Children of the Dark World

by Will Townsend

  But this one had been slightly different. He’d heard and read extensively about these enclaves but this had been the first one to have twenty-first century aircraft at its disposal, even if they’d only been lightly armed. Farr had wondered on seeing the compound if its’ occupants would fight. That raging part of him locked away deep inside had secretly wished that they would and he’d later been ashamed of those feelings.

  As the airship descended into the valley there was frantic activity on the ground. At the gates of the grand compound dirty, disheveled workers were being shoved out of the gates which were then closed, and, Farr presumed, locked. Commander Ngata had just shook his head sadly on seeing this.

  “They might’ve stood a better chance if they’d rounded up the peasants instead. That would’ve made me hesitate if anything would. Now I don’t have to worry about collateral damage,” Ngata had said.

  They’d seen the missing ship aground on one of the promontories as they’d flown toward the center valley. They all knew that it would be ransacked and devoid of personnel. This was not the first time the fleet had encountered piracy and slavery.

  Ngata had stationed the ship about five kilometers from the compound at an altitude of a thousand meters with all defensive systems running on full automatic and his crew at general quarters.

  “Solis, you will lead the landing party and Farr will be your second in command. I’m sending the twenty man marine detachment with you and a medical team as well. I’d like a situation report as soon as possible on the people living in those hovels. See what intelligence you can get from them on the enclave as well.”

  Solis and Farr had led the landing team down to the surface and gone among the starving people of the hovels. Both men had been shocked at the conditions they’d found. The people had looked more like walking corpses than living beings. Their clothes had been ratty and dirty and threadbare. Where the cloth was gone Farr could see the skeleton showing through the skin. And it had stank horribly because there were no sanitary systems in place. Solis had asked Farr to see to relief efforts among the people while he gathered intelligence. Farr was grateful for the order to help. If it hadn’t come soon he’d have suggested it himself. He had been very respectful of Solis and his position and Solis in turn had appreciated his professionalism.

  Intelligence had not been hard to gather. For a mouthful of bread the inhabitants would tell you anything and everything. In short shrift they had known everything there was to know about the enclave and the lost crew, who’d been murdered it seemed, and they’d relayed the information to Ngata.

  Both men had been surprised, and the inhabitants had shrank in fear, when Vigilant’s anti-air defense guns had opened up on the gate to the compound and turned it into kindling, firing two hundred and fifty graphene rounds per minute. It was quiet for a few minutes and, when no one came forth from the compound, Ngata then turned the guns to the first tower. The guns, spurting their fiery breath, had walked down from the top of the structure to the bottom obliterating the tower completely. If anyone had had the misfortune to be in it then they no longer had any earthly cares.

  After that demonstration men had started pouring out of the compound with guns held high above their heads. Solis had dispatched the marines, who covered the men as they emerged and directed their disarmament. The whole thing had been accomplished in less than five minutes after the first burst from the guns. The men from the compound, who hadn’t appear to be suffering from a lack of food at all, were put into a makeshift stockade as the captain and his crew saw to the needs of the people. None of the men would divulge their leader, perhaps due to some sense of loyalty, but the starving people of the hovels had felt no such compunction. He’d been quickly separated from the rest along with any of his officers that the people had identified as well. The men had then shouted threats at the people who had helped identify them. At least until the marine sergeant in charge had decided that a gun butt to the stomach was an effective tool for silencing unauthorized talking. It had been remarkably quiet after that.

  That had been his first exposure to Admiral Ngata and his first taste of action, however brief. In his own way, Ngata had been watching out for him all of these years and Farr knew it well. He’d been decorated for his conduct during the ‘oh so brief’ air battle much to his surprise and protests.

  “I’m not decorating you for the results of your actions so much as your immediate response to a threat to my ship. We’ll tell the powers that be of your actions and the results and they’ll coo and crow and give out the appropriate medal, but when the situation got hot you took action while your shipmates froze. I need your shipmates to understand that too.”

  “Captain, I did some further research of the attack craft and missiles that were used against us, and, quite frankly it was like taking candy from a baby. I mean, they never stood a chance against us and our systems.”

  “I was aware of everything you just said at the time it happened Ensign, but here’s a secret to warfare that every officer should know but somehow many don’t. Whether a battle is won or lost is determined in the first few seconds of the encounter. Sun Tzu said that over three thousand years ago. When everything goes to hell, someone will always step up. In the Calamity Lansing and Lao came from nowhere to lead us down the Long Road. In my line of work I’ve got to believe there’ll always be someone to answer the call. On the day of the air battle I wasn’t worried one whit after we got through the opening shots, because yes, they couldn’t compete with our weapons and they were too dumb to know it. Or maybe,” he’s paused then and looked Farr straight in the eye, “they were trying to gain control of the crucial first few seconds of the encounter, and they might’ve, if you hadn’t followed my orders. You’re the one who answered the call that day son and that is why you’re getting a medal. Now, was that clear enough?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Good, now get the hell out of my cabin Ensign.”

  —————

  Ming floated in through the bridge opening at that moment ending his wool gathering and focusing him on his next action.

  “Where are the other members of the crew right now?” Farr asked him.

  “They’re mostly in the aft section. There are only five onboard. The rest are heading planetside for the big going away shindig,” Ming pantomimed yawning. “What’s up?”

  “I want to show you something, but first, unfortunately, I have to tell you that you can’t tell another soul. I asked Admiral Ngata and he said it was captain’s discretion. So, I’m exercising my discretion. Can you keep it quiet?

  Ming looked at him and his face was suddenly serious. “Yes, I can,” then his flippancy returned and he said, “unless of course you’re going to tell me that the world is going to end, because there’s not much point in secrets at a time like that.”

  “So much for the serious moment,” Farr said dryly. He then activated the file Ngata had sent him. “Watch that here and then lock it out to everyone but me and you. I’ll watch and make sure no one interrupts you.”

  Farr left Ming with the holographic file and went hand over hand down the starboard wall to the forward maintenance station. On a ship this size there were maintenance stations every fifty meters or so that a person could use to check up on the ships systems. It was a redundancy thing because the real boss of the ship’s systems would be the quantum computer recently installed.

  Originally Dr. Singh Thangruph, the designer of the first working quantum computer, had been tabbed for this expedition. But a tragic maglev accident had taken the doctor’s life just four months ago. His replacement was from a limited list. No one understood the computer like Dr. Thangruph, except perhaps Dr. Quincy Mbata, the late Dr. Thangruph’s longtime assistant and, as far as the captain of this ship was concerned, a genius in his own right.

  There had been the usual political jockeying but in the end there wasn’t anyone else even remotely qualified on the system. So unless they wanted to yank the whole thing ou
t and go with a lesser system (which truthfully wasn’t an option at this stage) then Mbata was the only candidate who could assume the late Dr. Thangruph’s position.

  Quincy was quite the character as Farr had discovered during the installation when he and Dr. Thangruph had spent every hour of every waking day for the better part of a month putting the system through its’ paces. He was mercurial and Farr saw the doctor’s calming hand guide Quincy back onto track more than once. Both men were on another plane of existence when it came to computers. They’d once attempted to instruct Ming and himself on the capabilities, limitations and theories of quantum computing for fifteen minutes. When they were done Farr had said “Very well, thank you gentlemen.” He’d then turned to Ming and said, “You think you’ve got that down Mr. Ming?” “Absolutely,” Ming had replied. He and Ming had then departed for the bridge.

  “When we’ve got some time do you think you could go over that with me again, because, frankly, ninety percent of it was over my head,” Farr had asked Ming.

  “You’re kidding, right? I don’t have a clue what they were talking about,” Ming replied with a straight face. “But I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing how stupid I was compared to them, any more than you were.”

  “But you said…” Farr started then chuckled as Ming’s eyes went wide in a questioning manner.

  “Look Commander as long as they know what they’re talking about we’ll be okay.”

  Ming joined him at the forward maintenance station. His face was twisted in a confused grimace. Finally he spoke.

  “All of my life, from the cradle to where we now stand, I’ve been told of the legendary courage of the Chinese and American commanders during the Calamity. Of how they sacrificed themselves for humanity and how they faced the end. But not once did I ever hear those stories but that it was followed up with the cowardly retreat of the corporate ships.” Ming’s hands flexed several times before he spoke again. “Those sons of bitches tried to save their own asses and let the captains and crews of those thirty-two ships take the fall. It’s all a lie. And I believe the corporations still doing business knew it all along.”

  “Personally, I think you’re right. They’ve denied having any information on the colonies as well, claiming the records were lost in the Calamity, but some of their actions look suspiciously like they’re working with a baseline of knowledge that’s unavailable to us. At any rate welcome to the conspiracy. Sorry, but I thought you should know the truth, that you should know that our lady here isn’t tainted. The Council wants the info kept quiet until the other ships launch.”

  “And just when is that going to be? The official line is that it’s no more than eight months, but I already see delays building. I’ve been talking to some of the other crews and they’re getting pretty frustrated with the corporate delays. They’ve never gotten their hands on this beauty or we wouldn’t be going anywhere. At least that’s my opinion on the matter.”

  “I share your opinion but what we’ve got to do for the next few days is give the powers that be no reason to delay us and to be vigilant for any corporate subterfuge that might be planned.”

  “Something just occurred to me. Who’s going to be on the ship while we’re at our going away party?”

  Farr grinned. “The Admiral’s taken care of that. His special “caretaker team” will be on board. I can tell you from personal experience no one, not even a Council member themselves, will get past these guys. They’ve got no sense of humor and they’re totally loyal to the Admiral. He arranged the babysitters to make sure you and I are present at the official gathering. For some reason he thought one or both of us might beg off, pleading ship related business. In my case he read my mind, how about you?” Farr’s expression was wry.

  “Yeah, he went all Terminator on me too, right as I was preparing to give him the ‘ole soft shoe’.” Ming’s infatuation with twentieth and early twenty-first century movies and idioms was well known to the crew of the Resolution. Sometimes Farr had no idea at all what Ming was saying half of the time and this occasion was no different. The other members of the crew however had engaged with him and enjoyed watching the old movies.

  “I’ve no idea what all of that means, but I think you just said ‘me too’.”

  “That’s what I said,” Ming said rolling his eyes. “Well, shall we go impress the women of Earth with our heroism for braving the unknown reaches of space?”

  Farr gave him a rueful look and replied, “I think you’ve already impressed half the women of the Earth, you might as well try to impress the rest.”

  CHAPTER 2

  The soirée, as Ming called it, was at least as boring and uncomfortable as any Farr had attended in his career. He kept a low profile because, when it came down to it, he was inept at politics and found it nauseating. Ming on the other hand performed admirably as he always did, flattering every woman within range shamelessly, and complimenting the members of the World Council he met ‘seven ways from Sunday’, his words, not Farr’s, but Farr assumed it was a good thing.

  “You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Farr whispered to him when they were finally able to talk in a quiet alcove.

  “Sun Tzu wrote of the value of spies. You would do well to read his teachings.”

  “I prefer those of Robert E. Lee, George Washington and Sam Houston.”

  “What, those losers? Washington lost more battles than he ever won and Lee lost the war. I’m not really sure what Sam Houston did. Sorry.”

  “All three fought overwhelmingly superior opponents and in the case of two of them, won their country’s freedom. Lee led the entire United States Army around for four years. The writings of the cavalry officers who chased Geronimo are also worth reading. Geronimo was a fierce opponent and kept a powerful country clueless for years.”

  “Whatever, important American generals, good at running, got it, but Sun Tzu dealt with every facet of war, especially the ways in which to avoid one. Information is priceless and that is what I come bearing to you my Commander.” Ming finished his soliloquy with a head bow.

  “Very well, oh wise and mighty Ming, what information do you offer?” Farr replied with a smile that was only half sarcasm.

  Ming leaned in close and whispered. “The corporations have made two plays in the last two days to stall our departure.” An alarmed look came into Farr’s eyes and he started to speak. Ming waved him down. “Both were shot down, the first because of Admiral Ngata, but the second was lobbied against by one of the corporate heads as well as Ngata and Council member Trekos.”

  “Who was the CEO?”

  “Samos,” Ming said flatly. It was theorized in many quarters, although never openly, that Samos was the unofficial leader of the six entities.

  “Why would he do that? He’s no friend to our mission and certainly not to Admiral Ngata. He argued with the Council at length on why the asteroid mission should be put on hold until after one of the Mars ships were ready to be launched and he’s made every move along the way to slow our progress. He probably would’ve too but I don’t think there’s been a time when you, I or both of us were not on the ship.”

  “There hasn’t been,” a low voice said from behind them. It was Admiral Ngata. “I made sure one of you was always around to watch the ship and as soon as we’re done here I want both of your asses back up there.”

  “Admiral, why would Samos side with you against the other corporations?” Farr asked, his face wrinkled in thought.

  “He wasn’t able to stall you Commander like he has the other vessels. I’ve played my part in keeping him at bay by running interference on my end. But the Resolution has been virtually untouched by corporate hands and yet it is the first to be ready. If you were involved, hypothetically, in a combat action, and the objective you wanted to achieve depended on delaying all five of the ships being refurbished what would cause you to suddenly endorse the departure of one of the assets that you had so vehemently tried to delay?”

  �
��If that asset had somehow been neutralized it would no longer matter,” Farr said slowly, “and the only way for an asset such as this to be neutralized is for it to be destroyed in flight by some ordinance hidden away, which isn’t very likely as closely as Ming and I’ve watched the progress of the upgrades on Resolution, or…” he trailed off and Ming completed the thought for him.

  “Or you’ve got an agent on board,” Ming said, slowly exhaling at the thought.

  “I agree it’s unlikely that they could’ve sabotaged any systems prior to your departure so a saboteur is the likeliest possibility.”

  “Well no saboteur would want to die with us, so, what is his or her purpose?”

  “I think you’ll be fine on the way out to the belt, sabotaging you before you get there doesn’t make any sense. I think that he now wants you to do a little exploring for the benefit of the corporations but after you reach the objectives you may become expendable.”

  “Or maybe he just supported you because there was no reason to oppose you at this late date or maybe we’re just paranoid, or maybe he supported you to make us think he was up to something so we’d be paranoid. I hate dealing with freaking corporations! Why didn’t Lansing and Lao just grind them into the dust when they had the chance?!” Ming said quietly, but passionately.

  “We all make mistakes son. I’m doing nothing more than telling you two to keep your guard up. I can’t place my finger on it, but there must be some reason behind all of these delays and I’m almost sure it has something to do with the new ETO ships they’ve designed and are building and testing as we speak, in secret of course. The project is too classified for me to get anywhere near it. Just be careful boys and get your asses back up to that ship.” Ngata looked at the two men and his mood softened. “I’m proud of the work the two of you’ve done and I’ve no doubt you’ll continue to make me proud. I hope we meet again soon. Good luck.” He then shook their hands and left the two men standing there without looking back, his mind troubled, and wondering if he would ever see them again.