Chapter 13: Going to Jupiter!

The dinner at Henry’s lasted till 9:10 PM when the cleanup crew moved them out. The following morning at 6:32 AM four 885s and four 995s hovered 100 yards over the home of Lieutenant General Robert Delaney. When The General came out to get his newspaper out of the mailbox, he looked up, “What do you think Marines?”

“Sir, you just moved up a step or two, from yesterday. I think it is all good Sir.” Said the Sergeant.

“I think that General Rowland is a good man. I think he is a real asset for a friend.” General Bob said.

“I think he is saying the same thing about you, sir.” Corporal Justin said.

“Dad, is everything all right?” Susan asked. She was pleased to see her father with black pants, a white dress shirt, a white tie with gold trim worked. Each lapel of his shirt with three stars.

“Did, you have anything to do with this Colonel?” General Bob was pointing up.

“Only the first two Sir.” Susan said, “apparently Sir, somebody thinks your worth four times as much as we did yesterday.”

“Who could do this?” The General Laughed.

“Either General Rowland or Colonel Shellie with Rowland’s approval unless Ceca got involved.” Susan also laughed. Wait until you meet General Ceca.”

“Susan, I sent you to get him not to delay him.” Teresa/mom complained then she looked up, “WHAT’S THAT?” She handed her husband the house phone.

“Our escort to Jupiter.”

“Hello, this is General Delaney.”

“Sir, this is Major Jerry Smith. You were my CO in DC for a short time.”

“Yes, Major.”

“I thought you might want to know we are running Eighty Air force/Cadets with training today along with Eighty Air Force guys without training. These are new cadets just off the street. They will be assigned to you, Sir. General Rowland told me last Monday to start increasing our presence in the Cadets getting ready to support planet research.”

“Major good news. Let me go eat.”

“10/4.”

General Bob gave his daughter a look as the three-headed for the door.

“I bet you Sir; God told Rowland last week,” Susan said.

“I went to God last night; I should have asked you and mom if you wanted to go,” Susan said.

“It took a bit to get your father to go to sleep last night. He was still on Hyperdrive just a bit.”

The General was giggling.

“OH! TMI mom.”

“Your right. Let’s eat and run.”

At 6:57 AM the good ship Betty moved into the center of eight ships. The front four were 885s and the rear four were 995s. The front four were fifty feet higher than Betty and the back four were 50 feet lower. The ships were already in sync with each other and the trip to Jupiter started at 6:59 AM.

Fifteen minutes later, “General, we are at full speed.” Susan said.

“How long to get to Jupiter and how far away is it?”

“The closest Earth and Jupiter get once a year is just under 400 million miles. That at full speed will take a few seconds without using the Hyperdrive. Today it will take an hour.

“When do you use the Hyperdrive?” Teresa asked.

“We use it going to the moon and back to train the students, but we don’t reach full speed when we turn it on, or we could overshoot either the moon or planet Earth in seconds and end up looking at Pluto.” Delilah said, “Captain Teresa, we can’t do anything without training, so everybody has a mindset of training.”

“What is top speed in miles then?” Teresa asked.

“Just under 12 trillion miles per hour,” Susan said then turned away and bit her tongue.

“And I thought a thousand MPH was a lot. OMG.” General Bob mumbled.

“Mom, that’s without a hyperdrive. We are doing just under 588 million miles per hour.” Jupiter is 588 million miles from Earth today.” The two boys were guiding their father through the training.

“I’ll be back.” The General went over to watch and listen to what was going on. The General’s son-in-law was going through the questions with full answers. When “Where is the master Breaker?” came up he answered correctly. “Please take a look at it.” The General also got on his knees with RJ (Robert Jack) and the two talked, “Just like the main on the house panel at home.” RJ said.

RJ returned to his seat.

“What’s the next step?” Jeffrey asked.

“Push all the buttons on the dashboard to on.” RJ Said.

“Are you in a hurry?”

“Yes, very much so.”

The first time I was hit, I was in General Rowland’s 775-D we dropped two miles in only a few seconds. The second time we weren’t that high, and we bounced off the Earth. I had everything on, and we were slowing down just not fast enough. We bounced quite a bit.”

They spent four hours just looking at Jupiter. They flew to Saturn with the plan being somewhat the same.

“Betty outside line please.”

“Ready.”

Susan called up Amarillo: “This is Colonel Delaney, Watcher 12 on an excursion to Saturn. Control in Amarillo please come in.” It took a minute before a reply came back.

“This is the 4th Division in Amarillo.”

“We have in front of us an escapee. We were warned by God of a trap today. This looks like it.”

“Can you give us a better idea of the location?”

“Draw a line from Jupiter to Saturn. We are on that line about one thousand miles from Saturn.”

“Colonel Delaney, I’m sending Dog 1 to you. They have departed .5 minutes ago. Expected time of arrival is 12 minutes.”

“Thank you, 10/4.” Susan did this from her seat between her father and mother.

“Colonel, what is that?” The General asked.

“That is one of the Spider Craft.” Susan looked over at the two marines sitting at the rail guns, “Betty weapons HOT!”

“Yes, Sir! Weapons Hot.” Betty answered.

Susan looked at Captain Jeffrey and motioned to the Marines. He was there in a flash preparing both Marines. Ron was piloting the ship.

She got a text from Major Smith, ‘deploying 336s.’

She sent back ‘10/4’.

“What’s the action?”

“Getting ready for a fight. Be back in a minute.”

“Betty outside line, please.”

“Ready.”

“Black ship. Who are you? What is your business? You are in a controlled area and need to leave.”

Over the speakers came back in very broken English: “Who addresses us in that way. You do not control this space.”

“I am Colonel Delaney from the Earth’s Space Forces. We claim this area of our solar system. Now, what is your business in being here?”

Susan nodded in the direction of Jeffrey.

He put together two teams one of five the other of four, then moved out of control heading for below. Once there they went through the back door into the rear area where the two 336s were tied down. The two teams locked and sealed the doors shut behind them and untied the ships. Jeffrey and Ronald gave the other a fist bump. The two sons of General Bob did the same RJ went with Ronald. The two boys go to God every night. After they came back, they joined with Susan and others and went as a group. There they heard about the trap near Saturn and formulated a plan.

“Dad, give you an option. You two run the rail guns or you fly the ship.” Susan asked.

Slowly a smile came to General Bob’s face. He turned to Teresa, “Honey, remember that time we played on the boys Nintendo Game console?” Bob thought it had been years since he even shot his .22 or 9mm. He didn’t even know if he had ammo for his 30-06.

“Yes, last Christmas. You and I tied for second after playing for an hour.”

“Let’s go shoot the rail guns, Captain,” Bob said.

“What will the rounds do to that black ship?”

“They will blow that black ship into a million pieces.”

Susan watched her mom and dad holding hands walk over to gun control. Dad, helped his wife into the seat, attach the harness and belt. Put the goggles on then proceeded to get himself ready. Susan took a deep breath and moved towards Bobby and James. They had replaced Jeffrey and Ronald when they went towards the 336s.

“Bobby and James see the lever for cloaking?” Susan asked.

“Yes. See on the dash where at the halfway point is written Holograph?”

“What is that. It’s not in the Operations Manuel.” James asked.

“It’s new and is still secret. Bobby move the lever down to holograph.”

“Betty, slowly move the ship back fifty feet and to the right by twenty feet.”

The voice of the spiders once again, “Humans you are going to be our main course at dinner tonight.” It took a few seconds to understand.”

“Betty close communications.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Everybody with Seatbelts and harnesses,” Susan ordered.

“Betty, give us the Tactical display please.” There were nine ships about a thousand miles behind. “Betty, what is the command ship coming at our rear?”

“Colonel, it is the 775-D Heidy.”

“Include Heidy and the other ships into the Tactical display then send out to all ships the revised Tactical Display please.”

On the Tactical Display was the position of every ship in a two-dimensional layout. A Battle Commander found it a great improvement. Lockheed had a lunch a month or so back and invited all the Pilots with Captain rank or above to a working lunch. Susan got the last Model “D” off the assembly line the next 775 built for war would be 775 -F. The top speed would be 2.1 light-years and with Hyperdrive over 30,000 lightyears per hour. Six years from the time Patricia came to West Seattle.

Susan jumped and went over to the gun station. She sat behind a laser and put her seatbelt and harness on, “How are you feeling mom?”

“Like it’s the morning before thanksgiving. My stomach is jumping. Let dad shoot first.” Teresa smiled.

“Colonel, on the Tactical shows 27 ships in green. Who is green” The General asked?

“We are. Sir” Susan smiled.

“They have fifty and we have twenty-seven. What’s the odds?”

Susan smiled again, “7 to 1.”

“For or against.”

“Our favor dad or we would be hightailing it out of here. We are not here to lose anyone. We are here only to win.” Susan said.

“Captain er Mom see if you can see that big ship.” Susan undid her seatbelt and harness and went over to her mother. See that big spot where there are no stars. When they shoot at our Holograph.”

The Holograph was hit three times. Susan screamed, “FIRE!” Then turned to her mom, “Fire mom.”

“Betty outside line: All ships, seek out the enemy and fire.” If you use your laser, be sure to move twenty or thirty feet after each time. I am going to hit the radar for five seconds starting now!”

The forty-seven black boxes showed up. The numbers were decreasing every ten seconds by way more than half. Within a minute the Stadium ships were being hit multiple times by multiple ships. The Black Boxes were completely gone. Both Stadium Ships had large holes through them with many parts glowing red hot. The battle was over in five minutes.

“Colonel Susan, I need to get back to Earth,” Rowland said.

“Thank you for your help, Sir. It has been a good day.”

“10/4” Rowland could be heard giving orders to head back to Earth.

Three minutes after Rowland left, “This is Amarillo on Earth calling for General Taylor.”

“This is Colonel Delaney can I take a message for Rowland.”

“Susan, this is General Ceca. I know you are on vacation, but we have the word of a major force is on its way from Spider Ville. Lord Heat and his Space Cadets have reduced their forces a lot. The spiders are doing about 3,000 lightyears a day. So, our expectations are they will be here in 10 days.”

We just destroyed two stadium ships along with 48 Black Boxes. The battle took place about 1,000 miles from Saturn in the direction of Jupiter.

“Any casualties Susan?” Ceca asked.

“No, Sir! Other than the Holograph getting hit two or more times, the spiders didn’t get very many shots off at us. I turned the Radar on and within a minute all enemy ships had been hit. The Tactical Display made this incursion very easy. We had 40 or more rail guns firing at fifty enemy ships.”

“How’s your father the general?” Ceca asked.

“He has his 775 cert and destroyed 7 black boxes. He said Wow!” Susan Laughed.

“And your mom?”

“She shot down five black boxes after she lit up one of two stadium ships.”

“Are you on your way home?”

“Colonel Jerry Smith will give me an already when we have all of our ships loaded.”

“I need to get back to West Seattle. Give me a call tomorrow when you get back.”

“10/4.”

On The Heidy:

“Sir, we are coming upon a mass of ships 1,000 miles ahead.

“All STOP!” Rowland shouted. They were two minutes from Mars. Coming down from light speed was going to take a bit. The heavies all peeled off to the right and the left. The 885s and 995s both used a different technology for power than the 775s, and the heavies were simply able to reverse engines.

Heidy flew by the heavies and plowed into one of the cloaked Super Stadium size ships. Rowland and Delilah were both floating touching the ceiling, then hitting the floor hard. There were six of the sixteen members of the crew not in seatbelts or harnesses. James and Paul were two of them who for a second or two was floating. Lieutenant Clair Washburn (Taylor) was in a seatbelt and harness, but her seat had broken loose. The one next to it had also broken loose and was on top of Clair’s seat. Clair was face down but could breathe because of the arms on the seat but could not move anything much more than her fingers.

The heavies also were in disarray from injuries caused by the stop. Colonel Hal Redford was also down and unconscious. He was being worked on.

Joy released her seat belt. It felt like she had fallen a hundred feet. It took everything Joy had to get out from under her 100-pound seat.

Clair felt movement, “Get me out of here!” Joy lifted the seat and Clair released her seatbelt and harness, then was able to crawl out from under two seats and the floor. She hugged her sister, “Thank you Joy. Are you okay?” They were in the pitch-black darkness.

“Sure, you provided me a soft landing.” Joy laughed, “Let’s find a light.”

“WAIT, I have one on my key chain.” Clair said, “Mom gave it to me.” She dug it out of her pocket and turned it on.

They found Rowland, “Rowland?”

“Reset the power, then find De.” Rowland coughed up some blood.

On The Betty:

“Colonel, ships 1,000 miles ahead.”

“All stop, Betty, raise the ship to a mile above the oncoming ships.”

“Will do.” Betty responded, “First estimate is more than 200 ships. Some are from Earth.”

“336 personnel, please get ready to board your ships.”

“Gunners, please return to your posts.”

“Betty, outside line. Form a Hologram of Betty fifty feet away,” Susan got a nod, “Major Smith please prepare your 336s for launch.”

“10/4” Came from the speakers sounding like Jerry Smith.

Nobody knew it but the ship Heidy took out was the command of what was for this space wing. A Call had gone out from the Spider Command for the return of another 200 ships less the fifty already destroyed. Parts of this monster had been pushed into the body by fifty feet. One of the monster ship’s responsibilities is to collect other technology and with Heidy floating around it the monster ship latched onto it with a tractor beam and pulled it in. Spiders were walking all over the outside looking for a way inside.

On The Heidy:

When Joy and Clair reset the power, Joy hit shields as Clair hit the eighth (out of Forty) power engines.

A hundred spiders jumped and screamed as all their legs were burned off 6” shorter. If the spiders were not near an edge, then they lost another six inches and another until they were off the vessel. Some landed on the floor and did not move again the shock of losing so much of their legs doing the job.

The lights came on inside the ship. The two girls found Delilah. Her arm was a simple fracture. Once she was healed, she was on her feet looking for Rowland.

“ROWLAND! Screamed Delilah when she saw him all broken laying on his side with his hips parallel to the floor. His back and right leg were turned wrong.

“I’ll be okay love. Clair, get the radio working along with Heidy and all the power units. Joy put together a team. You were with Jerry when you guys busted out of a black box right?”

“Yes, Clair too.” Joy said.

“Put together a team and jump into a 336. We need to have Heidy do diagnostics and make sure there are no holes in the lady before...” Rowland passed out.

“Before I start shooting anti-matter.” Joy said, “I got it, General.”

“This is Colonel Susan, calling General Rowland.”

“Susan, this is Delilah. Rowland is bad off. I’m working on him, but it will take a bit yet.

“I’m connecting with your ship. You have an air leak just behind the #1 front rib support in the lower deck. Looks like about one-tenth of 1%. If need be, you could fly home with it.

“You have five of your power units down. The ship might rattle a bit. Heidy is starting.” Susan said.

Two more Cadets walked up to Delilah. They looked a bit disoriented but with no broken bones they could function, “You two go man the railguns and both of you drink a bottle of water.”