tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20385984617459749452024-03-08T03:34:17.067-08:00The Tricycle of ThoughtStuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-27819109433883451452022-01-18T10:27:00.002-08:002022-01-18T10:47:34.348-08:00Miami Pete 40<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, Comm for you from Capitan Ceryl of the Shadow King." Came the voice from the speaker in my quarters. It was Shelly's voice, but it was the middle of the night. Well, there really is no "night" in space - or maybe it's more correct to say there is no day - but human beings learned long ago that not breaking up time in day and night cycles can lead to all sorts of mental issues. I don't sleep anywhere near as much as other people do but I do occasionally sleep. For once I really was sleeping.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the things that Morganite Fleet Ops does well is how they sync the day/night cycles of the ships in the fleet. So, when more than one ships get together to form a unit, all it takes is a bit of adjustment to put them back into sync. Hauley was synced with Admiral Thomas' fleet, so when I got to the Unchained Fury Settlement, we adjusted something like 164.2 seconds to sync up, and it was less than a second when we formed up with the families' fleet. So I knew Capitan Ceryl knew she was calling in what passed for the middle of the night.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll take it in my quarters Shelly." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's encrypted, sorry Capitan, it'll take me a few seconds to get this set up." Shelly replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>Encrypted? Of course it was. All the families' fleet comms were encrypted. And they were moved to a laser data-grid as soon as we saw the Morganite fleet show up and start shooting, so Shelly reminding me seemed odd. Unless...</div><div><br /></div><div>"OK Capitan, I have this set up in a private channel with a revolving encryption as per Capitan Ceryl's request. Whenever you are ready Capitan."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Put her through Shelly, thanks!" Private channel with revolving encryption? This must be serious.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Good morning Capitan Ceryl. What can I do for you?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, we have a problem." Capitan Ceryl said. "I've had Goose very carefully working on securely contacting a sensor pod network my family has stationed closer into the station. The station is dead, but the enemy fleet is still taking pot shots at it. The problem is, there are a number of destroyers and frigates that we saw with the Morgan... The enemy fleet when they arrived that the sensor pods can't seem to find."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ceryl, if they see that pod network, they'll know someone is out here watching. How could you be so reckless?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Sorry Capitan, I should have said. The sensor pods are stealth pods that my family has been developing. They are tiny, and highly camouflaged. Practically invisible. They are connected using a laser system similar to what we're using, but with a finer beam. They are almost undetectable, and as far as I know, the enemy doesn't even know the project exists, let alone that we have already have prototypes deployed. If I wasn't sure they're safe, I would have set them all to self-destruct."</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't like it, but other than these kids saying I was in charge, there wasn't an official power structure in place, so they didn't feel like they needed to get my permission for anything. I would need to either reign that in or accept it for what it was. Geran probably didn't know just how much he undermined my authority with the rest with his petty targeting of his little sister. Not that there was anything I could do about it at the time. There is a reason that fleet commanders pick the biggest, baddest ship in a fleet as their flagship. It keeps everyone honest.</div><div><br /></div><div>"So, either a bunch of destroyers and frigates left, or we have incoming." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes, the Pepper is working on deciphering where they are and how many, but they lost contact with the pod network when we bugged out, so their control of the network is still propagating. These things are pretty amazing, but it takes a while to get them to come on line because of the stealth.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You could have contacted me through the normal network, why all the extra encryption?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, the Tonamann family and the Cox family don't exactly get along. Well, I like Tessa Cox, and I think my little brother Julius, Capitan of the Ground Thumper, was sweet on her. You know, before the accident."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What accident? You realize I'm an outsider here, I'm not privy to everything that's happened."</div><div><br /></div><div>Ceryl Sighed. "Well, I guess this line is as secure as we could make it. About a year ago, Geran Cox decided to test his siblings, so he lobbed some kinetics at them. Small ones, big enough to cause damage, but supposedly not big enough to destroy a ship. The kinetics pretty much bounced off the destroyers. It did put a small hole in the Efreet, and Cecil did lose a couple crewmembers, but not the ship. Linda moved her Box of Rocks out of the way in time, which really pissed Geran off. Poor Tessa wasn't so lucky. The Gladway was severely damaged. She lost most of her crew and Tessa herself was severely injured. Geran said it was because Tessa was incompetent and went in for the kill. Julius put his Ground Thumper in the way, covering the Gladway while Linda evacuated the crew of the Gladway on the Box of Rocks."</div><div><br /></div><div>"He tried to kill his own sister?" I gasped.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes, and the Cox's are crazy. Their father sided with Geran and refused Tessa medical care. As far as we can figure, Tessa spent months in the sub-par autodoc aboard the Box of Rocks. She had crewed the Gladway with her friends. So when she woke, half of her friends were dead, and the other half went back to the Unchained Fury Settlement. The Cox family had harassed them enough that there is no way any of them would step foot on a Cox ship again. Nobody outside the Cox family has seen her in person. She only has vids up on the comms when she has to. That girl practically single handedly rebuilt the Gladway with her bare hands. Geran wouldn't let anyone help, not even her brothers. Linda, of course helped. She's the oldest and doesn't take any guff from Geran, and so far has managed to stay one step ahead of him."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thank you. Please keep me posted about the sensor pods. It looks like we got trouble incoming, I'll call a Capitan's meeting for first thing in the morning so we can be ready for them."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A few moments after the Comm with Ceryl ended, I got a second call.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, Geran Cox is on the comm, demanding to talk to you." Shelly said.</div><div><br /></div><div>That was quick. "Put him through Shelly."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Is this how it is? Secret meetings with the Tonamanns in the middle of the night? Conspiring? Just wait till I tell the others!" Geran Cox said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I don't care what you tell anyone Geran. Now, what do you want?" I said</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, passive scanners picking up someone actively targeting us!" Lt. Tine said over the speaker.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Evasive!" I ordered and almost immediately felt the Haul-o-caster shift. Well, not directly. Hauley's inertial dampeners are good. I just know my ship well enough that I can feel what she's doing.</div><div><br /></div><div>"HA! Made you flinch!" Geran chortled.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You dumbass! If you're actively targeting me, the enemy can pick that up and know right where we are!" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Enemy? You really are a traitor then. Thanks for letting me get a recording of that." Geran laughed again. "You know, I'm tired of listening to a bunch of women. I'm going out there and joining the Morganite Fleet. You silly assholes can play hide and seek if you want, but I know where you all are, so good luck getting away!"</div><div><br /></div><div>With that Geran cut the communication.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, The Paveway is going full active on scanners, and is painting the entire Family fleet." Lt. Tine said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan," Shelly added. "Geran Cox just ordered the Cox family to follow him to join the Morganite fleet. Full power, in the clear. Not on the laser link network."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That fool! I'm on my way!"</div><div><br /></div><div>By the time I got to the bridge - which was not long considering its a whole ten steps from my quarters to the bridge - the Paveway and the Ptarmigan were openly heading in system towards where the Unchained Fury used to be.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was surprised to see the entire crew on duty, Barona stood and offered me the Capitan's chair. "Do none of you sleep?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shelly woke us when an encrypted communication came in that she thought sounded bad." Barona answered, "She wouldn't tell us who it was from, just that it sounded serious. Then we heard your conversation with Geran. The whole fleet heard it. They were blasting in the clear."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thank you XO. It was a good thing Shelly woke everyone. We probably have incoming." I said, "Battle Stations! Set us to Alert to condition one Mr. Dorn!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Comm from Shadow King, Capitan." Shelly said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"On main screen Shelly."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, whatever to I have to thank for your presence?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>Capitan Ceryl seemed confused for a split second, the moved forward. "That bastard Geran has betrayed us! Just wanted you to know I'm opening fire on all Cox ships."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Stand down Shadow. That's an order. We have bigger problems than your petty squabble with the Cox's at the moment." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, Paveway and Ptarmigan just opened fire, targeting the Gladway, Box of Rocks, and Efreet. Gladway and Box of Rocks both seem to have avoided any major damage. Efreet took a few hits, but nothing seems to have penetrated her armor."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Firing on their own family?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Probably didn't agree to join him committing suicide." Capitan Ceryl said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barona, coordinate with the fleet, we need to get out of here before that fool brings the whole Morganite Fleet down upon our heads." I ordered. "Get them into formation, we'll run for open space."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Running again?" Capitan Ceryl said. "Is that wise?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sticking around to get killed isn't wise." I answered. "Paveway and Ptarmigan don't know it, but they just volunteered to be our distraction. We're heading for the jump point."</div><div><br /></div><div>"huh?" Ceryl asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Translation Matrix." Barona helped.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very good Capitan, Shadow King out!"</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I couldn't have asked for a better distraction really. I know they didn't do it on purpose, but the Paveway and the Ptarmigan ran right into the fleet of destroyers and frigate that were sent out after us, scanners active full blast, giving us a good look at what we were facing. They only started fighting back when it was obvious that their scheme to join the fleet and betray us wasn't going to work out for them like they hoped. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then to my dismay, Efreet. Then Box of Rocks. Then even Gladway slowly turned and fed themselves into the fray. What Capitan Linda and Capitan Tessa thought they were going to do to help was beyond me.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shelly, is the Family Fleet encrypted net still up?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Capitan, you are live!" Shelly answered. She was crying, but still manning her post like a pro.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Fleet! I don't want to see any more of you losing your minds like that! But the Cox's have given us an opportunity and we're taking it. Tighten up the formation, we're running for the Translation Matrix and getting out of here." I knew that by now they all knew the plan, but I wanted to try to head off any more fits of stupidity.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, there is a shuttle trying to catch up. It appears to have come from the Paveway." Lt. Tine said. "We are already too far ahead for it to catch us."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barnes." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Snag and go!" Barnes replied, I knew she would know what I wanted.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Fleet! I'm going back for a straggler. I'll catch up." </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Catching the shuttle was pretty easy. The only dangerous part was matching speed and docking, but with Barnes at the helm, even that went well enough. Barnes docked the shuttle to the less often used top hatch so that it would fall right into our graviton shielding without having to make a lot of adjustments. The surprise was the contents of the shuttle.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had seen Tessa Cox on vid during the Capitan's meeting. Of course, what I saw was a filter, not the actual girl. Tessa would never be referred to as a great beauty, but I would say that her face could be described as cute. At least by my admittedly somewhat skewed standards. The scarred face that looked at me from the topside hatch airlock was... Still cute. In a round cheeked, green-eyed, dark-haired sort of way. To me the pink scar stretching from the bridge of her nose down her right cheek didn't really detract that. The rest of the skin on her face was covered in fine scars, fine enough to almost not be noticeable. Almost. I recognized the fine scarring as the fingerprint of the older generations of autodoc. Hauley's autodoc is practically state of the art by comparison and wouldn't leave scarring like that, but the older generations weren't as delicate. That kind of scarring is common among freighter crews.</div><div><br /></div><div>As Tessa emerged, I could see that her Right arm and leg were cybernetic prosthesis, also from a much older generation of technology. Usable, but I could see the tell-tale box shape of the controller under the hair on the right side of her head. I wondered how much more of her was artificial but didn't want to ask. Her eyes went wide when she saw me. Her eyes then went to my rank insignia.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Permission to come aboard Capitan?" Tessa asked. It was almost a question as if she expected me to reject her or make her stay in her shuttle.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Granted. Welcome aboard. Do you need medical attention?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>She barked a laugh, that sounded self-pitying. "Capitan, I've had all the medical attention I can handle."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Then welcome aboard. I'll have a VIP cabin prepared for your use. We couldn't tell who was in the shuttle and didn't want to draw attention with scanning." I told her. "Is there anyone with you?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Not since the accident." Tessa said, holding up her hand as if to indicate the accident in question. "By VIP cabin, you don't mean brig?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Have you done something I should throw you in a brig for?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I escaped a brig, and since you aren't Julian Tonamann, I kinda expected to be thrown right back into one." She said. "I suppose hoping Julian might magically find me and hide me was childish and stupid. Hell, he would probably take one look and toss me out an airlock. Besides, I don't even know if he's still alive. Geran..." She shook her head as if to clear a horrible thought.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You were in a Capitan's meeting with him just recently. Are you sure there wasn't some bad air in your shuttle?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>She laughed again. "Capitan... sorry, I never caught your name... I've been in a cell on the Paveway for... I don't know how long, I think it's been months, maybe a year?"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Tell us your story child." Mother Ahmisa said gently. She had accompanied me, along with Lt. Cmdr. Dorn to greet our visitor, but had hung back with the Lt. Cmdr. up to this point.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Do you know about the accident? Incident? Whatever you want to call it?" Tessa asked. "I don't recognize any of you, what family are you from? What ship is this? Did we get some new ships?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm Capitan Kid. This is the Haul-o-caster. We came to Unchained Fury Station for supplies and assistance." I said. "We were about to leave when part of the Morganite Fleet translated in and attacked Unchained Fury Station.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tessa gasped in horror. "How's my ship? How many were lost? Who's left?"</div><div><br /></div><div>The Cox family fleet is gone. Apparently, your escape was a fortunate coincidence, because you escaped right when Geran Cox and Bennie Cox took the Paveway and the Ptarmigan hoping to join with the Morganites. When they were set upon, the Efreet, Box of Rocks, and Gladway all joined them. I don't know if they were trying to rescue them or what, but it was ill-advised because all five ships were destroyed. Most of the rest of the family's ships are in a fleet with us, running for the transition matrix." </div><div><br /></div><div>Tessa looked like she was in shock.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Now, I hate to be mean, but it sounds like there are things that we don't know that we might need to know." I said. "Could you enlighten us?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"The settlement?" Tessa asked.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"It is gone child." Mother Ahmisa said.</div><div><br /></div><div>I expected a much bigger reaction from Tessa, but she just shrugged.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The settlement was gone for me the day I survived when I should have died. Damn Linda, why'd she to do this? She could have let me die. And I guess she's done it to me again. It was Linda and a couple of her crewmen who sprung me from Geran's cage. They didn't make it. Geran's Mother caught them cutting the lock and killed all three of them. Stupid old woman ran to get help and didn't even realize she left the cutter within arms reach." </div><div><br /></div><div>I could tell Mother Ahmisa was shocked. "You mean to say Paveway's Mother ordered your rescuers to be shot?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"No Mother. Mother Diazan pulled out a blaster and shot them. She aimed at the back of Linda's head and pulled the trigger. I tried to warn her, I yelled, but it happened so fast." Tears were streaking down Tessa's face. "They aren't the first ones I've seen Mother Diazan kill. That woman is a killer. It was her who pushed Geran to "test" us all by firing on our ships."</div><div><br /></div><div>"You have to be mistaken child. A Mother wouldn't do such a thing. A Mother doesn't carry weapons or kill people." Mother Ahmisa cried.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No Mother. I was there. I saw it. The Mothers on the other Cox ships are almost as bad." Tessa said. "The Mother on the Gladway, MY Mother, was a tyrant. The only good thing that came from the test was that woman getting sucked into space." Mother Ahmisa staggered. Dorn had to catch her.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Maybe you should tell us your story now." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"When the Paveway fired on us, I was in the galley with Mother Geetoh, receiving a beating, once again, for all my failures. I don't really remember what that one was for. Probably someone on the night shift left food out again, since I distinctly remember we were in the galley. I heard the Kinetics hit the ship and the world exploded. I had just enough time to watch Geetoh get sucked out of the rent in the side of the ship before I blacked out. I probably would have gone with her, but I was stripped naked and tied face down over the edge of the table, which was bolted to the deck. Near as i can figure, the second round from the Paveway is what took my arm and leg. Next thing I remember was waking up a freak."</div><div><br /></div><div>She looked at me and blanched, "No offence intended."</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, no. Us freaks gotta stick together." I told her. She gaped in shock at my words. "Go on."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I woke up on Linda's ship, the Box of Rocks. I learned that Linda and her crew rescued me and about a third of my crew, none of them will talk to me now. Especially when they found out about my..." She once again held up her cybernetic hand. "The family had a little meeting. More of a trial, and I wasn't allowed to talk, not even to defend myself. Not that I was in any mental condition to do so. Geran argued that my incompetence caused the Gladway to be lost, and that I should be spaced to remove my embarrassing presence from the family. He also argued that the Box of Rocks should be taken from Linda because she didn't stop me from taking the coward's way out and becoming a freak." <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Tessa sighed, "In the end, the family voted to space me, but let Linda keep Box of Rocks, because none of the boys wanted to Capitan a stupid freighter."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hey, I Capitan a freighter, it's not so bad." I said defensively.</div><div><br /></div><div>"So did I Capitan, and I agree. I loved the Gladway." She said. "Anyway, Linda doesn't bend so easily and tricked Geran into a bet. If i could get the Gladway back up and running, Geran had to leave me alone. In spite of all the dirty tricks Geran tried to pull to keep me from repairing her, I managed to get the job done.</div><div><br /></div><div>"At first, I had trouble finding a crew. Nobody wanted a freak for a Capitan. I was finally assigned Mother Kessik as Gladway's Mother. She found me a crew. Then on our maiden voyage, Mother Kessik, lead a mutiny and I was stuck in a cage on the Paveway. At first, Geran told me that he volunteered to be my jailer because he knew I wouldn't survive the brig on Unchained, and Father hated me so much he refused to keep me in the cells on the family quarters. Eventually he admitted he just liked having me in a cage so he could torture me. Like telling me that the Ground Thumper was lost with all hands, or having his engineers take my arm and leg apart and passing the parts out to the crew as rewards. They made me... do favors... for them to get them back, and I didn't have any tools, so I managed to get them all back together, but nothing is tighter than finger tight. I don't suppose I could borrow a screwdriver, could I?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll send my engineer in to rebuild it and get it all in top shape." I offered.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tessa blanched, "NO!.. I mean... It's rather intimate to get to the different parts. I have to take my shipsuit off, and I don't like people to see." She seemed on the verge of panick</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ok Ok," I said, trying for a soothing voice. "How about this, I got a couple top notch engineers, a state-of-the-art autodoc, and some excellent fabrication facilities. How about we upgrade your arm and leg to something a little more modern? Something a little more useful."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That kind of technology is taboo in my Sect. Linda was nearly excommunicated for doing this to me. I was excommunicated and exiled; I can never set foot on Unchained Station again."</div><div><br /></div><div>"If that's the case child," Mother Ahmisa said, "You are in the right place. The Capitan isn't a Morganite at all, and no one on the crew is of your Sect. You'll find no animosity here. you will find only acceptance."</div><div><br /></div><div>"You have time to decide, for right now, I need to get back to the bridge, we aren't out of the fire yet. Mr, Dorn, could you show Capitan Tessa to her quarters on your way back to the bridge?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Capitan."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, the entire Morganite Fleet seems to be chasing us now." Lt. Tine said as I entered the bridge. "The advanced unit that turned towards us after destroying the Cox family, and now the main Morganite Fleet has turned towards us from the remains of the Unchained Fury Settlement. Both units are behaving in a highly unprofessional way."</div><div><br /></div><div>"How so Lt. Tine?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"They appear to be behaving chaotically. The faster ships are leaving the slower ships behind, so their formation is stringing out. It is like they are in a race to catch us." Lt.Tine reported. "The fastest ships will catch us in approximately six hours."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hmmm... faster usually means squishier, right?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I would not describe a warship as squishy Capitan, but if I understand your meaning, yes. The first few ships that reach us will be scouting vessels which do not carry as much armor, and only carry medium to light weapons."</div><div><br /></div><div>"AAARRRR..." I smiled.</div><div><br /></div><div>"She's doing the pirate thing again; I love it when she does that!" Squeaked Shelly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barona, get on the horn and re-order the fleet. Dozer's Thunderbird is to take point, all non-combat ships are to join up in the middle. The Pepper and Owlfeather are to cover the flanks. The rest of the combat ships are to ease back to the rear. We have some of the smaller Morgaite ships, scouts... possibly frigates. coming upon us to the aft. Aarrr... have 'em send them scallywags back to the void from which they came! Hoist the Jolly Roger!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"HOIST THE JOLLY ROGER AYE AYE CAPITAN!!!" Yelled my crew. It wasn't timed very well, so it sounded terrible, but that didn't matter to me. I'm not sure when they decided to embrace my weird love for ancient sea pirate stories, and talking like a pirate, but hearing them try made me so happy.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Um... Permission to enter the bridge?" Tessa asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"AARRRR... Permission granted lass. Were about to tussle with some scallywags. Have a seat, enjoy the show."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Um... Capitan? Why are you talking like that?" Tessa asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>The whole crew burst out in laughter. </div><div><br /></div><div>"The Capitan does that sometimes. Secretly we think she's got a chip loose in her Cyber brain, so we just humor her." Cmdr. Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hey! I do not!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Tessa stumbled in and found a seat, we really would have to do something about her cybernetic arm and leg soon. Both look like they were built by someone using instructions from a book that only contained grainy photographs and bad line drawings.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What's our status Mr. Tine?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"We will be overtaken by seven small ships, a few at a time, within the next thirty minutes Capitan. The ships don't even seem to be covering each other." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Barona?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"We got it Capitan... Um I mean... We'll send those scallywags to their mother's... um... Aarrgh?" It was a little pathetic, but at least Barona was trying to get into the spirit of things.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, I believe we will have another two waves of attacks before we get to the jump point. The next wave appears to contain smaller frigates. Fast, but not as heavily armed or armored, and they are strung out like the scout ships. The final wave contains some heavier frigates more heavily armed and armored that the lighter frigates, they might be a problem for us. Nothing else should catch up to us before we reach the jump point. The rest of the advanced fleet should reach the jump point an hour after we do, and it should be hours before the Main Fleet reaches the jump point."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Good," I said, "Barona, how much control do you think the Family Fleet can manage?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"What do you have in mind Capitan?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Can we mark a target, and have two or three of our ships fire at it all at once? I would like to see some impressive explosions, and I would like it to look like we're doing it on purpose."</div><div><br /></div><div>"To what end Capitan?" Barona asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"If we meticulously, and maliciously take out the approaching ships, the ships in the next wave are sure to see that, and hopefully it will cause them to pause. Any choking by them can only be good for us."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll try." Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The plan didn't work out so well on the scout ships. The slippery little things weren't as easy to hit as I had hoped. However, having multiple ships target each one at once meant at least one would hit. Our rear guard made short work of the enemy's scout ships.</div><div><br /></div><div>Watching, I got the impression that the frigates of the second wave thought they were invincible. Maybe they kinda were compared to the scout ships. At least they had armor and could shrug off a hit or two. Unfortunately for them, the reason our ploy didn't work as well on the scouts was because they were fast and maneuverable. The frigates, while being able to run circles around larger ships, didn't fare so well against us. Even less so since most of them had decided to plough right into our formation. I don't know if they had delusions of killing the freighters, or if they didn't have any experience with fighting ships, but they basically impaled themselves on our guns. With the ships coordinating and firing together, I got the big explosions I wanted.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, the third wave seems to be slowing. If we maintain course and speed, we should be able to reach the jump point before they catch up." Lt. Tine said.</div><div><br /></div><div>A cheer rang out on the bridge.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-88396280134661588982022-01-17T09:31:00.003-08:002022-01-17T09:31:59.042-08:00Miami Pete 39<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The Capitan's meeting felt strange. The only Capitan I knew there was Capitan Ceryl. The rest were strangers. They all used their given names, because about a third of them had the surname of Tonamann, and the rest were a mixture of Cox, Appletree, Dozer, and of course Williamson. The five founding families of the Unchained Fury settlement. They all knew each other and many of them grew up going to the same schools or going to school with each other's younger or older siblings. </div><div><br /></div><div>The worst of it was they were all looking at me. As if I had all the answers. I just wished I had any answers at all. I was fresh out.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Is there anyone here who is senior? Who's in charge?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I rather think you are." Said a young man with what might one day be a mustache and chops, but right now it was little more than a patchy scrub of fuzz. "You're the real Capitan from the Morganite Fleet right?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Right doofus." Said another, possibly a couple years older version of the exact same person. "She's from the Morganite Fleet. The same one that is destroying our home and killing everyone we know, including our mom and dad, and you idiots want to do whatever she says to do!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Patchy stash and chops started crying. The meeting exploded into shouts and name calling.</div><div><br /></div><div>A piercing screech sounded, and everything went quiet as everyone put their hands over their ears. "Sorry everyone, I don't know how to whistle so I did that instead." Capitan Ceryl said mildly. "Now that you babies have had your little fit, we got to figure out what we're going to do. And before any of you start demanding again that we rush in halfcocked and get ourselves killed, you go right ahead. Don't expect me to come save you."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Easy for you to say, you're the one with the cruiser." Said a cherub faced boy, I swear he couldn't have been old enough to kiss his first girl yet. </div><div><br /></div><div>Apparently, that hit a nerve with the, up till now quiet, demure Ceryl Tonamann. "Don't you dare bring up that argument Cecil Cox! That was settled over two hundred years ago! None of you would have ships at all if it weren't for the Tonamann family and you know it!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Please start shooting at each other over this and put us all out of our misery." Said a young girl, probably ten or eleven years old. "I don't even want to be here; I should be with mommy."</div><div><br /></div><div>An older boy spoke up. This one actually looked like he could be close to twenty. He shared the straight dirty blonde hair, dull green eyes, and high cheekbones as the little girl. "I'm sorry little sis, mom and dad are gone. We'll try to find someone to take over for you as soon as possible so you can come over to the Thunderbird. I'll can take care of you."</div><div><br /></div><div>The little girl wiped the tears off her cheeks and sat up straighter. "No Donny, I'm here. It is my family duty to be here. I'll stay at my post on the Owlfeather; the Good God knows nobody else would want her."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Anyone else want to waste time while the Morgan Fleet could notice us at any moment?" Ceryl asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>Nobody said anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ok, here are your assignments." I said as I sent out the orders. Barona did most of the work drawing up a mixed formation for the twenty one ships of all shapes and sizes from the tiny Owlfeather, an old recon ship, to Ceryl's cruiser Shadow King. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Tonamann family had the most ships, six in all. The cruiser Shadow King, the destroyer Through Darkness, who's name I was told comes from a Morganite prayer, and the heavy freighter Stone Biscuit comprised one leg. The destroyer Ground Thumper, scout ship Pepper, and the medium freighter Dog Bone comprised the other. The Cox family had five ships. Three destroyers, the Paveway, the Ptarmigan, and the Efreet, a medium freighter, the Box of Rocks, and a light freighter, the Gladway. The Appletrees had four. Two frigates, Lasting Sun and Longsword, a medium freighter called Epiphany, and the smallest fleet tender I had ever seen, barely larger than a medium freighter called Abacus. The Dozer family had three ships, a frigate called Thunderbird, a scout ship called Owlfeather, and a medium freighter called Mover Over. Finally, the Williamson family had only two ships. A frigate called Mouseballs and a light freighter called The Shortest Ton.</div><div><br /></div><div>One cruiser, five destroyers, four frigates, two scout ships, seven freighters and a small fleet tender. All old as dirt and obviously patched and repaired. Add to that one Haul-o-caster, which was still technically a light freighter and that was what we had. What a sight we must have made, if anyone saw us, which I hoped they didn't. Barona did her best, but try as she might, the families all wanted their ships to stay together.</div><div><br /></div><div>She put the Tonamann family out front, and the Cox family bringing up the rear, which, of course started an argument. but I really wanted the Pepper available to scout ahead if we needed to. The Appletrees held the center. The argument on that assignment only lasted until I pointed out how screwed we would all be if they took out our only fleet tender.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Dozer family held one side while the Williamson family held the other. There was no argument, both took their assignments with a nod of acceptance.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You sure you won't come to the Thunderbird, Penny?" Donny of the Thunderbird asked his sister. "We can have one of the cousins take over the Owlfeather. They don't have the training you do, but at least you'll be safe." <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Nowhere is safe Donny." She replied. "At least on the Owlfeather I'll be able to run away if I have to."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That's right, run away coward." Geran Cox of the Paveway spat at her. "Might as well run away now for all the good you'll be."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Fine talk coming from someone sitting in a destroyer." Donny shot back.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I swear, if I have to come over there and knee you in the balls, Geran, you're going to shut up and quit being an ass to people!" Said a young woman.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Come and get me Tessa." Geran mocked, "That little freighter of yours wouldn't take more than a shot or two and I wouldn't have to listen to your nagging anymore."</div><div><br /></div><div>"ENOUGH!" Ceryl yelled. "Geran Cox. One shot at Tessa, and I'm ordering all Tonamann ships to take you out! She almost died last time." Last time? I looked up on my cheat sheet and was flabbergasted to see that Tessa was Tessa Cox, Capitan of the Gladway, and Geran Cox's own sister.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Firing on anyone, or even actively targeting them would be a bad idea right now. There is a huge fleet out there and we don't want to attract their attention." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan," Lt. Tine said. "I just picked up a targeting signal on the passive scanners. The Paveway actively targeted the Gladway for two point eight seconds."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Is there any indication that it was picked up by the Morganite fleet?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Nothing yet Capitan, they don't seem to be pointing active scans this direction, but if they picked it up on passive there would be no way for us to know. Without active scanning, and I don't suggest we do that, if they are careful, we might not even notice ships sent after us until it's too late."</div><div><br /></div><div>"And I'm guessing they would be. Meeting adjourned everyone. Fall into formation, watch for my move orders. We're going to swing around and attempt to keep this gas giant between us and the Morgan Fleet until we get out past the Heavy Belt. We'll spread out and find cover there until the Morgan Fleet leaves the system." It was the best plan I could come up with. I was glad that Barona gave me some hints as to what words to use to say it, I'm not sure I would have found the right words. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I had a fleet. A small one, sure, but better than nothing. On the other hand, the fleet was manned by children. Penny, Capitan of the Owlfeather, was the youngest at twelve. Twelve years old, and responsible for a crew of six, most of them teenagers. The Unchained Fury settlement had gotten so comfortable that they were safe that they were using their family's traditional stashes as a way to season their children with real life experience. When I managed to get a quiet moment with Capitan Ceryl - who in spite of looking like she wasn't much older than Capitan Penny, turned out to be seventeen - I asked if there was a way we could replace Penny with someone older. She warned me that any attempt to do so would cost us the whole Dozer family, which would also lose us the Williamson family because while the adults of those two families absolutely hated each other, Capitan Donny of the Thunderbird and Capitan Augie Williamson of the Mouseballs were best friends. So much so that Capitan Augie was letting Capitan Donny date his sister. Capitan Tiatus - whom they call "Capitan Tits" - of the Shortest Ton. I recalled the girl - woman? - from the Capitan's meeting. I assure you the nickname comes by way of her unwieldy name, not her physical endowments. Taitus? Who names their child Taitus?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Later that evening, I had dinner with Mother Ahmisa, Barona, and Lt. Tine. It was Lt. Tine's turn, but I asked the Mother to also join us. We were still in route to the Heavy Belt. So far we could detect no trace of persuit.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Heavy Belt is an asteroid belt out between the sixth and seventh planet in the system. It's comprised of mostly rock asteroids, but there is quite a bit of metal ore and even some water to be found. Lt. Tine's report on the system notes that it could very well have once been a planet that was hit by something big enough to break it up. I don't know about those things, but at least we might be able to resupply water and perhaps even mine for some raw materials. We did, after all, have a fleet tender.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I don't know what we're going to do." I told them, "We can't leave these children to their own devices. They wouldn't stand a chance against the Morgan Fleet. Any idea why they are here with such a large fleet?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"My guess - and it is just a guess Capitan - is that someone tried to collect whatever bounty might be on our heads by telling Admiral Thomas' enemies that we were here." Lt. Tine posited. I was impressed, he usually didn't like to guess about anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I think the Lieutenant has a point Capitan." Mother Amisa added, "Although we can't rule out the possibility that this fleet might just be going to all the Morganite stashes that were friendly to Admiral Thomas and hitting them all."</div><div><br /></div><div>"But it was Chief Williamson who brought us to this one." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes, but I spoke with the Mothers on the station. You wouldn't have seen them, this sect hides their Mothers for some reason. They told me that Admiral Thomas visited the station often. He even helped broker some extra support for this place in the form of equipment, food and water, and even some advanced weapon parts to help upgrade the Unchained's guns."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Those guns were mighty impressive." Lt. Tine said. "I was wondering how they managed those with what they had at the settlement."</div><div><br /></div><div>"As far as what to do Capitan." Mother Ahmisa said. "According to the Mothers I have managed to contact on the ships - not all of them will talk to me - these children are given extensive training before they are put on the ships. The expectation is that they will be treated like any other crew. They believe that those who are worthy will rise to the occasion, and those who aren't are better off weeded out young, lest they pull the rest down. This is what they believe the Good God intended."</div><div><br /></div><div>"So it's sink or swim?" I asked. The saying was something I learned from Pete. Try as he might to explain it, I didn't understand what it meant until I saw my first lake, and Pete tried to teach me how to swim. I definitely would have sunk, so I'm not particularly fond of the concept.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes." Mother Ahmisa replied. "And worse, if they get the idea that you are sitting out her hiding because they are children when you would do something else with adults. The Mothers will probably advise them to leave you and go their own way. I have to warn you, I wasn't able to talk to any of the Mothers on any of the Cox ships, but according to the Mother on Abacus, the Cox Mothers are just as impetuous and unpredictable as the Cox boys themselves. They are probably already stirring to leave the fleet."</div><div><br /></div><div>"On the upside." Lt. Tine added. "Listening to the comm chatter, and talking to my counterparts on some of the ships, If the Cox leave, there is a good chance that Capitan Tessa will keep the Gladway with us rather than go with her brothers. Apparently, Geran Cox is quite devout and has been known to fire upon his brothers' and sisters' ships, ostensibly to provide them with opportunities to grow into strong adults. According to an engineer from the Abacus that I spoke to about sensor upgrades, Capitan Tessa almost lost her entire ship last time, almost died herself, and was permanently disfigured."</div><div><br /></div><div>"She looked fine to me in the Capitan's meeting." I said, remembering the dark haired, stern young woman who had threatened to knee her brother, Capitan Geran, in the balls for not playing nice."</div><div><br /></div><div>"She uses a filter Capitan. I can tell you that." Lt. Tine said. "I detected it during the meeting. It's a good one, but not perfect."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Using a filter to change one's looks on comm channels was considered anything from incredibly rude to downright dishonest, depending on who you were talking to. That's why I didn't use a filter to hide my Cyber Device. Being cybernetic causes enough problems with people trusting me. I am learning that different than what people usual from a cybernetic being. The last thing I need is for a filter - which would be detectable just like Lt. Tine detected the one that Tessa used - to cause people to think I'm hiding something and distrust me even more.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, I believe one of the goals of these Capitan's dinners is to give crew members an informal setting to air their concerns." Lt. Tine said. "Please don't feel like I am questioning your decision, but I am concerned that Capitan Geran's little tantrum, targeting his sister's ship, has put us all in grave danger. If that Morganite Fleet saw that little display they may, even now, be plotting to intercept us. Our only recourse would be to head for open space and hope they don't lay chase until we run out of fuel."</div><div><br /></div><div>"And you are wondering why I didn't say anything?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Capitan. I'm not questioning the decision; I just fail to understand it."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Let me answer this one if I may Capitan." Mother Ahmisa cut in. "Lt. Tine, in officer training were you ever afforded the chance to watch a vid of Admiral Alexander Smythes' talk on leadership?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Mother." Lt. Tine said excitedly, which was decidedly out of character for the usually reserved man. "He came to the training campus while I was there and gave the talk live."</div><div><br /></div><div>"OH! That must have been wonderful for you." Mother said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, to be honest. I was told that I would never be allowed to Capitan a ship, so my name was excluded from the group invited to see it." Lt. Tine seemed a little guilty. Which was also odd. "A fellow student, excluded because she was a Hoonian, talked me into sneaking into the rafters of the hall it was held in and watching from there. I later wish we had not done so." Mother nodded in understanding at the mention of a Hoonian, whatever that was. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Why? Did you dislike the talk?" Mother asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The talk was inspiring. Admiral Smythe is an amazing man. Everyone who saw the talk emerged from it energized and ready to train hard to be the best officer we could be." Lt. Tine anwered.</div><div><br /></div><div>"That is what that talk is designed to do. Then why the regret?"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"It was hard to hide the inspiring effect of the talk, and I think the school caught on, so they gave everyone a pop quiz covering the subjects of the talk. I recognized the danger and forced myself to answer the questions as if I hadn't heard the talk, but my friend was not so savvy." Lt. Tine answered. "She was called to the disciplinarian, and I never saw her again."</div><div><br /></div><div>"You understand that almost no Hoonites ever graduate the academy, don't you?" Mother asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes." Lt. Tine agreed. "It does not make me feel less of a coward that used deceit to maintain my place while she was removed."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Lt. Tine, as the Mother of your ship, I hereby absolve you of this. Do you understand me? It was wrong for you to be excluded from that talk. Which brings us to why I brought up the talk. Mr. Tine, what is the first rule of giving orders?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Never give an order you know cannot or will not be obeyed." </div><div><br /></div><div>"And why? Lt. Tine." The Mother asked him.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Because it undermines authority, and fosters disrespect." Lt. Tine answered. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Exactly." The Mother said. "And for the Capitan to tell young Geran Cox to not be an ass would be like the Capitan trying to tell you not to be intelligent and efficient."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I could strategically introduce errors into my reports to simulate being less intelligent, and I could add a delay in reporting, that might come across as less efficient." Lt. Tine said smiling.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thanks for proving my point young man." Mother said. "Those things wouldn't amount to obeying the order, they would just be pretending to obey."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Um... What's a Hoonian, or Hoonite?" I asked. Yes, the stuff about giving orders was interesting, but whoever this Admiral Smythe was, he wasn't so smart. Pete taught me that lesson a long long time ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The Hoonites are a sect of Morganism that teaches one-ness with the cosmos." Mother explained. "Pretty much the exact opposite of the Scientists. That you were able to be friends with this Hoonite speaks well for you Lt. Tine."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I was a freak, and a known former member of the Scientist sect with prison tattoos on my face, Mother." Lt. Tine explained. "I was grateful to have any friend at all, even if that friend was Geshan Tor the Hoonian. If I were able to locate her, I would very much like to continue our friendship. Interestingly, I learned that their beliefs aren't as backwards and anti-science as people believe, they just look at the universe from a different viewpoint than we do."</div><div><br /></div><div>"OOO Tine's got a girlfriend!" I teased. He didn't look happy about it.</div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-87749860023682907542022-01-14T09:17:00.006-08:002022-01-14T09:17:58.411-08:00Miami Pete 38<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Instead of a dock, we were given a landing bay that was probably big enough for two Haul-o-casters to land in. Once landed, instead of the usual force field barrier that most space stations used these days, there was a huge door that closed and then the landing bay was pressurized. It felt both comforting and terrifying all at once. We weren't leaving unless they let us leave.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa, the Chief, and I met the small, odd delegation that came to greet us. There was, of course, Auntie Essey, bossing everyone around handbag at her side I'm sure in case she needed to deploy it as a persuasion apparatus. With her was a middle-aged man in a suit, and someone in what could only be a Morganite Officer's uniform. Behind the trio was a line of about a dozen armed soldiers, carrying rifles at the ready. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was glad I wore my good uniform.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Morganite Officer stepped forward, apparently, he had precedence. "It's nice to meet you Capitan. I am Admiral Tonamann, overall CO of the militia and operations of the station. This is Mr. Montegue, he is Mayor of the civilian side. And i believe you've met Essey. She is of the founding family. You'll have to excuse the soldiers; we've had a bit of excitement lately. You'll have to forgive us for being overly cautious. That said, Essey? Is this indeed your grandnephew?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes General, he is most definitely my grandnephew." Essey said, not even noticing the wince from the Admiral.</div><div><br /></div><div>"All right." The Admiral said, "Capitan, we do need to meet your crew, anyone who is going to exit your ship anyway. They will need have a med-scan and an interview. Purely out of an abundance of caution you understand. Last week, we were attacked by some 'rus ships. We usually leave them alone and they leave us alone, on the rare occasion they even bother coming down our lonely road. The guns on the Unchained Fury made short work of them, but when our shuttles went out to investigate the wreckage, we found some human bodies. Or more to the point, parts of human bodies. I tell you, our guns are nothing if the aren't efficient." The Admiral smiled at his ship in pride. Never mind it wasn't so much a ship as a settlement anymore. It didn't matter, it's the same pride.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral, did you manage to get any intelligence on why the humans were on the 'rus ships?" Chief Williamson asked. There was a momentary look of miss-trust on the Admirals face. Aunt Essey must have picked up on it.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral Tonamann! Do you know who this is? This is Argencourt Fariday Williamson, namesake of Admiral Fariday Williamson, the founder of this settlement and a trusted member of the founding family. You answer any question he wants to ask!"</div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral sighed. "My apologies Chief, it's been quite a week. Yes and no. We found human remains, but we didn't find anything we could identify as 'rus remains. That would be odd, except you know 'rus. Occasionally they get all indignant and attack. Never in numbers like this before mind you, but in the past when the 'rus have attacked, we didn't find any 'rus remains either. On the other hand, the few times we've been attacked by 'rus before it was always a relatively small ship that was obliterated by our weapons, so there wasn't much left to search. So in short, we don't know."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The crew's physicals and interviews went well except for Lt. Tine's. The interviewer, there was only one, took one look at Lt. Tine's tattoos and sent him back to the Haul-o-caster. When my turn came up, he tried doing the same with me, but in my case, the Admiral happened to be close by and intervened. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral, this thing is an abomination, and I will not have it on my station!" The interviewer exclaimed.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral laughed.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Son, I've been having a chat with Chief Argencourt Fariday Williamson. This is his Capitan, Capitan of the Haul-o-caster. From what I get from the good Chief, Chief Argencourt Fariday Williamson no less." Each time he said it, the Admiral emphasized Fariday Williamson part. "Seems to be of the opinion that this young lady Capitan is one of the best, and most true, Capitans in the entire Morganite fleet, in spite of having not grown up with good Morganite teachings. I suggest you get over your prejudices and interview the good Capitan."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Sir, can I also put in a good word for our Lt. Tine?" The Chief asked. "It seems he has received the same treatment as my good Capitan."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"That man is a criminal! And he is proud of it!" The interviewer practically screamed. "I will not be in the same room with that animal!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Call my crew member an animal one more time, and I'll kill you where you stand." I'm not sure what came over me, but I meant every word of it. Nobody was going to talk about my Lt. Tine that way.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Everybody stand down!" Bellowed the Admiral. Everyone fell quiet. The command in his voice was just that strong. Then he continued more softly. "Now, that's better. Capitan, please if you would allow me to handle this. I understand you are new here. We don't exactly do 'kill you where you stand' here. I commend you for standing up for your crewman though. There has never been enough of that in the Morganite Fleet as far as I'm concerned." </div><div><br /></div><div>The admiral turned to the interviewer. "That will be all Conrad. You are relieved of duty, and just in case you don't understand my meaning, you are relieved completely. Fired you might say. Stripped of all rank and privileges. You will be escorted to housing where you will remove your things from your compartment, and you will report to the civilian housing section for assignment to housing. You are no longer a member of the militia; you are to turn in your arms other than those personally owned by you. If I check tomorrow and you haven't turned in your militia arms, I will send a squad to arrest you and you will be charged with a crime. Please give me the excuse. Lieutenant! Get this man out of my site!" A man wearing a Lieutenant insignia showed up with three soldiers to lead Conrad, the former interviewer away.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I don't know what to say Admiral." I said. I didn't. Yea, I know I had threatened to kill the man, but the Admiral had stripped him of everything. Killing him might have been kinder.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Please Capitan, don't worry yourself. That was a long time coming." The Admiral replied. "Conrad is an exemplary intelligence officer, until he lets his strict Morganite upbringing short circuit his brain. Then he becomes an irredeemable bigot. The last time something like this happened, a teenage girl from one of the poorer sections of the station had wandered into a restricted area. Mr. Conrad was tasked with interviewing her to attempt to deduce if her presence in the restricted area really was an accident as she said, or something more nefarious. Unfortunately, Conrad noticed that the young lady had a tattoo on her ankle. Tiny little thing, I think it was of a teddy bear. By the time someone realized something was amiss, Conrad had the girl stripped naked, curled up in an airlock, and was demanding that she give up her terrorist cell or he was going to blow her into space. Because of his years of service, it was decided that he be given the benefit of some re-training and given a second chance."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I was of the impression that people didn't get tattoos here." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"By in large, they don't. Our sect of Morganism teaches that our bodies are the form that the Good God intended for us. We believe it is against his will to modify ourselves. You will also rarely see earrings or even makeup here. When the Morganite Secular government started using tattoos on prisoners, we protested, sometimes a little too strongly, causing more of us to be arrested and tattooed, causing more and more violent protests. That is why we left. Every society has people who are different. The Morganites use outside work and these settlements as a safety valve. It our case, it worked wonderfully, we are happy. That isn't always possible. There is a counterculture movement, mostly in the poorer sections of the settlement, that rejects our sect's teachings. Sending them away doesn't work, because they don't want to go. This is their home as much as it is ours. It would be wrong of us to force them out. The answer is to be tolerant. Conrad doesn't have it in him to do so. Unfortunately, with your cyber device and his tattoos, you and your Lt. Tine will probably find as many people here who agree with Conrad as you will people who will accept you. For that I apologize. We can show them the way, we can't make them accept it. Even worse, those who preach tolerance are in control of the sect, but there are nearly as many hardliners living here, so who's to say which side is right?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Do we need to worry? Are things that volatile?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, the sect holds elections to the board once a year, and only a quarter of the board is changed each election. The balance of power is stable at least for the next two elections." The Admiral said. "After that? I'll just say it would take the hardliners making much bigger gains than projected for them to gain any measure of power in the next three to five years. Which might actually be a bad thing."</div><div><br /></div><div>"How is that a bad thing, I thought you were pro-tolerance?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Because there is a small, but energetic group of hardliners who are growing more and more frustrated at what they see as a lack of representation. They look at the polls, and a lot of hardline ideas poll well. Really well. Sometimes up past seventy percent. After all, they do represent the beliefs of a majority of our population. However, if they had more representation on the council, I'm sure they would find out that there is a big difference between people agreeing to something on a poll, and people supporting legislation to that end. Or for that matter, being able to enforce those laws once they are on the books."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Are the hardliner's demands really all that bad? I mean, if they poll that well, I can't imagine they could be all that bad." I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The polls are taken by the media. Militia members are forbidden to talk to the media, so already you have a whole section of society excluded from the polls. The media argues that the militia are a cross section of the people so in theory, if the militia was included in the polling, the results wouldn't change. The reality is, because very few travel outside the settlement, it's become a bit of an echo chamber. The only exception to this is the militia. New militia members go to Morgan Space for initial training, and militia units do training deployments once a year for additional unit training. They train with Morganites from other sects. They train with Morganite citizens who have turned their backs on Morganism and the Good God all together. They see new ideas and absorb new ways of thought. An estimated forty percent of militia members return from training with a tattoo. When a militia member loses a limb in training, they come back with bionic prosthesis. Those artificial limbs are now widely accepted in the militia. Often when accidents happen outside of training that involves an amputation or severe loss of functionality, that militia member is transferred to the unit that is next on the roster to deploy for training, because you can't get a bionic prosthesis here. In spite of helping people leave productive lives, prosthesis are still taboo here. Those that have them have learned to hide them when they're in the general public to keep from being discriminated against, or in extreme cases targeted for violence." The Admiral chuckled, "Ah, listen to me. I'm sorry to rant. It just gets me going when I think of how out of touch the population has grown. The hardliners in particular."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thanks for sharing that. I didn't realize just how careful I need to be." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"My suggestion would be for you and Lt. Tine to mostly stick to the militia base." The Admiral advised. "There isn't much you can get out there that you can't get here. If you have to leave the base, let me know and I'll send a squad of Marines with you. I don't expect you would be physically attacked, but people can be nasty when they're scared, and you know how scared people get when they are exposed to something they don't understand."</div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral's words really got me thinking. What happens to a society when half of the people believe one way, and the other half believe another way? In the case of the Unchained Fury settlement, both sides of the argument feel like they are in the right. That their beliefs are the truth. So neither side wants to give an inch.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We checked the winds carefully before talking about our problem with the people on the station, and it almost cost us dearly. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral Thomas you say. Sure, I know exactly where he is." Admiral Tonamann said, "I wish there was something I could do to help him. I expect most of us in the stash settlements feel that way."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Where is he?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Arrested. Charged with fostering treason, and abetting terrorists." Admiral Tonamann said. "I'm guessing the terrorists in question were you and your crew."</div><div><br /></div><div>When the Admiral saw me start to panic, he held up a hand. "Relax Capitan. The only people here who believe you are actually terrorists are a few hardliners who think they can use it to gain politically. The claims against you are obviously fabrications, and you and your crew approached our settlement openly and honestly about who you are, where you've been, and what you've been up to."</div><div><br /></div><div>"How do you know we've been so honest?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Because everywhere a ship goes, it picks up bits and pieces. A little dust here, a few scorch marks there. A pile of sandy dirt containing a rather nasty parasite from Angmar on your landing strut. Your weapons have been used, but nowhere near enough to destroy a single cruiser, let alone that and the carrier, and dozens of frigates, destroyers, freighters, a fleet tender, and the rest of a long list of ships that you've been accused of destroying." The Admiral had quite a grin. "Lady Capitan, a fine officer you may be, and a fine ship the Haul-o-caster may be, but you are far far from the scourge of the universe, and nowhere near capable enough to have done what you've been accused of." </div><div><br /></div><div>"They blamed all that on just us?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"You're an outsider, the bigger a monster they make you out to be, the more political power they can glean in the name of defeating you. By linking Admiral Thomas to you, they can paint him with the same evil brush. The Admiral's opponents are pushing to have him executed you know. There hasn't been an execution in Morgan Space for over three hundred years and now, when the 'rus have gone insane we need him, but where is he? He's in jail along with most of the best Capitans in his fleet, and the bastards want to kill him."</div><div><br /></div><div>"They have his Capitans in jail too?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"A lot of them." The Admiral replied. "Some of them refused to yield and were destroyed along with their ships. Some of them escaped. A few of them were out on assignments and are currently being hunted. I wish we could help them. If they came here, we could at least help resupply them, although even that is a risk. You never know when someone is going to take it in their heads to try to curry favor with whoever seems to be in charge in Morgan Space the idiots. We left Morgan Space for good reasons, and those reasons are still valid, but too many of the hardliners here have forgotten our history and they haven't been back to Morganite Space like I have, so they don't understand."</div><div><br /></div><div>"The danger that someone might alert the Morganite government pertains to us to, doesn't it? Me and my crew?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sadly, yes." Admiral Tonamann replied, "As soon as you've had a rest, I was going to suggest you let me fill your holds with supplies and for you to go find somewhere to hide. You should be safe for now; but the hardliners have stated making noises about trading you to the Morganite Government in exchange for political reforms. The dumb bastards actually think you are valuable enough that the Morganite Grand Senate will consider coding our Sect's dogma into Morganite Secular law to get their hands on you. It would be funny if it weren't so delusional."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Delusional nothing, that's downright suicidal!" </div><div><br /></div><div>"What do you mean?" He asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"They don't want us captured. They want us destroyed." I told the Admiral, "If we were captured, Admiral Thomas' allies could easily point out exactly what you already know. There is no way me and the crew of the Haul-o-caster could possibly do what they are saying we did. We will, however, take you up on your offer of supplies if you can spare them." </div><div><br /></div><div>"We can. Before we left Morgan Space, we were a persecuted people. Not as persecuted as your Lt. Tine's people but persecuted none the less. It instilled in us a habit of squirreling away supplies. Once you are ready to depart, I'll have my nephew show you to one of my family's cachets. In anticipation of your departure, I have already earmarked supplies."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I have never seen a squirrel Admiral, although I have read about them." I joked, "I was never of the impression that a squirrel would tell anyone where their nuts were hidden."</div><div><br /></div><div>"No worry about that Capitan." The Admiral replied. "The cachet is an old heavy freighter. After you leave, my nephew will be moving it to another hiding spot. The family takes turns manning the ship, and it's his sister's turn to come home to the Unchained Fury."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I gave the crew another day of rest, then called them back to the ship.</div><div><br /></div><div>"If any of you wish to stay, the Admiral has said there is a place for you in the militia at your current rank." I told them. Shelly made a rude noise.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, we have Shelly's answer. Anyone else?" The rest of the crew made, or at least attempted to make, an approximation of Shelly's noise. Really, nobody makes rude noises like Shelly, and nobody rolls her eyes like Barnes. I've come to accept that about my crew.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ok then," I continued. "If we all die a flaming hot death, don't go crying to me.</div><div><br /></div><div>"This is Norman, Admiral Tonamann's nephew. He's going to be taking us to a stash of supplies so we can resupply and get out of here before we attract too much trouble for these wonderful people."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hello everyone." Norman said. Barnes tried to give up the helm position, but Norman waved him back into place. "That's fine, I'll just give you the coordinates. I'm not a great pilot, and with all of you watching I'm afraid I might hit a moon or something."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The flight out to the stash didn't take long and was pretty quiet. Everyone seemed to be settling back into their usual routine. The heavy freighter was parked in orbit over the moon of the sixth planet in the system. The planed was a gas giant. I had seen bigger, but not much bigger. The moon was a ball of ice. I almost didn't see the heavy freighter as we approached because it was parked in the shadow of the dark side of the moon. As we approached, I was shocked to find that the freighter was flanked by a cruiser and a destroyer.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's ok." Norman told us, "They belong to our family. We keep a skeleton crew aboard all three to keep our supplies safe. Open a channel using this encryption key." He handed Shelly a data chip. "Nostro Nostro, Gamma Gamma Lima Charley Fox."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Tango Tango, Gump Gump Wagga Wagga Fox. Nice to hear your voice bro." Replied a girl's voice.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You aren't supposed to say anything not in code sis!" Norman admonished.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You just did." Came the laughing reply. "I am NOT giving you docking coordinates in code. We would be here all week, not all of us are code freaks like you are, and besides, this communication is encrypted anyway."</div><div><br /></div><div>Norman sighed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Docking with the heavy freighter was simple enough, and soon supplies were flowing into my holds. I was amazed by the amount we were being given.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Uncle Drogart, the Admiral, said to give you as much as you can hold in case you wanted to dig a hole in space and cover yourselves up. I don't understand what that means, but that's what he said. Sorry we don't have a whole lot of spare parts you can use. Most of what we have is old technology, but good enough for keeping these three ships going. As if we will ever need them, but they keep the old people happy."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan," Shelly cut in, "Comunication from the Shadow King, they say it's urgent."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Send it to cargo bay three." Norman and I had been resting after loading some large crates of preserved field rations. They were the kind of meals that ground units tended to use rather than the less bulky ration bars that were commonly used on ships, but it's what we were being given, and we had the space for them. They aren't bad. I've had them before.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan Kid, I am Capitan Ceryl Tonamann of the Shadow King." Capitan Ceryl was a quiet, soft looking woman with a quiet voice. "We are picking up traffic from our.. Oh, you have Norman there with you. Norman. Alas Babylon, Delta Six Six." Tears started streaming down her face.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What?" Norman practically yelled. "What is happening?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead of replying, Capitan Ceryl pressed a couple buttons on her console and a video feed appeared. The Unchained Fury was being attacked. Normally i would have said that was a foolish thing to do, the Unchained Fury is, or had been, an old school battleship after all. She had powerful weapons and lots of armor. Except, she was being attacked by three Morganite battleships, two of them were the size of the Baskins, the third was even larger, and it was clear that the Unchained Fury was quickly being torn to bits.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We have to help them!" Norman cried.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The order is Delta Six Six Norman. We have to go." Replied Ceryl. "Captain Kid, we are joining with whatever is left of our family's fleet and what we can gather of our ally's fleets and making a break for the translation matrix. They'll probably have a blockade, so I don't have a lot of hope that we'll be able to escape, but at least it's a chance. You are free to join us."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Do they know we're here?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"They are blasting active sensors towards the station, but I don't think they've spotted us out here yet." Capitan Ceryl said. "And they shouldn't have records of any of the families' owning warships. According to the legends, these ships are all off the books."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Legends?" I had to ask.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Fariday Williamson is rumored to have been somewhat of a scoundrel who did a lot of wheeling and dealing. The story I heard was that most of these ships were heading for a scrap yard when he picked them up. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">He famously said the government doesn't check to make sure they actually get scrapped; it wasn't his problem. Over the last 300 years, we've done a lot of repairing, rebuilding, and maintaining them as best as we can. I'm not looking forward to fighting more modern ships." </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>"I think it would be a better idea to head out to deep space and make like a hole in space. If they don't know your ships are here, they won't know to look for them." I suggested. </div><div><br /></div><div>Capitan Ceryl looked relieved. She looked so young, far too young to Captain a ship. Had I ever been that young?</div><div><br /></div><div>"That is what I'll suggest then." She replied.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-2384517268938297702022-01-12T14:10:00.000-08:002022-01-12T14:10:04.800-08:00Miami Pete 37<p> In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The problem is, just where is Admiral Thomas? Last we knew, he was with the Vanguard fleet of Task Force 'rus. As I left, I believe Task Force 'rus was repairing and rebuilding for another run at 'rus Prime. What confused me was why looking at 'rus prime was such a big deal, and just who was it a big deal to? Sure, 'rus get all upset if you go active on the scanners and hit them too hard with them. So yea, i get it. 'rus like their privacy, but when Pete and I took the 'rus Monks to 'rus Prime, it was abandoned. As far as I could tell, the whole darn star system was abandoned. I was there, lying helpless in the autodoc for a long time. A long enough time that if the 'rus took exception to me being there, it would have been simple to turn me, and the Haul-o-caster to a grease spot from orbit, or for that matter if they wanted to preserve 'rus Prime, wait until I left and hit me in space. I was in no condition to fight back. Sure, they didn't know that, but it was plain that Hauley is a small ship with minimal weapons. Not much of a match for a 'rus ship of any size.</div><div><br /></div><div>I guess all of that is neither here nor there though. If Task Force 'rus is still poking about the jump point to 'rus Prime, or even poking about 'rus Prime itself after all this time I would be shocked. For that matter, we don't even know if Task Force 'rus still exists. </div><div><br /></div><div>It occurred to me that I didn't always have to have all the answers.</div><div><br /></div><div>"OK everyone. Does anyone know how we might find Admiral Thomas?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"The Fleet Databoard should have his most recently known whereabouts." Shelly suggested.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Unfortunately, we are fugitives and will not be able to access the Databoard, or any other Fleet network." Lt. Tine answered, "To try to do so could even tell the Fleet where we are." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Mother, would you be able to use backchannels?" Barnes asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I think not." Mother Ahmisa replied. "Out of necessity, the Mothers work hard at maintaining our neutrality when it comes to politics. This touches upon the power struggle between Admiral Thomas and his family, and Admiral Foster whom I believe is the power behind the issues with the Lightning and the arrest warrants. And I'm afraid to say it, but maybe even the friendly fire incidents during and after the assault on 'rus Prime."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That went by so quick, I was hoping that was one of your Morganite things that I shouldn't ask about." I said. The bridge got quiet and everyone stared at me.</div><div><br /></div><div>"One of our Moganite things?" Barnes asked softly. "How could you think that was a Morganite thing?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, I just thought someone might have broken a rule or something and that's why the Baskins fired on that ship, and I have no idea why the other ship just blew up. I didn't ask because people get upset when I ask too many questions about Morganite stuff."</div><div><br /></div><div>Quiet.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What? What did you expect me to think?" Lacking any other evidence, that was the best I could come up with.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I... Think I can clear up some of it." Shelly offered. "None of this is official, it's all scuttlebutt from a couple friends aboard the Bait and Tackle. I didn't say anything because some people get a little upset when I share stuff that might stir dissention... so..."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Out with it Shelly." Commanded Cmdr. Barona.</div><div><br /></div><div>"My boyfriend hosted a chat for me to meet some of his friends from different ships around the supply train, and to mourn some of their friends from ships that were lost. One of those friends was from the Doggeral Tonne, the freighter that self-destructed after the Baskins destroyed the Devil's Tooth. They said that Peitro had been trying to get a transfer off the Tonne because he didn't fit in there. They said that Peitro told them that the Capitan of the Tonne and his officers were all pro-expansion, and the crew were required to agree to pro-expansion rhetoric or be punished."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Pro-expansionists?" Cmdr. Barona sounded shocked. "I thought those guys died out a long time ago."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sadly no." Mother Ahmisa said. "Many of the Hunter Sects moved that direction when the last of the Scientists were gone."</div><div><br /></div><div>"My boyfriend's friends were all worried about that, a few refused to associate with me because of my family." Shelly said. "It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of my family joined the pro-expansionists. They wouldn't tell me, of course, because they think I would report them. They aren't exactly wrong. I mean, I did hear some casual conversations that went un-reported, but nothing actively seditious, I promise!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"But why would they blow themselves up?" I asked. "Do they believe in their cause that much? Seems kind of pointless."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Maybe they didn't." Lt. Tine said. "Capitan, I just took another look at the explosion that killed the Doggeral Tonne. You remember how I was confused at how big the explosion was?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes, you said there shouldn't be anything on that ship that could make it explode so big." I replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I did, and looking at it now, I still stand by that assessment." Lt. Tine continued. "However, I did not remember the precise time the Tonne exploded, so to find the readings quickly, I glanced through the sensor logs and found something I missed. The Doggeral Tonne exploded exactly thirty seconds after the Devil's Tooth was destroyed."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That's an odd coincidence." Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Down to the microsecond." Lt. Tine added. "Awful big coincidence."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Surely you aren't suggesting a Fealty Switch." Barnes said rolling her eyes as only Barnes could. "Someone's been watching too many low-class space opera vids. Those things will rot your brain and leave you sexually frustrated. Ask me how I know."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll have you know, young lady, that I do not watch those things, and I'm shocked to hear that you do." Lt. Tine said a little harshly. "I thought better of you."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Would it help if I said I just watched for the steamy parts?" Barnes asked. It looked like she was poking a little fun at the Leutenant's expense, but I didn't see how. I had never heard of a Fealty Switch, or space opera vids for that matter.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Would someone please explain?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, there is this actor..." Barnes started.</div><div><br /></div><div>"That's enough Barnes!" Cmdr. Barona cut in. "Capitan, there is a space opera vid that is popular among the younger people where two lovers who are part of a resistance movement are assigned to two different ships. She an engineer, he a helmsman."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Which is totally bunk, no self-respecting helmsman would ever stoop to dating an engineer!" Barnes cut in. "No offence Smitty."</div><div><br /></div><div>Barona gave her a sharp look and continued. "The plan is for the hero and a small group his fellow bridge officers to mutiny, then use the ship to strike a killing blow against the Evil High Command. Only the Evil High Command gets wind of it and plants a bomb, a Fealty Switch bomb, aboard the hero's ship that will destroy it if it falls into the hands of traitors. The heroine of the story finds out about the bomb and spends the rest of the movie using sex to bribe her way off her ship and across the galaxy, hoping against hope she gets there in time to save her man."</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's very exciting!" Barnes added.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's smut." Said Lt. Cmdr. Dorn. "And entirely unrealistic."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Who cares, Gerran Dometry is completely smokin! Although the steamy scenes are mostly de'Naiah Cortes and a long line of no-name actors. There is that scene where Gerran is dreaming of de'Naiah and starts stroking his..."</div><div><br /></div><div>"ENOUGH I said!" Barona blurted out, cutting Barnes off before she could complete the thought.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Just sayin, for that scene alone it worth sitting through the whole vid." Barnes said, sounding hurt.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Um." I asked, "What's a space opera?"</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Space operas aside, the important part was that it looked like someone took the idea of a Fealty Switch from a vid and put it into use. The very idea that someone would put a bomb on a ship to ensure they don't switch sides is beyond comprehension to me. I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't believe it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Didn't stop me from personally searching ever single solitary square inch of my ship though.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't find anything. Well, I didn't find any bombs. I did find a few things someone might consider contraband, but nothing dangerous so I didn't tell Barona or Mother Ahmisa about it. Let's just say, Barnes really does like "Steamy vids" and leave it at that. I also found a few of Pete's stashes around the ship that I didn't know about. The blasters I left where I found them, making note of where they were in case I needed one in a hurry. The booze went into a locked cabinet. It was all Pete's, I could tell, and I don't suspect anyone on the crew of being a lush, but no point in leaving temptations around. Everyone has a hard day now and then.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It's a good thing that Barnes found us a good hiding spot, because it took a few days to figure out what to do next.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mother, when we went with the Lightning to get supplies. We stopped at a supply stash, right?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Capitan, and I have been very worried about them ever since." Mother Ahmisa replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Worried why?" I asked. I was a little surprised, what was there to worry about?</div><div><br /></div><div>"The locations of those supply stashes are generally held in secret. They are only used at dire need." Mother Ahmisa replied. "Admiral Thomas had to give the coordinates of that supply stash to Lightning, and with all that happened, I worry about what he might do with that information."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Should we try to go warn them?" I asked, "It would be quite a trip. The quick way would take us through the jump point where we almost died. I don't want to ever hit that one again. The slow way would take months."</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, if the Admiral thought they were in danger, he would make sure they were both warned and protected. I just worry, there is a lot that can happen in space."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That brings me to the next question." I asked, "Are there any more like that one? Maybe close by?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"None that I know of." Mother Ahmisa said, "But one of the others on the crew might know of one. We do need supplies. I'll ask around."</div><div><br /></div><div>"The other question is, what kind of reception would we get?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"That depends on the stash." Mother Ahmisa said, "Some of them would just turn us away, assuming the crew are Morganites working Outside. Especially with a non-Morganite Capitan. For others, the crew being Morganites would be enough reason to help. Some are completely sequestered, like the one we went to, and have little to no contact with anyone. While others will have family still living in Morgan space and have open communications with them. Some will know about the warrants already, some won't. Some will care, some won't. There really is no way to know until we get there and see how they react."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It turns out that Chief Williamson knew of a stash a half dozen hops away. He made sure to say he wanted it written into the record that he only provided the location of the stash because he believed us to be in a dire emergency, so that if anyone questioned his reasoning in the future, it was all official. We, of course, so noted.</div><div><br /></div><div>The good Chief seemed to be on pins and needles as we transitioned into the star system where the stash was located. The system was about as back-water as a system could get. The system's star was nice enough, but the system didn't have any planets even remotely Inhabitable. The stash itself was huge and looked like a retired battleship that the residents had added to haphazardly over hundreds of years. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Ladies and gentlemen! And you Barnes. I give you the Unchained Fury. Or at least what's left of it." The Chief announced. "My Great Great Great Grandfather was her final Capitan. They retired her here when he retired to give my Great Great Great Grandmother's people a place to live in peace. You see, Lt. Tine, the Scientists weren't the only people persecuted by their fellow Morganites. Granted, My ancestors' people weren't hounded to their deaths like yours were, so I'm not making comparisons. They left Morgan Space of their own free will. My branch of the family were more traditional Morganites so we didn't go with, but we did keep in contact. In fact, I even came to visit a few times when I was a child."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What should we expect to find here?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Chief laughed. "As long as things are still the same as last time I was here, you are all in for a treat! My many times Great Grandmother's people believed we were made how the Good God intended us to be made. So don't be surprised if we find a certain lack of modesty when it comes to being clothed. I don't think it's needed for this crew, well except maybe Barnes, but counter-intuitively these people are more traditional when it comes to... shall we say... physical affection? So, look but don't touch! At least not unless invited to touch."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hey, why did you think I needed to be singled out when it comes to touching!" Barnes said, sounding a little hurt, although it may have been feigned.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The no touching rule applies to yourself also." The Chief said, embarrassed.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ah, I get it. I'll keep that activity to the privacy of Shelly's bunk then."</div><div><br /></div><div>"WHAT!?!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"C'mon Shelly, we both know your sheets are so much softer and more snuggly. How do you do it? You can tell me. With all the fun I have in your rack while you're on duty, we're practically married."</div><div><br /></div><div>Shelly looked like she was about to cry.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Aw cut it out you big baby. I was only kidding; I don't do anything in your bunk."</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's kidding like that I'm worried about Barnes." The Chief said, "The people here are uncomfortable talking about stuff like that. The only other potential problem I see is tattoos. They are a major taboo here. Before we dock, I'm going to have the autodoc remove mine. They can be re-applied once we leave. Lt. Tine, you and I have had a few conversations about your tattoos, and I advise you to keep yours. They'll take some explaining, but I believe these people will understand, and respect your decision to keep them."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After the briefing, Chief Williamson stopped by my office. "Capitan, I'm not sure how the people at the stash will react to your cyber device. The use of cyber devices in Morganite space started after this settlement was formed. Most of these people will have never seen a cyber device and may not know what to think."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What do you suggest?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"I suggest we handle it like Lt. Tine's tattoos." He replied. "Be up-front. Tell them the cyber device was done without your permission and that it can't be removed without killing you. Frankly, I don't know how they'll react to it. There is some precedent. Scars are treated as part of who you are, although purposely scarring yourself or another is frowned upon. They might see the cyber device similar to a scar given to you by someone. There is also precedent with regards to prosthetics, and to my surprise it was stretched to cover permanent prosthetics. Maybe they'll see the cyber device as a permanent prosthetic."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Or maybe they'll chop my head off." I said deadpan. The instant reaction of shock and horror from the Chief was worth it. He soon realized I was kidding him and attempted to laugh. I had hoped for more, but I guess you get what you get. The Chief had been running himself ragged trying to think of everything, and I could tell the stress was getting to him. Oh, not like it would some other people, Chief Williamson wasn't falling behind on his work or anything. But I could tell.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We approached the stash carefully. It was - or had once been - a Morganite battleship after all. The Chief let us know that yes, as of last time he was here the guns had been not only maintained and kept functional, they were regularly updated. We were looking down the, well... barrel... of some pretty serious firepower. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Unchained Fury Station, this is the Haul-o-caster. Request docking instructions." Shelly said into the comms smoothly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hallercastwhatever, please come to a halt and stand by where you are. Please know you are under guns and we will fire if you come any closer without permission."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barnes, hold us here." I ordered. "As a matter of fact, back us up a couple meters. Not too far, just enough to put us back to where we were when he told us to stop."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Already there Capitan. Holy stuff, would you look at those guns? The Baskins didn't even have guns that big." Barnes exclaimed.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Vessel, this is the chief of the watch, Unchained Station. Could you identify yourself again?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Unchained Station, this is the Haul-o-caster, requesting docking instructions." Shelly repeated, omitting the "Fury" part of the name, mirroring how the station chief identified them.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Haul-o-caster, Unchained Station isn't a commercial station. Please turn around and go."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Can I give it a try Capitan?" Chief Williamson asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sure, can't get much worse." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"GUNS Capitan, BIG GUNS! It can get a LOT worse." Barnes said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Belay that Barnes. It's not helping!" Barona hollered.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Everyone relax. Chief, give it your best shot. Barnes, be ready to beat feet if they start shooting."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Unchained Fury, this is Chief Argencourt Fariday Williamson. Chief engineer abord the Haul-o-caster, and Great Great Great Grandson of Fariday Williamson, who established the Unchained Fury settlement on behalf of his wife, Elenore Williamson to give her people a safe home. If you'll check the records, I have visited the station twice and I am on the list of residents with open permission to return at any time."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Please stand by."</div><div><br /></div><div>Then we waited... and waited... and waited. It took a few hours before we were contacted again. This time with video, by an older woman. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Argencourt? Is that really you?" She asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Aunt Essey. So nice to see you!" The Chief smiled.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You've gained weight." The old woman said, but kindly. Like only an old female relative can get away with.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Aunt Essey, I grew a few feet in height too." The Chief's face seemed in danger of splitting in half with how big he was smiling.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Dear, what is that thing sitting there behind you?" Aunt Essey asked. The Chief was taken aback a little, confused, then realized she was talking about me.</div><div><br /></div><div>"This is my Capitan Auntie. Capitan Kid of the good ship Haul-o-caster. I know she looks a little different, but she's a good Capitan, and dare I say, a friend."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Does she talk?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes, I can talk." I smiled. Most people asking a question like that would have been insulting. I got the impression that wasn't the case with Aunt Essey. She was just one of those people who are blunt, and not very good at realizing how her words might be taken.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Oh, you do. How nice. I can't wait to meet you in person. Chief Parnett, what do we pay you for, why isn't my favorite grand nephew here getting his cute little face all smothered in kisses? And that cute little Capitan looks like she needs a hug and some good food."</div><div><br /></div><div>I kid you not. She then started smacking the Chief of the Watch of the Unchained Fury, a man with control of more firepower than I had ever seen in one place, with her giant handbag. </div><div><br /></div><div>Fending off blows, Chief Parnett managed to hit the right levers and gave us coordinates for a landing bay and permission to approach. The last thing we heard was Auntie Essey yelling "You put them in the far landing bay so I would have to walk didn't you!"</div><div><br /></div><div>I suspected he did so to get himself as far out of purse swinging range as he could manage.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-78960148917151807992022-01-11T06:50:00.000-08:002022-01-11T06:50:55.216-08:00Miami Pete 36<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We hopped from jump point to jump point. Our path back toward Morganite Space was shorter than the circuitous route we took getting to the Angmar system, but there were still a lot of jumps. The Pendragon system was, after all, only part-way there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Each stop along the way told the same story as Pendragon, with destroyed space stations and destroyed planets. The food situation was getting worse, especially after we left as much as we thought we could spare with the Old Pack Mule. Everywhere we looked there was destruction. Finding nowhere else to go for supplies, I had Barnes change our course. We headed for Newhome. Surely, we would find something there.</div><div><br /></div><div>If the stories can be trusted, Newhome was one of the very first settlements in this area of space, and maybe even anywhere. I have heard so many different versions of the story that I don't know which, if any of them, is true. Most of the stories agree that mankind came from a planet called Earth, and if you travel core-ward long enough, you'll find the Sol system, where the planet Earth is located. I don't know. I've never been there and so far, neither Sol or Earth has popped up on any of my nav maps. The stories also say that when mankind first discovered the ability to detect and then use jump points, there was one that lead directly from the Sol system to the Newhome system. That's the part that I question the most. </div><div><br /></div><div>Jump points appear and disappear all the time. That is why the constant search for the latest nav updates. Time is money and traveling out to a jump point only to find it gone wastes a lot of time. A smart Captain keeps that in mind and makes sure to have the latest and greatest nav updates. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't sure what I was expecting to find at Newhome. The Newhome system is very similar to what I've been told the Sol system and Earth were like at one time, with most of the surface of Newhome IV being habitable, if not comfortable. There are mountains, and lakes. Oceans and polar ice caps. I am told that Mankind is comfortable on Newhome and I suspect they have a point. Newhome has grown to a population on the order of a few Billion people. If any place could withstand an attack, it would be Newhome.</div><div><br /></div><div>Newhome had a few billion people. With the operative word being had.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain were receiving a hail" Shelly announced.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Put it on screen." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>A tired looking man in a once-fancy uniform came on the screen "This is Admiral Bane of the Newhome Defense Force. Please state your intentions." </div><div><br /></div><div>"This is Captain Kid of the Haul-o-caster. We were hoping to find supplies here, every place we've looked has been destroyed. What happened here?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We are still investigating. Newhome was attacked by ships using a combination of kinetics and anti-matter weapons. The surface is barely habitable and will likely only get worse. Whoever did this tried to make it look like it was the 'rus, but I've seen 'rus weapons. They don't look like this. The defense force is rescuing anyone we can find and moving them core-ward. So far, our scouts are finding the attacks haven't gotten much further in. You might try Garados for supplies. Or head back to Morgan Space if I'm reading your personnel right that they are Morganites. I'd love to know why I'm talking to a cyborg, but I don't have the luxury of time to be curious right now."</div><div><br /></div><div>It had become so easy to forget how others might see me, I hadn't even thought to pull my hood up to cover my cyber device.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Lt. Tine, send over a report of everything we've found since we left Angmar." I commanded. At the mention of Angmar, I saw the Admiral tense up. Not surprising with the reputation that Angmar had. "Admiral, I hope the data helps you get to the bottom of this. And in case you are worried, we landed at Angmar to effect repairs. We aren't pirates." I smiled what I hoped to be a reassuring smile.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral saluted. "Bane out!" and the connection went dead. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, at least now we know that the attacks don't go too much further core-ward." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"If the Admiral can be trusted." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I think so." Mother Ahmisa said, "His words didn't feel deceitful anyway."</div><div><br /></div><div>I took a look at the Nav data. There were two directions we could go from here. One jump point would take us to the New Brazil system and beyond that to Garados. The other would take us through the York system and eventually, a half dozen jumps later, to the edge of Morgan space. Garados may or may not have supplies, probably not if the Newhome Defense force was taking refugees there.</div><div><br /></div><div>I guess York and beyond to Morgan space it is then.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The story I always heard was that there was a place on Earth called New York. I assume there was a place called York before that because why would you name something New anything if there wasn't an old one? When mankind came to found Newhome and branched out from there, a group of people from this "New York" decided they wanted a home of their own. What they found was the York system. Of course, this was all hundreds of years ago, so the story was probably confused and garbled by now, but if you ask anyone on York Prime - it's what they call the second, and only inhabitable, planet in the system - They'll tell you that New York was some kind of mega-economic center of commerce, and quite possibly the capital city of the entire planet.</div><div><br /></div><div>York Prime must be such a letdown then.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sure, it's inhabitable. Meaning people can live there, and for much of the planet's surface you don't even need an environmental suit to go outside. It isn't exactly comfortable, but at least the atmosphere isn't poison. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, wasn't poison anyway. Now the York Prime atmosphere is so thick with dust and fall-out from the kinetic and anti-matter weapons that at first, I mistook it for a gas giant. A small one to be sure, but a gas giant none-the-less. I had Lt. Tine monitor for any comm traffic in the system, but there was none. The York system is either dead or keeping its head down in case the 'rus - or whoever is attacking everywhere - comes back.</div><div><br /></div><div>Each system we traveled through was the same. Settlements destroyed; space stations destroyed. Cloud scoops. Very few survivors other than Rock dogs. Which isn't surprising. The kind of people who hollow out asteroids and make their home inside usually aren't particularly sociable. Pete showed me some tricks to spotting them, but most ships fly right by without even knowing they are there.</div><div><br /></div><div>We didn't have to worry about reactor mass because we had a scoop so we could refuel from gas giants. Food, on the other hand, was starting to worry me. We were down to ration bars, which had everyone on edge. Well, except me. I lived on ration bars for most of my life, so while it was disappointing, whatever, sustenance is sustenance. I was just glad that I managed to get my emergency stash back, and the crew missed a nice sized crate of them, so they didn't put all the ration bars on the Old Pack Mule when we left it for the survivors.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, we reached the jump point back to Otford.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't really explain it but transitioning into Otford was like coming home. Only to a home that was a pile of ash and rubble. I found my eyes drawn to the upper right-hand corner of the main screen where Otford Station would appear if it hadn't been destroyed. It was still gone. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now I have never really understood people emotions. Like when Pete and I would watch the old vids that he liked and there would be a girl crying. Ol' Pete didn't want me to notice, but the big ol' softee would tear up. Not me, I usually couldn't figure out what all the blubbering was about. Pete really couldn't explain it. Not well enough for me to understand. When I found out about me being a cyborg, that sure seemed to explain a lot. Now I wasn't so sure. After all those years flying with Pete made. Life with Pete was solid. Sure, there was joy and sadness, but the joys were always muted. "Hey, we made bonus on a load." or "Look, we got an easy haul this time." And the sadness was likewise. Missing bonus on a load. Hell, even missing a deadline on a load is usually not that big a deal. Sure, we might even come in at a loss if we missed deadline, but the way Pete scrounged, we were fine. We were never in any real danger of losing our ship like so many other haulers, living from haul to haul. Maybe that explains it, maybe I had people emotions all along, I just didn't have a reason to use them so much. So, I was surprised by just how gut wrenching it was to see, or not see in this case, Ortford Station where it was supposed to be. I needed to be shouting orders, getting things in trim, looking to see if we had a welcome committee and deciding what to do about it. But I couldn't. I couldn't speak for the lump in my throat. I couldn't look because my eyes were glued to that damn empty piece of screen that wouldn't show what my heart wanted.</div><div><br /></div><div>"MOVE KID!" Yelled Pete in my head.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Helm Evasive!" I yelled, not even knowing what it was. Bless her, Barnes slammed the controls around like the devil himself was coming at us. </div><div><br /></div><div>The shot came from a dark blur of ship off in the distance. They must have fired the moment we transitioned and gotten lucky. What kind of jack-nose flings a kinetic at a ship fresh out of transition? I suppose I should also ask what kind of lame Capitan doesn't move her ship off the spot as soon as it translates in also, but that would be pointing fingers. All of them. At me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I prefer to praise Barnes for being such an incredible helmsman.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sufficiently shaken from my sentimental stupidity, I started hollering for reports and then looking for myself anyway before they came in. Yea, that's usually how it works.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Looks mostly clear Capitan." Tine announced. "That one ship is all I see, it was lying in wait, and now seems to be making a run for it."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What we got on her." I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Looks 'rus, but I don't think so." Tine answered. "In my free time, I've been studying everything I could find on 'rus ships. This one is the right shape, but it's the wrong speed, and doesn't seem to maneuver as crisply."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Crisply Mr. Tine?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain. There is a certain quality to the way a 'rus ship turns. Almost a snapping motion. This ship rounded it's turn." Lt. Tine explained.</div><div><br /></div><div>"YEA!!" Barnes blurted out. "I just did a search on vids of 'rus ships. Man, how can I have missed that? Those turns are snappy. This guy's turn was mushy."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barnes, could you make Haul-o-caster turn snappy like that?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>She thought about it for a moment, playing with her controls a little as if contemplating how it might be done. "Nope! Not with these controls, but I think I could write a programmed flight path that could almost do it. Would hurt like a bitch though."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hurt?" Lt. Tine asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yea, that kind of thing would over-load the lateral insertional dampeners." Barnes replied. "The main dampeners could handle it because they are made to handle main engine power, but the laterals are just for turning."</div><div><br /></div><div>I, of course, had already ran the numbers and understood. Not that we would need to, but I was pretty sure the bungee trick would work for that, not that we would ever need to take Barnes up on her offer to give us all whiplash. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Alright, let's see if we can run that thing down." I ordered, "Mr. Tine, any idea of what we're getting ourselves into?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"It is a relatively small ship. With mass less than the Haul-o-caster." He reported. "I cannot guess what her weapons load is beyond what we know. She has a kinetic. Probably a rail gun."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Capitan, it looks to me like that was a picket ship." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn reported. "This looks like a poke and draw to me."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barnes, veer off." Barona ordered. "Get us out of here." For once I agreed with her, although I see we still needed some work on the whole "who's in charge" thing. To my surprise, Barnes looked at me.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Do it." I ordered. "Find us someplace to hide while we figure out a plan."</div><div><br /></div><div>Someplace to hide is a little bit of a misnomer. As I have said time and time again; Space, it's big man. Everywhere is a place to hide providing nobody is looking in that spot. On the other hand, there really isn't any good places to hide, because no matter where you are an active sensor sweep will find you. It's the old game of cat and mouse. The mouse hides, the cat looks. Only, looking with passive sensors only is practically useless. Space is so big; you'll never find anyone unless you get uber-lucky. Unfortunately for the cat in this scenario, using active sensors is like putting a bell on the cat. As soon as you fire them up, everybody knows where you are and where you are looking. For a real good sensor suite, that might be everywhere or as close to it as makes no nevermind. For a lousy one, you only have a directional antenna so if you're pointed in the wrong direction, you just put a bell on your proverbial cat-neck for nothing.</div><div><br /></div><div>"So, what can we deduce from where that stinker was running to?" I asked. Barona gave me a surprised look, as if she didn't expect me to ask the right question.</div><div><br /></div><div>"If they are following the Morganite playbook, that puts the ambush somewhere along this line." Dorn plotted a line on the nav chart. "My guess is here, since there are some rock formations they might use to make it harder for the prey to notice them till it's too late."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I say we hit it and hit it hard." Lt. Tine added. "Then push through." Both Barona and Dorn looked at him in shock. "What? That ship rabbited at about the speed of a freighter. I didn't see even a blip from an active scan, so the only thing they are likely to really know of us is roughly what we mass. The Haul-o-caster masses funny. I'm betting they have no idea what we are but judging from the speed of their withdrawal they think we're an armed tramp freighter, mad that they took a pot-shot at us."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What if they figured out who we were from our acceleration curve?" Barona asked. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I don't think so." Lt. Tine replied. "At best, they had us on passive scanners. Add to that they were turning and running, so they were traveling away from us. Passive scans while traveling away from the target are fuzzy at best. At least they are in the Fleet. You think whoever this is has better?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"I strongly suspect they don't." I told them. "We need to find Admiral Thomas as soon as possible." </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-19196107564781159642021-10-05T09:23:00.002-07:002021-10-08T08:29:43.267-07:00Miami Pete 35<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The rendezvous with the Old Pack Mule was easily enough accomplished. Getting my plan past the crew, on the other hand, was not. Every one of them had some reason that they were the one I had to take with me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, except Shelly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Bleh bleh bleh bleh bleh bleh bleh, Captain. The idea of leaving us behind isn't worthy of words. I, for one, am not abandoning my Captain to her fate. Neither is any of the others. They all came up with excuses to stay, but I don't feel like trying to be all that creative. So Bleh! You're not going without me. You can't argue with that, so don't even try."</div><div><br /></div><div>"So none of you are willing to follow orders?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well technically, we all became mutineers when we didn't surrender to Captain Tarkin when he demanded it." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn said. "There is enough irregularity there to keep it in the courts for years, but in the end, it would all boil down to if Captain Tarkin's backers stay in favor or not."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sadly, that is how the Morganite Courts work." Lt. Tine said. From the way everyone nodded, and what I had heard about Lt. Tine's experiences, I was sure he was right.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I have an idea, I don't know if you are going to like it Captain." Cmdr. Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, today is a day of not liking things. Might as well put it out there." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Why don't we send OPM down to the planet to give the survivors a chance, and beat feet back to Morgan space. Hopefully we can find the Admiral and bring the Fleet to help the rest." Barona was right, I didn't like the idea one bit.</div><div><br /></div><div>"So who stays with the Old Pack Mule and flies it down?"</div><div><br /></div><div>PO Smart got all excited. "Nobody has to stay Captain. The OPM has an autopilot system that can handle the landing. It just needs coordinates!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"That would be nice if it worked." I hated to burst his bubble.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Nope, it does work. It's one of the systems we ignored because Haul-o-caster didn't have a spare, since that kind of system isn't used on the Haul-o-caster." PO Smart said. "One of the things I've been doing in-transit is getting all the ancillary systems online. The autopilot system is repaired and tested."</div><div><br /></div><div>"But what about our plan to sneak in using the Old Pack Mule to contact the Admiral? Can't do that if we leave it here."</div><div><br /></div><div>Barona answered that. "We've already decided, as a crew, to hit this thing with Tarkin head-on. Having OPM in reserve would be nice, but we don't really need it. Those people below do need it."</div><div><br /></div><div>"OK, how will we know where to send it?" I asked, already knowing they would have an answer.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, if we assume orbit and go to full active, these improved sensors should do a reasonable job of cutting through the distortion." Lt. Tine said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I feel it's my job to advise that assuming orbit will have us trapped against the planet if there are any attackers still in the area." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn said, "And by going full active on the sensor suite, we'll be painting ourselves for anyone in system to see. That does not mean that I am against the plan, it is just my job to advise the Captain, in case the Captain didn't already realize." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn seemed a little uncomfortable with having spoken up.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No worries Lt. Cmdr. Dorn. You were doing your job, and doing an exemplary job of it." I said. "Please continue to advise me whenever you feel it is appropriate." </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Barns! Take us into orbit. Get the specifics from Lt. Tine as to what he needs to make this successful. Lt. Tine, find us someone to send help to."</div><div><br /></div><div>I was surprised at how long the process took, but a few hours later we not only found a group of survivors, one of them had an old comm system that withstood the bombardment and they were able to contact us. Guess they just don't make them like they used to.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona and Barns took one last trip over to the Old Pack Mule and got the autopilot set to land at the coordinates we negotiated with the settlers. Once they returned, we were able to kick it off and send the Old Pack Mule down to the planet. I have to admit, it hurt a little seeing all those spare parts just fly away, but I had to remind myself we were saving lives. Spare parts are replicable, people aren't.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barns, pull us out of orbit and make for Morganite space at best speed." I ordered. "I haven't slept for days, Commander Barona, see that everyone gets some down time." With that I headed for my rack.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-69268443790368759712021-10-04T09:09:00.006-07:002021-10-04T09:09:57.652-07:00Miami Pete 34<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As ever, reality and practicality always wins.</div><div><br /></div><div>We needed to know what was going on. We couldn't just stay in hiding forever. The original idea for coming to Angmar were valid. We needed a place to lie low for a bit that would provide an atmosphere so we could open the ship and get our new weapons mounted and sensors installed. As a bonus we found the Old Pack Mule, and was able to fix her up to use as a scout vessel. Back in her day, the Old Pack Mule would have been considered a medium freighter. In today's universe, it would probably fit inside a medium freighter's cargo bay. It's still a little bulky for a light freighter, but it would pass. There are thousands, if not millions of old freighters flitting around space that are just as old and older.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, the "kids" - PO Smart, Shelly, and Barns - managed to find out what became of the Old Pack Mule's original crew. Against common sense, but I guess not against orders that nobody thought were needed, our three youngest crew members decided it might be fun to do some exploring of the manufacturing facility that we found ourselves in. At least they weren't completely stupid, they took an ample supply of water with them, we had plenty after all, and marked their path so that they would be able to find their way back. What they found was a lot of empty rooms, and a trail of evidence that someone had been there before. They followed that trail down to the very deepest part of the facility where they found the desiccated remains of the original crew.</div><div><br /></div><div>The harsh reality of Angmar is that Angmar wants to kill you. It doesn't matter who you are, your wealth, your status, Angmar is equal opportunity that way. After a good look at the old engines, and a few hours of patching hole after hole, the Old Pack Mule's story is as old as Angmar itself. They were running from something, or chasing something. Probably running - nothing I saw gave any indication that they might be chasing - and it looks like either whoever they were running from caught up, or they ran into some of the local denizens of the Angmar system and got their ship shot up. They didn't have much of a choice but to land. Instead of landing at the settlement they decided to hide in one of the empty facilities. This one. They were too damaged to repair and try to slip away, so they stayed. Eventually the water ran out and they did the only reasonable thing, they headed down as far as they could go in hopes that Angmar would have mercy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Except, the only mercy that Angmar VII offers is death.</div><div><br /></div><div>The part that confuses me is the shuttles. Sure, they were crated for storage and needed to be assembled, but my guys got them put together and flying in no time. They almost had to have been state of the art back when the Old Pack Mule landed. While they are no longer state of the art - PO Smart is already dreaming of upgrades - nobody would be surprised to see them in use as they are. Shuttle tech just hasn't changed that much in the last hundred years. So, why didn't the crew of the Old Pack Mule use the shuttles to save themselves? We'll probably never know.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It's never easy to split a crew in half. No matter what we tried, our crew just didn't split neatly into two pieces. In the end, I ended up with the higher ranks, and Barona ended up with the kids. First, I took Dorn. He was right, the OPM - see, now they have me doing it - doesn't have weapons to speak of. Putting Dorn there would be a waste of talent. Then I got Lt. Tine because, once again, Hauley has this nice new sensor suite, and OPM gots nothing. Chief Williamson has warship and weapons experience, where PO Smart has mostly served on diplomatic and transport ships, so I got the Chief, and Barona got PO Smart. Since Barona needed more than PO Smart, she got both Barns and Shelly.</div><div><br /></div><div>True to her word, Barns had tears rolling down her face when she found out. I assured her that the Old Pack Mule wasn't forever, and she would be back in her spot at the Haul-o-caster's helm as soon as we could make it happen. The truth is, Barns was the hardest call. Everyone else seemed to slot in where it made sense. On the other hand, both ships had pressing reasons to have Barns on board. Barona won because there was just no way she could handle the Old Pack Mule with just PO Smart and Shelly. I just hoped we wouldn't regret that decision because I would sorely miss having Barns at the helm if we got into a tussle. I'm sure Lt. Tine is a fine pilot, he just wouldn't hold a candle to Barns, I'm not sure anyone could.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa decided to stay on the Haul-o-caster. Cmdr. Barona asked her to join them on the Old Pack Mule, but Mother Ahmisa said no. The most pressing use of her talents would be for damage control if we got into a fight, and the Haul-o-caster was the more important ship to protect. I stayed out of it, anything involving Mother Ahmisa, in my opinion, is Morganite business, and none of mine.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Angmar is pretty out of the way, so it was going to take us months to get back to Morgan space, or at least near Morgan space. A trip made longer by us skulking about, spending time dropping siphons into gas giants for reaction mass, and avoiding settlements and space stations as much as possible. We didn't know what Tarkin and his cronies were sending against us, so we wanted to be careful. </div><div><br /></div><div>Like all fun things, skulking about like a fugitive couldn't last forever. Eventually we needed supplies. When planning our round about trip back from the Angmar system, I anticipated this and scheduled a stopover on Pendragon III. The Pendragon system was named long ago by a long forgotten Arthurian fanboy, something that it seems to have rubbed off on the settlers of Pendragon III. Or maybe the settlers of Pendragon III were already a few cards shy of a full deck. Who knows? The market just off the spaceport on Pendragon III was one of the few places that Pete would let me get off the Haul-o-caster and roam free. It is one of my favorite places in the universe. The people all wore such extravagant costumes, all vaguely Arthurian themed. Pete always told me that if I wore my cloak and hood, the people would like me more and I would get better deals.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know now that Pete was just getting me to hide my cyber device, or at least make it less conspicuous, but back then it was pure fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>When we were finally on the last legs of the journey to Pendragon system I spend hours talking to my crew about the costumes and pageantry. As luck would have it, I was stuck with the three old men, none of whom wanted to talk about beautiful costumes and gallant finery. Mother Ahmisa finally came to my rescue - or maybe theirs, depending on how you look at it - and listened while I babbled on about dresses I'd seen and let me show her the pennant I won at a ring toss booth. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm pretty sure she was just humoring me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was all smiles and fidgets when we finally entered the Pendragon system. I was so excited that I couldn't hold still. The lone jump point in the Pendragon system was pretty far out, so it was a couple days to get to Pendragon III, but I was so excited that I already had my cloak and hood out, ready to go.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, there is a problem." Lt. Tine reported not long after we transited into the system.</div><div><br /></div><div>I glanced over at the board. One red light, but that one wasn't surprising. That one had been popping red every jump since we left Angmar. It was just a monitor for a backup system, and the primary was solid, and always went green. Something to fix, but not an immediate problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then Lt. Tine called Mother Ahmisa to the bridge. Last we had heard from her she was off in the galley making dinner.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Lt. Tine, report." I asked just as Mother Ahmisa arrived.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, we are receiving weak distress calls from Pendragon III." Lt. Tine reported. "Passive long range scans are showing quite a bit of radiation and weapons residue consistent with an attack by the 'rus."</div><div><br /></div><div>"No."</div><div><br /></div><div>"All hands battle stations. Dorn get the guns powered up. Tine go active on the sensors, find out what's going on and if there are any 'rus still in the area." I ordered. Mother Ahmisa positioned herself at the comm system. We hadn't really talked about where people would be if I called battle stations, which I realized was yet another failure. Tine was at the sensor console rather than the helm, and Dorn was at the weapons station. So I slid myself into the seat at the helm and pointed us towards Pendragon III. Someone had to do it.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mother Ahmisa, get me the Old Pack Mule." I said, not sure yet what I would say.</div><div><br /></div><div>"OPM Actual on the comm for you Captain." Mother Ahmisa announced.</div><div><br /></div><div>"On the big screen" I said, then "OPM, dive for cover. Haul-o-caster is going to take a look and see if the way is clear."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What's going on Haul-o-caster?" I had forgotten that the Old Pack Mule's sensor suite, that used to belong to the Haul-o-caster, was nowhere near as powerful as the one Hauley now carried.</div><div><br /></div><div>"'rus attack on the settlement as far as we can tell. Find a place to lie low. I'll update you on the situation as soon as we know something."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll head for these coordinates. There are some rocks there that'll help us hide. Once we get there, we'll play like a hole in space." Cmdr. Barona said. Well, Captain Barona now I guess. A set of coordinates popped up on the screen.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I am fond of saying, space, it's big man. So a ship, especially one as small as Hauley or even a medium freighter like the Old Pack Mule which is about three times Hauley's size, can usually power down and make themselves a lot harder to detect. Nearly impossible for passive sensors alone. Things like powered up engines or running reactors will ruin that effect, so in order to hide a ship must power down almost completely. Powering down like that can be a little nerve wracking, but it isn't too bad. Most ships have a power bank that is kept charged by the reactor when it is running. That power bank is used for emergencies or when the reactor needs to be brought down for maintenance. The power bank on the Old Pack Mule is old and crusty, but it should be able to run the ship for a few days at least. </div><div><br /></div><div>Barona and the Old Pack Mule taken care of, I pointed Hauley towards Pendragon III.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The damage was terrible. Debris clouds where space stations and orbital manufacturing stations once had been. The cloud scoop on the gas giant was gone, one can only assume it was sucked into the giant itself. Pendragon III, where we had hoped to land and purchase supplies, was a mess. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, radiation is consistent with 'rus weapons, but some of this damage looks like KEW strikes, the 'rus are not known to use kinetic weapons." Lt. Tine reported. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Do you detect any ships? Are any of the attackers still around?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"None that I can detect Captain." Lt. Tine answered, "Although they could have gone dark to avoid detection."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Survivors on the planet?" I asked, although I didn't have much hope. The surface of Pendragon III had been rendered all but uninhabitable.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's hard to tell, it's practically nuclear winter down there. I'm seeing evidence that there might be a few pockets of survivors here and there." Lt. Tine reported.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Not much we can do for them, we don't have supplies to drop and we definitely don't have room to evacuate anyone if we did want to land on the surface, which I don't suggest. The atmosphere is a mess down there. We would be just as likely to crash as land, and getting back to space if we did make it down isn't sure either."</div><div><br /></div><div>I felt I had to defend my ship. "I think Hauley is tougher than you give her credit for." I said, but had to add. "But you aren't wrong. For what little help we could provide, I don't think the risk is worth it. Any other ideas?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"We make for the Fleet." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn said. "I know it's a risk, and we might be arrested, but only the Morganite Fleet would be able to help these people now."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mother Ahmisa, Get in contact with Barona. We'll rendezvous with them and transfer you guys to the Old Pack Mule. No sense in getting us all rolled up. I'll see if I can contact the Morganite Fleet alone."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Won't work Captain." Lt. Tine said. "You're a fugitive, and you aren't Morganite. The Fleet wouldn't listen to you. Take me with you, they'll listen to me, and I have the added distinction of being acknowledged by the Fleet as a member of an oppressed people. They have to give me at least a certain amount of leniency due to Morganite Law." </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-40410035124435262192021-09-21T14:34:00.000-07:002021-09-21T14:34:02.880-07:00Miami Pete 33<p> In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"What's the plan Captain?" Cmdr. Barona asked. We were having dinner with Mother Ahmisa. No added crew member this time. The crew was having a crew's dinner in the galley. This was another new tradition. Well, new to me anyway. For the Morganite crew, it was not only old-hat, it was expected.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I figure you guys will fly the Old Pack Mule back to Morganite space and poke around and see what you find out." I said. "Speaking of, Old Pack Mule seems like a goofy name, have you thought of changing it?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"You know as well as I do that it is tradition among the Morganites to never change a ship's name." Cmdr. Barona replied. "And quit dodging the question. Don't you intend to join us on the OPM?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, my place is here on the Haul-o-caster. Don't worry about me, I'm thinking of something. I've always wanted to head inwards and see the inner systems."</div><div><br /></div><div>Both Cmdr. Barona and Mother Ahmisa were shocked. </div><div><br /></div><div>"You don't intend to stay with your crew?" Mother Ahmisa asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Look, we both know this crew was stuck with me as their Captain. They deserve a Captain who won't get them exiled from their homes and having to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives."</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona opened her mouth to say something but Mother Ahmisa held her hand up stopping her.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I can see how you might feel that way. Let's try a little experiment. Come along." Mother Ahmisa lead us down to the Galley. "Ok everyone! I'm sorry for intruding on your crew's dinner, but a question has come up. We now have two ships, but only one crew. The Captain will be staying with the Haul-o-caster, and Commander Barona will be taking the Old Pack Mule. I would like each of you to write on a piece of paper your name, and which ship you want to be on. We can't guarantee you'll be on the ship you ask for, needs of the fleet and all that, so adding a short bit about why you chose the ship you chose might help us decide.."</div><div><br /></div><div>There was a bustle as the crew gathered up paper, which wasn't used all that often anymore, and set to writing. When they were done, the papers were handed to Mother Ahmisa.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well," Mother Ahmisa announced, "We'll take a look and plan accordingly."</div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa lead us back to the Captain's table and we finished our meal with the stack of papers sitting face down beside Mother Ahmisa's plate. I knew what they all said, I don't know why Mother Ahmisa thought leaving it till after the meal meant anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also don't know why it was so hard to eat that meal. It felt like the proverbial meat cleaver being held over my head.</div><div><br /></div><div>After dinner, Mother Ahmisa insisted on cleaning up the table before getting down to business. I had given up trying to help Mother Ahmisa with the cleanup. She always refused, and made a fuss if I tried to help anyway. That time, she said, would be the perfect time for me to talk to the crew member, only... we didn't have one. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I have to tell you Captain, I'm awful nervous about what those papers are going to say." said Cmdr. Barona. <br /><br /></div><div>"I'm not, I'm sure they'll all say they want to go on the Old Pack Mule with you."</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona looked at me like I had two heads.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I would have gotten them killed so many times since we left Morgan space!" Cmdr. Barona exclaimed. "It's you who have kept them alive and gotten them through! They know that!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"What? I didn't do anything." I replied. "I sat around tossing out orders, half of which you had to fix to keep anyone from being killed."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sleeping bags? Bungee cords? Does that ring a bell?" Cmdr. Barona said. "Do you have any idea how many crew members on the Lightning were killed or injured?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"There were a few bumps and bruises, that's all." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, when we got back to the Bait and Tackle, I did some snooping. That first transit where both ships were damaged, and we ended up towing the Lightning to the stash, Captain Tarkin lost three crew members. He never told us about that." Cmdr. Barona continued. "And when we transited the unstable matrix, he lost five more. He lost eight crew members on that mission, we lost none."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, the Haul-o-caster is pretty stout." I said. I guess it'll never be a secret how much I love my ship.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Morganite Fleet regulations are that anytime life is lost on a Morganite fleet ship, an investigation is done. As we are another ship that transited the same matricies around the same time, we should have been required to provide a comment, yet we were not. I asked the crew to write up their observations and file them anyway. The Chief headed up the effort, and quite a few members of the crew added to them."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Really? I didn't know, I would love to see them."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Traditionally, Captains never gets to see them. That way, the crew can be as honest as they wish, without worrying about repercussions." Barona said. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Oh, I guess that makes sense." </div><div><br /></div><div>"I will tell you this, the entire crew signed onto both documents. The first credited the incredible shape, and the superior implementation of systems on the Haul-o-caster as the number one reason we didn't lose any crewmembers when both ships were hit by the anomaly during transit. On the second, every single crew member signed on crediting your experience and excellence as a Captain as the reason the Haul-o-caster's crew sailed through unharmed.. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that Captain Tarkin didn't lose his command over losing eight crew members. That goes to show just how strong his support is."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Or his allies' hatred of me."</div><div><br /></div><div>That stopped her.</div><div><br /></div><div>"There might be something to that, but I don't think so." Barona replied after a moment of thought. "The use of cybernetic devices is controversial in some of the Morganite sects. Some go so far as to ban cybernetic use even as prosthetics, or openly protest the use of cyber devices on even the most violent criminals. I don't think even the most extreme would go through all this over dislike of an Outsider. No offence."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"None taken, I am after all from Outside Morgan space. What would these sects use instead?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona laughed. "Peacenik sects say love and understanding. Others say compulsive military service. More hardline sects would go with execution. Then there is one odd sect that suggests physical abuse and torture. Morganizm is a very diverse religion."</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, Mother Ahmisa was finished with cleaning up. Without even looking at them, Mother Ahmisa set the stack of papers in front of me. I don't know what I was expecting, maybe that she or Cmdr. Barona would tally them up and tell me how badly I did, or maybe try to hide it from me and tell me I did fine. Anything but set the stack of papers down in front of me and walk out.</div><div><br /></div><div>I sat alone, afraid to look but not knowing why. I thought about that for a moment and realized how much this was going to hurt. I love my ship. Haul-o-caster is more than just my home, it's almost a part of me. But, this is my crew. We laughed together. We cried together. When the chips were down, we all worked our asses off because we didn't want to let each other down. We're a family.</div><div><br /></div><div>We're a family.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had never really had a family before. Sure Pete and I were almost like a family, only that was different. I can't put my finger on how, but it was.</div><div><br /></div><div>I almost tossed the papers in the recycler without reading them. I couldn't bear it. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Kid, you gotta rip that bandaid off." The Pete in the back of my head said. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Cmdr. Dorn: I would like to stay on the Haul-o-caster. The Captain will need me on weapons if she is attacked.</div><div><br /></div><div>PO Smart: Haul-o-caster. Chief Williamson has more experience so he should go with OPM.</div><div><br /></div><div>Shelly: Hauley, Cmdr. Barona, please don't be mad.</div><div><br /></div><div>Williamson: Haul-o-caster. The Old Pack Mule needs a younger engineer with more energy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Barns: Anyone can fly that old hunk of iron. After flying the Haul-o-caster, I would cry every day if I had to fly the OPM. Please please please let me stay with the Captain and Haul-o-caster.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Tine: Captain Kid was the first person who ever looked past my former sect, past the prison tattoos on my face, and seen a human being. I will be staying on the Haul-o-caster, even if I have to resign from the fleet and beg the Captain to take me on as a deckhand.</div><div><br /></div><div>They all wanted to stay. </div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-91802689649948107982021-09-17T08:37:00.001-07:002021-09-17T08:37:23.821-07:00Miami Pete 32<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Ah the exuberance of youth.</div><div><br /></div><div>Was I ever young? Since my body is a human one, I assume I came from an egg, fertilized in the womb of my mother and born like everyone else. Pete always called me Kid. I suppose that means he saw me as a kid, although Pete was getting up there in years so maybe a lot of people looked like kids to him. The problem is, other than a few flashes, I don't remember the time before the cyber device. The whole part of my life that I can remember has been me taking care of Pete, and taking care of the Haul-o-caster. I don't remember ever being a child. Did I play? I don't remember playing. </div><div><br /></div><div>All this is to say, I was not prepared for how PO Smart, cheered on by Barns and Shelly, attacked the idea of getting the Old Pack Mule up and flying. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain! OPM has a small personal shuttle in one of it's cargo bays!" PO Small barged into my office, all excited. Not so much the breach of etiquette it sounds, since I keep my door open, but still a surprise.</div><div><br /></div><div>"And?" I knew the shuttle was there, in fact, it's new in the box. It hadn't even been assembled yet. Pete and I hoped that it would stay there until we had a chance to come back for it. Pete wasn't the most physical of people, so moving it was out of the question. It was much too big for the two of us, and assembling the shuttle, while possible, was a lot more work than Pete wanted to do. </div><div><br /></div><div>"With a little help, Chief W and I could have it up and running in a few hours." PO Smart explained. "We could use it to go exploring and maybe find some engines for the OPM." The crew had taken to calling the Old Pack Mule "OPM" for short. It was growing on me. I even considered trying out "HOC" for the Haul-o-caster, but who would want to be in hoc?</div><div><br /></div><div>"We're planning on leaving as soon as we get everything re-organized." Moving all our stuff over from the Golden Screw had to be accomplished quickly, so everything was just tossed in willy-nilly. I was having Cmdr. Barona get it organized so we had a better idea of what we had and where it was. She, of course, was having the entire crew take shifts, so they could pull everything out and do a good solid cleaning while they were at it. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll do it in my off time Captain." PO Smart promised, "I really think that even if we didn't manage to find engines for OPM, it might be advantageous to have a shuttle on board."</div><div><br /></div><div>He had me there.</div><div><br /></div><div>"OK, tell Commander Barona that I'm moving you off of spring cleaning and putting you in charge of shuttle building duty. Get help when you need it. Don't try to lift the heavy stuff by yourself." I said. You might think I just gave him the best present ever. Maybe I did. Cmdr. Barona was turning into a bit of a slave driver with the spring cleaning project. All I asked for was a little organization.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Later that evening I walked out to see how the reorganization and cleaning was going, and... Found nobody. Apparently, PO Smart's enthusiasm was infectious. I found the whole crew in the main cargo hold of the OPM, putting a second shuttle together. These weren't standard shuttles either. They looked a little bit like a cross between a fighter and a shuttle, all sleek and aerodynamic, but had colorful stripes like a show craft rather than a military craft, and there were no weapons.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain!" PO Smart said excitedly when he finally saw me. "There were two of them, and I think they're designed for racing!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Sure enough, now that the first crate was broken down and out of the way, I could see there had been a second crate behind it. Since Pete and I could never move the first one, we didn't try too hard to look at what we couldn't get to. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Those look amazing crew." I told everyone. "I'm sure we'll be able to put them to good use."</div><div><br /></div><div>"We're about to send the first one up on it's maiden flight. Do you want to join us?" Cmdr. Barona asked. I could almost hear the "I hope not" in her voice, which tickled me a little.</div><div><br /></div><div>"How many people can fit?" I asked. The shuttles were pretty small.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Only three, maybe four if one of them curls up in the tiny cargo area behind the rear seat, but we weren't going to do that, they wouldn't be able to see anything anyway." PO Smart answered.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well," I said, "I'm sure the people who did the work should get the first rides. I can try one out later."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The test flights went off without a hiccup, although it became apparent that they were more than just test flights. Lt. Cmdr. Dorn flew OPM-1, while Cmdr. Barona flew OPM-2. Under the auspice of running "test flights", the crew were looking for something they could salvage engines for OPM off of.</div><div>Between flights, I asked why the shuttles were named for the Old Pack Mule rather than the Haul-o-caster, and after a little hemming and hawing, it finally came out that everyone was so excited they didn't think about it. That was the first time I suspected that I was losing my crew. It wasn't so much like they were abandoning me, or betraying me, it was more like even after all we've been though, I was still an outsider. A non-Morganite. When everything gets boiled down, that made every difference in the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>A little later, I pulled Commander Barona aside.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I would like to concentrate on getting the Old Pack Mule up and running." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"But Captain, you said before that there was no way to salvage her engines." Cmdr. Barona replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I may know where we can find some. It isn't ideal, and we would have to install them and get out of town pretty quickly, but I think it's doable."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Surely you aren't thinking about stealing them from someone!"</div><div><br /></div><div>The surprise in Cmdr. Barona's voice made me laugh.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Nothing like that." I explained. "When I was on Angmar VII before, there was a salvage yard near the settlement. It's probably still there. I'll take a shuttle and see if they have some suitable engines. We have an entire tank of water to trade. You would be amazed at how much water is worth here. If they do, you can come pick them up with the Haul-o-caster. Either way, be ready because we'll need to get out of dodge quick in case someone recognizes us."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That sounds dangerous Captain," Barona said. "I should go rather than you."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Would you be able to tell good engines from bad ones? No?" I said, then smiled. "No worries, I'll take Dorn with me in case I need a little muscle. It'll be fine. If we don't find engines, rather than lead someone back to our hideout, we'll pick a rendezvous spot and you can come pick us up in Hauley."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll inform the crew." Cmdr. Barona said, "We will be ready either way."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To my surprise, it didn't take long for Chief Williamson and PO Smart, helped by the rest of the crew, to get everything ready on the Old Pack Mule. I ended up working on getting the reactors up and running. The reactors on the Old Pack Mule used an older design, so neither the Chief nor PO Smart understood them. I made sure to write documentation as I went so they would be able to maintain them. </div><div><br /></div><div>The flight to the salvage yard was quiet. I could tell that Lt. Cmdr. Dorn, never a dynamic conversationalist anyway, was entertaining himself flying the shuttle. I have to admit, those little things are pretty zoomey. Soon we started seeing a small amount of traffic. </div><div><br /></div><div>The settlement on Angmar VII isn't what you would normally think of as a settlement. The main part of the settlement revolves around one of the larger manufacturing clusters. Off to one side, you can still see where mass driver that once launched large ship pieces into orbit was once located. The mass driver itself is gone of course, so the place is more a hole in the ground than anything. The main thoroughfare of the settlement is under ground where the central line that assembled those pieces was probably located. On either side of that long tunnel, for lack of a better word, where all the factories, offices, and warehouses that provided support and parts for the line was located, is where everyone lived and worked. </div><div><br /></div><div>There was no government and no rules. A person owned what they could defend and protect. Normally a place like that would devolve into chaos, and either die off or end up being enslaved by whoever was the biggest or most violent. Somehow, that didn't happen on Angmar VII. My personal theory is that it's such a rathole that nobody wanted it. The result is, if anyone wants to move in, they either had to move someone else out - typically using violence - or just find an empty spot and take it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ships landed wherever they wanted. There are numerous places to set a ship down, and it isn't like Angmar VII has any services to offer. No water. No reaction mass. There really isn't a lot to recommend the place other than it being about as close to an Anarchist paradise as is possible. </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, I know all this second hand. When we were there, Pete never let me off the ship at the settlement itself. I did, however, get to leave the ship in the salvage yard. It was back before I had built up the impressive cache of spares, and we ended up needing a few things. Pete, as always, was mostly useless for identifying components and testing them to make sure we weren't being ripped off, so he took me out for a stroll to look for stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>The salvage yard is located not far from the settlement, in another manufacturing cluster and basically consists of any ship that crashes on Angmar that the proprietor can find. There was also a couple ships there that landed for maintenance, but the crew either didn't understand how to survive on Angmar, or didn't have the supplies to. I hoped that we would find a couple engines for the Old Pack Mule from one of those ships.</div><div><br /></div><div>Flying over in the shuttle, I could tell the salvage yard hadn't changed much since I saw it last. There was definitely a couple new wrecks added to the collection over the years, and it looked like it was open for business. Sadly, the engines I remembered them having were no longer there. Thems the breaks I guess. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dorn and I were met by a the familiar, if older, fat guy who ran the yard when I was there with Pete. He looked Dorn up and down and apparently decided that being belligerent wasn't a good idea. Me, he ignored, but that was expected. I wore my cloak with the hood up so he couldn't get a look at me. </div><div><br /></div><div>"What can I do you for?" The salvage yard manager asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Good morning sir, I am Lieutenant Commander Dorn. We are looking for engines for a small frigate."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very good, we have engines that might work, nothing as fancy as a frigate, but they should limp you back home. Show me what you have for trade!" He said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We have water." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn told him.</div><div><br /></div><div>"On that pip-squeak of a shuttle? Not enough for engines you don't."</div><div><br /></div><div>"On our ship. There is plenty enough."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Oh, I doubt that. You'll bring me the water, and maybe I won't let on that I saw the Morganite fugitives."</div><div><br /></div><div>With that, I surprised Dorn by pulling out a blaster and shooting the man.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Head towards the office, we'll clear it and make sure this one doesn't have any friends." I ordered.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I... you, you killed him!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yep." I pushed the man's arm with my tow revealing that he concealed a small blaster of his own. "He was waiting for just the right chance. Apparently, the bounty on us is dead or alive."</div><div><br /></div><div>Dorn regained his composure quickly and grabbed a blaster rifle from the shuttle. Then headed for the office.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Keep on the lookout for boobytraps." I warned him. Good thing too, because the office was thick with them. Rather than try to disarm them all, Dorn and I backed our way out. The people on Angmar VII are clearly more paranoids than I expected.</div><div><br /></div><div>"There still could be someone in there." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn warned.</div><div><br /></div><div>"With that smell?" I asked, only half joking. "We'll watch our backs while we look around for engines. If there is anyone still in there, they are welcome to whatever is left. We aren't here to rob the place." The irony of that statement wasn't lost on me, but I am sure that guy really was watching us, or Dorn at least, for an opening. As soon as Dorn was distracted, he would have made his move.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't want to wait around to see if my sudden violence had bought us time or not. So after pulling the body off to the side and hiding it under a piece of scrap metal. Dorn and I carefully started working our way through the yard looking for what we needed.</div><div><br /></div><div>It didn't take long to find what we were looking for. We found a nice big pleasure cruiser that had seen better days. Practically everything was stripped from it but the engines. It may seem weird at first, but this isn't all that uncommon. Engines for a ship of any reasonable size are big, bulky things. Pirates like to grab things that are small enough transport and easy enough to turn into credits. You can't usually do that with engines. On top of that, getting rid of these engines would have been especially hard because they were built to match the esthetic of the pleasure cruiser all sleek and white with gold accents.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We'll paint them black and grey to match the Old Pack Mule. You'll see, they'll be awesome." I told Lt. Cmdr. Dorn when I saw him grimace at the engines.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once we had a good start on getting the Engines disconnected from the pleasure ship, we called Barona for our ride. We wanted to keep the Haul-o-caster here at the salvage yard for as little time as possible.</div><div><br /></div><div>The operation went of without a hitch. Dorn and I were nearly done getting everything disconnected by the time Cmdr. Barona and Hauley showed up. All that was left was to cut the supports that physically tied the engines to what was left of the ship. Barona had Barns hover the Haul-o-caster close with the main cargo hold, cargo one, open, and PO Smart hopped over to help us put a harness on the first engine. Once it was hooked up, the good Chief used cargo one's lifter to lift the engine right into the bay. Rinse repeat and enjoy with the second engine. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Cmdr. Dorn and I were soon in the shuttle following the Haul-o-caster back to home base. Most of the crew had stayed with the Old Pack Mule getting everything prepped. When we got there, I was amazed at how much work they got done. They had even replaced parts of the hanger's crane system to help lift the engines into their new homes. </div><div><br /></div><div>The smooth, sleek engines from the pleasure ship looked out of place bolted to the sides of the old freighter. Someone, I never found out who, managed to find the original serial number tag still riveted to a support beam in the bowels of the old ship. The freighter was well over three hundred years old, and had been built by a shipyard I had never heard of. It must have been refitted a few times since the fuselage was originally set, because the ships systems weren't anywhere close to that old. Even then, a vast majority of those systems had to be replaced with components from my spares.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was impressed that I had enough spare parts in my spare parts cache to practically build an entire ship, but I guess I shouldn't have been. I will admit to a little bit of sadness to see them go. It had taken me years to build up that collection. Pete was a good man for humoring me. Sure, most ships had backups for the few critical systems the ship couldn't do without, and maybe a few spare parts here and there. But I didn't stop there, I had spares for every system on the ship, plus spares for the backups, and then a few extra spare parts, just in case. Well, not anymore. Now we had an Old Pack Mule.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't able to watch the whole time, so I had no idea what all they took. As soon as I had time, I was going to do a comprehensive inventory. I was itching to hit that salvage yard again to look for replacements, but I knew we couldn't do that.</div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-3990065434777025462021-09-14T16:08:00.000-07:002021-09-14T16:08:12.468-07:00Miami Pete 31<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We burned hard towards the unstable jump point, just like that was our destination. Since even the fastest ship in the fleet - the Lightning - didn't have a hope of catching us, we ended up running from nobody. Nobody even tried to give chase. </div><div><br /></div><div>The turn, or big fat wide curve, since we had a lot of inertia built up, so it was harder to change directions, went off without a hitch and I didn't see any indication that anyone in Vanguard Fleet noticed. That was crucial since the fleet was enough closer to the jump point we were heading for that if they noticed in time, it might just be possible to intercept us.</div><div><br /></div><div>I spent a whole lot of days biting my nails and staring at passive sensor screens. We didn't dare use active sensors, the fleet would definitely have picked up on that. On the up side, at this distance and with running as silently as we could manage, unless someone in the fleet was a complete badass on passive sensors, they weren't watching us. If they sparked up their active sensors, they would see us in a heartbeat, but we would know. Active sensors are noisy because that's how they worked, and the Haul-o-caster had automated, always on systems designed to warn us if we were being hit by active sensors. Yes, it gets really annoying when we are near a spaceport. Everybody seems to think they need active sensors on full blast when they are in port. The problem is, all those active sensors usually wash each other out, so they end up being less effective than a good passive system. A good passive system will take advantage of all those stray signals.</div><div><br /></div><div>We made Otford Station, or at least the former location of Otford Station in decent time for having a huge detour. Sure enough, the Golden Screw was waiting for us as planned. Sure, it could have been a trap, but it would have had to be a pretty elaborate one, and I didn't think it would be. I will say that I was relieved to find out I was right.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The crew of the Golden Screw were wonderful people. Being a medium freighter, the Golden Screw was quite a bit slower, so even with our detour they didn't beat us to the rendezvous by much. Turns out, Cmdr. Barona recognized a few of their crew as cousins she played with when she was a child. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was surprised by the amount of supplies that the Golden Screw had for us. We not only got all of my spare parts back, which I appreciated, we also got some upgraded equipment. There was a high-end Morganite Fleet sensor suite. Hauley's sensor suite wasn't all that bad, but the Morganite Fleet sensors were top notch. There was also a belly gun, and a turret for topside. Nothing like the huge blaster cannons on the Baskins, but big enough that we would have a fighting chance if we were attacked by something smaller, like the Lightning. Hauley had a couple small guns, but nothing close to this powerful. The best part was because the Haul-o-caster's main fuselage started life as a military transport, the new guns actually had a place where they could be mounted. </div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say, Lt. Cmdr. Dorn was thrilled!</div><div><br /></div><div>Along with the supplies was a nice big stash of credit chips. I had never seen that many credits all in one place, it was more than our biggest haul had ever brought in. With it were instructions on crew pay and expenses and disbursements and petty cash and and and.</div><div><br /></div><div>I finally just broke down and had Cmdr. Barona help me figure it all out. I didn't just give it over to her, I'm still the Captain and this is my job. It did hurt my pride a little to have to go running to Barona for one more thing. I can admit that.</div><div><br /></div><div>There was also a note from Admiral Thomas. </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Captain Kid,</div><div><br /></div><div><span> A friend who is keeping an eye on things for me has warned me that there is more</span></div><div><span><span> to the accusations against you and the Haul-o-caster crew. They haven't been able</span><br /></span></div><div><span><span><span> to find the details about why, but Admiral Foster is pushing to have the Haul-o-caster</span><br /></span></span></div><div><span> and her crew "Brought to Justice" and there are rumors that he has sent ships out </span></div><div><span><span> looking for you</span>. </span>I will keep abreast of the situation and get word to you as soon as </div><div><span> </span>I know something. Until then, keep your heads down and lie low.</div><div><br /></div><div><span> I sent some toys to help you in this regard.</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> T</div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>That sure was ominous.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>We needed a place to set down or a docking bay at a station somewhere to mount our new toys. Also known as weapons and sensors. Cmdr. Barona started looking into the nearest station that offered docking bays, but I had to shoot that idea down.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Commander Barona, we have prices on our heads. I know the usual Morganite policy is to let people go if they are outside Morganite space, but you saw the letter from the Admiral. We have to start thinking like Pirates." I explained. "But not acting like real Pirates. We won't go attacking ships and stealing stuff or anything. We just need to not go to the first place they'll look for us and tear our ship apart."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I see your point Captain. Do you have an alternative in mind?"</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure it's somehow wrong, or a breach of military etiquette somehow to mess with your XO's mind, but I couldn't help it. "Aahhrrrrrrr lass... We make sail for Treasure Island."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I guess I can't blame Barona for not knowing what I would consider Treasure Island. Angmar VII is a barely habitable desert world in the ass end of nowhere. Pete and I ferried some archeologists and their supplies to and from Angmar VII for a while. It was a vaguely lucrative gig, and not too much work. Because the archeologists paid us extra to stay on station in case they needed us, we had quite a bit of time to explore. It's surprising how many ships get abandoned in such a place, and Angmar had no government or law enforcement, so salvage was a finders keepers kind of thing. So Pete and I padded our vaguely lucrative pay with whatever salvage we could find. Some of the spares in my cache come from Angmar VII. Hence, Treasure Island.</div><div><br /></div><div>I took a circuitous route to get us to the Angmar system, using jump points that aren't as well known or as commonly used. A few times when we exited transit, we would shut down and pretend to be a hole in space, watching the jump point for a few days to see if anyone was following. So far, nobody was. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since we still had two cargo bays converted for water hauling, we took a detour to at a little out-of-the-way planet I knew that had good fresh water springs. You need to take a lot of water with you when you go to Angmar VII, because Angmar VII doesn't provide much if any on it's own. Along the way, we also dipped into a few systems with un-used gas giants to drop a scoop and fill up on reaction mass the old-school way so that we could skip any of the commercial fueling stations. It's a lot of hard work, and it takes a lot of time doing it that way, but we weren't trying to make any speed records, we were trying to stay off the radar. It ended up taking us six months to get to Angmar VII, when a direct route would have taken less than a third of that time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona wasn't trilled.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once we finally reached Angmar VII, the search for a good spot to set down began. Surprisingly, there is a small settlement on Angmar VII. It's a brutal place full of unhappy people. It is said that if you live on Angmar, you are either running from something or chasing something. We would avoid that place like the plague. With any luck, nobody at the settlement would ever know we were on the planet. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>I made sure that Barns kept the planet between us and the settlement as much as possible as we approached. I didn't want to chance having someone see us and identify the Haul-o-caster. We were here for repairs and to upgrade sensors and mount weapons. The work to make those modifications would mean taking large parts of the Haul-o-caster apart, replacing power conduits that had been dormant far longer than I had been on the ship, and then putting it all back together. I brought us to Angmar because I hoped we would find an out of the way shipyard cluster to set down in where nobody would be able to find us while the ship was helpless.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>In spite of years of archeologists scuffling through every square inch of every shipyard cluster they could reach, there really isn't much known about the people who built the facilities on Angmar VII. It is accepted that the facilities were used to build warships, tenders, and freighters. Possibly even shuttles, fighters, and troop transport ships. Basically anything small enough that it could be launched from a planet's surface. There were also a couple larger facilities that appear to have been used to build pieces of larger ships that were tossed into orbit using mass drivers to be assembled in orbit.</div><div><br /></div><div>The shipyard clusters on Angmar VII come in a bunch of different sizes, but they are all similar in construction. There is basically a large shaft dug down into the planet. The bottom of the shaft served as landing facilities. Dug into the sides of the shaft, are various warehouses, hangers, factories, and living quarters that you would need to sustain such an operation. Unfortunately, whether the original builders took their things with them when they left, or some very thorough looters came and swept the place, nobody knows, but nothing, not even a bolt, nut, or screw was left behind. The only way to identify the various places was by feel. A hanger looks like a hanger. A factory looks like a factory, Living quarters looks like living quarters... or maybe they were offices? You get the idea, even if they are empty some things just look like what they are.</div><div><br /></div><div>Almost the entire surface of Angmar VII is pockmarked by these shipyard clusters. There are hundreds of thousands of them, if not millions. With so few people living on Angmar VII, we could have picked one at random and been reasonably sure we wouldn't run into anyone, but I had a particular cluster in mind. On one of our exploration excursions, Pete and I found an old freighter parked in a hanger in a shipyard cluster. It had the name Old Pack Mule painted on the side. We almost missed the cluster altogether because of how the surrounding rocks hid the entrance. That was probably why Pete decided that this was the cluster to explore.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Old Pack Mule wasn't a bad ship. Pete and I talked about going back with parts and getting her up and flying again, dreaming of all the credits we would make selling a complete ship rather than just a bunch of parts, but life took us another direction and we never got back to it.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The shipyard cluster was exactly like Pete and I had left it. The hanger doors still open, of course, because without whatever equipment the builders used it wasn't possible to close them. The hanger was just big enough that Hauley fit in beside the old freighter. That way, even if someone were to look down the shaft, they wouldn't see us. I could tell the crew were all excited to get off the ship and do a little exploring. Cmdr. Barona had other ideas and was about to crack the whip.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Commander Barona. I think we should sit quiet and watch for a bit before we start tearing the ship apart, just in case we were followed." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain." Was all she said. I could tell she was frustrated by the delays and wanted to get the weapons and sensors mounted so we could start planning on getting back into the fight. I guess I could understand. After all, with everything that was going on, it's understandable that she would be worried about her people.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A few days of rest without having to worry too much did wonders for the crew. There was talk of getting the Old Pack Mule up and running and using it to go back to see what was happening. I was sad to have to shoot the idea down. We just didn't have the parts with us to do that. The Old Pack Mule also needed engines. Everything else we could cobble together from spares on hand, the engines were another story entirely. </div><div><br /></div><div>After a few days of rest, it was all hands on deck. Chief Williamson was in charge of installing the new sensor suite. PO Smart and I teamed up on the weapons. Everyone else was in the labor pool to be drawn by whichever team needed a hand. The system worked surprisingly well.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to admit, it was odd seeing the Haul-o-caster broken down that far. At one point, I could stand under the ship and look up and see all the way through to the ceiling of the hanger. The sight gave me chills. </div><div><br /></div><div>Surprisingly, the Chief was done first.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The new sensor suite is newer enough than the old system that it's power requirements were far less. Lt. Tine and I didn't have to upgrade the power conduit at all, and we were able to use the cabling from the old sensors to pull the cabling for the new sensors through, so we didn't have to remove whole sections of the ship." The Chief reported.</div><div><br /></div><div>PO Smart and I weren't so lucky. The new weapons systems clearly used a lot more power than the old systems did, so we had to completely rebuild the power delivery from scratch. The weapons control system was likewise different, so all that had to be rewired from scratch also. Once the job was done though, it was a thing of beauty.</div><div><br /></div><div>The infectious grin on Lt. Cmdr. Dorn's face was worth all the work. Well, that and the fact that next time that smarmy Captain Stinkypants Tarkin shot at my ship, I was going to kick his ass.</div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-71554059610847792322021-09-10T09:17:00.001-07:002021-09-10T09:17:08.875-07:00Miami Pete 30<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The old saying goes, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. I felt every square inch of that old saw. Haul-o-caster was docked with the Bait and Tackle, and the supplies we received from the stash were all offloaded. Haul-o-caster's stuff, my stuff, all my spares and supplies were supposed to have been loaded.</div><div><br /></div><div>But they weren't.</div><div><br /></div><div>Those Destroyers that were supposed to be there to "Cover me" were starting to feel like they weren't covering my back so much as holding a gun to my head, keeping me from escaping. Not that they needed to be. Haul-o-caster was docked using the starboard cargo docking collars. Those are much bigger, and more secure than the nose docking collar. Being a cargo docking collar, it does not have a tear-away like the nose collar does. Tearing away from a dock with one of those would be likely to destroy half the ship.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I was stuck. Since the Admiral had to be controlling at least some of this directly, complaining to him wouldn't get me anywhere. Dumb old Captain Kid, caught by her own trust in... In what? Miami Pete's friends? How did I really even know that the Admiral had ever met Miami Pete? For that matter, how do I know anything about my own crew? Is Cmdr. Barona a friend? Lt. Tine?</div><div><br /></div><div>I pulled the small hand blaster out of Pete's desk and hid it in my pocket, glad that the pockets on these uniforms were big enough to handle it. This was the blaster that Pete usually took with him when he thought he might have the need of some discreet violence. I still remember Pete taking the time to teach me how to use it, how to fire it. I sat in my quarters with the door shut and locked waiting for some inspiration, or perhaps waiting for the end.</div><div><br /></div><div>I couldn't help but thinking that I really messed this up this time.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, Admiral Thomas on a secure channel for you." Came Shelly's voice from the speaker in my quarters.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thanks Shelly, I'll take it in my quarters." I told her. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Well Admiral, I'm feeling a little claustrophobic here, and I'm starting to wonder where my stuff is. I bring supplies, you give me my stuff back, that was the deal. I kept my side of the deal. Nobody is filling my holds with my stuff, which isn't filling me with confidence that you are keeping your side of the deal."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm working on it." The Admiral replied, "Turns out, Captain Tarkin has connections that I was unprepared for. Your cargo is being loaded onto the Golden Screw. It's a freighter that caught up with Vanguard Fleet yesterday. It is run by a Morganite family that are distant relatives of mine, so I assure you that you can trust them. I'm sending you a flight plan to rendezvous with them after your escape."</div><div><br /></div><div>"So, do I leave the crew with the Golden Screw, or do I leave them on the Bait and Tackle?" <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Take them with you if they want to stay on the Haul-o-caster. Any that want to risk staying with the Fleet, leave them on the Bait and Tackle." The Admiral said. "Tarkin's connections are with the Board of Discipline, but somehow Admiral Foster is involved too. You and your crew all have arrest warrants and bounties on your heads. They can stay and face trial if they want and I'll do my best to help them. The bastards have issued a warrant for me too, but my family has enough clout that there is no way it'll stick. I wish I could extend that protection to you and your crew, but other than Commander Barona who is covered because she is my niece, the family's name won't help them. Legal support is all we can offer." </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The plan was a simple one, because simple works best. The Captain of the Bait and Tackle would take care of secretly loading Hauley's cargo onto the Golden Screw. He still credits the Haul-o-caster with saving his ship and his life, and is happy to be able to return the favor. The Golden Screw takes off heading back towards the jump point towards the former location of Otford Station, as if they were heading for Morgan space. </div><div><br /></div><div>While all the commotion is going on, one of Bait and Tackle's crew releases the docking clamps to the Haul-o-caster, and as soon as we get the signal, we run like hell. The Bait and Tackle already had us fueled and our water tanks full. The crew was probably going to be down to ration bars soon, but that was fine with me. As soon as we met up with the Golden Screw, we would be resupplied.</div><div><br /></div><div>I pulled the crew together and gave them the bad news. </div><div><br /></div><div>"It won't be the first time I've been on the run." Said Lt. Tine. "It's not so bad once you get used to it."</div><div><br /></div><div>Shelly sniffed, she had tears rolling down her face. How is it fair for someone so beautiful to get even more beautiful when she cries. "I'm... my mom, what will she think?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Aw Shells," Barns put an arm around her to comfort her, "We'll figure out how to get a letter to your mum explaining everything. She'll understand." It was almost a comical picture. The tiny, fine-boned, Barns struggling to comfort the tall, shapely, Shelly almost twice her size. "Besides, it'll be exciting! I'm in!"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm staying with the Haul-o-caster if it's all the same to you Captain." Cmdr. Barona said, "I know my family would go out of their way to protect me. Hell, they would probably enjoy poking the BoD in the eye, belligerency tends to run in my family, but for that to happen I would have to return to Morganite space and never leave the family estates. It would be so boring. Besides, there is no way I'm leaving you guys in a lurch. I love you guys."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I got nowhere to go." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn added in turn. "I was just an orphan street rat, surviving as best as I could before I joined the fleet. I never fit in very well. The Admiral noticed that I was struggling and offered me this job. For the first time in my life, I feel like I really belong somewhere. I'm staying!"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Then the Chief took his turn. "I'll answer for PO Smart and myself." He looked over at the Petty Officer, "If that's Ok."</div><div><br /></div><div>PO Smart nodded.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The Petty Officer and I are staying." Chief Williamson continued. "Neither one of us was comfortable with all the rules and regulations in the Fleet. An engineer shouldn't have to file an engineering plan and have it signed off on by both Fleet Engineering and the Captain before doing simple maintenance. We were both turned down when we requested Outside work because competent engineers are in such high demand in the Fleet. When Admiral Thomas gave us this opportunity, we jumped at it, and neither one of us regrets it. Oh, and Captain, using sleeping bags and bungee cords to get through a rough jump like that, that was genius!"</div><div><br /></div><div>I looked around at my crew. I hadn't expected any of them to stay. Sure, they were all facing problems at home, but staying with me was like turning their backs on their own people. There was no guarantee that they would ever be able to go home. The bounties are also a big unknown. Morganites aren't known for putting bounties on people. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I have never heard of Morganites putting bounties on people. I have heard of a Morganite expat who could never go back to Morgan space because of a warrant, but even he didn't have a bounty that I know of." I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It is not unknown," Lt. Tine replied. "but it is usually only extends to the borders of Morgan space. To the Morganite people, once someone is outside Morganite space, they no longer matter. An arrest warrant would surely stay active indefinitely in case any of us tried to return, but they normally wouldn't bother sending Morganite bounty hunters outside Morgan space, and it would be illegal to contract with non-Morganite bounty hunters. Even a few ships of my former sect managed to escape Morgan space without being pursued, and the hatred for the Scientists is still prevalent in the church, Fleet, and the secular government."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I didn't know some of you escaped." Shelly said excitedly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Now that you know, do you plan on contacting your family so they can resurrect the Grand Sport?" Lt. Tine asked calmly. </div><div><br /></div><div>Shelly seemed shaken. "The Grand Sport ended before I was born."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I was there." Lt. Tine said. It sounded like mere statement of fact, yet the effect it had on Shelly was terrible.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Why do you think I'm here? I'm not escaping Morganism, I'm escaping my family." Shelly was practically in tears. "You know they still sit around talking about the old days, rehashing old battles, arguing over scores? Even me. My favorite book growing up was a Grand Sport ship specification picture book. When the truth came out, I didn't believe it, so I found a way to get a copy of the evidence. Even then I thought the evidence was doctored, until a cousin of mine pointed out that we had a copy in our family databanks. The evidence was in our family databanks the whole time. You know what I found? The official evidence was edited after all. The part that was cut out was my family celebrating. My family, some of them I grew up with and saw on our family ship every day, were there. They took part in the slaughter of the survivors."</div><div><br /></div><div>The whole ship went silent. Everyone was shocked by the revelation.</div><div><br /></div><div>"There were other survivors?" Lt. Tine asked quietly, even gently.</div><div><br /></div><div>"A few." Shelly buried her face in her hands. "Someone aboard the Mad Courser discovered a way of locating the life pods. The survivors were shared out to the five ships that were there. As far as I know, they were all killed."</div><div> </div><div>"There were five ships?" Lt. Tine asked. "I always believed there were only three."</div><div><br /></div><div>"There were five. I don't remember the names of the other ships. The Mad Courser was my family's ship. Two ships were edited out of the official evidence." Shelly answered "I tried to send copies of what I found to the authorities, but nobody would listen. When my family found out, they deleted the files and confined me to my quarters on the Mad Courser. It took months, but I was finally able to sneak off the ship while she was docked at a spaceport. Having no other place to go, I joined the Fleet and passed the Comm Officer test. I met Admiral Thomas in an elevator and he asked me why I joined the Fleet. I guess he liked my answer because I was asked to join the crew of the Haul-o-caster. You have to believe me Lt. Tine, I had nothing to do with what happened to your people. I wasn't even born yet. I am so ashamed of what my people did."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well." Lt. Tine said. "Let it be known that I do not hold Shelly in any way responsible for the actions of her family, and I consider her a friend. Shelly, if you feel you still require forgiveness from me. I freely offer it."</div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Tines word seemed to have a dramatic effect upon Shelly. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, huh." She said, "I was brought up to believe that your people were unfeeling monsters. It seems that I can still be surprised by how wrong my family is."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, that's taken care of." Cmdr. Barona said, "Sorry to intrude on such a moment, but I think that either our signal to start the big escape is happening, or we're in serious trouble."</div><div><br /></div><div>I looked at the screens and indeed Cmdr. Barona was right. There were explosions on the destroyers that had been covering us.</div><div><br /></div><div>BOOM!</div><div><br /></div><div>"That would be the docking clamps to the Bait and Tackle." Cmdr. Barona said. "I didn't realize they were going to blow them though. Battle Stations!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"They probably wanted to give Bait and Tackle a way of denying that they were directly involved with letting us go." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn answered as he set us to condition one.</div><div><br /></div><div>I used all the commotion as an excuse to break out my favorite fake Pirate talk.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Avast ye planet lubbers, toss the bow line, cut the stern line! Shove us into the depths of dark briny space!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"What?" Yelled Barns from the helm.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Get us out of here Barns!" Cmdr. Barona helpfully translated.</div><div><br /></div><div>BOOM BOOM BOOM!</div><div><br /></div><div>"We are taking fire from the Lightning Captain." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn announced.</div><div><br /></div><div>"If we were the traitors and scallywags the liars made us out to be, we would return fire." I said, Pirate talk forgotten. "But we are not. It's up to you Barns, punch it. Get us out of here."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain!" Barns said as she pushed the throttle up past eighty percent. </div><div><br /></div><div>We shot off like a scalded puppy, barely missing a couple ships as we passed. At first, I thought Barns was being careless, then I noticed how hard she was concentrating, and how much trouble the Lightning was having following us. She was trying to scrape the Lightning off of our tail, and it was working.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, as we flipped around the Baskins I saw the retro-engines on the Lightning fire up. Barns had used Hauley's tighter turning radius to trick the Lightning's helmsperson into boxing themselves in. The Lightning barely missed ramming right into another ship. As it was, they would need maneuver time to get turned and had lost all of their momentum. Moments later, we broke out of the fleet formation into open space. We were free.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Is anyone else chasing us?" Barns asked excitedly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I see no further pursuit." Lt. Tine said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Agreed Captain, I don't see anyone else chasing us." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn agreed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Barns dropped us down to the sweet spot that she had discovered. She had us pointing towards the unstable jump point.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Where are we headed Barns?" I asked, wondering if she had a plan. We hadn't discussed a plan for after the escape other than to meet up with the Golden Screw where Otford Station used to be. I didn't know of a quick way to get there from the unstable jump point. Did Barns know something I didn't?</div><div><br /></div><div>"Your Pirate talk got me thinking Captain. How would a Pirate escape? By going somewhere his pursuers couldn't or wouldn't go. That's what Evil Pirate Jack would always do in the vids. He would head for a quazar or something." Barns explained.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barns! You know those are all just vid movies right? They are written and filmed by people who have never been to space. You can't fly through a quazar in real life!" Shelly said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I know that," I could hear from her voice that she was rolling her eyes, "BUT a vast majority of the Morganites in the fleet will also have seen those vids. So they won't question that we're heading for what might as well be the real-life equivalent. The best way to lie is to tell people what they already know. They are going to believe that's where we are heading. They know there is no chance of catching us. They know how much damage the Lightning took on that transit, and how little damage Haul-o-caster took. Would you be dumb enough to follow us?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barns, how are we going to get our supplies if we transit there? The Golden Screw won't wait around forever." I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Simple, we don't. We wait till the range is far enough and we change course and head for the transit to Otford Station." I was impressed. Barns came up with a pretty decent plan. Not foolproof or anything, but better than I could think of at the moment.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well Barns, make it so."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-61755441763389681372021-09-07T15:40:00.004-07:002021-09-07T15:40:56.300-07:00Miami Pete 29<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Space, it's big man. And people are tiny. And hungry. And thirsty.</div><div><br /></div><div>Food and water runs are something the Haul-o-caster has done a lot of. Various settlements on various planets with varying ability to support human life, and you get people begging for food.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pete both loved and hated food and water runs.</div><div><br /></div><div>He loved them because they made him feel like he was doing something good. Saving lives. Deep down, Pete longed to be a good person, a hero.</div><div><br /></div><div>He hated them because people suck. Actually getting paid for a food and water run ran less than 50%. People would promise the moon, because without food and water they were going to die, but when the skids met the tarmac, we were just as likely to see the barrel of a gun as we were payment promised.</div><div><br /></div><div>For Pete, a gun was preferable to pathetic begging. Way too often, we would set down only to find out the settlers had nothing to pay us with. They were just desperate people, hoping that once we were there they could figure out something to give us, or that we would drop off the load out of our hearts. Often they would line up the scrawny, starving children to yank on our heartstrings. That would make Pete so mad. He would rant about how irresponsible people would risk everything to settle on a planet without even finding out if it would sustain life or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>We finally stopped doing food and water runs when we showed up in time to watch another hauler drop kinetic weapons on a settlement. We were never able to find out what happened. Either the settlers couldn't pay what they promised, or they tried to take the load by force. We do know the settlers double-booked on the order so that might be part of it. It doesn't matter though, kinetic weapons can really do a number on a small settlement, and this far out on the rim, there is no justice. No police. When the other ship was done, there wasn't anyone left to deliver the load to.</div><div><br /></div><div>All of that is to explain why the Haul-o-caster is no longer set up to do food and water runs. We had to dock with the Bait and tackle for a day and a half to get water tanks fitted into cargo bays three and four. Shelly was on cloud nine. We, or at least I, caught her and that boyfriend of hers fooling around in some of the weirdest places. The funny part was, I was sneaking off to some hiding spot to get some alone time only to run into the two of them doing... well, you can imagine what they were doing. Finally in self defense, I dragged the two of them off to a reliable hiding spot, basically the maintenance access to the front landing skid, and fitted a locking mechanism on the hatch so nobody would have to accidentally trip over them while they were... you know. The other advantage of that spot was that it was insulated somewhat well. Better than one of the places they found that had them, unknowingly, right next to a central vent, piping their... sounds... throughout the entire ship.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me tell you, Cmdr. Barona was furious.</div><div><br /></div><div>I ran interference for them as much as I could, but really, discipline is the XO's job, so I could only do so much. Once I found them the perfect place to hide, everything got better.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The food and water run was almost fun. It started out all stern and down to business. "Haul-o-caster, set course to 193 point 239 point 6 and your speed to... what ever, booorrriinnnggg. Challenging the Lightning to a race was met with contempt, and I was told in no uncertain terms to follow orders and try not to stress my engines too hard. SO, I let Barns handle it. She was at the helm anyway. But... every so often, I wandered by and poked the speed up. Just a tick. And when Captain Sourpuss called on the comm to see why we sped up, I acted like I had no idea what he was talking about and suggested maybe that he had slowed down. </div><div><br /></div><div>It worked. Not at first though. Captain Sourpuss just got all grumpy, so I bumped the speed up one more tick. This went on for a while with me increasing speed by a little, and him calling and complaining and getting frustrated, then giving up and matching our speed. Until I finally pushed too far and the comm message consisted of "OH, Now it's ON!" and off we went. My order to Barns was precisely "Do not let Captain Sourpuss beat us." I think I shocked everyone by calling him that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once you get past a certain speed you reach a spot where even a small increase in speed, requires an inordinate amount of fuel. Most ships never run past that point unless they are being chased by pirates or something equally as horrible. On some ships, the top speed is artificially set so they can't go past that point. The ship that the Haul-o-caster got it's engines from, being a monstrosity of a ship, was one of those kinds of ships. Long before I came aboard, some enterprising "engineer" hacked the heck out of the engine management system and really messed things up. It fell on me, of course, to fix it. To do so, I had to go as far as reconfiguring some of the engine internals. Once that was done, I had to build a custom engine management system from scratch because there was nothing I could find that was even remotely like Hauley's new configuration. I'm still not completely happy with it, there are a couple flow regulators that don't quite have the flow characteristics that Hauley's setup need, and there are a few lines in the fuel system that induce cavitation where it isn't ideal, but it's serviceable. On the other hand, the Lightning is a well integrated, well designed ship. It has state of the art engines with state of the art engine management systems, all designed specifically to work together with perfect symmetry.</div><div><br /></div><div>BUT... the Haul-o-caster does have some big honkin engines. </div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually we received a call from Captain Sourpuss.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Lightning Actual on the comm Captain!" Announced Shelly. We weren't at condition anything, but for some reason practically the entire crew found excuses to congregate on the bridge to watch the show.</div><div><br /></div><div>"On the big screen Shelly." I told her.</div><div><br /></div><div>Up popped the image of one Captain Tarkin, Sourpuss on the big screen. "Can I help you Captain?" I asked, all sweet like.</div><div><br /></div><div>He couldn't help himself. His grimace of disapproval fell into a smile. "All right Haul-o-caster, you got us. We have to slow down or we won't have enough fuel reserves to make the Transition Point, let alone through it and all the way to the supply cache."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barns, are we pushing our engines?" I said with feigned shock. "I didn't even notice." </div><div><br /></div><div>"No Captain, we're only running at around seventy percent." Barns replied. I peeked. She wasn't even fibbing. We really could go faster, although not for long before being in the same low-fuel boat that the Lightning was in. Hauley's engines have been modified to be as efficient as I could make them, but not even Hauley could go that fast for long. As it was, I was pretty impressed. Usually, Pete and I wouldn't have dared to push Hauley to this speed for long because of a harmonic in one of the engines that I was never able to fix. The equipment to find and repair that sort of thing is expensive and hard to get ahold of this far out on the edge. Apparently, that harmonic was now gone. I silently raised a mental toast to the guys who rebuilt Hauley's engines. Sadly, those guys were on Otford station, and I probably would never have the chance to toast them in person.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Take us back down to fifty percent, and then match whatever pace Captain Tarkin sets." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Lightning out." Said Captain Tarking with an exasperated chuckle.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You know, I don't think he believes we were just at seventy percent." Barns said, and the bridge erupted in cheers and laughter.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We were shocked by what we found at the jump point. Two of the largest 'rus ships I had ever seen were stationed on either side of the point. 'rus ships don't usually sit anywhere. I have always imagined the 'rus to be very jittery, like someone who drank a few whole pots of coffee. Their ships were generally always moving. Not so these two behemoths. Individually, neither of them was as big as the Baskins, but when most 'rus ships aren't much bigger than a Destroyer, with a rare few being as big as a Cruiser, these were unprecedented.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I've heard rumors about these," Said Barns. "but I never believed them."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Set condition one Mr. Dorn." ordered Cmdr. Barona.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Belay that." I ordered quickly. "Get me Lightning."</div><div><br /></div><div>A few seconds later, Captain Tarkin was on my screen.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, Commander Barona suggested going to condition one, but I think we should play this more casual than that." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What do you have in mind?" Captain Tarkin asked. It probably shows how un-nerved Captain Tarkin was by the looming presence of the two 'rus ships that he asked for my advice.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It has been my experience that 'rus ships tend to ignore any ship that isn't threatening it. Condition one would automatically power up shields and weapons. If the 'rus notices, they might attack." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well, I will have to bow to your greater experience on these matter. We will not go to condition one, or two. Do you have any ideas on how to get through the transition point?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Best I can come up with is to ignore them."</div><div><br /></div><div>Strangely enough, it worked. The Two gigantic 'rus ships just sat there with no indication that they were anything more than derelicts. We scanned them with passive scanners and got nothing, but that wasn't surprising, that was normal for 'rus ships. I didn't want to risk trying an active scan. I've heard that the 'rus doesn't like when you do that.</div><div><br /></div><div>I pulled up the jump point stats on my screen. I noticed from the date on the entry that the info I had on this one was a few years stale. That couldn't be helped at this point. The data said this jump point trip should take thirty six seconds, and that it was mildly bumpy the entire way. Nothing too out of the ordinary there. </div><div><br /></div><div>The trip time was right on. The description was way off. I've been through literally thousands of jumps. Maybe tens of thousands. I almost always peek at the jump point stats before hand. They usually accurate on time, but as for the description it's subjective. What one person feels as a loop-dee-loop, or a wheeee - yes I have seen them described like that and much worse - another person might describe it differently. In the case of this jump "mildly bumpy" was absolutely false. This one was a meat grinder. When we were spit out the other side - precisely thirty six seconds later - the board was red. All red. Not a green light to be seen. </div><div><br /></div><div>Comms down. Engines down. Life support. Even artificial grav was down, which meant the gravitonic shields were down, which meant if this part of space had much in the way of radiation, we were getting it.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Damage control!" Cmdr. Barona announced loudly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll be working on getting power up." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, that's not your job." Cmdr. Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Stuff it Barona. We need every hand doing what they do best. You stay here and coordinate, nobody knows Hauley like I do."</div><div><br /></div><div>First was the reactor. The reaction chamber was down hard, but the control system was easy to bring back up by resetting breakers and rebooting. Looking through the logs, it became clear that the Haul-o-caster had been hit with a pretty serious energy spike. I heard of such a thing, but had never experienced it first hand. A quick diagnostic, and I sent PO Smart up to my cabin for the crate of relays that I stashed there before they cleared out our holds to make space for supplies. I tried to argue that my spares should stay on my ship, but the Admiral overruled me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately needing spares and knowing they were lightyears away in spite of what I wanted had me in a pretty foul mood.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily we had enough to get the reactor back online. Then we started working on getting power out to the rest of the ship. Nearly all the breakers on the ship were tripped, and a good number of the power relays were crispy. I had some spares, but nowhere near enough. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Get the dang comms up first, we need to find out if the Lightning made it and what her status is." I yelled. Chief Williamson and PO Smart really knew their stuff. They couldn't come close to keeping up with me, but I had to remind myself that they really hadn't been aboard Hauley all that long, and I practically rebuilt every single part of her over the years. I felt bad for yelling at them, but they managed.</div><div><br /></div><div>PO Smart insisted on doing the dirty work, crawling in the crawlspaces, pulling out bad parts and installing good ones. Chief Williamson worked in the shop pulling things apart and repairing what could be repaired. I bounced back and forth between them, being a knowledge resource for both and handling the really tricky stuff. Some of which Chief Williamson didn't even think were possible. Getting my hands dirty and fixing stuff let me work out my anger so that I could calm down.</div><div><br /></div><div>We got the comm system up, but Shelly wasn't able to raise the Lightning. So next, I worked on sensors. Like I always say, "Space, it's big man" I know you might think we could just look out a window and see the Lightning, but it doesn't really work that way. I mean, we did try, just in case she was close enough, but the reality is she probably wasn't going to be all that close. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next I figured we needed eyes, but because power relays were at a premium, instead of routing power to the sensors via a mainline power relay, I tapped off the comms system. It wasn't like we were going to try to crank up the comms system enough to talk to the other end of the galaxy, and we weren't going full active on the sensors. It gave us enough that we could use passive and low-energy near space sensors. They would have to be good enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>Life support and artificial grav were next. While it is fun to float around the ship like a ninny, it isn't conducive to getting work done. Besides, artificial grav and the gravitonic shields were basically one system, and only a fool runs around without gravitonic shielding. Radiation can be a bitch.</div><div><br /></div><div>The engine power system is pretty robust, it has to be with how big Hauley's engines are, so getting propulsion was relatively easy. Once the reactor was back up, it was just resetting the big honkin relays and wha-la! Propultion!</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, Lightning Actual on the comm for you." Shelly announced over the address system.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll take it in my quarters!" I said. Since I was near there and knew the workstation there worked.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Haul-o-caster, this is Lightning Actual, can you read me?" The voice was barely recognizable as Captain Tarkin.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Go ahead Captain, this is Haul-o-caster Actual. What is you condition?" I asked.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Everything is down. We're dead in the water." He said, "Crew has taken to the lifeboats for life support. I'm talking to you from the radio in one of the lifeboats. What is your condition?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Haul-o-caster is mostly back in business. We have a lot of blown relays, so we're having to jury rig power in places, but life support, comms, gravitonic shielding, and propulsion are all up. We don't have the parts to get sensors all the way up though. This would have been a walk in the park if my collection of spare components weren't left on the Bait and Tackle."</div><div><br /></div><div>"The mission comes first. You should probably leave us behind and carry on with the mission, the fleet will be hurting for those supplies by the time you return." Captain Tarkin didn't sound like himself, he sounded like he was giving up. It kinda made me mad.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Don't you be a quitter Captain. This mission ain't done yet, and you ain't done yet." I yelled at him. "So pull it together Sourpuss. What kind of crew complement do you have? I bet the Haul-o-caster has enough life support for both crews, and since we don't have to hit another jump point between us and this supply stash, we can dock with Lightning, add a few supports and get both ships there. I'm hoping this stash of yours has a nice fat cache of spare parts."</div><div><br /></div><div>"It should have everything we need."</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, one ship can pretty much tow another ship through space. It isn't as simple as just hooking up and going, but it isn't really all that bad. The Haul-o-caster has answered a few distress calls over the years, so I know that Hauley can handle towing around ships much larger than the Lightning. It helps to have big honkin engines.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Good, we'll figure out where you are and see about getting hooked up. Once you are aboard, we can toast to our fortune that we survived. Haul-o-caster out."</div><div><br /></div><div>By the time I reached the bridge, Lt Tine had already located the Lightning and he and Barns had course laid in and plans for how to maneuver us into position to dock. All I had to do was take a peek to make sure they got the math right, and say "Go".</div><div><br /></div><div>An hour later, I greeted Captain Tarkin at the airlock. We used the belly airlock. Lt. Tine and Barns thought it would be easier to use the nose airlock, but I overruled them. With the way Hauley's gravitonic shielding is designed and installed, with a little tweaking we were able to extend our shielding around the Lightning. That way, the Lightning's crew could continue with their repair efforts while we were in route without having to worry about radiation. Radiation in space doesn't really sound like that big a deal, especially in a world that includes such inventions as the autodoc. I should know, I soaked up enough rads to make a moon glow, but the autodoc still managed to fix me up. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Tarkin, welcome aboard." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Kid, on behalf of myself and my crew. Thank you." </div><div><br /></div><div>"We'll get the attachment point stiffened in the next hour, and then we should be ready to go." I replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Crew of the Lightning set up in cargo bay two, soon having it look just like a barracks. Cmdr. Barona insisted on giving up her quarters for the use of Captain Tarkin, and moving into our crew barracks. She said she didn't mind, but I'm sure it had Barns and Shelly walking on eggshells for a few days.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Lightning had the same problems that the Haul-o-caster had. Tripped Breakers and blown relays, as well as a few destroyed components. My tech crew and Lightning's tech crew put their heads together and started pulling everything that was bad, while making an efficient plan so that as soon as spares became available, Lightning would be back up as quickly as possible.</div><div><br /></div><div>All this time, I was a little confused about this stash. How do we even know it'll be there when we get there. Frankly, anything that's left in space, even if you tie it down, is bound to walk off as soon as your back is turned. Turns out I was wrong though. The stash wasn't so much a bunch of useful stuff left floating in space. It was more like a space station. Complete with space station crew, repair facilities, a couple farming domes to provide food. I let Captain Tarkin make the initial introductions and line things up. Soon we had Lightning placed in a repair bay, and docked Hauley to an external airlock. We probably could have done with a repair bay, but really, all we needed were parts and we would be fine.</div><div><br /></div><div>Repairs took a few days, but we were soon back in fighting shape. The Lightning took a little longer, but not much. Another day and both ships were loaded to the gills with the supplies needed by the fleet. </div><div><br /></div><div>The stash station, on the other hand, tried to be more Morganite than the Morganites. I had been looking forward to stretching my legs and letting my crew stretch theirs too, but nope, we weren't allowed off the ship. The water was first rate, it always pays to check water quality at a new station that you hadn't docked at before. The food stuffs were incredible. Nothing alcoholic or caffeinated was offered though, which was a surprise. No stimulants at all really. I asked Barona what the deal was and she was as shocked as I was. Yea, the Morganites frown upon drunkenness, but even Morgan home world doesn't ban alcohol, and the fleet is practically fueled on coffee, tee, and other caffeinated beverages. Mother Ahmisa was finally able to give me an answer, insisting it was "off the books". Apparently, just like outside work is used as a release valve for those who feel too constrained by Morgan laws, they also have various settlement projects available to the more devout branches of Morganism. This station was one of those. These people lived their beliefs without any outside interference. They are financed through the Morganite government. The only requirement is that they run this stash station and provide supplies, repairs, and help to Morganites who are outside. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Lightning even took on a small Outside Captain and crew who had managed to limp their ship here, only to find it was too far gone to repair, so they were stranded for the last year and a half. The station was more than happy to get rid of the Outsiders.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"So Captain Tarkin, have you thought of how we're going to rejoin the fleet without killing ourselves by going through that jump point again?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, we might just have to chance it." He said. I could tell he didn't like the idea.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, Lt. Tine and I have put our heads together and come up with an alternate route." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I've looked, there is no alternate route that won't take us months, if not years out of our way."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Perhaps on your charts there isn't, but the Haul-o-caster has been around the block a few times." I said, then whispered dramatically. "We know a few jump points that aren't exactly on the usual charts." </div><div><br /></div><div>Jump points vary in quality and strength. When a jump point is weak, it is not only harder to detect, it is also harder to navigate without losing the jump stream. They also tend to take longer to transit. Not always, but usually. If a ship loses a jump stream mid-jump, there is no telling where they might end up. It's not like they get lost in jump space or anything, those are just old spacers tales. Their ship just gets booted out somewhere along the stream. That doesn't always mean somewhere along the linear path between jump point and destination either. A ship that loses it's stream could end up practically anywhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>A jump point that is unstable, or less-stable is also a possibility. Some of them are downright dangerous and can crush a ship, others provide a rougher ride than most ships are able or willing to put up with. Some are obvious, because the entry point hops around a bit in space. Not far or anything, just a few thousand kilometers this way or that. Unpredictable, but not impossible to transit. Others appear deceptively stable, until you get into them. Regardless, how the entry point behaves has no correlation to how rough the transit will be. Unstable jumps are always rough, just not always dangerously so. </div><div><br /></div><div>These weak and unstable jump points are usually only used by the desperate, and the seedier side of society. Criminals, pirates, malcontents, runaway indents. Pete and I took advantage of them from time to time in order to make time and finish runs more quickly. The jump point maps you trade for on a space station will have every jump point the space station knows about, but most ship nav systems won't show the weak or unstable ones unless you enable them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Tine and I found a route back that would only add an extra week to our journey, and require three jumps instead of two, but Lt. Tine didn't like it one bit because one of those jumps was weaker than Morganite Fleet policy allowed, and the other one was listed as dangerously unstable. I argued, pointing out that weak points were usually far more dangerous for larger ships. Our ships were small, so we should be fine. What I didn't tell him is that Pete and I took the Haul-o-caster through the unstable jump point a few times. It was one of the ones we set the course, then turned off artificial grav and rode out the entire ten minute jump in sleeping bags suspended on all for corners by bungee cords. </div><div><br /></div><div>I made sure to requisition enough sleeping bags and bungee cords for the whole crew from the stash, to be delivered to the airlock instead of the cargo bay. When the order came in, Cmdr. Barona asked about them I just said "you'll see" with a wink and a smile. I think I might have overdone it a bit because the look on Cmdr. Barona's face suggested she was looking at a crazy person.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once repairs were completed, we were on our way.</div><div><br /></div><div>The trip to the first jump point only took a few days. I used the time to have Chief Williamson and PO Smart add hookups for the crew's sleeping bag/bungee cord arrangement. I didn't let on what they were for, just gave the spec I wanted and said to get to it. With a smile, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div>That first transit was as easy as I expected. Neither the Haul-o-cast nor the Lightning had any problem following the weak jump.</div><div><br /></div><div>The trip to the second jump point took us across a previously uninhabited system. It sure wasn't uninhabited now. The new owners demanded tribute for using their system. They weren't on any major trade route or anything having only a weak jump point on one side, and a normal jump point on the other side. Even if it were possible to strengthen the weak point, this system wouldn't see all that much more traffic. It's jump points didn't go anywhere of any consequence.</div><div><br /></div><div>Captain Tarkin paid the tribute anyway. I tried to warn him that this kind of tribute demand was routinely ignored by ships passing through, and that now that a Morganite ship had paid the tribute, every Morganite ship that came through could look forward to greater and greater demands. I had always wondered why system governments still demanded tribute. As I'm fond of saying, Space, it's big man, so for a system government to try to enforce the paying of tribute would mean they would need a huge number of very fast, heavily armed ships. This puny little system had none of that. On top of that, if they did get lucky enough to catch a tribute-jumper out in open space, what would they do to them? Any kind of forced taking would be considered piracy by a vast majority of spacers, even if they left the ship and crew intact. If the system gets a reputation for piracy, no reputable freight haulers or traders would bother going there. There are too many better places to trade. That means no import, and no exports. At that point, the system better be self sufficient if they want to survive.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Morganites are different though. The Morganites get away with all of this for a couple reasons. First, they never ask for tribute. They just turn people around and send them back out of Morganite space. The Morganite fleet will even provide assistance if your ship is unable to leave. Second, if you step out of line, try to sneak past them, or ignore their demands, the Morganite fleet will just blast you out of space. No boarding, no confiscating, just blasting. Nobody considers them Pirates - other than a few spaceport bar loudmouths - because Morganites don't take anything. They pat you on your head and send you back out of Morganite space, or they blast you. Only idiots enter Morganite space with nefarious intent.</div><div><br /></div><div>We finally reached the next jump point. This one was on the lower end of the power spectrum, but still well within the bounds of normal. Stats told us the transit was relatively smooth, although it took sixty three seconds. That was fine.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once I got word from Captain Tarkin that he, and Lightning, would go first, I waited my turn. Yep, the jump took precisely sixty three seconds, and for once the stats didn't lie. That jump was smooth as glass. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our run to the next jump point was a pretty long one. Captain Tarkin surprised me by setting a pretty brisk pace. Until now, we were having to hold Hauley back below fifty percent to match speed with the Lightning. I knew the Lightning could cruise faster, I had seen it, but ever since we left the stash, Captain Sourpuss was setting a slower pace than usual. I figured it must be some Morganite thing,</div><div>so I didn't push him about it. Now for some reason he decided to push it.</div><div><br /></div><div>We made good time, and was at the jump point a few days ahead of schedule. This was the unstable jump, so I started whistling an old Pirate shanty and tossing out orders using my very best bad pirate imitation. "Avast ye planet lubbers, rig the boat for heavy seas!" I ordered. "Strike the grav and heave too. Set a course for the brimey deep and beyond!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain? Are you well?" Cmdr. Barona asked, worried.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Aw, c'mon Barona. We're about to hit some heavy turbulence, and this is the only way to get through this jump without rattling your back teeth out. Everybody! Grab a bag and some bungees and get them hung up like I did this one right here!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"This isn't Morganite procedure for transiting an unstable matrix. Morganite procedure is to go to condition one and everyone stand their station. What is all this for?"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Commander Barona. This isn't a Morganite ship, and you will follow my orders." I said, with a little more heat than I intended to. "I've been through this particular monster a few times. I tried to warn Captain Tarkin but he wouldn't listen. That's on him. As for my ship, and my crew, we're doing it my way. Do I make myself clear?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain," Cmdr. Barona said, and then turned around and started issuing orders.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Aw c'mon Barona. Do the Pirate thing! This is totally a pirate-type thing we are doing here. At least try to have a little fun!"</div><div><br /></div><div>She didn't.</div><div><br /></div><div>Guess she didn't have it in her.</div><div><br /></div><div>By the time Captain Sourpuss called to tell us they were ready to transit the jump point, I had the crew all strung up in their comfy sleeping bags except for me, PO Smart, Shelly, and Barona. Our sleeping bags were close by, and PO Smart rigged a relatively small remote that I could use to shut down the artificial grav and send Hauley through the jump point.</div><div><br /></div><div>The trip was just as rough as I remembered. We had everything battened down, the artificial grav was off, and the crew was safely zipped into their bouncy bags, so while our ride was a bouncy one, it wasn't the bone-jarring ride that we would have had. </div><div><br /></div><div>We could easily tell when we exited the jump because the ship calmed down and quit shaking. I was the first out of my bag, and hopped to the helm controls to get the ship stabilized and back on course. The light board was... mostly... green, there were a few red lights but nothing too catastrophic. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Mayday, mayday, this is the Morganite Ship Lightning, anyone in the vicinity please respond and render aid." Came a voice from the comm system.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona ran over to the comm console. "This is Haul-o-caster, what is your status?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Haul-o-caster, we thought you were destroyed. Half the crew is injured, all our systems are down." the voice said, it was a young man's voice and he sounded like he was about to cry.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Haul-o-caster came through just fine." Barona reassured the young crewman. "We have you on sensors and we will dock with you shortly to render aid. How is Captain Tarkin, is he available?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"He's, I haven't seen him yet. We were at condition one when we entered the matrix. When the shaking started, things started falling apart. The Captain was hit on the head and Lieutenant Tanner took him to sick bay."</div><div><br /></div><div>While Cmdr. Barona was calming the young crewman down, I got the Haul-o-caster organized. We had only one injury, Barns unzipped to get a peek at what was going on during the transit and was accidentally bounced right out of her bag. The injury didn't look all that bad, so I sent her to the autodoc to get it patched up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Soon we were, once again, docked with the Lightning. The young crewman hadn't been exaggerating, nearly every system was down. There were also a lot of injuries. I don't know what Captain Tarkin had been thinking, it didn't look like the crew of the Lightning had secured anything. The galley was a particularly huge mess, with broken dishes and silverware strewn about. By Contrast, Hauley's galley came through without a single broken dish.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Kid! I hold you personally responsible for this!" Yelled Captain Tarkin when we finally located him. "What were you thinking telling us we could make it through that thing?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"You made it, right?" I answered, "And don't you dare try to push this off on me. I warned you that this was a rough crossing, and told you that you needed to lock everything down." </div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually, Chief Williamson and PO Smart, along with the Lightning's own engineering crew, managed to get the Lightning's power back on line and put them well along the path to getting the rest of the systems up and running, so they were sent back to the Haul-o-caster. Upon their return, Chief Williamson asked to see Cmdr. Barona, Mother Ahmisa, and me in private.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I'm worried. Captain Tarkin is talking about having Haul-o-caster's entire crew arrested and charged with dereliction of duty."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Can he do that?" I asked the three of them.</div><div><br /></div><div>"He's the commander of the mission, so yes, he can write the charges." Mother Ahmisa said, "Although since the crew are Morganites, we have certain protections. He can't try us without three Captains to form a Captain's mast. You on the other hand, Captain, since you aren't a Morganite, he can try you himself, and there isn't much we can do about it."</div><div><br /></div><div>"If he does this, when he convicts me - and he will because he's already made his mind up - what does that mean, what can he do?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Dereliction of duty is usually either a reduction of rank or removal from the Fleet." Mother Ahmisa answered, "The cases I have read about where it's a ship's Captain on a mission, that has at times included being beached on the nearest habitable planet."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral Thomas would never put up with this." Cmdr. Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"That we shall see." Mother Ahmisa said. </div><div><br /></div><div>As expected the final foot fell and Captain Tarkin sent a message to Cmdr. Barona ordering her to take command of the Haul-o-caster, and hand me over to the Lightning on the charges of dereliction of duty, and gross negligence during a condition one status in wartime.</div><div><br /></div><div>Barona was between a rock and a hard place. Captain Tarkin was in command of the mission, and therefor was in her chain of command and outranked her. So she was compelled to obey his orders by her oath. On the other hand, she didn't agree with the charges, so she promised to testify for me at my Captain's mast.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was arrested and put in chains. The whole idea of being chained up like an animal struck me as humorous. We were on a ship, out in space, and I was surrounded by people, most of them much larger than me. I expected to be confined to a brig or something, but I was immediately taken to the Captain's office where I was dragged in front of the Captain's desk by two men. I didn't know their names, but one was the XO of the Lightning, and I believe the other was her tactical officer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Captain Tarkin's office was much nicer than mine, with a desk made of actual wood, paintings on the wall and shelves with actual books. I had only seen three real printed books in my entire lifetime. Everything was on datapads these days. Having actual paper and ink books was a luxury that very few could afford. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Former Captain Kid, you are hereby charged with dereliction of duty in wartime, and sabotage. How do you plea?" Captain Tarkin asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was confused. "Isn't there a trial, when do I get to call witnesses?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Captain Tarkin laughed. "You are a thing. Did some digging through the regulations on this, and they are clear. Cyborgs who, through their own actions or on the order of another, cause serious harm to a ship or crew members, while on a mission during time of war, may be dealt with in any way that the Commander of the mission desires. We've already spent too much time on this, toss her out an airlock, we have a mission to complete!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, are you sure..." started the tactical officer, but he was cut off by the XO.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Belay that. Do not question your Captain's orders!" Then he grabbed my arm hard and shook it. It should have hurt, but I was in shock. They were going to throw me out an airlock! I have the feeling that because of my cyber device, I can survive things that people usually couldn't, but I really didn't think that included being chucked into space. </div><div><br /></div><div>I tried to fight, but these were two big men, and in spite of being pretty strong for a skinny girl. I was nowhere near strong enough to fight off one of these men, let alone two.</div><div><br /></div><div>"XO, Please. This is wrong." The tactical officer said, "The Captain is relying on regulations that were written for violent prisoners who were pacified using a cyber device, not for ships Captains."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Greg, you talk too much." The XO said, "Shut up, and we'll carry out the Captain's commands, to the letter. It will be ok, I've already seen to it."</div><div><br /></div><div>"But.."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Do you trust me Greg? We've been through a lot together you and I. We've managed to keep this crew together and keep morale up in spite of... In spite of what's going on. Don't worry, we'll survive this too. As long as you can keep your mouth shut, and I know you can, I've got this."</div><div><br /></div><div>The two kept dragging me towards the airlock, or an airlock anyway. A couple crew members followed asking the XO what was going on, but he ordered them back to their stations."</div><div><br /></div><div>For a second, I thought that maybe they were taking me somewhere other than an airlock and my hopes soared, only to be crashed again when I saw we were heading towards one of the cargo airlocks near the back of the ship instead.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we got there, a young woman wearing civilian clothes, but with a pin with the Lightning's ship insignia on it came out from behind a crate carrying something. It must have been their ship's Mother, I was surprised by how young she was. The XO and tactical officer let go of my arms, and started unchaining my hands and feet. </div><div><br /></div><div>"This is just a shipsuit, but it's a good one and should protect you for a few minutes. Put it on under your clothes in case the Captain decides to watch your execution. We are in a dead-spot here, so he won't see. Albert, Greg, turn away." The young Mother said.</div><div><br /></div><div>I did as she asked and stripped out of my uniform quickly, donned the thin shipsuit, and then re-dressed in my uniform. The design on the shipsuit was a familiar one. All I would have to do was pull the hood over my head and zip it. Other than my head, I would be double protected because when we designed the Haul-o-caster's uniforms, we designed them to be shipsuits, but ours required an external hood, and I didn't have one with me. I vowed that if I survived this, I was redesigning the uniform. I know that Barona didn't like the idea of a uniform with an attached hood, but I liked dying in space much less.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, because the actual airlock was not in a video blind spot I was re-chained, and the XO and tactical officer of the Lightning unceremoniously dumped me in the airlock and once the inner doors were sealed, opened the outer doors and dumped me into space.</div><div><br /></div><div>I barely had time to get my hood zipped.</div><div><br /></div><div>I floated in space for what seemed like an eternity. Just when it started getting hard to breathe, and I was sure that something went wrong with the XO's plan, I felt something grab my leg. When I opened my eyes, I saw PO Smart in one of the maintenance suits dragging me into one of Hauley's maintenance airlocks. I was saved.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Welcome back Captain." Cmdr. Barona said as I was unzipping the shipsuit and gasping for breath in the, now thankfully repressurized, airlock. "I had no idea that Captain Tarkin would dare to do something so extreme. You have to believe me." I could tell she was upset.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, Thanks to some friends on the Lightning, I'm not dead. So let's call this one a win and move on. I can tell we are under way. What's our status?"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Officially, I'm acting Captain." Cmdr. Barona said, "We've kept your rescue from most of the crew, only PO Smart, Barns, Mother Ahmisa, and I know you've been executed and rescued. Everyone else still thinks you are in Lightning's brig. We kept this quiet to protect the rest of the crew. What they don't know, they can't be charged for. We would have kept it from PO Smart and Barns, but we needed someone to fly the ship and PO Smart caught us as we were trying to get the maintenance suit working. Good thing too, because it's a new model that I am unfamiliar with."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Don't worry Captain," PO Smart reassured me. "I was down here trying to come up with way of springing you from the Lightning when I ran into Cmdr. Barona and Mother Ahmisa and they told me you had been tossed into space. They didn't tell me you had a shipsuit under your uniform, I half expected to be pulling in a dead body... No offence."</div><div><br /></div><div>"None taken. Apparently, the Morganite Fleet considers me a thing, not a person. So who am I to take offence?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Not the Morganite Fleet Captain." Mother Ahmisa said, "Just a group of misguided fools. Admiral Thomas will take care of them as soon as we get back to Vanguard. Until then, we need to keep your presence a secret. I am outside the Morganite Fleet chain of command, if you are discovered I will swear that I rescued you myself, and nobody else on the ship knows of your presence here. Hopefully, that will shield the crew from repercussions. It's a scant hope, but it's better than nothing."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain!" Shelly interrupted as she ran down the corridor. "We just got a comm from Captain Tarkin on the Lightning, we are all being relieved of duty. He's coming! Barns is pretending like she forgot how to stop the ship and keeps speeding up, but the Lightning is keeping up with us."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Guess the gig is up." I said as I walked over to a console and hit the ship wide button, "Battle Stations! Set condition one!"</div><div><br /></div><div>We ran to the bridge. Shelly took her place at comm. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Punch it Barns." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Punching it Captain!" Barns smiled, "Welcome back aboard."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Don't smile yet Barns, we still all might die in a fiery explosion, or get executed by a mad man." Cmdr. Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Can I skip the executed part? I already did that once today. It was not as fun as you might think."</div><div><br /></div><div>Barns had indeed punched it. I looked over and saw we were pushing around eighty five percent on the throttle, and Barns was making minor adjustments while looking at her screen. Bump it up a bit, look, bump it back down a bit, look.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What are you doing Barns?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Trying to find the perfect sweet spot Captain. There is a spot where she hits the most speed while still maintaining some semblance of fuel economy. Don't get me wrong, she's still guzzling it down like a madwoman, but we'll get a little further this way... I hope. THERE! Got it."</div><div><br /></div><div>She had indeed. It was as if the fuel and engine system was balanced just right on that spot. A little more throttle and economy would go to heck, A little less throttle, and once again, heck. The throttle was just a bump shy of eighty five percent. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I noticed this when we were playing with the Lightning on the way out. Never seen a ship do this before." Barns said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I thought we only got to seventy percent that time." </div><div><br /></div><div>"We did, but when we were doing that, I was looking at the engine performance graphs. Did you know, not long before I joined the crew, someone powered the ship up to full power? That had to be ridiculously fast!"</div><div><br /></div><div>It was. I remembered that day. Watching Otford come apart. 'rus on a rampage killing everyone. It was not a good day. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes, it was fast." was all I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily, we managed to get out ahead of the Lightning, and slowly pulled away. Captain Tarkin tried missiles, but we outran them, he tried his blaster cannons, but with how small his ship was, they just weren't powerful enough to do anything worthwhile. We made finally made it back to the fleet a couple hours ahead of the Lightning. I immediately contacted Admiral Thomas from my quarters.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Kid, that sure was an interesting arrival, are you being pursued? Where is the Lightning?"<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral, yes we are being pursued. It is the Lightning that is doing the pursuing. I'm requesting to dock with the Bait and Tackle, so I can offload your supplies, onload my things, and then I'm done with Morganites for good. No offence."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What? What happened?" </div><div><br /></div><div>Another voice came on the comm channel. "This is Mother Ahmisa. Sorry Captain, sorry Admiral. I normally wouldn't break in like this, but it is my duty to protect the crew of this ship. Captain Tarkin had Captain Kid arrested and charged her with sabotage, even though the damage to his ship was caused by his own incompetence rather than any action on her part. In contravention to Captain Tarkin's orders, I rescued Captain Kid. I am asking for a summary judgement on behalf of the crew that they are innocent. I offer my life in exchange."</div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral sighed. "Can we just all agree to settle down here for a second? Nobody is getting charged with anything or exchanging their lives or quitting and leaving until I've had a calm conversation with everyone involved and know what's going on. For now, Captain Kid, you have permission to dock with the Bait and Tackle. We need those supplies. I'm sending a couple of destoyers who's Captains I trust implicitly to cover your back till we get to the bottom of this. Admiral Thomas out."</div><div><br /></div><div>I walked out to the bridge and gave the order to dock with the Bait and Tackle, and ordered hatches to be sealed so that the Bait and Tackle could offload the supplies, but nobody could get aboard the Haul-o-caster. Then I posted guards for good measure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not long after, the Lightning showed up. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, Captain Tarkin of the Lightning on the comm for you." Shelly announced.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Really? He's calling ME of all people? Feel free to put him through right to hell."</div><div><br /></div><div>"He's ordering me to put you on Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shelly, Captain Tarkin is no longer in your chain of command." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn calmly explained to her. "Do as the Captain said... or at least, decline the connection, as I believe the Captain was speaking figuratively rather than literally."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes sir." She said. I could tell that she was pretty intimidated by Captain Tarkin, and wondered what he was saying to her.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, permission to go speak to Mother Ahmisa, please." Shelly begged. He must have really gotten to her.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Shelly, feel free to go. Lt. Cmdr. Dorn, would you mind manning the comm station for now? I know it's outside of your usual job description, but it sounds like someone is not being nice, and I get the impression you can handle that."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain. Request permission to handle that with extreme prejudice?" He smiled, but it was the grin of someone about to do violence, if only verbally in this case.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Knock yourself out." I smiled.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few minutes later, Lt. Cmdr. Dorn announced. "Admiral on the conn for you Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>"On screen."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Kid," the Admiral said, "Captain Tarkin is leveling some pretty serious accusations against you and your crew. He says you sabotaged his ship, trying to get it destroyed while transiting on two separate occasions during your mission. He says on both occasions, your ship received little to no damage, while his ship was almost destroyed. Do you have an answer for this?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Feel free to look at my damage control logs, and my transit logs and match them to his transit logs Admiral. We both did the same jumps, our ships received the same amount of punishment. Haul-o-caster was prepared, Lightning was not. I would be happy to forward you recordings of my conversation with Captain Tarkin, practically begging him to batten down his ship and modify procedure to protect his crew during the last transit, a transit we made in order to deliver supplies to the Vanguard Fleet and complete our mission, but he refused my advice. I demand that any charges against my crew for following my orders to rescinded and stricken from their records."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Please forward those records to me." The Admiral said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Lt. Cmdr. Dorn?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Forwarding now Captain." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn said. "You should be receiving them now Admiral."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well, I will go over these and contact you if there is anything more that I need. Admiral Thomas out." </div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-10069880828070020312021-09-02T10:04:00.762-07:002021-09-03T09:06:16.315-07:00Miami Pete 28<p> In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The transition seemed to be going fine as far as I could see, but Cmdr. Barona was furious.</div><div><br /></div><div>"He isn't leaving a rear guard. He's taking all of his combat ships through first, leaving the non-combat ships completely unprotected. He's leaving Bait and Tackle at the very back of the formation with it's ass hanging out. He took his own ship through first, no scout, not even a frigate, when the Polly Bont is right here and ready to go..."</div><div><br /></div><div>I cut her off. "Lt. Commander Dorn. Set alert to condition one."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain!" Lt. Cmdr. Dorn got on shipwide. "Battle stations, battle stations, this is not a drill. The ship is now at condition one. Battle Stations!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Did you see something Captain? What's going on?" Cmdr. Barona asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Polly Bont going to condition one." Shelly informed the bridge.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Nope, just got a feeling. This smells rotten fishy, and the best time to handle rotten fishy is before it stinks up your whole house." I said. I was probably being too paranoid, but it's better to be alive and too paranoid than dead and not paranoid enough. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Polly Bont on comm Captain. They want to know what's happening." Shelly said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Tell them what I said."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Polly Bont agrees, suggests we take up rear guard position on Fleet Train."</div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't sure what that was exactly, but I'm sure my crew did.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Do it."</div><div><br /></div><div>With that, the Polly Bont which is only minimally armed, relying on armor and speed rather than firepower, and the Haul-o-caster which might as well be unarmed for all the good our civilian grade weapons would do, took up rear guard positions for Fleet Train.</div><div><br /></div><div>I watched the last of the combat ships transition away. "Keep your eyes peeled everyone, if anything is going to happen, it'll be now."</div><div><br /></div><div>BAM!</div><div><br /></div><div>I hate being right when I'm being all paranoid.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't know how, but a dozen 'rus ships fell on the rear of Fleet Train. Thankfully they weren't any of the really big ones. Just smaller ones, but those are bad enough. Captain Gunn pushed the Polly Bont right out front and opened fire, making herself the primary target.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Fleet Train, this is Polly Bont Actual declaring a state of emergency. I am hereby assuming command. All non-combat ships are to transition retreat protocol. Q-ship to join the rear guard. Haul-o-caster fall back behind Q-ship and provide whatever help you are able to. If it gets to hot for you, do not hesitate to run for the hills."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Big Truck destroyed. Bait and Tackle lost engines." Shelly kept up a steady, calm, report on the fight. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Lt. Commander Dorn, if you aren't already doing so. Start firing whatever we got. User your best judgement!"</div><div><br /></div><div>The Haul-o-castor shook. We were hit pretty hard. Lights flashing, and the harsh smell of and electronic fire filled the bridge. I tried to get up but Cmdr. Barona pushed me back down in to my Captain's chair. "Your place is here Captain, they need you. My place is handling damage control."</div><div><br /></div><div>I sat, feeling woefully useless.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I watched, one of the freighters pushed forward... forward?.. into the position of rear guard and split in half. Not like it was hit and blowing up. The other direction. Port and Starboard opened away from each other as if there was a giant hinge along the bottom of the ship. It looked like the ship was transforming itself into a rather large weapons platform.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Get us behind that thing! Cover it's flank as best as we can!" I shouted. We moved.</div><div><br /></div><div>I watched as the Polly Bont was pummeled with fire, sometimes so much so that she was lost in the flash of 'rus weapons hits. Each time I expected only a debris field when when the fire abated, only to see the Polly Bont emerge again and again. Damaged, yes, but still in one piece, and still in the fight.</div><div><br /></div><div>Soon, Fleet Train was mostly through the transition point, but Bait and Tackle slowly drifted in space.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, orders from Polly Bont are to make a fighting withdrawal to the Bait and Tackle and provide cover while they get enough repairs done to escape through the transition point and escape. We are to go with her when she does.</div><div><br /></div><div>It didn't happen though. Sure, we fell back to the Bait and Tackle, as did both the Q-ship and the Polly Bont, as ordered. The fight there was intense. With the Polly Bont playing punching bag and the Q-ship, I later found out it's name was John Q. Public which I still find hilarious, providing heavy fire, we ended up destroying eight of the twelve 'rus ships, with all of them receiving at least some damage. The 'rus finally gave up. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I said "we" destroyed eight, I mean the John Q. Public destroyed most of them. The Polly Bont spent the fight being too busy getting it's ass kicked to do much, but she did manage to take one as it swung by, trying to get an angle on the Bait and Tackle. Haul-o-caster managed to land the final blow on two, but who am I kidding, without the John Q. Public softening them up, we wouldn't have stood a chance. </div><div><br /></div><div>The three of us stayed, frantically doing damage control as the Bait and Tackle struggled to repair itself enough to get moving. That would have struck me as funny, if it weren't so serious. The Bait and Tackle is the fleet tender. It's supposed to be repairing other ships, not itself. All we could do was provide cover and wait.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, something is inbound through the jump point." Shelly announced.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, I would say battle stations, but look, Lt. Commander Dorn is so efficient, we are already there." I said. Yes, it was cheesy but I couldn't help myself. We were still at condition one from when the 'rus attacked.</div><div><br /></div><div>We waited, practically holding our breath, wondering what would appear. </div><div><br /></div><div>It turned out to be a frigate. The Happy Warrior. I recognized it from the Vanguard fleet because it's crew had painted it a gold color with black stripes. Within a few seconds, it was gone again. Transitioning back out. Poor guys.</div><div><br /></div><div>"That'll be Vanguard's make-shift scout." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>We watched as the Vanguard fleet transitioned back from the 'rus homeworld system. The ships looked rough, like they had quite a fight. Some of them were barely limping along. As they came through, the ships arrayed themselves in a defensive formation designed to both protect the fleet from an outside attack, and from an attack coming through the jump point. </div><div><br /></div><div>I caught sight of a couple of the non-combat ships from the fleet train, as they passed by, but not many. The ones that did come through were just as damaged as the combat ships.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What happened over there?" Shelly asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We'll know when we know." admonished Cmdr. Barona without heat. "Everyone, stay at your stations, we are still on condition one." She reminded everyone.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, the Baskins and one of the Heavy Cruisers limped through and immediately turned to face the jump point. No other ships came through. We were still missing a Heavy Cruiser and one of the Carriers, as well as most of the frigates and I guessed about half of the destroyers. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I have a friend who is a comms specialist on the fuel tanker." Shelly reported, "She says that when they exited transit, they were met with a mine field that destroyed most of the non-combat ships. Her...."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Belay that talk!" Ordered Cmdr. Barona. "Sorry Shelly, we can't have that distraction right now. Please gather what information as you can, categorize it by how reliable you think it is, and forward it to me and the Captain. Ladies and gentlemen, all you must concern yourselves with right now is that we are in combat. The Captain will do her best to lead us through to victory, or an honorable death."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shelly, see if you can get me a line to Admiral Thomas." I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few moments later, the Admiral - looking a dozen years older than the last time I saw him - popped up on my screen.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Haul-o-caster actual, this is Vanguard Actual. I have only a moment. Please stay with the Bait and Tackle, her Captain says she'll be back on line within the hour, and he says that after seeing you place the Haul-o-caster in the rear guard position and then didn't back down when the 'rus came, he trusts you. I'm designating you, the John Q. and the Polly Bont to be Repair Team 1, with Polly Bont Actual as the commander. The Polly Bont will bring you up to speed. Any problems with any of that?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"No Admiral. Wherever you need me."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well, Vanguard Actual out!" With that my screen went blank and the Admiral was gone.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Polly Bont Actual on comm for you Captain." Reported Shelly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll take it here."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Haul-o-caster, I'm sending over some move orders. You, me, and the John Q are going to provide cover for the Bait and Tackle as soon as she can move. Fleet will be sending ships over one by one to either be patched up enough to keep up with the fleet, or scrapped. Your job will be to watch one flank, while I watch the other, and the John Q. can watch the front door. Any questions?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"No questions, I'll await the move orders."</div><div><br /></div><div>"We have move orders from the Polly Bont Captain." Shelly announced.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, there they are. Is there anything else you can tell me?" I ask.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Nothing right now. You know as much as I do. Polly Bont out."</div><div><br /></div><div>As the Bait and Tackle came online, we moved off to one side and set up as secure an area as a Q-ship, a scout, and a Hauley possibly could, and soon started servicing customers. The Admiral, apparently, was keeping the Vanguard Fleet well away from us, and sending over one ship at a time. As the ships were repaired, they became part of Repair Fleet 1, either adding to our defense of the Bait and Tackle, or in the case of non-combat ships and ships too damaged for combat but still able to move, they were positioned to take advantage of the protection without getting in the way.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we had around a third of the ships on "our side", we all watched as the Baskins opened fire on a frigate and summarily blew it to debris.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I was watching Captain, that frigate powered up and was going to ram the Baskins." Said Lt. Tine. "It was one of the group that went through first with Captain Dorros when he lead Fleet Train through the jump point. There is a freighter over there that was also part of that group."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Which one Lt. Tine?" I rushed over to see which ship Lt. Tine was talking about so I could relay the information to the Admiral.</div><div><br /></div><div>BOOM!</div><div><br /></div><div>"It was that one Captain." Said Lt. Tine, "I should have made the connection sooner."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Any others?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"No Captain, there are only a few ships from Fleet Train left, and none of the remaining ones were part of the lead group." Lt. Tine finished. "We should be careful though Captain, that explosion wasn't an accident."</div><div><br /></div><div>"How so Lt. Tine?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Even a core breach would have been smaller than that. That freighter was assigned to carry food, water, and medical supplies. Nothing aboard her should have been able to cause an explosion that big.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, orders from the Fleet. The Polly Bont is ordered to join the Baskins, we have been asked to take orders from Captain Tarkin of the Lightning." Shelly said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The Lightning? I haven't seen that one yet." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Cmdr. Dorn pointed it out on the main viewscreen. "It's that Corvette up there on the right. One of the fastest ships in the fleet. She is usually used for courier duty, but sometimes they are pressed into a scouting and light patrol role."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hmm. She's sleek and sexy." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Indeed." added Lt. Tine.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I wonder why the Admiral needed the Polly. You think he's thinking of having her scout the Transition point again?" I asked, curious.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm sure we'll find out eventually." replied Lt. Tine.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I finally decided to stand down from condition one a few hours later. We stayed at an amended condition two by sending half the crew to grab a bite and hit the rack. No sense in wearing everyone out trying to stay on alert for too long. Cmdr. Barona tried to quote fleet procedures at me, but I pointed out that Hauley isn't really a fleet ship, so we'll do it my way this time and ordered her to bed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa brought food around to everyone who stayed on duty.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Don't you need sleep too Captain?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll sleep when I'm dead." I said, then I saw the shocked look on her face. "It's just a saying Mother. I don't mean it literally. Although, by definition perhaps it is true literally." I tapped the metal and plastic cap that surrounded my head. "One of the advantages to this thing is that for some reason I don't need a whole lot of sleep. I can go a week or two if I have to, but I start getting a little grumpy, so I try not to."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Oh, thank you for sharing that. One of my duties is to send the Captain to bed when she's getting too tired to think but won't order herself to bed." Mother Ahmisa explained. "It keeps crew members who rely on the Captain for fitness reports and advancement recommendations from having to try to tell a Captain that they are impaired."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Makes sense I suppose. No worries here though. Pete tried to stay awake as long as me once on a really long haul. It was funny. He kept falling asleep, and when he woke up he would try again, not realizing that I hadn't slept yet. Six tries later, I let him in on that, so he quit trying. I guess at the time, I didn't know about my cyber device, so just thought I was tough."</div><div><br /></div><div>It felt nice to talk about the good days with Pete. I remember that haul, even with every shortcut and trick that Pete could devise, the trip took almost eight months, but the payoff was well worth it. The client couldn't believe we made it that fast saying that it usually takes a year to get those goods delivered. Pete thought about turning it into a normally scheduled run but that would have tied us to that area, and Pete didn't like to be tied down.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It took the Bait and Tackle a couple weeks to get all the ships that were coming with us up to the point that they could keep up. Even then, it was slow going. Thankfully there weren't any more incidents like 'rus attacks or other acts of terrorism. There were a few Captains who refused to give up their ships when those ships were found to be too damaged to proceed with the fleet. I can't say that I blame them. I'm sure I would just tell them to leave me on Hauley, and we would find our own way home. A ship is more than just a thing.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the repairs were going on, Admiral Thomas held a number of Captain's meetings.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of Admiral Thomas' staff made the report. "Fuel isn't a problem yet, but we are down to one tanker, so it could become critical at a moment's notice if we lose that one. We lost a lot of the fleet train, including a large number of freighters. Food, water, and medical supplies are all approaching critical. One of the freighters that made it through was a magazine ship, and it's missiles have been spread around. There were enough that every ship still able to fire missiles is at least at sixty percent. Main line ships are fully stocked. Kinetic weapon projectiles are almost gone. Normally it would be easily enough supplied, but this part of space is practically empty. We will need to look for an asteroid field somewhere to resupply." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Good enough Wendle." Admiral Thomas broke in. "As we see, we are in some dire straights. As quickly as we are burning through missiles and kinetics, we need to resupply sooner rather than later. Start breaking down the ships we are scrapping and turning those into Kinetic projectiles."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There was a collective gasp from the Captains. I could relate. Anyone who tried to chop up Hauley to make projectiles would have to step over my dead body first. and I was starting to think that I don't die so easy.</div><div><br /></div><div>The admiral held up a hand for quiet. "Your objections are all noted. I am having the same reservations, however, our job here is not done. Fleet has asked us to go to the 'rus homeworld and investigate, and that is what I intend to do. To that end, we are going to need resupply. We have two fast ships, the Lightning and the Haul-o-caster. The Lightning won't carry much. She's built for speed and range so she does have some cargo capacity, but that's nothing compared to the Haul-o-caster. She may look small on the outside, but she's made for hauling cargo. Bait and Tackle do you have some space? I would like to clear out Haul-o-caster's cargo holds completely to maximize space for supplies."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes sir!" came the reply from Captain Holden of the Bait and Tackle. "I have a secure hold that is empty. Since she's a civilian vessel, I'm sure Captain Kid would like us to make sure nobody makes off with her cargo."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very good." The Admiral Continued, "Captain Kid, would you mind going on a supply run? There is another jump point, about three weeks from here at fleet speed, but I'm sure you and the Lightning can cut some time off of that. There is Morganite outpost not far from the other side. They should have everything we need."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes sir." I said. Finally, I get to do something that Hauley is good at, and ever since Lt. Cmdr. Dorn waxed all poetical about corvettes, I have secretly been wondering if the Lightning really could beat Hauley. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I believe you are familiar with Captain Tarkin of the Lightning, he'll be in command of the two-ship. The rest of us will do whatever we can."</div><div><br /></div><div>Captain Holden spoke up. "Admiral Thomas, There are a lot of ship parts we need, I'll send you over a list."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sorry Captain." The Admiral replied, "there is only limited space on the Haul-o-caster, we need every bit of it for beans and bandages. See what you can strip off the ships that have been designated for scrap."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes sir." Captain Holden replied.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-43228511222413242562021-09-02T08:02:00.001-07:002021-09-02T09:52:39.106-07:00Miami Pete 27<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The next day, word was finally passed down that it was time to jump to the 'rus homeworld. It was fun to watch the fleet, who had been arrayed for defense, to shake back down into formation for the jump.</div><div><br /></div><div>As usual, Polly Bont took it's place out front and at the Admiral's command, jumped. Or, as the Captain of the Polly Bont would say, Transitioned.</div><div><br /></div><div>The wait for the Polly Bont to return took much too long. I checked and rechecked my records. The jump to the 'rus homeworld wasn't a long or particularly difficult one. The Polly Bont should have been back already.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just as I was about to demand a channel to the Admiral, the Polly Bont reappeared.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mayday mayday, this is the Polly Bont requesting assistance." The message ended in a lot of coughing then died in static. A couple of Frigates from the fleet were dispatched to render aid, and were soon pulling people off the Polly Bont. Shelly put the Polly Bont on the main viewscreen and zoomed in.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was an absolute mess. I had no idea what was still holding her together. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Those Jump Scouts sure can soak up a lot of damage." Came the comment from Lt. Cmdr. Dorn. "They are going to need a major refitting, but she'll be fine."</div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder if Lt. Cmdr. Dorn was looking at the same ship that I was looking at. Then I took a closer look. Sure it looked bad with huge chunks of the ship seemingly having been sliced off, but the Polly Bont had some serious armor, and while that armor was in really bad shape, I couldn't see very many places where an attack had successfully gotten through.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral called a Captain's meeting as the Polly Bont was towed away form the jump point back to the Fleet Tender ship. I hoped the nice woman who Captained the Polly Bont escaped without injury.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The data has been downloaded from the Polly Bont. Congratulations are in order to Captain Gunn for bringing her ship home safely." Applause erupted across the comm channel at Admiral Thomas' praise. "After transitioning through the jump point, the Polly Bont encountered a small fleet of 'rus ships upon exit. Polly Bont reports that the 'rus didn't hesitate, they attacked immediately. Thankfully, the Polly Bont made like a turtle and crawled back to the transition point for the return trip."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral, are we going to let this attack on a Morganite ship go unanswered?" Asked Captain Detter. His ship was the Claws of Justice, one of the two heavy cruisers in the fleet, and he appeared to be ready for a fight.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No Captain. We are not." Was the Admiral's simple reply. "In five hours, we will be splitting the fleet. The first group, designated The Vanguard will be composed of all the front-line ships, minus a small defensive force. The rest, designated The Fleet Train will consist of that defensive force and the non-combatant ships. Plus the Haul-o-caster. Sorry Captain Kid, I'm not ready to risk your ship just yet."</div><div><br /></div><div>I had talked to Mother Ahmisa about dropping the name Petra due to the name's origins, and apparently the Morale officers in the Morganite fleet have a back channel, and the transition to using the name Kid, for lack of a better name, went more smoothly than expected. I did hope that nobody thought I was being foolish, insisting on name changes in the middle of everything else that was going on, frankly I was astonished by how quickly it all happened. Mother Ahmisa assured me that it shouldn't be a problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>"That's quite all right Admiral. The Haul-o-caster has minimal weaponry, we really don't belong in the line of battle. You all have fun though." I smiled. There was a shared laugh around the comm channel. I wasn't trying to be funny or anything, I just didn't know what to say, and that's what came out of my mouth. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Dorros, you will be in command of the Fleet Train until we meet up and re-merge. I'll be sending you orders after the meeting." The Admiral continued. Dorros Captained the Gentle Courage, a destroyer. While the name Gentle Courage seemed like an odd name for a warship, her Captain sure looked the part. "Assignments will be handed down. Dismissed!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Oh, one last thing!" The Admiral called out before anyone had a chance to disconnect. "The Haul-o-caster crew have been some busy little beavers, and have turned out the design for a new, stronger gravitonic generator. I'll be sending out an information packet on it after the meeting. Please feel free to comment on the design. If it tests out to be anywhere close to as good as the brochure, I'm inclined to approve it for refit when we get some downtime. Good work Haul-o-caster!"</div><div><br /></div><div>There was a chorus of congratulations from the comm channel. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Now, Dismissed!"</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Right on schedule, the Vanguard half - or more like three quarters - of the fleet transitioned through the jump point. To my surprise, Shelly put an audio comm channel up on the main address speakers. The chatter though that channel was a chaotic stream of well whishes and farewells, presumably from all across the Fleet Train. Seeing me looking confused, Shelly explained. </div><div><br /></div><div>"It's tradition Captain. When a Vanguard fleet leaves it's Fleet Train behind to go into battle, a comm channel is open to wish them well. That way, their crews can receive the love and support from the Fleet Train, without encroaching on the encrypted channel shared by the Vanguard."</div><div><br /></div><div>I thought it was a nice idea, and was about to ask how to add my wishes of "Happy Hunting" when Shelly and a few others on the bridge broke out in a fit of giggles. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I'm noticing that a lot of the well wishes on the channel consist of various versions of 'You all have fun.' That isn't one I've heard before, but I love it!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's so much better than "Die With Honor." Who ever thought that one up?" asked Barnes.</div><div><br /></div><div>"On this day, we test ourselves against the worst the enemy has to offer. We are outgunned. We are outnumbered. We are hungry and far from home. But! If we can hold the line here for three days, it will give our colonial settlements time to evacuate. It will give Fourth Fleet time to get into position to join the defense of Morgan and our loved ones. Very few of you who hear my voice will survive this battle, but if we must die for our faith, all I ask is that we DIE WITH HONOR!" Said Lt. Cmdr. Dorn. It sounded like he was reciting something memorized. He continued, "That was Admiral Joseph Arameha, in his final address before his fleet impaled themselves on the Zendig Fleet at the Battle of Defiance, Morgan Calendar 273."</div><div><br /></div><div>The Morganites all bowed their heads and quietly held there hands over their hearts for a few seconds. It was a touching salute. When they were done I asked. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, were they able to hold?!" Everyone looked at me funny. "What? I don't know Morganite History. It sounds like quite a story."</div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa rescued me. "Yes and No Captain. Their situation was hopeless. They only held for a single day. But not a single ship gave up. Not a single Morganite ship left the line of battle, requiring the Zendig Fleet to destroy every single ship. When the Vanguard was finally destroyed, the Fleet Train ambushed them. The Fleet Train was mostly comprised of unarmed freighters, so they rammed themselves into the Zendig warships. When the battle was finally over, the Zendig Admiral was so intimidated by Morganite resolve, that he turned his fleet around and returned home rather than face us again."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That's an amazing story."</div><div><br /></div><div>"The Morganite people are an amazing people." Mother Ahmisa said.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Days went by with no word from the Vanguard. Under Captain Dorros' orders, the Fleet Train took up position a ways away from the jump point. We were out in some of the clearest open space that I had ever seen, so there was nothing to fall back on as a defensive position, so Captain Dorros declared the Fleet Tender, oddly named the Bait and Tackle, to be "home base". </div><div><br /></div><div>"Mother Ahmisa, what's with the funny names?" I asked that evening at dinner. It was finally Mother Ahmisa's turn for Dinner with the Captain.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Funny names? How so?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Now that there isn't a cloud of ships out there, I'm starting to notice individual ship names. We have the Bait and Tackle, the Gentle Courage - although I have to admit I really like that name - I swear I saw a frigate named The Rainbow, and there is even a destroyer called the Sunshine and Happiness. What gives?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Says the Captain of the Haul-o-caster." Mother Ahmisa gave me a smile. "It has long been a Morganite custom that the first Captain of a new ship gets to name the ship. During the war years, the war became so intense that whole Morganite crews were being made up by people who were conscripted. It became popular to protest conscription by giving their ships ridiculous names, which opened the door for new Captains to name ships after things they would miss from home."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I once saw a ship named Hot Cinnamon Buns, and another named My Wife." Cmdr. Barona added.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I knew the Captain of the My Wife. When she was assigned the ship she wasn't amused, but because of the tradition, Fleet wouldn't let her change the ship name." Mother Ahmisa said. "She tried to push back asking for a different assignment, but was warned that the only other command available was a freighter named Spank Me."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Could you imagine referring to yourself as Spank Me Actual?" I asked, which caused us all to erupt into a fit of giggles.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And so we waited, and waited. Finally, just when I was about to comm Captain Dorros and beg for permission to take the Haul-o-caster and scout through the jump point, a very bedraggled and worn destroyer transitioned in. Dorros dispatched a pair of frigates to escort it back to "home base". </div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't invited to the meeting between Dorros and the Captain of the Solid Line. Then Dorros called a meeting of the Captains, and I wasn't invited to that either, which was conspicuous because even the freighter Captains were invited to that one. </div><div><br /></div><div>"What gives?" I asked Mother Ahmisa, "I feel like I'm being kept in the dark, and I don't like it at all."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll see what I can find out through back channels." she promised.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, Fleet Train is on the move." came the voice of Lt. Cmdr. Dorn over the intercom. I ran from my office to the bridge. Sure enough, the Fleet Train fell into formation and was heading towards the jump point.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Have we gotten orders to move? Any communication from Fleet Train?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Nothing Captain." Answered Shelly, "And the Comm is operational, we've had personal messages coming in and out all day." That was normal for a Morganite Fleet when nothing more pressing was going on. Morganite Fleet personnel were allowed, even encouraged, to have and maintain friendships with other Morganite Fleet personnel. Shelly, for instance, had a boyfriend on the Bait and Tackle and was open with me during our Captain's dinner that she was torn between loyalty to me, the Haul-o-caster, and her crewmates, and the possibility of a berth on the Bait and Tackle so she could spend time with him.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Has anyone heard anything about a Fleet movement?" I asked. Only silence replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Alert condition two then." I said throwing my hands up. To his credit, Lt. Cmdr. Dorn only paused a second before setting the Alert. Within seconds, the crew swarmed to their duty stations.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shipwide" I softly ordered Shelly.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shipwide, up." Shelly replied after hitting the button.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Good morning Haul-o-caster crew." I said, "It seems we are being left behind without any orders, or word from Fleet Train. For the time being, we'll assume this is merely an oversight, but I have set Alert Two, because something smells fishy. Please be on your toes."</div><div><br /></div><div>"The Polly Bont on comm for you Captain." Shelly announced. I sat in my Captain's chair and looked at my screen.</div><div><br /></div><div>"At my station if you would please Shelly."</div><div><br /></div><div>A familiar, pleasant face came up on my screen. "Captain Kid, I have been ordered not to talk to you, but I'm not inclined to take orders from Fleet Train, while I'm officially still attached to Vanguard, so I wanted to ask for your side of the story."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain..." I realized that I had never gotten her name and was a little at a loss.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's either Polly Bont Actual, or my friends call me Captain Gunn. So far, after you openly shared your transition data without being asked, and shared information and credit on the Tine Radiation discovery, In my book you qualify."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well then Captain Gunn, I don't know what is going on." I said. "Ever since Vanguard transitioned, I've been getting the cold shoulder from Captain Dorros. Even when Dorros moved Fleet Train back to Home Base, it was done on an open channel and I wasn't given any direct orders."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Really? Everyone else got direct orders. Even the Polly Bont, not that there was anyone aboard to receive them. The Polly was still docked with Bait and Tackle at the time, and my crew - what was left of them anyway - was in the Bait and Tackle med bay.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We didn't receive word that you had losses. My deepest sympathy." I said. That "my deepest sympathy" line is what Pete always said in this kind of situation. It seemed appropriate, and I sure had no idea what to say.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thank you." Captain Gunn said, "Dorros pointed out that you hadn't reached out with offers of prayers. I wondered how he knew but chalked it up to you not being among the Morganites very long. I was planning on exchanging some strong word with your Mother for not advising you better when I found a chance. Why would Dorros be working against you?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"You think Dorros is doing that?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sure seems to be so." Captain Gunn started listing the evidence, "Dorros didn't invite you to the Captain's meeting. Casualty reports are passed to you, so that prayers could be offered. He should be sending you operational orders with each move, which he doesn't seem to be doing. Then this extremely odd order not to contact or share operational information with you specifically that was attached to our latest move orders." Captain Gunn said, "I think someone doesn't like you."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What do you think I should do?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"If I were you, I would follow at a distance." Captain Gunn replied. "I'm going to contact the Solid Line and see if I can get any more information. All we were told at the Captain's meeting was that we were transitioning the Matrix. When we received our orders, I was placed near the rear of the formation so I contacted Dorros and he said Fleet Train wouldn't be needing a scout and that I should just be quiet and follow orders as given. Transitioning a fleet, any fleet, without scouting first is major break of protocol. I almost relieved him of command on the spot, but I decided the Admiral can take care of it when we get there. No point in stirring up trouble that doesn't need to be stirred."</div><div><br /></div><div>"You could do that?" I asked. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Of course. Dorros has only had a ship for somewhere around eight years. That's long enough that he doesn't panic and look at the Captain hierarchy every time he talks to another Captain. I have more than twice that. I Captained Frigate Rosemary for two years before sending her to refit. After that, I stood-up the Polly Bont fresh out of the shipyard. That was fifteen years ago. People tend to forget I've been at this for a while because I have a pleasant face and don't lord my rank over people. There are a few freighter Captains in Fleet Train who out-rank me on the hierarchy, as does the Captain of the Bait and Tackle, but combat rated Captains always outrank non-combat rated Captains, so even they don't outrank me."</div><div><br /></div><div>"So it goes by years as a Captain?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes and no. The hierarchy is a point system. Score depends upon years as a Captain, the types of ship Captained, various accommodations and awards, mission successes and failures, and a whole slew of other things. I'm guessing that Dorros was left behind because he has a relatively low score on the hierarchy for an eight year destroyer Captain. That fits with what I've seen Admiral Thomas do in the past. Who would you rather guard your back? A known discipline problem that has a high score anyway, or a seemingly normal Captain with a lower score than he probably should, but no explanation of why he has that low score? But, Admiral Thomas had to leave him in command of Fleet Train, because he was the highest combat rated Captain being left behind." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Do I have a score?" I was almost afraid to ask.</div><div><br /></div><div>Captain Gunn chuckled. "Yes, you do, but you don't have very much time as a Captain, and it's marked as non-Morganite and non-combat. So you basically don't outrank anyone. No offence." </div><div><br /></div><div>I returned the smile. "None taken."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After our conversation, Captain Gunn once again contacted Captain Dorros hoping to remedy the situation. She was informed that the problem was a simple breakdown in communication because I didn't understand Morgan Fleet protocols, and that everything was being taken care of.</div><div><br /></div><div>An hour later, Captain Gunn received orders to report to Morgan Fleet Headquarters to surrender her ship and await disciplinary action. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I don't know what kind of game Captain Dorros thinks he is playing. As the Commander of Fleet Train, he does have authority to discipline the Captains who are attached to Fleet Train, but he doesn't have authority to remove them from command unless he convenes a Captain's Council. That would require three Captains who outrank me on the hierarchy. Dorros himself wouldn't be able to sit on it, because he doesn't outrank me. Even then, I'm not attached to Fleet Train, I'm attached to Vanguard. Before Vanguard transitioned, I got orders from Admiral Thomas to get my ship repaired and wait with Fleet Train for Vanguard's return or until he passes me orders to the contrary. Those orders specifically did not transfer me from Vanguard to Fleet Train." Captain Gunn was ranting a little. I could tell she was angry, so I let her get it all out.</div><div><br /></div><div>"So what do we do then?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We form up and follow at a distance." Captain Gunn replied. "My orders, the legal ones anyway, are to stay with Fleet Train until they return or I receive new orders from Vanguard, so that is what I'm going to do. Your orders included a temporary transfer to Fleet Train, so you belong here. The fact that Dorros is ignoring you and shutting you out doesn't change that. Hopefully we'll re-connect with Vanguard and the Admiral can straighten this out."</div><div><br /></div><div>Not long after, Fleet Train started transitioning through the jump point.</div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-51552461937228807032021-09-01T07:15:00.003-07:002021-09-01T07:15:41.235-07:00Miami Pete 26<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, this is a Morganite matter. You aren't involved." Cmdr. Barona said. As requested, Shelly sent her to my office/quarters. She arrived with Mother Ahmisa quicker than I expected.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Like hell I'm not involved. Lt. Tine is my Astrogator, and I have need of an Astrogator at the moment. Shelly, whatever rank is Shelly anyway? Whatever it is, I don't believe it outranks a Lieutenant, does not have the authority to order him to the brig, and just when did Hauley sprout a brig anyway? I sure don't see a brig on the design schematics. If there was a brig, that asshole Al, and probably Grace too, would have complained about the facilities. I don't remember them complaining about any facilities other than the VIP quarters." Yes, I was rambling. I don't like surprises and Shelly sending Lt. Tine to "the brig" that I didn't know I had qualified as a pretty big surprise in my book.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's a Morganite matter." Cmdr. Barona unhelpfully repeated.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just as I was about to start ranting again, Mother Ahmisa interjected.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I understand that some of the more esoteric practices of Morganism is unfamiliar to you. Please, allow me to reassure you, this is not as crazy as it seems."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ok fine. You can get with the reassuring whenever you are ready, because all I saw was one of my crew struggling a little when reality didn't fit his expectations. Heck, the idea that someone, or something, managed to create a hyper-jump point somewhere one don't belong is a bit of a shock, even to me, and I have the advantage of not knowing the math, so I got no idea how possible or impossible that is. Anyone tries to put me in this invisible ghost-brig over it is gonna have a fight on their hands."</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona scowled. Mother Ahmisa, smiled.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Nobody will put you in the brig Captain. First, you aren't a Morganite. Feel free to believe that moons are made of cheese or that hyper-jump points are made of soup if you want. Secondly, I always hated calling it 'the brig', but no one listens to me, I'm just the morale officer." Mother Ahmisa explained, "This so-called brig is a facility in cargo hold one. Please feel free to visit it Captain. It doesn't even lock the person in. It's just a quiet, comfortable place to sit and contemplate on Morganism and what it means, where nobody will bother you. Well, except me of course, but I only do that when I feel I am wanted or needed."</div><div><br /></div><div>"So, Lt. Tine is off contemplating religion, because he saw coordinates for a jump point that shouldn't exist according to Morganite doctrine?" I asked. "I'm sorry, and I mean no disrespect Mother Ahmisa, but that's crazy. The world is what it is. If Morganism is so weak that it falls apart as soon as something doesn't agree with it's worldview, I'm surprised you guys are still around."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Is that what he is struggling with? Sorry Captain, I didn't have a chance to familiarize myself with the situation before coming to talk to you. Shelly made it sound like you were angry enough to start spacing people." Cmdr. Barona said. "I'm sure that, given time, Lt. Tine will work his way through this crises and get right back to duty."</div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa gave Cmdr. Barona a look of frustration.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I don't believe in keeping my Captains in the dark like this. I believe that Morganites bring a lot of persecution upon themselves by not being more open about their beliefs. Lt. Tine comes from a sect of Morganism that they could discover the will of the Creator through the application of pure science. Two hundred years ago, very idea of it seemed blasphemous. The church leaders believed that everything we needed to know about the Creator could be found in the church's teachings."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mother, I must insist you stop at once. The Captain is of the Outside!" Cmdr. Barona seemed to be getting upset. "We shouldn't be exposing the Church's failures to someone from the Outside!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"That is why I am Mother, and you are a mere Commander." Mother Ahmisa said, consolingly. "The Captain is concerned for a member of her crew. That member is a Morganite. Do you understand how rare it is for a non-Morganite Captain to care about the internal struggles of a Morganite crew member? I believe that what Lt. Tine needs right now is the understanding of his Captain, and this Captain is willing to listen and understand. You will not place yourself in the way of that."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Mother." Cmdr. Barona said with resignation. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa turned back to me. "In order to escape the Church Leaders of the time, the scientists sect took to space in huge multi-generational science ships. Until recently, those ships were savagely hunted by the Church. It was that conflict that spurred on much of the Morganite advancements in ships and technology. The Church hunters would take a Scientist ship, kill or arrest everyone on board, and strip it for every bit of new technology they could find. The Scientist ships in turn were supplied through underground Morganite sects who disagreed with the Church's policy of hunting them."</div><div><br /></div><div>"And through piracy... don't forget the piracy." Cmdr. Barona helpfully added in.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes, and through piracy." Mother Ahmisa agreed exasperated. "Never let us forget the alleged piracy."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Are you secretly a Scientist Mother?" Cmdr. Barona gasped.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, I am from one of the Hunter Sects. To my shame, it was my people who hunted the Scientists to extinction. I remember the day the Hand of the Creator caught and destroyed the Electron. The Church had banned the hunting of the Scientists for over twenty years, but that did nothing to stop two hundred years of hate. When the Electron was destroyed, there were celebrations and parties. I was just a child at the time, all I knew is that one of our Hunter families fought the evil foe and prevailed, all glory to the Creator. It wasn't until college that I saw the footage of that battle. The Electron was almost three hundred years old. It was already outdated when the Scientists bought it. Sure, it had all the technology the Scientists invented, but still it wallowed like a pig. It wasn't a threat to anyone. So I started researching the Electron's supposed pirate activity. Nothing I found stood up to a hunter's eye. Ships would sight the Electron and flee, then report it as if they bravely fought off a heated pirate attack. Other ships that actually were attacked would claim it was the Electron, but I could easily see the trademarks of other pirates on those attacks. The way the Death Stalkers swarmed their prey with smaller ships. The way the Hammer of Fate would lie in wait and use it's enormous inertia cannon to take out the ship's engines. I was not surprised at all when I saw the video evidence that exonerated our Mr. Tine." </div><div><br /></div><div>"So what does this all have to do with Lt. Tine being in the brig we don't have?" I asked. The history lesson was fascinating and all, but I didn't see how it was getting me my Astrogator back. I don't want to sound cruel or heartless, but in my opinion getting Lt. Tine functioning again and back at his job was probably the best thing for him. I know that when I get upset, doing some preventative maintenance or rebuilding some spare component usually snapped me right out of any funk. Although, I probably would have to smuggle something into my office to work on these days. Any time one of the crew caught me actually doing anything around here, someone took it away and did it for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mother Ahmisa answered, "When Lt. Tine was convicted and sent to prison, he believed that he was being punished for questioning the Creator's wisdom. He turned his back on science and his people and adopted the beliefs of traditional Morganites. When he was finally exonerated, he was cast adrift. The Scientists are gone, no other sect wants him. Out of desperation, he joined the fleet, but the only rate he qualifies for is Astrogation. When you told him of a jump point where everything in his traditional Morganite beliefs says is impossible, but he knows it isn't because you wouldn't lie to him and he himself once wrote a paper theorizing the possibility. So his old beliefs are conflicting with his new beliefs."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Oh, I get it. I think" I said. "Maybe I should go have a talk with Lt. Tine."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I found "the brig" right were they said it would be. From the outside, it looked like a big shipping crate, with a door in the side. A door in the side of a shipping crate isn't all that unique, lots of shipping crates have them. I knocked lightly on the door. After a few moments, Lt. Tine opened the door.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I... I don't know what to say."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Then don't say anything Lt. Tine. Just listen." I said, "Mama Ahmisa has tried to fill me in on what's going on. Can you explain to me why a wayward jump point can cause you such a problem?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Because it shouldn't exist. It brings into question the existence of the Creator."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Does it really? Because it seems to me like it only brings into question your understanding of the Creator. If the darned thing is there, and I assure you it is, do you really think it's there in spite of the Creator's wishes? Do you really think, as a mortal man that you're so intelligent, that the Creator would be incapable of intending something outside of your understanding?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"I've never thought of it that way Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mr. Tine, it is your job as the Astrogator on the good ship Haul-o-caster, to understand these things to the best of your ability, so I, as Captain, can make decisions. I was given to understand that you are uniquely qualified to do that."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Far be it from me to intrude on your religious observations. We've got a week before we'll really need you on the bridge. Feel free to take that time and contemplate existence or whatever you all do sitting alone in a big box in the cargo hold, but I need to be able to count on you when we get where we're going. Can I count on you Mr. Tine?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>An hour later I was sitting in what was becoming my favorite place on the Haul-o-caster, the Captain's chair, when Lt. Tine walked in and took up his place at the Astrogation station.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I apologize for my behavior."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What behavior would that be? As far as I'm concerned, you just saw something weird and needed a bit to get your head around it. When you've been in as many places as I have been in, you'll realize that happens to all of us sooner or later."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thank you Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Tine's reservations aside, when the fleet reached the coordinates the jump point was indeed still there. I don't know why I was expecting it not to be. Maybe I let Lt. Tine's doubts effect me more than I thought. Yet, there it was in all it's glory.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Would you look at that?" Came a surprised exclamation from Lt. Tine, "Captain, I was expecting Bardoen Radiation as well as the Gravitonic Radiation that usually surrounds a jump point, but it isn't there. Instead there is something else. The Haul-o-caster's sensors can't quite give me a good enough look to tell what it is."</div><div><br /></div><div>After a moment of - I hope well hidden - anger that Lt. Tine would disparage Hauley like that, I calmed myself down. "I've been through this jump point twice. Once each direction, and I didn't feel any ill effects. Are you saying that it isn't safe Lt. Tine?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"No Captain, I'm saying there is something in the Creator's design that I, as a mortal man, do not yet understand." Then Lt. Tine smiled. It looked a little odd coming from the pocked, tattooed, usually somber face, but it was nice because it looked genuine. I think Lt. Tine has finally gotten his groove back.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Comm, get me a line to the Polly Bont." I requested.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a few moments a slightly plump, excited face came up on my comm screen. "This is Polly Bont Actual. Nice to finally meet you Captain Petra." After all that happened with Gregorious, the name Petra didn't sit well anymore, but that was a battle for another day.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I hear you have a bunch of fancy sensor equipment over there for looking at Hyper-jump points. Can I have my Astrogator send you some readings to get your opinion?" I replied, "And I have a gift for you."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sure thing Captain." Polly Bont's Captain replied.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Lt. Tine, send over your readings and whatever they need to take a further look into what you found. I'm sending over a data packet to also include.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wrapped up everything from Hauley's two jumps through this jump point into a packet along with a request to please keep my Lt. Tine up to date with what they found, and sent it over. Turns out, they would have plenty of time to look it over because Admiral Thomas called a halt for a few days in order to give the fleet a few days to get everything in order.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day, we got a call back from the Polly Bont. I had Shelly at the communications station put it up on the main viewscreen so everyone could see and hear.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I would like to thank you for embarrassing my Astrogation team." The Captain of the Polly Bont said laughing. "Those guys really needed something to deflate their egos, it was getting hard to shoe-horn them through the hatches. The readings that your Lt. Tine brought to our attention appears to be a new form of radiation. If it has been seen before, we surely can't find any reference to it. My guys missed it completely. Might I suggest we call it Tine Radiation?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Tine practically choked. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Lt. Tine, you did discover it, so unless we can find a previous claim, by tradition you get to name it." Said the Captain of the Polly Bont. "I have to say, we've already been calling it Tine Radiation, and we like that name."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well," Lt. Tine said, "Tine Radiation it is. I sure hope it doesn't turn out to be something horrible that I just put my name to."</div><div><br /></div><div>"So far, it doesn't seem any more dangerous than the Graviton Radiation that we usually find surrounding a Transition Matrix, but we've been experimenting and have some updates for our gravitonic shielding that will also keep it out just in case." Polly Bont's Captain replied. "And Captain, thank you for the transition data. I admit that I usually get a little bit of a thrill transitioning through a new matrix blind, but this one frightened me a little. It's nice to have data for the trip and for the other side."</div><div><br /></div><div>The fleet took an extra couple days upgrading everyone's shielding. Hauley's shield generators were a bit different from the Morganite generators the other ships used, having been patched in at some point in the past as an expedient repair. Luckily, or more like because of good planning, Hauley carried a spare, so it should have been child's play to get the spare updated and swap them out. I peeked at the update proposal when it came in from the Polly Bont, and it didn't look too difficult. Hey, I had to let the engineers have all the fun of doing the maintenance, didn't mean I was going to let them make changes I didn't approve first.</div><div><br /></div><div>After what seemed like too much time, I finally got an unexpected call from the good Chief.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I'm at a loss."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What seems to be the problem Chief Williamson? Most of the fleet has already signaled the flag that they have the updates installed. You wouldn't want Hauley to be last would you?" Yes, it was a little mean to be was poking at the Chief like that, but it was all in good fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, PO Smart and I are having problems understanding these generators. We haven't seen anything like them."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Of course not." I said, "They are from a reaction mass mining vessel used practically on the other end of the galaxy." Now I admit, it took me years of sifting through junk piles and scrap yards on dozens of different worlds to finally find a match to the one installed on Hauley. Until then, I had a couple generators lined up to replace Hauley's generator should it have failed, but thankfully that never happened. The generators from the mining vessel were far superior to anything else I could find. With them we could - and actually had a time or two - take Hauley into the top layers of a gas giant. AKA hiding from pirates and/or government patrols. We couldn't go very deep mind you and we definitely couldn't fly through the core and survive, nothing could do that besides pretend ships in movies with particularly bad plotlines.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll be down to help in a moment!" I said excitedly.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hate to admit how sad I was when I saw how much my workshop, more correctly called the ship's Engineering Section, had changed in the few short weeks since Hauley got it's new crew. I almost cried, but managed to keep it to myself. Somehow. </div><div><br /></div><div>It sure was nice finally doing something with my hands again. I had the whole operation planned out in my head as soon as I saw the update recommendation from the Polly Bont, so I knew it was possible. I also knew it would take some skill and fabrication to get it all to work right. Chief Williamson and PO Smart had the spare generator torn down further than it needed to be, and I could tell from all the numbered parts and notes that they were doing their best to document what they were doing so they could get it all back together when they were done, but it was also clear that they didn't understand the basic operation of the device because they were basing their assumptions on how the Morganite Fleet's generators worked. All of which makes perfect sense. Before I came down, I debated with myself whether I should just send them the schematics and let them work on it. Now I'm glad I didn't.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we worked on getting the backup generator updated and put back together, I talked my way through what I was doing, the theory of operation as I understood it, what the differences between this and the Morganite units were, and the troubles we might encounter with them. To my delight, the Chief had a couple ideas of his own to mitigate some of those possible issues that we added to the design.</div><div><br /></div><div>All too soon, we were done.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thankyou Captain. I think PO Smart can take care of installing it. Then I would like it if you would allow PO Smart and I to update on the other unit. I want both of us to have familiarity in case we ever need to repair one of these. I assure you, we will ask for help if we run into any problems we can't figure out."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well Chief, I enjoyed getting to work with you." I said, and I meant it.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The next morning, the Chief visited me in my office. He brought up design specs and blueprints on the screen that matched our new gravitonic generators for my approval. He also brought up some drawings for a new gravitonic generator that he was designing based upon what he learned. It was an incredible design. I could see a number of places where the new design fixed issues we had to work around in our existing generators. This design would be lighter, more efficient, and as far as I could tell probably more reliable than the mining ship generators.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, I would like to submit this to the Morganite Fleet for consideration. The gravitonic generators used by the fleet are pretty good, but they don't hold a candle to this design, and if I haven't missed something, this design should be able to scale much better than the current design." The Chief continued, "I would also like permission to put in a request that the fabrication lab on the Fleet Tender fabricate a couple prototypes. PO Smart thinks we can install one on top of the existing generator and rig a relay so we can run the new one for testing, but still have the existing one standing by in case we need it."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sounds good."</div><div><br /></div><div>It felt good to be giving back to the Morganite fleet after all they had done for me, and I'm always looking for ways to update Hauley's systems to something better, so that was an added bonus.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-2662913034291796432021-08-31T07:07:00.003-07:002021-08-31T07:07:18.996-07:00Miami Pete 25<p>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</p><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I felt adrift in a sea of confusion. How could I? How could I turn on Pete's friends like that? Didn't Pete rescue me and give me a place to live and a job? Without Pete here, I'm that same pile of garbage that he found me on. I was dead. I should go back... back to the garbage chute and throw myself in.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Commander, she's coming to." The light shining in my eyes was blinding, "I think we got to her in time."</div><div><br /></div><div>In time? What was Dr. Farn doing in the... wait, where were they again?</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, Captain. Can you hear me?" that was Barona. Why wouldn't she let me sleep?</div><div><br /></div><div>"Get up Kid." Came Pete's voice. "There's shit to do."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Pete? I killed everybody."</div><div><br /></div><div>WOOSH!</div><div><br /></div><div>I woke up sputtering and coughing. I was soaking wet, and the water was so cold.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sorry Captain," Said Cmdr. Barona, "You were freaking everybody out talking to the dead. I had to snap you out of it somehow. That Sarqua really did a number on you."</div><div><br /></div><div>"The what?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sarqua is the name we use for humans who have gained a little telepathic ability. Usually they are mostly harmless. They can maybe sway emotions so that you are more prone to like or dislike someone. We thought Grace was one of those. We were wrong. Grace was one of the more advanced telepaths. She woke up from that sedative the Doctor gave her a lot more quickly than we expected and attacked. Fortunately Lt. Cmdr. Dorn is a little sensitive himself and noticed something was going on, so he put an end to it."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What did he do?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sorry Captain, I didn't know what else to do, so I put a bullet in her head." Lt. Cmdr. Dorn seemed ashamed.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You did the right thing Dorn. She was attacking your Captain." Cmdr. Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"She was just an unarmed little girl." Dorn started crying.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What?" Dr. Farn questioned. "Grace? She wasn't a little girl. She was a nice little old lady. The kind that makes cookies and pies." </div><div><br /></div><div>"I guess that means she wasn't a beautiful goddess either then." Said Lt. Tarn. "I suspect she was playing everyone the whole time. I had a grandmother like that. I'm sorry I didn't see the signs sooner."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well Captain," Cmdr. Barona said "Let's get you cleaned up, no sense in the crew seeing you like that."</div><div><br /></div><div>Like what? Barona helped me up and I went into Pete's... my... bathroom and looked in the mirror. I had smeared, partially dried blood that looked like it was coming out of my nose and ears. And there was blood on my new uniform! I saved those two rat's lives. I didn't know what angered me more. That Grace tried to kill me, or that she made me bleed on my new uniform.</div><div><br /></div><div>The whole thing was just so ridiculous that I had to laugh.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>By the time I was all cleaned up and in a fresh uniform, Hauley was in place in the formation and the shuttle from the Baskins had arrived to pick up Al and Grace's body. I wasn't sure why they still wanted it, but I was glad it was no longer my problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, comm incoming from Admiral Thomas. It's marked as direct. Do you want to take it in your quarters?" Shelly said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sure, send it in."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Petra, I hope you are feeling well. I read the report that your empath turned out to be a full telepath and she attacked you. I'm sorry, if I had seen any sign that she was more dangerous than a simple empath, I would have alerted you."</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's ok Admiral, the Doctor assures me that the blood squirting out my ears was a purely natural phenomenon, and I'll be just fine in a few hundred years or so." </div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral paused. I think I surprised him. After a moment, the Admiral smiled, and continued on.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ah, very well. In the mean time, we have investigated the remains of Otford Station. It is how you said, destroyed, but you already know that." The Admiral continued. "We've seen enough evidence to conclude that it actually was 'rus weapons that were used. Yes, I know, you told us that too. I was just hoping you were wrong and it was someone pretending to be 'rus. Our next stop should be the 'rus homeworld if you are still willing to take us there."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" I really was confused. I said I would take them and that's what they were paying all this money for, so why wouldn't I?</div><div><br /></div><div>"I spoke with Cmdr. Barona while you were recovering, and I read the full report from the Path to Paradise on the incident with Captain Gregorious. With that telepath bouncing around in your head and what Gregorious told you, I wouldn't blame you for having second thoughts."</div><div><br /></div><div>"And third ones, and fourth ones." I replied. "Captain Pete himself on many occasions told me: Kid, Pick a direction and move. Don't just sit there. Even if it turns out to be the wrong direction it's much better to be a moving target than a sitting duck. Well, Admiral, the direction I've picked is to throw in with the people who I haven't caught lying and trying to manipulate me. So I'm ready to go whenever you are."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Excellent. Would you be more comfortable having the Haul-o-caster to take point and we'll follow, or would you be more comfortable feeding the next set of coordinates to the Hecktor C. Baskins so that you can stay nice and safe between the carriers?" </div><div><br /></div><div>Now that was an excellent question. I really could just give them the whole course plan and they could fly off to the 'rus homeworld without me. Pete made sure not to save the coordinates on the nav system's drive when we went there, but I'm sure he knew that I saved them encrypted in my personal filestore. On the way back through, I'm not even sure why I followed Pete's example and didn't save them on the system that time either. Still, I didn't even have to go to the encrypted filestore to get the data, I had it all in my head.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'll transmit coordinates to the Baskins." I said after a few seconds thought. Hauley may have been built from a military landing craft, but she really didn't have all that much armor. The Baskins and the other Morganite warships would all have armor designed to stand up to ship-to-ship weapons fire. Hauley's armor was more designed for small arms and other atmospheric weapons. Hauley would be toast if a fight broke out with the 'rus. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Admiral seemed surprised that we would be taking the jump point so close to where Otford Station had been. It didn't feel like he didn't believe me. It felt more like "huh... we've been looking for this and it ends up being right here?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Once again, the Polly Bont had the honor of scouting.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Commander Barona, it seems unfair for the crew of the Polly Bont to always have to be the ones that scout the jump points." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Are you kidding Captain?" Cmdr. Barona replied. "The Polly Bont was purpose built for the job. She has triple the graviton shielding as any ship in the fleet, and while she's destroyer size, she has hull plating like a main line Battle Cruiser. Yes, that makes space tight aboard her, but she only has a crew complement of seven. Each crew member has their own living quarters bigger than yours, and they have cutting edge experimental hyper-jump couches that make even the worst jump just like flying in realspace. There is a waiting list to even apply to be crew on a hyper-jump scout ship, and only the best of the best are selected. They get the sexiest uniforms, and the best food. On top of that, the hyper-jump scout pay is incredible."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I take it you are on one of those waiting lists?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Oh heck no Captain. Why would I do that. Those guys are insane!" Cmdr. Barona laughed.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hauley could totally do that job." I said, and I meant it too. "Pete and I have taken the Haul-o-caster through some of the longest, hardest hyper-jumps in existence. I wonder what the Polly Bont would think of some of those jumps.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next leg of the journey was to the unknown - at least to most people as far as I knew - jump point that would take us to the 'rus home system. Or at least that's what Pete and the monks seemed to think it was. A short while after I transmitted the coordinates to the Baskins, I got a call from the Admiral.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Are you sure that's where the jump point is? My people are saying it's an odd place for a hyper-jump point. I'm an Admiral, not an Astrogator, so my gravitation physics may be a little rusty, but it even looks like an odd place for a jump point to me."</div><div><br /></div><div>"That is where we found it." I replied, "Maybe that's why nobody seems to have found it before now. Nobody looked in the right place."</div><div><br /></div><div>Apparently, the Admiral either accepted that was possible, or thought I was leading the Morganite Fleet into... what exactly? As I have pointed out before, space is big and expensive. This was easily the largest fleet that anyone had ever seen. The battleship alone out-massed most worlds whole fleets. Add in the Battle Cruisers and the Carriers and I was surrounded by more firepower than most people could imagine. I guess they would just have to believe it when they see it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The whole questioning thing worried me though. I know these are the right coordinates, I saved them into my encrypted datastore myself. It bothered me enough to take a gander through the encrypted log that I had the nav system create, just to make sure. Sure enough, there the coordinates were in the log, just like I remembered them.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mr. Tarn, what would you think if someone gave you these coordinates and said there was a jump point there?" I sent him the coordinates.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few minutes later Lt. Tarn got back to me, "Captain, those are some odd coordinates. My first reaction was to say impossible, but I do not get the feeling that you are the kind of Captain that asks something for no reason, so I dug into the matter further. I do not believe a hyper-jump point would naturally occur at those coordinates, however with a little bit of funky math and a significant amount of power, I believe a jump point could be induced there."</div><div><br /></div><div>The only times I had ever heard about anyone creating - or inducing as Lt. Tarn termed it - a jump point was part of a scam. That scam was a popular one among the shysters years ago, but almost nobody falls for it anymore.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mr. Tarn, I didn't fall off the transport yesterday. I've seen people run that scam."</div><div><br /></div><div>"No Captain, that's not what I'm talking about." Lt. Tarn replied. "When I was with my people, we did a lot of research into gravitational physics, looking for the truth about the hyper-jump points. We did not believe like everyone else that the system of jump points are naturally occurring. It's one of the things that my people were persecuted for."</div><div><br /></div><div>"What? Just for believing something different than other people believe?" I replied, "Seems like a weird thing for people to get all spun up about."</div><div><br /></div><div>"You don't understand. The leaders of my people openly spoke against the Morganite doctrine that says the Good God created the hyper-jump points for the good of all peoples." Lt. Tarn explained. "In my incarceration, I came to embrace the Morganite dogma on this, but if there truly is a jump point to the 'rus homeworld at these coordinates. I just don't know. I haven't thought about these things in a long time. Captain, I am sorry to report that I am having a crisis of faith."</div><div><br /></div><div>I looked across the mostly-empty bridge - there was no reason to have ever station manned when traveling through deep space - to see Shelly staring at Lt. Tarn in shock. She managed to shake it off after a few seconds, but I definitely saw it.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, as the highest ranking Morganite on the bridge, other than Lt. Tarn, I must relieve Lt. Tarn from duty. Lt. Tarn, with all due respect, please go secure yourself in the brig. Commander Barona and the Mother will be along as soon, I am sure." Said Shelly. I could tell she was nervous, and didn't like what she was doing, but I could also tell she really believed in it.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well. My apologies Captain, I stand relieved." Whit that, Tarn left the bridge.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shelly, please explain what just happened." I asked, "And tell me why we have a brig on the Haul-o-caster that I don't know about." </div><div><br /></div><div>Shelly was almost in tears. "Captain, I would love to be able to obey that order, but.. I don't know how much I can say. Please ask Commander Barona, or Lt. Commander Dorn. I'm sorry Captain, I wasn't prepared for this, I should have realized this might happen."</div><div><br /></div><div>"This what?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Morganites who work Outside are usually trained to resist temptation and the apocryphal beliefs from the outside." Shelly really was crying now. "I'm sorry, I like Lt. Tarn and to see him question the one true faith... it's very upsetting to me."</div><div><br /></div><div>Ok, I had started to think people exaggerated when they talked about Morganites. Guess I was wrong again. Morganites really are weird.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shelly, are you going to be able to pull yourself together?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well, could you get on the com and ask Commander Barona to come see me in my office?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain."</div><div><br /></div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-36471942200509273352021-08-30T11:00:00.005-07:002021-08-30T12:02:46.908-07:00Miami Pete 24:<div>A blast from the past. This story faded on me, now that the Kinderling story is done, thought I would finish it.</div><div><br /></div><div>In case you are interested in reading this from the beginning:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/just-little-free-writing.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Miami Pete:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Lt. Cmdr. Dorn must have made sure Lt. Tine didn't catch even a hint that the "inspection" was really a dinner party, because when he walked into Cargo Bay One, so big was his surprise, that when everyone yelled "Surprise!", he startled to the point that he landed on his posterior. A number of hands were quickly offered to help him back to his feet. Once he regained his feet, and his composure, Lt. Tine announced himself and saluted. "Lt. Tine, reporting for inspection Capitan!"<br />
<br />Not knowing what to do, and wanting to show respect, I stood and saluted back. "Tuck in Mr. Tine. The feast awaits!"<div><br /></div><div>Lt. Tine quickly found his place and was whelmed by offers of various platters and advice on what to try first. It was nice to see everyone treating Lt. Tine like part of the crew. I could tell the rest of the crew didn't know what to think about the quiet, somewhat morose man at first. When he arrived, Lt. Tine was covered in prison tattoos. According to Cmdr Barona, tattoos were a part of the Morgaite prison system. When an inmate reaches a prison, they are marked with the prison's code and a code denoting the prisoner's status, with a symbol added for meeting major rehabilitation goals or sadly, for major disciplinary infractions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lt. Tine's face was practically a map of the Morganite penal system. You could read Lt. Tine's history from either his personnel jacket or the tattoos on his face. Lt. Tine was transferred from prison to prison. Each line on his face decoded told much the same story. Transferred - other than the top line on his right cheek, which had the code for arrived instead of transferred - a prison code, then one or more markings that indicated he killed another prisoner, then ended in a transferred out symbol. The list covered his right cheek - I didn't count the number of lines - and then continued on his left cheek about three quarters of the way down. The final symbol, on the last line of his left cheek decoded to "Exonerated".</div><div><br /></div><div>Exonerated? From the tattoos on his cheeks, Lt. Tine had ended nearly twenty lives in his time in the various prisons. Cmdr. Barona couldn't tell me anything more. His personnel jacket merely said that he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison with no parole, and that he refused "Cybernetic Rehabilitation". The jacket then listed 18 murders while in prison without any detail, just a name and case code. Detailed a few different attempts to get the court to force "Cybernetic Rehabilitation". Then, said he was exonerated and released. It went on to say he requested to join the Morganite fleet and was commissioned to the rank of Lieutenant, with certification for Outside Work, and an astrogating rating. It didn't list any training, which had given me pause at first, but I watched him work and I'm satisfied that he knows his stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>It wasn't till I asked Mother Ahmisa that I got the rest of the story. Turns out, Lt. Tine was once a member of an ancient, but now-defunct sect of the Morganite religion. They studied the "old ways" and traveled through space using nothing but the stars to guide them. The sect had quite a reputation for all sorts of heinous crimes. Kidnapping, rape, piracy, you name it. So, when the ship Lt. Tine was living on got into an altercation with another ship, it was assumed that his ship was at fault. Answering distress calls, the Morganite fleet destroyed the sect ship. Lt. Tine was the only survivor having manage to get to an escape pod barely in time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thirty years later, a recording of that final battle was discovered by the new owner when that attacking ship was sold. It told the very story that Prisoner Tine claimed all those years. The sect ship hadn't fired a single shot. Not even in self defense.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cmdr. Barona saw what I was watching and leaned in whispering, "The crew is accepting Lt. Tine, because they saw how easily you accepted him. Thank you for that Captain. I have family members who were passengers aboard the ship that attacked them. It's a sore spot in my family. While none of them were crewmembers, so there isn't much they could have done. They also didn't go out of their way to testify."</div><div><br /></div><div>"So it was you who recommended Lt. Tine?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes," the Commander said, "The trial and buzz around Tine's conviction for piracy was hyped by the powerful family that owned the attacking ship. Pirates usually opt for cyber rehab, because they don't usually last more than a year or two in prison. With the way the story was hyped in the media, it is amazing that Lt. Tine lasted more than a few days, let alone thirty years."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I suppose that would explain the little red marks on Lt. Tine's cheeks." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Probably. Normally it is illegal to remove penal system tattoos, but in Lt. Tine's case I wonder why he didn't get them all removed." the Commander replied. "I read the exoneration ruling. It's a blanket exoneration. There was enough of a question that the Monteno family might have been behind the attacks while Tine was in prison that the courts decided to overturn all of it. The judges included a ruling that Lt. Tine could remove the tattoos."</div><div><br /></div><div>I had always heard that the Morgan penal system was harsh and unbending. It sounded like Lt. Tine had gotten a bad deal at first, but once evidence of his innocence was found, he was released. I don't think that most penal systems, even the best ones, would have handled it as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, there is a Captain Gregorious on the comm demanding to talk to you." Came Lt. Cmdr. Dorn's voice on the MC.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Huh.. I thought he was dead." I commented to the table. "Please excuse me for a moment."</div><div><br /></div><div>I made my way up to the bridge and signaled Lt. Cmdr. Dorn to patch him through.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Petra! I am pleased you kept the name." Came the voice of Captain Gregorious through the comm system.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Greagorious. I am pleased to know you are not dead." I said, not sure if I really meant it, but being nice didn't hurt anything. "I have a couple of people on my ship that belong to you. You want them back?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"If you need them, they can stay."</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, I would very much like them off my ship. Where are you? Can you come get them?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Right now, I'm staring down the very-many-many-oh-so-many barrels of a Morganite Battle Cruiser, and they are telling me to get lost, and I'm inclined to obey that order." Gregorious said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hold on." I said. "Lt. Cmdr. Dorn, can you get me in touch with the Admiral?" </div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>It took a few minutes - I imagine they were very long minutes to Captain Gregorious - for Admiral Thomas to get on the line.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain Petra, I hope everything is going well."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Admiral, it seems one of our Battle Cruisers is detaining the ship of one Captain Gregorious. I would like to rendezvous with him in order to de-bark a couple of unwanted passengers, but I can't do that if he's blown to smithereens."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well, I'll have my people send you a flightpath through the fleet so you can transfer your passengers, and I'll ask the Path of Paradise to hold their fire so you don't get any smithereens sucked into your intake."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I appreciate it Admiral. Petra out"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, as much as I hate to ruin the dinner, I would suggest setting the alert status at least to warning. That is procedure for rendezvous with a ship who's intentions are unverified."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well Lt. Cmdr. Dorn, set alert to Warning."</div><div><br /></div><div>Soon the bridge was a flurry of energy as the crew scrambled to take their places. </div><div><br /></div><div>"What's going on?" Came the surly question from Al. I looked long enough to see that he had Grace with him.</div><div><br /></div><div>"When we are at condition two, Passengers are expected to stay in their quarters!" Said Lt. Cmdr. Dorn, rather forcefully.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Al and Grace, get packing. Apparently you were mistaken about Gregorious. He's very much alive and we are taking you back to him."</div><div><br /></div><div>Al seemed to blanche a little, and I might have heard a bit of a whimper from Grace. I didn't really care though, I was just happy to be getting rid of these two dead-weights.</div><div><br /></div><div>Boy, Gregorious wasn't kidding. The Path to Paradise, one of the two heavy cruisers, and a mix of destroyers and frigates had what I assumed to be him covered in a way only the might of the Morganite fleet could manage. The ship wasn't the Pride of Rome though.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Mr. Dorn, could you please hail Gregorious?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"On screen Captain." That was quick, and even with video. </div><div><br /></div><div>There he was in all his glory, with a young Chance looking over his shoulder. For a moment, Chance looked... odd... I recognized him, but he wasn't the attractive young man I remembered seeing... then he started to focus into the Chance i remembered.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Battle Stations! Set condition ONE!" Came a shout from Cmdr. Barona behind me. I turned to see Cmdr. Barona pull out her side arm and push the muzzle into the side of Grace's head. "Turn it off, or I turn you off."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barona! What are you doing?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Look at the screen again Captain." </div><div><br /></div><div>When I did, Chance was back to being unremarkable and not very attractive. I turned back to Grace. "You were doing that the whole time? Why?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Gregorious owns me. You think Al doesn't leave my side because he's in love with me. It's not true. He never leaves my side because he is my handler. Please Petra... Captain... Kid... Don't leave me with them, don't give me back to him."</div><div><br /></div><div>Well huh... Grace being a slave sorta explains a few things, but not enough. I turned back to Gregorious.</div><div><br /></div><div>"So Gregorious, how did you escape?" I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Chance and I got into an escape pod just in time. This ship, the Trusty Traveler, found us just in time."</div><div><br /></div><div>"You sure do seem to be in charge over there now. Where is the Captain of the Trusty Traveler?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"I bought the ship from them. I am a man of means. The good Captain and his wife are picking out which resort planet they want to retire to as we speak." Gregorious said with a smile.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't trust smiles. At least not those coming from Gregorious.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Ok, Let's dock so you can have your people back. Helm! How soon till we are docked with the Trusty Traveler."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thirty Minutes Captain." replied Barns from the helm.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Al, Grace, go pack your things." I said. "You are both going out that airlock, it's up to you if that happens before we are docked with the Trusty Traveler or not. I am not in the mood for any more games. GO!"</div><div><br /></div><div>When our two unwanted passengers were gone. "Barona, I want to stand down the Condition One, but make sure everyone is in position just in case Gregorious tries something... Because I expect him to try something."</div><div><br /></div><div>Sure enough, Gregorious didn't dissapoint. Thirty minutes later we were docking with the Trusty Traveler. as soon as the hatch to the airlock started to open, it was pushed in by a boarding team from the other side. Barona and the crew were ready and jumped into action and had the boarders repelled in no time flat. A few bodies littered the airlock, all from the other side, none from ours.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, might I suggest handing these two over to the Baskins. They are better equipped to handling a telepath, and with how she was trying to influence you, a good enough case can be made that she is in with this Gregorious person." Cmdr. Barona said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You are right, of course."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, Trusty Traveler on the comm for you." interjected Lt. Cmdr. Dorn.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Hold on. Any way we can shut that one down before I talk to him?" I pointed at Grace. I was tired of talking to Gregorious and not knowing when I was being influenced or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sure think Captain." Said Dr. Farn as a short yelp came from Grace. Then she flopped to the floor like a sack of potatoes. "Oh catch her... Never mind. I always think of saying that too late. Sorry young lady."</div><div><br /></div><div>"On Screen." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Petra, I had to try to board! Can't you see? They are manipulating you. do not give it to them!" Begged Captain Gregorious.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Give what to them Gregorious." I asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The 'rus homeworld. They just want it so they can get the technology! They'll destroy us all!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Helm. Can we de-dock from the Trusty Traveler?" I ask.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yes Captain." replied Barnes.</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, listen to me! Where is Al and Grace? They'll tell you!" </div><div><br /></div><div>I looked and sure enough, Al and Grace were gone.</div><div><br /></div><div>"They are in the VIP quarters used by Grace, Captain." Whispered Barona.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Barnes, get us back to our place in the formation." I said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Captain, what about the Trusty Traveler?" Barona asked, "Should we have the Path to Paradise take care of them?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sounds good to me."</div><div><br /></div><div>As we flew away from the Trusty Traveler, it turned to follow, and appeared to be absorbed in a column of light coming from the main gun on the Path to Paradise. I was a little shocked. Both because I had never seen such a weapon, and at how efficiently, heartlessly, and completely the small ship disappeared.</div><div><br /></div><div>Seeing my discomfort, Barona said, "Sorry Captain. After they tried to board us, the Path to Paradise was on high alert. The Trusty Traveler started powering weapons. Captain Ardencourt of the Path to Paradise is a no-nonsense kind of Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Very well. Can you see to it that Al and Grace are handed over to the Baskins?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Shuttle is already on the way, Captain."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Thank you Barona. I think we can stand down from Alert now. I'll be in my quarters."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I managed to get to the Captain's quarters, my quarters, without too much emotion, and even got the hatch sealed before I broke down and cried. Was Gregorious one of Pete's old friends like he said he was, or was I just going around murdering the only connections to Pete that I had left?</div>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-59254377646474049592021-08-27T09:43:00.002-07:002021-08-27T09:43:20.815-07:00Kinderling 62<p>In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>I killed Baot.</p><p>I didn't think about it. I didn't plan on it. How could I? I had no way of knowing we would even see Baot today. We usually didn't see him directly at all. We usually just guessed at where he might be based upon our interpretations of how everyone else acted. </p><p>Baot ordering a Kinderling to be burned alive just made me so angry.</p><p>"Tandy, we have to get out of here!" Yelled someone. I didn't really know who. I could barely hear anything through the ringing in my ears. I killed him.</p><p>A tug on my arm brought me back to reality. At first I attempted to fight it but Lomas, one of the few village refugees who lived at the garrison who volunteered for scouting duty, pointed towards the village. When I looked, it looked like every Gorf I had ever seen was running our direction. I grabbed the monster-go-stick, and Lomas and I shot off through the trees. I could only hope the others would also be able to escape.</p><p>Most of the Kinderling villagers were timid. Very few of them wanted a ride on one of my go-sticks, let alone wanted to learn how to fly one. Lomas was a little different. When he joined the scouts, he went as far as asking for lessons. Unfortunately, with all the excitement since we returned from the mountain we never got the chance.</p><p>Needless to say, I was flying at break-neck speeds, while Lomas held on for dear life.</p><p>"Why are you turning around!?" Lomas screamed above the rush of the wind. I couldn't put Lomas down, because he would be caught by the Gorfs, but I had to go back and see what was going on. I hoped he would understand.</p><p>The village was in an uproar. It seemed that the overseers still maintained control of their charges, but without Baot telling them what to do, it looked like each had a different idea. There were a few Kinderling overseers, they were pooling their resources, sending their Gorfs out to capture as many scouts as possible. Then there were the few Gorf overseers. Some of them were sending their Gorfs after Kinderling villagers, the rest were converging on where Baot lie dead.</p><p>I realized too late how terrible that would turn out to be. There was a Gorfish shout of triumph as one of the Gorf overseers snatched up Baot's master control bracelet and crammed it on his much to big hand. In the end, he settled for putting it on a single finger. All the Gorf slave soldiers stopped in their tracks.</p><p>"That's not good." Lomas said.</p><p>"No, it isn't." I agreed.</p><p>We were hovering above, far enough that we couldn't be reached, but completely exposed. With an order from the new "Gorf Alpha", a hundred or more Gorf slave soldiers all picked up rocks and started throwing them at us. It was time to leave.</p><p>I suppose it was a good thing over-all. With Baot dead, and a Gorf now in charge, the mass of Gorf slaves - soldiers and non-soldiers alike - became much more single minded. The new "Gorf Alpha" hadn't developed the knack for sending separate orders to separate groups. As we barely flew ahead of the rocks and stones of various size and shape that flew at us, I even caught a glimpse of a couple of the Gorf camp cooks tossing rocks at us.</p><p>After the initial terror at being chased, I realized that I could just fly up and we were soon out of range of even the best rock thrower. It was almost funny to note that the new "Gorf Alpha" seemed to be having trouble coming up with the next idea, because more and more Gorf slave soldiers were gathering below us, all throwing rocks up in the air trying to hit us. I'm glad that bows and arrows never seemed to catch on with Gorfs. If they had and archer, our already bad day would have gotten worse.</p><p>One thing I learned quick when I started flying around on a go-stick was that what goes up, must come down. Apparently that didn't occur to the new "Gorf Alpha" because the Gorf slave soldiers were piling up directly below us and were getting pelted by the rocks as they returned to earth. It would have been funny if the sound of rocks hitting Gorf heads wasn't so sickening.</p><p>"Tandy, go over that way!" Lomas yelled. It was good to see that he was recovering from his initial shock and had started thinking. I could tell what his idea was, and wasn't sure if I wanted it to work or not. It was easy for him to forget that the Gorf Soldiers were slaves. They weren't there because they wanted to be. I was worried about Mouse. I was constantly looking for him, but hadn't found him yet. It was the same reason I hadn't considered using my final explosive arrow.</p><p>If only we could get rid of that master control bracelet.</p><p>Thinking about the master control bracelet made me look over where I thought the new "Gorf Alpha" was located. I didn't see him. What I did see was an out and out brawl. The overseers were fighting for control. We already knew, or thought we knew, that the master control bracelet over-rode the control that the individual overseers had. When one of them got control over the master control bracelet, the rest attacked. Everyone wanted to be the top-Gorf. I suspect that Baot had ways of dealing with this problem, but the new "Gorf Alpha" didn't have the advantage of starting small so he could plan for these things before they got out of hand.</p><p>I hated to do it, but my hand reached for my arrow chucker.</p><p>My initial plan was to start picking off "Gorf Alpha" after "Gorf Alpha" until a better idea came up. Surely that would keep them fighting each other and give the Kinderlings still in the village a chance to run and hide. But in the pile of Gorf overseers, I couldn't see him. He was definitely there, but where? That's when my hand brushed against my last explosive arrow. I'm not sure why I even carried the thing. After seeing the devastation that it could cause, I never wanted to use one again. The only reason it didn't go to the Star Sailor with the ones I made for him was because it was way too small to be usable by an Elven archer. </p><p>"Hold on tight Lomas, this is about to get real bumpy." I said as I pulled the explosive arrow out of my quiver. I had to unfasten the safety I attached to it to keep me from accidentally grabbing it when I wanted a regular arrow. The whole time, my mind, every fiber of my being, screamed "NO!" but I didn't listen.</p><p>It seemed such a little thing. Such an easy thing. Set the arrow-chucker's mechanism. Slide the arrow in. Feel the click of the nock engaging the holder. Bring the arrow-chucker up to my shoulder.</p><p>I felt like I was moving in slow motion.</p><p>Aim. Release.</p><p>FWUMP!</p><p>I almost fell off the monster-go-stick. I wanted to. I wanted to fall. I wanted to end this. I wanted to remove the most evil thing I could think of from our world. </p><p>Me.</p><p>Lomas caught me and held on.</p><p>I came back to reality with Mizzy and Mama wrapped around me. My throat was wrecked. Someone nearby was softly screaming, then I realized it was me. My face was wet, Mizzy was wet, Mama was wet. It gradually sank in that I was crying. Still crying.</p><p>"We won't let you go Tandy. We're her for you. We love you."</p><p><br /></p><p>I would say it took days to recover, but I would be lying. I'm not sure I'll ever recover. I'm a killer, a monster, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive myself.</p><p><br /></p><p>When my explosive arrow hit the pile of overseers fighting over the master control bracelet, it killed or at least disabled all of them. The few Kinderlings who had overseer bracelets were already out of action. When Baot's control ended they were the first targets of the Gorf overseers and were killed quickly. Maybe the Gorf overseers didn't like the idea of Kinderlings controlling their fellow Gorfs. Maybe they just saw them as easily removed competition. I don't know.</p><p>The monster-go-stick did exactly what it was designed to do when it lost it's rider. It slowly, gently returned to the ground, much to the surprise and relief of poor Lomas. With nobody controlling the Gorf slaves any longer, they slowed like the Gorf slaves we saw in the forest. To hear Lomas tell it, that was more terrifying than being chased. The Gorfs just stood there, watching him as he tossed me over his shoulder and tried to carry me back to the garrison.</p><p>Mama found us, of course. As soon as the first scouts returned to the garrison with news of what happened, Mama flew out to look for me. Well... As soon as the second scouts returned anyway. The first was Daisy, but she was so excited and upset that nobody was able to understand what she was saying.</p><p><br /></p><p>Flower's tribe took care of removing the - now former - Gorf slave soldiers that were left from the village. I don't know where they took them, or what they did with them. Watcher assures me that they are safely far away from the Kinderling village and they will never bother us again. </p><p>Adiz of all people took over the village council and the task of bringing the village back together. Father retired saying he had about enough of the back-stabbing drudgery of it all. I'm not sure how back-stabbing and drudgery go together, but Father insisted that's what the whole mess was like, and he was done. To everyone's surprise, Adiz brought in Kinderlings from both the garrison and from the village to take part and from what I am told, does not allow any kind of resentment in the council chambers. We are all Kinderlings, it's time we acted like it.</p><p>Initially, Beso was nowhere to be found. Adiz signed an arrest warrant for both him and Daggi saying she wanted them to stand trial hoping that seeing justice done would help in the healing process. That trial never happened. Beso's body was found one morning hanging from a tree in the village square. A Kinderling girl confessed to the murder, offering her expanding belly as evidence that he deserved his fate. It was clear that she was far too small to have done it herself, but nobody cared to charge her or look for accomplices. </p><p>Daggi was never found. I still see him in my nightmares.</p><p>A year later, the village commemorated Union Day. I hid in my room crying. I'm not sure who thought fireworks were a good idea, but whoever it was can just go to the below. From then on, I celebrated Union Day by myself, or at least as "by myself" as Mizzy allowed at the cave by the lake. It was far enough away from the village that I couldn't hear the fireworks. </p><p>Some years, the Star Sailor stops by and brings the Lady of Eastwood.</p><p><br /></p><p>And so ends our tale of the Kinderlings. Keep watching here (if you want to, of course), I'm sure I'll start another story soon, and thanks for reading.</p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-42693179873446987292021-08-27T06:29:00.000-07:002021-08-27T06:29:54.250-07:00Kinderling 61<p>In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Sky Ship left the next day. To my surprise, the Lady of Eastwood stayed behind with a guard of five Elven Archers. I tried to catch her alone to ask why she stayed, but the archers rarely left her side. Finally I resorted to accosting her in her bath. The Elves were using in one of the barracks in the garrison. While the Lady was able to commandeer officer quarters in the barracks, apparently when the garrison was built, lower ranking officers were still required to share bathing facilities with their troops. Higher ranking officers were housed elsewhere. The Lady, being a very private person did what officers probably always did and ordered her guard to get out for a few hours so she could bathe in peace. Too bad she didn't count on me.</p><p>"Lady, may I speak with you?" I asked, getting a little bit of a tickle out of seeing her startle a bit. </p><p>"Wise One, I will always make time for you." I could tell she was just being polite, but pretended to assume the Lady meant that now would be that time. </p><p>"First, can you just call me Tandy? It's my name. I hate being called "Wise One" all the time. It makes me feel like an owl." I said, "I just wanted to ask, why are you still here? I thought you would leave on the Sky Ship with the Star Sailor and the King of All."</p><p>"Wise One is your proper honorific. It is you. You are the Wise One. I could no more call you Tandy than I could name you a Gorf." the Lady said, "And you were mistaken. While I'm sure the Star Sailor would have gladly allowed me passage on his Sky Ship, the King of All is not so enamored of me at the moment. He chose to wash his hands of Iowne and her people, and encouraged me to do the same. I feel that I still owe Iowne a debt of gratitude, so I refused. We Elves tend to take things like gratitude very seriously. Because he chose to have this conversation in a public forum, the King of All lost prestige when I rebuked him. The one thing an Elven King of All can't abide is losing prestige."</p><p>"Aw, did Junior get his little feelings hurt?" I asked smiling.</p><p>"You don't understand. When the King of All loses prestige, he risks inviting a challenge. Unless that challenge is met in an exemplary fashion, more prestige could be lost inviting further challenges. With each challenge there is a risk of being overthrown. No King of All has ever survived being overthrown. One makes far too many enemies on the journey to becoming the King of All. Once there, almost any decision made risks creating even more enemies. There is no way to please everyone."</p><p>"I had no idea."</p><p>"No, you probably don't." Said the Lady of Eastwood, "But your mother most definitely does. I was appalled when I first heard the Mystic call him Junior to his face, right in front of everyone. But now I wonder. He seems to handle it well, and doesn't seem to have lost prestige over it. I'm still trying to understand how that is."</p><p>"Oh, that's easy." I said, "Mama is Mama. She's a force of nature. Getting upset and trying to control Mama would be like getting upset at a thunder storm and trying to make it keep it's lightning to itself. Only a fool would try. Remember the Captain?"</p><p>The Lady of Eastwood thought it over for a moment. "You truly are the Wise One."</p><p>"Oh not that again!"</p><p><br /></p><p>Uncle Zon and the militia continued baiting Baot's patrols ever further North, while our scouts watched for an opening on the South side of the village. At least that part of my plan seemed to be working well enough. Unfortunately, a lot more of the Mountain King's soldiers and overseers escaped the King of All's wrath than we expected. It seemed like every day a few more would find their way to the village. Without the Mountain King, they were at loose ends, starving, and ready to be recruited into Baot's expanding army. </p><p>When I could get away, I started joining the scouts to watch the South side of the village, hoping for an opening that would allow me to swoop in and. I don't know, do something?</p><p>On the up side, with Baot sending more of his army patrolling towards the North, it did give us some chances to see Mouse. He looked like he was doing well enough, in spite of his time wearing the harness. I felt bad for him, and bad for Daisy who clearly missed him so.</p><p>"Uncle Zon, is there any way we can speed this up? Baot is sending more and more patrols North, but he still has enough to cover him in the village."</p><p>"That's what I'm worried about too." Uncle Zon replied. "If we can't get him to send enough of his soldiers out, we won't be able to get to him."</p><p>I couldn't see how things could get worse, but apparently that was a failure of imagination on my part. The next day, Baot stopped sending patrols North. Instead, he arrayed his army on the South side of the village in full view and ordered his soldiers to build a pyre. I had joined the scouts that day and was confused at first, not understanding what they were doing.</p><p>Once the pyre was constructed, Baot yelled out. Someone must have given him a device to make his voice louder because we could all hear. "I see you sneaking in the woods! Did you think you could deceive me? Witness the consequences of your folly!"</p><p>With that, Baot signaled to have torches thrown on the pyre. It didn't take long for a large fire to start. Then a couple Gorf soldiers stepped forward carrying a tied-up Kinderling. I wasn't close enough to see who it was, but with that size and shape, it couldn't have been anything but a Kinderling. With a wave of Baot's arm, they threw the Kinderling on the pyre. The screams were heart wrenching.</p><p>"Each day, until every one of you surrenders, another Kinderling will go on the pyre. Don't you see what your abandonment of the village has caused?" Baot was gloating. He had just ordered a Kinderling to be burned to death, and now he was gloating.</p><p>I couldn't take it. I pulled out my arrow chucker and loaded it. It was a long shot, but not really all that much further than the shot I took against the Captain at the cave. I shouldered the arrow chucker, noticed the direction and speed the wind was moving the greasy black smoke from the pyre, made a couple small adjustments, and fired.</p><p>An arrow sprouted from Baot's chest, and he fell.</p><p>Chaos ensued. </p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-30491862673912185712021-08-26T07:49:00.002-07:002021-08-26T07:49:43.134-07:00Kinderling 60<p> In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>The plan was simple, according to Mama this was good since complicated plans with too many moving parts were always prone to failure.</p><p>Since Baot thought we were hiding North of the village, the first part of the plan was for Uncle Zon and his remaining militia to start making trails and leaving small camps up that way for Baot's patrols to find. Dobbo, whom I was still trying to decide it I should trust or not, particularly liked this part of the plan.</p><p>"The best way to get someone to believe a lie, is to tell them something they already think is true." he said. I was a little disapointed with myself when my first thought was "and you would know" since so far, I couldn't point to a single instance where I caught Dobbo in a lie. He had even admitted to things that made him look bad when he could have not said anything and nobody would have been any the wiser. Perhaps he really was turning over a new leaf. Fair or not, I just couldn't bring myself to trust him fully.</p><p>The first part of the plan went off masterfully. Uncle Zon and the militia were able to use the tunnels that Watcher, via Flower, had shown Mama and I to get into position, and kept the entrance on that end hidden using one of my no-see-me charms. Zenna came up with an ingenious method for them to not lose the entrance like I had when we rescued Mizzy. They would take a stick-doll and hang it from a tree branch a short way from the entrance. Depending on what kind of stick-doll they used would tell them which direction, and how many steps to the entrance. As long as they placed the doll accurately enough, they could just find it and locate the entrance by following the scheme rather than directly looking for the entrance. I'm not sure how, but it did work. Although it necessitated Zenna trying to teach the male militia members how to weave the various traditional Kinderling stick-doll patterns out of twigs which didn't go well until Mizzy stepped in. Apparently, Mizzy is a really good teacher, and was a little obsessed with stick dolls when she was little. I have always thought they were silly and useless, but after seeing how much Mizzy loved them, I would never tell her that.</p><p>Soon, Smoke, Daisy, and the handful of Kinderlings who were assigned to scouting and spying on the village reported that Baot and his people had concentrated their efforts toward the North.</p><p>In the midst of all the excitement, Watcher came for a visit.</p><p>"Tandy, I have come from the Mountains. The Mountain King, and his fortress, are no more, or at least soon will be." Watcher said. "I didn't stay to watch the final assault because those Elves were in a bit of a Gorf-killing frenzy and I didn't want to get caught up in it." I suspected as much we had been hearing faint rumblings from the direction of the Mountains on and off since not long after the Elves left on the Sky Ship. I sent word to the Gorf tribe via Daisy before the Elven attack to make sure none of them went up there and were caught in the crossfire. Apparently Watcher felt my warnings didn't apply to him, until they did.</p><p>"Do you know if the Elves kept their promise to spare Iowne and her people?" I asked.<br /></p><p>"I do not know, young Tandy. As per your warning, I stayed as far as I could away from the excitement, but I had to watch what I could, the clerics will want a report." Watcher said, "I did manage to see that my counterpart in charge of watching the Mountain Gorfs did escape. I saw him in the tunnels, but I made sure he didn't see me."</p><p>"Does that mean the Mountain King also escaped?" I said. If the Mountain King escaped, he might decide to hide with his allies in the village, and I didn't trust the Elves to hold back in their pursuit of him. If Baot harbored the Mountain King in the village, the Elves would likely destroy the village getting to him. I wasn't worried about Baot, he deserved whatever he got, but I did worry about those Kinderlings that joined Baot in the village out of fear. Sure, they chose the wrong side, but did they really deserve to die because of it? There was also the village itself. The homes, the shops. Sure, our family tree home had been destroyed, it was burnt down during the initial Gorf attack, but the homes and shops of many others that were with us at the Garrison were still there and I fervently hoped that they would be able to one day reclaim them.</p><p>"No, he only had a couple of Fallen females with him when I saw him." Watcher replied. "I highly suspect he raided the Mountain King's harem on his way out."</p><p>"Do you think there would be a way for us to capture them?" I asked.</p><p>"Why would we want to do that Tandy?"</p><p>"A couple reasons." I said, "First, I have a feeling that he was just as guilty - if not more so - for the treatment of the Lady of Eastwood. If the Elves find out about his existence, they will be after him and anyone who shelters him. Second, Let's just say I would like to have a bargaining chip."</p><p>"AH, I see." Watcher said, "Leave it to me. I'll probably need Daisy to help, I'm not the spry young Gorf that I once was."</p><p><br /></p><p>A few days later, the Sky Ship came again and docked off the end of the Outcropping. The Elven warriors seemed much more tense than they were the last time I saw them. When the Sky Ship docked, they jumped out and formed a perimeter. It looked like I imagined a professional military would look. Once they secured the area, the Elven King of All debarked and strode forward, surrounded by a personal guard. He didn't have all this when I saw him before.</p><p>By the time this was all done Father, Bez, Mama, and Uncle Zon, along with me and Mizzy trailing behind, I wasn't about to get left out, walked out to meet them.</p><p>"The slight to the Lady of Eastwood has been avenged. The Mountain King has been thrown down and his fortress dismantled. I felt the desire to share this victory with the Elven Friend Tandy and the Mystic, who is also an Elven friend."</p><p>Mama whispered out the side of her mouth, "Oh boy, here it comes. I hate when the get all grandiose like this." It was all I could do to keep from giggling. The King of All really was over-doing the whole thing.</p><p>"Bring forth the mantle!" The King of All continued, and the Elven Captain brought an ornate carved wooden box and handed it to his King. "Tandy, I hereby name you Tandy the Wise, Friend to Elves and councilor of Kings!" Out of the box he pulled a metallic disk with a ribbon and placed it over my head. I could immediately see that the disk was made from Kinderling Silver. There is no mistaking the sheen and feel of it. There were Elven symbols on it, most of which I felt like I should understand, but was unable to. In the middle, there was a circle enclosing a tree carved in the top half of the circle, with the same tree carved upside-down in the bottom half. The top tree was green alive and growing, the bottom tree was rotting and buried. It was a little creepy.</p><p>"I also would like to prevail upon The Wise One for some council." The King of All said.</p><p>Oh great. If Mama being called "The Mystic" was any indication, I was going to be stuck being called "The Wise One". As far as annoying monikers go, not horrible I guess, but I never wanted to be anything more than me. Tandy.</p><p>"But first! I want the Wise One and the Mystic to know that I have kept my word." The King of All added, still being annoyingly dramatic. He indicated towards the Sky Ship as he bellowed "Bring forth the Humans!"</p><p>Looking towards the ship, I saw the Lady of Eastwood attempting to guide Iowne and her people off the ship. Most of them appeared to have injuries that needed attending to. I wasn't sure if those injuries were from their days of Gorf imprisonment or from the Elves. Elven warriors were basically herding them off the ship with spears, and they weren't being particularly gentle.</p><p>Once off the ship Iowne's people huddled together, clearly afraid, but Iowne stepped forward when she saw me. "I recognize you, you are the one who attempted to free us from the Gorfs before. Can you help us now?" Iowne said in the language of Man, while nervously eyeing the surrounding Elven Warriors.</p><p>"Are they prisoners then?" I asked the King of All.</p><p>"No, Wise One," The King of All said, "but they are dirty and tend towards thieving. It is best not to trust them." </p><p>"I can see why Mama calls you Junior." I said, earning a surprised and somewhat hurt look from the King of All. Then, switching back to the language of Man "Iowne, it is good to see you again. Please accept our hospitality, we will provide food and safety until you are able to return home. Please accept my apology for your treatment at the hands of the Elves, they can be such a disagreeable and mistrusting lot." I added as a barb towards the King of All.</p><p>I reached up and took Iowne by the hand guiding her towards the garrison indicating that her people should follow. A couple well placed scowls at the Elven Warriors let them know they weren't invited. </p><p>It never quite hit me before that the garrison must have been designed to allow visitors from the taller races. After having to stoop to get through the door, it was clear that Iowne and her people were able to stand up straight in most of the main part of the garrison. I had always thought of the high ceilings as something the builders did for comfort. Kinderlings, after all, are forest creatures who aren't usually accustomed to living underground. Either way, those high ceilings serve both purposes.</p><p>Mama followed us in and true-to-form immediately took charge and started tending to their wounds. To my surprise, the Lady of Eastwood also appeared and pitched in. She didn't have healing skills like Mama, but she was able to handle minor wounds sufficiently. I, or course, pulled out my little healing kit and helped as well. Soon, Iowne's people were all patched up and comfortably settled in one end of the mess hall, each with a bowl of Tilly's incredible mushroom stew and a small loaf of bread. I'm not sure what humans usually eat, but they seemed content enough.</p><p>"Iowne and her people were n pretty bad shape, wasn't anyone available to tend to them before now?" I asked the Lady of Eastwood. I tried not to make it sound accusing, but I'm sure I failed.</p><p>"No Wise One." the Lady replied, "I was not allowed to help them, and no one else cared to." The way she spoke, the Lady of Eastwood seemed genuinely ashamed. </p><p>"Oh not you too! What is with this 'Wise One' business?" I asked. "When you all left, I was called Tandy. Now it's 'I must consult the Wise One'. What gives?"</p><p>"Your advice on the treatment of Iowne and her people turned out to be prescient. It seems that Iowne is not the dirt farmer that she seems. You can't see it, and to my shame in my iron-poisoned state I could not see it either, but now that I am well, I can see a bright, fat, line of prestige coming from her and heading over the mountain. That line connects, to a lesser extent, to her entire retinue."</p><p>"You can actually see the prestige? I thought Star Sailor said that Elves could only intuit it. Sort of feel it" I said.</p><p>"Yes, most Elves can only intuit a sense of the Prestige. Some have to actively be looking for it to sense it, some are always able to sense it. A rare few, like me, can see the Prestige. Elves who can do that are sought out as advisors, which is why the King of All prevailed upon the Star Sailor to return in time to save my life."</p><p>"So that's why the King of All treated Iowne badly, he couldn't sense her prestige?" I asked.</p><p>"No, when we brought Iowne on board, I could tell the King of All was able to sense it, but it confused him." The Lady repied. "So he sequestered them away from everyone, and declared that it was treasonous to defy that order. I don't know his reasoning."</p><p>"So where does Iowne's prestige come from?"</p><p>"The line runs over the mountain. We do not know how she got it, however we do know that there are Elves on that side of the mountain and we assume it has something to do with them. Other than the Star Sailor, Elves don't tend to travel except at need. We grow attached to our homes and become homesick when we cannot return. Even the Star Sailor has a place that he returns to, although for him it is different."</p><p>"Sorrow's Point." I said. </p><p>"Yes, Sorrow's Point." The Lady agreed, "The Star Sailor is held there by an anchor made loss and guilt. I believe it is the only thing that keeps him from flying off to the stars and never returning."</p><p>"You and Mama spoke of Sorrow's Point, and you said I would be killed if I went there. What is it?"</p><p>"That is the Star Sailor's story to tell if he wishes to tell it." The Lady said. "Please don't ask him, It would only needlessly open old wounds. Suffice it to say it was the Star Sailor's home, and where he lost his only love. Outsiders are forbidden from bespoiling the place."</p><p>"Iowne told me that she came from Dorinth. If she is from Dorinth, I wonder how she has a connection to the other side of the mountain."</p><p>"You would have ask her." Said the Lady, "I think her and her people have run out of patience with my people, and I can't blame them. The guard should not have been allowed to mistreat them like they did."</p><p>"I agree." </p><p>That evening, the King of All asked for a meeting. Mama, Father, Bez, and Uncle Zon were nominated to meet with him. I's funny how the Kinderling villagers that were rescued and brought to the garrison keep pointing out that, other than Father, there is no village council, and how a single village council member didn't make a quorum, so they didn't have to follow Father's rulings. Yet, whenever there is anything that needed leaders to do, they always picked those same four. </p><p>Mama let me tag along because she said the King of All seems a little more reasonable when I'm around. I don't know about that.</p><p>"Ah good, you've arived." The King of All seemed to be talking to me and Mama, and ignoring the rest. That confused me until I realized that, from their point of view, Mama and I were the only two Kinderlings with Elven prestige. I think Mama noticed my realization, because she gave me a wink and a nod. </p><p>"Your Highness," Father said, oblivious to the workings of prestige, "You have asked for us, what can we do for you?"</p><p>Happily, the King of All was somewhat diplomatic, and while he was still talking directly to Mama and me, he at least seemed to attempt to make it less obvious.</p><p>"As requested, we retrieved the humans from the Mountain Gorf's dungeon. Now I would like to wash my hands of them." The King of All said. "Can your people take care of them till they are strong enough to return home?"</p><p>If I didn't know any better, I would think the King of All was embarrassed by the whole episode, I was going to ask, but Mama spoke first. </p><p>"Yes, we will gladly take care of them and make sure they return home safely." Mama was all smiles about this, which confused me because not only can Mama rarely be described as "all smiles", I had been of the impression that Mama was looking forward to sending Iowne and her people on their way.</p><p>"Wonderful," The King of All replied. "In that case, I must also be returning to my home as well. We leave in the morning." But the way he said it sounded odd, like he suspected a trap.</p><p>"Have a wonderful trip home Your Highness." Mama said, still smiling as if she had won a great prize. "Our hearts go with you as you travel."</p><p>Once the King of All and his retinue were gone, I turned to Mama.</p><p>"What was that all about?" I asked.</p><p>"Oh, just messing with Junior a little bit. I could tell as soon as he gave Iowne and her people over to us that he planned to abandon them here. Now he will wonder if I found some advantage to keeping them that he has missed."</p><p>"Iowne has prestige." I said. I didn't know how much Mama understood about Elven prestige, to tell the truth, I didn't really understand how much I knew either. </p><p>"Of course she does, she tried to help the Lady of Eastwood and paid dearly for it. That beating could easily have killed her. I saw the wounds myself."</p><p>"It's more than that." I said, "The Lady of Eastwood says she can see prestige, not just sense it. She said that Iowne has a fat, bright strand of prestige that flows over the mountain." </p><p>Upon hearing that, Mama laughed loudly. "Perfect! I bet Junior is freaking out wondering if I know something he doesn't know."</p><p>The next day, I checked up on Iowne and her people.</p><p>"With your help, we are on the mend and will be able to leave in a day or two. Your friend, Bez I think you call him, has already taken Jep to see the old trade road. Jep says it's overgrown and pretty rough, but we should be able to follow it to Dorinth. That is, if this Bez person is right and it does lead to Dorinth. I have no idea how long it will take to get there. The going will probably be pretty slow since we will be on foot. The Gorfs ate our horses. I wanted to ask the Elves to fly us there in that wonderful flying ship, but my people said they would rather walk."</p><p>"May I ask. Do you know anything about Elves on the other side of the mountain?" </p><p>Iowne startled momentarily. "Why would you ask about them?"</p><p>"Just that you seem to have a connection there and I'm curious. Do your people travel over the mountain often?" I wasn't really trying to be nosy, I just hated only knowing part of a story.</p><p>"When I was young, my father traveled a lot for trade. He and his partners discovered a safe way to the other side of the mountains where they met and traded with a tribe of Elves that live there. He would come back with such stories." Iowne explained. "Finally, when I was old enough, Father let me go to the other side of the mountains with him. While we were there, Goblins attacked. One minute, Father was haggling, the next minute Goblins were everywhere. I ran, of course. Goblins kill men, but the things they do to women." Iowne shuttered. I wasn't familiar with Goblins, but judging from Iowne's reaction I wasn't sure I wanted to know. "As I ran I practically tripped over a young Elven boy. Barely a toddler. I didn't even think about it, I just scooped him up and kept running. Eventually, Father's guards and the Elven warriors beat off the attack and we were safe. It turns out, that little Elven boy was the Elven King's only son."</p><p>"What an exciting story!"<br /></p><p>"Terrifying you mean." Iowne laughed. "The Elves over there made a whole lot more of it than it really was. There were dinners in my honor, Elven Bards writing poems and songs about it. Even a performance reenacting Iowne's Run to Save the Elven Prince. I just felt sorry for the player who had to play the part of Me. The performance was three hours long, and the poor player ran around and around the stage with an ever growing number of players dressed as Goblins. Eventually the Goblins all fell over dead of exhaustion and Iowne got away. Which is nothing like what really happened."</p><p>"Stories do seem to grow with the telling."</p><p>"I can't set foot on that side of the mountain anymore." Iowne seemed upset by this. "Last time I was there, I was invited to another performance, it was supposed to be a romance, so I thought I was safe from having to see yet another performance of Iowne's Run to Save the Elven Prince, but it was so much worse! It's now a love story where, after saving the Prince, we fall in love, but the King doesn't approve and I have to run away before he finds out that I am with child."</p><p>"You have an Elven child?" I asked, confused.</p><p>"NO! The Prince was little more than a baby! Last time I was there, he was still a child." Iowne said shaking her head, "Even then, we were pushed together at every chance. A few people even asked why I didn't bring the baby and seemed to think I was keeping the Prince and his beloved child apart. I haven't been back since. When Elves showed up and let us out of the cells in the Mountain King's dungeon, I almost expected them to ask if I had the baby with me."</p><p>"Different group of Elves." I said. I could commiserate. People can get spun up about the weirdest things and rarely consider verifying if those things are even possible.</p><p>"Thank the Makers! Getting roughed up a little was almost preferable." Iowne smiled, but then became somber "Although my people probably wouldn't agree. As it is, I have no idea how I'm going to pay them. The Gorfs killed half of my people, all my horses and burrows, destroyed my wagons, and carted off all of my trade goods. None of which it looks like I'll be able to recover."</p><p>"I wish there was something I could do to help." I said. "If the village wasn't overrun, we would have at least been able to send you on your way with some Kinderling Silver. The mine is mostly shut down, so there isn't a lot of it being mined, but even a little would help."</p><p>"Perhaps we can help each other then." Iowne replied.</p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-75741293391725406712021-08-11T09:37:00.001-07:002021-08-11T09:37:29.385-07:00Kinderling 59<p> In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>After hours of debate, the "War Council" was no closer to solving the problem. Even with Baot and Daggi losing support from the Mountain King, it didn't appear that they would lose the platoons of Gorf soldiers that they already had. Even one platoon would be enough to beat us. We just had a bunch of scared villagers and the few surviving Kinderling militia members that managed to escape. </p><p>The Elves were gearing up to leave the next day to crush the Mountain King, and the King of All made it perfectly clear that we would be on our own when it came to the village. He wasn't mean about it, he just pointed out that he was already helping by removing the Mountain King's influence. I had to admit he had a point. I guess prestige can only get me help up to a certain point.</p><p>On his invitation, I spent the evening after the Kinderling "War Council" meeting broke up sketching runes and rune patterns below decks of the Star Sailor's Sky Ship. They were fascinating and I felt like I was on the verge of understanding them. Of course, I could only give half of my mind to the effort, which probably destroyed any chance I would learn anything of value. The other half of my mind kept going back to our problem with Baot and his Gorf soldiers.</p><p>Late in the evening, disappointed from failing to really understand the runes, and failing to find an answer to the villages problems. Worn out from a long day of worry. I found myself at the door to my quarters. Well, our quarters. Mizzy and I having long given up trying to have separate rooms. </p><p>Mizzy opened the door.</p><p>"I though I heard your footsteps." Mizzy said. "Only yours would be so quiet and contemplative."</p><p>With that, Mizzy took me by the hand and guided me into our rooms and held me while I cried in frustration. </p><p>"The new day's dawn will look better, you'll see." </p><p>I wished, not for the first time nor the last, to be able to share Mizzy's optimism. Lying there in Mizzy's arms, I could at least feel my worries drain away. At least we were safe in the garrison. Baot could break his platoons of Gorf soldiers on the defenses of this place, and still we would be fine. As long as Mizzy and my family was here, home was here. What more could a Kinderling girl need?</p><p>I actually slept better than I had for months.</p><p>Early the next morning I stood at the end of the Outcropping that gave the Garrison at Outcropping it's name, waving goodbye to the Star Sailor, the Lady of Eastwood, the Elvin King of All, and all the others. Even the former Elven Captain who tried to kill me was there, but I wasn't waving a fond farewell to that one, that one got nothing more from me than a "good riddance".</p><p>"You amaze me Tandy," Mizzy said, "We're seeing your friends off, and still I detect the hint of a scowl on your brow."</p><p>I sighed, "I know it's bad manners to say goodbye with anything but wishes for good fortune." Wishing someone good fortune as they leave, of course, being one of the most basic of Kinderling customs. While I didn't know how that was supposed to work when sending friends off to war Mizzy was right, even the youngest Kinderling pouchling knew this. "I'm sorry, but I still have the problem of what to do about Baot stuck in my head."</p><p>"That does seem a big problem," Mizzy smiled. "But it's the best kind of big problem."</p><p>I looked at Mizzy like she was off her rockers. "How can you say that?"</p><p>"Because it is. It's a big problem, but it's way over in that direction somewhere and it can't hurt us here. I mean sure, Baot could send his Gorf army to come get us, but he doesn't know where we are." Mizzy explained. "Zon and his militia have been keeping a pretty close eye on the village, and so far Baot hasn't sent out scouts this direction. I think the way you rescued me has Baot looking in the wrong direction. I know you'll come up with some way to stop him. "</p><p> Never mind that Mizzy's "over in that direction somewhere" was completely off, she did have a good point. The threat of Baot was far away - not all that far, but far enough anyway - and if he was looking in the wrong direction.</p><p>"Mizzy! You are brilliant!" I had to go find Uncle Zon.</p><p>Then Mizzy sighed in a way that told me she was afraid to tell me something.</p><p>"Ok, out with it."</p><p> "Hmmm... I know you are working as fast as you can, and I don't want to put more pressure on you, but Baot is getting paranoid and desperate, he has started torturing some the villagers that stayed."</p><p>That was a shock. I didn't expect even Baot to go that far. "How bad?"</p><p>"Zenna said she saw him put old Grandfer Burl in the middle of some of his Gorf soldiers and demanded that Grandfer Burl's family tell him where we were. Of course they didn't know, we've been very careful. Burl's son Stem told him something. Zenna said she wasn't close enough to say what, but Baot must have already knew it was the wrong answer because Baot told his Gorfs that Grandfer Burl was food!. They tore him apart and ate him!"</p><p>Mizzy was getting hysterical at this point and all I could do was hold her and try to comfort her. After she cried for a bit and got herself back under control she said. "I knew Grandfer Burl. He was the one that taught me about which herbs to smoke and what the benefits were. Zon said they were traitors and got what was coming to them, but Tandy, they were just scared. I talked to them before they bowed to Baot. Grandfer couldn't take the cold damp of the caves. So they did whatever Baot said so they could go home. They aren't bad people, they were just scared."</p><p>"I suspect that most of the villagers that bowed to Baot did so for similar reasons. Don't worry Mizzy, I'll figure something out. I already think I have part of a plan."</p><p><br /></p><p>That evening, I sought out Uncle Zon. </p><p>"Mizzy tells me you have been keeping tabs on the village." </p><p>"Yes. I thought it would be wise to have a warning when Baot figures out where we were. To my surprise, so far he still seems to be looking the wrong direction." Uncle Zon said, "Probably still thinks he's chasing you and your mother."</p><p>"That's what I came to talk to you about." I said, "I think I have an idea if your militia is up to it."</p><p>Uncle Zon and I talked about the idea for a few hours, him trying to poke holes in my ideas and coming up with refinements. Me poking holes in his refinements as well defending my ideas. Then we took it to the "war council".</p><p><br /></p><p>"I see where you are going with this Tandy," Mama said, "But it's risky, and I don't see how it would make anything better."</p><p>"What happens to the Gorf Soldiers if nobody is there to command them?" I asked, looking at Mother.</p><p>"I don't know." She replied.</p><p>"I do." Said Mizzy. "or at least I can guess. When Daggi would take off the command bracelet or walked out of range, I couldn't move. Tell them!" Mizzy had brought Dobbo with her, and he looked uncomfortable.</p><p>"W-Well, before Baot abandoned me, I overheard him and Daggi talking about a master bracelet. I didn't know what they were talking about at the time, but now it all makes sense. If they have it finished, it would control all the harnesses. There are also control bracelets that are more limited. I think they can control only a small number of harnesses. I saw the first few of those being tested. Baot probably gave one to each of his people, and they are only able to control a small number of Gorf Soldiers, probably a squad, maybe a platoon but I doubt he would trust giving that much power to anyone."</p><p>"If that's true," I asked, "Why was Mizzy unable to move when we found her but the Kitchen Gorf kept cleaning the kitchen?"</p><p>"I don't know what you are talking about, Kitchen Gorf?" Dobbo replied confused.</p><p>So I told him an abbreviated story of how we rescued Mizzy. I didn't go into every little detail because, I'm ashamed to say, I still didn't completely trust Dobbo.</p><p>"AH... I would be willing to bet that they did finish the master bracelet, and that was what was controlling the... Kitchen Gorf. As for Mizzy's harness, it probably wasn't linked to the master bracelet yet." Dobbo explained. "Baot is paranoid, the only one he completely trusts is that nephew of his, Beso. Which I find absolutely hilarious since, unless he's changed, Beso is more interested in his social life than anything else."</p><p>"Social life? Is that what you call it?" I had to admit, hearing Beso's name again brought back the memory of the crying Kinderling girl that I saw coming out of Beso's office before we escaped. As far as I knew, that Kinderling girl didn't make it to the garrison, so she's probably still in Beso's slimy clutches. I guess my comment came out more heated than I intended because Dobbo cringed back and I found myself the center of some shocked attention.</p><p>"Sorry everyone. Before we escaped, Baot was trying to force me to marry that slime Beso, and something I saw... Never mind, not important right now, just Beso has a lot to answer for."</p><p>"I... I'm sorry for ever having anything to do with the whole lousy lot of them." Dobbo said, he sounded serious. "And not just because Baot turned on me. I should have realized what Beso would do with power if he ever got it. I should have figured out what Baot was up to sooner and did something about it. Everyone here has been so nice to me, I don't deserve it." I was taken aback by how distraught Dobbo obviously was. </p><p>"Yes, you should have!" Mama surprised me by yelling, "But the past is the past. Should have, would have... None of that matters right now. What matters now is what we do from here on. I'm not absolving you of what you've done, but it seems to me like you've suffered enough already. It's time to get up and move on."</p><p>Silence fell as Mama glared at the cringing Dobbo. I couldn't help it. I started giggling, not loudly, but it carried through the silence. Then I saw the shocked look on Mizzy's face at my giggles and could no longer stifle the laughter. I know, I know, this was serious business. There was nothing funny here. But it all hit me as ridiculous.</p><p>Lucky for me, my laughter was contagious and soon everyone was laughing. Even Mama, who almost never laughed couldn't escape it. </p><p>Once the laughter finally died down, it was time to start working on my plan.</p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-11068389117085206062021-08-06T08:56:00.002-07:002021-08-06T08:56:16.332-07:00Kinderling 58<p> In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>Our homecoming didn't, couldn't last long. It was a mere couple of days rest before I was found by one of the Elven warriors who informed me, rather formally, that my presence was requested by the King of All. </p><p>The Elf guided me to a wing of the garrison that I hadn't been to much. When I was last here, before Mama and I went to try to free Mouse, this was a completely unused wing of the garrison. Now it was full of Elves who walked around like they owned the place. It struck me just how well they fit. The doors in this part of the garrison were perfectly sized for the Elves. It was almost like it was built for them. I would have to ask the Star Sailor, he was the oldest Elf I knew.</p><p>I was guided to a war room, where the King of All and a few others were busy arguing over tactics. </p><p>"We could just sail up there and pummel them from the Sky Ship, raining fire upon their heads. You have a catapult and barrels of liquid fire in your holds do you not?" offered one of the Elven soldiers. If my father was right about being able to tell military rank by how fancy the soldier's uniform, this one was high rank indeed. </p><p>"General, we can not. There is too much of a chance of harming that human and her people... That Iowne..." Said an obviously annoyed Lady of the Eastwood. "I do not care for them, but the woman tried to help me, I will not participate in her destruction."</p><p>"Well then you can stay here when we go if you don't have the stomach for it." Answered the Elven General.</p><p>"Enough!" The Star Sailor bellowed, "If your plan puts the Lady of Eastwood's honor in jeopardy, you should find another plan."</p><p>"And you should go back to your goats goatherd!" The General said snidely. "It is not your place to question your betters!"</p><p>I wasn't going to stand for that. "Why is it that all of you Elven soldiers are a bunch of bullies? I have a particular dislike for bullies."</p><p>"Haha! You've met your match now General!" laughed the Star Sailor, cutting me off before I could start a good rant going. "Besides, if I go back to my goats, you would be walking home. How would you go about your offensive then? Huh? The Sky Ship is mine."</p><p>"Enough with the bickering!" interjected the King of All. "General, I will not ask the Star Sailor, nor the Lady of Eastwood, to do anything against their conscience. Find another way."</p><p>The General thought for a moment. "In that case, we should attack the front gate to cause a diversion, and have a team sneak in to extract the humans." The General said much more casually. "THEN we can stand-off and pummel them from a distance."</p><p>"See, that's more like it. I knew you could do it!" said the Star Sailor. "Bravo!"</p><p>"Sounds like you all have things in hand, I'm not a military mastermind, did you need me for anything?" I asked.</p><p>"Yes," said the Star Sailor, "I have heard stories that you can create explosive arrows."</p><p>"Oh, those things. I don't make them anymore. Much to large a mess, and I almost killed myself the only time I used one."</p><p>"Arrows that explode?" Said the Elven General. "Like the rockets that the fireworks guild make?"</p><p>"By all accounts, nothing like that." replied the Star Sailor. "Those rockets are just bang and sparkles. They wouldn't do any real damage to anything. The arrow I heard about, disintegrated a Gorf, and killed and maimed a few of his nearby friends. It also knocked over a certain young Kinderling head over teakettle."</p><p>The General edged over to the Star Sailor and whispered, "How powerful can it be? She's just a Kinderling, and a girl at that." </p><p>I rolled my eyes. He could have at least waited till I was out of ear-shot to be insulting.</p><p>"Well, I do have one of those arrows left. I suppose I could demonstrate for you. Tilly would be happy for an excuse to rebuild this wing." I, of course, was exaggerating. The explosive arrows weren't that destructive, but they did make a mess of things.</p><p>"Actually, I really would like to see a demonstration. Only, of course, not in here." said the Star Sailor. "Ever since I heard the first story about it, the tale has kept growing and growing. I would love to see the truth of the matter. Perhaps we could take the Sky Ship off somewhere in the mountains."</p><p>I have to say I was tempted. What finally decided me was that I remembered Mizzy telling me how jealous she was and wished she had a chance to ride on the Sky Ship. I told the Star Sailor as much, and he beamed. "I would love to show your Mizzy the delights of my Sky Ship!"</p><p>That afternoon found us sailing away from the garrison, over Old Barrel, and North East towards a different part of the mountains from where the Mountain Gorf's stronghold sat. The Star Sailor went all out and had his crew cook up the most wonderful meal. The only thing that put a blot on the day was that I knew that rat-fink Captain was on board. The Star Sailor explained that the Captain's family was close personal friends of the King of All, and he didn't want to upset anyone too awful important.</p><p>The Captain kept to himself and didn't cause any problems.</p><p>We soon found a nice cliff wall in a remote part of the Mountain range where nobody would get hurt. I had to ask the Star Sailor to move us back from the Cliff a few times because he had us much too close to the target for my comfort.</p><p>Once everything was ready, I pulled out the box I kept the arrow in. I learned my lesson that day we rescued Mizzy from Daggi's dungeon, and hadn't carried it around in my quiver since. I never wanted to accidentally grab the wrong arrow again.</p><p>When the Star Sailor saw the explosive arrow he gasped and had his people pull the Sky Ship back even further.</p><p>"Tandy, I can feel the power off of that arrow." The Star Sailor said.</p><p>I just shrugged and fitted the arrow into my arrow-chucker. At the Star Sailor's nod, I let it fly.</p><p>The "twump" of the explosion didn't seem all that big to me, although I have to remember, I was much much closer the first time. Chunks of stone from the explosion clattered on the side of the Sky Ship, and a cloud of choking dust surrounded us.</p><p>"Yep, that's about how I remember it." Said Mizzy. "Only, I'm glad you are here with me rather than somewhere inside that huge cloud of dust Tandy. Last time, I thought you were dead." Mizzy hugged me hard and buried her face in my shoulder. I comforted her the best I could.</p><p>The General stood watching the cliff wall which now had a visible scar as a huge chunk of stone split off and went crashing down into the valley below. Then he walked over and bowed to me.</p><p>"I apologize for any offence I may have given. That was incredible."<br /></p><p>On the trip back, the Star Sailor came to talk to me. "I noted the runes that you used to make the explosive arrows. And I admit that I spent the last few hours trying to duplicate your effort. I know how you feel about those arrows and didn't want to ask you to build more of them. But I find that I am unable to make anything close to what you made."</p><p>"Do you really need them?" I asked.</p><p>"We need to breach the front gate of the Mountain Gorf King's stronghold to give an infiltration team a chance to get the Human woman and her people to safety. The Lady of Eastwood would not condone any plan that didn't involve saving them first, and I respect her wishes in this."</p><p>"Well then, you shall have what I can make." I said. "But I will only make them for you. I will not make them for the General or the other Elven soldiers. I trust you, I don't trust them."</p><p>The Star Sailor looked into my eyes as if searching for something, then he nodded. "I will endeavor to prove worthy of that trust."</p><p>It felt like something important happened there, but I couldn't fathom what it was. </p><p><br /></p><p>The next day saw final preparation happening for the attack on the Mountain Gorf stronghold. I managed to make six of the explosive arrows, I hoped that would be enough. To my chagrin, I learned that the King of All decided that this was to be an "Elf only" offensive. I would be staying behind. I extracted promises from both the Lady of Eastwood, and the Star Sailor that Iowne and her people would be safe. In the circumstances that was the best I could do.</p><p>I guess I should look on the bright side. Being excluded from the Mountain Kingdom attack left me free to concentrate oh my people's problems rather than someone else's, and with the Elven General's plan for the Mountain Gorf Kingdom, I was pretty sure that Baot and Daggi would soon find themselves without support from that direction. That could only make it easier to take the village back. While the Elves were finalizing their plans, I called the Kinderlings together to make some plans of our own.</p><p>Kinderlings aren't warriors. I guess it could be argued that during the days of the Last Kinderling King, there were indeed Kinderling warriors. Soldiers even. But now, we are potters. We are gardeners, and farmers, and craftsmen. Sure we have a few who might be called warriors, like Uncle Zon, Bez, and Tilly, and even my own Mama, who I recently found out spent some time as a scout for the Men of Dorinth during one of their many wars. But they are the exception, not the rule.</p><p>As I looked out over the faces of the Kinderling villagers, I saw only apprehension and fear. It wasn't that these people didn't want to take their village back and reclaim their homes and their old lives. They were afraid. Afraid of killing. Afraid of dying. These were good people who didn't deserve to be lead into a bloodbath by a Kinderling girl who felt like she had something to prove. </p><p>"Mama, we have to find another way." </p><p>"I agree." </p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-1549617500082103642021-08-02T09:14:00.003-07:002021-08-02T09:14:20.412-07:00Kinderling 57<p> In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>It wasn't lost on me that nobody attempted to apologize to Daisy. Well, I did for Smoke scaring her, but for the most part, the Elves ignored her. Acted like she wasn't even there.</p><p>"To think I would live to see the day a Kinderling girl amassed more prestige than the Captain of the King of All's guard." The Star Sailor said to me once nearly everyone had wandered off. The terrace garden was once again serene. Daisy had gone back to mostly-hiding in her lean-to, but I noticed she was peeking out, watching us intently. I have no idea what she was thinking. Was she watching for the Star Sailor to attack? Was she curious about our conversation? Who knew?</p><p>"I highly doubt I have all that much prestige." I said, "The Captain was just wrong, and the King of All had the wisdom to see it."</p><p>"You miss-understand the role that prestige has in our culture Tandy. When there is a conflict, the Elf with the more prestige wins. Period. The Captain could have said anything he wanted, and if his prestige was greater, it would have been the truth regardless of what actually happened."</p><p>"That's ridiculous! How could I possibly have prestige? I'm not an Elf. I'm just a Kinderling, and Kinderlings don't have anything remotely like prestige."</p><p>"It doesn't?" The Star Sailor feigned surprise. "I am given to understand that your own father is the last surviving member of your village council. How does one become a member of the village council?"</p><p>"Well, when people trust your judgement, they ask you to be on the council. There have been calls to vote for counsel members, but it never gets anywhere." </p><p>"So, you're father got on the council because people asked him to?" The Star Sailor said, "And why do you think they would ask him to? Prestige! Our peoples really are a lot alike.<br /></p><p>"By the way." The Star Sailor continued. "If it hasn't come up, it soon will. Will you be taking the Captain's place as head of the King of All's guard?"</p><p>"What? Why would I?"</p><p>"Oh nothing, only... That is often what happens when an Elf from a lower station challenges a Elf from a higher station and wins."</p><p>I was confused. "But I'm not from a lower station. That piece of dirt isn't better than me!" </p><p>"Precisely! Now you get it. You have prestige." The way he said it. Big grin on his face, almost laughing, made me thing for a moment that the Star Sailor was messing with me.</p><p>"And if I didn't have prestige?" I asked.</p><p>"Oh, he most likely would have insisted that you were an enemy to the Elves and tried to execute you, but don't worry about that. A good number of powerful Elves have grown rather fond of you. The King of All. The Lady of Eastwood. Me. I rather think the three of us might have tripped over each other in our rush to defend you from the Captain if your own personal prestige hadn't protected you. Although, just the fact that we would do that probably gives you more prestige than the Captain. I really don't know how he misread things so horribly."</p><p>"Smoke beat you to it anyway." I said proudly.</p><p>"Yes, you have a rather large and strong familiar. While it is exceedingly rare for an Elf to seek out a bond with a familiar, having one so powerful as yours also raises your prestige to astronomical heights. I would know, I've actually seen astronomical heights. It's kinda my thing." The Star Sailor smiled again at his own joke. </p><p><br /></p><p>Much to Daisy's dismay, I decided to prove a point at the evening meal that evening. I arrived at the meal with Daisy in tow. Mizzy was, of course, in on the plan and being Mizzy had everything set up. When I saw space for the three of us at the table - one small place setting for me, one excessively large place setting for Daisy, and another small place setting for Mizzy - I was relieved. I didn't think of thing like place settings, but of course Mizzy did. </p><p>I was terrified about what might happen, but managed to keep it from showing. At least I hope I did.</p><p>Another thing I hadn't considered but should have was that the King of All had assumed that I would be sitting at his table. We were now, after all, considered "friends" by Elven standards. One day I would understand what a huge obligation friendship was amongst the Elves. That obligation worked in my favor that evening, even if I didn't know it at the time.</p><p>Mizzy kept up a quiet stream of advice for Daisy to keep her from embarrassing herself, while I chatted with my new "friends" and actual friends, like the Star Sailor, in an attempt to make it all seem as normal as possible. The dinner started a little roughly, with negative looks from quite a few Elves and even some Kinderlings, a few of each went as fat as leaving the dinner. None from our table did so. </p><p>Mama and Father were there. As was the Star Sailor, the King of All, and the Lady or Eastwood, as well as a few other Elves that I didn't know. </p><p>"You certainly are unpredictable Tandy," Said the Lady of Eastwood, "I would never have dreamed I would have the opportunity to dine with one of the Gorf. I will be telling this story for years to come."</p><p>"Daisy is a dear friend." I explained. "We have rescued each other more times than I would like to count." That seemed to get the attention of not only the Elves at our table, but some of those at adjacent tables who were close enough to overhear. I wasn't lying, it was true depending on how you looked at it. I did rescue her from the Gorf Mountain King's mushroom farm, and she did carry me a long ways to get me back home to the garrison, and I believe I saved her from the Captain, or at very least that we shared that peril, and shared peril only serves to make a friendship stronger. On top of that, as long as I understood the meaning of the stick carving ritual right, I have been inducted into Daisy's tribe, although I didn't say as much because I didn't know how it would be received.</p><p>Daisy, on the other hand, didn't hesitate.</p><p>"Tan-DEE member tribe." </p><p>At first I wasn't sure if anyone understood what Daisy said. A lot of the Elves were leaning in to hear what was going on. Then an Elven soldier who happened to be passing by just then asked, rather loudly, "Did that thing just say you were a member of it's tribe?!" </p><p>"Daisy is not a THING, and she is my friend. And yes, I was inducted into her tribe. Is that a problem?" </p><p>The Elven soldier looked left, then right, like he was looking for a way to escape. Then he looked up, and up again, because Daisy stood up and grumbled. I suspect she said something in Gorf, but was at a loss to know what it was. The Elven soldier must have understood the meaning well enough because he deflated. Visibly calmed himself, and looked straight at Daisy.</p><p>"Lady Gorf, I miss-spoke. If I have offended you in any way, I apologize." He even seemed to mean it, and he may very well have since if I understand Elven prestige, just sitting at the King of All's table granted Daisy a good bit of it.</p><p>Daisy looked at him confused for a moment, then leaned down so Mizzy could whisper something into her ear. Then Daisy smiled and nodded, signaling her acceptance of his apology. There were quite a few sighs of relief around the table and among the near-by Elves. I was happy of that, because it helped cover my own. I really didn't want my proving a point to erupt into bloodshed.</p><p>Once things calmed down and everyone was seated again, The Star Sailor startled us all by laughing out loud. </p><p>"Tandy, I beg your permission to count you among my favorite people! Just when I think I know everything, you surprised me yet again!"</p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-25423298026763979032021-07-29T12:28:00.000-07:002021-07-29T12:28:49.921-07:00Kinderling 56<p> In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>Smoke was waiting for us when we arrived in our rooms. She was huge. She had been large before, but now she was absolutely enormous. Much taller than me at her shoulder, even taller than Mizzy.</p><p>"Smoke, you've grown!" I exclaimed.</p><p>*"Yes dear one. I have been watching the village for the Beloved, the rotting one and the dark-hearted one have been searching for your people. I must keep the beloved safe for you."*</p><p>"Smoke has been watching for me." Mizzy explained. "Baot and Daggi now have five Gorf platoons, and they have been using them to search night and day. They managed to rebuild the platoon you destroyed the day you and your Mama rescued me, and Daggi has been perfecting his control devices. We've even seen a couple Kinderlings being forced to wear them."</p><p>I was shocked. I didn't think that the harnesses worked on Kinderlings.</p><p>*"The Beloved is afraid of the harnesses. I should go in and tear the dark-heart one's throat out."*</p><p>"NO! You can't do that Smoke!" Mizzy exclaimed. "If you go there, they will kill you with their spears and swords." Mizzy was almost in tears, which nearly made me miss the most important part of their exchange.</p><p>"Wait!" I asked, "You and Smoke can talk to each other now?"</p><p>Together they said "Of course silly, we are connected through you."</p><p>I wasn't sure if I could manage even one more surprise.</p><p><br /></p><p>Later that day I went to find the Star Sailor, and we went in search of Tilly. </p><p>"Tilly, I would like you to meet the Star Sailor." I made the introductions. "He's the one who built the floating ship docked out front. Star Sailor, this is Tilly. She is the one I wanted you to meet. She has taken my arrow-chucker idea and grew it shoot much larger spears. Not as big as the logs your ballista shoots, but much larger than my arrows."</p><p>We gave the Star Sailor a demonstration of Tilly's spear-chucker device, and I could see he was impressed, but I'm a little embarrassed to note that I wasn't. I could see the runes and how they interacted, and it wasn't optimal. I didn't want to say anything in front of Tilly. Tilly is my friend and I really like her and didn't want to embarrass her. </p><p>Later, after we left Tilly's workshop I had to ask. "I never noticed it before, but Tilly's runes weren't meshing like they should. Sure, the spear-chucker worked, but those spears should have flown much faster. Do you know why that would be?"</p><p>"You are growing in power and understanding Tandy," The Star Sailor said, "So it is natural that you are able to see the runic interactions, and yes they were weaker than they could have been." Then the Star Sailor pointed at a nearby fortification. "But that tells me it isn't because your friend Tilly lacks power or skill. She just focuses her skills in other areas. Just like you wouldn't be able to match the Mystic in the fine skills of healing for which she gained her prestige among the Elves, and she couldn't match your skill with directed force and inertia."</p><p>I looked at what the Star Sailor was pointing at, it was a wall that Tilly reinforced at some point. Looking at the runes, I could tell it was far beyond what I could manage, even now. </p><p>"So I am right. The intentions and personality of the crafter influence what and how they create."</p><p>"Yes," The Star Sailor replied. "As a child, watching over sheep and goats in the mountains, my whole being was obsessed with escaping my lot in life and soaring in the sky to reach the stars. I suspect you have a similar dream of escape, only yours includes destroying those who would prevent you from escaping."</p><p>"It's not like.." I started.</p><p>"I'm not casting judgement upon you. I am merely stating what is." The Star Sailor interrupted. "Your focus is on things that you can actively use to defend yourself and others. Tilly's focus is on building an impregnable fortress. If I had to guess, I would guess that piece of wall right there would withstand forces that few things in this world could withstand. I intend to study it as much as I'm allowed."</p><p>I left the Star Sailor staring at Tilly's wall, sketching into one of his ever present notebooks. I wondered how much he would really get out of it. </p><p><br /></p><p>I was surprised when one of the Kinderling gardeners who tended the terrace gardens built into the cliffside stopped by to tell me that Daisy had been asking about me. I thought Daisy had gone back to her Gorf tribe when Mama and I headed out to attempt to rescue Mouse. I still felt bad about how all that went down. We set off to rescue Mouse, and ended up rescuing an Elven Lady instead. I also felt guilty for Iowne. We were so close to her, and didn't even try to rescue her and her people. I'm not sure how we could possibly have pulled it off, but we didn't even try.</p><p>The thought occurred to me as I made my way to the cliff gardens, how did the gardener even know Daisy was asking for me? </p><p>The answer came abruptly when I stepped out onto the terrace.</p><p>"TAN DEE! <grumble> not at Mmmmnn... MMNnnnemmttnn..." Did Daisy just talk to me? It sounded like she said my name, but the rest was an unsuccessful mixture of Gorf and Kinderling.</p><p>I felt a bump in the middle of my back as Smoke head butted me. Not hard, but enough to move me a little. *"This one has been keeping an eye on things while you were gone"*</p><p>At the sight of Smoke, Daisy's eyes got real big. I'd seen that reaction from some of the Kinderlings, and most of the Elves since we arrived. Daisy tried to hide in her little lean-to in the corner, but it was quite unsuccessful. It would have been humerous if it wasn't so upsetting.</p><p>"Smoke, please quit scaring the poor Gorf. She's terrified." I could feel the chuckle from Smoke across our connection.</p><p>*"The groundling is right to be afraid. I am a ferocious hunter, and the groundling believes I have been stalking her. I was merely watching over the groundling at the request of the Beloved. I don't think the Beloved trusts the groundling."*</p><p>"Mizzy has been sending you out to watch Daisy when she goes out?"</p><p>*"Yes, and what she found was interesting Dear one."*</p><p>"Oh? What did she find?" I asked. Smoke was enjoying this game of not telling me far too much.</p><p>*"She found the other groundling"* A feeling and the scent of a mouse came across the link. I'm not sure I want to know how I knew that the smell was that of a mouse, but I did.</p><p>"She found Mouse?" I asked. "He isn't up in the mountains anymore?"</p><p>*"Yes, he is among the mindless ones commanded by the rotting one."*</p><p>"Ok, give us some space Smoke" I said, but Smoke was already gone. How is it possible for something as big as Smoke to move so quietly?</p><p>"Daisy, it's Ok. You can come out, Smoke is gone." I cooed at the terrified groundling... I mean, Daisy. Now Smoke has ME calling them groundlings.</p><p>Daisy poked her head out and looked around all wild-eyed. When she was finally satisfied that Smoke was gone, she slowly came out. </p><p>"Daisy, Smoke told me that you found Mouse at the village." </p><p>Daisy nodded. Apparently she understood more Kinderling that she was able to speak.</p><p>"I KNEW IT!" Came a decidedly snide, Elven voice from behind me. Daisy tried to hide again, with the same poor, almost comical results. I slowly turned around, already knowing who I would see. The Elven Captain. "You are in league with them! And you don't have your mongrel magic weapon with you this time." </p><p>I didn't like the evil grin on the Captain's face as he drew an arrow from his quiver and fitted it to his bow. I moved to stand between the Captain and Daisy. It isn't lost on me how ridiculous the idea of tiny little me shielding the rather large Daisy, but I didn't know what else to do. I was just about to panic, when I heard chuckles come across the link with Smoke.</p><p>"Elven friend huh? Let's see what kind of Elven friend you and that whore of a mother EEAARRKKK!!!!"</p><p>Smoke cut the Captain's rant short by putting her nose near the base of his spine and roaring. "ROAR!!!"</p><p>It was one of the loudest sounds I had ever heard and I could feel the vibrations all the way over to where I was. The Captain's arrow shot off high into the air as fell to the ground. Smoke was on him in an instant, batting away the Captain's bow and sending it sailing off the cliff. Then she put one giant paw on his chest and held him down as she came nose to nose with him and growled.</p><p>I wasn't sure what to do. There was a very tense few minutes of Daisy seemingly trying to fit herself into the crack between the floor and the wall. Me trying to figure out how to calm Smoke down because I was terrified of the ramifications of her killing the Captain, and the Captain trying not to soil himself. </p><p>Suddenly the terrace garden was full of people. Mizzy was there hugging me. Mama and the King of All were there, Mama demanding answers from me, the King of All demanding answers from the Captain. Father standing behind Mama, looking around, trying to figure what was going on. Even the Star Sailor was there, only he was standing back and grinning like it was all a bunch of fun. I Finally had enough.</p><p>"Shut it!" I yelled.</p><p>Apparently, something about my yell transferred through the link because as I yelled it, Smoke let out a screeching roar. The terrace garden instantly got quiet except for the sobs from the Captain.</p><p>I walked to Daisy and pulled on her arm to get her to quit trying to hide.</p><p>"This is Daisy. She is my friend, and she had nothing to do with the Gorfs who put the iron shackles on the Lady of Eastwood. The Captain found us talking and was going to kill us, and Smoke intervened. There are two choices here. The Captain can leave through the front door and not come back, or Smoke can rip his throat out and toss him over the cliff. Any Elf who doesn't like it can join him.</p><p>Hey, it turns out that not only can they smile genuine smiles - the Star Sailor showed me that, and in fact was displaying that ability at that very moment, something that I will be forever grateful for - they can also display genuine shock. </p><p>"Now hear this young lady!" The King of All started. </p><p>"I wouldn't go there Junior." Mama said, cutting the King of All off. "Tandy, did this Elf really threaten you?" </p><p>"Yes Mama, he accused me and Daisy with being in league with the Gorf Mountain King, and threatened to kill us."</p><p>"I see no weapon. Neither bow nor arrow." The King of All said.</p><p>"The arrow shot off over there." I pointed the direction the arrow flew, "And Smoke batted the bow off the cliff. As for you not seeing any arrows, he's got a whole quiver full right there. Is your Captain in the habit of walking around with a full quiver, but with no bow?"</p><p>The King of All walked over and looked over the side.</p><p>"Ah yes, why there it is" The King of All smiled, "It's quite smashed, very careless of you to drop your bow over the side like that Captain. What have you got to say for yourself."</p><p>"I knew this mongrel was up to no good, so I followed her and found her talking to this... this... animal..."</p><p>"Ah, I see. So you were going to execute these two to defend the crown." The King of All said calmly. I thought Mama was going to explode, but the King of All held her off with a gesture.</p><p>"That's right! I was defending the crown!" The Captain started to warm up to the subject. "These two... animals... deserve to die!"</p><p>"Captain," The King of All said, now deadly calm, "Choose. Front door, or off the cliff."</p><p>"You can't be serious!" </p><p>"Cliff it is then." Said the King of All.</p><p>Just as I was about to say "Get him Smoke!" The Captain hopped up and scrambled for the door.</p><p>"You'll regret this!" He said.</p><p>Smoke chased him all the way to the door. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up, and didn't even try, but I was able to get a sense of it thought the link I shared with Smoke.</p><p>"My deepest apologies Tandy." The King of All said, "I knew the Captain was a bigot, and he held ill will towards you, particularly after you embarrassed him with that arrow shooting device you have, but I didn't think for one minute that he would attack you physically. I owe his family a lot for supporting me in my bid to be King of All. I'll gladly do without that support, it isn't worth the price of having to put up with his attitudes."</p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2038598461745974945.post-67404167927048944512021-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:002021-07-26T09:15:07.257-07:00Kinderling 55<p> In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://tricycleofthought.blogspot.com/2018/11/kinderling-1.html">The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1</a></p><p>Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice. </p><p>Now back to our story, already in progress.</p><p><br /></p><p>The conversation with the Star Sailor gradually devolved into esoteric discussions about runes and geometries and Mama - bored by it all, I'm sure - eventually wondered off to, as she put it, "Go annoy Junior some more."</p><p>The Star Sailor took me below decks to show me some of the Elven runes that he used to create the Sky Ship. He wouldn't show me all of them, as he told me that various Elven factions have been trying for decades to sneak in and steal his life's work. Any knowledge they might wring from me would only aid them in their efforts.</p><p>"They are trying to steal the Sky Ship?" I asked.</p><p>"Well, yes and no." He answered, "While there are some who would take the ship itself if they could, most of them are trying to learn how it works in order to either build their own, or devise a way to destroy her."</p><p>"Why would they do that?"</p><p>"While I stay aloof from politics as a rule. I count among my friends the current King of All." Star Sailor explained. "He does not trade upon his friendship with me, or we would no longer be friends. However, as my friend he does have access to the Sky Ship when he is in need, and that gives him enough of an advantage that the other factions are hesitant to oppose him. Those factions would like nothing better than to take that advantage away. Losing access to the Sky Ship wouldn't ruin him, but it might embolden some of the fence sitters."</p><p>The tour through the Sky Ship was amazing with the Star Sailor stopping to show me runes that he thought I would enjoy seeing. Many of the runes he showed me were very similar to the Kinderling runes I already knew. The Kinderling version was much simpler while the Elven version was more beautiful, each one practically a work of art, and I couldn't see how they were connected. There wasn't any kind of bridge or lattice connecting the runes like I was used to, the runes just seemed to flow into each other naturally. With permission, because I didn't want to ruin everything by doing something forbidden, I quickly drew some of the rune forms as I saw them. The Star Sailor seemed amused.</p><p>"Yes, that is pretty good, but there is a lot of nuance that you have missed." Star Sailor said with a smile, "Do not feel insulted or disappointed. It took me centuries before I was able to craft in that much detail. Indeed, it took nearly thirty years to draw all the runes on the Sky Ship the first time. Even then it wouldn't so much as leave the ground. When I looked back at the first runes, they looked like the scribblings that a child might make, so I started from the beginning and redrew them all. I ended up redrawing the while thing three times and failing each time, but I was gaining experience and skill. Each time the Sky Ship would move a bit little more and I would go back and see where I failed. Some said it was folly, that the Sky Ship would never sail the skies. Then on the fourth try, when I was about half way through the re-drawing of the runes, the ship started to float upward out of control. Luckily I was the only one aboard at the time. I kept drawing and eventually I was able to take control of the ship and fly her. As soon as I returned to Elven lands, the then-King tried to take her from me."</p><p>"What happened?" I asked, surprised. I couldn't imagine anyone trying to take something like that. Then I remembered that one of the first things Baot demanded was for my no-see-me charms to be confiscated and given to HIS militia, saying that I was hoarding equipment vital to village defense.</p><p>The Star Sailor laughed. "I flew away. A century or so later, he ended up losing his position. Elven society does not tolerate failure. His disregard for ownership rights was unpopular but he managed to weather that storm. But to say he would take the Sky Ship, yet fail to do so left him vulnerable to any upstart decided to declare themselves King and had the prestige to defend that claim. Eventually someone succeeded."</p><p>"Is that how you decide who is King? By popularity?" I asked, incredulous.</p><p>"Not popularity precisely." The Star Sailor answered. "There have been Elven Kings who were widely unpopular even. It's hard to put into words. Take the King of All for instance. He gained prestige from his exploits in the wars and other things he has done. He gained a lot of prestige from his mastery of runic magic. He is one of the few Elves who have managed to fly the Sky Ship without me being on board, although he can't do it well. He also gains prestige from being my friend, and from his friendship with the Mystic, your mother, as well as an impressive number of other - themselves high prestige - Elves and those who have been named Elf-friends. For that matter, I believe he would gain prestige from a friendship with you, I certainly feel that I have, although for me the friendship itself is worth far more than any prestige that I might gain. Beyond that, yes he also gains prestige from his popularity. It's all interconnected, much like these runes." </p><p>The trip back to the Garrison seemed to take almost no time at all. I don't know if it was really that quick, or if the conversation with the Star Sailor was that interesting.</p><p>The Star Sailor moored the Sky ship off the end of the Outcropping so that access to the ship would be easily available via a gang plank. He told me he was happy to be able to do so, since so few of the places he visited had any reasonable place for him to dock. </p><p>Most of the Elves stayed on board the Sky Ship as Mama guided the King of All, the Star Sailor, and the Lady of the Eastwood, whom we rescued, and of course me, to the outer doors of the garrison. The King of All had a small retinue of Elven soldiers as any King would. I noticed the Captain that I had so much trouble with was not among them. Bez, Tilly, and Father were there waiting for us when we arrived. It seemed to me like they were ready to dash inside at a moment's notice and slam the door closed until they saw that Mama was at the head of the group. Father ran forward and wrapped his arms around Mama. </p><p>"I believed you Bonnie, you didn't have to go out and find some Elves just to prove they still exist" They chuckled together, it was such a sweet moment that got me thinking about Mizzy.</p><p>Mama made the introductions. "Bez, this is Junior, the Elven King of All, The Star Sailor who flies that little rowboat over there all over the place, and finally the Elven Lady of the Eastwood." Then she turned to the other side, "Junior, this is Bez, caretaker of the Kinderling Garrison at Outcropping. Tilly, the Lady of Outcropping and a formidable rune master in her own right, and Tadius, the sole surviving member of the village council, and also my adoring husband."</p><p>There was silence for a moment as everyone seemed to be taking everything in, then Father's diplomatic side must have poked him because he snapped out of it. Good thing too, because Bez, looked like he had swallowed a particularly pungent bite of sharproot and was having trouble breathing. </p><p>"Your Majesty, welcome to our humble home. Please come in. We have plenty of room. We can open a wing if you have others with you. Tilly has made the finest mushroom stew, if you are hungry." Father said. </p><p>I almost teared up at the mention of Tilly's mushroom stew. In the time we have been at the Garrison at the Outcropping, Tilly's mushroom stew was the definitive piece that made the garrison feel like a home to a lot of Kinderlings, rather than a cold, dark, miserable, hole to hide in.</p><p>Tilly - ever the practical Kinderling - shook Bez's arm to break him out of his shock and started opening the door.</p><p>The King of All sighed. "Yes, mushroom stew would be lovely." I could tell he was being diplomatic, which seemed a little odd coming from an Elf, this one in particular. Especially knowing, as I do, his strong dislike for the taste of mushrooms.</p><p>"What gives?" I whispered to The Star Sailor.</p><p>"You remember our conversations about Prestige?" He answered, "Your father is married to the Mystic. If you heard half of the rumors whispered among the Elves about the Mystic... Let's just say, your father has a huge amount of Prestige. If I didn't know better, I would think the King of All is a little intimidated. See how the Mystic walked over to him and embraced him right in front of everyone?"</p><p>"They do that all the time, they love each other." I said. The Star Sailor looked shocked. Elves are so weird.</p><p>Getting the King of All and his retinue settled into the garrison went surprisingly quick and easy. Bez and Tilly had been hard at work organizing a cleanup of the entire garrison, even the parts that weren't in use. The King of All and his people, of course, had to provide their own beds because Kinderling beds were far too small for even the smallest of Elves, but they had been prepared for camping in the cave, so the warm, dry garrison was practically luxurious by comparison.</p><p>I was a little surprised that Mizzy hadn't made an appearance yet, and was getting worried when Tommil and Adiz showed up.</p><p>"Mizzy is in the thick of things getting the King of All settled." Adiz explained. "She sent us to tell you she is looking forward to seeing you as soon as your guests are taken care of. She said you would understand."</p><p>Of course, Mizzy would see the Elves - at least in part - as my guests and tackle the task of making them as comfortable as possible. I didn't have to wait long to see her. She soon appeared in the great hall looking for me. As wonderful as Tilly's mushroom stew was, for me, holding Mizzy in my arms is really what made the garrison home.</p><p>"Tandy, you smell bad." Mizzy said, "Come along, you really need a bath."</p>Stuart the Vikinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09254498595290292223noreply@blogger.com0