Alpha One: The Kronan (10 page)

It was a long walk to the academy this morning for Jake, Carla and Steve. Geometric Maths was a core subject that all students took in the final year and failure was not an option. Today was the first time all three had attended the same exam and they had all been together since the truth had come out about Jake and Carla’s relationship. Steve walked slightly ahead, he was with them physically, but he would rather have been light years away.

And that was what this was all about
, reasoned Steve.
The exams will soon be over and I will be free of both of them. They wanted to be friends. Like hell
, he thought
, they can keep each other.

They entered the exam hall, maintaining the silence that had pervaded the journey from Steve’s apartment. The students took their seats and waited for the invigilators to confirm that the examination had started.

He was not looking forward to this. He had struggled with Geometrics, throughout the school year, despite the extra tuition and help from Jake. Whether he could keep it all together on the day and remember the damn formulas was another matter. He knew the subject; it was just the application which was problematic. If he failed, it would have a major impact on his final grade: 8.2 could become 7.5 and with that kind of grade, he could kiss a decent posting goodbye.

Three hours later and the punishment had ended. The students left the exam room in silence and as Steve stepped outside Jake and Carla were waiting for him.
Here we go
, he thought.

“So, how was it Steve? Did you remember all those bloody formulae?”

“Yes, just about.” He lied.

“As long as you got that right, you should be fine.”

“Shall we go to the Refectory for a drink? It’s getting hot again!”

It was Carla who spoke this time and this simple basic action, sent shivers down Steve’s spine
. He had hardly seen her in the last week.

“Sorry, I am going to have to pass. I have to get back for some final cramming. I have two exams tomorrow. You guys go and have a drink and I will catch up with you later.”

Jake departed, leaving Steve and Carla alone together.

“Shall we walk?” Carla seemed her usual self,
bubbly, enthusiastic, and just plain gorgeous.

“Okay. I should probably do some studying myself.”

“Rubbish. You do not have an exam for two days and you have just done you hardest one. It’s about time we had a talk anyway.”

Here we go
, thought Steve.

“So, how are you Steve? Not about the exam, but in general?”

“How do you think I am? My best mate hooked up with my girlfriend behind my back and everything is supposed to be okay. I am apparently just expected to accept it.”

“I understand Steve, but Jake and I can’t help the way be feel about each other and this was bound to come out at some stage. Maybe it’s better now, it is in the open.”

“For who? I am sure it’s better for you. Actually I preferred things as they were before!”

“Steve, you and I finished a long time ago and nothing went on between me and Jake until after we split up. I don’t want this bitterness to continue, we need to be friends and part on good company. The exams will be over in a few days and then we can relax and wait for the results. Then, it’s party time!”

“I am sorry Carla. I don’t think I can do that! As you say, we will soon be clear of this place and we will be parting company. I see no reason to drag that process out. Let’s just call it a day now. And you can tell Jake the same thing; if I see him again, I am likely to punch him!”

Steve stormed off in the opposite direction. He was going to the Refectory to see Townsend.

That was it. The last exam was finished and now there was nothing. A week to relax and party and then relax and party again before the big day came, results, graduation and then posting.

It also meant was his last week with Carla. They had always known this, of course, but that did not make it any easier.
What chance was there of being anywhere near each other?
They had committed to each other, swearing it did not matter how far and how long apart they would be, they would remain together. One day, once career paths were established and it was time to do the right thing, they would be together again. That was the ideal. The reality was likely to be very different. The chances of them being posted in even the same quadrant of the galaxy was unlikely. If he managed to secure a JS posting aboard a ship of the line, he could be moving from one part of the galaxy to another in just a few days. Not the best undercurrent for a relationship. The truth was they both had a career path set out. They both wanted to move quickly up the echelons of Alpha to the highest possible level and that was the be all and end all. However, come what may, they committed to try to stay together and he for one had every intention of sticking to his pledge. He just hoped Carla did too.

Now, it was party time and the traditional end of exam bash at the Refectory was underway. All the students were in attendance. It was not compulsory but just one of those things you had to go to.

Jake was with Carla and they sat with four of their newly graduated colleagues: Maria Shavenosky, Simon Ward Anderson, Siobhan Maguire and Lydia Lyons. Steve joined them and it was clear already the alcohol took its toll as he flirted outrageously with Lydia Lyons.

Simon Ward Anderson was not known for his diplomacy and showed little respect for those in the academy who were likely to graduate with a ‘lower’ score. He grinned expansively as he realized Steve was there for the taking.

“So Steve, how was your Geometrics? If you fail, I don’t suppose Miss Lyons will continue to accept your affections?”

Steve was surprisingly controlled. “I am sure Lydia is not as transparent as you, staff officer Anderson. At least I can hold the interest of the opposite sex. Your graduation path through the Admin slush pile is not exactly interesting is it?”

Ward Anderson was slightly taken aback by Steve’s response, but wanted the last word, which was probably a mistake.

“Of course, the Jump Ship Graduate is really a different caste from the rest of us. Steve, I regret it’s likely within a month you will be cannon fodder, as with your grades they tell you where to go. A crying shame for a great talent.”

It was Jake’s turn to react this time.

“Simon, you realize that some JS graduates will score much higher than you!”

“Ah yes, Jake, but you are an exception. Steve’s grades will of course be very low. I doubt whether he will make it to the end of the year.”

Steve stood up. He was seeing red now. He took one-step towards Ward Anderson and delivered the biggest left punch, he could muster, knocking Ward Anderson across the table, in front of him, sending drinks flying and the table collapsing in a crescendo of smashing glass. Ward Anderson lay there unconscious, the glass from the table digging deep into his chest.

The medical team arrived promptly as did the security patrol. Ward Anderson was taken immediately to the campus emergency medical facility, where the medics removed several large pieces of glass from his chest. He was very lucky, as none had penetrated any major vessels. Steve was arrested and taken to the campus precinct. He was in big trouble—a second offence within a matter of weeks.

* * * *

Jake and Carla sat alone at the Refectory bar. Jake was in a reflective mood. He never liked Simon Ward Anderson.

“He had it coming!”

“He was just being Simon. Steve needs to control his temper and his drinking. He is a liability.”

“He probably won’t graduate now.”

“So are we going to come to his rescue again and try to keep this away from the tutor?”

“That could be difficult given that he hit a student on campus. I think we will just have to do our best for him.”

* * * *

Steve Costello was officially charged, locked in a cell, and bailed to appear before the magistrate at 9:00 a.m. the next morning.

The magistrate transferred the case to the Academy Disciplinary Panel, as the incident was alleged to have taken place on campus, between two academy students. The chair of the Disciplinary Panel then transferred the case to the Academy’s Chancellor, because of vested interests. The Chancellor summoned Steve Costello to appear before him at midday.

“I am slightly astonished to see that you have re-offended after such a short period of time. Did you not learn anything from your previous experience?”

Steve was not in the mood for this. If he was to be kicked out, why didn’t they just get on with it?

“I am presumed guilty without a trial.”

“This is not a criminal court, Mister Costello. Things work slightly differently in here. I have viewed the security VT evidence, which clearly shows both visually and audibly that you were being cajoled by Mister Ward Anderson. You lashed out and knocked him onto a glass table in response. He sustained chest injuries as a result of hitting the glass table and, fortunately for him and for you, he is in a stable condition. My advisors determined that these injuries were not as a direct result of your hitting him. However, it is clear that you are guilty of assault.”

“Why am I not up against the Disciplinary Panel?”

“I would have thought that was obvious and indeed to your benefit. There are vested and procedural reasons why this case has come to me to rule on. In any case, while I find you guilty of the crime, I cannot actually do anything, other than make a note on your file and confine you to quarters for the remainder of your tenure as a student. Alpha has compelled us to suspend or indeed withhold any sentence on academy Jump Ship students, because of the current military position with the Kryl. You are very lucky, Mister Costello, but know this, it is highly likely that you will go straight to the front line.”

“So, I have got away with it?”

“Not if you put it like that. I would have kicked you out and requested criminal proceedings. You are without doubt one of the best pilots to have graduated from this academy for many years and yet I fear for you. If you do not control your temper and you fail to operate as an effective team member in the field, then I am sure your days are numbered.”

“Is there any point me sticking around for graduation? Why don’t you just send me on now?”

“That would suit you wouldn’t it? You are not an Alpha officer until you graduate and without that, you would qualify only as an NCO pilot. You really would be cannon fodder then, believe me. More importantly from your perspective, your tutor will actively seek the best role for you. This cannot be achieved until you graduate.”

“So, what now?”

“I am confining you to academy staff quarters under house arrest until graduation day, when you will be allowed back to your apartment to prepare for graduation. Think of this as an opportunity to cool off and reflect on what has gone wrong with you in the last year. You should be leaving here with an 8.5 at least, Enson. A 7 looks likely now.

Combat Droids, SED, Earth’s Shield System, Closing the wormhole. None of these things were on the agenda a few weeks ago and now, suddenly they were top priority. The new Kryl fleet’s arrival had put Alpha into crisis mode and yet, this created opportunities, as well as threats. The question was where to start?

Thomas Koenig and his trusted chiefs of staff, Jonas Kohn and Chris Clarke, sat down at 9:00 a.m. sharp, the day after news came that the new Kryl ‘invasion’ had started. They gathered in Koenig’s library, each sat on a two-seater sofa, with a wooden coffee table to the center and glass console tables to the left of each chair. It was a comfortable and informal environment and one where Koenig felt secure. It was where many of their more productive sessions took place.

Koenig’s inner cabinet was in session.

“So gentlemen. The Kryl are here again, a battle is underway and I think it is fair to say that we are up against it. Apart from our offensive strategy, we need to finalize definitive plans for closing the wormhole, Earth’s shields, the SED and combat droids. As well as put together a coherent argument to present to the Admiralty bench, the media and the ECG. I suggest we start with our battle strategy. Chris can you start?”

Clarke looked ill at ease. He did not show the air of confidence portrayed by his CIC. It was clear he was very concerned about the latest situation.

“Things look very grave. We think there are at least two thousand Kryl ships now in the Tri-star System, with yet still more coming through. The latest Intel shows the Mother Ship has come through, but this one is much bigger than the original, measuring some ten kilometers across.”

Kohn referred to the holographic images of the Kryl fleet and the Mother ship, which projected onto the table in front of them.

“As you can see it is very well-protected. We can only surmise what is inside but the proportions of this new fleet make them a huge threat to us.”

Koenig pursed his lips with his hands and then calmly offered his interpretation.

“We do have an idea what we are up against and with the assistance of the Sentinels, the Betanica Sect and a consolidated APF fleet; we can amass some five hundred vessels. As per the last battle, it is the Jump Ships, which are critical, and our key strategy will be to flood the arena with a very large number of Rapiers, Sabres, and indeed Hunters. Once we weaken their front line defenses we can start to break them up and then use battlefield weapons, PBA, Teutonic etcetera.”

“The loss of lives with the Jump Ships alone will be enormous.”

“Yes. This is the main reason why we will not fight the main battle with them in the Tri-star System. We will draw them out, so the fight is in open thru space. Our Jump Ships can use their full capabilities rather than the free for all massacres which occurred during the first battle.”

“What if they do not play the game?”

“If you mean, if they do not leave the system? Then we will play the waiting game. This will allow us to build up our Jump Ships and ships of the line.”

“The bench will ask why you are not out there and that there appears to be no coherent chain of command. Is Haines or Shenke heading up the fleet?”

Koenig could sense the challenge in Clarke’s voice, but he wanted to foster a comfortable environment for discussions, he let it pass.

“Admiral Haines is the senior commander, but Shenke is the battlefield commander. Tactical decisions will be shared, but with Shenke making tactical maneuvers in the field. As for me, I am Commander in Chief and I have more than enough to keep me occupied here. I have every faith in both of them.”

It was Admiral Kohn’s turn to join in now.

“Thomas. With the greatest of respect to Haines. He is too laid back to head this up. Shenke needs to be promoted. He is the best we have in the field at present. The bench is going to need some reassurance and this miss-match of collective responsibility will not convince them. You need to keep them on board.”

Koenig paused and reflected before commenting further.

“I think you are probably right Jonas, but for now, we will monitor and see how this pans out. We will leave a token number of ships, headed by a four or five star commander to ‘observe’ the Kryl fleet. Has that been communicated to Haines, Chris?”

“Yes. I have emphasized caution. There will be sub space weapons available and the system would not be a good place to trigger a sub space reaction.”

“Good. Let’s leave that and move on. We cannot do anything about closing the wormholes until the Kryl fleet has left the system. I presume our technical teams are on standby to act once the path is clear?”

“Yes, although there is no definitive solution yet,” replied Chris.

“Keep me informed.”

“Jonas, how is the shield system?”

“Improving, but still inadequate. We have all the technicians in place and they are still surveying the situation. The weakest areas were prioritized and several have been strengthened. I am being briefed daily.”

“Jonas, I cannot over emphasize the urgency of this. If all else fails the Kryl fleet could be in the solar system within three to four weeks. We will hold them off as best we can, but if we and then SED fail, the shields will be all that remains to protect Earth. This is your top priority. Keep me updated on a daily basis.”

“Of course. I am due to speak to the lead technicians this afternoon. I will keep you posted. What news of SED?”

Jonas was keen to detract from the shield issue. He was very worried. There seemed very little prospect of the shields being ready in such a short time scale. He tried not to show his anxiety. Koenig would feed off it and right now, they all needed to be positive.

“A good question Jonas. There are still two concerns. The SED infrastructure, which is defunct and the Combat droid issue. I am assured that the droid operating system will function only remotely and not autonomously. I do however have concerns about whether the Kryl could seize control of the droids remotely, but there is no way to prove this outside of combat. There are, as you know 250,000 droid units ready for uploading and these will now be integrated into the live combat capability for the Earth bound troop contingent. They will remain in Exeter, in their pre-upload state, but can be called upon, uploaded and transported to any location in the world quickly. No further units will be manufactured until the new operating system is proven in combat.”

“If the Kryl can take control remotely. There will be a further quarter of a million enemy troops on the ground. Isn’t it a bit risky?”

“Yes, but each droid unit has an independent self-destruct device. This can be remotely triggered but does not form part of the main ops system. Again, there could be concerns about the Kryl, assuming control and remote detonating, but I am assured the security protocols are complex. They would have to assume control of the operating system first to gain access. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. There is no way we could ignore a quarter of a million extra troop units.”

“What about ratification? We are going to have to ratify this and various other decisions made with the Admiralty bench. That is going to be a tough one to explain.”

“Yes Jonas, we do, but we will be selective about what we put forward for ratification, at least until after the droids are proven or not.”

“What about the infrastructure?” Chris Clarke was quiet for a while.

“The Jump Ship division will fall seamlessly under the existing Alpha Two defensive contingent. There are too many Hunters and not enough Rapiers or Sabres but plenty of good pilots and as a backup they could be invaluable. The land forces, including the marines, troopers, and droids will remain under General Mike Lee. This is his area and I would not presume to tell him how to run a ground war. The Airborne and Sea division will now come under Admiral Smythe, rather than General Lee.”

“You said the infrastructure was defunct?”

“Yes. General Lee could not manage all three divisions. The land forces division is still top heavy, but Lee is redistributing his key personnel and has created a flatter command structure. It should work better. The question is whether they would have any impact on invading Kryl forces and again, we just do not know!”

“And not something we want to put to the test.”

“Absolutely not...but I fear we may not have much choice.”