Chapter 1: The Mountain
Surveyor 011’s message arrived at the mountain almost as it was sent. The message was recorded and routed to the Space Defense AI. Just as the main Space Defense AI began reading the message all hell broke loose in the Mountain.
Although the Kingdom of Trena, was small both in size, and population it boasted a well-trained and experienced Militia that was the heart of the star nation’s security. The star nation didn’t boast that many fixed bases or defense installations preferring to be as mobile as possible to make it harder for an attacker to defeat them. One of the militia’s larger bases was the kingdom’s militia headquarters. The headquarters was buried in a mountain near the capital. This buried headquarters site was created after an ancient fort on old Earth. It was modeled after the ancient North American Air Defense Command. The general commanding the Militia at the time of the headquarters design and construction was a part time professor of ancient history at the Royal University of Trena. He had been teaching about the period known as the cold war on Old Earth when plans for the headquarters site were first discussed. He knew in his heart of hearts that one or two well placed missiles with modern warheads would eliminate the command post. But he also knew the physiological impact that the underground command post’s image of near invulnerability would do for his star nation and the militia. The command post was entering its second century of service when the alarms sounded notifying the command center of a national emergency.
The heart of the kingdom’s surveillance system was a computer known as DeepSpace. It was analyzing the input from thousands of data providers and sensors. It routinely read navigation logs from all ships in the Trena System. All ship’s making transit through the system was required to post their navigation logs and observations to the Space Control Center. The DeepSpace computer and its back up Junior read all the reports from that the Crown Civil Stellar Administration prepared as well as monitoring the early warning sensor net. Both had to agree there was an issue before they would sound the alarm. The pair also received reports from all science missions around the system. Although DeeSpa had seen the explosion and had passed it to Junior, Junior was not paying attention; he was playing poker with the intelligence AI at the People Republic of the Stars embassy. So the report had gone unnoticed for about five minutes before Junior was reminded to check his mail. When he did he agreed with his supervisor and fired off the alarm.
La’Kent Qoum had immigrated with his parents from Thonia when he was a baby. He had entered the militia when he came of age and had become a career officer. He was on his last duty post. He would retire as Commander of the Royal Homeland Defense Command. His job was to manage and lead the Militia’s first response to an invasion or other threat to the defense of Trena, until the rest of the militia was called up. After that he would turn his duties over the commanding general. He would not become the Commanding General of the Militia. Which was fine with him. He had wanted it years ago; General McMillan, the commander of the Militia had made it plain that a Thonian would never become the Kingdom’s top military officer. Qoum had had to fight to get where he was. Next month he would retire with his life mate to a small cottage on the coast after 15 crimens of service to his adopted nation. That was about to change. He had just poured his second cup of coffee when the alert tones went off.
When he got to his post in the command center and saw what was displayed on the threat board, he was dumb founded. For the first time in many years he was absolutely speechless. There on the threat board was what appeared for all intent and purposes an invasion task force headed for his home world. He couldn’t believe it. But he also knew that the Kingdom was a considerable prize that on three or four separate occasion that the People Republic of the Stars, and the Neo Christian Theocracy had both attempted invasions; but had been defeated before they launched. Now he wondered how the intelligence service had failed. They were usually on top of things like this.
The Kingdom of Trena was not exactly a sleepy hick world in the middle of nowhere. Trena, when it was first discovered several centuries, before was literally in the middle of nowhere. Over time as both the Earth Empire and the Thonian Realm expanded, it became the nexus of the trading routes, between these two giant star nations. As a result it was closely allied with them. Although not neutral many in the area thought the star nation was if not neutral, impartial. The kingdom took a position if you don’t mess with us, we won’t mess with you. The result was that if Trena wasn’t exactly neutral; at least impartial! The kingdom fiercely protected it impartiality, along with its independency. Trena because of her location and commerce had been coveted by several star nations.
Those times it had been threaten the intelligence service had known months in advanced and had given the sovereign time to work some diplomacy inviting The Imperial Earth Armed Forces and the Thonian Space Defense Force to drill with Trena Militia just about the time that the invasion was to happen. But Trena’s greatest weapon wasn’t military; it was economic. The sovereign and his government used the Free State’s massive economic clout as a bludgeon on more than one occasion.
During one of the invasion attempts, the Sovereign and his Foreign Minister demanded a meeting with The People’s Republic of the Stars Ambassador. When they met with the Ambassador they showed him what they knew about the invasion, what they could expect if the star nation didn’t stand down its invasion force and move it back. He outlined the tariffs that would be imposed on the star nation’s goods. He discussed the confiscation of the star nation’s financial assets on Trena. How Trena would see to it that they never shipped so much as a tooth brush through the star nation without a very high transfer fee. He also said the other star nations were ready to pummel the invasion force should they step over the line. During this meeting the Ambassadors of the Thonian Realm, and the Earth Empire sat in silent witness.
The last threat to the Free State was fifty years ago. Since that time the galaxy, had at least in their section of it, had become a friendlier place. Trena’s sovereignty had not been challenged in all that time. It was thought that even the new ruler of the Theocracy wanted Trena as a friend as opposed to an unruly colony that would in the end run lose more money than it would gain them by occupying the Kingdom. So it was with a dreamlike quality Qoum comprehended what he was seeing on the displays. More so when he looked at the main threat board, and saw none of the potential adversaries, and traditional hostile star nations were currently making any threats to his nation.
He felt his life mate’s concern and agitation. She was standing watch at Fletchers militia’s command post. They both started to process the information he was seeing. Their empathic bound helping both to understand what he was seeing.
“Launch the alert force.” he called softly, “Let’s go to DefCon 2.” He picked up his head set so he could talk in private to the defense minister. He punched the button on his panel that gave him direct access to the Defense Minister where ever he was. As he did so the threat board changed colors and DefConnie spoke again breaking into his head set’s connection. “Update! Objects detected on intercept trajectory to the Kingdom have been determined not to be under powered flight. They are on a ballistic trajectory towards the planet of Trena. Further long range Scans indicate that the objects now do not indicate that they are military weapons.”
As the Defense Minister came up, the general said, “Lord Tana, We’ve just gone to DefCon 2. We have a large group of inbound targets at this time. None appear to be a military weapon. I don’t have much more than that. When we alerted you we thought we had an invasion. I am not sure what we have now, but it is definitely not an organized military strike force.” He was reading the holographic display on his work station. “DeepSpace is reporting that these targets are not under power.”
“What do you think it is?” The Defense Minister asked.
“Your Lordship,” The general replied, “I am not certain what it is. I would advise though until we g
et this sorted out that you to go to DefCon 2 protocols and be ready to get the Queen to safety.”
“Okay general,” The Minister of Defense replied, “We’ll go to DefCon 2!"
As the general hung up he mused over the DefCon 2 Protocols. It had been years since they had been activated in other than a drill. At DefCon 2 members of the Queen’s Household Staff would report to the emergency operation center in the basement of the palace and activate it. They would ensure that it was ready for the Queen and her emergency staff to respond to the emergency. Also a warrant officer of the Queen’s Own Regiment would take up station outside the Queen’s office or where ever she was. He had one and only one responsibility to make sure she was able to communicate with the Defense Establishment, and Emergency Operations Staff. He carried a small brief case with a communications console that would allow the Queen to talk to anyone anywhere within the Trena Star System.
“Okay folks,” Qoum pushed the intercom button that over rode the command posts speakers. “I want a flight of Surveyors on those objects. I want to know why we haven’t heard from Surveyor 011. I want to know the classics, who, what, when, where, and why.” It was then that DefConnie made her most important call of the day, “Update! All stations, objects are astronomical bodies, traveling at less than sub light speed at stellar velocity. The bodies will arrive in the Trena Region in ten months, two days, fifteen hours, and five minutes. These bodies will collide with Trena at that time. It is estimated that this collision will make life on Trena unviable.”
For the second time in less than half an hour the general was speechless. His life mate’s thoughts about it being a joke caused him to ask softly, “Which ever one of you silly sons of bitches who thought this joke up better come clean now. The court martial will be more painless that way!”
When he looked around the room he saw that everyone was equally speechless. Observing their disbelief he said, “Seal the Mountain! I want secure com on all incoming and outgoing communications. All personnel are advised that to disclose this information to anyone not authorized is a treasonable offense dealt with by execution until we know.”
For all the drama of that statement, the general knew that it was unneeded; his staff had been tested and tested again until their security service was convinced these folks kept their work to themselves, and didn’t pass on things they weren’t supposed to. The general wanted to emphasize that if the information was true they had a serious emergency that needed to be dealt with, in a positive manner, that didn’t cause a panic.
Every Last Mother's Child Page 2
