Koban 4: Shattered Worlds

by Stephen W Bennett

  “I Jumped out here just when the light from our sudden turn would be reaching the observer. I’d had Jakob previously pick a point a mile behind that clanship, knowing it was ready to Jump in an instant. Unlike Krall missiles, mine had the safety interlocks removed, and they were armed when they left the launch tubes. I also fired all the guns to fill the space out here with slugs, to try to disable the ship if the missiles were defeated. I wasn’t oriented properly when I jumped, so I spun the ship to fill the area with chips on lead slugs. The missiles worked. You saw the flash of the explosion five seconds after we got here. My guess is the observer was waiting to see the intersect flash of the Mark’s destruction.”

  Maggi said, “Could have warned me. I damn near went out the door when you spun us around.”

  “I’d have picked you up…, eventually.” The grin was implicit in his mental image.

  “Hey, that last ship will still get away.” She had just started to relax when that struck her.

  Noreen said, “It’s still headed the way it was before Tet turned away and then Jumped.”

  Mirikami said, “I think we have Maggi to thank for that, but she’ll have to tell us what she did. That one is as disabled as the other two ships, somehow.”

  “Ha, then it worked.” She crowed. “You orbital mechanics and gun slingers don’t have all the answers.”

  “What worked?” Sarge’s unmistakable mental pattern was behind that question.

  “When I swapped out the ammunition belts there were at least two hundred slugs with chips on them in the old belts. While I confirmed the Krall was still on our trail, I quickly popped the slugs off the belts and threw them out the portals in all directions. They wouldn’t have time to spread far, and they shared our velocity. Then I got Tet to speed up.

  “At twelve hundred miles per hour increase, it only takes a minute to travel twenty miles. That’s how many miles he was behind us. He must have sped up and passed close to or bumped into one of the drifting bullets a minute later. That was just when Mister paranoid turned aside and almost lured him off my baited trail.”

  Sarge said, “I’ll guess we’ll never know.”

  “The hell we won’t.” She rebutted. “He’s still here so he’s disabled. But stop picking your nose with one hand and scratching your ass with the other, and go out and collect them all for Mind Taps. Unless penned up Krall with only a pistol or a knife are too scary for you. I can show you how it’s done.”

  “People.” Mirikami interrupted the sense of relief and euphoria they all felt right now.

  “Sarge, Thad, some others, please do pick them up before they find a way to get to and rupture the fuel tanks and we lose these three ships. We need them, and we need them right now. I want all of us to Jump for K1, with our loads of special delivery chips, before the end of the day. Some of you head to Koban or Haven for more of the ammo and any other weapons that can fire slugs that will hold these chips inside.”

  One of the Kobani captains asked, “Why today, Sir? Telour won’t know what happened here, and these ships would have taken a week and a half to get back.”

  “If he sends a fleet back promptly when the four of them are overdue, do you want to be on the way there to stop it when it passes us going the other way in Tachyon Space? We can’t let it depart K1.”

  Dillon asked, “Do we have enough chips to do that?”

  “I don’t know. I think not, but we can make some plans on the way. We have to stretch what we have, or figure how to get more chips. The Torki turned out to be the only ones that made them previously for the Krall, at least for many thousands of years. They follow a standard chip manufacturing method they were given, using their existing Olt production technology.

  “Like humans that assemble Tri-Vid systems. The factory workers didn’t invent them, or know how their circuits work. They build them per computer specifications, and make use of the working results.

  “Neither the Torki nor the Raspani knew that one of the quantum interactions employed by the Olt’kitapi involved this medium range fifth force, or that it had a data base for recording DNA patterns that could be blocked from using the quantum code keys contained in the tattoos. The Raspani also have the ability to make these simple chips, using their mind enhancer technology, and both species have been making a few more of them while we chatter out here. I think we can do without any of the door locks in our ships, or in the buildings and old domes that use those chips. We have stores of Krall plasma rifles and other code keyed weapons. We need all of them we can get, and fast. Let’s get moving.”

  ****

  Mirikami reserved this hurried address just for those that had registered their Comtaps to make the trip to K1. “This has been a breakneck day. Had we not been prepared for the possibility of a mass evacuation, we wouldn’t have had our resources so well gathered for this counter attack. We know that those here in the home system will have at least a ten-day warning if we can’t prevent enough of the Krall clanships from coming here. They have what they gathered already in the evacuation ships, and can add to that list before departure if that becomes necessary. The migration ships can return and land on Haven for faster loading, nobody that wants to leave will be left behind.

  “There isn’t going to be anyone on Koban for the most part. The rippers that have grown up with us are leaving with their human families. We have hundreds of them already with us, going to K1. Everyone will carry one of the Denial chips, as the Torki started calling them, at all times. One of those can infect an entire clanship if you simply walk under one.

  “You might possibly infect an entire dome. We now know that clanships were designed by the Olt’kitapi with the code chips distributed so that no matter which one receives an upload of a Denial list, that every chip on the ship would be upgraded. Krall domes use many of the chips, but they weren’t designed by the Olt’kitapi and they aren’t as evenly distributed.

  “Even our rippers will carry one in a collar they each are wearing. Our focus will obviously be on clanships, but collateral infection with weapons is certain to degrade the enemy’s ability to fight us. On the ground, we have to infiltrate every tarmac where we find clanships. Remember, a disabled ship for them is still one we can use. In space, we can try to disable them, but as I learned today, that’s not as easy to do, particularly once they learn that getting too close ends the fight for them.

  “We’re carrying every ECM pod we have. They’re in extremely limited supply. We only have twenty. Those will be moved around to try to keep the Krall we hit from talking about what we’re doing. Many of their domes now have landlines to keep us from knocking out all communications. However, Mind Taps will tell us where those lines are, and we can cut them. We’ll have ten days to think of things to try on the way, and thanks to Comtap, we’ll all know what they are before we arrive.

  “We’re going to suffer more losses, simply because of the sheer numbers of our enemies. I stress again, body counts isn’t a goal of ours it’s one of theirs. Disabled clanship counts are our goals. Don’t engage in any firefight if you don’t have to. We still have better stealth, so sneaky is our byword.”

  He looked over the crowd around the tarmac at Prime City. All of the old destroyed human ships had been scavenged for parts or material over a decade ago. The Flight of Fancy, in whose open hold Mirikami now stood, was surrounded by clanships, as was the Prime City dome. By one hundred seventeen of them, none of which had any functioning door locks now.

  There was a sea of faces looking back at him, most of whom he knew well, some from Heavyside were relatively new to him, and some others were young in the true sense of the term, standing among the many rejuvenated older Kobani.

  “This moment, at this place, for this fight, is where and why we Kobani created ourselves. Some of us were entirely made to be what we are. Some others were born with the early gene mods, and elected to add others later. In the last few months, we have had the first births of True Third Generation Kobani. Those natural born K
obani children are the evidence that we are just another race of mankind, and not a new species.

  “I once told Telour, who now leads the Krall in war, that when they returned to Koban that our children might not give this planet back.”

  There were cheers from all, the loudest from those that had sons and daughters in this crowd, or in schools and nurseries at home.

  “We have always been morally and spiritually superior to the Krall. Because of the Koban genes, we are also physically superior to the enemy. I once told our people that I didn’t want us to wait for them to return.”

  They knew the story, and waited for what was coming.

  Mirikami boomed the words with his fist overhead, “I said we would go looking for the Krall. That time is now!”

  The shouts and cheers, mixed with ripper roars of challenge were deafening.

  Payback really would be a bitch.

  *******************************************************************

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  HUMANS

  Former crew from Flight of Fancy

  Tetsuo Mirikami

  Captain of captured Flight of Fancy. From Old Colony of New Honshu, in the Hub area. Became Commander of Prime City after Krall left Koban. Captain of the Mark of Koban, a captured Krall clanship. Leader of the Kobani.

  Noreen Renaldo

  Former First Officer of Flight of Fancy. From Old Colony of Ponce, in the Hub area. Married Dillon Martin. Mother of TGs Carson, Katelyn, and Cory. Captain of the Avenger, a stolen Krall clanship.

  Jake (Artificial Intelligence)

  An old model JK series AI computer, installed on Flight of Fancy. Able to operate many of the ship systems autonomously. Repository of vast human library of documents, books, films, Tri-Vid shows, etc. A common capability on long Jump passenger liners. Later, the software is cloned and named Jakob for reuse. The cloned software is eventually placed in a modern AI system aboard the Mark of Koban, Mirikami’s captured and converted Krall clanship.

  (Chief) Mike Haveram

  Was once Chief of the Drive Room on the Flight of Fancy. Now captain of the Falcon, a former smuggler’s ship purchased on Poldark. He helps supply Koban with goods and weapons from Human Space.

  Macy Gundarfem

  Former Motorman on Flight of Fancy. One of the “Drive Rats.”

  John Yin-Lee

  Former Motorman on Flight of Fancy. One of the “Drive Rats.”

  Andrew Johnson

  Former Motorman on Flight of Fancy. One of the “Drive Rats.”

  Nory Walters

  Former Chief Steward on Flight of Fancy.

  Mel Rigson

  Former Steward and Medical technician on Flight of Fancy.

  Cal Branson

  Former Steward and Medical technician on Flight of Fancy.

  Other former stewards

  Javier Vazquez

  Alfon Hanson

  Jason Sieko

  Bob Campbell

  Machinist Mate.

  Neri Bar

  Machinist Mate.

  Chack Nauguza

  Cargo Specialist, handy man.

  Passengers from the Fancy, and various other ships, and early captives

  Dillon Martin

  Professor of biological sciences, sent to Midwife to study developing primitive life. Hidden specialty is forbidden genetics research. From Rhama, a New Colony, close to the Hub worlds. Married Noreen Renaldo. Father of TGs Carson, Katelyn, and Cory. Works on Kobani gene mods.

  Maggi Fisher

  Professor of biological sciences, Chairfem of Board of Director’s on Midwife project. From Rhama. Organizing unofficial teams to recover lost genetic knowledge. Later, first Mayor of Prime City. Works in Kobani gene mods. She marries (Signs the Line) with Captain Mirikami.

  Aldry Anderfem

  Professor of biological sciences, granddaughter of Claronce Anderson, a former President of Alders world. Supports secret Genetics research. Administered first human Clone mods in three hundred years, to make Second Generation Kobani. Helps design and implement Kobani mods.

  Rafe Campbell

  Studied human genetic mutations from cosmic rays on Brussels, a New Colony. Wife Isadora killed on ship by a Krall, “exercising.” Dove into Koban genetic studies when given a chance to make humans physically superior to the Krall. Chief designer of Kobani gene mods.

  Early Captives (at Koban Prime, later renamed Prime City)

  Mavray Doushan

  Was Poldark's Deputy Ambassador to Bollovstic's Republican Independency. Both are Rim worlds. Made first warning recording of Krall raiders intentions. Killed as collaborator for trying to negotiate better treatment by the Krall.

  Thaddeus Greeves

  Former Colonel of a Diplomatic Security detail for Poldark Ambassador. Married Marlyn Rodriguez. Father of TGs Ethan, Bradley, and Danner.

  Marlyn Rodriguez

  First Officer of Rimmer’s Dream, arrived in mass capture of human ships. Married Thad Greeves. Mother of TGs Ethan, Bradley, and Danner. Captain of the Beagle, a stolen Krall clanship.

  Deanna Turner

  Organizer of the first Primes to volunteer to work with the Flight of Fancy personnel. On Mirikami’s combat team.

  Frank Constansi

  Clarice Femfreid

  Juan Wittgenstein

  Early Prime volunteers to work with Mirikami. On Mirikami’s combat team.

  Next Generation Kobani

  Carson Martin

  Parents Noreen and Dillon, born an SG, received Koban gene mods to become Third Generation Kobani. Marries Alyson Formby.

  Ethan Greeves

  Parents Marlyn and Thad, born an SG, received Koban gene mods to become Third Generation Kobani.

  Alyson Formby

  Born in Hub City as an SG. At eighteen, left home to request Koban mods, against her parent’s wishes. Became first TG from Hub City, then first to be a TG1 from there. Marries Carson Martin.

  Jorl Breaker

  Fred Saber

  Yilini Jastrov

  Richard Yang

  Their parents were all early Koban captives. At sixteen, they become TGs.

  HUMAN SPACE

  Garland (Sarge) Reynolds

  Sergeant in the PU Army on Poldark. Captured by the Krall, and in a fluke of circumstance is taken to Koban, and is there rescued by the Kobani, twenty years into the war with the Krall. His arrival and rescue from a captured clanship is key the event for the Kobani to travel to Human Space.

  Henry Nabarone

  Major General of the Planetary Union Army, in charge of Poldark’s defense. Formerly in a local militia unit, and second in command after Colonel Thaddeus Greeves of that same unit. Becomes a Kobani.

  Joseph Longstreet

  Captain of a platoon of spec ops troops, expanded to absorb remnants of units suffering losses from missions behind Krall lines on Poldark. Becomes a Kobani.

  William Crager

  Former “Top” Sargent of spec ops training on Heavyside. Becomes a Kobani.

  Golda Mauss

  Admiral that commanded first two naval raids on K1, participated in a third as ship captain and advisor. Becomes a Kobani.

  Adriana Bledso

  Naval Chief of Staff. Becomes Chairfem of Joint Chiefs of Staff of Planetary Union military.

  Heavyside

  A Rim world planet, not considered suitable for mass human colonization. Located on the anti-spinward side of human exploration, on the far side of Human Space from the Krall invasion. It has 1.41 times Earth’s gravity. Originally, it was named Andropov’s World, after Admiral Elaine Andropov, a long dead war hero from before the Collapse. The nickname for the planet eventually became the accepted name. Heavyside is now home of the Special Operations training program. Site of a second gene lab for converting selected spec ops candidates into Kobani.

  KRALL

  Til Gatrol Telour

  Originally a Krall translator, of Graka Clan. Second in command of Newborn Raid. Placed in charge of
captives at Koban Prime. Became second in command to Tor Gatrol Kanpardi, with the title/rank of Til Gatrol. Became Tor after arranging Kanpardi’s murder.

  Tor Gatrol Kanpardi

  General/Admiral of Graka Clan, Gatrol was his early rank and title. Later, Tor Gatrol, as High General in command of all forces in the war with humans. Based on Telda Ka, or “Base 1,” the former human Rim colony of Greater West Africa, which humans now call K1. All eighteen million people were slaughtered on his order, to have a “clean” base.

  Gatlek Pendor

  Mordo clan. He is the replacement invasion commander on Poldark. Gatlek is his rank, equivalent to the lowest rank of General for the Krall. Leads later invasion on second human world.

  KRALL’TAPI

  Pildon Fetra

  Called a “soft Krall” by the now genetically distinct Krall. The Krall’tapi is what the Krall were twenty five thousand years ago, when they allowed the Olt’kitapi to modify a gene that made Krall aggressive and war-like. Captives of the Krall for many thousands of years, only they can command the ancient Olt’kitapi mining ships that can break worlds apart, for habitat construction material.

  EXTERMINATED ALIEN RACES

  Olt’kitapi

  Highly advanced and ancient people, determined pacifists, who first discovered the Krall. Mentored the violent race, hoping to make them more peaceful, but were betrayed and destroyed by the Krall, about 22,000 years ago. Never physically described by the Krall, but they had multiple classes of citizens, of various body types and social functions. They taught the Krall how to use the simple parts of their technology, and designed warships and weapons specifically for them, to suit their personality and level of intelligence. Their goal was to modify their war-like behavior, yet use their strength and natural aggression to help “police” the interspecies galactic society they planned to forge. They had a plan for keeping the Krall under control until “socially tamed.”