by Cliff Deane
“Shall I also mention the possibility of SRI-F forces entering the arena?” asked the XO.
“No, not until we know for sure. In the interim, have your AI dig up the deep personnel dossiers on Putin and Chen. If there is any problem gaining access, my AI will run interference for you, Roger, JJ?”
Of course, sir, Roger that.
“Now, for the historical record,” King said, “Commander Ward, commence operation Holly Thorne.”
“Aye Captain, Chief of the Boat Harkins, commence firing.”
“Aye, aye Commander, commencing operation Holly Thorne, light her up, boys.”
And with that command, all three ships trained their lasers on the comet and began heating the port side of Holly Thorne, pushing her away from Earth.
King chuckled and said, “Well, light her up, boys may not be up there with one giant leap for mankind, but I like it. Pass my appreciation on to Chief of the Boat Harkins, XO. All right, resume normal operations and stand down from Lifeboat drill. I’ll tell you, XO, I have a feeling that when those Klaxons ring in the future it will be for Battle Stations.”
“Yes, sir, that could be. I certainly hope not, but it could be,” replied the XO.
“Communications, contact Earth at JPL and advise them we have commenced Operation Holly Thorne.”
“Roger, sir, sending message to JPL, now.”
“Anything else, sir?”
“No XO, you have the Bridge.” I’m going to my Ready Room for some quiet study.”
“Aye Captain, I have the Bridge,” parroted the XO.
Once the commencement of operations phase was recorded for posterity, the Astrid shut down her lasers and fell into a three-ship rotation. This rotation would result in two ships firing into the comet, allowing a cool-down period for the off-duty lasers.
“Well, JJ, it’s time,” said Sky to his AI.
Yes, Captain King, it is finally time.
“Tell me, JJ, did you also sleep during transit?”
Oh, no sir. I remained on duty monitoring both your health as well as the ships for the entire transit.
When the Captain returned to his Ready Room, JJ said, Captain King, I have a side channel message from Admiral Perry. It was sent just after you went into your Sleep Chamber and locked from my awareness protocol until just one moment ago. Shall I read it now?
“Yes, JJ, go ahead.”
TOP SECRET, CRYPTO
Captain Scott King- NO DESSEMINATION / EYES ONLY
Message reads, from, U.S.S.D.F., Red Sands, Mars
Vice Admiral Adolphus Perry,
Commanding
Subject: Mission safeguards.
Congratulations Captain King on the successful initiation of Operation HT.
By order of the President of the United States, President Eileen N. Greene, I have been ordered to give you an emergency, system-wide, computer protocol which will give you total, and unalterable helm control of all three vessels should the need arise. This computer upgrade was downloaded while your crews were in the Sleep Chambers.
As we have no idea of any potential threat HT may pose in this regard, this safety protocol was uploaded so that, should you be confronted by a situation in which your flotilla becomes a danger to Earth, you must initiate helm control. Should you be incapacitated, this override will be directed from HQ SDF.
This control will place your command at maximum thrust on a course of thirty-eight degrees from the ecliptic. This action will take you on an unalterable course out of the Solar System to a point directly above the Sun from the ecliptic. Your ships will then alter course and plunge directly into Sol. This course will take two years, at which time your command will be unmanned derelicts.
Please reference the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic which coincided with the Earth’s passage through the tail of another comet.
Should your ships fall prey to a similar pandemic, and subsequent loss of life, I urge you to save the lives of billions of human beings on Earth by issuing the following command through your AI:
I I f I l w y (69), King, Scott A, confirmed.
Respond via your AI confirmation of your receipt of this message.
Sky, I pray this order will never be needed, but you have this option should it become necessary.
God Speed, my friend,
Dolph
Adolphus Perry
Vice Admiral,
USUGC Space Defense Force, Commanding
“JJ, did you record the code to memory?”
Yes, Sky, I have it. How would you like me to execute this protocol should the situation arise?
“JJ, you are directed to run Thirty-Eight Protocol on my command prompt of, ‘JJ, execute Thirty-Eight Protocol’. If the ship’s crew becomes incapacitated from an unknown virus and if I am also incapacitated due to an illness, or if I am within moments of my death and not able to give the command, I order you to run Thirty-Eight Protocol. Remember, JJ, the command will be Thirty-Eight Protocol, not thirty-eighth or protocols. Does that make sense to you? It’s important that the command is ‘Thirty-Eight Protocol.’”
Yes, I understand, and I will, of course, comply with your instruction to initiate Thirty-Eight Protocol.
“Good man, JJ. Contact Vice Admiral Perry with an encrypted message, eyes only, CDR. USSDF. ‘I have received info on Thirty-Eight Protocol. I understand and accept responsibility for execution.’
“Dolph, I sure hope it doesn’t come to that, but I don’t want my Hermie to die because I failed in my duty to protect our people. Please check on her for me. Thanks, Sky.”
Yes, sir, message sent, but I must remind you that I am an AI, not a man.
“Shut up JJ, and don’t call me Sky.”
Shutting up, sir.
4 September 2116, AD
On Station
50,000 miles Port side of Holly Thorne
Captain King, I have just received a communication from the AI of Vice Admiral Adolphus Perry Commander of the U. S. Space Force (USSDF). Shall I read it to you, now?
“What?” exclaimed King. “You must be having a malfunction. That is just not possible at this distance.”
Sir, I just ran a diagnostic and found a new file on my memory card. Apparently, this file was downloaded during my last update, three days ago. Shall I read it to you, now?
Dumbfounded, King said, “Yeah, sure, go ahead JJ, please read it to me.”
TOP SECRET CRYPTO
Captain Scott King - EYES ONLY
Commanding Asteroid Mining Vessel Astrid and Task Force Holly Thorne
From: Commander USSDF, Vice Admiral Adolphus R. Perry
To: Captain *(P) Scott A. King
Subject: Recall to Active Service with USSDF
all U.S.U.G.C. crew members of Vessels Astrid, Phobos, and Deimos drafted into service with USSDF
Previous Presidential contractual agreements remain intact for all personnel.
Captains Putin, Chen, and citizens of nations other than the U.S., U.K., and Germany are offered civilian contracts to serve with the USSDF
“WHAT? JJ are you jerking my chain?” asked an astounded Sky King.
“No, sir, shall I continue?
“Oh, yes, sorry for the interruption; go ahead.”
“Yes, sir.”
Scott, I know this is a shock, but tensions are building between SRI-F and the U.S., UK, and German Confederation (USUG-C).
Good news first: You are at this moment, upon receipt of this message promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, to serve until the current crisis is resolved, plus six months.
Your XO is promoted to Captain, so it’s your fleet, Admiral. Select additional promotion among your new command as you deem appropriate.
Okay, now the unpleasant news. SRI-F has sent two flotillas, one, consisting of three vessels which departed their Space Station the day after you went into the Sleep Chambers, and the second of four vessels departed one week later. Scott, these vessels are all heavily armed with rail-guns and nukes.
Our seven-vessel fleet is similarly armed and should arrive on 30 August. Captain Jessica Flynn, commanding Leyte Gulf, is in temporary command until your meeting with her and she hand delivers the assumption of command and the promotion orders to you, personally. She will have appropriate duty uniforms for all hands
Additionally, two USUG-C cargo vessels, departed for your location one week after the SRI-F ships left Earth. They, like the SDF warships, departed from Red Sands, Mars. These transports are carrying rail-guns and munitions for your mining vessels. With your armor, you should have the three most powerful ships in the system. As the SRI-F Fleet departed from Earth, you should have ample time to train-up your gunnery crews.
Your job is now expanded to push Holly Thorne’s big ass out of the way, and to take command of the USSDF Fleet. Scott, you must defend that comet. We must not allow it to be blown into large pieces that could endanger Earth.
Captains Putin and Chen must be watched closely. Hell, I have no idea where their sympathies lie.
Should you need to replace them, SDF Marines will board their vessels and transfer them to SDF Brigs. If this is necessary, please consider transferring them to SRI-F authorities upon their arrival as a goodwill gesture.
Scott, I have sent this message via our AIs for two reasons: I do not want Putin or Chen to see it, and the second reason is that the SRI-F has not developed AI thought transmission over distances of one hundred yards. Commo between SRI-F Vessels and their Commands now takes approximately thirty-five minutes. This lag time gives us a slim communications advantage.
As our new beta version of AI thought-communication appears to be near instantaneous, you have received this message pretty darned quick, considering you are thirty-five light-minutes away.
Well, Admiral, there you have it, down and dirty. I just hope you have a habitable Earth to come home to.
Oh, yes, don’t worry about Hermie, Louise is keeping in near constant contact with her. Relax about her, we’ve got this.
Good luck, my old friend,
Dolph
*(P = Promotable)
PS: I know how surprised you are to be getting this message from me; our techies have managed to pull this miracle off, and this is the beta version. Scott, there are only two AIs with the download anywhere. That’s you and me, pal. Don’t tell anyone! SRI-F has no idea we can communicate in this way. They are bound by any orders given before their departure. Let’s keep it that way.
Our techies think we should shut down the communication except for designated contact times. JJ must find his internal dipswitch which will shut down our communications. Our designated contact times are 0600, 1200, and 1800, your time.
Admiral; that completes the message. Would you like for me to read it again?
“Uh, no, send a classified reply advising the Admiral of my receipt of his message. Also include the somewhat sarcastic reply of ‘Gee thanks, Dolph’, and sign it Sky.”
“I found the switch; shall I turn it off for now?
“Yes, JJ, well done. Now, delete all portions of the message which gives any information on how it was transmitted to me. Then contact the XO’s AI and have him report ASAP to my Ready Room.”
“Done.”
Al knocked on the Admiral’s Ready Room door and was directed in.
“Yes, sir,” said the XO, is there something you need?”
“Yes, Al, but you might go ahead and sit down first.”
“Yes, sir, is it that bad?”
Admiral King said, “Well, that depends on your perspective, but overall, it ain’t good. While we were in transit from Red Sands, my AI, JJ received sealed orders concerning this mission. I am going to have JJ transmit a TOP SECRET CRYPTO EYES-ONLY MESSAGE to your AI. A more formal, edited version is with Captain Jessica Flynn, commanding the USSDF Cruiser Leyte Gulf. Ready?”
“Yes, sir, of course.”
Al’s face turned from shock and dismay to acceptance as his AI read the letter. A smile came to his face at the point of hearing about his promotion.
“Holy crap, Admiral, things must be getting really bad back home. Are we about to get into a real gut-busting shooting war?”
Sky looked distracted and said, “Al, I hope not, but I just don’t know.
“Wait a minute. Admiral, how did you say you received this message?”
“Al, the message was transmitted on a classified ultra-high-frequency AI band. You will receive one later in the mission. The receipt time is roughly two times that of regular radar projected commo. I know it is an old cliché, but it’s true that if I told you more than that, I would have to kill you. So, don’t ask, or try to guess. Understood?
“Roger, sir, understood.”
“All right, I want you to contact the SDF Commander, Captain Flynn. Send my compliments to her and arrange for me to visit her flagship.
I guess we’ll also need to schedule a formal dinner the following day for all Ship’s Captains, at, oh, let’s see, yeah, make it for 1900 hours.”
“Of course, sir, when and at what time for your meet with Captain Flynn?”
The new Admiral said, “I guess sooner is better than later, and let’s make it over dinner.
Oh, yes, contact her XO and arrange for their Stores Officer to send over our new uniforms. You’re in the Navy now, son.”
“Yes, sir. I guess that begs the question of how our relationship, both militarily and personal is going to change.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right. How does this sound? In private we’ll continue as we have been. In front of others, look sharp.”
“Thank you, sir, that sounds fine. Will you be moving your new flag to one of the SDF Vessels?”
“I’m not sure. The quarters on this barge are better than those SDF ships. Still, if Flynn bitches about it, I will have to, since she has seniority and an SDF Cruiser. We’ll see. Now, I want you to recommend who you want as your new XO since you’ll be taking over command of the Astrid.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll get the promotions and roster changes to you before 1700 hours.”
“If 1700 interferes with dinner, 0800 hours is fine. Let’s get Lieutenant JG Proud on that promotion list.”
“Roger sir, he was already high on the list for L T.”
“Alan,” said Admiral King, “don’t forget that deep data search on Putin and Chen. See what you can dig up to help figure where they will stand.
While Al was doing his research on Putin and Chen, Sky dove into the records of the SDF Captains. Following this, he did a classified search of the new class of Washington Class Cruisers and their armaments.
The primary offensive weapon systems were railguns and plasma torpedoes. Railgun munitions have no explosives. The weapon fired granite-like projectiles at horrendous speeds. Their impact alone caused massive damage to any ship hit by railgun munitions. The plasma torpedoes were another story entirely as there was no armor known to man that could prevent the destruction of any ship struck by this weapon.
Many a young cadet at the USSDF Academy on Luna asked why the SDF continued to use rail guns when the plasma torpedo was so much more destructive. After all, the railgun was not a guided munition. The Academy Teaching Staff always answered the same way.
“We have not yet reached the technology to allow rapid regeneration of the power required to fire large numbers of plasma torps. The destructive power of the railgun is, however, also devastating, and the ammunition for them can easily be produced by the ship’s crew by mining, melting, and forming millions of railgun munitions from nearby asteroids very quickly.
“Yes, the railgun is more like a shotgun, since the rounds are not guided, and if detected, the targeted ship has a good chance of moving away from the trajectory of an oncoming rail gun round.”
The same students would always then ask the same question, “Then why do we use them?”
Instructors would then smile and say, “Yes, a targeted ship may well be able to avoid one round, but not so much with one-hundred thousand rounds coming
their way. Nearly two-hundred years ago, a Russian Dictator named Josef Stalin was reported to have said, quantity has a quality all its own. In this case, he was absolutely correct.”
“Sir,” an eager Cadet would always ask, “how fast does a rail gun round travel in space?”
“That information is classified, but it is around two hundred miles per second.”
This response, of course, brought excited exchanges of USSDF power, until one student would inevitably ask, in an almost muted voice, “How fast are the SRI-F railgun rounds?”
“We believe them to be exactly the same.”
That single comment always ended any questions about railgun use in space combat. A typical math equation was drilled into each Cadet’s brain. It was simple but imperative; as space combat is anticipated to be at ranges beyond one-hundred thousand miles, how long will it take for the first railgun round to be on target? This simple formula was ((d/s)/60=tot.)
Written out, it becomes:
((distance to target divided by the speed of munition assuming a speed of two hundred miles per second) divided by sixty seconds equaling the time in minutes and seconds to time-on-target). Ergo, a target sitting one-hundred thousand miles away would take eight point three minutes to impact, or time-on-target.
Each USSDF Cruiser carried a complement of one-hundred rail guns, mounted around the ship in shielded blisters, sixteen plasma torpedo launch tubes, twelve forward and four aft, for offensive weaponry.
The USSDF Cruiser was three-thousand two-hundred and seventy-six feet long, and one-thousand feet across her beam. Each Cruiser’s crew consisted of fifteen-thousand spacers, including a battalion of five-hundred Space Marine’s. The twelve R4W Cold-Fusion power plants were designed to keep the ship in-service without a refit for sixty years.
The Mining Vessels were of similar size but were crewed by only twelve-thousand spacers. These ships held huge cargo bays for storing ore and supplies, including nearly five-hundred spare 1,000 kWh lasers. Even in space, these behemoths maneuvered like wallowing pigs.