The Ghost Fleet Read online

  “Good morning, Admiral.”

  “How are The Seeker’s repairs coming along?”

  “The ship should be operational in a few hours, Admiral. I’m actually arriving at the—“

  “Good, good,” Flynn cut him short. “Now turn that aircar around and meet me at the base. Something came up.”

  “Something?”

  “Yes, something,” Flynn nodded. “And it isn’t good. Get here fast. The top brass is meeting, and they don’t like to wait.”

  With that, Flynn cut off the channel, his image disappearing before Jeryl’s eyes as if it was never there in the first place.

  The top brass? What is it this time?

  “Turn the aircar around,” Jeryl told the pilot.

  “Sir?”

  “I’m needed at the base.”

  In the back of his mind, Jeryl could still hear the ticking of a clock.

  Tick, tock, tick, tock—time’s running out.

  Chapter 2

  Jeryl

  “Captain! Glad you could make it,” Admiral Gan sneered, drumming his fingertips on the tabletop as Jeryl walked inside the conference room.

  Great, didn’t know this asshole was in New Washington, Jeryl thought.

  “Admiral,” Jeryl nodded politely, even though he had never liked the man. Unlike Flynn, Admiral Gan was one of those pencil-pushers Jeryl had always despised, barking out orders while hiding in a plush office. Moreover, he was quick to reap any praise whenever one of his subordinates managed to do something well.

  “Take a seat, Captain,” Flynn told him, waving his hand at the only empty seat on the table. There were six Admirals in the room, all of them with a tense look on their faces. “Time is of the matter.”

  “Very well. What’s going on?”

  “To put it simply, the Armada has ran into a problem,” one of the Admirals said, a burly fellow with a well-trimmed beard. “And if word got out, it’d be extremely embarrassing...not only for the Armada, but for the Union as well.”

  Jeryl looked around the room and noticed that some of the Admirals were hesitant about the subject. Whatever it was, it had to do with a military failure of some sort.

  “Before the...situation you faced, do you remember what The Seeker’s assignment was?” Flynn finally spoke up, careful not to address the Galea situation directly—the whole thing had been a covert operation, after all.

  “Yes. We were assigned to escort convoys X-647 up to X-654. Military-grade apparel. A simple enough job.”

  “Yes, a simple enough job,” Admiral Gan hissed. “Except your fellow captains weren’t really up to it. In fact—”

  “What Admiral Gan means,” Flynn said, cutting Gan off, “is that our convoys run weren’t as secured as we expected them to be.”

  “Pirates?”

  “Very likely,” Flynn nodded, tapping a few buttons on the console in front of him. In the center of the table, a holographic map of a specific quadrant of the sector shaped up. “As you’re aware, The Seeker was supposed to escort a convoy of transport ships, all of them carrying military cargo, to the Edoris escort. Since your ship wasn’t available, we changed the plan and redistributed these escort assignments to other captains. Three of them were attacked.”

  Jeryl stared at the holographic map, his gaze following the twelve blue dots travelling across it. Then, suddenly, the dots turned red and blinked twice—and disappeared.

  “By whom?” Jeryl asked, not entirely sure of who’d be crazy enough to attack a transport convoy protected by a Union battleship. Some pirates were ballsy, but attacks on Armada ships were a rare occurrence. And, as far as Jeryl knew, no pirate crew had ever managed to board an Armada battleship. If they were dealing with pirates, they were pirates of a different caliber.

  “We’re...not sure.”

  “What do the reports say?”

  “There are no reports,” Admiral Gan shifted on his seat, looking straight at Jeryl. “None of the crew on these three convoys made it back. All ships were captured. Vanished without a trace.”

  “That’s...insane,” Jeryl whispered. “Pirates wouldn’t be able to—”

  “We know that. But we’re going with the pirate theory, at least for now. If not, who else? As you can imagine, the government is hesitant to concede we might be dealing with some alien power hell-bent on putting their hands on our military arsenal.”

  No wonder the whole Admiralty is embarrassed, Jeryl thought. If the media caught wind of the fact that the military was being robbed left and right—be it by pirates or some other power—the Union government would make some heads roll in the Armada’s top brass.

  “So, what now?”

  “Now, we want you to escort the next convoy leaving New Washington. Its departure is scheduled in about eight hours. I’ll take The Seeker will be ready by then?”

  “Absolutely, sir.”

  “Then get to it, Captain,” Flynn said. “And remember, we want this matter to be handled as quietly as possible. I’ll be leaving for the Edoris Station today as well, so we’ll rendezvous there. Make sure the convoy gets there safely. We trust you to handle any run-ins with the…pirates. Figure out who’s behind it, and capture them if possible.”

  “I’m on it, sir,” Jeryl said with a nod, going up to his feet.

  “And, Jeryl,” Flynn added before The Seeker’s captain left, “good luck.”

  Chapter 3

  Ashley

  The new Hunters were truly a sight to behold, the latest in Armada engineering coming at a time when it was needed most. The old ones, after all, had taken a beating at the hands of the Udenar.

  Ashley looked out on the flight deck from the observation platform and watched as the pilots carefully checked out their new machines.

  “Makes you wish you were just a pilot, eh?” one of the mechanics said while carrying some replacement parts in from the deck’s storage room.

  “Yeah, it does.” Ashley knew that as first officer, her duty was on the bridge. However, some things never changed. Even with her rank, and her delicate condition, she knew that there was nothing like sweeping through the darkened heavens and performing the delicate dance known as combat maneuvers.

  “You want me to inform them you’re here?” the mechanic asked with a slight chuckle. As a specialist, he didn’t have to follow Armada traditions of announcing the presence of a senior officer, though it was common courtesy to at least ask.

  “No. Let them have their fun, I’m happy just listening in.”

  The mechanic left, whistling a small tune that quickly faded into the background as the pilots left their machines and retreated to a small holding area that they had turned into a makeshift clubhouse.

  Ashley followed, taking care not to be spotted so as to not tempt them to change the topic.

  “Yeah, right, Powers,” Tira said as she laughed. “You guys still have some growing up to do before you can measure up,” she continued, wearing a roguish grin that didn’t extend to her dark opal eyes.

  Guillermo Martinez snorted, “I’d like to see you try. Remember the fight we got in at the last port? You got your ass whipped by a Sonali cleric, of all things.”

  Ashley couldn’t help but smile. Since her ship was one of the first to get them straight from the Armada, she had taken a special interest in their development as officers and pilots. That bar brawl had been one of her favorite activity reports, especially considering how the cleric refused to press charges afterwards.

  Powers Boothe shook his head, “Didn’t see that fist coming, rookie. I mean, he swung so fast it was like he teleported his fist right to your head. Heck, wouldn’t surprise me one bit if they could do it.”

  “Who knows what’s coming down the pipe?” Tira replied. “I’m guessing the Armada have at least a couple of scientists looking to crack that teleporting nut. I wouldn’t be surprised if, soon enough, fighters and raiders start being equipped with that,” she continued, grabbing one of the tablets scattered across the table. “I mean,
it should just be a matter of power allocation and proper positioning. Both of which, once they figure out the math...”

  “Oh, don’t go professor on us, Tira!” Guillermo snapped, taking the tablet from her and looking over the figures. “Wow. That’s good.” He raised one eyebrow as he considered the figures on the screen, but then turned his gaze back to Tira. “Though it still doesn’t really matter. I mean, who would shell out that kind of money for raiders? Wouldn’t it be more useful for battleships?”

  “Yes and no—think about it this way, we’re in a technology arms race. The one side develops something, the other side figures out how to do the same and some sort of countermeasure at the same time. The ability to teleport smaller ships would give everyone an edge. Sure, battleships teleporting into orbit would be nice. But just imagine hundreds of smaller ships popping in and out of existence all around you. Imagine the damage a single Hunter could do.”

  Ashley smiled. True to the personnel report, Tira has proven herself to be an exemplary tactician. Not even her husband was able to suss out that little detail, and he had been on the ground floor for nearly every major military tech leap since the start of the Earth-Sonali War.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah... That’s good and all, but you were reduced to a nasty smear across the deck plating. Your science’s good, but sometimes it’s about the guts,” Guillermo said, glancing around the room.

  Ashley barely had time to duck behind a shipping container; thankfully he didn’t notice her.

  “I got that too,” Tira laughed.

  “You’re a cocky one, aren’t ya?” Guillermo laughed back at her. “But when it comes to trading blows, that tactician brain of yours will do ya no good, ya know?”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Guillermo. I have no expectations as to what will happen, even while preparing for the usual. If I get into another fistfight with one of these Sonali assholes, I’ll make sure not to give the bastard a chance to swing first.”

  “Not very sporting of you.”

  “Sporting behavior is only good when you’re fighting for exercise. Tell me, did that Sonali look like he was just swinging for fun? Hell, it’s like battle. You win and dictate the terms, you can even set policy for what will work in the future. Like that swing—it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if some of the marines sitting at a table behind us start trying that move when they spar.”

  Ashley had to bite her tongue. She knew that Tira was right, but it was almost ass-backwards when viewed in the context of history. Policy is often the correction for past mistakes, not success. More maneuvers had been named by the dead than the living.

  Tira could be forgiven for that mistake, though. The last couple of years had seen the overturning of many things once taken for granted. Humanity went from being the only sentient race in the galaxy to being a major player in a Galactic Council. Success is quickly overtaking failure, and sometimes, creating new paradigms.

  “Shit, Tira, you sure know how to talk,” Guillermo continued, yawning as if he was bored by their conversation. “But wouldn’t it be better if you could show us?”

  “What do you mean?” Tira frowned.

  “Simple,” Guillermo laughed, reaching inside his pocket and grabbing his wallet card. “I bet you one hundred credits you can’t take me on a fight. Let’s see how good you really are. Hell, let’s make it even more interesting. How about…if you win, we’ll do your ship maintenance for a week?” He smiled, leaning forward across the table.

  There was silence for a few seconds. Then, Tira also leaned forward across the table to come face-to-face with Guillermo and said, “And if I lose?”

  “Two weeks taking care of our ships,” Powers chipped in, barely containing a chuckle.

  “It’s on,” Tira said, shaking Guillermo’s hand. She quickly stood up, and that was when she noticed Ashley.

  “Commander!”

  Ashley simply smiled and walked into the pilots’ view. “Afternoon, officers.” She looked straight at Tira. “I hope your little bet goes well. It would be a shame to lose to those louts.”

  Tira saluted, “Of course, ma’am!”

  Ashley motioned for Tira to follow and the two women walked a few feet away from the pilots. “Now, explain to me why you’re wagering with your health while we’re waiting on a new assignment? A skilled officer is like chicken’s teeth in these parts, especially one willing to work on this ship,” she whispered, a sinister glint in her eye.

  Tira swallowed. “Respect, ma’am. They have to believe I’ll put myself on the line for them, so camaraderie is essential. Plus, I know I can beat them.”

  Ashley nodded, “Good for you. You remind me of myself when I was younger—eager to be a part of a team, trying like hell to earn my salt. Just remember that the mission must come first. We’re here to serve the Union, not just to earn the praise of our fellow pilots and colleagues.”

  “Yes, ma’am. May I ask a personal question?”

  Ashley stopped and looked at Tira. Their paths had barely crossed since they had worked together during the Galea operation, but that had been enough for Ashley to know Tira was going to be one of the brightest up and comers. From ensign to officer in just a few weeks, Tira had a bright career ahead of her. “Sure, why not?”

  “Why aren’t you taking one of Hunters for an inspection flight?”

  Ashley sighed, “Captain’s orders. I’m to stay on The Seeker’s bridge at all times. Frankly, we’re running a small experiment here. Can a first officer keep working while pregnant?”

  Tira’s eyes widened, “You’re expecting a child? How long?”

  “I’m just a few weeks. We just found out a little while ago…and that’s why I’m still around. But keep it between us, alright? ” Ashley gave a small smile and sighed, “So, you know…would you be comfortable flying one of those things with a small passenger on board?”

  Tira gave a sharp laugh, smiling back at Ashley. “I honestly don’t know. Having a family isn’t something I want to think about while on duty.”

  “True. Would it surprise you to learn that I have been following all three of your performance records with great interest?”

  “Ma’am, I’m honored.”

  “Wait until you hear my suggestion first. I think you can take both Powers and Guillermo at the same time. Wipe that smile off their faces.” Ashley reached for her command tablet and loaded the orders app. “If you’re willing, I can make the sparring exercise official. That way, I won’t have to drag all of you in for a disciplinary hearing...”

  “Yes! If you believe I can do it, I’ll gladly prove my worth,” Tira said, looking over her shoulder at her colleagues.

  Something in her smile made Ashley shudder—Tira wasn’t even nervous; somehow, the young officer knew for certain that she could wipe the floor with two men that loved to brawl as much as they loved to pilot. Was is it just cockiness or something else?

  Ashley typed in the new plan and authenticated the order. “Great. Kick their asses.”

  Tira cracked her knuckles.

  “Consider it done.”

  Chapter 4

  Tira

  “I’ll give you one last chance to back out. There’s no shame in getting cold feet,” Tira remarked.

  Guillermo and Powers, standing across from her on the flight deck, didn’t budge. Guillermo smirked at Tira’s offer, but beyond that they remained stone-faced. Tira responded with a shrug. The pilots were apparently itching for a fight, and Tira would give it to them if they couldn’t be convinced it was a bad idea. Besides, now that Ashley had made it official, it wasn’t like she could back out.

  Not that she wanted to.

  Tira cracked her knuckles as she prepared to throw down. She just wanted to get it over with. Getting attention or standing out above the crowd wasn’t her intent, but looking good in front of Ashley, the ship’s first officer, wasn’t exactly a bad thing.

  I just want to do my job, she thought to herself, how did I get myself into something like thi
s?

  It was, of course, her tremendous physical acumen that drew both eyeballs and offers to fight. There was something that made people, particularly men, want to prove their mettle against Tira. She was a true specimen. Even though she didn’t seem all that impressive at first blush, her strength was greater than most men. Anybody who underestimated her for her appearances did so at their own risk. Rumors abounded that she had never been bested in a fight—sure, there was that encounter with the Sonali cleric...but truth be told, Tira just hadn’t wanted to crush the bastard’s skull and create a diplomatic conflict.

  “You’re the one who needs to be worried,” Guillermo said.

  “No, I don’t. In fact, I’ll take the two of you at once.”

  “You’re shitting me,” Powers laughed, but Tira just kept looking straight at them. “Okay, whatever. It’s your ass on the line, you lunatic.”

  Two against one—that was clearly enough to make the boys confident. Of course, Tira’s hand was so steady she could have poured a cup of tea without spilling a drop. There wasn’t an ounce of worry in her.

  At least, not about the fight. Her only concern was drawing attention. She didn’t want to create an audience. Even now, she could feel Ashley just a few feet away, watching the events transpiring on the flight deck.

  I don’t need anybody watching me do this, she lamented, regretting the way she had been drawn into the bet.

  Tira felt like she had no choice but to fight. She wasn’t going to back down from a challenge. It wasn’t in her nature. She couldn’t have anybody calling her scared, claiming she had backed down. Plus, there was money on the line—Tira couldn’t resist the easy payday. One fight wasn’t going to kill anybody.

  Well, as long as I’m careful, she thought.

  “I just want to let you guys know what’s about to happen isn’t personal,” Tira said.

  Guillermo laughed when he heard this.

  “I’m not worried. There’s no way your bite is as bad as your bark.”