The dining space was another issue. Normal in-space dishes and dining utensils were non-breakable, so the galley crew just closed the door and let them fly around, and cleaned up afterward.
All across the ship, as in the galley, the crew adapted to the repeated drills. Their response to the general quarters alarm became second nature.
As they drilled, the command crew was learning about the limits of what the ship could and could not do when maneuvering. The most important thing they learned was they could cruise in hyperspace even within the calculated system periphery, as long as they did not transition there. The gravitational gradient was higher than in normal space, but, as long as they did not transition, they did not experience the dangerous sheer forces. This formed another envelope around the 'hard' system periphery, within which the ship could neither transition nor cruise in hyperspace. They called the transition-or-cruise portion the outer envelope, and the cruise only portion, the inner envelope.
The Nils Isacsson, like every new-build ship in the CSF since the lessons of the Jean d'Arc, was equipped with hull stress sensors at key points. During their maneuvering drills, the Nils Isacsson began cutting across the curvature of the calculated system periphery to cruise through the inner envelope, recording stress readings. With these stress readings, Jan was able to develop a means of calculating the working boundary of the inner envelope from the positions and masses of the planets in the Saarestik system. She wrote a paper from that and sent it on to the Tactical Division HQ back at Sigurdsen.
Having sharpened their skills and methods in their first rotation on patrol, Murdock backed off on the drills in their subsequent rotations, but they still drilled often enough to stay sharp and to learn each new patrol area as they cycled through them.
Jan was just getting up for the day watch when the general quarters alarm sounded. They were on their ninth rotation, and were patrolling the out-system side from Saarestik, above the ecliptic. She always knew of drills ahead of time – she assisted in scheduling them – and there was no drill scheduled today.
She was on the bridge within two minutes, following Commander Rodriguez down the passageway. Captain Murdock came in right behind her. Jan took the secondary tactical console and came up to speed while Lieutenant Bhatia made her report.
"Status, Tactical?" Murdock said.
"A light cruiser and a destroyer made hyper transition on the system periphery at three-four-five mark zero-three-zero on the sun, distance 1835 light-seconds. They powered up. The light cruiser is beginning to accelerate in-system while the destroyer is staying put. They're not ours. Outer colony design. This is all by sensor relay, Sir, so it's thirty minutes old," Bhatia said.
"Navigation Plan Green-10. Call 'em out," Murdock said.
"Green-10, Sir. Sounding maneuvering warning."
"Sounding hyperspace warning."
"Shutting down normal space drive."
Gravity abruptly went to zero-g.
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace generator on-line. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Powering up hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace bubble dissipated. Shutting down hyperspace generator."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace drive."
"Hyperspace drive initiated. Coming to 100% thrust."
Gravity increased over a period of three seconds to 1.4 g.
"Come to heading three-five-zero minus zero-one-five on the sun."
"Coming to heading three-five-zero minus zero-one-five on the sun."
"Steady on heading three-five-zero minus zero-one-five."
"Timer running."
"I think they're going for Saarestik-4b, Sir," Jan said.
The second-largest moon of the Saarestik system's fourth planet, a gas giant, was a hard-rock moon with a large mining operation. Crippling Saarestik's mining operations would open the door to its competitors in the outer colonies.
"Passing into the inner envelope. Hyper transition not available."
"Shutting down hyperspace drive."
Gravity abruptly went to zero-g again.
"Flipping ship.
"Flipping ship complete. Resuming hyperspace drive at 100%."
Gravity abruptly went to 1.4 g again.
"Steady on heading three-five-zero minus zero-one-five.
"Passing into the outer envelope. Hyperspace transition available."
"Timer expired. Shutting down hyperspace drive."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace generator on-line. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Modulating hyperspace bubble per modulation Beta-3."
"Hyperspace bubble separated. Shutting down hyperspace generator per modulation Beta-3."
They had aimed at a spot twenty light-seconds short of where the light cruiser should be, had she held her course. Instead, she had flipped and started to run for the system periphery. She had speed toward Saarestik-4b to burn off first, but she had better acceleration than Nils Isacsson.
"There she is, Sir. She's still in the outer envelope. Velocity starting to build toward the system periphery."
"Navigation Plan Red-2 to six light-seconds. Power to shields forward. Firing Plan Alpha. Guns free. Fire at will."
"Red-2, Sir. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Powering up hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace bubble dissipated. Shutting down hyperspace generator."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace drive."
"Hyperspace drive initiated. Coming to 100% thrust."
"Come to heading two-eight-one mark zero-two-zero."
"Coming to heading two-eight-one mark zero-two-zero."
"Steady on heading two-eight-one mark zero-two-zero."
"Timer running."
"Timer expired. Shutting down hyperspace drive."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace generator on-line. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Modulating hyperspace bubble per modulation Beta-3."
"Hyperspace bubble separated. Shutting down hyperspace generator per modulation Beta-3."
"Target acquired. Firing all guns."
Nils Isacsson emerged from hyperspace directly behind the light cruiser, with overtake velocity, and six light-seconds away. Nils Isacsson's beam weapon range was seven light-seconds, while the light-cruiser's was five light-seconds. Nils Isacsson fired two salvos of all three beam weapons. Even with her aft shields at full power, the light cruiser was no match for the broadside of a heavy cruiser.
"Target destroyed, Sir."
"That destroyer is hypering out, Sir. He may be going for help," Jan said.
"Maintain hyperspace generator. Do not reconfigure for normal-space drive," Murdock said.
"Hyperspace generator standing by, Sir."
"Hyperspace transition at zero mark zero, thirty light seconds. I make it three heavy cruisers, Sir," Jan said.
"Navigation plan Red-8, five light-seconds, at two-seven-zero mark zero-four-five on the target. Maintain power to forward shields. Firing Plan Beta. Guns free. Fire at will," Murdock said.
"Red-8, Sir. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Powering up hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace bubble dissipated. Shutting down hyperspace generator."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace drive."
"Hyperspace drive initiated. Coming to 100% thrust."
"Come to heading zero-one-five mark zero-one-five."
"Coming to heading zero-one-five mark zero-one-five."
"Steady on heading zero-one-five mark zero-one-five."
"Timer running."
"Timer expired. Shutting down hyp
erspace drive."
"Rotate ship port one-zero-five, down zero-six-zero."
"Rotating ship port one-zero-five, down zero-six-zero."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace generator on-line. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Modulating hyperspace bubble per modulation Beta-3."
"Hyperspace bubble separated. Shutting down hyperspace generator per modulation Beta-3."
"Targets acquired. Firing all guns."
Nils Isacsson emerged from hyperspace above and to the port of the three heavy cruisers, at a distance of five light-seconds and bows on. She fired three salvos, with her pre-aimed guns each trained on one opponent per Firing Plan Beta. When the enemy force had seen the Nils Isacsson hyper out, they had expected her to come in from behind them. With all their shields and guns pointed aft, they stood no chance, and all were destroyed.
"Targets destroyed, Sir."
"Tactical, map that point where the destroyer disappeared," Murdock said.
"Got it, Sir," Jan said.
"Navigation Plan Red-4 on that point. Power to all shields. Firing Plan Alpha. Guns free. Fire at will."
"Red-4 on the mark, Sir. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Powering up hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace bubble dissipated. Shutting down hyperspace generator."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace drive."
"Hyperspace drive initiated. Coming to 100% thrust."
"Come to heading three-five-zero mark zero on the sun."
"Coming to heading three-five-zero mark zero on the sun."
"Steady on heading three-five-zero mark zero."
"Timer running."
"Timer expired."
"Shutting down hyperspace drive."
"Flipping ship.
"Flipping ship complete. Resuming hyperspace drive at 100%."
"Come to heading zero-one-zero mark zero on the sun."
"Coming to heading zero-one-zero mark zero on the sun."
"Steady on heading zero-one-zero mark zero."
"Shutting down hyperspace drive."
"Reconfiguring to hyperspace generator."
"Hyperspace generator on-line. Hyperspace bubble forming."
"Entering hyperspace bubble."
"In hyperspace bubble. Modulating hyperspace bubble per modulation Beta-3."
"Hyperspace bubble separated. Shutting down hyperspace generator per modulation Beta-3."
"So now we wait and see if he pops back to see what happened. Firing Plan Alpha remains in effect. Guns free," Murdock said.
The Nils Isacsson had placed itself three light-seconds out-system from where the destroyer disappeared. If she came back in the same place, or within three light seconds of the same place, she would pop out of hyper right in front of them. They didn't have long to wait.
"Hyper transition, zero mark zero at four light-seconds."
"Target acquired. Firing all guns."
"Target destroyed, Sir."
"Navigation Plan Green-0. Take us back to our operations area. Stand down from calling out."
"Green-0, Sir. Executing."
Murdock looked over to where Jan had just returned tactical to Lieutenant Bhatia.
"You know, I could really get used to this, Commander Childers."
"It went really well, Sir. Congratulations."
After twelve rotations through the patrol areas on the approaches to Saarestik, the CSS Nils Isacsson made her triumphant way back to Sigurdsen. Captain Richard Murdock received the CSF Combat Medal. Everyone aboard Nils Isacsson received the Victorious Action ribbon. It was Jan's third, so she wore it with two silver stars.
Jan received the silver cluster to the CSF Science Medal for her work on determining the inner and outer envelopes of the system periphery performed in Saarestik, and a second Distinguished Service Medal for building the book for the Nils Isacsson and providing the tactical support for the battle. The first DSM had been for her work on board Jean d'Arc. She was promoted to Commander.
"That's a pretty impressive collection of chest art you've collected there, Commander Childers," Rear Admiral Stepic said.
Jan blushed.
"I seem to be at the right place at the right time a lot, Sir."
"Indeed. Although in Saarestik you went to great lengths to get to the right place in time. The operational flexibility and ability to maneuver the Nils Isacsson showed in Saarestik was superb, Commander. If we can roll this out to the whole Navy, it would mean a complete re-evaluation of our defensive deployment strategies. Instead of holding most forces near the planet, we could forward-deploy forces to the system perimeter where they can maneuver in hyper"
"I think that would be a superior solution, Sir."
"So do I, which is why I think an assignment here at Sigurdsen would be our best use of you right now. We have all that data we collected on the Commonwealth planets after the Jean d'Arc affair three years back. I'd like you to work with the science people here and see if we can't map the inner envelope of all the Commonwealth planets using that data. Maybe we need to go and collect some more data to do it properly, but you can help determine that as well. What I want is a reliable map or set of calculations for the inner and outer envelope for every Commonwealth planet, one that we can program into every ship's computers."
Jan bit her lip and stared into the distance as she considered it.
"That should be possible, Sir."
"Good. The other thing I would like to do is formalize your book from Nils Isacsson, and make it standard book. We've resisted enforcing a standard book, because admirals and captains always want to build their own book. But we've looked at it and we think the book you built for Nils Isacsson is so superior we're ready to override those objections. If they also want their own maneuvers, in addition to the standard book, they're free to write those if they want. So we were hoping we could make this a double assignment, and have you work with some people here to generalize your book to other ship classes and fleet maneuvers as well. It probably means a couple of years here, but you're way ahead of the game, so it won't cost you in the long run."
"Certainly, Sir. I'd be happy to."
"Excellent. Speaking of book, how is your book on tactics coming?"
"Very well, Sir. I'm about half done. I should be able to complete it while I'm here at Sigurdsen."
"While carrying out a double assignment? Well, I applaud your ambition, Commander. I'd tell you to get out and socialize more, but I'm too jealous of your time to want to give up any of it. Just make sure to take the time to sharpen the axe once in a while. Whatever way you do that."
"Oh, I'll be sure to do that, Sir. My favorite recreation is Enshin. And there are plenty of people at Sigurdsen to spar with."
"Enshin?" Stepic shuddered. "Well, there's no accounting for taste. Dismissed, Commander."
Recovery
"I'm going to say a word, and I want you to just say the first word that comes into your head, Jan. Ready?"
"Sure, Pat," Jan said.
"Apple."
"Eat."
"Cat."
"Purr."
"Sun."
"Warm."
"Navy."
"Home."
"Ship."
"Space."
"Chair."
"Sit."
"Rape."
"Kill."
"Wind."
"Blow."
"Floor."
"Down."
"Parents."
"Dead."
"Door."
"Open."
"Sex."
"Rape."
"Foot."
"Toes."
"Children."
Jan sat silent. She closed her eyes for several minutes, opened them again. A tear slid down her cheek.
"Children, Jan?" asked Pat Berndt, a counselor at Sigurdsen Fleet B
ase, Fleet Military Hospital.
"I don't get one word, Pat. Cute, I guess. Mostly I just get emotions," Jan said.
"Which emotions?"
"Longing, hopelessness, envy," Jan said. "Despair."
"That's quite a palette, Jan. Let's talk about them one at a time, shall we?"
Commander Jan Childers was back on Jablonka, at Sigurdsen Fleet Base, after a two-year deployment to Saarestik aboard the CSS Nils Isacsson. Now twenty-one years old, after seven years of non-stop activity in the CSF, she had the time and the resources on-base to get help in her recovery from her horrific childhood.
Orphaned at age four, Jan spent five years in a government-run orphanage. Abused in the orphanage, at age nine she escaped to the streets. She spent another five years on the streets. Five years of scrounging in garbage, hiding in shadows, living in terror. Five years of evading predators of all sorts, including rapists and pedophiles, sometimes successfully and sometimes not.
She was always studying towards the Citizenship Exam of the Commonwealth of Free Planets. She took the exam at her earliest opportunity, on her fourteenth birthday, and escaped the streets, and Earth, forever.
What she couldn't escape on her own were the memories of the past that haunted her, that sometimes woke her up from technicolor nightmares, and left her shaking in a cold sweat in the dark of the night.
"You've told me about your past on Earth, and those are some horrible memories, to be sure. But back to the present. Are you afraid of being raped now? Not right here, right now, but generally speaking. Of being raped here in Jablonka? Or on ship?"
"No."
"What would you do if someone tried?"
"I killed him."
"That was past tense. Did you actually kill an attempted rapist?"
"Yes. More than once. On Earth. Since."
"I don't want details. Let's come back to the present. What would you do now if someone tried to rape you?"
"I would kill him."
"Would you be able to?"
"Oh, yes. No question."
"So you aren't in danger of being raped now?"
"No."
"Yet you continue to let rapists control you."
"I'm sorry?"
"You said that you could not be raped now. You've made yourself, I guess one would say, a hard target. So the only power they still have over you is what you cede to them. And yet you continue to let them control you, control your actions, your hopes, even your dreams."
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