“I’m sure you remember the day we decided to proceed with Koban gene mods, shortly after the Krall left. I reminded you of what I told Telour as the Krall pulled out. I said that when the Krall returned, our children might not give this world back.
“Six of their warriors made a mistake and returned early, giving us a quicker way off the planet. We’re done with waiting. Our first stop will be to go looking for the Krall. I intend to make the first installment of many paybacks.”
****
Thad liked the audacity. “We just waltz in and steal two more Clanships, right from under their noses? I think it’ll work. Sarge told us the Navy backed off from attacking K1 after the Krall killed a fifth of the population of Rama, using one of those high-density high velocity Eight Balls he described. The Krall on K1 have had time to grow complacent in the years since then, and a random Clanship arrival wouldn’t be noticed anyway.”
Dillon was on board with the idea as well. “We set down close to a couple of Dorbo Clanships, raise a portal and let our TGs swarm them both. Just like Sarge said the Krall do it when they conduct a raid. We may even find them empty, or they could have one or two watch standers at the top deck, waiting for a near-space warning that human ships have made White Outs. They will never expect raiders coming up their stairs, not right outside their own dome. We secure the ships, send over our flight crews, and lift off. By design, these birds are always ready to fly on a moment’s notice. We can rehearse our TGs on this ship to shorten the time needed, and add polish to the steps.”
Noreen brought up what Reynolds had said was made public at home, Tri-Vid coverage of Parliamentary investigations after the second fleet action the Navy took against K1. “We can’t Jump in directly from Koban. The Krall have a method of telling the direction from which a long rage Jump is arriving. They even get the information in advance, because they were up and waiting for parts of the Hub fleet to arrive. We can’t let them trace a line backwards that points to Koban.”
Mirikami nodded. “I have considered that. We will White Out at some uninhabited star system in Human Space, near K1. Then Jump to K1 from there. Because the Krall also followed the fleet straight to Rama after the second attack, we know they have a capability to follow ships if they do so quickly. The Mark, and the two captured ships will depart K1 in different directions to other nearby empty star systems, and then Jump to a third rendezvous system. The point about ensuring the Krall can’t trace us back to Koban applies to our side as well. If they know that technical trick is possible by the Krall, you can bet they have been working on doing the same thing.”
Marlyn had a non-technological worry, really more of a fear, of how the Krall might find out where they came from. “As hard as it is to consider this, we will eventually lose someone in fighting, and might not be able to recover the body. Even worse, they may capture one of us alive. They will certainly use the horrible brutal interrogation techniques Sarge has told us about, to learn what they want, or possibly figure it out simply from one of our dead. All of us on the mission carry Koban genes.”
Mirikami nodded, and said, “This is war, of course, and we will have casualties. However, the genes of our dead will not give Koban away to anyone. The Krall don’t have a science of genetics, they do it the old-fashioned slow way, by breeding, so they won’t see our DNA or understand it if they did.
“Hub bio-scientist might be able to do adequate gene decoding now and spot alien genes, but as Dillon can attest, the best geneticists, the majority of them in fact, were all on the Flight of Fancy. Their former graduate students, who may have filled their jobs, did not yet have the knowledge of the people we have here. The Hub’s learning about genetics probably has not flourished as it has here. However, that doesn’t matter either, because seeing an alien gene does not point you to where it originated, if it came from a world unknown to humanity. It isn’t from our dead we need fear discovery.” He looked around at them somberly.
“We must do everything possible to prevent the Krall from taking any of us alive. Even to the extent that we become an instrument of death for one of our own. Remember, we are assuredly facing a painful gruesome death after capture by them. We can try to prevent that pain from happening.” Mirikami avoided looking at Noreen, who had already suffered the personal torment of ending the life of a friend, caught in the jaws of a whiteraptor.
Reynolds had listened to Mirikami’s outline of what he wanted to do at K1. Making that stop before proceeding to Poldark, and he listened as his high-level planers endorsed the idea or offered problems to consider. However, none of them asked what he wanted to know. Why did Mirikami need additional ships to go to Poldark?
He had been sitting on the Bridge of the Mark of Koban, staying as unobtrusive as possible, answering questions if asked, but extremely uncomfortable mixing with the people that helped formulate plans, and furnished leadership in executing them. He’d happily follow orders and fight the Krall, and show the TG kids some guerilla warfare tactics he’d been using against the Krall. What he didn’t want was for Mirikami to assign him some role in a position of authority besides training, or running a small guerilla operation. To assign him something for which he was temperamentally unsuited. He had felt confident that Mirikami understood his attitude, but now he wasn’t so sure, because Reynolds found himself sitting in on a high level meeting. However, his curiosity was burning, so he nervously decided to ask his question anyway.
“Er…, Cap’in, whutcha gonna do wit two udder ships on Poldark? It’s gonna be tuf nuf to sneak one down and git it hid. How’r ya spectin’ to bring two more along, an wuht fer?
Mirikami was sitting at one of the four tall Smart Chair acceleration couches, which they had bolted to the bridge deck by each control position. The exaggerated country hick mannerism, and fractured grammar, demonstrated the man was really trying to make sure his asking that question didn’t lead to his being given a job he didn’t want. Reynolds friends, everyone here, had all noted “ole Sarge’s” language deteriorated anytime he was worried about catching any significant leadership job. He must be scared stiff this time.
Mirikami, partly facing away, gave a slow wink to the others as he swiveled his chair the long way around to face Reynolds. There was no reason not to have a little fun at Sarge’s expense, since he did the same with any of them when he could.
Because the Krall had nothing like a conference room near the top of the ship, Mirikami often held meetings on the Bridge. For visitors they had bolted four long benches to the deck. Reynolds was sitting on one of those, a sheen of sweat noticeable on his forehead, despite the cool air in the ship, and his heat adaptation gene mods.
As Mirikami completed his turn, his praising words probably worried his perspiring target. “Sarge that was a perceptive question, proving you instantly identified the impossibility of slipping three large ships down to the surface of Poldark simultaneously. You instantly recognized that I must have some other use for those two ships. I do have something in mind, but it may not be the best use, so I’d like to hear from a man that realized that fact. If you had two additional ships to use on this mission, and were in my position, what would you do with them?”
Shit! I should have kept my stupid mouth shut, he swore at himself, sweat appearing on his forehead and under his armpits.
Uh…, if ya lose this ‘un, Koban’s up shit’s creek and no paddle. Send one back I reckon. Thu secont one could jest stan by, if ya got in trouble on Poldark. Meby do sumpen else there, if the genral will hep ya, like Thad ‘spects he will.”
Don’t ask me more, don’t ask me more! He tried to will Mirikami.
“Excellent, Sarge. That is close enough to my ideas that I feel like you must have frilled me, you sly dog. I plan to send one ship back to Koban with a minimal crew. The other would be a stealthed backup. At least until General Nabarone talks to Thad, and agrees to support us. I might take both new ships to Poldark with us first. I haven’t decided.
“Next I’d like to
satisfy my curiosity, about another one of your anecdotes Sarge, about the Special Operations troops you met. They prove that the Planetary Union is thinking outside the box, and trying something secretive and different on Heavyside. I want to find out what is going on there. Perhaps we can insert ourselves into their operation, and help one another in some way. Our TGs don’t need drugs or mechanical enhancements to face the Krall. Small unit commando action to the enemy’s rear is what we can best do to disrupt their war machine.”
“You’re not worried Nabarone won’t let us leave, are you Tet?” Thad sounded like he thought that was highly unlikely.
“No, I trust your judge of character Thad, and you knew Nabarone well. However, the Planetary Union is running the human side of the war, and they may not like what we bring to the table, or simply may not trust people wearing Krall style tattoos. Besides, as Sarge has mentioned, there is some risk in just our landing, so we need to have more baskets for our eggs.”
Noreen had her own concern. “Who takes which ship?” She didn’t want to miss the action and return to Koban.
Mirikami pulled at his lower lip, looking directly at Reynolds. “Who indeed should lead either of the new missions?”
Like a gazelle in a truck’s headlights at night, Reynolds sat frozen with apprehension. He knew that lip tug gesture by now. It meant Mirikami was formulating a plan in his mind, and he was staring directly at him. No, no, no! Not me! rang through his head, as he couldn’t even breathe.
Mirikami suddenly spun away, a smile forming, “The new ships will obviously need the command of qualified Captains, and we only brought two spares with us.”
The breathy whoosh of relief, as Reynolds nearly slipped from his bench cushion was audible. Everyone laughed, except Reynolds, who was too red faced with relief to do more than breathe again.
Still laughing, Marlyn shook her head, “Tet, that was funny. Insensitive as hell, but very funny.”
Noreen had slowed to a chuckle, and reminded her Captain he hadn’t answered her question. “OK, Tet. While Sarge recovers what part of his dignity he thinks he can find, perhaps you can tell us the purposes of the two added missions.”
“Right. The mission back to Koban requires the most explanation, because on the surface it appears less vital. That appearance is deceiving, and the mission is certainly more important than being the heavy lifter for the Raven’s refurbishing, which will only be required one time, to take all of the new Trap emitters, replacement hull plates and wiring up to orbit. And it might fit a couple of shuttles aboard for the work crews to use, and save their fuel.”
Marlyn shrugged. “I guess you need to tell us the deceptive part, since servicing Raven was all I thought was needed back there right now.”
He started his explanation. “We intend to destroy the Krall’s capability to manufacture what they need to conduct their wars. Who builds their ships, weapons, habitat domes, and even their uniforms?”
Dillon provided the expected and perfunctory answer. “Slave races, of course. The Torki manufacture machines and tools, ship parts, weapons, and electronics. Supposed to look like large crabs, per the brief description the translators gave us on the Fancy. The other major slave race is the Prada. One translator said they were black or brown, with white markings, a furry mammal with a long prehensile tail. Dorkda said the Prada had a shape something like short hairy humans. They are the Krall’s main assemblers of parts the Torki make, and they build domes, and run farms. Other than Raspani, kept for food, we heard there were a few limited slaves from other races, retained for uses they never described to us.” Dillon shrugged.
“At least that’s what the Krall translators told us.”
“I believe them.” Mirikami stated. “I’ve seen no sign that the Krall make anything but warriors, which in turn only make war. However, if we destroy the war material factories, do we kill their slaves, or leave them to the tender mercies of the race that would have exterminated them if they hadn’t found a use for them? I don’t want to complete that genocide for the Krall, to exterminate, or cause the death of the last of those intelligent species. Not if I can save some of them. What are your feelings about that?”
The consensus was a forgone conclusion, naturally, as Mirikami knew it would be. Genocide was abhorrent to them all, and they had already done their best for the Raspani herd at Hub City, a people the Krall had bred back to semi sentient creatures.
“I know that you knew, before I even asked that loaded question, what your answers would be, so I’ve given this some thought for quite a long time. Even a single extra ship, this early in our campaign, might make finding and preparing a refuge for those aliens possible. One ship might help us find a haven for them, and have it available before needed. If those races can build domes and equipment for the Krall, and yet still produce their own food and shelter on the various slave worlds, they can do it for themselves if left alone. However, where might there be a place so secluded that the Krall won’t look there for centuries?” That was almost enough of a clue, he thought.
“You seem to be thinking of Koban,” supplied Marlyn.
“Close, but not exactly. Do any of you think dangerous, savage, heavy gravity Koban is suitable for nonviolent races that live on light to moderate gravity worlds? We know they originally settled the abundant habitable lower gravity worlds. Earth itself is a higher gravity planet than ninety eight percent of our own colony worlds. Vince Naguma and Sarah Bradley have told us that the Raspani lifespan here, even when protected from predators and Krall, fed well, and given medical treatment, is well less than half of what their DNA suggests would be expected in less stressful lower gravity. This gravity is far harder on them than it is for us, and humans had gene modifications for resisting aging hundreds of years before we arrived here. Koban would only be a last ditch and temporary shelter at best for the Krall’s slave races.”
Marlyn was growing exasperated. Mirikami always had these things thought out, and he noticed seemingly trivial details, available to anyone, and encouraged others to think of solutions on their own by asking questions, and guiding them. It seemed to be his variation of the Socratic method of teaching them how to think. That meant when he said she was “close” he might literally have meant close.
“The Morning Star?” She asked. In Koban’s sky, it was similar to Venus as seen from Earth. The inner terrestrial planet in this system appeared at various times of the year. It was often the brightest spot in a sky too lightened to see many stars, clearest just before the sun rose.
“Yes! Very good, Marlyn. Tell the others what you learned about it, besides the fact no one ever gave it an actual name?” She hadn’t noticed his apparent assumption that she knew anything about that world.
“A long time ago, I played Jake’s recordings from the day the Fancy reached this system. My own Captain never thought to do a pre-landing survey, none of them did that came in that huge influx, with no idea of where they were. Jake described the inner world as a terrestrial sized planet in the habitable zone, slightly smaller than Earth, and he detected signs of a biosphere. It piqued my interest, but that’s all Jake’s first day recording had about the planet.
“Some years later, after Thad I had married, Ethan asked me about that bright Morning Star. To give a better answer, I asked Jake to look with his telescopes, but from the ground, in our dense turbulent atmosphere, it wasn’t a sharp image using his small aperture instruments. I asked him to use long-range lasers and sensors, and his radar to check the planet. It appears to have a breathable atmosphere, suggesting that just like most planets with life, the feedback and chemistry of early primitive cells, working over billions of years, produces an Oxygen rich atmosphere. Jake provided me with multiple exoplanet studies that claimed that such biofeedback adapts organisms to self-regulate the mix of gases that life uses for energy production. The most energy is obtained from metabolizing Oxygen, and that makes high-level organisms possible. Like those on Earth and Koban.”
“Li
ke those on Earth and Koban,” Mirikami repeated. “You asked Jake for that information nearly eleven years ago.”
“How did you know that?” She asked, surprised.
“Jake required permission to do the active radar and laser scans you requested, and I granted that. Curious myself, I checked back as to what he might find for you. Just now, for example, you forgot to mention the smaller but much closer moon, and that the world has a higher density than Earth, just as Koban does, so despite being only eighty one percent the size of earth, it has ninety percent of its surface gravity.”
Marlyn nodded her amazed agreement. “It sounded like a good habitable candidate to look at, and it has twenty six percent Oxygen in its atmosphere, compared to our thirty percent. I had forgotten about it, because I never expected we’d have a chance in our lifetimes to visit.”
“I did more than look at the data you requested. I also looked at the background of a friend, who showed a surprising interest in, and an ability to comprehend a complex subject like detailed exoplanet studies. I discovered that you, like myself, was in the Navy before you left to work on civil transports. You, also like me, spent some time on a Navy Scout Ship. Unlike me, you had applied for missions to actually explore and find new habitable planets, but the Hub Navy wasn’t looking for new worlds for humanity to colonize. I had merely wanted to rise in the ranks of the Navy. Neither of us could do what we wanted, so we both left the Navy.”
“You never said anything to me, Tet.”
“I didn’t want to look like the nosy butt I was actually being at the time, and I didn’t see a use for the information without a ship to go there. Now I may have a chance to let you follow an early dream of yours, so my nosiness has found a way to apologize. I’d like you to take one of the ships we plan to steal, then at some point return to Koban to lift that one load up to the Raven, and next organize an exploration trip to the inner world. Take some TGs, there are Spacer crews that I’m sure will want to get back into space to help, so call for volunteers. Back home you will have the honor of giving that planet a name, you can explore and survey a new world, and discover if it will be habitable for future alien guests, and possibly for our unmodified Hub City citizens, if they want relief from 1.52 g’s.”
Koban: The Mark of Koban Page 61