by Ryk Brown
Vladimir turned back to the computer terminal and started typing furiously. He mumbled to himself in Russian as he typed, making several different sounds of approval as he worked. “There are over seven hundred billion possible combinations, based on item, arrival point, and potential departure point. However, if you look at some of the items on these manifests, you will notice that they require not only certain materials, but certain conditions required by the manufacturing process.”
“What kind of conditions?” Gerard wondered.
“Microgravity, extreme temperatures, extreme temperature swings…”
“All of which can be created anywhere,” Jessica pointed out.
“True,” Vladimir agreed, “but only with great effort. Why not go where the conditions already exist?”
“And knowing that helps?” Gerard asked.
“Possibly,” Vladimir said as he continued to type. “You see,” he said, pointing at the screen, “we have already cut the number of combinations by half.”
“Great,” Jessica retorted, “only three hundred and fifty billion combinations to choose from.”
“What about the course changes?” Gerard wondered.
“We can reasonably assume that the Jung would not double back on their course, as that would require considerable propellant,” Vladimir explained. “Of course, they could perform a gravity-assist maneuver, but that adds time to what is likely an already long voyage. So, if we limit the course change to forty-five degrees, we can reduce the number of combinations to less than one billion.”
“We managed to get some of the propellant requests as well,” Gerard realized, sitting down at the terminal next to Vladimir to search for the data.
“Do we know the amount of propellant and the thrust performance parameters of those vessels?” Vladimir asked.
“A few,” Gerard said. “Uh, five of them.”
“It is better than nothing,” Vladimir said, reading the data off Gerard’s terminal as he continued typing. “Ah, see? Those ships could not have made it from their most likely points of origin with any more than a twenty-degree turn.”
“Is this actually going to work?” Jessica demanded.
“Maybe yes, maybe no,” Vladimir admitted. “There are still so many variables to consider. For example, when did the ships turn? If you turn sooner rather than later, your course correction will be less…”
“But an earlier turn would not be as effective at hiding your point of origin,” Gerard surmised.
“Correct,” Vladimir replied. “So that helps us a bit in our assumptions, as a ship captain would want to make it appear that they were coming from a different world. A secondary course track that was achieved by an early turn would severely limit the number of worlds that the ship could have come from.”
“God, I’m dying over here,” Jessica complained.
Vladimir turned to look at her.
“What?” she snapped.
“It is done,” Vladimir said.
Jessica looked at the three-dimensional display, seeing nothing different. She looked back at Vladimir. “Well?”
“Turn down the lights,” Vladimir said. He waited for the room to darken again, and then pressed a single key.
The three of them watched as lines started appearing and disappearing at random all over the three-dimensional map.
“What the hell is it doing?” Jessica wondered.
“Calculating,” Vladimir said. A line appeared and stayed. It led from Tau Ceti to a point off the bottom of the map. “There,” Vladimir exclaimed. Another line appeared. “Another.”
Jessica slowly rose from her seat, entranced by the shifting lines as they rapidly appeared and disappeared. Gerard also moved closer to the display, unable to look away as more lines began to materialize. Vladimir just sat in his chair, arms crossed, smiling.
“There’s another,” Gerard exclaimed. “That’s six of them so far.”
“They’re all going off the map,” Jessica noted.
“We figured the Jung homeworld was not in the Sol sector, right?” Gerard said.
“I thought that was just an excuse, to be honest,” Jessica admitted. Another line appeared. “That’s seven.”
“Eight!”
“How long will this take?” Jessica asked Vladimir.
Vladimir looked at the computer terminal. “Fifteen minutes, I think. But I believe you already have your answer,” he said, pointing at the map.
Jessica reached up with both hands, placing them against the edges of the hovering three-dimensional map display, then simultaneously slid her hands upward. The map followed her movements, revealing more of the stars below. She repeated the gesture two more times, until she could see the point where the lines, of which there were now eleven of them, converged. She put both hands together at the point of convergence, and then spread them apart, causing the map to zoom in on the convergence point. “CP-60 424?”
“In the constellation Dorado,” Vladimir added. “Also known as GI 204.1…”
“I don’t care what names it goes by,” Jessica interrupted. “How far is it?”
“Sixty-three point eight light years from Sol,” Vladimir replied.
“So that’s it?” Jessica asked, pointing at the star on the three-dimensional map. “That’s the Jung homeworld?”
Vladimir glanced at his screen. “Currently a probability of eighty-seven percent.” Another line appeared on the map. “Make that eighty-nine percent, and climbing.”
“Oh, my God, Vlad, I could kiss you!” Jessica exclaimed, throwing up her arms in glee.
“Feel free,” he replied.
* * *
Jessica and Gerard sat patiently in Admiral Dumar’s office in the Karuzara asteroid base, while he studied their findings.
“How did you figure this out, again?” the admiral asked.
“We compared similar items on shipping manifests that we received from worlds the Alliance has liberated,” Gerard explained. “Then we analyzed the items based on where they might be manufactured…”
“Don’t forget about the propellant levels, and the turns…” Jessica interrupted.
Admiral Dumar looked confused.
“Once we put it through a computer algorithm, it started spitting out course projections,” Gerard continued. “Then it was just a matter of looking for the one point of origin that was most common among all places.”
“So, why did it take you three weeks?” Admiral Dumar wondered.
“We only recently got the shipping manifests,” Jessica told him. “We had been trying to analyze the arrival courses when the Jung came out of FTL, but they always make a turn before they…”
“I get it,” the admiral said, cutting her off. He took in a breath, letting it out in a sigh. “How sure are you of your analysis?”
“The algorithm says ninety-seven point four percent,” Gerard replied.
“And Lieutenant Commander Kamenetskiy created the computer algorithm?”
“Yeah, that made me a little doubtful as well,” Jessica admitted.
The admiral glanced at Jessica again, as he continued analyzing the data on the pad. Finally, he put the data pad down on his desk. “Obviously, we have to confirm this, and that involves no small amount of risk.” Admiral Dumar looked at Nathan, who was sitting in the corner of the office. “You’ve been suspiciously quiet through all of this, Captain. Do you doubt their conclusions?”
“Not at all,” Nathan answered. “Their conclusions make sense, and I trust Lieutenant Commander Kamenetskiy’s computer expertise.”
“Then the question is, how do we confirm this?” the admiral asked. “If indeed it is the Jung homeworld, there will be a lot of traffic in the area. Most likely there will also be a sensor net of some sort. So, we can’t exactly send a Super Falcon on a cold-coast. It would be suicide.”
“Could we send a sensor drone?”
“Yes, but it would probably be intercepted and destroyed,” the admiral said. “Also, we’d
prefer that the Jung do not know that they’ve been reconnoitered. If they find out that we know the location of their homeworld, they’ll be on constant alert.”
“Then, you’re thinking of attacking the Jung homeworld?” Nathan wondered, surprised.
“I’m thinking I’d like to keep that option open, if possible,” the admiral explained, “and alerting them to the fact that we have discovered them would pretty much kill that idea.”
“Could we send the Jar-Benakh?” Gerard suggested. “We fooled them once. Maybe it would work again?”
“You fooled a bunch of soldiers on the surface, who had limited sensor capabilities, and their only other option was to stay on the surface and face annihilation,” the admiral clarified. “Besides, we can’t risk such an important asset.”
“What about using one of their fast-attack shuttles?” Nathan suggested. “They have FTL capabilities.”
“The Jung homeworld is sixty-four light years away,” Jessica reminded him.
“We could shuttle them closer, then they could FTL it into the Jung system,” Nathan explained.
“Even if it’s one of their own shuttles, they’re going to be suspicious,” Admiral Dumar insisted.
“They’ll probably recognize what ship the shuttle belongs to by its transponder code,” Gerard said.
“They’d only need a few minutes near the Jung world,” Nathan said. “Just get some quick sensor sweeps, then FTL it out again. We can pick them up on the far side.”
Admiral Dumar thought for a moment. “The less time they spend in the system, the better their chances.”
“If they can keep it under a few minutes, they might go unnoticed,” Nathan continued.
“Or the Jung might think it’s an error, or a sensor echo of some sort,” Gerard added.
“If we added a bunch of fixed array sensors, they could look in all directions at once, instead of making sweeps,” Nathan said. “That would get them out quicker.”
Admiral Dumar was intrigued, but unconvinced. “We can’t send the Aurora, or any other warship, though. First, it would take a day and a half just to get there. Second, I can’t afford to have an asset that far away from Alliance space, and that deep into enemy territory. It’s just too risky.”
“Use a boxcar,” Nathan suggested.
Admiral Dumar looked at Nathan and nodded with approval, considering the plan. “But who would we get to fly such a mission. It’s still incredibly risky, so it will have to be flown by volunteers.”
“Someone crazy,” Jessica muttered.
“I can think of a couple of pilots crazy enough to do it,” Nathan said with a wry smile.
“I’d like to go as well, Admiral,” Gerard said. “I speak fluent Jung, and I know their communications procedures and syntax. If they get into trouble, I may be able to buy them some time to get out alive.”
“It will take a few days to equip the shuttle with the additional sensors,” Admiral Dumar said. “I’ll get that started right away. In the meantime, Captain, why don’t you see how your two pilots feel about the idea.”
* * *
“You want us to do what?” Loki asked in disbelief.
“Count me in,” Josh said without hesitation.
“Hold on,” Loki insisted. “He’s talking about jumping into the middle of the Jung’s home system.” Loki looked at Nathan. “That is what you’re talking about, right?”
“It is,” Nathan replied.
Loki leaned back on his bunk. “I knew we were in trouble when you showed up at our quarters,” he said, shaking his head.
“I’m not ordering you,” Nathan reminded him.
“I’m in,” Josh repeated.
“Shut up, Josh!” Loki exclaimed. He looked at Nathan. “Why us?”
“You guys already know how to fly a Jung shuttle,” Nathan said.
“I’m sure there are a few other Alliance pilots who have flown Jung shuttles by now,” Loki protested.
“Come on, Lok,” Josh begged.
“Shut up, Josh.”
“Other pilots? Yes, but not ones whom we can trust to pull it off and come home with the recon data,” Nathan explained.
“Oh, jeez,” Loki moaned. “You had to go and say it that way, didn’t you, sir.”
Nathan looked Loki in the eyes, his voice dropping. “Look, Loki, nobody knows I’m here. Nobody knows I’m asking this of you. So nobody will know if you turn me down.”
Loki looked at the ceiling, then back at the captain. “I’ll know, sir.”
“Come on, Loki,” Josh begged again. “It’ll be fun. We’ll be heroes. Everyone will want to buy us a drink and hear how we pulled it off.”
“That’s assuming we make it back,” Loki reminded him.
“Pffft!” Josh dismissed. “Piece of cake, easy as pie, a walk in the park.”
Nathan looked at Josh, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“Don’t ask,” Loki told the captain.
* * *
Josh and Loki stared out the forward windows of the Jung fast-attack shuttle as the main cargo pod ramp slowly opened, revealing the dark void of space.
“Holy crap,” Loki muttered. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
“Neither can I,” Gerard said, as he stood behind Loki, peering over his shoulder.
“Doesn’t look any different than any other chunk of space,” Josh commented, unimpressed, as he checked his flight systems display. “You ready to go?”
“No,” Loki replied emphatically.
“All right, then,” Josh said. “Rolling forward.” Josh pushed the taxi control stick on the center console forward, causing the shuttle to roll toward the open end of the massive cargo pod. The shuttle continued out onto the ramp, and Josh moved his hand to the throttles. He pushed the lever on his control yoke upward with his left thumb. “Translating up.”
The Jung fast-attack shuttle lifted gently off the cargo pod’s loading ramp as it drifted away from the pod.
Josh fired the forward thrusters. “Thrusting forward.”
“Nothing on sensors,” Loki reported nervously. “Just a few chunks of ice and rock in the area.”
“How’s our course look?”
“Looks like it’s clear all the way to our arrival point.”
Josh glanced at the sensor display in the middle of the center console. “Are we clear yet?”
A blue-white flash of light from behind them cast a brief, eerie light into their cockpit.
Loki looked at Josh. “I guess they didn’t want to hang around any longer than they had to.”
“Firing the mains,” Josh announced, pressing the burn button on the throttle. A dull rumble emanated from the back of the shuttle. “Throttling up to full power,” Josh said as he pushed the throttle forward to the stops.
“We’ve got a good burn,” Loki reported.
“How long until we go to FTL?” Josh asked.
“We burn for fifteen minutes,” Loki replied. “Then we shut down and transition to FTL for two days.”
“Two whole days coasting through the Jung home system,” Josh commented in amazement. “Damn, we’re a long way from Haven, aren’t we, Lok?”
“You know something,” Loki said, “I really miss Haven right about now.”
Gerard patted Loki on the shoulder. “I’ll be in the back,” he said, as he turned aft. “Might as well collect as much signals intelligence as I can before we go to FTL.”
* * *
Jessica walked down the corridors of the Cobra base on the asteroid orbiting Tanna, looking for her older brother’s office. The place was full of technicians and Cobra crews going about their daily business. It reminded her of the inside of the Karuzara asteroid base, which wasn’t too surprising since the Karuzara crews had excavated most of the facility.
“Excuse me,” Jessica said, stopping a passing technician. “Captain Nash’s office?”
“Around the corner to the right, sir,” the young man directed, in an obvious Tannan accent.
/>
“Thank you,” she replied. She made her way to the corner and turned right as instructed, finding her brother’s office a few more meters down the hall. She pressed the buzzer.
“Enter!” Robert’s voice called from inside.
Jessica pushed the door open and found her brother sitting behind his desk, studying a data pad.
“Jess!” Robert said in surprise. “What are you doing here?” he asked, rising from his seat to greet her.
“The Aurora is picking up a load of propellant to bring back to the Karuzara,” she explained. “They carved out some more storage caverns and wanted to stock up while things are quiet.” She hugged him after he came out from behind his desk. “So, I thought I’d drop by and say hi.”
“It’s great to see you,” he said. “How long are you going to be here?”
“Takes a while to transfer all that propellant. I was told five or six hours, minimum. I thought I’d go down to the surface and see Synda while I was here as well.”
“Well, it is great to see you,” Robert repeated, moving back to his seat. “Please, sit. How is everyone back home?”
“They’re good,” Jessica said, taking a chair opposite his desk. “Everyone’s working at the base. Mom is watching all the grandkids during the day, and cooking up a storm at night, like usual.”
“I can’t wait to get back home and see them,” Robert said wistfully as he sat down.
“Well, that’s part of the reason I’m here,” Jessica said, alluding to an ulterior motive for her visit hesitantly.
Robert looked suspicious. “What’s up?”
“You’re being reassigned,” she told him.
Robert’s suspicion turned to shock.
“You don’t look happy,” she said, noticing his change in expression. “By the way you reacted when you first got handed this assignment, I figured you’d be overjoyed to get a new assignment.”
“Uh… I guess you just caught me by surprise.”
“Are you sure that’s all?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ve grown to like this assignment. Things have been going pretty well here. The Tannans are great people. A little set in their traditions, but… It’s been a really good experience overall, I guess.”