perform repetitiously until ordered to stop. It was living, but it had no life. Christa kept reminding herself it was just a drone so she shouldn't be saddened if it was lost. But she just couldn't help herself because it was no longer the enemy. In reprogramming all of its memories and mission parameters, the SCI undercover operative was now, effectively, a comrade in arms.
~ ~ ~
When the Ares arrived a few weeks later, Captain Gavin immediately summoned all squadron commanders to a conference aboard the battleship. The sixteen Scout-Destroyer captains enjoyed the opportunity to renew old friendships and talk about their previous postings until Gavin entered the room with Commander Eliza Carver and an aide. The captains quickly came to attention and remained that way until Gavin told them to find seats. After sitting they gave Captain Gavin their full attention.
"I've seen images of the Denubbewa fleet of warships," Gavin said. "It appears they're simply waiting for orders to begin their attacks in G.A. space. We're not going to let that happen. We're here to destroy every ship at that RP. Some will make a run for it when we arrive and begin our attack, but several squadrons have been tasked with showing those Denubbewa there will be no escape. No matter which way they turn, our ships will be waiting for them and they will meet the same fate as the ones who are destroyed where they're currently sitting."
Gavin nodded to an aide and a prepared drawing of the RP appeared on the large monitor at the front of the room.
"All commanders will receive a copy of this diagram when you return to your Scout-Destroyers, along with specific instructions for your attack. As those in the know can see, we're adopting the attack strategy of Commander Carver and the three squadron commanders who've been out here for some time showing the Denubbewa they've picked the wrong nation to attack."
Gavin paused as a laugh rippled through the assembly.
"All ships will approach the Denubbewa RP on the same heading and remain within their assigned lane. In the past, the bombing was performed by two ships—one targeting and the other dropping the bomb. Single envelope travel for SC vessels is now history, except in special situations. The modifications made by your engineering teams actually locks out single envelope capability and allows us to travel at any speed from a full stop to Marc-One while encased in a double envelope. In the future, ships involved in interdiction efforts can drop their double envelope and an engineer can switch the lockout in seconds so that only single envelope travel is then possible. That's only necessary so the ship being stopped can see our vessel. With the ability to vary our speed in double envelop travel, our new bombing strategy only requires one ship for both targeting and bomb deployment. You've all practiced the procedure until your accuracy reached a level that permitted you to become part of this task force. It's time to put that knowledge to use. The Denubbewa have the advantage in numbers, but we have a distinct advantage in technical superiority. If each ship in your squadrons destroy just seven warships, not a single Denubbewa ship will escape their RP. That's not so many when you consider that the average number of kills for the four squadrons that have been working this area for the past half year is currently thirteen per ship. Now let's go out and finish mopping up this part of G.A. space. Any questions, ladies and gentlemen?"
After a few seconds of silence, Captain Gavin said, "None? Then let's get out there and get this job done. Dismissed."
The ship captains all jumped to their feet as Captain Gavin left the conference room, followed by his aide. Eliza remained behind for a few minutes to talk with friends.
"Eliza," Commander Dillon Wilder of the SD Tigris said, "I bet you wish you were commanding an SD like Christa."
"I'm happy right where I am, Dillon. I'm going to kick back and watch the action from the Auxiliary Command and Control center. Any bets on how many ships you'll destroy?"
"I gue
ss I'll have to do thirteen to keep up with Christa."
"Ambitious. I like that. Don't forget that Christa is also going to be out there working to improve her score."
"That's right. I guess I'll have to do a lot better than thirteen."
"Do I hear my name being slandered?" someone said from behind Eliza. Eliza turned and said, "Hi, sis. Dillon is calculating what he has to do to beat your score."
"Can't happen. Dillon, you might have a great ship and crew, but I'm going to be out there today also."
"I realize that. I just told Eliza I'll have to do better than thirteen."
"A lot better. I estimate my ship took down over a hundred in one attack."
"A hundred? When?"
"During the first engagement, my ship dropped ten WOLaR bombs inside each of two Denubbewa motherships. It was impossible to tell how many warships were inside when the detonation occurred, but there were at least a hundred hulks in there afterward."
"That doesn't count," Dillon said with a grin. "You can't claim collateral damage."
"I must have missed that in the rule book," Christa said, also adding a grin. "Can you tell me what page that's on?"
"I'll have to look it up and get back to you. Right now I have to get back to my ship before my XO leaves without me."
"Okay, Dillon. Good luck."
"You also, Christa. Hey Eliza, enjoy the show," Dillon said as he backed away towards the door.
"Thanks. That reminds me. I have to make some popcorn."
When Dillon left the room, only Christa and Eliza remained.
"Good luck, sis," Eliza said.
"Thanks. Unless something totally unexpected happens, it's a turkey shoot."
"But you never know. Have you been able to recover your SCI undercover cyborg?"
"No. We haven't received his signal. I guess he'll die along with all the other cyborgs today, unless he's already dead."
"It was a long-shot to begin with."
"I know, but I feel sad for him."
"Don't be. He was murdered a long time ago on some forgotten planet when the Denubbewa extracted his brain and tossed the rest of his body away."
Changing of the Guard (A Galaxy Unknown - Book 11) Page 31