Hilda
“Hilda” King Oswald Gisking called out from the large viewport he stood next to with the shipwright of the Fireworth Yards, and waved her toward them.
Hilda walked towards the king from the small holographic display she had been staring at. The view of the newly constructed battleship was large in the viewport, and she realized how little the holographic display did it justice. It was common for the king to commission newly built ships before they were launched. It was a task, and a job which she had long grown tired of. Speech after speech, although this time there had been no speeches, not yet at least.
The large room was empty but for the three of them. King Oswald stood in his fine silk clothes, and the Shipwright’s clothes were common enough. Hilda wore The King’s Guard uniform, dressed to be seen in her ceremonial armor, and ready to act to defend the king at all times. Other members of the King’s Guard waited outside, and the yards were swarmed by members of the King’s Guard forces, and like her, they were all dressed to be seen.
The viewport had a commanding view of the battleship. Hilda was somewhat familiar with it, at least it’s class. She had served on a battleship before she became a member of the King’s Guard, although that service had been short and ended with her promotion to the King’s Guard, and death of her own mother.
“It’s a beautiful ship is it not?” the king asked her with a gentle smile.
“Of course lord king,” Hilda agreed, and returned the smile. In truth one ship looked much the same to her, but the new Sword class Battleship did have a certain charm to it. “I commend you on her Shipwright Redhand,” she said with a simple nod to the man who stood next to the king.
“Thank you Ser Jade,” The shipwright replied with a humble bow.
“Do you know it’s name Hilda?” Oswald asked Hilda.
Hilda looked at her king, and did her best not to shrug. The name of one starship was much like that of another. There were too many to count or care. “No lord king, I do not.”
King Oswald flashed Hilda a beaming smile, and then looked back through the view point, and held his arm out. “I give you the ‘Jade Grip’.”
Hilda held her eyes on the king for a long moment before she turned, and looked at the starship, and spoke. “You,” she said and stopped to swallow, but kept her eyes on the starship. “You named it for my mother,” she said, and tried not to allow the tears to form in her eyes.
“Of course,” The king said. “My beloved Jade. My fierce and loyal companion. Bravest of my King’s Guard.” Oswald fell silent for a moment. “She is a fearsome ship I am told, like your mother.”
“A crew of fifteen thousand,” Shipwright Redhand cut in. “It only has a small number of hangar bays. Forty two starfighters, two Corvettes, and a frigate, along with a number of other support craft, but it’s real power,” the Shipwright paused and licked his lips. “Twenty five railgun cannons, fourteen anti-ship cannons, a hundred and twenty five light railgun cannons, with seventy five laser cannons, ten plasma cannons, and fifty missiles tubes. It only has fifty point defense cannons, but the hull plating…”
King Oswald cut the shipwright off. “As I said, a fearsome starship. A battleship a match for even the Furse raiders which still trouble our borders.”
“She would have loved it lord king,” Hilda said and fought back tears. She would have to study the technically specs of the ship itself, she doubted it could stand up to a Furse Battleship, much less the fearsome Star Carriers, but it might be able to hold its own against the Commonwealths own Victory class Dreadnought or Star Talon Carriers, maybe.
“She will need a crew, and a captain when she is ready to launch in a few weeks,” Oswald said, forcing Hilda from her own thoughts. “That is if you don’t accept the offer yourself.”
Hilda stared at King Oswald in disbelief. She heard what he said, but she couldn’t let herself believe him.
“What do you say, Captain?” King Oswald asked Hilda with a large smile.
“You can’t be serious?” Hilda finally asked, still in shock. She was only twenty years old. She was the youngest member of the King’s Guard of the Commonwealth, and even those orders of the former kingdoms that had made up the Commonwealth. She had dreamed of commanding a warship like her mother one day, but she had never thought so soon. Maybe in five or ten years, but never so soon.
“I have twelve King’s Guards,” King Oswald said. “Rarely are they ever all here together. It is not your duty to forever follow in my footprints. You are my hand and a symbol of my power. Eleven of my King’s Guard command their own ships. It is time you took command of yours, and what better one could that be?”
“I, I just thought it would be years from now,” Hilda said as she still tried to grasp what was happening.
“If you do not wish…” the king began but was cut short by Hilda.
“No.” She said quickly. “I accept, of course I accept Lord King,” she told him with a smile. “Thank you Lord King,” she said as she pulled herself together, and did everything in her power not to hug her king in front of the shipwright.
“Excellent, I shall leave you with shipwright Redhand to go over details of your new command, King’s Guard Young and North will escort me planet side to the palace. There will no doubt be much for the two of you to talk about, and you will need to begin assessing members of the King’s Guard Forces for a suitable crew.”
“Thank you Lord King,” Hilda replied with a bow.
“Of course Lord King,” Shipwright Redhand said with a more formal bow.
King Oswald bowed gently to Hilda, and shipwright Redhand before he turned and left the compartment.
Hilda looked at the ‘Jade Grip’ once again. No longer did it look just like any other starship. No longer was it just some ship of cold steel, and faceless crews. It was hers. She smiled, and looked to shipwright Redhand. “Tell me everything there is to know about her. Every detail.”
