Warrior One - Fleet Action Pt. 01

Then in quick secession, two more Gar ships disappeared. Ezra was watching again as torpedoes flashed into sight and the ship disappeared in an implosion, leaving scraps of metal floating in their stead. Again a gasp from across the bridge was heard by all.

"Did you see what happened to those ships?" Admiral Cook was kneeling behind Ezra's couch.

"Yes. They just disappeared as the torpedoes struck."

As Admiral Cook and Ezra watched two more Gar ships ceased to exist. The remaining two were turning to flee. They dropped into hyperspace quickly and were gone.

"Holy shit," Admiral Cook whispered behind Ezra.

Ezra had no reply.

"Candle, have Commander MacDonald report to my ready room soonest."

"Yes, sir."

"All hands secure from battle stations. Damage control report."

"Minor hull damage to the shroud. Other than that none to report."

"Very good. Set defense condition two. Commander Beckett, you have the conn, I'll be in my ready room. Admiral if you would join me?"

"Of course Captain," the Admiral snapped.

"Aye, aye sir," Commander Beckett said stepping over to Ezra's, the Captain's couch. "Helm rendezvous with fleet soonest."

"Helm, aye, sir." Ezra and the Admiral heard the response from the helm as they entered the Captain's ready room.

Chapter 27

"Commander MacDonald reporting as requested," Connor said snapping to attention as he entered the room.

"At ease Connor, have a seat," Ezra told him gesturing to a chair across from where he sat.

"Thank you, sir," Connor said sitting in the chair indicated. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Tell us about our torpedoes."

"Aye, I thought as much. You noticed how effective they were?"

"We did," Ezra answered for the Admiral and himself. "Why is that?"

"They were a fluke."

"How do you mean?"

"Some bright boy in R and D decided he could place a scaled-down hyperdrive reactor in an empty space in the cylinder of the body of the torpedo."

"I know they had that capability, but what we saw... "

"When they tested them, they found they had to tie the hyperdrive to the onboard computer, otherwise they just dropped into hyperspace and disappeared. When they did, the computer took control and the torpedoes were able to skip in and out of hyperspace on the way to the target."

"Yes, we know that. But what... how did they... "

"At the point of contact with a target, the computer, by the way, all of them are connected and talk to each other, expands the hyperdrive field as big as possible and at the same time detonates its warhead. Dropping both objects into hyperspace.

"What you see is an effect of that process. It looks like the ship implodes."

"That it did," Ezra said shaking his head. "So, the torpedoes talk to each other after they are fired?"

"Aye. If at all possible they coordinate their attack on the ship they were fired at. What you witnessed was coordinated attacks of two or more weapons."

"Why don't the missiles have the same capability?" the Admiral asked.

"They fly too fast for that."

"Humph," the Admiral grunted. He had been an advocate of speed over stealth. "From now on, missiles will be reserved for use against planetary targets. All ship to ship encounters are to use torpedoes and plasma cannon."

"Aye, aye sir," both Ezra and Connor responded.

"Still... how is it that we didn't know about this capability?" Admiral Cook asked.

"It's in the manual, but it was not part of the basic training material that would have been presented to you as command officers. It was determined that you just needed to know the basic capabilities of the weapon."

"There are lockouts to prevent the torpedoes from turning back on us?"

"There are, plus the torpedoes are in constant communication with the weapons computers on the ship that fired them. They can switch to any ship in the fleet if needed. If no ship of the fleet is available, then they go autonomous and seek out any enemy ship they can."

"Impressive. Whatever happened to those test torpedoes?" Ezra asked curious about what might be lurking in hyperspace.

"Unknown. They were inert, no warhead. And the computer was not directing the hyperdrive."

"There is that. What about the ships they drag into hyperspace?"

"We think the computer specifies no vector information, therefore the ship, what's left of it at least, just drops into hyperspace and sits there floating about and not going anywhere."

"Interesting. Well, thank you, Connor. A most interesting briefing."

"Thank you, sir," Connor replied.

"You are free to go Connor. I'm sure you have after action things to take care of," Ezra told him.

"I do sir, thank you." Connor rose, snapped to attention, turned and left the room.

Ezra looked at the Admiral.

"I will pass on your orders, sir."

"Very good. Sometime we should try dropping into hyperspace without vector data, to see what we can see."

"Someday. Not today, though."

"No, not today," the Admiral replied a smile drawing his lips back.

Chapter 28

For the next few weeks, Warrior orbited Aldebaran V, waiting for those damaged ships to be repaired. Damage had been extensive on several of the ships of the fleet. Mauthe Doog needed a replacement reactor shipped in from Earth. During the fighting, a stray fragment of a ship or exploding missile had breached the main reactor core. Mauthe Doog had jettisoned its reactor in time to avoid utter annihilation. The explosion of the reactor core caused more damage to the ship than the Gar had.

Pech, Wulver, and Ceasg were heavily damaged, yet kept fighting until the battle ended. They could all maneuver, just barely. The Caoineag and Warrior were the least damaged of the fleet. It was surprising that Glaistig hadn't experienced more damage as its armament was strictly defensive in nature or maybe that's why it wasn't. With every weapon on board defending the ship, instead of trying to do double duty as the others did, not much ordinance got through to cause damage.

Repair crews were shuttled up from the surface of Aldebaran V and worked, ate and slept aboard whatever ship they were on. Crews that finished on the lighter damaged ships were then shuttled over to the more severely damaged.

It took another week for the Doog's reactor to show up and four days to install. Then the laborious process of bringing it online took another week. During this time the admiral had shifted his flag back to the Doog, even though the ship was hooked up to Warrior for its power requirements. The Doog just fit between Warrior and it's shroud down by the engineering decks.

So it was, four weeks after the battle of Aldebaran V, the Mauthe Doog slipped out from under Warrior One on a shakedown cruise. It dropped into hyperspace just as it cleared the system. Twenty minutes later, it dropped back into normal space almost where it left. An hour later it was back among its mates and the Admiral's gig was on the way over to Warrior.

"Well, Admiral, how goes the Doog?" Ezra asked Admiral Cook politely.

"She is well and ready for duty, and with her new reactor, able to go wherever it is you go."

Ezra laughed, he knew the Admiral had missed his accommodation on the Doog, while he had been aboard Warrior.

"Good to hear. Now, all we need is new reactors for the rest of the fleet," Ezra said jokingly.

"On order," the Admiral replied to Ezra's surprise.

"Really? How long until they get here?"

"They say six months, but I suspect closer to a year."

"Ah, then we won't be sticking around here?"

"No, we won't. Which brings us to why I'm here. I have orders for you and flight two-two-one. Lieutenant Ryan is getting her flight together as we speak. Seeing as how your topside bay is so well equipped and showed well of themselves during the battle, Ryan's group is being reassigned to Warrior. The Joint Fleet Council felt that if you are going to be working on your own, a little back up when needed could turn the tide... so to speak."

"Yes sir, Lieutenant Ryan and her crew will be welcome additions to Warrior."

"Well said, but by the look on your face I suspect you would rather I foist a diplomat on you than Ryan."

"There is her perchance to insubordination."

"Kind of reminds you of someone, doesn't she?"

"Indeed," Ezra answered stiffly.

"Well, here are your orders," Admiral Cook said handing Ezra a sheaf of papers. "You are to head to the Yin-Yang system, intelligence places a squadron of Gar ships in the system. Most of them are mining vessels, so resistance should be light. If you find yourself outmatched, running is ordered by me."

"Aye, aye, sir," Ezra answered laughing at those final words of the Admirals.

"It's in the neighborhood of three hundred twenty light years from here. You will be a long way from help. So I'm giving you one of the FTL comm units the K'lar gave us. The other will be studied on Aldebaran V so we can construct more of them."

"Thank you, sir. Yin-Yang is between us and Atlas, so maybe they will be close enough for us to yell for help."

"One can only hope. Well, good luck with your mission Ezra."

"Thank you, sir. Where will you and the Doog be off to?"

"Earth. The Fleet will stay here and respond to intel in the immediate neighborhood, but I and the Doog are off to Earth for meetings. Warrior Two and Three will be ready to deploy when we are done. So you will have company out there soon and we will have a third fleet to help us. The Doog and I should be back before you are."

"Good to hear sir, good to hear."

"Good luck my boy and give them hell."

"I'll do my best, sir."

"I know Captain, I know."

The Admiral stood. Ezra stood. They faced each other. The Admiral's hand shot out and Ezra took it in his.

"I'm damn proud of you Ezra, damn proud."

"Thank you, sir," Ezra croaked as the Admiral quickly left his ready cabin.

Chapter 29

Thirty days later Warrior dropped out of hyperspace, two AU's out from Yin-Yang. Ezra was at his station as were Candle Steel and the rest of the bridge crew. The mission was to destroy the mining operations on Yin-Yang VI. Ezra had dropped back to normal space far out in the void to get his bearings.

"Full sensor sweeps," Ezra called out. "I want to know what's out there."

"Aye, aye sir."

Silence once more draped the bridge. The only sound was the whisper of the air handlers.

"Contact, bearing two-two-oh. Looks like they are headed away from us, sir."

"What ships?"

"Configuration is K'lar, sir. We have contacts in system now. Four... no five combat vessels heading out system after the K'lar. Fifteen mining ships in orbit. Five of those are dark. Three huge transport vessels, two spewing cargo into space. I also see two K'lar vessels, both dark."

"Thank you, Mister Carlson, as we pass the K'lar ships see if there are any life signs on board. Not that we'll be able to help them. Helm, all ahead full military."

"Yes sir," Carlson said softly.

"Aye, aye sir," Helm answered.

The ship surged forward. The deck plates vibrated with the power of the engines buried deep inside the ship.

"Weapons," Ezra said softly.

"Ready, sir."

"Very good. On my mark."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Sir, two Gar ships have changed course toward us," Ensign Carlson sang out.

"Will they be able to intercept?"

"Calculating... no sir."

"Very well, keep an eye on them, though."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Sir, Comm."

"Go Comm."

"K'lar sending... 'Good luck' end of message."

"Thank you Mister Flannery," Ezra chuckled. "Signal back 'Thank you.'"

"Aye, aye sir," Flannery chuckled. "Message sent."

"Thank you, Mister Flannery. Commander Nolan, time to target?"

"Sixteen minutes."

"Thank you," Ezra responded automatically.

"Sir Sensors."

"Go."

"Twenty-seven lifeboats just launched from the K'lar ships."

"Heading?"

"Unknown... wait... they are make maximum speed along our line of flight. We will intercept approximately sixteen minutes after we pass Yin-Yang VI."

"Commander Nolan, plot a course that will allow us to take aboard the K'lar."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Time to target?"

"Ten minutes sir," Commander Nolan answered as he worked on his new plot.

"Thank you, Commander. Lieutenant Byers, I want full countermeasures."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Carlson put the track of the K'lar lifeboats on the main screen please."

"Aye, aye sir.'

The main screen had twenty-seven new dots with lines on it. The lines shifted from red to white as Ezra watched. The main screen was in tactical mode and showed every object the sensors could see. Even if they weren't identified. As Ezra watched the lifeboats, two red lines started from the one cargo vessel not damaged.

"Ensign Carlson, what are those red lines that appear to be chasing the lifeboats?"

"Wait one, sir," Ensign Carlson said. "Sir, the cargo vessel has fired missiles at the lifeboats."

"Weapons, can we intercept those missiles with our missiles?"

"Sir... one minute please," Commander Kinsella said. "Plotted and laid in sir, we can intercept before they strike the lifeboats."

"How much sooner?"

"A slim margin sir. Minutes."

"Well fire."

"Aye, aye sir, missiles away."

The ship shook with the release of the missiles. Ezra counted thirty-eight missiles, looked over at Teague and nodded. Teague Kinsella nodded back.

"Mister Kinsella, I want torpedoes, multiple torpedoes on every Gar ship in system. We may never know if they strike home but I want the Gar to know we can hit them from far, far away."

"Aye, aye sir." Teague leaned over his console and pressed a button.

The ship shook again with the departure of over one hundred torpedoes.

"Mister Kinsella, will they all have enough fuel to get to their targets?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent. New standing order Mister Kinsella, all enemy ships will be targeted as soon as possible with multiple torpedoes when we enter a system where they are present. Unless you are told otherwise."

"Aye, aye sir. Noted in weapons log."

"Candle, if you would post it in the ship's log."

"Aye, aye sir."

Chapter 30

"Sir, we are in range," Commander Nolan called out.

"Weapons, fire. I want extra torpedoes for the mining and cargo ships."

"Aye, aye sir."

The deck shook once more with the firing of missiles and torpedoes. Ezra watched as the missile tracks started on the hyperbolic arcs toward the surface of the planet below. The torpedoes dashed across the screen. Here then gone, then back again on their stuttering flight path to their targets.

"Candle watch the target assessments."

"Yes, sir."

"Sir I have a solution for K'lar pickup."

"Very good, execute."

"Aye, aye sir."

The ship lurched as the course corrections were executed by the computer.

"Time till rendezvous?"

"Ten minutes sir."

"Very well. Comm are we in communications with the lifeboats?"

"We are. They will be ready."

"Sensors, where are those Gar ships that were after us?"

"One is dark, hit by six torpedoes. The other is limping along, still in pursuit."

"Very good. Weapons, allocate six more torpedoes to that ship."

"Aye, aye sir."

The deck shook again.

"All stations report status," Ezra said.

On his board in front of him, all telltales showed green.

"Comm, let the K'lar know to use the topside shuttle bay."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Major Owens reporting sir," Laff snapped to attention.

"What are you doing here Laff?" Ezra seemed surprised.

"I heard we were taking on board aliens... "

"Allies, Laff, allies."

"Yes, sir, alien allies."

"You are right. Please have a detachment of Marines escort our guests to their quarters. See to any who are injured and show the captains of the vessels to my ready room. If they are not injured."

"Aye, aye sir." Laff snapped a perfect salute, turned and trotted away.

"Candle, you should have reminded me, I know you didn't forget."

"Yes sir, it won't happen again."

"I know. Have Mister Quinlan join me in my ready room. Commander Beckett, you have the conn."

"Yes, sir."

"Aye, aye sir," Beckett answered softly.

Ezra put his face in his hands and scrubbed the fatigue he now felt from his head. Then shaking his head, he stood and hurried to his ready room. The screen in his ready room showed the lifeboats were just coming aboard. Going to his sideboard, Ezra poured himself a stiff drink. Looking down at the amber liquid, it was a single malt scotch, he smiled as he lifted it to his nose. Sniffing lightly, Ezra smiled as he put the glass to his lips and tilted it, drinking. The liquid burned all the way down his gullet. Smiling, he placed the glass down on the sideboard top. He was about to pour himself another when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter," he shouted, turning toward the door. It was Quinlan with his translation device. "Just set it on my desk and you may leave. I'll call you when we are finished."

"Aye, aye, sir," Quinlan said setting the device on the desk and pressing a button on the front panel. "It's on now sir. When you are finished just press this button again and it will turn off."

"Thank you, Mister Quinlan."

"Aye, aye sir."

Quinlan wasn't gone more than a few seconds when there was another knock at the door.

"Enter."

It was Major Owens with the Captains of the K'lar vessels.

Chapter 31

The meeting with the K'lar went as Ezra had expected. They, the K'lar, wanted to be taken back to Atlas, which was their de facto new homeworld. Ezra had explained that Warrior was on a schedule and would not be able to go to Atlas as they were already on their way to Aldebaran. Ezra told the K'lar that they would be transferred to a ship that might be able to get them to Atlas when they arrived at Aldebaran V.

Ezra held his head in hands as the Captains were shown to their quarters. Having them aboard would be both a boon and a bother, but it would finally give the Marines something to do. More Marines were being awakened from cold sleep as Ezra sat there in his ready room. A knock at his door startled him.

"Enter," he called out scrubbing his face with his hands.

The door opened and Major Owens stepped in. He stood at attention in front of Ezra's desk.

"At ease Laff, at ease. Sit."

"Thank you, sir. Two things."

"The K'lar and Ryan."

"How... how did you know."

"Let's say I'm a good guesser. What is up with the K'lar?"

"They want to tour the ship. I told them as best I could that the ship is not a playground, but we find them wandering where they shouldn't be."

"I've ordered more of your men out of cold sleep, that should help."

"Yes, thank you, sir."

"Ryan?"

"She keeps wanting to come here and ask you why she and her flight weren't used in the battle."

"I see," Ezra said. Leaning back he pushes the button on his intercom. "Mister Steel, have Lieutenant Ryan report to my ready room."

"Yes, sir."

"What should I do now?" Laff asked.

"You wait here with me."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Don't be like that Laff."

"Sorry, sir."

Ten minutes later there was a timid knock at Ezra's door. He sat there and ignored it. A much louder knock followed quickly.

"Enter," yelled Ezra.

The door opened and in strode Carol Ryan, whose eyes widened when she caught sight of Laff.

"Lieutenant Ryan reporting as ordered, sir." She held her salute staring at the wall behind Ezra.

Ezra made her hold the salute for a few seconds, then casually saluted her back. She snapped her salute as if she was back in the academy. Ezra almost laughed but didn't crack a smile. Laff, on the other hand, had tears rolling down the side of his face from holding back the laughter.

"I understand you wish to talk to me?" Ezra asked.

"Sir... yes, sir... "

"I also understand that it's about your underutilization in the just finished action."