Hey, this is Dave the Miracle Maker. It’s a rainy day up here in the high desert of Southern California. I finally finished the rough draft of my new novel, Gone Missing. I enjoyed writing it and I hope you will enjoy reading it once it is published. Today I would like to talk about what you want. So what do you want? Are you trying to manifest more money, the love of your life, or maybe a new vehicle? If you are you need to be clear on your intention. This is something I learned listening to the Genie Script course. You might say, I want to be rich, I want the love of my life, or I want a new car, but statements like that are too vague. When you are saying your affirmations say something like, I now manifest ten thousand dollars a month in my bank account that gives me the ability to travel the world, help my parents, give money to the poor and homeless, and live a life of abundance. Or you could say I now manifest a loyal, loving partner to share my life. You might say, I now manifest a brand new black, Corvette with custom wheels and I will pay cash for it. Be creative it’s your manifestation so give it some thought and be clear about exactly what you want. Above all Do No Say What You Don’t Want, because you will get it. Since I started to listen to the Genie Script I have noticed small changes in my life. Such as unexpected money coming my way. So far it has been small amounts, but if you are grateful for the small things, the big things will come. One thing that I was trying to manifest was being able to go to my motorcycle club’s national rally, coming up in June in Alabama. I didn’t have the money for the trip, but rather that saying that I’m not going, I don’t have the money, I said that the universe will provide, and it did. I’ve already bought my airline tickets and I fly out of Las Vegus on June 1st. So be clear about what you want and manifest your best life.

Now for your reading pleasure chapter nine of my science fiction novel, the Battle for Europa.

Chapter 9

Captain Dillon Kincaid sat in the Allen Sheppard lounge, drinking a beer. A cloud of tobacco smoke hung in the air. The noise inside the pub felt deafening. The jukebox blared out the lyrics to a loud neo-pop tune. Kincaid winced in pain from the headache pounding through his skull. He motioned to one of the server droids to refill his beer. The sexy-looking female android, wearing a skintight mini skirt, sashayed across the barroom.

“How may I serve you?” she asked in a sensual computerized voice.

“Get me another beer. Make it a Red Bomb.” The android bent down to retrieve his empty giving Kincaid a glimpse into a deep valley of cleavage. If you don’t look too close, they almost look human. The android turned around to go after his beer. Kincaid gave her a playful slap on the ass, the android giggled, swinging her hips, and headed back to the bar. She came back a few minutes later with his beer and purposely brushed up against Kincaid when she stepped up to the table. She set down his drink. Kincaid felt a shiver run down his spine.

“Please scan your wrist across my scan pad,” the android said. She leaned over and held out a small palm-sized pad. The front of her low-cut dress fell forward and Kincaid gazed down the front of her dress. He scanned his wrist across the pad deducting the funds for the beer from his bank account.

“Thank you, sir. Please enjoy.” The android glided across the bar. Kincaid took a drink from his beer, the com-link on his uniform beeped and he touched the lapel of his uniform.

“Kincaid here.”

“Dillon. This is Commander Logan. I’m sorry, but I had to cancel your three-day pass. We have a situation brewing. Be in my office for a pre-mission briefing in a half-hour.”

Dillon let out a sigh. “Great. I was starting to have some fun. I’ll be there.” Kincaid brushed his hand through his short dark hair and ended the transmission. Tossing back the rest of his beer, he headed for the exit.

Kincaid strolled into the office complex housing the Planetary Patrol Force headquarters. The PPF office was on the top floor of the orbiting spacedock that was set above the main lobby and traffic control tower. It housed offices for each branch of the service. He made his way to the commander’s briefing room breathing in the smell of tobacco smoke when he sauntered through the door. Kincaid glanced around the room, taking in the room’s occupants. The captains of five PPF vessels sat around the conference table. They had grave looks on their faces.

“Dillon. I’m sorry about having to cancel your leave. This can’t wait,” Logan said. He clenched his teeth around a cheap cigar, and they shook hands.

“No problem sir.” Kincaid took a seat at the table.

The Commander stood to his feet. “I’m sure you are all aware of the situation on Europa. It is our job to bring this problem to a satisfactory conclusion.” A murmur went through the room when Commander Logan turned on a viewscreen. The screen showed a still photograph of the mining complex on Europa. “This is the last photo taken by the cameras on Jupiter’s spacedock before the takeover. We have an intelligence source on Europa, but since the takeover, he hasn’t been able to contact us. I suspect they may have some light weapons. They have no ships, except for the tankers sitting idle on their moons. There was one PPF vessel docked at Jupiter’s spacedock when they took over. The crew is either dead or held captive.”

“What’s the plan?” Kincaid asked.

“When you leave this room, you men will go back to your ships and leave spacedock. You will rendezvous with five other PPF vessels currently orbiting Mars. This will give us one hundred men on the ground. Your mission is to come in low and fast, bypassing the orbiting space station, and land on Europa. You will seize the office complex of the mining facility. You will arrest the ringleaders of this rebellion. Your orders are to hold your positions until the main body of the Federal Defense Forces shows up. I suspect there will be a sizable occupation force on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn for years to come. This batch of rabble-rousers shook the tree to the top.” Commander Logan paced back and forth in front of the assembled officers.

“Why are they using us? With all the trouble on Mars, wouldn’t our services be of more use there?” Kincaid asked.

“That’s a nut we’ll leave for others to crack. We may see combat on Mars shortly, but for the moment, the battle is for Europa.” Forty-five minutes later five sleek-looking PPF cruisers left the spacedock, broke orbit with Earth’s moon, and set a course for Mars.

***

Cyrus Bonelli sat at the head of the table in his council room. He looked at the assembled officers sitting around the table. Servants brought food and drink. Bonelli didn’t have much of an appetite. He grimaced from the taste of acid reflux in his throat. Ever since this business on Europa started, his ulcer had been acting up. God when I catch that Shawn Gallagher, I’ll enjoy firing the laser bolt that takes him out.

“The bureaucrats upstairs have decided to approach this problem low-key. They are assembling a team of PPF commandos to move on Europa. They’re only sending ten damned ships. This mission will fail. When it does, I want you gentlemen to be ready. I want you to assemble a major force and head to Europa. You will smash this rebellion with an iron fist.”

“I don’t know sir. The PPF is a capable force. It may very well succeed,” one of the officers said.

“Utter nonsense. The PPF is an elite fighting force, but they don’t have the heavy firepower that is necessary. Their leaders are controlled by the bureaucrats above us. They have only allowed them to send ten ships”

“Sir what about Mars? We don’t want to cut ourselves short if something happens there,” someone else said.

Bonelli sighed. “That is a good question. Mars is another can of worms. If we allow this to go on, on Europa, the situation on Mars will deteriorate. Consolidated Mining sends employees to Mars and half of them disappear. They have their biochips removed and we can’t keep track of them. These people that have dropped off the radar make up the bulk of the Martian resistance. The rest are unruly miners. You will have your hands full there. I leave it up to you to work out the details. We’ll need to leave enough ships behind to contain any problems on Mars. At the same time, we need to assemble a big enough force to take care of this rabble on Europa.”

“Why not bypass Europa and attack the moons of Saturn?” one of the generals asked.

“Because their leadership is on Europa. Cut off the head and the snake dies. Gentlemen, this battle will be for Europa. If we don’t stop them there, Mars will try to declare independence next. I would like to see a blockade of Jupiter. While you do that, build your forces until you assemble a large enough force to squish them like the worms they are. I will leave the planning and execution of this mission to you. The fate of the CEU rests upon your shoulders.” Cyrus clinched his fist and banged it on the table. “The general, who brings me the head of Shawn Gallagher on a platter, will receive another star. Scratch that. I want him alive. His death will be at my hand. Gentlemen, you have your orders. I won’t keep you.” Bonelli ended the meeting. The sound of sliding chairs and the footfalls of military men leaving the room filled Bonelli’s ears. He stood up and crossed the room to the window. With troubled thoughts, he pulled back the curtain gazing down upon the lights of New York City.

***

Light exploded into the captain’s cabin on the CEU-Port Royal. Craig Bannister strutted into the room, breathing in the smell of cheap perfume. He looked down at the sleeping form of Captain Chambers. He lay between two good-looking naked women, one a sexy blonde and the other a cute brunette. Chambers sat up in bed knuckling sleep from his eyes. The two naked women moaned in their sleep and pull the thin cover over their heads.

“Rise and shine, Lover Boy. This is our big day,” Banister said.

Sliding from between the two women, Chambers sat on the edge of the bed. “Good Lord Craig. You’ve got to quit barging in like this. How’d you get in here anyway?”

“There are ways to bypass cabin door bio locks.”

“I have my room’s computer set for a five AM wake-up call. What time is it now?”

“Zero four-thirty. I’ve got fresh coffee in your conference room. You want to be ready for the six AM conference call, then the Admiral’s call at zero six-thirty. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us. Let’s get to it.”

Chambers put his feet on the floor. “Aye Captain Bligh. I thought I was in charge?”

Bannister ignored the captain’s comment and glanced over at the girls. “Get up ladies. Let’s get dressed and head back to the comfort station. You can go back to sleep when you get there. Our golden boy has work to do.”

“All right love. Are you sure you don’t want to give it a go?” the brunette said.

Bannister grinned enjoying her British accent. “Some other time dear.”

The women dressed, while Bannister and Chambers watched the show. When the women left, Bannister waited while Chambers put on his uniform. They stepped through the doorway leading to the captain’s conference room. Bannister went to the food and beverage station and brought them both back a cup of coffee and a sweet roll.

“I thought this day would never get here,” Chambers said. He took a tentative sip of his coffee.

“I know we’re going have to hustle if we want to make the eighteen-hundred launch window. That’s why I woke you early.”

“God this coffee’s strong.” Chambers made an ugly face.

“Columbia’s best. It does chase the cobwebs from your brain.”

After leaving the spacedock for space trials, the Port Royal joined the fleet. They spent three months in space cruising halfway to Mars and back. While undergoing space trials they had a skeleton crew. They tested the ship’s lasers, blasting a few asteroids to hell, with the plasma torpedoes. The Air Force personnel launched space fighters. They flew a few training missions. The cruise was uneventful. It gave the officers and the skeleton crew onboard a chance to get used to the ship and their workstations.

After arriving back at spacedock, they spent the next two months obtaining supplies. They had the maintenance crews fix the few glitches in the systems that they found. As the new crew members arrived, the existing crew trained the new personnel. The ship now held a full crew, except for some marines, which they would pick up at the lunar spacedock. Chambers gave the crew two weeks’ leave to settle their affairs before the mission’s launch date. Today was the day. The new fleet of deep space vessels would travel across the solar system, and head into the unknown.

Chambers looked at the digital readout above the door of his conference room. The numbers read 06:00. He moved to the communications center to the right of the conference table, activated the VID screen, and logged on for the morning conference call. The department heads log onto the system, and their faces appeared on the VID screen.

Chambers smiled. “Gentlemen. The day we thought would never come, is here. We’ve got a lot to do today before we launch so let’s get a status report. Let’s start with the bridge.”

Bannister’s face appeared on the VID screen when he logged onto an adjoining console next to the Captain’s. “The third watch officers are on duty now. The first watch is in the ready room. The second watch crew has orders to be onboard the ship by thirteen hundred hours. The bridge will be ready to meet the launch window.”

“Good. I want all personnel on board the ship by fifteen hundred hours. Let’s hear from the engine room.”

The image of the chief engineer appeared on the screen. His voice came over the speakers of the Captain’s VID system. “Aye Captain. The engine room is ready. The fusion reactors are up to full power. I have a full crew down there checking out the systems. The rest of the engineering personnel will be on board by fifteen hundred hours. We’re ready to go, sir.”

Chambers nodded at the screen. “Good. Let’s hear from maintenance.”

“We have a crew doing some last-minute checks. Half our personnel is on board now. We’ll be ready sir,” the Chief Maintenance Officer said.

“Excellent let’s hear from security.”

“Security is ready sir. We have a crew on duty now and the rest will be on board by fifteen hundred, sir.”

“Good. Fleet Marines?”

“Sir. My officers and NCOs are on board. We’re ready to go now. We need to pick up some jarheads on the moon.”

“Excellent Commander. Let’s hear from the boys down on the farm.”

“We’re ready to go, sir. We’ve harvested our crops and slaughtered our latest batch of meat-bearing animals. The refrigerators in all the galleys are full. Everyone is on board and ready to leave,” the chief horticulturist said.

“Excellent. Let’s hear from the mess hall people.”

“The galleys are ready to feed people now sir. We have a few people who still are not on board but they’ll be here by fifteen hundred,” the chief cook said.

“Good work. Let’s hear from sickbay.”

“My doctors are on board now. We have a few other medical people who still need to show up. They’ll be here by fifteen hundred,” the chief medical officer said.

“Good. I want all crewmembers to put in at least two hours a day in the gym. We’re all in danger of muscle atrophy out here. I want you to coordinate with our entertainment chief. Schedule your people so they can have time in the gym. Doc if you see any patients who show signs of muscle atrophy, I want you to notify me at once. Let’s hear from our chief of entertainment.”

“All the entertainment facilities are up and running. That includes the theaters, the bowling alley, and the gym. The pubs are open and the girls at the comfort station are on board. They’ve had their doctor’s exams and are ready to receive customers,” the entertainment czar said.

After hearing from all the department heads, Chambers ended the conference call.

“Thank you, people. I want duty rosters for the next week on my desk covering the first week at space before we launch. It’s going to be a busy day. Let’s get to it.” Chamber logged off the system. After the conference call, Bannister went to the bridge. Chambers uploaded reports from the department heads and transmitted the reports to Admiral Ivanov’s VID system on the Saratoga. He logged onto the system once more. This time he logged in for the admiral’s conference call. The faces of the various captains in the fleet appeared on the screen. Captain Chambers listened attentively. Admiral Ivanov asked for the report from the Port Royal.

“Sir. The Port Royal will be ready to man the portholes at eighteen hundred hours. All essential personnel is on board now. The rest of the crew will be on board and ready for departure by fifteen hundred hours.”

“Good work, Captain. I know this mission is going to be long and hard on us all, but it will also be very exciting. I am looking forward to leaving the solar system and seeing what’s out there,” Ivanov said.

After logging off the system, Chambers stood up. He crossed the conference room and entered the bridge. Taking his seat in the captain’s chair, he gazed down upon the officers manning their workstations. A few consoles beeped and he felt a slight vibration coming from the deck. “They look sharp,” Chambers said.

Banister nodded. “That they do. They’re all anxious to be underway.”

“Me too. Let’s head down to the galley and get some breakfast. I’ll buy.”

“Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse. Even if the food is free.” Bannister glanced at the helmsman. “Mr. Walker, you have the bridge.” Chambers and Bannister stepped from the bridge to the main corridor. They snapped off salutes to a few people as they passed by.

“I can’t wait to get underway either,” Bannister said.

Chambers breathed in the smell of freshly cooked food. “I know. All though I don’t relish being away from home for the next twenty-five years.”

“You’re going to miss your harem. You won’t have as many women falling over you out here, but this is our chance to make history.”

“What about you? I know there’s no steady woman in your life. You date once in a while, but isn’t there anyone you’re going to miss?”

“No. I was in love once, but my mistress called. My first love has always been space. It’s out there where all the action is and where you make history. It’s where you either make or break your career. This is a chance of a lifetime.” Bannister stepped into the serving line. The food service workers filled their trays. They loaded them up with scrambled eggs bacon, hash browns, and toast. Steam rose from their plates. They poured themselves a cup of coffee at the end of the line and found a table.

They were quiet while they ate, but it was a comfortable silence, born from long years of friendship.

“That was some good food, for ship fare,” Chambers said after they finished eating.

“It sure beats the hell out of that shit they used to feed us in the PPF.”

Chambers grimaced. “Do you remember those canned lima beans?”

“God. Don’t remind me. I don’t think I’ll ever eat another lima bean in this life.”

Finished with breakfast, Bannister returned to the bridge. Chambers took a tour of the ship. He visited each department and checked their readiness to make sure that they were ready for departure at eighteen hundred. When he passed the exit hatch, he saw Ensign Palmer standing by the open inner airlock door. A small line of crewmembers stood in line and Palmer logged them onto the ship using his handheld scan pad. Once they ran their wrist across the scan pad, the scan pad downloaded their name to the ship’s computers.

“How goes it, Mr. Palmer?”

Palmer snapped off a salute and Chambers returned the gesture. “It’s going okay sir. They’re starting to, trickle in. If we get any no-shows, after fifteen hundred hours, we’ll locate them using their biochips. We’ll send the shore patrol after them.”

Chambers nodded. “I hope that won’t be necessary.”

“I don’t think it will. Most of the crew will start to show up around fourteen hundred to fourteen thirty. They’ll want to get as much out of their liberty as possible.”

“I hope you’re right. I’d hate to have to bring anyone on board in handcuffs.”

Palmer smiled. “I don’t think that will happen, sir. The majority of the men feel it is an honor to go on this mission. They feel it an honor to serve under you as well, sir.”

“Thank you. I am honored to have such a fine crew. I’m especially glad that you are going with us, Mr. Palmer. Your help has been invaluable. You’re a fine young officer.”

Palmer smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

The captain continued his tour of the ship. The crew showed up by ones and twos until thirteen hundred hours. Then the floodgates opened and they came in waves. A line led from the docking tubes out to the corridors of the spacedock. By fifteen hundred hours, everyone was on board. Captain Chambers held another conference call at fourteen thirty. The ship was ready for departure, except for some last-minute supply issues. The officer in charge of the cargo bay reported that they were loading the last of their needed supplies and they would be ready by eighteen hundred hours.

The crewmembers not on duty settled into their cabins getting ready for departure. By seventeen forty-five, in the time-honored tradition, the crew manned the portholes. They stood at parade rest. Chambers took his place on the bridge and Bannister sat beside him. Chambers waited for word from the traffic control officer and thought about the fleet.

They had twenty deep space battlecruisers, of which the Port Royal was one. There were ten main battleships and four auxiliary ships. They had fifty light cruisers, fifty destroyers, and fifty frigates. The deep-space battlecruisers worked in concert with the main battlecruisers. The light cruisers, the destroyers, and the frigates protected the battle cruisers. The auxiliaries served as supply vessels as well as construction platforms providing the fleet with supplies and equipment.

Chambers turned on the viewscreen and changed the view to show the port side of the vessel. The voice of the traffic controller came over the communications officer’s, speakers.

“Port Royal, you are free to leave spacedock.” They heard a slight pop when the explosive bolts freed the ship from the mooring lines.

Chambers felt a thrill shoot through him. “Mr. Walker, take us out. Let’s join the fleet.”

“Aye Captain.” The ship moved forward through the metal hanger heading for the exit. Dignitaries sat in bleachers watching their departure. They sat behind super-hardened glass bullheads. A bottle of champagne, secured by the bottle’s neck with a metal tether, swung down making contact with the ship. The bottle smashed into the hull, christening the vessel. It broke into minute pieces, of glass and floated off into space. The Port Royal exited spacedock and took its position in the fleet. The new fleet of deep space vessels took two revolutions around the planet and broke orbit. Leaving Earth behind, it headed for the unknown.

***