Lieutenant Marcola, page 31
part #4 of A Galaxy Unknown - Border Patrol Series
“CJ Ship Gate, sir? Are you referring to the CJ Armada Gate that’s large enough to send a mothership using the CJ Gate system?”
“That’s correct, but the descriptive name has been changed to CJ Ship Gate because access will be available to any licensed shipper. The word ‘armada’ makes it sound too military. While you’ve been busy retrofitting the second mothership, a small group of engineers, working about a light-year from here, have assembled and begun testing the newest Gate configuration. I’m not surprised you haven’t heard. I ordered the test area to be placed under strict isolation. The ships and people sent out there have never been allowed to leave the location or communicate with anyone outside the assembly operation there except for very limited communication with the Boreas. When I said assembly, I mean that the sections of the Gate— sent to us one at a time because each section requires all the space in a Cargo Gate— were unpacked and placed in open space. Once programmed, they maintain their location using tiny Deuterium thrusters that are recharged by energy from the section’s Dakinium outer cover. While you and your teams have been working so hard to prepare the motherships for transport, the other team has been sending drones back and forth to Region Two. The system had already been extensively tested near Quesann, but these tests were required to verify that the substantially greater distance didn’t cause any problems. We’ve now completed all the testing, and there hasn’t been a single problem. Since the test results have had a one hundred percent success record, the G.A. is now ready to implement the greatest advancement since Marc-1.”
When Elder paused and was apparently waiting for a comment or response, Sydnee said, “I’m almost speechless, sir.”
“Yes, it has that kind of effect on people as they digest the facts and think of the possibilities.”
“So, any Space Command vessel near a Ship Gate can now jump to any other Ship Gate?”
“Not just Space Command vessels. The G.A. is opening the system to any passenger liners and cargo ships that qualify for a license. All they have to do is apply for a transit permit license and open a credits account with a sufficient balance to pay the toll fee for each use of the CJ Ship Gate.”
“But right now, there are just these two locations?”
“At the moment, that’s all I know about, although I do know that a Gate is currently being readied for testing near Earth, and they expect to have that online within a few days. Over the next few months, CJ Ship Gates will begin to be available all over the G.A. The Senate has voted to give us whatever funds we need because they know the fees from private companies will recover all of our costs.”
“And the Gate here will be disassembled?”
“No, Space Command has decided to leave this Gate intact in light of the unusual Denubbewa presence out here. All Gates will be guarded by three CPS-16s, which will be rotated in and out every six months. The gate here will also be guarded by a Space Command destroyer. The newly assigned CPS-16s will arrive via the Gate, and the previous detail will leave via the Gate. Additionally, The G.A. has claimed this area of space.”
“Is this Region Six?”
“No, not at all. It only encompasses a small spherical area two light-years across.”
“Does Quesann think three CPS-16s will be enough for normal protection?”
“After what you’ve accomplished with just one CPS-16, they believe three will be more than adequate, although no one is expecting that another Lieutenant Marcola will be captaining each of the other ships.”
“Will they be responsible for approving transit requests?”
“No, all permit applications must be forwarded to Quesann, but the application can be forwarded via any of the CPS-16 on duty at a Gate. However, the applicant will not be allowed to use the gate until the application is approved. The CPS-16s is really only be here to protect the Gate, and stop anyone from trying to interfere with the operation of the Gate or study the electronics.”
“What if someone tries to steal a section?”
“All of them have locator beacons built in. And if they’re moved too far from their established location, they’ll explode. I’m sure you have a lot more questions, but we’ve covered the main points. I’ll send a copy of the report I received from Quesann to you so you can fully familiarize yourself with the new system. All I need you to do is establish a date for your departure so I can move my task force out of this mothership.”
“You won’t be traveling with us to Quesann, sir?”
“No. If we were, we’d just remain in here. Quesann has other plans for us.”
“I see. How about 1000 hours two days from now?”
“Fine. We’ll move out of this mothership at 0900 two days from now.”
* * *
“I’ve got great news, Kel,” Sydnee said as they relaxed in her office.
“We’re not going to have to take this ship to Region Three?” MacDonald said hopefully.”
“We still have take this ship to the G.A.”
“Then what news could possibly be good?”
So Sydnee told her.
“You’re kidding. We’re going to Quesann via a CJ Gate large enough to send this entire mothership there?”
“Yup. We leave here, travel one light-year before entering the CJ Ship Gate, and poof, we’ll suddenly appear somewhere near Quesann.”
“Have you been drinking?”
“Yes, I have.” Holding up her mug, Sydnee said, “This is my fifth cup of coffee today.”
“So, we’re really going to jump to Region Two?”
“Yup.”
“So then are we done with the satellite seeding and everything else?”
“Captain Elder said another ship would be completing the satellite deliveries. That’s all he could tell me. He wasn’t told anything beyond that regarding where the Justice might be sent next.”
“I hope they have a CJ Ship Gate in Region One. We could be back aboard the Denver in a couple of weeks.”
“They do have one in Region One.”
“They do?”
“Yes, but they’re still testing it. The Gate here had a higher priority. But maybe by the time we get to Region Two, the Region One Gate will be fully tested and online.”
“Oh, Syd, I’m so excited. We could actually be going home— for the first time in years. I wonder how many of the old gang are still there.”
“Some of them must still be there, although a few may have returned to civilian life, and some may have been promoted and posted in open positions elsewhere.”
“After so many years of being outside G.A. space, things are bound to be a little different. But the Denver will still be the Denver. It will still be home.”
* * *
Chapter Twenty-Six
~ July 12th, 2295 ~
“All ships except the Justice have left the port, Captain,” Lt.(jg) Templeton said.
“Close the doors, Tac.”
“Aye, Captain, the doors are closing.”
Seventy seconds later Templeton said, “The doors are closed and sealed, Captain.”
“Very good. Helm, do you have the coordinates to the Ship Gate locked in?”
“Aye, Captain.”
“Take us to the Ship Gate.”
“Aye, Captain, we’re now under way for the Ship Gate.”
There was a distinct sense of anxious anticipation on the bridge. Throughout the ship, monitors were projecting a live image of the bridge and space ahead of the ship. Almost everyone had paused their daily routine to watch. The mothership, with the Justice crew at the controls, was about to make history. During the testing period, a number of small ships, beginning with automated craft, had entered the Gate and emerged safely at the other end. But theirs would be the first manned, active-duty ship to use a Ship Gate. And not only that, it was the largest single-hull ship known to exist. The other mothership was coming along right behind the first one. Sydnee’s XO, Lieutenant(jg) Jerry Weems, was captaining that vessel. Weems would hang back on Humdrum Two until Humdrum Three sent a message from Region Two that it was safe to enter.
“Com, put me on ship-wide,” Sydnee said.
“You’re on, Captain.”
“Attention, crew of the Justice and of the Humdrum Three. We’ve been given the honor of being the first manned warship to use a CJ Ship Gate. As we enter the Gate here in previously unclaimed space and emerge seconds later in Region Two, we are making history. It will be something you can all tell your grandchildren. Play close attention because this experience will be over almost before it starts. Tac, are we cleared to enter the Gate?”
“Aye, Captain. We’ve received authorization, and the gateway to the Quesann Ship Gate is clear.”
“Then let’s fill it briefly. Helm, take us through the Gate.”
“Aye, Captain. Entering the Gate.”
Everything seemed to blur for a second, then sharpened again, and the Gate that had been in front of them was gone.
Sydnee swung around and looked at the stern monitor. The Gate was now visible behind them.
“Nav, where are we?” Sydnee said.
“According to the sensors and the stars, we’re in Region Two.”
Without waiting for further confirmation, crewmembers in every part of the ship began clapping, whooping, and hollering. Sydnee allowed it to continue for a full minute, and then held up her hands for silence on the bridge.
“Crews of the Justice and the Humdrum Three, welcome to Region Two of G.A. space.”
The bridge and every part of the ship that was manned erupted in whopping and yelling again. Sydnee didn’t try to quiet them this time; she let them continue until they got it out of their systems.
“Helm, clear the gateway-exit route.”
“We’re already clear, Captain.”
“Com, notify Humdrum Two that it’s safe for them to join us here.”
Four seconds later, the com chief said, “Message sent, Captain.”
After moving out of the path of any ships emerging from the Gate, Caruthers had turned the ship so all forward monitors aboard ship would project an image of activity at the Gate. Everyone on the bridge and throughout the ship was able to watch as the Humdrum Two emerged in Region Two. The second mothership to arrive then maneuvered to a position alongside Humdrum Three.
“We can’t be here already,” everyone on the bridge of the Humdrum Three heard Lt.(jg) Weems say.
“You’re on an open mike, Captain.”
“Oh, uh, this is Humdrum Two. We’ve apparently completed the journey and are now in Region Two.”
“Welcome to Region Two, Humdrum Two,” Sydnee said with a smile. “Com, notify Quesann Command that Humdrum Two and Humdrum Three have arrived.”
“I doubt that’s necessary, Captain,” Lt. Templeton said. “I’m seeing over twenty Space Command warships and dozens of smaller craft within DeTect range around us. I imagine it’s a greeting party on this momentous occasion.”
“So, where’s the party?” Lt. Caruthers asked. “Is there food? I’m starving.”
“It may not be necessary, Tac, but it’s protocol. We do it by the book. Com, notify Quesann Command that we’ve arrived.”
“Aye, Captain. I did that after you ordered it the first time.”
“Very good. Well, I guess we sit here until Quesann tells us where we go next.”
“Arrival message coming through now, Captain.”
“Play it on the overhead, Com.”
“Lieutenant Marcola, welcome to Region Two. Have your task force remain where it is for now. New orders will follow shortly.”
“Com, acknowledge receipt of the message,” Sydnee said, then added for the crew, “I guess we sit and wait for new orders.”
“And we didn’t get any party food,” Lt.(jg) Caruthers said from his seat at the helm. “Not even cake.”
Sydnee smiled at this expression of his sense of humor and said, “Don’t worry, Helm. I’m sure there will be lots of cake for our celebration later. A few hours before we left our previous location, I asked the mess to prepare double the amount of cake they usually prepare for Sunday afternoon meals.”
* *
Over the next week, Humdrum Three and Humdrum Two received tens of thousands of visitors. Although these weren’t the first motherships converted for Space Command use, they were the first that could be visited by G.A. officials, as well as the Space Command and Space Marine personnel assigned to the bases on Quesann and the surrounding planets. The enormous port inside both motherships was busy almost constantly throughout the first day, and the heavy traffic really didn’t slack off for almost three days. Since the ships were destined to become Space Command bases, sightseers would be common in the future. At that time, certain areas of the ship would be off-limits to all visitors, but for now, access to all parts of the ships were almost wide open to military personnel. Only the captain’s office, the bridge, and occupied living quarters enjoyed restricted access, and that didn’t even apply to Space Command senior officers, who received guided tours.
* *
Finally, the crowds began to thin, and then end. Life began to return to a somewhat normal existence aboard both ships. Even so, the ships weren’t ordered to move to the Quesann ship harbor. They were just too large, so they remained out near the CJ Ship Gate. This gave the crews a front-row seat, so to speak, to the traffic coming and going through the Gate. Sydnee knew that very little traffic leaving through the Quesann Gate was headed to the space Gate in previously unclaimed space, so this was an indication that perhaps the Region One Gate was now online. And after a few more days, the traffic had grown to a point that indicated other CJ Ship Gates were active. Sydnee believed that Gates in Regions Three and Four would have been very high on the priority list. Perhaps there was even a Gate in Region Five now.
* * *
“So far, every single transport of the new Gate system has been flawless,” Admiral Holt said to Admiral Jenetta Carver during their morning meeting in her office. “The Gate in Region Four near Ruwalchu should be operational tomorrow.”
Jenetta took a sip of her coffee and said, “Loretta told me there’s been one glitch in the system.”
“You’re talking about the Gate near Earth?”
“Yes.”
“It’s true, but it didn’t involve a ship transport or endanger the safety of any personnel. The glitch was owed solely to one of the Gate sections in the Earth Ship Gate drifting slightly out of alignment because of a bad sensor. That problem prevented the connection from being made until the sensor was replaced. Loretta and her people have done an incredible job. If every single component and process isn’t working one hundred percent correctly, safety concerns prevent the connection and the ship can’t travel.”
“That could cause us problems,” Jenetta said.
“How so?”
“If anyone wanted to stop our use of a Ship Gate, all they’d have to do is sabotage one small component.”
“Uh— well— that’s possible. But it’s extremely unlikely that it would put us out of business for long because there’s so much redundancy in the system. The problem you referenced was a non-issue on safety because it was a physical issue rather than an electronic one. Although the components are all bench-tested and receive a thorough burn-in test, there are bound to be tiny component failures in a brand new system. The good news is that the only way anyone could sabotage a Gate would be through a deliberate shipboard assault, and that’s why we established the policy of always having three CPS-16s guarding every Gate. And although replacement parts are in short supply right now because this is a new program, in the future, multiple parts and even complete sections will be available in the CPS-16s standing guard, and every ship will have engineers certified to repair the Gates. We may go down briefly, but we’ll be back in business before you know it.”
“I hope so. In any event, we should plan on doubling the protection forces temporarily when we’re planning a campaign against the Denubbewa or any other enemy until our military forces have all arrived at their destinations.”
“I have no problem with that. When our forces are properly distributed, there really shouldn’t be that many traveling from the same Ship Gate once the system is fully implemented. And we can plan on sending a squadron of CPS-16s through first so they can stand by with the original three CPS-16s until the rest of the task force completes their travel through the Gate. I received the copy of the deployment map you sent to all members of the Admiralty Board. So, you really think the Senate will approve this many Ship Gate systems and the necessary CPS- 16s?”
“Right now, they’re all still licking their lips and thinking greedily about all the revenue they’re going to be able to rake in from the transport fees paid by the passenger and cargo shippers, as well as how best to convince their constituents that the entire project was solely their idea from the beginning. I’m going to work on getting their financial approval on an optimal plan while they’re still in a euphoric mood, and I’ll reduce it only if they object. If we have to cut back, our cuts will most likely happen near the large population centers where we already have the best military coverage. Coincidentally, those locations will offer the greatest revenue in fees, so it’ll be an easier sell for me to get their approval later on after the fees start coming in and they ask why we don’t have more transport revenue from the more populous locations.”
“Good thinking. Have you decided where we’re going to position our two new motherships— I mean our new space stations?”
“I’d like to put one in Region Four and the other in Region Five if the Board agrees. The exact position isn’t as important as it used to be because we’ll be putting Ship Gates in the most vital positions. I’ll bring it up in the AB meeting and get everyone’s suggestions before we vote on it.”
“Sounds fine to me. Ya know, Jen, I’m feeling a lot better about our chances with the Denubbewa. The near-instantaneous communications across the entire G.A. made a tremendous difference, and now the near-instant ability to send our ships to any region where they’re needed make me believe we’re really going to be able to drive the metalheads out of the Milky Way Galaxy.”
“That’s correct, but the descriptive name has been changed to CJ Ship Gate because access will be available to any licensed shipper. The word ‘armada’ makes it sound too military. While you’ve been busy retrofitting the second mothership, a small group of engineers, working about a light-year from here, have assembled and begun testing the newest Gate configuration. I’m not surprised you haven’t heard. I ordered the test area to be placed under strict isolation. The ships and people sent out there have never been allowed to leave the location or communicate with anyone outside the assembly operation there except for very limited communication with the Boreas. When I said assembly, I mean that the sections of the Gate— sent to us one at a time because each section requires all the space in a Cargo Gate— were unpacked and placed in open space. Once programmed, they maintain their location using tiny Deuterium thrusters that are recharged by energy from the section’s Dakinium outer cover. While you and your teams have been working so hard to prepare the motherships for transport, the other team has been sending drones back and forth to Region Two. The system had already been extensively tested near Quesann, but these tests were required to verify that the substantially greater distance didn’t cause any problems. We’ve now completed all the testing, and there hasn’t been a single problem. Since the test results have had a one hundred percent success record, the G.A. is now ready to implement the greatest advancement since Marc-1.”
When Elder paused and was apparently waiting for a comment or response, Sydnee said, “I’m almost speechless, sir.”
“Yes, it has that kind of effect on people as they digest the facts and think of the possibilities.”
“So, any Space Command vessel near a Ship Gate can now jump to any other Ship Gate?”
“Not just Space Command vessels. The G.A. is opening the system to any passenger liners and cargo ships that qualify for a license. All they have to do is apply for a transit permit license and open a credits account with a sufficient balance to pay the toll fee for each use of the CJ Ship Gate.”
“But right now, there are just these two locations?”
“At the moment, that’s all I know about, although I do know that a Gate is currently being readied for testing near Earth, and they expect to have that online within a few days. Over the next few months, CJ Ship Gates will begin to be available all over the G.A. The Senate has voted to give us whatever funds we need because they know the fees from private companies will recover all of our costs.”
“And the Gate here will be disassembled?”
“No, Space Command has decided to leave this Gate intact in light of the unusual Denubbewa presence out here. All Gates will be guarded by three CPS-16s, which will be rotated in and out every six months. The gate here will also be guarded by a Space Command destroyer. The newly assigned CPS-16s will arrive via the Gate, and the previous detail will leave via the Gate. Additionally, The G.A. has claimed this area of space.”
“Is this Region Six?”
“No, not at all. It only encompasses a small spherical area two light-years across.”
“Does Quesann think three CPS-16s will be enough for normal protection?”
“After what you’ve accomplished with just one CPS-16, they believe three will be more than adequate, although no one is expecting that another Lieutenant Marcola will be captaining each of the other ships.”
“Will they be responsible for approving transit requests?”
“No, all permit applications must be forwarded to Quesann, but the application can be forwarded via any of the CPS-16 on duty at a Gate. However, the applicant will not be allowed to use the gate until the application is approved. The CPS-16s is really only be here to protect the Gate, and stop anyone from trying to interfere with the operation of the Gate or study the electronics.”
“What if someone tries to steal a section?”
“All of them have locator beacons built in. And if they’re moved too far from their established location, they’ll explode. I’m sure you have a lot more questions, but we’ve covered the main points. I’ll send a copy of the report I received from Quesann to you so you can fully familiarize yourself with the new system. All I need you to do is establish a date for your departure so I can move my task force out of this mothership.”
“You won’t be traveling with us to Quesann, sir?”
“No. If we were, we’d just remain in here. Quesann has other plans for us.”
“I see. How about 1000 hours two days from now?”
“Fine. We’ll move out of this mothership at 0900 two days from now.”
* * *
“I’ve got great news, Kel,” Sydnee said as they relaxed in her office.
“We’re not going to have to take this ship to Region Three?” MacDonald said hopefully.”
“We still have take this ship to the G.A.”
“Then what news could possibly be good?”
So Sydnee told her.
“You’re kidding. We’re going to Quesann via a CJ Gate large enough to send this entire mothership there?”
“Yup. We leave here, travel one light-year before entering the CJ Ship Gate, and poof, we’ll suddenly appear somewhere near Quesann.”
“Have you been drinking?”
“Yes, I have.” Holding up her mug, Sydnee said, “This is my fifth cup of coffee today.”
“So, we’re really going to jump to Region Two?”
“Yup.”
“So then are we done with the satellite seeding and everything else?”
“Captain Elder said another ship would be completing the satellite deliveries. That’s all he could tell me. He wasn’t told anything beyond that regarding where the Justice might be sent next.”
“I hope they have a CJ Ship Gate in Region One. We could be back aboard the Denver in a couple of weeks.”
“They do have one in Region One.”
“They do?”
“Yes, but they’re still testing it. The Gate here had a higher priority. But maybe by the time we get to Region Two, the Region One Gate will be fully tested and online.”
“Oh, Syd, I’m so excited. We could actually be going home— for the first time in years. I wonder how many of the old gang are still there.”
“Some of them must still be there, although a few may have returned to civilian life, and some may have been promoted and posted in open positions elsewhere.”
“After so many years of being outside G.A. space, things are bound to be a little different. But the Denver will still be the Denver. It will still be home.”
* * *
Chapter Twenty-Six
~ July 12th, 2295 ~
“All ships except the Justice have left the port, Captain,” Lt.(jg) Templeton said.
“Close the doors, Tac.”
“Aye, Captain, the doors are closing.”
Seventy seconds later Templeton said, “The doors are closed and sealed, Captain.”
“Very good. Helm, do you have the coordinates to the Ship Gate locked in?”
“Aye, Captain.”
“Take us to the Ship Gate.”
“Aye, Captain, we’re now under way for the Ship Gate.”
There was a distinct sense of anxious anticipation on the bridge. Throughout the ship, monitors were projecting a live image of the bridge and space ahead of the ship. Almost everyone had paused their daily routine to watch. The mothership, with the Justice crew at the controls, was about to make history. During the testing period, a number of small ships, beginning with automated craft, had entered the Gate and emerged safely at the other end. But theirs would be the first manned, active-duty ship to use a Ship Gate. And not only that, it was the largest single-hull ship known to exist. The other mothership was coming along right behind the first one. Sydnee’s XO, Lieutenant(jg) Jerry Weems, was captaining that vessel. Weems would hang back on Humdrum Two until Humdrum Three sent a message from Region Two that it was safe to enter.
“Com, put me on ship-wide,” Sydnee said.
“You’re on, Captain.”
“Attention, crew of the Justice and of the Humdrum Three. We’ve been given the honor of being the first manned warship to use a CJ Ship Gate. As we enter the Gate here in previously unclaimed space and emerge seconds later in Region Two, we are making history. It will be something you can all tell your grandchildren. Play close attention because this experience will be over almost before it starts. Tac, are we cleared to enter the Gate?”
“Aye, Captain. We’ve received authorization, and the gateway to the Quesann Ship Gate is clear.”
“Then let’s fill it briefly. Helm, take us through the Gate.”
“Aye, Captain. Entering the Gate.”
Everything seemed to blur for a second, then sharpened again, and the Gate that had been in front of them was gone.
Sydnee swung around and looked at the stern monitor. The Gate was now visible behind them.
“Nav, where are we?” Sydnee said.
“According to the sensors and the stars, we’re in Region Two.”
Without waiting for further confirmation, crewmembers in every part of the ship began clapping, whooping, and hollering. Sydnee allowed it to continue for a full minute, and then held up her hands for silence on the bridge.
“Crews of the Justice and the Humdrum Three, welcome to Region Two of G.A. space.”
The bridge and every part of the ship that was manned erupted in whopping and yelling again. Sydnee didn’t try to quiet them this time; she let them continue until they got it out of their systems.
“Helm, clear the gateway-exit route.”
“We’re already clear, Captain.”
“Com, notify Humdrum Two that it’s safe for them to join us here.”
Four seconds later, the com chief said, “Message sent, Captain.”
After moving out of the path of any ships emerging from the Gate, Caruthers had turned the ship so all forward monitors aboard ship would project an image of activity at the Gate. Everyone on the bridge and throughout the ship was able to watch as the Humdrum Two emerged in Region Two. The second mothership to arrive then maneuvered to a position alongside Humdrum Three.
“We can’t be here already,” everyone on the bridge of the Humdrum Three heard Lt.(jg) Weems say.
“You’re on an open mike, Captain.”
“Oh, uh, this is Humdrum Two. We’ve apparently completed the journey and are now in Region Two.”
“Welcome to Region Two, Humdrum Two,” Sydnee said with a smile. “Com, notify Quesann Command that Humdrum Two and Humdrum Three have arrived.”
“I doubt that’s necessary, Captain,” Lt. Templeton said. “I’m seeing over twenty Space Command warships and dozens of smaller craft within DeTect range around us. I imagine it’s a greeting party on this momentous occasion.”
“So, where’s the party?” Lt. Caruthers asked. “Is there food? I’m starving.”
“It may not be necessary, Tac, but it’s protocol. We do it by the book. Com, notify Quesann Command that we’ve arrived.”
“Aye, Captain. I did that after you ordered it the first time.”
“Very good. Well, I guess we sit here until Quesann tells us where we go next.”
“Arrival message coming through now, Captain.”
“Play it on the overhead, Com.”
“Lieutenant Marcola, welcome to Region Two. Have your task force remain where it is for now. New orders will follow shortly.”
“Com, acknowledge receipt of the message,” Sydnee said, then added for the crew, “I guess we sit and wait for new orders.”
“And we didn’t get any party food,” Lt.(jg) Caruthers said from his seat at the helm. “Not even cake.”
Sydnee smiled at this expression of his sense of humor and said, “Don’t worry, Helm. I’m sure there will be lots of cake for our celebration later. A few hours before we left our previous location, I asked the mess to prepare double the amount of cake they usually prepare for Sunday afternoon meals.”
* *
Over the next week, Humdrum Three and Humdrum Two received tens of thousands of visitors. Although these weren’t the first motherships converted for Space Command use, they were the first that could be visited by G.A. officials, as well as the Space Command and Space Marine personnel assigned to the bases on Quesann and the surrounding planets. The enormous port inside both motherships was busy almost constantly throughout the first day, and the heavy traffic really didn’t slack off for almost three days. Since the ships were destined to become Space Command bases, sightseers would be common in the future. At that time, certain areas of the ship would be off-limits to all visitors, but for now, access to all parts of the ships were almost wide open to military personnel. Only the captain’s office, the bridge, and occupied living quarters enjoyed restricted access, and that didn’t even apply to Space Command senior officers, who received guided tours.
* *
Finally, the crowds began to thin, and then end. Life began to return to a somewhat normal existence aboard both ships. Even so, the ships weren’t ordered to move to the Quesann ship harbor. They were just too large, so they remained out near the CJ Ship Gate. This gave the crews a front-row seat, so to speak, to the traffic coming and going through the Gate. Sydnee knew that very little traffic leaving through the Quesann Gate was headed to the space Gate in previously unclaimed space, so this was an indication that perhaps the Region One Gate was now online. And after a few more days, the traffic had grown to a point that indicated other CJ Ship Gates were active. Sydnee believed that Gates in Regions Three and Four would have been very high on the priority list. Perhaps there was even a Gate in Region Five now.
* * *
“So far, every single transport of the new Gate system has been flawless,” Admiral Holt said to Admiral Jenetta Carver during their morning meeting in her office. “The Gate in Region Four near Ruwalchu should be operational tomorrow.”
Jenetta took a sip of her coffee and said, “Loretta told me there’s been one glitch in the system.”
“You’re talking about the Gate near Earth?”
“Yes.”
“It’s true, but it didn’t involve a ship transport or endanger the safety of any personnel. The glitch was owed solely to one of the Gate sections in the Earth Ship Gate drifting slightly out of alignment because of a bad sensor. That problem prevented the connection from being made until the sensor was replaced. Loretta and her people have done an incredible job. If every single component and process isn’t working one hundred percent correctly, safety concerns prevent the connection and the ship can’t travel.”
“That could cause us problems,” Jenetta said.
“How so?”
“If anyone wanted to stop our use of a Ship Gate, all they’d have to do is sabotage one small component.”
“Uh— well— that’s possible. But it’s extremely unlikely that it would put us out of business for long because there’s so much redundancy in the system. The problem you referenced was a non-issue on safety because it was a physical issue rather than an electronic one. Although the components are all bench-tested and receive a thorough burn-in test, there are bound to be tiny component failures in a brand new system. The good news is that the only way anyone could sabotage a Gate would be through a deliberate shipboard assault, and that’s why we established the policy of always having three CPS-16s guarding every Gate. And although replacement parts are in short supply right now because this is a new program, in the future, multiple parts and even complete sections will be available in the CPS-16s standing guard, and every ship will have engineers certified to repair the Gates. We may go down briefly, but we’ll be back in business before you know it.”
“I hope so. In any event, we should plan on doubling the protection forces temporarily when we’re planning a campaign against the Denubbewa or any other enemy until our military forces have all arrived at their destinations.”
“I have no problem with that. When our forces are properly distributed, there really shouldn’t be that many traveling from the same Ship Gate once the system is fully implemented. And we can plan on sending a squadron of CPS-16s through first so they can stand by with the original three CPS-16s until the rest of the task force completes their travel through the Gate. I received the copy of the deployment map you sent to all members of the Admiralty Board. So, you really think the Senate will approve this many Ship Gate systems and the necessary CPS- 16s?”
“Right now, they’re all still licking their lips and thinking greedily about all the revenue they’re going to be able to rake in from the transport fees paid by the passenger and cargo shippers, as well as how best to convince their constituents that the entire project was solely their idea from the beginning. I’m going to work on getting their financial approval on an optimal plan while they’re still in a euphoric mood, and I’ll reduce it only if they object. If we have to cut back, our cuts will most likely happen near the large population centers where we already have the best military coverage. Coincidentally, those locations will offer the greatest revenue in fees, so it’ll be an easier sell for me to get their approval later on after the fees start coming in and they ask why we don’t have more transport revenue from the more populous locations.”
“Good thinking. Have you decided where we’re going to position our two new motherships— I mean our new space stations?”
“I’d like to put one in Region Four and the other in Region Five if the Board agrees. The exact position isn’t as important as it used to be because we’ll be putting Ship Gates in the most vital positions. I’ll bring it up in the AB meeting and get everyone’s suggestions before we vote on it.”
“Sounds fine to me. Ya know, Jen, I’m feeling a lot better about our chances with the Denubbewa. The near-instantaneous communications across the entire G.A. made a tremendous difference, and now the near-instant ability to send our ships to any region where they’re needed make me believe we’re really going to be able to drive the metalheads out of the Milky Way Galaxy.”
