The Log of the Gray Wolf (Star Wolf Squadron Book 1)

by Shane VanAulen

  Chief Warrant Officer Zimmerman accepted this news gladly. He was a leader of men, but his skill was with the engines; they were his life’s work and would be his burden to keep in tiptop condition.

  Mike swallowed hard at the thought that only three men stood between him and that large and admittedly heavy responsibility. He glanced at the Padre and said a quick prayer for their health. Someday he would want to sit there in the center chair, but not anytime soon.

  “Sir, I think we should start a physical fitness program for each duty shift.”

  “Agreed. Alfred, coordinate with Mark; start easy with the veterans,” Hope said, using the two commander’s first names. He then looked to the third commander. “Edie, give the older members of the crew a thorough physical. I want to make sure we don’t have anyone dropping from too many pushups.”

  “Oh, good, I get to break out the rubber gloves,” she said dryly.

  The room chuckled, but that was the hard truth. No man would be kept from serving due to infirmity; they had already proved that they could do the job. Still, if a heart attack or stroke could be avoided, she would do her best to insure their health and continued service.

  “Gunny, you are our senior NCO, and besides your normal responsibilities as Top, I want you, Mister Collins, and Commander Hutton to organize and train the crew in ship security drills as well as boarding parties.”

  “Aye, sir,” the old sergeant replied and then asked, “What about the prisoners?”

  Hope touched his desk’s computer pad, activating his comm. “Mister Rabb, please bring in our guests.”

  The cabin’s door opened and the four human prisoners entered including Admiral Kirkland, Ken Usheiba, and the two security officers. Behind them were Mister Rabb and four armed and armored crewmen, two middies, and two vets. Of note, Usheiba and the security men’s hands were cuffed behind them, and Mister Rabb held Gunny’s police stun baton in his hands. After Usheiba’s attempt to escape, they weren’t taking any chances, especially with the two highly trained security officers.

  “Please, remove their bindings,” Hope instructed, looking to Rabb.

  The young middy paused at the order, and -- of all people present -- looked to Mike for confirmation. Collins moved to help him, took the sonic keycard, and opened their cuffs, passing them on to the other crewmen. Stepping back, he joined the other armed men in case they tried something funny. He, like his friends, was still armed with their gauss pistols as was Hutton and Masters. Reaching down to his holstered pistol at his hip, he covertly flipped off its safety strap.

  Hope was studying the four men as they looked on at him, almost waiting for his sentence.

  “Gentlemen, we are no longer in Austro space, and I don’t intend to keep you locked up for the duration of our journey.”

  “Then what are you planning to do with us?” Usheiba demanded, still upset at the loss of his customized shuttle.

  The Hawk stared at him, and even though the shuttle pilot was angry, he involuntarily looked away, unable to meet the experienced leader’s eyes. It was clear that Hope was able to handle a dozen such junior officers. Usheiba had spent the minimum amount of time in the service. Just enough time to get pilot training, some experience and get the hell out.

  He had completed his mandatory service and had served well if not with distinction. Having been passed up for fighter training, he had lost his motivation, and just wanted to make the big money and screw the navy. He had never risen above the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade, and meeting the piercing gaze of the Hawk was something he could not bare.

  Admiral Kirkland didn’t have such a weakness, having not only risen to but also having retired at the rank of ship’s captain. He also had been the other man’s friend for years.

  “It is a good question,” he interjected, drawing Hope’s solemn stare. “What do you plan on doing with us, Randolph?”

  “Instead of being held in cells, you will be given quarters as long as you give your word not to interfere with the ship and its mission or try to escape. We are in enemy space with an undermanned crew and a herculean task still before us, and we don’t have the manpower to waste on guarding you. If you wish to remain in your cells, that is up to you.”

  “That seems rather reasonable, Randolph. What about when we reach Confederation space?” the Admiral inquired.

  Hope frowned. “You were all at dinner and heard what this ship is planning to do. It could be a long time before we make a Confederation port, but when we do, you will be turned over to the Admiralty with my recommendation. As it stands now, that recommendation would be to release you and repay Mr. Usheiba for the destruction of his shuttle.” He paused for a moment and looked back to the shuttle pilot. “I believe that the damage inflicted on that Karduan destroyer was well worth the price of your shuttle.”

  Ken grudgingly allowed a smile to slip on his face, and he nodded slightly at this news.

  “In the meantime, the four of you may take your meals with the crew and have access to any recreational supplies we might have. All of you have military experience, and if you wish to join us I’m sure that an arrangement could be made.”

  One of the security officers spoke up at this last comment. “Sir, me and my partner both served in the Confederation military and then joined the planetary police force, finally working our way to the governmental security force. We didn’t want to break away from the Confederation or join in an alliance with the Blues. The problem is that my wife and daughter are still on Austro Prime and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to them because I helped you.”

  “That is prudent; we did release your names as prisoners of war to the Austro media before we left, though. That should protect your families from any reprisals from the government. Ultimately, it is your decision to which your loyalties belong. If you wish to help us work on this ship, I will authorize payment as private contract labor. If you wish to join us in our mission, I will restore your military ranks and make a note in my log that it was compulsory and that you should be released from service upon reaching a Confederation port.”

  The four men had it before them and had quite a choice to make. They could do nothing, refuse to give their parole, and sit in the brig. They could do nothing and give their word to behave and sit in a cabin. They could work as contract labor to fix the ship or even take an active part in the fight and join the crew. It was a great deal, but one that they weren’t ready to jump at yet.

  “A most generous offer,” Kirkland remarked, looking down at the desk, unable to meet his friend’s eyes. He had served in Earth’s forces most of his adult life and knew that he was being given a chance to fight once more. All he had to do was turn his back on the oath he swore to Austro Prime and risk the welfare of his wife.

  The other three prisoners remained silent as similar thoughts raced through their minds.

  “You don’t have to give me an answer now, but by tomorrow morning, I will at least need to know if you will be under guard for the rest of this journey or under parole,” Hope said, setting a deadline.

  “You already have my word, Randolph, I won’t do anything to interfere with this ship, her crew, or your mission,” Admiral Kirkland swore.

  Captain Hope reached out and shook his friend’s hand. The three other men, one by one, repeated the Admiral’s oath. The matter of quarters had been settled, and at least they wouldn’t be held in the brig any longer. Whether they would join their quest was another question, one that the Hawk hoped time and contact with the crew would influence.

  After the four men had left to be escorted to crew quarters, Hope looked to his command staff. “Well?”

  Richards shrugged. “Kirkland, we can trust. As for the others, we are taking a chance.”

  “They deserve that chance, but we should keep an eye on them nonetheless,” Doc Beilor said, looking to the first officer who nodded his agreement. He, of all people, knew about second chances.

  “Our survival is also of paramount importance
to them. If this ship is destroyed, they die too,” Masters remarked.

  Commander Hutton cleared his throat and said what was on his mind. “Mr. Usheiba should be given extra close supervision; he gave us some trouble back in Austro and could still be holding a grudge over the loss of his shuttle.”

  “Agreed, but we could use all of them on our side. Pass the word to the crew to make an extra special but not too obvious effort to make them feel welcomed,” the Captain instructed, still believing they could be won over to their cause.

  “What about our non-human prisoners?” the Padre asked, holding his bible loosely in his hands as he spoke.

  Hope scratched his head and let out a gentle sigh.

  “They stay locked up with no contact with each other or access to any member of the crew.”

  “Should we try to interrogate the ambassador?” Hutton wondered aloud. “She could have vital information.”

  The Hawk’s expression looked thoughtful as he considered the question. “Admiral Kirkland mentioned to me that when he met this Lady Seil-Ca, it seemed to him that she could read his thoughts. He also told me about a Confederation Intelligence Agency memo which said that the Karduans may have the means to read human minds.”

  Hutton agreed. “I’ve also been briefed that they may have that ability, and the male Blue, Bre-Nan, admitted as much to us when he surrendered.”

  “Really? Explain,” Hope ordered, looking from Hutton to Masters, who moved closer and took a seat.

  “When we ambushed the Blues, the Lady female called out that it was an ambush before we had even tried anything.”

  “She first looked hard at Mister Collins, but it seemed that she only became aware of the trap after she looked to the Gunny,” Hutton said, rubbing his chin in thought as he and the others looked to the young officer.

  Mike felt their eyes on him and grew embarrassed.

  “What?”

  “In the commandos they tested and trained us to resist enemy thought probes in case we were captured. Some people already had training, including advanced martial arts, religious zealots and mathematical, or highly structured minds all could form a type of shield or barrier. Even then, it took real concentration to form a shield for the most part. I can create such a shield, but there are some people who always have a barrier up -- a natural one.”

  Everyone looked at him, no one saying a word to interrupt as they became privy to information that was not common knowledge.

  “In my section, we had a guy who the training officers called a Psi Void -- someone who was naturally immune to telepathy and couldn’t be read. He didn’t have to be trained to form a shield, he just always had one and he didn’t even know it.”

  “And you think Mister Collins is one of these Psi Voids?” the Padre asked, finding it hard to believe that someone’s thoughts could be read.

  The Commander shrugged his shoulders. “Only one way to find out.”

  Hope raised his hand, halting the conversation. “All well and good, but we should get as much information from this male Blue if he is cooperative before we try anything else.”

  “Bre-Nan is not only cooperative, but he wants to stay with us and help in any way he can. He has offered to tell us everything he knows and even teach us Karduan,” Masters informed, having had a brief conversation with the overly happy prisoner.

  The room grew quiet, and their faces all seemed grave as they considered the unasked question.

  “Can he be trusted?” Richards said, finally airing what everyone was thinking.

  “If he and the males of his race are servants and slaves to their females, then he is as much an enemy of Kardua as we are,” Doc Beilor remarked dryly.

  Hutton finished his gin and tonic in one gulp and set his glass down on the desk. “We can’t trust him, but we can’t fail to take advantage of him if he is on the up and up.”

  “No, we can’t trust him, but if he is honest, we should give him a chance,” Hope said, glancing to Hutton. “Debrief him and find out what you can. Allow him to assist in cleanup operations at the base under close supervision. Trust is earned, so let’s give him enough rope and see what happens.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  “What about the other three?” Masters asked.

  Hope frowned and shook his head slowly. “Let them sit for a few weeks with no contact. No contact with guards, crew, or with each other. That way we can come up with a plan as well as loosen their tongues through time and selected neglect.”

  Richard cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “If we wait, we’ll lose any vital military information they might possess.”

  “We’re not going anywhere for a while, so that information doesn’t really matter,” the captain answered, having already thought of the matter of useful time sensitive intelligence versus the immediate ability to act on it.

  No one was about to argue; they already had their hands full with repairing the ship and training the crew. Playing good cop, bad cop with a Blue telepath was the last thing they wanted to do.

  “Thank you, gentleman and lady,” Hope said, looking to Edie with a smile as he dismissed the senior staff to return to duty or to their beds.

  Mike headed to the door, slowly lagging behind as the others left. Stepping outside for moment, he retrieved a book bag that he had left by the door before he entered for the meeting. Turning back, he reentered the day office as the captain looked up from a desk full of work.

  “Excuse me, sir, but I have something you should have.”

  Reaching into the bag, he withdrew a large leather-bound hardcopy book. It was long, wide, and thick with a worn brown cover that’s leather was smooth with use. “It’s the ship’s log, sir,” he said, passing it to the older man.

  Hope looked surprised to see the Wolf’s logbook, and reached for it slowly, like an ancient holy relic being touched for the first time in centuries.

  “Well, well, where did you find this?” he asked, opening the book to previous log entries.

  Mike smiled as he answered. “I found it when I was exploring the ships in dock. That was before I joined this little venture. Even back then I wasn’t about to let anyone get it.”

  The book looked like an old style sea log in which a naval captain wrote on the pages his entries of his journey. In reality, it was high-tech recording device. Inside of the front cover was a small screen on which the captain could write his log entries, and then the words would appear on the appropriate page.

  He could also write on the page and it would appear on the screen. For both methods, the entry would be saved on a micro storage cry-crystal. He could also set it to record as he dictated his log entries, which would appear on the pages in his own handwriting.

  “Thank you, Mister Collins,” Hope said, still staring at the Wolf’s log. It was one more thing that made his new command feel right.

  “You are welcome, sir, and I also have this,” he said, pulling out a full bottle of Balvenie Doublewood Single Malt Scotch. “I managed to save a bottle,” he explained, handing the bottle of old Scotch across the table.

  The aged captain smiled and took the bottle, resigning himself to accept the young man’s efforts to give him the Scotch.

  “Thank you. If you keep this up and you’ll end up some admiral’s dog robber,” he said as both a joke and a warning.

  The last thing a young warrior should be is an admiral’s aide. The job did allow for greater opportunities and promotion options, but a man like Collins was meant for leading troops, not making place settings for dinner parties.

  Collins shook his head. “No fear of that,” he said with a chuckle.

  “When were you planning to check on the old pirate wrecks?”

  He looked to his wrist’s chronometer and was about to answer, but was stopped by the captain’s frown.

  “I want you to get at least six hours sleep; then and only then, you may head out,” he ordered, correctly guessing that he was planning to explore the derelicts in just
a few short hours or less.

  “Aye, sir,” he said, resigning himself to the wait and also to getting some well-deserved sleep.

  “Dismissed,” Hope said, turning back to the logbook as he put the bottle of Scotch onto his desk. When the young lieutenant had left, he looked up and gently chuckled, shook his head, and then returned once more to the Star Wolf’s log.

  Chapter Ten

  Seven hours later, a well-rested Mister Collins and his team left the Wolf across the inner expanse heading for the derelict pirate ships. The armored shuttle Carronade had a crew of six. This time, Martin and Alister “both who were off-duty” accompanied him. They had been working bridge shifts and this assignment was more suited to their idea of adventure. Along with them were Gunny Masters, Chief Petty Officer Watts and Mister Rabb.

  Lt. JG Cappilo, Chief Bell and Mister Pendleton along with an engineering squad took both the Pay Dirt and the shuttle they had stolen from the repair station, which was now called the Sky Train. Their mission was to go to the old pirate base to start repairs and continue scrounging operations.

  Commander Hutton was busy debriefing the male Blue and hopefully gaining information that they could eventually use. All of the men on these missions were volunteers, having opted to leave the ship instead of enjoying the training holiday that the captain had instituted.

  Mike’s team was still in flight as the other shuttles disappeared into the hidden base. Finally reaching their first wreck, they turned on their ship’s exterior lights and moved in for a closer look.

  The first derelict vessel was identified as the Cassidy, a ship that by today’s standards would have been classified as a sloop of war. It was about two-thirds the size of a modern frigate. In its prime it had been built for speed and fast attack duty. If it had had a heavier build and more weapons, it would have been classified as a frigate, or a brig if it were a little smaller and faster.