Righteous Reign Episode 4 Ragged Remnant

by Thomas J. MacDonald

"...want to head to town for lunch and a drink?" George inquired.

  "Sure, let's do it!"

  We walked out the main gate of the Rigil HQ campus onto Center Street in Rigil New York. It was only a few blocks to the City Centre walking mall. George and I passed Banerjee's Custom Clothiers on our way to the Winchester Authentic English Pub frequented by just about everyone in the OFSA. We'd been coming here for years.

  I ordered the Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie while George selected the English Style Fish and Chips. Though its "pub-style" cuisine is famous, everything on the extensive menu is always freshly prepared at the Winchester which is owned by Geoffrey Blaise, a Cordon Bleu Chef. And though it specialized in tapped beers, the Winchester was also renowned for its wide-ranging bar fare, broad array of select coffees, and invigorating teas from worlds all over the Orion Federation.

  The Winchester's mealtime entrees are always accompanied by a side dish, appetizers, soup or salad, dessert, and coffee, tea, or soft drink, so we ate rather sumptuously for a lunchtime. The Winchester boasts an excellent Gluten Free Beer made from malted rice instead of barley. It's superior to those brewed from sorghum. So, we each ordered a mug of their world famous micro-brewery beer to glug down while waiting for table service and the meal but stuck to a robust cup of coffee to accompany the desert. We exchanged family information and general conversation on our respective commands. But, the Winchester, or any other outside venue, is not the place for topics broaching policies or secure operations.

  We took the long way back to the HQ station, stopping at Banerjee's first, to scan the latest offerings. And, fancying what we observed, both of us scheduled appointments for fittings. Lunch was well-settled when we arrived at the base in time for the fourteen hundred hour afternoon conference.

  .........................................................................................................

  Back in my office on the Examiner parked outside the Wolf 359 system on Monday, February 13, I prepare orders referencing US Mission Number OFSA-CC-7128415 to fulfill my obligations created a week earlier. I direct Svesion and Sparks to attach another thirteen hundred SF Marines to Savign's SOCC operations. She will distribute two to each of six hundred-fifty subs in preparations for coming actions. Then, I order Zeta1-2 Command to send a full Theatre to specific coordinates on Sol vector 340.70º x 30.20º @ 168 Ly where they will meet a large SOCC contingent. This is sixteen parsecs outside Orion Federation borders and about one and a half light-years from the Eta Pegasus system. They will ferry the Marines to Savign at that location and must arrive by March 10. I monitor communications from Admiral Bryant to his Theatre Three Commander ordering a full Tier Three Command to the same position, on the same date.

  At the same time, Savign quoted US OFSA-CC-7128415 to order one Wolf Pack and Supply ship to Eta Pegasus system, under cloak. They were to continuously surveil the system and report every four hours - twenty-four hours a day and join other forces at 340.70º x 30.20º @ 168 Ly, on March 10. They were to provide their final report to Laft, at that time.

  Savign again refers to US OFSA-CC-7128415 to separate the rest of her contingent into three groups - one for Epsilon, one for Zeta and the rest to run additional covert intelligence missions.

  The next day, Admiral Svjosloki citing US OFSA-CC-7128415 cryptically notifies George that his order will be complete by the end of the month. That triggers another flurry of memos directing Admiral Laft to have half his forces at the same position, on March 10, too. Each and every note alluding to OFSA-CC-7128415 had an attachment providing all the Suvayeek communication stations' regional locations and available frequencies. Laft completes more imperatives, commanding a quarter of his unique ships to join Epsilon and the rest to unite with Zeta, immediately, in preparation for a future action.

  As the regional HQ Commands forwarded orders repositioning their forces, George and I did, too. Flotillas dedicated to the OFSA-CC-7128415 operation required us to redeploy defensively to fill in for their absences. Meanwhile, we all spent the next two weeks planning our own individual inside moves corresponding to the March 10 actions outside our borders.

  .......................................................................................................

  Vice Admiral Boets scans the list of delivery dates for the Frigates under his Command. He spots the Shenzhen in the group and selects it because Captain Nedrif Elantham and his people are the most experienced Crew in his Fleet. He orders Ned to report at his earliest convenience.

  Elantham shows at his office on February 16. Boets advises the Shenzhen's Captain to report to Rigil for a refit which will be complete by the nineteenth. Then, he provides special orders for a daring mission Ned must complete immediately upon receipt of the vessel. They spend an hour deliberating over all the details of the assignment.

  ...............................................................................................................

  Sunday, February 19, 2271, finds Ned at the Shenzhen's Bridge Command Station with his heart palpitating in anticipation of the orders he's about to dispense. They're currently orbiting Rigil.

  "People, on my signal I want the following. Helm, continue for one more complete orbit. Then, accelerate toward breakaway speed slowly. Begin to spiral outward when you're directly over Rigil HQ. Widen the orbit to a three-light-year radius over the next two orbits while increasing to maximum normal space speed. At one hundred-two by minus sixteen and three-quarters degrees at three light-years adjust all settings for FTL on a heading for 82 Eridani."

  "Sir, that's inside occupied space!" The helmsman interrupts.

  "Lieutenant, follow your orders to the tee. Propulsion, I want standard orbiting speed until the end of the next orbit. Then, I want a steady, gradual increase up to maximum velocity over the subsequent two orbits. At the Helm's signal, I want AMPE from current to thirty percent of light-speed over half a billion kilometers. Hold thirty percent to 82 Eridani.

  Kasimir Control - I want a threshold three hundred thousand kilometers from when the helm turns us toward 82 Eridani.

  Shields, I want maximum shields at all times.

  Sensors, I want all long-range sensors and station reports from 82 Eridani.

  Weapons, all ordinance systems to ready.

  Tactical, stand ready for instructions.

  Now, I want everyone to listen carefully to what I'm saying. We are on our way to test a new system installed in this vessel during that last refit. It is risky business. But, if it works we will have the upper hand in coming skirmishes. Let's do it!" Ned bellowed.

  Each department station reads back settings as they alter control panels to meet his commands.

  It's just over three and a half hours when they reach the final ninety degrees of the last extended orbit. Ned watches both the chronometers and the position readouts on the main screen oblivious to everything else in the command center.

  "Tactical, activate Vanguard." Ned snaps suddenly.

  "Aye, Captain. Vanguard engaged."

  "System status?" The Captain calls.

  "All readings are acceptable and show Vanguard operating properly."

  "We'll see at 82 Eridani.' Ned mumbles. 'All stations return to normal operations. This is a sixty-three-hour flight. I want this crew on the stations in sixty-hours. Everyone call for relief, now! I need to see this team in the boardroom when you're relieved." The Captain barks.

  Over the next fifteen minutes, the Bridge is destabilized by the irregular change of shifts, and the Exec runs off to calculate a new schedule. She wants to rotate the full bridge crew in equal periods permitting the current lineup to be in place in sixty hours. She ends up with five-hour duty cycles for the four groups. Then, recalculates for standard six-hour intervals, after that. When everything finally settles down, everyone relaxes into their revised roles for the next two-and-a-half days.

  Captain Elantham spends a half hour in the boardroom with his shift's personnel explaining the upcoming mission. T
hen another ten minutes are expending answering nervous Bridge Officers' questions.

  ...........................................................................................

  On Monday the twentieth, I meet with El and my Tier 2 Commanders at eight hundred in my office. There are no Chiefs present except my own.

  "This meeting is Ultra Secret. Admiral Sielu will record the proceedings. All orders emanating from this gathering will refer to US mission number OFSA-CC-7128415. This mission is to be conducted in conjunction with a parallel one. There is no chance of crossover so you will not be made aware of the other one's details and they will not know ours. I can only tell you that it is a diversionary operation.

  A third skirmish will be conducted by Epsilon Command. They will be supported by Fleet Admiral Tso Shah and some of his ships. We will not discuss any of their details either.

  We will attack this system at eleven-hundred hours on March 11, 2271.' I point to 82 Eridani on the star chart. 'A preliminary test of specialized equipment is in progress there, right now. If it is successful, we will have the use of our new communications system in the space around the system under attack. Zeta -T2--1 has ordered one of its Tier 3 operations to support the other simultaneous assault. So, it is not available for the raid.

  But, its other Tier 3 unit and our T2-2 outfit are entirely available. We will send all Three theatres against the target with two from Gamma Command. The enemy formation will already be primed by SOCC. The base units and about half the supporting enemy vessels are mined. There is a headquarters supported by three hundred fifty Cruisers and five Carriers. Please use previous attacks as your guidelines in your planning.

  Our objective is to destroy the HQ and as many crafts as possible. In fact, the entire OFSA operation is designed to cut the head off the snake. Your plan must include a reserve of at least twenty-percent and a good exit strategy should something go wrong. You will have control of the mine detonators, so how you employ them is up to you.

  As far as rules of engagement go, the goal is their total demolition. But, if a unit is helpless, you are expected to take it.

  .........................................................................................

  The Shenzhen breaks out of an exit threshold just six hundred fifty million kilometers from 82 Eridani at nineteen hundred hours on Wednesday, February 21, 2271, at thirty percent of light-speed. That's far enough away to avoid standard systems and too near for customarily deployed long-range sensors.

  Ned barks out a series of orders. "Hold velocity at thirty. Balance shielding for one hundred ten percent in the forward half of the ship. We don't want to sustain a puncture at this speed. Maintain this heading but be ready to make evasive moves. We should travel right through the main body of the Isesinis support ships, at high speed. Sensor Station, keep an eye out. I'm looking for any response to our presence!"

  Captain Elantham only subconsciously hears the team echoing his commands as they set all stations to meet his edicts. At thirty percent, six hundred million kilometers passes in just over half an hour.

  "Sensors?!" He barks.

  "No sign of change, Captain!"

  There is silence for another fifteen minutes.

  "Sensor station report!" He bellows again.

  "Still nothing, Captain!"

  "...reports every half minute for five minutes. Then, I want to hear from you every ten seconds."

  "Aye Captain."

  "Tactical, give me the status on the VG!"

  "Vanguard readouts are all within expectations, Captain."

  "Okay people! Stand ready! We're going right through hells furnace!" Ned yells as the images on the screen are quickly growing larger. Then, they streak right through the heart of the formation.

  "Sensor Station?" Ned's insistent voice is just above a whisper.

  "No reaction to us, sir." The lieutenant sounds relieved.

  "Reduce engines from thirty of C to maximum space normal speed over the next five million kilometers. Helm take us out to five-million and plot a turn to bring us back on a return trajectory through the middle of the formation, again. ...Sensors to maximum. Shields to maximum. Maintain weapons at the ready - all cannons charged, all missiles launchers active - all torpedo bays loaded."

  Again the response is only barely discerned as Captain Elantham leans against the inertia of the slowing vessel without seeking support. It takes nearly ten minutes to make the distance and begin the turn. Then, another ten is consumed making their way back - finally, cruising through the formation of hundreds of warships.

  "Sensors?" Ned yelps.

  "Still no response, Captain." Now there is amazement in the voice.

  "Helm take us out the other side to two million. Turn and return to the enemy flotilla."

  "Engines slow us from maximum space-standard to five percent over the next trip. All other stations hold steady."

  There is a chorus of acknowledgments.

  This time the forward strain on his body is less as Elantham refuses to sit through the test. It's kind of like his feet are glued to the decking.

  Twenty minutes pass making the excursion at the ever slowing speeds. They enter the mass of vessels.

  "Reduce from five to zero velocity over the next five minutes.' There is a pause as the ship slows further. 'All stop! Engines to station keeping."

  They sit in the middle of the enemy configuration for fifteen minutes. Ned listens to the sensor report every ten seconds. He steps forward to get a better look at the screen.

  "Helm take us to that ship.' He points to the screen. 'Then, I want you to circle it.

  Propulsion, give us fifty KPH forward velocity!

  The Shenzhen begins a turn as it crawls to the designated vessel and begins a close circuit around it.

  "Take us out the way we originally came in. Propulsion to ten percent maximum space-normal speed. Sensor maintain maximum. Take us to one and a half million and turn back. Then, go to all stop and station keeping!"

  They sat quietly in the distance eyeing the enemy Fleet.

  "There's one more task for us to perform. We need to plant four of the new substrate relays in this region and record their positions." Ned explained.

  The bridge crew went about the business of moving to four different sites and stopping long enough for each deployment. In the meantime, engineering was in the hangar bay preparing the units and assisting the launch personnel in their send-offs.

  "Okay people. I'd love to take out a couple of these bastards. But we can't unzip, yet. It's time to go home. Plot a course to Rigil. The show's over.

  You all did great people. You will get a generous leave for this."

  ....................................................................................................

  At just about the same time, two covert supply vessels were dropping relays at 15 Sagitta, I met with Svesion and Sparks for an intelligence update before the Commission meeting on Saturday, February 25, 2271. I received current information funneled through them from the Suvayeek, the resistance networks, and our agents in the field. Most of it was excellent. But, one report was disappointing. Despite that, I was able to prepare proposals that would allow the C&C to conduct operations that would advance our agenda.

  The session was a busy one. We were all excited by the Shenzhen's test results which were forwarded by Admiral Laft. We now had powerful covert warships that are capable of inflicting a lot of pain and suffering.

  When the meeting adjourned, we all returned to our vessels to transmit another flurry of directives. Most of us were putting the March 10 / 11 operations on temporary hold. OFN had advised us that our primary objective would be returning to his homeworld for a short visit, at that time. He was expected back in two weeks. So, we reset the execution dates to March 25 / 26, tentatively. But we also approved an SU Intelligence Operation for immediate implementation so, I quickly sketched out the mission on my pad and called in Sparks and Svesion.

  "
Generals, the mission we had planned for early March is delayed. But, I have an important one I need you to start, now. It is US mission number OFSA-CC-7128422. I will pass my pad to you. Please read the mission parameters. You may not copy it or print it. You will need to commit it to memory." I turn the data pad to Sparks. Svesion leans over and reads along, too.

  "Colonel Kaule is the best man for this task," Sparks observes.

  "I agree," Svesion chimes in as the two smile and nod to each other.

  "Why Kaule?" I ask.

  "He's one of about a dozen men trained for precisely this type of mission," Svesion explains.

  "And, he's already there. He's on the Nautica and its UC at 15 Sagitta, now." Sparks adds.

  "It has to be around the twelfth. Kos leaves two days before that. And Mes will just be getting comfortable as his temporary replacement."

  "No problem, sir. We can have a message to the Nautica, today. We have permission to use the Suvayeek transceiver, there. That gives Kaule time to prepare." Svesion clarifies.

  "Good. Let's get it done!" I snapped as I rose and recovered my pad.

  The two men stood, saluted, turned, and left the room without a sound.

  .....................................................................................................

  Colonel Kaule sat at the small desk in his tight quarters decrypting the message, himself. It had been received by Communications an hour ago. But, they did not have the appropriate cipher to interpret it. He raised an eyebrow as he finished and read it in its entirety. Then, he rose and removed a long case from his personal locker. Kaule laid it on the bed and lifted the lid. Inside was an array of both conventional and directed-energy hand weapons. He chose one pistol version of each and a single long-barrelled laser-emitting gun ideally suited for distance shots. Then, he returned the luggage to its home and removed a specialized set of EVA gloves and mitts. The latter worn over the others would keep him warm in the cold harshness of space should that equipment be required. He'd remove the protective mitts for a few minutes and use only the gloves while actually targeting and shooting. But, he really hoped to find a place to conduct business free of the constraints imposed by EVA equipment. He consulted with the Commander Ignot Nautica's Captain who had been in charge of monitoring the Kil's movements for the last several months. Then, he set about developing a plan. He wanted to live through the experience.