Talosian Chronicles 5: Raptor Squadron

by Ben Winston

  "Now, to the heart of the matter. You have a very bold and dangerous idea. Alliance command is allowing you to proceed. That's actually what has taken so long to get this message sent to you; we needed to talk to the Croanians about using that system. Although there is a bunch of legal shit involved here, until further notice that system is yours. I mean that literally; Major Jana Cromwell has been granted Croanian citizenship and basically given that system as her property. Like I said, there is a bunch of legal shit involved, but the bottom line is, you can do what you need to do there. Considering its location, I wouldn't plan to set up a retirement home there.

  "So, if you guys need anything out there, let us know, and we'll see what we can do to help you out. After discussing it with the Council and General Anders, it has been decided to promote Major Cromwell to Colonel and place her in nominal charge of the facility there. Due to my personal relationship with Major Cromwell, I removed myself from that decision. Included in this packet is an updated list of potential targets for you, and what we know of their defenses. We will do what we can to keep you as up-to-date as possible on new tech and weapons.

  "Echelon Base will not officially exist. You'll be a combat version of Area 51 or Kapustin Yar, but with far less publicity. You'll also be an Alliance Base not a Terran one. Which means that some of the teams we send you might not be human, try to keep that in mind when building your living and recreational areas.

  "The Croanians will be listing the system as lost and officially forbid travel there. Travel was pretty much out of the question before, but now it'll be official so to speak. Basically, it will be quietly added to the weekly navigation updates issued by the Alliance to non-military ships. No official announcement will be made, but Echelon will be taken off the books. There is a possibility that you might find pirates hiding there. The Croanians would rather you killed them than return them as 'pirates are without honor and do not deserve to live'. Honestly, your location needs to remain a secret, so you might have to destroy anyone you find there.

  "Folks, to be completely honest with you, I'm not comfortable having people that far from home and relatively unsupported. I was against creating the base for that reason. However, Ty agreed with you, and Admiral T'rolith approved it, so you get your wish. I want all of you to hear me on this; if it gets too hairy out there, or it looks like you can't hold it. Rig it to explode and get the hell out of there. I do not enjoy adding names to that wall, and I have no desire to add any of yours; understand?

  "You've been given mostly free reign to terrorize the hell out of the Empire. However, from time to time we will be calling on you to support this or that mission or maybe provide assistance for a fleet or mission in your area. We will need to know what you're doing, of course, in case it clashes with something else. So, keep us in the loop and don't get killed - that's an order."

  While not a fully military target, the distribution center on the planet of Tekkera Nee was a massive supply distribution point for Imperial forces operating in this sector. The center itself couldn't even be called a military base, since it only had a platoon of soldiers as guards. Other than a small fleet of freighters, there were no fighters or guardian ships of any kind in the system.

  Jana and her team were actually rather lucky in that during shift changes, the warehouses were all but unoccupied except for the guards, and the freighters were all Imperial. However, instead of a fully aerial attack, she and her team took the time to place charges in the warehouses in locations that would ensure the destruction of the supplies they held. Once all the charges were placed, they used the Raptor and its weapons to destroy the freighters. Although it was during a shift change, the workers ran for shelters when the freighters were attacked. With the civilians out of the way, it made blowing up the warehouses much easier.

  Fourteen hours after their arrival, the Apache and her team were on their way back to the Echelon system. Compared to the other mission, Tekkera Nee had been a milk run.

  The Imperial base on the moon 'Gar' in the Groth system was not as large as Grimaria had been, but it had the same function on a much smaller scale. Sizani frowned when he saw that there was a small fleet of warships in port for servicing. This mission would be far more complex and time consuming than originally planned.

  Both capitol class ships were in refit gantries in the orbital yard along with two of the cruisers. Sensors reported all four ships were powered down and the carrier had its reactors removed. The battleship still had its reactors, but was powered down and a large section of hull removed for repairs. The two cruisers were getting weapons systems replaced and were also in a dormant condition. They were not, however, unprotected. Six light cruisers patrolled the system while two more heavy cruisers maintained parking orbits around the moon near where the shipyard was located. In addition to that, several wings of fighters patrolled the inner system continuously. The raptor team would have to be very careful in planning and executing their attack.

  Sizani laid out a bold plan that called for the placement of demolition charges on the hulls of the ships in the yard, as well as the dry dock facility itself. The two heavy cruisers would also get charges, as would the large base on the airless moon. The fighters and light cruisers would be ignored.

  Raptor Zulu would then set the timers on the charges and leave the system, using one of the large gas giants to mask their jump point. One hour later, the charges would detonate and destroy the facilities in the system.

  However, the plan did not remain intact. While planting the charges at the dry dock facility, one of the heavy cruisers and four of the light cruisers departed the system. Major Sizani just shrugged; they would get those ships another day, for now, his team still had a job to do. With the charges at the dry dock placed, the Zulu moved on to the Heavy Cruiser and the base on the moon.

  The charges themselves were mostly dormant, having only a small cloaking unit to hide them until detonation. The anti-matter inside them was heavily shielded and, until they were ready to detonate, were virtually untraceable.

  Unless someone physically tripped over one.

  Just as the final charges were being placed at the moon base, Nolwaz, the Zulu AI, informed her commander that one of the charges at the dry dock facility had been discovered.

  "Just perfect! What else can go wrong with this mission!" One of the Zulu team members said over the comm.

  "There is always a chance that the devices could be found before detonation. Nolwaz, what is the status of the device; do they know what it is?" Sizani asked.

  "Negative Major, at present, a worker tripped over the device presently near the engineering section of the battleship. I do not believe he has reported it yet," the AI replied.

  "Understood, continue to monitor the situation. Do not activate the device, but stand ready to detonate as quickly as possible. Zulu team, we need to leave. Now," Sizani ordered.

  The team quickly returned to the Raptor and they left the moon for their predetermined exit point. "Nolwaz, what is the status of the devices?" the Major asked as he flew away from the moon.

  "The worker has lost track of its exact location and is currently trying to relocate it. No alarm has been raised, nor is there panic in his actions," the AI replied.

  "There sure as hell will be in a few more minutes!" one of the team members replied softly. Sizani ignored him.

  "What are the odds he will relocate the device?"

  The AI was silent a moment. "If he continues to search, he will eventually find it again. However, he has already been reprimanded once for dereliction."

  "If he locates it again before he is called back to work, I will need to detonate all the devices at that facility immediately," Sizani ordered. "If not, we stay with the original time line for detonation."

  The planned exit point for the team had been near the closest of the gas giants. Ironically, or perhaps luckily, one of the light cruisers that left the system was the only one that would have been able to see their jump. Since it had
departed, they're escape should go unobserved.

  Sizani felt they had gotten lucky, if such a thing as luck could be said to exist. The worker that tripped over the device was called back to work by his superior before he could relocate the demolition charge. The Zulu jumped to hyperspace without incident and the charges were detonated on schedule; as soon as the raptor jumped to hyperspace.

  Groth-Gar base was completely destroyed in the attack. The event left the Imperial fleets in that sector mostly unsupported and susceptible to large scale attack by the Alliance.

  Palace of Imperial Enlightenment

  Onalau City

  Planet Proferus Three

  Orgatan System, Gar Sector

  "Shalo, we have heard some disturbing reports of the battles there. Report," the hologram of the Emperor said from the throne.

  Shalo bowed as was proper. "Imperial Majesty, we have indeed had some serious setbacks. It would seem that the Alliance has learned some new tricks." Shalo replied and outlined the losses sustained in the last weeks. "For the time being, I have halted all offensive activity until we can replace some of the key facilities. Specifically, the Grimaria Base and the base at Groth-Gar. We will also need to replace the ships that were lost in the fighting; I have sent the full report in just this morning. You should have it shortly."

  "You would call a major defeat such as this a setback?" the Emperor asked.

  "Yes, Majesty. That is all this is. We lost one very minor planet that we can retake. The rest can be rebuilt. I will admit we lost a great deal of materiel as well as personnel, but we did not lose the space. The Alliance did not invade. We believe that the initial attack on Grimaria was a distraction, whose sole purpose was to keep us from responding to the Hyperion invasion. The gates there were destroyed before they could be scanned by the enemy, aside from the damage done, nothing more was lost.

  "However, we have learned that the Alliance now has a small, well equipped assault teams capable of operations deep in our space. They have superior stealth abilities that make them all but invisible to us, and the soldiers used are well trained in multiple disciplines of warfare. While we can track them in hyperspace, we can only do so if we can obtain a solid fix on them prior to their transition and we remain within four light years. I should mention that two of these teams were destroyed shortly after the main attack at Grimaria. We believe the attacks at Tekkera Nee and Groth-Gar were carried out by the survivors of the Grimaria farce," Shalo replied.

  "After all this time, how do you see the Alliance gaining this new ability?" the Emperor asked.

  "Imperial Majesty, the only thing that has changed here is the addition of the new humans. They were the primary force that captured Hyperion and defeated the Sword of Light there…"

  "You are mistaken Shalo, the Sword was not defeated. They accomplished their mission," the Emperor replied.

  "Of course, I am mistaken then. Still I believe it is these new humans that have brought new tactics and new technology to the Alliance. I have issued orders to double the effort to locate their planets before this technology can spread. These new humans are a grave threat to us and our plans here," Shalo replied.

  "Yes they are. Shalo, as you know, I've spoken with the Gods on this matter. These new humans will rise to power in the Alliance and eventually destroy the Empire. If you cannot stop them now, in that galaxy, they will certainly burn our worlds to the ground around us. Shalo, the fate of the Empire rests on your shoulders. Find them and destroy them utterly. Destroy them before they destroy us." The Emperor sounded strangely different now. "I've seen it happen, Shalo. They showed me what will come to pass. Invisible warships, hidden demon soldiers killing… everyone. The Palace in flames." He said softly, in almost a whisper.

  Shalo saw a priest enter the image. "Majesty, you are not well, come, let us attend you."

  The Emperor nodded, but pushed the priest aside so he could see Shalo. "Shalo, you are our Marshall there. You will be our protector. You will find these humans, find them, kill them on their planets and in their stations and ships. Then use whatever you need to erase their existence from the universe! There can be no chance at all of their survival! This is the highest priority! Above all else, the Empire must survive!"

  Shalo saw one of the priests inject the Emperor with something, and he slowly collapsed into himself. As if using the rest of his strength, he looked up at Shalo. "Not even dust can remain, Shalo. If it does, we will die."

  The Priests lifted the unconscious Emperor from his throne and carried him out of the pickup area. A very wizened, senior Priest, one of the Elders, remained and was studying Shalo.

  "Lord Shalo, I am told you have honest concern for his Majesty. That is rare in this day. I do not need to tell you; he is still recovering from his ordeal with the gods."

  Shalo nodded. "I can see that, Revered Elder, will he be alright?"

  The Elder was still studying him. "It is still early, but all indications tell us he will eventually return fully to us. However, the ordeal has left him… changed."

  "I will continue to offer prayers for his recovery Elder. Is there more I can do to aide him?" Shalo asked.

  "Continue as you have. He picked you for the position you now hold for a very good reason; reasons we are only now beginning to understand ourselves. The message our Lord Emperor has brought to us is becoming more clear now. To that end, we are sending Inquisitor Daneel and the remainder of the Circadian Guard to you. Once you find one of the human worlds, they will sterilize it for you prior to its destruction.

  "I feel I do not need to caution you in this. However, I will remind you that humans are very important to us. The fact that these… demons are also human is not lost on us. Be very certain of the targets you give to the Guards; we cannot afford to lose a productive world to a mistake," the Elder explained.

  "I understand, Elder. When a target is selected, there will be no mistake," Shalo replied.

  The Elder nodded. "Very well. The Guard will depart in six days. I am led to understand you will also be receiving a great many supplies. The gates will be in open operation for extended periods of time, be sure these new humans do not detect them. These gates cannot be destroyed; do you understand, Lord Shalo?"

  "I do, Honored Elder."

  The Elder nodded more to himself than to Shalo. "May the Gods guide your path, temper your heart, and keep you from harm, Lord Shalo. Until we speak again." The image near the throne faded and was gone.

  "Glamia, give me a map of this world," Shalo ordered.

  She immediately complied and a holographic globe of the planet took form in the air before Shalo's desk. He studied it for a few moments before he stopped its slow rotation. "Here, this place," He selected a large, fairly isolated island in the southern hemisphere. "Have this entire island evacuated immediately. Be sure no one remains and place a thousand click quarantine around it. No one is to go anywhere near this island nor will they pass over it lower than a thousand K. When the Guards arrive, send them there."

  "Yes Master," she replied and began entering the orders into the terminal.

  Shalo manually had the image he was studying zoom out so he could see an exaggerated view of the entire system, including the two massive gates in deep space just outside of the system boundary. "Order four additional battle fleets to return here immediately. I will give you their final disposition before they arrive. Order the rest of the fleets to maintain a defensive posture and to continue repairs where needed." He paused. "Order all fleets and battle groups to dispatch two light cruisers apiece to form up at Grimaria. That group will then join the search for the human world."

  "It will be done Master. You received a report from the spies at Delle Morsi this morning. It now available for you to review at your convenience," Glamia replied.

  "Oh? Are they trying to redeem themselves?" Shalo asked.

  "I do not know my Master, but they have managed to gain some information regarding the new humans. As you know, we have not yet been ab
le to stage the raid to place the new spies, however, they are ready and have been sent to Grimaria pending approval of the operation to insert them," Glamia explained.

  Shalo returned to his desk and opened the report from the spies. He lifted one bushy eyebrow when an image was also opened. He read the information and then pondered the image of the young human in it.

  "So, Admiral Ian Williams, it is good to meet you." Shalo said to himself and smiled.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  United Nations Building

  New York City, Earth

  Sol System, Sol Sector

  Ian wanted to take a short vacation on Earth at one of the American ski resorts. Arrangements had taken a great deal of time because the United States still refused to see the Terrans as their own country. The Council did have an Ambassador at the United Nations, but the United States had refused to accept one.

  The Ambassador had been working on arranging visitation rights for the citizens of Terra and there had been a few countries that had agreed; mostly European and South American countries. However, none of the 'major' countries had yet to agree. The United States refused to allow armed guards for visiting dignitaries in any form; stating they were perfectly capable of providing protection for the dignitaries themselves. Due to pressure from the UN they did finally agree to allow guards provided they did not carry lethal weaponry.

  There were other issues as well. The United States would have to recognize 'Terra' as a separate and sovereign nation; something they had been resisting since they still believed that they could capture some of the advanced technology held by the Terrans. By recognizing them as a sovereign nation, it would complicate their attempts. The United States would also have to allow Terran craft general access to American airspace. Exceptions had been made to allow for UN visits as well as civilian and commercial access to Spaceport America, but this was a different matter to them. Finally, there was the issue of diplomatic courtesy and immunity.