Читать книгу Talcon Star City - Gary Boone's Caplan - Страница 6

The Phoenix was about to leave hyperspace near the spatial coordinates for the rendezvous for the transfer of the Talcon representative. Fleet Captain Grey and Commander Zachary were about to leave the bridge their duty shifts completed. Grey occasionally did a command shift to maintain bridge skills, and Zachary, as senior helmsman, would occasionally work as first officer. Zachary was originally from Earth’s Centauri colony. He had blue-green eyes and dark brown hair peppered with some white. Commodore Sheppard had arrived before the end of the duty shift change and was still talking quietly with his friend Doctor Grey, who was finishing his officer log. Grey was a few years older than Sheppard and had silvering dark brown hair. Captain Wilder arrived just after Commander York; the first officer had already taken the Conn from Grey. The Conn was a space navy term referring to the starflight controller’s station.

There were two twelve-hour duty or work shifts and three eight-hour shifts staggered so that the different shifts overlapped. This allowed different crews to overlap and become more familiar working with each other. It was Sheppard’s policy to allow some overlap to allow crew sections to become familiar with one another’s abilities and strengths. Commodore Sheppard tended to work with alternating groups and eventually got to know all of the bridge crew, since even he took a rare occasional turn at the Conn—even though he did not have to do so as the acting admiral. Wilder also worked more often than not in the Captain’s office, since his duty occasionally had him working remotely with a few other less senior captains in his task group. Technically, he was the fleet captain for Task Force One and oversaw eleven ships in addition to the Phoenix.

The chief engineer of the Phoenix, Commander O’Brien, would occasionally come up on the bridge; however, he spent most of his time in the engineering control section. O’Brien was a brawny fellow of Irish descent, with fiery red hair and a moustache. He was an old friend of Sheppard’s and one of the people who originally helped him with his flagship selection tour on Star One. Now Commander O’Brien was finishing a final report on the analysis of the systems upgrade that occurred throughout the ships in the expanded task force that was sent to QB7. He was also on the bridge to check up on his staff members, who were finishing a device link interface evaluation. Since he had an embedded interlink unit in his head, as did many others, O’Brien experienced an augmented reality of what he actually saw in the physical world and the interfaced icons of the virtual one broadcast through his embedded interlink.

The computer device link, or CDL, was used as a primary interface device to view the relevant icons to interface with the ship’s computer or to communicate with another interlink device. CDLs were sometimes used as backup for those with embedded interlinks or were employed during systems diagnostics or security upgrades as direct system access units. O’Brien was temporarily using a CDL unit, which was attached to his head and partly covered his eyes like a visor, to check the completed work before the system was fully reactivated through the interlink. All key command stations had access to CDL units. O’Brien, like many people, normally used one of the other interlink systems interface devices. He used an interlink device embedded under the skin and partly in the bone behind his ear, and the more retro-fashioned used, a commlink hand unit.

Looking at Commodore Sheppard, he said, “Sir, the findings agree with the original evaluation that both the engineering and the science division completed earlier under Mr. Andor. Virtually all systems tested and examined over the past few weeks onboard the Phoenix have been improved or augmented. As far as we can tell, the reports coming over from the other ships involved at that time in QB7 were ‘restored,’ and all indicated similar improvement in starship systems.”

Sheppard nodded. “Seems we really did benefit from the encounter; link the final analysis to Fleet Captain Sherman. That means that not only defensive and maintenance systems but even the weapons have undergone augmentation and improvement.”

“That’s right; my estimate is that the weapons are 50 percent more efficient,” replied O’Brien as Commander Andor moved over to join the conversation. He had exceptional hearing, and as a Class 3000-series android, Andor had an actual personality, although only a modicum of emotion, and a calm nature to encourage rapport with other crew members.

“Sir, if I may add…” Andor said. Sheppard nodded. “It is as if the ship’s systems were optimized, and the only limitation is that of the ship’s original design and materials.”

“Aye, that’s right,” O’Brien said. “The final tests and analysis all indicate improvement in all of the ships in the task group orbiting near QB7 after the planet was… shattered and then restored. He looked around at the others, still not quite believing it himself. “They have definitely been optimized or improved. Why, even some reports from Quellus planeside indicate similar optimization.”

“Sir, due to the optimization, our long-range sensors, and an improved COMNET interface, there will be heightened ability to detect space dust and thus avoid hull damage,” Andor said. “Moreover, during this wartime, we may have a new way to locate Varlon passage, since the improved, enhanced sensors will now be able to detect a wake of sorts in the dust particles.”

“Then, hopefully, we should be able to better detect a Varlon ship’s location, even with its chameleon cloaking fields active,” Wilder added, now moving to the sensor station.

“I like that, too,” Sheppard added. “What about our nova cannon? I read an earlier report that it was also altered.”

“It’s definitely optimized, too,” O’Brien said. “The tests show that, instead of about a minute for the nova Cannon to regenerate and re-fire, it will now be no more than thirty seconds, and power output is also increased to an energy release of about three to the fifteenth power over a few seconds’ time, which is slightly over a 50 percent increase.”

“The Varlon still have weapons somewhat more powerful than that, but now that the Phoenix and several other ships in the sixth have been enhanced, we stand a better chance against them,” Sheppard said. He knew that the Alliance had to use three ships to one to fight a Varlon ship of similar class as a result of several technological differences. The only exception was the unusually large and extremely powerful Varlon heavy dreadnaught termed the H class, which required five Alliance dreadnaughts or similar starcraft to take it on.

“Sirs, we are approaching the rendezvous coordinates,” York said from his station, notifying Captain Wilder, who had moved over to hear what Commander O’Brien was saying.

“Lieutenant Pelori, set an intercept course for the Indefatigable,” Wilder ordered.

“Yes, Sir, sensors are locating the Indefatigable with our new, augmented long range,” replied Pelori with a smile. “Intercept course set for Legendary-class battlecruiser Indefatigable.” Pelori was an Azurian navigator with powder-blue skin and short white hair. She had eyes not much different from those of humans and had two small, antennae sense receptors coming from the crown of her head. The small antennae were rotating partially, likely reacting to information sent to her embedded interlink. Azurians were adaptable and could easily function in Earth-like environments.

“She is right; we will have them on our sensors before their nonoptimized sensors notice us,” Commander Andor added. Wilder nodded, acknowledging Andor’s comment, and then continued to listen to O’Brien’s statements.

“Even though the memory modules seemed to lack information about some of the final events at QB7 after the ship was blasted in sections by the Accad,” O’Brien said, “the backup reserve data crystals retained the information for the methods Commodore Helmslar was devising to align dual nova cannons for firing between different ships.”

Sheppard thought back briefly to that battle. Helmslar was a member of the feline-like civilization called the Kyz and one of the senior commodores in the sixth fleet. As a veteran in fighting the Varlon, she commanded the larger part of the assembled task force under Sheppard that went to directly fight the Varlon starships, distracting them from the planet. Meanwhile, Sheppard led the assault task group, which included a few brigades of space marines, to help QB7’s military defenses.

Onboard the Indefatigable, Commodore St. John of the third fleet was transporting a relatively new friend of his, one of the officers who accompanied him back from a major Talcon colony in the Magellanic Cloud galaxy. St. John had returned from a ten-year exploratory mission several months ago. The Talcon officers of the ship that escorted his two remaining vessels back acted as Talcon representatives. The Talcon officer would serve as a legate or ambassador on the Phoenix and hopefully help with his distant Talcon kin’s arrival in the great Star City.

“Sir, the Indefatigable is contacting us now,” Ares said. “I have established a secure channel, and Commodore St. John wants to speak with Commodore Sheppard.”

“Open the channel on the bridge,” Sheppard directed. The bridge had a communication interface that could create a projected image of the individual, and the interface imager gave the impression of bodily presence. Commodore St. John’s image that appeared on the bridge had a slight glow. St. John had some gray in his curly brown hair, and more regular duty had helped him get back into shape after the long mission he’d completed to the nearby Magellanic Cloud galaxy. As always, he appeared in good spirits. He was one of Sheppard’s former commanding officers.

“Robert, it’s good to see you,” said St. John, smiling. “Our ships are still several minutes from rendezvous point; I wanted to send a hello ahead.”

“Good to talk with you, too, David,” replied Sheppard. “If we were not in a rush to arrive at our objective, I would stay and confer with you; sadly, however, time is of the essence. We need to try to arrive before our enemies.”

St. John nodded and smiled. “I have the Talcon official and acting ambassador, Renjir, who was also a captain in their space navy’s reserve. He is now quite familiar with our common language and is ready to assist with your mission. The Talcon also use a point-to-point transmat chamber, and he is familiar with such transport, although he likes piloting even our small fighter craft for transport.”

“That’s good that he likes to pilot; I guess our starfighters are not as advanced as he might be used to,” Sheppard replied, also smiling.

“Renjir believes our ships make us think more. I have seen their starfighters, and they have an organic interface that is more conducive to piloting, with a fully connected interlink. It allows the pilot to be virtually interactive with their starfighter. It’s as if the starfighter is your body; it was fairly intense even when I got to test it with an adapter and my own interlink. Renjir says they even feel a jolt of pain if the starfighter is damaged.”

“That might be a wee bit too connected for even my taste,” O’Brien interjected. “I don’t think I would want to feel my components melting.” Sheppard looked over and smiled. O’Brien had also worked with St. John in the past.

“Well, maybe we will get the chance to see, someday,” Sheppard said.

“Take care of Renjir,” St. John said. “His crew mates and other Talcons from the Magellanic Clouds helped my exploratory task force out of some dangerous predicaments in the last three years while the remains of my task force returned to our galaxy, and he is fairly open-minded.”

“We will take care of him as though he were one of our own,” Sheppard said, as he looked over at Wilder.

“Aye, Sir,” Wilder said. “And we have his quarters prepared from the specifications you transmitted, Commodore St. John.”

“Well, like you, I have to get on to another mission,” St. John said. “We’re headed toward Rhyn Space to help with a Joint Alliance/Rhyn and Hegemony operation.”

“That’s interesting; the Hegemony is actually doing something other than observe,” Sherman said. He had moved from the Alcove command post.

“Yes, that’s why Vice Admiral Garfield is not with us; he is in Rhyn Space on Hegemony business,” Sheppard said. “In any case, David, I will eventually be joining you in Rhendal sector under Fleet Admiral Peregrine—after we make contact with Talcon while entering the Milky Way. Now, I think I should head down to greet Ambassador Renjir in the transmat chamber.” Sheppard smiled as his friend Commodore St. John gave him an Alliance salute, which he promptly returned before heading to one of the bridge’s lifts to receive the ambassador. Both Fleet Captain Sherman and Lieutenant Commander Ares joined him in the turbo-lift to head to the transmat to formally welcome Ambassador Renjir.

The transmat device was adapted from multiple technologies the Hegemony had passed along some time ago. It was probably one of the most advanced and energy-demanding pieces of equipment used by the Alliance of Worlds. Already waiting in the transmat chamber was the transmat engineer and those assigned to serve as assistants for the ambassador. The transmat actuator was energized, creating a protective barrier for the passengers and equipment, and then the wormhole created a jump pocket to hyperspace, which temporarily connected the two linking transmat locations. The power usage was enormous, but it did allow emergency transfer of supplies and equipment. The transmat had just activated, and some of Ambassador Renjir’s personal effects were sent ahead. The crew assigned by Sherman and Ares to assist him had stepped across the actuator rings encircling the base of the platform to retrieve the ambassador’s personal effects.

Normally, the actuator rings elevated and encircled those to be transported at ten-centimeter intervals between rings from chamber floor to ceiling. These rings formed a multiple-banded semi-cylinder zone around those to be transported. The transmat device set up a temporary wormhole between points. During the transfer process, the energy stream made a connection with a similar device; the receiver was in the other starship, which also had to be activated to allow the short hyperspace conduit to form. Transfer usually took several seconds, and nearby atmosphere tended to go along for the ride.

Sheppard waited in the transmat for a few moments before he found out what had happened. “Commodore Sheppard, this is Wilder; we have received information that Ambassador Renjir has decided to come aboard with his Talcon shuttlecraft. He evidently decided to take it with him at the last minute.”

“All right. I’m headed to fighter bay two,” Sheppard said, as he moved toward the tram that would rapidly take him to bay two. “If I recall correctly, we have some storage room there for his ship.” The group arrived in bay two just in time to see the sleek, advanced Talcon starship arrive. It was about the size of a Scimitar-class, two-man fighter that the Alliance used. The Talcon starcraft glided to a landing and was latched and then secured to a floor section.

Renjir got out, and in the lower gravity of the fighter bay, he flapped his wings and flew up, gliding to the area where Sheppard and the welcoming group were walking toward him. He had small, closely interspaced, grey-blue feathers and avian features with large eyes; instead of a nose, he had a hawk-like beak. Unlike a bird, he had arms and hands below his wings, and he seemed somewhat like a humanoid with wings. His hands were featherless with scales instead of skin; however, he did have four-fingered, mildly talon-like hands.

“Greetings, Commodore Robert Sheppard. I am Renjir Felkestaar,” the Talcon said in a high-pitched voice. “Hopefully, I can help you with contacting the other Talcon onboard the Star City.” To Sheppard, using his Star Knight senses to identify moods in aliens, this Talcon seemed to be almost smiling, so Sheppard smiled too, giving what he recently learned was a Talcon-style salute to a former military officer. Things got off to a good start. St. John’s report on the fellow was accurate; this Talcon was friendly.