“That means that he answers to Vice-Admiral Weiskoff.”
“That is true, Captain. However, if you want qualified people within the Sasania colony, he is the person to speak to.”
“Thank you, Sire. That will be our next stop. Do you know, have the Sasania colonists been injected with nanites, yet?”
”No, Captain. King Ardishar has forbade it, stating that it would taint the blood.”
“Bad for them. Good for us. Sub-Captain, take Eton and get us our bridge crew. And find us some medical people.”
“Roger that, Cap.”
“Now, one last request, Your Lordship.”
Lord Kaporine flicked his ears in humor.
“Back to Lordship, is it? It must be a large request.”
“Well, kind of, Sire. As you know, the Ballisons are pacifists. Gypsy has no weaponry.”
“You want weaponry. Gravity cannons.”
“If you could supply them.”
“Captain Long?”
“Yes, Eton?”
“Are you planning on mounting weaponry on the hull of Gypsy?”
“That’s my idea.”
“If you do, the wormhole generator will no longer be operational.”
“What? Why not?”
“The hull, Captain Long. It is comprised of a very particular compound. The shape is also specifically designed for wormhole travel. If the hull is compromised or modified, the harmonics between the wormhole generator and the ship will breakdown.”
“Oh. I didn’t know. Well, cannons are out.”
“Um, Cap?”
“Yes, Sub-Captain?”
“Gravity rockets. Eton, can we open the cargo bay ramp in space?”
“Yes, Sub-Captain Baker. But not while traversing a wormhole.”
“Would we need to withdraw the atmosphere whenever we do?”
“No, Sub-Captain Baker. If the cargo bay ramp is dropped, an energy field is generated which retains the atmosphere.”
“Can anything pass through this energy field?”
“Yes, Sub-Captain Baker. This energy field is specifically designed to trap only atmosphere. All other objects can pass through the shield.”
“That’s the answer, Cap. Gravity rockets. We push them out the back, fire them up and voila! Weaponry.”
“Nice.”
“Lord Kaporine, that is my request. May I request that you have Wisdom Seeker manufacture gravity rockets for Gypsy?”
“Certainly, Captain. How many?”
Kimberly tapped some icons on her personal tablet.
“Eton, here are the specifications for gravity rockets. Please connect to my tablet and receive the data.”
Kimberly stood, leaving behind the nanite constructed chair. Holding out her tablet, she waited as Eton pulled a cable from his chest and connected to her tablet.
“I have received the specifications for the gravity rockets, Sub-Captain Baker.”
After disconnecting, Kimberly returned to her chair while Eton resumed his position on the far side of the room.
“Eton, how many rockets can be stored in, say, a quarter of the cargo bay?”
“If each rack holds twenty-five rockets and are stacked two wide and two deep, three layers can be stacked within twenty-five percent of the cargo bay. Three hundred rockets, Captain Long.”
“Three hundred rockets, Your Lordship.”
“I shall put in the request, Captain. Anything else?”
“We need killer-bee pilots.”
“I believe that we have some young warriors which would love to train and travel the stars. How many?”
“Four pilots would do, Sire. That way we would have our own a mini fighter wing.”
”See? Outside the box. Get Bachman on making us some killer-bees. Sub-Captain, your to-do list just got longer.”
“What if Bachman refuses?”
“Not an option. You worked him once. Do it again.”
“We really need a procurement officer.”
Aboard Frigg
Promptly at oh-nine hundred, the shuttle from Vengeance set down in Frigg’s landing bay. The gates closed and atmosphere poured in. Once the landing bay filled, a hatch opened and the spaceman on duty marched to the shuttle’s tail. The gate dropped. The spaceman smartly saluted as Vice-Admiral Weiskoff strode through the dropped ramp.
After a salute of his own, Weiskoff requested, “Permission to come aboard.”
“Permission granted, Vice-Admiral. Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you, Spaceman.”
“The Fleet-Admiral is waiting in his wardroom, sir. If you will follow me?”
Weiskoff waved an approval and followed. After reaching the wardroom, the Spaceman rapped twice on the hatch.
“Enter,” the two of them heard.
The Spaceman dogged the hatch, swung it open and stepped back. Weiskoff the third stepped through.
“That will be all, Spaceman. Close the hatch.”
With a salute, Frigg’s crew member followed the Fleet-Admiral’s orders and left.
The clank of the hatch signified the beginning of an intense meeting.
The Vice-Admiral saw the Fleet-Admiral sitting behind his desk, arms crossed, eyes furrowed.
“Sit.”
Recognizing that this would not be a father/son talk, Weiskoff the Third formally sat.
“You were jerking around those Mars people. What weren’t you telling them?”
“I may have held back how I got the jump drive.”
“I figured that. You got it back from Marston.”
“Well, not exactly.”
“I know you have a thing about Marston. So, spit it out.”
“Um, I didn’t discover how to use the jump drive. Marston did. Him and an alien race called the Elonians. Cat people.”
“What happened to the Ballisonians?”
“Marston discovered them, too.”
“Then you’re telling me that this retired major is the one that got the alien tech together so that you could beat back the Mortek.”
“Not exactly.”
“Gods! This is like pulling teeth! Start from the beginning. Don’t leave anything out.”
The scowl on the senior Weiskoff’s face deepened as he glared at his son. His son cleared his throat and began.
Weiskoff the Third described how the Federacy was being slaughtered. When he described his defensive actions, with the help of Lawrence Gregor, he got a rise out of his father.
“What? You went into cahoots with that crime boss?”
“He had a lot of resources. A lot of equipment and supplies. He had already begun pulling everything back to Tolimar. He planned on making his stand there. The Federacy Space Force had been smashed. We had lost Nye-Nippon and were losing Bridgelen. You know that. I took Odin to Corrinar. Then I learned about Gregor and his plans.”
Weiskoff internally cringed when he had to explain the next part.
“It seems that Gregor had had his own shipyard all along. In Arium. Complete with his own manufacturing capabilities.”
“A full shipyard. And you never found it.”
“No, Father.”
“Continue.” The scowl reflected the senior Weiskoff’s disdain.
“Gregor had already pulled his people from Novius and gotten them to Tolimar. He had formed an alliance with the Tolimarians and had begun to build a fortress on the planet. When we arrived, we attempted to conscript him and his people. They refused. So, we formed a truce. And that was when we worked to form a more formidable defensive plan. I have it all recorded. I can send you a copy.”
“Do it. Where does Marston and his jump drive fit in?”
“We had set up a gauntlet for the Mortek fleet, with the plan of whittling it down so that we could crush what remained when it got through Corrinar and Arium.”
“And?”
“We succeeded in destroying a lot of Mortek tonnage. But not enough. What arrived in Tolimar was too large. We were in the process of getting our
butts kicked. The Mortek had even landed on Tolimar and were in the process of invading Gregor’s fortress.”
“I’m guessing that that’s when Marston showed up.”
“Yes. when Marston showed up with his executive transport, he broke the siege.”
“Just one ship? No fleet of his own?”
“That came later. He ran off the remaining Mortek with just his executive transport.”
“Now loaded with alien tech.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So, you didn’t discover the jump drive.”
“No, sir.”
“What other alien tech?”
“Gravity generators, sir. Like I said, we have normal gravity on Vengeance.”
“Do you have access to that tech?”
“Only the gravity generator. I have reopened Calius. Dr. Wellington and his team have the schematics. They are building their first gravity generator now. It is to be done by the time we return.”
“Well, there’s that.”
“And gravity rockets. We can build rockets that hold high-capacity generators and destroy anything they hit.”
“What else? What other tech did Marston come up with?”
“A defensive shield. He can cloak his ship in an energy shield that makes it impervious to any weaponry. Proton cannons, laser beams, even missiles and rockets.”
“Is all that in Vengeance?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, shut up about Marston and all. I don’t want the Mars people to know about how much you don’t control.”
“Why not?”
“Because, you heard them. They are thinking about making an offer for us to settle on their lands. We need something to give back in return.”
“But, Father! We’ve saved the Federacy. Aren’t you coming back?”
“Look, son. I’m seventy-seven years old. I could die in the grey if I go back. We lost one-hundred and twenty-nine ships in transit. Almost one-hundred thousand souls. There remains almost one-and-a-half million people. I don’t see us going back.”
“But, Father! Cencore is our home.”
“Not anymore. The Mortek destroyed it. You said so. We destroyed our manufacturing and shipyard stations. No. if I can negotiate a deal, those who want to stay will stay. Anyone who wants to return can.”
“But,”
“It’s final, Son. Now, here is what you are going to do. First, you are going to get back to Calius and retrieve those gravity generator plans. Then you are going to get back here with them, along with a working model. Understand?”
Weiskoff the Third hung his head when he answered.
“Yes, Father.”
“With the generator and plans, I can negotiate from a position of strength. Without that, we are just paupers with our hands out. You will get me that generator.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Good. Next, you will invite Marston and his people to visit us.”
“But, Father, Marston is a criminal.”
“Who controls this jump drive technology?”
“The super artificial intelligence on Ballison.”
“Who controls the A.I.?”
“Marston and Suzume.”
“The interplanetary ambassador?”
“No, his daughter, Keiko.”
“Then, she’s invited, too. The same with this energy shield?”
“Yes. It is Ballisonian technology, also.”
“Get those two here. Don’t worry. I will keep you in the loop.”
“I have no control over them. Or the Elonians.”
“You have fallen a long way, Son.”
“No! I organized the counterthrust! Humanity is saved because of me! I saved the Federacy!”
“With the help of Marston and his aliens. Be that as it may, I am going to do everything I can to get our people settled here.”
“If you are not going back, then I am the leader of the Federacy Space Force!”
Weiskoff Senior sighed. Even though he loved his son, his love didn’t blind him to his son’s failings.
“Yes, you are. If what you said is true, It’s all yours. There. You have your incentive. If I can get my people settled here, you can have the Federacy.”
“Put it in writing.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, boy. I will. When you get me that gravity generator. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Good. How long is it going to take?”
“Four jumps, with a day recharge in between. A day onsite. Three days back.”
“A week. You have a week. Two, at the most. Get me that generator. And get that Marston here. This Keiko, too. Go!”
Aboard Vengeance – Sol System
The entire crew of Vengeance felt Weiskoff’s rage as he stormed off the shuttle. The Spaceman on duty saluted and received none in return. The deck clanged as Weiskoff stomped towards the lift. Everyone in the landing bay kept their heads down, working to not be noticed. They all sighed with relief when the Vice-Admiral disappeared up the shaft.
Upon reaching the bridge, Weiskoff didn’t wait to sit down.
“Captain, we’re leaving at oh-six hundred, tomorrow.”
“Where to, sir?”
“Calius.”
“What about your family?”
“Right. I will talk to them in my wardroom. We’ll be landing Money Gulper in the bay.
“I will get her space requirements and get her landed, Admiral.”
“And get a medical team on her. I want my family watched full-time while we are jumping.”
“Immediately, sir.”
“Good. Get it done. Today. And get us out of here, Captain.”
“Aye, aye, Admiral. Oh-six hundred, tomorrow.”
The bridge crew repeated the actions of the landing bay. They kept their heads down and stayed small. After Weiskoff left the bridge, they too sighed with relief.
“I think Number Two put a bee in our Vice-Admiral’s bonnet, Captain.”
“Ya think, Mr. Harding?”
Aboard UMCR Hightower One
The luxuriousness of Lord Cedric’s personal quarters dwarfed that of Hightower One’s formal conference room. Although much smaller, the credits spent for the leader of the Hightower family’s comfort dwarfed any other space on the ship.
Within this lap of luxury, in his personal office, Lord Cedric sat at his desk, his custom-made boots magnetically holding him to the floor. Across from him, his nephew, Sir Reginald, and his nephew’s executive assistant, Victoria, took the roomy couch. Chairman George Musselman commandeered his usual spot, the matching, comfortable chair.
“Comments?”
“Well, Uncle, if what Vice-Admiral Weiskoff said is true, there is definitely alien technology that we want to get our hands on.”
“Reggie’s right, Cedric. We get ahold of that gravity generator, we become the biggest dogs in the whole junk yard.”
“It will come at a pretty price, George.”
“I’m not thinking so. In fact, we may be able to obtain it for almost nothing. I think that the Vice-Admiral’s father, the Fleet-Admiral, is at the end of his rope. He’s got boatloads of people and he wants to do them right. And I’ve got the land to put them on.
“I agree, George. He seemed to almost beg that we give him and his people a place to settle. He didn’t ask for anything more than land. With you offering Launch Town, that settles the land issue.”
“The son though, he’s the problem, Uncle. He wants his father to take everyone back. He wants everything like it was.”
“If what the Fleet-Admiral says is true, then there’s a whole bunch of planets that have been run over and burned down. No way is the kid gonna get his wish.”
“If I read the son correctly, Lord Cedric, he doesn’t care about the people. He only cares about power and control.”
“I think you are right, Victoria. If we deal with him, it would be a hard slog.”
“Then we go directly at the Fleet-Admiral. Let him handl
e his son,” Sir Reginald stated.
“The father is the one we target. We sideline the son.”
Lord Cedric finalized the discussion while he pressed a button on his intercom.
“Burgess, would you please extend an invitation to Fleet-Admiral Weiskoff for dinner and discussion this evening?”
“Immediately, sire,” everyone heard back.
“Uncle, you know that Weiskoff Junior is going to come. Maybe you should have Senior bring some of his people. We can sell them all at the same time.”
“Good idea, Nephew. That will dilute Junior’s control. Burgess, extend the invitation to, say ten people.”
“Yes, Sire. Immediately, Sire.”
“Another thought, Uncle. If Mr. Musselman gives them Launch Town, we won’t have any leverage. What will we use to go after the other tech? Specifically the jump drive?”
“I really wish that we had the jump drive six years ago. Then our exploratory mission to Alpha Centauri wouldn’t be only half done.”
“True, Uncle. Another four-point-seven years before we receive any messages. With that jump drive, from what the Vice-Admiral said, we could have been there in a day. Maybe we should open the negotiations with the jump drive on the table.”
“No, Reggie. That’s a big get. Let’s stay with the gravity generator. See if it really works or if they’re just blowing smoke.”
“I think you’re a little wrong-headed about Weiskoff not needing us, Reggie. Earth won’t give them a free ride. The Fleet-Admiral and his people will be dependent on us to get them settled in and give them the resources to be self-sustainable. That is where we go hunting for the jump drive.”
“Are you sure that the UEN will allow the Federacy people to settle in Launch Town? They won’t like having the UMCR establish a colony on Earth.”
“No. they won’t. So, we’re going to be in for some nasty negotiations. Like George said, though, credits build all bridges.”
“It’s going to take lots of credits, Uncle.”
“Yes. Because of that, we will need to devise a way to make Launch Town profitable and get some of those credits back to the Colonies.”
“This just gets more and more complicated. But, first, we need to formalize negotiations with the Weiskoffs.”
Future in the Stars Page 20