by James Edward
“I don’t think that’s the case,” Bruce said. “I gave it a lot of thought on the trip back. I believe they want to have these ships on station at the pacified planets and systems. These could be refurbished enough to be used to drop troops or kews on resistance spots. That would free up an equal amount of modern ships to chase and engage the remnants of the fleet.”
“Well that would make more sense,” Ray agreed. “Either way, it would have added to their arsenal, so it was a good move to scuttle those old ships, especially the dreads. By the way, Bruce, the battleship is yours if you want it. You’ve earned it.
“Jeb, it’s good to see you. I hope you’re interested in a ship as well; it seems that we will have some spares. Our special group would like to pick you brain for any info you have. Maybe you can join Sinclair and me for dinner?”
“Did you go off and get married?” Jeb exclaimed with a huge smile. “I thought your ship was your mistress. This woman must be Major Special if she has roped you. I would love to meet her. Say six?”
“Yeah, that would be fine.” Ray smiled back. “She is special and has done wonders for the war effort. She also helps me keep on track.”
Jeb joined them at their comfortable apartment at six that evening. He was completely taken back when he saw Sinclair. She was of course lovely and charming, and Jeb had to check himself a couple of time to make sure he wasn’t just smiling foolishly. He got a hug and a kiss on the cheek and was surprised when he was informed that there would be another guest for dinner. He was intimidated to the max when Admiral Weatherfew entered the apartment. He had heard about the great admiral and his supposed disgrace but was under the impression that he had been removed from office and imprisoned.
“Wow, a double whammy—Sinclair lovelier than I was told and you, sir. I don’t know whether to stand at attention or salute or just shake your hand.” Jed smiled.
“Well as far as I’m concerned, being a civilian, standing on old Fleet protocols really doesn’t work here,” Weatherfew stated as he shook Jeb’s hand. “I understand that you were in charge of Carver station and the mothballed ships there.”
“It was an interesting job actually, sir,” Jeb replied. “I spent a huge amount of time investigating the ships and their histories. We had some really good warhorses out there. I was sad to see Bruce destroy them, but that was better than having them fall into enemy hands.
“But I’m being rude. Sinclair, it is an honor to meet you. I understand now why Ray fell for you. You are far prettier than the ships that Ray captained. We always thought that Ray was married to his ship, but I now see that he had more depth.” Jeb’s eyes twinkled at her as he teased Ray. She, her laughter tinkling, took it all in stride. Ray ushered them into a small living room, and they sat sipping drinks while Sinclair finished preparing the meal.
“The Admiral is the architect of this system. I’m the tool to get it built, and with Sin’s help, we were able to get most of the job done under the very nose of the PRC,” Ray said. “You have just arrived so are not up to speed on what we have accomplished, but in the next week, you should be getting a grasp on what we have been able to do. Jeb, thanks to the people we recruited and freedom from red tape and political manipulating, we have shipyards and a massive solar forge that makes exotic metals that are far superior the present-day Fleet ships. We have ceramic armor, nano technology, far more powerful missiles and weapons, a completely redesigned warship, carriers, and a system that now houses well over 100,000 residents. Since the Second Battle of the Gate, we have closed off the system to outside people except for the occasional rebel fleet ship or refugees.”
“Well, Ray, I was the designer of the idea, but you were the one that built all of this. Jeb, this system is stronger and more ready to fight than all the systems in the empire,” Weatherfew announced. “Very few systems heeded any our warnings, and none of them went into overdrive to start building defenses. Ray has fought off an incursion of pirates, a push by Great Ursa to enter the system, and an invasion by eleven PRC warships, destroying all of the ships with minimal loss to the system. What was it, Ray? Twelve Taipans and the marines that were outside the station. That was not to minimalize the deaths of anybody, especially the marines. Suffice to say it was a devastating defeat to Fuggoret and the PRC. We have spent weeks interrogating the surviving captains and bridge crews. These people are only one step up from being pirates; their plan was to space us all. I have watched the proceedings but haven’t appeared, as the little they know, the better. Right now they are housed under very heavy guard in a huge warehouse next to the Guard One station. No ship is allowed into the system except for our own, and everybody that works on the ships was first vetted through our security.
“We do allow nonaligned ships in as far as the warehouse platform and tank farm near the gate. We trade only with a select few traders, none of which are in Great Ursa’s pocket. They drop supplies at the warehouse and have bladders that are used for loading fuel. We give them free fuel for their ships and work out a trade system of products for fuel to take back to their bases.” Ray smiled. “We have three planetoids that are housing the Conradians, two moons being developed, and one moon that is a training base for marines. As well we are in the process of hollowing out another moon that will house a rather large and diverse livestock and agriculture system. All these are protected by what we call guard platforms. Vicious stations that can slug it out with a battleship and win. There are now four of them designated with protecting us, with four more on the books. We also discovered that we have a better use for a battle carrier. In most situations, we now try to get into close quarters with the enemy fleet.
“Our ability to hide until we are close gets us an advantage, and a carrier will put four hundred Taipan fighters in the mix. These fighters are as powerful as a corvette and super-fast. They have oversized internal dampers installed, and they can turn on a dime and weave at high speeds. This makes them hard to track and even harder to get a missile lock on. We did lose some to countermeasures and point defense rail guns, so we are back into study about that. Size was a problem; to make it fast and super maneuverable, we had to sacrifice shielding. Our shield emitters on the fighters are pretty small. The R&D boys are working on embedded nano emitters on the entire skin. The prototype is showing results, but when the emitters are damaged, they can’t be replaced except at a repair ship or yard. That effectively takes the fighter out of the battle or the next battle. I have suggested that Sergie and Fred Arness collaborate and come up with an idea. Fred is an engineering genius, by the way. When those two get together, you have no idea what ideas they will come up with or what machinery will be produced.
“Now we also have an electronic communications genius by the name of Frank Russ. He has helped to design a satellite that is cloaked, shielded, and very quiet, with no emissions leaks. We have set these up in almost every system now, and on almost every planet there is a transmitter. This relay system takes a signal from a planet and sends it to the satellite. From the satellite it is relayed via hyper speed to the next satellite and so on, always getting boosted until it arrives here. We get the news up to ten days faster than the PRC can, depending on range of course.”
“This is amazing,” Jeb exclaimed. “You know, I joined the Fleet to get the opportunity to be in on the newest and most advanced projects. These fighters and carriers really pique my interest. I wonder if there is a position in the fighter arm of this fleet that I could fit into.”
“Why don’t you touch bases with Jenny Rider and Jeff Brakemen? They are both working in the Anaconda/fighter field. I would expect that they could slot you into a position there if you are interested. We are always short of people, one of the reasons that we are going on a raid to Doust,” Ray said. “I see that Sin is standing in the doorway, so let’s join her and eat.”
Later after the guests had gone and Ray had helped Sin clean up, they were lying on the couch wrapped up in
each other’s arms. It came to Ray just how much they had accomplished in such a short time. He barely saw his head of R&D, Sergie Raspburton. Sergie was working hard to get the bugs out of the next-generation star drive that didn’t need gates and was over twice as fast as the present-day ship’s drive. He knew that all departments were in the thick of things to build and protect the system. Secondary departments were working on the domestic problems. Ray had decided to transfer Bev to the domestic side. They had enough refugees to help build a domestic infrastructure and deal with the inherent problems that had to be solved in a committee. If a problem wasn’t solved in the domestic committee, then it was kicked upstairs to Major Systems Administration, and Ray handled it.
He worried as to what would happen when the entire PRC attacked Conrad. He knew that they would lose an all-out pitch battle with the entire fleet. He also knew that they were a nut that the PRC would be willing to crack, given time. He talked quietly to Sinclair, using her as a sounding board. Eventually he worked his way around the problem by deciding that after the rescue from Doust, he would convene a meeting to devise a strategy for taking the war to the PRC. Better to fight in their turf than wait for them to mess up theirs.
CHAPTER 15
Doust
THE DECISION TO RAID DOUST was put to the planning committee. It was hashed out for two weeks before a plan was developed and the parts and pieces were picked over for improvement. They would go to Doust with a battleship, a heavy cruiser, two cruisers, one Anaconda, and five heated freighters. The battleship would carry ten extra shuttles, and the freighters would have the maximum shuttles even if they were strapped to the sides of the freighters. Word was sent out to Lyn on the Covert ship to go to Doust and hack the orbiting satellites to allow the ships to slip in and out without raising any alarms.
A week later after all had been loaded and the route scouted by the escort corvettes, they moved the prisoners of the Second Gate Battle into the hold of one of the freighters with a substantial marine guard, and as a fleet they left for Doust.
Ray talked to the fleet before they left, wishing them good luck and a safe mission. Olaf Trogsen was the commander of the fleet of his new and improved (repaired) battleship Valkyrie. This was once Alfred Noble’s battleship Iroquois, but spoils of war and all, it was now completely redone, and the engines had the nanobots deactivated so that there was no worry about them attacking the power systems on the ship. His ship was better armored, with better weapons and a better and more powerful power plant. It had the cloaking ability and an improved EMP protection package, and he also had a far more improved electronics system. Valkyrie, one heavy cruiser, two cruisers, one Anaconda carrier, and five freighters made up this small fleet. The two-week delay was to install the cloaking emitters on the freighters. The plan was fairly simple; go in and pick up the internees, drop off the prisoners, and depart unseen. Every ship would be hidden until they could check the system out and ensure that there were no surprises. Once they knew it was clear, they would make contact.
It took two weeks for the task force to reach the Jovan system and work their way past inhabited planet Darnen. This planet was in the firm grip of the PRC. They saw ships coming and going from the orbiting docks around the planet.
They were just moving into the proper orbit around Doust when Olaf got a communication from Lyn.
“Put her on screen,” Olaf said.
“Greetings, Commodore Trogsen,” Lyn said as she saw Olaf. Lyn was dressed in a black uniform with no insignias. She was a striking woman, and thanks to the nanobots, most of her scars had been removed. “Your path is open to the surface. The PRC changed the policies of prison support and now supplies enough equipment and materials to be self-sufficient. There is no more resupply or the occasional camp check to see if the wells are working. The new directive is that once a year they will check the auto satellite to see what camps are still alive. Those that appear dead are investigated and renewed so that they can restock them. We have developed a one-week feedback loop for you to get in and get out.”
“Thank you, Lyn,” Olaf said. “You have done well. If you care to come aboard, you can get some fresh supplies and updates. We will start the surveys of the sites of Fleet prisoners immediately.”
“I’ll take you up with the resupply offer, Commodore. We have sent you a data update with the identified sites for you. It will simplify your exploration, as all Fleet POWs are at four sites within 160 kilometers of each other. There is also a failed site on the outskirts of this area. It was a civilian site, and it wasn’t ready for self-sufficiency. They died, but the camp is operable and not on the books to be visited anymore,” Lyn said. “There is a political camp in the area as well, so maybe these should be visited, and maybe we can resupply some of the necessities for them.”
“Da, good. Please tell your captain to move the ship to our starboard side, as that is away from prying eyes. My navigator will activate our IFF and will guide you with the shield penetration. We are about to send down the Taipans,” Olaf stated.
The Taipans were too small for the PRC to pick them up on any radar facility. The Taipans flew to the programmed coordinates and settled on the resupply pads. Another Taipan hovered next to the first while the pilot activated his external speaker and called to the camp. It usually took a few tries before someone would appear to see what the noise was. The pilot would then leave his ship and go to the small party of people. Marine Flight Sergeant Sandra Ellis was the first to meet with the POWs.
“I am marine Flight Sergeant Sandra Ellis from the Conrad system. I wish to speak with whomever is in charge,” she said to the nervous little group gathered there. “Maybe some of you have knowledge of the Conrad system or the code word Barbarossa. We are on a rescue mission, but speed is essential.”
A thin man stepped forward. He had a gray beard, long, gray hair, worn clothes, and a knife at his side. “I am or was Fleet Commodore George Lincoln. This is called camp Alpha, and we have another camp called Beta sixty kilometers away. What do you want of us?”
‘”Greetings, Fleet Commander.” Sandra Ellis saluted him. “We have five heated freighters in orbit to load all of you that so want to leave and be taken to Conrad, which at this time is in a major conflict with the PRC. If you would like to join us in the battle, we will take you. If you decide to stay here, then we will try to supply you with enough gear to make your life a little easier. As well we have found a camp where the inhabitants failed to survive. This camp will be the home of Alfred Noble and his group of surrendered officers and crew. We defeated him three months ago and thought that it was justice to house him where he was so interested in housing some of us.”
“This is all good new, Sergeant. Do you have room for the three thousand personnel here at this camp?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.” All those that want to come will assemble here so that we can bring in shuttles. All shuttles will have armed escorts, and when you get to the freighters, you will have armed marines. This is a precaution only to protect you and us from any misunderstandings,” Sergeant Ellis said.
“Are you taking the political camp too?” George asked. “We have another camp to the west of us and to the south of us.”
“That’s a negative at this time, sir, for the political camp. We’ll come back for them when we have sufficient accommodations,” she said. “We are looking for fighting people right now. We have an excess of warships and not enough people to man them. We are aware of the other three camps, sir.”
George ordered one of the men to run back and spread the word. He also told them to contact camp Beta and tell them the news but keep it out of the political camp. “There was another camp! Hell, we couldn’t find any more but the three of us and the political camp. Where was the other Fleet camp?”
“The fourth camp is north of you by a hundred kilometers, sir.”
“Who is in charge of this rescue, if you don’t mind me asking?�
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“Senior Fleet Commander Olaf Trogsen, sir,” came the reply.
“Olaf’s up there now?” George said, looking skyward in disbelief. “I was told that his ship was lost with all hands.”
“I don’t know about that, sir. But he is the man in charge, on the battleship Valkyrie. If you like, you can talk to him,” Sandra said.
“Yes, very well. That would help us,” George replied. “You see we have a very suspicious nature since arriving at this holiday resort. I would like to talk to Olaf.”
Olaf was sitting in his ready room doing some paperwork when the implant chimed. “Sir, ground force says that they would get a little better cooperation if you would acknowledge that you are here. A commodore by the name of George Lincoln is asking for confirmation.”
“Put him in here,” Olaf ordered. He was soon connected with the radio on the Taipan. “Sargent Ellis, is Commodore Lincoln standing by?”
“Olaf, is that really you?” Lincoln asked. “It’s been years, but it’s good to hear you. The PRC said that you and your crew were lost due to a catastrophic explosion.”
“Ah, the lying bastards. They left us to rot six hundred years out in space with a disabled hyper drive,” Olaf replied. “George, take the shuttle up here to my flag, and we will talk, but in the meantime we need to get as many loaded as possible—as soon as possible too. This is not a friendly system nor is it totally devoid of defense forces.”
“I already have the ball rolling. We have people packing up at the camp, and the rest are heading for the shuttle pad in groups that can fill the shuttle. The wind and sun are murder at this time of day,” George said. “We have some that have opted to stay and continue the camp. They claim that they have had enough of war and battles.”
“I understand. Do the best as fast as you can. A little inconvenience now will pay off when we depart. Olaf out.” Olaf leaned back and thought, George Lincoln. Another old warhorse that has tons of tactical knowledge and absolutely no fear. He will be a major asset to the cause. He keyed his coms operator and told him to have a stateroom made up.