Chapter 18.

  Armed Vegetation.

  Hordean ship Helianthus in orbit around Nova York, December 6, 2676.

  Chief Engineering Officer Howard Riesling, and the Hordean scientist/engineer, Acer, were about halfway down one of the twelve arms of Helianthus, surveying the nearly completed installation of a Federation shield generator. For Riesling's convenience, the Hordea had provided gravity to the immediate area.

  "As was decided," said Acer, "we have placed this generator halfway down this arm."

  Riesling looked at the shield generator, a roughly spherical mass ten meters in diameter consisting of what appeared to be multiple bundles of very robust electronics. Over half of the sphere's bulk was now embedded into the wall of the spoke, engulfed by newly-grown Hordean plant tissues. Several thick, organic cables flowed into the mass from a Hordean sessile, also embedded into the wall, about five meters away from the generator. Another series of the stout, root-like cables came out of the sessile and snaked back towards the central disc of the ship, where the massive power banks were located.

  "This sessile will be dedicated to channeling power to the generator," said Acer.

  "Impressive, I didn't realize your sessiles could develop so quickly."

  "There are, generally, several dozen individuals on board who have just begun the transition to sessile form, and are ready to assume whatever role is required; however, all the growth you see is not the action of this single unit. Cooperation with several hundred other sessile units was necessary."

  "I had no idea you could do that."

  "It is a very useful characteristic. This power cable was initiated by this shield generator controller, but each of the sessiles making up the hull between here and the central disc added a section to it along the path required. One individual would require several of your months to produce a cable of this length. When hundreds contribute, the task can be accomplished in only a few days."

  Riesling nodded in approval. "In order for this system to work," he said, "we'll need seven shield generators, one in each alternating spoke and another in the central disc. What's the status of the other six generators?"

  "Ahead of schedule," replied Acer. "With this first installation as a model, incorporation of the others is proceeding rapidly. The other six should be functional during the next week or so."

  "This one is ready to be tested?"

  "We believe so. We have channeled enough power to activate the control panels, but have yet to attempt a full power-up to the device itself."

  "Do these cables have the capacity to handle the amount of power required?"

  "This is a combination of two very different technologies, Mr. Riesling. With that in mind, we grew them robust enough to handle twice the power your engineers specified. 'Over-engineering,' I believe you call it."

  "Excellent decision. How will you control the operation of the shield?"

  "The sessile you see before you, in addition to providing the power connections, will also be the shield operator. A similar arrangement will power and control the modules in the central disc and the other five arms."

  "Can I talk to her?"

  "Of course."

  Riesling took several steps over to the embedded sessile. "I am told you will be the shield operator for this module."

  After a short pause, he got an answer. "That is correct. I consider it to be a great honor."

  "That's certainly understandable. Do you anticipate any difficulties?"

  "I do not. The generator is either on or it is off. While it is on, it will require various levels of power depending upon the demand. These tasks are well within my capabilities."

  "What about coordination with the other six shield generators?"

  "When you inspect the connections to the power banks within the central disc, you will see we are all interconnected. Coordination will be instantaneous."

  "Very good. Are you ready for a test?"

  "Yes."

  "We will be monitoring from one of our ships nearby, and we'll let you know if the test is successful. Let us know when you wish to begin. I recommend we start with one-quarter power, just to make sure everything is working."

  "There is no reason for any further delay," replied the sessile. "Activating shield generator at one-quarter power now."

  A whine emanated from the embedded shield generator, and settled into a deep thrum as the generator came up to full function. Riesling could also felt a slight vibration through his feet. He unclipped a communicator from his belt and spoke into it. "Riesling here. Shield test initiated, one quarter power. Let me know as soon as you have something to report."

  An answer came back almost immediately. "We are showing shield activity on one of the spokes. Power looks to be about one quarter. The effect also includes partial shielding on the two adjacent spokes."

  "Very good," replied Riesling. "We'll keep it at this level for a while and then try ramping it up."

  "Keep us advised."

  Riesling and Acer spent the next half hour inspecting the now-operating shield generator and all of the connections associated with it.

  "Looks like everything is exactly as it should be," said Riesling. "I suggest we gradually bring the power up to half."

  The half-power test was also successful. This was followed by additional tests at three quarters and finally at full power. After the generator had been at full power for more than two hours without any problems, Riesling called a halt to the test.

  "I'd have to call this a successful installation. The power... ah, cables are barely even warm. You may power down now."

  The sessile reduced power over the next thirty seconds until the generator was off.

  "You say the other generators will be ready for testing within the next few days?"

  "We believe they will be," Acer replied.

  "Excellent. With the information we've gained, the installation of the pulse beam weapons should go smoothly."

  "That is our hope."

  "Have you decided where you wish to mount the weapons?"

  "We think we should mount half of the emplacements on either side of the central disc. That way, if we find ourselves in battle, we would be defended fore and aft."

  "An excellent idea. The pulse weapons use a capacitor discharge system built into the base of each unit. They will also need to be connected to main power."

  "We are already working on it," said Acer.

  The huge pulse cannon systems were units originally intended for a Federation battlecruiser which was never built. The project was canceled due to budget constraints shortly after it started, and the brand-new guns had been collecting dust ever since. Each emplacement was a self-contained unit consisting of a stationary lower level crammed with huge capacitors and control systems. The upper level was an armored, rotating turret with two massive, side-by-side, pulse beam projectors poking out the top. Viewed from above, each turret was a perfectly hemispherical dome.

  "I saw the work progressing on the way in," said Riesling. "How are you going to go about installing the cannons?"

  "We will need to create openings in the outer hull to incorporate the emplacements and then regrow the outer hull around the base of each turret. Since the turrets are essentially self-contained, we will only need to supply power."

  "What about operating the weapons?"

  "We will use a network of sessiles to coordinate fire. If our network is somehow disrupted, your people are training mobiles to operate the weapons manually."

  "It looks as though you have a pretty good handle on things," said Riesling. "Let us know if you come across anything that you aren't sure of."

  "We are more concerned about the use of the weapons than we are about their operation. We are not a warlike people, and these weapons are very destructive. How will we know when to use them or not?"

  "You have to deal with such decisions on a situational basis. When you find yourself in battle, the choice is often made for you."

  "We shall see, Mr. Riesling." Somehow the translator picked up a worried vibe.

  Chapter 19.

  Merchant Matters.

  Belgrade System, December 6, 2676..

  Jakob Luken approached the New Belgrade Orbital Platform and berthed Odessa without difficulty. Due to the heavy traffic around the Platform, clearance took longer than he was used to. On the other hand, the scrutiny he was subjected to was less rigorous than usual. With the docks way more crowded than normal as well, the authorities assigned him a berth in the overflow area of the docking facilities, along with most of the other small cargo ships.

  Soon after Odessa was docked, Luken was subjected to a brief, unpleasant meeting with a new "agent" and a couple of new goons who were, if anything, more abhorrent than the previous trio. Not only that, the "docking fee" had been increased to a ridiculous 7000 credits. Jakob griped as he paid the fees, as they expected him to, though his displeasure wasn't the least bit feigned. Fortunately, because of their extra workload, the meeting with the agents was brief and perfunctory, and they hadn't asked any embarrassing questions.

  With the unpleasant, and expensive, preliminaries accomplished, Sergei and Won, clad in Soviet Navy uniforms provided by Lenin, waited until the "agents" had been gone for a good five minutes before heading down the loading ramp and onto the Orbital Station.

  Meanwhile, Jakob returned to the bridge and used the local comnet to access the orbital station manifest, checking to see how many of his fellow privateers were currently docked at the platform. He was pleased to note there were almost a dozen, all of them located out in the overflow area where Odessa was. Five of the captains were good friends of his and most of the others were known to him. He knew full well none of the ones he was acquainted with had any love for the Political Arm of the Soviet Navy, nor the current state of conditions on the station.

  One of the ships Jakob hoped to find turned out to be nearby. Blysk, captained by his good friend Anatoly Varushkin, was docked just two berths down from Odessa. Jakob told his small crew to hold tight and sauntered over to chat with his old friend. He walked up the loading ramp at the rear of the ship, and into the open cargo bay. The men of Blysk knew him well, and he was not challenged.

  Varushkin was engrossed with checking the cargo manifest on his tablet. "What can I do for you?" he asked, not looking up at the newcomer.

  "You might pull your nose out of that tablet and say hello."

  Varushkin's smile was genuine. "Jakob!"

  "None other."

  "Where in all of space have you been? I expected to see you at Ming, but you were a no-show. With all the shite that's been goin' on lately, you had us more than a bit worried."

  "I had a special client who paid an obscene fee for a quick, no-questions-asked transfer of his goods to Haven. What I made will more than cover my penalties for late delivery of the cargo at Ming."

  "You can send that kind of business my way anytime you like, old friend."

  "Actually, I still have the entire load of goods for my clients on Ming. My special client wants me to make another run, so it looks like we won't be getting there anytime soon. You don't have any extra space do you? I'd pay you well if you could deliver it for me."

  "You're in luck, Jakob. We're a little light for our return trip to Novarus. Damned celebration has everything messed up. We can start transferrin' stuff over as soon as we get my ship emptied out."

  "Thanks, Anatoly. When you get a minute, I'd really like to talk to you about something." Jakob looked around at the crew members in the hold and added, "Alone."

  "Sure thing, Jakob. Give me a half hour. We should have things pretty well wrapped up here by then."

  "Thanks Anatoly. I'll go back and get my guys going, let them know we have a home for our cargo. Be back in thirty."

  Luken went back down the ramp, strode back to his own ship and announced he'd found someone to take their cargo, and the crew could start offloading it. He pitched in on a couple of heavier items, and made sure everything was going smoothly before making his way back over to Blysk.

  "Good timing," said Varushkin, "Just finishin' up. What do you make of this big Celebration?"

  "I've never seen anything like it."

  "I'll admit it's kind of a pain, but it's damned sure good for business. I brought a full load of upscale food and luxury goods from New Siberia." He shook his head. "You won't believe the markup! I didn't even complain about the docking fees. Come, let's go to my cabin and have a chat. I may even have some Muscovian vodka."

  "The good stuff?"

  "Only the best for you, dear friend."

  "It's been at least two years since any of that elixir passed my lips," said Jakob. "Lead on."

  Jakob followed his friend through a ship that was larger and even more travel-worn than his own. The two of them entered Varushkin's small, cramped captain's quarters which, judging by the barely organized clutter, was a space occupied by someone who valued time a great deal more than neatness.

  "Hope you'll excuse the mess. You know how it is. Have a seat, Jakob. I'll get the libation."

  Luken sat down in one of two lightly-padded chairs on opposite sides of a small, round table, all bolted to the floor. Varushkin rummaged around in a cabinet and fished out an ornate 750 mm bottle with a garish label on it. A little more rummaging yielded two shot glasses. He brought the bottle and the glasses over and set them in the middle of the table before sliding onto the other seat. With a mock flourish, he removed the stopper on the unsealed bottle and carefully poured two shots of the clear, viscous liquid.

  "Been savin' this for a special occasion," said Varushkin. "You havin' a high-payin' commission and fillin' my hold qualifies, as far as I'm concerned. Vashe zrodovye!" he said as he lifted his glass.

  Luken lifted his own, clinked it against Varushkin's and repeated, "Vashe zrodovye! To your health, old friend. Both men brought their glass to their lips and knocked back the entire contents with one gulp. The premium vodka burned pleasantly as it made its way down to Luken's stomach.

  "Ah..." said Jakob, "I'd forgotten just how good Muscovite is. Thanks."

  "No problem. Another?"

  "In a minute, Anatoly. I have some disturbing things to tell you first. After I get done, you may wish to finish the bottle."

  "Surely it can't be that bad."

  "I'll let you be the judge."

  Luken proceeded to tell his friend the fantastic story of everything he'd been involved in over the last several weeks. Anatoly, to his credit, didn't interrupt, though he was looking skeptical by the time Luken finished his tale. Both men remained silent for a moment afterwards.

  "Whew!" said Varushkin. "That's one hell of a story. Maybe we should hire some actors and make a tri-V. We could make a fortune!"

  Luken maintained a straight face, "We've known each other for what, fifteen years now?"

  "Sounds about right."

  "I swear everything I've just told you is absolutely true, Anatoly. The USDP and the rest of mankind is in mortal danger. I know it sounds utterly preposterous, and I didn't expect you to take my word for it, so I brought proof."

  Jakob pulled out his tablet and fanned it out before selecting a file and handing the device across the table to his friend.

  "These videos are not faked, Anatoly. What you are about to see is real."

  Varushkin was treated to a view of the video taken on Murmansk just before the ship's death as well as the footage of Lipnitsky having a conference with a Custodian on the New Belgrade platform. It ended up with footage of the dead and the conscious alien onboard Lenin as well as the five unsealed suspended animation modules with sleeping Custodians inside them. Just for good measure, he'd included short videos of Malus and Symantia.

  Varushkin was silent for a long moment after the show ended. "You're tellin' me everything you've just told me is true?"

  "Yes, Anatoly. We think these creatures and their Human puppets are set to launch an attack on the Naval facilities here, along with an attempted takeover from within. We don't know for sure what is meant by 'Our glorious battle will begin here on Belgrade' but, along with statements made by our captive Custodian, we fear it will be the beginning of an attempt to take over all of Human space, the Federation included."

  Varushkin sat in stunned silence for a couple of moments before speaking again. "When?"

  "Sometime in the next few days, probably during the height of the Celebration."

  Varushkin looked at his friend in silence for several seconds. "Are you serious?"

  "I'm afraid so."

  "What do you want me to do?"

  "We need to get the word out to our fellow privateers and get ourselves organized."

  "And then what?"

  "We do our best to totally foul up operations on the docks, and in the shipping lanes, or wherever they need us."

  Chapter 20.

  Deja Vu.

  Hordean space, December 6, 2676.

  "You agree it's a Soviet ship?" said Zack.

  "Sure looks like it," said Gertrude.

  "What in hell are they doing here? I don't like this at all."

  "I'm not thrilled about it either," said Gertrude. "Contact Pocatello."

  "On it." Seconds later, Zack had communications up and running. "Capri calling Pocatello."

  The reply was immediate. "Pocatello here. According to our scans, the ship approaching us is a Soviet Bogotol class courier. We have another contact, ten degrees to port, that looks like the same kind of ship. There are also multiple military contacts near the planet. What's going on Capri?"

  Zack checked his instruments. "Damn! Confirming two contacts, Trudy."

  Gertrude took over. "We don't know what they want, Pocatello, but it can't hurt to hail them. What have we got to lose?"

  "Seems like the proper course of action. This is a diplomatic mission, and you are in charge. Go ahead and hail them, but be advised we will assume command if they prove to be belligerent."

  "We read you loud and clear, Pocatello. You'll get no argument from us. Attempting hail now."

 

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