The crews that had gone directly home to Eretz and the remainder of the families of the people who had made the long trip home met at the space port’s reception lounge. The chaotic scene on arrival was pretty much what one would expect when this many people return safely from a long time away on a hazardous voyage.
“I have great news!” Greg effused when he finally could get a word in edgewise. “Saturn has asked us to help them develop a new small planetary defense interceptor. We will be designing the pilot interfaces, software and tactical training programs for the new ship.”
“Would that be it there?” Rachel said pointing to one of the prototypes.
“Yes,” Greg said.
“And the other?”
“I don’t know.” Greg was caught by surprise.
Rachel grinned at her father. “Our instructions are to get them into a hangar as quickly as possible. We don’t want too many people seeing them yet.”
Once the prototypes were safely ensconced in the hangar and the hangar pressurized, the shrouds were removed from the new ships’ view ports. The airlocks were opened with the pass codes that Rachel had been given when she took delivery of the ships. Greg entered each of the ships in turn and picked up the documentation with start-up instructions so they could begin their work on the ships.
Greg turned the start-up documentation to Admiral Sherman who passed it along to his flight engineers. Greg and Avi took the rest of the documentation to study it. Captain Alina Darwin and Lt. Sabrina Mahoney elected to stay with Avi and Greg excited at the prospect of being in on the design phase of a new ship.
The ships had distinctly different missions. One was a small, fast lightly armed ship intended for in-system defense and routine law enforcement. It carried eight externally mounted missiles and a modest compliment of lasers. Equipped with a light duty inertial compensator, it could make short hyper jumps with impunity. It was intended to support a single pilot for up to a week and was not equipped for jumps from one system to another without a tender. Its value as an offensive weapon was limited by the fact that it carried minimal defenses. As a defensive weapon, however, in any kind of numbers, it would be a force to contend with. It had sleek lines and a large view port. Greg referred to it as “cute” when he first understood its mission.
The other ship was a heavily armed ugly monster intended for convoy escort duty. This larger ship carried over a hundred missiles attached in racks attached to its exterior. While not as fast or as maneuverable as the smaller ship or the P I, the larger ship carried an impressive array of fire power for a ship its size. The operations plan for this ship was to not allow an enemy within striking distance. Once the ship got a target lock on a potential victim, it had enough firepower to kill anything short of a battleship and the Federation had stopped building battleships. Given the ship’s mission of long slow travel escorting heavy cargo vessels, it was equipped with exceptionally commodious crew facilities. It also had a small inertial compensator because its secondary mission was to operate solo as a courier and to transport very important people and cargo to potentially dangerous places.
Neither ship was intended to enter an atmosphere and therefore neither ship had wings like the P I. Since Greg and Avi had started their careers with the P I, they compared every new ship they saw to the P I. With the small ship’s inertial compensator and greater speed, it could get behind a P I and hit its vulnerable propulsion system. A hit from any other direction would not likely destroy the P I. A single missile from the P I would destroy the new ship, but since they were not intended to operate alone, the odds of a P I surviving a concerted assault by these new ships was not promising.
The second ship was even tougher. With its new sensor suite, the likelihood of a P I getting in missile range without being detected was slim. The ships were designed to operate in pairs or trios arrayed around the mid line of a convoy so their sensors overlapped and covered any gaps caused by the inability to see through the cargo ships.
Avi and Greg concluded that while the P I ships still had a mission to serve in the Space Force fleet, these two ships were strong additions and not to be messed with if properly deployed.
Leaving the others to tend to the new ships, Isaac, Josh, Wendy and Rachel went to the surface to find gainful employment for the two wandering health care professionals. Isaac and Josh were accepted into a private trauma center adjacent to the hospital where Rose tended the babies. Within days, they were seeing patients and within a few weeks were performing the kinds of life-saving procedures they had performed on the ship. Wendy and Rachel enjoyed their “vacations” playing with the babies in the hospital’s day care center.
DEPLOYMENT - CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
LIFE HAD SETTLED into a routine when a Federation Space Force pilot came to the hospital asking to see Rachel. Rachel met him in the hospital cafeteria with Isaac.
“Captain Solomon-Cohen. I am Arthur LeMaitre. I was assigned to the Albert Schweitzer and I have come to bring you sad news. Your ship has died in combat.”
“How well did you know the ship?” Rachel asked guardedly.
“Very well. Elizabeth was my friend,” the pilot said.
“Please tell me what happened,” Rachel said.
“She died valiantly. She tried to save the crew, but I am the only one who survived. Your secret is safe with me.”
“I appreciate that.” Isaac reached out to take her hand.
“The helmsman improperly programmed the jump to New St. Louis. We dropped into the middle of a formation of Third Force ships who were assembling for an attack on New St. Louis. Elizabeth and I had been talking for a long time. She told me to assemble the pilots and prepare to defend the ship before Quisling could even be roused from his bed. We deployed before he arrived on the bridge. He did not want the bridge crew to see him in anything less than his full dress uniform. I think this was the first time I ever saw a ship lose its temper. Elizabeth took command of the ship and ordered the ship evacuated. We were already moving to battle stations. Commodore Quisling countermanded and Elizabeth gassed the bridge. She charged into the Third Force formation. Remember those nukes you carried around all those years?”
“Yes.”
“Elizabeth pumped them into the factory ship that was assembling the drones. Then she turned on the rest of the formation. She exhausted all her missiles and continued the battle with her lasers. She continued to fight as long as she could. I saw a huge flash and the fighting stopped, but by that time not much was left of the Third Force fleet.”
“Oh my God, poor Elizabeth.”
“We had four pickets that got off. We fought what was left, but pickets are not effective against the third force drones. We all fought as hard as we could. When the last of the drones was finally destroyed, I was the only one left. I was too busy to think about it at the time, but I remembered it later. While I was fighting the drones I heard Elizabeth call me. He told me to tell Luther she was coming and to tell you she loved you. I was rescued a couple of days later.”
“We all loved Elizabeth.” Isaac said softly. “Thank you for coming to tell us this in person.”
Rachel mourned Elizabeth for two weeks. One morning shortly before lunch time, a stunningly handsome young man appeared at the clinic where Isaac and Joshua worked asking for Rachel. Rachel had gotten into the habit of joining Isaac for lunch and arrived at the clinic shortly thereafter.
The stranger rose to greet Rachel when she entered the clinic’s lobby.
“Captain Rachel Solomon Cohen, may I have a few moments of your time?”
“I promised my husband I would meet him for lunch. Can we make it quick?”
“Ii is a business matter and perhaps it would be better to discuss it in your husband’s presence. Could I buy both of you lunch?”
“Hospital food?”
“If I must eat hospital food in order to discuss you what I have come to discuss, then so be it. Oh by the way, I have not introduced myself. Warren Elias Rothschild th
e fourth.”
“Of Stellar Interstellar Transportation?”
“And a host of other smaller corporations as well.”
“This promises to be an interesting lunch.”
They found a corner in the hospital cafeteria that was not as noisy as the rest of the large room.
“It is my honor to be talking to you,” the young man started. “I have a business transaction which I am researching and I would like to solicit your opinions.”
“I think we could part with a few opinions,” Isaac smiled.
“Stellar Interstellar is evaluating the purchase of several hundred freighters from Valiant Industries based on the design of the P A F warship you destroyed. As a potential buyer of this design, what possible failure points should I be looking for based on your observations of the ship?”
“Is it a fusion drive?” Rachel asked.
“Yes, and it is incredibly efficient which makes it cheap to operate.”
“How are you defending this ship against pirates?”
“Each convoy will have three of the escort ships your father is working on. I must say I am quite impressed with that ugly little ship.”
“It certainly packs a punch.” Rachel then launched into an evaluation of the P A F battleship’s design. It became apparent that she liked the idea of using the design as a freighter although she did not feel comfortable recommending it as a warship. Isaac left the discussion to go back to work.
Mr. Rothschild asked many probing and insightful questions during the discussion. When it became apparent that they had exhausted the subject he said, “Excellent analysis. Thank you. There were several ideas that had not occurred to me. I have another question for you. I am looking for pilots to operate the escort ships. Clearly, I can't drag you away from your loving husband, but there should be others that you could recommend to us. Anyone you could send our way would be appreciated.”
“There is one that comes to mind. Sabrina Mahoney is not particularly happy here. She longs to return to space. Perhaps you could sweet talk Admiral Sherman into cutting her loose.”
“Sabrina Mahoney, the pirate?”
“Ex-pirate.”
“How very interesting!”
“We’re meeting for dinner at the equestrian center. Join us. I can introduce you.”
“What time?”
“1900 hours.”
“See you then.”
Mr. Rothschild did not let grass grow under his feet. His next stop was Admiral Sherman’s office. He made several other stops that afternoon and met the extended Solomon, Abrams and Sherman families at the club house at 1900 hours. Sabrina was already there. Like many others at the party, Sabrina was still in her flight suit having dropped in at the last minute.
“Warren Elias Rothschild the fourth at your service, charming lady.” He handed Sabrina a dozen red roses. In the time the assembled families had been working together, no one had seen Sabrina blush. Her face became as bright as the roses.
She gingerly took the roses and smiled at him. “To what do I owe this honor, kind sir?”
“I owe you my life, gentle lady.”
All conversation in the room stopped.
“Ten years ago, my father and I were traveling home from inspecting the company’s freight depots in sector 147. We were attacked by pirates. Our ship’s navigation system was disabled. The rest of the convoy fled for their lives leaving us behind. The pirates must have thought that the small passenger yacht traveling with the convoy was not worth attacking and they headed away in pursuit of the rest of the convoy. Miss Mahoney stayed and rescued us. She took control of our ship and gently delivered us to a pirate base. Had she left us there and chased the convoy like the others we all would have died. Once we arrived at the pirate base, they sent a ransom note to Grandfather who paid it. The pirates delivered us to New St Louis and we were set free.”
“All in a day’s work.” Sabrina said. She shrugged her shoulders.
“But you could have killed us or left us to die.”
“And not get paid? You aren’t worth anything dead. You could be worth a lot of money alive. Obviously I was right. No big deal. I was a pirate. I captured people so I could trade them for ransom. Dead people don’t bring as high a ransom as live ones. Just business.”
“Perhaps, but I am prepared to offer you an opportunity you should not be able to resist.”
“Oh?”
“I have ordered fifty of the new escort ships you are testing. When I return home, I will order a hundred of Valiant’s new fusion powered cargo ships. I would like you to deliver the first of these escort ships and train my personnel in their use.” Sabrina looked over at Admiral Sherman.
“The Admiral assures me that if I offer you a multi-year contract and you agree to return to the Federation should you leave my employ before retirement age, he will get the Federation to waive any other claims they might have on you.”
“And how will your famous Grandpapa feel about you recruiting a pirate?”
“A former pirate. Grandfather passed away recently. I run the company.”
“We need to talk money.”
“My base pay for a pilot training instructor is triple what the Federation pays you.”
“Sounds like a deal.”
“We can do the paperwork in the morning. Captain Darwin, would you like to join us?”
Alina smiled. “Thanks for the offer.” She paused and blushed slightly. “But you see there’s this young veterinarian I have grown fond of and I can’t take him with me, so I’ll stay here.”
Avi giggled. “Does he know?”
“No,” Alina said softly. She looked around the room. “Nobody tell him. I don’t want to scare him off. He needs to get to know me better first. In the meantime, let me propose a toast to Sabrina’s new adventure! Champagne everyone?”
When the tray of glasses arrived at Rachel, she put her hand up. “I can’t.”
All eyes turned to her.
She looked at Isaac and smiled demurely. “I’m pregnant.”
Isaac grinned. “I know.”
THIRD GENERATION - CHAPTER ONE
FOURTEEN YEAR OLD FIONA MAHONEY looked up from her history text and across the flight deck to her mother who was finishing her entries into the ship’s log.
“Mom, we’re going to be in transit for two months, just the two of us, no passengers for the first time in ages, no crew in transit and I think it’s about time you came clean with me.”
“What would you like to know?” Sabrina Mahoney asked.
“Who is my father?”
“Who do you think?”
“I think you had an office romance and whoever he is dumped you when he found out you were pregnant. I think you took the job piloting this convoy escort ship because you were ashamed. He doesn’t even know who I am. Am I right?”
“You’re wrong. You’ve met him. He knows who you are. We are meeting him at the end of this run.”
“Why don’t we live with him?”
“Because you aren’t his only child.”
“But I’m your only child.”
“Yes.”
“Mo-om! That doesn’t make sense. Did you know about the other kids when you were together?”
“Only the ones that are older than you.”
“Well, du-uh!”
Sabrina laughed.
“So you let this guy make you pregnant who you knew wouldn’t marry you and who had kids with other women. That’s dumb Mom.”
“You’d understand if you knew him better.”
“So who is this mister wonderful?”
“Warren Elias Rothschild the fourth.”
“The president of Stellar Interstellar Transport? Your boss?”
“Yup.” Sabrina grinned.
“Oh! My! God! He is the most powerful businessman in the Galaxy. That’s my father?”
“Yup.”
“Does he know I exist?”
“I told you that already. Yes, he does.
He has always been concerned for your welfare and is adamant that you do well academically.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“ Because you asked and because you are meeting him and your half brothers and sisters at the end of this run.”
“Why haven’t I met them before?”
“There are people who do not like your father. He wanted to make sure that if he was attacked, his heirs would be spread far enough apart that they would not all die with him.”
“If it’s so dangerous for us to all be one place, why are we meeting now?”
“War is coming. The Federation and the Swordsmen are gearing up for war. We need to stop it. The last thing we need for our business to stay healthy is a shooting war.”
“Wouldn’t business increase if we were shipping military supplies all over the galaxy?”
“There is a difference between being ready for war and actually fighting one. If everyone thinks they need to be ready for war, they spend lots of money building things and moving them around. When the shooting starts, it gets ugly. For one thing, our ships get caught in the crossfire. Our people and ships get killed and our cargoes get destroyed.”
“Where are we meeting?”
“We have a private freight depot near the border between the Federation and the Swordsman territories. It is heavily guarded by our own security forces. No Federation or Swordsman ship dares come near it.”
“What about the People Against Fusion?”
“Our big cargo ships have fusion drives. That keeps them off our backs. Our little ships still use fission. It took the P A F a while to realize we were not their enemy. We had to buy Valiant Industries’ spacecraft division to cut off most of the P A F’s funding. Before we did that we killed enough of their ships that they’ve learned their lesson. They didn’t disappear, but they left us alone.”
Solomon Family Warriors II Page 96
