It had taken us two hours of actually bathing in a special solution to get the molecular grease off. Under normal conditions techs had little contact with the stuff, but during level one maintenance every component was taken apart to its smallest piece and cleaned, measured, scanned and measured and scanned again. When it came to TLCs not the smallest oversight anywhere was accepted. I remembered the demonstration aboard the Shetland and didn't mind the diligence and attention to detail.
While the silicon grease was odorless, the solvent was not and even after a long shower, we both still smelled like a chemistry factory after a major spill.
Bognar, a spotted Attikan of the Blue Team, the Galaxy Masters, stood in their dorm's open door and snorted. "Iktane and sorrows, what a stinky duo!"
Galman, a tall blond guy claiming to be from Terra itself, even though he was born in a place called Luna, appeared behind Bognar and held his nose. "It's two primitive barbarians of backwater planets, they’ve never heard of cologne and thought Detoxo-Scrub is the same."
I wanted to ignore it but Mao turned. "This primitive barbarian might just forget all civilized behavior and perform an old manhunt. I bet you would look good as a shrink head in our display case, but then there is little room in ours." Mao opened ours and put the Advanced Capital Weapon Expert badge we received inside. "Come Eric, let's see what the Galaxy Jokers added this week."
"Maybe an empty bottle of cologne, so it won't look so empty." I could not resist saying it, full well knowing it was childish and could easily escalate and end up at the Environmental tanks, sickbay or the brig. Neither places I wanted to see on a Friday, with a full weekend of nothing much on the schedule.
Of course the other teams weren't bad; they would not have been picked to serve their third year on the Devi if they were, but all humbleness aside, we had a Saturnian, a Dai and Wetmouth in our team, not to mention Krabbel or the others, and compared to the other cases, ours looked stuffed full.
"How interesting!" Mao said, leaning forward examining the Blue Team's case. "They actually added the fifth place medal of an ice bowling competition. Now there is an award to be proud of!"
Bognar curled his chaps and revealed his formidable canine teeth and made a growling sound that came from the bottom of his chest. Galman smacked his fist in his open palm. "You may also note the bare fist boxing trophy, Captain’s Champion Middleweight. So I think you two should crawl back to your dorm or I’ll demonstrate to you how I got that trophy."
Mao folded his hands. "Please, please tell me you just challenged me and not Eric."
Bognar put his pawlike hand on Galman's shoulder. "Let it go friend, it is not worth it. Mao is kick box champion, heavyweight, and I don't think you want to go against Eric."
"I am no coward!" Galman said. "I’ll go against both of them for our honor."
I said, "No one thinks you are a coward, at least I don't, and I congratulate you on winning a Captain's Championship, perhaps even going against a Marine or a load handler."
Bognar growled less aggressively. "Twelve rounds against Glen Bosnick, the former Devi Champ and a clear knockout. It was a great fight!"
Elfi and Wetmouth came down the corridor. Elfi was wearing a short white dress and Wetmouth an almost skintight white coverall, accepted outfits for medical personnel. Medic personnel outfits had changed over the years back and forth, but it was noted a boon for morality especially for humanoid troops and soldiers needing treatment if the female Medic personnel dressed that way. Now it was decried as sexist discrimination, but since wearing dresses was voluntary and not mandatory, the civilians raising the issue had no real argument. I noted that almost all female human Med personnel I met so far opted for the short dresses. Deep inside a voice, that I hoped would stay silent, told me why that choice was made.
There were many other female Midshipmen both humanoid and not, but these two were, at least in human terms, the sexiest, and in Elfi's case, the prettiest of them all. Both of them knew that of course.
We left the two of the Blue Team and followed our dorm’s beauties inside.
Part of me was very attracted to the sway and the movement of those perfect round behinds and the long legs, and I was certain Mao had similar thoughts, but there she was again. Almost forgotten and I hoped finally outgrown or gone, but my female side came up strong. It was all so clear on Coven and I could accept it there, but Coven was far away and here the confusion was back. I glanced at the ring that reminded me of my visit, it had become so much a part of me that I didn't even feel it anymore or think about it. No one had ever objected me wearing it and no one asked me about it either.
I was glad Krabbel and Har-Hi interrupted my thoughts as they came in, followed by Hans, Shaka and Cirruit.
Our chrome-polished friend went right past us and plonked onto his bunk. "Friday and a whole weekend ahead, without any contests or chores, I think I'll sleep till Monday!"
Elfi sounded disappointed but she had an impish smile on her face. "What a shame, and I thought you might want to come with us to go shopping. Tomorrow is market day at the village, with booths and stands and all that."
Cirruit made a weird shrieking sound and, like a streak of chrome lightning, he was out of the bed.
Har-Hi laughed. "You did hear her say tomorrow, right?"
Lt. Merkus came in; it was never a good thing when a superior officer walked into a dorm at a time like this. Dutifully we all stood at attention after Krabbel had announced him.
"As you were," he said, and then said what I actually almost predicted he would say. "I am sorry but two of you can't go on R&R. Mr. Hi and Mr. Olafson you are with me."
We looked at each other and Har-Hi was shrugging his shoulders just as I was. We followed the officer outside. He didn't speak until we reached the next IST and then he turned. "You have earned your off time as much as anyone, but you two logged more real and more simulator time than anyone and it was noticed. It does not happen very often and not even every year, but you two are to report to Hangar Deck 60, Fighter Wing 12 and report to Commander Cotton."
He smiled at us. "You are going to learn how to fly Wolfcrafts for the next three weeks!"
Har-Hi blinked and swallowed. "For real Sir?"
"Report to Commander Cotton now, and on the double, and you’ll find out."
A lean and tall Commander wearing a flight suit, even in his office, greeted us. "I noticed that two Midshipmen booked simulator time more than any others. Again I heard the Midshipmen on Deck 54 have a weekend off and what do I see? Mr. Hi and Mr. Olafson's name on the list for SIM time."
He looked us up and down. "Over the last few weeks, I’ve sneaked peeks to see what SIMs you were running. Lord and behold, two Midshipmen running Wolfcraft SIMs at level 15 and scoring notable results."
He leaned sideways and put his feet on his desk. "You two are going to serve the next weeks in my squadron. Each of you will get your own Wolfcraft fighter and we’ll forget you're Midshipmen. I want you to get to know your craft to the last bolt and everything it can or can't do. If I think you have what it takes, I might even recommend you for fighter school."
We both stood to attention but I could not completely control my facial muscles and that grin that kept creeping back. I glanced over at Har-Hi, and even his usually stern face was not so stern anymore.
Wolfcraft fighter pilots were considered an elite among Navy officers, and especially the pilots themselves believed that and had a collective arrogance and pride second to none. Wolfcraft pilots walked like Marines down a corridor, they owned it and others made way. Their state of dress was always different and less regulated.
Commander Cotton opened a drawer, retrieved a cigar and lit it. "At ease, boys. This is fighter country, not Noob deck.” He then looked at Har-Hi. "I sure would like to hear your opinion about comparing the Wolfcrafts to the Karhi-Da fighter of your people. Only 14 other spacefaring cultures we know of developed small fighter craft, and Dai are among the best."
"Sir, the
Karhi was developed by Su-Hi, a legendary designer among the Dai, he wanted to create a machine that was able to counter the Wolfcraft and I think he succeeded with the Karhi-Da type nine and made a superior fighter to the Wolfcraft IV series.
"But it takes a space-born society much longer to develop and build new ships. The Union used the V series now and they are as good as Karhi nines. Now I hear the Wolfcraft VI is going into production."
The Commander nodded and waved his hand. "Go ahead boys, sit down, smoking permitted, if you smoke."
Har-Hi produced the cigars he always carried in case we would be sent to Environmental, handed me one, then produced a small knife he carried hidden in his sleeve cuff and cut his cigar. The Commander grinned. "Can't believe I have a real Dai in my squadron. Neat hiding place for a knife." The Commander paid little attention to me and said to Har-Hi, "It will be a month before we see the first VI's and scuttlebutt has it, production has been halted and something else is in the pipeline."
Har-Hi sighed. "The Karhi is faster; better maneuverable than Wolfcrafts but nothing we have compares to the firepower of a W-IV. Dual Translocator Gatlings – what could stand against that?"
The Commander leaned forward and made an ominous face. "I heard a rumor that your famous Su-Hi is now working alongside Heinrich Steinmann and Steve Anderson of SII Aerospace, the chief designers of the VI series."
Har-Hi's eyes literally glowed with pride and anticipation. "I really would like to fly whatever they come up with, Sir!"
"I can see we have a lot to talk about Mr. Hi."
I was glad not to be the focus of attention, since that had always caused me to get into trouble in the past, and simply leaned back and puffed my cigar, while the Commander now held two toy models, one a Wolfcraft and the other a red Dai fighter and actually simulated a combat situation while Har-Hi, leaning forward was giving comment.
Just about then, a Lieutenant stuck his head through the Commander's office door. "Sir we have an escort request from the flight boss and the Captain. However N'tkkn, Bill, Jim and Duncan just went to sickbay. Do you want me to call the off-duty guys down?"
"Why are four of my standby pilots in sickbay?"
"They ate something Duncan grilled and got the runs, Sir. I was on my way to tell you, as they were in a hurry."
The Commander checked his screen and then said, "Teaches them to try Duncan's cooking!" He crushed his cigar and closed his flight combination while he was reading whatever was displayed on his screen. "No need to call off-duty pilots down… " He pointed at us. "I’ll fly myself and you two are with me. It is a simple escort request, nothing spectacular, but it gets you behind the controls and out there!"
He pointed at an auto-dresser in the corner. "It is dialed to Condors, get suited up and meet me at our pre-flight deck, speed loader two."
Condors were specially designed spacesuits halfway between a Quasimodos and a normal space suit. They had little in terms of weapons, but advanced auto-doc features and deep space flight capabilities.
We met the Commander again as he stood on the empty pre-flight deck. A large metal door opened in the ceiling and a robot arm placed three Wolfcraft fighters into the loading tubes of a revolver starter.
Wolfcrafts looked like elongated discs with two huge elongated ISAH thrusters, looking almost like missiles on each side of the cockpit.
Cotton walked to a personalized Wolfcraft. Instead of the standard Navy gray it had a jumping cat-like creature painted on its side and was colored in a shiny black, while weapons and ISAH pods were yellow. "Go pick your fighters; you can pick a color scheme after we are back. Both are brand new and drawn from stock. As soon as you pick one it recognizes you, as you know."
The pilot seats lowered on an hydraulic arm as I approached the third one. It then retracted into the cockpit and I began a system check. While I had never flown a real Wolfcraft, I knew the machine inside out from SIM hours.
"I am SII Wolfcraft Type V, Serial number 84887548-WCV-ADCAP78-DEVASTATOR-747. Pilot, fighter symbiosis initiated and complete, Olafson, Eric recognized. Neural direct feed linked."
No longer did I feel my real body or the fighter around me. It was as if I was standing on the pre-flight myself but my eye perspective was six meters off the ground. System data was now sent directly down my visual main nerve and I saw all data floating on the side of my periphery, easily expanded or featured by a simulated finger flick.
Through the neural direct feed came a voice. "This is Commander Cotton. Pilots do not call each other by rank or name, but by a call sign. That is an ancient tradition and is also faster. My call sign is Wildcat. Mr. Olafson you are called Viking and Mr. Hi you will use the call sign Pirate. Now perform a pre-flight test!"
I acknowledged and Har-Hi did the same.
"Our mission is to jump to Algeri System and escort a convoy of freighters to the Nobane System. This is a routine mission, but we are close to Nul-Nul space and this is why we are called for an escort. We have a full squadron of fighters and the Devastator is only 12 light years away in case we need her and there are two or three destroyers at the base in the Algeri System."
The mission specs and nav details flashed into my system.
Wildcat came on again. "Any questions?"
There were none.
"Status?"
When it was my turn, I said, "Viking here, pre-flight tests completed, all boards are green." I saved my Computronic to the nav-system of the leader.
"All right then, T-1 for launch!"
The starter tubes lowered us into the revolving starter. To me, the bright lit pre-flight deck changed to a shiny metal tunnel, small strips of blue lights ran at its floor to the end. The light strips would pulsate just before launch.
There were four fighters to a wing and five wings to a squadron.
The revolving starter was basically a long cylinder with 20 tubes and a tube equipped with a mass accelerator catapult. The cylinder would swing halfway out from the Devi's hull and rotate very fast, and while doing that, accelerate and launch a fighter from each tube. Twenty fighters launched in 20 seconds and accelerated to near TL threshold speed. The Devi could launch all her fighters using preloaded tubes in less than five minutes.
We had been catapulted near threshold speed and went superluminal a heartbeat later, towards the Algeri System.
After we arrived we immediately found six large Gulliver class freighters and two container chain tugs already on their way. The tugs accelerated very slowly and their superluminal speed was also minimal, we would reach Nobane in 12 hours.
There was nothing to do at the moment. Our Computronics were linked to the Commander’s fighter and automatically kept in formation.
Har-Hi and the Commander exchanged conversation regarding the pros and cons of Dai fighter tech, so I called up what information GalNet had on Algeri and Nobane.
Algeri was a seven-planet system without a garden world. One planet was a mine colony and the other a Navy base, the rest was unoccupied and only superficially surveyed. Both the mining colony and the base had only been established for about 20 years.
Nobane was declared a Union System much more recently, about five years ago, and while it had nine full-size planets and two gas giants, only a large moon named Banes Moon with marginal garden world features had been colonized.
Nobane was dangerously close to Nul-Nul space, judging by my charts and since there was no officially determined border between Union and the Nul-Nul Empire, Nobane might already be in what the Nul-Nul considered their sphere of influence.
The border was not clearly defined as it was between Union and the Galactic Council and the Kermac. It simply stated Nobane as Union System and the next star 12 light years further was marked red and Nul space.
I wondered if there was more behind it all. To me it almost appeared as if this colony was used to provoke the Nul and have a reason to retaliate if they did something about it.
The Nul-Nul were considered to be the fiercest warriors
and much more of a threat than the Kermac to the Galactic Council.
Nul-Nul technology was about two levels behind Union Tech, but considered very solid and durable. Their armor was based on ceramics and on par with Ultronit and their weaponry and shield tech made extensive use of gravitational fields and graviton manipulation. Our Xeno Tech Instructor believed the Nul were at least as good as Union Tech in this regard and warned of their Gravitation Bombs and Graviton gun technology.
He told us these weapons were utilized with great skill and quite effective, even against Para Dim-shielded ships, by trapping an enemy between two gravitation centers of incredible strength. In other words, two well-placed bombs could rip even a well-shielded Wolfcraft apart.
On Union side only, Terrans developed Gravitation-based weaponry and our arsenals included grav bombs as well and we had trained to avoid them in simulators.
Nothing happened and it was a nice relaxing flight until we reached Nobane System and dropped out of quasi-space. That’s when the threat indicator went red and a Nul-Nul carrier came from behind the sun, releasing fighters to engage us!
Commander Cotton's voice was clear and calm. "Devi Squadron 12 calling Devastator, we encountered a Nul carrier and we are outnumbered at least five to one, request immediate backup."
"Devastator to Squadron 12, protect the freighters if possible and keep the Nul busy. We cannot send any additional forces as we just flew into a hornets' nest and we are currently under attack by a very large Nul force! Reinforcements from Fleet Base Algeri will be dispatched as soon as possible, additional Fleet resources en route."
I had seen the firepower and the number of fighters aboard the Devi. If they could not send reinforcements, I wondered just how big that hornets' nest was. Maybe Fleet Command sent this slow lumbering convoy of freighters on purpose, to lure the Nul into a fight and see how much force they were willing to commit to prevent the Union from gaining a foothold in this area. There was very little diplomatic contact with the Nul as far as I knew.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 7 Page 25