Too Old To Die, page 5
And I’ll be on my way out. Not that he didn’t love the service. But he’d grown tired. The hours wore on him. Hundreds of decisions every day weighed on him into the night, keeping him up during rest periods. It was time to recharge, to enjoy the rest of his life before he didn’t have any left.
The soup tasted fantastic, but he couldn’t eat much. His stomach revolted so he shoved it away, turning his attention to the sandwich. God, that doesn’t even look good anymore. A knock at the door saved him from having to take the plunge. I’m amused that I look forward to a meal interruption.
“Come in!” Thomas shouted. He sipped his water. That helped quell his stomach. Captain Harold Kensington entered, the commander of the flagship. They’d worked together for years, since before either of them took charge of a vessel. “Hey, I wondered when you’d come around. You ready to gloat about how good of a job everyone did?”
Harold still looked youthful despite having just celebrated his forty-first birthday. People often confused him for a much younger man, unless he was in his full uniform. Then it somehow became obvious, as if the ribbons on his chest also conveyed his age along with them. He kept his black hair short, and his blue eyes were set in a scowl.
“Sorry, sir. That’s not why I’m here.” The grave tone made Thomas sit up straight. “Seems we might have a problem.”
“Tell me. What’s going on?”
“Long-range scans picked up some activity in the Veldon sector. A lot of ships moving around. Comms reached out to the embassy on El’Tha, our closest operational facility in the area. We didn’t get a response. No one even acknowledged the message. Korla forces have stated they are looking into the silence.”
“You don’t think the Veldon are starting trouble with the Korla?” Thomas frowned. “That would be crazy. The treaty’s been holding them at bay for a long time.”
“Those creatures don’t care too much about that sort of thing, sir.” Harold shrugged. “You and I both know they’d like to have another shot at us after the last time. I’ve said it before, they’ve been biding their time and now they’re going to hit our allies first. Blow the Korla out of the fight then turn on us.”
“That’s a bit of a leap.” Thomas stood. “But we need to look into this. Get me Minister Bracknel on the line. Put it in the briefing room off the bridge. I’ll be along in just a moment.”
“Yes, sir.” Harold nodded. “Um… one more thing. Do you feel we should move the fleet? Get in position to meet the threat if they attack one of our colonies?”
“Let’s wait for instructions from Bracknel,” Thomas said. “I don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize our treaty. Not until we have explicit orders from our command.” He waved at him. “You’d better hurry.”
After Harold left, Thomas turned to the window. His good mood faltered as he considered the implications of a Veldon attack on the Korla colony. It meant they had not only attacked an ally, but the human embassy as well. Which counted as sovereign Earth territory. A declaration of war, depending on how their leaders interpreted it.
I’m so close to being done with all this. Thomas rubbed his eyes. I don’t want to punctuate my career with a final war. Not after the last one. The computer on his desk beeped twice. He returned to it, taking a look. Harold let him know the Minister would be available in less than ten minutes. That’s faster than expected.
A point which leant the situation some serious gravity. Minister Bracknel must’ve known what was happening out there if he was instantly available.
Son of a bitch. We’re going to war. Thomas looked back at his meal. Probably should’ve choked that down. Facing this crap on a mostly empty stomach won’t be fun. He steadied himself and left his office. People moved about the halls, seemingly unaware of what they were about to face. I’ll envy their ignorance later.
Harold sat on the desk when Thomas entered the room. The captain gave him a thumbs-up. Which either meant he got through to the minister or they weren’t going to war. Preferably the latter, likely the former. Thomas took a seat directly in front of the terminal. He tapped his foot.
“So what’re we waiting for?”
“He stepped away,” Harold said, “but he’ll be back in a moment.”
Must be nice to relax about this. “I wonder if we should get in touch with the other fleets. See if they know about this situation. They’ll need to get in position to defend Earth. Hell, the other colonies for that matter. This situation gives me a logistical headache. I hope Bracknel has an idea.”
Harold opened his mouth to respond but fell silent. The line connected.
“This is Minister Bracknel. Hello, Admiral. What can I do for you?”
“Uh…” Thomas rubbed his eyes. “I hope you’re kidding. Surely you know about the fleet movement on the Veldon border.”
“Yes, indeed. We are aware. They have sent word they are in the middle of training exercises. We have nothing to worry about.”
Thomas shot a look at Harold who shrugged.
“I don’t understand,” Thomas said. “They contacted us about that? Like… in advance?”
“Closely, yes. They’re on the fringe of their space performing a routine training cruise for new recruits. Much like you are right now, if I’m not mistaken. I appreciate your mindfulness, but there’s nothing for you to concern yourself with. Continue your efforts. We are monitoring the situation from here.”
“Begging your pardon,” Thomas replied, “but this feels like we need to be a little more mindful of what’s happening. I’d like to send a scout vessel out to take a look. As you may or may not know, one of the Korla colonies in that area has gone dark. Our embassy isn’t answering hails.”
“The Korla are aware of that situation,” Bracknel said. “They stated they are having communications issues in the area.”
Thomas tilted his head. “And that doesn’t seem remotely strange to you? Or at least an untimely coincidence? Sir, I have a fast scout vessel on hand. We could have them launched and on the way—”
“Stand down, Admiral,” Bracknel interrupted. “You’ve got a job to do out there. I won’t have you sending ships into an area where the Veldon are working. We could provoke an incident. And while I know some officers are always on the lookout for a chance to scrap with them again, I’d like to keep the peace.”
“Of course, sir. That’s just the point. I’m afraid they’ve already broken it and are lying to you.” Thomas clenched his fist. “I’m a little concerned you don’t feel the same way.”
“You didn’t speak to them,” Bracknel said. “Nor have you looked at the latest intelligence reports regarding their fleets or their people. We delivered them a sound thrashing in the last war. They are still recovering. Our alliance with the Korla made it much easier to bounce back as well.”
“Yes, sir.” Thomas shook his head. “So you’re monitoring the situation then. Will you at least inform us when the fleet action is complete? I’d like to stop worrying about it as soon as possible.”
“Of course. I’ll be sure to reach out to you as soon as possible. For now, I need to let you go. We’re very busy here, as you can imagine. Thank you for your alertness, Admiral. I appreciate it more than you know. Bracknel out.” The line went dead.
Thomas flopped back in his seat. His mouth went dry even as his arms started to itch from anxiety. Nothing about the conversation felt right. Though if the minister told the truth, then there might not be anything to worry about. Instinct contradicted all that. After years of military service, the quiet colony and the fleet movement meant something big.
“What’re we going to do?” Harold’s question pulled Thomas out of his thoughts.
“Excuse me?”
“I know you didn’t like the answer.” Harold smirked. “Do you want me to do something off the books? So you have some deniability?”
“No.”
Harold lifted his brows.
“I don’t care if I can deny it or not. We’re doing this officially. Just… not in a way it gets back to the minister right away. I want to know what’s happening out at that system. Whatever it takes. Put together a small crew in one of our scout vessels. No more than four people but supply them for a long haul.”
“What do you mean?”
Thomas sighed. “If something terrible’s going on out there, and our people can’t get back straightaway, I don’t want them scavenging. Give them some alternative places for safety as well. Korla bases, probably. Find one of the galactic security bases for them. They can convey a message to us from there.”
“Got it. We’ll set up a secure comm frequency as well. Something the Earth techs can’t crack. Assuming we’re keeping all of this totally secret from the minister.”
“You’re damn right. You heard the man. He doesn’t think this is a problem. I can’t tell if it’s incompetence or what, but we’ll get to the bottom of it. Hopefully, before something insane happens.” Thomas gestured for the door. “Get that ship underway in less than half an hour. They might not even get there until this is all over.”
“Should give us time to react to anything too bad.” Harold offered a quick salute. “I’ll let you know when they’ve left.”
“Thanks.” Thomas stared at the blank screen. What’re you up to, Bracknel? Whatever it was, when it came out, someone would be in trouble. I have no intention of being the man who dropped the ball during a potential invasion. But I have to be sure. The next several hours would tell him.
Whether he retired peacefully or found himself back on the front lines.
***
Gareth stood on the porch of his cabin with a cup of coffee, staring out at the lights flashing in the distance. After sleeping through half the night, he found himself restless at three in the morning. It happened every few days. He’d sit up with a start, realize he didn’t have anywhere to be, then struggle to get settled again.
So he started watching the lights through the trees. A six-bedroom house sat a few miles away, well off the path and in a small valley. He’d seen it a few times during his hikes. An impressive example of 1950s architecture, it boasted several modern luxuries and security features.
Namely a metal door with a bioscan reader. That much Gareth saw when he checked it out with binoculars. The rest seemed fairly unremarkable save for the general shape. No one made them like that anymore. The builders must’ve been thrilled to have the opportunity to give it a shot.
All the times he passed by, he only saw the occupant once. An older man, likely surpassing Gareth by a few years. Whether or not the guy made it outside often remained a mystery. Most of the people living in the area valued their privacy. Which might’ve seen obvious but for the few busybodies always looking for a reason to visit.
Even Zoe couldn’t figure out the man’s name. The registration had been secured by an identity firm, one of the places a person paid to keep themselves out of the public eye. They often had tiers to avoid advertisements coming through a personal device all the way up to blacking someone from any online database.
Gareth figured his neighbor worked for some government agency desperate to keep a secret. He didn’t care when he first thought of it then he began to worry about what the guy might be researching. If it was some sort of chemical weapon, the entire region might be at risk.
Paranoia. He’s probably just a wealthy eccentric looking to stay out of the public eye.
Yet lights flickered sometimes at night, brilliant flashes of some kind of power source. Gareth got close enough to see once. Four outdoor generators pulsed with energy, their external meters glowing like hangar beacons in the darkness. Trees kept it from bothering most people. It didn’t go through the windows of the cabin.
But if a person happened to be outside in the wee hours of the night, they had a chance to see the spectacle.
“How much power do you reckon he’s pulling out there?”
Zoe replied, “The output suggest he’s using enough to power a destroyer class starship for thirty minutes.”
“That… doesn’t sound like a lot.”
“Put another way,” Zoe said, “it could also power every house in this area for two weeks.”
“Alright, that’s impressive. Christ, those ships really drain the energy, huh?”
“Life support, scanners, terminals, lights, propulsion, shields, communications…”
“Okay, okay,” Gareth said, “you made your point. I’d like to know what he’s doing.”
“Curiosity?” Zoe asked. “Or something else?”
“What else is there?”
“Concern,” Zoe explained, “you are wondering if what he’s doing is dangerous and if it might impact the people who live in this area. And if it can, what might it do? We already know if those generators exploded, they’d obliterate the house. I can’t get a good satellite scan of the area. Something’s blocking subterranean probes.”
“Yes, you have me there. Especially when we can’t even see the whole structure. Because I’d be willing to bet anything his work takes place underground. Some kind of basement. Or even a secondary structure. His nice little eccentric house is camouflage. I guarantee it.”
“Why not make it in the modern style?” Zoe asked. “What is the benefit of going for an antique look?”
“Helps explain away the power usage at night,” Gareth replied. “Though if he’s trying to be secretive, that’s not the best way to go about it. My guess? He’s clever. But isn’t the best at hiding himself. He’s done everything he can think of but didn’t bother to worry about something like the power system. And since he’s probably working, he hasn’t seen it.”
“But surely he knows it’s visible.”
“Maybe it doesn’t matter. Though I would’ve thought defense forces might want to know what he’s up to. I wonder if they’ve come down to talk to him.” Gareth shook his head. “No, probably not. Otherwise, those generators wouldn’t be flickering anymore. Anyone needing that much power only makes a mistake once.”
“You’re being romantic.”
Gareth smirked. “Maybe a little. You know, it’s not my problem. So I choose to believe he’s a mad scientist attempting to fix Frankenstein’s mistakes.” He turned away, heading back inside. “Trying to make the perfect human through ghoulish experiments and late-night visits to graveyards.”
“That’s… criminal behavior,” Zoe said. “And the book you’re talking about wasn’t romantic.”
“I thought everything written in the Gothic period had to be romantic.”
“No, most of it was just depressing and miserable. I hated reading it in school.”
Gareth chuckled. “I seem to remember you thought otherwise when we first met. You really loved that book… what was it?”
“Stop.”
“Wuthering Heights!”
“Yes,” Zoe said, “there’s no accounting for the taste of youth.”
“You can say that again. I had to read it in secondary school. Wanted to gouge my own eyes out as an excuse to avoid it.” Gareth retired to his bed. “Shut down for a while. Thank God Doctor Frankenstein’s power issues don’t cause a lot of noise. I’d go down there for a word with him myself.”
“Wake up call?”
“No… no reason. I’ll sleep until I don’t.
“Very good,” Zoe replied. “Shutting down.”
Good night. Gareth closed his eyes. And to you too, Doctor. Good luck with your experiments. Whatever they might be.
Chapter 4
Sheldon Bracknel sat in his office aboard the Earth defense station in high orbit. The Veldon fleet movements occupied one of his three computer screens with their own military chatter on the right. Thus far, only Admiral Gaston had contacted him about the situation. Which surprised him given how alert his officers tended to be.
The situation out there in the middle of nowhere shouldn’t have bothered anyone but the Korla. Their embassy, whether or not it had been destroyed, didn’t matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. Not when it came down to universal politics. With all the different factions and cultures to contend with, it was a wonder they hadn’t warred sooner.
A message came through—a priority call from the Prime Minister’s office. Once faster than light travel had been achieved, a world war had broken out. The history books labeled it the Unification Conflict because at the end, Earth fell under a single commonwealth. Those countries attempting to stay out were effectively annihilated.
The situation had happened a long time ago. Some called it ancient history. Enough generations had passed to bring about a new wave of acceptance and camaraderie amongst the culture. Their bond strengthened when they encountered hostile alien races, giving them an enemy so different than them, they had no trouble throwing themselves into the fight.
Sheldon accepted the transmission. “What can I do for you, sir?”
“Hello.” Prime Minister Elton Redding had been in the position for six years. He had four left before he had to leave office. By and large, he hadn’t been the worst leader. But he tended to be a little slow on the uptake. This became obvious when examining his dealings with the other cultures. “We need to talk.”
“I’m all ears.”
“I’ve received reports of fleet movements at the Veldon border. I’d like to know why I didn’t hear about it from you.”
“Because there’s nothing to tell,” Sheldon said. “It’s a training exercise light-years from here. We have nothing to worry about.”
“How do you figure that? We haven’t had them push this close to an allied border in years. I’d like to understand your rationale, because as far as I’m concerned, we should be mobilizing the fleets. Getting them out there on our own training routine. A show of strength. Don’t you agree?”
Sheldon turned away to look out the window. “They might consider it posturing. Antagonistic. Do you want to risk going to war over something as innocuous as a little training cruise? They’re shaking down fresh recruits. It has nothing to do with us at all. And if we make it our problem… well, that would be bad.”
