AMP Blitzkrieg (4 page)

"If I were you Feta, I would open my eyes to how the Dakari Expansion is being run. You may find that with the wealth of the empire that all Dakari could benefit incrementally. In Humans, most have some level of selfless behavior, but not all. It is a characteristic that is thought highly of by most."

"There are many such traits that define you as an individual, some of them not so admirable. But those traits are worth nothing to us if not made by our own choice. Our freedoms are what drive us to cooperate with one another, to better our circumstance by choice. Without freedom, any benefit is usually only had by those in control."

Feta thought for several seconds and replied, "Again, this has been an interesting conversation. I will have to think on the points that you made. I believe our system to be superior, but we are not here to discuss our preference for governance today. I have the plans for our next cooperative engagement. I shall transfer them to your ship for your review. Our Generals are expecting a reply in the next few hours. Please make haste so that I may send a response."

The next target for an assault was into a system with a planet that had two moons, they were laden with Magnesium. Prior to the Torrian takeover, the moons had provided the Expansion with two-thirds of its Magnesium needs. With its loss and its inclusion in many metal alloys, construction and manufacturing across the Expansion had been brought to a slow grind. Other sources had been found since the loss, but critical shortages remained.

The planet Hoon and its moons, Paor and Muor, were part of a star system that contained 12 planets and 19 moons. Hoon was habitable, but the cold temperatures had kept all but the hardiest of colonists from laying claim to property. The handful of pilgrims on the planet’s surface had been left alone by the Milgari. The open pit mines on the moons were their focus along with the Bollite slaves they had imported to run them.

The small Milgari fleet guarding the moons consisted of 36 warships. The Dakar generals, in their wisdom, decided that they would handle the ground assault as we took out the orbiting fleet. I sent word to the Colonel to outline his plans and prepare the necessary ships for battle. His pilots were eager to take on the challenge.

With our new cooperative assault in the works I took the Swift and headed back to the Suppressor. I now had a hierarchy of managers running the various aspects of our newly formed nation who were eager to get time with "the boss". In my absence, an unofficial vote had been taken with my being elected President of the Nation of Defiant. It was an honor, but I was not sure I wanted the responsibility.

I had a keen interest in delegating authority to those that I knew could handle it. Within a few weeks I had developed a plan for my "Council of Governors". George, the Colonel, Gy, Rita and others were selected for service on the CoG. Each would have full authority over their respective areas of skills and abilities with any disputes to be settled by me.

We were growing as a nation and as such it was becoming apparent that we needed laws, courts and representatives of the people to handle many of the daily tasks that accompanied the running of a government. I was extremely disinterested in almost every aspect of it. The consultants we had hired on the Grid delivered a government plan that I turned over to the CoG to implement.

I was standing in my office looking out the window at the planet below when George entered with news. "Don, we’ve had a breakthrough in our research of the Torrian drug! We now have an injection that we can apply that blocks the Torrian drug in the Milgari’s system. Unfortunately, the affect only lasts for a few hours."

"I have assigned a team to work on the drug’s delivery. If it can be administered through an airborne fog it could be used to fill a ship before an assault. The result would be a docile crew that can easily be rounded up without firing a shot. The researchers are also looking at delivery through a water supply and again by use of a needle gun."

"I realize that a couple of hours will only buy us just so much, but it is a big step in the right direction. Our ability to control the Milgari for only a short period poses a new problem. What do we do with those that we capture? We do not have facilities to house or to hold more than a handful of prisoners, especially when those prisoners become violently uncontrollable after a few short hours."

"If you feel the need to make use of the drug as is, just let me know and I will make it available. In the meantime I would suggest continuing as we have been. With a bit of luck we may end up with that cure that we have been seeking. Taking out the Milgari fleets would be a wonderful thing for us all… a wonderful thing."

George’s news was a huge step towards our goal of stopping the Milgari. If they could be conquered through the use of chemicals the Torrian Empire would quickly collapse. If the Torrians lost their fleet they would not be able to put up much of a fight. I would have to mention to the Colonel that we should have plans in place for such an event.

The Torrians still had one wildcard to play. We had no knowledge of the capabilities of the massive ships that guarded Torrus. If the size of the ships were any indication of their power we might find it difficult to unseat them from their world. Until such time as the Torrians were completely defeated they would pose a threat, a threat we were all eager to be rid of.

The Dakar raid on the Hoon moons was scheduled for three months out. I decided it was time for a trip to the Grid to catch up with Doris Jenkins. She would have data relevant to our commodities trading as well as information on Ashley Elizabeth. I was apprehensive to set foot on the great station not knowing whether or not SCore had information on Defiant and our war on the Milgari.

George had grown tired of my borrowing of his flyer, so a new ship had been constructed for my use. It contained all of our latest technologies neatly packaged to appear as conventional ship components. I was most impressed with the hidden ion cannon and the pure Aquamarine top-skin.

The new armor had the ability to absorb several full strikes by the newest Milgari battle cannon after which it would fracture and shed, revealing our standard armor underneath. My new flyer, the Wren, was Gy’s experimental craft. The top-skin had only been successfully applied on a small scale with the Wren being the first ship to receive it. He hoped to one day use it to cover our entire fleet.

I landed in Alpha Bay and made my way to the office, Doris was waiting, "Hey Sir, have I got news for you! It seems Ashley Elizabeth is a full blown SCore agent. I'm not sure why you wanted to know, but from past experience you are better off avoiding them. They like to pry into every detail of your life, regardless of whether or not you have done anything wrong. It’s all about who you are seen with."

"I have compiled a report for you with all the information I could gather. She's a busy one that one. Does more trips off-world than any Messenger pilot I know. She is also chummy with Michael Felix, especially since he won his seat in the chamber. He is already talking of moving up to the Senate in the next election. As power hungry as he is, I don't see that as being a good thing."

"Now your girl, Ms. Elizabeth, she has quite the record. She was in the Marines during the last war, saw a lot of combat. Her father and older brother passed in the prior war. Her mother tried to steer her away from duty, but she was gung-ho on revenge. From what the combat records say she got what she was looking for."

"I managed to track down a couple of the soldiers she crewed with. They were thoroughly impressed. They said she was vicious when it came to fighting, including hand-to-hand. One said he personally saw her take down three Milgari with a blade after her blaster was knocked from her grasp. They also said she was about as smart as they came. And her legs, well, I'm afraid even I might blush if I repeat what they said about those."

"Now, since she left the service her record goes cold. As I'm sure you know you can't get any information on anyone who has served with or is employed by SCore. Those records are vaulted. So, all I have is my suspicions of what I have gathered over the last few months."

She has done a lot of snooping around Malcon. Someone is running a butt-load of Tantric through there, including some of ours. I have attempted to follow her out when she follows the ore deliveries, but her ship is too fast for my bucket. Say, you wouldn't want to line me up with something with a little more pop to it would you? If the company can afford it, that is. Not saying I have to have it, but it would make all this running around more tolerable."

I replied, "Well Doris, your work has been nothing but stellar. When we leave here, I'm going to see about ordering you a new flyer. And I can assure you that it will be one that you are not disappointed in. In fact, I think you have earned your stripes with what you have done here. It's time you were brought fully into the company and what we are all about."

Doris turned her head slightly to the side, "I'm not sure what you are getting at Sir, but it sounds like you have been holding back on something. Doris doesn't like secrets. Doris likes to know so she can plan accordingly. And from that smile on your face I would say you have been keeping back something big!"

I took Doris down to the Alpha landing bay and onto the Wren. As she stepped through the outer door she mentioned the exterior. "What kind of coating is that you have on there? I don't recall seeing anything like it before. Most of the ships have that dull green Tantric color on all the leading edges with half worn off paint on the rest. This looks sleek and shiny, kind of a deep shine too. I bet you get a lot of questions about it."

I had Doris sit in the captain's chair as I spoke. "The coating is something special our company makes. This is actually the first ship that it has been applied to. It has Tantric underneath. I could tell you a little more about it, but I will save that for later. I think for now I will just take you for a ride."

With that I gestured towards the co-pilot's seat and Doris quickly made the move. I then filed a flight plan with Alpha Bay for a "pleasure ride". We would be gone for three hours. As I powered up my console Doris' eyes lit up.

"Wow. That display is a thing of beauty! Now I know how all the rich folks live. That looks like an integrated nav and systems console." She took in a deep breath, "And the air in here smells about as fresh as an uninhabited planet. Almost has a hint of flora in it. And I do love this chair. I could get used to one of these.

Doris rocked in the chair and smiled as we lifted off. Her eyes were glued to my console as she took in every reading from the ships systems. I pushed the throttle forward and the Wren was soon traveling at 140 SOL. We would ride at that speed until out of range of the Grid's sensors.

"I have to tell you Sir, I am impressed with your ride. I can't say that I have been in anything quite like it. Cruising along at 140 SOL... that is just sweet candy." I stood and gestured towards the back. "The quarters come with a generous bed, for the taller guys like me, and a shower, which again fits a tall guy."

We have a small study over here and then storage back here and here. There is also a small cargo space that is available through the floor below us. The ship's computer is one of the newest available cores with three of them networked into a redundant configuration. If you follow me back to the console I will show you what this ship is really about."

We sat down and I looked and smiled at Doris as a green symbol popped up on the console screen. We were out of range of the Grid. I then pressed several buttons on the console and the throttle lever moved back to just under half throw. Doris looked at it curiously.

"Mmmm, what is the meaning of that Don?" I replied, "Why don't you push that forward for me and see." Doris looked at the lever and then reached to it with a shrug. As she pushed it forward the velocity reading on the console began to climb. When she reached the full throw of the throttle she released it and sat back in her chair to watch.

She sat silent, staring at the reading for nearly a minute. "Sir, that says 322 SOL. That cannot possibly be right. We are not traveling at 322 SOL. Nothing short of the Grid's gravity drive can do that." She again sat silent for nearly a minute. "If you can make a ship that will go 320... you could almost own this galaxy Sir. That is… that is... wow!"

I pulled up the nav screen and set a waypoint to the nearest uninhabited moon. Seven minutes later it came into view on our sensors. "If you think 320 SOL is impressive then let me show you something else." I pressed several buttons and the nav screen reconfigured. The console now offered an integrated view of the nav and weapons displays.

I targeted the small moon and brought the ion cannon online. I then looked back at Doris, her jaw was hanging open. "You want to press the button? I set it to auto-fire so all you have to do is wait for the red symbol to go green and then press it once."

Doris reached up, placing her finger over the glowing red button. The color soon turned to yellow and then a bright green. She pushed her finger down, engaging the ion cannon, it fired with a low rumble. I magnified the target area and Doris watched in amazement as a deep trench was cut into the moon’s surface.

"Sir, I don't know weapons, but I have seen enough video of them to know that was something different. Ion cannons on a ship this size will dig up a small pit. But that trench, that trench was a kilometer deep! And what are you doing with an ion cannon on a commercial vessel? I thought that was against Grid rules. Only diplomatic vessels can have that and they only dock at Gamma bay."

I continued to smile for several seconds at Doris' shock. "It is more powerful than a Milgari battle cannon. And the Wren's sleek, shiny black hull, it can take a full shot from one of those Milgari cannons without taking damage." I then pulled the throttle back to zero. It was time to let Doris in on all the secrets.

"This ship is loaded with special features Doris. And those features are only the tip of the iceberg of what I am about to tell you. You have shown that you can be trusted and that you put a full effort into the job that has been given to you. For that you have earned my respect. I haven't discussed this with my Council of Governors yet, but I think it's time we made you a full-fledged citizen of Defiant."

Doris gave an odd look, "Of what? Defiant? What's Defiant?" I went on to tell Doris of our nation, of our dreams and aspirations. I told of how we mistrusted the politicians of the Grid and of the technology we had come to have. I told of how it could not be trusted in their hands.

I then moved on to discuss Admiral Zimmerman, Cortes and the Ranger. She then sat in stunned silence as I recounted our fights with the Milgari and our new cooperative agreement with the Dakar. She looked at me suspiciously when I let on about my true identity.

When my lengthy speech was finished, she was shaking her head. "I want to say that you are just feeding me a line, but I was just flying at 320 SOL and I was witness to that massive trench we dug on that moon back there." She ran her hands through the hair on the sides of her head. "It's like you are from this whole different fantasy world or something. This is stuff that I could not have even imagined when I got up this morning. And you are telling me that it is all real."

I replied, "It is very real Doris. Men and women have fought and died for what we are trying to do. And if you ask me how I brought all this together in such a short time? Well, I'll have to tell you... that one is a stunner to me. It seems like things have just fallen into place and continued to build with no end in sight. Most days I don't know what it is I am doing, but the people around me seem to, so I just continue on, stepping in whatever direction feels right at the time."

"And if you are worried about how you fit in with all that I have told to you then I will hit you with this, I want you to be our eyes and ears on the Grid. Start shell companies, hire snoops and I will give you a budget that you could only dream of. And that ship you wanted... I'll be asking Gy to make you one that is similar to this."

"You will be getting a new tittle to go with your new job. You are now Vice President of Martool Mining and Commodities Company. You will receive a fat salary and a pension plan. Your job will be to nose into every detail of the politics of the Grid. If Michael Felix sneezes I want to know about it. I plan on starting to move a lot of commodities through the Grid and spending a lot of credits to line the pockets of politicians."

"If we find a sleeze-bag in office I want to get him or her on the payroll and start having them vote our way. I know it's a tall order I am throwing out there to you Doris. But I have every confidence in your ability to make it happen. You will have the full support of our team behind you to assist in any decision making. If we can pull this off right, Michael Felix will be in "our" pocket!"

Doris's eyes lit up with the thought. "Hmm. That would almost make it all worthwhile just on its own. I used to daydream of having such power over him. Might be nice to one day be pulling his strings!" She stuck out her hand for a shake to seal the deal, "If you think we can do this, then I am all in!"

I continued to fill Doris in on our plans for the Grid. Upon our return she would have a new mission. Her efforts would be put towards the hiring of workers who would in turn be given the job of finding and hiring investigators. The investigators would then be given the task of digging up whatever dirt they could on Grid politicians and federal workers. Any advantage that could be gained by the leverage of knowledge was an advantage that we wanted.

On Defiant, we had several traders who had been moving our ore. I would assign one of those traders the task of being Doris' right hand man. It would be his job to work with her to move as much of our commodities through the Grid as possible. We would need cover for the money that was to be thrown at politicians.

When we arrived back at the Grid Doris immediately went to work on hiring in people she trusted. Shell companies would be formed and investigators brought in. Doris would be speaking to the investigators in private. Only she would know their assignments and whatever reports they delivered to her workers would be delivered sealed and passed along to Doris through a deliveryman of her choosing. It was all designed to give that extra layer of deniability.

After leaving Doris to her new work, I made my way to Jasper's. I had hopes of bumping into Ashley Elizabeth. A warrant for my arrest was still active, but for some reason I was no longer in fear of being caught. I had a well-established identity to fall back on as Rex Bumbalee. My only weaknesses were my fingerprints and DNA, both of which were on file.

The fingerprints could be changed and I had been in discussions with George on doing just that, but the DNA identification was permanent. If Doris was successful in her mission I hoped to have the warrant withdrawn and the charges dropped. Until that time came I would only need to watch where I placed my hands.

As I sat in Jasper's, I saw several of the older pilots I had previously worked with. I bought them a round of drinks as they had no idea of my prior identity. They quickly opened up about Michael Felix and the hardships his control had brought with it. If you weren't playing by his rules you weren't playing at all.

One of the old pilots, Kurt Daniels, spoke up, "I tell you, I have to beg that guy for work now. Seems he has been purchasing ships of his own and enlisting young pilots for a pittance to fly them. They don't care about the pay and they certainly don't care about us. And we can't pick up any stray deals because his delivery times are somehow much shorter than ours. I don't know how, but his crews are getting out there and back in record time."