by Saxon Andrew
“Thank you, Jingle. The last large influx of settlers happened during the Rager War. They were trying to escape the carnage and destruction of planets. Since it ended, there’s not been another large number of new settlers to arrive.”
Lu led her into the building and took an elevator to the top floor. The door opened on a huge room with large monitors covering the wall. Jingle saw Admiral Glennon and Alex sitting at a large circular table staring at a large wall monitor. She walked up with Lu and she announced, “Sir, Admiral Jingle has arrived.”
Glennon and Alex turned around and Glennon pointed to a chair beside him, “It’s good to see you, Admiral Jingle. I was hoping you would change your mind and join us.”
“Join you in what, Sir?”
Glennon turned to Alex, “Why don’t you bring her up to speed on what we’ve planned, Admiral Berringer.”
Alex smiled, “We’ve triangulated where the communications are going, and we must go out and see what we’re up against.”
Jingle heard Jangle say over their link, “Grab your socks, here it comes!”
Jingle smiled slightly and asked, “How do you intend to do that?”
Alex shrugged, “We’re going to go out and scan what’s there from long distance.”
“What else?” Jingle asked.
Alex’s smile disappeared, “What else is there? Once we get a scan, we’ll decide what to do next.”
Glennon was watching Jingle closely and he said, “It appears you don’t like this plan.”
“I’m waiting to hear all of it before I pass judgment, Sir.”
Glennon stared at her and then said, “That’s pretty much all of it. We’re preparing a ship that we believe won’t be detected and we’re sending it out to take a look around.”
“Then to answer your question, I don’t like this plan!” Jingle replied.
Alex sat forward in his chair, “Do you have a better plan?!”
“The plan you’ve come up with is similar to ready, fire, aim! You’ve gotten way ahead of yourselves.”
Alex’s face turned red and Glennon sat back, “Tell me what you mean by that, Miss Jingle?”
Jingle turned to him, “Sir, don’t you know that the strange probes are more advanced than our own stealth probes?” Glennon nodded. “Well, if the probes are more advanced, what does that say about any ships this entity might have? You really don’t know if this new ship you’re sending can actually avoid being detected, do you?”
“We believe it can, Miss Jingle.”
“No…you’re hoping it can.”
Glennon raised a shoulder before replying, “I concede you might be accurate in that assessment.”
“And what happens if this new ship you’ve built is detected?” Alex and Glennon were silent and Jingle continued, “Then the civilization that placed those probes will learn that we are on to them and if they’re planning anything violent, it might cause them to act.”
Glennon stared at her and finally asked, “Like Admiral Berringer said, ‘What would you do differently?’”
“Before you even start trying to find out what you’re up against, you need to find out where the civilization that put them here is located.”
Alex sat back and Glennon asked, “How do you see that happening?”
“Alex told me that you were able to find the frequency those probes were using to communicate, right?” Glennon nodded. “Well, it’s certain that whatever is receiving the data from those probes is not where the civilization that sent them is located; they must have a ship out there receiving the data.”
Glennon nodded, “I agree with your assessment so far; go on.”
“That ship receiving the data doesn’t just collect it and do nothing with it; it must pass that data on to another location. Go nowhere near that ship but place stealth probes far out from its location scanning for any communication frequency leaving that place in space. Track the line of that communication and you’ll get a clue as to where they’re located.”
Glennon looked at Alex and saw him shrug, “She has a good idea, Sir. Once we get a line on their communications, then we go take a look at the ship that sent it.”
Jingle blew out a loud breath and jerked her head toward Alex, “ARE YOU THAT IMPATIENT TO GET YOURSELF KILLED!!”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!!”
Jingle looked up at the ceiling and rolled her eyes before turning to Glennon, “Would I be correct in saying that this new ship you’re building looks nothing like a current Union Warship?”
“That’s accurate.”
“Then you take that ship and track the communication line. You go nowhere near the area where that data is being originated! If you’re seen, then whoever is receiving that data will know the ship is from the Union. But if that communication line goes out toward another galaxy, and if you track it there…”
Glennon smiled, “There the new ship won’t be associated with the Union.”
“Right! And the ones who placed the probes won’t be stirred up possibly causing them to initiate hostilities,” Jingle responded.
“How do you know they’re not going to attack us now?” Alex asked.
“If they are an aggressive civilization, then they are holding out for the same thing the aliens in the Styx Nebula are holding out for.”
“What is that, Miss Jingle?”
“They’re waiting for the Union and the Aliens in the Nebula to take each other on and they’ll move in to remove the winner.”
“What if that communication line goes to a location in the Milky Way?” Alex asked.
Jingle looked at Glennon, “You already know they’re not in our galaxy, don’t you?”
Alex’s eyes flew wide open when Glennon answered, “Yes.”
Chapter Nine
“Why haven’t you told me?!” Alex responded.
“Because I have no way to absolutely verify my findings.” Glennon turned to Jingle, “How do you know this civilization isn’t in the Milky Way?”
“Alex told me.”
“WHAT?!”
Jingle sighed, “Alex, you should link up with Brooks more often and consider what’s going on around you! You told me that Admiral Glennon was able to detect the communication frequency those probes are using, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think for a minute he stopped there? He had every stealth probe in the Milky Way start searching for that frequency and he wouldn’t be sending you out to investigate whatever is receiving the data if he found anything.” Jingle turned to Glennon, “Right?”
“Dead on, Miss Jingle. But you haven’t told me how you figured that out?”
“I had a week to waste getting here and my computer and I put our heads together to discuss the issue. We both initially thought that the Andromeda Galaxy was the most likely candidate but were forced to reject it.”
“Why? I’m still of the opinion that is the most likely place,” Glennon replied.
Jingle shook her head, “You need to get yourself a good computer, Sir. The Andromeda Galaxy is more than two million-light-years away from the Milky Way. The sheer magnitude of trying to conduct a galactic war from that distance is just not possible without having ships that can fly more than twenty-times faster than our ships. If they could do that, they wouldn’t need to use probes to scout us; they’d just waltz in and kick our asses. The assets and organization needed to conduct a war over that distance is asking for trouble.”
“So you believe they come from a different galaxy, Miss Jingle? Which one?”
“How in heaven’s name would I know?”
“But I thought you just said you and your computer said…”
“We know it has to be located outside the Milky Way but have no idea which galaxy it would be. That’s why you must track the communications from whoever is receiving the probe’s data. If you can do that, you’ll have an idea of where to look.” Jingle paused and asked, “Tell me more about this new ship you’re building.”
&n
bsp; Glennon stared at her for a very long moment and then pressed a button on his console. An image of a warship appeared on the closest wall monitor to the table they were sitting around. Jingle looked at it and began counting blasters on the ship’s hull. Her eyes widened as she said, “That ship is more than twice the size of the Clapper!!”
“More than three-times larger, Miss Jingle.”
“But a ship that large can’t use a stealth field!!”
Glennon nodded, “It uses two stealth fields that overlap each other.”
Jingle looked at Alex, “Is that possible?”
“Yes, it is.”
Jingle turned back to Glennon, “Why are you building it that large?”
“We need a warship that can square up to anything the nebula aliens have in their forces and any anticipated advanced warship being used by the aliens that placed the probes.”
Jingle pointed at the image on the wall monitor, “And you think that ship can do that?”
Glennon smiled, “As you said earlier, we’re hoping it can.”
Jingle slowly shook her head and turned to Alex, “Then there’s no way I can go with you on this mission.”
“Why not?” Glennon asked.
“I know you’ve been building one of these ships for Alex but there’s no way you can build another one in time for me.” Jingle saw Glennon’s smile and turned to Alex and saw him smiling as well. “Is there?”
“More than ten-thousand hulls for these new ships were laid and they are being constructed at the fastest pace the facilities here on Shanghai can manage. All that needs to be done is to move Jangle into one of them and your ship will be finished the same time as mine, Jingle,” Alex answered.
“So…you want me to go with you?”
Alex nodded, “You said we were a good team.”
“No, that’s what Admiral Glennon said.”
Alex smiled, “Jangle, will you do the honors?”
Suddenly the image on the monitor changed and she saw her talking with Alex over her monitor, “…Our mission is bigger than either of us, Alex and we must work together in spite of our feelings. You will be in command if we face combat conditions, that is something you have on me; you’re experienced and I’m not. I will not issue orders to you unless I clearly see a real danger. We will operate like we did before and try to find out what’s going on in alien territory. We were a good team back then.”
Jingle’s mouth tightened, “Thanks a lot, Jangle!!”
“Hey, Brooks has the same recording, but he’s indisposed while being installed in his new ship. You can see it now or after he’s activated.”
Admiral Glennon stood up, “You’ll go out using the same structure as before. Jingle is in command, but I know you’ll work well together. Both of you will report to the construction yard and take part in the construction of your new ships. You have a lot to learn and that process will be shortened if you watch it being built.” Glennon turned to Lu, “Captain, show Miss Jingle to her quarters and then take her to her ship. Miss Jingle, you will move your current ship to the hanger where your new ship is being completed.” Glennon turned and left the room. “Admiral Jingle, if you’ll follow me,” Lu requested.
Jingle glanced at Alex and couldn’t read his expression. She sighed and followed Lu out of the room.
• • •
The next month was one large nightmare of never-ending education. Jangle was removed from the ship and she didn’t have the link with him to assist her. One evening she was sitting with Lu and Alex having dinner. Alex finished his meal and left to go back to his ship. Jingle was in no hurry to go back to hers.
She looked at Lu and tilted her head, “I think you have something for Alex.” Lu’s expression changed and Jingle held up her hands, “Hey, I’m a woman too and I can see these things. You have a crush on him don’t you?”
Lu stared at her and then sighed, “Yes, but he’s not interested.”
Jingle stared at Lu shaking her head, “Why not; you’re gorgeous? A man would have to be dead to not be interested in you.”
Lu lowered her eyes, “The same thing could be said about you, Jingle! Is he interested in you?”
“No, I don’t even think he likes me.” Lu’s eyes narrowed and Jingle raised her hands, “Hey, it’s a long ugly story. Trust me, that will never happen.” Lu stared at the door as Alex walked out of the cafeteria and Jingle said softly, “I’m beginning to believe that Alex will never allow anyone close to him.”
Lu turned to her, “Why?”
Jingle raised her shoulders, “Because he is consumed with being a warrior and fully expects to die fighting the Union’s enemies. He won’t allow anyone to come between him and that destiny.” Jingle paused and added, “I didn’t see this initially but it’s becoming clearer every moment I’m around him.”
“Then if he survives this war, there might be a chance,” Lu responded.
Jingle smiled, “There’s always hope.” Lu laughed and went back to her dinner.
• • •
Three days later, Jingle was standing in the reactor compartment watching the civilian engineers installing the reactors. The last ship had four of the newest reactors on board, but these reactors were twice the size of the ones on the Clapper. An engineer saw her expression and asked, “Is there a problem, Admiral?”
“I thought my last ship had the newest reactor installed on it. These look nothing like those reactors.”
“There wasn’t enough room on that ship to install them, Admiral.”
“What’s the difference between them?”
The engineer smiled, “These reactors are more than triple the power of the ones on your old ship.”
“How many are being installed?”
“Twelve.”
“TWELVE?!”
The engineer smiled, “Larger ship, more space.” He pointed at the four reactors being installed and added, “These are the new twitch reactors, Admiral. The other eight are larger than these four.”
“Twitch?”
“It’s like the difference between muscles, Admiral. Some muscles work slow and steady while others are capable of fast, quick action.” Jingle’s eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed. “Admiral, these four reactors are smaller than the other eight, but they are more than twice as powerful as the other larger reactors. They also recover their charge instantly. They will be powering the ship’s blaster emplacements.”
“Range?” Jingle inquired.
“At their narrowest beam, more than four-hundred miles. At wide aperture, a little less than two-hundred miles.”
“What do you mean by aperture?”
The individual blasters can be fired using a tight, highly concentrated beam or a wide blaster beam that can be used to surround the ship. Wide aperture is normally used against missiles fired at the ship.”
“And the tight beam is used to fire at enemy warships?”
The engineer smiled again, “Exactly right.”
“How does one determine which one to use?”
“Normally, you would make that decision but in heavy combat conditions, the computer would take over control.”
“What do the other reactors do?”
“They power the ship’s systems along with the energy fields.”
“Will the energy fields be strengthened?”
“They will be, Admiral!”
“You say that like I’m missing something.”
The engineer looked at the reactors behind him and said, “Nothing in our arsenal of weapons will penetrate the new force field. It also automatically changes frequency every hundredth of a second.”
“What about the new twitch-blaster beams, will they penetrate it?”
The engineer raised a shoulder, “We’ve fired more than seventy at the force field and it held up. We decided that continuing to try and defeat it was a waste of time that could be better used elsewhere. Please excuse me, I need to get to work.”
Jingle nodded and wondered what kind
of warship could defeat this new ship. She thought about it and felt her fear rise. There was always something out there in the night that was never anticipated. She shook her head and turned around. She stopped and asked the engineer, “Do you know anything about the missile capacity of this ship?”
“Some.”
“How many of the defense missiles can it carry?”
“Three hundred.” That answer surprised her. “The new defense missile we’ve developed is smaller than the original and has a longer range.”
“What about the DD Missile?”
“It’s no longer being used.” Jingle shook her head slightly and the engineer added, “A more powerful and smaller missile is replacing it. The ship can carry twenty in its missile magazine.”
The engineer went to work running an electrical wiring harness into a conduit and Jingle’s fear began to abate. It appeared Admiral Glennon was serious about building a ship capable of taking on anything real or imagined. After this mission, maybe one of these ships could defend Bucket alone.
• • •
Brooks was installed and Alex took the new warship out for a shakedown cruise. Jingle waited for Jangle to be activated and didn’t know whether to be impatient or not. Once the ships were completed, they would leave on their mission. Talk about mixed emotions.
Jingle and Alex sat in a conference room with Admiral Glennon and a team of scientists and engineers. Each scientist and engineer stood up and made a presentation on their area of expertise on the new ship. Jingle knew most of what they were saying but suddenly perked up when the scientific expert on the ship’s energy systems started speaking, “…turn off the energy fields and depend on the ship’s hull to keep you hidden.”
Jingle instantly raised her hand, “I’m sorry, would you mind repeating that?”
“The new warship has been coated with a new absorptive paint that allows you to turn off the energy fields and depend on the ship’s hull to keep you hidden,” the scientist repeated.
She was thankful Alex asked the follow-up question, “I’m sorry. I’ve not been told anything about a new hull coating.”