(BSS Starlight Raven, Earth Orbit, Sol System)
After securing the shipyards (primarily by locking everyone into small rooms and changing the access codes to a 125-digit number that only Raven knew), and making sure any of the ships that were near completion wouldn’t be joining the fight (grenade on the engineering console means it will take hours of repair work, but the ship is still (mostly) intact), we rejoined the fleet, along with the ships from the Mars and Venus excursions.
By this point, it had been several hours since the battle for Sol had begun, and the forces from the outer parts of the system were trying to make their way in, so we were on a bit of a timetable if we wanted to keep from blowing up any more ships. I just hoped that if we could take out the Emperor, that the Empress could make non-cult officers relieve their superiors of command.
When we arrived in Earth orbit, I could see the fleet systematically disabling the automated defenses, but it was slow going, since they weren’t keen on doing orbital bombardments on their own world.
“Raven, do a comm sweep, and see what intel we can get from the planet surface.”
“Will do, boss.”
While Raven set about sorting through all the transmissions from the planet that she could access, I opened up lines to my other ships, putting them all on a conference call for all captains and their squad leaders. Once everyone had joined in the call, I smiled, and began another ‘pep talk’.
“All right, so far, so good, people. And from the scuttlebutt, I understand that in addition to the night on the town I mysteriously promised a squad of marines without knowing anything about it, I’ve also somehow promised the same deal to the Catspaws.” I left a moment for chuckles, and then said, “Yeah, I’ll do it this time, since it isn’t a bad idea for morale, but next time check with me before you go spending my money. I know how much you Marines drink!” That got a LOT more laughter.
“Now, I know that the Ceres attack went well, except for a couple cultist captains that tried to rally their crews to fight. Catspaw’s use of grenades, just as they got reinforced, ended that mess nicely. That mixed bag of grenades had them all turned around, so that once we capped the cultists, the survivors surrendered. Good work, Xexzir.”
I paused for the obligatory ‘good job’ comments, and said, “Now, I’ll hear about the Mars attack in a second, but first I want to hear from Captain Am’Rica and Major Khan. Did Greenway deploy?”
Khan was the first to speak. “Yes sir. We deployed Greenway in the ventilation tunnels used by the AI. When we broke orbit, it was clear on the scans that the technophages were spreading rapidly, consuming technology and converting it to further technophages so they expand at an exponential rate. Computer analysis says that the planet will be completely free of manmade technology in one year.”
Captain Am’Rica nodded. “According to predictions the technophages will then go into their dormant state, and then be broken down by the natural conditions on Venus. It is likely that within two years recolonization can commence.”
“What about the test of the ‘border fence’?”
The Captain nodded. “The fence held, even though it was near the detonation site. We were still receiving data for over an hour until the technophages grew too numerous and the cumulative numbers drained the power cells allowing them to eat the fence. But those were temporary power cells which could only run the fence at full power for two hours anyway.”
“Good, that is welcome news in case we have to use Greenway somewhere more important than an unpopulated planet like Venus. What are the estimations for breakdown on a more habitable planet?”
Raven cut in at that point, “Estimations for a planet like Earth is that, without a source of technology to feed on, the technophages would die off in approximately 50 years.”
I sighed. “Well, that’s not ideal, but it is better than what happened to Jagloth. We’ll keep that in mind, in case the AI managed to replicate any of its experiments on Earth before we blew them up.”
Raven cut in again, “Captain, I’ve finished going through the transmission data from the surface. You were right, the AI did replicate some of its experiments on Earth. However, I do not think it had enough time to properly ‘seed’ its converters before we eliminated the source. I am detecting seven ‘conversion sites’ just on the North American continent alone. Cultists are rounding up civilians and ‘processing’ them in a factory-style setting.”
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“Damn. I hoped I was wrong about that. All right, contact the Empress, she’s probably aware of the situation. Let her know that Greenway and the containment procedures both worked, so we can implement the Omega option as soon as the skies are clear.”
“Captain, I have the Empress.”
“All right. Captain Inatumal, I’ll hear your full report in private later, but tell your crews good work from me. Same to the rest of you. Excellent work. Dismissed.” And with that I cut the conference call, and switched to the Empress.
“Empress, thank you for taking my call. Have you been apprised of the situation on the surface?”
“Yes, I don’t think we can contain this by conventional means any more. I’ve been looking over the initial reports from the Greenway test at the Aphrodite colony. What are your thoughts?”
“I think Greenway is the best way of dealing with the problem. With the AI’s current rate of ‘conversion’, I don’t think we can stop it with conventional weapons short of causing a nuclear winter, and the AI’s minions would probably survive that somehow. So we’re looking at Greenway, or complete destruction of the planet, like on Jagloth.”
“I never thought that I would have to order the destruction of an entire world, let alone Earth.”
“If it helps, you can spin this as a ‘rebirth’ for Humanity’s homeworld. When the technophages are done, you should have a nearly pristine biosphere, equivalent to pre-Industrial times. The test of the ‘fence’ was promising, so we can even have areas of human settlement remaining on the planet.”
“That will help when dealing with the press and whatever remains of the Senate. It doesn’t help me in the slightest.”
Raven handed me a datapad, I looked at it briefly, and then looked back to the Empress. “Fair enough. Raven just passed me her analysis. I’m sending you her target list for Greenway strikes and Enclaves that can be easily fenced.” I paused, and then said, “She also wants me to tell you that there is no telling what effect that Greenway will have on those with significant technological augmentations. Bioware and geneware will be fine, but anyone with significant cybernetics or nano-augments may be at risk. And there is no way for us to evacuate all of them without risking the AI’s cult escaping and continuing the ‘conversions’.”
“Oh god. You mean that it will eat people’s augmentations? But some of those connect directly to the brain!”
“I know. I suggest we institute a total communications blackout of the planet once Greenway goes live, except for the enclaves.”
“Yes, it must be done. Very well, we will begin preparations. Will you join Us aboard the Triumphant for the deployment? I believe that there was that other matter you needed to attend to as well, from Mars?”
I chuckled at her smirk. “Well, one should always tie up loose ends. Unfortunately, my shuttle took a bit of damage thanks to… unruly crewmen who didn’t like the idea of getting locked in their quarters until I said otherwise. If you could provide a ride?”
The Empress laughed. “If that is the limit of your troubles, then I don’t see why I can’t send a shuttle for you. You’ve certainly been responsible for helping turn what would have been a slow defeat into us being on the cusp of winning the war.”
(INS Triumphant, Earth Orbit, Sol System)
Walking onto the observation deck of the Triumphant, I nodded to the Empress’s aide, Lucio, before looking to the Empress, who appeared to be trying very hard to not visibly show her disgust at the oily, slightly overweight man talking to her, while a woman dressed in a secretary’s outfit with a collar around her neck stood nearby, a placid smile on her face that did not reach her eyes.
Walking up to the group, I bowed to the Empress, and said, “Empress. It is good to see that everything has gone more or less according to plan so far.”
She looked grateful for the distraction, and said, “Ah, Commodore Mollen! Yes, things have been moving as well as we could hope, though I wish things had not come to this point. Too many lives have been lost in the course of this war, and more will be lost before we are finished, I fear.”
I sighed softly, and nodded my head. “That is the way of war, unfortunately. The only way to limit the number of lives destroyed is to end it as swiftly as possible, preferably in such a way that we don’t have to fight the same battles five or ten years down the road.” I paused, and then said, “Ah, but who are your companions?”
Acting as though she had forgotten them was a deliberate snub to the man, and he knew it, but there wasn’t anything he could say as the Empress looked his way, and said, “Oh, this is General Farrakhan. He was the highest ranking military officer on Mars before they surrendered. It seems all the others met with an unfortunate accident.”
“Ah, yes, I believe, then that this lovely lady is the payment I was promised for not looting Mars?”
The General spoke up. “Yes, I was just transferring the ownership of the slaves I selected as tribute to the Empress. Twenty of the finest Knelfi slave girls from the Gagarin City slave market, the finest on Mars.” The way he puffed himself up was laughable, but then, he was trying to make himself more important than he was, so he could have a role in the post-war governance of Mars. Too bad there were other plans in the works.
“And the Nomad?”
“Ah. Yes. I think you will find her quite well trained. I am saddened to lose her, but we do what we must.” With an exaggerated sigh, he transferred the ownership and command codes to the Nomad’s chip to me.
Ruby Crystal
Human Female
Level 25
Titles: Smuggler, Pilot, Slave, Stepford, Courtesan, Professional
After checking to make sure everything was in order, I deactivated the Stepford protocols on Ruby’s chip. “And now, Ruby, you may take your promised payment. I believe there is a room already prepared?” I looked over to the Empress.
“Yes, Interrogation Room 2 is available for your use. The information provided on the General’s ‘business’ dealings is very enlightening, and we should be able to get all his ‘friends’ rounded up without much trouble once this is over.”
The General, not quite understanding what was going on, started to speak, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by the stunner hitting him in the small of his back. Ruby smiled down at him, “Oh, you can’t believe how long I’ve been waiting for this!” With the help of a security officer, they bound the general to a grav-lift stretcher for his journey to his final ‘interrogation’. Ruby followed the stretcher with a new spring in her step. Quietly telling the general about all the things she hoped to do to him.
I sighed, and said, “My thanks, Empress. I know you were not a fan of the subterfuge, but it ended the conflict on Mars, and got rid of several potential problems.”
She nodded. “After meeting the man in person, I am happy to let your new slave do whatever she wants to the man, except let him go. The man deserves what is coming to him.”
“Speaking of those who deserve what is coming to them, have they located the Usurper yet?”
The Empress smiled wide at that. “Oh yes, he is in the capitol, addressing the converted Senators.”
“That sounds like a fun party to crash.”