Friday, June 21st, 2261, 07:00. CNS Des Moines Captain’s Mess
The Des Moines had only been dispatched for a couple of weeks. But the crew was already well into their routine. Their days started with a meal, then six hours on duty, followed by another meal. After that, they had four hours to study, run drills, and unwind. The eighteen-hour day always felt a little odd, but the crew was more responsive to their duties and drill work.
The captain’s mess was where the senior staff could have breakfast. Here they were able to speak privately amongst themselves about the officers and crew onboard without fear of spreading rumors. The room itself was just big enough to fit eight people comfortably. Every now and then a junior officer would be given the honor to join them. Though this morning the only four that were eating breakfast at the table were all senior officers.
The central table that the same officers were leaning against was made to look like a black granite slab with grey inclusions. It was rimmed with gold accents, which stood out in the rather drab grey room. A monitor at the end of the table was displaying the readouts of the ship’s internal systems.
Kory was looking at them and comparing them to the results he had on his data slate. The more he looked at them the more he got irritated. Eventually, he turned the screen off with a sigh and slid the data slate to the end of the table.
“He’s right. You can argue it all you want, but he’s absolutely right about the shit job the station engineering team did when they realigned the core,” Deniz said as he stared at his meal, “Clever bastard that one, growing rather fond of him.”
“How the hell did he pick up on that?” Kory asked in an exasperated turn, “Seriously. How does an intelligence and tactics officer tell the engineers onboard that there’s nothing they can do to fix this?”
Kelly set her coffee mug on the table, “Chief, you don’t seem to be as annoyed as I’d want you to be.”
Deniz shoveled some pancakes into his mouth and ate them then looked at them calmly, “Why would I be mad at him? If my crew fucked things up it's one thing. His notice was not only professional but courteous. He also shared how we can reduce the effects of the misaligned core. I think he said he had some ‘free time after he finished a drill in engineering and observed some ‘weird’ readings. Right place, right time kind of thing.”
Hugo looked up and asked, “Are the emissions enough to track?”
“Yes, even with his recommendations,” Deniz paused and smiled, “which I might add reduced the ‘noise’ by about fifty-three percent after we added a few tweaks here and there. But, we’re still pretty easy to track. Add in the fact that the whole bloody wing is afflicted by this.”
“But would the Alliance be looking out for that?”
“I wouldn’t, would you?” Deniz answered casually, “The problem here isn’t whether we would or wouldn’t. It’s whether or not the Alliance pukes would.”
“No, but now that it’s happened to us…” Hugo let that trail off.
Kory turned the monitor back on and replayed the wargame he tested John, “And just how in the hell did he pull this off? No one, I mean no one in thousands upon thousands of attempts ever thought to empty her load of missiles and torpedoes and play hide and seek in a ring system. Nothing he did was within the regulations.”
“I heard from the master chief onboard,” Kelly said, “He speaks very highly of him in the ship boarding and repelling drills. The marines love him.”
"Regs tend to go out the window in a life or death situation," Hugo shrugged.
“Fucking engineer, master tactician, and marine. Is there anything he can’t do?” Kory sighed.
“Have you not seen his unredacted file?” Deniz asked to the surprise of the other officers, “Why are your faces that interesting.”
Kory looked at his chief engineer and asked in a very pointed tone, “His Naval Intelligence work was just a bullshit cover, wasn’t it?”
Deniz laughed, “Bullshit in the sense it was all made up and a smokescreen. He was a proper agent. Damn vicious bastard too. He was part of the Apex Garden counterattack. Didn’t bother getting fully geared up, grabbed a weapon and vest, shot out a window, and leaped into the fray. Put down several of those bastards right there.”
Kelly set her utensils down and looked shocked, “He was really there?”
“Bullshit,” Kory could hardly believe what he was hearing.
“I shit you not. The rumor, which I'm inclined to believe, is that he bagged that rich asshole that was the mastermind of it all. The one that ran back to Alliance territories. Intelligence green lit a solo op to take him down. A few days later his daddy goes to the hotel and finds his kid crucified and decapitated,” Deniz continued his indifference by eating some more pancakes.
“What is he? A psychotic super soldier?” Kory shook his head, “Why the hell was he even assigned here?”
“Why wouldn’t you want him?” Deniz finished his breakfast and looked up, “The man can do any task you give him. And he will do it at an expert level too. That kind of asset would be something any captain would love to have on their ship.”
Hugo and Kelly said nothing, but they both knew Kory was feeling threatened by their newest junior officer. Deniz was shocked at the responses, but he was a highly practical officer. Hugo wasn’t too dissimilar, but he wasn’t the one to speak up in front of others.
“Well, I have a core to monitor and some drills to oversee. I’ll be seeing you around,” Deniz said as he slid off the bench.
Kelly finished her last piece of toast and then did the same, “I need to speak to the master chief about the drills today, then I’m hitting the bunk.”
Kory nodded then looked at Hugo who wasn’t moving. He was looking at the door and waited for Kelly and Deniz to leave the room. He was shaking his head as he looked at Kory.
“Permission to speak is given as always old friend,” Kory said.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Hugo was exasperated by the topic of the morning, “Lief is a bloody junior officer, he’s no threat to you.”
“No threat to me? He’s a damned threat to anyone that wants command of a ship.”
“Dude, he’s fifth in command here. He gets this ship when you, Kelly, and I are knocked out of commission. Deniz, being fourth technically, would likely pass in any situation and lead engineer in that scenario.”
“If he’s a master assassin then what’s stopping him from making that happening?”
Hugo could hardly believe his ears, “You don't honestly believe he'd get all murder happy on this vessel?”
“He’s a god damn threat to the normal command structure.”
“Come on Kory. He’s not going to murder his way to the captain’s seat. And he wants his own command. Our commands won’t be a concern to him in three to five years. Jesus Kory, Deniz is right. He’s an amazing asset to have under your command. Ask him to do something and he does it at the highest level. There’s no half-assing anything in him.”
“He’s a danger to the status quo. People like him aren’t supposed to command ships.”
“Spoken like a true classist asshole,” Hugo spat back.
“Excuse me?” Kory looked shocked at that comment.
“We’ve known each other since we were little. I’ve never lied to you. But anyone that believes that he’d be anything but an asset in any role of the Navy is blind to the possibilities. This whole elitist mindset needs to die a quick death. We are both guilty of benefitting from the old arrangement.”
“It’s been proven…”
“No. That’s the thing, Kory. It’s been proven that people like you don’t want to give up power. You aren’t inherently better than anyone else. You, and hell this applies to me as well, we’ve all got a leg up on all those poor people because we’re given everything we could want and have so many more opportunities. But in raw ability? We’re no different than the masses.”
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Before Kory could respond Hugo spoke again, “And look at how poorly Third and Fourth Fleets are doing in their skirmishes against the Alliance forces. The only reason we’re winning this stupid conflict is the outer fleets are covering the elitists’ asses. And the general incompetence in the Alliance fleets. Seventh and Eight Fleets haven’t come close to losing an engagement.”
Kory sighed and looked up at the wall, “My father sent me a message about their last engagement. He’s vexed, it’s as if the Alliance knows exactly what he’s going to do.”
“That’s because they know exactly what he’s going to do. He’s published everything he knows about naval warfare. His style of fighting is rooted in your DNA too, but he’s unable to adjust to the new paradigm,” Hugo finished drinking his apple juice, “Let me ask you something honestly. Do you think your father could defeat John in a fleet engagement?”
Kory looked at Hugo, “Honestly?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, I do believe he could. Even if norms for engagement weren’t followed my father would win.”
Hugo shook his head, “A year ago I’d agree with you emphatically. After meeting John and seeing what he’s capable of I’m not convinced. Your own father has spent nearly a year trying to understand John’s command during the defense of Sol. He’s never once succeeded in using his tried-and-true doctrines. Success has evaded him because he refuses to adapt to the times. What makes you think he can read the unreadable and adapt to things he’s never seen before?”
“I still have faith that his fundamentals are sounder.”
Hugo slid out from the table, “The future is changing before our eyes. The way I see it we have one of two options. Accept that the paradigm has shifted and grow with it and become better ourselves. Or stick to our guns and get left behind in the dust. I know what I’m doing, but I’m afraid I know the direction you’re leaning.”
“Yet the former is an untenable position for us to be in. We, not them, should be the leaders. It is people like us that were born to lead.”
Hugo walked to the door but stopped and looked back at his lifelong friend, “Just because we desperately want something to happen doesn’t mean it will be so, nor does it mean that it’s right. Kory, you are an amazing captain now, but I worry about how this mindset will influence you in the future.”
Kory slid out from the table and looked back at his friend, “The only thing I’m properly concerned about is my father’s shadow. It extends everywhere. I believe John and his ilk are a temporary disturbance. In six months or so I’ll be transferring to a new ship.”
“About that, I was given the option to take command of this old girl,” Hugo pounded the bulkhead, “I know I should have told you about that sooner, but it’s not my opportunity to sit in the big chair.”
Kory smiled and walked over to Hugo and put his hand out, “She’s in good hands though. Let’s get through this deployment and celebrate our new captaincies with a drink at the station after it’s official.”
14:15 CNS Des Moines – Exercise Room
John felt like he needed to push himself in the onboard gym. His shift was one annoying drill after another. The first officer seemed to have a bone to pike with him and tried, to no avail, to catch him doing something wrong.
He had three hundred-fifty pounds worth of weights hanging off the bar. The bar itself was another fifty pounds. He bent over and began his fourth set of ten reps. Several of the crew were in there and had stopped their workouts to watch the freakshow that was John.
The other thing that the crew noticed was his heavily scarred back. That ran counter to the approachable and friendly demeanor they had come to know. What precisely he was involved in was not known to most onboard the ship. It was probably better that they do not know the lengths that John would go to succeed at some missions.
Just then several Marines walked into the room. While the Des Moines wasn’t technically a front-line fighter, most vessels of her class and above had a small contingent of marines on board. If nothing else, they served as a deterrent to any boarding actions. Or as an extra weapon in the event, they themselves wanted to do a boarding action.
The Marines on this ship had bonded with John fast. He had run boarding drills with them and shown that he was a consummate professional. That he was also a warrior through and through really endeared him to them.
“See, I told you, Jenkins. He has been shot. I’m always right about that,” Corporal Derek Kurth said, “Sir!”
John finished his last rep and dropped the bar, turned, and grinned, “How the hell do you know if people have been shot by looking at them Kurth? That doesn’t make a damn bit of sense.”
Lance Corporal Elvis Jenkins laughed, “Don’t mind him, sir, he’s a bit of an idiot.”
“I was still right.”
Sergeant Zach Miller stepped forward, “Apologies, sir, for the gaggle of idiots.”
John smiled, “It’s all good. You want some of these plates, don’t you?”
Zach nodded, “I would appreciate that sir. Presuming of course you're done with them.”
“Have at it. I’ll do the rest with the dumbbells.”
“I’ll join you, sir, though at a lesser weight,” Zach said as he walked over to the row of dumbbells, “I’d like to hear your opinion on our drills from yesterday.”
John walked over and picked up a pair of seventy-five-pound dumbbells and sat down at one of the benches, “Not much to say. Your guys are good. Jenkins needs to rein himself in a little bit. He’s a bit too excited.”
The sergeant received the answer he was expecting but was at a loss to understand how to solve it, “Sir, don’t suppose you have any helpful hints on that?”
“Well…” John let his statement hang, “Honestly most of the time I was solo so that aggression had to be tempered by an awareness of my surroundings. Though I at times was awfully piss-poor at that. Keep him toward the back though. That ought to help him focus on things more.”
“Thanks, sir, I will try that when we run drills again.”
The rest of the workout was uneventful. John found his shirt and put that on before leaving the room. He headed straight back to his small room to take a shower and get a change of clothes on. It was nearly time to have dinner and then get some rest.
16:30 CNS Des Moines – John’s Quarters
John was leaning back in his chair in front of the terminal waiting for the communication to go through. Despite being in enemy territory the Confederate Naval ships were still able to use their secure communication systems. There was no evidence that any of the other powers had cracked their security, much less identify when and where messages were originating from.
The lights were dimmed somewhat and aside from a lone picture of Alice the room was nearly bare. It wasn’t a particularly homey room. Besides the picture and the shower towel hanging on its rack, a normal person wouldn’t have known the room was occupied.
“Hey honey,” Alice said as she was smiling at the viewscreen.
“Hi. How goes the battle?” John said as he was smiling.
“Oh, not too bad. Besides the studying,” Alice pulled three books off the desk to show him, “So much reading. But learning lots and feeling more and more comfortable with the course material. Also, my CO is a fucking champ. She is so good and makes everything so damned easy.”
“Good to hear. Found out that the crews doing the last overhaul of our ship fucked up. Captain gave me a test as a wargame and basically killed it. I thought things were improving but most of the senior leadership has been cagey as hell,” John grinned, “Except the chief engineer, that man gives zero fucks about who anyone is so long as they can get work done.”
“What do you think the senior officers are doing?”
John shrugged, “I can’t read minds anymore, but I can read the room well enough. The captain seemed to be more open to me being on board, but after that wargame and hearing about my results, I get the sense that he feels threatened by me. The first officer never seemed to care for me. My chief in the CNC doesn’t seem to mind though. I suppose two senior officers don’t give a rip.”
“How are the marines? Holy hell they keep getting into trouble on the station. Every day it’s someone new that is getting a psych exam.”
“Oh hell, they love me here. I get a distinct feeling that the First Fleet doesn’t spend much time doing boarding actions. Or at least having competent people do that.”
Alice giggled, “Why does that not surprise me? Do you know when you’re going to be back?”
“Well, I know where we’re going to have shore leave and when. But I can’t share that information with you. Sorry. As for when the deployment though, we’re due back in Manchester between December and March.”
“Ugh. It figures that your first deployment is a long-ass one.”
“Right?” John said laughing, “I miss you already.”
“Same here. I don’t seem to get good rest anymore at night.”
“The only positive is I wake up with my blankets on me still.”
Alice rolled her eyes, “Look, I’m not some big bad evil bedding thief.”
“Look, I never said you were an evil thief. I just said you were a thief,” John winked as he grinned at the viewscreen, “Heard from Nathan and Kevin. Things are going well for them.”
“Jessica is loving her ship and what’s she doing. She’s in logistics. Kristin said similar things about her superior officers.”
“Gotta love being looked at as competition when we know fuck all about anything.”
Alice shook her head, “That may be true for some things for Kristin. Saying you know fuck all about anything is a load of BS and you know that.”
“Yeah, you are right. I am pretty smart.”
Alice sighed, “John, I love you deeply. But smug John is not a nice person.”
John stretched in the chair and smiled, “That wasn’t smug John speaking.”
“You are treading on dangerous ground big guy. How about the junior officers? Any good ones on your ship?”
John laughed, “Beth is hilariously naïve. Just before we shipped off, she had never had lunch during my shift, but then she saw my plate of food.”
“You mean pyramid of food.”
“Same thing,” John grinned as he immediately responded to Alice, “Anyways she leaned in real quiet like and said ‘Sir, the cooks hate it when food is wasted.’ I think I also met Andern’s long-lost brother or soul-brother. Billy is just like him, it’s scary how lazy the two of them are. Except, and I suspect this is because he has three years of experience under his belt, but he knows exactly how to do as little work as humanly possible without getting noticed that he’s basically doing nothing.”
“What surprised me most is your metabolism. Honestly, honey, you may need to be careful in the future.”
John took in a deep breath, “Well, you aren’t wrong that if that were to change, I’d have to modify my habits fast. But I have a hunch about that.”
“Oh? I’m all ears.”
“Next time I’m back we can go to the clinic and get scanned together to confirm it. Not a big deal.”
“If you want to have secrets we can play that way,” Alice laughed, “Well, I hate to do this, but I start working in forty-five and need to get ready.”
“Yeah, I should hit the bunk. Love you. Stay safe and keep working hard.”
“I’m the one that should be telling you to stay safe. Keep your head on a swivel John.”
The call ended and John stood up and got ready for bed. From his point of view, things were going well. Despite several of the senior officers on board were somewhat frosty towards him. Things were kept professional, and John simply chalked that up to them hearing stories and not wanting anything to do with him beyond what they must do during their shifts.
While no one was actively plotting against him, he was dead wrong. His very presence was an affront to a great number of the officers. That mindset hadn’t been expunged from the fleets, and it was very likely to affect and dog John throughout the rest of his career in the Navy. It was time to get some rest. He’d think more about this situation in the days to come and attempt to determine whether or not he could break through here or not.