First Command (36 page)

      
She responded, “We’re already practiced and ready.
 
Admiral Minacci wants to have the fleet ships practice their maneuvers in the attack for the next two days.
 
I’d like to watch my Marines in action, if it’s alright with you, sir.”

      
Kelly laughed, “Sure Ms. Chen, it’s alright with me.
 
Permission granted.”

      
She picked up a large duffle bag and said, “My gear.
 
I go nowhere without it.”

      
As soon as all the Marines and their gear were on board and secure, Kelly asked permission to depart.

      
Admiral Minacci came up on the circuit and granted permission to depart.
 
He wished them good luck and good hunting, the traditional Scout Force farewell.
 
The Admiral was learning.

      
Kelly ordered the helm to undock from the Yellow Jacket and set course for the previously determined hold position within the star cluster.
 
The Vigilant smoothly undocked and moved outside the fleet perimeter before engaging FTL Power 3.
 
It was time to go to work.

Chapter Fourteen

      
The commander of Torpedo Ship Squadron Four was monitoring the space within the star cluster pathway.
 
He had broken the twelve ships into two-ship sections and had them covering the maximum volume toward the Rigel-Aldebaran sector.
 
Taking a risk, he had loaded his four Charybdis with mines and had them seed a spider’s web of mines throughout the edges of the path, then return to be fitted with torpedoes.
 
He kept all of his Scylla ships on patrol, and the weapons handlers were working at high efficiency to rearm and reload the Charybdis with torpedoes.
 
All but one ship had returned from reloading.
 
Torpedo Ship Squadron Five had done the same and was covering his back.

      
This would be his third four-hour patrol since the last assault had taken out Torpedo Ship Squadron Two.
 
He hoped for a nice quiet patrol like the last two.
 
He felt more secure now that they had a dense field of mines in front and in back of them.

      
His last pilot returned from the planet and joined up with her wingman.
 
Now they waited and kept their eyes open.
 
What he wouldn’t give for a sector early warning grid.

* * * * *

      
The two Shadow scout ships moved up to the star cluster in echelon formation.
 
They were similar to the Vigilant, but only half the Vigilant’s size.
 
They lacked Vigilant’s turrets, but had a deadly mix of plasma and particle cannons in their nose and winglets.
 
Twelve guns could do a lot of damage.

      
They moved in, scanned, and one of them powered forward at FTL Power 5 for two seconds then drifted, scanning the whole time.
 
Then the other powered forward for four seconds at FTL Power 5 and drifted, scanning.
 
The first powered by the second ship for four seconds and drifted, scanning.
 
The second ship adjusted for the change in angle of the path and powered forward.
 
They kept this up until they started to see indications of Human activity on their long-range scanners.
 
Both stopped and scanned.
 
They received indications of terrestrial communications, including planet-wide entertainment broadcasts.
 
The two captains were amazed that any life form could exist in this star cluster, much less Humans, but pressed ever forward.
 
They moved forward slowly now, expecting a Human force to respond to their presence at any moment.

      
Their gravimetric sensors were of a match for the Vigilant’s, and they quickly found a path that would accommodate Fleet Commander J’Kalt’s maneuver scheme.
 
Locating a minefield, they determined that it was an undisciplined and scattershot field, and easily found a path around it.
 
It was a tricky maneuver, with two opposing 90 degree turns in quick succession, but still passable by the fleet.
 
They pressed ever forward, sensing that the Human planet was ahead, but as of yet had not gotten a direct bearing on it.

* * * * *

      
      
The Vigilant coasted into a nest of four brown dwarves, close enough to the pirate world for the Vigilant’s sensors to get high resolution scans, but far enough away to be undetectable from the planet or the patrolling ships.
 
The sensor section plotted and calculated the numbers and patrol patterns of the torpedo ships and the recently added cutter orbiting the planet.
 
They intercepted the ships’ reports to the defense HQ on the planet, noting that the defenders were becoming more disciplined and more effective.

      
When Vigilant Sensors had a good enough plot to anticipate the patrol ships’ actions, they tested their ability to predict where the torpedo ships and cutter would be at any given times.
 
Their patrol patterns were very predictable, like sentries walking post.
 
One successful test was followed by a second, and third.
 
Kelly thanked God they were lock step and predictable.
 
He had Sensors calculate the next time all the patrol ships would be facing away from the planet and the orbiting patrol ship would be behind the planet.

      
They worked their magic and gave him a window of 40 minutes, to begin in one hour and twenty minutes.
 
Kelly told CPT Chen to get her Marines ready.
 
He had Chief Blankenship send a message to Alistair, giving him their ETA and to get the Debran women ready.
 
The Vigilant would meet them on the ninth hole.

* * * * *

      
In exactly one hour and twenty minutes, the Vigilant made a high-speed dash into the pirate world’s atmosphere.
 
They spiraled in, aiming for the pin of the ninth hole of the manor house golf course.
 
Night had set in, but the Vigilant’s sensor feed made the helmsman’s monitor picture as bright as noon.
 
The Marines were positioned to the port and starboard of the gangplank.
 
As the Vigilant got within 100 feet of the ground, the gangplank went down and ten Marines rappelled out the opening.
 
They landed softly and fanned out to form perimeter security for the ship.

      
As the Vigilant came down on its landing gear facing the manor house, the remaining Marines and CPT Chen ran down the ramp and across the short distance to the house.
 
Kelly had the turret gunners prepared to fire in support of the Marines.
 
Alistair came up on their tactical net and told them to stand down, as all the staff and security personnel were neutralized.
 
He would bring the Debrans out to them.

      
True to his word, Alistair led the three women out of the house.
 
He turned them over to CPT Chen and followed them as they ran back to the Vigilant.
 
The Debrans were brought aboard, then the Marines hustled back on in the reverse order that they left.
 
The ten perimeter guards were last on and ran up the gangplank, coiling their ropes just as the Vigilant lifted off.
 
Kelly went back to congratulate Alistair and the Marines.
 
He also wanted to greet the women who had caused this uproar.

      
Kelly found the Debran women being examined by “Doc” Kumar.

      
“How are they Doc?”

      
“Right as rain, sir.
 
Just a slight touch of sunburn.”

      
Kelly turned to the three women and welcomed them aboard the Vigilant.
 
He told them he had no quarters for them, but to just remain here in sickbay until they could be transferred to another ship.
 
He then excused himself, as he had a battle to fight.

      
As Kelly congratulated the Marines and thanked them for a smooth operation, he saw that CPT Chen was in a heated discussion with Alistair.
 
He ushered the two of them forward to get them away from the crowd of Marines around the raised gangplank.

      
“What is it, you two?”

      
CPT Chen was first to speak.
 
Pointing her finger at Alistair, she said furiously, “You had to grandstand, didn’t you?
 
You couldn’t just let my Marines pull this off, could you?”

      
Alistair calmly said, “Mary, the night staff was two old men and the security force was one enfeebled 70 year old.
 
I took away his flashlight and locked them all in a closet.
 
It was no trouble at all.
 
I accept your expression of appreciation.”

      
CPT Chen stomped back to her platoon.

      
Kelly laughed all the way to the bridge.

      
He looked at the plot and saw no trailing ships.
 
He looked over at the sensor watch position and asked, “Any reaction yet, Jameson?”

      
Petty Officer Todd Jameson replied, “None yet, sir.”

      
Jameson’s head suddenly went down.
 
“Sir, two K’Rang medium scout ships, K’Tan class, just entering sensor range at 176 mark 52.
 
I think they see us.
 
They are powering up and heading our way.”

      
K’Rang scouts in the star cluster was a bad thing.
 
Kelly fired off a quick message to Admiral Minacci, reporting that the Debran women were safely on board.
 
He also informed him that he was about to be engaged by two K’Rang medium scout ships that appeared in the star cluster.
 
Kelly was about to recommend the Admiral move the Fleet to the star cluster entrance, then thought, no, the admiral will figure that out on his own.

      
Kelly ordered the Vigilant to come about and engage the K’Rang ships.
 
They couldn’t be allowed to carry information on the pirate world back with them.
 
He sounded the collision alarm, as they were already at battle stations.
 
The Marines lined up in the central corridor; CPT Chen, 1st LT Heron, and his Gunnery Sergeant stood at parade rest behind the command chairs.

      
Kelly asked, “Sensors, any reaction from the pirate top cover?”

      
“Negative, sir.
 
They are continuing their patrol routes as before.”

      
Kelly had an idea.
 
He wanted to make sure the pirates knew they had bigger troubles coming their way.
 
He ordered helm to increase the closing rate by pushing their speed up to 0.9
c
, just below light speed.
 
He wanted to hit these K’Rang when the pirate torpedo ships were in the right position.

      
The Vigilant pressed on toward the K’Rang scouts.
 
The turrets were hot and his best gunner was just below Kelly’s position, ready to fire the nose guns.
 
Kelly knew he had gun range on the K’Rang; he hoped to do some damage to them before they could return the favor. Kelly ordered the gunners to fire as soon as the K’Rang ships came into range.
 
Nose guns were to concentrate on the lead K’Rang scout and the turrets would fire on the K’Rang wingman.

* * * * *

      
The two K’Rang Scouts were coordinating their attack on the Human scout ship.
 
They knew the Human had longer-range guns than they, but there were two of them.
 
As long as he didn’t have missiles, they had a better than even chance of beating him.

      
D’Lon, the senior commander, had the lead.
 
His junior commander, V’Tagg, was behind and to starboard.

      
D’Lon keyed his communicator to V’Tagg and said, “We must kill this Human scout.
 
The Humans must not know we have been here.
 
He will fire on me first.
 
When he does, you must break right, then turn wide to come in on his left flank and kill him.
 
I will draw his fire and inflict as much damage as I can.
 
Whatever happens, do not let him escape.
 
Fleet Commander J’Kalt will need the element of surprise.”

      
As the first steel rail gun projectiles started coming his way from the Human scout, he ordered V’Tagg to break right.