"GOOD EVENING. YES, THE PLAN IS GOOD. WE WILL SEND COORDINATES OF THE CHOSEN PLANET. ENJOY. AND THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.
I asked, "What plan?"
"Let's get flat. I'll clue you in."
We got flat with Mary in the middle and she started, "It comes from an old criminal trick. 'A' attacks 'B' and when 'B' is about conquered 'C' comes along and says to 'B', I'll save you from 'A' if you do such and such. 'B' agrees, then 'C' drives 'A' away to be seen no more. Of course 'A' and 'C' were on the same team all along. Result, compliance by 'B' which could never have been beaten out of them, even with 'A' and 'C' attacking as a unit. It works no matter what the Galaxy. I've seen it work personally in three."
Marly remarked, "I believe you. Let's nap, come closer, and we'll have sweet dreams of planetary pre-invasion procedures. I would start with leveling off strategic mountain tops and --."
We were putting uniforms back on when Marly asked, "How did it go with me beaming toward you?"
Mary and I exchanged grins. I asked, "We weren't lively?" with a smile. "You made us more alive than we've ever been. I imagine the effect slips over to other emotions. Seriously, dare we even think of that ability as a weapon? What would that make us? The enemy doesn't hesitate. Do we want to become him? Can we stay away from becoming him and defeat him. Were that ability the deciding advantage; and we shrunk from using it, and suffered defeat? No one wants to face those questions, not the Volunteers, and probably the same hesitation is built in you, Marly. Be certain though, we will die, or live beside you. I'd suggest discussing your bulb as a weapon with your officers."
A serious look on her face she hugged both of us and said, "We'll see. Now let's go inform the Captain he'll shortly be getting orders to make a detour."
We found him near the Central Control Chair and let him know part of what we'd been up to. He called in the other Senior Officers.
"Invasion is easy. Take out the Orbital Military Forts, in order to shut down the airfields, to not be strafed while taking the high ground, in order to prepare rough Landing Zones or use the ones already there, for the Troop Transports. They'll conclude we're serious by the time we get to the Landing Zones with Troops on the ground. That's where the Rangers ought to come along. You scatter and inform your people. I'll take over the Chair for a while. Tell everyone, don't dare make it necessary for me to do anything, or we might run into a sun."
They saluted and left, Marly also. She sent me and Mary a wave of love as she left.
A while later an orderly came by passing out fact sheets for the target planet, Fallon's Run. I scanned it: Ag world- exporter AG products, five space ports, Equatorial Ocean, 13 degrees tilt, two Moons, one, low Equatorial orbit, second, high Polar orbit, frozen polar caps, mountains, reducing in elevation to ever widening equatorial valleys with rivers through each; ideal AG planet. Note at the bottom of the page; not yet scanned for ANNU KI presence.
Mary, Granger and I exchanged glances.
Granger said, "That makes this a different operation; conclusions."
Mary offered, "Considering the sector; at least a listening- mind control installation, maybe two, on the moons."
I said, "Exactly. There's no mention of manufacturing. This isolated a location they should have a full spectrum economy, also too many Space Ports. It's definitely a managed planet."
Granger folded the sheet. "We need a Command conference, now."
Operational Area Improved-ANNU KI MOTHER SHIP-G-1 ANNU KI Occupied Space
Chapter Twenty
First Officer Marly Tenyore
Rackane, my First Officer, and I were observing the dials relating to the HD reactors on Wheel Position 37-ABCD when the distributions orderly came by. Both of us had a chance to read the targeted planet sheet before the call came.
"Command Conference. Now."
Rackane said, "We've altered a room, C M L 3, made it two levels, so the shorties can almost look at us when we talk with them. It's this way. When are they getting off anyway?"
I tried to be stern and friendly as we sped along on the chairs. Friendly lost.
"You are never to speak of them in a disparaging manner again. They will get off when they think they can leave us to cope in this Universe, as they have been doing without us, for many centuries. Did you know that Paula and Lil go back trillions of years?"
I watched Rackane almost bite her lip to keep her temper in control. Finally she answered, "I didn't. I know we have a lot to learn. It just bothers me to take orders from someone I could break in two."
I laughed and laughed, "You have a date. I'll suggest they use only one arm. Paula gave me a memory, with overlays, of how they fight. They should broadcast that memory. The enemy would just shoot themselves and be spared the pain."
"We'll see. Direction change--now."
We were the first to arrive. I asked, "I suppose we have full projection capability."
"Nothing," Rackane said. "I'll change that fact before others arrive."
She went to the wall comm panel. I sat at the table, square, four seats on both sides. They would still be looking up at us. A two level table would have to be fabricated. I called my assistant on my headset and assurances that the problem would be corrected overnight came back.
The other five arrived and we took seats. Granger sat between Lil and Mary, but he didn't share any of his space with them, odd I should note that. Maybe that's what a commander did, not share their space.
He unfolded a sheet, the fact sheet, and started to speak at the moment the Audio Visual people came in. He recognized them and said, "Carry on."
Starting again to address us he said, "You've read this. This is no longer a casual training exercise. We could spend hours on suppositions; but that would be wasteful. So we'll just assume that the planet is protected by an advanced planetary defense shield. And go in prepared to destroy the shield. Failing that we'll destroy the planet. Are there any questions or comments?"
I didn't doubt him for a moment. A person, who wouldn't share space with his bed partners, wouldn't share a planet with the enemy. Rackane almost didn't answer her questions herself several times. When faces cleared I commented, "Seems not, please go on." I thought I saw a glimmer of hope pass over his face.
He saw that the A/V people were set up, "Send this out on ship wide. You've seen the sheet. The operational assumption is that we are attacking a fully shielded planet. We will overcome the defenses, or destroy the planet. Governing factor is the safety of this ship. When that is slightly compromised we blow the planet and go away. Arrival time is almost three days. A countdown will start at minus forty eight hours. You'll get detailed orders about your specific jobs through your superiors. We have the best ship that your, and our civilizations could build. Add to that the Dragon Riders body of knowledge about ships. It is the best. We'll party on the ground and the rulers will serve us."
He signaled that the feed should be cut. I got the picture of a vast expanse of tables piled high with food and drink. From him, from inside me, didn't matter, it would be. I could feel my body hardening.
He focused his eyes on me, "Here's what will happen. I will be in a high orbit in a Command and Control saucer on both sides of the planet, (after I've replicated this body three times), and next to the Control Chair. Lil and Mary will be in their ships beneath me and will take out the planet, if it comes to that. You, FO, will be in the Control Chair set to read underground down to the Magna layer. In their survey passes around the planet, Lil and Mary will feed data in, and drop communications disrupters. Among that data will be fault lines. Make note of them."
He shifted his eyes left and right of me and said, "You three will be in your usual stations. In addition, your twice replicated bodies will occupy two opposing secondary control rooms in the Wheel. Don't lose the ship. It will grow its self back from ten percent functional, remember?"
All of us nodded. He continued.
"All fighter pilots are to back up four extra bodies to start.
Let me walk you through this from start of count down. Go to liquid food when we start the countdown, then, at twelve hours minus, only water. We will approach the target planet on a non-intersect trajectory; as if we don't intend to stop, just eject two scout ships to have a look see as we go by. When the ship is at right angle to the planet along our course, we will enter Negative Space. After that we eject two thousand fighters which will clamp to the hull, top and bottom. Am I going to fast for anybody?"
I looked at my people and saw no glazed eyes, so I said, "I think we're keeping up. Go on."
"Very well. At that point, data from Lil and Mary will breakdown to their Orbital Fort placement, or surface small unit targets. At high speed we will jump back into Positive Space and continue, losing the hull fighters. During the first high orbit we will eject another two thousand fighters with different specific targets to take care of what the ships missiles don't, in relation to orbital forts. Another thousand fighters will eject during the second orbit for ship protection. During the third orbit the main ship guns will fire and ships missiles will be launched to ground targets. We haven't been in planetary range fifteen minutes yet. The space ports will receive commands that they not energize their jump pads, or they'll be nuked. Are you with me?"
I looked left and right again. Dendle had absorbed the data. If Rackane and Prisln's eyes protruded any further they would pop out.
I commented, "I'm sure when this is broken down to specific tasks, every one will handle theirs."
Granger leaned back in his chair. "I think so too. Paula hasn't produced anyone incapable, that I heard of. The secret we have is bodies, and fighters. Once we have five thousand out, I want another two thousand ready to eject. Also I want everyone, including ourselves, backed up three fold and a forth in the rejuv pods. If there aren't any questions I'll see you back here 0800 when countdown starts. By then your seconds should be handling the jobs outside this room. Arrange for continuous wave length and solid line link up between your selves in case the telepathic bond isn't strong enough or is disrupted."
We giants rose and left. Did I feel gigantic? Not me, far from it. We went different ways without comment. We knew what we needed to do. First I needed the Fighter Wing Commanders, then…
By the time I worked my way through the--then's--the instrument on my wrist said 0135. I left my office, said, "Handle the details." to my clerk and chaired to my quarters. I still had to arrange for my sisters, not time consuming.
I kicked off my boots as the door clicked shut behind me, and walked by the comm link to see what calamity had occurred in the last fifteen minutes. A message from Paula; I sat and read.
"Your first battle could have come later, but it hasn't. Trust Granger, he's the kind who'd nuke a mouse to keep his people safe. There will be a lot of dead mice, few of you damaged. Use all your capabilities, including your wave length changes. The enemy is, in the last or first reckoning, wavelengths. I've put in all of you what kind of wavelengths. Success. Paula.
I sat for the longest time trying to hear what she said. Maybe she had just said it. Too fatigued to think?
Beside the rejuv chamber I placed my palms on the reader, after entering my code in the keypad. The pad had many symbols, numbers, and letters. I took care to touch only mine. I stepped back. The lid lifted. I helped my sister out over the side wall.
She asked, "What's for dinner."
"Rations?"
"No, No, I'm going back in."
We both laughed. I offered her the robe I'd placed on a nearby chair, and said, "Maybe we have piece of cheese left."
We split the cheese and had ration cakes. For the first meal in your sister's existence I thought, it should have been more. "We're going to become triplets tomorrow. Can you hear my thoughts?"
"Yes. It's strange. I hear you speak twice. Just think and see what happens."
'on Mars the dust swirls.'
"Yes it does, right into your lungs. Do you hear me twice?"
"No, just once, it might come to me. You do the secondary meetings from now on. I'll stick next to Granger. You can pick up what's happening from me, right?"
"We'll see. I feel full of energy."
"Let's lay down. Maybe you can give some to me."
"I'll try."
She must have because 0600 I felt like springing out of bed, but didn't, decorum, mind you. Somebody dropped something in the sitting room. I walked out to see what.
"It didn't break. I wiped it up. You made me laugh. Decorum, remember we are we."
"What is 'we' going to do for a name? Use our middle name, Gelot?"
"Gelot Tenyore, that's as good a label as any. Let's get dressed and parade through the Mess Hall."
"Lots of twins today, remember?"
"So what, let's do it anyway. None are as desirable as us."
We went through the Mess. No one ravished us. Oh well, her thought.
"I want you to orient yourself to me in the Conference Room, Gelot. It might keep you in better contact."
Yes, we'll do that. Then I have to get on to the Fighter Wing inspections."
We stopped briefly. They had altered the table. We'd see eye to eye.
Gelot said, "See you late this evening if I'm any judge."
"You are."
The orderlies had stacked rations containers in a corner and set up a hot drinks cart. I made tea and drug out a rising sun ration, methodically putting myself around it. The rest of them came in, seemingly no one as bright as me, and proceeded to follow my lead. At 0800 Granger banged his fist on the table and said, "Count down started." and went back to chewing on breakfast.
I'd hoped for trumpets, or Gelot did. This could be tricky, best not to open my mouth too wide. Reports trickled in over the next hour. No one finished breakfast; consequently reports became mixed with rations wrappings. We'd need another table. I discretely stood by the Comm panel and explained the problem, tomorrow it would be so; thank you.
About 1045 Granger had reduced his mess to a stack of reports and a drink cup.
He asked, "Any problems so far?"
No one could think of any. He cast a look at the rations in the corner, and at the clock on the wall, and continued, "Let's take it from the top, we go into Negative Space and then turn left, 90 degrees. What do we know about the planet at that point? Somebody?"
It went on like that all day. At 2000 everybody knew the plan second by second. It became mind numbing.
"Let's do this tomorrow same time people. Go see to your sections. Thank you. FO, please remain."
When the others had left he continued, "It will be the decisions of the people in this room which will govern our success. Perhaps we could continue this in your quarters, FO, and be more comfortable."
"Follow me."
They followed. Inside the door I lined up my boots along the wall. They did too. I finally put a name on the clunking sound I'd been hearing when Lil started putting bottles of wine on the table. Mary took cheeses and cut fruit bowls out of her bag. Granger brought breads. Party time came upon us.
When he'd sat his pack alongside his boots he returned, and said to me.
"Marly, I want you to know we came here not only to party, but to discuss something you don't know. The A-Is at the shipyard have been in contact with the Workers, you saw a brief memo on them. They've developed a sensing device for the altered humans of Frizdier. That device is in Lil and Mary's ships, Command saucers too, and all of the fighters. But we can't have individual pilots, in general, breaking off and attacking individual targets, without an organized understanding of who's to do what."
My console beeped, "Ask him what percentage."
"What percentage, Captain?"
"First five percent, then, if necessary, second five percent, up to twenty percent of fighters peeling off and going after these people."
I looked at the Comm screen, "Done. I'll be later than late."
"My sister and second will take care of it. We have only to relax."
Gra
nger hesitated, a split second, then realized if I there, couldn't do it, I, here, couldn't do it either.
He said, "I need a drink. It will get more complicated tomorrow."
He opened and poured. After a few drinks he began to speak of Gorstofhen/Home, a planet six times the size of Earth (to give me reference). About how crowded it became, and how entire neighborhoods were sent to distant planets to make colonies. He drank a bit more and talked, becoming sadder.
Finally he stood, "I've became morose. I'll go now and bring cheer because of my absence."
He started toward the quarter's door, only to stop when I said, "You're going toward the wrong door. The right one is behind me."
He stopped. Turned and came back toward the table. I stood up.
With no warning he leapt on to the table and said, "Come near and give me a kiss before you carry me over the threshold."
I took a step toward him and we embraced each other and kissed for moments without time. Our lips separated and I gathered him to me, walked into my bed room and lay him gently onto my bed. Lil and Mary followed us and shut the bedroom door behind them.
After a long time we fell asleep. Later I stirred and Granger had left, fresher I thought and fell back asleep.
Gelot told me later what happened then.
In the sitting room Granger reached for his boots and heard my voice from the other bedroom, "Must you leave so soon? Won't you abide with us for a while?"
He entered the room. Gelot asked, "Can you come here and keep me, and my freshly born sister from having to fight through the night alone?"
"Yes I can. No one should have to face the night alone. We must find a name for you, sister. But first we should examine her beauty, and yours, may I?"
Operational Area Improved AK M S-G-I Vicinity of planet-Fallon's-Run
Chapter Twenty One
Greener Green III: Let Light Reign Page 18