The Monkey and Squirrel fight for freedom. (26 page)

Chapter 23

December 2118 reinforcements arrive

The Chinese mining/resupply vessel arrived, matched orbits with the carrier, exchanged greetings then started transferring crew and supplies over. The refined fighter design fitted three hundred and twenty fighters in the bays, and sixty missile ships mounted on extra air locks connected to crew workshops. The missile capacity increased to fifty in two cassettes of twenty five that could be swapped in under two minutes, once docked, each had a laser as an auxiliary weapon.

The carrier started moving its none essential personnel to the mining habitat. Those remaining especially the military would have to pull extra duties if they wanted anything other than the limited hydroponics to eat or recreational drinking. The farm, vineyard and distillery all had to be worked. At the same time as completing the repairs and modifications to the carrier, they had to finish building the fighters, missile ships, munitions, weapons and spares. Then practice using the new systems both in free flight and in simulators.

The greater number of fighters, the increased range of the lasers and rail launching missiles kept the drones at extreme range so they couldn't do much damage. They even had taken some laser hits themselves, apparently without anything vital getting hit. Confidence was building in the human camp, so Chamber thought it was an ideal time to undermine it.

Twenty drones attacked the fuel plant and it's fighter protection detail, ten flights of fighters were dispatched in support. The remaining fighters and missile ships started to excitedly patrol the area expecting an attack on the carrier. Ten drones attacked one patrol as others moved to counter they were attacked by another ten, four fights went to assist.

This continued for some time with more drones appearing and attacking, drawing fighters and missile ships gradually further away from the carrier.

When the time was right fifty New Peoples fighters came in hard and fast, using paint balls to give the carrier and the mining habitat each a sparkling new paint job. The carrier was fluorescent yellow with flecks of highly reflective silver, the habitat day glow pink with flecks of highly reflective silver. Whey then left, seven fights of fighters and one of missile ships got in their way, they all received a new paint job and crippled engines.

“Give me the bad news first Wendy.” asked the Group Captain.

“Seventy two fighters with crippled engines, plus twenty one missile ships, ninety three with significant damage, thirty two of which are missile ships, sixty two with minor damage. No casualties, they weren't trying to harm us this time sir, just warn us off.” reported Wining Commander Wendy

“Please tell me we got to damage some of them at least.” said John almost pleading.

“We managed to destroy seven drones, four with our new lasers, three with missiles, those that got the new paint job managed to get laser hits on three enemy fighters, but didn't even slow them down.” Wendy reported in an emotionless voice.

“Enemy force estimates?”

“Fifty to a hundred drones and a firm count on the fighters of fifty, as none of them were carrying drones when giving us the paint job, it is highly probable that a hundred drones were used.” replied Wendy.

“And if they have a carrier to hand to refuel and rearm?” asked John.

“They could cover both vessels with portraits of their leadership and we could do nothing to effectively stop them sir.” answered Wendy in an attempt at humour.

“Then let us hope they don't do that then.” said a grim Group Captain John Hampton.

Chapter 24

Repairs and recovery

Six months after the new paint job, the flybys had continued every few weeks. Group Captain John Hampton asked Wing Commander Wendy Glendower,

“Do you have an update on how repairs coming along, Wendy?” 

“Yes sir, cleaning that paint off the sensors and optics was the least popular job, of all the repair tasks, since it was assigned as punishment duty, discipline has improved. The rebuild of the carrier's main engine is nearly complete, and there are only nineteen of the new airlock mounts left to install. Nearly all of the fighters have been repaired and new build can resume as soon as all the repairs are finished. The fuel plant is now back up to full capacity, our new storage tanks have all been leak tested and passed, so our extra fuel requirements will be met on schedule.” reported Wendy.

“Good to Know, I have just received some good news of a sort, those two fighter flights that just disappeared three months ago have just turned up at the asteroid resort, the crews alive and well.

Their fighters were disabled in a stealth drone ambush then taken on board a Monkey carrier, where they were imprisoned, their basic needs met. Until they were herded back into their fighters which had been repaired, but the weapons had been removed, they were then told where they were then launched, the carrier then left. They had no option but to go to the resort, from what they did see of the carrier, it carried forty fighters and hundreds of drones.” John informed her dispassionately.

“Only three months to the asteroid belt! Just imagine what we could do with speed like that!” said Wendy breathlessly.

“Quite, I've had a little more time to get used to the idea.” countered John. 

“Those numbers would suggest that two carriers were used in the attack on us.” said Wendy who had now regathered her composure.

“Yes and it didn't interfere with the flybys, which intelligence believes requires the support of three to five carriers. If we go pessimistic, which we must, they have a minimum of six carriers, forty fighters a carrier, giving a mobile force of two hundred and forty fighters supported by a thousand plus drones.

They could have had us for breakfast any time in the last six months, but they didn't, they captured ten fighters and their crews, kept them fit and healthy. Showed them one of their carriers, demonstrated its speed, then let them go with a last look to refresh the crews memory. All just to let us know we don't have a chance, making exactly the same point as the paint ball attack, but they didn't get off scot free with that one.” expanded John.

“With respect sir if they had been trying to harm us, those fifty fighters could have rolled right over us leaving nothing but wreckage behind. Yes we would have got some kills ourselves, but that is very little compensation when you're dead. The only reason we're not, is they want to convince Earth's leaders to leave them alone. Other than that we are largely irrelevant to their strategy.” countered Wendy.

“You're right Wendy but I don't like being irrelevant and we certainly cannot behave like we are irrelevant, you know they won't win that argument with the politicians, until we are slaughtered. You don't have to convince me there is only one side that wants a fight, but the other side is determined to finish it if they can't persuade us to give up.” observed John angrily.    

“This is not the right time to tell you, but there isn't going to be a good time, I'm pregnant, it was now or never, in a few years I'd be too old. I will be handing over to Wing commander Harry Glover, as he has next highest seniority, I'll be moving to the habitat before the carrier departs. Sorry sir, if we had the slightest chance of success, I would be with you all the way.” explained Wendy.

“I understand, I don't like it but I understand. I am not going to get my men killed for nothing, if faced by a numerical superior force, say out numbered two to one, then I can legitimately retreat. The politicos would be then forced to give it up, as they have shot their bolt and are actually broke. Now you've saddled me with that useless idiot Glover as second in command, you know he doesn’t even realise the only reason we're not dead is they haven't been trying?” asked an exasperated John.

“He can't help it sir, he has a major disadvantage, he is American sir.” responded Wendy.

“Wendy you do surprise me, I never thought you could be prejudice like that, not all Americans regard thinking as eccentric behaviour. It just happens to be true of Glover, you can't say its because of where he was born and grew up.” said John sternly.

“If that's the case sir, why are so many of those I meet of the same ilk?” asked Wendy.

“You have just been unfortunate in your acquaintances, Wendy.”

“Right sir, you had better quit while you're ahead, your poker face is starting to crack.” laughed Wendy.

“Who is the baby's father?” John asked quickly changing the subject.

“Warrant officer James Smith was happy to oblige me, and being the helpful type he also obliged three other women that also didn't want the complication of a relationship. He is on the missile ship maintenance crew, so will be staying on the carrier. He has volunteered to work in the vineyard, as he is quite passionate about wine, I found him excellent company.” replied Wendy with a smile.

“If he survives, his life is going to be interesting.” commented John.

“We aren't going to all live together as one big happy family, the deal is we make no demands on him, but the kids can look him up.” explained Wendy.

“That's too modern for me, but I have other things to worry about, good luck Wendy.” said John.

“I think you'll need it more than me, sir.” replied Wendy.

“Just try and get Glover on the same page as the rest of us before you leave.”

“I'll certainly try sir, but it does mean getting him to admit that defeat is a possibility.” explained Wendy.

“It's alien to his culture, I know it will be hard work, but not impossible.” reassured John.

“I'd better get started, I'll take him to the intelligence centre for a full brief for starters.” said Wendy.

“Put him in the 'stimulator chair' to ensure he pays attention, Carry on Wendy.” instructed John.

“He will object sir.”

“He sits in that chair, or he resigns his commission, those are his only choices.”

“He may actually sit in it, he’s stubborn enough.”

“It's a chance I'll have to take, if I can't replace him he has to change his mind set.” insisted John.

“I'll do my best sir.”

“As always Wendy, if you can't get him thinking no one can, get to it.”

She got started.

On the New Peoples carrier Punisher, on its way back from the asteroids. Tman signed to Chatty,

“I'm not sure the results of this experiment are all positive.”

“We had to come face to face with humans at some point, this gave us controlled conditions in which to do it, that part is a definite positive. Our people had no problems facing them and ordering them about, when that group of three that tried to seize control, there was no hesitation tasering them into submission, using a text to speech pad is a disadvantage, but the preprogrammed phrases helped, particularly 'go where directed or we shoot' also 'we want some of you alive, how many and how healthy is up to you'.” explained Chatty.

“That is all positive granted, I never thought I'd see the day when we faced down humans, that part is good, the message we tried to send seems to have missed it's target. We captured ten human fighters intact with their ten pilots, transported them a distance in months it takes them years to cover, letting them go in a safe place after they got a good look at the carrier, they were impressed, but their masters just didn't get it.” grumbled Tman.

“They just don't understand, they are treating us just like a normal enemy, with a few minor technical advantages, they initially tried to play the release as an escape. But it didn't take them long to realised they couldn't get away with that, we had live streamed the humans being escorted to their vessels, on the resort web. They stopped that piece of propaganda before embarrassing themselves. The pictures the resort took of the carrier were pretty good, you can't see any of the old station, and it looks so menacing, its just great.” explained Chatty cheerfully.

“I sent an e-mail to Jimmy asking him to thank the Chinese for us, for getting the women children and none essential personnel off the human carrier. If it doesn’t turn back when we challenge it, we will destroy it regardless of whoever is on board. We are glad they have reduced the number of people we will have to kill, we’d sooner not kill any one, but that carrier has to retreat or die.

I have just sent a happy birthday e-mail to Knowledge he's ninety nine, the old crew are organising a big party for his hundredth birthday, he is looking good to make it, I can't think of a way to mark it, I would like to participate and I can't go to the party.” signed a happier looking Tman. 

“That's a challenge, if the old problem solving machine can't come up with an answer nothing can. Hows that fusion engine of yours coming along? Maybe talking about that will stimulate some ideas in your old brain, you're forty three you know, although if anything you're looking a bit younger than when you went to hospital.” asked Chatty.

“That's because I was half dead then, and had to endure over two years enforced rest, it was very frustrating. I do admit not feeling any older, also a lot of those niggling aches and pains I had acquired over the years have just faded away.

As for the fusion engine we solve one problem, then a new one pops up, the main source of our problems are because we are theoretically weak. The maths is no problem, its the deep theoretical understanding we lack, you can only learn so much just by reading other people’s work.

If we had that deeper understanding from a proper background education in physics, then a few years work in the specialist areas, and we would get a lot more from the existing research and our own experiments. We have done exceptionally well, considering we started out only trained as technicians, becoming self taught engineers, now trying to become scientists, teachers and theoreticians. We have made far more progress along that route than I had believed possible. But we still only have an incredibly small population, we still number less than twenty thousand after fifteen years.” signed Tman evangelical. 

“True, but our new born now out number us originals, around three hundred and seventy of us have died mostly from old age. Our  birth rate is on the rise and is expected to grow faster once we have true viability for our own genetic descendants. The good news on that front is they have finally unpicked the genome, and are now putting it back together.

One of the keys being, the viable embryos were only produced by certain combinations of males and females, take the last three digits of your designation 786 means male seven is your farther and female eighty six is your mother. All the embryos in store come from those original ten males and one hundred females of each type, they cloned them to increase yield.

When the ban was announced, those products they had a buyer for, they injected with massive doses of drugs to ripen all the eggs. When they were ripe they extracted them and used a humane killer on the now useless donors. Once the required quantity of seamen had been extracted from the males they went the same way. They froze the resulting hundreds of thousands of embryos, shipping them with the 'parenting system' to the space companies, just another product line coming to an end.” explained Chatty.

“For someone who's normal innate cheerfulness verges on the irritating, you get to some dark places. I knew it had to be bad but why is it always worse than I Imagined?” asked Tman.

“It's a flaw in the system humans live in, once something is supplying a market they ruthlessly cut the cost of production/provision to maximise profit, this is very often hard on the work force or in our case the product.”replied Chatty.

“I'll keep my focus on the engineering side, rather on economic systems of dubious morality. I have just had an idea in less than a year we could have a prototype fusion engine to test. I think it would be great to install it on interstellar experiment six and have it pass close to Earth on the night of the party, they should see the exhaust  plume in the night sky. The visible plume should be some where between one hundred and a thousand miles long depending on available matter to excite, that's one very big firework.” signed Tman excitedly.

“See I told you, you'd think of something.” signed Chatty.

“We've got to make it work yet, that's the hard part.” pointed out Tman.

“Let me think, here is a problem for you to crack, with a ridiculously short lead time, you'll have it cracked with months to spare. If it can be derived from existing knowledge, it's a given you'll get there, even if it requires original research you'll find a way of doing it.

Your parental combination is part of it, a lot of those miners who's ideas you like so much are 786s, or from the other few high achieving combinations. There is just as a small variety of Squirrel parental combinations have resulted in extraordinary abilities.

We're all good but a few stand out as being exceptional, without those few we wouldn't have crossed the starting line. We have achieved so much in such a short time, its no surprise the humans don't believe it, I've watched it all happen and still I think I'm dreaming sometimes. When we started out you were worried about putting point one of a gravity acceleration on this old station.” Chatty reminded him.