ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE
STAR BLAZERS---FROM BOREDOM TO UTTER DISBELIEF
Being the first part of THE
NEW COMET--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz
(Thanks to Derek A.C.
ACT THREE: EARTH'S
REVENGE
I. THE HONEY POT
The Brumus Asteroid Belt
Space Battleship Argo
Friday, June 7, 2205
0526 Hours: Earth Time
"Well, we've done it,"
said Commodore Derek Wildstar as he looked out the Argo's front bridge
windows. Or, rather, tried to. There wasn't much of a view, since the mighty
ship was now disguised as an asteroid. "How's the main engine,
Bando?"
"Not good," said
the Mechanical Group Leader as he and Yamanami worked at the middle-aged
engineer's board. "Henson says that last attack dropped our energy
generation capacity forty percent. We can't maneuver at peak efficiency again
until we get it fixed."
"Well, keep on working
on it," sighed Wildstar. "At least we're shielded."
On Wildstar's orders, Domon
had ordered the gunners to fire the ship's polarity reactor shells out the main
naval guns. The polarity reactor shells were spiked magnetic shells that
implanted themselves in asteroids they hit. Then, energized by a magnetic field
in the Argo's hull, they were pulled around the ship to form both a rock
covering and instant camouflage. Sandor had invented this unusual defense on
the ship's first mission to Iscandar back in 2199. Many other ships in the
Fleet had this measure, but Wildstar and those who had learned under Captain
Avatar with him were best utilized of this defensive move in combat.
Ironically, Homer remembered that when this tactic had first been used in 2199,
Wildstar had thought it wasn't quite aggressive enough. Derek had grown a great
deal since 2199.
"So, what do we do?"
sneered Domon. "Wait?"
"Yeah, you could say
that," said Wildstar with a smile. "You see, what we're going to do
is try to draw them towards our location without their knowing we're here.
Then, at a strategic moment, we'll break these rocks free into a rotating
defense. Were you asleep when they taught this tactic in the Academy,
Domon?"
"Well, sir, you see, I
prefer going out on the attack with all guns blazing. It's been like that ever
since my parents died in 2203."
"How'd they die, again?"
asked Eager.
Kitano turned to his friend
and sighed in sympathy as Domon said, "They were on a space-liner when
some pirates came from nowhere and attacked. To this day, they have no idea who
killed them, or why. Utterly pointless. Later, when I met Aliscea Rosstowski,
she wasn't a hell of a lot of comfort. She told me that in an alternate
reality, they were also killed, this time by some kind of Gamilon missile.
Pointless."
"Yeah," said
Homer. "It's pointless when people die for no reason at all. I ran into
this cadet at the Academy earlier this year while I was there giving a lecture.
A friend of his said he had an interesting history; told me about it after I
lectured the class on communications jamming and how to break it."
"Yeah?" asked
Bando. "Did you tell me this story already?"
"I don't know,"
said Homer. "Did I ever tell you about the Ninth of Av before?"
"Don't think you
did."
"Listen to this one,
guys, it's good," said Wildstar.
"Okay," said
Homer. "My rabbi once told me that the Ninth of the Hebrew month of Av is
the single worst date in Jewish history. It's known as Tisha B'Av in
Hebrew. On that day, which usually falls in August in the Western calendar, the
"What's this got to do
with your friend?" drawled Eager.
"He's not my friend,
just this kid I met," snapped Homer. "Okay. This guy, according to a
black friend of his...this guy had everything bad happen in his life on April
28th. His father died on April 28th during the Gamilon war. Later, his sister
died on that date; then his mother. Finally, his lifelong girlfriend broke up
with him on April 28th, 2202."
"Ain't that the same
day Ekogaru almost wiped us all into grease spots?" asked Eager.
"Yes, it is. Well,
this cadet, he's named Winfield, Wakefield, Westfield, something like that...I
heard the Commandant of the Academy has a notation in his record that he's never
supposed to be on duty on the 28th of April...ever."
"That'll stink for 'im
if he ever gets shot at or something on that date," said Bando.
"Aaaa... it's a good
excuse to loaf," said Domon.
"You idiot!"
snapped Wildstar. "I sometimes take a day off now and then to remember the
day my parents were killed by the planet bombs! Wanna make something of
it?"
"Sorry, sir,"
said Domon.
"Hey, what's
this?" said Homer as he heard something in his headset. "This is weird."
"What's weird?"
asked Hartcliffe as he came onto the bridge. "Your ugly reflection,
mate?"
"Hartcliffe, what are
you doing up here?" snapped Wildstar.
"Hardy sent me, sir.
He wanted me to tell you that the lower flight bay door's still bein' worked
on. If we have to launch when ya pull off these rocks, we might be stuck. Nice
bridge, now, sir, ain't it?"
"Whatever," said
Derek. "Homer, what's going on?"
"Yes, tell us,"
said Kitano.
"Someone's pulling the
same trick you were going to have us pull," said Homer. "Someone's
bouncing fake fleet coordinates off the asteroids to fool anyone listening so
they'll think there's a fleet out here."
"The enemy?"
snapped Wildstar as he abruptly stood up. "That sucks!"
"No, the
transmission's in English, skipper."
"I thought I told you
not to call me that," said Derek irritably as he ran over with the others
to gather around the board.
"Turn it up,"
said Kitano. "Don't keep it a secret!"
Homer rolled his eyes and
switched from his headset to the external speakers.
"...This is the Second
Flotilla of the 18th Interplanetary Defense Squadron, calling the 21st Defense
Squadron," said a male voice. "Respond!"
"21st squadron,
over," said another voice.
"We have the area
surrounded. You bring the reinforcements yet? Over!"
"Yep, we've got
'em," said another male voice.
"Over,
acknowledged," said the first man.
"That first man's
black...I recognize him from someplace, but I'm not sure from where," said
Wildstar.
"Want to let them know
we're out here?" asked Homer as he put his finger over the 'send' button.
"Hell no!" said Wildstar. "You do that, and you'll give
away our location!"
"So?" asked
Homer.
"What should we
do?" asked Kitano. "We were about to make them think reinforcements
were coming..."
"Bando, scan the
area," said Wildstar. "Find out what's out here!"
"Yessir."
"Did someone figure
out what we were going to do?" asked Yamanami from Engineering.
"Yeah...someone who
knows me and the way I think. I learned that trick from Captain Avatar. One of
the enemy?"
"Or maybe one of our
old comrades?" said Homer. "Like the commander of the 20th...or 21st
Squadron?"
"Idiot, none of our
comrades is commanding a cruiser squadron! At least...not as far as I
remember...Bando, keep on scanning."
"Yessir," said
Bando.
"Ma'am, someone's
painting us with radar," said Kemper aboard the
"Give me the distance
and heading," snapped Nova.
"Range is far...like
twenty thousand megameters..."
"Good thing we have
our ship covered with asteroids," said Nova as she got up. She ran over to
Kemper's post and flicked a switch.
"Ma'am...hey..."
"Trust me, I know what
I'm doing," said Nova as she manipulated switches. "This is like my
old radar...sort of. There...got an audio sounding of the wave pattern and
amplitude. Nova then watched an oscilloscope as she listened to the bleeps of the
radar.
"Ma'am, with all
respect, what the hell you doing?" asked Potter as he came over from the
communications panel.
"Listening, like you.
Nice job with those signals, guys. Listening to the radar will tell me whether
it's hostile or friendly. Old trick I learned. Familiar pattern," said
Nova, whose face suddenly broke out in a smile.
"Ma'am?" asked
Kemper.
"Hi, Derek,"
whispered Nova in a barely audible voice as Allison showed up.
"Ma'am, what's going
on?"
"Yes, tell us,"
said Barnwell. "Although I think I've got a clue."
IQ-9 turned his dome.
"Nova only gets that goofy, dreamy look on her face when Derek Wildstar is
in the area. The Argo is somewhere in this asteroid field."
"Right, although I am
gonna make you swab the deck for that crack!" snapped Nova. "And put
those hands down! I know what you're thinking!"
"I like your skirt,
Skipper," said IQ.
"And don't call me that
either!" Nova stood with her hands on her hips and looked very peeved.
"Get back to your station, Mister!"
"I will, especially since
your eyes are like limpid pools in the night...your hips are like those of a
fawn, your neck is like a pillar..."
Nova rolled up her eyes and
gestured at the robot. Barnwell's eyebrows went up when he noticed that his
otherwise very ladylike Captain was giving the analysis robot the middle
finger. Nova smiled icily and said, "IQ, your stomach is gonna look like a
dented garbage can unless you sit down!"
"Okay," said IQ.
He made a quick grab at Nova's skirt, flipped it, and then ran off as the
bridge crew (with the exception of Allison Forrester and Michelle Parker, of
course) laughed. At the helm, Michelle was peeved, wondering if the robot was
going to pick on her next. It had
been known to happen on this ship.
"Whoa, ma'am, nice
taste! Black lace?" said Barnwell with a smile while Nova's skirt was in
mid-air.
"Belay that!"
cried Nova after her mid-thigh-length skirt flipped back down again. "Who
do you think you are; that drunken deck ape Bryan Hartcliffe?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Commodore
Wildstar must be a very lucky man."
"You do not need to
know you saw that, Mister!" snapped Nova with a deep blush on her face.
"IQ-9, you...little..." spluttered Nova as she stood there with her
fists balled up. "I'm...going to..."
Then, the bridge shook. The
thump of an explosion came from outside. Nova stumbled, and almost hit the
deck, but IQ caught her.
"Thanks, I owe you
one," said Nova.
"Am I forgiven?"
he asked as he helped her to her feet.
"No. But we'll discuss
your punishment later," said Nova as she planted her booted feet firmly on
the deck.
Nova walked back over towards her
post when the
"Minor hit to the
stern," said Barandini as Nova's face clouded over with concern for a
moment.
Then, there were a few more
hits. None of them did much damage because of the asteroid shield around the
Nova, thought, Whew...too
close for comfort. That was tighter than my Star Force uniform!
Then, she looked forward, and said, "Kemper! Where are they?"
"Twelve megameters
distance, ma'am. They've got missiles...lucky hits."
"They don't seem to be
after us per se..." said Barnwell.
"But they must have
some idea of where we are," said Nova. "That gives us some time to
spring our little trap...Barandini, get ready to release the ring."
"Aye, ma'am!"
"Kemper, do you know
where the Argo is?"
"Not yet...but I'll
find her. Oh! The radar's just changed heading...and it's coming
closer..."
"Should I release the
ring?" asked Barandini from the Mechanical/Technical board.
"Not yet," said
Nova. "Potter, bring up that radio again, let them think there's a fleet
here."
"Aye, aye,
ma'am..."
A moment later, Potter
said, "Ma'am! Incoming signal!"
"It can't be the
enemy?!? No! They've pinpointed us!" said Nova with a surprised look on
her face. "Okay. If it is, we're gonna make our last stand. Release the
shield, plot two!"
"Release!" said
Barandini. The shield semi-released into an asteroid ring as Lt. Commander
Wildstar's last two frigates drew up to defend their flagship.
Derek, she thought. I guess...this is
goodbye for this life. I wish I could see you again before we meet the Lord.
"Main guns
opened!" said
Lieutenant Canning. "When they come in, we're still gonna take a few of
them with us."
"I know," said
Nova softly.
"Switching to video,
ma'am," said Potter in a low voice. "I'm ready to receive the enemy's
mess..."
Nova's frown turned to a
smile when she saw Sandor's image appearing on the screen.
"Sandor! How'd you know we were here?" asked Nova as she
saluted.
"We tracked your
radar. I know what you've done for cover...I've got an idea, but we'll have to
put our heads together. It's the only chance we have to help save Derek and the
Star Force and beat these guys."
"I'm in," said
Nova. "What's your plan?"
"Have your comm
officer switch to Cipher Bravo-Twelve, and then I'll tell you..."
"Roger!"
"Well?" sneered
Czernak on the missile ship Jaavitz about forty-five minutes later. It
was now 0610 Hours, Earthtime, and the Jaavitz was leading the enemy fleet in a
free pocket of the asteroid field.
"I think we've found
the Argo, or at least her radar signals or something, at XP-215."
said an officer. "They're hiding someplace in the Belt. There's also a
fleet coming."
"Where?"
"At XP-234; distant.
The picket cruisers caught something on patrol out there. But, we're not sure
where it is in this space junk."
"Wily bastards,"
said Czernak. "What a low-down trick on the part of these primitives. We
might as well be fighting aborigines who are wearing fur loincloths."
"Yes, the natives are
restless tonight," said the officer with an evil leer. "Of course,
natives are for target practice, sir. Are they not?"
"They are," said
Czernak. "Have the cruisers keep on firing. If they attack enough of that
fleet, Argo will show herself. She won't leave her comrades to perish.
In the meantime, take us to XP-215. Let's begin this game by trying to bag the
chief beast...namely, the Argo!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Killing the Star
Force will be like shooting lambs in a barrel," said Czernak with a grin.
All of a sudden, his ship
rocked from an explosion. "What?" he snapped. "Where'd that come
from?"
"XN-205...above
us!" said the radar officer in a panic. "There's another task group,
coming out of the asteroids!"
"What?"
On the Argo, Bando
had just pulled up the main screen. "I don't believe this!" he said.
"We've got a patrol cruiser and three frigates coming to help us out! No!
Make that...two patrol cruisers and five frigates, total!"
"Message from the lead
cruiser!" said Homer.
"Switch to
video!" said Derek.
The image of Sandor came up
on the screen a moment later as he snapped a salute in his peacoat while his
ship led a charge on the enemy fleet and scattered it. "Commander Stephen
Sandor, acting commander of the 20th Interplanetary Defense Squadron, reporting
to you, Commodore, from the
"We sure could use
it," said Derek. "Who else is with you?"
"Second signal coming
in!" said Homer.
"Change screen!"
snapped Wildstar.
The crew's mouths dropped open when
Nova Wildstar appeared on the main screen. In the background, they could hear
the guns of the
Derek hid his raging
emotions behind a poker face. Damn, I never thought the love of my life
would be commanding one of my escorts. Still, no one to have beside you in the
"Me too," she
said softly. The two of them looked on in silence for a moment, and then Nova
said, "I've got reports of enemy vessels approaching, uh...sir. Sandor and
I will speak to you in a moment. Permission to screen your ship?"
"With yours?"
"Yes, and with my
lifeblood, if it comes down to it…Derek."
Derek paused again, a lump in
his throat. "Granted, Lieutenant Commander. Good luck."
"Thanks."
The screen went dark.
"They're still
coming!" said Eager. "Comin' at us from all directions!"
Then, Sandor and Nova's
ships changed formation. On the
On the
In the red glare of
emergency lighting, Nova asked, "Barandini, how much longer can we take
this?"
"About another
minute!"
"All guns, one last
barrage," said Nova.
The gunners on the Danube
found their marks, along with their mates on the
He stood apprehensively as
the view switched to the outside; the Earth forces were battering the enemy
ships. They began to scatter, and they warped off.
"We won!" said
Domon.
"Not yet," said
Kitano. "They'll be back, won't they, sir?"
"You're right,"
said Derek as Sandor and Nova came back up on the screen again. "What
happened to you guys out there? Where's the rest of your ships and your
commanders?"
"Captain Kobayashi is
dead," said Sandor grimly. "Nova told me the same thing happened to
Captain Tomlinson. We request permission to join forces and act as your escorts
until we're satisfied the enemy is out of the area."
"They haven't left,
have they?"
Nova turned to Potter for a
minute. "No, sir," she said. "We're still picking up
communications. They're talking to their flagship...I think she's an
anti-matter missile ship."
"Is the Argo
damaged?" asked Sandor.
Derek nodded. "That's
why we have an asteroid screen up...I..."
Then, a Cometine ship
appeared out of warp. She was a cruiser, coming at full speed.
"They've spotted us!"
said Bando.
"How's the engine?'
asked Kitano.
"I can give your
enough power to maneuver...and that's it for the moment," said Yamanami.
"Release the
shield!" said Commodore Wildstar.
The Argo's shield was
released, revealing the grey and red space battleship at last. The flying ring
of asteroids surrounded her as she fired her main guns at the Cometine cruiser.
The ship took a hit, then two. A moment later, Sandor's gunners got a bead on
it. They fired, followed by the gunners on one of Nova's frigates. Then, the Argo
fired again. A final barrage destroyed the enemy cruiser at last.
"You see, you'll need
close escort against a force like that," Sandor said. "I can see how
badly you're damaged."
"You can't do this
alone, Derek, not without us," said Nova in a soft but persuasive voice
from her ship.
"Permission granted.
Sandor, your forces take the starboard flank."
"Yessir," said
Sandor.
"Nova, have your
forces take the port flank."
"Aye, aye,
Skipper," said Nova with a wink.
Derek nodded back.
"Thanks, Nova. Now, both of you...I want your cruisers half a megameter
ahead of the ship until I ask you to fall back. We're all going to scan the
area for the enemy. When they show up, we'll take things from there.
Understood?"
"Yessir," they
said in chorus.
"Good. Now let's show
these green guys what a few old veterans can do..."
"I'm going to finish them!" raged Czernak as his
missile ship joined the cruisers. "Now, I am going to go for the last
battle and take the Argo down if it's
the last thing I do! Prepare missiles for firing!"
"All missiles?"
asked his weapons officer.
"Yes, anti-matter
missiles included. I want to blow apart the Argo
and all of her escorts. Order those four cruisers to lead the attack. Then,
I'll release our missiles!"
"Even odds. We can do
it."
"And, inform Gernitz
our victory is imminent. Open a channel to him now!"
"Yessir!"
"Enemy fleet
spotted!" cried the radar officer on the
Sandor nodded. "Let
Nova know what we're doing. We're executing. Then, let Wildstar know what's
up."
"Yessir!" said
Sandor's communications officer.
A moment later, both
cruiser squadrons aimed all of their surviving guns at the enemy fleet, and let
loose with everything they had in a vicious, quick, thirty-second barrage.
On the Jaavitz, everything was pandemonium. "Where did they come
from?"
"Out of the asteroid
field, sir," said his radar officer. "We've already lost two of the
cruisers!"
"Where is the damned Argo?" hissed Czernak.
"Nine megameters away.
She's just stopped all engines."
"What is going on?
Ready missiles! And get me Gernitz!"
"All of our cruisers
are destroyed!" said Czernak's executive officer. "I recommend that
we retire! We are outnumbered five to one now!"
"Not on my life, not
while I still have them!" yelled Czernak.
Gernitz's image came up on
the screen a moment later. "What is going on?"
"We are about to drink
a victory toast! I have the Argo
cornered!"
"Do you, now?"
"Energy level,
seventy-five percent," said Yamazaki from his console as the deadly hum of
the wave motion gun filled the Argo's
bridge.
"Commodore, Nova and
Sandor just reported they're two megameters behind us," said Homer.
"They warped out safely after they got those cruisers."
"Great job; they deserve
commendations for that," said Derek from his post. "Domon, how is it
going?"
"Got them in my
sights!" cried Domon as he stared at the enemy in the target scope through
his anti-flash goggles. "Open safety lock!"
"Safety lock
open," said a voice from below.
"They've just launched
missiles!" said Bando. "Nice big spread of antimatter missiles and
regular ones."
"Sir!" said
Domon.
"Don't worry,
Domon," said Wildstar. "Correct the target and hit them along with
the enemy ship."
"Energy level is one
hundred percent!" said Yamazaki.
"Course corrections
made," said Kitano.
"Ten seconds to
firing!" said Domon.
Wildstar nodded, making
sure his own goggles were on tightly. Then, Domon began the final, deadly
countdown.
"Gernitz, we've
won!" laughed Czernak. "I've just let loose my antimatter missiles,
and we're about to warp out of here after I see the explosion and send the same
to you. The Argo is as good as dead
now. I hope they're saying their prayers to their primitive deities."
"FIRE!" yelled
Domon on the Argo's bridge.
The Argo's wave motion gun let loose a moment later.
The first sign that Czernak
had that something was wrong was seeing the burst of light before the radars
said that the missiles had slammed home. Then, explosion after explosion
flickered out in space as the tachyon beam melted the missiles bit by bit.
Then, finally, the beam of
energy roared out and a deadly light filled the Jaavitz's bridge windows as the ship melted before the helmsman
could even hit the switch to execute a space warp. A moment later, Czernak and
his missile ship were only a memory as a great explosion filled the asteroid
field.
On his flagship, Gernitz
stood in shock. "How am I going to report this to Invidia? Once again, one
of my best commanders has underestimated the Star Force and the people of
Earth. Once again, we have lost another battle!"
"I won't stand for
it!" he screamed. "I want vengeance!
Communications, connect me with the Eritz
Gatlantis. I am going to demand permission to enter their solar system and
finish the job that Czernak just mucked
up!"
TWO HOURS LATER…
"Great job, Wildstar,"
said Sandor as he stood before Derek and the rest of the old crew on the bridge
of the Argo as the task force headed
for Pluto for repairs and liberty. Nova stood behind Derek and smiled softly as
Derek took his old comrade's hand in a handshake.
"No, you did the great job…you and your crew
men and crew women," said Commodore Wildstar with a smile. He then turned
to Nova and took her hand in a handshake; protocol prevented them from doing
more at the moment. "I couldn't
have done it without you guys."
"I heard about the
trick you pulled with those asteroids, Commander Wildstar!" said Domon as
he looked at Nova. "You're a great captain, ma'am. We'd love having you at
our side if we ever need escorts."
Nova walked towards her old
radar. "Actually, I'd rather be back here with you guys; no disrespect
meant to Bando, of course." Nova tapped Bando on the shoulder for a
moment…he stood and let Nova have her old seat back for a moment.
"Why's that?"
said Homer. "I thought you'd like being promoted!"
Nova took a deep breath. "Right
now, I'm on the
"Why's that?"
asked Eager.
"Silly, I miss you guys," said Nova.
"She speaks for both
us, Commodore," said Sandor as he nodded towards Nova. "If you don't
mind…?"
Derek nodded, and Sandor
also sat back down at his old station. He began to look at readings on the
screens at once. "Look at this…they've boosted the power of their reactors
by ten percent. They've been working on refitting their ships just like we've
been working on ours."
"I get the feeling
we're gonna all be together again soon," said Derek.
"Well…it'll be wartime
again, but I don't mind that," said Nova. She smiled at Domon. "Think
you could stand having me around again?"
"I think so,
ma'am," said Domon.
"Good."
"How's IQ-9?"
asked Sandor.
"He looked up my skirt
again earlier," said Nova with a blush. "But he's still been a good
friend."
"Then, why've you got
a skirt on?" asked Domon.
Nova blushed and got up.
She lifted her skirt up just far enough to show her bandage. "I got a nice
burn in the battle when a board went. It hurts too much to put on my blues
right now. Which reminds me, Derek. Is Doctor Sane on board?"
"Nope, it's
"It’s not that bad…our
stores were running short of meds, that's all. I could use a prescription for
this leg ."
"Doctor Bradford or
Natalie can help you, Nova."
"Great. I'd love to
talk to Natalie."
"Why?"
"I'd like to get
something nice to wear on Pluto for our liberty call later on, Derek. I need to
see if Natalie's gonna loan me some stuff."
"No problem there, I
think… Meet me later on in my cabin so you and Sandor can give a full
report."
Nova saluted.
"Yessir."
Later on, Derek was
speaking with the Commander on the Argo's
first bridge. "Wildstar, that was a very costly victory."
"I know," said
Derek. "We’ve lost men here on the Argo,
and we also lost a lot of those task groups."
"It looks like there
were too many Cometine ships for this to be just a probe."
"I think it's a
precursor for an attack, sir. Do we have permission to make some changes and
reconstitute the rest of the Star Force when we get to Pluto?"
"No. The Defense
Council turned me down."
"Sir?"
"They said we can send
the
"Thank you, sir,"
said Derek with disappointment in his voice.
"Your request for a
twenty-four hour liberty at Pluto has been approved, of course, for you and the
others. Those cruisers will need some work before I assign new skippers on
Earth while they’re being repaired there and reconstitute their fleets."
"So, what will Nova
and Steve be doing?"
"Helping you make
sense of this data when you get home. The Council did recognize the merit of
having the best Mechanical officer and the best Survey and Analysis officer in
the Fleet assisting you in analyzing the results of this battle while the Argo is repaired and the
"Of course, sir."
"Office duty,"
snorted Sandor as he, Derek and Nova met in the Captain's cabin later that
afternoon.
"What a crock,"
said Nova in a depressed voice. She sloshed her Type "B" fruit juice
around miserably in her goblet. "Office work drives me up the wall."
"I thought you said you'd
give anything to be off the bridge of the
"That was
important," said Nova. "This is nothing but looking over old results
and frying up numbers like yesterday's leftovers. I like cooking fresh, and I
like field work, making new discoveries.
That, and making people better in a clinical environment. Not making love to a
computer all day. Steve, didn't you get bored when you were doing nothing but
theory?"
"Research stirs my
drink," said Sandor. "But, I like it better when I can do something
new, too."
"We should be getting
ready to investigate this attack!" said Derek. "Not going home to
crunch numbers."
"Like to pull off
another mutiny, Derek?" asked Nova cheerily while she juggled a bag in her
lap. The things that Natalie had loaned her were inside the bag.
Wildstar gagged on his
drink. "What? Nova, you surprise me. Didn't you need to think about this
last time?"
"I did my thinking in
Sickbay while Doctor Bradford and Natalie were looking at my leg. I'd leave
with you right now if we could make up a plausible excuse."
"So would I,"
said Sandor after a long moment.
"Sandor! Nova!"
said Derek. "You'd be risking your careers!"
"I thought we were
over this four years ago, Derek," said Nova. "Why take days
transmitting this to Venture on the
"I reached the same
conclusion," said Sandor. "We have most of the crew here. You're a flag
officer, now. You can cover for us for a bit by putting us in Sickbay, and you
can make a request for pilots on Pluto. Then, when you lift off, we can just go
the other way. Just a little white lie, and I'm half thinking General Singleton
is expecting us to do it."
"Derek, it's up to
you," said Nova. "But, if you do it, you'll have our support. And our
love."
"I'll need some time
to think this over," said Derek. "This is a switch. You followed my
lead four years ago. This time, you two are bringing up the idea. This is
different…"
"Isn't it
logical?" said Sandor.
"It's up to you,
Derek," said Nova. "But I'll love you and stand by you no matter what
you decide. For richer…or for poorer…"
"In sickness and in
health," murmured Derek.
Sandor chuckled. "This
reminds me of something."
"What?" asked
Derek.
"The times I sat
around while your brother got romantic with some girl. It made me feel kind of
like a fifth wheel."
"Steve?" said
Nova.
"Yes?"
Nova smiled. "Go soak
your head."
"My kid sister speaks
up again," smiled Sandor. At that, both men laughed while Nova sat there
sloshing her juice around in her glass. Then, she shrugged, and finished the
juice.
That evening, at 1900,
after all of the ships had cleared the asteroid field and had made a space warp,
the battered Argo and her escorts
made port again at Pluto.
On the
"Sure am," said
Nova brightly. She turned to Barandini. "Mister Barandini, you're Officer
of the Deck until I get back here twenty-four hours from now. You'll work with
the dockyard repair crews."
"I've been doing so
already, ma'am. How many people are taking liberty?"
"About two-thirds of
the crew," said Nova. "Take command, Barandini."
"Aye, aye,
ma'am," said Barandini. He and Nova exchanged salutes, and then, she left
the bridge. "Captain off the bridge!" he barked. "Okay, you
guys…you've got work to do…"
In her cabin, a few minutes
later, Nova stood bare-legged with her skirt off, clad in only a dove-grey
civilian top, black panties, and sandals that matched her top as she looked
over her leg dressing before stepping into the short white skirt she was about
to put on.
The hatch opened, and IQ-9
whizzed in. "WOWWW!" he yelled as he looked at Nova.
"You tinwit! Didn't
anyone ever teach you how to knock
when you enter a lady's room?"
"Nova, I never took
finishing school."
"I can see that,"
huffed Nova. "Well, you have a choice. Turn your head, or help me pull
this skirt up, you so-called genius."
"Why should I help
you?"
"Well, if you're looking, I'm not about to bend over in
front of you."
"I see your
logic," he said as his lights began to flash. "Let me help you."
"Thanks. Maybe there
is hope for you, after all." He gallantly helped her pull up her skirt and
then kept hands off while Nova zipped it shut and closed the snap. "Think
Derek's going to like this?" she said as she stood on her toes and
pirouetted.
"I like it," said
IQ.
"I wasn't asking your
personal opinion…I…oh, never mind." Then, Nova grabbed her peacoat and
began to put it on. "Now, I said you were to be punished for flipping my
skirt on the bridge earlier."
"What's your
punishment, ma'am?"
"I'd like to hit the
stores here in the shopping arcade before I meet Derek. You're going to be my
escort until I meet the Commodore in the Officers' Club. Have you ever carried
a lady's bags and boxes before when she goes shopping?"
"No…it's pretty stupid
duty for a genius."
"Well, I can get
Allison to help, I guess," huffed Nova.
"But I'd do anything
for you, Nova."
"Thanks, IQ-9!"
Nova had just finished putting on her lip gloss. She gave the robot a little
kiss on his dome. "You messed up my sensors with your lipstick!"
"So?" giggled
Nova. "You fix it!"
"Nova, how many boxes can one
robot carry?" asked IQ-9 as he and the young
Lieutenant Commander made their way down the shopping arcade. The robot was
already burned with bags and boxes. Nova was encumbered with only her purse and
several credit cards.
"Look at this,"
Nova said as she stopped by a shop window. She whistled softly as she bent with
her hands behind her back. "Stud earrings! Just two hundred credits!"
"How many credits do
you have?"
"None of your
business," said Nova. The shopkeeper was amused as Nova came in, followed
by her robotic friend. IQ-9 stood stoically while Nova took her sweet time
looking at three sets of earrings, having one wrapped up, trying a few sniffs
of perfume and buying a bottle, and then looking at a few rings; most were for
her fingers, one or two were for her toes. She left the shop wearing new silver
earrings, a turquoise ring on her left hand, a bottle of perfume, and a toe
ring on one of her toes. This took up an hour.
Nova then went into a
haberdashers' shop and came out with three hats, two of her own for church, and
a fedora for Derek. IQ-9 had more boxes to weigh him down as a result.
Nova then spent a half hour
in a shoe store daintily trying on different styles of sandals and sneakers.
She left with a pair of sandals and one pair of sneakers, and more stuff for
IQ-9.
Finally, Nova made a
"come hither" gesture to IQ-9. The little robot squeaked, "Do we
have to go in here?"
"IQ, I thought you'd
love this place."
"What is it?"
"Francine's Fancy. An
intimate apparel shop. I'll need a new nightie for Derek tonight."
"Nova, can't you sleep
in the nude tonight?"
"None of your
business," sang Nova. "You can wait outside if you want."
"Yes, just me and my
pile of boxes."
IQ-9 waited and stewed
while Nova went in. He could just barely see the lacy little things on the
mannequins. Nova emerged ten minutes later with a smile and a little pink and
black gift-wrapped box.
"What's in
there?"
"That's my
secret," said Nova softly. "And Derek's. It doesn't cover very much.
Now, take all this stuff to the hotel lobby while I check in. Then, you can
take it up to our room."
"Everything?"
"Except this,"
said Nova as she held her little box. "Then, I'll see you later…"
"I was afraid of
that!"
"What is the meaning
of this, Gernitz?" said Invidia with an angry glare.
"Princess…Czernak went
a bit too far in engaging the Star Force. He lost his entire fleet."
"Why? Bad intelligence
from you?"
"No, his own
overconfidence. I request permission to take my Fleet to the solar system and
finish what he started!"
"Denied."
"What?"
"You inept man,"
said Invidia. "Permission is denied. His defeat was bad enough…now the
Earthers know that we are active again. Bringing in one vast fleet now would do
nothing but telegraph our intentions and set you up like a lamb for the
slaughter. Even though that would be a fitting fate for you. What have you done
for me but cause me trouble? You were nothing but a thorn in father's side and
mine!"
"So, are you sending
me?"
"No, I need your
ships, you fool. You will remain on station until called for. We shall begin
softening up the Earthlings, but not now, and not at once. They're expecting us
now. We shall strike again…when they do not expect it. And then, my plan shall
begin."
"Your plan?"
"Mine. Not
yours," said Invidia. "I have greater fish to fry than just Star
Force. Even though they shall have their day of reckoning…I have other things
to consider."
"Such as?"
"Leader Desslok."
TO BE CONTINUED....
To Return to the Introduction to The New Comet, click here