Escape to Earth-Living Legends (11 page)

Jan nodded, “We’ve certainly provided them enough information to make good guesses about our technology.”

Josey looked at her, “When did we do that?”

“Do you not think they can record a battle just as effectively as we can? They had to see our ships disappearing and reappearing. They had to see that we weren’t going into normal space. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that something else must exist that they’ve been missing.”

Michael listened to Jan and really took a good look at her for the first time. It was hard to notice her with Josey close by. Josey was stunningly beautiful and Jan looked…plain. But he watched Jay and Josey’s reactions to her comments and he quickly saw that Jan was the brains of the outfit. Oh, Jay was smarter about all things technological and Josey was a great tactician…but they turned to Jan when they needed guidance.

Jan saw Michael staring at her and she said, “What?”

“You’re right. We’ve been surprised they haven’t discovered it before now. By the way, all three of you have been promoted to Captains.”

Jay shook his head, “Now wait a minute!!”

“I thought you wanted to take part in any attacks?”

Jay tilted his head, “We do.”

“You need the rank to stop others from ordering you around. Matter of fact, I’m promoting the three of you to Commodores. You won’t be given any subordinates, you’ll report directly to me.”

Jan smiled, “Admiral Greenwall has requested me to ask you if we can remain on her fleet roles.”

“Why?”

“She wants us to represent Fifth in the next Fleet Competition.”

Michael shook his head, “She never stops thinking.”

“Does it meet your approval, Sir?”

Michael nodded and then looked at Josey and Jay, “Give us a few minutes.” Michael saw Josey and Jay look at Jan. She nodded and they stood up to leave. Michael said, “When the fleet is called out, come to my ship. We’ll be leaving ahead of the fleet.”

Jay and Josey said, “Yes Sir!”

They walked away and Michael watched them leave. Every male sailor, and most of the female ones as well, stared at Josey as she left the room. Jan said, “She is impressive, Sir.”

“That must be why you hide your appearance.”

“Sir?”

“Come on, Jan. You tie your hair back so tight I’m surprised your head doesn’t cry out for help. You wear uniforms two sizes too big to make you look fluffy, and…”

“FLUFFY?”

Michael smiled, “I’ve learned to never use the word fat and female in the same sentence. Fluffy works just as well as fat. You also color your hair that mousey brown and wear contacts to hide the real color of your eyes.”

Jan stared at him and started shaking her head, “Just how do you know I dye my hair?”

“I only noticed it a few moments ago when I really looked at you, and you’re right; Josey does tend to keep ones attention away from you. Answering your question: most people who dye their hair blonde have dark roots with the blonde hair.”

“My hair isn’t blonde.”

“Yes it is; your hair is the opposite of what normally happens. Your roots are blonde and the rest that hideous brown. Knowing your hair is actually blonde, and your skin color very fair, your eyes would not be brown.” Michael saw Jan was extremely nervous. “Look, I don’t know why you do it, and I’m not suggesting you stop hiding behind Josey, I just find it curious. However, I’ve digressed from the issue. Why would you want to stay in Fifth Fleet after what the Admiral did to you?” Jan’s eyes narrowed and Michael said, “I’ve inquired about why your immediate Superior Officer did nothing about what the Admiral was making you do. He told my investigator that he did check in on you numerous times asking if you needed him to represent you and you told him no. He said several times he checked up on you he found you cleaning with a pair of headphones on singing. That just doesn’t sound right to me.”

Jan shrugged, “Sir, when was the last time you went in a fleet bathroom?”

“Just a few minutes ago, why do you ask?”

“How did you find it?” Michael thought a moment and Jan said, “How do you find any bathroom on Fleet Properties?”

“I guess they’re all pretty clean.”

“Sir, even without cleaning them, one could almost eat off the counters and floors. Cleaning them was the simplest thing I’ve ever done. I spent most of my days wasting time with that toothbrush trying to find some dirt to remove.” Michael’s eyes narrowed and Jan said, “How often do the pilots have to clean the hulls on their ships?”

“After each flight.”

“And though the main cleaning is done by machines, the pilots are required to completely inspect their hulls to make sure there is no damage.” Michael nodded. “Sir, it’s ninety-six degrees outside. I asked Admiral Greenwall for permission leave my task to wash my ship to comply with Fleet Regulations and she refused to allow it. She assigned my ship to my Commanding Officer to clean.” Michael started shaking his head as Jan said, “That’s right, Sir. It’s a cool seventy-two in those bathrooms. I would have been happy to continue doing it.”

“What about the headphones?”

“Since there wasn’t much thought required to work a toothbrush, I checked out history recordings from the Fleet’s database and listened to them while I worked. I even checked out music to listen to and I think I actually improved my dancing ability.”

Michael was almost laughing, “Did you learn anything?”

“I was amazed by a notion I found from the creators of the Cosmos series.”

“What is that?”

“The idea that space actually doesn’t exist but is a creation by our minds.”

Michael’s smile vanished. He quickly recovered his composure and smiled, “You must have found that idea absurd?”

“Actually, I think there’s a lot of evidence to support it.”

Michael stood up, “Go and get your ship ready to go. We’ll be leaving after I meet with Admiral Greenwall.”

Jan smiled, “That should be an interesting meeting.”

“I genuinely hope it isn’t.” Michael walked away and Jan wondered what she said that upset him so much. Then she thought about what he said about her appearance and sighed. She shook her head and picked up her tray. No one noticed as she walked out of the cafeteria.

• • •

Michael entered Katy’s conference room and found her Squadron Commanders in attendance. She yelled, “Attennnnshuuunnn!”

Everyone came to attention and Katy saluted him. He returned her salute and said, “As you were.” Everyone sat back down and Michael noticed that Katy refused to look directly at him. He brought them up to date on what the scouts had discovered and answered their questions. Katy didn’t have any questions.

Finally, Michael looked at Katy, “Your fleet is the only one that has had the modifications done. There is a real possibility that the use of the barrier might be removed during our next fight with the Legends. I am ordering you to take Fifth Fleet out where the scouts have set up their skirmish line and wait to see if one of the new Monster Battleships actually did make an appearance. You will not attack it as it leaves that galaxy, if it’s there. The scouts will attempt to follow it back to where it was built and then I’ll make a determination about what must be done.”

Katy nodded and said, “Sir, if I take the entire fleet into that cluster, there is a remote possibility we’ll be seen. Perhaps I should take the fleet above the cluster so we can move in any direction. The chances of being detected that far out would be less. I also think we should not stay in the barrier if they have a way to listen.”

Michael smiled, “You are absolutely right in your diagnosis, Admiral. Do it that way. I’m taking the three Amigos with me and I want you ready to launch at a moment’s notice if I need you to come and support the scouts and me.”

“We will keep the ships at battle stations, Sir.”

Michael stood up and everyone came to attention again. Katy saluted, Michael returned it and left the conference room. Mooney looked at Katy, “Hey, that wasn’t so bad.”

Katy shook her head, “Easy for you to say. Now get out of here and get your units moving. I expect the first twenty off dirt in twenty minutes.” The squadron commanders ran out of the conference room and Katy shivered. She couldn’t get the memory of Michael’s rage out of her mind. She went to the top of the Headquarters Building and boarded her Flagship. This vessel was twice the length of a normal Battle Pod and had an extensive array of defensive, offensive, and scouting systems. A staff of eight along with ten computers operated the vessel and it was capable of tracking more than half a million ships. She hoped the systems weren’t called upon to do it.

• • •

Katy’s fifty thousand Battle Pods were divided into one hundred units with five hundred ships in each. Twenty units made up a Squadron and they were each commanded by a Commodore. Her Senior Officers were some of the best in the Alliance. They trained constantly at working together and they had been working hard to learn the new method of attacking large groups of enemy warships. She hoped they were ready.

• • •

Michael left Eden and entered the barrier immediately. The three ships protecting him moved into the barrier and followed him as they flew across the universe toward a distant galactic cluster. Josey picked up her communicator, “How are we going to do this, Jay?”

“I’m not really certain. Lining up our ships can cover each other’s rear won’t work here. We have to stay around him. Jan, what would you suggest?”

“The barrier is too small to place our ships above or below him. Josey will take the starboard side and I’ll take the port side. Jay, you will cover the rear of our formation and move to whichever side you’re needed.” The three ships moved instantly into the formation and Jay heard in his mind, “That is extraordinary planning.”

Jay’s head went back and he said, “Who said that?”

“I’m the Commander’s Ship. I’ve been given telepathic technology.”

“No way!”

“Way!”

“How do I get that?”

“Ask the Commander. Do you think you need it?”

“If our computers can link telepathically, we won’t have to use electronic systems that can be tracked.”

“Hold on.” Jay waited and after a few minutes he heard, “The Commander has authorized me to download the system into your vessels. When we arrive at our location, you’ll need to come over and dock with me and he will give you the insert you need to put into the console of the computer you choose to have it. Please be aware that there is a learning curve and you may want to delay using it until you have time for your computers to adjust to it.”

“Would he rather wait to give it to us until after this mission?”

Jay suddenly heard Michael, “No, I think we’re going to be waiting for a while. Just make sure your computers don’t broadcast on a general level. Focus their thoughts directly at the one they want to communicate with.”

“Commander, are you telepathic?”

“I am.” Michael paused and said, “I do not listen to other’s thoughts unless it’s a matter of life and death. I did not look in your mind when you came to my office.”

“I guess it didn’t take a mind reader to figure out what I was thinking?”

“No, I really didn’t need to look into your mind; your expressions pretty much communicated what you were thinking.”

Josey said, “I can vouch that he doesn’t do it.”

Jan said, “How?”

“When I kissed him on the stage, he asked me why I did it. He could have looked at my thoughts and known.”

Michael smiled, “It’s a hard lesson for telepaths to learn about honoring others privacy. But we do learn it. I expect each of you to do the same and not use your computers to look at others private thoughts.”

Jay lips turned down and he nodded, “I didn’t even think about that.”

“You probably wouldn’t but your computers will know it.” Michael paused and said, “A telepath will know if you’re listening to their thoughts so be aware of that. We’re going out to meet more than a hundred Goran Scouts and they are all telepaths.”

Jan smiled, “Thanks for letting us know, Sir.”

“You’ll get used to it eventually. By the way, part of the technology allows your computers to convert thoughts to electrical impulses where you can hear them over your wall speakers.”

“OUTSTANDING!!”

Josey laughed, “Jay gets really excited with new technology.”

Michael thought a moment and sighed, “Jay.”

“Yes Sir?”

“I have a Goran that reports to me at Fleet Operations and she hasn’t learned to respect anyone’s privacy. She told me something about you that I probably should share with you.”

“What is that?”

“She says that you and your computer are basically the same person.”

“WHAT?”

“She insists that you think like a computer and your computer thinks like you. I inquired and found out that after Eric died, you moved into his ship.”

Jay paused and said, “I did.”

“And I suspect that you spent every available moment linked to that computer because it was the last thing you had that Eric made.” Everyone was silent and, after a very long moment, Michael said, “Am I right?”

“Yes Sir.”

“The reason I’m telling you this now is that I think that if your computer is telepathic, you might be as well because of how closely the two of you are linked. I didn’t want you suddenly hearing thoughts and not knowing what might be happening to you.”

“Thank you for telling me, Sir. I appreciate your kindness.”

“You deserve it. I’m sorry about my nosey Admin invading your privacy but she pretty much does that with everyone.”

“I understand, Sir.”

“Then, thank you for that, Jay. I promise that I will not invade your privacy or Jan and Josey’s either.”

The four ships came out of the barrier and they saw the giant galaxy spinning around its central black hole off in the distance. Michael said, “Jay why don’t you dock first and I’ll set up your computer with the transfer.”

Jan’s eyes went wide and she looked around. Oh no! She left all her make up behind. She knew there was no avoiding the Commander and she threw herself back in her command chair. Why did she have to take a look before she skipped out? She put her head in her hands and shook it. Ships never docked in enemy space and now she was trapped.