Prelude to War (Athena Lee Chronicles Book 9)

by T S Paul

  Contents

  Chapter `1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Author Notes

  Copyrights

  The Series until now.-1

  Chapter 1

  Many of the galaxy’s governments were in a state of shock. Earth’s United Nations still existed as a political entity, and its goal was galactic domination! For many planets, Old Earth was a near-forgotten fantasy world that didn’t matter anymore. The fact that they had sent out a massive dreadnought and space fleet changed all that. The Cabal was now acting in the open and the Empire was tearing itself to pieces as civil war broke out. The biggest news was that independent Mars had a bigger fleet than anyone had known and had successfully defeated the best that Earth sent at them. But the war with Old Earth was far from over. In fact, it was just starting to heat up.

  Over Mars, burning wreckage was still falling from the skies. Martian space tugs and salvage crews barely managed to prevent the larger chunks from entering the atmosphere. The planetary city protection shields flared repeatably as they caught some of the debris. I was standing on the roof of our Embassy watching the shields. The technology required to build something like that boggled my mind. Maybe with Mars joining the Alliance they would be willing to share some of the tech? If not, Amalie might be persuaded to share.

  So much has changed in my life over the past couple of years since my rescue. I found myself remembering the shouting match between father and me the day I left for the Academy. He kept yelling about my ‘duty to the family’ and the plans he had made for me. I threw it into his face that I was of age, and on our planet, an independent functioning adult. He couldn’t stop me legally even if he tried. I remembered first boarding the shuttle and starting my big adventure. The second Interstellar War was still raging and officers were in demand. My training and interests were what directed me toward the Engineering program at the Academy. Unknown to Father while I was finishing my general education degree at the University I had simultaneously completed a Mechanical Engineering degree. He didn’t think that women should be educated and payed very little attention to me at the time. I had lived on campus so he remained largely unaware of my interests. There was a bodyguard assigned to me, but he was easily distracted by some of the athletics on campus. I had eventually graduated at the top of my class for both degrees. I had had little time to participate in the ‘college experience’ that many talk about. I was too driven to build a career doing something I enjoyed. I could not remember my real mother, but I knew she had been someone in the diplomatic service to Mars. I too wanted a real career, not just a minor post in the Militia.

  The Navy recruiter must have thought he hit the jackpot when I walked into his office. I barely made the height requirement needed to enlist. But when the Sergeant looked at my education and basic training he started paying attention to me.

  “So Ms. Lee why do you want to enlist in the PPL Navy? I see from your Militia record that you have all the qualifications to excel as a foot soldier and logistics officer if these records are to be believed.”

  “Sergeant, I want to do more with my life than be just a logistics officer, I want to go into space and excel. My college degree is almost in my hand.”

  He was flipping through the hard copy reports looking for the college information. He found it just as I spoke.

  “I am in the top percentile of my general studies degree and I will have a minor in Mechanical Engineering. I really want to complete the Engineering degree and maybe one day build beautiful things. I hope that the Navy can help me with that.”

  The Sergeant raised his eyes up from the papers he clutched and just stared at me. “Ms. Lee you are extremely qualified to join the Naval Engineering program! Where would you like to serve?”

  I laughed to myself when I thought about my response to the recruiter’s question. They give every potential recruit that question, but everyone gets assigned to ship duty. Everyone.

  “Ambassador Lee? There you are! Please come inside. I’ve been searching all over for you... You are needed in the conference room.”

  So much for peace and quiet. “Mr. Choy. I believe that I asked for an hour of peace this time. What is so urgent that you disturb my rest?”

  “Ambassador, you are needed for a meeting with both the Martian representative and the ambassador from New Texas. They have urgently requested to see you.”

  “Fine, fine. I’m coming, keep your pants on.” That’s another thing. This job. It wasn’t all dinners and shaking hands as I’d half expected. Every overindulgent freighter captain that gets into trouble gives me a call. At all hours of the night. Not to mention all the diplomatic things this job comes with. I could kill my father for sticking me with this.

  The official conference room was located on the second floor. It was newly rebuilt and very comfortable. The old one was shot up and partially destroyed in my rescue from the old Ambassador. My girlfriend Dar and her team hadn’t cared about the niceties of fine furnishings and fancy wallpaper. Standing next to the table staring at the vid screen was Ambassador Martinez, the New Texas representative.

  “Ambassador Martinez? I’m sorry, were you waiting long?” The big man turned and smiled at me.

  “No, Ambassador Lee. I only arrived a short while ago. I was watching the coverage of the debris clean up.”

  “I was doing the same thing, but from up there.” I pointed at the roof of the building.

  “Is the view any better that the vid?”

  “Not really. They have space shots and look down camera views. All I could see was the flashes of light when something hit the dome shields. It is pretty though! So, what can I do for you today?” I smiled and looked up at the tall man.

  He launched right in. “Our two worlds, while Allies, have no real formal ties. My government wishes to fix that.”

  Wow! “That’s wonderful Mr. Ambassador. One question though why do it here? New Texas is a lot closer to Hong Kong than Mars is.”

  He sighed. “Our leaders wish to be included in anything that involves Mars. So since YOU are on Mars they wish it to happen here.”

  “Me? Why do they want me? I’m just an Engineer that got dragooned into this position.” It was no real secret that I really did not want the job.

  “Whether you believe it or not, you are a pivot point for much that has happened recently.” He held up his hands when I tried to speak out.

  “Hear me out. Since your rescue you have been involved in one way or another with every major galactic incident or conflict in the past few years. People of power have noticed you, Madam Ambassador. They have noticed and many will capitalize on it.”

  I was stunned. I had nothing to say to that. “When do you wish to get together to discuss closer ties to the PPL?”

  “I will contact my government and send you the details.”

  After a few more pleasantries I pressed a button, and he was escorted out of the building.

  A pivot point? Maybe I can ask Wilson to investigate that for me. I pressed another button in my console and the ‘Martian Ambassador’ was escorted in. It wasn’t the official ambassador but Gaston, my grandmother’s aide and official gop
her. “Gaston I see she has you doing her dirty work now.”

  “Ms. Lee, ever the beauty still.” Was that sarcasm? I hadn’t realised he had a sense of humor! “Yes the Primus has put me to work once again. She is asking for both you and Commander Dar. We have captured a small group of the Earthies.”

  “They didn’t suicide? That’s incredible! I’ll get Dar. How did you catch them?” I hit another button on my console and typed in a short message to Dar. After the destruction of the Old Earth ship Colossus, Martian salvage teams had been recovering tons of wreckage. Within that pile of scrap metal were several escape pods and shuttles. Over a dozen survivors had been found so far. But every single one of them either committed suicide after being found or while in transit to Mars. Some sort of mental trigger killed them all.

  “It was a fluke, really. Salvage Team One, flying one of the Condor class ships, came across a shuttle parked next to one of the space defense platforms. There was an Earth team on board trying to dismantle the defense pods. The Condor class is armed, so they were able to capture the shuttle. Inside were five clones. According to them they are Gammas and Epsilons. They have said very little to us. I think they expect to be killed. It’s very interesting.”

  “Have they said anything else?”

  “Not really, no. They have called us all ‘Sapes’ a few times. We believe that is is short for Homo Sapiens and is most likely a derogatory remark.”

  “Yeah, that Alpha that freaked out called us that a few times. Tell Amalie that we are on our way.”

  “If it is OK with you, I shall wait and escort you myself. By the way, the Primus requests the presence of your electronic friend as well. He may have insight into these prisoners.”

  “Wilson? He’s around somewhere I think. I told him to stay out of trouble, but I may as well have asked the sun to stop revolving. I’ll yell for him as we go. That usually works fairly well.”

  As we both walked out to the main lobby Dar, my girlfriend, came up behind me and gave me a big hug. “Hello Gaston! Doing Amalie’s dirty work?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Hello Commander Dar. Congratulations on the promotion! It was overdue. Somehow the both of you have the wrong impression of me. I don’t do dirty work. I have people for that.” He smiled at her.

  I stood on my tippy toes and kissed her. The UCMJ stated no personal displays of affection while in uniform, but I was the Ambassador and here on Mars I make some of the rules. A small bit. “Dar they have prisoners that didn’t suicide!”

  “Wow. On your way there now?”

  “Yes, Grandmother is calling for us. You included.”

  “OK, let me call my team and give them their orders. I’ll catch up.”

  My security team was waiting by the front door. Ever since the Cabal was exposed there have been terrorist attacks almost every day. Many were not effective and only strengthened the public's hatred of them. Martian citizens were quick to turn in those suspected of being members. Local police officials were estimating that they had arrested at least seventy percent of the strange group. Many included in that number were government officials, public figures, and civil servants such as police officers. That being the case, I did not trust local law enforcement yet.

  Chapter 2

  Since the Earth ship Colossus exploded just ten days ago wreckage and debris was everywhere. The Martian mass driver weapon had proved more powerful than they’d expected it to be. But much of the Earth fleet and parasite crafts were not in a position to be caught in the explosion. They subsequently split up into three groups of attackers. Force One continued the attack on the Martian reserve fleet. That fleet was made up of over a hundred mixed vessels. The Earth forces attacked them head-on trying to inflict the most damage possible. Waves of earth fighters, now without a ship to go back to, had attacked targets of opportunity in Mars orbit. Surrender was not an option in the mindset of the crews of these ships. They had to be hunted down and destroyed to the last craft.

  Group two of the Earth fleet retreated back towards their home. The Earth defense stations, still active, shot down many of the pursuing ships. How many Earth ships escaped is not known. Many of the monitoring satellites and ships were either damaged or destroyed in the chase. Group three was the chunk of the Earth fleet that worried us the most. They just disappeared.

  I remember standing in the Martian war room myself as the battle for Mars unfolded above us. I watched with my own eyes as the decimated Earth fleet dove their ships in Kamikaze attacks against our ships. In the end they were blasted from space with no quarter given.

  “Primus, the Earth fleet is breaking up!”

  We turned our heads toward the main monitors just in time to see the large cruisers and support craft separate into three smaller units.

  “Captain Bishe, tell our ships to attack all elements of that fleet!”

  “Yes, Primus.”

  “Grandmother, that third fleet unit, they’re trying to break orbit!” I pointed at one of the monitors. All of our attention was on the main battle. The Earth fleet were attacking the reserve ships without any regard for their own safety.

  “Alert the defense stations tell them to stop those ships!” It was at that moment that the second group strafed the Space station and drew much of our fire onto themselves as they broke orbit in the opposite direction. In an almost planned maneuver the small fleets went in opposite directions confusing our defense stations. Both managed to break orbit.

  “Primus, we are in pursuit of the group that appear to be headed toward Earth. The other group slipped past the orbitals and have disappeared.”

  “Disappeared? How? How can they have just vanished?”

  “Our techs can only speculate, but they may have the codes to our IFF system and were able to fool our system into ignoring them.”

  “Those keys are one of our state secrets! Damn, it! Find them.” In the end Wilson was needed to dive into the system and track the access codes. Special codes were used by the outside forces the spoof the system. They were traced back to a computer tech inside the defense building. He was found dead at his desk surrounded by thirteen credit chips. Someone in the Cabal had a sense of humor.

  As I said that was ten days ago. But now we had some prisoners who might talk to us! We already knew much of their order of battle and what some of the conditions on Old Earth were like: Wilson had retrieved a great deal from their computers. Direct intelligence is what we really needed now. We’d tried before and failed to talk to them. I was not present, but Dar was when those first prisoners were brought in. Very few occupied survival pods were found from the Colossus.

  She told me about it afterwards. It had not gone well.

  The three prisoners had all been unconscious. Dar and Martian Security forces were watching as local med teams attempted to wake the Earthies up.

  Checking the prisoner’s bonds, Corporal Kovac had extended her hypo spray and injected the first prisoner in an attempt to wake them up. The Earthie woke up with a jerk and thrust his arms forward breaking the titanium manacles and freeing himself. He jumped off the cot he was on and attacked the med team.

  “What in the nine hells?” Corporal Kovac watched in horror as her patient broke free and attacked.

  “Xandrie, get down!” Hearing Sergeant Martelle’s voice she hit the deck just as the prisoner was hit from all sides by gunfire.

  As she got up, she began cursing. “How the hell did he get free? Those are military grade cuffs!” Just to make sure he was dead she stood over the prisoner and bent down to check his pulse. As she touched his neck, his eyes opened! He turned his head, saw her surprised face, reached up, grabbed her arm and pulled her down.

  It happened so fast. One moment the corporal was standing there the next she was on the deck with the Earthie clutching her by the throat. Sergeant Martelle cried out in surprise, but was too late as Kovac’s neck was broken. The prisoner drew Kovac’s laser pistol and attacked a second time. This time the troops fired until their guns ran emp
ty. Cautiously checking the other two prisoners it was found they somehow committed suicide in the commotion. After Corporal Kovac’s death most Earth troops were not captured alive.

  But now after almost two weeks we finally have a few who are willing to talk to us! Gaston sat beside Dar and I in our Embassy aircar. It was a sign of the times that I traveled with an armed and armored escort. When I tried to press the little man for more information, he just smiled at me. It was at times like this that I could almost believe that he was a member of my family. Almost. In many ways he reminded me of Hannibal: too cocky for his own good. I knew that he was completely and totally loyal to Amalie and to me. But he would only tell me just enough to keep me interested. I really hate puzzles!

  Palace security was tighter than it had been just a week ago. Gaston claimed it was because of the Cabal terrorists and some of the threats that were made against the Primus. As we walked the long halls and corridors that zigged and zagged throughout the palace I commented on the lack of lifts in this place. Gaston surprised me by answering truthfully this time. “The palace originally had them. The last Primus, Amalie’s husband, was killed in one when his political opponents cut the cables. He and his bodyguards went into free-fall and died when the lift hit bottom.”