"Stand down everyone as soon as you can. It's been a long day. I think it's safe to just leave a duty watch in each ship, and the rest of us can get some sleep. We'll meet on Redoubt tomorrow afternoon."
There was a chorus of Aye sirs. They all vanished. I opened a vid.
"I am happy to report victory at the War jump point in Last Hope. While we have aliens still loose in the system and being hunted down by our smaller ships, the bulk of the invasion force was destroyed in the War system, which is now, and will probably remain for a long time to come, impassable. For now, the threat appears to be eliminated, but the fleet will remain on blockade in case we missed a force, and they somehow find a way to cross War safely."
"It's too soon to break out the bubbly. This has been a great victory, but until we know the war is won, it's simply one battle. Please make sure your people understand this."
I lost my train of thought for a moment.
"The fleet is going into stand down mode. It was a long hard fought battle, the longest one yet. Everyone here is exhausted. I'll report again later tomorrow after I've met with the senior officers. Hunter out."
I sighed.
"Jane, send that to the usual Brass. And show it to Amy so she can inject some wait and see into media reporting."
"Confirmed."
"Call the Treasure Chest station back, and rearm all ships. It can run back to the Shipyard and resupply, and return."
"It's not over you think?"
"The fat lady hasn’t sung yet."
She nodded slowly.
I looked around for Angel and found her in my lap.
"Come on sweetie," I said to her. "Food and bed."
"Meow!"
Thirty Six
I slept a solid ten hours. A few people were lingering over a late breakfast when I limped into the Redoubt Mess a quarter after eight. Jeeves was moving Angel and my stuff to Redoubt again. I figured I'd be here a while now. Jane could look after Relentless without me, especially with nothing to do but sit there and watch nothing but rocks spitting through.
Most of those rocks would be gobbled up by the sun eventually. Jane was running projections to see if any would intersect with Last Hope itself. If so, we'd need to convert possible offenders into gravel before they got there.
The team was back. But I hadn't seen any of them yet. I'd asked Amanda by ping as to where they were, but all I received back was 'busy'. I was too sluggish to care anyway. I ate a light breakfast, and trot-limped to my Ready Room, where I dived into normal work.
Admiral Sato had left a message to say all enemy ships had been destroyed. This was fast work, considering how much they'd spread out after getting past us.
There were congratulations messages from just about everywhere. I did a thankyou vid, ending on a wait and see note, and sent it back.
The captain of Chivalrous messaged me around mid-morning, asking to be relieved of duty, and transported to Morocco. He'd had a wakeup call on life when his ship had been holed, and now things looked to be over, he'd decided to retire from the British Fleet, and go home the scenic route. Attached was his discharge certificate with Susan Bentley's authorization on it. I granted his request as well, and asked Melissa if she'd like a run in a Lightning to take him. They were gone barely twenty minutes later.
I didn’t blame the guy. He'd come within a whisker of floating around in space in only a belt suit, in the middle of a shit fight. It was a wonder he was the only one. Although I suspected I'd be seeing some more requests to go home soon. In the meantime, Chivalrous would need a new captain when Janet completed repairing her.
Susan and Chet came in to see me just before lunch. I waved them to chairs.
"We need a medal ceremony," said Susan.
Chet nodded.
"A medal ceremony is easy. Actual medals on the other hand…"
Medals were something I hadn't ever addressed. The need had never really arisen. The teams and squadrons had all done good work, but nothing was notably medal-worthy. In theory I probably should have done a campaign medal for removing the pirate threat, but there hadn't been any requests for one, and not even Annabelle had been interested in discussing it. There had been too much more important stuff to do.
"We can supply medals," said Chet. "Medals on detached command are actually easy. The standard ones are preprogrammed into a small fabricator, which the Flag Officer in command keeps nice and hidden away. It can do authorized campaign medals as well, such as the one you received for the Midgard war."
"I received a campaign medal for the war?"
"You did," said Jane. "It's been on your dress uniform since it was announced, and the medal itself is in your medal case in your quarters. Likewise the one issued by the British Fleet, the Sci-Fi Space Force, and the one for the British coup."
I'd lost track after all those medal ceremonies, and since I hardly ever wore the dress uniform anymore, I'd never noticed. I hadn’t been paying attention when Fred had been counting them six months ago.
"I'll take your word for it."
"We'd like to issue a joint campaign medal," said Susan, "to everyone here. We thought about using a basic cross, with the shape of BigMother superimposed across the center, with the ribbon the same colour as your uniform, with the three white stripes."
"What would call it?"
"Defense of Hunter's Run campaign medal," said Chet. "Except for here, it's all been defending your space."
"And if it isn’t over yet?"
"Don’t jinx it my Lord," said Janet.
I sighed. Everyone wanted it to be over. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Approved. Do you need anything from me?"
"A party?" asked Susan.
"That I can do."
I grinned at them both, and gave orders to Janet. They left looking happy. I gave some thought to who they might be giving medals to. One in particular came to mind.
Lunch was a boisterous affair, and I sat back and let people be happy. Amy asked if she could display news, and I nodded to her. Riots had become parties all over the place. Ships heading up spine had turned back. Shipyards were going back to making what they'd previously been doing before being re-tasked for fleeing. None of the media had reported on my caution, or even suggested a wait and see attitude.
Earth sector was taking full credit for the victory, saying they'd hired Hunter Security to handle the threat. Maybe I should send them a bill for the replacement of a Command Carrier and the repair of three other ships, not to mention the cost of all the ordinance we'd used.
The American and British sectors were tooting their own trumpets about their involvement.
The Japanese sector was completely silent. I looked at Admiral Sato, who was sitting a couple of tables away from me with some of his captains. He looked up as I did so, and nodded to me.
"The Japanese sector is continuing preparations for evacuation," he pinged me. "Like you, we are not yet prepared to believe this is actually over. Until you say otherwise, we will ignore everyone else's folly."
I raised my ginger ale to him, and nodded gravely over it. He did likewise with his bottle of water.
I played with Angel for a while after lunch, before returning to my Ready Room.
"Here's the bill for Earth sector, my Lord," said Janet, flashing it up on the wall.
"Three billion credits?"
"Cheap for a Command Carrier and all the ordinance we've expended on their behalf."
I laughed. It probably was, but I'd not spent anywhere near that much. Being a sector level entity changed economics a lot. Having your own dirt to mine, and Shipyard to build things with it, meant you didn’t actually need to pay for much. Some labour for people supervising droids, and some danger money for people doing specific mining jobs which only people could do. Worker droids controlled by Jane did most of the actual work, and cost me nothing to operate, since even replacement and maintenance didn’t involve buying anything.
"Better not send it though."
"Why not?" asked Jane. "They are asking for it, by what they're saying in the media."
"No point in pissing them off. They can claim whatever they want. But when we go through there next, I don’t want irate politicians and Admirals making life more difficult for us than it already is."
"I should tell David not to send it then, my Lord?"
"Bloody hell yes. Do that with extreme haste. If it's been sent already, you can damn well chase after it and delete it before it can get there!"
Both of them laughed. And I did too. I think they were messing with me, but it wasn’t always easy to tell.
All the Admirals and Generals turned up for a quick meeting at two, and we established how the blockade would work, and instituted training for pilots and troops. The thing about troops, was to keep them busy. Other than the alpha team, who were already pretty good at keeping busy. I still didn’t know what they were up to, and Annabelle wasn’t hinting.
Sato also wanted a medals ceremony, but wouldn’t say why. But he was happy to find there was going to be one, and a general all sector campaign medal was being issued.
After they all left, Annabelle stayed behind. For the first time she wanted to talk about medals. When she told me why, I proposed something different, and she not only went for it, she left happy.
The party was scheduled to start at six, but at four Janet interrupted me to show me images of people already beginning in the main Mess, which had once been the main plaza for the retailers who originally set up here when it was a station. It was more than large enough to handle everyone. I told her to accelerate everything, getting drinks and munchies out there now. The prospect of having a drunk fleet by the end of the evening wasn’t appealing, but if it was going to happen, today was probably a good day for it. I pinged George to touch base with the Admirals about suit ribbons for the ceremony later, so after it was announced, the new ribbon could be sent out to everyone as a dress uniform overlay.
By five, I was back in my suite patting Angel. Aline turned up just after Angel went off in search of dinner, and we shared a quick few moments of nooky, before heading into the shower. Okay, it was more than a few moments, and much more of a bonk than a nook. The shower was speeded up because we were now running late. After drying and donning briefs and socks, I shifted into Hunter Dress. Aline looked at me, in her normal 'slinky red'.
"So scuttlebutt is actually correct?"
"How so?"
"Word is there's a medal ceremony."
"So I'm told."
"Anyone we know?"
"A certain American comes to mind."
"Oh yeah. That was medal worthy."
I grinned at her, offered her my arm, and we strolled off to the party.
Thirty Seven
"Attention to Orders," bellowed Jane.
She was standing in the aide position behind me, with George next to her. Admirals Bentley, Hallington, and Sato were standing next to me on one side, as was General Smith on the other. The room went quiet, and everyone crowded around looking at us.
"Will everyone shift into your Dress Uniform please," she went on at a more normal level.
The room seemed to wobble, as uniforms changed. Maybe it was just me. I put alcohol effects removal into primary on my medical monitor. I'd had beers pressed into my hands, and hadn't tried to stop them. Or count them.
"Commander Greer," announced Hallington. "Front and center please."
Greer looked surprised for a moment, and then resigned. He made his way through the crowd from the group of his pilots he'd been standing with, and braced before Hallington.
"For sheer stupidity in the face of the enemy," Hallington began, getting an instant laugh, "resulting in the saving of one of our Destroyers and its crew, you are awarded the Silver Star. Congratulations."
They saluted and shook, and the pip appeared on his existing ribbon on his suit uniform. He now had five of them.
"Commander Greer," said Bentley. "For gallantry in the face of the enemy resulting in the rescue of a British crew, you are awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. Congratulations."
They saluted and shook, and the ribbon shortly appeared on his uniform, after George had pulsed him a new ribbon overlay.
"Commander Greer," said Hallington once more. "You are hereby promoted to the rank of Captain. Congratulations."
Greer's shock was obvious. The medals he had half expected, but a promotion when he was still relatively junior in his existing rank, he'd obviously never even dreamed about. He recovered fast, and they saluted and shook once more. George pulsed him again, and his new rank insignia appeared. The American part of the crowd went wild, and he actually blushed.
"Captain Greer," I said, when the noise level had subsided enough. "You are appointed captain of the Hunter Security Super-Destroyer Chivalrous. Congratulations."
He looked poleaxed.
"No good deed goes unpunished," I pinged him. Then went on normally. "Starman remains your command as well. You are at liberty to use your Starman avatar on both ships. Talk to Jane about docking Starman so you can merge the two ships firepower. You remain in command of your Gunbus squadron, for now anyway."
Starman was both his call-sign, and his Gunbus name. He knew I wasn’t taking him away from fighters, just giving him a lot bigger one to fly.
"Thank you sir."
We saluted and shook. I nodded to him, and he turned and walked back to his pilots, looking bewildered.
"Sergeant Takai," I said when the room was steady again. "Front and center."
Aline was completely caught off guard. She came forward from her alpha team group, looking surprised to be called. I nodded her to stand in front of Bentley. Her surprise increased.
"Sergeant," began Bentley. "I'm not in your chain of command, but as the senior non-Hunter officer present in this multi-sector force, it is my pleasant duty to award you the Distinguished Service Cross, for resourcefulness and bravery in leading a boarding party, without orders or backup, onto the pirate Battleship being used to shield our enemy into our space. You willingly chose to go in without knowing what you would find, and once there, you took action to ensure the asset was taken from the enemy. Congratulations Sergeant."
George pulsed her the medal overlay, and she made the change to her uniform, while saluting and shaking hands.
"Sergeant," said Hallington. "You are also awarded the Bronze Star. Congratulations."
Another pulse, change of uniform, salute and hand shake.
"Sergeant," said Smith. "Hunter Security doesn’t by itself issue medals at this time, but we do have a reward for you, for the same reasons given for the medals you just received. You displayed the attributes we look for in an officer, and since Hunter Security has no Warrant Officer grades, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Sub-Lieutenant. Congratulations."
Aline looked like she was about to faint. But George pulsed her new epaulettes, she saluted, shook hands and then hugged Annabelle, before changing her uniform to show the single thin gold bar instead of the previous three stripes. She took a step back, across and forward, to stand in front of me, and saluted me as well. I could see the effort it took for her not to hug me, and no doubt she could see the same effort being made by me too. I saluted her, and she returned to the team, where they did all hug her.
I waited for the volume to decrease, before nodding to Admiral Sato. But it was Bentley who spoke.
"Admiral Hunter, front and center please."
I could feel my eyes flash at her in annoyance, but I moved, and braced.
"Admiral, you took your ship into what most people consider to be a suicide mission, in order to destroy the method the aliens were using to cross the Death system. While it cost you dearly, the mission was a success, and has allowed us this victory. A grateful British sector awards you the Distinguished Service Order."
It was my second one, so I added the appropriate pip to the existing ribbon. I saluted her, she returned it, and we shook hands. It wasn�
��t hard to know what was coming next.
"A grateful American sector awards you the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Silver Star," said Hallington.
It was my third DSC, and fifth Silver Star, so I added a second American pip to the existing DSC ribbon, and a fourth pip for the Silver Star ribbon. Again salutes, and shakes.
"The Emperor of Japanese Sector," said Sato, "awards you the Medal of Honour, red ribbon, given to those who risk their own life to save others. While you did so in the midst of a crashing ship, you also were acting for all people everywhere, including grateful Japanese."
My bow of acceptance and respect, I hoped hid my surprise. He bowed in response to my bow.
George pulsed me the ribbon, and I added it to the top row of my medal bars, in the third position after my Victoria Cross, and American Medal of Honour.
"Those on BigMother in the Pestilence system," said Hallington unexpectedly. "Front and center please."
There was a lot of movement, as everyone came forward. Annabelle moved to be level with me, and Teams one and two formed ranks behind her. The others, which included the medical team, formed up behind me. Melissa and Carter's daughter Jill also stood behind me. Chet looked deliberately at Jane and nodded to her, and she took her place at my side.
"BigMother is awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation," went on Hallington. "All Hunter personnel on board the ship during the Pestilence system mission, military or otherwise, are authorized to wear the ribbon. It was decided this was the best way our three sectors could reward a crew who risked their lives to stop an alien invasion on their own."
As a group, we saluted him, and the Admirals all returned the salute. I turned and nodded dismissal, and returned to where I’d been, nodding to Admiral Sato. He waited for the crowd to settle down again.
"Proud of you," pinged in from my Mother, but I couldn’t see them in the crowd. I turned my attention back to Sato.
"Japanese sector is proud to have been here with you to participate in the defense of all of human space."
He bowed to the crowd, as did his officers.
Hunter Legacy 12: Hero in Darkness Page 16
