It was a simple belief and something that had grown as the Free Fleet had.
“Do you think they'll be ready by the time the rest of the fleet gets here?” I asked, my tone gentle.
Bok Soo looked at his hands that rested on the table, nodding slowly.
“They'll be ready,” he said. “I want to get training programs going back to normal, so people can take their minds off of it if they want to,”
“I'll okay it if you organize it.”
“Done,” he said in a gruff voice, absently stroking his now coming in goatee and chinstrap. Facial hair was coming back in a big way with the Commandos it seemed.
I leaned forward, looking at my hands as everyone looked to me. I usually sat back in my chair as if I had some master plan. When I first fell into the Commander gig I found it was best to look as if I knew what I was doing. Now I found it even better, as people voiced their ideas and talked more freely without my interfering.
“Since we were all recruited we have done nothing but react,” I said looking to all of them, their attention wholly on me. “We have been attacked again and again, forced to run from one battle to another as the Syndicate has made us dance to their tune. It is time we put an end to it.
“I will be issuing Bregend with orders to gather a fleet of five fast moving ships at his own discretion,” I continued, “And to cut off the syndicate from their middling worlds and return the resources to us once he has Rebirth secured at Nancy. He will also be protecting the 'Q' freighter Losal. I want you all to assist him as best as you can. While he's doing that Cheerleader and I will be taking our respective fleets and clearing this sector. The time of reacting to the Syndicate pulling our chain is over, it's time to put a gap between us and them, fortify it and do what this fleet was made for and keep the planets under the syndicate's control free. I know that we have taken to many losses far too recent, but we will make our brothers and sisters proud. We will show these bastards what the Free Fleet can do!”
My voice was cold with fury as I looked at the nods and agreeing looks from around the room.
“Mourn, cry and recognize those lost for now. But when I call, I want you and your people to be ready to take up the mantle of the Free Fleet and shove it in the damned galaxies face!” I said as I sat back. “Now let's put this fleet back together,” I said after a few moments, standing and walking out of the room, my protection detail trailing me as I found Monk's office and locked myself inside.
I took a seat as I pulled up a simple memo page and began writing to Henry's family as well as the families of other people I'd known. I don't know when happy tears started streaming down my face but I couldn't stop writing and I finished the messages. I was honored to know them, I thought, wishing I was back on Earth and none of this had ever happened. I wished I wasn't a commander anymore. I wished the unyielding weight was lifted from my shoulders, but I knew it never would and I would always be this Fleet's Commander. I owed it to both the fallen and the alive to stay at my post as they did, some forever.
***
Rick walked through the halls of Parnmal. The station had changed so much since the last time he'd been in it. The corridors went on and on, but they followed an organized plan rather than being driven randomly through the asteroid. Where he had docked had scared him, as it had taken five minutes of fast walking to be clear of the corridors filled with death traps and turrets.
How did anyone survive that? He thought as he got onto a transport.
The atmosphere at Parnmal was a sobering one and he stopped the transport and got off, Marleen following him. They weren't at the commander center yet but he had to do something. He was walking silently through the halls, thinking of the people he knew that had possibly died in that hallway, when he came across a hologram of a Commando sitting on his knees with his helmet tilted forward as much as a mecha would allow. Rick's face spread into a sad smile as he pulled a small jar from his pocket.
“Remember this, buddy?” he said as he knelt by the hologram, people becoming silent as they walked around.
“This is that famous moonshine you brought back from your leave on Earth.” He looked at the small container as Marleen gripped his shoulder to remind him that she was there. Rick touched her hand, thankful for her presence as he opened the jar.
“One last drink eh?” he said, tapping the glass on the decking and pouring a little on it before taking a sip himself.
“Damn that's powerful,” Rick said with a sad grin as he stood. “I'll see you later brother.”
“I'm going to miss you, Henry,” Marleen said as she took the moonshine and had a drink. “Wasn't a better drinking partner in the entire fleet. This one's way too much of a lightweight,” She playfully pushed Rick, whose eyes flattened, a small smile on his face. “Keep that light burning. You sent plenty to the dark,” she said as Rick returned the lid to the moonshine.
“Thank you, Henry. For not just being the CAMC, but being a friend,” Rick said as he looked to Marleen, who was uncharacteristically wiping at what looked to be wet eyes. Rick clasped her hand lightly as she smiled at him.
“Now let’s go and exact a Free Fleet price,” Marleen said, her voice becoming dark as Rick nodded. They walked the rest of the way to the command centre, both of them needing some time to get focused again.
***
While Commander Boot hated what he had to do, he wouldn't every try to shirk it. Chaleel had FTL communications with Parnmal and AIH, but Earth still wasn't connected. So as the returning Commander of the system he was carrying the mail. Notices that families on Earth would not be seeing their loved ones again, as well as any letters the fallen crew members, or someone that knew them had written. Exiting the wormhole into Sol system was smooth. His crew worked like a well-oiled machine now.
“Juniver, send the message,” he said simply, nodding as his Comms Commander did so.
Boot didn't need to say anything as Nav already had a course for Nancy plotted in. He and his protection detail of five ships, his own Battle Cruiser, three Corvettes and a mostly functioning destroyer, guided in the newest additions to the fleet. Eighteen ships from Dreadnought's to Corvettes stayed in formation, their hangars filled with the cut down parts of syndicate ships that had been deemed beyond salvageable, or were in pieces already.
Boot had been upset with being sent back to patrol Earth and Chaleel. He was competitive. He believed he had proved himself in battle and was about to confront Salchar when the other man had found him. He remembered the lecture clearly.
“’Winning battles is a good thing, but just make sure it doesn't rule you. Beating the enemy isn't everything. Keeping your people alive is. Don't let wanting to win distance you from your crew. You're going to need them to really win anything. I want you to learn that before I put you on the battlefield. Prove to me you can. And I'll have you running a fleet one day.
“Learn your people, get involved with them, don't distance yourself because you feel you might lose your edge, and for gods sakes relax!”
Boot nodded to himself. It had been sage advice. He cleared his throat, feeling somewhat awkward.
“Good work, pass it on,” he said, more than one person studying him as if wondering if he was the same tight ass that had been their commander before the battle.
How could I be, when I saw so many people die doing what they were told. I bear that responsibility now, he thought as his fleet of the broken continued its slow journey to Nancy
Chapter - Reunited
I watched as the dark caskets linked together and headed for the sun. I had seen too many processions like this one. I tore my eyes from it and turned to what had to be done next.
Of the ships were being taken to Nancy most of them were only useful for parts. Two of the Dreadnoughts might be able to be refurbished, a destroyer too, but the rest of the Syndicate fleet was just hulls. When the Free Fleet was starting we would've had them on the front lines. Now with Nancy the standards had crept up and our manpower issues
were still an issue.
Felix and the engineers throughout the fleet worked to make systems which required less people operate, we still had more ships than people. Without an AI ships needed a huge amount of people. Resilient would need at least nine thousand people not including Commandos if she wasn't an AI. Now she had close to one and a half thousand and we were barely scraping by. That was how it was with every ship. AIH, Earth, the Chaleelian's and the people that had been recruited into the Free Fleet had stepped up, but with constant battles our numbers had climbed by inches.
There had been twenty five thousand personnel on Parnmal, newly finished trainees by the most part with veterans thrown in. There had been eleven thousand roughly left standing afterwards. That was including operators in the command center, gunners, and engineers. Now Rick and the newly created Free Fleet Personnel Placement or FFPP assigned these people to stay on Parnmal or to be shipped across the Free Fleet to fill open positions. Only three thousand of them would be staying with the near eighty thousand Syndicate prisoners.
The new prisoners had already been put to work. They'd helped out the previously captured workers with hollowing out asteroids. They didn't know that we were going to use them to expand Felix's little workshop, and the less they knew the better as far as Min Hae and I were concerned.
***
It was three days later when I walked into the small bar, the bartender pointing to the back with his head. I gave him a silent nod of thanks. I felt myself relax as I could hear Bok Soo.
“Dark Side was definitely the most dressed up team!” He said, debating another Mecha Assault Two trivia with Cheerleader. Monk always kept out of that kind of conversation.
Cheerleader was about to retort when she caught sight of me.
“Bout time you got here!” she said as the others grinned.
“Well, some of us have to make sure everything doesn't fall apart when they leave for five minutes.”
A sour expression passed over Cheerleader's face.
“You obviously haven't met my chief engineer. Her nickname's Scram, because on the first ship she was on she almost scrammed the fusion plant while we were in mid-wormhole,”
“How...?” I asked as I thought it over, knowing the amount of safeties on fusion plants.
“No one knows to this day,” she shrugged as I nodded.
“Well, good to know I'm not alone,”
Bok Soo raised his glass.
“And I'm not going to be alone in this one!” he said as we all grabbed a full glass to join him.
“Cheers!” he said, way too happy as we downed the concoction.
“I think my taste buds just committed suicide,” Cheerleader complained.
“Clears out the sinuses,” Monk said, his face working to dull the pain his throat felt.
I grinned, happy to be with my friends, pouring another round over their complaints.
“You want Bok Soo to try to spew fire again, don’t you?” Cheerleader accused me, glass in hand as she pointed at me, searching for evidence of my diabolical plan.
Bok Soo was about to say something when Monk cut him off.
“And set the damned apartment on fire.”
“Hey! It was only the carpet,” Bok Soo grumbled.
“Carpet that ran throughout the house!” I said as the others grinned.
I raised my glass.
“To good memories and family, and fire extinguishers!”
“Amen!” Cheerleader rang out as we clinked cups and threw the vile concoction back as fast as possible.
“It's not getting better,” I said as Monk poured and we all participated in trying to get rid of the taste with our facial movements.
Monk raised his glass, the rest of us grumbling as a smile crossed his lips. He became sombre and we readied ourselves for his toast.
“To those beyond the dark, may they rest in the light.” We tapped glasses, then the table before taking our drinks.
Each of us had our own thoughts before Cheerleader poured yet again.
“So, about that flame throwing idea..,” she said with a glimmer in her eye.
“Yessss?” I asked, drawing out the word to voice my concern with any flame spewing ideas.
“Well, the range is free..,”
“I also just happen to have a lighter,” Bok Soo said, pulling out a beaten one.
Monk grinned as he looked at me. I ate some salty snacks before grinning myself.
“Alright, but we're taking the snacks,” I said, alcohol maki me hungry.
“Fine! Bartender!”
***
Commander Dreckt couldn't believe what he was seeing. Cheerleader, the second in command of the largest force the Free Fleet had ever put together flipped, twirled and finally rolled before a stream of fire projected from her mouth.
Three others were laughing and applauding as Bok Soo spewed more alcohol than Dreckt thought a human was capable of holding, caught the lighter from Cheerleader and unleashed a wave of fire as he waved it back and forth before it died.
Salchar got the bottle and he promptly created a brief but incredibly long stream of fire.
Dreckt didn't hear Kreum come up beside him. The two of them had served together for as long as Dreckt could remember, but his brother in arms always crept up on him.
“They're worse than us,” Kreum laughed.
Dreckt tried to retain what little composure he had, but Kreum's eyes smiled at the attempt.
“We are not shooting fire from our faces,” Dreckt said.
“I watched this old movie called Godzilla. It shot fire from its mouth, and it looked like a Sarenmenti.”
“It also destroyed cities,”
“Well he wasn't understood very well,” Kreum said and Dreckt couldn’t help but sigh.
“No fire spewing,”
“Alright, alright, I'm just going to go get some sleep then,”
“Alright. See you in a bit,” Dreckt said as he turned back to watching some of the highest ranking commander’s antics.
Wait, he thought as he checked the time. What the hells he up to? It was hours before Kreum would've normally gone to sleep.
Drekt shrugged as he looked back to the commanders. But then he saw Kreum walking into the range a few minutes later. Monk did the introductions and Kreum was quickly invited to down some hefty glugs of the bottle. Kreum talked to them for a few minutes before he took a massive mouthful of the alcohol, lit the lighter and spat fireballs as the others laughed. Kreum said something that made them all laugh harder and Pat him on the back. Kreum looked back up to Dreckt then, who rolled his eyes and shook his head at his brother's antics.
***
Felix and Min Hae were having a much less recreational night. Min Hae was looking over what was soon to be his baby, once Felix released it from his hangar.
I took a transport close to one of Felix's entrances, going through a few scans and a check over by Commandos as I took another transport through the main hangar. There was a medium sized freighter resting in it, but there was no one working. Everyone had paid their respects at the send off, but Felix waved over to me as I arrived. He had lost a lot of people and had turned to work in order to forget all the deaths.
“So, how's this little project coming along?” I asked Min Hae as he looked at the ship.
“No bad. I should have it ready by the time Bregend is able to get his new Battle Cruiser around these parts.”
“Sounds good,” I said looking over Felix, I hadn't seen him much in recent time as he'd stayed in Parnmal while I went around putting out every damned fire possible. It had been a big change from when we were hiding our little revolution in an armory, working on simple data pads and I'd asked him for kill switch disables.
I looked to the ship.
“We've changed quite a bit, haven't we?” I said.
“That we have,” Felix looked to me, feeling as if there was more to that statement, his face grim.
“So how about a tour? I've only seen thi
s thing on paper,” And I meant actual paper. Min Hae was obsessed with information control, so nothing of the ship existed on any electronic system. Made sense to a certain degree, if we were making what he called a 'Q' ship. Hell if I knew what that meant.
“Certainly commander,” Felix said imperially as he bowed, sweeping his arm in exaggeration as I followed. Still the jokester I see.
“So, on the outside, it's still the same plating,” he said tapping the hull as he walked me over to a station. Underneath, however, it has Destroyer class armor.”
The station was running scans on the freighter. But all it showed was the freighter plating.
“How?” I asked and he grinned, his eyes lighting up.
“Avarians,” he said simply as I crooked an eyebrow.
“So as you know Avarians in their natural skin are damned near impossible to get on sensors, especially if they're trying to be sneaky bastards. I basically looked at their skin and mimicked it with organic and inorganic systems,”
“You made Avarian skin?” I asked as he grinned.
“Pretty much, and covered all of the ship in it.”
I grimaced, being inside a skin ship would be kind of weird.
“The skin hides the armor from external scans, plus when it’s injured it will fix itself at a rapid rate. We integrated hellfire and nutritional supplements into it. It'll take two years before it needs to be replaced,”
“One of the oddest things I've ever heard,” I said.
“Don't worry. There's plenty of races that have used organic ships, computers and the like. This is minimal compared to those,” he said as he walked into the nearest airlock with me close behind.
The ship looked like a pretty normal freighter from what I'd seen of them. Well used and scuffed surfaces everywhere with enough maintenance done to keep the ship running. The bridge however was laid out like a Corvette's, with the stations that would be on a warship.
Free Fleet Box Set 2 Page 9
