Retreat And Adapt (A Galaxy Unknown) (18 page)

"Space Command doesn't have any authority outside GA space," Kathryn said.

"Actually, we do. We're not supposed to enter another nation without orders or permission, but open space is— well— open. In any event, we have orders to track the workers and find out what's going on. HQ also wants to know if the Uthlaro are involved with the Denubbewa and if the two things are related."

"The Uthlaro have always tolerated Terrans here because of their association with the Raiders," Brenda said, "but since the war they certainly don't trust any of us. How are we supposed to get one to open up and tell us where the workers have gone?"

"I don't know. I guess they expect us to use the superlative talents that got us into this wonderful line of work in the first place."

"I don't like this assignment already," Byers said. "I don't have any superlative talents except for cooking."

"You don't like anything," Nelligen said.

"Not true. I'm very partial to my new Crème Brulee dessert recipe."

"It's too sweet."

"Just sprinkle it with red and black pepper like you do everything else and you'll love it too."

"I'm not crazy about this new assignment myself," Vyx said, interrupting the verbal repartee and returning attention to the business at hand, "but orders are orders. Someone pass the mashed sweet potatoes and turkey platter, please."

~ September 25
^th
, 2286 ~

"If the new GA Senate complex isn't located on this island, it will be more difficult to defend, Admiral," Captain Graham Daltas, the architect heading the design effort, said. "And the weather on this island is perfect for year-round government operations. It's ideal for the Senate Complex."

"Captain," Jenetta said, "there are thousands of islands suitable for the GA Senate on this planet. Many enjoy the same temperate weather we have here, and I know the Senators will love whichever one we choose. When I laid claim to this planet on behalf of Space Command, I established a zone of exclusion that covers the entire solar system. Anyone who tries to enter the solar system without an invitation will learn that when we say, 'Stay away,' we mean it. Defense of the facilities is not a major consideration since it's unlikely that an enemy ship will ever get close to the planet. Select another."

"But Admiral, locating the complexes here will mean less travel time to the new Supreme Headquarters complex, which SHQ requires be located immediately next to the GAS."

"I don't think we should refer to the Galactic Alliance Senate as 'the GAS,'" Admiral Holt said with a chuckle. "I appreciate that it might be entirely appropriate at times, but I don't believe the senators will appreciate it."

"Yes, Captain," Jenetta said, "don't refer to the Senate as the GAS. I understand and appreciate your concern for my inconvenience, but newsies must have access to the Senate's complex, and I won't have them running around on this island, which is devoted solely to military operations and therefore limited to military personnel and civilians with a military clearance of top-secret or higher."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I do like the basic designs created by you and your staff, Captain. I especially like the amount of free space you've left near the complexes for future expansion. A one-hundred-kilometer-square space should be ample for the government bureaucracy as we expand our presence in Regions Two and Three. Planetary representatives will naturally seek to have their embassies located as close as possible to the senate complex, but we must reserve that inner zone of space exclusively for governmental operations. The high-speed travel system facilities you've designed will make everyone's commute a swift one. Locating sufficient shuttle pads in the government's space will allow Senators and their staffs to travel to and from the senate complex in minutes. The newsies and political hacks will no doubt object to their housing being two hundred kilometers away, but that's too bad."

"Thank you, ma'am. My people have worked hard to accommodate everyone's requirements."

"The island selected for the senate should be distant enough that our air traffic controllers can ensure that only authorized shuttles get within a thousand kilometers of this base."

"A thousand kilometers, Ma'am?"

"Yes. A thousand kilometers, Captain."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Continue your work, Captain, and report back when you have suggestions for which island we'll use."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Is there any new business for the Board today?" Jenetta asked the assembled members."

"Just before we convened, I was notified that the Flordaryns have sent an urgent message for assistance," Admiral Poole said. "I ordered the
Hephaestus
to Flordarya to look into the issue."

"What was the reported problem?"

"They claim that the Tsgardi are demanding their torpedoes be returned to them immediately rather than waiting until their ships are ready to depart."

Jenetta sighed. "The Tsgardi again! Why do they want their torpedoes back before their ship repairs are complete?"

"The Flordaryns say the Tsgardi have learned we've lost two of our ships, and they claim to be fearful that there might be someone who can defeat us. They want to be able to protect themselves if the aggressor shows up at Flordarya."

"That's Tsgardi logic for you. They know we could destroy them in an instant, and there's nothing they could do to stop us. Now they want their torpedoes back to help them against an enemy they believe might be even more powerful than us." Jenetta shook her head sadly before saying, "And the Flordaryns refused their request, I assume?"

"Yes, and the Tsgardi threatened to attack the planet with their laser arrays if the torpedoes were not immediately returned, at which point the Flordaryns informed them that their laser arrays had been disabled the first day the Flordaryns had access to their ships."

"I bet that wasn't greeted warmly."

"No, it wasn't. Then the Tsgardi refused to allow the technicians working aboard their ships to leave until the laser capability was restored
and
their torpedoes returned."

"Then?"

"The Flordaryns flatly refused. That's where things stood when the Flordaryns sent their appeal for help."

"Wonderful. I felt sure those Tsgardi were going to be a problem when they traveled outside their home system without permission. I should have had them towed home in their disabled condition."

"How stern do you want to be?"

Jenetta thought for a minute while everyone in the room looked on. "We don't want to risk the lives of the Flordaryn workers, but I won't continue to play games with these Tsgardi. They now have two strikes against them. One more and we'll toss them out of the game, permanently."

"You mean…?"

"Yes, I mean exactly that. If they harm even one Flordaryn worker, the kid gloves come off. We'll destroy those tissue paper ships of theirs and drop any survivors off on their home world as a lesson to the rest of the race. They've been warned repeatedly, and they seem incapable of understanding. Perhaps we need to destroy
all
their ships and leave them completely isolated on their world. The galaxy will be the better for it."

"They are sentient beings, Jen." Admiral Buckner said.

"That has often been a subject for heated debate. If they can't coexist peacefully with their neighbors, we'll see that they are unable to annoy or threaten them."

"Have you considered that the Tsgardi might be in league with the Denubbewa?" Admiral Holt asked.

Jenetta turned to look at him. "You think they might be?"

"Oh, not as a senior partner or even an equal partner. I was thinking that the Denubbewa might be using them as the Milori and Uthlaro used them. You know how revenge-minded the Tsgardi are. They'd love to see you— uh…"

"Yes, I know. Their senior officer at Flordarya, Admiral Kelakmius, as much as told me that when we were there. Do you really think they'd allow themselves to become the pawn of another race so soon after their last debacle?"

"I know that their current troublemaking would seem to be perfectly timed to function as a diversion."

"I admit I don't personally like the species, but I have trouble believing even they could be that dumb."

"Never overestimate the intelligence of an enemy. That assumption could help support a claim of innocence if they deny any involvement while evidence points to the contrary."

"This is beginning to look like the THUG pact."

"How so?" Holt asked.

"We have the Denubbewa, Ruwalchu, Uthlaro, and now the Tsgardi. Is it possible they're all involved?"

"It's not
im
possible."

"No, that's true. This is all so frustrating. I much prefer an enemy that announces their intentions and then comes straight at you."

"Yes," Holt said with a chuckle, "but I'm afraid that went out of style in the twentieth century when nations grew so powerful that aggressors didn't dare attack openly, or at least didn't announce their intentions before they commenced their attacks."

* * *

"Good morning, Admiral," Captain Barbara DeWitt said as she entered Jenetta's office in the Governor's Palace the next day.

"Good morning, Barbara. Fix yourself a beverage and join me in my informal area."

When both women were seated in comfortable chairs, Jenetta said, "Barbara, we need a new weapon. As you know, our Phalanx system is unable to defend our ships against the enemy missile barrage. Right now, all we can do is run away if we see them coming."

"Yes, Admiral. My staff has been brainstorming ideas, but every suggestion has the same weakness. We just can't get close enough to ensure delivery and survive the encounter. Unless we find a ship full of volunteers willing to die to complete the mission, we don't have a chance of success. Even if we did find those volunteers, there's no guarantee we'd succeed. We don't know the weaknesses of the enemy ships, so we may not cause enough damage to even slow them down."

"I realize that, so I've been trying to work out the details of a weapon that could allow us to bypass all their defenses without putting our people in harm's way, doesn't give them time to build an envelope and escape, can attack them even if they're traveling FTL, and is capable of destroying any ship we attack. I know this will sound crazy and impossible when you hear it, but I've given it a lot of thought and believe it's feasible. Of course, we may not know that until we build and test it."

"It sounds like the ideal weapon. We've always sought a weapon that can be used in FTL since lasers and torpedoes are useless. Can you give me the details?"

"This has to remain most secret. I'll relate all the details at the appropriate time."

"Of course, Admiral. I trust all of my people implicitly. Most have been with me for years, and there's never been a hint that anyone has passed secrets."

"I'm sure, but we can't risk an outside person even getting a suggestion of how the weapon will work. It has to be treated like the Manhattan Project during World War II. The people working on the weapon will be sequestered somewhere far from all other military and civilian personnel until after we make the first use of the weapon. That means no vidMail to loved ones and no contact with anyone outside of the project team."

"Where did you have in mind?"

"There's a small Marine base designated as a weapons-testing area but has never been used for that purpose. We'll use that for the duration of this project. There's a hangar where the weapon planning and construction can take place, a barracks, and a kitchen."

"When do we leave?"

"As soon as you can organize your people. Have them notify loved ones that they'll be out of contact for a while but not to worry. I'll give you forty-eight hours to prepare. Don't even tell them that they're going to the Marine base. Make sure they bring nothing that will allow anyone to track their movements or location."

"Yes, ma'am."

Once you're settled in at the base, I'll fly in and brief you and your team. You'll probably think my idea is nuts, but I've been mulling the problem over for months and this is all I've been able to come up with that doesn't require a suicide mission."

"That sounds encouraging. My people would give their lives for the good of the service, but they're not anxious to die."

* * *

Jenetta logged the flight as practice time and climbed into the cockpit of the Marine fighter reserved for her exclusive use after completing her walk-around. She had already briefed her protection detail regarding her destination and forbidden them to come within ten kilometers of the now off-limits Marine base. They would set their ships down just outside the perimeter and wait until she was ready to return to the SC base. The base had been restricted to all unauthorized flights, including flyovers.

It may have been a business trip, but Jenetta enjoyed it as much as any practice flight she had taken over the years. As usual, she took her ship down to the deck and stayed there until she approached the island that was her destination. When she received clearance to land, she wiped the grin from her face and began to prepare herself mentally for the briefing.

Captain DeWitt, upon learning that Admiral Carver had requested clearance to land at the base, immediately jumped into a driverless oh-gee vehicle and went to the flight line to greet her.

"Good morning, Barbara," Jenetta said as she climbed down from the cockpit. "All settled in?"

"My people are already getting antsy to start this new project, Admiral. They know that if you're directly involved, it's big."

"The biggest. Okay, let's head over to the hangar."

A few minutes later, Jenetta entered the hangar to a loud, "Admiral on deck." Everyone inside came to attention and held it until Jenetta said, "As you were."

"Okay, people, take your seats," a commander said, referring to the chairs arranged before a podium in the center of the hangar.

As everyone grabbed a chair, Jenetta strode to the platform and dropped a data ring over a small data spindle on the lectern.

"Good morning," Jenetta said, "Welcome to Project Gazebo. Don't look for any significance in the name; it was simply chosen at random. Our goal here is to develop a weapon capable of destroying the enemy ships that have been killing our people in this unannounced war. Most of you have seen the
Yenisei
, so you know what we're up against. The enemy has developed a weapon that can penetrate the Dakinium hull, then detonate a small nuclear device. The nuclear charge might be tiny, but without the protection afforded by the Dakinium, it's devastating. Furthermore, each enemy vessel appears able to fire approximately twenty thousand small missiles before having to pause to reload. All missiles can be fired simultaneously, so the Phalanx system is quickly overwhelmed and unable to provide adequate protection. As a result, we can't win in a shooting contest.