The Landfall Campaign (The Nameless War)

by Edmond Barrett

  The men and women of Battle Fleet will return in the concluding part of the Nameless War:

  The Last Charge

  Glossary

  Aèllr: Carbon based oxygen breathing mammalian life form. First intelligent alien life form encountered by humanity.

  Aèllr Confederacy: Located approximately coreward of human space, a political union of the eight major and six minor planets occupied by the Aèllr race. Population: 32 billion (approx.), Government type - democracy.

  Battleship: Large gun armed ship, carrying heavier armour and guns than any other category of vessel. In human service this vessels frequently serve as fleet flagships.

  Centaurs: Pre-interstellar spaceflight species now considered extinct. Believed to have been destroyed by the Nameless.

  Chaff: Standard passive counter measure, aluminium strips which give false returns or swamps radar systems. Chaff bursts are usually deployed by rocket.

  Coms (Communication) Laser: Low powered lasers used for communications at short range (up to 70,000 kilometres). Standard feature of all human starships, coms lasers transmission can not be jammed.

  Contact War, The: Humanities first interstellar conflict, fought against the Aèllr Confederacy. Largely fought with Earth’s solar system the conflict ended inconclusively with the Treaty of Mars. Battle Fleet was founded during the early stages of the conflict.

  Cruiser: A category of vessel that can be loosely defined as the largest ships to be built in significant numbers. This classification is given to the workhorse of every fleet.

  Dryad System: Human controlled solar system close to Mhar Union and several of the Tample Star Nations. Dryad Two is borderline habitable and has large Zillithium deposits.

  EMD, Emergency Message Drone: Missile sized drone equipped with a one use jump drive and a small transmitter. EMD’s are for the vast majority of ships the only means of communicating across interstellar distances.

  Fire Control: A ship’s weapon control systems.

  Governing Council: Political leadership of Battlefleet. The council is composed of rotating eight members, two from each continental block.

  IFF, Identify Friend or Foe: Identification system designed for command and control. It enables military and civilian- interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the interrogator.

  Landfall System / Planet: Human controlled system. Initially called Fortune, the system is now largely known by the name of its principal planet. A Earth-like body, Landfall is being colonized by several nations. The Battle Fleet base Baden orbits at the edge of the system.

  Lazarus Systems: Collection of systems which automatically reroute power and command signals around damaged connections, allowing human warships to remain functional with even severe damage.

  Light Speed: 299,792,458 metres per second.

  Local Control: Targeting systems built directly onto each gun mount. These systems are a back up measure should a ship’s main Fire Control be knocked out. They lack both the sensitivity and accuracy of main fire control.

  Mass Shadow: The 3 dimensional area surrounding a planet or large spatial body that prevents a vessel from making transit into or out of Jump Space. The size or ‘depth’ of a mass shadow is proportional to the mass of the spatial body generating the shadow.

  Mhar: Carbon based oxygen breathing mammalian life form. Third sentient race to be encountered by humanity. Technologically inferior to humans in most respects. Relations between Humanity and the Mhar are friendly. Government type: centrally planned democracy.

  Plasma Cannon: Standard anti ship weapon used by Battlefleet and the Aèllr Defence Fleet. Light plasma cannons as carried by destroyers are effective out to 60,000 kilometres, cruiser scale weapons to 100,000 kilometres. Heavy plasma cannons as carried by battleships ships are effective out to 130,000 kilometres. Plasma Cannons will not function in atmosphere.

  PO, Petty Officer: Non-Commission Officer.

  Point Defence Guns: Active defensive system designed to protect a ship from fighters, missiles and small astronomical hazards. Standard feature in both military and civilian vessels, although military vessels will carry significantly more point defence guns.

  Railguns: Projectile thrower which uses two charged super conductor rails to accelerate metal projectiles. Used principally as secondary armament on Battle Fleet battleships and cruisers.

  Rating: Lowest rank of fleet personnel, equivalent to an army private.

  Real Space: Conventional Newtonian space.

  Red line, The: Standard terminology for the outer edge of a planet’s Mass Shadow, thus the closest to a planet that a ship can make transition in or out of jump space.

  Scram: To shut down a nuclear reactor rapidly in an emergency.

  Silent Running: A state in which a vessel powers down and reduces all emissions to avoid detection.

  Skipper: Unofficial term for officer in command of a vessel. As such can apply to officers of virtually any rank.

  Tample: Carbon based oxygen breathing life form with both Lizard and Insect characteristics. Broken down into seven separate and competing. Star Nations the Tample were the second sentient race to be encountered by humanity.

  Locations and Personnel

  Deimos: Luna Class Flak cruiser

  Captain Ronan Crowe

  Commander James Hockley

  Lieutenant Colwell

  Flying Officer Alanna Shermer (pilot D for Dubious)

  Hood: Admiral Class Cruiser.

  Commander Faith Willis

  Commander Alex Horan

  Chief Engineer David Guinness

  Warspite: Warspite Class Battleship.

  Vice Admiral Paul Lewis

  Staff Captain Tim Sheehan

  Captain Holfe

  Douglas Base: Battle Fleet Installation Landfall

  Rear Admiral Alfred Eulenburg

  Brigadier Sebastian Chevalier

  Staff Captain Gillum

  Marine Robert (Rob) Jowlett

  Alice Peats (civilian language expert)

  Damien Demolder

  Mantis: Predator Class Destroyer

  Commander Berg

  K7: K Class Courier

  Jeff Harlow (Journalist)

  Lieutenant Douglas Driscoll (Commanding Officer)

  Situation vacant:

  Operative Required, post includes:

  Full training

  International travel

  Slight to moderate chance of death

  No allergies to animals preferred.

  Jennifer Graham has a dead-end job, a grotty apartment and a boyfriend who was last seen skipping town with every cent she owned. An ordinary life, until the night a tall dark stranger breaks into her home, and offers her a job. A secret organisation wants Jennifer, why they will not say, but introduced to a world of myths and monsters, for Jennifer the race is on. Can she learn enough about this new world - and herself - to survive it.

  The Job Offer

  by Edmond Barrett

  excerpt

  Jennifer was already awake when her alarm clock went off. She’d gone to bed early because she didn’t have a reason to stay up. After washing she went to her apartment’s tiny kitchen and took out the box cereal. She started to pour some out then stopped and checked how much was left in the box. There was about a single portions worth left, Jennifer looked at it was for a moment, then went and check her purse. There was twenty five dollars left, Jennifer sighed and poured the cereal back into the box.

  Leaving her apartment Jennifer met her new friend - a big dog that seemed to have moved into area; she been a bit nervous about it when it first came up to her, it’s tail wagging but since then had got used to it following her to work. As she offered her hand it sniffed hopefully, then looked up, it’s tail wagging.

  “Sorry mutt, I didn’t get any breakfast either.”

  It gave a snort, almost as if it understood, then took a few steps and looked back at her. �
�Yes, you’re right, time to go.”

  Darren, the duty manager was just opening the shutters of the little AP Supermarket when Jennifer arrived. No one else had arrived yet, but that was pretty normal.

  “Hey Jen,” he greeted her, “That damn animal again? We should call animal control to get rid of that thing.”

  “It’s not doing any harm,” Jennifer said as she looked back at it, the dog wagged its tail.

  Once they we inside Darren immediately headed for the office in the back while Jennifer started to open the till while keeping an eye on the door to let the others in.

  “Jen,” called Darren, “Ethan’s called in, he’s not going to be in.”

  “Of course he isn’t,” she muttered before shouting down the store, “What is it this time, drunk, stoned or couldn’t be bothered to get up?” But Darren had already disappeared back into the office leaving Jennifer to mutter angrily to herself. Jennifer had been working in the store for nearly a year and half, long enough to become one of the store’s best workers. Not that too hard. The morning shift was mostly composed of the employees that were useless but didn’t quite manage to get themselves fired. Even Darren fell into that category, but at least he could be bullied into signing off on her overtime. The rest of the morning shift trailed in, varying degrees of late. By the time the doors opened, Jennifer had got the deli counters set up then Darren made another appearance.

  “Jen, the boss left a note, some stuff got delivered late last night. Looks like it got as far as being logged and caged, can you start putting it out?”

  If she’d said no Darren probably would have sloped off and asked someone else. Part of the reason the morning shift was so useless was that people quickly realised Darren had all the people management skills of celery. But Jennifer actually quiet liked shelf stacking, it was a chance to allow her mind to wander. So for the first hour she slowly worked along the rows, empting one cage after another.

  The boxes of instant Raman belonged on the top shelf of number two row. At full stretch, the space she needed to get the last box into was just out of reach. She looked around but there wasn’t a step anywhere is sight. Frowning she tried again to reach, slipped and suddenly boxes of Raman were cascading down around her. Sighing Jennifer started to pick them up.

  “Need a hand?” A customer, a man stooped over and started to pick the boxes up, Jennifer started to mutter thanks then did a double take. He was tall, when he straightened back up he was able reach the top shelf with ease, he was certainly better looking than most men in the neighbourhood, clean but unshaven and wearing a battered looking long coat.

  “Thank you,” she said, noticing his bright blue eyes.

  “You’re welcome.” he gave her a toothpaste ad bright smile. “I don’t suppose you know where you have the teabags?”

  “Sorry, I don’t think we sell them.”

  “Ah truly I am in an uncivilised land,” he said lightly before strolling away, a basket grasped casually in his hand. Jennifer watched him go with curiosity.

  The rest of the morning went quietly enough with only the usual aggravations and a visit from a friend.

  “Jen, come on. It’s just lunch,” asked Dillon. A fellow employee in the store, he wasn’t supposed to be in until the afternoon, but he’d bounced in to persuade her.

  “Dillon, I can’t afford lunch today,” she replied shaking her head. “Anyway, I had a big breakfast.” Her stomach chose that exact moment to prove her a liar.

  “Come on Jen, my treat?” he persisted and Jennifer hesitated. Dillon was one of the few people in the store that knew of her money problems, and its cause. But then Dillon was a good friend, except he wanted to be more.

  “Come on.”

  “Alright,” Jennifer relented, “make it the place across the road. I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

  The coffee shop across the road was a small place, privately owned rather than part of any big franchise. It had opened about the same time Jennifer started at the AP Supermarket, and since then it had just about managed to stay financially afloat. Jennifer knew a couple of its staff and until recent months, had treated herself to lunch there once a week.

  Walking into the coffee shop Jennifer looked around for Dillon, he was sitting near the window and waved her over.

  “I’ll get it. What you want?” he asked as he got up.

  “Whatever you’re having will do,” she replied. “Thanks Dillon.” As she took off her coat a movement in corner of the shop caught her eye. It was the helpful customer leaned over the table, reading a newspaper. She thought about it for a moment then got up and walked over to him.

  “Hello,” she said.

  He looked up puzzled for a moment then recognised her. “Hello Jennifer,” he replied.

  “How do you know my name?” she asked slightly flustered

  “Nametag,” he said pointing.

  “Oh.” Jennifer suddenly felt more than a little foolish. “I just wanted to thank you for your help,” she added quickly.

  “Ah not problem,” he said, “of course if that had been a bottom shelf you would have been on your own, harder for me to get down that low.”

  “You’re English?” she asked, finally recognising the accent.

  “Well British Subject if you want to be technical; I’m Douglas.” he waved her towards an empty chair.

  “What is it you’re doing here?”

  “Holiday actually.”

  “In Chicago? This bit of Chicago?” Jennifer asked puzzled as she sat down.

  Douglas grinned. “What can I say, I decided to go off the usual tourist trail. Everyone assumes that when you do that, you need to go to some jungle somewhere where you can get shot at for tuppence. I decided to defy all convention and come here instead.”

  “You can probably get shot here as well.”

  “Ah a bonus. Now if I could only get a decent cup of tea in this country it would tick all the boxes. Ever been to my crowded little island?”

  “No, I’ve… I’ve never been out of the States.”

  “You should. This country has some very worthwhile sights but so does the rest of the world.”

  “I’d love to but…” Jennifer trailed off into a shrug.

  “Where there’s a will,” Douglas replied, then glanced past her, “I think your lunch has arrived Jennifer. Nice talking to you.”

  “Who was that?” Dillon asked as she slid back into her seat.

  “Just a customer I was talking to before.” she replied taking a glance back at the Englishman, who had returned to reading his paper. She’d never seen him in her life, yet there was something vaguely familiar about him, and him knowing her name, looking back she would swear he hadn’t looked at her badge. But maybe that was just a bit of paranoia kicking in. Mentally setting it aside she refocused her attention on Dillon and lunch.

  The rest of the day passed quietly enough, Jennifer spent most of it on the tills, dealing with the handful of customers that came in. The place had definitely been getting quieter for the last year. Time, she thought to herself as she started for home, to look for a new job, before head office decided to close down an under performing store. Her canine friend didn’t appear for the first time in a week and somehow, that left her feeling a little lonely.

  She’d just got home and pushed the key into the outer lock of the apartment block when a familiar voice said from behind her, “Hello Jennifer.”

  She spun, looking for the speaker, for a moment she could see no one then there was the kind of polite cough someone uses when trying to get your attention. There he was, standing in a shadow, twenty feet away, leaned against the wall.

  “Who is that?” she demanded, while she reached backwards and slowly turned the key in the lock. The figure pushed himself away from the wall and took a step into the light of the nearest lamppost and stopped. It was Douglas.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Looking to talk to you, Jen,” he replied calmly.

&
nbsp; “You followed me!”

  “Tonight? Na, I’ve known where you live for weeks, or at least my employers have. I’m here to offer you a job.”

  “Get away from me! If I see you again I’m calling the Cops!” she shouted at him as she yanked the door open and darted through. Douglas didn’t move a muscle apart from his expression quirking into a slight smile.

  Outside Douglas rolled his eyes. “Well what surprise, the direct approach didn’t work.” He said to himself as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets. The target was what he expected: a bloody waste of time. Still no point leaving the job half done, with that thought he turned and disappeared into an alley.

  In the common area Jennifer didn’t wait for the lift, instead she darted up the two flights stairs, it was only once she was at the door of her own apartment did she pause to draw breath. Damn it, Damn it, Damn it! The first seemingly nice guy in ages and he turns out to be some kind of creepy stalker, why the hell was it she seemed to attract them? From down the corridor there came a crash of crockery, then raised voices, the couple in Number Six were at it again and this time it sounded like a bad one. Come the morning at least one of them would be sporting bruises. Again. At some point in the day someone had pulled one of the peeling pieces of wallpaper off completely. The door of Number Five opened briefly, just long enough for a bin bag to be dumped outside before the door closed again.