Astra Pt. 05

I spoke with James Treven already. He told me they have a 5.5x version of the engine ready. The company doing the ID device is having issues with the device. I will be inquiring about that. Francine Treven will be happy to know I have an ID device to handle that as well as 6x engines and FTL drives. We stayed in FTL for 2 straight years and anyone who thinks my ship airframe designs do not hold up; well, they will just have to see what I brought back."

She smiled, "No hint?"

Jack laughed, "It's not 5 ships. Closer to 300 ships."

Her mouth fell open and she smiled, "Well that explains the range of starbases you have put out there to observe from."

Jack nodded, "Yes. The President already knows, I spoke with him from the edge of the asteroid belt."

She nodded, "Through Saturn or Jupiter?"

Jack smiled, "Jupiter initially because the TRD Shiloh contacted them but then I dropped them from the call and went directly to the Capitol."

She looked at Jack, "You have increased your comms capability?"

Jack nodded, "Yes. The satellite that got destroyed on our end by an alien conflict has been replaced."

Grace walked in, "They have both been contacted."

Jack nodded, "Grace was just letting me know that an elder sister to Carol and parents of Holly Travus were just notified that they both died in that conflict. Danyelle died as we approached the system's asteroid belt. Her shuttle was hit by a blazingly fast asteroid that ripped through the shields, hit the hull, and folded the ship lengthwise before the cores exploded. The asteroid was the size of a watermelon and traveled at 9x speed."

She held her hand to her mouth, "Did you lose any children?"

Jack nodded, "6 infants and 11 before they were born. We lost the Merlin with Danyelle and the Excalibur with Holly and Carol in the same battle at the same time for those 2 and the 6 children. They appeared right on top of us. I did manage to salvage the section needed to keep Astra online and built it into the heart of another ship.

She did lose a significant part of her historical archives. She kept around 80% of her technical archive but in the past timeline, the people's significant achievements were lost." He threw her an image of the Excalibur in space dock, "In orbit at Geos after the conflict was over. We ramped up our weapons after that and we brought some of that back."

She nodded, "How did anyone survive that?"

Jack sighed, "Not many aboard did survive that. I was in my lab and the hole punched through the bridge went all the way down to deck 7 and the shuttle bay. Carol was in the medical area on deck 4 and Holly was on the bridge."

She asked, "Have you added any more wives?"

Jack sighed, "Don't start that already."

She laughed. Jack shook his head, "No, I have not yet and the wives are wanting me to but not through messages this time. We also lost Meltora, the alien entity that covered the ship. It was badly injured and went off to heal and was close to a point where it would divide. After which it could not serve the same purpose.

It was a great friend and guide whose offspring are living out in the asteroid field in Tau Ceti. I spoke with its descendants if you will before I left. I have 180 of my children with me on this trip and some of them have just become adults. The new number to be aware of is 36,947."

She asked, "What is that?"

Jack smiled, "The number of new patents that will be filed as soon as we confirm we have enough funds to file them all. Grace is nodding at me so very soon. It will take a month or two to get them all in. Then another month or so to get them farmed off to builders. That includes new weapon designs and types of weapons. Some we learned from the remains of the ships that attacked us and we reverse-engineered them. I did confirm with the Drakor that nothing I added was their technology."

She looked at Jack, "You are still in contact with them?"

Jack smiled, "I mentioned before, to your boss Randy, that they would be keeping an eye on us, and by us, I meant the hybrids. I brought 21 hybrids back with me on this trip and we left 167 of them behind, now. They added 12 in the last 2 years, while we added 6 more in our travel."

She looked at Jack, "You have made more?"

Jack laughed, "More volunteered and showed themselves worthy. The 6 additions aboard were from the group of my eldest children with us. I have a few more that will be ready in a few months. We will see you soon."

She smiled, "I sure hope so."

Jack ended the call and the woman was barely holding onto her seat when they went to a commercial. Grace whispered in his ear, "They refused to put me through until I told them I would have their patents pulled. I asked for the R&D expenditures for the ID device. They did not have them or would not release them. Either way, I told them their days were numbered."

Jack sighed, "Tell them to release them to us or the termination letter will be coming. I won't play games."

Jack called down, "In one minute, launch all shuttlecraft and move into position. Back the speed down until the shuttles are in position." He watched them all kick it up when everyone was ready. They were 4 hours out now.

He contacted the tower, "Tera-8, 9 and 10. Please coordinate shutting down the lane in 4 hours between the moon and the stations. For 30 minutes. 20 km above and 20 km below the midline with a 20 km wide corridor. Clear all available docks at those stations for arrival. Especially docks 01 at all 3 stations listed."

He heard back, "This is Tera-8 dock 01 is a restricted dock. Who is this?"

Jack smiled, "The person you are holding those restricted docks for, tower. Make the arrangements or contact James Treven and he will tell you to make them available."

He heard, "This is Tera-3 tower, we are going to need more than that to close that lane."

Jack shook his head, "Tera-2 as you are on the edge please inform Tera-3 and the others what is headed toward them."

He heard, "This is Tera-2, there are hundreds of craft squawking unknown transponders."

Jack smiled, "That is correct Tera-2, you are about to come face-to-face with part of your Sister Service if you will. Ceti Home Guard, as in Tau Ceti. Check for transponder TAR-2 King Arthur is in the group. I am not on that ship. I am further back but it should be showing on your screen any second now."

He heard, "This is Tera-2 confirming we have hundreds of fast movers coming, all above 5x speed approaching Tera. TAR-2 is one of them. It is squawking the second ID of CHGST-1."

Jack replied, "C is Ceti, HG is Home Guard. F, Fighters. ST, Scouts. DY, Destroyers. BS, Battleship. CR, Cruisers. SH, Shuttle. SD, Carrier Base Super-Dreadnought. If you ever get a CHGBSSD designation, it is because a Battleship is docked and in charge of that Super-Dreadnought. The ship's name is the battleship name at that point."

He heard, "This is Tera-3, that has too many letters in a transponder."

Jack laughed, "Tera-3, I am sure our towers in Tau Ceti would tell you that you have too few letters in the transponder. Every ship except the shuttles is FTL enabled."

He heard, "This is Wing Commander Wildcard with Tera-3. You got FTL drives in fighters?"

Jack chuckled, "Wildcard, do you need Merlin to take you to school again?"

He cried out, "Damn, it is him. Tera-3 clear that path for Jack Travus otherwise we are going to have shuttle pilots shitting themselves again. Last time he only had 5 ships in the sky. How many this time Merlin?"

Jack replied, "A plethora, 324 craft flying straight, in formation, and down the corridor. 3 hours out now is the first group of fighters, 240 Lancers version V. All craft are 6x system drives and FTL drives, except the fighters which are 5x FLT Drives."

He heard, "This is Tera-10 tower, if you had watched the news, you would have known he was coming."

He heard some chuckling in the air and from his crew.

He got a message, "This is squadron leader Death Blossom out of Tera-6. What did you do, bring the whole military Merlin?"

Jack shook his head, "Death Blossom, I left another 3,500 craft in the night sky with the HG in Tau Ceti."

He heard her on comms, "Holly fuck, Merlin."

Followed by, "Tera-6 tower to Death Blossom. Watch your language."

Jack listened to all the band traffic as the first of the fighters flew past Tera-3. He heard shuttle pilots and Tera military comment on the numbers and formation being flown. Once the destroyers hit the area it was dead silence until Jack could not stop laughing as the Tera-6 tower control called out, "Holy fuck, what in the hell is that thing?"

Then he heard, "This is Death Blossom to Tera-6 tower. Watch your language."

Then there were a few laughs until they all figured out what he was talking about. Jack called out, "CHGBS-2 Haruan, Commander Ashton Travus show them. Button up your unit and get a CAP over it." He replied, "Understood Command Admiral Travus."

The crowds and the ships all hung there as the Super-Dreadnought Factory Base expanded and the various ships docked. Ashton called out, "Haruna Flight Alpha and Destroy Alpha, take the cap."

A few seconds later, "Warning to towers, do not approach Haruna CHGBSSD-2 Haruan Deploying Drones." A thousand small drones circled over, under, and around the packed-up ship except for one group that had CAP running over it.

Jack called out, "CHGSD-1 Commander Zack Travus, buttoning up minus CHBS-1 Kirishima. Flight Alpha and Destroyer Alpha, take the cap."

A few seconds went by then Zack spoke, "Warning to towers, do not approach CHGSD-1 Deploying drones." Jack nodded, "SD-1 and 2 Starting with Delta wings. Take R&R at Tera 9 and 10. Get my shuttle to land at Tera-8 This is CHGBS-1 requesting to dock on Tera-8 dock-01."

He started moving, "Merlin you are cleared to dock on Dock-01. Welcome back to Tera."

He took it in and lined it up and slid it right into the docking ring. They clamped down as he clamped down. "Kirishima Delta crew shore leave 4-hour blocks. Your accounts have been set up, see your XO on your way out. This is CHG Command Admiral Travus to all CHG ships. See your XOs to get your account access, shore leave is in 4-hour blocks.

Do not head off the station unless you have a Tera ID card. XOs submit requests to Starbases you are working with to get Tera ID cards and Certifications listed for all personnel. Tera towers. In the CHG minimum age for service is 16. Respect our process and do not hold up identification cards on our pilots. If you have a problem contact the Capitol and ask for the President."

Jack went to his office and she pointed. He hit the button and the President sat there with his Cabinet, "Hell of an entrance. Those ships of yours are massive. The carrier bases."

Jack nodded, "Yes, they are. I do have one item for you. I remember a pilot getting locked out of her shuttle, pilot's license, and losing her family shuttle because her father was dead, she piloted it back herself and she was not 18. Ash Travus. HG pilots are certified at 16 years of age. With over 2,000 hours in space flying from 13 on. I asked your people not to hold up Tera ID cards on our pilots."

President Grendal nodded, "How many of those that flew those formations were 16?"

Jack smiled, "80% of the fighter pilots 50% of the scout pilots. 75% of all of the shuttle pilots."

President Grendal nodded, "I cannot argue with that request. I heard them refer to you as Admiral?"

Jack nodded, "Home Guard is a protection force. We have no economy, as you have here. It is a co-operative. Everyone is expected to do their part. I deal with the inventions and manufacturing side of things. In the HG, I am the most senior person with a military background. That makes me the Command Admiral. I am not a politician. I just built the ships I needed. See how those go hand-in-hand. We do not need congressional budgets. How soon until we can meet Mr. President?"

He nodded, "Please come and see us. We are in Tokyo Japan now. Oddly enough."

Jack nodded, "Good, I got a contractor of 6 to visit in that part of the world."

He laughed at that. Jack got up and walked out with his wives and 2 of his Lieutenant sons, Grace's twins from the second round. One set at least, waiting for him. A guard stopped him as he was coming on the station, "No guns aboard the station."

Jack looked at him, "This is a military unit, your military units carry guns. This is also my CIVILIAN station. I own it. Lock stock and your swinging cock out of an airlock if you fuck with my people. Command Admiral Jack Travus, Ceti Home Guard."

He pulled up a vid and saw James, "Inform your people they are not to harass Ceti Home Guard from carrying sidearms aboard stations I own."

James nodded, "That is correct. There is an exception for the military and with what you brought you got military. Also, he does own the station so it is his house. His rules. Stand down, guard. Informing the station operations managers. Also, the station security forces on your stations. I will forward that to Jupiter and Titan. They will forward to Saturn if you need it."

The guards backed down.

They left the dock and took them to the ID section. He looked at the man, "We need IDs issued for all of our people including our pilots."

The man looked, "Minimum age for..."

Jack cut him off, "Watch!" He pulled up his holovid and showed him the message with the President.

He looked at him, "Do as requested or as the owner of this station, I will shove you out of an airlock for being disrespectful to me, my family, and the President."

The man gulped and issued the ID cards Jack walked around to the shuttle his 17-year-old Lieutenant sons had just brought in moments before. Guards must have missed them at the pad or they recognized them as being military.

He looked over, "Timothy, Second chair. Jacob, you will take second on the next leg of our trip. Charles and Alex, you are on shore leave after you get your IDs. Be mindful of the security people but refer them to James Treven if you encounter any issues."

They all nodded at their father.

Jack took the pilot seat and called out, "Tera-8, this is Merlin CHGSH-1Danyelle requesting departure for Capitol in Tokyo Japan."

They heard, "Tera-8 tower, Merlin you are cleared to depart. The information has been relayed to the Capitol TC."

Jack took them up and then down. He pointed out land markers on the horizon as they leveled off over the ocean, "Tokyo tower, I need glide path to the Capitol Tower. This is CHGSH-1Danyelle callsign, Merlin."

The tower operator started to say something and someone jumped in, "Merlin, Glide Path sent to Capitol tower, contact them for pad assignment. Welcome back to Tera, Merlin."

He nodded and his son commented, "They seem happy to know you are back."

Grace laughed, "Give it time my son. Give it time. They thought he was dead."

Jack nodded, "Came close."

She nodded and padded his arm, "I know."

Jack went ahead and contacted the tower, "Capitol Tower, this is CHGSH-1 Danyelle, callsign Merlin. Requesting Pad assignment."

He heard, "Merlin Pad 1 you know about the guns and doors?"

Jack laughed, "Doors away guns away. Impossible in this craft. Guns are stored under armor and the exit is in the rear of the shuttle. Guns have turrets and angles of fire are 360 degrees. Again, they are stored under armor."

The man sighed, "Never easy with you Merlin. At least this time it is not a Scout."

Jack chuckled, "I was ordered that time after my shuttle was destroyed."

The guy laughed, "Set exit away from building and keep weapons secured. Merlin."

Jack brought it in and set it down without a whimper. Jack, Ash, Akio, Grace, Sprits, and his two sons got up. "Leave sidearms in the ship. Different rules here."

They nodded and left their pistols and swords. The door opened and there was a new fresh-faced Lieutenant there as Jack held up his hand, "Not my first visit here. All guns left on the ship."

The guy looked, "Laser swords too."

Jack shook his head, "You have a lot to learn. The President has an exception for Psi swords. I am Jack Travus. This is my family."

The Lieutenant looked confused, "I should."

Jack walked past the Lieutenant, "You check I will be going through security. Astra, seal my shuttle."

The shuttle bay doors locked up for him as he walked inside. A guard waved them through, "Welcome back Mr. Travus."

Jack nodded, "Educate the pup on Psi swords." He laughed and nodded as Jack walked down and waited for the escort. He saw a woman walking toward him and he walked to her with the family.

She looked, "Who are the boys?"

Jack looked over, "Lieutenant Timothy and Jacob Travus Ceti Home Guard. My sons. A couple of them."

She nodded, "They don't look 18."

Jack nodded, "16 is the minimum age for Home Guard. They are a few months from being 17. With only a half million people between the 2 colonies, age is relative. They have been flying in space since the age of 12 and have over 4,000 hours each in craft up to Destroyer class so far. When they hit 18, they will get some bridge time on the battleships and carrier bases."

They walked into a conference room which was where the cabinet was meeting. Jack nodded and thought, "Phase 1."

He walked down to the President to the sound of snap, pop, and crackle. Jack looked at the President.

"Those sounds were the listening devices in the room."

President Grendal sighed, "I want them found after we are gone. If you can find what is left of them."

Jack brought up his holovid, "Astra secure connection display video from external cameras only on the Excalibur." He played the video and they watched the electricity arc around the area. "That was a hypervelocity railgun weapon that cut through the shields, armor, Meltora, which is 5 times stronger than your titanium and seven decks of the ship in one shot."

Jack continued it but looked down as always. The bodies flying out included Holly, Carol, and 6 of his children. "They appeared right on top of us. From what we have put together this was the launch location of the 2 attempts back in time. They went to 2 locations on the far end of the asteroid belt, arrival and departure, and 2 near Jupiter all arrival.

6 events in this system if you count arrival and departures. That is 3 locations and we have had another time travel event occur in Tau Ceti. Analysis of the metal matched or was very damned close to the Excalibur for signs of radiation associated with time travel.

If Justice is right in his theory. The Drakor I worked with during my trials, these locations would be magnets to other time travel events. We did not have what we brought in today flying. We upgraded the crap out of some of our systems. Now you know why we built up a force to be reckoned with in Tau Ceti. You remember me telling you about the King Arthur armor being worth 3.5 billion?"

President Grendal nodded. "Every craft I flew in and we built back in Tau Ceti is a 5 cm thick Titanium-H with a bonded Onyx powder coat. That coating on that alloy nearly doubles its hardness. Instead of 10 times the strength of your best titanium is 18 times the strength."

He threw up the images of King Arthur after the battle. "Missing plates, scorch marks, the whole ball of wax. Except for the frame which held with no inner hull breaches.

That is 3-4 times stronger than any armor humanity had in the 30th-century. The shields on the Excalibur were 18 times more effective than the ones here when I arrived. I increased the 1x shield you had to 4x on all other ships. 25% of what Excalibur had. Excalibur had hard shields, which you don't want as you cannot shoot through them, they are twice as tough though.

Excalibur was running with those hard shields when that occurred. The shields were 9x stronger than what you have today. It was a method for keeping the ship from being boarded while in space or on the dock as in the Tera-1 incident. Now King Arthur had 6% of the shields and 200% of the armor of the Excalibur."