by Ryk Brown
“This is the Cobra gunship production plant on the planet Kohara, in the Tau Ceti system,” the general began. “The entire facility is surrounded by a three-layered stun fence, and is protected by numerous automated weapons towers. It is monitored by vid-cams and eight different types of sensors, including weapons detectors, infrared, life-sign detectors… You name it, they’ve got it. In addition, it is also protected by a contingent of fifty Alliance Marines stationed on-site, as well as a wing of Super Eagles and Reapers at the Geraleise spaceport, six hundred kilometers to the southeast. On top of that, the Alliance battleship, Benakh, is tasked with the protection of not only the Tau Ceti system, but the Cobra plant itself. Despite the fact that there is seemingly no way for anyone to get into the base without permission, the Cobra gunships themselves are fitted with lockout systems. If launched without authorization, their jump drives will not work and they will end up in the recovery lake a few hundred meters downrange of the launch track. If any attempt is made to remove a jump drive from the plant, or from any of the completed gunships, the drive’s independently powered self-destruct system will detonate, killing anyone within one hundred meters. Quite frankly, the facility is impossible to breach.”
Nathan was sure he noticed the faintest of smiles on the general’s face.
“We are going to breach that facility and steal at least six fully operational gunships.”
Nathan looked around at the faces of the other Ghatazhak in attendance, including Jessica. They too had discreet, confident smiles on their faces. Despite their general’s description of the target’s impenetrable security measures, not a single man—or woman—in the room doubted their leader’s assertion.
“As I said, there is only one way to set foot on that compound,” General Telles continued, “and that is to have permission. A team of four will accompany Captain Gil Roselle, commanding officer of the Benakh, on a surprise inspection tour of the facility. Those four will be dressed as Alliance Marines, wearing uniforms and armor provided by Captain Roselle. Once inside, Captain Roselle will use his command codes to disable the compound’s security systems, allowing us to safely insert another twenty Ghatazhak into the compound. The disabled security system will automatically trigger a response by the on-site marines, as well as the launch of the air assets at Geraleise. Unencumbered, the marines will be on us in less than a minute and the air assets in five. Our ground forces will need to deploy and reach proper intercept points before the Alliance Marines exit their barracks.”
“What about those air assets?” Josh asked rudely.
Nathan cast a disapproving glance at Josh.
“What?” Josh said sheepishly. “It’s a fair question.”
The general continued, ignoring Josh’s comments. “Seconds before Captain Roselle deactivates the facility’s security systems, Commander Jarso and his flight of six Rakers will attack the Geraleise spaceport, buying us the time we need to access and launch the gunships.”
“That facility isn’t designed to rapidly launch the gunships,” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda warned. “It normally takes fifteen minutes to get a gunship from the holding area to the launch track.”
“Commander Kamenetskiy has assured me that he can alter the control program to accelerate the positioning and launch cycles.”
“How much time can you shave off?” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda asked Vladimir.
“The dollies that move the gunships were originally designed for much heavier loads. They are capable of moving a gunship ten times faster than they are currently programmed to do.”
“Maybe so, but we’re talking about launching six of them,” the lieutenant commander reminded him. “How long is that going to take?”
“Approximately twenty-one minutes, from the time we gain access to the gunships to the time the sixth gunship launches,” Vladimir replied.
“Twenty-one minutes?” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda looked at General Telles. “You expect to hold off fifty Alliance Marines for twenty-one minutes?”
“Thirty, if you include the time it will take for the flight crews to get to the gunships and bypass their individual security systems,” General Telles replied.
“Thirty minutes.”
“It will not be a problem,” the general assured the lieutenant commander.
“Have we considered the ramifications of killing Alliance Marines?” Cameron asked. “Stealing gunships is one thing, but those marines are technically friendlies. If we cross that line, there will be no turning back. Galiardi will declare us to be terrorists, or an enemy state. He may even send ships after us.”
“We intend to use non-lethal force to subdue the Alliance Marines on Kohara,” General Telles assured her.
“Whoa,” Josh whispered. “A kinder, gentler Ghatazhak. Never thought I’d see that.”
“However, if lethal force is required to assure the safety of our people,” the general continued, “it will be used, regardless of the potential complications.”
“Oops, I spoke too soon,” Josh muttered.
“And those Super Eagles?” Cameron wondered.
“They will be attacked prior to the alert, and the hour will be late. The loss of life should be minimal.”
“Minimal,” Cameron said, obviously unsatisfied.
“Commander Jarso and his pilots will be instructed to avoid taking Alliance lives, if possible,” General Telles assured her, “but again, we must protect ourselves. Our numbers are few.”
Cameron spoke quietly to Nathan. “You’re okay with this?”
“I don’t see that we have much choice, Cam,” Nathan replied. “Galiardi and the Alliance leadership ignored their obligation to defend the Pentaurus sector, knowing damn well that it would cost lives…innocent lives.”
“Yes, but…”
“Do you honestly think Galiardi would not do the same?” Nathan asked. “Wouldn’t you, to protect Earth?”
“I didn’t say I was opposed, Nathan,” Cameron defended. “I just wanted to make sure that we’re considering all the facts.”
“I assure you, we have,” General Telles promised her, and a hush came over them.
“When are we going?” Nathan asked.
“The Seiiki will depart immediately,” General Telles replied.
“But we’ve been running nonstop for twenty hours now,” Neli protested.
“It will take you three days to reach Earth,” General Telles stated. “You will have plenty of time to rest during your journey. Besides, we need the Seiiki to complete her mission and get Doctor Sorenson and her family off Earth prior to our attack on Kohara.” General Telles looked at Deliza. “I trust the jump sub is ready?”
“Ready, yes. Tested…?”
“Well, if it doesn’t work, we’ll just bring them back to the Seiiki with us,” Jessica said.
“Just like that,” Cameron commented dryly.
“Yup,” Jessica replied confidently.
“If we’re leaving immediately, when are we supposed to learn how to fly the gunships?” Loki asked.
“We have outfitted several VR units to allow training en route,” Cameron told him.
“You’ll have additional time at the rendezvous point, as well,” General Telles assured Loki.
“I’m not worried,” Josh bragged.
“That’s what worries me,” Loki said under his breath.
“You spoke of the Rakers,” Vladimir commented. “Their jump drives don’t have the range to get them to the Sol sector.”
“The Morsiko-Tavi departed five hours ago, carrying all six Rakers and their pilots. She will arrive at the rally point two days after the rest of our forces, and ahead of the Seiiki.”
“Are we flying the Seiiki to Earth, or is Marcus?” Josh asked.
“You and Mister Sheehan will pi
lot the Seiiki all the way through the mission on Earth, and all the way back to the rally point,” General Telles explained. “at which point Mister Taggart and Miss Ravel will pilot the Seiiki back to the Aurora, so that you and Mister Hayes join us on the Kohara mission to pilot gunships.”
“So, we’re breaking into an impenetrable facility and stealing a bunch of ships that no one knows how to fly,” Marcus grumbled. “What could possibly go wrong?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
President Scott sat at the head of the oval conference table in the council chambers, at the Alliance headquarters deep within Port Terra. It was the sixth time the council had assembled since Jung ships began showing up deep within Alliance territory twenty-three days ago. Prior to that, the council met once every three Earth months.
Dayton had always looked forward to these meetings in the past. Most of the representatives from the core worlds were interesting, intelligent people from widely varied cultures; the result of centuries of isolation and independent development after the bio-digital plague had broken their ties to one another. The meetings were literally events, with all the diplomatic pomp and circumstance that one might expect, including the post meeting dinner. Those dinners would last long into the late hours as they regaled one another with stories from their individual worlds, their tales fueled by the finest wines and spirits available throughout the Sol sector.
But those days were gone. Now, the representatives arrived in their various jump shuttles and hurried straight to the council chambers, their moods foul and their faces worn. They were hardly the same people they had been a month ago, and neither was Dayton. The events of the past three weeks had changed them all, Dayton had felt it. It was the same feeling of dread that he had felt during the original Jung war. He had put on a hopeful and positive face for the people of Earth and he had tried to instill that same feeling in each of the representatives as their worlds had been liberated by his forces, giving them a taste of freedom for the first time in centuries.
It had taken President Scott months to convince those newly-liberated worlds that the Alliance would be able to keep the Jung threat at bay. All of their worlds had recovered. Even Earth, which had been nearly destroyed by repeated attempts by their enemy to erase them from existence, had nearly recovered. His world still had the scars of battle, to be sure, but they were healing. The famine and disease that had plagued Earth for years after their liberation had finally been brought under control and Earth’s people had once again become hopeful.
Until twenty-three days ago.
“Mister President,” Admiral Galiardi began, “if I may?”
President Scott nodded, giving the room to the admiral.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I fear that events are forcing us onto a road we’d rather not take, but have always known we would eventually have to travel. Our intelligence operatives on Nor-Patri have informed us that the Jung people are calling for an all-out war against the Alliance. There are riots in their streets and on the very steps of the leadership. Even the once-docile isolationist castes are calling for the Alliance to be brought under control.”
“I don’t understand,” President Scott said angrily. “They trespassed in our territory and, when confronted, they fired upon us.”
“We all know this to be true,” Admiral Galiardi agreed, “but the Jung military castes have likely informed their leaders otherwise. And, I suspect, they have leaked as much to the people, as well.”
“What about the other Jung worlds?” Minister Denara asked. “Surely not all of them are calling for a war.”
“We do not have operatives on every Jung world as of yet, I’m afraid,” Admiral Galiardi admitted. “But the few we have been able to monitor are of similar minds. They want retribution.”
“For responding to their attacks on our ships!” Minister Pinnear exclaimed.
“The Jung do not see things as we do,” Admiral Galiardi reminded them all. “They see the entire universe as theirs for the taking and are convinced that it is their destiny to bring order to all of humanity, regardless of the cost.”
“Not all the Jung feel that way,” President Scott corrected.
“That is true, but unfortunately, they are not the ones who speak the loudest at the moment.”
“Perhaps we should send a message to Nor-Patri,” Minister Zemar suggested. “A message inviting them to talk.”
“They would never respond,” Admiral Galiardi insisted.
“It would be worth a try,” Minister Zemar argued.
“No, the admiral is correct,” President Scott agreed. “To seek a peaceful solution now would appear as a weakness to the Jung and would only embolden them to attack.”
“Precisely,” Admiral Galiardi agreed.
“We must continue to show our resolve,” President Scott added.
“We must do more than that, I’m afraid,” Admiral Galiardi said.
President Scott looked at the admiral. He had set the stage nicely and was preparing to make his recommendation, one that President Scott feared most.
“We must strike decisively.”
“At which targets?” President Scott asked solemnly.
“We must take out their battle platforms,” the admiral replied.
“Which ones?”
“All of them, Mister President.”
“There are upwards of five thousand people on each of those platforms,” Minister Pinnear gasped.
“We killed far greater numbers in our initial strike,” Admiral Galiardi reminded them.
“Why the battle platforms?” President Scott asked.
“Because they are the one thing that we cannot defend against with an acceptable level of certainty,” the admiral explained. “If they send them one or two at a time, perhaps, but any more than that and I’m afraid they will run right over us.”
“But as of yet, those platforms have shown no indications that they are preparing to move,” President Scott said.
“None that we have been able to detect,” Admiral Galiardi agreed. “But if we wait, we may lose track of them.”
“I thought we could detect ships in FTL?” Minister Finn said.
“We can, but it is not easy,” the admiral explained. “And those platforms are currently in Jung space.”
“Then we have time to prepare,” President Scott decided.
“Yes, but again, the longer we wait, the more likely those platforms will slip into FTL,” Admiral Galiardi repeated. “Taking them all out now, in a single strike, will send a clear message to the Jung that we are not to be trifled with…that we are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves, and will not tolerate any overt aggression…period.”
“You are essentially drawing a line in the sand, Admiral,” President Scott said.
“The Jung drew that line, Mister President,” Admiral Galiardi insisted. “I just want to keep them well on their side. The best way to do that is to break their will to fight.”
“And you’re convinced that destroying their battle platforms will accomplish that goal?” President Scott wondered.
“At the very least, it will delay their attack for several more years,” Admiral Galiardi insisted. “Perhaps even decades. The Jung prefer to use overwhelming force, especially when facing a foe that has already successfully pushed them back.”
“The Jung surround us on three sides, Admiral,” Minister Finn reminded him as the other men in the room seemed to chew over the proposal. “They could send a hundred ships in at once. If given enough time to move their ships into position, they could strike every Alliance world in the Sol sector with dozens of ships at once.”
“But that would take a decade, or more,” Admiral Galiardi insisted. “By then, we will have several capital ships and nearly a thousand gunships. Not to mention ground-based ju
mp missile defense systems on the surface of every Alliance world. At that point, attacking us would be suicide. The key is those battle platforms. Without them, they may want to attack but they will not. They will not be willing to sacrifice their ships on a fool’s mission.”
“Perhaps this is something we should discuss at length, and then vote on it in a few days,” President Scott suggested.
“A few days may be too late,” Admiral Galiardi warned.
“You’re asking us to authorize a strike against eight of the Jung Empire’s most powerful assets. To make that decision in haste, and in fear, would be foolhardy.” President Scott insisted. “I appreciate your position, Admiral, but I have made my decision. The council will convene for four days, while we study the facts. When we meet again we shall vote, but not before then.”
“Yes, Mister President,” Admiral Galiardi replied, nearly choking on his response.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I urge you all to give this decision due consideration. I will require a vote when we meet again in four days.”
* * *
“A lot seems to hinge on Roselle,” Jessica commented as she walked with Nathan and the others back to the Aurora’s main hangar deck. “Are we sure he’s going to come through?”
“The plan was his idea,” Cameron replied. “Ninety percent of the intel about the facility came from him, and my people have verified more than half of it.”
“Are we positive we’re not being set up?” Jessica asked.
“Good to see you haven’t changed,” Cameron remarked with a chuckle.
“Hey, I’ve got to ask, you know that.”
“Honestly, I have considered it,” Cameron admitted.
“I trust Roselle,” Nathan insisted as they headed down the ramp from the command deck.