HADRON Axiom

by Stephen Arseneault

  Bontu left the cabin.

  Chapter 20

  *

  After an hour of heated discussion, the Mawga Chancellor was asked back.

  Mace shook his head. “OK, we have to know. Why are you drugging our people?”

  Bontu took a deep breath. “I suspected you were aware of our methods. I can assure you it was all done for the purpose of restoring your governments and populations. You see, when the community centers were complete, we would move to the next phase, that being the reestablishment of your government. Once that task was complete, the next would be to reestablish sustainable food production. You must understand that the current situation is costing our people a small fortune. A cost that we would hope to recover through millennia of trade.

  “Once food production is underway, we would move to the fourth phase of our efforts. Production. Production of all things needed to sustain your population. Transportation, factories, essentially the final pieces of what is missing today. As that effort comes into full swing, your people will be weaned from the drug, leaving you with a well established, vibrant economy, and a unified world government that was both fair and just.”

  Johnny sat forward. “Sounds like you have our whole lives planned out for us.”

  “That is hardly the case, Mr. Tretcher. Our estimates place a schedule of under two years to accomplish all that I mentioned. Your people would be both free and self-governing when that time arrived. Our use of the drug was to induce a cooperative spirit that we knew to be lacking. Without its use, the rebuilding of Earth would take decades, and there would undoubtedly be wars as struggles for power and wealth resumed.”

  Jasper said, “You should have filled us in on the use of the drug. We’re reasonable people.”

  Bontu placed his hands on the table. “We have studied you for several years now. You are… were ��� a people split by many cultures, customs and nations. What chance do you hold out that there would be a harmonious recovery where all nations and all peoples joined together in their efforts?”

  Jasper scowled. “Some of us do have a tendency to be jackasses. Guess I can’t really argue against your point.”

  Bontu looked back to Mace. “Mr. Hardy, we know you have been communicating with the others in your military who have chosen not to consume the nutrient bars. I would like to propose that you rally these people together into a defense force for this planet. As I said, we will provide ships, crews, weapons and training. And we would allow your people to govern your own force, as allies to the Mawga. Allies who are on an equal plane with the Mawga.

  “As a gesture, to show our sincerity, I’ve been asked to give you a tour of one of our military vessels. We have fourteen in orbit above us. These are not the diplomatic vessels such as I have. They are armed and armored cruisers, much larger than what you’ve seen. And this tour I speak of, it would be complete, all sections of the cruiser. And interaction with the ship’s commander, who will answer any and all questions you might have.”

  Mace stroked his beard in thought. “I’m concerned, Mr. Montak. Why would you be willing to show us this? You obviously have ships that are far more powerful than anything we have. And I’m certain you have armies that are far larger than what we can currently muster. Why would you need us?”

  Bontu looked down. “Mr. Hardy, as you can see, your people are far bigger in stature that ours. That trait places you above most species in the galaxy. Through our studies of your people, we’ve determined that you are fighters, you are intelligent, and you are highly adaptable. Where our warriors march into battle in a line, only doing as they are told, your people evaluate every situation and adjust. You have a will to fight that most others lack.

  “As I’m certain you know, Mr. Hardy, most wars are not won by standing off in some ship and firing at one another. They are won with boots on the ground, as you say. Land, ships, planets, they are all governed by living, breathing beings. Until those beings are defeated and subdued, the land, ship or planet, is not in your possession. Our Emperor, and our military generals and admirals, believe your species to be key to not only defending Earth, but to possibly defeating the Kaachi.”

  Mace leaned back. “Wow. I was not expecting a talk like this.”

  Bontu brought a display of information up on a wall. “In the former United States, you have nearly fifty thousand holdouts, many of them with military backgrounds. Across your globe that number is close to fifty million. We feel these are the people with fighting spirit, the resisters, the warriors of Earth, if you will. These are the Humans we want you to assemble into an army, an army that will be used to protect your planet.”

  Johnny asked. “This all seems kind of sudden. Are these Kaachi on their way? Do you know they’re coming?”

  Bontu replied, “Mr. Tretcher. Our ships travel the great distances of the galaxy through the production of wormholes. What takes light hundreds or thousands of years to traverse, we can do in an instant. This technology, however, comes at a great cost. Our fleet’s travel here took six months��� worth of gathering resources. You see, wormhole generation requires a tremendous amount of fuel to accomplish. This fuel must be mined and refined to exact specifications. The process is slow and cumbersome, making star-travel an expensive proposition.

  “Throughout the galaxy there are natural rifts that occur. These rifts are like the superhighways of your world. And those who control them control the flow of trade in entire regions. The closest rift is four years flight from here under normal means. With a jump-ship and the proper amount of fuel, that four years can be cut down to seconds. The rift to this region of space is new. We do not control the rift. This rift is controlled by the Sarkesians, a powerful but fair species.

  “Three months ago, a small wormhole was opened to this system. Communications were passed through so the Emperor might have status of our progress. As the wormhole closed, a Kaachi intelligence ship was seen leaving the area. We believe they now know of Earth, and they may be preparing for an attack. Our spies have sent word that Kaachi ships are massing near the other end of the rift.”

  Johnny said, “So, the Kaachi pay to bring a fleet through the rift and then open a wormhole to here, sending that fleet through. If you know this, why can’t your Emperor send through more ships? Or why don’t you stop them at this end the of the rift?”

  Bontu replied, “Unfortunately, we do not have the ships to send. Our fleets are spread thin, defending the Empire from the Kaachi and a dozen other species who have chosen the path of war. And we cannot defend near the rift. It is forbidden. You see, two thousand of your years ago, a meeting was held by the seven most powerful empires. They formed a union and enacted rules that all species must follow.

  “If a species should violate the rules, they may be expelled from the Union where all of their assets would then fall prey to all Galactic Union members. It is one thing to war with another species, but war with a dozen would mean certain defeat. And without support of the Union, you cannot trade with others. Trade is the lifeblood of existence in this galaxy.”

  Jasper asked, “Why doesn’t this trade union outlaw war?”

  Bontu sighed. “The seven powers that began it did not want the Union meddling in their private affairs. The rules govern trade. One of the rules is no warring near the rifts. The rifts are open to all who can pay the fair fee of the discovering species. Even if a species controls a rift and is at war with another, they cannot deny them access, but they can demand payment up front.”

  Johnny said, “So, other than these rules, it’s everyone for themselves?”

  Bontu nodded. “We all control our own destinies, so long as the rules are followed. I understand your hesitation to join what could be conceived as a Mawga fight, Mr. Tretcher. And I would like to show you one of our cruisers as I continue to push for an alliance.”

  Johnny asked, “If these Kaachi do decide to invade, when would they be here?”

  Bontu replied, “A jump through the rift happens in seco
nds, opening wormholes can take anywhere from a few seconds, to five days. It depends on the the amount of fuel at the ready. The Kaachi are not a wealthy species. I would expect a ship to use a fair amount of fuel to generate a wormhole for a moderate sized fleet, that being less than fifty warships.”

  Johnny winced. “So a matter of minutes or hours for an invasion?”

  Bontu nodded. “That estimate could easily be accurate. A wormhole cannot be opened near matter. Gravitational fields restrict that. Typically travel would be made to nearby space with standard drives being used in the end.”

  Mace sat forward in his chair. “How many ships do the Mawga have here right now? Including warships.”

  Bontu brought another informational display to the wall. “Fourteen cruisers, one troop carrier, and approximately four hundred diplomatic vessels, sixteen of which are spread across your former United States. The diplomatic vessels are only lightly armed. A thousand of them would not hold up to the might of a single cruiser.”

  Mace said, “When can we go on this tour?”

  Bontu smiled. “I have been given authorization for immediate access. Please… one moment…”

  Bontu tapped on his arm pad. Seconds later his attention was returned. “Excellent. Admiral Geerok aboard the cruiser Delisant is welcoming three other delegations such as yourselves. If we leave immediately, we can join them on the tour.”

  Mace looked over at the door. “How long do you expect this tour to last? So I can tell my people?”

  Bontu replied, “I believe a minimum of a day. It could go as long as you desire, if that is what is required to bring you to our side.”

  Mace stood. “I’ll let David know. He can tell the others. And, Bontu, just so you know, even if we three decide this is a good idea, that’s a far cry from all the other holdouts accepting any of this.”

  Bontu nodded. “I fully understand the uphill struggle we face, Mr. Hardy. Please inform your friend and we’ll get underway. The ride up to the Delisant will take nearly an hour.”

  David Yancy was filled in. Mace returned to the shuttle and it lifted off, docking shortly after in the chancellor’s ship. The diplomatic vessel lifted up through the atmosphere and was soon enveloped in the darkness of space.

  Mace walked out on the catwalk, looking down at the Earth as they continued to rise. “Wow. That is spectacular. I don’t know that I could say I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful.”

  Johnny stood beside him with his jaw dropped.

  Jasper asked, “How is it we can stand out here and not suffocate or freeze?”

  Mace replied, “Something about a synthesized gravity wall. You can’t see it, but it’s there. And don’t try to reach out for it. I’m told if you were to come in contact with it, you’d get sucked in, and that’s not something you���d want to have happen. And because of that, you don’t want to lean too far out on this platform. You fall off and you’re toast.”

  Jasper nodded. “Good to know.”

  A short time later, the cruiser Delisant became visible to the naked eye. As they approached, two other diplomatic vessels fell in beside them. The catwalks of each had Humans out on them, gawking at their surroundings. A fourth diplomatic vessel was already docked with the cruiser.

  Johnny shuddered as they moved in to dock. “That thing is a beast! I see why Bontu said there was no comparison to his ship. Can you imagine if one of these had come down to enforce the law with the Russians or the Chinese?”

  Jasper said, “This is better than any movie I’ve seen. Stunning. Just stunning.”

  Mace laughed. “Glad you two are so easily impressed. Look, they’re living, breathing beings, just like us, only smaller. They have advanced technology, but I have a hard time buying that they’re in need of our help against these Kaachi. That is unless they are terrible at war themselves. The Mawga appear to be good at planning, which is excellent if you’re looking to build things, but when it comes to war, plans are rarely followed���fully needed, but rarely followed.”

  Bontu walked out onto the catwalk. “Gentlemen, we have arrived. If you would care to follow me to the transfer tube, I can introduce you to the admiral. He has been an acquaintance of mine for many of your years.”

  The three Humans followed the Mawga onto the massive cruiser. After walking several hallways, the Mawga gestured toward a doorway.

  “Mr. Hardy, Mr. Tretcher, Mr. Collins… I will be heading back to the district and my other duties. The admiral will see to it that you are returned whenever you are ready. Just ask and he will make the accommodations.”

  Bontu bowed, turned, and walked away.

  A voice could be heard from inside the room. “You blokes just going to stand out there?”

  Johnny stepped through the door. “Australian?”

  The man who had spoken nodded. “Sydney. You must be the Americans?”

  Johnny held out his hand. “Johnny Tretcher.”

  The man shook it. “Coran Daughtry. These are my colleagues, Tawn Davies and Roger Glover.”

  Johnny looked over his shoulder. “This is Mace Hardy, and the old man is Jasper Collins.”

  Coran spun to his left. “These three gentlemen, sorry, I’m horrible with names, are from the U.K. And these three from Canada, right in your backyard.”

  The rotund Mawga admiral waddled into the room, talking with a voice that was much deeper than his stature would predict. “Good day, gentlemen. My name is Fatso Geerok. I’m the commander of the fleet that is currently protecting your world. And before you make any comments about my name, yes, it’s pronounced as it’s spelled, and I do resemble the term from your language. Moving on, I will be giving you a half-hour tour, after which you will be passed off to another more capable guide. Ask all the questions you like, open what doors you like, make whatever comments you like. For the duration of this tour, consider this ship yours.”

  Johnny raised his hand. “Can we fire the guns?”

  The admiral replied, “With supervision, if you so desire.”

  Johnny nodded. “I think I’m gonna like this tour.”

  Jasper grinned. “Until I shove you in an airlock and space you.”

  The three Brits laughed. “Got a sense of humor, the old man does.”

  One of the Brits held out his hand. “Liam. Liam Hobbs.”

  Jasper shook it. “Don’t care. Say, you���re a bit cross-eyed, aren’t you?”

  Johnny shook his head. “Don’t get him started, he won’t stop.”

  The admiral raised a hand. “Gentlemen, save your hostilities for the Kaachi, if you please. In the meantime, follow me.”

  The admiral talked as he walked. “This section of the ship, the docking area, is where all personnel and materiel transit. The only items that do not are radio frequency transmissions and the high energy plasma from our cannons, and of course light from our normal running beacons.”

  Johnny asked, “Those guns, how do they work exactly, and what damage will they do?”

  The admiral continued, “The plasma weapon began as a rifle that was captured from another species long ago. Our scientists and engineers scaled the weapon up to the cannons we have today. A plasma charge builds in a well, a container if you will, and is then ejected through a cannon port using high magnetics, the equivalent of gravity, to direct it. The plasma charge remains in a gravity bubble of sorts until striking its target. The charge then rapidly dissipates, heating the structure it has contacted, often to a million of your degrees. It appears almost as a tiny sun on the surface it impacts.”

  The Australian, Coran Daughtry, pushed further. “If one of these plasma charges was to impact the outside of this hull. What damage could be expected?”

  Fatso stopped. “This very ship has taken a dozen such strikes. The damage depends on the plating it impacts. I’ve seen everything from severe surface scarring to a three meter hole that killed everyone within a bulkhead section. Twenty-six Mawga perished on that strike. It was a bad day to be on C-deck-port-fo
rward, I can assure you.”

  Mace said, “How much fighting have you seen?”

  The admiral thought. “I believe the number to be fifteen encounters. Eight with another ship, before becoming an admiral. The other seven here on the Delisant.”

  Mace slowly nodded. “Sounds like you’ve seen some heavy action.”

  “Yes. And in five of those… fights, the ship I was on took damage. War in space is a frightful thing. I often wish I had joined the army instead, but I come from a long line of space-fleet commanders. Couldn’t disappoint the family. Have you seen action, Mr. Hardy?”

  “I’ve seen more than my share. Mine was army. And I can’t say that it’s preferable to fighting out here. Out here you can see the enemy. On the ground, there are too many places for the enemy to hide. You get shot at before you even know they’re out there.”

  Fatso nodded. “Yes. I can see where that might be difficult. Perhaps I will relent on my laments as far as naval warfare goes.”

  The admiral turned a corner. “Gentlemen, we are entering the crew quarters. They are centered in the ship along with our power systems, supplies, and armaments storage. Aside from our cannons, we have missiles and gravity bombs. The missiles are ship to ship or ship to ground. The bombs are strictly for dropping. Both are self guiding once they leave the ship.”

  Coran asked, “How many crew does the Delisant have, sir?”

  The admiral replied, “Officer quarters on the right. Crew on the left. Incidentally, our bunks are arranged head to head, toe to toe, flowing straight from one to another. They should easily accommodate you Humans, although not as many of you.”

  Johnny stopped, coming face to face with a bulkhead as the admiral stepped through a low door. “Are all the bulkhead pass-throughs this size?”

  The admiral nodded. “As are many of the side passageways. I’m afraid the bulkheads are here to stay. The passageways can be altered to accommodate your height. And, Mr. Daughtry, to answer your question, a cruiser has a general crew of two hundred forty-two. We can also accommodate a brigade of soldiers, typically numbering from six to seven hundred.”