Sideshow Alley Read online

  The wake-up call next morning was followed by an announcement requesting all Red Leaders to assemble in the mess at 1300 hours—it was clear there was something in the air. After breakfast the poker players invaded the mess, Pee Wee and Jimmy among them, while others went to the gym to play volleyball or just work out.

  At lunchtime everyone went through the servery as usual, but when they sat it was obvious their numbers had swollen. Another Carrier had ferried in replacements to bring them back up to strength. On seeing the new fighters and their pilots Colin signalled to Kyla and both took their meals over and sat with them. They could see by their colour patches that they had already been reassigned to the various wings, but what interested Colin most was the experience they would be able to pass on.

  He wasn’t surprised to learn that the fighters had been procured in much the same way as he was, the only difference being that they were from a different city. Their last draft had been another ‘R’ Class Carrier, the Revenge, and Colin was interested in finding out all he could about the tactics they used, casualty numbers or anything else that would help. He sought out the most experienced fighters and put the question to them, but the answers he got back were disappointing—most putting the results down to tenacity and leadership. While he was talking to the fighters Kyla did the same with the pilots, while welcoming them into their ranks.

  Colin felt strange talking to the replacement crews. These were fighters with at least one hitch under their belt, while some had two. They could reel-off names of battles that he’d never heard of while he was just starting out and yet they had all been rated and assigned according to their ability. The big plus for all was their experience going in, not like the poor unfortunates who had been shot down on day one.

  The tables around them were now abuzz with the name Revenge, and Colin noticed his fighters lift their heads visibly once the war cry of the older fighters was planted firmly in their heads. He had just glimpsed another of the Legion’s time-proven ways of psyching up its crews—that of naming the Carriers judiciously, and he hoped that after the next battle Redemption would also be spoken of with pride.

  The female Alpha Pilot was an oddity to the newcomers, but it was Colin they looked to and the fact that their wing remained relatively intact spoke volumes. The crews remained in the mess to talk to the newcomers for as long as they could before the Colonel arrived. When he did they vacated the mess, leaving only the nominated personnel behind.

  On reaching the lectern the Colonel said, ‘I see you have already made the acquaintance of the replacement crews. I’d like to officially welcome them on behalf of the Redemption and hope that their service here will be as illustrious as it was on the Revenge. I’ll leave it to the relevant Red Leaders to introduce them into the wings after the Alpha Weapons Officer has instructed them in the way we do things here. The other bit of news that I have for you is that you have the rest of today and tomorrow to refine your tactics and meld before we go back in and relieve the Reliance at Verdi, in the Delphi System. Now, are there any questions?’

  Colin put his hand up, ‘Does that mean there will be another training flight?’

  The Colonel looked about the mess before answering.

  ‘No, that won’t be necessary. I think we’ve gone way beyond that.’

  There was a trickle of laughter from the newcomers. With no more questions the Colonel made to leave and Colin approached him as he left the lectern.

  ‘Sir,’ he said, in a lowered voice, ‘I was wondering what film clips we might have of the Revenge from the last year, if any?’

  ‘I’ll see what we have and send them straight over. Do you know how to work the visual projection?’ he asked, and lifted the lid of the lectern to reveal the projection unit inside. ‘Just insert the memory stick in there and switch it on, the clip will be projected from behind,’ he said, before departing.

  Colin fronted the lectern and addressed the newcomers, ‘On behalf of all those present, I wish to welcome you into our ranks also—your experience will be greatly appreciated. For most this is your second hitch and for a few it is the third, while we are just starting out.’ He paused a moment before going on, ‘What we have found is that instead of firing rockets haphazardly on initial contact with the enemy, it is far better to fire a pre-determined salvo. Even if not in a tight formation, we can still fire at coordinates given by the Wing Leaders. This also applies to wings when two or more of the enemy are flying together.’ He described the sequence and pattern of shot in detail, stipulating that all pilots would have to fly in staggered formation in order to limit the damage if the Lizards ever did the same.

  ‘If we follow this practice, together with all of the other advantages we have, it should keep casualties down to a minimum and give us supremacy in Space. If not, we can examine the footage from each battle area afterward to see where we went wrong and amend our thinking.’

  Colin looked over to Kyla and asked if she had anything to add. She shook her head, so he addressed the Wing Leaders, ‘Take your replacements back to their quarters and get them settled in. The first hour in the mess this evening will be a compulsory get-together. As well as being for the benefit of the new members, I want you to groom your Second-in-Commands as well. We’ll drill on tactics for an hour after breakfast tomorrow and again after the midday meal.’

  ‘Are there any questions? No? Then that will be all, thank you.’

  A crew member entered the mess and gave Colin a memory stick for the VDU. He motioned to Kyla as the others made to leave.

  ‘Do you want to watch some film with me?’ he whispered.

  She smiled as he inserted the memory and started the VDU, with old battle footage of the Revenge appearing on the bulkhead.

  It was just as Colin thought—the rocket exchange at the beginning of each encounter didn’t have much effect. Both sides suffered one or two losses to leave the enemy more or less intact, which resulted in some particularly bloody battles.

  Kyla cringed and clung to his arm as footage was shown of Lizard Fighters pouring laser fire into the Alpha Fighter’s craft after it had been lured into a trap. They watched in horror as the Legion Fighter lost power and drifted away to orbit uselessly.

  Kyla’s hand rested on Colin’s shoulder as she stared at the wreckage.

  ‘Is that to be our fate?’ she asked.

  ‘Nah, you’re too good a pilot to be trapped like that.’

  The poker players drifted back into the mess and sat down to watch. Colin let another battle play out before turning the VDU off.

  Eric was quiet during the evening meal. He kept looking over to the newcomers, both the fighters and their pilots, and wondered if that was how he would end up. Kyla ate and occasionally spoke to the other pilots sitting with them, who were caught in-between. The talk as in most parts of the mess was about the coming deployment to the Delphi System. One of the newcomers fuelled speculation by saying he had served there before and that it was a continual hot spot.

  The film was shown in the mess as usual that night although Sami was the only one watching. The wings stood about with their Green and Red halves bonding while enjoying a drink. After-hours dress was optional, the older fighters opting for trousers and t-shirt. Most of them were covered in tattoos, which proved a popular talking point amongst the younger fighters, who were only starting down that path. Those who had served twice prior had the names of their ships, plus engagements fought and already had their eye on Sami as he sat idle.

  Hostesses also featured on their arms and caught the attention of Phoebe and the girls. They recognised some of the names and twittered amongst themselves about who among them would adorn those arms also and shamelessly flaunted their wares to the lucky recipients while the Wings egged them on. When the hour was over Sami was swamped with work, adding their names and that of Redemption to the arms and chests of the newcomers.

  Even though Alpha Wing was complete, they used the hour to bond even more—Colin keeping an eye on the
pulse as he drifted from one conversation to another. He worked at keeping his group tight—the green component interacting with the red, while paying particular attention to his number two, Ben, grooming him for any eventuality.

  The news clip that night was of fighting in some other system, but the footage was more or less the same. The two forces were equal in strength and all personnel paused to watch as the opposing Squadrons exchanged rockets before closing with each other. The Squadron Leaders watched the battle in a new light, while the other fighters cringed with every brother downed. Colin had seen enough. He looked around for Queenie, but she was nowhere to be seen, so he gave his apologies and left the mess.

  He made his way up to the planetarium and sank back into the comfort of a viewing chair. The sun had long left that quarter and now Mirra was bathed in the serenity of moonlight. The deck lights flickered on the viewing glass to alert him to the fact that someone else had entered the room and he caught the familiar fragrance of Kyla’s perfume, moments before she leant in and sat on his lap. They kissed—a long lingering kiss and afterwards she laid her head on his shoulder.

  ‘How did you know it was me just then or do you do this to everyone?’

  ‘Sometimes I get lucky. And it did look like you who I followed from the mess.’

  ‘Tell me, why is it that you never accepted Eric’s proposal?’

  ‘I know. He would be a good catch for any girl. But he errs on the possessive side and tends to stifle someone like me. You on the other hand aren’t and besides, you’re so much more romantic than he is,’ she explained.

  They stayed that way for another hour, basking in the serenity of the distant moon.

  ‘We’d better go now or before you know it will be sunrise,’ Colin said,

  ‘Would that be so bad?’

  ‘Not at all—in fact it would be good to watch the sunrise with you, but not here, not now. It’s too cramped.’

  Kyla smiled at his reply and stretched before standing. Colin did the same. They kissed once more before bidding each other goodnight and returning to their own quarters.

  Blood Bath

  As promised, Colin approached the lectern at 0800 hours the next morning, to revise the tactics to be used when they deployed. He used the whiteboard on the bulkhead and drew a diagram of where the various wing numbers should direct their fire, explaining that it left the enemy with nowhere to go. He also insisted that wings employ the same tactic against smaller problematic groups whenever possible.

  Colin drilled the other Wing Leaders on the sequence as well and then questioned various wing members as to their actions in a barrage. When he was satisfied they had absorbed the lesson he concluded with, ‘The best scenario we could have in the Delphi System is to go out and knock most of the Lizards from space and then mop up. I’ll see you all back here at 1300 hours, when I’ll quiz you again. Thank you.’

  The Squadron Leaders approached him as he left the lectern and the Weapons Officer from Juliet Squadron asked, ‘Do you really think these tactics are going to give us the edge?’

  Colin turned to the others leaders about, ‘How do the rest of you feel about it?’

  ‘We’re with you one hundred per cent,’ Tiddles replied.

  ‘That’s excellent,’ he said, and then turned back to address Juliet’s Number One, ‘what we have to do is pound them at every opportunity we get. By the way, what is your name?’

  ‘Michael, but they call me Mitch.’

  ‘Well Mitch, it’s all about landing the first punch and then following through.’

  ‘I hear tell the Lizards at Delphi are ferocious,’ the Golf Weapons Officer said.

  ‘I thought that about the Lemur Hostesses when I first saw them, particularly Phoebe. But once you get to know them they’re just a bunch of pussycats,’ Colin replied, and the others laughed before dispersing back to their quarters.

  Colin turned to Kyla, ‘Just what do we know about the Colonel?’

  ‘Not much, just his name, Rhys Mitchell. But I’ve heard a rumour.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘They say that he rose through the ranks and that Captain Jorgen was his pilot.’

  ‘That figures. At least it’s a reference point. So if I look up the Captain it should also give me information about the Colonel as well. There’s so much about this ship that I don’t know or understand.’

  ‘Like what, for instance?’

  ‘Who runs it, logistics and the water we use?’

  ‘Well that’s an easy one. The water is all recycled,’ Kyla informed him.

  ‘All of it?’

  ‘Yes, all the water is evaporated for re-use, while the hard waste is atomised and stored in hard pellet form and then jettisoned when close to a planet. It gets pulled into a degrading orbit as we pass and looks like a shooting star when it burns on entering the planet’s atmosphere.’

  ‘That’s good news—I was worried there for a while. Tell me, how do you feel about tomorrow?’

  ‘Actually I haven’t given it too much thought. I was thinking more of tonight.’

  ‘That’s funny, so was I, but I’ve made other plans. I’ve got an appointment with Queenie.’

  ‘What a coincidence,’ Kyla said, ‘so do I.’

  They parted company—Kyla to go see a friend and whisper in her ear, while Colin went to visit the library. Once there he punched in Captain Jorgen’s name and a menu sprang up about his early service. It listed all the ships he served on and battles fought. He had the distinction of being one of the most highly decorated pilots in the Legion’s history, serving in fighters for seven years before following his Weapons Officer into the administrative side of things.

  It was all there—Rhys Mitchell, his Weapons Officer, plus the name of the seven ships and a list of engagements a mile long. Their craft had been disabled twice and they were one of only a handful of fighters to down an enemy Carrier. Colin shook his head at the enormity of the information and wanted to shout-out the news. It would give the crew something to think about and bolster their morale.

  Another Weapons Officer entered the library, so he called him over and said, ‘Hey, take a look at this,’ and departed soon after.

  At lunch time Eric appeared preoccupied. He paid Kyla little or no heed, much to the relief of the others sitting there, plus Kyla herself. In fact the general feeling in the mess was subdued, due to the looming battle. Tiddles listened as Barry and Jimmy discussed the finer points of their latest beaus, while Pee Wee sat with his arms folded, peeved that he couldn’t join in the fun. His brother Dave was too busy eating to worry, while in other parts of the mess the Colonel’s service history was doing the rounds.

  At 1300 hours the lessons started again and after the diagrams on the whiteboard came the cold hard facts: one salvo from a squadron consisted of thirty rockets, and if they took out just one bogey it meant his arsenal of forty rockets was destroyed. If they managed to take out five, then it was two hundred rockets that couldn’t be used against them, plus as much laser fire again.

  Colin really pushed the theory, telling them to keep the punishment up after the enemy had formed into wings, by targeting the two lead fighters with another salvo before closing with them. He asked the Wing Leaders if they understood and when they acknowledged they did he tested their Second-in-Commands on the sequence.

  The final lesson covered some of the tricks the Lizards might use, although most could be anticipated by the pilot when viewed on the Battle Screen.

  ‘If they try to come between you and another fighter, press the button on your laser cannon and tell the other fighter to peel away. We’ll also keep one component of each squadron relatively free to protect the drone and keep a pulse on things. Once again, don’t be afraid to use salvos.’ Finally the lesson was over and Colin wished everyone good luck on the morrow.

  In the mess that night, what had started out as a rumour was now a full-blown talking point. On hearing about the Colonel’s service record individuals had gone to researc
h it themselves and shook their heads in disbelief. The pilots had already known about the connection between him and Captain Jorgen, but were amazed nonetheless. The only one who wasn’t impressed was Eric as yet another example of long-time service was thrown in his face. Colin looked around quite happy with himself. Sami and the girls were working flat out. There wasn’t a sign of pre-battle jitters anywhere, despite the drinks being rationed.

  Towards the end of the night Queenie came for him, so he gave his apologies and left the mess amid laughter. Kyla had seen them and ducked out to wait at the stairwell on Deck Three, then joined them for the last part of their journey.

  Once in Queenie’s room Kyla embraced Colin and kissed him.

  ‘Don’t worry about Queenie, I told her this morning,’ she said, as he removed his shirt and lay on the massage table.

  She watched as he was given the massage, jealous that it wasn’t her hands and thumbs working the knots out of the cord like muscles in his back. When Queenie was finished she placed a towel over his bare flesh and left him to rest.

  She went over to a locker and took a small packet from it and then gave it to Kyla, ‘These are what the fighters use on leave. They’re very reliable if used correctly. The only other alternative is to go to the medical centre and they will dispense the correct medication for you.’

  Kyla looked at the packet of prophylactics and smiled, ‘No, these will do fine for the while, thank you.’

  Queenie went back to towel Colin off and then waited as Kyla took his place on the table and removed her shirt while he looked on.

  When she lay down Queenie leaned over and whispered in her ear, ‘You certainly know how to make the sparks fly.’

  They thanked Queenie when finished and walked back to the stairwell to kiss again before parting to return to their own quarters to rest as the Carrier sped silently through the eternal night.

  The fighters slept soundly until next morning, when the Special Duty Men were piped. Pee Wee had anticipated the next call and was already dressed by the time the Karen were called.