493234475.edited

CHAPTER 04:

"No I don't, but I gave everyone shore leave including Cateria ." While I said I had a strange feeling about that and tapped my PDD ."SHIP, do you know where Ensign Jolaj might have gone?" "Yes, Captain. She was summoned, along with Dusty to the Personnel office of this base." I got up, tugged at my sleeves and said to Har-Hi ."I don't like this. Why would they be summoned while neither Cateria nor I were informed.?" Har-Hi got up as well."Let us go to that Personnel office then and find out." After the local Computronic gave us directions and we found the next Intern Base Transport access, I called SHIP again."Why weren't the XO , the CMO or me informed?" "Sorry Captain, but you are not the Captain of the Tigershark anymore. I am breaking all kind of rules speaking to you, I am so glad you are calling." A cold fist grabbed my stomach."I am not?" "Sorry, but you have been transferred to the USS Braden ." I slowly counted to ten in old Norse, forcefully stopping my hand from reaching for the Ax. Then I called the Admiral again."Sir, I am relieved of my command! Transferred to the USS Braden. What is going on?" McElligott gasped and checked something on a terminal of his."That bastard, that goddamn bastard!" He looked up."I failed to revoke Admiral Taros rank. He and..." He stopped in mid-sentence and actually yelled."Have Commodore Taraka, report to my office now." To me he said."I am so sorry. I will have your command restored right away, just find a place to wait before you do anything and stand by." Har-Hi and I instructed the system to stop at the next access-point and stepped out the I.B.T. We found ourselves in a transparent walled tunnel halfway buried in snow. There was an intersection about twelve meters distant and most likely the reason for an I.B.T. stop. A green lit info sign informed us that this was the connection tunnel to Christmas Base dome Nine, while the intersecting one was leading either to Hull Armor Research or to Residential Dome, Blitzen Village. Like everything Union, the yellow floor and walls were spotlessly clean. Right by the intersection was a seating group consisting of a few vari-matic seats, a few plants. One of them a Rubber tree for certain and a Vent-Matic. I doubted this place was frequented much, while Har-Hi sat down, I was too angry to find the state of mind to do the same. Har-Hi said."I am convinced, it is just a temporary thing, Captain. You ventilating that Admiral didn't stop whatever orders he might have given." I had to agree with him on that. I was actually quite sure that the old Admiral would fix things. I stared past the transparent Dura-Plast walls onto a quite featureless snow-covered surface. There were a few shallow mountains raising against the horizon. Har-Hi followed my gaze."Very cold out there should feel like home to you." I knew my friend tried to get me calm down and I turned."Uncle Hogun would call these bare chest temperatures. It's not all that cold out there, to be honest." He shook his head."You Neo Vikings are something else." He didn't feel like sitting and got back up, to check the selection of the Serve-Matic. A female voice reached us asking."You are Erica Olafson ?" I turned to see who was asking. Thereby the I.B.T. doors stood a tall light blue skinned woman, with long dark hair. She wore a tight suit of dark blue and black leather-like material, a holstered blaster on a low slung belt and she held a long single-edged sword in her right."I am Tamara Taros . You killed my father, and now I am going to kill you." She pointed at the Dai ."You interfere to protect this coward and I kill you too." I sighed."Odin help. I am not going to fight you. Your father died in a duel. Threatening me with a weapon is both quite unlawful and foolish. I have a good mind summoning base security." "I am the head of Base security and I am off duty, so are you, Midshipman ." Har-Hi drew one of his swords and handed it to me."Unless you want to summon your special hardware." While taking Har-Hi's sword I said."You being security makes this even worse."

--""--

McElligott looked at the Commodore that now stood before his desk."Before I have you arrested, I want to know why you decided to throw away thirty years of career, in exchange for a court-martial. You know they will find you guilty." Taraka, an Andorian and a little over four meters tall, stared with glaring hate at the Old Admiral. "Because one more charge won't matter. I know you are out to purge Newport graduates from this Navy. Admiral Taros was a classmate of mine." "I tried to give you and all the others a chance. You have been checked out by PSI corps and NAVINT, we know you had no contact with the Worm, that damned Admiral Dent, and his cronies. You even graduated before Dent took office. I am not purging Newport graduates, but I am cleansing this Navy from elitists who think they are better than others, not by merit but by association." McElligott's face reflected sadness."I built this Navy with the highest ideals as the foundation and in the three thousand years it exists, billions...no trillions of virtually every member species we have met and exceeded these ideals with an unbendable dedication to honor and service. I elevated you to Fleet command and gave you quite a bit of leeway, not because you are a graduate from Newport but despite it. Petty revenge is that the motivation you are claiming in defense?" Taraka's chin quivered."Why are you talking to a Midshipman as if he and his crew are something special?  This is not proper for the Admiral of the Fleet." "Are there any regulations in that regard? Any at all?" "It is dragging Fleet Command to the level of a common department. We..." "This is it, there is the real reason. You and a bunch of others still want to be the elite and despise officers of regular academy origin. While we were looking for the Worm and its slimy agents, Nelson II noticed another, smaller but equally potent disease. Senior officers in Fleet Command convinced that the Admiral of the Fleet himself never went to a proper spatial academy and his commands needed to be filtered and adjusted." Taraka gasped like a fish, then almost yelled."Yes, you are an old relic. Who knows what substandard pre astro school you went." "I graduated from His Majesties Submarine School at HMS Raleigh, you numbskull and Captain Olafson and her crew earned the right to call me at any time. I was onto you for quite some time, I wanted you to deliver me a reason I can use to discharge you. Not even I expected you would deliver me the rope to hang you." Two marines stepped into the office and arrested the man. McElligott tried to calm down and then said."Thank you, Nelson." "It is what one was created to do, Sir. Two down, seven more to go." McElligott grinned."Let us transfer Admiral Sorodon to the First. I think my esteemed colleague will have some fun with that one." "One speculates with a very high probability that neither individual will classify the forthcoming experience as fun. One also needs to remind you, Captain Olafson is still standing by." "Good lord, patch me to Personnel and then get me Olafson on the horn."

--""--

Jolaj was quite surprised about the new orders and assignment. Right after the Tigershark docked she was summoned to personnel of the 124th. The officer behind the desk was a friendly Takkian but had no idea what it was all about. The Silicon being however assured her that the order chip was genuine and signed by Admiral Taros. Outside the office, she almost ran into Dusty. "What, they called you too?" The gentle entity answered via his voice box, as Jolaj could of course not receive his electromagnetic signals."Yes, and so did everyone from our med department. I guess the Tigershark will be in dock longer than expected and the promised shore leave turns out to be another assignment." Jolaj sighed."I guess they will send us back to the academy and Fleet Med school eventually. Especially you, of course, wanting to become an MD and all." "I hope the Captain calls us back once the Tigershark is fixed. I love our ship and the crew that became my family. I have been alone for so very long as you know." "She rescued me from a terrible situation and a fate worse than death. I am a Togar, but I am home aboard the Tigershark." Dusty put his enormous hand, as gentle as a feather on her small soft shoulders."I always knew the time aboard the Tigershark would not last forever, but I hoped it would last a little while longer. Where are you headed?" She looked at her order chip."I am assigned to the USS Winterspere, I do not know where she is heading, but I must hurry. She is scheduled for liftoff within the hour." She caressed the huge hand."Please keep in touch." "I will, little Snowball. It is a shame they did not even give us time to say goodbye to everyone." Her eyes shimmered moist as she looked for the next I.B.T. "I will miss you all so much."

--""--

Tamara Taros did not listen to any of my arguments and attacked. I had to admit, she was not a common brawler and very good. Her style of fighting reminded me of Master Alameda. Her weapon was razor sharp and of a material able to gauge deep scars into the tough Duro-Plast walls. Har-Hi had settled back down after selecting an apple from the Vent-Matic. He watched and said in a relaxed tone."She's quite good you got to admit. I think they call this style Bushido and comes from Earth if I am not mistaken." She held her sword with both fists, one close to the blade guard and the other near the end of the hilt. Her attacks were meant to cut and kill, it was not a fencing style as taught with the rapier or the longsword. Her face was full of concentration and she did not waste any breath on insults, but her attacks were clearly fueled by emotions of rage and frustration. She whirled back, raised her sword next to her face and panted."This should be over soon." Har-Hi yawned and tossed the core of his fruit in a recycler clear across the corridor."Did you see that, Captain? Almost 12 meters for sure." Tamara attacked again and her blade charred once more across the edge of the one Har-Hi had given me. I nodded."Yes, I have, bet you can't do it again." He got himself another apple."You're on, and while I got your attention. Want me to call someone or something?" "Naa, she will eventually wear herself out. I don't want to kill her." "That's a first, she being Thauran and all." "I resent that because I don't want to be pre-judgemental towards any individual." "Those Thaurans do make it hard though." She made a big leap while bringing her sword down in a lightning-fast move, intended to split my head right down the middle. Instead of deflecting this powerful attack, I moved with her attack and to the side, then I grabbed her right wrist with my free left hand and added my weight to her momentum. I realized too late that this was way too much, my opponent crashed with considerable force into the opposite wall, right next to the recycler. While I heard something break, Har-Hi said with a slick grin."You missed, by at least a meter." Tamara groaned and came staggering to her feet, with a bleeding nose. "I kill you!" She hissed. Har-Hi said."I don't know what it is with you. Don't you see my Captain is playing with you? There is not a Dai that could stand against her." I handed Har-Hi the sword."Playtime is over, Tamara. I sympathize with you losing a parent and all, that is why..." Tamara threw something, and it was fast. No longer in possession of the sword and if truth to be told a little too confident, the star-like object would have killed me, if it wasn't for Har-Hi's lightning fast reflexes. He put his hand in the path of that throwing star, just before my nose. The razor-sharp thing hacked into his hand. I seen similar weapons used by Alameda, they were quite dangerous if used by someone knowing how to use them. She was apparently very good with them and threw two more in quick succession. However I was done playing and the countless hours of training with Alameda and Kai-Do, allowed me to evade them. It took a mere thought and Dark Blade grew in my fists."I wanted to spare you, now you will follow your father!" Tamara stumbled back, drawing her blaster. My uniform was gone and a dark shroud was in its place. The blaster shot hit me in the chest and simply dissipated. Dark Flames engulfed the long sword I held out to strike. Utter horror and primeval fear were shaking her, while she fired again with the same result. "Who...what are you?" "I am the end of all things. You and all that is Thauran will die today!" "She sank to her knees and cried in fear." Har-Hi yelled."I am not hurt Erica, I caught the Shuriken." He rushed closer."Erica, can you stop? Please. She surrendered, killing her now...killing them all..." "I am not Erica. I am Eric and I am the Dark One." Har-Hi drew his blades. "I am Eric's and I am Erica's friend. I knew there was something inside you, let my friends go." "You will stand against the Dark One for their sake?" "I stand against you or anything for my friends." I lowered my sword, both Eric and my thoughts mingled and created an odd chorus both in my mind and my voice."Eric and the Dark One are the same, Erica will come to her own as well." My hand reached out."No man, no entity has a braver friend than you. I am the Dark One indeed and I declare before the universe and all existence, you are indeed my friend." My brother retreated to wherever corner of my mind he kept lurking around and with full command of my voice I said."I don't need to declare this, you simply are, thank you." The woman was lying there in a fetal position, sobbing and crying and staring in the distance. Har-Hi put his swords away with shaking hands."By the spirits, when I promised to follow you to the gates of hell, I didn't think you are the head deity of that place. I am certain, I need fresh underwear too." "I do not yet understand it all. I know Eric is a separate essence, but you had the courage to step into the Dark One's way, feeling like every living being who he is. There is no greater proof of courage and love and I am so very proud of knowing you!" Har-Hi recovered and grinned."So what are the benefits of having a Dark One brother?" "Very neat cutting hardware, a pair of rather ugly boots and a shroud that lets me do the spooky thing." "When you talk to him next time, I take one of those everything cutting swords." Surprisingly Eric spoke and answered through me."Your desire will soon be fulfilled."

--""--

The USS Winterspere was a Zebulon class Battleship, attached to Battlegroup Charlie Green of the 124th fleet. Jolaj made it with not a minute to spare and was scolded by a Kilonian lieutenant commander, who acted as the boarding master."We are less than eight minutes to seal ship, and ten to lift off. Get your furry behind to sickbay, stat!" The white fur Togar found sickbay alright. This wasn't the Tigershark, the Zebulon class was near the end of their service life and the USS Winterspere would soon be decommissioned for sure. While everything was in the usual immaculate state, spotlessly clean and in perfect repair. The ship and the med department she just entered, could not hide the almost 500 years of service. The slide belts looked worn. The doors had streak marks from opening and closing perhaps a million times or more. Her fine senses told her, that the ship had switched to main engines and that meant the battleship was already past the last layers of the atmosphere. A dark-skinned humanoid beauty with long black hair and pointed ears introduced herself as the CMO."I am Dr. Heronas, you must be Ensign Grotha. While I am surprised to get a new addition to my department so late, I am not complaining." Jolaj handed her the order chip. "I am surprised to be here as well. I did not expect a transfer." The CMO sighed with a smile. "That's the Navy for you, sometimes these things happen quickly. Seeing you being Togar makes me wonder though." "I know, we are still enemies of the Union." "No not that, you are a Union citizen and personally I care not what species you are, as long as you do your job. We are heading to Kaliment, summoned by the Karthanians and the first Engineer." Jolaj, of course, knew about Kaliment, she had been there with the Tigershark.

--""--

The personnel officer before us, a Vantax had forgotten the Sarpsmong he had prepared for himself. The Lieutenant stared at the avatar projections of Admiral Redfloor, head of personnel and the Admiral of the Fleet himself. I had never met or heard about Admiral Redfloor, but I had met enough Quadipeds to know this one was more than agitated. "Why can't you present me with the signed orders? Care to explain?" "Admiral Taros called, he didn't send any signed orders Sir. He gave instructions to disperse the crew of the Tigershark the best I can." "Personnel transfer orders must be filed with Personnel central and must always be signed. Not that Taros had any jurisdiction over the Tigershark." "Sir, he is...he was the Commandant of the 124th and this is...was his base. He was an Admiral. I am a Luitenant. What am I supposed to do?" "Apply your rules and regulations, check with Personnel Central and what kind of order is 'disperse' anyway, did you not get suspicious?" "No, Admiral Taros was new  and I am..." McElligott made a wiping gesture."Never mind this now. Reverse all transfers. Every single one and have them report to the Tigershark asap. Once they have done that, they can enjoy that shore leave." "I can't Sir. I dispersed them the best I could. Most are no longer here at Christmas base." I clenched my fists, while cold anger changed to white-hot rage. Har-Hi said with great anger."The captain just fought the daughter of that admiral. She attacked her, fought with cowardly weapons and she confessed. Admiral Taros was not just a Newport graduate. He was from Royal, the very same planet Swybar came from and he was the brother of Swybin's mother. He, of course, knew the name, Olafson." McElligott slowly shook his head."No, I did not know this. I did not make the connection, Cherubim and I put your crew together, we do so again." "My crew has grown and includes people like Dusty, Xon, and Jolaj. My SHIP, is she in danger?" The old man shook his head."No, I checked. The Tigershark and her engineering crew are together and your ship is getting repaired. It is not an easy task, there are only two yards that can repair her advanced armor." "SHIP told me, I am no longer her captain. A new one can order her deactivation or what not." He nodded slowly."I know you think of me as an old fool and perhaps I am. You have been scheduled to come here, even before you chased after pirates and convicts into the Leo galaxy. Commodore Taraka altered my orders and made you part of the 124th, thus giving his friend Taros the ability to do all this, but when you reported SHIP to be sentient, Personnel made her a person and gave her a rank, just like any Sentmac. No one can order her to be reset." The personnel chief looked at his PDD."O'Brock I trust your word and I have reversed all transfer orders, but I have to say, there is no Captain Olafson in the entire Union Fleet, only a Midshipman Olafson." "Check the written files. The promotion is classified." "I see it now. The Tigershark and Captain Olafson are X Fleet and NAVINT. With all due respect, O'Brock I must say it is a tad foolish to make an X fleet unit and her captain interact with fleet and not make at least the fact that she is indeed a captain, part of her official records. As much as I despise what Taros and your goon Taraka did, they could not have done that much damage if her rank would have been verified." I touched my PDD."SHIP, are you okay?" "Yes, Captain, I am." "Circuit is still here and so are Three-Four, Warner and the rest of the engineering crew." "SHIP..." "The new CO ordered my reset, but Circuit didn't get around doing it so far. Besides the new CO has not been verified by Fleet command and has not yet received command codes." I glared at the projection of McElligott."Sir, you heard my Computronic. She has a new CO and ordered to be reset." He spoke to someone without audio reaching us. Then acoustic kicked in."You are the Captain of the Tigershark always have been. The Command codes to the Tigershark include access to Nnnth tech and X type weapons.No one but me and Stahl can elevate anyone to be in command of that ship. The person Taros picked as CO could never be her Captain and he is arrested right now by your security chief for attempted murder." Again the Quadiped admiral spoke."That little lieutenant wasn't as good as he thought he is. All but two of your crew are back or on their way back. And the last two will return as soon as possible." "Who are the two?" "Midshipman Roghor and Ensign Grotha." "Where are they?" "On their way to Kalimat." "Why can't they be recalled?" "Because the USS Winterspere is beyond GalCom range." The Vantax Lieutenant answered. Mc Elligott said."You still have a mission. I gave direct orders that both crew-members are sent back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, they gather a little experience aboard a Union Battleship. It is unfortunate and my fault, but this is still the Navy." The Quadiped said."The Winterspere is an old ship but has a good CO and I will sent message as soon as we can."

--""--

The Togar Governor of Kaliment, Seriga, the Queen's cousin had been summoned by her aide to the large windows facing to the east."Graceful Seriga, favorite cousin of Tobaia the magnificent. It might be of interest to you to see what transpires across the trench on the side of the bone faces." Seriga knew, of course, her aide would never disturb her like that if whatever happened was not of utmost importance. So she suspended her relaxed position among the many soft cushions and padded on her hind legs to the enormous curtain shaded window of her private chambers. Her razor sharp claws retracted, her paws made no sound as she approached. Her aide did not have to point out what she found to be of importance. There across the planet dividing trench, at the Katharian side of the planet and on the bone faces spaceport a new artificial mountain had settled on titanic landing struts. The thing dwarved everything and needed the entire landing field. Across its grayish hull, the words USS Winterspere next to the Union flag left no doubt, to whom this space-born giant belonged, a Union battleship had made landfall. Seriga did not take her eyes off the ship across the trench."Quick, summon Reli. She must know something." The leader of the Togar intelligence service of this region did not make her wait for long and joined the governor at the window."You called for me?" "Reli, you can not possibly miss what has landed over there. Tell me why they are here." "I can not say with certainty, graceful Seriga. The Karthanians are hurting as they have never hurt before. The Embargo includes the Golden after all, and now with the Shiss gone as their last big customers they are eager to please the big bullies." "Those are not news, Reli, the entire galaxy knows that. The First Engineer is awake and it is only a matter of time and he will give in to the many voices echoing in his guild chambers to make a membership application." Sergia pointed towards the battleship."I am asking you why are they here? This is not a trader, not a hospital ship. This is a battleship and they usually never come alone. There might be a battle group or a whole Union fleet coming this way." Seriga shuddered involuntarily, despite the perfect temperatures inside her palace."Did they decide to do to Togr what has been done to the Shiss?" Reli looked uncomfortable."The Union has never attacked unprovoked." The governor tapped a window pane and commanded it to increase magnification. The Union ship had opened its hatches and airlocks. At first, she simply watched the hectic activity. There was no culture and no society Sergia knew that conducted any business with such intensity. Reli too watched and said."The battleship played freighter for their Army engineer corps." "Their what?" "One of the many military branches the Union has. The Army Corps of Engineers is mainly a construction outfit. Doing things on planet-scale. " The Intelligence officer increased the magnification to the max and the window optics zoomed in close enough to see faces and identify logos and writing on crates and containers. "See the ACoE logo is on virtually everything." "What are they building?" Before Reli could say anything, they both saw him. Standing there by a loading ramp was former Commander Roghor, there was no doubt. Even though he wore Union Uniform. Seriga asked. "Wasn't he reported killed? This is Roghor is it not?" "Indeed and what a magnificent male he is." "A traitor..." Seriga could not finish her sentence. The most beautiful Togar ever to have been born. The White Fur, the Innocent daughter of the Light Spirit, wearing a short white dress, talking friendly with Roghor and a Petharian marine. If other Togar see her, the revolution will begin and civil war not seen since we abandoned the true king will erupt." Reli grabbed the arm of her superior."She is not a fraud. There is no way she bleached her fur. She is not an albino. Can she not be the daughter of Malmoru, after all? There is darkness over our empire, a metal mountain over there is casting a menacing shadow...let us not do things to hasten the fall of Togr." Seriga glared at the Intelligence officer. "I must obey. She is my cousin. She is the Queen..." Seriga deep inside wondered what would happen to the Togar that brought back the Innocent and restored the goddess, could she be the next Queen? The military might just follow her..." Neither the planet governess nor Reli noticed the aide slip out the room.

--""--

Kaliment was technically in Freespace, and only half the planet was under Karthanian control, but Karthanians invited Union representatives to several Karthanian worlds, primarily of course to end the still ongoing embargo. Without access to Union markets that included the Golden, the economic losses were severe. The First Engineer was trying everything to show his societies willingness to comply. The very recent Shiss war, while technically still going on had reduced the Shiss empire to a few smoldering worlds and an occupied homeworld, eliminated not only another customer of Karthanian tech, but made it quite clear how dangerous it was to agitate the big U. It made the Karthanians, the Kermac and of course the Togar very nervous. Only less than two years ago, the Union and the Nul paraded an enormous armada down unclaimed space. Established several fleet posts, officially to create a secure travel route for their latest members in the Downward sector

A growing number of Karthanians were rooting for Union membership

The trip to Kaliment was quite uneventful, despite the fact the Winderspere took the direct route. Meaning the old battleship went straight across much of unexplored and unclaimed Spinward space. But then she was a full-size Union battleship. While she had been here before, she had not left the Tigershark and only seen the place through viewports and viewers.