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Nov 18th 2009, 9:57am
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#1 |
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Mediocre Writer
Join Date: 2 Jul 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 488
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Whoa Toto, we ain’t in Kansas no more. THIRD TIMES THE CHARM
Whoa Toto, we ain’t in Kansas no more. THIRD TIMES THE CHARM By Captain Gentry Prologue Space Station Liberty CIC Overwatch 0422 Hours Zulu, 14 July 2022 He sat in the comfortable chair on the verge of falling asleep under the dim lighting. Knowing that would end his slim chances of ever being promoted beyond Major, he pushed himself up to his feet and began pacing hoping that the movement would stave off his fatigue. After a few moments he realized it wasn’t working so he forced his tired head to consider the next few days. He had two more nights as gamma shift CDO before he would be getting yet another squadron command. This time it was VF-312 ‘The Orangemen’, a squadron with the dubious honor of being the only active UN Spacy unit to suffer no casualties during the Holocaust. Adding to that dubious past they’d only racked up seven kills, all measly Regult battle pods. Rick smiled as he recalled his wife’s comment a week earlier when he found out his next assignment. Lisa looked him directly in the eye and said, “Honey, they wouldn’t have given you ‘The Orangemen’ if they didn’t think you’d make things right. Proof is they assigned you the new VF-3 ahead of everyone but Max’s Skull.” Rick’s pacing continued as he reviewed the Corsair’s stats beginning with its mammoth 49 tons, two and a half times heavier than the venerable VF-1 Valkyrie he’d flown off the original super dimensional fortress Macross. It’s faster than a Super and its Beam Cannon makes a Strike look like it carries a peashooter. She had enough armor to shrug off a couple Officer Pod alpha strikes and at least be able to stand up to an FPA, for a little while anyways he shrugged. Long range targets would be serviced with its six standard LRMs housed in the three shields. Medium range targets got the Beam Cannon or any MRMs carried externally. Anyone up close got to eat rail gun and/or take a bunch of laser to the face. 66 mini-missiles either added to the short range carnage or provided a very healthy counter-missile defense. Rick could only laugh at High Command’s original desire to call it the Valkyrie III as if it compared at all to the retired VF-1 or the VF-2 Valkyrie II originally designed for use by our Zentran and Meltran pilots and now used by everyone with just a few software differences. The long service Major was now wide awake and decided he was extra looking forward to catching a shower with Lisa before she began her day on the SDF-3 and he ended his in their still warm bed. Space Station Liberty CIC 0428 Hours Zulu, 14 July 2022 The young senior sensor tech suddenly stood ramrod straight, used her left hand to clamp her headset tighter to her head, while her right began sending minute adjustments to the sensors for better reception. The slightly younger 2nd Lieutenant Duty Officer came out of his daze when he noticed what her new pose did to her oh so delectable rack. Not that he would ever have a chance with the prim Eurasian hottie. Moments later all lascivious thoughts were banished by the discordant shriek of the alarm she’d triggered. He took a moment thinking oh shit, please no more Zentraedi or Marduk attacks. Before shaking himself like a wet terrier in a vain attempt to ease his fear. “Tech Lynn, report.” He ordered cursing himself for the inadvertent squeak in his teenage voice. “Sir, I have a major energy spike of unknown type followed by very faint old style radio signals that the DF is certain are emanating from the Exclusion Zone, Colorado more specifically.” “Put it on audio, Ms. Lynn.” “There’s nothing to put on audio, sir, it’s just static on frequencies that have long been out of use. The computer shows them to be UHF Guard and UHF Emergency, if I remember right from advanced training those were the military and civilian emergency frequencies used by aircraft but I’ll have to check to be sure.” “Keep working at it Ms. Lynn, I know there’s something important about old style comms and Colorado but I can’t recall what.” “Sir, it’s in the secondary orders.” She responded, now wide awake and practically bouncing in her seat. “Damn Tech Lynn, I just don’t know how you remember all that stuff.” “Sir, it’s easy, it’s the only thing on the secondary orders with any kind of priority and it’s a doozy, Omicron Delta!” she practically gushed. The newly minted officer was reaching for the red phone as he flipped through the secondary orders. Sure enough, she was right and boy was he glad he’d checked before calling the CDO upstairs. Space Station Liberty CIC Overwatch 0428 Hours Zulu, 14 July 2022 His reverie was brutally squashed by the discordant shriek of the alarm. Rick immediately glanced at the threat board, saw nothing to warrant the alarm, and moved through his progressions until he noticed the Junior Duty Officer on the level below hovering over his ex-girlfriend’s station. A quick few steps brought him to the edge of the command balcony above her station. He could see Minmei brutally pressing her headphones into her ear with her left hand, staring daggers at her monitor while her right hand keyed commands blindingly fast that minutely adjusted the station’s sensors. Rick grinned as the young man shook himself like a wet terrier before making his report, “Sir, Senior Tech Lynn has detected a major energy spike on Earth, one that is not consistent with a ram start of an old Zentreadi hulk or a fold. It was followed by static on two old style radio frequencies, UHF Guard and UHF Emergency. She’s trying to determine what those are right now.” “They’re old emergency frequencies used by military and commercial aircraft before the Holocaust. Has she gotten a DF yet?” “No sir… wait one, Tech Lynn reports the contact firmed up and DF tracks it to Creek Mountain AFB, a long abandoned USAF missile base. It was only good for a few seconds but I’ll put on audio what we have.” “….Jack…nn….Star……..gram……anyone out….” “That’s it?” “Afraid so sir, and now it’s stopped transmitting all together.” “This is odd,” Rick mumbled more than a little confused as he read the standing orders related to the long abandoned Creek Mountain, Colorado facility “it’s an Omicron Delta priority alright but keyed to R&D?” The young JDO replied, “Yes, sir it’s also keyed directly to the OCG R&D which is even odder, sir.” “Yes it is. What time is it in Alice Springs?” After checking the current time and making a calculation, “Sir, its 0512 local.” “Very well, I’ll make the call. Pipe everything up to my station. Good work son, and the same to Minmei.” Rick heard the young man thank him as he returned to his desk and terminal. He paused for a moment listening to the young officer and Minmei both of whom had clearly forgotten to close their comms. “Okay, good work as usual Tech Lynn, I wonder why they have you on the graveyard shift?” She lowered her head so her pageboy haircut hid her blush and said very softly, “Because I wish you’d ask me out.” He grinned as the young man spluttered and then promptly squeaked an offer to take her to breakfast that morning which she promptly accepted with a similar squeaky voice. Rick cut the comm. on his end with a smile and selected the proper comm. id for the Office of the Commanding General, R&D. Duty Desk, Office of the Commanding General, R&D Base Kangaroo Crossing Alice Springs, Australian Quadrant 0437 hours Zulu, 0513 hours Local, 14 July 2022 “Research & Development, Command Sergeant Major Davis speaking.” “CSM Davis, Major Hunter, Liberty CDO. I’m calling about the Omicron Delta for Creek Mountain, Colorado…” Davis immediately interrupted, “Sir the General left standing orders to personally take any calls regarding that OD. Wait one while I connect her.” Rick Hunter found himself on hold listening to muzak. Quarters of the Commanding General, R&D Base Kangaroo Crossing Alice Springs, Australian Quadrant 0437 hours Zulu, 0513 hours Local, 14 July 2022 She was awakened from a particularly nice dream by the harsh tonal of her duty phone. She rolled over, rubbed the sleep from her eyes and answered making double sure to select voice response only. Seeing who it was, her angry thoughts disappeared in a flash. “Hi Walter. Where’s the fire?” “Ma’am, I have the Liberty CDO, Major Hunter, calling about Creek Mountain.” “Put him through and stay on the line, please.” “Yes ma’am, Major Hunter? I have General Carter for you, sir” Sam Carter listened to the report with a mix of satisfaction and horror. “Major Hunter, prepare to execute an Alpha Order, copy?” Rick gulped, an APO was the second highest priority order possible and just under the War Imminent Order that hadn’t been used in the decade since the Holocaust. “Yes, ma’am. Ready to copy.” “I want the next two MEUs on the roster on site within three hours. They are to keep anyone without written orders from my office away from Creek Mountain AFB. Under no circumstances are they to enter the abandoned facility without written orders from me. Anyone within a twenty mile exclusion zone centered on the base is to be detained and particulars sent post haste to this office. Any vehicles not authorized by this office attempting to leave or enter the zone are to be forced to stop in place or land at the nearest field and secured. The MEUs are clear to fire upon the non-compliant. Have a Macross-cannon or four Nupetiet Vergnitzs in locked geo over the base within the hour. Guns are to be ready to fire upon the base at my command and at a moment’s notice. Inform the Council duty officer I’m to be first on the schedule this morning closed door. Sergeant Davis, inform flight ops I want the two specials ready by 0600 and get Colonel Dixon to fly my wing. Major Hunter, expect a Ride Fire direct to Liberty immediately after 0600 local. Got that?” After both men repeated their orders she hung up, got up from her bed and made a beeline to the bathroom after laying out her flight hard suit.
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SEAL in Space Story Complete Bannister’s Story Indefinite Hold as that Muse has run off and joined the circus. Thems the Breaks Short Story Complete Whoa Toto, we ain't in Kansas no more Story In Progress |
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Nov 19th 2009, 7:20am
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#2 |
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Drifter
Join Date: 30 Jun 2009
Posts: 315
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There's a distinct lack of names to go with some of the scenes. Like who is Lynn Minmei hoping to go out with? And I find it weird that she's working in the military and hoping to go out with some unnamed graveyard shift officer. Aren't there regulations against that? Also, I think you're being overly mysterious with their names, it feels forced and annoying while reading it.
Space Station Liberty also felt rather like a piece of junk and seriously lacking man power; there should be more people manning the place, even in graveyard shift. There should be considerable space traffic to monitor. You don't get to have four Nupetiet Vergnitzs and a Macross monitor without an attending naval forces to balance them out. The massive factory satellite probably was also still rebuilding the fleet with hundreds or thousands of personnel, which would require considerable communication. But in this chapter, it felt like a tiny and decrepit space station about the size of our ISS; until I recalled it was supposed to be a factory satellite made from a hollowed out asteroid. Finally, there shouldn't be a true graveyard shift in space. In LEO, you get to see the sun rise and set about 17 times per day. I forgot where the SSL was located however and what its orbital period is like. |
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Nov 19th 2009, 8:07am
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#3 |
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and his Chibi Neue Ziel!
Otaku
Join Date: 14 Feb 2005
Location: ↓, ↘, → + Punch
Posts: 12,134
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rdde - wait with the judgements. This is his third time through with this fic, and there's a lot of stuff that will occur later. As for Minmei, its explained. And reasonably explained at that.
I like how you've eased up on the Hunter/Hayes hate. I can (and have) at least agreed that they seriously were -not- good for upper command without some serious seasoning, but considering the aftermath of Khyron's attack, they were sort of thrown into the saddle. Hopefully in this 3rd incarnation of this fic, you'll give it to them.
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Macross Daedalus Attack: Because nothing says "Fuck You" like punching them in the face with an aircraft carrier. Devout Worshipper at the Temple of Kawamori-San, He who is God of all Transforming Mecha "They will know pain, they will know suffering, and then, and only then, they will die." "Muda Da! MudaMudaMudaMuda! Za Warudo! Toki Wo Tomare. Soshite, toki ga ugoki desu. Muda Da! WRYYYYY!!!! -- Dio Brando / Sakuya Izayoi Known aliases: Anon-Non-Non, Mechy-San, Yukikaze-Kun Vae Victus |
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Nov 19th 2009, 10:24am
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#4 | ||
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Mediocre Writer
Join Date: 2 Jul 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 488
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Quote:
The way you envision Space Station Liberty, is the way I do as well. I just assumed everyone else did as well and didn't bother to add that layer of fluff not germaine to the story. My apologies for violating the ASSUME axiom.  Gotta stop doing that some day.  As far as the EDF fleet, well that's covered a bit later in the story, and you are 100% correct, ship classes are more than just flagships, cannons, and assault landers. I hint at that very point in the next chapters. Quote:
 Hunter will be important later on but he will not rise beyond Major he just doesn't have it in him. Hayes is CO of the SDF-3 and Flag Captain to VADM Claudia Grant CO of Earth's second largest battlegroup (BG-7). Kramer has the third (BG-27), and Fleet Admiral Breetai has BG-3 the largest in EDF service. So at least one of the Hunter/Hayes gets out of Captain Gentry's hate locker.
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SEAL in Space Story Complete Bannister’s Story Indefinite Hold as that Muse has run off and joined the circus. Thems the Breaks Short Story Complete Whoa Toto, we ain't in Kansas no more Story In Progress |
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Nov 19th 2009, 10:26am
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#5 |
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Mediocre Writer
Join Date: 2 Jul 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 488
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Whoa Toto, we ain’t in Kansas no more. THIRD TIMES THE CHARM
By Captain Gentry Chapter 2 “Library of Alexandria” Planetary Location Unknown Galaxy Unknown 1247 Hours ZULU, 18 April 2011 Daniel Jackson ran as fast as he could from what he was calling the Sumer Chamber towards what had become the Ra Chamber narrowly avoiding ploughing over his wife and daughter as they set the lunch table. The terrified look on his face silencing their squawks of outrage before they could be voiced. As usual the ever practical Sha’Uri took charge of making sure her brilliant but often scatterbrained husband didn’t, as he laughed, loose his marbles. “Sha’non finish serving the meal with Bree’ha and Teya’na. I will get Jak’ii and check on your father.” “Yes, mother.” It didn’t take her long to find her niece in the Babyl Chamber studying. To her surprise her niece also appeared greatly worried as she read and reread a single section on the wall. “Jak’ii, your uncle has found something and needs our help in the Chamber of our former master.” “Auntie, can it wait? I’ve found something important too” asked the younger woman almost plaintively as she continued to pour over the same stone carved passage. Sha’Uri paused a moment in thought. My husband looks as like he did when he realized O’Neil and Earth had abandoned the StarGate program, and Jak’ii is whining? What horrors have they uncovered? “I’m sure whatever has my niece with her uncle’s brains and her father’s courage whining is also what has frightened your brilliant but not as brave uncle. He needs us now.” That the younger woman wasn’t sputtering about Sha’Uri saying she had been whining was telling, and that the normally strong willed Jak’ii was meekly following her when she clearly wanted to continue studying was even more so. She took both as certain confirmation they both had discovered something awful. She prayed their discoveries were not different things. It took the women ten minutes at a brisk walk over well marked paths to reach the Ra Chamber and another five to find Daniel had gone beyond the safe part and deep into the part in danger of collapse. Both women looked at each other in fear, before Jak’ii spoke softly clearly hoping not to bring down the unstable ceiling. “Auntie, Uncle Daniel would not have gone there unless to confirm something he’d found in the Sumer Chamber. I promised I wouldn’t betray his confidence, but you must already know that he has left the Babyl project all to me and why.” “Yes, he told me and how proud of you he is for it. He only wishes he could acknowledge it publicly.” “Auntie, the Elders will never ‘suffer the indignity’ of equal rights or women being even as smart as men… but never mind that now,” whispered Skaar’a’s daughter. “I found the truth of the Tower of Babylon Myth, there was no Tower to God at least not just one structure. They were struck down because they had developed ‘Spears that could reach the Heavens and kill the rest of the 12 False Gods.’ Those sound like the ballistic missiles Uncle Daniel has spoken of.” Neither woman had liked the idea of such powerful and ultimately futile weapons when Daniel had spoken of them years earlier, and both now recalled the shared memory. “But that’s not all or even the really important part, the last panel lists ALL the surviving false gods when Babyl fell. We already knew only 12 of Ra’s species were living when Ra found Earth, and that only seven of them had survived the internecine warfare before the fall of Babyl: Mayan, Az, Ra, Babyl, Sumer, Mard, and the Dark One. What we didn’t know was that after Mayan, Az, and Babyl were slain, the remaining four met in a summit and divided the universe agreeing to peace between them for 10 millennia until they would have one last war. The goal of that war was to retake the birthplace of humanity. The three losers would submit to their deaths at the hand of the winner, whoever held onto Earth for a solar year. Each of the four was required to name the others they had slain, the part of space they claimed, and what strategy they would use to conquer Earth. Auntie whatever our people suffered over the millennia under Ra’s fist, he wasn’t the worst by far.” Sha’Uri raised her eyebrow after a small shudder rippled through her body. “Ra was unspeakably evil niece, how could you think such a thing?” “Auntie, for all his bluster he was a piker. He killed none. Sumer killed Az. Mard killed Mayan and Babyl. It was Set who killed five and then had their names stricken from the records…” The women were so engrossed in their softly spoken conversation they never noticed Daniel approach and finish Jak’ii’s thought “Those five were the ones who wasted time genetically altering their human servants instead of expanding their realms. The one in Australia who developed the ancestors to the Aboriginals, the two in central Africa who developed the tall rail thin blacks and the short thickset blacks, the one in China who developed the useless epithetic fold common to all Asians proving what a lot of us ‘crackpots’ thought, all Asians really do have a common if quite distant heritage, and the last one in India who’d developed felinoids with a human/Bengal tiger mix.” Sha’Uri silently thanked the universe for answering her payer. Daniel surprised them by wrapping them in a tight hug before taking a deep breath, “We have to try and contact Earth again. Those ten millennia are almost up as best as I can determine without calculating the astral drift visible from Earth. There’s what only can be a series of star charts in the Sumer Chamber with a note indicating Sumer left it as an ultimate payback to Mard and Set, for join forces and killing him while Ra stood by and watched. Sumer left us charts showing the planetary alignment of the solar system, the stars above Sumeria, charts revealing the primary areas of space claimed by each of the remaining three, and finally the strategies they were to use. We need a team of astronomers and astrophysicists to figure them out, and if that time hasn’t passed yet prepare as best we can for invasion from space. I never thought I’d be suggesting the plot of a ton of hideous B movies could be true.” After a quick family reunion, it was decided they would attempt to open the Gate to Earth and throw through the portal a scroll with the Library’s seven symbols and a request for a rescue team to recover Daniel Jackson and his family. There was no response, nor to any of the other messages sent over the next two days before the Gate would no longer consistently establish a wormhole to Earth. Sometimes it would work, other times not, and the only reason that could be was structural problems on the far end for Earth didn’t have access to the list of 7329 codes on stone plaques in a hidden cave on Abydos and the 16931 codes on stone plaques there at the ‘Library.’ They only had the seven symbol code for Abydos. A long family meeting ruled out sending someone through the Star Gate because if the base had been sealed before whatever caused the structural damage, there would be no way to reach the surface and maybe no power and security locks on the computers keeping from inputting the seven symbols for Abydos. Maybe everyone had finally gone and proved the ‘theory’ of MAD? With three notes on the other side giving the codes for Abydos and the ‘Library’ and no response, it was unlikely more notes would serve a useful purpose other than improving the penmanship of their daughters and wards, which was accomplished far better and easier in other ways. It was Skaar’a who came up with the solution. They would just have to figure out how to fix the radios left behind by O’Neil and his Marines and send them through. As he’d been the only one of the boys almost fifteen years earlier to take a serious interest in their equipment, he would have to be the one to figure it all out with Daniel knowing little or nothing about the ‘hard sciences’. Chapter 3 Creek Mountain Exclusion Zone 4th MEU “Fist of the North Star” Command Center 0948 Hours ZULU, 14 July 2022 General Bort was pleased with his unit’s performance. In exactly five and a half hours they’d jump deployed from WRATH OF AZONIA and gotten completely set up. Thousands of tons of earth and rock had been moved to build primary fighting positions and four alternates for all of his ground forces. Aerospace and air-mobile assets had cleared fields and flash poured revetments to protect their vehicles from the elements and provide suitable maintenance facilities. All twenty housing compounds were up and their messes were preparing for lunch service. Most of his units had already stood down in preparation for their later duty shifts. For every six hour shift his main force would consist of 400 Spartans, 400 Tomahawks, 24 anti-grav AFVs, 60 VF-2s, and a platoon of Jumpers. Each shift would have 50 Spartans, 50 Tomahawks, and 12 VF-2s in reserve. Artillery would have 6 Monsters supported by 24 Phalanx on alert. All of that for only 625 square miles. The other 631 square miles of the 20 mile exclusion zone was covered by the 3rd and their border units had already linked with his establishing the ‘handshake’ necessary between adjacent units. While the Slammers still needed a couple hours to finish establishing their field base, their security force was fully operational. Not bad for a unit just coming off liberty. General Bort was not so pleased with the comm. pad just handed to him by his XO. He was to expect a CB company by 1400 along with the newly assigned joint force commander. The SeaBees were welcome as they would, upon approval of the JFC, begin excavating the former USAF base. It was the JFC that concerned him. A 68 year old Command Sergeant Major as Deputy-JFC, and a 58 year old Major General with more than 30 years in R&D as JFC? The orders had been confirmed, twice, and were in fact signed by The Admiral himself. Just what the hell was going on here? Space Station Liberty Council Foyer 0830 Hours ZULU, 14 July 2022 Major General Samantha Carter had showered, was wearing a freshly pressed Class A uniform, and was very much looking forward to couple cups of strong black coffee and a decadent pastry or two before the meeting. That she would have to endure some small talk made her a bit irritable even after almost 40 years wearing blue and now black. She took a final check of her uniform in the coat room’s conveniently placed mirror and walked into the foyer, or at least tried to. She recognized The Admiral’s adjutant standing immediately beyond the entry and returned his greeting. “Good morning General Bernard.” “Good,” he began “General you’ve been removed from the Council’s schedule. Admiral Gloval is waiting for you in his office.” The two Generals covered the hundred meters in silence, leading Sam to have bad thoughts about her career. She fully expected to be arrested in Gloval’s outer office, but when they arrived she saw none other than the normal guards and staff busy with their normal routines. The young Ensign at the first desk came to attention, “Sir, ma’am, The Admiral moved the meeting to the Small Room.” “Thank you Ensign, I know the way, return to your duties” said Bernard. “Yes, sir. Thank you sir.” Moments later after they turned the corner, Bernard asked “Were we ever that young and green Sam?” Sam smiled, “That young definitely George, although at his age we were just about to enter senior high school, what you called A levels.” “Quite.” Another few steps and George was opening the hatch for her. “Ah, Good Morning Sam, Good Morning George, please let us have breakfast as I’m sure you’re famished after that, what is the appropriate Americanism, yes E ticket ride?” ordered Henry Gloval. “It’s definitely that sir, although that was my last one I think. Too many Gs for someone in their late 50s. I’ll be sticking to shuttles for future trans-orbital trips” answered Sam. “Good good. Now let us eat.” The next twenty minutes was mostly silent except for the occasional request to pass something or another. Once the table had been cleared and a fresh pot of coffee placed on the side-bar, the stewards cleared the room. Henry Gloval wasted no time, “Sam I am already familiar with the Star Gate program as most of the reports, General West’s files, and General Hammond’s reports and files were recovered in the ruins of the Leavenworth Repository a few years ago. I had George put a trace on your OD and should it ever be activated I was to be informed immediately. I also read your report and the scathing comments of your superiors regarding the Star Gate being able to reach multiple worlds. With all of the work needed to build the fleet and finally return our civilians to the western lifestyles many of them enjoyed we never had the time to reactivate the program. Frankly we do not have time or the resources now with the large numbers of Marduk and rogue Zentreadi out there but events have changed that.” Gloval paused to take a sip of his tea, “George is already aware of what I am about to tell you. I’m authorizing you for Council Zeta Epsilon, the Earth Defense Force’s most secret intelligence report. See Zee Eee clearance will limit you to the Earth-Liberty zone and you are not to cross through the Gate. Our best and most favorable estimates have the Marduk defeating us within six months once full scale war begins. Their active tonnage exceeds ours by an obscene factor. Each of our active and reserve ships would have to destroy 100 of their active ships to reach parity ignoring their reserve which outnumbers our entire fleet 10 to 1. Their ground troops exceed ours 200 to one. We cannot win, hence the large number of known colonies masking the dozen clandestine hidden amongst the stars. All traces of their existence limited to the report and only George and I know the coordinates.” George leaned forward, “Sam, as you know Fold engines can get us to the edge of the Milky Way but no further and the marginally superior Marduk drives are also limited to this galaxy. Any colony established in the Kaliam galaxy will permit our species to remain a technologically advanced one. The reports also indicate that Ra had inter-galactic drives, recovery of one or more of those is also a primary goal, although if the Gate only travels to Abydos then that is unlikely.” Gloval took over again after whetting his tongue with Russian tea “Sam I have your official orders being prepared as we speak. Your deputy will take over your R&D functions while you head up the joint force command. You are to determine if the voice on the radio was in fact that of Dr. Daniel Jackson and have your deputy force commander Sergeant-Major Davis attend to his needs and obtain whatever information about the ancient world he has uncovered. Your primary goal is to determine if Abydos is viable for a colony. Sam all of your official reports are to indicate Abydos is not viable for colonization and that your superiors were right about your theory, as I doubt your work as a junior Captain is any less than your superior work for the Eee Dee eF over the years, I suspect and hope your other worlds theory is correct. You will further determine use of the Star Gate is not warranted and it is to be recovered and destroyed by being orbited into the sun.” George said, “Once current images of the Gate are available a replica will be finished and be destroyed in a piece of theatre for the Marduk spies amongst our civilian population and leadership to report to their handlers.” “Sam it is not hyperbole stating this is the most important assignment of your career, although your official orders will reflect it being nothing more than a side venture. You will also give Colonel Dixon access to the files of your cancelled Tactical Armor project and he is to copy the lot and deliver it to Colonel Parino-Sterling who will get it to her husband and then to Admiral Grant. To make sure the Marduk spies fail to discover our plans leave the TA mockups and prototypes in storage untouched. We have a factory satellite pod secreted amongst the stars, and will be able to begin scale production” said Admiral Gloval. “Yes sir” replied Sam, “I also suggest taking the VF-3 plans and starting a line for them. They can be transported through the Gate in pieces and assembled on the other side giving us limited trans-orbital capability. EB-5s as well. They can easily explore the near-Abydos space without capital ship support. The boosters were designed also with cargo pods in mind so they can lift a well balanced load up to 75% of the Hustler’s gross. I have the pod design in my files as well as an outline for a man-rated mission pod.” “The Corsair had already occurred to us, but the Hustler makes sense as well. Colonel Dixon will only have to copy the cargo and mission pod files. The rest is already available to the factory” said George with a smile. “Well then I’ll give Ben his orders, and arrange for a CB unit to clear the silos. Also I need to arrange a suitable gift for General’s Bort and bin Shalafi who will undoubtedly be irritated by an R&D weenie taking command even if she was a better than fair fighter pilot” announced MG Carter as she began rising to her feet. “Go with God Sam” said Henry Gloval as she left the room. Creek Mountain Exclusion Zone 4th MEU “Fist of the North Star” Command Center 1800 Hours ZULU, 14 July 2022 At her request, General’s Bort and bin Shalafi along with their off duty command staff and the CB leader entered the cargo bay of her Liewneuatzs shuttle. Addressing the Brigadier Generals, “Gentlemen, I’ve been assigned as Joint Force Commander solely because I worked on the Star Gate project in the mid 1990s. You will run your sectors as you see fit, except I will be borrowing all of your Jump Marines once the Gate has been returned to operation. The Fist’s Marines will secure the facility while the Slammers will escort the various Intel, Medical, Logistics, and commanders through the Gate to Abydos, a desert world. Since I’m going to be swiping your Marines for a few weeks, I thought you might appreciate these.” CSM Davis pulled the cord causing the large tarps blocking view of all but the area they were in to fall. All but Davis and Carter gasped, or at least had their eyes bug out. “General bin Shalafi, the M1A2 Abrams is for the Slammers. I think Mr. Drake would be as proud of your unit as his fictional one. Since Hammer’s Slammers had the best armor in the universe, I thought you should too. It’s fully operational, and although the tracks work, it’s equipped with anti-grav and a fusion bottle. It’s otherwise stock and just needs your maintainers to paint the appropriate unit markings. The Mark One Spartan is also fully operational and just needs Fist markings. Gentlemen enjoy your new unit mascots. Force Commander’s Brief at 0800. Lieutenant Commander you may begin clearing the overburden above the two missile silos tonight. Wake me before you send a robot to inspect the structure. I’ll be in the Hustler crew comfort pod along the far wall. The closer one will serve as my CP. Let’s get to work.” Space Station Liberty CIC Overwatch 0948 Hours ZULU, 15 July 2022 Moments after the alert sounded, the young 2LT JDO comm’d the CDO “Colonel, we have a major energy spike consistent with the Creek Mountain facility.” “Very well. Put it on audio” he ordered before selecting General Bernard’s direct link, “Sir its happening and I’m piping it to you.” “This is Daniel Jackson a member of the Star Gate Program. Is anyone out there? Any government or military hearing my voice please answer it’s an emergency. If you’re civilian, please answer and get word to your government or military authorities that Daniel Jackson of the Star Gate Program needs help at Creek Mountain air force base.” Moments afterwards they heard Command Sergeant Major Davis ask questions designed to determine if it might be Dr. Daniel Jackson or not. Final confirmation would come with an in person meet and a DNA test. “Dr. Jackson. Walter Davis speaking. Who gave you the Eye, what did Colonel O’Neil’s son do, and who was the Program’s big chief honcho and what branch did he come from?” There was a pause for a moment, “Okay I get it we’re playing 20 questions to see if I’m really me. Okay. Catherine Langford, killed himself with his father’s gun, and General West who wore a green uniform so I guess he was Army. So do I pass go and collect $200? I have important information that’ll need to be given to the President quickly…” While the Canadians, Americans, and those who’d lived in the United States listening to the conversation on Liberty and parts in between laughed, a burst of squelch cut the academic off mid sentence. “Daniel we’ll talk again in a day or two once we get the silo clear and can see what condition the Gate’s in. We’ll come to you with supplies. Anything in particular you need?” After a pause “Well I’d like some corn dogs, some KFC, a couple apple pies, and a six pack of Budweiser. Our brewer insists there is no such thing as bad beer only fair, good, and great.” Walter and Sam along with all of those who’d been laughing moments earlier looked at each other wondering how to answer. Davis pressed the button, “KFC and Budweiser are out of business, so we’ll bring corn dogs, fried chicken, apple and cherry pies. Your brewer will just have to settle with Pabst Blue Ribbon still made in Milwaukee.” “Uhh, okay thanks Walter. See you in a couple days.”
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SEAL in Space Story Complete Bannister’s Story Indefinite Hold as that Muse has run off and joined the circus. Thems the Breaks Short Story Complete Whoa Toto, we ain't in Kansas no more Story In Progress |
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Nov 20th 2009, 10:15am
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#6 |
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Mediocre Writer
Join Date: 2 Jul 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 488
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Whoa Toto, we ain’t in Kansas no more. THIRD TIMES THE CHARM
By Captain Gentry Chapter 4 Council Chambers Space Station Liberty 1030 hours, 12 September 2022 Sam Carter finished presenting her report on the Star Gate and Abydos and even Admiral Gloval and General Bernard would have believed neither was viable nor worthy of further research had they not known better. As predicted the Councilors asked a number of questions the answers to which were available in the printed material before them. Only two questions were of note, both focusing upon the Star Gate itself, and both by suspected Marduk spies. Spy number one asked “General Carter, you are an astrophysicist and yet you do not wish to study the Star Gate and artificially generated wormholes linking two planets?” Her answer was perfect, “Councilor, I would love to spend the rest of my life researching the Gate and determining its mysteries. However the plain reality is R&D has many other pressing projects necessary for the long term survival of the human race and not enough scientists and engineers to cover them all adequately, let alone just for pure research for research’s sake. Maybe in a decade or two my successor will be able to do so, but at this time there is no way to justify pure research over practical research.” The second spy asked a related question “General Carter, linking Earth with our colonies is of huge importance. Can we not allocate a few researchers to the Star Gate?” “Ma’am, ships and their fold drives are the only link to our colonies at this time and in the foreseeable future. The task of puzzling out the Star Gate is monumental and even a couple dozen people could do little. The US Government had over 200 scientists and several hundred technicians and engineers, and spent more than 40 years and billions of dollars just to activate the Gate. Granted, my R&D division is managed a whole lot better than the US Government, so it wouldn’t take us that long nor so much money to accomplish that same task.” Sam got the expected laugh and continued, “I have just enough personnel to establish the program; however that would put the brakes on all other major projects. A simple cost-benefit analysis shows it’s just not worth the effort at this time, however much I personally would like it to be so.” The meeting broke up after a few more questions to which the answers were already available in the data packets handed out, and Admiral Gloval led his two co-conspirators to his private dining room and found to his and Georges’ surprise a fourth setting on the table and Yvgenie Pavel Rostov, the EDF’s assistant deputy director for counter intelligence. The stewards left once the plates had been cleared and the coffee and tea served. Admiral Gloval cleared his throat and spoke “Yvgenie it has been ‘nice’ sharing a meal with you after all these years but I will be blunt why are you here?” “Henry, Henry, not only did you abandon our Mother in fact but in soul. First part I happily and proudly forgive with what happened in 2011, the second, well it can be said that western practices neglecting social niceties do lead to more work done, but weaker friendships.” “You and I have never been friends, you even tried to kill me once after my defection.” “Niet. Twice I made it look good. First time I killed your British assistant, Melanie Fowles, who was agent of what you westerners called KGB. If I do not shoot her, she have orders to poison you with afternoon tea. Second time in Sydney Harbor I make it look really good shooting through your arm into your next assistant, Sandra Thomas, who was double agent. You knew she was former CIA, but she also working KGB for last ten years of Langley career. Only one American intelligence apparatus more penetrated than CIA, the socialist idiots at Fogey Bottom.” “That doesn’t answer my question Yvgenie..” “Sure it does. EDF intelligence apparatus full of MI6, Surete, CIA and other ‘alphabet soup’ agencies with their high technology and low skills in the field. Only small part former KGB in EDF and even less Mossad, who in some cases have better field craft than us, and if you repeat this I deny it. Sam Carter used friend to help her ‘massage intelligence.’ Only friend and former USAF Colonel Doug Masters in league with Marduk. No worry he have accident, slip on wet stone and go under street tram before can reveal truth to his true masters. Hence questions from spies on Council. You answer very well General Carter, and they busy this moment reporting Star Gate closed down.” “That was very well done Sam, you even had me believing the Star Gate and Abydos wasn’t worth the effort at this time. I would have preferred you determining the Gate wasn’t ever worth studying and should be destroyed but the data didn’t support that position and it would have appeared you were trying to conceal something from the Council had you done so” said Henry making every effort to continue using direct and indirect articles which his fellow Russian, like most of his countrymen, had trouble with. “Thank you sir but I don’t believe Doug Masters worked for the Marduk anymore than pigs fly. This guy deserves being taken to the woodshed” said Sam hotly attempting to stealthily draw her tiny Derringer. “Sam, please be keeping gun named after American criminal in pocket. You say proof is in the pudding no? Read” said the former KGB master spy sliding a stack of paper across the table. The other three were startled to read intercepts giving away the EDF’s secrets, including their TO&E, operational planning, manning reports, and even the most current ship construction list. While the intercepts didn’t reveal to whom they were being sent, Sam easily confirmed the word usage as that of her old friend. “Everything traitor Masters know about Star Gate, false gods, Abydos, the Library, fake satellite imagery and data, and the rest I know” he said facing Sam before turning to George and Henry, “I also know about Operations Ragnarok and Rush Limbaugh. I cannot help our dead Mother, but I can keep extinction from happening to Homo sapiens sapiens. Henry May 31st 2023 is our last hurrah.” Neither George nor Henry understood the reference, but Sam blanched as she hadn’t reported that date to anyone. “I get date from image of solar system I run on personal computer with astronomy program same day I first see it. I know date of doom almost two whole month, not just a few weeks.” “What is this date of doom?” asked George. “It is Marduk and Seten, Setuk, or Setim D-day” responded the stooped elder Russian. George and Henry looked at the two others before Henry spoke “We know the day they will attack and it is less than a year away. We must speed up the establishment of clandestine colonies.” “Niet, the Marduk already know them all through very highly placed spy. I have been unable to determine identity but I will. Know is not one of four in room.” Henry sat back for a moment before making his decision. “Very well, as you undoubtedly know General Carter speaks Russian. What are Ragnarok and Rush Limbaugh, in Georgian please.” For the next ten minutes, the elderly stooped Russian told the other elderly but not stooped Russian exactly what both projects entailed. Afterwards, Henry grimaced, and turned to George, “Put him on the list for Ragnarok, Rush Limbaugh, and the Star Gate program.” “Yes sir. Sam please give us your unofficial briefing.” “Gentlemen, Abydos’ water shortage truly is acute making a colony there unviable even without the local government’s position. Mining could be made viable with extensive railway and other infrastructure projects over a couple decades. At this time it’s just not worth the effort as we have plenty of easier sources” she began. “The Star Gate’s value is incalculable to humanity’s long term survival, more important than just about all of our other efforts.” General Bernard asked the question on the minds of both men “Then why state further research of the Star Gate isn’t warranted at this time?” “Sirs, I didn’t say that, I just said pure research of the Gate wasn’t warranted. The spies will report the Gate has been determined to be of no immediate use and soon to be mothballed again. To use it we really don’t have to know exactly how it works just that it does. I would love to know exactly how it works and how to build more, but that just isn’t necessary for using it to the 16931 destinations listed in Doctor Jackson’s ‘Library of Alexandria.’” “Almost seventeen thousand planets?” gasped George. “Yes sir, but as amazing as that is, it pales in comparison to the other data we obtained. Based upon Daniel and his niece Jak’ii’s research, we now know the date of the impeding Marduk invasion, their basic strategy, and the strategy of Set’s group previously unknown to us that will be attacking us at the same time.” “That attack will be based upon an agreement made just about ten millennia ago between the Ra killed by Colonel O’Neil and his team, Mard, Sumer, and Set. Yes that Set from Egyptian mythology and that Sumer from Sumeria…” “So Ra’s assertion that he was the last of his species was a lie or bluster?” “Yes George, that’s exactly it. The rest of the story explains why the numbers twelve, four, and three feature prominently in the world’s various religions. The last 12 of Ra’s species divided the Earth amongst themselves in order to take advantage of humans, a species easy to repair, maintain, and produce the likes of which none had ever seen in their many preceding millennia of life. It is unknown how long Ra’s species live, but it is certain that they have been meddling in Earth history since the beginning. Five spent an inordinate amount of time genetic engineering ‘their’ humans including human/feline hybrids and became easy prey to Set. Sumer killed Az, as in the Aztec. Mard killed Mayan and Babyl, as in the Mayans and Babylonians. Ra for all his bluster and evil was a wimp having killed none of the other ‘gods’ before the agreement.” “So much of our history is based upon these 12 gods and their actions?” asked Gloval. “Yes sir. The last four surviving ‘gods’ made a deal ten millennia ago that each of them would attack Earth and the winner was the one who held it for a solar year. The remaining losers would submit to being killed at the hand of the victor. The agreement stipulated the space claimed by each party, the general strategy they would use, and a star chart indicating the exact day this war was to begin, May 31st 2023. Sumer had his High Priest leave the data where it was likely the people of Earth and Sumeria’s descendents might find it after he found out Mard, Ra and Set were conspiring to kill him. Well, Ra just stood and watched as Mard and Set butchered Sumer.” “We also know that Ra was to have attacked Earth with ships and his slave troops. The Marduk or Most Trusted Servants of Mard would attack with its technology and genetically engineered slaves, and the Setuk, Seten, or Setim would attack using fear and genetic slaves supported by ‘unseen ships.’ Had Sumer survived he was to attack Earth using ships and slave troops like Ra.” “Why the confusion with the Set group’s name?” asked Gloval. “The –uk suffix has already been covered. –En means ‘Most Diligent and Worthy Servants,’ and –im means ‘The Powerful and Mighty Holy Warriors.’ We don’t know which suffix Set chose for his servants, but considering his main tactic will be fear, -im is the most likely candidate.” Yvgenie added, “We also learned true meaning of ‘Zentraedi’ from data obtained by Jackson Clan and our own Intelligence assets working with captured Marduk equipment. Breetai and Exedore are mistaken; it doesn’t mean ‘Servants of the Masters’ but ‘Beasts of Limited Service.’ The two of them could probably be informed but I’m not sure that information should ever be made known to our Zentran and Meltran allies. Marduk had total of seven million Zentreadi crewed ships under Dolza as experiment. Breetai’s Grand Fleet switched sides as did sizeable portion of Dolza’s five Grand Fleets thus ending experiment. Grand Fleet Dolza left guarding Marduk home world was systematically killed as each ship went in for maintenance. Ships were recycled and the battlepods and Gnerls were transferred to Marduk units.” “But what about the other fleets?” asked George. Sam answered “There were no other Zentran and Meltran fleets, other than in Dolza’s imagination based upon false promises. The only Zentreadi out there now are the Rogues that fled after Space War One.” Henry caught the critical piece of information his fellow Russian had revealed “So the Marduk use Space War One battle pods and Gnerls?” “Da. Marduk’s new slaves are 50 foot tall and look like Zentreadi but they’ve been further altered with creative centers of brain never developing. Those spaces in skull are then fitted with electronic devices that link to slave’s battlepod, Gnerl, or power armor and guarantee control over them via subspace delivered commands. Junior Marduk officers have their own equipment that is equal or better to Valkyrie IIs. I have called them Gilgamesh I and II and I will have single functional versions of each along with all data recovered concerning them delivered to General Carter as she directs.” Sam smiled at Yvgenie for the first time before turning to Henry. “Sir I’ll have one of my junior test pilots work both units, develop their operating manuals, and have them on your desk within a month.” “Wouldn’t Ben Dixon, Max Sterling, Miriya Parino-Sterling or even Rick Hunter be a better choice than a junior test pilot?” asked George. “Max and Miriya would be my top choices, however they have visible roles, and if they disappeared for a month, tongues would wag and ships would sink. No, the pilot I have in mind is the best available option. She’s one of the quadrono decanted after the war, did a tour with Skull and was one of Miriya’s Ace students a couple years back. I have Dolly Parton doing some advanced ACM testing in the Corsair so she’ll also be able to do a 1v1 and flight v flight analysis as well.” “As long as she doesn’t only work nine to five” quipped Henry Gloval to the astonishment of all. “What? I like old country music and the blues. The Man in Black, the Oak Ridge Boys, Fats Domino and Chubby Checker are my favorites.” “Dolly named herself after the singer who she considers the epitome of musical talent. I could ask her for a copy of her collection for you sir.” “Very well, do so.” “Commands delivered by their Emulators and ‘unseen ships’” stated George bringing them back on topic. “That’s what their augmented lungs and perfect pitch are used for. They not only deliver orders in that very tonal language we haven’t cracked, they also serve as sex slaves for Marduk leadership” answered Yvgenie. “A language we can’t crack even with a dozen super computers working full time over the last five years” retorted George full of pique before saying softly, “I didn’t know about the sex slave part. Being that they’re not fitted with chips in their skulls, we should be able to free and integrate any Emulators that aren’t murdered by the Marduk. Those bastards kill their Emulators before they even scrub their databases when it’s apparent they’ve lost and can’t self-destruct their ships.” “Make sure the next raid commander is aware of the fate of Emulators and see if they can’t just capture a live one” ordered Henry. “Yes, sir. What about the ‘unseen ships’?” “Probably stealth or cloaked ships, or it could just be ships folded in outside the system and then accelerated to a small fraction of C, essentially undetectable if they’re not radiating until they’re very close to Earth” answered Sam. “How close?” asked George. “Close enough that Home Fleet wouldn’t be able to destroy them all before they entered orbit and began landing.” “We’d better keep the Militia equipped with Strikes and Supers and the older destroids. Not enough time to retrain them with modern equipment, especially over two weekends a month and two weeks per year” ordered Gloval. “Yes, sir. What else have we learned from the Star Gate program?” “We also know the areas of space claimed by Mard, Set, Ra, and Sumer and after a couple weeks of super computer time, we’ve determined 1134 Star Gate accessible planets are split amongst them in the Milky Way. Ra had four planets in our galaxy, Sumer had 130 worlds and the rest were evenly split between Set and Mard. We can now not only conduct raids by ship but via the Gate.” “What of the other Gate coordinates?” asked Gloval. “Sir, some of them are almost certainly in our galaxy as its unlikely such a small number of habitable worlds with Gates are in the Milky Way. We don’t have the star charts, yet, to track them down. When we explore worlds via the Gate we’ll have to make sure to at least take good images of the night sky if not launch a few satellites to scan the constellations around them. That’ll ferret out some more. We know Ra controlled the Gates in the Kalian galaxy, Sumer those in Pegasus, and neither Mard nor Set had any outside ours. What of all the galaxies in between? Surely some of the 17,000 Gates lead to them. In any event, it will take decades to plot them all, let alone explore them.” Sam continued, “I have a plan to electronically tail the next offering collection team back to their world collect all the data possible over a week and then have the collection unit squirt it back to us when we open the Gate for a few minutes or so. We raid them in force two days later unless the data indicates another course of action should be taken. By then we should have at least one operational squad equipped with TAs, to provide heavy support. I’d like to keep the 3rd MEUs Jump Marines because they already know about the Star Gate, and General bin Shalafi was to get two new companies a month from now anyway. I also want to explore the 134 worlds held by Sumer and Ra. Sumer’s have probably been divided amongst the others or abandoned, but Ra’s are almost certainly occupied. Ra would need a secure base in our galaxy if only to rest his troops after an extra-galactic voyage.” Henry told George to issue the transfer and then have 3rd MEU deploy to the Canadian Rockies training center as they should have after coming back from liberty. Fist of the North Star would assume all security operations in the exclusion zone. The fake Gate would be ready in a week, then it was to be switched with the real one, and the silos were to be resealed. The real Gate would be relocated to Panama. The rebuilt Canal would give them cover, and with the volume of containers traveling across the isthmus both ways, quite a few could be disappeared for the program. Yvgenie agreed Panama was a perfect cover for the delivery of supplies via container, however openly moving troops or mecha would stand out like a sore thumb unless they too were shipped in via container. The CB unit already involved in the program would be issued accompanied orders to one of the public colonies but would be sent to the Library of Alexandria where they would build a few suitable cities and a large airbase and missile launching facility. Gloval wanted not only satellites but primitive stations in orbit as soon as possible with a pair of ARMDs to follow before the end of the year. The clandestine colonies were to be evacuated to those in the Kalian galaxy as it became feasible. The five other battle groups assigned to harassing the Marduk were to continue operations against them, but begin working their way around their claimed space as if we were trying to determine the extent of their holdings. Kramer’s BG-27 was to be returned to Liberty and refit giving the crews a three week liberty as originally planned. Their official orders will read they are to return to harassing Marduk, but in reality they are to begin exploring those 134 worlds. The old stooped Russian was to begin clearing personnel including archeologists, linguists, and engineers for relocation to the Library both to assist and teach the extended Jackson family, but also to learn from them. Doctor Jackson and his extended family were to be given anything and everything they wanted. Yvgenie was also given the task of discovering the agents of Set on Earth.
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SEAL in Space Story Complete Bannister’s Story Indefinite Hold as that Muse has run off and joined the circus. Thems the Breaks Short Story Complete Whoa Toto, we ain't in Kansas no more Story In Progress |
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Nov 21st 2009, 7:48am
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#7 |
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Mediocre Writer
Join Date: 2 Jul 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 488
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Whoa Toto, we ain’t in Kansas no more. THIRD TIMES THE CHARM
By Captain Gentry Chapter 5 “Library of Alexandria” Planetary Location Unknown, Kaliam Galaxy 1330 hours, 12 September 2022 As their custom of long standing, the extended Jackson family ate together at least one meal daily. It and his family were the few bright spots in Daniel’s post-reconnection life. The Earth he knew had been vaporized from space by aliens. Aliens slaved to another set of aliens who were in turn willing slaves of the original twelve alien false gods who’d altered man’s distant past and were soon set to do so yet again. Beings who’d lived uncounted millennia before Ra found man, and like small children played with their new toys for a time, and then tossed them into the toy chest when they were no longer a novelty with the promise to revisit those toys at a later date. Ten millennia later that time was almost at hand and there was nothing he could do about it. The impending extinction of man from their home world was but a few short months away. On May 31st 2023, Earth would cease to exist under the combined onslaught of 22 million Marduk ships and an unknown number by the as yet unknown followers of Set. He heard the warm voice speaking into his ear; well he heard the warm tones, the words themselves didn’t register until Sha’Uri playfully ruffled what remained of his hair. Only his wife dared to thwart his one item of vanity, and only his wife could get away with it. A little retribution was in order, but only the tiniest smidgen. Daniel began rising to his feet bringing her with him, “I see my lovely wife of more than 28 mostly good years is a little frisky today, so we’ll be seeing you.” He’d expected her furious blush, Sha’Uri had always been quite private about their amorous activities. What he hadn’t counted on was the effects of good long conversation between women of a certain age peering back upon their lives with a touch of regret. Sha’Uri’s new best friend lamented she’d never married or had children giving herself entirely first to the Air Force, and then the Earth Defense Force. Sam Carter’s new best friend lamented that while she was proud to have done good by her daughters, her society had denied her the opportunity of an education and to be more than a housewife. Through that long conversation over coffee and sinfully decadent chocolate silk pie both women came to certain decisions and truths. It would surprise neither woman that Sha’Uri got the opportunity to apply her decisions about her personal life first. Instead of trying to apply humor to the situation, her usual wont, she took his hand and promptly led her husband by the shortest route to their newly built townhome. The rest of the clan remained speechless for a time until the shock wore off and the dams broke releasing gales of laughter. Chapter 6 Aerospace Test Center Alice Springs, Australian Quadrant 0232 hours, 29 September 2022 Dolly completed the last test flight and walked the Gilgamesh Power Armor into its assigned hangar. She could see the fear clearly on most of the techs and maintainers’ faces. She had to stop in the middle of the bay for a good laugh. Yes Gilgy looked more badass in a ‘knife fight in a phone booth’ kinda way than the T-400 in the previous night’s vid, but as was often true perception and reality were distinctly different. The Gilgamesh One, or Marduk destroid assigned to junior and mid-grade officers was a threat only in melee combat. Sure it carried mini-missiles, but only 36 in awkward elbow launchers with a range of little more than 1.6 kilometers. Lunch to even the most inexperienced or skilled Valk II driver at realistic space combat ranges. Corsairs would eat four of them for breakfast without breaking a sweat. A minute passed before she was able to back the power armor into the docking frame built especially for it. She’d barely disconnected all the fittings and opened the hatch when that idiot Captain from Intel stuck his head into the cockpit and began a long stream of invective including her parentage and professional skills. Dolly let it go for a minute until she realized he wasn’t going to stop. She turned towards the cretin, gave a toothy smile that would be the envy of any self respecting shark and said, “Shut the fuck up, asshole. For one I’m Meltrani, I don’t have a mother or a father and there just might be another human who doesn’t know that, probably from the same idiot village you come from. Second, this thing is a piece of flaming reheated dog turd on a hot summer day. It’s slower than a Valk II in all flight regimes, and packs nothing effective beyond a single itsy-bitsy mile. Go bother someone with your own intellectual and professional capacities and leave us grown ups alone. I have a report to write.” With the idiot gaping she pushed past him and his sardine breath, climbed down the ladder, and began walking across the huge building towards the pilot’s fitting room. “Chief, service it because after my report is filed I’m sure they’ll have one of the Colonel Sterlings, or Major Hunter confirm at least part of it. No one is going to believe what a piece of shit that thing is on my say so alone. And Chief, get security to sit on that Intel creep. Thank you and your team for all your hard work.” “Okay you heard the lady, get cracking on the lube, oil, and filter while I get security to sit on Captain Creep… I mean Jenkins” hollered the long service NCO with a smile. Admiral Gloval’s Official Office Space Station Liberty 1101 hours, 30 September 2022 “General, is this a valid report?” asked General Bernard. Sam’s image on the view screen didn’t waver from her partial grin “The flight test report is, the charges of gross insubordination and incompetence filed by Captain Jenkins are as accurate as the sun rising in the west and settling in the east.” George was unsuccessful in hiding his own grin, “Damn it Sam, we can’t have oh-twos publicly disparaging their seniors.” “No we can’t, but I’m glad she did. That sardine chomping moron was dumped on us to serve as a liaison with Intel. I’m not sure he can even spell the word because all he’s done in the last six months is pester my staff with idiotic questions and suggestions. The security vid he submitted clearly shows HE was the instigator and violated dozens of security and safety regulations climbing onto a work gantry while the destroid had not yet been shut down and the pilot disembarked. Get whatever Intel Colonel or General he reports to to squash the filing and get him off my base, today, or I’ll have him before an Article 15 in the morning.” “Just a little hot under the collar, are we? No worries, I’ll have them retracted and him reassigned in a few minutes.” “Thanks George, and as Lieutenant Parton suggested in her report, can I borrow Max Sterling, Miriya Parino-Sterling, or Rick Hunter for two or three days? The report is rock solid but since it contravenes the common wisdom that Marduk gear is superior to our own, there will be doubts unless one of those aces corroborates.” George sat back for a moment in silence considering all of the scheduling problems with that request and then decided to grant it. “We shan’t have any naysayers. I’ll have one of them TDY in the next day or so.” “Thanks, George. I’m letting Dolly continue with the next phase of testing. The other Gilgamesh has the same power plant and the extra weight of those long blades, So I suspect it’ll be even slower. It also has the same weapon system shortcomings. If our pilots lock on to the Gilgamesh in any normal combat range, its dead meat” said Sam dismissively before adding “Frankly my old Falcon could bag one of them so if they do make it into the gravity well militia Raptors, Flankers, or Berkuts should have few problems.” “Very well Sam. Put me on your schedule for October 15 and bring Ms. Parton.” Captain’s Quarters UNSS ROY FOKKER Macross-Cannon Hull Number 17 1947 hours, 1 October 2022 Vanessa was happy hosting her longtime friends, but not the reason for it. “Which idiot got it in their pea sized brain to begin rotating ships through Liberty to top off stores and having their commanders attend such a boring meeting?” Shammie and Emma Granger giggled before the other ship commander responded, “A meeting that repeats what we already know about Marduk ships and tactics. So boring that several of the attendees were snoozing, and I myself found myself nodding off even after four cups of char!” “But wasn’t Admiral Gloval the main speaker?” asked Shammie. “No, he just opened the meeting and then added a few words at the halfway point and at the end. His chief of staff ran the meeting. If Henry hadn’t been there I believe more than a handful of officers would have taken the opportunity for a nap.” Admiral Gloval’s Official Office Space Station Liberty 0801 hours, 15 October 2022 Henry Gloval smiled at the visibly uncomfortable young Meltrani. “I am pleased with your reports Lieutenant Parton. Colonel Sterling put in a request for you to rejoin his squadron whenever you wish. Major Hunter not only countersigned your Gilgamesh report he has also requested you for his squadron, as XO. You have the choice of accepting a spot as an element leader with Skull and the opportunity for flight lead in a few years, or a promotion and restoring the honor of ‘The Orangemen.’ Consider your options well and report here at 1800 for dinner. Dismissed.” Dolly Parton snapped to attention, gave a salute to make even the toughest DI proud, and marched from the office leaving several bemused very senior officers. Moments later the door to Gloval’s private washroom opened and Yvgenie Rostov walked out. “Good. We have little time before our next to last bit of theatre” said Henry before turning to a puzzled Sam, “For over three weeks we have been giving a mind numbingly boring briefing six times a week and the Marduk spies have become complacent just as Yvgenie predicted. They are now only watching the beginning and end. Today’s briefing isn’t for our regular commanders, but the best and most innovative. You’ll also attend Sam in the fleet uniform I had made for you. You’ll find it in the senior officer’s privy next to the briefing room. Take the seat in the front row for Captain Caruthers and keep your head down until I say otherwise. Dismissed.” The three men continued the clandestine meeting after Sam went to collect her new uniform. “Admiral, I had Colonel Parino-Sterling rewrite the flight reports as you requested, but I cannot fathom the Marduk not learning the truth and discovering we’re on to them.” The old stooped Russian cut in as Henry was preparing to answer, “Explain to young pilot that is what dinner is for tonight, also grooming for senior command. Maintenance who worked on project are all long service R&D and know how to keep mouth shut. Parton is smart and keep mouth shut. Only Jenkins too stupid to keep mouth shut, and he has been assigned to post in Antarctica Base with Intel section who all are trusted. If he talk he have accident. Pool currently 500 credits he canary within next two weeks. You want place?” The flabbergasted Henry watched as his chief of staff put 500 credits on Jenkins talking out of turn within the next seven days before leaving the office to make sure the duty officer had arranged everything correctly. “Damn it Yvgenie, we don’t do those things in the EDF!” Rostov answered in their shared native language, “No we don’t and that is good however sometimes there is need and some of us old apparatchiks to, as the Americans said ‘get things done.’ Humanity is worth far more than a single man depriving his village of its idiot as young pilot say.” Henry couldn’t fault his former nemesis/protector as much as he wished differently. Main Briefing Room Space Station Liberty 0917 hours, 15 October 2022 “…Marduk ship classes include…” continued George Bernard in a bored tone until he heard one of Rostov’s technicians give the all clear in his earpiece. “Okay that’s it. The spy has stopped watching, we’ll now get on with the real purpose of this meeting.” That got the attention of all the attendees. “First you are being informed that Marduk spies have infiltrated the highest levels of the civilian government and more than a few are in the EDF as well. None serve on ships, they’re all in personnel, administration, intelligence, procurement, and in the executive levels. They have no clue we’ve discovered their true loyalties, and it should remain as such. As our American friends say, ‘they need to be treated like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed manure.’ You are here to formulate tactics and strategy to keep the Marduk from massacring us on May 31, 2023.” George saw the American in the second row raise his hand, “Yes Captain Hart, they are going to Pearl Harbor us on that date along with a second enemy we have few certain details on. Let’s arrange to intercept and teach them a lesson. Major General Carter of R&D is here to tell us about Monster Rancher.” “Sir, Monster Rancher involves recycling all of the early mark one Monsters with the three rifled guns. Each will be stationed on our outer hulls firing shells filled with 20mm synthetic diamond bolides. Because each will only be used for that single function, crew is limited to a pilot/spotter, the main gunner, and the assistant gunner operating one or both of the weapon arms. Command will devolve to the ship’s destroid commander. Studies show eight on a flagship will improve anti-small craft capabilities by 28%. Smaller ships will see at least similar gains.” Several ship captains whistled and the boldest volunteered to be the first ship so equipped. Captain Hayes of the SDF-3 asked, “General, any ship improvements in the works?” “Several, but only one will beat the deadline. Macross-cannon hulls 61 and above will have 3% more firepower and a 5.7% increase in rate of fire. We should have 40 of those in service and operational by that date.” Over the next hour various officers proposed good tactics and strategy but nothing that in and of itself made much of a difference versus 22 million ships and 12 fortresses. During that time Captain Hart was filling his notebook with calculations and drawings. After a colleague had delivered the last idea, the old fast attack sub jockey asked, “General, these synthetic diamonds, can you make them twenty to twenty-five cee em wide?” “Sure but the Mark One Monsters can’t launch them fast enough to be a threat to capital ships and that size is complete overkill against pods and Gnerls,” she answered. “Yes ma’am, we need lots of those big bolides, not millions, but billions of them for this to work.” he said with a smile before following up with a question. “Do we have the capacity?” “We could make that many but we’d need to delay a few other important projects.” she answered. Captain Hart drew breath and Admiral Gloval butted in to what was shaping up to be a long obtuse discussion between academics of the first order. “Sam, Roger earned his undergraduate degree at the Naval Academy in nuclear physics, and just before the holocaust earned his doctorate in the same field. Had he any inclination for ‘dirt side operations’ he would be working for you.” Most of the other commanders, especially those having attended his command courses and seminars had little doubt such was true, and would have even if Henry Gloval himself hadn’t shared it. “What is this idea of yours Captain Hart?” asked General Bernard. “Sirs, ma’am, we’re going to teach the Marduk all about Hobbes…John not Calvin. The Marduk don’t understand the true capabilities of their ships let alone ours and our upgraded Zentraedi ships, and we’re going to make their commanders all wish they’d chosen the line to be corn-cobbed by a flagship over the one leading to senior command. They don’t know how fast they can go in real space and their armor is designed mostly against energy not kinetic attacks. Since kinetic attacks aren’t very successful when both opponents are in space and underway that armor allocation makes sense, however their ships will be at proverbial anchor in orbit of Mard, their homeworld. Almost like shooting fish in a barrel. What they don’t understand we’ll take and beat them over the head with it.” Captain Hart took a sip from his water glass, “Unlike us they don’t have a sossus net, allowing us to sneak into the system at just over half C. Our ships can easily accelerate to point seven C given enough time. We only need half C and we can get that by running at a constant acceleration for ten days at the low power levels we’ll need to make sure the Marduk can’t see our thermal blooms until its far far too late.” There were questions but everyone kept silent wanting and needing to hear whatever devious plan old man Hart’s agile mind had come up with. “Bolides a quarter meter in diameter accelerated to point four C plus will take down even a flagship’s front shields. The second hit will embed itself about 350 meters into the hull, shattering armor, frames, destroying the main gun, and incinerating the air up to 100 meters in every direction. The few surviving DC crews will have difficulty sealing near the impact point as those non-shattered frames and bulkheads will have been superheated and thus warped. It’ll be even worse for the smaller ships. Frankly a bolide will go right through a destroyer with shields up nose on and kill the shielded one behind it too.” There was silence only interrupted by the old attack sub skipper adding “That’s only those that are destroyed or effectively complete kills. Their forces will be further reduced by Mobility Kills. Strikes through the lightly armored sections aft on all Zentraedi-Marduk ships will go straight through potentially taking a second out even with the shields up.” The room was silent and all eyes upon MG Carter as she burned through her calculations. It took a few minutes, before she pushed her notebook away from her and placed her worn pen on top with the air of self-satisfaction. “He’s right, although they won’t do much to the Fortresses.” “No ma’am, however they will take down sensor masts and secondary gun emplacements on the Fortresses making it that much easier for phases two and three of the operation. In Two we’ll dump millions of tons of still radioactive ground remaining from the Holocaust around two layers of bolides. Standard Marduk procedure is to launch pods and Gnerls at the first sign of trouble. Small particles of sand and earth that fast will ruin the day of their small craft crews. Also in Two we’ll launch a second and third set of bolides and earth to destroy as many of their 22 million ships and small craft as possible. In phase Three we target the now mostly blind 24 klick mini Death Stars. We have 18 Queadol Magdomilla in service, including the Wrath of Azonia each sporting a multi-billion ton bow section. Whouvas at point four C bodes poorly for the Fortresses. Targeting data for the dozen big boys will come from six to eight of the destroyers we have in mothballs adding an extra layer of misdirection. They’ll fold in immediately after Phase One and have fourteen minutes to determine and communicate solid tracking data for the behemoths and fold out before Phase Two strikes. They’re insurance so we get it right and to get the Marduk thinking they’re about to be raided by rogue Zentreadi. A little more misdirection never hurts.” “That is sacrificing a large number of good people” interrupted Gloval. “No sir. The destroyers will have skeleton crews and arrive and leave between layers. The Whouvas will be ballistic with their crews transferred to some new build bow sections here at Liberty for when we return with brooms tied to our periscope masts.” While most of the attendees didn’t understand the analogy, the former Soviet and Russian sub commander did. “Sweeping the seas of a few hundred ships is one thing Roger, sweeping space of 22 million ships and all dozen fortresses entirely another.” “Yes sir, we can do it. The first layer of bolides should destroy somewhere around seven million ships, mostly their destroyers and other lighter ships. The second and third layers of bolides intermixed with sand and earth should kill another eight to ten million, including a large percentage of their heavy assets. The data the destroyers will obtain and transmit isn’t critical to the plan like launching bolides and sand at the right angle and speed but it will add a layer of accuracy and we can’t afford not to deal with all twelve of those Death Stars well away from Earth.” Henry Gloval thought for a moment before authorizing the plan. “Sir, there’s still Phases Four and Five. In Four we fold in every main gun equipped ship we can sortie and they clear the enemy’s shipyards and four to five million ships which remain. Tonnage that has to be destroyed for Earth to have a solid chance. Phase Five has all of the bolides, earth, and enemy debris fall onto Mard. It won’t destroy the planet but it will render much of it uninhabitable.” George Bernard spoke to his superior, “We may even be able to kill Mard himself, sir.” Henry stood and looked at his watch before speaking, “Operation Hart is authorized. Captain forward your plan in detail to Admiral Grant. I want simulations of the plan by 1500 tomorrow. Everyone do your best to appear bored out of your minds. George please finish the briefing for our Marduk spies.” The meeting ended with a longwinded and excruciatingly boring speech made only moderately bearable with his aristocratic proper English accent. Simulations would reveal enemy losses of 19 to 21 million ships or 86 to 94 percent casualties to which Lisa Hayes summed up the best “Even if none of us return it’s worth it, 40% of our fleet for 86 to 94 percent of theirs AND 100% of their mini Death Stars Skywalkered.”
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