Wings of Steele - Destination Unknown (Book 1) (81 page)

"What
kind of ship is this?" Kyle asked his son, the anti-grav
generators audibly whining down.

"Well
it started out as a Raider class cruiser," began Jack, "but
it's
been so modified, it's actually a cross between a Liberator class
cruiser and a light carrier. Physically we're a little smaller
though."

"So
it's a military ship..."

"Yes
and no, dad - military type, but it's actually privately owned."

After
watching the four Lancias land and a couple more launch, Jack
explained the various jobs, functions and equipment around the
flight bay. There was a fighter in every revetment now, as well as
in the cargo hold below. They used the cargo elevator to bring ships
up and down as needed for repair or make-ready. He pointed out some
of the new Cyclone fighters they'd recovered from the Geo Zee
salvage depot. T
he
wide-eyed group got a tour of the ship, meeting on duty crew members
and getting explanations on each section and its functions. Lynette
was particularly struck by how all the crew members, no matter how
they looked, were extremely polite and respectful - especially
toward her son.

"Are
there other Earth people out here?" asked Cooper as they walked
down
a long padded corridor. Doors swished open and closed automatically
as they passed through.

“
Sure,"
replied Jack, "more than you would think... and their
descendants."

"Human
descendants?" Asked Kyle.

"Tons.
And mixed races," answered Jack. "We're all basically the
same," he
explained,
"but like home, there are different colors, cultures, features,
religions. They're just a little less concerned about those
differences out here." Jack paused as he listened to the comm
in his ear. "I've just been informed," he announced,
"they've arranged a light snack." He lead them towards the
bridge.

"What's
your
job here, Jack?" Asked his mother. The door to the bridge
slid
open and Jack strolled through followed by his parents, Phil Cooper,
Lisa and Fritz.

"Captain
on the bridge!" shouted someone. The bridge crew jumped
to
attention from their stations. Jack smiled as he saluted, he
couldn't have timed that better if he'd planned it.

He
caught Raulya's wink out of the corner of his eye. "Officers
are
waiting in your ready room, Captain," she announced.

As
he turned for his ready room, his mother caught him by his
sleeve.
"This is
your
ship?!"
she whispered.

"
Our
ship," he corrected her, "I'm just the Captain."

Even
at the late hour, the galley crew had produced an ample buffet
for
the guests. Over fruit, wine and cheese, the guests met the pilots
of the Freedom's fighters. Agent Cooper spoke in depth with Paul and
Mike, learning that not only had the B25 been returned,
sort
of
,
but their F18s had been returned, intact. They'd left them on the
runway skirt at the Jacksonville Naval Airbase.

Lynette
was talking with Brian, and Jack and Kyle were speaking with
Professor
Edgars when Alité entered, looking radiant, her eyes a vivid,
piercing blue. In her arms, she carried a small bundle.

"Mom,
dad," interrupted Jack, "I would like you to meet someone
special,"
he beamed. "This...” he slid his arm around his wife's
waist, “this is
Princess
Alité Steele...
my
wife
."
Lynette blinked, not sure she'd heard him correctly. He nodded and
pulled her closer to Alité, as teardrops rolled down her
cheeks. “And this,” he said, gently uncovering a little
of the bundle Alité held, "is
your
grandson
.
Colton Thomas Steele."

Little
hands reached out for the finger Lynnette extended, his eyes a
curious emerald color. "He's
beautiful..."

Kyle
looked proudly down at his grandson. "He's a great lookin' kid,
Jack!"

Lynnette
looked up cautiously at her son. "We're not going to get to
see
him much, are we? You're not staying I mean."

"I'm
afraid not, mom."

"But
why?"

"Because
we belong out here, we can see that now. All we could think about
when we left, was how to get home," Jack looked to the pilots
who nodded in agreement. “Now it's all about what comes next
out here...”

"Things
are happening out here," explained Paul. "Bigger than us,
bigger
than Earth, and we have a chance to make a real difference..."

“
Without
them,” added Alité, “worlds could fall. Like
mine...”

The
door to the bridge swished open and Ragnaar's form filled the
doorway. "Sorry to disturb you, sir, that remote sensor
we
placed on the other side of the moon just picked up two UFW cruisers
entering the sector. Liberator class. And they're making a beeline
for Earth!"

Jack
pulled his comm unit out of his pocket and slipped it over his ear
as he jumped out onto the bridge, followed by everyone in the ready
room.
"This
is the Captain, Red Alert! Repeat, Red Alert - this is not a drill!"
Someone on the bridge palmed the alarm button and lights wet to red
as the alarm klaxons blared throughout the ship.
“All
hands to battle stations! All hands to battle stations!”
Steele turned to Paul. "Go, go, go! I'll join you as soon as I
can.” Paul Smiley, Mike Warren and Brian Carter sprinted out
of the bridge and pounded down the corridor bathed in red light.

“
Captain!”
yelled Raulya, “All guns
manned
and ready!”

Jack
reflexively checked his watch, barely sixty seconds had passed. The
floor vibrated as fighters launched from the decks below them, their
engine flares arcing away from under the nose of the Freedom on the
vidscreen. He keyed his mic, “Bridge to tower, do we have a
Zulu ready?”

“
Tower,
that is affirmative, bridge.”

“
Stern-launch
that gunship,” ordered Jack. “Walt, keep the Moon
between them and us."

Jack
turned to leave and halted in his tracks. "Raulya, tell Myomerr
we're taking the Invader to the surface, full arms load. She's in
the second seat, and I'll need gunners..." The floor vibrated
again as two more fighters launched from the Freedom. They're
getting
even
faster
he thought. He kissed Alité and ushered his family with Phil
Cooper toward the corridor. “Walt, how many birds do we have
out...?” he called over his shoulder.

“
Those
last two make eight so far...!” Jack was at the bridge door
when Walt called him back. "Jack! Incoming
comm!"

He
turned and strode back, standing next to his command seat. "On
screen." The outside view faded and
the
comm picture came into focus. "Well, well," said Jack,
"Captain Kelarez..."

"Thought
I might find you here," said Vince Kelarez.

"What
can I do for you, Captain?" asked Jack casually. "Or
should
I say, what can I do
to
you? As you can see, we're not in the same shape as when you last
saw us."

"Yes
I see," he replied, "quite a difference." He smiled -
or was it a
sneer?
"You should be congratulated, Captain Steele, your ship is
probably the first I've ever seen, to come out of pirate territory
in better shape than it went in." He sighed. "But I
digress. There have been changes, my friend. I am a Captain no
longer." He pointed to the pips on his collar.

Jack
nodded. "Rear Admiral. Nice."

"Yes,
well, it seems a certain carrier commander followed an unknown
cruiser
into an ether storm and disappeared in pirate territory. This left a
vacancy. I got picked. Right time, right place, that's all. That and
not being stupid enough to fly round in an ether storm," he
said deadpan.

"And
now you've come to repay me?"

"Sort
of," said Kelarez with a smirk. "We're here to apologize."

Jack
snorted. "You're joking...!"

"No
he's not," said a second voice.

"Second
signal coming in, sir," said Petty Officer Stacell.

"On
screen." This is like a convention, thought Steele. The screen
flickered
and divided into two pictures. "Gantarro?"

He
nodded and smiled, "Commanding the
cruiser
Bowman. Good to see you Jack."

"Good
to see you too, Gant. We heard some pretty bad rumors - thought you
might be dead."

"Almost.
It was close. The Princess Hedonist is gone though. Damn
pirates...
Listen, there will be enough time for stories later. I've taken care
of everything Jack, it's all squared with the UFW. Your rank, crew
and ship have been completely and properly recorded at the UFW
Directorate on Tanzia. No more screw ups..." His face grew more
serious. "We need you, boy. Things are heating up out here.
You'd be assigned to
Rear
Admiral
Kelarez's task force with me, and you'll all receive full back pay
from the day you launched the Freedom and she's been classified as a
Jump Carrier. How about it, are you in? A little pirate bashing?"

Jack
raised one eyebrow and looked over at Walt. “Commander, recall
all fighters and have the gun crews stand down...”

■ ■ ■

Jack
stood with his parents, Phil Cooper, Lisa and Alité at the
base
of the Invader's boarding ramp. Fritz took one last run through the
water along the beach before it was time to go. "Well it'll be
getting light soon," commented Jack. "We'd better go
before someone notices this thing." He kicked a toe-full of
sand on the ramp.

"Do
you
have
to go?" asked his mother.

"They
really need us," said Jack. "The pirates are getting
stronger."

"I
want to go too..." volunteered Lisa.

"No,
sis, you stay here. Besides," Jack winked, "you guys have
a new winter home..."

“
Can
I drive your car...?”

“
No.”

“
Please...?”

“
Still
no
.
No
to infinity
,”
he smirked. “I'd rather teach you to fly this thing,” he
thumbed at the Invader.

“
Really?
You will?”

“
No,”
he grinned, “
you
wish
.
Well...” he shrugged, “maybe... later.” His eyes
moved down to the electronic notepad about the size of a laptop,
tucked under her arm. “You going to remember how to set that
up...?” he whispered. She nodded almost imperceptibly.

He
strode over and took Phil Cooper by the elbow and they stepped away
from the others. “Phil, I'm not going to pretend it was a
pleasure...”

“
I
understand,” he nodded.

“
But
some day maybe I'll get a chance to read the
total
work of fiction
you're going to label as a
report
on this, I'm betting it'll be an amusing read...”

Cooper
shook his head, “I have no idea how I'm going to deal with
this... but thank you for letting me see your ship.”