Major Jeffries nodded. “I would have liked to have gone.”
The shuttle went into orbit above Vesta where they could see the defensive bases.
“We’ve set up ten sites on the surface that contain the majority of our offensive and defensive weapons,” General Bailey informed everyone. “Each site contains two plasma beam cannons, four ion cannons, ten particle beam cannons, sixteen pulse fusion beam turrets, and thirty-six defensive energy beam turrets. The ten sites are also protected by an enhanced energy screen that can be activated at a moment’s notice.”
“Damn, that’s a lot of firepower,” muttered Major Jeffries. He had been more concerned about his Marines inside of Vesta and hadn’t kept up with what General Bailey had been doing on the outside.
Ryan nodded in agreement. He knew in the past there had been a number of railgun batteries, but those had been replaced with additional defensive energy beam turrets.
Looking down at one of the sites, Ryan could see it was spread out over a large area. The ion cannons and the particle beam cannons were the most obvious because of their long tubes. Each extended a good forty meters above the surface of the asteroid and had an overlapping field of fire. This allowed the cannons to cover the majority of the space above the site. A tall blastcrete wall surrounded the entire base, and Ryan could see a number of tall towers with small railgun turrets mounted on them.
“There are a thousand military personnel stationed at each site,” Bailey continued. “We have two hundred Marines in Type Three battlesuits in case the Kleese land conscripts. If the Kleese come near Vesta, we’ll blow them all the way back to their home world.”
The tour continued for another hour as they cruised over the surface of the asteroid discussing possible augmentations to Vesta’s already powerful defenses.
-
Several hours later Marken and Wade entered the Viridian habitat. Stepping inside, they paused and gazed at the world created deep inside of the asteroid. The area was forty kilometers in length and twenty in width. In its center, a modern futuristic looking city extended nearly the entire length of the habitat. Several of the tall buildings in the heart of the city were forty stories high. The areas on the edges of the habitat were reserved for farming, with a number of slowly flowing rivers and several small blue lakes making it appear much like Earth. It looked like a virtual paradise. It was well stocked with various breeds of livestock as well as other animals, birds, and insects to make the habitat ecologically stable. Slightly over 1.6 million people lived in the city.
It always amazed Wade how quiet everything was. All vehicles in the city were powered by electricity, and there was no pollution of any kind. It was the kind of city and environment the people of Earth had always dreamed of but had never been able to achieve. In the distance, Wade could see herds of farm animals in the lush green pastures and flocks of birds flying overhead. There were even fish in the streams and lakes.
Marken paused and looked over at Wade. “Harnett’s at the cloning facility visiting with Mason Randle.”
“How many clones are they producing this year?”
“Three hundred thousand,” Marken answered. “That’s the most yet.”
“People are beginning to accept the clones now,” Wade said.
He was glad as Ryan’s girlfriend and fellow Marine was a clone. He had come to know Casey quite well over the last year, and she was really a sweet girl. She and Ryan made a great couple. Even their parents had come to accept her. Wade knew this had been difficult at first for his mother but after awhile, once she came to know Casey, everything had turned out fine.
-
In the cloning facility, Harnett frowned in disappointment at her latest failure to create a viable fetus by combining her DNA with Marken’s.
“We’re getting closer,” Malton the Kivean geneticist said.
“I don’t understand why this is so difficult.” Harnett had been working with Malton for months trying to create a viable fetus. “It seems so much simpler with only one DNA strand.” One DNA strand was all it took to create a normal clone.
Malton nodded. “It’s because we’re trying to combine specific traits in the two DNA strands. We’re close, very close.”
Harnett leaned back in her chair and sighed. If the Kleese hadn’t performed surgery on her, she would have been able to have children. It only made her hate and despise the Kleese even more. Standing up, she looked over at Malton. “I have a meeting with Mason to discuss the next batch of clones.”
“Three hundred thousand this year,” Malton said. “Can we do more?”
“Not without expanding the facility. We’re already stretching our resources to handle the ones we’re producing now. I’m not sure we want to put more pressure on the system.”
Malton turned back toward his computer terminal, which was showing several complicated strands of DNA. “If the Kleese come, we may not have to worry about future clones.”
Harnett hoped that Malton was wrong, but she greatly feared that the Kleese were indeed coming to destroy everything she and Marken and the other Kiveans had helped the Humans build.
-
Entering Mason’s office, Harnett saw Cyrlia was there as well. Crylia was a Kivean and a specialist in Human Physiology.
“Welcome, Harnett,” Mason said, standing. Mason was the current head of the cloning facility. It was a far change from his past job of president but one he found very satisfying.
“I understand you want to discuss increasing the number of clones we’re producing?”
Mason nodded and indicated for Harnett to sit down. “We’re going to reach three hundred thousand this year with the majority of them going to the Academy, the Fleet school, or straight into the military.”
“We still have a failure rate of .005 percent,” Crylia pointed out. “That’s fifteen hundred clones that will fail to reach maturity or suffer mental deficiencies.”
“It’s much better than where we were,” replied Mason.
It was always difficult to dispose of clones that weren’t viable. The clones were so innocent and naive at first. However, due to the memory imprinting technology being used the clones were born with a basic understanding of many things, which made their assimilation into Human culture easier.
Crylia agreed it was better. “I should warn you that if we attempt to substantially increase the number of clones, we could see a significant increase in the failure rate.”
“We will see an increase,” Harnett predicted totally in agreement with Crylia. “Mason, why increase the number of clones? There’s a good chance the war between the Kleese and us will be decided in the coming months. The war may be over before these new clones reach maturity.”
“President Steward thinks it would be wise to increase the Human population as quickly as possible. While it’s true the Human birth rate has spiked, there are still less than twenty million of us.”
“The population will grow quickly in the future,” Crylia pointed out. “In less than one hundred years with current birth rates, there could easily be close to two hundred million Humans in the Solar System.”
Mason leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He knew Crylia was correct. There had been a baby boom since the Human colonies in the Solar System had become well established. He and Adrienne even had a child. Lara was their pride and joy.
“I told the president that it might be impractical to substantially increase the number of clones. I believe there’s a growing fear amongst the government that we could see substantial civilian casualties if the Kleese attack the Solar System in force.”
Harnett remained silent. There was no doubt in her mind that the Kleese were going to do just that. “We would have to expand the facility as well as all of our clone training programs. It will take some time and effort; a lot of it.”
Mason nodded his understanding. “See what would need to be done. I’ll recommend we hold off implementing anything unless we see that it’s a
bsolutely necessary.”
Harnett knew what Mason meant by absolutely necessary. If it were necessary then the Kleese would have managed to inflict major damage to the Solar System, killing a lot of Humans. It was something Harnett didn’t want to think about.
-
A few minutes later Harnett and Crylia were standing in the observation room above one of the clone awakening centers. Large glass covered cases were being brought in, and the status of the clones inside were being evaluated. Inside the room a number of Human and Kivean physicians were busily checking each case and then starting the awakening procedures. The room was sterile, with everyone wearing white medical uniforms and surgical masks.
“I never tire of watching this,” Crylia said softly. “Every time a new clone awakens, it’s a new life coming into being.”
“So many of them will be going off to war,” said Harnett regretfully. “Even if somehow we manage to defeat the Kleese, there will be more battles ahead.”
Inside the room one of the glass lids slid back, and two Human medical assistants helped a clone to sit up. The clone looked frightened and confused. The medical assistants spoke to the clone in soft, soothing voices, reassuring him everything was going to be fine. After a moment, the clone stood up and took several teetering steps with the medical assistants hovering close by. Satisfied, they led the clone out of the room where he could begin being assimilated into Human culture. As soon as that clone was removed a second case opened, this one a female. Great care had been given to ensure there were an equal number of male and female clones.
“We awaken over eight hundred clones a day now,” Harnett said as she watched the female clone sit up and then a few moments later being led from the room. “Our indoctrination systems can barely keep up. I just don’t see how we can increase these numbers without compromising the clones themselves.”
“Let’s hope we don’t have to,” responded Crylia, turning to face Harnett. “Mason is a good man and I’m sure he’ll see the wisdom of not increasing clone production.”
Harnett watched as another clone was awakened. “I walked through a section of New Eden earlier. It has changed a lot in the last two years. I saw clones on the streets and Humans were treating them as equals. In many instances, the clones have learned to behave as Humans and you can’t tell them apart.”
“A number of clones have married Humans,” Crylia was quick to point out. “They’re completely compatible and soon there’ll be children from some of those joinings.”
Harnett nodded. If her cloning experiment went as she hoped, then someday soon there would be a child in her home as well.
-
Wade and Marken were walking down the large downtown area of the Viridian habitat. Around them buildings soared high up into the air and the street was full of electric vehicles. Sidewalks were occupied by numerous people going about their daily business.
“It has always amazed me how rushed you Humans seem to be,” Marken commented as he watched a group of young people dart across the busy street. “You run instead of walking and take unnecessary risks instead of reasoning things out.”
Wade laughed. “Isn’t that why you chose our race to fight the Kleese?”
A serious looked crossed Marken’s face. “Yes, it was one of the reasons. That and the fact that nothing seems to frighten you.”
“We’re easily frightened. We just refuse to let that fright rule our lives.”
Wade stopped in front of a restaurant enjoying the aroma of the food cooking inside. It reminded him that he needed to take Beth and Erick out in the near future. Beth loved eating out though it was a slight hassle with Erick.
Looking around, Wade noticed the different stores and the advertising signs in some of the windows. In many ways it was similar to what Earth had been like, and in many others it was so different.
“If we win this war someday, I would like to see Kivea restored,” Marken said wistfully as they resumed walking. “It wouldn’t be that hard to repair the damage the Kleese did to the planet. A modest bit of terraforming and it could be made habitable again.”
“Would you move there?”
Marken hesitated and then slowly shook his head. “I don’t think so. For many of us, we like the home we have now. I’m sure some of those we rescued from Kivea might consider it. However, it will be awhile before we’ve built up our population to the point where returning to Kivea would be practical.”
“The same with Earth,” Wade said as they turned a corner and began walking toward the residential areas. “From what I’ve seen of the terraforming plans for the planet, it might well be over fifty years before we can even think of going back.”
“It’s the earthquakes and volcanoes,” Marken said with sadness in his voice. “It will take time to bring those back under control.” Marken knew that billions of Humans had died in the Kleese attack on Earth. Many had met horrible deaths as nuclear winter overtook the planet. The planet hadn’t died quickly, it had taken awhile and there had been much suffering.
Wade waved down a taxi passing by. It would take too long to walk to his house from here. While both he and Marken enjoyed their walks through the city, a four-kilometer walk was a little too much.
-
In the cloning facility, Mason Randle sat behind his desk with his eyes closed in thought. His life had been a lot less hectic since he was no longer president. He opened them and gazed across the room at a large picture showing Smithfield back in the days before the Kleese had come. In many ways he missed those days when mining was his number one priority. He had dreamed of flying to the stars and even begun construction on a ship to make the Human race’s first interstellar voyage. Then the Kleese exploration ship had shown up and changed everything.
His ship, the Phoenix, had been hastily redesigned into a warship, and his dreams of exploration had been ruthlessly taken away. It was strange now that interstellar travel was common and easy that he had remained in the Solar System. Adrienne had suggested several times that he take a trip to Lanolth and see the new capital of the Alliance, but Mason had declined. There was something special about being first, and now that could never happen.
His own brother-in-law, Michael Kirby, had even served as fleet admiral for a short time until more qualified people had been found. Mason knew his sister, Susan, was happy now that Michael was no longer involved in the fighting but had gone back to running his prospecting operation. Of course there was Karen, his niece who was studying Kivean medical technology. Mason strongly suspected that someday she might turn to the military or even go and visit other worlds.
Standing up, Mason walked over to the door of his office and after opening it, turned off the lights. It was time to go home to Adrienne and Lara and leave his job behind. He had already decided he was going to tell President Steward that increasing clone production at the present time was impractical. If Harnett and Crylia came up with an idea to increase production at a later date, he would consider it.
-
In one of the clone awakening centers, a female opened her eyes and stared up at the bright lights in fear. She could see several shapes moving next to her.
“Don’t be afraid,” one of them said in a soft voice. “We’re here to help you.”
“Help me?” she said hesitantly, discovering she knew what was being said to her and also how to respond.
“Yes, everything’s going to be fine.”
The clone smiled and allowed herself to be helped out of the case. She wondered who these people were and what was to become of her. Little did she suspect that she would be trained for war and to fight a most dangerous enemy. The Zaltule waited in her future, and the Zaltule showed no one any mercy.
Chapter Ten
Zaltule War Overlord Tetus stood upon the Command Pedestal of his flagship, the Fists of Glory. He was onboard one of the older Zaltule battlecruisers and had just received specific orders from Supreme Military Overlord Harmock. Somewhere in Kleese space, between the cor
e worlds and the Human led Alliance, was a rampaging Human fleet attacking former nonaligned worlds and setting them free. He was to seek out that fleet and destroy it.
“The fleet is nearly ready,” reported Minor Overlord Klantos, who was Tetus’s second in command.
Tetus shifted his gaze to the bank of viewscreens showing the space around the Fists of Glory. They were in the system of Sherlund, which was one of the Kleese core systems. Sherlund was the home to over ten billion Kleese and also contained the massive shipyard used to construct new trading stations as well as exploration ships. There were fourteen worlds in the system as well as numerous moons. In the distant past, there had been several large asteroid fields, but those had long since vanished having been used as resources for the massive Kleese construction projects.
The planet Sherlund was the most heavily populated of the three worlds in the system that had breathable atmospheres. Sherlund was the fourth planet out from the K class star. The third and fifth planets had been terraformed to allow the Kleese to move about on the surface of the planets without the aid of breathing devices. All three worlds now held robust populations of Kleese, all dedicated to expanding the empire and someday dominating the galaxy. Around Sherlund, the orbiting space was full of artificial constructs consisting of space stations, shipyards, and massive storage facilities.
On the viewscreens, hundreds of Zaltule battlecruisers were visible. The ships were three kilometers across, one thousand meters thick, and heavily armored. Their hulls were covered in powerful weapons emplacements. Unlike the larger Kleese exploration cruisers, these ships were designed for war and to destroy the enemy. Capable of traveling 120 light years per day in Fold Space they could quickly travel to any section of the massive Kleese Empire.
“What is our first destination?” asked Minor Overlord Klantos.
Tetus reached forward and touched the command console in front of him with one of the seven digits of his right hand. On one of the viewscreens, a group of stars appeared. “Our war computers predict this area of space is the most likely region for us to encounter the Humans. Supreme Military Overlord Harmock believes this is but a feint to attempt to draw his attention away from the Human led Alliance. However, we can’t allow this Human fleet to be freeing former nonaligned worlds. What is even worse, they have found a way to neutralize the collars of obedience. Harmock believes the Humans have seriously underestimated the number of ships we have available and don’t believe we can respond to this threat without recalling the Supreme Military Overlord’s fleet.”
Galactic Empire Wars: Insurrection (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 5) Page 13