Nu Trilogy 1: The Esss Advance (7 page)

“Welcome, Captain Richardson,” Cam said as he stood up from behind the small console desk in his guest suite. “I have been reviewing the condensed version of your fitness reports provided by the Vice Admiral, and I am quite excited to meet you in person.”

“Thank you, sir,” Sted said as she shook Cam’s hand. “I have to admit that I’m interested to learn about you and AMC and to see what the Vice Admiral called your ‘new breed of fast assay ship’.”

Cam smiled. “Of course.”

He led Sted over to a small sitting area where they could sit comfortably while they chatted. On the small table were some snacks and carafes that contained coffee and tea. Several bottles of water were also on ice.

“The first thing I need to know is how your recovery is going,” Cam said after they got settled. “I can see you are becoming very mobile on your new legs. Your walk seems almost natural in this lunar gravity. What that does not tell me, though, is how you are doing mentally. Do you recall anything about the accident in the air lock? That experience would certainly give me nightmares had I gone through it.”

Sted looked at the table. “I have flashbacks, sir. They are not pleasant, and I don’t care to share the details of what I saw and felt beyond what is in my fitness report. Let’s just say that the Navy has worked with me extensively and qualified me for duty.”

Cam nodded. “Vice Admiral Bunting told me you had quite a bout of depression after the surgery and before the new prosthetic legs were attached. If we come to a mutually agreed upon arrangement on your employment at AMC, I must insist that you have a full physical and psychological workup by our corporate staff to supplement the naval reports on your health. We have to be absolutely certain about the stability of the men and women we entrust with our ships and crew.”

“I would insist on the same if I were in your position,” Sted replied. “Sometimes, I doubt my own abilities as captain. It might not be logical, but I keep thinking there must have been something I could have done to prevent that accident. The Navy tells me this is typical survivor’s guilt, but that doesn’t make it any less painful.”

“Okay,” Cam said as he poured Sted a cup of coffee, “We’ll drop the discussion about the accident. There is, however, one more topic I would like to discuss before we get to the interview itself. I would really like a firsthand description of the incident on the asteroid 3554 Amun. I know our rival, United Asteroid Mining Company, was the first to establish a claim on the asteroid and that they were returning a great deal of ore in the platinum group to the moon for use at the Neil Armstrong Shipyard. UAMC has always been stingy with the details of what happened, and I thought you could fill in some of the blanks.”

“Some of the information is still classified,” Sted replied. “What I can tell you is that the UAMC mining facility on the surface had loaded a dozen ore barges that had lifted off to be hauled back to the moon by three UAMC tugs. Four days after the tugs had gotten the barges on the right heading, they were attacked, and all three tugs were destroyed. The call came in from UAMC after they received a mayday from one of the tugs after the pirates appeared and before the attack.
USpN
Charger
was the closest naval vessel to the asteroid, so we were called in to investigate.

“We arrived on scene fifteen days after the attack and found only pieces of the tugs drifting on their original heading toward the moon. As first officer, I led the search party that found evidence of the missile strikes that had destroyed the tugs, so we knew this was definitely a pirate type of action.

“Captain Landsted chose to follow a course similar to the direction of the original barges, hoping to catch up with the pirates before they could get back to either Earth or the moon. Active sweeps turned up the caravan a few days later. Hauling metal ore barges is a slow process, so they hadn’t gotten far. When we ordered what we thought were pirates to surrender, they attacked.

“The skirmish was short-lived though, as the two courier class vessels were no match for a naval destroyer, and both vessels were severely damaged by return fire. We recovered several lifeboats that jettisoned from the vessels and interrogated the survivors. What we found is classified. I can only tell you that one of the governments on Earth had chartered those vessels to hijack the ore to support a clandestine ship-building facility at a location I cannot name. Needless to say, we redirected the pirate tugs to carry the cargo to the Neil Armstrong Shipyard and then raided and destroyed the clandestine shipyard. That is about all I can say without breaking the law by revealing classified information.”

Cam nodded. “Fine. I appreciate the information you were able to share. Just so you know, that incident is one of the main reasons I’m so interested in hiring you. Your experience would be invaluable to our new approach to mining, as you will learn shortly, so let’s get to the meat of the interview.

He leaned forward and picked up a remote control. “I have prepared a briefing with slides. If I can direct your attention on the wall screen across the room, let’s get started.”

He waited for Sted to settle in before continuing. “We have been experiencing problems over the last couple of years with independent claim jumpers following our assay ships and cleaning out mineral deposits in the asteroids we find before we even get a chance to register a claim through the Navy. As you know, some foundries don’t ask point of origin when they purchase the materials that they process. We are currently losing slightly more than fifteen percent of all of the minerals we discover to these leeches.

He clicked to a new slide. “Our first attempt at combatting the losses was a miserable failure. We had one assay ship, the
AMC Pride,
circle back on several of their discoveries. The first time they encountered one of the claim jumpers and warned them away, they were destroyed by a thermite missile that was fired without warning. We recovered the recordings from what remained of the
Pride
a month later. It took us the full month to realize they were not reporting in on schedule and to locate the positions of their last four reports. That allowed us to project their most probable next destination.”

Cam turned away from the image and looked at Sted. “As you can probably surmise, we were terribly naïve in our approach to this poaching problem. That all changed once we discovered the wreckage.”

He turned back to the visuals. “All subsequent slides contain classified corporate information that cannot be disseminated to any outside sources, including the Navy. As a former naval ship captain, I am depending upon your discretion to keep this information secret. Do I have your verbal agreement that you will do so?”

“Of course, sir,” Sted replied. “You have my word as an officer and a gentleman.”

“Thank you. We have recorded your response, so let’s proceed.” Cam clicked the remote. “This next slide is a schematic of our new Delta class assay ship. It has been redesigned from stem to stern with three things in mind.

“First, this ship will be faster than any other commercial assay or mining ship by a factor of two. To accomplish this, we have used a fusion pellet process that will allow us to accelerate the propellant from the rocket nozzle at three times the speed of current commercial grade engines. I’m sure you are familiar with this concept, as it is based upon designs already in use by the Navy. What we’ve done is miniaturize the fusion containment bottle to allow it to be adapted to smaller ships.

“Second, we’ve added two missile defense clusters to the design. We are employing the new laser technology for miniaturizing the fusion bottles in the laser defense clusters. This allows us to install a single laser generator for multiple applications. We will need your help in positioning the defense clusters for maximum coverage and in organizing the defense console for employing the lasers in an effective defensive mode.

“Third, we have a double hull design with a gel between the hulls. If a missile breaches the outer hull, then the gel will transfer the impact from that breach to the entire inner hull, thus spreading the force over a much larger area and preventing an interior hull breach. We are hoping that with our new speed, this will allow us to disengage before the ship is destroyed by a second missile, if indeed any missile gets through the laser defense system.”

He clicked to a new slide. “Of course, all of these changes have added to the mass of each hull. However, with the efficiency of the new engines, we are absolutely sure that we can obtain twice the acceleration of our current design.

“The crew size for the Delta class will increase from eight to ten, a gain of two over the Gamma class ships. We currently employ two twelve-hour shifts with four per shift. We need to add a fifth technician to each shift to be in charge of the ship’s defense. We currently have a captain, co-captain, a pilot who also acts as the navigator, an engineer in charge of keeping the ship operational, plus one mining engineer and one medical technician. The last two are somewhat cross-trained but are available for either shift as necessary.”

At this point, Sted felt he had to interrupt the presentation. “Sir, putting in only defensive systems will not really solve your problem. With future encounters, you will probably not lose your ship or crew, but the poachers will still maintain control of the asteroid and clean it out. I would highly recommend some offensive capability to destroy the claim jumpers, or at least chase them off.”

“You are absolutely correct,” Cam replied. “What you may not realize is that each assay ship is already equipped with a mining laser that we employ to drill deep holes into an asteroid so that we can analyze the content from the spume coming out of the laser drill site. We don’t actually land on any of these asteroids for analysis. That mining laser can be a very effective weapon against a ship, because we can create many hull breaches given enough time. The defense clusters should be able to give us that time.”

Sted nodded slowly. “That should work, but you will need to position your defense clusters around the mining laser so that the ship’s orientation can be maintained to apply the laser while defending the ship. Also, what are your plans when the independents employ two ships against your one? You know they will adapt after the first few encounters.”

“This is exactly the kind of input we need from you, Sted. We’ve almost completed the prototype Delta class ship and are preparing to produce ten more as soon as we have some experience using it.”

He changed to a slide comparing the Delta class and Gamma class ships. “Because the Delta class ships are relatively small, we’re hoping to have the prototype in operation in the next six months. As you can tell, we are in critical need of your expertise right now. What will it take to convince you to join our team and then take over as our first captain?”

Sted thought for a moment before answering. “I agree that this would be a good fit for me and much better than the commercial shuttle pilot job for which I have an interview later this afternoon. What would you say if I go to the Lockheed interview and hear what they have to say? Then I’ll call you to schedule a meeting to discuss terms.”

“That would be great,” Cam replied. “I’m heading out first thing in the morning for our corporate offices, so we’ll need to meet this evening. Would you join me for dinner right here? I don’t want to meet at the hotel restaurant. There are too many eyes and ears that might pick up on our discussions.”

Sted stood up. “That’s fine, sir. We can agree on a time when I call you this afternoon.”

As Sted headed over to the Lockheed Lunar compound, his mind went back to the incident with the pirates hired by the Chinese to steal UAMC’s ore barges. Based upon the trajectory of the barges when they were discovered, Captain Landsted surmised that their destination was the L4 Lagrange point in Earth’s solar orbit. Since the Chinese had established a major colony at L4 to bleed off population pressure on Earth, it was a good bet that the mined ore was headed directly into Chinese hands.

Because the ore being hijacked was from the platinum group, it was obvious to everyone aboard the
USpN
Charger
that the Chinese were back up to their old tricks of flaunting the C8 and building warships at a shipyard hidden amongst the many peaceful population platforms at L4. There was probably no better place to hide a shipyard and all the personnel required to operate it than right within a high-density space colony.

When Captain Landsted submitted his preliminary report to Space Navy headquarters on the C8 platform orbiting Earth, he was directed to continue the investigation at the L4 source. The Admiralty promised a backup force would be dispatched directly in support of this mission in case trouble arose with the Chinese colony. Meanwhile, naval intelligence was tasked with uncovering anomalies in the delivery of all materiel to the colony over the past twenty-four months. What they found was eye-opening. Their intelligence report back to the
USpN
Charger
set the stage for the upcoming encounter.

Sted remembered the day of inspection like it was yesterday.

“
Northern Song
, this is
USpN
Charger
inbound for an unscheduled inspection of your facilities. Please acknowledge and prepare for a shuttle inspection party to dock at cargo bay three in fifteen minutes,” Captain Mark Landsted said. “Lieutenant Adams, open a line to
Shuttle I.
”

“
USpN
Charger
, this is
Northern Song
acknowledging receipt of your request for docking in cargo bay three. Please note that cargo bay three is not available. The bay doors are currently inoperable and under reconstruction after failing maintenance check. Please have your shuttle routed to passenger bay seven, where we will have a team waiting to assist you in your inspection.”

“Commander Richardson, that intelligence report was very specific that the last shipment of control components arrived at cargo bay three. How would you suggest we gain access to that area?” Landsted asked.

“Sir, we should send the shuttle to passenger bay seven but drop a squad of marines over cargo bay three as we transit the colony,” Sted replied. “Their full battle gear won’t show up on the Chinese radar, so the first indication we have arrived will be when we knock ever so gently on their door with a thermite breaching ring. We can have the squad into the bay and contain the breach in less than three minutes, according to Lieutenant Gomez.”

“Very good, Commander.
Shuttle I,
you are cleared for docking at passenger bay seven. Keep your squad of marines on board until the general alarm sounds aboard the colony. That will mean we have breached the cargo bay. At that point, deploy the marines to protect the inspection party and to keep the passenger bay clear for your departure.”

He pressed another button on his console. “
Northern Song
, this is Captain Mark Landsted. We acknowledge cargo bay three is unavailable. Our shuttle will be directed to passenger bay seven. Commander Kim Cho will be leading the six-man inspection team.”

He turned to Sted and motioned him over for a private conference. Sted pushed off from his station and caught hold of the back of the captain’s chair with practiced precision. He hooked his belt tie-down to the tie-down ring on the chair and looked at Captain Landsted in anticipation of further orders.

“Sted, I want you to suit up and follow Gomez’s squad down to the cargo bay. Coordinate with Gomez so you arrive just after the breach. I want you wearing a full recording package. I’m sure our surprise will catch them moving that equipment out of the cargo bay prior to our inspection, so everything will more than likely be out in the open. Once you record what they have on board, order Gomez to destroy every piece of equipment in the bay. Then open every storage room in the bay and drop a thermal charge in each. The lesson has to be very painful to the Chinese, and I don’t care if we destroy a few storage rooms of non-essential equipment or supplies. I only want you and that squad in the cargo bay for twenty minutes. After that, get out and back to the ship. I don’t want a firefight with the Chinese while you’re on board if at all possible. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir,” Sted replied. “No firefight while on board if it can be avoided.”

“Good. Keep open command channel two during the entire operation,” Captain Landsted continued. “I will have your video feeds live on my console as well. As you are entering the breach, remember to plant the laser relay beacon on the hull of the colony so we don’t lose communication.”

“Permission to speak, sir?”

“Of course, Commander. What’s on your mind?”

“Sir, as you know, everything usually goes south in the middle of any combat operation. What are my rules of engagement? Is it more important to take out every piece of equipment in the bay or to protect the squad should the Chinese prove more recalcitrant than we are anticipating?”

“We must send a clear message to the Chinese,” Landsted replied. “You can destroy everything in sight if that’s what it takes. The team is important, but the intelligence you gather is primary. My feeling is that this colony is only a shell surrounding a shipyard in the making. Why else would they have so many passenger bays except to ferry workers from the other colonies here on a regular basis? Your live feeds are the critical part of this operation. It will give us the evidence we need to launch a full-scale attack on this colony to destroy that shipyard.”

“Thank you, sir,” Sted replied. “That clarifies the mission objective. You will have your intelligence regardless of the cost.”

While suiting up to join the assault team, Sted went over his objectives with Lieutenant Gomez so that there would be no confusion once the action started. Sted had specific instructions from the captain, and Gomez needed a full briefing in case something happened to Sted during the operation.

Gomez and his team deployed first, with Sted deploying just three minutes later. Sted had a bird’s eye view of the action as the team landed outside of the cargo bay, set up a defensive perimeter, and attached the breaching charges.

“Lieutenant, you are cleared to breach the hull,” Sted ordered from 1,000 meters out. “I will be at the breach in two minutes. Once you’re inside and have cleared any threats, let me know.”

“Yes sir,” Gomez relied as he activated the thermite switch.

Sted’s face shield went dark as the light from the thermite ring flared brighter than the sun for almost ten seconds. When his face shield cleared again, Sted saw the last of the marines entering the breach. That meant that the cargo bay was already in vacuum and not under pressure. Otherwise, they would have been waiting for the outward flow of air to subside before trying to enter.

As Sted’s battle gear absorbed the impact of landing next to the breach, he jammed the base of the laser relay beacon against the hull, releasing the Insta-weld arcing charge and bringing the relay online.

“
Charger
, this is Commander Richardson confirming beacon plant. Please confirm receipt of the beacon feed.”

“Confirmed,” came the immediate reply.

“I’m waiting for Lieutenant Gomez with the ‘all clear’ before entering the breach.”

Sted lowered his camera into the breach to get a sit-rep without exposing himself to enemy fire. As he looked at the camera display on his helmet video feed, he saw the occasional burst of laser fire from the far interior. In the vacuum of space, no sound accompanied the light, but every few seconds, Sted felt shudders through his magnetic boots.

“
Charger
, Gomez is running into more resistance than anticipated,” Sted reported. “The immediate area of breach appears to be clear. I’m going in without confirmation from Gomez. I’m leaving camera one at the breach to continue recording. I’m designating my shoulder camera as camera two. Once I’m secure inside the hull, I’ll activate my high-definition hand camera on feed number three.”

With that, Sted released his boots and activated his back and side thrusters. From three meters above the breach, he oriented himself for a headfirst dive and then squeezed the thruster in his left hand just enough to get his whole body through the breach with minimal exposure.

“Gomez report!” Sted ordered as soon as he was clear of the breach and had a good view of the entire cargo bay.

“This is Gomez. We have an internal security force pinned down behind the cargo shuttle in the bay, sir. Chandler and Singleton are not responding and assumed down. The remainder of the cargo bay has been cleared.”

“Keep their heads down, Gomez, while I start recording the cargo. If they get out of hand, blow up the damned shuttle as long as you give me a few seconds of warning to take cover.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sending Corporal Allen to assist you with opening those crates tied down to the interior bulkhead. I have two corpsmen sealing the hatches from the ship’s interior. We don’t want to be surprised by unexpected company.”

Sted accelerated over to the crates Gomez mentioned and considered which to open first. Their time would be limited, so his selection was critical. What he was looking for were control console-sized crates or anything that might hold military grade laser components. As he was considering his selection, Corporal Allen arrived. Sted directed him to open one of fourteen identical crates located halfway between the two hatches, which were now sealed.

The Corpsman dialed down his hand laser and directed it at the closest crates, peeling back the outer packing material. Then he reached in and pulled out exactly what their intelligence report had specified. The writing on the console was in Chinese, but the function was obvious. The battle screens surrounded by missile and laser deployment controls had a universal look. There was no mistaking what this was.

“Corporal Allen, set a charge in the center of these crates while I record as much detail as I can about the one you opened. Then we should move to the next set of crates. We only have five minutes left in our twenty-minute window, so be quick about it.

“Gomez, get ready to blow the shuttle as we withdraw. We don’t need any live fire at our backs. Have the remainder of your squad prepare charges to take out whatever remains in the cargo bay as we head back to the breach. Every charge should be set on a ten-minute timer and then launched as we exit. I want the squad well clear of the colony when they blow.”

With his orders clearly spelled out, Sted headed over to Allen, who was dismantling another crate. This time what he pulled out was completely foreign to Sted. All he could do was record everything and hope the intelligence team could identify its purpose.

“Take cover. We’re blowing the shuttle in five, four, three, two, one, Now!”

Three bright flashes bathed the cargo bay interior, and then pieces of the shuttle began flying everywhere. Sted and Allen just had time to hunker down behind the crate they were inspecting. That’s when the shuttle’s fuel tanks blew in a huge secondary explosion.

As the lights died down, Sted gave the withdrawal orders, and everyone jetted for the breech, raining down explosive charges to every corner of the bay as they retreated.

Gomez had one of the downed marines over his shoulder, and his sergeant had the other. They were the first out of the breach, with the remainder of the squad spraying cover fire around the bay just in case someone popped their head up to fire at the retreating marines. Sted was second to last out, followed by Allen, who was covering his back.

“Commander Richardson, we have
Shuttle II
inbound to your location. ETA forty seconds,” Captain Landsted said over the command circuit. “We got every second of your recordings through the relay. Based on your ten-minute timer orders, you have four minutes to get the squad into the shuttle and away from the cargo bay before it blows.”