TSN: The Best Laid Plans (Terran Space Navy)

by Paul Phipps

  At that admission there was a stirring among the men in front of her. She continued along, ignoring the murmuring.

  “As I told Captain Atwi, we are at war with the Iranian Unified Republic. This has occurred because your government has been developing a Biological Weapon of War. Unfortunately for you, the development laboratory was here.” At which point Evana turned and pointed at the barely visible Agricultural Research Station that was under a TSN Shield Dome.

  “Very well then, we cannot dispute your words as there is something you are doing over there.” Said the mayor of Ramsheh. “But how does that affect us? We have nothing to do with that place.”

  “How does this affect you? In the simplest of words… If you or your people are infected. You will die. There is no cure for this disease.” Evana stated calmly.

  The mayor rocked back on his heels and a mulish look came across his face. “I have a hard time believing you.”

  “I can understand that. No one wants to believe that they can be snuffed out like a flame of a candle. But still, this is the truth. Now, you have three choices before you. You don’t have to decide now which one to take. I will come back in three days to hear your decision.”

  “Three choices?” The Mayor snorted softly. “What are they?”

  “You may stay here and tell us to leave you alone. You will live or die depending on the will of Allah.” Evana stated with an effort to keep any tone of sarcasm out of her voice.

  “Two. You may stay here and we will provide you with medical scanning equipment and food, water and electricity. If any sign of infection is detected the infected person will be removed immediately to a medical facility. If there are no signs of infection for six months we will remove the Blockade barrier from around Ramsheh and leave you alone after that.

  Three. You may request to be evacuated to our facility on the moon.”

  “That’s all?” One of the younger men said in wonder off to the right side of the Mayor.

  “Yes, that’s all of it.” Evana said.

  “You are not going to put any of your soldiers here?” Asked another man.

  “No, we are not. We might have some scientists come here, but they will be inside the dome surrounding the Bio-Weapon Lab. They shouldn’t bother you at all.”

  The Mayor of Ramsheh was still watching her with a penetrating and suspicious look. Then looked over at the still smoking hole in the ground and then at the hovering vessels in the sky behind Evana. Then he spoke with a tone that Evana interpreted as veiled sarcasm.

  “Is there anything else you want to tell us?”

  “For you and your council? No.” Evana told him. She then looked over the rest of the men. “Are any of you Doctors?”

  Three men separated from the rest and moved quietly toward her once they were even with the others in front of Evana they stopped. The one who looked to be the oldest then spoke.

  “I am Dr. Rezai, Captain Atwi brought us here at your insistence. What do you need us for?”

  Once again Evana told them about ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ and the Scanner Arch’s. After she had them walk through behind her, she showed them how to use the controls to review the examination of the people who had been through the device. With one quick modification she deleted Gelya’s pregnancy from the record.

  “We have 19 more of these devices available for your usage. We will place them wherever you want them. All we insist is that everyone that is inside the shield wall go through one of these every day.”

  The Mayor had been listening to Evana as she demonstrated the Scanner Arch to the Doctors now spoke up once again.

  “And what will you do if we do not? Kill us?” He said angrily.

  Evana started to react to his tone and then realized that the man was frightened and his reaction to fear was to lash out.

  “No,” she said turning to look at him directly. “Truly, if we wished you to be dead you would never have known it. We would have used a nuclear device and just burned this place and the disease down to bedrock.

  You and your people are unfortunate to have been where the leadership of the Iranian Unified Republic chose to place their laboratory. We, on the other hand, can afford to give you mercy. You have been given your three choices. I or possibly someone else will be back in three days at high noon to hear your decision.”

  The Mayor was stunned to think that they could all be dead right now. What grated on him though is that it was a woman telling him these things. Unlike most men that he knew, he did understand his feelings and with great effort brought his emotions under control.

  He thanked her for the information that she had brought and for the mercy of not killing all of his people outright. Then he and the rest of the men watched as Evana and her bodyguards went aboard Rover. The Scout ship lifted gently off of the ground and went straight up and disappeared from view.

  “Well! I wish that could have gone better.” Evana said out loud once she was back in the command chair on the Bridge of Rover. “I really did not like having to tell him that we could have nuked them all while they slept.”

  “We understand that, Evana.” Rover told her while speaking for the other AI’s who were listening in. “I think it did help though. It’s interesting how the threat of annihilation focuses the human mind.”

  “Well, maybe you’re right… But in any case they now have the choice of which destiny they shall pursue.” Evana said tiredly. “You know… It’s really just so much easier to blow something up and be done with it. No wonder so many diplomats are willing to accept small victories for their countries. Dealing with these people is sometimes very difficult.”

  There was quiet as Rover headed back to the Companion. Then he spoke again.

  “Evana, why did you get an RFID implanted in your body?”

  “What are you talking about? An RFID?” Evana said crossly. She really was tired and even though the Telefactor was an immense help, her real body was still sore and recovering from the surgery.

  “You have a RFID capsule implanted near your right shoulder blade.” Raver told her.

  “Really?” she replied. “As far as I know, I have never had an RFID chip implanted. I’ve had them in ID Cards and Badges. But never one that was implanted.”

  Rover was quiet and then Evana asked. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. It was a legitimate question. Now, why do you ask?”

  “Because there was a man back there at Ramsheh that had a RFID Chip similar to yours.”

  “Can you show me a picture of him?” Evana requested.

  On the main viewscreen in front of her a close-up picture of the man in question was visible. He looked much like the rest of the men there. He appeared to be in his late 40’s and unlike the rest did not have any pock marks on his face.

  He also tended to squint more as evidenced by the lines around his eyes. In most ways he was totally normal looking. He just kind of blended in with the rest of the men who milled about.

  “There’s nothing about him I recognize.” Evana told Rover. “What does the RFID say?”

  “It’s a binary number string like yours, what is interesting is that his first eight places are identical to yours.”

  “Hmmmm…” Evana hummed softly as her mind whirled around what Rover had told her about the RFID. Then a thought struck her. “Does Gunnar Johansson also have an implanted RFID?”

  “Please wait while I find out.” Rover told her. It was only a few seconds later. “Comanche says that he does and it’s in the identical location as yours. Ariadne says that Commander Webster does not have one and neither does Fleet Admiral Webster.”

  Evana had a flash of brilliance go through her. “Rover, please check with the Epiphany. I have suspicion that the Officers on board who went to the Naval Academy have these chips and the enlisted men don’t.”

  Rover contacted the Epiphany and passed along the request. Five minutes later the Epiphany gave them the answer that Evana had suspected. The answer was in the affirmative. All of the Acad
emy trained Officers did indeed have the RFID chips. And only one of the enlisted men did, MCPO Hartman.

  “I think we are going to need to back channel this one. I’m not sure yet who would be the best one to contact, probably Admiral Crane or maybe Captain Keppler. What I am looking for is the identity that goes along with the RFID chip that you discovered today in Ramsheh. I have the sneaking suspicion that he is a very important clue.”

  “Why don’t we just pick him up for interrogation?” asked Rover. “We are at war with these people.”

  “Oh, we could do so. But why do something that might upset the tribal elders here when a little patience might pay off better in the end.” Evana stated as she stood up and stretched. It was amazing she thought, even a Telefactor can get tired and stiff. “Maybe we will get extra lucky and catch him doing or saying something that will give us an edge?”

  “If you agree, I am going to detail a dedicated IGD to him.” Rover told her.

  “Oh yes, I totally agree with that!” Evana said as she settled back down in the command chair. “Also, we need to analyze all of the available IGD data from Ramsheh. If we’re lucky there will be some interesting nuggets of data for us to use.”

  Soon the Companion loomed in front of them and they landed on her large deck and the elevator lowered them to the hanger deck. Evana switched out her Telefactor for her real body and was delighted at the feeling of health she had. Her mind might be tired but her body was almost completely recovered and she felt almost normal. A good night’s rest would bring her right back to 100% efficiency she thought to herself as she headed for the wardroom and a good meal.

  TSN Epiphany, 0645L, Monday November 16, 2026

  “I am pleased that your day went as well as it did, Evana. I have also been notified via the Epiphany, that the U.S. Army will have a team of their Medical Researchers and support staff ready at 1100 Eastern Standard Time for us to transport here. Susannah has a vessel that has been converted and a number of General Purpose Telefactors available for their usage and will transport them here as soon as they are ready. In addition Evana, I want you to go to Fort Detrick and be the initial Liaison to them.” Ansel told her.

  “Good! We need some real professionals in on this. I am eager and a little anxious I must admit. We need to get this Bio-weapon Crap taken care of and finally put away. Unfortunately I think it’s going to be a long, long time before that will ever happen.” Evana said with a sad smile.

  “Which reminds me, “Ansel then paused and drank some more of his tea. “Ariadne has constructed more Telefactors for all of us. From now on when any of us are doing face-to-face contacts with people behind the Wall we are to use them.

  If we catch ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ ourselves, we are in trouble. There is still no cure and the infected person will have to be put into cryo-storage in the hope that a cure is eventually found.” He finished up soberly.

  “Gunnar, I want you to go to Johnny Reb, He’s currently off of the East Coast of the United States finishing up the Garbage and Petroleum Facility there. I have a little job for you that is right up your alley.

  Please use his construction facilities to design some beyond-next generation aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. Make them able to use their current armaments and then a variant that uses only the stuff we are letting the Navy use.”

  Also come up with an Anti-Crowd or Anti-Mob weapons platform. I feel that we will need those within a week or so. The Mullahs are instituting Food Rationing today. And hungry people are notorious for attacking their oppressors both real and perceived.” Ansel directed.

  “That does sound like it’s up my alley doesn’t it? I’ll get Shoshone and get right on it.” He said with a beaming smile as he arose from the table.

  Evana interjected at that point. “I already have Susannah and Maude working on a design that can be used for that.”

  “Good, I like to see initiative like that.” Ansel told her. “Gunnar check on that work and if you see anything that might need a tweak discuss it with Evana and the others.”

  Just then Fleet Admiral Webster appeared through the trans-portal into the Wardroom where everyone was eating breakfast. He looked bright-eyed and his uniform was a crisp as always.

  “Am I too late for breakfast?” he said with a smile.

  “No, sit down and I’ll have your usual brought to you.” Ariadne told him.

  “Ahhhh, yes that would be wonderful.” He said gratefully, “Ariadne and Seeker have been keeping me up to date on your doings.” He said to everyone in general. “Keep up the good work. Any more on those two Donkeys that were to be picked up by those smugglers?”

  Evana grimaced and told him, “Actually there is not so good news there. We got both of them yesterday and the two vials were never in the pouches that were surgically implanted in them. There was also a major spill of spores that were similar to “Shaitan’s Breath” but were all dead. At least the ones we tested were. That whole area is under a Shield and Faisal the donkey seller committed suicide before we could get to him.

  I’m hopeful that the Engram recording of him will give us some good information.”

  “Damn it!” Admiral Webster said out loud.

  “As soon as you do the interrogation, let me know what you find out.” Ansel told her. “I’m betting it was the Emir or some of his men.”

  “But if it was the Emir, Why not claim the whole donkey as he was supposed to?” Evana asked.

  “Because I think the Emir already knew what was in the Vial he was supposed to deliver to Montenegro. I also believe that he was the original conduit to bring the stuff here to the IUR.” Ansel continued on.

  “Interesting, why do you think that?” Admiral Webster asked while he paused from eating his Steak and Eggs.

  “Ariadne, please play back the recording I flagged last night.” Ansel then said to the others, “This was intercepted last Thursday evening, it’s from a Sat-Phone with 256 Bit Encryption. We only broke the Encryption yesterday. And we have only one-half of the Conversation “

  “-ld, we have recovered the enhanced DE1T8. Transshipment will be determined by the time it takes to propagate a sufficient quantity.

  A pause of 20 Seconds

  That’s correct, we will deliver the total required quantity to Point C in two weeks. Ensure preparations for the Comeback Tour get finalized by then.

  A pause of 17 seconds.

  “That’s it, goodbye and good luck.”

  “Now, encryption is a great thing if it keeps the information that’s being encrypted that way. But it also flags it as being important to someone.” Ariadne commented. “It also helps to have a context to work with too.”

  “So what is DE1T8?” Gunnar asked rhetorically.

  “If you use the English Alphabet, and give each letter a corresponding letter, DE1T8 becomes DEATH. And if that isn’t a good descriptor of ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ I don’t know of one better.” Ariadne told him.

  “It makes sense, any idea where the Sat-phone was located at?” Admiral Webster asked.

  “No specific location, just that it was in the northern Iran Province of the IUR, we were only doing passive data gathering at that point. We are better prepared now though. And there are an additional thirty thousand four hundred and five encrypted Sat-phone conversations for us to de-crypt. We know that most of those are Embassy or politically generated. It’s the non-political ones we are concentrating on right now.” Ariadne told him

  “Do you need additional Computational power to get through those?” Seeker inquired.

  “It would help out tremendously. We are currently breaking them at a rate of thirty to forty-five an hour. Part of the problem is guessing the encryption string. Most are at 64 Bit, some are at 128 Bit, others are at 256 Bit and the really bad ones are at 512 Bit.”

  “Ship them to me, we have over Fifteen Thousand Capitol Ships that are looking for work to do.” Seeker directed.

  “Aye Aye SIR!”, Ariadne said with cheerfulness.

>   “Cheeky Girl” Seeker replied in return.

  "Getting back to this recording.” Ansel continued blithely, “I think that it is a good possibility that the vials of “Shaitan’s breath” are still located within the IUR.”

  “I think that you are probably correct. But it still behooves us to act as though it made it out in time, before we closed the borders.” Admiral Webster said while waving his fork.

  Everyone took that as a cue to continue to eat. It looked like a very long day ahead for them all.

  “So what are you going to be doing today Commander?” asked Gunnar Johansson.

  “I’m going to do something enjoyable today. Maybe watch a movie or read a book.” Ansel replied with a deadpan face. He then applied himself to eating his breakfast once again. He paused after a bit to glance at Gunnar, who was still staring at him with a perplexed look on his face.