Eric Olafson, Midshipman 35

Part 35: WOLFCRAFT

Midshipman duty was not just intensified learning but we also rotated to different duty stations on the ship. Security, Navigation, Science, Medical, Engineering and so forth and worked alongside experienced officers who instructed us often by example. This was almost like my time on the Hyperion and what we called the real Officers, Chiefs and Crew members of the Devi were professionals through and through, proud to be good enough to be on the Devi. They were patient and if you did your job and showed you understood what they wanted you to know they treated us like real crewmembers as well.

This was the main reason why the third year was completed aboard a ship. To put into use what we already learned, and work and serve alongside professionals in real situations.

It did not always go smooth of course and we did not always meet the expectations of our instructors.

The rivalries among the Midshipmen groups became more intensive and Wetmouth, we called Wetty believed it was done on purpose to intensify the team spirit within the dorm groups. It was all supposed to be one big Navy family of course, but Departments aboard the Devi competed with each other, in a friendly professional manner of course, the Marines competed against the Navy. Captains competed against other ships with drill times, engine performance, weapon precision and a million other things. Har Hi said it was the same in Dai Fleets and subtle encouraged by the underlying command philosophy to keep everyone keen and on top of their game and always a little aggressive. It was easier to go into battle with an alert, well trained crew that was not afraid to compete and always wanted to win. In Civilian live it was okay to say, you go first or to say it is okay you came in last, you gave your best. Not in the military, the one that came last would be dead and no one cared if the last gave its best. With this philosophy in mind it was understandable why Clusen or now Lt. Merkus often ridiculed a group, unlike Clusen however, Merkus was not picking on one group but let whoever was last have it.

Aboard the Devi there was constantly something going on. Sport contests in every conceivable sport. Ring corridor marathons, wrestling matches, dancing contests, chess competitions, art and music exhibitions just to name the top of the list. Contest carried prestigious prices such as ribbons, medals and trophies. The most convened prizes were Captains Recognition awards or the ultra-rare Admirals Recognition awards. Our instructors either ordered us or encouraged us to participate and to win for the team.

Last week workmen installed transparent show cases next to each dorm door. Awards could be displayed in those for bragging rights.

Even though we understood the psychological reasons for the awards and the show cases and I hated to be vane, I could not dismiss a sense of pride looking at ours, every time I walked by.

It was Friday afternoon Ship and Union time and Mao and I came back from Tactical. We had worked seven days under the stern command of a Gunnery Chief who made us do Level 1 maintenance on three Translocator Cannons and their bomb elevators. While it was a prestigious patch and ribbon, as only selected few were allowed to know the ins and outs of a Translocator cannon and required a higher Security level than most Midshipman had or could obtain; it was bone breaking work and we were covered from head to toe in that slick hard to get off anything silicon grease for almost the entire time.

The Gunnery Chief was Thauran just like Suppor; at the beginning he displayed the same asshole qualities all Thauran seem to have in common but it turned out it was more for show and to test us than anything and after the third day turned out to be a great guy. He crawled with us through access shafts, was covered with the smeary slick silicon gunk just like us and I never met anyone as knowledgeable about Translocator Cannons than him and Mao and I learned things and details I was sure were not covered in any handbook or technical manual.

It had taken us two hours of actually bathing in a special solution to get the molecular grease of. Under normal conditions techs had little contact with the stuff, but during level one maintenance every component was taken apart to its smallest piece and cleaned, measured, scanned and measured and scanned again. When it came to TLCs not the smallest tolerance anywhere was accepted. I remembered the demonstration aboard the Shetland and didn’t mind the diligence and attention to detail.

While the silicon grease was odorless, the solvent was not and even after a long shower, we both still smelled like a Chemistry factory after a major spill.

Bognar, a spotted Attikan of the Blue Team, the Galaxy Masters stood in their dorms open door and snorted. “Iktane and Sorrows what a stink duo.”

Galman, a tall blonde guy claiming to be from Terra itself even though he was born on a place called Luna appeared behind Bognar and held his nose. “It’s two primitive barbarians of back water planets, they never heard of cologne and thought Detoxo-Scrub is the same.”

I wanted to ignore it but Mao turned. “This primitive barbarian might just forget all civilized behavior and perform an old manhunt. I bet you would look good as a shrink head in our display case, but then there is little room in ours.” Mao opened ours and put the Advanced Capital Weapon Expert badge we received inside. “Come Eric let’s see what the Galaxy Jokers added this week.”

“Maybe an empty bottle of Cologne so it won’t look so empty.” I could not resist saying, knowing full well that it was childish and could easily escalate.With the result of us end up in the Environmental tanks, sick bay or the Brig. Neither places I wanted to see on a Friday with a full weekend of nothing much in terms of duty on the schedule.

Of course the other teams weren’t bad they would not have been picked to serve their third year on the Devi, but all humbleness aside. We had a Saturnian, a Dai and Wetmouth in our team, not to mention Krabbel or the others and compared to the other cases ours looked stuffed full.

“How interesting,” Mao said leaning forward examining the Blue team’s case,”they actually added the fifth place medal of an Ice bowling competition. Now there is an award to be proud off.”

Bognar curled his chaps and revealed his formidable canine teeth and made a growling sound that came from the bottom of his chest and Galman smacked his fist in his open palm. “You may also note the bare fist boxing trophy, Captains Champion Middle weight. So I think you two crawl back to your dorm or I demonstrate to you how I got that trophy.”

Mao folded his hands. “Please, please tell me you just challenged me and not Eric.”

Bognar put his paw like hand on Galman’s shoulder. “Let it go friend, it is not worth it. Mao is Kick box champion, Heavy weight and I don’t think you want to go against Eric.”

“I am no coward.” Galman said.”I go against both of them for our honor.”

I said.”No one thinks you are a coward, at least I don’t and I congratulate you winning a Captain’s Championship, perhaps even going against a Marine or a load handler.”

Bognar growled less aggressive. “Twelve rounds against Glen Bosnick the former Devi Champ and a clear knock out. It was a great fight.”

Elfi and Wetmouth came down the Corridor. Elfi was wearing a short white dress and Wetmouth an almost skintight white coverall accepted outfits for medical personnel. Medic personnel outfits had changed over the years back and forth, but it was a noted boon for morality, especially for humanoid troops and soldiers needing treatment if the female medic personnel dressed that way. Now it was decried as sexist discrimination, but since wearing dresses was voluntary and not mandatory the civilians raising the issue had no real argument. I noted that almost all female human Med personnel I met so far opted for the short dresses. Deep inside a voice I hoped would stay silent told me why that choice was made.

There were many other female Midshipmen both humanoid and not, but these two were at least in human terms the sexiest and in Elfi’s case the prettiest of them all. Both of them knew that of course.

We left the two of the Blue team standing by their display and followed our dorm beauties.

Part of me was very attracted to the sway and the movement of those perfect round behinds and the long legs and I was certain Mao had similar thoughts, but there she was again. Almost forgotten and I hoped finally outgrown or gone, but my female side came up strong. It was all so clear on Coven and I could accept it there, but Coven was far away and my cursed confusion was back. I glanced at the ring that reminded me of my visit, it had become so much a part of me that I didn’t even feel it anymore or thought about it. No one had ever objected me wearing it and no one asked me about it either.

I was glad Krabbel and Har Hi interrupted my thoughts as they came in, followed by Hans, Shaka and Circuit.

Our chrome polished friend went right past us and plunged onto his bunk. “Friday and a whole weekend ahead, without any contests for me or chores, I think I sleep till Monday.”

Elfi sounded disappointed but she had an impish smile on her face a she said. “What a shame and I thought you might want to come with us to go shopping. Tomorrow is market day at the Village, with booths and stands and all that.”

Circuit made a weird shrieking sound and like a streak of chromed lightning he was out of the bed.

Har Hi laughed. “You did hear her say tomorrow, right?”

Lt. Merkus came in; it was never a good thing when a superior officer walked into a dorm at a time like this. Duty full we all stood in attention after Krabbel had announced him.

“As you were,” and then said what I actually almost predicted he would say. “I am sorry but two of you can’t go on R&R. Mr. Hi and Mr. Olafson you are with me.”

We looked at each other but Har Hi was shrugging his shoulders just as I was, but we followed the officer outside. He didn’t speak until we reached the next IST and then he turned. “You have earned your off time as much as anyone, but you two logged more simulator time than anyone and it was noticed. It does not happen very often and not every year, but you two are to report to Hangar Deck Sixty. Fighter Wing 12 and report to Commander Cotton.”

He smiled at us. “You are going to learn how to fly Wolfcrafts for the next three weeks.”

Har Hi blinked and swallowed. “For real Sir?”

“Report to Commander Cotton now and on the double and you find out.”

A lean and tall Commander wearing a flight suit even in his office didn’t really grret us and started right away.”I noticed that two Midshipmen booked simulator time, more than anyone else.

Again I hear the Midshipmen on Deck 54 have a weekend off and what do I see? Mr. Hi and Mr. Olafson’s name on the list for SIM time.”

He looked us up and down. “Over the last few weeks I sneaked a peek to see what SIMS you were running. Lord and behold, two Midshipmen running Wolfcraft SIMS at level 15 and scoring notable results.”

He leaned sideways and put his feet on his desk. “You two are going to serve the next weeks in my squadron. Each of you will get your own Wolfcraft Fighter and we forget you’re Midshipmen. I want you to get to know your craft to the last bolt and everything it can or can’t do. If I think you have what it takes I might even recommend you for fighter school.”

We both stood in attention but I could not completely control my facial muscles and that grin that kept creeping back, glancing over to Har-Hi, and even his usual stern face was not so stern anymore.

Wolfcraft fighter pilots where considered an elite among Navy Officers, and especially the pilots themselves believed that. They had a collective arrogance and pride second to none. Wolfcraft Pilots walked like Marines down a corridor, they owned it and others made way. Their state of dress was always different and less regulations.

Commander Cotton, opened a drawer retrieved a cigar and lit it. “At ease, boys. This is Fighter country not Noob deck. He then looked at Har-Hi. “I sure would like to hear your opinion about comparing the Wolfcrafts to the Karhi-Da Fighter of your people. Only fourteen other space faring cultures we know of developed small fighter craft and Dai are among the best.”

“Sir, the Karhi was developed by Su-Hi a legendary designer among the Dai, he wanted to create a machine that is able to counter the Wolfcraft and I think he succeeded with the Karhi-Da Type Nine and made a superior fighter to the Wolfcraft IV series.

“But it takes a space born society much longer to develop and built new ships and tech. The Union used the V series now and they are as good as Karhi Nines. Now I hear the Wolfcraft VI is going into production.”

The Commander nodded and waved with his hand. “Go ahead boys sit down, smoking permitted if you do.”

Har-Hi produced the Cigars he always carried in case we would be sent to environmental, handed me one then produced a small knife he carried hidden in the sleeve cuff and cut his cigar. The Commander grinned. “Can’t believe I have a real Dai in my Squadron. Neat hiding place for a knife by the way.”

The commander paid little attention to me and said to Har Hi. “It will be month before we see the first VI’s and scuttlebutt has it, production has been halted and something else is in the pipelines.”

Har-Hi sighed. “The Karhi is faster; better maneuverable than Wolfcrafts but nothing we have compares to the fire power of a W-IV. Dual Translocator rotary dispensers, what could stand against that?”

The Commander leaned forward and made an ominous face. “I heard a rumor that your famous Su-Hi is now working alongside Heinrich Steinmann and Steve Anderson of SII Aerospace, the chief designers of the VI series.”

Har Hi’s eyes literally glowed with pride and anticipation. “I really would like to fly whatever they come up with, Sir.”

“I can see we have a lot to talk about Mr. Hi.”

I was glad not to be in the focus of attention, since that had always caused me to get into trouble in the past and simply leaned back and puffed my cigar, while the Commander now held two toy models, one a Wolfcraft and the other a red Dai fighter and actually simulated a combat situation while Har Hi leaning forward making lively comments.

Just about then a Lieutenant stuck his head through the commander’s office door. “Sir we have an escort request from the flight boss and the Captain. However N’tkkn, Bill, Jim and Duncan just went to sick bay. Do you want me to call the off duty guys down?”

“Why are four of my stand-by pilots in sickbay?”

“They ate something Duncan grilled and got the runs, Sir. I was on my way to tell you as they were in a hurry.”

The Commander checked his screen and then said.”Whatever Duncan fabricated, made a Klack get the runs?Teaches them to try Duncan’s cooking.” He crushed his cigar and closed his flight combination, while he was reading whatever was displayed on his screen.

“No need to call off duty pilots down...” He pointed at us.”I fly myself and you two are with me. It is a simple escort request, nothing spectacular, but it gets you behind the controls and out there.”

He pointed at an Auto dresser in the corner. “It is dialed to Condors, get suited up and meet me at our Pre-flight deck, speed loader 2.”

Condors were special designed space suits halfway between a Quasimodos and a normal space suit. It had little in terms of weapons, but advanced auto doc features and Deep space flight capabilities.

We met the Commander again as he stood on the empty pre-flight deck. A large metal door opened in the ceiling and a robot arm placed three Wolfcraft fighters into the loading tubes of a Revolver starter.

Wolfcrafts looked like elongated discs with two huge ISAH thrusters looking almost like missiles on each side of the cockpit.

Cotton walked to a personalized Wolfcraft. Instead of the standard Navy gray it had a jumping cat like creature painted on its side and was colored in a shiny black, while weapons and ISAH pods were yellow.” Go pick your fighters; you can pick a color scheme after we are back. Both are brand new and drawn from stock. As soon as you pick one it recognizes you as you know.

The pilot seats lowered on a hydraulic arm as I approached the third one. It then retracted into the cockpit with me in it and I began a system check. While I had never flown a real Wolfcraft, I knew the machine inside our from SIM hours.

The system greeted me. “I am SII Wolfcraft Type V, Serial number 84887548-WCV-ADCAP78-DEVASTATOR-747. Pilot, fighter symbiosis initiated and complete. Pilot Olafson, Eric recognized. Neural Direct feed linked.”

No longer did I feel my real body or the fighter around me. It was as if I was standing on the Pre Flight myself but my eye perspective was 6 meters of the ground. System data was now send directly down my visual main nerve and I saw all data floating on the side of my periphery, easily expanded or featured by a simulated finger flick.

Through the neural direct feed came a voice. “This is Commander Cotton. Pilots do not call each other by rank or name but by a call sign. That is an ancient tradition and is also faster. My call sign is Wildcat. Mr. Olafson you are designated Viking and Mr. Hi you will use the call sign Pirate. Now perform your preflight test.”

I acknowledged and Har-Hi did the same.

“Our mission is to jump to Algeri System and escort a convoy of freighters to the Nobane System. This is a routine mission, but we are close to Nul-Nul space and this is why we are called for an escort. We have a full squadron of fighters and the Devastator is only 12 Light years away in case we need her and there are two or three destroyers at the base in the Algeri System.”

The mission specs and Nav details flashed into my system.

Wildcat came on again. “Any questions?”

There were none.

“Status?”

When it was my turn I said. “Viking here, preflight tests completed, all boards are green.” I said and slaved my Computronic to the Nav-system of the leader.

“Alright then, T-1 for launch.”

The starter tubes lowered us into the revolving starter, to me the bright lit pre-flight deck changed to a shiny metal tunnel, small strips of blue lights ran at its floor to the end. The light strips would pulsate just before launch.

There were five fighters to a wing and five wings to a squadron.

The revolving starter was basically a long cylinder with twenty tubes and each tube was equipped with a Mass accelerator catapult. The cylinder would swing halfway out from the Devi’s hull and rotate very fast, and while doing that accelerating and launching a fighter from each tube. Twenty fighters launched in 20 seconds and accelerated to near TL threshold speed. The Devi could launch all her fighter using preloaded tubes in less than 5 minutes.

We had been catapulted near threshold speed and went super luminal a heartbeat later towards the Algeri system.

After we arrived we immediately found six large Gulliver Class freighters and 2 Container Chain tugs already on their way. The tugs accelerated very slowly and their super luminal speed was also minimal, but we would reach Nobane 12 hours.

There was nothing to do at the moment. Our computronics where linked to the commanders fighter and kept automatically in formation.

Har–Hi and the commander still exchanged conversation regarding the pro and cons of Dai fighter tech so I called up what information GalNet had on Algeri and Nobane.

Algeri was a seven planet system without a garden world. One planet was a mine colony and the other a Navy base, the rest was unoccupied and only superficially surveyed. Both the mining colony and the base had been established only for about twenty years.

Nobane was declared a Union System much more recent, about five years ago and while it had nine full size planets and two Gas giants, only a large moon named Banes Moon with marginal Garden world features had been colonized.

Nobane was dangerously close to Nul space judging by my charts and since there was no officially determined border between Union and the Nul Empire, Nobane it might already be in what the Nul-Nul considered their sphere of influence.

The border was not clearly defined as it was between Union and the Galactic Council and the Kermac. It simply stated Nobane as Union System and the next star, twelve light years further was marked red and Nul Space.

I wondered if there was more behind it all. To me it almost appeared as if this colony was used to provoke the Nul and have a reason to retaliate if they did something about it.

The Nul-Nul were considered to be the fiercest warriors and much more of a threat than the Kermac and the Galactic Council.

Nul-Nul technology was considered somewhat behind Union Tech, but considered very solid and durable. Their armor was based on ceramics and on par with Ultronit and their weaponry and shield tech made extensive use of gravitational fields and graviton manipulation. Our Xeno Tech Instructor believed the Nul were at least as good as Union Tech in this regard and warned of their Gravitation bombs and Graviton gun technology.

He told us these weapons were utilized with great skill and quite effective even against Para Dim shielded ships by trapping an enemy between two gravitation centers of incredible strength. In other words two well-placed bombs could rip even a well shielded Wolfcraft apart.

On Union side only Terrans developed Gravitation based weaponry and our arsenals included Grav bombs as well and we had trained to avoid them in Simulators.

Nothing happened and it was a nice relaxing flight until we reached Nobane System and dropped out of Quasi space, when the threat indicator went red and a Nul-Nul Carrier came from behind the sun releasing fighters to engage us.

Commander Cotton’s voice was clear and calm.” Dev Squadron twelve calling Devastator, we encountered a Nul- Carrier and we are outnumbered at least five to one, request immediate back up.”

“Devastator to Squadron twelve, protect the freighters if possible and keep the Nul busy. We cannot send any additional forces as we just flew into a hornets’ nest and we are currently under attack by a very large Nul force. Reinforcements from Fleet Base Algeri will be dispatched as soon as possible, additional Fleet resources en route.”

I had seen the Fire power and the number of fighters aboard the Devi. If they could not send reinforcements, I wondered just how big that hornets’ nest was. Maybe fleet command send this slow limbering convoy of freighters on purpose to lure the Nul into a fight and see how much force they were willing to commit from preventing the Union to gain a foot hold in this area. There was very little diplomatic contact with the Nul as far as I knew.

Commander Cotton cursed.” Damn. Alright everyone as you can see this is not a drill and we flew into a hornet’s nest of our own. Bravo, Delta, Echo and Foxtrot wing stay with the freighters. Alpha break formation and engage at will. Keep them of their toes.”

I was Alpha wing and so was Har-Hi.

Wildcat called us.” Viking, Pirate. I wish I could hold you back, but I need you. Take it easy and stay as safe as possible and free attack is easier than coordinated defense. So get them and stay away from their grav guns.”

“Aye Sir.”

Part 36 »