Trail of Evil - eARC (27 page)

What if the Chiata can fly like that?
she thought.

I will begin running some response tactic simulations, Dee
, her AIC responded.

Good. Tie DeathRay and Candis in on that as well.

Will do.

“Tomorrow when I report to my new station.” Davy said. That got Dee’s attention. A new station meant somewhere else other than the
Madira
. Her father must have had something to do with it.

“Where!” Dee said. The zenness had gone now. Her attention was fully on Rackman. Anger was slowly starting to percolate. “Daddy did this.”

“Maybe he did.” Rackman added, “But I’m gonna take it.”

“You didn’t anser my question. Where?” Deanna turned and looked him in the eye. If she had to, she’d go toe-to-toe with her father if this was some ploy to separate the two of them.

“I was asked to be Mrs. Penzington’s XO. She’s a tough Sheila. It’ll be fun.” He smiled as best he could at Dee. She could tell it was a tough choice for him to make, but as things presently were situated she could pop over to Nancy’s ship anytime.

“She’s not military,” Dee replied. “Why does she need an XO? And, you’re a SEAL, what the hell do you know about being XO of a supercarrier?”

“She is captain of her ship. And she requested that she be given a crew to fight alongside the rest of the fleet,” Davy said. “And hell, I grew up in Sydney, mate. I lived on sailboats, that’s why I went into the Navy. I like boats. I was nav on a frigate before I got accepted into BUDS. I’ll do fine with or without your overwhelming confidence in me.”

“Uh, yeah, well, who knew?” Dee looked at Davy. She hadn’t really thought about what he was before he was a SEAL and before they had met. She realized that they had been together a long time but she had never really opened up to him and gotten to know him. “If it is what you want to do then I guess it makes sense. I’m still surprised that Nancy is going to be captain of a military crew.”

“Well, I think there will be some sort of announcement tomorrow about her military status. At least she hinted at such when she spoke with me this evening while you were still out flying.” Dee was surprised. She thought she knew everything the “family” was doing. But she had been working hard and had been out of touch. In fact, she and Jack had only talked flying over the past several days. Dee realized that she had no idea what was going on with him and Nancy at the moment.

“Hmm, sounds like an unusual move for her. You would think I would have heard before you would have.” Dee nudged him a bit and resituated herself against his chest. “We’re kind of, well, close. She’s like my big sister, sort of.”

“Maybe not. You’ve been flying so much lately that I hardly have gotten to see you. And, I just got these orders a few hours ago.” Rackman ran his fingers through her hair gently. Deanna truly enjoyed the feel of his hands ever so softly tugging at her long straight black hair like a coarse comb. There was something about the warmth of his hands and the firmness of his body against her that she would never be tired of.

“Well, who knows, maybe she was military before we were born or something. You never know with people, especially those who’ve been undercover spies most of their lives.” Dee purred softly and melted deeper against Rackman’s firm chest. “I’ll find out when I’m supposed to I guess. That’s how my father arranges things. For now, I’m off duty for ten more hours. I just want to lie here and uh, meditate with you, for a while.”

Chapter 39

June 6, 2407 AD

61 Ursae Majoris

31 Light-years from the Sol System

Tuesday, 9:35 PM, Expeditionary Mission Standard Time

“There is something kind of Zen about it, wouldn’t you agree, sir?” Firestorm said quietly to Alexander as he looked across the hangar turned briefing room at the sea of senior officers from the U.S. Fleet and the equally large group of AIC-controlled clones from the 61 UM Navy. The executive officer of the U.S.S.
Sienna Madira II
stood beside General Moore flanking his right while the leader of the clones and bots stood next to him on his left. On the front row sat Vice Admiral Walker and her bridge crew and seniors.

Moore could see his daughter sitting amongst the mecha jocks. DeathRay was sitting next to her. U.S. Navy Captain Nancy Penzington sat beside him. Lieutenant Commander Davy Rackman, her XO, sat beside her. The AEMs lined the back of the room all centered about Lieutenant Colonel Francis Jones and Master Gunnery Sergeant Suez right behind him. The Army teams were just in front and to the left of the Marines. Brigadier General Mason Warboys sat in front of the Army tankheads and behind him flanked the Warlords.

There was little talking for that many people to be sitting and waiting. This was a sign of discipline, perhaps, Moore thought. Or more likely, an air of urgency and intensity in the room. There was certainly permission tension and jitters being dealt with by all. Moore was certain he could have heard a pin drop when the sizzling sound started and then white light flashed on the makeshift stage.

“Attention!” Firestorm commanded. “Ladies and Gentlmen, the President of the United States of the Sol System.”

The buzzing and sizzling sound of bacon subsided and President Rene Upton stood before them flanked by Secret Service guards on either side. She looked across the room and then turned to Moore and shook his hand. She then turned to Sienna Madira and looked as if she had seen a ghost. Then shook the former president’s hand as well. Moore found the uncomfortable motion of the president almost humorous. If she only knew that not only was this the revered and thought-long-dead president, but that she was also the most hated terrorist in human history he wondered how she would react. But as it stood, the Moores and Madira herself had managed to fabricate a history leaving out the fact that she had been Elle Ahmi. In fact, they used Elle Ahmi as part of the story. Madira had been thought to be killed by one of Ahmi’s terrorist attacks, so they used that as an excuse for Sienna Madira to take to the stars and begin secretly stealing technology from both sides of the war to prepare for the pending invasion that only she knew was coming. The story held up well. Madira was good at creating stories to cover the truth. She’d been doing it for centuries. Moore and his family managed to create just the right amount of cover where they needed to. This meant that Madira, Sehera, and Deanna had to be careful about calling each other by family monikers like mother, grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter. For now, Moore was glad that the cover story was solid. Humanity had more to be concerned with right than a checkered and very bloody skeleton in its closet.

President Upton raised an eyebrow at Alexander as if to ask if they were ready for her. He nodded and motioned toward the microphone. Then she turned to the podium and cleared her throat with a light grunt.

“Please, be seated,” President Upton requested. In true military fashion the room quieted completely and everyone took their seats. “Yesterday June 6, 2407 is a date that will live in human history with even more infamy than any other day across all the darkness in our past. As this date marks another great attack in the history of our great nation, so shall it do so again!

“The United States, humanity, was at peace with itself and to our knowledge with the rest of the universe. We know now that peace of the past eleven years and that the wars of the past two centuries were nothing more than a trial, a test, for us. It was a time for preparation. A great leader of our nation set in motion events over two hundred years ago that would shape our every move leading us to this day. The great President Sienna Madira had long been thought dead, but it has been revealed to us that she was in hiding in deep space preparing us for humanitie’s greatest challenge to come.”

Alexander continued to assess the forces that sat in the room before him listening to the president’s speech. Humanity’s hope was embodied in each and every one of the soldiers and clones of the Allied Expeditionary Fleet. Each of the soldiers and clones were hanging on every sound and syllable the commander in chief made, trying to believe that this was not the beginning of the end for all of humnanity. They all needed some hope that humanity could stand up to the approaching force. If Upton didn’t give it to them, he knew that somehow he or Madira would have to.

“I have discussed attack plans and strategies with many of you here,” the President continued. “I have discussed them with advisors, the Joint Chiefs, and senior members of both houses of Congress. All of the greatest scholars and military minds and policy makers who were trustworthy enough to keep this mission secret as it needs to be, have given their unanimous consent, approval, and prayers that we should march forward, we can accomplish our objective, and we
will
by the grace of the God All mighty be triumphant. Humanity will rise to this test and we will pass it.” The president waited for the applause to die down.

“I wanted to come here and speak with each of you this morning. I felt it a moral imperative that each of you will know directly from me that while you are very far from home—and you are about to embark on such a deep space mission as to be farther from home than any human had expected to be for probably another hundred years, that you are in my heart, mind, and prayers. You are the tip of the spear in our fight to survive in what now is clear to be a hostile and sometimes unjust universe. Perhaps we shall march to the stars with all our might. And with God on our side, our might and His will, we will prevail.” Once more, the room burst into applause.

“I know that most of you have trained and prepared hard developing today’s course of action. You all must deeply miss your homes and families. I have been assured by General Moore that each of you who so desired did indeed teleport home before today and spend some moments with your families. After all, it is for the love of our families that we must march forward and do these hard things. This mission is an endeavor that has taken many iterations and four months of planning and preparation and a Herculean amount of hard work and effort. Let’s hope, no, let’s pray, the hard work pays off.”

Alexander listened to the president as she finished. She wrapped up telling the fleet that home would be there waiting for them when they all return and, Lord willing, they would
all
come home. Alexander knew better. Every wargame that he and Abigail and Madira and Nancy and Allison had run had been grim. In fact, there were only a few of the battleplans run in random fashion simulation where any humans came back at all. But simulations couldn’t account for everything. Sometimes, a good battleplan, strong troops, and little bit of faith could pull a soldier through the shit. Alexander had seen it in his lifetime and he hoped he was looking at one of those times again. The time had come for humanity to step up to the grown-up’s table and that wasn’t going to happen unless they squirmed in and made some elbow room, or better yet, knocked one of the adults out of his seat.

“Thank you,” President Upton finished. “God speed and good luck.”

It had taken the better part of an hour for the president to meet with the troops individually. Alexander had watched how she interacted with them and he most certainly approved. Finally, his chief of staff managed to shuffle the president, Sienna Madira, and himself away from everyone and into the captain’s lounge. Alexander waited for the two women to be seated and then he joined them at the table. He was still in his dress uniform, but, as per his new battle-ready protocol, he and all of his crew would be armoring up before they set sail toward Alpha Lyncis.

“Isn’t this the strangest of things?” President Upton said to break the tension in the air. “Three former U.S. presidents of very different but historically trying times locked away in a room together. What secrets we must have.”

“Madam President,” Alexander smiled. “I’m not certain what secrets you are referring to.”

“Oh, to hell with the protocol, Alexander,” Madira grunted. “What are you fishing for, young lady?”

Alexander almost chuckled at the way Madira spoke. She had been president so many years, then a bloodthirsty maniac for several decades, and on top of all that she had been solely planning the salvation of mankind, she didn’t care much for small talk or politics.

“There is clearly an elephant in the room,” Upton said. “It was never so evident until I met you in person, President Madira. It
is
a great honor, mind you.”

“What elephant would that be?” Madira said.

“I’ve met your wife and seen her picture in the history videos, Alexander.” Upton held a thin-lipped fake smile on her face. Alexander would have described it as a poker face, and not a very good one. “I just met your daughter. Lovely young woman. From her record she must be outstandingly brave and bold just like her father.”

“Thank you, Madam President.” Alexander replied. He held his own poker face perfectly expressionless.

“And just like,” Upton continued. “her grandmother, I suspect. Who was Sehera’s mother and father again?”

“Madam President, you said yourself you have seen the history videos. Sehera was one of the millions of orphans from the Martian Desert Campaigns. That is where I met her. She actually helped me escape from Elle Ahmi’s torture camps,” Alexander said. He choked back bile and every urge in his body to eyeball Madira when he said that. The torture camps tore into his psyche deeply and he would forever have to surpress the urge to tear Elle Ahmi from limb to limb for her part in it.

“Yes, that’s right. I do recall reading that.” Upton replied.

“Young lady,” Madira interrupted her before she could continue her thoughts. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever you are thinking may or may not be the truth. It may or may not matter in the grand scheme of things. But the elephant will stay in this room and nowhere else. Humanity is in the balance here discussing and whatever past elephants in the rooms or skeletons in the closets will not help us move forward. I will tell you that I agree that Mrs. Moore and young Deanna are lovely and wonderful people. And over the past few months I have taken quite a shine to them. So much so that I’ve even suggest they consider me a godmother or godgrandmother, especially since they never got to meet their real ones respectively. So, let us just leave it at that and not bring it up again. There are more important issues to deal with right this second.”

Alexander looked between the two women. Upton didn’t blink and Madira didn’t seem to give damn. Moore suspected that Madira would as likely leap from the chair and strangle Upton to death before she’d let her compromise her plans. Somehow he had to maintain the peace between the two. As much as he hated to admit it, humanity needed both of the women to play their parts. Humanity didn’t need some sort of historical scandal to distract it from surviving.

“President Madira, I can’t think of a better person to take on such a role for the two women. They are very lucky indeed.” Upton gave a fake campaign smile. “Now, how soon before you start your QMTs?”

“Within the hour, Madam President,” Alexander exhaled in relief that she had dropped the issue. “Astro-nav calculates it will take us sixty-eight QMT jumps to get to Alpha Lyncis. We’ll make several stops along the way at planetary systems and drop off some of President Madira’s Von Neumann probes. The bots will start building forward bases with teleport facilities for us along the way at each of the stops where there are star systems. So far we’ve identified 47 Ursae Majoris, Gleise 433, and Alpha Ursae Majoris as viable planetary systems in the path to our target. There are most certainly more.”

“How long until you get to your target?” Upton asked.

“It will take us roughly an hour or so at each stop to recalibrate navigation and to make certain the probes are deployed. We want to do a rudimentary check for intelligent lifeforms. We’d hate to wipe out some indigenous population inadvertently along the way,” Moore explained.

“So, seventy hours and you’ll be in combat?” Upton asked already knowing the answer.

“Well, possibly, ma’am.” Moore nodded. “We’ll stop in the outer parts of the system first and deliver our ambush teams including several ships full of battle bots like those we’ve been fighting for the past year and a half. And, I’d prefer to have one sleep cycle before we go to battle so our troops are fresh at the start. Once we hit the inner system we’ll fire as many gluonium-tipped warheads as we can and engage whatever forces are in the system. If the intel we have is good, well, the forces there are quite overwhelming. But we’ll make do.”

“I get the idea and I’ve got the details of the battle plan if I want to go through it. This plan is all that humanity has. I am having simulations done for evacuation to systems further inward toward the galactic center, but I doubt we have time for that.” Upton finally let a frown slip through.

“Don’t count us out just yet,” Madira said. “We haven’t even started the fight yet and you are already giving up.”

“Not giving up,” Upton looked at Madira sternly. “Being responsible for the billions of lives trusting I have their best interest at heart.”

“I would be more concerned about actual survival than getting re-elected,” Madira grunted. Alexander could tell it was time to separate the two. So he interrupted before the discussion could devolve further.

“It isn’t really re-election that has been most on my mind,” Upton added. “How do we truly know that these Chiata are the bad guys? Even if they are the bad guys does it justify such a first strike? This is similar to Pearl Harbor or the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks or the attacks on Olympus Mons during the Exodus. Only we are talking about killing every Chiata in an entire system.”