Henry Gallant and the Warrior (The Henry Gallant Saga Book 3)

by H. Peter Alesso

  “Yes. Let’s test our stealth capability by seeing how close we can come,” said Gallant. He checked the console, scanning the navigation information available to them and examining their options. On the one hand, Gallant wanted to test their capabilities; on the other, he didn’t want to press his luck. Constant observation and testing would improve their information gathering geometrically as well as their abilities to avoid detection.

  “The duty ship seems to be heading in our general direction,” said Roberts, sweat dripping down his forehead.

  “Bridge, engineering; captain, you requested to be notified when the stealth battery charge depleted to 20 percent, sir. We’ve reached that point.”

  “Engineering, bridge; Very well,” said Gallant.

  “I think we’ve come close enough,” Gallant said to the bridge crew. “Let’s back off slowly, Mr. Roberts. It’s time to head back to Base Galileo for a recharge.”

  ***

  The following day, Gallant decided to act even more boldly. While he believed in extensive planning, he expected any individual plan would have to evolve during an actual operation. A successful leader usually is required to evolve with the changing circumstances. Forecasting a variety of scenarios in the planning stages helped him prepare for rapid changes during an actual operation. So to help him prepare for surprises, he called for a roundtable discussion in the wardroom to cajole his officers into offering their speculative opinions.

  The plan they devised was for the Warrior to stay in standard stealth mode and orbit Ganymede while the small two-man Wasp used its own stealth capabilities to venture deep into the harbor itself.

  Gallant and Gabriel would fly the Wasp into the heart of the enemy stronghold and evaluate the defenses in detail. The small craft was configured for a moderate stealth level with prolonged endurance by minimizing its speed.

  The CIC would track the Wasp and monitor the sensory collection of information. When the mission was completed, the Wasp would return to the selected rendezvous point.

  “Mr. Roberts,” Gallant said, “I’m sorry, but you’re to remain aboard ship; the circumstances dictate that Mr. Gabriel accompany me. He’s the communications officer and has undergone the specialized stealth training for the Wasp.” Smiling, he added, “Besides, a command-rank officer must remain aboard the Warrior.”

  “I’m sure it couldn’t be otherwise, sir,” said the XO.

  He sounded philosophical, but he also sounded disappointed. It was the perverse logic of war such that Roberts was bitter at not participating in a highly dangerous mission while Gallant apologized because he was facing that very peril. And Gallant had to admit he was not happy to leave his ship in the hands of another while he was away.

  “Do you have any last-minute questions?” asked Gallant.

  “No sir.”

  “Then I’ll go to the flight deck and join Gabriel. I’ll let you know when we’re ready for launch.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Upon reaching the flight deck, Gallant found Gabriel already strapped into position. Chief Howard was standing beside the hatch of the Wasp: “You needn’t worry, young man. The skipper will run this mission like clockwork. You’ll be in and out before you’ve had a chance to worry. Remain calm and follow his instructions. He knows his job.” Howard then gave him a thumbs-up.

  Visibly brightened, the midshipman nodded enthusiastically: “You can count on me, chief.” And he returned the thumbs-up.

  “I know I can, Gabe,” and the crusty CPO smiled.

  Watching the two of them, Gallant thought,

  The youngest and the oldest are natural allies.

  He scooted into the command chair and strapped in. Pulling the neural interface over his head, he connected to the AI flight controls and began interfacing with the main controls and sensors. He started the Wasp’s engines by visualizing the process. While the neural interface worked great for small craft, Gallant hoped that someday it could be applied to larger ships such as the Warrior.

  Gallant looked at Gabriel expectantly.

  “Ready, sir.”

  “Bridge, Wasp; request permission to launch.”

  “Wasp, bridge; you are cleared for launch,” Roberts said.

  As Gallant launched the craft, the acceleration forced the two passengers against their seats as they departed the Warrior.

  “Activate stealth mode,” ordered Gallant.

  “Aye aye, sir,” said Gabriel as he activated his neural interface and connected to the ship’s AI controls. He formed a mental image of the stealth controls and began powering them up. With both men tied into the AI system, they were able share some of their mental processes and hear each other’s active thoughts.

  As they approached the Ganymede base under stealth mode, Gallant thought, Give me a detailed count of enemy shipping, their positions, and their operational status.

  Gabriel thought, Yes, sir. I’ll get a fix now.

  Gabriel appeared nervous undertaking this first significant responsibility. However, he was making every effort to be alert and do his job. Gallant efficiently performed the major requirements of the mission, but also began to train Gabriel in some of the simpler aspects of the ship’s operations. He gave Gabriel instructions and let him try various procedures.

  They were both getting the feel of the ship and found it a pleasure to fly. Gallant found Gabriel to be a quick study and, though he made mistakes, he didn’t repeat them, a quality Gallant appreciated.

  They continued operating for several hours, all the while collecting data on the inner defenses.

  Gallant was able to sneak into one of the fleet operations areas and watch training and mock exercises. He gathered a wealth of information about the Titans’ military capabilities and operations.

  Though tired, Gallant was satisfied with the mission, and he was glad to return to his Warrior once their stealth battery charge reached 20 percent. They returned to the rendezvous point and uploaded their data into the Warrior’s main computer.

  When the craft was recovered, Howard personally checked every system to ensure it would be fully operational for the next mission.

  ***

  Gallant reviewed the communication messages they had intercepted from the general radio broadcasts. To translate them, he relied on his neural AI interface to draw from a database of concepts and relationships. Even the simplest statements were vexing to reach an interpretation and he had to reevaluate his translation on many occasions.

  Thinking in imagery and sensory perceptions was difficult enough, but translating those thoughts to meaningful words and numbers was a challenge. He tried to use number theory to unravel the hidden meaning of the complex sensory relationships. Gallant found that one asset was repetition; many of the phrases used by the aliens featured repeated images that he could pick out. Everything he tried was laborious, and he had to start over when he found himself in contradictions. The most difficult translations involved self-references in which the aliens referred to what they believed to be true. It was vital he uncovered the meaning of the messages correctly, or the intelligence he sent to Mars would mislead the high command.

  During the course of his endeavors, he wondered what the aliens’ poetry would be like—if they had such a thing.

  CHAPTER 18

  Shadow

  What followed were busy days as the Warrior cruised Titan territory, and the Wasp peeked into the harbor. Together they compiled a detailed list of warships and their deposition as well as their refueling and patrolling patterns. They soon learned the shipping traffic patterns and came to understand some of the industrial capacity and accumulate population statistics. The CIC developed some preliminary estimates for the industry and population infrastructure for each of Jupiter’s moons. It kept a status display showing the time-sensitive information about energy emissions for different sites that indicated industrial and mining operations at hundreds of locations. McCall was startled to find that the population estimates indicated over half a mi
llion Titans were already living in various colonies on the moons of Jupiter.

  On a regular basis, the mission sent a directional laser signal back to Base Galileo, and the base relayed the data to Mars. So far their efforts had learned of the physical disposition of the enemy, but what was needed next was hard intelligence to learn about their plans. But Gallant was the only person who could understand what the Titans were saying over their open communication channels so progress was slow.

  When the Warrior wasn’t recharging her battery or conducting observations, the crew ran drills. Gallant surmised that rather than being a source of complaint, the demanding schedule was a source of pride for the crew. The members of the crew felt a sense of accomplishment by doing something truly important. As a result, they were developing a collective personality and a fiercely aggressive spirit.

  On occasion, Gallant passed through the crew’s mess to catch a few moments of their unguarded conversations, hoping to gain some firsthand insight into their morale.

  Between meals the crew filled their spare time with social activities such as queuing up for haircuts, trading food rations, or boasting of past exploits. There was a lot of good-natured ribbing and plenty of talk about what they planned to do after the mission. Home was a major theme. The crew members who had combat experience were reluctant to share their war stories; mostly they shrugged off their experience and said, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  One day while Gallant was inspecting the weapons compartment with Lt. Clay, he asked him his opinion on what risks he thought were appropriate for the Wasp’s next excursion.

  Clay showed his keen desire to get at the enemy and said, “It’s good for this ship to have an aggressive leader. I hope you’re willing to exploit every opportunity.”

  Gallant said cautiously, “Aggression is good, but there can be no place for carelessness. Everything needs to be well thought out.” Clay possessed a bloodthirsty desire to attack the enemy. He had expressed his sense that this was a personal war because of the massacre of his family on Jupiter Station. The crew was sympathetic with his point of view and let him rant and vent his anger, but Gallant saw such behavior as something he would have to monitor. Their conversation was interrupted by a call from the bridge.

  When Gallant reached the bridge, the OOD said, “The duty cruiser is on our starboard quarter and crossing ahead of us at close range, sir.”

  Gallant decided not to change course. The duty ship passed close by, but ignominiously failed to raise the alarm. Satisfied, Gallant then changed course. To his surprise, the duty cruiser took an intercepting vector toward the Warrior. The movement alarmed everyone on the bridge.

  “Verify that our stealth equipment is functioning properly,” ordered Gallant.

  “Everything checks normal, sir,” the OOD reported.

  “I don’t like it. Mark that bearing.”

  “Aye aye, sir. Bearing, mark. Bearing, mark.”

  The CIC repeated the bearing over several minutes and plotted an exact course for their opponent. The Warrior was hurtling further and further away from the moon, giving them more room to operate. But the duty cruiser continued to shadow their movements. The cat-and-mouse game continued for several more minutes; all the while Gallant was wondering why this particular vigilant guard was not calling for reinforcements.

  “We better lose our shadow before our battery gets much lower,” said Roberts.

  Gallant ordered the stealth mode status rechecked. Gallant then changed course again and again, but the duty cruiser changed course likewise. He ordered a complete examination of the ship’s emissions to test for any leakage. They had to find whatever signal the cruiser was tracking. Increasingly, it seemed only a matter of time before they would fall afoul of this enemy. The duty cruiser moved closer with each course change. They were now in a race that the Warrior couldn’t afford to lose.

  “Time for a course change again, sir?” Roberts asked tentatively.

  “I think we'll wait a little longer,” said Gallant. “The duty cruiser’s commander is no fool. He’s observed something that has made him suspicious, and he’s investigating before raising the alarm. The question is what did he observe and how long will he keep his suspicions to himself?”

  “She's gaining on us sir,” said the OOD.

  The Warrior had lost some of her precious lead, and all the while her stealth power was falling dangerously low.

  Gallant was becoming concerned . . . What does that ship see?

  It was becoming an exhausting struggle. The shadowy shape was still on their tail. Back-and-forth Gallant maneuvered his ship trying to shake his determined pursuer, hoping to convince them that they were chasing a ghost signal of some kind.

  He maintained a constant course for an extended period, and the gap to the duty ship widened. The seconds passed like minutes as the Warrior plunged further into space with every crew member feeling the stress.

  Gallant stood from his command chair and returned to the back of the bridge where he began pacing. Suppose, he thought, he was compelled to fight a close action against this cruiser. What were his chances? He wasn’t sure his shields would hold or that his weapons would be powerful enough to stand them in good stead. The odds of a cruiser against a sloop ordinarily would have been inconceivable, but the Warrior had already proved she was no ordinary ship. He shook himself from the black mood foisted on him by the mysterious shadow, but there was no time for introspection; he had to find some creative way to rid themselves of this dogged follower.

  “The stealth battery is 90 percent depleted,” Roberts reported. “I don't think we can continue this course of action much longer.”

  Gallant fixed his gaze on Roberts. His unwavering stare forced Roberts to turn away.

  “Is there a large asteroid we can use for cover?” Gallant asked the sensor tech.

  “We’re in the main section of Jupiter’s largest rings, but we’re well away from the larger rocks, sir.”

  They changed course once more and headed toward Base Galileo. They waited to see what the Titan commander would do. The duty cruiser continued to move closer.

  Gallant ordered several hands to deploy a small decoy drone whose signal might mislead the duty cruiser.

  “Standby to change course to starboard. Deploy the decoy,” ordered Gallant. He had to fool the Titan commander who already had proven he was no fool.

  “Decoy away, sir.”

  “Change course to starboard.”

  As the Warrior separated from the decoy, she began increasing the distance from the cruiser. The decoy had attracted the picket ship; it looked as if it were preforming its function.

  Then Gallant increased speed to make good their escape, but at that point the duty cruiser once again adopted an intercepting course.

  “Reduce speed to ahead one-third. Set course 270, mark two,” Gallant ordered.

  At that power setting, the Warrior’s engines were applying exactly enough thrust to counterbalance Jupiter’s gravity, putting the ship in a stationary orbit around the gas giant so it would travel in tandem with the rocks in the ring.

  Then the cruiser exhibited confusion. It had lost whatever signal it was following. The cruiser began a circular search pattern, apparently trying to find the Warrior again. The duty cruiser then fired its laser randomly, perhaps hoping for a lucky shot.

  Gallant was resolute to find a solution to his shadow but, frustrated at not finding a reason for the Warrior’s exposure, he changed course toward Base Galileo once more: “Increase speed to ahead, two-thirds.”

  Again, the cruiser took an intercepting vector course toward the Warrior.

  “Aha!” said Gallant. “Helm, ahead one-third. Maintain a stationary orbit within the ring.”

  The noise level on the bridge rose appreciably. For the first time during the episode, the crew chatter became noticeable.

  “Captain, that cruiser will be down on us in a matter of minutes,” said Roberts. There was no mistaking the tension
in his voice.

  Gallant remained silent and waited. The bridge became stone silent once more.

  After two minutes, the cruiser turned and adopted a circular search pattern once more. After several more minutes it had moved far from the Warrior.

  “It’s the rings,” Gallant said. “We’re leaving a turbulence wake from our motion through the rings, even in stealth mode. The cruiser has been investigating that unusual turbulence. Once we stopped accelerating, our wake diminished. It didn’t disappear altogether, but our movement carried us forward balancing against Jupiter’s gravity. Fortunately, our turbulence diminished.”

  With every minute the Warrior pulled further and further from the cruiser’s reach, allowing them to make good their escape.

  “Mr. Roberts, take us back to Base Galileo—slowly.”

  “Aye aye, sir.”

  “Helm, ahead one third. Set course 020, mark one.”

  “Aye aye, sir.”

  Gallant listened to the change in the chatter around him.

  “That was spooky . . .”

  “Hell, that was closer than I want to think . . .”

  “There’s a war on, you know . . .”

  “Yeah, so I heard . . .”

  “You know what I think? I think . . .”

  “. . . then we picked up these signals in CIC . . .”

  “Well, if you’re so smart, what was all that stuff about wakes in the rings, huh?”

  “We were lucky . . .”

  The chin-wagging kept up for quite a while.

  Gallant monitored the ship’s wake as it left the sparse rings of Jupiter and entered a void. He had learned a lesson: Operating within the planet’s rings caused the dust particles to produce a turbulence that revealed their motion. They needed to devise a plan to avoid that issue. He was tempted to stay away from the rings altogether, but even if they sent all the data they had already collected to Mars, their mission required much more.

  “We have to find a way of traveling safely through the rings,” Clay said egging his captain on.