The Black Ship - Chapter 30 Part 1

Wyatt stood once more before the Aged Commander Redford awaiting his verdict after several seconds that felt like ages passed Redford let out a deep hum of approval and a single nod I approve of it he finally said I shall send it to princess Clara at the end of my duties as Captain she will decide if it is ultimately adequate or not Wyatt however how are you able to correct your errors so quickly we won't reach the jump point until tomorrow and then it will be another 2 days of travel before our arrival at Macha you still had time to work on your heraldic Shield I spent several hours thinking and reviewing data after my shift ended Commander Wyatt replied firmly I think my chosen design speaks of who I am and my best traits the commander shook his head slowly I have a keen suspicion as to who aided you in making a proper Choice regardless I find no Faults with it and it was done by your own hand Redford replied with the ghost of a smirk on his lips now that this issue is is resolved I wanted to ask you about the results your squadron obtained yesterday you seem to have a proclivity for going above and beyond Lieutenant Wyatt Staples only in this case your failures in the simulated exercises are so catastrophic that I struggle to remember a performance such as what I've witnessed his eyes narrowed slightly what happened Lieutenant I made a mistake sir whyatt replied without hesitation nor shame I was unwell according to g t r i was suffering from what he described as an anxiety attack he confessed there's no point in lying to him anyway better to tell him things for what they are he thought a moment before continuing I made several mistakes caused multiple errors I couldn't focus on anything not even my own performance sir Redford leaned back on his chair many would rather lie or make up excuses before admitting a fault on their performance Lieutenant you've shown me integrity and I hope that you do not lose it as you gain experience and noun he commented ending with an approving nod have you identified your mistakes I like to believe that I have Commander if there's anything you can Aid me with in this regard I'd appreciate it I serve princess claraa now and I do not wish to embarrass her with piss poor performances caused by my lack of attention and commoner ignorance replied the pilot as he straightened a little more a good commanding officer listens to his subordinates Wyatt however that doesn't mean that you have to rely on their opinions to make a decision never narrow your field of view but remain firm in your choices you will be obeyed because you are their leader and many of fledgling officers falters in this regard for many reasons first and foremost the power and standing get to their heads blinding them I count myself as lucky that you lack that sort of ambition yet your ignorance and lack of training are an equally fatal flaw that can thankfully be dulled deformed and forged into something worthwhile as you gain experience said the gray-haired man seek to strengthen those under your charge do you understand seek to strengthen those under my care Wyatt repeated as he thought deeply about what Redford was trying to teach him there was a message there but he couldn't see it clearly his cynical part spoke first why should he Nar Leopold and Gregor had helped him sure but ever since he returned home from that most terrible encounter with the draan no one except his family and a few precious neighbors had helped him how many times had he seen his fellow commoners kicking the proverbial ladder behind them just to stop others from reaching them how many times had the news spoken about this or that Noble House feuding with one another or having their members found dead in tragic accidents no one had helped him in the academy why should he help them at all but as soon as those thoughts formed in his mind he destroyed them with the Precision of a burst of coil gun fire even if that was the case which isn't if we work together closely and become a solid unit that will only make us all stronger and increase our chances of survival and victory as the nor avio's most veteran Squadron we must be up to par in service of Princess Clara I will not disappoint her or Commander Redford he frowned for a moment think Wyatt what did you do wrong yesterday anxiety be damned where did I mess up my orders were uncoordinated for one my attention was too divided to focus on anything and I didn't trust them to Wyatt's eyes widened as realization struck him and he suddenly felt the urge to punch himself for his stupidity I understand Commander he replied after a few seconds of Silence Redford nodded once in response you are dismissed continue your training with your squadmates I will expect a report on your observations regarding their faults their strengths and their aptitudes ignore their dossier and use only what you can perceive the Aged Commander ordered in a firm tone sir Wyatt replied saluting his commanding officer before leaving his quarters that apparently doubled as his office the pilot then made his way to the training Chambers area all the while thinking over and over what he would say to his Squad members but as he neared his destination he threw his planned words aside if I am to apologize to them then I Won't Let My Words Be a mere rehearsal he concluded with determin entering the room a trio of nobles stood near the entrance given their badges two were Marines while the third was a technician looking closer at their rank insignias he recognized that the odd one out was a chief technician most likely one working on the engines of the ship or its weapon systems the two marines were more difficult to read since he had little interaction with their branch of the royal Navy but he was certain that one was a first lieutenant his instincts kicked in in and he stepped aside giving them ample birth and slightly lowering his head in submission looks like a commoner will always be a commoner no matter the Laurels set on its head the technician said Crossing her arms tightly against her uniform her companions snickered at her words but said nothing for his part Wyatt ignored her comment and focused on what mattered leaving the trio behind he made his way to the same bench he had used the day prior and was surprised when he found the members of his Squadron already waiting for him all four of them chatting idly and yet to notice his presence he felt a wave of anxiety and Dread fill his chest but now that he knew what his sickness was he could fight against it a deep breath and a sound exhale later washed away his worries just in time for leopole to notice his approach it was almost comical how his fellow commoner jumped to his feet and gave a crisp salute only to be shortly followed by his three comrades I'm never going to get used to being saluted am I Wyatt wondered as he came to a halt before his Squad members at ease he commanded and they obeyed we will run through more simulations and work on our cohesion our performance yesterday was terrible he said bluntly as Gregor and Raquel flinched at his words and it was entirely my fault pardon Nar exclaimed after a second or two of stunned silence sir you did nothing wrong we couldn't adapt to your orders we did our best and we failed Leopold added those were simulations so we can try again sir Wyatt raised a hand silencing them in any further comment they may have let me speak and be honest with you all our performance yesterday was entirely my fault he began his expression serious unflinching he felt oddly at peace instead of agitated smiling internally he continued I was feeling unwell more than unwell well in fact I am was a commoner not too long ago I have been thrust into a position that was never intended for someone like me among you I trust you will understand what I'm saying leapold the scarred black-haired pilot gave a solid nod yesterday I was suffering from an anxiety attack that hindered me to the point that it made me ineffective it resulted in our complete and total loss Wyatt confessed without shame and saw that Raquel was shocked Gregor was a ghast Leopold seemed to realize something and Nar was initially shocked but his expression shifted to one of approval a second later however that does not excuse my greatest fault sir Raquel muttered barely believing what she was hearing the three longtime friends shared a quick puzzled look my greatest mistake is that I did not trust you to take action yourselves said Wyatt ending with a frustrated sigh I never once allowed your skills to shine and I tried to guide your Fighters as as if it was me in your cockpits not you for that I apologize and I assure you I will not make that mistake again he finished by giving them a respectful salute if we are to be Squadron then we will need to trust each other and know our strengths and limitations sir please allow me Gregor asked and Wyatt nodded sir as our Squadron leader and direct commanding officer we are to obey your orders it is you who will decide our actions Wyatt frowned slightly at that and what did we achieve thanks to that I was not sound of mind but my error remains I will listen to your opinions and you shall obey my orders but I will not try to guide your hands as if they were my own if I did that what would I want to lead a squadron at all when I could remain alone the four Pilots before him didn't reply for several seconds until he straightened his posture if there are no further objections let us commence sir was their unified reply Wyatt flew passed some debris easily dodging it a smile spread his face when two drones exploded after colliding with fragments of what had once been a spaceship in their Pursuit on his tactical display he saw that Raquel Leopold and Nar were equally engaged and had suffered minimal damage at worst meanwhile Gregor was floating dead in space as his fighter slowly tumbled toward the satellite that the drones were protecting camouflaging itself as more loose debris his communication feed was silent a sharp contrast to the day prior where the constant cries for orders clarifications and desperate cries for help broke his Focus sinking further into the abyss of conflicting emotions he had been thrown into without that Whirlpool clouding his mind he could focus on what he knew to do best piloting a simulation wasn't the real thing but it came close enough to trick his mind into giving his best Above All Else he felt relaxed now that he avoided micromanaging his Squad members actions at every waking moment he gave them orders to follow but issued no further instructions on how they were to follow them allowing them the chance to let their skill shine through the first few simulations were a failure but one that was intentional allowing him to measure their level of Independence and quickly found that Gregor unage was the most inflexible of the group he lacked imagination initiative and creativity despite his notable skill during dog fights on the flip side he followed orders to the letter and never once questioned his authority twice he ordered him to do nothing once he ordered him to act as a distraction knowing he would die in the process and once left him without orders he obeyed without question but in the last experiment he was utterly lost he however had an aversion to any underhanded tactics but still obeyed any orders given hence why he had the slightly rotund man perform those same tactics more than the others Raquel Oto much like her dossier indicated was nearly the exact opposite of Gregor she obeyed his commands that much was certain but she questioned his orders if she felt like her skills could be put to better use elsewhere her greatest strength came in the form of her quick Maneuvers her overreliance on trickery and her evasive skills he liked that about her however she was Brash and often overreached her objectives always trying to be the one who scored the most kills she was an active Tactical mine and had the subtly of one he quickly learned that passive roles such as scouting or running silent were met with protests not to mention she always volunteered to be the one to carry the most dangerous objective he wasn't sure if her thirst for combat came from the need to be the best or if she sought to shower herself in glory and honors if it was the latter then he'd have to seek a replacement seeing Leopold darar in action was a surprise he half expected his fellow black haired brown-eyed commoner to share his same values in combat obey orders to your best capacity do your best to achieve Victory and make use of your advantages as much as possible but no to his surprise Leopold wasn't a good fighter he had the skill to dodge evade and run away from danger on point in fact he'd be hard pressed to match him in those areas but in actual fighting he wasn't good at all he preferred to stay away and use his missiles and his tactical mind to fight and make ambushes he was also more Adept at scouting and running silent preferring those lowrisk assignments but the role he shown in was as a support Wing every time he was forced to be alone he crumbled and preferred to flee or hide but if he had one or more partners he provided excellent support confusing the enemy taking out missiles and so much more in one of the simulations Wyatt remembered that Leopold had been at his side the most during the battle against the Kon forces always ready to provide support finally Nar okara was another not so pleasant surprise the greenish haired man with a strong jawline was a man who excelled in Hit and Run strikes Fierce and resourceful Nar proved to be a headache to his opponents often employing trickery traps and the terrain to his Advantage if available using a Haywire mine to simultaneously disable several dozens of drones during a Chase through an asteroid field was a trick that had never crossed his mind he made sure to remember and use it if the need arose he was biased and preferred the use of tactical Minds due to their versatile and destructive potential but now he was beginning to see more value and many possible applications in the Haywire Minds sadly Nar olara was to put it bluntly a showoff unlike Raquel who craved battle Nar boasted his skill and actively put himself in danger unnecessarily Wyatt could feel the sting of irony given his track record but his Fallen Noble Squad member was worse sure he put his life in danger constantly but that was out of necessity and he wasn't sure he'd survive his desperate Ploy simulation or not Nar seemed more preoccupied with doing risky Maneuvers drawing attention to himself and more than once he had sacrificed himself for the sake of the mission when it wasn't even necessary Gregor is too straight forward and tries to follow some useless code of honor Raquel enjoys the thrill of battle a bit too much and probably is a glory seeker and has no problem voicing her opinions I'll have to keep an eye on her I think Wyatt thought before turning two drones into scrap and launching a missile to take down a third that was giving Chase to Leopold's fighter Leopold is better in a supportive role and would rather avoid fighting if necessary is it cowardice or mere survival can't be the former or else he wouldn't be here at all Nar is a wild card with a death wish if his actions are anything to go by Wyatt's train of thought was interrupted when he noticed Gregor's fighter come to life quickly adjusting its trajectory and then burning toward the satellite the PD turrets of the satellite were quick to act but it was too late regardless Gregor peppered it with a quick burst taking out its Shields before two missiles finished the job the simulation ended moments later earning a solid Victory and a smile spread across his face it's not a perfect score by any means but this time the failures were intentional he said to himself content that from the 20 varied simulations six resulted in success as he stepped out of his training chamber his Squad members were also doing the same and quickly rushed to stand before him clearing his throat he focused on them stand down our performance today was as it should have been yesterday I'll review the data obtained for further analysis composters you're dismissed sir the four Pilots said in unison in a much firmer tone than the previous day as they gave their leader a firm salute as Wyatt watched them go he gave out a deep mental sigh okay I think I got what I needed out of them so what am I supposed to do now Gregor will be the easiest but the others what can I even do to help them improve Wyatt questioned himself a moment before a voice came through his onoro implant Wyatt this is Cynthia our training shall be postponed present yourself bearing your combat armor in one hour we shall focus on something else today combat armor he muttered after hearing the orders of the blue-haired woman my regular pilot armor is an actual combat armor he said and a Sinking Feeling emerged from his stomach he was unable to suppress a chuckle escaping his throat before he made his way back to his quarters when he arrived he wasn't entirely surprised to find a set of actual combat armor often used by officers veteran Marines and rosf units lying on his bed much to his dismay there was no basket in sight this time I should have saved some sweets yesterday he commented as he closed his door and locked it the set of armor wasn't anything like the sort of armor Commander Redford Cynthia or the Royal Marines wore but it was still better than the regular standard issue suits and armor enlisted commoners received and even better than what low-ranking Nobles could afford being a warrant officer at least ensured his equipment was slightly better with his helmet being the best part of his previous armor how am I going to pay for this Wyatt murmured as he picked up the helmet and inspected it like the rest of the armor it was largely dark gray colored with only his name tag rank insignia the banner of the principality and his badge denoting him as a pilot breaking the otherwise dullness of the armor putting it on took only a few minutes since he was not in a hurry and immediately felt the difference compared to his previous armor the armor alone was significantly heavier as it provided more protection without sacrificing his Mobility he jumped a few times testing it out each stomp echoing in his room with a heavy solid thud activating his helmet's HUD he focused on the left side and found what he was looking for his shield was disengaged but it at least doubled the capacity of his previous armor not to mention that his new armor had a single dosage of biofoam and two combat stimulants his stomach churned with discomfort as his treacherous thoughts assaulted him but he managed to push back again against them I'm a commoner no longer but I'm not a damned Blue Blood either I'm Wyatt Staples pilot of the royal Navy loyal son of the principality and night bannered of house Aster princess Clara shall not find me wanting I hope said the man as his sudden burst of bravado dwindled folding his uniform and storing it properly he left his quarters and made his way to the gym where cythia was waiting for him he would arrive early since he had nothing else to do in the meantime hm now that I think about it I should go down the firing range and practice my shooting too I appreciate everything Cynthia is doing for me but I'm far better with a rifle than with my fists he commented in a whisper gently nodding at the crew members who saluted him as he walked past them when he arrived at the gym he found the usual activities on set everyone had to perform at least an hour of exercise daily but how they went around it was their own concern unless medical reasons were involved bikes bench presses treadmills sparring rings and Arenas and more could be found both in use and free after being cleaned out by service staff to his surprise though he found the iconst were making use of the installations this time around many humans didn't approach them but some among them were friendly enough to the small but dexterous aliens he quickly spotted Gino running on a treadmill at a speed that no human could ever hope to match I might not get another chance like this one in a long time so I better make use of it the pilot thought and turned in their direction as he approached the aanti the others around him humans included stiffened and quickly turned to salute him at ease no need for that when I'm not in service Wyatt replied in a more mellow tone of voice while jincho slowly decelerated your name was jincho was it and you're the worm brain that wrecked that beautiful fighter Gino replied in between panting breaths it took him a couple of seconds to come to a complete halt but when he did he jumped down the treadmill Landing right in front of Wyatt Crossing his arms he looked up at the pilot with all six eyes need something the chirping guttural noises of the Ean were like a backdrop when the rather Lively translator all but plucked the noises the Alien made and turned them into the principality's official language not really Wyatt replied letting his guard down and taking a seat on the nearby empty bench his tone and actions seemed to relax the other Yantis and the five humans in their midst without their Badges and rank insignias he couldn't tell to what branch or division they belonged perhaps they're all technicians since they're together he guessed baah not really he says Gino replied with a playful rasp of his throat you humans are very bad Liars better than the hierarchy though much better than the corpse eating dren hate them every last one of them murderers the Arians can die in a hole for all I care and just like that Wyatt smiled under his helmet and vowed to befriend the technician and his compatriots doing his best to hide his enthusiasm he reached for his helmet and slowly removed it so he could face them directly H you're uglier in person jincho jabbed as his vestigal wings fluttered in Good Humor you're not precisely good-looking either Gino Wyatt replied in a similar tone I believe we met before already but it was hardly formal my name is Wyatt Staples he said offering his right hand pleasure to meet you that goes for all of you too jincho best technician you'll ever meet these here are Ila kuratu jir zimu ALU fesik and bibaho our human companions are David Louie Monica fa and Carter part of our team I'm their boss Gino boasted as he introduced everyone in turn pointing at them each you're our units overseer you flightless bastard replied one of the men excuse him Lieutenant Gino here doesn't know when to shut up our first meeting led me to conclude that Wyatt replied ending with a chuckle though that reminds me of something you did Gino you hacked my helmet easily why jincho huffed eyes narrowing how else was I supposed to give you a piece of my mind after you mistreated that poor fighter so badly besides it wasn't hard at all principality Tech is subpar most of the time but this ship he looked around before stomping his left foot on the ground a few times while his tail swayed agitatedly the hierarchy would kiss my ass if it meant they got a hold of it Fat Chance the hierarchy haha Wyatt turned to the nearest ianti fesik a female and raised an eyebrow is he always this full of energy fesik the aanti nodded rapidly HEK been scurrying all over the ship ever since we got on board and clearance to do our work the pilot nodded in understanding I must confess I would be too if I were a technician I've never seen a ship like the no navio not even in history archives sadly while I can understand how magnificent it is I'm a pilot technology and I don't mingle all too well right Gino exclaimed eyes and Beak opened widely there's always room for improvement but the Geniuses that made this ship knew their stuff it is almost sad that it is equipped with principality Weaponry the good kind sure but other than the spinal particle beam I shudder just imagining what this gorgeous lady could achieve suddenly the aanti smacked his chest and shook his head violently for a few seconds buddy talk for later I know why you're here you want to know how's your fighter right well I already learned what I wanted from him hates the hierarchy and is damn good at what he does that's all I needed to know so why does he think I'm here to ask about the fighter Wyatt thought choosing to raise an eyebrow in response to his question she'll fly again I finished working on her this morning criminal you fried her internal systems the damn gyro was out of syn somehow you managed to overload The Shield generator and the afterburners were little more than scrap how were you able to land without it falling apart he asked after listing his crimes doesn't matter your fighter is good and ready better than new because it was I jincho who fixed her up you may thank me now maniac I'm sorry to say this after you worked so hard Gino but I don't own that fighter I just picked it at random Wyatt confessed sincerely wait then where's your fighter you're a pilot ain't you Gino asked puzzled I just told you I don't own any fighter why would I Wyatt explained told you Gino but you wouldn't listen to me said one of the human technicians Pilots don't own their Fighters unless a noble is so damn Rich to afford one yeah and most of them are Racers or play dog fight Arena another one added Royal Navy Pilots can use any fighter available you're telling me that I wasted more than a week of effort in a fighter that this Maniac ruined and it isn't even his jincho cried out I'm sorry Wyatt offered bemused by the smaller Aven aliens reaction you should have asked me for clarification or something Gino looked absolutely Furious and ready to lay out a list of new curse worse but instead of blowing out he closed his eyes at the last moment before opening them a moment later he took a a step closer to Wyatt and pressed a finger against his stomach congratulations that's your fighter now you better not wreck her again that badly worm brain I'll Endeavor to try Wyatt replied with a small smile say jincho if you and your friends are as good as you claim why would the hierarchy throw you out seems like a waste to me how much do you know about the hierarchy asked karatu the tallest Ean of the group admittedly not much Wyatt began I've met a few eanes over the years I got along well with many maintenance workers during my time in the academy some never spoke about the hierarchy but all of them hated it I wouldn't say that we were friends or close in any measure but we were amicable and they were pleasant to talk to not to mention that since they were neither Nobles nor humans I could at least express my thoughts more openly to them without being in constant vigil of my words he added in his head ah no wonder you're not asking whose female and who male and all those silly questions you humans tend to ask when socializing zimu the oldest of the group said with a chuckle so the hierarchy Wyatt nodded once before continuing as I understand it the hierarchy Works similarly to the principalities nobility system oh and that military prowess and strength are more valued being a warrior and upholding a set Cod of rules and a rigid command structure is the Pinnacle of normal ianti society right ba bunch of stuck up brutes that don't value intellect or innovation always babbling about honor this strength that Glory above all Gino protested making full use of his best mocking tone the only intelligence they care about is how to fight and win battles savages the lot of them that's why we left and came here 10 years ago been going from place to place until we landed on wood shaft about 3 years back the hierarchy may have better Tech than the principality but they're as stagnant as swamp water left a Fester with a corpse in it the rest of his icon companions made chittering noises of affirmation before he knew it Wyatt relaxed and spent the next half an hour chatting with the technicians while they worked out they talked about their daily lives their work and what they would be doing when they arrived at matcha that last part got him thinking about what he would do in turn he hadn't had the time to think about anything except what he'd do throughout the day thinking about the future always seemed so useless to him he had set a goal in mind and strived to achieve it but anything else along the way was just White Noise nothing assured his survival less so thanks to Duke draymore betrayal and so many things had changed so fast in his life now the prospect of his future was abstract and even less tangible than it ever was when he was but a mere commoner but the one thing that was clear in his mind was that he was going to send his family a message at the very least maybe even send them a video or a live call if he could afford it he had nearly 30,000 credits saved up and he deeply yearned to see their faces again after such a long time outside of his dreams and memories he was in the middle of chatting with fesic when he noticed Cynthia entering the gym whilst two crewmen carried something following close behind her it seems I must go it was a pleasure meeting you all Wyatt said with a friendly Smile as he stood up and gave the technicians a short salute then he walked over to Cynthia who of course had already seen him

Channel: SciFi Stories

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Keywords: humans are space orcs, science fiction audio story, reddit stories, the lost colony of roanoke, shadows over earth, space fantasy, space fantasy story, scifi the last human, science fiction the last humans, scifi the last humans, scifistories1977, sci fi stories 1977, scifi, storytelling, fiction, audiobook, hfy, r/hfy, r/hfy humans, R/HFY, galactic federation, space force, humans are space orcs binge, humans are space orcs story, the black ship, the black ship hfy, short story

Id: UAy1CSKj5rk

Length: 30min 35sec (1835 seconds)

Published: Fri May 03 2024