Tenacious

42

They made orbit, and then the problems started.

The squadron was in its second orbit, and the ships were busy maneuvering to get nose to nose and swap anchoring cables. Being at zero gravity, Kris was belted into her chair at her desk reading the latest set of guesses about the planet beneath her.

“Kris, three missiles have been launched at us,” Nelly reported curtly. “They are still in boost stage.”

“Shoot them down,” Kris ordered just as curtly.

Suddenly, the Wasp lurched as it brought its aft batteries to bear on the planet below.

“I’ve fired three aft lasers, just a short burst,” Nelly reported. “We hit all three.”

“What the hell is going on with my ship, Kris Longknife?” came as a bellow from the bridge.

“I take it, Nelly, that you didn’t inform Captain Drago of our little problem?”

“There wasn’t time, Kris. Is he mad at me?”

“No, he’s mad at me, Nelly. Are there any more launches?”

“No, Kris. But the missiles fired were atomic-tipped. One had a low-order explosion when it crashed. The others spewed radioactive plutonium.”

“Thank you, Nelly,” Kris said, as she undid her seat belt and pushed herself off for the bridge.

“Can I have my ship back, Your High-handedness?” Captain Drago said with a scowl.

“I’m sorry, Captain. Missiles were fired at us. I told Nelly to shoot them down quickly because they were still in boost phase and an easy target,” Kris said as she latched onto the back of the captain’s chair. “Next time, I’ll tell her to inform you and let you do it the proper Navy way.”

“The hard way,” the skipper said, and, if possible, his scowl got even deeper. “I hate to say this, but thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Nelly said from Kris’s collarbone.

“So, what do we do about this greeting?” The captain asked.

“Nelly, which of the zones launched the rockets?”

“Do you remember that one I called Fearless Leader?”

“Yes.”

“It was definitely her.”

“Her?” the captain said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Nelly said. “We’ve come to find out that all the major zones are led by females of the species.”

“God help us,” Captain Drago said in full drama. “A planetful of Kris Longknifes. What sin could I have possibly committed in my previous life to deserve this?”

“Are we still over her territory?” Kris asked, ignoring the drama queen at her elbow.

“No, we’re far enough away from it that I don’t think we need fear shots from them,” Nelly replied.

“Then broadcast this on the usual frequencies. ‘I have been fired upon with atomic missiles. I have destroyed them with more ease than you swat flies. Do you really want to go to war with us? We came here in peace to save you. Admiral Longknife sends.’ Let’s see what we hear from the rest of the crazy cats between now and the next time we pass over Fearless Leader’s domain.”

Kris shoved off from the skipper’s chair and headed back to her day quarters.

“So, do we continue to anchor?” Captain Drago asked.

Kris paused at the door to her quarters. She shook her head. “Beat to quarters and get ready for a fight. With luck, next time Nelly won’t have to step on your pride.”

The captain made a face, but he passed the order to the squadron.

Ships pulled away to get more maneuvering room. Crews settled down at their battle stations and made ready for whatever came next.

What came next was a flood of denials that anybody wanted to fight the squadron. They came from heads of states, including both of the two other major powers, as well as from movie stars, heads of major industrial combines, and the two kids that Kris had talked to.

Kris took their message personally.

“Please, listen to us,” Frodin said. Kris could almost hear the tears in his eyes. “My dad says no one wants war. Even my mother says it would be a bad idea.”

“And so do my folks,” Zeth put in. “It’s just that crazy tail over there. They’ve been trouble ever since she came to power. She doesn’t speak for the rest of us.”

“I’m coming to understand that,” Kris said. “I will handle this problem just between her and me.”

“Please do. The rest of us don’t want to have anything to do with it.”

Kris ended her radio session with the two kids. They might just be kids, but what they said was backed up with signals from 161 other countries. Only the Fearless Leader kept quiet.

The squadron was battle ready as its orbit swept toward the problem zone.

Missiles rose to meet them.

“Endeavor, engage the threats.”

“Engaged,” came back quickly and seven missile were lased before they could get out of boost phase. The last one was hardly off the ground. Two exploded, including the one that had just lifted off.

That might explain why no more were fired.

“Nelly, do we have a solid lock on just where Fearless Leader is hunkered down?”

“I am 99.999 percent sure I have her mountain dialed in, Kris.”

“Please pass it along to the other ships of the squadron. I want to give it a broadside from each ship. Full charge from the forward lasers, then flip ship and give it the aft batteries.”

“Orders passed.”

Around Kris, the Wasp swung down, pointing its nose at one particular mountain.

“Fire,” Kris ordered.

She felt nothing as six 20-inch lasers poured every joule of energy they stored into firing on one particular piece of real estate. Kris had once been too close to a building when Admiral Krätz, of mostly fond memory, lased it from space.

He hadn’t had anything like the ships she had.

The only sign Kris had that the forward batteries were empty was the Wasp’s swinging around to present her aft batteries.

Five seconds later, Captain Drago reported. “Broadside fired. Request permission to resume anchoring.”

“Permission granted. Keep an eye on that zone next time we pass it.”

“That I will do, Admiral. However, some cartographer needs to remeasure the height of that mountain. It ain’t what it used to be.”

“No doubt. I wonder how Fearless Leader is taking it.”

“We’ll know next pass.”

Next pass was uneventful.

Then, Kris found herself invited to a party.