The Last Charge (The Nameless War Trilogy Book 3) by Edmond Barrett Read Free Book Online Page B

the Headquarters has informed the Captain that we are expected to report ourselves as combat worthy within the next two weeks.”
    Alanna heard a sharp intake of breath beside her. Dati flicked towards Udaltsov with all the precision and warmth of a weapons fire control system.
    “You have something to say, Lieutenant?” he asked.
    “That will be a very tough schedule to meet, sir,” Udaltsov carefully ventured.
    “Yes, it is,” Dati replied almost mildly, before frowning. “However if Dauntless is not ready it will not be because my fighters have come up short. Are we entirely clear on that?”
    “Yes sir,” Alanna and Udaltsov chorused.
    “Good,” Dati said. “The rest of the squadron will arrive in six hours. They are all newly trained pilots, from the training carrier Kiev Flyer.”
    “I’m sorry, sir? New pilots?” Alanna interrupted. “I thought I was joining an established squadron.”
    “What on earth made you think that, Lieutenant?” Dati replied coldly. “The fleet does not have enough fighters or crews. Headquarters is not willing to strip half a dozen cruisers of their integrated fighter complement to fill Dauntless ’s hangars. It is as much as I have been able to achieve to get you two to serve as flight leaders. The rest of the squadron are new pilots and they will be looking to you for leadership. You are both temporarily promoted to Lieutenant Commanders, effective immediately. But be certain that if you come up short I will make sure you regret it.” Dati looked at his watch. “You have a few hours of liberty before the rest of the squadron arrives. I suggest you use them to familiarise yourself with the ship. You are both dismissed.”
    “Lord mother,” Udaltsov muttered as Dati’s door closed behind them. “When they commissioned the Yorktown Class carriers, it was a year before they were considered combat worthy.”
    Alanna shrugged as she started to walk down the passageway.
    “I was just wondering,” Udaltsov continued as he followed behind. “At the end of the Great Patriotic War, when the Red Army closed in on Berlin, is this what it felt like for the defenders?”
    Alanna looked up at him. His tone wasn’t defeatist, more one of honest curiosity.
    “Alanna Shermer,” he then said, half to himself. “Where do I know that name from?”
    “I’m the only survivor from the last Dauntless ,” she replied.
    Udaltsov gave her a blank look for a moment – then started to look deeply uncomfortable. “Oh I see.”
    “You’d have heard about it soon unless the grapevine suffered one hell of a breakdown. More recently I’ve been on the Deimos . You?”
    “I’m formerly of the Cerberus . We only arrived back from Rosa Station three days ago. It is fair to say my captain was not pleased at my removal.”
    “I think mine wasn’t sure whether to be pissed off or relieved. I was senior pilot on Deimos . How about you?”
    “I’ve been senior for the last four months.”
    Alanna nodded – a dead man’s boots promotion like so many.
    “So we’re supposed to be leading flights of four, but both of us are only used to flying flights of two.” Alanna paused and sighed. “I guess we might as well see what we have to work with,” she said, opening a hatch into the ships galley. “Err… I think we’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere.”
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    During the night Dauntless broke lunar orbit and set course down into Earth’s gravity well. By midday the carrier was settled into a high Earth orbit waiting for its new fighter complement to arrive.
    Alanna, Udaltsov and Dati were all on the bridge, watching the new squadron arrive. It was the first time Alanna had been up on the bridge or met Captain Philippe Durane. A reservist, Alanna guessed. An elderly man with a round friendly face, he looked more like a favourite grandfather than a military officer. Alanna had caught Dati give him a look of pure contempt and wondered what that was about.
    The