Version 2006 - Ch 26

THE THIRD YEAR

Arsenal IV, Spaceport 3 Standby Lobby 34

________________________________________ This was the third and final year of Academy training. Except for some specialist careers it was traditionally aboard an Academy Ship or sometimes a Midshipman went on a ship of the line and got his or her commission in space. My orders where precise, I had to be on Arsenal IV by January third and no later than 0900 hrs. Space Port Three, main building Standby Lobby 34 and wait there until further orders are given. Zezz had the Hyperion touch down right here and took me to the Lobby himself. We shook hands once more and the big Shiss Captain actually gave me a hug! "Take care of yourself; keep your fangs clean and your honor true." "I will Captain Zezz." "One day we meet again and I take you to Milzaaar for Mud worm hunting or we will see Nifleheim together and go for a Tyranno Fin!" "I would like that very much. I would be honored." He straightened and said:" I better keep going. We have to take the Hyperion of the Landing field. I only got permission to land for an hour!" He waved and left. The lobby was deserted; there was a non-tox bar at one side with a robot tender. There was mustard yellow carpet from one end to the other, comfortable looking seat groups around low tables and the opposite was view ports from floor to ceiling allowing a spectacular view over the immense Landing field. Arsenal IV was a cold planet, and in climate not to different from Nifleheim, but it had no open oceans and the two oceans it has where covered with a thick permanent layer of ice. I didn't know if Arsenal IV had a suitable atmosphere from the beginning or if it had been made. Standard Nitrogen Oxygen breathers could go outside. Arsenal IV was home to ship yards and the Union largest Space port. The duro-crete landing field was hexagonal and stretched 2000 clicks in every direction. Even the mighty Hyperion looked forlorn on the huge open area. I noticed the Hyperion was the only ship on the landing field. Usually ports in the Arsenal system where busy and ships left and came in at every given moment. But out there it was empty. A lonely Octo-bot rolled away from the Hyperion. Octo-bots where amazing machines, some of them as tall as Battle ships over 2000 meters with up to 20 memory metal, syntho muscle powered tentacle arms. Able to grab fully loaded house sized Containers and lift them with speed accuracy into open cargo doors. Octo Bots also performed maintenance and repair jobs. This one out there was a SII Octo 2000. A two thousand meter unit and the tallest planet bound autonomous robot in service. "Wow! There is a battle ship out there!" Said someone to my left and I turned. A Midshipman with senior year stripe on his sleeve just like me looked out the view port next to me. He was perhaps a few centimeters taller than me and had a rectangular looking, massive appearance. He had a barrel chest and his arms where thicker than my thighs. His hair was short and black and his skin had an almost orange hue. He immediately smiled at me as he noticed me looking at him." Hey you're a senior too!" I nodded." Yep, I am!" He turned back to the window and said with awe in his voice. "There she goes!" The Hyperion lifted off. It sure was a sight to see an object as big as a mountain take off as gentle as a feather in the wind. He pushed his big hands against the transparent wall. "I never was on a ship of that size. Have you?" "Yes. This is the USS Hyperion. It is the ship I came in with." "You're kidding me right? I mean you came on a Battle ship?" "No I am not kidding you." "I came here in a measly D12. He held out his hand." I am Mao-Mao." I took his hand and mine almost disappeared in his." I am Eric Olafson." "Sure glad to meet you. Since you're here maybe we serve together on whatever ship they are assigning us." "Glad to meet you too, Mao-Mao." Above his senior stripe he showed the crossed gun barrels of tactical. His ribbon display marked him to be a blaster marksman and hand to hand expert. His eyes widened." Is this what I think it is?" "I am not sure what you are talking about." "That blue ribbon with stars on your chest. That is the Medal of Honor is it not?" "It is." "Wow I say! That is something!" Before he could ask me why he got it, the lobby doors parted and a huge spider crawled in! The thing had black hairy legs, eight of them and measured at least 5 meters from leg to leg. Mao-Mao raised his massive arm:" Krabbel, over here!" The monster came fast and surprisingly silent, it reared on its rear legs and spread out the upper four, a terrifying sight! The spider embraced Mao-Mao with those legs and pulled him close to enormous mandibles and many eyes of various sizes that made up its face. Mao didn't struggle at all he put his massive arms around the spider's body." Krabbel!" Mao untangled himself from the spider's embrace and said." Krabbel meet Eric Olafson! He got the Medal of Honor!" To me he said." This is Krabbel from Archa and first of his kind to join the Navy. He is my best friend!" "Nice to meet you Krabbel." The voice of the spider came out of a voice box that was attached to his uniform. The spider's body was dressed in Navy black and he too wore senior stripes and the Navigator logo. I could barely hear the spider's original voice and thought much of it must be in the ultrasound range. The voice from the box sounded deep and warm" Is it true, you got the MOH?" "Yes it is." "They don't give that one for perfect class attendance." Mao boxed the spider into the side." So what ship have they assigned you?" "I don't know. All I was told to be here at this lobby. I sure hope we serve together! Do you know who else is here?" "No," Mao said." I just met Eric there." "Cirruit and Hans are here too. I saw them both. Cirruit is shopping at the main concourse!" Mao laughed." Wonderful. I bet he borrowed money too!" Krabbel spread his upper legs." You know Cirruit. He can't let a bargain pass by." Mao put his hand on my shoulder as if he knew me for a long time." You are going to like those two. We went to basic together and they are good friends!" More and more Senior Midshipmen arrived and immediately formed groups. Everyone knew someone else and I hoped I would see Narth or one of the others from the first years as well. Another monster came through the doors. This one was humanoid in appearance but barley fit through the door. I estimated him to be at least three and a half meters tall and over a meter wide. He had legs like tree trunks and arms bulging with muscles bigger around than probably my entire body. He had no neck but a human face, but with broad nose big mouth and brows. I was instantly reminded at the Y'All I fought but this guy did not look as alien and perhaps even more massive. He was bald and the floor vibrated slightly as he came over. Mao said. "This is Hans Neugruber, as you can see he is a Saturnian. I never seen a Saturnian and only heard about them. Like the Stellaris, Saturnians where the result of a Genetic tailoring project long time ago. In their case the designing company wanted to design the perfect fighting soldier able to function even under gravitations that would crush other beings. A Saturnian I had heard could lift 4 tons under standard Grav and stand upright and walk under 45 times the standard gravitation and after being declared an independent species they choose New Saturn as their home. The planet was a giant among solid surface planets and with a gravitational pull of 30 gees above standard the most extreme planet in terms of gravitational pull occupied. His thumb was as big as my hand and as I shook it I thought I exchanged formalities with a cargo handling robot. I almost didn't notice the chrome skinned being next to him but Mao introduced him." That is Cirruit; he is an X101 as you can see." "Cirruit, Hans this is Eric Olafson a new friend." X1o1's were an enigmatic race of Androids and once been members of the Galactic Council. He was like all X101's exactly 200 centimeters tall. His skin was like polished chrome metal and his face was as if an abstract artist sculpted a human face. He had a nose, eyes and mouth, even ears, but the nose had no nostrils, or holes. The ears had no loops and where seamlessly integrated in his head. The yes glowed deep red and his mouth had no teeth or tongue. He looked more artificial than most robots. His hand slick as water however felt surprisingly warm. He also was loaded with shopping bags." Mao can I borrow 200 Creds? I saw an awesome real sword replica from Earth I must have!" "Sorry Cirruit. I am almost broke." I just reached for my Cred strip and handed it to him. "Why don't you use mine? There should be enough on it to make all your purchases." I hadn't spend a micro credit during the entire second year and my father had kept his word and transferred my share of the family treasure, so I had almost 2 Million credits on the strip. Cirruit, despite his expressionless face showed surprise." Mother-machine and makers! 2 Million Credits! What are you, Rex Schwartz's son?" "No just a Neo Viking from Nifleheim. I got an inheritance and didn't find the time last year to spend any." "Leave that to Cirruit!" Mao laughed." He spends it before breakfast!" Cirruit looked at me." You don't even know me. "If we serve together that might chance and if not, it is just money." "I won't forget that and I pay you back too! I just need perhaps 200 or so." Cirruit eyed his Multi-Comm." I still have 20 minutes. I will be back!" "You need to look at the time? I thought you're an X101?" Cirruit groaned." Yes I am and I heard all the X101 jokes too. I am a machine yes, but I can't calculate faster than you, I can't tell the time without looking at a chronometer and I forget things!" Mao said:" And how can a Replica Sword be real? I mean either it is a Replica or it is real. Can't be both!" "Of course it can be both. You don't understand and it is from Terra!"He went to the door." I talk to you in a little while. I really need to go to the store for now .Someone else might see that bargain too!" Hans laughed deeply." As soon as he leaves the store, the merchant will place a new original replica in the empty display." Krabbel raised his legs." It does make him happy!" I estimated at least a hundred Senior Midshipmen in the lobby by now. Everyone a Midshipman no other rank at all!" Mao scratched his skin." I bet we are going all on an academy school ship. No regular ship of the line takes that many Midshipmen." I agreed with him."I bet you are right." Cirruit returned with even more packages and he handed me the credit strip back." I used a little more than I intended" I glanced at the readout and he had spend about 3000 credits, it barley made a dent in what I had." No problem at all." "I pay you back." "No need. I don't really need it." Krabbel returned from the bar holding a tray with drinks." We might as well sit down and relax. Who knows how long we have to wait and I found they serve ice cream too!" Mao explained." If you want to be a millionaire all you have to do is open an ice cream parlor on Archa. Krabbel and every Archa I met so far is going nuts over ice cream." Krabbel held a big cone and said." It is amazing that we never invented this stuff, but then we never heard of milk before we joined the Union." A stunningly beautiful girl with long black hair cut in page style approached and said." Is there room on this table for one more?" "Of course." Mao and I said almost simultaneously and got up. Offering her a chair." "I am Elfiatra Petetis and I noticed everyone knows someone and started to group together. I found no one I know so far." I put the glass of soda down." Same here I have yet to see anyone I recognize from basic or second year." She sighed." I am sorry I usually don't just budge in, but I always wanted to talk to an Archa." Krabbel took a glass of Soda and handed it to her." I would be especially honored if you talk to me. It happens to be that I am an Archa." She took the glass and giggled." You are, right?" Krabbel waved one of his legs." I am not really an Archa. In reality I am just a Nuflug Bug dressed up like a Spider so I can scare little egglings at Halloween." "You have Halloween on Archa?" She said and her pretty dark eyes widened. "We sure do. It's a fun Terran holiday tradition and every Archa is already in a scary costume all the time! The only problem is. everyone gets first prize at the Costume contest!" We all laughed. Krabbel had the best sense of humor and I totally forgot that he was really a scary looking alien spider and began to greatly appreciate his company." Elfiatra pouted mockingly." Now do you have Halloween for real?" "Yes we do. Only last year I dressed up as a fly and boy it was the scariest costume…not for the others but for me…everyone wanted to catch me!" I had tears in my eyes and my belly hurt from laughing. The girl laughed too. Mao wiped a tear from his eye." Actually they do have Halloween on Archa and they do really dress up and do all the other things. What's funny is I am of a Human colony and had no idea what Halloween is and found out about it on Archa." Mao sighed and nodded towards a group of Midshipmen coming straight towards our table." The fun couldn't last. There comes trouble! This is Suppor and his gang. He was a pain in the behind during first year. He is from some Thauran Noble house and thinks his poop doesn't stink!" Suppor was a typical Thauran. Blue Skin, Copper metallic hair. He reminded me instantly of Swybar and I wondered if all Tahuran's where assholes. He was surrounded by eight other Midshipmen. One of them a Petharian giant with 4 arms and almost as tall as Hans. He looked at us like someone staring an extremely disgusting specimen under a micro viewer. "Look at that Mao the Looser and the vermin from Archa are here as well!" Mao simply ignored him and sipped from his glass. Suppor padded his ribbon read out." You losers better stand up. You are looking at a Service Excellence Ribbon!" Mao turned and smiled." No regulation requires any special attention to that common as sand ribbon. Have you seen the ribbons of my friend here? It is you that actually has to salute and stand in attention as it is required when facing a Medal of Honor recipient!" Every eye suddenly was glued on me, even Seniors that hadn't paid any attention before. Suppor laughed." That poser? The Medal of Honor? That is a good joke. He probably bought that ribbon read out somewhere or stole it. No Midshipman can have the Medal of Honor, Silver Star or any of those ribbons he has. He is a poser and he will get in lots of trouble for that! You see! I report him right now!" Suppor turned and left. Many the ones standing around and looking at me started to grin or laugh or make derogatory remarks. Elfiatra leaned forward." You really have the Medal of Honor and all those other ribbons?" I nodded. It didn't take long. Suppor came back and with him came a Lieutenant. We all rose and stood in attention since someone said: Officer on deck! Suppor pointed at me. "There he is officer! Isn't that a court martial offense?" The Lieutenant was a Pan Saran with shiny breast plate." It most certainly is. Ribbon read outs cannot be bought so you stole this one or faked it! Oh we are going to have a field day with you!" Another Officer approached this one was a Lt Commander and he was just like Suppor, a Thauran. I feared the worst. He barked "What is going on here Lieutenant?" It was brought to my attention that this Midshipman here displays a stolen Ribbon-read-out. He even displays the Medal of Honor and that is more than just an offense Sir!" The Lt Commander looked at my read out and then my name tag. He turned to the Lieutenant." I never saw a Midshipman with these kids of ribbons either. High Representative of a Member species, Medal of Honor, Silver Star, 1st Space Kill ribbon but before I accuse him have you checked his check his implant?" "No Sir. That is not necessary. This maggot is obviously a poser and we need to arrest him and comment the Midshipman that put it to our attention." The Lt Commander however turned back to me. It was very quiet now and everyone stared at me." Mr. Olafson. Identify yourself to the Computronic." Like every Fleet installation there was a Computronic present and I said aloud:" Computronic access please." From no particular direction came the clear mechanical voice of a Computronic system." Spaceport 3 Computronic ready for acoustic access." "Identification verification request. Olafson, Eric. Midshipman Senior year, Service Number 1082320-O-5434. Verify." "Identification verified. Voice, Menta and DNA patterns match ID implant data and Central Personnel Data." The Lt Commander said:" Computronic readout of all commendations of this midshipman." "Olafson, Eric. Midshipman 3rd year. Recipient of the Medal of Honor, Recipient of the Silver Star, High Representative of the government of Narth, Recognized Protector of Narth, Personal commendation medal of the Admiral of the Fleet, Service Excellence Ribbon OPS position USS Hyperion, Service Excellence Ribbon Small Craft Pilot, Purple Heart for wounds received in combat…" The Lt Commander said." Thank you Computronic that will be enough." He then straightened out and saluted me." It is an honor to meet you Sir!" Then he looked around." There is a Medal of Honor recipient on deck and I see no one else saluting. Everyone did even the Lieutenant and Suppor very reluctantly. The Lt Commander shook my hand and said."It is a real honor to meet you. Do you wish to file a complaint? This Lieutenant and these Midshipmen acted extremely unprofessional." "No Sir, not at this time!" "Very well then. Carry on Sir! An announcement as to what ship you all will be assigned to will be made shortly!" He turned to the Lieutenant." He won't file a complaint Mister, but I sure will. Why don't you follow me right now?" Both officers left. It was still very quiet and everyone still staring. I sat back down and said." Would you all, just let me be?" Krabbel said:" You can all form a line now. For only 5 Creds you will be allowed to stare for 3 minutes. For the measly sum of 12 you get the chance to shake his hand and for twenty we sell signed Image-prints." That comment relaxed the atmosphere some laughed and most walked away and returned to what they were doing. Not Suppor, he pointed at me." No one makes a fool out of me and lives! You will pay for that! " Mao laughed at him." No need to blame others you made a fool out of yourself and a good job you did too! "He almost whispered when he added." And if you threaten one of my friends again you will find out how costly payment will be!" I looked him straight in the eyes and stood up." You did question my honor and now you threaten me. We can settle this manner in gentlemen's fashion…" "I would not do it, Thauran. I saw him fight a Duel on Maritime. He bested Master Milieu with rapiers" A Midshipman said I did not recognize." Suppor waved at his Petharian companion." Noogor will crush you like a worm!" Hans got up." Let me say hello first. Come one Noogor let's shake hands." The Petharian was almost as big as Hans and they clasped hands. At first nothing happened but the Petharian went slowly to his knees and groaned in pain. Hans smiled." What are you doing down there. We only shaking hands, Saturnian style and then you can crush me like a worm! You see I take it very personal when a friend of mine gets bullied." The Petharian groaned even more." Let go! Please let go!" Hans did and pounded his huge index finger against the Petharians hard shelled body." You come anywhere near any of my friends and I show you what I can do with skulls between my hands!" The Petharian was pushed back with each finger push and struggled to keep on his feet." Yes Sir I understand." Suppor really didn't have a good day and he knew it. He tried to salvage some of his dignity. "I am of the third Family and this is not the End!" Elfiatra raised an eyebrow. "If you think being of a low ranking noble family impresses anyone on this table you're wrong. Now go play somewhere else, little boy. Adults try to have a conversation on this table." Someone yelled." Everyone, look!" And everyone did. A ship was about to land and it was bigger than anything I had ever seen. It made sense now why the landing field was had to empty. The elliptical disc shaped object descending was the USS Devastator. The largest and without a doubt the most famous and well known space ship in the known universe (capable of landing on a planet) 22 kilometers across 5 kilometers high it overshadowed everything and I was no longer able to see it all. A steel sky had settled over the space port, landing gear was extending and each telescopic foot the size of a sky scraper. Thousands of brilliant white landing lights came on like miniature suns bathing the area below in shadow less light. One could have heard a pin drop in the lobby; everyone was simply awestruck by the sheer magnitude of that ship. But then Mao whispered: We are going to be on that ship!" I watched Octo bots appear, looking like fragile toys compared to the ship. Their long steel tentacles barley reaching the now opening cargo trap doors at the bottom of the Devastator. Cargo elevators rose from hidden compartments in the landing surface stretching further and further up. Thousands of Cargo handling bots, Container drones swarmed forth with determined urgency. It was a sight I would never forget. Would I too serve on this ship? My throat felt dry and I needed a drink of water. My glass was empty. The prospect to serve my final year on that ship was my wildest dreams come true. I went to the bar to order a glass of water, when a Saresii Officer in black uniform stepped through the door. She looked around and saw me as I was the closest to her and I announced:"Officer on deck!" She pointed at a shaggy Liguanian who was like me standing by the bar. "You, Midshipman. What is your security clearance?" "I am not sure I have one, Ma'am. Do I?" She rolled her eyes and asked me next." Are you instructed in security clearances?" "Yes Ma'am" "Your Clearance level?" "Blue-Blue-Red, Ma'am!" That stopped her in her tracks. "Perfect, you are with me!" I followed her away from the bar and through the doors and she said:" I expected to find "Orange-Blue" at the most. How come there is a Midshipman with the highest security clearance there is?" "Ma'am. The circumstances of that are classified and you would need to be Blue-Blue-Red and have Need to know reasons for me to answer your question." She glanced at me." I see you are also Psi shielded you quite effectively. I followed her to an IST and once in she said:" System: Sublevel 12, sector 602" While I stood across her she glanced at my ribbons." I bet your security clearance has to do with that Medal of Honor." "That would be a correct assumption, Ma'am." "you look like a Colonial Terran, but I see the species High Rep ribbon. What species would that be?" "The Narth, Ma'am." "That must explain your flawless Psi Shield!" I wondered what she was up to and where we were going. I felt cheated already. Somehow I feared that all the others would be serving on the Devastator and I would be filing reports in some spaceport basement due to my clearance. I had no knowledge of a PSI shield but then I awoke in a hospital bed and there were all kinds of things they could have done to me. I had a Saresii Psionic tech implant once before and carried Narths Huhgavh. The IST stopped and I followed her through a rough rock corridor. With supply pipes bolted to the rough walls. I assumed we were far below the planetary surface and that corridor was dug only recently Two Marines guarded a door and a sign read Sector 602. Behind the door was austere room with a stainless steel table a lamp and a human man in black uniform but no rank insignia. The Saresii woman saluted:" Commander I found one." He had gray hair. I estimated his biological age to be around 80 or 90 but with the usual cell-reg and other life prolonging procedures average human life span was at around 200 now, so he could be anywhere between that. His eyes where almost clear and had a watery quality. "Very good Lieutenant. I can't read him at all. What is his clearance?" "You won't believe it, Sir, but he said: Blue-Blue-Red!" He pointed at a small ID reader on his table. "Swipe your implant, Midshipman." There was no visible readout anywhere ." Indeed Lieutenant, Mr. Olafson was not bragging. He has the highest Security Clearance and is on the Day Code list and I see he has close ties with the Narth." "I noticed that too." "Mr. Olafson do you have your key with you?" He turned and a part of the rock wall moved aside. From the wall compartment he took a small metal suit case." Since you are cleared that high, let me explain what this is all about." "That would be appreciated Sir." "We are Sector 602. Special Xeno tech task force of NAVINT and this case contains an object that has to be delivered to Admiral Richard Stahl in person. No one else is to touch it, take it from you or ask you to relinquish it. No matter who will order you or might ask you to take it to Stahl. You are to insist on giving it to the Admiral himself. Any questions?" "Yes Sir. Why me? Why a lowly Midshipman." "Because there is half a Galaxy after the object in that box. Even at a place as secure as Arsenal System we must assume that the other side knows and will try to stop it from reaching its destination. Once aboard the Devastator and in the hands of Admiral Stahl it is effectively out of their reach and they will try to prevent that from happening. No one knows you, you are just a Midshipman and like 112 other Midshipman you are about to serve your third year aboard that ship. No one will expect you." He handed me the box and snapped a metal band around my wrist. If this box leaves your hand more than 10 centimeters, it will self destruct." He then handed me an order chip." Do not give it to anyone but Stahl and he must identify himself properly according to Blue protocol to you. Anyone can be made to look like Stahl. Do you understand?" "Yes Sir." "Do you have your Key with you?" "Yes sir." The woman gave me a holster with a TKU blaster." This order chip authorizes you to shoot with lethal force at anyone trying to take that box from you." I girded the Holster and checked the weapon. It had a full charge. "I see you know what you're doing. Checking the weapon shows me you are not new to this sort of thing." The Man said. "Sir, I am a Midshipman Senior year and my experience is extremely limited." "Your Clearance and Medals tell me a different Story. Don't wait for general boarding. Deliver the box as soon as you can. The order chip will clear you for early boarding as well and Command deck access on the Devastator." The woman stepped back."You know where the IST elevator is." "Sir before I go, I must insist that you identify yourself. You could be the enemy you talked about and I am carrying a bomb to Stahl!" The man raised an eyebrow." Impressive indeed! Ever thought about a full time career at NAVINT? We can always use someone like you." "I have not thought about this yet Sir." "What form of ID verification will be satisfactory to you? Computronic?" "Yes Sir, but not down here. You could have rigged a machine that is not connected to the main system and say anything you want. How about the Computronic pick up in the IST?" "You have done this sort of thing before. I am really impressed!" He walked with me to the IST and said to the Voice pick up." Main Computronic Access." "Spaceport 3 Computronic verbal access open." "Identification verification Commander Reagan E. Greer. 17522-G-4511" "Identification positive. Commander Greer Regan Edward. All other personal data classified." I said." Computronic, verify ID Olafson, Eric. Overwrite classification data. Verify my security Clearance." "Security Classification Blue-Blue-Red sufficient for overwrite. Commander Greer is currently assigned to NAVINT, Xeno Tech Task force 602, stationed at Arsenal IV." Greer looked at me." I will request you as soon as you graduate! You are a pro!" Something in my gut told me that there was still something fishy about the entire situation and this was a trap or set up of some kind, but he was a superior officer of high rank and I had to follow his orders. While I was riding the IST up I wondered what I should do. "IST System. Get me to the nearest point where I can access the Devastator." The System beeped and changed directions. It let me out next to a slide-way that moved towards the ship. ________________________________________