The North Star, Part 1
Bryan Thomas Schmidt

 

As Captain Janaai Resnick

stepped onto the bridge of the Destroyer North Star for the first time, she did her best to keep her swelling pride from showing on her face. How long had she dreamt of this moment?

She’d been training for it since her teenaged years. The goal had consumed her life. She’d had little time for personal relationships. Her childhood dreams of a husband and children seemed like foolish fantasies. She rarely saw her siblings. Amidst a male-dominated military, she’d even had to sublimate her femininity and take on the air of command necessary to gain the respect of her peers and rise through the ranks.  

As she glanced around the bridge—her bridge—taking it all in, the eyes of the crew were all on her. She’d spent so much time reviewing their military records, she felt she already knew them: Ensign Hin at the helm; Specialist Rigel at navigation; Lieutenant Akruba at communications; Ensign Thom at wea-pons; and Lieutenant Borges, head of security.

Then she noticed him—tall and muscular with the face of an officer—her second in command, Commander Thalin Watts. This must be hard for you, Commander, but I need your experience.

Watts had been in line for the North Star until she beat him on the captain’s exam by twenty points and took the last slot. He’d applied for a transfer, but she’d asked their superiors to deny it. He’d been with the North Star since her christening and she knew her success would depend in great part on his knowledge of the ship. She just hoped he could set aside his personal feelings and do his job. 

She’d been lucky with crew in any case. While she had a few rookies like Rigel, most had served at least six months, and several crew chiefs, like Watts, had served for years.

“Welcome aboard, Captain,” Watts said. He saluted and motioned to the rest of the crew who stood and snapped to attention around her.        

“Thank you, Commander. I’ve reviewed your files, and it’s an honor to serve with you all.”

“Orders, sir?” Watts asked. The crew remained at attention awaiting her response. 

“Our orders are to start patrolling Sector Seven. Navigator, plot a course. Helmsman, prepare for acceleration to five.”

“Yes, Captain,” Hin and Rigel responded. Rigel immediately sat at her console and began typing commands into the computer and adjusting controls.  

Hin hesitated, exchanging a look with Watts.  “Five, sir?” His Chinese accent was barely noticeable.

“Course set, Captain,” Rigel said. It made her a little nervous having a rookie navigator her first time out, but she glanced at Watts whose face was confident. 

She shot Hin a look. I’m the Captain, Ensign.

“Regulations restrict speeds out of space dock to three except in extreme emergencies,” Watts said. 

Janaai fought the urge to glare. He was right. She’d just rushed herself. “I’m aware of the regulations, Commander. Ensign Hin, engines at two until we’ve cleared space dock. Go to five as we clear the system.”

Ensign Hin typed commands into his computer. “Engines at two, Captain.” 

Janaai felt the acceleration as the engine hums increased and space dock slipped away around them. She watched the bridge screen as the ship began weaving its way through the congested traffic common around Coalition bases.

Once they’d cleared the traffic, Hin entered further commands into his computer and the ship accelerated again. “Engines at five, sir.”

Stars slid past the bridge screen as streaks. She’d never experienced it from the captain’s chair before. The view was breathtaking. Starting as a navigator, she’d worked her way up to first officer. She wondered if her first commander had the same doubts about her as she had about Rigel.  

“Coalition command sends their congratulations and best wishes for our first mission, sir,” Lieutenant Akruba reported from communications in the British accent common to her native Ghana.

Janaai smiled. “Send our compliments, Lieutenant.” As Akruba turned back to her station, Janaai turned to Lieutenant Borges. “Lieutenant, you have command. Commander Watts, may I see you in the conference room, please?” 

“Yes, Captain.” Watts replied as Borges moved down to occupy her vacated captain’s chair and she led Watts toward the elevator.

The door slid shut behind them as they entered the conference room. Janaai stopped at the end of the long gray table surrounded by twelve chairs, turning to face him.  

“I know this must be hard for you, Commander, because it would be for me.”

“I’m a Coalition officer, sir. I follow orders.” 

“You can speak freely when we’re alone, Commander.

Watts hesitated a moment searching her eyes for signs he could trust her. “My transfer was denied, sir.” 

“At my request. I need you.” Watts seemed to be struggling to control his anger. “Your experience and knowledge of the ship is too valuable. I don’t believe I can succeed without you.”

Watts offered an exaggerated salute. “Your success is my top priority, Captain.” 

Janaai ignored his tone. “I meant it as a compliment.”

A commlink on the wall beeped as the ship rocked and she heard an explosion. She hurried over and punched a button on the commlink. “Captain Resnick.” 

“We need you on the bridge, sir,” Lieutenant Borges said as he appeared on the commlink screen. His English was impeccable, despite his Brazilian accent.

The ship rocked again to more explosions.  

“We’re on our way!” She and Watts raced for the door together.

“What’s happening?” she asked as Borges vacated her chair and returned to the security station. Out the view screen she saw asteroids surrounding them. 

“An uncharted asteroid field, sir,” Borges answered.

Watts frowned. “There shouldn’t be any asteroid field between space dock and Sector Seven.” He rushed to his console and began searching on the computer. 

Another explosion rocked the ship. “Confirm coordinates, Specialist,” she said to Rigel.

Rigel glanced at her screen. “One three five point two seven six, sir.” 

Watts turned to Janaai. “The coordinates are correct.”

The ship rocked again as she heard more explosions. “The hull is weakening on levels five through seven, Captain,” Borges reported. 

“Forget where they came from. Weapons, can you clear us a path?”

Ensign Thom looked up from his computer as Janaai checked her combat radar. Hundreds of blips surrounded them stretching to the edges of the screen. “There’s too many, sir.” 

“Can we reverse and go around?”

Watts shook his head. “We’re too far committed.” 

“We came out of ultra-light too late to change course, sir,” Borges said.

Janaai sighed. The navigation computers were programmed to drop out of ultra-light whenever unknown obstacles were detected in their path. “Ideas, Commander?” 

Watts’ eyes met hers. “Ensign Thom, order the front batteries to prepare the mines for release.”

“Mines?” Mines weren’t standard equipment for Destroyers like the North Star. 

“We’re transporting a last minute shipment for the supply post in Sector Seven,” Watts explained. “They’ve lost some to increased pirate raids. If we deploy the mines forward with the right timing—”

Janaai smiled. Her decision to keep him on board seemed already justified. “They’ll clear our path.” 

“Mines ready for deployment,” Thom confirmed.

“Deploy at Commander Watts’ command,” Janaai ordered. 

Watts shot her a look and she smiled in approval. He turned back to Thom as another explosion rocked the ship. “Two mines at a time, ninety seconds apart.”

“Yes, sir.” Thom turned back to his console and passed on the command to the forward batteries. 

“Fire!”

They watched the bridge screen as two gray mines with blinking red lights circling their edges shot forward and exploded in their path. The remains of oncoming asteroids scattered to the sides. 

“Helm, adjust speed to compensate,” Janaai said.

“Aye, sir,” Ensign Hin said as he made the adjustments. 

“Fire!” Watts said again. Two more mines launched and exploded, but this time some of the fragments were larger and more threatening.

“Gunners, prepare to target stray debris starboard and port,” Janaai ordered. She kept her eyes glued to her combat radar, watching debris fly around them. So far the plan was working, but all it would take is one large piece striking the damaged levels to break through the hull. 

Watts looked at her and smiled. “Fire! Navigator, adjust course to one three five point three seven eight.”

Rigel began typing into her computer. “Adjusting course now, Commander.” 

Janaai checked her computer. The new course would take them up and out the top of the field. She smiled as she saw more asteroids deflected and heard laser cannons firing off the port side. “Damage status?”

“Hull’s holding, sir,” Borges responded. 

Janaai smiled. In a less than ten minutes, they’d cleared the field. She turned to Watts. “You’ve saved us, Commander. Quick thinking.”

He smiled. “It was a team effort, sir.” 

“Navigation adjust course for Sector Seven. Helm, engines to seven.”

“Yes, sir,” she heard Rigel and Hin say as she leaned back in her chair. She smiled as she heard the increased humming and felt the vibration as the engines surged and the ship shot forward. Her first challenge as Captain had been a success.

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Continue to Episode 2...