Chapter 8

The WOS sailed past us, and was shortly followed by the disabled Hunter missile. I thought quickly, and decided on the spot.

"Bonnie, match course and speed. Let's recover our missile."

"You got it, Love."

The maneuver took only a few moments and soon the tractor beam of the ship was bringing the hunter missile back into the 'My Love'.

Sue finally managed to reach a chair, and strap herself in. Her pride may have been bruised, her body surely was.

"Captain, I don't think we have time to mess around with salvage."

"Fong would you explain to her that a WOS is the fastest ship in the known galaxies. We are going to board it. Once we are in control, we will have her at her destination, several days before she needs to be there."

Sue looked impressed as Fong explained it to her.

Bonnie stuttered, "But I like the 'My Love."

"So rename the 'Rogue Rouge', to the 'My Love II'."

It took ten more cycles before our ship's tractors were locked on the Rouge.

After we assumed control on the WOS's bridge, I shocked every one by ordering us to jump back to Lackey station.

The trip back was uneventful, and the reception was not very warm. The Admiral was cussing up a storm as soon as he became aware we were back. Bonnie was getting miffed at him. Finally, I could take no more and said so.

"Admiral, you failed to give us the correct orders to carry out."

'What are you talking about?' his mind screamed back at me.

'Simple. This was not a diplomatic mission."

'What are you talking about?'

By the time I had relayed the true mission to him, we were docked at Lackey station. And we did so under full military lock down. There would be no spies, this time, or so I thought.

Captain's log:

The 'Rouge' was renamed the 'My Love II'. And the 'My Love' was placed into storage. It took eighteen hours for my modifications to be made to the WOS. I really blew the bank account on it. The Ambassador had also twisted the Admirals arm, some.

Soon, the WOS was equipped with a military operating system AI, a new escape pod, and twelve anti-matter ECM Hunters. All seven laser ports now boasted the type 10 Minnies, and the cargo hold was filled with heat absorption units. The dockyard manger couldn't believe he managed to fit twenty of the units into the cargo bay. The final upgrade was to absolutely max-out the shields.

By the time all was said and done, the 'My Love II', was the second fastest ship in the known universe, and had a full twenty cycle's worth of heat absorption available almost instantly.

The ship could out-fight and out-perform anything short of the Ictheris itself. And that ship couldn't even do that, without the Fong AI loaded.

I was shocked when the Admiral handed me a new Personality Crystal as he departed the ship.