Of Bravery and Bluster

by Scott Kelemen

  Of

  Bravery and

  Bluster

  Scott Kelemen

  Originally Published by Scott Kelemen

  Victoria, BC, CA

  Copyright © Scott Kelemen, February 2018

  ISBN: 978-0-9952034-3-3

  For Special Features like:

  An Interactive Galaxy Map

  The Origin Story, and

  A History of the Alliance

  Visit:

  www.scottkelemen.com

  For those who color outside the lines: Being different was how I came to love this genre. Being empowered to be different is how I came to write this book. May you find the same.

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 1

  Brenna Styles let out a hiss of pleasure. “Yesss!” She spun to face her captain. “Panther just flashed us a whisker laser. Green Force Actual bought in to your alliance idea!” She was at the Executive officer position and was watching the high-level command conference circuit.

  Tanner Mathem snorted, not surprised. “I knew Tranton would be practical enough to set aside old grudges after we hulled his first flagship. But he managed to get clear before Mantis exploded, right? Now I won’t have to blow up another of his ships.” He turned to the communication console. “Nura, send to all Red Force units: Advance toward planetoid designated H-VX90-H3. Continue evasive maneuver pattern Six-Seven-Four. We’re too close to Buffalo, so tell them to break to starboard-keelboard, and we’ll peel off the other way.”

  Nura Phann gave a quick nod and bent over her console.

  Tanner switched over to his helm officer. “Renny, bring us fifteen degrees to larboard and twenty to sailboard. Max our acceleration on the new vector. We have to make this chase look real.”

  Renny Chambers didn’t look back, focusing on executing the course changes without question.

  Tanner keyed open his engineering display, “Korey, tell me we have all the power we need for this?”

  Korey Lanyen wasn’t the most gifted with electronics, but he was dependable and a dogged worker. “We’re in the best shape in the fleet, Captain. It won’t be us that falls behind.”

  Nodding at the reminder, he switched to his fleet control officer. “Well, Virri? Who’s going to let us down?”

  Virri Tarlet glanced over her fleet status display, “Racoon is in the worst shape, but she can hold 65% thrust and still has two lasers working. Not too bad.”

  Frowning, he spun to face his tactical officer. “Alright, Marrah. That means we need to modify our engagement formation. Keep in mind Green Force will be closing to assist. Give me a few options that lets us envelop the enemy. I’ll wrap us around that planetoid in a tight orbit and then spit right back out in Blue Force’s face. Be ready with the escape vectors each ship will need.”

  Marrah Onera merely pursed her lips thoughtfully, silently considering the possibilities.

  Tanner paused a moment to enjoy the sensation of power. His team. All Trinitians. Oh, his entire fleet wasn’t made of them, but he had made sure his flagship Crocodile was totally, completely loyal. Proven time and time again. Even if they weren’t the best of the best in their cadet form, they responded instantly, making the entire ship an extension of his personal will.

  Which meant Tanner had to be the best. It was all on him.

  He called up a command summary of the fleet display on his combat console. Flipping through the information given by the glowing icons, he confirmed what he suspected. After two weeks of cat-and-mouse combat, every ship on all three sides of this conflict were in less than pristine shape. His own fleet was hurting badly, worse than the others. He only had four ships left, and only his Crocodile was relatively unscathed. Two minutes ago, he had not liked their chances. Now? They had new life.

  Brenna’s focus was glued to her tactical display, watching their pursuers. “Think Blue Force will bite?”

  “Are you kidding me? No way will Sam Pierce, the great man himself, turn down a chance to cut inside our vector and engage us when they outnumber us seven to four. He’s going to try and finish us off, only to have our trap snap shut on him.” He sneered at the icon on his display indicating the opposing Blue Force flagship as he clenched his fist. “Eat my lasers, traitorous prick.”

  ***

  Johanna Summer was one of Sam Pierce’s best friends. That said, her unshakable calm could be infuriating. Right then, Sam could do with a little emotion out of her. “You aren’t serious, are you?”

  The holo-display was of excellent quality. It perfectly rendered Johanna’s finely boned face and the simple braid of her honey-blonde hair. If she showed any sort of emotional at all, Sam would have seen it. Her deliberate calm never wavered as she reiterated, “Sacrificing Falcon will overturn this tactical disadvantage.”

  Sam bought time, raking his gaze over his tactical simulation display. The TACSIM was zoomed out, showing the combined problem of the four ships from Green Force that had just lit off their SCIR drives behind him, enclosing his 7 remaining ships between them and the 4 Red Force units ahead. Their timing hadn’t been perfect, so they weren’t close enough to open fire together, but that wouldn’t last long.

  He swiveled back to face Johanna, “You can’t take out all four of them.”

  Johanna didn’t argue. “Correct. I assess I can disable two badly enough for a mission-kill, even if we do not destroy them. I calculate a further 58% chance of reducing a third to minimal capability. Almost certainly, I would delay their advance. If you can defeat Red Force in detail quickly, you should have sufficient fire-power to return and finish off what I start.”

  “They have the current gage. They may not even let you get close.”

  She had an answer to that as well. “If they alter to avoid Falcon, that will give you the time you need to deal with Red Force and leave me intact. I will continue to screen them away until you are ready.”

  Sam gritted his teeth, hesitating further. Something about her claim felt wrong. Trying to pin down his doubts, he traded a look with Greg Ausban who was sitting nearby, acting as the Executive officer for his command-corvette dubbed Wolf.

  Greg was listening in on the video conversation, and offered his advice, “She’s right. I know she’s your friend -”

  Sam waved the thought off, “Has nothing to do with that. I was caught blind-sided by Red and Green working together, and I hate the idea of sacrificing others to salvage my plans.” He suddenly realized what was bothering him. “Greg, bring up Falcon’s status report.”

  Greg had the information up in a few seconds. “She took a serious beating when we gutted those two Red units who tried to pot-shot Makaio’s Bear from behind that moon two days ago.”

  Sam clenched his teeth as he read off her damage list. “What are you playing at, Jo? Your ship is in no condition to pull off a stunt like this.” He was even more surprised now. Johanna wasn’t reckless with the truth, and this felt like she was trying to put on
e over on him.

  Johanna leaned out of her display, speaking outside of range of the video’s pick-up. She returned within seconds. “Refresh your upload from my damage control systems.”

  Greg was already calling up the new information. The angry red of Falcon’s damaged systems didn’t completely revert to normal, but the change was significant. Three of the ship’s four assault lasers were working instead of one, its maximum acceleration had doubled, and over 70% of its energized armor was functional again. Greg’s eyes went wide. “You gotta be kidding me!”

  Sam laughed helplessly. “Johanna, have you taken up witchcraft? If so, I should really know.”

  Not rising to his bait, Johanna remained focused, reminding him, “You’re the one who assigned Garam, Masogi, and Yo Min to my crew.”

  Her crew roster clicked into Sam’s brain. It was an oversight, placing his three best engineers on the same ship. A waste of resources. He should have spread them out among his other ships. “I missed that.”

  “You had other priorities.”

  “I did. But having those three shouldn’t matter that much. Your ship is mostly crewed by auto-mechs, not real repair crews.” A normal corvette crew was over two hundred souls, all of them capable of adaptive innovation that ships’ captains counted on. But only Johanna’s bridge team was flesh and blood, propped up by robotic drones throughout the rest of the ship. Just like Sam’s and the rest of his fleet.

  “Their expertise made the auto-mechs more efficient. The three worked out a repair package for the drones that went beyond their preset skill levels. They cut a lot of corners, and the systems they got running don’t have redundancies. They’ll fail fast once we’re under fire, but we’ll pack a much stronger punch for a short time. We’re keeping our power emissions low, letting them think we’re still at reduced capacity. I’ll hold that until the last moment and spring our own surprise on them.”

  He searched her face one last time for any sign of uncertainty. There was nothing. He knew the move made sense, even if it would cost him a ship and two of his best friends. Even if they were going to pay his debt for him. He was the fleet commander and didn’t have the luxury of ignoring a chance at victory. He’d have to live with the fact that he can sacrifice them like this.

  His sculpted jaw eased up, his teeth no longer clenched. Any lines of tension smoothed out of the dark-sepia contours of his handsome face. He regained the steady image of a commander ready to give his orders. “So be it, Johanna. Alter Falcon and engage the Green Force ambush unit. Do what damage you can, for as long as you can hold out.”

  Without so much as a twitch, Johanna accepted the orders. “Aye aye, Sir. We won’t go down easily.”

  On the tactical display, Falcon slewed away from the protective cover of her consorts, tacked up into the solar current, and stormed right into the teeth of the four enemy ships streaking towards them in full-powered pursuit.

  ***

  From all around her chair at the bridge’s center, Johanna felt the weight of nine stares from those who made up her ship’s crew. After years of cooperation, they all thought they knew what each other would do in each situation.

  However, Johanna had a gift for being unconventional.

  Paula Ophere, her gunnery officer, dared to voice the question on her mind. “We’re really doing this?”

  Garam Anton had been Johanna’s friend for years. She was guarded about her past, and her motivations could be a mystery at times. But right then, he knew they were on the same page. From where his lanky form was folded into the seat at the propulsion and power grid controls, he spoke with instant support, “Damn right we are.”

  From the weapon status console, An Yo Min was only a breath behind. “I would never have thought of it -”

  Next to her, at the shielding display, Seiji Masogi finished her train of thought with a grim smile, “- but now, feels like the only right choice.”

  One after the other, supportive words rang from each of the team, until only Johanna’s Executive officer remained. Shawn Crawson chewed absently on a light-pencil as he followed the wave of approval around the bridge.

  Quiet fell, and all eyes went to the Exec. Shawn knew what they were waiting for. It was the Exec’s job to stand behind the captain, adding his voice to hers in moments of confusion. Johanna had rallied support, and it was to him now, the lynch pin, to unite them behind her.

  His focus drifted to the tactical display, showing the angry swells of the four enemy ships closing at a dangerous rate, not even trying to evade. Escape was impossible. They had only a few brief minutes left to think.

  Suddenly, he shrugged his shoulders and emitted an awkward laugh. “I mean…what the hell? It’s only a game, right?”

  Tension evaporated. On a few faces, cracked smiles invaded where seconds ago was firm resolve. The suspension of disbelief that had hung over the entire exercise broke open.

  Johanna was not immune. She felt the critical moment crumble, reduced in a heartbeat to a translucent facsimile of real danger. She felt the hidden eyes of the Academy instructors concealed down in her ship’s Auxiliary Control Room, watching over them and controlling the auto-mechs running most of Falcon’s internal systems while the students acted as the bridge’s command team. Every ship in the fleet had the same watchdogs in their ACRs, assessing and ready to take over if the cadets lost their fragile bubbles of competence and safety.

  As the illusion crumbled, Johanna tasted nothing but ash. She didn’t smile or rejoice. It felt like failure. The last two weeks of building her team’s trust seemed wasted. Their sacrifice now seemed foolish, nothing but pretending at courage.

  Garam was watching her. He knew his friend, as well as anyone could know the enigmatic woman born to the most distant and isolated planet in the Alliance. Where she had been decisive and confident as a captain, she was now quiet and pensive as she normally was around the campus. She had been shocked out of her role.

  He pushed out of his seat and slid over to stand near her side. The Executive Officer might be the captain’s sounding board, but right then Garam knew Johanna needed a friend. He stepped in and whispered for her ears only, “What’s the matter, Jo?”

  Johanna chewed her lip, an unconscious nervous habit she had never defeated. “He’s not wrong. But he is wrong.”

  “Who, Shawn?”

  Johanna nodded back. She couldn’t explain what was bothering her. “If this was real, I would have made the exact same call.” It was a statement, not a question. She wasn’t justifying her actions, but for Garam to help her understand the others and confirm she wasn’t crazy to believe as she did.

  Garam’s lips broke out into a knowing smile, seeing her problem in a rush of insight. He deliberately echoed his previous support. “Damn right, you would.” He tossed his head to indicate the crew around her. “And we’d still follow you.” Flashing one of his trademark, comforting grins, he left her with that and retreated to his station.

  Johanna took a steadying breath, calming her mind into clear crystal. Time to act. Her voice rose to address the whole bridge, “Focus on the task at hand, everyone. Be sharp.”

  A unified chorus replied. “Yes, Captain!”

  She nodded crisply. “Good. Mind your stations and prepare to fight the ship. If we do this right…well, they aren’t going to see this one coming.”

  ***

  On Panther’s command deck, Derek Tranton scratched his dark hair in frustration. “Are we sure we have them pinned right?”

  His Exec, Lind Horbus, didn’t hesitate. “That’s the Falcon. We got a solid fingerprint on her engine signature over a week ago, and her energy profile is right in line with the damage we know she sustained. That’s Summer’s ship.”

  Derek didn’t trust a single hair on Johanna Summer’s head. Not after the stunt she had pulled back in first year during that ground combat exercise. She’d won him the game even as she’d dodged neatly around his authority all while bending the rules of the game. He wasn’t a
bout to forget it. “How long until we can engage?”

  “Ninety seconds. She’s angling out to our right flank. I think she’s hoping to use our own ships to block each other, so only a couple can shoot at her at one time.”

  Derek huffed, “Her ship is half-melted. We only need two to finish her off. Alright, let’s make it official. Have Fox and Eagle close with her directly. Kill her quickly. Panther and Lion will open the range and keep bearing down on Blue Force. We can’t delay, or Red Force is going to get pummeled.”

  The tactical display chirped an abrupt warning.

  Lind’s mouth fell open. “Look, the Falcon! She’s…!”

  ***

  Solar current interaction and redirection drives were impressive sights at visual range. SCIRs were nicknamed rudders for how they funneled solar current radiation into the stern of the ship, then down the ship’s spine to be converted into acceleration. The exhaust erupted out of the ship’s bow, bleeding into nearly every band of the electromagnetic spectrum in a dazzling plume.

  As Green Force readied to meet Falcon, with one swift, bold alteration, the ship’s brightly flaring bow tacked over to a completely different vector. Her exhaust emissions soared into a whole new stratum as Falcon went to her true maximum power: over 5,500 gravities of acceleration.

  Even that incredible thrust couldn’t instantly bend their original velocity vector. But all things were relative in space combat, and the Green Force ships were locked on their own closing vectors. They couldn’t react quickly enough to Falcon’s sudden, suicidal path, and that allowed the Blue Force corvette to soar right into the space combat equivalent of knife range like a vengeful spirit.

  All three of the Falcon’s active assault lasers lashed out. Unlike the enemy, Falcon’s gunnery teams had known precisely what was going to happen. Their attacks struck true. The game conditions reduced the laser output to only a fraction of the highest capacity of real warships so that the energy weapon-fire dissipated harmlessly against the energized armor of the Green Force ships.