Chapter 4

The comm monitor remained blank, but a voice came up. “Name and designation?”

“Captain Ernst Sheridan, Independent mining ship ‘Yankee Fork’. I need the duty flag officer. This is a priority mayday.”

I didn’t use my real name or rank. Just knowing this call code and freq was enough for the first level. I knew they would be doing voice and facial recognition next.

“Invalid response, Name and designation.” I expected this, it was a standard delay tactic, while the gears turned and they decided I wasn’t spoofing their comm system.

“I say again, Captain Ernst Sheridan, Independent mining ship ‘Yankee Fork’. I need the duty flag officer. This is a priority mayday. Authorization code Delta, Delta, Epsilon. Zed, Zed, Zero.”

“One moment Captain.”

after about 5 minutes, a FN Fleet Commander came on screen. “Connecting you to the Duty Flag Officer now sir. Be advised that this is an unsecure system and that a back trace for your signal has been initiated. You are now subject to Fleet security rules and can be held criminally for misuse.”

The message repeated 3 times, which told me that it was a canned response. The screen cleared and was replaced by a FN Rear Admiral. On the screen was another face from my past. At one point, in happier times, I had been his boss. I hoped that he was still my friend.

In a plush, comfortable office the Senior Duty Flag officer for the outer system sat. At the moment he was engrossed in completing the days Martian Times Crossword puzzle. He was mildly irritated when the intercom to his Aide, buzzed. “Sir, I’ve got a civilian ship captain wishing to talk to the Duty Flag Officer. He’s using a dated command freq and code. He has also declared a priority mayday.”

“Robert, you know I really don’t have time for this. Send him over to Operations. It’s their responsibility, Hell send him to fleet headquarters. That’s who he probably wants any way.”

“Well, that’s the problem sir. While we were stalling him, we ran a standard voice and facial recognition security check on him. Our records show that he isn’t this Ernie Sheridan that he claims. In fact, what we do get back is flagged, eyes only, FN Fleet Admirals or senior. Sir the only time there is a flag like that is if it’s a Fleet Intelligence Agency operation.”

“Curious, did he say what he wanted?”

“No sir, just that this was a priority Mayday. He had the correct codes Sir.”

“Alright Robert, rig up the standard security protocols and I’ll see what this ambitious Captain wants.”

“Aye Aye, Sir. Security is already in place and you are on the air in 3, 2,, “ The screen blanked and the face of Ernie Sheridan was on screen.

“Colonel, what a surprise. Of all the people in the system, YOU are the last one I expected to see.”

“Good to see you too Andy. I see you’ve got your flag now. It must be nice.”

“Hezikiah, you know that what happened at Windemere wasn’t my fault. I tried everything I could for you. You just happened to get the wrong people mad. But, Hey You survived, and you avoided prison time. I know that’s not nearly enough, but things could have been a lot worse.”

“Yeah Admiral, I know you tried. But I’ve got a new problem now. I’m on Mosley Station right now and they would like to know why the Fleet isn’t coming in for Fleet week. They are worried that nobody will answer any questions. Even the usual back channel comms are down. They asked for my help and I agreed to look into it. And that’s why I called you.”

A pained look came over Admiral Jones’ face. “God, I wish you were anywhere else than Mosley. I’ve got some bad news for you. I’ve been ordered not to respond to that, or any other “Mayday” from Mosley. The brass got this straight from the Federal Senate committee on Earth. The message is that they want to send an investigative team out there to look at the situation before committing any more assets. It’s going to be at least 2 months before anybody can even think about getting out there.”

“Can you give me an idea what I’m looking at here Admiral? I’ve got nothing but noncombatants here. They don’t even have a defensive system.”

“Colonel, this is the only advise I can give you. Get off that station as fast as possible. Get everybody you care about off that station. That’s the best I can do. And if I’m asked, I don’t know you, I haven’t talked to you. God save you son, hell is coming to Mosley.”

The Admiral, without saying anything else, reached over and cut the connection. He then called his aide de camp. Getting Commander Edwards on the screen, “Robert, I want all copies of that call destroyed. And I do mean ALL copies. I don’t want even a hint that I had ANY conversations today.”

“Yes Sir. And if I’m,,, “

“Robert, this is for YOUR benefit. THERE WAS NO CONVERSATION, PERIOD”

A very pale Commander replied “Aye Aye Sir.”

I looked over to Thad, who was off camera. “Well, That’s it Sheriff. It seems we are alone in the universe. Ain’t nobody coming,”

Both of us looked at each other. This was how it must have felt at the Little Big Horn or Dien Bien Phu.

After a minute of thinking, and hoping that my luck would be changing, “How’s your hardware Sheriff?”

A pained look came over Thad’s face. “Not good Sir. Our offensive stuff is so old that my ordinance guy refuses to even walk into the magazine. He says everything is so touchy, a cockroach fart would set it off. What we do have is some low-end fireworks type stuff. All flash and no bang. I don’t think we could breach a sheet of paper. Let alone armor plate.”

“No lasers, no particle accelerators, no rail launchers?”

The Sheriff kept shaking in head. “No Sir, None of that good stuff. We don’t even have any missiles or torpedoes.”

So much for luck. Let see what prayer would do for us. “OK, How about defensive?”

Thad was still looking at his feet, “Better, but not by much. All of my cops have the standard stunner batons. My NCO’s carry crossbolts and the officers have got low power air guns.”

Apparently, the Almighty was on vacation. “No firearms?”

And it seemed that my bad luck trifecta was filled. “No, the council is scared of a hull breach. So nothing that can make a big hole. No explosives either. Just stunners and flash bangs. They don’t even want shotguns with low power loads.”