The Fifth Reich: Beyond The Stars

by J Palliser

  J.P.

  The Fifth Reich: Beyond The Stars

  First published by Torreon Press (MX) in 2016

  Copyright © J.P., 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  Second Edition

  This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy. Find out more at reedsy.com

  Contents

  Prologue 1

  One 2

  Two 13

  Three 20

  Four 30

  Five 40

  Six 48

  Seven 59

  Eight 63

  Nine 74

  Ten 84

  Eleven 97

  Twelve 110

  Thirteen 127

  Fourteen 143

  Fifteen 172

  Sixteen 186

  Seventeen 198

  Eighteen 216

  Nineteen 227

  Twenty 245

  Twenty-One 263

  Twenty-Two 275

  Twenty-Three 290 Twenty-Four 307 Twenty-Five 321 Twenty-Six 335 Twenty-Seven 353 Twenty-Eight 367 Twenty-Nine 382 Thirty 402 Thirty-One 415 Thirty-Two 430 Thirty-Three 448 Thirty-Four 459 Thirty-Five 484 Thirty-Six 498 Thirty-Seven 527 Thirty-Eight 553 Thirty-Nine 575 Forty 591 Forty-One 603 Forty-Two 618 Forty-Three 630 Forty-Four 645 Author's Note 657

  1

  Prologue

  Shadows crept slowly across the wall of the observation deck, ghostly figures cast against the bulkhead of an empty ship. The room was lit by the first light of the morning sun, rising over the Atlantic Ocean. The room was empty, totally devoid of life, like the rest of the ship high above New York. Her corridors no longer echoed with the footsteps of her crew. Main Engineering was silent, the constant hum of her engines gone. The beating heart of the ship was at last still. The weapons stores were empty, as no battles remained in her future. The shuttle-bay was stripped, the few remaining fighters forever without pilots. The transporter room was dark, with no new worlds to explore. The bridge was still. There was no one on watch, no tasks to be performed, and no missions to complete. On the entire ship, only one living thing still remained. In the captain's ready room, a lone figure sat in the dark, quiet and dignified. A single Centuri woman, a veteran officer, sat saying goodbye to longest serving ship in Kriegsmarine history. She was the last captain of the KMS Bismarck II...

  2

  One

  Shakedown...

  Earth, 2380 Sonya shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She vastly preferred transporters to taking a shuttle into orbit. Something about the switch from real to artificial gravity always turned her stomach, and this was no exception. At least there's no turbulence, she thought as she closed her eyes, trying to settle her gut. Eventually, the shuttle cleared the atmosphere and began the quick trip to Mars. The pull of Earth's gravity faded, but Sonya's stomach refused to relax. She leaned forward and looked out the cockpit window. Among the brilliant stars, she could pick out a bright red spot directly ahead of the craft, slowly growing brighter. She leaned back and shut her eyes again. Her nerves took over the job of making her sick. Her thoughts were interrupted by a calm, even voice across the aisle from her.

  "Are you ill, Ensign?" Sonya looked up into a dark emotionless face. Sonya had hardly noticed the other passenger when she boarded the shuttle at the Academy. The person had been sitting motionless in their seat, and Sonya had assumed they were asleep. The woman in front of her was slightly built, with short, black hair, darkly tanned skin, and dark brown eyes. The sharp, angular face, unusually high cheek bones, and near total lack of facial expression identified her as a Centuri.

  "I'm fine. Just nervous. This is my first posting," Sonya said.

  "You have been adequately trained. There is no reason to expect below average performance."

  "Uhh. Thanks," Sonya said. "How about you?" "This is my first posting as well," the Centuri responded. Sonya examined her uniform. It was in pristine condition. Figures,she thought. The grey trim on her uniform identified her as an Engineer. Her own uniform bore the silver double stripes worn by Security Officers.

  "Sonya Mueller," she said, extending her hand. "Dejah," the woman answered as she shook it. The two young officers sat talking for the next half hour. They shared Academy experiences, discussing their instructors, squads, and courses. Dejah's calm demeanor helped ease Sonya's nerves, and she found the rest of the flight enjoyable, or at least less unpleasant. The conversation was eventually interrupted by the pilot.

  "Bismarck, Academy Shuttle delta 61 requesting permission to land."

  "Delta 61, permission granted. You are clear to land in the Main Docking bay."

  "Affirmative, Bismarck." Sonya again leaned forward to look out the cockpit window. The stars had been replaced by the brilliant red of the Martian surface, but her eyes fixated on the structure directly in front of the shuttle. Hanging in space above the planet was a massive star-ship construction platform. The platform, itself less than 2 years old, was nearly a kilometer long, and more the 750 meters wide, dwarfing the shuttle. A long spine-like structure ran the length of the platform. A network of support structures extended down from either side of the spine. Attached to the bottom of the spine, between the support structures, lay the shuttles destination. She was one of first of the new Bismarck-class ships. The design was sleek, at least compared to other star-ships. Sonya stared in awe. It's glorious, she thought. As the shuttle neared the ship, she could make out the designation written on the saucer section: KMS BISMARCK II.

  Within moments, the shuttle set down in the main shuttle bay. Sonya stood, reaching for her bag. "Guess we're here," she said.

  ***

  KMS Bismarck II, Deck 23, Main Docking bay Sonya parted ways with Dejah and entered the nearest turbo-lift. "Deck 7," she said, and the computer acknowledged her with a beep. She had memorized the layout of the ship as soon as she was given the assignment. Most new Academy graduates are assigned to an old frigate or transport ship, not a state-of-the-art multi-role battleship. She had at first thought there had been a mistake, but decided not to question her orders. This was a mistake she was thankful for. The turbo-lift stopped and the doors opened. Sonya lifted her bags and exited.

  Walking down the corridor, she was overcome by a sense of disbelief. I can't believe I am actually here, she thought. Sonya came from a family filled with Kriegsmarine Academy officers. Her parents had met while serving together, and her older brother was a Lieutenant serving on the Erich Giese, a Z34 destroyer. She had entered the Academy at age 17, and graduated with honors three years later. Still, she felt intimidated by the task in front of her. Sonya knew that expectations on a front-line ship would be high, and there would be little room for error.

  At last, she reached her destination: the Security Chief's quarters. Sonya reached out to the control panel and pressed the button to request entry. "Enter," said a deep, masculine voice with an American accent. The door slid open and Sonya stepped inside. Sitting at a desk in front of her was a large, light skinned man, staring down at the reports piled on his desk. She walked up to the desk and dropped her bag.

  "Ensign Sonya Mueller, reporting for duty, sir," she said, standing at attention. "At ease, Ensign," the man said, not looking up from his desk. "I am Lieutenant Commander James Faulkner, Chief of Security. Welcome aboard,"

  "Thank you, sir," she said, relaxing her shoulders. Her stomach, on the other hand, chose to remain tense.

  "I understand this is your first
assignment, Ensign,"

  "Yes, sir. I just arrived from the Academy," "I read your file. Parents are both retired officers. Entered the Academy at 17. Graduated with honors. Qualified as an expert marksman and excelled in hand to hand combat. Promoted to squad leader. You seem to be well qualified. I am sure you will not disappoint," Faulkner said, at last looking up. "Good God, woman, breathe! You're turning blue. I don't want you passing out in my damn quarters," he said when he saw Sonya's face.

  "Sorry, sir," Sonya said, at last exhaling. "Don't apologize, just stay conscious," he said. "Here is your duty assignment. Leave your things in your quarters and report to Lieutenant Toyama in half an hour. Dismissed."

  "Aye, sir," Sonya said lifting her bag. She left the room and headed back to the turbo-lift. "Deck 5, Junior Officer Quarters," she said. The journey was over in a few moments, and the doors opened again. Sonya stepped out of the turbolift a headed for her quarters, but she quickly became lost. From her bag, she retrieved the smart-pad given to her when she boarded and tried to find herself on the ship map.

  "Lost?" said an amused voice behind her. Sonya spun around in surprise, nearly striking the woman with her bag.

  "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that. Especially not Security Officers." "Sorry," the woman smiled. She was slightly shorter than Sonya, with light gray eyes. Her dirty-blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail that extended just below her shoulders. A trail of small black tattoos ran down the sides of her head and neck. Sonya immediately recognized her as a Arcadian. "Need help?"

  "Yeah. I am looking for my quarters." "You forgot where your quarters are? Did you have a late night?" the woman raised an eyebrow suggestively, making Sonya chuckle.

  "No, this is my first assignment. Ensign Sonya Mueller," she said, extending her hand. "Yeah, mine too. But I like my idea better," she snickered as she shook Sonya's hand. "Ensign Casana Olan. Now, where are you heading?"

  "Room 18." "Really? I'm quartered in 18, too. It's just down the hall here." Casana led Sonya down the hallway and into their quarters. "Allow me to give you the tour," she said as they entered the room. "This is the living area," she said, pointing to a small table in one corner of the room. Padded benches built into the wall surrounded it on two sides and a pair of chairs was pushed in under the other two. "The chairs are so comfortable that don't always think you're sitting in the brig." Sonya found Casana's humor comforting, if somewhat odd. "The bunks are there," Casana motioned to the two sets of bunk beds against the far wall. "This one's mine," she said, patting one of the top bunks. "Daniel sleeps on the other top one, so I guess you're on the bottom. There are footlockers next to the bunks, and we each have a locker over there. They-"

  "Whoa, slow down," Sonya was having trouble keeping up with Casana. "Who's Daniel?"

  "Daniel? Oh, he's an engineer. I think he's a transporter officer."

  "And he's quartered here?" "Yeah." "Okay. Now, what were you saying about the lockers," Sonya said as slowly and calmly as possible, hoping it would encourage Casana to do the same. It did not.

  "The wall lockers, right. They can be locked, so put anything you don't want me nosing through in there," Casana smiled mischievously, nodding to a row of four large storage lockers. She then crossed to the other side of the room. "If you would step this way," she said, gesturing extravagantly to a door across the room from the lockers. Sonya walked through the doorway, finding herself in the head. "This is our luxurious spa. It is complete with all the amenities of a Drac prison, with marginally less slave labor!" Casana said with mock enthusiasm. "Well," she said, returning to the main room, "This concludes our tour. Do you have any questions?"

  "I didn't know that the Bismarck had tour guides."

  Casana smiled broadly. "Just this room."

  "I see."

  "Anyway, you go ahead and get settled in. I'm going to take a shower before I report for duty." Sonya sat on the bunk below Casana's. Reaching into her bag, she retrieved her most valued possession. She passed her thumb over the letters embossed on the book's cover: The Holy Bible. Her mother had given it to her when she left for the Academy. They were both devout, although Sonya was not, even though Christianity was the preferred accepted religion of the Reich Ministry. She sat there for several minutes, staring at the book. As she felt the old leather in her hands, her tension and nervousness melted away. Her thoughts were interrupted when Casana came bouncing into the room.

  "Wait till you try the sonic shower out!" she squeaked. As she reached behind her head to tie her hair back again, the door opened, and Dejah entered.

  "Greetings, Ensign Mueller. I did not realize that you were quartered here as well," she said when she saw Sonya. "I guess they want us together for now," Sonya said. Then she remembered Casana. Oh, this is gonna be interesting, she thought as she stood. "Ensign Dejah, this is Ensign Casana Olan."

  "Greetings," Dejah said. "Hi! You want the tour?" Casana said enthusiastically. Sonya stepped back, trying to observe the interaction without becoming involved.

  "Tour?" Dejah sounded confused.

  "Yeah. Of the quarters," Casana answered.

  "No. I am familiar with the configuration of quarters on Bismarck-class vessels."

  "Come on, it'll be fun. I promise you-" Casana stopped mid-sentence as the door again opened. A tall, muscular man with short, graying brown hair walked in. He stared silently at the three women for a moment. His uniform had the silver trim of an engineer, and the bars on his cuff indicated at least 25 years of service.

  "Hey, Daniel, have you-" "Attention on deck!" he yelled commandingly. Instinctively, all three snapped to attention. "Just kidding," he laughed. This ship is full of crazy people, Sonya thought. "I see the rest of our bunk-mates have arrived."

  "Daniel, this is Sonya and Dejah."

  "Lieutenant Daniel David," he smiled, shaking hands with each of them. "What's your last name, Sonya?"

  "Mueller, sir." Sonya was still half at attention.

  "Call me Daniel. Sonya Mueller, huh? Where are you from?"

  "Munich."

  "Really? My brother-in-law runs a little restaurant in Munich." "What's the name? I might know it." "Oh, I've never been there. He's a horrible cook," Daniel smiled. "Anyway, I wanted to stop by and introduce myself before you report for duty."

  "Why have you been quartered with us, sir?" Dejah asked. "You three are the only first-timers on-board, so the Captain wanted someone experienced to help you get used to life on a star-ship."

  "But, as Academy graduates, we are fully prepared for service on a star-ship. We are well trained, and are proficient at our assigned duties. It is thus logical to assume that we are prepared for this assignment."

  "Yeah. Hold on to that thought," Daniel grinned.

  3

  Two

  Deck 5, Crew Quarters, 0731 hours "Deck 19, Armory," Sonya said as she entered the turbolift. Her previous nervousness was mostly gone. She was certain she could perform her duties well, but she was still concerned about who she was quartered with. Individually, they were likable, and Sonya could see herself getting along with all of them. The problem was with each other. Sonya was reasonably confident that Dejah would be tempted to strangle Casana within a few days. Her duties could be stressful, and Sonya would have preferred a quiet place to rest after duty. The last thing she wanted was to get back from a long shift, only to be caught between feuding roommates.

  The turbo-lift door opened, interrupting her thoughts. Directly across the hall was the Main Armory, which served as the briefing area for the security personnel that were stationed in the midsection of the ship. Inside, Sonya examined the room.

  The right side of the room was a locker area. It consisted of rows of storage cabinets, each one with a security lock. Several crewmen were sitting on the benches between the lockers, talking and examining their equipment. On the opposite side was an equipment maintenance area. Several workbenches, scanners, and tool lockers lined the walls. In the center of the wall was a large door marked
with the words "FIRING RANGE". Directly in front of her was the quartermaster's desk. The quartermaster, an Antarian was sitting behind the desk, talking to a lean, athletic Asian man.

  "Lieutenant Toyama?" she asked.

  "Yes?" the man said, turning to face her.

  Sonya stood at attention. "Ensign Sonya Mueller, reporting for duty, sir."

  "At ease, Ensign," he said. "This is your first assignment, if I remember correctly."

  "Yes, sir." "I am placing you with Senior Chief Petty Officer Zira. I served with her on the Rommel. She's experienced and level headed. You'll learn a lot from her. Also in your detachment will be Chief Petty Officer Schultz and Crewman Becker. You are responsible for decks 14 and 15," he said.

  "What are the priority areas on that deck, sir?" Toyama walked around the desk to a large screen on the wall behind it, which showed a cut-away of the ship. He switched the display setting, and a schematic of deck 15 appeared. "The only high security area is the Forward Torpedo Bay, which holds the majority of the ships Quantum torpedoes. It's located here, between the two upper forward launchers," he said, pointing to the display. "The bay extends up into deck 14, but the controls and the only access points are on deck 15. The torpedoes aren't armed with antimatter until they are actually in the tube, so the torpedoes themselves aren't dangerous. A saboteur can't arm and fire a torpedo without the bridge and main engineering noticing, but they can fuck with any of the loading, arming, and firing mechanisms, thus disabling the launcher."

  "Anything else, sir?" Sonya asked, paying careful attention. "A secondary target would be the Aft Ion cannon, also on that deck. Without any moving parts, disabling them would be difficult, but it's still possible. Deck 14 is mostly storage, but also has one of the Exobiology Labs. Go it?"

  "Yes, sir" "Good." As they had been talking, other security personnel had been filing into the room. Numerous conversations filled the room, making it difficult for Sonya to hear. "Okay, time to get started." Toyama said to Sonya. "Attention on deck!" he yelled. The conversations immediately stopped as the crewman organized into ranks. In a matter of seconds the room was silent. Each man stood at attention, facing Toyama.