Chapter 6
Revoked Designations
The mixed blues of the sleepy Etherium skies caressed the fine wood of the RLS Diamond that peaceful evening. The space clouds swirled about the thousands of stars whose light powered the solar galleon's engines. The warm breeze rustled the captain's sandy hair as he stood at the wheel with his first mate and helmsman. The three men were content to stand and listen to the distant songs of the Orci Galactici while sailing their vessel through the serene skies.
"Captain Namerock, you better take a look at this," the first mate spoke up upon noticing a foreign shape on their radar. The captain peered down at the glowing grid, an eyebrow cocked in interest.
"It looks like another ship," he commented before glancing up at the ever watchful eyes of the woman in the crow's nest. Captain Namerock fronwned and turned toward the communication pipe allowing him to speak with his specialist on the top mast. "Miss Anderson, this is your captain speaking." Namerock waited a moment before Anderson's voice echoed back.
"Reporting for duty, Captain," she responded.
"Our radar is showing signs of a rather large vessel fast approaching. Have you spotted anything on the horizon?" Namerock explained. He saw the small figure in the crow's nest moving around, surveying the royal blue skies.
"Captain, there is no trace of another vessel in this sector," she answered, her voice sincere. Namerock turned to his first mate with a worried crease on his brow.
"Sir, the vessel is closing in. Something's amiss, we would be able to spot it by now," his second officer spoke up, a slight quiver in his voice.
"Is it showing any signs of slowing down?" Namerock demanded, sensing the approaching danger.
"It appears to be on a collision course," his first mate cried. Namerock glanced at the grid and realized he had to act fast.
"Helmsman, turn this ship around!" he ordered as the helmsman spun the wheel hard causing the ship to lurch and for the men to lose their footing. Namerock grasped a second communication pipe that led down to the boiler room. "Full power to engines! Now!"
"All hands on deck!" the first mate shouted while wildly ringing a bell close by to alert the crew who jumped into action. The momentum from the thrusters at the keel rocketed the ship forward, not a moment later scattering the unsuspecting crew across the deck. Once Namerock had regained his footing he ordered the specialist mechanic below to slow the ship.
"Slow ahead and holding," came the rattled reply.
"Mr. Ligg, report," Namerock turned back to his first mate. Mr. Ligg examined the radar systems.
"We've maneuvered out of their path, but they're turning around," he said.
"Gunners, battle stations!" Namerock bellowed as the gunners raced to their directed stations and powered up their weapons while the rest of the crew scrambled to their collective places around the deck, ready for anything that was to come.
"Captain, how can we hit something we can't see?" Mr. Ligg inquired. Captain Namerock's gaze was fiery.
"No one attacks my ship without expecting a fight in return," he growled, raising his hand and ordering his crew to be still as they waited for the signal. "Steady," he warned. Their radar blipped as the ghost ship came closer. "Hold." Closer still. "Fi-"
The words were hardly out of Namerock's mouth before the galleon was violently rocked to the side, sending the ship off course, the bow now pointing in a new direction.
"Orders, Sir! What do we aim for?" one of the gunners cried when another blast struck the deck, sending screaming spacers backward from the force, tearing into the fine wood of the vessel.
"Fire at will!" Namerock commanded through the chaos.
"Sir, they're not using laser cannons," his first mate yelled as their gunners fired back at the empty sky. Namerock gripped the edge of the helm's rail and stared at his first mate with a serious expression. Before he could demand Ligg elaborate another volley was released from the invisible ship, and this time Namerock could see for himself. Mr. Ligg was right, the laser balls weren't laser balls at all but strong, blazing torpedo shaped projectiles. These rockets were launched from the vessel in pairs and slammed into the Diamond's foremast full force.
Namerock looked up in horror when a groaning and creaking sound reached his ears. The torpedoes had smashed into the base of the mast that was now beginning to tip, pulling at the shrouds and sail lines.
"It's coming down! Out of the way!" Namerock ordered as he jumped from the helm, trying to push his crewmembers out of the way as the foremast fell back, the booms shredding the sails of the main mast and getting caught in the ropes. Still the unseen juggernaut continued its raid. As more of the Diamond fell apart, more of their cannons were destroyed. Fires erupted on the deck, licking at the wood and spreading quickly to the underbelly of the ship. Namerock raised himself up from where he'd fallen in the midst of the turmoil, trying to see straight through the smoke and haze when he noticed his first mate lying close by.
"Ligg!" Namerock choked, covering his head when another round of fire rocked the ship. Army crawling to his officer's side, he grasped the man's hand. "Ligg, stay with me. We're going to make it out!"
Ligg's eyesight was fading as he touched the wound in his stomach.
"It was an honor to – to serve you, Captain," he choked out, his breathing short.
"Don't you say your goodbyes yet!"
"The fire is…spreading. We can't…hold on much longer. Once it – once it reaches the boiler room we'll –"
"I'm not afraid," Namerock growled over him, clutching his first mate and best friend's hand.
"I didn't think it would end this way," Ligg whispered, his eyes glazed with pain. Namerock looked at him when a smile found its way onto his face.
"End? No, our voyage doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one we all must take, and I trust I'll see you in the afterlife, my friend, for our next great adventure," he whispered, tears pricking his eyes when he saw his friend choke out a painful laugh.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Mark."
Namerock blinked back his tears as his friend closed his eyes, breathing his last under their stormy chaos ridden skies. He knew it was futile to attempt to reach the longboats now. They had probably been incinerated in the fire. There was only one thing left for him to do. Closing his eyes, he clutched Mr. Ligg's hand and held his breath as the flames swept into the boiler room.
The starry night sky was no longer silent, the peace was no longer evident. Only the skeleton of a still burning ship was visible as the smoke curled upward into the heavens – the final resting place for the souls of the RLS Diamond.
The surface of the table rattled as a fist pounded the material.
"This is absolutely ludicrous," Amelia snarled, staring down at the paper and Maximillian White's latest column. "To think anyone would believe this rubbish!" Delbert looked up from his familiar breakfast of Alponian Chowder with the extra Solara Seed as he sat across from his wife at the Benbow Inn on Montressor.
"Amelia, just ignore the press," he said in a calm voice
"Ignore it?" Amelia growled. "Ignore them tainting my name? You know they're doing the same to you, Delbert."
"Yes, I've read White's articles on my failures as an astrophysicist, but I do not let that regain – er – detain me," he stammered, dabbing at his mouth with the napkin tucked into his shirt. "Anyone who knows you, Amelia, should also know that you are one of the finest captains this galaxy has to offer," he praised. Amelia's lips quirked upward in a tiny smile as she stared at her husband's warm facial expression.
"It never ceases to astound me how flattering you can be, Delbert." Delbert blushed and tried to clear his throat.
"Well, you are my wife, and I care about you," he smiled.
"And I you. It's just dissimilar from your usual bumbling behavior," she teased. Delbert scoffed and set his napkin down on the table.
"Very funny, dear." Amelia was about to open her mouth to respond when a deafening crash erupted from the kitchen's swing door just behind their table. Amelia's gaze focused on Mrs. Hawkins who finished serving a customer their meal and stared at the kitchen door with a dreaded look on her face.
"Oops! Sorry, Mrs. H! We'll clean that up right away," B.E.N laughed in embarrassment as he poked out of the door with Morph nodding as well.
"Clean that up!" the blob mimicked and morphed into a broom sweeping up some shards before they both slipped back into the kitchen.
"I swear, if that robot breaks one more dish…" Sarah threatened as she approached Amelia and Delbert's table.
"He receives an A for effort, perhaps," Amelia muttered as she sipped her tea.
"I appreciate the help now that Jim and Alice are gone, but it's still stressful," Sarah sighed, loading some of Delbert's dirty dishes onto her tray.
"Perhaps he could do the laundry. That way he won't break anything," Delbert suggested. Sarah shook her head.
"I tried that. Both he and Morph managed to overload the industrial washer. It cost me a week's pay to repair it," she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"At least business is booming," Delbert added as a weak attempt to cheer her up. Sarah gave her long-time friend a thankful smile.
"I better go help them clean it up." As she left the dining room to keep B.E.N from making an even larger mess, the front door to the inn swung open. Amelia looked up, her sharp gaze focusing on the courier that stepped over the threshold. The boy appeared to be roughly Jim's age, perhaps a little younger as he scanned the room, his eyes finally resting on Amelia. She watched him approach.
"Beggin' your pardon, ma'am. I was sent here to deliver a letter for ya." He tipped his three cornered hat that appeared to be too large for his head. Amelia watched as he dug into a bag beneath his frayed cloak and pulled out a rumpled letter for the feline. Amelia turned it over in her hands to examine the Navy's wax seal.
"Thank you," she told the boy, pressing a drubloon into his palm. The boy nodded his gratitude as he left the inn to deliver his other mail.
"What is it?" Delbert asked as Amelia broke open the letter and scanned the contents. Her brow furrowed before she looked up.
"I've been requested to attend a meeting of several other Navy officials on Crescentia," she informed him. "It's about the Procyons. The meeting starts in two hours. I should go now to arrive early," she told him, getting up from her chair and pulling on her blue captain's jacket with the shining gold buttons.
"How long will it last?" Delbert asked.
"I'm not sure, but it's highly important. I'll see you this evening, dear," she assured him, leaning down to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek before leaving the inn, her black heeled boots clicking on the wooden floor.
The Intergalactic Administrations Office Crescentia looked as impeccable as ever as Amelia entered the enormous bronze double doors and approached the communications desk.
"I'm here for a meeting with Admiral Walker," she announced as the woman behind the desk nodded.
"Ah yes, just up the stairs and to your right. They're in conference room 323," she explained. Amelia thanked her as she located room 323 and stepped inside. The other officers had already arrived and were seated around the table, awaiting her presence.
"Ah, Captain Doppler, I'm happy you could join us today," Admiral Walker greeted as Amelia took a seat between two other respective captains.
"In the letter you expressed that there was urgent business at hand. Care to elaborate, Admiral?" she inquired. Admiral Walker nodded and stood up.
"Ladies and gentleman, we may now commence our meeting, but I'm afraid I bring no good tidings," he proclaimed, clicking a button on a small remote in his hands. Almost at once the table the officers sat around glowed green as a holographic grid appeared on the surface. Admiral Walker clicked another button and the hologram zoomed in to reveal a particular part of the galactic map. "This is Sector 15 of the Cygnus Crossing, not far off from Kinapis. I have recently received word that one of our frigates, the RLS Diamond, was attacked and destroyed in this area.
"The ship was spotted soon after the devastating occurrence by an Imperial Heavy Scout taking a similar route, but because there were no survivors we have yet to determine the cause of this bout. The captain of the RLS Diamond was Mark Namerock. He had been called into Sector 15 because of the other disappearing ships. We believe this has a direct linkage to the Procyons."
Admiral Walker hit another button and the gird zoomed out once more, focusing on an additional area of the galaxy.
"This is Planet Alpha-2, Sector 36. Here we do have proof that the Procyons attacked. Captain John Rivas' patrol squadron was making transit to the Broken Territories when three Procyon vessels confronted them. Two of Captain Rivas' ships were destroyed. Thankfully only a few spacers were seriously injured, two men killed. Rivas drove them off, but not before they secured some of his cargo.
"The Procyon raids have been just that: raids. Very few of these ships have been spotted, besides circling their planet, and the few that have, only attack in small numbers stealing supplies from the Navy. This, officers, has led us to believe that the Procyons are preparing for battle. Along with the help of the newfound Red Matter they will be unstoppable if they seize the Empire unprepared. For that reason we have decided to double our security, increase weapon and ship manufacturing, and open more trade routes to transport cargo faster."
Amelia scanned the table of different ranking officers. Almost all were watching Admiral Walker with serious expressions. She turned her gaze back to the saber tiger looking admiral.
"But this, is not entirely the reason I have called you all here for this meeting. Because the Empire has a very limited supply of able bodied men and women at the moment, we are turning to our next option. That would be drafting."
Almost at once the silence of the table was severed as the officers turned to each other, concern and curiosity expressed in their tones.
"Not everyone knows how to fight in a war," a canine woman across from Amelia spoke up.
"No, they do not. Which is why we have decided to draft Academy students at the moment."
"Academy students?" Amelia gasped. "That's incredibly young, and they are very inexperienced." Her mind was immediately wandering to Jim and Alice.
"We have decided that only second year students and up will be permitted to work on the ships because they have such know-how under their belts. However, these students will not be on the front lines. They'll remain on patrol routes around the Empire, protecting certain planets, helping cargo and medical supplies find their way safely to their destinations. I cannot promise there won't be danger, but it will not be as imminent as when our Light Ships are on the battle grounds," Walker explained.
"How do you propose this will work? They are taking a considerable chunk of time away from their schooling, and wars can last for years," Amelia asked. Admiral Walker stroked his furry chin with a massive paw as he listened to her concern.
"Their schooling will be put on hold with no ill effects. The Interstellar Academies around the galaxy have all been notified. Fifth year students are allowed to commandeer their own ships with only an instructor to keep order. Second, third, and fourth year students will be placed within a crew captained by a Naval officer. This allows more trained men and women to combat the Procyons face to face. That is why each of you have been brought here. You are the higher ranking officers of the Montressor region and it is therefore up to you to assemble your ships or fleets and head for the Academy on Terebellum. From there the Academy will assign you your collective cadets that will work alongside a few of your remaining crew."
"Remaining?" a Lieutenant demanded. "What does that mean?"
"That means that some of your crewmates may have been shifted out, and moved to other ships for the time being so more persons can confront the Procyons," Walker elaborated.
"I don't want a bunch of stuffy cadets running my ship," a grumpier looking captain snapped and crossed his arms.
"You are still in full control of your vessel, and several of your original crewmembers will remain aboard, just not all of them," Walker assured the man. The captain harrumphed but didn't argue further.
"Why do we not just invade ze Procyon planet before zey invade us?" another officer spoke up, his voice heavily accented.
"Because we do not yet know what we are dealing with. To confront the Procyons out of ignorance would be a faulty move indeed. No, we must let them make the first move. Once we know what they are capable of, we will know how to act. Besides, their planet is now one of the most profoundly guarded in the galaxy. Any attempt to get closer and to infiltrate their lines is next to nil," Walker replied. When it was clear that the rest of the table had no more questions, Walker continued, "Each of you will be assigned a patrol route. In a week's time you will be on your way to Terebellum. Listen closely, in the next few minutes I will be assigning you your routes."
Amelia listened as each of the officers were named off on patrol routes. As Walker neared the end of the list a sinking suspicion enveloped her and she cleared her throat once he had looked up.
"I believe I have been forgotten, Admiral," she pointed out. Admiral Walker's lips pursed.
"Yes, Captain. You have been forgotten. I'm sorry, but as of right now I cannot assign you a patrol route."
"Why ever not?" Amelia inquired, narrowing her eyes.
"At the moment your designation is being determined."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Amelia challenged.
"It means that due to previous events aboard the RLS Legacy, including Treasure Planet and the Eternity Star, some of the Higher Ranking Officials are not quite sure you have the ability to successfully commandeer a ship without exacerbating a situation," he finished, his expression grim.
"What?" Amelia snapped, standing up so fast her chair was almost flung backward. "What sort of ridiculous notion is that? Have you forgotten the Kattindog Quasar War, or the seven ships I saved no thanks to any other Naval Officer? I am perfectly capable of handling a crew. The map to the Eternity Star was out of my control. We were surrounded and outnumbered, I hardly think that to denounce me of my title is in any way fair or helpful to protecting the queen," she spat. Walker only sighed.
"I understand your concern –"
"I don't think you do," Amelia cut in.
"– And believe me when I say it is of no help to anyone to revoke your designation, but it is out of my control. In three days' time you will be notified of your duties, whether you will receive them or not I cannot say. I'm sorry. You are a brave captain, one of the finest officers. I do not wish to see you stripped of your heading," he finished as if Amelia hadn't said anything to interrupt him. Amelia scowled.
"Save the flattery, Walker. I desire none. Now, if that is all you have to say in this conference I am happy to take my leave," she declared, clasping her hands behind her back.
"You are free to leave," Walker nodded. Amelia heard the bustle of the other officers, but she didn't want to waste one more minute inside the enclosed space. Her mind was abuzz with this latest information and she bristled with rage while she stalked from the room. Yet, underneath her anger was a small sense of fear. To have her rank stripped away after all she'd done in the Empire? After everything she had gone through to achieve it frightened her more than any band of mischievous Procyons.
If only there was a way for her to retain it.
A/N: Meh, the ending could have been better, but it is 12:35 in the morning and I'm not in the mood to revise this at the moment, so I apologize here for any mistakes. Sheesh, it's been a while since I last updated, huh? Almost a month? Maybe a month? Yikes! I didn't mean to leave you all hanging especially since more and more people have been taking an interest in this story (A hearty thanks to you all!). I was working on my fantasy book I want to publish some day and watching the Hobbit…like four times…
So uh-oh, what was the mysterious invisible vessel that could only be detected through radio waves? And Amelia's rank is on the verge of being revoked? Yes, our heroes are going to have to battle some strenuous things coming up, so be prepared! Muahahah! *cough* *pant* *wheeze* (The next chapter is the chapter you've all been waiting for! The Solar Surfing race between Jim and Rob!)
Ahem, yes, well, also tried to add in some Delbert and Amelia cheesiness and give an insight into life at the Benbow for poor Mrs. Sarah Hawkins. Jim's mother does not get enough love. I've been trying to look for ways to give her bigger roles in the stories, but because almost all of Jim and Alice's adventures occur in the space, it's very difficult for her to play a bigger part and not seem really out of place. Hmmm, oh well.
Anyway, I would like to especially thank all of the wonderful people reading this story or taking an interest in it or in any of the other Sky Sailor Saga stories or even myself as a writer!: lazyX1000, PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid, JessyHeick, KiwiAid, AbyMoOn, SlytherinUnicorns, XxCuppyCakesXx, ChibiAiko1987, curious readers expectations, SakuraCat96, and Obsessivereader182!
You guys just totally rock! Keep being cool!