The Fifth Reich: Blood and Honor Book One

by J Palliser

  "Red alert. Notify Strike Wings to be ready to scramble," Rachel ordered. "Aye aye, ma'am," said her executive officer, and repeated the order over the comm. "Dönitz is moving into position to engage as well."

  "Hail Dönitz."

  "Onscreen, Captain," she replied.

  "Paul, we have a situation incoming," she said. "We saw it, Rachel. We'll engage the two Wraiths while you handle the Bren. Give us a Squadron as backup, and we'll be fine," said Captain Ascher.

  "You'll have the Condors," she replied with a smile.

  *** "Condors, we'll be under the command of Dönitz for this operation," said Jacen when he received the order from Rachel. "We follow Captain Ascher's orders to the letter, understood?"

  "YES, SIR!" came the resounding reply. "Good. Set your comms to include Dönitz's frequency. Condors, mount up!" He and Delaara moved to their Valkyries as the rest of the Condors climbed their boarding ladders. As their canopies closed, Jacen hit the Squadron comm. "Blood and Honor!"

  "BLOOD AND HONOR!" Came the reply as they prepared for possible death in the vacuum of space.

  "Hostiles have dropped from gravity-drive and begun to advance at Impulse. All fighters Launch!" Jerov ordered. "Go, Condors. Holding pattern off Dönitz's port side," said Jacen as their ships shot out into space and they turned towards the Sovereign-class battleship.

  "Dönitz to Condor Leader. Engage Wraith two while we take Wraith one. Sending you our telemetry now," said Captain Ascher. "Condor Lead here. Roger that, Captain. Telemetry received and starting our attack run. Good to be fighting alongside you, sir!" Jacen then switched to Squadron channel. "Condors, you heard the man. We start with weapons first. Bravo, take pulse cannons port. Charlie, take pulse cannons starboard. Alpha is on the forward torpedo tubes."

  "Roger, Lead," said Rash and Bounce. "Condors, full impulse. Arm quantum missiles one and two. We'll take down the flagship's shields before starting our attack runs," Jacen said, and heard acknowledgments from his flight leaders. As soon as they entered missile range, Jacen said "Fire!" and twenty-four quantum missiles slammed into the shields of the Wraith battleship.

  "Their shields are down to 5%, sir," said Rash. "Bravo flight beginning attack run."

  "Go get 'em, Rash," said Jacen. "Charlie, begin your run. Alpha, on me." Jacen aimed his flight at the forward torpedo tubes and armed photon missiles. "Pulse torpedoes armed, Alpha. Lock onto tubes and fire at will."

  The Valkyries launched their torpedoes as soon as their locks became solid, slamming into the tubes of the enemy warship. The Wraith hit Ape with a glancing shot from its starboard pulse cannons as they completed their pass.

  "Ape, status report!" Jacen shouted.

  "Shields at 40%, sir," came the reply.

  "Roger that, Four. Come about on me for another pass. We'll hit their aft tubes this time around." Jacen ordered.

  "Bravo to Lead, Port side pulse phaser banks are down, switching to engines."

  "Roger that, Rash. Stop him dead!" Jacen was loving this.

  Alpha came about and targeted aft tubes. "Photons 3 and 4, fire at will!" Once again, the flight's missiles slammed into the battleship's tubes, destroying a huge part of its offensive capabilities.

  "Charlie to lead. Starboard pulse cannons down. Switching to shield generator," said Bouncer.

  "Roger that, Bouncer. Good job!"

  "Gem to Lead, we have four bogies launching from shuttle bay on the flagship," she said. "Roger that, Gem. Let's go introduce ourselves. Alpha, our targets are the four bandits that just launched. Take individual and light 'em up!"

  Jacen went for the middle right, while Redfox went mid-left. Ape went far right and Gem took far left as they closed distance. Gem locked her trigger to the stick as she blasted the Wraith fighter's shields away and punctured its canopy with deadly accuracy. It went spinning away into the night sky of space. "Gem to Lead. Target is cooked."

  Ape locked a quantum and fired just as a burst from his target hit him in the port side wing, shearing it off completely. He banked to starboard and saw his target go up in a ball of fire as his quantum hit. "Ape to Lead, target's down, but I'm limpin' here."

  "Roger, Ape. Head on back to the Zeppelin. We got your back," said Jacen over the comm. Redfox went in for the kill on hers, who had banked hard port when she'd opened up with pulse phasers. She locked him from behind and sent a burst into its engines, fire-balling the Wraith. "Redfox to lead, target destroyed," she said.

  "Roger that, Redfox." Jacen said as his own target continued to juke and jink erratically. He fired a controlled burst and saw it kick off the shields as it banked hard starboard. "This guy's good," he smiled as he banked to follow. The Wraith kicked in burners, and Jacen grinned. The burners would make that thing a straight line sitting duck. He armed a quantum and locked it. Just as he fired, he saw the incoming photon from the fighter that had cut burners, spun in place, and fired. Jacen banked hard to port, and the photon just missed him as it passed. His quantum hit, destroying the fighter's shields, but not the fighter itself. Jacen nodded his respect as he switched to guns, firing a burst from his pulse cannons at the fighter as it closed with him again. The burst tore through its starboard wing, hitting a fuel tank and fire-balling it just as its own burst peppered his port wing.

  "Target down," said Jacen. "Damage minimal."

  "What took you so long?" Delaara asked, half concerned, half joking.

  "Oh, you know. Had to make him feel he was doing well," said Jacen nonchalantly. "Seriously, that guy had skill."

  "I know," she said back. "I saw his moves, and he was nearly as good as you are."

  "But 'nearly' isn't enough against me, darling," Jacen said with a grin.

  "Bravo to lead, engines are toast," said Rash with an audible smile.

  "Good job, Rash," Jacen said.

  "Charlie to Lead, shields are destroyed," said Bouncer.

  "Nice one, Bouncer," Jacen replied. "Condor Lead to Dönitz, Wraith two is disabled. Awaiting kill order."

  "Nicely done, Condor," said Captain Ascher. "No kill order yet. We'll see if they wish to surrender per Admiral Raeder's orders."

  "Roger that, sir", said Jacen. "Will await kill order."

  They formed up as a squadron as they got the word that Ape had crashed into the aft flight deck.

  "Roger, Dönitz. Is he going to be okay?" Jacen asked.

  "Stand by, Condor Lead. We have fire control and Medical on it."

  "Oh no!" Gem shouted into the comm.

  "It's ok, Gem. He'll be fine," said Delaara.

  As if to prove her right, the comm came from the Dönitz almost immediately.

  "We have preliminary from Doc Tavok. Ape is stable, but he's lost a leg and has 3rd degree burns over 10% of his body," said Jerov. "Don't worry, Gem. Doc is the best Medical Officer in the Kriegsmarine," said Jacen to his junior pilot. "Ape will pull through."

  " Dönitz to Condor Lead, we have received a surrender confirmation from Wraith two. Go ahead back to Graf-Zeppelin," said Captain Ascher. "And Jacen," he went on, "Thank you, Condor Lead."

  "Condor Lead to Dönitz, it was our pleasure, sir," he replied. "We have a man down, and are returning to Graf-Zeppelin now."

  "Dönitz's prayers go with him, Jacen," said his friend.

  "Thanks, Captain. That means a lot to us, sir."

  The Condors landed safely and vaulted from their cockpits as soon as their engines had cut, sprinting for the turbo-lifts.

  *** When they got to sickbay, Ape was in a medically induced coma while the medications took effect. Doc was looking haggard for a Centuri, which is to say that he was breathing a sigh of relief.

  "How's he doing, Doc?" Jacen asked as his entire Squadron filled the waiting area.

  "He will be recover eventually, Commander," said Tavok. "Unfortunately, he won't be able to fly a star-fighter again."

  "What happened? Won't a prosthetic leg help?" Gem asked, tears in her eyes. "His leg isn't the issue, Jenny," said Tavok with uncharacteristi
c tenderness. "He lost the sight in his right eye as a result of the fire."

  She started to cry as Alexei took her in his arms and hugged her. He didn't say a word, but just held her as she sobbed into his chest. Her arms went around his waist and held him to her tightly as she cried for her best friend.

  "Can we at least see him, Doc?" Delaara asked.

  "I've induced a coma to help his body heal," said Tavok. "I'm sorry, Delaara. He needs it." "We understand, Doc. Come on, Condors. We need to let the Doc have his work-space back." Jacen turned back to Dr. Tavok. "Let me know as soon as he's able to talk, Doc."

  "I will," he replied, nodding. They made their way listlessly to Officer's Lounge and drank a few dozen toasts to Ape, praying that Doc was wrong and that he'd be able to fly again. Rachel showed up and hugged Rash tight, then hugged Gem just as tight.

  "I do have some good news, at least. Our rotation is done for now, and Dreschler will be here tomorrow to relieve us," said Rachel.

  A ragged cheer went up from the assembled Wing, who were all there to show their support for Ape. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, and Jacen said once again how proud he was to serve with every one of them. He had become de facto Wing Commander since they still hadn't received one in the nine months they'd all been flying together. They now had a total of 8 vacancies to fill in the crew and pilot rosters, so they'd be returning to Outpost 19 for repairs, refitting, and restaffing.

  ***

  "We need to end this war. It's taking its toll on our kid," said Jacen as he and Delaara laid in bed that night. "I know," she replied. "It's been hard on all of us, but more so on them. The majority of them are brand new, and have never lost friends before."

  "True. I just can't get that image out of my head, though. Ape laying there comatose. I'm just glad that Alexei was there to block Jenny's view of him." Jacen knew that Alexei had taken her back to her quarters after, and he wouldn't let her go over the edge.

  "At least she has Alexei now," said Delaara.

  "Also true. I just hope she doesn't push him away because of what happened to Dom. He's one of my best friends. I've been flying with him, Bouncer, and Rash since the Academy." He felt tears in his eyes.

  "Hush. It's ok." Delaara kissed him softly, and he kissed her back passionately, holding her close and running his hands up and down her bare back. She moaned as he broke the kiss and licked her ear slowly, barely touching her with his tongue. She straddled him, sitting up and guiding him inside her. She engulfed him completely as he filled her, moving slowly together. Delaara leaned down and kissed him as the mindscape took them both, letting all their feelings intermingle and taking the hurt away. He rolled her over and moved slowly, thrusting deep into her as he rolled his hips in circles. They knew what was needed tonight, and he kissed her tenderly as they made love. The intimacy. The caring. The feel of each other. Her first orgasm pounded through her like a freight train, and set off his own, filling her to overflowing as she came again and again in rapid succession. He kept moving inside her as they came together repeatedly, and as they felt themselves finally relaxing, held each other close, kissing and touching and holding until sleep finally took them.

  *** Alexei sat with Jenny through the night, holding her until she had stopped crying. He didn't speak, just held her. She had finally stopped crying, looked into his light blue eyes, and kissed him passionately. He kissed her back just as passionately, and they were soon scrabbling to remove their flight suits. Once naked, she had pushed him onto his back and mounted him, snarling as she took him, riding him harder and harder, faster and faster, feeling her orgasms rip through her. She screamed in lust and primal need, throwing her head back as he came with her finally. She fell onto him, exhausted, and still he didn't say a word. Just held her as she slept on his chest, and closed his own eyes as sleep took him as well.

  ***

  The next morning, Dreschler arrived, and Graf-Zeppelin entered gravity-drive for Outpost 19. Alexei transferred to Alpha flight to replace Ape, and Rash, while sorry to see him go, knew that was what was needed. He and Gem flew well together, and the move brought them closer still.

  When Ape woke up, Jacen and the rest of the Squadron went to show their support, along with Captain Weiss. "I guess I'll just be a desk jockey from now on," he laughed.

  "Not bloody likely, boy!" Rachel said. "I'm transferring you to Command, and you're getting promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Lizabeth Shelly needs a new Second Officer onboard the Dreschler, and I recommended you for the job."

  Ape was speechless. "Wow, Captain," he said. "Thanks!" "It's the least I could do, Dom," she said. "You've been here since Day one when this ship was commissioned, and I know you'll have your own ship someday."

  "Hell, Rachel. After you retire, I want command of the Zeppelin!" Dom grinned, and everyone there could just see that happening. In spite of the loss of his leg, and the burns over the right side of his head and face, he looked in good spirits. The skin grafts had started to take effect, but being allergic to the ocular implants, he would be relegated to using a prosthesis over his right eye, which resembled an eye-patch.

  "On the bright side, Dom," said Jenny with a smile. "You're going to look like a pirate with that eye-patch!" "Yarr! I can see it now! Sailing the high seas taking any booty that comes along!" He reached out and grabbed Stra'tal's ass. She jumped, then smiled and leaned down to kiss him passionately.

  She then said "Once you're out of this bunk, come see me, lover-boy."

  The whole Squadron cheered at that. Ensign Stra'tal was gorgeous, and Dom looked like he'd just won the jackpot. Jacen and Delaara shook his hand, and the rest of the Squadron gave him their congratulations on surviving with another kill to his record. He wasn't at fault for the crash, since his repulsors had been damaged by enemy fire and his throttle had stuck when he was trying to decelerate. He'd burned in at 1/10th impulse, and it was a miracle that he'd survived. His leg had been amputated just above the knee when the lower left side of the cockpit had collapsed, and the fire from the exploding panel above the right side of his head had blinded him in that eye and given him 2nd and 3rd degree burns. Those were fixed with synth-skin and his leg was replaced by a cybernetic enhanced leg system.

  But his right eye was still blind, and no synthetic prosthesis would make him flight capable in a star-fighter again. Ensign Stra'tal visited him every day during his rehab at Outpost 19, and when Dreschler arrived for repairs, refit, and restaffing, she asked to go with him. She had full Security qualifications, so Lizabeth accepted her transfer. Condor Legion got two competent replacements, and both were thrown into Bravo flight to be trained by Rash to his exacting specifications.

  *** Kyra and Dar'ik sat in their chairs in Queeg's with Jacen, Delaara, Jacob, and Rachel. Stra'tal and Dom walked in and Dom asked "Are these seats taken?"

  Jacen looked up at the newly promoted Lieutenant Commander and Lieutenant on his arm. In the past month, he'd healed considerably from the wreck. "Lookin' good, you two!" Jacen said with a grin, rising and hugging his long time friend, and then hugging Stra'tal. Delaara also gave them hugs, and they made room as Jacen grabbed a couple more chairs from an empty table.

  Talon and Lizabeth entered next, and Talon said "Don't get up, Jacen. We can get our own chairs," as everyone chuckled at his expense.

  Rachel said "Lizabeth, this is Dominic and Stra'tal. Both are great pilots, but they also are fully trained and competent in Command and Security respectively. Dom will make a great Second Officer for you, and Stra'tal worked in Security before training as a fighter pilot."

  "Good to meet both of you, and since it's obvious you two are a couple, don't worry about the regulations. I run a similar ship to Talon and Rachel," she said, and grinned as the relief flooded the young couple's faces.

  "Oh, and I have some more news," said Rachel. "Commander, Kruger, you are out of uniform."

  "Ummm, no I'm not," said Jacen, checking his flight suit.

  "Yes, you are, Commander." She
put emphasis on Commander, he noticed.

  Jacen's eyes went wide. "Seriously? Rachel, are you shittin' me?" "Not at all, Commander. Congratulations!" She removed his lieutenant bar and replaced it with a Commander's gold wings.

  "Holy crap! I mean, thank you, Captain!" He beamed, and Delaara, who had been holding back, laughed her musical laugh.

  "Well, as the youngest Commander in the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine history, I just have to ask WHY ME?" "Because we need a Wing Commander, and nobody is more qualified than you are," Rachel said by way of reply, "except maybe your wife."

  "I would have turned her down, Jacen," said Delaara. "I love being under you," she winked, and everyone's eyes went wide as Jacen grinned slowly.

  "You will still command Condor Legion, Jacen, so don't worry about that." Rachel was laughing at the double entendre that Delaara had delivered with flawless precision. "But since you've been running all the Wing level missions already, it made sense to promote you and give you official Command of Strike Wing."

  Dar'ik and Kyra shook his hand, then everyone else, and Rash grinned as he knew that he would soon be promoted too, in accordance with Command Squadron in a Wing having Lieutenant Commanders as Flight Leaders.

  Talon clapped him on the back, handing him a beer. "Thanks, Talon," Jacen said, laughing. Delaara leaned in and kissed him. "Thanks," he said breathlessly after his toes had sufficiently curled.

  Queeg, who had finally been released from protective custody after public opinion said that Queeg was a Outpost 19 citizen, and they didn't care whether he was Bren or not, Kyra gave Os'kar the okay to let him and Edeer out.

  "Colonel, who's paying for all this?" Queeg asked, addressing Kyra.

  "I am, Queeg," said Jacen. "Just got promoted, so I'm buying the rounds tonight."

  "Very good, Commander," Queeg said. "Congratulations, and congrats on your marriage, since I wasn't able to attend."

  "No problem, Queeg. Good to see you again," said Jacen.

  Queeg nodded and smiled, then moved on to another table.