The Final Act: Book III: The Settlement Chronicals

by W. J. Rydrych

  Quanah was silent for several moments, "will I be able to fly again?"

  "I'll have Faud talk to you about it. But he says it depends on how complete your recovery is. He did say that those experiencing your symptoms may not be able to fully adapt to the liquid environment again, since that's the main factor leading to the problem in the first place.

  At least," Tom continued, "he thinks there's no reason you can't handle other flying assignments."

  Quanah looked moodily at the wall, "but not return to my team or squadron."

  On the mainland . . . .

  Brigadier General Vladimir (Vlad) Solokov exited the shuttlecraft and stood looking around. He was just returning from a tour of the areas of primary conflict. Dozens of other shuttlecraft were on the ground or arriving or leaving, throwing up clouds of dust and debris. A short distance away hundreds of military personnel, and an occasional civilian or Torgai, were engaged in a beehive of activity. In an area off to the side hospital tents were packed with wounded, while outside rows of covered bodies awaited return to the motherships. Overhead attack ships criss-crossed in a protective screen. It was a scene General Solokov had seen too many times on Earth; the reality of war.

  Walking slowly through the tumult, occasionally stepping aside to avoid an obstacle or returning a half-hearted salute, Vlad headed for the headquarters compound. Checking in to get the latest status report, he left and walked over to his tent a short distance from the headquarters compound, and lay down on his cot, his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling. He had been a soldier all his life, or so it seemed. Ever since leaving his parents poverty-stricken farm in the Ukraine to join the army when he was barely seventeen. Since then he had seen all types of wars; large battles with tanks and heavy weapons, the savage ethnic wars that still raged, wars of conquest and of defense.

  But there was something about the battles being waged here and now that affected him more than any of those previous conflicts. Maybe he was just feeling old, or maybe he dreaded what he knew was coming and was already underway.

  While a few Gath had been captured in the early days of fighting and transferred to the motherships, that was no longer being done. Now it was not just defeat the enemy, but exterminate them. This had never been really said at the command level, but was understood, and that was what was happening. He had seen this for himself on this recent tour. Wounded Gath killed, no prisoners taken. True, that is what the Gath had done during their conquest, but still. Even now steps were being taken to prepare to pump gas into the underground burrows that housed hundreds or even thousands of families of Gath. Holes were being drilled to the underground chambers, and pressure pumps and canisters of gas were stockpiled nearby. The face of war in space.

  As predicted, while fighting with ferocity the Gath nearly always found themselves outmaneuvered on the battlefield. More and more the conclusion the Gath didn't have experience in warfare was being borne out; while on paper they could develop a set of plans, the slightest deviation would lead to confusion. When faced by something like the human race that had warred on itself for thousands of years the Gath continually found themselves outmaneuvered and helpless. When they stepped into a trap set by the human forces they blundered on. They were totally befuddled by hit and run attacks, and only seemed to understand a head on assault by overwhelming force; and once the human commanders understood that, establishing 'killing grounds' became simple.

  How long they could depend on this was an open question. The Gath slowly learned from the humans, but it was too late, at least on Alpha 2. And perhaps they would never learn to adapt to the rapidly changing conditions encountered in actual warfare.

  In a way, Vlad thought, it was kind of sad. To exterminate an entire population was something nearly incomprehensible to him. He knew the reality of the situation; exposed as they were, far from Earth there was little choice but to completely remove anything that might imperil their existence. And clearly, if the Gath continued to exist they could imperil the Alpha 2 colony. They were a small enclave of humans light-years from their homes in the middle of a powerful alien empire, and after the fleet left the colonists would be on their own; which meant a solution was required for both the Alpha 2 and Beta 3 questions.

  It was easy to think of the Gath in the abstract. Shorter than humans, the average male Gath averaged over 150 kilograms in weight, and in its protective gear bore no resemblance to what humans were used to. And when that armor was removed the resulting body was ugly and grotesque; the opposite of the human view of what was attractive.

  “How we judge on appearances alone," Vlad thought. The Torgai weren't repellent to the humans. Most humans thought highly of them. But the Gath? Humans couldn't accept that something like the Gath were anything but an animal; even though they knew they were much more than that. They just closed their minds and proceeded with the planned extermination.

  There are times when it is best not to think too much.

  Late August, near the Torgai village . . . .

  In about a half hour the sun would begin to dip below the horizon. Here, just a short way from the Torgai village, there was no sign that battles were still waging and people dying not that far away. Here it was almost pastoral; no sound of combat, no aircraft streaking overhead, no soldiers or their clanking equipment. The only sign of habitation was the Torgai village in the hollow below, and a Torgai village was quiet, without the voices and background sound of human villages.

  Sage and Jeff had stopped to watch the sun as it set, the sparse clouds on the western horizon tinted crimson. This is the first time Sage had been at the village since the mapping teams had left weeks before, and now the village had again become what it had been before; just a quiet cluster of dens. Only the women, children, and elderly remained, the adult male Torgai still assisting the soldiers in hunting down any remaining Gath. Sage had wanted to return and see the village for perhaps the last time, since she had just received orders to return to the Stockholm tomorrow afternoon for reassignment. If she were assigned to one of the ships about to depart for Beta 3 there was a good chance she would never return to Alpha 2, and she wanted to see the Torgai village one more time.

  "What will you do now? Before long the old colonists will return to the mainland and rebuild their cities. Will you join them there?" Sage asked.

  Jeff didn't answer for awhile, "I don't know. I grew up among the Torgai, and my best friends have always been Torgai, except maybe Tom Ford, and he was quite a bit older than I was. I miss having other people around, but even Tom seems different now. Maybe," he said, "there is some half-way life I can find. I'm afraid I'm too old to learn new ways."

  After a few minutes Jeff asked, "how about you? Will you be continuing on?"

  Sage shrugged, "it's too early to think about it. Beta 3 comes first, and if they decide that’s where I’m need, I guess that’s where I’ll go. But eventually I want to get away from all of this. I've seen too much of it."

  CHAPTER 7: Moving On

  (Early September, Alpha Year 52): Wren glanced over from where she was arranging the snacks to where Sage was placing the coffee cups on the platter. The change that had occurred in the last two months was startling. Two months before Sage had been outgoing, often joking and free with a smile, and while tall and slender wouldn't have been considered thin. In those two months she had lost weight and had a gaunt, haunted look about her.

  Following her mapping assignment Sage was given command of one of the platoons assigned to clear the underground installations. The result had been an experience that had been life-changing. Now she seldom smiled, and Wren hadn't heard her laugh since her return. Sage had, the previous week, been transferred to the flagship of the part of the fleet still at Alpha 2 along with her promotion to captain; but she wasn't the same person. Tom referred to her look as 'the 1,000 meter stare', the look of soldiers who had been in combat too long.

  And she had been in combat too long. In the middle of the worst of it in the mo
on assault, then with the mapping teams. But worse than either had been her involvement in destruction of the underground installations.

  Sage’s platoon had been involved in one of the first attempts to force entry to the Gath installations, which proved to be a mistake resulting in a bloodbath, the same as it had been on the moon when forced entry to the underground hangers had been attempted. She had seen most of her platoon destroyed during that moon assault, and then to see the same thing happen a second time was traumatizing.

  Then, after failure of the attempt to gain entry by assault, they had switched to gas to clear the installations and the lower residential quarters. Once deemed safe, the task of reconnoitering the tunnels to search for survivors had been the final straw; there weren't any, with the lower reaches housing the residential quarters filled with the bodies of the dead, both adults and children. The number was so great no attempt at removal was made; following removal of any equipment or records deemed of value, the entrances were permanently sealed.

  Wren picked up the tray of snacks, Sage following with the coffee, and brought them into the little sitting room of their quarters where Tom and the others were waiting. Sage took the empty overstuffed chair at one side of the coffee table, while Wren sat down next to Levi and Consuela. Quanah sat in a hard backed chair leaning back against the wall, his hands behind his head, staring moodily at the ceiling. Tom sat at the opposite side of the room leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, his chin cupped in his hands, looking slowly around the room. Looking back and forth between Sage and Quanah, Wren felt sick about the change that had come over her family.

  When they were all present Tom got up so he could face them, glancing over to Levi and Consuela, "I hope I didn't inconvenience you too much by calling you over from the Bolivar, but we have to make our decision as to whether we want to stay here with the remaining motherships or as new colonists, or go with the main fleet to Beta 3, which leaves by the end of the week. For any of us deciding to stay the transfer has to be complete by then. Admiral Lundblad has given me the option; go with the fleet, or stay here. Of course Wren and I would like to see the family stay together, but each of you have to make your own decision. Before any decisions are made, however, I want to be sure you understand the situation. The decision may be irrevocable."

  Looking around the room, "briefly, the situation is this. The fleet can't wait any longer. We know now the structures the Gath are building in orbit are not motherships, but orbital hangers to house attack ships; and the number is considerably over 100 and increasing. This is the reason for the rush. Our experts project the hangers are unlikely to be fully operational in less than a year, but could be ready for use in less than that."

  "Right now the only defenses to overcome are small weapons platforms, somewhat over 100, plus of course their planet based ships. The platforms don't overly concern us, but basing attack ships in orbit does; it changes the equation completely. They could stop us while entering orbit, which means the blockade has to be in place in the next few months."

  Levi asked, "how many ships are leaving?"

  Tom responded, "in the initial wave, ten, with three others to be prepared to depart on 24 hours notice. If they can't sustain the blockade with the initial ten the additional three may be ordered there; depends on the situation."

  Shaking his head, Levi commented, "seems risky to hold the three back, like the full thirteen should go immediately. Two ships should be all that's needed here to pacify the rest of Alpha 2"

  "They considered that," Tom responded, "it isn't the pacification they're worried about, its evacuation of the Alpha 2 colonists if they fail. Two ships wouldn't be enough, and if the Beta 3 operation fails they would either have to return to Earth with the Alpha 2 colonists, or route them on to Sirius.”

  Adding, “if to Sirius they could be joined by whatever is left of the contingent blocking Beta 3."

  Quanah shook his head, “and how do you ever end the blockade? A blockade is a measure, not a solution. I’ve heard nothing about how we finally solve the Gath threat. Behind the words it sound's like the plan is for Alpha 2’s evacuation."

  Tom looked at him for several seconds, "any final solution is up for grabs; we have no idea what we might find when we get there. If we can't gain control of their space, or if they break out with a large force, our options are limited. We evacuate Alpha 2 with the remaining motherships and retreat to Earth. Or," he added, "head for Sirius with whatever we can save.“

  “In any case, the decision has been made to send the ten for now, retaining here enough to support an evacuation if it proves necessary."

  Looking around, "it won't be easy, but with the combined firepower of the motherships and our attack ships we think we have a good chance of succeeding.”

  Levi looked at Tom for a moment, "you still haven’t answered Quanah’s question; how do you ever end the blockade? If tied down indefinitely, there goes the Sirius mission."

  Tom nodded, "yes. The feeling is if we gain initial control we could keep the blockade up with five or fewer ships given time to supplement that with weapons platforms of our own. If we can't do that, evacuation is the only answer. So, if we want to save Alpha 2, it has to be a success."

  After a short pause, Tom continued, "blockading Beta 3 may seem like a no-win scenario, but at least we provide an interlude of five to ten years before a final decision to evacuate Alpha 2 is required. Of course some other solution to the Gath problem might be found in the interim, or the Gath themselves may not be able to withstand that long a blockade. It's obvious, from their mining operations in the asteroid belt, they're resource poor. Once we establish the blockade their use of the asteroid belt for raw materials ends."

  Tom continued, "if they're as dependent on those outside supplies as we hope, with that link broken hopefully they'll eventually either have to try to break out, or sue for peace."

  Levi looked carefully at Tom, "Hopefully. I take it the only possible solutions are peace with the Gath, maintain the blockade indefinitely, or find a way to wipe out the Gath completely."

  Tom didn't respond for several seconds, then nodded, “or weaken them to the point they are no longer a threat.”

  No one added anything, so Tom turned to Quanah, "has Faud talked to you yet? About your options?"

  Quanah nodded, "this afternoon. I suppose in anticipation of this meeting. If I go with the fleet it’s not as an attack plane pilot," he said slowly, "the medical evaluations indicate that once you develop the symptoms I had it’s too risky to try the liquid environment again.

  Which says, if I go it’s in a non-flight role or as a shuttle pilot; for which there's won’t be much demand on Beta 3. All the ‘liquid adapted’ pilots go with the fleet, so the Admiral plans to order the ships that remain at Alpha 2 retrofitted to eliminate the liquid environment since its not needed for ground support operations; so that’s an option. Also they still need shuttle pilots here, so if I stay I can still at least fly."

  Looking around the room, "I'd like be able to still fly, so I'd prefer to stay; but I'd also like to see the family stick together. So it mostly depends on what the rest of you decide."

  Finally Sage, who had been toying with a cup of coffee, glanced over at Tom and asked, "how many people stay behind?"

  "An estimate, 50,000 to 60,000 people initially, including about 10,000 of the marine contingent with General Solokov." Tom responded." That includes both the new colonists and the complement of the remaining motherships. Add to that the estimated 4,000 remaining colonists and the few thousand Torgai, which means the new colonists will have to come down gradually as facilities are developed; the basic infrastructure is almost totally destroyed. There's no intention to strip the fleet; when, and if, the Beta 3 situation is resolved most of the fleet would move on directly to Sirius."

  Looking around, "volunteers for staying will be sought first, but we expect more will volunteer to stay than the fleet can afford. The final pick will be skill mix, age, and
whatever else fits the colony's requirements, so many may not get their choice, the mission still comes first.”

  Continuing, “the marines will be tied up here for several months cleaning out the remaining Gath, but then become redundant, at least that size unit wouldn’t be needed; so most will be retrained for civilian occupations unless the Beta 3 plan changes to require ground forces. Perhaps a final 2,000 - 3,000 or so military contingent may be justified here on Alpha 2."

  Levi thought for a moment, "it raises interesting questions. With 30-40 thousand from the fleet and only 4,000 colonists, who’s in charge of the civilian government? And what's the relationship of the remaining motherships to that government?"

  Tom smiled before responding, "yes, you've raised some interesting questions, and frankly they haven't been resolved. Admirals Lundblad and maybe Collins, and Faud also, plus General Green, Rocco Petri, and Gert Foley all go with the Beta 3 fleet. From there on it's a combination of choice and needed expertise.”

  Adding, "there has been some discussion of Petri staying behind to head the Alpha 2 government, but he wants to continue with the fleet; primarily because of its eventual plan to move on to Sirius. Kevin Murphy is currently head of the colonial government, and putting a new person of less stature than Petri in charge could lead to friction. Frankly, it's a big, open question. But, the issue shouldn't arise at first, since the buildup will be gradual.”

  “Plus," he added, "Murphy's in his upper 60s."

  "Is it definite that Faud is going?" Wren asked.

  Tom nodded, "he's critical. They need him to plan and implement the battle plans. I'd say that the two most important people for the mission are Faud and Gert Foley. Most of the others are replaceable. The rumor is he's expected to replace Lundblad when he retires."

  "How about you if you stay behind? Do you get the fleet remnants?" Sage asked.