The Endless Patrol

[wolfboy]

Alright folks, I said a while back that i was working on some fan fic and now i'm delivering. Now I dont know if this will turn into a semi-short or a series, but after each post i will take feedback. So without further ado:



TCS Bataan CVE-19
Gemini sector, Clarke quadrant, Newcastle system


The wail of the General Quarters alarm screamed throughout the ship, causing Captain James Bostwick to lurch from his peaceful slumber into action. Slamming his hand down on the button that opened the intercom to the bridge and shut off the alarm in his room the Captain awoke. “Captain here, report bridge!”

“Sir,” the bridge watch, a spooked ensign on his first combat deployment replied. “Sensors just caught the fringes of an unscheduled ship jumping into the system. It could be more than one sir, we lost the jump surge as we started to pass behind the planet.”

“Understood Ensign, launch a flight from the “Dragoons” and put the “Knights” and the “Cowboys” on standby. Wake the CAG and inform him, I'll be on the bridge in a couple of minutes.” Taking his hand from the button the captain rolled the rest of the way out of his bunk and started getting dressed. Five minutes later the hatch to the bridge opened and the Captain stepped through walking strait over to the holo-tank in the middle of the bridge. “Talk to me Lieutenant.” the captain said as the duty tactical officer stepped over toward him.

“Sir, Dragoon flight leader is reporting four Drayman class transports claiming to be here for replacement parts for Perry base. Dragoon lead has the Draymans believing they're a patrol from Newcastle base and will escort them there. Major Hunt has been informed and is preparing his boarding parties as we speak.” The lieutenant finished rattling off her list and looked up to the Captain for his confirmation which came in the form of a nod followed by questions.

“Very good Lieutenant, are the fighter squadrons ready to launch and the ship ready for battle?”

“All ready sir,” the lieutenant replied. “CAG reports all pilots up, briefed and prepped for launch. Fighters are ready for a magnum launch, Sabres loaded for anti-ship and the Rapiers for anti-fighter and Dragoon lead is reporting that they are set for CAP and leading the launch.”

“Very good Lieutenant,” the captain replied nodding. “Helm move us around the planet and behind the transports. Lieutenant bring up our ECM, i want them to think we are the medium transport Hooper C. Nelson. We will parallel their path till we near the base. When they reach the stations defenses we'll launch and order their surrender.” A chorus of “Aye sir” was his response as he headed toward his command chair and watched as the ships active systems came online.

As the ship came around the dead gas giant the sensors started picking up the other ships in the system again. Newcastle was a busy system for both the sector and the quadrant, and normally they would have a destroyer flotilla or a light cruiser squadron for local defense as well as the base's fighter squadrons. Unfortunately the fighters and other ships had all been drained off by recent war losses so higher had the Bataan redeployed here temporarily so that the base wouldn't be left completely uncovered. They were also under orders to take out any pirate activity that they found and since this was an unscheduled entry the odds were right for the Draymans to be a pirate squadron. But if they were planning on taking advantage of the lack of system defenses to load up on spares and salable items then they were in for a very large surprise.

Flight Deck: TCS Bataan

On the flight deck the fighters sat with their pilots fidgeting at their controls, fidgeting except for the squadron leaders and the Wing Commander. The squadron leaders were calm, almost catatonic and the wing commander was starting to enter what he called “The Zone”, a zen like state that made him death riding a stick. Suddenly their radio's crackled to life, “All pilots stand by for Bataan actual.” many pilots had to adjust their volume down where they had fiddled with the control while fidgeting or else go deaf from the loudness of the announcement “Ladies and gentlemen,” the voice of the ships captain flowed through the pilots like water. “In a few moments you will launch against an unknown enemy and attempt to take them completely by surprise. Hopefully when we drop our ECM they will heave to and there will be no fight, even better would be that they are just an unscheduled or ahead of schedule convoy that actually belong here. If this is not the case however, i want you all to be prepared for what should be a hell of a fight. We don't know what they are carrying, and hopefully they don't know what we are at the moment, therefore if they do put up a fight i want everyone to cover each other. Dragoons will stay on CAP until the marine shuttles are launched at which time they and the Cowboys will move to cover the shuttles. The marines wont launch until at least two of the transports shields are down so Knights you have to get in and do your jobs fast and hard. As the Knights knock out the transports shields, the Cowboys will assist with their guns by strafing the other two transports or if one of them is operating as a pocket carrier, then they will engage whatever fighters emerge. Good luck people and good hunting.” As the ships captain signed off the squadron commanders and the wing commander took over.

“All squadrons listen up.” The voice of the wing commander and CAG Major Christopher “Blade” Stewart rang out over everyone's radios as soon as the ships Captain had left their ears. “You all heard the old man, now we have a job to do lets do it. Black Knights on me. Cowboys have our backs so don't worry to much while going for lock but be prepared for these guys to have one heck of a punch. Another thing, when our torpedoes are spent were gonna take and move by flights to help the other squadrons cover the shuttles. I want the lead elements from each squadron on point for the shuttles. I also want the rest of the Dragoons to bring up the rear and another element of rapiers on hand in case one of these transports decides to either play gunship or launches fighters.” The affirmatives rang out clear over the system and the heavy fighter-bomber squadron leader smiled.

“Alright people you heard the man, Dragoons we have over watch on the carrier and the shuttles.” Captain Emelia “Lawless” Lawler said over her squadron's frequency. “Nothing gets through to the Bataan, i don't care if you have to ram it just make sure you eject just before. The hardware's important but the pilot is more important.” Captain Lawler was the squadron leader of the “Light Dragoons” the light fighter element of the carrier's air wing.

Since they were in the lightest fighters as far as both armor and weapons that the Confederation still used, they tended to draw the most insane of potential pilots, those who really had nothing to lose. This really showed itself in Lawless's second in command, one Margaret “Medusa” Jones who giggled at this last. “Aw, come on lead, if they don't stick with the bird, how are we gonna get any new blood in the squadron?”

“Knock it off Medusa,” the squadron leader replied, “or you'll be one of the ones being replaced.

 

[wolfboy]

“Aye ma'am” came the slightly subdued reply from Medusa. Of course Medusa was never subdued for long, and with a chuckle she keyed her wing man. “Hey Smokey, care to come help me knock some off?” the smirk on Medusa's face was evident in her voice as she teased Ensign John “Smokey Bear” Smithers. Smithers had been a Texas state trooper before he joined the academy, this of course had instantly earned him the call sign of Smokey Bear from his academy classmates. Unfortunately Smithers was Medusa's wingman for which gave her the ability to tease him mercilessly whenever it pleased her.

Fortunately though, Smithers had both thick skin and the ability to shoot back at her with quips that either left the entire squadron in stitches, or was just the flat out truth. This time he went with the truth, “Medusa, you know you don't need any help with knocking anything off of nothing. Hell's bells girl, you usually are knocking off three times the Kats or pirates that anyone else in the squadron does. So why don't you just let the rest of us knock some off for a change.”

The banter would go on between wingmen, squadron mates and the entire wing until launch, meanwhile the squadron commanders were having a private conversation to also keep calm, they and the captain had all gone through the academy together it had only been a foul twist of fate that had taken one of their own out of the pilot's seat and into the captain's chair. “Blade” had been James's wingman for most of their careers, but with James being the senior officer to survive when the Chinook took such heavy damage that the bridge was lost along with PriFly and half the Carrier's structure. Well, it forced him to take the next step and step up to command the ship and remove her from the situation they had been in. Blade knew James couldn't stand to lose people, and even though he had been rewarded with a new ship of his own and any number of commands he always blamed himself for not getting more people out alive.

On the bridge, the air seemed thick but cold, like an ominous fog had somehow rolled in through the environmental systems. As the Draymans closed on the station the carrier closed on the Draymans, at this rate energy range would be reached almost simultaneously between the base, the carrier and the Draymans. Finally the time had come, the captain's voice could be heard as if he had shouted though he only spoke just above a whisper. “Ensign, call upon the transports to heave to for inspection, tactical, scramble the fighters and acquire active target lock.” With that one sentence the bridge became a madhouse as sensor's went active acquiring lock for shipboard weapons on the vessels that the fresh faced ensign was calling on to stop all activity and prepare to be boarded To back up the capital ship's threat and to show the transports that none would be allowed to escape, the fighters launched into the blackness of space and took positions to either defend their parent ship or take the fight to the transports.

“TCS Bataan this is the convoy leader “Stygian Soul”, we are shutting down our engines and dropping shields. Do not fire repeat, we are complying, do not open fire.” The captain of the transport convoy was clearly frightened and James had the feeling that this was nothing more than an unscheduled convoy after all

To reply the captain gestured to the ensign to put him on audio, “Stygian Soul this is Captain Bostwick of the Bataan, your ships are not scheduled for a pickup in this system at this time please explain your presence.” The captain scratched his chin as he watched the marine shuttles launch from the hanger and head towards the waiting transports. The inspection would probably turn up nothing out of the ordinary and end up being a waste of time, but it needed to be done to show anyone who was thinking of going rogue that this was the wrong place to do so.

“Captain Bostwick, this is Merchant Captain Donahue of the Stygian Soul,” the voice behind the response was more calm sounding, more reassured. “We were hit by pirates two systems over from here and took both wounded and fatalities. This was the closest confederation base that we could reach in time to save some of them. May we declare a medical emergency and send you our wounded?” Ah, so the captain had been hit and was looking to port for medical reasons.

“Affirmative Captain Donahue,” the captain gestured to the lieutenant at tactical to shut down ship side weapons. “I record you declaring a medical emergency as of 1532 Zulu, the Marine shuttles will take off your wounded and transport them to the base for treatment and the fighters and the Bataan will escort your convoy the rest of the way in. Could you send us your sensor readings so we can find these pirates and possibly return your goods to you.”

Captain Donahue sighed with open relief as he responded, “Affirmative Captain Bostwick, sending sensor logs and system readings of the entire encounter. Be advised, i do believe they mean to set a trap for whomever they lead out there. I think they want a couple of confed ships to use as heavy hitters and mobile bases.”

“Understood Captain, will advise higher and see what can be shaken loose for a patrol that way. TCS Bataan clear” the captain said as he took his seat to think. He was sure higher couldn't shake anything else loose, heck as it was there were systems that didn't even have a picket if they were considered far enough away from the action to be peaceful. Most here in Gemini were in fact picketed, but the system the “Soul's” captain described was one that was a dead system. Just a connecting point between two populated systems that didn't have anything to even consider defending. The captain was lost in thought as he watched the marine shuttles now loaded with wounded speeding forward to the base's shuttle bays where medical crews were waiting to take on the wounded and the shuttles would await the return of their marine complements.

It was odd, this was the third time that the captain was sure he would have the pirates in hand and they appeared in another system at least two jumps away. It was like someone was leaking the pirates information. It couldn't be part of his crew though, they had been sequestered on the ship for the entire hunt. Maybe the pirates had someone hidden in the system administration hierarchy? No, to hard to hide that many people that high up, or maybe they had system pickets of their own. It was feasible that they could have put listening posts in each system of the quadrant. Something that tickled the IFF Transponders of ships that jumped into the system. No that was to expensive and to advanced., as always he needed to look at the common denominator, where did everything meet. Who had access to the knowledge of where he was at all times as well as the ship movements of most of the transports in the sector. The Captain swore softly as the answer came to mind, as always the KYSS method always prevailed. The pirates had someone stationed where they could at least hear the majority of the information passing through the sector headquarters. This meant at least someone in the secretaries pool was a spy, possibly the significant other of someone higher than that, but at least someone who had access to his reports and plans in one way or another.

Finally the Draymans reached the sheltering arms of the base slips and the fighters started lining up to land back on the carrier. Pulling up the sector map the captain plotted the places pickets had been versus places where the pirates had hit. Looking at the map the captain finally saw the pirates mistake, they were showing a pattern, and either they had wanted someone to see it and fall into a trap, or else the lack of response was going to their heads. “Helm plot us a course for the Matsor system, maximum speed once the fighters and shuttles are all aboard. Tactical, i want us to be the Hooper C. Nelson again as soon as the shuttles and fighters are aboard as well. Ensign Isengard have Major Hunt and Major Stewart meet me in my quarters once they return. Ensign the bridge is yours.” With that the Captain walked off the bridge and down the passageway toward his quarters.

As he waited on two of his oldest friends James prepared a message to sector control. This was to tell the beurocrats and hopefully the spy as well that he was going on an extended multi-system patrol and that due to recently captured sensor logs he hoped to be able to catch the pirates either in the act or with the currently stolen goods. The route he listed however was different than what he actually intended to take. Instead of going north through New Constantinople then south through New Detroit and XXN-1927 before looping back to the north through Matsor ending back in Newcastle, he was going to go straight to Matsor and wait. He was certain that if the leak was at sector HQ then the pirates would be waiting to jump a convoy after he was supposed to jump out of Matsor or even before he was supposed to reach it. This would allow him to catch them with their trousers around their ankles.

The two officers entered James's room as he sent off the message greeting them he asked them to sit and they could discuss what was happening.”Alright guys, we're all old combat buddies together so there's no bullshit in this room, anything said in here stays here unless its absolutely need to know. Now, first question that I'm sure is on both of your minds, is how did the pirates once again know how to avoid us, yet still be close enough to tease us. What do you two think, Chris?”

The wing commander thought for a moment carefully weighing the possibilities before shaking his head. “The leak has to be either in the sector or at least quadrant headquarters.” The fighter pilot shot off looking next to him at the marine commander who simply nodded in agreement, “Those are really the only points of someone knowing every move we make, but how are we going to get around it, we have to report to sector command through the quadrant command whenever we move.” the fighter commander was obviously angry, and it was justified. With the fighters having done nothing but scramble on transports, the pilots were going to get sloppy, thinking it was just like a drill. They couldn't let this happen to many more times before someone was going to forget to lock their safeties on until ordered to fire. At that point there was going to be a problem. The Marines likewise were getting plenty of boarding actions and customs training but if the boardings were unopposed they were going to lose that critical mindset and make mistakes to where someone was going to end up hurt.

“Well Gentlemen,” the captain said with a malevolent grin,” then let us hope that the missive i just sent off to HQ gets someone to bite. I'm hoping these people are going to fall for the oldest trick in the book, so that this next time the pirates will be the ones being hurt not some transports crew. I just told control that we will be moving north and east in a circular patrol pattern ending it back here. Instead we're going to go south and pretend to be a transport ourselves, we will try to lure them into trying to take us and when they take the bait, we're going to jump them.”

The other two started to grin evilly as well as the captain outlined his plan. “What kind of lure are you going to throw out there for them?” the marine commander asked, his appetite whetted for the fight.

“Simple enough really,” the captain replied. “We will go into the Matsor system and shut down shields and engines and start broadcasting a mayday once we get near the XXN-1927 jump node. We will claim to be the medium transport Montego Bay out of New Constantinople and that we have lost most of our power, life support will be listed as minimal and in need of both engineering and medical assistance. We will be a treat they wont be able to pass up, and if I'm reading their patterns right it should be right where they will hit next.

alright folks heres some more, i think this is really going to turn into writing about my character for the WCAAO who is now a rear admiral. so this will probably end up turning into a serial. hope you like it;