He Who Dares: Book Two (The Gray Chronicals 2) (59 page)

“I have your reply, Captain Gray.”  Captain Clark didn’t look happy.

“And what is it.”  The Captain had a puzzled look on his face.

“The message reads, ‘About bloody time’.”  Mike had to laugh.  It was just like his Grandfather.  “I take it that you and the President know each other, Captain Gray.”

“You could say that, Captain, you definitely could.”

“I have been given permission to let you proceed, without a pilot or an escort I might add.”  That was clearly something unusual.  “I’m transmitting your clearance code now.”

“Thank you for your curtsey, Captain Clark.”

“You are welcome, Captain Gray, please proceed.”

“Thanks you.”  The patrol ships pulled away, and resumed their stations as Mike ordered Conner to proceed to the warp point entry. 

Even the short distance into the Rift was intimidating, as the roiling mass of proto stars, dust, comet fragments, gas and radiation made normal navigation virtually impossible.  Normally, a freighter would take on a Rift certified Avalon Pilot/helmsman and he, or she would take the ship through the Rift to Christchurch, never Avalon itself.  Christchurch was the trading center, and fully under the watchful eye or Avalon security.  To get to Avalon itself required another short jump, but few ships were ever given permission to make it.

“I hate to tell you this, Conner, but I need to take over the helm.”

“Huh?  I meant, beg your pardon, Skipper.”  Asked in surprise.

“Rules of the road from here on out.”  Setting the controls to natural, Conner vacated his seat, looking none too happy. “I’ll need you in the second seat, Chief.”

“Aye-aye, sir.”  Conner nodded to Cindy Loftland and switched seats with her.  “Take a break, Cindy.  Go get a cup of coffee and relax for a while.”

“Aye-aye, sir.”  She gave him a quick smile and left the Bridge.

“All sensors off and shut down all external screens, Jan.”  Mike ordered as he took the VR helmet and slipped it over his head.  Conner did the same, unsure what he was supposed to do.

“Orders, Skipper?”  He asked.

“Just observe, Conner.”  Mike answered cryptically.

“All sensors shut down, and all external screens off, sir.”

“Good.  Let’s get this show on the road. Sit down and strap in.”

*  *  *  *  *  *

From Conner’s perspective under his VR helmet, the trip inward was akin to a roller coaster ride. It wasn’t long before he wondered if he had the skill to pilot the ship through the Rift as his Captain.  The Rift was simply a minefield from the moment they jumped through the warp point inside a dust and gas cloud and entered the Rift itself.  He marveled at Mike’s skill at the helm as he deftly negotiated his way through, or around the massive gravity shear from collapsing dust clouds that one day would be new stars and planets.  The density of debris inside the Rift made an asteroid belt or Oort cloud look positivity thin by comparison, yet Mike weaved his way between all the hazards with a degree of skill Conner had rarely seen except in fighter pilots.  After three gruelling hours, and one last micro jump and exited out the other side of the Rift into clear space.  Conner felt exhausted from just watching, so God only knew how his Captain felt.  Mike brought the “Nemesis’ to a full stop and sat back with a deep sigh and pulled the VR helmet off.

“All yours, Conner.  Jan, bring the sensors and screens back on line.”

“Aye-aye, Skipper.  Sensors and screens back on.”

The moment the main screen came to life, everyone could see why the Avalon warp point junction was so valuable.  Beside the two, North and South warp points of Christchurch’s GO star they could see two super massive stars within five light years.  Normally, a star that size had at least four, and sometimes up to six warp points to choose from.  It was no wonder freight companies kept their destinations from Christchurch so secret.  Even as Mike and Conner changed places, two Destroyers came barreling up, but this time the greeting was more friendly as anyone negotiating the Rift without an Avalon pilot was someone special.

“This is Captain Andrews, and we have received your clearance, Nemesis.”  Even so, Mike could hear the puzzlement in his voice.  As far as Captain Andrews knew, no one outside of Avalon could negotiate the Rift without a pilot.

“Thank you Captain.  Conner, head for the North WP, and take us through.”

“Aye-aye, Sir.”

At last, they dropped out of
n
th space after a short, one day jump into Avalon space itself.

“Wow!  There seems to be a lot of asteroids floating about the warp point, Skipper, don’t you people believe in keeping your shipping lanes clear?”

“Yes, we do, but it also keeps ships from wandering about where they shouldn’t be wandering around, if you get my meaning.”

“As clear as a bell, sir.”

“Where to, Skipper?”

“Second star on the left and straight on till morning, Conner.”

“What?  I mean, pardon, sir?”  He asked, turning in her seat to look over his broad shoulder.

“Nothing, Chief, just something I read once.  The third planet from the sun, Conner.”

“That should be second star on the right, and straight on till morning, Conner.”  Conner turned in his seat and looked at the XO seeing him grinning.

“Aye-aye, sir, any speed limit?”

“None that I know of, so the sooner we get there the sooner everyone can get some shore leave.”  Conner rang for full ahead, and started eating up the miles on his spiraling decent down the gravity well to the third planet.

“I still say it’s the second star on the left, Pete.”

“Humm, you could be right.  I’ll have to look it up.  Been a while since I read Pete Pan.”  He mused.  “They looked a bit trigger happy, Skipper.  Their weapon systems were all on line, and they weren’t joking.”

“The Sirriens have a bad habit of poking their long pointy noses into the Rift once in a while to see what’s going on.”

“I take they aren’t welcome.”

“Not in the least.  Had I not identified ourselves very quickly, they would have started shooting, and called for backup.”

“I suspect that’s not far away.”  Mike just smiled and said nothing.  Pete nodded in understanding.

Janice had already set an elliptical course to meet the third planet as it came round the sun and sent it to the helm, and Mike got his first look at home in more than six years.  It still looked as beautiful as ever, sparkling blue/white, much like Earth looks from space.  The twin moons, Lancelot, and Merlin weren’t in view yet, but in his mind’s eye, he could see them.  Avalon B, the fourth planet of the system was behind the sun now, but he hoped the crew would get a chance to visit.  Avalon was slightly larger than Earth, at a mass of 1.33 and a diameter of 1.53.  That meant that its gravity was point three more than Earth.  Unbeknownst to the crew, he ordered Adam to increasing the pseudo gravely on board slightly each week, and by now, the crew had become acclimatized.  There were a few complaints at first, such as feeling tired, or joins and muscle aches, but the medic had taken care of those with some shots.  The crew would thank him later, if he hadn’t, they’d all be flat on their backs the moment they stepped ashore without Ag belts.

Traffic in the system was light, compared to Earth, but they did see several large cargo ships depart.  These were ‘Free Traders’ ships, but Mike liked to think of them as armed Merchantman, half warship, and half freighter.  Most of them did the rim run, supplying and servicing the outer colonies with food, medical supplies equipment, and mail.  In exchange, they brought back many exotic items, such as wine, furs, precious metals, and spices.  In many ways, they imitated the old clipper ships of Earth, except they were armed, fast, tough and able to take care of themselves as they brought back treasures from unknown lands, as they say.

“Ship coming out to meet us, Skipper.”  Janice commented with a yawn.

“That’ll be the Customs Officer and pilot.”  He was right, and within an hour the Customs Officer, a Leftenant Tanner presented himself on the Bridge, with the civilian pilot in tow.

“How are you, Captain Gray.”  He saluted and held his hand out.  Mike shook hands with them both.  “Had word that you’d be landing, but I didn’t expect you this soon.”  He looked around the Bridge, as if expecting to find the reason for the swift transfer.  If Mike expected a welcome home, he was disappointed, and he didn’t recognize the man or the name.

He didn’t volunteer the information that he could take her himself, that would open the door to many questions.  The young Leftenant checked his log, and the ship's papers as the pilot directed Conner into orbit, then down into the traffic pattern to land.  They made one orbit of the planet, seeing the two major continents and the scattering of islands before settling towards a landing on the daylight terminator.  At least they were landing at dawn.  Janice commented that the ice caps here were larger than on Earth, and the pilot told her that they were just at the end of a long ice age, about 1500 years ago.  They cruised in over a sparkling blue ocean at 5000 feet, before they dropped to 500 for the final approach to a naval base.  Mike did note that their course was carefully plotted so as not to take them near, or pass any critical naval installations or defense systems.

This base was situated on a broad river, with docks on either side, looking clean and orderly, with no sign of decay or rusting piles of metal.  That was another Avalon trait, cleanliness, yet it was funny that he’d never noticed it before.  The Nemesis slowed to a crawl as they moved up river, passed the construction yard, then a turn into a slipway.  Conner brought the ship to a hover over a landing pool, and nudged her forward over the concrete ramp before settling down.  All aboard heard the distinctive whine and thump as the landing sponsons deployed, then felt the ship tilt slightly as they touched.  The moment they did, the computer automatically righted the ship and put her back on an even keel.

“Finish with engine, helm.”

“Aye-aye, sir, finish with engines.”  Conner rang the command down to the engine room and received an acknowledgment. The almost unheard hum of the power plant slowly decreased as the fusion reactor settled down to standby mode.

“Welcome to Avalon, Captain Gray, I hope you have a pleasant stay.”

“Oh, I will.  Thank you.” 

“Um… I have orders not to give you or your crew the standard orientation lecture.”  Again, something out of the ordinary with no explanation.  The Leftenant gave Mike a final saluted, and they shook hands again before he and the pilot departed with a Marine escort to show them the way.

“What now, Skipper?”  Pete asked.

“Not sure, first I have to go see the President, then a few people to see about what’s happening, and how we will be received.  For now, hold the crew on board until I get back, or signal you differently.”  He knew the crew would be straining at the leash to go ashore, but he could let them just yet.

“Aye-aye, sir.”

“Gable, match the local gravity to ship standard.”

“Aye, sir, matching local gravity.”

“Conner, you are with me, Number One, you have the Con.”

“Aye-aye, sir, I have Command.”

“Pack a small bag, Conner, we might be staying ashore tonight.”  He stood up and stretched, preparing to leave the Bridge.  “Oh, by the way Pete, you can open the outer hatches to air the ship out, but pass the word to all crew members.  Do not under any circumstances kill or hurt any lizard like creature that happens to wander aboard.”

“Sir?”

“Friends of the family, so to speak.”  He said with a laugh.  “They are the indigenous intelligent life form, and one bite could be hazardous to your health.”  Saying that he departed the Bridge, and left a puzzled Bridge crew to figure that out.