{"id":348,"date":"2015-07-12T12:19:14","date_gmt":"2015-07-12T12:19:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=348"},"modified":"2015-07-12T12:19:14","modified_gmt":"2015-07-12T12:19:14","slug":"legacy-of-the-guardians-part-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=348","title":{"rendered":"Legacy of the Guardians – Part 11"},"content":{"rendered":"

Legacy of the Guardians<\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 11<\/span><\/p>\n

Jack sat in his office, his second in command Steve also in there.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, you spend so much time here, we should move another desk in here,\u201d Jack said to his friend, laughing a bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cSad, but true, but then you couldn\u2019t send me away to my office,\u201d Steve said.<\/p>\n

\u201cForgot about that. Any news about what is going on down there?\u201d Jack asked, looking at the reports. The operation had been ongoing now for over an hour, and he began to worry that something might have gone wrong. A simple extraction mission, not a lot to worry about, but his mind could always think of something. He worried about each soldier, a trait which won him the admiration of the soldiers under his command.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not expecting anything for at least another ten minutes,\u201d Steve said, looking over another report.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat have you got there?\u201d Jack asked, wondering what report he had.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe report from the new battlecruiser, the Seydlitz,\u201d Steve said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, really, how is she coming along,\u201d Jack asked, having never broken the habit of calling ships her and she.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spaceport reports that it will be operational in a couple of days. They are beginning the shakedown tomorrow,\u201d Steve answered, handing Jack the small PDA so he could read the report himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be nice to get her operational,\u201d Jack said, with some pride. He helped design the ship, and in a way, it was his baby. The design team put all the war experience into the ship, including redundant systems, which many though were overkill, but Jack learned in battle, if your system went down, it could cost them part of the battle.<\/p>\n

The ship would have been the first of a class of three ships, but the other two, the Austin and Paris, were built as part of a modified design, one Jack considered a budget ship. It lacked some of the design features of the Seydlitz, but he would not complain. All three were welcome additions into the fleet, and more powerful than the older designs.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the record, the Seydlitz design is far superior to the Austin class,\u201d Steve said. \u201cThought about which fleet it\u2019ll be assigned?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, yes,\u201d Jack replied, looking over the reports, and that the ship would need a captain real soon. \u201cThink I\u2019ll assign her to the fifth battlecruiser fleet, she\u2019ll be under the command of Dinen, should be able to use her well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm,\u201d Steve said, leaning back in the chair to think about the decision. \u201cDienen, smart, cunning, has that uncanny sixth sense like you do, should do fine,\u201d Steve answered after some thought. \u201cAnd the Paris can join the third battlecruiser fleet that should even things out a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t be surprised if Dinen makes the Seydlitz his flagship,\u201d Jack said, knowing that he would.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would probably mean you\u2019ll visit him a bit more often, especially since you\u2019re thinking about making it the overall fleet flagship,\u201d Steve said, reading Jack\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yeah, I did think about that, and its time the Ottawa retire to defensive duties,\u201d Jack said, confirming Steve\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the Ottawa is what, forty-five years old,\u201d Steve said. \u201cCombat\u2019s worn it out a bit over the years.\u201d They both knew the old ship could still fight very well, as repairs and refits kept the warship in prime condition. The refits had backed up many systems, a design upon which Jack pressed the design team to look at and study. The biggest problem was any upgrades to the Ottawa\u2019s weapon systems would have cost more than the Seydlitz did.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the old gal helped me out in designing the Seydlitz,\u201d Jack said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst ship I served aboard was one of those old Kiev class battleships sure served their purpose,\u201d Steve said. \u201cEasy to build and cheap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but we also lost many of them before major upgrades were done,\u201d jack replied. \u201cServed the time allowing for the Moscow class and the Lexington class carriers to be built, those were the difference makers right there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack sat back recalling the war, and the different types of ships built before they finally managed to construct a fleet powerful enough to fight the Skartians head on. The Moscow and follow-up class, Ottawa class had turned the tide of war, with help from the Ilderians. There some failures, like the London class, which had great weapons and shields, but lacked an engine to power the systems, as a result neither system received enough power in combat to be effective.<\/p>\n

Jack looked up as Greg walked into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, Captain Uliki states the mission was a success, extraction complete,\u201d Greg said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there a report yet?\u201d Jack asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet, the captain returned to base and Ahmed\u2019s parents are on the way to Canada,\u201d Greg replied. \u201cHe should have the report ready in an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack sat back feeling better. \u201cGood, I look forward to reading the report.\u201d He also hoped for some new reports on the mission to find bin Laden. He hoped someone got close.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing else from Captain Ahmed either, aside from the mention of a Skartian, he has remained quiet, though the locator is showing him to still be alive,\u201d Greg said. \u201cIntelligence thinks this might be close to the German\u2019s and the takeover of the leadership before World War Two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm, that\u2019s a thought,\u201d Steve said, \u201cThough if that\u2019s true, then there is more going on than we know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack drummed his fingers on the desk a few times before making a decision. \u201cInform Vice Admiral Dinen to meet with me tomorrow morning at seven.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Greg said, and left to carry out the order.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis keeps getting worse and worse,\u201d Jack finally said to Steve. \u201cI want to know how organized they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suggest we move slowly and cautiously, especially if we want to capture any alive,\u201d Steve said. \u201cI hope we hear some good news from the Galactic Council real soon though. Randall says the Skartian ambassador still has not been seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat worries me,\u2019 Jack said. \u201cWhat are they up to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSay, isn\u2019t Captain Uliki one of the ones who demonstrated some psychic abilities?\u201d Steve asked.<\/p>\n

Jack looked up at Steve before saying anything. \u201cThink so. You know, it\u2019s strange that of all the races we\u2019ve encountered, only us and the Sktarians have the abilities?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever gave it much thought,\u201d Steve replied. \u201cYou think there is some connection?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, probably not, but you never know,\u201d Jack finally said. \u201cGuess we wait and see. Still a lot of information we don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

He watched Steve nod his head in agreement and wondered what the next turn in this bizarre war might be. He only wished he could act instead of reacting.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Sam Uliki sat back in his bunk, having finished his report to the commanding officer. Intelligence still had reported no upcoming missions dealing with the location of Osama bin Laden. He went to his makeshift quarters for a quick nap, never knowing when or how long the next might be. Informing his superiors he quickly inspected his weapon and equipment before getting some shut eye.<\/p>\n

Sam had a hard time shaking himself from the strange feeling he got from that mysterious figure he encountered. And finally managed to drift off to sleep.<\/p>\n

He thought it strange when he found himself back on the same street he saw the figure the first time. It still looked back at him, only this time, no one else seemed to notice them. The stranger approached him, and though Sam did not feel threatened, he did not relax his guard.<\/p>\n

The figure moved towards Sam, and not in the normal walking gait, but as if it floated towards him. The long cloak and hood obscured his features, causing Sam to question what the figure was.<\/p>\n

The time approaches.<\/em> He heard the figure say. It was a strange, almost musical voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Sam asked, confused.<\/p>\n

The time approaches. <\/em>The figure spoke again, this time it started to move away from him. Sam quickly raced after the figure, which moved extremely fast. A few times Sam thought he lost sight of it, but managed to sight the figure again, and continued on their journey.<\/p>\n

Sam lost sight of the terrain they went over, only that they were moving faster than they should be. As he continued racing after the figure, the question of who that figure was kept coming back to him. He still had yet to see any legs. If anything, he thought the figure was floating.<\/p>\n

Suddenly the figure stopped allowing Sam to catch up to it. He took a moment to catch his breath, even though he did not feel too much out of breath despite all the running he had done. He looked at where he stood, a bit shocked.<\/p>\n

The time approaches.<\/em> Even as the figure spoke it disappeared.<\/p>\n

Sam awake with a start, remembering everything about the dream which seemed so real to him. The mysterious figure led him all the way to Egypt and the Sphinx. Why that happened he had no idea. Perhaps he worked too hard and needed more than a few hours of rest. He decided that needed a vacation.<\/p>\n

Looking over at the clock, he realized he had only been asleep for a few minutes. He decided perhaps it was time to speak with his superior before this interrupted a mission.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Jack and Steve waited for the final couple of members to arrive, so they could start the staff meeting. The entire staff needed to be present for this meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry I\u2019m late,\u201d the last man said, entering the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave a seat,\u201d Steve said, watching as he sat down, allowing them to start the meeting.<\/p>\n

Sorry to get you all here on such short notice, but I didn\u2019t want to jeopardize this information from being intercepted by the Skartians,\u201d Jack said to the group, knowing they were wondering about what was going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you all know, we are on war conditions against the Skartians that will not change. But new developments have happened since the eleventh,\u201d Steve said to the group, going up to the front of the room and activating the screen. \u201cThis is Osama bin Laden, the apparent mastermind behind the attacks.\u201d Another picture replaced bin Laden. \u201cCaptain Ahmed, one of several spies in the Afghanistan area has reported a new development.\u201d A map of the Middle East now appeared. \u201cAt first intel believed that bin Laden, or someone who controled him was a Skartian. We now have intel to back up that assumption that Skartians are involved. We don\u2019t know how high up the command of the terrorist cell they are, but they are there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The room was abuzz with people talking about the information. If it turned out to be true, then they were looking at a similar, frighteningly scenario as World War Two.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there any evidence that support this?\u201d a man said.<\/p>\n

Jack nodded towards a young woman, who stood and went to the front of the room. She was the intel officer in charge of the Middle East.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far, we know that at least one Skartian is in the area, about here,\u201d she said, pointing to an area on the map. \u201cThis sighting was confirmed by Captain Ahmed yesterday. We\u2019ve been monitoring his situation and condition closely, but have not seen anything in the past twelve hours, nor heard anymore from him. That was also when they were going to kidnap his parents, a plot we foiled. One man in the extraction team thought they had contact with a Skartian, but were unable to confirm the report.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn short, we still need more data, but we have reasonable evidence that they have at least one operative in or around this area of Afghanistan,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you major Kreistag,\u201d Steve said to her, as she took her seat once more. \u201cI know I don\u2019t have to tell you the importance, or the implications of such facts. What we need from all of you is to be on your guard. We expect another attack at any time now, either following a terrorist attack, or closely associated with such an attack. We don\u2019t know if an invasion will come, or just an attack fleet. As a result, keep your fleets on high alert, but don\u2019t wear out your crews,\u201d Steve told them all, moving aside to allow Jack to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is one last thing that disturbs me greatly,\u201d Jack said, moving to the front of the room. \u201cAs many of you know, we have filed numerous protests against the Skartians in the Council, along with the Ilderians. As of this morning, nothing has been heard from the Skartian ambassador. No one has seen him since the day of the attack. It is possible they have withdrawn from the council, and if that\u2019s the case, we can toss all the rules of war out the window. So be careful when confronting a Skartian fleet,\u201d Jack said. \u201cNow, anyone else have any reports, complaints that we need to be aware of?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack sat back listening to normal complaints, but there were not surprising unknown pieces of information. They also got some strategies in case the Skartians did attack, and who and how they would respond. Finally after an hour the meeting ended and the people left the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge,\u201d Jack called out, watching Dinen stop and look back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d George replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have something I need to talk to you about, wasn\u2019t able to talk to you yesterday,\u201d Jack said, approaching George.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, had some unexpected requests, one being Captain Uliki, requested some time off, something about seeing things,\u201d George said, and Jack recognized the name. \u201cSeemed it wanted to take some time off before he jeopardized a mission. Thought it was about time, he hasn\u2019t had a break in almost a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it was time for a break,\u201d Jack said, agreeing with George.<\/p>\n

They made their way over to Jack\u2019s office, and walked inside taking a seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere,\u201d Jack said, handing George a paper, watching as he read through them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure about this?\u201d George asked, looking up at him. \u201cThe Seydlitz is your pride and joy, always thought you\u2019d put is as part of the Home fleet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want her to be under the command of someone who will understand her design and use her to the fullest,\u201d Jack said, returning the look back at George.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about using the ship as the fleet flagship?\u201d George asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeen thinking about that, and its about time to do some reorganizing anyways, promote you to full admiral, and combined the Fifth battlecruiser fleet and the Saratoga carrier group into Fleet R,\u201d Jack said, putting his idea into action.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re sure about this, what about Peterov?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlready talked to him, thought it was a good idea, and that you were a natural to follow orders from during battle. He holds you in high regard,\u201d Jack said, referring to the admiral of the Saratoga carrier group.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll guess I\u2019ll take it, and thank you sir,\u201d George said, pausing. \u201cWhy R?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s for \u2018response\u2019, which your fleet will be the one to respond to any movement from the Skartians. Your fleet will go to where we need it the most, allowing the other fleets to concentrate on their jobs,\u201d Jack said, outlining the plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I\u2019m in command of the flexible fleet we were talking about in the meeting,\u201d George said, referring to the strategies in the meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think you can handle it?\u201d Steve asked, speaking up for the first time in a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can count on me,\u201d George said, saluting before exiting the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that went well,\u201d Steve said after George left the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m glad he accepted the promotion,\u201d Jack said. \u201cStill can\u2019t shake the feeling that we are going to be needing me like him in command positions in the near future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steve remained quiet as Jack voiced his opinion. Neither had any idea what might happened in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally, I hope you\u2019re wrong,\u201d Steve finally said after several minutes of silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I Steve,\u201d Jack said, looking back down at the reports.<\/p>\n

End part 11<\/p>\n

Continued in part 12<\/a><\/p>\n

Comment below or send to AJMarks01@aol.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Legacy of the Guardians by AJ Marks Part 11 Jack sat in his office, his second in command Steve also in there. \u201cYou know, you spend so much time here, we should move another desk in here,\u201d Jack said to his friend, laughing a bit. \u201cSad, but true, but then you couldn\u2019t send me away […]
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