Old Age and Treachery
“He’s not close enough,” noted Captain Marlon Mayfield.
He turned from the holo display of the military starships in orbit around Calvinas. He sipped coffee as he walked across decking of the bridge. A trail of old coffee stains marked his path from his “office” beside the bridge to the command chair. He spun suddenly. Coffee sloshed from his cup. “Are they ready yet, Gridley?”
The young weapons officer shook his head. “Won’t be long now, sir. New technology, you know.”
“Better bloody work,” he murmured. Though he spoke softly, everyone on the bridge heard it. The area was quite small. Room on a warship like HHWS Ajax came at a premium. Crew members knew Mayfield enjoyed affecting the aspect of a crusty old man, but he was nothing of the sort. He was the crew’s superior but more of a beloved uncle to them all.
“Winfield?” he turned.
Coffee sloshed.
“No further contacts, sir,” smirked the slender blond sensor tech.
Mayfield ran a hand through silver hair. “Well, then. Let’s have a chat, shall we?”
Ensign Barkley didn’t need an order. “Channel open, sir.”
Mayfield’s voice suddenly developed a feeble rasp as Winfield hid another smirk. “Skeller? Is that you over there?”
Given the interstellar distances, it took 77 seconds for a response. The face of a young man, hair coiffed just so, appeared wearing a smirk of his own. “Captain Mayfield. How are you, old man?”
“Bloody tired, I’d say.”
Skeller smiled sympathetically. “Sorry to hear that old boy. If it’s any consolation, the war will be over soon.”
“That’s what I hear.”
The civil war had dragged on for nearly three years. While the Hegemony of Human Worlds built a first-rate navy, anticipating an attack from the Miloski Concordiat, their foes planned something else entirely. Though militarily larger, the Concordiat developed Machiavellian plans to turn naval officers into willing minions of their fascist beliefs. For a time, it seemed the HHW might collapse, but a series of naval victories had changed everything. New Hegemony technologies made the difference.
Out on the frontier, news of the Concordiat’s catastrophic failure was slightly slower than HHWS Ajax.
“Any chance you’ve joined the cause? We could use some help with the Reeducation Camps,” said Skeller.
“Is that what you’re calling it?” frowned Mayfield. “Years ago, we called it raping and pillaging.”
Skeller rolled his eyes. “Collateral Damage. You know how soldiers are.”
“Would you mean, honorable, trustworthy, defenders of the weak?” He looked askance at Winfield. The sensor tech held up five fingers. Wordlessly, she pulled her fingers down until zero. She nodded with a mischievous grin. Skeller’s far larger cruisers had moved to intercept Mayfield’s single destroyer. At last, Skeller was close enough.
“Is there a purpose to this impossibly outdated rhetoric?” groaned Skeller.
Mayfield looked to Gridley. The weapons tech shook his head. Mayfield sighed expansively.
“Feeling tired, old boy?” quipped Skeller. “Naval battles are a young man’s game. Are you sure you’re up to this?”
Mayfield slumped dramatically in his chair. “I still have my duty.”
“You’ve got one old destroyer,” Skeller shook his head with a smile. “Each of my two cruisers brings double the firepower to bear. You’re outclassed, old man!”
“Does that mean you’re ready to surrender?”
Skeller laughed outrageously. “Hardly. I could ask the same of you!”
Gridley spoke up with a relieved sigh. “Ready, sir!”
“Ready for what?” sneered Skeller.
Mayfield’s full-voiced baritone returned suddenly. “Fire when ready, Gridley.”
“You’re out of range, you senile old fool!” Skeller turned and checked his sensor plot. “Missiles? What are you playing at?”
The HHW abandoned missiles as a viable weapon decades before. Their short range usually insured they could no longer maneuver and attack by the time they reached the enemy. Meanwhile, energy weapons engaged from much further out and they never ran out of ammo. All that changed when hyper-skip missiles could enter and leave hyperspace multiple times. Attack range opened dramatically. The missiles possessed no warheads. They didn’t need them. Opening a hyperspace portal beside an unprepared enemy vessel could rip a ship apart. Lastly, they were damned difficult to intercept since they constantly dodged in and out of space-time.
Beams fell and sparks flew behind Skeller as he growled at Mayfield. “You said you were tired!”
The bridge crew grinned and shook their heads. Captain Mayfield’s military deceits were legendary.
Mayfield affected innocence. “I never said I was tired of fighting. I meant I was tired of fascist wankers like YOU!”
___________________________
Author’s Notes:
After finishing another Honor Harrington novel, I just had to write a space battle. If you like space battles too, then the Honor Harrington series by David Weber is one of the best. This is the first book in a very long-running series: http://www.amazon.com/On-Basilisk-Station-Honor-Harrington/dp/0743435710
This week at Grammar Ghoul Press’ Mutant 750 writing challenge, we have a picture of a coffee cup for the media prompt. The word prompt is: Tired. Look here for more stellar stories (pun intended) based upon the prompts: http://www.grammarghoulpress.com/gg-writing-challenge-24/
Another sharp story with a great twist! Did you ever read Arthur C. Clarke’s ‘Earthlight’ – with its extraordinary space battle at the end. He even nailed the way nukes work in a vacuum.
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Thank you much! I’ve read a lot of Arthur C. Clarke, but not that one. Now I really want to check it out. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
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Great story! Captain Mayfield is definitely a sneaky old soldier. You do a great job of characterising him. 🙂
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Thank you! He really is pretty sneaky. I’m glad to hear the character came alive. 🙂
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Show him a cup of coffee and he invents a world and wins a battle. Love it! I’d watch this for sure if it were a series on TV. Mayfield is a brilliant character. I can just hear him…all weak and helpless before he blows up Skeller’s two cruisers 🙂
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I was trying to imagine what I’d like to see on TV. This is it. I like Mayfield. He’s a tricky devil who’s willing to put on a show to set up his target. He’s con man and ship’s captain all in one. Glad you had fun with this one. Thanks Lyn! 🙂
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Good one!!
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Thank you much, Jen! 🙂
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Mayfield rocks! Another great read. You truly have a knack with plot twists and sucker-punch endings. Good, good stuff!
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Well I do enjoy a twisty story with a bang in the end. This time, the enemy starship went “bang!” 😉 Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks bunches as always, Susan! 🙂
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Mayfield smacks of Kirk in old age. Still kicking ass on the young’uns!
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Yes, wiley old Kirk was the template for Mayfield. Imagine some one who’s tricky when young. Well he’ll only get worse when he’s older!
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I actually saw On Basilisk Station at the library the other day, but didn’t check it out; I’m still working through Harry Turtledove, and now I’ve got to read Terry Pratchett. I’ll be sure to check it out soon, though. Nice story!
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Oh yeah. Harry Turtledove has some great stuff. And yeah, I’ll be missing the beloved Terry Pratchett now that he’s gone. He was one of my all-time favorites. I’ll have to read another of his books to say goodbye. Glad you enjoyed the story. Thanks much!
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I think “fascist wanker” is my new favourite insult. Right up there with Sumerian ignoramus. 😉
Another great story! Love the theatrics that the whole crew was in on. And the sloshing coffee.
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Hehe. I’m happy to add to your repertoire. It seems Mayfield could’ve been actor as much as ship’s captain, eh? Glad you enjoyed the sloshing coffee. It’s my favorite detail of Mayfield. Thanks so much, Suzanne! 🙂
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