Trial by Ordeal

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  Tom Parkinson received the news with his usual calm, read, and re-read the entire message before he called together a meeting of his military advisers to discuss their options.

  “Gentlemen I think that our first act must be to bring back into the space fleet the two space cruisers recently mothballed after the launch of the two new Freedom class starships, this must be expedited as a matter of the utmost urgency. While that is being done, we must have the three light cruisers, which are currently on R&R, sent to Aldebra to relieve the three Freedom class ships currently operating there. The police action is almost over there, and we hardly need our three most powerful ships stationed out there when we may have a need for them elsewhere. One of the three Freedom class starships can take up station at the wormhole to secure this end of it, with the other two stationed near enough to get to that area of space within twenty-four hours. We can also send along the old Resolution to Orion, just in case it becomes necessary to mine the area at the place where the wormhole exits, it can leave for Orion as soon as the mines have been loaded aboard the ship. We will also require a satellite at the other end of the wormhole to warn us of any approaching ships, so that we can then warn them off if the situation becomes so serious on Helionia that we consider them a threat to our security, if that time comes then we will be forced to lay the minefield. If they ignore our warnings and choose to proceed through the wormhole then the mines can be activated, and hope that they will take care of any problem that shows itself, if not then our three Freedom class space cruisers should be able to do so. I believe that I summed up the situation correctly gentlemen are there any questions or points that you would like to raise?”

  The military advisers were all extremely impressed by their leader’s words, but then Tom Parkinson had been head of the Interstellar Intelligence Bureau for many years, and so was used to dealing with such pressing problems.

  “Mr President may I say a few words on this matter?” Admiral Frazer said having put up a hand signalling that he had something to say on the matter.

  “Yes of course Richard, what would you like to add?” Tom Parkinson asked

  “First of all I would like to say that apart from one point you summed it up correctly, but the one point where you are not up to date on Mr President, is that the space cruiser Freedom is already approaching the worm hole. I despatched it in response to the message we received from Tyler Burrows concerning the kidnapping of his family. With the police action being at the point of being wound up, I felt that we owed that sector of space some support, after all of the help that they have been to us. I didn`t think that it was important at the time, so I didn`t notify your office.”

  Tom Parkinson smiled at the admiral. “Ok then, the next thing to discuss is getting the funding to build a further three Freedom class starships to ensure the safety of our entire quadrant of space in the years to come, for who knows what change of government might occur on Helionia, or what might explode onto the scene elsewhere. We have seen before how stretched our space fleet can be, and we now also find that only the best space cruisers will be enough to safeguard our way of life.”