Part 2 (2/2)
”I know the Executive is against interfering in local affairs. But the continued instability in the region has a direct effect on our economy and on our ability to sustain our position with the rest of the major players in the galaxy. If any situation were to ever require our direct involvement, this is it.”
”Trade Arranger Oiloo, what are you recommending we do?”
Oiloo relied without hesitation. ”We must intercede so that the region remains stable. We must take action so that the agsel continues to flow unabated.”
”What specific actions are you suggesting?”
”We must aid the Minith-militarily, if necessary.”
The Administrators shared looks. Oiloo felt some were swayed, while others not.
”Thank you for your recommendations and for your time, Trade Arranger,” the lead administrator stated. ”We will discuss this further and let you know what the Executive decides. In the meantime, keep us apprised of the situation.”
”Yes, Administrator,” Oiloo replied. The Circle of Administrators wavered, faded, and finally evaporated as the communication link was severed.
The trade arranger knew it would take his superiors time to get back to him with a decision-more time than they had if they were to affect the outcome favorably. Nothing happened quickly, regardless of how critical the situation was or threatened to become.
Oiloo decided he would have to take matters into his own hands. Although he could not support the Minith directly with battle cruisers or legions of soldiers, he could aid them in other ways. In fact, he had already begun doing so.
The Minith General and four of their mothers.h.i.+ps were already headed to Earth at Oiloo's urging.
General Soo commanded his mothers.h.i.+p with an iron fist. He intended to command the other three mothers.h.i.+ps, which were also en route to Earth, in the same fas.h.i.+on. With luck, those craft would join him at the edge of the planet's solar system within days of his own arrival.
His orders had been issued by his brother's mate, Rala, prior to leaving his position outside the Telgoran atmosphere. As directives went, they were remarkably clear.
”Grab Earth by the throat and choke the life from it.”
Those were words that any Minith commander could appreciate. They were especially comforting after having to watch the humans defeat his soldiers on Telgora. His inability to help his forces defend their positions, and the clear view he had of their ultimate elimination, fueled his anger and his desire to grind the humans under his heel. Striking Earth while their army was fiddling about on Telgora would be extremely gratifying.
CHAPTER 3.
”Overriding the system was simple. The real problem is deciding how close to Waa we want to be when we drop out of interstellar speed.”
”As close as possible, Gee. I want to be right on their doorstep.” The engineer stared at Grant with a blank expression. Grant sighed. Apparently that idiom was no longer in use in the twenty-seventh century. ”Just get us as close as you can.”
”Grant, the failsafe the Waa put in place is there for a reason. I can plot a course that should deliver us to the planet, but there are no guarantees. We're talking about decelerating from much faster than light speed to an interplanetary speed of only twelve million kilometers per hour.”
”Only twelve million?”
”Relative to the interstellar speed we are traveling now, that's like standing still. But it's much too fast to be traveling with a planet nearby. The closer we try to get to the planet before decelerating, the higher our risk of... um... impact. Plus, we need time to decelerate from that speed before entering the planet's atmosphere.”
Grant was getting a headache trying to keep all the numbers and possibilities in his head. He had never been great at math.
”So, how long will that take?”
”Typically, the process of slowing the mothers.h.i.+p from interplanetary speed to a speed that will allow a controlled descent to the planet's surface begins a day or more out.”
”We can't give the Minith a day's notice, Gee.” Grant paused to consider the timing. He did not know how prepared the aliens would be to defend against an unexpected mothers.h.i.+p that suddenly appeared in the sky and then attempted a surprise landing outside a major city. The fact that the city also happened to be the one where their leader resided would expedite their response. He just didn't know enough about their capabilities.
In his time, he could land a large force outside of just about any city in America and have at least a half a day to operate before military units could be a.s.sembled in any significant numbers. Local law enforcement would respond immediately, and, depending on the urgency, nearby fighter aircraft could be brought to bear. But as for ground troops? It would take at least half a day-and more likely, two to three days-to put them in play.
”Can you slow the s.h.i.+p and land within an hour of dropping out of interstellar speed?”
Gee's mouth dropped. Grant knew the engineer thought he was nuts. To Gee's credit, though, he merely turned to his control panel.
”The scenario gives us a ten-percent chance of hitting the planet and a fifty-percent chance of breaking apart when we decelerate. The repairs the Telgorans made to the hull are the problem. They do good work, but I don't how they will hold up under the added stress,” Gee offered after running the numbers. He gnawed on a thumbnail while Grant mulled over the response.
It only took a few seconds. Grant could not live with those odds.
”How about two hours, Gee? Can we do it in two?”
Gee went back to the computer.
”Three-percent chance of impact with Waa. Twenty-percent chance that we destroy the s.h.i.+p in the process.”
Grant could live with the three percent, but the twenty-percent chance of killing them all was still too high.
He weighed the need for surprise against the chance that they would destroy the s.h.i.+p-and themselves-before ever reaching Waa. They were a small force of a thousand fighters. According to the s.h.i.+p's data systems, the Minith population on Waa numbered close to one million. Almost a hundred thousand of those were trained soldiers. While only a portion of those soldiers were stationed near the capital city, it was more than enough to wipe out the human attackers.
Regardless of how Grant played it out, their plan to go after the head of the Minith race was likely a suicide mission. But without the element of surprise, death was a certainty. If they were to have any chance of success against the enemy, they had to catch them off guard. Grant thought back to the j.a.panese attack on Pearl Harbor. Although that happened a hundred years before he was a soldier, it was the cla.s.sic example of how to strike a foe unexpectedly. He and his forces would need to be just as successful as the j.a.panese had been on that December morning.
”How much time will it take if we reduce the twenty percent to ten?”
Gee made some revisions to his calculations.
”Two hours and thirteen minutes.”
”Do it.”
Grant entered the mess hall and strode to the middle of the room.
”Okay, listen up.”
The twenty-two leaders of Grant's forces were scattered around the largest room in the mothers.h.i.+p. As usual, they were on time for the daily briefing, and all of them gave Grant their attention. t.i.tan and Patahbay stood along a side wall. Both were new additions to the routine, agreeing to join the briefing at Grant's request.
”In two days, we are going to be landing on the planet Waa,” he started. Most of them already knew the basics of the plan, but he covered them anyway. ”As you know, the planet is home to the largest remaining population of Minith. According to the s.h.i.+p's records, nearly a million of the aliens live there. A tenth of them-about a hundred thousand-are soldiers. For those of you who may not be so great at math, that means we are outnumbered a hundred to one.”
Grant waited for the statement to register with the team leaders before continuing.
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