Chapter 15: Proximity Alert

Three days after the pirate attack, I was in my quarters with Paula, Amanda, Robin and Yoko discussing things I needed to know about the job I had inherited. There was a call from the bridge, "Captain to the bridge please!" It was Donna, one of the ladies on the 3^rd watch.

"Captain here, what's up", I replied.

"Sir, sensors indicate that there are two large ships closing on us. Their courses and closure rate do not appear to be hostile". Donna was not as experienced as Sally, but she was still nervous because of the pirate attack.

"I'll be there in a minute". I said to the senior sisters, "Ladies please join me. This is not going to be very exciting, this time". I figured I knew who and what these ships were. I was actually expecting them sooner.

We arrived on the bridge I took on look at the sensor reading and knew immediately from there mass reading that these ships were FoM destroyers. Aside from their mass, the ships' courses and maneuvers were standard operating procedure (SOP) peaceful intercepts.

Activated the comm. system and hailed the ships. "This is the TFC Zeus, Captain Edward Jones, calling unidentified ships. Please identify your selves and your intentions".

A female voice from the ships replied, "TFC Zeus, Captain Jones, this is the FoM Destroyer Arthur C. Clark in the company of the Destroyer Alan Dean Foster". These were front line heavy destroyers of the Harry Harrison class which were named after 20^th and 21^st century science fiction writers. "We are intercepting you to assist you and to investigate the loss of the H.M.S. Beverly. Please remain on your present course. Captains Fairchild and Voltaire will contact you as soon as our rendezvous is complete. Please acknowledge".

I responded, "Zeus acknowledges and we will comply to your orders.

I asked, "Would your captains names be Monique Voltaire and Patricia Fairchild?"

The communications officer replied with pride in here voice, "Yes sir, you are correct". No one knew the first names of destroyer captain's. That I did meant that I had heard of the captains before. On FoM military ships, every crew member was extremely proud of their captains.

"Then please convey my warmest welcome to them, and ask them if they would meet me on the Zeus for diner and that I look forward to meeting them again".

"Thank you sir, I will convey your message, Clark out".

I knew both these Captains from many years back when I was helping the FoM with pirates. We had had quite a bit of fun on their off duty hours.

I closed the channel to the FoM ships and then spoke to the ladies on my bridge. "Ladies this is very important. These ships are here to investigate the loss of the Beverly. I want you to go tell your sisters to that are to cooperate fully with the authorities and not hold anything back, because you fear it might be misunderstood by off world people. We don't need these people thinking we are being deceptive. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!" and the four of them ran off to the passenger compartment.

The communicator chimed, the communications officer appeared on the console and I opened the channel. "TFC Zeus, this is the FoM Clark, please respond".

I answered, "Zeus here, Captain Jackson here, how my I help?"

"Captain Jackson, I am going to connect you directly with Captains Voltaire and Fairchild, please standby". Two seconds later pictures of the Captains appeared and we exchanged greetings.

"Captains, how may the Zeus be of assistance?"

Captain Voltaire spoke first, "Captain Jackson, it is nice to see you again. You have our compliments on your handling of the pirates and the rescue of the passengers of the Beverly. Considering the damage that the Zeus has done to pirates throughout the galaxy you would think they would know better'".

I responded, "Thank you".

"Captain, we must investigate the loss of the Beverly. That includes attempting to determine the cause of her demise. Are you willing to cooperate with the investigation?"

This was all formal legalize, I responded, "Yes I am, the Zeus's records and I are at your disposal. I have total surveillance of my encounter". I had sent with the message to the starbase the basic situation before I started the rescue. I realized at this point I had almost too may recordings. EVERYTHING had been recorded. This included my encounters with the women on board and the capitulation sessions. Nothing on the tapes was illegal but still, to people without open minds, this could be a rough investigation for me.

Apparently, the Captains understood my problem, and Captain Voltaire continued, "You have recordings of everything, including the rescues?"

"Yes I do Captain".

Captain Voltaire said, "Ok, this could be interesting. Captain Jackson we are aware of the 'problems' rescuing the ladies of the Beverly posed. The Jewel government has informed us that the use of what might be considered excessive force will have had to be necessary to rescue the passengers".

"You don't know the half of it yet Captain Voltaire. I did what these ladies required and demanded, for their own safety. None of us enjoyed it. It is all in the tapes".

There was relief in the eyes of the Captains. Captain Fairchild spoke next, "Captain, I must ask, how did you manage it with 400 ladies?"

I explained the procedure to them. Unknown to me, they were in direct contact with the planetary government. The Captains were aware of the issues and what I would have had to do. They clearly were a little surprised by procedure but they had relaxed. Captain Fairchild continued, "Captain, I know you personally, and I know how you treat people. I know that had to be as hard on you as it was on them".

Captain Voltaire now said, "Captain, we would be honored to take you up on your diner offer. We will need to bring several escorts, per policy, is that ok with you".

I responded, "Captain you and your escorts are welcome. For obvious reasons I request you choose your escorts with care, since I am sure you'd like them to meet with the ladies too".

I continued, "Eventually you are going to want to interview the ladies. I'd suggest that the interviewers be female, as the ladies have some cultural issues about talking to men".

Captain Fairchild said, "I see. Yes, a good idea. I addition to myself and Captain Voltaire, we will be bringing 6 escorts each. Let us plan to dock our shuttles at you passenger compartment egress module at 17:00 hours".

Passenger egress module ... hummmm... , "Please stand by a second, while I verify that the module is operational. I don't use it too often".

I cut the comm. link. "Mother, run a level 6 diagnostic on the passenger egress module".

"Working. Diagnostic complete. The module is fully functional but currently shut down. There is some blockage in the compartment as the robotic systems are using the compartment for temporary storage of waste. Estimate 30 minutes to activate compartment and clean for use".

I looked to the ships clock, which conveniently was set to Earth time, 17:00 was 90 minutes away. "Mother, activate the passenger egress compartment and clean it"

"Acknowledged".

I opened the comm. link. "Yes, the Passenger Egress Module is fully functional and will be available at 17:00 hours. May I enquirer if your escorts will be dining with us".

Captain Fairchild responded, "Yes Captain, they will. Please inform your computer that they will be armed, but you have nothing to fear from us. There will be six escorts from each ship". I knew the FoM regulations. Captains may not enter any other ship without armed escort. The fact that they were only bringing six escorts each meant that they were in peaceful mode.

I responded, "Very well, I look forward to meeting you all, Zeus out". I closed the communications link.

"Computer, activate dining compartment. Prepare for a first class diner, Earth style, 17:30 hours". The ships robotic systems would be prepared to handle any culinary items my guests would want.

I went next to the passenger compartment. The four senior sisters had just finished explaining to the ladies that I required them to cooperate fully with the investigation. There were a few questions, like "How fully does the Captain mean?"

I realized that fully cooperating could mean something total different than what I meant. Most of the ladies had never had contact with the FoM military. I was pretty sure that the limits the ladies were concerned about exceeded military discipline.

I said, "By cooperating fully I mean, answer all their questions completely and fully to the best of your knowledge. They are not allowed to take advantage of you in any way so don't be worried about that.

"I know both of these captains. They are fine examples of what every person in the FoM military should be. They will not be bringing anyone over that they do not trust.

"Now for some details, the Captains and their escorts will be meeting me for diner tonight at 17:00. The escorts may want to mingle and ask you questions.

"Do we have any birthday spankings today?" I knew the answer, but it sounded better this way.

"Yes sir three. Donna, 29, Maryanne, 29, and Ginger, 29". Linda said. I knew, by their age, that they were all getting there first birthday spanking. The first time everyone had a "deer caught in headlights" look that you had to see to believe.

"Ladies I can't spank you tonight here in this compartment until after they leave, when knowing FoM ship Captains will be about 21:00". About 2 hours away from their ships is about all they can take without beginning to fidget. "I'll be here after they leave and I'll spank you then, don't worry I will not forget you".

"I need the twelve 10^th tier sisters to meet with me now and have diner with me and the FoM. Ladies please come with me".

I left the passenger compartment and headed toward the Passenger Egress Module. I looked at the ships clock, it was about thirty minutes before the shuttles docked. I expected that they would be PRECISELY on time.

I bade the ladies to sit down in the waiting area just inside the egress module. The robots had done a fabulous job as always.

While we were waiting, I decided to ask about something that had been bothering me for a while. It had been about 2 weeks now together, there had been many birthday spankings, what concerned me was the ages of the ladies. Today it was three first timers. The odds of that occurring with only 370 women seemed way too unlikely. So I asked, "Ladies could you explain why there are so many first time ladies, especially today?"