Rust Bucket (29 page)

***

A day and a half later, the enemy squadron I expected was picked up at the far edge of our sensors. There were roughly as many of them as my own squadron. I was a little happy about that. So far, two scouts weren't much of an accomplishment. We moving forward toward the enemy to get our heavy weapons into range first, then I shouted charge over the lightbeam radio. Then I turned the radio over to the Communications officer to broadcast the outcome of the battle as it happened.

      For once, every ship responded almost at the right time in the right direction. The Berserker Squadron moved out at top speed with our guns blazing whether a particular gun was in range of the enemy or not. Our Mark IV quads began getting hits almost immediately. The constant practice had helped a number of the gunners get used to firing them. Now they were seeing hits. The enemy suddenly turned and ran before we could destroy any of them. I thought for a moment about stopping the charge and decided not to. They were still in range and in our sector. As long as those two conditions existed, we would show them that we weren't going to back down for any other reason. Because they had to execute a turn, the distance between them and us shrank almost to where the Mark III guns could have some effect. We managed to concentrate enough firepower on one trailing enemy ship and destroy it before I called back to Headquarters to determine if pursuit was permitted. I liked my new Fleet Admiral even more when he answered back, "Go get them!"

      With our guns still blazing we left our sector and continued to chase after the enemy ships, picking off another of their trailing ships. Suddenly, Majel peeled off from the formation taking three following ships with her. Then I saw the trap the enemy tried to spring that Majel spotted. At the same time, the retreating enemy tried to turn again, placing themselves at our mercy for a while as we continued to pound away at them, taking out two more of their ships. I had to rely on Majel to lead her ships to defeat the trap while I concentrated on the bait. By then, every officer on the bridge was caught up in the excitement as they scored more kills than in the entire portion of the war they had been in up until then. With the lessened distance, our Mark III gun systems began having effect, although we were also in enemy range as well. We still had the initiative and poured on our firepower as we continued to charge straight at them. Suddenly, the enemy ships that had been the bait lost their will when two more ships almost disappeared from the concentration of hits. They started to scatter, every ship for itself. That was their last mistake as we almost caught up to them, destroying three more as they tried to turn. My ships' captains finally understood about taking individual initiative and started peeling off after individual targets.

      At that point, I had no more control over the course of the battle and settled back while I let my ship's captain do his job. I watched as he went after what must have been an enemy heavy cruiser, charging at it, going at top speed with every gunner on board being directed to concentrate on the one ship. I felt some hits on the ship, but he was too much into the excitement to worry anymore about dying or losing someone on board to a hit. We looked like we were going to crash into the other ship when the pilot used a little initiative of her own to move us just a bit and avoid it while every gun on board fired almost point blank at the enemy ship. Then before we even reached the back of the enemy ship, it became completely silent as some of our shots penetrated the hull of the enemy at critical places and destroyed it completely.

      I stated loudly, "Good work, Captain! Remember to tell your crew that they did well."

      "Yes sir, Captain Oden! Thank you!" he replied.

***

The battle was over inside another hour as we finally regrouped and tabulated our losses. We took out nineteen enemy vessels including the two scouts for only three of our own. It was a little heavier loss than I wished, but still a damned good result. Eight enemy ships managed to escape. We knew we had a squadron that could take the war to the enemy and in less than two weeks of training!

***

 We returned to our sector for a few more days before we returned to base. At the base, the Fleet Admiral was on hand to welcome us back and offer his congratulations.

      He said, "Captain Oden, welcome back! We heard the battle as your communications broadcast it. That was a superb effort! I take it that they're now ready."

      I replied, "Yes, even though I'd like to spend another week or two with them to polish up the rough edges and get the last Captain into action on his own."

      "One Captain wasn't in it?" he asked.

      I explained, "Only one ship's captain. I had to temporarily replace him with Commander Remm for the purposes of demonstration and control. I'd like to see him in action on his own, plus I imagine if there are any replacement ships and crews, I should get them trained as well before I leave this squadron."

      He nodded and said, "Okay, I understand you now. That makes sense. I'll have Headquarters get onto the assignments immediately. I'm looking forward to having this squadron ready in two more weeks."

      I replied, "Yes sir. They will be ready. They behaved well out there and I'm proud of them."

***

The replacements arrived the following day. I moved Majel to a different light cruiser, so she could continue to get experience, as I promised I would do after the first battle to the Captain of the ship she was on. That went some extra distance for me in keeping everyone's respect as we trained the three new ships in squadron tactics mixed with individual initiative. The week was filled with more inspections of ships, learning about the crews, scrambling, battle stations drills, and mock charges before we went on another patrol.

***

The patrol sector was another lightly used sector. It was rare for enemy units to be spotted in it. Our squadron went to it and spotted a single enemy scout that left immediately before we could get anywhere near it. I could tell that most of the bridge personnel were disappointed at the enemy ship escaping. We patrolled for the entire week without encountering any action. Instead, we had to content ourselves with more drills and mock charges.

***

Upon return to the base, I spoke at length with the captain of my cruiser to give him pointers on how to keep the new ships and crews in top preparedness and what to do if they seemed discouraged or hesitated when an actual battle started to develop. He listened very attentively and took notes. Then I turned over the Berserker Squadron to him and wished him luck before Majel and her people returned with me to Headquarters to receive another assignment.

***

"I'm sorry to hear that the sector didn't provide any action for training purposes. Do you think they'll be all right without that?" the Fleet Admiral asked.

      I replied, "It would have been better if I were there to get them more thoroughly indoctrinated into a battle situation, but this will still work out well as long as the squadron continues to remain alert and practices whenever it's possible. Enough of what they need to be doing will become automatic by then that they should hold together as a unit. They did better than the units I've trained before. You gave me a good bunch of people and ships. I appreciate that if only because they didn't need as much attention in order to apply themselves to the training."

      "I'll take that as a compliment. I presume you're here for another assignment?" he asked.

      "Yes sir. That is meant as a compliment and we are here for another assignment," I responded.

      He said, "Okay. I thought at first that it would really take you two or three months to get the first squadron trained. I've had Headquarters staff working on your next assignment for when you finished. They're still working on it, so I'm going to ask you to bear with us on this and take the week off. You can use the guest quarters for yourselves and the enlisted personnel. I'll have another squadron for you before the week is out."

      "Thank you, sir," I replied as I accepted his handshake before I saluted to leave his office.

      "Well, what now?" asked Majel once we were outside.

      I said, "We do what he suggested. We'll take a week off to relax and get ready for another squadron. We'll take a look at the squadron before we promise how long it will take to do the training. If the ships are in good condition as the last ones were for the most part, then we'll promise a month. If not, then we're going to need additional time."

      She said, "No, I know about that. I was hoping that maybe you'd invite me to your room."

      "I understand now. Well, that's a thought. You sure that's what you want to do?" I asked.

      "You know of any other way to spend a few days that feels as good?" she asked.

      I answered, "Not really. Well, let's check in first."

***

A week later, the Fleet Admiral gave me the new assignment. "This one isn't as easy. This is probably my worst squadron. Care to give me an estimate?" he asked.

      I said in reply, "If it's as bad as you seem to feel it is, then I'll say somewhere between two to three months. I'll know more when I see the ships and personnel."

      He remarked, "Two to three months, huh? Well, if anyone can do it in that amount of time, I guess it's you. I'll give you full discretion and authority again. Your flagship is the cruiser,
James.
The personnel are a real bunch of misfits. I hope you're up to the challenge."

      "Yes sir. I'll do my best," I said as I saluted before I left. Already my mind was contemplating what I could do with the 13th Squadron. I reached the outside and joined Majel and her personnel. "Here's our assignment. According to the Fleet Admiral, we're in for a rough one. Something tells me that he's only partly right. Let's get there and see for ourselves."

***

We left in the hover provided for us by the Fleet Admiral and arrived at the new squadron site a few hours later. Already half the day was shot just to get there. I started going through the ships one by one with Majel following close behind. If nothing else, the Fleet Admiral was right about those personnel being misfits. I'd never seen a whiskey still on board a warship before, but I found one. I had to admire the ingenuity of whoever created it. I left it alone for the time being, unsure if I could turn it into part of the training or not. There would always be plenty of time to destroy it later if it proved to be an obstacle. The ships, for the most part, were almost the worst I'd ever seen. Even I wouldn't want to face the enemy in some of them. Majel seemed as shocked as I at some of the glaring deficiencies we found.

      "Well, let's find our personnel and see if we can shake them up some," I said as we exited the last of the ships.

      "You going to do it like you did the last squadron?" Majel asked.

      "Depends on where and how I find them," I replied.

***

We began our search at the recreational hall where we found a number of personnel, officers and enlisted, in a drunken state. I decided that I didn't want to be shot by a drunk, so I didn't pull my projectile weapon and fire a shot. Instead, I went to the bar, found the bartender, and told him that the bar was closed effective immediately until I ordered it open again.

      Majel and I then went through the officers billets. We continued to find scenes of debauchery. More than once, we walked into the middle of couples and small groups of men and women engaged in sex with bottles of liquor lying about. I could see that it was definitely going to take some time just to get them sober and acting like Navy personnel again. We started rounding up the personnel we found sober enough to walk and herded them outside as they were where Majel kept them together in a loose formation. A few of the personnel were sober enough to be embarrassed by their state of dress. As for myself, I didn't care what they did or looked like on their own off duty time. What I was after was putting a squadron into shape.

      It took almost the remainder of the day to round up everyone from wherever they were and herd them where Majel could keep them together. A lot of them got sick over thinking what was about to happen to them. I finally had them all together just about seven that night. Then I started in on them, saying, "You are going to stay out here until you're sober. We're not going to dish out No-Alk, either, to sober you up. I don't care how you're dressed or whether you're hungry right now. You might as well find the softest piece of concrete you can within arm's length because you're not going anywhere. Anyone who tries to leave this formation will be shot. When you feel that you're sober, you can stand up to be recognized and motioned forward. One of us will test you to see that you are. Only then you will be allowed to get cleaned up, dressed, fed and maybe get some sleep." I turned to Majel. "Send a couple of your people over to the dispensary to get alcohol testers and bring them back here. Also, have one of them get over to the Dining Facility and tell them that I want a table out here with coffee and cups, plus a trash can. Send someone else over to supply and have them send out a portable toilet. Then send your people to get some supper and send some back for us."

      Majel went over to her personnel and sent them on the different tasks while I kept watch over the squadron. I could tell that it would be a long night.

      The tasks were completed soon. Majel and I sat eating our supper as we watched over the squadron. So far, only about thirty personnel were sober enough to be released from the formation. I sent them to clean up the recreation hall. I wanted a place big enough where I could brief everyone, especially my officers.