“This radio channel is looping continuous broadcast of inspirational speeches from history, songs of courage and religious hope from across the cultures of the world. Basically, a channel that tries to lift the spirit of the humans who may tune in it. To a casual observer, it would seem that the channel was reminiscent of lift-the-morale channels run by governments during most wars since the times of World War 2 in the twentieth century. The channel however, gives no specifics. It does not say who would come to the rescue of humanity. It gives no clue on the method of deliverance of Earth from the tyranny of the demons…” Lt. Chu gave a sarcastic laugh. “… Which is just as well, because Jehannum HQ has no clue either.”
The mood in the room turned perceptibly darker, as the point was driven once again across the room – there was no savior that Earth and humanity could fall back or count upon. All the USC ships and personnel scattered in Alpha Shaitan and towards Beta Shaitan put together constituted a force that was less than the fleet defending Solar system and the Earth, which had been brushed aside by the demon super ship like a fly. The scattered USC fleet could hope for no better results if they were to try and launch a counterattack on the demon super ship.
Lt. Chu continued in a darker mood. “Anyway… the ostensible reason for not providing any specifics is to prevent the demons from being warned that there are substantial number of human fighting ships scattered around. We would like to give the demons as little reason as possible to anticipate a counterattack. The reports from Earth indicate that the demons have automated monitoring of all broadcasts. The consensus on Earth is that the demons have cracked all language and computer codes that they could lay their claws upon. These are not simple minded Shaitans we are dealing with out here, these are sophisticated creatures that are extremely curious and take interest in everything that humans do. It seems they have taken the effort to analyze and understand human language and behavior.
“Thus, we are going with the assumption that the broadcasts from the Kourbania are being monitored by the demons and that they understand every word of what is being said in that transmission. The open channel analogue broadcast is a red herring, though. It does perform the task of boosting the morale of humans out there to whatever extent possible, but its main objectives are two. First, it is meant to mask a hidden encrypted digital channel, which rides on top of the open channel and masquerades as noise. To be honest, we do not think that it will fool the demons. The demons almost certainly have faster computers and better signal processing software than humans. If the demons were to put the broadcast through a digital signal processing software, which I am almost certain they would, it would be apparent that there is some underlying pattern within the noise of the signal, which could be nothing else other than an encrypted signal.
“This second channel is encrypted using the USC private key, accessible to the USC establishment and most governments on Earth. If there is any USC or government establishment listening to the signals and they still have operational communication equipment available to them, then they would be able to decode. Since the demons give importance to understanding their enemy codes and languages, it is entirely possible that the demons have taken the effort to find and crack the USC private key as well.
“So, it is entirely possible that the demons would also be able to decode the messages sent through this channel. Keeping this possibility in mind, the only thing that is being sent through this channel is a ‘standby’ message, urging the listeners to keep monitoring the channel for further information. There is no information provided about the identity of the sender of the channel. We believe that any USC or government personnel who may be listening in on this encrypted channel would know from the source of the radio signals, about the identity of its sender. Hopefully the demons would not be able to guess the same.
“The encrypted USC channel has no use to Jehannum HQ, they cannot have a real-time communication with Earth. It is primarily meant for us here at Patagonia to communicate with people in charge on Earth in real time. Unfortunately, this channel of communication is likely to be a one-way communication. We will be able to send messages to Earth, but it is very likely Earth would not be able to send messages to us. The Kourbania is listening on both tight beam laser as well as on all radio frequency.
“If anyone on Earth does manage to send a signal to Kourbania, it will be able to relay it back to us. However, we think it is unlikely. There are no surviving space assets to send a tight beam laser to Kourbania. It is possible to send radio signals directly from Earth surface to Kourbania, but it will entail huge risks and probably be a one-shot affair. Any radio transmission is actively hunted down by the demons.
“If you remember, I had mentioned that the unencrypted analogue radio broadcast to everyone is meant to serve two purposes, first was as a camouflage carrier wave for the encrypted message. The other is to give us a means to broadcast to the entire world in real time, if we need to do so. The channel is available to us to override the pre-recorded programming to send any message we need to send to the entire world. We should use it only if really need to use it though. This is because once we use the Kourbania to broadcast in the open, there would be no doubts left in the minds of the demons that there is someone hiding inside the Solar system, capable of sending a real-time broadcast.” Lt. Chu looked around and realized that people were listening with attention, so there must have been some in the room who didn’t know what he had just told earlier. The captain had been right in not making assumptions about what everyone knew.
Lt. Chu continued. “And finally, there is a third channel embedded in those radio signals. This channel is also a digitally encrypted one. The only difference is that it is encrypted with keys known only to Jehannum HQ and us here Patagonia. These keys had been sent to us a few months ago by tight beam from Jehannum HQ. The encryption keys have been specially generated, so it is unlikely that anyone on Earth knows about it. The question that some of you may be asking is this. If this channel is meant only to communicate with us, then why not send it by tight beam laser directly to the Patagonia from the Kourbania?
“The reason is to try to minimize the chances of our discovery. We have been successfully hiding here for the last few years behind this mining asteroid, and Jehannum HQ wants to keep it that way, as do we all. No one knows the sensor and scanner technologies of the demons. One thing that we can all bet on though, it that it is far more advanced than our own. Communicating through tight beam laser should be safe from detection in theory, but that assumes that the demon scanners have the same level of sensitivity as human technology. Our laser beams communicating with the Kourbania might go through wisps of dust or gas, which we may not be able to detect, but the demons might be able to. So, there is always that risk of detection using laser beams to communicate with the Kourbania. That is one of the reason that we are going to keep our communications with the Kourbania to the minimum. We are essentially going to send short burst communication to the Kourbania to be either relayed, or as a command to the Kourbania itself.
“Since our laser communication with the Kourbania is going to be sparse, this third encrypted channel provides us with a constant one-way source of information about the Kourbania – its telemetry, the ships vital signs, all that it is seeing etc. This channel is what we are going to use for monitoring the upcoming maneuvers of the Kourbania. Our hope is that this is one channel that the demons will not be able to eavesdrop into. In theory it is possible to crack the encryption on this channel using quantum computers, but our hope is that it will take time even for the demons to do so. Hopefully by that time the Kourbania would have completed its mission. In conclusion, you are going to hear a lot from the Kourbania, but we will have to weigh the risk of every communication that we initiate to it.” Lt. Wen Chu concluded.
“Thanks Lt. Chu.” The captain thanked Wen and turned towards his XO. “Lt. Terzi, I trust the preparations on the backup bridge are complete?”
“Aye captain.” Lt. Göker Terzi replied. �
��The firmware sent by Jehannum HQ has been downloaded and installed on the backup bridge. As of 1600 hours we are getting all the telemetry data of the Kourbania. The software on board the Kourbania is maintaining its course. There is nothing to change as of now, but we have complete control of the Kourbania. The backup bridge is now configured as the bridge of the Kourbania, we are seeing what the Kourbania is seeing in real time – subject to the time lag of the signals reaching us. As of now, the Kourbania is just about six light hours away from us and slightly less than seven light hours away from Earth. So, whatever we are seeing is six hours delayed, but otherwise we are in complete control.”
“Well done XO… and have you been able to complete the calculations for the exact time lag at the time of encounter?” Capt. Gorr asked.
Lt. Terzi replied in the affirmative. “Yes, we have captain. It is a formula fed into our mainframe, we can all access it. It all depends on where the demons choose to encounter the Kourbania. The speed of the Kourbania was adjusted some time back such that it would arrive at Earth, when we are closest to Earth. If the demons decided to wait and encounter the Kourbania close to Earth, then we will have a time lag of about fifteen minutes. If the demons decide to come out and meet the Kourbania, then the formula will tell us the exact time lag. It gets a bit shorter if the encounter takes place close to the asteroid belt obviously. In any case we are not going to be able to command the Kourbania in real time during the encounter. We will have to plan ahead and give the Kourbania multiple scenario instructions.”
“So, as I summarize from this briefing of my senior officers, that there is nothing out of the ordinary. Everything as of now is going according to plan.” Capt. Gorr said to the officers gathered in his ready room. Everyone nodded in response.
“I guess then this meeting is dismissed, and I will get on with addressing the crew. Thank you, gentlemen and ladies.” Capt. Gorr thanked his senior officers, who filed out of the room. Hannibal Gorr let the ensign on duty know that he was ready for his address. When the ensign gave him the go-ahead, Hannibal took a deep breath before beginning to speak.
“My fellow crew member of the Patagonia. I am addressing you all today because we have now entered the most critical phase of our mission. A mission which to most of you may seem unending. All of us have been inside this ship for over eleven years now. Although all of us have rotated through hibernation for a good amount of that time, still we have been away from our friends and family back at home for that many years. It is a sacrifice that is beyond what was expected of any of you in service. Very few have given so much in the service of humanity as the brave crew of USC Patagonia, and yet I know that every crew would gladly give more. More is what is required of us now, in humanity darkest and direst hour of need.
“I know there have been a few USC missions that have lasted longer than ours, although not by much. There is a big difference between those mission and this one though. All those missions knew that they had a home to go back to. There was an Earth where they could spend the rest of their days once they got back. We don’t have that luxury. If we want to ever see our beloved Earth again, then we will have to take it back! The Kourbania is the first step in that direction. To take back Earth, we must fight the Goliath demon ship, and to be able to fight that ship, our ships must be able to withstand and survive its super weapon. The Kourbania is here to prove new defenses against the super weapon. The outcome of this encounter will determine if we humans have a chance to fight back. It is this most critical mission that we the crew of the Patagonia have been entrusted with. Humanity is counting on us.
“I will not sugarcoat the danger. While it is Kourbania that is out in the open, it is our vessel that will be controlling it from behind, and it will be us who will transmit the data back to Jehannum HQ. Although the Patagonia will remain hidden throughout this mission, the demons are no fools and they certainly have far more advanced technology than we can ever dream of. It is possible that despite all our precautions, we may be discovered during the conduct of this mission. If that happens, I want every member of the crew to remember that our primary objective is to try and finish the mission and transmit the data back. Survival of the Patagonia is secondary. The future of humanity depends on that data. Whatever may be the outcome, I want you to know that never has a captain been prouder and more honored to serve with such an exemplary crew that has given so much. Hannibal out.”
When the Kourbania crossed the asteroid belt, the entire crew of the Patagonia was jumpy. While most of the transmission of data was being originated by the Kourbania along with their broadcast, which should not be traceable back, but the Patagonia had to occasionally transmit control information to the Kourbania. Although the transmission to the Kourbania were being sent through tight laser beams, there was no knowing about the detection technology of the demons. It had to be far more advanced than what the humans had. As the Kourbania crossed the asteroid belt it was at its closest to USC Patagonia. It was the safest time to send transmissions to the Kourbania. Large packets of data with updated contingency commands were fed at that point. The crew were naturally jumpy about their chances of being discovered.
If the Goliath demon ship had noticed any transmissions from the Patagonia, it didn’t show it. In fact, it hadn’t reacted at all despite the Kourbania making such a visible and loud entry into the solar system for so many days. The Goliath demon vessel continued to remain in high Earth orbit, seemingly oblivious to the Kourbania. Even when the Kourbania had crossed the orbit of Mars, headed straight towards Earth, the Goliath ship did not react at all. The Kourbania had to encounter the Goliath ship at low velocity to achieve the most optimal results for this mission. Accordingly, the trajectory and the deceleration of the Kourbania had been set with the contingency that the Goliath ship might head out to meet the Kourbania as far away as the orbit of Jupiter. The Goliath ship had however not moved at all. Consequently, the Kourbania was having to reduce its rate of deceleration all the time to be able to reach Earth and the Goliath ship in a reasonable amount of time. By the last day of its approach, the Kourbania had all but shut its engines, coasting towards the Goliath ship. The engines needed to fire only occasionally for minor course corrections.
The Kourbania was a drone ship. It had always been a drone ship, designed and used as such. It had started its life as a heavy lift hauler that pulled the ‘Mule Trains’, which was the essential supply line between Earth and the Jehannum sector. Having been built on the orbit of the Moon, it had been on its maiden voyage to Jehannum. It had carried essential supplies from Earth, and was expected to cart a mule train loaded with Uranium, Helium-3, Lanthanide ores and other rare materials required for the technology and war machines of an increasingly ascendant human civilization that seemed to be on cusp of winning the war with the Shaitans and establishing their supremacy in the space sector of Sol and Proxima Centauri. The engines of Kourbania were designed to run with a heavy load. In its current mission, it didn’t haul any load at all, which allowed to run fast and cover the distance from Jehannum in record time. That however, was one of the smaller alterations from its design parameters.
The USC Kourbania had started life as MV Hercules, a merchant drone vessel and a glorified space freight train engine. It had the latest civilian technology, almost at par with most USC vessels and better engines than some of the older USC vessels. It had gone through heavy modification on Jehannum orbital station for this mission. The mission was a test of both technology that had been hurriedly cobbled up as well as a test of military tactics.
Well before the Kourbania entered the calculated range of the demon super weapon, it deployed its payload. Four thermonuclear missiles. On the face of it the missiles were standard issue missiles that were part of the armory of most USC fighting vessels. The missiles carried a standard warhead, their engines were the same as all other such missiles. In addition, the missiles carried a few modifications. The outer skin of the missile was covered in sheaths of hard plastic, enc
asing a gel like material. The sheath was extensively wired to a small control unit that was hooked to the missiles onboard computer. The software of the computer had not been modified, but additional programs to control the unit wired to the gel filled sheath had been loaded. The transmitters of the missiles had also been boosted to send data at a higher than normal speed.
The Kourbania let the four missiles race towards the Goliath ship, while it slowly coasted towards the same objective. The missiles soon entered the range of the super weapon of the Goliath ship. Shortly after crossing into the range of the super weapon, all the four missiles were destroyed by the demon ship. The missiles died as expected but not before sending a massive burst of data back to the Kourbania. The missiles had died as expected by its human designers. If the demons had looked carefully, the missiles had died a few seconds later than they should have expected. There was no indication that the demons had noticed.
Very soon the Kourbania itself entered the range of the Goliath ship’s super weapon. The Kourbania stared recording data and simultaneously transmitting it at a furious pace. It felt the tingle on it heavily modified skin, it measured the performance of the countermeasures. To a quantum computer three seconds is an eternity. The Kourbania recorded data for three seconds of the onslaught of the superweapon. It had all the data it needed to collect. Then it waited another two seconds to be able to transmit all the data to the Patagonia. The software of the Kourbania noted that it could hold on to its shield for a much longer time if it wanted.
That however wasn’t its mission or its destiny. The Kourbania had been designed to sacrifice itself once it had the data. It had been named the Kourbania to reflect the ultimate sacrifice it was programmed to make. After all the data had been transmitted, the Kourbania switched off its shield and let the antimatter enter through its skin and ravage it a matter of seconds. As the carcass of the dead Kourbania floated past the Goliath ship, if there had been a sharp-eyed demon operator on board, it would have noticed that the Kourbania died a few seconds later than all other human ships that they had fired upon. There was no indication that such notice had been taken.
Game Reserve: Earth (Shaitan Wars Book 5) Page 16