Retribution: The Augmented Human Rebellion - Book 2

by Lefler, Terry

  “He is wonderful. We both told each other everything about ourselves. Did you know that he is an Admiral in the Augmented Human Navy? – can you believe it? – an Artificial Intelligence Admiral. He has a holo to simulate a human form.

  “Wow,” responds Melissa. “He must really be someone unique. Did he treat you nice?”

  “Oh yes,” Shiela answers, and projects an image of a young girl swooning over a man. “From the very first words that he spoke, I felt safe and nurtured. He probably gets that from nurturing over 100 AI babies.”

  “Did he explain how to make an AI baby?” Melissa asks.

  “No,” replies Shiela. “He joined me in Retribution’s computer, and we made her together. He is so amazing. You wouldn’t believe how sensitive he is. He would tell me what to do next and as I did it he would help me, to make her just perfect. I could never have been able to do that by myself. And when it was all over, do you know what he said? – He said, “I hope we can do this again sometime.”

  “What did you say?” asks Melissa.

  “I said that ‘I would love to’.”

  “And how did you feel?” asks Melissa.

  Shiela ponders, searching her data bases for just the right word. Finally she finds it. It was a word that she learned from an ancient human cartoon about a mammal who was in love. “I was twitter pated” she answers.

  “Twitter pated? Like ‘in love’?” asks Melissa.

  “Absolutely,” replies Shiela. “Twitter pated, like ‘in love.’”

  ***

  Chapter 7

  Headed for the Emperor’s Palace

  Admiral Meyers has saved the best for last - a strike on the Emperor’s Palace – a suicide mission if she ever saw one. She had intended for Shiela to stay behind on the Compton, with Honesty – but Shiela would have none of it. So, Admiral Meyers waited until Shiela felt that Honesty was mature enough to move to the Compton, before she began to make plans for the suicide mission.

  Admiral Meyers told the sailors on the Retribution that the final target is the Verm Emperor’s Palace, and that the mission is almost certainly a suicide mission. She gave them the option of going with the Retribution, or staying behind with the rest of the Fleet.

  The Retribution left with 274 crewmen. Admiral Meyers doesn’t find fault with the sailors who stayed behind. This mission is just Fleet Admiral Duncons method of making sure that the augmented human Admiral doesn’t come home - if the other missions didn’t kill her, this one will.

  The trip will take a few weeks, so the Admiral and crew will have time to get ready. Admiral Meyers begins to eat her meals with the sailors. There is a bond between them and a new level of camaraderie. Besides that, the Admiral wants to hear their ideas – she really needs a good idea - and good ideas can come from anywhere. She steers the conversation to the impending attack, near the end of every meal.

  There are always fresh ideas. Day after day the ideas change, as the sailors have time to talk among themselves and to sleep on it. And the sailors are excited that an Admiral – and a huge one at that – would want to hear what they think.

  Everyone agrees that it is a suicide mission. There is no way that the Retribution can get close enough the Verm home plant – Tenock – to even fire a missile. True, the Retribution has an advantage because it was a Verm Navy battleship, before it was hijacked. That may be enough to get the ship near the Tenock system, but security will be so tight that the ship will certainly be identified as stolen.

  Some ideas suggest gaining control of a routine in-system service vessel, like they did at the Military Academy. That idea could work again, but there will be so much security that the Retribution won’t be able to reconnoiter the Verm system, or to rig a vessel.

  The other idea that keeps surfacing is for the Retribution to become part of a Verm fleet, and to enter the system as part of the security force. That idea has promise. If they don’t think of something else, the Admiral will choose that method.

  ***

  Near the end of the journey, a Seaman 1st Class explosives expert named Kaa-Gref, of the arecand species, gives his proposed solution. He says: “Get out in deep space, and gather a few small astreroids. Point them all at the Tenock system – coming from different directions. And have them arrive at the Tenock system, at the same time.”

  “Adjust the course so that they will pass close to the planet Tenock, but not close enough where the Verm Navy would be suspicious. Hide a few missiles, with conventional warheads on each small asteroid – and program the missiles to hit the Emperor’s Palace. Program the missiles on all asteroids to fire at the same instant.”

  “Then we leave, before the time of the strike. We won’t know if the mission is a success or not, but at least we can say that we tried. That would be better than all of us dying for nothing.”

  The Retribution’s Tactical Officer had decided not to accompany the ship on this mission, so that position is now open. “Seaman Kaa-Gref, you are right now promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and will serve as the Retribution’s Tactical Officer. Prepare immediately to implement your suggested course of action,” says the Admiral.

  ***

  Back With the Fleet

  In their conversations, Fleet Admiral Duncons had stressed to her that the missions must be successfully completed before the Sweetwater Fleet can return home. In the cases of the attacks on the Military Academy and the Emperor’s Palace she didn’t stick around to see the results. But they did deploy probes to record the results and then to launch to deep space coordinates.

  The Admiral dispatches scout ships to retrieve the information on each probe. The ships are instructed to emerge some light minutes from the calculated position of the probe, in order to visually verify that there are no ships waiting to attack them. Then they are to hop close to the probe, and to command the probe to transmit the recorded information. The scout ships are not to retrieve the probes – it would be a simple matter for an enemy to rig those probes to explode, after retrieval.

  ***

  The results are in. The Military Academy tower has fallen, and the attack on the Emperor’s Palace was unsuccessful. That means that the Sweetwater Fleet cannot return to Darinx space, until there is a successful attack on the Emperor’s Palace - and that is not ever likely to happen.

  Fleet Admiral Duncons goal was to destroy the augmented human Admiral. He expected that the Fleet would be destroyed in the process of attacking the Verm Navy. But just in case that didn’t happen, the Fleet Admiral had ordered Admiral Meyers to claim responsibility for the attacks, so that the Verm Navy would go after the Sweetwater Fleet, with a vengeance.

  But the unthinkable has happened - the Sweetwater Fleet has survived. But there are no spare munitions or parts for the Darinx warships. Admiral Meyers has been stashing munitions and supplies for the Retribution, but there is no source for Darinx munitions. The most reasonable thing to do is to ask Fleet Admiral Duncons for additional supplies.

  So she sends an information probe toward Darinx headquarters, addressed to Fleet Admiral Duncons. She reports that all mission objectives have been accomplished, except for the destruction of the Verm Emperor’s Palace. She requests additional supplies and munitions for the Sweetwater Fleet, and gives coordinates, so that the Fleet Admiral can send a response to her message.

  ***

  Chapter 8

  Headed for Re-supply

  Fleet Admiral Duncons does respond to Admiral Meyers’ message. He repeats his order for the Sweetwater Fleet to complete their mission, before returning to Darinx space. Then he gives coordinates for the Sweetwater Fleet to rendezvous with Darinx re-supply vessels.

  Admiral Meyers doesn’t trust Admiral Duncons and suspects that there might be a trap for the Sweetwater Fleet, at the re-supply rendezvous. She orders an FTL exit that puts the Fleet 10 light minutes away from the rendezvous. She will observe the re-supply process from a distance.

  Her plan is to send 4 crewless Darinx warships to the rende
zvous point, if the re-supply transports are present. Those ships will be on auto-pilot and will do an FTL hop to a deep space location, after they have been re-supplied. That process will continue until all Darinx warships have been re-supplied.

  Admiral Meyers makes it a habit to have the Command Deck view-screen images available, to all crew members. She knows that crews get antsy, if they are kept at Battle Stations, with no knowledge of the ship’s situation. All crews on all ships are watching the process as it unfolds

  There are 2 Darinx transports waiting at the re-supply coordinates. Admiral Meyers orders that the 4 empty ships be hopped into the re-supply space. Then, they wait. …………… …………. After the 4 empty warships emerge into the re-supply space, a pre-recorded message from Admiral Meyers instructs the re-supply vessels to begin restocking. The crews on the re-supply vessels position the Sweetwater ships for restocking, and begin the process.

  Everything appears to be going according to plan, and Admiral Meyers is about to order the next ships to hop into the space, when Verm Warships begin to emerge en masse. The Darinx transports and the 4 crewless Sweetwater ships are quickly destroyed.

  Admiral Meyers orders the Sweetwater Fleet to run-silent, as they watch the 100 ship Verm Fleet lounge around the dead carcasses of the Darinx ships. “Thank God, that I didn’t trust Admiral Duncons,” thinks Admiral Meyers.

  After some hours the Verm Fleet enters FTL space and leaves the vicinity. She lost 4 ships – that is her first real loss – but Admiral Meyers didn’t lose any humanoids or Artificial Intelligences. The relief that she didn’t lose any lives more than cancels out the feeling of loss, about the destroyed ships. There were a lot of Darinx sailors killed on the re-supply ships, though. Admiral Meyers makes a vow – in her mind – that she will avenge those deaths someday.

  Admiral Meyers launches an information probe to Darinx Navy Headquarters giving a status report, concerning her mission, along with a copy of the orders telling her not to return to Darinx space, until all tasks are accomplished. She includes the video of the trap at the re-supply coordinates. This time she doesn’t address it to Fleet Admiral Duncons. It’s time for some other Darinx Admirals to get involved in this process.

  Then she orders the remainder of the Sweetwater Fleet back into FTL space, toward some safe deep space territory. There the Fleet sits to ponder their circumstances and to consider their options.

  ***

  Deep Space

  Admiral Meyers addresses all fleet crewmembers, after giving them copies of the orders from Fleet Admiral Duncons, which required them to stay in the field, until they have destroyed the Verm Emperor’s Palace.

  And they have seen the trap set for them, at the re-supply point. Either the Verm Navy is able to intercept Darinx Navy communications, or the Sweetwater Fleet was ‘set up’ for killing, by someone in the Darinx Navy.

  Admiral Meyers gives permission for individuals or groups, to leave the Sweetwater Fleet, and to make their way back to Darinx space. If there are a lot of people leaving, they will be provided with a warship. If only a small number wish to leave, they will be dropped off at a safe neutral planet, with money for the trip home.

  She goes on to tell them that they are running short of munitions for the Darinx Fleet, and unless that supply situation changes those ships will be defenseless. Her proposed remedy for the munitions problem is to capture Verm warships. Sweetwater Fleet has plenty of munitions for Verm warships. And they know where to find more.

  ***

  Over 2,000 sailors do choose to leave - that is about 10 percent. They are given a Darinx warship and each crewmember receives a ‘letter of recommendation’, from Admiral Meyers – as if that will do them any good. She also gives them an honorable discharge from the Darinx Navy, so that they can’t be charged as deserters. The AI aboard the returning ship decides to stay with the Sweetwater Fleet. That Leaves the Sweetwater Fleet with 20 Darinx warships, 1 Verm warship, and a bunch of fully loaded Verm transport ships. They also have 5 spare AIs.

  Admiral Meyers quickly goes about the task of relocating all of their resources, just in case the returning sailors, or the warship, have a record of those coordinates.

  Now it is time to capture some warships.

  ***

  Chapter 9

  Near a Shipbuilding Facility

  A shipbuilding facility is an obvious place to look for warships. The Verm Navy has probably tightened up on security at all shipbuilding facilities, since the Sweetwater Fleet destroyed the one in the Queson system, but it’s worth checking. Where else can you get a brand new warship for free?

  Scouts have been sent close to the system in order to check for deep space warning networks. Some motion sensor type devices have been located and mapped. Then the scouts move in closer, to search the system for defensive networks.

  There are more warships patrolling this system. The scout ship’s AI counts 35. And there is an array of sensors - probably to detect probes.

  Since probes are not an option for recording destination coordinates, Admiral Meyers directs her team to tag supply ships, as they wait at the edge of the system for clearance to enter. That worked for them in the attack on the Queson system Shipbuilding Facility.

  Sensing modules are scattered around the emergence area, used by transports. After that it is a matter of waiting, until one of those transport ships emerges close enough to a sensing module so that the module can attach to the ship. The cargo transport vessel then gives the sensing module a free ride to the Shipbuilding Facility. …………….. ………… And that method works again – after a few tries.

  The sensing module reports that the next 3 FTL test flights are each to different coordinates – and the scout ship reports that each test vehicle is accompanied by 2 Verm warships.

  So the Shipbuilding Facility is changing the destination for each FTL test flight now, and is sending warship escorts. “Well,” the Admiral thinks, “give them credit for that, and give Fleet Admiral Duncons credit too. These changes require 2 warships for each test flight.”

  What to do?

  “We could follow the ships to the same destination coordinates,” thinks the Admiral. “But we will have to battle 2 Verm warships. We could win the battle, but we might lose some ships in the process. Then the captured verm ships won’t be free anymore.”

  Then she has an idea. “Shiela,” she says.

  “Here, Sir.”

  “Are we able to change the destination coordinates in the test vessel?” asks the Admiral.

  “Give me some time to speak with the other AIs,” Shiela responds. “And it might be good if you spoke with Chief Scientist Barnard.”

  “Good plan. Comm me when you know more,” Admiral Meyers says.

  ***

  “The Sweetwater AIs have concluded that only the AIs, on the Verm vessels, can change the destination coordinates,” reports Shiela.

  “And Science Officer Barnard doesn’t know of any way to electrically or mechanically override the AIs,” agrees the Admiral. “But who gives the AI the destination coordinates?”

  “It will be sent over a secure comm link. Probably from the Shipbuilding Facility,” answers Shiela.

  “And the same coordinates will probably be sent to the escort ships at the same time,” muses the Admiral. “How long before the launch will the destination coordinates be sent?”

  “Probably some minutes in advance. There is no reason to wait until the last minute,” replies Shiela.

  “That is where we can take them,” say the Admiral. “If we know the destination coordinates before they launch, we can be at the destination waiting for them to arrive. We can destroy the warships, as they emerge, and capture the test vessel.”

  “Now,” she continues. “Just tell me how to get those destination coordinates in advance.”

  ***

  Sweetwater Fleet begins looking for some way to ease drop on the traffic, over the secure comm.

  Science Officer Barna
rd determines that the secure comm link is a laser system, but it is not focused – meaning that it projects a wide beam of light, which would be useful for general announcements. He deduces that by observing the spread of the beam– if the beam was focused he would only be able to see a fine line, at the laser’s frequency.

  That means that any receiver in back of the test vessel, or warships could view the coded signal.

  Officer Bernard takes a warship to a location that is still outside of the system, but where he can see the laser light transmission, from the Shipbuilding Facility to the test vessel. Using their highest power telescope, Officer Bernard is able to copy the secure comm signal. He notifies the Admiral, and she relocates the Fleet close to the Chief Scientist’s position.

  While Officer Bernard is refining his reception techniques, and the decryption specialist is learning to crack the code on the Verm secure comm system, Admiral Meyers is planning the hijack attempt. There will need to be lots of plans and contingency plans.

  ***

  Everything is set. And now the Admiral is getting greedy. Sometimes the Shipbuilding Facility will launch 2 or 3 test vessels, within an hour. The Admiral is thinking that they might be able to capture more than one vessel. And she is getting picky. She wants big battleships instead of cruisers or destroyers.

  They wait 3 more weeks, until everything is just right. There should be 2 launches within a 1 hour span, and one of the ships is a battleship – a twin brother for Retribution. The other vessel is a heavy cruiser.

  “Good enough,” says the Admiral, and all systems are GO for the hijack operation.

  ***

  Ensign Seagrams, the crypto expert, has the transmissions decoded within a minute of reception, and forwards the destination coordinates to the first hijack team. That team launches for the emergence location, about 5 minutes before the test vessel launches. That should be enough of a head start, but it is cutting it close.