“Ok, everyone back to pod collecting,” he announced both to his shuttle’s crew and also across the comm. link to the Goliad.
Another hour found them still chasing a few escape pods that had gone off in wild directions. In the end, they had saved thirty-two Karduan women and six males.
Collins had just returned to the ship and was finishing with the processing of the prisoners when he got an urgent call from the bridge.
“Sir, you better get up here,” Ensign Pitt said sounding a little excited.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“The 34th has just jumped into the system,” he informed.
“I’ll be right there,” Mike answered as he hurried to the lift that would take him to the bridge level.
Jeremy was sitting in his captain’s seat when he arrived and the face of Commodore Essex was staring down at him from the main view screen.
“Yes sir, I know who you are and I’ve sent for the captain but he was just securing the prisoners and is a few decks below us. I assure you he is on his way,” Ensign Pitt said holding his own with the pompous flag officer.
“No worries, I’m right here,” Mike said putting his hand on Jeremy’s shoulder in reassurance. The young ensign quickly got out of his chair and turned away from the viewer and gave him a look of warning.
“Take your station, Mister Pitt,” he said sitting down in his seat.
Before he could say anything else the Commodore jumped right in.
“Do you know that your helmsman should be locked up on the Captivity on charges of disrespect to a superior officer?”
“Yes sir, almost all of my crew were once prisoners on the Captivity and I believe that all of them including myself have faced a Captain’s Mast,” Mike said as a matter of fact.
“What? How did you get them all released to your ship?” Essex demanded his face turning red and a vein starting to throb on the side of his neck
“Well sir, first you get at least a one-star admiral to give you a stay of sentence and release them. For the record that was Admiral Dupain. Then you give them a chance to shine and redeem themselves which they have done in the last two battles this ship has fought. Then you get a two-star admiral to …,” he said.
“I don’t care about that!” Granny Essex declared interrupting him.
“Yes sir, just trying to answer your questions about my crew,” he replied.
The Commodore leaned back in his chair and looked to his side almost as if he was looking for a place to spit. Mike could see the Pallas’ bridge crew at their stations and Commander Hemmings standing nearby but Captain LaFevers was no-where to be seen.
This made him wonder if the Battle Carrier’s captain was sleeping off a hangover. There were quiet rumors even back when Mike had been on the Pallas that the senior officer liked his afternoon cocktail or rather cocktails.
“Report!” Commodore Essex finally said looking back to the viewer.
“I have no casualties; my wounded have all been treated and four enemy ships have been defeated. We have thirty-eight prisoners from the KD102 who managed to escape before their ship crashed to the planet’s surface. The Vanguard sloop failed to surrender to me and I was forced to destroy it to prevent it from escaping. The two remaining Karduan ships each have extensive impulse engine damage and have both given me their formal surrenders. The KD54 and the destroyer escort still have Blues on board and they need to be boarded and secured. My ship has bender drive damage, multiple damage to its hull and I have also lost my main particle turret. In addition, I need parts for my repairs and a full reload of missiles and torpedoes. My chief engineer says that with the needed parts we can be operational and able to bend in eight hours,” Mike said in a long none stopping breath.
“Eight hours! I don’t want to be stuck here for eight hours,” Essex replied in anger. “You should abandon your ship and have your crew transfer to the Pallas.”
“Sir, all we need is a few parts and we can make our own repairs,” Mike countered, “We are now behind our own lines and we can catch up to you at Austro Prime.”
“It sounds like a waste of time and resources for just an old battered frigate,” he said.
“I’m sure Admiral Hope will want every ship he can get his hands on for his offensive, even an old frigate like the Goliad which just defeated four enemy ships in battle.”
Essex glared at him for a moment and again looked like he was getting ready to spit as his lip pressed together.
“Fine, stay behind and catch up if you can but the fleet will be leaving within the hour,” he announced.
Mike stared at him saying nothing for moment but then broke his silence.
“Commodore, what about the crews on the two crippled Karduan ships?” he asked.
“What about them?”
“I already have thirty-eight prisoners on board my ship and there probably are at least sixty or more Karduans on those other ships. I don’t have room for all of them. Plus, we need to see what information these ships have left in their computer systems as well as interviewing and interrogating the prisoners for time-sensitive information.”
“That doesn’t matter, we need to leave as soon as soon as possible,” he countered not about to let some lowly upstart of an officer dictate his plans.
“So, what are you going to do with the Karduans still on those damaged ships, sir?” Collins inquired pressing the issue.
“Why Lieutenant, I’m either going to leave them behind or I’ll finish those ships off with them still in them if that is any business of yours,” he replied.
“Sir, both of those acts would be war crimes,” Mike advised.
“What did you say?” he said his face cringing as his eyes squinted at him across the viewer.
“If you maroon prisoners to die who have given their lawful surrender and are no longer combatants that is a war crime. If you fire on said prisoners who are now non-combatants that would be murder and a war crime. Both acts are punishable by death as stated by the UCMJ, the Confederation War Crimes Act as well as the Modern Geneva Convention of New Switzerland.”
“Lieutenant, if I hear another word from you I’ll relieve you of your command and have you placed under arrest,” Commodore Essex said not taking lightly anyone who would challenge his command authority and then added, “We are leaving immediately!”
“Sir, you have the right to relieve me as you see fit, but I will file charges against you and any officer that follows your orders to either maroon or fire on prisoners of war,” Mike said not backing down one inch. It may end his career or even find him in front of a court-martial board but he would not obey a clearly unlawful order.
Commander Hemmings had moved up and stood next to Essex’s chair. He now felt it was the right time to step into the conversation.
“Sir, may I have a word with you,” he suggested.
Granny Essex turned away from the viewer and looked to the carrier’s XO.
While they were distracted Mike signaled with his hand to his comm. operator to mute the screen.
“Audio is off, sir,” Ryan said having never seen a junior officer stand up to a flag officer before.
“Did you record that conversation?” Mike asked.
“Yes, sir,” the specialist replied.
“Good, send it out to all Confederation ships except the Pallas and then make sure the channel is left open to all of our ships so they can see and hear the end of this,” he ordered.
“Aye sir,” Ryan replied as he hurriedly got to work.
Mike had been watching the screen and saw that Commander Hemmings was still speaking with the Commodore. It looked heated but controlled at least from their body language. He guessed from the lack of sound that someone had also muted their audio on the carrier’s end.
Lt. Collins reached up and tapped his sub-dermal transponder that was located behind his right ear.
“Yes Mike,” Pallas said having immediately picked up his covert transmission signal.
&nbs
p; “Pal, am I legally in the right?” he asked as his crew looked on not knowing who he was talking to
“Yes, on both counts but a general court-martial board could always see it differently,” the supercomputer replied knowing that humans don’t always follow their own rules or laws.
“Can you file charges for me,” he asked.
“With my protocols now reset to their original settings I can easily file charges in your name,” Pal replied.
“Very well, please do so and inform the Commodore after you have placed them in your permanent record files,” Mike instructed knowing that even if he withdrew the charges at a later date there would still be a record of them.
“Done,” the computer said cutting off his signal.
“Thanks,” he said and looked to Ryan and nodded.
“Mute is now off,” the specialist informed.
They still couldn’t hear what was being said between the two carrier officers but it was clear that Essex didn’t like it. His face was red and he was sweating. A moment later both men stopped and looked to the ceiling of the bridge.
“What!” Granny Essex exclaimed as the volume came back on.
“Commodore, I’m informing you that charges have been filed on your intent to commit war crimes and that these charges will be forwarded to the next higher level of command, and to the Confederation Judge Advocates General’s Office at the earliest convenience.”
“You can’t do that!” he said still looking at the ceiling of his bridge.
“Yes sir, I can, and will unless the charges are dropped by the complaining officer or officers,” the A.I. computer said giving the Commodore a way out as well as making him think that there was more than one of his officers filing said charges.
“Collins, I have had enough of you!” Essex said spraying little droplets of spit as he looked to the main viewer and to the thorn in his side.
“Sir, do you still intend to fire on the helpless Karduan ships which have surrendered or plan to maroon them and leave them to their deaths?” Mike pressed ignoring him and his threats. He knew that they had an audience watching as well as an A.I. recording their every word and action.
“I’ll do whatever I damn well please!” he countered and then threatened, “And you will follow my order you … you arrogant pup or you’ll face a general court-martial!”
“Sir, I and I am sure other officers will not follow an unlawful order commanding us to commit war crimes,” Collins persisted.
“Commodore, the lieutenant is right, you can’t just leave them to die or fire on prisoners who have lawfully surrendered. We have a legal and moral responsibility to give humane treatment to POWs and to safeguard their lives while in our care,” Commander Hemmings said in a low and calm voice.
Granny Essex slowly looked to his right and then to his left for a moment as he made several faces of discomfort and disgust. He seemed to be looking for a way out of this mess or maybe just a way to still get his own way or perhaps just to save face.
“Fine, we wouldn’t want to violate any laws about humane treatment,” he said and then got up from his seat. “Commander, you have the bridge. You’ll run the rescue and recovery operations but I want the fleet out of here in less than six hours,” he said glancing to the main viewer for a second before he strolled off the bridge.
The last remark was a shot at Collins and his crew. Essex’s knew that they needed eight hours to make repairs so he wanted his fleet gone in six, leaving the frigate alone in space and unable to escape the system. They would have to go the rest of the way to Austro Prime alone and without the support or the protection of the fleet.
“Aye sir,” Commander Hemmings said as the Commodore retreated from the Pallas’s bridge.
When the flag officer was safely gone, the bridge crews of the Pallas and Goliad both let out sighs of relief. Unbeknownst to most of them the rest of the ships of the 34th Attack Fleet also let out a sigh of relief.
Mike sat back down from his seat as the adrenaline rushed through his body and he relaxed from the stress of the encounter. His left hand was shaking a little and he knew it was because of the fight or flight adrenaline rush.
“Lt. Collins, get me a list of parts you’ll need,” Cmdr. Hemmings said staying all business though you could see the stress slowly washing away from his face as well.
“Aye sir, what do you want to do with the prisoners that I have already collected?” he asked knowing his ship wasn’t meant to be a prison ship.
“I’ll send a freighter to take charge of them and transfer them to cells that we have prepared for just such a situation. I’ll also send a munitions ship to rearm your missile and torpedo stores. I’m afraid we can’t do much right now for your missing particle turret,” he said.
“That is alright sir, I have an idea or two about how to correct that matter,” Mike replied smiling for a moment and feeling a little better.
Commander Hemming nodded, “I’d also like to say well done.”
Mike looked at him for moment in confusion.
Rick Hemming recognized the same look Mike’s father used to give him when they were roommates at the Star Academy.
“Well done protecting those freighters and the Mary Walker,” he clarified though he would have liked to have said well done for him standing up to the Commodore and saving all of those Karduan prisoners.
“Thanks, sir but I didn’t do it alone,” Mike replied looking to his crew.
“No, but to hear the captains of the six transport ships talk as well as the captains of the Mary Walker and the Boyington it sounds as if you and your crew fought a brilliant delaying action and saved all of their lives and their ships.”
“Well, we got lucky and the enemy was anxious to get at us. They underestimated us in the process and gave us the chance we needed,” he answered having had some time to think about the fight while he was picking up escape pods.
“I think a lot of people have underestimated you,” he commented, “and I wouldn’t be surprised if you receive another Silver Nova or even a second Nebula Award.”
“What!” Mike said in surprise.
“Yes, you, your crew and ship have all been put in for a ship citation, a unit citation and I have nine recommendations from the commanding officers of the convoy ships all recommending your ship and crew for awards.”
“Nine?” he said realizing that there were only eight other ships in the convoy.
“Yes, the last one is from the Boyington’s Commander Star Group, a Lt. Henry Lester,” he said looking to his palm pad to get the name right.
Mike shook his head, “Sir, they all helped in this fight, Lt. Commander Kannon, Lt. Howard and Lt. Lester all played pivotal roles that could have spelled our doom if they hadn’t performed above and beyond what was expected of them.”
“I’m sure that is all true and that you’ll mention them in your report,” he said with a big toothy grin. He had already seen the vid of the first half of the fight and knew that what all of the convoy officers had said about the Goliad was true.
“Yes sir, I’ll get it to you along with my vids as soon as possible,” Lt. Collins replied wondering when he was going to find time to write all of this out.
“Just send me your vid recordings for now and get me your report once we get to the Wolf Squadron. I know you need to get your ship in order and that is your first priority,” Hemmings said.
“Thanks, sir,” Mike said in relief.
“So, get to it Lieutenant,” the carrier XO ordered.
“Aye sir,” he replied as the link closed.
A moment of silence prevailed as the bridge crew took in all that happened.
“I can’t believe we survived all of that,” Curtis said breaking the silence. He looked at their unwavering captain and shook his head wondering if there was anyone he wouldn’t face.
“We’re not out of it yet,” Mike said an added, “we still have a lot of work to do so let get to it.”
The bridge crew of the
Goliad nodded and some moaned but they all moved to fix their ship, transfer prisoners and take on new munitions all before the mighty 34th Attack Fleet would abandon them to the cold embrace of space.
Chapter Twelve
The transport ship, SS Connecticut River, had come alongside of the Goliad and had matched airlocks for the purpose of transferring prisoners. The Karduan were actually happy to leave the empty missile storage bay and be escorted to nice clean cells on board the transport. All went well and Mike was glad to have them off his hands.
The captain of the transport also sent a farewell gift and a note. The gift was a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label and the note said, “Thanks for saving our asses,” signed the crew of the Connie R. Mike thanked the crewman who delivered it and asked him to pass on his compliments to his captain and crew.
The next ship to arrive was the SS Oliver, the same ship that had engine troubles and had forced them to fight the destroyers to buy her time so she could escape. Her crew was more than happy to help them and their engineer even opened up his machine shop and spare parts stores to CPO Schmidt. The Chief smiled like it was Christmas morning as he went searching through the ship’s stores to find the parts he needed.
Mike was more concerned with the Oliver’s cargo. The old freighter was full of missiles and torpedoes that were meant to resupply the fleet. It didn’t take much to convince the Oliver’s ship captain to rush his ship over and resupply the Goliad. In fact, the orders stated to rearm them with mostly standard torpedoes but somehow the work order got changed and instead of standard torpedoes Mike found himself with almost a full complement of Blitzens. His exterior missile pods took longer to reload but within a few hours his ship was rearmed.
Commander Hemmings also came through sending them a shuttle with the parts they had requested to fix their bender drives. By the time the six hours was over they had the bender drive torn apart and were replacing the systems that they had identified with a full diagnostic as damaged.
As the fleet moved into the gravity well they still had at least an hour left of work on the old bender drives before they would be able to follow.
Wolves at the Gate Page 31
