Scout Force (45 page)

      
When all had their fill, Arnold shooed them out of the dining room and cleaned up.
 
Kelly escorted Angie out to the patio for after dinner wine.

      
Angie sipped her wine and said, “It was so good of you to have me over for dinner.”

      
“Nonsense, it was worth it just to see Arnold enjoy himself as much as he did.”

      
“He really is a fabulous chef.
 
I helped a bit, but it was a joy just to have a fully-equipped kitchen to putter around in.”

      
Andrew sidled over and asked, “ Angie, how are the folks in your squadron reacting to the test?”

      
“There are a few that are cautious, but none that have any real second thoughts about it.
 
We’re all fighter pilots, danger is just part of the job description.
 
If you need ideas for other uses for your invention though, there are a number of folks with some good ones.
 
If they could be fitted inside ships, it would greatly lengthen the time a ship could remain on station.
 
Supplies and replacements would be as close as a supply base on the other side of the ring.
 
The possibilities are almost endless.
 
Troops could visit home in seconds versus the weeks it takes now.”

      
“Kelly gave us a similar idea for self-propelled ring ships that could reduce the number of ships required to be on station along the frontier.
 
I can see we will be quite busy for years to come.”

      
The conversation went on quite late, but Kelly had duty early the next morning and they had to say their goodbyes.
 
Angie gave Arnold a kiss on the cheek, which had him blushing crimson.
 
Andrew and Moira each gave Angie a hug and invited her to come back anytime.

      
The shuttle was waiting for Kelly and Angie and they rode back to the spaceport.
 
Angie lay in Kelly’s arms all the way back to the Vigilant.
 
She kissed him goodbye in the shuttle and took it back to the Q, while Kelly went up the ramp into his ship.

      
As he dropped off to sleep, he pondered how lucky he was to have three beautiful and charming women interested in him.

* * * * *

      
The time for the test arrived. Dr. Moira Kelly came on board the Vigilant, along with several Fleet observers, for lift off and travel to the transporter ring.
 
Chief Watson gave up his position for her.
 
The terminal screen contained strange readings, probably from the transporter ring.
 
LCDR Timmons gave the order to lift off.
 
Kelly watched as the Fighting 68th took off behind them.

      
They reached orbit quickly and proceeded to the ring.
 
Admiral Craddock came on the communicator and gave permission for the Vigilant to proceed upon the Blakes’ okay.
 
A week of tests with drones was about to move to its human stage.

      
Andrew’s face came on the communicator screen, “Moira, are you ready?”

      
Moira looked at the captain.
 
“Captain, are you ready?
 
If so, I’m ready.”

      
The captain replied that the Vigilant was ready.

      
“Captain, at your discretion, you may proceed into the ring and good luck.”

      
The captain looked around the bridge and said, “Chief Watson, activate the monitors.
 
Helm, at maximum maneuver speed, take us to Tau Ceti.”

      
The helmsman repeated the command and applied power.
 
The Vigilant lined up with the ring.
 
Kelly looked around.
 
There was tension on many faces on the bridge.
 
Chief Blankenship moved forward and stood behind Kelly’s position.
 
The leading edge of the Vigilant touched the shimmering plane at the front of the ring.
 
Kelly watched as the shimmer made its way through the bridge and behind him.
 
He felt the gripping cold and then was looking out the bridge at the twin moons of Gagarin.
 
He looked behind him and saw the shimmer progress through the ship.
 
He punched up the rear view and saw Antares space until the shimmer appeared behind them.

      
The captain keyed his intercom and said, “All sections report status.”

      
One by one the sections reported everything normal.
 
The captain sent a message to Scout Force HQ that the Vigilant had made it through successfully.
 
He looked over at Moira and asked if she had all the readings she needed.

      
“Yes, Captain.
 
When you're ready, take us back through the gate, please.”

      
“Helm, turn us around and take us back through again.”

      
The helmsman brought the Vigilant around, lined up with the ring, and brought the ship through.

      
When they appeared back in Antares space a message from Admiral Craddock came through.
 
“Welcome back, Vigilant.”

      
The Vigilant moved aside for the remainder of the tests.
 
They watched as a single fighter was sent through the ring and returned.
 
It was the squadron commander’s fighter.
 
Then, two fighters in formation went through and came back.
 
These were followed by a flight of four that made the same trip.
 
Finally, the entire 12 fighter complement flew through in formation.
 
When they returned, the Vigilant lined up with the ring and the 68th took up formation around them.
 
They proceeded through the gate as one and reached Tau Ceti Space again.
 
The formation made a wide turn and returned to Antares space.

      
Admiral Craddock’s voice came over the communicator, “Congratulations all, and thank you.
 
Vigilant dock at space dock to pick up passengers.
 
All others return to base.”

      
The 68th returned to Antares Base.
 
The Vigilant docked with the space dock, picked up Dr. Andrew Blake and assistants, several additional fleet observers, Admiral Craddock and his staff, and returned to Antares Base.

      
Upon landing, side boys were positioned on the quarterdeck and Chief Pennypacker piped the admiral and his party off the ship.
 
The Blakes followed close behind.
 
Once the ship was clear of passengers, the captain called all the crew into the Vigilant’s central corridor.
 
      
“I want all of you to know how proud I am of you for what we accomplished today.
 
The crew is authorized two days liberty over the next four days on a fifty percent manning basis.”

      
A cheer erupted from the crew.
 
The crew had worked some long hard days and nights, preparing the Vigilant for the test.
 
The Vigilant was probably closer to specifications than any ship in Scout Force.
 
The crew deserved the time off.

      
The captain came over to Kelly and said, “Exec, if you want to fly that fighter you’d better get it arranged.
 
The 68th will be leaving for Tau Ceti in a very few days.
 
I appreciate that you have devoted yourself to the test.
 
Now take some time for yourself.”

      
Kelly thanked the captain and went out to find LTC Matthews.
 
He found his old squadron commander on the flight line.

      
He saw Kelly coming and broke into a grin.
 
“I wondered when you’d come around for your fighter ride.
 
Hey, Aaron, come over here.
 
There’s someone here that wants to go for a ride with you.”

      
Major Brown, the 68th’s executive officer, came over.
 
“Come on, Kelly.
 
We’ve probably still got your flight gear around here somewhere.”

      
Kelly went into the equipment room and was issued a helmet, flightsuit, gloves, and survival vest.
 
It was even Kelly’s old helmet.
 
It hadn’t been refurbished and repainted.

      
He put his gear on and walked out to the flightline.
 
Several of his old squadron mates were waiting for him, including Angie.
 
He was bombarded with questions, like did he still remember how to wear his helmet and did he need a barf bag.
 
Kelly took the good-natured ribbing in stride.
 
After all, he was about to climb back into the cockpit of a fighter again.

      
Major Brown’s crew chief helped them both into the cockpit and checked that all was secure and as it should be.
 
Major Brown fired up the F-53B and took a salute from his crew chief.
 
He moved the fighter from its parking space and onto the taxiway.
 
He lined it up on the runway and turned the controls over to Kelly.

      
“Kelly, I’m signed for this thing.
 
Just don’t break it.”

      
Kelly did a quick instrument scan, pushed his head back against the headrest and kicked the throttle to the stop.
 
He pulled straight back on the stick and aimed for space.
 
In just a few minutes, he was back in outer space behind the controls of a fighter.

      
Major Brown came on the intercom, “Man, I didn’t think this heavy lady could do that.
 
Now I know how those early astronauts felt being strapped on top of a rocket and blasted into space.
 
That was some ride.
 
What do you want to do now?”

      
“Turn your sensors on.
 
I anticipate some company.”

      
Major Brown turned his sensors from collision avoidance to all around combat sweep.
 
It was only a few minutes before the ship warned of approaching fighters.
 
He checked the monitor and saw three ships in tight formation and one lagging behind.
 
Janey, Angie, John, and Angie’s new wingman were coming up to play.

      
“You might want to tighten your straps, Major.
 
It’s going to get a little bumpy.
 
Activate the combat sim, if you would, sir.”

      
Major Brown was laughing when he keyed his intercom, “Okay, Kelly, combat sim is on and I’m strapped in securely.
 
Let’s see if you still remember how to do this.”

      
Kelly punched the throttle to the stop again.
 
He watched the reaction as Janey’s flight realized he was on to them.
 
They split into two groups of two, accelerated, and attempted to come up on each side of them.
 
That was their fatal mistake.
 
Kelly frantically programmed the ship’s computer.

      
He waited until they were almost in firing range at max velocity and hit the execute key.
 
The fighter spun on its axis, facing toward the pursuers and fired two notional mini-seekers at John Kanakis and Angie’s wingman.
 
Then the ship’s engines fired, bringing them to a dead stop in space.
 
The G-forces caused both Kelly and the Major to black out temporarily.
 
When they came to, the ship had spun back and the four ships were in front of them.
 
A quick flick on the control stick, a short burst from the guns, and Angie was out of the fight.
 
Kelly turned on Janey’s fighter.
 
She jinked left, right, up, and down, but Kelly stayed right on her tail.
 
He finished her off with another mini-seeker.

      
His screen showed another healthy fighter coming up under him on an intercept course.
 
Kelly pushed hard on the stick to line up with the fighter coming up from below.
 
When he was lined up on a collision course, he pushed down on the stick again to look like he was chickening out.
 
The other fighter changed angle to shoot him through the cockpit.
 
Kelly let him come on a little bit more then then pulled up hard on the stick and fired the nose rockets to drop the nose down and fired off a burst from his guns as he blew past underneath.

      
LTC Matthews came up on the communicator laughing, “Okay all, Kelly is too good for us.
 
Let’s head down to the base.”

      
The flight of four joined up on the squadron commander’s ship and Kelly lined up to the left of them.
 
As they got within the pattern, they peeled off single file and made individual approaches to the spaceport.
 
When the wheels hit the taxiway, Major Brown took over the controls and taxied the fighter into its place on the apron.