Merkiaari Wars: 04 - Operation Breakout Read online

  “Well,” Ludmilla said. “I know Alex has something important to discuss with you all. Shall we go to his office?”

  Tei’Varyk picked up his queue. “A good thought. Let us attend to business so we might enjoy the rest of the evening without interruption.”

  Fat chance, Alex thought moodily as they left the ballroom and headed for the elevator. He would normally have taken the stairs. His office was on the second floor and exercise was good for someone who spent his working day sitting, but Shan didn’t like stairs very much. They could use them, but tended to go down on all fours for comfort. Alex didn’t mind, but it occurred to him their robes might encumber the process. So, the elevator.

  * * *

  7 ~ Consequences

  President’s office, New Washington, Earth

  The President’s office felt ultra sterile to Alex. He was never comfortable here, and maybe that was the point. The place had no personality at all. It was a symbol of the Alliance Presidency as an institution, not the representation of a particular incumbent. He rarely used it for anything other than news broadcasts or official meetings where people expected a certain level of formality from him, but it was perfect for this discussion. It was a very secure room, and privacy trumped all other considerations right now.

  Seating was a problem. He didn’t have any of the new Shan seats, but Ludmilla didn’t even pause. She went straight away to the sofas and pulled the cushions off. She dropped one on the floor and sat after offering the other to Tarjei. They sat side by side still chatting quietly. Tei’Varyk followed their example using the cushion from one of the armchairs, and to be sociable Alex did so as well leaving Nathan standing there frowning at the group. Unwilling to share the floor, he pulled one of the seats closer and sat, making himself the odd one out. Alex sighed under his breath. The man just couldn’t help himself. Ever the outsider.

  “Sorry about the seating,” Alex began. “I’ll mention it to housekeeping. We really should have some of the new ones here of all places.”

  Tei’Varyk laughed, his jaw dropping and tongue lolling. Alex smiled at the sight. Shan laughter was so contagious!

  “We sit this way at home,” Tarjei explained. “At home here on Earth and on Harmony. Your perches... chairs, feel very strange. I tried a stool once and nearly fell off!”

  Alex laughed with Tarjei, imagining it. “But the ones in the council chamber work all right?”

  Tei’Varyk nodded. “They were designed for our comfort. Your tables are too high for anything else to work well.”

  “Good. I can have a couple put in here—”

  Nathan interrupted. “I don’t have all night. If all you want to talk about is your office decor, I’ll leave and let you get on with it.”

  Alex sighed.

  Tei’Varyk bowed slightly to Nathan. “My apologies. Everything Human is of interest to me, even such a simple thing as preferring a chair over sitting upon the floor, but I often forget that to you it must all seem trivial.”

  Nathan flushed at Tei’Varyk’s exquisite courtesy as if at a rebuke. “I was led to believe we were brought up here to learn something of import.”

  “All right, Nathan, I’ll come to the point,” Alex said and started from the beginning. “One of our warships, a heavy cruiser named Warrior, jumped into a situation in Helios.” Nathan would recognise the system, but the Shan would need more. “Helios is a system without habitable worlds, but it’s conveniently placed as a navy outpost. They use it as a refuelling point for our patrols out that way. There’s a gas mining station there, but nothing else of interest.”

  “I understand,” Tei’Varyk said. “I have studied your... our navy. One day, Tarjei and I wish to serve our people in space again.”

  “I’m sure you’ll do well,” Ludmilla said with a smile for Tarjei. “Perhaps your people will have survey ships soon. That was one of the things we promised to help you with.”

  Alex nodded. “It is one goal, but system security comes first my love.”

  “Always does,” Ludmilla said with a sigh. “I wonder if we’ll ever consider ourselves secure enough though.”

  Not with the Merkiaari still breathing, Alex thought grimly. “So, Warrior jumps into Helios as part of its anti-piracy patrol and finds two ships in its path. Very unusual. There was nearly a collision as both were at dead stop in the zone... that’s the arrival zone.”

  Tei’Varyk nodded his understanding of the term.

  Ships could jump outsystem from anywhere as long as they had their referents correctly locked in to their navigation systems, but they always arrived at the periphery of a given system because of the risk of collision. The navy might chance a micro jump in battle, but they offset the risk with recon data. Basically, they would jump short on purpose to avoid detection, recon the system, and then use that data to plot another jump that avoided collisions and maximised tactical advantage. Admiral Meyers had used exactly that method liberating the Shan.

  “Warrior avoided disaster but learned that one of the ships was a pirate ship, a destroyer calling itself Jean de Vienne out of Kalmar.”

  “And the other?” Nathan said.

  “A merchant vessel, MV Astron...” Alex hesitated but there was nothing else for it. “Out of Northcliff.”

  Nathan stiffened.

  Tei’Varyk turned to Nathan. “My sympathies. May the harmonies watch over them.”

  “Thank you. Did Warrior save Astron?”

  “It did, but the fighting aboard was intense. We lost a number of marines, and some of the crew were killed defending their ship. I’m sorry, Nathan.”

  “This was recent I take it? I haven’t received any news from home about this.”

  “Quite recent,” Alex confirmed. “Captain Colgan... yes that Colgan.” He nodded at Tei’Varyk’s start of surprise. “Captain Colgan managed to disable the pirate vessel and board it with his marines. They captured the ship and began the usual investigations. One of those investigations discovered something extraordinary.”

  Alex went on and explained all he knew about Colgan’s discovery and what was being done about it. Tei’Varyk was concerned about the Merkiaari, and didn’t care that they’d arrived dead. He rightly assumed they must be active within the Border Zone or they would never have been aboard the pirate vessel. Pirates wouldn’t be out exploring, they frequented places where they could raid colonies and stations, or jack ships. It was a foregone conclusion that Jean de Vienne had obtained the Merki from one of those places.

  “What is Rawlins doing about this?” Nathan said.

  “There’s nothing he can do,” Alex said. “We have a team out there now investigating. There’s been no sign of an incursion, and no alert or shout for help. Until that changes all we can do is remain vigilant.”

  Nathan snorted and shook his head. “When will you admit that our current posture is wrong?”

  “It isn’t wrong—” Alex began.

  “Come on! The danger is in the Border Zone, not the core. Our ships need to be out there actively patrolling and looking for the Merki, not hiding where it’s safe!”

  “Calm down,” Alex admonished. “Yelling at me won’t help matters. You know as well as I do that Admiral Rawlins is doing the best he can. We do have patrols and pickets out there. They’re the ones who’ll give warning. What good would it do for Fleet to race into the Border Zone when we all know the Merki can hit us anywhere they choose?”

  Admiral Rawlins’ strategic consolidation was designed the way it was because there was no way to anticipate a Merki incursion’s target. The properties of fold space drives allowed ships to reach anywhere they want as long as they knew precisely where they were and precisely where they wanted to go. That’s all. Two very accurate pieces of astrogation data and enough fuel is all that separated the Merki from any world. Even Earth.

  The navy had prepositioned its assets to allow speedy responses to any incursion. It was extremely unlikely that the Merki would target one of those systems, but if th
ey did, they would be annihilated. It was far more likely they would attack a less well defended system, and that’s why Admiral Rawlins had argued strenuously for his current deployment. It allowed him to respond to attacks as quickly as possible with a sufficient force to win any battle it was likely to face. In that way he could cover most of the Alliance and keep response times down. But... and Alex was aware it was a big one, it meant the Alliance was forever on the defensive. Their people would die on worlds far away while the navy raced to reach them. There were just too many worlds to cover, and too few ships.

  “Bring Fifth Fleet home!” Nathan snapped.

  Tei’Varyk jerked, and his ears flattened in dismay.

  Alex sighed. He knew it would come up, but he’d hoped for more time. It was an obvious move. They lacked the ships to cover more worlds. The answer? Bring home Fifth Fleet or build more ships. They were building ships all the time, but they couldn’t build enough and crew them in time to make a significant difference to this event. Besides, Rawlins was right that deploying them in penny packets was worse than not building them in the first place. They needed ships in fleets to oppose incursions of the size they’d encountered last time. Throwing away ships and lives benefited no one.

  “We can’t do that, Nathan, and well you know it. We have a mutual defence treaty with the Shan.”

  “They’re part of the Alliance now,” Nathan protested. “No offence, Tei’Varyk, but your people need to assume the same risks as mine.”

  Alex winced. This wasn’t going to be pretty, he thought, but Tei’Varyk surprised him and spoke calmly.

  “When was the last time your world received a Merkiaari cleansing fleet, Councillor Mindel?”

  Nathan flushed. “Never, but with the Merki in the Border Zone it could happen any day.”

  “My homeworld is still recovering from its second cleansing. I think my people are better prepared and suited to evaluate risks than yours are where the Merkiaari are concerned. Fifth Fleet is upholding the pledge the Alliance made to my people by protecting us and helping us with the reconstruction. The treaty is the only reason we are even part of the Alliance. Are you proposing the Alliance should go back on its word?”

  Nathan calmed himself and took a deep breath. “No, that would not be honourable, but something must be done.”

  “Something is,” Tei’Varyk said. “Within the year, reconstruction should reach the stage where my people can begin building new ships. Within two years, the first of those ships will be nearing completion. Within five, I believe my people will have replaced all the ships lost to the Merkiaari.”

  “So soon?” Alex asked.

  “I believe so. It may even be sooner, but the lack of trained crews might slow their commissioning.”

  “What does it matter?” Nathan interjected. “We don’t have five years or even one. We need ships now in the Border Zone looking for where those Merki came from.”

  Alex nodded. “Our investigative team is looking into that. As soon as they have a direction to follow, I assure you the navy will go and ferret the Merki out.”

  “If all the decisions have already been made, why am I even here?” Nathan protested. “I thought you were looking for input, not validation for decisions already made.”

  Here we go, Alex thought. “I want you to drop your attempts to rescind the Red One. With the Merkiaari in the Border Zone, you can see how foolish lowering our guard would be.”

  “And you think I can just wave a magic wand and have the proposal simply disappear? You’re dreaming. Northcliff isn’t the only world currently at risk from piracy, Mister President. The Border Worlds Party was created because we’re all in the same situation. I can’t just comm my party’s members and say it was all a mistake and that we should now support the Red One Alert!”

  “But don’t you? Support it I mean,” Alex said. “What else can we do now that you know all this?”

  Nathan frowned. “I don’t know. If I about face like that, I’ll be replaced as leader of the party quicker than I can blink.”

  “The Red One isn’t the core issue for your members, Councillor Mindel,” Tei’Varyk said. “If I understand it correctly, your position is based upon fear of commerce raiders.”

  Nathan nodded grudgingly.

  “Then rescinding the Red One is just a means to an end. You actually want more anti-piracy patrols, not necessarily an end to the Red One.”

  “Correct, but the navy refuses to free up the ships we need for that. The only way to get what we need is to go back to a peace time footing.”

  Tei’Varyk turned to Alex. “I believe you must put it to Admiral Rawlins that either he finds sufficient forces for the patrols that Councillor Mindel needs, or face the very real possibility that the Red One will be rescinded. Councillor Mindel is telling the absolute truth when he says his party will replace him rather than back down on this.”

  “But...” Alex began, but Tei’Varyk was right. He didn’t need an empath’s abilities to know that. He’d known it long before this that Nathan was barely hanging on to control of the beast he’d created. The Border Worlds Party was a powerful block in the Alliance Council nowadays, with worlds previously unaligned having joined it since the Shan incursion and the Red One announcement. “Paul is going to think I betrayed him.”

  “Not at all,” Tei’Varyk soothed. “I shall speak with him myself about this. Perhaps something can be done to make him feel better about it. Squadrons of ships might be re-tasked to cover a wider area, but with overlaps so they might quickly recombine into units approaching fleet strength.”

  “You’re talking about a major change in our stance. Splitting one of our fleets into squadrons or task groups is a huge deal for the navy.”

  “Mister President... Alex,” Tei’Varyk said. “You are President, not Admiral Rawlins. It is a good thing that you try to accommodate his plans, but you are when all is said, in charge. Like Kajetan back home, yours is the final word of decision.”

  Nathan nodded. “He’s right. With the Red One in effect we’re on a war footing. You have the authority. If you do this, I think my members will be satisfied.”

  Alex snorted. “And you’ll come out of this smelling of roses.”

  Nathan smile smugly. “That too. Of course I’ll have to tell them how I had to talk fast, and how hard it was to convince you. With luck I’ll still be leading the party this time next week.”

  Alex glanced to Ludmilla. She didn’t look happy, but she eventually shrugged and nodded. “Very well, I’ll do it.”

  * * *

  Part II

  8 ~ Planning Ahead

  Aboard Warrior, in transit, Border Zone

  Ping!

  Colgan looked up from the report he’d been reading on his comp. “Enter!” The hatch to his ready room slid aside to reveal Lieutenant Ivanova. “What can I do for you, Anya?”

  She stepped inside allowing the hatch to close. “Have you got a few minutes to spare, Skip?”

  He didn’t. He’d been putting off the routine review of reports for too long. A big part of his job was reviewing and signing off on reports about ship operations. In addition to that, he needed to report in to his superiors regarding ship movements in his sector, including anything interesting that might point to raider activity; boring but necessary work, especially when they were due back in Helios tomorrow and needed to launch a drone to Sector HQ. Warrior’s logs would be appended of course. Thank God he need do nothing regarding them. That side was all automated to prevent tampering. That thought reminded him that Anya had been working upon the data recovered from Jean de Vienne. Maybe she had something new on that.

  He stood and headed for his little autochef. “Sit. Coffee?”

  “Thanks, Skip. White, two sugars,” Anya said and sat. She placed the compad she’d been holding on the desk in front of her.

  Colgan programmed the autochef and waited for the coffees to be dispensed. “How’s the data search coming?”

  “That’s what
I want to talk to you about. You remember the hassle I had accessing the bridge controls? Tait was one paranoid sonofabitch.”

  “Zelda fan,” Colgan deadpanned and offered Anya her coffee. She took a sip. “How does his paranoia play into your work?”

  “He encrypted a crap load of astrogation data. Not all of it, but that made me more suspicious not less. I mean, why encrypt certain data entries in simple navigation logs and not others? I thought there must be a lot of good stuff hidden there.”

  Colgan nodded and sat behind his desk again. “Go on.”

  “I concentrated on breaking the encryption. Warrior isn’t too good with that sort of thing,” Anya said ruefully. “She kicked up a fuss something awful; wanted to spit the data out rather than chew if you get my meaning?”

  Colgan grinned. Foreign data, especially encrypted data like Anya described, would make Warrior think it was corrupted. The navy used encryption protocols that required keys to decrypt those kinds of files. Warrior of course had a full set of keys, but they wouldn’t match anything from Jean de Vienne. In other words, the data packets would fail to match anything she ever expected to receive and would be rejected. There was a serious side to having her do that mostly linked to security and the Hacker Rebellion. Ship computers were designed specifically not to accept data exactly like the stuff Anya had been trying to force feed Warrior with.

  “Gave her a stomach ache didn’t you?”

  Anya grinned and nodded. “She bitched and moaned, but we got it done eventually. Seriously, Skip, I had to compartmentalise the data despite all the counter measures and firewalls built in to Warrior. She would have none of it.”

  “I’m glad to hear her programmers did such a good job. So, what have you found out?”

  “A lot,” Anya said and scooted the compad toward Colgan. “Names, dates, and locations of the systems Tait hunted in. Jean de Vienne was one busy ship. She was jumping all over the zone, Skipper.”