He laughed. “It worked! I used a set of strategy games older than I am to defeat an enemy that should have defeated me. Please, let us give credit where credit is due.”
He gestured to Greg and Avi. “Behold the masters!” When the applause had died down, he turned to face the Dean and said, “Ender wins.”
The Dean caught her breath and said, “I think that concludes today’s exercise. You are excused. If you have further questions, please send them in writing to my office, and we will forward them as appropriate.”
Greg and Avi swept the cadets up and took them out backstage. “Do you think that will help sales?” Saul quipped.
Greg laughed. “I should hope so!”
Saul and Fiona departed the next morning for a small private college near Orlando where they attended the college’s special summer business school for working professionals. Warren may have believed that they had no head for business, but they intended to prove him wrong. They chose this college because of its small size and because the admissions counselors had promised them intensive individual instruction. On weekends, they joined the local Air National Guard units for their exercises. Even with all the time they spent at their studies and in training, they still found time to bask on several of the nearby beaches.
Sylvia disappeared into the intelligence community the same day Saul and Fiona departed. When they reunited at the end of the summer all she would say was that her summer had been most informative.
Greg called in some favors and got Rebecca temporarily assigned to the same weapons development group that Rashi had been assigned to after graduating from the Academy.
At the end of the summer, the foursome reunited and dove into their classwork with renewed energy. Saul met with each of his instructors before the first class and informed them that if they did not want to have him disagree with them publicly, it would be better to not call on him. He would come by their office after class and discuss their differences of opinion in private.
Saul’s plan worked well for the first few weeks. He would take copious notes and show up at the instructor’s office during regular office hours. In one of his classes he had some serious issues with the instructor’s views on the proper uses of the MMARV. Saul felt that the instructor overlooked some of the MMARV’s vulnerabilities. As much as Saul loved the MMARV, there were tactics that left the MMARV open to attack that should not be attempted in combat. In the heated discussion that followed the class, the instructor decided to settle the issue by calling one of his Marine buddies at Parris Island. When the Marine sided with Saul, the instructor capitulated. The next day in class he called Saul to the front of the class to explain their discussion of the previous evening.
The class probed the issue and acknowledged the correctness of Saul’s concerns. They realized at the same time that Saul was getting extra attention that they were not getting. That touched off a small firestorm in the classroom. By the end of class, they had agreed to a voluntary evening session once a week. In that session, to be held behind closed doors, any concept from the week’s class work could be discussed and disputed without recrimination. Within the next two weeks all of Saul’s classes were holding such sessions.
The second year at the Academy passed quickly. As soon as exams were over, the foursome went their separate ways as they had the previous summer.
COLONY SERVICE - CHAPTER TWELVE
THE QUEEN ELIZABETH, guided by the harbor tugs, settled gently into the dock at Stellar headquarters. Jane Turner and the CNC crews were on hand to record the family reunion. At dinner that evening, Wendy and Joshua’s older son, Bobby, announced that he wished to return to Eretz to study to become a Rabbi. Rashi and Esther’s son, Daniel announced that he wished to travel to Earth to study civil engineering. Rachel and Isaac’s third child, Naomi and Rashi and Wendy’s third child, Hannah, announced that they wished to follow Moses to Eretz to study medicine with the eventual goal of being a team like their fathers were. Both the engineering and medical sides of the program were taught at the Medical University in New Boston and they felt confident that they could get accepted into the program. That left four of the children who would be traveling on the next mission. Rachel and Isaac’s youngest, Gabby, Wendy and Joshua’s youngest, Barney, Reuben and Suwanee’s youngest, Delmar and Rashi and Esther’s daughter Caroline would venture out with their parents while their older siblings would seek their fortunes elsewhere.
Peter and Elizabeth were serviced and restocked for their next mission. Buddy, Daisy, Alexander and Valerie checked in with engineering for repairs and rearming. The crews rested and enjoyed the station’s entertainment facilities while they waited to go out again.
A week after the Queen Elizabeth returned to port, Warren wandered on board followed by his two bodyguards. He found Rachel in her office. After helping himself to the usual cinnamon rolls and coffee, he congratulated her on their successes and chatted about the children before he came to the reason for his visit.
“Bolivar was my personal pilot. I liked him and was sorry to have to let him go. He served me well and I would have kept him, but he complained that he was bored and wished to go out on this mission with his parents. I tried to bribe him with money, but he willingly took a pay cut to go with his parents. He sent me a report that I only read a few hours ago. Apparently, he and Captain Darwin got to know each other very well.”
“In a manner of speaking,” Rachel replied with a smile.
“Bolivar always did have a way with the ladies.”
“I hear you are no slouch in that department either.”
“One of the advantages of being rich, but some things cannot be bought. Which is why I came to you first. I would like to recruit your Captain Darwin to be my personal pilot.”
“What other duties would you have her perform?” Rachel raised an eyebrow.
“Bodyguard, personal fitness trainer, companion at formal occasions and confidante.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes, unless she were to decide otherwise.”
“So, why are you talking to me? She is your employee.”
“Can you spare her?”
“Yes, I can replace her from within and recruit where I need to.”
“Do you think she will accept the job?”
“I have no idea. What did Bolivar think?”
“He thought she would.”
“Well, there you have it. You realize you are taking your life in your hands. If she has too much to drink, she is capable of killing you very quickly.”
“I am aware. I accept the risk. I understand that I would be in good company.”
“Oh?”
“Does Isaac not take the same risk?”
Rachel smiled. “Yes, he does.”
Later that day, Alina visited Warren’s ship and met the rest of his crew. Warren’s personal ship was a modified convoy escort with more spacious living quarters than the norm and the full compliment of weaponry carried by the regular escort. Three days later, with Alina in command, they departed on a trip to lobby the Federation to strengthen the Space Force.
Two weeks before the Queen Elizabeth and Peter were scheduled to depart, the intelligence people called them in for their first briefing on their new mission. The same man who had assured them that Gutierrez was legit addressed them. “There appears to be some disagreement as to whether this planet is habitable. The initial survey crew reported that it resembles Earth toward the end of the Jurassic period. They strongly recommended immediate colonization. The second ship to visit the planet reports that the planet is not habitable by humans in spite of what appear to be ideal conditions. They report aggressive native species that prohibit colonization. The Colony Service believes that the captain is overstating the problems for personal gain.”
“What do you believe?” Rachel asked.
“I agree with the Colony Service.”
“What if I arrive on site and agree with the captain on duty?”
“We have anoth
er planet for you to visit which is not as hospitable because it is colder. The team on site there has mixed feelings and will defer to your judgment when you arrive if you elect not to stay at the first location.”
“Very well, continue,” Rachel said.
“The ship on station is a refitted battleship named the Thor Heyerdahl. Its captain is retired Space Force, but this is his first command. I understand that he was accepted for the post under some political pressure. The Colony Service does not have much faith in him. They have been on station for a year and will remain on station until you arrive to relieve them.”
“Are there any other ships we will have to be concerned about?” Rachel asked.
“They have dealt with the usual lot of pirates and criminals, but they appear to have retained control of the system. As of the courier we received yesterday, the system appears to be calm.”
The briefing officer droned on with details about climate and topography, but did not mention the native species that convinced the captain on station that colonizing this planet might not be appropriate. When asked, the briefing officer stated flatly that they did not believe the reports. He made reference to the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot before dismissing the issue entirely.
The ship on station at the planet they were to attempt to colonize if the first one failed was a refitted battleship named the Amerigo Vespucci. Its reports showed a planet that would be habitable if eking out a living in sub-arctic conditions were justified by some abundant natural resource yet to be found. The Vespucci and its crew had repulsed the usual pirates and criminals and reported having secured the system.
The Queen Elizabeth and Peter set out with their full compliment of personnel and supplies. The children leaving for Eretz had departed a week earlier. Daniel had departed the day before headed for Earth with the same Captain McGee that had hosted Saul and his group. Once Elizabeth and Peter had jumped into hyper drive, Rachel called Faye Anne to her office.
“Faye Anne, are you as unhappy with the quality of the intelligence we are getting as I am?”
“Yes.”
“From now on, once we establish a colony and have things under control, I want you to return to headquarters to prepare our next mission. You need to be looking ahead. You need to be our scout, our eyes and ears ranging ahead keeping us from situations like the one we are facing now. You are the only person I can trust to get us complete information.”
“Thank you.”
“I trust you will make contact with Jane Turner. She will want information in return for information. Use your best judgment, but I would rather have the information you need than not get it because the price was too high. The only thing off limits is the Third Force.”
“I will enjoy the assignment and will not let you down.”
“Thank you, Faye Anne.”
The Queen Elizabeth and Peter entered the system according to protocol and settled into the parking orbit adjacent to the battleship on station.
Rachel hailed the ship on an open frequency and established voice communication with its captain. “Captain, I know protocol is that you are supposed to invite us to a Captain’s Dinner, but I have the larger galley. Why don’t you and your officers come over here?”
Rachel heard his laugh. “Captain, it would be my honor to join you in a Captain’s Dinner. How many of my staff would you have me bring?”
“As many of your officers and enlisted you don’t need to maintain watch. Send me the list so I can have place cards made.”
“Roger that!”
Captain Charles Simpson looked familiar as he entered the airlock. Rachel did not place him immediately. After the formalities had been observed and the party had started, Rachel turned to him and said, “Why do I feel like I know you?”
He sighed, “I had hoped you would not ask me that. I testified against you in Van Hoff’s case.”
“That was a very long time ago.”
“Yes, but I continue to be amazed at how right you were about the damage it would do to our careers. Only two of us who testified against you lasted through the end of our first enlistment contract. The rest were shuffled off to the reserves or some God forsaken outpost so isolated that they found ways to resign early. As to the two of us who stayed, we had nowhere else to go. I couldn’t go back to the drug infested rat warren I grew up in. This is my first command. The only reason I got it was because my last C O had dirt on some administrator in the colony service and used it on my behalf. I’ve been with the colony service five years and they still don’t trust me.”
“My instructions are to confirm or deny your reports. If they are accurate, I will confirm them. If not, I will refute them. History is irrelevant. All that matters is the truth.”
“Captain, when they told me you were in command of this mission, I knew that would be your attitude. I am confident that you will find I have not exaggerated the severity of the situation.”
“Tomorrow, I will send down a team of scientists and Marines. They will stay on the planet for a month. Then we will report back.”
“Captain, there is a rumor among the colony service pilots that you carry unauthorized combat equipment with you. Is this true?”
“Sometimes.”
“If you have any MMARV’s with you, I think you should send them down with your team. If I had them, I would deploy a minimum of two.”
Rachel studied the man for a moment before answering. “Better to err on the side of caution.” She could read no deception in his expression.
“Exactly.”
The steward announced dinner was served and the guests took their places. While they ate dinner, Rachel ordered that a second med ship be readied to deploy the two MMARV’s. When Lt. Rattigan questioned the order she asked him if he would rather have the MMARV’s and not need them or need them and not have them.
The party was more subdued than most of the parties Rachel had hosted and the guests wandered back to their ships earlier than was typical of this type of affair.
The scientists and Marines departed in the morning for the planet’s surface. The survey ship had two small VTOL ships that could land and take off vertically from any hard flat place large enough for it to pass unobstructed. However the VTOL ships could only carry four people and a limited amount of cargo. The colonists advance team leader, a swarthy gentleman named Eugene Saroyan, wanted to insert a larger team than the VTOL ships could handle. He was concerned that if there were any hazards on the surface the team needed to be large enough to defend itself. He developed the plan whereby the team descended to the surface in greater numbers. They parachuted to a plateau that gave them a commanding view for a hundred kilometers in any direction. The plateau had one side which sloped gently enough for the MMARV’s to operate while the other three sides were unassailable steep sandy cliffs. They cleared an area near the camp where supplies could be airdropped safely. For the first week they were on the planet, they stayed within sight of the base camp. They saw evidence of large predators, but they did not see any of the predators themselves.
While the team was on the ground there was not a whole lot anyone on the ship could do. Various activities were hastily organized to keep the colonists from killing each other out of boredom as they hoped for a favorable response from the explorers on the surface.
Rachel was reading a report on a candidate for promotion when Elizabeth said, “Rachel, may I interrupt you?”
“Certainly.”
“Buddy would like to speak with you.”
“Would he like me to come see him?”
“No, he has asked to be patched through to you.”
“Certainly.”
“Hello, Rachel.” There was a slight note of insecurity in his voice.
“What can I do for you, Buddy?”
“Daisy and I would like a change of personnel.”
“Daisy can speak for herself. Elizabeth, would you patch her through?”
“Hello, Rachel.”
“Hello,
Daisy, Buddy tells me you want a change of personnel. Is this correct?”
“Yes, it is. Wendy’s heart isn’t in it anymore. She needs to be doing something else.”
“Thank you for being honest and telling me. Is that it?”
Buddy replied, “The other people you assigned to us, they’re nice people, and we like them, and I don’t want to hurt their feelings, and they are working as hard as they can, but they aren’t very good.”
“You miss Alina,” Rachel said.
“We all do,” Elizabeth replied, “but she will be happier with Mr. Rothschild than she would be here.”
“So who would you like to see in their places?”
“Gabby, Barney, Delmar and Caroline,” Buddy said without hesitation.
Rachel sat in silence for a moment. “Do they know this?”
“We have discussed it with them,” Elizabeth said. “I tried to talk them out of it because of the dangers, but they asked us to talk to you on their behalf.”
“Elizabeth, has Peter been listening?”
“No.”
“Please patch him in and bring him up to speed on our discussions.”
“Hello, Rachel.”
“Hello, Peter, when you were with the children at headquarters, you observed their behavior. Is what Buddy and Daisy are suggesting smart?”
“Yes, it is for more reasons than you have been told.”
“Do you intend to enlighten me?”
“I could or we could watch their development unfold in front of us which I think would prove to be the better plan since they will progress more naturally that way. I will say this, though. They are a battle group. They have been since the day they took the fire control positions at Stonebridge. You need only look at their marksmanship ratings in that battle to see how good they are. They are fiercely competitive. Part of the reason the latest group of their siblings left when they did is because these four drove them away.”
Solomon Family Warriors II Page 123