Chapter 35: Meeting the Crew

Cadets Nico and Max only start relaxing a few minutes after the lander makes orbit and the artificial gravity kicks in. Their time in High Gravity training did wonders for their bodies, but did not prepare their minds for the rush of an emergency orbital launch.

Going through the memories he has collected since he reached the Academy, Max doesn't remember liftoff being so brutal, or it taking so long for artificial Gravity to kick in, but he simply chocks it up to differences in technology between ship designs, or the possibility that their crew is also in training and this is a full training mission with an experienced escort.

None of the customary announcements were made about an emergency launch or estimated travel time after all, but the timer on the wall says twenty six minutes until docking with the President class Mecha transport that they will be assigned to for their patrol.

The crew in the lander seems a bit on edge, so assuming it's the presence of the Cadets, Max decides to ask a few questions to break the ice. He could likey get the answers from Nico, who is sure to be hacking someone's personal device by now, but this method might prove to be more efficient.

"Hello Corporals, I was wondering if we could talk until it's time to dock?" he asks.

"No problems Cadet. What do you need to know?" The man closest to him answers.

"Our departure time got changed and we didn't get an itinerary or any details, can you tell us which ship we're meeting and what unit serves aboard her?"

"We'll be meeting the Abraham Kepler, a President Class transporter home to the 42nd Armored Mecha Battalion." The man says with pride.

"Named after the third King of Kepler, I presume?" Max asks and the corporal nods.

"What is the strength of your armored battalion? Like I said, we got absolutely zero details before leaving."

"The 42nd is near full strength right now. We have 9 wings of 100 Line Mecha each, fully staffed. 100 Corvette class operators in their machines, plus 50 Crusader Class Mecha. The Shining Darkness is also on board, but it is not part of the 42nd. Phalanx Class Mecha are rarely permanently assigned, and definitely not to a unit like ours without a glorious history or an important homeworld."

"There's more than Mecha on board of course, though they're not of immediate concern to most of us." Another puts in. "The 3rd Army Corps from Kepler 111 is also on board, for ground engagements and boarding actions. 40,000 strong they are. All seasoned veterans at this point, they've been on patrol for 9 of their 10 years term of service."

"So they're not lifelong soldiers?" One of the Special Forces Cadets asks and most of the others chuckle grimly.

"It seems that your friends know. The 3rd division started out at the regulation 250,000 soldiers. There's 40,000 left to complete their term of service. 10 years of war is more than enough combat to see an infantry soldier through this life and the next."

"The ship must be fairly empty feeling then, with so few on board compared to full complement?" Nico asks.

"It's not bad in the Mecha wings. The 42nd is at full strength again, but the rest of the ship can feel pretty spartan. The President Class ships were designed to house two full Field Armies, not one depleted army. But we're on emergency patrol and didn't have time to requisition any more troops."

[All hands prepare for rapid transition after docking. Do not release securements.]

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[Repeat, All hands prepare for rapid transition after docking. Do not release securements.]

"What did that announcement mean other than don't get out of our chairs?" Nico laughs, unfamiliar with the term rapid transition.

"They'll be going to full faster than light travel the moment the lander is secured. Whatever is going on has the Abraham Kepler in a panic to get there."

Nico nods her thanks and stares at the digital star chart on the wall. Two hundred star systems make up the Kepler Kingdom, spread over hundreds of light years of space. Kepler Terminus is a frontier system, on the very edge of controlled space, where one would expect a patrol ship to end up, not leave in a hurry.

But they are certainly in a hurry. Less than 5 minutes on the ground and a rapid transition to faster than light travel? Either this under staffed ship is the last hope for someone, or there's more going on than she knows.

With a gut twisting lurch the huge warship accelerates up to interstellar velocities.

"Well, that was fun." Max says sounding queasy and one of the soldiers beside him gives him a solid pat on the back.

"Took me my entire first tour to get used to it. 6 straight months of feeling queasy at every transition." she says.

"I remember that." another laughs "First time we took off you vomited on Jalil. Almost got you killed without seeing action."

Max isn't the only one feeling Queasy. This was the first faster than light transition for them all, and only one Cadet doesn't look at least a little green. The transition didn't seem to bother Cadet Nico at all.

"How are you not affected by the transition?" Max asks, annoyed that all his scans of her memory didn't reveal such important information.

"After looking at you lot this whole trip, a little light speed jump is nothing." Nico jokes, chewing on a piece of jerky.

"Some people just aren't bothered by the effect. It doesn't matter how strong or tough you are, it just happens or it doesn't." One of the Lander crew informs Max with a big grin, the experienced veteran enjoying the chance to see fresh young Cadets learning new things.

[All clear. Safety restraints may now be removed.] The mechanical voiced computer announcement comes blasting from the intercom speakers once the motion of the ship settles.

The crew all releases their harnesses while the announcement is still playing, preparing themselves to get back to work.

"That's our cue Cadets. Gather your gear and follow me to get your bunk assignments."

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