by Dale Musser
“If the stars are with Admiral Regeny and the fleet, they will liberate Glomar Rosa and the event will be celebrated by the Federation as a victory. However, Ming and the Brotherhood will still be operational and Ming will no doubt move his base to some new secret location, because he will fear that some bit of data found on Glomar Rosa will lead back to him. Even now there is a chance that he is preparing to relocate because of our capture of Alamar-4. Either way, Ming will respond by fleeing to a new location and the war will continue.
“If the stars are not with Admiral Regeny and the fleet at Glomar Rosa, millions of lives could be lost. If the defenses on the planet are strong, the fleet could sustain heavy damages and be forced to retreat. This would certainly be a heavy blow to the reputation of the Federation military and would no doubt cause even greater dissension among the citizens concerning this war. It would also eliminate senatorial support for broader actions against the Brotherhood outside of Federation space. Ultimately, Ming still gets away and the war continues.
“Neither scenario stops Ming or brings an end to the war. However, if we go now to the planet that Ming and the Brotherhood now use as their base of operations and stage a heavy attack that kills Ming and the high command of the Brotherhood organization, the war is essentially over.
“The number of lives lost in nearly twenty years of battling the Brotherhood is in the trillions. We cannot allow it to continue another twenty years. It is for this reason that I believe that such a clandestine mission to attack Ming and the Brotherhood’s upper echelon must be undertaken to end the war, regardless of Federation sanctions.
“What I am asking, and hoping you will agree to, is to take part in this mission. I realize it is extremely dangerous. If we fail, we may die. Even if we win, those of us who are active members of the Federation military may be court-martialed and tried for treason, though I doubt that will happen if we’re successful. If we survive to return but fail to eradicate Ming and his cohorts, we stand to be tried and possibly convicted,” I said as I looked for a reaction from Captains Mareoparen and Nybidong.
“Felenna, Padaran and Andy, the three of you should not be at such personal risk, as none of you are serving in the military; hence, your actions would not be construed as treason or dereliction of duty."
I then turned to Andy. "If the androids involve themselves in this venture and it results in failure, it will probably bring an end to senatorial support of normalization of relationships with you. On the other hand, if we succeed, the Senate vote will be overwhelming in your favor and they may possibly even try to convince you to join the Federation. As you know, there are risks to the androids either way.
“I’m asking a great deal from all of you. Understand that all of us must be in one hundred percent agreement or this operation will be a no-go. It’s as simple as that. If just one of you is unwilling to participate, the risk of discovery will be too great. Remember, Ming and the Brotherhood will continue to ravage the Federation until it is too small and weak to fight and, under those conditions, we will fail anyway.”
I stared at everyone silently for a moment, allowing my words to sink in.
Finally, Nybidong spoke. “Admiral, the Ruwallie Rasson forces are expected by Admiral Regeny to play a huge role in his invasion at Glomar Rosa. How can we possibly be of assistance to you, if we are helping him? If we fail to do so, he will not only suspect something is going on, but we’ll all be court-martialed.”
“I won’t need all of the Ruwallie Rasson forces, only two or three squadrons. I'll be using fighters from Sector 1 and from my own personal security forces in the battle, if we carry out this plan.”
“So you intend to take the MAXETTE to Ming’s world?” asked Captain Mareoparen.
“Yes, if you agree to participate, I need a carrier there to bring all the fighters through quickly and to act as a battle assault platform. I can’t take any other carrier ships away from Sector 1, but I think I can get away with taking the MAXETTE without it being noticed. The MAXETTE moves about Federation space routinely and is seldom stationed in Sector 1. I can transfer daily through Cantolla Gates to the various ships in Sector 1, so everyone will assume I’m fully present in the sector, while the MAXETTE, the MIZBAGONA and one other corvette from the protective forces at Alle Bamma transfer through temporary stellar gates to the planet where Ming is holed up with his Brotherhood High Command. Once there, I will transfer quickly to the MAXETTE to lead the battle.”
“So you will be involving other Federation troops in this battle? Are they subject to the same career risks?” asked Mareoparen.
“They are not subject to any risks other than the risks of battle. It’s unlikely they will understand where they are fighting. They’ll just be following orders. If it becomes an issue, Captain Nybidong and I will be the only ones held accountable by the Federation.”
“By the stars, Admiral, you think like a Ruwallie Rasson. You can count on me and my men,” proclaimed Nybidong.
“Tibby, you know I’ll do whatever you think is best,” added Felenna.
“Are you planning to take the NEW ORLEANS into this battle?” asked Padaran.
“No. I would like to, but Regeny would expect me to do something like that. I have no doubt that he plans to keep an eye on the whereabouts of the NEW ORLEANS during his actions at Glomar Rosa. So, I want the NEW ORLEANS to stay on station at Earth with a stellar gate set up nearby, so we can transfer my private fighters through gates in the launch tubes of the MAXETTE and bring them rapidly into battle.
“Also, a new weapon is being installed on the MAXETTE. It's called a Plasma Laser Amplified Beam Emitter, or PLABE. It’s like nothing we have ever seen or used before, but it should give us a huge advantage in this battle. Sadly, there is only one of these weapons in existence at the moment and the materials required to construct it are extremely rare.
“Padaran, I need you to be present on the NEW ORLEANS to help with planning and facilitation of fighter transfers. I’ll expect two thirds of the fighters from the NEW ORLEANS and two thirds from my estate to be ready for transfer on my command.
“Also, Padaran, I know that Admiral Regeny is your uncle and I need to know if you have any reservations about your participation in this plan.”
“Sir, the admiral may be my uncle, but that doesn’t mean I owe him any special allegiance. I believe he is wrong to rush into a conflict at Glomar Rosa the way he is,” replied Padaran. “Beyond that, I’ve had enough experience with the Brotherhood to know that what you’ve proposed here today is the best hope the Federation has for ending this war. I’m with you all the way on this, sir.”
Next I turned to Andy. “Andy, I know you have a large shipment of fighters ready for delivery. If you agree to my proposal, I’ll send the armaments for the fighters to you for immediate installation. Instead of delivering the ships to the normal location for retrieval by Federation pilots, your own pilots will fly them through specially provided Cantolla Gates and directly into battle.
“You are asking the androids to join you in this battle? That is a big request, my friend Tibby.”
“Yes, it is, and I realize the androids are taking a great risk if you agree to fight with us,” I said.
Andy studied me for a moment. “You are a brave man, Tibby. We androids only face the possible loss of reconciliation with the Federation, if we do join you and it goes badly. The alienation is something we have lived with for hundreds of years. It would be no large loss for us. If we join you and fail, the results present us with no change in that regard. If we join you and win, there would clearly be a significant benefit to the android community. But is it worth the risk and the certain loss of some androids? This question does not yet have a clear answer. Give me another reason why we should help you in this matter.”
“Because I am asking you as a friend and I need your help,” I answered.
Andy appeared to freeze as he stared at me. I was probably the only one who was fully aware that this suspended state
meant that Andy was communicating with the android “collective” and that his response would not be his own but that of the entire android population.
The silence in the room was deafening. Everyone sat still and breathless as they waited to hear his answer.
Finally, he moved slightly and looked around the table at the others before addressing me. “If any other human were to ask of the androids what you are asking, we would say no to the request. However, because you have demonstrated yourself to be a true friend, we will help you.”
The air escaped from my lungs and I noticed a slight tremble in my hand. I had just undergone a treatment the night before and was still working through the recovery. I could only hope that those in the room would read my fatigue and trembling as stress from the pressure of the moment rather than suspect that something else was wrong.
“Thank you, Andy. I am forever grateful for your trust and friendship.”
I turned finally to Captain Mareoparen. “Well Captain? It’s all up to you, now, whether we carry out this plan and bring an end to the war or the Brotherhood continues by attrition to weaken the Federation union and military forces until they take over.”
Brown droplets of nervous perspiration formed on Mareoparen’s skin as he looked intently at me and the others. Finally, he said, “Admiral, you are the most respected human in all of Nibaria. If I did not help you in this endeavor and word of it ever reached my home planet, I would never be welcomed there again, whether we meet with failure or success. So yes, I will do it and I pray that the stars will be with us.”
“Thank you, all of you,” I said as I exhaled again with relief. “We will now proceed with strategic planning, but please let me remind you that this operation cannot be discussed with anyone outside this room – not even Wabussie or any of our Federation clandestine agents.
We spent most of the day making plans. I went over the intelligence that Wabussie had provided regarding Ming’s base of operations, which was located far outside the Federation territories on an Earth-like planet named Domagota in a sector that I would never have thought to search for Brotherhood bases.
The portion of the planet where Ming had set up his headquarters was a coastal region similar to an area on Earth called Halong Bay, located off the coast of what had once been Vietnam. Small, rocky islands jutted up from the sea like towers, hundreds of feet high, each covered with lush, tropical vegetation and surrounded by crystal clear blue waters. Encircled by all these small islets was a larger, mountainous island that encompassed more than 535 square kilometers. It was here that Ming built his palace. The FSO was unable to provide any images of the palace or its precise location, but numerous photos and maps gathered years earlier of the area made it very clear why Ming was attracted to the location. It was very reminiscent of an area in China called the Floating Mountains, where Ming lived as a child. It saddened me to know the damages we would inflict on such a beautiful place in our efforts to overcome Ming and the Brotherhood organization; but the damages and suffering he had inflicted on the peoples of the galaxy justified the loss, if it meant bringing an end to his tyranny and to Brotherhood aggression.
Before we broke up the meeting, I ordered Felenna to send one of her patrol ships to Domagota to set up a stellar-sized Cantolla Gate. It would be a dangerous mission, as the Brotherhood now had the means of detecting cloaked ships; but with a little luck and careful traveling, they would be able to assemble the gate and return quickly. It would take nearly two weeks of direct travel before they would arrive there from the nearest stellar gate, but once the new gate was in place, it would only take only minutes to get the MAXETTE and our other ships to the site.
It was late afternoon when I returned to the MAXETTE. Fortunately, little had transpired during the day’s meeting that might have required my attention and Marranalis had been able to deal with those issues. Since Admiral Regeny had decided to take command of fleet activities regarding the invasion of Glomar Rosa and had excluded me from the plans, there was actually little for me to do. I used the Cantolla Gate to my estate and arrived to find Kala, Lunnie, and Reide sitting on one of the terraces in a discussion.
“Tib, I wasn’t expecting you back so soon,” Kala said when she saw me approaching.
“Not much going on and I decided I would come and spend some time with my family,” I replied as I bent down and gave her a quick kiss.
“I thought you were on Earth helping with the reintroducing of life,” I said to Lunnie.
“I was, but I came back to see Reide before he heads out for JAC training,” she answered.
“So you’re going to do it?” I asked Reide.
“It’s already done. I went to the Capitol this morning and signed up. I report tomorrow for processing and transport to the Plosaxen training facility with the other recruits.”
“That was quick. If I’d known you were doing it this morning, I would have arranged to go with you when you went to sign up,” I said.
“It’s probably best you didn’t,” Reide said. “If you had been there, it would have drawn a lot of attention and I just want to be like everyone else.”
“Hm. You’re probably right,” I said. “Anyway, I’m proud of you.”
Reide abruptly sat up and glanced at someone behind me. I turned to see a frantic Jenira marching toward us. As soon as she was close enough, she began to sign rapidly to Reide.
“Is it true? Did you sign up to join the JAC?”
The ferocity in the way she signed showed extreme agitation and I had the feeling she was displeased by his decision.
“Yes, I signed up this morning. I ship out to Plosaxen tomorrow morning to begin training.”
Jenira grabbed Reide, pulled him up from his chair and hugged and kissed him on the cheek. Then she pushed him back and began signing so fast I could barely read what she was saying.
“I am so proud of you… following in your father’s and mother's footsteps… fighting the Brotherhood… you will do well… I’ve trained you better than the military will… so I know you will fight like a true warrior should.” She turned to Lunnie and signed, “Are you joining also?”
“No,” said Lunnie. “I’m going to help Cantolla restore and reseed the Earth to make it fit for habitation again.”
“That is all well and good,” Jenira signed, “but if the Federation is not rid of the Brotherhood soon, saving the Earth will have no meaning. You should fight now and fix the Earth after the Brotherhood is eliminated.”
“Jenira, if they just turned you and the Women with Swords loose on the Brotherhood, you’d eliminate them all in a day,” Lunnie said joking.
“That is true,” Jenira signed quickly, “but we do not wish to take all the glory and recognition for doing it,” Jenira joked back. “But I still think it would be better if you joined your brother in the JAC.”
“If she joined, it would be worse,” Reide said. “All the men would be so busy staring at her and trying to get her attention that they would neglect their duties and training.”
“This is also true,” Jenira signed, and with a scolding look at Lunnie she continued, “Maybe it is best this way, but you must keep up with your training and practice every day.”
The next morning when I got to my office on the MAXETTE I found a message waiting for me. There was no indication who had sent it, but it carried the official Federation Seal and required my retinal scan before the file would open, so I knew it came from a source high in the military chain of command. As soon as the message opened, my vid screen was flooded with new data on the planet Domagota. While there was no direct link to Admiral Wabussie attached to the communication, I was relatively sure it came from him.
The data was disturbing. While the terrain of the planet was nothing like Goo’Waddle, the governmental structure was similar to that of Goo’Waddle the first time I visited there. The social structure was defined by caste systems and slavery. Ming had installed himself as the planet’s supreme ruler and he reigned with an ir
on fist. The data also showed that a large portion of the planet had been set aside for drug production.
While the FSO had no spies on the planet, it had been able to purchase information and vids from a rogue agent who had lived there in the past. His name was Asalott. He provided a quite a bit of detailed information about Brotherhood activities that had occurred since their arrival. He claimed to be, and a truth band confirmed, a native of Domagota. He held a deep-seated hatred for Ming because Ming and the Brotherhood had seized his family’s estate, killed his brother and enslaved his family.
Asalott was away from the planet on business when the seizure took place and it was only when he returned to Domagota that he found out what had happened. He immediately disguised his identity and went underground. Before leaving Domagota, he managed to move about the planet long enough to get a relatively thorough picture of what the Brotherhood had done to his home world. He vowed then that he would do all in his power to see Ming and the Brotherhood destroyed. Fortunately for us, Asalott had become quite skilled in reconnaissance work while serving in the planet's military during his younger years, and he knew what kind of data an invading force would need to collect before launching an assault. He collected as much data as he could during his covert travels and then left the planet to seek out Ming’s enemies and share the information he had gathered. Included with the file was contact information for Asalott.
I called Marranalis into my office.
“I received this data packet from the FSO. There’s no indication as to who sent it, but I suspect it was Wabussie. Look it over and then see if you can contact this Asalott fellow. I think we need to talk to him.”