Chapter 27: Star People Side Story 2: Tour of Duty
Star People
Side Story 2
Tour of Duty
Jan 4th, 4 AE…
An asteroid field in the Gamma quadrant…
“I can’t believe that we’re actually doing this!” Lieutenant Felix Sixlar exclaimed as he and his superior watched from an observation deck, as the crews sprayed large amounts of solvent to dissolve the duralyte polymer. The people of the destroyed planet Earth were using the insides of several large asteroids to serve as a base of operations and a temporary home for the citizens.
“The ship is no good to us covered in duralyte.” Commodore Marcus Nickon stated. “We have to extract it completely before we can begin remodeling and upgrading it.”
“I thought we just brought this ancient relic back, just as a monument?”
“That was the original intention. However, when we discovered how to create neo-protons, the top brass decided that the old Mighty Mo might serve as the perfect test platform to mount the Neo-Proton Wave Gun they’re designing right now.”
“The Mighty Mo?”
“That’s what they used to call the Missouri. When you think about it, it makes sense. They don’t want to risk losing one of the other ships while testing the weapon and there’s no need to build a platform from scratch. If it works on an old ship like the Mighty Mo, then they can adapt the technology to the other vessels.”
“I still think this is a waste of time. The Missouri is almost 200 years old now. It was decommissioned way back in 1992.”
“Well, I guess we can say that the Missouri is being re-commissioned again. This will be its fourth tour of duty.”
“Fourth?”
“It fought in World War Two, the Korean War and the first Gulf War. Now it will be fighting in our war against the Cryterians.”
As the last of the duralyte polymer fell away, the battleship Missouri stood in all of its glory.
Then the engineering crews activated their plasma cutters and began slicing into its hull.
----------
June 7th, 4 AE…
Inside the main shipyard of Asteroid Alpha…
Lieutenant Commander Ian O’Leary, the head engineer of the Missouri project, smiled as he was informed that the remodeling and enhancements on the ancient battleship’s hull and superstructure had been completed. He walked up to the observation window and admired the handiwork of his engineering crews.
The battleship’s overall form had not changed much since it was first launched from the Brooklyn Navy Yard on January 29th, 1944. However, its length, with the addition of the main ion drives in the rear, was increased by 75 meters and its width was now 1.5 times greater. During its refit in the 1980s, a few of its secondary guns had been removed to make room for Tomahawk and Harpoon missile launchers and Phalanx CIWS guns. However, those weapons were obsolete by late 22nd century standards, and it was decided to give those secondary guns back to the Missouri and enhance them. The main turrets would be revamped into pulsar guns, capable of firing either projectiles via railgun technology, or anti-proton beams. The secondary guns would be smaller versions of the main pulsar turrets and the old anti-aircraft batteries would be replaced with maser guns, small missile launchers and other high-tech point-defense weapon systems.
Some distance away from the ship, was the original powerplant and engines. They consisted of four General Electric Steam Turbines and eight Babcock & Wilcox Boilers. He felt a twinge of regret as he watched the crews break them apart and reduce them into raw materials to be used elsewhere. As much he hated to destroy such pristine examples of 20th century technology, there was simply no use for them, especially out in space. Besides the Earth had exhausted its fossil fuel reserves by the beginning of the 22nd century, though it didn’t really matter since their home planet had been destroyed.
The Missouri would be powered by the latest meson/anti-meson reactor, with several redundancy powerplants. The ion drives in the rear would give it phenomenal sublight speeds, while the hyperdrive and transwarp systems would allow it to traverse the galaxy in days. It would also incorporate the G-force nullifier system, which will add to its maneuverability and allow it to navigate in places that the original designers could only dream of.
The underside of the ship had numerous, hidden plasma cannon and missile launcher ports strategically placed to defend against any enemy that tried to attack from below. The entire ship was enhanced with the strongest, pressure-forged hyper-durlenium alloys. For added protection, the ship could deploy a defensive barrier that could withstand a direct hit from a large asteroid.
The biggest change however, would be at the bow of the ship. The engineers were already getting ready to install the neo-proton generator and the barrel of the Neo-Proton Wave Gun. At full power, the beam could obliterate continents or even decimate a planetoid. There was no doubt among the designers that the weapon would be very effective in their war against the Cryterians.
Ian then walked over to his desk and began reading the reports on the plans for the ship’s interior. He smiled as he scanned through the blueprints on his monitor.
The Missouri was originally designed to carry a crew complement of 117 officers and 1,804 enlisted men. However, since it would have the latest in computer and automated controls, there was no need to have so many people in order to operate the ship. The designers had reduced the crew complement to just below 370 personnel and around 50 officers. Living quarters would be more spacious and there were even plans to have a small hanger to house up to a dozen or so starfighters. There was also more storage space for spare parts, rations and other necessities.
They were going to have to tear out all the obsolete analogue controls in the engineering and bridge sections, and replace them all with best electronic systems. The old wiring needed to be removed and swapped for electron conduits. Even the digital upgrades that had been installed in the 1980s had to be scrapped since they didn’t have the data capacity of the new quantum computers.
The refit was going to take at least another year or so, but Ian and the other engineers were certain that it was going to work.
----------
May 26th, 6 AE…
“You wanted to see me, Admiral?” Mark Delan asked after saluting his superior.
It was just 2 days after the Battle of Rigel 6, where the Terrans and their new allies, the Kyteeri, had scored their first major victory against the Cryterians. Unfortunately, it had cost Mark his ship as he had to sacrifice the battle cruiser Missouri, by ramming it into the enemy mothership and activating its self-destruct system. Most of his crew had managed to escape the Missouri before Mark gave the auto-destruct code. He was the last one to leave before the vessel perished in a massive explosion, taking the Cryterian behemoth with it. Currently, Mark was without a ship to command.
“Yes, Captain.” Admiral Margoline nodded as he motioned for him to be at ease. “First of all, I must offer my congratulations to you and your crew for your actions in the last battle.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Second, I must offer my condolences to the families and loved ones of those who fell in battle that day. Not to mention the loss of the cruiser Missouri. She was a good ship.”
“Thank you again, Sir.”
“Now then, I’ll get right to the point.” The admiral sat down at his desk before taking a sip of coffee. “As you know, we are planning a massive strike on the Cryterian Fleet that we had spotted in sector 15. We expect to engage that fleet within two months.”
“Yes, Sir!”
“Thanks to our Kyteeri allies, the new Star Hawk fighters will be taking part in this battle, along with the Byatta squadrons of the 251st and the 99th Wings. We have to thank those people for their starfighter design upgrades. The Mark Threes have far more power and range than the Mark Twos, along with better performances. The fighter pilots just can’t stop praising them.”
“I agree, Sir. They’re a very great and intelligent people.”
“And quite attractive to boot.” The admiral added, which made Mark blush a bit, causing the older man to smile. “There’s no need to hide it, Captain. I am well aware of the interactions between the Kyteeri and the male population of our people. And it’s no secret that you’ve become quite intimate with Star Leader Reelan.”
“Admiral, I…”
Margoline held up a hand. “Whatever you do off-duty is none of our affair. The top brass was initially reluctant to allow couples to serve aboard ships and among the fighter wings. However, after seeing how well they worked together and increased efficiency, the higher-ups decided to relax on certain regulations. The Kyteeri know their duties and have already helped us a great deal, so it’s the least we can do.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Now it’s time to get to the heart of the matter.” Mark’s superior activated a holo-projector on his desk, which displayed a 3D image of certain ship. “The Space Cruiser Missouri, United Star Navy or USN-477 may be gone, but her replacement will soon be ready to take part in the upcoming operation.” He then switched the image to another ship.
“That’s the battleship Missouri. The one that was salvaged back in 3 AE. The refit has been completed?”
“She’s currently undergoing her final shakedown cruise and testing. The engineers tell me that she’s just about ready to take on the Cryterians. She’s no longer Missouri BB-63 but has been re-registered as the USN-SBX-1 Missouri.”
“SBX-1?”
“Star Battleship Experimental One. She’s the first and only ship to be armed with the Neo-Proton Wave Gun. If all of her systems work as we hope they do in the next operation, then we’ll be incorporating that technology into all our other fleet vessels.”
“That’s setting the bar quite high, Sir.”
“Indeed. This is why we want our best starship captain at its helm. That would be you, Captain Mark Delan. Congratulations!”
Admiral Margoline stood up and handed a small datapad to his shocked subordinate. It took him a full minute, before looking down at it. The newest ship in the fleet, the resurrected Missouri was now his to command.
“I’m… honored, Sir.”
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June 6th, 6 AE…
“I now pronounce you, husband and wife.” The priest said as Mark turned to his new bride and smiled.
Reelan smiled back as they both leaned forward and kissed. The gathering of family, friends and officers all cheered and applauded. For the Kyteeri, all that was needed was the consent of both individuals in order to be recognized as lifemates. However, Mark wanted a ceremony, as he wanted to keep the traditions of Earth alive and to symbolize the alliance between the Kyteeri and the Terrans.
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June 7th, 6 AE….
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“You’ve been assigned to the Missouri?” Mark repeated in disbelief. They had just finished their fourth bout of intense lovemaking, when his wife informed him of her re-assignment.
“That’s right, Darling.” Reelan gave him a loving smile as they lay in bed. “My superiors felt that the captain of the Terran’s new flagship needed the best First Officer they could provide. I believe that in old Earth history, the First Officer of a ship was called the First Mate? Very appropriate, don’t you think?”
“Well, uh… I suppose… I mean, I’m not complaining.”
----------
July 1st, 6 AE…
“Captain and First Officer on the bridge!” The navigator announced as Mark and Reelan entered the bridge of the Missouri.
“As you were!” Mark said as he and his wife walked over to their stations.
Unlike its cruiser predecessor, Mark’s command bridge was far more spacious and was equipped with the most technological gear. In the center was the Captain’s chair. On either side of it, were the First Officer’s and Third-In-Command chairs. Approximately a dozen feet from the Captain’s station was the main Tactical Holo Projector. About five feet more were the Navigation and Helm stations. On Mark’s right was the Communications and Scanner stations. On the left were the Engineering and Data interfaces. Five feet in front of the Captain’s chair was a large panel on the floor.
As they approached their command chairs, an officer stood up and saluted them.
“Welcome aboard the Missouri, Captain Delan! You too, Commander Reelan!”
“And you are…?” Mark asked.
“Lieutenant Commander Jaxton Bridgestone. I have been assigned to the Missouri to act as your third-in-command, Sir!”
“Very well, then.” Mark and his wife then sat down, along with Bridgestone, who handed him a datapad with the following orders to immediately move out. The captain scanned over the datapad and nodded as he pressed the intercom controls on his right chair console.
“All hands, man your stations! Repeat, man your stations! We will be moving out immediately!” He then turned the communications officer, a Kyteeri named Shrise. She was a lieutenant. “Inform all ships of the 110th and 115th Destroyer Flotillas to move out with the Missouri!”
“Aye, Sir!”
At the rear of the Missouri, the ion thrusters began powering up as the meson/anti-meson reactor fed power into them. The ship then began moving forward and out of the asteroid that had been its place of resurrection. As it cleared the asteroid field and started to accelerate, the 110th and 115th Destroyer Flotillas began to follow.
“We are approaching 0.8 warp, Captain!” The helmsman announced. He was a new ensign and was named Clark Venters.
“Prepare to engage the hyperdrive and accelerate to Warp 2.”
“Aye, Sir! Counting down from 10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…”
“Engage hyperdrive!”
At the bow of the Missouri, a halo of energy began to form as the ship pierced the barrier between normal space and hyperspace. The G-force nullifier system neutralized all gravity fields and for a split second, reality warped all around the ship. Then the Missouri accelerated forward and into hyperspace, easily exceeding the speed of light. The other destroyers followed suit as they streaked away to confront the enemy.
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July 7th, 6 AE…
The Battle of Rigel 15…
“Direct hits, Sir! Damage to enemy battleship’s forward shields and amidships!”
“Fire another barrage!” Mark ordered. He was standing with his wife as the ship pushed forward toward its main objective.
The Missouri’s pulsar guns let loose with another volley of anti-proton beams at full power. The beams plowed through what was left of the Cryterian battleship’s shields and split the entire vessel in half. With the ship’s demise, the Missouri had a clear path towards the enemy mothership.
“Enemy battleship has been destroyed!” The helmsman announced.
Suddenly, the Missouri shuddered as several dozens of particle beams and projectiles slammed into its defensive barrier. Mark and Reelan quickly sat back into their seats. The Cryterian fleet had decided to concentrate their firepower on the Terran flagship. The other Terran and Kyteeri ships tried to distract the enemy, but the Missouri still took a pounding.
“Defense barrier down by 30%!”
“Damage reports coming in from sections 47, 67 and 82!”
“Power levels are dropping in several secondary batteries!”
“Star Hawk and Byatta squadrons report they are taking heavy casualties! They can’t hold back the enemy assault!”
“Captain, she can’t take much more of this!”
“That’s it! We’re firing the Neo-Proton Wave Gun!” Mark announced as he turned to his third-in-command. “Lieutenant Commander! You are the trigger-man!”
“Aye, Captain!” Bridgestone acknowledged as he stood up. At the same time, Mark pressed the Wave Gun activation controls on his console. The panel on the floor slid open and the Wave Gun console and seat rose up and locked into place. The lieutenant commander sat down.
[Confirm identity and activation code.] The computer asked.
“This is Lt. Commander Jaxton Bridgestone! Third-in-command of star battleship Missouri! Designated by Captain Mark Delan as trigger-man! Activation code 001422 Beta!”
[Does the Captain acknowledge?]
“Activation code acknowledged!” Mark said.
[Initiating Neo-Proton Wave Gun deployment.]
The bow of the ship split apart as panels revealed the barrel of the weapon. Power began building up as energy collectors buzzed to life. In seconds, the untested weapon was getting set to fire.
[Neo-Proton Wave Gun fully deployed.]
“Begin neo-proton charge for maximum payload and range! Code Gamma 0031892 Epsilon!”
The neo-proton generator began creating the ‘ammunition’ for the gun to fire. In seconds, the process was completed.
“All allied forces have moved out of the line of fire.” Reelan announced.
[Neo-Proton Wave Gun armed and ready. Final activation code required.]
“Final activation code, Zeta 008921 Omega!”
[Final activation code confirmed. Safety locks released. Target acquisition?]
At that point, the ship shuddered mightily as the tactical display showed that the defensive barrier was down to 20%.
“Target at coordinates zero, zero, zero… lock on!”
[Target acquired.]
“Countdown on my mark, Lieutentant Commander!” Mark cried out. “Five… four… three… two… one… FIRE!”
At that moment, the tactical display showed that the defense barrier had failed completely. At the same time, Bridgestone pulled the trigger. All the power that the gun had been gathering was condensed and let loose in a massive beam of energy. Anything caught in the blast was instantly annihilated. Enemy fighters, destroyers, cruisers and battleships were reduced to subatomic particles. Even the Cryterian mothership was not spared as the beam blasted through its defensive shields and caused the center of the ship to cave inside of itself. And then the beam erupted from the other side of the ship and caused the mothership to detonate in an enormous blast, like a miniature nova, signifying the end of the battle.
On the Missouri, emergency crews raced all over the ship as it was barely able to handle the strain of firing the Neo-Proton Wave Gun. The barrel itself was burned and nearly melted. Circuit relay shorted out and the entire mechanism needed to removed and replaced. There was no chance of firing the gun for a second time today.
Captain Delan let off a sigh of relief as reports came in that the remaining Cryterian forces were retreating. The meson/anti-meson reactor was temporarily offline and they were operating on secondary backup power. The Missouri began to limp back towards headquarters, along with the rest of the strike force.
Although the cost had been high, the Terrans and the Kyteeri had their confirmation that the experimental weapon worked. The Missouri would be in drydock for at least 3 months after the battle, but its systems and its most powerful weapon would be repaired and improved over the course of the next 2 years. Furthermore, its systems would be mass-produced and distributed over the growing fleet against the Cryterians. By the next year, three more alien races would join the cause and the Missouri would fire its Wave Gun a total of seven more times before the war’s end.
But that didn’t mean that its fourth tour of duty would end afterwards.
Author’s Notes
Well, here’s the second side story I came up with as I’m still having some writer’s block for the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.
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