"Yes, sir. Will you excuse me, sir?"
"You're dismissed, Lieutenant. And, thank you."
I was a bit more upbeat than usual for the rest of that morning and into the afternoon. Around sixteen hundred thirty hours the Lieutenant reappeared - exhausted again.
"I have that video, sir." This time she saluted in the doorway before entering.
"Come in. Grab a drink and relax, Lieutenant...?" I let it drift off in a questioning tone.
"Lieutenant Gibbons, sir. I'm sorry about that. I guess I was so excited this morning that, I forgot to introduce myself."
"That's okay. Show me what you've got."
She grabbed a bottled water and headed to the conversation area. Linking the devices, she projected the image on the screen; then, zoomed to the first ship. It was the FSS Apollo. It's two subordinate ships and one Tier Three Headquarters was there, too. Besides the security flotillas and the two hospital ships, there were a couple of dozen more vessels. Tso Shah had saved a portion of his command.
"Can you get the exact position of the Apollo, from this?"
"Yes, sir. That's no problem. I already have it." She called it up on her screen.
"Please send me the enhanced video, the coordinates and any other info you have on this?"
"Yes, sir." She tapped her screen. My annunciator sounded.
"Lieutenant, you will get a promotion for this. This is excellent work."
"Thank you, sir."
"Do you like the OFSA?"
"Yes, sir. I wouldn't trade my career for anything."
"Do you plan to make it a lifetime one?"
"Yes, sir. I want to retire as a Fleet Admiral at seventy years old."
"I'm sure you will, Lieutenant Gibbons. I won't forget you. And, it always helps to have an Admiral know your alive and good at your job. If it weren't for Admirals Bryant and Nichols, I wouldn't be in my position."
"Thank you, sir. I'll try to never let you down."
"I'm sure you won't, Lieutenant Gibbons. You're dismissed!" I snapped with a smile.
She rose, saluted, turned, and left the room.
MEMO
CLASSIFIED - SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - Authentication Root I.D. # CC-ZetHQ-YU21387-650%$
From:F. Adm. K. Brubacher Zeta -HQ Commander
To:F. Adm. T. Shah Delta -HQ Commander
C.C:All C&C
Re:We see you. Come Home!
Date:October 14, 2269
Admiral Shah,
A very bright young Lieutenant spotted the image of your ship and the attached armada, today. Several months back, we found a method of both defense and attack that we could direct towards the Isesinis. They are the trespassers in our territory. Subsequently, we have taken back a corridor through some Bootes and Virgo systems and have recaptured Sol. A majority of our Federation Territory is still in Isesinis hands, though.
We invite you to make your way to us. If you cannot travel here directly, we suggest you head to Lambda Bootis; then, move on to Xi Bootis. After that, it's a simple matter to get to Sol. That entire route is protected. Should you decide on this roundabout method, be advised that the Spiel and the Polemista are allied with us in the fight against our invaders. The trading partners around our territory are all still friendly towards us.
Gamma, Epsilon and Zeta Headquarters survived the initial invasion intact. Some of Beta was recovered and has since been restored to a full Headquarters operation. We have access to several ship manufacturing and assembly facilities, and the Academies to fill new ships from. The ships in the current five HQ field concerns have all been modified to fight the Isesinis. We look forward to rebuilding your Command to its full strength and upgrading all your systems. Most of all, we will enjoy your presence again.
Future plans include actions to recover more of the Federation and free our citizens.
Our deepest regards,
F. Admiral K. Brubacher
per C&C Commission
I had the message beamed to the exact location of the Apollo and to all my partners. Over the next half-day, I received several responses from the other C&C Commission Members. They were all overjoyed. I knew I wouldn't receive a reply from Shah for awhile. It would take four days nine hours each way for messages. Even if he reacts quickly, I won't see a return communication until late on October 23.
MEMO
IN THE CLEAR - CONFIDENTIAL
UNENCRYPTED
From:F. Adm. K. Brubacher C&C / Zeta -HQ Commander
To:Commander H. Petifor Zeta -HQ Chief of Communications
C.C:No other distribution
Re:Recent Discovery
Date:October 14, 2269
Commander Petifor,
I am sure Lieutenant Gibbons advised you of her recent find. This is a top secret development. We do not want loose lips tipping the enemy to the fact that another contingent may be available for our effort. Your silence is appreciated. You may rest assured that the proper announcements will be made when Delta HQ is safe within the corridor we protect.
I would like to review Lieutenant Gibbons' record with you. Though possibly a bit over zealous, she seems to be a bright and dependable officer who takes the initiative. Please appear at my office at eleven hundred hours, tomorrow for a meeting to discuss her future. Please bring all personnel records about her time within your command. I will access her OFSA file, myself. Please do not discuss this communication with her until after our conference. I look forward to our meeting.
F. Admiral K. Brubacher
Gibbons has an interesting file. First of all, she's older than she appears. The Lieutenant holds a Master's level degree in Electrical Engineering and is taking courses through our extension facility towards her doctorate. Though she's been an engineering/computer and communications type over her career, she completed the Command Program at the Academy before her commissioning. She has held positions in various areas and risen in rank from Ensign to First Lieutenant. She is human and was born and raised in Fargo North Dakota, a very short distance from my birthplace in Detroit Lakes Minnesota. No wonder I like her.
.......................................................................................................................
"So, what's your impression and assessment of Gibbons?" I asked Commander Petifor after we had a beverage and were comfortably seated.
"You were right in your memo. She is zealous. But, I wouldn't consider it overdone. It never causes mistakes or problems. It's more like a religious fervor. She is OFSA through and through. I think she knows the complete R&R by heart.
She's an excellent communications engineer. She's prompt. Always interested in her work. And, she wants to run the OFSA some day."
"Who knows? It might be possible. She did take the Command Program. But, she's never done tactical duty. Maybe she's got the skills. Would it hurt your department to lose her?"
"Sir, I would never consider that. If someone's ready for promotion to a job outside of Communications, they should get it. I've been recommending an elevation for a while. But, I never considered tactical jobs."
"No, that's not your place, anyway. So, it's okay with you if I offer Lieutenant Gibbons a job?"
"Of course, sir. I'd be happy to see her advance. Besides, you're the boss!" Petifor smiled.
"Okay. I'll send her a request for a meeting. I'm going to make her an offer. You're dismissed, Commander!" Petifor rose, saluted and left.
After he'd gone, I realized I should look at his file, too. His people are so well trained in hitting a target a couple of hundred light-years away. And, they are excellent at all the encryption protocols we use. It's a testament to him.
He has an excellent history; but, has stuck strictly to the service side of the business. He holds a doctorate in Computer Sciences. I rack my brain for a bit because the more I read the file, the more he seems familiar. Then, it hits me. I pull the paper folder from my top drawer and go through the names. He is an android!
Regardl
ess, he is due for a promotion. He is running my HQ Communications, and all subsequent Commands follow his lead. He will be promoted at the same time as Gibbons.
..............................................................................................................
"Lieutenant Gibbons reporting as requested, sir." She stood in my doorway holding a salute the next morning.
"Come in and relax. You know the protocol. Grab a drink and have a seat."
"Thank you, sir."
"I was impressed with you the other day Lieutenant; so, I floated a few inquiries and checked your personnel records. And, I don't mean I was just impressed by the discovery you made. I liked your attitude.
I noticed you took the Command Program at the Academy. Do you have an interest in following that career path?"
"Yes, sir. That was my whole reason for joining. I followed my science training because we all have to have a starting point. And, I love electrical engineering and programming. So, it's a comfortable place until my chance comes along."
"That's good to hear. I'd like to give you that chance right, now. If you agree, I will promote you to Lieutenant Commander and assign you to a bridge operation. However, a person of that rank needs to be up on all the bridge protocols to do the job. So, I'd send you to our extension program full-time for three months. You'd review navigation, propulsion, tactics, and bridge protocols. Then, you'd be assigned as the fifth shift Bridge Commanders First Officer. After that, you'd work your way up through the shifts to the Exec position as a full Commander. Then, we'd move you to flight training. You need a minimum six months Fighter experience to captain a Carrier. And, you need Carrier Command experience to reach a tactical Flag Level Command.
Optionally, you may want to leave us after a year on one of our bridges. Commanding one of Admiral Bryant's autonomous Frigates gives your career a real nudge. You'd do the Raptor duty after that, instead. What do you think?"
"Sir, you've made me so happy. It's what I've always wanted."
"You will have to take care, though. As a shift first officer, you are responsible for all the personnel on that team. You watch them. You train them. You assess them. There are eighteen stations on the bridge. You need to be able to deal with all of them. And, you need to be able to Command the ship when your team is on duty, and your boss needs to leave the Command Station. This is serious stuff. Even a shift-five first officer is responsible for nearly six thousand people when in charge on a Carrier. Can you deal with that."
"Well Admiral, you never really know until you try. But, it's what I always wanted. So, I think I'll be able to handle it. It will just take a little work, at first."
"Okay then. You will be promoted in a ceremony, at eleven hundred tomorrow. There will also be a more senior elevation. So, there will be a luncheon and a dinner/dance party in honor of it. Don your mess uniform to the observance. And wear your dress uniform to the bash. You will not be assigned after your increase in rank. You will be detached from your current command so you can attend the Academy, full time. Do you have any questions?"
"No, sir. And, thank you for the opportunity." Her eyes welled a little.
She passed Commander Petifor on the way out.
"Commander Petifor reporting as ordered, sir."
"Come in. Grab something from the bar. Then, take a seat over there and relax." I pointed to the nest of sofas and chairs.
"How'd it go with Lieutenant Gibbons?"
"Magnificent. She wants to do it. She'll be promoted, tomorrow."
"That's good. She deserves it."
"Lieutenant Gibbons is not the only one."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Well, I was so impressed with her. And, then I realized your whole department is like that. Hundreds, if not thousands, of communications, are sent and received daily. That doesn't include all the remote feeds you manage for the extra-long range sensor net. I realized you do a hell of a job. So, I want to offer you an elevation, too. Your job won't really change. You'd still be assigned as Chief of Communications for Zeta HQ. But, you deserve a raise.
So, I want to elevate you to Commodore. I sent the warrants to my partners and the CIC. They're approved. Your income would rise by nearly fifty percent. You would reside in Flag Officers Quarters, and your Office would be here on the Flag Level. So even though the job isn't altered, your money and benefits are. I just felt your service has been so good that the promotion was warranted."
"Gee, I don't know what to say. What I mean is, it's a surprise. I've never been promoted without a change in assignment. I didn't realize that happened."
"It happens all the time. We have good people who are deserving. And, for one reason or another, they can't be moved. So, we elevate them. But their's a limit. Each position is described in the R&R including its minimum and maximum ranks. Unless you take the Command Program, you won't be able to go beyond Rear Admiral. Your next upgrade would be your last."
"Well, I accept, sir. And, I will think seriously about the Command Program. But, I'm not really sure if I'm the tactical type."
"Go see counseling and personnel, if you want to pursue it. They can test you. If they say you have the aptitude, you will probably do well. If not, you haven't lost anything."
"Thank you, sir. I'll do that."
"Anyway, you will be raised in rank at a ceremony at eleven hundred, tomorrow. Wear your mess uniform. There'll be a light luncheon in your honor at noon. Then, there'll be a dinner/dance party at eighteen hundred in hangar-A. Wear your dress uniform to that one. And congratulations Homer. And, welcome aboard the Flag Bridge." I offered a handshake as I rose.
"Thank you, sir." He took the hand. Offered a salute. Then, turned and left.
.........................................................................................................................
Late October 24, I received a reply from Shah.
MEMO
CLASSIFIED - SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - Authentication Root I.D. # CC-Om-HQ-IE01167-331%$
From:F. Adm. T. Shah Delta -HQ Commander
To:F. Adm. K. Brubacher Zeta -HQ Commander
C.C:All C&C (please forward)
Re:We see you. Come Home!
Date:October 19, 2269
Admiral Brubacher,
What a pleasure and relief it was to get your communiqué. And, thanks for the update. It's nice to hear things are moving in a positive direction.
The Orion Federation Region around me is heavily patrolled by our antagonists. So, I do not feel I should risk my Command and its personnel on a direct route. The indirect one is three hundred twelve light-years. Though I do not want to stress my people more than necessary, we will make the trip in ten jumps at thirty percent. We will stop for one day between each leg of the journey. Speed is of the essence since, we have lots of fuel, gasses, and water; but, are now running low on ammunitions and supplies. Executing the trip in this way should bring us to you in forty-nine days without endangering my people and without having to ration their food.
I am so excited at the prospects of being part of the larger OFSA again that, it took considerable restraint to make this decision. We are in the process of implementing the first conduit as I write this. I will see you on December 7, and look forward to spending the holiday season with friends. Delta has been alone too long. Thanks again.
F. Adm. Tso Shah
This was the topper for what had been a good month, so far. The two promotions went well at mid-month. Petifor has his quarters and office up here. He is happy with all the extra room. His new office is big enough to hold small meetings in. His conversation area will take nine in a pinch. He likes that. It beats reserving a room every time you want to hold a small gathering of your personnel.
Gibbons is happily ensconced in her Academy classes. I spoke to all the ship Captains who could use a Level Four shift First Officer. We can offer her two positions. One spot is available on the Inquisitor. Another one needs filling on the c
arrier FSS Monitor. I will have to look in on her once in a while.
.........................................................................................................................
In mid-November, we started receiving regular communications from Shah. He was out of the danger zone and felt safe exchanging messages. So, he was included in all C&C Commission messaging, and anything we had that might pertain to Delta. In return, he sent his logs and daily reports. The shocker was the description of his flotilla.
It was made up of the four Mobile Headquarters Stations, the two Hospital ships, the twenty-four security vessels, the sixteen supply vessels for the Supercarriers, nine full Fleets and their supply crafts and six assorted ships not attached to larger commands. In all two hundred thirty-two, Delta units were on the way with over four hundred thousand personnel.
It took over a week for one of us to realize there might be an issue. It was Savign who raised the matter at a Commission meeting.
"Aren't we going to have a problem when Delta arrives?"
"What do you mean?" Addison Blythe asked.
"Well, we always reenter normal space inside the orbit of Mars and slow to approach speed by the time we get to a hundred thousand kilometers. With the entire OFSA in this small corridor out to Lambda Bootis, there's a lot of ships around Earth. The space between here and the lunar orbit is full. Bringing over two hundred into that region could be dangerous if they're moving too fast."
"Kurt, you've been handling all the regular communications with Delta. Can you let Shah know?" Grace asked.
"Sure. I'll look after it when we adjourn."
So, I advised Admiral Shah. He was now close enough to respond within a few hours. They would come out of FTL between the asteroid belt and Mars and use the extra distance to slow to a near crawl as they entered the region inside the moon's trajectory.
........................................................................................................................
Tuesday, December 7, 2269, was like a holiday. You'd have thought we were welcoming conquering heroes. The hoopla and celebration went on for two days.
But, on the Tuesday when Delta arrived, he and his Senior Commanders were first asked to report to the Commission and the C&C aboard the Examiner where we were holding the current session. So, we received him with all the fanfare a Fleet Admiral should get. He and his party were piped aboard. We went to the large boardroom for a private cocktail luncheon. Then we held a short meeting to schedule the Delta debriefing and officially welcomed his Command home. The Commission ordered a Delta "stand down" for a month. They needed a break, and it would create the time to repair, modify and resupply his flotilla. King David presented the King Edward Cross to him for heroism in saving a great deal of his organization and bringing them home safely.
Righteous Reign The Series: E-version Boxed Set Edition Page 117