Shiver Me Timbers

by Chris Hechtl

  He tugged on his right ear. He was aware of a fear among liberals that the effort of the government to round up, inter, and sterilize the non-Tauren population would be a serious image problem. They were right of course. It was all terribly embarrassing to the government. It was also something that could spark a second war.

  He didn't want a confrontation. He knew that the Federation Navy's presence was limited, but he had no idea what was behind it at the moment.

  He was determined though to defend the Confederation borders and if necessary enact whatever policy the civilian government ordered. It was his duty to the herd to make sure if there was an eventual confrontation and second interstellar war that this time it turned out differently.

  <()>^<()>

  Admiral Fiddlybit shook his head as he read the latest report from Purple Nights. The captured ships didn't have anything of value as far as engineering for his people. He signed off on destroying both ships once the intel spooks finished cloning their databases.

  The spread of the plagues bothered him. It wasn't technically his concern; after all, he was the Confederation navy's head of BUSHIPS not BUMED. But it still bothered him.

  He ran a check on the yards—so far, so good. They had a ways to go before the next super dreadnought launched. Funding for another squadron had been hung up in congress for over two years so his techs weren't in a hurry to finish the job and then stand idle.

  He opened up another file and scanned it. Ever since word of the Federation's return to the sector had come through the classified intel dump, he'd started to research how they'd fought against capital ships.

  One of the biggest weaknesses of his people's navy was the emphasis on large capital ships and fixed fortifications—large slow capital ships and not carriers, fighters, bombers, and other craft. A Tauren just didn't like the close confines of a cockpit. Those same large ships and fortresses took ages to build. They were also extremely expensive, which was why they had a limited number in the various fleets around the Confederation.

  At one point in their past, they'd had carriers and a proper mixed fleet. That had been when other species had been a part of the Confederation of course. When they'd been phased out, the carrier communities had been scaled back and then regressed out of the navy. The thinkers and strategists at the time had found all sorts of justifications as to why a carrier and fighter group was obsolete.

  Now he wondered how much of that had been pure self-serving blind bullshit that was going to cost them dearly.

  His people had no problem with innovation though. If it did come down to fighting against a carrier force would their gunships work? He frowned and then put in a request with BuTactical to take a hard look at that.

  He might need to alter his list of priorities for the next financial cycle depending on the outcome.

  <()>^<()>

  Lebynthos

  Fat Ear tugged on his ear again and then sighed. He was the only one of his twelve-person cell in Lebynthos to have survived the plague. The others had been caught out in a riot and killed by the poor primal people.

  When the Federation ship had showed up, he'd enacted the final protocol and had dumped his logs and then remote commanded the destruction of the ansible platform. That had been a painful decision, but he'd had no choice, not with Federation ships in the star system.

  There were a lot of changes to Lebynthos and the surrounding area; he'd noted the incredible uptick and surges going on. But, now he had no way to report them. He eventually decided to travel to the new Federation capital as a passenger to get closer to the action and keep watch on them.

  Chapter 23

  Trajin Cluster

  A courier arrived as scheduled from Rho. The small antimatter powered ship carried a handful of extra passengers along with more vital things like keys and electronic promotions. The captain confirmed her arrival with the ansible and even alerted Lebynthos of their arrival and her planned itinerary.

  She then ordered her ship to orbit Alpha for a one-week liberty and resupply.

  She exchanged pleasantries with the cruiser skipper, but she was intent on getting down and seeing some sun again after six months in hyperspace.

  <()>^<()>

  Tau-O79XP

  Captain Charles Dickens looked at doc's latest report and then sighed. At this rate the doc was going to use up most if not all of her keys on the one planet. He shook his head. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if they ran into the plague on the next world or the one after that.

  His yacht, the Oliver Twist, been in orbit of the agro world for quite a while, nearly four standard months. It had been a long voyage for the slow yacht. Time and her damage hadn't been a friend to her.

  His wife, Carol, didn't seem to mind the delay, nor did any of the crew, and for good reason. They had no intention of leaving while the plague continued to rampage unchecked across the planet. They were exhausted and had come out of the closet a bit with the natives, but so far everyone was just grateful for the help.

  He had confirmed something, that the pirate cruiser Seydlitz and a Tauren freighter she had been escorting were responsible for the plague. They'd infected the planet and had ignored the space colonies.

  It hadn't done the colonies much good in the end though. They'd still had to trade with each other and the planet, and eventually, they'd been infected as well.

  Fortunately, Oliver Twist has come along and had the ability to do something about it.

  For over a century since they'd woken from stasis, he and his crew and their A.I., Oliver, had done loops around the sector trying to make changes and improvements to the natives. His ship and crew were displaced from history; during the Xeno war, they'd been working to help the refugees survive before a hyper mine had nearly killed them. Instead, it had left them adrift for six centuries until they'd come into a friendly star system and the fuel to restore the ship.

  Their last stop had been over a year ago. They'd done their best to cure the plague and make some changes to the local governor. They'd put a bit of a Christmas scare into the man in hopes that he'd change.

  And now this he thought. They should have realized when they'd found evidence of bioweapons that if they could be used on one world they could be used on multiple worlds. He shuddered to think of what it meant.

  The one small glimmer of hope was that doc had reported some odd intervention. He didn't understand what it meant, and he was pretty sure she didn't either. But something had intervened around Christmas time, the same time they'd been doing their good deeds to help the people survive a little longer.

  Something like that helped to renew his faith in the Spirits of Space but also question it too. Why would they help so little and not just stop the bastards? He would have done it in a heartbeat if he could have!

  But he couldn't. So, they were stuck cleaning up their mess.

  As much as he'd love to get his hands on Seydlitz and her consort, he knew better. There was no way his little ship could take on a pirate cruiser. It was just as well he stayed well out of their gun sights.

  Even if it galled him to follow in their wake of misery, death, and cruelty.

  <()>^<()>

  Tau-1252

  Dasher won her informal race with Blitzen when she returned to normal space thirty minutes ahead of the other courier. Shelby read the report of their arrival and snorted.

  She had sent Blitzen to Lebynthos with the anticipation that the ansible would be set up soon. She'd been right. And now that she knew it was there, she would continue to send a courier every six weeks or so to keep things up-to-date until the ansible convoy arrived in the capital and she had one of her own.

  Dasher had returned after confirming that both Mercy convoys were on schedule. They'd even confirmed that Félicité had been picked up and that Mercy Mission II had picked up their own pirate ship and that was coming in with a prize crew at her best speed.

  And, on top of that, they'd confirmed Belfast was on her way. The o
verdue light cruiser had survived and had found her way home, or at least, almost home. Good news indeed.

  All in all it was a good week so far. And it would get even better when Mercy Mission I arrived at the end of the week as scheduled.

  Her good mood was tempered a bit when Commander Coglin put in an appearance for her command staff meeting. The Neocheetah was aggressive, and he tended to be the voice of aggression urging her on. There were a lot of officers and enlisted who wanted to take the fight to the enemy.

  She just didn't think it was the right time. They had yet to make up their losses from the battle, at least the losses in ships. She had to admit their fixed fortifications were five times what they once were. She was even considering opening up a war-craft production line.

  “Ma'am, I realize we're moving in different directions, but shouldn't we consolidate Tortuga and then go after the enemy? Run them down? Wherever they end up, people are going to get hurt,” the commander stated.

  “He makes it sounds like you are being timid,” Boni stated in Shelby's ear. “There has been a growing concern that you've turtled like Admiral Irons,” she stated.

  Shelby shook her head. “Now is not the time to be too aggressive and go off halfcocked. We don't know if it is a trap. We don't know where the enemy forces are, not for certain.” She kicked herself sometimes for not sending a ship to follow them.

  “But, with respect, ma'am, we don't know it isn't,” Lieutenant Black stated.

  “And we don't know it is either. We don't have any intel once they left Tortuga,” Lieutenant Slattery pointed out.

  Shelby turned to the Neodog. “That's true, but I don't know if Tortuga is a trap either. He pulled his warships out in a concentrated force. That force could double back and hit us when we move in or come around through Black Hills to hit us from an unexpected direction. I have to play it safe. We've got too much to lose to go hog wild. And remember, the more cruisers we deploy now, the less there are here.”

  “Ma'am, we play it safe and we let opportunities slip through our hands,” the CAG stated doggedly. “Sometimes we have to take risks,” the Neocheetah stated stubbornly.

  “No, but I've got too many irons in the fire. Also, the pirates proved that fixed defenses aren't going to stop them if they truly want to get in. They can jump short, go around mines or defenses, whatever they want to do to get in they'll do. Having mobile forces able to get in their way and stop them is the only way to be sure we can stop them. So, I'm standing pat until reinforcements arrive. Once I've consolidated my forces, then I'll reassess the situation and go from there.”

  He nodded. He'd seen it; she was right. It just hurt to not go after a retreating enemy and snap up the ground he was leaving behind while also hitting him while he was on the move. “Aye aye, ma’am.”

  <()>^<()>

  Commander Coglin flicked his ears as he thought about the situation. In a few more months, the other convoys would arrive. When they did their firepower would double.

  From the dispatches they'd received, he knew that the other convoys had CEVs. Those ships were chock-full of spare craft and pilots to thicken their ranks. But they were still a month or more away.

  What he'd really love to do was to concentrate the carriers in one force and then go out and kick the pirate's ass. Using the fighters and bombers would allow Shelby to preserve her main force. It was cold blooded but he was honest with himself. Losing a fighter or bomber was better than losing a tin can or cruiser. He'd always known that. In the cold calculus of war, he knew that any good leader would trade an enemy warship for one of his people. Even though they'd hate doing it, they would.

  It remained to be seen if the commodore had the stomach to do it or not.

  Still, it wouldn't hurt to draw up a plan and submit it to her. At the least it might get her thinking in the right direction.

  <()>^<()>

  Belfast's arrival at the Tau-1929 jump point was anticipated, though the defenders hadn't known the ship's exact timing.

  “Glad you are back! We've missed you,” Captain Runyon stated as IFFs were brought up around the jump point.

  “We're glad to be missed,” the comm tech on duty replied before turning the channel over to his CO.

  Captain S'th was on auto pilot as she spoke with the other captain. She was in awe of the sights around her ship and further afield. The depths of the star system promised a wealth of material and opportunities to finally right her ship the proper way.

  <()>^<()>

  Shelby got the initial hot wash download from Belfast. It took her an hour to read it. When she did she couldn't decide if she was furious, appalled, or just exasperated. Either way a certain Naga had a long overdue tongue lashing coming.

  The good news was the ship hadn't gotten lost or destroyed. And she had taken one enemy out, scouted an enemy base, shown the flag, and had gotten a piece of Black Corsage.

  But the risks she'd taken, had it been worth it? In tangling with Black Corsage, she'd tipped their hand to the enemy.

  Chapter 24

  Three days after her arrival Belfast arrived at the Newport shipyard. Arrangements had been made while she had been in transit for her to take the repair slip right away. That was excellent news for Captain S'th.

  Once she was certain her XO had things well in hand, she took a cutter over to the naval base.

  <()>^<()>

  Captain S'th wasn't disappointed as the commodore ripped into her for the stupid first battle.

  “What the hell were you thinking? Ignoring your orders, endangering your ship ….” The human female leaned forward imposingly. Beside her an image of the battle was on a repeat loop.

  The Naga's tail tip flicked. Her mandibles moved as if she was about to say something.

  “I'm not finished,” Shelby said, stepping on the Naga's impulse to explain or excuse away her actions. “You took on an enemy ship with a greater throw weight than your own. That was reckless and stupid. You endangered your ship and your mission in a vain attempt to earn your spurs. I get pride, I do,” Shelby shook her head, “especially a predator's pride. And I get it that we're here to do a job, and that is to root out the pirates. But that was stupid.”

  “Yes, ma'am,” the Naga replied.

  Shelby judged the contrition in the other being's voice as genuine. She had to admit, the Naga hadn't pulled any punches about the mistakes she'd made in her report. Nor had she glossed over any as far as she was aware.

  And, most likely the Naga had kicked herself every day afterward when she realized the damage she'd inflicted on her ship and the losses to her crew. If, that was, she'd had a leg to kick with she thought, looking at the long tail.

  Well, she could do the Naga's kicking for her. It was definitely long overdue.

  “Judging solely for that action you should be court-martialed. But you did better in the second battle, and the risks you took to verify the pirate base were high. You did come back all right,” Shelby said.

  “Yes, ma'am. I make no excuses for the first battle. You are correct; I screwed up.”

  “Damn right you did. And you and your ship paid for it later. I don't know if we can see the later actions as a way to balance out that sort of screwup. Hopefully, and from the sound of it, you learned from it.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Shelby studied her and then slowly sat down. After a moment of studying the Naga, Shelby nodded. “Good. Your ship is going to be in the repair slip for quite some time despite what repairs your crew and the Beta Convoy could do. The yard dogs have to assess it all and probably yank out the temporary repairs before they can start clean. In the meantime, your crew is going to go through the reviews while also enjoying their long overdue liberty.”

  “On behalf of them, ma'am, thank you.”

  “I didn't say the review will be pleasant for you or them,” Shelby stated, eyes flickering again. She personally wondered how the review board would land. The Naga could very well find herself unsaddled and no longer
considered fit for command. Or, she could find herself demoted.

  She sighed internally. For the moment that was something she'd have to face later. “We don't have a large JAG presence. Before your crew scatters to the wind, I want you to go over your reports with your JAG expert and XO and prepare yourself. It's a battle you aren't going to enjoy.”

  “Understood, ma'am.”

  “A room will be assigned to you in Captain's Row. If your ship is in the body and fender shop for more than a week, expect me to be poaching the crew for other assignments. Many are long overdue for a promotion.”

  “Also understood and anticipated, ma'am.”

  “Glad we're on the same page then. I too had to endure that when Prometheus returned to Pyrax. Go get squared away.”

  “Aye aye, ma’am.”

  <()>^<()>

  Captain S'th noted with relief that Puglia was not there. Her news update had informed her that Puglia was on her way to Tortuga. It was a bit of a relief to not have to face Ed just yet. He'd no doubt rub it in that she'd taken her sweet-ass time getting to the capital.

  But neither one of them won the bet of blood wine since neither had gone back to the Trajin Cluster she reminded herself. So, the bet was off.

  Of course, if she was sent back in disgrace, she'd get there ahead of Puglia—not that she expected that to happen. But the commodore's reaming had reminded her that what she was facing wasn't pleasant. It wasn't meant to be either. But it was another thing she had to face.

  <()>^<()>

  Lieutenant Slattery processed the data from Belfast as soon as her office received the full data package.

  Once she noted her conclusions were running concurrent with the opinions and reports of the bridge crew, she called a briefing to go over her findings with the senior staff.