The Spear of Athena

Chapter 2

         Caius Varrus, Captain of the Spear of Athena, a Nagrasa-class cruiser, stepped out of the shower in his personal latrine into his private quarters. After he finished drying off and got dressed he finally turned around to address the person who was also in his quarters. Rather it wasn't a person, but the holographic representation of Athena's Artificial Intelligence.
         "So, Athena, what is going on on my ship tonight?" he asked as he flopped down into the chair behind his desk. He cast a wanting look to his bed, even with the crappy mattress the bed was really inviting. It had been another long day.
         "Captain, everything is fine, all things considered. Ninety percent of the crew is asleep or resting in their quarters. All systems are operating at full capacity. We are ready for tomorrow." The hologram, in the form of a human female, stood in front of the desk at perfect attention. She stood their with perfect patience, staring at the Captain until he spoke again.
         "Thanks Athena. Good to hear your feeling well, especially after that last scrap with those Nataran frigates. So, I'm going to ask you again, the same damned question that I've asked you for the past year and a half, in these settings can you please just call me Caius?" If there was anything that really just bugged Caius was that everyone constantly called him Captain and Sir and other synonym for those. He wanted to those who worked closely with him, including his ship, on a daily basis to just call him wither Caius or Varrus in informal settings. So far he had been able only to convince one person to do so. But, among many other lessons that he had learned in the past year and a half, the Navy had a lot different way of doing things than they did in the Army.
         "Captain, you have asked me that question eight-hundred and fifty four times now. I am going to give the same answer that I gave you the previous eight-hundred and fifty-three times, no." Athena crossed her arms across her chest. Caius ran a hand through his hair to try and hide the smile on his face. Everyday he was amazed at the behavior of his ship. There were days when he absolutely amazed at the programming of the AI, it sometimes seemed as though she were nearly human. Someone did a good job programming emotions, at least the ability to simulate emotions. He knew that she could simulate anger really, really well, as he remembered the first day that he had come aboard the ship.
         "Alright you stubborn ship. I'm going to finish some paperwork here and then get some sleep my self. You're dismissed." With that, the hologram version of the ship saluted and dissipated. When she had left, Caius leaned back in his chair for a minute, then got up and went to his drink cabinet, got a bottle of whiskey from the shelf and poured himself a glass. After finishing it he refilled the glass, got a second one and filled that one too. He went back to his desk and set the second glass in front of the visitor's chair. He sat down and counted down on his fingers, five...four...three...two...one....the door bell rang, followed by a booming voice,
         "Captain Caius Varrus, Spear of Athena - Commanding, Lieutenant Dave Bunker requests permission to enter the captains quarters!"
         "Bunker, what the hell? Get in here! Since when does your butt worry about proper protocol?" Caius asked his best friend, Dave Bunker. Dave sat down in the chair with the drink and swallowed in one quick pull.
         "Never have. I just wanted to see what it felt like to say. That is one hell of a mouth full to get out. It sounds way to much of a diplomatic way to say 'Can I come in Sir?' But again, I wanted to try it before we die tomorrow."
         "Well aren't you being the optimistic one tonight, eh? Dave we ain't gonna die tomorrow."
         "Well, I can't say I share your optimism about this one. I haven't exactly been able to be optimistic since Shagra." At the mention of Shagra both men, hardened veterans of the war, stared into space with wet eyes, back into memories and the images of old friends now dead. Shagra was a topic that neither men spoke of to any one, not even between themselves. Caius was the first to come out of the daydream.
         "Well there is no doubt about it, it will defiantly be a all out slugging match tomorrow."
         "I agree with you on that one. I'm just glad that our crews are much better trained than those Alliance dumbshits. Who is leading the defense of the center line anyways?"
         "Lets see, ah, Sir Cormack is leading the left wing and Sir Waler is in command of the right and then Sir Leonad has the center. Oh, and Sir Hunter is the commander of the fighter and AS squadrons."
         "I guess that there is some brightness to this darkness after all. At least we have some vary good Knights in charge. Wouldn't that be something? Promote you and me, two farm boys out of the Earth Defense Reserve to Knights of the Terran Guard Legion? Anyways what was the reason that you called me down here for anyways Caius?" Caius looked at his long time friend and smiled. There wildest dreams from the time that they were young boys , running through the open fields of the North American Midwest Territory had finally come true. To Caius it was a great privilege to get to present the news to his friend.
         "Well Dave I've got some good news for once. I've been promoted to the status of a  Knight of the Legion." Dave looked at his best friend in astonishment. To think that he had become a knight and fulfill their dream of becoming knights, was almost to much to comprehend. While he felt pride and excitement for his friend, he couldn't help but be jealous at the news.
         "Congratulations! You deserve after all of the shit you've since we became activated three years ago. I'm truly glad that you were able to fill one of your dreams." Caius looked into his friends eyes. He did see that he was sincere about the promotion, but he was also able to see the jealousy and hurt in his friends eyes. He smiled even more. I might as will put an end to his suffering now Caius thought.
         "And there is even more good news Dave, or should I say Sir Dave Bunker of the Knights of the Terran Guard Legion? That's right my friend, we have both been promoted. The orders just got passed down to me a few hours ago from the Federation Congress on Earth. We were promoted due to 'the showing of extreme bravery, willpower, exceptional leadership abilities, and behaving in a manner suiting that of a Knight.' is what the order said." As he was relaying the message to Dave he had poured a couple of more drinks for them. He went back to the desk and handed one of the glasses to Dave.
         "A celebration drink is now in order I do believe Caius!" They clinked their glasses in salute to one another and downed them in one gulp.
         "We've along way from being AS pilots in the Army Armored Corps haven't we Caius?"
         "We sure have my friend. Of course those were also much simpler days as well. Are your fighter and As squads ready for tomorrow?"
         "That they are. They are ready to fight to the last man to make sure that the last of the transport ships get off of the planet."
         "What about your family Dave? Are they off planet yet?" Dave was married to a wonderful woman, Elisa, with two beautiful young daughters-Caius was the oldest ones godfather - he also had his twin younger sister, Candria, who Caius had a crush on since they were children, but had never gotten the courage up to ask her out. Both of their parents had died just after they had joined the Army.
         "They haven't got off planet yet, but they are on a transport that will leave the planet in about six or seven hours."
         "Good, the Alliance fleet isn't supposed to get here for another twelve or fifteen hours. Listen Dave, you might as well go and get some sleep now while you can. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow." Caius poured one more galss for both of them.
         "I suppose your right. I'll see you tomorrow then! Hold the Line!"
         "Hold it to the last!" Caius answered the chant. Then they both said together with enough force behind their words for several men,
         "And send those bastards straight to hell!" With that they both downed their glasses and slammed them down on the table, with the top on the table. Dave then turned and left the room. With Dave gone Caius got undressed and went to sleep on his bed. four hours later he was awoken be sirens and Athena's face appearing on the large vidscreen in his quarters.
         "Captain we are under attack!"