Trampship Wars 2

by L. D. Roberts

  Mark gave her a look of incredulity disbelieving what she had said even though Mickey did not make her flash red. “Come Captain, I saw what looked like a hundred ships around the station you took me to the other day and I have seen pictures of your third moon ship storage crater and it ha s d thousands of ships. Some of the biggest battleships and carriers in the Empire. You shouldn’t have to produce a new ship for decades.” Mark said without thinking. “ The damn AI can’t possibly be able to destroy them all. Besides he would just be cutting his own power base and throat .”

  The Captain turned white shaking her head. “Those ships you saw in orbit were all Marine troop ships that the Marine Reserve station is in charge of , separate from the Navy storage crater on the 3rd moon and not battleships and cruisers which is what we need right now. All the Navy combat ships are at the Navy mothballed facility and 90% of those ships larger than a destroyer have already been scrapped . and even most of the Destroyers are little better than stripped hulks. The hull metal weight of the Destroyers and smaller ships, evidentially is not worth their trouble right now with all the heavy armored battleships and cruisers paying off big when scrapped. A pacifist Prime Minister has used the scrap to line her husband’s and supporters’ pockets by the looks of it. Part of her campaign promise to never allow us to get into another war. No war ship’s no war. Typical liberal fantasy crap . ”

  A Disgusted Captain Summers turned around to leave, taking several steps before she turned back with a frown. "Just for your information. The Admiral was has been taken hostage an hour ago by the Military AI when he tried to bargain with the AI controller him for the release of the our few reserve fleet main line ships that ha ve not been scrapped yet an hour ago . The last valid orders the Admiral gave before going to talk to the AI was to make sure your Commander Collins came after him if he did not return was taken prisoner ." Taking a deep breath she smiled. "If you fail at the financial tower or get yourself killed; that will free Command to send in our special forces. We already have teams sneaking in to disarm scuttling charges on the remaining Battleships they can safely reach as well as trying to find a back door tunnel to the AI's complex buried at the center of the moon ."

  Captain Summers narrowed her eyes looking back into the Command Compartment. "There are several old mines on the far side that had deep tunnels and one may intercept one of the maze of access tunnels to the AI cavern from the surface fleet reserve base. If we are lucky, by the time you are successful down here, if you are successful, we may have a way for you to get into the maze undetected. Otherwise they may just right off the Admiral and save as many ships as they can before sending a nuke down the tunnels and hope it takes out the AI before it can command detonate the remaining scuttling charges. The only bright spot is that the Destroyers were not thought worth attaching scuttling charges to . At least we can get Destroyers out of mo thballs no matter what happens . I just hope a thousand des troyers can do the job of a hundred battleships and cruisers. At least until they are destroyed because of their light armaments and short range. ”

  Captain Summers frowned. “The real problem with losing the Admiral is that only the Admiral seems to be worried about the Pirates as well as saving the French systems in the north crossing. Without the Admiral, the English State is not likely to last very much longer in spite of how large it has grown." Taking a deep breath and smiling. "And your Star Queen gets impounded and it's crew sent to the Tramp Internment Camp s on the other side of the planet in the mountains until a planet is found that wants new settlers. With all the refugees flooding in from the Outback already; that could be a few decades if ever." Smiling with a sneer. “You stand to lose as much as us. Don’t fuck up.”

  The Captain turned and continued out of the command post saying over her shoulder as she walked. "Call me if you people ever decide you are ready. I am not about to ride in your junk shuttles so I will be waiting for you at our forces Command center in Tower city. I hope you show up before we lose a quarter million people. Not to mention rescuing the Admiral. I will start looking into arranging transportation on one of our in systems transport boats to get you there." And left the command center.

  Captain Cook turned to the Captain of marines. "Ok how much longer do you need?"

  "Launching an attack before we are ready will only assure failure Captain. Be patient. Killing his valuable hostages without reason would be pretty stupid. This AI does not hit me as being stupid." Turning back to his tactical board showing the squads making their way around the obstacle course he frowned. "Just a couple more hours and we can leave for the far side of the planet and Tower City. Are our transports even ready yet?" At Captain Cook’s hesitation, the marine Captain he turned to the group of staff officers lined up along the back bulkhead. "Ok gentlemen let's finish getting what has grown into a brigade divided into 4 company’s; A,B,C and D."

  Looking over the 4 retired and reserve Marine Captains amongst the crowd crowd that had each taken separate APCC s at Captain Saunders request to get there and he smiled. "Now isn't that convenient gentlemen. Jack you will take D company and all the active reserve bots and set up a defensive perimeter at the north end of the warehouse. Tanaka, you take A Company, Robert; B Company and Charley, you get C Company. Spend the next half hour organizing your platoons into companies in the obstacle course. We well will run the obstacle course for another hour and then we will start running training attacks on D company." Switching the table map back to the base and expanding the tactical map out to include the warehouse. "And don't forget to set all your ne weapons on the training settings. We need to leave this warehouse without doing too much damage."

  Captain Cook frowned taking the stogy out of her mouth. "OK. Commander Collins; you can join me with the new shuttles and we will take a closer look at that 3,000 ton transport boat."

  "But Captain; Shouldn't I stay here and train with the marines?"

  The Captain of marines turned to Mark. "No Commander. We are not going to risk a stray shot or accident getting you killed. You will wait until we have taken the building including the basement and the AI’s core and then bring you down. We will make sure you get there safely so you can do your job taking down the AI's. You just sit back and relax and do what you are told until then ."

  Captain Cook smiled at Mark from the screen. "Well it looks like you get the Transport Boats after all Commander. That is what you wanted correct? Don't think for a minute that we are going to keep them but I can't wait to see the look on Captain Summers face when we take two of them to the 3rd moon on our own. And she still does not know we have 4 new shuttles." Captain Cook smiled at that before turning serious again. "I don’t' like this mess you have gotten us into Commander and if I had a choice I would bust you back to civilian so fast your head would spin. I am regretting ever making you an officer. Why in Godstar's name did I ever think making you an officer would keep you out of trouble? I will talk to you some more some more about what I expect from my officers and how things are going to be different from now on when you get over hear. Out." The Captain's screen went blank.

  Outside the Command APCC, Mark saw Captain Summers disappearing out of the shipping bay on the platform they had arrived on with nothing to replace it for transportation. Mark looked around and grumped once and started walking toward the warehouse end of the bay following the fleeing Captain Summers. Dodging between rushing and jumping squads as he worked his way out of the Transport boat Cargo Docks.

  Mark walked along for several minutes in silence. Mark dreading the possibility of becoming a civilian again. He was starting to like being an officer and being in the thick of things and of doing things he would never have been allowed to do as a civilian. Though he did not like being scared to death every time he turned around but he was making a difference. At least he thought he was.

  "Mark; I have a transport platform headed for you now. It will be here in a few seconds."

  Mark looked around as he starting to huff a little with his rapid walk eat
ing up distance through the stacks of equipment equipment and cargo containers and smiled, "No Mickey. Send it back. It feels good to stretch my legs and it will give the Captain time to cool down and think. Besides I am in no hurry." Mark slowed down to a normal walk .

  "Yes Mark. What weapons do you want me to order for the Transport Boats?"

  "Weapons? I don't think it would look good with us armed to the teeth. We should look like just the average transports delivering construction materials."

  "No Mark. The ships and boats that have made deliveries to the moon and the construction site have all been well armed. It is normal for even the intersystem transports to be armed with all the pirate activity even though the Government evidentially refuses to acknowledge the fact the Pirates are at their front door. It seems with all the asteroids and planetoids scattered around this system for pirates to hide behind while restricting velocities; pirates are a constant risk even inside the system though it does not happen often with the constant local police patrols."

  ‘I don’t think the transport I watched destroy itself would agree with you. Not to mention our sister transport that I spotted destroyed just across the fence from us. ” Mark thought about asking the Captain if she had found out if any of its crew had survived or not. Especially a certain girl he had been e-mailing for months before her ship disappeared , but decided that she was already mad at him and there was no sense in pissing her off any more than she was disturbing her . "OK. What do you suggest Mickey?"

  "The Transports follow the English standard layout. With a nose turret ring large enough to carry a light weight low profile 5 inch 54cal auto turret but is usually equipped with a pair of 3 inch multipurpose self-defense guns. The shoulder and hip rings are large enough for 3 inch 70cal auto firing self-defense guns but usually carry only 25mm Gatling anti-missile/torpedo mounts. Which mounts would you like?"

  "Well now. With the 8inch guns replacing our 5inch barrels on the Star Queen it would be nice if we could install the same 8 inch guns in the transports making maintenance a whole lot easyer easier . But do whatever you think is best Mickey. It probably won't matter since the Captain does not want any of the Transport boats anyway. Besides when we do make it there. Are you going to be able to shut it down or am I going to have to blast it like I did the other?"

  "After examining the other AI's programing Mark; all you have to do is stick one of my remote chips into contact with any part of the AI's crystal case or main line connection and I can do the rest. Though plugged into a main frame connection would be easier and quicker for me. Either will work."

  "Ok? So I am just a carrier pigeon along for the ride hey."

  "Don’t you even talk like that. Without you I am nothing love. Oh the Captain is calling the ship do you wish to listen?"

  "Ya sure. Why not." Mark started heading down the warehouse between the stacked cargo containers and the warehouse wall. That is until an arrow pointing in the other direction started flashing across his classes. “Oops.” Turning around Mark headed in the opposite direction. As

  Captain Cook appeared next to Mark as he walked.

  "Star Queen; Get me the First officer and Exec please."

  "Yes Captain." Came two voices together a few seconds later.

  "We are barrowing a couple of 5,000 cargo ton transport boats and I need you to drag up crew lists Charlie 1 and 2 and get them here A.S.A.P a.s.a.p . The Boats are docked at the boat cargo shipping bay at the middle of the showroom warehouse at the north end of the military Starport base. The doors will be rolled up back and you can fly right in and land next to the row of transports backed into the loading docks. I will be expecting them here within the hour. Captain Cook out." Tapping another key on the console in front of her as another Captain Cook appeared in front of Mark as the original disappeared. "Commander Collins I have ordered a couple of crews for the transport boats. Ensign A Collins; you will make sure they are cleared for entering the base and the boat cargo shipping bay, tentatively in an hour."

  "Mickey." Mark whispered. "Add enough gunner crewmen to that list for the Assault guns you are having installed on the Transports please. And where are the Self Propelled guns for the marines by the way?"

  "They are sitting in the Shuttles with extra generators in tow to speed up there firing rate ."

  "Well , then I guess all we need do is wait for the marines." Mark said out loud satisfied.

  Captain Cook looked at Mark. "Yes Commander; all we need to do is wait for the marines!" A sneer crossed her tight lips. "Boy; there is always something you can do. Always something left undone or could be done better. Something that you missed. Something that may change unexpected ly . Something that could go wrong that you did not initially plan for or think could go wrong and something you could do to prevent possible problems or something you could do different to fix it if it does go wrong to fix it . If nothing else, something you can do or get, to make the mission , whether it is to Tower City or to the moon , easier or successful for that matter. There is always something you can do Commander. If nothing else, what happens if the Marines cannot break into the building? Have you even thought of that Commander? No? You think Captains have nothing better to do than w ai eigh t for the marines or someone else to do the work while they sit in their big chairs and sleep? ”

  The Captain shook her head as the stogie in her mouth glowed bright red at its end. Then as a cloud formed around her head she continued. “ Ninety percent of a Captain's or any officer’s main job is planning what to do if something or anything that shouldn't , : happens." The Captain looked away disgustingly. "Lazy do nothing Captains and officers cause people and ships to die. Are you a lazy do nothing brainless officer Mr. Collins?"

  A few minutes later after the long lectur e finally ended , the Captain wound down and disappeared . , Mark took a couple of breaths and growled at Mickey. “ She wants me to use my head? Fine. I want the biggest guns you can put on the transports with all point defense slots filled with the biggest guns they can hold and have enough crews sent for 4 fucking transport boats of them . . She wants me to use my head, fine. ”

  Chapter 16: Where did it all come from? ----------------- 243

  The 250 gross ton Assault Shuttle slid out of the warehouse followed by 3 others. The overweight Assault Shuttles at almost 400 tons, where a little slow accelerating but they climbed smoothly into the air. Th e y didn’t have to worry about enemy action. As long as they made it into the air it did not matter they maneuvered like wales. Mark sat at the sensor station on the bridge beside the entry hatch in the back. Captain Cook sat in the Captain's chair. Several other officers sat at otherwise empty consoles lining the back and sides of the bridge. The Star Queen's smaller 100ton shuttle bridge crews normally consisted of the pilot in command, n N avigator /copilot , weapons officer (packed in when weapons were added) and engineer. The big English shuttle's bridge looked more like a starship's bridge than a shuttle's with more consoles than the original crewmen could handle .

  "Captain Cook; a Captain Summers on the com sir." The new Comm officer said from the left side of the cockpit. "She wants to talk to Commander Collins sir."

  "Put her on the screen lieutenant."

  Captain Summers She appeared on the screen. "Captain Cook. I see you are on your way. ” Her mouth dropped open for a few seconds as she realized what she was loo king at. Then her face started to turn red but quickly recovered with a frown. After taking a deep breath as he lips seamed to coun t to 10. Captain Summers continued as if she had known all along. “ Nice to see you had enough sense not to try flying here in those antique pieces of junk you call Shuttles." Looking around the bridge. "Though you are out of uniform. All crewmen on combat ships of the English Navy are required to wear armored ship’s crewmen’s suits while on combat duty. Including bridge crews and Captains. You can never know when a shot may penetrate the hull dumping your air and sucking out half your crew and any lose equipment. But then, after all, you are only Tramp Hicks. So why should I e
xpect you to have at least read the English ship's basic combat manual."

  Rolling her eyes as she shook her head sadly. "If you people can't man the Assault Shuttle properly I will put an English crew onboard." Disgust dripped from every word. "Don't let me see even one crewman without a basic ships combat suit on when you get here . G g ot that Captain. I know those Assault shuttles come equipped with suit- up pods." Her voice softened as a week smile crossed her face. "I am relieved to see you picked our latest and most armored assault shuttle even if it is over twice as large as your ships shuttles. At least I don't have to worry about you trying to make off with them since they will never fit into your shuttle lock bays. Though I can't see why you got 4 of them when your whole attack force could have fit into ONE!" Her face changed again from baffled suspicion to serious. "I will fill you in on the latest developments when you land and we can go over your attack plans. Out."

  "Mickey; did you have time to see what she was talking about? What has changed?"

  Captain Cook spoke up shaking her head. "Ok people; evidentially the English expect us to act like English crewmen when we are using their equipment, so we may as well as comply. Besides it makes sense. Everyone not in marines marine’s combat suits , get into ship suits pronto. We only have about 45 minutes to reach the Queen. The shuttle crewmen not on duty can go ahead and suit up. The rest can suit up when we land at the Star queen to unload cargo and pick up the 8 inch gun crews even though I am not sure why we would need them." She looked around at Mark stern faced before turning forward again.