Rust Bucket (39 page)

      He answered, "Dave, it's good to see you. Evidently, Penny got my message about the departing warships and got you back in time. How do you like your new ship?"

      I replied, "Beautiful. I never dreamed something like this existed."

      He said, "Well, take care of it. For now, just pick the best position for escorting us back to Beulah. Once we get there, you can follow your orders."

      I answered, "Right. We'll keep everyone off you. Have a good ride!"

***

The trip back took twice as long for us, but the normal amount of time for the other two ships since we were travelling at their top speed. With our sensors and long range weapons, we had to send them scurrying twice for cover as we left our position to take up the challenge of some alien squadrons that thought we looked easy. They found out that we weren't easy and we certainly weren't cheap.

      I was never so happy as when I saw three of the Pennyweight gun ships meet us to take over the escort duty and free us to continue with our mission. Having monitored the communications net, I ordered the ship to head for Echo where they were still facing a stiff challenge. I could have gone back to the alien home planet and bombarded it again, but I wanted to help our personnel more directly before I took off on the other task. Moving out at top speed, we cut the time to reach Echo in half.

***

The squadrons at Echo were in the middle of a lull. They almost mistook us for an enemy ship until some of the ship captains who had served with me before recognized my voice and realized that the fancy, new, big ship was actually on their side. We landed at the Grim Reaper Squadron station where they were having the best luck against the enemy. They were so individualistic that they were actually holding their own against the enemy squadrons despite the speed and weapon advantage enjoyed by the enemy.

      We got some quick repairs performed on the two gun positions while we were there and made some plans to surprise the enemy the next time he showed up. I shook a lot of hands before I left with my crew in the
Rust Bucket
to take my position where the enemy couldn't see me, but I could see him.

***

We waited in hiding almost four hours before the sensors gently chimed. I smiled a sly grin as I saw the enemy ships moving into our pre-arranged trap.

      "Frank, time to close the door. Battle stations!" I ordered.

      The
Rust Bucket
moved into its next position where we did a single ship charge on the rear of the enemy as he started to approach Echo. As soon as we opened fire on their asses, Heather, our communications officer broadcasted the score. Those two actions of ours caught the enemy's full attention as they forgot the squadrons on Echo and turned to meet us at odds of only forty to one.

      That was what the squadrons on Echo were waiting for as they launched from their pads into space to catch the enemy from the other side where their engines now faced. Now the enemy was boxed in with almost nowhere to go since they were in my gunners' ranges and the squadrons were closing in on them from several bases on Echo at the same time. The Ape-oids couldn't outrun me and they couldn't outfight all of us. Slowly, we began to grind away at them with more firepower than they expected.

      I even got a chance to see some of the tactics get used that I didn't get to use myself with the heavy cruiser squadron I had and which I never named. From my view, the action was impressive as they used their light scouts to keep up with the enemy ships and get in behind them while a heavier ship kept the enemy ship engaged in front with direct battle. The scouts had just enough punch to knock out the engines as long as the heavier ships kept the enemy off them. Now I knew how the squadrons on Echo had been managing to hold out against superior speed and firepower. It didn't keep them from suffering losses, but they were making the enemy pay dearly.

      The battle lasted a few hours with us leaving the squadrons behind as we chased the last few enemy ships that managed to wriggle away from them. With our speed and firing range, they couldn't wriggle loose from us. Then I did something unusual.

      I said, "Heather, go ahead and tell the enemy where we're going. I want to scare the piss out of him! Set course for Bragh."

      "With pleasure," she said with a smile. Then she started telling everyone that we were going to the Ape-oids home planet to bombard the hell out of it.

***

We got recalled before we reached it.

That time when the war ended, it wasn't a truce. It was a surrender as the Apeoids suffered losses greater than before. They couldn't afford to rebuild all their industry again so they surrendered before the
Rust Bucket
could rain destruction upon them again as they realized that their sudden surprise attack had failed. They hadn't counted on us making a weapon so superior to what they thought was a giant step in technology. They also didn't have a history of warfare that was as varied as ours. They were stunned at first when our squadrons and fleets met the challenge of superior weapons with superior tactics that kept the playing field nearly level.

      Although the Ape-oids surrendered, there were a few die-hards who continued to attack until they were destroyed or became pirates. On Beulah, the Ape-oid soldiers didn't believe their own leaders' messages to surrender. They valiantly fought to the last Ape-oid soldier.

      Annie and the children were safe in their cavern. They were on hand to greet me when I arrived back at the Pennyweight Shipping Company, even though the last of the Ape-oid soldiers were still being hunted down. The cadets had trained hard and well at the Academy. The first half of the war did us a favor by cleaning the Academy of almost all of the rich kids, leaving a lot of openings for dedicated young men and women who wanted a career in the military. The time in between that constituted the truce was enough time to get the Academy on a full footing once more, despite the politicians. Consequently, the Ape-oids ran into a meat grinder when they tackled the cadets.

***

I was faced with a slight predicament when I got home. I finally had a regular commission in the Navy and could stay if I so chose to. Not only that, but I was just a step below Admiral. However, I discovered that if I chose to stay in, the Navy was going to make me Commandant of the Academy.

      With the war's end, Captain Clark became Sergeant Clark at the Academy once more, to my bewilderment. Regardless, I sought out his advice on what kind of a decision I should make once I found out that the military intended on making me Commandant of the Academy if I stayed in the Navy. I had pictured myself more as being in charge of a squadron in space, not behind a desk or in front of a class. It was either become Commandant or remain with Pennyweight whose secret was still hidden from me.

      Sarge said, "Dave, it's good to see you or should I call you sir as my boss?"

      I replied, "Don't get funny, Sergeant or Captain Clark. You're quite a chameleon. I came to ask for your advice as a friend, so it's Dave."

      He said, "Fine, then call me George. I'm getting tired of trying to know what we should call each other, too."

      I replied, "Suits me, George. Since you already know what the Navy is offering me, you know what my two obvious choices are. I get to either come back to the Academy and sit behind a desk or return to Pennyweight. At least, I'll see more action than the Navy, as you once put it so grandly to me. Can you give me your insight into this?"

      He said, "Dave, I don't know now what's best for you. I never did before. I merely showed you a route to get what you wanted when the main road was blocked. You finally achieved your initial goal. You achieved a lot more in getting to it. You might have wound up here at the Academy anyway as its commandant had you graduated and stayed with the Navy. Then you wouldn't know of any other career choice and I guess there wouldn't be a need to make a decision. Anything I say isn't going to make a difference either way. The real question is what will make you happy the most? That's something only you can decide. Then you'll live with your decision."

I said, "I'm advising you that if you're really serious about getting your commission, then keep on trying. I'm sorry that you have to leave the Academy. So, even if you won't be able to return, you still have options available that are alternate routes to your goal."

      The cadet asked, "Admiral, did you ever find out the mystery behind the Pennyweight Shipping Company?"

      I replied, "Son, there are more mysteries in life than the ones we create. Just keep your mind active and you'll see that there are plenty of them for everyone."

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