BW05



Orange Sherbet

We dropped out of quasi into the almost empty star system, that the transmitted orders designated, just as Shaka promised three days later.

Shea said. “It is a rather unremarkable M4Ve type. 10 Billion Years. No planets but a thin asteroid belt and a dense dust ring around the star.”

Krabbel said. “Captain we are the first Union ship to enter this star system as it is still unnamed in the Catalogs.

As you know it is part of my duty to update Star catalogs with survey data and it is tradition to name new star systems.”

Yeoman O’Connell silently approached next to me handed me a cup of coffee and said.

“Legally we could claim it too, the Freespace treaty clearly allows individuals to claim a star system that is not occupied or claimed by anyone else.” I smiled at her.

“Well, you forget that Black Velvet is not a real person in legal terms. It is just an empty star system. We would need to remain and defend our claim too. Besides if we name it, our names will appear in the registry that is open to all even Non-Union.”

Sobody said. “I could claim it, we Golden are not signatory to the Treaty and we are not members just yet.”

I smiled.

“Okay Krabbel you name it and Sobody will claim it. Knowing him he finds something valuable even here.”

Shaka chuckled. “There is already a planet called Ice Cream and I think even a star.”

Krabbel made a disappointed sound and said. “Never mind then.”

I looked to Elfi but she shook her head. “We are a little early for the meeting. Captain, the USS Boulder has not hailed us yet.”

I acknowledged and then said to Krabbel.

“You aren’t serious, right? You didn’t say all this just so you can name a star Ice cream?”

The big spider raised four legs, but Mao turned and answered instead, “That was his plan indeed, Captain.”

“Why don’t you name it after an Ice Cream flavor, isn’t there one that is orange maybe?”

Krabbel shrieked happily. “What a good idea, the star will be entered as Orange Sherbet .”

“What is Sherbet?”

Krabbel sounded all school masterly as he said.

“Sherbet typically designates a fruity flavored frozen dairy product with a butterfat content between 1% and 2%. It’s less creamy ice cream.”

Shea smiled.

“Captain, our Archa Navigator is quite an expert in frozen desert expert.

Do you think we can use the time to closely examine the system, make a detailed survey? I would love to send a probe into the star, collect some of the dust and perhaps detail scan and survey some of the Asteroids. I bet all those Chimera Units do a lot of clandestine work but no one is doing what we should and what is the prime charter of our Fleet.”

I held up my hand and addressed our Communications officer. “Elfi can you hail the Boulder and ask them when they will be here?”

Our beautiful Saran Officer said, after working on my request,

“Captain they are already here. I am receiving Priority Order from Fleet Command .”

I raised an eyebrow. “Shea, why is the ship not showing on our sensors?”

Narth pointed at the main viewer before she could answer. “We are not the only ship pretending to be something else.” He made an adjustment to the viewer and one of the asteroids suddenly moved and changed course.

Shea added. “We did not use our real sensors, only the simulated ones and that camouflaged ship has no active transponder and seems very well shielded in terms of energy emissions. Do you want me to activate our actual sensor suite?”

Elfi interrupted. “We are being hailed, Captain. Alpha priority from Fleet Command. They request that you identify to Blue Blue Red Protocol and Day Cypher .”

I began the long-winded process, put my key in a special indentation of Ship AI Master control at my seat and said.“Day Code is Flyswatter ”

Elfi turned. “Signal protocol verified Captain. Regulations require that you need to take this in a secure location.”

“Put them on. This is my bridge and it is the most secure location.”

It was an acoustic message only, delivered by a rather harsh male voice. “NAVINT command, Code Sequence Verified, USS Tigershark you are to switch off your Janus Device and go under full shields. You are to approach the sun from the Nadir level and wait for orbit vector and docking guide pulse.”

“You heard them. Narth turn off the Janus Mask, Mao go full shields and Shaka take us to Orange Sherbert.”

I leaned back and watched us approach and I said. “Something is hiding in that star.”

Narth said. “Actually to be expected. Terrans have thousand years experience with star-based stations, ever since they established Sol Castle. The Union can now freely make use of Wurgus solar Engineering and we got a city on Bright Star, the home of the Non-Corps .”

He turned and looked at us with his glowing eye slits. “No other society known to the Narth has ever occupied, colonized or utilized the very stars as the Union does.

I moved to the edge of my seat.

“I remember a team of Water Polo players from Sol Castle and ever since my first days at the Academy I consider Two-Three one of my best friends. I know he told me about Bright Light, but are you sure our shields will hold? I know red suns are not as hot but it is still a sun.”

Narth turned to look at his readouts and said. “Our real shields have never been tested to answer your question without any margin of error, but we have far more advanced shields than Bright Star Station or Sol Castle. I am confident my calculations are correct. We should be able to dive past the Corona and even past the Chromosphere, but there are conflicting opinions if the ISAH drives would work inside and if we could develop sufficient thrust to escape the gravitational pull.”

Circuit  must have listened to the bridge audio as he chimed in from engineering. “My shields will hold, but I share Narth’s concern. We might not be able to establish ISAH.

Inside I was not as relaxed as I pretended to be.

“Well they are in there and Elfi confirmed receiving guiding information. The red star was already filling our entire view screen, even on zero magnification.

Mao said. “Our real shields are fantastic, Captain, we are not even at two percent shield capacity and we are bombarded by radiation and thermal energies that could melt an unprotected battleship in seconds.”

Shaka’s voice had a slight edge of concern. “But we are at 45 percent of thrust, just to keep us approaching slowly.”

Then a green circle appeared and pushed the red swirling energy masses away and created something like a wide tunnel.

Elfi relayed a new message. “USS Tigershark, this is Station Nebuchadnezzar. You are fighting not just the gravitation but our tunnel tractor. Turn of your engines.”

Elfi confirmed. “Codes verified. It is a Union installation”

“Shaka cut thrust. Circuit engines on standby.”

Our ship was caught by an almost invisible greenish tractor beam and we were pulled past the turbulent and truly frightening swirling energies of a real sun. After passing almost half a million miles through this hellish nuclear inferno there close to what Shea called the convection, hung a Gigamon station, almost invisible behind bright glowing purple shields.

Moments later we were inside the shields and pulled into a Hangar.

We were hailed again and a human male in black Fleet Uniform and NAVINT patch on his sleeve smiled at us from the main screen. “This is X Fleet Forward Recon Station Nebuchadnezzar, I am Commander Daniel Shadrach, welcome Tigershark.”

I said. “Thank you, Commander.”

He nodded and said. “Please stand by for Senior Command Transmission.”

Elfi confirmed. “Captain it is the Admiral of the Fleet .”

The Commander on the screen was replaced by the face of Admiral McElligott who started to speak without much of a greeting and said.

“Initially we did not want to reveal Nebuchadnezzar to you. Simply we didn’t want you to know all secrets, but with you this seems more or less impossible. I am on my way to Station Nebuchadnezzar and I am aboard a chimera unit and will arrive in five days. Take the opportunity for some R&R for your crew. The USS Boulder will take the Kermac and whatever else you want to send Union side of your hands.”

“Aye Sir.”

“I am bringing the accumulated mail for your crew and a sizable container of packages for your chief Engineer.”

-“”-

While most of my crew were enjoying their first shore leave and the recreation facilities of a full Gigamon station, Har-Hi, Shea , Narth and I were greeted in the office of the Base Commandant.

He sat with his back to a big viewpoint that showed the filtered images of swirling energies. The Commandant was Human Terran so it seemed and he had his black hair slicked back in a very Dai Than looking style.

He greeted us friendly and said.

“Captain Olafson, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, General Cherubim and the Old Man have briefed me, of course, and as usual in our business without much detail.

I heard of course of the Red Dragon Affair and I am briefed on the Xandrao situation.”

I was wearing regular Union Uniform. I could not deny the feeling of pride seeing Captain’s gold on my sleeve cuffs.

To the Commander I said.

“We are in space for a little while, yet to me, it feels we haven’t really started our actual mission and for every step forward we take two back, but my crew can use a few days of R&R and I thank you for making these facilities available.”

He stapled his fingers and leaned back.

“We take great pride in our Core Park it simulates the environment of Para Para, with 5 acres of sandy beaches and 20 acres of a simulated ocean lake.”

“I hope I find the time to check it out myself. Before you dismiss us, Commander, you have been briefed about me and our mission, yet I know nothing at all about this place. Can you tell me something about it, or is it classified?”

He made a wide gesture. “Your security clearances are higher than mine, Captain Olafson. All you have to do is ask, but let me give you a short run down.”

He called up a holoprojection of the star and the base inside.

“This is Station Nebuchadnezzar, as advanced it may appear to you, it is just a matter of strong force fields and most of our tech is based on time tested systems. This Station is based on the same design as Sol Castle and Sol is much hotter and more active than this old...”

He paused and looked at a readout on his desk. His face changed into a disbelieving expression. “Orange Sorbet?”

He looked up.” You named a star system we wanted to keep as much quiet and unimportant as possible, Orange Sorbet?”

He pointed at his screen with an accusatory look in his face. “The Union Catalogs have just been updated.”

I said.

“I am sorry, Commander we did not know it was occupied and we simply followed procedures. My navigator named the System, but I approved it and take responsibility if it causes problems.”

The Commander gave me a forced smile and sighed.

“I doubt no one will come here just because the name has changed in the official catalogs. I guess I was just surprised to see a name change and technically it makes us, what?”

Narth raised his finger.

“Orange Sorbetes?”

He grimaced then shuddered and sighed.

He continued gesturing once again towards the projection.

“NAVINT has a few secret bases in Freespace and this is one of them. As remote and lonely as it is in terms of system traffic, it is only 60 light years from Togar Space. Our main task is to monitor Togar Space traffic and coordinate Intelligence. We like to keep the traffic as minimal as possible of course,but we are occasionally provide logistics to Chimera Units of the X Fleet.”

Shea said.

“Now I can understand why they call this base Nebuchadnezzar, but your name simply can’t be coincidence, Sir?”

He raised an eyebrow. “My name, Lieutenant?”

“King Nebuchadnezzar had three men thrown in the furnace for not bowing to a golden idol, One of the men was Shadrach. It is all in the book of Daniel.”

He looked at her as confused as I was and he said. “I never heard of King Nebuchadnezzar.” Then he got up, “Well as it might be, I do have a station to run and then there is the imminent visit of the Admiral of the Fleet. ” He grinned weakly.

“He was never here before and I want everything in tip top shape before his inspection!”

-“”-

The station was a full sized Gigamon. We learned that almost forty percent of the base was geared towards shield generators and gravitation management, but even then it was a big place with an all military intelligence community.

We found ourselves in a real Officer’s lounge a little later and sat on a table by a large simulated window displaying a beautiful mountain scene with meadows and snow capped mountains.

Shea tried to explain to us what she meant with her comments about Nebuchadnezzar and the Commandant.

He might not know the significance of his name, but I am sure he was picked for this station partially of it. Admiral McElligott likes these things. ” She then told us the story that was part of an old religious book from earth, called the Bible.

A server came to our table and pointed at our drinks and my empty glass,

“Captain Olafson, would you like another Holsteiner?”

I smiled.

“Yes I like another. ”

Then I glanced to Narth who nursed a glass of water.“You would not want to try again?”

“Oh no, I made quite a spectacle out of me,the last time I was intoxicated.”

Har-Hi quaffed a swell of beer in his glass and said. “Narth was drunk?”

We had to tell them about the incident in the officer’s lounge at Camp Idyllic. Shea and Har-Hi where laughing and tears were streaming down my Dai friends face.

This simple gathering in that lounge was perhaps one of the finest moments so far.

Here in the company of my best friends. Beings I considered closer than family.

Krabbel and Mao, Elfi and the rest, beings I would not hesitate to lay down my life, but these three: Narth, Shea and Har-Hi trans descended friendship by magnitudes that could not be described or put in words and I realized just how deeply I loved these three.

Har-Hi and Narth decided to return to the ship so Elfi and Mao who had stayed behind, could go. Regulations required that the Conn of a Union ship was occupied regardless of the ship’s location.

The ship could only be completely abandoned if it was decommissioned.

So with no particular goal in no hurry to be anywhere, I strolled with Shea down the main concourse. I did not notice at first that we were holding hands.

This was not Richter Base with a crooked base commander, but an efficient, secret Union Outpost with an efficient Commander.

We noticed even here was a small civilian population, most likely family members of service personnel and shopkeepers.

We walked past a Project-A-Sign that hung over a row of concourse facing windows and a sliding doors. The sign read : Union School Neb 2 and through the windows we saw Klack, Ult, Spindlars, two Blue several Humans and a Takkian sitting in neat rows before a Shail on a hover sleed facing that class.

Shea said.“Even here far from Union Side, deep in hostile space and underneath the surface of a sun there is orderly Union life. I think this is the real secret of Union success.”

“Yes I think so too.”

Now I consciously noticed her hand in mine and I loved how it felt.

She looked at me. “I would have loved to go to a school like that, the Sojos and especially Mother Superior did the best they could, but that seems such a nice way to learn.”

“School was a wonderful escape for me, to get away from the Burg.”

We went on and slowed down at the window of a fashion store, displaying dresses and other fashion items. She pointed at a dress and said. “You know we could go in, this time you don’t have to hide anything.”

She wanted to say something else, but she stopped and then she looked at me. “Something bothering you? Your eyes usually would light up seeing things like that.”

I shrugged.

“I don’t know. Everything seems perfect. There is a Union School, shops, Officers club. Our crew is enjoying their first shore leave and we are safe inside a Union station. The Admiral of the Fleet himself is on his way...”

She said nothing and kept looking at me waiting for me to say more

I sighed. “I can’t put it in words. It is like something just outside my field of view. I guess it is nothing really. I can’t put my finger at it but we have an old saying on Nilfeheim :There is something rotten in Denmark.”

I looked past her down the corridor. “Something just doesn’t feel right.”

I squeezed her hand. “Ah it is probably nothing. Yes let’s go in and buy that dress. It will look lovely on you.”

“Is it because we are in a Sun? As unusual it might be,it is not the only construct the Union operates near or on the surface of a star. Sol Castle exists for nearly 1000 years now and Bright Star City is there almost as long. Sol and Bright Star are much hotter and more violent than this old red star. Besides I seen four Wurgus Engineers just a few moments. That means they most likely worked on the design and keep it all running, there is no species with more experience in such things.”

“No, that is not it.”

“Do you have doubts again because of your gender?”

“No, I am quite content right now and I haven’t even thought about it recently.” I looked down the concourse once more that circled all around the equator of the station and foe many kilometers. There were trees, isles with grass and benches. People of various species strolling like us. Others sitting on the grass or on chairs before Cafes. “It’s nothing.”

Just as we entered the small fashion boutique, I noticed twenty men in black uniforms marching in perfect military precision down the main corridor. Again there should have been nothing unusual about a group of soldiers or navy personnel aboard a secret military base, but they were all human and all appeared to be of the same height. Their bodies in peak physical condition, they all had short almost white blonde hair and they all looked very much alike. Their faces had a stoic bare of any emotion quality. Just a troop of soldiers or navy personnel I told myself, yet for some reason the hair of my back stood on end.

I tried to ignore it and we went in the store. We weren’t the only shoppers; three women, one of them a Stellaris the other two human were also there and a fourth, very fragile looking woman with very large eyes just stepped around a clothing rack. I stopped in my tracks. “Galmy?”