The Alexanderov Federation

#1 - The Grendarl War

By RobertHuntingdon

Chapter Six - Plans and Preparations

"What! Why did you not detect it earlier, Lieutenant? And does it see us?"

"I highly doubt it, sir. I didn't recognize it earlier because A) it's Silicoid, and I was looking for Grendarl technology, B) it's heavily damaged and was almost certainly inactive earlier, and C) it's right in the middle of the slodding debris field, so I couldn't pick it up with active scans at a distance."

"Silicoid, you say? So the Rrk'g'kreglin have reestablished contact with Satrag, then?"

"That is a likely scenario, though not guaranteed."

"We know little about the Silicoid's technology level. Can we disable the platform and take it home with us?"

"It would be difficult, sir, but doable. Now that I know what I'm looking at I can figure out a lot more from the same scans. I see a primary power node that's detached from the main system and leaking enough radiation to make it useless even if it was reattached. The backup node appears to have recently activated, probably after we finished scanning the system. The only problem is now that it's fully active again, it would surely detect weapon activation and self-destruct."

Morse spoke up. "Sir, if we can detach the backup power node, I believe it would be rendered inoperable again. This would make it safe to bring aboard. But as it is still active, it would probably note the field effect of launching a mine through the air shield. Somebody needs to go EVA to plant the mines, and I volunteer for that task."

Goodman frowned. "Mines, plural, Morse? Won't that be overkill?"

Commander Tannert, who had come to the bridge to oversee the salvage operation that was now abandoned, spoke up. "Sir, no it wouldn't. Silicoid technology often reflects their racial structure, a base section with crystal node-like extrusions off of it at odd angles for the various functions. This causes the device to have an odd shape, which would prevent fitting it through our cargo door. The platform appears to have two sensor nodes still attached in addition to the backup power. One mine should be sufficient for each."

"Very well, Morse. Call your relief and suit up, you hit space as soon as we can get in range."

"One more thing, Captain," Tannert continued. "Now that I'm looking for Silicoid technology as well, I see a message buoy launch signature that I originally mistook for a tachyon surge from a quasar. The device launched a buoy less than five seconds after we launched ours, but it's slower and had farther to go. Ours will make it home in another three days, but theirs won't even reach the jump point to Rrk'g'kreg for another three hours. Unfortunately, it's way too far away to attempt to intercept now."

"And they may have ships standing by in hyperspace at the end of the jump lane. Maximum speed and efficiency all, I want to be out of the system before that buoy reaches their lane."

Four days and two hours later, on Starbase 49 in orbit of M'gewen IV, Admiral Padre Mulkahey was reviewing the messages from the Bumblebee, which was still a few days away. Goodman's plan to ambush the Grendarl transports had been brilliant, and then flawlessly carried out by his crew. The recovery of a Silicoid sensor platform would provide valuable intelligence as well. But best of all was the discovery of three valuable worlds in a strategically valuable system. A very valuable find. Goodman was proving that his rapid promotions were not a mistake at all. Perhaps another was in order? Mulkahey shuffled around some paperwork on his desk. Ah, yes, the missile frigate Sharktooth was just out of spacedock and in need of an experienced officer corps. Perhaps Goodman and crew could be transferred there? He might have to hustle a bit to clear that through his fellow admirals, but he felt it worth the effort. He summoned his secretary and asked her to start on the paperwork immediately after placing a purple channel transmission to Senator Michelle Zollner, who held the chair of the Senate subcommittees on colonization and fleet administration.

A purple channel transmission never takes long to obtain a response. Only used in time of war or extreme urgency, it was barely five minutes before Senator Zollner's face appeared on his screen. "I do hope you have a good reason for yanking me out of an important meeting. I was arguing for additional defensive deployments to your sector, I do hope they are not lost now with my absence from the discussion."

"I appreciate your efforts on our behalf, as always, Senator, but I feel they may soon no longer be necessary. This system will hopefully no longer be the border soon. As you know, we recently managed to get the restrictions on access to the Tamarian system removed from our peace treaty with the Grendarl. We sent a scout vessel to map it more thoroughly, and the report I have here says it's a virtual diamond mine. Valuable beyond easy belief, we would be insane to not colonize and develop it as quickly as possible into an impregnable fortress system. It will surely be a huge boon for the Federation."

"I see. Your recommendation?"

"Every ship we can spare should assemble here to go and defend our new colony. We should colonize all three planets and send massive numbers of civilian transports to populate them quickly. For the Grendarl will probably attack quickly, and we should be ready to meet it."

"This could be the opening we have been waiting for these past four years as we built up our forces well beyond what we felt we'd truly need to take them down."

"And even if it isn't, it will have the effect of splitting their empire, dividing them from a fledgling colony that would one day be quite valuable to them, but if we move now will wither and die."

"I agree. Transmit the details on a subchannel. I'll bring this to Alexanderov himself. You may begin logistical preparations, I expect approval will come within the hour."

"Thank you, Ma'am. One last thing, however, a favor, if you will. I need your personal commendation for the captain responsible for bringing us this windfall. With your commendation I can better push through an appropriate promotion for him and his crew."

"Hmm. That will make five you owe me, Mulkahey, but you've never yet steered me wrong. Consider it done, I'll have my secretary type up the paperwork immediately and send it to you. Zollner out."

Meanwhile, on Rrk'g'kreg III, the unnamed Grendarl emperor conferred with his prime advisor, Y'th'S'kaz, about the situation their message drone reported.

"Has that piece of troz diplomat been executed yet?"

"He gave out early this morning, sire. Only took four hours of torture. A complete weakling."

"I wish we could execute him twice! Grek that graktoz traitorous piece of troz! Trading away our claim on the Tamarian system for a minor bribe and a worthless technology we have no use for!" He paused momentarily. "Execute the rest of his family. Make a statement that will not be forgotten."

"It shall be done, sire!"

"Those graktoz humans surely now know the secret of the Tamarian system. They will surely move to claim it now, and glibly convince the Senate it was open territory, free for the taking."

"Begging your pardon, sire, but you know the humans feel it is we who are graktoz. Of course, they are mistaken, but I must remind you of their opinion."

"They knew we had claimed M'gewen. They settled it anyway! We had a RIGHT to reclaim it!"

"Of course, sire! But you know they don't see it that way."

"You are correct as usual, Y'th'S'kaz. But we must move to prevent them from taking Tamarian I, II, and III. Gather the entire fleet here. This time we strike with everything we have, and we don't stop until we have erased their kind from the galaxy!"

"It shall be done, my liege."

Senator Zollner sat on President Alexanderov's comfortable dolian-hide couch as the inner council of his closest advisors completed their planning of the new colonization effort. Only three people remained in the room, well, four if one counted Mulkahey's presence via com-screen. As the last of the other advisors headed out to begin implementations of their plans, Alexanderov sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Do you ever wonder, people, if this whole mess could have been avoided if we'd only formally staked a claim on M'gewen before we sent out our colony ships?"

Zollner mused briefly, but of course there was only one real answer to that question. "Perhaps, sir, but not likely. We sent the ships about the same time they made their decision to stake the claim. Neither side could really have done much of anything until the next senate meetings. They filed the paperwork in the meantime, but nobody knew about it, not even Ambassador Babcock. Their claim was not valid until approved by the Senate at the next meeting, which never happened. Besides, our settling of the system was already a fait accompli before they even filed the paperwork. When you add to it that M'gewen was merely one short jump away for us when it was two for them.... No their claim was bogus and we knew it, as Babcock so eloquently convinced the rest of the Senate that same meeting. That was a beautiful bit of extemporaneous speechmaking, especially considering how absolutely flabbergasted we all were that they would even try such a stunt. Even the New Orions voted in our favor, something they have never done for any race since."

Mulkahey quickly added, "And after that, there was no way to avoid it, really. Their claim was rejected by the Senate but they foolishly defied the Senate ruling and began building a fleet to take M'gewen from us. We weren't expecting that, unfortunately, so our casualties in the first Grendarl war were atrociously high, but in all three of the rest we've handled them with relative ease. It's just that only now do we have the technology and fleet size to consider beginning offensive operations."

"Admiral, I know all this already. I just wish there had been another way."

"None of us wanted this war, Mr. President. We all wish there had been another way. But we don't have that luxury. The war is here, we can either fight it or ignore it and hope it goes away. I think you know just how well such a strategy worked for the last major human government. We may never know for sure exactly how many millennia our people were enslaved as a result of such foolish thinking."

Alexanderov snorted, a rare display of less-than-perfectly-polished manners, and nodded. "You are correct, of course. Well, if we must fight, then let's get it over with already, in the hopes we won't have to fight again for a very long time."

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