Stolen Worlds

by Bob Blink

  "You have people on-site at the moment?" General Sokolov asked.

  "Nearby," General Easystone explained. "We also have planes airborne, equipped with hypersonic missiles with smaller nuclear warheads in case we have any of their vehicles turn threatening. We believe they are unaware of our presence, and have been trying to maintain that until we conclude whether there are other sites, which I think, based on the vehicle that didn't depart from the Outback, we can consider confirmed. We also need an agreed to plan of action."

  "What else have you not told us?" General Ming Tao asked.

  "This is recent information, less than an hour old," Dr. Allen said. "We have concluded that the magnetic signature is considerably different, and that a search pattern grid needs to be much finer. I have asked the details to be forwarded to your people, and would appreciate a coordination meeting with Dr. Bykov and Shen Tai to define regions each of us will search to minimize the time. The task is going to be significant without something to point us to more specific locations."

  "There is a site somewhere near China," General Ming Tao stated. "Our people cannot pin down the location from which their ship launched, but we are certain it is not far from China. We will want to search appropriately. We are very disturbed by the fact these creatures appear to have anti-matter weapons."

  "I suggest you allow us to go over the information you have sent, including the videos from the team in the Outback, then get back with you a bit later," Dr. Bykov suggested. It was not difficult to tell he was less than pleased with the way this discovery had been handled.

  Chapter 26

  The Internet was quick to spread the news that disaster had been avoided solely due to the efforts of the aliens, who for great many months had been portrayed as bad guys with the ultimate goal of destroying mankind. Those individuals closer to the situation suspected the alien's motivation was to prevent damage to the planet they were in the process of hijacking, but worried that the openness with which it had all been carried out might suggest that the creatures were aware that the earthlings had spotted them, and were making a show of just how formidable they were.

  For the average person, there was a great deal of confusion. It was apparent to those who had believed the official reports that there was a reasonable chance the asteroid would miss, that their elected officials had lied to them about the asteroid path, and that they had been just hours away from death, and most likely extinction of the human race. Those who had been convinced that death was hours away and had contemplated suicide or one of the other actions that had claimed so many, were shaken by the closeness of their own demise. Demonstrations sprung up across the United States to protest the falsehoods the government had fed them, and demanding to know what else about the alien situation was being misrepresented. A number of pro-alien cults had existed even before this had all started, and had now multiplied, both in number and membership, during the months of alien activity. Now, with the very obvious and open proof that the Earth was intact due solely to the good will of these unknown creatures, a pro-alien wave began to build, the leaders demanding that the government stand down from its efforts to engage the off-worlders. While the movement started in the United States, the power of social media and the Internet was quickly revealed as the movement rapidly spread around the world.

  "I wouldn't have thought you'd have this problem in your country," General Easystone said to General Ming Tao when they began their daily telecom and the other generals reported the growing crowds in Beijing and Moscow.

  "This is perfect proof as to why the average individual should not be allowed any say in the direction of his life," the Chinese General said sternly. "Unfortunately it is difficult in this case to take any serious action, or it will simply be taken as proof that it is the human government's that are the threat, and not these unseen creatures."

  "We need to get this resolved soon, or the aliens won't have to worry about any resistance at all," General Sokolov agreed.

  "I think it is time also," General Ming Tao said. "I am happy to report that we have located one of the alien bases here on Earth, using the site in the Australian Outback you provided the coordinates for as an example of what to search for. We have spotted another with the same magnetic anomaly. It is located nearby in Mongolia. We have also scouted the area and find the same kind of facility there."

  "Then that makes three," General Sokolov replied. "Russian scientists have also found such a site as well, this one located in the Western Sahara. It's like the other. Roughly a kilometer and a half in diameter, only a handful of vehicles. Sounds like the size they have scattered around the planet.

  "That makes three," General Ming Tao exclaimed. "It is clearly time to act."

  "We don't know if there are others," General Easystone said, disagreeing.

  "We might never know that for certain," the Chinese general argued. "We also don't know if our weapons will work. We don't know if they can detect them and shoot them down. We don't know a great many things. It is time to find out."

  "We should wait until we have completed a survey of the entire planet," Easystone urged. "It will only take a week more, and then we will know what we are dealing with."

  "Always you wish delays. We were ready to go on the offensive when the base on the moon was found, but unfortunately we had no weapons available. That is not the case now. China has waited enough. We held off for the telecom so we could coordinate, but now I am telling you that in just over eight hours, at 1400 GMT, we will be launching against this site. You should plan to act in coordination. Russia can take out the site they found, and the one on the moon. That seems very important. The sheer size of the moon facility indicates its importance. The United States is in a position to eliminate the site in the Outback. Then we will see. If those aren't enough to shut down their operation, we will have to re-plan, but with luck, we will scatter their efforts and gain insight into where the rest, if any, are hiding."

  "I think Russia agrees with the United States. We would like to have more information before we charge on ahead."

  "Fools! No more talk. China launches at the time I gave you. The vehicles are already fueled and armed. It is time to choose. I hope you choose wisely."

  With that, the Chinese General broke the link.

  General Easystone attempted to re-establish the connection, but it was being refused at the other end.

  "This is a poorly considered plan," General Easystone said. "He is trying to blackmail us into cooperating with his vision of how we do this."

  "Unfortunately, he will probably be successful. We have few choices," General Sakolov said. "Once the Chinese attack, any pretense that we are unaware of their presence or that we are plotting against them will be lost. They might strengthen their defense, go on an all out attack of their own, or something else equally detrimental to our situation. I fear we might have to support his plan, whether we think it prudent or not. I must admit, I half agree with him. I want to know if our weapons will be at all effective, or whether all is simply lost."

  "We are not prepared," General Easystone objected. "Something this important should be thought out in detail."

  "What else is there to prepare? We all have weapons that are only minutes shy of launch. I could have the site in the Sahara hit within the hour with no problems. I know you could do the same. I am going to inform our President now, and I am quite certain what he is going to direct. You should contact your President and plan the same. I hope we decide to do the same thing. Farewell, my friend."

  With that, the Russian also broke the connection, leaving General Easystone alone. He sat for a moment, considering all options, then sighed and requested a secure line to the White House.

  "We cannot proceed as they would wish us to do," President Williams explained, something that General Easystone already was aware of. He had called Secretary of Defense Mark Billings and the President to make them aware of the results of the phone call and the likely events to take place later in the day.<
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  "The site in the Outback is part of Australia, and independent country, a longtime friend of ours, and I am certain they would not take kindly to having nuclear weapons detonated on their territory, no matter what the cause. We would have to coordinate any such action with their Prime Minister, and it would likely be political suicide for him to agree to such an act."

  "They can't do it themselves, as they don't have any nuclear weapons of their own. Not only do they lack the infrastructure to create them, they are smart enough not to want the damned things," the President added.

  "Actually, the Australians do have a few in country," the General corrected. "Not the kind suitable for the job of attacking the alien site, but a dozen aircraft missiles with nuclear warheads."

  "When did this happen?" the President asked.

  "We sent them along with the warplanes we flew down just the other day when the decision was made to have an airborne presence capable of patrolling the site should we deem that advisable. The planes flew in with a full load of the newest hypersonic missiles with quarter ton nuclear warheads."

  "You flew aircraft across the Pacific with nuclear warheads in place?" the President asked.

  "Actually, the planes flew unarmed, but landed on one of our carriers just prior to the last leg into Australia," the Secretary explained. "They were then loaded up with the missiles and then flown into the country."

  "And the Australians agreed to this?" the President asked surprised.

  "They asked we keep it quiet for the reasons you just mentioned," General Easystone explained, "but the Prime Minister apparently felt the need was great enough to support the political risks."

  "So, the choices come down to violating their sovereign rights, and launch a missile attack into the Outback, trying to get their approval for the attack on short notice, or not attacking as our counterparts seem committed to doing," the President asked.

  "That's correct," General Easystone agreed, "however, both Mark and I are questioning the advisability and need for the attack. "There is a great deal we don't know about these bases, and one is whether the attacks will work at all, although the better question in my mind is not whether the weapons will perform, but is whether they will get through. A second issue is how many of the sites are there. I am convinced we haven't found them all. The spacing of the three we know about simply screams that there need to be others. So, how effective will the attacks be?"

  "We should be ready to act if the attacks by the Chinese and Russians elicit a response that is hostile and overly threatening, or if it appears the removal of some of the bases is having a partial effect that is ill-advised," the Secretary said.

  "Such as terminating the acceleration on the moon and not the Earth, or vice versa," General Easystone added. "As much as the Australians would object, there are situations where the fate of mankind might suggest we need to go forward. We just feel that a wait and see has advantages, especially if there is any chance of later capturing the site and some of the aliens. The intelligence and technology could be invaluable."

  "We should have planes airborne world wide," Secretary Billings said. "There might be a response that would warrant a confrontation, and it could occur in places we don't expect if forces from the as yet still hidden sites were to launch a counterattack."

  "And we can't encourage our "friends" to hold off on this attack?" the President asked.

  "It doesn't appear to be the case. Every attempt to contact them has been ignored. They have chosen a path, and intend to move forward."

  "I will have to inform the Australian Prime Minister of what is happening," the President said. "If we need to move forward, he will at least have had the time to move his troops away from the site in order to protect them. He might also wish to attempt a non-nuclear, more conventional assault at the time of the attack. If we are going to do it at all, that might be the time."

  "I would advise against it," General Easystone replied. "The troops would be going into an unknown situation. Waiting to see how things go gives us more options, and might suggest the best means of proceeding."

  "I'm going to call Prime Minister Harris. I want you to contact your counterparts and look into what scenarios to prepare for. I agree that we don't want to support the attack at the time the Chinese have dictated, but I want everything in place for a quick follow-up if it all goes sour. My fear is this could goad these alien creatures into outright elimination of our major population centers when we discover our weapons are not as effective as we all want to believe."

  "Yes sir," General Easystone said, glancing at his watch. We have less than five hours to get ready."

  Chapter 27

  Engagement

  The Russians had by far the largest task. Not only did they have the destruction of two separate facilities to coordinate, the bigger, and most likely the more critical site was on the moon where they had more limited resources and where they had never really tested the approach they considered using. Stealth was also a factor, so they couldn't simply do things the easy way.

  The three service missiles that would be used to deliver the bombs were ready for launch on their respective launchers. The Russian operators had launched such missiles before, but then it was to put small scientific payloads into lunar orbit. This was something new, and the fact that three vehicles were to be launched at very specific intervals had the team stressed and worried. Most also worried about the repercussions if the payloads failed to do their job.

  T-minus five, four, three, two, one.

  The missile fired its engines automatically at the specified time, without the controllers needing to take any action. They could have aborted the take-off, but had no manual control of the ignition, something unusual, but driven by the close timing concerns of this particular mission. The launch times had been loaded into the software and the countdowns progressed automatically.

  The bright flare of the engines was strange given the lack of sound to accompany the light and low rumbling felt through the control center. The lift-off was fast, another quirk of being on the moon with its low gravity. Very quickly the vehicle gained altitude, and then sped off into the distance, low and so close to the ground that it appeared destined to crash into the surface at any minute. It was out of sight before the engines imparted the required speed for the very low lunar orbit that was selected. There was still fuel remaining at engine cutoff, and the vehicle had the ability to fire again if needed to clear an obstacle that was higher than expected. Then, after a final burst of telemetry back to the base, the vehicle shut down all transmissions, the engines went silent, and it sped onward like any other piece of random space rock, circling the moon looking for the target coordinates programmed into its system, which it should reach at exactly 1400 GMT Earth time.

  The Russian base, the Fermi Crater site where the aliens were located, and the center of the moon defined a plane that contained all three locations and provided an orbital path that would be key to their attempt against the alien's moon base. All three locations were required to define a closed orbit. The goal was to come in low, unpowered, and hopefully unobserved, with two of the large RDS-202 bombs. The Russians wanted to come from two directions, one orbit passing over the north pole and wrapping around the back side of the moon, and the other, running around the Earth facing side of the moon before crossing to the back side near the south pole, and then moving up toward the Fermi Crater. Both would be very low altitude orbits, a few hundred feet over the moon's surface, just high enough to clear any mountains that were along the path. Lacking air, moon orbits were not restricted to the high altitudes as they were on the Earth.

  Coming at the target from the two directions meant that the time of flight was significantly different for the two vehicles, so the launch times would have to be carefully coordinated, with fine adjustment provided by the height of the orbit to ensure the two payloads arrived at the same time.

  Somewhat later at the programmed time the second rocket fired its engines, s
peeding off in the opposite direction, but otherwise mimicking the first. It would travel the other way around the shared orbit, taking less time, but arriving at the desired location at exactly the same time.

  A third bomb would also be sent, but this one following a more conventional ballistic missile track. They would launch it in a high arc, bringing it over the pole and coming down on the Fermi Crater from above. If the aliens were focused on any incoming vehicle, hopefully that would be the one. Once again, the flight times would be coordinated so the payload would arrive at the same time as the other two. Triggering of the bombs would be a dual format. Each bomb when triggered would send a firing signal to the other two so all would detonate simultaneously, so the first bomb to reach zero time should set all of them off. In the event the RF trigger failed to reach the other bombs, they would detonate when their own timer ran out, or upon impact.

  The crew sighed with a certain relief when the third and final vehicle completed its launch sequence and soared into the moon's black sky, on it's way to Fermi Crater to meet up with its counterparts. The flight for the last vehicle would be considerably different, and in many ways was meant to be a decoy, hoping to draw attention from the more covert flight profiles of the first two vehicles.

  The 50 megaton, RDS-202 bombs, known as the Tsar Bomb to Western Nations, were not conventional missile warheads, but once again, the lack of an atmosphere on the moon allowed for more leeway in the deployment vehicle. Aerodynamic streamlining was not a requirement as it would have been on Earth, although balance remained important. The launch vehicles they used were standard-duty rockets they had on the moon for a variety of tasks, and which would be consumed with the payload upon impact.