ARMS Domers Unite: (Book 6)

by Stephen Arseneault

  "Again, an empty colony. What's left?"

  "Fleet 1C consists of twenty-two thousand, nine ships. Current heading is Beinshee. Expected arrival is thirty-eight days."

  "Thirty eight?" said Harris. "I thought that was like two months?"

  Tawn shook her head. "You said two months. As far as I know they haven't moved that planet. Wait... it's probably two months with our speed. Those Hoya ships are faster."

  "How many people do we need to move from Beinshee?"

  The AI replied, "Approximately two-point-four million at last count. We also have the issue of ships with wormhole generators in the area of Beinshee. With the interference technology, the Hoya would be certain to capture any ship they came across."

  "Maybe it's time we started a wholesale evacuation. Anywhere we could take them?"

  Gandy said, "How about Haven? The city there is empty."

  Tawn sighed. "It’d take a month to clean up the feral cat problem. How about Viochan? The Denzee took all the colonists and left the structures. I think that had a population of about the same."

  The AI said, "Viochan would be a viable candidate. Its location is more than two years of travel for the Hoya should they head directly toward it."

  Harris nodded. "Viochan is the spot, then. Now comes the logistics questions of how do we move them and how do we feed them?"

  A comm was opened to Domicile. "Mr. Morgan, we have an issue that's just fallen upon us. There are just over two million colonists on Beinshee and the Hoya are heading their way. They have to be moved. And once moved, we have to feed them until they can manage that on their own."

  "Hmm, what timeframe do we have available to us?"

  Harris replied, "Less than thirty-eight days."

  "That's a tall order, Mr. Gruberg."

  "If we have to sacrifice production to make this move, then we do so. Our fight today is now over halfway done and we appear to be winning. We won't be able to conduct an operation like this for another two months at least. Beinshee is the only colony in danger during that time. What can we do?"

  "I'll put a team on this immediately. I should have at least a preliminary answer for you in... give me two hours."

  "You have it. We’ll talk to you then."

  The comm was closed.

  Harris said, "AI, when was your last scan of Viochan conducted?"

  "Three days ago, in search of the Hoya signal."

  "What does that colony look like as far as food production goes? How quickly do you think it could be made self supporting?"

  "It was a viable farming colony. However, lack of plantings and overgrowth have likely limited sustainable food production to 10 to 15 percent of what will be required."

  "How long to clean up, replant, and self-sustain?"

  "Four to five months, minimum. And there are many factors that would influence the result of such an effort."

  "What if we dropped ten thousand bots down there for the cleanup and planting portion?"

  "Perhaps three months. Any estimate I give, however, is highly speculative. As I said, there are many factors that could negatively influence any effort that is made. The timeframes I have given are best case."

  Gandy said, "Hey, looks like we have a new initiative going in the fight. The display just lit up with the gamma lines. The Hoya are down to four thousand ships. We have seven thousand Banshees and twenty-eight hundred missiles."

  The AI said, "We are entering a final push where the activity will continue at an increased level for the next ten minutes. As a secondary note, there are now eleven thousand, two hundred Hoya warships that are no longer in the fight but remain undamaged. Tactics have been realigned to preserve as many vessels as possible."

  Harris asked, "So we're winning?"

  "I would place an odds estimate at 72 percent Human fleet, 28 percent Hoya fleet at the moment."

  Harris chuckled. "AI, what's happened to you? It used to be you were hard pressed to give an estimate or prediction. You said you refrained from speculation."

  "As a result of the Denzee intrusion I've had a special program running that allows that behavior. It can be removed if you would like."

  "No, I kind of like the guesses. It gives us one more data point to evaluate. As long as we know it's a speculative estimate, I have no problem receiving it."

  "Very well."

  Tawn said, "I wish we had the ability to stop behaviors with a simple command."

  Harris looked over. "Which of your behaviors would you end?"

  "Not me. You have loads of special programs I would shut down."

  Harris nodded. "The ladies all say I'm special."

  Gandy said, "There goes the increased activity again. Wow, that is a crazy battle. The Hoya are down to twenty-six hundred active ships. We have five thousand Banshees and eighteen hundred missiles. This fight may not go on that much longer."

  "My latest estimate," the AI replied, "is twenty-six minutes, thirty-two seconds."

  "How long can we expect to have residual radiation issues out there?"

  "Astute question, Harris. The half-life of the material being used is seventy-six days. The area of combat will be hot for approximately three years. However, you will have adequate protection with your battlesuit in nine days and you may enter the area immediately if on a ship."

  "Good. I want us in there pulling out those Hoya ships as soon as possible. Someone in the military at Domicile has probably already had the same thought."

  "Harris, you have given me a new idea."

  "OK?"

  "What if we begin flying crews in immediately? As in starting now. It will take at least twenty minutes of travel. The Hailstorm could be used as a shuttle. A single crewman could be used to fly the ship to a neutral location for transport elsewhere."

  "Excellent suggestion. Make it happen. Tawn, let's go. We'll be the rally point for bringing them back to our space."

  — Chapter 26 —

  * * *

  As the last of the Hoya warships fell silent, the battle in the space surrounding the former colony of New York drew to a close. Just over three thousand Banshees remained. All gamma missiles had been utilized. The Bangor waited at the rally point as the captured ships began to arrive.

  Harris nodded. "This is a great day. The AI said we have almost fifteen thousand ships at our immediate disposal. Another three thousand can be repaired. We might even be able to field a viable force before the Hoya arrive at Beinshee."

  "I just had a thought. One of our issues for that colony is moving all those people. We have almost fifteen thousand ships available to us right here. Why not use these in the meantime to ferry the refugees?"

  "Tawn Freely, that's an excellent suggestion."

  A comm was opened back to Midelon. "AI, how long would it take us to evacuate Beinshee if we used the newly captured Hoya ships for transport?"

  "One moment... three days."

  "Perfect. That just means we have to figure out how to feed them."

  "I've just been in contact with Bannis. As part of the military revamp, they are once again bringing a replenishable food supply online. Two factories will be turning out MREs at a heated pace until stockpiles are once again at what are considered safe levels. I believe we could divert this supply for three months while that colony gets itself organized."

  "Too bad we couldn't have just shipped them all to Domicile."

  "The government is not comfortable bringing so many Earthers into the populace without having first offered some indoctrination into Domer ways. I am told the longer term goal for each of the remaining Earther colonies is a full integration with Domicile. New Earth and any ties to it will simply become items of historical context. There will be no more 'Earthers.'"

  "Happy to hear they're at least planning for that eventuality. So when did Bannis think the first meals would be ready to move to Viochan?"

  "Five million units will be available over the next three days. After that, two million units per day, going up to five mi
llion per day within a week. I would advise the colonists to bring as much food with them as possible to ease the transition."

  "Fantastic. I think this is all going to work in our favor. We finally get to save a few Humans from massacre."

  Tawn said, "The bots want to know what to do with the Hoya bodies."

  "Set them on a trajectory toward that star and space them. We don't have time for anything else."

  "They say we have full access to their networks and data. All stations were left unlocked. Most of the Hoya died where they stood."

  "AI, I need you to access the Hoya networks and analyze their system for any vulnerabilities we can take advantage of. I'd like to hit them as hard as we can before they reach Beinshee if at all possible. If we can do that, we can move the colonists back to their homes, where they were self sustaining on their own. It would save us a lot of effort."

  Tawn leaned back in her chair. "Are we finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel?"

  "What tunnel?"

  "It's an idiom, moron. Just means our difficult times may be coming to an end. If we defeat the Hoya, it leaves us with no enemies for the first time in two thousand years. Maybe we can work on peacefully expanding this whole sector of space."

  "You're forgetting about the Frizoid still being out there."

  "They are. But they're also a long way away. What did it take, nineteen years, for the Denzee to make it here?"

  "Something like that."

  "OK, well, we have the Hoya tech and we have nineteen years to build up a defense. I think we can handle that."

  Harris chuckled. "You obviously don't know Humans very well."

  "What do you mean?"

  "We have short attention spans. Give Domicile two years of making preparations and focus will quickly be diverted to the popular issue of the day. Happens every time. Did you not pay attention to the historical archives in the bunker? Every time we—we being Humans—every time we got our act together our focus was quickly diverted and priorities changed. All I'm saying is it will be difficult to maintain vigilance for nineteen years, much less two years."

  "Well, it looks like we rose up and met the threat head-on this time and we prevailed."

  "Exactly. And that reasoning will be applied for the next effort. People will decide we don't need to bother with doing anything until the threat becomes imminent."

  "I can't argue against that logic. Kind of like buying insurance for your ship. You ever consider buying a policy in your early days?"

  "Couldn't afford it."

  "So you were willing to risk not having the money for repairs should something catastrophic happen?"

  "I suppose."

  "Which is what will happen here. The people will weigh the threat versus the cost. And most likely, as you suggest, they'll accept the risk so long as the threat is not right here knocking on their door."

  "Frustrating is all," Harris said. "Why can't we plan for the future and take the steps needed now to secure it for the long term?"

  "Because it comes at an immediate cost that many won't want to pay."

  "New subject: Bax. Should we go fill her in on the happenings here?"

  "Probably wouldn't hurt. I think we can give orders for having these ships moved to Midelon space. As far as that goes, the bots can use the Hailstorm to send them right through."

  Tawn nodded. "I'm actually surprised we haven't seen the Domer military staff out here looking to grab ships."

  "Might be that with this victory here they now trust our judgment and are willing to let us conduct this fight as we see fit."

  Tawn chuckled. "Yeah, no. Not buying that. Maybe they're content with the status quo. They protect Domicile itself, and the free colonies, while we handle everything else."

  "Maybe."

  For most of a week the colonists on Beinshee, many under protest, were rounded up and moved to Viochan. The first deliveries of MREs began at the same time, providing the food needed to keep the colonists alive.

  As the urgency of the situation on Beinshee died down, Harris again suggested a visit to check on Bax. "She hasn't returned any comms. Let's just go see what's happening."

  Tawn followed him onto the Bangor.

  As they approached Eden, Harris said, "Not getting anything on the sensors. She must still have that running."

  Tawn shook her head. "I don't think so. We're not getting any indication of the Hoya interference signal. Sensors all seem to be functioning normally."

  "Well, let's head down to the surface where she had that building. Nothing preventing us from looking around."

  After landing, a twenty-minute inspection of the complex formerly used as a broadcast station turned up nothing of interest. The building had been cleaned of all materials, circuits, wiring, and components. Empty floors and walls in every room.

  Tawn scratched her head. "Guess we check back with Domicile. Maybe she went home."

  "We can check with the colonel. His DDI contact should have information on that. I wonder what her testing revealed."

  "I guess we go find out."

  As the Bangor roared up through the atmosphere in flame, Harris said, "We talked a little before about the bots fighting our war for us, which is great in that we aren't losing people, but I have to wonder what the bots think about it?"

  "Do they think about it or are they just following orders?"

  "Don't know. It just seems like with the interactions we've had with them, in all those conversations I got the distinct impression from them that they wanted to live. If they're each unique, why are they risking their existence on fighting for us?"

  "Here we go. Let's roll out the conspiracies."

  "No, all I'm saying is they seem to go into these fights willingly, which is great for us, but what's their motivation?"

  "If you really want to know, why not ask the AI?"

  "You think it would answer honestly?"

  "Not like there's any evidence of it lying to us. Why the sudden suspicion?"

  "I'm not suspicious. Other than that programmed business with the Denzee food, the AI has given us nothing to be suspicious about. I just find it odd they are so fully committed."

  "We are Human. We need motive. They're machines. The same paradigms don't apply. They do what they're programmed to do."

  A jump was made to the Retreat, where they opened a comm to the colonel.

  Harris said, "We've just come from Eden and the place is abandoned. Any chance you can quiz your DDI contact about where Bax might be?"

  "I'll send a note right now."

  "Factory build still going as planned?"

  "It is. We've opened a number of the smaller assembly sites down on the surface in and around the domes. The place is abuzz with Biomarines learning new trades. They seem to be loving every minute of it."

  "Thought about finishing up the secession process?"

  "Given the latest developments, that effort has been tabled again. Our relationship with the DDI, the military, and Domicile government couldn't be better. They're finally cooperating with us rather than looking at us with a suspicious eye. They've even installed a diplomat out here to assist with any issues we may be having with the homeland. So far it's been working out as good as could be expected."

  "No issues from Croft’s people?"

  "Not lately. Rumor has it he may resign. Even his own people have lost respect for him. With this initial defeat of the Hoya, the defense hawks, such as Mr. Morgan, are gaining in power. And this latest build-up has brought job creation with it. Already a third of the people who were in the government retraining programs are back at work. And that number is expected to drop again by half in the coming weeks."

  "All fantastic news," said Tawn.

  A comm came in to the colonel. "Hold just a sec."

  The colonel returned from his comm just under a minute later. "They don't know where Baxter Rumford is or what happened out there. The DDI higher-ups were receiving daily status reports from her, and those abruptly
stopped two days ago."

  "We just came from there. Wasn't any sign of a struggle. Kind of has me curious as to what's going on with her."

  "My contact will continue to inquire. Remember I told you she may have been working on the blackest of black programs? Well, this might be related to that. Maybe she figured out something big and they've taken the whole project underground. We may not find anything out until they want us to find out."

  Several weeks passed and Baxter Rumford’s disappearance remained a mystery. Utilizing the bots to conduct repairs, sixteen thousand, nine hundred forty-seven Hoya ships were converted and crewed, becoming members of the automated Human fleet. The raid on the Hoya fleet heading to Beinshee was planned. It would take place outside the Beinshee system in open space, where the residual radiation from the gamma-ray missiles would have no lasting effect.

  Back at Midelon, the new attack fleet was being readied. Aside from the Hoya ships, just over nine thousand Banshees would be going into the fight with twelve thousand missiles. The command post back at Domicile was brimming with confidence over the coming battle.

  Harris sat in the supply hut, picking over an MRE. Tawn and the others were in discussion as they ate.

  "This is now our big test. If we're successful here, I don't see the other two fleets as being a problem."

  Gandy said, "I'm saying it's over in three hours."

  Tawn chuckled. "We could only hope. Last one went most of a day. We have our lessons-learned that will be applied, but the Hoya should have that too."

  Harris turned toward the wall. "AI? Have you completed an analysis of the Hoya tactics from New York?"

  "I have?"

  "And your evaluation?"

  "Their attempts at conducting the fight were sound and reasoned. I do not believe there was much else they could have done."

  "And do you expect the same from this next fleet?"

  "Has there been a development I'm not aware of?"

  "No, just Tawn pretending she knows what she's talking about." Harris grinned. "I'm having to straighten her out."

  "I see. I would expect the tactics used by the Beinshee fleet to be the same or similar."

  Trish stood, Garvis by her side. "I have an announcement. I've decided to return to Domicile. Now that we can go there without threat of being arrested, I want to go home."