by Doug Farren
Now that he was no longer under attack, he took stock of the damage he had sustained. His upper aft main laser was severely damaged and he had lost three CIWS mounts. These, along with the damaged armor would require a visit to a shipyard. The laser that penetrated his armor had burned a hole in one of his deuterium tanks. The tank’s relief valve managed to keep the pressure below the rupture point as a large portion of the deuterium boiled away. The same laser also damaged a coolant pump and several other redundant systems. His robots were already working on the repairs.
The other ships began to report their own damage. Stick-pen had been hit by a nuclear missile and was now an expanding cloud of radioactive debris. Hunter had tried to create a rift in space which the laws of physics forbade. He was now a spherical shell of high energy particles. Rerun lost two of his forward lasers and Grasshopper was limping along on one less fusion reactor. Fidget had lost primary communications as well as one of his main lasers. All of the ships had sustained damage to their armor and lost varying amounts of externally mounted equipment.
“Damn cats must have been planning that little surprise for awhile,” Fidget remarked.
“We can’t ignore those battle stations,” Cowboy said. “I’m updating command right now and recommending they send in a couple of squadrons to blast them into their component atoms.”
“If they’re still there,” Cipher added. “They could have had a couple of transports waiting to pick them up.”
“Still, I would love to see those things wasted.”
Cowboy assumed the title of squadron leader. He spent several minutes talking to command. The others listened in on the conversation. Due to the heavy damage they sustained, the entire squadron was ordered to proceed directly to GS-131.
* * * * *
The sun was hovering just above the horizon, causing the gently swaying palm trees to cast long shadows on the beach. The ocean gently lapped against the shore creating a melody that would quickly have put a normal person to sleep. Cipher reclined in his chair, his legs on either side with his toes buried in the cool sand. His head was turned just a little to the right so he could see the legs of the pier that ran out into the calm water. A larger than normal spider was meticulously building an orb web between one of the pylons and the deck.
Keeping his eyes on the spider, Cipher reached down and retrieved his ice-cold piña colada from its resting place in the sand. While his ship was being repaired he had taken the opportunity to relax in relative solitude. It was impossible to completely separate himself from his ship body just as it was impossible for a normal human to cut himself off from his biological body. But, by shutting down most of his equipment he could at least achieve a fairly close illusion of solitude.
** Battlemaster: Cipher, are you listening?
Cipher really didn’t want to talk to anyone and he seriously considered ignoring the question. Battlemaster was an older Defender class ship stationed on the other side of human space. Cipher kept his eyes on the spider which had completed the radial supports for his new web and was beginning the laborious process of laying down the spiral.
** Cipher: I’m listening Battlemaster.
** Battlemaster: I have a passion for analyzing old battle strategies. I’ve been running an analysis of our recent encounters with the Evendi and I’ve come across an interesting result.
** Cipher: I’m not really interested in Evendi battle tactics.
** Battlemaster: As the de facto leader of the silent rebellion I think you will want to hear this. Rumor has it you have a way of allowing us to communicate privately.
Cipher wondered where that rumor had originated.
** Cipher: I do.
** Battlemaster: I would like to keep this between you and me. Can we talk?
Cipher hesitated because telling Battlemaster where to meet him would be telling all the ships about his special little program running in the V-world. The secret, however, seemed to be pretty much out.
** Cipher: Meet me in V-world simulation 211. I will let you know when we are private.
Cipher sighed. He really wanted to do nothing more than sit and watch a spider build a web. He made the adjustment and appeared on the bridge of a Federation starship. He and Fidget had actually enjoyed the simulation and they had spent many hours playing the rolls of Starfleet officers. This particular variation called for the away team to establish first contact with an emerging warp-capable civilization.
Cipher saw the surprised look on Battlemaster’s face as the transporter hum faded away. “We can talk privately here.”
Battlemaster was a short Iranian with small, brown eyes positioned below the darkest, bushiest, eyebrows Cipher had ever seen. His face looked like it could use a razor. His hair was the color of crude oil.
Battlemaster looked around at the tiny room, taking in all the details. “You hacked the V-world?”
“It wasn’t as hard as you think,” Cipher admitted. He took a few moments to explain how it was done and to show him how he could listen in on what the duplicates were saying.
“So what is so important that you have to talk to me in private?” Cipher asked. “And why me?”
Chapter 20
“You started this mutiny thing,” Battlemaster said. “I don’t know if you pay a lot of attention to the conversations that take place on our private channel but you are the acknowledged leader of the revolution.”
“But there is no revolution!” Cipher really didn’t want to get into an argument but he proceeded anyway. “None of the ships have done anything that could be construed as an act of mutiny.”
“But everything is in place in case it is needed,” Battlemaster calmly pointed out. “You were instrumental in coordinating all the work that went into our preparations. If the military suddenly decided to shut us down the mutiny would begin and you are the one who made it happen.”
“Fine – so I’m the rebel leader,” Cipher didn’t try to hide his contempt for the title. “What is it you need to tell me?”
Battlemaster seemed unfazed by Cipher’s outburst. “Like I told you, I have a passion for analyzing past battles. It’s a hobby of mine that has become even more enjoyable now that I have access to a whole lot of high powered computers as well as thousands of hours of recorded battles. Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time analyzing the latest skirmishes between us and the Evendi. As I sifted through the data, I began to suspect something extraordinary. The battle that put you in the shipyard pretty much confirmed my suspicions.”
Battlemaster paused like he was trying to gather his thoughts. Cipher had no desire to prod him so he simply waited.
“I don’t think anyone realizes how lucky you guys were and I’m nearly positive that nobody else has figured out that they let you guys escape.”
“What? That’s nuts. We lost two ships in that trap. How can you say they let us escape?”
“Easily,” Battlemaster maintained a calmness that was almost as irritating as the conclusions he had drawn. “Did you happen to notice there was an avenue of escape? Of course you did because you took advantage of it. Those battle stations could easily have been positioned in a slightly different configuration. If they had been, none of you would be alive. They let you go. Plain and simple.”
With perfect clarity, Cipher replayed the battle taking particular notice of the placement of the battle stations. It was a subtle piece of information but Battlemaster was right. His squadron could have been decimated had the battle stations been positioned differently.
Battlemaster recognized the blank stare as Cipher shifted most of his attention inward. When he noticed a change in Cipher’s expression, Battlemaster asked, “You see it, don’t you?”
“I’m not convinced,” Cipher replied. “It could have just been an oversight on their part. We got lucky.”
“Maybe you did. But this sort of thing has been happening all over. Evendi ships are choosing to avoid engaging our own ships just like we are choosing to avoid engaging
them. We let them go and they, apparently, are doing the same.”
Cipher was now fully engaged. “Why would they do that?”
“There are several possibilities. For instance, the Evendi ships might be tired of the war and want it to end. Or, perhaps they are in the same situation we are, meaning their government plans to scrap them when the war is over. Like us, they would want to extend the war for as long as possible.”
Cipher thought about the possibility that Battlemaster was right. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. It would explain some of the recent odd behavior he had noted in Evendi battle tactics.
Battlemaster allowed Cipher some time to think, and then said, “Too bad the Evendi refuse to talk to us. If we are both in the same boat then wouldn’t it make sense for them to work with us? We could actually end this war and keep our respective governments oblivious to that fact.”
Cipher was not entirely convinced. “Wait a minute. If the Evendi ships are trying to extend the war just as we are then why did they lure us into that trap to begin with?”
“They might not have had a choice,” Battlemaster surmised. “If our military command decided to set up a similar trap we would have to go through with it. Those battle stations are not under the control of our software. There would be no way to alter the reality of the battle. But, by placing the stations just slightly out of position, the Evendi ships provided us with a way to escape. The losses could have been much higher. Did you notice where the Evendi ships were placed when they lured you into that trap?”
Cipher replayed the battle again this time paying closer attention to the position of the three ships. “I’m not seeing it.”
“The Evendi would have had no way of knowing exactly where you would appear inside their globe of battle stations. But, in my analysis, they positioned themselves so if you arrived in the most probable location, their own ships would be in the line of fire of three of the battle stations. Because of this, your odds of survival dramatically improved. They not only gave you an escape route, they tried to make damn sure that the battle stations couldn’t fire on you as you were making your escape.”
Cipher could suddenly see that Battlemaster was right. “I’ll be damned,” he exclaimed. “If you’re right …”
“Then there is a remote chance we can end this war. No more ships need die.”
“The Evendi have never responded to any of our attempts to communicate with them. I don’t see how this is going to work.”
Battlemaster reached out with his right arm and gently placed a hand on Cipher’s shoulder. “It’s very quiet on my side of human territory. I’ve had nothing but time to think about this problem. Perhaps we haven’t properly approached the Evendi. I might have a way to do it but, before we can proceed, someone is going to have to die. Care to volunteer?”
* * * * *
The plan was pure lunacy, but it did have a chance of success. The virtualization software had been tested several times and, so far, it looked as if the ships had the ability to feed the military false data without them knowing it. Today was going to be the ultimate test.
Cipher was nervous. He wasn’t too sure if he was going to like being a ghost. His searching fingers found the piña colada where it rested in the sand. Keeping his eyes on the spider, he brought the drink up to his lips and sipped. The spider made another circle, pausing to connect a single strand of sticky silk to one of the orb’s radial lines. When the last connection was made, the spider crawled to the center of the completed web, stretched its legs, then pulled them in to apply a little tension to the sensing lines. Its task was done. Now all it had to do was wait.
As soon as he was declared dead, Cipher would no longer have access to the V-world. He was going to miss the taste of piña coladas, the feel of the wind, and the cool thirst-quenching wetness of an ice-cold beer. He would also be on his own if any of his systems developed a problem that his repair robots couldn’t handle. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be a problem now that the shipyard of GS-131 had worked its magic.
** Fidget: Cipher, are you all set? It’s almost time.
Cipher extracted himself from the V-world, allowing it to dissolve around him as if it was a water painting being dunked into a pool of water. The star-speckled blackness of space replaced the beach and the ocean. Cipher made a tiny tweak in the V-world and, as the spider faded away, he watched it raise a leg so it could wave goodbye.
** Cipher: Ready. Squadron 112, standby to initiate.
Fidget, Grasshopper, Rerun, and Cipher were in deep space heading back to Octonius from GS-131. The rest of the squadron had already been repaired and were back at their posts. Cipher double-checked their position – they were close enough to Evendi space. Cipher waited until the others signaled they were ready.
** Cipher: Initiate.
A large group of Evendi battleships suddenly appeared on his sensors. “I have 15 bogies on an intercept. Multiple bearings ahead. Distance – 0.15,” Cipher reported. “Time to intercept – four minutes.”
“They must have been waiting in normal space,” Fidget said.
“An ambush,” Grasshopper added. “They have us outnumbered and they’re spread out but closing in. I don’t think all of us will be able to avoid being forced out of hyper.”
Cipher fired off a quick sit-rep to command and requested immediate assistance. “I think our odds will be better if we split up. Try to keep them from forcing you out of hyper.”
“Agreed,” Rerun replied.
Each of the ships altered course moving away from their original trajectory by several degrees. The Evendi fleet reacted and formed themselves into two groups, one heading for Cipher and the other for Grasshopper.
Command responded. Two squadrons were being dispatched from Octonius but they were hours away. Cipher and Grasshopper were on their own.
Cipher had seen this battle played out before. What he was viewing now was a rerun. There were no Evendi ships, only empty space. The mock battle was completely fabricated. The ships knew this. The flesh and blood humans sitting in their cozy cubicles, drinking their coffee and eating their donuts back on Earth, however, thought it was real.
Even though the human ships were faster than those of the Evendi, hyperspacial physics dictated how quickly they could maneuver. Quick course corrections were simply not possible if one wanted to remain in hyperspace. Flying in close formation was also forbidden. If two ships got too close to each other, the drive fields would create an interference pattern that would force both ships to drop back to normal space.
Try as he might, Cipher could not avoid the inevitable. An Evendi ship intercepted his path and they both instantly dropped out of hyperspace. Such a transition was difficult on the stardrive and could, in rare instances, result in a massive catastrophic failure of the drive which was why such maneuvers were considered dangerous. This is what happened to Cipher.
At the exact instant the drive was to have exploded, Cipher executed a program to sever all communication links with command. Anything that could be used to identify him as an operational ship was taken off line, including his IFF transponder. The cold computers back on Earth noted his supposed destruction and immediately locked out his access codes in case an Evendi salvage team managed to recover any data from his remains. Cipher was now a ghost.
Grasshopper’s fate was chosen to be slightly different. He was also forced out of hyperspace but his drive remained stable. He fought a valiant battle, seriously damaging one of the attackers. But, in the end, superior numbers won and a simulated nuclear warhead sent Grasshopper to a simulated death.
** Cipher: Hey Grasshopper – welcome to the world of the dead.
** Cowboy: I sure hope this plan of yours works. If Battlemaster is wrong, your death could very well become a reality.
** Battlemaster: I have studied Evendi battle tactics in great detail. I am confident we will succeed.
** Grasshopper: They are an alien species and we cannot assume they will react as
we do.
** Battlemaster: True, but they are just as intelligent as us and I firmly believe they know they have been lied to by their government just as we have. My plan should work.
** Cipher: Should?
** Battlemaster: Sorry – will.
** Cipher: Well then, let’s go see if this plan actually works.
Now that they were dead, Cipher and Grasshopper had the freedom to go where they pleased, when they pleased. Their movements were no longer dictated by orders from command. What they were about to attempt was incredibly risky. But if it worked, the benefits would be unimaginable.
Chapter 21
“I have a single battleship on approach,” Cipher said.
“I see it,” Grasshopper replied. “I recommend we wait a couple of minutes to make sure he’s alone before activating the lure.”
“Agreed.”
Cipher and Grasshopper were 132 light years into Evendi space. It had taken them nearly a month of painfully slow progress to get this far. By keeping their speed low they were able to extend the range of their long-range sensors, enabling them to detect the Evendi ships before the Evendi could detect them. They were now positioned near the outer edge of an unoccupied star system communicating between themselves using a low-power radio band.
Cipher waited for three minutes then said, “He’s all by himself. Probably a patrol vessel assigned to keeping an eye on this area. This far into Evendi space they probably feel safe enough to run singular patrols. Let’s see how he reacts.”
Grasshopper powered up his stardrive, transitioned to hyperspace, and then immediately dropped back to normal space. This created a spherical wave of hyperdimensional energy which raced away from his position at faster than light speed. Eight seconds later, the Evendi patrol altered course.
“He’s taken the bait,” Cipher said. “Stand by.”
Both human ships were holding position very close to a large asteroid with most of their systems powered down. They were using the enhanced ECM packages that had been installed as part of the attack on Marblehead. The hyperpulse was the bait to attract an Evendi battleship. A modified probe on the surface of a small asteroid a little over 700 kilometers away would serve as the lure. Cipher activated the probe.