by Chris Hechtl
“So, the schedule for the next year is out the window?” Vestri demanded. He wasn't at all happy about the shifting priorities. His build schedules were fragile enough as it was.
“Pretty much for anything below the wall of battle. For the moment we're building hospital ships with the other lines.”
“Okay, so, we don't touch the capital ship line.”
“Unless the admiral wants us to build truly massive hospital ships, no. I don't know though what the future will bring.” The T'clock buzzed “This changes everything.”
Vestri sighed. “Yeah, shit happens. And a lot of people are about to get shit on. We'll deal with it, sir.”
“That we will.”
~~~^~~~
Epsilon Triangula
“So, I'm not going to get the courier here?” Helen asked whimsically.
“Like you need it. We've copied the database dozens of times. We're sending you a clone of everything. I'm going to have the ship serviced and sent back to Tau in another day or so.”
“Oh. Why wait? Time is of the essence, right?”
“I know. But give the crew a break, Helen; they've been in that tiny ship for two years. At least let them stretch their legs for a couple days before we stuff them back in it for another six months,” Admiral Irons said with a shake of his head.
There was a pause as she inhaled to protest, but finally she let it out as she realized he was right. Instead she shook her head, knowing the breath wouldn't be noted by the ansible. “Okay. Fine. That works I guess.”
“We'll make it work.”
“Aye aye, sir,” she replied with a nod.
~~~^~~~
Pyrax
"So, that's the deal. Somehow, we need to shoehorn the hospital ships in priority while juggling our other commitments. We can't afford to drop the ball," the admiral said, looking at Captain I'rll.
"Yes, sir, we'll get it handled," the female Veraxin buzzed.
"How?" the admiral asked.
"We have a civilian yard in the star system now. It is small, but we can send them some of the work. I don't know what their schedule is like however. But, I do know the smaller yard modules are underutilized. We're building couriers, destroyers, CEVs, and Cervidae, but I think we can squeeze in some hospital ships," the Veraxin said. "What I'm actually thinking to make the commitment is to pull a couple Liberty class ships we've got in to the yard and then refit them as hospital ships and just replace them as freighters down the road. It sucks, but it will allow us to get the ships done faster and where they need to be. We can do something about the medical contingent on ET if we have to," she said. "By doing that, it'll cut the build schedule down to three weeks versus four months for the first unit from scratch," she said.
"Yes, but it'll throw our resupply efforts to hell in a handbasket. The same for moving supplies and personnel to and from the Bek nexus," recently promoted Captain JG Ch'n'x complained.
"Well, if the Tau mission had a Liberty class hospital ship to begin with, this might not be as big a problem as it is. Whose idea was it to give her a single Dora class hospital ship instead of a Liberty as previously planned? A small ship like that to service an entire sector?" the recently promoted Veraxin senior grade captain demanded.
Captain Ch'n'x reared back as if she'd been physically assaulted. She buzzed angrily; her antenna and mandibles moving in agitation. The fact that her plan to short the Tau mission in favor of the Eastern Front was known wasn't really the problem. The reminder that she'd done so to help her old colleague and that she'd been supplanted by a Bekian interloper still bothered her.
Admiral Subert glanced from one Veraxin to the other. He could tell Ch'n'x was furious with the jab. "What's done is done," he interjected before their argument could spin out of control. "Commodore Logan signed off on it as did Admiral Irons. We need to move on and fix the problem."
"Aye aye, sir," Captain I'rll replied, signaling first-level agreement.
"Yes, sir," Captain Ch'n'x said signaling the same.
The admiral turned to Captain I'rll. "Go with your plan." He waved a hand to stop Ch'n'x from complaining. "We'll deal with the problems in OPS as they arise. Figure it out," he said.
"Yes, sir," both Veraxin officers replied.
"If you can get the first ship to me by tomorrow, I should have a slip ready. I'm juggling assignments now; we've got a cruiser ready for her first working-up exercise. If we can get logistics to help expedite both the loading of the cruiser and moving parts in place for the refit, we will be able to hit the ground running. Since we won't be touching the hull, hyperdrive, or other drive systems, she should be good to go once she's refitted."
"I'll get on making equipment for the ships. Give me a list of what you need in each," Commander Fox said.
"The basic logistics inventory of a Liberty class hospital ship is now in your inbox," Lieutenant Barry stated. "Are we making one ship or two?"
"Two minimum," Admiral Subert said, holding up two fingers. "We'll need a support ship for them as well as escorts," he said, turning to Captain Ch'n'x. "Tin cans at the minimum," he warned.
"What about siccing them with Gamma convoy? They will be ready to deploy in four and a half months?" the Veraxin said.
"We can't delay that long," Captain I'rll stated. "Since the ships do not need a drive overhaul, we're going to focus on just re-configuring their interiors with the hospital ship modules and equipment. I can get them back in space in two weeks from the moment they come into their slips. They'll need a few days to blow the rust off and can work on working up on the way to Airea 3," she stated.
"Agreed," Admiral Subert said. "Though I believe we should check the drives and make any necessary maintenance before the long jump," the admiral said.
"Understood, sir," the Veraxin engineer said, making a note on her tablet.
"Good. Now, two escorts minimum and a tanker. They'll have to pick up personnel in ET. I think we can arrange a refueling and resupply there, though they'll scarcely need it," the admiral said.
"Aye, sir. We'll have at least one Liberty coming from the ETMI yard but no scheduled date on completion at the moment," Captain I'rll reported. "The same for the yard here and the two civilian yards in Antigua."
"Hopefully, we won't need that many, but we'll see," the admiral murmured. "Now, we'll need to shift some resources around I understand," he said. "Do you want some time to consider it with your staff, Captain?" he said, shifting to look at Captain Ch'n'x
"I'd like to do so, sir. I think we can skim a division off of Third Fleet. Question, will we be getting them back?"
"No. I highly doubt it. I'll double-check with Admiral Irons when I get the chance though," the admiral replied as he made a note. "Now, you can look into the tanker. Shifting focus here, we've got another planned exercise with the Seti Alpha 4 picket and fortresses scheduled for next week. I'd like to see if Rear Admiral X'll'r can shake a task force loose to play the op force. It'd be nice if we could add some realism by having them actually jump into the star system, but I know we don't want to add too much to the wear and tear of the equipment. But, sometimes you need to add a bit of realism to shake people out of their complacency from time to time. I wish we could do it without them knowing, but I don't want or need a live fire accident either."
~~~^~~~
Epsilon Triangula
Faith Meikle shook her head as she got fresh orders in. “Well that's interustin,” she drawled, reading it and then an email from Helen Richards. The doc had informed her that medical equipment and personnel were coming up as soon as she could arrange shuttle transport. She'd gotten the email just before the ansible email. Now it made sense.
“Well folks, we're on a crash priority to refit the Libertys in the pipeline into hospital ships,” she told her operations manager. She held up a restraining hand. “Don't ask me why. We've got funding. Let's just get it done,” she said.
~~~^~~~
Airea 3
Two days after getting to the g
round, Dancer's crew leave was cut short. Since the courier was the only one in the area, the ship was ordered to bring the petabytes of raw data, far too much for the ansible to transmit, to Epsilon Triangula in a fast run. Once they dropped the cargo off, they would then turn around to haul ass back to the Trajin cluster to tell them help was coming.
The Veraxin captain managed to delay her crew's loss of liberty for a short time by arranging a refueling of water and basic supplies, then negotiating for fresh food to be brought up to the ship.
Chapter 7
Antigua
April was well aware that Knox news wasn't the only one doing a series of stories about the changes to Antigua and to the Federation worlds. Their rival GSN and others had also picked up on the idea and were doing a contrast, hitting areas they missed or didn't think of.
But, they can't get them all, April thought smugly as she sent a reporter out to do a piece on one of the first geriatric stations to be completed. The geriatric station was a retirement/hospice station that would allow people who were elderly to still live a nearly useful life in low gravity. The primary station was in orbit, though there was talk of opening up lunar colonies.
She listened to the feed as the reporter explored the station. One of the elderly made a dig about how regeneration and anti-geriatric treatments should be open to all people. She glanced at the instant polling and noted that it had hit a nerve; people were instantly onboard with the idea.
“Well, I know where our new story line is going to go, exploring regeneration and why it isn't available to one and all,” she murmured.
She wrote out a quick memo to Irma and others to start the ball rolling on that segment but then turned when a feed kicked. She got the feed before the home office did, one of the reasons she liked being in the capital. She frowned thoughtfully. It was from Airea 3; apparently the local Knox News affiliate there had noted the arrival of a courier at the Tau jump point.
Something was certainly up. She frowned as she ran the math and then checked the schedule in the file. Yeah, they weren't supposed to be back for months. Something must have gone wrong in Tau for that ship to arrive so soon. She wondered what was up.
Obviously, the government would release the information eventually, but if she could find a way to get it out of John to prime the pump on her end … Her attention shifted to her wardrobe and what she should wear to begin that campaign.
Then there were the reports of changes in the yard. Obviously, the military yards were classified, but she'd heard that the Liberty ships at Yard Dog Inc and Antigua Prime were being delayed for further refit. Was something going on? A problem in the design? She wrote a memo to assign a reporter to find out. If they got stonewalled, she jotted out an authorization to buy a few rounds at the local bar to loosen some tongues with the shipfitters. They might know something.
She couldn't help but smile at her future plans. She'd picked out something decidedly naughty for her and John to enjoy that evening. And come hell or high water, she planned on wearing it; she'd earned her respite!
~~~^~~~
Admiral Irons was tired from a long day but glad to be back in the residence. Not that it mattered; he could and invariably did work in the residence just as easily as he did in his official “office.” He understood now why those in power tried to separate the two though, to give themselves some mental illusion of sort of sanctuary; however, he was keenly aware of how fictitious it all was.
“Has April shown up yet?” he asked Cookie as she came into the room playing with her apron.
“The lady is here and in the bedroom,” the woman replied with a sniff. “Protector informed me you've eaten?”
“I had a light meal when the last meeting ran late. But I could do with a snack in a bit. And I know I'll need a big breakfast. Something about April being around leaves me famished afterward,” he teased.
Cookie sniffed again but then nodded and left him to it.
He snorted and rolled his shoulders and then did his business in the bathroom before he headed to his quarters. His spirits lifted with the thought of seeing April again. He also wondered what she was wearing. She sometimes liked to surprise him.
He opened the French doors and was not disappointed by the sight within. He couldn't help but grin as April put on a sultry expression and pose and then gave him her best come hither look.
~~~^~~~
Sometime later April tried to quiz John as soon as she got in the same room with him. She'd wanted to work up to it, sort of lull him into a more relaxed and compliant state but her excitement and frustration got the better of her.
“I'm sorry, my dear. You know the rule; it's classified. I can't talk about it,” he said.
That told her it was bad. “Do me a favor; don't use that against me.”
She looked hurt.
“Hey, now don't you start,” he said, waggling a finger at her. She tried to grab it, but he managed to snatch it away. “I'm getting wise to your tricks, young lady,” he said with a grin in his voice. She scowled and then poked him.
“You want me to do you a favor, yet you won't do me one in return?”
“Well, if you want to keep trying to wheedle it out of me, I'm all for it. I'm curious what sort of wicked games you've got in mind,” he teased, leering at her.
She tried to glower, but she couldn't hold it. Withholding sex was out; she needed that hold over him. “Well …,” she said huskily, coming closer. “As soon as I get you into my nefarious clutches, I intend to have my wicked way with you for as long as you can stand it,” she said, kissing his chin and then preempting his lips to cut off his chuckle.
~~~^~~~
Liobat held the usual morning press conference the following morning. She was initially distracted with thoughts about the events in Tau and how to spin the news once it was officially announced. That was when she was blindsided by a reporter's demand to know when regen therapies would be open to the general public.
“They won't be. Not to the general public. To select individuals in civil service or who perform acts, yes. But not to anyone and everyone.”
“Like the rich?” the reporter asked, laying the trap.
The Neocat saw the trap and wiggled her ears and whiskers for a moment as she collected her thoughts. “The regen therapies are expensive and time consuming. But no, not to the rich. The government has opened regen therapies to military personnel as a form of incentive for retention of trained personnel. For civilians to get it they have to qualify in some other capacity—ongoing civil service for instance.” She indicated herself. There was a small chuckle.
“And for the rest of us?” another reporter asked.
“Such as service, scientific, or other achievement, that sort of thing. If you put the request through my office, I'll have my people put up a memo and list. Obviously, no one has earned it in our time period yet, but that will change. I am basing my observations off of how the old Federation handled the issue. Don't go getting behind me and sawing off the limb folks, I'm not sure myself,” she said with a smile as the group chuckled.
“But it was available to the general public. At great cost,” a reporter said.
“It's not a cheap process as I said. Nanotech is involved,” Liobat stated, hoping that would throw the reporter off. Instead it opened a new can of worms as the reporters demanded to know exactly how regen was performed.
~~~^~~~
Admiral Irons and some of the cabinet were on hand to watch the press conference together. Miss Moira Sema, the secretary of state, shook her head. “The lifetime achievement and service system is good in theory; we do need to reward people. But it can be abused. We'll have to watch it,” she stated.
“I know. And it opens up another problem,” Doctor Kraft grumbled.
“Oh?”
“Well, the recipient gets the treatment, not their spouse or spouses, nor immediate family,” George Custard, the secretary of agriculture stated. He was still trying to find some sort of waiver to all
ow his wife to get the treatments.
“Oh. Yeah, I could see that it would be a problem,” Moira said with a glance to him and then away.
“It's an old argument. Apparently one they want to rehash right now. I'm welcoming the distraction for the moment. But we better have our staffs pull up the information on that, all that they can,” Emily Berkheart, the cyber secretary of labor stated.
Moira nodded. “Agreed,” she said, dutifully making a note.
Admiral Irons winced when a reporter pointed out that having regenerated military personnel opens the military chain of command up to stagnation. Apparently, someone had been listening to arguments from Bek and Nuevo recently.
And then there were the pointed questions about having so many military personnel with regen taking over the government or forming a shadow government. He shook his head. “They do understand it is going to take decades for us to get across the galaxy, right? We have only the vaguest ideas about what is beyond the immediate sectors. Most of what we know is third or fourth or whatever hand,” he said with a grimace of distaste.
“It might take centuries. And we need all hands on deck, especially with a war on. Just because we take Horath out doesn't mean the snake is dead. We've been getting a better handle on the pirates. They've got bases in every sector—every sector,” Yorgi stated. “There is no telling where the others are. They'll be using them as staging grounds to disrupt us for years until we root them out.”
“There is a lovely thought,” Emily muttered.
Yorgi shot her a look but then shrugged it off.
“Where are we with the data from Dancer?” Admiral Irons asked, changing the subject.
“We're still processing it. We have the initial summary. It's not good as you know.”
“Yes, I've read it,” Admiral Irons stated dryly.
“We can't sit on it forever. People, especially the media, know that Dancer shouldn't have come back so soon. That means the Tau mission ran into trouble. The longer we sit on it, the worse this will get,” the secretary of state warned.