Gliese Chronicles: Thin Margin

"Since this is your first visit, and I'm a native, I can show you some of the cultural sites and share some history. That is if that's of interest to you?"

We spent the next two days together, each of us returning to our respective ships each night. That leave on Ettera brought smiles to my face each time I thought of it. It was fun, interesting, and exciting to spend time with a man with such a delightful personality. He had been a gentleman the entire time, but his ability to show affection in small ways impressed me. He was charming. So much so I found it hard not to give it in return.

We bid one another goodbye at the end of that first leave but remained in contact by sending messages and pictures to one another two or three times during a standard week. The second time we met on leave resulted in our growing closer—a few kisses and mutual fondling providing entertainment during our last few hours together. He was the best kisser I had ever met; and I enjoyed kissing.

A month after the second leave I had received a field promotion and was now a full lieutenant serving on a different vessel. Serving on different ships than Morgan assured there was no potential conflict due to rank—there was no rule regarding officers of unequal rank fraternizing with each other--but it was seen as a complication if serving under the same command and frowned upon. Both of us were comfortable with our relationship and I for one knew after our last night together on that leave the next time we spent time together we would be ready for much more physical contact. I was pulled out of my reverie.

The door chimed, announcing someone standing outside, then a request to enter—it was Morgan's voice. I gave the command for the door to open and he stepped in with a smile. We stepped to each other and shared a nice, firm, kiss.

"Neenah, this is going to get really messy. I just read the latest communication regarding the enemy fleet and they have started moving again," his face now serious.

"Morgan, I know it doesn't look good, that's why we need to be as prepared as we possibly can. What's your evaluation of crew performance?"

"I think it's acceptable, more time would provide an opportunity to improve their performance by another few seconds, but we don't have much time. Perhaps two more practice runs over the next six hours before we find ourselves within sensor range of the enemy. Our ships have done a good job of gathering intelligence on their capabilities in that regard."

I walked over and sat down on my bed and patted the mattress next to me for him to join me. I spoke before he sat down.

"Yes, I read the report just before you got here. I'm going to give the order to go silent in about two hours. That means no outgoing communication with anyone and limited use of sensors. I don't want to take the chance a stray transmission would alert them to another ship approaching their formation. If our stealth technology is effective I don't want to telegraph our presence by another means."

"All sensible precautions. I agree one hundred percent."

"Morgan, I want you to know how much I appreciate having you here," I smiled as I placed my hand on his.

"Neenah, I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't want this to sound morbid, but if we don't make it I want to be with you at the end," as his arm came across my shoulders.

I leaned onto him. It was nice to have someone I could show some vulnerability to. I could never allow myself to look weak in front of the crew. With Morgan, I knew I could be honest, just as he had just been with me. Our affection had turned to love since we had joined each other on the Avenger. We had been discrete over all these months and as far as we knew the crew was none the wiser. Being able to pleasure one another had been the best way to relieve stress and maintain a sense of self-control. I heard his voice, soft and confident.

"Honey, we are going to come out of this, I just feel it. The crew has made incredible progress, we have a good ship, good weapons, and with your knowledge and experience in combat, we have the best chance of any ship in Space Command of having an impact. If we force the aliens to turn around and leave we will have won a victory."

"Morgan, it seems so strange. We don't even know what they look like, all we have are recordings of their voices-- we don't' even know if those are artificially generated or not. We are fighting ships, not life forms. I never thought it would be this way."

"I've thought of that myself several times over the past few months. I'm not sure that's a bad thing, at least it makes the decisions we have to make somewhat easier, I wonder if they feel the same way?"

"I doubt it, their behavior suggests they don't. Our communications have been sent with audio and video. They know what we look like. All we have is audio of them and that's all we have to go."

I felt Morgan's hand gently move me down onto the bed. I closed my eyes and snuggled into his embrace. We lay quietly for a few minutes, then I felt his lips on my neck- kissing gently, moving from one spot to another. I relaxed and enjoyed the feel of his body against mine. We shared a long, passionate kiss, and started another when my com console chimed indicating an incoming message. We slowly got up.

I input my codes and watched the screen as the message was decrypted. I felt a knot grow in my stomach as I read it, then sent an acknowledgment—including the code indicating the ship was going silent.

"Time to increase speed, we lost another ship, the aliens are on the move. Morgan, it's time to sound general quarters and conduct one more exercise—this will be the last one. Next time I expect it will be for real."

We kissed one more time and left for the bridge together. It was time to tell the crew.

"Captain on deck!" Ensign Parsons called out.

"As you were," I announced with authority.

"Communications, we are now silent. That includes sensors."

"Aye, Captain, ship is silent. Sensors stowed."

"Helm, maintain current course, increase to Flank speed."

"Aye, Captain. Established course, Flank speed."

I picked up my headset, put it on, and pushed the com button on my chair console.

"Attention. This is the Captain speaking. We have received orders to proceed as quickly as possible to 667 G. The enemy fleet is on the move. Our course and speed are set to intercept them in four hours. That is all."

There were shared glances among the bridge crew. Morgan looked at me with a small smile—like me, I was sure he noticed the crew had remained calm, going about their duties without distraction. Now, I expected Morgan and I would do likewise—our plan to have intercourse disrupted and not likely to present itself again. Those kisses were going to have to last a while. Perhaps forever.

Half an hour later I pushed the button to go to general quarters and gave the sequence of orders to engage an enemy vessel as we had practiced so many times before. This time I watched the crew's response on the stop-watch function on my console. When the shields had gone back up a total of eight seconds had elapsed. We were as ready as we were ever going to be. Morgan looked over at me and nodded with just a hint of a smile.

"Mr. Stanford, secure from general quarters."

"Aye, Captain."

***TWO HOURS PLUS TWENTY-ONE MINUTES LATER***

"Captain, I'm picking up energy waves from long-range sensors—they are weak and intermittent."

"Engage Cloaking."

"Cloaking engaged."

"Helm, maintain course, slow to Full Speed."

"Aye Captain, established course, Full Speed," came the calm response.

"Communications. I want to know when their sensors are steady and if there is any indication of a lock on."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

I watched Ensign Parsons as she switched between screens at her console. It had been thirteen minutes since she had picked up evidence of sensors. I expected the readings to go steady at almost any time based upon the sensitivity of our own sensor array. Past experience suggested their technology was very similar to our own---I certainly hoped this would prove to be true as it would help even the playing field a bit.

"Captain. Readings show steady now. There is no evidence of narrow beam lock-on."

"Thank you, Parsons. If we receive a lock-on I need to know immediately."

"Aye, Captain."

I turned to the visual screens and increased magnification to the maximum. It should be another twenty minutes yet before a visual of their largest ship should appear. We had seen no evidence of remote sensor systems but I didn't want to assume they had not deployed them as they grew closer to where they expected inhabited planets to be present. Morgan, for the first time, came to sit in the First Officers' chair next to mine.

"Captain, our fleet is keeping their attention, staying just far enough away to remain out of range of their laser cannons. Once we get close enough to make a visual inspection of their ships we should consider going to their underside where sensor coverage may be limited."

"Commander, I was thinking the same thing. They seem to have the same basic vessel design as we have—a bridge with a commanding view forward. If we can spot that feature we can determine top from bottom."

Morgan and I watched the screens, after roughly fifteen minutes a speck of light appeared in the blackness of space, then five minutes later, another. Ten minutes later we could make out a rough outline of two massive ships—easily one hundred times the size of a large freighter. There was no evidence they had detected our presence. I could feel my heart beating in my chest as we drew yet closer. I drew down the magnification as we drew closer, after ten more minutes it was possible to see several much smaller craft as they moved between the two large ships. These appeared to be about the size of Avenger and a pattern emerged as to their movements as we observed them.

"Helm, bring us alongside the lead ship at a distance of four kilometers, and match our speeds."

"Aye, Captain."

I watched the screens as we slowed, turned one hundred eighty degrees, and matched the course and speed of the large ship. There was no indication we had been detected. My heart rate had finally slowed as it became apparent we were safe, but I couldn't help but be anxious. Now we were in a position to learn more about our enemy than ever before.

"Captain. I think those small ships are being used to ferry materials between ships. They seem to disappear into one side of the ship and appear from the other side. Looks like the large ships are using ion drives for propulsion."

I zoomed the magnification on the main screen to show the side of the large ship where a smaller vessel was approaching. As it drew near, a section of the hull on the large ship slid upward, revealing a huge well-lit bay. We watched as the smaller vessel entered, then disappear from sight, then the huge door slide shut.

"Com. Get a scan of their communications frequencies. I want to see where their com hubs are located."

"Aye, Captain. It will take a few minutes with our passive system."

Morgan and I continued to observe the massive ship for a few minutes more before I turned the camera towards a smaller ship that was approaching. We saw this vessel had a raised section that seemed to be their bridge, with darkened areas we assumed to be windows.

"Captain. The distribution of com signals and sensors is coming up on screen three."

"Very well, com. Perform the same survey on the smaller vessel that is approaching."

"Aye, Captain."

Morgan and I studied screen three. Three areas of intense activity showed a major sensor array on the ventral hull, a major com center on the dorsal hull well forward, and a smaller hub near the rear section of the hull that corresponded to the bays vessels were entering and leaving.

"Looks as if their configuration is similar to ships we have constructed ourselves," I said to Morgan.

He smiled. "I believe all engineers think alike-- same problem, same solutions."

I looked at him with a wry grin, "Careful mister, I'm an engineer by training."

"Captain. Scan of the smaller vessel is coming up on screen four."

"Thank you com. Can you make anything intelligible out of their communications?"

"No ma am. I have the translator programs working on it. But so far nothing."

"Very well. Let me know when we may be able to read their signals."

Morgan and I looked at screen four. One major cluster of sensors forward, one com array at the area we thought to be the bridge. A standard configuration used on all of our ships.

"Captain, it looks as if we are dealing with technology and engineering similar to our own. It may very well come down to tactics if we can muster enough of our ships to engage them."

I looked at Morgan, "I wish all of our ships had our stealth capability. This is giving us an advantage in gathering intelligence in real-time at close range for the first time. If we could bring all of our weapons to bear in the same fashion we would have a chance."

It had now been almost two hours at close range and we had remained at general quarters. I decided it was time to rest the crew and made the decision to go to condition yellow—meaning that crew members should remain alert and be ready to return to their battle station immediately. The lights flashed yellow for twenty seconds and then remained constant. It remained quiet in the ship with measures taken not to create unnecessary electronic radiation by the use of non-essential equipment.

I was pleased that one design element I had insisted upon now be put to use—a complete set of sensors and cameras at the stern of the ship could now be used to inspect the area behind us as we kept our forward passive sensors and cameras in operation. This allowed Morgan and me to conduct observations and collect data independently on multiple vessels within range. I grew anxious, I wanted to strike back as quickly as possible, but it was a trade-off-- our attack needed to effective when we launched it and that meant delivering weapons to the most vulnerable locations on the alien vessels. Patience, it came down to patience and being smart by using the intelligence we were gathering.

"Commander, are you ready to investigate the other ships?"

"Yes, Captain. I think I have what we need on the smaller vessels. I suggest we take a closer look at the fourth ship astern. It's one of their medium-sized ships."

"Helm, slow, and then match speed with the fourth vessel to our port side."

"Aye Captain, "Slow and escort fourth vessel port."

I watched as the ship grew larger than appeared on our forward screens. The function of this vessel wasn't apparent. I assumed the larger ships contained the bulk of the population and received supplies from the smaller support vessels. This ship was configured differently—with pods mounted on the stern outboard of the main hull. As we watched a group of three smaller ships appeared out of the stern of the ship. By zooming the magnification it was possible to see they appeared to be armed craft.

"Helm, bring us below and astern and hold steady at speed."

"Aye, Captain, "Below and astern at speed."

Once in position, it was possible to see a large door at the end of the ship that slid open to admit entering and departing craft. This vessel was obviously a warship as our mapping of com and sensor emissions showed two major areas of activity—the bridge and the landing bay. Smaller areas showed pockets of energy that corresponded to what appeared to be laser cannon turrets.

Over the next three hours, we observed all of the vessels in the fleet—making educated guesses as to their functions. The larger vessels represented the major population centers with both surrounded by support and warships to service and protect them. I was certain all of the ships had defensive weapons capability at some level-- the many blisters suggested they were all energy-based.

"Commander, we have decisions to make. I want to hear your recommendations on which vessels to attack first."

I was using Morgan as a sounding board for what I had decided was the best course of action. I wanted to sow as much confusion as possible within the alien fleet while limiting our exposure to the maximum. If we could slow the progress of the fleet towards the home planets that would be a major accomplishment. If it could be done in such a way that it didn't appear to be the result of enemy action at first it would be even better—we would not alert them to our presence too early, preserving our element of surprise.

"Captain, I know most skippers would hit the warships first, but I think it would be best to target the largest vessels—hitting their command and control centers, creating confusion while hindering their ability to coordinate movements."

"Captain!" the helmsman called out, "there are three small craft heading directly for us, closing at a steady speed from 300 hundred degrees horizontal, twelve degrees vertical."

I felt my muscles tighten and looked at the monitors. Three of what we now believed armed attack craft were approaching. They would be on us within fifteen seconds.

"Helm, down-thrust twenty degrees, hold heading," I replied calmly.

Operating under visual was definitely different than using sensors I thought as I exhaled slowly. The three craft went over the top of the ship by several hundred meters—way too close. It was time to engage, no reason to put it off any longer, once we were discovered there were likely to be many more of these smaller crafts in action. I pushed the button on my console to bring the ship to general quarters.

I moved our ship to a position beside and slightly behind what we believed to be the command ship in the formation based upon their com traffic. We pointed our two forward torpedo tubes at the location of the hangar bay doors and waited for a small ship to arrive. As a small craft approached I prepared to give the firing orders.

I reviewed my selection of the two torpedoes to be used once again-- the first was an inert, hardened projectile meant to penetrate hard materials causing structural damage, the second was a torpedo with an explosive warhead that would follow one second afterward. The idea was to make it look as if there had been an accident involving the arriving vessel that would hide the fact they had been attacked. This would allow me an opportunity to see how the fleet would react and what resources they would bring to bear.

"Captain, tubes one and two at the ready."

I watched as the door of the hangar bay started to open. It was time to see if the training had paid off.

"Weapons- fire tubes one, then two," I watched as our shields came down, the ranging sensor targeted the opening in the side of the ship, then as the torpedoes left the tubes in sequence, the sensors came off, and the stealth shield came back on. It had taken all of nine seconds for the entire sequence to be executed.

"Helm, back us off to five kilometers."

I watched as the large ship started to recede on the screen as a bright flash from the area of the hangar door blossomed and quickly disappeared. Then the hangar door and other pieces of the hull sailed outward from the side of the ship, some pieces coming uncomfortably close. Next time I would stand off a bit farther. There was no indication we had been detected.

We remained at general quarters for another hour as we monitored the reaction of the alien fleet's ships. Comm reported that the sensor hub and bridge area lit up showing the increased activity of the stricken ship. There was no indication of increased activity by the warships; not even smaller craft. There was a gaping hole visible in the ship

"Captain. It looks as if things have settled down a little. Perhaps we should look at the other side of the ship to see if there is damage showing."