Ghosts from the Past (The Wandering engineer Book 7)

by Chris Hechtl

  “Then why didn't you tell me?” He asked testily, throwing the tablet down in disgust.

  “Because you didn't ask and I was distracted by other things,” the AI reminded him.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “... and you just ran for it?” Meia asked, shaking her head. She glanced at Mia. Mia shrugged.

  “Those were our orders. Do not engage. We were outnumbered,” Lieutenant Tr'j'ck stated over the vid link with second level emphasis. “We picked them up on long range sensors in Beta 452C. We were fortunate; we were almost to the Briev jump point.”

  Meia nodded. Two modern and fully restored navy warships against seven? Firefly had shown it could be done, but not while trying to shelter a bunch of lumbering freighters stuffed with irreplaceable parts and people. Firefly had also had surprise and a squad of fighters on her side too. Xavier had only four fighters, and they'd lost three in the initial engagements. The last had been shot up pretty badly.

  “We did fine across Briev but they had picked up speed in hyper and jumped out only a few days behind us. We thought we were going to be in trouble but Captain Samuel dropped us and Charlie to the rear and we intercepted their long range fire just as we jumped.” The Veraxin chattered. His mandibles flexed. “We tried to get the convoy up to the highest octave possible. The captain even considered waiting in hyper for a week and then turning around to return to B 452C.”

  “But she didn't. You continued on.”

  “We thought, I thought we could bull through it,” the Veraxin admitted. “When we jumped out in Triang there was no sign of them as we had hoped. So we headed at flank to the Antigua jump point after radioing a warning to the planet.”

  “And got ambushed?”

  “No, Rose suffered an engineering casualty. She was running flat out and couldn't keep it up for that distance,” the Veraxin stated with second level contempt.

  “Rose ...” Meia wrinkled her nose. She looked at Mia. Mia shrugged. She accessed her implants to inquire which ship but the Veraxin answered her.

  “Rose is the Astra class. Admiral Irons re-designated it Collier 13,” the Veraxin explained. “She's the biggest freighter we've got, a bulk freighter. She is stuffed with a thousand yard workers and industrial techs along with their equipment, tugs, mechs, and assorted gear. Everything they need to get the yard really moving in Antigua,” the Veraxin explained.

  “Rose,” Meia murmured thoughtfully, doing her own search.

  “The name isn't official. Apparently the crew named it after an expression despite the name being used for a frigate already,” the bug said, clacking his mandibles. Her full attention returned to his image. “They say, one who comes from the ship smells like a rose. Usually because they get a posting to a warship or other ship.”

  “I see,” Meia said, pursing her lips to fight a smile. “Dropped in a bucket of shit and come out smelling like a rose is the expression,” she said. Mia looked up and snorted softly. Apparently the fleet train crews didn't think very highly of their ships.

  “I see,” the Veraxin replied with a signal of second level annoyance. “You humans and your expressions. They will be the death of us all one day.”

  “Perhaps.”

  “So, you are the skipper's new tactical officer. You know I had wanted that post,” the Veraxin replied. You know, you could get the exec position here ...” he said suggestively.

  Meia chuckled. “Pass,” she said, shaking her head. “I'm not thrilled about being here, but the admiral made it clear I'm here to stay. At least until I can get back into a fighter cockpit,” she said.

  The Veraxin's mandibles went slack. “You are a fighter pilot? And yet you are the senior tactical officer?”

  “Looks that way,” Meia said with a syrupy sweet tone. She shrugged as if it didn't matter. “I'm going to put in for a squadron command or even a CAG posting if I can swing it. If one becomes available in Antigua,” she said.

  “You ... you do realize that amounts to a demotion correct?” The Veraxin asked carefully.

  Meia shrugged. “I want to fly.”

  “Extraordinary,” the Veraxin said quietly. His antenna fluttered as his mandibles slowly closed.

  “So, you have an opening for an XO?”

  “No, we have an opening for the JTO,” another voice said off camera. The Veraxin turned to see the captain coming onto the bridge.

  “Captain on the deck,” he said, getting off the captain's couch. “Skipper I thought you were resting?”

  “I was about to, but got restless so I decided to go walk about. You mind?”

  “Of course not, sir,” the bug replied, moving aside to allow the human to sit on the couch. It reformed to his body style immediately.

  “Lieutenant Meia, right?” the captain asked, nodding to the camera and her image hovering below it.

  “Yes sir,” Meia replied with a nod. She wasn't certain who out ranked who, but he was a ship's captain. She would therefore give him all deference she could. “We were just discussing ...”

  “The chain of command on my ship?” he asked mildly.

  “And my ship, sir,” Meia said as Mia shot her a warning look. “Among other things. We each have the watch and were catching up, sir,” she said.

  He nodded. “I see,” he said, his eyes studying hers. She cocked her head. She wasn't going to be intimidated by him at all. Finally he cracked a slight smile. He turned to the Veraxin. “FYI, you are acting XO. At least until we get someone else. Or someone to replace you at the tactical station.”

  “Aye aye, sir. I'll try not to let you down,” the Veraxin said.

  “See that you don't,” the captain said, standing once more. He nodded to Meia. “Good day ladies,” he said.

  “Yes sir. We need to be going anyway. Nice um, chatting with you Xavier,” Meia said weakly. She cut the channel then sat back with a sigh of relief. Her eyes rolled to the side to see Mia open her mouth. “Don't. Don't even say it,” she said. Mia closed her mouth, shook her head and then went back to attending to her own duties.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Two days before their planned departure an action party was organized on the planet. Some members of the government and the planet's population wanted to welcome Irons after his last time in the system and the generous gifts he'd bequeathed them. Others wanted to send a delegation with the fleet to Antigua once word got around that they were organizing a constitutional convention.

  That idea grew like a fire storm as people became excited about a renewal of the Federation and galactic civilization. The problem was, for the initial day people talked about it, but no one really moved on the subject. Everyone kept saying someone should do something, but nothing happened until Sprite gently reminded them that they were on a schedule and would departing shortly. That sparked a hurried conference in the planet's presidential palace and then scurrying as people were called in to be briefed on representing their planet. Unfortunately they had little to brief them on; they weren't certain what would happen. They were certain they didn't want to be left out.

  But reminding them that they were going to leave shortly made the planet's government go into a near panic. They immediately requested a delay to research the situation as well as an open-ended request for a warship to remain on station. The Admiral was reluctant to release a vessel even though he'd intended Charlie for that purpose.

  “A picket is important here, Admiral. Not only would it anchor this system, but it is a statement. One that others cannot ignore,” Sprite reminded him. He nodded.

  Reluctantly he released Echo and Charlie with a small crew and a small launch to allow them to resupply from the planet. The volunteer crew for Echo were picked from the convoy and warships. Sprite initiated that while she continued the discussion with the admiral. She was fairly certain most of Echo's current crew would want to remain with her, but she could be wrong. Organics had a strange way of changing their minds when they suddenly realized what they were getting wasn't quite what they wan
ted.

  “Admiral, if we keep putting our people out in dribs and drabs, we're inviting defeat in detail. You said you wanted a concentrated nodule force.”

  “This is as much a preventive measure as it is a political one Commander,” Irons replied.

  “I noticed you didn't invite Commander Sindri to resume his former post on Echo,” Sprite said, sounding malicious.

  “Now you are being mean spirited and changing the subject. I have something else in mind for Vestri thank you. If I had a couple gunships I'd dump the duty on them. Unfortunately, we don't so we'll make due for now. Both corvettes have strict orders to not engage. They are a picket. A pair of warning vessels and courier rolled into one hull. Okay, two,” he said since the analogy didn't quite fit the way he'd intended.

  Sprite nodded thoughtfully. “I see. A warning to both the planet and Antigua. Hopefully their presence alone will scare off singleton pirates and make others think twice.”

  “Exactly,” the Admiral said. He wasn't sure how much of a warning the pair of corvettes could pass on to the planet, or how much the warning would serve. He doubted much, but any lead time to run for the hills and caves was preferable to none. “Which opens up another can of worms, logistics for them. We'll have to write orders for ships passing through to resupply the picket from their stores since you and I both know the launch won't be enough. Perhaps for food, but definitely not fuel ... And remind me to get them a gas refinery in this system ASAP.”

  “Why not now?” Sprite asked, raising a virtual eyebrow. “I know you want the one you have to be used in Antigua. You could give them the one in stores and then you could build another one once we arrive.”

  “No materials,” Irons replied with a grimace. He had considered the idea but didn't want to lose the refinery. He didn't want to spend the time making another in Antigua either. “And I'm not going to stay another week to gather them and make the thing,” he said, making a face. “We can do better in Antigua. Then ship it back here.”

  “Translation, this is as far as you are willing to bend over backwards?” Sprite asked with another smile.

  He cocked his head to the side and then shrugged ever so slightly. “Something like that.”

  “Understood Admiral. I'm glad even you have a limit to being a doormat.”

  “Cute, Commander.”

  “What about leaving a tanker here? We have three in the fleet; we don't need all of them floating around Antigua. They could even stage the shuttles from the tanker. Turn her into a temporary space port,” she suggested.

  The admiral thought about it for a moment then nodded slowly. “That is a possibility. I was thinking about leaving a couple bladders and possibly some drones or other goodies in orbit with the corvettes,” Irons mused as he rubbed his jaw. “The problem is, the tanker is slow. If a warship does come in, she wouldn't be able to run across the system to evade them. That would mean the corvettes would have to engage, if only to defend the ship. I'm not happy about that idea.”

  “What about stationing the tanker on the Antigua jump point? That way, if an enemy vessel does come in the corvettes can radio ahead with a warning?”

  “Now that is an idea. They can do a deep space rendezvous to refuel and resupply,” Irons said with a nod. “Yes, set it up. Get the corvette captains to put a list together of equipment and supplies they'll need to store with the tanker as well. We'll stuff her. Hopefully they won't be on station long, just long enough until we can get a relief ship back here.”

  “Aye aye, sir. I'm cutting the orders now as we speak. Do you have a particular tanker in mind?”

  The admiral frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he studied the ship stats. “Tanker 1. The medium sized one should be just fine here. That will give both corvettes plenty of fuel and the tanker plenty of hold space to store any gear for their resupply.”

  “Aye aye, sir. I'll set it up for tomorrow then,” Sprite said.

  “No hurry on the tanker, she can cross ship anything she needs as we leave. She can escort us and do the transfer while we are underway and then stay behind at the jump point.”

  “Do you want a ceremony for Echo's captain? Or a transfer of crew off or on the tanker?” Sprite asked carefully. The admiral shook his head no. “Very well then, we will keep it brief and informal then. I'm on it. I'll have the recon satellite prepped for deployment as well, Admiral.”

  “Good,” the admiral murmured, turning his attention to other matters.

  “Eight point four light years,” Sprite said. “That is what's left between us and Antigua. Between us and the future,” she said, rubbing her hands together.

  “You seem excited, Commander,” the admiral observed, smiling tightly.

  “I am,” Sprite said. “In slightly less than eight weeks we'll really get the ball rolling,” she said. “I'm looking forward to that. To seeing some old friends and digging in to kick the pirate's ass right back to Horath and beyond.”

  The admiral's small smile cracked wider. “That's the spirit,” he said with a chuckle and nod.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Mia blinked when she got a call. She checked the header then looked about the bridge. She was senior officer and had the bridge watch. No one was about so she tapped accept.

  “Hey Mia. I just wanted you to know I landed on my feet. I'm over here on the tanker.”

  Mia blinked in surprise. Shandra looked better, she seemed ... more relaxed. She'd tried to talk to her friend and former lover a few times but had been ignored or rebuffed. Now this.

  “I'm staying here,” Shandra said, looking firm. “It's the least I can do. I'm a trained watch officer; I'm XO on this tub. She's not a warship, but she's handy to have around when you need a gas station,” Shandra said, cracking a smile. “What can I say, she grows on you. And having a room all to myself is nice.”

  “What ...” Mia murmured to herself. She caught a rating's look and closed her mouth.

  “If you're wondering what I'm doing here, and probably by now you are, I put in for a transfer. I heard the admiral was going to leave this ship behind to keep the corvettes here tanked up. I swapped assignments with Commander Sprite's approval,” she went on to say. “We've been taking on stores for a while now. If you see him, can you thank the admiral for the portable industrial replicator?” Shandra shook her head. “I'm not sure if we'll be able to do all the stuff he put on the list, but we'll sure try. Oh, and the orders to make a refinery. The small one he uploaded for us to build should be nice. We probably don't need it now, but hey, it's nice to know it's there when we eventually will. Maybe we can top off ships passing through?” She shook her head. “I don't know.”

  Mia frowned thoughtfully. She wondered what was on the admiral's wish list and why it was so important to give up a portable industrial replicator. Those things didn't grow on trees! She paused, looked up and then smiled at herself. They may not grow on trees but she knew who could make more. Suddenly the loss wasn't all that important.

  Maybe they were going to make parts for the ships? Yes, that could be it, though they didn't have the keys ... she frowned then shrugged. It wasn't her problem.

  “So, hey gal, I just wanted to let you know I'm good,” Shandra said with a catch in her voice. “You ever come out this way maybe ... maybe we can hoist a few beers or something. Go dancing on a club groundside or something, I dunno. I'll find out what's around when we get groundside liberty. Safe sailing gal pal,” Shandra said, kissing her fingertips and waving them to the camera.

  “It's a date,” Mia said softly as the message terminated.

  ACT II

  Chapter 17

  By the time they arrived in Antigua the Admiral was proud of their accomplishments. Not only were the ships functioning at peak efficiency, the crews were tired but trained and working well together. Morale was high.

  Captain Samuel had worked out nicely. She'd been understanding with her new crew, realizing they were proud of their accomplishments and she was an outsider
to that close knit family that had been built around them. Her defense of the convoy however had earned her some respectful brownie points with the crew, and she'd settled in over the flight to Antigua. Her command style complimented what the admiral had set up already so the transition was relatively smooth. Between her, Sindri, Lobsterman, and Sprite they'd gotten a lot of the lingering rough edges knocked down and smoothed over. The ship wasn't what he would consider perfect, but it was at least well on her way to be a full 100 percent across the board.

  The best part about having the good captain take over was that it freed him up to focus on the future and big picture. It took him a little while to ease up, to learn to take a more hands off approach to the day to day running of the ship. When the full weight fell on her and Sindri's shoulders Sprite informed him they didn't even notice. That was good, they'd fallen into harness like the professionals they were.

  He turned an eye to training with Sprite, helping her to refine her program and overhaul a few blind spots. He also worked on strategic plans. He spent at least two days going over the stellar map planning his next moves if Antigua didn't work out. By the time they would arrive he'd have a rough contingency plan in mind. Several if one included his eating crow and returning to Pyrax.

  He also came up with several contingency plans for their arrival in Antigua. He wasn't exactly sure how things would go. Just because people said they wanted him back didn't mean they meant it. Things like attitudes changed over time. In a few hours they would find out the truth for themselves.

  The fleet exited hyper in Antigua space almost eight weeks exactly from their departure. They jumped into Antigua's jump point in a pinpoint formation, Maine in the lead with the three destroyers on her flanks followed by the convoy ships in the center and Tweedle Dee and Heart of the Tiger bringing up the rear.