by Chris Burton
The second day’s trials began with a launch from Earth, but on a different route. This time the figure-eight rounded Mars, and the Hunters were required to use a short burst of their Stellar drive to ‘jump’ from one planet to the next. This was more complicated and the top pilots came to the fore. Steve and Jake came in first and second. Jake replaced Maria in 4th place overall.
The collision of two Hunters in the final heat marred the trial. Both pilots came out unharmed; one ejected and was rescued by an Eagle Search and Rescue Shuttle, who returned him and his stricken ship to Earth without further cause for alarm.
The final trial was crucial. Twelve of the sixty candidates would be eliminated from the Top Gun competition today. It was critical to avoid mistakes. The trial involved taking off from Mars via a launch tube, with all sixty Hunters launching at the same time. This trial often proved to be a logistical nightmare for the organizers, as they must first find sixty Hunters and their launch tubes and then request ground and shield clearance for both Mars and Earth. The final event then was a sprint: a launch into space at high velocity, a jump to light speed, and a perfectly timed deceleration to allow clearance of Earth’s shields at the right angle of decent and speed for landing.
This time Jake got it spot on. He was ahead at launch, at the jump and at deceleration and managed to beat Steve to the launch pad by a whole five seconds. As a result, Jake jumped to second behind Steve in the overall trial timings.
Maria and Carla didn’t have a good day, with Maria finishing the day in 22nd place and Carla in 46th place. Carla remained in the competition, but only just. Twelve candidates were eliminated including both those involved in the collision.
The first trials day ended and the students returned to their homes to enjoy what little remained of their weekend. Jake, Maria, Steve and Carla all met up briefly for a drink before agreeing to call it a day. A new week loomed, and it was back to studies in earnest tomorrow.
While Jake and Maria walked back to their respective apartments together, Steve and Carla hung around for Steve to speak to the flight instructor team. He wanted to ensure his suspended status was lifted for his academic flying and not just for the Top Gun Trials. It turned out to be just a formality, with both Sabre and Rapier flying scheduled for the following week, Steve just wanted to be certain everything was okay. The Academy organizers were relieved the trials were a success and this year’s candidates looked quite good. The next Trial would follow in six weeks, when a further twelve candidates would be eliminated.
Steve and Jake were where they wanted to be, heading the trials list and fully intent on keeping it that way. Neither of them would give up their ticket to Titus 3 without a fight.
Chapter Sixteen
A New Ship
Alpha Five was the nearest star base to the Sun and one of the busiest. Venus became a populous planet in recent years, following advancements made in Beta Formatting. Commercially, Venus was the second-largest trading partner of the Earth Colonies.
Jonathan Hoskins arrived on Venus, five days prior to his new ship’s commission date, largely because life at home was slightly less ‘homely’ than he anticipated. His wife found out about Obeya through the same channels Admiral Martin had. She greeted Hoskins at the door and then slammed it in his face. Two hours later, she finally allowed him into the house where she shouted at him for a further hour. Eventually Hoskins gave up and spent the night in a local hotel.
He finally admitted to the affair two days later, but by then his wife had placed a local restraining order on him. Without either grounds or time to challenge this, he elected to take an earlier shuttle to Alpha Five, where he commenced his pre-commission work in peace.
He didn’t blame his wife’s response. He hardly saw her in the last eighteen months. While she sat at home patiently waiting for him, he was ‘racing about the galaxy screwing everything in sight.’ Hoskins did, however, feel guilty. He loved his wife, but he loved Obeya too. This was going to be difficult, and he needed to clear his head before he tried to speak to his wife again.
On the 30th of September, the new Halo 7, was commissioned, with Jonathan Hoskins as its inaugural Commander. The Halo was a striking vessel: larger than the Aurora 5, and clearly brand new. Her striking, unblemished outer hull looked as white as newly-fallen star. Sleek and powerful, she gave the impression of a larger and much more important ship. The Duke Class vessels, of which the Halo 7 was the fifteenth, were engineered and brought into service six years earlier. They were classified as a B-class ship of the line when first commissioned, but downgraded in the last twelve months to make way for the new Galaxy class super battleships just launched. Such a classification downgrade was not unusual and was certainly not a reflection on her abilities.
She was capable of SD6 via one of two twin matter/antimatter reformatting drives. She had an additional ‘fast jump’ ion drive and two sub-light auxiliary drives. Her thrusters and space launch capability gave her seven propulsion drives in total, making her one of the most flexible cruisers in Alpha’s expansive fleet. The three hundred crew plus a complement of one hundred marines were located in comparative luxury in two of her fourteen decks. She contained three hangars to accommodate thirty jump ships, and four smaller hangars to house her Eagles, a variety of shuttles and her probes.
The Halo’s armament and defensive capabilities were impressive, too, with plasma weapons, ten laser cannons, fourteen teutonic torpedo tubes and an oval-shaped flux capacitor PBA. Her shields were upgraded Battleship-strength with vertical wave shields, and virtual stealth capability, to boot. Hoskins was much impressed when he researched his new vessel and even more amazed when he saw her.
The crew transferred from the Aurora 5, but with natural wastage, transfers and promotions, only one hundred seventy five of the two hundred ninety-seven available crew transferred across. This meant Hoskins must find a further one hundred twenty-five crew, including fifteen officers, two new Rapier Pilots and three senior officers. A new Chief Engineer was already allocated. Tom Royce was promoted from an assistant chief engineer post on another Duke Class vessel and ranked Lieutenant Commander. A Bridge Commander and a new Chief Medical Officer were also needed. The marines and the NCO crew would be recruited via Hoskins’s CPO in the course of the next two weeks leading up to the official launch date of October 17th.
Jonathan Hoskin advised Commander Jean–Luc Jacques of his promotion, twenty-four hours after Hoskins met Admiral Martin. Jacques was happy to accept, and Hoskins’s relationship with his new Number One was developing well. Their mutual respect for each other continued to grow.
Today was the 16th of October, just one day before launch. All crew were appointed and the ship ready for launch. Hoskins sat in his study and opened a comm link to Earth; he planned to have a meaningful conversation with his wife. Sarah Hoskins’s face appeared on the comm link display and Jonathan smiled and said hello.
Sarah replied, “Is she aboard yet?”
“Yes,” was Hoskins reply. He didn’t want to get involved in discussions about Obeya, but thought his best response was to be truthful and brief and hope that this would illicit the right response from Sarah.
“Do you really think I want to talk to you when you have told me you are no longer seeing her and yet you have still sanctioned her posting to your new ship?”
Jonathan realized this wouldn’t be easy. “Sweetheart, it is all over. I transferred her to this ship as part of my new commission. There was no military reason for not doing so and she is a good jump pilot.”
He hated lying, but he wanted the best of both worlds. He knew it was wrong, but he just could not stop himself.
“I have your word?”
“Yes.”
“Then you need to make a promise to me, two promises in fact. You need to stay faithful from on, and you need to make sure you are back home by March.”
“Why March?”
“Because I am pregnant and I am not doing this on my own.”
&nbs
p; “Pregnant. Oh fuck, I mean, oh my God, that’s fantastic. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I think that’s obvious, isn’t it. Call me in a couple of days and we can talk further. Do I have your promises?”
“Yes.”
The comm link went dead. It all made perfect sense. Sarah accepted his indiscretions a bit too easily and now he knew why.
She didn’t look pregnant, but had he really looked that closely? No. Then again they had been trying for a child, albeit few opportunities presented themselves, but the dates tied up. He agreed with Sarah that he would take a one-year sabbatical when they had a baby so he could be involved as much as possible. that first year was imminent. This changed things dramatically. He would have to finish with Obeya. Not yet: he had the whole tour to get around to that.
Obeya Temsouri arrived on Venus two days ago, following three weeks on Seta Nine visiting her parents. She felt refreshed and ready to start her fourth tour, in the knowledge that she was the Sabre lead aboard the new ship. She was not immune to the problems her relationship with Jonathan caused. He called her and told her his wife knew of their affair. It made Obeya extremely anxious; she was not, she told herself, someone who would condone extra-marital affairs, and certainly would not have entertained Jonathan’s advances had she known he was married.
Her hybrid Barcudian senses told her enough was enough. She would make it clear how they should bring their relationship back to a professional footing. Her Dactorian genes controlled her emotions however; she loved Jonathan and would find it difficult to stop seeing him. This blend of rational thought set against human-like emotions was often a useful tool, and she thought it gave her an advantage over her peers. Today, these two aspects of her psyche were in conflict and she had no idea which way this would go.
Commander Jacques stood at his station awaiting final confirmation of their launch parameters and the entrance of his Commanding Officer. The Halo 7 was about to be launched officially for the first time.
Jacques, a thirty-nine year old Frenchman, was passionate about his chosen career. He was a jump ship veteran who, at the age of thirty-two, decided to move from Rapier command to Bridge command. He was on his second tour under Hoskins’ command and had learned a great deal from his commanding officer. Although he respected Hoskins, he learned his CO was impulsive, head strong and a womanizer. He didn’t particularly respect him, but he did like him and he was currently comfortable in his role as Executive Officer. He reasoned that while this was an important stepping-stone in his career, at the end of this tour he would look to secure his own command.
Hoskins entered the bridge and his crew saluted and, then, guided by their Executive Officer, began to applaud their commander. This was a fantastic new ship, and each one of his crew knew their lives were made a little better.
Hoskins smiled. “Thank you everyone. I agree with your sentiments. We have a marvelous new ship here; are we ready to take her out?”
“Yes,” replied Jacques.
“Then let’s make it so.” Hoskins sat down at his station and allowed his Executive Officer to complete final checks and initiate their departure.
“Release docking clamps,” said Jacques. “Alpha Five controls. Clearance requested for departure from dock seven.”
Alpha control came back and confirmed clearance and the docking clamps released. The new ship reversed and was moved via remotely-controlled equipment into its launch position.
“Thank you, Number One.” Hoskins took over.
“Take us out, heading Kuiper Belt ST5, maximum auxiliary thrust.” Hoskins guided the ship towards the Kuiper Belt and the Oort cloud on the edge of the solar system. They headed toward a region currently free from conflict, to allow the ship and her crew three weeks of extensive testing and evaluation of her capabilities. The Halo 7 would maintain maximum auxiliary thrust while diagnostic checks were carried out to ensure all systems worked correctly, and within expected tolerances, before committing the vessel to light speed.
Over the next two hours, the bridge and engineering crews busied themselves with a comprehensive series of diagnostic checks. The ship passed Earth, Mars and then Jupiter, before rounding Saturn’s rings and heading to the outermost sections of the solar system via Quaoar and Sedna.
Finally the checks were complete. Hoskins verified with his Chief Engineer that the Stellar Drive was on line. The main stellar drive was the larger of the two twin ion reformatting drives. It was capable of SD6, but today, Hoskins would not push his new ship to extremes. He was feeling his way around his new ship, getting to know her nuances. So far, all was as expected and the launch remarkably smooth.
“Engage the Stellar drive and accelerate to SD1. Maintain heading.”
The Halo 7 Bridge went quiet and then the ship accelerated almost instantaneously to light speed. The bridge remained silent until Hoskins stood and turned towards his colleagues, whose workstations all lay behind him. “Carry out diagnostics on the S-drive and related systems. Number One, you have the bridge. I shall be in my study.”
Hoskins took time this morning to visit all his department chiefs. He started on the bridge, where his First Officer had just taken over from his Bridge Commander. He spent a few minutes discussing the morning’s events, which had included some minor course adjustments, a buildup of ice deposits on the outer hull, and some tinkering with the bridge staffing timetables with Sahib Mahmud, his Duty Bridge Commander.
He headed to main engineering and spent fifteen minutes with his new chief engineer, discussing the drive variables and establishing performance improvement targets. Tom Royce made some interesting recommendations. Royce was a valuable resource, as he was the only crew member who thoroughly understood the mechanics of the various new systems. Royce felt the two variable stellar drives should be used concurrently to avoid freeze-over in one unit and to ensure polarity of ion matter disbursement. Hoskins understood the theory, but this was not his forté. The almost-limitless number of drive variables concerned him. He was pleased to find Royce approachable and that he took a proactive approach to his new job role.
Hoskins then headed to his CAG, Lieutenant Eileen Collins, on the main forehangar deck. Collins headed up the entire fleet of jump ships aboard the Halo 7 including her lead Sabre Pilot, Obeya Temsouri. Lieutenant Collins was aware of the ‘relationship’ between Obeya and Hoskins, who had a sneaking suspicion Collins provided her husband, a three-star battleship commander, with the details of the relationship. Collins and Obeya were close and it seemed too obvious a connection to ignore. He made a mental note to have a quiet word with Lieutenant Collins in the next few weeks.
Hoskins was introduced to three of the new Rapier pilots, one of which was a certain Joanna Black. Second Lieutenant Black was a newly qualified academy Rapier pilot who had made a name for herself in a previous tour. Hoskins left the hangar deck and had brief discussions with his new Chief Medical Officer and his CPO and security heads before heading to the Marines section of the ship.
The marines were commanded by Major Richard De Vere, who was very much a product of the English Public school system. Old school, but clearly confident, good at his job and likeable. Hoskins observed that De Vere was unlike many commanders from the mobile infantry division of Alpha—he was generally more aware of his surroundings. Hoskins made a mental note to include De Vere in his senior officer meetings. Involvement of the marine’s CO would make the mobile infantry seem more involved, and he wanted the whole crew to gel as one unit.
He made his way back to the bridge via the main corridor and the speed lift. He met his Comm Officer, Lieutenant Peterson, in the corridor outside the bridge, and briefly chatted with him before heading through into the conference and observation room located in front and just below the bridge. Hoskins’ small ‘ready room’ sat just off the observation room.
The ‘ready room’ was a sign of the Duke class’s original designation as a B class ship of the line. It was the Commander’s day room, where senior office
rs conducted the day-to-day affairs of their ships, allowing the first officer and bridge officer to carry out the actual functions and operations of the ship. This was a less hands-on approach than Hoskins was used to, but the ‘ready room’ was well-located. He knew it could prove a useful facility in the future.
Hoskins took the opportunity to catch up on some messages before he was interrupted by his Comm officer. Admiral Martin called on a priority-one secure comm link. Hoskins took the call, and Admiral Martin’s aging features appeared on the screen in front of him.
“What’s your state of readiness Jonathan?”
“We are about ninety five percent ready, Admiral. I would think a further three to four days and we will be ready for active service.“
“I need you to be ready. We located the Sentinel Southern fleet. It is larger than we anticipated, so we are therefore looking at a two pronged offensive. Our main fleet will approach the enemy head on, while a smaller battle group will head through Partacian space and attack from the rear. I need you to depart A.S.A.P. and head for the Partacian star cluster, where you will report to Rear Admiral Shenke.”
“I will ensure we are ready to depart in less than twelve hours, Admiral. We should be with Admiral Shenke within five days.”
“Excellent, Jonathan. Keep me informed.”
With that, the waiting was over and the Halo 7 was about to go into operational status. It was only two weeks since launch, but he knew that his ship and crew were ready.
Hoskins opened a comm link to his First Officer and asked him to join him in his ‘ready room’.
Commander Jacques appeared momentarily.
“Bring the ship into Operational Status and make ready to depart for the Partacian system. We are about to find out what this ship can really do.”
