Chapter 04
STARBASE COMMANDER'S OFFICE
STARBASE 5
NEXT DAY, 0800 HRS
Adama looked at his clock and then at the wall status display. Excalibur entered orbit five minutes ago and made the required calls, nothing else. Clayborne was playing some game, and Adama was not sure what it was. Out here in the frontier, people must depend on one another, there was no time for the stupidity of games that were similar to alpha-male dog maneuvers. Clayborne was Adama's superior officer, and that was that. Clayborne did not need to be rude just to prove his rank. Adama decided to let Clayborne know that he was not totally in the dark. He walked over and pulled out two coffee cups and poured in hot coffee in both. He sat one down on the opposite side of his desk and then he sat down. He got one sip done when Yeoman Street's voice came through the intercom. "Admiral? Admiral Clayborne is ….."
The doors to his office opened and Clayborne barged in. Adama stood and spoke loud enough for Street to hear, "Thank you Miss Street. Admiral Clayborne, would you like some coffee?"
Clayborne instinctively said, "Yes." Adama pointed to the hot cup on the desk and sat down. Unsure what just happened Clayborne sat down and sipped the coffee.
Clayborne started quickly, "Did you get those cargo ships to stay?"
Adama nodded, "The Captain's are not happy, but all eight of them are going to delay their departure. I couldn't offer them any more of the picture because you haven't given it to me. Now, what is going on?"
Clayborne ordered, "I want to see Captain Jacobs in ten minutes. He is going to participate in the wargame."
Adama sat quietly for a few seconds. Just when he thought Clayborne was going to start speaking again Adama said, "He's finishing up shore leave. He'll be available at noon."
Clayborne stood up and ordered, "I want him here in ten minutes!"
Adama stood too. "Admiral, you know full well that's unreasonable. He's on shore leave, a few hours won't make that much of a difference."
Clayborne answered, "We have cargo ships waiting. Are you going to make them wait while a loafing Captain sleeps in? Get him here now."
Adama sternly said, "Admiral, that isn't according to regulations, you are dangerously close to misconduct right now. Only I as his commanding officer can revoke shore leave, and unless we are under attack, I'm not going to do that."
Clayborne was boiling mad. He saw the futility, and finally said, "Fine, I want him here at 1201 hours. Be ready for a briefing." Clayborne turned and walked out.
After the doors closed, Adama looked to the com panel on his desk. Pushing a couple of menu buttons, he got Jacobs' communicator. Jacobs answered right away, "Admiral, how are you doing?"
Adama leaned on his desk, "Josh, Clayborne was just here. He wanted an immediate meeting with you and I told him no, according to regulations, you're entitled to the finish of shore leave. You are to be here at noon for the meeting."
Jacobs' voice came through, "I figured, he likes his power games."
Adama nodded, "Yes. I hope you had an enjoyable shore leave."
"I did, do you have an idea what the meeting will be about?"
Adama guessed, "It's definitely about you, cargo ships, and probably Excalibur. If I were to guess, he's going to set you up to somehow fail but make it look fair."
"We've been cooking our own stuff up anyway. Can I bring some of my officers?"
Adama grinned, "He didn't say not to. We'll see you at noon."
"Thank you, Admiral, Jacobs out."
MALUAKA BEACH
Jacobs closed his communicator and thought, getting up and moving out of his tent, he saw that a good portion of the crew were out swimming in the water, or running around on the beach. He folded his cot and tent up and started walking back to the main area. Octavian was snacking on some breakfast. He walked up to Octavian and said, "Ian, duty calls. Will you oversee getting everyone back to the Wisconsin?"
Octavian raised an eyebrow. "Trouble?"
Jacobs nodded, "Admiral Clayborne. I'm beaming back now. We're going to find out."
Octavian said, "I'll get them all back, thanks for the time here."
Jacobs smiled, "They deserve it, Tell George and Sam goodbye for me. I got to get to work."
TRANSPORTER ROOM 1
USS WISCONSIN
The transporter finished beaming Jacobs aboard. Leonaidas was there to greet him. "Josh, what's up?"
Jacobs stepped off and started walking to his quarters. "Admiral Clayborne wants a meeting at noon with me. Probably about wargames."
Leonaidas walked with him down the corridor, "What are you planning?"
Stepping into a turbolift Jacobs pushed a button and said, "Captain's Quarters." Turning to Leonaidas he said, "Initially, take a shower. We need to have a meeting of the heads up here before I step in there."
The turbolift hummed as it moved along. Leonaidas said, "We've made good progress up here after you handed the ship off to us. How does half an hour sound?"
The doors opened and Jacobs stepped out and turned back to Leonaidas, "Sounds good, let's meet in the briefing room."
Leonaidas asked, "Should I get the rest of the staff up for that?"
Jacobs shook his head, "No, let them finish up shore leave. I'll meet with second shift heads. I already got something in my head.
BRIEFING ROOM
USS WISCONSIN
0845 HRS
Jacobs walked in and looked at the second shift heads. "Thank you all, for those of you that are finish off his rest. Leonaidas, what do you have?"
Leonaidas started off, "We took first shift's ideas and got some answered. Short answers are yes, we can use the EMP. Yes, we can capture enemy vessels. And yes, we can engage in hand-to-hand combat. We should request Starbase staff act as referees. Also, we can use the simunition that Mr. Gibbs has worked up. I have the relevant regulation quotes to make all players use standard engineering safety goggles."
Jacobs asked, "And this simunition is non-lethal?"
Bauer nodded, "Totally, it does hurt, but only bruises."
Jacobs nodded, "After the meeting, I want you to demo this on me."
Bauer glanced around to the others then back to Jacobs. "Sir, on you?"
Jacobs answered, "Yes, Jack. If I go and say it's safe, that I've been shot, that should stop any complaining. Right now, I don't want to let them know what they are going to be up against, just tell them what they have to do. What's next?"
Leonaidas said, "Captain of the Excalibur is Harold Jackson. Nobody here has served with him."
Jacobs shook his head, "I don't know him. What is his personality?"
Dr. Mallard answered, "Starfleet records indicate he's very smart, by-the-book officer. He does not think outside the box. I've also gone over some of his tactical data and the general consensus is that he's arrogant."
Jacobs asked, "How do you mean Ducky?"
Dr. Mallard continued, "He never has been outmatched in a starship combat fight. He always has had the upper hand in a fight, the biggest ship, the element of surprise. That has made him less prudent during engagements. He tends to charge directly into the battle."
Jacobs thought a bit, "Ok, anything else for the meeting? Leo, Jack, I want you with me when we have the meeting. Jack, bring some safety goggles and anything else you think we need."
They nodded. Jacobs said, "Ok, Jack, let's go give you a chance to shoot your Captain."
PHASER RANGE
USS WISCONSIN
Bauer placed a pistol on the bench. He started his explanation, "Our standard pistol, modified for simunition. Notice the barrel is bright blue along with the recoil spring cap. This tells the operator that you are ready for simunition. The magazine buttplate is also blue. The shells go in the top just like normal and this small piece of metal prevents normal shells to be used in this magazine. The rest of the weapon is normal."
Jacobs looked at Bauer, "We can use our normal pistols?"
Bauer nodded, "Yes, we need to change those three things, and we are ready to go. At the time of the wargame, I will explain all this to the referee, we together will check all weapons as safe."
Jacobs asked, "Can I try a few rounds?"
Bauer handed the weapon over and Jacobs checked the magazine. All the shells were colored bright blue. He slid the magazine in and racked the slide. Aiming the weapon at a target at the 7-yard target, he fired. A soft pop sound came from the weapon, not the usual deafening boom. He hit, but was off by more than four inches from his aimpoint.
Bauer explained, "The projectile is a paint pellet. To keep it from breaking prematurely, the barrel is smooth, that makes the accuracy worse."
Jacobs nodded, "Ok, now shoot me."
Bauer was hesitant, "Sir, let me get shot."
Jacobs shook his head, "No, it must be me. This way I'll know what they are going to feel. Let's start at 7 yards."
Jacobs grabbed a thin lab coat and walked out to the seven-yard line and turned around. He made sure his goggles were on correctly, then he stood still. "Fire at will Mr. Bauer."
Bauer took aim and shot, he hit Jacobs squarely in the chest. It was more surprise than anything, but there was a sharp pain with the hit, Jacobs jumped back instinctively and grimaced. "That will get your attention. Try a triple-tap."
Bauer shook his head, and fired three quick shots. The first two hit the upper chest and as Jacobs turned instinctively hit the upper arm. All three shots were painful, but manageable. Bauer asked, "Sir, how are you doing?"
"It hurts when hit, but it goes away. What about a head shot?"
Bauer said, "The goggles will protect your eyes, nose, and ears. The rest of the face is exposed of course. If I get it in your mouth, it will hurt and taste very bad, but no injuries."
"Ok, hit me in the head a couple of times." Jacobs tried not to flinch, but when the pop came, he closed his eyes instinctively. He heard the impact and felt it on the goggles, but not much else. Opening his eyes, he saw blue paint all over his goggles.
Bauer asked, "Are you ok sir?"
"Fine, barely felt that. It looks like you hit the goggles." Jacobs observed.
Bauer said, "Right between the eyes."
Jacobs shrugged, "Well, that is the place to get shot, barely felt it. Let's try it again."
Bauer shot again, this time it hit Jacobs' forehead. That was the worst so far. Jacobs said "OW" and turned away. Jacobs said, "I'm ready to finish this off, empty the magazine, just don't hit me in the balls."
Bauer fired quickly and hit his Captain in the arms, legs, stomach, and thighs. After all the shots were done, Jacobs said, "Ok, the fun factor is over for me. Jack, you have fun?"
Bauer had a sour look, "No sir."
Jacobs walked up and patted him on the shoulder, "Good answer. Let's keep that video for now. Ducky, how am I doing?"
Ducky scanned, "Aside from a few bruises, you are fine. Still a worthless demonstration."
Jacobs said, "No sir, very valuable. Leo, according to regs, how many hits equals a kill?"
Leonaidas answered, "Only one, anywhere on the body is a kill."
Jacobs stated, "Then of everybody in Starfleet in the vicinity of Starbase 5, I'm the only one who will get hit with an entire magazine. If I don't complain, nobody else will have the right to either."
Ducky observed, "That's the point?"
Jacobs, "Yes, it is. I don't know how we will use this, but if you can't beat a starship with your phasers and photon torpedoes, use paintballs. Will Captain Jackson see that coming?"
Ducky shook his head, "Amazing. Definitely not. He will never think that he could lose his ship, definitely not to a ship that is half as strong as his."
Jacobs, Leonaidas, and Bauer packed up. Jacobs mentioned, "Then hopefully he keeps thinking that."
Leonaidas said, "That sounds like a prayer."
"It is, let's go."
ADMIRAL ADAMA'S OFFICE
1145 HOURS
Jacobs, Leonaidas, and Bauer walked in wearing their Service Dress Uniforms. Adama stood and shook their hands. "Gentlemen, nice to see you. How was your shore leave?"
Bauer answered, "Very nice, good chance to relax."
Adama asked, "And how did you relax?"
Bauer smiled, "I hiked, swam, ran in the surf, and ate like a pig."
Adama smiled, "I can do all those except hike, swim, and run. Are you ready?"
Jacobs announced, "Best we can do until we find out more."
Adama observed, "You came in force, what's in the duffel bag?"
Jacobs quipped, "Bauer's bag of tricks. He may even have a rabbit to pull out of there."
Suddenly the intercom buzzed, "Admiral Clayborne is here."
Adama pushed the com button, "Send him in miss Street."
Clayborne, Jackson, and a Commander walked in. Adama waving to the Wisconsin crew said, "Gentlemen, Captain Jacobs, Commander Leonaidas, and Lt. Cdr Bauer."
Clayborne introduced the Excalibur crew, "Captain Hank Jackson, Commander Straker, USS Excalibur."
The officers shook each other's hands. When Jackson shook Jacobs hand, he looked in Jacobs' eye sternly and said, "I went to the academy with Dan Hammel."
Jacobs held the gaze impassively and curtly nodded. The handshake was an unfriendly firm. Dan Hammel was in charge of a ship that was raided by pirates. He lost warp drive but still had impulse and life support. Jacobs elected to rescue the USS Tahiti rather than come to the aid of Hammel's ship, primarily because he was afraid of losing the Tahiti if he did not chase it down right away. Hammel raised a big stink about Jacobs leaving him behind. Jacobs basically answered that if his situation worsened, he would come, but Hammel wasn't in an emergency situation.
Jacobs did not know what to say, so he didn't say anything. Clayborne started his briefing. "There has been some debate about the effectiveness of the new battleships. I intend to get some data by presenting a wargame with the two of you. Excalibur will attack a convoy led by Wisconsin. Captain Jacobs, we have asked some cargo ships to accompany you. We will also outfit four shuttles to augment the convoy. They will simulate more Liberty class freighters. The balance of power is about as fair as I can make it."
Jacobs asked, "What are the parameters of the convoy?"
Clayborne pointed to the wall, "Bill, pull up a map of your system. You will start in orbit here at Starbase 5. You will set course for Earth, but because of the shuttles, you will not be able to warp. For purposes of the exercise, you will be considered able to warp once out of the system. You will be considered the winner if you get to the edge of the system with half your ships. Captain Jackson will try to either capture or destroy as many ships as he can."
Everyone was silent for a minute as they let the information soak in. Jacobs could see where he was meant to fail now. Sure, the battle point value of the two fleets were comparable. In fact, he would bet that it was within a few percent of even. The part that hurts him are the cargo ships. The Excalibur could eliminate two on the first engagement. Then, the Wisconsin group would be at a disadvantage, permanently.
Clayborne asked rhetorically, "Any questions, w…."
Jacobs interrupted, "Yes, sir."
Clayborne was shocked at being interrupted. "It's all thought out."
Jacobs looked conceding, "No doubt. Then you've already thought about Starfleet regulation 61.112"
Clayborne was stunned, he never heard of that. This Jacobs is impudent. "What is that regulation?"
Jacobs turned to Bauer who handed him a datapad. Jacobs handed it to Clayborne. "Rules concerning wargames. We claim the right to have referees in areas designated under subsection C of that regulation. Also,"
Clayborne was scanning the regulation, "Impossible, it will take a hundred people."
Jacobs continued, "Officers full Lieutenant rank or higher. Starbase 5 could supply most of them. The rest you would have to borrow from ships in orbit around here."
Clayborne dismissed it, "We can't do that, we don't have the personnel."
Jacobs pressed, "If you want the wargame, you must. You said you thought of everything."
Clayborne was getting mad, "WE HAVE."
Jacobs went for the touchdown. "Also, we claim the right to have an instrumented ship coordinate all ship's computers for hits and damage."
Clayborne was not sure where this was going, "The individual ships can take care of themselves."
Jacobs pointed to the regulation, "Actually, not. Subsection F dictates that hit determination and damage control will be done by a neutral ship's computer. All computers to coordinate with the neutral ship."
Jackson was offended, "Are you saying we cheat?"
Jacobs shook his head, "Not at all, I just think it's best if our computers don't do the damage assessment. This goes for my ship as well as yours."
Adama suddenly saw what he was planning. He put a frown on his eyebrowns and covered his mouth with his hand to cover a smile he could not suppress. Jacobs continued. "And in subsection Q, we claim that all people wear this." Turning to Bauer he took the offered set of goggles.
Handing it to Clayborne, he turned it over and looked at it, "What's this?"
Leonaidas answered, "Standard engineering safety goggles. No manufacturing necessary. All crewmembers on starships have these issued to them. We are saying that they must wear them from the beginning of the exercise to the end. Referees included."
Jackson was amazed. "Captain, why would we ever need to wear these? You are just trying to harass us."
Jacobs turned and remained calm, "Harass? Such as being pulled in off a shore leave to go play wargames? Admiral, those are the claims we state."
Clayborne was fuming, but saw nothing he could do. "Granted. We start in 24 hrs at 1200 tomorrow. Dismissed."
The two crews left the Admirals office. As soon as they were in the lobby, Jackson stopped Jacobs and said, "Let us be clear, Captain. Hammel is a friend of mine. I intend to ruin you on this exercise. You never should have left him behind."
Jacobs did not back down but remained calm, "Since you are clear, let me be clear. I never left him behind. I was not even in the area. He got caught with his pants down charging into a situation without thinking first, and was lucky he was not destroyed in the process. With the damage he sustained, he could last indefinitely."
Jackson shot back, "What if the pirates returned?"
Jacobs returned fire, "They wouldn't, because they would've killed him outright when they had him eject his core."
Jackson then said, "And what about leaving him only on impulse?"
Jacobs answered forcefully, "He had power to move at nearly the speed of light, far faster than the first interplanetary travelers two centuries ago. He also had life support, shields, and weapons. By any definition, he was not helpless. The greater need was to go save the space liner."
Jackson thought that Hammel did not mention all this. He was not going to back down from this twerp. Jackson stood six foot five and Jacobs was just over six feet tall. Jackson leaned into Jacobs and pointed his finger at him, "You left a Starfleet Captain hanging helpless in space. I will not forget that!"
Jacobs did not back down, "Look up his reports, look at the data yourself, look at my data, then make your own judgment."
Jackson stared, then said, "I'll eviscerate you out there."
Jacobs' answer caught Jackson off guard, "You should be able to." The two groups separated and walked off. They caught a turbolift down to the main lobby and stopped by the main water feature. Jacobs was trying to calm down. Leonaidas and Bauer looked at him. Leonaidas put his hand on his arm.
Jacobs was shaking, Leonaidas looked at him and said, "Remember, we supported you in that decision. I still think it was the best decision."
Jacobs looked at his two friends, "I know, I'm just not good at verbal confrontations. I'd rather fight him than argue with him. I'd rather go on the range and shoot it out with simunition." He managed a smile.
Bauer said, "You get him in the range, and I'll supply the tools."
All three of them laughed. Jacobs flipped out his communicator, "Let's get ready, lots of work."
DECK 2
USS WISCONSIN
1800 HRS
The room was filled with the captains from the cargo ships along with the four shuttle pilots that get to play cargo captain. Jacobs walked forward and said, "I want to thank you very much for coming over. Also, I want to apologize for the inconvenience you have been subjected to."
Captain Shoron, an Andorian, spoke first, "It's easy for you to say that, but our schedules are blown because of Starfleet."
Jacobs nodded, "I sympathize, but we'll try to minimize it if we can."
Shoron's antennae swung opening wide, typical for Andorians who are amazed, or preparing to fight. Jacobs continued, "I am not kidding. Once the exercise is declared over, you can go on your way."
Shoron scowled, "But you want to win, to do that, we need to go out all the way to the edge of the system at impulse. Even if we did a straight line at full impulse, that would take better part of a day."
Jacobs nodded, "Yes, Captain, you are right. There is a third way to end the exercise that was not briefed to us, but is a logical conclusion."
Shoron, skeptical, asked, "How?"
"We capture the Excalibur."
There was a lot of talk in the room, it sounded like everybody was incredulous. Shoron asked, "How?"
Jacobs said, "I'm glad you asked, first, the setup. We have eight Liberty class ships. We will put three security crewmen on each one to help you in case of boarding. The four shuttles are so small that we'll leave those with their own pilot alone."
Another Captain asked, "You're willing to write off the four ships?"
Jacobs shook his head, "No, but I don't want to use the Badgers for them. We have another way of defending them. The Badgers will work with your crews to enhance your defenses. Our position starts in orbit here, and we will initially have a spherical formation with the Wisconsin at the center. We will set course 340 mark 78."
Shoron scoffed, "That's not the direction that was said in the briefing you showed."
Jacobs nodded, "No, it's not. I would like to win this, but there is something else at stake."
Shoron asked, "What?"
Jacobs observed, "We are including civilians in this exercise. You will take what you see back to your communities and say whether Starfleet can protect them or not. That is why I'm not willing to write off the shuttles. To me they still are cargo ships. We have to defend them differently because the cabins are only as big as a shuttle. My aim is to finish this exercise with no casualties."
Again, the voices were of disbelief. Jacobs said, "As I said before, we go on course 340 mark 78. Rule number one on surviving ambushes is don't go into an ambush."
Shoron was thinking, "What do you mean?"
"Our personality profile that my science officer and chief medical officer worked up say that Captain Jackson is a linear thinker. He thinks he knows where we will be coming from. If we do what they want us to do, here is our course." The room showed from Starbase 5 a magenta line going out towards one end of the system. "If you follow this course towards Earth, there is an asteroid field that it passes through. So, he will lie in wait and just before we enter the field, he will charge out and start decimating the fleet. All he needs is six ships disabled or captured. What he will do is go after me."
Shoron asked, "How do you know that?"
Jacobs explained, "Right after the briefing, we had some words. He is convinced I wronged a friend of his. Unknowingly I planted some seeds that will assure that. What happened was I stood my ground and he directly challenged me. I told him that he should be able to destroy me. His personality is such that he will feel that he must prove that he can rout me."
Shoron said, "So how does that help us?"
"We use the Wisconsin as bait. We sucker him in a trap of our own devising and then spring it."
Another cargo captain asked, "Wouldn't the asteroid belt along that course help?"
Jacobs shook his head, "No, actually not. We need free space to spring our trap."
Shoron asked, "How do you do this?"
Jacobs started explaining. When he got to the part of them capturing the Excalibur, everyone was amazed that they would even think of doing that. Shoron was the first to ask, "So once you capture the battleship, how do you keep it?"
Jacobs smiled, "You make them want to get off the ship."
