Lubya was a cold planet, but the largely Russian population thought that was a plus. It held a small population of Koreans, the original colonizers of the system, but thanks to repeated large infusions of Russians, the Koreans were seriously outnumbered and in fact were gradually becoming assimilated through marriage.
His shuttle grounded at a Navy port located outside of New Novosibirsk, and within another ninety minutes he was walking up a long unpaved drive on his family’s property, a distant bluff located well outside of the city, offering splendid views of the ocean and a large bay as well as an affordable price.
The extended family had pooled its’ resources to purchase the land, and had put up three small, hopefully temporary houses. They were working on the foundation for a large and permanent stone structure, but that was a work in progress, with the emphasis on work, but to date, little in the way of progress.
His parents were thrilled to see him, and his mother emotionally hugged him. Within two hours family members and friends began converging, and he spent the next several hours drinking hot tea out of a tiny glass, telling and retelling everyone about the ancient ship he served on, and the growing problems with Nasser.
Amongst those friends was a daughter, member of a family that ninety years earlier had come to Lubya on the same ship as his grandparents. She was Alexi’s age, of average height, reasonably attractive and quite intelligent. Their two families had agreed that Alexi and Tatiana would make a good match. This decision had been made sometime earlier, and in the following months the two had communicated with each other, but as yet she had expressed little or no interest in…him.
For his part, he found much to like in her, but virtually his entire focus had been on surviving the academy and the much greater challenge – the actual Federal Navy.
Now, after nearly a year of duty, he was finding that he was beginning to taste the first hints of achievement. He saw the huge challenges facing the institution that nearly alone ensured the unity of humanity, and believed that the near-term future was fraught with danger. Finally, he firmly believed that those very same challenges offered him equally great opportunities.
Tatiana was there with a ‘friend’, a man who owned a small but growing business, one that seemed to have a future. He was handsome, intelligent, well spoken, and he was obviously taken with Tatiana, clearly hoping that he would have a future with her.
Alexi was introduced to the man, and after just a few moments concluded that he might indeed be quite viable - a relationship with him didn’t involve long absences as well as the distinct possibility of the husband getting vaporized on the job.
He greeted Tatiana, being just about as stiff and formal as he could be and usually was. She asked him, “How are you, Alexi?” He smiled and told her that he was doing well, possibly very well. She nodded, “So, you plan to remain after your enlistment ends? You wish a career in your Navy?”
Alexi looked at her hazel eyes, and answered, “Yes, I have found purpose and meaning, and I strongly believe that I shall have a good future. What about you? Have you found what you are looking for?”
Alexi had learned a little directness from his friend Shin Ho.
She cocked her head and smiled faintly, “I am not certain what you are speaking of.” He realized that this might be his sole opportunity to discover in her what his family had seen. He somberly flicked his eyes in the direction of the man. She sighed, but didn’t reply. He asked her, “You have known me for some time now, but it would appear that you do not see a future with me. Am I correct?”
She cocked her head again, considering. After a very brief pause, she told him, “I have waited for a sign from you, something to demonstrate that you wished to win my heart. To date, I have waited in vain.”
In surprise he asked, “You…I…” He closed his mouth, took a deep breath and said, “Hello. I have been watching you from across the room, and I wish to introduce myself. My name is Alexi Tretiakov, and I am home on leave from the Federal Navy.”
She glanced at his spotless uniform and smiled, “Yes, I see that. My name is Tatiana. Is that all you wished to say?” He smiled, “No Miss Mihailov, I have much I wish to say to you. Do I have your permission to…continue?”
She almost groaned, seemingly in frustration, “You have had my permission for over six years.” He stared, “I…I have much to learn.”
She nodded her head firmly, almost angrily, “Yes, you do. Now, where were we?”
Alexi spent most of the next hour in her company. The Navy had taught him a good many things; acquire as much intelligence about the enemy as possible, know your own abilities and know your true objectives, know when to attack or retreat.
He was also discovering that his exposure to citizens of virtually every single one of the far-flung federal worlds had enlarged his perspective, as a consequence causing him a certain disquiet. His world was both familiar and changed, but of course, he was the one changed; it merely felt as if his culture had become…backward.
When the Mihailov family began making the rounds, preparatory to departing for its’ own home, Alexi stood and gently took Tatiana’s hand. He asked her, “May I see you tomorrow?” She asked, “How much time do you have?” He thought about the battle his ship had participated in, of the men and women who had died trying to kill him and his shipmates, and answered, “I hope I have enough. Um, thirteen days. May I…I have been a fool. I pray that you will forgive me, and allow me the opportunity to prove to you that I am worthy.”
Tatiana looked up at him, her eyes bright with intelligence and humor, “Alexi, I have always known you are worthy; what you have yet to demonstrate is if you are the man I want to spend the next sixty years with. I must say, service in the Federal Navy seems to have been good for you. Yes, you may call on me; considering your time constraints, tomorrow might be good.”
She waved to her increasingly impatient parents, “I suggest you use your time wisely.” She smiled faintly at him and simply turned and walked away. Alexi looked at the handsome man who had spent most of the last year courting Tatiana, and smiled – Shin Ho’s approach to problems seemed to be effective.
By the time his leave had ended, Alexi knew that Tatiana was not only an excellent match for him, he found that he cared for her. Tatiana still lived with her parents – the norm in a new and struggling colony – and so every day he would walk down the rough path to the main road, catch a tram into town and call on her. They spent some time at her home, the rest exploring the growing city, frequently on foot. Neither drank alcohol, although Alexi didn’t have any particular reason not to, he simply disliked the way it dulled his mind and caused him to lose control of his thoughts and words. He also begrudged what it did to his meager salary.
She accompanied him to the Navy base, kissed him lightly on the cheek and hugged him. She quietly whispered in his ear, “I have greatly enjoyed our time together. Yesterday you asked if I would wait for you, and I wish to ask you exactly what it is you are…well, asking?”
He smiled faintly, an image of Shin Ho flickering past his eyes, “Our families have blessed our union, and I have come to believe they knew what they were about. I am asking you, Tatiana Mihailov, to be my bride. I do not know when I can return, but I ask that you consider my proposal. If you choose to accept, it will be at least six months and possibly longer before I can return home. I have…I believe I have a good future in the Navy. I am up for a promotion to lieutenant, which will require a transfer to another ship, or to planetary duty. Lieutenants can get base housing, and other, additional benefits, so, again, if you choose to accept, you would have the opportunity to leave Lubya. Err, if you wished.”
She cocked her head, a gesture he was coming to see as indicating both a sense of humor and intelligence, “What do you think my answer will be?” He smiled, “You care for me; in fact, you waited for me despite…other opportunities.” She nodded, “Yes, but you didn’t answer the question.” He blushed, “Your answer is or will be ‘yes’
.”
She actually sighed, “Alexi Tretiakov, your proposal, as formal and polite as it was, failed to include one single mention of feelings. Would you care to expand, or is this a business proposition?” He blushed again, “I…you are of course correct. I am somewhat unaccustomed to…dealing with emotions, but in fact, I feel…no. I love you.” In fact, he was at least partially guessing about the state of his feelings, but he knew enough about Tatiana not to tell her that.
She smiled faintly again, “Good answer. I have come to feel the same.” Alexi saw her answer mirrored in her posture, and smiled in relief, “So, do I have your permission to speak to your parents?” She smiled ruefully, “Considering where we are standing, you’ll have to do it via your pad. Additionally, considering how long they’ve been waiting, that might be for the best.”
He took her hand and bent down to kiss her. It was gentle, a bit amateurish and brief, and was their first. She sighed, “That will have to last you until your return. I still have a great many questions, so don’t be a stranger.”
He looked around, and bent down again. This kiss was quite a bit longer, and much better.
She suddenly became emotional, “Leave while you still can.”
He couldn’t help himself, and kissed her again. She was crying, but she was also smiling.
He walked through the portal, and away from the woman he’d just begun to get to know, thinking that crises could sometimes have a silver lining.
Chapter 22
Power Production Technician 2nd Class Elliot Kana,
Federal Destroyer Défiance
The aged destroyer decelerated to match the course and heading of an even older two million ton bulk carrier that had failed to reply to an IFF query. Only after the destroyer identified itself while simultaneously bathing the huge ship in the wan light of an energy weapon did it cease its’ acceleration. They were currently in the outer system, and the bulk carrier was on a heading that didn’t match any known destinations, creating additional interest.
Kana was in Missile Room #4. It had lost power to the machinery that transported both heavy and light missiles from their armored storage into the launch bay. He was getting signals but no power, and was at the moment trying to pin down the location of the fault in the cabling. He had a new PowPro3 in a crawl space, and the woman was distinctly unhappy; it transpired that she suffered from a spot of claustrophobia, a problem that she was just becoming aware of, as was Kana.
Via their comm system, he told her, “Listen Gertrudis, consider this an important moment in your personal and professional development; were it not for your assignment to the Museum Division of the Federal Navy, you would continue to remain unaware of this minor defect in your character; now, with the proper guidance from your crewmates plus access to that superb medical care we have read about, you are not only, shall we say, increasingly self-aware, but additionally, we can focus on helping you to overcome this. When I say ‘we’, I of course mean someone else.”
She sighed, rather loudly, and replied, “Kana, my recruiter gave me her solemn oath that the Navy cares for all its’ personnel. My assignment to the Défiance severely strained my belief in that claim, but to hear you, my direct superior, reveal your utter lack of regard for my welfare – well, it brings my entire world crashing down in…I was going to say ‘flames’, but that would require power, something this ship seems to be lacking.”
Kana laughed and told her, “Twelve meters ahead of you there is a junction. My guess is that is where we will find all those missing electrons.” She grumbled, “When you say ‘we’, you exaggerate by a significant factor.” Kana smilingly told her, “Now, now, just because I can’t be there in person, guiding your every step, doesn’t mean that I am not with you in spirit. There yet?”
A moment later she said, “Yes, and you were correct. Mr. Zerohm has acquired a few extra ohms of impedance, resulting in a spot of electron impotence. We’ll need…fourteen meters of new cable.” Kana asked, “You’ll have to settle for refurbished. I’ve killed power to that entire run; disconnect the cable and we’ll pull it from the previous junction box. I suggest that you hustle – the captain really likes his destroyer to have the ability to destroy, thus the urgency.”
She replied, “Pull now.”
Two hours later, and after very carefully double-checking everything, Kana powered up the system. The feed mechanism stirred and began shifting a relatively huge ‘light’ missile out of storage and toward its’ destination, the launch bay. Before contacting the bridge Kana waited until the missile settled into position and the arming system signaled that it was receiving targeting information. He’d learned to be cautious.
The bulk carrier was still an hour distant. The Défiance could have jumped into a much closer position ahead of the ship, but the captain was being very cautious. Both their active and passive sensors were hard at work, looking for other ships as well as probing the now identified ship for any trace of weapons tracking and targeting emissions.
Additionally, the Mempbis - Egyptian for Memphis - had been ordered to shut down any communications other than with the Défiance. They were outside energy weapons range, but within light missile range, thus the urgent push to get all four missile launchers online.
Kana felt a shudder go through the ship as the shuttle launched. The captain wanted to remain close enough to target the ship with missiles, but outside of energy weapons range. He felt confident that his ship would be able to destroy any missiles the carrier might possibly employ, especially as that ability was theoretically possible bur statistically unlikely.
As the shuttle approached the bulk carrier, the Défiance set up a preprogrammed jump destination, just in case it ran into something unexpected.
Inside the shuttle were ten heavily armed Marines and a small boarding party, consisting of three ComTechs and four Boatswains Mates, an utterly ancient designation that had morphed over the centuries into a category of people who had a variety of skills with both machinery and people. The combined team was well suited to smelling lies, whether verbal or electronic, and had a solid background in ship design and construction.
While the BM’s physically searched the ship, the ComTechs would perform their own searches of the ship manifests, personnel records, sensor and communication records and even maintenance records.
Nasser had a history of smuggling and piracy, and it was almost normal for a freighter or bulk carrier to vary slightly to significantly from the official blueprints on file with the Navy. The latest generation missiles that had been stolen and later used against the Navy had gotten into the system somehow, and this carrier was one possibility.
The shuttle docked inside one of three huge bays, cutting off direct communications, and the captain tensed for several minutes until the crew reestablished communications with the destroyer, this time via the carrier’s own comm gear. So far, so good.
For the next two hours the destroyer drifted just out of missile range, its’ weapons systems hot and it’s engines on standby. The boarding party slowly moved through the bulk carrier, periodically reporting that there was nothing to report.
Kana was still in the #4 missile room, and as usual, nearly totally cut off from any sort of picture of what was happening. Actually, virtually nothing was happening, something he felt was significant. He commed Chief Dahl, now a senior chief, “I’m betting that all those ‘nothing to report’ messages are bogus, a cover for ‘we’ve found something and we don’t want them to know we’ve found it’ messages.”
Chief Dahl laughed, “If our boarding team can’t find anything, they are either blind, deaf, dumb and unable to smell propellant, or they are getting paid to look the other way.” Kana grumbled, “They’re Marines, so unless the ship is hauling liquor, I’m betting on nothing to report.”
The shuttle departed the ship and accelerated back toward the destroyer, which still wasn’t moving in closer.
An hour later the destroyer got under way, leaving the Memp
bis to resume its’ course.
Fifteen minutes later the captain made a general comm, “Crew, as you know, our boarding party reported that the Mempbis was clean, and we’ve resumed our patrol. What you did not know was that they located a large hidden compartment, and detected trace elements of missile propellant. We have allowed their captain to believe we found nothing. We’re going to rendezvous with a flight of four Hawks from the Bon Homme Richard. They are reasonably stealthy and able to remain in space for a number of days. They will trail along behind the carrier and see if they can determine where it goes and what it does. We will continue our normal patrol, but assume that we’re going to see action. I want every department head to go through your assigned area with the aim of eliminating any possible problems. That is all.”
While Kana was eating in the enlisted mess, Chief Dahl sat down with him and said, “They had a crew of forty-seven. That is why we played dumb. In a firefight, we could have lost the shuttle and the seventeen people.” Kana nodded thoughtfully, “I much prefer a captain who wins battles, and doesn’t kill his own people in the bargain. So, where is the ship heading?” Chief Dahl took a bite of his rice and said, “Dunno. They’re not heading for any known destination, said they were tracking an asteroid with large amounts of iron. Captain seems to think they’re planning on offloading the missiles – presumed missiles – somewhere in the asteroid belt. That at least gives the crew an excuse if they’re boarded again – they’re a bulk freighter.
Hawk Flight (Flight of the Hawk Book 3) Page 11
