Chapter 24

I was sitting in the Propeller bar at our home base on Sol 3. The Commodore had requested a meeting so after dropping off our last cargo I headed for home.

"Make mine a large one," boomed out Commodores Briggs. "Put it on the Commanders tab. If I remember rightly you owe me one."

"Yeah and top mine up too," I said pushing my half empty glass forward.

"Cheers," he said and downed half his drink.

"So what's it all about?" I asked.

"Well it's good news for a change," he chuckled.

"Yeah," I said and waited for him to speak again. "First up you are getting the extra half a stripe," he said.

"Shit," I said for I had just ordered my new dress uniform and this time in blue. The Commodore was giving me a strange look.

"Never mind," I said.

"Further the Navy likes Jefferson's idea about a warp 12 ship so they are setting up a research station to explore the possibilities," he said. "And of course young Jefferson will be heading it up so I'm afraid you are going to lose him."

"That's ok," I said.

The girls will be more upset to see him go than I will.

"I've got a second stripe for your Engineer too," he said.

"Your safe cracker, sorry I mean Security Officer will get hers in the next round."

"And Tasha?" I asked.

"Yeah she been confirmed as a Lieutenant too, she gets her first stripe," he said with a big smile.

"So what's next?" I asked. "More the same I'm afraid," he sighed. "There're not enough regular ships or crews to cover everywhere so you and your Starlight will have to fill in."

He left me with a new drink and my thoughts. I moved uncomfortably on my seat and had to move the small converted stun gun in my pocket.

"Hey, another drink over here," I shouted to the pretty bargirl.

Sometimes a change is as good as a rest.

There was an uncomfortable silence when I gave the happy news of Jefferson leaving. He had already gone the day before to make a report and now it looked like he wouldn't be back.

"So what now?" asked Erin.

"More the same," I said putting down my mug of hot coffee. "Oh yeah, Candy you've got your second stripe."

"Hey that's cool," she said with a smile. "Does that mean I can boss these two about?"

"You'll get yours soon Erin," I said ignoring Candy's comment. "And you Tasha have been confirmed and can now wear one stripe."

"Good," smiled Tasha.

"What about you captain?" asked Candy.

"Yeah me too," I said with a big smile. "I'm a full commander now."

We had been told that the people on Star Base 14 were getting desperate for food and fuel for the last 2 transporters had failed to make it.

"We don't know what the trouble is," said a weary sounding Briggs only 2 days before. "But those men need supplies in the worst way. If you don't get through our only option would be to abandon the station."

"Yes sir," I said.

"I've got a cargo vessel loaded up with everything and I want you to get it through," he said.

"What sort of vessel?" I asked.

"It's an old Titian class," he said. "New engines, heavily armoured but no shields."

"Top speed?" I asked.

"Warp 3," he said. "Yes I know but it's the best I can do. I've lost 2 good ships on this run. When you get to Star base 10 take command."

"Look Lieutenant," I said over the radio. "It's not your job to fight a war."

Fucking Navy Lieutenants always want to go in guns blazing.

"But sir," he came back sounding very young.

"Look your job is to get through with the supplies and it's my to run interference for you," I said just a little testy. "Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," he said with a snap to his voice.

"You've got your orders and course and I want you to stick to it, you understand?" I said.

"Yes sir," he said.

I had set a very roundabout course for him, going past Star base 12a, there's no Starbase 13. Head out for 6 days then turning back to come in on Starbase 14 from the far side. While my crew and I would head straight into the danger zone and see what pops up.

"All system check out Captain," said Erin.

"Engines are 100 percent," confirmed Candy who was practically naked in just some oil stained shorts.

"Ok girls we are ready for anything," I said looking ahead into the black unknown. "Set course for Starbase 14. Slow ahead both."

I was alone in the cockpit with just a mug of steaming coffee for company. We were 5 days out and had already entered the area were the other supply ships had disappeared. My hands moved over the controls one more time. Transponder on, long range scanners active. Shielding on maximum. I wanted to be seen, but so far nothing.

"Hi Captain," said Tasha's sweet voice. "All quiet."

"Yeah," I said.

The waiting was getting to me and to the rest of the crew too.

"Any idea what happened to those other ships?" she asked sitting in the co pilot's seat.

"No none," I said. "The second ship was a war ship too, ok only an old cruiser but those birds are well built and can take a lots of punishment."

"It's funny," she mused. "I've lived all my life in a closed society where we had no strife. No war, no hunger and no crime."

"Yeah, I bet you miss it all," I said with a chuckle.

"Actually no," she said. "That wasn't life it was bondage, how do you say it, a golden cage. I know that now."

"Hello what's this?" I said as a small blip had suddenly appeared on our screens.

"How did that get missed?" she asked, her hands moving over the gain controls. "It didn't. It wasn't there a second ago," I said. "Get the girls up and in their turrets,"

Somehow the contact hadn't registered on our scanners until now. My hand waived over the transponder switch but I left it on. This is what we were here for.

"You're relieved," shouted Erin. "Go and man your gun."