The Earther-built Banshees were the first to enter the fight. As had happened during prior assaults, two were caught by direct beam fire from the Denzee superweapon and vaporized in an instant. From that point on, the Denzee warships failed to perform.
Harris raced for the nearest ship, not coming within firing range before the great warship was taken offline. A Half dozen Banshees, along with a Legion, fired repeated rounds into the same spot until the hull failed. That same scenario was repeated for all twenty Ratoons over the span of sixteen minutes.
Dulons attempting to flee the battlefield, spaced the collected colonists before being chased down and destroyed. A bioscan of the colony below told of no bios remaining. Half a million Earther colonists had been exterminated, another entire colony executed. A dejected crew on the Bangor flew to free space, where a jump was made home. The trio walked into the supply hut.
Gandy asked, "Why didn't you answer our comm?"
Tawn replied, "We all needed a few minutes of silence. They spaced close to a half million colonists. We took out thirty-two of the thirty-six Ratoons, and all twenty-six Dulons. Lost two of the Earther Banshees."
Harris sat. "Alex, open a comm to the emperor."
An image appeared on the wall display. "You have news?"
"We made use of the first ten hulls you sent us. Two were lost, but not before we kicked the Denzee out of Banton space. Unfortunately, we were too late for the colonists."
"All of them?"
"All of them. They must have just finished loading them up, because they dumped them into space as they attempted to run. We caught the Denzee responsible. They won't do it again."
Tawn said, "We're hoping this sends a strong signal that will slow them down. The more hulls you can send us, the better we can fight. So keep them coming."
"I'm told we will have the next dozen ready in two days."
"Oh," Harris said, "and just so you know, we figured out your little built-in failsafe."
Tawn punched him in the arm.
A startled Harris turned to face her. "Ow. What was that for?"
Tawn scowled. "You just told him we know, you moron."
"He had to know we'd find that. Was pretty obvious."
"Well, instead of wondering if we knew or not, now he knows."
The emperor said, "I always try to take precautions where they are warranted. Given our history with the two of you, I would say I was only being prudent. And thank you for the news about Banton. I look forward to more such reports as the Denzee are pushed from our space or annihilated."
As they awaited the next shipment of Banshee hulls, a comm was placed through to the colonel. "Gruberg… I've managed to make contact with Bannis Morgan. They're keeping a close watch on him."
"And let me guess, with their latest deal with the Denzee, all ship production has again been put on hold?"
"Yes and no. The president has given the go-ahead for factories to be brought up to pre-production levels. If the Denzee again flip on us, he wants to be turning out ships as soon as possible. He's also toying with the idea of retrofitting the current fleet with the new tech he received from you. His pacifist underlings are currently winning that battle, claiming the funds just aren't there to support it."
"Sounds like they're at least making use of him. I'd say we could use him here, but the work he did organizing this place has left us all sitting on the sidelines while the bots do all the heavy lifting. We're only a couple days away from turning out three Banshees a day. All while most of us just sit here on our bums."
"How's Rumford working out?"
"She gave us the information we needed to stop the Earthers. Leaves her mostly along for the ride now. Oh, and we just kicked the crap out of the Denzee at the Banton colony. Not before they killed everyone, but we did manage to kill thirty-two Ratoons in the process. If the Earthers can survive a few more weeks, and if they keep giving us hulls, we might actually be able to turn this thing around."
"That would be the fight for Jellon?"
"They're now producing ships there. If we can stop that, their numbers will begin to shrink with every fight. Of course, we're waiting for the emperor to make another deal and for the Banshee hulls to never get delivered. We're like this bad smell in his plans that he just can't seem to get rid of."
The colonel sat back in his chair. "There's once again talk of pulling us back into service."
"I thought the pacifists wanted nothing to do with the warmongers?"
"I think the episode at Clark put a good scare into the president. He's asked what it would take to get us back into a training program, just so we're ready if the need arises."
"This isn't a ground war. I hate to say it, Colonel, but other than as pilots, we're kind of obsolete. The Denzee don't even bother to put troops on the ground unless they're putting up one of those buildings. And it's not like we have any interest in capturing those. We just want to knock them down. You and I were built for land wars."
"Just the same, the president is evaluating a training program. My DDI contact told me there’s talk of us being equally divided among the colonies. If an attack on any colony were to come, we would resist the gathering up of colonists."
Harris shook his head. "You and I both know that wouldn't work. We'd be wiped out before taking out more than a handful of Denzee. This isn't like the Great War, where ships only fought ships and troops fought troops. The president would be sending you out to die with absolutely no benefit to be had from it."
"Not true. He would have another piece of the military apparatus done away with. And in the meantime he scores points with the colonists by showing he's trying to protect them."
Harris sighed. "Let's just hope this doesn't happen, Colonel. It would be disastrous for us."
The comm was closed. Over the week that followed, two dozen Banshee hulls were delivered. Another fifteen were added from Midelon's own production. Once integration and testing was complete, the Banshee force stood at fifty-six.
Tawn stood in the grass with Harris and Bax beside her, looking over the growing fleet. "Can't believe this is finally coming together. This time next week we'll have over a hundred ships sitting there. That's a fleet we can attack Jellon with."
Bax said, "I have to give you credit. This whole operation is something I would never have guessed could come from the two of you."
"Despite what you think," Tawn replied, "we aren't dumb. What we might lack in the social graces we make up for with determination. And we know how to surround ourselves with capable people."
"I hope you aren't referencing your three teen monkeys in there. You could have pulled any three their age off the street and done as well."
Tawn growled. "Those three have stepped up when they didn't have to. And the Bolemans have been indispensable as ship mechanics. Sharvie has largely kept us from being hacked and overtaken from within. So I wouldn't discount the contribution of any of them. Now, let's flip that coin and talk about Bax… aiding and abetting the enemy to make her millions."
"Look, I know you loathe me. All I ask is that you keep in mind that what’s on the surface doesn't always tell you what's within."
"So there's more dark, nasty, traitorous secrets in there?"
Bax grinned. "Maybe."
Harris turned to the others. "I've been thinking… the access building we constructed on Gondol, it's secure from those hurricanes. Maybe with our free time right now we should go down and check the place out. We know what the structure is, but will don't know anything about those who built it. Anyone up for an adventure?"
Tawn nodded. "Might be a good use of our time. If there’s anything of use there, we want to be the first to have it."
"I'll let the others know of our plans. Can I guess you aren't planning to take them with us?"
"No. We need them here to keep things moving."
"They'll be mad."
"Comes with the territory. They can be mad all they want. Doesn't change the fact they're needed here
to keep an eye on all this."
Bax asked, "Can I assume I'll be allowed to go?"
Harris nodded. "Can't leave you here. You'd probably fly in the emperor and a thousand troops to take the place over."
"Glad to know what level of trust I have built up with the two of you."
Harris gestured toward the Hailstorm. "We're taking the big boy. We’ll need it for blocking the wind."
"Not necessarily," said Tawn. "Alex? Scan Gondol for us and tell us when the weather patterns are optimum for us to be able to go down to the surface and get into that complex."
"One moment... the current hurricane in that area has shifted to the west. The winds at the stone have slowed to a hundred forty-seven kilometers per hour and should remain at that velocity for the next half day. This might be a good time to explore. The Hailstorm will easily be adequate for entry and exit from the stairwell."
A comm was made to the others with protests over not being allowed to go coming from all three. The Hailstorm lifted off and was soon out in free space. A jump through to Gondol, followed by a short run, had the armored fighting freighter hovering just above the surface at the Gondol Stone.
A bot said, "Positioning for entry, be careful. Gusting winds could push you from the ramp."
Harris walked toward the gravity wall; the others followed.
A bot voice came from behind them. "I am sorry, sir. The doorway appears to be blocked with debris. Shall I send out a team to clear the way?"
Harris nodded. "Please. And if more should pile up while we're down there, please keep it cleared away."
Tawn asked, "Debris? What kind of debris?"
"Mud, ma'am."
Ten minutes of bots working with makeshift shovels saw the entrance cleared and the heavily armored door opened. Tawn, Harris, and Bax made their way down the ramp and into the small room over the opening to the stairwell.
A bot said, "One moment, sir. We're constructing a ladder to cover the two missing sets of stairs."
Harris scowled. "You work on the stairs while we make our way down. Don't want to be here any longer than we have to."
The hundred-six-kilogram Biomarine dropped down through the hole, landing hard on the stairs two floors below. Tawn shrugged and followed.
Bax stood with her hands on her hips. "That's a bit far for me."
Harris looked up. "Bots, take her by her hands and lower her as far as you can. When she says she's ready, let her drop."
A scowling Bax was lowered over the edge. "Hey, get me out from over that center! Hang me above that platform they're on, you morons!"
Harris chuckled. "You think calling them names while they have you in that position is a smart thing to do? They're actually intelligent, you know."
"They also have orders to not harm us."
Tawn shrugged. "They have been known to make mistakes."
"OK. You two aren't helping. Just get me over that base and you can let me go."
The grimacing redhead was dropped to the platform where Tawn and Harris were standing. After glancing over her back, down into the abyss, she moved closer to the wall.
Harris looked up. "Get our ladder in place, keep that doorway clear, and watch for any unwanted visitors from above. We'll comm when we're coming back up."
The trek down to the control room took twenty-five minutes.
Harris was the first in. "Welcome to hurricane central."
Bax asked, "That the alien over there?"
"Yep."
"Doesn't look like much."
"Just like the rest of us—wrap yourself in a powerful starship and your size is irrelevant."
Tawn was the first to move into the drum room. "If there's something to see, it has to be this way."
Harris asked, "Have you taken a look at the data the colonel got us on the Beckland complex? I would think this one is probably laid out the same."
Tawn stopped. "W66, you have a data map of the Beckland facility. Assuming this is the same, which direction should we explore if we're looking for more rooms?"
"Proceed east for half a kilometer, turn right or left. Each tunnel will take you out twelve kilometers. The remains of the explored map show a circular hallway that rings the components for this particular hurricane generator. If you turn right in the circular hall, you will eventually come to a hall on your left. That hall will lead fifteen hundred kilometers down a tunnel to the next generator."
"That's a lot farther than I was thinking. Would take us days to get there."
Harris replied, "We should be able to find whatever we need right here at this one. The other ninety-five generators should be the same. So let's get walking."
"Comm signal is already getting weak."
"We'll be out of touch with the surface. If one of us stays here, we can pass that link through."
Bax gave a dejected look as both Bios stared at her. "I guess that means I'm staying here. Great. Enjoy your exploring."
Harris turned toward the back of the drum room and began to walk. "We'll let you know if we find anything interesting."
Tawn glanced over her shoulder as they reached fifty meters away. "She doesn't look happy."
Harris chuckled. "I was just about to tell the bots to send down a comm probe. With it sitting there on the floor where she is, we would have continued coverage."
"What if we need her?"
Harris laughed. "Please. You and I can easily handle whatever comes our way."
"We're in an alien facility. We don't know what's coming our way."
"We're three kilometers underground, on an uninhabited planet, and we're the first ones to set foot in here in two thousand years. I'm not seeing much danger in being here, other than the possibility of this place collapsing maybe."
The walk continued for a half hour before they reached the circular hallway.
"Bax?" Harris said.
"I'm still here."
"Still have contact with the surface?"
"Yes. You have anything to talk about yet?"
"No. Just got to the circular hall. How's our comm strength showing on your end?"
"The same as on yours, moron. We're at 62 percent optimal. We should have clear comm down to about ten. You can keep moving."
"Comm up to the ship. Have one of the bots bring down a few comm probes. We'll position them as needed to keep up a strong link."
Bax was quiet for several seconds. "Is there a reason we didn't do this to start with?"
Harris chuckled. "I thought you could use the alone time."
"You're warped, you know that?"
Tawn replied, "I've known that for years now. When the bots get there, activate a probe, set it on the ground, and come on back. You'll have to jog if you want to catch us. Bear to the right at the hallways going out of that room. When you reach the next hall, continue to the right again, and drop another probe at that point."
— Chapter 5 —
* * *
Most of a minute passed before Bax came back on the comm. "Bots said they'd be down in about ten minutes, bringing eight of the probes in a satchel. When they get here I'll be on my way."
Harris said, "We're coming up on a big room to our right that we'll be going into. Let us know if the status of anything changes. Oh, and have the bots comm Midelon and tell the others we're inside and just poking around."
"How thoughtful."
"Yeah, that's what all the ladies say."
Tawn shook her head. "Now you're just gonna confuse her."
Harris turned the corner. The ceiling of the new room rose up a hundred fifty meters. Heat could be felt coming from giant ovens. They ran a scan of a nearby oven.
"This tube is feeding carbon… this one oxygen… and this one hydrogen."
Tawn nodded. "This would be where those plumes of superheated CO2 are coming from. They have plenty of water above for the hydrogen and oxygen. That carbon has to be coming from storage."
Harris typed away on his arm pad. "That has to be an immense store if this ov
en is intended to run for any length of time. Domicile has about 3 trillion tonnes of CO2. This planet is smaller by at least a third. That's still huge."
Tawn chuckled. "Well, aren't you Mr. Scientist."
"Hey, just giving out the facts."
Tawn counted as she pointed. "Sixteen of those ovens in this room. I want to say there were sixteen of those plumes up top, each with sixteen feeds. That's two hundred fifty-six ovens per hurricane, or close to twenty-five thousand ovens."
Harris stared. "Who’s the scientist now?"
"Come on, let's keep moving. And keep an eye out for any consoles or writing. We need them for the translation algorithms."
Harris stopped and pointed. "Consoles like that one?"
"Excellent. Let's see what we've got."
The Biomarines stood over the small bench, imaging and then studying the symbols on the buttons and dials.
Harris pointed. "Those look similar to that main station. I have to wonder what this big blue button is."
Before Tawn could comment, Harris reached over, depressing the button until a click sound was heard.
"Why do you keep doing that? Who knows what that does?"
An holo-image appeared beside the console of an alien similar in size to the one found in the main console room.
Harris said, "Uh… hi?"
The image replied in gibberish.
Harris chuckled. "OK, I guess I should have expected that."
Tawn rolled her eyes. "Move over imbecile. You, are you a help avatar?"
Harris laughed. "Why would it understand you and not me? Who's the imbecile now?"
"Hush. We are Human. You are?"
The image again responded with an unintelligible language.
Harris crossed his arms. "Must be some kind of girl-speak."
Tawn smacked him on the arm. "Would you shut up. I can barely hear it over those ovens as it is."
Tawn pointed to herself and then Harris. "We are Humans."
Harris chuckled. Tawn again smacked at her partner.
"Keep quiet before I have to clock you."
The image said, "Before…"
Harris pointed at Tawn. "Before." Then himself. "After."
ARMS Domers Unite: (Book 6) Page 4
