“They are beauties aren't they?” Eddie grinned.
“Yeah, they're one hell of a ship,” Rick admitted.
“When Resilient goes in I want to give her a double hull and that reactive armor. She's gonna be one hell of a sight!” Eddie's manipulators moved in excitement.
“You flatterer,” Resilient said through overhead speakers.
***
Commander Boot watched as the satellites and pods drifted away from his fleet. The forces in Parnmal and AIH had all jumped into the system. They could've met up with Boot and Salchar's fleet before they left for Foshunti's battle ground. Though this way at least this fleet was integrated with one another somewhat, making it two groups of a fleet, not three. The ships were a few million kilometers away and communications were still bad, but it would be quickly fixed. His capacitors were recharging from their heavy use and getting the once over from their engineering crews. It was one of the few planned stops, insofar as that they had to get to another point along the outside of a star system to get a jump point that lined up with their next system.
He looked to the status of his ships, including the reports from the new ones. Floater and its sister Fruit Cup were doing well. Fruit Cup was nearly completed, Floater was behind, but the pace had picked up after so much time spent getting used to the ship. Her PDS systems and missiles were all online, but her cannons and shuttle bay were taking more time. The chief engineer had left practically all of it to the Commandos. Nearly all of them had training in the yards.
Looks like that cross training came in, handy, Boot thought as he surveyed his new freighter-carrier conversion.
***
“‘Sign up for the Commandos, shoot assholes in space,’ I thought it would be a great time!” Connolly bitched as George grinned beside him, a few other Commandos adding their agreement.
“Feeling a bit more like an Engineer than a Commando right now?” George said as the grousing died down.
“A little,” Connolly said as he checked his cuts on the armor for the shuttle bay. They had to be done in one go, otherwise they wouldn't line up. Also, temperatures came into the calculations, because he was using a laser cutter and he was in vacuum . Stay in one place too long and the armor shutter could warp.
“Don't worry. We'll see some action sooner rather than later,” George grinned, tapping Connolly on the back.
“Don't you try to sound like some kind of sage, young ‘un,” Connolly said.
As George grinned, he flicked his arm, the prosthetic changed to a welder. He tacked the bracket for a view screen in place, another flick giving him his hand back.
“I would never try that, just helping out the senior citizens,” George said.
Connolly couldn't help but give the man a grin. George might only legally be fifteen years old, but he was a veteran Commando and Connolly would do whatever he ordered him to. It was still strange to some people, but the entire Free Fleet was strange. He finished his cut on the doors, wiping sweat from his face.
“Alright, it's all yours,” Connolly said to the crews that were waiting to install the girders, supports, and runners that would open and close the shutters.
He used his drones to get hold of his shutter sheet, moving it further into the shuttle-bay, bringing it down in a clear area. Drones scanned it, sorting out the finicky little details that would make sure that the shutters opened and closed smoothly, instead of jamming.
Connolly sighed, rubbing his temples.
“Finished, I'm guessing?” George asked.
“Oh yeah, I think I forgot to blink,” Connolly said, his eyes hurting as he held his eyelids closed, hoping to wet them.
“Good. Now could you give me a hand with this viewscreen?” George said, holding it in place and indicating the bolts with his chin.
“Slave driver,” Connolly grumbled as George smiled.
“I'll grab you a beer after this,” he said as Connolly bolted the viewscreen to its bracket.
“At least they got one thing right, stocking the damn bar,” Connolly grinned.
Having a beer while underway was a rarity. Especially when they were expecting to come under contact. Salchar had put his foot down. If his people wanted booze, he would give them it. Only stills that were in the right area and met certain standards (mostly being that they didn't taste like battery acid) were still allowed to operate. Being obscenely drunk was looked down upon, but otherwise, one was free to drink as they desired. A quick detox would remove any chemical pollutants from their systems making them ready for duty in a few moments.
“I still don't understand why people drink spirits,” George said.
“Cause it gets you drunk faster. Plus, mixed it tastes pretty good,” Connolly said.
“I'll have to try one of those mixed drinks,”
“Come on— a fruity drink?” Connolly said.
“Well, if it tastes better than beer piss, then yeah,” George said. The young man had a point.
“But men drink beer and have shots,” Connolly said.
“Well that's stupid. I want to drink something I like, rather than something disgusting,” George said as Connolly finished the bolts.
“But beer is so relaxing,”
“How?”
“Well... It's cold, doesn't get you hammered, and..,”
“Can taste like crap. American beer is like water. At least the Europeans have over five percent,” George said, collecting his tools, Connolly helping him.
“Alright, we'll get mixed drinks,” Connolly growled.
“We'll get them, eh? I thought it was just me?”
“Well I can't very well let my pal be the only one that drinks sangria and margaritas.”
“See? They even have better names!” George said as Connolly sighed.
Chapter - Linking Up
Yasu watched from her post in the armory as they emerged from the event horizon. Information started coming in after a few minutes as satellites dispersed through the system relaying them bulletins back from Rick's Fleet. It was a few more minutes until Commander Boot told his people to stand down.
Yasu looked over her data pad. Her people had done a great job. They had brought Floater up to full battle readiness. There was some minor work left, but the Engineers had a handle on it. She had her people going through training rotations. Nothing too hard, just something to get them into a combat mindset and out of the building one. It would be a day and a half before her fleet matched with Rick's. Rick was clearly in charge from all the messages she'd gotten from him and the others. It was apparent that she had some business to attend to with her husband.
She was a mix of fear for how he had changed, but maintained a sense of excitement to see him. It was going to be very different from how she had first seen him when he had dropped into the same squad pod as her. She’d felt anger and disgust. She looked at her old self and wondered why no one had given her a good smack and told her to get off of her high horse. Maybe that was what her father was trying to do with MAT, show her that she was not as great as she thought herself to be.
She knew her father loved her more than anything in the world. That was evident by the measures he had taken to create real suits and try to fight the Syndicate. She wished she could just hug him and thank him for all he had given her. Instead there was nothing but a plaque that listed all of the names of those that had tried to fight back, as well as the names of those that had died from the resulting kinetic bombardment. Some people hated her father, but she didn't care.
George tapped on the armory door.
“What's up?” she asked. She was happy to have George on her ship, he had grown into a fine platoon commander.
“Ship meeting. Commander Boot has some updates,” he said and she nodded.
“Right, I was gathering dust,” she followed him out into the completed shuttle bay. Commandos that had been on the shuttles just in case filed away.
The bay was largely done. As she walked through the ship she came across m
ore and more items that had been finished in her time on Floater. The Free Fleet was growing quickly. With enough time they could bring the fight to Lady Fairgate. Yet it was obvious that she didn't want to cater to the Free Fleet's schedule, she’d sent fleet after fleet against them in an attempt to crush them before they grew too dangerous. Yasu sighed, as she and George continued their walk she cleared her head. Looking at the data pad still in her hand, she checked over the new updates, her mecha clunking rhythmically as she moved.
Need to win this battle first, she thought.
***
Rick watched as the Fleet's matched speeds, Commander Boot’s forces sliding into position amongst his own ships. There was an extra symbol leaving the Battle Carrier Floater. Rick clicked on it. It was a shuttle heading for Resilient, but there was no reason marked for its mission.
“Vort, find out what that shuttle is doing?” Rick said, and Vort began talking into his earpiece.
“It has Commander Yasu on it. She wants to see James.”
This is going to be interesting, Rick thought, wondering how James was going to turn away yet another person that wanted him to step up to his position.
“Thank you, Vort,” Rick said as he watched the shuttle get closer. He sent a message to Yasu's inbox, detailing where James was. She sent him a thank you back as her shuttle docked and he was sure she quickly went to the med-bay.
Rick looked at his timer, there was three hours before they began powering up their wormhole generators. He hoped there would be a last minute miracle.
***
This was just like James, to start pitying himself right before a battle, Yasu thought angrily. Yet there was also a sadness to her thoughts. It was easier to be annoyed with him than to actually understand the pain that he was going through. When she had found out what had happened to him, she wanted to rip the head off of anyone that talked to her.
She stormed through the halls, marching right into his room. And then a smile spread across her face as thoughts of lecturing left her and she ran to him. The kissed and held one another. She was so happy to see his idiot self that she laughed as they just held one another for a time.
“I missed you,” she said into his battle suit.
“I missed you too, babe,”
“That's a new one,” she said, pulling away and grinning at him as he grinned back.
“Thought you might like it.”
“Ahh, it'll work,” she shrugged, unable to stop smiling as they hugged.
“So, what is this not leading the Free Fleet crap?” she asked as she finally pulled away.
“I haven't done anything that's going to keep these people alive, or safe. I've just made them think that they are,” James looked to her.
“Go on,” she said, felling he wasn’t completely done..
“I don't have what it takes to command. I never did,” he said, looking to her, and Yasu laughed.
“God, that sounds like me when we were just in the squad pod,” she said, grinning. “You didn't let me say that then. Why are you saying it now?”
“I realize how futile this all is,” James said bleakly.
“It's not futile, it's necessary. Our people—all of them—need us, need the Free Fleet, need you and your get 'em attitude,” she said, gripping his hand, but Salchar ducked his head.
“I'm done with it, done with all of it,” he said into their hands.
“Okay, that's fine,” she said, a smile on her face as she pulled him away from the bed.
“Where are we going?” He asked her, following hesitantly.
“You're going to say to the entire fleet, the civilizations and the kids that we look after that you're giving up on them,” she told him, a sad smile on her face.
She hated how she was having to twist his arm to make him see what he was doing, but she had to. It was the only way to get him to realize in the shortest time what kind of mistake he was making. She knew he would feel nothing but guilt about this, so presenting him with that guilt straight away just might be the thing that could stop him.
***
“Wa.. wait? What?” I asked, shock running through me as I stopped myself from moving.
“You want to quit the Free Fleet, fine, do it now, rather than later. Gives them more time to get over your betrayal right before the biggest battle they've ever had,” Yasu said, looking straight into my eyes, she wasn't pulling any punches.
“Come.” She yanked me, making me stumble as she got to the door and yanked it open.
I looked outside and caught sight of the men and women that had been injured the worst, while getting my ass back on Resilient. I saw shock and smiles. All of them were happy that I was okay. I smiled back and grinned. I was happy to see them feeling good and healing.
“Everyone, Salchar has an announcement to make,” Yasu said as I glanced at her. A mix of shock, dread, and guilt running through me as I looked at the expectant faces.
Could I do it, just quit the Free Fleet? That's what I wanted after all, right? I wanted to leave these people to fend for themselves. I knew that the universe was going to piss on them. Why should I let the universe piss on me too? I thought, but there was a small voice inside my head as well, which reminded me of a promise.
I promised to look after everyone in the Free Fleet and any that wanted our protection, because screw everyone else, screw it if it's tough, or I'm having a hard time. These people had been there when I was down. I'll be there to help them up and give them a chance. While this universe might piss on me, I will not let it break me. If I give up then I'm letting them win. What's dying, when I'm fighting for the right reasons? I would be honoured to die with these men and women, to die for them. If I'm willing to die for them, shouldn't I be willing to live for them? To suck it up and be their Commander?
I felt myself straighten, gripping Yasu's hand. She smiled. She didn't care what I said. She just wanted me to come to some kind of decision. I was a lucky man. We had come so far together, it was strange, when I remembered how far apart we had been when we were Recruits.
“Get better soon. We're going to need you against Foshunti,” I said, giving them my best smile. While inside I might be rolling in confusion and not really believing my words, outside I looked like the confident Salchar that these people knew and loved.
I pulled Yasu with me, catching the looks that Krom and Shreesht shared. There was a moment of sadness as I knew Dave and Janice weren't with them. I had seen the funeral procession, and I knew Krom had gone. They had been good friends. They didn't deserve the fate that they'd received.
“Good,” Yasu said beside me as we got on a transport. I pressed the button for the bridge.
“Best to take a shower first,” Yasu said, I nodded.
“Are you up to date on the situation?” she asked, pulling her data pad out.
“Yeah. Bok Soo made sure,” I said, rubbing my cheek.
She quirked an eyebrow but didn't ask anything else as we got to my floor. We went to my room and I peeled off my battle suit and got into the shower.
“You should see Hachiro. It's become a true station, and the kids are amazing!”
“Kids?”
“The kids of the recruits,”
“Oh? How are they settling in?”
“Well, getting used to them taking only two years to reach adulthood is strange. They're helping us understand it. It looks like it's going to be the way of the future. Kids on Earth’s have an accelerated growing cycle too, it seems,”
“That has to be strange,” I said, running a shower. I got in, letting the warm water wash away my fatigue.
“I'm happy you decided to stay with the Free Fleet,” Yasu said.
“I still think that we're going to get smashed around. But I realized something that I'd seen in an anime. The main character’s brother tells him Don't believe in yourself. Believe in me! Believe in those who believe in you!,”
“Sounds complicated.”
“I hadn't got it until now. I jus
t thought it was something that the artist made up to say something. It means that when I don't believe in myself I shouldn't listen to myself. I should listen to the others that do believe in me.”
I heard the shower door open and Yasu stood there, wearing nothing but a smile on her face.
“Room for one more?” she said.
I grabbed her, pulling her in, and she laughed as the water went everywhere. Our lips touched and my worries melted away.
***
I looked at the ceiling. I kissed her, our bodies pulling together as we held one another briefly before we stood, dressing. My previous discontent was replaced by the knowledge that while I could fail, at least it would be in doing what I wanted to be doing.
“I’d best be going,” Yasu said and I nodded. She had her own group of Commandos to see to. I had the Fleet to look after. “After all of this I want to have kids,”
“What?” I said, almost falling over as I put my battle suit on.
“You'd be a great dad. Plus you can't tell me you wouldn't enjoy it,” she said coyly, pulling her battle suit on in a way that made me want to pull it off again.
“Well, would you want to raise a kid in this mess?” I asked.
“It would only be two years before they're pretty much a grown adult,” she said as I ran my finger up my battle suit seam, sealing it.
“Yeah, but having a kid out in this?”
“Kids,” she corrected me, grinning at my expression.
“How would we raise them? How could we see them? We can't have them in the Fleet,” I said, issues filling my head.
“We could raise them on Hachiro with the other kids. You make the time when you can.” She kissed me.
“Bu..,”
“It's been decided. Now you win us this battle. We'll talk about it later,” she said, kissing me.
I watched her walk to the door, a grin on my face as her hair swished across her lower back, as I um, admired the view. She looked back at me, a smile on her face.
“See? I knew you'd like trying,” she said.
I snorted following her out as she took my hand. It was the first time she’d held my hand as we walked. It felt nice to know that no matter what she would be there for me and we kissed as she got on her shuttle.
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