Deep Space Endeavor 3 Death Match

by Ron Francis

  His fleet left Enclave Prime and jumped to light space, headed for Earth. He wondered what kind of reception he would receive when he arrived. Would the people’s faith in their new President overcome their shock at learning about another powerful coalition of humans in the galaxy? Would they willingly make an alliance? Would they finally be able to rid themselves of the Marcos clan, and claim their technology for the good of the Enclave? All of these questions and more ran through his head as his ship, The Conquering King, traveled through light space. When they exited light space, they immediately began sending transmissions on all channels, saying that they were humans coming in peace. Lucien convinced Earth’s planetary control that it would be good to allow him to speak to President Rhodes. For the next forty minutes, Lucien and the President spoke while the news of this new human fleet spread faster than light space throughout the Coalition.

  ______

  Nina sat in the Vanguard’s conference room. She had all of her top clearance personnel with her. The last time they had met, there were thirteen, now there was nine. Rodriguez, Jordan, Tally and Liam were dead, along with their families. She would have to find three new COO’s while not knowing who outside this room she could trust. Raina had just been released from med-bay and Lana was still fussing over her. The only thing she had done the whole time Raina was injured was continue her pilot training. Even that was only because Ariel had made her. Manny hadn’t spoken about Liam’s death and what happened to his family to anyone. He had taken it pretty hard. He blamed himself, and Nina was pretty sure he had something nasty in store for whoever turned out to be responsible. Jason was right there with him after they had almost killed his little sister. Ariel had still been unable to reach Carmine, and that was causing Lana stress. Once again, she found herself feeling terrible for Lana. This poor girl has been thrust into this family, without knowing any of us. Her mother is dead. I know we’ve tried our best to be there for her and take care of her, but the reality is that there has been just too much chaos. She never asked for any of this, and she doesn’t deserve to be targeted by the enemies of a father she had still never even met. The people she was quickly becoming close with were constantly under attack and her life was in danger. Nina was amazed that in spite of all of that, Lana had quickly become one of the best pilots in the fleet. Maybe she wasn’t Jesse’s daughter, she thought with a fleeting smile.

  “Alright, everyone,” Nina began. “Do we have any intel on who is responsible for the attacks yet?”

  “We know who’s responsible.” Manny yelled, startling all of them. They had never seen him this angry before. “They even went after Zoe’s second cousin on Telos. She’s never even met her second cousin and they tried to kill her anyway. Anything they can do to cause us pain and discomfort, they are doing. I say we take out this new president with extreme prejudice.”

  “Manny,” Ariel started gently. “We need proof before we move. We also need to figure out why they are doing what they are doing.”

  “They’re trying to keep us off balance so we don’t figure out what they are really planning until it’s too late. It’s a classic hacker tactic. Cause as much chaos as you can and hope they don’t see the real reason for your intrusion. If we prove it was President Rhodes behind this, I am going to destroy the entire government database for what they did to Raina. The Coalition will dissolve and each planet will be forced to look after itself. It will take months, maybe years before the Coalition is back on its feet. And that’s just my opening gambit.” Everyone could see that Jason meant every word he had said.

  “Okay, Jason, that’s just a little scary that you’re even thinking about that level of payback. We have to be careful, we are all speaking of treason right now, and I am uncomfortable with these contingencies. Even if we obtain proof that it was the President behind the attacks, are we ready to destroy the Coalition in retaliation?” Serge really missed Jesse right now, if Jesse were here, he would be able to reign in Jason and Manny’s anger. If Jesse were here, Nina would have never…Why did we convince him to leave?

  “Serge, they tried to blow up your nephew’s entire soccer team. If they’re in power, the Coalition is already destroyed.” Captain Snyder was more passionate than any of them were used to seeing him.

  “Captain Snyder has a point,” Sanjay agreed. “But, so does Jason. What is it they are really after?”

  “The ships!” Ariel yelled as the thought hit her like an out of control air speeder. “All of them. Not just the ships, but the schematics, because they have never been able to reverse engineer our ships. With all of us sequestered on the Vanguard, they gain easier access to our facilities on Earth.”

  “They will learn nothing from our facilities, Ariel.” Serge dismissively replied.

  “Are you sure, Serge, maybe they don’t know that. Maybe they will try and take a ship before the protocol that keeps the designs safe is installed. Maybe they feel like they can glean the designs from the main production facilities computer. We don’t know, but the ships are the target. It’s all they’ve ever wanted from us.”

  “Ariel is right. They want us out of the way, but they still want our technology. I also believe they are trying to destabilize the company. I hope you all have plenty of assets liquidated.” Nina looked around as they each indicated they did. “If they can make us go broke, they are banking on us not even being able to afford to pay our crew. They want all of our ships, including this one.”

  “I have enough assets liquid right now to continue paying an effective crew for Vee-Fleet for the next several years. They will not get these ships.” Ariel folded her arms defiantly.

  “As do I,” Manny added.

  “So do we,” Nina offered. “Not to mention what I found when Serge and I emptied Jesse’s house. They will not be able to get anything from us unless we give it.”

  “What was in Jesse’s house?” Ariel was suddenly quite interested.

  “A secret sub-basement. I’m the only one he ever told about it.”

  “He always trusted you above everyone, Nina.” Ariel remarked with a nod.

  “It was below his workshop and filled with thousands of pounds of gold, thousands of precious stones, priceless art, and almost seven billion in bearer bonds. I always wondered why his bank accounts were so small compared to ours. He always gave a lot to charity, but I could never figure out where the rest of his money was going. It was all there sitting in his basement. Over twenty billion in liquid assets; we’ll be fine financially.” Nina looked around at her team. These were her friends, her family, and they were hurting. “Alright, let’s keep trying to gather evidence. In the meantime, let’s get back to work. Manny, Jason, I need to talk to you before you go.”

  After everyone had filed out, Nina turned the jamming field back on and said, “I have a mission that I think you’ll enjoy.”

  “We’re listening.”

  “Ariel was right about the ships, what I need from you is to go to every one of our facilities on Earth and Telos, including our offices. I need you to install a self destruct protocol that would not only completely destroy every one of our facilities, but also completely wipe any information from the databanks. I’m talking entertainment, medical, construction, offices, but most important, military; our Viper and Eagle facilities, planetary defense, infantry weaponry and the ship building facility, all of it.”

  “I’ll handle the explosives and Jason can handle the computer protocols.” Manny offered.

  “Yes, but this has to be complete. And Jason, no hacker shortcuts or backdoor exits. This has to be thorough and untraceable. Understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he smiled. They know me so well.

  “If the government’s goal is to steal our tech, or force us out and assume control of our facilities, I want to make sure they get nothing. I believe Rhodes is responsible as well, and I will not give him the chance to betray us. I will also need you to make sure the twelve ships cur
rently being built wind up on Polisia. The government is also in possession of seventy-seven of our ships they have yet to pay for. The original forty-one Jesse loaned them at the start of the Jarlevian war and the most recent thirty-six off the line. Jason, if we find out the President is behind this; I would like for you to hack the government banking system and transfer the full price of ten billion per ship from the government to bearer bonds we can use to keep going indefinitely. Take Maria with you if you need backup. She’s itching to chip in, too.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he smiled again. He had just been given permission to steal almost eight hundred billion dollars. He would need to do his best work to make this untraceable because they would come after the money. Losing that much at once might bankrupt the government on Earth, especially with all of the gold Jesse had accumulated. He could float the rumor that there wasn’t enough precious metal to support the economy. Together with almost a trillion missing, Earth could be set back almost twenty years. He smiled at the thought. They tried to kill the wrong man’s sister.

  ______

  Two days after arriving in Earth orbit with four hundred Enclave warships, Lucien was invited to meet with President Rhodes in Prague. Everyone at Sea Side Enterprises was looking on this meeting with a healthy skepticism. As Nina watched, she could not help but wonder: who was this Lucien? What was he after? Why did Earth not seem to care that there were four hundred warships in orbit? Even with the planetary defenses, and two hundred fifty of their own ships in orbit, Earth looks outmatched. After a day of talks with the President, the two came out for a press conference. Nina, Serge and Ariel watched with great trepidation. They knew they were not going to like what this man had to say. They had seen the atrocities this man’s armies had committed, and now the Coalition was getting ready to welcome them with open arms.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen of the Coalition, after speaking with Supreme Commander Lucien and spending the day with him today, I am convinced we have found a powerful ally in the upcoming war against the hostile aliens that just won’t leave us alone. We have found a kindred spirit, a coalition not unlike our own willing to stand together for the good of humanity.” President Rhodes paused for effect. “Please welcome our new ally and friend, Supreme Commander Lucien.”

  As the people gathered and the press applauded, Lucien took the platform. Nina thought she would be sick.

  “People of Earth, and people of the Coalition, I am Supreme Commander Lucien. I come from a planet called Enclave Prime, and my people are known as the Enclave. We have been battling a vicious alliance of aliens: four great powers bent on the destruction of humans throughout the galaxy. They have recently added a fifth race, the Jarlevians.” He paused for effect as the crowd gasped. “These aliens call themselves the Human Suppression Syndicate, and they have already attacked several of our worlds. We have come seeking your aid.

  The entire bridge of the Vanguard was in shock. “The Enclave,” Nina yelled. “The Enclave! Natora and his goons were no secret society…”

  “They were a sleeper cell.” Ariel finished. “And their last man is our President. We’re in trouble, people.” She looked to Nina and her cousin nodded her permission. “Give me fleet wide.” she ordered. Captain Snyder indicated that the whole fleet could hear her.

  “This is Captain Ariel Marcos of the Vanguard. President Rhodes has just made a deal with the devil. Here is some vid footage of what our new allies are capable of.” She let the whole fleet watch about five minutes of the atrocities before she continued. “This Enclave will be coming for us. None of you signed up for this kind of heat. If you wish to leave, we will offer you the typical severance package and we will bear you no ill will. Make your decision quickly, though, because once the Enclave shuts us down, we will no longer be in a position to offer you any kind of package. Colonel Marcos should be returning in a couple of weeks, but even he may not be able to stop what’s coming. I am sorry it has come to this. For security reasons, we will not be allowing any transmissions from any of our ships or facilities until further notice.” When she finished, she slumped in her chair. She noticed Lucien’s speech was still rolling and thought he made a very charismatic leader. That was another thing that didn’t bode well for them. She was about to shut if off in frustration when the President stepped back up to the podium.

  “As a sign of good faith and friendship, we are exchanging vessels for study. The Enclave has some advanced technology and they won’t hold us hostage to their whims and schedules like our friends at Sea Side Enterprises.”

  There it was, Nina thought, the opening salvo in the coming war.

  Nina was horrified to see Enclave soldiers boarding a Leviathan and three War Hawks. They were bringing them back to Enclave Prime to study and reverse engineer. Serge got up and left the bridge in disgust, slamming his hand into the wall as he left. His outburst surprised everyone, including his wife. Serge’s not taking this well, she thought. I’ve never seen him hit anything in anger. A few minutes later, he commed Nina to let her know he was taking a detail and going home. She felt horrible for him; his and Jesse’s creations in the hands of monsters.

  Several hours later, Serge was alone in his lab. He had turned on a tracking system only two people in the galaxy knew about. He watched angrily as four SSE ships left Coalition space. His mood brightened when he saw nearly sixty ships descend on them. He watched as they fought off the aliens valiantly. Some Enclave reinforcements showed up and it looked as though his ships would survive, until he pressed a button that disabled their shields. He watched in grim satisfaction as his ships were destroyed. Serge quickly logged off the tracking program, knowing he would have to keep an eye out for any other ships going where they shouldn’t.

  Lucien threw his communicator against the wall in anger when he found out the aliens had attacked his new ships. How could they know I was after the SSE tech? This was a troubling development. There was, however, a silver lining: according to reports, the ships had availed themselves exceedingly well. I cannot wait until I have the other two hundred ships. The galaxy will tremble in fear at the sound of my name once I have Marcos’ technology. He left the room and prepared to go ask Rhodes for another group of ships to study.

  Chapter eleven

  ______

  Manny and Jason had just about finished their mission. It was a contingency that would forever leave a bad taste in their mouths. They had rigged everything, including Jesse’s house. If Nina gave the order, nothing would remain of Sea Side Enterprises anywhere, except Polisia.

  “I really hope we don’t have to enact this protocol, Jason. I can’t imagine what it will do to Jesse to see his legacy destroyed.”

  “I know. Jesse was the first person to ever see the potential in me. He not only saved my life, he saw past all of the criminal activity of my past and made me believe I could become the type of person Raina would be proud of. No one had ever invested in me before. I was always a disappointment to my parents; I was picked on in school until Jesse let it be known that anyone messing with me was messing with him. He got me set up with a great trainer so I could learn to protect myself and he did it all without ever asking for any sort of payback. I owe him everything, and here I am setting up the protocols that will destroy his house, his company, his designs, everything. How do I ever look at myself in the mirror again if we have to go through with it?”

  “I don’t know, buddy, I’m in the same boat. With everything that’s happened under my watch, I already don’t see how I can ever look him in the eye again.”

  “Well, at least you saved his hot cousin,” He laughed.

  “Don’t let Ariel hear you say that,” Manny warned.

  “I know, as beautiful as she is, she can be scary.”

  “That is true, Jason, now let’s finish our work and get back to Polisia.”

  Their last assignment was to write the program that would automatically slave all twelve ships on the production line to Man
ny’s shuttle. Jason had to upload the program to the main computer, which is where Maria and her men came in. Manny let them in the basement of the building and they began to cause a commotion, which drew security away. No one could figure out how they had gotten in, and it took a while before Maria would let the guards think they had driven her off. She had noticed that all of the SSE guards had been replaced by Coalition military, and she even noticed a few Enclave soldiers. Jason uploaded the program and made it out unnoticed. I wish I could be here to see the surprise on the guard’s face when the roof of the facility opened and twelve unmanned ships launched into the night sky. The president is going to throw a fit when he finds out about this. The thought of the president’s discomfort made him smile.

  When Maria and her men made their way to the evac point, Manny de-cloaked and they boarded.

  “I’m guessing the military doesn’t know you have this kind of technology, do they?” Maria asked as she marveled at the cloaking technology. She played it cool on the outside, but inside, she couldn’t believe SSE had technology that could turn a solid object invisible to the naked eye. Jesse has to be the smartest man in the Coalition, maybe the entire galaxy.