There was little in the way of discussion during the meal. Finally, the plates were cleared away and a battered coffee service was brought out. I looked at the chipped cups and was startled to see the words “Enterprise” on them. The admiral was watching me and smiled when I raised my cup. He said, “Lieutenant, this service is off a wet navy ship, the Enterprise. It was not the first ship to carry that name, but it was the last wet navy class of carriers ever built. By the time it was ready for the breakers, the need for its existence had ended. Now, however, we once again face threats to our existence, and, in a way, the Enterprise is going to show us the way to the future.”
The admiral nodded to his aide and a projection appeared off to the side of the room. Some of us had to turn our chairs to get a good look. It was a chart of the general region of space occupied by humans. It was an elongated shape roughly four hundred light years by one thousand. Besides Earth, humans occupied twenty-two solar systems. Most of those systems were in the early stages of colonization and were not yet self-sufficient. Only a few other systems, besides Earth itself, were sufficiently well developed that they were now exporting high tech goods and new technologies as well as raw materials. Any defense of human occupied worlds would have to come primarily from these few systems.
The admiral allowed us to look at the chart for a few moments before nodding his head again. The human occupied region of space shrunk to accommodate a much larger area. Red lines appeared running through the region and gradually coming together. They were passing within a mere five light years of Lubya at the time we destroyed them. That is a long way, but Lubya had been settled for two centuries, and there had existed a very great danger that emissions from that planet could be detectable, and deadly. The line terminated in two red blots. The admiral said, “That is the track of the four flotillas that were destroyed earlier.”
A new track appeared, offset from the first, but paralleling it and continuing further. There was a red blob at the end, with a dotted line presumably denoting the course of this incursion past human space. The admiral said, “This is the track of the fifth flotilla. As you may know, we sent out a small mission with the task of attempting to open up a dialogue with them. The effort failed and resulted in a battle. Fortunately, we suffered no casualties, but we now have a problem. Earth government is heatedly debating the matter as we speak. It isn’t going to be an easy decision, but I believe that we are going to be asked to destroy that flotilla. I don’t see how any other conclusion can be reached. However, that is not our only problem.”
Another track appeared, this one shorter, coming in from a slight angle to the first two, but generally following them. The admiral said, “This is the track of a new incursion of alien ships. It was detected one month ago. Fortunately, our destroyer was not discovered. It loitered in the area and got some good scans on the composition of these new ships.”
The room was dead silent as we all chewed on that piece of information. The admiral added, almost as an afterthought, “This illustrates just how limited our surveillance is: this incursion has been in our region of space for months and we didn’t have the slightest clue. You can draw whatever conclusions you want from that.”
A captain asked, “Sir can you tell us anything about this incursion?” Admiral Lee said, “This group is similar in most ways to the first five, yet there are differences. We don’t know just what those differences signify, but this group is either part of the same exodus, or it is part of the reason for that exodus. Or, who the hell knows? There are three mother ships traveling together, and approximately four hundred other ships, not including fighter sized craft.”
He paused to let the significance of that sink in, then continued, “They employ a large number of what appear to be assault carriers, as well as battle ship sized craft which appear to be larger than our one and only Yamato. The makeup of this group is clearly military, although they do have a considerable number of what we believe are cargo or support craft. These are essentially smaller mother ships, massing significantly less than the versions we’ve already met, perhaps five to eight million tons. They are apparently searching for the previously encountered bug incursions. We know this due to the high level of active emission they are radiating. They are not hiding, which makes me believe these are the other guys, if there are other guys. My experts, such as they are, don’t agree, either with what I’ve just told you or with each other. We have backtracked their course and it appears that they are coming from the same general region of space, but we cannot confirm their exact starting point. They have been underway for over four centuries that we know of, possibly as many as twenty, or two thousand years,”
The admiral paused to take a sip of coffee and continued, “If we assume that these are two races that have been at war, it would follow that this group of ships is following the other groups, presumably with the intent of destroying them. It is also possible that this is one race of beings, either at war with itself, or not. We have sent scouts out to try and answer these questions, but our task is the same, whatever they find: the defense of human occupied space. At this time, we have evaluated this incursion as hostile.”
“Analysts cannot come to a consensus as to the possibility that this group will discover our presence. These analysts also cannot decide what they would do if they did discover that they are passing through human occupied space. However, Fleet must be prepared for any eventuality, one of which is that they will be just as antagonistic as the first incursions have been. I’d find it hard to believe that a race that chases someone for hundreds of years just wants to exchange recipes.” There was scattered but muted laughter.
The admiral looked around the room and grinned at me, “Lieutenant, you seem to be ready to explode. What do you want to know?” I grinned back at him and asked, “Sir, can I take it that the men and women at these tables are going to get an opportunity to do something other than shoot questions?” The admiral nodded his head.
After taking a sip of coffee he continued, “We are putting together as large a fleet as possible, considering the short notice. We are stripping nearly all our carriers from the various home systems and sending them forward to Lubya, which is the planet closest to both incursions. We will have approximately twelve fleet carriers and four auxiliary carriers. I say ‘approximately’ because I am under intense pressure from both the federal government and virtually every single planetary government to assign our fleet to the defense of their own particular system. In addition, we are bringing up six battle cruisers. There will be approximately forty destroyers for escort duty. This constitutes the single largest concentration of fleet elements in sixty years, and represents over sixty percent of our total tonnage.”
He looked at a specific officer and said, “Captain Speer, you are going to head up a separate task force that will be assigned with keeping track of the fifth bug flotilla. You will have your carrier, along with ten Dresdens and as many Fast Fleet Cargo ships as we can scrape up. You are getting a majority of the Hawks, some forty or so, and you’ll have an auxiliary carrier along to handle the overflow. I don’t know yet whether you’ll get any fighters. I’m trying to get you another carrier, and if I can, you’ll have an additional complement of Dash 4’s to help fill out your attack squadrons. You will be greatly outnumbered in fighter strength, and we don’t know how many of those battle cruisers they have, but either way, they’ll have a significant edge there as well. Obviously, you will be free to defend yourselves if attacked, but I want you to try to avoid that if it is at all possible.”
Captain Speer asked, “What will be our assignment?” Admiral Lee said, “You’ll be able to stay out for a long time, and you’ll probably have to. We want to know if they scout any solar systems, and if they change course. You are going to hang well back, out of range and simply monitor them. If you look at the track of this new incursion, it appears that they should intersect the current course of the last remaining bug flotilla. If nobody changes course, it might happen i
n as little as two years. I have no idea how a species without FTL can track a mother ship while underway, especially when its not accelerating, but this new fleet seems to have done that.”
I raised my hand slightly and the admiral acknowledged me. “Sir, assuming that there is a war going on between these two groups, and knowing that the bugs attack without any apparent provocation, might it be possible that this sixth incursion could be whittled down a little for us by the fifth bug force?”
Admiral Lee nodded with a smile and said, “Good question. That question took our highly paid experts a week to come up with. We won’t know the answer to that for some time. Earth government is in an uproar and it took two weeks just to decide to put together the fleet elements at Lubya. We just don’t know, but we must prepare for the worst-case scenario. In this case, that would be a combination of both groups, arrayed against our fleet elements. We would be facing something on the order of ten times our strength if that were to happen. In the meantime, we have some Hawks skulking around the edges of their fleet, trying to learn as much as possible. Damn, I wish we had more of them – they’re turning out to be invaluable. Whatever decision Earthgov makes will be a long time coming, but I have already received a Warning. For those of you too wet behind the ears to know that that is, it is actually a warning, issued by Central Command that war is imminent. It increases my authority some, but that is offset by the huge increase in aggravation that goes along with it.”
Captain Speer asked, ‘Sir, do you have a time frame for our departure?” Admiral Lee looked pointedly at the captain and asked, “How soon can you get underway?” That seemed to be an answer of sorts. The captain said, “Sir, we’re taking on consumables right now. I estimate that we could get underway in forty-eight hours. What about the Dresdens?” The admiral said, “Lieutenants Padilla and Turner here have just returned from the bug flotilla, and they will take at least forty eight hours to turn around. The Hawks have been run ragged, but we’ll just finish any maintenance they require on board the carriers. You’ll know about the third carrier within twenty-four hours. If we can get one, it will probably rendezvous with you somewhere in the Void. Any questions?”
I nodded again and he looked at me. I asked, “Sir, if this sixth group does find the bug flotilla, will we have any orders?” The admiral said, “Like pretty much everything else connected with this mess, we don’t know yet. Frankly, I feel that the pot is going to come to a boil well before that possibility. In my opinion we ought to let them slug it out, if that is what they intend to do. Unfortunately, we don’t know anything about their relationship. Should it happen that they are foes, I wouldn’t want to try to stop a battle with the small force you will have, but at this time I’ve got more questions than answers, the latter of which are as close to zero as to make no difference. Hypothetically, I would be interested in observing that battle, should it take place. On the other hand, there does exist the possibility they are not foes. This is, I believe, a fairly small possibility, yet the combined fleets would constitute a juggernaut that we could not hope to stop.”
That was the end of the questions, and the end of the supper. One of the admiral’s aides asked Elian and I to remain and as soon as the others left he waved at us to follow him. We went into his office and flopped behind his desk, waving us to chairs. Lt. Graziano came in with some more coffee and, praise be, some doughnuts. He asked her to take a seat and smiled at us, acknowledging our non-verbal request. We each took one. I took a bite and said, “Sir, how many hours a week do you have to work out to compensate for these?” He grinned and said, “Have you noticed me putting on weight?”
After a couple of bites of a chocolate covered doughnut he asked, “How was the ambassador? I heard that he was a right bastard, but his report was full of nothing but praise for you two. What did you do, drug the man?”
Elian grinned and said, “Sir, he’s extremely intelligent, and we think that he bullies people because he can get away with it. With us, it got him nowhere, and he wasn’t in any position to do much to us, at least on board the ship. We think that once he figured out that our hearts were innocent of all blame and our motives pure as driven snow, he dropped the act. It may also have been witnessing the bugs destroy his prized black box, just as predicted by we young gentlemen.”
The admiral snorted and said, “Whatever you did, it worked. His report substantially mirrors yours, although it contains lots of big words, unlike your post cards. God, you two are pathetic, I’ve seen better reports from waitresses. Good thing you can shoot straight. I am sorry to have to send you right back out, but what can I say, this is the only war we’ve got. How soon do you think you can get underway?”
Elian said, “We’ll be able to turn around in forty eight hours. I’ve got a few items that need maintenance, and one of Robert’s missile tubes went down in the middle of the fight. Otherwise, both ships are in good shape, sir.”
Admiral Lee nodded his head and said, “On this mission, you two are going to be two of ten Dresden captains. Frankly, I wish I could put you in charge. Every time I do, good things come of it and you don’t lose people. Unfortunately, unless I can figure out a way to jump you five or six grades, that isn’t going to happen. So, you’re going to be working for Captain Speer this time around. I know you’ll keep your heads down, but just in case, I’m ordering you to keep your heads down. Captain Speer may or may not ask for input. Don’t offer it unless he asks. If he gives you any leeway, take it, but otherwise follow his orders, um, circumspectly. Questions?” We had none. He’d just told us to watch our six, because the bugs weren’t the only danger.
He changed the subject and turned to his aide, “What do we know that I don’t?” She put down her coffee cup, smiled at his abrupt but amicable question and said, “Sir, they have figured out how to apply the ablative armor to the carrier and will be ready to begin at 0800. We have assurances from the manufacturer that a prototype Kestrel will be flying within thirty days. As per your orders, they’re jumping through the hoops as fast as possible. Barring any unforeseen problems, unlikely as that may be, they should have the go-ahead to begin production within approximately two months, with the first units coming out in another two months. I’m told, sir, that they expect to be able to produce one per week initially.”
The admiral looked sourly at his empty coffee cup and said, “Six months! We should have had that ship six years ago. Crap! What the hell did that idiot think he was doing?” He got to his feet and walked over to the urn to pour another cup. We followed and Elian watched with a grin as I poured the requisite sugar into my cup, then poured the coffee. He asked, “Roberto, my sweetness, how would you know if the coffee was drek or good stuff?” I smiled back and asked, “Elian, do you think the lovely Carolyn would like to know what you used to call her, behind her back?” The aide snickered and raised her eyebrows up and said, “If you tell me, I promise I won’t say a word to Lt. Turner’s wife, who is stationed at the present on the Netherlands, is that not correct?”
The admiral laughed as he settled back down on his chair. He said, “Lieutenants, if at all possible let’s behave for a moment. If my aides’ projected time table actually plays out on schedule, we’ll have a prototype replacement for the Hawk available to play with in thirty days. I would like to send it out to you two miscreants. I assume that you’ll still be stuck out there baby sitting. I could stuff it in a destroyer shuttle bay and get it out to you within just a few days of taking delivery. I want you to wring it out, find all its flaws and send it back, in one piece preferably. I don’t want you to take it anywhere near the bugs, but I do want you to conduct some realistic exercises so that we know how it stacks up against the Hawk. The vendor has contracted to provide our fine Fleet a ship that can run at twenty G’s, carry twenty four internal missiles and one heavy laser. I have already heard reports that it is slower than promised, but I need the thing yesterday, so if it can run at least as fast as the Hawk, is as stealthy as the Hawk and can actually carry
twenty-four missiles I’ll be satisfied. OK?”
Elian and I said, “Yes sir”, in unison. Elian asked, “Sir, I have heard reports that they’re developing a battle cruiser – is that correct?” Admiral Lee nodded his head but said, “Yeah, they’re developing a battle cruiser that can eat bug battle cruisers for breakfast with one hand tied behind its back and do back flips at fifteen G’s. Of course, it won’t be ready in time to actually be of use to us!” The admiral jumped back up and began pacing.
Elian looked at me and I could see that he regretted his question. I asked, “Sir, is there anything else that we can do for you, aside from eating your doughnuts?” He turned to face us and said, “No, you’re free to go. Keep your comms on tonight, I might need you for a task.”
We stood, saluted smartly and received a casual salute in return. We knew that the admiral cared more for the reality behind the salute than the salute itself, yet we still tried to be credible representatives of the fleet we both wished we belonged to.
We returned to the BOQ and hooked up with a few members of our crew, who were heading for the one single place on the rock that might give a respite from war and duty.
We arrived and found that it was packed – we weren’t the only ones looking for release. We found a couple of small tables in a corner and coaxed the two occupants to find another place to hold hands. Thank God they were heterosexual.
Hawk Seven (Flight of the Hawk) Page 60
