The Cost of Victory

by Jay Allan

  “Sir, major energy spike at the warp gate.” Commander Simmons’s voice pulled Compton from his grim contemplations. “Something is transiting into the system.”

  Compton’s mind raced. Who could it be? The warp gate was 120 light minutes away, so whatever transited had actually been in the system for two hours. He couldn’t imagine how they could be friendlies; he was sure there was no significant force the high command could have sent here so quickly. He wondered grimly, could the enemy actually have more ships to throw into this fight? Not that they needed them.

  Sir, we’re getting a message now.” Simmons turned to face Compton. His normally calm voice was high-pitched and he spoke quickly, excitedly through the broad smile on his face. “I don’t know how, sir. It’s Admiral Garret!” He paused, still listening to the incoming transmission. With four Yorktown class battleships.”

  Chapter 23

  East of the Lysandra Plateau

  Epsilon Eridani IV

  Cain stood outside the blasted entryway to the underground complex. There were shards of blackened plasti-steel and shattered rock strewn around the large opening. He was silent, still digesting Captain Teller’s report. Teller was still being vague about the cavern, preferring Cain to see for himself.

  Teller’s people had cut their way through the large steel door, but when they were fired on they fell back and blew the entire thing. The firefight had been short; the troops inside were some type of security force the Marines had never seen before, but they were no match for Erik Cain’s special action teams. Teller had been about to hit them with some heavy ordnance when the troops shooting at his people suddenly ceased fire and a woman contacted him over his comlink.

  “This is Christine Cole, project manager of this facility, contacting the Marine commander.” She spoke in perfect, unaccented English. “I have instructed our security forces to stand down immediately. This is an Alliance installation. You were fired upon in error. Please cease hostilities.”

  “All units, condition green 7.” Teller’s command directed his forces to hold in position and stay on highest alert. It also authorized them to fire if they felt threatened. “Attention, Christine Cole. Your people have attacked Alliance Marines and ignored our orders to cease fire and stand down. You are to surrender this facility at once and your security force is to deactivate weapons and march out immediately. Failure to comply will result in an immediate resumption of hostilities, and we will take the installation by force without further notice.”

  The voice on his comlink tried to negotiate with him, but he cut her short, giving her one minute to accept his terms. When her continued attempts at persuasion were not only ineffectual, but outright ignored, she finally agreed to surrender. She ordered the security forces to power down weapons and obey the commands of the Marines. Teller was listening on the com line. She doesn’t speak like an engineer, he thought. This woman is used to giving commands, and she did not like being refused. Not one bit.

  “Security force personnel, listen carefully.” Teller had waited for Cole to finish transmitting her surrender order then he jumped on the line. “This is Captain James Teller, 1st U.S. Marine Division, Alliance Space Command. You are ordered to deactivate all weapon systems immediately and remove your helmets. You are to march out in single file and follow the instructions of any Marine personnel. Failure to follow instructions or the detection of an activated weapon will result in the immediate resumption of hostilities.”

  The surrender was completed without incident, and over 200 security troops and 2,500 workers marched out. Teller had called for reinforcements from the search teams in the area, and he detached several newly arrived platoons to administer and guard the prisoners. Christine Cole came out with the last party, which clearly consisted of managers and supervisory personnel. She was wearing a protective suit, not quite armor, but something more than the normal gear worn by the other administrators. As per Teller’s command, she had removed her helmet, revealing a tangled mass of golden blonde hair.

  “Captain Teller, I am Christine Cole.” He was shocked to find a beautiful woman standing there, her blue eyes focused right at him as she spoke, despite the fact that his own were masked by his helmet. Most people found it disconcerting to look right at someone in full armor during a conversation, but not her. “I must insist that your troops remain outside the facility. This is a highly classified project.” Her voice was pleasant, but there was something else there. Something commanding, even threatening.

  “I am sorry,” Teller said, “but that is out of the question. This planet is an active battle zone, and I have to investigate and occupy this facility. I can assure you that any secure information will be safeguarded with appropriate care.”

  She started to argue with him, but he cut her off again. She is a manipulative one, he thought. Teller was a cold fish, though - a bit of a martinet and immune to her charms and pleas. Finally, he called Sergeant Sawyer over and had him remove her from his presence. Sawyer was the perfect choice, he thought with an amused grin. She might as well try to charm a block of frozen helium.

  Teller assembled a team and entered the facility, but they only got about 100 meters before they stopped in their tracks. “God damn,” Teller drawled, staring dumbstruck at what he saw. “OK, everybody out.” His stern command broke the stunned silence on the com. “Now!”

  The search team turned and walked quickly back the way they had come. Teller posted guards at the entry with orders to allow no one to pass; then he called Cain.

  The climactic battle for the plateau was in full swing, and Jax had just gone down, so Cain ordered Teller to hold fast and guard the cave until he could get there. Teller wouldn’t discuss what he’d seen over the comlink, and Cain accepted the captain’s judgment on that and didn’t press him.

  It was nearly two days before Cain was able to break free and get to the cave. When Angus Frasier’s Scots broke through, the enemy was demoralized, and they pulled back all across the line. Reinforced by Frasier’s troops and Prescott’s Canadians, the plateau was strongly held and resupplied. 1st Brigade’s exhausted troops pulled back to a supporting position and, with contact reestablished, Cain was able to see to the evacuation of the wounded.

  With the line stabilized and his people resting, he was finally able to take some time to get a look at whatever it was Teller had found. He used a bit of creativity – lying, actually – to give Captain Warren the slip, and he headed up over the mountainous ridge.

  Now he stood outside the blasted entrance to the cave, Teller at his side. “Let’s take a look, captain.” He motioned for Teller to lead.

  “Yes, sir.” Teller commed his second in command and ordered that no one else enter the cave, then he began walking forward.

  Cain followed, looking all around as he walked. The entry to the cave was wide, the rock walls smooth. Someone had bored through here, either digging the tunnel from scratch or widening whatever was here before. The floor of the cave was covered with sheets of metal grating, providing a solid footing and allowing water to drain away.

  The tunnel continued for 100 meters, sloping downward, then opened into a massive underground cavern. To either side there were ramps leading down, large enough for a heavy carryall to traverse. Directly ahead was a catwalk overlooking the massive chamber.

  Cain walked to the railing and stared out over the unimaginable sight before him. The floor of the cavern was over 50 meters below and the ceiling at least that far above. Along the far wall he saw massive columns rising from the base nearly to the ceiling. He cranked up his visor’s magnification to get a closer look. The huge structures appeared to be constructed of some black substance, totally smooth except for shallow grooves every half-meter or so.

  “Hector, I want this all on video.”

  “Already recording, colonel.” Hector didn’t always wait for instructions. Cain often thought the AI considered itself more of a partner than an assistant. One of these days, he pondered, I’m going to unp
lug the arrogant little shit.

  At the base of the columns was a cluster of machinery in various shapes and sizes, all constructed from exotic and unfamiliar materials. Cain’s first thought was to wonder who built all of this. Except for two brief periods when it was seized by the CAC, Carson’s World had been occupied by the Alliance since it was first colonized. Could Alliance Intelligence have built this, he wondered? Or some government controlled megacorp? Why would they have built it here?

  An instant later, the staggering truth began to dawn on him. “Hector, can you determine the age of his facility?”

  “Any reliable estimate will require considerable analysis of the materials, however a cursory scan suggests an age on the order of 500,000 Earth years.” The AI spoke with a calmness and steadiness that was utterly incongruous with the enormous implications of its words. “The projection is rough, however, with a margin of error of plus or minus 150,000 years.”

  Cain just stood there, silent, stunned, looking out over the amazing construction before him. The conclusion was so incredible, so utterly unexpected, he could feel it forming in his mind, almost in slow motion. Finally he spoke to himself in barely audible tones. “This was not built by man.”

  Humans had been in interstellar space for more than a century, and in that time they had colonized hundreds of worlds and explored hundreds more. Life, they had found, was abundant, at least plants, bacteria, and simple animals. More evolved life forms were considerably rarer, with perhaps thirty worlds hosting creatures roughly equivalent on the evolutionary scale to rabbits or squirrels. Three examples of animals on par with primitive Earth primates had been found, but no evidence of other intelligent, civilized life had ever been discovered. Man had come to conclude that he was alone. Until now.

  Cain stood staring out over the cavern, trying to come to terms with the enormity of this discovery. As he looked more closely he began to notice the more modern constructions, the cranes and ramps and prefab structures clustered around the ancient artifacts. They have been excavating here for years, he thought.

  “This is why we were sent here with such urgency.” Cain established a line of sight laser link with Teller, who was standing next to him, just as paralyzed in awe.

  “It is amazing, sir.” Teller spoke slowly, deliberately, as if dragging his attention from the amazing sight before him was an almost insurmountable struggle. “You understand why I didn’t report in greater detail over the comlink.”

  “You were absolutely correct.” Cain took a deep breath. “I want no one else in here until further notice. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.” I will remain at the entrance myself to supervise security.

  Cain fell silent again, as old mysteries bubbled up, called from the recesses of his memory by the sudden presence of answers he had long sought in vain. Fifteen years peeled away, the blood, the death, the sacrifice. He was back in the launch bay on the Guadalcanal, minutes from the first time he’d landed on Carson’s World. This is why we were sent here, even then, he thought. Then, more realization. The CAC knows about this; that’s why they seized the planet fifteen years ago. That is why they were using gas to chase down the militia. They were here to find this facility.

  My God, he thought. Fifteen years of war. Was this the cause? God knows, the powers don’t need a lot of reason to fight each other, but the scope and intensity of this conflict had been unprecedented. Was it because of this? Is this why the Alliance took such a gamble with Operation Achilles, desperately trying to end the war quickly and protect their hold on this place?

  This amazing, terrifying, astonishing find. Cain’s mind raced. Centuries of scientific advancement at our fingertips, an age old question answered, a watershed event for mankind. And the Superpowers turn it into another reason to fight each other. As if they didn’t have enough already.

  “Colonel Cain.” A familiar voice on the comlink. An unwelcome one. “I must speak with you at once.”

  “Captain Warren, I am occupied at present.” The political officer brought Cain quickly back to reality. “I will be with you shortly.”

  “Colonel, I must speak with you immed…”

  “Captain Warren.” Cain emphasized the “captain” part. “I will be there shortly. Cain out.” He shut the com line and told Hector not to accept any incoming communications from Warren.

  He turned to walk back toward the surface, then stopped and turned toward Captain Teller. “No one gets in here without my permission.” Cain repeated his earlier order more emphatically.

  “Yes, sir. I understand.” Teller was one of Cain’s toughest veterans, and his troops were the best of the best. Security couldn’t have been in better hands.

  The two of them walked back slowly, both still deep in thought about what they had seen here. Cain’s introspection was short lived; Warren was waiting for him at the entrance to the cavern, his way blocked by three of Teller’s troops, armed weapons in their hands.

  “Ok, Captain Teller, what can I do for you?” Cain tried to pretend he cared, but he doubted his performance was all that convincing.

  “Colonel, you told me you were going to check on a report of an enemy emplacement.” The political officer’s voice was nasal and a little whiny. Not that Cain needed another reason to dislike Warren. “I should have been informed about this installation immediately.”

  “Look, captain.” Cain had just about had all he was going to take from the officious little prick. “If it has escaped your notice, this entire planet is a battlefield. We have been in the middle of a very serious fight. We still are, in fact; once the enemy regroups they will be back at us, I can assure you of that.” Warren started to respond, but Cain cut him off. “This installation could have been a CAC stronghold; it could have been occupied by enemy forces. Do you know how we find out if that is the case?” His voice was caustic now, dripping with derision. He’d been bottling up his thoughts for weeks, and now it was coming out. “We go and check it. Something that’s hard to do when you spend most of your time cowering at HQ.” Cain’s voice had reached a thundering crescendo. Worse, he was castigating the hapless political officer on the open comlink, humiliating him in front of everyone in the area.

  Cain turned to face the Marines standing around the entry to the cavern. “Captain Teller, no one is to enter that cavern without my specific permission.” He was still on the open comlink. “If Captain Warren causes any problems place him under arrest.” Cain’s voice was cold as ice. “And if he attempts to enter the cavern, shoot him.”

  He turned and walked off, leaving everyone standing around in stunned silence.

  Chapter 24

  Task Force Omaha

  YZ Ceti System

  En route to the Epsilon Eridani warp gate

  The four capital ships of the task force were marvels of man's engineering capability. Each measured 2,012.5 meters in length and massed nearly a million tons – the largest vessels ever constructed. The sides of the ships bristled with missile launchers and laser batteries, and built into the spine of each was a bow-firing x-ray laser cannon capable of inflicting enormous damage at a range greater than any other ship-carried energy weapon. And in the belly of each of these behemoths, firmly secured in massive steel cradles, were 24 heavy fighter-bombers, four complete squadrons.

  The Yorktown class was something new in space warfare, a massive escalation of the arms race that had been going on for more than a century. The first three ships produced had been sent to Gliese 250 and, by all accounts, they had been the margin of victory. The class vessel, the Yorktown herself, was still in the Gliese 250 system, her crews working overtime to bring the ship back to operational readiness.

  Those first three vessels had been crewed by veterans, the pick of the fleet, carefully selected to steward the navy’s new superweapons. But these four ships, which by all accounts had been expected to be another year in the shipyards, were largely manned by green crews, most of them fresh out of training. There simply were no veterans a
vailable when the vessels were surprisingly ready so far ahead of schedule.

  But the commander of the task force was a veteran…perhaps the greatest naval officer ever to command starships in battle. Admiral Augustus Garret sat in the command chair in the center of Midway’s flag bridge. His posture was odd to any onlooker; he leaned awkwardly to one side, his torso strangely twisted. He was in pain, though he would never let that interfere with duty, and it was difficult for him to position himself comfortably.

  He reflected on the bizarre sequence of events that had led him to this command center. He’d been sure the assassination attempt against him had succeeded as he lay on the deck of Cromwell’s flag bridge, slipping slowly away. His last thoughts had been regret - regret for all the men and women who were dying just because the enemy wanted to kill him.

  But he didn’t die and, to his surprise, he awoke in Midway’s medcenter, surrounded by doctors and medical technicians. How he got there was a mystery to him, one no one shed any light on until Jennifer Simon walked in, tears streaming down her face as she saw him lying in bed, very much awake.

  Simon herself looked like she’d been through a bit of hell. Her arm was lightly wrapped; it had been badly broken and poorly tended, but the medical staff on Midway re-broke and refused it. It would be as good as new in a few days. But what Garret really noticed was her face. Her hair had been shaved on one side of her head, and from ear level to her chin she had been badly burned. That too, had been treated, though it was going to take a fairly lengthy skin regen treatment before she looked like her old self.