Chapter 33: Depression and rebuilding

Flag Bridge, USS Washington

15:10 hours, 2-05-05

Ken felt the grief building up in his body when a hand gently gripped his shoulder. Looking up into the eyes of Kalaria he smiled sadly as he thought of his best friend. They had grown up together, did everything together; they even dated and married each other's sister.

"Commander Chu, please send us your mission logs for review, and welcome home. At this time, I want you to assume command of the Oregon as her captain," Tammy said as she looked at him.

"Yes, Ma'am. Did you want the admiral's body shuttled over to the flag?" Thomas asked.

"No! He was your captain and admiral. The honor is yours to bring your commander home. The fleet will form up on you," Tammy ordered.

The screen changed as Thomas signed off and the fleet started changing its formation. The Oregon pulled ahead of the fleet with the rest of the rescue fleet behind her. The fleet started forming an arrow above and to the sides of the battered ship. They passed through the formations of Federation ships and the main fleet turned with the others. They quickly slipped into their assigned places.

The Washington took up the right flank of the Oregon and the USS Ark Royal took the left flank. The fleet went past Mars and headed for Earth and the space dock in the Earth orbit.

"Kalaria, please take Ken to our cabin. See to him, while I deal with the fleet and notify my father," Tammy said to her sister wife as the fleet slowly approached Earth.

"As you command, Admiral," Kala said and pulled Ken to his feet. Akiko came over and took his left hand in hers, and they walked off the bridge.

Once in their quarters, Ken sat down and started crying for his friend. Of all the ones he had lost, Ted was the worst for him.

Akiko looked at her love and went to the bar. She poured her husband a strong drink and brought it back to him.

"Drink, remember and honor him. He died doing his duty, and that is what matters to us all. Ted was samurai. He faced his enemies and took them with him..."

"You don't know that!" Ken said as he looked up at his wife.

"Yes I do! Look at the fleet he saved! THAT is how I know he did his duty! AND HE TOOK THEM WITH HIM! His ship is still here! The fleet you entrusted him with is here, as well! NOW DRINK! HONOR HIM! REMEMBER HIM! BUT DON'T MOURN HIM!" Akiko snapped at her husband, she then dropped to her knees and bowed her head and waited.

Ken sat there staring at the battered battleship, her once white hull blistered and blackened. Giant spiderbots crawled along the hull and were repairing the ship as they traveled towards home. As he watched, her navigational and exterior lights blossomed to life and lit the ship up like a miniature star. "But ... he was my best friend. Why are you kneeling?" Ken asked as he reached out and lifted Akiko's chin.

"Because what I did was wrong, you must punish me," Akiko replied as tears ran down her face.

"And punish you I will," Ken replied and leaned down and kissed her tears away. "There all done," he said as he pulled her onto his lap.

Akiko smiled and kissed him back. When they separated again, she touched his chin. "That is not the punishment I deserve," she said.

"That is all the punishment I'm going to give you is my love. I could never hurt any of my wives," Ken replied as he hugged her, and then looked at the Oregon slowly approaching Space Dock One.

The American battle cruiser USS Defiant

Fold Space heading unknown.

The Defiant and the Constitution flew through fold space, running from a massive defeat. Morale was low throughout the ships; the crews were going through the rigors of working on repairs. They were worried about their loved ones left behind when they did the emergency folds, because the converted assault ships didn't even make it into fold when their AI's shut down.

Admiral James Watson sat in his command chair going over reports. The president had retired to his quarters after they folded and hadn't been seen since. He was worried about their heading; they had no supplies, no resources except the two ships. The family units had been left behind including the ten thousand children that were to be the next generation of sailors. But the one thing that bothered him, he had no idea where they were going. The president had ordered the course. With a small sigh, he stood up and walked to the CIC where he went into the room. He stood there staring at the holomap of known space, and he pressed a few commands and the two ships appeared on the map.

"Where the hell are we going?" he said to himself.

"Did you ask something Admiral?" the Defiant's AI asked.

"What?" James said as his thoughts were interrupted by the computer.

"I asked if you wish to ask me something Admiral."

"Oh ... well I guess I did. I said I wondered where we are heading," he said.

"Calculating..." replied the ships voice.

As he waited for the computer to tell him, he thought of all his friends left behind to be captured. Setting the data pad down, he walked over to the replicator and ordered a cup of coffee."Admiral, if our heading stays correct. We will drop out in the Crytherian home world system in ninety-six hours," replied the AI.

"WHAT!" James asked in shock as his cup hit the deck. He turned and crossed to the holomap, and it showed a line from the ships to a star system that was flashing. "Crap!" he said as he examined the map.

"I said, that the ship..."

"I know that. Check your orders to see what happens when we get there," James said as he started typing commands into his data pad.

"Checking ... Admiral, there is a command code for the Defiant and the Constitution to shut down all weapon, shield, and to lock launching bays. All weapon magazines are to lock down as well as the armories throughout the ship. The crew is to be gassed and shackled. The ships are supposed to surrender to the Crytherians and the ships turned over to the Crytherians."

"Why would he do this," James asked in confusion and then said, "Location of the President?"

"President Kincaide is in his quarters."

"Is he alone?" James asked as he walked to the replicator.

"No Sir, there are thirty-seven members of the Defiant and the Constitution crew with him at this time, including the Captains of both ship."

"Please examine all conversations in the room and tell me if they are planning to surrender the ships to a foreign power," James asked.

"Examining now ... You are correct. The fleet will surrender on the orders of the president to the Crytherian Navy. The crews will be sent to the nearby prison mines to be sold as slaves."

James was fuming as he listened to the AI speaking. Taking a deep breath, he said, "As admiral of the fleet, I am initiating an Article 94 against all in that room. These are United States Warships and surrendering them to the Crytherians is a breach of their oaths. I am ordering the President to be arrested and held for trial. Please, gas the room."

"Gassing ... ineffective on the suspects."

"What? That should have knocked any human out ... unless they are not human. Seal the room until I arrive. I want a communication blackout for all members in the room. As of this minute, only I can give orders to the ship as Admiral of the fleet. Do I make myself clear?"

"Affirmative," replied the voice, but James was already walking out of the room.

Walking down the hall, he stepped into the transport tube and said, "Marine country."

The tube shot through the ship and deposited him on the Marine deck. Turning, he walked down the hall to the commander of the Marine units onboard. He stopped at the door and knocked.

"Come!" said Colonel Richie Anderson's voice.

The door opened and James walked in as Richie looked up at him and stood up. The six foot tall, heavily muscular black man in his late thirties looked at his boss and said, "Sir! What can I do for you?"

"We have a problem Dick. It seems we have been betrayed by up high," James replied as he handed him the data pad.

Richie looked at his old boss from the USS Port Royal the old missile cruiser was sitting tied up at Pearl, waiting to be decommissioned and sent to the bone yard for scrapping. "What do you mean sir?" he asked as he looked at the data pad.

"Read and watch it and you tell me," James said.

Richie looked at his boss, and then turned on the data pad. He watched as the president came into the room, and then the rest of the men. With a snarl of anger, he looked up at his friend and stood up.

"This is not happing. It seems I owe the Federation an apology when we get back," Richie snapped as he opened his desk and pulled out a needler. Turning he said, "Follow me, Sir."

They walked out of the room and down to the barracks room. Stepping into the room, he heard the Gunny yell out.

"OFFICER ON DECK!"

"At ease," Richie said as the men and woman scrambled to their positions. Richie walked down the line of two hundred Marines and stopped as he examined each of the men in his unit. "I have a question. Are you Marines who made an oath to defend the country against all enemies, be it domestic or foreign?" he snapped out at the troops.

"SIR! YES, SIR!" came the reply from them,

"I have another question for you and I want the honest truth from you. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO A PERSON WHO WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL OVER TO SLAVERS?" he shouted.

One of the men stepped forwards and shouted back, "SIR! I WOULD CAP HIS ASS. I AM NO SLAVE!"

Richie looked at the young black man and stepped up to him and replied, "Even if that man was the President of the United States?"

"Sir, I would do it if he was my brother. I am no slave, I am a MARINE!" he shouted.

"OooRAH!" the Marines all shouted at once.

"Good then watch this!" Richie said and walked to the giant viewer and inserted the data pad into the computer slot. It started playing the recording, and he watched as the Marines started mumbling dark threats among themselves.

"Gentleman and Ladies, what are we going to do about it?" Admiral James Watson asked as he walked up to Richie.

"Sir, we arrest them and throw them in chains. Drag them back home and let the people see who he really is," replied Corporal Jerome Washington the third.

"Good. Will you all help me prevent all of us going into chains and slavery?" James asked the room.

"SIR! YES, SIR!" came the reply from the Marines.