The Monkey and Squirrel fight for freedom. (23 page)

Carl's suspicion had been right, it’s a cold blooded attitude, there are women and children on that carrier. It was reportedly a very nice environment in the core habitat zone of the carrier probably why they had signed on. Now for group captain John Hampton’s report to command. The carrier had resumed course for Jupiter, in a sort of zig zag spiral with two people on every sensor station. The captain insisted that a flight of bombers with the anti-fighter load, patrol out in front, apparently fuel wasn’t that big a concern any more. Also the core factory units were making anti-fighter missiles for those bombers, supplying them at cost to the mission, invoice attached.

Nice of them, that suicide dive on the carrier had obviously changed some minds there. The report continued they had managed to salvage some weapons from the wreckage. Now the bombers all had at least one secondary weapon each, more for their confidence than anything else. I wonder how he's taking the video. Better finish these reports.

Chapter18

The Carrier arrives at Jupiter

John Hampton having watched the video, was going through the sensor records of the area it must have been recorded from. He had found nothing on the cameras, passive sensors, nothing from the radars and ladars. He'd put the technical team on it, they were running all-sorts of enhancement and analytical programs. They suddenly gave a cry of triumph, got it the little S O B. More formally

“Sir we have found the platform” they then gave a technical explanation he didn't understand, ending with

“It's some sort of long range probe it could have been out there a long time. Impossible to detect in real time, it is the best stealth system we have ever encountered, it is most impressive”.

“Never mind that” John roared “see if it’s still out there.”

A few days later, they came with the results,

“We have taken several samples, one for each of the last five days, we have managed to streamlined the process, and have got it down to ten hours for a whole sky survey. It was there until two days ago, we just happen to catch it on the edge of our sensor range it appeared to be headed towards Jupiter, it wasn't here today.” reported the techs.

“Good work, now get that time down, I want a survey at least twice a day, we need to know if they’re out there watching us.” commanded John.

It went very quiet, he looked at their faces, they looked resentful, he realised they had been expecting praise for their achievement. He knew he had no idea of the scale of their achievement, or the hours they had put into getting it, still he couldn't change tack now.

“Do you understand the importance of the task?” He asked them.

“Yes sir.” They replied snapping to attention.

“Dismissed.” He snapped, groaning inside they'll get over it, but they must be really pissed with me, technical section normally only stood to attention on parade. When they did otherwise, it was not good, it probably meant that his office would be plagued with a host of tiny untraceable irritations. The command centre would be free of them, they were professionals after all, but he couldn't spend all his time in there.

The techs found a drone every other day, watching just at the edge of sensor range. The technical team came to the conclusion it was allowing them to get a glimpse. They Checked the same time of day as the last sighting, there it was same time every day in a different part of the detection sphere. This news did nothing to calm the Group Captain, who had his men in the simulators in ever nastier scenarios.

They passed the point where he had originally expected to meet opposition; the only thing that changed was they didn't detect the drone any more. They entered the edge of the system, one of the missile ships, as the crews had renamed them, was hit from behind by a powerful laser strike. Partially vaporising the engines, the crew were lucky it didn't explode. Another missile ship fired two missiles back up the laser track, by the time they passed the point of origin, the drone was long gone.

The damaged vessel was towed back to the carrier, to see if it could be repaired. The next attack came two days later, it was on the carrier main engine. Two of the fighters stationed around the carrier were able to fire back along the weapon track, and they were rewarded with a brief glow. The probe observed this energisation of its exhaust track. Calculating that it had to wait a minimum of a week for its next attack's chance of survival to be above sixty percent. Its engagement parameters normally required odds better than eighty percent, the value of disabling the carriers main engine was assessed as worth the higher risk.

On the carrier there was a lot of frustrated anger, John Hampton understood this he had it himself and he knew the tactics. Hit the enemy to keep them off balance, with sniping attacks to sap their morale, until your forces are ready for the kill. Great he thought to himself not only did they read the book, they're applying it but in a just inhuman enough way to make them unpredictable.

He pounded his desk with his fists until he felt a bit better, and then looked up at his new second in command, who had that questing look on her face. John could almost see her thoughts,

'has the skipper lost it, is time to fetch the doctor and his tranquilliser gun.'

“It’s OK Wendy just venting my frustration on the desk rather than on the men, I can’t afford to damage morale. Especially after that last attack it is going to take them a minimum of three years to repair the main engine, the auxiliary manoeuvring engines use the same fuel but only provide a tenth of the power.” John said.

“I can see the benefits for the enemy, it slows our advance and we can’t run away. The phrase sitting duck does aptly describe our situation, but it’s not a comfortable feeling.” Said wing commander Wendy Glendower.

“Take the prize for understatement of the year, sorry I just want to find something I can fight, take over I’ll be in the fitness centre if I’m needed.”

A month later they had scouted the system, in flights, when scouts had gone out in pairs they occasionally disappeared. And there was nobody home; if they had ever been there they had gone.

“They’re not here, we’ve been had, the whole thing was just a diversion and we’re stuck here until we’re resupplied and the engines fixed. With that bloody drone; sniping at us when it feels like it to relieve the boredom.” Exploded John.

“What are you thinking it’s an A.I. that can get bored, sir?” asked wing commander Wendy Glendower with a straight face.  

John looked at her, wondering is she joking, taking the piss or serious? then said,

“I was referring to our boredom; I generally don’t ascribe personalities to machines, especially one I’d like to get a clear shot at. There has to be more than one, we may only ever see one at a time but I don't see how it could best two fighters on its own. I initially sent them out in pairs, but we lost six fighters before we found any wreckage.

They duped us again because we only ever saw one drone we assumed there was only one. They are having a good laugh at our expense, over there by Saturn or wherever they are. They laid a false trail through booby trap ally and we duly walked into every one confident that we were superior to a bunch of jumped up monkeys. They’re not monkeys though are they, they’re fiendish enemy aliens.” said Group captain John Hampton

“I understand your mind set now sir, I take it we will be providing escorts to the Chinese exploration craft?” asked Wendy.

“Yes the captain of the carrier made it plain if we want fuel, parts and missiles we have to protect them while they find and mine the raw materials. He also didn’t hide how happy he was that no battle was in prospect for the foreseeable future. He did offer to make a start for Saturn as soon as they had mined enough to resupply, but in the carriers current condition the trip would take about fifty years. As they couldn’t work on the engine under way.” explained  Group captain John Hampton.

“The drones should run out of fuel eventually, but no doubt they will send in replacements just to keep spying on us if nothing else sir.” optioned Wing Commander Wendy       

“Or they could have a refuelling station, hidden out here somewhere, probably on one of those rocks rolling round the outer system.” speculated John.

“A very small needle in a very large haystack, do you want the technically team to work on narrowing it down sir.” asked Wendy.

“Yes, it'll keep them busy until we have something else for them to do. I'll prepare my report and requests for resupply. Better get the men used to the idea we're here for a long time, then it's off to Saturn to confront the enemy.” instructed  Group captain John Hampton resignedly.

“Sir I think you should relax the rules on relationships.” suggested Wendy.

“Why? We already permit off duty fraternisation.”

“I'm not talking about comfort sex sir. Nearly half your men are in fact women, if you think about it, our mission means it is going to be many years before we can return home. That will close the reproductive window of most women under your orders, when we set out on this mission everyone expected to be home within twelve years.” explained Wendy.

“You’re talking babies, on a warship?” Group captain John Hampton interrupted looking more than a bit startled.

“That's it, it's not really a warship is it, in the core there are over a hundred families. They have excellent maternity and child care provision, apparently they expected something like this would happen, so provided for it. They are even prepared to offer Chinese citizenship, to those who need to escape your wrath, Sir.” explained Wendy.

“What a propaganda coup for them if that happened, can they cope with those exposed to high radiation?” asked Group captain John Hampton.

“That's a total of twenty two percent of your remaining men, the Chinese can do a gene screen on the embryo, it means in-vitro fertilisation. But they have the facilities and the only one who apparently doesn't  know about their offer, is you sir.” detailed Wendy.

“That is decision I'll need to sleep on for a few days, but it definitely won't be permitted within the fighter or missiles ship crews. If the men are to form themselves into family units it will be between flight crew member and ground crew member. That much I’m certain about.”

“I understand sir, thank you sir.” said Wendy.

“I'm going to the fitness centre, take over.” instructed John.

Chapter 19

The long wait

Major Johnson read Group Captain John Hampton’s report for the command group, it was big on demands, and you could almost smell the anger and frustration behind it. Not just more fighters, much more powerful fighters. Also weapon improvements that could be made in the carrier’s factories, so they could stand a chance against these bloody drones. If Group captain John Hampton sent his fighters out on patrol in less than a flight they got ambushed by drones half the time, so he couldn’t risk it.

He then listed the losses due to the drone actions, it was his conclusions that interested Carl particularly. John's thoughts on how the enemy would be building up their forces and improving their weapons, now they had done the field tests of their almost certainly unmanned prototypes. His expectation was that they would continue to be harried by drones until they closed on the next target. Where his forces would be met by a minimum of one hundred enemy fighters with missile defence systems and improved weapon systems.

To even the odds going up against that sort of force, he would like at least three carriers stuffed with the most deadly fighters man could build. The lowest force he could contemplate would fill all his empty bays with two fighters in each, the design needed to be slimmed down anyway to make it more fighter like.

The suggested modification of the existing fighter frame, required removing some modules altogether and repositioning others. Removing the weapons specialist position and slaving the weapon controls to the pilot and navigator positions, reduced mass by nearly a third, making it a harder target and improved its endurance.

Some of his ‘ground crew’ had offered the rebuild plan, he had authorised conversion of one fight, it had proved successful and the pilots liked it. The rest were being converted and he had set his ‘ground crew’ the task of finding a way to build more without converting the bombers. Retraining was under-way so he could use them all.

The next bit made Carl do a double take, he was permitting romantic involvement between his personnel, with strict limitations. Non on the same team and non between flight crew, they were limited to ground side only relations, as he didn’t want to risk children losing both parents. This concession was only being granted due to the very extended nature of the mission.

Of course, Carl thought it’s taken them three years to get there. It will take at least three years before we can get any help there and that’s only if the Chinese help out with transport again. They do have that new larger mining habitat that’s nearly read to go, they’ll most likely jump at the chance to turn the Jupiter system into a Chinese colony. Gambling that the drones will only attack the carrier and its attack craft.

It must make those crews very apprehensive knowing that out there just waiting for an opportunity, is an invisible enemy that strikes then disappears until the next opportunity. Just having Charlotte Thatcher on the same planet gave him a similar feeling; better stop thinking along those lines or it’ll be another home early day.

Tman and Chatty were chatting about the latest Earth news,

“The Chinese didn’t take much persuading to take their mining habitat to Jupiter to resupply the human carrier! Ambitions for a permanent Chinese colony at Jupiter do you think?” asked Chatty.

“Do objects with mass have gravity, certainly they will, now they know it’s nearly free of hostilities, almost certainly will be once that carrier leaves. A point in their favour is they haven’t modified the engine, being twice the size it has lower acceleration it will take five years to get to Jupiter. Longer if they stop accelerating, to test the fighters they’ll be assembling on route.” signed Tman.

Just straight forward opportunism, like that resort habitat they're building in the asteroid belt. With all those miners living in cramped unpleasant mining vessels, a captive market. Why waste a year getting to a planet and back, when you have a virtual paradise on your doorstep, space, privacy and lots of new faces. What do you think of their new designs?” asked Chatty.

“The habitat is just an improvement over the first ones they made, providing repair, servicing and fuel for visiting ships. The resort is also a variation of their standard model, with the full range services provided including a fun fair with crazy golf. The projection system helps the illusion of being planet side being the main attraction for the miners I'd think. But with the hotel capacity they have, they could be planning a tourist industry.

The new fighter design should be much more effective than the original, but our fighter drones will still out range them. The new rail guns that are in transit to the carrier are very close to our specification. But if they get close enough for a rail gun duel they'll really be pushing us; our fighters still win on weapon range and endurance.” answered Tman.

“Do you think they'll still come?” asked Chatty.

“They'll come, we'll meet them half an AU out with a couple hundred fighters with drones, if they get passed them, our homes fire up their engines and leave. Ten exploitation vessels are being totally rebuilt as carriers, with new powerful engines so they can go any where the fighters need to go. Providing repair and rearming, but retaining the flexibility to be used in many ways.

The current plan has them following slowly to act as a rearguard, there will be ten thousand drones left in system powered by the fusion reactor plus a hundred fighters to create a system wide killing zone. But it's a plan I don't think we'll need, with the drones deployed it's very unlikely that the fighters themselves will be engaged.” explained Tman.

“We have that many fighters?” asked Chatty.

“We currently have one hundred and sixty eight, by the time that habitat gets to Jupiter it should be three hundred and twelve fighters, twenty two thousand fighter drones, sixteen hundred scout drones and seven hundred and fifty ultra long range stealth probes at current rates of production.” answered Tman.

“That should be enough to hold them off, meeting them with two hundred fighters that far out should intimidate them sufficiently to turn back?” asked Chatty.

“That's the idea, we don't actually want to kill them, but we don't let them get here if it's at all possible to stop them, even if that means total destruction of their force.” signed Tman grimly.  

“Then wouldn't it be better to use more of the fighters?” asked Chatty.

“We have to cover the back door, we always can run if necessary, while running our homes would be dependent on their own defences and drones, if we have extra fighters they should stay with the homes.” replied Tman.

“You certainly are up to date with the defence effort; does this come with being involved with the engine project?” asked chatty.

“Yes, a team formed round the idea, we had brain storming sessions, some of my ideas were shot down in flames, our young don't overdo the hero worship. Others were embraced, and we boiled our ideas down to a few trial designs. The tests have validated two types, so we're putting one of each into the new stealth drones to test long term reliability.” answered Tman.

“Apart from the engine what else is new about them?”

“They have three banks of capacitors so the weapon can be fired three times in quick succession. After that it has to wait a minimum of six minutes for the weapon to cool, and twenty minutes to fully recharge the capacitors, it can be fired from the thirty percent charge those six minutes allow, the kill range is effectively halved, it can also deliberately step down the power to allow for mission flexibility.

The old drone could use half power so it had a maximum of two shots per engagement. The mission plan is we send them off on their own to Jupiter to harass the human carrier for as long as possible. Aiming to minimise killing, but maximise damage, disruption and irritation picking days and targets a random.” enthused Tman.

“I not eager to kill them myself, but how will not killing discourage them?” asked Chatty.

“If you kill a few, the rest get angry, but knock out a fighters engines, the crew has to be rescued, it maximises disruption and undermines confidence. Keep it up for more than a few days they start to feel vulnerable and depressed. It's also a practical test for the drones that will give a lot of feedback on all aspects of our design and serves a useful end in its own right.” explained Tman.

“That's just to keep you busy until the telemetry results are complete?” asked Chatty.

“We'll continue to brain storm and refine our designs; make grown up versions for the fighters to try out. If the trials are a success, the new design goes into our new fighter production, also retrofitted to the existing fighters during routine maintenance. The trial size engine goes into all stealth and scout drones, the fighter drones are too small and use chemical engines, ultimately usable as missiles if necessary.” answered Tman.

“That's it then, we meet  the human force with an overwhelming force of our own. Its just seems so primitive and unimaginative, like hitting each other with clubs until one or other has had enough.” observed Chatty.

“This is humanity’s game we're forced to play, until we can change the game, they set the rules. On a happier note Centauri one is going well it should pass Neptune's orbit in October. We have loads of good performance data, the astronomic data so far just confirms the instruments are working very well. What we have learned so far is being included in interstellar experiment two, its the last one we'll bother sending round Jupiter, as they're coming here next, there's no point in hiding any more.” signed Tman.                            

“You've made a lot of progress on your projects, are you getting any sleep?” asked Chatty.

“This new engine project is my work now! After the two years I spent in hospital, my old team was so used to copping without me, there really wasn't a place for me. Chamber wants this project producing quickly they made it my new job.” replied Tman.

“Do you know how the small fusion reactor project is coming along?” enquired Chatty.

“They were having problems with the high energy particles eroding the arrays, they are having to install magnetic containment to stop that. But it does lend it's self to the fusion drive, we feed reaction mass into the magnetic containment, where its energised by the lasers, triggering fusion. Then the accelerator pulls the energised residue in, and drives it out at a high percentage of the speed of light. It makes a great engine, but not a brilliant power source, you can only use it effectively when the engine is running. The fusion team are happy though as it is the sort of problem they were expecting to have, and relish getting their teeth into.” reported Tman.

“Does the large version suffer from the particle damage?” asked Chatty.

“Yes, but its sheer size helps as a buffer, relatively simple magnetic traps steer them to venting points, very few get left behind to do damage, it could run for two hundred years without a major problem.” replied Tman.

“But it's on standby until we have a use for it, how long does it take to start up?”asked Chatty.

“Normal start up sequence an hour, crash start twenty minutes.” replied Tman.

“The crash is start part of the defence plan?” asked Chatty.

“Yes, I can't think of another occasion where we would need it that quickly. Let’s talk about something more cheerful, you're following the processor replacement program how is that going?” asked Tman.

“Quite well seventy seven monkeys and nine hundred and sixty four squirrels have received them so far, the brain surgical team have now trained a second one, that has just been approved to carry out the procedures required for the monkey processors. It’s slow but certain; when we have ten teams progress will be relatively rapid.” reported Chatty.

“I'm not sure I want my skull opening up and bits inside being swapped.” signed Tman.

“But this time you'll be anaesthetised when they're doing it, not merely immobilised.” reassured Chatty.

“All the same excuse me if I don't rush to get it done.”       

“I won't, but I will push off now I need to get some sleep, until next time.”

“Next time.” signed Tman.

Centauri one passed Neptune’s orbit, in January 2114 as it entered the Kuiper belt, number two, called Barnard was sent on its way to Barnard's star, via Jupiter and the sun.

In early April the carrier detected interstellar experiment two as it accelerated passed, the carrier went to red alert for three days, then gradually returned to normal.

A Chinese holiday company had started offering ten day space package holidays, three days on a habitat, a five day trip to the moon including two days on a moon base. A day on the other habitat before returning to Earth on the last day, it had proved itself popular. Trial trips to Mars were not well received, the reviews said it all, 'an exhausting trip in cramped conditions and when you get there you could be on the moon, yes the gravity is higher and it does have weather of a sort, but it is so similar an experience for the visitor, it's just not worth the time and money, to make it worthwhile you need an exciting unique experience, this is not it' was the tone of the reviews.

Jimmy and Dodgy Dave were studying all the available data on the probe. Looking for hints on how the powerful but very efficient thrust was achieved, the specific impulse of the thrust had been measured and the mass ejected per second estimated. The entire range of results with the uncertainty band had given efficiencies of between twice and four times the best of current human designs.