by S. H. Jucha
“Julien, what’s the status on the present commercial ship traffic?” Alex asked.
“For an outward location, the freighter traffic is quite high, with ships taking routes between the station and the inner planets and other ships journeying from the belt to the station and returning. Liner traffic appears to be at a minimum,” Julien replied.
“Personnel movement to the station ceased for many years after the station’s takeover,” Boris continued, “and many owners and their families abandoned their shops for a safer life elsewhere. The station’s resident population has never recovered. Estimates are that the outer ring is somewhere at one-third of its previous height. But as Julien noted, the station is still a heavy shipping transit point. Crews take breaks there … freighters load and unload … none of them bothered by the rebels.”
“It’s certainly an odd revolution,” mused Yoram Penzig, who was the resident philosopher and psychotherapist of the UE scientists.
“What about military ships?” Tatia asked.
“One significant presence, Admiral,” Z replied. “Utilizing our historic Terran records, this ship would be classified as a destroyer.” When the audience stared at him, waiting, Z added. “About one-third of the Hand of Justice’s power … no fighters and a significant reliance on missiles and rail gun fire.”
“Enough power to destroy the station,” Tatia murmured.
“Indeed, Admiral,” Z affirmed.
“There are several patrol craft, Admiral,” Cordelia added. “They are small, carrying perhaps ten to twenty personnel and capable of interdicting freighters and boarding them, presumably for inspections as our new friends have indicated.”
“This has been going on for decades?” Alex asked. “Why has neither side gotten the upper hand?”
“It became a stalemate between the militia and the rebels from the day UE forces landed on the station,” Yoram explained. “The operating personnel, working in the outer ring, fled to an inner ring, joining the people running the station’s support systems. They sealed the massive transfer doors of the spokes that connect rings. Then the rebels threatened to blow the station if the militia attempted to breach the doors.”
“The station is strategically that important?” Alex asked.
“Yes, Mr. President,” Boris said. “The UE, especially Earth, is dependent on the metals and gases mined in the asteroid fields, and the entire transfer and shipping process of those resources depends on this station. The Supreme Tribunal had no choice but to acquiesce and order the militia to hold.”
“The situation is complicated by the civilians in the outer ring, Mr. President,” Nema said, despite the scientist’s advanced age she had become a great admirer of Alex and not just for his presidency. The situation presented moments of pleasure for Renée, teasing Alex by inquiring as to the well-being of his latest admirer. “The UE naval forces patrol the area around the station, interdicting those who attempt to help the rebels, while ensuring the safe passage of UE ships, personnel, and goods. The problem for the militia is that goods for the rebels are snuck in by freighters to legitimate shop owners, who in reality are rebel sympathizers.”
“The inner wheel possesses extensive food production farms and water treatment systems, which are critical assets for the rebels, and the entire outer ring, including the militia and UE ships, depend on that purified water source,” Priita explained.
“That’s our target, people,” Alex declared. “Now, I wonder if the Earthers still know how to play the game of poker?” he mused, and Julien smiled and sprouted a croupier’s visor, imaged by the holo-vid capability of his synth-skin. He had begun displaying the visor when he played cards with Alex. You would think a SADE, capable of calculating the variances of each hand of a card game would hold the advantage, but Julien found an equal in Alex in the games. As Julien would often say, “The tendency of a certain New Terran to prevaricate at will disturbs the laws of probability.”
* * *
“Thé, Admiral?” Renée asked Tatia, who had dropped by Alex and Renée’s suite late that evening.
“No, thank you, Ser. This won’t take long,” Tatia replied.
Alex came out of the sleeping quarters, tying his robe around the waist. “And what can I do for you this evening? Is it Admiral or Tatia?”
“Admiral, Mr. President. I would like you to consider an alternative strategy. The SADEs’ telemetry indicates that most of the UE warships observed are not FTL-capable. At least, they do not have the winged configuration that appears to signify FTL-capable.”
Alex offered Tatia a seat, and he took one across from her. Renée moved behind Alex where she could rest her hands on his shoulders. Tatia was reminded of her Méridien partner, Alain de Long, who exhibited the same habit when they were in private, his hands always seeking to touch her. It had been disconcerting, at first, for Tatia, who was a tremendously independent and private person. Now, after years together, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Our UE scientists were convinced a fleet would come to the Confederation, which got me wondering how they would accomplish that when the scientists also stated that the UE possessed few FTL-capable ships,” Tatia continued. “When I examined the telemetry in detail, I found several winged-shaped battleships and some enormous winged vessels.” Tatia turned on the salon’s holo-vid, and Alex leaned in to examine one of the gigantic ships on display.
“What is it?” Alex asked.
“According to Z, this ship has a wingspan over 60 percent greater than a battleship but appears to possess none of the bay and port configuration of the warship.”
“So what’s it for?” Alex asked.
“We have a rearward view of one of these ships,” said Tatia, who changed the holo-vid view.
“Are those bay doors? If so, they’re big enough to accommodate … ships,” Alex said, looking up to see Tatia nodding.
“Giant FTL-capable ship carriers,” Tatia announced. “That’s how the UE intends to spread its forces. It’s quite inventive. It saves the effort and cost of retrofitting or replacing the war fleet.”
“So what’s your suggestion, Admiral?” Alex asked.
“If we take out these ship carriers, the UE battleships might be able to reach our system, but they won’t have any support ships. One quick strike against these carriers and the UE will spend a decade or two replacing those ships,” Tatia urged.
Alex stood up to pace while he thought. “These ship carriers are staged around Earth. The UE naval commanders will see us coming and take measures to protect them. The concept involves a great deal of risk … fighting our way in system, the battle itself, and then fighting our way back out.”
Alex continued to pace and Tatia waited patiently. “I admit your idea has merit, Admiral, but I came here to stop a war not start one. We’ll continue onto Idona. Thank you and good evening.”
“Wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t offer you alternatives. Good evening, Mr. President, Ser,” Tatia said, turning to leave.
* * *
In the morning, Cordelia would transfer to the Last Stand, Haraken’s first and smaller carrier, to organize the launch of two probes Alex required.
Before she left, Cordelia was able to enjoy a final meal time with Julien. Not that the two SADEs would eat, but it was their habit to be present at meals. Cordelia was in the president’s suite with Alex, Renée, and Julien when their scheduling apps signale
d meal time. Too easily isolated by their implants, Méridiens treasured meal time for its face-to-face reminder of what was important — one another. Alex offered Renée his arm, and, to Cordelia’s delight, Julien offered his arm to her.
That Cordelia’s synth-flesh sensors reported the contact of Julien’s arm, and her deeper sensors signaled the pressure was immaterial. That her partner, a shy one as any you might find in a human pair, wished to demonstrate his attachment to her brought many of her ancillary programs to a halt. It was a moment to carefully record, to treasure, to play over and over in the centuries and perhaps the millenniums to come.
The morning would pass too quickly for Cordelia, but by 9.75 hours, she was aboard the Last Stand, prepping the probes. The first was a smaller FTL relay sent on a ballistic course toward Neptune. Its path was calculated by Alex’s inventive g-sling program, which he had developed while hauling ice asteroids from the far asteroid fields of Oistos, his home world’s star.
The SADEs still marveled at the incredible precision with which a human-designed program achieved ballistic accuracy when using a tug to sling an asteroid toward a celestial body, not that they hadn’t made subtle improvements on the program since coopting it from Alex’s Tara, his original computer on board his explorer-tug, the Outward Bound.
There wouldn’t be time to allow a ballistic course for the second probe. It was loaded on board a traveler, piloted by Captain Darius Gaumata, who had persevered in the first fight with the Earthers, which had been termed a contest by the now-deceased High Judge Patricio Bunaldi. But the detestable contest had cost Darius the life of his good friend, Sean McCreary. In his dark mood, Darius was hoping a UE pilot would be foolish enough to intercept him on the way to or from his destination, Earth’s moon, despite his orders to avoid contact.
Darius would land his traveler on the moon’s Earth-face and open his hatch to offload the probe. A traveler’s shell, created by the alien species, the Swei Swee, depended on harmonics to harness gravity waves, which drove the ship and powered its devastating energy beam. The fighter’s dependency on gravitational waves limited its use to in-system deployment and necessitated its shell remain completely intact for it to charge the alien crystal-power systems created by the Nua’ll, an alien race that had kept the Swei Swee imprisoned for generations until Alex rescued them.
* * *
While Cordelia readied her probes, Z transferred to the Rêveur, where he had stored his “toys.”
When Alex landed aboard the No Retreat, Tatia told Alex that all of his orders, save the change of his flagship, had been executed as he had requested, and she couldn’t be accused of inaccuracy. That Z and she had added their own plans would have been news to Alex, but not surprising to him. Since their beginning together, Alex had come to think of Tatia, the ex-New Terran major and ground pounder, as his weapons master.
When the Assembly approved Alex’s plan to take the Haraken fleet and journey to Sol to sue for peace with the UE’s Supreme Tribunal in hopes of preventing a war, Julien sought out Tatia and Z. “What plans are in progress, Admiral, Z, to ensure our survival, and how might I be of help?” Julien asked.
“We have a particular challenge, Julien,” Tatia replied. “Allowing the UE explorer ship, Reunion, to return home was morally right, but it hurt us strategically. The Earthers took with them a great deal of tactical information about our fighters — acceleration, maneuverability, and our beam weaponry.”
“We must create new strengths,” Z added.
“My greatest concern is that the Earthers will make diplomatic overtures to draw us out, and, as they have amply demonstrated, they will employ treachery,” Julien replied.
“If they offer Alex an opportunity for a diplomatic solution, he might accept it,” Tatia said. She was angry at the thought that the Earthers might exploit Alex’s greatest vulnerability, his good heart.
“From our leader, I would expect nothing else,” Z replied, “Without our president’s sense of justice, there would be no Swei Swee on Haraken, there would be no travelers, and there would be no freedom for us, the Haraken SADEs.”
“To answer your question, Julien, we have plans to teach the Earthers a severe lesson if they pretend diplomacy but intend treachery,” Tatia said.
“There is much to be done before we leave, Julien. It will be good to have your help,” Z replied. “The probabilities are high that our president will have need of tools that will allow him to deal with the Earthers from a position of strength.”
Julien considered himself a pacifist in the general sense of the word. But under the circumstances, he believed that Alex needed every advantage he could get to aid his efforts to prevent a war, and, if unique tactical weapons were required, there were no more devious individuals to turn to than Tatia and Z.
-3-
Cordelia set the timeline for the fleet’s advance when she signaled Alex that the ballistic-launched probe would be in position at Neptune in forty-five hours, a day and a half by the Harakens’ chronometer.
An ancient, three-cornered hat appeared on Julien’s head. When Julien’s emotional programs played a significant part in his reactions, he couldn’t resist a virtual hat. It conveyed his mood to others without communication. This time it was a tricorne, borrowed from an image of an ancient Terran revolutionary soldier and was adorned on one side with a circular, gold pin, embossed with an “H.”
Julien linked Cordelia and Z, and the SADEs coordinated to execute Alex’s order. The captains accelerated their ships, and the fleet drove for the huge asteroid field surrounding Sol’s outer perimeter.
Once the Neptune probe was in place and while the fleet was still on approach for Idona, Alex used the comms information gathered at Méridien to beam a direct signal from the probe to the UE destroyer deployed near the station. Alex intended for only Tatia to be with him on the vid comm so as to prevent the commander from focusing on Haraken’s exotic Méridiens, and that only after an audio comm was established.
In the days leading up to the fleet’s arrival at Sol, Julien readied the Harakens for open contact with the Earthers by monitoring the UE scientists’ language syntax and pronunciation and consuming the various text stored on their readers to assimilate a translation program for the Harakens to upload into their implants. The Earthers’ language was more similar to the New Terrans’ Sol-NAC language than the Méridiens’ Con-Fed language. Overall, it was quite easy for the Harakens to understand and speak to the Earthers. The translation application in their implants only aided the quality of those efforts. “It’s a lot easier than learning to whistle to a Swei Swee,” a senior tech was heard to say.
* * *
“Captain, we have an incoming, directed transmission, unknown ID … and Captain, it’s coming from Neptune,” the comms officer of the UE destroyer announced.
Captain Reiko Shimada eyed her comms officer with doubt. The UE had no stations or ships in the direction her officer was indicating.
“I swear, Captain, that’s the direction of the signal,” the comms officer persisted.
“All right, I’ll bite. Put it on.” When the comms officer nodded at Shimada, she said, “This is Captain Shimada of the UE destroyer, Conquest. With whom am I speaking?”
“Greetings, Captain. I am Haraken President Alex Racine. I would speak with the superior individual aboard your ship.”
“I am the senior person aboard, and who did you say you are?” Instead of a response to Shimada’s query, her central bridge monitor lit up with the image of Alex and Tatia.
“I find a visual offers a much clearer explanation. Doesn’t it, Captain? I repeat … I’m Alex Racine, Haraken’s president, and this is Admiral Tatia Tachenko.”
>
Shimada had always been aware of her slender and short stature among the UE’s space forces but had worked hard to overcome any negative views of her capabilities because of it. On her screen were humans who each massed three or more times her weight, but, despite their size, nothing about them, stance or expression, suggested aggression. Shimada leaned off cam and mouthed to the comms officer to record, but he whispered back, “Sorry, Captain, they have control of our comms.”
“You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Mr. President, technologically, at least.”
“My apologies, Captain Shimada, but I have much to accomplish in a short amount of time.”
“May I ask where you’re calling from, Mr. President? I’m hoping this is one hellacious long-distance call.” When the strange president chuckled at her joke, the tightness that had gripped Shimada’s stomach eased.
“Our fleet is inbound into your system. We are through your asteroid fields and will be arriving at Idona Station within a day,” Alex said.
“Yet, your comm signal issues from the direction of Neptune, and we’ve received no reports from our miners in the fields,” Shimada challenged.
“You will in time, Captain,” Tatia said. “We sent a comm probe ahead of the fleet to facilitate communications … FTL comm system, you understand.”
Shimada was about to open her mouth to speak, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught her comms officer mouth the words “FTL comms” and then nod his understanding. Suddenly, several pieces clicked together for the captain. “Would you be the people who the Reunion discovered, Mr. President?”