All That Glitters Ch. 23

A couple of her captains were in the room going over tactics for system defence when she walked in.

"We've just had an FTL spike, four hours out, pointed away from us," Fiona told them. "We normally would have missed it, but after the last attack our people have been rather careful of late. We can't see the ship, which probably indicates absorption paint.

"Why would a ship want to do something like that?" Fiona asked.

"Two reasons, ma'am," Capt. Matt Cage of the NS Orion replied. "They could be setting up an attack, or they could be attempting to scout the area, possibly in preparation for another attack."

"Is this an exercise sent our way by Sector Forty-Two?" asked Capt. Giselle Florine of the NS Kennedy.

"I'm not aware of any exercises being directed at us from Command," Fiona advised. "Considering what we have been through lately, FAdm. Thenton wouldn't likely initiate an exercise without advising us, or at least me. We would likely attack anything we see that is suspicious and Thenton would not risk his people like that."

"So, this is something suspicious that we have to look at," Capt. Cage stated, for the record.

Fiona opened her comp. "Comms, get me a tight beam link to the Churchill," Fiona ordered.

"Your link is open, ma'am," came the reply from comes a few moments later.

"Churchill, this is Commodore Marsh, the science station on the platform has picked up an anomaly that I want you to investigate. We saw what appears to be an FTL wavefront four hours out, directed away from the station. We would not have normally seen this but we are a bit skittish of late. I'll have science send you the date. Investigate and report back," Fiona ordered.

"Churchill, roger. Ready in five," came the reply.

Fiona turned to her aide-de-camp, Cdr. Helga Hellebore. "Grab the crew and take the Valour out as Weapons O, in case you are needed." Hellebore nodded and left immediately.

Fiona turned to Captains Cage and Florine. "Take your ships out left and right flanking on that point. That ship has had four hours to maneuver. Jump half that distance out left and right and see what you can see. That close, you will be able to detect an older ship with your sensors," Fiona ordered. They left immediately opening their comps to their ships and ordering them to spin up.

One good thing about the Navy, Fiona thought. When you gave them something to do, they got right to it.

She walked back into Central Control.

"Listen up!" she shouted. "Tactical up, NOW! Show me all the blue forces and green ships. Link to our defence force to the Tactical Link once it is up. Shut down all mining activity until further notice. This is not a drill."

People moved fast. The tactical display came up within thirty seconds, all of Fiona's Command clearly labelled blue, the commercial ships were in green, and all of the working ships for the platform showed orange, except the specialized Rockhounds, which were blue with special designation.

"Comms via the Tactical Link is open, all ships reporting in, ma'am," came from comms.

"All ships, this is Commodore Marsh. An anomaly has been spotted four hours out from the station. I have ordered the Churchill, the Kennedy, and the Orion to investigate. I want all remaining ships on standby with engines hot. Move out from the platform in case you have to jump. Watch the Tactical display and don't wait for orders if you see anything. Talk amongst yourselves to confirm quadrants and to keep from flying up each other's tails on jump. That is all."

Replies came back immediately through the link and Fiona watched as the captains sorted out their quadrants.

"Control, this is the Valour," came through the link. "We've just cleared the platform and are awaiting orders for direction."

"Valour, head straight out best sub-light speed to see if there is anything coming at us on a direct line," Fiona ordered.

"Now we wait," Fiona said to those around her. Capt. Beverley Davis, Fiona's Civilian Liaison Officer came into Control.

"Heard it all on my comp," she told Fiona.

"Pull up a chair, could be awhile," Fiona stated.

Twenty minutes later things got hot.

"Control, Valour, we have a heavy missile coming straight at the platform a little over five minutes light," came the voice of Capt. Moore.

"Just one?" asked Davis.

"Roger, just the one and it has an absorption coating," Moore replied.

"Shit, that means its likely a nuclear missile! Someone wants to take out the platform!" Davis said.

"Not the platform," Fiona said, grimly. "Me! But they are willing to kill thousands in order to kill just one!"

End of chapter twenty-three.

I will be stepping away from Glitters for awhile while I work on other stories that have been promised. No biggy, just catching up.

I know, I know! You're all furious at me for the cliff hangers. I can hear the screaming now: Will the ladies in the Johal Compound be rescued? What's happening to Noor? What about the missile aimed at the platform? Wait! Didn't you say you're throwing dice to determine the outcomes? Does that mean the platform could actually be lost? Or another major character could die?

Geez people! Go easy on the questions! You know I have to keep you interested somehow!

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Be well, Be kind to one another, Be safe.

bigtddybr