Joe was selecting “Finest Piri Piri Salmon with Palm Oil and Yam Relish” from the officer’s wardroom dispenser. Or maybe he should try Curried Goat with….
“Hey Joe.” Said Guns Two. “What’s the media been saying about this Battleship Johnnie?”
Johnnie. That’s what the crew were calling John The Reveletor now.
“Nothing.” He’d have the salmon. “ Just a lot of speculation about peace talks. Who’s going to give in first? Half the Galaxy want to mediate on our behalf. I think a lot of them don’t want to see Old Earth humiliated. The other half are afraid we’re going to restart the Empire. Military types say either the Johnnie’s a harmless antique, or it’s a threat to our Fleet. The Junta says the Johnnie isn’t threatening anyone. But they don’t say what it really is doing out here.”
“Yeah” said Navvs Two. “What are they doing? The old Johnnie couldn’t do much. But they’re wasting three destroyers on escort. New destroyers.”
“Don’t underestimate the old Johnnie.” Said Guns Two. “She’s armed to the teeth, and there’s nothing our destroyers could do to her. That’s solid iron rock, magnetite, that she’s been carved out of. Our lasers would just weld it a bit thicker. I tell you if she got in amongst our fleet she could cause havoc.”
“Really?”
“Yes really. They built ‘em solid when they built her. That’s why we’ve been following her all this time.”
“But if they were after the fleet.” said Navvs “Wouldn’t they use fighters from their mother ship? And she is sailing away from here.”
“Yes I suppose they would.” Said Guns two. “I can’t make out their strategy at all.”
“Maybe they want to preserve it.” Said Joe “The mother ship. It’s a status symbol for the Junta. Not even Earth has one any more. If they lose their status than maybe the people on Mirconium would rebel.”
“But that’s mad.” Said Guns Two. “They should throw everything into the fight and they might win.”
“But they might not.” said Joe “Then what would they do? They only have Mirconium to call their own. The Junta members won’t be welcome anywhere else. And let’s face it. If we were serious all we have to do is destroy their sunshades. The whole planet would be up the spout then.”
“We wouldn’t do that would we? It would slowly kill millions.” Said Navvs.
“No of course we’d never do it.” Said Joe. “But they can’t really be sure we wouldn’t. I think maybe they really want to get out of this. Make peace with Earth and keep on ruling Mirconium. They made a mistake thinking this would revive their economy and get the people behind them. They thought Earth would just decolonise like always.”
“But why aren’t we?” asked Navvs.
“Don’t know.” Said Joe.
“Who cares.” said Guns. “We do our duty.”
“Come on” said Navvs. “Eat up. Its our watch soon.”
Joe finished eating, went to the heads and on to the bridge “Anything up?”
“Same as always. “ said Comms One. “ Usual chatter. The president of Bota Three says he can negotiate a peace deal if the UP gets Earth to agree. Then there’s a few destroyers near Mirconium looked like they were heading this way but turned back. One of our sensors picked up some anti matter and…
“Johnnie’s changing course.” Said Navvs
“I’ll leave you to it “Said Comms One “Its all on the plot.”
“OK.” Joe plugged in his skull ports and searched the ether.
The Commander took over from the 2ic. “Did you say a course change?”
“Yes Commander. I’m working it out now. They are heading. …Oh…They’re heading for the Fleet. Our Fleet.”
“Sure?”
“Yes commander. But at this speed it would take ‘em three days to get there.”
“Comms. Transmit this to Fleet.”
“Yes Commander.”
“Any ideas anyone?”
“It must just be coincidence.” said Navvs. “I mean this is hardly a fast attack or stealthy or anything. Shouldn’t they go to light speed, decelerate in the centre of the Fleet and start shooting then? But they probably don’t know where the fleet is. Not exactly.”
“I told you,” said
This page has been visited 11 times. Legal and copyright information can be found here.