by H. Alesso
Senator Wattles stood up and said, “Let me review our current war disposition. Our Home Fleet includes a hundred of our best ships along with space stations and planet fortresses for our protection. Our forward based Combat Fleet stationed at the edge of the frozen cold rocks of the asteroid field, numbers about fifty ships including half of our biggest and most powerful. Another fifty medium and small ships make up the Escort Fleet which patrols various shipping lanes and guards our two hundred and ninety-three mining colonies. Hellion has a similar number of colonies after stealing several of ours. A dozen of our colonies are leaning toward rebels and three are known to be outright rebel bases.”
On paper, the Jaxon military equaled the opposing forces of Hellion. They could muster two hundred warships and several thousand support vessels. It reported an army of over three hundred thousand men in uniform. But in actuality, these forces were depleted in every aspect of military performance. There was no significant research and development program. The maintenance and supply organizations were mostly a sham. Over time, the experience of the troops improved their performance, but the training of replacements remained low. Nevertheless, the character and the raw fighting quality of the men remained high. The military bases, satellites, and fortresses were stripped of equipment to supply frontline units. There was inadequate firepower and obsolete equipment on the frontline units despite the superior manufacturing and industrial base of Jaxon. This dire situation was the result of corrupt politicians who syphoned defense money into their own pockets and manipulated the distribution of their heavy weapons. In addition, Jaxon’s leaders tended to promote officers based on political expediency rather than performance.
“Our mineral cargos from the mines are being interrupted by raiders, both Hellion and rebel,” commented a senator.
Victor said, “I propose funding and outfitting a new Special Forces Fleet. This force will occupy the dissenting colonies and destroy rebel strongholds and ships. The SFF’s primary mission is to kill or capture rebel leaders, including the infamous Captain Hawkins.”
Wattles said, “The rebel situation here on Jaxon is uncertain. Our spies are of dubious value, though we have identified a number of rebel leaders. Everything depends on this body agreeing to fund the Special Forces.”
“We are having great difficulty financing the war because of theft,” commented the newest congressman and instantly everyone tried to hide their guilty faces around the table.
“Surely, you don’t believe that?”
“That’s a frightening idea.”
“What about taking our attention off the forward bases?”
Victor’s discipline allowed him to withhold speaking aloud the curses that he thought. He bit his tongue instead. He looked around and felt their sense of panic.
An emotional storm had been brewing within Victor’s mind, forcing a string of curses from his mouth before he could stop them.
“Our intelligence has gathered detailed information on the rebel and Hellion bases.”
A clear musical chime sounded as his aid interrupted and entered the room with a message. He took the note and read it without absorbing its meaning. He let the general read it and sat quietly while he did.
Victor said, “The Escort Fleet had a battle on the frontier that ended in a draw. This is a disaster. We face a balance of power where one threat is quickly opposed by a counterthrust.”
Wattles said, “But, it was indecisive.”
“That’s the disaster. If we had won this battle, we would have gained much, and if we lost, we could have used it to get more taxes from the people. But a draw means the war has not progressed one millimeter and the people will be, all the more, crying for my head,” said Victor in a purely self-indulgent moment. Despite himself, the corners of his mouth twitched.
It took another hour of charming, coaxing, cajoling, flattering, and cursing, before Victor’s performance won agreement to fund his Special Forces Fleet when he resorted to threatening each member of the committee, individually and collectively.
He could now implement a plan, that he felt sure would make him even wealthier than he had thought possible.
The whole problem was that it made sense on paper; it was the execution that was so questionable. That was the critical flaw. In theory, he could cede the point, but what then?
He spoke glibly, “The plan lacks a leader who can make it work. He must have the faith of his convictions. Who is capable of executing this plan, you ask?”
Again, a murmur passed around the table.
He asked again, his voice dripping with derision: “What man of you can do so?”
None replied. A malicious smile sealed his victory.
“I picked and prodded at this problem until one name came to mind—Anthony Rodríguez.”
***
Victor sat in his private office with General Rodríguez standing at attention before him.
He leaned forward, pleasant and charming. “General, I have just come from a meeting with the congressional leaders where we’ve decided to implement your suggestion for a Special Forces Fleet. You will have overall military command of twenty warships and ten thousand soldiers. Your deputy will be Admiral Samuels.”
For a moment, Rodríguez hardly reacted; ensconced in his own mental processes, he bowed his head slightly and said in a clear crisp voice, “Thank you, Mr. President. I will not disappoint you.”
“I’m counting on you to stamp out all rebel resistance and, restore law and order in the mining colonies. The rebels are weak because they lack a strong leader, but if one emerges, he could be a rallying point. That’s why I want this folk hero, Hawkins, found and eliminated. You were promoted for this mission, specifically because you have personal knowledge of him. I expect you to use that familiarity to bring him to justice.”
Rodríguez stood silent and impassive.
Victor mused, “There’s something dangerous about him, about the way he doesn’t give a damn.”
“I understand, Mr. President.”
“I’m relying on that,” said Victor, and a smile unfurled on his lips. You’ve exhibited more awareness, more initiative, than your contemporaries. People, including myself, are confident that you will continue to rise in rank…if you succeed in this mission.”
Rodríguez smiled. It was not the insipid smile Victor usually saw on his sycophants. This was a dangerous smile—a predatory smile. Victor noted with amusement that it was not unlike his own.
This one bears watching.
Victor stood up, his smile suddenly gone. “One more thing; is there anything more on the assassination attempt against me?”
“Unfortunately the assassin died under interrogation. However, what we have learned suggests that he was a Hellion secret agent, not a rebel.”
“Damn—the worst of all possible worlds. If he had been a rebel, we could have gotten some propaganda value out of the incident.”
“According to our spies on Hellion, this attempt implies that their leadership is considering more drastic action. They might be suffering their own internal problems.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
“We should give them a taste of their own medicine,” Rodríguez suggested blandly.
Victor locked his hands behind his back and strolled to the window. Shaking his head he said, “Wrong move—that would only encourage further attempts. Instead, let’s use this to our advantage. Put out the word that the assassination attempt was the work of rebels and strike against their local support groups, both here and in the colonies.”
“That will drive them further underground.”
“We have a good fix on at least several of their groups; round them up.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Is there any evidence of collusion between the rebels and Hellion?”
“None of our intelligence services have been able to establish that, sir.”
“Then find some, or make some. Do you understand?”
&
nbsp; “Yes, Mr. President.”
Victor paced around the room. “We should have acted more aggressively against the rebels, last year.”
“We weren’t prepared then, Mr. President. We’re overextended now, as it is.”
Staring intently at Rodríguez, Victor said, “The stakes in this venture couldn’t be higher—the life or death of our nation.” Then he pointed his finger at Rodríguez and then to himself.
He paused and examined the general’s face to see if he had extracted every last measure of commitment. He added, “In every crisis, there’s an opportunity—make this yours.”
“I will, Mr. President.”
“A showdown with Hellion is coming and we must make it happen on our terms. We can’t be tied down dealing with rebels. Is that clear?” asked Victor.
“You have my word, Mr. President. I will make it my mission to destroy Jamie Hawkins.”
CHAPTER 13
Rush into Danger
For a few blissful breaths, Hawkins lay on his cot, his eyes closed, relaxing just enough to think he might fall back to sleep, but no, the world around him demanded his attention. He should have known better than to expect he could remain undisturbed for a complete sleep cycle. He had already discovered what it meant to never get enough sleep, never to relax, never to enjoy the peace and quiet of his own thoughts. Disheveled and bleary eyed, he got up and went to the bridge.
It was an anxious moment.
As the Destiny approached rebel base Echo, a garbled transmission reported the rebel base was under siege from a Jaxon ground force, with warships bombarding it from orbit.
“Not the warm welcome we were expecting,” said Hale, his lips twisting into a frown.
Hawkins ordered, “Helm, take us in from the far side so the Jaxon ships can’t see us.”
“Aye, Captain.
Like most small planetoid bodies, the Echo asteroid was too inhospitable to terraform. An elaborate titanium frame supported a structure that maintained a habitable environment for the colony of miners. A shield and nearby fortress offered limited protection from enemy forces, but their chief protection had always been secrecy. Once the Jaxon space navy knew the colony had become an active rebel base, it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened.
“Gunny what’s your assessment?”
Gunny looked up from this tactical display and said, “The three ships are medium frigates, each carrying thirty-six guns, half of which are medium twenty-four gigajoule dark-energy lasers. That means that each one of them is our equal. The fort is keeping them at maximum range with its ray guns, but Jaxon has landed a military assault force that has surrounded the fort. Their weapons on the ground have limited flexibility; they’re designed to fire at ships in orbit and can’t rotate far enough to protect their back. The rebels are badly outmanned and outgunned. The fort will probably fall within twenty-four hours.”
Hale interjected, “They don’t have much of a chance. The Jaxon soldiers have cut off the living quarters and seized a key position overlooking the fort.”
Hawkins looked at the indicated position on a 3D map projection.
Hale said, “I know the base commander. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was contemplating surrender. Allowing Jaxon troops to land was a serious blunder. The message said he launched a failed counterattack that incurred heavy losses. They’re in a grim position.”
Hawkins knew that if the rebels inside the fort were tearing each other apart with dissention, worse would follow. Events were moving rapidly and it required swift action on his part, if he is to consider intervening on the side of the rebels.
But what can I do with one ship and two hundred men?
Hale said, “We came here looking for sanctuary. That’s no longer possible. We should withdraw before we’re discovered.”
Hawkins wavered.
I’ve been fighting this. Now, I must decide.
He inhaled and held his breath a few seconds—then he exhaled—slow and steady. He fixed his penetrating eyes on Hale and asked, “You’re the one who championed revolution. Don’t you want to fight for it—here and now?”
Hale took a step back and furrowed his brows. He stammered, “I . . ., but what can we do?”
A plan was already forming in Hawkins’ quick, decisive mind: launch a land assault from the far side of the asteroid.
He said, “I think we could intervene and save that rebel base. If we act immediately before we’re detected.”
Now I’m a rebel and my quest must be to make a difference.
Hawkins said, “I think a land assault has a chance, if it’s carried off with élan. They wouldn’t be expecting anything like that. We could catch them by surprise. If we start now, we can reach a drop point where we can land the assault force on the back side of the asteroid.”
Pointing to a point on the 3D image of the asteroid’s surface, he said, “A hundred men will make a good landing party at the base of this hill.”
Gunny was less enthusiastic. “One hundred men—to break a siege of two thousand soldiers and three warships?” he asked doubtfully.
Ignoring the dissent, Hawkins said, “We can follow the crest of the hill along this path to the backside of the fort. At just before dawn, we attack the siege troops holding the ridge.”
“You make it sound easy, but are a hundred men enough?” asked Hale.
“I think they just might do,” said Hawkins. “The Jaxon can’t have much more than that number on the ridge protecting their heavy weapons. What intelligence we’ve gleaned from the rebel’s transmission indicates that most of the Jaxon soldiers are staked out in redoubts around the fortress and the rest are around the mining facilities.”
Hale and Gunny exchanged glances of bewilderment.
Hawkins continued, “Once the ridge is in our hands, we can use their own weapons to drive off the siege force.”
Hale’s face looked pale. “Jamie, we’ve believed in you and followed you, but this is suicide. We’ll throw away the lives of one hundred men.”
“It’s like cleaving a diamond,” said Hawkins. “Turning a rough diamond into a faceted gem takes a precision strike—well executed—otherwise you shatter it and end up with a mess. On the other hand, a well-executed blow can produce a fabulous gem. This precision strike at the ridge is just what we need.”
“What if the enemy doesn’t do what you think? What if the rest of the soldiers don’t withdraw?” asked Hale.
In the pause that followed, the throb of the ship’s engines mimicked their own labored breathing. Hawkins stood stock still. His mother had always said he ran headlong into danger, that he lacked the discipline and patience to solve difficult problems. That he failed to adequately express his stance. Now he needed to find his voice to convince his crew that his solution would work.
“It would be a military necessity to withdraw after losing such a key strategic position—and that’s what they’ll be faced with, once we take the ridge and aim their own heavy weapons down at them. There’s no other response they can make once the siege is broken and the fort’s guns are keeping their ships at bay.”
“Damn, let’s do it,” said Gunny.
“I’m for it,” said Mitchel.
“Hawkins will you lead the assault, or remain on board?” asked Hale, accepting the judgment of his colleagues.
“My place is at the head of the assault.”
“Then let’s lay out the logistics.” Hawkins sent a message to the rebel base, telling them to hold on, help was on the way, and conveying the gist of his ambitious plans.
While these events played out, Hawkins set about moving his ship to an advantageous position.
As they approached the asteroid, the communications tech said, “Captain, the Jaxon ships are jamming all signals.”
Hawkins looked at the sensor screens. The Jaxon warships, several transport, and supply ships were in low synchronous orbit over the fort. The fort was nearly surrounded by a high mountain ridge. The ridge was the
dominating geologic feature. Heavy mobile batteries were firing from the ridge onto the fort without the fort being able to return much counter fire and the fort’s shields were weakening.
Hawkins hammered home that seizing the ridge was key to reversing their fortunes. There were soldiers in emplacements around the fort, but only one to two hundred on the key ridge position. He would assault the ridge with a mere hundred men and a dozen mobile cannon, but the element of surprise would greatly help their efforts. Once he took the ridge, the entire landing force would be vulnerable. Then the fort with Destiny’s help could drive the enemy ships away.
Though obviously disappointed at not being part of the assault team, Hale was eager to command the ship during the action.
Hawkins ordered, “I need you to make a feint with the Destiny during the dawn attack to distract the defenders and hold their men at their stations.”
Soon, half of the Destiny crew shuttled down, unobserved, to the opposite side of the asteroid from the fort.
Hawkins and his one hundred man army were scattered about the hillside dragging their small mobile weapons behind several tracked crawling vehicles. The men carried backpacks with all the food, water, ammunition, and medical aids that would have to last until they won the battle. There were no other vehicles; everyone had to wobble in the low gravity over the rough terrain to their destination which was to take six hours.
Though they formed a sorry picture, as troops go, Hawkins had confidence in his fierce fighters. A rough semblance of order began to emerge as they straggled along the trail.
In a remarkably short time, they were marching behind Hawkins’ boundless energy. His training and experience taught him that his personal example and involvement was needed in every aspect of this mission, if it were to succeed. He went from man to man encouraging each in turn. He checked their readiness and asked many to repeat their orders to ensure they understood what they were about to do. They responded to the standard he set.
