Kelly Blake 3: Where the Stars Are Few and Far Between

by Rodney Smith

  She knew that if the K’Rang attacked her, she would be outnumbered. She wanted to get her staff used to fighting outnumbered and winning. She was still missing two crucial components of her battle fleet – her scout ship and ring ship. Admiral Minacci promised her that the scout ship would join her before she deployed. The ring ship was less certain. She couldn’t get a guarantee from the shipyard that hers would be completed in time.

  She couldn’t let that happen. She may have to pitch a bitch at the Bureau of Ships or Fleet Operations. She had to have that ring ship to bring in reinforcements. If the K’Rang decided to not follow the plan and attacked into GR space, hers would be the only force in place to stop them. The Fleet reserve couldn’t even get to her in time.

  She requested a videoconference with the Fleet chief of operations for first thing Geneva time. She had to make a strong case for a ring ship.

  * * * * *

  Tammy flew her attack ship through the local ring and out the Antares ring. She was testing her pathfinder idea against the 15th Battle Fleet. Admiral Thomas asked for Tammy’s wing to attack the opposing force consisting of the Wellington and deGaulle carrier task forces. It was Tammy’s job to find them, determine a plan of attack, and call that plan back to her wing.

  Tammy piloted her ship to the last reported red force location. Her sensors picked them out and she saw two carrier task forces in a long line formation, one behind the other. She forwarded the sensor track to her wing and proposed a sweeping run around them and an attack from the rear. She pulled back out of sensor range and waited.

  Fifteen minutes later, her wing cleared the Antares ring and was heading in her direction. She fell into her place in the formation and prepared for her attack run, her weapons simulator linking into the Fleet sim link. Her simulated missiles would show up on the red fleet screens as they came in range.

  The commander broke the wing into two attack groups as he saw the red fleet come up on his sensors. He sent the 112th to attack the rear of the formation first, to draw off the fighters. Then he would send the remaining two squadrons against the lead carrier group, focusing on the carrier.

  When all squadrons were in position, he ordered the 112th to attack. They came in at max speed, just under FTL, and launched a simulated full strike, 24 missiles from each of 18 attack ships. 432 missiles showed up on Tammy’s screen. She watched them as her squadron turned away and moved out of range. The fleet reacted, as the fighter cap turned from its all around patrols and sped to intercept the missiles. Defensive missiles launched from the rear carrier task force. Additional ready fighters were launched from both carriers. Soon almost all fighters from both carriers were heading rearward.

  Tammy watched her screen as the fighters and defensive missiles slashed their way through the incoming missiles. Now that they were fully engaged, the other two squadrons made their attack runs at the fleet. Two more simulated full strikes were launched at the combined fleets. Over 800 new missiles bore in on the two carrier task forces.

  The fleet fired its simulated defensive missiles and launched what few aircraft it had left. The damage sim started showing the results of the rear strike. The deGaulle took a missile hit on the bow. Two frigates took two missiles each and were marked destroyed. A resupply ship took a missile and was marked destroyed.

  Tammy was ordered to stay and record the damage while the rest of the wing exited the area before the fighters reorganized and came after them. She watched as the two task forces expended almost their entire load of defensive missiles against the attack. Missiles still got through. The Wellington took three hits and was marked as a mobility kill, stopping dead in space. Two cruisers from the Wellington task force were marked destroyed. Another frigate was damaged. In all, the attack destroyed six ships and damaged three others. Tammy headed for the Antares ring with a smile on her face.

  * * * * *

  Admiral Thomas walked around the conference table filled with her senior commanders, as the damage simulator replayed the heavy attack ship action.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, we would have lost a significant chunk of our offensive capability to this attack. I know that there were no heavy attack ships briefed as being in the enemy order of battle for this exercise, but you have to learn to react to the unexpected. If the K’Rang do not play according to our rules and instead attack into GR space, we will be the only major defensive force in their way.”

  “We will have to fight smart. We have to be innovative. This particular attack profile has been used most effectively against the K’Rang picket line numerous times. If they can use this against us, I’m sure they will. Now, how will we defend against this in the future?”

  The next three hours were spent devising strategies against this attack profile and other, more effective attack profiles the heavy attack ships hadn’t considered. Admiral Thomas forwarded these to the wing commander for his consideration.

  * * * * *

  Candy’s wedding day was fast approaching. Everything was falling into place. The guest list was filling out. The President’s office had still not replied, but his social secretary said it was a matter of scheduling, not whether he’d come or not. Gifts were coming in by the hundreds. The wedding planner hired an assistant to help keep track of all the presents. Candy’s music room was given over as a storage space for the bounteous harvest.

  Candy read through the list and didn’t recognize many of the names. She supposed they were her or Kelly’s parents’ friends. A Presidential Security Service office was set up on Antares Base to review the guest list and service staff for the wedding. Candy never imagined it would get this complicated.

  She wondered where they were going to put some of this stuff. A lot were household goods, linens, dishes, and appliances, but some were exotic – animal skin rugs, weapons, fertility symbols, jewels, and even a ground car. Obviously, out in the worlds, there was a wide range of what made an acceptable wedding gift. A number of them violated ethics rules and would either have to be sent back or turned over to a museum or other type of charitable organization.

  Carol, her wedding planner, practically lived with her now, showing up just after dawn and leaving just before dusk. She and her assistant spent their mornings cataloguing new gifts and the afternoons working on other wedding details. She was a godsend, and Candy would have to do something special for Moira to thank her for this.

  Her mother’s worries about paparazzi and the media hounding her turned out to be a bust. Her house was under the Antares Base training safety zone and off limits to unauthorized civilian air traffic. Candy had special authorization to fly to her property, but was limited to a narrow flight corridor and to altitudes below 1000 meters. There were no civilian imagery satellites over the northern hemisphere. The news media was interested in her wedding, but not as much as in the latest Tri-Vid star scandal or their latest week-long marriages. Her house’s location on a mountain ledge in the wilderness also discouraged news crews and freelancers.

  Candy needed a break. She needed Kelly in her arms and here with her. His last call suggested that he might be able to get a few days off. She would have to hound him a little to come spend a few days with her. They still hadn’t planned a honeymoon yet. While Amy said to go to one of the tourist worlds and get away from Armstrong, Candy thought living here for a while as husband and wife would be fine. They had thousands of hectares of wilderness to get lost in if they needed to get away. She checked her communicator to see if he was on planet and sent him a message to call her as soon as he was free. It was time for her to fly off to work.

  * * * * *

  Kelly had been requesting the identities of the Ambassador and Reporting Officer that would accompany them on their journey. Fleet Intelligence and the State Department were being unusually non-responsive to his requests. After two weeks, a message came in from Fleet Ops. The Ambassador-at-Large would be Ambassador Frank Thorson. Kelly thought this a good choice. Kelly had run into Thorson on Barataria, where
Thorson had been involved in the capture of Julia Debran, the then wife of a wealthy industrialist on Rigel Prime. Kelly had rescued her and her daughters and captured the planet. The former pirate planet petitioned for annexation into the Galactic Republic and appointed Thorson as their ambassador to the GR. He would be a fine Human ambassador to the A’Ngarii.

  The next day, Fleet Intelligence informed him that the reporting officer would be Alistair Bennett. He expected that. When he had asked Alistair to be one of his groomsmen, he’d hinted at it. His Exec would be overjoyed. They’d had a fling during and after the Barataria mission, but couldn’t make it last.

  * * * * *

  Shadow Leader G’Motta and his fleet retired from picket duty and another task force took his place. His flagship was the only surviving ship from his original force that defeated the Human Task Force 121. All the rest had been destroyed or were damaged and towed to the mobile repair station above the occupied uninhabited world. His task force was ordered there for a rest period. The Armada Commander invited G’Motta to join him on the surface for a hunt in his honor. G’Motta just wanted to sleep, but if the Commander wished his presence, he would go. One did not turn down an invitation from the nobility, and Shadow Force Commander (Baron) J’Kol was nobility.

  Baron J’Kol was a Shadow Warrior who had led a small task force in the original K’Rang-Human war. He had distinguished himself by ramming his Shadow Destroyer into a damaged Human carrier, after instructing his crew to abandon ship. He singlehandedly steered the destroyer into the carrier and used the final escape pod. He drifted in space for three days, shutting off his life support system whenever a Human ship came near to convince them his was an empty pod. He almost died three times from lack of oxygen.

  He had been granted his barony upon arrival on G’Durin. He was always cited as an example of nobility by merit, not birth. His example was the goal put before each new warrior, to rise to the nobility by merit.

  G’Motta parked his heavy cruiser and fleet in orbit above the uninhabited world. He wondered when the world would be given a name. It should be given a name. He objected to trading this space for the worlds in the human Taurus sector. Too many K’Rang had died holding this space for it to be just given away.

  At the appointed time, a pinnace from the flagship came for him. He climbed onboard, carrying a small bag and a weapon case. Baron J’Kol was not on the pinnace. He expected to travel directly to the world below, but the bosun’s mate told him he would be taken to the flagship first.

  He arrived at the flagship and was met by a female shadow warrior, who took his bag and weapon case. She was Baron J’Kol’s niece and aide, and was friendly and attractive by K’Rang standards of beauty. She led him to the baron and left them alone. The baron rose from his seat and sniffed noses with G’Motta, a K’Rang a gesture of respect and familiarity.

  “Sit, Shadow Leader, but first help yourself to some refreshments.”

  Baron J’Kol directed him to a tray of freshly killed game and wines. G’Motta was not hungry before, but the sight and smell of the freshly killed and prepared game made him famished. He helped himself to a plate and a goblet of wine and took the proffered seat.

  Baron J’Kol, a fit and trim K’Rang noble, sat opposite him as he ate.

  “Shadow Leader, I am most impressed with your performance on the picket line. Did you know that you are the only commander to return to the line? We have had to remove all other commanders for failure to carry out their orders to return to the line. Your dedication to duty is noted and will be rewarded. I have put you in for the Claw of K’Rang.”

  G’Motta stopped eating in mid-chew. The Claw of K’Rang was the second highest K’Rang military award. The next higher award was only awarded posthumously. He was deeply honored.

  “Shadow Force Commander, I hardly feel worthy of this award.”

  “Nonsense, you destroyed the original human fleet guarding this space. You have held the line against onslaught after onslaught by the human ships. You have devised new tactics to reduce our losses. You have shown the warrior spirit by attempting to locate the Human base. You are much too modest.”

  “I am just doing my duty to the Empire, Baron.”

  “We all do our duty to the Empire. You do your duty better than almost all other commanders in my armada. I wish to reward you with more than just a piece of metal and cloth. I want you to join my staff, I want you as my operations officer.”

  G’Motta held back for a moment to think and answered, “Of course, Baron, I will go wherever my talents will best serve the Empire.”

  Baron J’Kol looked at this K’Rang before him. He saw a bit of his former self. His service to the Empire too had been rewarded by being brought into the nobility. It was an epiphany for him when he found the nobility that he had obeyed so faithfully were unworthy of his service and loyalty. Most were nothing more than fops and dilettantes. He decided on the day of his barony that he would seek out likeminded Shadow Warriors and put them in situations where they would earn their rise into the nobility – especially when he controlled the nominations for military candidates to the nobility. Shadow Leader G’Motta would make a prime candidate. Now all he had to do was keep the two of them alive through this campaign, so he could put his plans into effect.

  * * * * *

  Kelly got in the air car with Candy. He had taken the weekend off after declaring the Orion as mission ready. Candy needed his help in making some final decisions on the wedding. She also needed to lie in his arms and do nothing.

  As they flew to her mountain home, she asked, “Where do you want to honeymoon?”

  Kelly thought and asked, “Could we just stay at your house? It’s got everything we need and it’s secluded. We can just tell every one to stay away.”

  She leaned over into his arms and said, “Perfect! My idea exactly! If we need to get away, we can hop in the car and go camping. We have millions of hectares to choose from.”

  With that decided, she brought the car in for a landing on her meadow. She saw Carol’s air car was still here. Good, she wanted Kelly to meet her.

  She called out, ”Carol,” as she walked up to the house. Carol met her at the front door with her assistant Irene and said they were just about ready to leave. A large number of presents arrived today and she and Irene had a big job cataloguing them. She told Candy that they all wouldn’t fit in the music room anymore and they had to place some in the library.

  Candy said that was fine and introduced Kelly, and all went into the house. Kelly looked into the music room and library and stopped dead in his tracks.

  “We are raking in the loot, aren’t we? My hand is going to fall off writing all those thank you messages.”

  There no longer was a mail service and all messages were electronic. Candy had decided on a new take on the old traditions: The notes were to be hand written, scanned in, and sent out electronically.

  Kelly asked, “How many guests will there be?”

  Carol said, “400, but we’re getting presents from more than just guests. Senators, representatives, governors, old family friends, former crewmates, classmates, and complete strangers have been sending in gifts. It seems your parents are prolific gift givers and all their friends are paying them back. We just catalogued the seven hundredth present. We’ve started putting the ones we feel will bring up ethics questions in the library.”

  Kelly looked in the library and just shook his head. There were tens of thousands of credits worth of presents in there.

  Carol called them to the couch and pulled out her list of issues to be resolved. In minutes, Kelly and Candy had decided on flower colors, gifts to the wedding party, and the music to be played at the reception. Carol gathered her assistant and was gone.

  Kelly and Candy spent the rest of the weekend relaxing and planning their future together.

  * * * * *

  The normally sedate and genteel Senate proceedings were unusually loud and full of sharp language this morning. The eig
ht senators from the four captured worlds were haranguing the Senate about when the Fleet was going to take action to eject the K’Rang fleet from GR space. In response, Seth Grinstead, Colonial Party Assistant Majority Leader, stood to respond.

  “I would like an opportunity to respond to the ladies and gentlemen from the captured worlds. Let me start by recounting the results of legislation forwarded by the Galactic Party five years back, of which they are all members. In fact, two of the Senators here today were co-sponsors of the Defense Reduction and Peace Dividend Act. This act reduced Fleet personnel end strength by 50%. Capital ships were reduced by 35%. Support ships were reduced by 50%. All this was done in the mistaken belief that the K’Rang defeat at New Alexandria meant they would never challenge us in our space again. Ladies and gentlemen, we can see how effective that strategy was.”

  “Now, those same senators that gutted our Fleet’s capability are asking why Fleet hasn’t rescued their constituents yet. The answer is obvious. Fleet has to recall thousands of veteran reservists, re-commission hundreds of ships, equip them, train them, and ready them for battle. This takes a bit longer than just ordering the active Fleet to accomplish a mission.”

  The Senator held up a copy of the the Defense Reduction and Peace Dividend Act to further drive home his point and said, “I heard you ask, 'When will the Fleet move?' The Fleet will move when it is ready for combat and God help the K’Rang when they do.”

  * * * * *

  Admiral Chang entered his conference room and the assembled officers came to attention. The admiral told them to be seated. He looked around the table at his Ops Chief, Vice Admiral Andrea Binder, the 1st Combined Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral David Haddock-Halloway, the 2nd Combined Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Avrim Levi, the 15th Battle Group Commander, Rear Admiral Sue Thomas, his Reserve Task Force Commander, Rear Admiral Stefano Pappas, his logistics chief, Vice Admiral Glenda Curtis, and the Scout Force Commander, Rear Admiral Paolo Minacci. These were his key players. He went around the room to get status reports from all of them. Fleet Ops was ready. 1st Combined Fleet was ready. 2nd Combined Fleet was ready. 15th Battle Group was ready. Reserve task Force was ready. Logistics was ready. Scout Force was ready.