The Next Step
“From being short-staffed to tripping over each other in three days,” Frost told Jake as he finished fastening a primary power line to one of the Warlord’s tertiary feeds. The indicators around the socket flashed for a moment then turned green one after another. “Looks like we’re in business.”
The stationary generator room was almost finished. Minh-Chu could remember when it was being used to store finished armour plates for the ship’s interior only five days before. Ashley walked into the room right behind and stepped off to the side with Minh-Chu. “Where’s Jake?” he asked.
Frost pointed to the combat-shielded antimatter enhanced mass reactor standing near the front of the generator room. It was installed on a forty-five degree angle beside another that matched it exactly. Three more pairs were lined up behind it, all idling, faint indicator lights blinking in sequence showing ready status. Captain Valent emerged from a panel on the opposite side of the nearest one, kicked the heavy cover closed, and took a scan using a high-powered hand tool. “That’s it, the Big Surprise Two just looks like an old super-capacitor and a bunch of reserve batteries.”
“We got another one?” Ashley asked.
“We built a bigger one,” Frost said with a grin. “It’s right under this generator room.”
“This is a lot of power,” Minh-Chu commented, looking at the nearest mass reactor. There was another armoured room just like the one he was standing in closer to the front of the ship, and a main generator room near the centre that held most of the Samson’s older power generation systems. “Two of these generators could power a ship with the Warlord’s mass.”
“Aye, but the Warlord’s no normal ship,” Frost said.
“That’s the truth,” Minh-Chu said. “When I came in you were talking about the new trainees?”
“He was complaining that the ship seems a lot smaller with a full crew,” Jake replied. “It happens when you’ve got an army of skitters and two hundred and ten souls aboard.”
“Nevermind him,” Moira said as she came in through the opposite hatchway with Stephanie and Alice. “He’s been complaining about having too little or too much since he was a tot. First it was food, then drink, then drink and money. Complaining about too little most of the time.”
“Quiet, woman. You’ll tarnish my sterling reputation,” Frost replied, accepting a brief half hug from his cousin.
“I’m assuming you’re accepting my petition to join you on this trip?” Moira asked Captain Valent.
Jake opened a panel on the newest mass reactor and began rechecking its status. “You’re more than welcome to come, you didn’t have to make an official request.”
“I did when I saw there was no invitation coming,” Moira replied with a crooked smile.
“I thought you’d want to stay with the Hell Shrike. She still needs a lot of work.”
“But I’m not her captain, was never really meant to be. What I need is a ship, and I hear you’re hitting a supply waystation.”
“You’re going to hitch a ride and steal a ship?” Alice asked, thrilled.
“Aye, the Hell Shrike is packed with crew. They’re busy with repairs now, but when they’re done I plan on peeling a few choice officers off for my own ship. There are other seasoned captains aboard her that want to do the same as soon as they can. May as well get started.”
“Can you get a boarding team together?” Jake asked.
“I was planning on going along with one of yours, figured I’ve proven myself in training sims with your people over the last three days.”
“That’s not his worry, Moira,” Frost said. “His people are set to take one ship and its cargo. If you can get another team together, we can grab for another ship.”
“Where are you headed, Captain?” Moira asked. “Where they’ve got so many ships lying around that you can pluck them as you like?”
“First thing’s first,” Jake said as Agameg and Finn came through the hatch near Minh-Chu and Ashley, closing it behind themselves. They were in a scan resistant compartment – no one would be able to eavesdrop on them. Jake also blocked their outgoing message capabilities on their command and control units. “Are we still ahead of schedule on repairs?”
“You just put us another hour or so ahead by helping with those generators. Thank you, Captain,” Finn said. “Room Two is all wired, the reactors all check out. It was nice to buy something off the shelf instead of adapting salvage.”
“I’m sure it was, but it was expensive. We’re down to our cash reserves.” Minh-Chu knew Jake was lying for the greater good. The cash vault they got their hands on contained ninety-three million in Galactic Currency. The fourteen antimatter enhanced mass reactors and their parts cost eleven million, and the other parts Jake bought for the ship only cost two. The rest of the cash was hidden on the Triton and the Warlord, making Oz, Frost, David, Jake, and himself the only ones who knew about it. A ship like the Warlord required cash reserves for emergency repairs, bribes, and other expenses.
“It’s a good thing,” Jake continued, “that our new crew don’t mind food and lodgings as payment for the first tour. That brings me to the next issue. Do you think they’re ready for action?”
“Normally I’d tell you this is a bad idea,” Frost said. “Three days is a short time for any new crewmember, but we got some real experienced crewmembers out of Port Rush, and aye, they’re still learning the tricks of this ship. Everyone we kept are able, experienced. I’d like a couple more days though. They need to get more familiar with the ship, come together as a team, and that takes drilling, practice.”
“I can give you four days in transit,” Jake replied. “How about your boarding and security people, Stephanie?”
“They’re all former Triton crew. I’ve been able to keep Oz from poaching my people, and I stole a couple more when I sent notices through Alice asking if any experienced people wanted to leave Haven Shore. I’ve got a full team with backup, and all of them fought for the Triton when she was trapped last year. Our on-board security’s good too. I kept a couple who are still green, but they’re mostly cut from the same lot as the boarding team. That’s not to mention Remmy and his team. The Rangers are disciplined and well trained. I don’t know what to do with them yet, but I’ll find something, I’m sure. With Remmy’s experience on the Sunspire and against the Order Knights, I’ll make sure he’s got something to do.”
“Minh?” Jake asked, turning to him.
“Samurai Squadron is ready with one substitution. Joyboy is out, Tacker is in.”
“Oh, how’s Paula doing?” asked Stephanie.
“She looks like a little stick swallowed a giant watermelon whole,” Ashley replied to the room’s amusement. “Healthy though, she’s due in a couple weeks.”
“You guys made up?” Alice asked.
“We’re civil, I think pregnancy is calming her down a little,” Ashley replied. “Or she’s just too tired to keep yapping at people the way she used to.”
“Other than that,” Minh-Chu continued, “Samurai Squadron is good, and the hangar crew is ready. Thanks for finishing our punter systems, Agameg.”
“You’re welcome, it was a good system to train the team on.”
“Your turn, Finn,” Jake said. “How is the Warlord?”
“Ready,” Finn replied. “Like Frost said, I’d like to drill the crew more, make sure they know their way around better, but the ship is ready. Given the four days in transit, everything will be finished, from the aggressive shielding to fixing the creak in Alice’s bunk.”
“I’d like to request a temporary transfer now that the ship is almost finished,” Agameg said. “Finn is more than capable of handling the Chief Engineer position.”
“I know,” Jake said. “Looking to transfer to the Triton?”
“Yes, Sir, for two weeks. They have many crewmembers in need of more training than simulations or their existing pool of officers can provide. I have experience on that ship, and would like to assist while the Warlord is still pursuing non-military targets.”
“I hate to lose you, but after everything Oz and the Triton have done for us over the last few months, I think I owe it to them. Good luck, Agameg, we’ll miss having you aboard. Don’t get too comfortable over there though, you’re only getting the two weeks you’re requesting.”
“Thank you, Captain, I won’t.”
“Now that we’re all up to date, it’s time to lay out our next mission,” Captain Valent said. “Normally we’d be meeting in the captain’s mast, but our new doctors are using the space to teach some of our crew about the emergency medical systems.”
“It’s better this mission brief happens while we’re on our feet, anyhow,” Frost said. “It’s going to be a busy one.”
“Right,” Jake replied. “Thanks to a recruiting drive, our need for supplies is doubling every week. Commander Ayan’s efforts to convert the bunkers claimed by the Rangers and Haven Shore Regulars is probably going to work out too, so I bet their food will start running out in about a month. Since we’re putting our lot in with her and the Triton, and they aren’t ready to start producing what they need, it falls to us to acquire supplies and equipment.
“We’re headed straight into the Iron Head Nebula, for an Industrial Starlight Port. It’s not a Regent Galactic company, but they were contracted by Regent to deliver supplies and materials to the Order. The Port we’re hitting is considered safe from attack because it sits on our side of the nebula, close to a major Regent Galactic military shipyard and dispatch centre. They assume the Regent Galactic base could send Order ships out fast enough to stop any attack. They think sneak attacks are impossible too, since cloaking is dodgy near the nebula, and impossible inside. The same matter that interferes with cloaks makes it a little dangerous for most ships to enter the outskirts of the nebula at high speeds, so they have to slow down at a significant distance from the Port facility. They also have to cross through the nebula at specific points. Our intelligence tells us that there are major deceleration and acceleration waypoints, where ships finish decelerating from faster than light travel or open wormholes before heading through a safe part of the nebula to the Order of Eden frontline. There are a lot of possible objectives there, so we’re going to wait nearby, take our time picking our targets and our timing.
The Order of Eden has been patrolling the area with brand new Harbinger Corvettes. They come from the nearby shipyard. New corvettes are sent to patrol each of the waypoints before moving on to join the rest of their forces at the front.”
“I’ve seen those,” Moira said. “Fought a couple, too. With a good crew they’re dangerous, no frills, but well armed. They come with some kind of power tap weapon; if you get too close they’ll shut you down, but it doesn’t damage electronics like an EMP.”
“Do you want one?” Jake asked.
“What? A Harbinger?”
“Yes.”
“You’re crazy,” Moira scoffed. “Sure, come up with a plan that won’t get us all killed, and I’ll take a corvette.”
“I’m going to like this trip,” Frost muttered. Minh-Chu couldn’t help but notice Alice beaming a smile in the grizzled gunnery master’s direction, who winked back.
“All right,” Jake said. “Industrial Starflight was hit by the Holocaust Virus a little before they signed up with Regent Galactic, so there will be no automated security or defences. No drones, and they don’t have many fighters. It’s going to be true twitch-play: the better pilots, the better crews and strategists will win this if it comes to a straight fight. Most of the Order of Eden crews are green, new recruits into their cult, so we have a good chance if we stay sharp and smart. We leave in four hours, so make sure your teams are aboard, and you have everything you need. Don’t share the details of our mission.”
“How am I going to entice a team without a few details?” asked Moira. “What can I share from this meeting?”
“Tell them you’ll be stealing a cargo hauler with my help, and I’ll give you the ship with everything you find aboard when we get it back here,” Jake replied.
“Fair enough,” Moira replied.