by G. P. Hudson
“Please let him know we’re all thinking of him.”
“I’ll pass that on to him. Now, let’s get down to business, shall we? I understand that plans were made to attack the Kemmar while I was gone. Care to fill me in?”
General Calledonius cleared his throat. “Yes, Admiral. We had decided that rather than moving only on Telepylos, that we should launch a two-pronged assault on Kemmar space. The goal would be not only to push them out of Telepylos, but to also dislodge them from Otan space. Doing so would provide us with a buffer, offering some protection for our planets-”
“Stop right there, General,” said Jon. Calledonius frowned, clearly unused to being interrupted. “Can you explain why you chose to act independently?”
“We didn’t act independently. The Chaanisar were with us,” Calledonius said defiantly.
“The Chaanisar belong to the UHSF, as do the colonial forces. My problem is that you chose to launch a major attack against the Kemmar without the Diakans. Our allies.”
“We don’t need the Diakans to deal with the Kemmar.” Calledonius was really digging his heels in.
“Really? Did you forget that the Kemmar are now allied with the Juttari? What if you encountered a combined fleet? Or worse, what if one attacked the colonies while your forces were divided on two fronts? Do you know what would happen then? I’ll tell you. You would all become Kemmar slaves. That’s what. So save me all your chest pounding about how you can handle the Kemmar on your own.”
Calledonius glared at Jon, his face turning beet red. For a moment, Jon thought the old man might be having a stroke. Wisely, the old warrior chose to remain silent.
“Now, I know Dathos turned out to be a traitor,” Jon continued. “But we are an alliance. Our unity is our strength. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Admiral,” murmured Calledonius.
“I didn’t hear you.”
“Yes, Admiral!”
Jon looked at each General on the wallscreen one by one. None seemed pleased with Jon brow beating Calledonius, but they would have to get over it. “You all agreed to join my alliance. You agreed to be part of the UHSF. In return you’ve received protection, and advanced technology. Perhaps you would’ve preferred to remain Kemmar slaves?”
“We are all aware of the commitments we have made, Admiral,” said Sallas, trying to help Calledonius save face. “We are all grateful for everything you’ve done for us.”
Jon nodded, deciding he had flexed enough. “Besides, that buffer is not enough.”
“I don’t understand,” said Sallas.
“The buffer you were tying to create with the Kemmar. It is simply not enough. Their jump system puts the Kemmar within reach of any target in the colonies, at any time.”
“But Admiral, we cannot just wait around for the next Kemmar attack,” said Calledonius, regaining some of his composure. “We have to take the offensive, or we are lost. Even with the jump system, the Kemmar are constantly testing our border. We must push them back.”
“I know,” said Jon. “And I agree with you. I believe we should invade the Kemmar Empire, just as you suggest. I want to point out, however, that the buffer alone will not protect colonial worlds. The jump system’s range is too great. But, I know what can.”
Jon went on to explain Singh’s new discoveries to Sallas and the Generals. “Jumpspace recognition technology is currently being integrated with Earth’s planetary defense systems. Soon, all planets in the colonies will have the technology. Jumpspace transponders will be dispersed to all warships, identifying each as friendly. This will secure our planets.”
“Admiral, this information is extraordinary,” said Sallas.
“What about the jump bombs you mentioned?” said Calledonius. “When can we expect them?”
“Once all our planets are secure, we’ll arm our ships with jump weapons. Every single ship in the fleet will possess jumpspace recognition systems, and jump weapons. This will give us an enormous advantage. An advantage we will use to invade and destroy both the Kemmar and Juttari Empires once and for all.”
Chapter 40
“The upgrades are taking too long,” General Calledonius complained, as he paced back and forth in Sallas’s office. Several weeks had passed since Admiral Pike’s return. During that time engineering crews had been busy installing the jumpspace recognition systems throughout the colonies. Amboss Prime’s planetary defense system had only recently been upgraded to include the new technology, but the process seemed to be moving slowly.
“General, I’m sure you can appreciate the need for secrecy,” said Governor Sallas, leaning back in his chair. “The last thing we need is for the Kemmar, or Juttari to gain access to this technology.”
Calledonius stopped, turning to face Sallas. “I am not suggesting otherwise. But I have trustworthy, capable people who can be trained to do the installations. So far, only a handful of our people have been trained. Our own colonial teams should be dealing with our needs.”
“General, need I remind you again that we are no longer separate entities? We cannot think of the colonies as apart from Sol, or the rest of the Alliance, no more than we can think of a colonial world as being separate from the rest,” said Sallas.
In truth, he felt the same as General Calledonius. He did not know how long this alliance would last. He wanted to ensure the colonies came out stronger, and more prosperous. In the end, he was a practical man, and that practicality made him think of the colonies first, just as he would always think of New Byzantium first.
Neither men could change a lifetime of conditioning overnight. But, as Governor, he had to think of the colonies as a whole, and as members of the Alliance. Despite his feelings, he would not violate that responsibility.
“No, Governor, you do not need to remind me,” said Calledonius, frowning. “Am I not wearing a UHSF uniform?” He raised his hands to emphasize the crisp, navy blue uniform of the UHSF. “I’m an old soldier, and I follow orders. But I am free to point out that something isn’t practical. And if there is a problem with these systems, for example? Will we have to wait for someone from Sol to come and address it? These are important questions that need to be answered.”
“I agree with you, General. Have you brought up your concerns with Admiral Pike?”
“I have, and he assured me that local crews would be trained in the technology.”
“There you go. You will have your crews.”
“Yes, but when? We need them now.”
“I’m sure you’ll get them soon enough. In truth, I understand Admiral Pike. It was a huge blow when the Juttari gave the Kemmar jump technology. And the Juttari themselves stole the tech from Earth to begin with. Under such circumstances, a little paranoia goes a long way.”
“Yes, that is true.”
“I’m sure everything will work out for the best. Speaking of paranoia, what have the Kemmar been up to along our borders?”
“We’ve had no shortage of border skirmishes. The Kemmar are constantly probing our defenses, testing for weaknesses. That said, we regularly test them. There is constant fighting on the border, and a steady stream of casualties. At times, some of theses skirmishes have escalated into full scale battles. The borders have held. We have not lost nor gained ground.”
“This new technology will change everything.”
“Agreed. The main issue is in dealing with surprise attacks. As a result of the jump system, movements on either side are unpredictable. Our troops are in a constant state of high alert, and anxiety.”
“The jump bombs will only prove to exaggerate this,” said Sallas. “It’s a huge advantage, and you have to assume the enemy will eventually obtain the tech. They will build their own jump weapons. History has proven that no technological advancement stays secret for long. Especially not a military one. We can be certain that the Juttari are working on smaller jump systems as we speak. They will figure out how to build them and we’ll all be in a constant state of anxiety.”
Chap
ter 41
“Jumpspace recognition upgrades have been completed on all Diakan worlds,” said General Tallos, highlighting the affected planets on the holodisplay. “We are now moving to upgrade the defense systems of the remaining Galactic Accord systems.”
“Good,” said Jon, impressed at the speed and efficiency of the Diakan upgrades. If they were going to launch a major offensive, it was important that all systems be properly defended first. He switched orientation on the holodisplay to show the former Juttari regions of space now under their control. “Work has been completed on the Meybaris system, and the Widow’s Triangle. All our weapon systems, including the battle stations, have been updated-”
The door to the Operations Room slid open, and First Colonel Brock entered the room.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in sick bay, First Colonel?” said Jon.
Brock moved slowly, but steadily. “I assure you, Admiral, I am fit enough for duty.”
Jon, about to order Brock back to sick bay, thought better of it. The assassination attempt had brought the Chaanisar leader extremely close to death. Despite his augmentation, it was nothing short of a miracle that he survived. Nonetheless, the damage he suffered was widespread, and severe.
While the biobots were capable of treating his biological wounds, his damaged implants created serious complications. Microscopic engineering bots had to be employed, and even then, they required modifications to function inside a human body.
The combined use of biobots and engineering bots to treat the Chaanisar was a medical first. Biobots fought the infection, and even sepsis, that the engineering bots left in their wake, as they worked to repair the tiny mechanisms inside his body.
It was a precarious, and longer than normal recovery for First Colonel Brock. Looking at him now though, Jon could see that he was well on his way to recovery. And getting back to work was often the best way to speed things along.
“In that case, come over here and join us.” Jon waited patiently for Brock to approach the holodisplay. “I’ve already briefed you on the jumpspace recognition technology. General Tallos and I were just going over which systems had been upgraded.”
“I see,” said Brock, studying the three-dimensional galactic map. “These are the captured Juttari systems, are they not?”
“That’s correct. They have been upgraded with the technology, along with Earth, the Diakan worlds, and most of the colonies. I expect to have all colonial systems protected within a week.”
“And our ships?” said Brock.
“All UHSF and Diakan ships have been equipped with jumpspace transponders, and many have had the jumpspace recognition upgrades. Due to the existing technology on our warships, the upgrades are easier to perform. Chief Engineer Singh is almost finished work on a process to streamline the ship upgrades, and we expect that to significantly speed up the process.”
“That is encouraging,” said Brock.
Jon studied the Chaanisar. It was difficult to see him in this weakened state.
“The other matter we need to discuss is munitions. Mass production of the jump bombs is moving along steadily. We will be shipping out the weapons to our ships and planetary defense systems shortly. Soon, every ship in the fleet will be armed with the weapons. Then we can begin our offensive.”
Jon adjusted the holodisplay to show three regions of space. He selected the first, lighting it up. “This is Telepylos. The Kemmar and Juttari ambushed us with joint forces, taking over the system. We will take it back. But we will not stop there. The jump gate here connects Telepylos to the Kemmar Empire. We will use the gate to push into Kemmar territory.”
Jon touched another region of space on the holodisplay, highlighting it. “This was once Otan space, until the Kemmar invaded. We are going to open a second front against the Kemmar here. We will destroy the Kemmar forces occupying Otan space, and invade the Kemmar Empire from this side.”
“This is similar to our existing plans, only now we have the benefit of the new technology,” said Brock.
“And Diakan forces,” added Tallos.
“Yes, a vital component. The Kemmar will be placed into a vice,” said Brock.
“Exactly,” said Jon. “But we still have the Juttari to contend with. Since they are now allied with the Kemmar, we need to make sure they remain occupied elsewhere. We will use the territory captured last year to push deeper into Juttari space. That should keep the Juttari busy, and force them to reconsider sending ships to help the Kemmar.”
“How far will you press into Juttari territory?” said Brock. “With this new technology, is it not advantageous to launch a full scale invasion of the Juttari Empire?”
“Yes, and no. You’re right in that we need to exploit our technological advantage as much as possible. However, we have a problem with the Juttari, that we don’t have with the Kemmar. The Juttari Empire has been built around the jump gate network. Their territory is spread out across the galaxy, often with a thousand light years or more between systems. To use the jump bombs to our advantage, we need to get close, and this is difficult with the Juttari. The Kemmar, on the other hand, only recently discovered the jump gates. Their territory is a coherent whole. This is ideal. We will simply advance, using the jump bombs as we do, until we reach their home planet.”
“Will you lay waste to their home planet?” said Brock.
“What? No? I have no interest in genocide.”
“They would lay waste to your planets, and enslave the survivors. Why do you show them mercy?”
Jon took a deep breath. “Because, I am not Kemmar, or Juttari. Just because they are prepared to commit genocide against us, doesn’t mean that we will retaliate in kind. Don’t get me wrong. We will crush them. Their military will be destroyed, their planetary infrastructure flattened, their leaders charged with war crimes, and executed. They will pay for what they’ve done. The Kemmar Empire will cease to exist, and I will see that it never rises again. Does that sound like mercy to you?”
“No, Admiral, it does not.”
“Once we have finished with the Kemmar, we will be free to focus on the Juttari.”
“The Juttari will know of your technological advancements by that time,” said Brock.
“Yes, that’s inevitable.”
“Once they discover what we have accomplished,” said Tallos. “We believe they will accelerate their own jump research. It is reasonable to assume that they will successfully miniaturize the jump system enough to create their own jump bombs. This cannot be helped, and will create a sizable obstacle. However, they are unlikely to discover jumpspace recognition. This alone will give the Alliance a substantial edge.”
“We’re confident that this edge will be enough to emerge victorious,” added Jon.
“The Juttari obtain more through espionage, than through research,” said Brock. “They will seek to steal the secrets of this technology. I would not discount this threat.”
“We are taking the necessary precautions.”
“Your Space Force thought they had taken the same precautions with the jump system,” said Brock. “As did Diakus. And yet, they failed.”
“Are you saying we have a mole?” said Jon.
“No. I am merely pointing out the Juttari are experts at espionage. Do not discount this ability.”
“It is a good question,” said Tallos. What happens if the Juttari obtain the jump bombs, and jumpspace recognition?”
Jon thought about it for a moment, and agreed it would be a major setback, but would it be enough to stop them? He knew there could be only one answer. “We invade anyway.”
Chapter 42
The UHSF Carrier Intrepid floated in space near DLC Station. Several squadrons of its fighters patrolled the skies around it, as a few UHSF destroyers hung back, keeping a watchful eye on the goings on. Despite the recent upheaval, DLC remained an important commercial hub, and Captain Konos found it a suitable destination for shore leave. His crew took turns going down to the station to spend som
e credits, and enjoy themselves.
It was important for their morale, especially after the defeat they suffered in Telepylos. Their defeat had introduced his mostly green crew to the uncertainties of war, but provided much needed experience. Konos continued training them mercilessly. And now that training was consolidated with priceless firsthand experience.
The Intrepid had undergone much needed repairs since the battle. They then took part in exercises, learning how to use the new jumpspace recognition technology. His crew worked hard, and Konos was confident that they were ready for the next encounter with the enemy.
He knew that the fleet was gearing up for a big push into Kemmar territory, but had no indication of when it would take place. When the time came, he wanted his crew fresh, and ready to perform. They were well trained, and good at their jobs. All they needed now was to blow off some steam.
“When are you going to head down to the station, Commander?” Konos said to his XO, Commander Mani.
Mani, who sat in his command chair on the Intrepid’s bridge, looked up from his array of monitors, seemingly confused by the question. “Uh, there is still a lot of work to be done, Sir.”
“There’s always work to be done, Commander. You need shore leave just as much as everyone else.”
“Yes, Sir. If you insist.”
“I do.”
“Then I’ll finish my duties for the day, and take a flight to the station,” Mani said, clearly cheering up.
“Good. And have some fun down there. That’s an order.”
Yes, Sir. I’ll follow that order to the letter,” said Mani, laughing.
“Non-UHSF jumpspace disturbance identified,” said the Intrepid’s computer.
“Shit,” said Konos, slamming his fist into his armrest. “Target disturbance and fire missiles. Ready all offensive weapons. Deploy all available fighters and bombers immediately.”
“Firing missiles,” said Mani. “DLC station’s defense system is firing weapons. Destroyers are launching missiles, and moving to intercept.”
