Neptune's Massif (3 page)

Selene, Earth's Moon

Sol System

Sol Sector

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Alan spent the next few days getting familiar with the systems on the
Poseidon
and getting to know Andreya. Mostly unknown to him, there was a lot going on out in the galaxy. Ian and the Star Dancer had played hide and seek with an Imperial Task Force. They destroyed a large ship yard and an Imperial battleship while planting listening devices all over the system. They managed to do all of that while only taking minor damage to the ship and crew.

The Talosian diplomats addressed the United Nations on Earth to ratify the Terran Council's promotion of Ian to the rank of Admiral. It also served to make the Earth governments realize that there really were forces out there in space that did not submit to any single nation's control. When he heard about that, Alan knew that at least the American and Chinese governments would do their utmost to infiltrate the Terran organization and steal every secret they could. That would be the last thing the planet needed right now; one of those countries to get their hands on advanced technology!

Alan was busy devising a mission to 'tag' one of the freighters that were still arriving, loading, and leaving the Caldarian base on Earth. He thought it would be helpful to know where the ships were actually going with so much crude oil. Considering the amount the freighters could carry and how often they ran, there had to be a sizable Caldarian population out there somewhere. He had just finished outlining how the 'tag' should be constructed when Andreya informed him of a priority call from the Council.

"Put it on screen please Andreya," Alan replied.

Councilor Laura Johnson, Elias Johnson's widow, appeared on his screen. Alan stood and saluted her. "Good Morning, Councilor, to what do I owe the honor of this call?"

"Oh please, sit down Alan! I am a civilian after all!" Laura said. "I've been told that you’re the one handling the Caldarian base issue now, is that correct?"

"Yes Ma'am. Commander Williams handed it off to me just before the Star Dancer jumped out for the Beta Hydri system," Alan replied.

Laura nodded. "Well, I have some information for you then. It seems that the ARC council has decided that we are worth talking to after all. Our request for the Caldarian ambassador to intervene with his people on our behalf is being considered, and we should have a reply from the ARC’s Caldarian ambassador very soon. May I ask how far along your preparations have come?"

"Certainly, Councilor. I'm really just getting started. My team is still receiving the initial Raptor team training and, in point of fact, I haven't even met them yet." He went on to tell her about the Sharks and how he had already made contact with the design teams and the suggestion to use the old family resort of Dr. Juno as a training area for the team as well as a testing ground for the Shark. "His only stipulation was that we not destroy anything; it holds great sentimental value to him."

Laura nodded. "I think we might just have to make sure he is suitably rewarded for offering his family's resort for this. Do you think he would object to our rebuilding it back to its former glory? Basically restoring it back to the way it was?"

"I think that would be fabulous, Councilor. But how can we find out what that was without asking him about it? I assume you wanted to surprise him from the way you were explaining it."

"Call me Laura. I'll be the Councilor standing between you and the ARC council on this. Yes, I would like this to be a surprise. If it was a resort, then there were brochures printed for it at one time or another. We’ll find as many of those as we can and work off that. We'll really have to dig for the more private areas of the resort like the kitchens and storage areas."

While they were speaking, Alan brought up all the images for the resort he had found so far, including several orbital images. He shared them with Laura.

"Wow this place is really beautiful and really secluded. That's getting to be more and more rare for Hawaii," Laura replied.

Alan grinned. "I thought the same things when I saw it the first time. I felt that any buildings we might have to build here should match the existing buildings as closely as possible, at least on the outside. I also felt that we should build at least part of this underground, since Hawaii is a primary target for spy satellites. Granted, they’re mostly focused on Pearl Harbor, I would still feel safer with most of the stuff hidden."

"What do you think would need to be underground?" Laura asked.

"During the cold war, the Soviets constructed a couple of submarine bases that had their entrances underwater and the births for the subs underground as well. Since Doctor Juno would like to see us colonize the oceans of the planet as well, I thought it would be a good idea to create a base large enough to handle the craft he might plan to build. So what I had in mind would be something like what the Soviets built," Alan explained.

"That sounds pretty extensive. I don't know if I can get that authorized yet. I might be able to shake loose at least one construction drone for you, for a small base capable of handling the Sharks, but I'm not sure about something bigger. Right now we need every construction drone we have for projects in space," Laura replied.

Alan looked confused. "Just build more, when they're finished or we don't need them anymore, just recycle them. All it takes is power, and that’s something we have plenty of isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Laura agreed. "But the drones can only do so much without human assistance. In order to run more drones, we need more people. Granted, Janet and her entire department have been working overtime getting us people, but it still takes time to get them trained and used to working in space. "Look, I'll send authorization for a construction drone to be built for you there at the base. Once it's built, get it loaded on your ship or someone will steal it! In the meantime, have Andreya begin searching for every scrap of information she can find about that resort, including any building permits we'll need, and any taxes and such that might be due on it. Track down Paula Nelson, she should still be there on the moon; she's an architect that can help you with the designs for what you want to build." She paused to make a note for herself. "Then I would suggest you pay a visit to this property and get the drone started. I have a feeling once this gets rolling, it's gonna roll fast."

––––––––

Two days later, Laura sent a message with news from ARC. "Alan, it looks like the Caldarian ambassador is going to help, but he doesn't think it will work. He will record a message for the base commander to surrender the base and his forces to 'The Alliance'. However, he does not believe such will work. If the free Caldarians even believe that any other Caldarians survived the destruction of their home planet, then they would have been captured by 'the enemy' and no longer to be trusted. So basically, he'll try, but thinks you're going to have to slug it out with them.

"He did mention that on bases such as this, you will not be dealing with soldiers, but more likely policemen or possibly slave drivers. Alan, he meant 'slave drivers' literally. The Caldarians used slaves, especially human slaves, liberally. I'm almost afraid to speculate on what that means for this base, but I did copy the message over to the Intel section there on the moon. With any luck, they will be able to help you plan your assault. I'm sorry I couldn't give you any better news. If you need anything else, just let me know; there is nothing like the nagging of a woman to get people moving on something. Good Luck!"

Alan snorted and shook his head at the last line. He didn't know her all that well, but she seemed like a really nice lady.

Paula, the architect, had done a remarkable job on the design for the buildings and underground facilities they would need for the Hawaiian base. She took the information Andreya could find about the resort and used that as a basic template at least for the exterior of the buildings and ran with it. The small Hawaiian base would be someplace Alan wouldn't mind serving at all.

The big drone was programmed and ready, Andreya had secured the appropriate permits and paid the fees, fines and taxes owed against the property. In her checks she uncovered a plot by a development company to get the property for back taxes. The county assessor had been paid off, and the taxes Dr. Juno thought he owed had been a tenth of what had been due. The plan had been for the property to be seized for owed taxes, then sold to the property management company for a fraction of what it was worth. Andreya not only paid up the taxes, she sent an anonymous report to the Hawaiian revenue service detailing the plot and naming the key players. She had made sure the taxes where paid directly to the revenue service so that the local assessor wouldn't be tipped off that the plot had been discovered.

Today, Alan and Andreya would be dropping the drone off to begin work and then jumping around the globe to visit an old friend of his; Sensei Michi Nokisuno. He had timed it so that he would drop off the drone at dusk. Once it was fully dark, it could and would work on the surface, but once the sun began to rise, it would move underground and work there. One of the first things it did was create a series of holographic 'maskers' that would make sure no one on the surface could see what it was doing at night. Hawaiian nights never really got fully dark unless the sky was overcast and even then it usually didn't last very long.

Once the big machine was dropped off and had scurried off to get busy, Alan and Andreya took off for the east coast of the mainland United States to wait for the morning, which wasn't really that long of a wait. Alan and Andreya parked the Poseidon and used one of the Terran modified Earth vehicles to get around, and simply went to a truck stop near their destination to have breakfast and wait for morning.

When they entered the cafe, Andreya guided them over to a booth that was already occupied by two men. They both smiled up at her as she turned back to Alan. "Alan Carlson, this is John and Robert Swan. Gentlemen, this is Alan Carlson." She paused. "Alan, they work for Janet Laskar."

"Oh! I forgot that we were meeting you guys here!" Alan admitted. "I've been so focused on the other stuff I had to get going I just spaced it out. At least Andreya remembered!"

"Not a problem, Mr. Carlson. At least you made it here, that's what actually counts!" Robert replied.

"Call me Alan," he said as he shook hands with the men. Both asked him to call them by their first names as well.

"So, Alan, what can you tell us about the gentlemen we will be visiting today?" John asked.

Alan chuckled, "You could probably tell me more about him than I ever knew!"

"Probably, but nothing beats the personal impression. How you describe him is almost as important as what you tell us. It gives us an insight into the person we are recruiting," Robert replied. "We get to see him through your eyes, not just from the cold facts."

"Ah, I understand," Alan replied. The waitress arrived to take their order so the conversation lapsed for a few moments. When she left, Alan told the pair about the man he knew. He admitted that it had been a few years, but he honestly couldn't see Sensei Nokisuno changing all that much.

"I doubt he has either. From what you have told us about him, he is a very level headed, and reasonable person." Robert replied but he was frowning. "John, there is something odd about this, though. Sensei Nokisuno will join us, but won't be alone. However, I can't get a single image of the other person."

John looked at his brother closely. "It isn't one of those 'ghosts' we were told to look out for is it?"

Robert quickly shook his head. "No, there won't be any problems with this person, I just can't tell you who it is. By the way, yes, the trucking team you mentioned earlier will join us; through them we will gain three more couples. All will be freighter pilots. You need to go speak to them soon though."

"Okay, I think you should probably explain what just happened to Alan and Andreya while I go handle this other matter. Uh, Alan, when you return to Phoenix, would you be willing to take a couple of extra people with you?" John asked.

"Sure, you're both precogs aren't you?" Alan asked. "That's how you know who to approach to recruit."

"You guessed it," Robert replied as John excused himself to go speak to a man and woman that looked to be truckers. "What we do usually freaks people out the first time we do it in front of them. Of course, we knew you two would be safe. For the record, I'm the precog; John is a human lie detector and clairvoyant."

"What's the difference between a precognitive and a clairvoyant?" Alan asked.

"Precogs can see into the future somewhat. Clairvoyants can see other places either in the past or the present. Both of our abilities have some conditions with them, for example, John has to be speaking to the person to use his lie detector. He has to touch something or someone related to the object or place he wants to view. In my case, I needed you to focus your thoughts on Sensei Nokisuno in order for me to 'find' his time line." Robert explained. "Mrs. Laskar, who is the most powerful precog we know of, doesn't need any focus, she just sees things before they happen, usually only major events though. She'd be insane if she could see everything."

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C
entreville, Virginia

United States

North American Continent

Planet Earth, Sol System

Sol Sector

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T
he small group remained at the truck stop outside of Centreville, Virginia for a bit longer than Alan thought they would. It turns out that John had indeed gotten the interest of the couple. They were a married 'sleeper team' that drove independently. They were having more and more difficulty finding loads to keep the truck moving. If the truck didn't move, they didn't make any money. They had been considering selling their truck and going back to work for one of the larger transportation companies when John approached them.

It took a little convincing for the pair to believe him, but in the end, they agreed to park the truck for a week and see exactly what John was offering them. Of course, John had to pay them to park the truck since they still had bills to pay, but he was authorized to do things like that when it was needed. The Terrans still had companies set up that could be used as fronts for things like this. In fact, the original company that Ian had set up for the community in New Mexico was still a viable company, although it was being watched like a hawk and any activity was ruthlessly investigated.