Death Never Leaves a Calling Card

by Saxon Andrew

  Sam smiled, “It’s a perfect name.”

  “What’s the reason you’ve called?”

  “Have you chosen the crews to bring the Tronan Warships to Romania?”

  “I’m about to wrap that up now.”

  “Jek, I have a serious issue and I’m running out of solutions.”

  “What is it?”

  “We’ve exceeded our wildest expectations in constructing the new scouts. We’re going to have double the number we expected to have to meet the invasion and finding the additional crews to man them has come to a standstill.”

  “Why?”

  “We originally thought that pretty much anyone that could walk and chew gum could fly the new scouts but we discovered that assessment was totally inaccurate. The crews of the scouts must possess a mental affinity for moving in the three-dimensions of open space or inside a filament. That ability, while it isn’t rare, is not something most of the applicants possess. We also discovered that civilians that do possess it just don’t fit in well to military structure. We can’t count on them to follow their orders in a timely fashion.”

  “You have millions of sailors in the Fleet, Sam.”

  “We’ve exhausted them, Jek. Most of them did not perform functions on their ships that required them to even look outside their vessels. They aren’t up to the task.”

  “Have you seen a pattern in those that passed?”

  “Of course, most of them were pilots or scanner operators. We’ve also found that the members of the blaster crews were exceptional.”

  Jek shrugged, “That makes sense. A good blaster operator would have to be able to target a ship moving in three-dimensions.” Jek paused and said, “You’re thinking about using some of us to fly the scouts.”

  “I’m at wits end, Jek. What do you think about the idea?

  Jek looked away and said, “Are you hearing this?”

  Sam heard a voice off screen say, “I am.”

  Jek looked back at him, “How many crews do you need.”

  “I need 300,000 crews, which is six-hundred thousand individuals.”

  Jek looked away again, “What do you think?” Sam couldn’t understand what the voice off-screen was saying but Jek looked back at him and said, “There are 126,000 pilots here along with an equal number of former scanner operators.”

  Sam’s eyes flew open, “Why so many?”

  Jek looked away and the voice shouted, “Each pilot had an apprentice that they were training.”

  “But that’s still nowhere near a hundred-thousand!”

  Jek smiled and said, “Sam, there were three shifts. No pilot works twenty-four hours a day. The scanner operators also had an apprentice.”

  Jek looked away and said, “What?”

  The voice shouted again, “Most of the ships brought here are the old model. They had seven-hundred blaster operators on board.”

  Sam asked, “How many is that?”

  The voice shouted, “A little over thirteen-million!!” Sam’s eyes flew wide open as he heard, “If he wants to use them, I’d select them from the Ship Blaster Team Directors. They were promoted to their positions because of merit firing their weapons. There’s about eight-hundred-thousand of them here!”

  “Jek, can they be trusted?”

  Jek smiled, “The last Tronan to arrive have been here long enough for Heaven to change them. No one comes to this planet without undergoing a change. There is a general feeling of ill will here toward their former civilization. Jel and I will screen them to make sure they’re sincere in wanting to fight with us. Besides, you are their Prime Director and if you order them to do it, they’ll die carrying out your orders.”

  “I don’t want to force them to do it.”

  Jek smiled and lowered his eyes, “Trust me on this one, Sam, they will not have to be forced. There will be anger at not being chosen to go.”

  “I need them moved to Romania immediately. We’re going to have to shut the short-cut down in less than three months.”

  Jek looked away from the monitor and listened for a minute and turned back, “We’ll take one of the Warships out to the parked Fleets with enough crews and pilots to to bring the ships needed to ferry the necessary numbers of scout crews to Romania. We should have them on the move in less than three-weeks.”

  Sam smiled, “Thank you, Jek. And tell Acreb that I owe him.”

  Sam heard the voice shout, “You’ve already paid for it!”

  Sam smiled and ended the contact. He leaned back in his chair and smiled. He had a thought and said, “Computer, pull up a recording of a Tronan Ground Force in action.” The monitor activated and Sam stared at the short Warriors conducting an attack. He shook his head; the Tronan weren’t big but they were incredibly quick and agile. Their reflexes were far superior to humans and his smile grew larger, launching eggs would be far more efficient with a Tronan pulling the lever.

  • • •

  Three weeks later, Sam, Gregory, and Heather were at the spaceport as a hundred and sixty Tronan Warships arrived in orbit. Gregory looked at Sam with his eyebrows lowered and Sam raised his shoulders, “I didn’t think it would take this many ships.”

  They saw the first giant ship land and Jek was the first one off the ramp, “Hi, Sam. Greg, Heather, it’s good to see you!”

  Sam shook his head, “Why so many ships, Jek?”

  “We nearly had an insurrection on New Heaven when we asked for warriors to join the fight. There were so many that had equal qualifications that it was finally decided to bring double the number you needed.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  Jek smiled and looked at Gregory, “May I assume that you are going to continue to construct scouts even after the invasion arrives?”

  Gregory shrugged, “Of course.”

  “Then you’re going to need the crews to fly them as well. Acree and Acreb decided that it would be better to have the additional crews to adequately train them; we decided to bring them along. The ones selected to confront the coming invasion are the best of the lot and they’ll start training immediately. The others will wait their turn as new scouts are built.”

  Sam looked at Gregory and Heather, “Do you have the facilities to house and feed this many warriors.”

  Heather waved her hand, “And then some. Jek is right, we’ll need those additional crews rather quickly.”

  Jek smiled, “Good. Sam, may I speak to you in private?”

  Sam nodded and Jek put his arm over his shoulder as they walked away. Gregory and Heather were on their communicators in an instant setting up the housing for the additional crews. “Sam, Acree and Acreb have made a request and they hope you will agree to it.”

  “What is that?”

  “They want the warriors being sent here to fight together in the invasion. They also asked that I come and lead them in the fight. I found it hard to say no.”

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Jek smiled, “Hey, it’s a fight and you know how much I love a good fight. There’s one more thing they want.” Sam stared at Jek and he said, “They have asked that these crews be used in the most dangerous situations. If that means putting them on the front lines, they, and the crews that came with me, would consider it an honor.”

  Sam smiled, “I’ll put you in touch with Embree and Desiree. They’re developing our plan to meet the invasion. However, I don’t want them being suicidal.”

  “They understand that, Sam. They are determined to make their lives count for something.”

  Sam smiled, “Get your crews organized and I’ll see you when you have a free moment.”

  Jek hugged Sam, “Thanks, I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve felt less competent without you being around, Jek. I depend on you.”

  “Oh, I think you’ve done ok. I’ll see you later.”

  Sam watched Jek walk back toward the massive ships and smiled. It was starting to feel like home again.

  Chapter Ten

  The scouts
had been going through maneuvers for a month and Tommy, Roger, and Netty were in their usual positions in the conference room observing them on the giant wall monitor. The monitor was divided into twenty different images, showing the maneuvers from different views. They were talking and laughing occasionally at a scout’s blatant error, when an alarm sounded at high volume. Tommy jerked forward and silenced it as Roger said, “Two scouts just collided!”

  Tommy pressed a red button on his panel and every scout in the maneuver came to an immediate stop and held their positions. Tommy spoke into his microphone, “The two scouts that just hit each other will return to the landing bay immediately!” They watched the monitor and there was no movement.

  Netty held her breath and then saw a scout start moving out of formation. A few moments later, another scout began moving. Netty looked at Tommy and said, “I’ll go to the landing bay and check on what happened.” Tommy nodded as she rushed toward the exit. Tommy watched her until she disappeared. He then said, “Return to your starting positions and do it again!” The thousands of scouts began moving and Tommy put the microphone down.

  Roger swiveled his chair and stared at Tommy. “When are you going to tell her?”

  Tommy looked at him, “Tell who what?”

  “Tommy, I know you better than you know yourself but even a blind man could see you’re feeling something for Netty.”

  “YOU’RE CRAZY!”

  Roger stared at him, “Am I? You couldn’t make any orders until she was out of the room. I see you staring at her when she’s not looking and it’s clear what’s in your eyes. You’re doing it again.”

  “Doing what?!”

  “You kept it from Gloria…are you going to keep it from Netty as well.” Tommy’s face turned angry and Roger said, “ARE YOU?!” Tommy closed his eyes and lowered his head. He sighed and Roger said, “If you don’t learn from you past mistakes you are bound to repeat them.”

  “But what if she doesn’t feel the same, Roger?”

  “Then you take it like a man and walk away to lick your wounds; that’s how life is, Tommy. But to continue to refuse to act on your feelings does a dishonor to yourself and Gloria’s memory!”

  “I can’t do it, Roger! She’s one of my subordinates.”

  Roger stood up with an angry expression, “Can’t or won’t do it. There’s a huge difference.” Roger turned and left Tommy sitting in his chair. The maneuvers began again but Tommy could only stare at the floor.

  Netty entered the conference room forty-minutes later and said with joy in her voice as she arrived at the front table, “Their ships didn’t even have a dent in them! The crews were stunned but they appear to be fine. I sent them to the infirmary to be checked out anyway. Tommy looked up at her and she said in a serious tone, “What’s wrong?”

  Tommy sighed, “Roger and I had just had a huge argument.”

  I’m so sorry.”

  Tommy pointed to her chair and said, “Don’t be; we argue a lot.”

  “That sounds odd.”

  Tommy shrugged, “Not really. Roger knows me better than anyone in creation. I loved Gloria but I love Roger like a brother I never had. He knows how hardheaded I can be and he forces me to see what I refuse to admit. It takes usually takes an argument to make me see it. It’s his advice that has made me a lot of what I am today.”

  “What was the problem this time?” Tommy was silent and Netty said, “Admiral?”

  Tommy lowered his eyes and stared at the floor, “He says I’m betraying myself again.”

  Netty shook her head, “I don’t understand?”

  Tommy looked up into Netty’s eyes, “He says that my refusal to tell you how I feel about you dishonors Gloria’s memory and that I’m a coward.” Netty was still standing up and she slowly fell into her chair. Tommy looked at the floor again and said softly, “I don’t know when it happened, Netty, but something changed during the last few months. I found that I hated it whenever you left the room. It always seemed darker without you around. You’re in my mind when I wake up and when I go to bed.” Tommy looked up at her, “I just…just…” Netty put her hands over her mouth and started shaking her head. Tommy immediately said, “I apologize, Admiral. I’m out of line for telling you this. Just forget it, please!”

  Netty reached over and took both of his hands in hers, “You do not owe me an apology! I’ve been fascinated by you from the moment you ordered me down to your table during our first meeting. The reason I wanted to know Gloria’s name was to see if I could work to be like her.”

  Tommy smiled slightly, “Really?”

  Netty came out of her chair and put her arms around Tommy’s neck, “REALLY! I’m going to kiss Roger for this.”

  Tommy said softly, “What about kissing me and letting me tell him how it felt?” Netty leaned back and planted a hard kiss on Tommy’s lips. A few minutes later, the kiss turned passionate. They broke the kiss and Tommy exhaled, “I hope I can adequately describe this.”

  Netty laughed and sat in Tommy’s lap, “So, how does this change things?”

  “We’re going to have to continue a professional relationship and not allow our feelings to interfere in performing out duties.” Netty nodded. “We’ll also have to recognize that I might order you to do things you don’t agree with and you will follow those orders; I hope it doesn’t change how you feel.”

  Netty smiled, “It won’t.”

  Tommy said, “We should also…” Tommy stopped speaking.

  Netty waited for him to continue and said, “What?”

  Tommy looked at her, “This is ridiculous. Roger said a blind man could see how I felt. How can we possibly hide how we feel? He nodded to Netty’s chair and she moved to it. He pressed a button and said, “Computer, connect me with Captain Leonidas Piper.”

  The images of the maneuver disappeared and Leo appeared on the monitor, they saw a woman sitting next to his chair typing furiously on her keyboard, “Hi, Tommy, what’s up?”

  “I have a personal question and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind helping me with it.”

  “I’ll do what I can.”

  Tommy looked at Netty and then turned to the monitor, “Has commanding a warship with your wife as your second-in-command caused you any problems?”

  Tommy saw Netty’s face turn red as the woman sitting next to Leo stopped typing and look out at him, “Did I hear that correctly?”

  Leo smiled, “Go back to work, Desiree. He looked off the screen and said, “Bart, are you listening in on our conversation?”

  A gruff voice replied, “You need to talk a little quieter! They can hear you in the landing bay!”

  “So, Bart, has my relationship with Desiree caused any issues in the smooth performance of this ship”

  “YES.”

  Desiree looked up from her panel and Leonidas asked, “What issues?”

  “This ship never performed smoothly until she joined us. The ship is better with her keeping you in line.”

  “So, you think we work better together than separate?”

  “That’s what I just said! Are you hard of hearing?”

  Leo looked at Tommy, “Trust me, if there were any problems, Bart wouldn’t hesitate to point them out.”

  Tommy smiled, “Thank you, Sir.”

  The monitor returned to the maneuvers and Tommy stood up, “Admiral, once the scouts have been brought back on board, I want a meeting with all of the crews in the landing bay two hours later. That gives them time to eat and freshen up.”

  “Tommy, what are you going to do?”

  “There are some maneuvers that need to be discussed with them. Follow my orders, Admiral.” Tommy left the room and Netty wondered what in the hell was going on. Was he lying about his feelings or was his duty forcing him to ignore them? She shook her head and issued orders for the meeting.

  Three hours later, all the scouts were on board and rotated above the giant landing bay in their berths. Two hours later, the five units with sixteen-thousand crew
members in each were standing behind their Commanders in the giant room. Netty stood in the center of their formations as the sailors relaxed and talked in the ranks. At exactly two-hours after the last scout landed, the Bosun Mate’s whistle filled the huge bay. Netty yelled, “Attennnnshun!” The thousands came to attention and she saluted as Tommy entered the bay and walked up in front of Netty. She yelled, “ALL UNITS PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR, SIR!!” Tommy returned her salute and Netty yelled, “STAND AT…EASE?”

  The huge formations moved their legs to shoulder width and put their hands behind her back. Tommy was wearing a small microphone on his collar and he pressed it connecting him to the landing bay’s wall speakers, “I’ve called this meeting to bring you up to date on what you can anticipate to start happening immediately.” He paused and said, “All the maneuvers you’ve been working on for the last few months will not be used in our assault on the Tronan Communication Lines!” To say the announcement stunned everyone in the landing bay would be an understatement. The giant bay was so silent the air handlers could be heard hundreds of feet overhead.

  Tommy paused and said, “The maneuvers were not a waste of valuable time. All of you will need to know them when you return to Fleet and start working with other units. However, all those maneuvers take place in normal space.” Tommy stared at the huge gathering and then said, “Our assault will take place inside the filament and that changes things dramatically.” Tommy turned and pointed a remote at the largest monitor on the giant transport. It was six-hundred yards long and four-hundred yards tall. Every sailor in the bay could see it. What they saw was an image of the Dragon’s Maw in the middle of a filament. “Our mission is to disrupt and break the Tronan Communication Lines…yes, there will probably be two of them that overlap their coverage. For us to do that, we will have to make a break in the Tronan lines longer than their communication range to prevent a message from being passed back from the battle being fought in our space.” Tommy paused and let that bit of information sink in. “This is how we’re going to make that happen.” Tommy pointed the remote at the monitor and the scout crews saw two white lines move out of the portside of the Dragon’s Maw. One line flew ahead of the transport and the other flew behind it.”