Condition Zero, page 19
part #6 of The Earth Saga Series
When the shooting had stopped the previous day, the President had requested access to the site, but General Wilkinson had insisted that a pause was required before any non-military personnel could visit the site, regardless of rank. Now, as he strolled among the spent casings, discarded weapons and destroyed Abrams tanks, George Bednarik felt a sense of emptiness in the pit of his stomach. He had been through a lot in the last few months. Aliens and the destruction they had wrought on the planet. His wife’s cancer. It hadn’t been easy. He was hoping that everything was now at an end.
“Have you read this report from Colonel Hunt?” Zach North, the National Security Advisor, asked.
Bednarik didn’t respond but continued on his slow walk towards what was left of the Barrier Generator, still protruding almost sixty metres up from the ground.
“I have.” The Chief of Staff replied. “Not good.” Nick Beaudrot said calmly.
“Go on.” Bednarik instructed.
Zach cleared his throat, then looked at the unfolded piece of paper in his hand. “In addition to the destruction of the cities we are already aware of, it would seem that there has been widespread chaos reigning over large sections of the planet since the Coalition attacked.”
“Not a surprise.” Bednarik said.
“No, not counting the damage and infrastructure, loss of life, and all other calamities, one piece stands out.” Zach continued. “The report states that upwards of one million people from Australia were rounded up, and taken off the planet, and then sold as slaves.”
Bednarik stopped in his tracks. “What?” He paused. “Jesus.”
“Tracking them all down and returning them to Earth will not be easy.” Nick Beaudrot added.
“The Coalition officer who sold them is dead, and Colonel Hunt says they haven’t tracked down the dealer yet.” Zach said.
Bednarik rubbed his chin with his left hand, surveying the windswept field he was standing on. Other than the carnage from the previous day’s fight, the place was almost serene. Turning about, he addressed his aides.
“There is nothing I can do from down here.” He pointed towards the blue sky with his finger. “I need to get up there.”
Nick and Zach looked at each other.
“Get me Doctor Beck.”
“You want to go up to the Seven?” Doctor Beck asked.
“I do.” The President replied.
Beck looked at Star Guard Hulo. “What do you think?”
“Admiral Taark put Colonel Hunt in temporary command, I believe he would allow you up to the ship, Mr President.” The lizard-like alien replied.
“Excellent.” The President said. “I trust you can make the arrangements.”
Keegan Beck looked at the President, then at the Star Guard, then around the room that was filled with First Infantry officers, members of the Blue Team from the TSG and several members of Tohil Industries, most notably, John Robert, who was smoking silently in the corner. His gaze finally returned to the President.
“I’m sure I can, sir.”
“I would like to tag along, Doctor.” John Robert shouted from the corner of the room.
Keegan looked at the ground and shook his head. “You do realise that Colonel Hunt might kill you when he sees you?”
“I’ll take that chance.” John Robert replied.
“We’d like a ride back star-side.” Added Master Sergeant Santini, the Blue Team leader.
“Of course.” Keegan looked around the room. “Anyone else need to go to outer space?”
Several hands shot up into the air.
“Fine.” Keegan turned around and stormed out of the room. Once he was five metres down the hallway of the headquarters, he cursed himself. “Mother fuckers want to go on a field trip.” He stuck his hand in his pocket and felt the device that contained his wife’s brain. It was almost all he could think of. That and his kid.
It didn’t take Keegan long to get to the communications room that had been set up by Guard Lak for secure communications with Alliance ships in orbit. The door was guarded by two of Hulo’s men, who let Keegan pass. Inside the room, there was nothing more than a monitor, and a pad to stand on for three-dimensional projection communications.
Keegan stood on the pad and waited for a contact menu to be displayed. The options were limited to the Seven and Star Guard Hulo. Selecting the Seven, Keegan waited until an alien face appeared on the monitor.
“Doctor Beck.”
The communications tech recognised him.
“Colonel Hunt, please.” Keegan requested.
Keegan waited on the pad until Joe Hunt’s face appeared on the screen. He looked less relaxed than Keegan expected.
“Keegan, what’s up?”
“I need transportation up to the Seven.”
“For just yourself?”
“I’ve got a flock with me.” Keegan replied.
“Right. I’ll have something down to you shortly.” Joe replied and cut the channel.
Keegan stepped back off the pad, turned around and stared blankly at the wall.
“Fuck it.”
Stepping back on the pad, Keegan waited until the communications tech reappeared.
“Colonel Hunt again.” Keegan requested.
“Forget something?” Joe asked.
“I need an armed shuttle and a ground force.” Keegan stated.
“What for?”
“I need to find my kid.”
Joe took a deep breath. “Keegan, I want to check on my parents too.”
“My kid is five, Joe.”
There was a pause, and Keegan’s heart felt like it was slowing down. His wife was dead, he needed to know about the fate of his child.
“Major Tattersall!”
Keegan kept his eyes on the monitor as he watched Joe shout to someone out of view.
“I need a strike team and an armed shuttle seconded to Doctor Beck at once.” Joe turned back to the monitor. “You’ll get it once you’re back aboard the Seven.”
Keegan stepped off the pad and sat down on the floor and started to cry. He was going to find his kid. And he was glad he wasn’t going to be there when Joe killed John Robert in cold blood.
86-Asiatana
Il Rotana led Admiral Taark onto the bridge of the Grand Marshall’s command ship in orbit of Asiatana in what she thought was a good time. Admiral Taark had been polite the entire journey and had even allowed Rotana, Rasser, Sasa and Hubtar to accompany him as guests to the senior officer's mess hall while refuelling at AnBarn Central, quite an experience.
The bridge of the Grand Marshall’s command ship was quiet, except for some low voices huddled around the planning station in one corner of the bridge where the Grand Marshall was holding court. He quickly spotted Rotana and her charge and made his way over.
“I see you brought the Admiral as requested.” He never looked at Rotana when speaking. “Very well, Master Grade, stand down, but be ready to deploy back down to the surface for the next round of peace talks.”
Il Rotana didn’t say anything. She took a step backwards, turned around and moved off. Hubtar, Rasser and Sasa followed behind her in silence.
“Well, old friend.” The Grand Marshall took a step closer to Taark. “You really are a pain.”
“My apologies, Grand Marshall.”
“Aide!” The Grand Marshall barked, and a young officer ran over. “The following is an immediate directive for fleet-wide notification and for fleet command on Mella II by my authority as head of the Fleet Security Directorate. Official, Admiral Taark relieved of 7th Fleet, effective immediate.”
Taark let out a sigh.
“Official, Admiral Taark assigned to command 6th Fleet. Congratulations, you are now responsible for securing the Reach, and that includes that planet where you had your little escapade.” He looked at the aide. “Official, Admiral Taark will retain command of the Seven.” He looked at the aide. “Disappear.”
The aide turned and moved off.
“You understand this is a punishment?” The Grand Marshall asked, a small smile on his face.
“I do, Sir.”
“Fathergass will not be happy.” The Grand Marshall said. “He loved commanding 6th Fleet.”
“I am sure his next assignment will be equally rewarding.” Taark replied.
The Grand Marshall shook his head. “Aide!”
The aide returned at a sprint. “Official for fleet-wide broadcast, all units, all station. No Alliance ship is to approach the Borders without authorisation from the 6th Fleet commander.” He waved his hand, and the aide disappeared again.
“I didn’t think the 6th Fleet was responsible for Border security.” Taark said.
“They weren’t, but with this cease-fire in place, I’m putting you in charge of ensuring that none of our ships enter Pohjois territory and keeping them out of the Borders is a good start.” The Grand Marshall said. “Anyone who has a Border system in their regular patrol zone, let them maintain that, but otherwise, I do not want to risk fucking up peace when we have a real chance at it.”
Taark nodded. “I’ll need a staff.”
“You’ve got 6th Fleet staff on Knoir.”
“They’re rejects.”
“They’re what you’ve got.” The Grand Marshall shot back. “Go back to Terra, clean up that system, then get to Knior and set up your headquarters. Bring whomever you want from 7th Fleet in to help you.”
“Who are you having replace me?” Taark asked.
“What about your deputy?”
Taark shook his head. “Too much drink and fornicating.”
“Then?”
“Commodore Smid.”
“I don’t know him.”
“Commander of the 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron. Reliable.”
“Quite a jump from Commodore to commanding a fleet.” The Grand Marshall noted. “Is he up to it?”
“I think so.”
“Good. Before you go, one final thing.”
Taark leaned in.
“Where in the name of all that is holy is the Five?” The Grand Marshall asked.
87-The Five
The table in the command room was filled. The Ship Master, Ship Master Junior Grade Val-Lar, Admiral Rasanna and all the heads of the various science departments, and of course, Doctor Rhea Stokes. Behind those seated at the table other department assistants and other techs. The room was full.
Ship Master Jalei stood up at the end of the table and placed clasped his hands at his waist. “There are two things that we know for certain.” He raised one hand. “First, we are roughly sixty-thousand light years from Traxis.” He let the information set in. “The Inter-Dimensional Rift, or whatever it was, has somehow sling-shot up far away from the Etelainen.” He lowered his hand and touched the table lightly. “And secondly, it is believed that the object directly in front of this ship is what Doctor Stokes has referred to as a Dyson Sphere, which would account for its size.” Ship Master Jalei sat back down and looked over the room. “Questions?”
Val-Lar, the officer that had been liaising with the humans for some time, spoke first. “If we are where you say we are, what are our options to get home?”
Jalei looked over at his senior engineer.
The Master Engineer shook his head. “If we jumped the ship as far as it could jump, roughly 1500 light years, we would require forty jumps, without taking into account resupplying fuel, wear and tear on the jump-drives or engines.” He shook his head, then brought his hands up. “This ship is huge, and requires massive amounts of power to run, one of the reasons they’ve been in the docks for so many years, and considering the Fives age, things are going to start breaking down rapidly.” He dropped his hands, then looked over to the Master Doctor.
“And I’m not sure what the medical implications of that many consecutive jumps on the body would be.” She added.
Jalei raised his hand. “So, as of now, jumping back is not an option.” He nodded, then looked to the science team and Admiral Rasanna. “What do you make of the Dyson Sphere?”
“If it is, in fact, a Dyson Sphere, then this represents the greatest scientific find in history.” Rasanna said. “This tech could be several thousand years more advanced than anything we have.”
“What are you leaning at?” Val-Lar asked.
“I’m suggesting, that given the opportunity, we investigate whatever this is.” Rasanna leaned back in her chair. “This is too big an opportunity to pass.”
“I agree.” Rhea interjected. “I know that we had a mission, to liberate Terra, but this.” She pointed at the image of the Dyson Sphere that was displayed on the wall. “Is too important.”
Jalei smiled. “I have arrived at the same conclusion.” He looked around the table. “We will stay here and investigate this phenomenon.”
Rhea sat back and closed her eyes, wondering if she’d ever see her home again.
88-Asiatana
Walking through the lush woods of Asiatana, the Grand Marshall felt at peace. It had been a long war. His entire career. He had joined the Alliance forces a decade after the war had started, and since then he hadn’t looked back. No real lovers, no family to speak of. It was all honour and duty. Sometimes he considered himself a fool for spending his life in the service, but what else would he have done. His father died while in the Imperial Fleet covering the evacuation of Jarosis on the first day of the war. The Pohjois had killed the man he loved most in the world, and now he was making peace with them.
Il Rotana was walking ten metres behind him as his only protection. The Grand Marshall wasn’t expecting trouble, but he knew his senior body-guard wouldn’t let him go down to the surface unaccompanied. He had left his Prime Operators on Mechcharga to hold the fort and protect his team there, he didn’t need anything stopping the peace.
Breathing in the fresh air, the Grand Marshall was rather content with how things under his regime were progressing. He had Mechcharga under control. His most trusted aides were on the planet running what he called the Fleet Security Directorate, or FSD for short. He had ensured that the FSD would take the place of the Princess at the top of the Royal Council and the Elders, and make sure that during the transition to the next government, nothing went wrong. The presence of the Primes helped to that end.
When he reached the clearing where Prince Salrugina was meant to meet, he found that a single figure was seated at the conference table, and it wasn’t the Prince. The figure had a green beard and wore the dress uniform of a member of the Coalition Insertion Teams.
“Team Leader.” The Grand Marshall shouted out. “I hope nothing is wrong with Prince Salrugina.”
Sinus Fu rose to his feet and bowed his head gently.
“The Prince is still recovering from the excitement of yesterday’s proceedings. He wished me to carry on, temporarily, in his absence.” Fu replied.
The Grand Marshall reached his chair but remained standing behind it. “I am not sure there is any purpose of continuing these negotiations unless you can make any decisions on his behalf.”
“I have been given clear instructions by the Prince on how to proceed with the peace talks, and he wants me to assure you that nothing has changed and that we are to proceed on the course that was laid out previously.”
The Grand Marshall nodded, then turned around and glanced at Il Rotana, who was moving towards the table quickly.
“Sir.” Rotana stopped less than a metre from the Grand Marshall. “If this is a trap, then Sinus Fu would be the one I would send to assassinate you.” She said at a whisper.
The Grand Marshall looked back to Fu, then back to Rotana. “He doesn’t appear to be armed.” He then looked at Rotana. “And you are here.”
Rotana shook her head. “He wouldn’t need a weapon, he’d just need to get his hands on you.”
“That’s what you are here for.”
Rotana looked over at Fu, then back to the Grand Marshall.
The Grand Marshall smiled. “You don’t know if you can take him.” He let out a laugh. “Team Leader.” He turned to face Fu. “Are you planning on killing me?”
“No, Sir.” Fu replied.
The Grand Marshall looked at Rotana. “Satisfied?” He pulled the chair back from the table and sat down. “Shall we begin?”
Sinus Fu waited for the Grand Marshall to take his seat, then returned to his.
“Where shall we begin, Sir?” Fu asked.
The Grand Marshall looked at his data-pad. “I can confirm that the action beyond the Reach involving our forces has come to a conclusion.”
Fu knew that remnants of the force that was stationed at Terra had already fled back into Pohjois territory. Estimates were that casualties were heavy.
“We can repatriate your forces in our custody within a few days” The Grand Marshall continued.
“Very kind.” Fu replied. He knew how space combat worked. Prisoners weren’t captured often, and they were seldom handed back.
“With regards to opening the Borders, I have appointed a new commander for that responsibility, and once he is given time to settle into the roll, I see no reason why our two cultures can’t start trade and travel across the Borders.”
“The Prince will welcome the news.” Fu replied.
The Grand Marshall moved in his seat, eyes locked on the male with the green beard. “Now what does the Prince want you to report to him today?” The Grand Marshall smiled. “What is it that he wants?”
Fu leaned forward. “Prince Salrugina requests that a peace accord be signed on Jarosis, marking the end of the war.”
The Grand Marshall hesitated before replying. “Is Jarosis safe to visit?”
Fu shook his head. “I do not know, but the Prince believes that it would carry significant weight if the peace treaty were signed there.”
“Jarosis.” The Grand Marshall said. His mind suddenly thought of his long-dead father. “Is the Prince a little nostalgic?”
“The Prince acknowledges that the war started on Jarosis, so that is where it should end.” Fu replied.
