Starting from Scratch
Read Starting from Scratch Online
Authors: Bruce George
Tags: #space opera, #science fiction, #spaceship, #space war, #alien contact, #military sci fi, #star fighter
This story is copyright 2015 by Bruce George.
All rights reserved.
Smashwords Edition
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places and incidents are solely the product of the author’s
imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be
made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business
establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
***
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Table of Contents
The President of the United States was challenging
him about the kidnapping of American citizens. Mike Hurst realized
this was going to be a very awkward discussion.
Sergeant First Class Michael Hurst had been a double
amputee, as a result of a suicide bomber in Iraq. Years later,
after being kidnapped by an extra-terrestrial, he had been placed
in a medical device, which not only regenerated his legs, but also
his lost eye.
The alien, a Thorian named Jonelle (Jo to his
friends), had been the slave of a murderous race of reptilian
beings called Saurans, who threatened the Earth. The alien
recruited Mike to lead the defense of the planet, on behalf of all
humans. It was a task he neither wanted, nor felt qualified to
perform. Yet, here he was, once more standing on the sharp edge of
a hellish situation.
He and the few members of his tiny staff had just
kidnapped over one hundred old veterans and elderly scientists, in
an endeavor to begin the awesome task of building a space navy to
oppose the dreaded Saurans. They never could have done it, without
the help of a sentient computer named Bambi.
Through the biological comm units Bambi had installed
in their brains, they could communicate, without anyone knowing
they were mentally communicating (comming) to each other. On their
visit with the President, they gave him a single hand held comm
unit, to enable the leader of the free world to be in contact with
Mike. It was the hope of his staff that they could coordinate a
defense of the planet, with the help of key nations, but without
the interference of the bureaucracy of any governments on
Earth.
Bambi commed him,
He’s not alone, he has his
special group present and they’re listening in.
Good, Bambi. They should hear what I have to say and
be allowed to ask direct questions of me.
Mike began, “Mr. President, let’s not waste time
dancing around the issues. Save that for the UN. You can ask me
anything you want to know and I’ll answer to best of my
ability.”
“Fair enough, Sergeant.” His use of Mike’s enlisted
rank was an obvious attempt to have Mike seem as a subordinate in
the conversation.
In a demanding tone, the President asked, “Did you
kidnap those aviators, the scientists and those poor old
veterans?”
“Yes sir. My group was responsible. Every one of
those people are being treated for any existing ailments. Once the
process is completed, they will be given the chance to join us.
After further improvements are made to their bodies, which will aid
them in dealing with the rigors of life in outer space, they will
be part of the effort to defend the Earth.”
“I see.”
Apparently, Stassen covered the mic with his hand in
an attempt have a brief conversation with his staff, before
proceeding.
“Mr. President, covering the mic doesn’t stop us from
hearing you. I am aware of the presence of your Chief of Staff: of
John Oldfield, your National Security Advisor: Todd Pierpoint, the
head of the Science Foundation: Marge Chalmers, and Secretary of
Defense: Mike Hardesty.
“I’m sure you would like to know where we are. We
have been traveling for six days out to the Kuiper belt, to
rendezvous with the large ship that we now control. You can have
NASA, the Air Force Space Command, or any number of agencies
attempt to track this communication. I’m sure the Secretary of
Defense, will verify that you can’t even detect the transmission
coming through that hand unit you’re using.
“Let me put this into perspective. I’m talking to you
without using my voice. I’m communicating to you through a comm
unit in my brain.”
He heard sounds of amazement. “Good Grief,” and, “Oh
my God, the alien turned him into an android.”
Mike couldn’t let that comment slide. “No, I have not
been converted into an android. I’ve had genetic alterations, which
give me extraordinary abilities. I’m not a robotic mechanism and
I’m still a human being.”
There were a few doubtful mutterings, but he ignored
them.
“Mr. President I apologize for the police officers
who lost there lives in California. I had hoped to avoid just this
type of incident. With your help, it won’t be necessary for us to
proceed in this manner, ever again.”
There was some quiet arguing going on and President
Stassen said, “That sounds very nice, except it won’t make their
families feel any better. You know I’ve got to hold you accountable
Sergeant and I will do my duty.”
Mike responded, “I know you will Mr. President.
However, I should tell you I no longer answer to you, or any other
Government. I am establishing a Space Navy and Army that will be
dedicated to the defense of the Earth. This military organization
will not be held accountable to you or any of the other nations I
mentioned earlier.”
There was another series of angry comments on the
Earth end of the line.
“Mr. President, please; let’s talk about what’s
coming our way. And you might as well put the comm unit down and
allow the others to speak. We’ll get a lot more done, as they get
their questions answered.”
Secretary of Defense Hardesty couldn’t contain his
anger. “Hurst, you son of a bitch. You really think you can get
away with this, don’t you?”
“Mr. Secretary, could you please explain what it is
you think I’m trying to do.”
“You’re trying to pull off something and it’s not
going to work.”
“Mr. Hardesty, I understand your frustration. None of
this is your fault, or mine. It really isn’t anyone’s fault. I
admit I might have handled this entire situation with a bit more
tact. As for getting away with something, all I want is for the
Earth to be free to continue to fuck things up, until they learn
how not to.
“And if you think I’m in it for the money, may I ask
whether or not you found that half ton of gold we left you.
Obviously, I don’t need money. I’m not some megalomaniac who wants
to rule the world. I don’t even want to do this, but I’m stuck with
the job, because anyone selected to handle this operation would be
obliged to answer to one of the Earth’s nations. The other nations
would be in an uproar and the battle to gain influence would be
distracting to say the least. By the time the various governments
got their shit together, we’d all be dead.
“Now, can we please get off of this topic for a
while. We can revisit it if you insist on doing so.”
The President said, “So you will not answer to
anyone?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, of course I will. I have to
answer to my son, his wife, Max Kolbe and my alien friend, Jo.
Eventually, I’ll have to answer to every person on the planet. I’m
just not the sort of guy you have to fear, not really. Hell, it’s
not as though I’m going to run for office. I have my pride and my
integrity, no offense intended, sir.”
Bob Stassen shot back, “You asshole, of course I’m
offended.” The President paused, sighed and added, “Although when I
consider most of the politicians I’ve had to deal with, I suppose I
shouldn’t be offended.”
Stassen sighed again, obviously frustrated by Mike’s
stubbornness. “Well, what do I call you then, Sergeant, or General,
or the Grand Wizard?”
“Call me Mike.”
Marge Chalmers, the head of the Science Foundation,
said, “Mike, if you’re already that close to the Kuiper belt, then
you must be traveling at a very high rate of speed. How fast can
you go and what sort of engine do you have? How does the spacecraft
move? And how is it that we can talk in near real time, with so
little time delay?”
“I don’t know that. I’ll have my technical genius
explain it to you. Her name is Bambi.”
Bambi entered the conversation. “Miss Chalmers, right
now, we are traveling at more than one and a half million miles per
hour. We could go faster, but I don’t want to trip any of the
monitoring beacons the enemy has ringed around your solar
system.”
There were whistles and Mrs. Chalmers told them,
“Just doing a quick calculation in my head, I would say that sounds
about right. Most people have no appreciation for the vastness of
space. For instance, ten years ago we launched the New Horizons
spacecraft and it’s only just now out to Pluto. They’ve made it
about one sixth of the way in seven days, so these guys are really
moving.”
Bambi continued, “The craft we are in at the moment,
has a form of drive that your people at NASA might understand. It’s
based on an ion drive system, but very far from anything you’re
currently experimenting with. There’s a great deal to be realized,
before you can grasp the concept of many things we do out here,
such as communicating this distance in short time. That’s the
beauty of the comm system. It’s not subject to the light speed
broadcasts of radio waves.”
Bambi deliberately left out the fact that it might be
possible for a few organizations on the Earth to detect the
presence of mysterious, minute gravity variations, whenever the
comm was being utilized.
There were more “Wows” and “Ohs”
Bambi continued to explain, “Mike told the President
about upgrading the people we need. That process is quite difficult
for the recipient, but once it has been achieved, he or she can
think at speeds that are way beyond any of your current
computers.”
Marge Chalmers voice quivered, as she said, “That
must be marvelous, but having the speed doesn’t necessarily make a
person intelligent or wise.”
Mike jumped in, “No it doesn’t, Miss Chalmers. It
also doesn’t make one kind, or gentle, or decent, or honest or
loving. Nurturing parents and the people around them develop those
traits in people.”
“Yes,” she said softly.
“Mr. President, Mr. Hardesty, here’s what I’m asking
for at the moment. We will be physically repairing the old vets,
the pilots and the scientists. They will have the benefit of a
younger body and will probably live twice as long as anyone alive
today. We will explain to them the reality of our situation and
they will be shown the universe from out here. They will have the
option of staying and helping us to build a Space Navy, or
returning to the planet and continuing their lives down there in
their new bodies.
“We deliberately took old vets, because they have
paid the price of freedom in the past and they know what a horrible
price it can be. It is my belief that those who choose to stay out
here, will make better warriors, because of that fact.
“Now here’s what you can do. We need the help of the
English speaking nations. If we gather them in a conference call,
so they can all talk with my staff and me, we can move things along
a lot faster.
“I’ll have Bambi provide security for the call and
she will also take the steps to improve your anti-hacking
protection. By the way, did you know that the Chinese and Russians
listen in on a number of each other’s secure communications? They
do a pretty good job of hacking the Pentagon, too; but no more.
Bambi has secured the networks you use for national defense. I
think if you’ll check, you see there has been an incredible
decrease in attempts to break into your defense networks. Also, the
Internet is now relatively free of successful hacking and
viruses.”
