CHAPTER 41: BRIGGS
Federation Combined Defense Fleet
Inner Rim
Sol
Three hours remained on the clock, and Admiral Briggs hated that clock. To him, it was a malevolent instrument, one that marked the countdown to certain death, a grim reminder that their efforts were likely doomed to fail. He had exhausted every trick and tactic he had learned throughout his long and storied career. The overwhelming force facing them was like a tidal wave, an unstoppable behemoth, and he had no idea how to stop it. They were outgunned and outmanned at every turn. For every enemy ship they destroyed, it seemed three more surged into the system to take its place. The Alliance boasted a near-unlimited supply of vessels to throw at them, a fact that gnawed at his resolve. As he stared at the chaotic scene unfolding on the view screens, he felt the weight of the world pressing down on him, a leaden burden that threatened to crush him. He needed to save Earth, to stop the enslavement or extermination of the human race, even if it meant sacrificing his own life. He had signed up for this duty, and he knew the crew of his fleet had done the same, all to protect Earth, the Federation, and all of humanity from threats both foreign and domestic. However, the citizens and residents of the system had not made that choice. The innocent must be protected by any means necessary, even if it means facing insurmountable odds.
The Admiral continued to stare at the tactical plot and the display panels, which showed various bits of information about the impending battle. Nothing particularly enlightening was displayed, just a few hostile alien ships bombarding the planet below, their relentless assault a stark reminder of the stakes at hand. He wondered how many lives were being extinguished at that very moment, with nothing he could do to stop it. Then, a wild idea flickered to life in his mind—an idea both crazy and seemingly impossible. But it was an idea worth exploring. "Gene!" He called out to the current fleet communications officer, his voice carrying a hint of urgency that cut through the tense atmosphere. "Get me all the Admirals, Lieutenant Thomas, and Doctor Anders in here, or on the horn right now! I don't care if they're in their nightgowns; I need them faster than you can tell them!" The notion was far-fetched, but he had to entertain it. In the best-case scenario, one of the brilliant engineering minds from his fleet, the Russian fleet, or even the advanced Sumerians could take his impossible idea and mold it into something actionable, something that could work. Worst case, they could temporarily distract themselves from the impending doom for just a little longer. To Admiral Briggs, it was a win-win in a dire situation.
John
F.W.S. WarpStar
Epsilon Eridini
High Orbit of the Dyson Sphere
"That is one hell of a beautiful sight!" John exclaimed, his eyes wide with awe as he took in the megalithic structure the ship was orbiting. The only illumination came from the WarpStar itself, casting an ethereal glow on the surface of the colossal sphere, a luminous beacon against the backdrop of the cosmos.
"It is something out of our wildest dreams," Admiral Henderson replied as she stepped into the room, her voice filled with a mix of admiration and professional focus, tempered by the gravity of their situation.
John smiled, momentarily allowing himself to step out of duty mode. "Mom!"
To everyone in the room, it was a slight surprise to see their brave commanding officer drop his stoic demeanor, even if only for a brief moment. But to John, it felt completely natural, a comforting reminder of the bond they shared. "Thank you for coming; I need you here in the capacity of an Admiral of the Federation Navy."
"Alright, Captain. How can I help?" His mother, embodying the dual roles of parent and high-ranking officer, responded with a calm resolve that steadied the atmosphere.
"So, I never thought I would have to make this request, but here we are," he began, the weight of his words pressing down on him.
"Sir? I can't help but notice the positions of those of us present here. I hope this isn't what I think it is," Commander Witney, the ship's Executive Officer, observed, glancing around the room at the assembled officers. The Captain and Admiral Henderson encompassed the two top command positions on the ship, with Lieutenant Commander Doctor Samantha Lee, the Chief of Medicine, also present, creating an unusual but necessary gathering.
"You're thinking right, Commander. I appear to be compromised. An unknown alien device has managed to take control of my body and brought the ship here, to an unknown system orbiting an unknown complex. I am no longer fit to command. I can't make the decisions I need to, and I require the authority from each of you in this room to relieve me of command. Make it official just in case this device finds a way to override my relief."
A heavy silence fell over the room, each officer exchanging uncomfortable glances as if waiting for someone to break the tension. It was Emily Henderson who finally spoke, her voice tinged with maternal concern rather than military authority. "Son, Admiral Henderson is not here right now. She won't make that call when your officers are right here; they know you, your command style and structure. But what I can say is that right now, in front of me, I don't see a compromised alien presence. I see my son—my caring, loving son." John's heart swelled with gratitude at his mother's unwavering support, a lifeline amid chaos.
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"I agree with the Admiral… your mother," Doctor Lee added, her tone steady and reassuring. "You do not appear to be compromised, sir. I do not feel confident in relieving you of your command right now."
Commander Watney had planned to respond next, eager to show her support for the Captain as well, but she was interrupted by the comm unit crackling to life. "Wardroom, Con. Sir, C.I.C. is picking up activity from the sphere. It's reacting to our presence."
"I appreciate the thoughts, I really do, but I need each and every one of you to keep an eye on me. You all have the power to relieve me. The moment I appear to be compromised, stop it! Do not let me put this crew in unnecessary danger."
John didn’t acknowledge the report, nor did the women in the room acknowledge him; they all appeared mesmerized by the wardroom observation window, transfixed by the sight before them. John noticed something odd—a shimmering light was being cast onto their faces, a radiant glow that seemed to pulse with energy. As he turned around, the silence in the room became clear: the sphere was reacting, coming alive. Lights from various windows, ports, and other structures began to illuminate below them, creating a breathtaking spectacle that threatened to pull their attention away from the looming crisis. "Commander, assemble the troops," was all he could muster, his voice barely above a whisper, a fragile command in the face of wonder.
"Aye," she replied, her voice steady, though her gaze remained locked on the sight below. "Con, Wardroom, Aye." Those were the first words she managed after picking up the comm unit. She switched the circuit to a general ship-wide announcement, "All senior officers to the Wardroom."
Briggs
F.W.S. Independence
Combined Federation Defense Fleet
Inner Ring
Sol
"You want to… what?" Chief Engineer Thomas exclaimed, his shock evident at the sheer audacity of the idea the Admiral was proposing. The man struggled to contain his incredulity, daring not to challenge the Admiral directly. He respected the old man, but this request felt too far-fetched, too over the top, and utterly insane for the conservative Admiral.
"I believe your Admiral was asking if it is possible to relocate the enemy fleet," Admiral Enki replied with a calm demeanor, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he weighed the implications of such a maneuver.
"Oh, yeah, because that sounds way less impossible!" Thomas shot back, unable to hide his incredulity, the skepticism lacing his tone betraying his doubt.
"Lieutenant!" Captain Smith interjected, scolding her Chief for his outburst, her voice firm yet understanding.
"It's quite alright, Olivia. I was fully expecting even worse criticism," Briggs said, waving a hand dismissively, accepting the pushback with a weary smile. "My plan may be crazy and nearly impossible, but I am hoping that maybe someone here in this room can take it and turn it into something actionable. The way I see it, it may be a terrible plan, but it's the only one we've got. Look at that clock; it reads just a hair over two hours. That's how long we have until the point of no return. We either engage the enemy or flip and accelerate to get out of here." He scanned the faces of each man and woman in the room, trying to gauge their reactions and guess what thoughts were racing through their minds, searching for a flicker of hope. "This ship is uniquely qualified to attempt something impossible; hell, we already have! Four extremely large Henderson Mark 2 Anti-Matter reactors have been installed and powered on. We have an ungodly amount of power at our disposal. Let's make good use of it!"
"Perhaps," Dr. Anders Søviknes finally spoke up after mulling over the audacious idea for some time, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I don't know if we could push them out of the system with the hyperdrive, but we may be able to form a warp bubble large enough to encompass their fleet. However, we would have no control over course or speed. Once our bubble collapses, every ship we capture will be careening through space at uncontrollable speeds and velocities. There's a high chance we could even get pulled into Sol's gravitational grip and incinerated, which would be catastrophic."
"I do believe your doctor is correct," Enki added, nodding thoughtfully, his expression serious as he considered the potential fallout. "The technology is foreign to us, but theoretically speaking, we could get them away from Earth. If we had a way to override the safety protocols of the Hyper boui's, then it may be possible to rip them all from this system."
"What are you referring to when you say, pardon my English, 'warp bubble'?" Admiral Grigorievich asked, his brow furrowing in confusion, clearly struggling to grasp the concept.
'Well, shit,' Briggs thought to himself, completely forgetting that the FTL drive they had developed was classified. Now, he was on the verge of using that technology to save the planet, yet he had neglected operational security. "Admiral, you will have to please forgive my lack of transparency. To put it simply, we have developed a new method of traveling the stars faster than the speed of light, and without the use of the hypernetwork." Admiral Briggs was aware that he had just committed an act of treason, but he didn’t care; the information was vital at this moment. If his actions could save Earth from destruction, he would gladly face the consequences, even if it meant sacrificing his freedom.
Admiral Grigorievich stared at his counterpart, unable to believe what he was hearing, the implications weighing heavily on his mind. "Admiral, when this is over, I expect a conversation with you. You cannot—"
"I understand, Admiral, and we will have that discussion. If this alliance is to work, we must be forthcoming and honest about everything. Now, I'm sorry for cutting you off, but we don't have the time for this," Briggs interjected, urgency lacing his tone, the countdown ticking ever closer to disaster.
"I do see another problem, Admiral," Admiral Day chimed in, his expression serious as he considered the ramifications. "Earth, Luna, and the various stations, ports, and satellites that orbit the entire Earth system would be in the way. How would we deal with them?"
"We have less than two hours to figure that out. Right now, this is the plan of action. Doctor Anders, I need you to assist Lieutenant Thomas in modifying the drive cores in any way you must, to make this work. Admiral Enki, if you could send over any sort of help for that task, it would be greatly appreciated. The rest of us, this is what I have in mind."