All Enemies Foreign and Domestic (Kelly Blake series)

by Smith, Rodney

  A fully equipped Behemoth could land the equipment of a heavy division, 200-300 hover tanks, 100 to 200 armed, armored hover transports, 50 hover guns, 30 hover recon, its 15,000 soldiers, an aviation brigade of 90 light attack/reconnaissance ships, 60 light transport ships, 30 medium transport ships, and 30 heavy transport ships in under a day with its heavy lighters. In addition, she carried supplies for six months of heavy combat and, employing all cargo lighters, could deliver it to the surface in less than a week.

  Behemoth and her sister ships – Gargantuan, Giant, Leviathan, Gigantic, and Colossus – and escorts were able to land up to five divisions, plus the headquarters and support units of the 5th Mobile Corps, anywhere in GR space in less than three weeks. The ships were taken out of storage above Gagarin and the capability tested every five years. With minor exceptions due to odd dimensions on some new equipment, they were able to meet the standard every time.

  Captain Gibbons patted a bulkhead and said, “Don’t give up, girl, you still got it in you and you’ll be needed some day. Mark my words.”

  He strolled down the dimly lit corridor, testing valves and looking into an empty compartment or two, before reaching a ladder and moving below.

  * * * * *

  Alistair called Kelly into his secure office and handed him a mid-sized data pad. Kelly took a few moments to read the several pages of intercepts in chronological order, then asked Alistair, “So what?”

  Alistair always had a “so what.” He always knew more than he would let on.

  “So what? Ever since the top message in the queue came in, the K’Rang have been hopping like crazy. The comms channels have been lit up like a mid-winter fest bonfire. They have already formed a task force to go somewhere towards the galactic core and are already preparing a treaty notification message on its movement. I expect you will be getting a visitor today late or tomorrow morning to brief you on the details. Right now it appears to be a internal K’Rang matter, but we need to watch it just the same.”

  Kelly looked at the data pad and asked, “What is a T’Kab mentioned in the first message and do you know the consist of the task force?”

  Alistair shuffled the papers that always covered his desk and pulled up another data pad. He referred to the data pad and in his rich baritone voice said, “Our linguists say T’Kab is a K’Rang word meaning more than two legs. They don’t know the significance of it and think it might be a code word. Oh, and two battlecruisers, two destroyers and two frigates make up the task force. The battlecruisers are an old Shadow Force model and an old Regular fleet model. Both are fairly old and were not part of the Grand Armada. The destroyers and frigates are all new build and were in the Battle of G’Durin.”

  “Any idea why they are going that far in towards the galactic core? That’s over 100 light years from their nearest world. And why such a large force?”

  “Not a clue, Kelly, that’s what I’m hoping you’ll tell me after you meet with their Fleet representative who will come and brief you on this ship movement. Get the real story out of him, not the diplomatic smoke they’re going to try and blow up your butt.

  “I understand you moved this confidence and stability building measure into the mandatory articles of the treaty, instead of the voluntary articles. That was good work.”

  “Yes, as advisor to Jotil Lenkva, the Angaerry representative to the treaty talks, I was able to insert all sort of little hooks to snag the K’Rang if they tried to go back to their old ways. Hey, wouldn’t it be a good idea to send some eyes along with the K’Rang? I can probably get a scout ship or the Orion to tag along out of sight.”

  “Good idea. You should ask, but I already requested the Orion to trail them. It met some Fleet resistance, but Rear Admiral Hasselrode was all for it. Maybe hearing from one of their own will tip the balance.”

  Kelly looked unhappy. “Alistair, you’re supposed to ask me before you do things like that. After all, I am the Defense Attaché. We should at least pretend we have separate duties and responsibilities.”

  Alistair broke out laughing. “Kelly, you know I want what I want when I want it. You were busy on Antares putting it to the State Department security office, so I made some calls and greased the skids for you. Go, call, get me the Orion to tail them. As busy and as excited as they’ve been on this, you know it’s important. I want to know why they’re so far out and what they’re up to. Now go. Get me the Orion.”

  * * * * *

  An official-looking small box arrived from the message center and was placed on Candy’s desk. It was a cube, white, and gaudily embossed with the K’Rang Foreign Affairs Office seal in relief. She took a moment from arranging her law books – that had finally arrived – and opened the package. It was an invitation to Candy, plus one, to a reception at the residence of Senior Elder J’Gon. Candy had heard a rumor that Elder J’Gon had been the nearest K’Rang equivalent to a lawyer before his clan elected him to be an Elder. As the acting Chief Counsel to the Ambassador, she was the senior lawyer in the embassy, at least until her boss got a personal matter sorted out and reported in. Also in the box was a smaller box, containing a simple gold chain holding a flame stone pendant the size of a marble. A note asked her to wear the pendant to the reception. She put the date and time on her calendar, thought about what she would wear, and sent a message to Kelly informing him he was her “plus one.” She contemplated the stone’s beautiful flickering luminescence and bemoaned the fact that she would have to turn it over to the embassy’s ethics officer – but not until after the reception.

  * * * * *

  True to the customs of protocol, the K’Rang emissary didn’t show until the last possible minute. Kelly received him in the first floor conference room (the one with known K’Rang listening devices) and asked him to sit down.

  He pulled up on his cape, one with a crimson lining identifying him as a shadow warrior, and took the proffered seat. “Captain Blake, allow me to introduce myself,” he began in an oh-so-officious manner and with a slight lisp affected by some K’Rang nobility. Kelly noticed the three-moon ring on his finger, signifying he was nobility and authorized to live on G’Durin.

  “I am Shadow Leader G’Fin, military aide to the Director of Treaty Compliance. I am here to brief you on the movement of six of our ships away from their base and outside their normal operating zone, in accordance with Article X, paragraph three of the Treaty of G’Durin. A task force consisting of six ships will depart its base at J’Kom and transit to outside K’Rang space in the direction of the galactic core. The mission of the task force is to conduct a search and rescue of one of our deep space research ships that has had engine trouble. If you can bring up the display I will present you with a plot of the general course.”

  Kelly turned on the holographic projector and while the data from his device plotted, asked in his most sincere voice, “How may we help? Space is a dangerous place and all spacefarers are duty bound to assist ships in danger. We could send one of our fastest ships and they could get there and scout before your task force arrives, locate your ship, and either rescue the crew or pass their location on to you. It is the least we can do.”

  Kelly thought G’Fin was going to swallow his tongue at Kelly’s offer. His voice almost broke and he had to cough before he answered, “No, Captain, that won’t be necessary. The ship developed engine trouble, that is all. Life support is unaffected and the task force has spare parts and technicians to repair it.”

  Kelly knew that all diplomats had several levels of guidance on what they could say in an official context and zeroed in on him while he was a bit out of balance, trying to get him to tell all he could. “But surely you don’t need six ships for that.”

  The obviously flustered emissary responded, apparently off his guidance, “No, Captain, but we have new commodores to break in and we will be using this mission to further one’s experience at commanding multiple ship task forces. Surely your fleet conducts similar mixes of training and operations? We are in full compli
ance with the treaty.”

  G’Fin had gotten his diplomatic feet back under him and Kelly was unlikely to knock him off balance again. Kelly looked at the plot, saw that it did end at the edge of K’Rang space and made no stops along the way. The shadow leader closed his valise and waited.

  Kelly spent a few moments more studying the plot silently hoping to draw the K’Rang officer into filling the conversational void, but to no avail. Sensing he had gotten all he was going to get, he thanked the shadow leader and had him escorted out.

  Shadow Leader G’Fin chuckled as he walked away from the Human embassy. “So the Captain tried to use the silent treatment on me. He almost had me with that offer of assistance, but I deployed my guidance for how to react to that possibility and got through it. These Humans are not as tricky as they think they are.”

  G’Fin didn’t understand the subterfuge. As weakened as the K’Rang were, they would most likely need Human, and possibly A’Ngarii, help in this matter. He walked on to the diplomatic ministry, content that he had done his duty and fulfilled his mission.

  * * * * *

  Shadow Unified Force Commander M’Juna and the other Unified Force commanders met with Baron T’Kana and laid out their verdict and rationale. They had voted unanimously to acquit Baron G’Rof on all counts. T’Kana said nothing and maintained a poker face through their briefing. M’Juna had broken the charges into five groups and each commander briefed a group of charges and specifications.

  At the end of the briefing, T’Kana stood and paced for a bit, looked them all in the eye and asked, “So say you one? So say you all?”

  The commanders came to attention and replied, “Yes sir!”

  T’Kana hit some buttons on his data pad, smiled, and intoned, “I am overwhelmed with pride to work with K’Rang so honorable. You have done the empire proud. I was afraid my comments the other day might have influenced you to judge differently. I am glad to see you have maintained your impartiality and ruled so wisely. You are all released to your commands. You should soon be receiving the first of your prisoners for your tribunals. I will rest easy tonight, knowing their fate is in such honorable hands.”

  M’Juna looked to have a question and T’Kana motioned for him to speak. “Sir, will all tribunals be under such severe time restraints?”

  T’Kana replied, “No. There are emissaries on the way to G’Rof’s hunting camp to offer him Supreme Command of the Combined Imperial Forces. It was imperative that his fate be determined before they arrive in an hour. I have already signaled for him to be returned unharmed to his tent. He will wake up with no recollection of any of this.”

  * * * * *

  A groggy Baron G’Rof, with a head sore from more than a hangover, rolled over and came up against the sleeping form of T’Jana facing away from him in the pre-dawn darkness. She gave off the smell of a female not in estrus, but pleasant just the same. He inhaled her scent, a mixture of honest sweat, perfume, and, possibly, a whiff of recent coitus. She stirred as she sensed him awake and rolled over into his arms.

  “Ah, you are awake. Thank you for a wonderful evening. I hope we can do this again sometime when you haven’t imbibed so much of that wonderful T’Pala. It made you a little sleepy. You tripped and hit your head as you came into the tent. I checked it. It is just a bump. I tucked you in and joined the other group to watch the fireworks over K’Lana as she came in heat. I’m afraid your nephews are a little worse for wear this morning. They fought as a team and took out most of her prospective suitors, but your chief bodyguard joined the fight and bested the both of them to claim her as his prize. Your lineage may not be at an end after all.”

  G’Rof guffawed and said, “That must have been a sight as my nephews suddenly had to fight G’Jiu instead of L’Gulla’s foppish hangers on.”

  T’Jana pouted, “It wasn’t too good from my perspective as I was on G’Jiu’s lap as he jumped up. I decided to join you in here and get some sleep.”

  G’Rof howled with laughter as he imagined her tumbling to the ground.

  He shook off the last of the cobwebs, rubbed the sore spot on his head, and said, “Come, let us get some breakfast. You must stay for the hunt today. Maybe tonight we can try again without so much T’Pala.”

  T’Jana smiled, sprung from the oversized cot, and was opening the tent flap as G’Rof’s head bodyguard walked up.

  “Baron, we have some official visitors inbound. They will be here in fifteen minutes by; and have requested a meeting with you as soon as possible.”

  He stepped out and looked to the east where the first hint of daylight crept over the horizon. “Come, T’Jana. We should get breakfast before we are disturbed. G’Jiu, bring them to the cook tent when they arrive. Let us see what the cooks have come up with for breakfast.”

  Chapter Four

  Captain M’Taso and her two crewmen walked into the hills, looking for her geology teams. After a fruitless day attempting to rendezvous with them, she found an easily identifiable clearing below a bare rock-topped hill and had them come to her on the double. She told them to abandon most of their equipment in an easy to find location and come to her with all weapons, comms gear, and rations. She expected them to join with her within two hours.

  It was closer to four hours before all twelve team members were present, but at last she had her fourteen K’Rang assembled in one spot. She told them the basics of what she had surmised from watching the insectoids over a day from an overlooking hilltop.

  She paced in front of them as she recounted what she had observed. Grief, despair, and shock showed on their faces. “We must have landed in the midst of a nest of them. We saw hundreds, if not thousands, of them as we watched. I am judging the entire crew is dead. We saw the bugs carry off enough corpses and body parts to account for the crew. None of the crew walked off the ship. We three must be the only survivors.”

  One of the team leaders stood and asked in an accusatory tone, “How is it that you survived, Captain?”

  M’Taso’s fur bristled at the unspoken accusation of cowardice for just a second, but she calmed back down. “That is a fair question, G’Loba. I don’t know how we escaped. K’Tan had earlier heard one of our communicators go off in the proximity of the ship. I ordered the comms team to call all the communicators again, thinking the missing team may be lost in the tall grass. We had gone down the ramp to listen when the bugs struck. A dozen or so came up the side of the ship and blocked our path back into the ship. Another group of twenty or so came at us from the bottom of the ramp. I pushed these two off the ramp and jumped behind them, trying to buy time to get out my communicator and warn the ship. I tried, but only the bridge crew had time to react and seal themselves in.”

  “I ordered them to prepare an imminent danger message and send it to home world, but I can only hope they sent it before they were overwhelmed. If home world knows of our situation they will send ships to come get us. It could take them two months to arrive, so we will need to find food, water, and defensible shelter until they do. We also need to determine what they’ve done to the ship. Let us eat some of our rations, find some good shelter, and then go back to the ship. Maybe she’s still flyable. We might be able to lift off and bring her up here.”

  * * * * *

  Candy yelled at Kelly to get dressed or they would be late for the reception. Candy wore a black cocktail dress. It was a color that accentuated her red hair and blue eyes and had been an unofficial women’s diplomatic uniform since the mid-twentieth century. She was slipping on her black velvet pumps when Kelly came into their bedroom wearing his dress mess uniform with his vest and the gold aiguillette signifying his position as Defense Attaché. Tonight, he intended to just have fun, although a small video device was mounted in the metal tip of his aiguillette. Candy handed him the flamestone necklace to fasten around her neck. He whistled upon seeing the gem’s size and quality, easily worth several years’ salary.

  Kelly’s hand stole down to her belly and felt the slight bump there. H
e stood back to look at her, his breath catching in his throat, and said, “I’ve always heard that pregnant women glowed, but you are practically luminescent.”

  Candy blushed slightly and kissed his cheek. She straightened his tie and brushed a fleck of fuzz from his jacket, then grabbed her purse and the invitation, and they headed down to await the embassy groundcar that would take them to the reception. The K’Rang had not figured out how to train the Humans and Angaerry in K’Rang driving rules, so were not allowing the embassies to have groundcars until they did. They were getting by with K’Rang chauffeurs until then.

  The car arrived and Candy noticed the driver maintained his position in the steering compartment. Unfazed, Kelly led the way and opened the door for Candy, slipped in behind her, and closed the door. It wasn’t our way, he thought. It wasn’t the right way. It was the K’Rang way.

  As the car moved through the embassy residence compound, Kelly looked at the houses that had formally been owned by K’Rang Shadow Warrior retirees. A good many of them had been used as sniper’s nests during the occupation of G’Durin and had been heavily damaged during the Marines’ counter-fire, especially with the disruptor guns evaporating two-meter diameter holes in their exterior walls. The K’Rang were going to bulldoze the whole lot and start over, when the GR bought the whole neighborhood for probably above market value and had a light construction battalion brought in to repair the damage. The battalion repaired them in six months, making the grand old houses look like they had never been damaged.