Midshipman Henry Gallant in Space (The Henry Gallant Saga) (8 page)

One day, Gallant was deployed in a fighter screen covering
Repulse
with Kelsey as his astrogator. Red was flight leader of Flight 4 with Gallant as his wingman.

“Flight 4, take the anchor position,” ordered the OOD on
Repulse
.

“Roger,” responded Red. Then he switched channels to talk to Gallant, “Ok Henry, guide on me.”

“Click…click,” Gallant tapped his microphone in response.

The pair of fighters was on the sun-side flank of the fighter screen. They were acting as the anchor node in the unit’s radar lattice. The rest of the dozen Squadron 111 fighters were positioned at other points in the lattice structure. The radar lattice served to extend a single ship’s radar range by collecting the signals from multiple nodes and integrating the results. It produced a collective image that included objects that would otherwise be hidden within a planet’s, or moon’s, shadow.

The lattice radar allowed the fleet to see greater details of the Solar System’s eight planets and their many varied moons. The inner terrestrial planets were primarily rock and metal, while the outer gas giants were more massive with many moons. Jupiter and Saturn were composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, while Uranus and Neptune were composed largely of ice, ammonia, and methane. As a result, each object created a different complication for the radar to analyze.

When Gallant reached his designated position, the lattice radar swept an area of space around Jupiter that had not previously been exposed.

Repulse
reported, “We’re picking up a new contact. Designate it as Alpha 23. It is located just behind the horizon of Europa.”

The United Planets maintained the Jupiter refueling station in orbit around Ganymede, which in turn was in orbit around Jupiter at a distance of one million miles. Of Jupiter's sixty-six moons, Ganymede was the most massive, even larger than Mercury. On the surface of Ganymede, UP also had a research laboratory, which included an accelerator for the production of antiprotons. Together these bases were UPs furthest assets away from Earth. It was
Repulse's
mission to guard them.

Europa was in a closer Jupiter orbit, approximately 226,000 miles. It was at the edge of the planet’s horizon at the moment. As a result,
Repulse
and its fighter screen were about a million miles away from Alpha 23.

Repulse
ordered, “Flight 4 investigate the bogy. Flight 3, extend your flight trajectory to provide support as required.”

“Aye aye, sir,” replied Red.

Gallant accelerated after Red toward Alpha 23. He quickly reached the maximum velocity of 0.01c, or 1860 miles a second. This was five times
Repulse
’s maximum velocity.

Red used standard UP references to identify the location and flight path of the target. This established the observer’s ship as the reference point and set the bearing, azimuth, velocity, course, and time. The relative bearing from other ships to the bogey was taken from this standard. The direct line of sight from the reference ship to the sun was set as 000 degrees. The bearing directly away from the sun was set as 180 degrees. The plane that the reference ship had formed as it orbited the sun was set as zero degrees azimuth. Anything above this plane was a positive angle and anything below this plane was designated as negative, or down, angle. The velocity and time were also taken relative to the reference ship and the course calculated accordingly.

Soon Red was able to report the location and flight path of the bogey as, “Alpha 23 - bearing 168 degrees, azimuth up 010 degrees, velocity 0.001c, course 180, time 14:34.”

Because every other ship was tracking Red’s position, they were able to take his sighting and using dead reckoning they plotted Alpha 23’s data to their relative position.

Flight 3, consisting of Neumann and Chui, positioned themselves between Flight 4 and
Repulse
so that they would ready to scramble to support either.

Flight 4 changed course to intercept the target. Normally, ships used the most fuel-efficient means to move from one circular orbit to another - known as a Hohmann transfer orbit. This required that the spacecraft began in a roughly circular orbit around the sun, or planet. Then it used a thrust in the direction of motion to accelerate or decelerate the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit. The spacecraft fell freely along this orbit until it reached its destination. In this case, Red choose expediency over efficiency and maneuvered aggressively to intercept the target.

After about four minutes, Flight 4 was approaching Europa. They concentrated on identifying the target’s features. It began to look more and more like an alien ship.

Red reported to
Repulse
, “Alpha 23 appears to be a small Titan ship, destroyer size.”

The Titan destroyer was about 280 feet long. That was one seventh the length of the
Repulse
, but six times as long as an Eagle. It had an overall saucer shaper with a large dome center section. Missile tube and plasma cannon openings were apparent on its surface as well as radar and telescope obstructions. This ship was typical of what the UP had encountered to date, though some larger cruiser size ships had also been reported.

Two years earlier, a UP survey ship had made first contact with an alien in orbit around Saturn’s moon Titan. The alien refused to communicate. UP began to refer to the aliens as Titans and the nickname stuck. Unmanned exploration satellites launched from the Jupiter Station had revealed that there was an alien presence on the moons of Saturn and Neptune. It wasn’t known if the aliens were native to the Solar System or visitors from another star that had begun colonizing the outer planets, though the latter case was highly suspected.

“Flight 4 close on the target.
Repulse
will maneuver to support you,” the order came over the intercom.

“Roger,” acknowledged Red.

But the aliens had other ideas. Apparently, their radar range was more limited, but they finally realized that they had been discovered and were beginning to accelerate into a higher orbit to escape.

Gallant launched his weapon’s virtual screen and armed his pulse lasers and Mongoose antimissiles.

"Unidentified ship, this is United Planet's Jupiter Fleet. We request that you identify yourself and state your purpose," was broadcast from
Repulse
several more times as they tried to communicate with the unresponsive alien.

Instead of replying, the alien fired a plasma blast toward Flight 4 at a distance of about 0.5 light-seconds, or 93,000 miles distance.

Gallant sucked in his breath awaiting the explosion. He loosened his grip on the manual controls of the fighter as he reached out with his mind to tighten his mental control. He adjusted the throttle settling and positioned the thrusters. When the Titan’s plasma blast came, it missed wide and dissipated before it reached the fighters. He recorded the radiated signals thrown off by the alien and its blast.

Gallant thought,
this isn’t like mock combat, these weapons are live.
He said over his flight communicator, “Red, I don’t think that shot was meant to hit us. It could have been just a warning shot.”

Red responded, “Probably, true.” Even though Flight 4 wasn’t authorized to return fire, and he hadn’t requested it, Red sharpened his course and increased speed directly toward the target.

Gallant sensed the adjustments of Red’s Eagle and guided his ship to remain in the wing position. The encounter was turning deadly. He was becoming anxious about his responsibilities and especially for his astrogator, Kelsey.

They were closing the distance to the Titan craft, but a new order interrupted them, "Do not pursue. Break contact and return to
Repulse
."

Red bit back a curse, but changed course to return to
Repulse
. They monitored the Titan traveling away. Soon it moved out of Jupiter's orbit and set a course toward the outer planets.

Gallant was glad to return after such an extended and exhausting mission. His neuron headset was bathed in perspiration and he had a throbbing headache. He could hardly wait to complete debriefing and get to his bunk to rest. As he lay down, he wondered about the alien. It must have been a scout keeping an eye on the UP base. He considered the alien’s maneuvers and actions sharp and professional. It fitted the role of a scout ship meant to collect information and defend itself, but not provoke unnecessary hostilities. The fact that the aliens refused to communicate troubled him, but he was sure of one thing - they would be back.

After an interminable day of personnel and maintenance reports, followed by a humdrum evening watch as JOOD, Gallant returned to his cubicle to find Red changing into gym gear.

“Hey, Red, wait up. I’ll join you,” said Gallant, stripping off his uniform while grabbing his gym outfit from his locker, “I need to work up a sweat.”

“Okay, I know what you mean. I just completed six mind-numbing hours sitting on a lumpy chair in engineering. You would think with all the AI power available, an EOOW could do something more useful than monitoring reactor parameters as they dance around with every power fluctuation. I am, so ready to let off some steam.”

They were quick to exit through the common room and began jogging down the corridor to the gym. In a few minutes, however, their jog turned into a run, and then into a race, where no quarter was given. A few good-natured elbows found their way into each competitor’s ribs, not to mention an occasional genial shove.

They arrived at the gym out of breath, but invigorated.

“The only reason you won was because of those scrawny legs that let you hug the corners,” laughed Red. He huffed and puffed while leaning against the bulkhead.

“I’m glad you’re able to find an excuse for your dismal performance,” retorted Gallant, gasping for his share of air.

When they entered the nearly empty gym, they found Kelsey jogging on the track that circumscribed the compartment.

“Hi,” said Gallant as he joined her, matching her pace. They were content to jog side by side quietly for a while. The only interruption was the regimen of Red’s exercise, which took a more physical nature.

WAMP! WAMP! WAMP! WAMP! moaned the heavy punching bag, as Red slammed his gloved fists into it. Red's decision to work on his boxing skills, provided a rhythmic harmony for Gallant’s and Kelsey’s jog, which followed the brisk tempo that Red maintained for nearly half an hour. Finally, they took a break.

Chests heaving and arms dragging, with shirts soaked and breath labored, Gallant imagined the three of them were a ragged sight. To revitalize them, he got three bottles of water from a nearby dispenser. They sat on the seats of available workout machines, consuming the liquid and gasping every few swallows.

“I think yoga might help your training program,” suggested Kelsey, looking at Red.

“This body wasn’t meant for those kinds of contortions.”

“Your lop-sided dimensions shouldn’t be a serious impediment,” she said, pursing her lips into a grin, enjoying the chance to bait the oversized pilot.

“I think, you’re the one who's size-challenged." He moved to the edge of his seat and stretched his elongated arms to pat her on the head. "Anyway, why are you picking on me? It’s Henry who’s the freak,” he chortled.

“Don’t pull your punches, Red,” she said, letting her grin expand into a broad smile, “let Henry really have it!”

“Oh. Why am I a freak?” asked Gallant, his face contorted in bewilderment. He looked back and forth from Red to Kelsey and back to Red.

“Henry, don’t be so sensitive,” said Red, giving Gallant a friendly poke. “You must know that everyone talks about you behind your back. You should be open to discussing your peculiarities with your friends.”

“What Red, is trying to say,” Kelsey said tactfully, “is that you need to change how you think about yourself, Henry. You’re not just a
little
different,” she paused and licked her lips, searching for the right words. “From our perspective, you’re unique. You’re literally one in a billion.”

Completely nonplussed, Gallant did not reply.

“Henry, Henry, Henry, how can I explain?” she said. “Every midshipman pilot on this ship can fly an Eagle, using a neuron interface. It allows them to literally fly a huge powerful antimatter space fighter, traveling at 1,860 miles a second with their thoughts - instantaneous control by mere thought.”

“That’s true, but it took a century to develop that technology,” replied Gallant.

“Sure. It started with implanting chips into the brain,” contributed Red.

Kelsey moved closer to Gallant and began speaking in a helpful voice, “Then genetic engineering, which had only been used to eliminate birth defects and disease, was transformed to create designer enzymes and hormones. They radically altered brain chemistry. Today, those ingredients allow pilots to network directly into AI machines, through their neuron interface.”

“That’s my point,” said Red, getting excited. “After a century of trying, only those who were genetically enhanced could make the neuron interface function efficiently." He waited an uneasy second then added, "Until you.”

“That’s why you’re special. You were born to be a fighter pilot — a Natural,” concluded Kelsey. “The question everyone wants to know is, are you a once-in-a-century affair, or the first of your kind? You’ll have to admit, it’s a rather intriguing prospect.”

“That’s why you got into the academy. That’s why you’re here. That’s why Caine was observing you at the mock battle. You’re being watched,” said Red, sucking his checks until he had squished his face into prune.

“Now you’re exaggerating,” said Gallant, but casting a look over his shoulder, nonetheless.

“Henry, you've got to think big. This is the century of genetic mind enhancement. It happens, however, that some are more talented than others. That’s why we’re not all pilots,” said Kelsey, blushing.

“Think of it in terms of a sociological revolution,” said Red, spreading his arms wide to demonstrate the scope of the issue he was addressing.

“You mean like the Industrial Revolution?” asked Gallant.