Against All Odds

by DePrima, Thomas

  "Occupied?" Admiral Colsey questioned.

  "Yes. One of the Milori surrender terms requires them to keep a security force at each base to prevent scavengers from moving in to strip weapons or generally trash the place. The Milori forces are responsible for seeing the base remains intact and in good condition until they can be relieved by our forces."

  "Do you think they'll honor that agreement?" Admiral Sprague asked. "They didn't honor the first peace treaty we signed with them."

  "I can't know for sure, but I'm hoping they will. I've tried to impress upon them that we'll treat them fairly if they cooperate. They already know what we're capable of if they betray our trust again."

  "It'll take years for us to occupy seventy-two bases," Admiral Mendez said.

  "Yes, so for our first operations I've identified three existing space station bases where our presence should have the greatest impact. I estimate we'll need twenty-two additional StratCom-One bases, with the remainder of the bases being designated as either StratCom-Two or StratCom-Three. That plan includes a number of new bases in the five hundred light-years of territory between the Region One outer border and the original Milori border. The Milori hadn't yet established any bases there, so those will have to be built from scratch unless we push some of the existing space stations for which we don't have an anticipated need to new locations. At Light-75, it will take years for the space tugs to position them but probably not as long as it would take to construct new stations."

  "Even the initial twenty-five bases may take a long time to properly staff," Admiral Colsey said.

  "True," Jenetta said, "and the onerous task of holding everything together out here has fallen squarely on our shoulders. We believe that the greatest threats to peace and stability will come from the Tsgardi and Uthlaro borders. The Gondusans and Hudeera were our allies in the fight against the Milori and they've been weakened by decades of war with the Milori, so I'm not expecting many problems from that direction. The border with the Ruwalch Confederacy should be fairly quiet because we believe that they, like us, just want peace. Reportedly, their technology is adequate to ensure they have little to worry about from their immediate neighbors. The Uthlaro border is by far the longest of the five border areas we must safeguard and we know they have very close ties with the Raiders, so I've identified two bases in that part of Region Two for immediate occupancy. Each is roughly a hundred light-years from the border. A base located one hundred light-years from the Tsgardi border will be our third StratCom-One base. All three are within a thousand light-years of Quesann."

  "It will be difficult to protect forward bases with just one warship at each," Captain Stager said.

  "Actually, you'll each have two warships. When you arrive at the base, launch the scout-destroyer you each carry and allow it to operate as an independent ship, just as the Colorado and Yangtze operate now. I'd rather have one of these small ships at my disposal than an M-designate battleship.

  "And speaking of M-designate ships, as soon as the first twelve arrive in seven months we'll unload them and three will immediately be dispatched to each base. Unfortunately, it will take them more than twenty-five months to reach your bases. When the rest of the force presently on its way to Region Two arrives next year, current plans call for each base to receive an additional nine ships. Those ships will proceed directly there rather than having to come here first. We'll also be ready to open several more bases at that time."

  "It's so incredible that we'll reach the new bases in less than forty days," Admiral Sprague said, "but it'll take years for the older ships to get there. As I said earlier, I wish we could just hook them up and drag them along with us as we do with the scout-destroyers."

  "That would be wonderful," Jenetta said, "but the scout-destroyers are DS, or Dakinium-sheathed, like the main ship, so it's possible to include them in the temporal envelopes. What I'm about to tell you is top-secret. Light-9375 only became possible because the Dakinium hull plating begins to resonate as the envelopes are created. The resonance is entirely responsible for causing the formation of a second temporal envelope around the first. By instantly creating the resonance in the hull, both temporal envelopes can develop simultaneously. So you can't tow another ship at Light-9375 unless the hull of the towed vessel is also sheathed in Dakinium."

  "I see," Admiral Sprague said. "Then it would be impossible for anyone else to develop Light-9375 unless they get the formulae for Dakinium?"

  "Presently— and that's why it's the most closely guarded secret in Space Command these days. The Raiders have known of the discovery of Dakinium since their Tsgardi mercenaries tried to recover the cloning equipment on Mawcett, but I don't know if they're aware that the Dakinium allowed us to shatter the theoretical speed limit. Of course, as alien scientists learn that dual envelope theory has not only been proven but, in fact, put into everyday use, they'll begin looking for ways and materials to duplicate what we've accomplished. Unlike the DATFA technology that allowed us to travel faster than light, we won't be sharing the formula for Dakinium with commercial users. That should prevent unscrupulous businesspersons from selling the process to our enemies as happened with temporal field generation. I estimate we should have at least ten years of speed advantage before anyone can develop their own materials. We must have Region Two completely secured by then."

  * * *

  Over the next several days, the people, equipment, and supplies destined for the headquarters base were offloaded and transported down to the surface. A completed building on the planet was designated as a makeshift dormitory until the first of the planned housing units was completed. The other completed buildings were used as warehouses.

  After the unloading, the crews of the battleships and the personnel destined for the new bases were allowed a few days R&R on the tropical island. The base complement immediately swelled to over ten thousand, causing special problems with food and sleeping accommodations. Many chose to simply sleep on the beach rather than shuttling back up to the ships. The weather cooperated by providing bright sunny days and clear evenings. The temperatures varied from a warm twenty degrees Celsius at night to a balmy twenty-six during the days. Large beach barbeques quickly arranged by food service personnel fed the thousands of vacationing crewmembers. Marines patrolled along the shoreline continuously to ensure no newcomers forgot the ban on entering the briny water.

  Jenetta had dinner with the three admirals every evening and spent time in meetings with them each day until they were prepared for their new assignments. A week after their arrival, the three battleships departed for the thirty-one-to-thirty-nine-day journeys to their new bases. Occupation of Region Two was underway.

  * * *

  Chapter Three

  ~ January 21st, 2282 ~

  "Happy New Year Ladies and Gentlemen, from Region Two Space Command Headquarters – Quesann," Admiral Carver said to the members of the Admiralty Board. Her image filled the large, full-wall monitor in the meeting hall always used for their sessions. All ten members of the Board were at the large horseshoe-shaped table at Supreme Headquarters on Earth to view the message sent almost three weeks earlier. The gallery was empty today, but a couple of dozen aides and senior officers occupied chairs behind their admirals. Petty officer clerks, ready to rush off and take care of important matters if called upon by one of the admirals, sat behind the officers.

  "Admirals Sprague, Colsey, and Mendez have arrived at their assigned bases and accepted responsibility for the stations from the Milori security forces left behind to safeguard the facilities. Each new commanding officer reports the base is in good condition. The Milori forces will be transported to Milor at the first opportunity. For the present, their orders from the Milori Viceroy call for them to wait on the station but remain apart from our personnel as much as possible. The admirals have each designated housing and recreation areas for the Milori and placed those sections off limits to Space Command personnel.

  "The engineers immediately began working
to adapt the space stations to our physical requirements and needs. Changing the signage to Amer is a simple matter and should be complete by the time you receive this, but it will require quite a bit more time to properly adapt equipment designed to be operated with gripper claws and tentacles so it can be operated comfortably by human hands.

  "All the equipment, supplies, and ordnance have been offloaded from the battleships and placed into storage areas and armories aboard the stations. A Distant DeTect Network has been established at each station to provide an early warning of approaching ships. I've ordered that the scout-destroyers be treated as separate warships until reinforcements arrive, and that neither ship departs the immediate vicinity of the station without R2HQ permission. It means we're unable to carry out normal Space Command functions but, given the hostile nature of the territory, protection of the base must take priority. When the first of the M-designate ships arrive in two to three years, the stations will be ready to begin limited patrol operations.

  "Jenetta A. Carver, Admiral, Region Two Space Command Headquarters, Quesann. Message complete."

  "Her report sounds very positive," Admiral Moore said. "Let's hope things continue to go so well in the future."

  "We've heard some disturbing rumors of possible problems in the Uthlaro Dominion," Admiral Bradlee, the Director of Intelligence Services said.

  "What sort of problems, Roger?" Admiral Platt asked.

  "We have nothing definitive yet, just snatches of a conversation overheard in a bar. A junior Raider officer was talking about an upcoming operation against a Milori base."

  "A Milori base?" Admiral Burke asked.

  "Yes, but technically there are no Milori bases— only Space Command bases still occupied by Milori Security Forces. If they move against any bases in Region Two, they're moving against us."

  "It must be a raid to steal weapons and ordnance before we take control," Admiral Ahmed said. "Admiral Carver has foreseen that possibility and ordered the Milori to man the bases until we arrive to prevent them from being stripped by thieves."

  "I hope that's all it is. I've sent word that all agents should keep their ears especially open for any word about operations in Region Two and immediately relay the information to us, regardless of how insignificant they think it might be.

  "Is there any chance this is sanctioned by the Uthlaro?" Admiral Hillaire asked.

  "The Uthlaro have been closely allied with the Raiders for as long as I can remember. The captives of the Raiders have always been sent to the Uthlaro Dominion because human slavery is legal there."

  "Do we have anyone inside the Uthlaro military?" Admiral Plimley asked.

  "No. We haven't been able to turn any Uthlaro and, given our physical differences, there's no chance of sneaking in a non-Uthlaro. At least the Uthlaro don't resent the presence of Terrans and other species, as the Milori did, so we're able to see and overhear things occasionally."

  * * *

  Jenetta had paced around her briefing room for almost a half hour. She was bored. Until the new base actually began operations, she had very little to do. She had already been down to the planet that morning to observe the construction efforts and she had read and responded to all the reports in her mail queue. She had even replied to all her personal mail from family and friends.

  The computer annunciation system said to her, "Commander Fannon requests admittance."

  "Come," Jenetta said, and the doors to her briefing room opened.

  "Good afternoon, Admiral," the Captain of the Yangtze said cheerfully as he entered the room. "You wanted to see me?"

  "Hi Frank. Beverage?"

  "No thank you, Admiral."

  "Have a seat," Jenetta said, as she moved behind her desk and plopped into her own chair. She stared blankly at Commander Fannon without saying a word until he started to fidget under her gaze.

  "Is there a problem, Admiral?" he asked, when she shifted her gaze away.

  Jenetta took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "No problem with you, Frank. You've done, and are doing, a great job. I'm very pleased you chose to join us on this venture."

  Commander Fannon relaxed slightly and smiled. "Thank you. It's been my pleasure, Admiral. I mean that. I wanted some payback for what the Milori did to me and the crew of the Lisbon when they stranded us on that hostile planet, not to mention payback for the Space Command people we lost in the two invasion attempts. We've kicked ass out here and I've loved every minute of it."

  Jenetta smiled and nodded, then grew serious again. "I'm thinking about taking a little vacation."

  "I know you haven't taken any time off since we left Stewart a year ago. Quesann is a great place to kick back for a few days and forget about the job. It would be nice if we had a five-star hotel here, but that'll come later. We can handle things while you rest up."

  "I'm thinking about a longer vacation than that. I was thinking more along the lines of four months."

  "Four months?"

  "Yes, a trip to Earth will take fifty-two days each way."

  "Earth?"

  "I haven't been home in twelve years and right now I have little to do. It appears likely that once we're staffed here and we begin to exercise control in this region I won't be able to take sufficient time off for a trip to Earth for a number of years. The first of the M-designate ships won't be here for another five months. If I left now, I'd be back before they arrive. There's really very little that requires my personal attention in the meantime. We've installed the planetary defense laser arrays delivered by the battleships, so the base is well protected from orbital attack. If you can handle the space defense, our new headquarters security officer, Lt. Colonel Barletto and his Marines, should be able to handle everything dirt-side."

  "The Yangtze can handle most anything that's likely to come our way, Admiral," Commander Fannon said confidently.

  "I know, Frank, but I'd feel a lot better about it if we had a few more ships here. I keep thinking about the time the Raiders tried to retake Stewart and sent twenty-six warships at us. That was just a month after I dispatched the Thor on a special mission that took it far enough away so it couldn't play a part in our protection. The three new battleships are more than a month away from here."

  "As I recall, you repelled that attack."

  "Yes, but the Stewart base is housed inside a giant asteroid, and we had four warships when the actual fight commenced."

  "But none of them was impervious to laser fire, Admiral. That makes the Yangtze as good as five tritanium-hulled ships because we only have to worry about torpedoes."

  "I'd put our ships up against any Milori vessel, or even any five of them, but I wouldn't want to take on more than that because the number of incoming torpedoes might be too much for the Phalanx system."

  "Then there should be nothing to stop you from taking a trip home while you can," he said smiling. "The war is over, the Milori are finished, and we only have to worry about an occasional pirate or smuggler now."

  "You're probably right. I've been agonizing over this decision for a week. I really want to do it now while I can."

  "Then go, Admiral. I promise you we'll hold things together here. I won't tell you not to worry about us because I know you will, but we'll be alright."

  * * *

  Tapping the record button on the com unit in her briefing room aboard the Colorado, Jenetta faced the screen and said, "Message to Admiral Thaddeus Vroman, Stewart Space Command Base, from Admiral Jenetta Carver aboard the GSC Colorado.

  "Hi Thad, I hope everything's going well there and that you're fully recovered from your terrible ordeal at the hands of the Milori. I'm presently on my way to Stewart and we expect to dock there in about thirty days.

  "I'm going to ask a big favor. As of the last messages I received from my sisters, Christa's ship was at the base and Eliza's ship was on patrol about five light years out. If you could arrange it, I'd like you to transfer both of them to the Colorado for a quick trip to Earth. I think it would thrill
my Mom to see all of us together and, since they're only junior officers, their absence shouldn't adversely affect operations aboard their ships. The round trip from Stewart should take about two and a half months.

  "Thanks, Thad. I'll see you soon.

  "Jenetta A. Carver, Admiral, aboard the GSC Colorado. Message complete."

  Jenetta leaned back in her chair and smiled. As excited as she was to be going home for a visit, she knew that taking Christa and Eliza would make the trip even better. None of them had been to Earth since the cloning process had produced the two identical siblings twelve years earlier. She knew her mother would be beside herself with joy once she learned of the impending visit, but she had already decided to keep the trip a secret from her until they arrived at Earth so Mom wouldn't be a nervous wreck by the time they actually arrived.

  * * *

  Twenty days later Jenetta received a reply from Stewart. She raised the cover of her com unit and the face of Admiral Vroman filled the screen.

  "Hi Jen, it was great to hear from you. Everything is going well here and I've fully recovered from the ordeal on Siena.

  "As to your request to take your sisters for two months— how could I refuse you anything? I owe you so much that I'm delighted to extend this very small courtesy. I've asked Captain Hyden of the Bellona to proceed to a rendezvous point of your choosing where Lt. Eliza Carver can be transferred aboard for temporary duty. He'll be contacting you directly to arrange the RP.

  "I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

  "Thaddeus Vroman, Admiral, Upper Half, Commander of Stewart Space Command Base. Message complete."

  Jenetta didn't have long to wait for Captain Hyden to contact her. His message arrived a few hours later.