Castle Vroman

by Thomas DePrima

  "Ladies and Gentlemen," Admiral Moore said when the applause finally subsided, "you've been granted viewing access to this vid log by virtue of your position with the Galactic Alliance Council, Space Command, or the Space Marine Corps. I remind you again not to discuss this viewing with anyone until it's been declassified. Each of you knows that there is no Madness Ray, but the enemy does not, and we may wish to employ Admiral Carver's brilliant tactic again. This was but one battle. We are still at war with the Milori and they must not yet learn how we defeated them. The copies distributed to the press only contain the main battle action between our regular Space Command vessels and the Milori ships. Thank you for attending today."

  The admirals waited until the gallery had been cleared before they began their regular meeting.

  "Does anyone wish to view the vid log again?" Admiral Moore asked.

  Several members nodded so the admiral's aide replayed the thirty-five minute log.

  When it had ended again, Admiral Hillaire said, "Astounding. I never would have thought to pull something like that. I was as taken in by the ploy as the Milori commander."

  "As was I," Admiral Plimley admitted, "and I would have known if there was research going on with a Madness Ray. Since hearing from Admiral Carver yesterday, I racked my brain trying to fathom how she could have defeated the invasion force while suffering virtually no losses. I couldn't conceive of a single scenario that would lead to such an outstanding accomplishment. It's almost hard to believe that a few months ago we were discussing whether she would even survive the attack."

  "You're all getting carried away again," Admiral Hubera said loudly. "It was a simple ruse. The Milori commander was an idiot to fall for such an asinine tactic. Carver has been lucky again, plain and simple."

  "It's only a simple ruse once you've seen it used, Donald," Admiral Bradlee said. "What would your strategy have been for meeting and defeating the Milori?"

  All eyes turned to Admiral Hubera.

  "I haven't developed a strategy because I'm not the base commander of Stewart."

  "Well, give it a try now," Admiral Bradlee persisted. "You've studied all of history's most famous battles and tactics. How would you have greeted the Milori at Stewart?"

  "Well, uh, I would have cleared the area of ships and cargo, bringing as much inside as possible."

  "Yes, as Admiral Carver did. And then?"

  "Uh, I would have secreted my forces away from the base, but close enough to call them in when needed."

  "As Admiral Carver did. And then?"

  "Uh, I, um— look, what is this supposed to prove? The battle is over, and anything I offer would be pure speculation."

  "Every time we discuss Admiral Carver, you denigrate her actions and accomplishments," Admiral Bradlee said. "Her battle tactics are clever, innovative, and usually result in outstanding results with minimal losses on our part, yet you continually attribute them to mere luck. I was attempting to show you it's anything but luck. She's nothing less than brilliant. As Loretta alluded to, how many of us in this room could have conceived a plan that would have resulted in our not losing a single ship during the recent engagement against three-hundred-eighty-eight powerful enemy warships? How many of us thought we would even control Stewart after the conflict? I seem to recall that less than two months ago you implored us to have Admirals Martucci and Rhinefield immediately assemble their forces in anticipation of attacks on their sectors."

  "Suppose the Milori commander hadn't fallen for her ruse?" Admiral Hubera shot back. "Suppose he had realized that our ships had infiltrated his ranks? Where would we be then?"

  "If Dwillaak realized that Carver's M-Designate ships had infiltrated his ranks from the very beginning, he might have immediately attacked them, in which case I'm sure Admiral Carver would have called in the battle groups and we'd have been forced to slug it out. We'd be no worse off than whatever attack scenario you might have come up with, Donald. And if Dwillaak became aware of the subterfuge immediately after the M-Designate ships began their attack, at least we would have gotten in the first licks before the Milori could respond. Our other ships were ready and standing by to attack as soon as Admiral Carver gave the word. But— I wouldn't be a bit surprised to learn that she had a second ace up her sleeve, one that we haven't seen because she didn't need to pull it out, this time."

  "What other sort of trickery could she possibly have pulled?" Admiral Hubera said angrily.

  "As I said," Admiral Bradlee replied, "I don't know what the other ace might be. I do know I didn't see the two scout/destroyers arrive with the other SC ships. Considering that they're invulnerable to laser weapons, I expected them to play a major role in the battle. We know they arrived at Stewart in plenty of time to participate. If I had to speculate, I'd say they were her second ace. I don't know how she intended to use them, and we may never know, unless one day we have an opportunity to discuss the battle with her, but I'd bet my retirement pension she had a backup plan other than just calling in the battle groups."

  "After viewing the log, does anyone wish to withdraw their support of Admiral Hubera's nomination that Admiral Carver be awarded a second Medal of Honor?" Admiral Moore asked. No one raised their hand as all eyes looked at Admiral Hubera. "I thought not, but I felt I should ask. If anything, the log reinforces our nomination. Judging from the reaction of the gallery, I suspect the medal award nomination won't meet with any resistance in the Galactic Alliance Council."

  * * *

  A week later, ships were again being deployed on patrol routes. Everything had returned to normal on the station, except that the newsies were still hounding Jenetta for private interviews. During her daily walk on the concourse, her two pets kept the annoying reporters well away. A memorial service had been held for the lost crewmembers, whose number had increased by one due to the death of one of the critically injured. The rest were all expected to make a full recovery and only a couple remained in intensive care.

  Work on the two damaged ships, the Lima and the Atlanta, was progressing quickly, thanks to the availability of so many engineers, and they expected to have the hulls repaired and pressure tested within the week.

  Jenetta received congratulations from Space Command Headquarters and word that she was to be honored with another Medal of Honor. She would gladly have traded it for a ship now instead of receiving one in five to seven years, but she felt honored by the award. Her mail queue was always bulging as congratulations flooded in from all over the Galactic Alliance. She had to prepare a standard response for most of the senders, but as in the past, family and special friends, dignitaries, and certain others received a personal message.

  As always, her favorite time of the day was when she arrived back in her quarters each evening and found vidMail from home or one of her siblings waiting in her personal mailbox. Billy, Christa, and Eliza had toasted her privately in several evening dinner parties in her dining room, and tonight she had messages from Hugh and her mother waiting. Hugh's had arrived first so she decided to play that first. She tapped the play button and sat down to watch.

  "Hi babe. You are so awesome. We've all seen the vid images of the battle but you have the entire senior staff of the Bonn, and probably every other ship outside your command, trying to figure out how you did it. I wish that I could have been there.

  "I guess the threat from the Milori is over for the present. Are you going to be relieved now so we can finally get together? It seems like years since I've seen you. Wait a minute," he said smiling, "it has been years since I've seen you. It's a darned good thing your picture is on every news broadcast and on every newspaper or magazine in the galaxy or I might forget what you look like. Of course, that picture on my nightstand helps keep the memory fresh. I have to clean it everyday though because it keeps getting smudged when I kiss it before going to sleep each night, and I'd much rather have the genuine article to kiss.

  "I've been saving my leave time so we can get together for shore leave on Higgins when you co
me home. Has Supreme Headquarters given you any kind of date for when you might be relieved? Probably not or you would have told me, but I keep hoping. They can't keep you out there forever, can they?

  "Time to go. I love you and can't wait to see you again. I hope it's soon. All my love." Hugh kissed his forefinger and pressed it to the vid lens in the com unit.

  "Commander Hugh Michaels, First Officer of the Bonn, message complete."

  Hugh's messages never failed to bring a smile to Jenetta's face, and she played it again before replying.

  "Hi sweetheart. I look at your picture and think of you each night before I fall asleep also. I miss you and I wish with all my heart that I could be there to tell you in person what I'm feeling. Eventually they'll have to let me come back for a visit, if only for the medal ceremony, and I promise you we'll get together. Right now, it's impossible to get away. A front line commander can't just leave her post for two years to visit home.

  "The imminent Milori threat is over, but as long as Maxxiloth sits on his throne we'll be at risk. He didn't learn his lesson the first time and I've no delusions that he's learned it this time. He's hurting right now, but as soon as he's strong enough he'll come at us again. The only way to stop him is for us to invade his territory and hurt him so bad that he'll never want any part of us again. That may be difficult because he has no regard for his people, so we'll have to threaten his personal safety. Someone will have to take this war to his home planet and attack his palace.

  "I haven't heard anything from Supreme Headquarters about them sending a replacement flag officer to assume command, so I guess I'm stuck here for at least another year. I suppose things could be worse. I could be stuck at Supreme Headquarters in some dull administrative job. At least out here I get to face a small challenge once in awhile." Jenetta grinned.

  "I love you and I'm looking forward to that shore leave on Higgins." Jenetta kissed her finger and pressed it to the vid lens on the com unit. "See you just as soon as I can."

  "Jenetta Alicia Carver, Rear Admiral, Upper Half, Commander of Stewart Space Command Base, message complete."

  Jenetta sat and thought about Hugh and the month they'd had together when he'd been to Stewart while working for the freight hauling company. Her mood changed from one of happiness to one of sadness as she thought about the length of time since they'd been together. To avoid sinking into depression, she played the message from her Mom.

  "Hi Honey. Gosh, I'm so very proud of you. Your name is on everyone's lips again and your face is on every news show. They're talking about how you defeated an enormous invasion force from that alien empire intent on enslaving all of us. And I've heard that you're to be given another Medal of Honor for your actions. Will they be sending you home for the award? I hope so. It's been so long since I've been able to hold you, or your sisters or brothers.

  "Can you tell me how you defeated the Milori, or is it a secret? I'll understand if you can't talk about it, but everyone on the base keeps asking me, as if I've got special military clearance that their spouses, parents, or children don't. Anyway, as much as I miss you, I'm glad you're out there protecting us. Sometimes I feel so useless here. Daddy and all of you kids are out there watching over us and I just stay here on Earth, safe and secure while you're all risking your lives.

  "I played bridge with Dorothy Nelson the other day and learned that her daughter, Beverly, is in your command. She's on board the Lima, but she wasn't hurt when a torpedo struck her ship. And Linda Reilly has a son in your command. I think he's on the cruiser Plantaganet. Sometimes it seems that half the people on this base have a relative or close friend in your command. They all tell me how proud the serving family members and friends are to serve under you and how confident they are that you'll do your best to keep them safe. From what little I know about the recent battle, I know they're right. I can't imagine how you managed to stop three-quarters of a million invaders while losing less than two dozen of our people.

  "My time is almost up so I have to go. I'll be watching for your messages. I love you, honey. Be safe and take care of yourself.

  "Annette Carver, Officer Housing, Potomac SC base. End of message."

  Jenetta smiled and watched the message again before recording her reply. She wished she were close enough to have a real conversation.

  "Message to Annette Carver, Officer Housing, Potomac SC base, from Admiral Jenetta Carver.

  "Hi Momma. I wish I could tell you I'll be on my way home soon, but I can't, and I doubt that I'll be home before this war is over. I don't like it any more than you, but I'm needed out here and I can't leave until my job is done. The award of the medal will have to wait for awhile.

  "The Admiralty Board has promised me a ship after my next tour of duty is complete. I'll be getting one of the new battleships they've just started constructing at the Mars facility. If I don't manage to get home before then, I'll at least have to travel home when my ship is ready."

  "The tactics I used to defeat the enemy forces are classified and I can't talk about them yet or I would be happy to tell you all about it. Perhaps when I finally get home I can explain it all. All I can say right now is that I do everything I can, and everything I have to, to protect my people and all the people of the Galactic Alliance. I'm not proud of the fact that I've been responsible for the deaths of more than a million Milora in recent years, but I'm very proud that I've helped keep our people free. Unfortunately, I'll probably be responsible for the deaths of many more Milora before this terrible war is over, but I can't let that sway me from my duty. We didn't ask for this war and did nothing to provoke the Milori, but we have no choice other than to respond when attacked. It's an immutable fact of war that you must be just as brutal as the enemy is if you're ever to see an end to a conflict. We extended an olive branch once and you see the results. I pray that God will forgive me for what I've done— and will have to do again.

  "I love you, Momma, and I wish I could be there with you now, but we'll have to be content that our family is safe, and the enemy has been stopped, at least for the present.

  "Jenetta Alicia Carver, Rear Admiral, Upper Half, Commander of Stewart Space Command Base, message complete.

  * * *

  Exalted Lord Space Marshall Berquyth entered the ostentatiously decorated private office of Emperor Maxxiloth quietly and approached the desk of his monarch. He had dreaded this task for hours. Messengers who bore bad tidings had all too often been carried out of this room while attendants tried to staunch the flow of blood. However, no one else would do it and he couldn't delay any longer.

  "What is it, Berquyth?"

  "We've picked up a news broadcast that might explain why we've received no word from our invasion fleet, my Lord."

  "Really, what does it say? Has Dwillaak destroyed Stewart?"

  "I've had it sent to your com unit. You can play it like a message."

  "Good. Let's take a look." He used one of his tentacles to start the playback, then stared at the machine as Jenetta's press conference played. Watching in stunned silence until the conference was over and the reporter had added his comments, Maxxiloth suddenly erupted and threw the com unit through a nearby window. Berquyth thought he was next.

  "How, Berquyth, how? How could Carver destroy our entire force and not lose a single ship? She's a devil, that one. It must be black magic."

  "We don't know any of the details, my Lord, although there has been some talk overheard on the station about a Madness Ray, but no one knows how it works."

  "A Madness Ray! I knew it must be something like that. We must get the plans to it before she arrives here. How soon can we expect to see her enter our space?"

  "Their newer battleships are said to be capable of Light-412, so we have at least two annuals before she could enter our innermost territory."

  "How many ships will we be able to throw against her?"

  "If we continue to put all available resources into ship production, we should be able to gather as many as three hundred f
or our defense, although almost a third of those will be the oldest ships we have. Their speed is limited to Light-262 and their plating isn't as heavy as the newer ships."

  "Three hundred," Maxxiloth said thoughtfully. "And she just destroyed four hundred without losing a single ship of her own." Imploringly, Maxxiloth said, "What have I done, Berquyth? I've antagonized a peaceful neighbor whose technology is clearly superior to ours and turned their wrath against us. Should we sue for peace?"

  Berquyth was aghast, but tried not to let it show. He had seen many sides of his emperor, but this was a new one. He wondered if the news of defeat might have driven him insane. "Judging from the press conference, I don't think that would work anymore. We did just violate the last peace treaty signed in the name of the empire. She was pretty specific about ending our ability to wage war."

  "Yes, she was." Maxxiloth's mood turned angry again. "So be it! If that's what she wants, that's what she'll get. I'll fight her to the very last warrior on this planet."

  Berquyth nodded and backed away, slowly working his way towards the door to the corridor as Maxxiloth paced around the room, ranting.

  * * *

  Captain Lofgren entered Jenetta's office and took a seat after being invited. "We've completed a survey of NeTrediar, Admiral."

  "And?"

  "There's no sign of Arneu, but that's not surprising since half the underground complex was crushed when the roof caved in. There could be hundreds of bodies interred down there."

  "And the town?"

  "Totally destroyed, probably during the first pass. We found those guns you mentioned, but I don't know if they even had time to get the roofs rolled back. The Milori hit them with everything they had."

  "No one left alive?"

  "No one that we found, although survivors would have had weeks to clear out before we got there. Somebody dug a grave for the people killed on the surface, a mass grave. I'm sure it wasn't the Milori."

  Jenetta nodded. "How many other towns were hit?"