Hero to the End (The Hunter Legacy Book 13) Read online

  "The Latin Committee found themselves on their flagship at the Morocco jump point. They died there. More than half of EarthGov were arrested for failing to act, and they are incarcerated for their own safety. The reports of me setting an alien loose on them are true. Don’t challenge me. You'll lose. You see these?"

  I pointed to the five stars on my left shoulder.

  "Every remaining four star Military Officer voted to give me these. They put me in charge. I'm telling you to support General Harriman in everything he asks of you. You will comply with his wishes, or suffer my wrath. We no longer have the time for ego, posturing, politics, or fucking around. GET OUR PEOPLE TO THE GAIA JUMP POINT, AND FUCKING WELL DO IT NOW!"

  "The only people exempt from this immediate move order are those involved with food production. They should remain until about a week before the Door opens, at which time both them and all the food they have produced will be collected, along with all food animals, and seed stores."

  "Failure to follow General Harriman's instructions will be viewed as treason, and I will send in the troops if need be. They will not be carrying stun weapons. Anyone who in any way impedes the evacuation, is not someone worth saving. If you survive the troops, or me, you will be left behind for the aliens to eat."

  "Let's get this done people. Every other sector is on the move. It's well past time we were too. Hunter out."

  I ended the vid.

  "I guess you don’t like politicians," joked Walter.

  "Not much. Very few of them have been actually worth saving."

  "Are you having doubts Jon?" he asked more seriously.

  "About saving people?"

  "Yes."

  "You're a little late with that question. I came to the conclusion humanity wasn’t really worth saving after all, back in the Latin sector. EarthGov merely made it bloody obvious. But I'm in service to those who think we should be saved, so it's what I'm doing."

  "In service to who?"

  "The higher beings. The ArcAngels, Kali, and the like."

  "Them."

  "Yes. I think that’s why they chose someone brought up spiritual. No matter what happens, they knew they could rely on me to do what was right, without personal considerations getting in the way."

  "You chew people out like a forty year old veteran drill sergeant."

  "I learned from the best. And I've encountered the worst."

  "And it's not over yet."

  "No."

  I told him what I wanted done in the Bad Wolf system.

  Nineteen

  Susan Bentley walked in as Walter left. I sank back into my chair. Jeeves came in behind her, and dropped refreshments on a side table between us. The ginger ale was nearer than the bottle of water, so I assumed Jeeves was expecting me to drink that first. It was a good assumption. I looked at Jane, still by the door. Susan had obviously booked ahead. I wondered who else was waiting. I waited for her to say something.

  "Um," she said. "You gave me a box to command. What exactly do I do with it?"

  I laughed. Jane did as well.

  "Show her," I said to Jane.

  Jane waved to the wall in front of us, and a 3D image appeared.

  "Oh. My. Fucking. God."

  We laughed.

  "You're serious? That box turns into this?"

  "Yep."

  "And you gave it to me?"

  "No-one better I can think of. Besides, it will be flagship for Feet One."

  "I've already had Admiral Jedburgh talk to me. Just came from him in fact. He says when the fleets separate, he'll give me my third star, and he'll use me the same way Vonda Wellington used you in the Midgard War. He'll appear to be running things, but I'll have operational control. Just as well I've been watching you all this time, as I'll have to give the orders myself when you leave."

  "Just a sec please."

  She nodded, as if assuming I was being pinged by someone. Close.

  "Any reason I can't give Susan her third star right now?" I pinged both Bigglesworth and Jedburgh.

  "None at all," pinged back Jedburgh. "Although she seems reluctant to accept it."

  Bigglesworth pinged back a long laugh, and followed it with "I've not been able to accomplish that bit of impossible. Maybe you can do a miracle instead?"

  I turned to Jane.

  "Send Susan her third star please. If need be, command override her suit, and force the overlay."

  "Confirmed."

  "What are you doing?" asked Susan.

  "Giving you your third star now. You've more than earned it."

  "You know I don’t want it."

  "I'm not giving you a choice. And it changes nothing. You retain Captaincy of one of the two biggest fighting ships we have. You retain operational command of the fleet when I'm not giving it orders, or when Jedburgh isn’t when you're Fleet One. It allows me to place Rear Admirals under you, and justify you being placed ahead of the few three stars we have in other sector fleets."

  "I was afraid you’d force a Captain on me if I went up another notch."

  "I don’t believe in that. How can I when I fly my own ships?"

  "You appointed Murdock as your Captain."

  "No I didn’t. I gave him acting captaincy when I wasn’t in the center seat. It's not the same thing. It's more of an XO job than a Captain. But I know if for some reason he has to fight the ship when I can't, he'll do a damn good job of it."

  "I trained up an XO on Dauntless. She was XO of Repulse with me when I went off to join you. Can I take her with me to Hammer? Or is it Thor?"

  "Hammer I think is the short form. Mine is Sceptre. How good is your XO?"

  "She's a damn fine pilot. Started out at the helm of a Cruiser. I've done a lot of training to get me up to speed as a pilot on a ship as maneuverable as Dauntless is, but I'm not in her class. Truth is, most of the time I tell the AI what to do."

  "He does too," said Jane, from over by the door.

  We both smiled.

  "That’s how it's done Susan. You give the orders. The AI does most of the flying. The best pilot you have at the time, flies the combat, when the human touch is needed. What's her rank, and how long has she been in it?"

  "Commander, and about five years now."

  "Why doesn’t she have her own ship?"

  "Loyalty to me I think. And more than a little of too many officers, and not enough ships. I know she's turned down a Destroyer several times."

  "How do you rate her next to Repulse's Captain?"

  "Better pilot, but not as experienced in command."

  "Repulse still have a full crew?"

  "Hell no. About a third she used to, thanks to automation and AI's. A third of them went to Warspite, and the other third to some new Super-Cruisers."

  "Why didn’t your XO get a Cruiser?"

  "You've got me there. I never asked. But then, we’ve been away for a long time now, and all the Cruisers were crewed from those still at home."

  "Good point. Where is she?"

  "Waiting outside. She insists on being my Gig pilot."

  "Jane, show the Commander in will you please?"

  "Confirmed."

  Jane opened the door and stepped out.

  She came back in a moment later with the other woman.

  "Commander Karen Gillan, as ordered sir."

  The name rang a faint bell, but I put it aside as I rose to greet her. She stopped a short way away, braced to attention, and saluted.

  "At ease Commander. Please take a seat."

  I sat, and the Commander thanked Jane as she pushed another chair into position, obviously embarrassed to find an Admiral pushing chairs around for her. Jane went back to the door, smiling. I was beginning to think making more junior officers uncomfortable was something she was doing for kicks.

  "Why aren’t you captaining one of your new Cruisers Commander?" I asked her directly.

  "I turned it down," she said.

  "Why?" asked Susan. "You've been ready for command for a long time."
<
br />   "Can I speak freely sirs?"

  "Always," I said.

  "There's only two people in the British Fleet I have any real respect for."

  "And they are?" asked Susan.

  "You and the Marshall. I’d rather stay a Commander and work for you, than run my own ship under some arsehole Admiral. Neither of the Cruiser Admirals are worth spit in my opinion. Begging pardon sirs."

  We both laughed.

  "Dare I ask what's funny, sirs?"

  "We feel the same way," I said. "Except circumstances have pushed us up high enough it doesn’t happen much now."

  "Did you get promoted Ma'am?"

  Susan looked at her left shoulder. It had three stars on it now.

  "Apparently I did."

  I lost it. It was her face as she said it. I remembered making the same face myself a lot of times.

  "I'm sorry," I said, when I got a grip again. "Yes, she was just promoted. But we were discussing you."

  "Me sir?"

  "I'd like to make you a strange offer."

  "You’re a strange person sir."

  She immediately changed to a horrified look, and put her hand over her mouth.

  I lost it again, and this time, Susan did as well.

  "I'm sorry, again," I said when back under control. "It's kind of refreshing to hear the unfetted truth for a change."

  "Me too," said Susan. "Not often it's safe to have a good laugh these days."

  "You can always laugh at me sir." She paused. "I'm not sure that was what I intended saying, sirs."

  Our grins were out again, but I kept a lid on it this time.

  "Commander, were you paying attention when I promoted Fleet Captain Murdock?"

  "Yes sir, but I'm not sure I understood it."

  "I'm offering you the same thing. George is a damn fine pilot. He started as a Military transport pilot, until I convinced him to move up to combat and Dropships. I dropped him cold into a fighter for the Midgard War, and after, he captained a Frigate for a mission down spine. Since then, I've been grooming him for bigger ships. He's been running his own Cruiser for the war so far. He's now acting Captain of my ship. But since I fly most of the time myself, when I don’t leave it to the AI, he's there to be Captain when I'm otherwise occupied. It's not a true Captain position, but it's more than the standard XO position. And it's a Fleet Captain billet. He retains Captaincy of his Assault Cruiser as well. There are times when I have to be an Admiral, and not in the CCC. At those times, particularly in a warzone, the CCC of a Titan class ship must have a Captain."

  "So you want me to be an XO plus, on a box."

  "No, I want you to be the almost Captain, on a Titan class warship. Jane, throw up the CCC layout please." She did so. "As you can see, there are three CCC areas. The main one will be your domain. As Captain of the ship, you get the center chair. Susan will often be in the chair behind and above you, when she's not in the second CCC. But since Admiral Jedburgh is also going to be aboard, he'll most likely take the second CCC, while General's Patton and Hobbs use the third. As such, Susan will be right behind you most of the time. How much she delegates to you will be up to her. But from the sound of it, the combat control of the ship will be your job, while she manages the fleet as a whole."

  "So you want me to almost Captain a box."

  "No, I want you to almost Captain this."

  Jane put the first image back up.

  "Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt!"

  "Is that a yes Commander?"

  "Yes, sir, that’s a yes."

  "Commander, you are promoted to Fleet Captain, and appointed as Acting Captain of the Hammer of Thor, duties at Vice Admiral Bentley's discretion."

  Jane pulsed her new epaulettes. She went blank for a moment as she figured out how to change the files over, and her suit shifted.

  "Are you both staying in British fatigues?" I asked Susan.

  The two of them looked at each other, and with smiles on faces, shifted into 'slinky red'.

  Twenty

  "Did I see Susan with three stars?" asked Jedburgh as he entered the room.

  He was leading Chet and Lacey, with Bigglesworth bringing up the rear.

  "You did," I said.

  "How did you manage that?" asked Bigglesworth. "When you asked, I seriously didn’t think you’d manage it."

  "Quite simple actually. She's a Battlewagon driver. I merely pointed out to her that I fly my own ship, and even as a three star, she could still have direct command of her own ship as its Captain if she wanted to, up to and including flying and fighting it herself. We promoted her Dauntless XO to Fleet Captain on the basis it was an acting Captain position, the same as I offered George Murdock. Susan won't get much chance to be a Captain once she's leading Fleet One, but the illusion is still there, and that’s the main thing. She knows deep down she was always destined for high flag rank, but like most gifted ship drivers, she doesn’t want to be promoted away from the center seat. She’ll figure out a balance as she goes along, and her new Captain will let her drive when she needs to."

  Bigglesworth looked at Jedburgh.

  "We should have worked that one out. But that’s the problem with centuries of traditions behind the service you work for. The obvious is impossible to see, because it would never have been allowed in the past. It's always been, flags don't drive ships."

  "In spite of science fiction pointing this out all the time too," I added. "Back before space travel, the fiction had lots of examples where natural Captains promoted to Admirals, either lost their effectiveness, or got into trouble, with the only sound solution being putting them back in the center seat. Where of course, they were more Captain than Admiral, losing valuable Admirals in order to keep the officer. In fact, the best solution was to put the office of Admiral on the ship, and give the person who could carry both roles both jobs, and a damn good XO. So as ridiculous as it might seem, having a ship with two Captain ranks on board works, where the Captain is an Admiral, and the XO carries the load as a Captain rank, when the Admiral is Admiraling."

  Their eyes were glazing, but Chet's were sparkling, and Lacey was suppressing his grin.

  "Admirals are not noted for watching much science fiction, particularly pre space flight fiction," said Jedburgh.

  I gave them my best, 'there you have it' grin. I raised my eyebrows, instead of voicing a question.

  "Sir, we want…"

  I cut Bigglesworth off.

  "No. None of that sir crap, not in here. In private, we lose the ranks. You may have put this extra star on my shoulders, but as far as I'm concerned, it doesn’t really change much, except out on the battlefield. What's on your mind?"

  I probably shouldn’t have said that with the two junior flag officers, one newly promoted, in the room, but I wasn’t going to have four stars calling me sir in private. Most of them were older than my father, and they had the military experience I lacked. The two older men nodded. The other two weren't game to comment in any way.

  "We need to divide up the fighters into two fleets," said Bigglesworth. "How do you see the chain of command working?"

  Jedburgh nodded. He was senior fleet officer, Bigglesworth was senior fighters, and a rarity, in so far as it was almost unheard of for a fighter jock to make it to the top. The irony of that hit me suddenly, but I put it aside. Jedburgh knew Carriers, but Bigglesworth knew squadrons.

  "What have we got? Ignore the Corvettes for now."

  "Intrepid and Yorktown," answered Jedburgh, "carry fifty squadrons of Heavy Fighters between them, plus another ten squadrons of Bombers. Yorktown has a wing of Excalibur's as well, which Chet wants to split into two squadrons, since you promoted their Wing Commander to Fleet. Intrepid doesn’t have any Privateers, so the idea is to put a squadron of Excalibur's on each Carrier. This leaves both ships with spare capacity."

  "How do you keep the fighters alive?"

  "Intrepid was designed with the same shield rating as Redoubt, so she'll act the same way, sheltering all fighters within her s
hields. Yorktown will deploy behind her. She can handle some Corvettes as well, although I suspect all of Greer's pilots will be going with you."

  "Can you whisper in Greer's ear Jane, and find out please? It makes no difference to me either way, so the pilots can make their own choice. Depends where they come from I guess. Some of them from along the spine may want to go home on the way. They should be able to."

  "Confirmed."

  "Fine with me too," said Jedburgh.

  "Next?" I asked.

  "The three Corporate sector Escort Carriers have fifteen squadrons of heavy fighters between them," said Bigglesworth. "They can go to either fleet, but keeping them safe is the problem."

  "If you have the ability, I’d rather they went with you," said Chet. "Intrepid is close to her maximum, from a shielding stand point."

  "No problem for me," I said. "I won't actually need the Carriers though, if they're useful in Fleet One."

  "What else do you have?" asked Bigglesworth. "I just want to be sure I'm up to date."

  "617 wing is four squadrons of heavies. 266, 287, and 666, are all Privateer squadrons. Brown still has 266, and is sort of the Wing CO for the others now." Bigglesworth smiled. "Gertrude Simhausen has another squadron of Privateers. The Portuguese joined me with three squadrons of Privateers, and five of heavies. They'll all move to Orion's Belt. I also have the sixty Hives, which will deploy from Unassailable, who will hide behind Orion, although half the Hives can be within Sceptre's shields, maybe all of them if necessary. The German fleet has five squadrons of Privateers. Fourth Reich has some as well, but I've no idea how many."

  "Three," said Jane. "They have them split up, a flight per Battlecruiser. We haven't seen them, since we haven’t fought a battle since they joined us."

  "My compliments to the German Wing Commander, and would he transfer his forces to significantly more comfortable, and safer, accommodation, on Orion please. The same request to the Fourth Reich Wing Commander, but as a genuine request, stressing the advantages of having their own mess in one place."

  "Confirmed."

  "That’s all I know about," I said to the two four stars.

  Bigglesworth nodded.