Wing Commander #07 False Color by William Forstchen (best books to read in life .txt) 📕

you won't need us to look after you . . . if you have the planes to fly your own patrols."

"Exactly." Richards frowned. "I'm not about to start using our Kilrathi planes yet, not until Mr. Bondarevsky's training and simulation program is running. In the meantime, by the power invested in me by our beloved leader, Old Max, I am hereby ordering half of the Independence Flight Wing detached for duty aboard Karga."

Galbraith was quick to react. "Now wait just a minute, Admiral," he said. "I don't think—"

"Spare me, Captain," Richards cut him off. "I've already discussed the matter with Admiral Camparelli. And you know my orders give me broad discretion for requisitions of this type. At any rate, you'll have replacements waiting for you at Landreich when you head back there next week."

"Head back?" Galbraith frowned.

"That's the point to all this," Richards said. "Old Max made it quite clear that he wanted Independence back on active service again just as soon as we felt we didn't need her for protecting Goliath any longer. Well, we have guns and we have a flight deck. With half a flight wing we can handle most standard operations, and when we get our people trained on the Kilrathi birds and get the other flight deck up to speed we'll have everything we need here to protect ourselves. Independence is to make her way back to Landreich to link up with a new battle group. You can make good your shortages of planes there."

"I . . . suppose that will work out all right," Galbraith said.

"Good. Commander Tolwyn, you may assign whichever of your squadrons you see fit, of course, though I would suggest that you balance the two wings as best you can. Consult with Mr. Bondarevsky. I'll approve whatever TO&E the two of you come up with."

"Aye aye, sir," Kevin Tolwyn said, turning a brief grin on Bondarevsky.

"Do you see any further difficulties in starting flight operations, Captain?" Richards asked, looking at Bondarevsky.

"No, sir," he replied. "Nothing major, at least. Starboard side'll be crowded for a while, with all those Kilrathi birds in the hangars, but there's a fair amount of room to spare. Luckily the Cats built this tub with the idea of having to operate all their birds with one crippled flight deck."

"Too bad for them they didn't actually do it," Marchand said from here place a few seats down from Bondarevsky. "You may not think it's a major problem, sir, but as far as I'm concerned juggling all those planes is going to be a nightmare. How soon until we can start shifting a few of the Kilrathi junk heaps over to port side?"

"Probably a couple of weeks, Boss," Bondarevsky told her. "Until then, you'll just have to make do. I've seen

you work. You'll handle it."

"Good," Richards said. "Now, Mr. Graham, what's our schedule on shields and drives?"

"That same couple of weeks, sir," Graham replied. "That is, if we don't run into any more trouble with the shield generators. I'm not happy about their power consumption. I'm pretty sure the battle damage was a bit more than the initial surveys showed. There was a hell of a lot of energy soaking through the whole system when Juneau and Dover hit the old girl, and I don't think Commander Kent's first estimates took into account the overload factor."

"From here on out, Commander, I think you should have priority on all resources," Richards said. "I'm not happy sitting on a ship that can't break orbit and can't defend herself in a combat situation. I know we're off the beaten track here, but a Kilrathi raiding squadron could ruin our whole day. Any comments?"

No one argued with the decision, though Bondarevsky could see several department heads looking grim. Too many jobs, too few resources, that was the story of the Goliath Project from start to finish.

"All right, other points." Richards consulted his computer terminal. "Damn, it's printing out in Kilrathi again. Armando?"

Diaz keyed a command into his terminal, and after a moment Richards gave a faint smile. "That's better. Actually, I can read Kilrathi. Last week I think it was giving me Gaelic."

"Probably got confused by Lieutenant Harper's folk-sing in the rec room," Bondarevsky suggested. "I know I did."

"Be that as it may," Richards said. "Hmm. Vision Quest, I think, should head back to Landreich in company with Independence. Unless you think there's anything else for you here, Captain Springweather?"

She shook her head. "You took care of the money. That was the important part. And I have the survey data from Nargrast. That could fetch a few credits on the minerals market. But if I stay here much longer I'll be losing money hand over fist."

"That would never do," Richards said blandly. "By all means head for home with Independence next week. I'll see to it that the Navy gives you a free maintenance overhaul when you put in at Landreich." Springweather smiled, an expression that always put Bondarevsky in mind of a cat studying a trapped bird.

"Next item . . . Captain Galbraith, I'm also requisitioning your marines." Richards held up a hand to forestall the inevitable protest. "Same reasons as before, with some added points. The colonel and his men know this ship inside and out after their part in the early surveys. In addition, they have Nargrast experience, and we'll still be conducting mineral extraction work there for some time to come. Once again, we need them here, and you'll be able to pick up replacements at Landreich. Colonel? Any problems with that?"

Bhaktadil shook his turbaned head. "Not on my part, Admiral," he said, "I think my boys and girls are getting used to things over here." He looked more pleased than the reverse. Probably, Bondarevsky thought, he was looking forward to getting out from under Galbraith's thumb. And he would be the ranking Marine officer aboard, commanding a double-sized contingent. "Very good, then," Richards said. "That clears my list. Now, who wants to talk about anything?"

"Sir?" Lieutenant Mario