“Yes, Janish I feel it too. Lucinda?”
“Me too. Corb, what do we do?”
“We wait.”
As Corb finished his sentence, Michelle blinked and looked around, obviously confused.
“Was I out?”
“No, you were focused on something.”
“Corb, the nanobots… they made me focus on a thought. Aapo lied. We are going to be ambushed.”
“How can you know that?”
“I do not know but it is like the tea leaves. The bots helped me see something. When we drop out of the slip-stream, there will be an explosion. Also, my connection has expanded. I think it has expanded.”
“Yes, your connection is much brighter. Lucinda, Ragnar, Nick, you are the warriors here, what do we do?”
Before they could respond, Michelle stood. Clearly shaken, she went to lie down. The remaining crew awaited the warrior’s response. Lucinda spoke for the team.
“Corb, the answer to your question requires a question. I presume you want to continue and not turn back?”
“We go on.”
“Okay, let’s sit down, get something to eat, and make a plan.
“Nick, you eat hamburgers every day. Don’t you get tired of the same thing?”
Speaking with a mouthful of ground sirloin smothered in grilled onions and catsup, Nick responded to Cassandra’s question.
“These are good but not as good as those Lucinda served up back in Mayperville. Ah, the memories. Nevertheless, the cultural wasteland called America has produced exactly two items of culture in two-hundred plus years. One is the glorious hamburger.”
Nick held up the remaining portion of his burger, dripping grease on the table, but kept on eating, forcing Cassandra to bite at the unspoken intonation.
“The other item of culture?”
With a grin and a mouth full of medium-well hamburger, Nick replied.
“Pork Pie Lass. The right turn on a red light. Tis a beautiful thing, that.”
Nick resumed eating. Lucinda rolled her eyes and resumed the planning meeting.
In just under an hour of planning, arguing, and agreeing, the Coterie had developed a strategic plan. The plan was amazingly artless in design and astonishingly complex in execution.
“That’s the plan. We all agree. Any other questions? Yes, Nick?”
“Lucinda, let me get this straight. We are going to depart on the agreed to flight plan, the same flight plan we believe has an ambush waiting for us at the end. But, using magic and gumballs, we are going to alter our course WHILE we are in the slip-stream. If we CAN alter our course in the slip-stream, we will drop into normal space a hundred thousand kilometers from our projected point.”
“But, Nick…”
“Hold up, NT, let me finish.
Now we are in real space and the baddies have figured out we are not where we promised. Here’s the good part, we are not going to turn and run but we are going to attack. Attack an unknown force. A force with unknown abilities.
Did I get that right?”
“Yes, Nick, that is correct. Don’t worry, I got your back.”
“Ragnar, if my back needs saving yours does too. Landry is it possible to alter course while in the slip-stream?”
“Yes, what Humans would refer to as Quantum Theory indicates it is possible to alter trajectory while in the slip-stream. However, we do not possess a Quantum computer capable of the calculations. Where time is variable, the calculations must be adjusted in real-time. We are not capable of the calculations.”
“Well, that kills that plan.”
“No, Nick, it doesn’t. Lucinda, Janish, can we do it? Do you think the Triad can make the adjustments?”
Lucinda and Janish looked at each other in reaction to Corb’s question. Lucinda tilted her head, deferring to Janish.
“Yes, I think we can do it.”
“This might be shooting craps with the devil himself. But we came all this way… Might as well. Can’t dance, never could sing, and it’s too wet to plow.”
“That’s my cowboy. He said that to me on the first day we were together.”
Sleepy-eyed, Michelle had walked into the galley just in time to hear the end of Corb’s southern colloquialism.
“I had a dream. The Triad connection is the key.”
“Oh joy. We got the Triad altering universal laws of physics on demand and an Oracle divining our fate. What could go wrong?”
“Nick why is it we keep you around?”
“Cass, I am the reality in this merry band of misfits.”
“Nick, report.”
“I don’t know how you did it, but we are one-hundred and twenty-three thousand kilometers from the planned exit point. Landry?”
“Scanning indicates there are twelve Nebuinian Class Two tactical fighters positioned so they form a sphere around our planned entry point. Class Two Tactical fighters are not FTL capable. Stand by… There it is. There is a Core System Battle Carrier three million kilometers from the exit point. It is obvious they knew we were coming. From their positioning, it appears they planned to fire on us simultaneously. Michelle’s vision was accurate.”
“Bloody well right it was accurate. But, Landry, chap, can we defeat twelve Class Two Tactical fighters with a carrier waiting in the wings?”
“Nick, our plasma cannons out range their cannons by twenty thousand kilometers. Class Two shielding is not capable of defending against a direct hit from our plasma cannons. Yes, we can defeat them. I have a suggestion before we begin.”
“Hold up Landry. Corb, there is still time to back out.”
“No!”
Michelle had answered sharply for Corb, causing everyone to look her way.
“Sorry, I meant, no we should not turn back. Corb, is this also a test?”
Beaming, Corb responded.
“Yes, it is. How did you know?”
“I inferred from the circumstance. Too many directives from Aapo. Too many narrowly defined instructions. But there always seems to be a way out. I suppose I guessed.”
Michelle shrugged, and Lucinda resumed command of the Jaguar.
“Good guess. Landry, what is your suggestion?”
“Lucinda, we jump in ten-thousand kilometers outside their effective range. We target the closest ship immediately. But, here’s the good part.”
Landry’s avatar looked to Nick who gave a thumbs up to the use of his phrase.
“In aeronautical terms, the Triad will slip the Jaguar horizontally, and parallel, to the sphere formed by the fighters. The fighters will be facing away from us, as the Jaguar moves horizontally, we pick of the next fighter. And, so on until the other fighters move out of formation to avoid us.”
“How many can we get before the others move out of formation and regroup to attack?”
“Ragnar, we can get four with an eighty-eight percent certainty. If the Triad can move the Jaguar in three dimensions, we might get five or six.”
“Then it comes down to six or eight to one? Can we defeat that many?”
“Yes, Ragnar, we fight in retreat. We use our range advantage. I can control the Jaguar and the plasma cannons. The Triad can slip the Jaguar by invoking micro slip-streams.”
“Micro slip-stream? More magic and gumballs. Just what I was hoping for.”
“Nick, if the Triad can move the Jaguar a few kilometers in the slip-stream, randomly, we can pick them off. We micro jump, I will orient the ship to the closest fighter and you will fire. Ragnar you keep the shields up. Janish, you monitor the Jaguar for damage.”
Realizing he had overstepped, the Landry avatar stopped, turned, and looked at Lucinda.
“I am sorry, Captain. I guess I want to survive this a much as anyone.”
“Yes, Landry, we all want to survive. Is your plan going to work?”
“The simulations I have been running indicate an eighty-one percent chance of success.”
“Then, what are we waiting for? They must know we are here. Weapons fre
e. Triad let’s get ready. When we are ready, Nick, let’s jump.”
Corb, Lucinda, and Janish turned their seats on the platform to the center. Feet flat on the floor, palms, and forearms on the arm rests, they each nodded and closed their eyes. Sensing the calm, Nick and Landry initiated the micro-jump.
“You hit the bullseye Landry. Firing”
“Nick, their shields are all forward. That first ship had no rear shielding.”
Ragnar issued the command to move.
“Triad move us starboard and slightly down.”
The Jaguar moved starboard to behind the second fighter.
“Yeah, that first one made a nice fireball. Firing.”
The second fireball filled the monitors.
Without an additional command, the Jaguar continued to the third fighter.
“The next one is raising rear shields. The others are turning to face us.”
Nick assessed the third target was going to move out of range.
“Thank you, Ragnar. We need to move faster. Triad, can you move us faster?”
With the request, the Jaguar’s lateral velocity increased.
“Nick, I am adjusting the fire control to compensate for the increased speed.”
“Roger that.”
The third fighter’s rear shields were ineffective in stopping bolts from the Jaguar’s plasma cannons. The Jaguar’s horizontal speed was fast enough the fourth fighter was unable to take evasive actions.
Four fighters in pieces littering the immediate space. The eight remaining fighters formed up to face the single Coterie ship.
“Landry?”
“Ragnar, they are in Classic Core diamond battle formation. They are twelve thousand kilometers from us. They think our range advantage is the ten-thousand kilometers we used in the first pass.”
“Recommendation?”
“Ragnar, we stick to the plan, pick them off while backing up. The Triad should move us randomly in space.”
“Okay, start backing us up, that’ll draw the first fighter. Nick, get a lock on the first fighter that moves out of line.”
“Roger that. Here he comes. Firing.”
Another fireball filled the monitors, the Jaguar backed up, and dropped on the x-axis. The fighters reformed their diamond and the center two ships came forward.
“We have two cannons for a reason. Targeting lock confirmed. Firing.”
Two fireballs merged into one large bright image. The Jaguar backed up and slid to port on the y-axis.
“We were eleven-thousand kilometers from the fighters. They have not fired on us because we remain outside their effective range. They know our effective range is a significant advantage.”
“Yes, Nick, the five remaining fighters are not advancing. Four in a diamond formation and it looks like the squadron commander is in the center of the diamond. Landry, report.”
“Ragnar, I have broken their encryption codes. The Battle Carrier is issuing orders. The carrier’s name translates to Guardian of the Protectorate. The carrier’s admiral has ordered the fighters to return.
The Commander of the fighter squadron is ignoring the admiral. He has ordered his fighters forward. We are going to get all five at once. Nick, target the center fighter. Wait! Back us up. Fast! I am routing all available power to the shields.”
The Triad turned, and everyone watched the commander of the fighter squadron use a self-destruct option. Twenty-two thousand kilometers from the Jaguar, the center fighter, and the four surrounding fighters were engulfed in a nuclear blast.
The nuclear blast washed over the Jaguar’s shields creating an intense color show.
“The squadron commander ignited a nuclear self-destruct.”
“Yes, Landry, that is obvious.”
The crew was quiet contemplating their impending deaths from radiation poisoning. When the lightshow faded, Cassandra spoke softly.
“Reminded me of the Aurora Borealis. Landry are we going to die from the radiation?”
“No, Cassandra, the shields and the hull plating are designed for exactly this scenario. Is that why everyone looks so somber? Did you all think you were going to die?”
“Well yeah, ya gobshite. It is not every day we have massive amounts of nuclear radiation wash over us.”
“I am sorry, Nick. Everyone. The Jaguar’s shields are capable of surviving a direct hit from a twenty-ton nuclear device.”
“Landry?”
“Yes, Lucinda?”
“Is there anything this beauty can do that might be something we, you know the fragile humans, might be interesting in knowing?”
“Nothing I can think of at this moment. But, you should know the Guardian of the Protectorate is entering the slip-stream.’
“Good, let them go. Tell me something, did the squadron commander think he could harm us?”
“No, Lucinda, I think he committed suicide.”
“That is an interesting idea. Why do you think that, Landry?
“Corb, it is what the squadron commander sent in his last message that gave me the clue.”
“See, that right there, that is why we continue to be frustrated with you, Landry. The squadron commander issuing a message, just prior to committing suicide is something we should know. AS A PRIOIRTY!”
“Oh. I see. Noted.”
“For an Artificial Intelligence, you are rather absentminded. Well, what was in the message?”
“The squadron commander sent the message on all frequencies. At sub-light speeds, it will take the message five months, twenty-two days, to reach the nearest populated planet. Of course, the message was picked up by the Guardian of the Protectorate and will be picked up by interstellar craft in the vicinity.”
“Landry, you are trying my patience. I am ordering you to replay the message, in English, and do it now.”
The avatar shrugged, turned, and waved at the large main monitor. An image of the Xjaal squadron commander appeared and began speaking.
“He has come!
The prophecy is upon our people. We give ourselves so that others may know of this great day. I am Commander Sachihiro and I offer to you the happiness of knowing the end of our long struggle begins today. Do not waver. Do not break. Today, know this, as you know K'inich Ajaw will rise, soon we will once again be a free people.
He has come!”
The image disappeared, replaced by the initial microseconds of a nuclear fireball, then the monitors defaulted to current starfield.
Everyone, including Landry’s avatar, turned, and looked to Corb.
“Before anyone gets all cattywapmus, hold your water, and breathe a tad. We’ve been running all over hell's half acre and ya’ll want to be going at it like killing snakes. But, here’s the deal. I'm so hungry I could eat the north end of a south-bound horned toad.
Before we go anywhere, or do anything, we need a plan. Lucinda?”
“Landry, leave the shields up and continue to monitor the sensors at maximum range. We don’t want anyone sneaking up on us.”
Excerpt from Our Place
Chapter One
“If everything seems under control,
you’re just not going fast enough.”
Mario Andretti
Carina Celestial Council Conference Room
“What do you mean they all resigned? They can’t resign, they have contracts.”
“Councilman, what part of ‘They all resigned their commissions, effectively immediately.’ is unclear?”
“They can’t do that, we’ll invoke the National Security clause of their contracts and compel them to remain in service.”
“Councilman, there are no contracts. The military crewmen are not American, and they have free will. Their governments support their decision.”
“Admiral, you can’t let this happen. Can we invoke eminent domain or something?”
“Eminent domain? Really? How do you propose we seize the Jaguar? If we could seize the ship, what is fair compensation? We have no choice. General Myers,
please go to Q’eqchi. Work with Colonel Khatter and Major Tanaka to establish a dialog with Captain Raitt and Mister Johnson. If we are unable to control them, we will keep communication lines open and look for opportunities to work together. Better to have a friend with a powerful spacecraft than an enemy.”
Aboard the Jaguar – Orbiting Planet K’an
“I feel good about our decision. This is our damned ship.”
“Yes, Lucinda, I feel we made the correct choice. We weighed our options and made the correct decision.”
“Thank you, Ragnar. What about you Nick? Was this the correct decision?”
“It is a little late to be asking that question. But, yes, I feel splendid. The only place I want to be is on this ship. With my friends. If we don’t ever go home, so be it. We will live adventures no human ever dreamed possible.”
Nick stopped speaking and looked down to find Janish holding his hand. Looking up, he knew he loved her, and she loved him.
“Bloody ‘ell, let’s not go all barmy.”
After the encounter at the Core, the four couples decided it was time they asserted their independence and break free of the Carina Celestial Council.
Lucinda and NT, Ragnar and Cassandra, Nick and Janish, Corb and Michelle along with their Artificial Intelligence, Landry, concluded it made Earth a little safer from intergalactic threats if the Jaguar was known to the interstellar community as an independent contractor.
“Hey, Landry?”
“Yes, NT?”
“Will you join us here in the galley?”
“One moment.”
The avatar which Landry and Cassandra had created to represent artificial intelligence appeared in the galley. Unable to move a chair, the avatar stood behind an open chair. Lucinda waved her hand and pushed the chair back a few inches. The avatar reappeared as if sitting in the chair.
“First item, NT had an idea that I want to discuss.”
“Thanks, Lucinda. Landry, we think of you as a member of this crew. We interact with you as if you were human. Consequently, I would like to alter how we refer to you. With your permission, going forward, when we are asked to classify your status, I believe you should be referred to as an Artificial Person.
A Calm Mind Page 18