by Chris Burton
None were successful, as the Sentinels prevented them. Alpha also wanted to explore the system, and it was when an Alpha survey vessel entered the system that the Sentinels first attacked. War with the Sentinels started less than two weeks later.
The survey ship had also discovered a peculiarity in their findings. The situation of the wormholes—in relation to the three stars and their orbiting planets—led to the realization that, if both wormholes were opened together. a third hole, a blue wormhole, would materialize.
Unlike conventional wormholes, little was known about blue wormholes and what lay beyond them. What was clear was that they had their own immensely powerful gravitational pull, which to date had only ever resulted in the loss of any space craft that got too near one.
The Sentinels’ religious beliefs were clear: The wormholes must remain inactive to prevent the blue wormhole from materializing. They believed that, if the blue wormhole was opened, something terrible would come through it.
Alpha’s stance on this was pragmatic. The present-day consensus was that a blue wormhole could lead to another galaxy, but more likely than not would lead nowhere and anyone trying to go through one would probably be destroyed trying. Conversely, it was highly unlikely that anything untoward would be able to exit the blue wormhole for the same reasons. Notwithstanding this, the Alpha off-world anomaly committee was always keen to support properly-constituted and -funded mission proposals. The premise was that Alpha would front such missions, funded by the proposers, with the assumption that their personnel would join the mission in a non-military capacity.
The proposal from Nexus Thru Space Incorporated was submitted to the Off-world Committee in the first instance. Admiral Clark approved the proposal in principle and presented the plan, including Alpha’s proposed involvement, to the ‘Cabinet’ at their last meeting. An amendment by Alpha had included a proposal to ‘open’ both wormholes together in a controlled environment, with a view to prove or disprove the blue wormhole theory.
“Gentlemen, Nexus agreed for Alpha to send two research vessels to the wormholes once we have control of the Tri-Star Region. I am in the process of arranging this and will report back in due course,” said Clarke.
“We are also looking further at the Betanica sect and what they stand for. It is not just the Sentinels who believe something sinister lies beyond the wormholes. There is a division of the Sect on Earth known as ‘the Collective’. We are being prudent and investigating the matter in detail prior to any exploration which might take place.”
“Excellent, Admiral, thanks for the update,” said Koenig. “Let’s return to the Partacians.”
Chapter Twenty
Top Gun or not Top Gun
It was Wednesday morning and it was raining, the first wet weather for two and a half months and everything was drenched.
Steve Costello waited patiently for his tutor who had asked him to come today, presumably, Steve assumed, to discuss his poor grades. Yes, they were poor in recent weeks. He was in trouble, and he guessed his tutor was going to make some suggestions to improve his grades. His tutor arrived on time, they entered the office and Steve took a seat in front of the tutor’s desk. Meetings with tutors were non-military and informal; salutes were not necessary.
“Hi Steve, thanks for coming in. I wanted to discuss your grades, which have taken a plunge since the start of term.”
“Yes, I have been expecting this meeting.” replied Steve.
“Expecting? Why didn’t you come forward if you were concerned about your grades?”
“I guess I have been a bit pre-occupied.”
“That much is clear. You grades are down in five classes. We also have to bear in mind your one-point deduction from your Disciplinary Panel Judgment. With your grades as they are at present, your graduation is in jeopardy.”
“I can catch up. It’s only midway through the first semester. I think I might need a little extra coaching with my geometrics, but the rest will all fall into place. I have had a rough few months.”
“That is an understatement. Your grade predictions stand at between 5.9 and 6.2. You need to understand the severity of the situation. I am pulling you out of Top Gun.”
“You’re kidding!”
“No, I am not. I have also taken the liberty of requesting a further psych evaluation, and a voluntary grounding of two weeks.”
“You can’t take me off Top Gun. With or without the sponsorship, this was still my application.”
His tutor interrupted. “It is. However I can ask you for your DOR.”
It suddenly dawned on Steve how serious this was. DOR (dropped on request) was a voluntary resignation from the Academy, usually reserved for students. allowing them to resign rather than be pushed. It was rare, and you had to be in serious trouble for DOR to even be mentioned.
“What’s the point of the psych evaluation? It will be the same as last time, and I will get behind on my jump pilot course. That is my chief specialty. You can’t ask for my DOR.”
“I am sorry, Steve. Top Gun is not an option. It is too significant a distraction for you right now. Please accept my judgment, for which I have sought the opinions of your flight instructors and your other tutors. I don’t like doing this, but we need to graduate our best pilots. That is your and our priority.”
Steve reflected for a few moments. “I understand your position and you are just doing your job, but I am going to challenge this. “
“That is your prerogative. You won’t take any further part in the academy’s Top Gun competition.
Steve left the tutors office in a bad mood. He felt angry and let down by his tutor and the academy. He would fight this.
* * * *
Jake Carter sat at a terminal in the resources block. He was researching Quadroponics as part of his Stellar Cartography class and his mornings work was successful. Quadroponics was the study of plant life in biospheres, or, more specifically, in a vacuum or on a Beta Forming Planet.
Jake glanced up and saw Steve marching towards him with a scowl on his face. Clearly he was not happy. Steve threw his utility bag on the table, grunted and slouched down on a chair beside Jake, continuing his sulky impression.
“I didn’t know you had a free period.” Jake tried it on to see if he could get Steve to bite. Steve sighed; Jake’s attempt to wind him up passed him by. He explained the reason for his melancholy expression.
“Oh my God,” said Jake. “You are in shit. Why didn’t you tell me your grades were so low? I could have helped, so could Carla.”
* * * *
Maria refrained from getting directly involved because she wanted to avoid what she termed a ‘conflict of interest.’ She referred them to the Academy’s Legal Consulate, a student resource where grievances against the Academy could be addressed.
* * * *
The Consul beckoned both students into her office. Over coffee, Steve detailed the events leading to his imposition. She reflected for a moment.
“I think there is a case for saying you were placed under undue pressure by enforcing a one point reduction in your final graduation score, and we should pursue this with the Chancellor’s office. However, your tutor acted properly and is really looking after your best interests. I don’t see any precedence for him to stop you from continuing as a Top Gun candidate, but I can’t do a thing about the scheduled psych test. If you fail this, you will have to sit out the next month grounded, as every other person would.”
“I will be out of Top Gun whatever happens, so I am wasting my time. “ Steve started to stand up, but Jake pushed him down.
“Is there a precedent for grounded pilots to re-enter the Top Gun competition if they are already candidates?” Jake asked.
“Possibly,” said the Consul, “Although this is not really my jurisdiction. We need to ensure we don’t get away from the big issue here. This is not Top Gun. It’s about your graduation. You need to speak to the Top Gun administrators if you are grounded, and they can advise furthe
r on this. If you in agreement, I will discuss the relevant issues with the Chancellors office and get back to you. I suggest you don’t do anything until you have heard back from me, other than take the psych test as planned this afternoon. Assuming I can get back to you by tomorrow evening, and your tests are negative, it is possible you may be able to participate in the Top Gun tournament.”
Steve and Jake left the Consul’s office and headed straight for the OT Clinic. Jake waited outside while Steve had his psych test. Steve wasn’t happy with the Consul’s suggestions, but Jake managed to bring him around. Jake persuaded him to have the test and then sit tight until the Consul came back to them
Jake picked up the pieces of Steve’s life once again. Yes, he wanted to win the Academy Top Gun Tournament, but not due to the exclusion of his best friend and closest rival. Jake decided he would have a ‘hypothetical chat’ with one of the event organizers while he waited for Steve to return. He opened a comm link, and the Academy intranet located Commander William Golding, the Top Gun supreme at the South Downs Academy.
Steve returned five minutes later. “I failed the test and they hooked me up for another twenty-four hour test…what a surprise.”
“Okay let’s get you back home and into some quiet space. The good news is there is a precedent for returning to the Top Gun course if you are signed off and if you are already a Top Gun candidate. I checked with Commander Golding, without going into any details.”
True to her word, the Consul came back to Steve the following evening by comm link. “The Chancellor agreed to reduce the one point graduation fine to half a point, but only if you take the voluntary two-week grounding as proposed by your tutor. I understand your twenty-four hour psych evaluation came back clear again. The Chancellor says you can return to flying in two weeks. Use the time wisely to catch up on your Geometrics etc. You will have to miss Top Gun tomorrow.”
“Can I not commence the two weeks after the Top Gun tournament?”
“You have to discuss that with your tutor. I have done all I can; it is up to you. Get your head down and graduate. You have no excuse.”
Steve already heard his twenty-four hour test was clear again. He felt briefly heartened before the Consul said her piece; now he was angry again.
“I am in the clear and I still can’t do the Top Gun.”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” said Carla, who had joined them in Steve’s apartment. “I am free. Let’s go see your tutor and see if we can sort this out.”
Steve’s tutor was remarkably receptive. The Consul spoke to him following her conversation with Steve and the Chancellor. She diplomatically suggested that while she thought Enson Costello would accept the two week grounding, perhaps, given his proven abilities, it would be pertinent to wait until after the Top Gun round this weekend before the ‘voluntary’ grounding commenced.
“I need you to turn your grades around, Steve. There is no hiding from this. This is as transparent as it gets, especially with the Chancellor involved in your affairs. You can commence the ‘voluntary’ grounding on Monday.”
Steve showed his relief and accepted the tutor’s judgment without further comment. He knew he was on a knife’s edge, but he could concentrate on the Top Gun.
Chapter Twenty-One
The Partacian Border
Admiral Shenke gazed out of the Conference Room window, which ran along one side of the room. In front of him lay the newly-assembled battle group charged with the responsibility of attacking the Sentinel Southern fleet from the rear; meanwhile, the main fleet would attack the enemy along the Ionian front. He assembled a fleet of some fifty ships of the line, together with twenty support ships and a jump ship contingent of three thousand. All in all, the mini-fleet contingent included fifty thousand marines. The assembled collection of Alpha’s finest was impressive: in addition to his star ship, there were two star cruisers, fifteen star destroyers, ten battleships, eighteen battle cruisers, one carrier and three patrol vessels. A formidable force, and he had every confidence in their combined ability for the job ahead. He turned to face the commanders of his fleet, invited to join the Admiral today aboard the Fleet’s Flagship, the Illustrious.
“Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen, for joining me today. As you know, over the last three weeks we assembled this battle group with a view to confront the Sentinel Southern fleet. We will attack them from behind while our colleagues in the main battle fleet will attack along the Ionian plains.”
“To do this,” he continued, “we have elected to cross through Partacian airspace en route to our destination. Unfortunately, despite our best diplomatic efforts, it looks as if our presence in the Partacian system won’t be welcome, and it is likely we will encounter resistance.“
“The Partacian forces are weak and will prove no obstacle to our passing. However, we should prepare for a combat environment and remain at high alert status while we pass through their system. I propose we deploy as few jump ships as possible during our crossing. We don’t wish to swell our numbers and provoke an unnecessary military incident. It is likely the Partacians won’t attempt to take us on at this level, but we should be cautious. I foresee little difficulty, and we should look to this period as being little more than an advanced training exercise.”
“However, within a matter of weeks we will engage the Sentinels, and this will be a full-throttle battle with the likelihood of significant losses. I am confident the combined efforts of our two fleets will be successful and we will eliminate the threat from the Southern Fleet, just as we did with the Northern Fleet.
Shenke looked around the conference room table at the expressionless faces of the commanders. He had been here before, and he knew he should make some kind of motivational finale to his speech to send his commanders on their way. Shenke was well versed in motivational rhetoric, and delivered his words calmly, but clearly.
“It has always been the quality of our people which underpins all that Alpha Fleet does. We are dedicated, motivated, well trained and loyal. Our determination, courage and selfless attitude are displayed time and time again. As I look around this table, I see many faces I recognize and some I don’t. In time I will get to know each and every one of you. You are the bedrock of Alpha and its greatest asset, and together we will be formidable.”
With that he sat down, smiled and said. “Thank you for your time.”
Commander Jonathan Hoskins enjoyed the briefing. He came across Shenke before and knew what to expect. Shenke was a one-off. He was impressive and a good orator, if a little unpredictable, but overall Hoskins felt more comforted by the presence of a ‘real’ Admiral in command than one of those puppet Admirals Alpha made a habit of bringing through the ranks without any real military experience.
Hoskins’ ship arrived three weeks ago and was combat ready. He could not wait to re-engage the Sentinels. He did have concerns about the Partacians; even in their currently-disheveled state they represented a threat. Hoskins’ prior experience of the Partacians left little doubt that any ensuing battle would be more complex than a simple training exercise.
The order to move out came at midday, and the battle group moved slowly into Partacian space. The fleet flew in close formation, creating an additional layer of shielding and presenting a unified front. Short range scanners revealed nothing and the Battle Group began to trawl across the vast region of space which the APF legally defined and specified as Partacian Territory.
At 13.50, a group of thirty Partacian warships came into short scan range. They adjusted their course and headed directly for the Alpha Fleet.
Grand Sol Tarangi, the commander of the truncated Partacian fleet opened a comm link and addressed Admiral Shenke directly in fluent English.
“Admiral Shenke. You are warned not to cross into Partacian territory and you have done so. We will open fire on your fleet unless you return to neutral space immediately. This is not negotiable.”
The lead Partacian Solship fired a barrage of plasma cannons immediately
above the Alpha Battle group—clearly a warning.
He continued, “Leave or your fleet will be destroyed.”
Shenke expected this. The bluntness and the audacity of the Partacian Grand Sol surprised him. He opened a comm link.
“Grand Sol, we would like to reopen diplomatic discussions. I presume you have the authority to discuss these matters?”
This was meant as a deliberate challenge to the Grand Sol. He knew all Partacians felt they had the authority to negotiate. It was part of their make-up, and this was a challenge to the Partacian leader to enter into a dialogue rather than take action.
The Grand Sol didn’t take the bait. He closed the comm link. Moments later, his fleet opened fire. The Partacian vessels commenced an attack on the Alpha Fleet, which packed together in a tight formation to ensure the maximum protection from the fleet shielding system. The Partacians formed a circle surrounding the Alpha Fleet and fired at will, like a Native American assault on a US cavalry wagon.
The offensive went without reprise, but Shenke knew the shields would weaken. It was only a matter of time before Alpha must defend themselves.
“Grand Sol” said Shenke. “You must cease this futile attack on us. You have no prospect of defeating us. Don’t force me to defend the fleet.”
Once again there was no response.
Shenke’s team of advisors and fleet controllers stood staring as the Partacians continued the assault. His lead Advisor, Commander Chris Willis, was old school and paid no attention to any diplomatic sensitivity which prevailed. “Admiral, we should launch one hundred jump ships and let them take the Partacian ships out. There is a risk that if we allow this assault to continue; our ships will take some damage.”
“No, our response must be appropriate. The Partacians are not the enemy. They are merely protecting their airspace. We don’t want them to feel threatened by us, but they have every reason to feel sensitive about ‘alien’ ships entering their territory.”