by Andrew Beery
The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles #8,
Replicants
Copyright 2016 by Andrew Beery
Kindle Edition, v2
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to thank my wife Lori and my two daughters, CJ and Jackie, for putting up with me while I wrote this next book in the Catherine Kimbridge universe. Any similarities between people in this book and my immediate family and friends is purely intentional. Of course, I wouldn’t be much of a pastor if I didn’t acknowledge God – to Him be all the glory!
NOTE from the author
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The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles is a serial adventure. It is highly recommended that the books be read in chronological order.
The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles #8,
Replicants
Chapter 1: Bad News…
Personal Log: 2487 was the year the Yorktown Taskforce brought the Replicant War home to the Ashtoreth. Our enemy was faster, stronger and more ruthless than we were. In the end, none of those things mattered. We were willing to die… repeatedly for what was right and just. In the end, light always wins out over the darkness.
It seemed the only thing in the universe that traveled faster than the speed of light was bad news. Lord Captain Asdartu, brother of King Astarte was sure the Great Creator took pleasure in his distress.
The battle to sanitize the Hupenstanii situation was to have been a rout, and indeed it was… but for the wrong side. It was bad enough that it took only three GCP starships to face down and destroy fourteen Ashtoreth Empire ships… but to add insult to injury… the enemy was not seriously damaged. In fact, they lost only a handful of attack fighters. Their victory over the empire was made complete when somehow they managed to deflect Asdartu’s flagship which had been deliberately set on a collision course with the Hupenstanii home world. The mass of the ship and the speed at which it was traveling should have ensured an extinction level collision event occurred. But it was not to be.
An engineer from the doomed AE DorKra managed to make it to an escape pod. When he was revived on the home world he carried with him the news of Asdartu’s utter and complete failure.
To say his brother, the king, was displeased was an understatement. The very first act King Astarte undertook when he heard of the defeat was to kill every servant in the room. He then revived each one and killed them again. When at last his bloodlust was sated… he called for his brother.
Asdartu had attempted three times to explain the reason for his failure. Moments into each attempt his brother would kill him in a fit of rage. The Palace’s physicians would replicate a new body for Asdartu and the cycle would begin again. This was the fourth time he was entering the throne room this day with his hands shackled. The physicians were already prepping a replacement body should the King kill the one he was currently wearing yet again.
“Well, my beloved brother Lord Captain Asdartu, tell me again this tale of woe wherein fourteen of our finest warships were defeated by three ancient Galactic Coalition vessels. Tell me again, how under your august leadership this tragedy befell us.”
“My Lord and my King…” Asdartu began and then paused. His brother had picked up a sword already. It seemed the physicians would indeed be needing that replacement body.
***
Cat and Jason walked along a nearly deserted sidewalk in the center of what would become the restaurant district of the newly build Marine City. The marines had taken to calling it the ‘MC’. The two walked hand-in-hand. It seemed like it had been years since they had been able to put aside their duties to the Galactic Coalition of Planets and simply be two people in love. The restaurant they were headed to was one of only three currently open.
Cat looked up through the clear domed ceiling that covered the seventy square kilometer city. WhimPy had been busy. Construction nanites were still finishing the interiors of many of the buildings… some of which were ten stories high. Ninety days… this had all been done in ninety days!
Jason squeezed her hand softly. “A penny for your thoughts?”
She shifted her gaze to his face. His once jet black hair had just a hint of grey at the temples. Command had a way of aging people.
“I was thinking that this is probably the fastest an entire city has ever been built. I know it’s a military base but I expect there will be families here. I wonder what it will be like for children to grow up with this for a view.”
Jason chuckled.
“You’re laughing at me… why?”
“I was laughing,” Jason said, “because I had a similar thought not two minutes ago. We grew up on Earth. When we looked at the night sky… we saw the same constellations every night. I remember thinking they were my friends… thinking that I would wander among them some day. Those familiar stars shaped who I am. The kids that grow up here will see incredible things…”
“But the stars will change with every deployment,” Cat finished for him.
“Exactly,” Jason agreed. “I wonder how that will affect their perception of home and humanity.”
“They will truly be children of the stars,” Cat whispered.
The restaurant they had reservations at was just up ahead. Jason guided her to a seat near the holographic band that was playing something that was retro-country. The restaurant, Teddy Peters, specialized in smoked salmon. Fish tissue was one of the easiest to grown in a vat synthetically. She supposed the process was not completely dissimilar to what was used in the bio-generators for the Infinity Brigade Marines.
“I’m still amazed that the city administrator was able to get an interplanetary chain like Teddy Peters to move in so fast,” Jason commented as the waitress handed them menus.
Cat smirked. “I think the special considerations we were able to offer in terms of no BCI and free use of a custom-built facility might have played a part.”
The Bureau of Commerce Investigation or BCI was the taxation wing of the Galactic Coalition of Planets. They had not existed in Cat’s earlier timeline. She suspected they might be a construct introduced by the Ashtoreth as part of their long-term plan for destabilizing the GCP. On the other hand organizations tended to creep into every human society given enough time for that society to generate as self-sustaining bureaucracy. She supposed it was part of humanities ‘fallen nature.’
Before they could order another couple arrived at the restaurant. Lieutenant Commander ‘AG’ Stone and Doctor Janice Pulaski. They went to sit at another table but Jason with Cat’s approval waved them over.
“We have plenty of room over here if you are interested in joining us.”
“We would be delighted Commodore,” Janice said warmly.
Cat smiled as the two seated themselves. “It’s been a long day, after a long week, after a long month. Let’s agree to
put titles and ranks aside for the evening and just be four friends enjoying each other’s company.”
“Sounds like a deal to me,” AG said as he grabbed a spoon and started ladling smoked fish spread on a saltine cracker.
“So how goes the work on the new training facility?” Jason asked AG.
With a mouth half filled with cracker the large marine sighed. “Could be better, could be worse. The gym and firing range are Stellar. We can adjust the gravity and atmospheric conditions to match the world we are to operate in. The obstacle course is my biggest problem.”
“Why?” Jason asked.
Janice shook her head. “Because our boys and girls know that we can always bio-print a new body for them –they keep setting the system parameters to max out the difficulty. It seems to be a point of pride to see how far they can get without being killed.”
Jason looked confused. “And why is this a problem?”
Janice looked at him with eyes wide open. “Why? …because they keep KILLING THEMSELVES”
“Not really,” Jason said with a quizzical look. “I mean, if they know they can be revived in a bio-generator why not train hard? There’s a saying… hard training equals easy mission.” He turned to AG. “How are their performance reviews?”
“Top notch… across the board. And it’s not just the augments… the norms are doing better as well.”
Cat leaned forward. “Augments? Norms?”
AG explained. “Augments are those troop that have gone through the bio-generators. I’m an augment. Norms are those troops who have not died in duty or training exercises yet.”
“How many of each do you have?” Cat asked out of curiosity.
“Of the thousand or so troop we currently have on base roughly nine hundred are augments and the rest are norms,” AG admitted.
“That many!” Cat gasped in astonishment.
“This is what I mean,” Janice said in a vindicated tone. “I’ve had to process several of them four or five times.”
“Who are the worst offenders?” Cat asked.
Janice just looked at AG in frustration.
The big man shrugged. “I lead best from the front, what can I say?”
Jason shook his head. “You may want to rethink that big guy. Two reasons. You can’t be everywhere so you need leaders with experience leading. Second, it takes time to make a shake-and-bake soldier… time when your head is in a jar and not in a body. That’s time when you are not leading.”
“THANK YOU,” Janice said smugly.
“Yeah, a certain Doctor might have said something like that to me recently,” AG said sheepishly.
“So,” Cat interrupted, “You said that one hundred are ‘norms’. What’s the story with them?”
“Most are new recruits. That first Big D is the toughest... But most newbies see what the augments are capable of doing and arrange their own ‘aggressive’ training schedules. The lion’s share are usually augments by the end of the first month.”
“And by aggressive you mean high risk profiles?” Jason asked.
“Marines are, by their very nature, adrenaline junkies,” AG responded by way of explanation.
The waitress came back and they ordered their meals. When the young woman left they continued their conversation.
“So who are your holdouts? How many of those that have been here for the full three months are still norms?” Cat asked.
AG scratched his head and looked uncomfortable. “Ah… only one. My Staff Sergeant, JJ Hammond.”
“Jeremy James?” Cat said in astonishment. “He’s about as reckless and crazy a marine as I’ve ever met. He afraid of the first Big D?”
“Just the opposite,” AG admitted. “He’s just a lot better at living than dying.”
“Meaning?” Jason asked.
“Meaning,” Janice said, “he’s been run over, blown up, done a combat jump where he somehow forgot to wear his parachute… and there is always enough left to put him back together.”
“And boy was he pissed when he woke up after the jump with a nano-cast on his right leg. He pealed the paint off the walls of the med bay with the stuff coming out of his mouth,” AG added with an amused smirk.
“Charming,” Janice said dryly.
“Actually,” AG said, “it’s a crying shame. His performance numbers are almost at augment levels and he’s still a norm. Can you imagine what he’d be like if he got a chance to go through the bio-generator?”
Janice just shook her head in disgust.
Chapter 2: War Planning…
King Astarte stood on the bridge of his brother’s new starship the AE Rotan. His previous vessel, the ill-fated AE DorKra had recently been destroyed. His brother had disappointed him greatly by the magnitude of his failure but allowances must be made for family.
The problem with failure was it bred unrest. In an empire as large as the Ashtoreth Empire there was always unrest. Already Bashar, Caid, Burseg, and Levenbrech were in open revolt. The Rotan would be sent to deal with the uprising on the Levenbrech. The shipyards on that particular world were critical to the Empire’s expansion plans.
Lord Captain Asdartu walked onto the bridge. His presence was not announced by his First Officer, High Centurion Asktear. He was about to take the man to task when he spotted his brother the King. He immediately fell to one knee and bowed his head.
“My lord and my king, your presence honors the Rotan. Had I but known of your arrival I would have had proper honors presented.”
“Had I wanted you to know… I would have sent word ahead. I have no time for frivolities. The shipyards on Levenbrech are being threatened by factions disloyal to the empire. You are to deal with it.”
“At once my lord and king,” Asdartu said in a solemn voice.
“And brother dearest… whatever foolishness is going on. Put a permanent stop to it but do not allow the shipyards to be harmed or you will come to view the last several months as a kindness. Am I clear?”
“Crystal clear my lord and my king”
***
Cat Kimbridge jogged the twenty five kilometer exterior track that encircled Marine City. She had already been around the track twice when Lieutenant Commander AG Stone joined her.
“Doing a hundred K today Admiral?”
“I thought I would. The Yorktown is a wonderful ship but it lacks the wide open spaces that you have here.”
AG grunted in agreement. He was an augment which meant he was finally able to keep up with the Admiral on her runs… but only if she let him. It was humbling to know that despite the improvements to his strength and stamina that he now enjoyed, her Heshe enhancements still outmatched his.
Cat looked at her friend and slowed down slightly.
“Don’t you dare Admiral… I like to run with you because you push me.”
“Are you giving me an order Commander?”
AG grunted again as he redoubled his efforts to match her pace. “Yes Ma’am, I am.”
Cat smiled. “If you are not too tired after the run today Commander, I’d like you to attend a briefing at 11:00. The Brown Recluse is due back and Harry will be sharing his reconnaissance report.”
“Won’t miss it Admiral,” AG huffed with more energy than he felt.
Twenty minutes and fifty kilometers later they were back at Paradise Island which was the slang name the marines had given their training center. It was apparently a play on the name of an old American marine base called Parris Island.
After a quick shower Cat headed up to the main briefing room. It was already half past ten and she wanted to review the Recluse’s latest intelligence reports before the meeting with Captain Harry Bedmore and the others.
She was midway through the summary when Commodore Ruck and Captains Hikaro Takei and Vigit Purohit arrived. While they were still getting coffee and/or tea, Harry and his wife Honey entered the room. He looked every bit the pirate he pretended to be. He wore a leather vest with a flamboyant red shirt that was open just enough to sho
w an abundance of chest hair. He had a close cropped black beard. On his belt he had a small force whip that he could use to flick a gnat off the head of a pin without touching the pin.
The pirate captain was actually a long time covert operative for Admiral Melbourne. He was in fact a part of her Melbourne Maniacs. His wife Honey was a sentient Heshe android and his First Officer.
As Cat was greeting her longtime friend, Admiral Melbourne arrived with Lieutenant Commander Stone in tow.
“We are all here,” Cat announced as she took her seat. “Shall be begin?”
Jason looked quickly around the room with a puzzled expression on his face that was not lost on Cat.
“For those of you wondering why Captain Kirkland is not joining us today, I have him and the Yorktown looking into something for me. Captain Bedmore, the floor is yours.”
“Thank ya darl’n,” Harry began.
“Harry…” Honey scolded.
“Thank ya Admiral darl’n…”
“HARRY…” Honey said more forcefully.
“Thank ya Admiral…” Harry looked at Honey and she nodded her approval.
Cat for her part just smiled. Harry was Harry and no amount of wishing would ever change that.
The pirate captain picked up a display pointer and toggled the holographic display built into the table. An extensive star map of a region of space Cat was unfamiliar with blossomed into existence. Hundreds of stars appeared with red circles around them.
Harry pulled his raised arms wide and then pulled them together. The result was the display zoomed out so that now it showed the entire Milky Way. Sol was highlighted on the inner side of the swirl called the Orion arm.
Harry adjusted the display yet again and the star map zoomed out once again… this time showing more of what astronomers called the Local Group of galaxies. Harry highlighted a spiral galaxy called Andromeda that was two and a half million light-years from Earth.
This time he zoomed in and on one of the inner spirals. A mass of red circles appeared. He double tapped the table surface and all three views displayed side by side. His motions were precise and crisp.