TSN: The Best Laid Plans (Terran Space Navy)

by Paul Phipps

  To forestall major fallout over these operations we are going to have an independent television network document everything that we are doing and have them broadcast it as soon as they can, possibly even while the incident is occurring.”

  “How many vessels do you think are involved in this Child abduction and transport scheme, Commodore?” The Prime Minister of Israel asked.

  “Possibly only one, however statistical analysis says that there are between six and ten vessels in the Pacific alone. In the Atlantic there are probably a similar number. The Panama Canal is a natural choke point and we will be concentrating our efforts there and at several other natural choke points that all vessels going to Indonesia must use for optimal transit times.” Ansel replied.

  “Would personnel trained in ship-board assaults of this nature be of assistance in this effort?” Asked President Richardson.

  “Yes, Mr. President they would be of great assistance.” Ansel responded.

  “I’ll see what I can do then to get some SEALS available for this duty.”

  “Finally I need to bring up something that we recently discovered.” And with that as a beginning Ansel gave a quick overview of the Zombie Drug and how it was related to the Quarn. He finished off with a warning that the person who was so drugged could be ordered to behave totally normally until given a key phrase which put them back into the loss-of-will state of being.

  “We have made a little progress in methods for determining if a person is under the Zombie Drug’s influence. Unfortunately it is not an unobtrusive test, in fact it’s pretty damn blatant when in use. We are using this method for our own people starting today. Any that are found to be drugged will be asked to volunteer for creating better testing methods and for testing of methods freeing them of the drugs’ influence.”

  “This is a worrisome development Commodore, will the TSN share this testing method and any other others you develop?” King William asked.

  “I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t, your Majesty.” Ansel replied politely.

  The meeting came to a close shortly after that with an agreement to have a follow-up meeting on Thursday.

  * * *

  Admiral Webster returned the salutes of the two TSN Chaplains after they came through the Trans-Portal into his borrowed office on Galileo City. He indicated that they should take a seat and then he silently evaluated them in his mind. Converting the written records he had just finished reading versus the reality of the two men in front of him.

  They in turn were just as curious about the man who in most ways embodied the Terran Space Navy. With a nod the Admiral as if checking off a mental checklist began to speak.

  “Ensign Calvarias, How do you like working on board the Comfort?”

  “It’s different Admiral Webster from running a diocese, however I am enjoying it. I find it spiritually uplifting to be able to comfort men, women and children as they are going through their rough times of treatment and rehabilitation. Especially as I now know that the medical attention the TSN offer is nearly miraculous yet freely offered to everyone, rich or poor regardless.”

  “And you Recruit Crane, how are you finding basic to be?”

  “It’s a bit of a shock and adjustment for a retired priest to suddenly find himself in a boot camp sir. But I am enjoying it for the most part.”

  “Good, good… I need to confirm that both of you have been briefed on the Quarn and what they can mean to Humanity’s survival.”

  Both men confirmed that they had been briefed and that they thought they understood all of the ramifications of the Quarn invasion.

  “Very well, I am about to give you some further information that was withheld from you. Please watch the recordings we have made from inside the ‘Mother’s’ Lair. Later on, after watching over ten children having their life-force eaten and crumbling into dust, both men were near tears at what they had seen.

  “We must pray for their souls.” Ensign Calvarias said in an emotional voice. His fellow priest nodded his head in agreement at which point Admiral Webster said.

  “Souls… That is why you are here gentlemen. You were both well-noted theologians in your previous careers. Now I am going to show you our recording of the Quarn attack on the SF-003.”

  Both of the men perked up their ears, they had heard there had been an attack but had no details to go along with it. The brief video was played and the exploding head of Petty Officer Van Nells caused both of them to wince and cross themselves.

  “We are pretty sure that it was the ‘Mother’ herself that enacted this attack of the SF-003. No other Quarn-Slave has ever shown anywhere near these abilities, that is other than the ‘The Master’, aka, Great Leader, etc. He has demonstrated a type of life-force feeding ability on the local children. But to date has never consumed one to the point that they died.”

  Both of the men were following his words carefully as they used all of their former training and experience to listen and comprehend what was being said as well as what wasn’t being said.

  “The bodies of the crew of the SF-003 were recovered. The advanced Computational Implants were found to be in proper working condition. Combining the memories within them with the ‘Soul-Bank’ memories we all make on a regular basis was done with no difficulties being experienced. Then new clone bodies were grown in a speeded up ‘time-field’.” In an aside to Ensign Calvarias, “You’ve seen this procedure done on the Comfort a couple of times now, correct?”

  “Yes, I have Admiral, it is a fascinating thing to watch also.”

  “I agree, now this is where established practice and experience hits the wall of the unknown. Each of the clones for the three crewmen failed to activate when the saved memories were downloaded. The bodies were sort of alive, they breathed, they consumed nutrients, the excreted wastes, however they weren’t ‘alive’ as we know life to be.

  This was totally at odds with what should have happened. Then test after test was conducted, we found something that… Well, let’s just say that some Doctors’ are agnostic and have no religious beliefs.”

  Both of the Chaplains, nodded in wry agreement to that statement.

  “None of these clones had a Kirlian Aura. Yet when examined the others who had had their memories, their selves, transferred to a clone body and did come to ‘life’ did have Kirlian Aura’s.”

  Admiral Webster paused and looked closely at the two chaplains in front of him, with a decisive nod of approval at what he saw in their faces, he continued.

  “The consensus of the attending physician’s has been passed on to me. They believe that what we are calling the Kirlian Aura is either the Human Soul or possible the measurable manifestation of it. In any case they now state categorically that those who are fed upon by the ‘Mother’ and eventually eaten up completely by her have had their immortal soul destroyed. This includes the weapon that was used on the crew of the SF-003, which they are tentatively calling a ‘mind-bomb’ because of its explosive nature.”

  Admiral Webster waited while that information was absorbed and digested, he then finished up with his final instructions.

  “I am placing all of this information into your hands, you are to analyze it and come up with suggestions for me on how to properly inform the members of the Terran Space Navy who will be fighting the Quarn about the possibility of the destruction of their immortal soul in this conflict. Also you are to come up with the best way of describing this discovery to both the secular leadership as well as the religious leadership of Earth.”

  Ensign Calvarias nodded his head in time to what the Admiral was telling him and his fellow Chaplain. He then said, “Admiral Webster, when you called us here today, I certainly didn’t expect anything like this to be presented. We will do our best sir, however there may be the need to call on advice from outside of the Terran Space Navy ranks, is that allowable?”

  “Yes, with the understanding that because of our upcoming operations against the Quarn ‘Mother’ and her children this knowle
dge must be kept totally secret until we officially announce that the Earth has been invaded and we are at war with the Quarn.”

  * * *

  “Jerry, Ariadne, I’m worried and I need some advice.” Sarah told the two holograms the A.I.’s preferred to use when speaking to humans. Once they showed that she had their full attention she continued.

  “To understand where this is leading to I need to tell you a story first. I have had several dreams over the years that turned out to be prophetic. By that I mean that what I dreamed came true, even those I tried to change once I understood what was happening. In those, the details of what occurred were different from the dream, the end result though was always the same as what the dream foretold.”

  “We have read about this before Sarah, in fact this sort of thing is a major factor in our desire to form a full partnership with humanity.” Ariadne told her.

  “Good! Then I won’t go into details about the ones in the past just the one I have had recently. The current dream is about my friend Dame Meredith and the Quarn Mother. Through Merry, the Mother knows of me and will use me to send a message back to the Terran Space Navy. I’m not sure what the message is though, that part is very blurry as though it’s not set in stone yet.

  In any case, the dream is very specific, I am to go into the very heart of the Quarn Sanctuary. That means to me that I am in very deep trouble, even my soul is in danger, from what Ansel has told me.”

  “Yes, it appears that the Quarn Mother does eat the Human Soul as part of her nourishment. The flesh is flesh and is consumed as nutrients but the Life force that is the Human Soul is what she craves and needs to accomplish her final goal.” Ariadne said simply.

  “Thank you for the confirmation, in any case I feel the need to prepare myself for this ordeal. So I want to talk to you about what I and with your assistance can do to get me through this and still be alive and human at the end of it all.”

  “Do you have any ideas?” Jerry asked.

  “Well… yes and no. I did get the feeling that James Bond and Q from the films might be a good place to start though.” Sarah said a little sheepishly.

  “Let me watch these films, Sarah. Then I’ll get back to you.” Jerry told her. “I’ll do the same.” Ariadne said.

  “Thank you and I think I’ll go do a little dreaming. Maybe something will come out of that.”

  Wednesday, March 17, 2027

  Edwards Air Force Base, California

  The Redhawk was released from Johnny Reb from his position in geo-synchronous orbit. It traveled in tandem for nearly an hour as the Command Pilot, Lt. Colonel Finn of the U.S. Air Force went through his re-entry checklist for the hundredth plus time, only this time it was for real.

  With a smile of pleasure he informed the crew that they were go for landing. Edwards Air Force Base through the TDRS relay also indicated that they were also go for landing. With a quick entry into the pilots’ keypad he initiated the process. The Single Stage to Orbit, (SSTO), vessel rotated and the oxygen/hydrogen Hybrid engines roared into life. For long minutes the crew was pushed back into their seats by the constant two G impulse.

  Velocity along their orbital path continued to decrease, long minutes went by and still the engines roared. Earth’s gravity was being felt more and more as the centrifugal force decreased. Then they were in Free Fall heading downward toward the Pacific Coast. Time passed as their downward speed continued to increase, the vessel rotated once again to present the nose of the SSTO to the horizon.

  Belly thrusters and thrusters in the stubs of the folded wings began to roar their song of flame and thunder. Then there was the sound of the rushing air, very low in volume at first and then building up. The two songs began to combine into one, the wings extended themselves and the SSTO was for the first time an aircraft, not a vessel in the dark of space.

  Finn took manual control at that point and using the combination of a glide with the control of the thrusters aimed for the now visible air field below him. The runway and the Redhawk were lined up and the approach was normal. Down, down and then the wheels were on the ground for the first time in the crafts existence.

  It was only a few minutes later that they were following a Humvee to its newly assigned parking space in front of a complex of hangers.

  Captain Johansson had watched the landing of the Redhawk alongside of Colonel Brown and her Executive Officer Lt. Col. Mitchell. The presence of the Quarn-Slave irritated him and he was looking forward to getting away from Mitchell. Knowing he was a Quarn was bad enough, it was the man’s basic personality of a sycophant to his superiors and merciless tyrant to those unfortunate to be under his command that really grated on Gunnar.

  “Congratulations Colonel Brown on your new SSTO, we will deliver the second one as soon as she is finished and tested.” Gunnar told her while shaking her hand once again. He then backed out of the throng of officers and politicians who had come out to be a part of the “New Era of American Space Exploration”.

  It wasn’t very long until Shoshone was lifting off and heading back to the Johnny Reb. He took control of the sleek scalp-hunter and decided that he had some time to go play in the sky.

  He was in the midst of a brutal series of Aerobatics with the inertial dampeners set to 50% to allow him to feel the G-forces and give a seat of the pants ride like he was used to when Shoshone broke into his concentration.

  “Gunnar, I believe that we have stumbled onto something that you might want to put your full attention too.” She told him as he was doing a vertical eight point barrel roll.

  With a grunt he leveled the Scalp-Hunter out and brought the inertial dampener back up to normal strength. “Ok, what do you have, Shoshone?”

  On the forward wall of the command capsule she displayed a small vessel approximately one hundred feet in length. Nearby in the water was an unfamiliar designed submarine. The crew of the small vessel was attempting to place a gangway between the two vessels.

  “That’s a damned silly thing to do at sea.” Muttered Gunnar as he watched the two vessels. Eventually they did manage it and then to his shock a line of children came from below the decks and marched one by one across into the larger submarine. In less than 15 minutes they were all transferred from one to the other. Shoshone had kept track and announced that sixty children had been involved in the transfer.

  In the meantime Scout-Fighters and MARS units from the Huntress had arrived on the scene in response to Shoshone’s call for assistance. The submarine was in the process of submerging and two of the scout-fighters were detailed to follow it. Both chose to stay air-borne and use remotely piloted underwater vehicles that resembled sharks.

  The MARS units were prepared to assault the smaller vessel that was identified as the MV Far-Sailor out of Buenaventura, Columbia. Gunnar had Shoshone bring up the inter-unit Comm network and monitored the Marines.

  It was singularly uninformative as it was mostly one or two words being spoken and acknowledged. Comm discipline was excellent even though there were no actual radio transmissions being made. Everything was on the synced crystals the TSN used wherever they could fit them into the Comm equipment and therefore interception proof.

  Finally he heard, “Go, Go, Go”, and the crew of six men was taken within seconds of each other. He watched them being carried onto a MARS unit and then the Far-Sailor had a spherical force field surround it and it was heaved itself out of the water. It looked much like a snow globe half filled with water and a toy ship floating in it as it was lifted up and out into orbit.

  With a twisted grin Gunnar wondered how many would eventually be hanging there like a pearl necklace in the night sky.

  * * *

  TSN Huntress

  Anti-Pirate Operation Briefing

  “Captain, Contact Alpha is on an intercept course for a freighter identified as the Villa Nueva. If that is indeed her next intended contact then she will intercept in three hours and twenty minutes.” The Operations Officer said.

  With
a nod of understanding Captain Llewellyn indicated that ESM Officer in charge of the Huntress’s IGD’s was to start her portion of the briefing.

  “Sir, our IGD’s indicate that there are one hundred and seventeen humans on board the Villa Nueva. This data was arrived at by Human Heartbeat Electrical Detection. Of this number we have tentatively broken this down to thirty-eight adults and seventy-nine juveniles. The Juveniles are all located in three Shipping Containers that can be accessed at the main deck level.

  IGD HU-214 has released two Bird-Drones to conduct a close level inspection. They have detected no talking among the Juveniles. This in turn leads me to believe that they are all under the Zombie Drug influence at this time.”

  With another nod he asked, “Have you located all of the Adults on board?”

  “For the most part sir, they appear to be following a standard three watch rotation. One-third are resting, One third are eating or taking care of personal things the rest on duty are split evenly between the bridge area, Engineering spaces and deck crew doing checks and basic maintenance such as painting.”