USS Cherry Barb

After Commander Frazer left the meeting with the Admirals he immediately held his own meeting with Nate Brown his ships navigator and helmsman, Duncan Marshal his weapons officer, Alyx Green his communications officer, and Chief Hanlan.

“Alright Chief, you’ve heard the plan what do you think?”

“It’s complete madness Sir. Theoretically possible madness but still madness. How long will I have to make this thing?”

“8 hours maybe a little more, after that we will need to release the payload for the timing to work.” Said Lieutenant Brown.

“Alright I think it can be done but I’ll need the guidance system from a missile, the gravity drive and battery from the probe, all the stealth plating we have left, and maybe the hull of the probe as well. Sir I’ve got to hand it to you no one has ever considered something like this.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment Chief. You have anyone and anything you need, you’d better get started.”

“Lieutenant Green how much longer are we in range of the communications probe for?”

“7 minutes Sir.”

“Lieutenant Brown double check your numbers and have them sent over to the probe. It will be up to the Zebra Danio and the Pearl Gourami to coordinate with each other and match our schedule so make sure your calculations are perfect.”

“Yes Sir.” Lieutenant Brown said. “Sir I know you want us to approach as close as possible but I don’t think we should get any closer than 30,000 km.”

“We’ve gotten as close as 4 000 km before.”

“Those were under ideal conditions Sir, approaching it from an oblique angle and not going in front of it. This time we are literally flying at their gun sights with a moon behind us. I’m a worried we may stick out a bit more.”

“How close do you recommend getting?”

“No closer than 30,000 km.”

“Alright Mr. Brown calculate the course and send it to the com probe.”

“Yes Sir.” He said immediately burying himself in his tablet.

As his crew worked around him Commander Frazer busied himself looking over the reports on their enemies. The Kraken were laid out in a simple triangle with the remaining Guppies in the middle and slightly forwards likely, to intercept missiles from whichever direction they approached from. While he tried to project an aura of confidence in truth he was worried. The Zebra Danio and Pearl Gourami were still in perfect condition, their slingers intact and their weapon stores fully stocked. They would have no problem with this mission. Simply approach their own targets fire their mines and continue with their enemy being none the wiser until the mines landed. It was his own ship that was limping along with barely any weapons and melted metal and plastic where their fire control computers used to be.

“Alright Sir, the course has been sent.”

“Very well Lieutenant take us out steady as you please.”

Not bothering to respond Lieutenant Browns fingers danced over the ships controls and the Cherry Barb moved out. Accelerating towards the moon they were able to use its meager gravity to get a small amount of acceleration from a gravity assist, afterwards they continued to pour on the power from their own gravity drives. All too soon they were accelerating directly towards the exposed weapon of their enemy.

After a few moments Commander Frazer let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. There had been some worry that they would be destroyed as soon as they peaked out from the moon, but for now at least they had escaped the attention of their foe.

Now there was no other direction to go other than forwards, and he new for a fact that his crew would be up to it.

Putting his tablet down he stood up. “Lieutenant Marshal you have the bridge.”

Leaving the bridge Commander Frazer walked through his ship towards the slinger bay. Taking the opportunity to walk his ships halls he checked the sections of his ship that had been most damaged in the fighting. While most of the damage had been repaired and cleaned the scars and scorch marks were still visible all over the ship. Coming to a junction nearing the slinger bay Commander Frazer stopped and looked at the deck. This had been where Ensign Cochrane had been struck by the Guppies laser. He hadn’t seen the body, but he understood that it had been bad. Although the deck had been thoroughly cleaned there was still a scorch mark that seemingly did not want to be removed.

Swallowing his emotions he turned towards the slinger bay but stopped short as he saw Lieutenant Commander Bannon standing in front of him.

“How are you holding up James?” He said quietly as he approached his old friend.

“As well as can be expected.”

“Good, then you can get some shut eye while I keep watch.”

Giving his old friend a level look he responded with disbelief in his voice. “You’ve got to be joking. You do know we are preparing for the most important mission of our lives right?”

Biting back the sarcastic remark that he found on his tongue ‘when isn’t it the most important mission of our lives?’ He simply said “All the more reason to get some rest. It’s been how long since you last slept? What two? three days? I’ve just checked on the Chief, they have the guidance system from the missile already, the probe is being disassembled and he and his people are putting together the payload as we speak. I checked with Lieutenant Marshal on the bridge, we are underway with no problems and should be able to deliver our payload on schedule. I also checked with Doctor Fitzgerald, the stimulant she gave you is wearing off and she agrees that you should not be given another one for at least another 5 hours. Nothing will be happening for at least another 6 hours. You sleep for 3 then I’ll sleep for 3.”

Commander Frazer felt his anger rising and was about to snap at his old friend but managed to bite it back down. Pounds was right, he was exhausted, and his emotions were getting the best of him. With a sigh he said “Your right, of course. I’ll get some shut eye you come get me in three hours, don’t wake me unless the ship is about to explode. Bring me some coffee if you can.” As he turned and walked back to his quarters.

Feeling a sense of victory at getting his friend to agree he said in a joking manner. “Coffee? Jesus why don’t I just bring you breakfast in bed? Steak and eggs sound good?”

“I wouldn’t to touch an egg that has been on this ship for this long.”

“It probably would have grown into a chicken and laid more eggs by now.”

The two shared a laugh and a smile before Commander Frazer continued to his quarters where he fell asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

Two hours and fifty minutes later the Lieutenant Commander was as promised going to the Galley to get his friend a coffee.

As he started to push the door to the galley open he stopped short as a burst of laughter met him from inside. Moving his ear a little closer to the door he listened and for a split second he thought that Commander Frazer was inside talking but quickly he realized that the voice actually belonged to Nate Brown doing a fairly good impersonation.

Edging just a little bit closer he tried to listen in.

“Ladies and Gentleman, of the Cherry Barb these chicken nuggets are the most important meal that we have. I know that you have all eaten before and god willing we will all eat again, but here and now at this meal we must all work together. I know that it will be a challenge, but I have faith that together we will all pull through this.” As he finished the crew members inside roared in laughter and shouted for him to do ‘The Lieutenant Commander next.’ Deciding that ha had listened long enough he schooled his face and quashed the smile that had threatened to break out and replaced it with his trademark scowl and stepped through the doorway.

It was all he could do to not burst into laughter as the crew immediately turned to look at him and everyone got the same stricken look on their face like they had to force a fart back in.

Walking past the crew he approached the coffee pot and poured a single cup, turning around he stalked towards the exit but abruptly stopped at Lieutenant Brown turned to him and asked “Chicken Nuggets today?”

Brown looking like he was about to puke could only nod.

“Do you like Chicken Nuggets Lieutenant?”

“Uh, yes Sir.” He responded sounding like he would rather be walking back to earth than be here.

“Good, as you all were.” And with that the 1st officer walked out of the Galley and managed to keep his face straight until he got to the Commanders office. Knocking before letting himself in he was surprised to find his friend already sitting up in bed looking groggy.

Looking up at his old friend Commander Frazer noticed the smile and asked. “What happened to you?”

Handing the coffee over he said “Brown was doing his impression of you in the Galley.”

“Again? He needs new material.”

“He’s gotten better at it, this time he gave a speech about eating chicken nuggets.”

“What?” Frazer asked incredulously. “I’ve never given a speech about food.”

“Are you sure? You do give a lot of speeches.” His old friend said.

“I do not.” Frazer said sounding scandalized at the idea. His old friend gave him a look. “What? I don’t.”

“James on average you give at least 4 speeches a mission, one when we embark, one when we return, one half way through the mission, and at least one more. Speeches kind of your thing.”

At this Commander Frazer looked a little insulted, “O.K. I might like to address the crew directly on occasion but it’s not like I give speeches over food.”

“No no I just remembered there was that one time with the ice cream.”

Frazer started to get a bit heated at this, “That was one time, the mission went long by three months, that doesn’t count.”

Pounds just laughed as he passed over the coffee. “The crew actually loves it.”

“The crew can go to hell.” He said with no actual heat in his voice. “Anything to report?”

“We are still on course and on schedule, the payload is still being built but apparently the internals have all been hooked together and the Chief is optimistic.”

“Alright you get some sleep, I’ll see you in about three hours.”

As his first officer left his office and quarters the commander took his time to enjoy his coffee, have a shower and get dressed. Although he new he had thousands of things to get done now that he was well rested he found himself with less energy than before. With force of will he got up and forced himself to get to work, there would be time to rest later, for now he had a ship to run and a war to win.

4 hours later the commander was on the command deck with Pounds and the rest of his most senior crew. “Are you ready Mr. Brown?”

“On your order Sir.”

“Lieutenant Green get me the Chief.” At Lieutenant Greens nod he picked up his transceiver and spoke into it. “Chief how is the payload coming along?”

In the slinger bay wearing their space suites still Chief Hanlan swore as he applied the last of their sealant foam to the outside of the box. 2 meters long and 2 meters wide and only 1 meter tall it looked like a cobbled together shipping box held together by foam. Each side had a small thruster attached to it, just enough to allow it to adjust its course ever so slightly. The front was made up of the hull from the probe as they didn’t have enough stealth plating to finish the box and there was a simple antenna on the front of the box used for guidance and its meager sensors. “Just putting the finishing touches on it now Sir!” Turning off the channel to the bridge he turned to his assistants “Saskowski get the bay doors open, Maccio input the targeting data.” As he finished sealing the last of the weapon shut.

“Very good Chief. Alright Lieutenant flip the ship.”

Almost immediately after hearing the Commander the Lieutenants hands danced over the controls of the Cherry Barb and the ship began to spin backwards and in a circle. When he finished the ship was now pointing almost directly away and slightly up relative to their foe.

“Checking course.” Lieutenant Brown said. “Course is good Sir, the slinger bay is now pointed directly at the Kraken.”

“Alright Chief let us know when we can deploy the weapon.”

“Understood Sir! We just need a moment the bay doors are stuck!”

“You have 7 minutes Chief.”

“Understood.” In the slinger bay the Chief was assisting Saskowski and Maccio with trying to pull the door open. “Alright on three, one, two three!” As the three men worked together slowly the door started to open.

When it was finally open the Chief opened his com channel to the bridge. “Got it Sir! We are ready for zero G here.” As the three of them made their way to the back wall and held onto a handrail. Immediately the gravity left the slinger bay and they turned on their magnetized boots. Walking over to the probe they ran a final check to ensure that everything was in working order. “We are good to go here Sir.”

Immediately the ship began to decelerate. With the gravity and inertial compensators turned off the home made missile slowly started to move forwards looking like it was being pulled by magic. When it was out of the ship the Chief watched as its onboard computer made minute adjustments to its course before he quickly lost sight of it. “Payload is away with no problems all systems are green.”

“Very good Chief.” The Commander said on their private channel before coming back over the ship wide. “All crew prepare for Gravity to be turned back on.”

A few moments later gravity returned to the ship and the Chief and his two assistants worked on forcing the slinger bay doors closed.

On the command deck the crew waited patiently watching the mission clock slowly tick down. With the improvised weapon covered entirely in stealth plating it was impossible to track and the crew was forced to trust that the weapon was still on course.

As the clock ticked down to the last 10 seconds even the Lieutenant Commander didn’t try to keep people working on their jobs as he was focused on the clock too.

Commander Frazer was considering his plan B if this failed.

9

He would have the ship alter course.

8

Cut in front of the Kraken sharply.

7

And launch his last nuclear missile from point blank range.

6

If they were close enough it would never be able to dodge.

5

Of course that would be true of themselves.

4

Surrounded like this they would stand no chance of escaping.

“This is it.” Pounds said.

3

Whatever Commander Frazer was going to say died in his throat as nuclear explosion was detected first at the Kraken designated Alpha and then the Kraken designated Charlie.

“Sir, I am reading two nuclear detonations at the front of two of the Krakens!” Lieutenant Marshal yelled. “Severe damage to their fronts, those weapons are ddone for.”

Commander Frazers eyes were glued to the mission timer as it started counting upwards.

“Sir, the Beta Kraken is closing it’s mouth….” Started Lieutenant Marshal

From deeper inside the Kraken the explosion blossomed. Although there was nothing in space to burn limiting the damage output of nuclear weapons the heavier weapon the Cherry Barb traveling at a much faster speed than the simple mines launched by the slinger was able to enter directly into the Krakens mouth and punch into the creature itself where it was lodged into a vein filled with what the Kraken had acting as blood.

When the timer ran out and it detonated the shockwave and explosion was enough to cause the front of the Kraken to explode outwards in a shower of gore as pieces of it were propelled in every direction and the creature began slowly spinning in space apparently dead.

As one the crew began shouting and cheering, until a loud whistle cut them off. “Sir we have a problem.”

“What is it Mr. Brown?”

“I was not expecting to have to navigate through an abattoir Sir, if we start hitting pieces of Alien it would be possible to find us based on the movement of debris. It’ll be worse if any of it sticks to us Sir.”

“Find us a path through Lieutenant. Lieutenant Green make sure the crew know to get back to their duty stations, we’re not out of this yet.”