Chapter 28: NSS McDivitt

Asteroid Belt, November 3, 2141
NSS McDivitt

The NSS McDivitt wasn’t a big ship, but she was fully equipped to handle two full squadrons of fighters with a complement of 16 fighters, 32 officers, and 40 support personnel in each squadron. It looked like an enormous pipe that was being pushed along by a cluster of five pipes mounted atop it. Four of those pipes were engines, and one was the command section. The McDivitt was a “Modular” design, so the command section containing the bridge, crew’s quarters, and engines could be detached from the flight deck and be connected to another flight deck or cargo bay. It’s never been done, but the Navy thought the capability would be essential at some point.

A REO-Brockway forty ton truck, basically a box with an engine and directional thrusters, was used to haul the crews and their tools from the Borman to the McDivitt and it was frustrating to Alan because they wouldn’t let him drive. He’s driven 25 ton, he wanted to try a 40 ton truck to see what it was like. “No playing around, you have a squadron to move,” insisted Hilde.

“I never get to have any fun,” groaned Alan, which earned him an elbow from Hilde. They made love last night, celebrating their departure from their first assignment and the next big step in their future together. Commanding two squadrons that were attached at the hip, the Navy was going to be their bridal suite. Rising early, he and Hilde finished an inspection of the crew’s quarters, insuring they were clean and ready for the next users. They also checked the maintenance and supply area. The supply bins and shelves were locked and sealed and all F-199 Berserkers were FMC (Fully Mission Capable) for the next round of trainees.

With inspections complete, Alan and Hilde stood at the airlock in their pressure suits, saying goodbye to Captain Lounge and his staff. “I apologize again for my predecessor,” said Captain Lounge.

“You handled the transfer of power well,” said Hilde, as they shook hands. Then she saluted Captain Lounge and said, “IFS 44 departing.”

“Fair winds and following seas, forty four,” said Captain Lounge. Then it was time to shake hands with Alan. “I’m sure we’ll meet again, Mister Scarlett. You’re sailing under a favorable star.”

“Pardon?”

“Sir, you’re a Lieutenant Junior Grade, an O-2, yet you’re a squadron commander.”

Alan shrugged. “I’ve been told since day one in the Western Alliance Navy, it’s not the rank it’s the position. My people follow me, so I must be doing something right.”

“You must be,” grinned Commander Lounge as they shook hands.

“Come visit the Scarlett planet,” said Alan with a grin, “and send me any Martians you find in uniform.” Then he saluted Captain Lounge. “IFS 43 departing, sir.”

“Fair winds and following seas, forty three,” said Captain Lounge sadly as he returned the salute. His first training squadron was shoving off. Now was the long slow flight back to earth to pick up another batch of trainees and trainers. It will soon be a never-ending cycle. The Western Alliance Navy always needs new pilots, but he sensed something special about that last bunch. He watched through the double window of the airlock as the truck pulled away, then rotated on its axis 180 degrees and backed up to couple with the McDivitt for off-loading.

“Request permission to come aboard sir,” said Hilde as they stepped into the maintenance bay. They were met by Commander Kanopa, the executive officer.

“Welcome aboard,” he said

As Alan and Hilde stepped aboard, a sailor blew a whistle, piping them aboard and announced, “IFS Forty Three and IFS Forty Four arriving!” A smiling middle-aged woman met them at the entry port, which was located down in the maintenance hangars. “Captain Baker, Commander Kanopa, Commander Marks and Mister Scarlett,” announced the sailor as Hilde and Alan took off their helmets and gloves and shook hands with their new skipper.

“Ma’am, we are pleased to meet you,” said Hilde.

“Your Uncle Ray warned me about you two,” said Captain Baker as she held Alan’s hand and looked him over a little more closely than he expected.

“Uncle Ray has a vivid imagination,” said Alan. “He thinks he’s James Bond.” He realized that Ellen Baker was taking his pulse.

“Who says he’s not?” She leaned in for a closer look at his eyes, then poked him on the left side under his ribs. Alan now realized that Captain Baker was giving him a quick medical evaluation.

“I uh, have a flight surgeon.”

“Now you have two, I’m an MD also. No sign of Jaundice or tenderness. I hear that she fixed you up with an ancient 21st century operating theater.”

“Yes, that’s all we had on the Borman, and Doctor Seddon is also a damn fine fighter jock.”

“So am I. Maybe we’ll go for a hop someday. Let’s take a tour of the maintenance facilities,” said Captain Ellen Baker, and she led them through a large maintenance hangar with several F-201 Star Strikers parked in there. The F-201 was a two seat interceptor/bomber, it was sleek, a “missile with a man inside” type design, with two stubby wings that had Silicone-Radiographic AN/ALA202 laser emitters on each wingtip along with an AERO-8B torpedo launcher that held any fighter size missile or torpedo in the Navy inventory. The nose was large, containing an AN/APQ-110 radar set and an oversized AN/ALA300 laser emitter, giving the F-201 a triple strike laser punch.

Alan stared at the Star Strikers in awe. For a fighter pilot, they were a work of art. He could hear them begging him to climb in and go find someone that desperately needs to be killed. “I think I lost a potential husband,” said Hilde.

“This is heavy maintenance. Fore and aft of us are two parking ramps both unpressurized. The fore ramp is currently the 44th, the aft ramp is the 43rd. This hangar is a shared facility for inspections and heavy maintenance. Centerline is life support and the tubes.”

Just then, Alan saw a man he recognized from a long time ago. He searched his memory for his name, then called out, “Petty Officer Cernan!”

“Yes sir,” said Gene and he came up to Alan. Then a smile of recognition grew. “Mister Scarlett! It’s good to see you again sir.”