First Journey Chapter: 17

Chapter: 17 First space battle then Planet Austin Captain Harris, the current commanding officer of the mighty USS Devastator, called his friend and superior who was in his quarters. "Admiral we received a distress call from the private yacht of Alex Enroe. They are under attack of by a Dai battleship." "Launch long-range fighters, Barracudas and send the Moscow and the Tel Aviv to assist. We are still tied up here." Stahl leaned forward." He is a rich man, and his yacht must be fast. Maybe he can outrun them." "Details just coming in. The yacht based on an Ocelot class super cruiser and carries six FTL's and authorized as a test platform for Loki torpedoes. She has two one-shot torpedo tubes. The Dai, on the other hand, is a full-size Be-Tha-Ra class battleship." Stahl had a concerned expression on his face. "Send the Enroe corporation our condolences, tell the Moscow to secure the area and help in retrieving survivors and possible remains." Captain Harris eyes widened, "Standby, there is an incoming update, The yacht though heavily damaged, fought back gallantly and won the battle." "An Ocelot with two torpedoes and six FTL's defeated a Be-Tha-Ra? You can't be serious. " replied the XO, who was monitoring the ongoing situation of the battle they engaged. Harris responded, "Sir, Enroe security vessels and the USS Petersburg, a fast, super cruiser of the fourth, the closest of our assets are closing in providing cover and evaluating the situation has confirmed the battle report. According to this, a seventeen-year-old passenger took command after the bridge had a hull breach which disabled and killed most of the bridge crew. The teenager single-handedly destroyed the Dai battleship.  Admiral, knowing you I thought that might pique your interest." "It certainly does. I want all the details of that engagement, the hows, and whys, everything. Be sure to include log entries and crew member observations.  If Enroe trains their cadets that well we might need to talk to them." "Sir, Citizen Data identifies the young man as a pre-entry applicant to the Academy, Eric Olafson of planet Nilfeheim." Stahl's eyebrows shot up, "The one who flew a Submarine against a heavily modified and armed space bus?" Now it was Harris turn to look perplexed. "Sir, I am not sure what you are talking about, submarine and space bus?" "I'll send you the file, and you be amazed, old friend. I want all the details of this encounter, make sure I get it. Things began to happen quickly, upon the arrival of the Enroe and the Union ships. The wounded were triaged on board then immediately transfer to a fast cruiser/hospital ship for transfer to nearest Union Hospital. I had stepped down from the Captain's chair and felt ignored as robots and maintenance crews rushed back and forth. I move to an area to the side, sat back and waited for the interrogations to begin. The heat of the battle was over, and the adrenaline was dissipating slowly. While the action developed and expanded, I was neither afraid nor did I have any doubts regarding the means used to defend the ship and its crew, but now I wasn't so sure anymore. Should I have tried to escape and protect the team in that manner, not staying to fight against such overwhelming odds? Was I responsible for the whole mess in the first place, for sitting in the Togar captain's chair denying her access to the console? Then a tall man in Enroe uniform looking around the now empty bridge and snarled, " Who are you? I don't see your name on the manifest." "I am Eric Olafson." "What are you doing on the bridge, in a restricted area? No passengers are allowed on the bridge. Are you hurt?" "No, I am not hurt." "Then get your ass off the bridge. I still need to know who you are? The manifest does not list you,  either as crew or passenger. Are you a stowaway?" "No, he is my personal guest, and also until relieved of duty, the captain of this vessel. As the captain, he saved our lives. Therefore, you will show due respect to the captain, clear Leftenant." Alex Enroe stood in the door. "I was looking for you, Eric. The Union captain and I just watched the bridge recordings, and we must talk to be sure the records are correct and thorough." I saw he had tears in his eyes. I learned that all of the bridge crew, except the tactical specialist who had been sucked out, had survived, unfortunately, there were deaths. In an empty cargo bay, the crew and a delegation of the Union ship had assembled. The American Dream crew had twenty-two fatalities among them the chief engineer and Alex's manservant/butler. Alex had openly cried, and he didn't seem to be ashamed of them and addressed us standing behind the row of elongated cargo boxes, now used as coffins. "I am deeply sorrowed about the losses in my crew. One of them was Finlay Pearson, a close and dear friend of my family and especially me. So much more than a butler and employee for he was a dear old friend.  The universe avoided a horrible war, and while tensions are high, a tenuous peace prevailed, but this brief period of violence was not without suffering, injury, and death. We stand before the remains of twenty-two of our co-workers, employees, crew members and friends. The reason we stand here and do not share the same fate as them is thanks to a young and new friend of mine, Eric Olafson. Let us pledge in the memory of our friends to be more vigilant at all times and do our utmost to prevent such tragedies in the future." An honor guard released three coffins into space, and the rest returned to their families for their disposition. In a debriefing given by the Union officers, the Togar captain, Alex, and I was shown the bridge audio/visual data, that included every word I had spoken. After the recording ended, one of the Union officers asked. "How did you come to the decision to reverse thrust?" "The Dai commander threatened to release Fighters, and he had opened the hanger bay doors for that and lower shields to launch fighters. I could not let the fighter launch, that would have meant our certain doom." "It was a brilliant tactical decision." The other officer looked onto his PDD." If you want we can take you to Corri-Door system. Space bus service to Arsenal Gate should resume shortly." I wanted to say yes, but Alex stood. "I make sure he will be there on time, but I think I owe the man for saving my life." "You owe me nothing, sir, eh Alex." "Please give me a chance to at least finish that coffee we had started earlier today." Several hours later the Union ships received clearance for us to continue to Austin. Arriving at Austin, it became clear to me what an Ultra Corp planet was actually. Enroe Corp. owned the entire world, and it was home to over 8 billion inhabitants. There were nine more planets and fourteen moons in this solar system. The system belonged to and developed by Enroe Corp. It was one of many systems they controlled, but it also was a significant asset and possessed a security system to rival any Union fleet facility. The spaceport we had touched down was a Class V port, and it was busy with dozens of capital ships landing and taking off at a constant multi-ship departing/arrival pace. The American Spirit no longer looked shiny and beautiful, covered from stem to stern with scorch marks and a gaping hole, temporarily patched, in the midsection of the lower hull. Two of her ISAH pods mounts were void, destroyed in the first seconds of the battle, a third pod was a maze of twisted, black laser tortured metal. Alex said she would be repaired and start evaluation trials in a few weeks. But that time is variable as the Union fleet had authorized additional armament and magazine loading Loki hardpoints. Captain Letrah put her soft paw on my shoulder. "If they don't make you captain, you come to us." Alex smiled and nodded. "You can change your mind right now, and I promise you the command of a ship in a few years. I requested and gained permission for the crew of the Spirit to attend six months of union fleet training.  That may keep the Spirit local to Austin for perhaps six months.  Captain Letrah is a newly minted "captain" in the USSNF, reserve." "I thank you both, and if the Union Fleet thing doesn't work out, I might come back to that accept that offer. But,... I have already signed up with them, and I don't like backing out on a commitment I made, it is a matter of honor and duty." The feline captain brushed her agile tail across my face. "I am going to home to the Togar Empire to visit family. My ship is smashed up and will remain in drydock for a while. You could come with me, and I show you the great golden tundra of Togar my homeworld, and we could hunt Grass Beasts together." "I would actually like that, but then I might end up invited to a Togar dinner Party as the main course." "I am a Togar female, and our society is a matriarch. It is the females who are the warriors of our world. You don't want to be protected by a female is that it? " "Of course not, captain, but from what you told me about your world that is all you would do, protecting me that is. What kind of vacation would that be?" "Alex is protected, personally, by the queen. He could sleep naked covered in bacon grease in the middle of High Togar and during the last day of the seven-day fasting, and no one would even touch a hair on his body." Alex laughed. "While this is probably true, I would not be brave enough to try. Besides, I think I would not want to sleep anywhere naked and covered in bacon grease." "I will try to visit Togar one of these days with you, captain." "Call me Calia and I hold you to it. Togar girls could show a human male some things you would like very much." She whisked her tail across my cheek shook my hand and said."You saved my ship and my life. I will never forget that." Then she walked off and stepped on a slideway that carried her away. Alex said."She likes you, and that means a lot. As you now know Togarians has a hard time liking or accepting others." "I am deeply honored by her friendship. I am sure that is also my cue to say goodbye to you as well. I must get to Arsenal, so I will go to Corri-Door and wait until it is time to register at the Academy. No more detours for me." He laughed. "I can understand that, knowing your recent adventures." He handed me a data chip. "Here is my personal card. You can call me direct anytime. I won't offer you any reward of material value, because I know you would reject the same, but I offer you my friendship. I hope you occasionally call to say hello, and you are well. If you ever need help, you call me also." "That's the best thing you could have offered. I promise I will call." "Well, there is a little more. As of today, You are a special Executive of Enroe Industries, which may come in handy. I have the Swift Tornado on standby to take you to Corri-Door anytime you want to leave, but how about some Lunch before that?  I know a great Rib place in town." " Would that so happen to be an Arthur's Swine and Dine?" "I see, Eric, you have been exposed to the best ribs already, and the answer is Yes, it is an Arthur's Swine and Dine. I can personally say it is the best of the best, as Enroe owns the franchise for this solar system." " Hehe, does that mean you get to wear the owner's costume." Eric, them isn figthen words, be yee ready for battle." "HeHe, Then I am sure there is time for that after we have eaten, of course. Also, the next time you are on Gore, will you send a poster and a T-shirt to a special friend and mentor of mine?" "Done, If you give me your friend's address I will make it happen right now. There is no need to go to Gore for those items, as we manufacture those items here on Austin."