Voyage of the Valkyrie

by Robert Horseman

  “Sir, honestly, I had nothing to do with it.”

  “I know that. The records are quite clear on that point. The mess I refer to is the XO’s conduct during the encounter.”

  Mac sat back in her seat, dumbfounded. “The XO?”

  “Yes.” He stared at her for a long moment, and Mac had to resist the urge to drop her eyes. “What I am about to tell you does not leave this room. Is that understood?”

  “Yes sir.” Mac felt a mixture of relief and confusion. What the hell had been happening?

  The Captain sighed before continuing. “As you may or may not be aware, the XO was passed-over for promotion and it subsequently affected his work performance. I have files full of complaints from the senior officers. Nothing was actionable, however, so he remained. Then we had the encounter with the Redshift ship. First, he ordered firing of the lasers after hearing the report of the other ship’s strength. Remember we were still in stealth mode at the time. We could have retreated and summoned assistance. My order to belay was too late, and the firing order was executed. In that instance he showed extremely poor judgment. When the situation became desperate and I requested input from the bridge crew, he dismissed your contribution without hearing you out. A good officer knows when to listen, and what he did could have cost us all our lives. In my opinion his actions are grounds for dismissal from the service, but a military board of inquiry will decide what to do with him.”

  Mac digested the information, then wondered why she was being told any of it. “So it was a Redshift vessel then?”

  He nodded. “Yes—that much we have determined. It suffered severe damage to its power systems. Some of the forward hull was crushed, but fortunately it was a heavily automated ship and the crew complement was relatively small. Once we handled our emergency repairs, our marine contingent boarded the ship and seized control. Redshift casualties were low, and we were able to interview their commander and several others. They have been locked in quarters and put in stasis sleep, and our techs are making propulsion repairs to their ship.

  “Sir, if I may ask, what happens now?”

  “The XO will take the ship back to Serenity.”

  Mac frowned. “The XO is commanding the Redshift vessel?”

  “Yes. What he does not know is that I have placed a reprimand in his permanent record. When he gets back to Serenity he may expect a promotion, which frequently happens when a prize is captured and returned. What will actually happen is a board of inquiry, and in all likelihood, dismissal from the service. It is unlikely we will see him again.”

  Mac considered her response before saying, “I’m sorry to hear that a UDA officer has embarrassed the service.”

  The Captain snorted in apparent amusement and nodded. “Well said, Ensign. Most people would say good riddance. Few would have the personal ethics to rise above petty anger, considering what he tried to do to you personally.”

  “Thank you sir. If I may ask, how are we doing? Is the Valkyrie repaired?”

  “Repairs are progressing. We have a few more days on the outer hull breach, but we were fortunate that the inner hull held pressure just fine. The thrusters have been repaired. We should be able to get underway when the Redshift vessel departs.”

  “I’m happy to hear that, sir. What about the cargo vessel? There did not appear to be any signs of life when I last saw her.”

  It was an automated cargo ship, and that explains the lack of any distress calls. It was easy pickings. By the time we arrived, the Redshift vessel had salvaged almost all of the cargo. The derelict, or what’s left of it, has been pushed into a course to the nearest sun.

  Mac bit her lip, and the Captain said, “Ask your question, Pickett. I know you have been dying to ask.”

  “I still don’t know why the main drive came on-line, sir. I know I didn’t do it, and I’m sure Ensign Davis didn’t. Lieutenant Bain wasn’t close enough to the navigation console. So who did?”

  “I’m not at liberty to share that information, Ensign. It is classified at the highest levels. I’m not going to restrict you from trying to find out on your own, but if you do investigate keep in mind article 106a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”

  Mac sat back, stunned. On the one hand he seemed to want her to investigate. On the other was the death penalty for disclosing anything she might discover. This was a dangerous game to play. Her mouth had gone dry, and she tried to swallow. “I understand, sir.”

  He nodded. “I see that you do. Keep me apprised of your progress. Now to more mundane matters. We have to replace the XO. I cannot transfer the Chief Engineer as he would be wasted in that position, and I need him where he is. The best candidate, at least until the next duty rotation, is Lieutenant Bain. Unfortunately I have no one of appropriate rank to fill his spot, and we aren’t technically at war so I cannot perform a field promotion. I can, however, put a qualified ensign in charge of the navigation division on a temporary basis. Do you have a recommendation?”

  “I’m fresh out of the academy, sir, and I’ve been aboard just a few weeks. I don’t think I’m qualified to make a recommendation. I’m still getting to know the other officers in my division.”

  “Fair enough. Fortunately, I do have someone in mind, someone recommended by a strong majority of the division chiefs. Someone who has exhibited consummate navigation skills in combat, has excellent relations with all the other divisions including enlisted personnel, showed poise in the face of the enemy, and made a recommendation that saved all our lives.”

  Mac stared at the Captain, his words echoing in her head. He couldn’t mean what he seemed to mean, could he? “Sir, I hope you aren’t suggesting me. I’m not remotely qualified.”

  “I disagree. Ensign Pickett, you are temporarily assigned as navigation division chief until the next duty rotation. This is not a promotion, so you are stuck with your current quarters. Since we do not have any extra navigation officers, you will stand your regular watches as well. Talk to the new XO about your duties. Dismissed.”

  Mac’s jaw hung open as she processed the news. When she didn’t make a move to get up, the Captain chuckled and said, “Dismissed, acting division chief.”

  She stood and saluted, then turned and left the Captain’s office. The door slid shut behind her and she slumped against the corridor wall. Cale stepped over and put a hand on her shoulder. “You okay? You look a bit ashen. He didn’t relieve you did he?”

  She blew out a breath through pursed lips. “No, he didn’t relieve me. He assigned extra duty.”

  “That doesn’t sound good. What did you get, power core inspection detail or something?”

  “No, worse.” She looked up into his face. “You’re looking at your new boss.”

  Chapter 5, Acting Division Chief

  “The hard part,” said Lieutenant Bain, the former Navigation Officer and now acting XO, “is going to be getting the respect of the people who work for you. Some may view you as undeserving, an interloper into the presumed hierarchy. All of them have a year or two of service under their belts already, and you’re fresh out of the academy. There’s no way of knowing what their reaction will be, because this is a rather unusual situation. You’re going to have to win them over, Ensign Pickett, and the Captain is watching this closely.”

  Bain looked tired, as though the stress of his new assignment was causing him to miss sleep. “How do I do that?”

  “I think you know. I read your academy record. You were a platoon leader. Those assignments are not given lightly. Some people are natural leaders, like it or not. Be the leader. Act the part and they’ll follow.”

  “It’s that easy?”

  “No, of course not. Listen, I’m in the same position, just a few steps higher. My advantage is that I’ve been playing the leadership role for quite a while. I’ll help you where I can, but you’re on the front lines.”

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best.”

  “I’m sure you will. Beyond leadership, your new role has a lot o
f administrative tasks. You’ll find a breakdown in the nav officer’s partition on the ship’s computer core, along with past daily division readiness and weekly fitness reports. Follow the same format, and get them in by twelve-hundred hours. Look through it all to get a feel for it, then see me if you have any questions. Dismissed.”

  “Yes sir, thank you sir.” She stood, saluted, and exited his quarters. The stress cramp in her stomach hadn’t gotten any better with Bain’s rather weak explanation of her duties. She had hoped he would be more forthcoming. No doubt he was feeling his way around his new assignment as well, and couldn’t afford to help ease her into hers. It was not surprising though, since it was something the military was known for. Toss someone into the river to see if they can swim. Swimming she could do, but her gut was telling her the river was mined.

  ***

  Mac sat at the head of the B-deck conference room table. In the seats sat the three other ensigns of the navigation division, their faces showing a mix of emotions. Her stomach was in knots again, but she dared not show any hesitancy in front of the wolf-pack.

  “Thank you all for coming, especially those of you who are off-watch. I wanted to have this meeting before we’re underway and don’t have time for a full division meeting. First let me say that this is as much a surprise to me as I’m sure it is to all of you. Two days ago I was under arrest and in confinement, and assuming my career was over. Before I begin with my meeting agenda, I’d like to hear your questions and concerns. I’m sure you have some. Except for Cale, I don’t know the rest of you well because of the watch rotation. Let’s go around the table. Rayna, why don’t you start.

  Ensign Rayna Briggs was a tall black haired beauty with a ready smile. The few times Mac had seen her previously, she had noted with some dismay how the eyes of all the males in her vicinity seemed to track her. In most cases it wasn’t overt, but Rayna seemed to be oblivious to all the attention. She smiled and looked around the table, then back at Mac. “I’m sorry, I don’t know how to address you. You aren’t my superior officer, and you are junior to all of us in seniority. And yet you are the navigation division chief.”

  Mac smiled. “Actually I’m just the acting division chief, but that’s a fair question, Rayna. I think, given the unusual circumstances, we should all just continue to use first names. And please do not salute me. I’m not your superior officer. I do, however, have duties as the acting division chief that I am required to perform, and need all of your support in that capacity.”

  Ensign Nathan Haike, the other navigation officer, said, “I need to be honest here, I’m not real comfortable with this. Why were you given this assignment over any of us? We have quite a bit more experience.”

  This was the question Mac had been dreading. “I don’t know for certain. The Captain assigned it to me personally, and he didn’t offer an explanation. You all know how it is when you get a new assignment. You don’t get to ask why or how.”

  Cale shook his head. “Mac, you know as well as I do why you got the job. I saw what you did on the bridge. You saved our asses with your idea, even if you weren’t the one who pushed the button. I also saw firsthand what the XO tried to do to you later. I may not like reporting to someone with less seniority, but at least I’m alive to feel that way. Besides, you’re a good person and a hell of a driver.”

  The last comment caught her by surprise, and Mac felt the tension go out of the room. “Thanks for that, Cale.” She looked around the table. “Let me assure you all that I’m not being promoted. The Captain made that abundantly clear. My time as division chief will be brief. At the next duty rotation I expect to be back to being a regular ensign with the least seniority, and we’ll all be reporting to a JG. In the mean time, though, we need to get on with the task at hand. Are you all on board?”

  They all nodded, although Haike hesitated before doing so. She’d have to keep an eye on him. “Okay, since we have no other trained navigation officers aboard, I will be standing a regular watch with the rest of you. I will pop in on other watch shifts as well. The watch rotation will not change unless any of you want to trade slots. I have no plans to change the system that Lieutenant Bain set up, especially since he might be back in this job after the next duty rotation. Any questions?”

  She made eye contact with each person, but no one spoke up. “Very well. The other item on my agenda for this meeting is this: Have any of you noticed anything odd or unusual about the navigation system?”

  They looked at each other in apparent confusion, then back at Mac. Rayna said, “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “I am reluctant to tell you what I’ve noticed since I don’t want to color your comments. It may be just that the system is new to me, but something doesn’t seem quite right.”

  Haike said, “I haven’t noticed anything personally, but the weapons officer on duty during the incident said that the armor system came on-line by itself just as he was about to enter the command. I thought he was crazy.”

  “Well that’s certainly interesting. As you may have heard through the grapevine, the command to burn the main drive untuned was my idea, but no one entered the command. Anyone else?”

  No one spoke, so Mac continued, “Please keep your eyes and ears open, but don’t start any rumors with the crew. The Captain knows my concerns, and while he didn’t forbid me from investigating, he doesn’t want rumors circulating. If you see or hear anything, please come see me. A glitchy system is a danger to us all. Does anyone have any other questions?”

  Cale asked, “There are a lot of rumors circulating about the ship we encountered. Was it a Redshift vessel?”

  “The Captain thinks so, based on our interrogation of their commander.”

  “Why Redshift? I mean, what does the name mean?”

  “I have no idea beyond the standard definition of the frequency shift of a receding light source toward the red end of the visual spectrum. Red is the mythological color of malevolence, which seems appropriate given their activities. We may never know.” She looked around the table. “Anything else?” She met each of their eyes, and when no one said anything further she continued, “Okay, that’s enough for today. Thank you, and let’s get back to work.”

  They all rose and filed out of the room, leaving Mac sitting alone at the table. Half a minute went by as she sat and thought about the meeting, then Cale poked his head back in and knocked on the wall.

  Mac asked, “Forget something?”

  “Not exactly. I didn’t want them to think I had any special relationship with you, so I left and doubled back.” He pulled out a chair and sat down. “Can you tell me about your meeting with the Captain? Going in under arrest and coming out with a promotion has everyone talking.”

  She didn’t want to raise suspicions by seeming too secretive, but the Captain had been quite specific about not sharing certain information. Still, she had to tell him something. “It’s not a promotion, Cale. At best it’s a temporary assignment. He told me that I have been cleared of all suspicion, and that my recommendation from the Commandant of the Academy weighed heavily in his decision to appoint me as acting division chief.” That wasn’t exactly how it had gone down, but perhaps close enough to the truth to be believable.

  His eyebrows went up. “Surely you don’t expect me to believe that the Commandant gave you a recommendation. I got into some minor trouble and got dressed down by him once. That bitter old man couldn’t say one nice thing about anyone.”

  “I know, I find it hard to believe myself, but that’s not all. Apparently I aced Hargrove’s navigation eval.”

  “No kidding? That’s totally impressive. Did the Captain tell you that?”

  “Yeah. Now tell me what you did to get called before the Commandant.”

  He grinned. “Not much. It was innocuous, honest.”

  “I’m not buying it. Give.”

  “Well, when I was a plebe at the academy, he had this little schnauzer with a bowel problem. A group of us were assigned to clean up
after this poop machine for an entire month. Let’s just say that none of the stuff ever made it into the sanitary system.”

  Mac laughed, “Oh my god, that was you?”

  Chapter 6, Contact

  The ship was underway for a week before Mac had a chance to think about the navigation system again. Her new duties as acting division chief were in addition to her normal duties, and she had spent all of her free time learning her new job. It wasn’t difficult work, just tedious and time consuming. When she finished most days, she went straight to bed so she wouldn’t fall asleep at the navigation console. Sleeping on duty would end her brief career in a hurry.

  B-deck aft contained a large conference room as well as individual study rooms that would normally be staterooms if the ship was fully manned. Since they were under-strength, there were several study rooms available. She sat in one between her two daily watch shifts, reviewing automated navigation command logs and system responses. Just as she had suspected, there appeared to be an intermittent timing lag between issued commands and execution. Unfortunately, information regarding the incident with the Redshift vessel had been secured, so that most critical event was not accessible.

  The navigation sub-system was a part of the ship’s massive computer core. Haike had reported the rumor about the armor system becoming active on its own, and if true it pointed to a system-wide issue. She activated her pad’s voice input function and said, “List command execution delay statistics.”

  After an unusually long delay, a smooth feminine voice replied, “A fatal exception error has occurred. Please restate your request.”

  Mac frowned. Fatal exception errors were extremely rare. “Describe last error.”

  “Logic gate three failed to parse system response.”

  Whoa, that was seriously strange. The basic system intelligence had created a response, but one of the eight logic gates that checked all responses had determined that the output was invalid. Disabling logic gates was supposed to be impossible, but she had a workaround that a technically adept colleague had given her back at the academy. It usually showed how idiotic supposedly intelligent systems were, and she expected nothing different here. It wasn’t exactly legal, but she would remove it as soon as she had an answer anyway.