he adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, and So Far From Home, continues in the final chapter The Voyage Home.
CHAPTER 7 A
Kacey sat next to Natalia as she gave Kate the reports on the ship's repairs. She drank her coffee while Kate read.
"Who are these two civilians?"
"They are electrical engineers. Mike called them in to be unbiased experts."
Kate nodded and continued to read. "What is this test you mentioned here?"
"It is to prove the point I tried to make to Ensign Devoe that day."
"How about you explain it to me?"
"Kate, I am going to ask you to trust me on this. The less you know about this test the better. This way you do not go into this so called hearing with any preconceived notions."
"All right, I will trust you." Kate continued to read. "So according to this, we should be able to lift off tomorrow."
"That is if Bella's test run on engine two is successful. Kate is there any chance the Doctor will release you to oversee the liftoff?"
"I can ask, but do not get your hopes up." Kate stated. Look Kacey if it helps, I will come to the Bridge in an unofficial capacity. Dad will be there if you run into any problems. Just do the same things you do before you take your shuttle out."
"It is not the same. In my shuttle there is only me, but on the Bridge, there are a thousand people relying on me to get it right the first time."
"Have faith in the Bridge crew. They know what they are doing."
"I will, but I would still like you to be there." Kacey stated. "And that brings up the next report. When picking the crew, I know you had to take a certain number of recent academy graduates when making your crew choices."
"That is correct."
"What criteria did you use when making your decision?"
"Grades, what area of study they chose, attendance, deportment, not to mention the interview with me. Then after I submitted their names they still had to pass the physical. Where are you going with this?"
"Bear with me a minute. I realize it was four years ago, but remember back to the interviews."
"I do not need to remember back, I just have to pull up my files."
"Will you do that now?"
Kate went to her computer and pulled up the official records for the graduates she interviewed. "Who am I looking for?"
"Devoe."
"Which one? There are two, Allistair and Albert."
"Both, and I hope you come to the same conclusion I did."
Kate read over the two files. "Devoe, Allistair James: Straight A student, electrical engineer major, good score on the interview, passed physical without any problems. Devoe, Albert John: Average student with B's and C's. Barely passed the Engineering courses. Does have a degree, but failed the electrical certification exam. Graduated bottom in his class. Scored okay in the physical. Did not do well in the interview. I chose Allistair." She looked at Kacey. "Do I have the wrong brother?"
"I hoped you would come to the same conclusion that I did. They are identical twins. I would even say more identical than your girls. What I think happened is that Albert intercepted the letter for Allistair and has pretended to be his brother for the past three years."
"How would you find out for certain?" Natalia asked.
"The only true ways are through fingerprints and blood tests." Anya offered.
"I know that as students, Marines get fingerprinted and a blood sample is kept on file before they enter basic training. I assume it is the same for the Space Academy."
"It does." Kate stated as she pulled up another file. "We have both."
"I think it is time to send him to sick Bay for a little physical." Kacey added.
"According to his file, he just had a physical."
"How can you get him in for another without tipping your hand?" Anya asked.
"Or get his fingerprints?" Natalia added.
"We need Rhea in on this." Kate touched her communicator. "Rhea would you come to my quarters immediately?
"Of course Kate." Within minutes Rhea was seated while Kate and Kacey brought her up to speed on the problem at hand.
"I can have my people search his quarters and lift fingerprints that we can check against the official set from his academy entrance." Rhea declared. "You do not want to inform him yet?"
"Correct. This has to be between us at this point." Kate stated.
"We will wait until he is on duty then go through his quarters. What is his schedule?"
Kate pulled up the duty roster. "He is off for the next two days."
"How did he manage to fly under the radar for so long?" Kacey asked.
"He kept a very low profile, kept his nose clean and basically fell through the cracks." Kate admitted.
"Until he had to come to the Bridge to make repairs." Kacey added. "Then his true self came out. What really pisses me off is he complained that I yelled at him. That lying scum bag piece of shit."
"Kacey right now you really need to keep a tight hold on your temper." Kate ordered. "We need to see this through with clear heads. I mean it."
Kacey took several deep breaths. "I will do my best Kate."
"Engineering to Colonel O'Malley."
"Go ahead Engineering."
"We are ready to test the engines. Do you want to be here for that?"
"On my way." Kacey replied. "Keep me posted on things here."
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After spending several days on the planetoid, repairs were finally completed. Liam sat in his chair as Kacey with Kate at her side stepped off the lift.
"Captain on the Bridge."
The crew snapped to attention. "Relax everyone, I am only here in a support capacity and not back on duty."
She sat in the chair Kacey would sit in while Kacey took the command chair. She glanced at Kate and Liam who both nodded.
"Begin preflight check. Sensors on. Shields up. Charge weapons." She ordered.
"Shields are up. Sensors up and running. There is nothing within one point four million kilometers of us. Weapons charged. The view screen is up and running."
"Bridge to all shuttles and stingers, we are preparing to lift off. Give us a clear area."
"Roger Bridge. Backing off."
"Do we have Navigational charts?"
"Up and running Colonel."
"Plot us a course to Earth."
"Colonel, Ceres will be within our reach in two weeks."
"We missed it on the way out. This will give us a chance to upgrade that tower." Liam stated.
"That is not my decision to make, Dad."
"How far away are those masses?"
"One point four million kilometers and headed our way. They can catch up to us in four days if we try for Ceres."
"It is two weeks to Ceres, then another week to upgrade the tower and those masses are still on our trail." Kate spoke out loud as she considered all the angles.
"I wonder if there is a way to mask our propulsion?" Kacey said.
"Preflight is complete, Colonel."
"Bridge to engineering, start engines."
"Roger. Just remember we need to break the engine in slowly."
"Understand." The engines rumbled to life. They waited several minutes for the engines to warm up. "Thrusters one quarter impulse."
"One quarter impulse aye Colonel."
The ship lifted off the ground.
CHAPTER 7 B
"We have cleared the surface Colonel" The Security Officer reported.
"Increase speed to one half impulse."
"Aye Colonel, increasing to one half impulse."
The ship picked up speed as it rose. Kacey kept a tight hold on the arms of the chair to hide her nervousness. Liam placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"Ye are doing great." He whispered.
"We will exit the atmosphere in five, four, three, two, one." They felt a slight bump as they left the gravitational pull of the planetoid. "Where to Colonel?" The pilot asked.
She turned to Kate for the final decision. "Our orders were to upgrade the towers if they were in our flight path. Ceres is not. We would have to head away from Earth, with those masses still following us. What would you order?" Kate turned it back to Kacey.
"Head for our next stop over point." She ordered. Kate nodded in approval.
"That will be Athena which is three months away, Colonel." The Navigator stated.
"Plot the course to Athena and send it to the helm and shuttles."
"Yes ma'am."
"I have the flight plan Colonel."
"Warp four Lieutenant until Engineering gives us the word to speed up."
"Warp four to Athena. Yes ma'am."
"Well done Kacey. Are you sure you are not looking to change careers?" Kate joked.
"Not on you life, Kate. This chair is all your and I will be very happy to turn it back over to you."
"Colonel for what it is worth, we think you have done a fantastic job." Lieutenant Minor stated.
"Thank you Lieutenant, but we all know I only gave the orders. You all, each and everyone of you, make up the true backbone of the Bridge. You made me look good."
Kate stood to leave. "You have everything under control and do not need me. I will return to my quarters before the doctor comes to chase me away." The crew laughed as they tried to picture their indomitable Captain being chased off her Bridge. "Come see me when your shift is over."
"I will." Kate waved as she left the Bridge. "Bridge to Hanger."
"Hanger, Major Taggart."
"Jere have the Alpha squad prepare to take over for the shuttles. Once all the shuttles land, have the mechanics go over every inch of them. They have been going non stop for the past four days."
"We will get it done Colonel. We will launch in fifteen minutes."
"Good enough. Bridge to engineering."
"Engineering here."
"How are the engines behaving?"
"No problems. Give it another thirty minutes, then you can hit the gas."
"Understand Commander. Bridge out. Lieutenant in thirty minutes increase our speed to warp seven."
"Aye Colonel."
The rest of the shift passed quietly and quickly. During the course of the day, Kacey strolled around the Bridge to stretch her legs. She was still not accustomed to sitting all day.
"Lass it is sixteen hundred hours. Time to turn the Bridge over to Lieutenant Vargas."
"Lieutenant keep us on this heading at warp seven unless Engineering reports any problems. Keep an eye on those masses."
"Colonel, they are four million kilometers from us."
"Keep an eye on them anyway. I do not trust them. Keep the weapons fully charged. I will be in my quarters for the rest of the evening."
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The night passed quietly. Almost too quietly, that Kacey had an uneasy feeling when she opened her eyes. She had no basis for her feelings, but they persisted. Maybe it was just that she still had command of Andromeda. Kacey could not wait to return to her own domain which she was better suited for. Her life would be so much better if she could concentrate on commanding her Marines. That was her position. If she had wanted to command a Star traveler, she would have gone to the Space Academy. With that she decided the feelings of dread were simply because she still did not feel comfortable in the Captain's chair.
She shrugged off the feelings as she headed to the Bridge and hopefully her last day in command. "Report," she stated as she stepped off the lift.
"We are still cruising at warp seven. It was a quiet night. Those masses are now at six million kilometers away and almost off our sensors. They are unable to catch us. However they seem to be following our propulsion trail. If we move ten degrees to port, eventually they will also."
"That is disturbing news."
"What is disturbing news, lass?" Liam asked as he took his seat.
"Those masses are following our propulsions trail."
"So we are needing to find a way to mask our trail then." Liam stated.
Kacey nodded. "Thank you Lieutenant."
The Gamma crew left the Bridge as their Alpha crew replacements took over.
"What ever or who ever they are, we know we cannot fight them with the weapons we have."
"Colonel we do not know that for certain." Rhea stated from her position at tactical.
Kacey smiled at her. "Welcome back Commander. I hope your return is just the start of the good news today."
"Thank you Colonel. Captain Jensen was waiting her turn in Sick Bay so you may get your wish." Rhea responded. "We know our shields cannot handle their weapons, but the reverse can also be true. We did not return fire. They may have more powerful weapons, but if we can enhance our weapons we may be able to get through their chronaton shields.."
"That is a chance I would rather not take. They outnumber us, even with taking the shuttles and stingers into consideration. With the fire power they have the smaller ships would not stand a chance."
"So that means we cannot fight them head on. What about mining the area behind us to discourage them." Rhea suggested.
"They would see the mines and avoid them." Kacey argued.
"What about if we set up the mines with cloaking devices?" Lieutenant Minor offered.
"Unless the mines were all detonated, they would pose a threat to other ships." Liam stated.
"Then we have to find a way to mask our propulsion signature." Rhea stated.
"What if we tried that trick we used against the Liamri?" Lieutenant Minor asked.
"The lad has a point. What about using that maneuver again?" Liam asked.
"How many days behind are they?"
"Four and getting longer."
She hesitated. "Ye are wanting Katie to make the decision?"
"Is that so wrong? This is Kate's ship."
"It will still be Katie's ship."
"But they are only four days away. If we could extend that time..."
"Then Katie would be back and she could make the decision." Liam finished.
"Something like that dad."
"Why not take the time to talk to Katie and hear what she has to say. Then ye can make the decision."
"Does that make me a coward?"
"No lass, that makes ye a smart commander."
"I am not usually this reticent when making decisions."
"I know lass."
"We need to increase our distance from them in order to come up with a viable plan." Kacey thought out loud. "Bridge to Engineering."
"Go ahead Bridge."
"Commander, how are the engines?"
"They are all humming with no problems."
"Do you think they can handle an increase in speed?"
"Only one way to find out. Go for it."
"Thank you Commander. Lieutenant increase our speed to warp nine."
"Yes ma'am."
They felt the increase in speed as they watched the stars in the view screen whiz by faster as Andromeda picked up speed.
"Hold this speed for two hours then drop back to warp seven." Kacey ordered. "Rhea how far ahead of us will that put us?
"Almost six days." Rhea answered after she put figures into the computer.
"Good, then we will increase our speed to warp nine for two hours each shift until Kate returns to duty."
"When will ye be talking to her?"
"After my shift today. Would your join us?"
"Certainly lass. Your mother has been wanting another family dinner."
"Let's plan for today then. Rhea, you and Bella are invited also. Nineteen hundred hours after the girls have their practice."
"We will be there.