“It’s just something that’s been bothering me since Tanaka told me that humans didn’t actually invent the warp drive.” Jackson waved the thought aside.
“That’s something else I was unaware of.” Daya now looked quite distressed. “I was taught that the first generation warp drive was a Tsuyo invention from the mid-twenty first century.”
“According to the doctor, they found a crashed alien ship in the Solar System and adapted the technology.” Jackson idly spun his water glass. “I suppose that’s what bothers me: even though everything on this ship is more advanced, it’s essentially the same technology, the same science from four hundred years ago.”
“Where are you going with this, Jack?”
“I don’t know.” He let the water glass drop with a thunk. “But after four years of living in fear of the Phage and waiting for Tsuyo to open their toy chest and give us a game changer… to find out that there might not be anything like that, it makes one think that maybe humans shouldn’t be out here in the first place. Maybe our colonization is a mistake that the cosmos is just getting around to correcting.”
“I think maybe you should start drinking again if these are the types of thoughts filling your head,” Daya said with some heat. “Do you hear yourself? So you’re ready to throw in the towel because you were praying for some miracle weapon that doesn’t exist? Grow up. We will win as we always do: through sheer determination and will. Now if you’ll excuse me, Captain, I need to see to the new tactical systems being installed on this warship.”
Jackson felt his neck and cheeks flush as Daya stormed out of the Captain’s Mess. He was supposed to be a pillar for the crew, even those who were personal friends like Commander Singh. Now the engineer would have his captain’s doubts bouncing around in his head, and he would likely now look at Jackson’s orders through that filter.
He sighed as he pushed himself up out of his seat and headed toward the bridge. Only a few more hours left on first watch, and then he could escape to his quarters and try to get some sleep.
****
The flight from Haven to New Sierra was just over seventeen days, without pushing the ships too hard. For most of the crew, it was simply the boring routine of trying to stay busy. Any and all preventative maintenance that could be done while underway was accomplished. Junior crewmembers were subjected to as much training as their supervisors could manage, and under the stern gaze of Master Chief Green, the ship was cleaned until it gleamed.
For some, however, the days were filled with trying to develop a strategy that would allow them to secure the release of the Black Fleet ships being held at the shipyard with a minimal loss of life and material. Jackson would prefer zero on both accounts, but Lieutenant Commander Amiri Essa assured him that was a completely unrealistic goal.
While the NOVA team leader technically fell under Jackson’s authority while aboard the Ares, as soon as they disembarked to execute their role in the mission, he would no longer have any say over how the group of elite troops would accomplish their goals.
“Lieutenant Commander, I want to stress that the shipyard is not necessarily a hostile environment,” Jackson said as everyone filed into the briefing room. “We want to get the Seventh Fleet crews released and those ships secured, but I’d like to avoid civilian casualties or needless deaths of Fleet personnel.”
“Captain Wolfe, I can assure you that there will be no needless deaths,” Amiri Essa said in his quiet, measured voice. “However, we may have greatly differing opinions on ‘needless.’ Those ships are vital to the defense of no less than four Frontier planets. I will not risk mission failure or the loss of critical team members. If the civilian contractors and Fleet personnel stay out of our way, no harm will come to them.”
The answer wasn’t exactly what Jackson had wanted to hear, but he understood the Lieutenant Commander’s point of view. He might have a similar dilemma himself if the Fourth Fleet captains in that system pressed him once the Ares transitioned into the DeLonges System.
Others were now packing into the secure briefing room, so he let the matter drop. He’d voiced his concerns, but the NOVA team was made up of professionals that would follow their orders how they saw fit. His input on their end of the operation was not necessary or likely even wanted.
Once the planning session started, it rolled along quickly, and the strategies for the mission were finalized and the details locked down. Of course, it could all change in an instant when they transitioned in and the conditions they were planning for according to the latest intelligence were completely different. They planned for as many contingencies as they practically could, but there was simply no way to be absolutely certain until they laid eyes on the objective.
“If there’s nothing else, I believe we have as airtight a plan as possible given the circumstances. I’m not going to mince words.” Jackson leaned back in his seat. “The idea of fighting against other humans right now in light of what’s happening, or about to happen, along the Frontier is as horrific for me as I’m sure it is for each of you. But without those ships, we won’t be able to hold the next system the Phage decide they want. Let’s get ready to execute this mission to the best of our abilities. I want to get in and get out without being drawn into a shooting battle with Fourth Fleet. Are there any questions?” Jackson looked around and didn’t see any raised hands.
“Then I’ll expect zero missteps on this one. Dismissed.”
****
“Two minutes to transition, Captain.”
“Coms, alert Flight OPS that they’ll be launching within ten minutes,” Commander Celesta Wright said.
“Aye, ma’am,” the coms officer said. “Flight OPS indicates they’re standing by.”
The Icarus was due to transition into the system as close to simultaneously with the Ares as they could manage but approaching from a slightly oblique angle from the normal jump point. Both destroyers would go to maximum acceleration into the system, broadcasting loud and proud with active radar and transponders. Then their stealthy payloads would sneak out of the launch bays and utilize the momentum provided by the larger ships to make their respective approaches unpowered.
Despite her fears and self-doubt, Celesta surprised herself by how easily she adapted to being in command of a ship. Although “Captain” was a strictly honorary title, as her transfer didn’t include a promotion, she was certainly enjoying being called “Captain Wright.”
Her joy was tempered by the circumstances somewhat, however, as she liked Captain Levitt on a personal level, and the only reason she was there was because he had failed so spectacularly. It reminded her that getting a starship safely from one point to another was one thing, but commanding one under combat conditions was something completely different. Her own baptism by fire was fast approaching.
“Stand by for warp transition!” the specialist at the nav station called loudly, his announcement triggering three short klaxon blasts ship-wide that alerted the crew to prepare for transition turbulence.
The Icarus shuddered as the warp fields collapsed, and they were dropped back into normal space.
“OPS, locate the Ares,” Celesta said sharply. “Tactical, full active scan of the system.”
“Ares has transitioned in approximately twenty-seven thousand kilometers off our port side,” the OPS officer reported.
“Very good. Notify Engineering I want the main engines up immediately,” Celesta said. “Coms, tell Flight OPS to stand by for our signal. Activate our IFF transponder, and ignore all com requests from any Fourth Fleet ships, New Sierra Shipyards, or either of the planets in this system. Understood?”
“Understood, ma’am,” the coms officer said.
“Engineering says ninety-seconds until main engines are available,” OPS reported.
“The Ares has gone to full power, ma’am,” the tactical officer said. “She’s approaching maximum acceleration along the predesignated course.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant Holt. Helm! As soon as y
ou have engines available, you’re clear to begin accelerating on your own course.”
“Aye aye, ma’am,” the helmswoman said.
Celesta’s voice was calm and controlled, but inside her head was a profanity laced tirade as she berated herself. She’d neglected to order the engines started the moment they transitioned from warp, a command only the CO can give.
“Main engines available, all ahead full,” the helmswoman called out even as the subtle vibration of the mains running up to full power hummed beneath Celesta’s feet.
She was beginning to agree with Captain Wolfe that the new ships were just too soft. She’d flown in luxury starliners that were less comfortable than this new class of warship.
Celesta consulted her status board. “OPS, please ensure the Icarus is configured properly for intersystem flight.”
“Aye aye, ma’am.” The OPS officer flashed her a slightly guilty look.
A moment later, the warp drive nacelles retracted back into the hull. Apparently she wasn’t the only one feeling the jitters. This crew had already been kicked in the teeth once when their captain abandoned the Atlas during the second battle for Xi’an.
“Coms, put me through on the ship-wide.” She stood and moving in between the OPS and Tactical stations.
“Ship-wide keyed to your voice, ma’am,” the coms officer said.
“Attention crew, this is the Captain.” She hesitated slightly, wishing she’d put a little more thought into her remarks first. “I’m flying you into a situation I wouldn’t wish on any crew. For the first time in over two hundred years, there may be shots fired in anger between two groups of humans. I also know that you have some lingering doubts from your last combat engagement.
“I will make you no promises save one: no matter what happens, we will do our duty. We will not abandon the Ares. Nor will we leave our fellow Seventh Fleet spacers stranded. Let’s settle down, do our jobs, and make sure at the end of this mission, the Icarus has earned her wings. CO out.” She turned and made a slashing motion across her throat while every pair of eyes on the bridge was riveted on her.
“Ship-wide channel closed, Captain,” the coms officer said.
“OPS, when will we be cleared to release our payload?” Celesta asked, all business again after her impromptu pep talk.
“The Icarus is just now clearing the debris belt, ma’am. We’re ready when the confirmation signal comes in from the Ares.”
“Go ahead and give Flight OPS the go ahead to open the launch doors,” Celesta said. “I don’t want any delays from the time we get the signal to the time we release.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
****
“The Icarus has caught up, Captain,” Lieutenant Commander Barrett said. “We’re ready to launch at your command.”
“Coms, how soon until we can expect a message from our Fourth Fleet friends?” Jackson asked.
“The soonest we’ll likely receive a query is one hour, fifty-four minutes, assuming they transmit as soon as they detect our transponder signal,” Lieutenant Keller said.
“Helm, standby for braking thrust.” Jackson never took his eyes off the mission clock that began running the moment the Ares transitioned into normal space.
“Lieutenant Commander Essa and Commander Juarez are both giving a ready signal, sir,” Lieutenant Davis said from the seat to Jackson’s right.
He’d practically had to force her to sit in the seat vacated by Commander Wright and assign another officer to OPS. The replacement wasn’t as proficient as he’d spent most of his time in CIC, but Barrett was doing an admirable job of taking up the slack.
“OPS! Give the launch signal,” Jackson said. “Tactical, let me know how soon the Icarus launches after us.”
“Payload is away clean,” the OPS officer said. “Launch bay doors closing.”
“Helm! All reverse one half,” Jackson barked.
“Reverse one half, aye!” the helmsman said
The engines seamlessly redirected the drive plasma through the forward nozzles.
“Icarus launched .35 seconds after we did, sir,” Barrett reported.
“Helm, full reverse.” Jackson continued to watch the clock. “Come starboard 2.11 degrees. Maintain elevation.”
“All reverse, aye. Helm answering new course.”
The jump point from Haven to the DeLonges System had them descending nearly forty degrees inclined off the ecliptic. There was no point in trying to sneak into the system with a pair of destroyers, so Jackson planned on making as much noise as possible in the EM band and creating enough light pollution with the main engines firing in reverse to hide the fact that the Ares and Icarus had released a pair of practically undetectable insertion pods carrying two NOVA teams.
Prior to release, the two destroyers aimed the pods at the site where the massive New Sierra Shipyards complex would eventually be, so that, theoretically, there would be no course corrections necessary until the final deceleration burn. Potential obstacles were being tracked by the active sensors on both Black Fleet ships and broadcast to the pods on an encrypted carrier frequency that was disguised as a harmonic from the standard Fleet identification beacon all ships carried.
Another added benefit of the violent braking maneuver was that Jackson could plan out the Ares’s flight path to allow him to approach the Fourth Fleet ships head on while maintaining the advantages of the “high ground” of outer orbit as well as the velocity he was still carrying from their initial burn.
The Icarus, on the other hand, was going to try to sneak away while the Ares was still lighting up the sky. Commander Wright had veered sharply to starboard and begun accelerating lightly once the Icarus had launched its insertion pod and the Ares had begun providing cover. With any luck, the Fourth Fleet ships left securing the shipyards would think that the Ares appeared in their system unescorted.
“We’re getting standard IFF interrogations, sir. I expect we’ll get a hail from one of the ships in-system shortly.”
“Very well, Lieutenant Keller,” Jackson said. “Alert me the moment you receive something, but send no response.”
They didn’t have to wait long. The IFF interrogations came from an automated system, and the com messages came in less than a minute later.
“We’ve received a message on a standard Fleet frequency, Captain,” Keller said. “It’s been authenticated with the proper decryption key.”
“Helm! Zero thrust,” Jackson said. “Tactical, passive sensors only… Shut down all active emission sources including the Nav and IFF beacons.”
“Aye, sir,” Barrett said.
“Coms, go ahead and play the message over the bridge speakers.” Jackson leaned back and smiled slightly.
He hoped going dark the instant he received a message would look like a bumbling attempt to hide the Ares from the Fourth Fleet commander.
“TCS Ares, you are unauthorized to be in this system,” the unidentified speaker began. “You are ordered to heave to and prepare to be boarded. Your crew will be detained until a representative from your government can be notified. Please respond on this frequency to confirm your compliance.”
“Our government?” Davis asked. “I wasn’t aware New America had seceded from the Confederacy.”
“Coms, send the following reply,” Jackson said. “This is Captain Wolfe aboard the Terran Confederate warship, Ares. As we are currently in a state of declared war with the Phage, please confirm your status. Are you no longer a part of the Confederacy? Send.”
“Message sent, sir.”
“OPS, put a plot on the main display of the Icarus’s projected course,” Jackson said. “Also, tell engineering that we’ll be powering up all the tactical systems shortly.”
“Do you really think it will come to a shoot out?” Davis asked.
“This is all just posturing,” Jackson said. “Right now, we’re acting like we’re trying to hide. When they message back with another threatening order they don’t actually expect us to follow, we’
ll power up all our combat systems and begin powering down the well at full acceleration. They know they have the numerical advantage right now, but they also know there could be an entire armada sitting outside the system waiting to short-jump in.”
“All the while, we’re nothing more than a distraction.” Davis nodded.
“Exactly,” Jackson said. “We’ve got to sell it better than just sitting in the outer system transmitting insults to them, or they’ll begin to suspect the real attack is coming from somewhere else. If we look like we’re committing to an engagement, the commanding officer will have no choice but to redeploy his ship to respond. That clears the way for the Icarus and keeps them from looking too closely as the troop pods move in.”
“We’re getting resolution on the ships sitting in orbit with the shipyard complex, sir,” Barrett said. “Populating the threat board now.”
The main display showed three destroyers and two cruisers flying in loose formation with the New Sierra Shipyards as it swung around the fourth planet in the system.
“That’s a lot less than I expected for such a strategically important target.” Jackson rubbed his chin. “Our two destroyers are more than a match for that entire formation if the class designators are correct.”
“They’ve had control of the facility for over two months,” Davis pointed out. “Maybe they repositioned their ships when their delegates announced New America wouldn’t be providing support to CENTCOM.”
“No, something else is going on,” Jackson said. “Tactical, go full active. I want this entire system scanned.”
“Aye, sir,” Barrett said.
“I know this is ruining the charade, but I feel like there’s a significant piece of information we’re missing,” Jackson explained. “If they have a com platform in orbit over the third planet while it’s on the other side of the primary—”
“New transponder signals coming in, Captain!” Barrett nearly shouted. “Eleven Fourth Fleet warships have just arrived in-system with us.”
Call to Arms (Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 2) Page 15