Chapter 13: Leaving the Nest

Cherubim had left the ship a few moments ago and I was on the bridge and together with the others went over the technical specs of our ship.

Circuit had to explain to me again why we had no ISAH pods.

“The reason we do not have ISAH Pods is that this ship uses TransDim Gravitonics as propulsion. Energy is tapped directly from Quasi Space and we have no need for fuel.The ISAH field too keep us in real time is generated by the same system. This ship could fly to the end of the known universe without refueling. We do have a set of extendable Isah pods and fuel tanks as back up.

Even with them we are fuel independent as we have an integrated Molecular Gas Refinery aboard and can turn any common matter into fuel. The theoretical top speed of this bird is 25,000 times the speed of light but safely not achievable due to material and damper limitations. Safe Cruise speed is still 10,000 times LS and that is quite fast. Our acceleration to Quasi-Space Threshold is 1500 km/sec2, making this bird faster than the latest Wolfcraft; of course we lack the maneuverability of a fighter craft.”

He was petting the Engineering Console the entire time he spoke. “You should see her engines ... Oh a more beautiful sight does not exist in the Universe.”

“Alright, Mao what do we have in terms of weapons?”

“Enough to take on an Ultra and make some serious dents into the Devi if we have to. 1 Exo Load TL, 12 Kilo Load TL Gatlings and 8 Maxi Range Kilo Load Sniper TL, range 1 light hour.

Instead of the common FTL Forced Energy projectors we got the latest in Terran weapon development 12 Quark-Gluon Plasma casters firing through a trans-space tunnel field making them true FTL weapons as they can hit any target within 12 light minutes instantly. QGP generates temperatures exceeding 1 trillion degrees. There isn’t a star that hot in the known Universe. There are 6 Loki IV Torpedo tubes, Mine laying chutes and Orbital Bombshafts with the complete Arsenal of Bombs including 6 P Bombs. Notably we got a new Saresii Para Dim wave generator gun in the Nose cone, Nul-Nul Graviton Rippers. As well as the usual Techstop and Paralysator Cannons. There is room for 12 Wolfcraft fighters, 4 Gazelle Long-range Scouts, 2 Thor Gunboats and six Goliath Landing Tanks. Sad part is that except for one Gazelle and the Tanks the rest has not been delivered yet. Shield wise we got Triple Layer TransDim Shields, Normal Battle shields and a new Narth Device that is supposed to put a Zero time Bubble around us but the final components are still on Narth and are supposed to be delivered when we get our first upgrade in a year or so.”

I turned to Elfi and said. “Can you call the Base and see if we can’t get a few of those fighters they have there in boxes?”

She nodded. “Aye Captain, I will do that right away.”

Hans came on the bridge with a look of shock on his face. “Captain, there are two beings below asking to come aboard. “One of them I know but the other is a Y’All and he claims he knows you and wears Fleet Uniform.”

I got up from my chair. “I guess we better check that out. Shea you got the Conn.”

A few seconds and a IST ride later I stood underneath my ship next to the Marine guards and looked upon a full size four armed Y’All Warrior and it was true he did wear Fleet Uniform. Next to him stood a woman and I recognized her. She was the Celtest/Seenian Commander we had fought and captured while we were on our way to Newport.

Cateria, wearing ensign rank just as the Y’All. Both saluted and she said. Ensign Cateria and Ensign TheOther for duty, Ma’am.”

She handed me an Order chip and the Marine next to me scanned it. “Id verified - they are Citizens and Fleet members, Ma’am.”

I gestured towards the IST shaft and said “Welcome aboard then and do follow me to the conference room so we can talk.”

The Celtest woman said. “Yes Ma’am.”

The Briefing room behind the bridge was almost too small to handle beings like Krabbel, Hans and the giant Y’All at the same time and it felt really crowded.

I said. “Welcome once again aboard the Tigershark and since you here and know about this ship, I am certain you are here sent by the highest authority. But please excuse my curiosity, as to why you are here.

The last time we met you Ensign Cateria, you were a Celtest or should I say Seenian commander and quite hostile towards us and I must confess to meet a live Y’All is truly unusual.” That I had done so before was classified.

Cateria begun. “Most of you I remember but I can’t recall seeing you Ma’am.”

“I was there Ensign, I was the one that crushed that mental thing in your head and give you a chance. As you can see I have changed somewhat.”

She looked at me and then nodded. “Yes I recognize the eyes.” Her tone of voice was tempered by concealed emotions. “Now as you can imagine, after I was captured by you and transferred to a special prison and lab facility I was probed, scanned, interrogated and scanned and probed again for weeks on end. I was treated worse than a criminal. While I intellectually understood why they did that, I was not willing to cooperate under such degrading conditions. I didn’t want to live like that and considered suicide. Then I met a woman, General Alycia Lichfangh and later learned that I could not lie or withhold any information from her. She was the first to believe me that I was only a medical technician and not a soldier. I was used as a courier to carry a message, because all those who were trained to fight could not be speared.

General Lichfangh also learned about me and my shock to realize I had slept a million years and that nothing I knew remained. She asked me what wanted to do and I asked her to give me a chance to take my own life.

She was very sympathetic to my cause and transferred me from that ghastly prison lab complex to a much better place and told me that due to my nature they could not really let me go and that she would not help me to commit suicide.

She knew that she was bending someones orders and rules as she educated me in the ways and laws of this Union and told me that if I requested Citizenship as a legal immigrant I could not be denied. The political system the Union represents appeals greatly to me as it allows any individual to achieve.”

Alycia helped me under one condition that I would need to join the Union Military, so my true heritage could be kept secret.

She made me a member of the PSI Corps. Not that my psionic talents were anywhere near their requirements but that kept me out of the public eye so to speak and she could help me with my immigration and integration.”

Har-Hi asked her. “How did you end up here with us?”

She stapled her fingers and said. “I am no Psionic talent and I am not a soldier, but I was and I am a Medical specialist and expressed my wish to join the Union Medical Service.

She made it possible and I went to Union Med School.

The General visited me a few weeks ago and asked me if I would be willing to be the CMO of a very special ship with an unusual mission and she told me under whom I would serve. I gladly agreed and was made Acting Ensign and I am here to be your CMO.”

I shook her hand. “Welcome to the family then. I will show you to your sickbay as soon as I heard the story of your friend.”

The Y’All sounded as if someone dragged a steel girder over metal scaffolding as he spoke.”I am one of the Y’All you have fought Captain Olafson. You see the other Y’All warrior and I were alive because we were rejected by the Source, the Y’All command authority that attacked this Galaxy so long ago. He and I were considered malfunctioning and we were put in suspended animation and supossedly shipped to wherever they made us.

There we faced the fate to be dissected and probed so our malfunctions could be determined.

The malfunction was that he and I questioned our orders to eradicate the inhabitants of a defenseless colony planet.

How our stasis chambers ended on that asteroid and was finally found by you I cannot say, but after you bested us in hand to hand combat we to were put in an high security facility and just like the Celtest woman we were probed and analyzed.

The Union scientists examining and experimenting on us called my colleague simply Specimen One and me they called the other specimen.

Specimen one died of the wounds you inflicted. They were ton severe for our healing ability. He was dissected.

These scientists did not look at us as sentient beings at all. A man called Admiral Stahl visited the facility and I recognized he was not a scientist but a soldier and I asked him if he and his race had no honor and if he had a spark of respect for his enemy than he should allow that I was killed too and not kept alive like that.

He did not leave but stayed and listened to me and then he said that I was right and even though I was the most terrible enemy he had ever faced and shou ld be treated like a Prisoner of War and sentient beings. He also said that the war technically over for a long time and that I should be released, but he also told me about a recent return of a different species of Y’All and the possibility that my kind of Y’all could return as well as we had done before.

He scolded the scientists and facility keepers in the worst possible way andf gave them a lecture about Union core values.

While he explained to me, having life specimens of Y’All was important to Union science.

I sensed he was a being of great honor and I respected him and I told him I would be bound by honor and respect and expressed my wish to serve him as a slave. He rejected that but he had me tested by that same woman General Lichfangh and he got me a special commission to the fleet and said he would know just the right ship where I would fit in When I heard that it was commanded by the human who fought me in hand to hand combat I eagerly accepted as I am honor bound to you with your victory over two Y’all battle drones you have proven to be the greatest warrior of all and I will serve you until my life ends.”

Har-Hi gasped with open mouth. “You have fought two of those and won?”

I said. “I didn’t really win and was pretty much done for if it hadn’t been for Marines showing up”

The Y’All said. “It is the hallmark of greatness to reject praise but we Y’All are genetically engineered by an advanced species to be the ultimate warrior and killing machines. No two armed carbon based feather weight should be able to mortally wound one, inflict injury to both and stay alive for that long. If you had faced only one of us, you would have won for certain.”

Har-Hi kept shaking his head. “Two, he fought two of those in hand to hand combat.”

Hans grinned. “You know what happens if she gets angry. I am convinced I even I would stand no chance.”

I threw my hands in the air. “You make me sound like some sort of raging monster. I most certainly would not want to try my luck in this way again. There was a lot of luck involved back then I assure you.”

The Y’All tried to bow and said. “You bested me and by our sacred code I am your servant till I die. I have purpose again.”

Mao looked at me. “Two of them against you, Wow.”

I got up.”Enough of this Olafson admiration session. Ensign Cateria find your Sickbay and prepare a report what is there what is not there and what you still need.”

“Aye Captain.”

“Hans you got yourself an Assistant. Mr. TheOther you are Security Assistant to Lt. Neugruber.”

Hans clapped his big hand on the same sized Y’All chest.

“Let`s find you some adequate quarters and a bed that will hold you and then we customize one of the Gilgamesh suits for you.”

The frightening giant said. “I appreciate that, Sir.”

Narth said. “And I hoped I could share an anecdote how my friend and Captain fought 12.6 ton carnivore lizards with an ax.

The raging part of your self assessment I do not find quite as untrue or inaccurate. But I do not think of you as a monster. However the definition of a mons...”

I looked at him. “Of all people I expected some support from you.”

That I wasn’t mad at him he of course knew by seeing my mind. I slammed my fists on the table. “Mr. Chitauli what are your plans for the next few hours?”

Shaka responded. “I wanted to go through the repair specs for the Virtu System in case I need to fix it.”

“Well you got to do that a little later. It’s time we take this baby for a Spin around the system.”

Shaka’s eyes went wide.” We are going to ... I am going to fly my ship.” I had never seen him smile that wide and he was gone in a flash.

“Be careful Captain,” said Har-Hi. “If you do that again he might get facial cramps and he has to go to sickbay.”

“Oh I think you going to join him in sickbay then, my Dai Than XO I want you to take her out and I mean now.”

“You give me the honor for the first take off?” Har-Hi now grinned too and said.”You are right I will need to make an appointment with our new CMO to get this silly grin of my face. It’s so not Dai.”

He turned to the rest and Har-Hi gave orders saying. “You heard the Captain. Circuit get your engines hot. Krabbel plot a course around the System. Mr. Elfiatra inform Richter Station, Mr. Narth I believe Sensors need to be manned. Mr. Vouza, we might need shields.” He looked at Shea.”How do I call you know?”

“My last name is Schwartz.”

“Well Mr. Schwartz, it is customary on our ships, that science is on standby and on the bridge.”

Everyone scrambled with eager anticipation to their stations. I was suddenly alone in the briefing room and looked out the viewing port.

Then there was a slight humming sound a deep barely noticeable tone that penetrated everything. Through the padded vibration absorbing deck plates and my boot soles I could feel a faint harmonic. The ships main power had been turned on, no longer running on energies fed to us by umbilicals.

Its brain, the computronic was already with us since we came aboard, but to me the Ships heart was now beating and it became alive to me.No longer was it just a fancy looking building but a vehicle with unimaginable powers harnessed, ready to leave the gravitation well behind and enter its true domain the endless darkness of space.

--””--

Time flew and we were busy to get to know our ship and every day new personnel and crew arrived. I made a point to welcome each of them personally and walk them through the ship. That way I would get to know my ship and my crew at the same time. Every day I found areas I had never been before. The Tigershark was no small ship and had twenty decks. Cavernous cargo holds, most of them empty. Crew quarters, Marine Country, one deck completely dedicated to science with labs for various disciplines.

The ship had modern and extensive recreation facilities; and to my great joy a big and deep swimming pool.

Being the captain had its privileges and one was to keep the pool temperature on Thursdays at three degrees or in other words, just cold and perfect. Wanting to be a woman and actually to live as one every day turned out to be a challenge. Not only did it take much longer in the morning to get ready, despite hygiene center and Auto Dresser it also was more work to get to bed and every step and everything I did was under the watchful eyes of Elfi and Shea. The girls really enjoyed their teaching roles able to giggle a lot and point out something I did oh so wrong.

One afternoon I was standing outside at the bottom of the extended IST shaft and had a little chat with the marines guarding it as I waited for the latest additions to the crew. Cherubim had called and announced more to arrive. She said I would be surprised again.

Two Attikans stepped through the energy curtain at the end of the slide belt tunnel. One was wearing Fleet blackand the other Marine green. One was striped and the other had dots all over their exposed fur. Even though they could have been any Attikans, I recognized them, Fective and Pure.

They both saluted and it was striped Fective saying. “Ensign Ak Fective Ka and Lieutenant First Class Ak Pure reporting, Ma’am.”

I forgot that I was the Captain for a moment and supposed to be dignified and all that but I said. “At ease you two, how good it is to see you again.”

Fective flared his black nostrils and he looked at me.”You smell a whole lot different than I remember, but the base scent is still there, I never forget a scent. Eric.”

He embraced me out of impulse and Pure curled his chops and revealed his long rows of sharp canine teeth. “Yes you smell like a human female, lot of soaps and scents, but I too remember.”

Fective released me suddenly. “Oh I am so sorry Ma’am; this is not how I should greet my new Captain.”

I said. “Forget the Captain bit for a moment. It is me, although I have changed my appearance somewhat. What a pleasant surprise to see you here.”

Fective revealed his teeth as well and then said. “When Admiral McElligott personally called me and offered me a posting aboard a secret mission ship he told me I would be surprised to see who the Captain would be. I never expected you, Eric. Even though I knew you would go far, made Captain already.”

He handed ne his order and personal file chip and said.”You would never guess it, but I specialized in weapons engineering and I am a certified Translocator tech. I was told you; I mean the Captain had the final say if I would get the posting. Please say you still need a Weapon System specialist.”

I said to him. “Of course I need one and I am very glad it is you. Before I become your Captain officially however, let’s finish that greeting.”

He and Pure embraced me once again and I said.”Welcome you too, welcome aboard the Tigershark.”

Pure who never talked much said. “You feel a whole lot softer now and you do smell nicer.” He then said, “I am here to report to your Marine detachment.”

I wanted to show them around, but another new Crew member came from the Slide belt tunnel. It was a Non-Corp and the suited energy being saluted and said. “Ensign 3452-991 reporting as ordered Ma’am.”

In my mind I thanked McElligott to send me my first year friends and said. “Is that you, Three-Four?”

“Yes, and I recognize you too. You’re Eric.”

Fective, Pure, Three-Four and I went inside and I showed them the ship and their quarters and then I introduced them to the others and I realized how blessed I was to have even more friends of mine aboard. Beings I could trust but I realized I was no longer just their friend. I was also their Captain and I knew there could be situations I would have to order them into harm’s way.

We sat in the ships officers mess and Fective was just telling my other friends the story when Three-Four infused me with bio-electric energies during an Academy dinner.

Fective was cackling with laughter and wiped his yellowish eyes.” ... and then Eric asked the instructor if all Nogoll had goatees.”

Har-Hi coughed and the water he was drinking came out of his nose as he started laughing.”

Elfi covered her mouth and flashed her big dark eyes.”You can’t be serious.”

Shea explained to Krabbel why that would be funny as Nogoll resembled somewhat Terran goats and that a certain type of beard was called a goatee. Hans demonstrated his considerable artistic skill in sketching a goat for the Y’All using a graphic interface Ship had projected for him on the table surface. Shaka and the Seenian woman watched as well and commented on Hans drawing. Three-Four was in a deep conversation with Narth and I leaned back and looked over my friends, talking to the new comers and it filled my heart with a very special kind of pride. No not pride, I realized I loved them all.