by Don Koch
I hate consigning so many people to Felix. I just know that there has to be a good number of people that can be salvaged from the ranks of the polits. I will be looking for suggestions about how we can do that. The High Councilor and most of the High Command are not salvageable but I am hoping that is not the case with all the polits."
"I can see that you and I are going to get along very well. If I had to make a list of what needs to be done and why, my list would do no better than yours. When we wrap up this business with the weapons, we need to implement your plan because I concur on all points. I also think that your Acarma is a good model because more stations can be made with her population parameters and they will be easier to man and staff. I think that when Acarma and Barana put their heads together, figuratively, they will come up with a structure more suitable to what is now being faced. Perhaps a revision to the Type 2 station dimensions with a revision to population capacity that will enable us to build a more efficient class of station. Acarma's station has enough excess material to build a substantial number of a revised Type 2. Right now we need to stop those weapons. I will continue on course to the Yannar system and see you there when you get back. Good hunting. I really want to know who built these things and how we can prevent anyone else from exploring that field to build more. This will be a touchy thing because we really do not want the technology but will have to recognize it when we see it.
Chapter 26: Starkiller
On SS Acar in Feron Orbit –
November 21 – C Day 448
The base at Feron was surprisingly small. The bulk of the personnel at the base were polits and scientists. The Starkiller devices were built right into an existing destroyer sized warship and control was automated. T-Raptor teams were sent in initially and everyone on the base was immobilized and secured. Acarma and AI Atifa then proceeded to examine the documentation for the weapons and vessels. They sent the cancellation codes with the authentication codes and that appeared to work. The recall code for the Petra bound ship was also sent and the auto device acknowledged the signal and indicated that it was returning. To be on the safe side a patrol of Warships were dispatched to locate and accompany the ship back to the Feron facility.
Next it was determined that the weapon had to be activated, operating for at least 30 minutes and be within 1000 miles of the star's surface for the device to work and affect a target star. The components of the weapon intended for Saba were dismantled and separated to basic elements so that it could not merely be turned back on. These components were then rendered to their basic elements and sent to separate systems for use as something unrelated to the weapon. Records were then recorded in Acarma and Atifa before the databases were totally wiped. Work on deconstruction of the Morn weapon then commenced. It was noted that it was considerably smaller than the Saba weapon. It was also noted that the original weapon had been invented and built at Feron Base. The inventor had committed suicide the week before because he could not bear the thought of the loss of life his weapon had caused and was about to cause again. None of the other scientists on the base understood the entire process and the inventor had created some misinformation in the databases to further reduce the likelihood another successful construction of the weapon.
Acarma intended to assure that it would not be replicated and was nevertheless able to determine what data was compromised after a thorough examination of the captured weapon. Scientists working on the project were advised they would have to find a new field of work if they were not imprisoned. All were tagged with devices similar to that used by Barana for known terrorists.
### On SS Acar in Feron Orbit –
November 22 – C Day 449 ###
Pell was alarmed. The pursuit vessels found no trace of the Petra weapon and the weapon had not arrived back at the base when due. Acarma alerted Barana and the rest of the Antoran fleet that the weapon was missing. There were 25 warships currently searching for the weapon ship. Additional warships were dispatched to find the weapon. Within an hour of being reported overdue, there was a full wing, 10,000 warships in search status. Still finding it was akin to finding a needle in a haystack. According to the records the weapon vessel was not stealth capable. Base records had confirmed time of departure, speed and direction of travel. The coordinates for the location of the ship at the time the cancellation codes were received was also recorded.
Pell and Hank were discussing the missing weapon. Hank said, "I am beginning to believe that the High Councilor has pulled a fast one on us. Another Brondin trick. They sure are a slippery lot. I think we should ask Acarma and Barana to review the computer that was on the Saba weapon. My suspicion is that there may be multiple sets of authentication code. One to stop it cold and the others to reset the weapon. If that is the case we are going to have to find that weapon and destroy it before it deploys somewhere else and figure out where that somewhere else is."
Barana responded,
Acarma replied,
Hank said, "OK Barana and Acarma, lets do as you say. Pell, I have another thought that may be a bit disruptive but it will also give us a lot more eyes looking for the weapon. It is also something we will have to do pretty soon anyway. I am not clear how many warships you have out there but what I have in mind is to send out an announcement to all Yannarian Hegemony ships that the High Councilor and his government has been deposed. Your FTL communications on the moon are down but ours will work, better yet SS Acar can provide the communications. This should go to all Captains and Executive officers to be read jointly in the absence of polits. It should order the detention of all political officers until their individual cases can be reviewed. Along with that be sure that no polit can trigger a termination device, that will probably mean that polits will have to be stunned and their quarters searched for those devices. Next it should declare that all systems in the Hegemony will convert to autonomy as soon as each can establish a reasonable government driven by its own populace. We should then describe what triggers the action, namely the intended deployment of a second and a third Starkiller. Ask for all ships to watch for the weapon originally aimed at Petra and describe what has happened. Also note that the Antoran fleet is also searching and already has ten thousand warships engaging in the search. What do you think?"
"I do not see where we have any choice. We will do that. I will send out that message in my own name and let them know that all their families have been rescued from the enclaves and are safe aboard the SS Acar and are not hostages. Most of them know my reputation. It also can't hurt the hegemony to know that there are that many warships operating in their space particularly when I tell them that they do not have anything that can penetrate your shields."
### Two hours later ###
Hank said, "Dang, that miserable dirt bag managed to trick me. Ok, here is what we do. Put his nastiness the High Councilor on a Yannarian shuttle without a drive. Put that ship in orbit in the Petra system and make sure he knows where he is. Allow him communications only with SS Acar. Make sure he has sufficient supplies for nine days. Next, we
have nine days to find and destroy the weapon or evacuate Petra. Acarma, what is the population of Petra?"
Barana responded,
Hank said, "OK, I do not want any of our ships closer than a light year from that star if it goes. As a safety margin I want everybody away from that system a full day before expected deployment. That means we have to get really busy right now. Barana would you please alert all stations about what we are up to. I also want another two wings searching for that weapon ship. If found, I want the weapon totally destroyed. Make sure you have the correct target. We also have to figure out how we are going to talk to the Petrans. Remember the Petrans are at war with the Yannarian Hegemony. I want to spend no more than a day getting this ready. I want Stations 141, 161 and 180 held in reserve at Yannar. The rest of us will go to Petra and evacuate the planet. It won't be that simple, of course, but those people have to be saved. One thing we can do is intimidate the hell out of them. We will uncloak when we get there. If five type 1 stations and 15 type 2's can't be called intimidating then I am not sure what can be. Make sure that you stay tightly shielded. Nothing they have can get through your shields and I am fairly certain they will fire on us. Do not respond and I will do the talking. So does anyone have anything to add? Ok, lets roll. Do not uncloak immediately on arrival. Once we are in orbit, I will uncloak first and then the rest of you follow me in sequence doing the same."
On arrival at Petra, Station One uncloaked but remained shielded. They were immediately hailed by the planet stating, "Unidentified ship, leave the system immediately or be fired upon." Fifteen seconds later, there was a massive weapons discharge from the planet and from an orbital fortress that had no effect. Fifteen seconds after that another station uncloaked followed by the remaining 18 stations at 5 second intervals. Before the last station uncloaked, and the firing had ceased. Hank then acknowledged the hail saying, "People of Petra, I am General Henry Stone of the Antoran Fleet. The vessels you see overhead are here for your benefit, so if you are done wasting your energy and ammunition, we will be pleased to explain."
After a slight pause, a military officer appeared and said, "I am General Fran Gomar and I am in charge of planetary defense. Please state your purpose."
"General Gomar, I am sorry that you are so quick to pull the trigger before knowing the capability of your target. As I said, I am here for your benefit. You currently are in conflict with the Yannarian Hegemony and their expressed intent to govern your actions, in fact replace your government and make your people their lackeys. You have found that to be unacceptable, as do we. Accordingly, we have assisted Orbital Station Acar, now SS Acar to overthrow the High Command of Yannar and its High Councilor Darus Brondin. Our role in this section of the Galaxy is to prevent conflicts from entering space and to allow planets to develop for the benefit of its people. Each planet must be free to determine its own destiny provided the result is not enslavement of that people. Before this overthrow of the High Command and Councilor was effected however, they were able to build and launch a horrendous weapon that when deployed causes its target star to go nova. That weapon is aimed at this system and is due to deploy in less than nine days. We do not countenance the existence of such a weapon and currently have 60,000 of our warships searching for it. Unfortunately, finding that weapon in time is not assured. The reason there are so many of our craft in your skies is that we have the ability and capacity to evacuate your entire population from the system. This is a traumatic experience for those so threatened but with your help we can assure your survival. The large ships you see in orbit are each capable of evacuating as many as 5.8 billion persons while the smaller vessels can handle 1.8 billion persons. We can do the extraction in a day with this many vessels and move to a distance where the nova can't harm us. If we are successful in finding and destroying the weapon, evacuees will be returned to the point of pickup after a short period of time for margin of error but not more than two weeks have elapsed. This is to allow for error in case we think we have destroyed the weapon but have not. If we are not successful, we will find you a new world to inhabit. If we are to do this you must prepare your population and you must gather them in an orderly fashion. Each person will be assigned a stasis unit and a 4'x4'x10' storage unit for personal effects. We can also handle pets."
"If the High Councilor is successful, your world will be totally destroyed and everything on it. We have enough stations to also remove movable objects of cultural or historical significance along with databanks of libraries important to your world. This will have to start in two days and be completed no later than a week from now. We can't stand by and watch a world and culture die if we can prevent it. You will want to assure yourselves that we can do as we say. Do not waste time because there are a lot of lives at stake and we want to assure all are safe. I will call back in four hours for your response. In the meantime, if you wish to see the stasis units or the stations we can bring up a delegation for such a review. If you are concerned about your sick or elderly, our medical science is far more advanced than yours. I have also brought video feeds of our actions in the Yannar system for your review. The weapon of which I speak was deployed against the Foran System more than 200 years ago. Several billion people lost their lives as a result of that action. Yours is the second system to be targeted. A third and fourth system, the Saba System and the Morn System have also been targeted. Fortunately we captured and destroyed those weapons before they could be deployed. My hope is that we can find and destroy the weapon aimed here before it can deploy in system and we can return all your people to Petra. I will call back in four hours."
Three hours later, a call for Hank came in from General Gomar and three civilians. General Gomar asked if a face-to-face meeting was possible. Hank said, "Of course, would you like me to join you." Gomar agreed and Hank and Sam were teleported down to the surface at their location. This had the usual effect upon those witnessing the transportation method for the first time. Hank said, "this is my wife Sam and I am Henry Stone. We are both from the planet Earth in the Sol System, about 9,000 light years from here."
General Gomar said, "General Stone, with me is the President of Petra, Jame Marti. Also Edwi Smit and Ricar Hamil from our Congress. Would you mind repeating the message you gave me three hours ago."
"Not at all." He repeated his message and added a few additional facts such as noting that High Councilor was currently orbiting their sun in an unpowered shuttle aware that this was the star he had attacked. At the completion of the message, all four men were noticeably paler and Edwi Smit said, "he speaks the truth. The weapon has been launched and we are the target." The others nodded in agreement.
Understanding dawned on Hank who said, "Ah, you are all telepaths, mind talkers. I should have thought of that as a means to allow you to verify that the news I bring is truthful. Sorry I did not think of that. Have you decided what it is you wish to do and would you like to see the stasis units?"
Gomar replied, "Yes we would, but there is another issue. You seem to believe that the weapon will take nine days from time of departure but my people believe that the deployment is possible as early as 5 days from its departure from the system from which it was launched. We believe the schedule should be accelerated. We are prepared to start evacuation today and have alerted the population to prepare."
"That makes a good deal of sense. It also explains some of the High Councilor's reaction since we transported him here. Barana beam us
all up for a look at a stasis unit." Hank, Sam and the 4 Petrans arrived on the top deck of the lodging/stasis unit complex in Sector 5 Outer. Hank quickly led them to a stasis unit one deck down and explained how the process would work. He showed them a stasis unit and the storage unit explaining that each was keyed to a bracelet placed on each individual as they arrived. This made sure that the individual got to the right place as quickly as possible and their personal effects did likewise. He noted that the cultural/historical/data would be placed in one or more of the military training areas. He also suggested that they advise the population that transfer from planet to station was by teleportation and was essentially instantaneous. Hank said he was ready when they were.
Chapter 27: Evacuation
On Station One in Petra Orbit –
November 22 – C Day 449
General Gomar noted that the first evacuees would be ready in an hour and Hank provided markers for a group to teleport. Hank said that all that was needed was for someone in each group to press a switch on the evacuation marker and the entire group would be transported. He suggested that the groups not exceed 1500 and that good locations for doing this would be sports fields, parking lots, parks, level fields, etc. With that he returned them to the surface and alerted his crews to prepare for the first evacuees. He also alerted the search crews to re-compute their search areas in view of the comments by General Gomar.
Next Hank asked Barana to bring the High Councilor to the lodge near Mt Denali II. He also asked Ben Pines T-Raptor team to go into rapport and stand by invisibly at the lodge. He also asked the team that had been using the T-Rex appearance to stand by visibly with Hank holding a leash. The High Councilor arrived, a bit dazed and Hank told him to sit down. Darus could not keep his eyes off the T-Rex. The team played it to the hilt, eyeing Darus and licking its chops. Hank said, "Darus, It has been a while since I have actually pulled the trigger as executioner and I must admit you are tempting me greatly. Besides my friend Harvey has not been fed today."
