Righteous Reign The Series: E-version Boxed Set Edition

by Thomas J. MacDonald

  "Yes, sir. If I have a position, I can hit a target five hundred light-years away with our laser transmitters.

  "Good. I would like you to compose a very short message. It should start with the target ship's certification number; so, they realize someone is calling who knows them. Then, it should have our registry number. Finally, it should say something very brief like, "return this call." I don't want these messages to be longer than ten or twenty seconds. You would repeat the request to each of them three times every day at the exact same times. After two or three days, they should be able to plot a return trajectory and send back a reply. Some are a fair distance. So, it will take up to twelve days for us to receive those responses. I will have the Examiner, and its protective contingent moved to this position." I tap it out to her on my data pad. 'We will send and receive from there. That way, the enemy should not be able to accurately locate our formation's actual staging site if they intercept and trace the communications. So, you would have to calculate your beam from there. What do you think?" I finished.

  "I love it! And, I can do it. But, I am so happy there are more of us. It's so exciting." She was nearly squealing.

  "Okay then... I will send this all out to you. Sort of a rehash of all the facts. I'll have the ship moved to the transmission point as soon as you leave. When you get back to your station, please start immediately and ensure there are instructions so each Communications' Department duty shift can continue the operation. You're dismissed!" I snapped. She downed the rest of her tea, rose from the chair and left the office.

  "Glen, I should have known you were involved, when Captain Tentar called. Thank you. This was like receiving a birthday gift." I said to Commander Baldezeki as I rose.

  When he was gone, I sent orders to the Examiner and Security Flotilla Captains directing them to the new position. I followed that with a quick note to Elasima advising of my move and why. He was elated in his response.

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

  On Wednesday, May 15, 2267, we received our first acknowledgment. It was from Pegasus Fleet which was nearby in Pi¹ Orionis, 116 light-years from Earth and inside the Federation Boundary. This is a dangerous place to hide; but, they may have gained valuable information on the enemy. Once a connection was made and verified, I spent considerable time in conversation with Vice Admiral Benjamin Ausbrecher. Ben explained they were originally in the formations that met the attackers. They fell back time and again as losses increased finally being pushed all the way to Rigil. They picked up the C&C there and were ordered to get out of the region. That's when he took the Fleet to Pi¹ Orionis.

  "You mean you have Bill Stephenson and Grace Tonaka with you?" My astonishment was evident.

  "Yes sir, but Admiral Tonaka was injured, and Admiral Stephenson had a heart attack. Both are in our sickbay. It's the best medical facility we have available. Admiral Stephenson could honestly use better services." The distance delay made the communication seem a little uncoordinated.

  "I am ordering you here, immediately. We will send you coordinates. We have four Mobile Theatre Hospitals here."

  "I have to check with my superiors, sir." His voice took on a strange timbre as the reply came after the long-distance pause. I could almost sense some private little joke.

  "What superiors? You said they were hospitalized and I'm at the same rank. Follow my orders!"

  "Sir, you'll have to clear it with my other superior." He stressed the last words. And, his tone reminded me of the old axiom about the "cat who ate the canary."

  "He means me.' Another voice broke in. 'He'll have to clear it with me." It was a familiar voice. And he is superior!

  "David, is that you? I mean King David?" I stammered.

  "Yes, it's me. Ben here was able to stop on his way through Sol. The whole family is with me." The delay now took on a cumbersome nature. It prevented me from conveying my thoughts as fast as they were flashing into my mind.

  "I am so relieved, Dav... I mean King David. I am so glad you're all alive.' I could not hide my enthusiastic exuberance. 'But you must all get here. I have my full command intact. George Bryant and Steven Nichols are close. And, they have part of Beta. So, we are not finished. But we also have a lot of facilities. And we've made trade agreements with the locals out here. We could stay here forever without running out of food or fuel. We have a plan. You must get here, quickly. We can help Grace and Bill." I was nearly pleading.

  "Yes, my friend. We will be there, tomorrow. I am advising Admiral Ausbrecher that he is now transferred to your authority. But, there are a lot of other personnel here who need your help. Pegasus has only nine ships, now. And, a lot of those are battle battered. There is a significant number of people who would benefit from a Mobile Hospital's care. For instance, Vice Admiral Ausbrecher is badly scarred. A hot coolant line ruptured and scalded his face, neck, and hands. And there are many more like him."

  "I am so relieved you're coming. I don't know what to say. And, we can definitely help all those in need." There were tears in my eyes and a quiver in my voice.

  "We better break this off. We don't want it intercepted. I'll see you tomorrow, old friend." The line went dead.

  I sat alone in my office and wept. It was the first time in my life I experienced relief so great that it was like a dam bursting. An image of Ausbrecher flashed in my mind. He is a young "up - and - comer." I broke the communications prohibition and advised George and Steven.

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

  I pulled in all my Admirals for a meeting the next morning. By ten hundred we were all seated with a beverage in hand.

  "I need you all to make sure your ships are all shipshape and Bristol fashion. We have dignitaries coming, and I want everything as nifty as if the King was visiting. You don't have long. They'll be here around fifteen hundred."

  "Who's coming, Kurt?" El asked.

  "Vice Admiral Ausbrecher is ferrying them. We located Pegasus Fleet. He made his way through Sol and then Rigil."

  "Yes, but who's he carr..." He was cut off by Savign. I saw the lights go on in her eyes, the second after I mentioned his route.

  "Does he have the Rigil C&C?" She squealed in anticipation.

  "Yes, and he has King David and his family. Everyone is safe. But Grace was injured, and Bill had a heart attack. And, they have a considerable number of injured that need the services of a Mobile Hospital Unit. We need to get them to one of our facilities, immediately on arrival."

  There were a lot of yips, hollers, and giggles. It sounded like we were at a rodeo. And, the room was full of silly wide grins and teary eyes. Passerby's peered through the glass divider in curiosity at all the noise.

  MEMO

  UNCLASSIFIED AND IN THE CLEAR

  From:F. Admiral Kurt Brubacher Commander Zeta Headquarters

  To:All Zeta Commands, All Zeta Ships, All Zeta Personnel

  Distr:Zeta Command distribution - all notification screens

  Re:State Visitors

  Date:May 16, 2257

  All,

  Around fifteen hundred this afternoon we will be visited by dignitaries. They will be piped aboard the Examiner to a full receiving line in Docking Bay One. There is considerable room in the Bay so others may wish to attend. The first one thousand to submit their names will be allowed to participate. Everyone will be required to wear full Mess-style dress uniforms. These are very special guests.

  I am pleased to inform you that Fleet Admiral Grace Tonaka, Fleet Admiral William Stephenson, and King David and the entire Royal Family will come aboard the Examiner, then. They were rescued by Pegasus Fleet, and we all owe great thanks to Vice Admiral Ausbrecher.

  We will be scheduling a dinner/dance in the very near future.

  Admiral K. Brubacher

  George and Steven arrived with their entire Commands a cou
ple of hours before Pegasus Fleet did. So, the receiving line included three Fleet Admirals, seven Level Eleven Full Admirals, twenty-eight Level Ten Admirals, their thirty-eight Chief of Staffs, Captain Tentar of the Examiner and several full medical and emergency response teams. The docking bay gallery housed another one thousand Officers and Crew all in full dress attire. An Honor Guard and the ship's boatswain were to the left of the hatchway.

  Anticipation only grew as the nine tattered warships crept toward designated parking places and finally stopped. There was a series of metallic clinks and clanks as one made contact with our port and docking latches engaged. More clatter reverberated from the hatch as someone inside worked to unlatch it. Then, there was the familiar hiss of atmospheric equalization.

  "King David and a party of twelve requesting permission to come aboard, Captain," David said as he poked his head through the opening. The entire receiving line held salutes in deference to those coming aboard.

  "Permission granted. And, welcome Your Highness. We hope you will feel at home aboard the Examiner."

  "Thank you, Captain." The King moved forward. The Captain called the order arms. The Honor Guard did their thing as the boatswain played the three-note call to order. Grace and her COS exited. Admiral Tonaka's left arm was in a cast and supported by a sling. A stretcher born by two Marines brought Bill Stephenson into the main area. He was greeted by us; but, quickly moved to a gurney and taken to medical. Grace was guided into a wheelchair to accompany them. Other injured were rapidly removed and escorted out of the Bay. The others moved along the receiving line exchanging greetings. Then, we left the bay. The Captain would dismiss the other attendees.

  The entire receiving line spent two hours with our newest arrivals just making them feel comfortable and at home. There were a lot of tears. They conveyed both gratitude and relief. We expressed our happiness and appreciation that they had been returned to us.

  Chapter 10 Meanwhile - Back at the Ranch

  Friday, August 16, 2267

  "Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm." Abraham Lincoln

  Today is the third straight day of Earth Assembly sessions. It's been hell trying to figure out what to do next. The Isesinis turned the Federation inside out over a period of just a few weeks back in April and May. But, other than occupying Federation Space there has been little contact with them at the planetary level. They seem quite satisfied to have pushed the OFSA, the Federation Assembly, and the King out of the region, for now.

  "I know we are all hoping for the OFSA to come riding in like the cavalry and eject these criminals. But, that may not happen for quite a while. This defeat was a real rout.' Susan Sylvestry the Speaker of the House spoke into the microphone from the dias on the floor of the Assembly Hall. Forty-thousand members looked on in silence as she continued. 'But, we have to institute actions that will permit life to continue on Earth in the meantime.

  Earth is, or was, a part of the Federation but is strong and vibrant on its own. It has a healthy economy with nearly inassailable strength in the Industrial, Commercial, Economic, Service and Agricultural sectors. It has its own standing military and police forces. Albeit, they are relatively small because of OFSA IGB support that isn't there for the moment. But, they are formidable organizations that can grow. The planet doesn't even need a new currency. As an independant government, it can take the steps through the Commerce department to ensure its local stability and viability.

  Earth hasn't yet even seen an Isesinis, and it's been three months. So, it's time we acted on our own or we'll lose the confidence of the population. Along with that will come unrest. After that, we're on the road to anarchy.

  So, the bills presented for your consideration, today, enlarge and finance both the military and planetary police forces. Others inject funding into key sectors to stimulate growth. This will increase employment opportunities. Still another group guarantee the free-trade of goods and service moving around the globe.

  We must maintain the Rule of Law while sustaining the confidence our people have enjoyed in our way of life.

  We have no idea where our King or the military is at the moment, though we have heard from a large OFSA contingent. So, we have to do the best we can on our own and hope they can mount a counter-strike that will take back our way of life. In the meantime, we need our people to feel, that standard is not threatened.

  Article twenty-seven of the Federation Constitution outlines steps for self-rule in times like this. The foresight of the document's authors can only be applauded. We will use that to enact these statutes and any future ones. That will give them the force of law until the resumption of the Federation." She left the podium and returned to her seat nearby.

  The eight hundred page Earth Military and Police Act is intentionally complicated and detailed. It would take the longest time to resolve. The seventeen edicts were analyzed, discussed, and argued for three more days but finally passed with few amendments and healthy majorities.

  Outside the Hall afterward, Susan was accosted by a large throng of active journalists. She answered questions for nearly half an hour, always maintaining a professional detachment, then descended the steps to the street below. Coconut Drive was still the same. Nothing had changed since the invasion. There were no enemy troops; only the customary numbers of uniformed police going about the same work they'd always done. Wildwood was a healthy and beautiful Captial City. As usual she walked the three blocks to her expansive brownstone on Mulberry Drive that could easily be the centerfold in one of the major home fashion magazines.

  Enjoying the third glass of a fine Cave Springs Canadian Gamay after dinner with her datapad on a news page, she heard a noise. It was a faint rat-a-tat-tat on the back door. The same signal repeated after a pause as she strolled calmly to the back door.

  "It's about time. You're late!" Susan scolded the man outside.

  "Let me in. Someone might see.' He responded.

  As she drew open the door, a second body appeared behind the first.

  'Captain Dave Axelon,' The first man pointed over his shoulder. 'He's OFSA IGB intelligence."

  'What's the word?" He asked. Dave scanned her up and down. She could see he settled on a quick mental assessment of her. She wondered if he was sizing up her dependability or her sexuality.

  Susan Sylvestry knew people see her as an attractive package. She always carried her statuesque one hundred eighty-four centimeter frame regally. And, she had always worked hard to keep the alluring figure other fortyish women envied. Her nearly black hair trimmed a strikingly exquisite face. Her thin nose, almond-shaped blue eyes, and high cheekbones accentuate silky cafe-au-lait skin tone. She had used all these assets along with her ivy league education, exceptional intelligence, and confident personality to climb a steep political hill. Her thirty-something appearance contradicted the years of education, experience and political office. In fact, she is forty-five and will challenge for Salizar's job in the next round of elections.

  "First, come in and relax. Would you like some wine. I have a marvelous Gamay I'm enjoying, tonight."

  "Yes that would be nice. What about you Dave?" The second nodded.

  Susan poured into fluted red wine glasses for both men; then led them into the salon and picked up her own. All three sipped some of the beverage.

  "Very nice." Dave mumbled as he eyed his drink.

  "It's Canadian. For that matter, so am I.' She paused. 'The seventeen bills were passed in the Assembly, today. The law and order one had your section buried in it. So, it's law now. That new act allows our security force to be led by IGB personnel, Dave. It gives authority to carry on rebellious acts and protect and defend the planet in any way needed. It's a bit dangerous; because it's a blank check to do whatever is needed to fight the Isesinis."

  "Don't worry. We won't abuse it. You know the OFSA are straight shooters." It was the first time Dave had spoken.

  "I can make sure you have funding for equipment and personnel.' Susan paused
. 'But, I cannot be visible in this. It has to look like this is all an impromptu resistance movement. I may need to have credibility with the Isesinis, if they ever visit the planet." She explained as she was finishing her mental assessment of Dave. He's a little taller than her and almost perfect in every respect. He seems to be about thirty-five. But, that's okay. She likes younger men. The Captain has dark hair, a light brown complextion, and the most perfect skin she's ever seen. She could not find a blemish anywhere and only one subcutaneous mole showed. It was in a position on a cheekbone that made it seem it was placed their for effect. He is so handsome, it does not seem real. Plastic surgery, she wonders. Despite his clothing, she could easily tell he was built like an athlete. Then she wondered what else was hiding below his shirt and dungarees. Her mind wandered to a scene of the two under sheets.

  "Understood. There will be no visible tie to you. I suggest you find a way to funnel funds through a web of transactions; so they're not traceable between us." Dave suggested. Susan nodded as she came back to reality.

  "But, we need to meet every so often. I need to know what's happening. And, I may need to direct you at some specific target, if a problem arises."

  "Understood. What about here... say, once a month."

  "That won't work. It's too obvious. I'm certain I'll be watched soon enough. Fred here is a police captain. I'll push him up to Chief in charge of Operations. That gives us a reason to meet. He can be the go-between. What about the military? Are they on-side with this?"

  "Only military intelligence. But, they can garner assistance over quite a tactical scope. They know we'll need them and they're pretty gung-ho."

  "Good. I'm glad that's settled. I was worried about getting caught with our pants down if those bastards do come down here. The other statutes passed today allow us to function without the Federation, for now. We invoked article twenty-seven of the Constitution. Those steps should keep us healthy and our people happy."