Heart of Steel: Book II of the Jonathan Pavel Series (20 page)

“I’ll do my best. It's just tough adjusting to being back in uniform,” George said.

“I know, but it's important you remember your the XO. If something happens to me, this ship becomes yours. You need to act like that, or else the officers and crew will never respect you, and a Captain without respect is death to a ship and crew.”

“I know John, I’ll keep that in mind, but you better not plan on going anywhere anytime soon though,” George said.

“Who me? Haven't you heard I am damn near invincible,”Jonathan said with a sarcastic inflection.

George smiled, “You might have gone a bit overboard with the god reference. I told you how religious Heath is. Though, I admit I underestimated how much till he flatly refused to be polite to Hightower, or as he calls her the Heathen.”

“That’s a problem for another time.  You can update me on our cargo loading.”

“Well, we’re all but complete. Last of the ordinance and nonessentials are aboard, and we can decouple in two hours. We also received a signal from the convoy that we are suppose to form up with a rendezvous set for 36 hours from now. Nine transports, as promised, will be carrying the reinforcements for Kratos, two destroyers both
Demon
class - the
Oeillet
and
Charon
and a
Olympian
class the
Cronus.”

“The
Cronus?”
Jonathan asked in surprise.

“Yup, with a Lt. Captain Trendale commanding. That's your old XO right?” George asked.

Jonathan nodded shaking his head, “George, if you can help it never piss off cranky old Senators.”

“You know me sir, I make a point of avoiding the better half. Anyway, Admiralty has designated Captain Marvin Mao CO of the heavy transport
RSS Ironman Wu
as Convoy CO, and as the skipper of the largest warship I guess you're the XO and senior security officer.”

“
I suppose I am. Get the officers together so we can brief them on this, then lets be about it then. We've got a lot to do,” Jonathan said.

“Aye aye sir,” George said.

They had just pulled up a holo display of the convoy, and its planned route when Jonathan's com buzzed again.

“Yes?” Jonathan asked.

“Sir, it's Dr. Perkins. They're... um... well there appears to be a large rodent loose in medical. I think the Pharmacist and a crewman have detained it, but I am not sure what to do.”

Jonathan looked at his XO, who was doing his level best to hold in his laughter and failing.

Oh the joys of command. Jonathan thought as he clicked on the transmit button. 

Singking, Solaria Prime, Solarian Republic

Premier’s Residence, The Situation Room

October 24th 844 AE

“Nothing?” Tomas Banjour asked incredulously.

“Yes, I do apologize your excellency,” Enoch Tao said, his long patrician face seeming to exaggerate his facial expression. Not for the first time, Douglas Whitaker reflected that Tao when delivering bad news looked like a Terran bloodhound, especially with that ridiculous mustache of his.

The news truly wasn't good either. Following the issuing of Solaria’s ultimatum four weeks ago, the Colonials had expelled the Solarian diplomatic mission, but since then there had been no communication through even unofficial channels. The Government had expected a counter ultimatum or at least some posturing, but instead all they had was silence. It was made more unbearable because the Confederacy had closed its border with Solaria to all traffic, and was restricting traffic on its other borders. Colonial laser com relays had also stopped transmitting messages into Solarian territory, even if those messages originated elsewhere. This was playing havoc with the stock market and other Solarian diplomatic communications.

The silence was making the Republic's Government nervous. Over the past several months, everyone in the room had grown use to the Colonials bombastic bluster. Whitiker, who fancied himself a bit of an amatuer historian, knew that Solarians were by in large descended from inhabitants of the Pacific rim. Though much had happened in the centuries since they had settled far from their home world, the cultural values of that region still reflected in how Solarians saw themselves and the universe. The Republic's penal code was heavily influenced by that of old Singapore,  Solarians deep sense of working for the collective good, but making sure everyone was equal before the law and free to speak their mind was a result of the mixing values of old China and North America. Another somewhat quirky aspect of this cultural heritage, was an appreciation of the ancient eastern philosophies. Sun-Tzu and Mao were required reading at most Solarian educational establishments, including Overwatch and Baoli the Naval and Army officer academies. Though Whitaker had prefered the more naval centric works of Mann or the applied strategy of Petraeus, he nevertheless saw the lessons that were as true a millennium ago as they were today. One of those lessons was that a weak opponent is a loud opponent- blustering, posturing, and trying to build themselves up to look stronger than they are. A silent opponent, on the other hand, was an opponent who was preparing for conflict.

“The question becomes then,” Whitaker said aloud, “Is will they strike or will they wait for us to attack and keep the moral high ground?”

“I don't think it's fair to say they have the moral high ground,” said Atherton Gao. “Especially after Ozawa.”

“Then you're badly misreading the situation Minister,” said Loretta Cain.

“Oh pray tell, how is that General?” Gao asked with his usual dose of smugness. “The incursion against Ozawa has galvanized our people against the Colonials. What's more, I don't believe any sovereign state would look sympathetically on a nation that arbitrarily launches cross border incursions.”  

“That may be true Minister,” Cain said in her usual flat tones. Despite his constant provocation, Gao rarely got a rise out of her. Whitaker personally believed that it was because next to Cain, Atherton Gao was a mental midget and she knew it.

“While it's true our population has united against the Colonials, the Ozawa incursion was a limited strike against a military target. Anti-Solarian politicos and agitators from Atlantis to Heliopolis can cast it as the Colonials standing up to the Solarian bully.”

“Not that it matters though,” Gao said dismissively. “Blustering like that won't translate into policy.”

“Oh hasn't it though?” Cain replied. “The seeds of this conflict were planted during the Dominion Wars. Now, the Colonials are selling a narrative that agitators in Freeport are using to push for a dissolution of the Free Worlds League, which if it happens will be an unmitigated disaster. The Union of Sovereign Systems and the Kingdom of Vinland both have politicians in their Congress and Parliament that are pushing for sanctions.”

“To be fair General,” Tao interjected. “There are also members of both those nations legislature pushing to sanction the Colonials, and the League voted to honor their treaty obligations. What's more, the Dominion Dikat has outright condemned the Colonial provocation.”

“The League vote was narrow minister, too narrow and the Diktat is making supportive noises because he wants us to give him a free hand in the Dominion’s move to set up new colonies in the rim,” Cain replied.

“Enough,” Banjour said “The League is tomorrow's problem and the  Dominion is yesterdays. The current threat is from the Colonials and the question is are we ready?”

Marcus Ho nodded, “Sir the 3rd and 5th Fleets are up to full strength with the 7th ready in the next three weeks. The 2nd is still mobilizing with units scattered all to hell in gone. Admiral Hopper CO of the 5th has arrived on station in Saugus and stands ready to lead the offensive.”

Ho’s statement didn't really do justice to the massive effort that had gone into ushering scores of ships and hundreds of thousands of personnel into position. The Army and Marines along with the CRS and Interiors had likewise operated with their usual efficiency and competence, but Whitaker couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something. That they were all missing something. Truthfully, a thought which nagged Whitaker constantly was that Solaria had grown too comfortable with victory, and that had made them complacent. It was a worrying thought.

Solaria System, In Transit to the Yimir Wormway, Solarian Republic

Onboard RSS
Ironman Wu

October 24th 843 AE

Jonathan grinned ear to ear as he strode into the conference room and clasped hands with William Trendle. “Well the old bastard got you too,” Jonathan said.

William blushed a bit as he nodded in reply, “I got back from my honeymoon and found my orders had changed. Senator Halman was kind enough to keep his displeasure private, though this is just his way of reminding me he can screw with me anytime he wishes.”

“More fool him then,” Jonathan said. “Will, let me introduce my new XO George Pai. George, this is your predecessor though he hasn't taken your title for meanest right hook.”

George grinned as he shook William’s hand,

“Did he trick you into sparring with him?” George asked.

William shook his head. “No it was a more of a informal ass kicking to remind me of my duty.”

George smiled, “Well, I am glad it worked. John did nothing but sing your praises the whole shuttle ride over.”

“Glad to hear, how often does he trick you into sparring with him?” William asked.

George’s grin widened. “Not often. Who do you think taught him to box?”

“And I taught you to play chess, I think we both came out ahead,” Jonathan said.

They chatted for a few more minutes aimlessly. Will introduced his XO Commander Zander Chu, and the CO’s of
Oeillet
and
Charon,
Lt. Captain Craig Vanderhove of the
Oeillet,
a tall Provo with light hair and skin and brown eyes, and Lt. Captain Wu Qin of the
Charon,
a sharp eyed Steader with heavily oriental features, but flaxen colored hair and light brown almost caramel color skin. Not long after everyone had made their introductions, the host of this conference arrived. Captain Marvin Mao of the Solarian Merchant Marine and master of
Ironman Wu
.

Marvin was a big, boisterous fellow with heavy five o’clock shadow, who wore  fairly typical civilian spacer attire, a nanofiber flame retardant utility suit and an old style peaked mariner’s cap.

“Right then,” Mao said. “Being Navy boys and lassies ya’ll will have made you’se introductions, so let’s get this bastard ball a rollin.”

Taking his seat, Jonathan idly noted Mao’s heavy use of slang and profanity in his speech. It was the mark of a true space dog. A man who had spent more time in orbit with other spacers than on the ground. Jonathan had know several such men who had helped to crew his father’s freighter
Wanderer
in his youth.

“Now,” Mao continued after everyone found a seat, though he remained standing putting his thumbs in his belt loops and rocking back and forth ever so slightly on his heels. “The Navy Brass Asses have in their infinite wisdom made me the master of this here convoy. I don't have no delusions about what that means. I is in-charge of moving this bastard ball o’wax straight through to Kratos and depositing it at the Kratos Navy station. That I can handle. I can also handle Army pukes whining about lack of space and hot showers, and wog crewmen trying to cut every corner and find every loophole. What I can't handle is the security aspect of this convoy. So that being said, Captain Pavel sir you’ll be in charge of all matters pertaining to security of the convoy, while I handle navigation and keep the other merchies sailing in the right direction. Is that agreeable to ya sirs?”

Jonathan nodded. “Very much so Captain. We’ll be making a run through friendly space all the way there and its seven transits I believe.”

“That would be correct sir,” Mao said.

“So, that's” Jonathan did the math in his head, “About 23 to 28 days if we run at speed.”

“Aye, which we shall do,” Mao said.

“Now, I don’t anticipate any problems. However, we won't reach Kratos until after the Premier’s ultimatum has expired, and we should remain vigilant for Wolf Packs, Privateers, not to mention run of the mill pirates. War breeds opportunity for all sorts of unscrupulous sorts. Now to protect the convoy, I think it would be best if we flew in a tight formation the whole way there.
Fury
will lead the pack and hopefully scare off anyone foolish enough to trifle with us,
Charon
and
Oeillet
will assume flanking positions on the port and starboard flanks respectfully, and
Cronus
will bring up the rear. If anyone is stupid enough to engage us, a
Olympian
class destroyer, bringing the hammer down on them will sort them out quick enough.

There were nods around the table, including from Captain Mao.

“Well,” Mao said. “With that settled, best you all get back to your ships and we get a bouncing. We got a long way to go and a short time to get there.”