The Resolute

by G. Weldon Tucker

  She almost missed the touch. Then, she twitched, startled. She had never a reason to play these games. “Husband? Lover? No, sorry, running single. So, cleverly done, Jack Calmone-Morgan. How about you?”

  He stepped back from her, releasing his grip on her wrist, and said, quietly, “Me too. Single. By the way, I don’t use the hyphen name. Too long in a hurry. Mother was a Morgan. So, funny, huh? Here we are the best looking people in the universe and still single!”

  To cover the enflamed pink of her face clear to her ample chest, she said, crisply, reestablishing her control, “System 640… Commander Willits, copy?”

  Not quite instantly, for Dale had to figure it out, too, the answer came in her head, “Commander Willits here. Everything is in the green, Captain! This thing talks inside my head!”

  “Keep the center of the bridge clear, we will be arriving within the hour!” she said, aloud.

  “Yes, ma’am!”

  Jack looked a bit disappointed. “Hey, honey, you will be in our space for a long time. We have plenty of room, Captain. Seriously, why not stay a few days?”

  Honey. The man has no manners. That was it, too… rustic… forward. Something. But, it is confusing, too. No one called her Honey. “No, we will learn to go back and forth in a short while. I want to arrange a hundred at a time, let them visit, see the sights, decide they like it, and then trade them out. That is going to take a long, long time. But I have to be there to put them at ease.”

  He seemed just a bit disappointed, but then nodded…

  Good, she thought, sensible, then, too.

  “Okay, I see that. We have two hundred fifty communities all over the planet. You can zip from overhead to overhead, and send a Commander level with each group. That would get them cycled through, say, five days per trip, in short order. How about that?”

  “Let’s see, if it goes smoothly, we could have them all cycled through in less than five months… Earth time. Say, did you folks adjust your clocks and calendars to Renewal?”

  “Of course. Otherwise, the clocks would never match the suns. We have no seasons, except a false summer when Renewal is lit on both sides and is heated as it orbits around into the radiation from our second star, Eros. Lasts about two and a half months. We call it Eros because, I guess from skimpy clothing comes more children, and the birthrate accelerates by about two hundred and fifty percent in the end of nine months following that influence.”

  Angela and Commander Rogers both laughed aloud. That made sense. “So, what do you call the closest star?”

  “The Sun. Really creative there, huh?”

  “Do the two moons cause problems? I see they are small, even full!”

  “Actually, the total mass of the two is the same as the Earth’s moon is…or was. And they stay an exact ten thousand miles of one another, on the same plane, the same orbit. And, still about two hundred fifty thousand miles away. So, collectively, they provide the same tides, the same influences as an Earth moon. Even love… but then, they are always full from one sun or the other.

  There are no changes in the light, but with the distance from the stars they run about half of Earth’s full moon, each. Still, the influences are felt in relation to the pull of Renewal or the Sun.”

  More chuckles. The tour concluded with plenty of time to get back to the fighter and be taken into orbit. But Jack had one more surprise. He opened a door into the basement, and led the two downstairs. There, all of their dinner companions were waiting next to a silvery, cylinder kind of elevator.

  Everyone wished everyone well, lots of ‘how good it was to meet you,’ and so on, and finally Angela was ready. She and Rogers were ushered into the cylinder, the door closed quietly, and there came a momentary hum.

  Angela nearly collapsed to the floor as she found herself standing on her bridge, a wide eyed Commander Willits rushing to her aid. She held him back, and quickly gained her wits, but then, pale Commander Rogers had recovered quickly enough to grasp her upper arm, stabilizing her.

  “I think I could… get used to that, but it seems disorienting!” she quipped, seeking her Captain’s chair.

  Everyone else on the bridge was wide eyed, stunned, despite Commander Willits’ warning.

  CHAPTER 7

  The myriad meetings that followed were a mixture of hurt feelings from the Council, confusion from the military arm, and eagerness in the population. But, there were a hell of a lot of meetings. Angela hosted all the important ones, and like the Naval military she represented, they informed the leaders, and their seconds, then sent them on to do more on their own. Any confusion was addressed by Angela or Commander Rogers. After all, they had been lead scouts.

  At first, and far too long, there was concern through the Council of the ‘intentions’ of these aliens, which finally brought an outburst from Angela, who called them idiots. That got their attention.

  “Look, I walked among them. They are human. Hell, many of them are cousins, though several times removed. They came in earlier than us, claimed the planet, settled it, and have a nice home all prepared for us. They are no more aliens than you people. And they are offering us sanctuary, a place to live free, dirt-side, upgrades to equipment and travel, the works. You should all be anxious to go meet everyone you can!”

  “Well,” Councilman Rollander replied, trusting Angela completely, “I would like to go. We take half the council, meet with the governing body of Renewal and hammer out the details.”

  “There are no details, Councilman. They have offered to escalate our walk-through by taking a hundred people at a time, letting them vacation in each of the two hundred fifty cities, and see if they would fit in.”

  Petulantly, as if a child dragging his feet all the way, he asked, “How long would that take?”

  We can do that in five months or less, based on four hundred thousand people. I propose a mix of one in ten is an armed military policeman, which would provide a security force of ten men, if that makes you feel better. They are open to whatever we choose to do!”

  There were, of course, wishy-washy council members. Anything run by a committee can get completely crushed in the useless circular discussions. Those who were comfortable in their leadership roles had some degree of fear that they were about to lose them.

  To those, Angela suggested, “Why not stay aboard? Resolute will be around for a long, long time. She may explore other planets, investigate entirely new systems and so on, and we will always have a strong contingent of those who would rather stay in their routines.”

  That mollified those few with hesitations. No one wanted to be forced into something unknown nor unwanted. That was human in the extreme…

  -----

  On the fifth day, with only a few moments of warning, Captain Jack Calmone and two Commanders showed up on Resolute’s bridge. The only warning had been, “Warning, teleport inbound. Sixty seconds. Clear central bridge,” from Spook.

  Angela, just out of her shower, was summoned in those sixty seconds, but took four minutes to reach the bridge. She paused long enough to be certain her uniform was perfect, her ribbons in place, her trousers creased, and a touch of lipstick. She had never worn lipstick, though it was among her supplies. In fact, lack of experience had her slightly slower in arrival, trying to get it perfect. For him? Yes. For him.

  Because she frowned on surprises, however, she showed her irritation when she arrived.

  “What the hell, Calmone! There are protocols about boarding another’s craft without express invitation!” Her eyes flashed her fury, even as her mind was trying to slow her down. “Why did you board my bridge?”

  He grinned, then apologized, as he had the first time he met her. Boyish, eyes down, but that smile playing around his … fascinating… mouth. Oh, my God, did I just think that? I hope to God, I did not say it out loud!

  “Well, actually, we came to invite you and your senior officers to breakfast!”

  “I can’t just strip the Resolute…”

  “You aren�
�t going far, Captain!” Jack said, soothing her. Check your scanners.”

  “Radar, scanners?”

  “Nothing Captain! X band it?”

  “NO!” called Jack, quickly. “We are too close. Watch your front vid.” He whispered into his communicator, and like a ghost, his own fighter materialized out of… nothing! It was almost nose to nose with Resolute!

  “Oh, my God, such… such stealth! You even defeat visibility?” Willits blurted.

  Angela wanted to stay angry… again, but as before, she could not hold it. He was so damned serious, maybe, and his interest in her was so obvious. And, truth be told, she kind of liked it. Oh, the hell with that! She liked it… a lot.

  “So, breakfast on your vessel?”

  “Yes. I wanted everyone to feel at home with the bulk teleporters, and here was a good way to do that. Tomorrow, we will have Hope back in our space, and we can do some tours over there with the rest of your leaders, as well. They might feel more comfortable, then, you know?”

  “Okay. That is actually a good idea. Commander, see who in Commander level across the ship is available now. Do not wake anyone up. I want one half to travel, one half to run the ship.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He moved back to talk with the system, with a stylus, feeling like he had a need to keep some secrets, at least.

  CHAPTER 8

  Shortly, nineteen Commander level personnel, from services to freight, from waste to war, all stood with Angela and Commander Willits on the Accoster. They had teleported directly to a large board room, nearly fifty feet on a side, just behind the galley. In the next room, they could see through the open doors, lay a breakfast fit for royalty in a similar sized room.

  As soon as the crowd stabilized and sort of got their feet under them, Commander Karenth Syvlov appeared. Introductions around, meeting more of the Accoster’s crew, and they were led to the dining room.

  True, some were drooling… Come on, Angela thought. She’s old enough to be their mother… Most of, them, anyway. But blonde giants have their allure.

  Before Angela could follow, Jack touched her arm, then, looking scared half to death, he asked, “I..uhh… look. I would like … uhhh, gosh, way out of practice here. I would like to have you eat with me in the Commander’s dining room, if you would… I mean…you don’t…”

  She grinned. He was worse off than a high school boy looking for his first date. It happened on Resolute to this day. “Of course, I would like that, Jack. Show me where. But beware, I am hungry!”

  He smiled, put one large hand nestled at the small of her back, took her other hand and walked her through the main galley, to the catcalls and hand clapping of nearly thirty people. She flamed red, but kept her smile, and they were soon in an adjoining room.

  The setting was perfect. White linen tablecloth, beautiful titanium silverware, delicate plates which might have been china, at one time, perhaps now a knockoff. Navy mugs, so at least she did not have to worry about handling the small cup and saucers she so dreaded.

  Like a gentleman, he pulled back her chair and helped her get seated. She noted that someone had somehow elevated the seat. Very considerate! Then he took his seat across from her. The table was barely three feet across, so it was, indeed, an intimate setting.

  A well-dressed server appeared with a set of napkins over one arm. He placed a napkin in her lap, and then Jack’s. Another followed with coffee, the staple of any Navy. Then some kind of sweet rolls.

  “Rule number one at my table, no talking shop. We can talk about our lives, our hopes, our dreams, but no ship talk!”

  “And how many women have sat across from you at this table?” Angela asked, a smile playing on her lips. Ruby lips, for a change. There was little need for makeup, what with her pale face, long lashes, and bright blue eyes. But every woman knows the value of pretty lips when needing to make an impact… maybe an instinct.

  He seemed fascinated by those lips, but then caught himself, lifting his eyes. “Four, to be exact.”

  “And what became of them?” Her eyes were dancing, somehow sparkling, and now he could not get free.

  But he managed, “One is my mother, two others are my sisters, and of course, now and then, my niece, whom you met, Andora.”

  “You are going to sit there and tell me that a man who commands a beautiful vessel, who looks as g… like you do, has never had a girlfriend up here? Are you a hermit?”

  “See, I told you we could learn more about each other! I had a fiancé, once, it was required of me, but I spent so much time rebuilding and modifying our equipment that I was gone too much. She got tired of waiting for her spacer, and found another man more rock bound. She paired with him and they got a couple of cute kids. No hurt feelings. I just have been too damned busy. How about you?”

  “My reputation fits my nickname. I have heard it breathed enough times, Ice Queen. I let little bother me, but when I do, I am like one of those iceberg calves in the polar regions. I come down hard on somebody. So, I think the pull of command, and the responsibilities keep me from seeking or accepting relationships, you know?”

  “I can believe that. Sort of the way I live, now. To avoid being under the thumb of my mother and sisters, I spend most of my time on patrol. We are self-contained, can live up here for years at a time. But of course, I head down for the monthly family dinner. Which is coming up in another week. Ummm… Uhhh, I would like to invite you to that dinner.”

  Her eyes flew wide and she went pink, sure signs that her mind was going in sixty directions at once, and he took her hand across the table.

  He shook it, gently, grounding her, saying, “Hey, I am not trying to run your life. You intrigue the hell out of me. I have never met a woman so… gorgeous, frankly, with such a mind as yours, with such obvious determination, and of course, at my rank. I mean, a three-way winner! Is it so bad that I want to learn more?”

  “Well, all but the gorgeous part. No one has ever said such a thing to me!”

  “Who would dare? You would eat them for lunch! Maybe in your early years, though, I bet you had suitors.”

  “If you could call those incidents suitors, yeah, maybe. But I had my mind made up. I wanted the top military slot for Resolute when I went into the Academy.”

  “Ah, a woman with long term goals. Bet you didn’t see me coming… but hey, look, I think, despite the separation of Hope and Resolute, we had the same kind of upbringing, the same goals, and here we are. Tradition travel a long way in time and space, don’t they? By the way, I was Captain of this wing long before my mother made Governor. That is an elected post, and she has held it for a term of six years, with the potential for yet another. She does a good job on Renewal for all communities. But I did not get my appointment by her favors. I just wanted to be clear on that!”

  He was so serious, that she did not dare to laugh at this point and break the delicate play. She was way out of practice, but she was willing to learn, at a very rapid pace, if necessary.

  The breakfast had come and gone, eggs, bacon of some kind, French toast, more coffee, and she had hardly noticed. All she could see was him. Am I getting it bad? Will it show?

  Maybe…

  CHAPTER 9

  “ATTENTION!! INTRUDER ALERT! BATTLE STATIONS!” This same call came from both communicators in sync.

  Rather than take command of his own ship, Jack took her hand, helped her stand, quickly, and though she looked confused, he said, merely, “You’ll be on your bridge in a second. Be ready.”

  He whispered something to his communicator, and the last thing he saw was Angela’s beautiful blue eyes, trusting him.

  She, in turn, had no time to think! She was on the bridge of the Resolute, already headed for the Captain’s chairs, surprised that she was getting the hang of this teleporting!

  Now, Commanders were coming in groups of four, five quick intakes, the newest arrivals racing for their stations. Those for deeper ship services were moving fast to clear the bridge and find safety chairs. Prob
ably the observation deck.

  With the last one, Spook intoned, “All personnel aboard, Commander.” Time from warning to readiness was less than forty-five seconds!

  “Radar, status!”

  “We are getting feed from Accoster’s system, Captain. They have far better eyes than we do. There are nineteen bogeys out almost four million miles, headed inbound. Cannot define shapes, yet, but my guess is Zephroan!”

  “Goddamit, they followed us! Captain Calmone, answer!”

  “Yes, Captain, we are ready!”

  “You are not ready for these, if it is the Zephroan. They can fire huge lasers that evaporate whatever they touch from a couple of million miles out. The only chance is to go full stealth and sneak among them. That worked for us twice, and we are a hundred times larger. Your little fighters should be able to do some serious damage!”

  “Gotcha. Maybe we should have talked shop, Captain!”

  “Not at all. I enjoyed myself. Now, go get them. We are too slow. We will stand sentry over Capitol City. Don’t shoot us!” She paused, and confirmed their own weapons were on full standby and ready.

  “Luck!” he called, and the entire nine flight wing disappeared. Resolute was capitalizing on Accoster’s scanners, and that one automatically allowed for friends. Now, with that broken by the sudden surge in speed, Resolute was back to itself, and everyone on the bridge was feeling very much alone.

  -----

  Captain Calmone led his wing in an around and about circle, as the bogeys had slowed considerably as they broke into Renewal’s space. They were millions of miles out, clumped, and Jack was going to trust his new best friend to the max.

  From Renewal, the second wing broke atmosphere in ten minutes, heading immediately to the opposite side of the battle sphere. All space battles occurred in three dimensions, and range decreed the size of the sphere. From Jack’s personal thoughts, this should be a little more than two hundred thousand miles in diameter. From what Angela told him, it was going to be closer to a couple of million or more.