The Intruder Mandate: The Farthest Star from Home: a military sci-fi suspense novel

by William Cray

  Regia had been in constant contact with Prime Minister Mikoyan since this morning, and events had turned for the worse. There hadn’t been much time to prepare ahead of this urgently scheduled meeting, but Mars urgently needed her help. She would be armed only with her diplomatic skill to carry the day, but she would leverage everything she could grasp in order to find out what that pig Crassis was hiding.

  She had been seated for just a moment when the doors leading to Roberto Giaconna’s office opened and she was shown in with the Deputy Minister standing in front of his desk, hands extended in greeting, a concerned smile across his face.

  Regia entered, “Thank you for seeing me so soon Deputy Minister.”

  “Of course Ambassador. When I received news of the events unfolding on your great planet, we were all troubled. Mars is our closest neighbor and friend of the Commonwealth.” Giaconna pointed her to two adjacent chairs, with stewards descending with fresh warm cups of Jiri and two cool glasses of Kuiper ice water. “Do you have news you can share?”

  Regia accepted the Jiri. Taking the invitingly cool water would show mild weakness and she would not deal with Giaconna from even a hair’s disadvantage. She sipped the Jiri then she smiled. “Thank you Deputy Minister. I have some troubling news. News that perhaps, through your contacts and services, that you may be able to enlighten us about.”

  Giaconna wasn’t taken back, but he hesitated as part of the dance. “Of course Ambassador, but I’m not sure I can be of service. Perhaps if you continue.” Raising the Jiri to his lips again.

  Regia nodded and resumed. “I spoke to Prime Minister Mikoyan less than thirty minutes ago. He relayed to me some disturbing and quite unbelievable information, yet it was serious enough to not be discounted.”

  Giaconna remained silent, lowering his cup and looking at Regia through his unimaginative eyes. She continued. “If the source of the information were not from a man I have known for over twenty years, a man who has dedicated his life to the preservation of an independent Mars, I could not have taken it at face value.”

  “Go on.” Giaconna said, now in false rapture.

  “Elijah Cole is the commissioner of our planetary police force…”

  “The Luane Tharsis Constabulary. Yes, I am aware of their reputation as one of the most professional of our greater Commonwealth law enforcement agencies.”

  “Yes…” Regia said, then resumed. “Commissioner Cole has relayed to the Prime Minster, that he has evidence the tragic events now occurring in New Meridian City are the work of an Intruder agent and that this Intruder is operating a mind control device from inside the Stratospire. The Intruder is human.”

  Leaning back in his forma, Giaconna set his cup down, the diplomatic look of astonishment blanching his face. Regia continued before the inevitable standard statement of concern crossed the professional liar’s mouth. “Furthermore, he reports that that the Imperial Ministry of Intelligence is actively conducting a covert counter-operation, using at least one, possibly more, advanced military grade cyborgs.”

  “Intruders…human?” Giaconna finally blanched. “This is shocking news. And you say this Commissioner Cole has evidence?”

  “Yes. He relayed to the Prime Minister that he has seen a secure communication from the base intelligence officer on the Commonwealth Military Depot on Phobos. The communiqué indicated the Intruder array was detected on the Stratospire by Commonwealth military assets operating in conjunction with Imperial agents.”

  “Incredible…” Giaconna said, genuine surprise leaching out. Then a wistful expression crossed his calculated face. In the silence he took another sip of Jiri, then turned back to Tonaska. “You say this man Cole is reliable?”

  “Most,” she said without hesitation.

  Giaconna waved his hand in the air, “Please, please. I do not doubt your man, if you believe in him so strongly, but I must ask. Is this part of some ruse to confuse the true situation? A diversion planted for your Commissioner to discover?”

  Tonaska placed the cup on the table. Leaning forward with all evidence of pleasantry or guile quashed from her expression. “That is why I am here Deputy Minister. In light of our discussion with Ambassador Crassis just two days ago at the Imperial Consulate, my government wishes to know what information the Commonwealth possess on this crisis?”

  Giaconna, straightened his summer coat, leaning back and crossing his legs, resting his hands in his lap. Regia’s inquiry had been accusing in tone, and it was meant that way. Giaconna’s reaction was predictable.

  “Ambassador Tonaska, I share your concerns about these reports,” shaking his head. “Nothing has crossed this desk to validate that fact that there is an Intruder on Mars, nor have I received any information that any Intruders survived the Vendetta.”

  Regia countered, “And yet one of your officers has transmitted that information along an encrypted channel to a military grade cyborg who has been identified as an Imperial agent, after first presenting himself to Commissioner Cole with validated credentials from the Commonwealth Ministry of Codes and Enforcement. In light of the request by Ambassador Crassis to allow a security team from the Emperor to guard his interests against a terrorist plot, I can see no reason to dispute his account, pending verification from you of its error.”

  “Ambassador, I’m afraid I can’t.”

  “Even though your military has sent confirmation? If you or your government cannot present us information that is clearly in your possession, I am afraid, Prime Minister Mikoyan will be forced to declare a planetary emergency and present what information we do have, including Imperial involvement, to the full council. As a Protectorate of the Commonwealth, would you deny us access to the full council?”

  “Regia…No…please,” Giaconna said, motioning for patience. “Mars is Earth’s closest neighbor. Were you here when the Intruders occupied Earth? Did you see the loss of life? The mindless bodies quivering in the streets by the thousands the day it all ended. It was utterly horrible.”

  “No,” she said quietly. “I arrived a few months after.”

  Giaconna nodded. “The presence of an Intruder, even a single one, is anathema to human existence. Can you imagine the panic it would evoke?”

  “Martians are dying Roberto. Dying this minute. Unless you have something to tell us, we must assume the information is valid and proceed to protect our people.”

  “Regia,” Roberto countered again in his best placating voice. “I want to ask you something. And I want you to consider it carefully. Prime Minister Mikoyan will listen to you. You are among the most persuasive people I have ever known. One day, I have no doubt you will mark this Commonwealth.”

  “Martians are dying Roberto,” she reminded him.

  “Regia, I have no direct knowledge of what is happening. But I want to ask you in light of what you assume is an Intruder attack on your planet, what possible course of action could you have taken to prevent this.”

  “Disparaging our vigilance will not work Roberto.” Regia snarled.

  “Even if you had known, what could you have done?”

  “Evacuated the Hebes Chasma to start.”

  “For god’s sake Regia, they can control peoples minds, if they are human as you say they could just slip out with the people you were evacuating.” Giaconna shot back. Tonaska started to respond, but Giaconna again put his hands up, stalling her response. “Let me continue, please.” Tonaska looked on in silence, her famous civility masking an inner rage.

  “What would you expect the Commonwealth Military to do to aid Mars?” Giaconna asked. Then he continued. “I will tell you what they would do. They will blockade Mars. They would circle the planet with armed satellites and monitors and prevent anyone from leaving the surface or going down to it. We destroyed the Intruder homeworld, Regia. Bombed it into a cinder because there weren’t any other options that didn’t involve risking more lives. Do you think for an instant the Emperor would tolerate an Intruder safehaven between his exile home and Earth?�
��

  Tonaska remained silent, not taking well to the lecture but listening for diplomatic subterfuge, and finding none. Giaconna continued with brutal honesty.

  “Now let me ask you this. If there is nothing the Commonwealth could do about an Intruder on your planet, and there was nothing you could do…What if the Emperor could do something, but he could not do it openly without alerting the Intruders? What if he knew about the Intruders and he could send a man or a team that was prepared to deal with them, to kill them, without resorting to bombing the planet?”

  “If that were the case, he should have told us, should have informed us,” Regia shot back. “That would be his first responsibility.”

  “Regia, you wouldn’t have believed him. You didn’t believe him when Crassis brought you information about a terrorist plot that was infinitely more plausible than the return of a dead race from a hundred light years away.”

  The revelation drew Regia back, trying to hide a flush of anger. They had known all along and lied about it. Perhaps even tried to take advantage of the situation. Fire swelled to the surface.

  Giaconna continued. “The Mandate, Regia, one-six-seven. Read it. It promises nothing short of genocide for the Intruders.”

  “But you told the galaxy that they were all killed. They are extinct.”

  “Perhaps Regia, but I do know there were human sympathizers. They are still out there somewhere. And imagine the fear and suspicion that would spread if that were common knowledge. No one would ever trust anyone again. We would point fingers at each other until we came apart in paranoia and distrust.”

  “What do you know Roberto?” she hissed.

  “I don’t know anything. But I can tell you this. There is a team of Imperial security specialists that you have not cleared to land on your planet. They may be able to help.”

  “That is your advice? Allow the Emperor more of a foothold.”

  “Only something for you to consider.” Giaconna replied with open hands. “I don’t have enough information to give you advice.”

  “Very well. Thank you for your time.” She stood to leave, wrapping her Redcoat around her.

  “Before you go, there is one more thing.” Giaconna added, standing as well.

  “Yes?”

  “Your government needs to consider the possibility of failure. If this fantastic story is true…and if Intruders gain control of New Meridian, what then? Their influence will not be allowed to spread. How far is your government willing to go to protect the rest of the planet from alien domination? If that evil happened again, on Mars, Earth or any significant human population, I can assure you that the Emperor has already considered this. Perhaps you should as well.”

  30

  Outside Power Dome 4

  Radiation Exclusion Zone

  Mars

  Cole raced through the streets in the cruiser. He picked his way through flaming barricades along the major intersections, forcing him through narrow alleys where hidden snipers took potshots at them as they rushed through the chaos.

  He listened to the frantic calls on his coms. Some of the calls for help were being faked, luring his units into an ambush. He ordered everyone still on the network to ignore the calls for help. It went against every instinct he had, but it was the only thing he could do. The only police forces left in the city were either with the enemy, or with him. He didn’t know which were which, even amoung those in the car with him. He expected someone to shove a gun in his ear at any moment.

  He could see the travelway corridor leading to Power Dome 4 just ahead. He needed that plant shut down so he called the only person left he explicitly trusted. He could see Captain Isley leaning over the hood of a cruiser as they pulled up. He had a small collection of police, soldiers and a few TAC units gathered around him.

  “I brought some reinforcements Captain.”

  Isley nodded. “We need a lot more or this is going to be a suicide run. I’ve already lost one.”

  “Who?”

  “Marshall from NMCPD. Shot him dead as he approached. They have the entrance here covered.”

  “Show me.” Cole said.

  The low corridor was about forty meters wide, enough to accommodate heavy lift vehicles, but it was an open pathway with very little in the way of cover.

  Isley called up the dome’s schematics on his flyer then slapped it down on the hood of his police cruiser. “If the dome’s security protocols were active, this wouldn’t even be an option. It would take a full-scale military operation to breach the Power Dome’s main entrance. With what we have here, there’s no easier way in. Only bad ones. Even if we breached the initial defenses, there’s still no information on what’s inside. There’s at least one hostile tactical team holding the entrance.”

  “Do we know who it is?”

  “No. I’ve tried to contact them over the last 20 minutes. They don’t answer. But we know they’re NMCPD.”

  Cole looked down the corridor, using his collar unit for amplification from his cruiser’s periscope. He could see the hostile team arrayed at the entrance behind the barricades. They had gone over to the Intruders.

  Besides the Intruder tactical team, portable anti-vehicle EMP barriers and crash gates were deployed at the entrance. If the defenders were smart, each barrier would be covered by a neuro-disruptor. Lethal weapons would be positioned to pick off the disabled. You could call in every P-Tek in the city and order them to crash the gates, but the dominated police inside could just turn on their personal ID transponders and the P-Tek's wouldn't engage them.

  He shook his head and looked back down the long murder hole.

  “Let me see your plan Marcus.”

  “I put in a call to Territorial Guard. They can send a reserve Sapper unit down in about six hours. They can bring in some lifters and support vehicles maybe. They can try to breach the outside shell. That will take more time, but that’s the best option right now.”

  Cole could see the concern in Captain Isley’s eyes. He kept checking over his shoulder, and then looking back to the schematic. Isley was an old hand but he was shook up. It had been a terrible day, but it was going to get worse if the plant’s power systems weren’t shut down.

  Cole scrolled the display down, looking at the plant’s structural layout below street level. There were junctions and nodes spreading out from the reactor grid. These schematics were the only advantage he had. Sending Isley and his men in on a frontal assault was doomed to failure. They could breach the first line of defense, but they had no idea was behind the initial barricades. He examined the conduits below the plant, looking for a better option.

  Cole pointed to a series of relay ducts by a remote transformer station that sat not two hundred meters from where they stood. “Take some men and see if you can find a way into the plant from these access points. If you can't get in the plant, find a way to knock out those transformers.”

  Isley nodded. “Commissioner, there are hundreds of those transformers on this grid alone. Any we knock out can just be rerouted.”

  “I know,” Cole responded. “Just do it. Maybe it will buy us some time. Try these first then report back. They look like they are on the most direct routing, but I’m not an engineer. Tell me if you find anything promising or come up with any ideas.”

  “Yes sir.” Isley began issuing instructions into his com system and people started to move. Before he joined the group assembling by the relay station, he stopped and looked at Cole. “What the hell is going on sir? I had to kill three of my own men earlier when they tried to blow up the barge we were on.”

  Cole just nodded. “I know Marcus.”

  The Captain hung his head, watching his search teams assemble. “I mean...I just don’t know who I can trust. Is this Earth all over again?”

  “The only way to stop this is to get inside that building and turn off the power. If you can’t find a way in or shut off the power, we’re going to have to go in through the front door.”

  Isley nodded. �
�What did you do with that fucker Duran?”

  “I cut him loose.”

  Isley shook his head as he pulled on his helmet. “Whose side is he on?”

  “I have no idea. His own side I guess.”

  Cole slapped him on the back as he took hit of air from his breather. The captain turned and ran towards the group of men and women he didn’t quite trust. They were all putting their faith in people that could turn on them in an instant. Cole watched Isley go, gathering up his team and moving off.

  The interior of the Habitation Dome was dark now. The power was shut off and the sun was racing past the horizon. The Stratospire still flashed anti-collision beacons along its length like a great red line of ants crawling up through the sky. If he didn’t get the power off to the tower, the Intruder could dominate the entire city. Duran was out there somewhere, trying to get inside.

  The Prime Minister was apoplectic. The consequences, of failure, Mikoyan had said, were unthinkable. Expend every effort. In the end, he had turned full authority over to Cole as the commander on the scene. Mikoyan also said, one more thing. Turn him loose. Turn Duran loose.

  If Captain Isley couldn’t find a way into the plant or couldn’t disable the power conduits, then he would order them to attack straight up the corridor. They would probably die in the attempt, or wind up controlled by the Intruder. But when he gave the order, he would go with them. They would need every gun and every last chance.

     

  Phobos Commonwealth Military Depot

  Operations Center

  The spike was unmistakable. The wave sign looked like the undulating fangs of a feeding carnivore on the display, pulsing back and forth, each rending crash of its jaws ripping open another mind. Few sensor returns carried the pallor of dread more than a modulated Alpha surge. Few analysts had ever seen a real one, relying on simulations to cue them, but every veteran of the Vendetta had known what it was immediately.