by David Nash
Marvin spoke through the implant. “Sir, am I allowed to attend the meeting?”
“Marvin,” I replied “How could you not, you have read the documents through the implant and were privy to my conversations with Sabol. However, the discussion is for citizens only. You and your ensigns have every right to be heard. You will come to the meeting as their representative, but not to represent the Kernel as a whole. Understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Marvin, consider this process confidential outside of the command group. I do not want to start any rumors.”
“Of course sir.”
I invited Commander Aegeus to my suite to discuss the finer aspects of galactic culture.
“Aegeus, I make it a point to always verify facts before I make an assumption, I have noticed something and I want to ask you about it.”
“Go ahead.”
“I noticed that all the citizens of the Confederation besides Human use Greek names. I know both the Sangren and the Barkun have been on Earth for thousands of years, would you please explain the connection?”
“I was wondering when you would notice. What I am about to tell you is more of a legend than a historical fact. No living being knows the truth and the Kernels will not discuss anything related to the topic. We believe the original creator of the Kernel of Sentience was from a species that formed the basis for the Greek pantheon.
This is not to say they were gods, but that they were sufficiently advanced that their technology looked to be magic to the earliest species that evolved into sentience. Their culture created the idea of elected representatives and the rule of law. Each species that becomes advanced enough to gain protected status is, let us just say given, the relevant greek culture to jump start their cultural advancement. For some it is enough to eventually form the stable governments needed to advance technologically, for most it is not.
The Sangren are the species with this role. The Sangren Udom performed this task on Earth. He guided Earth’s development by acting as the Delphic Oracle. Alejandra was the basis of the wolf story as he took Romulus and Remus under his care when their father abandoned them. It was his guidance that allowed them to form the start of the Roman empire.
The Sangren do not understand everything about the Kernel of Sentience, but we do play a large role in developing and protecting emerging species. We have had a fundamental disagreement with the Barkin concerning how Confederation law is enforced but since our greatest general submitted to the will of the Kernel and became ridden we have chosen to renounce military force.”
“So what happened to them? Where did Zeus and the others go?”
“We don’t know, that is lost to history. I suspect the Kernel know, but anything approaching that discussion brings intense reaction.”
“Thank you Commander, as always, your guidance has been helpful.”
“You are most welcome General.”
I needed to think, and to do that I had to get away from my apartment, I chose to walk the base. Seeing the Legionnaires working always brought me comfort and allowed me to calm my mind. As I walked the nearly empty halls I noticed the officer mess was conspicuously empty. Legion Leaders privately formed small discussion groups or remained alone to digest the momentous decisions concerning the formation of a Government.
The next morning’s meeting turned into an all day affair, and the debates were as thoughtful as they were serious. Cultural issues came to a head as those that originated in communist culture have a hard line stance as atheists, while others, including myself, fought for an acknowledgement of a divine hand in our creation. While we remained on a war footing and essential tasks took precedence, the formation of government remained in the forefront of all of our minds. Nightly discussion groups formed.
Groups similar in ideology of the American Federalists and Anti-Federalists formed as the different factions worked to ensure that their agendas were addressed. The air of excitement was contagious and while the individual Legionnaires were not privy to the reason, they knew something was brewing and that their leaders were excited about it. The soldier rumor mill being what it was I heard whispers of secret weapons, Barkun surrender, incoming Earth Troops, and even new species being located. I admit, I have not been this excited for anything during my life. I am a proud parent as I watch the Legion evolve into something more, but I still fear for it as I know we have to go on the offensive soon.
It does not take long before Marvin informs me the Seeds are ready. On this trip I do not go, as I need to visit Earth. In my stead, I send CNO Admiral Johns so he can see first hand the abomination that the Kernel has made.
As he prepares to leave, I prepare a convoy of a mothership, a few busses and a destroyer escort to visit Earth, I need to meet with the rest of my team on Earth to see how their defensive operations are going, make preparations with Earth’s leadership, and collect new recruits. We always approach a trip to Earth as if it will be the last for a while, but as we approach the start of offensive operations, I have a feeling this may actually be the last for a while. We don’t have massive amounts of mass to take to Earth, as we have been busy creating ships and suits, but we do manage to fill our fighters with power units and the rare elements needed to build much of the technology we have shared with Earth. Plans were finalized, and soon both groups were ready to depart on our mission. Johns and I shook hands, wished each other good luck, and we both departed.
25
The decision to fill command slots with Navy staff, especially those with submarine and carrier service was a good one. Admiral Volk was able to sneak us into Earth orbit with little trouble. As always, I like to sneak in, and then blast out trying to bag a new punishment ship or two.
Once I was on Earth, I received many surprises. Sabol and Hall were busy, as were my engineers led by Farholm and Oni. One big surprise was that Farholm was starting to show a roundness in her abdomen. My spook was proud, and I was invited to the wedding. However, he had a lot of success in other areas as well, and while I was a little angry at the level he took it too, I calmed down when he reminded me that other than secrecy I really gave him no limits.
Commander Hall realized that he needed a neutral location to operate from as a legion outpost on Earth. For many reasons, he could not squat on American territory. The United Nations as a whole, as well as individual national leadership were cooperative, which I assume stems from an understanding that any dissenters would be assumed to be Barkun infiltrators, but no one was willing to give up sovereign territory to a foreign power. Leave it to Hall to come up with something novel.
He and the President approached the tribal council of the Moapa, which is a tribe of Paiute Indians. They lived on a reservation consisting of some 75,000 acres near Las Vegas, placing them near to Area 51. Once the leadership realized the conversation was real, Hall opened trade negotiations. The tribe had real issues with unemployment. If the Tribe would allow the Legion to operate an Embassy of sorts on tribal land, he offered not only employment, but promised to trade tribal land for the right to colonize a planet in the future.
He sold it as a type of intergalactic wind talker operation. I admit, I was impressed by his ingenuity, and it did wonders for production of planetary defenses, and solved a variety of legal issues. However, I told him that in the future, he needed to run all offers of planets through the chain of command.
Pregnancy did not slow down my technical team either; Dr. Farholm made some breakthroughs in cloaking technology. She and Dr. Asku were working on cloaking technology and when Dr. Farholm realized that the cloak was not a single device but a multitude of devices that each addressed individual items that could be used to locate a ship she and the Sangren focused on what was the hardest energy to block. This led the researchers to realize that the Kernels used a carrier signal for communications. Further investigation showed this signal operated though hyperspace and not on the electromagnetic spectrum. They discovered a way to track the signal as well as had some limited
ability to block it. I asked if that signal was used for the implants and was told that it was. Their newest priority was to figure out how to block it. If I could block the Kernel listening device in my head, then the team could actively plan to end their slavery operations.
We had several battalions’ worth of recruits. Most were working production of defensive tech, and most of the world’s command structure had some small shields and cannons designed to break apart kinetic weapons. However, I had a little over a battalion of various nations’ infantry ready for training at McCall. Finally, I even have some French Foreign Legionnaires to join. I will never understand the French though; they were both proud and ticked that I named my first planet after their headquarters.
Sabol was doing well at funneling profits into creating control of the technical industry. He had bought or controlled just about every tech company or major manufacturer in North America as well as two major Asian conglomerates. He is listed as one of the top 10 billionaires in the world and is considered a genus for all the new technology he has patented. I imagine it will break his heart when he has to sign control of “his” patents over to the citizenry of Earth.
What has me the most surprised is how rapidly my team has been able to put weapons in space. Covertly the world’s governments have allowed the Legion to control virtually all space activity and under the guise of free worldwide wireless communication Sabol and the Legion have created a massive net of satellites that can provide the wireless internet cover. However, their real mission is to search for the Kernel communication signal. The satellites are weaponized with ion cannons and limited shielding. The goal is a planetary shield, but we lack enough power generation and the shield technology just isn’t suitable for that type of project.
A manned moon expedition is also planned, but it is a cover for an ongoing operation to get the moon weaponized. Without replicator tech, that process is slow going. The moon team’s biggest problem is the storage of spall excavated from the moon. We do not want anyone to notice we are building a base underground on the moon, so hiding signs of excavation is difficult.
The President hosted a summit of world leaders so that I could brief them on what Legion activity. The legion has decided to keep our unofficial Constitutional Convention classified, but I shared with them footage of the Kernel Home world and the basic structure of our plans. For operational security, I failed to mention the spaceport or its proximity to earth, or the number of planets we control. Much of what we talked about was our desire to strike early and control earth’s system. There were mixed thoughts on our plan to control the system’s transit points. Not everyone wants us to attack early and then petition the Kernel of Sentience with the argument that continued Barkun presence would lead to a violation of the non-disclosure laws. Many think it is risky, and it is, but the proper role of the legion was to ensure Earth’s continued compliance with Confederation law, at least that’s the argument I plan on using with the Kernel of Sentience.
The Spanish Prime Minister asked who ensured the Barkun planet followed Confederation Law. I liked her question, and then she took it further. She suggested that since Barkun enforced Confederation law on their planet, the precedent was set for the Legion to enforce the law on Earth. My Sangren, advisor as well as the Kernels in attendance suggested this agreement had merit but it came down to if we could take out the Barkun in the solar system in one massive operation without alerting the general populace.
During my nightly command BS session, a well-lubricated Sabol shared an idea to help with preparing the public for the eventual disclosure of the true nature of the galaxy while assisting in hiding the truth from them.
“Davis, you know the best way to hide something?”
“Don’t tell anyone were you put it? I don’t know Sabol tell me?”
“Put it in plain sight. Hollywood has been doing it for years. Make a movie about a conspiracy and anyone trying to tell the public gets laughed out of relevance.”
Commander Hickerson gruffly responded “Damn man, is the yachts and cars, and women not enough for you? You have to be a movie star also. When will you ever get enough man?”
“Not me.” Sabol slurred “Him.” I was horrified to see a pudgy hand and a half empty tumbler pointing at my face.
“Look here Sabol, there is no way I will be in a movie. It's just not going to happen. It the Barkun find out they will say we are notifying the public and pronounce punishment.”
“Sir, what Sabol suggests has been done before” Marvin interrupts.
“Explain” I say looking toward Marvin’s black suited combat form.
“Do you remember the 1980s mini-series V and the later remake? Those media shows were an attempt by the Barkun to discredit those had discovered them on Earth. The Roswell conspiracy is the same, but from the Sangren side, by now you know Area 51 is only a military research and testing facility, however it serves to marginalize anyone with proof of Sangren presence on Earth. What Mr. Sabol suggests is legal if done with care.”
“I toad you so” Sabol slurred. “I have a friend in Hollywood that would be perfect”
“I bet you do, he probably has an island resort you visit” Cmdr. Hickerson admonished.
“No, guys, I think Sabol is right” stated Commander Hall “if we commission an action movie based on the Legion starting with Davis’s famous knife fight and ending with our attack to free Earth it could give us some needed cover.” Commander Hall looked to his right at Commander Farholm “Baby, would it be possible to use your satellite net to show optical illusions?”
Dr. Farholm gave Hall and intense look of disapproval “I am no ones baby, and if you want the chance to ever make another baby you will remember that.” She pondered a second “No, Bob, we don’t have that technology, it may be possible someday, but not now.”
“But it is possible?”
“It is plausible”
“Okay bear with me” Hall said as he gestured with his hands, excitedly shaking them in unison ”It doesn’t have to be possible, only plausible. What if we timed the shows to reach peak saturation and popularity right before our attack? Then, if anyone notices it we can claim we used Sabol’s satellite net to broadcast a simulated attack as a popularity stunt. We can make a modern day War of the Worlds broadcast to cover our real war”
“Shit man” I said, “If Commander Askew is not careful, you will end up leading his dirty trick team.”
“There is danger in this idea General” Aegeus said looking thoughtful, “However, I don’t know if the danger is more to Earth or to the Barkun.”
“Marvin, can you download my audio and visual memories into a storage device compatible to Earth computer technology? Just the highlights, the first year, our conversations, the bases and such but leave out any strategic meetings and the locations of our forces?”
“Yes sir, it would only take me a few hours to do so without impacting my current workload.”
“Alright, do it. But Sabol, Hall must approve your Hollywood selection, and I want to meet them.”
Sabol was passed out. You would think the lightweight would have a stronger liver with all the fun he was having.
26
A meeting with the producer went as expected. A short space trip and a demonstration of Marvin’s capabilities in a combat suit was all it took to convince him that we were serious about both security and retaining creative control. I left Hollywood to Sabol’s capable hands. The rest of the team was going to leave Earth and work at headquarters. They appointed their replacements and loaded up their various research projects and records onto my bus.
Dr. Farholm’s data on the Kernel’s carrier signal allowed Oni to program a display to keep an up to the minute (minus travel time of the signal) display of the location of all Kernels in the system. This tech is the legion equivalent of the WWII enigma machine. It is out most secret weapon, so we cannot waste it. She is able to inform Admiral Volk of the location of all the Barkun around the transit points, and
we chose the second most guarded point to transit from in order to reduce suspicion. We cannot show we can see them, so we have to go with the usual plan of show ourselves, get them to uncloak and then fight. This means we will take preventable casualties and that kills me inside. I hate the term acceptable loss or the calculus of battle, but that does not prevent it from being a real thing.
We gear up for battle, and I set two busses for each of the two punishment ships sitting at the L4 Lagrange point. For this battle, I ensure my destroyers and mothership stays cloaked. I do not want to show all my cards. On command, one bus in uncloaks and makes a run at the transit point. They almost make it to the jump point when the two punishers obliterate them as they uncloak from points “above” L4. Our other 3 ram ships are able to breach the larger ships, but two are damaged to the point they are not space worthy. This means they remain locked onto the punishment ships instead of backing out and traveling on their own, this make an explosive decompression more difficult.
The fact that the decoy ship was a volunteer only makes the loss harder. I hate to lose Legionnaires; especially those devoted enough to volunteer for suicide missions. This was a costly mission, but we are winning. It is little consolation as I wrote 65 more consolation letters that will remain in my desk until after the war is over.