Chapter 3

He decided to meet in person with Admiral Froidlegger. He had to find a way of persuading the man to lend him his ships without paying for them. As he sat in his study he was interrupted by Lola.

“Commodore, is there a problem?”

“Yes. I have been given permission to recruit men and ships from the banished. Unfortunately I haven’t been given a budget to allow me to pay them!”

“What is it they need?”

“They need the use of the station and the parts to repair their ships.”

“Were you given a limit on how many ships you could recruit?”

“No, no I wasn’t,” replied a very thoughtful Charles. “That’s it! Well done, Lola. Thank you, it’s brilliant!” He sat for a minute thinking. “Lola, tell Rawlings and Hargreaves to report to my personal shuttle will you? We’re going to take a trip over to Kilroy.”

“Yes, Sir, will do.”

He found Lieutenant Berkley and told him of what had transpired in the admiral’s office.

“So that’s what the little snake was up to! Now he wants to saddle you with these mercenaries. Makes me wonder what else that conniving little shit has up his sleeve.”

“Well I may just have a way of putting one over on him. I’m off to see Admiral Froidlegger now. I’m taking Rawlings and Hargreaves with me. I’ll fill you in on the details when we return.”

The two men were awaiting him as he arrived at the shuttle bay.

“Chief, Hargreaves, with me.”

They boarded the shuttle.

“Okay chief report. How are we doing?”

“Brilliantly, Sir. We’re ahead of schedule and will be ready by the day after tomorrow.”

“Good. Now then, to why you are both here. I have been given permission to recruit those folk known as the Banished. Their ships are not yet ready. We will need to ‘expedite’ the repairs on their ships. I’ll explain more when we arrive.”

Charles watched as they approached the Kilroy station. It was like a giant titanium doughnut on three levels. All around were ships of the Banished fleet. He could see just how beat up the fleet looked and just how desperate was their plight.

Admiral Froidlegger was waiting for them when they arrived. He looked puzzled when Chief Rawlings and Hargreaves exited the shuttle with him.

“Chief, find out what is needed to repair these ships and give me some kind of time scale will you? Hargreaves, go with him and find out if they have any ‘procurement officers’ who you can work with.”

They all looked at him with confused expressions.

“Yes, Sir, at once, Sir.” they both replied.

He turned to Admiral Froidlegger. “I have an offer for you.”

“My office then, Commodore.”

“Admiral, I don’t know where to start. I, we, have been royally shafted. Admiral Bleucher has ordered me to take up your offer of your ships and your men. What he has not granted me is any kind of budget to pay for them. He informed me to simply commandeer the ships I needed and ‘press’ the men into service.” He watched as the man inhaled a deep breath and was about to explode. “I know that the only reason you are here is that your entire fleet needs a total refit. I know at the moment you wish nothing more than to tell me to go to hell if any of your men will serve under those conditions.”

“You are damned right, there!” the man replied, barely controlling his anger.

“However, I do see a way out of this. I intend to commandeer, purely on a temporary basis you understand, your entire fleet.” He watched as the man stared intently at him.

“Go on,” he growled

“As such all your crews would be on standard fleet pay and all repairs would be booked to the Admiral commanding, namely Admiral Bleucher. I’ll let him explain how and why he allowed your ships to be brought back up to battle condition and why he needed so many new recruits. Now then, why don’t you show me around?”

Admiral Froidlegger looked at him and very slowly a smile spread across his face as he realised what Charles has said.

“Very well! Let’s go for an inspection, shall we?”

The first ship they came to they found Rawlings and Hargreaves deep in conversation with several men.

“Well, Chief, what do you think?”

“Well Sir, one of the habitat ships, the twenty ringer needs new engines. In fact most of them do. They have a right mix at the moment. Some of them are running the old type 12’s. I think the most modern engine out there is a type 16.”

“Could you replace them with type 23’s?”

“What all of them? No Sir. There aren’t enough 23’s anywhere for that.”

Hargreaves spoke up “What about type 20’s? If someone could perhaps come up with some surplus type 20’s, how many would you need?”

“How many could you get?” Commodore Halstock enquired

“Possibly 200. Don’t know. Need to have a word with someone. Cost you, though. Might also be able to get hold of some Gama-tech 18 shields. Again, no promises but I’ll do what I can.”

“What about weapons? What can you do there?” Admiral Froidlegger asked him.

“Should be able to find a spare pod or two. It’s amazing what this lot’ll send off for scrap. Leave it with me. It’ll cost, just not in money. I’ll have to call some big favours in, but it’ll be worth it just to get one over on those stuffed pricks in command. Leave it with me, and I’ll make the calls.”

“Very well Hargreaves, carry on. I’m sure the Admiral here won’t mind you using his office.”

Hargreaves disappeared.

“Well, Chief, what of the rest?”

“Sir, only two of them could be called anywhere near ready for service and they are in the same sort of condition the Dominator was when you took command. With what I have in stock I suppose I could get them up to speed in two days, but I’d need a week with the other three.”

“Other three? I thought you said only two were any good?”

“Yes, Sir but I can get three more ready with what’s in stock. If Hargreaves comes through then I reckon it’ll take four months to totally rebuild the fleet. After that, they will be ready for anything.”

“Well, Admiral, will getting your fleet up to speed in four months be payment enough for you?”

“If, and I mean if your men can deliver on their promises, then yes. I think we can do business. Well, Commodore Holstock, it looks like we have a deal! I’ll speak to my people and see about your volunteers.”

It was a very happy Commodore that returned to the Dominator. He finally felt he was getting somewhere. Once back he buried himself in the reports and admin that seemed to make up so much of his life these days. He had just finished drafting the documents that would allow members of the Banished serve on his ships when Lola spoke.

“Commodore, I have Admiral Bleucher on the com.”

“Very well, put him through.”

“Hello, Holstock how did you get on?”

“Very well Sir. I pointed out he was given free reign of our repair station so should only be too glad for us to take some of his men off his hands. Saves him having to feed them.”

“Good man. Just carry on and let me know when you are ready to sail.”

“Will do, Sir.”

The communications were cut. “I wonder what that was about?”

Putting it to the back of his mind he went back to work.

The following day he was contacted by Admiral Froidlegger.

“I have some men for you, Commodore. I have 400 volunteers. They will be with you within the hour.”

“Thank you, Admiral. I’ll have Rawlings check the shuttles over when they get here.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

“Not at all. It’s the least I can do.”

Soon the new men arrived. They were quickly broken down into their specialities. Commodore Holstock had the men assembled in the main lecture hall.

“Good morning to you all. Welcome to the Dominator. Thank you for volunteering for this duty. As you can see she’s an unusual ship. Now I know things will be different to what you are used to, and your ways will be different to ours. I’m sure that as long as we work together, and respect each other, that the difficulties and misunderstandings can be resolved. First we will get you all billeted and equipped with new uniforms. I know many of you would rather keep what you are wearing but I feel if we all look the same then the quicker the integration will occur. Get to know your crewmates. If there are any problems, then talk to your department heads. Together we can achieve great things. Yes, there will be differences, but together we will over come them. So, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Dominator and good luck.”