First Strike - An Earth@War Novel

Chapter 2

ESS Argentina (D-868)
In Orbit, Kylar II
May 15, 2487, 0728 UT

Above Kylar II, a series of docks orbited the planet. Each dock was a two-story rectangular platform that could handle between one and four ships depending on the size and type of the ships. Four clamps held each ship to the dock and two tunnels connected the ships to the dock allowing the transfer personnel, food and parts to and from the ships. A separate series of lines allowed the ship to refuel. Additionally, the docks provided power to the ships allowing them to shut down their engines for maintenance. Shuttles ran down from the docks to Naval Base Oscar to provide officers and crew the ability to take liberty on the planet, as well as pick up supplies to bring back to the ships.

Currently docked at dock 12A was ESS Argentina, a 24-year-old Spain class destroyer. The 680-foot-long ship, with a 125-foot beam and armed with a 125-mm main gun, six 75-mm twin gun mounts for defense against spacecraft and a total of eight missile platforms, four forward and four aft. The ship, assigned to Destroyer Squadron Ten, had a top speed of 34 AMU, just slightly faster than the carriers it protected. Argentina was nearing the end of her career as the navy began replacing the older Spain class destroyers with the newer Norway class.

Ensign Albert Singleton was a 2486 graduate of the Naval Academy and with only four months aboard Argentina, the junior officer of the ship. Currently, he was serving as Supply Officer. It was a job that fit well with his organized nature and attention to detail. For now, though, he was on watch on the quarterdeck as Officer of the Deck. The quarterdeck was where the crew entered the ship through the dock when returning to the ship and was the control center of the ship while it was docked, performing the same functions as the bridge did when the ship was underway.

By 0728 on the morning of May 15, members of the crew had returned to the ship from liberty to begin the workday. At 0730, the Petty Officer of the Watch, a second-class Communications Specialist made an announcement over the intercom.

"Quarters. Quarters. All hands to quarters for muster, instruction and inspection," the Petty Officer of the Watch announced. This was part of the normal "Plan of the Day" on the ship. At 0800, the ship would commence routine work for the day, ending the workday at 1600.

Thirty minutes until we are relieved, Albert thought. He was already planning for the day ahead. It wasn't going to be very busy, which would allow him to work on his qualifications. A voice from the comm unit interrupted his thoughts.

"Quarterdeck, Communications Central."

"Quarterdeck, aye," Ensign Singleton replied as he pressed a button on the unit.

"We have flash traffic," the voice over the comm unit reported.

"Okay. The Messenger of the Watch is on his way," Al said, nodding to the Messenger, a junior enlisted woman recently out of boot camp. Great, Al thought, with only thirty minutes to go. That thought vanished when he read the message five minutes later.

150524870718U

From: Commander Fourth Fleet
To: ESS Argentina (D-868)
Subj: Emergency Underway

1. Get underway immediately. Move to Grid 084 172.

2. Report to Commander, Carrier Squadron One to
participate in an exercise on Black team.

Al reached over to the Comm Unit and switched it to broadcast over the ship's intercom. "All hands prepare for emergency underway. Set the normal underway watch. On deck condition four, officers section one, enlisted section one," he said. Then he switched the Comm Unit over to Engineering. "Main Control, Quarterdeck. Light off engines and shift to internal power."