Adrift

Adrift The Lost Warship Book One Daniel Gibbs Contents CSV Lion of Judah BlueprintsStarchart - Sagittarius/Orion ArmsFree Daniel Gibbs BooksAlso Available from Daniel GibbsChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35EpilogueFree Daniel Gibbs BooksAlso Available from Daniel GibbsAcknowledgments Adrift by Daniel Gibbs Copyright © 2022-2023 by Daniel Gibbs Visit Daniel Gibbs website at www.danielgibbsauthor.com Cover by Jeff Brown Graphics—www.jeffbrowngraphics.com Additional Illustrations by Joel Steudler—www.joelsteudler.com This book is a work of fiction, the characters, incidents and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. For permissions please contact [email protected]. For more detailed specifications, visit http://www.danielgibbsauthor.com/universe/ships/lion-of-judah/ Get Two free Daniel Gibbs Books FREE BOOK: Read the story of Levi Cohen and his heroic fight at the first battle of Canaan in Echoes of War: Stand Firm. FREE BOOK: Join Captain James Henry as he tries to survive in the independent worlds after being cashiered out of the Coalition Defense Force. Can a broken man rebuild his life? Find out in A Simple Mission. Both available FREE, only at www.danielgibbsauthor.com/standfirm. Also Available from Daniel Gibbs Battlegroup Z Book 1 - Weapons Free Book 2 - Hostile Spike Book 3 - Sol Strike Book 4 - Bandits Engaged Book 5 - Iron Hand Book 6 - Final Flight Echoes of War Book 1 - Fight the Good Fight Book 2 - Strong and Courageous Book 3 - So Fight I Book 4 - Gates of Hell Book 5 - Keep the Faith Book 6 - Run the Gauntlet Book 7 - Finish the Fight The Lost Warship Book 1 - Adrift Book 2 - Mercy Book 3 - Valor Book 4 - Justice (Coming in 2023) Book 5 - Resolve (Coming in 2023) Book 6 - Faith (Coming in 2023) Breach of Faith (With Gary T. Stevens) Book 1 - Breach of Peace Book 2 - Breach of Faith Book 3 - Breach of Duty Book 4 - Breach of Trust Book 5 - Spacer’s Luck Book 6 - Fortune’s Favor Book 7 - The Iron Dice Deception Fleet (With Steve Rzasa) Book 1 - Victory’s Wake Book 2 - Cold Conflict Book 3 - Hazards Near Book 4 - Liberty’s Price Book 5 - Ecliptic Flight Book 6 - Collision Vector Courage, Commitment, Faith: Tales from the Coalition Defense Force (Anthology Series) Volume One 1 CSV Lion of Judah Lusitania LaGrange Point—Terran Coalition Space 12 December, 2463 Major General David Cohen exited his day cabin and turned toward the bridge, exchanging salutes with the Terran Coalition Marine Corps sentries guarding the double-sized hatch. As he strode into the combined combat information center and bridge, David pulled on his cover—a navy-blue ball cap emblazoned with the Lion's silhouette. "General Cohen on the bridge," Master Chief Rebecca Tinetariro intoned. Enlisted crewmen and officers not strapped into their stations sprang to attention and saluted. "As you were," David said as he returned their salutes. "Got them on their toes, even on our last day out, Master Chief?" "Of course, sir." Tinetariro grinned in a way that would've made David's blood run cold if he had still been an enlisted soldier. "Ship's status, XO?" David asked. The sizeable Saurian officer in the center of the bridge, Talgat Aibek, was a member of the Royal Saurian Navy exchange program with the Coalition Defense Force. He had served with them for three years, and his reptilian form was a fixture. "All systems nominal, sir. Ready for our final jump." Aibek grinned, showing the extra row of teeth Saurians possessed. Humanoid in appearance, they lacked hair and instead had multicolored scales on their heads. "Excellent." David walked across the deck to the commanding officer's chair, positioned directly beside Aibek's. "This is General Cohen. I have the conn." "General Cohen has the conn. Aye." David dropped into the oversize chair, and his gaze swept the room. An experimental warship, the Lion of Judah held the first antimatter reactor deployed by the Terran Coalition. It was among a handful of vessels that contained the new CDF technology and had been instrumental in defeating the League of Sol. "Navigation, confirm Lawrence drive coordinates." "Coordinates for Canaan high loop nine confirmed, sir," First Lieutenant Shelly Hammond replied. "Well, I don't see any reason to delay our homecoming. Navigation, engage Lawrence drive." After spending his entire adult life in service to his country, fighting the League of Sol in various capacities, David was ready for continued peace. After decisively winning the Third Battle of Canaan—thanks in no small part to his and the Lion's efforts—the Terran Coalition had dictated terms to their defeated foe. After that, the conflict had shifted. Instead of fighting daily battles with the overwhelming numerical superiority of the communist League, the CDF grappled with how to win the peace. Which is why we just spent the last three months flying the flag and delivering humanitarian aid across the Independent Systems Federation. Ahead of the ship, a vortex began to take shape. The Lawrence drive generated an artificial wormhole between two points in space, allowing the vessel to travel vast distances in the blink of an eye. As the kaleidoscope of colors swirled in the void, the maw of the tunnel opened. "Navigation, take us in. Communications, signal our escorts to follow. No need for them to waste multiple jumps." "Aye, aye, sir," First Lieutenant Robert Taylor, the Lion's first-watch communications officer and cryptology specialist, replied. David had experienced thousands of wormhole