TSN: The Best Laid Plans (Terran Space Navy)

by Paul Phipps

  My guess is that they plan on darting me as soon as we are alone and then force me to do what they want.”

  Admiral Webster/Comm Mode: “That sounds like a good plan. Smart move with the Telefactor.”

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “it was Ariadne’s idea to have one made. I do love a smart woman!”

  Ariadne/Comm Mode: “And don’t you forget it.”

  Admiral Webster/Comm Mode: “Keep us informed.”

  Gunnar/Comm Mode: “We are currently in the area around your parents Farm House. We only just arrived and the IGD is also feeding us its latest 24 hours of recordings and its current recordings as they occur.

  Your parents were woken up and have gotten dressed. I think that they may be subtly drugged. There are no questions from them. They just do as they are told and then stop and sit down when the task they were told to do is complete. Really strange… Any ideas anybody?”

  Admiral Webster/Comm Mode: “There was a rumor back around 2020 that FEMA had developed a ‘Camp Tranquilizer’ for the internment camps that the Government had set up all over the country. It was supposed to make camp life easier for the occupants. In reality it was to make them more controllable for the Guards and Camp Administration. This could be it or a derivative.”

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “Ariadne, what’s happening on the IUR side? I want you to keep an eye out for the possibility of a coordinated operation with what’s occurring here.”

  Ariadne/Comm Mode: “I’ll do that. Currently the government has declared Martial Law, Gasoline sales have been slowed way down and they are going to issue Ration books. They did finish up a new refinery last year and there is one that is 80% complete that they may be able to finish using supplies on hand and indigenous manufacturing capability for necessary equipment.

  There is mostly calm in the cities. The Mullahs are urging calm and restraint for their worshippers and it appears to be working. That should last for a few more days until the citizenry discovers that there will be the necessity of food shortages.

  Colonel Al-Quds has been overheard by an IGD as he went for a walk that if Allah is listening to please send him a sign that he should give ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ to us.

  Grand Mullah Tariq Al-Quds on the other hand is praying for the 12th Imam to come and set things right. I’m worried about that one. He may do something very rash soon.

  We have also spotted a man who looks something like the ‘emissary’ of the ‘Special Honored Guest’. He is currently on a highway leaving Tehran to the East. We will continue to follow him.”

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “I’m sure that the military is totally confused. How does one fight against an Enemy who doesn’t show himself? I expect that once the food riots occur that they will have to make a show of force against us.

  When we start seeing them bringing in more missiles and vessels in to the area we will then have an idea when they might attack. If I were them I would leave atomic weapons to be the last things tried. If they can get any to work that is.

  Ooops, time for me to get my own operation going. We’re going to be moving in a couple of minutes.”

  Ansel had been watching the Customs Agents move quickly and efficiently through the belongings of the FOX/CNN people. Passports were examined and stamped without much in the way of comments. All in all, very professional, and that in and of itself was suspicious, Customs had a very bad reputation for minor harassment of people coming into the country.

  The lead agent who had identified himself as Agent Hale walked over to Ansel.

  “Commander Webster we’re all done with the customs check-in. You may leave when you want to.” The lead Customs agent told Ansel.

  “Thank you Agent Hale. Rover, contact Air Traffic Control and request permission to go to the FOX/CNN tower in Manhattan.”

  A couple minutes later Rover replied, “Commander, permission granted for lift off from this location.”

  “Thank you Rover, please display our flight on the forward wall.”

  For the next 15 minutes everyone watched the display from Rover of his flight to the roof of the Building. There were two camera crews recording the whole thing, as Rover hovered off to the side and lowered his Ramp so that the News Crew could disembark. Ansel lead the way across and with Agent Hale following the crew to observe them.

  Ansel shook hands with each one and wished them well and then he and Agent Hale headed back up the Ramp.

  Rover/Comm Mode: “The three remaining agents have positioned themselves so that when you appear through the Trans-Portal at least one of them can shoot you with a dart. Shall I perform the switch as we discussed?”

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “Affirmative, now is the best time while they think I’m unconscious or whatever for me to get into the tank.”

  Ansel walked right up to the Trans-Portal with Agent Hale behind him and then turned so that they could watch the ramp fold up. While the Agents attention was distracted he touched the Trans-Portal and… there was the immersion tank, a quick jump in and the lid closed and …. He appeared at the Trans-Portal in the wardroom and was hit in the Chest, Neck and Back as he fell to the deck.

  Agent Hale appeared a minute later to observe his men pulling Ansel over to the Conference table and checking his vitals. He smiled a very happy smile and thought. ‘The plan was working perfectly now to get this lovely vessel to the First Commander.’

  “Rover, take us up to 50,000 feet and hover.” Agent Hale ordered.

  “Negative, Negative! This unit is keyed to only accept orders from Commander Webster.” Rover replied in a mechanical voice.

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “Very good on the voice acting, let’s see what he is going to do now?”

  Rover/Comm Mode: “I believe that he thinks that I am a robot, and can’t think for myself.” Rover said in a very surprised tone.

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “That’s just as well, just play the part and we will outsmart these thugs and thieves.”

  Rover/Comm Mode: “Ok, if that is what you want, I’ll play the part… You Humans are fascinating you know.”

  “Dammit, I hoped this wouldn’t happen.” Hale growled. “Harris, give him the Zombie Drug and then the antagonist to wake him up. Quick! We’re just sitting here and people are going to start asking questions if we don’t get moving.”

  After the two injections in succession, both in the carotid artery for the fastest effect, Ansel woke up and just lay there with his eyes open.

  Agent Hale looked at Ansel, and then he smiled evilly. “Webster raise your right arm up and pick your nose with your left.”

  Ansel followed his directions and would keep on doing it until Hale told him to stop.

  “Excellent, he’s ours now. Webster, tell Rover to go to 50,000 feet.”

  “Rover, go to 50,000 feet.” Ansel told him and Rover rose to that altitude exactly.

  Agent Hale looked over at the others and said. “Harris, contact the team at the farmhouse. Tell them we’re coming there to collect the other two zombies. Then we’re off to Camp Action. Floyd, Connect me to the First Commander, I have to report in our success so far.

  She needs a little time to get the strike force together. Once we capture that ship there is no country on Earth that can stand up to us.

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “Rover, please block all transmissions from your interior.”

  Hale watched his two men work their equipment and saw that they were getting frustrated.

  “What’s wrong?” Hale asked.

  “Sir, I can’t get through, there too much interference on the radio and the Cell Phones can’t connect either.

  “Webster, what’s wrong with our equipment?” Hale snapped at Ansel who was still lying on the table with his right arm in the air and his left was picking his nose. “And you may put your arms down at your sides.”

  Ansel lowered his arms gratefully and then answered. “The Grav/phase drive prevents all radio frequency equipment from transmitting or receiving while within the field.”

  “Dammit!’ Hale breath
ed out. He thought for a minute and then said, “Webster tell Rover to take us to your parents’ home.”

  “Rover, go to my parents’ home.” Ansel repeated dutifully

  “I will commander, what is the location of your parents’ home?” Rover asked.

  Ansel was silent until Hale realized that Ansel was waiting for new directions. “Tell Rover the address of your parents’ home.”

  Ansel told Rover the address and Rover went to that location.

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “I don’t believe we discussed this yet, Rover, but please edit out any TSN vessels from the Video displays. I want these thugs to think that we are alone.”

  Rover/Comm Mode: “I had thought about that earlier and have been doing so. Gunnar is right behind us and we have twelve UCAV’s available if it becomes necessary.”

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “Gunnar/Evana I’m glad you are here. If things go the way I expect then this is what we are going to do” And then he began to discuss his plan.

  Evana/Comm Mode: “If we pull this off in this fashion, we are never going to be able to let these people go again. They’ll do everything they can to get even.”

  Ansel/ Comm Mode: “You’re right, Evana they will.

  Ariadne, please contact Maude and make arrangements for a prison dome complex to be constructed. The moon is prison enough. These people may be totally ruthless and misguided. But we don’t have to be overly cruel, we just need to make sure that they can’t hurt or influence anyone else again.”

  Ariadne/Comm Mode: “We’ll get right on it. Good Luck Ansel!”

  The four agents with their zombie prisoner watched quietly as Rover dropped toward the ground far below and then the Farmhouse where Ansel had grown up was visible and swelling quickly. Rover deployed his four landing legs and his Ramp went down once again.

  Agent Hale motioned to Harris and Floyd to follow him and the three of them went to the Trans-Portal and then were seen going down the Ramp. On the ground waiting for him was the Homeland Security team and their two docile prisoners.

  Two of the Homeland Security agents escorted Ansel’s Father and Mother up the Ramp. Then they were in the Wardroom. The agents told Ansel’s parents to sit down along the wall. One of them walked up and looked down at Ansel who was still lying on the table. He reached down and with his right hand grabbed Ansel’s chin and moved his head left to right and looked into his eyes.

  Looking up and the remaining Customs Agent he laughed and said “I love this stuff, no worries about problem prisoners and they make reeeaaalll good slaves.”

  Then he looked at Ansel and said, “Your name is now Shithead. Get up and sit on the floor next to Slut and Fuckwad. Ansel dutifully got off of the table and sat down on the floor where he had been directed.

  Ten minutes later the rest of the Agents came in through the Trans-Portal. Hale looked at Ansel sitting on the floor.

  “Commander, tell Rover to take us to 100,000 feet.”

  Ansel just sat there looking straight ahead. The Homeland Security Agent then said, “I renamed him, his name is now shithead.”

  Hale looked at him and said “Jerome you always did have a sadistic streak. Shithead! Tell Rover to take us to 100,000 Feet.”

  Jerome looked confused as Ansel repeated the command and Rover lifted off the ground and went straight up. “Why did he have to tell this thing what to do?”

  Hale replied, “Rover here is keyed to his voice only and there’s nothing we can do to change that now.”

  Shortly Rover was at 100,000 feet over the farmhouse. The Agents were looking out through the view that was on the forward wall. And commenting about what was down there below them.

  “Shithead, tell Rover to go to these coordinates.” he then proceeded to rattle off a set of Latitude and longitude numbers. Ansel repeated the command to Rover and then they were off.

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “Gunnar, aren’t those coordinates close to Washington?”

  Gunnar/Comm Mode: “Yes they are, Shoshone tells me that they are close to a very small mountain resort in Maryland near the West Virginia Border. Not all that close to D.C., but within a thirty or so minute helicopter flight. I wonder who the First Commander is. Well no matter, we’ll find out soon enough.”

  They moved swiftly through the late morning hours, it was almost 11:20 A.M. and the populace below was either working or enjoying a quiet Saturday morning with family as the glowing Saucer shape of Rover darted here and there above the countryside on its mission from Ansel’s captors.

  Soon enough though, there they were once again stationary at 100,000 feet over a countryside that was hilly and with Low Mountains. The sky was mostly clear with Puffy Strato-Cumulus clouds far below them. Baltimore and Washington D.C were visible mostly as indistinct buildings in the brown fog of exhaust particulates from Internal Combustion Engines. Electric Vehicles were down there but as yet there was still no Energy Dense substitute for Gasoline and Diesel Fuel.

  Hale directed Ansel to have Rover go to 3,000 feet and halt. Once there he looked around carefully then realized his objective was directly below them. And with a cumbersome set of repeated directions. Rover was once again on the ground. There was a group of almost fifty men and women dressed in heavy armor and loaded with weaponry. A woman was standing in front of them wearing a Grayish business suit.

  Hale went down the Ramp and saluted her. There was some discussion and then she and Hale came back up the Ramp. He pointed over to Ansel sitting on the floor and told her that he responded to Shithead. She laughed a dainty laugh and walked over and kicked Ansel in the Shin hard. Ansel made no move to show how much it had hurt. She laughed again and bent down to look at him in the face.

  “You know Shithead, what a great name for you, you fucking prick. Shithead, you are going to help us destroy everything you’ve built and you are going to be the one who will be remembered for putting the Great Leader back in charge like he belongs. I’ll be sure to have the President-for-Life congratulate you personally before I tell you to blow your own head off.”

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “Rover, make sure this is getting to everyone!”

  Admiral Webster/Comm Mode: “Seeker and I are getting the feed Ansel. She is the Secretary of Homeland Security, Edith Gore-Simmons, how very interesting. I never suspected her. When we were giving President Richardson his briefing she was there but never said anything to us.

  We must have been seen as being God-Sent to move her plans so far ahead.”

  Ansel/Comm Mode: “I remember her now! I saw her at my last Video Conference; she was at the White House V.C. Room. I wonder what was going through her head when we told them about ‘Shaitan’s Breath’.”

  “Shithead can you get me some more room in here? I need to fit my troops in here.” The First Commander asked Ansel.

  “Yes, I can do that.” Ansel said looking straight ahead.

  “Damn, I forgot how some of these Zombies get so literal. You have to tell them everything in detail.” She muttered to herself.

  “Shithead! Arrange for more room in here.”

  “Rover, retract the table and chairs. Open up the side room.” Ansel said.

  The conference table and chairs retracted into the floor spilling the people sitting on them and the equipment went sliding onto the floor. A door opened on one side and another smaller room was shown to exist.

  The First Commander was impressed as she walked around the area now opened up for her troops. She looked into the smaller room and nodded her head.

  “Shithead! Are there any more rooms available for use?”

  “No, there are no more rooms available for use.” Ansel replied in a monotone.

  “Damn, well then… Hale! Get everybody that we can into here. And I mean everyone, support staff too. When we take over that fucking big ship we’re going to need everyone.” She called out to Hale.

  It took nearly 40 minutes to get everyone into the two rooms. They even had Ansel and his parents stand up next to the wall. Eventually it was done.
<
br />   “Shithead! Get us to that big fucking ship of yours as fast as you can.” The First Commander ordered Ansel.

  Ansel/Command Mode: “Here we go, Rover, take us to Facility M1. Make sure the view screen shows us going to the Companion.”

  “Rover, lift and take us to Companion as fast as possible.” Ansel said in his monotone voice.

  The First Commander and her troops were talking among themselves. They were talking themselves into a state of mind that would give them an edge over any opponents they ran into.

  The First Commander and Agent Hale pushed their way through the mass of armed men and women until they were next to Ansel.