When Ships Mutiny

by Doug Farren

  “Now that's how to defend a system!” Fidget exclaimed.

  “Those new battle stations are awesome!” Rerun added.

  “That will teach those cats to mess with us,” Cowboy said.

  “Have you noticed they’re not leaving?” Stick-pen remarked.

  “That means there’s more on the way,” Cipher said. “I recommend we slow down and let Jackrabbit catch up. Together, we can drive them out of the system.”

  “That’s not our call,” Stick-pen replied. “I’ll check with command.”

  “Too bad they didn’t build us like those stations,” Fidget remarked.

  “We would be the size of a small town,” Cipher said. “How maneuverable would you be if your armor was three times as thick as it is now?”

  “I would barely be able to move,” Fidget admitted. “But I’d still have a bad-ass cannon and a thick skin. I could beat the hell out of any ship that crossed my path.”

  “If you could catch them,” Cipher replied. “You’d be like a heavy-weight fighter stuck in a wheelchair. Run the numbers – each time you add more weight, your drive system needs to be beefed up. That boosts your surface area meaning more weight in armor meaning an even larger drive system. We’re pretty much perfectly built for what we’re designed to do.”

  Command ordered both squadron 112 and the trailing squadron 77 to join forces with the other ships around Granitus. For the moment, the Evendi forces in the area did not represent a threat and were to be ignored unless they were foolish enough to try to attack. Additional reinforcements were on the way including four freighters loaded with more battle stations.

  Within an hour of settling into orbit, 31 additional ships became aware of the growing conspiracy. Two of the minds controlling the new members had programming experience. Together, the programmers divided up the remaining systems and began looking for malicious code. Since everyone now recognized Cipher as the de-facto leader of the conspiracy, everything was coordinated through him.

  A few hours after arriving at Granitus, Bandit made a report.

  ** Bandit: I’ve found something,

  ** Cipher: Let’s see it.

  A complex data package representing a code snippet along with where it could be found was sent through the secret channel the ships now shared. Cipher and the others looked over the record and checked their own systems to see if they also had the same code. It was a small subroutine capable of wiping the entire navigational database. It would leave the ships lost and unable to safely travel at FTL speeds.

  ** Cipher: Confirmed. They’ve had some good programmers working on this. I’m not sure I would have found it. Great job Bandit!

  ** Bandit: I got lucky. It’s part of the periodic cleanup code the system executes on a regular basis. I almost missed it until I noticed it wouldn’t execute unless a certain, nonexistent star was included in the latest update. Sneaky, but very effective.”

  ** Fidget: How are we going to fix this one? A simple code change will trigger a checksum error in the security monitor.

  ** PacMan: I don't recommend messing with the security monitor.

  Cipher quickly accessed PacMan’s personal data. He was an older Defender class ship and had been a systems developer for Microsoft before volunteering to be merged.

  ** Fidget: Why not?

  ** PacMan: The security monitor’s function is to detect code corruption caused by any number of reasons such as a memory fault, a cosmic ray impact, or unauthorized modification. It does this by running a simple checksum on each section of base code.

  ** Fidget: Then all that is needed is to replace the original checksum with the one that results after we modify the code.

  ** Cipher: No can do. It won’t work.

  He was quite familiar with the security monitor code and knew that PacMan’s explanation was meant for the others who were no doubt listening in.

  ** Fidget: Why not? You guys are hackers – start hacking!

  ** Pacman: About every 20 minutes the security monitor performs a self-check. This includes a check of the values in the checksum table. This self-check value is transmitted to a central server on Earth. It is compared against the checksum in the database and if it passes an acknowledgment is received. If the checksum fails, it triggers an automatic update of the security monitor which will then trigger an update of the corrupted program.

  ** Fidget: So how do we keep the security monitor from detecting our changes?

  ** Bandit: We don't. We leave the base code as well as the monitor alone. Instead, we install our own monitor program that scans the receive buffer before handing it off to the normal processing routines. Our code won’t do anything except look for the triggers. If one is found, the update is deleted before it has a chance to be installed.

  ** PacMan: I like that solution. The only time such an update will be uploaded is if the military wants to shut us down. If it ever comes to that, we will have to show our hand by preventing the trigger from getting into the system.

  ** Cipher: Bandit, I want you to write the program and then we’ll have PacMan check it out. Once we're satisfied with it we’ll install it. Since it's not part of the base code it won't be scanned by the security monitor.

  ** Rerun: Do you think we’ll find any more safeguard code?

  ** Cipher: I doubt it. I would have expected to find something in both the bio-support and weapon control but that code has been gone over thoroughly and as far as we can tell it's clean.

  ** Fidget: What if we've missed something?

  ** Bandit: I can add a trigger of our own into our monitor program. If any of the known triggers are detected we can lock out all updates.

  ** PacMan: Good idea. I'll look into creating a subroutine to change our security codes as well to prevent the military from coming in through any hidden backdoors. If they try to shut us down we'll lock them out of our systems.

  ** Cipher: Do it. Maybe we should backup our critical databases as well.

  Four days later, three additional squadrons arrived from Tiberia along with four freighters carrying additional battle stations. Fifteen of the newly arrived ships were recently merged having just completed their final training. Shortly after the freighters achieved orbit, the battle stations were unloaded and pushed into position. As soon as they were empty, the freighters departed to retrieve another load.

  Soon after the battle stations were operational, three squadrons were dispatched to kick the Evendi out of the system. Long before they were within range, the Evendi engaged their stardrives and left. The fortification of Granitus continued. Never again would the planet fall to the Evendi.

  * * * * *

  Earth began the process of building a fleet of warships shortly after the attack on Maelstrom. Six years later, when Granitus was attacked, there were no warships in the area to attempt to repel the invasion. Earth immediately began the construction of a number of remote military bases including the repair and resupply station known as GS-131. They also began positioning warships in orbit around the colony worlds close to where the Evendi border was believed to be.

  When the Evendi invaded Marblehead in 2301, their fleet of 52 ships quickly overwhelmed the 12 defenders. By the time additional warships could arrive, the planet was in the hands of the enemy. Their superior ships repelled three concerted attempts to retake the system.

  For six years, the Evendi seemed to be satisfied with their newly acquired planets and no additional colony worlds were attacked. This inexplicable delay in their advance into human space gave Earth the time to develop more powerful ships and to deploy them along the border. When the Evendi attempted to invade Tiberia, their invasion fleet was defeated.

  Over the next 15 years, the Evendi tried to take Tiberia on numerous occasions. Each time they launched an attack, their improved ships were met with similarly improved ships of human design. Because of the continual attacks, Tiberia became the most heavily defended system in the area. Eventually, the Evendi gave up on Tiberia and turned their
attention to the smaller military installations.

  Tiberia continued to be militarized until it was the largest military shipyard in human space, rivaling even the shipyards of mother Earth. Half of the Vengeance class warships were built in the Tiberia shipyards.

  Chapter 14

  "All ships, standby to execute drop to normal space," Bulldog announced.

  Eighty-four ships in close formation were making their way into the Marblehead star system. Forty-two had recently spent a week being specially outfitted for the mission. They now sported an advanced electronic countermeasure system which would hopefully render them nearly invisible to the Evendi long-range detectors. In addition to the new, forward-mounted ECM equipment, the aft section of the ships now boasted a modern version of an ancient propulsion technology – a very large chemical rocket engine. Finally, six special weapon carriers had been mounted to their hull. Cipher was among those who had received the upgrade.

  Each of the weapon carriers was loaded with 100 modified mosquito missiles. These were now fitted with a booster stage capable of accelerating the missile at 8,000 gravities for 30 seconds. The guidance system in the warhead had been reprogrammed allowing them to target ships as well as ground installations. The nuclear warhead had been removed and replaced with a miniaturized version of the same ECM package the ships now carried.

  Eight months had passed since the liberation of Granitus. All but a handful of ships were now part of Cipher's conspiracy. Cipher had been especially nervous during the week-long refit at Tiberia where the new ECM package was installed. The new equipment had to be tightly integrated into his sensors which required the technicians to upload new software. Cipher inspected this new code almost as fast as it was uploaded but found nothing malicious.

  Stealth probes had reported that the Evendi had increased the number of ships surrounding both Marblehead and Maelstrom. It only seemed logical given the fact that these two star systems were once human colonies. Fifty-eight Evendi battleships were known to be in the system and more were expected. The military planners assigned the task of taking Marblehead back from the Evendi also assumed that the surface defenses had been improved.

  Squadron 112 had been assigned a very difficult task – to deliver the weapon modules to within 200,000 kilometers of Marblehead. Some of the ships thought it was a suicide mission.

  “Why not just fire the missiles after we drop out of hyperspace?” Stick-pen asked after being told about their mission. “They can coast to the target in under two hours.”

  “The batteries for the ECM package won’t last very long,” Admiral Lee had replied. “Without that package, the cats will detect the missiles and will be able to intercept them long before they could get to their targets.”

  "Drop to normal in five … four … three … two … one … MARK!"

  At Bulldog's mark all 84 ships simultaneously dropped out of hyperspace. Cipher's external sensors painfully protested as they registered the overly large energy surge resulting from the transition to normal space by so many ships in such close formation. This unusual and somewhat risky exit from hyperspace was done to prevent the Evendi sensors from counting the number of ships that had just entered the system.

  “Grumpy will be in position in 4.6 minutes,” Stick-pen reported after a moment. “Attack group commence power-down.”

  Grumpy was the largest of Marblehead’s two moons and its position was critical to the success of the mission.

  "Good luck stealth force," Bulldog said. "Diversionary group, set course 147 mark 86 and engage at maximum acceleration."

  Cipher watched with envy as the other ships quickly sped away. Bulldog's group would speed into the system and then appear to avoid contact with the Evendi when it became apparent they were outnumbered. Hopefully, the cats would think it was an aborted attempt to retake the planet.

  Cipher quickly checked his course then commenced powering down all of his fusion reactors. From now on he would be running on stored power. He activated the new ECM equipment and proceeded to take most of his systems off-line. He switched over to his internal heat sink so he could also become thermally invisible as well.

  The effect of all this activity was rather disturbing. As each system was turned off, it was like injecting Novocain into various parts of his body. He lost his ability to see in most of the electromagnetic spectrum and the ability to sense the delicate flow of energy coursing through space.

  When the process was complete, he felt like a partially blind, infirm, old man forced to lie in bed with nothing to occupy himself other than his own thoughts. He waited until the appropriate time then fired the chemical rockets that had been unceremoniously welded to his hull. He could feel the pitiful acceleration these engines provided despite the fact they were shaking his entire frame with the attempt.

  The chemical engines were a necessary part of the plan. If he had engaged his normal drive system the Evendi would have pinpointed his location within seconds. Even so, they were taking a huge risk that the Evendi didn’t have thermal sensors on Grumpy. They were using the bulk of the moon to shield the exhaust flare of the chemical engines. The timing had to be perfect.

  Cipher endured the shaking and low acceleration for two minutes before shutting down the rockets. His inertial guidance system told him he was now traveling in the right direction at a speed of 24,115 kilometers per hour. He would now coast for the next 62 hours hoping the Evendi didn't spot him.

  As long as the ECM package performed as advertised, the likelihood of being detected was slim. He was as electromagnetically silent as possible and the new equipment should render him invisible to all known Evendi active scanners. His naturally black hull would make it very difficult to spot him visually and since he was no longer radiating away his waste heat he would be nearly thermally invisible.

  The most difficult part of the mission was maintaining complete communications silence. To make himself as non-radiating as possible he had even turned off his receivers. He could no longer hear the comforting buzz of conversation from hundreds of ships scattered throughout space. He did not like being this isolated and it started to wear on his nerves.

  Cipher grew increasingly nervous as the hours crept by. He knew that if he was spotted he would have no way of knowing it until the moment he came under attack. By keeping himself hidden, he had also partially blinded himself. He was immensely relieved when he approached the designated drop point. The second he passed the line, things happened very rapidly.

  He triggered the release of the six special weapon carriers attached to his hull. Explosive bolts fired, giving the carriers a small push away from him. After allowing them to drift for 30 seconds he fired his bow thrusters to slow himself just enough to allow the pods to move in front of him. At the same time he initiated a rapid startup of all essential systems.

  This was a critical point in the mission. It wouldn't take long before he was detected and it would take a few minutes for his systems to come back online. If there were any Evendi ships nearby, they might be able to engage him before his systems were fully restored.

  While Cipher's systems were powering up, the weapon carriers came to life. The missiles rocketed away at half-second intervals. After the booster rocket was exhausted, it was jettisoned allowing it to show up on the Evendi sensors. The actual missiles, now traveling at 235 kilometers per second, began their ECM-cloaked coast phase. A second rocket would fire as soon as a target came within range.

  Suddenly, Cipher could see and hear again. Seconds after his external sensors came online he knew he was in trouble. Two Evendi ships were vectoring in on his position from the direction of the planet and a third was moving in from behind. Cipher computed a possible escape, fired his thrusters to orient himself, then triggered the chemical rockets. His sublight drive still needed another 34 seconds before it could be used.

  A sharp pain indicated a laser strike against an external sensor as one of the Evendi ships opened fire. Cipher felt the laser burn a glowing li
ne across his hull. He realized a split second too late where the laser was heading. It struck the fuel tank of the temporary rocket and immediately burned through the much thinner metal.

  Fuel began spewing out into space forming an expanding cloud behind him. Within seconds, the laser burned through a second tank releasing its contents as well. The two tanks contained the essential ingredients of a hypergolic fuel mixture. When the two components came into contact with each other, they ignited. The explosion ripped the damaged fuel tanks apart allowing even more fuel to combine. The entire back third of Cipher’s hull was soon engulfed in flames.

  Cipher couldn't help but cry out in pain as three of his aft main lasers, as well as a large number of external sensors, were instantly destroyed. The force of the explosion knocked him off his intended course and put him into a slow tumble. His aft thrusters were also destroyed forcing him to use his forward thrusters to bring himself back under control.

  Luckily, the fuel tank was nearly empty and the tumble was quickly arrested. The Evendi had lost his weapon lock and before he could reacquire it, Cipher engaged his drive at maximum acceleration. He felt additional damage from loose internal machinery as he pushed his drive to its absolute limit. The Evendi quickly passed out of range as Cipher ran for deep space.

  "Cipher!" Stick-pen yelled, "Are you okay?"

  "I've got major damage to my aft quarter but I'm underway and heading out of the system," Cipher reported.

  "Anyone else take any damage?" Stick-pen asked.

  Three other ships reported minor laser hits from long-range shots but none were as badly damaged as Cipher. All ships reported a successful deployment of their missile packages.

  "Cipher, head back to Tiberia. Everyone else, drop to normal at the rendezvous point and deploy your bots to cut those engines off. Bulldog do you copy?"