I wasn’t looking at what Jane was displaying. This was taking everything I had to keep a professional narrative going.
"There are several things military leaders must understand."
I paused.
"These creatures are impervious to standard side-arms, and pulse-rifles. Standard Mesons don’t kill them. They don't seem to like white light, and we successfully tested new Meson versions on Last Hope. But we needed massed guns just to keep us from being overrun. And we were overrun as soon as they had enough ships overhead to pound on our heavy assets. Nothing anyone else has can stop them. The specs for the guns are included with this vid. We need something better than these."
"In space, they are slow. But when a hundred thousand fire at you at the same time, the hit hurts. Nothing can stand a half a million of them firing at it. And yet, we saw upwards of three million in the Last Hope system before we left, with no indication this was all of them. The disk they use on the planet, also acts as a weapon, and seems to use the power of the sun to super charge their guns for both range and hitting power. We failed to get a single missile anywhere close to the disk, and they hit us really hard from maximum missile distance. The only reason we haven’t lost ships so far, is I won't allow a ship with less than fifty percent shielding to stay on the line. War was a different situation, and we almost lost it there. It won't be happening again if I can help it."
"On the ground, the same rule applies. The more of them there are, the more ineffective killing lots of them at a time becomes, and they simply roll over you. Even without air support, our heavy assets would simply have had their feet eaten off from under them, very quickly. Once down, everything is quickly covered in aliens, and is eaten."
"They seem to eat everything. The last shots of the hillside they came down, shows nothing but bare dirt. They like animals first, plants second, complex metals third, but they eat everything in any order if they are hungry enough."
"We still don’t know how they reproduce. My guess is that the food potential of a whole planet will allow them to breed as fast as they are coming through the Death system, if not faster. My main fear is that the more planets we lose, the more exponential their numbers will become. There is no evidence of any kind for this hunch of mine. But I fear it."
"At this time, we have no effective defense. We fail at the jump point, because at some point we run out of ordinance, we run out of shielding, and as soon as we lose ships off the line, we lose containment. The more get through, the faster they hit us, the harder they hit us, and the more get through. My strategy is to bleed them as much as possible, and fall back. It's all I can do with the resources I have. But it won't slow them down very much. They are the space tide, it's coming in, and there is nothing anyone can do at this time to stop it."
"On old Earth, back when billions lived there, they had millions of soldiers in arms, backed by heavy weapons. In World War Two, they had Panzer divisions of heavy armour. Brought into this time, and with our technology married to their mentality, I still don’t think they would've won on Last Hope. But if you can raise an army of millions, all in heavier armour and with much better guns than we have now, you might, and I emphasize the might, prevail. But I doubt it. They didn’t need to bombard us from space, but they certainly have the capability."
"Which leads me into my next point. This is not a dumb animal acting on instinct. There is intelligence here, and it does adapt. It can and does throw unexpected things at you. It can and does turn anything you do stupidly into its own favour. We have no idea what sort of mindset this is. It could be a Hive mind, or it could be a very good military hierarchy. Or both. Or neither. The one thing we know is they do not communicate like we do. But they do communicate, and over very long distances. Once a ship sees you, they all seem to know where you are."
"This is NOT a bug. This is a very intelligent species, bioengineered to be the answer to all forms of pollution. As far as we can tell, they snort radiation which would kill us in minutes. They can't survive the blast, but travelling through the fallout isn’t a problem for them. In fact, it makes them more aggressive. Don’t let your people dismiss this Cockroach-Spider as a mere bug, because that path leads to disaster. These creatures must not be underestimated. Yes, we have the technology. But they have what seems to be unlimited numbers, and can put them in the field where we can't."
I sighed.
"I'm sorry. It's been a difficult time, and I don’t mean to be pessimistic. This fight has only just begun. We are working on ship cloaking, although all we have is a single prototype at the moment, and it uses a unique power source I don’t believe we can duplicate. Missile cloaking might be achievable, but we don’t have a prototype yet."
"We need a bigger bang, and a way of delivering it to the disk. We need a way of bottling up a jump point so nothing comes through in one piece, and it needs to last indefinitely. My people are working the problem, and the best we can do at this point, is bleed them for a few hours before we have to withdraw."
"I need more ships. The three Explorer ships, with my two Escort Carriers, and two battalions of troops across three Marine Cruisers, are currently evacuating Morocco, and so I lack their firepower now. I will take anything and anyone who will come here and fight with us. We can shield fighters and Privateers. We have tactics for Corvettes, Frigates and Destroyers. I know you have your own defense to look to, I know it will take a long time for anything to reach us, but I'm asking anyway. The more firepower I have at each jump point, the more I bleed them, and the longer we can delay them. The longer the delay, the more people we can save."
"About saving people. My shipyard which was in Treasure Chest is building a huge station specifically for transporting people who can't get on a ship or their local stations. It will continually be added to as it moves. I need police forces for it. It's going to need food and water as it moves up the spine. I have ships dedicated to providing these, but after every jump, that station is going to need immediate supply with whatever is available. I ask for your help, in feeding and clothing refugees. Not just on my station, but on all the ships and stations about to start fleeing up the spine."
"Fuck politics. Fuck special interest groups. Fuck the stock market. It's survival of our species time!"
I paused to let that sink in.
"Every system should be gearing up to produce food, water and clothing, to put on ships and stations, and made ready to move. Too much of everything isn't going to be enough! Move now if you can. Outback is gearing up to accept billions of refugees. In six months, Gaia will take all of them."
"But here's the really bad news. If we can't stop them, or even slow them down significantly, they are going to be on Outback's doorstep before the Door to Gaia opens. In an average system, it takes them three days to cross it. They don’t stop to see if the planet needs extra help to eat. They enter a system, and a good million of them have the sole purpose of finding the jump points, and once they do, they mass and jump in. Do the math. Six months is all we have. We must slow them down, or as a species, we will perish."
I sighed again.
"In about fourteen hours, we'll stand before the Morocco Last Hope jump point. We'll fall back to the planet, collect any last refugees we can, and fall back to Brazil. By that time, the aliens will be in Mali, and only the African fleets will be there to slow them down. I'm going to Brazil, because the Latin sector has the bigger need. But we still won't slow them enough. Fourteen hours and then eighty four hours. We stand in Brazil, fall back to the planet, fall back to Libya, and then do the same back to Egypt. At the same time they hit us in Brazil, I expect them to hit Algeria as well. I don’t have anything to defend Algeria with. I will send a fleet to help them evacuate, but that's all they will do."
"I've already sent a fleet of station tugs to the Latin sector to help move their stations. The Admiral in charge has orders to get the stations out of there in time. Anyone who interferes… had better not. It's all I can do. My people will save who we
can, but only those. In systems which cannot possibly get all their people out, I seriously suggest you arrange to save the best of you, those who are your future, and carry with them everything you believe in, know, and do. Whatever is the best you have in any sense, organize to save them. Riots will be met with firepower. At this late stage, anyone stupid enough to be violent about fleeing, isn’t worth saving. My people have their orders."
"We can but hope the aliens will be methodical, once they discover Morocco has three more jump points. If they go through only one of them, we get more time. But don’t count on it, because I think they will go through every jump point as soon as they find it. It might spread them thinner, but it won't slow them down much."
"My guess is, Latin sector have at most, one hundred and thirty hours, before they are cut off completely, and anyone still there will die sometime in the following weeks."
"African sector has longer, but when we lose Egypt, anyone still there, may as well commit suicide. It'll be a much easier death. That’s a thought I leave to each planetary government, or the people left behind if there is no government."
"I think that covers everything I know for now. If you have questions, ask them. If you have suggestions, make them. If you can send anyone, bless you."
"Share this with anyone you think needs to know. Hunter out."
Forty Eight
Amy had me add an extra bit to the front.
"I'm Admiral Hunter, at the Last Hope jump point in the Morocco system."
Jane had sent her a copy at the same time it went off to sector military's. She wanted the front piece so she could send an edited version up the media chain. I couldn’t disagree. The message needed to be spread. Images were not enough. There needed to be on the spot commentary from someone at the top of the fight. Me. It’s a pity I looked like death warmed up, but I look like I look. Maybe just seeing me might scare a few people into activity.
I didn’t expect my appeals to bare any fruit in the short term. Those who might help, were simply too far away. In a month's time, we might see some reinforcements. In a month's time, the reinforcements might be all there was.
Just before ten, the team came in. They stood inside the door, looking forlorn and batting their eyelids at me. I shook my head. They stood there naked. I shook my head again. They stood there looking tough, but concerned. I resisted the urge to face-palm.
"I forgive you," I said quickly, before anyone could say anything.
Their smiles lit up the room.
"Now go away. Why aren't you at Morocco helping the other teams?"
"Do you want us to go?" asked Amanda.
"No, but you're probably more use there than here."
"We're taking a break from weapons tests over on Redoubt," said BA.
"Getting anywhere?"
"Maybe."
"Well go back and bring me something I can use."
"That wasn’t very nice Jon," scolded Aline.
"In thirteen hours, we do the whole 'hang it out at the jump point' thing again. Nice is a luxury we don’t have time for."
"Who are you? And what have you done with our Jon?" asked Aleesha.
I looked at her, somewhat shocked. She was right. This wasn’t me at all.
"I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," said Aline. "We'll see you for lunch."
And they left.
"Jane?"
"Yes grumpy?"
I sighed.
"Give me some good news."
"You have two Admirals on their way to see you."
"I said good news."
"I think it is. It's not the same two who didn’t believe us last time we were here. They were one stars. These are both three stars. I sent Lightnings for them. I think they want to talk turkey."
"There's a thought."
"What?"
"Turkey for lunch."
"Get a grip will you please?"
I sighed, and went back to reading emails.
The Admirals turned up just before lunch, so I called in Bentley and Sato, and we talked fleet tactics while we ate. Both of them turned out to be reasonable people. After Bentley and Sato had fully explained how they used their ships, both agreed to bring their fleets here to the jump point to join us, putting them under my orders, at least for the jump point defense phase. They sent orders off immediately to their fleet commanders.
Both of their fleets would fall back afterwards to their own space, but with waypoints set so as not to give away where the points were.
Both were relieved I was sending ships into their space. While the African sector wasn’t getting any dedicated fighting ships, they were getting help to evacuate planets. The Latin Admiral was more enthusiastic over my falling back through Brazil. Both seemed to appreciate I was sacrificing my own space unfought, in order to help theirs. The danger in this was if the aliens found the jump point into Treasure Chest first, they'd likely beat us to Libya, which would be a big problem. But the jump point was in a very non-standard place, and it was a good risk they wouldn’t find it at all, on either end. I wouldn't want to bet my life on it though.
The Galactica fleet would be falling back with me through Brazil. The Enterprise fleet would be trying to evacuate Algeria, while the Prometheus fleet had the longer route beginning with Mali. With luck, we'd all meet up in Egypt. I carefully didn’t let myself sigh, trying to project a positive attitude on what was a seriously depressing likely outcome. I had Jane send the orders for Prometheus to offload everyone they'd evacuated to the local stations, and for the fleet to proceed immediately to Mali. They needed as much time there now as they could get, and the Mali jump point would be lost to us about the same time Morocco itself came under attack.
We were just finishing up, when Jane came in.
"Admiral," she said to me. "I've an urgent message for you."
I excused myself from the group, waving them back to their seats as I left. They could talk tactics and strategy all afternoon if they wanted to. While Bentley and Sato were junior, they weren't all that junior, as far as time in rank went, and were actually superior in combat experience. Bentley was more than ready for her third star. I didn't understand why Sato wasn’t already a two star, which would have been the equivalent of three anywhere else.
Jane led me into my Ready Room, and waved a vid to the wall, but froze it immediately.
Marshall Bigglesworth was sitting in a group with General Patten, Admiral Jedburgh, General Price, and Admiral Tremblay. Behind them I could see General Wellington. The latter was interesting, since the others were all four stars, and Vonda was three. But her being with them meant she must have been relieved as Midgard's Military Governor. Between them, they represented the British, American, Sci-Fi, and Canadian sectors. Jane waved on the vid.
"Admiral Hunter," said Bigglesworth. "We are gathered now in the Hawaii system, where we've established a Central Command. From here, the defence of our section of the arm will be planned and carried out. Our governments cannot seem to agree on anything, but we have all been allowed to co-ordinate our military forces."
"The Australian government still has nothing to add in the way of military aid beyond the ground forces added to yours. General Harriman is in constant contact with us, but will remain in Nexus to co-ordinate refugees as they arrive, and to plan fixed defences for the sector. He is an equal member of this command, as will you be once you arrive here."
I think he was being diplomatic. It was IF I got there, not when.
"Our best chance for survival is holding Hawaii, and all our political leaders know this. We've taken on board your suggestions and comments, and we have people working the problems. There will be reinforcements coming your way, but they will mostly be mercenary groups. I've heard mutterings you may get a few military ships, in defiance of their orders to hold to defend their own space. Not all Captains or even Admirals think it's best to wait for the enemy to get to their space. We're too far away to send you any more ships, as you know, but we are talki
ng to every military group all the way down the spine. At the least, you should receive more co-operation now than you have been getting."
Which explained the three stars I’d had lunch with.
He paused, which by itself was alarming, since the self-confidence of this man didn’t allow pauses for no reason.
"Jon. We're not giving you orders. But we have a suggestion we want you to consider. It's something we really need to know, and you currently have a window to get it done. We're not even sure if it can be done, and we leave it to you to decide. If you think it can work, we leave it to you how you go about it."
I listened to what they wanted me to do, with my jaw hanging open.
Forty Nine
"Can it be done?" I asked Jane.
"Only one way to find out."
"What about the new emitters?"
"Fitted overnight to both ships. And yes, we tinkered with engines as well."
"So it's doable?"
"From a ship standpoint, theoretically."
"Fine."
I opened a vid.
"Central Command. Your suggestion received. I will make the attempt. Hunter out."
"Send that after I leave."
"I'm coming too."
"You personally are not. I'm not risking your primary. Is your other avatar still on board?"
"Yes."
"Then you'll be with me."
"Fine."
"Orders for if I don’t come back. Bentley is promoted to three stars and given the fleet. Smith is promoted to three stars and commands everything else. Between them they cover for me, and they report directly to the new Central Command. Promote Jack to Brigadier General, and he commands in the field still."
I looked her in the eyes.
"You tell no-one at all until I give the word you can, or I'm dead. Understood?"
"I can't lie for you Jon. Not with your friends."
"It's an order Jane. No-one is to know, so no-one can make suicidal choices to come after me. This one we do alone. I'm not putting anyone else's neck on the chopping block."
Hunter Legacy 12: Hero in Darkness Page 22
