Escape 2: Fight the Aliens Read Online Free PDF

“Admiral Richardson, the Magfield drives are tubular in shape. They can be loaded onto your subs the way your torpedoes and SLBM missiles are loaded. Put them near the nuclear engines of each ship, as they will require nuke power. The grav plates should be placed on the lowest part of your sub and fed power from your reactor. As for controls, our ship AI will fabricate a wireless tablet the size of a large iPad for touch command of the drive. The tablet will be set to integrate with your onboard sub computers. And with our AI.” Fatigue showed on his wife’s face as she squinted. The lines on her face looked sharper than when he’d first met her. Then again, his brown chest hair had some gray in it. As did his short beard. The strain of months in space, battling Aliens and delivering captives to strange star systems had taken a toll on both of them. “Your subs should be able to rise to our orbit within ten hours. Once they are close to us, I will guide them in space vectors and integration of their ship sensors with combat targeting supplied by our ship.”
    Richardson leaned forward, his expression intent. “Again, excellent. May I offer a suggestion on improving your coordination with our two subs?”
    Jane blinked. Bill thought the man’s expression was too amiable. What surprise did the Chief of Naval Operations have in mind? He noticed that Poindexter herself was also looking intently at the CNO chief, as if she wondered the same as he did. “Captain,” Bill said quickly. “I’m willing to work with the sub captains on vector changes and—”
    “Wait,” Jane said to Bill, gesturing to the CNO. “Admiral Richardson, what is your suggestion?”
    “Allow me to come aboard your ship and work on your Command Bridge as liaison with our two subs,” the man said softly.
    “What!” growled McAuley, his bushy eyebrows rising.
    Poindexter shook her head, but stayed silent.
    Jane glanced his way. “Bill, you will be loaded down with tactical training for the spec ops folks. It will take most of the 50 remaining hours to train your boarding teams in zero gee maneuvering, the wearing of ship vacsuits, how the tasers and lasers work, and how to use a red cube to open hallway hatches. Having someone up here, on Command Bridge, who knows sub operations would be useful. But you are my XO. What do you say?”
    Bill bit his lip to avoid an impulsive reply. Controlling his impulses was one of the first things he’d learned during BUDS training. Another thing he’d learned was the importance of helping the team to succeed. While solo strikes were sometimes right for a SEAL team, the emphasis in SEAL teams was always on the team, and how everyone could pull together to accomplish the mission. He nodded slowly. “To accomplish this mission, we need more trained combat managers. More than you and me. Bring the CNO onboard. Let him manage a control pillar like the rest of us here on the bridge. His sub crews will be more comfortable dealing with him, and you and I can do what we do best. Which is scheme and fight and do the unexpected.”
    Jane smiled tiredly. She looked back to the JCS holo in front of her. “Vice Admiral Chester J. Richardson, you are welcome to join my crew, so long as you accept any order I give you. Understood?”
    “Understood,” the man said. The CNO stood up from the table and, catching Jane’s attention, gave her a salute. “Captain Yamaguchi, I will do all in my power to fight well, to follow your orders and to bring honor upon the United States Navy!”
    Jane returned the man’s salute. Her fatigue was still there, but her mood was more upbeat. “Admiral, you are welcome to board my ship. Pilot Learned Escape will welcome you onboard his transport once the Magfield drives are offloaded. And . . . please thank your wife and grown children for the loan of their husband and father. I know what it’s like to be part of a military family. My Dad is a retired master sergeant with the Twentieth