AMP Blitzkrieg (5 page)

The conversation suddenly put a thought in my head. I wondered if there would be a way to slow down a ship using negative ions. I would make the suggestion to Gy and Rita, asking if something could be attached to a ship or perhaps a beam fired from a distance. Michael Felix was expanding his use of the optimized ion engine and it would only be a matter of time before the knowledge of how it worked leaked out. Loose credits had a way of opening people’s mouths.

There was also the possibility of obtaining his copy of the document for the ion engine and then hiring away all of the people he had working for him that knew how it worked. It would take a coordinated effort to snatch the tech back from him, especially since it now flew in four Messenger ships. I would ask the Colonel if any of his men had prior experience in the intelligence service, if so, they would be starting a new task upon my return.

The late afternoon hours soon turned to evening. As a last effort to see Ashley Elizabeth I made my way to the SCore office that Doris had mentioned that Ashley frequented. I sat on a bench in the bustling hallway and the two boys I had previously hired to drop off a message came up and sat on the bench next to me.

"Hey, I remember you. You gave us five credits for dropping a message in there." I looked at the kid and shook my head, "Sorry kid, you must have me confused. I'm not from around here." The kid grinned and shook his own head, "No, you are him. I don't forget a face... say, you wouldn't have any more jobs for us would you? I'm 12 and he's 11 and it's tough to find anyone who needs something done around here."

"We get out of school at 4PM and our moms work, so we got nothing to do until they get home at 8PM." I looked the kid in the eye, "Are you supposed to be out here? Isn't there some after school thing you can do? A sport or a club? I bet your parents don't know you are out of the apartment."

The younger of the two had a worried look on his face, I continued, "Don't worry kid. I'm not here to rat you out. I tell you what. I have another job for you. There's a blonde that works in the SCore office over there. How about you two go in and see if she is in there anywhere. Nose around; tell them you are looking for your Aunt and that she is a tall blonde and very pretty. If you see her or they point her out just say "That's not her." and walk out."

"When you come out the door, point down the hall that way if she was in there or down this way if she was not. And don't look at me, just look down the hall." The older kid held out his credit store, "What's in it for us?" I smiled as I loaded 20 credits onto it; his eyes got big as did his grin. He grabbed his friend by the shoulder and they both ran towards the SCore office.

Several minutes passed with no sign of the kids, I began to get nervous. The younger kid then came bolting out the door straight into a passerby. He was knocked sprawling onto the floor along with the passerby's packages. The older kid then came out behind him and pulled him to his feet. He glanced my way and then pointed down the hall in the other direction. The two boys then ran in that direction.

Seconds after the commotion, Ashley Elizabeth emerged from the office looking in their direction. She questioned the man they had run into who was collecting the packages that had been knocked from his hands. He had nothing to offer. She then looked back down the hall with her hands on her hips before turning to go back into the office. I sat on the bench for another two hours before she again emerged.

She turned and began to walk my way. After a quick glance in my direction she slowed and approached with a smile. "Hi. Mr. Bumbalee was it? Ashley Elizabeth." She held out her hand. I stood and took it into mine, lingering slightly on the release after a gentle but firm shake. It was soft as I remembered.

"Hello Miss Elizabeth. Good to see you again and I must complement you on your hair. It seems you always have it together when we meet." I had a sudden fear that I was pushing the conversation too far. She was gorgeous as usual, but it was forward of me to say it with her only meeting Rex Bumbalee once before.

She smiled and began to speak, "What brings you to the Alpha section today Mr. Bumbalee?" I gestured for her to join me on the bench, "Please have a seat. I am here on business. Our commodities company is attempting to open new markets here on the Grid. We have various ores, gemstones and we may be interested in expanding into transport.

Our company, Martool Mining and Commodities has done well in the outer worlds of this sector and others and we are looking at expansion as well as current sales growth."

"If you are interested in gemstones Miss Elizabeth, I may be able to swing a wholesale price on something if you like. Diamond or emerald earrings would go nicely with those blue eyes." Ashley turned up a smirky smile. "What woman doesn't like those things Mr. Bumbalee, and it's a kind offer, but I'm afraid my company frowns on gifts, or discounts for that matter."

I had her cornered for the question I wanted to ask, "Oh, and what business is it that you are in? Those restrictions usually come from having the Grid as your employer. Is your line of work federal?" Again, Ashley smiled, "No, it is consulting work where I have high end clientele that value my integrity. Without a level of trust it becomes difficult to function in the environment I work in."

I nodded my head to the obfuscated answer "I see, does your employer have a name? My company may be interested in some of your consulting services at some point in the future. You might find working with us on a project both profitable and enjoyable." I smiled.

Ashley remained cool and collected with her response. I could immediately tell she was very practiced at what she did. "I have a card with a number that you can call. I am personally a subcontractor, but I am always looking to expand my business connections." She placed the card in my hand and then stood, "I hate to rush off Mr. Bumbalee, but I have other business to attend to with a client this evening. If you wish to discuss enlisting my services, please contact the number on the card."

Ashley smiled as she walked away. Her walk was a thing of beauty unto itself. I had to shake myself away from staring as she strode off down the hall. I placed the card in the pocket of my suit and headed back to Alpha Bay and the Wren. I was soon on my way back to Defiant.

When I arrived back at Defiant the Colonel had word from our scout ships. It was bad news. Twenty-two days earlier the Milgari had counter attacked the The Dakari fleet at Mortel. Of the 75 ships the Dakar had stationed there, only 16 had managed to escape. A Milgari fleet of more than 500 ships had arrived without warning.

The Teldaki Marines that we had left on the planet were wiped out by more than half a million Milgari soldiers. The fighting lasted for five days before the overwhelming force took complete control. The remaining Teldaki citizens had been forced back into work in the mines. Word had come from the Dakar that the next coordinated attack was canceled. They were massing a force to protect their next closest star system.

I felt bad for the Teldaki Marines. It felt like we had abandoned them. They had been provided with weapons and supplies. But we had taken all of our transports home as the technology on them was not something we wanted to lose. They had been trapped on their home planet with the only option being a fight to the death. It was disheartening.

Our biggest problem in planning for engagements deep in the Pollus sector was the amount of time it took to send or receive information. It was a 16 day journey out or back and our ships flew at a speed that was as fast as our best communications speed. If something happened in the Pollus sector it took weeks before we found out back at home.

Our automated factories continued to hum, turning out Raiders and transports. We continued to bring in new recruits, but those recruits were largely limited to Grid citizens. We were here to fight for a cause, a Human cause. And while the outcome would affect every being in this arm of the galaxy, most were ignorant of what losing to the Milgari and Torrians would mean.

I had just come from a staff meeting where we had discussed the latest developments. "Frig. I think it’s time we rode out there to take a look at the new Milgari Armada. While 500 ships is not an immense force, it does tell us that we cannot just take a planet and expect our enemies to sit back and accept what we have done. It also begs the question of how will we defend a star system that we have captured. I think the answer is that we can't."

Frig nodded in agreement, "I have been wondering about that myself Sir. We can amass a force to strike at a fleet or a single star system for that matter, but we do not have the resources necessary to hold one. I believe our strategy has to be adapted to the type of battles that we can fight and win. We cannot be liberators Sir. We just do not have the manpower."

I continued to talk as we walked towards my office, "I think you are right. We either need to go on a massive recruiting and ship building binge or we need to enlist the help of others." Frig stopped and looked at me, "Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting Sir? Are we talking about the Admiral? If so, I am not sure that he has the resources to defend more than a single star system either."

"During our encounters with the Prassi it did seem that he had a sizable fleet, but the Milgari ships have weapons that are now more powerful than ever. I sometimes wonder if it would be worthwhile talking to the Durians. We have the funds to spend on technology. Perhaps they could provide us with something that will give us an advantage in some way."

As we continued to walk I thought about Frig's proposal. If the Durians were selling tech to the other species, why would we not seek out the same? I replied, "That is an excellent idea my friend. Our only problem is with finding a Durian to strike up a deal with. They seem to show up when they are looking for you, but they are difficult to find if you are looking for them."

Frig concurred, "You are right Sir. But I think we should return to the places we have seen them before. Marcon comes to mind. Perhaps if we show up there they will make themselves known. If we are unable to make contact, we can leave directly from Marcon for a journey to the Pollus sector."

Frig had the supplies for the trip stocked and we headed out towards Marcon in the Swift. When we arrived we leased a private hangar and Frig stayed with the Swift as I went looking for any sign of a Durian. I entered three dive bars that were frequented by off-world travelers and hit pay-dirt when exiting from the third. The Durian was in the main hall and was moving quickly away from me. I followed.

He rounded a corner into an alley and then ducked into a shop through the back door. I quickly entered through the front and stepped up to the sales associate. "Hi, I have a deep interest in talking to the Durian that just entered the back of your shop. The young Marconian looked confused, "Durian?" I replied, "Yes, he just entered the back door of this shop. Please go back and let him know that he has business waiting out front."

The associate turned and walked through a curtain into the back of the store. More than a minute passed before he emerged. "He said he is in the middle of something if you could give him about five minutes he will be out. Can I show you any of our wares while you wait?"

I shook my head and then remembered that no Durian would be found occupying the same space for five minutes straight. I turned and ran out into the hall just in time to see him disappear around another corner. I sprinted after him and caught up just before he ducked into another door. "Hey, I may have some business to discuss." I pulled out a small bag with Diamonds which got his attention.

"Please follow me, quickly." He moved down another hall and again turned a corner into an alleyway. Several seconds later he was wrapping on a door with what I could only guess was a secret knock. When the door opened I followed the Durian inside. "What do you want Human?" Six large Marcon Miners then stepped through the door behind me. "Tell him Human. Tell him before we pummel you for harassing our friend!"

I held up my hand with the bag, "I came to discuss business with the Durian, private business." I then quickly drew my blaster and held it to the forehead of the Marconian in charge. "If I need any assistance I will let you know." The Durian looked at him and gestured that it was OK. The Marconian and his five friends then left the room.

The Durian then looked directly at me and spoke, "Tell me what it is you seek Human, my time here is brief." I held up the bag of Diamonds and then began, "I am in the market for technology, specifically warship technology, shields, generators, weapons and armor. I have a wealthy client who is very interested in adding any of those technologies to his ship, for self-defense purposes of course."

The Durian looked at me suspiciously, "Yes, defense, of course." He opened a side of his cloak and pulled out a diagram of a new generator. "Perhaps an enhancement to your power system? This design yields a 22% gain over the standard model available in this sector." I leaned in to the Durian which made him nervous. "Think big, much bigger. My client is extremely well to do. His government is backing this initiative. The funds behind it are quite substantial."

The Durian tucked the diagram back into his cloak and then reached into the other side. He brought forth a device and set it on a nearby table. Several buttons were pressed before a holographic image appeared above the device. "What you see before you is a prototype ship we have developed. The electronic shields, armor, environmental system, navigation system and ion cannon are all available through channels."

"If any of these are of interest to your government I can be back in touch with you with their availability." I placed my hand on the Durian's shoulder which drew an unnerved stare. "Look, I know this stuff might impress the commoner. What I want to see is the best of what you have to offer. I am aware of a great many advancements out there in other sectors besides this one. We are only interested in groundbreaking technology."

I am sure you are familiar with the Milgari, the Dakar, what we are looking for are systems, weapons or shields that are above what they have. My client does not want to be bothered by their militant tendencies. Go and talk to your command. I will be here four days from now and we can discuss our options further."

I turned and walked to the door without looking back. I knew the Durian would return at that time, if anything, curiosity would bring him back. He would now be doing all he could to determine who I was and what government was backing my objectives. I walked straight to our private hangar, boarded the Swift and we departed for home. We would return in four days’ time.

Back on the Suppressor the Colonel was preparing eight groups of four Raiders each. They would be returning to the Pollus sector for intelligence gathering. Each team was assigned a series of grids within the sector to catalog and observe. The Colonel wanted the larger picture of what it was the Milgari and the Torrians were up to.

Frig had returned to his lab where he had been busy studying the derelict ship's wormhole drive. From the archive records we had he was in the process of constructing a micro antenna array that matched as closely as possible to that of the derelict ship. Our sensors had recorded the frequencies being used during the wormhole's creation. Frig hoped to apply those to his micro-array.

I paid a visit to check on his progress. "So, do you think you can make this work?" He looked at me with a low brow expression. "We are grasping at straws. We have a limited data set of what was used to create the wormhole, our chances are extremely small. If we had possession of that ship for a week I would have a solid foundation to build upon. I'm just not sure if what I am attempting to do will yield positive results. If you have 15 minutes to spare I will be turning on the power to what you see before you."

I pulled up a chair and sat down. Frig moved various instruments around the micro-array, testing the field strengths of the antenna emitters. After several minutes of tuning he moved to a console. "I believe we are ready Sir. I'm afraid the visual portion of this test will be non-existent. A pulse will be sent to the array and if all goes well the beginnings of a wormhole will form approximately two meters in front of it. We should be able to detect that with the sensors I have arranged around the lab."

I leaned back in my chair and waited as Frig punched commands on his keyboard for several minutes. With no response as to when the test would take place I asked him out of boredom, "So, we going to do this or not?" Frig turned to look at me, "The test occurred 79 seconds ago Sir. I am analyzing the results now. I will need another 22 minutes for a thorough evaluation of the resultant data. Please be patient."

I stood and walked towards the door. "Take your time. I'm heading down to the mess hall for some coffee. Your test there just wasn't the barn burner I was expecting." Frig looked towards the door. "Barn burner Sir? Is that an expression of some sort?" I replied over my shoulder just before my exit, "Just means it lacked excitement that's all. I'll be back."

When I reached the mess hall I took note of the Colonel sitting at a table by himself, he was looking over printed reports he had just received. I grabbed a cup of coffee and joined him. "What's cooking Colonel?" He looked up with his usual stern expression. "We have a lot of work to do Don, we do not have a clue as to what our enemy is doing."

"Our last reports have them moving ships all over. I'm trying to make sense of it, but I am not picking up any patterns. On the surface it looks like they are just random events. I've been in this business too long to accept random events as a strategy. And if you look at this report here, and this one, you will see that those are new ships. They are getting their fleet replenished from somewhere. I'm just not sure where."

Either the Torrians had discovered a new source of Tantric ore or the Durians had been at it again, selling goods to all sides in the conflict. I wondered if the new Milgari ships also had newly enhanced shields or weaponry, again courtesy of our Durian friends.

After finishing a discussion with the Colonel I returned to Frig's lab. "We find anything interesting?" Frig continued typing at his keyboard. "Actually Sir, I believe we did. Three separate instruments show evidence of an anomaly a short distance out from the antenna array. It will require further testing and evaluation, but I am encouraged that I was able to generate something. I'm just not yet sure what it was."

I then returned to my office to finish out a pile of administrative paperwork. I was drawing less and less enjoyment from my job as President. I had thoughts of turning it over to someone with better management skills such as George. When I had broached the subject some months before, he was adamant that he was not interested. Our tiny nation was burgeoning with power and wealth, but no one wanted the responsibility of running it.

Two days later Frig and I traveled back to Marcon for the meeting with the Durian. I was there and waited for five minutes past the pre-arranged time before the Durian showed up. There was a second Durian with him. "Mr. Bumbalee, my name is Konra Bantoo. I am the general council for this sector. My associate tells me that you have the resources available to do business with us at shall we say, a high level."

"If this is true we will need to verify that the statements you have made are true. You will provide proof of your ability to pay before our discussion goes further." I lifted a briefcase onto the table that separated us. When I opened it and spun it around the Durian was not impressed. "I hope this is not intended to impress me Mr. Bumbalee. Such quantities are not worth my time."

I leaned in closer, "I have a cargo hold full of Emeralds just like these and I have plenty more where they came from. Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires... just about any precious gemstone you desire. You want gold? How does a hundred tons sound? Quantity is not an issue Mr. Bantoo. You just need to show me your wares and name a price."

The Durian stared at me intently from under the hood of his cloak. "My associate, Mr. Polo, will escort you to your vessel so that we may verify your cargo claim. If what you say is true, he will return you to another location where we can discuss business further. And Mr. Bumbalee, we frown heavily on those who would attempt to steal from us. We have many connections throughout this sector that are at our disposal if needed. The life of those who break contract can be a short one. Tread lightly Mr. Bumbalee, I will be expecting you within the hour."