The Deadly Pact

by Michael Freeport

  Some of the systems were malfunctioning and failing to complete their power-on self-tests. Two of the computers completed their startup and displayed user interfaces on their attached screens. The suit computer was starting to grasp the language used pretty well, and she was able to gather a lot of information from the displayed data on the screens. These appeared to be the computers that were used to hold the research data from this installation. A triumphant surge rushed through her.

  “Now we’re getting somewhere.” She started working through the menus and searching within the stored data. The computer reported multiple malfunctioning data units. The system was built with redundant and highly fault tolerant components, but it had been sitting idle for a very, very long time. She started connecting a data transfer line to the computer. Her suit showed a data transfer protocol negotiating with the system. A progress bar started spooling down as data from the computers flowed into her suit computer.

  A time estimate came up on her system and showed that she would need to stay connected to the system for more than an hour to complete the transfer. She waited impatiently, watching the status bar slowly shrink.

  Her thoughts wandered to the actions she’d taken up to this point. Stealing the Loki had been something that weighed on her somewhat, but if only Stokes had been willing to listen to her, she’d have been spared the need to make such a drastic decision. Unfortunately, the ensuing chase had caused damage that had nearly killed her. She had taken more than two weeks to get her ship fully repaired. She wondered if Kri was still chasing her with Damocles. The notion was unlikely in her mind. She didn’t think Stokes would be willing to let Kri so far out of his control.

  She sighed and clenched her gauntleted fist closed. Why hadn’t Stokes listened to her? The man was plenty intelligent in his own way. He should have understood her argument. She tried to stop herself thinking in circles about it. She’d just have to deal with it once she went back with the information needed to beat the omega plague and to live for centuries. She sincerely hoped she’d be able to look into Stokes’ eyes and rub it in a couple of hundred years from now.

  A beep from her suit interrupted her thoughts. It was a general alert passed on from Loki itself. An energy signature that was possibly a ship had been detected. Since Loki was using stealth sensors only, the information gathered wasn’t definitive. She looked back at the status bar. Another twenty minutes until the data transfer was done. She waited impatiently, her foot tapping and clapping her hand on her hip while she waited. She was practically bouncing on her tip toes as the last two minutes counted down. She snatched the plug out of the data socket and turned to head down the hallway back to her pinnace. She made it about twenty meters when her sensors detected movement ahead. Lights shining through the scattered dust came through the doorway in front of her. Standard issue Marine battle armor and one suit of Navy armor clustered around the doorway. Simmons leaped back. One of the Marines pointed in her direction, and she scrambled away from them.

  She turned and ran back through the thick doorway. She tried to pull the door shut, but it refused to move without power. She spun and saw two Marines approaching cautiously. Panic filled her chest, and she snatched at her heavy cannon. Several shots erupted from the barrel into the ceiling. A loud rumbling and debris started raining out of the ceiling between her and the Marines.

  She turned and ran away from the collapsing tunnel. The base was several meters below ground, and she had no idea how stable it was after so many years of neglect. She ran back into the room that held the computers. Casting about, she found a door at the far end of the room that led into another series of research stations and dusty laboratories. She quickly scanned the materials available to her. A cabinet filled with various materials was sitting at one end of the room. She jerked the cabinet open and looked over the gathered items. Most of it was pretty benign. She did see one thing that might be of use. There was a thick bar of pure sodium. Sodium could be used to cause a distraction if she could get back above ground. She rummaged a bit more in the cabinet, but nothing else of use was available. She moved towards the end of the offices and labs, and her suit showed she was close to one of the other entrances mapped from orbit. She worked her way towards the door and encountered another room with a turret, but she was ready for it. She was able to blast it with only a couple of more hits on her armor. She forced the door open from the inside by disabling the mechanism. This entrance was a lot smaller than the one she’d entered on.

  She turned on her suit stealth systems to maximum. A number of signals came in on her passive sensors. Most of them were suit comms, but there were also ship comms going back and forth. She quickly moved back towards her pinnace. She stayed low and watched her sensor readout as she advanced. The land was relatively flat, but there was a slight decline around the landing apron, which allowed her to creep up and get a good look at what was going on there.

  There was a standard pinnace on the apron next to her own pinnace. Two Marines were guarding the area. Several signals were coming from inside the base, but they were using a new encryption that she couldn’t break on the fly. She pulled the bar of sodium out and considered her options. A loud explosion would certainly draw the attention of the Marines, but she wasn’t sure if it would be enough to draw them far enough from her pinnace to allow her to reboard or if it would just bring everyone else back to the surface. She could try waiting them out, but they would probably take her pinnace with them after forcing their way on board.

  Her other option would be to attack. She discounted that option immediately. She’d been incredibly lucky to get away from the Marines in the underground complex. Taking on even one marine in the open would be effectively surrendering at best and suicidal at worst. The decision was taken from her when six armored figures joined the two Marines who were guarding the pinnaces. They gathered together and were using their suit comms for a few minutes before climbing back aboard their pinnace and launching into the sky.

  Simmons started to head towards her pinnace but stopped short. Something about the situation made no sense. Why would they just leave? She figured their best bet to capture her was to keep her bottled up on the planet. If she was able to return to Loki, her chances of escaping were excellent. She considered the situation. It was possible they had placed a tracking device on her pinnace, or they might be hoping to use her launch which would be easily trackable from a ship like Damocles, to trace Loki’s position.

  One thing they wouldn’t be ready for was the stealth capabilities of her armor. She crept up to the side of the pinnace. They’d obviously tried to gain entry by using the exterior panel, but they hadn’t tried to burn their way in. She slowly circled the ship, looking for any clues. She engaged her suit’s active scanners. There was no sign of anything attached to the hull that she could detect. She circled back around to the door and tapped out the entry code.

  “I knew you wouldn’t have the patience to wait us out, Marli,” Halford Kri’s voice came through her suit comm in the clear.

  Simmons jumped and whirled to see Kri, in Naval battle armor and three Marines all with their weapons trained on her. “Look, Hal. I know you don’t understand, but I’m fighting for the best interests of Lashmere. You could always join me and help me find the things I need.

  Hal’s head shook. “I don’t think so, Marli. Keep your hands out at your sides. If you try to lower that big cannon, my men have orders to shoot to kill. I have you this time, Marli. Surrender.”

  Chapter 16

  Ktenu sat at the military counsel table. Over the last several sessions, he’d been confirmed to his place on the council despite being removed from the leadership position. He and Huiewulo, the Unam commander, had managed to block Machast and Hu-Ji from completing their deal with the Woduur to exterminate the humans of Lashmere.

  Machast was speaking. “After much debate, we have agreed that the humans cannot be wiped from existence.” Machast sounded irritated. He had been the only member of
the military council that wanted to release the Woduur against humans with the intent of genocide. Even Hu-Ji had balked at the notion. “Instead, I have met with my personal advisors. We feel that humans may be of great use as a protectorate of the Alliance, once sufficiently pacified.”

  “Pacified, Machast? What is it you mean by that?” Huiewulo’s question mirrored Ktenu’s thinking.

  “I propose we contract with the Woduur to defeat their military and then install an Alliance counsel for re-education and social control of the humans. Their natures will be used to serve the interests of the Alliance.”

  Ktenu asked, “What do you think the humans can do for the Alliance?”

  “It is of more interest what they won’t do, once they are brought under our guidance and protection. The humans of Lashmere have clearly demonstrated they are warlike and have no concern for the integrity and sensibilities of the other species of this region. In light of this well-established fact, and barring the possibility of destroying them utterly, we must still protect the lives of the species of the Alliance.

  “Since this is a completely agreed upon goal, we will now explore how we can accomplish our goal of controlling the humans and saving the Alliance from their aggression. Our military is insufficiently trained to carry out this goal. We call upon the Woduur to bring their military forces to bear. Ambassador Ooto, what price do you name for assisting us in the pacification of the humans of Lashmere?”

  Ooto stood and moved to the edge of the ambassadorial area. Representatives from more than thirty races with whom the Alliance had various kinds of diplomatic relationships were present. The Woduur were among the oldest relationships the Alliance had, having come into contact with the Alliance just as they were forming in response to the original encroachment of humans into their space.

  “We require several things of the Alliance in our opening position,” Ooto said. “We have discovered that the humans have been illegally using our technology. We require all of the products of our technology be surrendered to us. It is unacceptable that uncontrolled versions of our technology be left in their hands, possibly to be used against us.

  “Our next requirement is from the Alliance, itself. Estimates show there are as many as forty million inhabitants of the planet Lashmere. This will require a commitment of four Woduur vessels to control the surface and a deployment of eight million Woduur soldiers, support personnel, and supervisors. Our projected casualty rate is not more than fifteen percent. For each Woduur life lost, the Alliance must provide one individual of similar age to replace lost productivity and material to replace destroyed resources expended on the training and modification.

  “Our estimate is one point two million Alliance personnel transferred to Woduur control and materials equivalent to seventy-seven point two tons of gold or the equivalent in rare or needed raw materials.”

  Ktenu’s mouth was hanging open. The entire Alliance military was less than half what the Woduur had just quoted. He said, “That may be a level of commitment we cannot meet, Ambassador Ooto.” He turned his attention to Commander Machast. “Perhaps a more limited engagement, Commander?”

  Machast said, “I believe you may be right, Commander Ktenu. Ambassador Ooto, can we consider capturing a single population center of the humans instead? We could go in and seize a number of the humans, take some of their technology and leave.”

  Ooto stood impassively for a long moment before responding. As he spoke, he gestured with his arms, causing the lights to reflect off of the polished decorations of precious metal that covered his cybernetic limbs. “Commander, your response shows a distressing lack of commitment. Perhaps we should negotiate with the humans instead. They may show more will to survive.”

  Hu-Ji rose up from his round perch. “No. The humans must be defeated. We are resolute. If we cannot control them, we must destroy them.”

  Ktenu said, “You cannot do that, Hu-Ji. The Alliance will not be party to genocide for a third time. No other choice can be made.” The room grew quiet for a moment, with only hushed whispers from the observation gallery audible. “Perhaps, we could intimidate the humans into surrender. Could we mobilize a large fleet, sufficient to cow the humans into surrendering without actually engaging them heavily?”

  Hu-Ji nodded and said, “Yes, a sound compromise that does not destroy our morality. Well said, Ktenu. Your choice makes me wonder why you resisted this idea in the first place.”

  Machast spoke before Ktenu could respond to the personal jab. “Ambassador, how many heavy ring ships could you mobilize and bring to Lashmere within a reasonable period?”

  Ooto paused while he consulted a hand-held data pad. “I could mobilize a force of seventeen ring ships within a week, and thirty-nine in four weeks. They could assemble here, join the Alliance fleet and proceed to Lashmere in a show of force. This agreement would be only as a kind of coercion. If our ships come under attack, they will depart without engaging the humans. Any material or personnel loss will be replenished by the Alliance on a one point two to one ratio. Regardless of other developments, we will still lay claim to our technology being used by the humans.”

  Machast said, “I agree. I call on the council of military commanders to make a vote to enter into this pact with the Woduur.” He started gently rapping his knuckles on the table. He was quickly joined by the other four commanders. “It is agreed. Our pact will see the human threat ended.”

  Admiral Stokes sat in his office aboard the Victorious. He was working on a logistical report. His fleet composition had been updated once again just before it was scheduled to leave. He was going to bring a force that was quite a bit smaller than he’d originally wanted, but it was larger than Admiral Coffee had been ready to release. The updated building schedule from the space dock made it appear that they were going to have to slow down the rate of building. They needed to accommodate the rate of officers and crew ready to take control of the newly manufactured ships. Nevertheless, within the next several weeks, the fleet would be back at full strength. Because of that, Admiral Coffee had allowd Stokes to take a few more ships with him.

  He queued up his fleet. Two battleships, including Victorious. He was also taking Indomitable with him. Eight assault cruisers, twelve destroyers and six stealth corvettes, including Captain Fuchs’ Harpy. He was also bringing two newly constructed ring ships and a pair of transports. He had a scheduled virtual conference with his subordinate captains in a few minutes. The ships were heavily provisioned with raw materials and had larger than normal crews, giving them some redundancy above and beyond that designed into the standard crew compliments.

  He hadn’t been granted command over any of the drone carriers. Those were still deployed around the Lashmere system, thickening their system defenses. He checked the time. It was time to conference in with his fleet commanders. He tapped a command on his desk. A triple row of faces appeared on the display on his office wall. He nodded to the officers and said, Good afternoon, everyone. We are scheduled to leave on our expedition for Earth tomorrow morning. The fleet composition has been finalized. At this point, most of what we’re waiting on is final diagnostics and supply loads for the ships that were recently added to the fleet.

  “Once we leave, we plan to make the trip to Earth over the next few months. Historical charts show us as having plenty of refueling stops along the way. The trip is hundreds of hops, and we have no idea what we’ll encounter. We do know the space between us and Earth is not empty. We are also unaware of the condition of Earth itself. Alliance records indicate they consider Earth to be of great value, but the information we’ve obtained so far doesn’t give us any idea why they believe this.

  “We plan to investigate the space surrounding Earth as we approach. We will be putting up a sensitive sensor network in the systems surrounding Earth and taking a good look before we actually go into the system. One thing we’ve learned so far is to proceed cautiously. Any comments or questions?”

  Several portraits highlighted, indicat
ing they wanted to speak. Stokes selected Captain Ruiz of the Indomitable. “Do we know anything about the Omega Plague?”

  The Alliance data we got gives us no indication they have the plague. There was absolutely no data about it in the Alliance database. What we do know for sure is that they did not create it. That dubious achievement is actually the responsibility of the Woduur.

  “We don’t know if the Omega Plague is persistent in the environment. If it is, then Earth may be utterly impossible to take unless we figure out how to defeat it. Since the plague is engineered, we believe it can also be beaten with sufficient understanding of it. Some of the historical database taken from Aeternum indicates the old Terran Empire was working on a cure, but they don’t seem to have finished it before our colony was founded.”

  Stokes tapped another highlighted portrait. “Sir, other than our primary mission of recapturing Earth, what are we planning to do as we proceed on the way?”

  Stokes nodded. “We have a large contingent of secondary and tertiary orders. Some of them are unlikely to be needed. I’ll go over some of the highlights. We are to look out for possible colony sites to expand our territory and potential for increased population growth. We are also ordered to make any peaceful diplomatic contact we can. We’ll also be seeking old Terran Empire planets, bases, and installations. We lack a lot of understanding of the political structure between most of the races we’ve encountered so far. We plan to gather any pertinent information that may still exist out there.

  “I hope we can maintain our fleet in perfect operational condition, but we may also need to gather resources as we go. At each stop we make, we will be adding a self-sustaining comm node that will allow us to maintain contact with Lashmere. If we have some sort of emergency, we’ll be able to communicate our status to Lashmere. As time goes on, we hope to build a large network of comm nodes that will allow us to communicate anywhere across the space we’ve explored. One of the tasks left to the remaining fleet present in Lashmere will be to explore the systems surrounding Lashmere and to place comm nodes and sensor nets in a number of neighboring systems.”