Chapter 23

Misty wanted to cry. She needed some type of release. Other than being a fuck toy or babysitter, she had nothing to do. Joyce created macramé with her hands; macramé, soon to become trade goods used to help pay for the war. Tiffany, Leslie, and Bill worked at the school, helping the next generation to be prepared to carry on the fight. Ray-ray became a fixture of the colony, someone the populace trusted to smooth out disagreements and resolve conflicts. The hearth goddess, Salome drove the home through love and the need to provide the environment that she had never had. Katy, now a toddler, gravitated toward Eve. Misty entered a funk. Never leaving the bed, she tried to go back to sleep.

Thirty minutes later, Misty grew tired of staring at the ceiling. The bed moved minutely. Rolling toward the disturbance, Misty bumped into Bill. He drew a finger down her leg from her knee to her ankle. "Pray tell, my little minx, what's wrong?"

Misty snuggled into his hip. Her face aimed at the headboard. That way she could avoid eye contact. "I'm useless." Misty latched onto Bill's waist. His hand stroked her back. Turning into him, Misty started to weep. Though Bill never moved, the bed shifted again. A second hand joined the one trying to soothe her.

"Misty, when I came to the US with Ray-ray," Salome spoke softly, "I had nothing but him. I was so lonely; I saw little hope of finding my place." Salome lay over to spoon Misty's back. "I thought about going to the Gulf and trying to swim to Mexico."

"I don't want to die," Misty shared with both of them.

Salome hugged tighter, kissing the back of Misty's hair. "I found a flowerbed in our apartment complex. I started caring for the plants. I met more people and found a job at a nursery."

Misty stiffened. "Plants don't like me."

"I remember your troop volunteering at the animal shelter." Bill gently lifted her into a sitting position. "You girls helped to train and find homes for a lot of animals."

"What good does that do here?" Misty tried to pull away. Bill would not let her go.

"Misty!" She turned to look at him. "Listen to what I'm saying, think a moment." She glared at Bill. "What helps herd sheep and goats?"

Misty sat silently. Bill went to tickle her. Salome mouthed 'no' and popped his hand. Bill pouted.

Salome took over the conversation. "Our colony has two veterinarians." The statement didn't sway Misty. She sat looking away. "They need someone to work at their office." Misty turned, still underwhelmed. "Sometime this month, there are going to be puppies." Misty's eyes opened, her features softened.

"Those pups will need to be monitored and given basic obedience training." Bill lifted her hand. Misty had a killer smile. "Their caretaker will also participate in the screening process in which pups will be moved on to be trained as herd dogs."

"What about the rejects?" Misty's voice tapered up.

"How many families here in the colony do you think might want a dog?" Misty latched a hand onto both Bill and Salome.

"Miss-tee," Bill faked a choking sound. "Katy will be considered weaned in two months."

"That's good." Misty's statement was indifferent. She had no clue what he meant.

Bill snorted one tiny chuckle. "That means Salome will be getting pregnant." Misty hugged Salome. "You'll both be mothers at about the same time."

It took Bill ten minutes to get a word in to tell Misty she had an interview at three o'clock. Once she did get the message, Misty disappeared into the bathroom to get ready. Salome raced to help. Bill snuck off to the safety of the classroom.

Tiger flight waited in the ionizing band of Ormicon Three's gas giant. They waited in silence, listening for a signal from a sensor drone shadowing an asteroid. Their carrier, the CSS Jefferson Davis, lay in wait with the remainder of the taskforce behind the planet's smallest moon.

Microbursts of gasses helped maintain each Hornet's orientation. Short-range communications between the Hornets were transmitted using pinpoint eighth watt laser pulses. Tension grew as the armada approached. Two Vesta class battleships escorted a hive ship. Screens of destroyers and cruisers cut a virtual wake through the void of space.

Gamma squadron's mission orders were to slice through the Liber fighters, breaking their picket line. The task force would attack the armada, engaging them at an angle, which limited the effective fire of one battleship and another third of the enemy.

The swarm ships were using the gas giant to screen their invasion. Enhanced optic scanners showed the enemy approach. Following the projected path to hide their approach, the screening forward elements approached ever closer. A second picket line followed the Libers, thirty-two Lima torpedo fighter-bombers. The swarm seemed prepared for the ambush.

Radio silence ended with the voice from tactical on the Jefferson Davis. "Gamma squadron, go. Repeat Gamma squadron, go."

Lilly flipped the switches bringing her Hornet to life.

"Jaguars, Lions engage the Limas. Tigers, Lynxes engage the Libers." Tactical repeated the mission change.

"Tigers Go!" The order from her flight leader dropped more adrenaline into Lilly's bloodstream.

Jamming the throttle to maximum, she followed her wingman Chuck, into the belly of the picket line. Lilly scanned her targeting sensors. Maneuvering quickly, she dropped into her position as wingman. Sixteen of the enemy fighters broke to engage in her direction. "Watch out for wheel attacks." Tiger-Leader called.

Four of the Libers maneuvered into the wheel formation, a stacked diamond allowing the attackers to concentrate their fire on a passing fighter. Forming the vertices of a virtual tetrahedron, the Confederacy theory held that the gestalt could concentrate fire, increasing the effectiveness of the fighters geometrically. The remaining Libers tried to outflank the Hornets, forcing them into optimum position for the wheel attack.

Laser fire passed harmlessly below them. "Tiger-2, follow me through." Chuck passed where the beams had been. "After we pass the axis, rotate and strafe along the line of Libers."

"Tiger-1, following lead," Lilly responded. Moving the controls, she dropped with her wingman below the plane of enemy fire. Changes in g-forces gave her the sensation of needing to pee. Once under the line of fire, Lilly rotated the nose of the Hornet at the line of enemy fighters. As she passed the plane of the Libers, Lilly fired two bursts from her plasma cannons.

Pulling hard on the stick, the Hornet looped under the Swarm vehicles. During the maneuver, Lilly found the bellies of Libers in her sights again. The plasma canons fired a burst as each passed. Each bolt caused the ship to correct its pitch in response to the guns' inner works, cycling after each shot.

Reversing the turn, Lilly looked to her scanner. She selected the four ships in the wheel formation. Missile lock was confirmed. "Tiger-1, I have lock on the wheel formation." Lilly fired two rockets. "Lock missiles to my fire control, preparing a fishbowl."

"Launching, Tiger-2," Chuck acknowledged.

Her Hornet cycled the next two rockets. A bing, followed by two new monitor blips on her scanner signified her Hornet taking control of Tiger-1's ordinance. Her next two missiles became ready and she fired them. Heartbeats later, her fighter signaled control of Tiger-1's second salvo. As the trailing ship, she dropped a fishbowl, a bowling ball sized fire control drone, which took control of the missiles.

Reversing her turn, Lilly followed her wingman as he dropped several thousand meters, completing the maneuver. She checked her targeting scanner. "We've lost Tiger-3, and Lynx-2. Fifteen bogies left." She paused, "Targets at two plus four."

"Full throttle," Chuck ordered. They shot toward the enemy.

Confederacy ships closed on the armada. Heavy cruisers launched long-range missiles. Eight of the Libers turned to charge at the remaining Hornets. The other seven enemy fighters aimed themselves at the fleet.

Lilly's scanners found firing solutions to free up the other Hornets. "Tiger-1, lock your missiles to my fire control." Lilly launched her weapons.

Chuck responded as he pulled the trigger. "Tiger-2, missiles away," they repeated the process.

Eight missiles leaped across the emptiness seeking their prey. Four Libers avoided the missiles by changing their vectors. The result forced them to attack Tiger-1 and Tiger-2.

Chuck led her back toward the gas giant, the Swarm in pursuit. "Tiger-2," Chuck called. "Prepare to rotate and fire."

"Copy Tiger-1."

Chuck spoke clearly, "Three two one rotate, fire."

The Hornets spun, spraying plasma at their pursuers. At least one ship exploded. Lilly's Hornet shuddered and jumped right. Her targeting scanner went blank. Chuck spun back. Warning lights flashed on Lilly's display. Two Libers rocketed past her, chasing Chuck. Her Hornet appeared dead.

Lilly pressed the manual override on the damage control panel. Moments later, her Hornet had nominal operation power. Throwing the control quickly to the right, Lilly scanned until she found Chuck. Gunning her Hornet, Lilly gave chase. "Tiger-1, Tiger-2 back in action," Lilly called to her wingman.

"Tiger-1, I've got two bogeys on my six!" Chuck pleaded into his open comm link. The lead enemy opened fire with its lasers.

Lilly closed the distance on the two Liber fighters that were, chasing her wingman. He dove into the gas giant using the gravitational well to increase his velocity.

"Break right! Climb!" Lilly ordered.

Following the directions, Chuck maneuvered up and away from the laser track following him. Lilly rotated her Hornet, aiming her nose at Chuck's pursuers. Waiting a fraction of a second, she watched the lead Liber enter her sights. Her ship vibrated, spiting a short burst from the plasma guns. Gasses vented from the wounded lead Liber. "One down!" she shouted into her comm link. It began to tumble. A tone signified Lilly's Hornet was taking damage. Spinning to face the attack, she slid her thumb onto the firing control on her stick. Launching the missile, Lilly watched the flight of her counterattack. Warnings blared; Lilly jerked the controls violently, changing the position of her Hornet. The forces wrenched her against the harness. Her fighter shuddered. Alarms flashed. The Hornet's starboard engine showed no power, however its temperature began to soar.

"Eject, Eject, Eject," the alarm became vocal. "Pilot environment suit is viable."

Lilly grimaced she pulled the eject handle. The lights in the cockpit grew brighter. The canopy changed from the gas giant of Ormicon Three to the number seven flight column. The gravity adjusted, lowering the ball shaped simulator. Lilly could see that only Chuck remained in flight. He must be in serious trouble. Up and down the simulator bounced as it spun on all three axes. Stopping slowly, Chuck's pod centered itself. Then it began lowering itself.

Ensign Felix Adam noted the performance of his eight trainees. The AI had adjusted the parameters to limit the real g-forces experienced by his pilots. This was the third time Gamma Squadron had experienced this variant. Their communication needed work; it had improved but still needed work. Given they were a group of seven and eight year olds, their efforts exceeded his expectations. At least they could form up into a decent formation for inspection. "Our effectiveness has increased twenty-seven percent." That brought a small cheer. Felix had to turn away to hide his smirk. Turning back caused them to quiet down. "Each of you, go with your wingman and review the engagement with Dewey." Tables on the far side of the flight lab became illuminated. "Then each of you will need to answer four individual questions in writing." That brought another groan. "Dewey, are the questions ready?"

"Yes Ensign Adam," the school AI responded. "Each member of the squadron has individual questions." His squad groaned.

That noise spurned a reaction. "Attention pilots!" The kids snapped to attention. No lips were quivering, there were no tears, Felix internally cheered. "Dismissed to assignment tables."

Felix noticed Governor Danvers and Commander Holloman enter the lab. Wisely letting the kids cross to begin their debriefing, he crossed to greet the women. "Governor, Commander," he saluted. Rose Holloway returned his salute.

The governor nodded and then extended her hand. "Can we speak in private?" After shaking her hand, he escorted them to the trainer's observation room.

"Ensign, first of all as second in command of our educational Reserve Officer Training Corp, you will become a Lieutenant Colonel." Felix froze a moment. "The ceremony will be Friday at the end of school."

"I am honored Governor, and Sir." Felix would outrank Commander Holloway.

"Relax, Felix," Rose directed. "She is making me a Colonel for the duration."

"Now that we have played nice with rank and titles, in private I'm Marsha." The governor's tone was imperative, her facial expression a smile.

"I'm Rose," mouthed the commander.

"What can I do for you ladies?" Felix was more worried now than before.

Rose spoke. "We have visited with the Phys Ed department." Her head turned toward the gym. "Using the sleep training time, we are going to monitor physical development of our students." Felix cocked his head, listening. "What were the limits on performance for the simulators?"

"Today we operated at a maximum of thirty-five percent of real values." He looked at the kids, then at the simulators. "That is within the safety margins Dewey set."

"Yes, we're aware of that. Dewey has also assured us that individual limits can be set for students based on daily scans." Marsha leaned in, making a point. "What I want is to gently push our students into peak physical fitness." She sat back straight.

"Eh," Felix groped for a way to phrase the question. "As governor, couldn't you have them enhanced?"

"I could," Marsha smiled while Rose snickered. Marsha continued. "I believe that a little sweat equity is required. I don't want mini Marines."

Felix felt his mouth drop open. He closed it with an audible click.

"Why have them," Rose pointed at the kids sitting at the tables, "write answers?"

"Leslie Jenkins compiled research that shows writing can serve as reinforcement for learning." Felix had seen improvement in retention at every level.

"I've experienced her wisdom also." Marsha rubbed her butt figuratively. That brought a smile to everyone. "Our children need to have richer life experience in their shorter childhoods. Each of us has learned to value hard work and effort. Our kids need that too."

Felix found himself in agreement.

"Felix, we're going next door." He stood as they did. "I believe that first grade is practicing tank driving with the simulators and miniatures."

"I had them in here flying A20s yesterday," Felix recalled absentmindedly.

Rose paused before opening the door. "How did they do?"

"Let's just say, I understand the mindset of lemmings and Kamikaze pilots much better." He walked them to the door.