User blog:I am that guy/Day of Discovery

Commodore Jack McKeon stood motionless as HMS White Haven and her task force entered the port of New Dallas. The bridge seemed unreasonably calm, not just now, but in the four days since his five ships engaged and destroyed the Baltic League Battlecruiser Vindicator. McKeons eyes switched gazes to the heavy-caliber rail guns positioned along the shore and entrance to the port. The computer automation had begun tracking the task force, only to revert to their default defensive stance when their verification was approved.

Now Mckeons eyes tracked to the docks. His felt his emotions mix as he saw the large group of people, military and civilian alike, watch the sight of two super-dreadnoughts, and three dreadnoughts file into the harbor. It was common for civilians to show up to welcome fleets home. Admittedly, it was quite a sight, and White Haven flew her battle colors as she neared the docks. But what celebration had found its way into the crowd disappeared as White Havens sister super-dreadnought, HMS Summercross, came into view. As it did, so did HMS Lionheart; the smaller, listing, smoking and smoldering dreadnought being towed behind it.

The Vindicator had not gone down silently: in a hurricane of missiles and large-caliber shells, it had fired three heavy missiles of its own. Two were thrown off by ECM and anti-missile artillery, but the final, against all odds, penetrated the missile defense shell and struck HMS Lionheart near the smokestacks, crippling it. Lionhearts sister dreadnoughts, Fisher and Valiant, had sailed to either side during the trip back. Now, the battered dreadnought was due for a slip in the Drydock for repairs.

HMS White Haven pulled into her assigned dock and was moored. As the senior officer, McKeon was the first to disembark. At the end of the gangplank stood the Duke of New Texas (only natural, since New Dallas was the capital of New Texas) and Admiral Robert Webster, the First Sea Lord.

"Just my bloody luck", McKeon thought sourly. He had hoped that by some grace of God he would've been able to escape a high-level meeting this early. But he knew something like this was inevitable, and he knew he had even higher level meetings and debriefings waiting. Maybe even one with Elizabeth I, the Queen of Manticore, awaited him somewhere down the line.

Manticore. The mention of the name of the planet and kingdom he called home sent him into another deep thought. Seven sailors had been pulled from the water after Vindicator slipped beneath the waves. There was some confusion on both sides until it was realized "Manticore" and "Caelmare" were the same planet. Of course, the "Kingdom of Manticores" de facto jurisdiction only extended to the islands of this archipelago where the vast majority of Manticoran citizens live. And on the face of the arrival of the off-worlders, Manticore could ill afford to project its power beyond the archipelago. Even as he walked down the gangplank, expeditions are being recalled. Last he heard: a battlecruiser squadron had returned to its home port of Mourncreek yesterday, a heavy cruiser task force is due to reach the city of Sphinx this evening, and a dreadnought squadron is scheduled to reach New Kiev in the next couple days.

But Jack McKeons ships are home, and at that he felt a relief as he extended a hand to Admiral Webster.

"Admiral", McKeon greeted Webster. He turned to Duke New Texas and greeted him with an extended hand, which the aristocrat accepted, "Your Grace".

"The day is here then, Commodore", Webster stated.

"Yes, sir", McKeon replied, "the Day of Discovery is here."