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Warnerpedia
Get your free copy of Warnerpedia at Warp Drive Publishing (www.warpdrivepublishing.com) It answers your questions on ‘who, what and where” in the Warner’s World series.
This reference document comes in three formats - Word, PDF or MOBI. It contains a listing of all the characters in all the books, listed by first name, last name, rank, role, organisation and the book they first appeared in. There is also a list of the weapons, vehicles, ships and other equipment used in the series. All the cities, places, planets and star systems are listed so you can look up exactly where events are happening. A glossary is also provided.
With the Word format the data is listed in sortable tables. So it makes it easy to find that character using one of their attributes - first name, last name, organisation etc.
Extract
From
REDEMPTION
Book 2 of Warner’s World
Prologue. Hermes in warp to Chelora 1430, 20 April 2512
Lieutenant Commander (LCmd) Art Simons sits at his small desk in his small cabin aboard the Federation Fleet Ship (FFS) Hermes, where he is the political officer. The former Special Forces soldier and spy kicks off the video yet again. The head cam footage jerks about but that’s to be expected. His eyes focus on the blast doors at the end of the tunnel. Beyond the doors a shaft leads to the Klaster facilities entrance, which had just been overrun by the Sleth.
He watches the image of First Lieutenant (1st Lt) Sue Chalker, his fiancée, running forward to the first portable shield, which was embedded into the floor of the tunnel not 30m from the entrance. Despite the fact that he has seen this before, he still jerks his head back and holds his breath as the doors are blown out and a large chunk of metal hurtles towards her.
He exhales and comes back upright as it whistles past her head. His breathing quickens in anticipation and he finds himself gripping the desk in front of him as the shock wave from the blast lifts her body and flings it like a rag doll twenty metres into the side wall of the tunnel. He feels tortured but compelled to watch as her body slumps to the ground completely motionless.
The pulse cannon fires from Tango 4, the battlewagon in support of Sue’s group. It tears across from somewhere back behind the camera and then slams into the gap in the blast doors.
Art leans forward now paying particular attention to the hole in the doors and the stream of air and dust that is being sucked out of the tunnel by the decompression. He can feel his chest tighten. He knows this is adding to his stress but he is determined to see this through for he must confirm whether his beloved has a chance of survival.
The vision is marred by all the debris. ‘Is that dark blob her body?’ he asks himself. ‘It looks like something rolling end over end.’
“Tango 4 cease fire” hails someone.
“Oh shit”.
“Stop firing for fuck sake.”
“Christ we’ve lost Chalker.”
Art slows down the replay. He swallows hard as he watches the dark blob slam into the doors. The dust settles and Art leans closer to the display. He scrutinises the next frames watching the dust and debris settle to the floor of the tunnel. Despite the movement of the camera angle Art is for the first time in this long session confident that the position she has slammed into is in fact the great whole rendered by the blast. He leans back and nods his head emphatically. “Yes!” he says “she’s alive.”
He breaths in deeply and says to himself ‘and I will do whatever it takes to get you back my love, whatever it takes.’
Part 1
Resolve
I have seen the past and learnt from my mistake
I know now the objective I must pursue
I have gathered together what I think it will take
I have the resolve to see this through
The enemy’s plan has been dissected
But there is still risk in what we do
A course of action has been selected
I am resolved to see it through
Chapter 1. Hermes 0955, 21 June 2512
Captain (Capt) Dave Warner left his cabin aboard the Hermes – a light frigate of the Federation Fleet. He was above average height, of solid build with thick dark hair that he kept short less it take over the top of his head. He had slightly ruddy complexion and was clean shaven. His fiancé Commander (Cmdr) Rihan Kabel would say he had rugged good looks but she was biased.
His blue eyes glanced across the corridor and could see that Commodore (Cdre) Julian Pious’ cabin was empty. Pious and Justine Packer, the Head of the Niku Council had already left for the briefing.
A wry smile formed on Dave’s face as he reflected how the Commodore had given him and Rihan Kabel such a hard time when they were trying to carry on a shipboard romance. Now he was the one shacking up and with a former enemy no less. But Dave’s attitude towards Pious had changed markedly since their initial frosty encounter. He would not give Pious a hard time over his apparent hypocrisy.
In a way, Dave reflected, it was a symbol of the political union between the Federation and the Alliance. What was originally one empire, split into two camps, was now unified again by the need to face a common foe. And they had faced that foe and defeated them on Klaster. Much of that victory was down to Pious’ resolve to stand firm, his uncanny assessment of his subordinates and his willingness to delegate to them so that their strengths could have the maximum impact.
As he strode down the corridor to the battle lab, he refocussed his attention onto the matter at hand. In 24 hours they would come out of warp on the edge of the Chelora Belt, where they believed the foe was based. They needed to finalise their plan of action.
As he approached the battle lab door he could hear voices in muted discussion. Despite days of discussion they had not settled on the best course of action.
‘How do we make a peace overture with an alien you cannot communicate with?’ he asked himself. A lot was riding on this next encounter and not just the future of humanity. ‘How do we rescue Sue if they spurn our offer?’
Chapter 2. Hermes 1000, 21 June
LCmd Ella Apell, his executive officer (XO), saw him enter first and called for silence. Ella was an Alliance officer posted to his ship as part of the rapprochement between the Federation and the Alliance. She was also a very attractive woman with ice blond Nordic looks and a fit and trim body.
Dave acknowledged his first officer and nodded towards Pious and Justine. Pious was the senior political officer in the sector having been despatched from Earth to handle the settlement with the Alliance. He was lean and always maintained an erect back and good posture. Some would say he was a martinet but Dave knew there was a lot more to him than that.
Justine Packer was the head of the Alliance Council in Niku on Beta Phi and had been Pious’ opposing number during the settlement negotiations. Known as the ‘ice-maiden’ she could be tough as nails but since her encounters with Pious she had shown a different, softer side.
Dave addressed the planning team. “Alright everyone. Thank you for attending.” Turning to his Ops Officer, Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) Chase Hanlon, he said “Chase can you please sum up where we are at?”
Chase was a young gun, a high achiever who had disappointed his father by seeking a position on a lowly frigate. He still had his boyish looks. A wide grin and a ready smile made it easy for him to form friends. And yet he had already been blooded in combat leading the initial assault on Alpha Phi. Every now and then he would massage the wound under his right shoulder.
“Our mission is to make contact with the enemy with a view to reaching a peace settlement. If this is not forthcoming, then we are to report back, recon and harass the enemy and wait for the main fleet.” Chase looked across to his boss, noted the nod of his head and continued. “We have an agreed course of action should the peace overtures be reject
ed. What we need to finalise is the course of action for making contact with the enemy.”
“There are basically two options. The first is an overt broadcast on all comms channels using Lt Hoyle, our linguistic expert who has been learning their language from the prisoners on board.” Chase looked over at a very nervous subaltern.
“The second option” continued Chase “is to covertly reconnoitre the system using our probes, identify the location where Lt Chalker is being held, attempt a rescue mission and then make contact and bargain from a position of strength.”
“Thanks Chase. I will take it from here” said Warner. “As I see it, the second option is predicated on us arriving undetected. I have serious doubts as to whether this is possible. The enemy are no fools and they will most likely have sensors deployed in all the obvious locations.”
“Yes Sir that’s correct” spoke Ella “but we could simply launch our probes and warp out to Dobane. Once we have the intel we need, we warp back in and rescue Chalker.”
“But Doban is three days away” interjected LCmd Art Simons, Lt Sue Chalker’s fiancé and Dave Warner’s best friend. “It will mean another week in their custody for Sue. Not to mention that there is real risks to her safety and everyone else on this mission with a hostile rescue.”
“I’m not in favour of just announcing to the enemy that we are here waiting for them to attack us” said 2nd Lt Aubrey Bellard, the Hermes Battle Systems officer. “We won’t last long up against their capital ships.”
Aubrey tilted her head to the right and her dark blond ponytail swished at the back of her head. She was an English rose possessed of a quick mind and was always prepared to argue her case.
“Sir I’m with Aubrey on this” chimed in 2nd Lt Ivan Kiralenko, the Hermes Communications and Intel officer. Ivan was very tall, strong and fit. Some would say he was a gentle giant but that wasn’t really true. He did have a soft manner but he was a real warrior. Alas his heart was wounded. His beloved Sherri had died right beside him in the tunnels on Klaster only weeks earlier.
“What’s more” continued Ivan “I have doubts about our ability to communicate effectively with the enemy. Dan’s only had a few weeks trying to learn their language and we can’t trust one of their prisoners to parley for us.”
“Alright everyone” said Warner raising his voice. Turning to Pious he asked “What’s your view on this Sir?”
Pious glanced across to Packer. She nodded back to him. They had obviously discussed a common approach. “Counsellor Packer and I acknowledge that while there are military risks and technical difficulties with the open declaration option it is on balance the most likely to succeed in the long run.”
He paused to look around at the faces and then continued “We will be seen to be open and up front. It will add weight to the credibility of our offer for peace. We think it the right thing to do. Besides it doesn’t preclude us mounting a rescue bid if they do reject our overture.”
For Dave that settled it. He looked around the room. Art was pleased. Ella shrugged her shoulders slightly as if to say ‘Oh well’. Ivan was still shaking his head. Aubrey wasn’t happy. Chase wasn’t indicating one way or the other. He would follow Warner’s lead.
“Right” said Warner “that settles it. Option one it will be.” Turning to Pious, he said “Sir, with your permission, I think we can bring this conference to a close.” Pious nodded and Warner continued “Ella, Ivan and Dan can you please remain. Thanks everyone.”
Dan Hoyle still looked anxious. He was an Alliance officer, placed under command from the Wasp group to provide linguistic expertise. He was not a strong physical specimen but he was a deep thinker. The question that bothered him the most though was whether he was up to the task.
Once the others had departed, Warner turned to Dan. “By the look on your face I’d say you have some reservations about making contact.”
“Not so much the making contact, Sir” responded Dan. “But I have real doubts about how we can conduct negotiations. I have only scratched the surface so far with their language. I really need more time.”
“Time is one thing in short supply. We don’t know what shape Lt Chalker is in. She could need medical help right now” said Warner. “We’ll just have to put our best effort forward and leave the rest to grace.”
“Sir?” queried Dan.
“Lady luck” came back Warner with a smile.
“Oh right” said Dan, not terribly reassured by that. Ivan, who knew Warner better, just smiled.
“If push comes to shove we’ll have to rely on one of the prisoners communicating for us” said Warner. “Choose the one you think will be best able to understand you and have him available in the command centre when we come out of warp.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea Sir” said Ella “at least not while we go through our initial procedures. It will give too much away.”
“OK good point” responded Warner. “Ella, have the prisoner secured nearby with a guard and bring them forward on my command.”
“Will do Sir.”
“Ivan, I want you to be ready to broadcast on all channels as soon as we come out of warp. Use the standard No Threat signal. They probably won’t recognise it but it’s as good as any to start with. If we get a response, Dan you will attempt to convey that we come in peace and want to talk terms. Use the dot points we worked out with Pious and Packer - ie cease fire, prisoner exchange, talks. Keep it simple and short.”
“Believe me Sir” said Dan “it will be simple because that’s all I can do with their language for now.”
“Good. Do you have any questions?” asked Warner.
“What if their response is negative” asked Dan.
“Just indicate that and we will launch probes and warp out. Ella, make sure you brief the pilot to that effect” directed Warner.
“Got it Sir” said Ella.
“One other thing Ivan” said Warner “make sure you double check our cyber defences before we warp in.”
“For sure Sir” replied Ivan. “It will be as tight as a drum.”
“Any more questions?” asked Warner. The shaking heads and silence said there were none. So Warner dismissed them.
Chapter 3. Hermes 0700, 22 June
Warner sat down for his morning meditation. He adopted his usual cross legged sitting posture, ensuring his back was upright. He draped across his meditation shawl, took a deep breath in and exhaled long, shaking his head from side to side, rolling his shoulders and then let his body settle. He closed his eyes and offered up his time in meditation to his Guru. With the words of his Guru’s mantra repeated silently in time with his breath he soon found his mind clearing of thoughts.
Warner found that it was always easier to meditate first thing in the morning when the mind is transitioning from the dream state and is yet to get established in the fully awake state. In fact he was recalling the dream he woke up from. It had been a powerful fear dream where he was defenceless and could see the enemy charging at him with a blade. He had had this one before and he always woke up just before the blade was about to impact.
He saw it replayed but this time in meditation it was not from the first person perspective but from the witness perspective. He saw the enemy’s face resolved and determined to perform its duty. He also saw his own face but this time it was not contorted in fear but serene, accepting the fate that was about to befall.
But then at that moment a thought arose ‘Would I face my death in such a manner? Could I be that detached?’ And with that doubt came anxiety. He could feel it rising within and realised that the thought had recaptured his mind’s focus. So he took another deep breath in, repeating the mantra and exhaling long. He visualised the doubting thought and the consequent fear as a cloud and he blew it across the sky in his mind’s eye.
‘Ah, that’s better’ thought Warner and he let the mantra ride the breath’s energy like a wave. With the wave came the inner dark void and then the hint of a twinkling blue light. ‘Ye
s that is what I am after’ thought Warner and in that instance he was lost to the void. It was as though his entire world had first collapsed to an infinitely small dark space and then exploded into an infinitely large space full of sparkling blue light. He felt completely at peace.
The blue light kept morphing into different shapes. He smiled as he made out the shape of his beloved Rihan. How he loved that woman. She was now getting fatter by the day with their baby growing inside her. He was overcome with a feeling of love and benevolence. It was wonderful.
After a while he brought himself out of meditation refreshed and fortified. To his Guru he offered up all that he would think, do and say this day. It was in her service and for the fulfilment of her mission and that mission was to see this universe filled with beings that realised everything and every being within the universe was divine, including the enemy in his dreams and the enemy he was about to encounter when they came out of warp in a few hours’ time.
Chapter 4. Hermes 0800, 22 June
“Good morning Sir!” called out Ivan as Warner entered the officers mess. The last word was muffled as Ivan tried to swallow what was in his mouth.
Dave smiled. “You’d better take care Ivan. I don’t want to lose my comms officer to a piece of toast.” By the time Ivan finished swallowing Dave was filling his plate from the buffet. He sat down next to Ivan and opposite Ella and Aubrey. Turning to Ella he asked “Are we good to go?”
“Yes but we’ll be doing our pre warp out check in half an hour just to make sure” replied Ella. “Aubrey and I went through the automated battle systems last night. We’ve plotted the deployment of the drones and the jump to Doban. If things go pear shape all you need do is give us the word and Aubrey will activate the automated systems.”
The Awakening: Book 1 of Warner's World Page 44
