by Doug Farren
“This just doesn’t feel right,” Snowman remarked.
“Explain,” Stick-pen replied. He was acting as squadron commander for this exercise.
“Intelligence said there’s a cat base on the asteroid yet I’m not picking up any electromagnetic readings at all. It’s just a big ball of rock.”
“You think the cats would be stupid enough not to shield a hidden base from detection?” Grasshopper chimed in.
“I’m not picking up any guard ships or orbital defense systems either,” Snowman said. “I don’t like this.”
“Our orders are to destroy the base on XP-614,” Stick-pen said. “Cipher, Fidget, Genius, and Cowboy, fan-out and keep a watch for stealthed vessels. They could be running on internal heat sinks and hidden by ECM.”
Cipher acknowledged the command and adjusted his course. Their target for this exercise was a large asteroid far out in the Oort cloud. According to the scenario, the Evendi had managed to build a concealed base on the asteroid to be used as a command and control center for a future invasion of the system. An Evendi squadron was supposed to be in the area guarding the station. So far, no sign of the enemy had been detected.
Eight-thousand kilometers from the asteroid, a pair of simulated nuclear explosions momentarily blinded Cipher. His long-range sensors, being more sensitive, were damaged. Stick-pen and Snowman were declared destroyed and Genius was listed as having been heavily damaged from the nuke’s gamma ray flux. Through the quickly dissipating interference, Cipher picked up the characteristic energy signature of an entire squadron of ships dropping out of hyperdrive close behind them.
“It’s a trap!” Cipher informed the others as he targeted the nearest ship and opened fire. The others quickly responded but the damage had already been done. Cipher began to register simulated damage as he became the target of two enemy ships.
The battle raged on for several minutes as the entire group continued to move toward the asteroid. At a distance of 7,000 kilometers, the asteroid came to life. Twelve powerful lasers opened fire and a swarm of nuclear-tipped missiles erupted from the surface. Cipher’s combat system quickly assessed the threat and automatically activated the anti-missile defense batteries.
Both sides were taking significant damage from the lasers when the missiles arrived on the scene. Cipher’s anti-missile lasers managed to destroy all but one of the missiles. But one was all it took and he was declared destroyed.
* * * * *
“Where do you think you went wrong?” Sun Lee directed his question towards Stick-pen.
Everyone had assembled in a virtual lecture hall. The Admiral stood on the stage facing the three squadrons who sat together in groups. The statistics of the recently completed exercise were displayed on the screen behind him.
Stick-pen stood up. “I failed to anticipate the possibility of an enemy fleet hiding in hyperspace just beyond the range of our detectors. They must have rushed to the area the moment those two nukes went off.”
“What could you have done better?”
“I should have dispersed the squadron over a larger area to minimize our exposure.”
“Snowman,” Admiral Sun pointed a finger into the crowd. “You expressed concern as you approached the asteroid – why?”
“We were told that a command and control center had been established on the asteroid. I don’t think any amount of shielding would have prevented us from detecting a C & C from the distance we were at. It just didn’t feel right.”
“You hear that?” the Admiral raised his voice. “It didn’t FEEL right. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say that. If it doesn’t feel right, then it’s time to be on your toes. Your ships are equipped with the most sensitive detectors available. Your brains are fully integrated into every system of your ship. It’s not physically possible for your conscious mind to focus on all that data. If something doesn’t feel right, then your subconscious is trying to tell you something. Listen to it.”
“How did we miss the mines?” Cowboy asked. “I didn’t pick up any radiation signature from the warheads nor did I detect them on any sensor.”
Sun Lee smiled. “That was something we decided to throw into the simulation as a surprise. You never know when the cats are going to develop new weapons. We came up with an undetectable nuclear mine.”
“That wasn’t very fair,” Stick-pen said.
“War is not fair,” the Admiral sounded serious. “Now, let’s go over this exercise in detail.”
The debriefing continued. It was followed by another exercise and another debriefing. The scenarios became harder as the new squadron honed their skills. One of the benefits of being a disembodied brain was the elimination of the need to sleep. Nobody was really sure why this occurred because it had always been assumed it was the brain, and not the body, that required sleep. Since the brains controlling the ships never became tired, the training continued around the clock.
* * * * *
Cowboy tipped back his bottle of whiskey and took a long drink. The bottle gurgled as he expertly let the air in while the whiskey poured out. When he finally set the bottle back down the amount of whiskey inside was still the same.
Smacking his lips, Cowboy said, “I know it’s not real, but it sure the hell tastes real. I can feel it burn all the way down my non-existent throat and into my non-existent belly. And the best thing is that I can drink all day long and never get drunk.”
The squadron had decided to spend some time in a virtual bar while they were being outfitted for the trip to Granitus. Fernando sipped on a Piña-Colada then held the glass out in front of him and examined it. In many ways the simulation was perfect down to the smallest detail. The glass was cold with a slight amount of condensation forming on the outside. The drink smelled and tasted exactly as a perfect Piña-Colada should. But a part of his mind was always aware of the fact that what he was experiencing was a simulation.
If he desired, he could tip the glass and drink until it was empty. Or, on a whim, he could simply make a minor alteration in the program parameters and the glass would instantly become empty. While he felt the cool, wetness of the glass in his hand, he also felt the gentle impact of the solar wind on the skin of the ship in which he was entombed. He could hear the thousands of conversations being carried over the entire spectrum of radio waves. He felt the comforting fire of his fusion reactors buried deep inside himself. He could see the glass in front of him as well as the bright lights marking the stars hanging in space. It was a strange and powerful sensation.
Rerun took yet another bite of his forth hamburger and asked, “Do you think we’ll be able to kick the cats off Granitus?”
Genius balanced a beer bottle on one finger and replied, “I should hope so. We’re going to hit them with four squadrons. Besides, all we have to do is clear a path for the ground-pounders to get down safely. Once they’re on the ground our job is done.”
“Think any of our own people are still left alive?” Stick-pen asked from the bar.
Genius let the bottle drop and deftly caught it before it hit the table. “I doubt it. Granitus was the second planet the cats hit and that was over 40 years ago.”
“Damn it!” Fidget yelled, causing everyone to turn and look in his direction. He had been sitting away from the others by himself staring at an empty seat. “Cipher, can’t you hack the V-generator for me so I can have a drink with a woman?”
The psychologists who oversaw the well-being of the merged personalities had, for some reason, determined that even a virtual relationship with the opposite sex could have detrimental effects on their combat effectiveness. Although the volunteers had a wide leeway in how they could alter their virtual world, there were limits. Protocols had been put in place to enforce the rules. The creation of a virtual woman was forbidden.
Cipher got up and walked over to Fidget’s table. He sat down and looked the other in the eye. “You know I can’t do that,” he replied.
“Bull!” Fidget fired back. “I’ve seen you hack
into every computer system they threw at you. With your ship’s resources at your command I don’t think there’s a system anywhere in the universe you couldn’t break into. Come on! I want some company.”
Cipher was worried. He glanced around and from the looks the others were giving him he knew they were too. Fidget was heading down a dangerous path.
“You know as well as I that the psychologists probably watch what we do here. Do you want them to put you back into your old body? When the war is over, you’ll be able to live out the rest of your natural life surrounded by all the women you can handle. You’ll be a rich and famous hero.”
Fidget stared at his beer bottle and played with the label. “I just wanted to have a drink with a woman. I get tired of hanging around with only men.”
Cipher shook his head and grimaced as he continued, “You’ll just have to get used to it Fidget. Asking me to hack the system so you can break the rules is going to get you booted out of the program.”
Fidget suddenly realized he had become the center of attention. Snowman walked over and sat down. “You’d better listen to Cipher,” he said. “I like my new body. Do you want to give up what you have become? You’re a warship – act like one!”
A huge stein full of beer appeared on the table in front of Fidget. He picked it up, drank deeply, and then slammed the stein on the table causing some of the beer to slosh over the top. “Damn women ain’t worth it anyway,” he said. “Besides, my old man is a neurological biologist and he warned me that volunteering to be merged with a ship is a one-way trip. I am what I am and I’d better get used to it.”
“Your old man’s wrong,” Cowboy joined the conversation. “My body is safely in cryostasis waiting for this war to end so I can reap the benefits of being a volunteer. If we survive, we’ll be heroes with enough money to buy anything we desire. I, for one, am looking forward to that day. But, until then, Snowman’s right – we are the finest warships ever built. Let’s kick some feline ass!”
There was a round of cheers as everyone in the bar joined in. Nobody noticed that Admiral Sun Lee had chosen that moment to make an entrance. He stood in the doorway watching in silence. Grasshopper nearly bowled him over.
“Excuse me,” he said, then realized who he was addressing. “Holy crap! ATTENTION ON DECK!” he yelled out in a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room.
The noise quickly died down as the Admiral made his way to the bar.
“I know you’ve all read the mission profile,” Sun Lee addressed the now silent group. “But, it’s a habit of mine to address each squadron in person before a mission just to give my own view of what you’re getting into. For some reason, simply sending you guys a file just don’t seem right. So, here’s the quick and dirty summary.
“Two squadrons from Tiberia, along with 45 old ships – mostly scouts and some old civilian spacecraft – will feign an attack against Maelstrom. The cats have probably been wondering if we will ever try to take back the first planet they invaded and this will make it look like we’re trying to.
“Hopefully, this will draw some ships away from Granitus. Your squadron, along with squadrons 18 and 73 will be standing by in hyperspace well out of range of the Evendi sensors. As soon as their ships are far enough away, you will launch the real attack against Granitus. Six ground assault battalions will follow you into the system but will stand back until you clear a hole for them to make their drop to the planet. Getting those assault troops on the ground is your primary mission. After that, try to destroy as many Evendi ships as possible.”
“What about the surface weapons?” Hatchet asked. “If we don’t take them out first the marines will come under heavy fire and might not make it down without significant losses.”
The Admiral smiled. “We have a little surprise in store for the Evendi. Most of you by now should have noticed that your standard probe module is being replaced with something else. Our boys in research have come up with a special, extremely high velocity, smart weapon.
The mosquito is a self-propelled, self-guiding, self-targeting missile programmed to seek out power sources, weapon installations, and communications systems. It’s armed with an advanced, one kiloton, low radiation warhead. Each of you will be carrying 300 of these missiles. The Evendi won’t know what hit them.”
“How many ships do the Evendi have in the Granitus system?” Fidget asked.
“You should know that answer,” Sun Lee replied. “You should keep up with the latest intelligence reports.”
Cipher was once again worried about Fidget. With a single thought he was able to retrieve the answer to Fidget’s question – 48 warships, most of which were slightly older than the most advanced ships the Evendi were currently producing. Fidget’s failure to utilize his own resources caused Cipher to question how well he would perform in a combat situation.
The Admiral seemed to set aside Fidget’s odd question. Turning his attention to the entire group he said, “It would be silly for me to tell you guys to get some rest before leaving since you don’t require any. But, if you need to have some time to organize your thoughts, now is the time to do so. Your squadron ships out in six hours. Good luck!”
Chapter 6
The squadron was in hyperspace for two days before Cipher remembered Fidget’s remark about what his dad had told him. The contract they signed to become a volunteer specifically guaranteed their bodies would be maintained in cryostasis until either the war ended or their services were no longer required. At that time, their brains would be returned to their bodies so they could live out the rest of their natural life and reap the benefits of the service they had provided.
While at the academy preparing for their future role as a warship, Cipher and Fidget had become close friends. It was he who had given Fidget his call-sign based on the fact that it seemed impossible for him to remain still for more than a few seconds. Fidget had always seemed a little ‘off’ to him but he passed the battery of psych exams without any problems.
Cipher considered asking Fidget for details but stopped himself. The only way for the ships to communicate while in hyperspace was through a hypercom transceiver. If there was any truth to the statement that the merger was irreversible then the government had lied to them. If so, it might be dangerous for them to discuss the issue over a hypercom channel. Due to the nature of hypercom transmissions, their conversation could be monitored no matter where they were in space.
What Cipher needed was a way for the two of them to have a private conversation. After thinking about the problem for a few minutes, he realized that Fidget had actually provided him with the ideal solution. Since the journey to Granitus would take 34 days he had lots of time on his hands.
* * * * *
“Fidget, this is Cipher, do you copy?”
“Hey buddy!” came the instant response. “What’s up?”
“Have you ever watched any of those old Star Trek shows?” Cipher asked.
“Sure. I’ve watched most of the originals as well as the eight spin-offs and all the movies. Why?”
“I’ve been bored, so I built a V-world based on it. Want to give it a try?”
“You bet!” Fidget was genuinely enthused. Cipher knew about his friend’s interest in classic science fiction programs and would have been surprised had he turned down the offer.
“Great. The port number is 211, see you there.”
A moment later, Fidget appeared on the bridge of a Federation starship. Cipher was sitting in the command chair with virtual crew members manning the other stations. The huge bulk of an orbiting starbase was visible on the main viewscreen.
After performing a careful examination of the bridge, Fidget turned and said, “Excellent job Captain!” Rubbing his hands together in anticipation he continued, “What’s our first mission?”
“I’m not sure,” Cipher replied, falling into his role of a Federation Captain. “Admiral Wilson wants to see us right away on starbase 336. Transporter room one is standing b
y.”
“Aye sir,” Fidget enthusiastically replied. He looked down at the shirt he was wearing and added, “Chief of security – nice.”
The turbolift took them directly to the transporter room. The crewman at the controls looked up and said, “Coordinates locked. The Admiral is waiting.”
After taking their places on the transporter pads, Fidget said, “Energize!” in a commanding voice.
The transporter hummed as the containment field disassociated their atomic structure, converting the two men into pure energy and beaming them off the ship. As the hum died away, Fidget looked around the small, featureless room they had appeared in.
“Where are we?” he asked, perplexed.
“Before I tell you,” Cipher replied, the tone of his voice becoming serious. “You must promise never to talk about this place to anyone, even myself, outside of this room.”
“Why? Where …”
“Promise me!”
“Okay. I promise. Now where the hell are we? This place doesn’t feel like a standard V-world. I can’t make any changes.”
“Remember when I told you that our activities in the V-world are monitored?”
Fidget didn’t say anything, choosing instead to simply nod his head.
“Well, this room is isolated from the rest of the virtual matrix. We are inside a bubble of isolated code that exists within the V-world mainframe. To limit the system resources, nothing in this room can be changed. We can talk here in absolute privacy.”
It took Fidget a moment before he realized the implications of what he had just been told. His eyes grew wide then he reached out and slapped Cipher on the shoulder. “You hacked the system!” A look of worry replaced his smile as he continued, “But won’t they wonder where we went? I’m sure they know we are accessing the system and if they can’t find us they’ll know something’s up.”
“No need to worry.” It was now Cipher’s turn to smile. “I’ve worked on this program for a long time. The transporter not only brought us here, it also put a copy of ourselves on the starbase – observe.”