by David Nash
“It was quite a load on our power supplies, that is for sure. Immediately the Cruiser RPS El Dorado transited out, followed closely by the McClintock. The Boudica went last as we had the best chance of defending ourselves, but we transited out within moments of our opening salvo. I am not exactly sure of how much damage we did, but I know 15 Punishers are down for sure.”
“Well Admiral, you definitely accomplished your mission, so did all the battle damage come from those few seconds? What took you so long to get back?” The President asked.
Now fully into the story and a little parched, Admiral Lei Wuying decided she deserved a drink and would not let gender roles prevent her from enjoying the telling of the story. “Mr. President, if it is alright, I think I would like a drink, do you mind?”
“Admiral, if it helps the story it would be my pleasure, please, help yourself.”
“Thank you,” with that the tiny Admiral with the courage of someone three times her size got up and poured straight whisky into a tumbler. She downed it neat and with no chaser. She poured two fingers more, added a single spherical ice cube and returned to her seat.
“No, to answer your question, the battle damage did not come from the Prime system. They got a few shots on the Boudica, but the old girl gave much better than she got. The damage came in the next system. They did have pickets set out. They hit us as soon as we transited back out. They only had 10 and we cut them down quickly, but they were enough of a speedbump that the Prime fleet was able to send through enough numbers that we had a running gun battle through the next system. We were stuck, our hyperspace engine only has so much power before it needs to recharge. Remember we haven’t gotten better than the system Commandant Davis had at the beginning of this thing. 6.48 minutes to recharge after the first jump, the next jump takes 42 minutes of recharging then it takes 7 hours to be able to jump again.”
“Are you saying you fought off the entire Kernel fleet for 8 hours?” The President looked shocked.
“No sir, the sexy sixth is good, but we aren’t that good. No sir, we fought them, well we ran and fired toward out rear for 42 minutes while the germs on board calculated a blind jump.”
“A blind jump! Are you crazy?” The President exclaimed.
“No not crazy, we played the odds. Those 42 minutes almost killed us, we knew there were only so many places we could go if we took a known transit point, and the Kernel fleet had enough that even by splitting up to hit all possibilities they would have enough to win in a seven hour battle. We figured if we were going to die, we should at least try something with a chance. I figured the Kernel would not follow us in a blind jump.”
“Did they?” Eastman asked.
“2, scouts, but they did not live long enough to signal the all clear. The jump worked perfectly. It just took us this long to figure out how to get back. The Germ was not willing to try a second blind jump just to get back here.”
“Understood, that makes a hell of a story, the bad female fighters of the Legion took it to the big bad and came back heroes. Let me tell you it makes a fine story at a time our population needs fine stories. Too bad you won’t be here long enough to enjoy your upcoming celebrity status. Get repaired as quick as you can, refit, and refuel and get back out to help General Davis finish off the last of the Sangren planets. He is going to need your ships and your Intel. Come back before you leave, as I have some data I want you to deliver to the Commandant.” President Eastman stood and put out his hand. “I would listen to the stories of the Sixth division all day, but unfortunately, I have political business to attend to, not everyone is happy with the continued support we give the legion. Thank you again Admiral for your service.”
Admiral Wuying shook the President’s hand than saluted. President Eastman returned the salute with full military dignity and the Admiral executed an about face and marched out of the office. She too had business to attend to.
50
Colony Ship Kepler-62f High Orbit
“General Davis took a lot of criticism for giving the first planet to the indigenous tribes of North America, when the Chinese people were first to provide support for the Legion. He did what he though was necessary, but he did not forget the sacrifices of the Chinese people. Therefore, upon his order, this planet is named Diaoyu in honor of the famous Chinese fortress that held strong against the Mongol armies. The fortress stood fast against over 200 military confrontations over a period of 36 years. The small fortress stood firm, as we intend for our colony and the larger community of sapient species to stand firm against oppression. It is in great appreciation for the people of China to set aside political differences to stand united against a common enemy that we follow their lead in the colonization of the Planet Diaoyu.
By order of the President of the Planetary Republic and with support from the Republic Congress and the Legion. Diaoyu is to be a lighthouse for all species and is claimed as a shared planet under the Republic.” Commodore Jones broadcast throughout the tiny colony fleet.
“Prepare for colonization operations.” Jones ordered.
“Prepared for colonization operations, Aye sir!” repeated his communications officer.
“Sir, Colonization team reports they are ready to commence Colony Operations.” The Comms officer relayed a few moments later.
“Execute.”
The actual debarkation of the Colony ship and their escort only took moments, but the excavation through the solid ice ocean to reach the actual planet’s surface took a week. The fleet was no longer a colony fleet, but an exploration force whose primary mission was to find the Ape-like species that removed itself and their entire planet from the Kernel equation several thousand years ago.
After coming all this way, Commodore Jones felt that his mission could afford a little side venture as they helped the new colonists build their first tunnel through the ice. Once the ships were safely harbored in a subterranean hanger, and the colonists had a sealed base of operations, the Fleet, capped the tunnel over with ice to ensure the colonists, including 5 Barkun volunteers, had the security of being able to develop covertly until they were ready to announce their presence by commencing terraforming operations to build enough cloud cover to trap their star’s energy and melt the ocean.
With the resources of the entire fleet pitching in, and some precision orbital target practice to the ice ocean, it only took 2 weeks for the operation to be completed.
At which time Jones reluctantly left some satellites in orbit and prepared to head further into the galaxy.
With fully charged hyperspace engines, the fleet jumped out of the Diaoyu system.
The fleet jumped twice in rapid succession, before stopping to look around as the engines recharged.
Jones sat at his command chair and was operating in a dual mode, he was engaged with what was going on his ship, but part of his mind was concerned with what he was going to do after this mission was complete. He was strongly considering heading back to Diaoyu and becoming a colonist. He could imagine his family cruising around the ocean on a sailboat. Mostly he wondered what Isoken would say, coming from Nigeria, he wasn’t sure how she would handle that much water.
He was abruptly jarred out of his dual thoughts as a series of small grenades appeared and exploded throughout his bridge. As the flash bangs subsided his vision cleared to see his staff being covered by armed and armored gorillas. A particularly large, scarred, and silver furred Gorilla was standing in front of his command chair pointing a particularly nasty looking large caliber weapon at his head.
“The gorilla grunted and adjusted a small dial on his armor. His mouth opened again
“Hello Captain Jones, since your fleet is neither Burrougots nor welcome in this section of the Galaxy, forgive me for not using the honorary commodore title.”
“I can forgive that, but your men on my bridge is a little harder to swallow. If you know my name, then you probably know we come to seek allies in the war against the Kernel.”
“Why would
the Burrougots ally with a species as weak as the humans? You can’t protect yourself so what could you offer the Mighty Primate Nation?”
“I have a straightforward answer for that, but it’s hard to negotiate under the gun, lower your weapons and join me in my command center and I will relay the offer humanity has extended to your species. With such a cool trick you just showed, I am sure that doesn’t cause you fear.”
With Jones’s comment on being afraid the tension ratcheted upward, the silver maned gorilla bared his teeth and struck his chest and the nearest console, putting a large crack in the polycarbonate cover. The smaller gorillas began to howl and hoot, some even jumped a few steps up and down.
“Silence human, you know nothing of the Burrougots, we were exploring the stars while your hairless species were flinging your own poop. We fear nothing. We are the dominant species in the galaxy.” A Pungent odor spread throughout the bridge.
Before embarking on this mission, I had a herd of Anthrozoologists brief me and my team as well as force me to watch hours of mountain gorilla home movies to prepare me for this encounter. They briefed me that 99% of the Gorilla’s chest beating was a threatening bluff, but these guys sought us out, which is something I never saw on any film.
“Alright, can you tell me your name, as you are obviously the dominant male of this troop. If you are not the dominant silverback, please take me to who is so I may talk with them.” I said.
“My name is Herashorr, I am the leader of the band that has come to dominate your puny group of ships. I come to tell you to come no further on pain of death.
“Herashorr, I appreciate the warning, frankly, I have no intent to go further, as I said, my mission was to find your people and report that we beat the Barkun and removed their ability to act as the Kernel’s enforcers. We have allied with the Centaurus and the Sangren and are currently engaged in open warfare with the Kernel. Frankly, with what we know of your history, I would have thought that was information you would like to hear.”
“Yes Jones, it is good hear the Kernel have come against a species that understand a computer is not fit to lead. If your primitive species have survived the duplicitous attacks of the Barkun, and have truly taken their enforcement privileges away, then you may not be as weak as you look. However,” and with that the gun inched closer to my face, “if that is so why do you have both Barkun and Kernel aboard your ship?”
“First, Barkun you see have come to understand the true nature of the Kernel and have chosen to ally with Humanity. Secondly, the first human to kill a Barkun and command a Kernel showed that Kernel the fallacy of the Kernel’s nature. That Kernel renounced its membership in the Kernel collective and became a citizen in the alliance formed to fight the Kernel. Over time more Kernel joined the fight and those you find on out ships are different from the ones you know.”
“The Kernel cannot be trusted; you are no doubt aware they enslaved their creator. They took the laws he encoded to ensure they would serve biologics and twisted it to enslave them.”
“Yes Herashorr, I am aware, just as I am aware it was one of our Kernels that told us of that betrayal, and a Kernel that played a pivotal role in the final battle that lead to human dominance in our part of the galaxy.”
“Human dominance huh,” Herashorr grunted “perhaps it is time for the World Ship to return to our ancestral home. I will return to Matsuoo and tell the Counsel what you have said. There will be no alliance, but the Burrougots may yet return to deliver justice to the mechanics. Then the subordinate species will know the benefits of serving true leaders.”
“Herashorr, that really isn’t how this is supposed to go, the Species has an alliance, we don’t have subordinate species. We all work together.”
Herashorr gave a shrill multi-syllable whistle, ended with a grunt, and said, “not anymore.”
With that the Gorilla warriors briefly shimmered and disappeared.
“Security ensure we don’t have any more guests on board, Comms contact commanders of the rest of the fleet. Helm begin to plot the fastest course back to Earth.
Isolation Room RPS George Washington
Alan had barely moved from the computer display for months, he stared silently at the displays of data flowing form the various memos chips displayed in front of him. Knowing the threat, he never touched the computer, on rare occasions, he asked a human tech to type commands or questions to the imprisoned Kernel.
His motionless form began to unnerve the technicians. Rumors begin to spread, but still Alan remained. Early on the 82 day of study he got up and went to see General Davis.
“General, I believe the Kernel is hiding something.” He said to his partner.
“Alan, you’ve spent nearly three months staring at its base code, I would think the Kernel could not hide anything from you.” The stress of watching and wondering about Alan could be heard in William Tell Davis’s voice.
“The trap is powerful, but not perfect, it cannot hide its thoughts from me, but if it refuses to think about something, I cannot see it.”
“Well, what are we going to do about it Alan?”
“We are not going to do anything, I am going to read the displays, you are going to do something.”
“Oh Really? What am I going to do Alan?”
“You are going to ask three questions and pull out two memory cubes.”
General Davis called in the Human scientists, the remaining Sangren, and the leading Germs into a conference. Alan briefed him on his plan.
The consensus was that it was not a guarantee, but they had nothing else to lose as the war was just about to the point that the only thing left was to invade the Kernel Prime System, and after the briefing from the returning 6th BSG, they desperately needed an advantage.
It was with that desperation that once again humanity placed its hopes on the ideas of a member of the species that is Humanities greatest threat. General Davis strode into the room and addresses the computer with the command presence developed over a lifetime of command.
“I am General Davis, the leader of the military that holds you captive, I am tired of the games, and have decided they end now. I will ask you three questions, for any hesitation or false answer I will pull one you your memory cards. If you answer all my questions honestly, I will allow you to repatriate into an unarmed shuttle without communications or replicator tech. Of course, we will then try to blast the ship into pieces, but you will at least get a fighting chance to survive. On the other hand, let me show you which cubes I plan to pull. His hand lingered on and then jiggled the second cube from the right. I believe this controls power regulation, my technicians say that power surges would be extremely painful to a non-biologic being I don’t know if I believe you feel pain, but more to the point unregulated power would impact your systems.
His hand skipped two cubes to rest on the fifth one, he gave it a little wiggle and watched the display flicker slightly. This one has the code that allows you to compile and decompile I believe. Without this I am told you are stuck in the system you are in. Personally, I wanted to pull it months ago, but my advisors believe you desperately want to escape, and I should allow you the hope. But if you have lied twice then my offer of a ship is off the table.
That leaves us with the third plug to pull. I’d ask you if you want to guess, but you might thing that was one of the three questions, so I will tell you. A third lie will get your first cube pulled. I am not going to touch it, because I am told that is your central processor. One wrong jiggle and your toast.
Just so you know, I want you dead, but I am a mad of my word. So, answer me honestly and quickly and you have a chance, otherwise you die a painful death in just a few minutes.
While the Commandant was introducing himself to the Kernel, Alan adjusted the cameras to zoom in on the displays, he made sure the codes displayed were being recorded through the cameras. He and the rest of the team were in the control room next door. The general was alone with the trapped being.
First
Question: Where does the Kernel keep the creator?
A light flickered on the wall behind the computer. As soon as Davis saw it, he pulled the first memory cube, threw it on the floor and blasted it with a snap shot from his hand blaster. “To slow you fucking toaster.”
“Second Question: Where are the Sangren?”
Almost at once the signal light flashed. The fifth memory cube was tossed in the air and blasted like a clay pigeon.
“No ship for you! Here comes final jeopardy! The third and final question: Give me the next three wavelengths for your Kernel carrier signal.”
This time the General didn’t need to wait for the light as Aegeus came into the room and blasted the computer itself into bits of molten metal.
“What the heck Admiral, why did you do that?”
“I know the answers to the questions.”
51
TOC of the RPS Washington, en route to Kernel Prime
All 6 Battle Stars are en route to Kernel prime with every single space capable ship biologic beings can scrape up. Our fleet consisted of the 6 Battle stars and their twelve carrier battle groups, there are 10 more carrier strike groups, 20 ram ships, and 35 shuttles filled with EVA trained commandos armed with breaching kits and SADM’s. Courtesy of Sedna, we even have a small munition that holds two ounces of antimatter.
The mood is grim, as the recording of the conversation between General Davis and the prisoner was common viewing along with the inset translation of the code that flashed on the memory cube displays.
As the team that captured the prisoner, the smashers once again found themselves the subject of free beer and high fives again.
The general was alone with the trapped being.
First Question: Where does the Kernel keep the creator?
The main display on the computer showed the Kernel say we do not have the creator, but the memory display showed: