The old Admiral rubbed his chin.
“You are at the edge of GalCom range and pretty far from Union Space. I can’t send any Chimera unit to pick those Centaurs up, as they need to remain unknown and can't escort a potential new member species to Union space.“
The old Admiral suddenly chuckled.
“I guess my last sentence was only funny to me. Chimeras and Centaurs...ah well let me think.”
The Admiral spoke with me over a 2D connection and the image was projected on a field screen. Due to the fact that we were at the very edge of GalCom reach and already beyond GalNet he could no longer establish an Avatar. “I also would love to get my hands on those Kermac.”
He rubbed his chin. “See if your Engineer can’t patch that Alien ship up, just good enough so it can limp to Auriga Xi and escort him until you know they are safe. We got regular Union Assets there and they can’t go after you as long as you stay in Freespace. Then I arrange a rendezvous with a Chimera unit to take the Kermac off your hands.”
Circuit was sure he and his engineering team could get the Xandrao ship patched up enough to make it, if he Xandrao remained in one room and he did not have to patch the entire ships electronics, but he needed at least a day.
I briefed the Xandrao Ship master and he agreed with this course of action.
I had both of our Gazelles out and fly a cloaked search pattern, to make sure no one else interrupted.
Three days passed without incident . The Xandrao ship would be able to limp to Translight speed and make it to Auriga Xi in five days.
Back on the Xandrao ship I shook the hand of the big alien and he said.
“I have learned a lot in a short time, Captain Velvet. I learned that there are females that have courage and that there are trustworthy pirates . I learned that our galaxy is even more dangerous than we thought it would be and that your robot engineer is not a robot, but a true magician and a genius. However I also learned that my gut feeling about the Kermac was true. I am glad there is an alternative we can present to our Emperor.”
“Fare well then Shipmaster Dorrx maybe our paths cross again under better conditions. I will escort your vessel as close to that new Union system as I dare and then you are on your own, but I am sure you find the United Stars a helpful place and they will restore your vessel so you can return safely.”
“I have much to thank you for. I am not sure if we ever meet again, my prince will still be quite sore about the fact that he is tied up in the freight bay and he will of course blame you.”
“You can release your crew and the prince, but remember there isn’t any life support to most decks.”
“Oh no Captain Velvet, I like to keep him in there as long as possible. I have more peace that way and can blame you the pirates for his misery.”
“I am not sure what this means, but I think I have an idea.” I bade him farewell and went to the next airlock.
Specialist Warner scurried alongside. “Captain, we got all our tools and equipment back and Lt. Circuit is down in the engine room putting final touches to these crude nuclear generators. He should be done within the next ten minutes.”
“Very well then, let us return to our ship. Maybe after the third attempt we make it to that pirate port. “
“What about the Dolbarians, Captain?”
“What about them, Mr. Warner. Did you not say they are Galactic Council?”
“Can we not take them along? I mean they aren’t very happy GC members and what will happen to these two?”
“We can’t take them along. They are GC and we only pretend to be Pirates remember?
“Of course I know that Captain. I mean that we are pirates, but we could keep them in a room. They won’t eat much.”
“When the Xandrao reach the Union System, I am sure Command finds a way to get them back to their home. It’s not that we are at war against the Dolbarians.”
“Captain, you said we can always talk to you and this is an unfair situation. These two will be interrogated and tortured.”
I stopped.
“Mr. Warner of course you can talk to me any time, but we, I mean the Union won’t torture them I promise.”
“Captain, not us, the Kermac of course. These two were sent to escort two Kermac envoys to the Xandrao and what do you think will happen if they return from somewhere Union side? The entire Dolbarian species is under Kermac Control, but not in the nice way where they are mentally controlled but in the demeaning , slave you do what I say way. The Kermac will torture them to find out what happened to their envoys and then kill them for not preventing the Xandrao to go Union Side.”
I had to admit he made sense.
“I sure don’t want them to be tortured, but if we take them we would have to keep them in Zero Stasis for a very long time.” “Could we not fly to their home world, take a delegation Dolbarians to Pluribus? I am sure the Dolbarian want to be Union and free of Kermac tyranny.”
I knelt down to be on his level and said.
“Mr. Warner we have a mission, we are supposed to be Pirates. We can’t simply fly into GC space, land on a Kermac controlled planet. Contact their government and take them to Pluribus.”
“I know it seems impossible, but you are our Captain and you find a way, besides it doesn’t have to be now. Maybe after our mission and when you think about something.”
The Holdian specialist was nowhere near as cute as the little Holdian commander I once knew, but he too had these big black button eyes, a pointed black snout that shimmered wet. His whiskers hung down and his round ears had a somehow sad looking position. He sighed and kneaded his tiny fur covered hand.
”But of course you are right, Captain. What can we, what could you possibly do? I am sorry I bothered you with that.”
“You drive a harder bargain than that Golden Friend of yours. We really can’t do much about the Dolbarian situation, but we can do something about those two. Go ahead and contact Mr. Neugruber and confine those two, we might indeed have to put them in stasis for a while.”
His whiskers snapped up and his ears turned into a happier position.
“Thank you Captain.”
Chapter 3: Orange Sherbert
We dropped out of quasi into the almost empty star system, that the transmitted orders designated, just as Shaka promised three days later.
Shea said. “It is a rather unremarkable M4Ve type. 10 Billion Years. No planets but an thin asteroid belt and a dense dust ring around the star.”
Krabbel said. “Captain we are the first Union ship to enter this star system as it is still unnamed in the Catalogs.
As you know it is part of my duty to update Star catalogs with survey data and it is tradition to name new star systems.”
Yeoman O’Connell silently approached next to me handed me a cup of coffee and said.
“Legally we could claim it too, the Free Space treaty clearly allows individuals to claim a star system that is not occupied or claimed by anyone else.” I smiled at her.
“Well you forget that Black Velvet is not a real person in legal terms. It is just an empty star system. We would need to remain and defend our claim too. Besides if we name it, our names will appear in the registry that is open to all even Non Union.”
Sobody said. “I could claim it, we Golden are not signatory to the Treaty and we are not members just yet.”
I smiled.
“Okay Krabbel you name it and Sobody will claim it. Knowing him he finds something valuable even here.”
Shaka chuckled. “There is already a planet called Ice Cream and I think even a star.”
Krabbel made a disappointed sound and said. “Never mind then.”
I looked to Elfi but she shook her head. “We are a little early for the meeting. Captain, the USS Boulder has not hailed us yet.”
I acknowledged and then said to Krabbel.
“You aren’t serious right? You didn’t say all this just so you can name a star Ice cream?”
The big spider raise
d four legs, but Mao turned and answered instead, “That was his plan indeed, Captain.”
“Why don’t you name it after an Ice Cream flavor , isn’t there one that is orange maybe?”
Krabbel shrieked happy. “What a good idea, the star will be entered as Orange Sherbet.”
“What is Sherbert?”
Krabbel sounded all school masterly as he said.
“Sherbet typically designates a fruity flavored frozen dairy product with a butterfat content between 1% and 2%. It’s a less creamy ice cream.”
Shea smiled.
“Captain, our Archa Navigator is quite an expert in frozen desert expert.
Do you think we can use the time to closer examine the system, make a detailed survey? I would love to send a probe into the star, collect some of the dust and perhaps detail scan and survey some of the Asteroids. I bet all those Chimera Units do a lot of clandestine work but no one is doing what we should and what is the prime charter of our Fleet.”
I held up my hand and addressed our Communications officer. “Elfi can you hail the Boulder and ask them when they will be here?”
Our beautiful Saran Officer said, after working on my request,
“Captain they are already here. I am receiving Priority Order from Fleet Command.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Shea, why is the ship not showing on our sensors?”
Narth pointed at the main viewer, before she could answer. “We are not the only ship pretending to be something else.” He made an adjustment to the viewer and one of the asteroids suddenly moved and changed course.
Shea added. “We did not use our real sensors, only the simulated ones and that camouflaged ship has no active transponder and seems very well shielded in terms of energy emissions.Do you want me to activate our actual sensor suite?”
Elfi interrupted. “We are being hailed, Captain. Alpha priority from Fleet Command. They request that you identify to Blue Blue Red Protocol and Day Cypher.”
I begun the long winded process, put my key in a special indentation of Ship AI Master control at my seat and said.“Day Code is Flyswatter”
Elfi turned. “Signal protocol verified Captain. Regulations require that you need to take this in a secure location.”
“Put them on. This is my bridge and it is the most secure location.”
It was an acoustic message only, delivered by a rather harsh male voice. “NAVINT command, Code Sequence Verified , USS Tigershark you are to switch off your Janus Device and go under full shields. You are to approach the sun from the Nadir level and wait for orbit vector and docking guide pulse.”
“You heard them. Narth turn off the Janus Mask, Mao go full shields and Shaka take us to Orange Sherbert.”
I leaned back and watched us approach and I said. “Something is hiding hiding in that star.”
Narth said. “Actually to be expected. Terrans have thousand years experience with star based stations, ever since they established Sol Castle. The Union can now freely make use of Wurgus solar Engineering and we got a a city on Bright Star, the home of the Non Corps.”
He turned and looked at us with his glowing eye slits. “No other society known to the Narth has ever occupied, colonized or utilized the very stars like the Union does.
I moved to the edge of my seat.
“I remember a team of Water Polo players from Sol Castle and ever since my first days at the Academy I consider Two-Three one of my best friends. I know he told me about Bright Light, but are you sure our shields will hold? I know red suns are not as hot but it is still a sun.”
Narth turned to looked at his readouts and said. “Our real shields have never been tested to answer your question without any margin of error, but we have far more advanced shields than Bright Star Station or Sol Castle. I am confident my calculations are correct . We should be able to dive past the Corona and even past the Chromosphere ,but there are conflicting opinions if the ISAH drives would work inside and if we could develop sufficient thrust to escape the gravitational pull.”
Circuit must have listened to the bridge audio as he chimed in from engineering. “My shields will hold, but I share Narth’s concern. We might not be able to establish ISAH.
Inside I was not as relaxed as I pretended to be.
“Well they are in there and Elfi confirmed receiving guiding information. The red star was already filling our entire view screen, even on zero magnification.
Mao said. “Our real shields are fantastic, Captain, we are not even at two percent shield capacity and we are bombarded by radiation and thermal energies that could melt an unprotected battleship in seconds.”
Shaka’s voice had a slight edge of concern. “But we are at 45 percent of thrust, just to keep us approaching slowly.”
Then a green circle appeared and pushed the red swirling energy masses away and created something like a wide tunnel.
Elfi relayed a new message. “USS Tigershark,this is Station Nebuchadnezzar. You are fighting not just the gravitation but our tunnel tractor. Turn of your engines.”
Elfi confirmed. “Codes verified. It is a Union installation”
“Shaka cut thrust. Circuit engines on stand by.”
Our ship was caught by an almost invisible greenish tractor beam and we were pulled past the turbulent and truly frightening swirling energies of a real sun. After passing almost half a million miles through this hellish nuclear inferno there close to what Shea called the convection, hung a Gigamon station,almost invisible behind bright glowing purple shields.
Moments later we were inside the shields and pulled into a Hangar.
We were hailed again and a human male in black Fleet Uniform and NAVINT patch on his sleeve smiled at us from the main screen. “This is X Fleet Forward Recon Station Nebuchadnezzar, I am Commander Daniel Shadrach, welcome Tigershark.”
I said. “Thank you, Commander.”
He nodded and said. “Please stand by for Senior Command Transmission.”
Elfi confirmed. “Captain it is the Admiral of the Fleet.”
The Commander on the screen was replaced by the face of Admiral McElligott who started to speak without much of a greeting and said.
“Initially we did not want to reveal Nebuchadnezzar to you. Simply we didn’t want you to know all secrets, but with you this is seems more or less impossible. I am on my way to Station Nebuchadnezzar and I am aboard a chimera unit and will arrive in five days. Take the opportunity for some R&R for your crew. The USS Boulder will take the Kermac and whatever else you want to send Unionside of your hands.”
“Aye Sir.”
“I am bringing the accumulated mail for your crew and a sizable container of packages for your chief Engineer.”
***
While most of my crew was enjoying their first shore leave and the recreation facilities of a full Gigamon station, Har-Hi, Shea, Narth and I were greeted in the office of the Base Commandant.
He sat with his back to a big view point that showed the filtered images of swirling energies. The Commandant was Human Terran so it seemed and he had his black hair slicked back in a very Dai Than looking style.
He greeted us friendly and said.
“Captain Olafson, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, General Cherubim and the Old Man have briefed me, of course and as usual in our business without much detail.
I heard of course of the Red Dragon Affair and I am briefed on the Xandrao situation.”
I was wearing regular Union Uniform. I could not deny the feeling of pride seeing Captain’s gold on my sleeve cuffs.
To the Commander I said.
“We are in space for a little while, yet to me it feels we haven’t really started our actual mission and for every step forward we take two back, but my crew can use a few days of R&R and I thank you for making these facilities available.”
He stapled his fingers and leaned back.
“We take great pride in our Core Park it simulates the environment of Para Para, with 5 acres of sandy beaches and 20 acre
s of a simulated ocean lake.”
“I hope I find the time to check it out myself. Before you dismiss us Commander, you have been briefed about me and our mission, yet I know nothing at all about this place. Can you tell me something about it, or is it classified?”
He made a wide gesture. “Your security clearances are higher than mine, Captain Olafson. All you have to do is ask, but let me give you a short run down.”
He called up a holo projection of the star and the base inside.
“This is Station Nebuchadnezzar, as advanced it may appear to you, it is just a matter of strong force fields and most of our tech is based on time tested systems. This Station is based on the same design as Sol Castle and Sol is much hotter and more active than this old...”
He paused and looked at a readout on his desk. His face changed into a disbelieving expression. “Orange Sorbet?”
He looked up.” You named a star system we wanted to keep as much quiet and unimportant as possible, Orange Sorbet?”
He pointed at his screen with an accusatory look in his face. “The Union Catalogs have just been updated.”
I said.
“I am sorry, Commander we did not know it was occupied and we simply followed procedures. My navigator named the System, but I approved it and take responsibility if it causes problems.”
The Commander gave me a forced smile and sighed.
“I doubt no one will come here just because the name has changed in the official catalogs. I guess I was just surprised to see a name change and technically it makes us, what?”
Narth raised his finger.
“Orange Sorbetes?”
He grimaced then shuddered and sighed.
He continued gesturing once again towards the projection.
“NAVINT has a few secret bases in Freespace and this is one of them. As remote and lonely as it is in terms of system traffic, it is only 60 light years from Togar Space. Our main task is to monitor Togar Space traffic and coordinate Intelligence. We like to keep the traffic as minimal as possible of course,but we are occasionally provide logistics to Chimera Units of the X Fleet.”
Shea said.
“Now I can understand why they call this base Nebuchadnezzar, but your name simply can’t be coincidence, Sir?”
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 100