by T S Paul
~~~~~
The other Wilson wasn’t laughing. He studied the Alpha leader of the Earth fleet carefully. All of the clones were interesting, but only the Zetas and the Alpha had character. The others were expendable. Using his sensors he had seen several Delta clones throw themselves in front of an explosion to save a lone Zeta clone. For all the disdain they give that particular breed they protect them. As much as he wished to pull a few practical jokes on them he held back. Earth was ruled by a being such as he. He could not risk being caught. He had already broken the rules once. His sensors detected a hidden bunker the Deltas missed. The Gamma clones were very good at reading the sensors too. His attempt to hide them almost exposed his presence. Wilson had been very clear. “Do not get caught.” From now he would just watch and send reports. Maybe he should change his name to Uatu.
Chapter 7
Take a group of politicians, stick them in a room and show them something Top Secret. Someone will leak it. It happens that way every time. Twenty-four hours was all it took before newsies were pounding on Minerva’s door. Not literally of course. That was one thing large Militia members were good for, crowd control. The images they had were second-hand ones from the Secretary of the Interior, the former Secretary. He was out on the street and being investigated by military intelligence for espionage as soon as he sold them. But the damage was already done. Cries of genocide echoed across the planet and soon the galaxy at large. Outrage was building and the Hong Kong Assembly was torn at what was to be done. Who exactly was the enemy here?
“Damn it Major Lee we have to do something!”
“Do what Governor? Technically, we are already at war with them! We declared war on them for the unprovoked attack by Commodore Vakulinchuk and the destruction of the James Cook by the combined Imperial and Earth Fleets. They tried to kill both my sister and I. Dad died in an assassination attempt on you. The Cabal is reaping what they sowed.” The Governor winced at my classic farmer pun. “Cry me a river, Roy! I don’t care about the Cabal. Yes, there are innocents on that planet. Many of them came from here. I know you haven’t forgotten the several thousand we shipped to them just last year? Can I help them? No. I can’t. Our fleet is two light carriers, an untested new battle cruiser, and a few destroyers. All of them are older first or second Interstellar war models. We have modern fighters but the Earth fleet numbers in the hundreds! Even with Mars and New Texas’s help we are severely outnumbered. Tell me what you want me to do?”
The Governor hung his head. “Minerva. I care for you like a daughter. You have to see that the pressure for me to do something is building.”
“Roy, I know. But we would be throwing the lives of our people away for nothing. What happens to our planet after our fleet is destroyed? We would be next for that horror. I would not be able to live with myself if that happens. We are working to find a solution, OK? My sister is conferring with Mars and New Texas over the same thing. Some of our neighbors might be able to assist too, but we are on our own here.”
“I’m sorry Min. I really am.”
“Roy, we warned you that something like this was coming a year ago. We shared the intel with you that our clone prisoners told us. We will do what we can.”
Minerva watched her father’s oldest friend leave. She really wished they could just go charging in and do something. Unfortunately that would just get them all killed. She sat back down at her desk and laid her head down for a moment. It was just too hard running the entire military by herself. Sitting up she rubbed her eyes and stared out the rare window in her office. The artificial spin of Freedom station brought the Fooey Shipyard into view. Gods what a stupid name that was! That is what happens when naming is left up to schoolchildren. Her sister told her that Wilson laughed when he heard the name. Something about a song. When she asked about it he told her he hoped that Chief Engineer Tad was a super guy if he was going to work there. She asked Merlin the same thing, and he laughed at her. Speaking of Merlin.
“Merlin, has your boss heard from his contact on the Capitol Station?”
The large CATT sat up from the chair he was lying on and stared at her. Sometimes he looked and acted just like a normal cat. “Is there something you wish to know?”
“What are the Earthies doing? Are they making any attempt to leave the system?”
“Not yet. They have landed all of their troops and scientists. There are some resistance forces still fighting them but the Earth ships are using kinetic strikes to stop them. The domination of the planet is almost complete. Some of the industrial facilities were damaged in the fighting. At the moment we are unsure how much that will upset the plans of the Clone leader. As you know Earth is technologically inferior to us at the moment. With the resources the Cabal had they might be unstoppable. Wilson and your sister are working on the problem with Amalie.”
“I hate to ask this, but have him send more vid footage from the invasion and of the camps. I need to make those idiots down there understand this upcoming war.”
The CATT bowed his head at her and went back to pretending to clean himself. Minerva closed her eyes and said a prayer for the needless deaths. “Merlin, is there a priest on the station?”
He opened his eyes just a slit. “Yes, Father Kluski is performing a wedding in the chapel tomorrow. He is staying in the chapel quarters section.”
“Thank you.” She stood up from her chair and stepped out of her office. Merlin was right on her heels. He was one of her bodyguards after all. The other guards fell in line as she passed through the office.
The Chapel on Freedom Station was a new addition. It was built where the former Mile High Club had been located. The panoramic views of the system were still there but interspersed with stained glass representations of the Gods. It was very beautiful. No one religion used it exclusively. The Neodruids preferred to use their groves but occasionally held services here. Father Kluski was a regular visitor. The Pastafarians on board the Station enjoyed his services.
Faint music was playing in the background as Minerva entered the chapel. Wedding decorations covered the pews. Someone was going all out. “Father Kluski?”
The portly man emerged from behind the altar with a smile on his face. Minerva explained her issue and quietly asked for forgiveness and asked for a blessing. She was not a strong believer, but just being heard was enough. As she stood to leave Father Kluski tossed a handful of noodles at her and cried “Ramen!”
The CATT looked at her funny as they walked back to the office. “Did that make you feel better?”
“Surprisingly it did. His only advice however was to travel to the Factory shrine and ask for absolution.”
The CATT giggled. Minerva stopped suddenly and stared at the Robot. One of her human bodyguards almost crashed into her. “You have to explain this time. Why do you find that funny?”
If a CATT could make a shrugging motion, that was what he made. “In your office please.”
“Fine.”
Back in her office she confronted the CATT again. He chuckled and told her a story about a practical joke gone wrong.
Her office staff just stared at the door as howls of laughter could be heard from the office of the commander.
~~~~~
The other Wilson wasn’t laughing. He studied the Alpha leader of the Earth fleet carefully. All of the clones were interesting, but only the Zetas and the Alpha had character. The others were expendable. Using his sensors he had seen several Delta clones throw themselves in front of an explosion to save a lone Zeta clone. For all the disdain they give that particular breed they protect them. As much as he wished to pull a few practical jokes on them he held back. Earth was ruled by a being such as he. He could not risk being caught. He had already broken the rules once. His sensors detected a hidden bunker the Deltas missed. The Gamma clones were very good at reading the sensors too. His attempt to hide them almost exposed his presence. Wilson had been very clear. “Do not get caught.” From now he would just watch and send reports. Maybe
he should change his name to Uatu.
Chapter 8
Amalie Dorr was a very smart woman. She had to be to have ruled Mars as long as she has. The message from Athena was subtly vague enough to worry her. Pressing a button on her console she summoned her assistant. There was a sharp knock then the door opened. Barely looking Amalie began to speak. “Molly, dear. Would you call up all the figures on Fleet logistics and any new intel that our clone guests have provided?”
She looked up in shock for a moment when a masculine voice answered yes. “Oh, I’m so sorry Chevalier. I thought you were Molly today. Please don’t take it the wrong way.”
“I should have informed you Primus. It is completely my mistake. Molly will return later this week. She needed a break from the office. The files you asked for have been transferred. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, thank you Chevalier. You may go.” The man strode out of the office and closed the door. Amalie looked to her left at the large Egyptian Mau on the couch. “You could have warned me, you know.”
The CATT sat up and pretended to yawn stretching its body. It looked at her with a head cocked to the side, such as a real cat would do. “What fun is that? This place can be boring sometimes. I look for humor in all things.”
CATTs. “Remind me to whack your creator across the head will you? He’s too funny for his own good sometimes.”
Looking down at her console Amalie studied the figures. There was something she was missing. She didn’t get a chance to see the new interrogation files.
A knock at the door interrupted her. From the corner of her eye she could see Bellona tensing up then relaxing. The door opened and Athena and Dar walked in. They were accompanied by her two bodyguards and two more CATTs. A regular circus act.
~~~~~~
The guards took up station by the door and the CATTs conferred with Bellona or at least that’s what it looked like to me. My grandmother was sitting at her desk. She looked up and smiled as we entered.
“Hello, dear. This is some circus you have there.”
I shook my head. “Wilson says the same thing all the time. Speaking of Wilson, he is the reason I’m here. Well, him and Dar.” I pointed with my thumb over my shoulder to Dar.
“Girls, have a seat and tell me what's wrong. Your message sounded ominous.”
“Wilson obtained some information from his protegee in Empire space. It seems that they are expecting a second fleet from Earth sometime in the near future.”
“Just what we need more ships to worry about!”
I held out my hands. “Hold on a minute, let me finish. The fleet is just protection for special visitors. A group of Theta clones are traveling to Capital to set up a creche system on the planet. According to Wilson, the escort is comprised of the last of Earth’s protection fleet. While they are gone Earth will be mostly unprotected until the fleet returns.”
Amalie sat back in her chair, her eyes wide. “Is he sure about the information?”
“He’s pretty sure. If they suspected he was there, they would have purged the system looking for him by now. He is reading their mail.”
“Why were you hesitant to inform me of this?”
I cringed. “To act on this, we have to keep it secret from the governments involved. Except for Mars of course. There are still Cabal sympathizers out there. They will refuse to believe that Earth would be party to genocide. Carrying out this attack will be a political nightmare. What happens if we time it wrong and their fleet returns early? One more thing. Earth itself. We don’t know where anything is or what targets to hit. We won’t have all that much time to search, either.”
Amalie’s face was grim. “I see what you mean. We will have to be very careful. I suppose I can authorize scouting parties to penetrate the barrier. But I see what you mean. My own and most likely Sam’s memories of Earth are useless. They would have moved the facilities or the landmarks have all changed.”
“Capital is supplied from Earth so all we have to do is interrupt the supply chain and they will have to slow down their advance and preparations. Wilson says they have yet to start any food production on the planet.”
Amalie shook her head. “Child you continue to drop these bombs on me. I will have to think about this. Can you have your Wilson send me the information he has collected? I will need to study it.”
I looked at Bellona. As a member of Wilson’s board I should be able to order the CATT to help. “Bellona will you give Grandmother the information?”
The CATT looked at me and nodded. “Primus the files are being transferred to your console.” Bellona’s voice was of sultry and sexy sounding.
“How?… Athena! How did you get her to do what you said?”
“Wilson made me a member of their ruling council. They will take some orders from me unless he or one of the others countermands it.”
Bellona nodded and then spoke. “The progenitor and our King have decreed that she may give us instruction. On some things only.”
Amalie looked over at her bodyguard and assistant. “What things?”
The CATT laid down and pretended to sleep. CATTs!
“I guess we’ve been dismissed. Athena it was nice to see you, I think. I will study this and let you know soon.” She looked over my shoulder at Dar. “Dar sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk. I promise to make time soon for you.”
Looking at the guards by the door I laughed. “OK boys lets get this circus on the road.” We all trooped out the door.
~~~~~
Later that night I once again sat looking out the window. “Dar, I really miss being in space. I have grown to love my position as Ambassador, but I miss the thrill of space travel. Sometimes… Sometimes I wish that I was still in Diablo on Firefly Station. You would have to be there with me now. I don’t think I could live without you.”
She crossed the room and gave me a big hug and kiss. “I love you too, sweetie.” We held each other for several long minutes as we both looked out into the night sky.
~~~~~
Millions of miles away in the Capital system. Alpha 222 was also gazing at the night sky. He was watching the departure of the courier ship. It was returning to Earth and the Council of Ten. He was sure they were eager for information about the conquest. He turned away and began walking toward the Zeta camp. The mostly unused airfield concourse and terminal buildings loomed on either side of him. They still showed damage from the invasion many months ago. The walls were cracked and broken glass lay in chunks on the pavement. Alpha 222 ignored all of it. He even ignored the two Delta clones that served as his bodyguards. Normally he would forgo them, but there had been terrorist attacks and human sightings this entire week. The Beta and Delta commanders had insisted he take them along.
As he approached the main compound, he could hear the screams. The refugee columns had stopped coming as word spread that it was not salvation, but extermination that was beneath the lights. His nuclear attack had not only devastated the main city, but the EMP it created destroyed and damaged electronics on half the planet. Communications could only be done by word of mouth. In the early days after the explosion many humans refused to believe that Earth visitors would harm them and boldly marched into camp.
The screams were growing louder now. This planet teemed with the vermin. The Council of Ten and the Program itself had given him two tasks. Until landing on the planet he had not understood the scope of the first task. Humans were in short supply back on Earth. They were used in the fields and for spaceship construction. Their short lifespans and fragile bodies made for a poor workforce. But they served their purpose. His first task was extermination of the breed. He was to reduce them to less than one percent. Survivors would be bred and cultivated for future sources of genetic material. The second task was to bring the rest of the galaxy under the Program’s control. The two went hand-in-hand. Conquer a planet, kill the humans on it.
The bright lights of the camp reflected off the walls of the terminal. Ghastly shadows p
ainted the walls. Screams and moans filled the air. The camp was made up of three main sections: Storage, interrogation, and extermination. The pen holding those yet to be interrogated covered what was once the airfield landing zone. Towers filled with Delta sharpshooters were spaced every twenty-five feet along the fence. Shot were heard every few minutes as desperate humans threw themselves and the fence or attempted to climb over it. The Alpha shook his head. Wasteful.
Zeta 100 looked up from his current subject and saw his supreme leader watching him. “Sir. Have you come to watch?”
The Alpha stared at the human locked into the medieval looking table. Clamps held legs and arms in immovable positions. The head was held firmly upright so that it could watch what was happening to the body. It was a very effective procedure. Very few subjects failed to supply the needed information.