by Musser, Dale
While we could not see what was happening on the other side of the TECCION, we could hear Marranalis’ voice over the speaker saying, “Port GW drives disabled, sir.”
“Thank you, ALI. Stand and hold for further orders.” Actually the ALI was not standing or holding; Marranalis had moved the craft almost immediately after firing so its location could not be targeted.
“As you can see, Captain Ceewurd, we are not bluffing. Do you care to surrender now?”
“But how!? You have cloaking? How is it we haven’t heard?! How many ships?!”
“Do you surrender or not, Captain? Your time is about to expire. I assure you that it is within our power to eliminate you just as we did the TASSAGORA in the battle at the DUSTEN!” demanded the admiral, now hard-faced and leaning forward in his chair toward the screen.
“No, no, I won’t – I can’t! This is all a mistake!” said Ceewurd, when suddenly a ray of light pierced her head and she dropped in front of the view screen. A moment later, another uniformed individual appeared, holding a flat gun in his hand.
“This is First Officer Weper,” he said. “In the absence of a captain, we surrender.”
“Disarm all persons aboard the ship and stow the weapons in the weapons lockers. Open the hangar door and have all your people onboard in the aft cargo hold. Troopers have already been deployed to take you and the ship into custody,” the admiral said, before disconnecting the transmission.
Afterward he turned to me and said, “Not bad. Not bad at all. In just a little over twelve hours we managed to track down and retake the TECCION. This should be a real blow to the Brotherhood and should cause some desertion within their ranks.
“I wonder what information the FSO agents have been able to gather on the surface of Plosaxen, he continued. Hopefully some of them have gleaned something new that will help us take our counteroffensive actions to the next level. I need to contact Commander Wabussie when we get back to Plosaxen and find out what he and his teams have uncovered.”
“I wouldn’t get overly confident, Admiral,” said A’Lappe, who was just entering the bridge. “I fear you will soon learn that the Brotherhood has a much stronger hold on some systems than you have encountered so far. The Federation may even want to disassociate themselves with these systems, rather than war with them.”
“I hope you’re wrong,” responded the admiral. “But if you’re right, let’s hope that the events here will weaken their holds on those systems.”
It took about three hours for the Special Ops troops to secure the TECCION and to isolate and confine the prisoners. I met Marranalis as he returned the ALI to its hangar. He was beaming as he disembarked.
“Tibby that ship is incredible!” he exclaimed. “When we have more of these ships, the Brotherhood – or any other opponent we come up against – won’t have a chance!”
“Let’s hope that they never get their hands on one then,” I said, smiling at Marranalis’ boyish excitement.
His expression became suddenly sober. “I must confess, I hadn’t thought of that possibility. It would definitely be a terrible thing if they did. The thought of it alone is frightening as hell.”
“That’s all the more reason for us to make sure the Mirage Fighter pilots and crews are our own specially trained and cleared people. We can’t take any chances on so much as a single incident of a Brotherhood member ever getting aboard one,” I replied.
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” said Marranalis. The ships can easily be programmed to allow access only to the assigned crew in the same way that the TRITYTE was when we flew it to Megelleon.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” I said, “but I think it would be better if it were restricted to a squadron rather than just a crew. That way, if there is an emergency situation that requires a change in crew or ship assignment, they wouldn’t be hindered by access restrictions. The danger of losing a ship is the same either way, as any squadron member could steal their own ship as well as any other.”
It was nearly mid-morning when we arrived back at Plosaxen. The NEW ORLEANS had barely reestablished orbit before a message arrived from Commander Wabussie requesting a meeting with Admiral Regeny and me. We flew to the surface on one of the patrol ships accompanied by eight bodyguards. A ground transport flanked by several armored land units that served as escorts was waiting at the landing area to quickly transport us to a headquarters building on the base. Admiral Regeny insisted that I wear my vice admiral uniform, which meant I was saluted and had to return salutes everywhere we went. We were driven to an administrative building on the base, where we then entered a tunnel that led to an underground parking area. The armored escorts remained outside the portal to protect the entrance. Our transport was met by a Federation major, who greeted us and asked that we follow him. We passed by several armed troopers stationed at a large door and that led to a transit terminal building. There we boarded a transit pod that was likewise guarded by several armed troopers.
Admiral Regeny explained to me, “As a result of the incidents that have occurred over the past several days, our personal safety has become a paramount concern of the Federation. You still maintain the position of being the most valuable person to the Federation, Tibby, so several hundred loyal troopers have been specially assigned to protect both you and me at this time. What you witness here is only a small fraction of the troops that are actually here on the site to guard us.”
“I assume that information is supposed to make me feel more comfortable, Admiral, but it doesn’t. All it means is that my life is still in danger and that I have enemies I cannot see.”
The transit pod made several turns and maneuvers before stopping at a station where we changed pods, only to go back in the direction we had just traveled as the first pod continued in the original direction. We only traveled a short distance before stopping again at a station where our small detachment of troopers was redoubled before we were led down several corridors to a passkey protected assembly area.
Once inside this area, most of the troopers took up positions along the perimeter, while a smaller number followed us down another corridor to a conference room where all but our own personal guards and the major left us. From there we entered a modestly appointed but comfortable room where Commander Wabussie stood by a desk. He immediately snapped to attention, saluted the admiral and me, and received salutes and acknowledgements in return.
“Admiral and Vice Admiral, I am glad you were able to make it here so quickly. I received internal reports that you had left orbit in pursuit of the Brotherhood traitors and I feared that it might be days or weeks before you returned. I should have known it would not be anywhere near that long with Tibby involved,” he grinned.
“Actually, this time it was more A’Lappe’s doing that allowed us to accomplish the task so quickly,” I interjected.
“A’Lappe… aye! Do you know I cannot get a single clue as to who he is or where he’s from?” Wabussie said with exasperation. “There exists only one vid pic of him prior to your discovery of his presence on the NEW ORELANS and that was taken on Astamagota before the solar flare. He was captured in some raw vid footage taken of Galetils at the laboratory where they were working on the 10X fusion reactor for a vid documentary that was never aired. A’Lappe can be seen in the background talking to, of all people, Cantolla’s brother.”
“A’Lappe said he knew and worked with Cantolla’s brother,” I said.
“Well, prior to that vid pic we haven’t been able to find any records that show he existed before that day. There is virtually no trace of him in the Federation archives – nothing that matches his name or his image.
“But that’s not what I called you here to discuss,” said Wabussie, as he refocused his thoughts on the issue at hand. “Please have a seat,” he said, indicating two chairs by his desk.
“The FSO recruits have uncovered several leads and collected substantial information during their mission that is very disturbing. We’ve been able to get two agen
ts inside the organization already and have established several other sources and leads in the local communities. In general, the information we have gained from all of these the sources consistently indicates that the Brotherhood is stronger in this sector than they were near Megelleon and that they are resolved to succeed in some major action against the Federation that will bring more attention to their cause and weaken the Federation’s organization in the eyes of the citizens. Both of you – and the NEW ORLEANS – are the focus of these attacks.
“Prior to the attack at the parade, the Brotherhood had heard rumors and accounts of the failed attacks on the NEW ORLEANS, as far as the cloaking and shields; but they had doubts as to the validity of those claims. They believed strongly that they were propaganda tricks circulated by the Federation to make the military appear stronger than it is. Now they’re even more resolved to destroy the High Command, Admiral, along with Tibby and the NEW ORLEANS. While I do not believe the NEW ORLEANS is in any real danger, as long as it keeps the RMFF active and prevents any traitors from boarding, I do not feel so certain about your personal safety when off the ship.
“Vids of the parade continue to be broadcast by the media. The typical newscasts show scenes of the failed attack followed by messages sent to the media from the Brotherhood that denounce the incident as a fake – a fabrication they claim was created by the Federation to vilify the Brotherhood and instill fear among the citizens. The Brotherhood is even going as far as to claim that the defenses used around the parade vehicle were simply special effects.
“So, their goal now is to inflict serious damage. They believe that killing the admiral and the High Command or destroying the NEW ORLEANS will prove their claims in the eyes of the public that the Federation is concocting false stories to defame and undermine their organization and retain their hold on the people.”
Admiral Regeny sighed, “Well, so far their attempts have proved an embarrassment for them. We recaptured the TECCION, so unless the Brotherhood has another of the Federation’s warships or have built their own, which I doubt, I don’t see where they have much of anything in the way of resources to use in another assault – at least not in this system.”
“Maybe not,” Wabussie said, “but our FSO operatives indicate that the Brotherhood alludes to having something else that we have not yet been able to uncover; and they seem to feel they can successfully take on the NEW ORLEANS with it.
“There’s one other thing I think you should know,” said Wabussie as he displayed an image of a man on the vid screen behind his desk. “You remember Eulshod Rendoid, the puppet figurehead of the Brotherhood’s early movement. Not long after the rebellion occurred at Megelleon, he surrendered himself to the Federation in exchange for information he had on the Brotherhood. We received a communication today from the prison facility where he was being held on Megelleon that he was found dead in his cell shortly after we left. His throat was slit and the guards posted at his cell were also killed. The killer or killers got into the prison wing, killed Rendoid and the guards and fled undetected, apparently within the span of a few minutes. A note was painted in blood on the cell wall above Rendoid’s body that read “Silence or Death,” which we’re sure is intended to be a threatening message directed at Brotherhood members who might defect or get captured. The day that Eulshod Rendoid was killed happened to also be the day the federation leaders made the announcement that Megelleon’s solbidyum reactor would be going online. The news of the reactor far outplayed the news of Rendoid’s murder. The following day brought news of the commissioning of Nibaria’s solbidyum reactor and subsequent broadcasts showing the citizens celebrating and rejoicing on dozens of planets, as word reached them that sector-wide solbidyum distribution is underway. Hence, the impact that the Brotherhood hoped to achieve with the assassination and foreboding message never came to be.
“News of the completed shipments is scheduled to be broadcast here on Plosaxen at noon today, after which Senator Tacfacs will announce that Plosaxen is expecting to receive its solbidyum this week. The fact the solbidyum is already here and the reactor is ready to come online is being withheld at the moment.”
“This might be an opportunity to bait the Brotherhood into a trap,” I said. “We can find some remote or inactive space port on the planet and beef up security in the area, making it look like something major is going to take place there. Have arrangements made for armed transports to remain on call, as though they will be escorting a valuable shipment from a freighter to another site. Make it look like there is a site in the vicinity of the space port that is being prepared for the reactor installation. Then all we need to do is get some old freighter to land there, one that might fool the Brotherhood into believing it’s the solbidyum shipment.”
Wabussie turned to look at a vid screen on his desk as his hand played across a keypad, “There’s a small port about 350 kilometers from here outside a town called Banur that produces a large portion of the planet’s flour and processed food products. The only activity seen at this port are the regular deliveries made by a small freighter that transports grain from Megelleon. As luck would have it, it’s scheduled to arrive four days from today.”
“Then we luck out twice,” Admiral Regeny said. “The star ship SALNA is scheduled to arrive tomorrow from the Halpfice System. Its crew has not yet been vetted as loyal, so I can issue orders to the captain to announce that they will be reporting for a top-secret security detail at the Banur space port. We’ll test the crew and weed out the Brotherhood members after the announcement and, when the dismissed troopers are released, word will quickly spread through their organization’s channels about the SALNA’s assignment.”
“Why is the SALNA arriving here at this time with the URANGA and the CACHATORA are both scheduled to be here this week?” asked Commander Wabussie.
“The SALNA is returning with a number of diplomats and dignitaries that were on a mission to the Halpfice. I had neglected to take into account its return when we made the plans to meet with the other two ships but I am now including it in my orders to rendezvous with us here. Once the SALNA arrives, I’ll meet with all the captains to brief them on our plans for accelerating these deliveries and disseminating news to other systems about the Federation’s ability to prevail over the Brotherhood. Before they’re redeployed, they should be securely staffed with loyal troops, fitted with 10X fusion reactors and RMFFs, and bolstered with at least a small contingent of fully functional Mirage Fighters. But that part we want to keep secret from the Brotherhood, of course; so the captains will not know any of those details until they and their crews are tested and cleared of Brotherhood members.”
“Admiral, I have one question,” said Wabussie. “You’re clearing the ships’ crews of Brotherhood members, but what of the thousands of civilians, ambassadors and dignitaries? Surely there are Brotherhood members among them, as well; and I don’t think Federation law permits you to forcefully test them or remove them from the star ships, unless there is strong evidence against them that proves their involvement in subversive activities.”
“True, which is why I want you to place at least one or two undercover FSO agents on each star ship to pose as civilians in some capacity or another – positions that facilitate broad interaction with the civilian population and allow them to look for possible Brotherhood operatives among the passengers and service crews.”
“Admiral,” I interjected, “that might be a good place for us to insert some of the Nibarian FSO agents. We should place a minimum of one Nibarian and one human agent in civilian roles on each star ship. If the Brotherhood is looking for a spy in their midst, they will most likely assume them to be human, so to blend in with their ranks – which is true to some degree. So we have to expect that the human agent will eventually be identified as a mole. In the meantime, the Nibarian will largely be overlooked, especially after the human mole has been identified. It’s very possible that the Brotherhood will retain the human mole as a means of feeding false information
through our intelligence channels; but the Nibarian agent is likely to get closer to the more secretive discussions and meetings. The Brotherhood is going to be more suspicious of human service staff, for instance, so they’ll probably bring non-human servants into their closer circles. Their members don’t think much of non-human races, from what I have been able to discern, beyond finding them useful in what they consider menial service positions; so they would never suspect a Nibarian personal servant to be capable of spying.”
“Great idea, Tibby, how many Nibarians do we have in the FSO at the moment?” asked the admiral as he looked from me to Wabussie.
“Ten, Admiral,” answered Wabussie.
“Ten! Hmm, well that’s a start. We will only need three for now. The more urgent issue is that you need to get some local Plosaxen recruits trained and in place. I expect you to have several agents inserted here as operatives before we move on. You need to establish an office here as well. I’m bothered, though, that these agents are simply too inexperienced. Even with the accelerated learning device and Tibby’s tutelage, I’m concerned about the lack of training, which really amounts to only a few weeks.”
“You have one thing in your favor though, Admiral,” I said. “In the past you haven’t had any agents trained or operating as these will be. Besides, the headband device has advanced many areas of their training to a level equivalent to a year or more of conventional training – even more so when it comes to martial arts. Your concern is legitimate, Admiral. I agree that the lack of experience is an issue; but the military simply has to act now. In the end, I think the related risks are low compared to not using these recruits at all – especially since the FSO is a secret organization at the moment, known only to those who are employed in it and to your staff and my security team. Oh yes, and Senator Tonclin.”
“How long do you think we’ll be able to keep the FSO a secret?” the admiral asked.
