Yorktown: Katana Krieger #1 (21 page)

"Krieger." He says it kind of like my mom used to say ‘Katana' when I was in big trouble. "You've lost another corvette?"
I'm still locked in salute, pretty sure I shouldn't talk yet. He waits another few seconds to increase my discomfort, then returns the salute. I break mine, but stay at attention.
"No sir, found
Bainbridge
."
"Found the hulk of
Bainbridge
you mean. Any crew survive?"
"No sir." He's got the mag boots, I'm the one trying to stay at attention. My thigh muscles are screaming at me.
"That's what I thought. The President was right." I am scared all of a sudden by what that means. "Take me to your bridge."
"Yes, sir, if you'll follow me, sir." It's a long trek down to the stern on deck five, up to four, toward the bow, then up to three, the Admiral silent, an equally silent aide and a steely faced Marine escort taking up the rear. Don't know if there is a specific protocol for escorting an Admiral through a frigate, Benson and Everingham just went where they needed to be or had me follow. Whatever he thinks it is, I'm sure I broke it nine times.
I float onto the bridge first, announcing, "Admiral on the bridge."
Most of my crew were smart enough to clear out before he got there. There's Garcia at the pilot station, Manuel at RISTA, the three corvette captains, Shelby and Julio. All standing at attention, saluting. He returns these instantly, and gives them an "At ease."
"Your ready room, now." He wasn't looking at me, but I'm the only one with a ready room. I float over, open the door, wait until he enters, follow, and then guide everyone in. This room is not really made for nine people.
"Status?" Again, he's not looking at me, but I assume he's talking to me.
"We were 30 minutes from launch window to jump point when you appeared, Admiral."
"Nu or Upsilon?"
"Earth, sir."
"What!" His face is red, that giant nose could lead reindeer through a blizzard in it's present condition, the entire ship might have heard the exclamation.
"Taking
Bainbridge
home, sir, we...." I don't get to finish my sentence.
"Jumping home in the middle of battle to deliver a wreck? Never." His voice becomes steel, the anger tight in it, coiled. "I knew you weren't up to this mission. Admiral Showalter must have known it to when he sent
Santa Cruz
here against orders."
"Sir, it is vital we get home to brief ChiNO." Showalter's in trouble on my account. Can't let that stand either.
Bode's back to yelling, moving closer while doing it. "There's going to be a new Chief of Naval Operations when this comes to light. The President was right, I was needed here."
"Sir, let me...." He towers over me, cutting me off.
"Let me tell you, Captain," he says the last word with total disdain. "Anything out of your mouth other than ‘yes, sir' and you will find yourself instantly in the brig on
Roenicke
. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. You are going home, just you and
Yorktown
. You will show Everingham your prize and have one last moment of glory before you are relieved of command. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"You will take the next launch window, transferring command of your battle group to me. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
He stops. Looks around the room.
"The rest of you return to your ships now.
Roenicke
will assume a new orbit, you will re- form around her within the hour. Understood?"
A chorus of ‘yes sirs' rings out, even from Shelby who isn't going anywhere. He flies out onto the bridge, his aides scrambling to follow. The remaining skippers look at me.
"You heard the man, go. Good luck all of you, I'm sorry." I get a handshake from each and a pat on the back from Mendoza, who I stop for a second. I look him square in the eye, more serious than I have ever looked at him in the years I have known him.
"Julio, no matter what happens, under no circumstances let anyone be taken prisoner."
He looks at me funny.
"Do not let any Union personnel be taken prisoner." I lean over to whisper in his ear. "Read Reg 222."
I am now technically guilty of treason, and potentially a dead person. Better that than have Zombie Mendoza staring at me next time I board an enemy ship.
He looks at me, the only time I have ever seen him shocked by anything, then he too floats out onto the bridge, leaving Shelby and I very completely alone.
We stand there for five minutes, feel the corvettes detach and the pods move off, Isaac Newton still in charge of the universe, or most of it anyway.
Then I turn a weary head to my First. "Let's go home, Commander."

Chapter 15

By the time I get the ZR and LS re-called and re-attached we're technically past the low fuel consumption launch window, but I don't give a crap. Garcia takes us out of orbit at speed, and I authorize the high fuel consumption trajectory.
We pound inward toward the Gamma Theta star, my crew wondering what's going on, and me wondering if I should explain. I decide not to, what we're doing is embarrassing, what I'd say would get me court martialed. Twelve hours in bound before we jump, I try reading, writing, and nearly go for arithmetic, but end up just trying to sleep.
Yorktown
's crew goes through the jump prep without any life, and we are quickly and quietly sitting in the Gamma Theta jump position off of Armstrong Station. Only this time I don't want us to dock there, so I override Shelby and dial up the boss.
"NAVCOMM, this is
Yorktown
, checking in. Request clearance to Grissom station, isolation protocols on arrival. Over."
"
Yorktown
, stand by." An unusual response to an unusual request.
"Roger, standing by." The voice that comes back is not the terminal controller.
"Krieger, this is Benson. Explain." Don't know what time it is, hope they didn't have to wake up the boss.
"Sir, regulations require a closed circuit for that, we are not in line of sight. Over."
There's a pause before the response. It's not Benson any more, we're back to the controller.
"Yorktown, NAVCOMM, cleared to Grissom Station, track Charlie, cleared to dock bay Alpha 7, isolation protocols."
"Grissom via Charlie, Alpha 7,
Yorktown
moving."
I go back to intercom.
"Mr. Garcia, let's roll."
"Aye, Skipper, track Charlie to Grissom."
We get acceleration horns, and a gentle push into our seats. Takes six hours to realign the orbit and track to Grissom, a quarter of the planet from Armstrong. The two stations are roughly identical on the surface, Grissom actually a pure military facility with heavy armor and a hidden defense matrix invisible to the casual observer.
There is a Marine detachment in suits hanging off of the walls of the docking bay as Garcia gently slides
Yorktown
into place. The isolation protocol is used when we go to a new world, particularly an Earth-like world, where they may be new germs that are dangerous. So far it's never happened, but the protocol is used at least once a year.
I'm sure that the Libor we killed wasn't toxic to us, or the men on the ships wouldn't still be alive to be enslaved, but it will provide a good cover story, I hope.
Once we're settled into place, a tunnel grows from the floor of the station on our port side, and a couple spacesuited Marines attach it to the hatch.
Just before they finish, my comm lights flash, someone hit us with a secure laser transmitter. I bet I know who it is.
"Admiral?" I ask, but I know.
"Krieger, what is going on?"
"Sir, regulation 222. We have documented evidence of alien life, including a body, on board ship. A non-human race is responsible for the attacks on our shipping, and the destruction of
Bainbridge
and
Richard
."
I think that may qualify as the first verbal bomb I have ever tossed. The response is not immediate. I wait patiently. The first word back is not printable. Then he continues.
"I'll be there in ten minutes with Chase." I take that to mean ChiNO, and that the boss is somewhat unnerved by the situation. Chase? First names? Really?
I am waiting by the hatch when they arrive. My boss. His boss. A four star Marine general. A two star admiral with insignia from the Naval Experimental Research Division. No aides anywhere to be seen. I take this to mean they believe me.
No conversation, I lead them to the freezer and open the body container. Benson uses the same word he used a couple minutes prior, two others use it as well. Only the Marine refrains.
"If you gentlemen will join me in my ready room, I have video as well."
"Living specimens?" The scientist.
"Just before I shot him in the head, sir. We saw at least two more before we nuked the ship."
He seems disappointed that we don't have a live one on board.
Once we're sealed away in my ready room, McAdams, Gomez, and Shelby in tow, I start at the beginning. McAdam's hunch, the cat banjo, the dictionary, Darlington and his pad, Libor, sabotage of
Yorktown
, the video of the gunfight at the alien corral. Then I let McAdams wow them with her version of the language.
Benson speaks first. "And you left the rest of your force where exactly?"
I look at him puzzled. "I was bringing them all home, sir, until Admiral Bode showed up and took command."
"Who did what?" Everingham has better control than Bode, but you can still see his anger growling to get out, the words as near an explosion from him as I have ever seen. I just told the Chief of Naval Operations that a naval operation is on-going without his knowledge or consent.
"Affirmative, sir,
Roenicke
appeared as we were preparing to jump home. The Admiral ordered us out and kept everyone else on station."
Benson and Everingham both use another bad word I've never heard either use. Good thing my mom isn't here or they'd be headed to bed hungry.
"We need the room." The four of us without stars leave as quickly as we can.
The bridge is full, every on and off duty person who can is standing around, no one willing to wait for the scuttlebutt version. I disappoint them.
"Sorry, folks, I'll let you know when I can." That explanation doesn't cause them to leave. So I do.
"Back to stations everyone, any unit not on docked status in 30 minutes will be on report. No leave" Twenty bullets shoot off the bridge.
Takes about four minutes more until the hatch to my ready room opens, and a four star Marine general is looking straight at me. He should say, "the doctor will see you now," but instead he just says "Krieger" in a tone that definitely means come.
They are in a semi-circle. I am in the center. It doesn't look good. Everingham is apparently the spokesperson.
"You're going back, less than 48 hours. I know you want to go sooner, but its either that or we put Weaver in command of
Yorktown
and take you off for debriefing." I say a bad word in my head. Then I nod to the boss.
"Your RISTA and her chief are to download every bit of data and report to Admiral Baylor," he looks at the science guy, "immediately. The three of us have already taken the liberty of downloading the stills and video off your pad."
He looks at me and laughs, I must have a sad expression. "Don't worry, you'll get your people back before you go. That young officer is remarkable."
"Roger that, sir. And, sir, the Chief is on loan to
Congress
from somewhere, I'd like her transferred to
Yorktown
if she's willing."
"Done. Eventually," he continues, "we'll discuss your handling of this, and probably re- write 222. Before you go back we'll authorize you to provide some information to your crew. I assume that only the people who were in this room earlier are aware?"
"Those three, plus the Marine sergeant who boarded
Defino
with me, and our Marine commander, sir."
"Good. Let everyone else go, have your two Marines meet with General Cuellar before releasing them. Everyone to be back on board zero eight hundred tomorrow morning. You'll go as soon after that as we can arrange."
"Yes, sir." It's zero seven hundred now, so that's a day. Could be worse. Unless Bode's taken my team somewhere they shouldn't be. I need to ask a question.
"Sir?"
"Yes, captain?"
"Be nice to have a cruiser battle group or four going back with us."
"I agree, Katana, I agree, but the President has all four at his Founding Day party on California. I'll send a ship as soon as we're done here to see if we can't free them up. Best hope, though, would be they arrive 20 hours after you."
"Affirmative, sir."
"Off the record, Captain, you and your team have done exceptional work. Report at 1100 to my office, have your First coordinate refit and resupply of
Yorktown
."
"Yes, sir." That means that the crew gets a day off, except for me, Shelby, McAdams and Gomez. And probably Yeager and Palmer.
And we're done. Cuellar salutes me and leaves after asking where to find his two Marines. Baylor salutes and heads off as well, I assume to get to McAdams before me. Benson and Everingham salute, remind me I'm due in four hours, and float off.
I finish the bottle of tea on my wall and set another to brewing before I float to the bridge. Shelby and I go through what we need. Need to make permanent patches to the damage to the ship where possible and replenish stores. We decide not to bother asking to replace the missiles, and to leave the new servers alone as well. The fewer people who touch things now, the happier I am. We never did identify Darlington's buddy who helped him plant the bomb, and he's certainly still out there.
I do want a new gig, and I really want to take more drones that we normally carry. I'm betting those things, which would normally take months and a ton of paperwork, will show up this time with a single message.
By zero nine hundred, Ayala has everyone gone, and gets ready to go himself. We've isolated him far too well the past few days, but he's an officer, he'll get over it. Especially when he figures out why.
I take him aside anyway, not to make him happier.
"Matt, need help from you. Get with Bass and Manuel, grab Garcia too, Powell if she wants to help, create an action plan on two fronts. First going back to Theta, then if our team isn't there, jumping to Nu. At least a couple scenarios each. Pad me when you get them done, then take off."
He's actually happier than he was a minute ago.
"Roger that Skipper. Glad to help." I think that last part was his reminding me he's here.
"Once we're underway, you and I can have a talk about what's happened. In the mean time, get me a battle plan. Assume that there is one big ship left, and then assume it has help."
"Aye."
I turn and burn for the boat deck, get to the hatch just in time to see a heavily armed Marine squad taking a body container off ship. Remind myself to check on Sullivan and Carver and make sure they are handled with care. I created letters to their families while we were out, the automated system should already have sent them on.
There's almost two hours before I have to be anywhere, and I feel like cheating. I find the little bistro 30 floors up and order a real pastry and some hot tea with milk. It's not as good as mom used to make (the pastry or the tea), but it's something normal. Something I need.
I read the news of the day on my pad, nothing alien about it yet, wonder at the firestorm that's coming. Finally, I wander up another 40 floors to the executive suites, and ChiNO's office.
My boss and his boss are sitting across from each other, one in a comfy chair and one on a couch. Open collars with space casual uniforms. A first for both of those things as far as I know. They invite me to the comfy chair opposite Benson, good thing, I don't think I could sit on a couch next to an admiral.
"First scan of the thing is in," Benson wasting no time with small talk as usual, "you got lucky. Science guys first impression is that it's body is built like a network. Many small hearts, not one big one. Many small livers, not one big one. Brain scattered throughout the body, and so on. They think you hit some kind of network hub just behind the eye. Eyes. This thing could take tremendous damage and not stop functioning."
"Yes, sir, I agree."
We talk for an hour, partly about my actions relative to Reg 222 and partly about how the story is rewritten when you get clarity on the characters. My pad beeps and interrupts, quick check to find it's Ayala's battle plans. Two old soldiers spend the next hour and a half debating the options, basically ignoring their young subordinate. A distraction from all the doom and gloom, and real Navy work that they don't get to do much anymore.
On they go. Do we jump in next to the Theta sun, making it quick to exit if need be, but a long way away from being able to help out, or do we jump in next to the planet, making escape difficult, but putting our missile launchers near to any likely targets?
Nu is a mess, no planets, about 120 moon size objects and millions of smaller ones, many not yet adequately charted. A couple major orbital paths, but lots of rogue objects as well. Where are the likely hiding places? Jump in wrong and it can take a week to correct.
Lunch comes in not long after the discussion starts, and I actually get to eat while they talk. Good food, which they miss, but then they get to eat it all the time.
Finally, they reach a conclusion. I assumed that wouldn't happen, but sometimes you are surprised.
Jump into Theta close to the sun. Bode may be all show and no go, still orbiting planet 1, we transmit a return to Earth order and pray he's not stupid enough to ignore it. I personally will be praying that he is stupid enough so that I can testify at his Court Martial, but I don't tell the bosses that.
If he's as stupid as we think he is, he'll have departed for Nu, and again the smart move is to jump in close to the sun, above the system plane, and search. Have to play that one by ear, no way to know where they would go, no easy way to find them in a system that messy. I suspect Bode would jump close to the largest cluster of large sub-planetary bodies, they aren't so sure, but they leave the final decision to me.
About 1900 they let me go with keys to top shelf quarters in the BOQ. I pop back to Yorktown, catch up on where we are. Shelby has us restocked and ready as we'll ever be. The wreck of
Bainbridge
is connected to the wall of the docking bay, not my ship, and our LS and ZR are attached and fully restocked as well.
I complement Matt on his work, tell him the admirals were impressed, question why he's still on board. Emily is down guarding her engines. I give them all keys and orders to get going.
I do an inspection of an almost empty ship, yell at Tony for not following Shelby out the hatch, drink some tea and make decisions about what the plan will really be. Then finally float over to the BOQ, stop at the bar long enough to have two drinks that call themselves iced tea but are made primarily with fermented molasses, decide there's no one present worth fighting with or over, find my quarters and get a good night's sleep.
Exit the BOQ around zero seven hundred, slight hangover, the hair in a pony tail under a