Rocket Fox: Part Seven

Captain Wilford Crenshaw walked the length of the deck that lead to the General’s office. It wasn’t hard for him to find, he’d been there many times, including the day General Gerring received her posting. From a junior officer during the Great Lupine Land War to the commanding officer of a Vulpine star port, an impressive run for someone like Gerring. She deserved it.

She kept her friends and colleagues in the loop at all times whenever there might be a change in schedule. Which happened quite a lot, considering the nature of a busy port in high orbit around a planet. Everyone assumed this all kept Gerring busy every minute of every day. But Wilford knew better. He knew that she’d have everything taken care of quickly, and without any stress. His assumption was correct as he walked into the General’s office, and saw her standing by the bay window overlooking the ship yards.

“Good morning, General,” he said as he gave a small salute.

Matilda turned and smiled as she cradled her cup of coffee. “Good morning, Captain. Coffee?”

“Oh by the Great Mother, yes,” Wilford said with a sigh. “I haven’t had a cup since our return from the outer planets of the system. Tea is a marvellous social thing, but it can’t hold a candle to the pick me up you get from a jolt of coffee. I know the Vulpine of the equatorial territories enjoy it, but it’s not… my cup of tea,” he said with a small chuckle and accepted a cup of coffee from the General.

“A joint research mission, wasn’t that?” Matilda enquired as leaned against her desk. “Pantheran and Vulpine scientists working together, as I recall.”

“Yes, it was a little unnerving at first,” Wilford explained as he took a sip of coffee. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply at the taste, the warmth and the aroma before finally continuing. “There was still some apprehension that’s leaked out over the centuries. You think the Great Vulpine Pantheran War was fought yesterday and not over two hundred years ago.”

“Some things are hard to let go,” Matilda said as she raised her cup in salute. “I’m sure you’ll be looking forward to this assignment. I’m just glad to tell you, it’s clear sailing.” Wilford stopped as he was about to take a sip of his coffee, an inquisitive expression on his face. “From your ship’s manifest, the only reason you had to stop at Pau Theta II colony was to drop off Left-tenant Senia Felix. Well, you won’t have to do that now.”

“Has a transport shuttle agreed to take her?”

Matilda shook her head and merely walked over to the bay window, pointing out into the ship yard toward a dark blue vessel. Wilford looked to where she was pointing and saw it quite clearly. “She’s called the Nighthawk,” Matilda explained. “Fighter craft built for deep space. We’ve had problems with those old Mavericks, they were good enough for launch from a vessel and even high orbit, but in the event a fighter was lead astray, it didn’t have much hope. These Nighthawks are the next stage for that.”

“Don’t mind my saying,” Wilford said as he studied the sleek design of the aircraft. “But she looks like three fighter craft, not just one.”

“You still have an engineer’s eye, Wilford,” Gerring said with a small chuckle. “She is really. Tri-lateral Assault Technology. Together, as one craft, she can share resources, one engine to operate the hyperdrive, but sharing from the other two. The three computers work as one to increase scans. And when she separates, well, that’s something else. Quite a formidable trio to say the least.”

“I take it this is Left-tenant Felix’s ride,” Wilford said as he continued to look out over the ship yard.

“Yes, but she’s not going alone,” Matilda replied and pointed out two Vulpine working on the craft. “See the young vixen going over the schematics with that small team? Corporal Hardy Maynard. The way she can look over an engine and know it just by sight and touch and sound, you’d think she was born next to one. And that one there. Working on the last of the sensor consoles. Corporal Clarfax Billings. An expert in exobiology, he wrote a dissertation on first contact protocols. The Royal Vulpine Academy is considering implementing it for use in the event any of our science vessels meet knew species.”

“I’ve read that dissertation,” Wilford piped up. “We’ve implemented it on the Huntsman in case we run across any systems between here and the nebula. And he’s a fighter pilot?”

“Oh yes,” Matilda nodded. “We Vulpine have always placed our resources where they best fit. But I want to change that. All three, including Left-tenant Felix, are excellent pilots. Top honours at the Academy. But they also have skills that the normal, run of the mill fighter pilot doesn’t have. Did you know that Felix studied diplomatic protocols during her time at the Military College near Chattingham?” Wilford looked to Matilda as she spoke, there was a smile on her face. “They are trained as fighter pilots. They have all the right skills for aerial combat. But they also have so much more.”

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February 7, 2012 | Categories: The Barrow's Revenge, Writing | Tags: February Writer's Challenge, Lupine Star System, Science fiction, Writing | Leave A Comment »