by Chris Hechtl
“Understood,” the captain replied with a nod. “Thank you,” she said.
“It's not part of the service, but well, we need to make sure things change for the better. Hopefully you'll endeavor to pay it forward as well,” Shelby said. “Prometheus out,” she said, cutting the channel.
Vanessa sat back and thought about the conversation she'd just endured as her blood pressure slowly returned to normal levels. She wasn't happy about being raked over the coals like that, not at all.
She'd thought trading on the family name and taking advantage of the navy's generosity would get her far. Apparently they were aware of that from the beginning. That burned like humiliation.
Her eyes narrowed as she replayed the other woman's statements in her mind. Since it was common knowledge what she'd done with the passengers’ garbage in Pyrax, it meant her reputation was in ruins. Undoubtedly it explained why they hadn't received a single passenger booking, though that speed comment might factor into it as well.
Just how fast had they gotten ships to fly? Could her ship get back up to stock speeds she wondered? She wasn't certain, but she knew she needed to find out.
For now, it was time to play nice, eat glass, and mend fences.
Even if it burned her ass to do so.
>=:::#>
“My she was not a happy camper,” Shelby said grinning to Renee as she finished showing the other captain the video of the conversation. “Your thoughts?”
“I think you are right,” Renee said slowly. Something Shelby had said, about doing what was best for her crew and ship resonated in her. She'd always resented her sister's elevated position and thought she could do better. Only when she'd taken the hot seat on Firefly did she realize what the responsibility entailed. It wasn't for fun. It kept you up at night, agonizing if you got something wrong—the safety of the ship, the crew, and the mission.
In that she'd found something in common with her sister at last. Something other than genetics.
“Skip? Hello?” Shelby said, snapping her fingers. Renee blinked. “Sorry to disturb you if you were on an implant call, but you looked a little out of it.”
“Sorry, woolgathering,” Renee admitted.
“About your sister?”
“And what you said,” Renee said.
“You said that before,” Shelby said patiently.
“I realized I had a little more in common with my sister than I thought. I didn't like it, but I understand her position, having to look out for the ship and crew. She doesn't approach it like we do, but she's got a right to her own methods I suppose.”
“True,” Shelby replied dubiously.
“I think we should help her ship. I've still got friends there, I know Janice and the others do as well,” she smiled slightly. “Even though she's going to get help and pay for it,” she grinned. “She's not going to get it for free, and she's not going to get a complete overhaul and rebuild.”
“No,” Shelby admitted, shaking her head. “Trollop said what they are offering will pay for a quarter of what they want.”
“Can you kick it up to a third? I'll cover the rest,” Renee said quietly. She spread her hands at Shelby's startled expression. “It's not charity! Honest!” Shelby's expression changed to that of disbelief. “Honest,” she repeated in a more normal tone. “Like I said, I've got other friends on that ship. I'd like to see them get to where they are going safer. And if it helps them, so be it. They are a dinosaur though. If she can't adapt and improve her ship and customer service,” she grimaced, “then she's going to get passed by rather quickly.”
“Not when we're not turning out many civilian ships,” Shelby replied with a snort. “There are only so many going around. We've got what, half?”
“Something like that. But it's changing. I know there are two civilian yards in Antigua. There is another trying to get started in Pyrax. They aren't turning ships out like the navy yards are,” Renee drawled, easing over to flex and stretch some stiffening muscles, “but I think every little bit helps.”
“True,” Shelby replied. “Okay, I'll give Trollop the go ahead.”
“And don't tell my sister. I don't want her using this.”
“Generosity? Got it,” Shelby said with a wink and a somber nod. “Will do.”
“And to hell with her getting passengers. She's on her own there. She made her bed, now she has to lie in it. Not that I'm complaining about what she did in the slightest,” Renee said.
“My sentiments exactly, Skipper,” Shelby replied with a grin.
“Almost done here?” Renee asked.
“You mean you don't know?” Shelby asked in mock indignation. Renee snorted. “Of course you know,” Shelby tisked tisked. “Yes, to answer your question. Trollop's last estimate is on the money at another shift to finish running down the bugs. Then you'll be good to go.”
“Go home you mean. Limping with our tail tucked between our legs,” Renee growled.
“I prefer to think of it as licking your remaining wounds and getting ready for round two,” Shelby replied with a sniff as she eyed her former captain.
“Thanks,” Renee said gruffly.
“Captain, we're ready to check the port nodes. Engineering wanted your approval though,” a rating said.
“Make sure the port side is clear. We don't want anyone or anything out on the hull if we're going to run the test,” Renee said, looking up. “And check with traffic control while you are at it. They should know.”
“Aye aye, ma'am.”
“Looks like you've got your hands full. Later, Skipper,” Shelby said, giving her a hand wave before she hit the disconnect button.
Renee glanced at her blank screen then caught the reflection of another rating approaching her so she turned expectantly. She did indeed have work to do.
>=:::#>
“They are making some serious progress, ma'am. I mean we are,” Randy said eagerly, waving a tablet. “We've picked up the entire Alpha band and if we can squeeze a little more out of the reactors with this latest round of work we can hit beta!”
“Beta?” Vanessa asked, taking the tablet roughly from the chief engineer. “You are certain? We haven't been in beta since my grandmother's time,” she said.
“Yes, ma'am!” Randy grinned. “They freed up some of my people to redo the scrubbers on all the decks. I've gotten my people to do a complete life support overhaul. If we can replace the carpet and maybe paint we'd …”
“Never mind the frivolous stuff,” Vanessa said absently. “We don't have many passengers anyway. But I am lining up a cargo of goods to go to Gaston from one of the industrial corporations that survived the pirates. They've got warehouses filled with crap that they can't unload because the people here are too busy trying to survive in rebuild. So their loss is our gain I suppose.” She had lined up the eight passengers from the corporation along with the cargo. She would treat them like first class to make sure they spread it around that she was a good ship. It would take time, but eventually she'd make up for Pyrax. The contract wasn't much, but it would pay the bills and also pay to get them a little extra fuel. If it was a repeat job, they'd pick up returning cargo on the other end, most likely shipments of nonperishable food goods. It might turn into a regular run for a short time. “I want you to concentrate on the major systems. I want them sorted out.”
“Yes, ma'am. They've given us more than I expected,” he said, clearly uncertain on how to handle such generosity. He didn't want to call them on it and have it dry up.
“Then I think I know why. And I think I owe a conversation to someone before she goes and I don't get another chance,” Vanessa murmured. She handed the tablet back, practically ramming it into the chief engineer's abdomen before she walked off.
>=:::#>
A day after they received their orders for movement the good byes were finished and they were ready to move on. It wasn't going to be a new adventure, more like going home with their tails tucked between their legs.
At lea
st they were going home, Renee reminded herself. Too many of her crew had received their final journey into the void and would never leave the star system again.
“We're ready to move out, ma'am. Refueling was finished two hours ago,” the chief of the boat reported. “We finished tucking things away and locking them down five minutes ago.
“You're sure?”
“As sure as we can be, ma'am. The inertial dampeners still work. Anything that does kick loose will get sorted out soon enough ma'am,” the bosun replied.
“If you say so,” the captain said, sounding dubious.
Renee was surprised when the Carib Queen called. “Seriously? She wants a send-off?”
“Or she wants to give you a parting shot,” the A.I. replied.
“I'd love to trade broadsides with her,” Renee growled. She gave herself a moment to make sure she was clean before she nodded. “Comm, put her on,” Renee said, indicating the screen. When her sister's image appeared, she sighed heavily. “What? Can't you see we're busy here?”
“I wanted to wish you good luck,” her sister said, surprising her. Renee's eyes widened. Her sister snorted. “Just because I'm a bitch doesn't mean I'm not a Mayweather. Give 'em hell, gal. Mom would be proud,” she said gruffly.
“Thanks,” Renee said as she signed off and prepared her ship to move out. Oddly, she felt comforted by the gesture.
“We're ready to get underway on your command, Captain,” the acting chief of the boat reminded her.
“Very well,” Renee said, sitting back. “Nav, course plotted?” she asked. The navigator nodded.
“Aye aye, ma'am. Course plotted and laid in.”
“Then execute it, helm.”
“Aye aye, ma'am. Breaking orbit. Power at 20 percent on the starboard nacelle. Balancing drives now. This is going to be trickier than I'd thought,” the rating said, juggling the load.
“Scripting a program to help you now. Keep the small nacelles below 50 percent power to keep them even, helm,” Firefly ordered.
“Aye, sir, 50 percent,” the helm rating replied dutifully.
“Adjusting course to compensate,” the navigator intoned. “New course laid in.”
“Executing,” the helmsman said as Renee's practiced eye surveyed her instruments. They briefly lingered over the icon of her sister's ship before a blinking light drew them away. Queen of space indeed she thought with a small corner of her busy mind before she delved deeper into the business of running her wounded ship.
The End
My Darling Caroline
Proofread by: Wayne Gaskin, Thomas Burrows, Tom Stoecklein, Jory Gray, Carlos d'Empaire, Mike Kotcher
Special thanks to Mike B. and Tom Stoecklein for their help.
Cast:
Caroline: North Hampton class LC (Named for Brit ship).
Captain: Lieutenant Commander Arnie Perth, Neochimp.
XO: First Lieutenant Angie Kalua.
TACO: Second Lieutenant Oppenheimer (Oppie), Neoorangutan.
JTO: Ensign Falling Leaf, elf.
Helm: Lieutenant Junior Grade Brock as well as two experienced crew w/two midshipman selkies and two midshipman chimeras.
Two selkies: one male, one female. Male walrus Tulimak, female sea lion. Both from Agnosta. Both young when they met Deja. Female Qilaq wanted to be a doctor.
Two chimeras from ET, both male. Tyjon Peete, Kapueo Mahoe.
Navigator: Lieutenant JG Newt Brock.
Doctor Hasami Naroob: Lieutenant junior grade.
Ensign Dega: Squad leader of marine contingent.
Ensign Caroline: Starship class I dumb A.I.
Sensor chief: Chief Petty Officer Zz'vv, Veraxin.
Bosun/chief of the boat: Senior Chief Petty Officer Mat Malone, human male.
Chief Engineer: Second Lieutenant Percy Galavant. Male, Neomutt chocolate lab.
Steward: Z'k'zz, Veraxin.
Status: Fifth LC built in Pyrax. Division mate of Mikhail Kutuzov. Both ships sent to B100 omega. Sent to Bex (PR) replaced by Wanda Lu.
BEK:
Ten civilians, ten officer delegates.
Eight civilian delegates, two officer delegates from Nuevo.
Vice Admiral Yorgi Sienkov: older man, near retirement. Silver hair, silver eyes, red skin. Interested in intelligence.
Rear Admiral Melvin Zekowitz: Engineering admiral. Prefers to go by Zek. Hands-on.
Captain SG Ch'ch'tt: Veraxin, female.
Captain JG Liota Chavez: Female, red hair.
Lieutenant Commander Swish Clack: T'clock, female.
First Lieutenant Barrack Coklin: Neochimp, engineer.
First Lieutenant Siobhan Blackyip: Neodog.
Major Theodore Edward Bear IIXXX: Neopolar bear, marine.
Lieutenant Elvis Yaeger: Flag lieutenant to Sienkov, Neochimp.
Lieutenant JG Oprah Si: Flag lieutenant to Zekowitz, human female.
Lieutenant Colonel Pasha 1010111: Nuevo army militia officer.
Lieutenant Olivia Lincoln: Nuevo army militia officer.
Moira Sema: Head civilian delegate, former lieutenant governor of Bek. She is beautiful with long blue hair.
Admiral Toronto: Neogorilla silverback. Cybernetic right arm. Commanding officer, Orbital Fortresses.
Vice Admiral Georgi Pashenkov: Neowolf/mutt.
Captain Bailey: Engineer.
Chief Petty Officer Heavenly: Neomutt.
Doctor Fara Windswept: High elf. Ancient sleeper from Xeno war time.
Lars Thurgunsson: Senator, chairman of the military oversight committee and industrial board chairman.
K'k'R'll: Veraxin Bek Republic President, also governor of Bek A.
Doctor Q'r'll: Veraxin chief medical officer of Bek.
Doctor Haven: Neochimp female doctor assigned to guide Doctor Naroob.
Riami Torq: Nuevo head civilian delegate.
Jeremy Ferguson: Nuevo delegate
Dwight Houser: Doctor, Neoorangutan, Nuevo delegate.
Governor Tribek: Governor of Nuevo A.
1
Lieutenant Commander Arnie Perth and captain of the good ship Caroline grinned in appreciation of his crew's efforts. Everyone had heard they were supposed to get some leave before going on a super secret mission. He wasn't sure what got to them more, the leave or the mission.
Probably both he reflected, watching his bridge crew perform like a conductor watching a virtuoso performance of his signature piece. Very nice he thought, nodding as the XO First Lieutenant Angie Kalua worked with the tactical department on the critique of the latest exercises. They didn't know it, but they might not need the combat experience they were honing. Only time would tell for certain of course.
Angie was good. A bit more seasoning and he would be comfortable recommending her for her own first command. He'd miss her. She had a steady hand with the crew, but he knew the navy was growing explosively. They couldn't keep teams together like they had only a few short years ago. Six months he thought, probably until the end of their new mission and she'd be off to run a frigate, base, or tin can of her own. Breaking in her replacement would be interesting he thought. He wondered briefly who the admiralty would send. Was he going to get a reputation as a good teacher? Hopefully. And hopefully they wouldn't draw too many picket duties. He hadn't realized his ship was going to do that when he'd taken her command chair for his own.
He frowned thoughtfully then shrugged such thoughts away. They were problems of tomorrow. Today he relished the XO's critique while he planned to take over her carefully planned op force in the next simulation to give her a bit of a fun drubbing.
“If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined,” he murmured.
“Sir?” a Veraxin sensor tech asked, looking up from her nearby station.
He turned to her. “Never mind,” he said waggling his hand in a dismissive motion as all eyes turned to him. “Never mind,” he murmured again, fighting the urge to rub his hands together in gleeful anticipation.
* * * *
The basics were there, the route, information about the star system. Apparently it had been taken out of the Encyclopedia Galactica. That was interesting.
He frowned. When his fingers tapped the entry, it came up as blank, but then a caption appeared. “Entry in the Encyclopedia Galactica deleted for security considerations,” he murmured out loud. “Interesting,” he said softly, looking up thoughtfully as he finished his coffee. He set the cup down and sat back and crossed his legs.
According to what Admiral Irons had provided in the initial brief, the population had been at roughly one million in the primary A component of the quadruple star system, with another 200 to 250 thousand on the small dwarf planet moon in the B component three light weeks away. The quadruple star system had been split into two binary systems that orbited a common center. The A component had an F class star orbited by an M class planet, the habitable planet, it's moon, the two gas giants with an extensive collection of moons further out, then the red dwarf, a small M class. Outside the M class was a super gas giant with a whole host of moons orbiting both stars in a P orbit.