A Planned Improvisation (22 page)

“I’ve no problem calling her
Pickup
,” Park told them. “And I suppose it’s your right, Ronnie, to name the ship you invented. How soon will she be ready to fly?”

“Another month,” Ronnie admitted. “Maybe two. There were unforeseen structural issues when we tried mounting the prototype fighter. Part of the problem is that the prototype is heavier than I’m sure the final models will be, but we can’t count on that, so back to the drawing board. Meanwhile we are ready to test the fighter. We have that scheduled for two days from now if you’ll sign off on that.”

“No problem,” Park nodded.

“And assuming she works as planned we can assemble the final models,” Ronnie told him. “We have everything fabricated so they’ll be done before the mother ship is.”

“And if Earth is attacked they can help to defend whether the carrier is ready or not,” Park nodded. “I think we should bring all this up tomorrow at Arn’s meeting.”

“Arn’s having another meeting tomorrow?” Ronnie laughed. “I swear that’s all he does these days is have meetings. What’s this one about?”

“Haven’t you been reading your e-mail?” Park asked. “Prime Terius is coming in with a bunch of similarly high honchos of the Mer Nation to discuss the status of the defense of Earth against the dark ships and the Premm. All department heads are obliged to attend.”

“I should have found an excuse to spend this week in Questo,” Ronnie grimaced.

“You would have been called back, but then I hear Velvet is flying in early tomorrow morning for the meeting too,” Park remarked.

“So there is a silver lining,” Ronnie smiled.

Park and Arn had their usual morning cup of coffee on top of the base, but by mutual and tacit consent neither of them discussed business that morning. There was far too much of that ahead for them, so instead they discussed a gardening competition some of the colonists had started in town.

“I don’t even have time to mow the lawn,” Park laughed.

“Lucky for you someone genetically altered grass so that it never needs mowing,” Arn laughed.”

“Yes, but the grass is an annual and I do have to reseed just before every wet season,” Park pointed out.

“Not a problem I have to worry about,” Arn chuckled. “I still live in an apartment.”

“Well, it’s worth it to not have to live over the shop,” Park replied. “I don’t know how you can do it. Ronnie too for that matter.”

“We’re all always on call,” Arn pointed out.

“That’s what the torcs are for,” Park replied. “At least this way I get a few minutes to myself driving back and forth. Looks like we have a plane coming in. Early arrivals?”

“Could be,” Arn admitted. “Terius never did understand the concept of being fashionably late. Well, I guess the day is starting for both of us.”

On arrival at the port, it turned out the first plane in had come from Questo with Velvet Blaire and several of her Mer counterparts. No sooner had Park managed to say, “Hello,” to them when two more planes, this time carrying Terius and other Mer notables arrived and the next hour was spent socializing inside Van Winkle Base’s conference center where, mercifully, there was a brunch buffet being served. It was not until late morning that the conference actually began.

To Park’s surprise, immediately after opening the meeting, Arn turned to him and asked for a summary of the recent battle and recommendations. “As for recommendations,” Park shrugged when he got to that point, “that all depends on the status of the Questo shipyards. We lost two more ships this last go around and we cannot afford that for long.”

“
Starblade
is a total loss,” Velvet Blair reported, “but we should have
Face of Therens
back to full functionality soon. All other ships have been repaired and are ready for space now.”

“What about new ships?” Park asked.

“Our repair facilities are in great shape, but our ability to fabricate the basic parts is still impaired,” Velvet admitted. “We have one line up and running, but that means our next new ship is about five months away. We hope to have a second line back in operation by next week, but even so, we never got more than two ships per year out of any production line.”

“Then we are going to have to buy new ships,” Park told the conference. “We have a functioning starship and a fair-sized account in one of the Alliance banks. It’s about time we used that money.”

“The Galactic ships are not as well armed as ours,” Ronnie argued, “and we’ll have to retrofit better defenses, but that should speed up our recovery.”

“You can buy ships, but you won’t be able to buy weapons in any case,” Dannet pointed out.

“Why’s that?” Arn asked. “Are we too primitive for that?

“Not at all,” Dannet replied. “All Alliance worlds must build their own weaponry.”

“Is that why the Alliance ships aren’t all armed with the same weapons?” Park asked.

“Of course,” Dannet replied. “Each ship in the Navy of the Alliance belongs to a confederated world and is armed with the weapons built on that world.”

“No wonder there’s no uniformity on that count,” Park shook his head. “Well, then my recommendation is that we take
Independent
on a shopping trip for new ships.”

“Are you out of your little mind?” Ronnie blurted. “
Independent
is in no shape for an interstellar journey.”

“Why not?” Arn asked before Park could. “It has a functioning star drive, doesn’t it?”

“Technically, yes,” Ronnie admitted, “but the circuitry for that drive is all bread-boarded. Park, I told you that weeks ago and we haven’t been able to fabricate the permanent circuit blocks yet. Those temporary circuits can fall apart if you look at them too hard.”

“They worked well enough during the test flight,” Park pointed out. “Think of this as another test.”

“Wait a month,” Ronnie advised. “I’ll put those circuit blocks on top priority.”

“We don’t have a month,” Park replied. “The next attack could come at any time. We need ships.”

“Precisely!” Ronnie shot back. Several torcs chimed at the same moment, but she went on. “We need ships, and we can’t afford to send
Independent
off on an exploratory trip when the next attack could come at any moment.” She paused, realizing that half the attendees were talking to someone else, via their torcs. Even Dannet and Sartena were using their own wrist comms at the moment. All around the room holographic displays of callers were lighting up. “What’s happened now?” she asked quietly.

Arn held up his hand to hold her off for a few moments. Finally he turned to the assembled crowd and announced, “For those of you who did not just hear it, Owatino, the capital world of the Alliance of Confederated Planets is under attack.”

A strike force of ships had been sent from that world by Lord Rebbert of Dennsee to break the blockade and only one survived to reach Other Space. Their mission had been to obtain some of the Terran miracle weapons to help break the siege, but the ship, now limping toward Earth was in no shape to return to the fight.

“Sorry to leave you all,” Park told the assembled, “but I think it would be best to escort that ship to Questo for repairs.”

“Bring her here,” Arn told him. “Veronica and Velvet and several of their best are in Van Winkle and we have the…” he stopped himself and tried again, “and we have adequate repair facilities at Van Winkleport, But, Park, let Tina or Paul take
Phoenix Child
up.”

“Why?” Park demanded.

“Because we need to send word back to Lord Rebbert and show the Alliance, we can lend a hand,” Arn replied. “
Independent
is going to Owatino.”

“You’re both crazy!” Ronnie told them. “Didn’t you hear what I said about the drive circuits?”

“I don’t see what choice we have,” Arn replied.

“One prototype ship against an entire siege force?” Ronnie asked disbelievingly.

“How many dark ships in a siege force?” Park countered. “Ronnie, it won’t just be us. What Arn did not say, or maybe he wasn’t told, is that there are Alliance ships gathering on the periphery of the Owatino system for the purpose of breaking the siege. That’s who the weapons are for. Right now
Independent
is our only way to get them there.”

“But why did they come here?” Terius cut in. “Most of the Alliance still sees us as a backwater world without much to offer.”

“My father doesn’t,” Dannet pointed out. “Ever since his first visit to Earth he has been both favorably inclined toward Earth and all her people as well as impressed by what you have accomplished. Now he needs your help, will you deny it?”

“Never!” Terius replied without hesitation, “but one shipload of weapons?”

“Earth has done more damage to the dark ships than the rest of the Alliance combined,” Sartena told him. “According to my reports, five Alliance ships have been destroyed for every dark ship that was killed. Naturally your allies are going to turn to you for help.”

“But we don’t even know where Owatino is for certain,” Arn pointed out. “It’s not like we’ve been supplied with the coordinates of the Alliance worlds.”

“Oh well, there I think I can help,” Ronnie chuckled. “I found a way to track ships through Other Space and unless I was lied to, I can make an educated guess.”

“You did that?” Sartena asked. “When? Oh, never mind for now. You won’t have to guess, because I’m going on
Independent
as her navigator if Park will have me.”

“Welcome aboard,” Park replied absently. All turned to look at him and saw he was deep in discussion with Tina Linea. “Right,” he told her. “Scramble and launch at will, and make sure that Alliance ship lands here safely. Tell them I have questions, but it will wait until
Independent
is in space.” He signed off
 
and turned to the conference. “Friends, the rest of you can keep chewing the fat, but anyone who plans to be on board
Independent
had better start packing. We lift in an hour.”

“What are you doing here?” Park asked Ronnie as he boarded
Independent
three quarters of an hour later. Iris and Marisea entered just behind him. They continued
 
on to the lift, but Cousin jumped out of Marisea’s arms and
 
started tugging on the leg of Park’s jeans.

“I’m coming with you,” Veronica retorted. “If I don’t, you could well get stuck in Other Space.”

“I doubt that,” Park shook his head, picking up Cousin absently.

“Yeah?” she shot back challengingly. “Then it’s a good thing I had a chance to check, because if I hadn’t, you would have been sitting around Saturn wondering why you couldn’t go anywhere. Those slap-dash circuits of mine failed during your last battle. I found several broken connections. Fortunately they’re back together, but I’d better come along just in case.”

“Aren’t you needed to help repair Rebbert’s ship?” Park asked.

“Vel’s staying behind,” Ronnie replied. “Truth be told, she’s much better with repairs than I am. I’m great at inventions and problem solving, but she has the patience to do the repetitive stuff when she has to. That ship’s in fine hands. I’m more concerned with this one.”

“Now that you tell me our drive is as shaky as all that, so am I,” Park admitted. “It must be that odd weapon the dark ships use.”

“I’m sure it is,” Ronnie nodded. “Now if you don’t mind, I need to finish the rest of our pre-launch inspections.”

“You have a staff for that,” Park told her.

“So do you, but we both seem to like the hands-on approach,” Ronnie pointed out. “Welcome aboard, Sartena!” she called as the orange woman boarded with Dannet.

“Thanks,” Sartena replied cheerfully, “and thanks for carrying the bag, Dannet.”

“Are you coming too, Dannet?” Park asked the green-skinned man.

“I want to,” Dannet admitted, “but one of the Alliance ambassadors should stay here and Sartena will be of more use to you than I will. I may be along with
Onliat
, though.”

“
Onliat
?” Park asked.

“The surviving ship that’s headed here,” Dannet explained. “I have written a note for my father when you see him though.” He handed a sealed envelope to Park who noticed it had been written on some of the paper that had come from the past via the stasis of Project Van Winkle. In the Alliance, such letters were more commonly recorded digitally.

“I’ll see that he gets it,” Park promised.

The trip outward beyond the orbit of Saturn was uneventful. Sartena spent most of the time demonstrating the use of interstellar charts to Katackack, Marisea and Park. “They’re installed in your ship’s databanks so you have everything I did now. They’re about three years out of date, but the known projected positions will be accurate. We just don’t know what political boundaries may have changed, especially if the Premm have openly split with the rest of the Confederated Worlds.”

“Have they?” Marisea asked.

“Not so far as I’ve heard so far,” Sartena admitted. “They seem to be playing the innocents in the Diet, but intelligence indicates a probable connection with the dark ships as you know.”

“Then why can’t we move directly against the Premm?” Marisea asked. “They seem to be the real problem-makers.”

“Because, officially, they are still a part of the Alliance,” Sartena replied. “They are being very clever and the reports I’ve received are not confirmed. We know they’re involved, but we do not have the proof we need to condemn them.”

“And we don’t know where the dark ship are coming from,” Park pointed out. “It’s a hell of a situation. How soon before we can make the jump to Owat system?”

“We’re just passing Saturnian orbit,” Sartena replied. “We should be in position in an hour or less.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Iris admitted. “Do you think we should go directly to
 
Owatino or maybe somewhere we can pick up a few allies? One ship trying to break a siege… Seems a bit hubristic, maybe.”

“Getting cold feet so soon?” Sartena chuckled nervously. “I admit freely, I’ve been having second thoughts since the news of the blockade came to us.”