by Ira Tabankin
“That is correct, the implant can give you all of the information you need to fight the enemy. Every trick we’ve used, every battle we’ve won and lost is there for you to learn from our mistakes. Use the implant to its fullest and it can save your people.”
Chapter 12
The three Presidents had a secret they didn’t share with the rest of the world leaders. They were also building a different class of ships. One that wasn’t being built on Earth. These ships were being built on the dark side of the moon. They were huge monsters over a mile long and a third of a mile wide; they were designed as a last resort to save humanity.
These were the sleeper ships; they were filled with hundreds of rows of suspension tubes that would hold humans in a state of suspension animation. These ships were going to be filled with over two hundred thousand and sent on a large elliptical orbit of the sun. Each orbit would take seventy-five years, they would orbit until either the war with the alien enemy had been won, or the Earth so damaged it was unsalvageable like Mars, in which case the ship’s AIs would engage their FTL wormhole drives and take their cargo of sleeping humans to another system. Kalteck had programmed the ship’s AIs with three new systems. Each had planets in the “goldilocks zones” and were uninhabited. Humans could live and start over again if the worst happened. Mixed in with the normal citizens were also members of three militaries and their weapons.
Each President had used their own criteria for the selection of who went into these ships; President Trump chose members of the military, scientists, farmers, builders, and educators. The Russians chose the upper class of their society and members of elite military units primarily. President Xi refused to share who he had selected to fill his ship with. The sleeper ships were due to be completed before the Monitors due to their a much simpler design.
As the Monitors took shape, every company that used to produce either commercial or military aircraft began producing parts for Monitors, the fighters, and Whales. The intent was to build thousands of the small fighter craft and place them in orbiting bases. In addition to the bases orbiting Earth, plans were made to build a base on Titan and one on Pluto, which were going to be the system’s first line of defense. A series of bases were planned to be built in the asteroid belt which the militaries hoped would hide the bases from the enemy. This assumed the enemy entered the system where Kalteck said they would. Many still didn’t believe the tall alien. Many still thought of him as a demon.
The fighter bases were to be armed with shield generators and large particle beam weapons. If time permitted, rail guns would also be installed. Thousands of companies worked around the clock building modules, which every company that built launch vehicles sent into orbit. The skies over Earth were quickly becoming filled with defense facilities.
As the Monitors became ships, their exterior hulls were covered in thick armor plates, shield generators, and point defense weapons. Phalanx systems were pulled off of warships and installed on the hulls of the Monitors as were thousands of lasers and short-range anti-missile-missiles which were usually used for naval ship defense.
Due to the massive arms buildup, the world saw its first period of zero unemployment; everyone worked. To save money, America cut most unemployment and welfare payments. The other industrialized countries quickly followed suit. Anyone who claimed they couldn’t work was subjected to various tests. Most failed and were assigned jobs that, if they didn’t show up for, could cause their arrest and them being sent to mines or used as manual labor on various projects.
The American Monitor was the first to be completed due to the experience in building massive aircraft carriers which looked like toys compared to the Monitor. Russia projected its first ship would lift off nine months after the American ship.
The Americans held their national election nine months before their first ship was scheduled to make its first test flight. One party ran on “Make Peace, not War.” The other ran on, “Earth First!” The polls made it appear the election was going to be too close to call, however, when the votes were counted, it wasn’t close, the Republican Party won 47 states and the popular vote by four million votes. They also won the House and Senate. America showed its support for the upcoming war. America was going to have her first woman president, Nikki Haley the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Governor of South Carolina had been elected the 46th President of the United States of America. She took her place as America’s war time president.
Kalteck told Rhett, “Your elections never cease to amaze me, don’t your people realize your politicians lie to them and tell each group what they want to hear. On the other hand, the Russian and Chinese Presidents announced they are President for life, so they don’t have to face an election during the war.
“What really concerns me is I’ve studied your wars. Your people tend to lose interest in a war that drags on. I hope they realize you’re not going to be fighting a backward nation. This time, you’re the backward nation. You will be defending your homes from a race that made war a national sport. I’ve been here for over 80 years. In that time I’ve learned a lot about your people and what worries me is you Americans have grown so lazy and think you’re superior to the rest of the world that when your cities begin to disappear, you’ll quickly want to surrender. I hope the new President has the guts to bring your nation together.”
“She is extraordinarily strong. You’ve met her many times what do you really think of her?”
“I was very concerned until I saw her hand the Russian his balls in a teacup when she told him either Russia increases production and their investment in the United Earth Fleet or America would make up the difference but wouldn’t lift a single finger to help Russia.”
“That was kind of shocking. I didn’t think she’d go through with it. Then she announced at the UN that any country that doesn’t pay their fair share in funds or resources wouldn’t be defended when they screamed in the General Assembly. She then smiled and walked out moments after informing the UN she couldn’t guarantee she could protect them in New York City which may be a target and suggested they leave as quickly as possible.”
Kalteck laughed, “I laughed so hard seeing them run for the airports like rats leaving a sinking ship. I like her. Will she really go all the way and not defend any of the countries which don’t support the war effort?”
“I asked her the same question. She told me in no uncertain terms, she won’t. She’s going to announce today the construction of new planetary defense bases which will be armed with massive rail guns and particle beams that can cut through the atmosphere. She hopes these will be able to break up kinetic weapons dropped on us.”
“Placing them on mountains is an excellent idea. The enemy will be surprised by those; they are used to fighting defensive systems in orbit. Have you selected your captain for The Enterprise?”
“I did this morning, Captain Ronald Stykes. His experience is he was the captain of the naval carrier Washington. He led her through four years of fighting in the Middle East wars and also was her captain through her mid-life modernization where the ship was rebuilt and received new reactor cores, new electronics, every inch of her hull was repaired and repainted, and after three years she left the yard better than new.”
“I approve, when can I meet him?”
“He’s currently on the way to the shipyard to see his new command. Why don’t we give him a week and then we’ll drop in on him? Maybe you can take him up in your ship so he can experience space before his first time is the launch of the Enterprise.”
“Agreed. I see you’ve laid down the second and third Monitor before the Enterprise is finished, was that wise?”
“Hey, you’re the one who said we need to move quicker. The only way to move quickly is to take some risks. I just heard that Congress has agreed to name the second Monitor the UESS Lincoln and the third the USES Patrick Henry, no more popular votes to select the names, there was a lot of grumbling when the ship was named the Enterprise and
no the George Washington.”
“Will all three have the additional nuclear reactors?”
“Yes, the Lincoln will have the two that were installed in the third Ford-class, the Patrick Henry will have two from the USS Bush, the last Nimitz class carrier which is now in dry dock so it can be cut apart and so their compartments and reactor can be used in the Henry.”
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As the Enterprise was being completed in the American Southwest, the Lincoln and Patrick Henry came together quicker than most thought possible. The lessons learned from building the Enterprise helped cut the production process of the second and third Monitors by twenty-five percent. They were also built as a pair.
Three years after the ‘keel’ was laid down, the Enterprise was ready for her initial launch and test flight. President Haley was joined by Rhett and Kalteck on the dais as she told the world how proud of the world’s people she was, and that the Enterprise was the ship that was going to defend the planet for all of humanity. She surprised Rhett when she called him to her, “General McIntyre, I discovered that a General doesn’t command a fleet. Since we’re focusing on a space fleet that is similar to a naval strike group, I have decided to change you’re rank and position. I am proud to announce the Congress, and I have agreed to appoint you our first Fleet Admiral since the Second World War. It is my pleasure to pin these five stars on your collar and remind you that you are now out of uniform. The Space Fleet has a new uniform that I expect all of our officers and personnel to wear. I expect to see you in your new uniform within the next hour.
“Admiral, the people of Earth pray you will use the Enterprise and her sisters to defeat our enemy. We hope you’ll use these ships in our defense and the salvation of humanity. Admiral, would you please give the command?”
“Madam President, thank you. I am humbled. I pledge to the people of Earth to do everything in my power to defend our planet which we share together. On behalf of the people of the planet Earth, I hereby accept the UESS 001 the Monitor Enterprise. Captain and crew of the Enterprise bring your ship to life.”
The crew of the Enterprise had been in massive tents arranged around the ship, after Rhett’s command, the tents opened, and the thousands of officers and crew, all wearing the new black and gold of the new Space Force uniforms ran up the sixty-five ramps to bring the massive ship alive. Quickly lights in the ship came on, and the reactors which were live began to increase their power output.
President Haley shook Kalteck’s hand, “Kalteck, the people of Earth thank you for your assistance and all the help you’ve given us. There’s no way we can repay you.”
“Madam President, you will repay me when you help defeat the enemy. I will continue to do everything in my power to defeat our common enemy.”
“Are you going to join the crew on their first flight?”
“No, I will join them in space on my ship. I will be better able to assist them from the resources I have available to me on my ship.”
Admiral McIntyre, who had slipped away from the podium, quickly changed, and put on his new Space Fleet uniform. He reappeared next to the Kalteck. He saluted the President before saying, “Madam President, with your permission, I will take my leave and join my staff, the officers, and crew of the Enterprise.”
“Admiral, go with the grace of God.”
Kalteck held up his hands and bent his head, “May the Creator of All bless all of the people of the Earth.”
Rhett walked to the ship. He rode the officer’s elevator to the ship’s bridge, which was a bubble on the top of the arrowhead. The ship was still horizontal in the yard where she was built. He took his seat above and behind Captain Stykes, “Captain, is the ship ready for launch?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Captain, launch the ship.”
Smiling, Captain Stykes looked around the bridge which was laid out in a multi-tiered semi-circle in front of him. He could see each monitor, and then there was the curved five-hundred-foot monster monitor in front of the bridge. If he dimmed the lights, he could also see above his head outside of the ship.
He pressed his hand on his seat’s arm which had a biometric sensor in it. Once the chair confirmed he was the captain and Rhett confirmed his identity, Captain Stykes said, “Attention officers and crew of the Enterprise, we’re going to launch in thirty seconds, prepare to launch.”
The matter/antimatter reactors and nuclear reactors all reached one hundred percent of their power and the antigravity drive engaged, which enabled the massive ship to begin to rise vertically. When the ship reached its vertical position, the captain counted down. At ten, he said, “engage the drive.”
At zero, he said, “Launch.”
People watching the Enterprise had to cover their eyes when the ship engaged its drive and a bright blue light flashed out from and covered the ship. The Enterprise slowly shuttered as the drive engaged and she began to lift from her building site. The ship very slowly lifted off the ground. Once clear of the ground and the ship yard, the giant ship began to fly on a horizontal angle towards the horizon as it rose higher and higher and turned until it was standing on its tail and her main drives engaged in a brilliant blue glow thus manipulating gravity. The ship then accelerated quicker and quicker until it reached escape velocity and entered orbit. The world which was used to the loud noise of previous ships launching and the smoke were surprised by how quiet and smokeless the ship’s launch was.
Captain Stykes turned to smile at Rhett, “Admiral, I am proud to say the UESS 001 the Enterprise has entered orbit.”
“Captain, thank you. I think it’s time to test the ship. I have approved your test plan. You may execute it at your discretion.”
“Sir, thank you.” He turned back to look at the monitors, “Crew of the Enterprise, we are in orbit. We will now see what the lady can do. Nav, lay in a course to Titan, full speed ahead.”
The ship began to accelerate until it reached 0.85c on its way to Titan. Stykes was amazed by how quiet the ship was and how the AI kept the bridge staff up to date on every aspect of the ship. Unknown to the captain, Rhett had used his implant to talk to the ship’s AI. “AI, when we pass Mars, I want you to begin the test program, Rhett A01.”
“Yes, sir. I recognize your biometrics and your implant. I accept your authority. I will carry out your orders.”
As the ship passed Mars, the AI announced, “Attention, attention, fire in compartments 101 through 222, nuclear reactors are coming offline, shields are coming down in sector bow port side.” Alarms were sounding through the ship.
Captain Stykes smiled to himself, he contacted Rhett, “Couldn’t wait till we reached Titan, could you?”
“Nope. We might as well see how the crew responds. There’s no telling when we’ll have to go to war.”
“Agreed.”
The crew wore VR helmets which showed varying degrees of damage and systems destroyed. They worked through their helmets to repair the damage and bring the ship back in working order while the ship’s AI guided those who were slow or had forgotten their tasks. At the end of the drills, the AI reported to the captain and fleet admiral, “For the first time, the ship’s crew did very well. They scored an 87.632 on my scale for repairing the damage and keeping the ship in the fight.”
Captain Stykes looked at Rhett who shook his head, “87 percent is okay, but remember we’re not on the ocean, if we screw up out here, we die. AI, run a series of drills every few hours until the crew reaches a score of at least 98%.”
“Yes, Admiral. I will prepare a very entertaining series to keep the crew on their toes.”
Captain Stykes looked at the fleet admiral. He spoke to him through a private encrypted radio which McIntire received and responded to through his implant, It was like having the captain in his head speaking to him, “Admiral, are you sure this is a good idea. Shouldn’t we allow the crew to settle into their new tasks? The ship is brand new, none of us has experience in space and we need a little time to get our space legs.�
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“I have spent hundreds of hours in space, yes, in Kalteck’s ship. I can tell you that space is a cold-hearted bitch. She isn’t forgiving. Our people need to know how to do their jobs blindfolded and in the dark, while also fighting the ship.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chapter 13
The Enterprise silently flew through space as her crew and AI tested her various systems. Rhett met with his senior staff in his conference room to review the ship and their test plans. They decided to watch the test of the ship’s weapons systems on the room-sized monitors. Rhett smiled, “I asked the captain to target fast-moving asteroids as an initial test. It’s a lot harder to hit moving targets then a large moon or planet. We also packed some drones which the fighters are going to use as targets. As a surprise, Kalteck is going to make a couple of high-speed passes to see if the ship’s targeting systems and weapons can lock onto his ship.”
One of his staff asked, “Admiral, isn’t there a risk of us hitting his ship?”
