Solbidyum Wars Saga Book 1: Battle of the New Orleans (14 page)

“Yes,” the Captain said, “Only the interiors are different, and the power systems.  Oh, and there is a Federation symbol on our patrol ships that is not present on the
TRITYTE
.”

“Is there anything unique, like perhaps the power signature, that can be detected or that would otherwise differentiate the
TRITYTE
from other patrol craft?”

“No,
” the Captain said leaning forward in his chair, his food forgotten and a huge smile spreading across his face.”

“Then I suggest that we switch the
TRITYTE
with one of the other patrol craft, hide the Federation symbol on this decoy with something that can later be removed in space, and then assign a trusted crew to steal this fake
TRITYTE
.  Meanwhile, we install a Federation symbol on the real
TRITYTE
and move it to a common patrol ship bay.  After moving the decoy into the secured bay, the hangar can be made to look disheveled and damaged, as though a fight took place. Notify the next of kin and broadcast the story of the first attempt and the subsequent ‘successful’ theft over the ship’s newscast, perhaps even showing the bodies of the troopers killed in the first attempt.  Then immediately deploy every available ship to look for the
TRITYTE
, including the real, disguised
TRITYTE
. Since so little is known about the ship and Solbidyum, you could fabricate some information about it, perhaps announcing that the
TRITYTE
can be detected by a specific energy signature, this will add plausibility to the theft scenario.  We would have to conjure up something that emits an easily detected signal, which we will install in a message pod on the decoy ship.  The crew can program the pod to travel on some kind of erratic route, activate the transmitter to emit the signal intermittently, and launch the pod prior to uncovering the hidden Federation logo.  Then the decoy
TRITYTE
will look like a Federation patrol ship, which will then join the hunt for the stolen decoy
TRITYTE
.  Everyone will be following and chasing after the signature emitted from message drone for light years.”  I exhaled, my stomach slowly becoming unknotted.  My plan was falling favorably on the Captain’s ears. 

I continued,
“Perhaps choose one of the uninhabited planets, maybe the original prison exile planet, and send the pod in that general direction.  The ploy should at the very least divide the Bunem fleet.  Then if the Bunemnites do come to the
DUSTEN
, act as though you think they are coming to help.  Perhaps even invite their leadership aboard the
DUSTEN
and let them have access to the entire ship.  They will most certainly be looking to see if the Solbidyum is here but, of course, it won’t be.  It will be on the real
TRITYTE
, deployed on an unconventional route to the capitol with Kala and me and four of your most trusted crewmen.”

“Tibby, that is brilliant
!” the Captain said, “I think it might even work.  I have an idea to make it even more plausible, before the fake
TRITYTE
leaves the
DUSTEN
, we can plant another patrol ship at a rendezvous point.  Using their weapons, the second patrol ship can fire a non-lethal shot on the fake
TRITYTE
that will damage its propulsion system and make it look as though the decoy, which will be towed back to the
DUSTEN
as a regular patrol ship, encountered the real
TRITYTE
in a conflict.  When we have it towed back, we can broadcast a follow-up story that will convince any remaining skeptics that the hoax is real.  Brilliant, Tibby, brilliant!  Just one thing, why you and Major Kala on the real
TRITYTE
for this mission?  Why not just leave the transport to one of my loyal crews?”

“Well, first of all, it gets me off the
DUSTEN
, so I cannot be questioned or interrogated by the Bunemnites if they do come aboard.  If you like you can make up a story that I was abducted by the traitors and that I’m being held as a hostage with them on the ship.  Secondly, I will need Major Kala to assist me with protocol once I reach Megelleon and to convince them that I am not a pirate.  I want a full crew, because we are in a combat situation and this calls for a combat-ready crew.  I was lucky to have the computerized navigation after I launched from Earth, however, the craft is designed to operate with a crew of six people who have a skilled understanding of all the systems and weapons. Lastly, I have nothing to gain by taking the ship anyplace but the capitol, and I have everything to gain by getting it there. Overall, I think the plan greatly increases the probability of getting the
TRITYTE
and Solbidyum to Megelleon safely.”

“I see your point,” the Captain said,
“shrewd thinking.  I think I have a crew in mind that will increase probability even more.  Damn, Tibby, the plan is brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!  Now, if we can only keep it under wraps and pull it off.  Tell me, why didn’t you have Commander Thimas and Lt. Commander Wanoll here for this discussion as well?”

“Because, Captain, I don’t know who you can trust on your staff and who you cannot.  I leave that to you.  The fewer people who know about this, the better our chance of pulling it off.”

“I agree, Tibby,” the Captain replied thoughtfully,” I believe I can trust Commander Thimas and Lt. Commander Wanoll to carry out this plan with us.  However, neither of them can go with you on the
TRITYTE
; I need to find four competent crewmembers that I can trust.  You’ll need an engineer, a navigator, a seasoned pilot and a gunner.” He listed off.

“Captain, I think I know an experienced engineer you can trust that would fit into the crew nicely.” Kala said.

The Captain grinned.  “I think I know exactly the engineer you have in mind and I could not agree more.”

I saw Kala grin and I wondered who this engineer was and what made him so special.

The next two days were dedicated to training Kala and two of the guards in the fundamentals of martial arts and practicing some key combat moves.  Between sessions Kala and I burned off some anxious energy by swimming laps.  As time passed and no word came from the Captain, I became worried.  We were only a few days away from our imminent encounter with the Bunem fleet.

Kala and I were togeth
er at all times, other than when we were sleeping.  We shared many details of life and customs both on Earth and on the Federation planets.  The more time I spent with her, the more I found myself drawn to her. Her competitive nature compelled me to push my abilities to the limit to keep up with her in the pool and on the target range. I finally got the hand of the flat gun and was matching her scores with all weapons by the end of our training period.

We had just finished eating breakfast on the fifth day
after  our meeting with the Captain, when Kala finally received word from him to get to the hangar.  Kala was told to see to it that I was dressed in something that would not differentiate me from others passing through the hangar area.  Kala made a quick call and Piesew appeared shortly after with a package he said had just arrived for me, along with a set of orders for Major Kala.

Kala read her message and handed it to me
.  After reading it twice, I handed it back to her.  ”Well, I guess this is it.”  Kala placed the message in the recycler as per instructions written in the communication.  I opened the package to find a flight mechanics outfit complete with shoes. While I was dressing, Kala packed two duffel bags for us containing items from our wardrobes.  She suggested that we make our way to the hangar with two of the guards walking ahead of us as though they were on a casual stroll, followed by me and another guard walking together.  She and the forth guard would follow approximately ten paces behind, appearing to chat as though they were friends leaving their shift.  This informal profile would be inconspicuous in the high traffic of the main corridor.  I must confess, I was rather nervous, but was glad to be paired up with the same trooper who had participated in my first martial arts demonstration and who had been practicing with Kala and me the past few days.  This association gave us something to talk about naturally so our conversation would not appear forced or fabricated.  In addition to wearing an ordinary mechanic’s uniform to detract attention to our movements; Kala also darkened my hair using the styling wand to a more commonly seen brown shade. 

We strolled casually through the corridor to a different hangar entrance than where the
TRITYTE
and I were originally received.  The two guards who preceded us through the corridor took up positions outside the hangar door and the guard who walked with me entered the hangar first.  We were immediately challenged by a trooper inside the door who required us to place our hands on a scanner that confirmed identification and clearance.  Once cleared to enter, we moved directly toward a patrol ship bay that housed what looked like a standard patrol craft with a Federation emblem displayed on the hull.  The hatch in the hull was closed.  Kala instructed me to grasp the handle and then step back. I did so with some apprehension, recalling my first encounter with this door handle on Mound Island.  There was a momentary delay while a small light (which I clearly had not seen through the crusted mud the first time) blinked at one end of the handle, after which the door swung open – much more gently than it had in the swamp.  As soon as we entered and closed the hatch behind us, I recognized that were in the airlock of the
TRITYTE
looking through the open inner airlock door toward the wall where I had originally rappelled into the craft.  Back on Earth I didn’t notice the inner airlock door, but I suppose everything looked foreign when the ship was lying on its side.

Once inside, we proceeded to the galley where Kala said the others would be waiting.  We arrived to find two other men and a very lovely woman standing there, all in military uniforms.  All of them snapped to attention and
saluted; right arm across the chest and hand on the shoulder.  Kala returned the salute and greeted the next in command; “Lieutenant”  to which the Lieutenant returned, “Major”.  It was Lieutenant Reidecor, the officer who was the first to enter the
TRITYTE
on my arrival and escort me off the ship.

Kala spoke deliberately and quickly, knowing there was little time for a full briefing. “Crew I would like present
to you Thibodaux James Renwalt.  He prefers to be called Tibby or Tib.  Tib this is Lieutenant Reidecor, whom I believe you have met before.  He will be our pilot.  This is Corporal Lexmal, our navigator.  You know Sergeant Marranalis, who has been guarding you for nearly a week now.  He’s our gunner.  And this is Corporal Luinella, our engineer, and my sister.  She prefers you call her Lunnie.”  Lunnie smiled in acknowledgment.  “Now, per the Captains orders, for this mission Tibby is in charge.  You all will report to him directly.  Although you’ve all been briefed on this mission, I will let Tibby summarize the plan, since he was the one who conceived it. “

“Thank you, Major
.” I began,   “First of all, I am sure you all have a clear sense of what this mission means, both if we succeed and if we fail, so I won’t belabor that issue.  You have been handpicked by the Captain because of your skills and your loyalty to the Federation.  If this mission succeeds, you all will go down in the history of the Federation for getting the ship and its cargo to Megelleon.  If we fail, well, we may not be remembered at all.  Anytime now, a battle will ensue in the secured bay where the
TRITYTE
was originally stored and the decoy
TRITYTE
will make its escape from that bay into space in the hands of traitors desiring to capitalize on the wealth its holds.  Shortly thereafter, there will be a general alarm issued and this place will be buzzing with ships leaving in pursuit of the decoy
TRITYTE
.  When approximately two thirds of the ships have left, I will receive a signal from the Captain and we will depart like all the patrol ships in the general direction of the pursuit.  However, we will at one point slowly veer off in a direction away from the Bunem System.  Once we are out of detection range of the pursuit ships, we will make a U-turn around and in front of the
DUSTEN
out of their sensor range  and follow a course that is forty five degrees off the usual direct path to Megelleon at maximum speed.  This will cause us to pass outside the range of the Bunem System and the fleet of pursuers, after which we will correct our course to head directly for Megelleon.  We will not make contact with anyone until we are well within the Capitol’s perimeter fleet protection, at which time Major Kalana will broadcast a coded message briefing leadership of our presence.  At that point we hope for prompt landing instructions and protection.  Any questions?”

“Sir,” Lieutenant Reidecor stepped forward. “What if the Bunemnites don’t buy the ruse and we run into their fleet?”

“We have every reason to believe the Bunemnites will suspect some sort of trick, but they must equally consider that the situation may be real.  We believe they will split up their forces, sending one contingent out after the decoy ship and another to the
DUSTEN
in the belief that the Solbidyum may have been secretly stored onboard.  Before the Bunemnites can attack, the
DUSTEN
will contact them, thanking them for coming to aid in searching for the
TRITYTE
and its cargo.  The Captain will then invite the officers from their flag ship to join him on the
DUSTEN
and allowing them to roam about the ship, knowing full well they will be searching for the Solbidyum.  They will even be shown a patrol ship that supposedly was damaged when fired upon by the fake
TRITYTE
. Even if it doesn’t convince them it will slow them down tremendously.  They will not want to start a war, unless they are in possession of the Solbidyum; and when it can’t be located on the
DUSTEN
, they will know that it’s got to be on the
TRITYTE
or on some other ship and clandestine route to Megelleon.  In either case, their ships will be divided up with the bulk of them between the
DUSTEN
and the Bunem System, or between the Bunem System and the decoy.   We, on the other hand, will be on the opposite side of the Bunem System and headed for Megelleon by then.  At the very most, they might spare two or three ships to monitor activity on that side the system, in the remote chance a ship, meaning our ship, escapes detection and passes Bunem surveillance.  If this is the case and we are discovered, we will either have to outrun them or fight them.”  I tried to read the intense faces of the crew.  “Any other questions?”