Along with Sean Daniels, thethree of them had caused Admiral Powers much grief and embarrassment. It hadonly been the support from the Betelian emperor Komodo that had saved John fromthe court martial verdict. Complete isolation from his friends and exile to Bismarck had been his only penalty.
Now, he didn’t even know where tofind his friends. He had heard rumours over the years, but their differentpaths had never crossed.
When the download was complete,he decided to see if he could find Anthony. Access to any informationregarding Delaney was denied to him. He expected it, but was stilldisappointed. He knew the order came direct from Powers. Kuiper required anidentity log in for such information and anything from Bismarck that didn’tcome from Decker would be denied.
* * *
McReidy and Gillespie found Johnin the weapons room.
“Sorry we’re late,” Gillespieapologised. “Had to get kitted out.”
“I wasn’t expecting anyone backyet.”
McReidy sat on a torpedo tube,crouching slightly forward so as not to hit her head on the railings above. “We must have really ticked off the admiral last night.”
Gillespie threw her a curioussideways glance.
“If only,” John smiled.
Gillespie’s glance shiftedbetween the two of them. “Am I missing something?”
“Shut up, Steve,” McReidy toldhim.
He raised his hands in defeat,then turned to John. “So, what’s the story?”
“It looks like a full scaleinvasion from the Andromeda galaxy. Everyone’s lost ships out that way. ArkRoyal was due…” His voice wavered and he looked at his boots briefly while hetook a breath. “She was destroyed.”
He fought to bury his emotions.
“Ark Royal’s gone?” McReidywhispered incredulously into the silence.
He nodded.
“John, I’m –” Gillespie began.
“Don’t,” John faltered on thesingle word. “Just… don’t.”
Neither of them spoke, thesilence just as crushing to John.
His fists clenched, the musclesup his arms and into his shoulders and neck tightening.
“She was out there with aBetelian ship. They were coming in… She destroyed the jump gate.”
“Why?” McReidy asked.
“To stop whatever’s out therecoming in. And Rache might be with them.” He looked to McReidy. “Powerfulfriends?”
She nodded slowly. “So, we,” shecircled a finger to include the three of them, “have two threats. One outthere and one close to home.”
“Hopefully, he thinks we diedwith Magellan. But the whole Betelian Empire is in danger. Command’s sendinga convoy to stop them, along with whatever support they can muster up. Wehappen to be first in line.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” Gillespie looked from John to McReidy, then sighed in defeat.
“You haven’t heard the best bit. I’m in charge until they scrape up a new captain. From the state of this oldgirl, I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“I thought Captain Decker kepthis ship in perfect condition,” McReidy said after a long pause.
“She is in perfect condition,”John answered. “For a cargo ship. But she’s not up to battle standard. Andwe’re due out,” he checked his watch, “in under five hours.”
“What do you need?” Gillespieasked.
“I’ve got a meeting scheduled. Let’s catch up with the others and find some answers.”
* * *
The meeting was on the bridge. While the dining hall or the bar would have been more accommodating, Johndidn’t want any unnecessary ears listening in. He also preferred the formalityand access to the ship’s systems.
Giacomo was relaxed at the helm,his seat turned to the room. Dunlop was at navigation beside him, lookinguncomfortable on the bridge as he crossed one leg over the other, then swappedthem over. Tan was at communications, Humphries at science beside him. Red,Case and Kowalski sat on the floor, leaning against the far wall. The three engineersa matched set of age and experience. Cartographer Lynn du Mont was sitting waytoo close to Hartford for his liking, the man shrinking away from the contact.
“Daylight, Mister Hartford,” Johnscanned the room as he made his way to his chair.
“Yes, sir,” Hartford obedientlymoved a few inches clear of Lynn.
Dunlop moved out of navigationfor McReidy. She put up a hand in refusal, but he settled on the edge of theconsole, leaving the seat vacant. She mouthed a thank you and took it.
Gillespie moved tocommunications, leaning against the console on Tan’s other side.
John was hesitant. The facesaround him he knew well. He was not willing to risk them unnecessarily despitewhat he knew his orders would say. Standard procedure and Command’s lack of afully worked out plan meant complete orders would not be issued until they wereunder way. Secrecy didn’t seem to matter at the moment when their lives couldbe at risk from the moment they left Kuiper.
“Thanks for coming,” John greetedthem.
There were murmurs of reply.
“All right, let’s get down tobusiness. First of all, Lieutenant Commander McReidy and Lieutenants Gillespieand Kowalski have been assigned to Bismarck. That still leaves us two crewshort, and we don’t look like getting any other replacements. As yet, we don’thave a new captain. That leaves me in charge until further notice. If thereare any objections, I want to hear them now.”
He allowed more than enough timefor an answer. Heads turned as everyone tried to gauge each other’s responses;there was silence.
“Good.” John looked to the threeengineers. “Red, you’re Chief Engineer. Any complaints, send them to me.”
“Yes, sir,” Red acknowledged.
Case and Kowalski made nocomment, though neither man looked like he objected. That was one headacheresolved. John turned back to the room. “Anyone here got any weaponsexperience?”
Red squirmed slightly. “I didtwo years weapons on Yorktown. We only fired in practice. If you considerthat experience.”
“Anyone do better?”
They all shook their heads.
“Then it looks like you’re incharge. I want –”
“I think Ensign Wright knows abit,” Giacomo interrupted. “If I remember correctly, he was involved in theAchilles refit.”
“I think you may be right,” Redagreed.
“Anyone else?” John asked, hopefulthat there may be someone else. “No one?”
He was met with blank looks andhead shaking.
“Then it’s you, Wright,Gillespie…”
Gillespie nodded.
“And Kowalski.”
“Me?” Kowalski’s eyes widened asthe word fell out of his mouth.
“You’ve seen the type offirepower we’re up against.”
“This ship couldn’t match that ina million years!”
“Then you better make the defencesystems withstand what Magellan couldn’t.”
Kowalski’s mouth twitched asthough words rumbled around his head but couldn’t quite make their way out.
“May I ask why?” Giacomoventured.
“It looks like we’re
