*****************************

   In the flag area the generals were watching and listening 
to everything transpiring in CIC. They couldn't be heard 
whispering amongst themselves at a very low level. The fact 
that Susan's crew seemed to know what her next command would 
be, even before she could voice it, left them very impressed. 
It was obvious that the training she had visited upon them had 
been effective. They didn't seem to need her to fight the ship. 
Leftcourt reminded them that just knowing she was there played 
a big part in the confidence the crew displayed in their abilities. 
The fact that she let them run the show only helped to bolster 
that confidence.

******************************

   "Did you get a load of that, Robert, my boy, the captain 
says we just destroyed that monster they showed us in the 
briefing," gloated one of Robert's roommates, Jeff Daniels.

   "Maybe so, but we aren't home yet," he responded.

   "We’re aboard the best Earthforce has to offer, Bobby. 
Quit complaining," harassed Juan.

   "You guys make me sick with this hero worship of the good 
captain," retorted Robert.

   "Who’s your hero, Robert. Just who do you admire?" asked 
Jeff.

   "That's what I thought. Bobby is so in love with himself, 
he doesn't have any room for anyone else," taunted Juan.

   "I wonder how you guys can stomach even being around an 
ass-hole like him," chimed in the fourth roommate, Jerry 
Mackenzie.

   "We don't have a choice, Jerry. We were assigned this room. 
When we're back on Earth, we wouldn't be caught dead around him," 
responded Juan.

   "To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if old Bobby isn't 
quietly invited to leave the service when we return. After all, 
he shot off his mouth in front of some of the top brass in 
Earthforce," commented Jeff.

  "What do you think, Bobby? Are you going to be around the old 
office six months from now?" Inquired Juan.

   Turning his face toward the bulkhead as he rolled over in 
his rack, Robert responded, "Why don't all of you just go straight 
to hell?"

   "Anything to please you, Bobby, my boy," answered Mackenzie, 
in a patronizing tone.

   A short while later the roommates heard Susan's admonition 
to fasten themselves in or at least get a good grip on something 
that was permanently attached to the ship's structure.

   "I think this is where the ride gets rough, gents," noted 
Mackenzie.

   In less than two minutes they found out how true Mackenzie's 
prediction would prove to be.

   "I don't give a damn about rides or anything else," responded 
Robert. He had just finished speaking as the ship started tumbling 
through space. It was all he could do to hold himself in his rack. 

   Before anyone else could say anything the ship shook heavily, 
then it shook a second time, and Robert found himself in a corner 
of the living space, with Mackenzie and Daniels lying on top of 
him. Juan was fastened into his top bunk looking down at his 
tangled roommates.

   "You guys are a mess," commented Juan.

*****************************

   In Susan's quarters sitting in a chair with its safety 
strap fastened, Charles felt the sudden jerk of the two separate 
impacts and knew the ship had been hit badly. His experience 
on the Zeus came immediately to mind. However, he felt better 
this time. This wasn't a lopsided affair like that one had been. 
Besides, he hadn't told anyone that he and his wife could feel 
the strong emotions of their mate. He didn't get the vibes he 
knew Susan would give off if she were scared or afraid. The 
part that worried him was that his wife didn't scare easily. 
Sometimes he wondered if she had enough sense to be afraid.

*****************************

   Susan, considered what she was hearing from her cheng and 
thumbed the switch on the 1MC control on her console, "Mr. 
Norman Kelly, shipyard supervisor, your presence is requested 
in CIC immediately."

   "What's on your mind, Susan?" asked Leftcourt.

   "I want to know what Mister Kelly's people can do to help 
us. You're hearing what I am, and we've been hurt. I would 
prefer to patch the holes before we go back in there."

   "How much can they do in a short span of time?"

   "That's what Mister Kelly is going to tell me. Meanwhile, 
I have an idea to buy us some time for repairs. Navigator, 
bring us back into normal space about five-hundred thousand 
kilometers from the station, cut power to the weapons systems 
and idle all but two of our reactors before we transit back 
into normal space. Then take us away from the space station 
at about one-quarter speed. I want them to think that we're 
much more heavily damaged than we really are."

   "Yes sir, captain."

   "Why are you doing that, Susan?"

   "Watch and learn, general. First, watch them send their 
fighters after us at their maximum burn rate, then watch us 
limp away just fast enough to keep them from overtaking us. 
When we have them far enough away and our repairs, what we 
can do of them, are finished, we’ll jump into hyperspace. 
Next stop after that will be jumping back into normal space, 
right on top of the station. We will then proceed to destroy 
the station and thecruiser/carriers."

   "I really am glad it was John we faced at Mars, and not 
you," replied Leftcourt.

*****************************

   "Commander, we are detecting a jump point appearing about 
five-hundred thousand kilometers away," said one of his sensors 
operators.

   The paranoid Drakh commander swallowed several more antacid 
tablets, stepped over to the console and observed the display. 
"What is that coming out of it?" He asked.

   "It is the Earth ship, commander," replied the operator. 
"From the data, it appears that they are badly damaged."

   "Relay this information to the station and the other ships."

   On the station the Senior Drakh official was watching the 
data displays with the station commander.

   "Does that data mean what I think it does?" asked the senior 
Drakh.

   "If we believe it, it means the Earth ship is very badly 
damaged. With a quick strike we can destroy it, before the 
humans can mount another attack," replied the station commander.

   "Exactly what is our attack going to consist of?" asked the 
senior official.

   "We will send three-fourths of our fighters and two of the 
cruiser/carriers to deal with the Earth ship."

   "Is that a prudent thing to do? They have been damaged so 
badly that they can only make half speed and their weapons 
systems are in no better shape. We don't know if the Earth 
ship still has jump capability, but we know ours don't."

   "All too true, sir, but the time lag between our controllers 
and their fighters at the distances involved is too great for 
good response to circumstances that the fighters may encounter, 
and the jammers the humans deployed are still causing a great 
deal of interference with our communications and remote control 
systems."

   "We will be leaving ourselves very vulnerable to further 
attack."

   "Yes Sir, we will, but we can't afford to give the humans 
time to effect repairs."

*****************************

   A few minutes after she had passed the word for him, Kelly's 
voice on the intercom side of her headpiece got Susan's attention. 
"What can I do for you, captain?"

   "We have taken two very bad hits, Mister Kelly. I need for 
you to consult with D.C. Central and let me know if you and 
your people can do anything in the nature of quick repairs, 
before we get back into this conflict."

   "I was doing just that when you passed the word for me. I’ll 
get back to you in a little while."

   "I appreciate your position, Mister Kelly. However, I need 
specifics," insisted Susan.

   "Captain Ivanova," said Kelly in a voice displaying irritation, 
"It's going to take at least twenty minutes to get a damned 
maintenance-bot out there to look at the damage to the hull. 
The damage control people are doing their best to approach the 
damaged area from inside the ship. There is broken and bent 
metal through out at least fifteen decks. I’ll let you know 
as soon as possible. That's going to be at least half and hour. 
Now, you can like it or lump it, but that's the best I can do!"
 
   Susan took the nose tweaking in stride. She was pushing Kelly 
and her own crewmen very hard in a very dangerous situation. 
"Very well, Mister Kelly. Just remember, in less than six hours, 
we’re going back into combat, whether the repairs are completed 
or not. Captain out," she replied in a level tone of voice.

   "Captain. It’s hard to see much of what is happening around 
the space station," offered S.W.C. "Our long range scanner 
operators report that our jammers are doing a fairly good job. 
However, we’re detecting a high Doppler shift in some of our 
scan signal returns. They’re sending their fighters after us."

   "At our present speed how long before they arrive?"

   "Can't tell yet, Skipper. We're getting some Doppler, but not 
enough to process for range data. All I can give you is a general 
bearing. From the amplitude we are receiving, I figure several 
hours at least."

   Susan proceeded to chew on one of her knuckles. "What’re 
our weapons capabilities?"

   "We lost some of our close in weapons, captain, and a few 
of our secondary batteries. The fighters that hit us destroyed 
some power conduits, but engineering damage control is in the 
process of rerouting power and control through our back-up 
distribution systems. We still have seven main batteries at 
full capability and the eighth one is maybe capable of half 
power. It’s useful for wide beam use on attacking fighters, 
sir. Also, we still have several hundred attack missiles with 
warheads of varying sizes, all our fighters and a great many 
decoy missiles and buoys."

   "So, as long as we keep the areas where we were crashed into 
away from further damage, we can still do some serious Drakh 
killing?"

   "Yes Sir."

   "Susan, the boys and I are going to secure here and get 
something to eat. Would you care to join us?" asked Leftcourt.

   "You did say we have a couple of hours, didn't you, navigator?" 
asked Susan.
  
   "Yes sir, skipper," replied the navigator.

   "Pass the word along to all stations to get their people 
fed and back to station. I don't want anyone to have to stop 
for a snack when we go back into combat," ordered Susan.

   "Your mess or mine, Susan?"

   "Mine, general. I have the best chef in Earthforce," answered 
Susan.

   "That is only your opinion, captain," noted Ames.

   "It'll be yours by the time we finish eating," retorted Susan. 
Tapping a switch on her communications control she called her 
steward and told her to prepare for ten people for a quick lunch.

*****************************

   "It is going to take our fighters more than four hours to 
overtake the Earth destroyer, sir. The carrier/cruisers won't 
make it more than one-third of the way. It is a bad situation," 
commented the station commander.

   "She can do a lot of repairs in that length of time, commander," 
replied his senior.

   "I don't believe this," said the paranoid Drakh commander. 
"They are sending the vast majority of our fighters and half 
of our remaining large ships after the Earth destroyer."

   "True, Commander, but why not destroy the ship while the 
chance presents itself?" asked his intelligence officer.

   "So far, this woman hasn't followed not even one rule of 
engagement from the Earthforce manuals. We are splitting our 
resources up, and for what? Maybe a chance to destroy the Earth 
ship? If she decides to jump back into hyperspace, she can be 
on top of us before our ships can even change course to return. 
We will be worse than, I believe the human term is, 'sitting 
ducks'." 

   "What could we have done differently, commander. What would 
have made anything be different than it is now?"

   "We should have faked several gross course changes and 
observed their reactions. Then we could have called for help 
before they had deployed jammers, and crippled us to the point 
that we can't enter hyperspace."

   "I see your point, commander."

   "Why do I derive no comfort from that admission?"

*****************************
 
  Susan, Charley and the generals were sitting in her mess 
eating some delicious sandwiches and outstanding soup when 
her communications panel sounded the incoming message alert.

   Stepping to the panel She replied, "Accept call."

   "Captain Ivanova, this is Mister Kelly. We have examined 
the damage, and I have an answer to your query."

   "Proceed, Mister Kelly."

   "We have enough spare armor plating in your ready spares 
to put temporary patches over both holes.  We need to stop 
long enough for us to position them and tack-weld them into 
place. It will take at least two hours to accomplish that. The 
remainder of the welding can be done from the inside of the 
ship, as can installation of the extra bracing that will be 
needed. Can you give us that much time?"

   "Yes I can, Mister Kelly." Susan then called CIC and informed 
her navigator.

   "We’re going to stop for repairs?" asked Sanchez.

   "Only as long as necessary, general," replied Susan. "Actually, 
we'll only shut down the drives. The zero acceleration will 
help facilitate the outside work."

*****************************

   "Commander!" exclaimed the sensor console operator, "The 
Earth ship has stopped accelerating! Our fighters should arrive 
at her location in about three hours."

   "If it isn't accelerating, then it is not using its drive 
engines. They may need zero acceleration to allow outside repairs 
to be accomplished. If it gets underway again, notify me and 
the station immediately," responded the commander.

   "Do you really think they can make any real repairs in three 
hours, commander?" asked his Intelligence officer.

   "This woman doesn't do anything without a good reason. I 
believe that she believes she can make significant repairs in 
the time she has. If we don't manage to get help, she will 
probably destroy all of us. Remember, her ship is still capable 
of hyperspace jumps. They can be upon us in only a few minutes," 
replied the commander.

*****************************
 
  Susan was sitting in her office looking at the images of the 
damage inflicted by the collisions with the fighters and the 
energy weapon fire the ship had received from the station and 
the Drakh ships. The first images were of the collision areas. 
The fighters had, fortunately, not exploded, but they had managed 
to leave two holes thirty meters in diameter and fifteen decks 
deep in the underside of the ship. The evacuation of the atmosphere 
from all unoccupied compartments had prevented fires, and had 
reduced the damage suffered from the impacts. The last images 
showed the plates tack-welded over the two holes. She could 
feel the vibration of the engines being brought up to half 
power. It would not be long before the Drakh realized that 
the Ares was underway again.

   Using her hand-link communicator Susan called CIC. "Navigator,
how far away are those fighters?"

   "About an hour and a half, skipper," came the reply.

   "Check with Mister Kelly in D.C. Central, and if he has no 
objections, take us to full burn. I want the bastards to think 
we're running for our lives."

   "You’re taking this attack personally, aren't you?" Asked 
Charles.

   "Yes, I am, Charley. They took their best shots at me twice. 
Today, it's my turn."

   "You’re going to kill every last one of them, aren't you?"

   "If it's possible, you can bet on it. I would exterminate 
their entire race if I could."

   "Remind me never to get you pissed at me."

   "Why not? You survived the last time. I’m sorry, Charley, 
but I have a real hatred for these Drakh."

   "So I, and everyone else, have noticed."

   "I’m going to CIC, Charley. I want to discuss some nasty 
tactics with the navigator and the S.W.C."

*****************************

   Gathered around the table in her ready room, Susan, the 
navigator, the cheng and the S.W.C. discussed Susan's latest 
attack tactics. Leftcourt and his fellow generals sat and 
listened. Leftcourt came to the conclusion voiced earlier by 
Sanchez, Susan was very scary and very dangerous. The tactics 
she was proposing now made those she had used earlier seem 
quite tame and sane by comparison. [Then again, it's what 
makes her such a damned good combat commander,] he thought 
to himself.

   "Then that's it, men. Let's get this show on the road as 
soon as possible. I’ll get an estimated time from Mister Kelly."

   The CIC personnel filed out going back to their GQ stations. 
Susan touched a communications panel controller built into the 
table. "D.C. Central, is Mister Kelly still down there?"

   "I'm still here, captain. What can I do for you?" He 
responded in a voice that betrayed fatigue and exhaustion.

   "Can you give me an estimate for the completion of the repairs 
you're doing?"

   "Let me get back to you, captain? I need to check with your 
people and mine to determine that."

   "Thank you, Mister Kelly."

   "You seem to defer to him, captain. Why?" Asked Marsh.

   "He's an expert in ship repairs. My people are experts at 
working under the worst conditions. They make a good team. I 
won't second-guess him, even though the final decisions are 
mine. He understands that and acts accordingly. I don't consider 
using all of my resources to the best of their abilities, 
deferring to anyone or anything. It’s good leadership. Nothing 
personal, but I don't think that is a concept you truly 
understand, General Marsh, based upon your performance on 
Babylon 5," shot back Susan.

   Before Marsh could respond, Leftcourt cut him off saying, 
"Let's leave the personalities out of this, people."

   "With all due respect, General Leftcourt, he questioned my 
command and leadership abilities, and I don't think he is 
qualified to do that, in spite of his senior rank," she threw 
back at Leftcourt.

   "Point made! Now! Let's end it!"

   The fire in Susan's eyes told Marsh that this woman would 
hand him his head if he didn't back off. She wasn't like Conrad 
or Owens. They were in a combat situation, she was in command 
and wasn't about to let anyone question that fact, least of 
all him.

   Sanchez, seeing that look, wished he was about twenty-five 
years younger. She was a spitfire in every positive way, complete 
with solid brass balls the size of a destroyer. Knowing, that 
Susan would love with the same intensity with which she fought, 
he envied Charles Wayne, and felt sorry for her enemies. This 
woman didn't do anything half-way.

*****************************

rest of part 4 because geocities is being the most god-awful pain the in ass MALFUNCTIONING TURTLE this week. *swear* *swear* *curse* *Laying hexes upon the programmers and whoever is restricting bandwidth/server abilities there*