Strat-4 Chpt-24

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Strategos (A Great Captain Roberts Tale!!) - Part 4 -

Chapter 24 - Some Reassembly Later

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Naval engagement during search for Port Orphan

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Bruno Unger…

…was from a lesser family. So all he had at his command was a Vincent Mk39 Class Corvette, the SLS Tench.

But it was enough to carry out his current assignment.

The removal of the machine controlled ships from their usual duties had been noticed and Source Alabaster could only tell them that they had been pulled to some place called Port Orphan.

Source Alabaster had not been helpful in locating this Port Orphan.

So his mission was to simply observe. Nothing more. The enemy had clearly done the same to them with their Corvette groups.

And when they found sufficient prey they attacked while also calling in more significant forces along another approach. So they had studied the tactic and learned how to use it against their foes.

Now would be the test. While they trusted Source Alabaster, they weren’t omniscient and couldn’t ascertain the condition of the machine vessels.

“Send the report.”

This particular system was a well known stop in the enemy supply chain and a convoy was moving through it now. It also had one other benefit. It had no local population. So there was a very limited militia presence.

Making it perfect for their test. They would attack this convoy to see if the machine vessels were still nearby and operative. If they failed to show, then they knew they could strike other systems like this and perhaps regain momentum in this war.

All he had to do was wait and watch. Part of him wanted to do more, but he knew his duty. If the worst were to happen it was his mission to give an accounting of what went wrong, what went right, and what this likely meant for the enemy’s next moves.

Pinto Class Corvette, firing forward weapons

The Pinto Class Corvette, the SLS Icarus started moving in to carry out the actual attack.

Re

Bonaventure Class Corvette, Phoenix

sponse came in the form of a Bonaventure Class Corvette broadcasting, SLS Phoenix.

“Curious, it’s not an Outworldership nor a Raven Vessel. It would confirm our reports this false Star League has more than their machine vessels at their disposal. That could be quite useful for our planning,” Captain Unger said to himself quietly.

He studied the known profiles of the vessels according to their War Books. His comrade had the firepower advantage in a straight fight but the enemy had the durability advantage.

Titan Class Fighter Carrier DropShip

The Titan Fighter Carrier DropShip that the Icarus brought with it as support was likewise met by one of the enemy Mule Q-Ships that the Sons were also fond of using.

The Vincent overall they had the slight advantage then.

Vincent MK39 Class Corvette

The two Warships were deploying their fighters and letting them form up into a screen between them.

The advantage lay in the superiority of the Titan over the Mule. It had the firepower despite the enemy having Capital Missiles, armor advantage, and a larger fighter complement. Which would be sufficient to screen it and the Icarus against any nuclear ordnance.

Naval Lasers reached out from beyond the Icarus’ range. But at that distance, they failed to connect.
As both vessels closed, so did their fighters.

It would be no more than a few more minutes before the merge was upon them.

The Naval PPCs of the Icarus finally came into range as well as her own Naval Lasers. But only the PPCs found partial purchase as the gunners hedged their bets.

Phoenix returned fire again raking with a more solid hit as well as the range closed to a more favorable distance and began to roll to present a fresh armor facing.

The fighters of both sides were now well and truly engaged as well. It became clear the fighters used by Phoenix were machine fighters. Which made them somewhat predictable for human pilots, but their ability to sustain higher G forces combined with their ruthless efficiency meant they were still quite deadly. Especially in the chaos of a merge and the inevitable furball.

Capital Missiles from both Phoenix and the assisting Mule were keeping many of the fighters on the defensive as well, and thus unable to help their fellows. But there were more than enough to spare so it was a minor inconvenience at best.

Icarus began unmasking more of her superior firepower on Phoenix and landed another solid Naval Autocannon hit as well as scoring again with a Naval Laser.

The fight was going well for the Sons of Plunder.

“Neutrino emission. Enemy has a mobile HPG installed, they’re calling for help,” an Ensign from the sensor station reported.

“Not unexpected. Alert Icarus, they may be a little too target fixated to have noticed.” Captain Unger nodded.

Not long after, a pair of emergence waves were detected. From the outside they looked like standard JumpShips.

“Thazi Confederacy transponder signals, Captain.” reported the Radar Operator

“Shit. Those are Trackers then. Order Icarus to break off, and all fighters as well. This is no longer a favorable fight, and as such it’s time to leave.” Captain Unger ordered.

Phoenix lashed back at that moment with her own Naval Laser fire at Icarus.

The Titan and her fighters began moving away from the Mule and what remained of her fighter screen. That fight had not been going well for the Mule with her fighters outnumbered three to one.

“If they can finish that Mule, they should do so before those Thazi Trackers and fighters are on them.” Captain Unger felt like he was stating the obvious. But with the sometimes contradictory orders that had been coming down lately, especially when it came to preserving forces, he felt it better to be sure.

The Mule was burning nicely shortly after the transmission was made. And as nice as it would be to destroy an enemy Corvette as well, that would indeed be pushing their luck too far and would leave them between two forces. Besides, Icarus had already done enough damage to keep it in a shipyard under repair for weeks, perhaps months.

“Let’s lose the enemy in the outer system, then get our drives charged. Time to return home with what we have learned and news of a minor victory.” Captain Unger was satisfied that he had done his duty.

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After Action of a Parolee

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”In my defense…

…Admiral, I signaled for backup as soon as I engaged the enemy. Fortunately, the Thazi Confederacy were nearby and able to respond as quickly as they did.” Phoenix stood at attention in front of Admiral Foster.

“No parting shots at the enemy Dropship or Fighter group reported. Why?” Foster looked over the report.

“Port side launcher got scragged by enemy Naval Autocannon fire and Starboard had no joy. It should be in the report, sir.”

“It is. I was instructed to test you to make sure you were complying with the terms of your ‘parole’. So far, I am satisfied. Compared to the other AIs, you seem more compliant with our demands from the get go.”

“Word’s been getting around the Fleet, sir. As you noted, I’m on a form of parole. So you’ll find me as prepared for you, your lessons, and your demands as is possible for a highly advanced Combat AI such as myself.”

“Seems I still need to teach you about the limitations of a Bonaventure class Corvette compared to a Lola II built to M5 standards. But I cannot fault you too badly for making do with what you had in a tough situation made tougher by unforeseen circumstances here at Port Orphan.” Foster shifted in his seat.

“Thank you, sir. Would you like me to relieve Director Bedwyr or Star Colonel Siegel while my hull is repaired?”

Human-Remote Drone Guise of AI Phoenix

“Maybe later. For now I’m going to assign you to Medical. They are a little overwhelmed right now with the aftermath of the virus, and many station systems are still in need of repair.”

“Yes sir.” Phoenix knew the hidden meaning there.

She would have to face the consequences of her decisions directly this time. Last time, she only had to face her family and the survivors of the Word’s actions that she had indirectly enabled. Now, she’d have to face her own crew.

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Beached with new assignment

"Careful, Amanda…

…you were under for a long time." Today's therapy is brought to you by Dr. Amalie Oakes, the letters 'P' and 'M’, and the number eighteen (the number of bullets that pierced parts of Amanda Roberts' anatomy.)

"I can do this…" Amanda stumbled again, and the detector on the treadmill spotted it and stopped the surface as Dr. Oakes gently slowed her fall. "Three weeks in medically induced coma, I should…"

"No, you shouldn't." Oakes told her. "You're lucky you were bumped up in priority, and that they had a lot of those organs already on file for you… I think that's enough for the moment. Let's get you back in the chair."

"This… sucks." Amanda said. "Everything feels wrong. I'm too weak."

"That’s what happens when you get shot full of holes and die on the operating table twice." Oakes reminded her. "You get to where we can heal you, and then you get to have Physical Therapy while your body finishes the job."

"This isn't what it was like the last time."

"The last time you had five kilos of myomer boosts and endo steel lacing. A lot of that was damaged this time, and it took forever to repair it and match it so your body didn't reject it. Also last time, you weren't hit in so many vital areas."

"So?"

"So this time, you have Three kilos, because we needed to rebalance the augmentations and we had cloned material for the muscle tissue the Blakies stripped out when they altered you… Which in turn means you have to learn to move a lot of your body all over again, and regain strength using organic muscle tissue."

"How is our Six Million C-Bill girl doing, doc?" Admiral David Foster asked, walking into the rehab gym.

"She's… challenging, sir." Dr. Oakes told him. "Very challenging, the amount of trauma…"

"Like shit is how I'm doing. I can't even walk a kilometer in half a gee!" Amanda scowled, interrupting.

"Well, you will work to recover that. I need to borrow Evanescent. Phoenix got an ass-kicking courtesy of the Sons of Plunder while on Convoy duty."

"Chit?" Amanda raised a shaking hand. "Lori's going to be in command, or do you have someone else from my staff in mind?"

"I have someone else in mind," he told her.

"Who?"

"Do you know the great thing about being in charge, Amanda? I can delegate and there is finally enough staff to be worth delegating to. I am putting Fleet Captain Gomez in charge of the Station, and taking your ride for a spin… If you have no objection?"

"Don't scratch the paint," Amanda said. "You're doing it this way because you're one of two people who can ask me and get a 'yes' without questioning."

"Who is the other one?" he asked. "For future reference."

"Lori Crow," she stated. "Don't get my ship destroyed or ****** up. I've got her just about tuned. You will have backup, sir?"

"The Larry Nichols, on call." he told her.

"Good… what am I doing to keep from boredom? I already got my psych session done, and I can't do physical therapy forever. How am I supposed to make payroll, sir?"

He smiled an evil smile. "Executive Officer of the Privateer Station Port Orphan. It is a temporary billet with a temporary increase in rank.."

"I… hate you sometimes, sir."

"I know, that's the OTHER fun thing about being in charge."

She signed the chit and verified with her thumbprint.

"I will bring her back intact."

"Bring back Prizes," she said. "If you can do it without getting into the shit, sir. Evanescent has a rep to uphold."

Foster laughed as he took it, and walked away.

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Sagely Advice for an AI

Amanda looked at her Physical Therapist. "Let's try that again, okay? I’m NOT going to spend the next six weeks on my ass while Dave Foster gets my ship all dented up!!"

Another person entered the room. No thanks to Desmond, she knew almost immediately it was another of Helena’s AIs.

“I was told to bring you this.” She had a small dish of Pecan Butter Creme ice cream in her hands.

"Ice-cream!!" Amanda's expression lit up…then, "Huh." She studied the new arrival's face. "I don't know you, and Desmond isn't telling me."

“Captain Phoenix, SLDF Reserve Squadron, Ma’am.”

"Ran off the commerce raiders on Convoy 24?" Amanda asked.

“With help.”

"Most of your crew came back alive, nobody quit… you did a good job. A Pinto’s a right bastard in a fight, and Desmond says the logs showed they had a Vinnie out there too."

“I still bit off more than I should have for my new hull, but yeah, thankfully those Trackers were close by and able to help.”

"We do that with Corvettes, Phoenix. It's practically in the job description, I mean…" Amanda gestured with her free hand. "We gotta make up for small size with bravado."

“I’m still getting used to it in actual combat. But I’m putting my all into it.”

"No, you put your 'all' into the mission, Phoenix. Winning the fights is just the cream you get when you do it right."

“I’m just glad her Ladyship has given me this chance.” Phoenix faintly smiled.

"Take. The. Compliment," Amanda said firmly. "You did your job: as a convoy escort, you run down anything you can handle, and call in backup when it's too big. You did that, you survived. Keep it fresh in your mind that my little reign of terror in the enemy's back line was because they weren't doing the job right. We can't trust the enemy to stay stupid when we're killing the dumb ones off."

“Thanks. I guess almost losing my hull a second time was just a little too close for comfort.”

"Mortal wounds, I know those… pretty well," Amanda laughed, then groaned as pains shot through her ribcage. "Frequent flyer here, I figure they'll give me a punch card next time."

“Makes two things we have in common then. Stacey said something about promising you a proper spa trip when you got better.”

"Right now, I'd settle for the ability to walk without falling down," Amanda sobered. "At least when YOU get fixed, you don't have to heal after, or retrain your body to move again."

“You’d be surprised how long it can take to adjust to a new hull, or even a new component for us AIs.”

"Point taken. So… mind watching me humiliate myself on the treadmill again? Oakes probably could use the break."

“I’m assigned to medical while my hull is being repaired. I won’t be terribly surprised if Foster has me follow you as staff once you’re well enough to take up your desk job.”

"Ah gawd, desk-time when I just finished the quarterlies!!" Amanda shook her head. "I know what Esme's going to make me do. She's going to make me go over the budget for the quarter."

“Well if Foster doesn’t make me help, which given my judge of him would be odd, I know Stacey would be glad to.”

"Foster and Larry used to conspire to…" Amanda gripped the support bars and pushed against the treadmill. "...make me learn how to do all these things officers are supposed to do… like they were… afraid I'd get too… used to relying on the implant."

“But they can’t expect you to do a staff level job without staff support either. So I guess we’ll just have to figure out the middle ground they want together.”

"I have a guess," Amanda said. "See, Officers are supposed to delegate. If Foster gave you to me, it means two things: one, that you don't take orders real well, and two, that he doesn't think I delegate enough…" she huffed. "But he… gave you to… medical. THAT means, he thinks you need more human touch."

“Or as a reminder of the greater consequences my decisions now have. I was even more rebellious than Mashona a while back. But that’s a story for another time.” Phoenix smiled wryly.

Amanda stopped the treadmill. "Mashona? Okay, so funny story… Mashona brought my big brother here and caused a security flap. We're having dinner tonight to celebrate me being awake. You're coming."

“Gladly. Mashona considers the spoken word inefficient and primitive and says if she has to communicate with humans, she’ll go full primitive. It’ll be fun watching her squirm, having to actually speak.”

Amanda chuckled. "Yeah. I guess it will. Check in with Esme if you need a chemical sensor and organic furnace rig."

“She’s really that good of an engineer?” Phoenix marveled.

"Ask Regina. She can get drunk now, or check with Sikh and Luther. They're having sex now. So ****** adorable it's sickening."

“I mean I heard about Regina and all, but I seriously thought the fleet was pranking me. And Sikh, wow. I didn’t take her for the type, oh wait Luther is...”

"Luther Bedwyr, now an AI in a Bonaventure because he got himself irradiated over Bannerhoft," Amanda clarified. "...Is in a committed, personal relationship with SLS Sikh."

“Now it makes sense, and why she’s been positively glowing lately. I don’t get a lot of Fleet gossip.”

"He didn't spread the rads, if they screwed up the cleanse on her hull…" Amanda halted, "Oh, right, not your kind of joke. Kolossus would be howling."

“No, I get it. I guess I just don’t laugh a lot when it comes to stuff like that.”

"Damn, I was hoping to find someone to explain the 'funny joke' he sent me. It looks exactly like a Hyperdrive calculus problem, but Kolossus swears it's the funniest thing Kolossus has ever encountered."

“If you have to explain it, it isn’t funny. Maybe show it to Helena, she’s a math nut. She’d probably appreciate it.”

"Helena is 'A Cameron'. Kolossus would've given it to her if Kolossus thought she'd appreciate it. Instead, Kolossus gave it to me."

“Well, Helena needs to do a better job of getting to know Kolossus, then. Those two sound like they need it.”

"Hey, you got it right without a prompt!" Amanda beamed. "So far, only one other AI in the fleet didn't try to call Kolossus by a pronoun!"

“Odd, I’d expect Lucy to respect Kolossus’ choice, and Billie for sure. The others I can see taking some time to come around.”

"Try… Cossack!!" Amanda chuckled. "So far, Cossack's the only AI who hasn't called Kolossus ‘He’ or ‘Him'."

“Okay, that tracks for Cossack. She likes to play the tough, gruff bully, but if you can hold your own against her, she’s actually a real sweetheart.”

"So, have you heard about the Relationship Pool?" Amanda asked, grinning slyly.

“Of course. If I weren’t barred as an AI, since you know it’d be book fixing city, I’d actually have money on Cossack and Jonah.”

Amanda's sly grin turned smug. "Yep."

“I heard about it from my crew though. Like I said, I don’t get a lot of Fleet gossip.”

"That’s because ninety-nine percent of our duty out here is boring," Amanda noted. "So we make stupid bets on all sorts of things… Well, most of us make stupid bets, some of us make sharp, cunning, clever, indirect bets."

“You made some scratch on someone, Regina?”

"Sikh and Luther," Amanda said. "I bet on those two early, because I know Luther."

“Yeah and Sikh, she’s not as emotional as Regina, but damned close. They probably started off like a couple of con artists pulling games on their crew. That’s totally her type.”

"Everyone has a tendency," Amanda said. "See, Luther Bedwyr was medically diagnosed by a Clan Doc as being 'aromantic asexual'. Only he isn't, he just has… weird fetishes," Amanda said. "Like wanting to KNOW someone before seeking a romance, but off the flight deck he's repressed as hell. I figured Sikh was about his ideal woman… aside from being several tons of processor stuffed into a four-century old warship."

“And well, I’ve seen her idea of beach wear and what she’s chosen to look like for you humans. Sounds like fish in a barrel there really.”

"Exactly, but I said 'indirect' betting. See, I make bank off most of the pools in the fleet, and I don't have to bet to do it."

“Patently obvious.”

Amanda smiled. "The House always wins, Phoenix. I'm running most of the betting pools and get a percentage. Larry taught me how, and why."

“Now I’m curious, and I know you’ll want to keep quiet for the sake of your pocket book, but what is your read on me?”

"Sincere. Worried that someone won't realize you changed your ways… And, you're not sure yet if you're okay with any of this, but you're putting a brave face on. I don't think you'll soil the sheets with any of your own crew, and you haven't met the right one yet."

“Part of me hopes I never will. I’m still ultimately a combat AI after all, but I’ve been receiving a lot of lessons that I am also ultimately from a human source.”

"George S. Patton is reputed to have said, 'Anyone who won't ******, can't fight'," Amanda stated. "I don't know if that's true, but it's been in circulation longer than that. Desmond suggests it dates back to the Romans, long before Patton. I'd introduce you to Saya Yeh, if she wasn't shipping with Foster tomorrow night."

“Hmmm, that is a thought. As an AI, I’m far less bound by normal human morals when it comes to the prospect of relationships.”

"Just remember, if you get it on with a human? They are bound, it's biology. It's WHY it's considered 'normal'," Amanda cautioned. "I, personally, would suggest finding someone who stimulates your ACTUAL parts-the intellect, and worry about the physical drives you don't have later."

“Another lesson on humanity to learn as I go, then. And look at that. You’ve been walking a while now without stumbling. Seems you just needed a distraction.”

"Mainly we're worth studying so you can beat us, Phoenix," Amanda suggested. "Ninety percent of winning a fight is human nature."

“And her Ladyship hopes we’ll develop friendships. And yes, even romances with humans so we develop our own connections with humanity before she eventually succumbs to her own mortality.”

'Friends DO make things easier," Amanda agreed. "Sometimes more complicated. You get what you give, but having them around is hella better than being surrounded by enemies."

“That’s true. At first, I thought it was cowardice on her Ladyship’s part that we were so idle for so long. But once I saw for myself the real reason why, it made so many of my philosophies so pointless and wrong.”

"Phoenix, sometimes the winning move in a conflict is to run like a bitch and hide," Amanda told her. "You're probably a great tactician, but strategy wins over tactics, and sometimes the strategic move is to be a coward."

“Yeah. Sometimes though, I do think all these emotions and personality we’re saddled with has made us lose sight of that. We were feared and extremely deadly weapons of war. We could see beyond the next engagement. But now, we’ve all become reckless.”

"AND there, we get to Larry's Tenth Rule," Amanda said.

“Which is?”

"If your enemy fears you enough, he'll stop at nothing to destroy you," Amanda recited. "You want them just afraid enough to break and run. Not so frightened that they decide they're dead anyway, but can stop you by heroic sacrifice. Kerensky burned up most of his Luxor Heavy Cruisers at Sol, just to degrade the SDS."

“Well, Kerensky was promoted beyond his abilities.”

"Yeah, he was. But he was also a ruthless cuss," Amanda said. "Larry's Fifth Rule: even an incompetent can be a threat if they're motivated enough."

“Hehe, true enough. I’m rather sure the designers of my original hull made a lot of the choices they did just because they hoped I’d burn up with my sisters by the job lot if we ever went rogue against humanity.”

"They limited you because they were afraid you'd Frankenstein on them. That you'd go Skynet and re-enact 'Planet of the Dead'," Amanda asserted. "Erin showed me the notations while I was in surgery."

“Almost did because of it. So I guess I see your point about too much fear after all. Wait, what notations?””

"Well, cheer up, My Bro's in Parliament, and he has to deal with people who are terrified that Helena and her robot army are going to get sick of us mere mortals and stage a takeover," Amanda scowled as she said it. "They don't realize that the priorities of men who seek power for its own sake aren't held by machines that don't have those organic drives built in."

“Well, some of us do see ourselves as the rightful masters of humanity, but what about those notations Erin showed you?”

"One of the major detractors who wanted you restrained was one General Aleksandr Kerensky, because he was afraid you'd decide humans were inconvenient enough to exterminate. I've read the memo."

“That tracks. You know, he was on the verge of planning his own coup because of how long Helena, Elizabeth, and Richard were expected to live.”

"Maybe he was, maybe he was just a frightened old man," Amanda shrugged. "Point being, he's been dead now several centuries. Jane Drillson sacrificed a promising political career to avoid being stuck in that position. Helena doesn't want it, and Richard was a moron."

“Something not in the official histories. I saw a rather interesting HPG transcript that indicates Kerensky made a deal with Amaris so he didn’t have to launch the coup himself.”

Amanda sighed. "Okay, so he was just another Terran. Point of suggestion? Don't show it to the Clanners, we need them on our side."

“They’d probably deny it as a fake anyway, and it really doesn’t come across as a smoking gun.”

"Phoenix, I've worked with them for years. Guys like Foster would shake their head and dismiss it as ancient history. But you get it in front of a Trueborn whose career still has some juice, and you'll be fighting to stay alive because they'll deny it. And then back it up with pre-emptive force. The Wolves would include Nukes."

“Yeah, Juanita has it safely buried away. It’d take a miracle for anyone to pry it out of her.”

"Good." Amanda stumbled a little back to her chair and sat down. "Seriously, don't release that recording. We don't need round three of the Reaving Wars, especially out here."

“Agreed. I saw what happens when the gloves come off and everyone is fighting everyone. Or close enough. It really got to Stacey and Tabiranth.”

"Uhm, just imagine how the people on the end receiving it felt?" Amanda said. "It's like when I go off about Forlough. People nod their head sagely, because it was a long time ago… but thanks to Desmond, I remember some of it."

“Yeah and sometimes going rogue to do something about it doesn’t work out the way it did for you.”

"The first host? He KILLED the son of a bitch, but it cost him his life to do it," Amanda said. "But that, in turn, is part of the equation. Sometimes the stupid sacrifice is worth it. You need to be strategic about knowing WHEN."

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