an endless voyage ch 38
The trajector was completed in the days following the battle with Xenia, and fleetwide repars were nearly finished. It had taken a week to build the trajector from the blueprints the new ships had brought, and thanks to Karen's last-minute tweaking, it would shave not just six weeks, but nearly two months off the journey to the planet X. Or at least where everyone was relatively certain X was located anyway. That would leave just two weeks in hyperspace to reach their destination. The trajector had been outfitted with a nuclear self destruct so that once the fleet used it, it would not fall into enemy hands.
Presently, Admiral Maya was in Excalibur's conference room, meeting with all the fleet captains and their second in commands. It was a sceduled meeting for the allocation of fleet resources, but it was also an opportunity for Maya to explain the Xenia situation in full detail. To that end, she had Karen place a datapad loaded with all the relevant data before each person present, which detailed not only the clone's creation and tactics, but Maya's unpleasant encounter with the alternate reality as well. Of course Karen used that example as an opportunity to push that the fleet adopt her 0.001 percent variance for transporter specs as standard, citing the ''crossing'' would not have occoured had the transporter been so tuned rather than using the standard 0.3 percent variance in the manual.
"Anyway, important thang is, their Xenia's here now, an' she's allied herself with the Xians." Maya said. "Lieutenant Petrovich had her in his sights, why did you not order me to fire?" Captain Poloniev asked.
" "Cause thats what she wanted me t' do." Maya said. "She had her ship packed with so much weapons grade nuclear material, if'n y'd breeched her hull, the fleet'd a' gone up in a big supernova. Larry informed me jus' fore Ah gave the order t' cut 'er loose."
"Reading her file, allying herself with the Xians doesn't seem like her style." the captain of the CSS Buckner offered.
"Actu'lly it does." Maya said. "They got what she craves. Power. S' she gets sweet on their king Jerry, gits t' be his most trusted commander, now hypothetically, say the Xians won. They rule the known universe...now what happens t' that power if'n Jerry were t' have a little ''accident''.
"The power would go to Xenia." captain Cheng chimed in.
"Exactly." Maya said. "Fer Xenia 's all about grabbin power."
Once everyone had finished discussing Xenia, the meeting moved on to sceduled fleet matters.
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"Sorry you can't go in there, ma'am." A buff collie security officer informed Lori. "Admiral Maya is in a very important meeting."
"How long until its over." Lori said. "I need to ask the Admiral something important."
"These types of meetings can last for hours, ma'am." the collie replied. "If you would leave your name I can have the Admiral contact you when the meeting is over."
"Spo...I mean Lori." Sir. The dalmatian felt her ears grow hot, having nearly given her slave name by mistake.
"Alright, and what was it you wanted to see the Admiral about? An issue with the heating in your cabin? loud crewmen across the hall? burned out light bulb?" the collie asked.
"Nothing like that sir, its just...I'm new here, and the Admiral mentioned someone I might like to talk to. I wanted to ask if she could arrange for me to meet this crewman." Lori replied.
"My apoligies." the security officer said. "Its just, the Admiral gets a lot of silly complaints like that."
"Thank you." Lori said. With that she set out to return to her cabin.
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Now that Erika was back on comms, May had gone to watch Callie's pups, so Callie was back on tactical, and Tom was out on patrol with Hank and the others.
As per Maya's standing orders, services for the fallen would be held in the main fighter bay at 22:00 hours Excalibur time. Maya had requisitioned a Confederate flag from the Stonewall Jackson for Vicky Anders, while the ship's tailor sewed a (Y) Avenging Aces flag for Trina. There hadn't been much left to recover, just some twisted bits of metal which seerved DNA analysis for identification purposes, so the empty torpedo casings were actually empty, aside from trinkets placed inside by officers who knew them well. It would be a simple Military funeral. Musically talented crewmen would render the slow somber version of "Dixie" for Vicky, and then a "song" written by crewmen which had become a rallying tune, for Trina. It was the closest the Avenging Aces had to an ''anthem". Then the pilots that flew with them would say a few words. After that, Callie would fire off the ship's Autocannons. Maya would offer final parting thoughts, and at last the ''caskets'' would be loaded and launched into space. Maya had an appointment with the Jackson's quartermaster, to learn how to properly fold a Confederate flag and present it to captain Mike sceduled for after the meeting, and of course she had her own way of folding the Aces' flag which she would present to Tom, as she couldn't hardly present it to herself.
For the time being however, everyone went about their jobs, and the day moved on uneventfully.
Lunchtime came and went, and the Admiral was still in the meeting. It was not unusual for these weekly meetings to run long, and so the crewmen working in the galley sent a food cart of trays up to the conference room, and left it with the security guards, then one of the guards would briefly open the door, push the cart inside, and then lock it back.
when it was finally over, the security guard Lori had talked to informed Maya of their talk, and Maya called Erika down from the Bridge, and introduced her to Lori. Once the two struck up a conversation, Maya headed to the transporter room. She still had to see the Quartermaster of the Jackson to learn the proper respectful way to fold the Confederate flag. One last task before she could relatively ''relax'' in the comfort of her command chair until 22:00 hours.
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"She treated us just the same." Erika told Lori. "It was made worse, as I was her "Weapons slave" Forced to fire her ship's weapons at whoever she wanted. Usually civilian starliners due to the potential for new slaves, and the monetary gain."
"How do you forgive yourself?" Lori asked. "She never made me use the ships weapons but she did force me to take part in the brutal rape, torture and murder of other slaves....and the codes....Oh Gods! she made me give her my security codes and tell her all I knew of the Canid Empire's starships."
"You never forgive yourself." Erika said. "You just accept that you did terrible things and she did terrible things to you to make you do it....and try to attone for it by doing good work now."
"Pleasuring her sexually was the worst." Lori said. "She didn't just get off to scat, watersports, or anal-voring anyone who would fit, she had a thing for snuff, specifically in very gory sexual ways."
"I know." Erika said sadly. "Seeing the acid enemas was the worst....Well next to having my colon used as a piss receptacle so she didnt have to leave her command chair, that is.
"You got lucky." Lori said. "She had the catheter in my mouth so I could taste it, and I has a rubber muzzle in such a way I had to swallow or I would drown."
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After dinner, Maya dressed in an all black variant of her Admiral's fatigues. The fancy ''dress uniform'' variety, and made her way down to the main fighter bay to conduct the funeral services. It was not the first time she had done so, nor would it be the last. It was simply a somber duty that came with the job.
Maya stood in the center of the room, and spoke into a portable lectern Karen had set up for this purpose. "Men an' women a' the fleet." She began. " 'S with mah deepest condolences Ah asked y'all here t' gather in rememberance a' two a' our own. Lieutenant Vicky Anders a' the Confederate Battlecruiser C.S.S. Stonewall Jackson, an' Lieutenant Trina Dawn a' the Avengin Aces. They gave their all in performance a' their duties, fer the good a' the fleet, an' they'll be sorely missed."
Maya stepped down after that, and stood beside captain Mike, as the ''funeral band'' began to play the Confederate National Anthem "Dixie" in its slow somber funerary rendition.
"That was beautiful, Admiral." Mike said quietly. "I couldn't have done it better myself."
"Ain't mah firs' tahme." Maya replied. "Comes with the job...but don' make it any easier."
Neither said a word after that.
The somber "Slow Dixie" lasted a good quarter hour, as people placed trinkets in the ''caskets'' offering short personal goodbye's.
After that, the Aces' ''rallying tune'' was played in a similar slow manner.
When the second song was finished, the two fallen pilots' squadmates came forward one at a time to say a few words. First among them was of course, Gunner.
"I rarely doll out praise, unless its really warranted, so take this to heart." Sarah began. Vicky "Raven" Anders may have been young, but she was a heck of a stick to have as your wingman. When the shit hits the fan out there, she had your back. I'm sure all of you who have flown with her can attest to that.
A round of "Here, Here" sounded from a large group of pilots in the crowd.
"Trina "Black Widow" Dawn was a cool-headed no-nonsense pilot who could keep her squadron together no matter how nasty it got. She never lost her cool, even on long missions hopped up on stims. Her leadership skills were on par with my own. To have flown with her, is to have flown with one of Excalibur's Elite.
Another round of "Here Here" resounded.
"Raven, Black Widow, Wherever you're at, know that your service to this fleet is greatly appreciated, and you will be sorely missed. "Gunner out."
With that, she stepped down so the other pilots could each have a turn.
"We had some good times out there, Raven." Tom said. "You kicked butt like always and did this fleet proud. It was an honor to have served with you. It wont be quite the same out there without you."
"Black widow...Trina...Oh Gods! My little princess!...He fought to keep his composure but nonetheless the ears came. "You were one of the finest pilots *sniff* I ever flown with *sniff* but more than that you were my daughter." He paused to blow his nose in a handkerchief. "I know you gave your life doing what you love, in defense of the fleet, but that is a small comfort. My thoughts will always be with you."
And so on it went. Once everyone had finished, Maya walked over to Vicky's ''casket'' first, and proceeded to properly and neatly fold the Confederate flag which was draped over it in a somber and respectful manner. As she presented the flag to Captain Mike he commented how professionally it was done.
Next she made her way over to Trina's "casket" and proceeded to fold the Avenging Aces (Y) flag in a manner she felt was most appropriate. It was her flag afterall, so it was her place to design the 'ettiquite'' for handling it. One thing she borrowed from the Confederates' Ettiquite however was "don't let it touch the ground." She felt that was disrespectful just as they did. It took all her composure not to let the tears flow as Tom had, and even so, a single teardrop ran down the side of her muzzle. She wiped it with the back of her furry hand, and returned to present the flag to Tom.
After that, Callie fired the ship's Autocannons in tribute to the two fallen pilots, and then it was Maya's turn to offer final farewells.
"Raven... Vicky... We had the pleasure t' fly t'gether a few tahmes, an' in spite a' yer youth, y' really had yer head in it. Y' followed mah lead, an' watched mah six. It was a pleasure flyin with ya. Y' did yer homeland, an' this fleet proud, an' ya'll be sorely missed.
"Black Widow...Trina...Ya'll always be mah little princess...Y' gave yer life doin what y' love, an' that's sure's heck how Ah'd wanna go out. Know that y' did this fleet proud, an' Ah'll always be proud a' ya. " She paused, then; "Trina, Vicky, Gods be with ya. An know we'll never ferget."
After that, the ordinance techs loaded the ''caskets'' into torpedo launchers, and fired them off into space.
With the fureral concluded, everyone dispersed, and at last Maya returned to her cabin. Here, behind closed doors, she would grieve in private for her daughter, with Tom consoling her, and they both consoled eachother.
The next morning, Maya was back on the bridge at 06:30 sharp, dressed in her usual attire. She listened to her senior staff report, as final checks of repairs were completed, and gave the order to bring the trajector online.
"Target coordinates uploaded successfully ma'am." Erika reported.
"Wormhole trajection matrix is forming." Molly announced. She was back on sensors while Grace watched her babies.
"Power levels are holding steady." Tina remarked ."We're good to go, Admiral."
"Erika gimme fleetwide." Maya said.
"Done Admiral." Erika replied. At that instant a splitscreen of the bridge of each ship appeared on the main window/viewscreen.
"Trajector's online." Maya said. "Ah need y'all t' gimme a go/no-go, s' a one shot, all 'er nothin."
"Lee here, we're go, Admiral." Jim reported.
"Stonewall Jackson good to go." Mike said next.
"Vassilev here, we are good to go, Admiral."
"Buckner here, We're go, Admiral.
"Tsun Tsu is good to go, Admiral.
"Stuart here, We're good to go, ma'am.
"Queen Elizabeth is good to go."
"Louisiana here, we're go, Admiral.
"Landry here, We're good to go, ma'am.
"Alabama here, we're go, Admiral.
"Kentucky here, Admiral, We're go.
"CSS Jefferson Davis, good to go, Admiral.
"Mining vessel is go, Admiral.
"All ships have reported in, Admiral." Erika informed.
"Might want to hold onto your lunch, Admiral, this was a rough ride the first time." the captain of the Buckner advised.
"Acknowledged." Maya said. "Engineerin, hit it."
An instant later the wormhole had formed.
"All ships ahead one quarter sublight." Maya ordered. "Follow mah lead."
"Yes Ma'am." they all replied.
The comm faded to static and then went black, before returning to its ''window function, upon entering the wormhole.
The ship was shaking like it was coming apart around them, but Molly confirmed all ships had made it inside.
"Inertial dampers are struggling with the gravitic flux." Kayla informed. "Attempting to compensate with stabilizing jets."
It seemed to help somewhat, as the tremors leveled off in intensity, but did not entirely subside. This went on for what felt like an eternity, and then an instant later, they were back in normal space.
"All ships check in." Maya said as soon as Erika re-established fleetwide comms.
One by one they all reported no significant damage, only interior issues from the tremors, easily repaired.
Maya had Erika deploy another subspace amplifier to re-establish a connection to the trans-galactic internet, and then, after verifying they were in the right place, Maya gave the order to set course for what they hoped was the planet X, and the fleet made the jump to Hyperspace.
"What's our ETA?" Maya asked.
"If we are correct about our destination, then two weeks, one hour, and forty two minutes." Kayla informed.
With the fleet back in Hyperspace, came an end to the endless combat patrols, and a much needed break for both pilots and equipment. It was a time to rest and relax, but it was also a time to see to it all equipment was in good working order for the battle to come. Karen's breakthrough on transporting while in hyperspace meant anyone who wanted, had access to Excalibur's recreation spa, and likewise eqipment could be transferred as needed.