“No.” He hesitated, glanced towards the door, turned back to McReidy then stared at his boots and sighed. His head lifted slowly and his attention settled on McReidy. “There’s someone on this ship that I like. I mean, I really…” his eyes lowered and he tensed, “like her.”
McReidy nodded. “Are you sure you should be talking to me about this.”
Her voice was soft. She wasn’t about to embarrass him.
“Normally I’d go to the commander. But I need a woman’s point of view.”
She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
“How do I know if she likes me?”
“Have you tried asking her?”
“No!” Giacomo’s eyes widened in horror as he locked onto her gaze.
She smiled softly. Why couldn’t men be sensible? If he liked someone, why not tell her?
She already knew the answer. Beneath all that pride and confidence, the male ego was a very fragile thing. It couldn’t stand rejection. At the slightest hint of weakness, every other male in sight would swoop in for the kill. And Giacomo had a gentle heart; the kind any woman would love.
“Who is she?”
Giacomo blushed as he answered. “Lieutenant Bricks, from engineering.”
McReidy racked her brain. From her own socialising with the girls, she had heard favourable things said about Giacomo. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember who had said what.
“I have heard some of the girls say you’re cute,” she told him.
“Cute?” He flinched visibly. “Is that good?”
“When you put it with strong, intelligent, loyal.” McReidy smiled as he blushed bright red. “I think that’s pretty good.”
She uncrossed her legs placing both feet flat on the floor. Leaning forward, she took his hands in hers. He was tense and for a moment she thought he was going to pull away.
“Look, Giacomo, why don’t you just ask her out. Coffee, or something.”
“What if she says no?” The confident pilot had become filled with self doubt.
“Then she’s crazy. And there’s a few others who’d jump at the chance.”
He looked questioningly into her eyes.
“You’re a terrific guy. To quote the commander –”
“Go for it,” he answered before she could.
“Yeah…”
Oh, agreeing with John, McReidy winced trying not to let Giacomo see the paradox. It went against the very grain.
“I’m not getting involved, but if you need someone to talk to, you know where I am.”
“Thanks.” Giacomo stood up to leave. The doubt on his face had transformed into a confident grin.
“You don’t have to go. I was just about to –”
“No, I think I need to see a certain young lady.”
* * *
It was impossible to wipe the grin off Giacomo’s face on the bridge next morning. He was desperate to tell someone. His work allowed little time for talk and there were too many eavesdroppers around for his liking. He resorted to sending messages to McReidy’s console. He was discreet enough not to give details – an admirable trait. No woman wished to become gossip.
Coffee had turned into dinner and finished with an endlessly long walk back to the lady’s quarters that had taken at least an hour longer than necessary. They had a few things in common. Enough to start to build on.
Gillespie’s security sensors put them all back on full alert. “Sir, I’m picking up something.”
“Put it on main screen.”
“We’re out of visual range.”
“Giacomo, move us into range.” John spoke thoughtfully, almost to himself. In the confines of the bridge, everyone heard him clearly. “Large enough for sensors, but out of visual range. It’s got to be something big. Speculation, Mister Gillespie.”
“By the amount of radiation output, I’d say a ship… or ships… Definitely more than one.”
“Giacomo.”
“Visual range in less than a minute,” Giacomo answered.
They were all riveted to the screen as a dozen ships slowly began to materialize, surrounded by several smaller ones.
“Hold your position, Giacomo,” John instructed. “Identify.”
“Unknown.” Gillespie’s answer took a while to come.
“Have they detected us?”
“Highly unlikely. We located them as a large object. I doubt they’d even be looking for something as small as us.”
“Move in slowly, Giacomo. Let’s take a look.”
Bismarck moved closer. In all, about thirty ships were detected. Some were slightly damaged, although nothing that would have caused retreat for immediate repairs. It was a large convoy moving safely through their own territory. For what aim, was anybody’s guess.
John focused in on one of the larger ships, intending to discover as much as possible. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I have.” McReidy’s voice was full of fear. “Back off, Giacomo.”
Giacomo obeyed, but the authority in John’s voice overrode McReidy’s.
“Stay put.”
McReidy spun around to face John. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know. The image had been imprinted in her mind, even if she had been unable to remember it.
“I know,” John told her comfortingly. He glanced at Gillespie. He had also recognised the ship, although his reaction hadn’t been so obvious. “We don’t need to alert them with any sudden movements. Turn off scanners. We’ll just observe.”
It didn’t take long for the convoy to move out of range. Not knowing the enemy’s capabilities, John was happy to give them much longer than necessary. He watched his crew carefully. They were showing no signs of anxiety. Surprising, considering McReidy’s reaction. They had faith in him and his abilities.
* * *
Several hours later, Tan began to pick up a faint distress signal. He slipped the earphone in and tried to pinpoint its location. John saw his movements and let him go. The man would notify him if there was a problem.
Tan stilled as the connection cleared and turned his seat to John.
John took in the note of sobriety. “Put it through, Mister Tan.”
“Yes, sir.” Tan put the transmission through the bridge. It was audio only: intership communications from the Earth battle fleet.
They had encountered the enemy and the battle was going badly. Canberra was all but dead, having lost most of her power and being protected by the others. Independence was hit badly, suffering heavy losses to her crew. Kirov and Yorktown were still fully functional, their fighters trying to take the attack away from the casualties. There was no word of the other two ships – John knew that six had originally been sent.
“How far away are we?” he asked.
“About half an hour at full speed,” Giacomo informed him.
“Go!” John instructed. “Give me a visual as soon as we’re in range.”
“You’re not going to fight, are you?” Gillespie asked cautiously.
“Not if I can avoid it,” John answered. “But I’m not going to leave them stranded.”
*
The visual image only served to intensify the audio version. The fleet was holding their own, but only just. The Andromedans were being hit hard; their ships seemed better able to withstand the punishment. With Canberra out of action, they were concentrating on the crippled Independence. Her captain was calling for support. Shields were failing; they needed time to restructure.
John put the ship on red alert. “Attention, all crew. We have an enemy fleet ahead of us. This is not a simulation. Repeat, this is not a simulation.”
The siren blared through the intercom as departments answered and he muted it after a minute. Red was ordering his engineers around, Wright and Rodgers were on their way to weapons and sick bay was unusually quiet after the briefest of acknowledgements.
The bridge remained calm. Giacomo was sucking in huge breaths: all were acutely aware he’d f
ailed every simulation. McReidy put a hand on his momentarily and he nodded slowly.
John’s eyes never left the main screen as it lit up with phaser tracers pulsing and arcing across the view. Fighters exploded like fireworks. Shields rippled under the massive firepower, sections buckling as they weakened. Impacts flashed across hulls sending fiery shards of shrapnel ripping across space.
“Mister Tan, do you know the communications officer on Independence?” John asked.
“No, sir.”
“I do,” Gillespie answered.
“Run an open channel. Audio only.”
“But, sir, an open channel –” began Tan.
Gillespie obeyed immediately and a bewildered Tan found himself without a console. An open channel meant that anyone in the area could pick up the transmission. John knew that. In fact, he counted on it.
“Wait a minute.” John slid to the edge of his seat. “Can you bounce it off that asteroid field?” He pointed to the top left hand corner of the screen.
Gillespie glanced at the screen, then back to the console. “I think so.”
“Do it. Giacomo, hide us somewhere.”
There was a pause while Gillespie established the link.
“Independence, this is the Pemberton,” John announced.
On the Independence, John’s message came through clearly. The communications officer immediately alerted the captain.
“This is Independence, Captain –?”
“Independence, this is the Pemberton,” John repeated before the captain could finish. “We picked up your message. Have permission to inform you that a fleet of six ships sent to relieve you will arrive shortly. We’ll be deploying fighters as soon as we clear this asteroid field.”
Paul Stirling looked up from his position at weapons. He was apprehensive as he waited for his captain to answer. “Sir, I don’t know –” he began before the captain lifted a hand to silence him.
Independence shook and lurched heavily, forcing the crew to hang on to whatever they could to stop from being thrown about. Stirling fired back immediately. With targeting computers all but gone, it was almost pure luck that enabled him to hit something.
The captain’s mind was working overtime. He didn’t know of any ships sent to relieve them. He also didn’t know of one called Pemberton. But he wasn’t going to announce the fact as Stirling had been about to. Instead, he turned to the communications officer. “Wilson, where’s that signal coming from?”
“It’s coming from the asteroid field, sir… but…” Wilson seemed slightly puzzled. “Not necessarily from inside it.” He shook his head slowly.
“Six ships, you say,” the captain called back to John.
“Yes, sir.” John could have kicked himself for acknowledging the captain’s superior rank. “Pemberton, Carmichael, Jordan, Simpson, Mikhailovich and Tikkerterane,” he rattled off without thinking. He turned and whispered to Gillespie. “Can we radiate an energy field from the asteroid field?”
“Not likely.”
There was silence while John tried to think, until McReidy suddenly came up with an answer. “We can if we explode a torpedo just inside it. With all that weaponfire going on, it shouldn’t be detected.”
“Do it,” John instructed.
The captain of the Independence could barely contain his laughter. Stirling was totally confused. “I don’t know who they are, but they’re on our side,” the captain grinned at him.
“Captain, I’m picking up an energy transmission from the asteroid field.” Wilson was still hesitant. “The Andromedans are breaking off the attack… I don’t believe it… They’re retreating!”
Within minutes, the Andromedans had disappeared. The only evidence of their existence was the destruction they left behind.
“Damage report,” the captain called over the intercom, content to wait for the responses as he relaxed back in his chair.
It was all too much for Stirling. He had to ask. “I don’t understand, Captain. Where are the other ships? They should have cleared the field by now.”
“There are no other ships. Think about it,” he continued before Stirling could question him again. “Anyone can know the ships. Not everyone knows their captains. That’s why you’re only a first officer.”
Stirling frowned.
“Damage report.”
“Yes, sir.” Stirling had too many things on his mind to think of anything clearly. He shook his head and ran a scan of the hull.
“Get me a secure line,” the captain ordered Wilson. “Let’s find out who our friends are.”
John was relieved when the Andromedans broke off the attack. He had counted on them picking up his transmission to Independence. The timely appearance of McReidy’s energy field had given the illusion of approaching ships, the precise location of which was undetectable among the asteroids.
“They’re safe for now,” John sighed. “Giacomo, turn us around –”
“Sir, we’re being called by Independence,” Gillespie interrupted. “It’s on a secure channel.”
“Put it through,” John decided. For a moment, he had been tempted to leave it unanswered.
“This is Captain Pemberton of the Independence. Please identify.”
The words came through as the image came on screen.
“Commander Madison, Bismarck,” John answered.
Pemberton couldn’t hide the shock on his face. It was obvious he had expected another battleship captain, not the commander of a transport. He quickly pulled himself together. “That was one hell of a bluff you pulled out there. For a scout.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“What made you think it would work?”
“I figured you had nothing to lose.”
Pemberton nodded as John’s honesty struck home.
“How’s Canberra?” John asked.
“She’s in a bad way. She took the initial onslaught. If you hadn’t turned up, we’d probably be in the same state by now. I hope I can return the favour.”
“I hope you never have to.”
Pemberton ended the transmission.
John raised his hand to his brow and began to rub it slowly, as though trying to remember what he had been about to do. Giacomo looked up at him, waiting silently for the order he knew was to come. John caught his gaze.
“Turn us around. Plot an intercept course for that convoy we passed. Full speed. It’s about time someone evened up the odds.”
McReidy caught his eyes as he gave the order. He didn’t try to hide the dark anger burning within them. An anger that came from his heart.
John was calm. Having made his decision, he would accept the outcome. He wasn’t about to do anything he would consider reckless, even if others might think that way. He thought of Canberra, Magellan… and Ark Royal. His heart hardened.
“Mister Tan.”
“Sir?” Tan answered a little hesitantly. He slowly turned to John, expecting a verbal onslaught.
“Are you going to query my orders again?” John’s voice was calm. He was in complete control, and needed the crew to know it.
“N-no, sir.”
“Good,” John nodded. “Take your position. Gillespie, get back to yours. McReidy…”
When he didn’t continue, she turned her head. He waved her over. She gave her console a second glance and rose from her seat.
He grabbed her elbow as she moved near, pulling her down to his level. The faint scent of rose blossom filled his nostrils. “You still doubt me?” he whispered.
“No.”
“Then you doubt yourself. Don’t. You’re the closest to Giacomo,” he nodded towards the pilot. “He needs your confidence. I don’t want to have to take the helm from him.”
John released McReidy’s arm. She straightened up, returned to her position and glanced at Giacomo. He was focused.
Back to top
Chapter twelve
The convoy was on the main screen. It appeared as before. Gillespie scanned the area. There was nothin
g else around. Just Bismarck, the convoy and open space.
John flicked the intercom. “Attention, all crew. We’re about to encounter the enemy. Weapons, keep everything loaded for the bridge and hit something if you can. On my call. Engineering, keep the line open.”
He didn’t wait for acknowledgements.
“McReidy, pick a target,” John told her.
“Umm…” McReidy studied the screen. They were still out of range, and would be for quite a while. This was no simulation, and she was extremely cautious. “I’d take out the two fighters flying solo.”
“Good choice, but you’re thinking too small. They’re protecting the cruiser. It’s already damaged. We’re going to go in and knock out those fighters, then punch a big hole in the side of that cruiser.”
A whisper of apprehension filtered through the intercom. John didn’t know if it was engineering or weapons, but figured on both.
“Giacomo, move into their exhaust trail. We don’t want them picking us up too early. We’re going to need heat shields up as well. Engineering, I’m going to need all the power you can give me.”
“You’ve got it, sir,” Red answered.
“Whenever you’re ready, Giacomo, go for it.”
Giacomo asked the ship to kick up a gear and she responded. She moved into the exhaust trail. Forward shields were pelted with ionic residue. They warmed immediately, and the image on the main screen blurred. Temperatures quickly soared and the image began to pixelate as the ship hurtled towards the convoy.
“Hull temperature –” began Crocker.
“I don’t want to know about it unless it reaches critical,” John brushed off the engineer’s warning. He waited until the last possible moment. “Pull out now. Target fighters and fire when ready!”
McReidy fired phasers, destroying both fighters. Giacomo flew through the scattering debris. The cruiser loomed up in front of them, an ugly burn scarred towards her port engine. A direct hit took out the whole section. Giacomo veered away sharply.
When the Dust Settled Page 19
