Tipping Point in the Alliance War (12 page)

Each
ship is developing an individual personality.  The different crews are
like small families, within the fleet family.  There is more camaraderie
and confidence.  The ‘little fleet’ is feeling like they just might make
it home.

Three
Marine launches have been modified to have stealth capabilities, using
cannibalized Confederation parts – and with a lot of help from Science Officer
Basisht
. 

And
there are now 2 ‘warp capable’ Marine assault-launches – again, with a lot of
help from Officer
Basisht
.  The warp drive takes
up most of the interior space in the modified launch, so there won’t be much
room to carry people or materials, but the ‘warp capable’ launches add a new
dimension to the fleet’s arsenal.

Preparations
have been made and it’s time to go. Captain Niles reasons that, since the
Courageous was caught during a long warp-space flight, it might be a better
idea to have a lot of short jumps.  If a strategy isn’t working, Captain
Niles believes in changing - so, short jumps it’s going to be.

And,
they are off.  Captain Niles sends another faster-than-light probe to
Alliance Navy Headquarters, to apprise them of the situation, and to let them
know that they will be taking a longer way home.  They will take about
twenty short jumps, instead of one long jump.  Captain Niles doesn’t know
if it will help throw the Confederation fleet off their trail, but it is the
only solution that comes to mind.

The
first jump is for 24 standard hours and everyone makes the jump in good
condition.  After running self-checks and allowing the warp drives to
cool, the convoy of ships makes their second jump.

The
impromptu fleet of 8 war vessels makes 3 more jumps without trouble.  But,
it’s like Murphy said – “things will go wrong”.  

The
convoy exits warp-space, as scheduled.  They form up in a ‘dove’ formation
and then go into stealth mode. 

(The
‘dove’ formation is three dimensional, with the wing tips being above the
head.  That is expedient so that each vessel will have a clear
line-of-sight with every other vessel.  That ‘clear line-of-sight’ enables
the laser communications system to function optimally, while in stealth
mode. 

When
in the ‘spear’ formation, with the ships in a line, the laser com system adapts
to link the ships serially.  The serial connection is less reliable,
because the circuit will be broken if any one of the ships is destroyed.) 

They
have exited warp in an empty part of space, far from any system, and they
expect to coordinate, run base-line checks, and then be on the road again -
until sensor data reports an unnatural entity, at 340,000 klicks.  
If it is a ship, then it is a huge ship - at least 2 klicks long. 

Captain
Niles makes the decision to have a look-see.  He doesn’t want to make the
same mistakes, which caused trouble in the Quark System ‘first
encounter’.  He decides to send one ship as an ambassador, so that the
fleet will not be misconstrued as a hostile force.  The fleet will uncloak
and wait at the 340,000
klick
distance.  The
Courageous will approach the alien ship, alone. 

(A
trained military commander might conclude that Captain Niles should send a
different ship to make the ‘first encounter’ – one that isn’t necessary to the
survival of the fleet.  They are probably right, but Captain Niles makes
this decision anyway.  His gut feeling is that this relationship is
important.  Also, he is so confident in Major Dawkins’ leadership skills,
that he considers that he and the Courageous are expendable.)

He
issues orders that, if the Courageous is destroyed or captured, the rest of the
fleet will immediately warp away.  Major Dawkins will be in command and
will shepherd the fleet home.

***

The
Courageous begins broadcasting the Alliance ‘first encounter’ information on
multiple frequencies, across the sound and light spectrum.  The purpose of
the broadcast is to introduce the Alliance Systems to the alien entity. 
Obviously, from the size of the alien vessel, the technology of the new species
is far ahead of Alliance Systems technology.  That should insure that
‘learning new languages’, and ‘meeting new species’ are skills that the aliens
have already developed.  Alliance ‘common’ language lessons are broadcast,
in order to teach verbal and written communications.  The alien ship’s
computer should be able to learn the language and translate during the ‘first
encounter’.

Captain
Niles says “Engage” and the Helm Officer, Lieutenant
Ung
,
moves the Courageous slowly toward the alien vessel.  The velocity will
remain constant - there will be no sudden movement and the Courageous will stop
about 7,000 klicks away from the alien vessel.  The crew is on a modified
‘alert level 4’.  They are dressed in their space ‘skins’ and the Marines
are in Space Armor - but the weapons are powered OFF.
(Something else the
Captain learned from the Quark experience.)

Judging
from appearances, this is the largest and most technologically advanced space
craft, which the Alliance Navy has ever encountered.  A good relationship
with this species of aliens can be just what the Alliance needs.

The
Courageous stops and the Helm Officer announces; “All engines at ‘full
stop’.  The distance, to the alien vessel is 7,000 klicks.”

‘Let’s
wait for a while,” says the Captain.  ………………  After waiting for 15
minutes, Captain Niles addresses the Helm Officer again. “Take us in, slowly,
to a distance of 10 klicks.”

“Aye sir.
  Moving,” answers
the Helm.  …… ………… …. They stop again and wait for 30 minutes …… ……… ………
no response.

“Stay
at this distance and slowly begin to circle the ship.  We can survey the spacecraft
and perhaps get some impressions about the vessel’s primary function.  It
doesn’t seem to be a warship, but the weapons may be hidden,” says Captain
Niles.

“Aye sir.
  Circling,”
replies the Helm. …… ……… …..Still no response.

“OK,”
says the Captain.  “They have had plenty of time, so it’s necessary to
take some more risk.  ‘Active scans’ are often seen as a hostile action,
but there isn’t anything more that we can do, except to try to sense what is
inside.  Science Officer
Basisht
, begin ‘active
scans’, starting with the least intrusive and working to the most intrusive.”

“Aye
sir,” responds the Science Officer.

Hours
pass, as data is received and analyzed.  The new scans confirm the presence
of ‘life forms’, but none are identifiable as a ‘known life forms’.  There
is still no response from the alien vessel and the scans are not able to
penetrate much of the ship’s interior.  Now they are down to the very
bottom of the list of ‘things to do in a first encounter with a sentient
being’.  The very last suggestion is to use the universal sign of inquiry
– a knock on the door.

Captain
Niles asks for a volunteer to approach the ship.  As expected, he gets a
number of volunteers from the Space Marines – and some from Navy personnel, as
well.  A Marine will be the obvious choice, since they are brave and are
already dressed in Space Armor.  There will be no weapons on this visit -
only a large hammer.  The Marine will approach the alien vessel at a place
that looks like there could be the outline of a large door – perhaps a hangar
or warehouse door. 

Marine
Corporal Marissa Wilder is the one Captain Niles picks. 
(There is
something about the name that he likes.) 
Science Officer
Basisht
gives Corporal Wilder instructions on ‘how to knock
on an alien spacecraft door’, since the Marine Corps Basic Training course has
neglected to teach that lesson.

First
- it is important to knock loudly enough to be heard.  Next - it is
important that the knock be repetitious.  And lastly - it is important
that the knock have a message.  Science Officer
Basisht
recommends a simple SOS knock in Morse code, which the Marine Corps still
teaches its recruits.  It is a repetitious signal, which will identify the
‘being’ knocking on the door as a ‘sentient being’, rather than a piece of
space debris.

The
Courageous moves closer to the alien vessel and pauses about 20 meters from the
supposed doorway.  Corporal Marissa Wilder propels herself to the supposed
doorway, and attaches herself to the hull of the alien vessel. 
(She
first tries to attach using a portable magnetic handle.  That doesn’t work
– which says something about the hull material.  Next she tries attaching
herself, to the hull, using a suction-cup apparatus - that works.)
 
Then she begins using the large hammer to bang on the hull, to the tune of
‘SOS’ in Morse code.

The
effect is dramatic.  The door opens, leaving a large gaping hole in the
side of the alien vessel.  A light -
orangish
in
color - comes on, and illuminates the hangar space.  There are vessels in
the hangar – large vessels – some of which are several times the size of the
Courageous. 
(That is all very exciting, but the most exciting part is
yet to come.)

A
tractor beam attaches itself to the Courageous and begins to tow the ship into
the hangar.  There is nothing that the crew can do to cause the tractor
beam to let go - resistance is futile.  
(The crew recovers Corporal
Wilder, as the ship passes through the doorway.)
The engines on the Courageous
are shut down - by the alien vessel - and the Courageous is ‘parked’ in the
next available parking spot, on the hangar deck.  And finally – the most
exciting part – the hangar door closes.  Fortunately, the lights stay on
inside the hangar.

***

The Brutus

Meanwhile,
back at the ‘little fleet’, Major Dawkins watches in angst as Courageous’
situation becomes untenable.  Now what is she supposed to do?  She
has direct orders from Captain Niles to “immediately take the fleet into
warp-space and head for home.”  That is just so hard to do.  She
wants to go get the Courageous out - it is an ‘unnatural act’ for Marines to
leave anyone behind.

Her
training takes over – somewhat – and she orders the fleet to retreat to a
position 500,000 klicks, from the alien vessel.  Then the fleet waits for
six hours.  There is no sign of life or change from the alien vessel -
Major Dawkins can’t justify staying any longer.  She has to acknowledge
that the Courageous has been captured, and that she has been given very explicit
orders, should that situation occur.

Major
Dawkins takes command of the fleet and orders the remaining vessels to follow
her into warp-space for the next leg of the trip.  She knows that there
will be an undercurrent of shock and uncertainty flowing through the fleet
right now.  Major Dawkins also knows that the crews’ military training
will get them through this ‘crisis in confidence’.  A little warp-space
time-out may do them some good.

***

The
Mother Ship

Meanwhile,
in the ‘belly of the whale’, everyone on the Courageous has been watching the
view-screen images, which clearly show their ship being pulled into the alien
vessel and the hangar door closing.  And they have watched as the Bridge
Crew tries, in vain, to free the ship.  There is a wide range of emotions
running through the crew right now. 

The
prevalent emotion running through Captain Roger Niles is excitement.  He
never even imagined that this could happen to him.  This is ‘off the
charts’ in adventures ratings.

True,
things can go bad.  Everyone can die and the Courageous can be
destroyed.  The crew can be eaten alive by the aliens.  All
true.  But right now, the thrill of the adventure has adrenalin pumping
through Roger Niles’ system and he is ‘high’ on it.  He can hardly wait to
get out of the ship.  

He
controls himself and maintains military decorum, but he has already decided
that he is going to lead the first excursion into the alien vessel.  It’s
just a matter of doing all of the wise things first.  More scans, more
analysis, more meetings, more time – so much more time.  Sensor readings
indicate that the atmosphere in the ship is not toxic to humans or
androditins
, but is low on oxygen, and high on
nitrogen.  It will be best to wear breathing equipment while exploring the
alien ship – at least in the beginning.

***

The
Brutus

The
‘little fleet’ drops out of warp, according to schedule, and immediately goes
through their practiced routine.  The 7 ships form up, in a dove formation,
and establish line-of-sight connections for the laser comm network.  When
the communications connection is established, the fleet enters stealth
mode.  All ships are at Battle Stations alert level and stay that way
while scans are made, searching for dangerous conditions.  After Major
Dawkins is comfortable with the neighborhood, the fleet goes to alert level 4.

Coordinates
for the next warp jump are uploaded from the Brutus to all ships’ computers and
all ships send the Brutus status reports.  When that routine
communications has been completed, Major Dawkins notifies the fleet that she
has decided to spend some time in fleet maneuvers training.  One reason
for the decision is that it will give them some time, as a family, to work
through the loss of – or hopefully, the separation from - Courageous.  In
addition, it will give Major Dawkins some experience in fleet command. 
Most of the maneuvers will be done in stealth mode but the ‘live fire’ and
‘team defense/offense’ maneuvers will be done uncloaked.  Some lifeboats
will be sacrificed for target practice.

After
a day of exercises, and some face-to-face time between ships’ Captains, the
fleet gets on the road again.  Brutus leads the way, as the ships dissolve
into warp-space.  Warp-space is not a place to rest.  Warp-space is a
place to train on simulators, to run practice drills, and to exercise in
fitness training.  It is good to keep the Marines and sailors busy doing
constructive work.  The crewmembers have a choice: they either train or
‘polish the
brass’
– and no one wants to ‘polish the
brass’.

***

The
Mother Ship

“At
last,” thinks Captain Niles, as he leads the scout squad out of the aft port
and down the ladder to the deck of the alien starship. The squad is comprised
of 3 Armored Marines and 7 crewmembers, counting the Captain.  The captain
has chosen a number of specialists to accompany him of this excursion,
including Science Officer
Basisht
and Chief Medical
Officer Mei Kei. 

When
Captain Niles’ boot touches the deck of the alien ship’s hangar, the light
level in the hangar brightens, and a small vehicle – best described as ‘like a
golf cart’ - moves toward the Courageous and stops about 2 meters, from the
Captain.  Since the cart appears to be on autopilot, Captain Niles decides
to find out where it will take them.  The scouting party loads up, with
half of them hanging on and half seated.