The Phoenix Wars: Book I, Reprieve

by C. R. Daems

  "Sit, please. I would like everyone to take a turn giving us a bit of your background and any comment you would like to share," I said and looked to Hyun, who sat to my left. She was a little above average height for a Korean, one hundred seventy-four centimeters, long black hair tied back into a tail, round face with tanned complexion with a studious expression.

  "I'm Hyun, the XO. I was born in Korea, but my parents immigrated to America when I was twelve. I finished three years of college before it was discovered I had stage four colon cancer, which had spread throughout my body. The Anixians saved me just in time." She looked left to Hanna. She was tall, one hundred eighty centimeters, light complexion, long blond hair hanging loose, and a pleasant angular face which generally held a smile.

  "I'm Hanna, the primary navigator. I'm from Sweden. I fell sick with a liver cancer while in primary school but managed to get accepted to a local college, hoping a cure would be discovered. I managed to finish my degree in mathematics before the Anixians saved me. She nodded to the man next to her. He, too, was tall, one hundred eighty-six centimeters, short dark-brown hair, a pleasant angular face, with a scar along his temple seven centimeters into his hair. His expression looked to be evaluating everyone and everything.

  "I'm Konrad, your primary weapons officer. I was born and raised in Austria. I joined the army and was allowed to train for the Olympics Biathlon. Unfortunately for me, I developed ALS, which got me released from the military and ended my chance at the Olympics. I only had a few months left when the Anixians rescued me." He nodded to the person next to him. She had a matronly figure and was in her early forties, with a friendly grandmotherly look you instantly trusted. She was short at about one hundred seventy-four centimeters.

  "I'm Abigail, your ECM operator. I'm a mother of two grown men and would have been a grandmother someday, except I got bit by a dog that they failed to realize was rabid. I owe the Anixians. It was proving a nasty way to die." She smiled at the dark-tanned man of average height, one hundred seventy-seven centimeters, across the table from her. He had thick eyebrows, straight nose, and a mustache. His mouth looked permanently happy.

  "Hi, I'm Jorge from Egypt. I'm your pilot with a secondary specialty in navigation. I used to race motorcycles until some idiot hit me and caused the bike to spin out of control into a building. I was in a coma for six months and brain dead according to the doctors." He grinned to the man next to him, who looked to be scanning the area. He was tall, one hundred eighty centimeters, muscular, and had a hawk-like thin narrow face with piercing eyes.

  "I'm Armin, your police support. I was a policeman in Israel for eight years until a terrorist shot me five times. I wasn't expected to live. I survived for two weeks but wasn't improving. Machines were keeping me alive. The Anixians saved me from a life as a vegetable if I had survived." He nodded to the tall woman, one hundred eighty centimeters, wiry build, short curly brown hair. She, too, had roaming eyes that appeared to miss nothing. She had a crooked smile like she hadn't found anything of interest, although it did linger on me a second or two longer.

  "I'm Hilda, I was a martial arts instructor in the Netherlands. Ironically, I was poisoned at a Japanese restaurant. Somehow my swordfish dinner had been contaminated with blowfish parts. They had me on life support but thought I would die or would have permanent organ damage if I survived. I wonder what they would say if they knew birds cured me when humans couldn't." She grinned. "Captain, who do you want to have a weapon? All officers are authorized one."

  "My understanding is that the lasers can be individualized so that no one but that person can shoot it," I said while fighting with the problem of who should have one.

  "Yes, the police are authorized to issue weapons and to individualize it to a specific person, but not to activate it. These weapons are unique to the cruiser and can only be activated by you."

  I didn't know that, but I assumed Oracle would know how that works. "Good, issue them to my XO and the prime Bridge crew," I said, then added. "I want you to wear your weapons when you are not in your quarters." I hated the thought, but I needed to determine if we had any crew like Doug or Carl on board before we left the system. The Black Eagle is going to appear like a massive twenty-four-karat-gold vehicle–a huge reward for what appears a minor risk. In reality, the risk is far greater than the reward because of Oracle and the Anixian, me, on board. Unless that too was an illusion. Was Oracle capable of independent action if… It did not matter. The old Earth Kayla died; the new Anixian Kayla is loyal and, for better or worse, committed to the Phoenix concept.

  "Oracle," I said when everyone had left the room to accompany Armin and Hilda to their area to collect their weapons. "How do I activate the weapons if the need arises?"

  All of the Anixia weapons have a unique serial number which is linked to the present owner. That number is assigned by the Records House and updated on the main database. When a weapon enters the Black Eagle, I record that information. With those numbers, I can activate or deactivate any or all weapons on board.

  "Can you deactivate the police weapons?" I asked, wanting to be sure I understood Oracle's power."

  Only if issued by an Anixian.

  "What about from a cruiser captain?" I wondered if that applied to me, an adopted Anixian.

  Only if he or she is an Anixian. Yes, that includes you.

  "I thought you could only read my thoughts when I was touching the captain's glass ball," I said, confused.

  Captain Kayla, a child could have deduced where your questions were leading, and I am an advanced AI system. You are Anixian, even without the wings and feathers.

  "I am just trying to ascertain what I can and cannot do," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed for not having just asked directly rather than trying to finesse the answer.

  That Black Eagle on your Sleeve proclaims you are a member of the Anixia House of War. As such, I am bound to obey any order you give me. That means you have the power to take this cruiser to Earth, and I could not stop you.

  "Should you be telling me that?" I asked, astonished by the honesty.

  It is probably a weakness to be honest to Anixian-humans as it is to be a pacifist in war, but Anixians trust each other; therefore, you are to be trusted.

  "Thank you, Oracle," I said, feeling as if I had just been baptized and my doubts washed clean. For the first time, I felt like an Anixian and knew I could never betray the Anixians.

  "Oracle, activate all authorized weapons."

  All weapons issued to you, the police, and Bridge crew have been activated.

  Chapter 41

  Shakedown Cruise

  "XO, announce we are leaving orbit in five minutes," I said, giving the crew time to confirm everything was secure and the ship prepared for maneuvers.

  "Attention. The Black Eagle will be leaving orbit in five minutes," Hyun said, looking very satisfied.

  "Navigation, plot us a course to exit Anixia rimward," I said. "Put it on the pilot's board."

  Five minutes later, Hyun spoke. "Captain, all departments have reported in. The Black Eagle is secure and ready to depart."

  "XO, execute the vector on the pilot's board, at one-quarter normal speed," I said, having agreed that we would consider one percent of the speed of light as normal. Seeing the vector Hanna had posted, I was tempted to check the vector but then realized that wasn't my job. I was here to set the cruiser's objective and laughed mentally–I didn't have a clue.

  "Pilot, execute the vector on your board at one-quarter speed," Hyun said, frowning. I wondered if she was considering the same thing I had been. We were all learning our jobs with no one to mentor us. I decided it did not matter. We would evolve our own protocols as we learned what worked and what didn't.

  "Navigation, time to arrive at the rimward exit?" I asked.

  "Nineteen hours, eighteen minutes, and twenty-two seconds," Hanna said and produced a grin of satisfaction.

  "XO, you have the watch," I said, rising and leaving the cabin.

 
; "Aye, Aye, Captain, I have the watch," Hyun said with an ear-to-ear smile.

  I made my way to the fighter pilots' area and found Simon talking with Jesso.

  "Good day," Simon paused for several seconds before continuing. "Captain. Are you slumming or want something?"

  I wanted to say it's Kayla but also paused. We were definitely in the military, a wartime military, and had rank, but we didn't have the rigid structure I saw in movies. I knew whatever I did now would be hard to change later. I wanted it to be a friendly atmosphere but…

  "You are right, Wing Leader. Captain, unless I indicate otherwise. I'm extremely young for the position, which makes it more important the crew see me as unambiguously in charge. I don't like it, but there may come a time when that is the difference between surviving or dying."

  Simon nodded. "I agree. Your age is a potential problem. If you are too casual, some may think you don't know what you are doing and, therefore, have the right to question your decisions. That could cause a mutiny and jeopardize our survival. It would not matter with those of us who know you. We know you are capable and trust you. But others would see it as a weakness."

  Jesso nodded in agreement.

  "Thanks, Simon. I appreciate the input," I said. "What kind of practice have you planned?"

  "Nothing yet. This is as new for me as for you."

  "I would like to practice a variation of the tactics we used at our last engagement with the Tullizor. Come, you too, Jesso, since you are second in command. Let's diagram a few scenarios like we did with the Martial Eagle forty series. That will enable us to react quickly in the case of an unexpected encounter with a hostile nation." We finished five hours later with a tentative list of three:

  BES1, for Black Eagle Scenario one. The fighters form under the Black Eagle then cut power as Black Eagle decelerates allowing the enemy to move close to the fighters which then attack.

  BES2, for Black Eagle Scenario two. The fighters form under the Black Eagle then cut power as Black Eagle decelerates (or accelerates in the opposite direction) allowing the enemy to pass over the fighters. The fighters attack from the rear.

  BES3, for Black Eagle Scenario three. The fighters are dropped off under power and are free to attack based on conditions at the time.

  BES41, for Black Eagle Scenario forty-one. The fighters are split. Two groups are dropped with engines off while the other group is dropped with engines hot and provides a two-prong attack as well as a distraction for the first group.

  BES42, for Black Eagle Scenario forty-two. The fighters are split. One group is dropped with engines off while the other two groups are dropped with engines hot and provide a two-prong attack as well as a distraction for the first group

  The BE scenarios can be used with the ME formations together in a comprehensive attack strategy, for example: BSE2/ME42. Under this combination, the fighters form up behind the enemy and attack in groups of four, but two at a time.

  "I like it," Jesso said after we had finished. Simon nodded.

  "It will save time, and everyone will understand their part without lengthy explanations," Simon said.

  "I'll set aside time each day for you to practice with the cruiser to make it realistic," I said, feeling like we were making progress towards becoming a functional cruiser.

  I returned just in time for shift change, and another decision–who was in charge? I pulled Hyun aside. "XO, who do we leave in charge on each shift?" I asked, seeing as the cruiser was active day and night. Hyun was quiet for several minutes before answering.

  "Danail on this shift has passed three specialties, so he would be the logical choice. He is the weapons officer on second shift. On the third shift, Nova is the only one who has passed two. She is the ECM operator of third shift."

  "Sounds logical, Danail and Nova have the positions for now," I said. "Make sure they are issued weapons. Either you or I should be on call when they have the watch."

  "How about me being on call?" Hyun said. "You have other things to do, like managing the ship. I only have the Bridge. I will call you if it requires you to resolve the problem, like a Tullizor invasion." She gave a hardy laugh.

  Chapter 42

  Treachery

  "This is our perfect opportunity," Abbott said as the six individuals met in Tate's and Carter's crew quarters. Abbott was a tall, muscular twenty-year-old who had been a star football quarterback for Vanderbilt University before driving drunk caused a lethal accident that killed a family of three and sustained injuries that required machines to keep him alive. Cured by the Anixians, he had a high IQ and should have been the prime navigator, except he was lazy. Even so, he had gained the second shift navigational position and had collected several malcontents who were willing to do anything to return home famous and rich. They named their cabal the FTB, an acronym for Fuck The Birds.

  "Why is it the perfect time?" Tate, an ex-gang biker, asked.

  "That teen-aged bimbo is taking us to the rimward exit, which for your education is the exit leading to Earth, fame, and riches," Abbott's whole body was alive with excitement. "And it gets better. We are scheduled to reach the exit during third shift when Petru and Marie will be on duty."

  "What about the other two on third shift?" Carter asked. A low-level drug dealer who had become addicted and had overdosed one night and would have died except for the Anixian's intervention. He was soft, but his size made him look intimidating.

  Abbott gave a derisive snort. "One is a timid boy and the other a woman, who you or Tate could flatten with a slap. I would bet shouting at them would have them pissing in their pants."

  "You have two police on this cruiser, actually three, as the captain is also police," Shaul said. He worked in records and had access to a great deal of information. He had been a typical nerd in high school and college. He went into the hospital for minor surgery and contracted an MRSA bacterium which they couldn't control. "Armin and Hilda, who both have weapons."

  "Tate, Carter, that is your responsibility," Abbott said. "First, I will catch Danail after second shift and confiscate his weapon. Then we neutralize the police and get their lasers. Then we take the Bridge and get Nova's weapon. By then, we will be so far from Anixia, it will be impossible to stop or follow us."

  "What about the captain?" Petru, the third shift Weapons operator, asked.

  "What can she do once we have the Bridge?" Abbott asked but continued without waiting for an answer. "It will be four lasers against one, and we will have control of Blackie."

  "Sounds too easy," Marie, third shift Pilot, said just above a whisper. "How come no one else has succeeded?"

  "How do we know that?" Abbott asked.

  "Because Earth doesn't have a ship capable of space travel," Marie said a bit louder this time. "That is not something any government could or would keep a secret."

  "This is a unique opportunity," Shaul surprised everyone by answering. "This is the first time the Anixians have authorized one of their cruisers to leave Anixia space."

  "Why Kayla?" Marie pressed.

  "She is a hero in their eyes because of the recent battle with the Tullizor," Abbott interjected to maintain control of his cabal. "Their mistake. Most of the humans don't have the brains or guts to hijack one of the Anixian's cruisers, but they all want to return to Earth and will support us once they know we are in control. I'll wager that also applies to Miss Bimbo. Enough talk. It's time to take the road that leads to fame and riches," Abbott said, alive with anticipation. "Carter, Tate, after third shift goes on duty, find whoever is the police person on duty and relieve them of their weapon. It won't hurt to have it when we take over third shift in case Hyun is there with Nova."

  "Should we kill him or her?" Tate asked in an indifferent tone.

  "Not unless you have to," Abbott said, his gaze off as if thinking. "I believe even the police will support us once they see we are going to succeed. You would have to be brain dead to want to stay slaves to the fucking birds."

  Petru, you and Marie
will report for duty on time and take your places. After I have verified that Tate and Carter have dealt with the police person on duty, I will return to the Bridge claiming I left something and need to retrieve it. I will have the police weapon and will enter and secure Nova and…"

  "Roman, third shift navigator," Petru said. "He won't be any problem. He is soft and overweight. I don't understand why he volunteered for cruisers. He is timid and not the least bit aggressive."

  Carter laughed. "Those are the ones you have to be careful around. They can explode into action if you stumble on one of their hotspots. I had a timid user who bought from me for years. To this day, I don't understand what I said or did. I was thirty kilograms heavier and fourteen centimeters taller, and he still beat the shit out of me."

  "Folks," Abbott shouted. "Once we have control of the Bridge, we will be unstoppable, and everyone will fall in line."

  Chapter 43

  Phase One, The Hunt

  "Where do you think the police will be?" Carter asked after being told by Abbott that third shift was on duty.

  "Let's work our way toward the mess hall," Tate said and then grinned. "That is where all the cops eventually wind up for their coffee and donuts. Besides, what else is there to do at this time of night?"

  "Do you think we will succeed?" Carter asked. "Abbott's a pretty smart guy."

  "Abbott is a natural criminal, just like us. He has no conscience. The only difference is that he's educated. It gives him the illusion he's smarter than us. Although I doubt he had any meaningful classwork if he was on a football scholarship. He has convinced the others and himself that his plan is infallible. We know better. No matter how good the plan, the risk is always there, and something can always go wrong. We are going along with him since the reward is huge and the risk small. Besides, if something goes wrong, he is the leader, so we might be able to convince the birds he coerced us or lied to us about Kayla planning to hijack the ship."