Nine
The Shade Tree
“Captain,” Paolo Guerra shouted over the rattling and groaning of the tortured ship. “She’s slipping! I can feel her slipping into that gravity well. I need the main drive!”
“We can’t start the drive in this gas cloud,” Barrett yelled back over the bang of an exploding panel on the Signals station. A thin haze of smoke filled the Bridge. “We’ll blow the damn thing up!”
“Either take a chance on the drive or we’re going down that gravity well, Captain,” Guerra answered. “You choose.”
“We’re in a small clear area,” Ophelia Watts called out from what remained of the Scanning panel. “It looks like the gravity well has cleared the gas in a series of, like, rings, around the Q-star. If we’re going to do it, it has to be in the next eighteen seconds.”
Barrett stabbed the panel. “BJ! Fire up the Gellar drive!”
“What? In this mess? We’ll blow the hell…”
“NOW, Goddammit!”
“All right, starting now – give me a few seconds.”
Paolo Guerra watched his panel intently. After six seconds, a ribbon gauge rose from red to yellow, then green.
“I NEED FULL REVERSE,” he shouted.
“ALL BACK FULL,” Barrett barked into her comm panel.
“All back full,” BJ Smith answered from Engineering, his voice doubtful.
The Shade Tree shook harder as Guerra hauled back on the control yoke. On the main scanner, the stars smeared, their light sucked down the gravity well towards what was, very nearly, a black hole.
“I think we’re going to clear it,” Guerra said after a moment. “If we can just pull back a bit more.”
“Gas concentration ahead,” Ophelia Watts announced. “We’ll hit it in eight, nine seconds.”
“Wring it out,” Barrett ordered. “BJ? All back emergency.”
“Getting increased plasma pressure in the tunnel,” Chief Engineer Smith answered the Captain. “She’s trying to build a drive field, but it’s bubbling badly. If it gets much worse, I either take the drive offline or we blow up.”
“If we take the drive offline, we’ll go down that gravity well and end up as subatomic particles. Talk to me, Paolo.”
“Give me five more seconds of drive and I think we’ll clear it.”
Barrett turned back to her comm panel. “BJ, give me five more seconds of emergency or we’re all dead.”
“Five and I’m shutting down, pressure’s rising rapidly.”
Guerra leaned back in his chair, hauling on the yoke. “Five,” he counted, “four, three, two, one…”
The drive went silent.
On the viewer, the stars smeared still further, the light turned blue. The ship shook harder. Sparks shot from the damaged Signals panel.
Jean Barrett felt herself crushed into her Bridge chair. Her eyeballs seemed to be sinking into her head. She felt as though she weighed a thousand pounds.
“Perigee,” she heard Paolo Guerra say, seemingly from a thousand kilometers away, his voice drawn out, oddly slow.
The Shade Tree snapped about on her long axis, the sudden force overwhelming the inertial dampers.
Barrett shot forward out of her Bridge chair as though fired from a cannon, colliding with the back of the navigator’s chair. She pulled herself up, cringing from the pain of a cracked collarbone. She looked up at the main screen to see the stars still smeared around the Q-star, but now shifting red instead of blue.
Minutes later, they emerged from the gas cloud. The ship’s gravity reasserted itself, and down became once more reliably down.
Jean Barrett climbed back into her Bridge chair. “Damages,” she ordered.
“We have some damage to the drive,” BJ Smith answered over the comm system. “Two of the converter arrays are down to about forty percent capacity.”
“Are we good for subspace?”
“I think so. I’ll have to re-tune the arrays to give us a symmetric drive field before we try a jump. Give me five minutes and I’ll know for sure.”
“Hyperphone panel is out,” Vada Newman reported. “I’ve got short range radio, that’s it.”
“Navigation is running on secondaries,” Giorg Constantin said. “We’re OK as long as you want to go somewhere on the standard charts.”
“Helm,” Paolo Guerra said in a tired voice, “Is OK.”
“Paolo,” Barrett said, “That was one hell of a bit of flying. If there’s a better pilot in the Confederacy, I sure as hell don’t know who it is. You’ve earned a bonus for this trip.”
Paolo Guerra finally let go of the yoke. “Obrigado, Capitão,” he said quietly. “Obrigado.”
“Now, let’s get ourselves flying right-ways-forwards, and then, Paolo, call your relief to the Bridge,” Barrett ordered. “But first…”
“CAPTAIN,” Ophelia Watts shouted. Barrett’s head snapped up to see a bolt of jade-green flash past them on the main viewer. To their front was the silver shape of the Grugell ship, gleaming dangerously, trailing a haze of gas from one drive pod but all too obviously bringing weapons to bear.
“I’ve got two more contacts, coming up behind the Grugell, closing fast.”
“What? What are they?”
***
The K-1011
“Damn you, you missed!” Atta the Angry stood up, squinting at the main display through the smoke drifting across his Bridge.
“Apologies,” Weapons chirped. “The transit has damaged the targeting system. I will recalibrate.”
“Adjust fire and…” An alarm sounded, loud, strident. “What is that?”
“It’s a missile! Missile inbound aft! But who…?”
Tiktikitti III’s question was cut short as two Shrike missiles blasted the K-1011 into flying wreckage.
***
The Shade Tree
“Captain,” Ophelia Watts announced, “You’ll want to see this.”
Barrett watched as the main viewer switched to the port scanner, where the dun gray shapes of two Navy A-70 attack fighters pulled up to take station with the Shade Tree.
“Hailing signal,” Vada Newman said happily. “Putting on speaker.”
“SS Shade Tree, this is the Confederate Navy carrier Mountain View. You are in a declared no-travel zone. You are ordered to shut down your drive immediately. Heave to and prepare to receive an inspection and data retrieval team.”
Barrett closed her eyes and managed a tired smile. “Shade Tree here. Navy, you know, for once I’m actually glad to see you,” she said. “Send your team over. Our docking port is always unlocked.”
“While we’re at it, you might explain why a Grugell corvette was shooting at you, since he’s not really in a condition to explain himself any more.” Treaty law was harsh on unauthorized border crossings.
“Mountain View,” Barrett said, “It’s a long story. But I’m certain you’ll want to hear it all.”
“Yes, actually. Mountain View out,” the voice said tersely.
“All stop. Heave to and drop shields, we’re going to have company. Indira,” Barrett said, “Would you see that our private records remain private? I’m going down to the docking port to meet our guests.” She stood, looked around the Bridge. “Damn fine work, people.”
Epilogue
Earth, 2248 C.E.
Jean Barrett walked onto the shining-new bridge of her starship for the first time. She had walked every millimeter of the ship twice already – the Engineering spaces, the crew quarters, the tiny wardroom, the arms locker, the infirmary. Her personal effects were already stowed in her private “stateroom,” a tiny compartment a few steps from the Bridge.
My dream, she thought. I’ve spent every penny I’ve got – Father’s legacy, the entire estate, everything I’ve saved over fifteen years, all for this. What was the line from that old vid? To boldly go, something something, blah blah. Well, I’ll bloody well show them how to boldly go. I’ve got the ship, I’ve got missiles, guns and armor.
Now, she smiled to herself, all I need is a crew.
She went to her new Bridge chair, sat down for the first time, listened to the faint squeak of the fine leather. She looked around at the empty Bridge, listened to the faint hum of instruments. The Helm station was to her front, only two meters away in the small rectangular compartment. Navigation flanked the Helm station to the starboard side, Weapons to the port. The Signals station was behind her, Security to the port side along the bulkhead, Scanning to the starboard. A huge wide-screen view panel dominated the front of the bridge.
Everything still had the gleam of newness. But it was still only a machine; it needed people to bring it to life. Her ship needed a crew.
Jean smiled at the empty compartment. I am going to need a damn good crew.
Fini
To see more of Animal’s writing, visit his page at Crimson Dragon Publishing or Amazon.
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I didn’t expect that.
I don’t see the Spanish Inquisition…
“The Navy is here.” — Churchill (quoting the rescue party for the English sailors held on the Altmark)
Speaking of Churchill, just found Douglas Murray’s Uncanceled History podcast . Only listened to the Colonialism episode so far, but very interesting and good coverage.
Seemed like in the excitement of coming out of the cloud, everyone forgot about the Grugell ship chasing them.
Thanks for this story, really enjoyed the backstory of the crew.
Fools and their money
Always an innovator, the founder of Facebook brought something he’s always wanted to see into this world: a Porsche Minivan. When Mark Zuckerberg’s wife, Pricilla Chan, said she wanted a minivan as her next car, Zuckerberg partnered with LA-based West Coast Customs to modify a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT SUV into a longer minivan. The minivan customizations feature electric sliding doors and an extended frame.
——-
In 2020, Porsche released a concept minivan called the Porsche Vision “Renndienst,” originally conceived in 2018 as a “family-friendly space concept for up to six persons.” The German automakers made a 1:1 scale model to show how Porsche’s DNA could be injected into the classic family vehicle. Zuckerberg’s Cayenne Minivan honestly looks a lot better.
You can’t call it a stretch limo. That would sound crass.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a61237486/2023-porsche-911-dakar-test/
Dealers are getting the $230k list PLUS another $150-250k dealer markup.
Why?
Because you couldn’t get a marked up Lamborghini?
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a61235405/2023-lamborghini-huracan-sterrato-test/
What, was an LM002 not good enough for them? Everyone seem to love a G-class, why not that?
What happened to my link?
Ick.
Please…
https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/18/zuckerberg-sculpture-priscillachan-sf-arts/
I was going to have one of those made of my wife but I couldn’t decide if it should be her hip checking a girl across the room or her deadlifting 300. Being taped to the wall by aluminum foil was an interesting choice.
All I needed was the headline to know with certainty that I hate every person in that story.
Uh, no it isn’t.
…I hate every person in that story.
Correct.
I really cant say what I really want to say about that. Those of you that know me and what a 1A absolutist I am should be shocked to hear me say that.
Lolz.
The Ministry of Plenty would never allow this sort of sleazy manipulation of the chocolate ration
Two Democratic lawmakers are demanding that some of the biggest food and beverage companies stop engaging in “shrinkflation” — the practice of reducing product sizes while charging prices that are the same or higher.
In pointed letters, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania accused General Mills, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo of engaging in a “pattern of profiteering” through shrinkflation and by “dodging taxes.” The letters, sent Sunday afternoon and shared first with NBC News, cite tactics the companies have used in recent years to increase their bottom lines.
——-
Regardless, Warren and Dean also accused the companies of funding lobbying for Republican-led corporate tax breaks in 2017 that promised a trickle-down effect but instead “incentivized price gouging” because “corporations raised prices to pad their profits, knowing that lower corporate tax cuts meant they would get more back on each dollar of price increase,” all three letters said.
I’m sure Senator Warren’s tax consultant just picks a nice round fair share of her income and sends it to the IRS completely independent of the tax code.
Naturally Rep. Dean absolves Hershey of any such sour dealings.
Brought to you by the party that wanted to ban Big Gulps.
Big Mike made candy companies cut the size of chocolate bars. They responded by making the giant bars two bars in the same package and listing the package as having two servings.
I wondered why that stupid change happened.
Big Mike made candy companies cut the size of chocolate bars.
How did Big Mike make anyone do anything?
Big Mike had the adoration of the press and title of FLOTUS to use as a bludgeon.
Big Candy submitted.
By using her feminine wiles?
Let the Wookie win.
Something something become ungovernable.
Something something system is only fit for a moral independent people.
Not to go all JI, but if this is what people want, demonstrated by action or lack thereof, there’s not much to be done.
Not to go all JI
Well fuck me for dealing with the world as it is and not as we dream it should be.
I see it how you do. I haven’t been dealing with it, though. Just avoiding it. It’s easy to do when I’m this far north of the city and tucked back, hidden in a well-to-do suburban cul-de-sac.
“Two Democratic lawmakers…” <— of course it is
"In pointed letters, Sen. Elizabeth Warren…" <—now, how in the world did I know it would be her?
Madeleine Dean…never heard of her and wish it had stayed that way.
What is it with pinko's and Massachusetts? Is there something in the water? A lot of criminal genes in the population?
Wow, that article is something. I hope Elizabeth Chuck is proud of it. I know Pravda would be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV4ApzP_OAo
Bridge made up of flatbed trailers keeps NC, TN supply chain alive
“FEMA Crane confiscates tailer bridge.”
I was trying to think of how many federal felonies were committed by the people that blocked that navigable stream with trash.
With the amount of water in the area, the whole region falls under EPA jurisdiction, and those houses are obscructing thw waters of the united states – they and the residents have to go!
There has to be some endangered fish or snail that is affected.
Those rubber tires in the water are problematic.
Won’t someone think of the poor salamanders?
People are awesome.
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully?
Speaking of 911 rally cars, I think Magnus Walker did a video with somebody’s Safari Rally car, or maybe a ‘tribute”.
Comment *This insanity?
Brought to you by the party that wanted to ban Big Gulps.
Exactly. Just about the first thing I thought of was “Warren wants you to be fat!”
Whatever government decrees is good! Whatever a business does to satisfy customers is bad!
That’s the one, tundra.
I was googling….and it looks like it may be legal for me to buy a shotgun or pistol in Italy – with a sporting license – particularly since I don’t plan on living on base. May have to wait till I get there to get more info… Anyone looked into something like that before?
I know a guy.
See if there’s a rod & gun club at your installation or command. Or check with the MWR (or service equivalent)for the same.
I’m assuming the Rod and Gun Club? They’ll have all the info.
Back in the day we were allowed 6 long guns in Spain (Torrejon ). I returned with 6.
Holy shit.
Good luck, Florida peeps.
More election interference.
Yikes.
Magnus Walker is like the goddam Ur-hipster, but he showcases some cool cars.
https://fox17.com/news/nation-world/fetterman-reaffirms-israel-support-on-anniversary-of-oct-7-terrorist-attack-october-pennsylvania-senator-us-senate-john-benjamin-netanyahu-israeli-palestine-gaza-city-strip#
Fetterlump holding strong.
My fren knocks it out of the park again.