Broadsword-Eagle
Ten years after Jonathon Eagle disappeared…
Clark Eagle was sitting in the squadron briefing room of the Tiger class Carrier “Annie Jump Cannon” there were only two squadrons embarked and three lodger units covering ancillary duties. Clark was the number two in 36 squadron, his callsign was “Broadsword-Eagle” keeping with his family tradition of linking a pre industrial weapon with their surname, as a Commander junior grade he was responsible for the administration of the squadron. He was reading through the reports on the twelve Hornets assigned to them with half a mind. Their last raid into Vanduul space had been punishing, of the twelve, three had already been in deep maintenance and one out with sensor failure, two now had major damage which would result in a requirement for return to ship yard, and three had minor damage which could be rectified on board, although take a considerable amount of maintenance hours. So he had four Hornets serviceable and ready to deploy by Command, his Squadron CO will not be happy.
The other half of his mind was distracted by his own future though, for 12 years now he had served as a UEE pilot on various commands including one term in the academy which had bored the living daylights out of him. This two year tour as XO of the squadron had been challenging and enjoyable but it was nearly over, he knew that if he took a further staff appointment Command of a squadron was a real possibility, but his heart wasn’t in it, Ten years ago a data package from his father had changed his whole outlook on life, he had invested the funds left to him and was now in a position to buy his own ship and take off for a life less regimented, although far more uncertain. The decision was made, he had earned his Citizenship six times over, no one doubted his right to leave and strike out on his own, his superiors though believed he was making a mistake… sometimes he wondered about that too…
“Have you heard?” His thoughts were interrupted by Shannon Briar, the squadron CO for 34 squadron.
“Heard what?” He replied astonished at the normally reserved, experienced Commanders apparent shock.
“The Vanduul,” she paused, “They have attacked Vega, they have wiped them out.. it was a massacre. God, shit this is fucked up.”
Clark’s heart started to hammer in his chest, this changed everything, he snatched up the data pad from the maintenance squad again frantically looking for something wrong.
“Broadsword,” His Commander shouted from the briefing room door, “The Captain wants to see us now!” Clark dropped the Data pad on the desk, the data was already in his Mobiglas anyway even if he couldn’t remember the miserable stats. As a squadron XO, you rarely got called to see the Carriers Captain. He followed Commander Jameson out the door.
The Captain’s quarters were generous, functional rather than opulent but generous. Clark had only been in them twice before, once for a reprimand he would rather forget, and once to tender is discharge papers a month ago.
Captain Grace Hollaway was a small grey haired Terran with a grim expression at the best of times, today she glowered as if her mood would be enough to extinguish the Vanduul race. “Gentlemen, you have obviously heard the Spectrum feed,” Clark hadn’t but wasn’t going to stop the flow from the Iron Lady. “I have a signal from Admiral Bishop we are to ramp up and head out to Vega immediately, Jameson you have a field promotion to Captain, Bishop wants you to take command of the Hawking, he has a special mission for you. We will drop you at Sol on the way.”
“Sir!” Jameson nodded, keeping a straight face.
“Eagle,” the Captain continued, “Your discharge is stopped, obviously, you are hereby promoted to Commander and CO of 36 squadron. You were ready for it anyway, so get those civilian dreams out of your head and get things moving.”
“Sir!” Clark responded. His mind running through the changes he would have to make to both his private circumstances and the squadron. “Sir, I am going to need some urgent repairs done to get the squadron up to strength. May even need some replacement Hornets.”
“Got you.” Captain Hollaway nodded. “Get the requirement details together ASAP we are not going to have long at Sol and I want to leave there fully manned and available, god knows what we are headed into.”
“Clark,” He had never known her to use his first name, “Get to it, double the maintenance shift, I am relying on you.”
Clark saluted and left, his world had turned on it’s head and he had a shed load to do…
Two Months later…
“Alpha Flight this is Broadsword, keep your scans to passive and ziplip, this is where things start to get interesting.” Clark and two flights of his squadron were escorting a Hull C with supplies from Kellog back to Vega. The Annie was back at Kellog putting together another batch of ships for convoy. His XO had Charlie flight back there running CSP for the Carrier whilst 34 squadron was on protection duty on the planet surface. They were spread thin and this was dangerous space to be in.
He was dividing his attention between a visual sweep and his passive scanners as they approached the Jump point, when he saw the spike of a transmission come up on his radar. Damn, he thought, the Hull C had just transmitted, damn those amateurs. He noted the flash of headlights from his wing man, she had spotted it too. Then the shit hit the fan…
From astern of the group came the radio freq scream of an incoming Vanduul pack. His wingman catching the IR span her ship in Decouple and commenced fire. Clark strafed up to clear an easy assault and jumped on the open channel to the Hull C. “Macnight 3, this is Broadsword jump now I say again jump now.” before he could finish there was a burst of fire messing up his shields. He decoupled and swivelled to meet his attacker. There were two of them and at least another five on the radar behind them. “Alpha flight go active, Bravo flight join the fight, make sure that the Macnight makes his jump.”
Bravo flight, four brand new Hornets, picked up seven weeks ago at Sol, had been shadowing the convoy out of sensor range, ready for just such a surprise attack, they blazed into the battle taking out Vanduul Scythes as they approached. “Alpha Four, jump with the Mac.” He instructed, so that he didn’t leave the Hull C completely undefended in the final jump to Vega. Two and Three on me lets shred these beasts.”
As Bravo Flight cut into the back of the Vanduul pack, his wingmen and him took up a loose formation and swung over to cut the remainders path to the Hull C. He heard the call from Alpha Four “Jumping” and watched the two blips disappear from his radar screen. The Vanduul went into a starburst manoeuvre throwing Clarks formation off track he strafed right and up still decoupled bringing his cannons to bear on the left most Scythe, the Badgers cut through his its shields and hull and it fell apart in front of him. He could hear Two and Three exchanging shorthand as they picked targets.
“Broadsword, Charlie One, more just jumped in, we are outgunned.” Clark glanced quickly at his scope there was a rash of red blips astern of Bravo Flights. “All units to the jump point.” Clark ordered, “we need to get the hell out of here.”
He watched as his two flights ramped up speed and still engaging made for the jump point, The Vanduul were not in an obliging mood though. He watched as two of Bravo’s blips left the screen and as he continued fire on the Scythes ahead of him he heard a wail from Alpha two.
Clark held on to his attack as he watched the remaining ships of his squadron make the Jump point, and as the last one jumped he swung in a last desperate bid to reach it himself. He heard the internal squeal of his ship as a Scythe laser cut through his starboard wing he hit the jump drive as he felt a thud of metal against his shoulder, space distorted around him as he blacked out….
His ship made it through the jump, thanks to the autopilot, not him. What remained of Clark’s squadron, three of them, realised quite quickly that inside his mangled ship he was still alive and wit the help of a Vega based Cutlass Red he was extricated and swept down to the field hospital planetside. He came to, three days later in pain but in one piece.
“You’re a lucky son of a bitch,” The attendant medic told him. “The Ice Maiden was on duty when you came in.”
“Ice Maiden?” he asked conscious that he was slurring through the medication.
“Yeah, Doctor Rin.” He laughed. “best trauma Doctor on the planet but a pure bitch to work for. She saved your arm, thought you would lose it for sure, but she is trying these new Nano jabs, bloody miracle them things. Yup you are lucky.”
Three months later… 25th April 2946
“Captain Eagle, welcome to the Clyde Tombaugh sir.” Clark stepped onto the Flight Deck of his First Command, a shiny new Idris fresh out of the ship yard. Things had changed a lot in the last six months.
Captain Broadsword-Eagle had just short of a year in command of the Clyde Tombaugh, after which he felt that the situation had stabilised enough for him to follow his ambitions in the civilian world. The rest is the future….