“Admiral, excuse me,” Mrs. Schwartz interrupted. “What do you mean you could not stop them?”
“They are not under my command. Even though their parents are under my command, the girls are not. They own the ships, and I had no justification to prevent them from going. There appeared to be no reason to prevent their action.”
“I assume that same would be true of the Abrams boys,” Mrs. Schwartz concluded.
“They had their parents’ permission,” Admiral Sherman replied. “I had no authority to stop them from traveling as a passenger in a privately owned vessel.”
“What would it take to put them under your command?” Mrs. Schwartz asked.
“They would need to be inducted into the Combined Defense Force,” the Admiral replied.
“At what rank?” Mrs. Schwartz asked.
Admiral Sherman scratched his head. “Airman Basic, or flight crew trainee, perhaps. Why?”
“Give it some thought. Please forgive the interruption. Admiral, please finish telling us about the mission.”
“The task force stopped at the cargo ship to retrieve personnel effects and parked the cargo ship in a location where its sensors would be better able to support their mission.”
While he was talking, an ensign plugged a data module into the room’s projection system and put up an image on the screen.
Admiral Sherman looked at the display. “This is what they found when they intercepted the drone.”
The image showed a gray unmarked vehicle bristling with antennae and dish receivers.
“This is the drone as they approached it.”
The ensign advanced to the next image.
“This is Captain Greg Solomon’s P I ship connected to the drone as viewed from Captain Avi Solomon’s ship. Notice that our ships are identified as to their ownership. The two privately owned ships carry the markings of their previous planet. This drone is not marked. That is a violation of Federation regulations.”
They advanced through several more pictures of the two ships tied together.
“Dr. Abrams was able to determine from the drone’s navigation computer where its tender was located. The four ships hyper jumped to that location and this is what they found. We had to digitally enhance the images due to the low light levels at that great a distance from light sources, but what you see is plain. See the drones without the antennae and dishes? Those drones are nuclear capable. We don’t know that they have nuclear warheads, but we do know that they are capable of carrying nuclear warheads and they have no other function for which they are intended.”
Several more photos were displayed of the ship from different angles.
Mrs. Schwartz turned to look at Admiral Sherman, “So what you are telling us is that we are looking at a repetition of the Cuban Missile Crisis.”
“That would be correct,” Admiral Sherman replied.
“How do we know whose missiles these are?” Mrs. Schwartz asked.
Admiral Sherman pointed to a picture that showed the faces of the opposing pilots. “Captain Greg Solomon and Mr. Abrams photographed the crew inside the cabins of the two escorts that attempted to intercept them. We have identified the pilot of each vessel. They are former Federation pilots and are known to be working for the Swordsmen.”
A murmur arose from the audience.
Admiral Sherman continued, “We also know that the ship shown in this image is one of two previously unaccounted for Pirate Interdiction warships capable of short hyper jumps. The short hyper jump is a significant strategic advantage which makes this ship extremely dangerous.”
“Don’t we have similar ships?” Mrs. Schwartz asked.
Admiral Sherman nodded, “Yes, but their advantage to the offensive force is much greater than to the defensive force. The problem is you don’t know where the ship is going until it gets there and then you don’t know it was there until after it’s gone and has fired its missiles.”
“Sounds like Heisenberg to me,” Reuben quipped. Rachel elbowed him.
“There must be something we can do,” the Rabbi said.
“We are working on it, but have no immediate solutions. We will inform the council when we do,” Admiral Sherman replied.
“What do your recommend for the interim?” Mrs. Schwartz asked.
“Lots of ships on patrol. Even that may not help, but it’s the best we have,” Admiral Sherman admitted.
“But you don’t have the pilots,” the Rabbi observed.
“That is correct,” Admiral Sherman affirmed.
“I trust you will do your best to rectify this situation and we should leave you to it,” the Rabbi said.
“Yes, thank you.”
Mrs. Schwartz said, “In the meantime, I move we call an emergency meeting of all of the community councils to draft a formal protest to the Federation against this incursion into our sovereign space as defined by Federation statute.”
The motion was seconded and carried.
“Admiral, will you provide transportation for the other councils?” Mrs. Schwartz asked.
“Certainly, and I will prepare a formal presentation,” the Admiral replied.
“Shall we schedule the meeting for Monday evening?” Mrs. Schwartz asked.
The meeting quickly moved through the other agenda items and adjourned.
After the meeting, the three families returned to Admiral Sherman’s quarters. Once they had settled, Sarah got everyone’s attention.
“We have another problem. The school administration is furious that we took five students out of classes for three days without asking their permission. Faculty meeting this afternoon was as heated as I have ever seen it. I floated the idea of a Reserve Officer Training Program, but it was shot down on the basis that non-academic exclusive societies are prohibited at the school. They either want the kids in school full-time or out full-time. I did point out to them that the Maccabees and the Rabbis of the Talmud recognized that military defense took priority even over the high holidays. There are precedents from the State of Israel where religious requirements were waived for those involved in military activities. They finally agreed that if the students were on active duty or in the active reserve, they would compromise and allow such students to participate in the school and school activities provided that school officials receive formal notification when the students are pulled from class.”
“Advance notification?” Avi asked.
“No,” Sarah said. “They recognized that may not be possible. They want to be sure that the students are not truant and are on an authorized mission.”
“Fair enough,” Avi said.
“Does it matter what we think?” Rachel asked.
“Yes,” several of the adults said at the same time.
“I like the idea of formal induction into the Defense Forces. I am not sure that Airman Basic is the right rank. I would prefer the term Cadet, but that is up to you.”
“Cadet is another word for student,” Greg observed.
“I will have the personnel and legal team work out the policies and procedures in the morning,” Admiral Sherman said. “We’ve had an exciting few days. Let’s go to bed and attack these problems fresh in the morning.”
As they left, Sarah pulled Rachel aside. “Did Reuben behave himself?”
Rachel chuckled. “My period started when we were out there. I think he may have gotten more of an education than he wanted.”
Sarah smiled a knowing smile and said, “I was worried.”
“I know. Don’t be. He was fine. You should be proud of him.”
“Thank you. They are both such big babies.”
“Which is why they are so lovable.”
Sarah then pulled Wendy aside.
“Did Rashi behave himself?”
Wendy smiled, “Yes, he did. Once I showed him how to run the simulations, I hardly knew he was there. Besides it’s not me he’s interested in.”
“Oh?”
“He has a serious crush on Esther.”
>
“Esther?”
“I probably shouldn’t tell you that, but he’s nuts over her.”
“She’s a sweet girl.”
“I thought so, too.”
“Thank you.”
Wendy smiled. “You’re welcome. He can fly with me anytime.”
ERETZ - CHAPTER TWELVE
A FEW DAYS LATER, after the teenagers who had flown together were formally inducted as “Cadet Space Flight Trainees” and assigned their duties, Rachel pulled David aside as they walked to class. “David, would you like to fly?”
“What are you talking about?” he sneered.
“Admiral Sherman needs pilots. I think you have what it takes,” Rachel said.
“You can’t be serious.” His lip curled in sarcasm.
“Deadly. You know me, I don’t joke about this kind of thing. Are you interested?”
“Maybe,” he said, his tone softening.
“Admiral Sherman wants to run a psych screen on you first, but I think you’d enjoy flying, and you’d be good at it. Look, half of what we do is about attitude. Your attitude sucks. Just like my Dad’s at your age. You’ll fit right in. Ask your parents for permission, and let me know tomorrow.”
She turned and walked away leaving him speechless.
David joined the Cadets and learned to fly. Some of the younger adults and many of the older students also joined the flight program. By the end of the first year, the Defense force had fifty fully armed, fully staffed short hyper jump capable P I ships on active duty in patrol rotation.
The “missile crisis” protest prompted a full scale investigation of the Swordsmen’ military activities and resulted in a two year moratorium on their purchase of additional military hardware. The price on surplus military equipment promptly dropped and planets which previously could not afford to develop defensive forces found themselves in the position to do so. Surplus ships and sensor arrays leaped off the surplus dealers’ lots. Soon every inhabited planet had protective sensor arrays and some sort of small armed defensive planetary guard force.
The Federation Space Force found itself in the uncomfortable position of having to ask permission to land places it had traveled freely before. Since permission was routinely granted, even the old hands grew to appreciate the new relationships. The planetary defense units and the Force built supporting relationships and mutual defense organizations. The Federation Military Force’s role shifted from military to police operations. They were as likely to become involved with interception of contraband or stolen cargoes as they had been in the combat of pirates.
Homestead’s Northern Hemisphere was abandoned and the population moved to the less damaged Southern Hemisphere. Memories of the people who had died there haunted the survivors even as they deserted the places they had cherished so they could rebuild on a new place and leave the pain behind. The Space Force built its Advanced Pilot Training Center on a string of islands in the southern ocean and provided a small, elite force to protect the planet at Federation expense. With fewer than a thousand personnel stationed at the training center, their impact on the rest of the planet was minimal. Once the media left in pursuit of other hot stories, the immigration into the planet slowed and the population stabilized. In a matter of a few years, the frozen foods business expanded, and the planet became one of the Federation’s largest exporters of high quality beef. The herds quickly reestablished themselves, and the planet developed an enviable reputation for the quality of its livestock. The Clydesdale and Percheron horses had escaped the assault and were rapidly increasing their population under Horst’s and Anna’s dedicated guidance.
Even though they had been temporarily disarmed, Swordsman rhetoric did not change. As bellicose as ever, they directed their anger toward those who stood in the way of their conquests. The Jews, in particular, were the subject of continuous verbal and propaganda attacks. Publishers and distributors of popular entertainment media found the propaganda war to be a financial windfall as the parties involved attempted to out-maneuver each other. With greater numbers of people and more ample resources, the non-Swordsman portion of the population increasingly marginalized the Swordsmen who became more strident and threatening.
Mimi grew into her flight suit. As promised, Avi took her out for her first flight. After her initial flight, Mimi routinely accompanied Rachel on patrol and quickly learned to read the sensors. She took to weightlessness even more readily than Rachel and Wendy had. She particularly enjoyed the opportunity to fly from place to place around the cabin. Endowed with a light easy laugh and a ready open smile, Mimi brightened every room she entered.
Greg and Avi were in a briefing on the results of some exciting research on the new sensor arrays when an ensign entered the room. He held up one hand with all five fingers spread and gave the thumbs up sign with the other. Admiral Sherman smiled. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I need to interrupt this proceeding. We have a new weapon! Please follow me to the hangar.”
When they arrived, Admiral Sherman pointed to a missile sitting in its cradle next to a P I ship. Except for its bright mirror like surface and its nose cone with screw threads, it looked exactly like the missiles the P I ships normally carried. The Admiral was so excited he almost bounced as he walked.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the newest addition to our arsenal. It has performed perfectly in all five of its trials. This is the Electronics System Disruptor. It is capable of destroying sophisticated electronics systems within a kilometer. It can be fired from any of our P I and picket ships without modification. It is designed to seek out reactor heat radiator panels and embed itself into a panel. Once there, it will emit pulses that will destroy the electronics on any ship within its range. If the ship tries to move or to hyper jump, it will stay with the ship and transmit its destructive pulses through the hull of the ship. Within ten minutes of impact even the most hardened navigation system will be destroyed. We are looking at the most significant technological advance in the history of space warfare since the refinement of the short hyper jump. Avi, could you hand me your knife?”
Avi pulled her knife out of its sheath behind her neck and handed it to him.
“This is the inspiration for this missile.”
He held up the knife so it threw rainbows on the floor. “I went back to the team who developed this material and had them develop a new material. It took them a year to create it. You can laser it, and the laser will bounce off. Radar will pass through it. The nose is so hard it will penetrate the side of most ships. It spins in flight so these screw threads drive it into the ship’s side. We can destroy the ship’s electronics with a single hit from anywhere.”
“What happens to the crew?” Greg asked.
“They will die eventually,” Science Officer Mendelssohn stated coldly.
“How long is eventually?” Greg pressed her.
“That depends on their level of stores and whether they can get a distress courier off before the pulses destroy those as well,” Science Officer Mendelssohn said.
“Could be weeks or months,” Greg mused.
“Yes.”
“That is not acceptable,” Greg proclaimed. “What happens to the ship?”
“Short of a complete overhaul in a major shipyard, it is dead. As dead as if you blew its reactor,” Admiral Sherman said.
“Except it’s not,” Greg stated. “What happens to their life support systems?”
“The life support systems continue to function,” Science Officer Mendelssohn answered.
“Why is that?” Greg asked.
“Should I explain how this works?” Science officer Mendelssohn asked.
“Yes, please do,” Avi said. She had become increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of sealing people in a tomb somewhere in space and waiting for them to die. Killing quickly in battle was one thing. This was something else.
“It produces high energy pulses at the specific range of resonant frequencies necessary to destroy the CMOS components in the ship’s compu
ters. Using sympathetic vibration, it destroys the CMOS junction and renders the computers inoperative.”
“Don’t the life support systems use CMOS?” Avi asked.
“No,” Science Officer Mendelssohn said. “Spacecraft designers assumed that the ships might be exposed to a variety of radiation sources and used the older TTL technology in those systems. Life support and basic maneuvering systems are designed to function autonomously in case of major system failure. The designers sacrificed speed and power conservation for reliability in case of emergency. The TTL logic is slower and uses more power, but the occasional stray reactor emission will not destroy it the way it will a CMOS component. The missile does not harm the TTL junction.”
“What about the reactor?” Greg asked.
Science Officer Mendelssohn said, “The reactor will sense a system failure and automatically shut itself down. The reactors use mechanical relays as their back up system for all the obvious reasons. Once we shut down the ship’s main computers, the ship will run on batteries unless the crew takes over manual control of the reactor. Most reactors can operate at minimum power levels manually for extended periods of time.”
“What about rescue?” Greg asked.
“Excuse me?” Admiral Sherman asked.
“I have killed enough people,” Greg said. “You offer me a way to disable my enemy without killing them and tell me you will leave them to die anyway. I won’t do it.”
“They would kill us under the same circumstances,” Science Officer Mendelssohn protested.
“Why are we different from all the other peoples? Either you figure out some way to rescue the people in the ships we kill or I’m not flying this missile.” Greg turned to walk away.
“This is mutiny!” Admiral Sherman sputtered.
“It’s not mutiny until you order him to carry the missile and he refuses,” Avi reminded him. “We’ll see you later. A cargo vessel would be an ideal rescue platform. Think about the message you would be sending the rest of the Federation. Are we ethically better than the Swordsmen or not?”
Solomon Family Warriors II Page 42