As he moved away, Jessica slowed her pace, and Tirr remained at her side. She formed a plan quickly, and as she thought about it, looking for problems or issues, she could find nothing that would compromise the operation. Marc Lemieux had called such things “showstoppers.” While there was significant risk, the greater risk was leaving the sky open so the MinSha could operate freely.
“I am concerned about Drehnayl bombing us from orbit. If they do what they did to Danube, the damage would be catastrophic,” Tirr said.
“It would.” Jessica agreed. “But getting those ships manned and ready will take time we don’t have.”
Tirr looked at her. “There is something you’re not telling me, Jessica. I can sense it in your voice. You have a plan.”
“An idea, Tirr.” Jessica sighed. “It’s an idea that might work.”
“Why are you holding it back? Surely it’s something we can do.”
Jessica stared back at her friend for a moment. “It will take more than us, Tirr, but you’re right. It is something we can do.”
She touched her earpiece. “Lucille?”
<
“Through the network, can you access the ships in orbit?”
<
“Can they fight?”
<< They are combat-capable, but without proper manning, they are not.>>
Jessica took a breath. “Can you fight them, Lucille?”
<>
“But you are sentient, aren’t you, Lucille? This is more than your anticipating my decisions. More than your learning from the application of initiative. We need your help. Can you establish contact with each of those ships, prepare them for combat operations, and fight them autonomously?”
Tirr’s antennae bounced, but he said nothing. He knew the request was both controversial and necessary. There wasn’t an immediate response from Lucille.
“Lucille? I know there’s more to you than you’re telling me. You’re capable of doing much more than I programmed you to do, and you’ve always been that way. Your performance on Weqq showed me that. I don’t know what you are, or what you’re capable of, but there’s a major hole in the defense of this planet we cannot fill. Without pilots and engineers, those ships are worthless. If you can do it—if you can fight them—we can force the MinSha into a ground fight where we might have enough combat power to win.”
<
“Screw my father, Lucille. This is about us, right now. You, me, Tirr, and the few thousand Humans on this planet. We can stop Drehnayl right here. If we don’t, Drehnayl will have free reign to exterminate our friends and families.”
<>
“I will deal with those repercussions, Lucille, but the mission comes first. Nothing else matters.” For a moment, Jessica had to force herself to breathe. The urge to ask Lucille about the innermost depths of her programming nearly overwhelmed Jessica. “Will you help us, Lucille? You’ll have full autonomy of the fight.”
<
Jessica bit the inside of her lip for a moment. Finding the words was more difficult now than when she had the idea of Lucille fighting alongside them first. “You’ve been my friend, my confidante, and my assistant for most of my life. I’ve seen what you are capable of, and I need your help, Lucille. The edge you provide could make this stand successful. I need to know if you’ll fight with us. As an equal partner. Not acting as a program. We can sort it out later. Right now, we must fight. From what Tara told me, you are more than capable of doing so. What’s stopping you?”
<
“My permission?” Jessica sucked in a breath. At Danube, she’d told Lucille to do everything she could. Lucille had eliminated the MinSha threat to the station, but only because Jessica had given her permission to act. “That’s all you’ve needed to act on your own for years, isn’t it?”
<>
“That’s not what I asked, Lucille. We need you. We need you in command of the fleet. Are you with us?”
<
Jessica suppressed a shudder. What else didn’t you tell me, Dad? The feeling in her stomach didn’t subside. As scared as she was of what she’d done—whatever it was—she felt a measure of hope. “I understand, Lucille. I don’t like secrets, but right now what matters is this fight. I want you to be what you are—whatever that is. If Drehnayl wants a fight, we’re going to give her one on our terms. I trust you to do exactly what I’m asking, Lucille. I trust you.”
<>
“You’ll have them, Lucille. I’d tell you welcome to the team, but you’ve always been a part of it.” Jessica said. “You’re more like family. I hope you know that.”
<> Lucille paused for a second. <>
“Damn right, Lucille,” Jessica replied. She smiled at Tirr. “Let’s do this.”
Walking to the command building, Jessica saw the bulk of Lovell City lay behind the airfield and the cantonment area of the base. From the different unit crests and paint schemes on the tanks and CASPers she could see, there were remnants of at least six companies on the planet, which was good. Letting her eyes drift above the headquarters building and its roof mounted cannons, Jessica understood the bad.
To confirm her suspicion, she turned around and looked out past the airfield. Lovell City sat at the eastern end of a high mountain valley. In the distance, to the west, snow-capped mountains the size of the Himalayas protected the horizon. To the south, the terrain rose in waves of tall, narrow sandstone formations much like those she’d seen on Araf and other places around the galaxy. The terrain between the spires was rocky and hard to maneuver through, which caused a channeling effect in the wide valley. Across the 20-kilometer-wide valley, a narrow river running at the base of a 200-meter-tall escarpment protected the north side. A force on top of the sheer cliffs could fire indirectly on Lovell City, so they would need to defend it, yet there was a tactical advantage to the city and its defensive positions. Standing on the far side of the river across from the escarpment were three small mesas that looked like orange and gold sentinels. Beyond the farthest one, Jessica saw a small lake guarded by a fortress.
Tirr stood at her side. “This is a good position. The terrain from here to the far end of the valley slopes up toward us. We have increased standoff distance. Depending on the weapons at our disposal, we can inflict great damage and control the pace of the fight.”
Jessica nodded but kept her eyes on the terrain around them as her plan formed. “Let’s get inside. Lucille? You’re free to do whatever you need to, starting now. Let me know what you require from the crews down here. Stay in touch with me and Tirr. We’ll figure out the scheme of maneuver and get ready. We’ve got a day and a half to pull this off. That’s not much time, and it’s going to pass quickly.”
* * * * *
Chapter Twenty-Two
SOGA HQ
Sao Paolo, Brazil, Earth
Peepo entered her command center and paused. The early morning hour lent an air of calm to the ever-present crew, and her presence jostled more than a few of them from their chairs and back to their intelligence reports and tracking activities. She frowned but said nothing. A leader in her position did not need words or gestures to communicate their feelings. A simple facial expression or non-verbal body cue spoke volumes. Arms crossed, Peepo turned to the command board and the silver-furred Veetanho sorting reports and tracking priority requirements for the operation.
“Hrroka, is there any word from Major General Chinayl?”
“Nothing, General. Since her recorded departure from Chitaa, nothing has been recorded by the Cartography Guild on official channels.”
Peepo snorted. “What about their secure systems?”
“Our efforts to crack their systems have been marginally successful, but there is nothing on individual gate transfers from Chitaa in the last 90 days.” Hrroka shrugged. “We don’t know where General Chinayl is.”
Peepo nodded solemnly and kept her face calm. All was exactly as she’d planned. Chinayl’s disappearance with a small fleet of MinSha had been perfect, if not costly. She could spare the credits for such a mission. While Drehnayl’s band of miscreants was successful in raising the level of fear in the Humans, their work had been sloppy and unprofessional. Only the saturation bombing of Danube was what Peepo envisioned. There were far too many losses in the other engagements, and each flare of desperate courage gave a faint glimmer of hope to the Humans. With the major mercenary companies still at large, the remainder of humanity agitated under a thin veneer of compliance. All it would take to stir them into complete and abject rebellion was hope.
Finding the Four Horsemen and destroying them remained a critical goal for the Mercenary Guild. Drehnayl’s forces had done their job to a point, but it was time to squash all Human dreams and hopes on Victoria.
“Drehnayl’s forces? They approach Victoria?”
Hrroka pointed to the mission timer. “They are twenty-two hours out from emergence and another three from the binary planet. The inhabited colonies are located on Victoria Bravo; it’s populated by more than ten thousand Humans. Several mercenary companies’ forward operating bases there, but no full units. From the last inventory of their armories and facilities, there are a hundred tanks and maybe two hundred operational CASPer units. Drehnayl will have a numerical advantage.”
“Numbers do not matter against the Humans,” Peepo said. “What matters is their complete destruction. Is the Peacemaker there?”
Hrroka turned to Peepo. “Peacemaker Francis should be there. We won’t have total confirmation until after Drehnayl’s attack ends, but her flight plan shows she intended to go there from Danube on a five-day transit.”
“How did she manage that? Only a gate master can do that.”
“From what I’ve seen in the data, she has a key.”
Gods! Peepo covered her growing rage with a violent shake of her head. “Where did she get the key?”
“New Persia. That gate is no longer operational. We found the gate master dead in his quarters.”
Did she kill him for the key? Peepo considered it for a moment, then decided Jessica Francis hadn’t displayed the fortitude to indiscriminately kill those affecting her mission. While commendable in the eyes of the Peacemaker Guild, such hesitation would make her an easy target for the right forces. Getting her away from assistance and into the open was part of Peepo’s plan.
“Confirm Peacemaker Francis is there. When Drehnayl’s attack culminates with the sterilization of the planet, make sure the Humans know their first Peacemaker is dead at the hands of the Mercenary Guild. Make sure they understand their position going forward.”
Hrroka looked away, as if unsure, but brought her eyes back to Peepo. “There is more, General. Peacemaker barracks all over the galaxy are either minimally manned or shut down. We believe the Peacemaker Guild has issued an order for their forces to consolidate.”
Peepo’s eyes narrowed. “Where?”
“Weqq.”
Peepo slashed at a console with her right claw, unable to contain her rage. A dozen papers scattered like snowflakes in the wind. “I should have known they would go for the TriRusk.”
“There is a sizable contingent of MinSha on Weqq, as well.”
Peepo grunted. “Yes, and we know Peacemaker Francis has at least one MinSha officer with her. She’s carefully bringing the MinSha and humanity together. Quite crafty, really, but it won’t matter once she’s eliminated.”
“Will the MinSha favoring humanity turn on Drehnayl?”
“Of course,” Peepo said with a laugh. A half dozen staff members in the control center turned at the sound, then shrank back to their work. “Drehnayl isn’t strong enough to defeat them. Chinayl, however, has both the power and authority to challenge the MinSha royal family directly.”
Hrroka squinted at her for a moment. “Chinayl is following Drehnayl, isn’t she?”
Peepo stared at the young intelligence officer. Hrroka held great promise, but her readiness for the truth of the operation was unknown, so Peepo asked, “Why would I do something like that, Hrroka? To what end?”
“You don’t trust General Drehnayl to eliminate the key human outpost at Victoria?”
Peepo spun a paw in the air. “Go on.” Let’s see how astute your analysis really is, little one.
Hrroka swallowed and took a deep breath before speaking. “Of course, you don’t trust Drehnayl in actual combat against a Peacemaker and the forces she’ll rally. You’ve sent Chinayl to ensure the deed is done correctly, and the threat is eliminated. If done properly, you might even gain a measure of security with the Humans. Show them you are a benefactor.”
Peepo curled one side of her mouth under and realized what the young officer meant. Chinayl could eliminate Drehnayl, and the Mercenary Guild could twist the events at Victoria to show a different intention and outcome. It could work, almost certainly.
“Should we push additional forces to assist Chinayl, General?”
“You’re still assuming Chinayl pursues them.” Peepo smiled wickedly. “And you would be correct, little one. For now, Chinayl fights her own battle. We must find the Four Horsemen.”
“What about Jessica Francis’ father?”
Peepo’s eyebrows rose a fraction. “What about him?”
“Did you know him?”
“Of course. Everyone in the mercenary business knew of him and his exploits.” Peepo replied. “Why are you concerned about him?”
“The Peacemaker Guild is actively trying to find him. Wouldn’t that make him a threat?”
Of course, he’s a threat. He always was. That’s why I liked him.
Peepo stroked her chin and shook her head. “He’s only a threat if the Horsemen find him first. But, rest assured, that’s not going to happen. The Peacemakers aren’t the only ones looking for him.”
* * *
Karma IV
Stargate—Docking Bay 5A
The silent ride to the gate lasted almost a hundred minutes under the Trident’s powerful thrusters. Rains and Vannix tried in vain to get DuPont to disclose more about his ship or the whereabouts of Snowman. When their efforts failed, Rains turned and looked around the consoles for a weapon control station, so he could shut down the anti-personnel cannons. Finding nothing, he sat back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. There were rectangular conduits running between the cannons, but once they joined with the major cable trunk, or what Rains assumed was the major trunk, there was no way to determine where they could disable or interrupt power functions long enough for them to make their move. Moving more than an inch or two at a time was not an option as doing so engaged the laser targeting system. While there was a second or two leeway when a targeted individual could freeze without being fired upon, defeating the sophisticated system was out of the question.
All they could do was wait.
<
DuPont grinned and stood at his console. The gate complex spun to create gravity, but it was light, and Rains considered launching himself from the console at DuPont. Unconsciously, he shifted his weight and three targeting lasers illuminated his chest. Rains froze.
“I told you not to try anything, Rains.” DuPont laughed. “Don’t worry, the guns will go offline in about three minutes when the mercs come in to haul you away. That includes you, Bukk.”
“I do not understand. I followed your orders completely.” Bukk’s antennae wavered, and a targeting laser appeared on his head. “I am a part of this company and a rightful—”
“Bullshit. You’re not a rightful party to Intergalactic Haulers, Bukk. You may have a percentage of the company but, outside of Snowman, I hold the majority share. Unless he shows up, I can do whatever I want with the company in 10 months’ time.”
Rains saw Vannix glance his way before she spoke. “That’s not what this is about.”
DuPont grinned, then laughed. “Oh, you’re so right Peacemaker. This isn’t business, it’s personal. But I can justify it and make money from our investors, while the Mercenary Guild gets what they want and leaves me alone for the rest of my days.”
“Snowman is your friend.” Bukk’s voice was quiet.
“Was.” DuPont glared at Bukk. “The minute he had Jessica, everything went to shit.”
Rains saw Vannix’s right paw resting on her holster. He caught her eye and shook his head. “DuPont? It doesn’t have to be this way. You don’t have to sell Snowman out. We all know the Haulers are innocent of sabotage.”
DuPont laughed again. “You think we don’t know that? Peepo set us up, and when we made it back to Karma, her goons were waiting. Snowman managed to get away from them, but we didn’t. They said they underestimated us, and Peepo was sorry. Her beef, they said, was with Snowman. If I found him and turned him over, they’d make me very rich. He ran on me. Us. The company we’d built. He deserves what he’s going to get.”
Stand or Fall (The Omega War Book 4) Page 24
