Chapter 12
T-73
As Red prepared to land at Gallion, he saw the two big shuttles being readied for their journey to Earth. He couldn’t believe he would soon be traveling to Earth in such magnificent ships. Since it was unclear how long the Intergalactic Fleet would be delayed by the raid on their Clarion base, it was imperative that the shuttles depart for Earth as soon as possible. This left Red with a dilemma. Should he leave on ES 39 immediately, or wait for ES 52, which wouldn’t be ready for a day or two? He had wanted to be aboard ES 39 when it left, but then Chancellor Boskie had ordered him to send a rescue party to Clarion to find Rossi Sincini and transport him to one of the shuttles. Red didn’t know if he dared delegate such an important task to one of his junior officers instead of leading the rescue himself.
When he touched down he saw a crowd of soldiers led by the two shuttle commanders, Captain Sparten and Captain Reeling, there to greet him. As he climbed down out of the cockpit they clapped.
“Great mission, Captain,” Captain Sparten said. “We heard you left the base in shambles.”
Red shrugged. “It was hard to tell the extent of the damage, but they definitely knew we’d paid a visit.”
They all laughed.
“ES 52 is loaded and ready for departure,” Captain Sparten said. “All we have left to do is load your new fighter aboard.”
“My new fighter?”
“Yes, the one your friend just delivered.”
Red frowned. Just then he caught sight of the most incredible fighter he’d ever seen being towed over to the shuttle’s cargo hold. “Wha–what is that?” Red stammered, gazing at the new ship in wonder.
“That, my friend, is a T-73 Invisible Predator—the latest and most technologically advanced fighter ever produced on Tarizon.”
Red smiled as he spotted Tam, his classmate and friend from officer’s candidate school.
“What in the name of Sandee are you doing here?”
Tam trotted over to him. They embraced.
“I heard all the action was down here at Gallion, so I thought I’d pay you a visit,” Tam said.
“It is so great to see you, Commander. I can’t believe you brought me a new fighter.”
“You’re going to need it. I wish I had more of these birds but this is the first one off the assembly line.”
“Why do they call it the Invisible Predator?” Red asked.
“Because it is the first fighter that can go stealth in the atmosphere and in outer space. It also has a plasma cannon that is powerful enough to destroy an attack cruiser, if you can get up close enough.”
“Fantastic! I think you’ve just evened the match with the Fleet a bit.”
“Well, I’m sorry we only have one, and I must warn you this one hasn’t been fully tested. You’ll have to flight test it on your way to Earth. I’ll send along a few technicians in case any modifications have to be made. When will you be leaving?”
“ES 52 will be taking off just as soon as the fighter is loaded,” Captain Sparten advised. “Captain Reeling will be leaving with ES 39 tomorrow or the next day, depending on when the Fleet departs.”
“You can take off now, Captain,” Red said. “We’ll load the fighter into ES 52; I can’t leave just yet.”
“Very well, sir,” Captain Reeling said.
“Why can’t you leave?” Tam asked.
“The Chancellor wants to be sure that an engineer from Clarion, Rossi Sincini, is rescued and put aboard ES 52 before it leaves. He’s some kind of FTL drive expert, and he might be able to help us get to Earth more quickly.”
“I hope Lorin’s right, because the Fleet will have at least a day’s head start on ES 52 if you wait.”
Red shrugged. “She seemed pretty confident that he could do it. Besides, ES 52 won’t be ready for a couple of days anyway.”
“So, do you need any help with your rescue?” Tam asked.
Red grinned. “Sure, you got a shovel? We may have to dig them out. I imagine when the Fleet leaves they’ll level the place.”
“I can do better than a shovel. I’ve got a dozen excavation ’bots I brought back from Shisk. We used them to clean up the buildings that Videl demolished when he tried to block our attack on the Capital.”
“When can you get them here?”
“I’ll order them to be transported immediately. We’ll have them by tomorrow. I doubt the Fleet will be leaving before then.”
“No, not with the damage we’ve inflicted,” Red chuckled.
Captain Reeling cleared his throat. “Sir, if you’re not coming, then—”
Red looked over at him and nodded. “Have a good flight, Captain. We’ll keep you apprised of the situation here and let you know when we are able to take off.”
“Very well, sir. Good luck on your rescue mission.”
Captain Reeling turned and headed back to his ship.
“If you don’t need me, gentlemen, I need to see how preparations aboard ES 52 are coming along,” Captain Sparten said.
“Yes, do that, Captain,” Tam agreed. “Red and I have a rescue mission to plan.”
Captain Sparten saluted and left the two friends alone. “Before we plan our mission, however, I think you need a break,” Tam said. “Let me buy you a drink.”
Red shrugged. “I can’t argue with that.”
“Good. I’ve got a PTV waiting,” Tam said and spoke into his personal communicator. A tik later a PTV came toward them. It stopped and the back door opened. Red got in and was startled to see someone already inside.
“Defense Minister!”
“Good afternoon, Captain,” Threebeard said.
Tam got in and closed the door, and the PTV took off.
“It’s great to see you,” Red said. “Are you having a drink with us?”
“Yes. I wanted to see you before you left for Earth. I knew tonight might be my last opportunity.”
The PTV took them to the officers’ club and dropped them off. Loud music assaulted them as they entered. A skimpily clad hostess escorted them through the dimly lit club to a private booth, then took their orders. Several seafolken women eyed the newcomers with great interest as they walked by. Red smiled broadly.
“So, congratulations on your successful mission,” Threebeard said.
“Thank you, sir. I just wish we hadn’t lost a man. He shouldn’t have gone back. He disobeyed my order.”
“I know. I heard. Sometimes we get so caught up in a battle we quit thinking and act on emotion. That is very dangerous, indeed.”
“Yeah. Well, I’ve done that myself, so I can’t blame him. If he’d survived he’d be a hero now.”
“He still is a hero,” Tam said.
The barmaid brought them a round of drinks and asked them if they wanted something to eat. Threebeard ordered a platter of pink scrib and crackers. Tam, who was very fond of scrib, smiled appreciatively.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Red asked.
“I wanted to warn you about Rupra Bruda and Evohn Cystrom.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that they are the ones who will be in control when you get to Earth. It’s important for you to know that when you are planning your strategy.”
“I thought Admiral Lugart was in command?”
“He is for now, but neither he nor Vice Admiral Brunns will survive the voyage to Earth. I know Bruda and Cystrom. They won’t take orders for very long.”
“I see. So, how will that change our strategy?” Red asked.
“Normally, one can employ logic and reason in planning military strategy, but these two will not act rationally. They will be very unpredictable and tenacious. So, you will have to try to put yourself in their places and try to imagine what they are feeling at any given time. In that way you will more likely be able to predict their actions.”
“Okay. But I’m not sure how to do that.”
“Remember, they believe in the dominance of the human race and the need to keep the
race pure. They believe that to maintain the dominance of the human race and the purity of their blood, an all-powerful government is required. They will oppose both freedom and democracy because they don’t trust the majority to enforce the preservation of the sanctity of the human race. And, most importantly, they will do anything to possess this glorious world, which they believe God has envisioned and will provide for them.”
“Right.”
“So, you shouldn’t expect them to be honorable in any manner. You can’t negotiate with them because they won’t compromise. You can’t believe anything they tell you, because they will tell lies without any qualms, if they believe doing so will promote their ends. You cannot turn your back on them because they will not hesitate to slide a dagger through it to your heart. Bottom line, gentlemen, treat them as an angry drogal ready to rip you to shreds.”
Red thought of his prior encounters with the drogals. A shiver went down his spine. “Yes, sir. I’ll take your advice.”
“Now, to a more serious problem,” Threebeard said somberly.
“What’s that?” Red asked warily.
“Rupra Bruda’s recent rescue was quite unsettling.”
“Yes, sir.”
“After careful review of the situation there can be but one conclusion. There is a traitor in our midst.”
“Another one,” Red moaned.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. Someone leaked critical information to Intergalactic Command regarding Rupra Bruda’s transfer to Pritzka Prison. They knew exactly when he was being transferred.”
“Any idea who that might have been?” Red asked.
“We’ve narrowed it down to a couple dozen people. Unfortunately, a transfer of this type requires much coordinated effort.”
“I can imagine.”
“Now, however, our greatest fear is that this traitor will somehow subvert our efforts to stop the Fleet from attacking Earth.”
“You think the traitor will be on one of the shuttles?” Red asked worriedly.
“Yes, I’m afraid we must consider that a real possibility. That’s why I wanted to meet you here in private, where nobody can overhear our conversation. You must keep a vigilant eye out for this traitor.”
“Yes, sir. I will.”
Red swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe he’d have to worry about a traitor aboard the shuttle. It would make an already difficult mission nearly impossible to carry out, knowing that anything he said could be forwarded to the enemy.
“The only comforting thing is that the traitor will not be able to contact Fleet Command during the flight to Earth,” Threebeard added.
Red laughed. “So, the only thing I have to worry about during the trip is sabotage, huh?”
“That and the traitor making contact with one or more of the enemy ships.”
“Okay, I’ll discuss the matter with Captain Reeling and Captain Sparten. I assume I can trust them.”
“Yes,” Threebeard acknowledged. “Neither of them is our traitor. They had no access to any of the information that was leaked.”
“Good. What about Commander Lanzia? Does he know about all of this?”
“Yes, and he came to the same conclusion as to how we should proceed.”
Red yawned. “All right. I’ll keep my eyes and ears alert.”
“You must be exhausted,” Tam said to him.
“Yes, I am. I think I better get to the barracks and get some sleep before the Fleet takes off. Thanks for bringing me up-to-date, Minister.”
Threebeard nodded and motioned for the barmaid. She came over and swiped Threebeard’s credit strip. As they were leaving, two of the seafolken women who had been watching them got up and approached them.
The first one put an arm around Red and looked into his eyes. “You already leaving? You just got here.”
Red looked at Tam, who rolled his eyes. “I’d really love to party with you girls,” Red said, “but we’ve got a busy day tomorrow and I feel certain if we took you two home we’d end up completely wasted and unable to work for days. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be enjoyable, but sometimes you’ve got to be practical.”
The girl leaned into Red’s neck and stuck out her reptilian tongue. Red pushed her away, barely avoiding her stinger. “I said no! Now get lost!”
Threebeard laughed and started walking to the door. Tam took Red’s arm and guided him through the crowd that had gathered to watch the exchange with the seafolken women. The PTV was waiting outside; they got in and were driven quickly away. Back at the barracks, Tam and Red got out, said goodbye to Threebeard, and went inside.
“Get a good night’s sleep,” Tam said. “We’ll plan our rescue over breakfast.”
Red nodded and went to his compartment. He thought back on the raid on Clarion, which resulted in the loss of a friend, and then the meeting with Threebeard. He worried about the presence of a traitor in their midst, and prayed he or she wouldn’t be aboard his shuttle.
Then he thought of his encounter with the seafolken woman. She’d almost bitten him. He’d heard how wonderful the sting of a seafolken woman felt, and almost wished she’d been successful. Had he been alone, he’d probably have let her do it. With that pleasant thought lingering he succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep.
It was late the next morning when someone woke him up and advised him that Tam was waiting for him in the nutrition center. Red looked at his wrist array and was aghast at how late it was. He quickly got dressed and rushed over there. Tam was talking to another soldier and waved Red over when he saw him.
“Good morning,” Red said, a little out of breath.
“Well, you look much better,” Tam observed. “Have you met Colonel Belmoht?”
“No. I’ve heard a lot about you but haven’t had the pleasure.”
They shook hands.
“Colonel Belmoht arrived with our excavation ’bots. He was supervising the cleanup in Shisk.”
“Oh, very good. This ought to be a lot easier in low gravity,” Red said.
“Yes, it should go much quicker,” Colonel Belmoht acknowledged.
“Any word on the Purist Fleet’s departure?” Red asked.
“Not yet. But they’re still on Clarion. We’ve got observation drones in orbit around the moon, so we’ll know the moment they leave.”
“Good.”
“Let’s get some breakfast,” Tam suggested.
The three soldiers ate breakfast and discussed the logistics of the rescue mission. They decided they’d need three transport and two medical evacuation ships for the job. The plan was to locate Rossi Sincini as soon as possible and take him and Red back to base immediately, so the shuttle could depart. The rest of the ships and crews would remain on Clarion until the job was done. When they were done eating and had completed their mission plan, Red went to his compartment to pack his personal gear. When he was done, his luggage was taken to his compartment aboard ES 52.
Late that afternoon, while he was arranging things in his compartment, he was advised the Fleet appeared to be leaving Clarion. Tam was requesting that Red meet him in the battle room.
When Red arrived a few loons later, several officers, including Tam and Colonel Belmoht, were watching one of the big monitors displaying a sensor view of Clarion. Five dots could be seen separating from Clarion and then moving slowly away from the moon. After a few tiks they disappeared.
“I only counted five,” Red said.
“Yeah, that is a bit strange, but two of the ships could have been so close together their signatures were blended into one,” Colonel Belmoht suggested. “That happens sometimes.”
“Do you think they might have set a trap for us by leaving an attack cruiser at the base to obliterate us when we arrive?”
“I doubt it, but it’s a possibility,” Colonel Belmoht admitted.
“Maybe we should send up a fighter to do a flyover to be sure the base is clear,” Tam suggested.
“I’ll do it. It will give me a chance to try out my new T-73,” Red
said. “I can fly by and, if they’re waiting for us, they’ll never know I was there.”
Tam nodded. “Good idea. Okay. We’ll be right behind you, waiting for the all clear.” Tam raised his voice and said to the others in the room, “All right. Let me have your attention. Takeoff is in twenty loons. Everyone has their assignments. Now let’s go find Rossi Sincini and the other survivors.”
The group broke up and moved out quickly to make final preparations for the mission. Red contacted his flight crew and told them to prepare the Invisible Predator for the trip to Clarion. He advised them he’d be there in five loons for a briefing on the enhancements over his T-47, and over the T-59 he’d flown just once. When he arrived, his flight crew was busy loading her with fuel and weaponry. An engineer from the manufacturer greeted him and conducted the briefing.
“She’s longer, sleeker, and much faster than her predecessor,” he explained. “She has a regenerating lemdinium hull that automatically repairs itself if its integrity is breached by up to thirty percent. This gives it the ability to repair bullet holes, laser tears, and minor collision damage within just a few tiks. Since all of her critical communication components, mechanical functions, and electronics are buried deep in the fabric of the fighter, it’s nearly impossible to knock her out of commission.
“In fact,” he added, “it would take a direct missile strike to down her, but that’s not likely to happen because she carries anti-locking technology, which makes a strike highly unlikely. If an enemy fighter approaches within attack range, the T-73 automatically slips into stealth mode, takes appropriate evasive action, but leaves a hard signature ionic imprint, making it appear that she hasn’t changed course. A missile that had locked on would fly directly toward the false target and explode there, making the enemy think they’d destroyed it, only to find that their prey had by now circled around and was about to destroy them!”
Feeling quite exhilarated after the briefing, Red climbed into the cockpit and readied the Invisible Predator for takeoff.
“R3 requesting clearance for takeoff,” Red said excitedly.
The T-73, Red had learned, had both vertical and horizontal takeoff capabilities. In an atmospheric environment it normally used a short runway because, with a horizontal takeoff, the fighter could reach maximum speed quicker and enter stealth mode much sooner than with a vertical takeoff. In space, however, vertical takeoff was the norm.
The T-73 quickly disappeared over the Dark Sea, rapidly gaining altitude. Soon, it had broken free of Tarizon’s atmosphere.
Red couldn’t believe the speed and maneuverability of his new toy. He couldn’t wait to try out the plasma cannon.
As he entered Clarion’s ultra-thin atmosphere, he checked his position relative to the spaceport. He saw he was just over a hundred kylods away.
“R3 approaching base.”
“R2 here. Acknowledged,” Tam replied. “We’re right behind you. Tell us what you see.”
Red switched to stealth mode and felt a slight shimmer. A humming sound followed, giving him gooseflesh. He looked ahead and saw the base coming up fast. It was in shambles. All the buildings and support structures had been leveled. Then he saw it.
“Sandee save us,” Red said. “It’s a trap! Hold back!”
“Acknowledged, R3. Changing course. What do you see?”
“The sixth battle cruiser. It’s lying in wait. I’m going around for another look. Stand by.”
“Be careful, R3. We’re not sure how well your invisibility shield works.”
Red took over manual control of the fighter and swung her back over the base. “I’m going to try out this new scanner and see how good it is.”
Red punched the scanner’s activation key on his control unit and waited. A light started flashing. He punched the response button next to it. A display printed out on the screen—Incoming message, it said. Then a face came up on Red’s screen.
“Is anybody out there?” the man on the screen asked. “We can’t see you but registered your scanner. Acknowledge.”
“This is Captain Levitur from the 1st Airborne Division out of Gallion. Who are you?”
“Tosh Ramul, communications engineer for Wiggins Engineering.”
“Why is that attack cruiser still here?” Red asked. “Is it operational?”
“No. It’s damaged. The Purists abandoned it.”
Red couldn’t believe it. Then he thought back to his earlier mission and remembered seeing a fighter being blown up while it was being loaded onto one of the attack cruisers. He figured the blast must have compromised the integrity of the entire ship, which would have required substantial repair work. Since the Fleet had to leave immediately there had been no choice but to abandon it.
“Thank you, Mr. Ramul,” Red said. “Is Rossi Sincini down there with you?”
“Yes, he is.”
“Good. Find him and tell him he’s being evacuated to Tarizon immediately. Tell everyone else we’ll have them off Clarion by the end of the day.”
Red advised Tam that the base was clear and then landed near the battle cruiser. He looked at the massive ship and wondered why it was still intact. Surely, he thought, Admiral Vin Lugart would have ordered its destruction rather than let it fall into the hands of the enemy. Red wondered what had happened on Clarion before his arrival, and he couldn’t wait for Rossi Sincini to fill him in.