Border Worlds (United Star Systems Book 1)

by J Malcolm Patrick

  Footsteps on the deck reached his ear and he slid out from under the console. It wasn’t whom he expected.

  “Lieutenant Delaine,” he said, staring up at her.

  “Please call me Rachael, Avery.”

  “Right, forgot. Rachael, what can I help you with?”

  She shrugged. “Not much. I noticed the Commander seems to be avoiding me, though I’m not sure why. He’s in the gym at the moment and I opted to give him the space. I thought we moved past a rough introduction and were getting along quite well since we left Rigel. Now I’m not so sure.”

  Alvarez chuckled. “I don’t think that’s it at all. If I know Aaron well, and I do, he’d need a very good reason to dislike you. It’s just his way.”

  “He’s not what I expected,” she said.

  “What did you expect?”

  She sat on the deck next to him. “A rigid naval officer, marching around and saluting everywhere he went.”

  Now Alvarez laughed.

  “Rachael,” he said. “Deep space is too lonely a place to lock yourself behind walls of discipline and parading. It has its place. But once the chain of command is respected and the crew follows all lawful orders, Aaron probably wouldn’t care if they turned up on the bridge out of uniform. Well not quite that relaxed, but you get what I’m saying right?”

  “I think I do. But he also seems a bit more closed off since Rigel.”

  Alvarez slid back under the console. “Remember, Trident still stings a bit, even though he won’t show or admit it. Half of her crew gone and he barely escaped himself. Although the latter probably doesn’t worry him as much.” He pulled out a datachip and slid back out. “Then you’ve got this assignment with everything that depends on it and his home planet at the center.”

  “Atlas . . .”

  “Indeed,” Alvarez said. “His parents migrated from Earth as skilled workers before he was born. Patrick Rayne is an engineer and Anna’s a doctor.”

  He inserted the datachip into his personnel device and the resulting beep signaled his success.

  Alvarez, scrambled to his feet.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “I’ve unlocked access to this particularly difficult system. Let’s see . . .” He cycled through the newly accessible system: Gravity Wave Dispersion. He selected it and scrolled to the designer’s notes.

  Once activated, the gravity wave dispersion field projection distorts and disperses the gravity waves propelled ahead of a starship at high warp. This distortion essentially slows the ripples of gravity and they scatter outwards from the ship. With the main wave gone, there’s nothing significant remaining to suggest a ship at high warp. The only disadvantage at the moment is the prototype field disperser is only capable of dispersing gravity waves propelled by a ship travelling at 1000 c. Research is ongoing to improve this drawback, however, this accomplishment is unprecedented as it is—Lead Designing Engineer Robert Jordaine.

  “Now that’s quite interesting,” he said. “I’m going to finish here and download these schematics and manuals to my handheld. I’ve got a lot of studying to do. I’ll also have to brief the Commander on what I’ve uncovered so far.”

  She stood. “Very well, I think I might brave the gym once you have him tied up.”

  Vee smiled and packed his toolkit. If Aaron was avoiding Rachael, it probably meant he felt awkward around her for some reason. He’d better get over it and fast, before it compromised the mission.

  ****

  The auxiliary craft bay was the single largest area on the ship. The intense light washed across the bay. It reflected from the four sleek Arrow-class combat patrol craft, highlighting their angular, yet smooth and functional design.

  The interior forward section could seat up to four persons. Ideally only two were required to operate the craft—a pilot and an ops officer. The rear section contained a small cabin with four bunks, two on each side of the port and starboard bulkhead. The cargo hold was about the size of an old mechanic shop and contained compressed food sources to last for a year in space—more if rationed.

  Recessed into the dorsal and ventral hull was the miniature version to the turreted railguns on Phoenix. The maximum sub-light speed was a respectable .6 c. Maximum warp speed: one thousand c. The auxiliary craft were ideally suited to give their launching mother-ship more precise sensor sweeps in areas of space further away. Especially where some kind of interference affected long-range sensors. Supporting their mother-ship in combat was also a mission profile they were ideally suited to carry out.

  These new strike craft were four times the size of an old obsolete space-superiority fighter. Their long-range capability also made them versatile. A forward micro-torpedo launcher carried a magazine of ten unguided torpedo projectiles—smaller versions of anti-battleship ordnance. Those powerful torpedoes were built for the sole purpose of wrecking large capital ships. Finally, several small point defense cannons provided three hundred and sixty degrees of coverage.

  Miroslav completed his external inspection—and admiration—of the craft. Tracing a finger along the line of the outer hull as he walked to the rear ramp to board. He chose the one designated Hammerhead. As he stepped to the rear ramp to board the ship he jumped backwards when the doctor greeted him from inside.

  “Why hello there, Flaps,” the doctor said.

  “You are one creepy doctor,” Miroslav said, raising his hand to his chest to steady his beating heart. “What were you doing in there?”

  “I wasn’t doing anything. I was reading my novel when I saw you prowling around outside.”

  “Prowling! I’m the pilot here . . . I’m inspecting my craft. Go read your paper story in your assigned quarters.”

  “But I like being here, no one can find me so easily.”

  He thought of another way the man could hide. “No one would find you if you spaced yourself either,” Miroslav said.

  The creepy man laughed. “You’ve been hanging around Lee and the Commander too much, and I’m taking a break from my book for now. May I keep your company?”

  “Why sure,” Miroslav said, as he slammed a fist against the control to raise the ramp behind them.

  “What are you doing, Flaps?”

  “Stop calling me that. Only the crew calls me that.” Really, Miroslav didn’t care. He just wanted to push the doctor’s buttons.

  “Very well, what are you doing, Ensign?”

  “I’m taking the ship for a test flight to see how she responds. Might take her into an atmosphere too.”

  The color drained from Max’s face. “The Commander authorized this?”

  “Of course! Sit tight. It’ll be one wild ride!”

  “I don’t think so, let me off.”

  “Relax, doc, I’m joking,” Miroslav said. “Come on up to the flight deck, let’s have a look together. And of course you can call me Flaps. After all you saved Lee, so you’re a part of this crew now.”

  Max frowned. “I’d rather not be since I was quite fine with my boring planet-side life.”

  Miroslav didn’t reply as they climbed the ladder to the flight deck.

  “Impressive,” Miroslav said, as he sat behind the helm. “Very sleek, I like it. This feels like it could be my first command. Captain Yuri Miroslav of the USSF Hammerhead.”

  “Catchy, I like it,” Max said.

  “Someday . . . I hope.”

  “I’m sure of it,” Max said. “You mind if I ask how you got the callsign?”

  Miroslav laughed. “Sure, doc, it’s been two years now. Lee’s jokes don’t really sting as much anymore.”

  He fiddled with some of the controls, initiating a systems check. “In the academy, flight cadets train on old atmospheric jets, learning to fly and think under pressure. It’s not as forgiving as spaceflight. After three months, we progressed from simulators to the real thing, ready to take our first real flight. Accompanied by an instructor of course. It’s nothing really, I was lining up for my landing and I couldn’t kill my airs
peed. I was coming in too fast. I panicked and couldn’t understand what I’d missed. Then the instructor starts yelling over the comm, FLAPS! FLAPS! Yeah so I’d forgot to set my flaps. Anyway, that nickname stuck, and has been with me all the way to my first assignment aboard Trident. My scores were the highest of all the trainees. But because of that little incident on my final test, I didn’t make it into advanced strike fighter training.

  “Anyway, I know I’m better than all the other selectees. None of them beat me in space or atmosphere combat simulations during our training. I got so famous around the academy I even beat Fleet pilots who came just to challenge me. But it isn’t wartime. The Fleet doesn’t have need of a juvenile expert like me. The Commander is the only one who appreciated my skill. When I first came aboard Trident, no one could call me Flaps on the bridge. Until one day I told him I was fine with it.”

  The doctor smirked. “It could have been worse, they could have called you ‘Crash’.”

  Miroslav supposed that was true. “Given the alternative, it seems I got the better of the two. Your turn, doc, how do you know the Commander so well?”

  Tanner held up a hand. “Please call me Max,” he said, then he sighed heavily. “Before I left the Fleet to join a team researching advanced bionics, I served aboard Venture as chief medical officer. Your Commander and I shared an unhealthy obsession of twenty-first century fiction novels. I swear sometimes the crew wouldn’t understand half the things we said when we got together in the lounge.”

  Miroslav snorted. “So you share a love of crappy old make believe stories. Why does it seem you’re so fond of each other?”

  “You got all that from the sickbay?”

  “Sure,” Miroslav said. “I’m pretty much in tune with the Commander now, as opposed to when I first boarded Trident.”

  “You tend to develop a keen sense of gratitude and closeness with someone who’s saved your life. The Venture was tasked to deliver medical supplies to an independent colony in the throes of a catastrophic civil war. Our convoy of shuttles destined for the surface came under fire by one of the factions and we took a direct hit. The hostile faction controlled the district where our shuttle crashed, ten marines dead, only Aaron and I survived. I guess I was lucky, I only broke both legs on impact. Your Commander had to carry me fifty miles over a period of four days through hostile territory. And he gave me most of the water due to my injuries. He ignored every plea I made to leave me. I told him my wounds were mortal and it wasn’t worth both of us dying. All he kept repeating every time I tried to argue with him to leave me was ‘no one lives forever, Max’. He was determined that if he had to die trying, I wasn’t going to be left out there alone.”

  Miroslav couldn’t remember the last time anyone or anything left him speechless.

  Max continued. “Maybe it’s because he doesn’t like to lose, who knows, but that’s one thing some of the Fleet brass holds against him. They’re afraid he can’t put the needs of the many ahead of the needs of the few.”

  That was the largest pile of horse manure Miroslav could ever recall hearing. “They say I’m just a kid and I don’t know anything. But one thing I know is many people throughout history used the excuse of protecting many at the expense of a few, to justify despicable acts. So if the Commander cares about everyone from the smallest fledgling colony to the largest tech-5 world, then I say we’re lucky to have such a man leading us.”

  Max smiled. “I couldn’t have said it better myself, Flaps.”

  ****

  Aaron approached the doors to the gym. He’d checked in with Vee two hours before, the XO told him Rachael wasn’t there at the time. Aaron tricked the tricky XO. She must have been there, and if Vee was being Vee—then the gym should be empty now.

  That was a mistake.

  The gym was full. Everyone was there. Damn Vee must have figured he’d do this.

  “Ah! The whole gang is here, looks full I’ll pop back in—”

  Lee stepped forward. “Oh no just hang on, Commander, Lieutenant Delaine needs a sparring partner. Flaps has Vee and Dr. Tanner is just sitting there watching—says he can’t endanger his precious hands. One day left, time for the final session.”

  Rachael taunted him. “What’s the matter, Commander? Frightened a mere spy will knock you off your space boots?”

  She’d better be careful; he’d mastered the art of getting inside someone’s head. “You do look kind of fragile.”

  Her playful smile faded as quickly as it had appeared.

  “That’s an advantage in my work,” she said.

  Lee sounded overly cheerful. “Good, front and center, I’ll referee as usual. Whenever ya’ll are ready, just give each other a nod and go.”

  They both stepped to the center of the padded deck. On the far side of the gym, Vee and Miroslav stopped their jostling and turned their attention to the new pair on center stage.

  Aaron nodded to her and she returned the nod.

  They both crouched, arms raised. A good stance for boxing. They pivoted and stepped around each other in circles for a few moments.

  “Aaron,” she said. “Are you ready to begin?”

  “No one lives forever.”

  He pivoted in toward her and jabbed a couple times, she deflected them while stepping back. He jabbed again, this time, she stepped left and grabbed his arm and pulled him in toward her, a mere half inch from her face. He looked directly into her eyes and froze—whumpf, she raised a knee into his gut and shoved him away.

  “Oh good one, Lieutenant!” Lee cheered. “I’d have done the same. No offense, Commander.”

  Aaron shook his head. “None taken, Lee. Either our spy is a quick learner or you’re a good teacher. I’m inclined towards the latter.”

  This time she lunged in with a jab of her own, a definite feign. The movement in the corner of his eye warned him and he ducked under her right cross and tackled her at the waist. He lifted her into the air and dropped her on the mat. It was her turn to gasp for wind.

  She wrapped her legs around his hips. He leaned in to punch her. She shifted her hips and twisted throwing him over onto the carpeted deck hard. She swiveled on top, straddling him.

  He flipped his hips up enough to throw her forward and wrapped his arms around her neck. He held her down close to him. It forced her to use her arms to brace herself against the deck. She couldn’t strike at him without losing her position. She raised her palms off the deck to strike and he shifted to rock her over, forcing her to brace.

  He tightened his grip around her neck, pulled her head down below his chin and he breathed into her ear.

  “You know I think you’re enjoying this.”

  “Really? I’m on top—I have you at a disadvantage. I’m winning,” she replied, catching for breath.

  “Oh you’re winning alright, but I don’t think that’s what you’re enjoying. I think you enjoy being in control. I’ll stop fighting and let you hold me down if you like.”

  Her mouth twisted into a snarl and she raised her arm off the deck to strike him again. He caught the arm and spun on his back. He raised the back of his knee above her neck and the other across her chest. He pulled down on her arm between his legs until she tapped the deck with the other arm.

  He let go and spun to his feet.

  Lee was clapping. “Well done, Commander! I thought she had you there for a second. Lieutenant, how could you let him get up from there?”

  She rose to her feet breathing hard. “Forget it.” She grabbed her hand towel and left. Lee was clueless. “Was it something I said?”

  Vee walked over and whacked Aaron on the back. “It’s not you, Lee. Remember our Commander here has a unique way of getting under people’s skin. Even the most stoic of us. Isn’t that right, Aaron?”

  Aaron was grinning. “All I did was asked her if she liked being in control . . .”

  Max sounded off from where he sat. “Shenanigans. He got into that poor girl’s head. Shame on you.”

  Before anyone
could reply to that, an alarm blared and the deck rattled.

  The ship was no longer at warp.

  Chapter 16 – Article 39

  Phoenix

  “We’ve dropped from warp,” Vee said.

  He voiced what everyone knew. They stared at each other for a moment. It was likely the others were wondering the same thing as Aaron—what could have pulled them from warp?

  “Get to the bridge and prepare this dragon to fight. Unless the drive malfunctioned, we’ve been interdicted.”

  Tech-5 star systems had interdiction drones strategically patrolling at specific light year intervals around them. Since planetary bodies orbited their stars, entering the system from a particular vector in the interstellar medium did not guarantee you would enter the side of the star system closest to its habitable world. However, planetary orbits of mapped star systems were tracked and recorded by computers. Therefore, defense operators programmed their drones to patrol along these vectors with higher frequency.

  Interdiction drones were small spacecraft similar to probes. They formed part of the interdiction network around a star system wishing to prevent unknown or unauthorized ships operating within their space. If a ship came within the influence of one while at warp, it disrupted the ship’s warp field, and prevented it from creating another.

  These drones worked in tandem with other planetary defenses—massive sensor arrays and multiple sensor relays. Operators could manually guide the drones to intercept detected vessels which didn’t broadcast the correct authorization or transponder.

  Prior to the ability to detect ships at high warp speeds, the drones used to patrol randomly. Then twenty-third century renowned scientist Doctor Casi Newson, successfully tested a technology to detect gravity waves. A ship at warp pushed gravity waves ahead of it. Due to the nature of how the warp bubble kept the ship contained, these gravity waves intensified when traveling at higher multiples of c. A ship at high warp forced ripples ahead at many times the multiples of c the ship was traveling. This enabled the telemetry to reach sensing equipment long before a ship reached its destination. The drone would then inform the operator a ship was approaching at high warp.