The Adventures Of Tim Bodge Ch 10

Chapter 10

Tim sat in his seat, just looking at the viewscreen. Sarha noticed him merely sitting. "Tim, my previous Captain, use to sit and think about the things that had transpired. Are you doing the same thing?"

"No, I'm thinking about the skirmish to come, I just hope no one gets injured, except for the pirates. Sarha, I'm worried about the girls and the upcoming fight. I have never worried this much about any upcoming fight before. Why is this so different?"

"Tim, do you care for the girls? It may perhaps be you have feelings for each girl." Sarha replied.

"I have only known them for a short time; how could I have feelings for every one of them?" Tim replied, still seated looking concerned.

"Tim, you have saved each and every one of them. You may think you need to protect them." Sarha stated. She could try making it sound like a fatherly thing, but since he's had sex with three of them are ready, that would make it even worse.

"Tim, you have to trust the girls. Each one wants to help you. In their own way, they feel it best to do this. You have to remember if Tammy gets hurt, she's just like you." Sarha said.

"Speaking of Tammy, has Madlyn done any tests on Tabitha?" asked Tim.

"I just asked Madlyn, she said No. Did you want her to?" Sarha asked.

"Tell her, she might try, just to see, if there are any changes," Tim said.

Pauline walked on to the bridge and asked, "Tim, may I talk to you for a moment?"

Tim replied, "Sure, let's move to the lounge. That way, it's more comfortable." When they got to the lounge, he and Pauline sat down in the comfortable chairs. Tim turned towards Pauline, "Ok, what do you want to talk about?"

Pauline sat facing Tim with hands folded in her lap. "I would like to change some of the plans for tomorrow's fight."

"Ok, what part do you want to change, and why?" Asked Tim.

"First, as soon as the other ships appear in our scanners. I would like to send the cloaked probes to those ships. She's remembered that each probe can hold up to thirty nano-bots, and a nanobot can be programmed to be a high-powered explosion. Slip them up to each incoming ship and attach them to the ships.

"Second, can we send out cloaked probes with cameras attached? If we can, can we send out two probes for each ship. So, we have a probe on both sides of those ships. That way, we will be able to see if they send out drop ships."

"I think we should not allow them to leave their ships. If the dropship doors open, we can set off all probes. Also, Sarha can hack into one of their systems to. See if she can find out where they have their base of operations." Pauline said.

"Ok, I can see where that would be better, but why?" asked Tim.

"Simple, why take a chance of one of us getting hurt. We do not make an SOS call. That way, only the pirates know about the trap." Pauline states.

"Ok, point taken, it's a better plan. That's why you are the tactical officer." Tim replied.

Sarha was setting up the final probes Pauline and Tim wanted. Making sure all programs were working. "Tim, where will you be operating from?" Sarha requested.

"Sarha, you said you could control everything from one room. Can I get into that room?" Tim asked.

"Yes, there is a room for control. Yes, you can get into it. If you wish, I will show you now." Sarha stated.

"Thank you, Tim said, "please show us the way." He and Pauline stood up from their seats and followed Sarha to the lift. They took the lift to deck 8. Arriving on deck eight and turning right, three doors down, Sarha stopped. Turning to Tim, "through these doors is a large combat room, used by the former military personnel. I have had the cleaning bots working on getting it ready for you." Tim stepped up to the doors, and they automatically opened, "Tim, they open this time because I allowed it. The next time you must place your hand on the DNA scanner." Sarha stated.

Pauline and Tim stepped into the room. A sign hung in the middle of the room, with bold red letters, 'Tactical Operation Center.' This room was three times the size of the bridge. Tim could see ten stations with approximately ten display screens each, fixed to the wall There were another six stations with control panels, but only one viewscreen each. This control unit set was about ten feet back and about a three-foot drop, away from the other units. Still back and closer to where Tim stood was three more stations. Right in front of Tim was a table with four chairs, just waiting for someone to set down in them. Each station had a number over top of the displays so that the controller could call out a number, not a name.

"Sarha, what are all those monitors doing? What kind of operations were in here?" Tim asked. Looking around with a flabbergasted look.

"Tim, what you see here, was the main battle operating system. From here, they controlled more than half the fighting forces." Sarha Replied. She was now standing next to the nearest table.

"Sarha, are the weapons controlled from inside here?" Asked Tim.

"Yes, if you wish to control them manually, it will be from here," Sarha replied.

"The ladies, who controlled the heavy power pulse particle beam cannons, like to work from the station on the left there," Sarha said. "The one on the right was for the sixteen beam cannons for the defense grid. The second one on the right was the Mass Drivers which- launched their shells at Hyper Warp speed."

"The stations against the wall were for control of different probes. They also controlled the fighters."

"Sarha, could we have the girls come down here, so they may see what we will be working with?" asked Tim.

"Tim, I have asked each girl to come down. They each will have to have a DNA scan done to enter." Sarha replied.

Each girl scanned into the room and looked at was in front of them. Their eyes were wide open, never having seen anything like this before. They each looked around, wondering what this place was and what are they doing here.

"Ladies, this will be your battle stations for the ship to ship fighting," Tim replied. Looking at the girls, moving his arm towards the seats and viewscreens. "Now you have seen it. I'll let Pauline take it from here."

"We will not be doing any person on person combat tomorrow, Ladies," Pauline said. Moving to stand in front of the girls. They were all there, even Jeanne.

"For the next hour or so, we will be in here training. Sarha will set-up different scenarios, so you get used to your stations." Pauline said.

"Tabitha, your station will be # 12. You will be the pilot from there. Tammy, your station will be # 2. You will have control of the cloaked probes. Madlyn, your station will be # 4. You will have control over cloaked camera probes. Jeanne, your station will be # 11. You will have control over the two heavy power pulse particle beam cannons." Pauline stated.

After an hour of practice, the girls felt that they knew what they should do, feeling good about it and about tomorrow too. Everyone went to the lounge for lunch. They all agreed on the proposed changes.

Setting in the lounge, after a filling meal. "Tabitha, Tim would like me to do a DNA test on you. Just to see if anything has changed, Is that ok with you?" Madlyn asked.

"Sure, it's ok with me. When do you want to do it?" Tabitha was turned to hand her plate to Millie for cleaning. Millie was now the friendliest bot around. She always was in the lounge to take care of each person coming in, getting them food or drinks.

"How about, when you leave here, you drop by." Replied Madlyn. Getting up and heading for the doorway. Turning her head to look at Tabitha, "See you in a bit." walked out the door and on to the lift.

The other girls started to stand up, going back to the various things they were doing. As they left the lounge, Millie said, "See you, ladies, at dinner time, have a good afternoon." She went about cleaning up the lounge, waiting for the next time she was needed.

***

Madlyn entered the medical bay, with Jeanne right beside her. They were talking about Tabitha, coming down to be tested, "I need you to get the syringe for the blood draw ready. Also, we need to check on Jane Doe. Maybe she's recovered from the shock." Madlyn told Jeanne.

Jeanne was walking over to Jane Doe's unit. Seeing Doctor Marus standing there. "Doctor, how's the patient doing?" Moving closer to the bed, she carefully picked up Jane Doe's arm, being careful not to move too close to her hand. Since she had seen the flames coming from those fingertips. She was shy about getting too close to the hands, to avoid getting a hot hand.

"She has not moved since you and doctor Madlyn left." Said Doctor Marus.

Jeanne gets ready to take Jane Doe's pulse. She lifted her hand, carefully, looked toward the hand. Saw the flames start to appear. She starts talking to the flames without thinking. "I am not going to hurt her. I just need to take her pulse, then I'll lay her hand back down, ok?"

Jeanne found a steady pulse with a good strong beat. She is laying the hand back down, "See, I said, I wouldn't hurt her." She turned to write the information she just took on her chart. When she turned back to Jane Doe's the flames are still there. They seemed to be getting bigger and are now about an inch tall. They look exactly like fire flames from an open fire. Closes to the fingers, the bottoms are round, working up from there the tops came to a point. These points are moving from side to side like they are dancing.

The flames stayed at the fingertips for a little while longer, then just disappeared. Jeanne was still just looking at the fingers when Madlyn came in. "How's the reading this time?" Madlyn asked.

Jeanne shook her head, coming back to reality. "I was just talking to the flames, without realizing it," She was now turning to face Madlyn with a stunned look.

"Well, did they say anything?" asked Madlyn. She had a big smile on her face but knew what it's like talking to something you know cannot talk back. She had done it several times, herself, then thought she had to be foolish.

"No, nothing. The pulse and heartbeat are doing fine. The flames are doing fine themselves." Replied Jeanne.

"Ok, so now we know both are doing just fine. I guess we'll just have to wait." Madlyn said.

She was turned to walk back over to her station. Jeanne sat down next to Madlyn. "What are we going to do now?" asked Jeanne.

"Did you get the syringe ready?" asked Madlyn, reaching into a drawer and, pulling out a file folder with Tabitha's name on it.

"Yes, it's on the tray with the other things you will need." Replied Jeanne.

Tabitha walked through the medical bay doors, "I am here. Where do you want me?" asked Tabitha. Tabitha looked down at the folder with her name on it. "That's just to keep you straight which one I am, right. Are you going to put my paw print in there?"

"The schools used to keep records, but it seems Tammy's files were always more significant than mine. She spent a lot of time with the headmaster." Tabitha said.

"I don't think we'll be getting you two mixed up. You both are sleeping with the ship's captain." Said Madlyn.

"Which of his sides do you get to sleep on right or left?" asked Jeanne.

"I'm the one on the top. That's because I am the older one." Said Tabitha.

I need you to go over to the unit two area and sit on the chair. I'll be right there." Said Madlyn.

Tabitha turned around, heading to unit two. She trips, falling against the wall, hitting her head. Both Madlyn and Jeanne jumped up and rushed to her side. Madlyn saw a small cut upon her head and asked, "Are you ok?"

Jeanne headed to the counter to get a rag with cold water on it. "bring me a slide also." called out Madlyn.

Jeanne handed Madlyn the slide first, watched her collect some blood on the slide and then took the slide back and handed her the cold-water rag. Jeanne took the slide to the medicine cabinet for storage. Madlyn helped Tabitha up from the floor then led to a chair.

"I guess that is the hard way to draw blood, but that's all we need. I'll put a bandage on your cut, and you can go."

"If that the way you draw blood around here, what's does repair a wound take? Falling down the staircase?" asked Tabitha.

All three females were now laughing.

***

Everyone got up early, to get everything ready for the battle. They came to the lounge for breakfast. Minimal discussion took place around the table. "Ok, ladies, this is the moment. Come on, let's go to the tactical room." Tim let them know.

Mindful of what Sarha said yesterday, Tim opened the doors with his DNA, every girl checked in the same way. Each went to their station, sat down, and started up their control panels, "I need all stations to check-in when they are operational." Pauline said.

When all stations had checked in, Pauline turned toward Tim, "we're all set to begin. I need to know when you want us to start?" Tim, sitting at the other end of the table. Tim gave her the thumbs-up sign.

"Station # 2, move your cloaked probes through the minefield, just to the other side. Let me know when you have finished." Pauline said. Now looking towards Tammy. Waiting for her signal.

Tammy was lighting up all probe's lights, ensuring each probe was in working order, sending them through the pirate's minefield. When all probes were ready, she gave Pauline the signal.

"Station # 4, move your camera probes through the minefields placing them behind Tammy's probes. Let me know when you have finished." Pauline said.

Madlyn was lighting up all her camera probes, taking them through the minefield, also. Seeing them completely through and in place, she gave Pauline her signal.

"Tabitha are you ready to take your ship out?" asked Pauline.

"Ready," said Tabitha.

"Station # 11, are you ready?" asked Pauline.

Jeanne turning to give her the thumbs up also.

"Sarha, would you please, blow up two sets of pirate's mines," Pauline asked.

Sarha set off two sets of ten mines each. Now was the time for waiting and watching.

Tabitha took her vessel out of the bay and toward the area of the minefield. She parked her ship there and transferred back into Sarha's ship. then headed down to the control room.

She scanned her DNA, walked over to her station, sat down and gave Pauline her thumbs-up sign.

About two hours later, "We have ships that have dropped out of hyper-warp on the outskirts of our scanners." Sarha reported.

Everyone in the room sat up straighter. They were ready to start doing their thing. Each girl checked over her panels and observed the lights, hoping they did not make a mistake today. In the room, you could feel the tension start to build, just waiting was the hard part.

"Four ships are coming in. Two are corvettes, one

frigate

, and one small destroyer. All are short-range ships. Trying to hack their systems, now. I have placed a number on each of the ships. Starting with the corvettes." Sarha replied.

Pauline waited for Sarha to talk to her. She's watched the scanners to see what the pirate's ships were doing. Noticing they are just sitting there, Pauline ordered. "Station #2, start moving your probes into place. Station # 4, start moving your probes also."

Tammy had two hundred probes. Now 50 probes will be for each ship. She started moving them, sectioning off the fifty probes at a time. She sent the first set to corvette # 1, the next set to corvette # 2, the third set to frigate # 3, and finally to the destroyer # 4. Then they sat and watch all the probes moving toward their targets.

Simultaneously, Madlyn sent her camera probes, watching the screens, making sure nothing was coming their way. She confirmed that each set of probes split, with one moving to each side of their target. Once in place, she looked for signs of the bay doors. Finding the correct location, she placed the probes. Once she could see all four ships and their bay door, she said, "Station # 4 probes are in place."

Tammy's probes were all in place but not yet attached to the ships. Tammy saw where the bay doors were and placed two probes there. Three were placed next to the engines. Two were placed close to the bridge. The rest were throughout the ship. When Tammy is satisfied with all the probes placement, she attached them to each ship. "Station # 2 probes are in place." Tammy said.

Now everyone sat, waiting for Sarha. Pauline sat at the table with Tim at the other end. Pauline worried, what if the pirate's ships started moving before Sarha could hack them. What if the probes didn't go on off when planned? She was a bundle of nerves. The waiting part was killing her.

"This is the hardest part of a fight, just before all hell breaks out," Tim said, looking in her direction. "If Sarha cannot hack into their systems, you need to let them come to you. If not, they may get back out of this system before we can do damage."

Pauline was shaking her head, "Yes, I understand."

"I am into one corvette's system, am downloading all information now," Sarha reported. Sarha placed the readout on the screen at # 6 station. As she downloaded, she simultaneously translated it to be readable for everyone. Tim noticed the route they took to get here, so they could trace it backward. Everyone waited. The doors to the Tactical room opened. Millie entered, "I have brought each of you a drink. Is it ok with Tim?"

In all his years in the military, Tim, thought this is the first time someone has come into a room, during a mission, to bring drinks. "Yes, Millie, it's ok," Tim replied.

"Pauline, I have the second corvette under my control. Both ships are not able to talk to any other ships. So, I now have two corvettes. Working on the frigate now." Sarha said.

***

On board the Pirate ship: "Captain, we have lost control of the ship." The helmsman announced; his call was echoed around the bridge. He turned to look at the Captain. who sat directly behind him.

"What are you talking about, losing control? How do you lose control of a corvette ship this size?" Asked the captain. Rising from his seat, he proceeded toward the helmsman. He appears to be really troubled about something.

"Captain, the controls don't respond to my movements." the helmsman announced. He was a bit shaken, the Captain stood directly behind him. He tried again to work the controls, showing the Captain that they were not responding.

"Captain, I have lost control over the weapons." Another pirate looked frightened; there is something wrong: no weapons and no control over the ship.

The Captain looked around the ship. Everyone on the bridge looked at him, just waiting to see what would happen next. "Call the destroyer, tell them we have lost power and will be working on it." Said the Captain.

"Captain, we have no communications also."

The communication officers said

. He, too, looked frightened.

The Captain walked back to his seat, wondering what is going on with his ship. "Engineering, this is the Captain. What's going on down there? We have no controls or communication. What's happened?" the captain asked.

"Captain, this is engineering; for some unknown reason, the engines just stopped. We are trying to fix it."

Said the chief engineer

.

"You had better find out what's causing the problem, or you will not be alive for long. Do I make myself clear?" stated the Captain.

"Yes, Sir, Captain, you have made it clear." Said the chief engineer. Turning to look at the other workers, "Don't just stand there, start looking for the trouble."

***

"We are about to move in on our target, call all ships, have them report in?" Said the Captain of the Destroyer. Opening the fleet command interface, he sent an order to the other ships.

"Captain, the two corvettes have not checked in. I cannot reach them. It's like their interfaces are turned off." Said the communications officer.