It All Started With A Shuttle Flight - 20. Chapter 20

“OK. You think you have it under control?” I asked, doing a final check of the controls, as Jessica eagerly waited to take over piloting the shuttle.

“Yes.” I could almost hear the addition of Brat under her breath, but I am taking her to Aris and letting her pilot most of the way.

“Remember. If I get sited for an error on your part, young miss learners permit, there will be no stop on Aris for chocolates. You may take the helm.” I waited as she placed her feet on the pedals and her left hand on the joystick. I watched as she double checked everything.

“I have the helm.” She said as I pulled my feet back and raised my hands.

“You have the helm. Follow the course I set for you and hand it back at the designated location. I’ll take us into the atmosphere and landing.”

“OK.” she said as she navigated the course I plotted, which wasn’t a straight line. I smirked as she realized what I was doing as she made a series of zigzags and turns. To understand your flying craft, turn, accelerate, and decelerate. I had turned a forty-minute flight into over an hour. Towards the end, she was getting comfortable. Before she handed it over to me and I took us in for a landing.

“Which ones are you looking for today?” I asked as I shut down the shuttle and we walked off towards the security checkpoint.

“The usual. I want to see if that place with the rugs is here, too.” Jessica replied as she looked up at me with pleading eyes. Since I was only called brat twice, I gave her an agreeing nod as I lifted my arm and she leaned into me as I dropped it across her shoulders.

It didn’t take long to stock up at Aris Fine Chocolate Purveyors and find the craftsman that made the rugs, which didn’t have what she was looking for. It took us just over an hour to return to Low Point Station and I let her, with my hands on the controls, lift us out of the atmosphere and fly us back to the station.

* * *

“I assumed you would only be gone for a short time to see Janek?” I shrugged at Tom’s question.

“I was just going up with Dad to check out some training. I ended up joining the training as I visited with Janek. Then there was a rogue strike in the belt and I ended up rescuing him. Hence the new award.”

I received the furled brows as he thought that one over. Probably trying to figure out what I did to merit the Meritorious Service Medal. He knows there is no handing out of awards to those undeserving. Then his eyes settled on me again.

“Should I ask what really happened and what you did to deserve to get that medal?” Tom is smart. He knows I know about things, secrets, that he doesn’t need to know about. I pursed my lips, then spoke softly.

“When I heard Janek’s call for the rogue strike and he couldn’t control the port Main’s then he struck another rock… Well… I used micro Jumps in the belt to get under him and when we crossed paths, I ejected his cockpit, grabbing it with the tractor beam. He took some heavy G’s and spent three days in the Autodoc. Don’t repeat any of that. I just rescued him from a damaged, failing fighter in the ‘roids, is all anyone is being told.”

Tom sat down heavily in shock. Eyes wide as he looked at me. “You jumped in the belt. Are you kidding me?” I stayed silent as he thought that out. I could see the minute he connected the dots, as he laughed. “Incorrigible… Only you, Marc.” His head shaking. “Only you.” He mumbled again.

***

Boring. That was what I felt. Boring bureaucratic nonsense. I could have had this project done and operating after the first week. I provided all the information and even wrote some of the training procedures. But. Every little thing needs to be analyzed. Documented with more reports than a large freighter can hold and then analyzed again by a different group. I huffed out in frustration as I brought the little fighter into the position I wanted. There was no advanced communication of my impending arrival. The stealth fighter I was using is not even deployed yet, but Uncle Fran wanted my opinion on it and asked me to put it through its paces, as he put it. With that smile that he gets when he’s very happy about something. I smiled back the same way as I realized he was giving me a much needed break from the reports. Tapping out some commands. The fighter held position as I adjusted in my seat, getting more comfortable, as I waited and watched the information trickle in from the two probes I dropped when I arrived.

Senior Lt. Astray

We have been training hard. Wojact and Thorp had been doing well enough that I let them help the other pilots. That has been working well. I watched as my pilot brought us into position and spotted the tell tail signs of something that shouldn’t be here. And there were two of them. I concentrated on my scans and watched. Three. They had made three movements. Each in concert with the other. I smiled as I tapped out a text to Lt. Commander Knippel. “Special treatment today?” The response was immediate. “He’s been too quiet the past two days, and his last message was entirely too chipper. Possibly.” I laughed softly.

“Reynolds. Keep an eye out. We may not be alone out here today.” Which prompted a chuckle from the front seat.

“Like that fighter that is sitting right next to us.” I looked around and whistled softly. The fighter rolled in place slowly before the canopy went translucent and he waved. Then it was gone. My scanners, even knowing where it was, had a hard time pinpointing it. I smiled as I tapped out another message. “The ‘roid runner’s ghost just waved at us.” Again the response was almost immediate. “I bet he just came out to play. I doubt we’ll see him again.” That caused the laugh it deserved as the flight group’s icons, one by one, turned red. All but one. I had a feeling about what was going on there. I gave them 15 minutes before I called return to the ship.

***

Three hours later, I pulled out of the rocks. Wojact at my side as I led him towards his ship. We followed behind the group as Lt. Astray made sure they kept moving forwards. I waved goodbye before I peeled off and headed for my destination. Sure, I was close enough to Renown that they might have been able to pick me out, but I didn’t let anyone know where I was. Only Janek and Astray had any idea I was here. I’m sure he will get teased as we communicated via tight beam, direct, between our two fighters. He was laughing as I teased him about being the only one left alive. Knowing he would be later. It was a pleasant visit. Just what we both needed. I thought as I headed back to the bureaucratic nightmare that I started by writing that brief. My Link chimed. Glancing at the message from Thorp, I roared out in laughter. “You keep coming to the game, but the odds are never even. Care to try it on a level playing field.” I had to respond to that. “And how were the odds not even when we first went out?” The answer I got back was just a “Huff.” Which caused me to laugh even harder.

***

“That was nicely done, Marc. The team will love getting that information to look over.” Said Uncle Fran as he smiled over the tablet he was just looking at. “Did you have a nice visit with Wojact?”

“I did. Thank you. I suppose now that my vacation is over, I should return to put the finishing touches on the new training program.” He nodded.

“That would make your father happy, and I hear he is taking some of your comments to heart on how long it takes to manage a project like this. I expect changes in the future after he discusses it with the Board.” Which was said as much as an approval of my comments and a warning that I would be drawn into that discussion at the Board meeting. I sighed, which made him chuckle. “Probably wishing you said nothing now. I assume.”

“You assume correctly.” I said, resigned to the fact I put my foot into it again. “Thank you for the warning.” He gave me a nod before he continued on with other items.

***

The Mining Laser was boring hard into the rock after my last adjustments and the numbers looked very good as I turned to take the drink pack from Tom, nodding my thanks as he dropped into the seat next to me.

“Heading back over to see Janek, or is he coming here?”

“They are coming here. For training. I’ll go out with them for a few days to assist.” Which made him chuckle.

“Any chance of us having a get together?”

I shrugged. “I am hopeful. Recreation area and then food before we disappear together.”

“Works for me. Let me know, and I’ll inform the gang.” Tom was good like that. He knows I’m busy and anything we wanted to do would be short notice. Like this 48 hour mining trip. Next time, I get enough time, I want to go for a Prospector Mini rental. We could move 3 times as much ore with that. I’ll need another crew person, though. Rachel, most likely.

***

I was tired, but felt refreshed as we pulled back into the station. Once we were unloaded, I worked out the credit vouchers and Tom went his way as I went mine. My Link chiming disturbed my happy thoughts as I entered the family quarters. My Father wanted to see me down in the office once I was cleaned up. That started me thinking if I had inadvertently made any other suggestions that he might want more information on.

Walking through the office as I said hello to everyone before dropping into Dad’s office. Where he motioned for me to close the door before I sat down, and he handed me a tablet with a file opened on it. Which I read through and smiled at the conclusion as I looked up at him.

“Admiralty will take care of him. Nice job on your little side projects. Are you rested enough for more or would you like to go back out mining?” I looked at his face. Reading between the wrinkles, as it were. Not that he had any, honestly. He was only 84 stanyears old. He’ll sit in that chair another 100 stanyears or more before they inevitably pressure me to take over.

“Define the side project you have in mind.” I asked suspiciously. Causing him to snort.

“You are just so like your great grandfather. It’s not even funny sometimes. Nothing but flying a few aggressor missions against the deep rock trainees coming down in two days. You’ll be home for dinner and they are going to be training from the Station’s hangers. Not the ship.” And that explanation was just so riddled with innuendos it looked like somebody blasted it with a double-barreled scattergun. I tilted my head and looked at him with squinted eyes.

“Do I, personally, know any of these, quote, trainees?” I asked with an almost straight face. He just shrugged with his hands spread, palms face up.

“Well, I should hope so. You’ve slept with him often enough.” He said deadpanned.

“I get hotel rooms for every night Janek is here.” I said as I stood. He cracked a smile and tapped his system. My Link chimed before I looked at it. Three nights in the hotel room. I smiled back.

“OK. I’ll see if I can terrorize them some more in my home belts. How about Eleven tac Two Tango to start with?” Dad snorted out a laugh so loud I thought other people in the office heard it.

“That’s a little rough for their first time here.” Then he paused in thought. “Or is that where he vomited?” I smiled a knowing smile, and he laughed even harder.

Ensign Janek Wojact

Military Training Center onboard Low Point Station

We had to fly the fighters off the ship as the Renown approached. We were training, but the ship was going in for three days of yard work in the maintenance dock. Thorp had also warned off a few people that teased me about getting ‘special treatment.’ He suggested that just because Marc and I weren’t dating, doesn’t mean Marc would be happy about it. And he was right. He already proved he will do what was necessary to protect me. Including making Jumps inside an asteroid belt. I shook my head to remove the thoughts of him. He didn’t even meet us at the hangar when we arrived. Lt. Commander Knippel had just joined us and set his helmet down on the front table as other officers and personnel arrived. He brought the session to attention.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I trust you had a nicer flight than we just had.” He motioned to the surrounding officers. “We didn’t get any special treatment.” He waited for the laughing to die down before he continued.

“You can assume, correctly, that Marc Alexander has been banging bureaucratic heads all over the Navy to bring you this new training program and ensure that the current rated instructors understand his points of contention. Exactly. With as much vigor and ghosting as he did to several of you. Several times. So if you think this program is going to be a cakewalk.” He paused again and shook his head. “Then I suggest you leave now, because young Marc Alexander will either see you taught or broken out.”

He allowed a minute for the murmuring to putter out as he became serious again. He motioned for someone else in the back, and then I heard the voice that made everyone jump. It was a firm, commanding tone that spoke with confidence to the entire room. He walked with that commanding air that said he was in charge. And, as an Alexander, he was.

“My patience has been worn thin the past few weeks, endeavoring to bring these changes to fruition.” His tone carried a sense of disgruntlement, and I think I know the reason. “I have other things to do. For the next five days, your instructors will teach you what I have spent the past few days working to teach them. You get the added benefit of me being here the next three days before I take my Miner back out on vacation again. As some of you know. I live in the rocks and prefer it, very much, over the nonstop reports and meetings I’ve been forced to attend recently.” Then he smiled the killer smile of his. “That being said. Hello everyone. Welcome to Low Point Station and the Deep Rock training project.” Marc Alexander said as his helmet dropped onto the front table next to the Lt. Commander’s. A military staff member approached and handed him a drink and his tablet. He thanked them and turned back to us as he took a sip. Setting down the cup, he nodded again.

“What you are about to see is classified at the highest levels. This holovid is part of a Black Operation. Very much like this training is. Any mention of it after you have seen it…Well. I will be the least of your problems. If you would please Jerrand. I’m going to sit next to Janek for this.” Which garnered him a nod, and he grabbed his cup after he tapped some keys on his tablet, motioning for the Lt. Commander to step closer and place his fingers on the scanner. Then a verbal authentication. A few tones and a few taps by Marc. “It’s all yours.” He said as he moved towards me, holding out his hand.

I stood and followed him back to the rear, higher-level seating, with a few officers and other people I didn’t know. The lights dimmed slightly as the main holographic system came to life. What followed was an uncensored account of my rescue and how it was done. Starting from before, the first distress call I made, where Marc talks about the increased number of rogues. With all the probe data, he had access too. All the way to him, cutting apart my cockpit and pulling me out. A replay of the most terrifying 5 minutes of my life. Marc held my hand tight as I watched what he did. How he saved me. I felt his lips against the side of my head as the holovid finished with the whispered words. I did what needed to be done, regardless of the cost to myself. I would do it again. Without thinking. To save someone I love. He reached out with his other hand and wiped the tears that fell from my eyes before he turned my head and kissed me on the lips.

***

“Safety. People. Is the name of the game when plotting Micro-Jumps in asteroid belts? Having the knowledge and knowing how to use it are two different things.” I said. “I hope to correct that with you through this training.”

Feeling all eyes turn to the sound of my voice again as I approached the front of the room after I was satisfied that Janek was OK. Now he understood why I went to sit with him as well as what actually happened during his rescue that we don’t talk about.

“I have the knowledge and I have used it. Multiple times. The difference between me and you is the breadth of my lifelong training. In just over a year, I sit my Captain’s Boards. I will then be qualified to command multiple ship types. Not because my name is Alexander. It will be because I’ve trained since I started having my diapers changed on the Bridge of a ship to do just that and many other things including, running this Corporation.”

I let that thought sink in as I pulled up multiple views of asteroid belts on the giant smartwalls behind me. I tapped a new sequence of commands and the ceiling smartwall came to life with a live view of asteroid belt Eleven Tac Two Tango.

Pointing up. “That is Eleven Tac Two Tango. We’ll be going out there today. We will play follow the leader. You will be in line and following me.” Stopping as I smirked and zeroed in on Thorp and Wojact. “Let’s see if anyone vomits today.” Several hands had to go up to cover people’s mouths to hide the smiles. “We’ll see how many of you are smiling later.”

After covering a few topics, I said. “OK people. They tell me you know how to fly in the rocks. Let’s go find out. The navigation is in your on board Nav systems. If you can’t keep up with me, just follow along to the end.” Picking up my helmet as I nodded to Jerrand, who started giving orders. In 15 minutes we were all in our fighters and launching. Lifting off first, followed by Jerrand and Lt. Astray. Fingers busy tapping out some requests after we settled onto the course at a sedate Seventy percent on the Mains. My Link chimed with several responses and I checked them all before I keyed my Comm’s to the group.

“Steady on to first target, please people. I need to check something.” I said before I tapped a private Link into the Command Comm’s. “I’m popping back to ask Wojact some questions. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

“Copy Marc.” Said Lt Commander Knippel.

Increasing power to One Hundred percent, I pulled forward and then around in a wide arc, watching the flight as they passed me. Pulling in towards them, I picked out Janek’s fighter and pulled alongside, opening a tight beam directly to him.

“Hello Janek. Have time for dinner tonight? I have a room for us as well.” I said, as he smiled over at me.

“Yes. Of course, Marc. All three days?”

“If you can. Yes. All three. I thought I would take everyone to dinner tonight and then we could split off. My gang wants to get together tomorrow night, too. If you’re interested.”

“Sounds like fun Marc. Do I get to see the medal in person, too?”

“By all means. Yes. It’s really yours, after all.” I said.

“No Marc. It’s yours. I didn’t know everything that happened until today.”

“And I didn’t want to show it today either. For a lot of reasons, but it is now part of the training program.”

“You know what’s going to happen now. Everyone is going to say I’m getting special treatment.” I could hear the smile as he said it.

“But Janek. You are, and so are they. Here. I’ll fix it. See you later.” I said as I cut the directional comms and tapped the All-Flight Comms as I gave my fighter full throttle, and an afterburner boost to return to the front.

“OK Everyone. I just got permission from Wojact and you are all invited to join us for dinner tonight. Dress is shipsuit casual and dinner is at 1800 hours in the back room of Mamma Mia’s Italian Restaurant on the O-6 level. Attendance is required. This includes Instructors. There. Now everyone gets special treatment, Janek.” I said with a smile as I heard laughing throughout the flight.

***

I checked the flight status as I pulled into the latest straightaway and opened the afterburners. Some stragglers. More than I expected, but we’ll still finish on schedule. I thought as I banked hard and rolled into the next dive. Only the instructors were right on top of me, with Wojact, Thorp, and four others close behind. I smiled as I inverted before making a large loop that brought me around Three Hundred and Fifty-Two degrees to another heading which led into a series of baffles with sharp turns. Ending in gray hair, causing hard dives to race under a rock and back up the other side before another sharp turn. I was coming up on my point and smiled as I tapped the key. From outside all people saw was the flare of my Jump Drive. I straightened the track with my Jump. Ending up on another part of the track beyond the next series of turns.

“That’s cheating.” Said Jerrand over the All-Flight Comm’s.

“Never, have I yet played fair in the rocks.” I called back to the sounds of laughing.

Thirty minutes later, my stomach growled as we pulled out of the course. I had slowed to wait for them. Thinking about it, I opened a Comm’s to the station to enquire about the Reserve Jump Area and to have them alert the Military Fighter Hanger of our impending arrival. I received clearance and set my timer for 10 minutes as I worked out the jump parameters. Satisfied. I tapped open the All-Flight Comm’s.

“That was fun, but I’m hungry. Warm up the Jump Drives people. I’ll send the course. Form up in Landing Formation. When we arrive. Break for the hangar in Landing Formation. I am sending the Nav information now. Sing out if you can’t lock the location. Alexander out.” I sat back and waited as I tapped out a command and a screen came to life at my side. It displayed all the fighters in the group. Each fighter changed from green to blue as they loaded the jump navigation into the Jump systems. I watched until they were all ready. As I opened the Comms again.

“Jump in Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Jump.” I said as I tapped the key and led the large Jump Formation into Jump Reserve Area Twenty-Seven. With the sudden appearance of the station looming over us. I heard shocked comments over the Comms. “Break for Hanger M-Four. Land in formations.” I Barked as I made the turn and reduced speed to Thirty percent on the Main’s, turning into the landing lane. Lining up on the threshold, reducing speed to Fifteen percent as I checked the screens to see they were all in position as I cleared the threshold and headed for my bay. The instructors were right behind me.