Retired

I'm hoping to make these chapters longer for those out there that read my stories, we are going to get to the good stuff most likely in the next chapter and I will be adding in a little sex here and there although it'll be sporadically added in. As always this is a work of fiction from my evil mind and I alone am solely responsible for any mistakes which are of my own doing. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental and unintended, this story may not be reproduced, retransmitted or copied in any way know or unknown without the authors permission. If you like what you're about to read below, be sure to like. vote, follow and comment at the end and let me know how I'm doing. Stay safe out there and have fun remember the year just started and we have a way to go before you can really go crazy again. Have a safe and fun St. Patty's Day.

This is my 69th story and I hope you enjoy it.

A bit of explanation, there are 4 main types of material condition that a naval ship will have set while either in port or at sea.

1. In-port Condition: This is the most relaxed condition that there is, it allows the ship's crew and yard workers to gain access to the largest majority of the ship and its various voids, tanks, storerooms and limited access spaces without having to go through a ton of unbolting and having to wait on people to sign off on 10 million tons of paperwork that would be required while out at sea or would be highly hazardous.

2. Material Condition X-ray: This is a normal peace time steaming condition where the hatches that would be opened in port conditions are now closed and dogged down. Opening these hatches is something that normally isn't done while underway. They normally have a large black X to mark them, opening them generally requires permission from DC Central and the Fire Marshal. This level allows the freest amount of movement throughout the ship.

3. Material Condition Yoke: This is a middle of the road protection condition were hatched below a certain deck level are closed and when modified only the escape scuttles are allowed to be open to allow passage from one compartment or deck to another. These hatches have a red Y on them generally. It leaves fewer hatches to be closed in the event of a major emergency or general quarters.

4. Material Condition Zebra: This condition is the most restrictive and is usually set at time plus 4 during General Quarters or in the event of a major emergency, it involves all hatches to be closed and segments the ship into hundreds or thousands, depending on the size of the ship, of water/airtight boxes and is used to contain the damage from fire, flooding, or weapons attack to that area and allows the rest of the ship to continue fighting. These hatches generally Have a red Z on them for quick identification.

Now on with the story.

Date: 15 August 2419

Time: 1515.09

Location: Stone Crusher 2nd deck forward of frame 99

'Move your ass people, this ain't no fucking pleasure cruse you've got seeker heads inbound for your asses. Faster people, faster.' A grizzled old Chief snarled and watched the young sailors move past him. At least they were all going in the proper directions now, up and forward on the starboard side and down and aft to port. I walked to a cross connector and moved to the other side of the ship and watched the movement of people over there.

'Time plus two.' I heard from the 1MC speaker above my head, at time plus 4 we would start setting Material condition Zebra throughout the ship. These people had just 2 more minutes to reach their Battle Stations. It had been 2 days sense the disastrously sad first attempt to go to general quarters, everyone was now in battle suits and moved like they had a purpose.

I went forward and stood in the corner of the 2 Forward repair locker assembly area and watched as the members pulled gear out of the locker and laid it out for ease of use. Several older POs were pointing out where they wanted gear set as the locker officer stood to one side and let them work. I looked at the names that had been stenciled to the backs and sides of each suit so that that person of being could be quickly identified. I picked out the young sailor I'd meet 2 days ago and saw that she was now moving like a well-oiled machine along with the other members of this locker.

I nodded and liked what I was seeing and heard the sound that I wanted to hear. 'Time plus 4 now set material condition Zebra throughout the ship.' Over the 1MC and watched several teams pick up some wrenches and headed for their assigned hatches to lock them down.

'Riddler this is Zeus what's your pos over.' I heard in my helmet and smiled knowing that B'nan was looking for me. 'I'm at Repair locker 2 forward Zeus, I'm green here over.' I quickly reply and watch the chief start going over the gear with the new members of the locker. He paired them up with older more experienced members so that they could learn the jobs that they would need to do.

'Muscles would like you to come to combat if you can get there.' He told me. I sighed and knew that I really needed to be where I could command the battle group and issue orders during a fight.

'Alright Zeus, let Muscles know I'm on my way.' I replied and headed for the hatch and nodded to the young sailor manning the controls for the hatch. 'Open it up young lady.' I told her and she looked over to the Chief who glanced at me then made the motion to have her do what I'd asked. 'Always ask the chief if you're not sure.' I told her, as I walked out, I saw her mouth drop open.

It took me 10 minutes to make my way to CIC and gain entry, Muscles, CDR. Xun was directing other ships in the formation into the positions he wanted that would maximize the firepower for our 7 ships. I had told him to operate as though we had a carrier to protect, so an artificial carrier had been inserted into the middle of the battle group.

I went and sat in the command chair and watched him move ships around like a master chess player, I recognized the defensive formation and nodded my head and gave a half smile, it would provide good protection against incoming missiles and attack fighters and shuttles. 'Cruiser Darkstar, you are 3.2 degrees out of optimal position, adjust X-.516 degrees, Z+.284 degrees over.' He said over the tight beam.

I watched the ship in question move ever so slightly on the halo table, Xun seemed pleased with the setup of the defensive covering for the carrier and support ships that were with her. 'All ships standby to come to new course 216 mark 043 by 202 in 30 seconds.... mark.' Xun said and I watched the battle group move to the new course on time.

Good, we were getting better, and I hoped we wouldn't die in our first engagement with the enemy, I really had no illusions about being rescued from a life pod after the battle or even making it to one as the ship was destroyed around me.

We drilled through several simulated missile strikes and the readjusting of the battle group to compensate for the loss of firepower, maneuverability and speed. We lost 2 ships but managed to keep the carrier alive at the cost of our own ship, as far as I was concerned our loss to keep one of the 25 carriers alive was paramount at this time. I had seen in the intel updates that they were trying to reactivate 10 more carriers but that it would take at least 10 to 16 standard months before that happened.

We'd hold a quick debrief after dropping out of hyper aboard the command ship as Xun went over each ship's weaknesses and strengths, being sure to spare no one not even himself. If anything, he seemed harder on himself than anyone else, I generally sat back and let him run these meetings as this was his area of control for the battle group. I did have to sooth a few ruffled feathers after a few of the first debriefs, now all captains understood that we were behind the 8 ball and needed to not only fight but fight as one and not miss when we struck.

We meet up with the carriers' group and immediately began training with them to bring all ships up to speed and to make sure that everyone knew what everyone else would be doing during the battle. Most think that the AI computer does all the work during a battle, but in truth a human brain can react faster based upon experience and having seen a certain pattern before.

Our task group was now 14 ships large with the carrier as its center piece, our job was to keep it alive and, in the fight regardless of what happened to us. We were sitting in Wardroom 2 with K'fal and I sitting at the head table as our aids handled the majority of the briefing and the questions that came thereafter. I found out who we were having a beef with this time.

I wasn't quite sure why the ice cream had turned to shit but it had and now one side was coming for the other and the other side was trying to defend itself. I suspect it boiled down to 1 of 3 or 4 things, a planet or 2, someone shot at someone else and now both sides are butt hurt, resources or some leader had backed out of a deal with the other leader and now to save face they had to attack. Why the fuck, couldn't these children get along better?

She had greeted me like a family member and for all practical purposes we were all the family we had left, her family except for a few distant cousins had been killed during an attack on her home planet in the early part of the last war. Most of my family had been killed off fighting this pirate raid or attack from an unknown raider, or hell I don't even remember any more what all had happened. As far as I knew I was the last of my family name.

The last time we had been together was a few months before I had retired, on Tipton 5. It was a water world and had several large seas that allowed both sea farming and vacation spots on the coastal areas of 3 of the 5 major land masses. The Marlin had very few social hang ups about nudity and where we had gone had multiple remote beaches. We had spent 7 days, most of them nude together, drinking, eating, sunning ourselves, and trying to burn the layers of fuzz and funk from our skins after to many years in flight gear or battle suits.

At night we would look up at the stars and point out the various systems we'd been to then drink to the fallen comrades that we could remember, not that it was really hard. We spent warm nights under thin sheets fucking each other in as many ways as our tired bodies could take, as if we were trying to exercise our demons and find some peace. Falling asleep and awakening in each other's arms only to do it all over again the next day, searching.

It had been one of the last times we had seen each other for more than 10 years except for the odd video com call we managed to make.

Now that the battle group had formed up and spent several days drilling with each other into a group of ships that understood the need to fight as one instead of as a bunch of independents. 'Admiral Storr and the Stone Crusher is the BG defense Commander with the Brazil as the backup in case something happens to the primary command ship.' K'fal had said at the start of this little get together.

'So where did you go after we parted ways Jack, I remember something about trying to heal yourself and maybe do some writing.' K'fal whispered to me during a briefing. I just grunted and smiled back at her. 'I went to Rancher23c to hide is what I did Goldie.' whispered back using her old call sign. 'Haven't really done much writing but I sort of healed myself, at least I sleep for 3 to 4 hours a night now instead of just lying there and staring up at the overhead every night.'

'Exhaustion helps me get 5 to 6 hours every night now, you should try it, Jack.' She whispered back and we both chuckled together. Her Chief of Staff stopped his briefing and looked up at us. 'Anything wrong Ma'am, Sir?' He asked. We both looked back at him and smiled. 'No Captain, no problem, please continue with your briefing.' I said and sat back then let my mind drift.

'Admiral Storr, do you have any questions Sir?' K'fal's human Chief of staff Captain Cole Johns asked looking over at me. K'fal elbowed me in the ribs and brought me back to reality. 'I'm sorry, what did you day Captain, I was just thinking about something.' I quickly replied trying to cover up that I really hadn't been paying that much attention.

'I asked if you had any questions at this time Sir.' He said again looking at me. I looked over at K'fal and then back at him. 'No, no questions at this time, excellent work everyone.' I quickly replied.

'Could you all give us the space for a few minutes please while we look this information over? Thank you.' She said and smiled as the other officers filed out then closed the door behind them.

'What the fuck Goldie, was I snoring or something?' I asked and rubbed my ribs where she'd popped me.

'No Jack, but you had that hateful 1000-meter stare going on, I think you were starting to freak my CoS out. He spent most of his time in the last one at a sector command HQ, where it was safe and quiet.' She replied. 'He's really not used to the intensity level that people like you and I have.'

We both laughed and I looked over at the charts that had been set up recognizing some of the same systems we'd fought in during the last war, I did not get a warm fuzzy feeling about having to go back into those sectors. Suddenly I was very tired and badly in needed a drink or 3. I just rubbed my eyes and shook my head then looked at the star chart again, I was not happy.

'I know one thing, we won't be going into that fucking Nebula again, I don't fucking care how much bait they throw out for us to see. I'll send in every star killer this fleet has in its magazines before we do that nightmare again Goldie and I won't bother to ask permission before I do it either.' I told her.

K'fal just sat in her chair staring at me as I looked the chart over some more, we'd lost a lot of ships and good people in that area I'd grouched to her, I was not looking to repeat that part of my life again. 'You about done making an ass of yourself Jack or do you just want to rant and rave for another few minutes. I mean we do have the time.'

I went over and stared at the chart then back at her, I was not happy about having to go back into an area that nearly killed me and my whole squadron. 'Fuck sector command, fuck high command, in fact fuck anyone that thinks that I'll play by their rules, they're just plain fucking crazy. I'll just pop a few killers in there and be done with it once and for all.' I said then dropped into a seat and staired at the chart is if it would provide me some dark mystic arcane lore.

Goldie got up and came over sitting next to me and handed me a data pad saying nothing, I simply took it and slipped it into a pocket as if it didn't exist. 'If anyone asks, I'll deny any and all knowledge of that pad or where you got it from.' She said. I nodded knowing that I'd say nothing to anyone asking where I had got the codes from, I'd be taking the fall without question.

We spent the next 30 minutes planning what we would be doing, seeing how at this time we were supposed to just be a show of force and needed to stay on our side of the border. Fucking gutless politicians were dangling us as bait along with a Space Marine battalion that would meet up with us in 2 days, if things kicked off, they would be out strike arm if we encountered any of the enemy.

'We really need to go back to Tipton5 when this is all over and, just, forget everyone and everything Goldie.' I said quietly. 'Ye gods I'm tired already and the shit hadn't even kicked off yet.'

She leaned over and we touched foreheads and noses and simply stayed in that position for several minutes. 'I know Jack, I wouldn't have asked if this had been something simple. It's going to blow up in their faces and we'll be putting it out yet again.' She whispered back and pressed extra hard. 'When this is over, we'll go back and never leave.' I just nodded and we broke apart.

I got up to leave and stopped when she called my name. 'Jack, you know I'm just a tight beam away, right?' She asked. I just nodded and gripped the handle.

'Don't get your tits in a wringer Goldie, I don't know how many more magic tricks I got up my sleave, and yeah, I know.' I told her and gave her one of my crooked smiles then opened the door and headed out.

The ride back to the cruiser was relatively quiet and I even managed to catch a small cat nap, I thought about K'fal's words. I knew, just like she did that this would end up being a shit show, I'd looked at the faces of my command staff and could see that they knew also. We were going to get hurt, and hurt bad, the only question would be how much we would hurt the enemy before they quit, or we did.

Xun went back to combat and drilled the crap out of all the other teams over tight beam as we "steamed" on our side of the border, I watched the fighter sweeps launch from the HP-10 and more than once found myself wanting to be nothing more than a young hot shot pilot ripping up the universe in a fighter once again.

I was sitting in my command chair on the 4th day of watching the border trying to catch up on some sleep and doing a fairly good job of it I might add, it seemed that combat calmed my nerves and really allowed me to sleep when the bitch box squawked ruining my snooze. 'Bridge from combat'

'Combat, bridge go ahead.'

'Unknown contact bearing 148 mark 057 by 311, range 1 million K and closing.'

An all too familiar sound was heard next over the 1MC as the alarm gongs sent the entire ship into hyper drive. I grabbed my helmet and dropped down a few decks to combat and was in my command seat before time plus 1 was sounded. 'Is this unknown real or a drill?' I asked. 'Real deal Sir.' Came a reply from my left and I mashed a button on the arm of my chair. 'Comms, sent to BG, all ships to battle stations this is no drill.' I said and looked at the operator on my right.

'Is this data being sent to all ships?' I asked pointing at her. 'Yes sir, all ships report receiving data uplink sir.' She quickly replied. I nodded. 'Send to all ships, surface warning yellow, weapons tight, get a reply, I don't want an incident here.' I said. 'Aye, aye sir.' She replied and I could hear her speaking to the battle group. 'All Kilo Foxtrot units, this is Bravo Delta. Surface warning yellow, weapons tight. All Kilo Foxtrot units respond over.'

CDR Xun stood to my left watching the screens and their ever-changing data, B'nan stood to my right ready to head here there and everywhere at a moment's notice. F'let was now sitting just in front of me commanding the ships weapons from here in combat, Xun moved up and sat next to her. Within a minute they had their heads together and were moving ships into position like chess masters.

'Unknown ship tentatively IDed as a Zan class 3 scout ship course still 148,057,311 speed 400, their shields are up sir.' An operator on the left sang out. 'We have been painted sir, ECM IDs it as a type 23 wide scan flapper.' Another voice said. I looked up and the target changed from yellow to red and data appeared next to it.

I held my tongue and watched Xun and F'let watch the screens waiting for that moment to strike. 'Bandit now turning, now 058 by 010 by 001 speed 400 range 620,000 K they are pacing us now.' I smiled knowing what they were doing, they were trolling for intel, hoping to get us to unveil any new weapons systems. 'Well not today asshole.' I muttered and looked over at Xun and nodded. He nodded back and looked to his left.

'ECM, burn his ears and eyes out.' He growled and I watched, then laughed as a few minutes later the ship turned tail on to us and left as quickly as they could as millions of watts burned their equipment to a crisp, I knew they'd be back as soon as they figured out how to stop this from happening again. I sat back and watched the main Lidar screen as the target opened the distance between us. I just sat back and smirked yet again.