Retribution: The Augmented Human Rebellion - Book 2 Read online

  “Shiela, will you be able to multitask with the repair crew, at the same time that you interface with us?” the Captain asks.

  “Aye sir. No problem. And ‘good job’ on getting us out of there,” responds the AI.

  “Thank you, Shiela,” says the Captain. “Does anyone have any thoughts about what our tactics should be, when we exit the Vortex? And bear in mind that some other Darinx Captain may assume command. They are all senior to me in time in grade.”

  “Hopefully they won’t,” responds Lt Inchurito. “You are the one who got us a reprieve on our date with death. And you are the one who had a winning strategy to destroy the other Verm vessels as they emerged. It was only the Admiral’s pride that kept us from winning.”

  “Enough of that Lieutenant - forget about the past and think about the upcoming battle. What do you think, right off hand?”

  “Aye sir,” the Tactical Officer replies. “Your suggestion about setting a trap seems good to me. Only this time I would suggest that we get behind the Vortex exit, instead of in front of it. We can still target the enemy ships as they emerge, and their debris field will not be in our way. We could incorporate the tactic of lobbing missiles, if they begin to emerge en masse.”

  “I like that, also,” interjects Shiela. “And each Darinx ship has a supply of 100 mines. I would suggest, to the other Captains, that we could mine the exit point. I don’t know why the Admiral didn’t think of that.”

  “Enough of that from you too, Shiela. The Admiral is deceased - let him rest in peace. But I do like your idea about mining the exit. We may have time to accomplish that task ourselves, even if the other ships don’t participate,” comments the Captain.

  ***

  The remainder of the voyage is spent in repairs, planning, and preparation. Captain Meyers wants to be certain that the mines, from the Compton, get positioned before some other Captain can order her not to plant them.

  She expects that some other Captain will pull rank and take control of the remains of the Darinx Fleet. It would be highly unusual for 13 Captains, each with more time in grade, to defer to her leadership – it’s just not likely to happen.

  In order to buy some time before being removed from de facto command, the Compton will exit the Vortex broadcasting a message to all ships suggesting that they plant mines, and then position themselves in back of the Vortex exit, where they can discuss future plans for the Fleet. Until someone in authority tells Captain Meyers that she can’t give orders, she is free to use her own initiative.

  ***

  Vortex Exit in the Romalous Sector

  And so it goes. The Compton exits the Vortex and immediately begins the mine laying operation, while at the same time broadcasting Captain Meyers’ suggestions to the rest of the Fleet. To her surprise, all of the other vessels begin positioning mines according to instruction from Shiela – the Compton AI.

  The mine laying operation is complete and the Darinx Fleet is positioned in back of the Vortex exit, before the first Verm warship emerges from the vortex.

  “Amazing,” thinks Captain Meyers. She has come this far and no one has relieved her of command, so she just continues to give directions. “All ships,” she says. “This is Captain Meyers. Until someone else assumes command, I suggest that we target the Verm warships as they emerge, and in order to be efficient at that task, I suggest that we allow Shiela, the Compton AI, to assign the Fleet’s targets.

  All ships signal affirmative or OK to the suggestion. No one says ‘Aye sir’, which would have indicated that they are accepting her as an authority figure. Never the less, they are allowing her to continue as temporary team leader. “That works for me,” thinks Captain Meyers.

  The combination of a 1,400 unit mine field, in conjunction with a coordinated energy weapons assault on the emerging Verm vessels, has a devastating effect on the Verm Fleet. The ships continue to pour from the mouth of the Vortex, and most are being destroyed by the Darinx Fleet.

  But as the Verm vessels continue to flow from the mouth of the Vortex, the mines in the center of the mine field get used up. That creates a hole in the mine field, and some of the Verm warships manage to make it through that hole.

  Over time, the number of surviving Verm vessels increases to the point where they begin assaulting the Darinx Fleet. The assault from the Verm warships causes a loss of efficiency in the Darinx energy weapons assault, and soon the Verm Fleet outnumbers the Darinx Fleet.

  Captain Meyers suggests to the other ships in the Darinx Fleet, that if they can hold their position until all of the Verm vessels have exited the Vortex, the Darinx Fleet can run away through the Vortex again.

  The other ships agree with that strategy, but 2 Darinx vessels have been damaged to the point where they are incapable of FTL flight. The crews from those ships are evacuated to other vessels, and the Darinx Fleet of 12 vessels is able to hold off the much larger Verm Fleet, by hiding behind the carcasses of destroyed Verm warships.

  The flow of Verm warships emerging from the mouth of the Vortex slows and then stops. Captain Meyers orders: “All ships. … Meyers here. … On my mark. … Turn to face the Vortex, and immediately proceed at ‘full flank speed’ into FTL space…… …... …”Engage.”

  ***

  After 3 days, the Darinx vessels exit the Copus System Vortex at the scene of the original battle, and immediately form up in a defensive position behind the Vortex. There are no Verm warships following them through the Vortex this time.

  The battle is over and the Darinx Fleet has destroyed a much larger Verm Navy Fleet – but at great cost. The Darinx Fleet spends two weeks at the battlespace, collecting injured sailors of all species, and repairing Darinx vessels for transit home.

  The other Captains, in the Fleet of 12 remaining Darinx warships, privately discuss the issue of authority and decide that Captain Meyers has earned the leadership position. The other Captains defer to her leadership.

  They are finally relieved by a reinforcement fleet, so they take their wounded, along with 32 repaired Darinx warships, and head for home.

  ***

  Darinx Navy Sector Headquarters

  “Admiral Meyers,” Melissa says aloud, as she looks at her new rank insignia in the mirror.

  “It has a nice sound,” she thinks. And then: “I hope that I don’t get too full of myself.”

  All of the surviving Captains from the recent space battle have requested assignment to her Fleet. “That is a high honor,” she thinks.

  And because there is now an augmented human Admiral, the Darinx Empire also raises the upper limit for augmented human soldiers, from colonel to general.

  “Augmented humans are really doing better,” she thinks. “The playing field is not yet level, but we are getting there. There is hope for the Darinx Empire after all.”

  ***

  The Darinx Empire is a collection of civilizations, which thus far has resisted the Verm conquest.

  Although the Darinx Empire is far from perfect, when compared to the Verm Empire, there is a day and night difference.

  The Darinx Emperor must answer to a Supreme Council, which is elected by a Senate. Each member planet sends representatives to the Senate, and has some say in the operation of the Empire.

  The Guiding Rules of the Darinx Empire recognizes the individual, in each species, as having certain rights and privileges. Under the law, all individuals and all planets are treated equally.

  ***

  Life in the Darinx Empire was much better before the Verm Empire began its conquest. At this point in time, the Darinx Empire is in a life and death struggle for existence. Every available resource is being spent on defending the Darinx Empire against the Verm Empire.

  Each member planet must provide quotas of soldiers and materials for use by the Darinx Empire military. The planet Earth has a Terran Navy and belongs to an Alliance of regional planets. The Terran Navy and the other regional Navies in the Alliance are subject to call-up by the Darinx Empire, in the event of
a full scale Verm Empire invasion.

  In addition to that regional defensive Alliance, the Earth must provide a yearly quota of soldiers and sailors, directly to the Darinx military. Because the need for soldiers and sailors is so great, the Earth has instituted the policy of recycling soldiers and sailors, by installing the brains of deceased military personnel into modified clone bodies.

  The resultant augmented humans are far superior to ordinary human warriors. The recycled brains have been augmented with computerized implants, which expand the fighting, communications and thinking capabilities of the reconstituted individual.

  In addition to the improved brains, the bodies of the clones have been modified. Some are designed for specific job functions, but most have been super-sized, for the heavy lifting required of soldiers and sailors in the Darinx-Verm war.

  The Darinx Empire has been greatly impressed with the quality of the augmented humans, and is paying the planet Earth a bonus for each additional augmented human that it provides, above and beyond the required quota. Now, it is not just the soldiers and sailors whose brains are recycled. Almost every healthy human brain is used in the augmented human cloning process.

  In order for the populace of Earth to agree to the routine recycling of human brains, augmented humans had to be recognized as sentient beings who will be granted citizenship in the Darinx Empire, following a 6 standard year tour of military duty.

  New rules have been instituted, in order to provide the augmented humans with some pension funds, to be carried over from their previous life. And since the augmented humans will be so different from their original human personhood, they will be recognized as new and unique individuals. They can keep their original names and memories, or they can change them.

  The Darinx Empire is asking for other species to initiate an augmentation process, and has funded a feasibility study, by the planet Earth. The new technology, along with the influx of Darinx Empire money, is making the Earth rich and prosperous.

  And the augmented human soldiers and sailors are beginning to change the trajectory of the war, in the Darinx Empire’s favor.

  ***

  Also, humans on Earth are thinking about the possibility of living forever. They can have their brain transplanted into a young human clone of themselves, when their original body wears out.

  The possibilities are endless. But there is always a fly in the ointment. There is always someone who raises unpleasant questions, such as: “What about the brain in the clone. Isn’t that a person also? What gives us the right to kill that person, so that his body can be used by someone else?”

  The questions about the ethics of cloning and brain replacement rage on. The Ethicists, as they are known, will continue to raise the voice of conscience, but in the meantime, the Empire is at war. And what the Empire needs, it will get - regardless of ethics.

  Augmented human warriors continue to roll off of the production line, as fast as they can be matured and augmented. Brains are now being recycled into 13 year old clone bodies, and the resultant warriors are being sent into battle in less than a month’s time.

  ***

  Fleet Training for the Sweetwater Fleet

  Admiral Melissa Meyers’ first orders instruct her to take her fleet of 25 Darinx warships, and to assault specific targets inside of Verm space.

  Admiral Meyers has brought this assignment upon herself. Some weeks ago, Fleet Admiral Duncons had asked her for suggestions about how the Darinx Navy might better fight the war against the Verm.

  Admiral Meyers had responded by observing that fighting a defensive war always requires more resources, than fighting an offensive war - because the defense has to be everywhere, while the attacker only has to be in one place.

  She suggested that the Darinx Empire could force the Verm Empire to spend more resources, by going on the offensive. Raiding parties, inside of Verm space, would have a negative psychological effect on the verm populace, and would force the Verm military to improve security.

  Her Fleet - the Sweetwater Fleet – still has 2 weeks of Fleet Maneuvers training before they will leave for the raiding party assignment.

  Admiral Meyers is focused on the Fleet Maneuvers training by day, and is focused on planning for the raiding parties at night. She doesn’t require much sleep, because she is both energized and anxious about the upcoming adventures.

  Fleet Admiral Duncons has given her written orders not to return to Darinx space, until all of the raiding party targets have been destroyed. Some of the designated targets will be so well defended that it doesn’t seem possible for a fleet of 25 warships to destroy them.

  Admiral Meyers is concerned that she may have been set-up for failure.

  ***

  Chapter 2

  Outside the Trwx System

  “All ships. Meyers here. On my mark, go to run-silent mode, while the scout ship reconnoiters the system. Communicate ship-to-ship via the focused laser comm system. Engage. Myers out.”

  Now they will need to wait for the reconnaissance ship to send a scouting report, about the Verm Navy Supply Depot located in the Trwx system. This target is deep inside Verm space and is expected to be lightly protected. If so, the soft target will be the first in a series of raids on Verm Navy facilities.

  The desired results of the raiding missions are:

  o Destroy Verm Navy Facilities.

  o Disrupt the Verm Navy supply chain.

  o Force the Verm Navy to expend more resources on defensive forces, and

  o Shock the complacent verm populace, with the realization that they are vulnerable to attack.

  ***

  Four days later the scout ship sends an FTL information probe to the Sweetwater Fleet. As hoped, the security is relatively light at the facility. Only 6 Verm warships are guarding the Supply Depot. In addition to the supply depot, there is a space station associated with the 4th planet.

  The 4th planet is inhabited primarily by members of the Fsart species who, through no fault of their own, were conquered by the Verm. The space station has only minor defensive capabilities, and is being used as a shipping transit hub. Admiral Meyers decides to spare the space station, since it is not a military target. The Fsart populace may remember this kindness, on the part of the Darinx Empire, and may be more willing to assist in future operations.

  Now Admiral Meyers, Tactical Officer Inchurito, and Artificial Intelligence Shiela, are meeting in the flagship Compton’s Command Conference Room to discuss tactics:

  “We have enough brute force to just waltz right in and destroy everything,” says Shiela.

  “Yes we do,” responds the Admiral. “But I would like to use this battle as a learning experience for myself and for the Fleet. “What can we do in order to surprise the Verm warships? Any ideas?”

  “We could do a quick Faster Than Light (FTL) hop, and emerge behind a planet, or one of the moons,” suggests the Tactical Officer.

  “Yes, that will work. Anything else,” the Admiral asks?

  “We could get back some distance from the system and build up velocity toward this star system. When we get close, we could all go to run-silent mode and then coast into close proximity of the Supply Depot. If we shut down everything, including life support, I bet they would see us as asteroids,” suggests Shiela.

  “Those are both workable plans,” comments the Admiral. “Well done to both of you. I think that I will take Shiela’s suggestion this time, because I would like to know the limits of the Verm Navy’s detection capabilities.

  I will also add one little feature. We will approach from the direction opposite to our scout ship. We will tell the scout ship to move into the system and make their presence known, at our Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA). One lone ship will not appear to be a threat to the 6 Verm warships, but it will distract them while we coast in behind them. Does that sound OK?”

  “Sounds good” replies Shiela.

  “Aye sir” answers the Tactical Officer.

  ***


  Coasting

  The Sweetwater Fleet – minus the scout ship – is coasting into the Trwx star system at a brisk velocity. They are moving fast enough to quickly close the gap to the Verm warships, but not so fast that their thrusters can’t bring them to a quick stop. They are in run-silent mode with everything – including life support – powered down. The only energy being expended is the power required to keep the AIs awake.

  The crews can survive on the oxygen inside of the vessels for a few weeks, and they are wearing space suits to keep from freezing. The on-duty crews are at their Battle Station positions.

  Shiela has calculated that they will need about 15 minutes, in order to have all systems operational after the end of the run-silent shutdown. The ships in the Sweetwater Fleet are approaching from many different directions, so that they will all be hidden behind a planet or moon, during that vulnerable 15 minute warm up window.

  ***

  At the appointed time, the Sweetwater scout ship pops into view at the edge of the Trwx system, opposite the approaching Darinx Fleet.

  At the appointed time, each Darinx warship comes out of run-silent mode and powers all systems UP. First priority is to awaken the ships’ AI. Next, defensive systems are brought online, followed by offensive weapons systems. Next, the engines are powered UP. The last thing to come online is the life support system.

  The Verm warships are all facing the Sweetwater scout ship, and are totally unaware of the approaching menace.

  With 24 Darinx warships against 6 Verm warships, each Verm warship is suddenly barraged by energy weapons at close range, from 4 Sweetwater ships. There is almost no return fire from the Verm Navy vessels. They are destroyed before they can defend themselves.

  Next, the Sweetwater Fleet makes short work of the Supply Depot. The Munitions Depot is the first section to be destroyed. It quickly erupts in a chain of fiery explosions as stored munitions ignite. The destruction of the remainder of the facility soon follows, but without the fireworks display.

  Within 4 hours the deed is done. Mission accomplished, with no losses on the Darinx Navy side, and total annihilation on the Verm Navy side.