Captain Gage

By George Estremera

A Tale of Interplanetary Friendship and Survival

Captain Niles Matthias Gage, his lovelorn chief engineer Celeste Baldrica, and their rag-tag crew had just settled into their latest routine aboard the private starship Venturer. Everything was going well enough until news came in that his best friend's starship, Europa, had gone missing en route to interplanetary peace talks.

Without a moment to lose, Gage calls his exhausted crew to action and readies them for an urgent mission: They must hyperjump across the galaxy to find Europa before it's too late. If they fail, not only would Gage's best friend be lost forever - but so too would galactic peace.

With little more than a deep desire to help a friend in need and no guarantees of what might await them beyond the unknown expanse of space, Gage gives the order and off they go. They have no idea what they'll discover out there - alien species eager to lend a helping hand or something more unimaginable. All that matters is finding Europa's lost passengers and crew and protecting interplanetary peace.

The Venturer crew will be remembered for their heartwarming journey of friendship and perseverance in the face of danger. Join Captain Gage and his faithful crew as they venture beyond the stars to rescue Europa's passengers and crew!

 

 

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: George Estremera
• Release date: Nov 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201239879

George Estremera

George Estremera lives in Fresno, California, and holds a BA degree in English from California State University, Fresno. He is also the author of the Steampunk short story, Mansion in the Clouds. 

Book preview

Chapter 1

CADETS GAGE AND BAUERS

It had been a busy week in training school, Cadet Niles Matthias Gage reflected. His two months of training were over in three weeks, and the last preceding weeks seemed like an eternity. Those who had made it this far now got to man a Circle of Allied Systems starship under a captain with only a skeleton crew of other officers and the students. Now, Gage wondered if he would live to graduate. One of those events he and most members of the Circle always dreaded was now coming to pass: an alien attack. He struggled to keep his mind riveted to his post but wished he was back in his hometown of Madera, California, a thriving metropolis that only a couple of centuries ago was just a small town. He wondered if he'd ever see his loved ones again.

He sat at the helm of the Circle of Allied Systems starship MacLeod as the planetoid that was repurposed as an immense space carrier loomed in the forward viewing port. It had been reshaped from a sphere to a somewhat more ovular shape. Gage recognized it from required reading at the Academy about space vessel designs from all over the galaxy. It had many carvings on its surface to serve a warship’s purpose, which distracted Gage as Captain Lorena Sanchez leaned forward in her command seat. Craft launched from the planetoid’s hangars and engaged the MacLeod’s sister ships. Its lights and aft engines widened Gage’s eyes until he heard something among the radio chatter about sending in reinforcements. Tense communications from two other CAS starships, the Gossamer and the Capistrano, flooded the MacLeod bridge. Will they ever learn? Gage thought. They strip-mined a few planets, but what was left of their forces after retaliation wasn’t going to do the same for Earth. It was a rich planet, and its citizens, with the help of various member worlds of the Circle of Allied Systems, would fight back, or die trying.Hey, who do these assholes think they are?! Gage could no longer help saying out loud.

At ease, Cadet Gage, Captain Sanchez ordered. At ease.

Yes, ma'am, Gage complied dutifully.

This is Capt. Lorena Sanchez of the Circle of Allied Systems starship MacLeod, Sanchez proceeded. Before she could finish, a rock on the surface of the planetoid opened. A coblar (Concentrated Blast of Light Amplified by Radiation) cannon rolled out and spit a bolt of light at the MacLeod. Many instrumentation displays on the bridge flickered for about two seconds.

Return fire, Ms. Hinds! the captain directed, a note of controlled alarm in her voice. The tactician tapped a touchpad, and the forward cannons spewed a round of coblar fire. Some of it blasted the enemy cannon to dust as other cannons on the planetoid exchanged fire with the CAS fleet.

So much for peaceful negotiations,

Gage muttered. Another enemy bolt took out the command chair, knocking Captain Sanchez to the deck. Gage whirled around in his seat to face the captain. He stared at her in disbelief as an African-American cadet at the communications post chattered into his touch panel.

Sick bay! Captain down. Get someone over here. Now!

Right away, Gage heard a medic say from the communications post. Faint relief tempered his sense of alarm. He moved to get the first aid kit, but the communications cadet was already on it.

Bauers, right? Gage asked

That's right, Bauers confirmed. Linc.

Need some help? Gage offered, leaning forward in his seat. I'll let you know, but thanks, Bauers said. Gage zeroed in on the planetoid again and fired a salvo at it. The doors to the bridge slid open, and a pair of medics, one human and the other an android, rolled a gurney onto the deck. They lifted Captain Sanchez onto it as Gage turned to see.

Will she be all right? he asked.We'll do our best, the android medic assured Gage. He shook off the tinge of dread that gripped him and turned back to face his station. I'm sorry I called you a bitch, Captain, his mind apologized. You just want us at our best. Now I know why, firsthand.

Don't worry, Linc, everyone, Gage called out to the bridge crew. We'll get through this.

You've heard about what those aliens do to prisoners, right? Bauers said.

No prisoners, Gage confirmed with a nod. He raised his voice to address the rest of the bridge crew.  Are we gonna let these creatures level our peaceful, lush homeworld, along with the Circle Academy on Orbitropolis? To say nothing of giving their own people a bad name? They want to re-purpose Earth for themselves, they've got another thing coming! Are we gonna just let them destroy us?

Hell no! the bridge crew called out. Patriotism, increased confidence, and camaraderie all boosted Gage. I'll bet a thousand scrip we can kick their asses if they don't want a truce! More cheers came from the bridge.

I've sent them a number of friendship messages, Bauers said. Still nothing.

Well we're too young to die, Gage said. Let's live to see the galaxy!

The holoviewer lit up with the Circle ships unleashing their orange plasma bolts at the planetoid. A few explosions could be seen on its surface, but enemy fire ripped through the Leviticus...slicing her in half like a sardine can. Feeling punched in the gut, Gage wondered if he hadn't spoken too soon as his eyes widened. He slowly turned to his crew mates and saw they all had similar expressions. Some of them even had tears in their eyes. The communications chatter rang in the bridge crew's ears with the sound of death and defeat. A member of the Leviticus crew announced that their communications office and most other crew members were dead. Many of the Circle's weapons fired directly at the source of the salvo that destroyed Leviticus, but the rest of it rained continuously all over the planetoid.

Gage turned away in his seat from his post, gripped with terror. How can we cadets pull this off? He asked himself.

This is the Capistrano, that ship's commander came over the communications system. Scatter and finish the planetoid off, or die trying.

Gage tapped some of her controls, and the MacLeod maneuvered to another side of the planetoid.

Four more Allied ships just showed up, Bauers announced, a faint note of hope in his voice.

The holoviewer buzzed with more Allied ships swarming around the planetoid.

Now that's more like it, Gage said. Yet another blast shook the ship.

Deflectors down to 52 percent, Bauers reported. Gage opened fire on the planetoid as the other ships did the same. Bringing us closer to the surface, Gage announced. The tactician eyed him with surprise. A wave of her hand over the tactical array and the touch of a button propelled MacLeod within tractor-beam range.

We haven't risked our lives enough already?! Bauers protested.

Hear hear, the tactician agreed. Nevertheless, he reluctantly plotted a course. The image of Capistrano grew large on the holoviewer as the MacLeod gained up on it. Gage switched on the tractor beam as both ships plunged into Earth's atmosphere.            What the hell are you thinking? Gage thought to himself. He felt beads of sweat drip down his forehead. He realized he was trembling. His mind raced back to the day he signed up for the Circle. He remembered that it was his idea.

We've got them, the tactician announced with relief and triumph in her voice.

Great work! Gage said. Back into orbit. Gage sympathized with the crew for needing a leader in the captain's absence. The holoviewer filled up with the reinforcements as they arrived, a day late and a dollar short. Nevertheless, it was always good to see the Circle of Allied Systems fleet.

Listen to this, people, Bauers said, raising the volume on his communications panel a few notches. Cheers and celebratory talk gushed onto the bridge. And Gage felt a new sense of optimism. The bridge crew hugged and shook hands. Gage and Bauers smiled at each other, and Gage went over to him and shook his hand. Linc then wiped the sweat from his brow.

Chapter 2

22 YEARS LATER

The Circle of Allied Systems starship Europa leaped into hyperspace on schedule after all peace delegates were accounted for. Each one represented an Allied planet, and Europa captain Linc Bauers was thrilled to get this assignment. Years ago, a Circle vessel boarded a ship registered to the planet Roveltus. They found three Roveltoids in their hibernation cycles and accidentally killed them in an attempt to wake them up. One member of the exploration team resigned from the Circle. The other took an administrative post. To this day, Captain Bauers shook his head sometimes when he remembered reading about the tragic mishap at the academy. He felt bad for all involved and vowed to do whatever it took not to make a tragic mistake. But one never knows, his mind often cautioned him.

Now, he took peace ambassadors to a historic peace summit on Roveltus. He looked forward to the outcome. An outpost in Roveltoid space where beings of all races could befriend one another. Planets such as Earth had begun leaning in a similar direction long before he was born. He looked forward to celebrating  peace. Not only with the Roveltoids and the delegates but with his old buddy Niles Gage the next time he could go on leave. Where is that rascal? Bauers silently wondered. He could be on any planet within the known galaxy, Earth or otherwise. He and his family had taken a few pleasure cruises aboard Gage's sleek ship, the Venturer. She couldn't have a better name, Captain Bauers reflected. Especially with the likes of lo' Niles Gage running her. The ship was alive with his style as Venturer zipped from planet to planet. He could also be back on Orbitropolis, Linc reminded himself. At any rate, he hoped to get together with him sometime soon. Bauers himself, though more than happy with his current mission, couldn't wait to take some time off and visit his family in Key West. He found himself missing the spectacular sunsets, the glass-bottomed boats, and the mouth-watering cuisine. He reminisced about the time they discovered precious-stone deposits on Planet 34. How they vowed to keep it a secret between them. How it gave Niles an idea about how to finance his interstellar travels, privateering being another frequent source of income. As he strode a corridor, he came across the tentacled Ambassador Kevicula.  Captain Bauers, he happily greeted the captain, wrapping some of his tentacles around his hands. I just want to thank you wholeheartedly for taking us peace delegates to the peace summit!

Anytime I can be of service, Bauers answered. If all goes as hoped, Roveltus will give the go for Space Station Unity.

It will be a positive symbolic gesture, the ambassador predicted. However, we understand if they decline to join the Circle of Allied Systems, don't we?

Very much so, Bauers had to agree. In any case, everyone's individuality is theirs. We give everyone a chance.

Captain Bauers, a voice from the bridge chimed from Bauers' com badge. He tapped it to speak. Yes, Ms. Holloway.

You'll want to see this, Communications Officer Sharon Holloway answered. "We aren't sure what it is yet, but for lack of a better description, it seems to be a spatial anomaly of some