“Well, we’re going to have to find a way,” Captain Sheppard said. “The outcome of the war hinges on what we do here. Either we put this facility out of business and come back with the Mrowry to finish them, or they come and finish us. Let’s get it done, people!”
“Well, what if we just go after the replicators?” Calvin asked. “Between the Gulf and the fighters, we should be able to do a good job putting them out of commission, especially if we aim at where the computer banks are located. I would imagine they are reasonably close to our replicators in form and function.”
“Yes,” Steropes replied; “if we concentrated on the replicators, we could probably render them inoperable for a reasonable amount of time. Unfortunately, we have no idea whether the information stored within them has already been disseminated to the main shipyard or other systems. We have to expect that the main shipyard, which will still be operating at full capacity, will be able to get the replicators back in operation eventually, while still continuing to produce warships at the same time.”
“How about if we send the troops over to destroy them?” the Vella Gulf’s XO asked. “They could get in and ensure the computers were destroyed. Without the computers, they are just giant tubes of metal.”
“Can’t be done, sir,” Night said. “We’re down to just over a squad of men, and you’re talking about destroying a number of nodes located on three separate mile-long ships, each of which will probably be defended. I wouldn’t want to take on that mission with anything less than a company of troops, for each replicator. With only a squad of men total? It can’t be done.”
“If we can’t do it from the interior,” Captain Sheppard said, “then we will have to do it from outside with the Gulf and the fighters. We’ll destroy whatever we can until the battleships show up and then run to the Falcon for cover. We’ve got to destroy as much of it as we can, but we also have to get back to let the chain of command know. Doing one without the other will allow them to get the upper hand.”
“I have another idea we might try, Skipper,” Lieutenant Bradford said.
“I’m all ears, Lieutenant; go ahead.”
“Captain Train asked me a little while ago to look at disintegrator technology, like what Arges shot at him. As it turns out, you can make a warhead full of the disintegrator nanobots which will continue to disassemble their targets for a preprogrammed length of time. We could make a bunch of these and fire them into the replicators and the shipyard. If left unchecked, they will go on taking them apart for a long time.”
“So why don’t I know about this warhead, and why don’t we have a full load of them right now?”
“Well…they’re sort of illegal as most of the races in our universe have banned them. It’s kind of like a universal Geneva Convention. Apparently, getting disassembled at the molecular level hurts…like, a lot. I had to break several passwords to get into where the designs were stored. Of note, the black hole generator only required us to break two.”
“They are illegal,” Steropes confirmed. “They were outlawed over 300 years ago.”
“While they may have been outlawed across our universe,” Captain Sheppard said, “we are no longer in our universe. If they give us an ability to take out the shipyard facility, we need to have that capability.”
“There’s a problem,” Steropes said.
“There’s always a problem with you,” Captain Sheppard replied. “I understand they’re illegal in our universe, but I’d rather use them than start throwing black holes around, which appears to be the only other option.”
“No sir, I’m not talking about the legality of using them…although I am forced to remind you they are illegal according to international treaties—”
“—which the Terran Federation isn’t a party of,” Captain Sheppard interjected.
“That’s true,” Steropes replied, “but…”
“But what is the problem?”
“The problem is the shipyard is protected by the energy field, which is projected from an asteroid inside the field. I have analyzed the field, and I believe it to be some sort of scrambler field. Any electronics which enter the area of effect will be rendered non-functional. You can probably shoot a laser through it, but any sort of missile or ship that attempts to pass through the energy field will have its computer systems destroyed. It works kind of like putting a hard drive near a giant magnet—the magnetic field will wipe the hard drive clean. Worse, the smaller something is, like nano-disassemblers, the more vulnerable they are to radiation or equivalent wave fields. That is, there is no way to build in the thickness of shielding required to defeat the penetrating radiation.”
“So anything that goes through there won’t work if it has a computer?”
“That is correct; unless it is very heavily shielded, I believe almost anything with a computer will cease functioning upon entering the field. At a minimum, it will no longer work correctly, as its memory will be corrupted, if not completely destroyed.”
“What if we took a fighter through the field with everything turned off and turned it on after it went through the field?” Calvin asked. “Would that work?”
“No, it would still lose its computers.”
“What if we brought the Gulf up close and slagged the asteroid with its grasers?” Captain Sheppard asked.
“That might work,” Steropes said. “However, we really don’t know anything about this energy field, other than it’s extremely powerful. Unlike the equipment the Shaitans have produced from the captured replicators, this is Shaitan technology, so I’m only guessing at what it’s capable of. If they saw the ship approaching, they might be able to switch it to a conventional shield which would defeat our grasers, especially now that they have the technology from the Ssselipsssiss. Maybe they could even extend the shield further and hit the ship with it, knocking out Solomon and all of our computers. That would be…troublesome.”
“So we can’t kill it with either our grasers or our missiles, and the fighters won’t work either,” the CO said. “How do we take it out?”
“With people,” Lieutenant O’Leary said. “Good, old-fashioned organic missiles.”
“How do you intend to do that?”
“We attach ourselves to the outside of a stealthed shuttle and have it fly straight at the asteroid. As the shuttle approaches the energy field, we detach, and it turns away, leaving us to fly straight at the asteroid like human missiles. We turn our suits off as we go through the energy field and then back on once we’re clear. They are all EMP-hardened; they should be fine even if they are left on, but it will provide an added measure of safety. After we’re clear of the field, we use our suits’ thrusters to brake, and we land on the asteroid. Then we blow up the projector, and the shuttle swoops back in to pick us up while the Vella Gulf rains all manner of nastiness on the shipyard. You can even hit the asteroid with one of the disintegrator missiles if you want to…once we’re safely away, that is.”
“I thought you didn’t have enough troops to conduct an assault,” Captain Sheppard said.
“To conduct an assault across three miles of replicators?” Lieutenant O’Leary asked. “No, we don’t. But this is more localized and the objective is a pinpoint target. This is something we could attempt with a squad.”
“We also have the five Ssselipsssiss who are trained in combat ops,” Calvin said. “I’m sure they would love to help kill some Shaitans.”
“I thought they were just kids?” Captain Sheppard asked.
“No, they just had their birthday shed and are now considered adults. They’ve also got several years of training in expeditionary operations.”
“That will give us 21 effectives,” Lieutenant O’Leary noted; “22 if Lieutenant Commander Hobbs comes.”
“Which I am.”
“I think it’s worth a try,” Night agreed. “The shipyard has to be destroyed if we’re going to win this war, and if no one can figure out a better way, then I’m willing to give it a shot. I expect all
the troops will be willing, as well.”
“That’s what we’ll do then,” the CO decided. “Lieutenant Commander Hobbs, get your troops ready. Lieutenant Bradford, you have however long it takes for the troops to get to the energy projector to replicate a load of disintegrator missile warheads. Let’s get going; we don’t have any time to waste!”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Armory, TSS Vella Gulf, Anti-GD 165 System, January 8, 2022
“Who the hell thought up this brilliant idea?” Sergeant Brandi Walker asked as she pulled on her combat suit.
“I don’t know,” Corporal Anaru Ngata replied, buddy-checking her dials and gauges; “I’m sure it’s somebody’s version of a good idea.”
“Well, somebody needs to slap the good idea fairy,” Sergeant Walker said, “because this one is just bullshit.”
“All right everyone, shut the hell up and listen,” Lieutenant O’Leary bellowed in a voice loud enough for all to hear. “I know this mission sucks, but it’s important. If you feel like you need to blame someone, you can blame me, because I volunteered all of us for it; that’s how important I think it is. Here’s the deal. The Shaitans have captured several replicators from the Ssselipsssiss, and they are using them to build state-of-the-art ships. The one advantage we always had over them was they lacked shield technology. Well, thanks to the Ssselipsssiss replicators, they’ve now got it.”
“Way to go, lizzies!” Bad Twin exclaimed. “Thanks a lot!”
He turned around when he heard laser rifles powering up, and he found four laser rifles pointing at him from close by. The Ssselipsssiss holding the rifles stared at him over the sights, unblinking, as if just waiting for the order to kill him.
“Careful, Terran,” Burkuri said, holding a short sword next to his groin. “We take our honor seriously, even if you don’t.”
“At ease!” Lieutenant O’Leary commanded. “Sergeant Gordon, you do realize these five have lost everyone else they know to the Shaitans, as well as their home planet and everything they held dear to them, right? And they volunteered to help us in this assault?”
“Uh, yeah, Lieutenant…I, uh, forgot.” He looked down at Burkuri. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
The short sword vanished in a blur, spinning once as it went into its scabbard. “Don’t forget it again,” she said. She spun on her heel and returned to the locker she had been given. Her brothers also disappeared from his side without a word.
“Sheesh,” Bad Twin said under his breath.
“Now, if everyone’s done insulting our guests, here’s the plan. Once we get suited up, we are going to go out to the shuttle and clip onto the attachment points on the starboard side. That’s the right side of the shuttle for those of you still learning to tie your shoes. The shuttle is going to get us pointed at the asteroid, then we will detach, and it will turn away. When I give you the signal, you will deactivate your suit, count to 60 and then reactivate it. Once online, you will brake using your thrusters at 100%, and you will hopefully slow down enough so you don’t kill yourself on impact. Got it so far?”
“Yeah,” Good Twin said. “We got it. Smashing is bad.”
“Right,” Lieutenant O’Leary continued. “For those of you who don’t go flying off into space or smashing yourselves into the asteroid, we will then find a way inside and will disable the energy field protecting the shipyard. Once the force field is gone, the Vella Gulf will begin firing missiles at the shipyard that will disassemble their facilities down to the atomic level. Once the field is down, the shuttle comes back and gets us, and we have a nice quiet ride back home.”
“What about the Shaitan ships in the area?” Staff Sergeant Hirt asked. “Won’t they attack?”
“Of course they will, you moron. I was being sarcastic; the ride home will be anything but quiet. Regardless, this is important. If we are successful, we can return home, and the next force can come and either negotiate with the Shaitan or wipe them out. But if we don’t get the shield down, and the Gulf doesn’t destroy the shipyard, then all of a sudden we’ve got Shaitan ships in Terran space…and they can build ships faster than we can. That’s why this is important, and it’s why I volunteered all of you knuckleheads. We signed up to keep Terra safe, and this is where we get to do it. It is, however, an extremely dangerous mission; just getting to the asteroid is no sure thing. In fact, I won’t take anyone who isn’t a volunteer, so if you don’t want to go, just say so and we’ll drop you from the mission. Anyone want out?”
No hands were raised or words exchanged.
“Okay, good,” Lieutenant O’Leary said; “we’re all in this together. Well, all except the cyborgs, who can’t go because the energy field would slick their hard drives and kill them.”
“No cyborgs?” Bad Twin asked. “Sucks to have to do this without their fire support.”
“Yeah, it does,” Lieutenant O’Leary said. He picked up a bag and began handing out grenades. “But we’ve got these nice new grenades to take with us, courtesy of Lieutenant Bradford. They’ve got gold and silver fillings, so make sure you throw them far enough that it doesn’t spray onto you.”
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Anti-GD 165 System, January 8, 2022
“The shuttle is launching,” the OSO noted.
“Understood,” Captain Sheppard said. “Once they get the shield down, things are going to happen quickly, so we need to be prepared. Helm, I want us as close as you can get to the shipyard, but stay well outside the energy field. Be ready to jump back to our universe at my command.”
“Yes sir!”
“Duty Engineer, when I give the command to fire, I want you to punch off the stealth modules. I hate to leave them here, but if they have replicators, they already have that technology too.”
“Yes sir!”
“DSO, I suspect the shipyard will have defenses in addition to the energy field, so you need to be ready. I would have the OSO target a spread of disassemblers across them, but we don’t have enough to do the job as it is. Until we begin taking enemy fire, feel free to use your weapons offensively as you see fit.”
“Yes sir,” the DSO said; “I’ve got it.”
“OSO, when the stealth modules come off, I want you to fire all of the disintegrator missiles we have ready. Put the first broadside into the replicators, then target any extras into the main shipyard. Grasers can be used on any targets of opportunity but do not, I repeat not, fire a graser where there are active disassemblers working; I don’t want to do the Shaitans’ job for them. Understood?”
“Yes sir!”
“Good, we need to get the missiles off quickly because we will rapidly become the center of a lot of unwanted attention. At last count, there were two battleships, five cruisers and three destroyers in this system. As all of them can jump back and forth with us, and we won’t have stealth anymore, we’re going to have to outfight them.”
“What about using the fighters?”
“I want the fighters manned and ready, but I don’t want to launch them until we get back to our universe. If something happens to us, at least they might be able to thumb a ride home with the Jotunn, assuming they make it.”
“Got it sir,” the OSO replied.
“All right, stay sharp. When it happens, it’s going to happen fast.”
Bridge, Jotunn Ship Falcon, GD 165 System, January 8, 2022
“Sir, the Shaitan ship Megalos is calling.”
“Speaker only.”
“Jotunn ship Falcon, this is Captain Zelotai on the Shaitan cruiser Megalos. We are sending over our shuttle with your ambassador. When he is offloaded, please load your captain aboard for a trip to the planet and a meeting with the high lord.”
“Understood, Captain Zelotai. This is Captain Magnusson; I will be ready.”
He terminated the link.
“You heard what I told the Shaitan captain. Battle Stations! Let’s get ready for our visitors!”
Exterior, Shuttle 01, Anti-GD 165 System, January 8
, 2022
“Mother Hen to Chicks, stand by for final maneuver,” Lieutenant Erika ‘Roo’ Smith commed.
The shuttle rotated, pointing the troopers’ feet at their target.
“Prepare to release,” Roo commed. “Remember, do not push off. Just unsnap from the shuttle and you’ll be fine.”
Calvin looked at his in-head monitor. All of the troops’ status displays were in the green, and all of the troopers were awake and alert. Aside from a few troopers whose heart rates were extremely high, including his own, everyone appeared as ready to do this as they could be.
“Mother Hen to Chicks, detach. I say again, detach.”
Calvin detached his safety harness from the shuttle but was very careful not to push off. As far as they were from the asteroid, a little acceleration in the wrong direction would have a big impact on where a person landed…or if they missed the asteroid entirely.
“Good luck and good hunting.” The shuttle pulled up and away from the knot of soldiers, leaving them to hurtle through the darkness of space on their own. It disappeared with a sense of finality as he got 10 feet away and left the stealth bubble.
Calvin felt his pulse and breathing pick up as he looked between his legs; he couldn’t see the target asteroid. He forced himself to take a few deep, calming breaths. The asteroid would be there. Roo was an excellent WSO; she wouldn’t have sent them in the wrong direction. After saying it to himself about 10 times, he almost felt like he believed it.
The Dark Star War (Codex Regius Book 3) Page 28
