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Crusade chapter 2 (standard:science fiction, 2254 words) [2/11] show all parts | |||
Author: St George | Added: Mar 11 2003 | Views/Reads: 2993/1911 | Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes) |
The first part of the tale. | |||
Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story need it, he grabbed the pole at the very last moment and then stepped out onto what was called the quarterdeck, a generous balcony overlooking a large room with its floor on deck 2. Next to the bridge door a midshipwoman saluted, he walked to the door returning the salute. As he entered, one of the junior officers sprang to attention and shouted something in French, immediately Alecto's translation came through his earpiece, “Captain on deck!” “At ease,” said Carver as the rest of the bridge crew stood. For those whose first language was not English, Alecto instantly translated his instruction and relayed it to the earpieces that everyone wore. Carver sat down in his chair and took a moment to survey his bridge, he had designed it and he liked it. It was a two level room, oblong and about forty feet from front to back. The centre of the room was a sunken area about 25 feet long and 15 wide and around the inside edge of ‘the pit' as it was called were the combat stations, one station for each torpedo room (four), one for each EP (Etheric pulse) canon turret (eight), two EPDAR stations, one shield station, one damage control station and one internal defence control station. Each station had its own dedicated rooms in other parts of the ship, but it was still necessary to be able to co-ordinate them directly. The upper level of the bridge on which Carver now stood had the non-combat stations, engineering (three), navigation (four), helm (two), communication (two), one visual sensor, one auxiliary sensor, one space traffic control and four unassigned stations that could be used if any other stations were damaged. The Captains chair was at the back of the upper level and in front of it, suspended above the pit, was a 3-D holographic projection of either the battlefield, navigational map or any other information that was required. “Alecto, has the crew finished boarding yet?” he asked. “Not yet Captain, 312 of 400 are on board, I estimate another 52 minutes 12 seconds before we are ready to depart.” “Thank you, Alecto.” Of course 400 people were just the skeleton crew, once they reached Mars the rest of the crew, some 2300 people would board, everyone from cooks to engineers. As well as fighting other capital ships Crusader would carry infantry for boarding enemy vessels and capturing ground installations, and tanks for ground assault. Once she had picked up the rest of her crew the ship was scheduled for six weeks shakedown, after which it would return to Mars and pick up 100 Rhino main battle tanks and 100 five man tank crews, 600 infantry soldiers and their equipment, 150 Super Hurricane vacuum/atmospheric fighters and 150 two man fighter crews, 20 Black Widow torpedo bombers and 20 two-man bomber crews and 40 dropships and 40 dropship pilots. 1480 people all told, giving her a full complement of 4280. “Coms, get me the construction chief,'' said Carver, addressing the crewman at the communication terminal. “Yes Sir,.... through Sir,” came the response. A 3-D image of an Anduril appeared in mid air, she was speaking but it was Alecto's voice that was heard, translating the Chief's words, “Yes Captain, how can I help you?” “I wanted to thank you, you've built me a fine ship,'' responded Carver. “Yes we have,” (false modesty is an alien concept to the Andurils) “ However I must say we were impressed by the design, there were some amongst us who doubted that your race could conceive any viable starships but you have created a powerful weapon, in simulation it actually outperformed our own warships of comparable size and armament. You should be proud.” “We are.” “What time do you expect to depart?” inquired the Chief. “About an hours time, depending on clearances.” “Thank you Captain,... if you will excuse me I have another communication to make.” “Alecto, is that true?” “Yes Captain, it seems that because humans suddenly acquired the technology without having to build ships you were not restrained by what the Andurils consider to be the normal rules of starship construction, some of the more radical concepts used in the design of this vessel are already being considered for inclusion in the next generation of Anduril ships. “All hands prepare for departure,” Carver announced over the intercom. With final boarding complete they were ready to head for home. “Helm, ahead, 10 metres per second.” Deep in the ship atoms of anti-iron were magnetically manipulated out of their force-field pods and delivered to the matter/anti-matter reactors, the energy produced by the reactors raced down superconducting power net lines where several gigawatts were directed to the ion furnace, this energy converted hydrogen atoms into super high energy ions which were ejected from powerful vents at nearly the speed of light, in the bow the Bussard ramscoop activated, it created an invisible cone of electromagnetic radiation in front of the ship, funnelling interstellar hydrogen into a collector for use in the ion furnace. On the bridge the only clue that such titanic forces were being put to work was a low rumble as the colossal ion drive strained to propel 140'000 tons of starship into motion, when the correct speed was achieved the noise died. There was no need to use the ships hyperdrive to open a portal as there was a stationary portal projector as part of the shipyard complex. “Helm, steer 138 by 000 degrees.” That would put them on course for the portal station; Carver knew that Anduril space traffic control had re-directed every ship within 70 klicks in order to allow such a large vessel the manoeuvring space it required. As they passed through the portal Carver felt the slight blurring of vision that always accompanied a hyperjump. There were no windows on the bridge, or anywhere else for that matter, they weaken the hull and serve no useful purpose, but if there had been then the bridge would have been bathed in the electric blue light which permeated everywhere in hyperspace. It was a four week journey to Mars (running at one fifth speed) and throughout the journey the crew would be running tests on all systems, Carver stood up and walked to a door in the rear wall of the bridge, it opened and he entered the Captains study. “Alecto,” he said as he sat on the grey sofa that was against the far wall. “Yes Captain,” came her voice, at the same moment a three dimensional form of Alecto's image appeared in front of him; the bridge and several other key parts of the ship were equipped with holo-projectors to allow Alecto to appear as a physical entity or avatar. The holograph was created by forming a force field in the shape of the object, and then ‘painting' it with coloured lasers. Normally when Alecto appeared on a monitor it was only her face that was shown, so it was only now Carver saw how much she had changed her avatar, normally computer avatars ‘wear' the standard officers uniform but Alecto was now sporting a British naval officers uniform circa 1800. Taken slightly aback Carver began, “Captains log, first entry, April 4th 2004. A few minor teething troubles apart, the ship is better than I dared hope, the Andurils have constructed her to their own exacting standards and I feel confident that I am in command of a fearsome fighting machine. We are on route to Mars-space where we will take on the remainder of the non-fighting crew. As we are not yet capable of combat the Anduril have provided an escort in the shape of the Kerray-win, an Anduril battle cruiser under the command of one Harrit Arwen Tennit and once we reach Mars Tennit's crew will help in the training of my own officers. The Anduril plan is to ‘strengthen a newer weaker ally in order to weaken an older stronger foe.' I use here the words of Niccolo Machiavelli, a man whose stratagems are as applicable in twenty first century deep space as they were in fifteenth century Italy. Because this is the Flagship of the Stellar navy it is being staffed with the most capable crew available, however it goes without saying that almost none of them will have set foot on board a starship apart from the one which transported them to Hellas station. Add the navigational log and save that Alecto.” “Yes Captain.” Tweet
This is part 2 of a total of 11 parts. | ||
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