The Pike Chronicles - Books 1 - 10

by Hudson, G. P.

  “Juttari ships are no longer in this system, Sir.”

  Pierce exhaled sharply. “Very well. Hail the Kemmar.”

  “Sir, the Kemmar are locking weapons on us.”

  “Stand down. Do not lock weapons on those ships.”

  “Kemmar are responding to our hail.”

  “Send to my console.”

  A vicious looking face appeared on Pierce’s display, all teeth and orange fur. Damn, they’re almost as ugly as the Juttari.

  “I am Lord Tark, of the Kemmar Empire. Why do you side with us against your own kind?” said the Kemmar. The information gleaned from the Kemmar probe had already given the Vanguard computer enough to understand and translate the Kemmar language.

  “My own kind? The Juttari are our enemies. We fight against a common foe.”

  “Your kind has attacked our ships multiple times. Each time using your vanishing ships.”

  He’s talking about the Hermes. How much havoc has Captain Pike wreaked in this region of space? “Lord Tark, forgive me, but I have no knowledge of these attacks. Our quarrel is not with the Kemmar Empire, but with the four ships you fought against. They are a race known as the Juttari. They are our enemies, not the Kemmar.”

  “Yet you trespass in Kemmar space.”

  “I assure you, Lord Tark, we mean no offense. We are here because we have been pursuing our enemies. Now your enemies. Perhaps we can work together toward a common goal?”

  “We are the Kemmar Empire. We do not require your assistance. We will hunt down these Juttari ourselves, and slaughter every one of them.”

  “I’m sure you will, but the fact is that they have ‘vanishing’ ships, and you don’t. But we do.”

  Tark looked away, speaking to someone off screen. “Stand by,” said Tark, terminating the communication.

  “Well done, Captain,” said Major Ilthos, the Diakan.

  A compliment. Imagine that. “Thank you, Major.”

  “A strategic alliance with these Kemmar could prove very useful. They may even be worthy of Galactic Accord membership.”

  “Wait, slow down there. I’m just trying to get some information here. They might know what happened to the Hermes.”

  “It sounds like the Hermes is still fighting them,” said Hurley. “Did you hear what he said about the vanishing ship attacking their ships. That must be the Hermes.”

  “Yes, Commander, I heard,” said Ilthos. “While it is very important that we find the Hermes, we must also keep the larger strategic situation in mind.”

  “And what might that be?” said Pierce, though he knew what the Diakan was going to say.

  “The Juttari have the jump system technology. Their attack on the Sol System will spark another galactic war. The four Juttari ships we have fought against have surely sent communications back to Juttari command. It is only a matter of time until the Juttari send their larger battle groups into this region. The Kemmar Empire looks powerful, but they cannot withstand the Juttari on their own. Especially not without jump technology.”

  “Wait, you want to give these Kemmar the jump system?”

  “No. But if they are members of the Galactic Accord, we can help them defend their territory against the Juttari. Their territory can block any Juttari advance. We can deny the Juttari the use of the new jump gate. If the Kemmar do not join the Accord, this region falls to the Juttari. They would have control of the jump gate, and deny us access to this region of space. A strategic disaster.”

  Pierce hated to admit it, but the Diakan was right. The stakes were far greater than any one ship. Greater than the Hermes and the Vanguard put together. The galaxy would soon be embroiled in war. Again.

  Pierce’s console came to life, and the hideous face of Lord Tark appeared again. “The Kemmar Empire is willing to discuss your proposal.”

  Chapter 21

  “She’s a beauty,” said Jon, staring out the shuttle’s window at the massive carrier sitting in space dock. It had taken some time to get past all the bureaucracy. The repairs, and the recruiting aspects had been difficult, but looking out at the carrier now, Jon knew it would be worth it.

  “You’ll need to rename her,” said Kevin, seated beside him.

  Jon gave it some thought. He hadn’t considered renaming the two ships Sallas had given them, but it made sense. They were creating a new fleet, and they had renamed the Chaanisar ship. Why not these?

  “Freedom. That’s her new name.”

  “Perfect,” said Kevin.

  It is perfect, thought Jon. The Freedom would be his flagship. As big as any battleship, she was well armed and came with a contingent of one hundred and fifty fighters, and a squadron of bombers. Once fitted with a jump system, she would be a terrifying adversary. Between the Freedom, the Ronin, and the new destroyer, they would be a formidable force. A fleet of jump ships. Vanishing ships. A ghost fleet.

  “Chief, there’s something I’ve been meaning to speak to you about,” Jon said to Kevin. “I still need someone to command the new destroyer. I want to offer you that command.”

  Kevin smiled. “Thank you, Sir. That is very generous of you, but I have to respectfully decline.”

  “Decline? What the hell are you talking about? I’m giving you your very own starship. Who turns something like that down?”

  “Apparently I do. With all due respect, Sir, my place will be right there, on board the Freedom. Make me the Freedom’s Security Chief, give me my Marines, and I’ll be happy.”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “No. You are not going to be the Security Chief of the Freedom.”

  “Captain, I’m really not your best choice to command the destroyer.”

  “You’re probably right, but you’re a natural leader. Which is why I’m going to make you the Freedom’s XO instead.”

  “The Freedom’s XO? Me? Captain, I’m sure there are much better choices out there.”

  “Nonsense. My mind’s made up. I need someone I can trust by my side, and that someone is you. It also means that I am promoting you to the rank of Commander, effective immediately.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “What are you thanking me for? If you took the destroyer I would’ve made you a Captain.”

  Kevin laughed. “I’ll strive to make better choices as your XO.”

  “You better. Now who do you recommend for the role of Security Chief?”

  “Sergeant Henderson, Sir. Without a doubt.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. Good. Then your first job as XO is to arrange for our new Security Chief and the rest of the Marines to come over to the Freedom.”

  “Yes, Sir,” said Kevin.

  “If you’re not going to take command of the destroyer, I’m going to give it to Jonas.”

  “A good choice. A Reiver ship makes political sense, and they’re damn good fighters.”

  “They are that. It makes sense to give them their own ship. They can do things their own way and still be part of the fleet. They couldn’t have been very comfortable on board the Ronin.”

  “Who was?”

  Jon chuckled. “Things were a little claustrophobic.”

  “Does that mean Breeah goes to the destroyer too?”

  “I haven’t talked to her about it yet. Of course I want her and Anki with me on the Freedom, but I can understand if she wants to stay with her people. I won’t stand in her way if that’s what she wants.”

  Kevin nodded. “Lots of changes. Have you given any thought to your rank?”

  “What about my rank?”

  “You can’t command the fleet and remain a Captain, Sir.”

  “I hadn’t considered that, but you’re right. We can’t have confusion in the chain of command. Especially with all the new recruits.”

  “You’re going to have to make yourself an Admiral.”

  “Shit.” Jon thought of some of the Admirals back at Space Force and his stomach turned. They were all yes men, doing whatever the Diakans told them to do. H
e had followed their orders, but never respected them. At least this isn’t Space Force, he thought. Nobody’s going to be pulling my chain. “Admiral huh? That’s going to take some getting used to.”

  “I bet.”

  “You’ll also need to make arrangements for the rest of the Hermes crew to come over to the Freedom.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “It’s not going to be easy. Many of the carrier’s existing crew volunteered to join the fleet, and there are many more who have come over from other ships, so there will be some duplication of roles. You’re probably going to ruffle some feathers.”

  “I’ll sort it out, Sir.”

  “I know you will.” General Calledonius had taken it upon himself to transfer the volunteers to the Freedom. Some wouldn’t be a problem. They needed pilots for the fighters, and the Hermes didn’t have any. They had to recruit their pilots from New Byzantium’s military.

  “Damn, look at the size of that thing,” said Kevin, gazing out the window at the Freedom. “It might even be bigger than a Space Force carrier.”

  “You might be right. She is quite the ship.”

  “I can’t believe General Calledonius gave us a carrier.”

  “The Prime Minister can be persuasive. It doesn’t surprise me, though. They want the jump system, and this is the only way they’re going to get it.”

  “I still can’t get over how huge that ship is. You sure you don’t want to pick someone else for XO?”

  “I’m sure.” Jon shrugged. “Don’t worry. It’s all about delegating. You know that.”

  “I know, but shit, I’m going to get lost in that thing.”

  Jon chuckled. “So am I.”

  The shuttle slowed as it approached the Freedom’s hangar bay. Landing thrusters fired as the pilot eased the craft through the opening and toward its designated landing pad. Once on the pad, the engines powered down and the shuttle’s hatch opened. Jon and Kevin stepped out of the shuttle into the cavernous hangar bay.

  The neat rows of fighters assembled on the flight deck were the first things to catch Jon’s eye. Intimidating and sleek, each fighter was painted jet black, possessing its own energy weapons and rail guns. They carried missiles, which could potentially have nuclear payloads. But their real strength was their speed and agility.

  “Captain Pike?” said a dark haired man who looked to be in his mid-thirties, pulling Jon’s attention away from the fighters.

  “Yes,” said Jon.

  “I’m Major Vogel. I’m the military liaison.”

  Jon felt the creature stir. Whoever this Major Vogel was, his symbiont didn’t like him. “I don’t know anything about any military liaison,” said Jon.

  “It was a last minute decision, Sir. General Calledonius thought it would be a good idea to have a liaison between the New Byzantium military, and your new fleet.”

  Jon gave Kevin a knowing glance. “I see,” said Jon. “Well then, I should introduce my XO, Commander St. Clair. I have a feeling you two will become well acquainted.”

  “A pleasure to meet you, Commander,” said Vogel, offering his hand.

  “Likewise,” said Kevin, enveloping Vogel’s hand in his own.

  “Would you like me to show you around, Captain?”

  “That’s alright. I’m sure we can manage. If you’ll just point me to Engineering, that would be great.”

  “Of course, right this way.”

  Vogel led Jon and Kevin to a wall console and brought up an internal map of the ship. “This is the fastest way to Engineering,” said Vogel, tracing a route with his finger.

  “Thank you, Major. I think we can manage from here.”

  “Of course, Captain.”

  Leaving Vogel, they headed for the hangar bay exit. Once safely out of earshot Kevin said, “What do you think of the Major.”

  “He’s a rat if I ever saw one,” said Jon. “Looks like General Calledonius wants to keep an eye on us.”

  “Are you going to get rid of him?”

  “No. We’ll appease the old man for a bit.”

  When the two men exited the hangar bay, Jon accessed the first computer access point he saw. “AI, please take control of the Freedom’s computer systems.”

  “Yes, Captain,” said the AI from Jon’s comm. “Override authentication required. Would you like me to bypass?”

  “No need, send authorization request to this console. Full network access and administrator privileges.”

  “Yes, Captain.” The console screen presented Jon with a series of permission change requests, which Jon authorized, giving the AI full run of the Freedom’s systems.

  “I want you to lock down the ship’s systems. Plug any security holes and make sure nobody has installed any back doors.”

  “Of course, Captain. Is there anything else?”

  “Yes. Restrict Major Vogel’s computer access to security level one.”

  “Security permissions have been modified. Would you like me to monitor his activities while aboard the ship?”

  “Yes, but nothing intrusive. Just follow normal ship security procedures.”

  “Understood,” said AI.

  “Speaking of monitoring behavior, how is Mr. Singh doing?”

  “Chief Engineer Singh has made substantial progress with the installation of the new jump system,” said AI. “I have not identified any vandalism or destructive action.”

  “Good.” Jon turned back to Kevin. “Let’s go see how our new jump system is coming along.”

  Chapter 22

  “I still can’t believe you released Singh from custody,” said Kevin, as they approached Engineering.

  “I had to. Nobody knows the jump system like he does,” said Jon. This was going to be a tough sell. Kevin’s experience at the hands of the Kemmar would keep him opposed to the idea.

  “He’s a traitor,” said Kevin, his voice slightly louder. “I saw him promise to give the secrets of the jump system and Earth’s location to the Kemmar with my own eyes.”

  “I know,” said Jon, giving Kevin a look to remind him who was in command. “I’m keeping him on a tight leash. But you know he’s not well. Commander Wolfe’s death really did a number on him.”

  “Not well? With all due respect, Sir, he’s crazy. Which is even more reason to keep him away from the ship’s engines.”

  “He’s been seeing Doctor Ellerbeck and she’s got him on medication. I don’t think we’ll have any problems. We’re watching his every move. He can’t do any harm without us knowing.”

  “I hope so,” said Kevin, shaking his head.

  That wasn’t too bad, thought Jon.

  They entered Engineering and Jon was instantly impressed. Colossal reactors towered over everything else, dwarfing the men and women working around them. The Hermes engineering team had boarded several days earlier, and the jump system followed soon after. Near the base of one of the reactors stood Singh, working on what appeared to be the new jump system. Two Marines stood close by, watching Singh warily.

  The Marines snapped to attention as Jon and Kevin approached. “At ease,” said Jon.

  Looking up from his work, Singh spotted Jon and Kevin. He set down his tools and saluted. Jon returned the salute while Kevin folded his bulging arms in front of his chest, not trying to hide the scowl on his face.

  “At ease, Mr. Singh,” said Jon. “How’s the installation of the jump system coming?”

  “Better than I hoped. I think we’ll be ready for a live test in a couple of days.”

  “A couple of days?” said Jon, surprised. “I thought it would take longer.”

  “So did I at first, but these engines are surprisingly well suited to jump system integration. They are much more adaptable than the Space Force designs.”

  “That’s good news. Isn’t it Commander?”

  Kevin’s eyes were shooting lasers at Singh, but he grudgingly nodded. “Yes, Sir. Good news.”

  “I’ve promoted the Chief to the rank of Commander. He is my new XO, so t
hat means you will be reporting to him from now on,” said Jon.

  “Yes, Sir,” said Singh, avoiding Kevin’s eyes.

  “That’s not going to be a problem, is it Commander St. Clair?” said Jon.

  “No, Sir, it’s not.”

  Kevin’s scowl remained, but he toed the line. Jon knew that he would stay on top of Singh, which suited him just fine. He gave Singh a chance because he needed him, but he didn’t fully trust him. The more eyes on Singh the better.

  Jon turned back to Singh. “I am assuming that the installation on the destroyer will move faster now that you’re familiar with the engine designs. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, Sir. Barring any unforeseen circumstances,” said Singh.

  “What sort of unforeseen circumstances are you referring to?” said Kevin, the suspicion in his voice palpable.

  “Oh nothing, Sir. Nothing at all. Engines can be flaky sometimes. That’s all.”

  “Uh huh,” said Kevin.

  Jon frowned. “But you’re confident that there won’t be any problems?”

  “Yes, Sir. Reasonably confident. I understand these engines, but they are different. They may have weaknesses that I’m not aware of.”

  “But you haven’t seen any in these engines.”

  “No, Sir, I haven’t.”

  “Then I don’t expect you’ll find any on the destroyer.”

  “I’ll do my best, Sir.”

  “That’s all I ask. How are you holding up otherwise?”

  “The medication is doing its job, and staying busy helps keep my mind off Lynda.”

  “I am sorry for your loss,” said Kevin, surprising Jon. “Commander Wolfe was a fine officer.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “We’ll let you get back to work,” said Jon. “Carry on.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Sing returned to his work on the jump system.

  As they left Engineering Jon said, “You’re just full of surprises.”

  “Just ‘cause I don’t trust the guy, doesn’t mean I can’t treat him like a human being. Commander Wolfe was a fine officer, and her loss obviously messed him up.”

  “I knew all that tough guy stuff was just an act. I think having Singh as one of your reports will be good for you.”