Sol (The Silver Ships Book 5) (2 page)

But nothing was more disquieting to UE forces than the nonappearance of the battleship,
Hand of Justice
. Days passed after the return of the
Reunion,
then a month, and the more time that slipped away, the edgier the men and women of the naval forces and the militia became. Scuttlebutt had it that the UE ships had discovered aliens with the capabilities to destroy the UE’s fiercest war machine, and now the aliens knew the way to Earth. Fear was creeping through the UE’s vaunted forces.

Among the bridge crew of the rim’s patrol ships, it seemed one eye searched for rebels running the blockade and the other eye kept watch beyond on the asteroid fields where the
Reunion
had made its faster-than-light (FTL) transition into the system of Sol.

The Haraken fleet sailed out of the deep dark two days out from the outer asteroid field that ringed the star called Sol. The distance was precautionary. The fleet decelerated and came to a halt while the SADEs mapped the Earthers’ system — stations, surface colonies, planets, moons, and ship traffic.

Alex Racine, the Haraken president, was pleased to see that the data correlated favorably with the UE scientists’ information. The Earthers were comfortably settled in cabins below deck from Alex and Renée’s suite aboard Haraken’s largest fighter carrier, the
No Retreat
.

In preparing for the fleet’s launch, Alex hadn’t intended to be traveling on the carrier, but in an imitation of the circumstances of Haraken’s first traveler test, his people had revolted and arranged alternate transportation. Alex boarded his traveler, the Haraken gravity-driven fighter-shuttle, bound for the
Rêveur
. At least, that’s where Alex thought he was headed. However, instead of descending into
Rêveur
’s compact bay, the cavernous bay of the
No Retreat
greeted him.

“Welcome to your flagship, Mr. President,” Captain Miko Tanaka said proudly, saluting Alex.

“Captain,” Alex replied tersely, returning the salute. He turned to Tatia Tachenko and asked, “Any other changes in our plans that I should be aware of, Admiral?”

“Negative, Mr. President. Ships, captains, and preparations are as you requested. It was a strategic decision to locate Haraken’s intelligence resources aboard our most formidable ship,” Tatia replied.

Alex sent his thought via his implant to his friend and SADE, a self-aware digital entity housed in a human avatar, who stood beside him.

Julien replied privately to Alex.

The two individuals, human and SADE, took the measure of the four females who faced them — Renée, Alex’s partner; Cordelia, Julien’s SADE partner; Admiral Tatia Tachenko, and Captain Miko Tanaka, who stood resolutely in front of them.

Julien sent to Alex.

Alex replied to Julien. “The
No Retreat
it is,” Alex announced, which caused the three humans to breathe quiet sighs of relief, having expected Alex to object to his being overruled. Cordelia, on the other hand, had calculated the probabilities were in their favor that Alex would relent.

When the SADEs confirmed to Alex that the collection of the system’s telemetry was complete, a large group gathered around the
No Retreat
’s expansive holo-vid. Surveying the size of the audience, Alex had to compliment Z, the third SADE traveling with them, on his efforts to design and build a holo-vid that was in proportion to the carrier’s massive bridge.

“There, Mr. President,” Olawale Wombo, the ex-Earther scientist said, putting his finger into the holo-vid, which responded by enlarging that territory of space to the degree his finger was held there. “Your pardon, Mr. President,” Olawale said when he realized the audience was left with a display of a small portion of a planet’s surface.

“I, for one,” Priita Ranta, Olawale’s associate said, “am glad that Haraken technology does not extend to teleportation by way of their holo-vid. Olawale would have us sucking frozen gases on Neptune at this moment.”

Olawale’s compatriots tittered good-naturedly at their friend’s consternation. It was the same predicament for all the UE scientists, who had deserted the Earther explorer ship and sought asylum with the Harakens merely forty-eight days ago. Haraken technology continued to astound them at every turn. But if anyone could enjoy being surprised and confounded by a world of technological advancement the likes of which could only be imagined, it was seven scientists.

“Not to worry, Ser Wombo,” Alex said, resizing the holo-vid with a signal from his implants, the Méridien devices embedded in his cerebellum. Whereas most, meaning nearly 100 percent of the population of Méridien and Haraken carried one implant, Alex carried two. It was a consequence of his birth on New Terra, a world far removed from the Méridiens’ advanced civilization, his development as a mathematics prodigy, and the receipt of his implants as an adult that enabled Alex to disregard standard practices and adopt his first implant at a phenomenal pace.

Implants were the common means of communication among the
Rêveur
’s survivors, who were the last remaining passengers on a Méridien liner that Alex rescued. Alex hadn’t received the structured, step-by-step, implant training every Méridien child received. To him, the useful rules were the ones he chose to create and write. Implant to implant there wasn’t an equal to the power that Alex could wield, to the detriment of some, to the relief of the Harakens, and to the pleasure of one, Ser Renée de Guirnon.

“Proceed, Ser,” Alex said to Olawale, indicating the reset holo-vid view of Neptune and its surrounding satellites.

“This is Idona Station, of which we spoke,” said Olawale, pointing to a small dot and careful to keep his hands out of the holo-vid.

Alex enlarged the display of space around the station. “Julien, a summary, please.”

“The station is a pre-grav build, consisting of a core, housing energy plants and utilities systems, surrounded by multiple rings, which maintain gravity with a constant spin,” Julien replied. “However, the station isn’t spinning now, which implies it has been upgraded as Ser Boris Gorenko indicated.”

“If you would, Julien?” Boris asked, indicating the station. Julien increased the holo-vid’s magnification until Boris nodded to him. “When we left Sol’s space, the UE militia was housed in a small section of an outer ring. Commerce under the citizens continues to operate there too, and the rebels hold the inner ring and the core.”

“That’s a huge station,” Tatia noted, studying the telemetry details in her implant.

“Idona Station was built as the transfer center between the rim’s asteroid belt miners and the outer worlds,” Boris added, his knowledge having accrued from his two sons, who had served in UE naval forces. “Many of these miners have lived their entire lives between Idona and the belt, mining, refining, and delivering the finished products to the station. The station’s outer ring hosts, or at least it used to host, a tremendous number of brokerage houses that buy and resell the miners’ metals and liquid gases to other colonies, stations, the outer planets, and to Earth. Freighters and passenger ships journey inward from the station but rarely travel beyond.”

“Julien, what’s the status on the present commercial ship traffic?” Alex asked.

“For an outward location, the freighter traffic is quite high, with ships taking routes between the station and the inner planets and other ships journeying from the belt to the station and returning. Liner traffic appears to be at a minimum,” Julien replied.

“Personnel movement to the station ceased for many years after the station’s takeover,” Boris continued, “and many owners and their families abandoned their shops for a safer life elsewhere. The station’s resident population has never recovered. Estimates are that the outer ring is somewhere at one-third of its previous height. But as Julien noted, the station is still a heavy shipping transit point. Crews take breaks there … freighters load and unload … none of them bothered by the rebels.”

“It’s certainly an odd revolution,” mused Yoram Penzig, who was the resident philosopher and psychotherapist of the UE scientists.

“What about military ships?” Tatia asked.

“One significant presence, Admiral,” Z replied. “Utilizing our historic Terran records, this ship would be classified as a destroyer.” When the audience stared at him, waiting, Z added. “About one-third of the
Hand of Justice
’s power … no fighters and a significant reliance on missiles and rail gun fire.”

“Enough power to destroy the station,” Tatia murmured.

“Indeed, Admiral,” Z affirmed.

“There are several patrol craft, Admiral,” Cordelia added. “They are small, carrying perhaps ten to twenty personnel and capable of interdicting freighters and boarding them, presumably for inspections as our new friends have indicated.”

Olawale attempted to send to Cordelia. When he saw the SADE turn toward him and smile, Olawale shrugged his huge shoulders in apology. The scientists obtained their implants 35 days ago and were still learning to cope with the new manner of communication. Olawale had tried to thank Cordelia using the term he had first given her of “young miss” even after he learned her true century-plus age.

“This has been going on for decades?” Alex asked. “Why has neither side gotten the upper hand?”

“It became a stalemate between the militia and the rebels from the day UE forces landed on the station,” Yoram explained. “The operating personnel, working in the outer ring, fled to an inner ring, joining the people running the station’s support systems. They sealed the massive transfer doors of the spokes that connect rings. Then the rebels threatened to blow the station if the militia attempted to breach the doors.”

“The station is strategically that important?” Alex asked.

“Yes, Mr. President,” Boris said. “The UE, especially Earth, is dependent on the metals and gases mined in the asteroid fields, and the entire transfer and shipping process of those resources depends on this station. The Supreme Tribunal had no choice but to acquiesce and order the militia to hold.”

“The situation is complicated by the civilians in the outer ring, Mr. President,” Nema said, despite the scientist’s advanced age she had become a great admirer of Alex and not just for his presidency. The situation presented moments of pleasure for Renée, teasing Alex by inquiring as to the well-being of his latest admirer. “The UE naval forces patrol the area around the station, interdicting those who attempt to help the rebels, while ensuring the safe passage of UE ships, personnel, and goods. The problem for the militia is that goods for the rebels are snuck in by freighters to legitimate shop owners, who in reality are rebel sympathizers.”

“The inner wheel possesses extensive food production farms and water treatment systems, which are critical assets for the rebels, and the entire outer ring, including the militia and UE ships, depend on that purified water source,” Priita explained.

“That’s our target, people,” Alex declared. “Now, I wonder if the Earthers still know how to play the game of poker?” he mused, and Julien smiled and sprouted a croupier’s visor, imaged by the holo-vid capability of his synth-skin. He had begun displaying the visor when he played cards with Alex. You would think a SADE, capable of calculating the variances of each hand of a card game would hold the advantage, but Julien found an equal in Alex in the games. As Julien would often say, “The tendency of a certain New Terran to prevaricate at will disturbs the laws of probability.”

“Thé, Admiral?” Renée asked Tatia, who had dropped by Alex and Renée’s suite late that evening.

“No, thank you, Ser. This won’t take long,” Tatia replied.

Alex came out of the sleeping quarters, tying his robe around the waist. “And what can I do for you this evening? Is it Admiral or Tatia?”

“Admiral, Mr. President. I would like you to consider an alternative strategy. The SADEs’ telemetry indicates that most of the UE warships observed are not FTL-capable. At least, they do not have the winged configuration that appears to signify FTL-capable.”

Alex offered Tatia a seat, and he took one across from her. Renée moved behind Alex where she could rest her hands on his shoulders. Tatia was reminded of her Méridien partner, Alain de Long, who exhibited the same habit when they were in private, his hands always seeking to touch her. It had been disconcerting, at first, for Tatia, who was a tremendously independent and private person. Now, after years together, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Our UE scientists were convinced a fleet would come to the Confederation, which got me wondering how they would accomplish that when the scientists also stated that the UE possessed few FTL-capable ships,” Tatia continued. “When I examined the telemetry in detail, I found several winged-shaped battleships and some enormous winged vessels.” Tatia turned on the salon’s holo-vid, and Alex leaned in to examine one of the gigantic ships on display.

“What is it?” Alex asked.

“According to Z, this ship has a wingspan over 60 percent greater than a battleship but appears to possess none of the bay and port configuration of the warship.”

“So what’s it for?” Alex asked.

“We have a rearward view of one of these ships,” said Tatia, who changed the holo-vid view.

“Are those bay doors? If so, they’re big enough to accommodate … ships,” Alex said, looking up to see Tatia nodding.

“Giant FTL-capable ship carriers,” Tatia announced. “That’s how the UE intends to spread its forces. It’s quite inventive. It saves the effort and cost of retrofitting or replacing the war fleet.”

“So what’s your suggestion, Admiral?” Alex asked.

“If we take out these ship carriers, the UE battleships might be able to reach our system, but they won’t have any support ships. One quick strike against these carriers and the UE will spend a decade or two replacing those ships,” Tatia urged.