Harris opened a comm. "Bot fleet, I know you're just bots, but I wanted to say congratulations on a job well done. We managed that whole fight without losses."
"Thank you, sir. We do appreciate the recognition and praise."
The group gathered in the supply hut.
Sharvie asked, "Can we check the Gondol stone now? Nobody is there."
Harris chuckled. "Sorry, we have a war to fight. And before you ask, no. The rest of you can't go out there while we're off fighting. We need to have the support right here in case we need you."
An image of Alex came up on the wall display. "Congratulations on a job well done, Harris. I would call that a full victory."
"Just a victory, Alex. Those Ratoons will live to fight another day."
"I see. I have an update for you from Rumanta. More than a hundred of the Dulon ships are on the surface. The rest of their fleet remains in high orbit above the Denzee encampment. It may be possible to send our bot fleet, as you call it, to the surface for another melee. Their fleet in space remains in tight formation, leaving a blind spot coming into the far side of the planet."
Harris nodded. "What if we just sent in a single ship?"
Tawn asked, "What are you suggesting?"
"We drop in a Banshee. We should have a new one tomorrow. That Banshee just stays in atmosphere and kills anything that comes down. Their weak plasma weapons won't hurt it. We could possibly keep them from building a colony there. Might even convince them to leave."
Tawn half scowled. "To leave? More likely to go and attack a new colony."
"I see this as an opportunity while they've left a door open for us. Doubtful we'll get a ship down to the surface after this one. They'll plug that hole in their defenses."
Harris opened a comm. "B2, we have a new mission for you. You'll be escorted out of Midelon space, where you'll make a jump to Rumanta. From there you'll follow a path to the planet and down to the surface. Alex will be sending you that path. Once down, you'll destroy anything and everything Denzee while remaining in-atmosphere and away from any Ratoons firing their superweapon. Once the destruction is complete, you will remain on-planet until directed to do otherwise. Understood?"
"Yes, sir. Awaiting transport to non-Midelon space."
Harris turned. "Gandy? Want to take it out?"
"I can."
"Make sure to replenish the tungsten store before leaving. Alex, can you provide B2 with a path for its mission?"
"I can."
Harris shook his head. "Alex, provide B2 with the necessary data please."
Ten minutes later, Gandy, with Farker aboard, was ripping through the Midelon sky in the shuttle as the bot Banshee, B2, followed after. Twenty-four minutes later, a live feed came in from the bot.
"Dulons will be within range in ninety seconds."
The group watched on the display wall as the single Banshee fighter closed on its targets. Five Ratoons were dispatched from the main fleet to deal with the attacker. Dozens of Dulons began to lift from the surface as the Banshee opened up with its single railgun.
Gandy raised a fist in triumph, "Yes!" as the first of the Denzee Dulons split in half, both pieces falling hard back to the surface.
Within seconds, a third of the fleeing ships were breaking apart, spewing smoke and flame, and plummeting to what would be their final resting places on Rumanta. As the others reached the atmosphere, the Banshee turned its rain of tungsten fire on a new set that were beginning to lift off. Of the new group of fifteen, two made it to orbit, while the others fell back under the loss of propulsion and the pull of gravity.
The Ratoons entered the fight only to be badly beaten by the hypervelocity pellets coming from the lone Banshee attacker. As they too turned away, the Banshee unleashed its wrath on the remaining ships on the ground. Denzee workers could be seen scurrying about as the ships they attempted to board were pummeled, smashed, and utterly shredded.
Fifteen minutes after it had begun, the Banshee pulled to a stop, sending out the occasional round in an effort to terminate any movement on the planet's surface. The whole of Rumanta, excluding the space surrounding it, was now under B2's control.
Harris nodded with a smile. "Now that was satisfying. Alex, I take back everything bad I've ever said about your bots."
"Thank you, Harris."
The others chimed in with their own praise.
Alex replaced the Banshee's image on the display wall. "With this confirmation of the AI's abilities, I've decided to enable their access to Midelon space. Each of these processing units has been granted access. You will no longer require Farker for each and every trip through Midelon space."
Tawn asked, "You’re telling us these bots can come and go as they please?"
"No, the original assistants, and the workers that have come after, remain under your control. What this enabling means is that instead of Farker, you may use one or more of these units to come and go. On future missions, Gandy will not be required to escort these ships out of Midelon space."
Harris nodded. "Good to know, Alex. Does this mean we're also closer to gaining access to whatever the next level in that bunker is?"
"Closer? Yes. How close? I am not at liberty to say. Continued interaction with your assistants is still required."
"We don't have time to interact with them. If you haven't noticed, we're trying to fight a war here."
"I am aware of the situation, Harris. Perhaps now that these units can be used for Midelon transportation, you will take them with you more often. I would believe time on a ship would be an excellent time to converse, bringing each of you closer to the next level."
The image on the display wall switched back to Rumanta and B2. "Sir, we have a Vaaka approaching. Do my mission parameters remain in place?"
"Sure. If it enters the atmosphere, give it a beating. I’d like to see how it holds up as compared to the Ratoon. Sharvie? Were you able to make any progress toward breaking into their systems?"
"None. They've started making very quick adjustments, countering everything we've tried."
"No good tips from your friends?"
"They aren't even involved now. The bots are way faster at decision making. My friends can't even protect themselves from the bots anymore."
Seconds later, the Banshee began firing at the approaching megaship. External damage showed, but nothing breached its hull. The onslaught of tungsten was followed seconds later with the launch of several hundred hypervelocity missiles. B2 moved, swerved, and ducked up and down, but was no match for the missiles’ seeking heads or the explosive payloads they delivered.
A mass of fire and debris saw the single unit hull punched full of holes, and the Banshee fighter plummeted to the ground. Before reaching the surface, a bright flash vaporized the small craft, so no investigation of its makeup and systems could follow.
Gandy looked down at the floor. "And just that fast we're back to one."
The Dulons that had fled to space began to return. In the span of twenty minutes, a flood of Denzee workers were moving about. The image on the wall went blank.
Harris asked, "Alex? What just happened?"
"Our comm ship was compromised and has been shut down. You will have to take the Hailstorm up to retrieve it for a complete reload if its software. An intrusion attempt was successfully countered by the Denzee, momentarily taking control of the ship."
"Will we be able to prevent this counterattack in the future? We need those comms open for scans so we know what's going on out there."
"That determination can only be made after a complete evaluation."
Harris stood. "OK, we'll get on it. Gandy, sounds like a mission for you."
Tawn said, "Grab me a meal while you're over there."
"Not going for a meal."
"Where you going then?"
"Out to Eden to check on the status of our supplies."
"Not time yet."
"I plan on talking with Bax about the attacks we just completed. If the Ea
rthers can make it to the surface of any planet they're trying to defend, they have a chance of protecting it—excluding the Vaaka ships of course. I thought it would be good for them to know."
"Want me to ship-sit again?"
"Not necessary. I'll take Idiot with me. If the supplies are there, I'll hop back and grab the Hailstorm, once Alex is done with the upgrades."
"Well, could you at least grab me a meal from over there while you're up?"
Harris chuckled. "Sure."
Two meals were pulled. One was handed off.
Tawn asked, "What are you doing with that one?"
"I've got twenty to twenty-five minutes to kill on the ride out. Might as well make use of the time."
It wasn’t long before Harris walked into Baxter Rumford's office. "Got my supplies?"
"You really messed things up."
"What? What'd I do?"
"The emperor had a deal worked out with the Denzee. They sent in a new more powerful queen. She asked that they be given Rumanta and Jellon, both of which were abandoned, for a period of six months. After that, they would pull up and leave this sector. The queen above her said the losses to the Humans were unacceptable."
"Leave to where?"
"Who cares? In six months our problems with the Denzee would have been over."
"And the emperor believed them?"
"He did, and they were willing to sign a deal, in person, leaving from all Human space in six month's time."
Harris shook his head. "I thought your emperor was a fairly smart guy, but this is insane. He's an insane moron."
Bax stood with an angry face. "I can't have you insulting him right here in my office!"
"Would you rather I went out into the hall? Look, they would no more honor any agreement than your emperor would. You let them get established and they will roll right over you."
"Doesn't matter now. They've declared war on all Humans. Including Domers. I hear your name is being bandied about for treason charges back at Congress. You supposedly attacked defenseless, peaceful workers on two planets."
"I attacked the aliens who have already killed millions of Humans! What is wrong with you people!"
Bax sat down. "Look, I'm just the messenger in all this. On the one hand, I don't trust the Denzee either. But on the other, give me six months and I can have this fleet up to a thousand ships. That force would be enough to take out their few hundred Ratoons."
"And what of their new ships? The Vaakas? You don't even know what weapons or defenses they have. What if one of those can take out a hundred of your destroyers?"
"We were told those are purely diplomatic vessels."
Harris laughed. "Again, insane! We just did battle with one that obliterated our ship after we cleaned house against their others. I came here today to tell you how you could defend against them. But it seems you're mad that we kicked them in the teeth. So if you'll point me at the supplies we were promised, I'll be on my way."
"Pfft. You think for a second the emperor is still interested in fulfilling that? You must be denser than I thought."
"Are the Denzee still camped at two of his worlds?"
"Yes."
"Then who's being dense? You need our help."
"I'm thinking it's time you left before the emperor gets word you're here. I'm probably already going to get slapped around for not arresting you. So consider my letting you go as a gracious gesture and hustle out that door."
Harris stood. "You people are dooming us all. Here, I'll leave you with the information I was going to give. Those Ratoons can't fire that main weapon in atmosphere. Use that to your advantage. Only fight their ships when in atmosphere and you might actually have a chance of keeping a few of your colonies."
"We were already fully aware of that little factoid. Remember, I was here with you when they tried to do us in? Fighting down at the surface has been our focus since that fact came to light. Now, as I said, scram, before you get grabbed out of this office or the hallway."
Harris shook his head as he headed out. The unhappy expressions by several Earthers on his way back toward the Bangor turned his slow walk into a heavy jog. Soldiers were moving about and pointing as he hopped up through the hatch and sat in the pilot's chair. The hatch closed and the small ship rocketed out into the extreme heat of the Eden day. Twenty-three minutes later, he was walking into the supply hut.
Tawn asked, "And?"
"And we're not getting any supplies."
"What happened? Delayed?"
"Canceled. It seems the moron emperor decided to negotiate with the Denzee. He was supposed to leave them alone on Rumanta and Jellon for six months, after which time they were supposed to leave Human space."
"What? Why would they do that? And where would they go?"
Harris shrugged. "Don't know, and don't believe they would be leaving. And to add to our burden of being the only ones willing to fight, the emperor told the Domers we trashed a negotiated peace with an unprovoked attack, killing innocent and defenseless Denzee workers. Congress is supposedly working up charges of treason, which is a capital offense. Looks like we won't be going home anytime soon."
"Who believes the Denzee would honor any such agreement? They spaced millions of our people! Those attacks were unprovoked and against innocent civilians!"
Tawn stood and began stomping around the supply hut.
Harris chuckled. "Wow. I think you're taking this worse than the emperor."
"I'm just fed up with the stupid decisions being made, that's all. We're out here trying to do the right thing and they're calling it treasonous? I can't wait to see what our people in Congress say when the first Domer colony is attacked and wiped out."
"They'll blame us. It's what they're getting set up to do right now."
Tawn sat. "That moment you needed before, to get a grip on reality, I need that moment now."
Harris chuckled again. "It helps. Take your time. The rest of you have any thoughts?"
Bannis said, "Don't make any difference to me. They already decided I was a criminal. At least I'm in good company."
Trish sat with her chin propped up on her hand. "Maybe I should have taken you up on that dating help offer while I had the chance."
Gandy looked longingly at Sharvie, who shyly turned away.
Harris said, "OK, look, our lives aren't over. We have a mission: save humanity. That hasn't changed. So what if everyone hates us? One day we'll be looked upon as heroes. And in the meantime, we know we're the true heroes here. We've risked our lives repeatedly for free Humans. And we'll continue to do so."
"So what do we do now?" Trish asked.
Harris stood. "We go back out to the truce worlds and scavenge for the materials we need. We have Banshees to build."
Gandy stood. "We should take the Hailstorm and a dozen bots and go out to Gondol. There's a dozen crashed Denzee ships out there. I say we pick them clean while we have the chance."
"And we could look at the Gondol stone," said Sharvie. "If no one is there, it should be safe to do so."
Harris looked at a dejected Tawn. "You up for a run to Gondol?"
"Sure, why not."
"Just think about it like this: if we can salvage enough material from those downed ships, we can build our own fleet of a thousand automated Banshees. The Denzee, nor New Earth, nor Domicile, would be able to stand up to it."
"So we're taking over this whole section of the galaxy now?"
Harris chuckled. "You have a better plan?"
— Chapter 15 —
* * *
The enhancements to the Hailstorm were complete. Supplies were loaded and the entire fleet flown out to Gondol, along with two dozen of the thirty-two bot workers that were now available for use.
Harris stepped out onto the ground. "Alex, you still connected?"
"I am."
"Can you scan for the materials we need and assign bots to salvage it in the most time-optimal way? And make a list for us lowly Humans to grab as well."
"A list should be available on your comms. The workers have their assignments."
Harris nodded. "Alex, I ever tell you I was fond of you?"
"No Harris, you haven't."
"Well, I am. On occasion anyway."
Tawn said, "You gonna play footsies with the AI or you gonna help us with this salvage?"
"How would you play footsies with an AI?"
"I wouldn't. What you were just doing though, that would be an example."
Plates were removed and pieces picked from the debris on the ground. The autonomous ships hovered just above, two taking positions out near free space where any wormholes opening could be detected as soon as they formed. Five hours into their efforts, the docking bays of the Hailstorm were full.
A jump back to Midelon saw the bays unloaded. MREs were taken and eaten on the ride back out.
Upon arrival, Harris rolled his eyes. "Earthers... what are they doing here?"
Tawn shook her head. "Are you kidding? That's a treasure trove of Denzee parts down there. Surprised they don't have more ships out here already."
"Alex, can you give an analysis of what we got on that first load? How many Banshees can we make from that?"
"The debris we harvested has the potential to make another twelve Banshee vessels, minus the drive systems."
"What? Minus the drives? Are there parts still down there that would enable us to build drives?"
"Yes."
"And you didn't think to include those parts in our initial pickup?"
"You asked for an optimal task list. You did not qualify complete Banshees as being a requirement."
"You know what I said earlier about being fond of you?"
"Yes."
"Well, forget it. You're nothing more than an artificial half-wit."
"Does calling me that make you feel better, Harris?"
"It does."
"Then you can thank me later."
Tawn chuckled. "OK. Footsies again. Alex, can you identify what parts we need to grab from down there that will allow us to complete those dozen Banshees? And give me a time estimate of how long we would need to grab those parts."
ARMS Beckland's Fall: (Book 5) Page 13
