“Sir, I’m getting a message from Commodore Kirkland and he says that the ISS Patton and Bastogne are on their way and we should prepare for towing. The Bastogne is to tow us to the Wolf’s Den and then to the Mammoth for repairs. The Patton will be in charge of boarding operations on the damaged Karduan destroyer escort and any other ships in the area. They will also be gathering life pods and prisoners as well as securing any enemy intelligence,” the Master Guns reported.
Mike nodded and said, “Acknowledge the message. All right people, let’s get back to work.”
They were tired but the job had to get done and they all knew it was up to them to do it. Everyone returned to their duties, lost in their work as well as their thoughts of this recent battle and of the dead who paid for it.
Epilogue - Part One
Five whole days went by before word came to Wolf’s Den that the 34th Attack Fleet had finally arrived at Austro Prime. The frigate, ISS Alamo had been sent to wait for them and bring them to the Den.
By the time the 34th Attack Fleet had arrived the system had been cleaned up and once more looked empty to the casual observer. The damaged and disabled ships had been towed or hauled to the interior of the asteroid field. Even the corridor had been cleared of wreckage though there was an extensive gap mid-way where the nuclear mine went off.
The Karduan prisoners were transferred to the prison ship Joseph Priestly and to other freighters that had been set up for prison use. Interrogations of the prisoners were ongoing as well as determining who were the Believer disciples from amongst the Blue males and lower caste females.
Computers were being hacked and Lt. Martian Dailey and his team had been busy going from one captured enemy ship to the next ship. All of the Karduan computers from the ships that had surrendered had been wiped but Martin had developed programs to help retrieve information from wiped computers. He also had the computers from the ships which had been destroyed or rendered disabled during the fight. It was a large mess of wrecked ships and computer parts some of which were spread out on one of the lower decks of the Mammoth.
On the same lower deck sat the frigate Goliad as repair droids and robots worked on repairing the hull and armor of the old frigate. Her Bender drives were shot and were being pulled out to be stripped of any usable parts. Until new engines could be found or modified she would have to wait and be limited to her impulse engines. This made her into an in-system defense ship for the time being.
They had six ships including the Saratoga and a battle destroyer that all had severe engine damage and would be laid up for months. Lt. Collins had reported on the damaged battle destroyer from the fight with the 8th Defense Fleet. He also informed him of the dozen captured ships that were sitting at Hanson’s World some of which looked in usable condition.
Still other repairs would take even more time and that was not what the Admiral had in mind. The Wolf Squadron’s ships damaged in the battle received priority repairs. Most ships had only minimal damage as the disable Karduan ships with damaged impulse engines had surrendered as soon as they had been abandoned by their Grand Fleet Mistress and her doomed Star Destroyer. These Confederation ships’ repairs were almost completed by the time the 34th AF had arrived in the Wolf System.
Time was short and Admiral Hope was determined to get back to the war as soon as possible so further delays of any type would not be tolerated.
Epilogue - Part Two
On the Mary Queen of Scots several command level meetings were taking place on the onetime mega luxury liner.
When Commodore Essex arrived at the Captains Call he found that it was already in session. Perhaps he didn't have enough warning to get to the meeting on time. Of course, the Pallas’ executive officer and several other captains of the 34th Attack Fleet had arrived with plenty of time to enjoy a cup of coffee and meet old friends that were now serving with the Wolf Squadron.
When George “Granny” Essex showed up late some thought that perhaps he was hoping to make a grand entrance. Instead of making a statement, he found armed commandos with Werewolf Badges and gauss rifles standing guard at the doors to the conference room.
The sight of their commando badges reminded him of the one that insulant pup, Mike Collins wore and he made a face of distaste. The guards were either young in their early twenties or old, so old that Essex thought they were unfit to serve at such an elderly age.
Strolling to the doors with his flag lieutenant at his heels he was more than surprised when the four guards standing two on each side of the doors stepped in front of them.
“Get out of my way, Chief Petty Officer,” Commodore Essex demanded.
“I sorry, sir, but this meeting is closed,” the old chief said with half of a grin.
“I’m supposed to be at this meeting, so I order you to open the doors and step aside,” Commodore Essex commanded starting to lose his temper.
“You heard the Commodore, open the door!” Lt. Friar chimed in from the side
A young commando stepped in and Essex realized to his surprise that the young man was an officer.
“Ensign, have your men here step aside and let us into this command meeting,” he ordered.
“I’m sorry sir, but Admiral Hope ordered that this room be sealed and that no one was allowed to enter until they take a break,” the young officer and Harpers Academy alumni explained.
“But I’m supposed to be at this meeting!” Essex said in outrage.
“Sorry sir, would you please have a seat and I’ll let the Admiral know you are here as soon as they take a break,” the Ensign said holding his ground just as he was instructed to do.
“I could call this ship’s captain or their head of security,” his dog robber suggested.
Essex shook his head and moved to a row of seats along the wall and sat down to wait. Lt. Linda Friar looked daggers at the guards and the young ensign but then moved to the seat next to her flag officer and also sat down.
After an hour, the conference room’s door opened. A stream of officers came out to go to the head, grab a snack or just stretch their legs.
Commodore Essex quickly got up and hurried to the open doors. Reaching them he walked passed the now ineffectual guards.
Looking into the conference room, he saw that there were still a dozen officers milling about. Scanning the room several times he failed to find Admiral Hope or even Commodore Kirkland.
There were several familiar faces including the Pallas’ XO Commander Rick Hemmings. He was laughing with two other commanders when had turned and saw his fleet’s Commodore enter the conference room. He continued to smile and waved to Essex signaling him to come over to the main table where he had been seated.
Essex briskly crossed to him, his anger apparent on his face.
“Sir, I’ve taken notes for you to review,” Cmdr. Hemmings said having sat in for his missing flag officer on matters concerning the 34th AF.
“Damn it! Where is Hope?” he asked his face turning bright red.
“You just missed him, sir,” one of the other commanders named Green said looking at him in concern.
The Commodore ignored this officer that he didn’t know.
“Where is he?”
“Sir, he went out the back exit along with Commodore Kirkland,” Cmdr. Hemmings explained.
“We are on a fifteen-minute break, sir,” the third commander said who had a nametag with the name of Cooper on it.
Sitting down in the seat where there was a place card with his name he then pointed at the Pallas’ Executive Officer motioning for him to sit down.
“Fill me in on what has been briefed,” he ordered.
“Certainly, sir,” Hemmings said with his trademark smile as he took out his palm pad to go over the orders. “The 34th and the Wolf Squadron will move out in three days and will head for the Sargasso Station where we will link up with the 12th Defense Fleet and the Templar Squadron. Here is the movement plan and ship deployment,” he said as he brought up the orders.
&
nbsp; “What is our route after that and what is our mission?”
“I don’t know sir. I think that is in the next half of the meeting,” Hemmings answered.
“So, all you covered was the movement plan and deployment?”
“Aye sir,” the Commander said and nodded.
Essex looked down at the pad and saw that the 34th Attack Fleet would be taking the lead during the movement to the front. It also looked like some of his ships were being moved away from his main force.
“What’s he doing, trying to get me killed?” the Commodore mumbled as he went over the plans and transfer orders.
As he was going over the orders for a second time the room was called to attention and Commodore Kirkland came in alone.
Commodore Essex craned his neck but saw that Admiral Hope was nowhere to be seen. To him, this was a great breach of military etiquette calling the room to attention when there was already a flag officer of equal rank present. Hell, he was more than a year senior to Kirkland in date of rank!
“I’m sure you’ve all have had time to look over the movement plan. If you have any specific questions relevant to your ships please let me know or if you have any requests for supplies let my S-4 Quartermaster know of your needs,” the new Commodore announced.
The room of officers nodded and many murmured, “aye sir” but no one had any further questions at this time.
“I have a question, where is Admiral Hope?” Commodore Essex asked standing up so he could see him.
John Kirkland squinted and smiled, “Oh, there you are George, we were wondering what had happened to you?”
Granny Essex clenched his jaw and forced a smile. The last thing he needed was to have a scene in front of so many ship captains.
“Just a slight delay,” he replied.
“Well, Admiral Hope was called away but he does want to see you at thirteen hundred hours in his office. He said to remind you to be on time,” Commodore Kirkland said straight-faced.
Essex looked at him as if he had been slapped but again showed that he could play the politician when he wanted to and he once more forced a polite smile.
“Thanks, I shall endeavor to do so,” he said turned his back to Kirkland and looking down at his Flag Lieutenant.
Commodore Kirkland nodded and then dismissed the room to get back to their ships and to continue to prepare for their departure.
Granny Essex stormed out of the room with his aide at his heels.
“Find out where Hope’s office is and how to get there,” he commanded as Lt. Friar took off at a brisk walk to get him his answers.
Dozens of ship captains passed by the Commodore, many of them fighting to hold in their smiles. Commander Hemmings exited the door and turned to his left and away from Essex. He was in a hurry to get back to the Pallas and to make sure that the 34th Attack Fleet was prepared to advance to the front. He didn’t need to hear Essex whine about being slighted or anything else.
In a few minutes, Granny Essex was left all alone in the hallway outside of the conference room, even the door guards having left for other duties.
“After all, we don’t want to be late,” Granny said to himself, slamming his fist into a wall as he anxiously waited for his dog robber to return.
Epilogue - Part Three
The gavel hitting the table calling the court back in session as the three judges took their seats. Specialist Duffey B. Thach stood by his court-appointed JAG lawyer. His defense attorney wanted to have a psychological defense strategy and call in doctors to test him for all sorts of phobias but he refused his idea with several four-letter words.
His JAG lawyer wanted to keep him from taking the stand but he refused in no uncertain terms. In his testimony, he ridiculed his crewmates, his officers and the Confederation Navy as individuals as well as being a group of pompous asses.
The prosecution lawyer brought witness after witness forward from the Goliad to testify about his conduct especially while under fire. His previous Captain’s Mast on similar charges didn’t help his current case and was allowed as evidence after his lawyer failed to have that information blocked and marked as inadmissible.
The three-judge panel took their seats and the head judge of his court-martial board rapped her gavel once more and then spoke.
“This court is now in session,” Captain Martha Kirkland announced and added, “Please be seated.”
The room sat down and waited as the judges all look on. After a moment, recently promoted Captain Kirkland cleared her throat before she spoke.
“Will the defendant and his attorney please rise,” she instructed and waited as Specialist Thach and his attorney stood up.
“This court-martial board has finished its deliberations and has come to an agreement. Specialist Duffey B. Thach on the charge of Dereliction of Duty for vacating your post contrary to regulations or orders, we find you guilty and sentence you to five years in military prison. For the charge of Desertion, for jettisoning yourself into space without orders we find you guilty and sentence you to ten years in prison. For the charge of Cowardice in the face of the enemy, we find you guilty and sentence you to ten years in prison,” Deputy Base Commander, Commander Donald Jureck announced.
“You are all fucking ass wipes!” Duffey B. Thach screamed and lunged for the members of the court. He was quickly grabbed and held back by his attorney as two MPs moved in and yanked his arms behind his back and cuffed him.
“All of these terms of sentence shall be served in conjunction for a total of twenty-five years without parole or amnesty,” the third member of the court-martial board, Commander Roebuck stated for the record.
Convicted Prisoner Duffey B. Thach was still screaming obscenities as MP Sergeants Eric Wayne and Peter Bachman dragged him out of the courtroom. As they hauled him passed some of the audience to his trial, these onlookers could have sworn that they thought they smelled a distinct urine smell coming from the prisoner.
A quick shuttle ride took him to the freighter Joseph Priestly which had been converted to a prison ship. There he was taken to a cell block on E-deck. The majority of the prisoners were Karduan females taken from ships that had surrendered or had been destroyed. There was also a small human prisoner population of mostly captured space pirates.
Prisoner Thach was taken to the deck where they held human inmates and was placed in a cell with another male human prisoner. A sweaty and teary-eyed Mark F.U. Walton one-time Galactic Trading Company representative looked up from his bunk as his new roommate was shoved into his cell. He had previously been sentenced to twenty-five years for treason and for aiding the enemy in time of war.
Duffey was still yelling swear words as the door shut and magnetically locked, leaving him with only his cellmate for company.
Epilogue - Part Four
Commodore George Essex and Lt. Linda Friar reached the administration offices of the Mary Queen of Scots with ten minutes to spare. These offices were not really the Admiral’s as he liked to work from his office on the attack cruiser, Star Wolf.
These offices were for the Wolf’s Den’s commander and its adjutant commander as well as the Mary’s ship captain. Commodore Kirkland had been the base commander but with his promotion he would now be the Wolf Squadron’s commander and its flag officer. He had turned the command of the Wolf’s Den over to his wife, Martha Kirkland who had been promoted to captain.
Commander Donald Jureck was being moved up to be her deputy base commander. He was a former instructor from Harpers Academy and was a retired Confederation Officer from before the war. For the last ten years he had taught starship engineering and design. For a repair base like the Wolf’s Den, he was a perfect choice for second in command and to help lead their repair operations.
When Commodore Essex had arrived the outer-office secretary had him sit down and wait for a minute while she contacted the admiral. She then directed him and his Flag Lieutenant to the deputy base commander’s office to her right.
Essex wondered what
was going on until the door slid open and he saw that Admiral Hope had commandeered this smaller office rather than Commodore Kirkland’s. The office was of medium size and was crowded with people as the 34th’s Commodore and his aide entered.
Admiral Sir Randolph Hope was seated behind an ornate yet functional wooden desk that had a coffee cup and pot as well as a dozen crystal data chips. Commodore Kirkland and his wife were both seated in front of the desk. Nearby, stood Captain Hunter, Commander Hildebrandt and Commander Jureck.
Hope looked up and nodded at the new arrivals.
“My 1300 appointment is here, so if you’ll all please excuse me,” the Admiral said politely.
Everyone smiled or nodded and then they saluted before they left. Commodore Kirkland made to get up from his seat but a look from his old friend told him to sit down and stay.
As the room emptied Commodore Essex made his way inside passing these exiting officers. He could tell they were all against him but these lesser officers didn’t matter. He just had to deceive one elderly fool to maintain his power and position. This was a task he was sure he could accomplish.
Entering the room, he looked down at the old headmaster and waited as Hope had looked back to the palm pad on his desk and hadn’t really acknowledged him yet. Seeing his dog robber had promptly saluted the seated officer, Commodore Essex quickly brought his hand up and also saluted holding his salute.
Admiral Hope then looked up and returned their salutes.
“Lt. Friar, please wait in the outer officer,” he instructed.
The Flag Lieutenant’s eyes grew a little large at the thought that this admiral knew her name. She again saluted which her returned and then she did an about-face and hurried from the office. When the door slid close there were just the Admiral and the two Commodores left in the room.
Essex made to sit in the vacant chair next to Kirkland but the Admiral stared at him so hard that he faltered and ended up standing behind the chair. There was something in that old man’s eyes that sent a shiver down Essex’s back. He then remembered that they called him the “Hawk” and now he knew it was for a good reason.
Wolves at the Gate (Star Wolf Squadron Book 3) Page 40
