by T J Bryan
With the commitments made by the Commonwealth to protect Wu, and keep her knot lines open, Abel knew there were insufficient resources to begin any real recovery effort in the Cranmore system. Further R&S work would have to be delayed for at least a year, or until more crews, experienced crews, were on-line. Abel was determined not to send green crews out into the void given the destruction of Kára, and the loss of Hildr as well as the mounting loss of crews. The OCN was encountering far more hostility in the void than Abel had ever expected and he knew that the job of the OCN was going to be far more difficult that he had ever assumed. Planning is one thing, memorializing the dead is another.
Farn turned to Silvi, "Any more details from Ervin about those aliens that attacked Ammon in the Happy Landing system? You know the one you encountered at Fitz?"
Silvi replied, "I followed up, but both Ervin and his sister knew little only the name Megra for the dumbbells. Seems one of their ships accompanied another alien species called the Sloan who destroyed Ammon and made demands that Ameria surrender. But before the rulers of Happy Landing could reply both the Sloan and the Megra departed. They just left. No one knows why, but they left Ameria starving. Apart from the names Sloan and Megra, Ervin is completely ignorant. In fact he is not even certain of the names, given that Happy Landing gave up reading and writing and the attack happened 130 years ago."
"Farn?" asked Abel, "I know you have told us everything about those Dumbbell ships and the Hitti engines on Iceman, but what do you think they were up to? Were they related?"
Farn replied, "I have no idea. It is all speculation and you are probably better at speculating than I. But as I said earlier at the mission review, I think the Hitti engines on Iceman are probably not of the same origin as the engines on the Dumbbell ships. The designs are similar, but there is just too much difference for them to have come from the same fabrication line. I suspect that different systems built those engines. I could be wrong of course..."
Silvi interjected, "No Farn. I think you are right. Those few bodies, or remains, from the Dumbbell ship we encountered at Fitz while rescuing Toni Hamilton's crew were not anything like the Hitti described in the EG. Well, as you know, we didn't really see bodies since the ship suits they wore obscured much of their form. However the general shape was not that of the Hitti. The ship suits were long and thin and we know the Hitti were rather squat and wide. After we got Toni's crew out and into our doc-boxes we tried to save a few of the survivors of the Dumbbell ship, but they detonated some kind of self destruct device, and after we tried to recover three we gave up, left them to the void, and came home. I think your right in that they are different species. Perhaps using a similar design of engine but definitely different sorts of animals."
Abel asked, "Could those engines at Iceman be some kind of terra-forming project?"
Farn thought a while before responding, "Again I don't know. If there is no installation under the frozen sea then the engines might simply be warming the waters to either prevent further icing or to warm the seas to reduce ice. But there might be something under the sea that needs energy. Once again this is speculation and I hate it. There is really only one way to find out and right now I am not inclined to get wet."
Abel laughed and leaned back in his chair and watched as a fresh OCN crew walked across the Public Dock toward one of the newly commissioned SARs at berth 8D. They were wearing their dress whites and the newly adopted arm patches that said they were from the SAR Skeleif with Rod Galindo their newly appointed captain.
Abel had not intended however to entirely eliminate Farn's R&S explorations, but to focus them on a single objective and that was Narlanda; the home of the editors of the Encyclopaedia Gallectica. While there had been no update of the EG in the Commonwealth for over 150 year that did not mean that updates were not available at the source. Perhaps at Narlanda more recent editions, even if old, might be found. Any updates might well answer many of the questions the OCN faced on its' few voyages to date. Were the Hitti trying to occupy abandoned human space? Who were the Dumbbells and the Megra? Who were the Sloan? How extensive was piracy? Which systems had survived The Dark with some semblance of order and economy? The questions went on and on, and even a few answers, perhaps out of date and not current, might well help the OCN in its' evolving mission.
To complicate matters Brynhildr's recent attempt to travel to Narlanda from Fitz was hampered by their inability to find the portal. The conclusion was that the portal had been masked. Perhaps Narlanda did not want visitors.
Abel changed the subject. "Silvi how have your tests been with your new probes?"
Silvi smiled as she answered. "Those probes are a great innovation and I simply cannot tell you how much they will help. At the Second Battle of Wu and out at Fisk they would have been very useful. I am starting to think that we might push some of those probes through a tunnel portal prior to entering. Say send a dozen through a day or two before entry. Then upon entry we can ping them for an immediate update on system activity rather than wait hiding in stealth to determine what if anything is going on. Time them so that once through the tunnel they nudge their jectors in-system."
"I like that," said Farn. "We could really use portal probes. Let's give the idea a test on our next portal run. In fact we might just seed the far side of a tunnel with passive probes and every time we pass through we can get an instant update on the system. I think that's what we found at the Hitti entrance to Dong Son; a portal monitor of some kind. Portal monitors would sure help."
Silvi responded, "Yes, and we might well capture the passage of other ships. This could improve out intelligence. If passing ships are commercial we will gain valuable insight to trade along a knot line, and if a warship we will be forewarned."
Abel's inter-tab chimed and he lifted the device to read the message. "The memorial service for the six dead of Toni's crew will be tomorrow at noon."
Both Silvi and Farn had been notified earlier in the day, but Abel's schedule was so tight that this was his first notice.
Silvi asked, "How is Toni? Is she going to make it?"
Abel replied, "She has lost her right arm and right eye. Seems she was trying to plasma weld the hatch to the engine room shut when the fusion engine lost containment. Her burns were horrific. Silvi, your quick action in rescuing the crew of Kára probably saved her life, but Dr. Auber says she will be in intensive care for at least another week and rehab for months."
"Can she return to service?" Asked Farn knowing what service in the OCN meant to Captain Toni Hamilton.
Abel thought before responding. "Perhaps. Dr. Auber says the nerve damage in the shoulder is so great that even prosthetics will not provide full recovery. About the loss of the eye there is nothing we can do. But we have work for her to do. Important work. In fact I am thinking of a very critical assignment assuming she wants to return to service and she is available in about six months time."
Silvi looked puzzled. "And what is this critical assignment? Can you share it?"
"I don't see why not since much of the preliminary work is already underway. We are going to establish an OCN base at Wu. A real base for servicing our ships in that region. We have the Fabricators Guild building a kind of pre-fab orbital station now. It will take years to complete, but with the ready supply of labor at Wu needing work and skills development in station building, and the station design work found in the EG, we can fabricate the parts of the station here, ship them out on our freighters and assemble them near one of Wu's moons. It will take years to complete, but we need to get started on our commitments to protect Wu's knot lines."
Silvi was not surprised by the pronouncement but Farn was.
Able continued, "A station at Wu can save our ships a great deal of time and effort in supporting Wu and its' knot lines. The station will also demonstrate our commitment to protecting Wu as one of our own. I have accelerated this program for a station at Wu for several reasons. The first is obvious. Bizon survived and has agreed to join our
collective or what ever we decide to call our treaty alliance. The second is less known, but there is probably no reason to keep it secret. Wu has already been approached for trade by two systems. We know little about them but they may well have trade goods of real value to our efforts."
"Who," Asked Farn and Silvi simultaneously.
"A group calling themselves Theans. And another system called Memphite. The EG has no mention of either system and they may have been founded just as the Great War began or they were perhaps so small and primitive that both Unity and Greayson did not notice either of them. Nellis Freemont, our Wu representative in the new Senex of Stars, reports that the Memphites have advanced pharmaceuticals to trade but lack the kinds of things we manufacture here in the Jamon system. About the Theans less is known. But we do know that they, have through genetic engineering, deviated from what we might call the 'normal' human genome."
"Mutations?" asked Farn?
"No Farn, not mutations. Deliberate genetic engineering in the search for human perfection. This obsession with human perfection has lead them down a dark path and left them stranded at the end of what Nellis calls their 'genetic rope'. The have become something other than fully human, and now they realize their error, but they have no way back. The genes that made them fully human were discarded on their path to perfection."
Abel continued, "In about six months we will start assembling our Wu station and I am hoping that Toni will take charge of the effort and then become our Wu Station Base Commander."
Silvi asked, "It's going to need a real name as a base. Wu station is already taken. What do you think we should call it?".
"Holgata," replied Abel. "We have decided to name it after Hildr's commander John-Paul Holgata."
"I like that." said Farn and Silvi agreed.
Abel thought a moment. "The opportunity given us and Wu by the appearance of the Theans and Memphites is great. Others will probably show up as well and that will provide increased commerce and stability in trade. And I am certain that some of those who will visit Wu will have piracy or conquest in mind. The protection of Wu is critical to our survival. Without Wu we starve."
As they finished their coffee Abel's vid-com pinged. It was the Chairman.
"Abel," said the Chairman. "Seems we may have a lead on Arne Thorgaut our coup leader and murder."
"Good," replied Abel. "Where is he?"
"I am not sure where he is now, but I am certain as to where he was two days ago. We were getting ready to transfer that alien anti-matter containment vessel out to an old abandoned mining station in the N45 ring and the crew we sent out to check the site found that it had been occupied recently. We found seven DNA traces and one was that of Thorgaut. We suspect that they were listening to the mid-day news and learned that the anti-matter tests were about to intrude on their hiding place so they ran."
"Any idea of where they went?"
"Not at this time. But some of the constabulary are working hard to try to track them down. But, there are a lot of places to hide in our system."
Abel thought a moment. "Thanks Bjorn, keep me informed and I will see you at the memorial." Abel terminated the line and looked at Farn. She had overheard the conversation and Abel could see that she was still worried about the disappearance of Thorgaut and his murdering crew. However catching Arne was now the constabulary's responsibility and Abel had a navy to build.
Abel stood as did Silvi and Farn. Milli Nolo waved as they left the diner and headed in toward the Habitat. Abel had an evening committee meeting and Silvi and Farn had been called upon by the new Naval Department of the Collegium to describe their recent voyages to a gathering of students. As they entered the complex airlocks and hatches separating the Public Dock from the Habitat proper they heard the explosion.
The bomb was crude and set to a timer later analysis would reveal. However it was effective in creating fear, confusion and death as Nolo's Diner was destroyed in the blast. Seven citizens died including Millicent Nolo.
The spectre of Arne Thorgaut had returned to the Commonwealth.
...
Jamon System - Chairman's Office - Year 3247. November 18 ET: 21:45
"Yes Abel. I understand the limitations of the Navy, but we need your help. I simply do not have enough police officers to deal with this attack." The Chairman's voice trembled as he spoke trying to convince Abel to assign armed OCN crew to every bit of important infrastructure as well as every park, concert hall, classroom, and hatch in the community.
Abel responded. "Bjorn, I don't have enough people. To cover our entire community would require thousands and we don't have them. Arne and his thugs are determined to overthrow our system and replace it with some kind of madman's wet dream. He knows the Habitat and it will take only moments to find a gathering place or critical element of our infrastructure that is unguarded and then he will attack again. We would be fools to think we can cover everything."
"But we must do something. I can't just stand here and let this happen again, and both you and I know Arne will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Nothing."
Abel paused seeing that no amount of assurance could satisfy the Chairman in these hours following the attack on the Public Dock and the deaths of seven.
As the Chairman sat at his desk in frustration Abel spoke.
"Our greatest resource in protecting our infrastructure and people is our people themselves. We must become self-reliant in our protection and not rely upon others to spot a potential attack. I understand that the package left under the table at Nolo's was non-descript and was ignored, but we simply must change our ways. Anyone of a dozen people, including myself, saw that package and did nothing. This has to change."
The Chairman shook his head in disgust and Abel continued, "However the only real solution before this stops, and Bjorn it will continue, is to capture Arne Thorgaut and his thugs. Actually I suspect that if we only capture Arne his thugs will simply fade away given that once he has been eliminated his promises of wealth, power, and prestige will go with him. As I remember Arne saying once, 'if you cut the head off the snake the coup will die.' No. The answer to this problem is to catch the bastard and bring him to justice. As long as he remains free we will be in danger and he will attack us at every opportunity. No amount of street patrols or guarded infrastructure will stop him. Only the hangman's noose will put an end to this."
The Chairman placed his elbows on his ancient wooden desk and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know Abel. The Assembly will demand we do something, even something that is self defeating. We need to get out front on this to keep it from descending into madness."
Abel replied, "Bjorn, Arne wants us to become a police state. He wants the OCN and myself to eventually be seen as oppressors. The whole purpose of the bomb at Nolo's was to make us react in such a way that we build resentment among the people. I read somewhere that an ancient philosopher once said, 'Those who would give up Liberty, to purchase Safety, get neither Liberty nor Safety'. This is what Arne wants. An authoritarian state plays directly into his hands. I can see him proclaiming that he wants to restore freedoms and democracy at some point in future if we overplay our hands. And Bjorn, all authoritarian states end up overplaying their hands."
"Why Nolo's?" asked Bjorn. "Why Milli and the diners of all people? You would think a bomb here in civic center might be interpreted as more of an attack on our government and institutions. Why the diner?"
Abel thought a moment. "Two reasons Bjorn. First he wants to scare people into thinking nowhere is safe; even the diner. An attack on the Civic Center would well be seen as an attack on the government, but not an attack on innocent citizens. After all most folks can simply avoid government offices. No, he had to strike at the innocents to get his message across that without a police state we cannot assure the safety of our people."
Bjorn looked up, "And the second reason?"
"The bomb was intended for me. Arne's hatred has always been focused on me as the one responsible for building the
fleet and for preventing his coup d'état. I think he believes if I am out of the way then he can move in freedom to take more actions. What he does not realize is that the OCN is now too large to be destroyed by killing me. Others, very capable others, who are dedicated to the Commonwealth would simply take my place. Bjorn, Arne Thorgaut is simply insane. That's why this situation will undoubtedly get worse until we capture him and send him to the gallows."
"But we need to do something, otherwise we will be seen a weak."
Abel looked long and hard at Chairman Haverson before replying. "Bjorn we are weak. All democracies are weak in the face of terror. That is our fate. But let us not forget democracy is our strength. We argue, we politic, we debate, and then we decide, we unify, and get on with life. A democracy like ours actually runs on the consent of the minority. Think about it."
"The consent of the minority?"
"Indeed. If a law is passed by a majority, lets say 51% and the minority refuses to accept the law and either ignores it or protests the law as unfair who wins? Who wins if there is no unity following a decision? No one, certainly not the majority. No, for democracy to work the minority must accept majority rule or chaos will result. Now Arne is not a minority. I doubt that his support is any greater than the six thugs that follow him. Arne is a criminal." Abel paused and then continued.
"But this philosophical discussion will not get us the result we need. We need to catch Arne. Now, as for some actions people will understand and adopt, lets do the following. First we post wanted pictures of Arne everywhere even though everyone knows him. Second our DNA work has revealed the identities of the thugs who supported him. Let's post pictures of them as well. And we offer a reward, a large reward. Now, I doubt that the offering of a reward to our citizens will really have any increased motivational effect, but it will make Arne nervous. He will begin to worry about one of his thugs turning him in to become rich. So let's play off that idea. Let's publicly announce leniency to whichever thug comes forward first to let us capture Arne. Let's offer a very large reward to the thug who turns him in. I doubt it will work, but it will certainly slow Arne down as he thinks and worries about betrayal. Arne, as our former Judicar, fully understands how easily criminals turn 'states evidence' to save themselves. Lets use that knowledge to our benefit."
