Xandrian Stone 4: The Academy Part 3 (5 page)

I really had no idea what I was doing, but then neither did anyone else. This was a completely new situation, so we all were learning as we went. That I left three weapons in the turrets was done on an instinctive urge that I could not really explain.

Both the enemy vessel and us, we landed at the same time. As soon as we were safe on the ground we opened the airlock and left the Brick. Under the command of Radaean the weapons went first, them came the shields who were protecting the weapons, then the healers and me.

The enemy vessel was lying right in front of us: It looked like the front part of a tube filled with decks, corridors and everything, that was blackened and still smoking. And it was leaking reptiles.

"There are a lot of them." One of the weapons remarked. "Leaves more for all of us to shoot!" added another weapon and the rest of them expressed their support to the second speaker. Loudly.

I communicated back to the Brick: 'Captain to
Quarry
: Hover 20 meters above us, to give us fire support. When you reach your position, wait for me to wave my hands above my head and then open fire.'

The reptiles gathered and started moving towards us, when the answer came: '
Quarry
to captain: In position.' I nodded, I had not heard anything. Those Bricks sure moved silently!

The reptiles waited about 20 meters in front of us, and one that was more adorned than the others moved a bit forward and stood on its hind legs, supported by its tail. "Looks like their captain or something. I'll go and see if we can talk."

Radaean tried to stop me. "Sir." I smiled at him. "This is my job I think. Be ready to avenge me if needed." He did not find my joke half as funny as I - and some of the weapons - did.

Luckily, the reptile captain was too impatient. As soon as I stepped in front of my people to approach him, he hissed loudly and all the reptiles shot forward and attacked. Reflexively, I raised a shield in front of us. Then I flattened it to give the Brick behind and above of us a line of fire, tinted the shield silvery and waved my hands above my head.

Beams of destructive energy raked through the attacking reptiles, cooking and exploding them on impact. It was a mighty mess. "This shield should let your fire through, guys. One of you test it please." One of the weapons pointed his staff and shot a much smaller beam of destruction at the still attacking reptiles. My shield did not hinder the beam at all. Before I could say anything, seven more beams joined the first one and the reptiles learned first-hand that while we were not experienced at all (literally), we still could hurt them plenty.

Then
Quarry
communicated to me: '
Quarry
to captain! Some sort of pressure wave is incoming and will hit your position in less than 20 seconds! Lieutenant Henderson urges you to come back on board!' The Brick thumped down on the ground hard, right behind us.

I yelled: "Everyone back aboard now! MOVE IT!"

Under the continuous covering fire from the three weapons in the turrets we jumped back into the Brick which shot up and forward as soon as the airlock was closed. "Shields!" I raised a shield around the Brick while the shields ran back to their Control Rods and I to the bridge. There was a lot of heat outside and radiation that normally only occurred in space close to the star. Luckily radiation was easy to shield from, though the amount was surprising. The heat concerned me more, but as I stormed into the bridge I felt the Brick's shield Control Rods activate and a strong shield appeared around us.

Letting my own shield go, I asked for information as to what was happening: "Report!"

"Sir, it appears that the other part of the vessel, the one that made this intense light upon impact, actually exploded with tremendous force. The pressure wave is coming from the point of impact, but we are outrunning it it seems and it is getting weaker quickly." Annina frowned. "Too quickly actually. Are you scanning this?"

I used sensor magic to scan our surroundings and clearly felt a discrepancy in air pressure when I compared the air in front of the pressure wave and the one behind. "Almost feels like the pressure wave pushes the air away in front of itself. Behind, there is less pressure. Navigation, sensors, engines: Get us to the point of impact of the other part, but high up in the air - at least 50 kilometers."

"To see what's happening there. Good idea." Annina nodded in thought. "Sir."

"I am Xandrian. When we speak more or less privately, let the 'sir' go - it seems to be just in the way. The same goes for you." Lindan was just walking in.

"Okay, Xandrian. We have had many eye injuries, but all are healed. I hope that there are enough Broken Legs on storage - we'll distribute them like... crazy." He obviously was unable to think of a comparison, so Lindan ended a bit lamely. "Other then that, everything seems to be in order, more or less. The evacuation caused one broken finger, already healed. So, we are going to go into danger again?" He lifted his eyebrows and grinned.

"Hah, a bit more cautious this time. We are going to take a look at the impact site of that other part of the enemy vessel to see if we can make heads or tails of anything. Stay here, we're about to arrive."

The impact site was a large crater. There was no piece of the part that crashed here that was larger than my thumb. We wondered how such an explosion was possible, but we came to no result. The pressure wave had left an area of very low air-pressure at the impact site, but it had reversed by now and was quickly accelerating back towards the impact site. As we watched, the air came crashing back and, suddenly forming an area of over-pressure, lots of air got pushed upwards taking smoke and dust with itself. In time, I saw that a very large mushroom cloud was forming. There was an extreme amount of radiation, and it seemed to start spreading across the moon. "Communications, are you still streaming?"

"Yes, sir. The Supreme Admiral has ordered me to do so in the meantime, sir."

"Good. I was hoping he would approve. Engines, let's fly a couple of circles over the impact site, to give everyone as much data as we can, and then we'll go finish our mission. Sorry guys." That last part was directed at Lindan and Annina. "But we have already been much longer in command of this Brick than was part of the mission. Time to let the 'grownups' do some work as well."

Anninas smile looked a bit forced, as did Lindans and probably mine.

After flying a couple of circles above the impact site and the still growing mushroom cloud we returned to the academy, which was hundreds of kilometers away and therefore unlikely to get into trouble by that radiation. They had not even been hit by the pressure wave from the explosion.

Homing in to the landing spot of the first Training-Brick of the academy I felt a bit weird. I was giving up command over my very own Brick, to be part of a crew. A great crew under a great captain, no doubt. But still, it stung a little. At least the Engines Wizard landed us smoothly, with a textbook-landing. "Academy to
Quarry
: Command crew please report to the admiral's office." said the communicator.

I looked around. "Guys, it was a pleasure and an honor to serve with you." I sighed. "I could have lived with less action, but things are as they are. We kicked those reptilian asses." The crew voiced their approval with a loud roaring as we walked out of the bridge and left the Brick. I was holding the blue marked stone in my hand as we walked to the admiral's office. The academy was ghostly empty, all the former cadets had already left and the instructors were enjoying a week off.

When we entered the admiral's office, I put the stone on is desk. "Sir, Prime Lieutenant Xandrian Stone reporting: Mission accomplished." He just lifted an eyebrow at the stone.

"Well done. But, do you really think that I want to talk to you about this stone?"

I did not know how not to sound like I was craving for attention, I just stuck to the truth: "Um, no, sir. We were in the first space battle in centuries and the Prophecy seems to have begun coming true."

"Aye. Nobody knows what to do, your idea of streaming everything was great. This way everybody knows what happened - even if you had not survived. But you thought of that, I presume?" I nodded. "Good. Lieutenants, stand at attention please." Wondering what was going to happen, I stiffened myself and felt Lindan and Annina stiffen themselves behind me as well.

"Second Lieutenants Linuson and Henderson, you are hereby promoted to First Lieutenant. You both had crucial parts in the success of your Brick, which seems to have become known as
Quarry
. There will be a ceremony later this day, when the Supreme Admiral arrives. Report back on board, and get yourselves and the whole crew into your dress uniforms." Lindan and Annina saluted and left.

The Admiral looked at me. "Everything about this is unprecedented. By your quick thinking and exemplary leadership, allowing your Brick to operate at its maximal efficiency, you have more than proven that you are ready for command. We both know the Prophecy, and I guess that we both agree that this was just the beginning." I nodded grimly. "I thought so. The Supreme Admiral has already agreed to leave
Quarry
as it is, it has proven that it works well. Really well. You will remain in command, with both First Lieutenants Henderson and Linuson as your seconds. Report back on board and put on your dress uniform. You and your crew will be summoned at the Supreme Admiral's convenience. Dismissed."

Chapter 7: THE SWISS FEDERATED DEFENSE NAVY

Now THAT was unexpected. Walking back to the Brick - walking back to
Quarry
- my mind was totally empty in shock.

I mean, normally it took at the very least 15 to 20 years until an officer was given his first command. Then again, nothing was normal at the time and I guessed that the Navy leadership did not know what to do, as nobody was even remotely prepared for - an attack! There was no other way to describe what happened. Those reptiles came here to attack us and do whatever they planned. They came here to remove us. They came here to KILL us. In fact, they had killed several crews, maybe 150 or so officers of the Swiss Federal Space Navy.

The further my thoughts spiraled down that path, the more my rage grew. At the time, I did not realize it, but the air around me was actually crackling and my eyes were glowing bright white. In fact, my whole body was beginning to glow. When I just could no longer walk and went to my knees I did so with a scream the likes of which I had never produced before. It was an expression of total rage and nothing else. There was no sorrow or anything like that because I did not know any of the brave officers that died - but those blasted over-sized lizards coming here to kill good people, MY people, for their own gains? Not on my watch.

I ran out of rage and for several long moments I was kneeling there, slumped and panting.

Getting up, I patted the dust off my knees and started heading towards
Quarry
again, with only one thought in my mind: "I need a sweet sinner!" Nobody approached me on my way to
Quarry
's mess hall and I treated myself with a SNNR variation 31-14-1, topped off by a SND variation 22 (Meat loaf with large pieces of root vegetables and brown sauce, and a bowl of vanilla cream as a dessert). Divine, how I needed and enjoyed that!

When I put down the spoon after cleaning the last bits of vanilla cream out of the bowl and leaned back with a contented sigh Annina approached me. "Sir, is everything all right?"

"No, of course not. But I do feel relieved. Letting go of my rage that way was helpful."

"The Supreme Admiral is here and asks if it is convenient for you to, and these are his words, 'control yourself, get your ass into the dress uniform and bring it out here'?"

I grinned and hopped up. "I'll run. 3 minutes."

2 minutes and 55 seconds later I led the crew of
Quarry
out through the back airlock and onto the academy's parade ground. The Supreme Admiral, all academy officers, the crew of
Tan Line
and several crews that I did not know were standing there, using up three sides of the square that the parade ground was. I led my crew to the only free side and we stood at attention.

The Supreme Admiral spoke: "Command and officers of
Quarry
: Congratulations. You have shown us how to defeat those weird light-weapons of those reptilians and thereby you have made it possible for yourself and
Tan Line
to turn the battle around. The enemy lies dead, smashed and defeated on the face of this moon and you stand here, in victory."

What unnerved me was the total absence of sound. Nobody moved a muscle, nobody cheered, everybody stood like statues. Something was definitely up.

The Supreme Admiral smiled. "Your orders were to go get this blue-marked stone." He held the stone up. "And you fulfilled that mission exemplary. Congratulations to all of you. Upon return you stumbled into the first space battle since the God Wars, 500 years ago. This year there will be, in spite of the most recent developments, a massive, system-wide party to celebrate the half a millennium of total piece that we had. Nobody here thinks that this was the only battle to be fought. I see that neither do you." I had nodded.

"Prime Lieutenant Xandrian Stone: You are the most combat experienced command officer we have in the Swiss Federal Space Navy now. The officers of Quarry are the most experienced combat officers we have in the Swiss Federated Space Navy. You fought a battle and you survived. Together with the officers of
Tan Line
you are the elite. That means that the next time the reptilians arrive you are to stop whatever you will be doing then and join the battle. You will be our first line of defense."

In essence, the Supreme Admiral had just lowered our life expectancy by a large factor. We'd been successful, but only by a small margin, and if the next time something bigger were to attack there was no way to guarantee our survival. We had just been turned into warriors. The next words of the Supreme Admiral went even further:

"As of today the Swiss Federated Space Navy becomes the Swiss Federated Trade Navy. A new, small unit of Combat-Bricks will be put together to form the first Swiss Federated Defense Navy. The sole purpose of the new Defense Navy is, as the name implies, the defense of the Colonies.
Tan Line
and
Quarry
are the first two Bricks of this new Swiss Federated Defense Navy. All new Bricks in the Defense Navy will be named as well, while the Trade Navy Bricks will not."

"All cadets will first qualify for the Trade Navy. Those with great power and the wish to put their lives on the line for the defense of the Colonies will be trained further by this here academy to become officers of the Defense Navy."

"
Quarry
will patrol the system constantly for now, until the Defense Navy can be expanded. Any needed supplies will be ordered by you and brought out to you by another Brick.
Tan Line
will remain here, training the best officers the Trade Navy has in what little we know of combat tactics. All shields are hereby required to be able to mirror their shields to qualify as officers of the Defense Navy. The training program of
Tan Line
will produce the first batch of Combat-Bricks, as fast as possible. After that, the defense academy will be reorganized. Until then,
Quarry
is our only viable line of defense."

Now THAT was a total shock. We, being the crew of
Quarry
, were already in the Defense Navy - but none of us had volunteered. The Supreme Admiral thought of that as well, however.

"All officers of
Quarry
who do not wish to serve in the Swiss Federated Defense Navy, step forward. Nobody will think ill of you now, but we definitely would if you did nothing now and later became a liability."

I turned around: "At ease, guys. The Supreme Admiral is right, now is the time to decide." A couple of people shuffled forward, a bit shy. Both the shields did so as well, which did not surprise me at all: They had almost died up there, after all. "Shield Wizards, may I ask you a favor?" They nodded. "Help train the Defense Navy's Shield Wizards, you have first-hand experience and I believe that it would be invaluable if you were to help us this way." They nodded and we shook hands. "Send us people who know what it means to be under fire, to be holding a shield against death, and are still ready to risk their lives." I emphasized the risk of death to make sure that all those who remained were clear what they were volunteering for. Then, I shook hands with everyone else who left, making sure that they all understood that neither I nor any other member of the crew, their former crew, had any ill feelings.

After the last guy had left and was on their way to Tan Line, I looked at the rest of my crew. "Last chance." They all stood straight and proud. "Very well. Welcome to the Swiss Federated Defense Navy. Ateen-TION!" They all snapped to attention and I spun around, snapping to attention myself.

The Supreme Admiral nodded. "Very well. The Swiss Federated Defense Navy will need a leader who is not entangled with trade business. As the most senior of the qualifying officers Captain Sandra Oriakova is hereby promoted to Second Commodore and placed in command of the Defense Navy."