Warrior One - Fleet Action Pt. 01

"You will let me know what you decide before... "

"You'll be the second to know... the Admiral being first."

"Aye sir," Connor chuckled, turned and left the Captain's ready room.

Chapter 10

"Yes, Admiral, I know it's a risk, but I think it's a risk we have to chance, sir."

"I understand Ezra, but to lose Warrior... that would be devastating to the Fleet and to the Confederation... "

"I know sir. I know. But I think we have to chance it... "

"Two days will be enough time... "

"It may not be two days. Those ships are accelerating... in hyperspace... you may only have hours to deploy before they get there. As it stands... Fleet Two will now be twenty hours behind the Gar."

"Okay, Ezra, okay. You do what you think is best. I will wait for your after action report and how your ploy worked out."

"According to Connor MacDonald, you could know just after we do."

"We will keep our sensors trained on you, for sure."

"Thank you, Admiral, that brings me just loads of comfort."

"Sarcasm, Captain?"

"Just a little, sir."

"Very well. See you on the other side."

"Aye, aye sir," Ezra said cutting the connection with the Mauthe Doog.

"All right lass, here we go. Keep an eye on the hull pressure while I throttle up."

"Yes, sir," Sean O'Connor replied as she kept one eye on the pressure gauge and the other on her bosses hand. The hand that was going to throttle up the sub-light engines.

"All hands, prepare for acceleration, in five, four, three, two, one."

Connor slid his fingers along the board in front of him. Lights under his fingers, moved up the scale, slowly. The effect of the acceleration pushed him closer to the board in front of him.

"Fifty thousand Newtons," Conner whispered.

"Aye, aye sir."

"Any deviation yet?"

"No sir, not yet."

Pushing his finger further up the scale, Connor sighed as the weight pressing him to the console in front of him increased.

"Five-hundred-thousand Newtons," he said, "any deviation and what's the pressure on the hull?"

"Deviation point zero one five. Hull pressure zero."

"Aye lass," Connor said with a smile in his voice and on his lips.

Pushing his finger further up the scale, he watches the distance deviation increase between Warrior and the Mauthe Doog.

"One million Newtons," he said loudly. "one-quarter thrust from the sub-light engines."

"Pressure still zero, sir," Sean said. "Deviation increasing. Sir, when we drop out of hyperspace, won't we have a lot of kinetic energy built up?"

"Aye lass. Which is why we will have to turn the ship and accelerate in the other direction."

"Ah," Sean sighed.

"Ah, indeed, lass."

"I am happy to report we have gained a day back on the Gar, Captain."

"Very good Commander. Very good. It also looks like you have proven your friends postulate, no?"

"Indeed."

"The Wulver has volunteered to attempt the MacDonald maneuver next."

"Good choice. Even though she is the oldest among the fleet, she is the smallest."

"What does that have to do... "

"Fewer lives lost if she was to go arye."

"Yes, yes, there is that," Ezra said smiling at Connor. "Always the bean counter, yea Connor."

"An old habit from my days behind a desk sir."

"All right Commander, back to duty and keep me informed on how the ship is performing."

"Aye, aye sir," Connor said snapping off the communicator.

"Well lass, two more days of this, then we turn the ship and accelerate for another day and twice the thrust."

"Aye, aye, sir."

Connor sighed as he sat down in his chair.

Chapter 11

The Fleet was deployed. The Gar would be arriving in the next twenty-four hours. The Mauthe Doog sat with the rest of the main fleet, waiting. When last seen on sensors, the Gar were on course for their arrival at Aldebaran V. So the fleet waited.

Warrior One also waited. Her fighter escort was deployed and her sensor suite was listening as hard as it could. She was ready if the Gar dropped out of hyperspace between the Fleet and Aldebaran V.

Twenty-two hours to the minute and the Gar dropped out of hyperspace far out in space in front of the Fleet. Admiral Cook was reluctant to call Warrior One from her position as the Gar could make a short hyperspace jump to the planet, instead of coming in from their position on sub-light engines.

As more data was received, it became apparent they were doing neither. The Gar had retained their kinetic energy from hyperspace and were now barreling down on Fleet One at quite a large fraction of light speed.

"Sensors, I want their exact speed ASAP," shouted Admiral Cook.

"Aye, aye sir."

"Comms, alert Warrior One."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Sir, Gar coming in at point one-five-five of light speed."

"Christ!" the Admiral shouted. "Do we have time to match speeds?"

"No, sir.'

"Alert the Fleet, maneuvers imminent. Plot, I want accelerations and course for us to at least trail the Gar."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Gar are accelerating. They are expending a lot of mass sir."

"Suicide run?"

"Hard to tell sir."

"Sir, Plot, we have a solution."

"Very well pass it on."

"Aye, aye sir."

The deck under his feet shook with the vibration of acceleration. The inertial dampeners kicked in just as the acceleration exceeded one gravity. The Admiral smiled as he watched the other ships of the Fleet maneuver on the plot board in front of him.

"Time to contact?" he shouted.

"One hour twenty minutes, sir."

"Very well."

One hour twenty minutes. The Admiral shook his head knowing his ships would only have the briefest contact with the enemy. So brief they would only be able to get one shot off. The Gar were going too fast for missiles or torpedoes, but the plasma cannons would be able to hit them as they passed.

"Sir, message from fleet."

"Relay it to my console."

"Aye, aye, sir."

The received message light blinked on his console. Connor leaned forward, pressed the play button and sat back to watch and listen.

"Ezra, it would appear the Gar are just going to make a running pass on Aldebaran. They are currently accelerating through point one-six-five of light speed. They will zoom past your position in a little over an hour and a half. Do what you think is best. They will only be within cannon range for a few seconds. Good luck. Fleet out."

"Shit. Plot, Helm, Engineering, Gar are making a sub-light pass of Aldebaran. I want solutions, soonest. I want to hit them hard and keep hitting them for as long as possible."

"Aye, aye, sir," all stations answered.

For ten minutes the bridge was a flurry of silent activity.

"Sir, we have a plot."

"Feed it into the navcomp and execute."

"What about the fighters sir?" asked Candle.

"They can wait here to be picked up or they can land at Aldebaran base."

"Aye, aye sir," Candle answered nodding at the comm officer.

The comm officer bent to his microphone and whispered the orders to Lieutenant Ryan.

The ship was turning and accelerating at the same time. Ezra looked up at the plot on the main screen. They would be accelerating around the planet below to gain enough speed to match course with the Gar ships. Going as fast as they were, the Gar could hardly expect to hit the planet below with too much accuracy. Ezra was committed to his course of action.

"Warrior One is doing what?" Admiral Cook shouted.

"Sir, Warrior One is accelerating around the planet on an intercept course with the Gar ships."

"How long until we can catch up with them."

"We will never catch up with them, sir. Sorry."

"Shit. I want all plasma cannons online and ready when the Gar pass us."

"Aye, aye sir."

Now it was a waiting game.

"Plot, I want a hyperspace jump plotted that will put us out in front of the Gar as they pass the planet."

"Sir?"

"You heard me. Do it!"

Chapter 12

Ezra was calmly sitting back on his couch as the minutes and seconds ticked by even as the control room was a flurry of activity. Candle stood just behind him and to the right. Ezra could feel the android's eyes on him.

"What is it Candle?"

"Lieutenant Ryan's flight is maneuvering, sir."

"Show me," Ezra said pointing at one of his screens.

As the picture resolved itself, Ezra saw the pinpoints of light that represented the fighters moving oh so slowly.

"Show me their plots," Ezra said.

On his screen, red lines appeared from each of the points of light. They all were turning sharply and accelerating as shown by detected speeds displayed beside each dot.

"Add the Gar ships plot."

A dotted white line appeared transecting the group of fighters as it passed the planet.

"Do they have enough fuel to accomplish this maneuver and return to the planet?"

"No, sir. Their course takes them too far and too fast from Aldebaran."

"How long will they be in contact with the Gar ships?"

"Approximately fifteen minutes, sir."

"Shit. How long will we be in contact with the Gar ships?"

"We will be matching their course and speed as presently displayed until they are able to jump."

"Very well." Ezra leaned back into his couch once again.

The little white dots on his screen moved ever so slowly as the bigger white dots of the Gar ships approached the planet.

"Plot, time to intercept?" Ezra called out.

"Thirty-three minutes, sir."

Ezra hated waiting, especially when he was already keyed up and ready to fight. His eyes never left the plot of the twenty-six fighters as they maneuvered so they could punch the Gar hard as they passed.

"Plot! Where the hell is my course?"

"In a minute sir," the plot officer replied.

"Well hurry it up, times a wasting," the Admiral said softly.

"Sir we have our course and jump time. It will be a millisecond jump... "

"I don't want details, I want results. Execute."

Without warning, the jump engines spun up and the ship lurched into the horror that was hyperspace. Then the screens were full of stars once more. Milford Cook could hear some of the crew vomit as they flashed into normal space.

"Plot, get me courses and vectors for the Gar and all our ships."

"Aye, aye sir."

Screens on the bridge of the Mauthe Doog lit up with the plots as they were sensed.

"What is that group of plots from in front of the planet?"

"That shows as Lieutenant Ryan's fighters sir."

"That hard-nosed bitch," Admiral Cook whispered under his breath.

"What sir?"

"Never mind. Signal Pech that her fighters will need pickup and she should make all possible speed to intercept."

"Aye, aye sir."

"That bloody marvelous bitch," Milford said quietly.

He now had a fighter group in a position to hit the Gar, along with a battlecruiser and a dreadnought matching speeds with them, if they didn't just jump into hyperspace. If they didn't jump. He hoped they wouldn't jump.

"Plot, time to intercept?"

"Ten minutes sir."

Ezra could see on his screen that the fighters were just about to intercept the Gar ships.

"Signal Lieutenant Ryan," Ezra said. "Message as follows - Good luck."

"Aye, aye sir. Message sent."

"Let me know if there is a reply."

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Weapons? Ready all cannon, missiles, and torpedoes."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Countermeasures?"

"Standing by sir."

"Very good."

"Sir, reply from Two-two-one."

"Read it to me."

"Message reads... Thanks. Ryan."

"Very good."

Ezra watched as the lights of two-two-one merged with the lights of the Gar ships. As he watched, lights representing the fighters flickered and went out. One Gar ships light went out.

"Good girl, concentrate on the closest ship," Ezra muttered under his breath.

"What sir?"

"Nothing Ensign."

Soon it would be his turn. Suddenly the screens flickered and were now showing the actual battle. They were that close now. The Gar ships were slowly creeping up on Warrior as the fighters dropped away.

"All hands, brace for combat," Ezra called out.

Alarms sounded, the control room was now poised to answer his every order.

"Gentlemen, ladies, it has been my pleasure to serve with you, good luck and just let your training to control your actions."

Ezra was poised, the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end. Shivers cycled down his back as he waited.

"In range... in three, two, one."

"All weapons fire on the lead ship."

The sound in the control room was thunderous. Their shields were absorbing the energy weapons of the Gar. It was also stopping the kinetic weapons but at a cost. The kinetic energy was transferred to the ship itself.

Ezra watched as the lead ship dissolved into a flaming hell. Warrior had ten times the weight to throw at the Gar ships. Once that ship was gone, the weapons shifted to the next ship in line. Then Ezra saw more weapons fire join his. Looking at the big screen up front he saw the Mauthe Doog firing as they flashed past. Smiling, Ezra pounded the arm of his couch.

"Yes, go Doog," he cried.

The last two Gar ships jumped into hyperspace and were gone.

"All right, helm turn the ship and start our braking maneuver."

"Aye, aye sir."

The scene on the screen started to move as the ship turned on its axis.

"Well done ladies and gentlemen. Well done indeed." Ezra clapped his hands as his control room crew puffed up with pride. "Damage reports please."

Ezra's control panel started to light up with the damage reports from around the ship. Both damage to the ship and its crew.

Chapter 13

The Fleet was once again together in orbit around Aldebaran V except for the Pech who was retrieving its fighters. Word was that they would be back in little over a week. Short hyperspace jumps were not usually made by ships of the line. The Pech was taking the long way back. Fleet Two was in orbit too, but on station on the other side of the planet.

Ezra was aboard the Mauthe Doog, for his after-action debrief. It was just the Admiral and him in the conference room. The Admiral looked a little sheepish as he sat silently with a sheaf of papers before him. Ezra knew he was in for a small scolding for leaving his fighter escort, yet... he knew it wouldn't come. He had not been the only one to bend regulations.

"Did you score any hits on the two ships that jumped?"

"Yes, quite a few. They were limping home if that's where they went," Ezra answered.

"Good, good. I have reviewed the battle tapes. Your ship did an excellent job."

"Thank you, sir. I would like to put Lieutenant Ryan in for a bronze space cross."

"Yes, so would I," Admiral Cook replied as Ezra slid a piece of paper across to him. "It... It will be difficult... " Milford slid the paper back to Ezra. "Keep that for now. In two weeks, submit it again and I will sign it with pleasure."

"I don't understand, sir."

"She disobeyed an order, your order. You gave her a choice. Stay and await pickup or land on the planet. She chose a third option which placed her in conflict with your orders."

"I didn't order her to stay... "

"You were her commander, you told her to stay or land. You did not tell her, she could chase the Gar."

"Uh, sir, I made that comment... "

"They were your orders to her. Would you like to listen to how your comm-officer relayed those orders?"

"No, sir. I will submit this in two weeks."

"Now, you will sign this."

"What is that sir?"

"Your official reprimand of Lieutenant Ryan's disobeying of orders."

"Sir! Do I have to?"

"You do. She knows it's coming. She always knows. She also knows she will always be placed at the sharp end. She is a born soldier. A true warrior with a streak of disobedience in her. She won't hold it against you. In fact, she will look up to you as a better man, than when she willfully disobeyed you. Now sign."

Ezra signed the reprimand.

"Anything else sir?"

"Yes, this is you reprimand for leaving your fighter group to fend for themselves."

"Aye, aye sir," Ezra grimaced as he accepted the reprimand he knew he would get. "Sir was there any damage to the planet?"

"No. Lieutenant Ryan hit the Gar just as they would have fired on the planet. Which is what you should have done. So, here is your second reprimand for leaving your assigned post."

"Aye, aye sir. Does this come with brig time?"

"You're joking right?"

"Yes, sir."

"The rest of these papers are... well, you, along with Ryan will be getting several medals, as will the crew of the Mauthe Doog."

"How did you get in and out of hyperspace so fast?"

"From what I'm being told, we were lucky. The distance we traveled was the shortest that the hyperdrive could handle. And yes, I too, am receiving several reprimands from fleet."

"So what now sir?"

"Now we continue with our campaign against the Gar. We keep hitting them until they cry, uncle. Warrior Two and Three are ready to join you, while Fleet One and Two keep watch, with the newly formed Fleet Three. Warrior Two will be joining Fleet Two, while Warrior Three will be the core of Fleet Three. All in all, thirty ships of the line."

"And how many more in the shipyards?"

"Another fifty-two. Six of those being Warrior class ships."

"And we still don't know where the Gar homeworld is."

"We don't. Yet."

"Sir?"

"Not yet my boy, not yet. Soon. Soon orders will come. That's all I am able to say.

"Yes, sir."

Chapter 14

Warrior slipped away in the middle of the night on course for her next target. Three AU's out of the Aldebaran system, Warrior made the jump to hyperspace. The ship would be there for the next thirty-two days, gliding along in the nothingness that was hyperspace. Captain Nichols had been specifically ordered to not utilize the newly discovered ability of ships of the line. No acceleration while in hyperspace.

Captain Nichols ordered two-thirds of the crew into hibernation. Thirty-two days in hyperspace could almost drive a man crazy. It took a special person to cling to reality as the ship floated along in the irrelevancy that was hyperspace.

"Mister Steel, how much longer until the crew is asleep?"

"Another twenty minutes, sir. Are you going under sir?"

"No Mister Steel, you will have to put up with my jostling your elbow for the duration."

"Aye, aye sir."

"You don't sound pleased Mister Steel?"

"Yes, sir."

"Pray tell, Mister Steel?"

"I read your report... "

"Mister Steel!"

"I know sir, but I must and you know why, sir."

"Yes, I do. Continue."

"I didn't... I don't agree with your assessment of what I did. It was a logical conclusion."

"How could it be logical Mister Steel. Nobody looks out a window during a hyperspace jump. And I'm surprised you would even think about doing so. You could have been lost to us Mister Steel. Do you know how many people have been driven crazy by looking out a window during a hyperspace jump?"

"Four hundred and sixty-seven by the last count," Candle said almost smugly.

"How did you know you wouldn't fry one of your circuits?"

"Sir, I routinely have to make observations of the outside of the ship. It's part of my program. There was never a restriction placed on me when in hyperspace."

"I see. Mister Steel, what you didn't read was my recommendation you receive the Bronze Space Cross."

"Sir, they will never award me a medal."

"The recommendation has been accepted by the Admiral of Fleet One. It will be bumped up the chain of Command. Nowhere on the recommendation does it say you are a ship's android."

"Once they realize that I am, it will be turned down."

"We'll see Mister Steel, we will see."

"Aye, aye sir."

Fina Dugan sat behind her desk in her ready room. Carol Ryan stood at attention in front of her. Fina was a little perturbed. Admiral Cook had delivered the reprimand himself. It was signed by Captain Nichols and the Admiral and now she had to give it to Carol. She also had two other pieces of paper that she had been ordered to hold back until after the reprimands had been delivered. It has been three weeks since the action around Aldebaran V occurred.