Parker's Folly (47 page)

“Do you have any suggestions for improving the armor?”

“Oh yes,” Rajiv enthused. “We think it possible to mount a form of repulsor array, similar to the ship's shields. They would be fairly low power and not able to stop an impact on their own, but would sufficiently disperse a plasma bolt so that the effectiveness of the armor could be at least doubled.”

“What about the force screen that killed PFC Davis, would it defeat that?”

“Probably not. The force screen seems to be a gravitonic sandwich with plasma contained inside. The energy densities it generates are much higher than the plasma cannon. The ship's shields would probably have defeated the screen over the mouth of the docking bay, but I am glad we did not put them to the test.”

“Well, in that case Dr. Gupta, I would suggest we need to look into enhancing the ships shields. So far we have only been shot at by small mobile units. If we extrapolate their form of weaponry to a ship the size of Folly, or larger, we may need greater protection than we currently possess.”

There was an awkward silence as Rajiv looked at Yuki, obviously wanting him to pickup the conversation. Belatedly taking the hint, he said “Captain, we have already begun evaluating ways of enhancing the ships shields. I feel confident that we can more than double their effectiveness with some relatively minor modifications.”

“Good, and while you are at it, I want to mount some smaller weapons on the hull that can be directed from the gunnery stations.”

“Smaller weapons?” asked the puzzled Dr. Gupta.

“Yes, Doctor. When the boarding party was returning, engaged in a running firefight, the smallest weapon the ship could bring to bear was an X-ray laser that, if it didn’t vaporize our people directly, might have killed them with scattered radiation.”

“Sir,” said JT, who had been content listening to the exchange between the Captain and the two senior scientists. “I think we could easily adapt the multi barreled weapons we made for Lt. Bear—perhaps even in 10 or 15mm. They would have pinpoint accuracy and certainly be able to handle tank sized creatures like the crab-things. In fact, I'm sure they would if we can base them on that pistol of yours.”

“My pistol?” Jack asked innocently. “Why my pistol?”

“Captain, I saw you vaporize a quarter of a man in full armor with a single shot from a hand gun. In fact, I surely wish we had had some of those along on our little stroll around the landing dock.”

“Yes, Captain. If you don't mind us asking, just what was in that projectile?” Rajiv and the others had gone over video of the Captain's dispatching of Col. Kondratov several times, enough to know that it was a single round from some form of rail gun pistol.

“That is a version of our standard 10 mm sidearm,” Jack replied. “The secret is in the ammunition. In that round was a small amount of the same nano-engineered explosive as in the 20mm grenades.”

“Begging the Captain's pardon,” JT responded. “But even a 20mm HE round wouldn't have done what your shot did, not to a man in full armor.”

“No indeed, Mr. Taylor.” Under different circumstances, the Captain would have enjoyed being able to explain a bit of technology to his imposing staff of scientists. “The real secret is that the nano-explosive is very stable, so stable that the application of electromagnetic radiation can shift the electrons in its molecules into higher orbitals. In effect, you can pump additional energy into the material using a laser with the proper frequencies.”

“How much more energy?”

“Up to five times as much as in its ground state. And as you saw, the thermal characteristics of the blast are enhanced as well”

“So why didn't we have some laser enhanced handguns on the boarding party mission?” JT asked in an accusatory tone. “With some of those we might have been able to get Susan out.”

That remark caused a brief flash of anger to pass across the Captain's features. When he replied, however, there was no hint of rebuke in his voice. “There are some problems with jacking up the explosive power of rail gun rounds. First, the energy leaks back out of the explosive over time. It drops off exponentially, with a half-life of about 20 minutes. Second, it takes a lot of energy to pump up a round, more than can comfortably be carried in a hand weapon—the round I fired was energy enhanced in my sea cabin, before I went to the cargo hold.”

“So you see, JT,” Jack continued in a more gentle tone of voice, “Even if you had taken some enhanced rounds, they would have decayed back to nearly normal levels by the time Ms. Write became trapped. They would have been no more powerful than the 20mm rounds that were employed trying to free her.”

“I see, Sir.” JT said coming to attention. “I didn't mean to imply any dereliction on your part or to give offense, Sir.”

“No offense taken, JT,” Jack replied.
If only you knew how many different what-if scenarios have run through my mind since then. Guilt won't bring her back, but analyzing how things happened might save someone the next time.

Sensing the tension in the air, Rajiv spoke, trying to change the subject. “We will continue to work on improving the armaments for both the ship and individuals, but I think you might be missing the real importance of what we have discovered.”

“And what would that be, Dr. Gupta?”

“It is our opinion that the technology of the aliens is significantly more primitive than that we have gained from the artifact,” Rajiv said earnestly. “Moreover, what we have seen appears poorly adapted to warfare.”

“Yes, Captain,” Yuki chimed in. “Despite outnumbering us by ten to one, they were not able to stop our withdrawal to the ship. They even had the equivalent of air cover and armored support.”

“He means the flying units and the crab-things,” JT clarified. “It's true we took some casualties, but given the numbers on their side we never should have made it back to the ship. What's more, humans would have quickly turned a supply of antimatter into a variety of weapons—ones powerful enough to destroy our ship at a distance.”

“I see.” Jack stood quietly for a moment, a look of introspection on his face. “Well, thank you gentlemen, that is certainly useful information to ponder. I have something that you might wish to consider. To start with, what might an alien warship look like, and by that I mean its capabilities and weapons. It would be good to have some estimate of what we might be facing in the future.”

“Certainly.” Rajiv smiled. “And?”

“And consider the possibility that those we have faced so far are the equivalent of local native levies, fighting with substandard weapons, and not the real foe at all. According to Dr. Tropsha, the creatures we have encountered are actually cyborg constructs—part machine, part organic—that are probably no more intelligent than farm animals.”

“Well they certainly didn't react like a group of humans would,” JT replied. “So you're saying we haven't met the real E.T. yet?”

“Precisely, Mr. Taylor. I do not believe we have met our true enemy, but that day is sure to come.”

The Captain called an all hands assembly in the cargo hold to have a memorial service for those who had died. The crew was summoned with the traditional words, “All hands bury the dead.” Four caskets were present on the hold deck, each covered with an American flag.

 After talking to the Gunny and then the other surviving Marines it was decided that the remains of Cpl. Sizemore and PFC Davis were so badly disfigured that transporting them back to Earth was probably not called for. They would end up with closed casket funerals anyway, assuming next of kin could be found to hold one. The same applied to Tommy. Susan, of course, was already gone, her atoms dispersed across the Beta Comae system, her coffin empty.

The Chief had taken the Captain's order to “get that trash off my ship,” literally. He had Hitch and Jacobs throw the Russian's corpse out the port personnel airlock. To ensure that his body was not recovered by the aliens, it was then vaporized by the X-ray laser battery. At the end of the ceremony for the others, their remains would also be vaporized.

Since the deceased were all nominally Christians, a couple of traditional hymns were sung, everyone joining in irrespective of personal religious affiliation.  The Captain read the approved verses of scripture for such occasions, followed by a eulogy.

“This mission has gained knowledge of critical importance to the survival of life on Earth. None of us wish to see our world laid waste, like the dead planet we found in this system. Not withstanding, we have paid a steep and terrible price for this knowledge. We have lost several dear companions in combat with opponents we do not really know or understand. The fallen Marines, Cpl. Leonard Sizemore and PFC Harold Davis, died fighting for our world in accordance with the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps.

“Tommy Wendover, though not a willing participant in this expedition, nonetheless died aiding his shipmates while under enemy fire. I would ask those of us who thought ill of him to say a prayer on his behalf, as I have.

“Finally, there is Susan Write. Miss Write came on board as a news reporter, looking for a story. She, like many of you, found herself on a mission not of her own choosing. Regardless, when the boarding party called for assistance, knowing how critical our mission is, she volunteered to go into the alien space station to help ensure the station's destruction. Through circumstances no one foresaw she became trapped in the aliens' antimatter repository.

“In the end, we know that Susan herself set off the charges, detonating the cache of antimatter. She had waited alone in that place, giving the rest of us time to escape, before making sure that the aliens could not disarm the demolition charges she herself helped put in place. Susan Write gave her life so that we might live to complete our mission. She was one of the most courageous people I have ever known.”

Standing in the ranks, head bowed, silent tears staining his cheeks, Billy Ray said in a quiet voice, “You know, Bobby, I really loved that gal.” Bobby, standing next to him, placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and replied, “I know you did, pardner. And though I'm not an expert in such things, I think she loved you too.”

Eulogy complete, the Captain finished with words from the common book of prayer, slightly modified.

Unto Almighty God we commend the souls of our companions departed, and we commit their bodies to the void; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, space shall give up its dead.

The flags were removed and folded, they would be delivered to the next of kin back on Earth. One by one the caskets were carried to the crew airlock, forward of the cargo bay, and ejected into space. The Marines carried their own while the Chief dragooned Hitch, Jacobs and Adams to carry Tommy Wendover. Susan's empty casket was carried by JT, Billy Ray, Lt. Curtis and Dr. Tropsha, her closest friends.

The crew reformed ranks in the hold and watched on the bulkhead monitors as four shots were fired from the port X-ray battery. Each discharge brought a flair of light as one of the drifting coffins was vaporized.

* * * * *

The service complete, Captain Sutton again addressed those assembled. “As most of you know, this ship has no name. We have been referring to her as Parker's Folly for lack of anything better but I think, now that people have fought and died on her, it is time for a proper christening. I would like to propose to the ship's company that we name this ship after Susan Write, the hero of Beta Comae.”

“Peggy Sue,” said Billy Ray, in a loud voice.

“I beg your pardon, Billy Ray,” the Captain asked, “what did you say?”

“Susan's real name was Peggy Sue,” Billy Ray replied. “Peggy Sue Whitaker of Kermit, Texas.”

“I can confirm that, Captain,” added JT. “Susan Write was her TV News name, but she was really Peggy Sue Whitaker.”

“And you feel that she would prefer being known as Peggy Sue?”

“As much as she made fun of being from West Texas she was proud of who she was and where she came from, Sir,” JT continued. “I think that she would rather be remembered by the name her parents gave her than as a reporter for KWTEX TV News.”

Billy Ray, over come with emotion and barely able to speak managed to choke out, “I agree.”

“Very well, the name changes but the circumstances do not. All in favor of naming this ship the Peggy Sue say Aye.”

A resounding chorus of “Ayes” echoed across the cargo hold. “That's it then. By acclimation of the crew this vessel is now officially the Peggy Sue. Dr. Tropsha, would you please do the honors?”

Ludmilla stepped forward, carrying a bottle of champagne. “In the name of the people of Earth, I christen thee Peggy Sue.  May God bless her and all who sail in her.” She then smashed the bottle of champagne against the forward bulkhead releasing a flood of foam and broken glass.

A cheer went up from the assembled ship's complement. Smiling, the Captain spoke into his collar pip, “Folly, you will henceforth respond to the name Peggy Sue.”

Within the computer's quantum matrix new routines were called forth and executed.
Good, the continuity of sentient life has been reestablished. The Earth creatures have picked up the torch.
The ship replied, in a voice that sounded suspiciously similar to Susan's, “Captain, I am honored to be called Peggy Sue.”

The crew returned to their duties and a more normal schedule following the funeral. The air of darkness that had inhabited the ship since the destruction of the space station began to lift. As the Captain had hoped the ceremony had cathartic power, helping to heal the pain inflicted by the battle's losses. Of course, the free flowing champagne in the lounge afterward hadn't hurt. Once the ship slipped into alter-space it would be a week of smooth sailing, time for a sense of normalcy to return.

“Mr. Taylor, are we on course for alter-space entry?” the Captain asked JT, who was once again manning the navigator's console.