Righteous Reign Episode 4 Ragged Remnant

by Thomas J. MacDonald

  Shoy Cap took us on a tour of his Headquarters' ship - mostly to impress us with its advanced systems and power. He explained, their flotilla had never before been used for offensive purposes, but had been developed as a means to protect and defend the Suvayeek Dominion. At the same time, he managed to express how distasteful his people found combat. But, as second-in-command of the military and a senior member of their ruling council, he had the power to negotiate an alliance. He holds the rank of Hek Lider something akin to our Fleet Admirals or Marshals, yet more powerful still. He succinctly offered the Suvayeek help - in any way we could use them.

  I explained that as one of the C&C of the OFSA, I did have authority to discuss and commit to terms of a coalition, but I wished to include our King in such an important diplomatic arbitration. We agreed to meet again within two weeks. The date would be confirmed after I communicated with King David.

  ................................................................................................

  I initially met with David for two days before revisiting Delta Bootis. We returned to the mediation with a goal in mind.

  After all the proper introductions, I stressed to Shoy Cap that we did not expect to have the Suvayeek actually participate in battle because war is so revolting to them, but we would appreciate their support. Then, we spent several hours understanding just how deep the knowledge of our capabilities went among the Suvayeek. It was apparent there was no point in attempting to conceal any of our competencies, capacities, or resources from them. They knew all about us. Likewise, they had an in-depth awareness of all Isesinis' facilities, abilities, and potentials.

  It quickly became equally apparent that the Suvayeek wished an open affiliation and would be unrestricted in sharing their technological know-how. There would be no surprises in the relationship.

  King David handled the remaining discussion, which focused on Suvayeek services we would like to avail ourselves of. Particularly because of their stealth technology and covert proficiencies along with their distaste for violence, he asked they act as an intelligence source for the OFSA. In return, the Federation would occupy the previously unclaimed space between our border and theirs and ensure the security of that region in perpetuity, after our restoration.

  The Hek Lider embraced the offer but asked for one other consideration. He explained it is their nature to fastidiously examine all the regions they patrol and approach governing bodies if there is a resource they might use. Shoy Cap added that they had found such an uninhabited system in our territory that contained succulents they would like to transplant to their territory.

  In answer to our inquiry, they gave its position in Galactic coordinates that we seldom use. After converting those to an Orion Federation location of RA 231.225º; Dec + 58.9666º at 98.119 Ly we realized they were referring to Iota Draco. It had been extremely strategic during our encounter with the Inscrutables in 2262. But, its importance was reduced when our borders expanded to the thirty-seven-parsec radius from Sol. Its principal star is an orange/red giant orbited by a brown dwarf. The secondary unit anchors several planets of its own. Two of those satellites possess abundant water and plant life.

  King David not only agreed to the biological transfer but offered to allow the Suvayeek to harvest crops for consumption directly from these worlds provided they employed sound management practices so those forests would not be depleted. Shoy Cap agreed and was overjoyed. To show his gratitude for sharing this flora, Hek Lider Shoy Cap added technological collaboration to the discussion. This was a major concession since Suvayeek science is so much more advanced than ours. A contract was prepared and on August 30, and we were allied under the terms of a Mutual Assistance Treaty.

  ...................................................................................................

  To our advantage, it was agreed Admiral Gojen Svjosloki would spend considerable time with Suvayeek engineering people, over the next several months. The first thing he came away with was a deeper, modified understanding of the construction of space. The Federation was correct in believing the primary substance of the universe is dark energy and matter, and all other types derived from those. But, dark matter is not as homogeneous throughout the void as we believed. Superior Suvayeek sensors can directly detect and map it. It forms a honeycomb. And matter accumulates just off these strands of dark matter. This spongy construction surrounds bubbles of genuine emptiness where all types of matter and energy projected into them can move unlimited by the constraints of standard space. These regions are literally ungoverned by some of the laws of astrophysics we take for granted. And a majority of these voids are not totally enclosed within the construct but meet one or more spaces within other compartments. Our inadequate understanding has curbed our creative process, limiting us to employing methods that fit within the physical principles we do grasp. As an example, Suvayeek scientists used their communications systems to demonstrate the possibilities achieved with this realization.

  Photons traveling through space are confined to the regions that make up the honeycomb. The Suvayeek explained that they understood they would require a zero-mass particle to achieve FTL communications in the substrate of space. So, they searched for a way to isolate Grayons which they discovered did not need the physics we typically employ. Grayons are massless Bosons detected two centuries ago by the Suvayeek. They are similar in nature to gluons but may combine with dark or standard-matter quarks to form more complex units. But, unlike Gluons, Grayons may exist freely, can inhabit either the structure or substrate of space and possess a charge. They are found within Baryons of materials formed on the boundary between space and its substrata. They are more easily freed from these combinations to form a fluidic plasma (GFP). GFP is injected into the spatial cells in high-frequency digital streams. This energy is instantly reflected throughout all the other interconnecting compartments of the substrate ultimately propagating throughout all these bubbles like some giant "Hall of Mirrors." It is picked up by all the other converters and translated back to laser digital by the targeted receiver. By information in a Grayon based digital stream, the Suvayeek are able to communicate anywhere within the Milky Way's Orion Arm nearly instantly.

  The energetic, fierce reactions required to generate these types of signals are too dangerous to create inside a moving vessel which is subject to all kinds of changing conditions. So signals are first transmitted via a laser system like ours and projected to the nearest SSSR (spatial sub-strata relay). It is essentially a collector and reactor continually breeding the GFP. When the signal is received the relay converts it to GDS (Grayon Digital Streaming) and transmits into the nearest pocket. Receiving units regenerate it as a laser signal by recombining the grayons with quarks to reform Baryons. This process generates energy fluctuations relative to the changing signal. These are detected, converted to laser, and redirected to the addressee by transmitting the beam through a vortex, like the Federation does, now. The greatest lag-times are in reaching the dispatching SSSR and in the receiver relaying the message to its recipient. But since the Suvayeek own nearly three-quarters of a million SSSR units deployed throughout all the territory they navigate, delays are limited to no more than four minutes. Each relay rests just inside a honeycomb cell with only its laser transceiver unit protruding into standard space, so they are incredibly hard to detect.

  For our part, Admiral Svjosloki says our standard communications system will work in conjunction with the relays, so we should not need to change ship-borne hardware. But, we'll need to design, build, program, and deploy our own reactor/relays. He christened this our SSCS (Sub-Strata Communications System).

  The Admiral and his team had spent considerable time examining the Suvayeek prints and understanding the sub-strata theoretical principals. They had no doubt they could create a working system that could interface with existing OFSA technology, within a condensed timeframe. The biggest problem was adding new transducers capable of detecting the construct of o
ur spongy universe so the relays could be properly deployed. We also needed to acquire materials suitable for harvesting Grayons.

  Svjosloki enlisted the team he needed, authored a calendar, advised production facilities, and set up a lab within a week of returning to the Examiner. After just three weeks, he had two prototypes that were deployed seven parsecs apart to assess their capabilities. Communications that would have taken nearly twenty hours to travel the distance were received in seven minutes. Meanwhile, Fleet Engineering Departments throughout the OFSA were installing the sensor modifications in all vessels.

  After rigorous analysis and a lot of refinement of the exemplars, modified plans were transmitted to production facilities for manufacture. By late September, we were all in the process of deploying these units in the region we controlled and just outside Federation boundaries, while SOCC began to plant them throughout the occupied portions Federation. In the end, we would build and install thirty-five thousand of these throughout and around our territory. There would be one in every two hundred twenty-eight cubic light-years of space, meaning a vessel would never be more than two parsecs from one. This would provide a maximum communication's time of sixteen hours anywhere in our eight million cubic light-year sovereignty, instead of the previous five-day worst time. The ideal situation is two ships speaking to each other within a few hundred thousand kilometers of their respective relays. No matter how far apart they're positioned, the transmission would seem almost instantaneous. It's a considerable advantage over the Isesinis. In the future, once we have recovered all our territory, our goal would be to triple the number relays so we could reduce the distances and lag-times to one and a half parsecs and two hours between any two points in the Orion Federation. By positioning Headquarters Stations correctly, we could virtually enjoy instantaneous communications anywhere, allowing for video links between Commands. And, Gojen was sure we could adapt this technology to our long-range sensor systems!

  Chapter 9 A Fly on a Wall

  Tuesday, August 28, 2270

  "Spying has gone on since ancient times." Vladimir Putin

  It's almost two months since Sparks met with me about OFN. We've had one interim report arriving as a very brief transmission. But, I am now looking at a much more detailed account with pictures and videos. The entire assemblage is most impressive. Somehow, the agent was able to acquire photos of a Planning Group meeting around a boardroom table. Two images display about two-thirds of the group each, as viewed from different perspectives. But, the spy was careful to ensure he or she was not included. I still don't know who Sparks' infiltrator is. The package was retrieved by SOCC from a standard blind drop.

  But, the mole is still uncertain of whether or not this is actually the Headquarters of Governor Kos. During the period the Kil has been present as often as he's been absent.

  One major revelation regards the sudden lunges made towards the border. Some are designed strictly as tests. Even if we didn't respond to those, the Isesinis would not advance past the boundary. But, others are actually redeployments in advance of a discretionary attack. These forces may or may not proceed depending on our response. They are planned well in advance to allow for reorganization, resupply, and preventative maintenance. Our intruder has included the schedule for the next six weeks in the package.

  On top of that, the data on district Headquarters is also documented within the bundle. This includes supporting assets, regional boundaries, and Chain of Command. On examination, this material overlays our regular intelligence acquired by SOCC. Though it is not new knowledge, it adds to our understanding of these formations.

  Once satisfied I understood the significance of all the pieces, I asked my partners for a Commission meeting for US topics, only. This would mean no gallery or COS personnel would be in attendance. We all agreed to ten hundred hours on Thursday, September 1, 2270, aboard the Examiner.

  ............................................................................................................

  "This meeting will come to order. Let's get this show on the road!' Admiral Tonaka slammed the gavel on its sound block. 'It's all yours Admiral Brubacher." She added.

  "Thanks, Grace.

  I wanted to discuss a recent intelligence report from our agent in the field at 15 Sagitta. He places a total of at least fifteen human collaborators there. They seem to sit as equals on a war council headed by the Governor. And, Kil Kos spends a lot of time at the site even if, it's not his base. We are analyzing photo and video information in an attempt to identify all the traitors. But, the human leader is definitely Chan. That in itself is important. But our spy sent us more valuable material than that.

  The Isesinis plan these little lunges to our border well ahead of execution dates. Some are designated fakes, and others are designed to stop at the boundary and then continue an attack. But, we now have the schedule for the next six weeks." I finished as I tapped a screen icon on my datapad to forward the document to each of them. There was a pause as everyone eyed it in silence.

  "This is incredible! We need to determine how we're going to use it." Fleet Admiral Tso Shah blurted out.

  "What do you mean by that? We cream the bastards!" Fleet Admiral Addison Blythe barked.

  "It's not that simple, Addison. We must maintain the appearance that we do not know their plans. We can arrive at each site a little earlier and with some additional force. But, we don't dare take pre-emptive moves or counter with an abnormally overwhelming force. It wouldn't take our enemies long to realize we have inside information if we act like that." Admiral Nichols explained.

  "Yes. Of course... I just got a bit enthused."

  "There are three actions on this list. One will infringe on Stephen Nichols region and the other two on Admiral Shah's. Can you align coverage so you can move a robust enough force to these positions without additional help?" George asked.

  "Certainly," Stephen responded.

  "I'm okay for the first one but, I may need help for the next. They're scheduled pretty close to each other." Tso answers.

  "All right. You two build your plans. But Admiral Shah should include an additional two-Theatres force. I'll supply that for you, so send me those orders, and I'll pass them on to Shane MacDonald. He can assign a couple of Theatres to your fight. He'll probably want to come along." George returned.

  "That'll be good. And, it's valuable to have the advance knowledge." Tso Shah gave me a nod.

  "Yeah, thanks, Kurt," Nichols added.

  "Thank Sparks, when you see him. He set up the whole enterprise." I responded.

  "Anything else... ?' Grace queried as she eyed all of us. Then, she added.

  'There is one more thing of minor importance. The Assembly, CIC and SOD approved the suggested changes to the R&R, as recommended." She tapped her screen. Each Admirals' pads chimed. They all quickly scanned the section involved. Each nodded their assent.

  "We're adjourned!" She slammed the gavel, and we all headed for lunch in the pub.

  ...........................................................................................................

  Captain Nedrig Elantham, the Master of the FSS Shenzhen, had settled into the Bridge Command Station. Like every day so far this week, today was turning into a very routine shift.

  On Thursday, September 1, 2270, he had received new orders from Vice Admiral Boets, his Fleet Commander, who was relaying them directly from Admiral Tom Stevens the Deputy Epsilon Headquarters' Commander. Their entire Autonomous Unit was being redeployed to a new region. An overview included in the orders explained there was reason to believe the area they had patrolled would settle down and the new area of focus would become a hot spot. So, they all jumped out for LTT 18350 to redeploy in a formation between 59 and 70 Virgo on the easternmost side of the wedge the OFSA fully controls.

  ...............................................................................................................

  Sparks and I sat in my office quietly discussing
OFN, on Tuesday morning, September 6, 2270. He had the latest field report on 15 Sagitta.

  "This is a list of all the various level Headquarters the Isesinis have positioned throughout the Orion Federation.' He forwarded the document to my datapad. 'You'll note that it includes their importance within the hierarchy. We know which are regional or local ones. And, we can see the strength each is responsible for."

  "This is good work. The Commission will be surprised. We've always assumed there were ten of these orbs, but there are a lot more." I injected, after studying it for a minute.

  "And this block diagram clarifies the relative positions of those who report to Kos." He directed the schematic to me.

  "If you put the two together, you can see who's who."

  "Yes. We can even see which Officer would supplant Kos if something were to happen to him. Dac Kil Mes, his deputy, would be the likely candidate. And, this is a directory of the sixteen humans in the advisory council." Chris forwarded the register.

  "Shit! These are all ex-OFSA people. They were caught up in the rebellion or were charged with various crimes."

  "Yes. And, that directory shows them by authority. Chan is the leader. The number two is my man. That's why his contact-handle is shown. And this final file is a very important timetable converted to our calendar." Chris sat back with a look like it was something extraordinary. I studied it carefully. It took a couple of minutes before I realized its magnitude.

  "Dammit! This is Kos' schedule for the next month.' Thoughts were streaking through my brain. I stopped to consider them. 'Can the agent keep these coming?"

  "I can ask in the next drop. But, I think it would be regular intelligence if these reports continue to be available."

  "Two of these have created an issue, for me."

  "What's that Admiral?"

  "The appointment ledger creates opportunities to intercept and capture or eradicate the Governor and his immediate subordinates. But, acquiring approval and planning a mission like that will require much more certainty of the veracity of all the information.