“Ah, sitting down makes things much easier,” he said to himself, not realizing that now he was speaking every thought out loud.
Fortunately, much of the operation of the B2 was automated, just like its former sister. The large central elevator lifted Meier and the B2 to Level 1, and he opened the two outer doors remotely. Once that was done, he initiated the start sequence, and the B2 came to life. With little effort, Meier guided the spacecraft through the doors and then activated the automated flight path to the Moon and the entrance to Vallis Alpes. The B2 sprinted away with Meier lying back in his seat, anticipating his arrival on the Moon and what he hoped would be the last action necessary to launch the two countries into war. Perhaps his last and greatest exploit ever. He closed his eyes with a satisfied smile and fell asleep, forgetting to close the two doors of Site R.
CHAPTER 34
“Commander!” said Harry urgently from the bridge of the Aurora.
“What?”
“Sensors have just detected the launch of the B2.”
“Where is it headed?” asked a confused Van.
“The track leads to the Moon and Vallis Alpes, Commander.”
“Can you take control of the B2?”
“No, Commander. Access has been locked out.”
“Terrific. But we don’t have time for that now, though it’s probably Meier. Besides, there isn’t much he can do on the Moon now that will make things worse. We’ll have to deal with him later. Keep track of his position at all times. Right now, I’m more concerned about the potential for missile launches on Earth, even if only part of what Dick said was true about the states of emergency. We may be the only resource with the capability to stop them.” God, how I wish I could go after Meier and end him myself, but if the Chinese or Russians launch, I need all my assets here to stop them, including the shuttles and the fighters. He’ll just have to wait.
“Yes, Commander.”
In what only seemed like moments later, Harry made a frightening announcement. “Missile launch from China, Commander. One, two, three…. four missiles.”
“Not unexpected. What about the Russians?” asked Van.
“Nothing yet, Commander.”
“Can you get a track on those missiles, Harry? What are their targets?”
Van, Danny, Stan, and Jan watched the overhead screens as Harry plotted red lines from the launch points to the projected targets.
“Based on current trajectories, the missiles are headed for four Russian space launch facilities. Baikonur, Vostochny, Kapustin Yar, and Dombarovsky. It appears that the Chinese are trying to cripple the Russian space program,” said Harry.
For the first time, Stan spoke up. “That would do it. I’m familiar with all of those facilities, and they’re the heart of the Russian space program. In fact, Vostochny was built to replace Baikonur and is very important to them.”
“New missile launches, Commander,” said Harry.
“Let me guess—from Russia, yes?”
“Yes, Commander. Four missiles in total,” reported Harry.
“OK. This is what we’re here for. Weapons, report when locked on to the Chinese missiles first. We’ll switch to the Russian ones afterward.”
“Getting a lock on one, two, three…. and now four missiles from China. Ready to launch long-range M2 intercept missiles,” said a focused Ross Taylor.
“Fire!” commanded Van.
“Missiles away!” exclaimed Ross. “Switching to lock on the Russian missiles now.”
“Very well. Time to first intercept?” asked Van as he watched the overhead engagement screens.
“Two minutes from first launch, Commander,” replied Ross.
“Harry, where are the Russian missiles headed?”
“Similar places, Commander. All for Chinese space launch sites, including Jiuquan, Xichang, Wen Chang, and Hainan Island,” reported Harry.
“Hainan Island? What the hell for?” asked Van, mystified.
“I can answer that,” said Stan. “The Chinese have just finished their newest and best spaceport there. It is built to launch their largest rocket, the Long March 5. If they lose that, their program will be set back for decades.”
Ross broke in. “Lock on Russian missiles! Ready with M2s.”
“Fire!” said Van.
“Missiles away. Time to Chinese missile impact one minute.” Sixty seconds later: “Hits on one, two, and three…. all Chinese missiles destroyed,” said an excited Ross.
“Time to Russian impact?”
“One minute, Commander.”
When the minute passed: “Hits on one, two, and three Russian missiles. Miss on number four,” reported Ross, concerned. “Missile launcher down!” he said loudly a moment later.
Van’s head instantly swung to Ross’ position. “What? What happened?”
“Don’t know, Commander. We lost lock on the target, and the missile launcher will not respond.”
“Harry, any more launches from the surface?” asked Van.
“No, Commander.”
“Weapons, do we have another weapons system within range of number four?”
“Not unless we maneuver out of orbit and chase it. Then we should be able to hit it with a laser or plasma torpedo,” replied Ross.
“Harry, any ideas?”
“No, Commander. Mr. Taylor is right. The rail guns will likely not be able to hit the missile with its current course and speed. We would have to close the distance to use lasers or plasma torpedoes.”
“But if we leave position and either side launches again, we won’t be in the best position to stop them,” said Van, thinking out loud.
“Correct, Commander.”
Just then Stan spoke up. “We can launch CS1 or two of the fighters and chase it down.”
“What do you think, Harry?”
“Either craft could bring down the missile, Commander. But by the time we prepared and launched, the missile would already be out of reach.”
“Shit!” Van blurted out, then regained his composure. “Just so we don’t get caught off guard again, Stan, how about you and Danny man CS1. Be ready to launch if either country launches missiles again,” said Van.
“Why not take the fighters?”
“You and Danny know the combat shuttles better than you do the fighters and have plenty of time in them. If you have to, you’ll have a better chance of success in the CS. Go now and send Paul up here to take Danny’s place.”
“On our way.”
Stan and Danny headed for the flight deck and CS1.
“Where is missile four headed, Harry?”
“Jiuquan, Commander.”
Van sank into a depression. His eyes were open but seeing nothing. Two hundred thousand people are about to lose their lives all because I didn’t see it happening this way. I thought I could stop anything with the Aurora. I wonder what the Host would think of me now. What anybody would think of me now!
“Commander!” Harry repeated for the second time.
“What?” Van asked still in a semi daze.
“What do you want us to do next?”
“Ah…. we hold position. Where is Meier?” he asked, slowly coming to grips with the immediate problem.
“Approaching Vallis Alpes, Commander.”
“Are either of the Chang’e spacecraft up there now?”
“Yes, Commander, both of them.”
“Then Meier is their problem for now,” said Van in resignation.
“Captain, we are picking up energy releases above the atmosphere of the third planet,” said the Moor’s sensor operator.
“What kind of energy releases?” asked the Arkon captain.
“Large conventional explosions with minor radiation traces, sir.”
“How many?”
“Seven, sir.”
“Helm, adjust course for the third planet at current speed.”
“Yes, sir. Adjusting course now,” said the helm officer.
Captain Skarr had been part of the Ark
on fleet for over twenty solar cycles. In that time, he had experienced combat as a fighter pilot and was later involved in the subduing of many planets in evermore advancing positions. But he had never found himself on a supposedly peaceful patrol and encountering an apparent spacefaring solar system that might also be at war. There were no instructions for this. For the sake of his future, he would delay sending a message drone to the home fleet. If he was seen as an overreactive captain, he would lose honor and likely all hope of future advancement. He would be cautious. It was the Arkon way.
Colonel Fei heard about the inbound nuclear missile from Jiuquan main control and headed for the underground shelter. He moved swiftly with a growing number of people down the ramps to the shelter opening. As he was being pulled along by the crowd, he realized that he hadn’t warned Jing as he was supposed to do. Then he smiled and kept on moving down the ramps to safety. “Let the general figure it out for himself…. if he can in time,” Fei said to himself.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Allison Cooper. We interrupt the program now in progress to tell you that China and Russia have apparently gone to war. Thirty minutes ago, both countries launched missiles at each other. Reports from the North American Aerospace Defense Command, known as NORAD, say that each side was targeting the key elements of the other’s space program. For reasons still not known, seven of the eight launched missiles exploded before they could reach their targets. One from Russia continued and struck China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. It was from this site that the Chinese launched both of their spaceships, the Chang’e 5 and 6. It is believed that both craft were on the Moon at the time of the attack and were not destroyed. Gen. Herb Owens is here with us again to add meaning to these events. General, what do you make of the missile exchange and what happened to the seven destroyed missiles?”
“Allison, it was inevitable that the two powers would do something like this. What is most interesting is that they limited their targeting to only key space program sites like the Russian Baikonur and the Chinese Jiuquan centers. The latter site was confirmed destroyed, although we know they had a substantial belowground shelter for at least the most valuable inhabitants. Despite the shelter, we expect that the majority of the two hundred thousand people at Jiuquan likely perished. Why the Chinese have not launched again is a mystery.
“As for what happened to the seven destroyed missiles, that is a greater mystery, for two reasons. First, for seven missiles from two different countries to suffer the same fate at the same time goes beyond mere chance. Second, Earth surveillance systems captured what appears to have been some sort of high-power projectile discharge from a point in space equidistant between China and Russia.”
“Do you mean to suggest, General, that the missiles were shot down, and if so, who could do that?”
“Not certain on either account, Allison. All we know is that the energy emissions appeared to come from a single point in space, but neither radar nor visual systems could see anything. Like I said, it’s a mystery.”
“Indeed it is, General. We’ll be right back after these words from Toujour Soap.”
CHAPTER 35
Anikin emerged from the underground bunker where a number of staff and families still took shelter. Looking around the control center, he allowed the undamaged facility to remind him of the luck they had all experienced. “Mikhael, it appears we are still alive and well, even after those crazy people in Moscow tried to start another world war,” said Anikin with a smile. “Marta, Nina, and Lucya will also be happy the attempt failed.”
Standing in front of his computer monitor and typing in commands, Mikhael responded, “As we all are, sir. But the same fortune apparently did not extend to our counterparts in Jiuquan, especially Gen. Li Jing.”
“Yes, I heard about the general. Good riddance, I think. I met him once last year in a global defense conference. He is, or was, a tank driver. Did you know that, Mikhael?” The general took his seat on the familiar command chair.
“No, sir. Seems an odd background for a leader of the space forces.”
“Yes again, Mikhael. I found him to be an arrogant, self-absorbed fool. One of my American friends called him a ‘nincompoop.’”
“A what, sir?” asked the major, turning from his computer and showing complete ignorance of the term.
“A nincompoop. An American term for a fool or a simpleton. The same American friend said that if you looked that term up in an American dictionary, you would find a picture of Li Jing.”
“Really, sir?”
“Nyet, my young friend. It was just a joke. Now then, what do we know at present?”
Vavilov blinked away his confusion then resumed his work on his computer station. “The Chang’e 5 and 6 are still on the Moon. Based on our observations, we know both craft visited our Tycho site and forty minutes later left for Fan Lau. We do not know what they were doing at Tycho but suspect they were investigating our site for intelligence purposes.”
“And when we go back there, Mikhael, we will likely find that they destroyed what we left behind,” said the general.
“Yes, sir, that is our thought as well. The mystery for which we have no answer is why seven out of eight missiles exploded in flight. The American press is reporting that there were unexplained energy anomalies at a single point in space just before the missiles exploded. We have not been able to confirm that.”
“That is the most important question in my mind, Mikhael. Even more important than why neither we nor the Chinese have fired another missile volley,” said an introspective general with his chin in his palm. “Has sanity finally come to Moscow?”
“It appears so, or they are shocked by what happened to the missiles.”
“As well they should be. We should all be concerned and shocked at what happened. Let us hope that saner heads prevail.” Anikin sat back up in his seat, his thoughts, and those of his command, heavy.
“We have been sitting up here for hours now, Harry. In fact, it’s a new day and nothing is happening. What do you have from Big Brother?”
“It appears that both sides have reconsidered their actions, Commander. They have each lowered their defense conditions and are starting direct talks. The United States has gone down to DEFCON 3, and reports suggest that they will go to 4 soon.”
“That’s good news. We’ll sit here in stealth mode for a while longer. Tell Stan and Danny to relax for now but stay near their shuttle. Meanwhile, why has Meier been silent?”
“Unknown, Commander. My sensors say he has been sitting at the northeastern end of Vallis Alpes for quite some time.”
“And the Chang’e 5 and 6?”
“They are also motionless and located at Fan Lau. It is likely they have landed there and are working on the base, Commander.”
“Good news I guess, after what just happened to two hundred thousand people. But I have a certain feeling that it’s all temporary,” said Van, looking absently at the view screens surrounding the bridge and wondering why he had let himself get into this position over a year ago.
Meier awoke with a shock. Where was he?
“I’m in the B2,” he said, continuing to speak out loud. “It looks like the autopilot took me to Vallis Alpes and stopped in a hover, waiting for a new command. Interesting. I fell asleep and didn’t die. Now to reset for Fan Lau and give the Chinese another surprise.” And for the first time in a long time, he laughed out loud, a vengeful laugh.
The Arkon scout ship Moor was past the fourth planet and just about to settle into a high orbit over the third.
“What do we have on sensors now?” demanded Captain Skarr.
“Nothing in the space around the planet, sir, except a lot of space debris, but there are massive transmissions from the planet itself,” said a busy sensor operator.
“What kind of transmissions?”
“All kinds, sir. All frequencies. I am recording, but it will take some time to make sense of them all.”
“Hmm,” m
used the red-crested captain. “What about the planet’s Moon?”
“There have been some simple radio waves from there, Captain, but nothing like from the planet.”
“Do you have a location for those transmissions from the Moon?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then pass the location to the helm. Helm, alter course to the location you are receiving for the Moon circling this planet. Let us see what is there while we try to make sense of all of this noise.”
“Yes, sir. Course received and locked in,” said the helm officer.
“Good. Execute the course change now!”
Rose exited the operating facility of the Moon-base medical center with a smile. She had just delivered her first baby, a boy belonging to one of the computer technicians from the Carson Group. Rose was still sweating, and her mask was hanging below her chin. She nodded to the hovering father and said, “It’s a healthy baby boy!”
“Can I see my wife now?” asked the grinning technician, who had not wanted to be in the actual delivery room despite the invitation.
“Of course. But she’s tired so don’t take too long,” said Rose, energized by the father’s excitement.
“All in the life of a doctor,” a female voice said nearby.
Rose looked around and saw Barbara standing in the doorway to the medical center.
“Hi, Ms. Fuller. No, not really. Most doctors never get to deliver a baby, especially doctors with aerospace experience.”
“But you can do anything?” asked Barbara.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re a doctor, flight surgeon, astronaut, and a beautiful woman. What man could not fall for you?”
“Again, what do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
“No I don’t. Explain it please,” said Rose, now getting angry.
“Not that I care anymore but, for your sake, don’t let Van fool you.”
“Fool me? In what way?”
Immortal Guardian: Hoast Saga Book 2 (Host Saga) Page 24