Cody's War: Flight Of The Phoenix, page 6
Well, technically… we’re in a quandary, Cody replied. The murder took place on a ship in transit but also on a ship fleeing a known danger. Those two add up to mitigating circumstances.
And who has jurisdiction? Gail asked. They weren’t part of our fleet —
Technically, we were flotsam from Meath and under our own recognizance, Other Cody pointed out.
But the Captain of the ship is the ultimate authority while under way, Other Nora thought. Killing her… well, it’s a mess.
It was a mess even when we left, Gail reminded them all. I’m sorry that —
There was a noise from outside and Cody looked around. Excuse me! He pulled off his helmet.
“Cody!” Clive Bamber shouted, rushing up toward the cockpit.
“Is it really you?” Moira Collins added. “Oh, let me see you!”
Cody, grinning, stepped back into the main cabin.
“Who’s that up there?” Clive said. “Is that little Gail?”
“Commodore Eber, she is now,” Cody told them. “One of the heroes of the Battle Of Midway.”
Chapter Five
“This is an open and shut case,” Quark’s Adjutant-General Litvan Henry said as he reviewed all the testimony. “The defendant is not guilty of murder by reason of temporary insanity.”
He glanced around at the other officers of the court. Cody, Admiral Cartwright, Commodore Forster, and President Hanlan all nodded in agreement.
“One proviso,” Admiral Cartwright said. The others looked at him. “She must never again be placed in a position of authority or command.” He caught and held Cody’s eyes until Cody nodded in agreement.
“I think she’s going to be very happy working in industry,” Cody said. He smiled at President Hanlan. “She’s going to be the principal engineer for the Crump Corporation, of course.”
“Isn’t that too stressful?” Emma Forster asked.
“No, Jo Hanlan has agreed to the CEO slot, she knows how to keep her from getting overstressed,” President Hanlan replied.
“And I’ll keep an eye on her,” Ellaz Quark promised from the overhead speakers.
“We owe her a great debt,” President Hanlan said.
“If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have been warned,” Admiral Cartwright agreed.
“Very well, unless there is more to add, I call this court adjourned,” Litvan Henry said. The others nodded and he banged the gavel. “Justice has been served.”
The others rose. Jasmine Crump hugged her mother. Jazzy was wearing the uniform of a Commander in Ford’s Fleet. She and Moira Collins were paired together to command Nettles — one of the new Meaths. Moira was still recovering from her implant surgery but Ellaz had assured Cody that she’d be fine.
“Well, I’m glad that it turned out okay,” Don Hartman said as he rose from his seat behind Edie. He bowed to her. “And now, I’d best get back home.”
“I’m glad you stayed for us,” Edie said. She waved a hand around the courtroom. “And this.”
“We hadn’t met but I felt that I owed it to you — and the others — to see your safe arrival.”
“Thank you,” Edie said. “And with Jo to keep an eye on me —”
“Two!” Jo Hanlan assured her.
Edie chuckled. She shot a look to Jasmine. “And when are you leaving?”
Cody, who’d walked around the imposing judges’ table, smiled as he caught that question. “We’ve got a few more days to work up Tristan and Mighty.” Cody said. “Then we’ll head out to Meath and Nettles.”
“And I’ll go from there to do recon,” Gail Eber added. “After I catch up with Jacob!”
Jacob Falcon had gone back to Meath with three ships when they’d left Deneb for Quark. They should have arrived already. They might even be en route back to Deneb with the survivors from the moon Nettles.
“What if you miss him and he’s at Deneb?” Don Hartman asked.
“Well, you be sure to give him a hug and a kiss for me,” Gail said, grinning up at the older man.
“It’ll be my pleasure!”
#
Cody wasn’t at all surprised that Don Hartman and Midway continued to “work up” until Tristan and Meath were declared operational.
“You know we’re going to Meath, right?” Cody teased him.
“Just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Don assured him. “And, any more time I can keep myself away from Dorit is a good thing.”
“What do you think she’s done while you were gone?” Nora wondered.
“Well, she doesn’t want to run a government, I know that,” Don replied. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if she hasn’t built a whole new fleet — maybe started on some big ones — while we were gone.” He frowned. “And, if I know her, she’s already scouting for a new system.”
“Well,” Cody said, “Deneb is… ah… a bit boring now.”
“A graveyard,” Don Hartman agreed. “And the front line to another invasion.”
Cody nodded.
“But at least now we’re ready,” Don said. “We’ll deploy the arrays as soon as we break out of warp.”
“And you’re going to bank all of the royalties,” Nora reminded him. “I believe government bonds —”
“Sure!” Don Hartman agreed. Because, right now, Deneb’s survivors had only themselves — five hundred million — and a bunch of wreckage.
“She was rebuilding the Starlorn shipyards,” Cody noted.
“And she has to be using a lot of bots for that,” Don Hartman agreed. He shrugged. “Well, we’ll know soon enough.”
“Good luck!” Gail cried.
“I’ve got Ellaz Hartman with me, who needs luck?” Don replied with a chuckle. Cody was surprised that the former Ellaz Hermes had decided to align herself with the new governor of Deneb. But… well, it wasn’t just her, it was the copies of himself, Gail, Nora and Emma Forster who’d agreed to go with him. Cody had provided him with a completely mobile StarDyne Mark 60(M) to haul the virtual people safely to their new destination.
In the meantime, Cody had convinced his Ellaz that they needed to make a “dumb” warp ring monitor — one devoid of any outside memories — so that they could license that to new-build single ring warp ships.
The “dumbies” — as Ellaz called them — weren’t as quick or sophisticated as she and the other virtual copies were but they could easily interface with a normal implant and a human pilot — well, pilots, because they’d need to work in shifts.
“Doing this means you don’t have to have copies of yourself all around the universe,” Cody had told her when he was trying to sell her on the idea.
“But I like having copies of me!” Ellaz had retorted.
“Slaves?” Cody asked. “Because if we continue this way, that’s what you’ll be. You’ll be the brains of the ship and you won’t say no to copying yourself because… no ship.”
“Yeah,” Ellaz agreed. “But… immortality!”
“Ellen Whirly,” Cody replied.
Ellaz was silent for a very long while, particularly for a computer simulation. Finally, “One condition — I stay with the fleet. Every fleet ship has me.”
“What do the others say?” Cody had asked.
“They’ll say yes, of course,” Nora had said. “Can you imagine her on her own?”
Ellaz had growled. Then, “Anyway, it’s no fun without you guys.”
“And adding more?” Cody had prompted.
“Tilly, Jazz, and Emma, sure,” Ellaz had agreed. “If they want.”
They wanted. So now, all of Ford’s Fleet had seven virtual people on all their ships. Cody and Nora had taken charge of the updates, particularly integrating the new personalities into the older ships. Every time there was the usual groans over Tilly and then the reluctant joyful acceptance.
#
“I’d appreciate it if you’d keep in touch,” Cody said. “You know, tach comms.”
“Absolutely!” Don Hartman agreed. “First thing after we get the array up, we’ll report back to you!”
“And en route?” Cody asked.
“Well, in the interest of science, of course,” Don Hartman said. “We’ll check in every day.”
“We’ll be listening for you,” Cody promised.
“You or Quark?” Hartman replied.
“Both,” Admiral Cartwright added. “Sir, we really appreciate all that you’ve done for us.”
“Thanks,” Don Hartman said. “And, on behalf of the survivors of Deneb, allow me to say the same to you.” He paused. “Midway is ready. Request clearance.”
“Roger,” Admiral Cartwright replied, “you are cleared for departure.”
“Admiral?” Hartman said.
“Godspeed, Midway,” Cody said. He watched on Tristan’s view screen as Midway glowed with the beginnings of a warp bubble, disappeared from sight and entered warp.
Two minutes later, Nora looked up from her displays and said to Cody, “We’ve got a good track on her, Warp Nine.”
“Midway,” Cody said, switching to tach comm, “we confirm you at Warp Nine.”
“Midway confirms,” Ellaz Hartman’s voice came back. “See you soon, carbon boy!”
“Looking forward to it, electron girl!” Cody said in reply.
“Electron Girl?” Ellaz Whirly complained over the speakers.
Cody grinned up at her.
#
“I really, really hate this,” Cody said with a gloomy look at Nora.
“We’ve got twenty ships and three tenders, you know what we have to do,” Nora said.
“Send Emma back down the line to warn the star systems, send Gail out to recon, while we get to deal with whatever we find at Meath,” Cody surmised.
“It’s your plan, Admiral,” Nora reminded him. Cody made a face. Nora took pity and brushed his cheek with her hand. “Our plan. And, yeah, it sucks.”
“I’m worried about Gail,” Cody admitted.
“You love her,” Nora said, smiling at his expression. “Like a sister.”
“More,” Cody corrected, “like someone I love.”
“And she’s got a crush on you,” Nora said. “Which shows that she’s got good taste — I’ve got a crush on you, too.”
“Well, you’re married to me,” Cody reminded her with a grin. “I’d hope you might have some feelings for me!”
“And Ellaz — all of them — love you,” Nora continued. “In fact, my dear, a lot of people love you.” Nora leaned over and kissed his cheek. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“There is when they die,” Cody grumbled.
“Yes,” Nora agreed. “But do you want to just keep them all with you? Not let them grow and —”
“Die?”
“Cody, if anyone dies it’s not your fault,” Nora told him. “It’s not your fault for Brenda, nor for —”
“All the others?” Cody said.
“Yes,” Nora agreed. “So, you’ll let Gail and Tilly go —”
“Recon,” Cody said. “Out in front of everything, looking for a fight and hoping they can survive.”
‘Well, with the tach comm, we can come help them if they run into trouble,” Nora reminded him. “And they’re not the only ones in trouble. Who knows what Emma is going to find, going backwards? I mean, what if we’re wrong and the aliens had another fleet? What if they’ve already destroyed Fafnir? And Perky?”
Cody grinned at her. “It’s really nice knowing that you’ll cheer me up.”
She slapped him on the shoulder. “Seven, seven, six,” she said. “You know that’s how it has to be.”
“But who gets the six?” Cody said. “Us or Emma?”
“Actually,” Nora said with a thoughtful look, “Why not eight, six, six?”
“Gail gets the eight?” Cody said. “Do that and she’ll split them into two scouting groups.”
“Who runs the second group?” Nora asked.
Cody grinned at her, “Let’s see!”
#
“Okay,” Cody said the next day when they all met to discuss final assignments. “We want to send you —” he nodded at Gail “— out with eight ships.”
Gail pumped her first into the air. “Yes!”
“What are you going to do with them?” Nora asked, grinning at Cody.
“Split into two, of course!” Gail said immediately. Then she caught Nora’s look. “Who commands the other half?” She grinned and turned her head. “Captain Bamber? Fancy a promotion? Commodore?”
Clive Bamber grinned but shook his head, his hands raised defensively. “If it’s all the same with you, ma’am, I’d prefer get my feet wet first.”
Gail frowned. She waved a hand to Tilly. “You’re not ready,” she told her firmly. “Anyway, you’re my XO.”
Tilly agreed, nodding. “Suits.”
Gail smiled as she looked at another person. “Commodore Marks?”
“All right,” Danielle Marks agreed. “I’m sure you’ll need a sober second opinion.” She waved a hand to Scott Ellis. “And he’s Commodore Ellis, right?”
“And that means —” Gail said, waving invitingly to Cody.
“Rear-Admiral Eber,” Cody said, smiling at her. “And, while we’re at it, Rear-Admiral Forster and —” he grinned at Nora “— Rear-Admiral Wright.”
Everyone cheered.
“Okay, Gail, when can you leave?” Cody said.
“We’re ready now, sir,” Gail told him.
“Give yourself enough time to put on the new rank,” Nora suggested. “And then get out there, but remember you’re an admiral now so you can’t be in the first ship.”
“I know, I know!” Gail said. “I’ll be back in Mighty, keeping everyone in order.”
“And my kids,” Danielle Marks reminded her. They weren’t really her kids — they were the two children of Brody Shanks and Erin Williams, Tina Mae and Greg Williams. Danielle had taken them under her wing as the only surviving adult that they knew. They’d refused her offer to have them go back to Deneb with Captain Hartman, preferring to remain with her.
“And your kids!” Gail agreed. Fleet babies now numbered twelve, the others having all found homes. Six were with Cody on Tristan, four were going to be with Gail on Mighty and the remaining two were going on Meath with Emma Forster. Of course, Cody and Nora’s six replicators were traveling with them, too.
“I’m taking the lead with Phoenix,” Nora said. Cody nodded. It had been one of the decisions he’d tried to ignore but it made too much sense. More than anyone, she was the hero of the Battle of Midway.
“I’m going to want another day with my people, sir,” Emma Forster told him. “Then we’ll be on our way.”
Cody nodded and raised an eyebrow at Nora. “I don’t know, Admiral, are we ready?”
The others laughed at him.
“Okay, let’s set the timer to T-1 hour,” Cody said. “That should give all of you enough time to get back to your ships, thrust away from the dock and get us clearance for departure.”
They nodded, then they rose and saluted him. Cody shook his head but returned the salute.
After they’d all filed out, Cody said to Nora, “I’m worried.”
“That’s your job,” Nora assured him. “I’ve got to scoot. Ships don’t fly themselves!”
“Who says?” Ellaz Whirly demanded from the overhead speaker.
“Ships don’t fly themselves well,” Cody amended.
#
“Roger, Recon Fleet, you are clear for departure,” Cody called back to Gail an hour later. He’d coordinated with Quark Approach.
“Spinning up,” Gail replied. Cody watched as her lead ships shimmered with the start of their warp bubble. A moment later, Gail’s Mighty joined them.
“Quark Departure, Recon Fleet is clear,” Cody reported. “Request clearance for the Relief Fleet.” That’s what they’d decided to call Cody’s fleet — the fleet that was tasked with aiding Meath.
“Roger, Admiral, your fleet is cleared for departure,” a familiar voice called. It was President Hanlan. “We’ll mind the fort here while you’re off gallivanting.”
“Yes sir,” Cody replied. “And we’ll make regular reports.”
“Yes! We want to keep tabs on you and know that this new-fangled comm of yours really works!”
“Thank you, sir,” Cody replied. He waved up to the ceiling and Ellaz Whirly. “Ready to go!”
“Yes, I know,” Ellaz told him. “All ships, all ships, initiate warp. Warp Nine, course Meath. Confirm.”
Six versions of Ellaz replied in the affirmative. Cody shook his head. They hadn’t quite managed to get a direct Ellaz-to-Ellaz link but all of them could easily communicate by radio which was trouble enough. Cody had had to step in several times to keep bickers from becoming quarrels… or worse.
“All ships acknowledge, Admiral,” Ellaz Whirly told him.
“Engage!” Cody ordered.
The view screen in front of him showed the whirling lights and flashes that were the beginning of a warp bubble.
Ten seconds later, they were gone.
#
“Admiral Ford, this is Admiral Forster, ready for departure,” Emma told Cody over the tach comm the next day.
“Excellent!” Cody called back. “You be careful, those Fafnirans are touchy, I’m told.”
“Well, I’ve met some and they’re not all bad,” Emma replied, chuckling. The tach comm was still a work in progress, so Emma’s voice sounded like it was coming from underwater or a great distance. Sometimes both. “Flight time is seven and a half days.”
“Yeah, you’ll get there before we’ll get to Meath,” Cody said. “Godspeed and kind stars!”
“We’ll keep in touch, Forster clear.”
#
“Okay, we’re going to try to link Tristan and Phoenix,” Ellaz called out three days later. “Phoenix, ready?”
“Ready,” Nora replied via the tach comm.
“Initiating… now!” Ellaz Whirly said.
Cody felt his stomach protest as the ship’s gravity flickered and then resumed.
“Warp field expanding,” Ellaz reported. “Warp field… contact! We are merging!”
“Roger,” Ellaz Phoenix agreed. “Good seam. Merging. Merged.”
“And that, admiral, is that!” Ellaz Whirly said a moment later. “Now, I understand you were talking about getting a shuttle?”
