Warrior One - Fleet Action Pt. 08

~~~~ WO ~~~~

The next morning at the assembly, the Admiral inspected his troops. There was a small contingent of Marines there. Gillian's squadron was up front facing the scout ship pilots. As Gillian looked out over the assembled group, she started to notice those uniform inconsistencies. Some were subtle others a blatant rebellion. After his inspection, the Admiral took the podium and repeated almost word for word what Gillian had told her own squadron. Of course, he elaborated his speech to be more Admiral like. There were a lot of groans from those who had made additions to their uniforms when he got to the part that only FOP modifications would be allowed.

"As of right now, only a shoulder patch of your member nation's flag is authorized. Now go, remove unauthorized modifications and be back here for another inspection in four hours. Dismissed."

At the meeting, all were in regulation uniforms. Of course, this didn't change, attitudes like the EU pilots had, but it was a start.

~~~~ WO ~~~~

Over the next week, Gillian, along with the other Fleet Scout Ship Squadron commanders, selected and reselected those they wanted in their commands. Jordan was an automatic in Gillian's squadron as a replacement to Bridget. Now she had to pick another six to round out her squadron. Then when everyone had picked, Gillian had to make it look as though she had to pick those leftovers to join her. With the loss of five, she would now have a lame squadron as her command section until they were assigned to a new squadron. Those left was not encouraging. Three EU and four of a mixed bag of other nationalities.

Gillian took the three EU pilots aside and had them follow her to Caster.

"You know what happened to your fellow EU pilots?" Gillian asked as they entered the ship.

Two of them looked to the third in the group. She shrugged her shoulders and turned to Gillian.

"Yes, Ma'am, we do."

"Do any of you have any objection working with me?"

The looks from the other two to the third.

"No, Ma'am."

Gillian smiled. So did they.

"What are your names?" Gillian asked.

The two looked at the third.

"My name is Zander 12, to my right is Cantor 5 and to my left is Jenkle 4."

"So, let me get this straight. You are a twelfth generation daughter of the house of Zander?"

"I am Commander," Zander 12 said smiling.

"And you, because you are twelfth generation are in charge of the fourth and fifth generations no matter what house?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"But the Vulcans?"

"A rogue element of the casts of the EU, I'm afraid. I could not control them even though my rank far outweighed any of theirs. I am ashamed that I failed in those attempts. They got what they deserved. Their families will now live in shame for what they did."

"So the Vulcan's aren't a single-family?"

"No Ma'am. They are a group of families, not all of, which broke away from the system of freedom and started their own enclave of tyranny..."

"Wait? What? Is the EU trying to stop them?"

"We are not actively attempting to stop them. That would be breaking our constitution."

"I see. And perhaps that is a good thing. Okay, so, no problem working with me?"

"None Ma'am. But I do wonder about others in our group working with us after what happened with the Vulcan group."

"Don't worry about that, the others, those four others, that were going to be with us, are now on their way to other squadrons. So, have a seat where you can find one, and let's get to know each other."

"Yes, Ma'am," Zander 12 said.

Folding her legs, she sat right where she was. Her two compatriots followed suit. Gillian laughed as she pushed her desk out of the way and sat down facing the three pilots.

For three days, the squadrons sat on Mars. During the day, there were meetings among the squadrons so they could get to know their squadron mates. At night, the whole Wing would go to Nilus Chaos and hit a small bar there that they had taken over every night. Laughs and fun, filled the bar and everyone had a good time, especially the owner, who smiled every night the wing filed into his almost empty bar.

On the fourth day, orders started to come down for squadrons to report to Warrior One. Gillian and her squadron waited and waited. Then on the fifth day, she and her squadron were called by Warrior One.

Chapter 175

Gillian stood where she had stood for so many days just passed. In the auditorium where she had held her training sessions. The doors at the back of the room opened noisily. Gillian looked up and saw the Admiral, followed by other high ranks, starting down the aisle.

"Attention!" Gillian shouted and snapped to attention herself.

As the Admiral approached her, she snapped a perfect salute. He returned it just as smartly as he smiled at Gillian.

"As you were," Ezra shouted. The squadron sat silently, waiting with anticipation. "We are going to do something with your squadron that is just a little different. We are going to split you into two. Your extras will go with..."

"Sir, not my command flight."

"Ah, yes, the three from the European Union?"

"Yes, sir."

"No, they will stay with you as your command group, which means three will need to move over to the second squadron. Now, if you have no objection Commander Saraid, will you pick someone to lead that second group?"

"Ah...Lieutenant Watson is as good as they come...but I don't want to lose her to..."

"You won't Commander. I promise."

"Thank you, sir," Gillian said a wave of relief washing over her."

"The reason I'm asking you to split your squadron is that we have two very sensitive sectors for you to scout. That is all you should do, is scout. No contact. NO shooting. Collect data and come home. That is all you do. If chased, evade. Jump, jump and keep jumping as fast as you can. If followed, jump to Aldebaran V, we have Fleet Four just sitting there, so use them. They know you might be coming in hot, just yell at them and scoot over there. They will meet whoever is following you. They have five Warrior class ships with them, so they should be a match with anything that gives chase."

The Admiral looked around the room. Turned and handed Gillian a sheaf of papers.

"Your orders and the two sectors you will be scouting. We need to know what is out there. The Gar were tough, there may be tougher out there, somewhere."

Turning, the Admiral walked up the aisle toward the door.

"Attention!" Gillian called out. Ezra grunted as he pulled on the door to open it.

"At ease," Gillian said. She waved Michelle down to her.

"I'm going to give you Anna and Becky, they are the most experienced. I'll keep Cass and Jordan along with the EU three. Now for the rest."

Gillian and Michelle huddled at the dais for a good half hour before they had made up their minds.

"Listen up, if I call your name you come down and stand behind Lieutenant Watson."

Gillian started to call names, she called Anna Duff and Becky Miller first. They smiled as they hurried down the aisle to stand behind Michelle. The rest were just as enthusiastic as they hurried down the aisle. Once they were all down there, Gillian handed Michelle her sector. Gillian nodded at her.

"All form up, and follow me." Michelle turned and marched up the aisle and out the door.

"The rest of you are with me. Form up and let's go," Gillian said, starting up the aisle toward the door. The eight other pilots rushed to form up behind her as she marched out the door and down the corridor to the shuttle bay.

Once in Caster, Gillian let her look at the sector they were going to scout. Caster suddenly went silent as she digested the massive amount of data provided.

"Integrated," said Cass.

"How many class G stars?" Gillian asked.

"Forty-two."

"Yikes. That many?"

"Yes, but it looks like some don't have planets or are just surrounded by asteroid belts."

"Two by two?"

"It would be advised."

"Very well, plot courses for the squadron and give me all ships."

"All ships."

"Listen up, we have forty some odd stars to scout. We are going out by twos. Caster is now plotting routes for all of you. Once you receive your plot, go, don't wait for an execute signal."

"They are all reporting received."

"Good."

"Plotted."

"Send them," Gillian said.

Nine ships moved out of Warrior and headed into space. Once in space, they jumped into hyperspace to scout their systems.

~~~~ WO ~~~~

Jordan Dax found herself floating in space about two AU's out from a G class star. She and Cass Pól were together. She didn't mind, even if he was in command of their two-ship mission. Her scanners were still working on getting the whole picture of the system before them as were Cass'.

Suddenly, proximity alarms started to go off all across Jordan's boards. Ships, closing fast from the third planet from the star. Big ships.

"Jump, jump, jump." The order came from Cass.

"Jump sequence one," Jordan told her ship.

"Sequence one executed."

They were now one hundred light-years above the solar system. Out in the void.

"Did you get scan data on those ships?" Jordan asked Hunter.

"I did. They seemed surprised by us. Then surprised at our leaving."

"How do you know? Radio chatter?"

"Yes."

"Were their weapons armed, shields up?"

"No to both. They didn't appear hostile."

"Well, scan my dear, we are not to make contact, only scout," Jordan told Hunter.

A hundred light-years were nothing to Hunter's scanners. Within an hour, they knew all about the inhabitants of the third planet. Then Cass called for the jump to the next solar system on their list.

They jumped, were bounced around by hits to their shields, then the ships jumped 100 light-years above the solar system. The sensors showed the star surrounded by nothing but asteroids. No viable planet showed up among the junk speeding around its star.

"Jordan, how about we take a rest here?" Cass asked over the comm.

"Sounds good, I'm beat. See you in the morning."

"Okay. Have a good sleep."

Chapter 176

Gillian and her two scout ships were in orbit around an M-class planet that orbited a class G star. The world below looked almost like earth.

"No life signs present, although there are a lot of buildings and roads down there," Caster reported.

"Plague?"

"Could be, but I detect no bodies or bones from bodies down there," Caster told her pilot.

"Any contaminates or other toxins that might deter us from having a closer look?" Gillian asked.

"Nothing I can detect from orbit."

"Is that a yes or no?"

"Indeterminate. I can't detect anything, but that does not mean there might be something down there that can kill," Caster reported.

"Got it," Gillian replied.

"Scan and report," Caster said.

Gillian chuckled at her ship.

"Fine. We'll leave exploring 'til later, then," Gillian replied. "Next sequence."

"Jumping," said Caster.

Coming out of hyperspace, plasma fire buffeted the ship.

"Jump!" Gillian almost yelled. They jumped. "That was very unfriendly."

"Those were Gar ships," Caster reported.

"Gar? You're sure?"

"I am, Ma'am."

Gillian started to type on her console. When she finished, she pressed send.

"I wonder if they are Gar that hasn't heard the war is over. Oh, well, we'll let the higher-ups investigate," Gillian said.

"Yes, Ma'am."

~~~~ WO ~~~~

"Comms, message from Caster, sir."

"On my board, Comms."

Ezra read Gillian's message. Then he reread it. Gar?

"Comms, message to Gar liaison, give them the coordinates of the system, ask them to please look into their people still hanging around there."

"Comms, aye."

~~~~ WO ~~~~

"Next sequence," Gillian told her ship.

"Next sequence, yes, Ma'am," Caster acknowledged.

As the port opened, Gillian saw they were about three AU's out from the star of the system. There was one planet visible to the naked eye. It was a monster. Twice as large as Jupiter.

"Holy smokes!" Gillian said.

"Yes, Ma'am," Caster replied. "Scanning. There is an earth-type planet closer to the star. Not quiet class M, but not all that far from it. There are also three moons around this gas giant that would qualify as class M planets, although the tidal forces of the gas giant might have some effect that we don't know about yet."

"Get us to the planet closer in," Gillian said.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Caster started to accelerate, as did the two ships with her. It took them about an hour to get close enough to do a detailed scan.

"No life signs," Caster said to her pilot. "The planet would have to be terraformed before anyone could live here."

"That's a shame, it looks like a nice planet right now."

"The atmosphere is mostly methane. There are traces of oxygen and other inert gases, but 60% of the atmosphere is methane."

"Next sequence, please."

"Aye, Ma'am."

~~~~ WO ~~~~

Michelle and two of the new squadron ships were about one AU out from the class M planet Dax had found... what was it... a month ago. Chaser was scanning the planet as the three ships floated in space.

"So, what do you see, Chase?" Michelle asked her ship.

"There's life, but it isn't very advanced."

"Are they human?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I scanned two ships, old, very old. No longer in working order. Rusted out hulks, Ma'am."

"How many of them are there down there?" Michelle asked.

"They are scattered across the central continent in groups of twenty to thirty individuals."

"How many groups?"

"I count fifty."

"What about the other two continents?"

"Life signs of lower life forms only, Ma'am."

"Any signs of buildings of any kind?"

"No, Ma'am. The only shelters I can detect are on the middle continent and of the type used by primitive man. Grass and animal skin huts, Ma'am."

"Okay, notify Rider and Spy we are jumping to the next system."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Jump," Michelle said.

They were in open space three AU's out from the star with no planets insight.

"Planets?"

"No, Ma'am."

"What the hell?"

"There are quite a number of stars without planets. Most have a disk of asteroids circling them, but there have been a few reported without anything orbiting them," Chaser said.

"All right, next jump in the sequence. Alert Spy and Rider," Michelle said leaning back in her chair.

"Yes, Ma'am. Ships alerted."

"Jump."

Chapter 177

It took four months for the fifteen ships, in twos and threes to scan all the targets assigned them. Once finished they all returned to Mars to sift through the data with the higher-ups in Fleet. The morning after their return, all of them met in the auditorium.

"All right, listen up," Gillian shouted to get their attention. "Good. In a little while, the captains of Fleet One's ships will be here to go through our data. When you're called, come up front with your holographic display and take them through your discoveries. Until then, make sure you have all your data integrated into your displays."

Gillian nodded at her three wingmen. They nodded back. Her flight had been the only one with four ships. The back doors opened and the Admiral led the Captains of his fleet down the aisle. He had also brought his second in command and a few others.

"Attention!" Gillian shouted. Her squadron rose as one.

"As you were!" Admiral Nichols shouted.

"Sir!" Gillian said as she saluted him.

"At ease, Commander," Admiral Nichols replied. "Now, who's first?"

"Lieutenant Watson, sir," Gillian said.

"Watson, front and center," Ezra called out.

Michelle hurried down to the table up front and placed her hologram device on the table. When she touched the activation stud, the space above the device lit up with stars and a planet very close. Michelle went through all her data on that one planet. Then moved onto the next. In all, she had surveyed six systems. It took her two hours to run through them.

After six hours of listening and looking, Admiral Nichols called for a recess. They would start again in the morning. In all, it took six days to see all the data. Then the Admiral dismissed Gillian and her squadron. The captains took another five days before they had a list of places they wanted looked at more closely. For those five days, the squadron members were on call to answer any questions or provide additional information to the Fleet Captains.

At the end of the five days, the squadron was once again in the auditorium. The Admiral and captains were already there. On the table in front of him were five holographic devices. Although the fifth one was set off to the side, Gillian had a feeling, it would be part of whatever was going to be done next.

"All right everyone, take a seat," Gillian ordered her squadron.

Once in their seats, Admiral Nichols stood up signaling with his hand that they stay seated. That's when the Marines came marching down the two aisles, taking seats to either side of the center group. Gillian saw Lieutenant Colonel Owens and Staff Sergeant Glen. They were going out to explore. She wondered how many Marines would be assigned to each ship? Ezra stood waiting for the Marines to get settled, then smiled at everyone.

"That's right, you are going out this time to explore some of the planets you found," Admiral Nichols said. "I don't expect to see you back here for at least a couple of days," Admiral Nichols, said a gleam in his eyes and a smile on his lips. "I know that you don't have all that much room in the scout ships, but I don't expect you to be in space much. Pick a spot on a planet and ground. Deploy a beacon and you will receive supplies will from your escort destroyers. They will remain to assist if needed. You scout ship pilots, along with your marines will explore the planet. Sometimes on foot, other times just moving your camp from place to place.

"Some of you will be exploring inhabited planets. Stay away from the inhabitants. In most cases, you can by just exploring the uninhabited continents on the planets in question.

"I know most of you were in two ship groups during your scanning mission, now we will be consolidating some of you. There will be four groups, three four-ship groups, and a three-ship group. Two destroyers will accompany each group. Commander Saraid will give you your assignments."

Gillian stood and walked down to the table up front. She nodded to Ezra, who nodded back. Each of the four devices had a piece of paper under it with a list of ship names. She took the first device and list, looked it over, and set the device down.

"Explorer, flight leader with Sheba, Iska, Caaleen, front and center."

Gillian shook her head as her three-man command flight stood and walked to the front of the table. Anna was also in shock as she slowly shuffled down to the table. Gillian handed Anna the hologram device. She took it and stepped back, snapped to attention, and saluted Gillian. Gillian saluted her back. The four pilots found empty seats at the back of the auditorium and sat down, talking to each other for probably the first time since they started flying together.

Gillian picked up the next device and the piece of paper under it. She read the four names to herself quickly, set the device down, and looked up at the crowd.

"Scout, flight leader with Joy, Avenger, Quest, front and center," Gillian called out.

The four stood almost as one and hurried down to the table. Gillian handed the device to Cass, who stepped back and saluted Gillian. Gillian once again returned the salute. Picking up the next device and paper, she read the name off.

"Chaser, flight leader with Discovery, Spy, Rogue, front and center."