Nanomachine War series Box Set

by Don Viecelli

  Chapter 50

  Flight To Washington DC

  Doug and Jan Martin were still in Houston staying at one of the medical facilities at Johnson Space Center. The news on the media channels was frightening. At least six major cities in the US were raging almost out of control. Only Miami had been bought under some resemblance of control by the CDC and National Guard troops. Five other cities; Chicago, Denver, Houston, New York and San Francisco, were still experiencing mass panic, riots, chaos and confusion due to the spread of the Yoyka nanomachine infection. After the test in Miami to stop the spread of the infection, the President issued orders to use the same preventative methods in the other affected cities as soon as possible. Army troops with hundreds of volunteers across the country were getting Qumru nano-agent injections to use against the contagion. Now the effort was being extended to other cities and countries around the world to try and stop the infection from spreading. It would be a miracle if the contagion was stopped before it infected millions of people before the end of the week.

  Doug and Jan were joined by Doctors Mun and Colbert in the main lobby of the facility waiting for transportation to other government facilities. Doug along with Vice Leader Di was headed for Washington, DC to visit the President, military generals, UN Secretary-General and others to discuss what was happening. Janice, Doctor Chang-Woo, Doctor James Colbert and the Qumru scientist Tumil were headed to the CDC office in Atlanta, Georgia to continue work on finding a real antidote to the Yoyka nanomachines that would save and free the mind of each infected host. It was a long shot, but Tumil expressed confidence it could be done with the right equipment, which they did indeed bring with them.

  “How long will you be gone?” Jan asked Doug with a look of concern on her face.

  “I imagine only for a day or two, Jan. The UN Secretary-General wants me to bring Di to talk to the President and General Bradstone about the Yoyka and what the Qumru can help us with to fight the Yoyka. As soon as the meetings are over, I’ll join you in Atlanta; I promise.” Doug kissed her on the lips as they hugged each other goodbye.

  “Please be careful, Doug. Call me when you get there.”

  Jan waved to him as he and Di got inside a military Humvee for the ride to the airport. Di got a few questionable looks as he walked outside still wearing his dark armored suit. He clearly looked like an alien, but the suit was not all that different from what some of the army security soldiers were wearing for protection. Doug actually felt out of place without some sort of military vest he used to wear when he was in the Marines a few years ago.

  Di commented when they got inside the back of the Humvee, “Your society seems to have a lot of soldiers.”

  Doug explained briefly what the armed forces did for America. “The military is part of our society, Di. Every country is different and all have their own military to protect their people. The United States is one of the largest and most powerful democracies on Earth. We try to defend the rights of freedom for everyone we can without starting a war. We are not like the advanced civilization on Qum that is peaceful and unwarlike.”

  Di was silent for a moment; then responded, “That did not protect Qum people from the Yoyka. They were defenseless.”

  “Why did the Qumru not have soldiers like you on Qum?”

  “It was decided long ago that military androids were not needed to guard the planet any longer. We were encouraged to leave Qum and settle on Holtu after it was discovered. We were only called upon to help the people of Qum discover new solar systems with races on the verge of space travel like your own race. We knew of this solar system and your race of humans, but we were not permitted to make contact with you for at least another hundred of your years.”

  After a moment, Di added, “The Qumru never discovered any advanced alien society that had the capability to wage war against them. The Yoyka appeared and released their nanomachines before we could protect the people on Qum. We were caught by surprise. It was only a matter of time before the Yoyka discovered your people and did the same thing they are doing now.”

  Di looked out the window of the Air Force Boeing C-136 Stratolifter military transport plane. They were flying with one general, one colonel, two lieutenants and four other enlisted personnel, all on their way to Andrews Air Force Base located at Andrews Field in Maryland just 19 miles outside of Washington DC. Di was told to turn over his weapons before entering the plane.

  Di studied the aircraft. “How long before we reach our destination?”

  “It will take three hours to reach the base; then we will travel by vehicle to the White House for our meeting with the President and generals.”

  “We should have taken a Qumruku shuttle. We would have been there by now.”

  Doug laughed, but knew Di was right. “Maybe next time, Di. We’re thankful the Qumru are willing to leave them behind for our use and study by our scientists. It will revolutionize space travel for humans by at least a hundred years.”

  “Is the President your superior?” Di tried to get comfortable in the seat.

  “If you mean is she my boss, no she is not. President Mary Anderson is the leader of my country. My real boss is now the UN Secretary-General who leads the United Nations. The UN is the world organization that represents all countries on Earth. It provides services and protection for any Member Country that needs help. It also governs Colonies on other planets in our solar system like Mars so no one country can claim ownership of other worlds. The UN has been a good partner in our attempt to colonize our solar system.”

  “Will your boss attend our meeting with the President and generals?”

  “No. We will meet him separately at the UN in New York City, once the Yoyka nanomachine infection is under control. We can’t land at the airports in New York because of the panic there.”

  Doug decided to try and get some sleep on the flight while he could. The meeting with the President and General Bradstone was going to be stressful and last for some time once they arrived. He knew what Di had to tell them would not make them happy.

  Chapter 51

  Yoykan Malee

  The Yoykan Malee dreadnought made its way toward Earth travelling just under ten percent the speed of light. It would reach Earth orbit within one human hour. Rahta was certain the humans had no defense against their weapon systems. His only concern was the Qumru starship, which for some reason was still orbiting the planet.

  “Our laser tubes are fully charged and ready for firing, Imperial Leader,” informed High Commander Anahta. He was seated on the Flight Deck in his command chair next to Rahta.

  “I see the Qumru starship has not tried to escape. Have you confirmed it does not have weapons it can use against us?” Rahta was not really concerned, just wondering why the starship did not flee.

  “According to the Qumru captain, Utor, the Solruku is unarmed. It only carries defensive systems, Imperial Leader. Do you want me to change course and try to intercept it?”

  Rahta thought for a moment before answering. He was torn between attacking the humans on their planet or trying to capture the starship to get its passenger minds and whatever knowledge they had. “We will deal with the Solruku after we take out our objective on Earth. We know where the starship will go if it flees before we get there.”

  “As you wish, Imperial Leader. I am entering the planet coordinates for our target. Nothing will survive its total destruction!”

  Rahta was pleased with himself. It was not often he was present on a warship when a new race was invaded and conquered. He usually left the task to his fleet commanders. It was just a coincidence that he was visiting Qum when they learned the Qumru people may have discovered a way to defeat their nanomachines and had a starship with over a billion minds uploaded to quantum computers trying to escape. To find out the Qumru was so advanced that they could extend their lives indefinitely be regenerating their bodies and unloading their minds was just too important to ignore. The Yoyka had spent so much time and energy invading and capturin
g other alien races and developing their military society, they never discovered medical breakthroughs to extend their lives more than a few hundred years. Mind transfer and body regeneration capabilities would allow the Yoyka to live forever! The only thing that worried Rahta about the current situation is the news that the Qumru also allowed the creation of android soldiers to protect their race. Utor provided new information that made these androids a real threat to the Yoyka and they would have to be eliminated as soon as the mission here was completed.

  “You are sure the destruction of this target will allow us complete control of these humans?” Rahta asked watching the blue planet grow in size as they approached the planet.

  “Absolutely, Imperial Leader. Utor assured me this will throw their leadership into turmoil and they will not be able to mount any type of defense against us.”

  “And the nanomachine infection is spreading as planned?” Rahta wanted assurance.

  “The humans will not be able to stop its spread across the entire planet. The humans will be under our control before we leave this planet, Imperial Leader.” Anahta totally believed this as he made final preparations. It would not be long now. He was ready to give the order to fire his weapon at the target. This side of the planet was in full daylight. It would be easy to verify the target was totally destroyed. Another ten billion people would be under Yoyka control and the riches of this solar system would be theirs.

  *****

  UN Secretary-General Aleksy Gomulka was in his office in the United Nations headquarters building located in New York City meeting with the US Ambassador to the UN, Manuel Rodriguez. In thirty minutes they would head downstairs to the General Assembly where a special emergency session has been called to discuss the world crisis dealing with the alien nanomachine infection.

  Aleksy received President Anderson’s latest update from Manuel regarding the Qumru nano-agent solution and recommendations. “President Anderson was informed by the Director of the CDC in Atlanta this morning that the solution is working better than we hoped. The Yoyka nanomachine infection has been confined to the quarantine area around Miami International Airport. The contagion is no longer spreading. The President wants you to tell the Members of the General Assembly that the US is deploying the solution to all their infected cities and would like the UN to deploy the solution to all other affected countries.”

  “I will inform the Security Council Members that the alien preventative nano-agent solution is working in Miami.” Aleksy was obviously relieved. He continued, “This is great news. I was afraid many of our Member Nations were planning to take drastic actions after the General Assembly meeting if we did not have good news to give them. Is it not true that this alien preventative solution is also contagious and will spread among the people by contact just as the Yoyka nanomachines do?”

  “That is true, Aleksy, but what is the alternative? Millions more infected each day? The contagion must be stopped before other nations start killing their own people and total chaos ensues. Besides, the infection is spreading too fast to stop it by conventional means. The CDC says the preventative nano-agent solution is safe for humans and is the only method we have to stop the infection until we find a cure.”

  “I understand, Manuel. I will pass this news to the General Assembly so they can take a vote. We better get going. The meeting is about to start.”

  Aleksy grabbed his comtablet and Manuel followed him out of the office. For once in the last day or so, the people of Earth would hear good news instead of bad. It was a sign of hope.

  *****

  President Anderson was notified by security that the Yoyka warship was now on a direct course for Earth and she must head for the President’s Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) located in a nuclear-proof bunker six floors beneath the East Wing of the White House.

  Allison Conley hurried through the door to the President’s office and said, “We must leave now, Madam President!”

  Mary picked up her comtablet and some other papers from her desk and followed Allison down the hallway to a secret elevator that led straight down to the PEOC.

  When they reached the room, Secretary of Defense Carlo Russo, General Bradstone, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) officers, NSC personnel and several Cabinet Members were sitting in the Executive Briefing Room next to the PEOC. The PEOC contained all the communications systems used to monitor the emergency situation above ground and were manned by military personnel 24 hours per day. Vice President Allen Denton and other high level Members of Congress were flying in Air Force One to another location in case the unthinkable happened. This was all standard operation procedures in case of national emergency alert warnings such as what was occurring now with the country under DEFCON 1 alert status.

  “What is the current situation, Carlo?” Mary was standing inside the Executive Briefing Room at the head of the conference room table.

  “The Yoyka warship that destroyed the USS Illinois is due to arrive near Earth orbit within the next fifteen minutes. We ordered the evacuation of the International Space Station to protect the astronauts. I’m afraid it’s necessary you give the order to use nuclear missiles to destroy the alien warship, Madam President.”

  Mary understood the request. She had prayed that during her term in office, she would never have to issue such a terrible order, but she was ready to do so to protect the country; and in this case maybe the whole world.

  Standing next to Mary and Carlo was a Marine Major who carried the President’s emergency briefcase, more commonly known as the ‘nuclear football’. The briefcase contained four items; a Black Book with Attack Options, classified site locations the President could be taken to for protection, a list of procedures for the Emergency Alert System that would warn the country and a small plastic card called “the biscuit” with authentication launch codes called “Gold Codes”. The President always carried her own biscuit with Gold Codes on her person.

  Many pulled the card from her suit pocket and opened it. She read the correct code location only she knew to Secretary Russo, who under the two-man rule verified she is the President. At this point, the Marine Major who carried the nuclear football opened the briefcase on the table. Mary decided which Attack Option to use and then the Gold Codes were entered and confirmed by the National Command Authority, which was made up of the President, Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who were all present to verify the order to use nuclear weapons. Mary looked at the two men briefly and knew they were all in agreement this had to be done. Once the decision was made, no one could stop it but the President. Mary pushed the black button on the control panel. The order and codes were immediately transmitted to the National Military Command Center (NMCC) at the Pentagon to alert all military organizations that nuclear weapons have been authorized to be launched at the target.

  The order to use nuclear weapons was also transmitted over the Joint Chiefs of Staff Alerting Network known as the “Gold Phone” to the United States Strategic Command Headquarters (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. USSTRATCOM is in charge of all space operations, missile defense and more, including the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) with its Headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.

  On President Mary Anderson’s order to use nuclear weapons, USSTRATCOM gave the orders to fire 100 high speed, long range, space ballistic missiles with four multiple independently targetable 5 megaton missile payloads at the alien spaceship that just passed the moon entering Earth space. The United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Israel all fired similar style nuclear ballistic missiles at the same time. Now all anyone on Earth could do was watch, wait and see what happens.

  Chapter 52

  Yoykan Malee Attacks

  “Imperial Leader, the Earth Humans have launched nuclear missiles at us!” Anahta spoke forcefully looking at his viewing screen.

  “So they want to try and wage war with us!” laughed Rahta watching the same viewing screen, which sh
owed numerous missiles heading towards the Yoykan Malee. “Shoot them down!”

  Anahta passed the order to the weapons officers on the Command Deck although it was not really necessary. The ship’s AI control system had sensed the threat and was ready to deal with the situation if no one else acted upon it.

  The Yoykan Malee was the most heavily armed and powerful Imperial dreadnaught warship in Rahta’s fleet. It contained numerous types of offensive weapons, including high-energy particle beams that could disrupt and damage the atomic molecular structure of a target at close range up to 2,000 pecks (kilometers); laser beams that could cut through any material at distances up to 10,000 pecks and travel at the speed of light; nuclear missiles with up to 50 megaton warheads that could travel at sublight speeds; and finally kinetic energy railguns (KERs) that shot high density metal projectiles up to 20 pecks per ti (km/second), which could penetrate heavy armor on any enemy spaceship. For defensive weapons the Yoykan Malee used AI controlled antimissile laser defense systems and an energy force field that could protect the dreadnaught from multiple nuclear missile strikes at one time without losing shields depending on how many megatons of explosive power was used and how fast the missiles were traveling at the time of impact.

  Imperial Leader Rahta and High Commander Anahta were not concerned in the least about what weapons these less advanced humans could use to stop them. Rahta said, “It seems these humans are much more warlike than the Qumru were when we invaded their planet. I am surprised they haven’t destroyed each other with the amount of nuclear missiles they are using against us.”