Eric Olafson, Fleet Cadet 19

Chapter 19: New Y'all Interlude

The Devastator had made it. No one aboard knew very much about the old Celtest engines, except Centron the Ships AI that was also not a product of Union Tech but the ships original AI, utmost loyal to Stahl. Centron warned that the old engines would need serious servicing before they could be used again at these speeds. That would mean the way home would take much longer, unless the Chief Engineer could figure out how to service the alien engines.

However this was a problem, they would face when it was time to return.

Fornax Hub was on the scanners. The base was a Kilomon Class space station, 20,000 meters sphere with Gravo anchor at the bottom and a wide equatorial hangar ring. His scanner operators confirmed there was still some energy but the station was dark and did not respond to hails at all.

“Sir, we are detecting the debris of a Union Starship, it conforms to the mass and materials specifications of the Barracuda Destroyer that was detached to the station. No intact hull compartment, no energy and no life signs.”

Stahl remained silent. This was Harris show and he would not interfere, but that did not mean he was completely out of things to do.” The Barracuda was armed with Translocators; can you confirm the destruction as well?”

If this was indeed a Y’All attack he did not want them to get a hold of Terra’s most potent weapon. The only one that had any real effect on the Y’All invasion so long ago.

“Unable to confirm, Sir. I cannot detect the log drone anywhere and there is not enough left of the Barracuda to make sure otherwise.”

The Devi was under full battle mode, with raised shields and extended cannons. The sensor operators scanned every centimeter of space for any energy signature or anything out of the ordinary.

Harris ordered the launch of two Bison and a wing of Wolfcrafts to retrieve what was left of the Barracuda.

Still the sensors showed nothing.

Of course there was cloaking technology, the Devi could fully cloak and appear invisible to any known sensors, but that was Celtest technology. Did the Y’All master this tech? Or were they up against a new unknown enemy with abilities far beyond the Y’All?”

Harris was well aware of his old friend’s dilemma, being the Old Warrior and as Admiral beyond the command ship of his beloved Devi.” Admiral, what would you recommend?” He was not too proud to ask this legend for advice.

“They are here someone is still here and watching us. I can feel it.” Stahl stared at the main viewer and Harris nodded and symbolically stepped back. It was to signal the crew that Stahl was in Command now and to make sure his friend saw it. Harris main concern was the ship and he had no qualms to hand it temporarily over to a man with almost 3000 years of battle experience.

Alyica had her eyes closed and her mind scanned the space around the ship for any coherent thought, or nerve impulse. She was deeply in love with that old Admiral, a real Terran with no particular Psionic abilities, yet his ability to sense and feel trouble was something she admired greatly.

Just as she sensed it, he said.” Tactical, lay a spread of ten Exo loads in a fan pattern spaced on that moon.

Fornax Hub Station was in a White Dwarf Star system with only one planet, that was tectonic so active that locating the star base in deep space was simply easier. The planet also had a moon, the moon would one day be mined but right now there was no cost effective way to ship ore and minerals to where it was needed.

The Devi shuttered ever so slightly as ten of the largest Anti Matter bombs left the dematerialization breeches. Ten loads would be enough to obliterate the entire moon, and just as the bombs exploded five strange potato shaped alien ships left its surface. Each about 5,000 meters in diameter. There had been two more but they had been destroyed before they could lift of and activate their shields.

Stahl knew the shape of the ship only too well. These were Y’All Armada ships.

--””--

LORMAN’S STAR BASE

The Madrid reached Lorman’s Starbase and I had spent the entire four days at the Helm position. I was at the Helm Controls as we dropped out of Trans light. Captain K’Tngnk had us drop into real space, a full light hour outside of Lorman’s System.

He explained to me.” Even though this is Union Space and we are not at war with anyone as far as I know, but I find it always a good idea to approach any target or star system with a little caution.” He had explained to me the reason for his orders and the thoughts behind them during the entire time and I soaked it up like a dry sponge. He continued.” You rarely run into any trouble in deep space. Space is so vast and so big; the chances to actually run into another ship even on the main traffic lines are pretty slim. Everyone travels at Trans Light speeds and it is almost impossible to intercept a ship that is traveling Trans light. Star Systems on the other hand are the destination and if there is any trouble it is usually around a sun where you find it.”

I wondered what kind of trouble he expected at a Star System with a major Fleet base, but I did say nothing and listened to his advice. Commander Vasco his XO said, as if he sensed my thoughts. “Our Captain does not like to be surprised. Out here you can scan and establish contact and you have time to make decisions if there is anything wrong. The Kermac could have decided to go to war while we were in Trans Light, and attack Lorman’s Base and we would drop out of Trans light in the middle of a battle. Of course this was only an example and the chance of something like this happening is astronomically slim, still it exists.”

He was right and it made perfectly sense and I decided, I would do the same if I ever made it into the Command seat myself.

The Captain then said.” We received approach and landing instructions. Helmsman take her down.”

“Yes Sir.” I said a little less confident as I was before.” Steering a battle ship in deep space was one thing, but taking 3500 meters of Ultronit down on a planet surface was something else. Of course the ship could land on its own, using the Computronics of auto helm, but he did not say that. He wanted me to land the ship manually.

Lt. Gar, the real helmsman of the Madrid said not over communications but being right behind me. “No sweat, you did well so far and we still have a little time.” He pointed at a funnel shaped graphic that was superimposed over the still distant planet.”This is your approach vector, given to us by Traffic control. As you see it is still red, we can approach it but not enter it until it turns green.”

I heard the captain.”All hands General quarters, tactical activate shields.”

The Lieutenant next to me was a Spindlar and he used his telescoping arms to reach past me to point at a representation of the ship.”The Captain does this all the time. During landing and takeoff with those flying mountains, much can go wrong. So it is better everyone is at their duty station so everyone can react right away. The shields automatically adjust to the best shape for aerodynamics and push away any freight drone or flyer that accidentally got in our landing path.”

I had landed battleships in simulations before, but this was the real thing. We got a green cone and I adjusted the engines and Arti Grav output, matching it with the planets gravitation and entered the planets thin atmosphere. The planet looked like a typical Garden World Class 5E, thin atmosphere, the world looked even dry from space, but then Class ‘5E’ meant desert conditions. The world was colored in dusty maroon and brown shades, but I could already see the sprawling city and the vast space port.

Did I extend the landing struts too early? Did I land too slowly? I had made it, the Madrid rested on her landing gear and I deactivated external Arti Grav. Only now I noticed my sweaty palms and the drops of perspiration on my forehead.

The Captain said.” You did fine, Mr. Olafson.”

Gar the Spindlar was still behind me and said.” Landing a ship is very important to captains, on a major Fleet base like this, it is likely other Captains see and watch it. It is part of the Captain’s calling card if you will and as he said, you did fine.”

I released my breath slowly.”I sure was glad you have been behind me. Knowing you being there helped, Sir.”

“I wasn’t there all the time.”

The Captain called me over.” When you’re done with second year, put in a request to be posted on the Madrid and I will confirm it when it reaches my desk.”

“Yes Sir, I will.”

He extended his thin hand like claw and wished me well. Then he handed me an order chip.” These are your instructions as to where to report. I would like to stay but we have just received transfer orders to the Magellan cloud and that’s a long way to go.”

I thanked him and said farewell to the bridge crew, the XO and Lt Gar and debarked twenty minutes later.