by Chris Hechtl
“It's the report. It's been bothering me for a while,” the Selkie replied, wiggling her whiskers. “It just sank in. They didn't launch fighters or other small craft to run Speedwell down.”
“I'm not certain if that is an insight anyone else caught on to yet,” the A.I. replied as he passed the observation to the other groups working on the data. “Of course, the absence of a fighter doesn't negate them having them.”
“So are fighters viable? Do they know something we don't? Should we scale our fighter plans back then?” Pavel Scolnik asked. “And the carriers too?”
“No. No sign of fighters doesn't mean they don't have them as Ensign Nelson just said. It just means we're not seeing it now or we are missing something right in front of us,” Lieutenant Oden stated.
“Well, that's nice doublespeak for you,” Pavel said with a shake of his head.
“Besides, if they don't have fighters, it might be an ace in the hole for us,” Toby Mackenzie said.
“Oh?”
“No fighters may mean no fighter or bomber doctrine. Which means our ships might be able to get in close and really screw them up,” Toby said nastily.
“Ah. Well, I'll make sure to point that out too,” Ensign Nelson said.
“If they don't have a point defense option, that makes our fighters and bombers deathtraps,” Ben Tillerman pointed out quietly.
Toby opened his mouth and then closed it. He stared at the normally quiet engineer with a fulminating look for a long moment. Ben just shrugged and smiled.
~~*^*~~
Admiral Lewis met with General Taylor in order to brief the president, cabinet, and senior congressional leaders. It was going to be an interesting time, Roman thought, especially considering that Senator Camp was running for the president's job. Roman just shook his head as he leaned over to his fellow flag officer. “This is your ball,” he said in a soft voice. Walter glanced at him. “I've got the gist of it, but you're carrying this as the expert Walter. Be on your best behavior. This will be recorded,” he warned.
“Understood,” Admiral Lewis replied as they were escorted through the hallways to the oval office.
“For heaven's sake, don't screw it up,” Roman murmured as the chief of staff opened the door to the oval office.
“I'll try not to,” Admiral Lewis murmured as they entered the chamber and took their places. President Carlton was nowhere to be found. A few minutes of cooling their heels led him to open the files in his implants and review them one more time. He'd just started to game out who would ask what when the president arrived with the remainder of the cabinet and military oversight committee in tow.
“All right gentlemen, ladies, I believe this is your show, General,” the president said dryly. “Have a seat,” he said, taking his seat.
“Actually, this is Admiral Lewis's field, so I'll let him carry the ball, sir,” Roman replied politely. He turned to Walter. “Admiral, the floor is yours.”
“Thank you, General,” Admiral Lewis said as he stood. “As you all know, we've been going over the data from Magellan and Speedwell. We have confirmed that one, the ships are from the same species as the one Magellan encountered.”
That was pretty much not news but giving them confirmation let him build off of it.
“Two, Speedwell didn't get a good look at the weapons used to destroy the satellite Magellan left behind. We've been trying to enhance the data, but we don't have the resolution to get a clear understanding of the weapons involved.”
“Resolution?” Senator Dewalt asked in confusion.
“The satellite was destroyed far outside of Speedwell's effective sight range,” Admiral Lewis explained.
“We're pretty positive it's the same race based on the style alone. But it's not the same ship; we're seeing multiple ships—a task force.”
“A task force,” Senator Dewalt said with a frown. He didn't like the implications at all. He immediately started to make notes to shift his policy to full support of the navy. He jotted a note out to the party leaders to do the same fast. They had to hide any obstructionism they had been implementing and get behind the navy as quickly as possible.
“Yes. A military force sent out on a mission,” Admiral Lewis stated.
“And what mission would that be?” President Carlton asked. He knew he wasn't going to like the answer, but he had to ask the question.
“Based on what we're seeing, we can only conclude one of two things. One, they were sent to secure the jump point, therefore trapping any remaining ships in the sector.”
“Ouch,” Roman murmured. The rest of the people in the room shifted uncomfortably.
“Second, they were there to send a scouting force to our area. They could scout for information, raid, or come to destroy everything,” Admiral Lewis said heavily.
“Damn it … this is getting too real too fast,” the president muttered darkly.
“This is why we've been pushing to do something now, before it is too late, sir,” Admiral Lewis said firmly.
President Carlton glared at him. Admiral Lewis just leveled a polite look right back.
“Okay, I had that coming I suppose,” President Carlton said grudgingly. “What do you propose we do?”
“We can't send a ship to …,” Senator Calhoun began to protest but he was cut off by a wave of the president's hand.
“I asked him, the expert,” the president said. The irony of the last two words wasn't lost on a few in the room. Even Roman fought not to wince.
“With all due respect, sir, we've already sent a ship to the area to scout. Several ships volunteered including Magellan,” Admiral Lewis stated. Senator Calhoun started to protest, but he continued on, cutting her off. “We have two options. I doubt we'll have time to do the optimal one, we don't have the resources in place.”
President Carlton looked directly at the admiral. “And the optimal one is?” the president asked patiently.
“We forward deploy several ships with mines and other platforms to defend the exit point of the hyperbridge. But the alien ships could come out anywhere.” Admiral Lewis explained as he shook his head. “We don't have the ships now. We won't for months. If they followed in Speedwell's wake, they could be there at any time. They could be there now for all we know.”
“Not a nice thought,” Senator Camp murmured.
Senator Calhoun opened her mouth to protest but then closed it.
“A backup plan is to deploy a ship to scout the jump point and monitor it for activity. If they see the aliens appear, they will run like hell for home to warn us.”
“Leading them right here!” Senator Calhoun protested vehemently.
“Ma'am,” Admiral Lewis turned on her, patience near an end. “How do you think they found the hyperbridge? They must have captured the data somehow and found a way to interpret it. That is the only thing that makes sense. Which means, they have our star charts. That includes the path home. To here.”
“The hyperbridge path from Rho to here takes several bridges actually,” Roman said. All eyes turned to him. “I don't know the exact route, but I remember reading the briefing on it when I was with the company. Icarus scouted and found the way home over several years.”
“I see,” the president stated. The president's ready acceptance of what he was seeing and what the admiral was explaining would happen changed the tone in the room.
“While we send the scout, we need to push the naval building as fast as possible. Lay as many hulls as we can and get as many ships and crews going as we can. We've determined fixed defenses will have a minimum effect here,” Admiral Lewis stated.
“You are talking about the platforms proposed to defend Earth,” Senator Calhoun demanded.
“They are fixed. Mobile assets are far more flexible. Also, defending one planet while ignoring everything else in the solar system isn't viable to survival,” Admiral Lewis pointed out.
“Says you. What about the people on Earth?” Senator Calhoun demanded.
�
��To put it bluntly and in the cold logic of war, they are expendable compared to our orbital industry and especially our shipyards,” Admiral Lewis pointed out in an iron harsh voice. “Without them we have nothing to defend anything in the solar system at all. Does anyone here think this is going to be a short war? It will if they can overwhelm whatever defenses we can muster now. But if we repulse them, what then?”
“You are thinking long term,” Senator Dewalt said with a nod of approval.
“Yes, sir, I am.”
“He has a point, Mister President,” Senator Dewalt said, clearly supporting the admiral. “And as some in this room have pointed out, he is the expert or as close as what we've got at the moment,” he said wryly.
“Admiral, do what needs to be done to defend our solar system. Give me the full plan. I'll approve what needs to be done as commander in chief,” the president said.
“Yes, sir.”
President Carlton turned to the cabinet and staff. “That leaves it up to us to find him the resources he will need to get the job done.”
“Easier said than done,” the president's chief of staff murmured.
~~*^*~~
“With me is Doctor Lorelei, head of the hyperphysics department of Mars University. The good doctor is the leading expert in all things hyperspace these days. She has won a Nobel Prize in physics and is a passionate advocate of space exploration and scientific advancement. Doctor, what can you tell us about the alien ship?” the news reporter asked.
“Well, I can tell you we are quite impressed with the ships. They are very workmanlike. They fit everything we know about starships.”
“Do they fit too well?” the reporter asked.
“No. That is the disappointing thing.”
“Can you explain that statement, Doctor?”
“Well, for one, some of the sensor readings show the ships are slightly inferior in some ways to our own. One would think they'd have more advanced technology than that.” She shook her head. “I was hoping for more. Something exotic. A gravity beam, a different form of sublight drive, different hull materials, anything! What we saw was what we got apparently or what they've got in any case.”
“Is there any evidence of tampering with the data? Of it being falsified, Doctor?” the reporter asked carefully.
“Absolutely not,” the woman said with a shake of her head. “It is wholly consistent with the Magellan data and is consistent with what we know about starship engineering. It did make me wonder though. If they've been in space so long, one would think they would have truly incredible ships. These are slower and less powerful than they should be.”
“Well, Doctor, we haven't been able to ask them how long they've been in space,” the reporter reminded her.
“Oh, yes, true, very true,” the doctor replied.
“Is there anything else, Doctor?”
“Well, something I suppose is supposition now but I think it is relevant. They have warships. There is a faction of people who believe that every race that makes it to starflight as we have is nonthreatening. Now, obviously, they are the aggressors in each of the incidents we've seen. But it does beg the question, have they met others who have fought back? It seems the galaxy isn't as benevolent as some would like us to believe. Who was it, back on old Earth who said 'speak softly but carry a big stick'? I think we should invest heavily in having a lot of sticks. Good powerful sticks to go with our navy.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” the reporter said. “Back to you, Yosef, in the studio.”
~~*^*~~
“You know Magellan's group is on their own, right? They are now trapped when they get there,” Jan asked softly. The support vessels had left for the Rho hyperbridge several days prior to Speedwell's arrival. Even if they could dispatch a faster ship, there was no way it would catch up to the other ship to warn them in hyper or in the hyperbridge to turn back.
“Yeah, I know,” Admiral Lewis murmured back, arms crossed as he looked at the ships outside the window. “But what can I do? We can't help them until we help ourselves first.”
~~*^*~~
“The good news is, we've got them outnumbered,” President Carlton said during the last debate between himself and Senator Camp. “The navy is stronger; we're stronger together—united.”
Admiral Lewis shook his head in dismay. “He's kidding, right?” he asked. “Please, tell me he is. We're talking about battleships and cruisers versus small ships …,” he held his head in his hands.
“I know. We're up against an unknown race with unknown weapons and capabilities with only a hint of their numbers. We're using improvised weapons … it's like we're a mob against trained professional soldiers and he thinks it is a good thing?” Jan asked.
“We're going to win. We're fighting to win; we're fighting to protect our home and our future. They will not pass!” President Carlton rolled on, thumping the podium with his passion.
“From his lips to any deity's ears that are listening,” Admiral Lewis murmured.
“Funny, such things didn't help when Skynet was around,” Jan replied equally softly.
Admiral Lewis shot her a look and then looked away. There remained nothing more to be said he knew.
~~*^*~~
The arrival of Speedwell with her news couldn't have come at a worse time for some of the political parties. On November third, the system-wide elections began. Members of Earth First attempted to put the election off “due to the highly-charged atmosphere,” but they were scoffed at and ridiculed by all parties.
The latest census put the Mars population in near parity with Earth. Earth still had issues with her birth and death ratio plus losses of families due to moving to the other planets and colonies in the solar system as well as outside it. The Earth First party and their supporters were a bit bewildered and unhappy by that change when the media began to point it out. The official census wouldn't kick in on Sol until the turn of the next decade however, but the changes were becoming apparent in the vote tallies as they trickled in.
Earth First's shift to a hawk status came too late for some. Senator Dewalt managed to hang onto his seat but only barely. Other long-time public officials lost their seats. Senator Calhoun didn't follow her party's advice and got trounced in the election. She lost her seat and bowed to the inevitable in an embittered and defiant concession speech.
Joe Camp won the presidential election in a landslide.
Chapter 30
Altair Hyperbridge Exit Point
December 31, 2235
The Tauren task force exited the hyperbridge at the assigned coordinates without incident. They exited into the unknown territory of the aliens as if it was hostile, expecting a potential attack the moment they were cleared of their jump wake.
The Beta bull received the sensor tech's report of the space around the bridge exit. It was thankfully clear or almost completely clear of alien hardware.
When they noted the warning buoy, he ordered it to be destroyed while his ships suckled from the support ships each in turn.
“It hardly seems worth it to leave one here,” the weapons bull stated when the satellite was reported destroyed by the consort cruiser assigned to the task.
“Mind your position,” the Beta bull growled as he paced the deck. “Where did that fleeing ship go?” he demanded, looming behind the sensor technician's seat.
“That way, Beta,” the young bull said, pointing to an arrow on the plot. “Their ion spoor is the most recent.”
“Very well. Is there an enemy star system on that heading?” the Beta bull demanded. “The one we discussed?”
“Yes, Beta.”
“Then shape a course there. We need to get there soon before the aliens can flee.”
“Yes, Beta. It will take another four days to complete the replenishment,” the tech warned.
The Beta bull turned to the ship's Alpha bull. The Alpha bull nodded solemnly.
“Very well. Tell the technicians to get it right quickly,” he ordered.
>
~~*^*~~
Sol
January 1, 2236
The inauguration ceremony was broadcast throughout the solar system. It was attended by every member of the government as well as soon-to-be former President Carlton, his wife, and family. Admiral Lewis, General Taylor, and other officers were there as well. A few who were in uniform were retirees and friends of the newly-elected president.
“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the president of the Confederation. I will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend not just the constitution of the Confederation but its people as well,” President Camp said, ad-libbing the last part.
It took hours to get through the well wishers and crowd. Once he was in the clear, the new president passed off on going to the inauguration ball in favor of meeting with his cabinet.
President Camp had formed a cabinet of all parties. There had been some consternation over his choice of an A.I. to be in the cabinet; that had been the hardest sell to get approval from Congress, let alone the general public. It was the first cabinet with an A.I. in it. There were some dark mutterings from the right-wing public, but the president ignored it as did Gia.
“I know this seems early, but we've got a lot to do and we need to hit the floor running,” President Camp said. “So to speak,” he said with a small bow and smile to Gia's holographic form.
“Understood, Mister President,” Gia replied. She was one of the most well-known of the surviving “super A.I.” Her work on restoring Earth was one of her claims to fame and one of the selling points to Earth First. She had taken over the secretary of Earth restoration that Earth First had created but also held the A.I. monitoring post for the moment.
“Okay, let's begin around the round table with a basic SITREP,” the president said with a nod to General Taylor. “General, status?”
“We do not know at this time if the enemy has followed Speedwell to Altair. We are readying an expedition to find out upon your order,” he said. The Neochimp president nodded. “The navy is currently building what it can with what it has for funding. The research teams have come up with a second generation of hardware. We are currently testing it now.”