their logs since they had come on station seven months ago to relieve Hecate. The AI did a search on the Kiev 221 and found it to be a ship the Admiral had traveled on and had sent with a cargo to Pyrax. “According to my records Kiev 221 took an alternate route to Pyrax. They could be there by now. It is ten parsecs shorter.”
“But a more hazardous route,” Janice reminded him. “And no one can stop at Centennial; she's dead. No one is answering the com.”
“True.”
“Well, I'm glad we know,” Renee said, crossing her arms. “Helm, set course for the planet. Maximum speed you can squeeze out of her. Alert the Chief to do whatever he has to do. Time to orbit?”
“Three days captain,” Janice said checking her calculations twice to be sure.
“Can't squeeze anything more out of that?”
Janice shook her head silently no.
The skipper made a moue. “Well, at least the Chief will be happy; he'll have plenty of time to get what he needs to do done on the hull. So, no more excuses. I'll trust you'll pass that along?” she asked, looking at the AI avatar.
“Roger that, Captain,” Firefly replied.
“We're being pinged. It's coming from the gas giant, ma'am. Another ship is there; IFF reads her as the frigate Providence,” the com rating said.
“Huh. New faces.”
“New ships maybe, but hopefully good crews. I've read Rose's log. The two ships switch off duties and train as much as possible together. Providence has won their last two sims.”
“Good for her,” the Captain replied dismissively.
“Shall we alert the planet Captain?” Firefly asked.
Renee nodded. “Do that. Send them our log and plans. Wake them up. Hopefully we'll not have any pissing contests.”
“We've both served with Major Forth before ma'am. He's not the type to play games,” the AI replied.
“We'll see,” was all the Captain said as she sat in her chair.
---( | ) --- ( | )---
A quick stop to refuel and offload the Marines was planned for Agnosta as they made their way across the system. They would take on what parts and Marines they could, but the Captain wanted to break orbit in no less than forty-eight hours. The plan was to orbit and exchange shuttles with the ground side bases, but that changed when they came into view of the planet.
“Well, they've certainly been busy,” Renee murmured. Shelby looked over her shoulder and saw the image of the planet. She pulled it up through her own implants, frowning, not certain what she was missing until she noticed the series of space platforms and space stations. There was also a network of satellites.
She whistled softly. “Saw that eh?” The Captain asked. “See the base?”
“Which one?” Purple Thorn asked, looking up. “There are several on the island, and two on the main content now. At least, that's what my IFF is reporting.”
“Really?” Renee asked, interested. The officers looked, and then checked the civilian side of life. The sleepy towns were growing, if not as fast as the military then still quite well, clearly doing well for themselves. Most likely they were getting a major boost from the bases in the area and the pay the soldiers spent on leave.
“Obviously this system has seen a lot of traffic,” the ship AI said, pointing out the ion trails on the system plot. “Quite a lot.”
“Indeed. Good. Looks good,” the XO said. “Glad it's all working out.”
“So far,” Renee murmured.
“We're in extreme range of the planet, ma'am,” the com rating reported, looking expectantly at the Captain.”
“Wake em up comm; let them know we're coming and why. Tell them we're not going to be here long.”
“Aye, ma'am, transmitting IFF, and encrypted order package now,” the com rating replied with a nod.
“Good man.”
---( | ) --- ( | )---
They got a call a short time later. It was slow from both ends due to the time lag, but Major Forth apparently didn't care.
Major Forth had been sobered by the report of the battle. He
“But a more hazardous route,” Janice reminded him. “And no one can stop at Centennial; she's dead. No one is answering the com.”
“True.”
“Well, I'm glad we know,” Renee said, crossing her arms. “Helm, set course for the planet. Maximum speed you can squeeze out of her. Alert the Chief to do whatever he has to do. Time to orbit?”
“Three days captain,” Janice said checking her calculations twice to be sure.
“Can't squeeze anything more out of that?”
Janice shook her head silently no.
The skipper made a moue. “Well, at least the Chief will be happy; he'll have plenty of time to get what he needs to do done on the hull. So, no more excuses. I'll trust you'll pass that along?” she asked, looking at the AI avatar.
“Roger that, Captain,” Firefly replied.
“We're being pinged. It's coming from the gas giant, ma'am. Another ship is there; IFF reads her as the frigate Providence,” the com rating said.
“Huh. New faces.”
“New ships maybe, but hopefully good crews. I've read Rose's log. The two ships switch off duties and train as much as possible together. Providence has won their last two sims.”
“Good for her,” the Captain replied dismissively.
“Shall we alert the planet Captain?” Firefly asked.
Renee nodded. “Do that. Send them our log and plans. Wake them up. Hopefully we'll not have any pissing contests.”
“We've both served with Major Forth before ma'am. He's not the type to play games,” the AI replied.
“We'll see,” was all the Captain said as she sat in her chair.
---( | ) --- ( | )---
A quick stop to refuel and offload the Marines was planned for Agnosta as they made their way across the system. They would take on what parts and Marines they could, but the Captain wanted to break orbit in no less than forty-eight hours. The plan was to orbit and exchange shuttles with the ground side bases, but that changed when they came into view of the planet.
“Well, they've certainly been busy,” Renee murmured. Shelby looked over her shoulder and saw the image of the planet. She pulled it up through her own implants, frowning, not certain what she was missing until she noticed the series of space platforms and space stations. There was also a network of satellites.
She whistled softly. “Saw that eh?” The Captain asked. “See the base?”
“Which one?” Purple Thorn asked, looking up. “There are several on the island, and two on the main content now. At least, that's what my IFF is reporting.”
“Really?” Renee asked, interested. The officers looked, and then checked the civilian side of life. The sleepy towns were growing, if not as fast as the military then still quite well, clearly doing well for themselves. Most likely they were getting a major boost from the bases in the area and the pay the soldiers spent on leave.
“Obviously this system has seen a lot of traffic,” the ship AI said, pointing out the ion trails on the system plot. “Quite a lot.”
“Indeed. Good. Looks good,” the XO said. “Glad it's all working out.”
“So far,” Renee murmured.
“We're in extreme range of the planet, ma'am,” the com rating reported, looking expectantly at the Captain.”
“Wake em up comm; let them know we're coming and why. Tell them we're not going to be here long.”
“Aye, ma'am, transmitting IFF, and encrypted order package now,” the com rating replied with a nod.
“Good man.”
---( | ) --- ( | )---
They got a call a short time later. It was slow from both ends due to the time lag, but Major Forth apparently didn't care.
Major Forth had been sobered by the report of the battle. He
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