CFP Filmore

By Stephen Brandon

Observers Log 2018F: I was assigned to observe an individual. Usually only groups were assigned observers, but his youthful actions marked him.
One company’s analysis of the Union of Aligned Planets indicated a civil war within a decade or two. Abernathy was a wily old fox. He built his business using marginally illegal means until he was the third biggest in the UAP. Number one was always watched intensely, and number two also got plenty of attention. Number three, only occasionally. Then he built a super scout ship that was easily upgradeable.
Years before he’d made sure that the military liaison was favorable to his views, and didn’t talk about his secrets. Just like in a millennium old entertainment program, he put his liaison in a position where he was in control.
Procuring a few of the best pilots and crews for his experimental ships was fairly easy. When he acquired Filmore and Torrex, he almost lost his control. They found a few of his secrets. Fire and Ice tread the line between honesty, and that of a buccaneer. They enjoyed the marginally legal advantages he offered, but most of all the adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephen Brandon
• Release date: Feb 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463973059

Stephen Brandon

I've loved westerns and science fiction since I picked up my first book at the public library. I've been writing on my computer for years. I never planned on any of my stories being published, just to be read by myself, family, and friends. The base journal is on forty spreadsheets with links to about a thousand files of short one day paragraphs plus other stories. {My claim to fame, written by someone else. Thanks.} "As an earthbound retiree, Stephen writes mostly science fiction and short stories. He is a voracious reader and has written for a few years, publishing his stories on Smashwords."

Book preview

CFP FILMORE

Published by Stephen Brandon at Smashwords

Copyright 2020 Stephen Brandon

* * *

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This E-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This E-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite E-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

* * *

Author's Note

This book is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, incidents, and dialogue are from the authors imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or other persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Real and fictional locations are used for background only.

* * *

Table of Contents ~ (ToC) ~

Author's Note

The Story

Acknowledgments

About Stephen Brandon

* * *

Chapter 1

Ensign, your orders are to report to bay 13. The new scout ship from Abernathy Shipyards is waiting for you. You'll have a crew of nine.

A crew of nine Captain! Six is the usual crew for a scout ship.

I know Ensign. The Abernathy scout ship is larger than the normal, and uh, well, I'll let you find out the other improvements they've shoved inside the hull. The hull itself is something of a wonder. Abernathy claims it will take a hit from a cruiser without appreciable damage.

That's crazy Sir. No self respecting captain would allow a cruiser-level ship within range.

Now for the second part of your evaluation. These orders are sealed, and will remain that way until the ship passes all purchasing requirements. Also in the orders are the weapons activation codes. Do you understand Ensign?

I think so Sir, but I don't like the implications of the sealed orders.

I didn't either. When I voiced my concerns; I was called before the Admiral. I was told to pick the two most adaptable scout ship captains. In three weeks Ensign Torrex will be taking out the second scout ship for evaluation. You will not talk to her before you depart or return. Your crew will be accompanied by three civilian contractors from the Abernathy shipyard.

That'll be twelve of us on that ship! I'll need a shoe horn just to get through the airlock.

Good morning Ensign. I'm Mr Jones from Abernathy Ship Yards.

Mr Jones, this ship looks big for a scout.

Yes it is Ensign. My team is giving your crew its final briefing. I'll escort you from the engine room forward to the bridge. The tour will take approximately an hour, then I'll sign the ship over to you. By the way, both cargo bays are loaded, one with the normal ship support supplies, and the other with our evaluation equipment.

As Ensign Filmore took the captains chair. Punching in his access code the screen in the armrest lit up.

Ensign Filmore typed on his keypad,

He acknowledged the pilot, an old friend. He could tell that Stuart was pissed because he'd been pulled from a cruiser. The downgrade to a scout ship pilot was a bitter pill for him.

Stuart, we have clearance. Take us out. Half power until we reach the jump limit. Then I want increasing power in steps to evaluate those engines before we jump.

Yes Sir, Captain.

Now at 80% power on the in-system engines Captain. Navigation reporting that we're traveling faster than normal.

Take them up to 100% for half an hour.

Captain, that presents a small problem.

What do you mean?

Navigation is shitting bricks. She claims we're at ninety percent light speed now. Increasing the last twenty percent will theoretically accelerate our velocity over the speed of light.

Mr Jones report to the bridge immediately.

Yes Ensign, I imagine that your crew is wondering about the velocity?

Yes, and so am I. What gives?

Captain, the overpower is designed to give the ship extra maneuverability, and velocity when needed. Our engineers are cowards. They wouldn't go above 80% of the power rating. The in-system engine has the power output for a cruiser. I suggest you have the jump engine tested completely before you go above 80% with the in-system engine. Two of our theorist stated that going above 85% would create a wormhole. This could theoretically jump us to a random location in the universe.

That is very considerate of you. What would have happened if I'd just ordered the power increased without checking with you?

The in-system engine would have shut down with alarms about the velocity.

OK, I'll take that under advisement. Grab a seat, you will remain on the bridge with me until we've got all the engines tested. Pilot, get five jump coordinates from navigation and alert the crew for jump protocol.

Yes Sir. Jump one to point whiskey, 209 light years. Transit time two hours.

Thirteen minutes later the ship fell out of jump space.

Pilot, what happened?

Sir the computer indicates we've reached destination. Navigation verified.

Sir, we are now twenty light minutes past Whiskey station. Doppler effect indicates our velocity at 50% light speed. Unless we change our trajectory we'll be leaving mapped space within the hour.

Turning to Mr Jones, Ensign immediately noticed the grin on his face. OK, explain, because a normal jump exit is without noticeable in-system velocity.

It is just a side effect the power to mass ratio of the ship. If we had more mass the exit velocity would have been lower.

OK Jones, how much more mass?

Oh, about that of a destroyer.

You got to be kidding. Pilot, slow us down to 40% then run the other four jumps at various velocities and chart them.

Yes Sir!

Computer, calibrate in-system and jump engine power to mass and adjust to standard military spacecraft power rating. Once actual power levels are recorded, indicate estimated velocities using same scale so the pilots can adjust. Is clarification needed?

'No Captain.'

Sir we're headed back in the Tango station area of responsibility Captain.

Transmit all data back to the shipyard. Then we'll try the in-system engine at 100%.

Ensign, might I suggest that we head into unmapped space for the 100% test, and that the pilot use the computer to increase velocity. This ship's power plant is rated at 125% power like most military ships. 100% power theoretically will give us the velocity of 108% the speed of light. My team and I are very interested in the results.

We're back at Tango Sir.

Navigation, do you have everything mapped and possible projections.

Yes Sir.

Pilot, jump us into uncharted space, then give us 100% power for ten seconds.

Yes Sir.

Bridge, all systems on max.

Shields at 100%. Stealth at 100%. All passive detection systems on Sir.

Sir, blue shift increasing. Shifted to ultraviolet. Readings on instruments pegged, shutdown in three seconds.

Navigation, I want our location ASAP.

Sir, there are two fleets of ships firing at each other directly ahead. Velocity 20% light.

Jones jumped to the unmanned station and was flipping switches frantically.

Stuart, veer us away from those fleets.

Shit Sir, some of them are already launching missiles at us.

Outrun them, this thing is supposed to have the legs.

Captain, if he can't dodge or outrun those missiles, I can activate the defensive screen.

Don't do anything yet Mr Jones. We'll see if this Abernathy ship holds up to your claims. And what do you mean defensive screen?

It just consist of twenty computer targeted lasers.

Great, just another of your surprises.

No captain it's listed, and the test outlined for it in the second part of your orders. I'm not detecting any energy weapons, just thousands of missiles, and nuclear explosions.

Captain, we're being shadowed. It's port side about six thousand meters.

Stuart, jam the throttle to 100% for three seconds. Navigation will just have to figure out where we end up.

We're somewhere Sir. Changing trajectory starboard ninety degrees in case something followed. Yup, the shadow is there. It's turning to match trajectory.

Evasive maneuvers Stuart.

Jones stated, Captain, my team is reporting that the other ship is attempting a broad band scan. They are blocking. Do you want them to try scanning the other ship?

Navigation, do you know where we are?

Yes Sir.

Jones, any results from your team?

Yes Captain, unknown ship is smaller than ours and armed with energy weapons. Permission to activate the full weapons suite.

Could they tell if that ships weapons were active?

Unknown Sir.

Activate ours. Pilot give us a short jump into unknown space.

Sir, they just fired a energy bolt in front of us. I don't know if they're trying to tell us to stop or kill us.

"Stuart, go to 110% power, jump when you hit 90% light speed. We'll see where we end up and if they can follow us. Jones, as soon as they appear I want you to put a shot in front, behind, and one both sides of them. Don't use full power, just enough for them to register.