Mikado looked away from the com for a moment and said, “She would be going anyway; she’s ranked second in her class. When do you want them ready to join your crew?”
I want all the new crew members ready to go now. I want those selected to be moved to a location that Sten will provide you to begin an accelerated training on the Kosiev simulator. I will be taking the crew of the Dorg-Ross to begin their training immediately. Please make good decisions on the new crew member’s selection. I will give you the coordinates where to send a transport to take the ones selected for their training. I am not going to take the Kosiev anywhere near a populated planet. Each person selected for the mission will be sworn to secrecy and the penalty for violating that order will be dishonorable discharge from the service and imprisonment or execution.”
Mikado looked at Tommy and said, “Tommy, is there something you want to tell me?”
Tommy said, “I wish I could, Admiral. I would just recommend that you get the fleet trained to a war footing. I do not think that we will need it for years, but I can’t promise that. I do not want the Realm alarmed. You have to do it quietly.”
Mikado looked at Tommy and knew that trouble lay ahead. “I’ll start with Ron-Dar’s fleet.”
“His fleet probably needs it the least, Admiral.”
“That is true, but if I’m going to promote sailors to replace those selected, I would start with his fleet to find them.”
“You make a good point, Admiral. You now have fifty five minutes to get that transport there.”
Mikado smiled and said, “Yes, your highness. It will be done.”
Tommy smiled and broke the connection. He entered Atlas and they immediately jumped to the coordinates Rose had given him. They arrived to see a star with no planets imploding in on itself. Tommy hit his com and Captain Dodd appeared on the screen. “Captain, I need you to order battle stations and jump to the coordinates I’ve just sent to your screen. Upon arrival, have all your crew members pack all of their personal items and prepare to transfer to the Kosiev. A transport is being sent to pick up the Dorg-Ross and hold it for you in space dock. You can inform your crew whatever you think is appropriate. Please have the two adolescents and their readers moved when you arrive. One more thing, Captain; do not get closer than two hundred thousand miles to the Kosiev until I’ve disarmed her defenses.”
Captain Dodd looked at Tommy on his com and Tommy could see her excitement. “She’s coming alive,” Tommy thought. “Just like the Kosiev.”
Captain Dodd said, “We will arrive momentarily, your highness.” Tommy’s call came in at one AM ship time and most of the crew was sleeping. The night crew were manning their posts and trying to stay alert. Captain Dodd had been wanting to do what she was about to do from the first moment she took command of the Dorg-Ross and she thought before she pushed the bright blue button that her crew had better respond like the professionals she knew they were. She smiled and lifted the cover from the bright blue button and pushed it; things happened fast. The bridge went to low red combat lighting and alarm klaxons all over the megaship started going off along with the ships communications system blaring, “Battle Stations. All hands to battle stations. This is not a drill.”
The bridge crew came out of their reverie and began taking control of their command boards pushing the buttons to arm their systems. Captain Dodd watched her control panel for all of her sections to report ready. She looked at the timer and saw that the screen went to full power and was pulled in to one mile from the hull is less than two seconds after the alarm sounded; the primary beams were charged and on line four seconds later. The penetrators and needle crews were on line within fifteen seconds from the alarm and all sections reported ready in forty four seconds. Captain Dodd was highly impressed. The record according to fleet legend was Admiral Kosievs’ first command, the destroyer Moscow. Her crew had just beaten that record with a ship more than twenty five times larger than the old Moscow. She knew that her ship had all of its crew members quarters located close to their assigned battle stations where as old ships like the Moscow didn’t, but it was still impressive.
She picked up her com and said over the general ship frequency, “We are going to jump into an unknown situation momentarily and I want all sections ready for combat operations.” She looked at her jump officer and saw him ready to push the jump button and she said, “Jumping in 5,4,3,2,1, execute.”
The Dorg-Ross came out of null space more than 400,000 miles from the star in the system. The crew saw on their monitors that the star was decreasing in size visibly. As they watched, the star began shrinking almost too fast to follow; and then the star was gone and what remained stunned the crew of the Dorg-Ross. Everyone on board knew the ship that was on their monitors; the most powerful weapon ever created, the Alexander Kosiev. Silence ruled the ship. Captain Dodd picked up her ships com and said, “Helmsman, maintain this distance.” Captain Dodd watched her monitor trying to see Tommy enter the ship but nothing appeared on her sensors or on her optical scanners. Then she saw the Kosiev slowly turn and start moving their way. Captain Dodd said over her com, “Attention all crew members. All outside communication is now prohibited until further notice. All means of transmitting from this ship are now blocked. Section one through forty will leave their posts and go to their quarters and pack their belongings to move to our new home for the foreseeable future. You have thirty minutes to complete your packing and you will then board our shuttles to transport you to the Kosiev. Section leaders will assign temporary quarters for their members until we can sort out where the permanent assignments will be. Sections forty one through eighty will begin their packing thirty minutes from now.” The bridge crew stared at their captain stunned. Dodd smiled and yelled, “I’m not accustomed to repeating myself, now get moving.”
Half of the bridge crew left so fast that the other half didn’t even see them go as they watched the two mile long behemoth getting closer. The crew began talking among themselves and wondered what was happening. Wes went to his quarters to begin packing, picked up a picture on his desktop, put it safely in his bag, and thought, “Tommy has begun his quest. I’m going to miss Linda Kay.”
Linda Kay was in her field dynamics class when the Academy intercom came on, “All members of the Academy will stop what they are doing and pay attention to the following announcement.” One minute passed to give everyone time to pay attention and then the Academy members heard, “A list of current students and faculty is about to be announced. If your name is on the list, you will go to your quarters, pack your belongings, and report directly to the landing field to board the Transport Alonso Singh. Those selected will be leaving the academy for advanced training and we anticipate they will not be returning for an extended time. All communication is currently prohibited until the selected personnel have been transported. There is a possibility that the assignment will extend for two to five years. You will be informed of the details when you arrive at your destination. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent your accepting this assignment, report to the President of the Academy immediately after hearing your name. Jeremy Allen, Belinda Akers, Jose Gonzalez…”
Linda Kay looked around and saw that everyone was wondering what was happening. She also noticed that the best students in her class were being selected. She didn’t know whether to want to be selected or not. If this assignment lasted five years, she and Wes were not going to be able to see each other. Finally she heard it, “Linda Johns.” She stood and left the room running to her quarters. She arrived and began packing. She picked up a picture, looked at it, and then safely packed it in her bag. “Oh Wes, I’m going to miss you.”