Brad Mufflen Makes Ripples
Copyright© 2026 by Thinker
Chapter 3
Real Life fighters in the fleet are not at all like the ones in the training units, these have weapons for real, all the time. They are all pretty new and are kept in top shape to the best of the maintenance crewscrews’ abilities. ThusThus, adapting from the training space craft to the service spacecraft required more training. His squadron commander, Lt Valcazar, who once they were out of the shipsship’s control area (where fighters launched, recovered and there was a lot of operations going on) had Brad take the controls and demonstrate various movements, showing he knew how to use all the controls and was not too likely to do something wrong. Then when well away from the ship, motioned him for silence and turned off all the ship’s electronics, then checked for anything drawing current, before pulling out a tablet and writing on it:
We are required to use the fighter schoolsschool’s tactics but if we go to combat those are sure to get you killed. We will try to teach you better tactics as we can. Do not say anything aboard ship, as the captain will have your ass. We think the ship is bugged as are the fighters.
Brad nodded and motioned for the tablet. The Lt lt looked at him and then handed him the tablet after erasing it. Brad smiled and wrote:
Changes are coming. Not for others to know, just you.
The Ltlt. read it and then looked at the ensign who made the ‘I SAW’ motion. The Ltlt. had Brad turn on all the ship’s electronics and verify that they were functioning correctly before they practiced tactics, then returned to the ship.
The Squadron squadron was supposed to have 13 pilots and the Squadron squadron commander who also flew missions. The fighters were to fly in four V’s of three fighters each, with the squadron commander and a wing man behind them and ordering them in the attack. It had proven to be dismal in combat effectiveness, but the fighter school seemed to have a tight grip on allowed tactics and prosecuted any officer doing anything different. Resistance in the fleet was growing, but the fighter school had political clout to back it up. Brad was the seventh pilot assigned to the squadron, so they were still seven short of full strength.
New pilots were coming in and each of the squadrons filled out. theThe flood of new pilots who needed flight tests and familiarization with the actual fighters was large. Brad was glad he had skipped the leave and come came straight in. He saw both Amy and Alice, but bothneither were wasnot in his squadron. Regardless, Amy showed up and knocked on his door., he He let her in and she marveled that he had a private room. He laughed “they don’t want to room with an Instant instant Ensign ensign ... it might rub off.” Amy laughed too, “Brad, there is something I have wanted to get straight between us for quite a while but couldn’t, could we do it now?” Brad looked at her and shrugged “I guess Amy, what is it?” Amy pulled the zipper down on her flight suit “Your dick Brad ... I have wanted to have sex with you since the third week of fighter school.” Brad was moving his mouth but making no noise. Amy walked over and pressed her partially undressed body against Brad and kissed him firmly. Brad’s hands came around and held her, one hand on her ass and one on her back ... his mind was racing but the clutch hadn’t been let up. Amy took the lead and Brad went along until he got into it and they had a good quick frolic. Brad’s first in about two years. “So does this mean we are going together now Amy?” She looked at him with a sad smile “No Brad, Alice wouldn’t understand that at all. She and I room together and keep each other happy, but once in a while I need a guy, and for that you are my first choice, as you will keep your mouth shut and you do a good job of easing my needs.”
They had spent the week in working on their assigned fighters and Brad was returning from the rest room when he saw a person turning and struggling as they drifted away, the safety strap was too short and not attached, obviously. He looked about and noticed only a few pointing and making motions, but since everyone was required to wear their ship’s helmets, no one could hear everyone. He ran toward the Captainscaptain’s two seat shuttle, a fighter with seats for two, flicked his transmitter to all and said “Chief, prepare to launch the Captainscaptain’s shuttle as soon as I get the hood shut.” The man spun around to see who was giving him orders “Person overboard, action now!” The man looked and saw people pointing, turned and saw the body, 50 meters away and drifting further, he immediately popped the canopy open and armed the launcher. Brad grabbed connector hoses for ship to suit and quickly entered the ship, shutting the canopy., as As soon as it was down, he was launched. He was busy as all get out fastening his seat belts, flyflying the ship without going too fast or two slow. The suit gave you five minutes without the hose/tether connected so he had very little time. With his hose connected, he snapped the other one on the other connector and slowed the ship and aimed to go under the person slightly and lined up with their direction of movement. As he passed under the person he slowed and opened the canopy, which was hinged at the front, to use it to help stop the other personsperson’s body. He nosed up and just managed to grab an ankle and pull them down. They were flailing around and he had to fight to shove them into the seat and connect the hose and activate the suitssuit’s connector, so it knew it was connected. He struggled to get them calmed down inside and get their arms in, then managed to activate the canopy shutting switch. He had paid attention, butattention but not looked at whom he had rescued. It was an attractive young woman with reddish brown hairhair, and she was looking at him with some recognition. “You are connected to the oxygen now, let me get us turned around and back to the ship.”
She was still agitated and he had to keep putting her hands back down, but did get turned toward the ship and started back slowly, no reason to over reactoverreact for lesless than a hundred meters to go. “ChiefChief, can you hear me?”
“Everyone can hear you son!”
“Fine Chief, could you have sick bay get a couple medics and a stretcher to the hanger slot?”
“Done Sir.” Brad slowed to a crawl and closed with the landing boom carefully. The ship slid up and was locked in place,. he He opened the canopy and several hands reached in, disconnected the belts and pulled the woman clear, popping her off the ships oxygen and onto the bottle on the stretcher. She was gone in a flash and Brad just cleared the ship when the captain came in and got in his face “What the hell is the meaning of you using my shuttle?” Brad stood at attention, slightly confused by the Captainscaptain’s words. “Sir, the person was floating free and drifting into space with only the a few minutes of oxygen...”
“Shut up ensign, I will have your ass for this. weWe have rescue lighters for things like this, you could easily have used one of those, dumbass.”
“That would have taken much too long...”
“I told you to shut up, open your mouth again and you’ll be floating out into space. Marines! Lock this fool up, I’ll deal wthwith him when I get back. How long to get this thing turned around and me on my way to an important meeting?”
“Only a few moments Captain, Youryour pilot can back it out and turn it easily.”
“It’s supposed to be pointing out, how long to get it turned about?” The Chief struggled to keep his cool “We can have it turned in about thirty minutes sir.”
“I don’t have thirty minutes, God Damned damned fool ensign!” Willard, get in and get us out of here. You can back this thing out?”
“Yes Sir, easily sir” and the pilot got in the ship followed by the Captaincaptain. and the The hatch was closed and the ship backed off the landing boom, turned and headed off. Everyone looked at each other with disbelief. Two marines took the ensign to the brig.
There are always multiple ways an issue can get reported and that happened here. The Medical medical officer reported the woman rescued after being intentionally pushed into space. Several Senior senior NCOs went to the XO and told her what had happened, with video, since the whole hanger hangar was being taped while all this work was going on to locate issues. She had them stand fast and went ininto her office and turned on her scrambled phone and made a call. That call was passed twice and she was talking to the Fleet fleet Commandercommander. He was quite concerned and said he would personally be there within thirty minutes. She went out and told the NCOs to stand by as hethe Admiral admiral was in route. It took him 18 minutes. to show up on the bridge. He watched the video, listening to the language and turned to Commander Edith Sorenson, “Effective immediately you are in command. The Captaincaptain is relieved. Have the young ensign released from the brig on my orders, in fact, never mind, patch me thru to the marines at the brig.” It was not ten minutes and before Ensign Brad Mufflen was standing on the Bridgebridge. “Excellent response, Ensign, your quick action absolutely saved that young woman’s life.” You are dismissed, get some chow” and the admiral smiled.
The captain’s cutter was reported five minutes out, the admiral had the hanger bay cleared except for Commander Sorenson, himself and 12 marines Marines lead by a marine Marine major. When the captain came in on the boom, he was surprised to see he the admiral, and more surprised to be relieved of command and escorted off the ship like a criminal. The timing was perfect, as the officers in the fighter school had all been arrested that same morning and several representatives and two senators had been arrested a wellas well. The ship that the Captaincaptain had visited was stopped and searched by a Marine company who boarded it in full combat gear. Intelligence had finally obtained enough evidence to show that all of these people were in the pay of the aliens and had sold out their own folks for large sums of money the Federation seized.
But things went back to normal for Brad, or so he thought. He was back in his room, working on some stuff he needed to get done, not that it couldn’t wait, but since he had the time, he’d just get it out of the way. Then someone knocked on his door, he stood and went to get it when it opened and a very attractive woman stepped in, It took a moment to recognize the face in the helmet of many hours ago.
Genevieve du Chaumond
“Yes Ma’am, how may I help you.?” She pushed the door closed. “WellWell, I have several things I wish to speak of, first of course I want to thank you for your quick thinking and actions. Had I to waitwaited for the rest to get organized and out there, it would have been a body recovery. Which leads to the second issue; I am not to sleep in my own cabin, so I ask I if might stay here with you? You inspire confidence amongst other things.” she smiled. “Umm well that might get a lot oof people talking ... uh Ma’am” Brad replied. She looked slightly surprised, then recovered “Pardon a Moi, I am Genevieve du Chaumond, but Ginny is fine and I may call you Brad?”
“Of courseOf course, ma ... uh Ginny. Sorry my brain is still in the books” and he pointed back to the computecomputer screen. She smiled and he was not really remembering much of anything. “SoSo, I may spend the night here? we can just use your bunk and save the linens above.” Uh, that might lead to some uh...”
“But of course, Brad, and if it didn’tdidn’t, I would likely be insulted ... you saved the princess, so the princess gets to reward you as she sees fit “ Ginny’s smile was huge. Brad registered that she wasn’t wearing the regulation T-shirt under her ship suit either.”
“WellWell, I wouldn’t want to risk you getting pregnant Ginny, so maybe we should...” She cut him off, still smiling “I do not think that can happen, I have taken precautions. If later we were to decide to raise children together, I can alter that.” Brad just stopped, his mouth still open. “I am told sex in your county is a behind the curtains secret, in my country we all know everyone likes it, everyone does it and we treat it as a normal thing when two people find themselves attracted to each other. I am certainly attracted to you, but I grant you do not know me at all, all; however I am not unattractive I am not old and I am willing. Perhaps I can teach you something new, or perhaps you will teach me ... but please let us enjoy the evening together.” She pulled the zipper on the front of her ship suit down past her belly button; obviously she was not wearing a bra ... and perhaps not even ... Brad’s mind over loaded. Ginny just stepped forward and kissed him gently on the lips while sliding the tip of her tongue along the line where they joined. He put his arms around her and pulled her close without a thought as to where it was going. She pulled away and locked the door and then she got her way.
In the morning it was confirmed that they had caught a young man entering Ensign du Chaumond’s room with a large knife drawn. Ensign du Chaumond was able to identify him as a young man who had wanted to have sex with her and said she was stuck up henwhen she tried to explain it was illegal. The tapes were able to positively identify him as the person who had cut her safety strap and pushed out of the hanger hangar bay as well, and he disappeared with several Marines.
A week later the new Captain captain showed up, Captain Donna Merriweather was a young captain who looked small and short, but gave a sense of being in charge very quickly. The fighter school tactics were crap canned almost instantly and she gave very explicit direction to her leaders to get the fighter pilots retrained quickly. Lt Valcazar had Brad take him out and show him what he knew about flying for real, then made him an assistant instructor. Two Two-seat ships were scrounged from everywhere and the young pilots were quickly introduced to all the things their fighters could do and a whole new concept of combat flying. It was actually surprisingly easy for many of the pilots who knew what they had been taught was stupid. There were some howeversome, however, who had serious trouble adapting to the new tactics and a few had to be designated shuttle only pilots. This was more than made up for by bringing back those the Fighter fighter school and various Captains captains had dismissed.
Then one afternoon Brad was ordered to report to a meeting room, where he found the whole squadron formed up. He looked around and got smirks and smiles. “Ensign Mufflen, front and center”. he He spun and Captain Merriweater was standing on the raised platform. He stiffened and marched up to in front of her “Ensign Mufflen reporting a as ordered, Ma’am.”
“Ensign, we are gathered here today to honor you with a Fleet Life Saving Medal for your quick actions to save a fellow pilot who was thrown overboard. I understand you took some flak from my predecessor for using his cutter to do that too. I think you did just great though, and I am the one who matters now.” He was pinned and everyone was released to congratulate him, including the new Captaincaptain, who he found very appealing in a way he couldn’t quite explain. Ginny thanked him again that night.
Ensign du Chaumond requested to be transferred to the same squadron Brad was in and that was done. She was not allowed to room with him, but spent many a night in his room anyway. Training continued at a very rapid pace. then a new smaller Carrier carrier arrived with no fighters or hanger crew. It was waiting for a captain to be designated and fighters to be made available; Captain Merriweather requested temporary command of it and for all her three full strength squadrons to be temporarily transferred aboard for a combat run while HORNET’S NEST finished fitting out and the last two squadrons were formed up. This was granted and the transfer accomplished in eight days, then they headed out to an unspecified location to join up with an escort and to then attack an enemy base. It took nineteen days to arrive in the vicinity of the enemy base and attack., the The enemy responded with their versions of fighters, which were significantly larger than ours because the Aliens aliens individually were much larger than humans. Several things went poorly fort for the aliens,; we didn’t follow the fighter rules, which they firmly believed we would, to the point that they fired missiles to where they knew we should show up ... and we didn’t. Second, they hadn’t been able to duplicate our lasers, although it was known that they had captured some. Lastly, they were unable or unwilling to adapt on the fly, so that we savaged their forces badly. Most of HORNET”S NEST fighter pilots managed at least two kills with quite a few having three or four. Brad had flown like a crazy man and had scored eight. The force then withdrew and returned to Fleet WoldWorld and transferred back to HORNET’S NEST. As always, people were transferred and Brad was suddenly designated as the squadron XO. He immediately sought out Lt Valcazar, “Sir, begging your pardon, but I am too junior to be the XO, certainly you can find amorea more senior pilot to do that.” Lt Valcazar laughed, “first I would have to accept him or her and then I would have to have their current leader release them, OR I could go to the CO and ask that it be ordered. I have not seen anyone I would accept and thus there is no reason to ask for anyone. You are going to rise in this system, so you may as well learn all the behind the scenes things that have to go on to keep us flying. Your request is denied, you are now the squadron XO effective immediately. Petty Officer Nerhan will tell you what you have to do and we both will help you learn the system and records we must keep.”
One of hethe first places he had to go to was Operations, both so they would change the name in the position and also so they knew the squadron’s current status of fighters and pilots available and an estimate of how long something down would be down and if a pilot or other key position was unready due to sickness or other issue. SoSo, PO Nerhan took him forward to the Operations operations section. PO Nerhan led him in and said “The ensign is going to be our new XO, as LtJG Zoshuri has been reassigned.” A PO in the office stood and came over and handed Brad a multipage form “Fill this out and return it to me.” Brad looked at the document and immediately knew it wasn’t his to do “Nice try hero, but this is yours to do, not mine.” The PO looked up “We alwayalways have the XOs fill it out;, just do it.” Brad caught the smirks and people trying to look away. “Horse Shit shit, mister, I’m not that dumb.” Nerhan stepped up and looked at the form then smiled “Dumbfries, come get your form, Ensign Mufflen isn’t that stupid.” MY NAME IS JEFFRIES”
“well you act like it is Dumbfries all the time.” Both of them heard their chair slide back and PO Nerhan turned his head to see who was coming, Brad dropped the document on the counter. “Brad? what the heck are you doing here?” Ensign Hamilton asked. Brad’s head spun to look at the voice... “Eleanor? what are you doing here? ... well doing operations work I presume.” She smiled, “Good guess, but you ... how did you get here? and commissioned too?” Brad just nodded “It’s a bit of a yarn, might we meet in the lounge after dinner?”
“How about we meet at dinner and carry on from there, I suspect we both have a lot of catching up to do” Eleanor replied. “That sounds good to me Eleanor, say about 1800?”
“Yes, Thatthat would be good, I can get cleaned up and comfortable then.”
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