Shiver Me Timbers

by Chris Hechtl

  “We have new mission orders,” she intoned, leaning forward and grasping the edge of the table.

  “No way. No frackin' way,” the Neoorangutan breathed in protest. “They can't be serious!”

  “Oh, but they are. I'm making a change though, we're not building it here,” Shelby said firmly. Others began to protest but she waved a hand to silence them. Only when they were quiet did she continue. “My plan is to build this thing in Tortuga. That way we won't have any flack here and we'll have plenty of material to start with. Without anyone to protest, we can take whatever resources we need to.”

  Abdul slowly nodded. “We'll have to build the Dyson sphere to power the industry. I assume you've got the keys …,” she nodded. “Okay. So, fortunately, we have one started here in the capital, the industry and everything. We just have to graft some of the industry over to start the sphere growing in Tortuga.”

  “Oh, is that all? You make it sound so simple!” Lieutenant Black said with a snort.

  “That part is. The rest, not so much. Some of it is obviously not my problem. Like defending the star system. And the sheer industry we'll need …,” he shook his head.

  “Well, the good news is as I said, we've got an entire star system to play with and the keys. What we don't have is a ton of time.”

  “Excuse me, ma'am?”

  “This is a top priority project.”

  “How soon are we talking?”

  “Ten years max.”

  “Ten years? Did I just hear you correctly?” Abdul stuck his long index fingers in his ears and pretended to ream them out. That got a startled chuckle or smile from those around the table. Lieutenant Black had to dodge one of his elbows. She brushed it aside. “Are they insane??”

  “No, they are apparently building multiple stargates in Rho to connect to us and others,” Shelby stated.

  “Great, so, a sector in ruins, limited resources, a small and untrained population who hate the damn things, a sector wide plague, pirates, and as if I don't have enough on my plate, now this. What's next?” Abdul demanded. “I knew I shoulda stayed in bed,” he muttered.

  “Ma'am, with my limited life experience I have learned one thing,” Boni interjected.

  “Oh? What's that?”

  “Don't ask such things unless you want to know the answer. According to lore the Spirits of Space have a funny way of answering you. Usually in a way you won't like,” Boni replied.

  Shelby groaned. “Yeah, you're right.”

  “That's crazy! What do they expect us to do, pull a rabbit out of our hat?” Lieutenant Slattery demanded. She was completely aghast at the concept.

  “We've got a convoy from Bek and Pyrax coming. Mostly support personnel in stasis,” Shelby stated. “About ten thousand,” she said, checking the notes. Boni nodded on her HUD. “Yup, ten grand.”

  “Still …,” Abdul shook his head, still grappling with the enormity of the engineering challenges ahead of them. “We're talking …,” he sputtered to an incoherent stop and threw his hands up helplessly in the air. “Once we get the Dyson sphere over … Holy fracking shit! I don't know where to start!”

  “We'll start by taking a seed from the Dyson sphere here and graft it over into Tortuga like you said and expand on it fast,” Shelby stated.

  “Okay but …,” he shook his head in despair. “My head hurts,” he said, cradling his head, face down.

  “The good news is we've got the leading expert on building the things on the other side of the ansible. He's just a call away, even if he's a trifle busy being you know, the president and our boss,” she said. He snorted but still looked mulish. “We break it down into smaller problems and knock them down like we usually do Abdul, you know this,” Shelby stated. She grinned when he looked up at her. “Don't tell me you love the challenge of it,” she said, poking him.

  He stared at her and then snorted. “You're as crazy as they are, Admiral!” He sputtered, throwing his head back and hooting laughter. The others around the table shook their head. He finally ground to a stop and his brown eyes turned to level with hers. “But yeah, I guess I do. I guess I'm as crazy as you lot are. I'm in,” he said with a shrug.

  “Good because what we've been doing before is going to seem like baby steps in a bit. Shit is about to get busy,” Shelby said, smacking her hands together and then rubbing them expectantly.

  Author Afterward

  And … I am done! Finally! This book went in different directions. I honestly didn't have a plan for it when Wayne and some of the other betas nagged me into starting it. It took a bit of work to finally figure out where we were going.

  I know what some of you are thinking about the Confederation. What the frack? Mixed with a little, “oh no, he didn't!” And not to mention some annoyance at starting up a new bad guy.

  Well, yeah, I did. They weren't supposed to work out that way, but I gamed it out from Kai's Story and had two outcomes. Since I'm not particularly a nice or fair guy to some of my characters, I decided to go with the tough road rather than the easy lazy suddenly nice helpful Confederation.

  So yeah, things are going to get … interesting. Let's put it that way. And yes, before you ask, I have had a small start on the next Shelby book. Some of the plot from this book got moved to that one. It should be interesting to write … when I get a chance to do so.

  So, as usual you can contact me, see my musings and snippets from the books, see some of my art and the usual claptrap on my blog.

  Cast

  Commodore Shelby Logan: Daughter of Horatio Logan. Frocked to Commodore. Actual Captain SG rank.

  Ensign Bonbibi: AKA Boni. Hindu name for spirit of protection in the forest. personal A.I. of Commodore Logan.

  Commodore Helen Richards has Lieutenant JG Florence for A.I.

  Commander Huresh Rockland: Medical doctor with advanced intelligence training including interrogation techniques. Attached to Good Hope. He is thin with a long scarred face.

  Miss Fickle: Female human representing a fabrication shop. Phoebe pitches to them to build shipping containers and equipment.

  Mister Zeloski: Male human running a shuttle and tug repair facility. Wants to franchise it. Then wanted to expand into a repair shipyard.

  Captain Sorely: Human Tug captain who sued the government in the Penascola incident.

  Prometheus:

  Lieutenant Commander Cynthia Troll –”Trollope”: blond female, curly Shirley Temple hair. Former chief engineer of Prometheus turned XO. Commander. Promoted to captain.

  Lieutenant JG Prometheus: evolving ship A.I. Formerly an ensign.

  Lieutenant JG Carl Talon: Male, chimera, quartermaster. Mother had been a civilian purser. -promoted to lieutenant.

  Lieutenant Portia Ming: female Neopanda, Helm and navigator -promoted to 1st lt.

  First Lieutenant Adbul Sulistyo: Noeorangutan Chief Engineer. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Take on Shipyard.

  Lieutenant JG Oz Kettle: Neogorilla assistant engineer -Promoted to lieutenant. Take over Chief engineer slot

  Lieutenant JG Z'k'th'ss'th: TACO Naga male. -promoted to lieutenant. Given command of a sublight frigate.

  Lieutenant JG L'n'v'll: Ops Male Veraxin. -promoted to lieutenant. replaced by Lieutenant Pan.

  Lieutenant Roman Taylor: Human, sleeper from Lemnos. Former personal medic to Admiral Subert.

  First lieutenant Howard Jardin: Communications. Problem lieutenant. Human.

  Ensign Gregoire “Ham” Pan: Neochimp male. Attempted a transfer early on. Settled down. Promoted to lieutenant JG. Replaced Lieutenant L'n'v'll at ops.

  Note: 6 ensigns on board including above.

  Ensign Shrin a JAG lawyer fresh out of the academy.

  Ensign Shawn Brudbaker Tactical. Promoted to Lieutenant JG and given TACO slot on Prometheus.

  Senior CPO Mick Williams: bosun. Male.

  CPO Alf: Ship's yeoman. Short shaggy brown Neomutt. Short errect ears, muzzle that had been broken once. Black eyes. Cocker spaniel/Golden Retrieve
r/Irish setter mix.

  Bob: ship's police. Neo saint bernard male.

  PO Bernard: Captain's Steward.

  PO Harry Reeves: Neochimp male. Cousin who is a nurse on Florence Nightingale.

  Ensign Fara Slatterly ONI officer picked up on Gaston. Newly minted. Native of Gaston. Parents died in a cyclone, was on the planet on berievement leave. -Promoted to Lieutenant JG in chapter 43.

  1st lieutenant John Frost Marine commanding officer. -promoted to Captain JG.

  Lieutenant JG Sadie Black: Female Neo black Lab Flag lieutenant of Commodore Logan. -Promoted to LT.

  Lieutenant JG Wigeon Black: Male Black Neolab. Brother to Sadie. Senior JAG officer. -promoted to LT.

  Lieutenant Fixer: Female T'clock. Spacebee. Less into engineering more into personnel, admin, logistics, and training. Promoted to 1st LT.

  Thadeus 'Tad' Kale.

  Alexis Hamilton: female

  Zlata Sukan

  Mot: Blue skinned bald chimera barber.

  Fred Muggs: Neochimp male. Head diplomat assigned to the mission from the state department. Former mayor on Anituga.

  Phoebe 'Beebe' Muggs: Wife of Fred. Assistant. Bonobo. Very ambitious, kingmaker.

  Ayumu Muggs: Teenage son of Fred and Phoebe.

  Lieutenant Fixer and 5 spacebees on board.

  Chauncy: Male Tauren from Antigua. Young, apprentice of Lieutenant Fixer.

  Rachel Trejo reporter/anchor: Knox News

  Nellie 'ole Nellie' Jurgens: Producer

  Oscar Mikula: Neoorangutan male Technician

  Commander Janice Yu: From Carib Queen. Served as helmsman and navigator of Firefly with Shelby Logan. Former captain of Dunatis. Currently Captain of Admiral Zlanka.

  Lieutenant Commander Zeb: Veraxin, former XO of Prometheus. Had been a prize captain briefly. Given command of a frigate. Then transferred to captain Zeng He, a North Hampton class light cruiser.

  Lieutenant Commander Angie Kalua.: Captain of Arboth class destroyer Slash and Tear. Former XO of Caroline.

  Lieutenant Commander V'll'no: Captain of Admiral Sprauge CEV. Crusher classmate of Shelby.

  Trajin cluster:

  Alpha: Chief Executive: Broken Horn.

  Asterion IX:

  Governor Iapx

  Doctor Shrim

  Boyd: Tauren door guard.

  ----Horathians:----

  Vice Admiral Leonidas Ishmael. African Neolion male. Big, fierce, battle scared. Old but took captured regen therapies.

  Captain Kix Baker XO for the admiral. Neochimp. Has butterfly swords in a boot. Father of Lieutenant Thomas Baker tactical officer at Horath academy who trained midshipman De Gaulte before the Neochimp was sent to the gladiator pits.

  Nim Chimpsky: Neochimp

  Titus: Silverback gorilla

  Bruno: Silverback gorilla

  Jumoke: Female gorilla

  Ah Meng: Female Summatran Orangutan.

  Chantek: Male hybrid Orangutan.

  Commander Dolon Lycaon male gray neowolf: XO on a ship. Forced to marry Wilda Dab.

  Captain Wilda Dab female spotted hyena. Engineer who runs the shipyard

  Commander Ayud Bundi: Spotted hyena male. Part of the hyena clan. passive. Shipright.

  Shenzi, Edi, Banzai Gnoll: Spotted hyenas (shenzi is female) in hyena clan.

  Captain Scratch Lupen: Neowolf

  commander Damarchus Lycan: Neowolf

  Sailor Choctaw Zambika: Chocolate skinned, missing fingers off his left hand. Right leg limp. Scarred on face and body. dandruff, buzzcut haircut. Hat, pirate garb.

  Binti Jua: Male Gorilla

  Commander Eugen Wilhelm officer and doctor from Horath. Had no idea that the pirate presence was populated by Neos. Purity and Enlightenment department. Human male, white uniform, wears white gloves.

  Lieutenant commander Cambri Goethe officer and doctor from Horath. Subordinate to Doctor Wilhelm. Human female.

  Captain Fernando Layafette: new captain of Fancy from Horath. Human. Have to adjust to Neos.

  Appendix

  My Blog:

  http://cyberforge3d.blogspot.com/

  The Facebook Fan group:

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/582559128466667/

  The Wiki:

  http://federation-datanet.wikia.com/wiki/Federation_AI_Historical_Datanet_Wiki

  Recommended Reading Order

  Time line of the Engineer Universe:

  Chronological reading order

  Founding Series:

  *First Steps

  Stepping Stones Founding Stories 1

  To Touch the Stars

  The Island of Moreau -Short Story Multiverse 2

  Bumper and Boomer -Short Story Multiverse 2

  The First AI War

  Cornerstone: Tales of the Founding of the Federation 2

  The First Terran Interstellar War 1 Desperate Defense

  The First Terran Interstellar War 2 Waking the Sleeping Giant

  Universal Translator Multiverse 4

  The Good Ship UFSP Lollipop-Short Story Multiverse 2

  Higher for Higher -Short Story Multiverse 1

  Siren Call -Short Story Multiverse 1

  The Stargate Program Multiverse 4

  Ragnarok series: Forthcoming

  Kai's Story

  Wandering Engineer:

  *New Dawn

  Fools Gold

  Jethro Goes to War

  Destiny's Choice

  Ghost Station

  Jethro First to Fight

  Plague Planet

  13 Degrees of Separation

  Pirates Bane

  Lewis and Clarke -Short Story Multiverse 2

  Jethro No Place like Home

  Ghosts From the Past

  ---Federation Reborn----

  Bringer of Fire and Light -Short Story Multiverse 1

  Battle Lines

  Jethro Recruiting Drive

  Pirate Rage

  Tales of the Federation Reborn 1

  Retribution

  Horatio Logan Chronicles: 1 Enemy of my Enemy

  Jethro 5 Ares God of War

  Shelby Logan Chronicles: 1 Convoy

  Horatio Logan Chronicles 2 Court-Martial

  The Gathering Storm

  Multiverse 3 short stories

  Semper Fidelis short stories

  A Piece of the Pi short stories

  In Search of Pi

  The Turning Tide

  Pi Fight

  Liberty or Death

  Full Circle

  Shiver Me Timbers (in parallel to other works)

  Folklore

  Wolfpack Multiverse 4

  Will of Fire Multiverse 4

  Christmas Multiverse 4

  Sneak Peek

  The following is a raw excerpt from Blockade, book 7 of the Federation Reborn series.

  New Horizon

  Admiral Quartermain's flotilla arrived at the outer edge of the Bd1r17 jump point in an almost perfect diamond formation. The 12 ships were arrayed with the 4 battle cruisers at the center in a X-Z diamond, 100 thousand kilometers out the 4 heavy cruisers were stacked vertically in a Z-Y formation, and the 4 light cruisers were out from them in another X-Z diamond 200 thousand kilometers out covering the flanks.

  “Remain at battle stations until we've got a solid sensor sweep of the star system. Engineering, I want any excess power feeding our hyper capacitors in case we need a fast get away,” the admiral ordered.

  A series of Aye ayes answered his orders.

  The admiral frowned. He had brought his people in high and near the outer edge to make sure that he wasn't in any kill basket. He had heard about too many ambushes and didn't want his command to fall to the same fate.

  So far so good though. As the ships cleared their hyperwakes their sensors began to get clearer readings further and further out. His second greatest fear was that he'd drop out near an enemy ambush force. After all, if he was in charge of such an ambush he would have placed them behind and above and below the enemy'
s projected arrival point to hit them.

  But again, it was quiet.

  “We're getting some neutrino readings in the inner star system near the planet's second moon. It looks like a cluster of ships. We can't sort them out at this range and resolution sir,” CIC reported.

  The admiral glanced at the plot and pursed his lips thoughtfully. After a moment he nodded. “Keep me posted and do better.”

  “Aye aye sir.”

  -~~~///^\~~~-

  Captain Misipeka stroked the armrests of his chair as the plot was updated with the arrival of the enemy force. So, they had followed him.

  Interesting, he thought. How far were they willing to go? Had they resupplied in Finagle?

  “Sir, reaction?”

  “Go with Alpha One,” the captain ordered. In the absence of orders from the flagship he stuck to the basic plan. “Here we go.”

  -~~~///^\~~~-