Ep.#15 - "That Which Other Men Cannot Do" (The Frontiers Saga) (6 page)

“Perhaps he can find some more on Palee?” Dumar suggested.

Deliza shook her head. “Doubtful, between your first buying spree and the follow-up ones my father’s people made, Palee has been picked clean. We’ll probably have to head further out.”

“I’m sure Navarro will find something,” Admiral Dumar said. “What about the Super Eagle program?”

“The first prototype should be ready in a little over a week.”

Admiral Dumar looked at President Scott, silently requesting an answer.

“The Eagle plant will be operational in three weeks,” the president said.

Deliza looked at President Scott, then at Admiral Dumar at the opposite end of the table, her eyes wide with shock. “Admiral, we haven’t finished the computer simulations yet.”

“It takes time to build airframes from the ground up,” Admiral Dumar explained patiently.

“That’s my point,” Deliza exclaimed. “Maybe we should wait until we’ve flown the prototype before we start setting up for production. What if we have to make a major change in the airframe?”

“The plant already existed, as did the dies and molds for the Eagle’s hull and control surfaces,” Admiral Dumar told her. “If you are unable to make the Super Eagle concept work, we will just build regular Eagles.”

“But what if I
can
make it work, but I need to modify the airframe to do so?” Deliza wondered.

“It would be better if that were not the case,” Admiral Dumar admitted.

Deliza’s head went down slightly. “No pressure,” she mumbled to herself.

“Doctor Sorenson, how are things going with the Cobra project on Tanna?” Admiral Dumar asked next.

“The first Cobra gunship rolled out yesterday. It’s undergoing a rigorous preflight right now, and will launch on schedule the day after tomorrow. Captain Nash will spend a few days in flight trials, and then it will go into service as a trainer for the Tannan Cobra crews. We should see a new gunship rolling out every five days, and entering service five days later.”

“You’re producing a new gunship every five days?” Jessica exclaimed in disbelief.

“Actually, it takes about a month to assemble one. Each ship spends three days in a station, and there are ten stations overall. The Tannans have really dug in hard on this project. The gunships are a symbol of pride for them. They finally feel like they are standing up against the Jung. They work day and night. People who aren’t qualified to work the line help out by providing food for the workers, or by helping take care of their families while they are busy working. It’s an amazing thing to watch.”

“Then everything is on schedule?” the admiral asked.

“Yes, sir. The first twelve gunships will be in service, fully crewed, within two months. In addition, the docking facilities on the asteroid base will be ready in another week. They’ll be able to dock at least twenty gunships there by the time the first twelve are ready.”

“Very well,” Admiral Dumar replied. He took a moment to reflect before continuing. “So, it looks like we’re finally starting to get some significant forces going here. Which begs the next question… What are we going to do with them?”

“I believe that is why I was asked to attend this meeting,” President Scott said. “Some of you may have seen the news report of Admiral Galiardi’s release from the rehabilitation facility. He was somewhat vocal as to his opposition of the Alliance’s efforts to clear a twenty light year sphere around Sol of Jung forces. He was also opposed to taking on more members into this Alliance.”

“Then he’s really not going to like what I’m proposing we do next,” Admiral Dumar mused.

“Which is?” the president wondered.

“I want to extend that Jung-free zone out to thirty light years.”

The room went silent, as all eyes turned toward the admiral.

“It’s not that I am opposed to the idea,” President Scott began. “However, there may be others who are… Others with considerable influence.”

“Such as Galiardi,” the admiral said.

“And others… Others who will listen to the admiral.”

“You’re talking about eleven more worlds,” Jessica said, her eyes coming up from her data pad on the table. “Every one of which has a battle group, and every one of which is already aware of the threat the Alliance represents, at least to some degree. So, they’re all going to be on alert status.”

“That makes it a bit more of a challenge,” Nathan muttered.

“Perhaps,” Admiral Dumar admitted, “then again, perhaps not. We do have more ships, and we do have better weapons than before, as well as shields. If we can crank out enough JKKVs, we should be able to clear all eleven of those Jung-held systems within four months.”

“The Celestia won’t be fully operational for another month,” Cameron reminded the admiral. “The Jar-Benakh and the Aurora for at least two. The frigates more like six. Not to mention the training of their crews.”

“We’ll have enough KKVs to strike the first system by the time the Celestia is fully operational,” Admiral Dumar said. “You’ll also have four Super Falcons and at least as many Cobra gunships, either of which could probably deal with the frigates on their own. Same as before. Strike the battle platform and battleship with JKKVs, then go in and clean up the rest.”

“It’s not the same as before, Admiral,” Cameron disagreed. “Those ships aren’t going to be cruising lazily along as if nothing is wrong. They’re going to be randomly changing course and speed, and they’re going to have all their shields at full strength, every minute of every day.”

“None of which matters, as long as at least a few jump KKVs hit them,” the admiral replied.

“And if they don’t?”

“Then you abort the attack. Since they are already on alert, you’ve lost nothing by the attempt, except a few JKKVs.”

“And then what?” President Scott wondered. “After you extend the Jung-free zone out to thirty light years, what next? Forty? Fifty?”

“If need be, yes,” Admiral Dumar replied.

“The Jung will not sit idly by while you destroy their ships, one battle group at a time,” Commander Telles said. “Nor will they increase their defenses, or double up the number of ships in each group. Instead, they will assemble a vast fleet and send it toward Earth, with the intention of destroying it once and for all.”

“And what would you suggest, Commander?” President Scott wondered.

“You must strike them in the heart. You must strike their homeworld.”

“You’re not suggesting that we glass the Jung homeworld?” the president wondered.

“Not at all,” Commander Telles replied, “as I know none of you would be willing to resort to such measures. Besides, it would likely escalate the conflict considerably. However, you
could
attack their fleet. Destroying a substantial portion of the Jung homeworld’s defenses, and with only a handful of ships, would send a strong message to the Jung. If their leaders are subject to the same kind of public pressures as most world governments, they may rethink their plans of conquest.”

“There’s only one problem with that plan,” Jessica said. “We still don’t know where the Jung homeworld is located.”

“Then you must find it,” Commander Telles insisted. “In the meantime, the admiral’s plan to expand the Jung-free zone is sound, as it increases the amount of time that you have available to increase your forces.”

“Some will side with Galiardi,” President Scott warned. “They’ll argue that we are provoking the Jung, forcing an escalation in the conflict.”

“It is only a matter of time before the Jung either capture a jump drive, obtain usable scans of one, or simply develop one of their own,” Commander Telles pointed out. “To believe otherwise would be foolish.”

“Recent events would support the commander’s assertions,” Admiral Dumar agreed. “If the Jung do develop a jump drive, it will take them several years to install working prototypes in even a few ships. Removing Jung assets from nearby systems, and perhaps even the entire Sol sector, will not stop them from coming. However, it may give them cause to reconsider their plans. We can build weapons, we can build ships, and we can train crews. But not without time. The only way to acquire that time is to continue expanding the Jung-free zone as much as possible.”

“We have already killed hundreds of thousands of Jung troops and ship crews,” President Scott said. “When I consider that fact, I start to wonder if Galiardi isn’t right.”

“He probably is,” Commander Telles replied. “But that is not the point. The fact is that the Jung have already killed millions of your people. Not just ship crews and troops, but civilians. Innocent men, women, and children, all of whom were not a threat to the Jung. The
point
is that the only thing the Jung respect is strength. You must show them your resolve. You must make them aware, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that continuing their campaign will exact an enormous cost on their society, one that they may not be able to bear.
That
is how you will dissuade the Jung from pressing their attacks.”

President Scott took a deep breath, letting it out in a long, slow sigh. “Continue preparations for your plans to extend the Jung-free zone further, Admiral,” he finally said. “I will convince the other leaders of Earth, as well as the other member worlds of the Alliance, to support your plan. It will not be easy, but I will do my best to get their support.”

Nathan couldn’t help but remember Captain Dubnyk’s words.
A war is what you have started, and a war is what you shall have to fight.

* * *

“
One minute to the summit,
” the controller’s voice called over the comms.

“Copy that,” the copilot replied. He glanced to his left at Captain Nash. “All checklists are complete, sir. The ship is ready for launch.”

Captain Nash sighed. “Hell of a way to launch a ship…pushing it up a hill and then letting it roll down the other side. Reminds me of the roller coasters I used to ride when I was a kid.”

“Roller coaster?” the Tannan copilot echoed, unfamiliar with the term.

“Little trains that rolled really fast around a track full of loops and twists and turns.”

“Interesting. Was it an enjoyable experience?”

“Scared the hell out of me, every single time.”

“
Twenty seconds to summit.
”

“Launch jump is plotted and ready,” the copilot reported. “Jump drive is fully charged, and all jump systems show green. All engines are online and ready to fire.”

“Control, Cobra One,” Captain Nash called over the comms. “We are go for launch.”

Nathan stood on the dignitary’s viewing stand at the Cobra gunship compound on Tanna. Before him were the hundreds of Tannan and Terran technicians who had built Cobra One, each of them watching with bated breath. Behind him, thousands more gathered to watch the launch of the first gunship that would be used to protect their world.

Nathan looked to his right at Jessica, Cameron, and Vladimir. It was rare for all four of them to meet away from their ships. They had been through so much together over the last five hundred and twenty-three days, more than any of them could have possibly imagined upon graduation from the EDF Academy nearly two years ago.

Nathan looked to his left, at Admiral Dumar, Commander Telles, and President Scott. He had been through nearly as much with each of them. In fact, the people standing beside him at the moment were among the ones he trusted most. It seemed fitting that they were gathered here, to witness what was surely the result of all that they had fought and struggled for…together.

His focus joined that of his friends, on the distant gunship as it reached the top of the long hill that it had spent the last hour climbing.

“What happens if it doesn’t jump?” Jessica whispered, leaning in closer to Nathan as she spoke.

“It will jump.”

“But what happens if it doesn’t?”

“Nothing. It just rolls down the other side of the launch hill,” Nathan assured her. “Then it spends the rest of the day making its way back here to figure out what went wrong.”

“Good to know,” Jessica said.

“Don’t worry, it will jump.”

The gunship paused at the summit for a moment, then began slowly rolling down the long grade on the other side. It quickly picked up speed, continuing to accelerate until it reached the bottom of the hill and rolled out across the level ground. Seconds later, it reached the small hill at the other end of the grade, causing it to angle upward toward the distant sky. It slowed as it started upward, to the point that Nathan was unsure if it would even reach the top of the launch ramp. As it crested the next summit, the gunship became enveloped in blue-white light. In a split second, the light turned into a brilliant blue-tinged flash, then the gunship disappeared. The carriage that had carried the first gunship through all ten assembly bays, and then finally to its ultimate launch point, was left behind to roll down the opposite side, its mooring arms cleanly severed by the gunship’s jump fields.

Nathan instinctively looked skyward along the perceived track of the departing gunship, as if he expected to see another distant flash indicating that the ship had safely reached orbit. But there was nothing in sight.

The rest of the crowd—dignitaries, technicians, and spectators alike—held their breath, as they waited for confirmation. Finally, after a few agonizingly long seconds, their confirmation came.

“
Control, Cobra One,
” Captain Nash’s voice called triumphantly over the loudspeakers. “
Jump complete. We have a good burn on the mains, and we’ll be settling into stable orbit in three minutes, thirty seconds.
”

The crowd erupted into cheers.

Captain Nash smiled from ear to ear as he reached out to shake his copilot’s hand. “Nice work, Rano.”

“Was it as scary as a ride on your roller coasters, Captain?” his copilot wondered.

“Ten times worse, my friend. Ten times worse.”

* * *

“Whoa,” Josh said as he entered hangar bay zero deep in the Karuzara asteroid base. He turned to look at Deliza and Loki. “Okay, that is hands down the coolest ship I have ever seen.” He turned and continued toward the prototype Super Eagle. “You changed it a little, didn’t you?”

“Trimmed the wing roots back and thickened them up a bit to make more room for the upgraded maneuvering thrusters,” Deliza explained.

“The tail is different, too.”

“Increased the forward angle to reduce drag. Since you’ll be jumping down from orbit instead of letting atmospheric friction slow you down, we needed to increase the slope so the tail didn’t get torn off when you come out of the jump.”

“They also blended the wing and the stabilizer,” Loki pointed out.

Josh moved around the port wing root and around the back, looking over the tail. “You widened the space between the stabilizers as well.”

“The new engines have a greater range of thrust vectoring, so we had to in order to give you more maneuverability.”