A Show of Force

by Ryk Brown

  “That, I have yet to discern, Admiral. Still, my not having a motivation for your deception does not make your assertions true. The very fact that they are so wildly unbelievable is enough reason for me to dismiss them completely.”

  Nathan tapped the intercom built into the conference table. “Ensign Riley, Captain.”

  “Riley. Go ahead, sir,” the ensign answered over the intercom.

  “How quickly can you put us in orbit over Earth?”

  “We’re on the Sol side of Copora now, Captain. However, the next medical evac shuttle is due to return in twenty-four minutes.”

  “How long, Ensign?”

  “Sorry, sir. Three minutes, tops.”

  “Tell the evac shuttle to hold on the surface until we return, and prepare to break orbit for and jump back to Earth. We’ll be there in two minutes.”

  “Aye, sir,” Ensign Riley acknowledged. “We’ll be ready.”

  “Captain, please,” the minister begged. “There is no need to carry this illusion any further.”

  “You wanted evidence, Minister,” Nathan said. “I’m about to give it to you.” Nathan stood. “Shall we?”

  Two minutes later, Nathan entered the Aurora’s bridge, followed by Admiral Dumar, Minister Abrahms, and Commander Telles.

  “Captain on the bridge!” the guard at the entrance announced as Nathan passed.

  “Ensign Riley?” Nathan inquired as he moved forward toward his command chair.

  “Breaking orbit now,” the navigator replied. “Jump to Earth is plotted and ready. Jump point in fifty seconds.”

  Minister Abrahms tried not to show his wonder at the sight of his world slipping away from the bottom of the main view screen. Kleiades, the gas giant around which Copora orbited, was sliding away to the left, its turquoise light fading as it disappeared from the view screen altogether.

  “Comms, has that medical shuttle on the surface been notified?”

  “Yes, sir,” Naralena answered.

  Nathan rotated in his chair to glance back aft, looking at Jessica as she stepped onto the bridge and took her station at tactical.

  “Sorry for the delay, Captain,” Jessica said. “I was doing some recruiting… For a field trip.”

  “Twenty seconds to jump point.” Ensign Riley reported.

  “What is this, ‘jump drive’?” Minister Abrahms inquired. His tone suggested that, despite the captain’s theatrics, we was not yet fully convinced of their sincerity.

  “It is the reason we do not need more than a few ships to defeat the Jung,” Admiral Dumar stated with confidence.

  “What is about to happen?”

  “There will be a bright flash of light, and then we will arrive in the Sol system,” Nathan explained, “most likely, very close to Earth.”

  Ensign Riley exchanged glances with Ensign Chiles to his right, and smiled. “Ten seconds to jump point.”

  “Very well,” Nathan acknowledged.

  “How bright?” Minister Abrahms wondered, appearing a bit nervous.

  “Three……” the navigator began to countdown.

  “Do not worry, Minister,” the admiral assured him.

  “Two……”

  “The view screen attenuates the flash.”

  “One……”

  “To the naked eye, it would be blinding,” Commander Telles added.

  “Jumping.”

  Minister Abrahms watched, his mouth dropping open slightly, as pale blue light seemed to spill out across the forward sections of the Aurora’s hull on the main view screen. The light quickly washed out in all directions until the entire hull was covered. The light grew quickly in intensity until it flashed a brilliant blue-white, illuminating the inside of the bridge for a split second. The entire event took only a second at the most.

  Minister Abrahms’ mouth was now fully agape, his eyes wide. He flinched, nearly turning to run, at the image of the Earth as it suddenly appeared before him on the view screen as the jump flash quickly subsided. “Oh, my God!”

  “Jump complete,” Ensign Riley reported. “Entering high Earth orbit.”

  “Very well,” Nathan acknowledged. He turned aft again to face Minister Abrahms.

  “This cannot be,” the minister insisted. “This is surely some trickery… An illusion prepared to trick me into…”

  “I can give you a pressure suit and put you out an airlock, so that you can see for yourself,” Nathan offered, “if you’d prefer?”

  “What is that?” the minister wondered, pointing at an object just coming into view on the main view screen directly ahead of them.

  “Celestia, dead ahead, Captain,” Mister Navashee announced.

  “Helm, close to five hundred meters and hold position,” Nathan ordered.

  “Five hundred meters and hold, aye,” Ensign Chiles answered.

  “That’s another ship?” the minister asked. “How far away is it?”

  Nathan looked at Mister Navashee.

  “Five kilometers, and closing,” Mister Navashee reported.

  “But it’s so big,” the minister exclaimed in disbelief. “Is it a Jung ship?”

  “That is the Celestia, our sister ship,” Nathan explained.

  Moments later, the image of the Celestia filled the main view screen.

  “It looks badly damaged,” the minister commented.

  “She had a slug fest with a Jung battle platform a few weeks ago. She should be good as new after a few months in dry dock.”

  “She fought a Jung battle platform, and survived?” The minister could not believe what he was hearing, or seeing.

  “It was a team effort,” Admiral Dumar added.

  Nathan stood and made his way back toward the minister. “I trust that you now believe we are being truthful with you, Minister. Or do I need to call for that pressure suit?”

  Minister Abrahms shook his head. “Could you not simply take what you want from us? Such is obviously within your capabilities…”

  “We are not the Jung,” Admiral Dumar explained. “We shall not force you or your people to do anything they do not wish to do. We deeply regret the Coporan lives that were lost due to our actions, but the Jung have left us with no other alternative. We must fight them. We all must fight them. Coporans included. The Jung must know that the people of the Sol sector, or any sector for that matter, will not be subjugated.”

  “And if we do not wish to join your alliance?” the minister asked. “Then what will become of us?”

  “That, I cannot answer,” Admiral Dumar admitted. “I can tell you that the Alliance shall leave you in peace, after we have treated your wounded and done what we can to help stabilize your world. However, I cannot promise you that the Jung shall not return. If they do, we would of course be compelled to fight them once again, if only to keep their forces a safe distance from Sol.”

  “If you would fight them anyway, then why should we bother to align ourselves with your alliance? That very act alone might be enough to bring the Jung’s full wrath down upon us.”

  “Indeed it might,” Admiral Dumar admitted. “However, we offer you more than just defense. You wondered how the Earth managed to go from pre-orbital to interstellar—and then some, I might add—in only such a short time? The answer to that question is the Data Ark.”

  “The what?”

  “A massive data storage system,” Nathan explained, “containing the history, culture, religion, science, and technology of humanity, from the dawn of humanity up to the advent of the bio-digital plague. As the bio-digital plague began to ravage the Earth and the worlds of the Sol sector, the Ark was sealed off to protect it from infection. It was discovered two hundred years ago, in the mountains on Earth. That is how we have achieved so much in such a short time.”

  “And as a member of the Alliance, we would share that knowledge with you, as well as provide you with the protection your world needs to defend itself against the Jung, should they return.”

  Minister Abrahms scanned their faces aga
in, looking for any telltale signs of deceit, but found known. “And you will not tell us how to run our world?”

  “You will be free to govern you world as you see fit,” Admiral Dumar assured him. “We only require that you fulfill your obligations under the terms of the Alliance.”

  Minister Abrahms looked at the deck in front of him, rubbing his eyes and face. “It is still difficult to believe,” he said, “but I am convinced that you are being truthful with me. Therefore, I must be truthful with you.”

  Admiral Dumar and Nathan exchanged glances.

  “I am not Minister Abrahms,” the minister admitted. “I was sent in his stead, for fear that his life would be in danger should he attend the meeting himself.”

  Commander Telles almost smiled. “A logical precaution.”

  “I will, however, arrange for you to meet with the real Minister Abrahms, upon our return to Copora.” The fake minister looked at them. “You will be returning me to Copora, will you not?”

  Admiral Dumar smiled. “Indeed we will.”

  * * *

  “I appreciate your coming to update me about the liberation of Copora in person,” President Scott told his son.

  “It’s not a problem, sir,” Nathan assured his father. “It’s good for me to get out of the ship from time to time, especially to visit Earth. It serves to remind me what we’re trying to defend.”

  Dayton Scott leaned back in his chair, contemplating his son’s words. “I wouldn’t think your homeworld would be that easy to forget.”

  “It isn’t, really,” Nathan admitted. “It’s just that being cooped up in a ship, week after week, you forget what life is supposed to be like.”

  President Scott seemed surprised by his son’s statement. “Life is supposed to be what you make it. Each person has to find their own ‘normal’.”

  “That’s not what I mean,” Nathan said. “I’m not talking about the daily routines, friends and family, work… none of that. I’m talking about how human beings were meant to live. On a world, with gravity, air to breathe, sunlight on your face, surrounded by life in all its variety. On board, everything is manufactured, artificial. Your very life is dependent on systems that simulate a hospitable environment for humans. All of it can cease to function at a moment’s notice. On Earth, it’s all just there, all the time. You can depend on it. The possibility that it can suddenly be taken away from you never even enters your mind.”

  “I’m not sure most people on Earth would agree with you,” his father said. “At least not these days. Granted, the air is unlikely to suddenly vanish, but in many areas you still can’t go outside without a respirator and protective clothing. Everything that we had come to depend on… The availability of food, water, shelter… The protection of our freedoms and rights. The comfort of knowing that we would not be preyed upon every time we stepped out of our homes. The fact that we even had homes.”

  “I don’t think we’re talking about the same things,” Nathan insisted.

  “Oh, but we are. Just on different scales. ‘Security’ is not about protection. It’s about knowing that those things upon which you depend for your very existence will always be available to you. It’s simply a matter of perspective. Yours is interstellar. Mine is international. For the people of Earth, it is local… Be it neighborhoods, cities, provinces, countries, or continents. When you come back down to Earth to remind yourself why you fight, you’re simply trying to regain your original perspective, one that is more familiar and comforting. I suspect that will become less important to you as time goes on.”

  Nathan shook his head, a small laugh escaping. “How do you know all this?”

  His father also laughed. “I’m an old man, Nathan. Much older, in fact, than my actual years reflect. My father once told me that life itself was the best education. But just living it wasn’t enough. You had to keep your eyes and ears open, and on occasion, take the time to reflect upon your experiences, both big and small, for every one of them has something to teach you.”

  Nathan thought for a moment, remembering his grandfather. “You and he were very different people.”

  “Yes, we were… in many ways,” his father agreed. “But in many ways, we were alike.”

  “I miss him at times.”

  “As do I.” President Scott placed his hands on the desk. “But enough of that. Tell me, what are your impressions of the Coporans? Will they choose to join the Alliance?”

  “Possibly,” Nathan said. “It’s hard to get a read on them at the moment. They’re very suspicious of us.”

  “Not surprising, considering we just invaded their world.”

  “We didn’t invade their world,” Nathan defended. “We eliminated the Jung forces that were occupying their world.”

  “You came from the skies, uninvited and unannounced, and attacked. You may have been targeting the Jung, but you killed Coporans as well. To them, you are invaders. You have to remember that appearances are just as important as truths, sometimes even more so.”

  “You speak of the Alliance in the third person. It is not ‘you’, it is ‘we’. The people of Earth are part of the Alliance.”

  “You are quite correct, Nathan,” his father admitted. “Again, it is appearances… perceptions. I have no control over the Alliance. Not as the President of the Terran Union, nor as a citizen of Earth. I can voice my opinion on behalf of our world, but if the other representatives of the member worlds do not agree with me, I do not have the power to override them. The survival of the Earth no longer rests in the hands of one of our own… Namely you. They rest in the hands of Admiral Dumar, a Takaran. One that quite likely answers to Prince Casimir.”

  Nathan seemed surprised. “You speak as if you suspect them of ulterior motives.”

  “I believe both Admiral Dumar and Prince Casimir to be good and honorable men, and I trust both of them to do everything within their power to protect the Earth, and all the member worlds of the Alliance. However, I have the benefit of my son’s experiences with them. The people of Earth do not. Given the circumstances, they might have cause for suspicion. It is likely unjustified, but to them, they may seem otherwise.”

  “You speak like a politician,” Nathan said, obvious distaste in his tone.

  “You’re surprised?” his father laughed. “I’ve been a politician my entire adult life, as was my father before me, and his father before him. You yourself are a politician of sorts. After all, war is just another form of politics.”

  Nathan sighed. “So, the people of Earth do not trust the Alliance?”

  “There may be a few who raise questions,” President Scott admitted. “However, they are of no concern. They mostly just voice their concerns whenever the Aurora leaves the system to fight elsewhere.”

  “We have to,” Nathan defended. “You saw what happens to the Earth when the fight occurs in our own system.”

  “We all know that…”

  “Besides, all of our current targets are a single jump from Sol. If the Jung were to show up while we’re away, we could return in minutes.”

  “Again, you and I know that, but to the average person on the street, that ability is nothing short of a miracle. People have a hard time believing in miracles. Especially after all that has happened over the last year.” President Scott waved his hand. “Do not worry, Nathan. The Karuzara will soon return, and once again the people of Earth will have a symbol of power in orbit above them. Sometimes, all they need is the knowledge that there is someone up there, someone with guns, standing guard.”

  “You and Prince Casimir should spend some time together,” Nathan said. “You are both ‘big picture’ kind of men.”

  “As are you,” his father said. “You just try to deny it.”

  Nathan leaned back in his chair in much the same way as his father had a few minutes earlier. “So, how are things going with the Terran Union?”

  “It will be easier once the missing comm-sats have been replaced,” the president said. “It’s hard to
conduct joint video conferences when you keep losing signals.”

  “Can’t you all just meet in one place?” Nathan wondered.

  “Resources are still very limited, and the situation on the surface is still unstable over sixty percent of the Earth’s inhabited areas. There are many days where I don’t even have a shuttle available to me, let alone the guards to ensure my safety outside of this facility. It is the same for the other national leaders.”

  “How long until things get under control?” Nathan wondered.

  “The first thousand security troops are due to arrive at Porto Santo in a few days. It should take a couple months to train them and get them deployed to the main hot spots around the world. But that is just the first step. It will take tens of thousands of them to restore order across the globe… Perhaps even hundreds of thousands. After all, they are not Ghatazhak.”

  “But they will be a unified force, under a unified global command,” Nathan reminded him, “which is exactly what the Earth needs right now… Unity.”

  “Agreed,” his father replied. “And because of the Jung attacks, for the first time in human history, we might actually be able to attain it.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Jessica stood in the middle of the Aurora’s starboard boarding foyer, dressed in a nondescript, loose-fitting black outfit that covered her entire body. The hood of the outfit was hanging loosely down around her neck. She looked at the Corinairan technician standing at the control pedestal in the corner of the compartment, and flashed him an impatient expression.

  “Scout Three is docking now, sir,” the Corinairan answered in a thick accent.

  In response to the sound of footsteps, Jessica turned to face the entrance from the main corridor. Sergeant Weatherly stepped through the hatch into the foyer, followed by Naralena. Both were dressed in similar fashion. Neither appeared calm and relaxed.

  “You up for this?” Jessica asked them. “I can still go it alone and take my chances, you know. After all, that is what I was trained for.”

  “With your Jung, you wouldn’t last a day,” Naralena quipped.