Federation Reborn 2: Pirate Rage (98 page)

“I'll make a note of it, sir. You know they want you to visit again, right?” He snorted. “No seriously. And I have already sent them your sincere regrets that you can't go anytime soon.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah well, all the notes in the galaxy don't add up to finding a solution to the problem.”

“At least they have a functional navy element, and a functional yard,” she reminded him. “That is a step above anyone else.

“True.”

Bek had a functional space navy and yard all right, but they were a sublight organization. The ships lacked hyperdrives. Bek had bootstrapped itself back to space flight the hard way, learning as they went.

They had a peculiar way of doing it too. They knew from their own records of the old Federation that something worked, or even directions on how to get something to work, but they still went about and found their own path. Stubborn and pig headed.

Most of their ships were small, limited, and very manpower intensive. Their power plants were woefully inadequate, and therefore their shields and drives were a fraction of what they could be.

They did have a strong independence streak, and a fierce dedication to protecting their home system. So far their location had kept the pirates at bay.

Hopefully when tech transfers got off the ground and their old units were retired, the manpower freed up would help expand the Federation Navy. Unfortunately, things weren't going smoothly on the diplomatic front. The Sema woman's demand to be named secretary of state still bothered him. It had bothered Sprite even more when they'd gotten an image of her. She didn't quite look like Commander Meia, but she was a pretty good match.

He'd signed off on most of the delegation coming to Antigua for more meetings. He'd also signed off on Vice Admiral Sienkov taking the intelligence cabinet post. That would free him up from any naval command problems they might encounter while giving Monty more oversight. The good vice admiral would hold the Intelligence chief of staff slot as well.

“We'll get there, eventually,” Sprite said, interrupting his wool gathering.

He smiled at her concerned look. “You're right,” he picked up the tablet and waved it. “Now about these requests …”

Chapter
57

Reinforcements from Antigua arrived in Protodon to supplement Second Fleet. Admiral Irons had skimmed off three squadrons, two of
Arboth
class destroyers to back up the one
Resolution
and
North Hampto
n squadron. Leading them were the Veraxin named
Stinging Swarm
and T'clock named
Crystal Cold
CEVs as well as the late, but much appreciated, battle cruisers
Independence
and
Vigilance
. The warships flew in a diamond formation, with one destroyer squadron in diamond formation on point, the cruisers split into quartet diamonds behind them, the CEVs and BCs on the flanks and behind them was a convoy filled with the final supplies and personnel needed to launch the offensive. The final destroyer squadron brought up the rear in perfect diamond formation.

It was an impressive piece of hyper navigation to be able to hold position upon exit. Many of the officers and enlisted of TF22 were impressed by the feat. Of course they'd probably had plenty of practice getting it right on the way there.

Their arrival signaled the final preparations of the fleet. TF22 minus her frigates and small craft jumped for B95a3 two days after the convoy had arrived. TF22 took enough firepower to hopefully do the job with several support ships to make good on any repairs and replenishment needed before they moved on to phase 2.

The personnel in the star system paused when the ships entered hyperspace at the jump point. Then they went back to work unloading the convoy to turn it around.

Admiral White had worked up a series of defensive strategies with his staff for the team left behind to use. The frigates and small ships were left in Protodon orbit. They would watch over the planet and the inner perimeter.

The skimmed-off trio of squadrons and two CEVs squatted on the B95a3 jump point zone with the first orbital fortress and her two sisters that were under construction. Tugs and small craft went about their business around the perimeter, picking at the OWPs to run maintenance while distributing the mines and new OWPs the recent convoy had dropped off. The second fortress was nearing completion. Personnel flowed into her as habitation modules were plugged in and brought online within her superstructure.

Work crews were still picking over the wreckage and derelict ships of Fourth Fleet. Some of the ships were still under tow to Protodon orbit. Intelligence and engineering teams were still on board as prize crews picking over the ship carefully.

Anything of potential value would be stripped from the derelicts. Once they were cleared, the rest of the ships would be fed into the industrial complex of molecular furnaces and refineries before being passed on to the massive replicators in planetary orbit. None had been deemed worthy of salvage and repair despite protests from the slowly growing merchant interests in the Federation.

As senior officer, Veraxin Commander T'roi captain of the
Resolution
class
Xiten'xha
was left in command of TF22.1. She had Commander Nambi of Fortress 1 by date of rank. The Veraxin was nervous about the job and well aware more than her career was riding on the decisions she made in the absence of higher authority. She was aware Admiral Irons would be checking in with her through the ansible, but it was still a long ways away.

---<>))))

News of TF22 absence took a few days to be noted and reported on by the media. It took time once they got the hints to confirm them from other sources before the media descended on the Antigua Naval Public Affairs Office as well as the president's press room for comment.

Admiral Irons had hinted about the deployment to April two nights before the rest of the media had twinged on the deployment as a sort of apology for not calling her after the assassination attempt. She quietly put in a request for info from the Knox News affiliate station in Protodon. When they attempted to get Admiral White's office to comment, they found out he had jumped. An official press release came immediately stating that Admiral White and TF22 had gone to Nuevo Madrid.

That news made its way back through the ansible to her network. She immediately reported it, knowing that John had set her up. But he'd done it the right way, giving her the hint and then letting her follow it up in her own way without showing any overt favoritism to taint his administration or her own career. This way he hadn't exposed himself to just giving her advanced warning, though she would have appreciated it.

“It's about time,” was the general sentiment from everyone they interviewed for man-on-the-street input.

Protodon sentiment was more mixed. The average man on the street hadn't cared for the way the Neochimp had lorded over them. He hadn't had the charisma of Fleet Admiral Irons, and his repeated failures to protect them properly wasn't helping his popularity in polls.

But people were fickle. Now that it had been announced that he and most of TF22 were away, the air of anticipation was tempered with anxiety over what could happen to him away. Apparently the old truism of “absence doth make the heart grow fonder” was still active.

---<>))))

Vice Admiral Sienkov stopped the boarding of the transport to Agnosta to put a call in to Admiral Irons when he heard the news of the offensive. “I'm glad you aren't sitting on the defense. But is it wise to launch one so soon?”

“We need to do something now, Vice Admiral,” Admiral Irons replied flatly. “Taking Nuevo Madrid out of the equation will deny the enemy a base next door to us while also taking out the forces they keep using to raid us. We may even get the captives back before they can be shipped deeper into the Empire.”

“And get some payback for Epsilon Triangula and Protodon,” the vice admiral replied lightly.

“That is certainly a consideration, as are the politics involved, but they aren't what is driving this. We are ready.”

“So, you aren't going to send a larger force?”

“I don't see the need at this time. We're going to have ships in the pipeline to reinforce Second Fleet as they move deeper. In fact, there are two battle cruiser divisions en route now, along with more destroyers and supplies.”

“I see. I'm sorry I bothered you.”

“Don't be. Some officers do not like being questioned. There is a time and a place for it. I am not someone who will slap down someone for asking a question.”

“Aye aye, sir,” the vice admiral replied.

“But … there is another more … prevalent thought driving this offensive,” Admiral Irons admitted. “You've received your basic implants and retaken the oath. You've passed the required security tests. And since you are going to be in the cabinet as the minister of intelligence, you will need to be read in to some highly classified material. I'm going to sign off on you accessing a file now,” the admiral said, sending a signal to Sprite, Phil, Monty, Teague, and through the net to the vice admiral's implants.

“I was just … pinged?” the vice admiral said. “I guess that was the term?”

“I just sent you clearance to access a highly classified file. Admiral Subert will have to read you in physically since Captain Teague is still in transit.”

“I see, sir. And the contents?”

“The topic is classified Code Deep Blue. You are not to tell anyone, including your staff about it. The intelligence community has been in-briefed under the same conditions. A list of who is cleared to know is in the files I just sent. The file name is
El Dorado
.”

“Sir, is that wise?” Phil demanded acidly in a side channel.

“We have to trust somewhere, sometime. Small things are usually how trust is built, but we don't have time for that. I'm leaping into the big things because I see the potential. Hopefully you do too,” the admiral replied.

“I … see,” the vice admiral replied slowly. “Clearly I have a lot more catching up to do.”

“You'll have plenty of time to read in transit of course. I expect you to do your homework, Vice Admiral. I'll need you to hit the ground running once you are here.”

“I usually tell my students that. It has been a long time since I've been told that myself,” the vice admiral replied with some amusement. “I see the rear admiral's chief of staff is here. I'll let you go so I can be escorted to a secure room, sir.”

“Very well. Antigua out,” the admiral said, closing the channel.

When the conversation finished, Protector appeared on his plot. “Yes, Lieutenant?”

“I was listening, sir. I was reminded of something Commander Sprite left me in her logs. Apparently you have seen the term
El Dorado
before. That's what they called Antigua Prime. It's something everyone talked about apparently.”

“I wonder if they got it on their own, from a historical reference or the enemy and their hunt?” Admiral Irons mused, rubbing his chin. “Interesting.”

“Does it matter?”

“I don't know,” the admiral said slowly, sitting back. “It might … or might not. We may never know.”

“Historically it is a reference to a golden city—a pot at the end of a rainbow, striking it rich,” Protector said until the admiral raised a hand in surrender. “Stopping now, sir,” the A.I. said, sounding contrite.

“Thanks,” the admiral replied dryly. “Now, what did I mess up in my daily schedule and how can we fix or skip it?”

“Well, sir, you are running late for your usual round with the replicators …”

The admiral exhaled noisily as he rose out of the chair. “Very well.”

---<>))))

“They are seriously doing this? Hitting Nuevo Madrid?” Governor Tweed asked, sounding dubious.

“Looks that way,” Governor Collins replied. They had set up the governor's conference over the ansible with the help of the admiral's staff. He for one liked it, though he wouldn't mind a face-to-face. There was only so much they could talk about with the ansible.

“He's serious. Definitely serious about hitting back,” Governor Saladin replied. “I know they are planning something here on my end too. Don't ask me what.”

“Here too,” Governor Randall replied. The fleet is building up here as in Pyrax and Protodon. Or is it now B95a3?”

“I for one like the idea of pushing the enemy further back. Governor Weng said. “Some of you aren't on the front lines anymore, but I assure you it isn't a pleasant thing to consider dealing with on a daily basis.”

“I heard you had a few scraps. Minor though,” Governor Clampett replied.

“Scraps you said. A couple frigates were bad enough. Those were the most recent other than that so-called spy ship that got away. That was the most recent. But no, we've had the bastards using us as their playground for entirely too long.”

“Us too,” Governor Clampett replied.

“Definitely,” Governor Tweed growled.

“All of us to one degree or another,” Governor Saladin said.

“You? You were defended by the admiral, remember?” Governor Das replied scornfully.

“And I don't recall any mention of Seti Alpha 4 getting raided so I guess you were okay too,” Governor Saladin retorted sweetly.

“Before we get into a pissing match, perhaps we should stick to the topic at hand,” Governor Randall replied.

“I'm waiting on an apology,” Governor Das seethed.

“Keep waiting,” Saladin retorted.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let's do try to get along,” Governor Tweed said in a southern drawl. “Now, I was wondering about this mention of a spy ship?” he asked.

“Yes. It was supposedly the same one that dropped off that nasty package you had to deal with on Epsilon Triangula a few years back. The plague?” Governor Weng replied.

“I see,” the ET governor replied in a sterner voice. “And you say it got away?”

“It did. It jumped back the way it had come. The picket in B95a3 hasn't seen it return there however.”

“Could it have gone elsewhere I wonder?” Governor Tweed asked.

“I don't see how. The next nearest habitable star system in Sigma sector was what, sixteen jumps away? Impossible for a small tramp freighter!”

“So … it's dead? Lost? Or just going too slow to get back to the picket place? This b ninety something or other?” Governor Tweed pressed.

“It could be going slow I suppose,” Governor Weng admitted. “I don't know on that one. My credits are on dead though.”

“Wishful thinking. We need to cut that out and be realists. Pragmatic,” Governor Das said.

“I for one do not want to lose hope for anything. The idea of those bastards dying slowly between the stars staring into the void gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside,” Governor Clampett said. “It's not as good as justice, but it's almost as good. And if we can make sure of it, all the better.”

“Definitely. We don't need them hanging over our heads,” Governor Saladin said. He like the others envisioned what a plague could do to their star system.

“We need to make certain they are dead,” Tweed said.

“How?”

“We petition the admiral of course,” Jeff said. “We request a ship be sent along the jump chain from Senka to B95a3 to find this ship and either run it to ground or confirm it is dead.”