Warrior One - Fleet Action Pt. 05

"Torpedo," Bridget almost shouted.

"Torpedo, away," Cassidy said as she pressed the launch button. "Seeker has launched one also."

"Set up a hyperjump, ten light years up."

"Setting...set."

Bridget kept firing, each bolt hit the little ship.

"It's a drone," Cassidy said.

"What?"

"I detect no life signs. Wait...there is a body, in armor, it's Gar and it's dead."

"And the thing is firing on us." The ship rocked with another hit.

Then the ship disappeared. Bridget lets go of the trigger. On the sensor screen, they watched Seeker duck below the plane.

"Well, we might as well go back to Rigel for resupply, everyone in the galaxy knows we're here."

"Might as well. You going to write this report or should I?"

"I'll handle it, Cassidy," Bridget said, pulling her keyboard to her. "You make the jump."

"Deal."

Commander Nolan Tóla sat typing his report on the encounter with the dead ship. It had surprised him when Patrick told him the ship's pilot was dead. Pausing he looked up at the sensor screen. He could see Finder making her way to Rigel. He wondered what the higher-ups would make of his and Bridget's reports.

He also wondered if there were any more ships, they must be Gar scout ships, out there with a dead pilot at the stick. Nolan shivered at the thought. So many thoughts on how that pilot had died. All of them gruesome in Nolan's mind. He was glad he had a partner out here.

He pressed send on the comm unit. It hummed for a split second and was once again silent. He then turned to the sensors and shortened the scans to the local neighborhood. He watched for the telltale pips.

"Pat, you keep an eye on the wider picture."

"Sure thing Cap," Pat replied.

"Strange reports from several of our scouts, sir," Shaffer said softly to Admiral Cook.

"Why are we getting these reports?"

"We're not, directly. Admiral Fitzgerald is distributing them to all Admirals and ships Captains."

"Well, what kind of strange reports?"

"It seems the Gar have scout ships..."

"We guessed they did."

"Yes, sir. It also seems two of our scout ships encountered one..."

"It really was inevitable."

"Of course sir. The pilot was dead at the stick, the ship's computer did the fighting."

"What?"

"The ship's computer must have been in control of the ship, the pilot was dead in his seat."

"This requires some thought."

"That it does, sir."

Chapter 101

Ezra was reading the latest reports from the scout ships. Admiral Fitzgerald was having them distributed to all Admirals and ships Captains.

"Candle, have you read these?"

"I have sir," Candle Steel replied.

"Your thoughts?"

"What I think is...not relevant, sir. But I should point out my emergency protocols if by chance I find myself the only one still functioning aboard a viable vessel."

"There is that, but your protocols don't call for you fighting the ship," Ezra said.

"They don't exactly..."

"Explain."

"I was going to. My protocol would allow me to defend the ship when I'm trying to return it to homeworld."

"But you can't go looking for a fight, can you?"

"No, sir."

"Then, it's not the same."

"No, sir."

"Give Candle," Ezra chided.

"I could, however, place the ship in a position where I would have to fight the ship. There is no protocol to stop me from doing so."

"Would you?"

"No, sir. My, me personally, I would not. My first priority would be to get the ship home so that any souls on board could be removed and sent home."

"Good man," Ezra said without thinking.

"Thank you, sir," Candle replied.

"Would our sensors be...could they see a ship that small at a distance?"

"No, sir. The resolution needed exceeds our sensitivity."

"But we can see those frigates a long way off. Are the scout's sensors that much more advanced?"

"We can. They are sir. Probably more than we know."

"I see."

"Will there be anything else, sir?"

"Yes. Could you have Lieutenant Carlin see me before she returns to her station out there?" Ezra said waving his hand in the general direction the scout ship would be headed for.

"I'll see to it sir," Candle said flatly.

"Thank you, Candle."

"Bri, we have been ordered...requested...to Warrior One, to see Admiral Nichols."

"How do we get there?"

"Seems their upper shuttle bay is big enough for us to duck into."

"Good to know. When?"

"Whenever, but before we leave," Cassidy said chuckling.

"Duh!" Bridget returned.

"Shut up," Cassidy said laughing.

"Do we know where Warrior One is? There are five of those beasts out there."

"I have her transponder code and...," Cassidy said typing furiously, "...I have their position pegged now."

"As soon as we're done loading supplies and ammo, we'll head on over."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Cassidy said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Do shut up," Bridget replied.

"Let's get those supplies aboard," Cassidy said smiling at her Captain.

"Let's."

"Welcome aboard Warrior One ladies," the shuttle bay OD said as they shimmied out of Finder. "You're here to see Admiral Nichols?"

"We are sir," Bridget replied to the Lieutenant Commander who was Officer of the Deck.

"If you will wait here, someone will be along to show you the way to the Admirals ready cabin."

"Thank you, sir," Bridget answered.

The Commander turned and went about his duties. As they stood there, four fighters slipped into the bay. They were refueled and sent on their way. Three shuttles then landed not far from Finder. Bridget was on tiptoe until they settled to the deck. Cassidy chuckled at her angst. Then there was a command android standing in front of them.

"Ladies, if you would be so kind and follow me to Admiral Nichols ready room."

"Of course," Bridget said surprised by the appearance of the android.

"Huh?" Cassidy blurted.

The android turned and started toward an exit. Bridget and Cassidy hurried to catch up. Neither of them had much contact with androids, let alone command androids. Both were surprised that the Admiral would send his command android to fetch them. A lowly rating would have been sufficient. The android led them on a winding path through the great ship. Within minutes both women were thoroughly and hopelessly lost.

"Here we are ladies," the android said knocking, then opening the door they stood in front of. "Lieutenant Carlin and Tulla to see you, sir."

"Thank you, Candle. Come in ladies. Come in. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ezra Nichols," Ezra said stretching his hand out to take first Bridget's.

"The pleasure is ours, sir," Bridget said as the Admiral let go of her hand and took Cassidy's.

"Sit, please," Ezra told them.

Surprised, both young women sat.

"You're probably wondering why I called you here...how many times have I heard that line," Ezra said, chuckling. "Anyway...tell me about the Gar scout. What did it look like?"

"Uh, sir, you know we can't divulge..."

"Yes, I know," Ezra said handing Bridget a flimsy message printout.

She took the paper and read. It was an order from Fleet Admiral Fitzgerald himself, giving her and her second, authorization to transfer all knowledge of the Gar scout to the fleet tactician, Rear Admiral Ezra Nichols. Bridget handed the flimsy to Cassidy who sucked in her breath as she read.

"Well sir, its skin was the same mottled color as their frigates. It was small, its size was between our one and two-man scouts. It had a single plasma cannon. I didn't see any torp-tubes or missiles."

"Tell me about its shape," Ezra prompted.

"I only got a head-on look at the thing in my gun-sight, but it was thin, it looked thin from my angle. Cassidy, what did sensors show," Bridget said turning to her second.

"Uh, sir, the computer displayed a shape before it was...before the torpedoes took it into hyperspace. It was shaped like a broadhead arrow."

"What?"

Cassidy took a piece of paper and a pencil, from Ezra's desk, and began to draw. When she finished, she handed the paper to Ezra and set the pencil down on the desk.

"Ah, I see. You drew both perspectives, good."

"May I Admiral," Bridget said, "I haven't seen that yet..."

"Of course," Ezra said handing the paper to Bridget.

"So that's what it looks like. Good to know. It might be better to look for these off the galactic plane..."

"What did you say?" Ezra asked eagerly.

"I was thinking it would be better to jump about ten to twenty light years up or down from the galactic plane to spot these things from farther away than we did. It was only by chance that I spotted this one and it must have been changing course when I did."

"Why do you say that?"

"We were scanning the Gar fleet when I noticed a pip close in, but it was there for just a fraction of a second. So I narrowed the scan and there it was, closing on us. We didn't find out it was dead stick until later."

"About that, are you sure there wasn't another Gar aboard?"

Bridget looked at Cassidy.

"No sir," Cassidy said, "the ship was too small to have another crewman aboard. The dead one was the only..."

"Okay. Before you leave you will transfer all your sensor logs and readings to my ship, please. Candle will give you the frequency and the access codes. It's been a pleasure talking with you ladies," Ezra said standing.

Bridget and Cassidy stood also.

"It's been our pleasure Admiral," Bridget said.

"Sir," the command android had opened the door and stuck its head in.

"Take the ladies back to their ship, please, and give them the frequency and access codes to transfer their sensor logs and readings to Warrior."

"Yes, sir. Ladies, if you would follow me," Candle said holding the door open for them.

"Thank you again, ladies," Ezra said as they walked out.

Chapter 102

"Holy..." Cassidy started to say as she and Bridget crawled back into Finder.

"I agree," Bridget replied. "Send the data to them if you would so we can get the hell out of here."

"Right," Cassidy said as she set up the comm system linked the sensor logs and data to it and pressed send. "They got it, we can skedaddle."

"Finder to shuttle control, request departure soonest," Bridget said into her mic.

"Shuttle control to Finder you are cleared to depart. Good luck and be safe."

"Roger control, thank you."

The small ship rose up off the deck and made its way to the bay doors that were now opening. Then they were out. Bridget flew straight aft, then pulled up sharply and hit the jump button. They were back on station four days later.

"Did they get away okay," Ezra asked Candle when he returned.

"They did. I thought them both suitably impressed."

"What?"

"They were both impressed with the ship and with you."

"They said that?"

"Well, no, but I got that impression..."

"You got an impression?" Ezra asked smiling at Candle.

"I get one every now and then," Candle replied.

"Have you looked at the sensor data?"

"I have. Miss Carlin is correct about how to detect these ships. It would appear the Gar have stealth ships out there."

"It does. Is there a gun sight picture of the ship?"

"There is. I have enhanced it as best as I could. It's still fuzzy, but you can make out the cannon firing and its shields flaring as plasma bolts strike them."

"Prepare a data set to be distributed to all Admirals and Captains."

"I will sir."

"Include the discussion I had with them too." Ezra suddenly got a faraway look in his eyes.

"Very well. Will there be anything else, sir?"

"No, that will be all. And thank you Candle."

"Yes, sir."

Commander Cass Pól watched his sensor screen. The Gar fleet, still in hyperspace, had just flashed past his position with nary a blink. Within seconds all his scouts were now behind the massive enemy fleet. Typing furiously, he was sending orders for the scouts to take up positions between Rigel and the Gar. Punching the send key, he watched as one by one his scouts flashed and disappeared into hyperspace until only he was left.

His sensors still sweeping the distant void, from where the Gar had come, he spotted the Saxon fleet closing fast. They would pass him within the hour if he didn't move. But the Saxon's weren't his primary concern on his sensor screens. Sixteen flares brightened his screen. Gar scouts. They had to be. If they were able to get in close to the Saxons, they might be able to do some damage. But who to tell? He flashed a message to Fleet Command, then sat back to await their reply.

He didn't have to wait long. They had one question. Was he tracking the unknowns? He grunted as he typed his reply. He wasn't, he couldn't see them at all. Only their hyperdrive flare gave them away. In response to his reply, he received orders to jump ten light years straight up off the galactic plane. If he couldn't see anything, he was to try ten more. Shrugging his shoulders, he programmed the first jump.

As his sensors cleared, they displayed nothing. He set up his second jump but added ten light years toward Rigel, which would put him right behind the Saxons. He jumped. As the screens cleared, he saw the Saxons, but he also saw the Gar scouts. Typing he sent his information to Fleet Command. As he watched, three of the Gar scouts came within five light years of him.

Then his sensors flared with the arrival of four destroyers almost on top of him. Then they were accelerating toward the Gar scouts. Where the ships had come from puzzled Cass as Rigel was four days away for the quick agile scouts. Destroyers, on the other hand, would have taken another two days to get here. Then his comm unit chattered and he was receiving orders to keep the destroyers updated as to the position of the Gar scouts. Nodding, he set up a program to transmit his sensor data in real time. This would give his position away, but he had four destroyers doing that already. He pushed the button and started broadcasting.

"The Gar fleet will be here in two days. We have that long to get and be ready," Lonan said to the gathered holograms of the Admirals and Captains of the fleet. "Two days and we will finally be fighting the Gar. We have found out several things. They have ships larger than the standard frigate. They also have ships smaller than the standard frigate. The smaller ships are stealthy."

"As for the Gar battle plan, we can't assume they will only send in small units of ships. With over nine hundred ships coming our way, we have to assume they may all come at us at once. So be prepared. You all have your orders. The word is given. Dismissed. Ezra, Milford, if you would?"

All the holograms vanished. Lonan sat at the conference table, with Ezra and Milford.

"Ezra, any word on those scout ships?"

"Yes, sir. Of the ten identified by Commander Pól, the destroyers have destroyed eight. The last two dropped out of hyperspace, then back in with completely different vectors and vanished from everyone's sensors."

"Good. Are the destroyers on their way back to the fleet?"

"They are. Whether they make it back before the Gar is unknown. The scout ship Scout will, but our destroyers aren't as fast as scout ships."

"Very good. Our plans are firm. Our ships are ready. Our K'lar allies are ready. It would appear that the Saxons will be joining us too. So, now we wait."

"We are, we do."

"Good. Go do what you do then."

"Yes, sir," Ezra said as he disappeared.

"You okay Lon?" Milford asked.

"I am. I am. I'll be better once we engage..."

"I know how you feel. Do you need anything from me?"

"No. We are ready, so just go and do the best you can."

"That's the plan. See you later, I know."

"Yes. Later."

Chapter 103

The first wave of Gar ships came from two AU's out. Over one hundred ships. All frigates, none of the larger ships. The combined fleets were ready.

"How long 'til they are in range?" Ezra asked.

"Sensors, two hours, sir."

"Very well."

The men and women in Warrior One sat, stood, waiting. The ship sat motionless, waiting as the minutes dragged by. Ezra went over the plan in his mind. Everything was planned for, well everything they could conceive. Could the Gar do something they had never seen before? Unknown.

"Comms, send in the destroyers," Ezra said.

"Comms aye, message sent."

Twenty destroyers lunged toward the Gar, weapon firing. Within minutes they were among the enemy. The Gar fought furiously. Ship after ship fell to the destroyers withering fire. Then the Gar ships were past the fleet of destroyers.

The Gar were in range of the larger ships, slowing fast. They were met by twenty-two destroyers and Fleet One. The destroyers surged forward to meet the threat, plasma cannon firing, torpedoes flashing out of their tubes. Warrior and the other ships of Fleet One remained stationary.

"Fire torpedoes," Ezra ordered.

"Torpedoes away," Mister Kinsella replied. "Cannon in range, firing."

The battle was joined. Plasma bolts flashed across the void between ships. Torpedoes dipped in and out of hyperspace. Warrior One shook with each hit by a Gar plasma bolt. Battle was joined.

Cass watched as the destroyers made quick work of the Gar scouts. Three dropped out of hyperspace during the attack, then quickly jumped back in. Their flare caused Cass to lose them in the clutter. Swearing he frantically scanned each sector between him and the Gar fleet. The ships were small enough to elude him.

"Scout to Destroyer Draigen targets lost. I'm heading to Rigel, do you need anything before I go?"

"Draigen, thank you, Scout, we don't need anything. Good luck. Draigen out."

And the ships were gone. They had dropped out of hyperspace. Cass had them on his sensors until they jumped back into hyperspace. Shrugging his shoulders, Cass dropped out of hyper, set up his new course and jumped back in. While he went, he scanned for the three Gar scouts. He had a feeling they could be dangerous to any vessel they met.

Dana Tracy read the communiqué from Commander Cass Pól as her ship shook from Gar Plasma hits. The new shields held. They would always hold. It was almost boring now. There seemed little chance that her ship would be holed. While Gar ships were disappearing willy-nilly around her. She almost felt sorry for them, but not quite.

"Sensors, I don't know if you can, but try to keep an eye out for Gar scout ships. Three eluded the destroyers sent to get rid of them."

"Sensors aye."

"Weapons let me know when we get low on torpedoes and plasma ammo."

"Weapons, aye."

And her ship fought on. Of the hundred or so Gar ships, sixty still remained. Dana thought it almost a miracle there were that many still alive. As she watched, six more disappeared into hyperspace. Like all Captains, now that they knew what the torpedoes did, she wondered what hyperspace looked like. Shaking her head, she returned her thoughts to the battle at hand.

Lonan Fitzgerald was silent. His fleets knew what to do. The captains of those ships knew what to do. His job was essentially over. He may have to call an audible, but the plans had been made, the tacticians were in charge now. Even the strategist was set aside to watch his plan changed by the tacticians as the battle waxed and waned throughout the system.

Warrior Three was being fought by her Captain as it should be. Lonan sat watching the big screen up front. It showed the battle Fleet One fought a parsec ahead of Fleet Three. Then he looked at his primary screen. It was displaying sensor data. He read the blips displayed. He saw the second wave of Gar ships appear out of hyperspace. He felt the surge as Warrior Three moved ahead to meet them, while Fleet One still engaged those few Gar ships still in the system.