RM2-ch 15:Wild Goose Chase-edited

Chapter 15: Wild Goose Chase

The Thauran Colonel was led to the platoon leader’s field quarters. With the air of utter importance, he stepped in and glanced at Roy, resting on his cod.

“Lieutenant Masters, my arrival was announced. I expect you to be ready and heed my summon. Do you feel it appropriate to take a nap when a Colonel is expecting your undivided attention?” Roy swung his legs off the cod and got up, saluted the Army officer and said. “Sir, with all due respect your arrival was announced rather vaguely. The message said you would arrive within the next twenty-four hours.”

“Then it is expected that you await my arrival with all the attention I deserve. At the ready and militarily presentable.” “I am required to respect your rank, Sir. But this is the Marine Corps, not the Army. I will gladly display cross branch courtesy. However, this is my command.” “I am aware of this rather unfortunate aspect. Such a display of laziness would never be accepted in the Army.”

Roy silently counted to ten and resisted punching the Army officer in the face. “My recent experience with the Army left a rather sour taste, Colonel. Please come to the point of your visit. I just returned from digging through rubble and recovering still more casualties.” “This phase of your mission has come to an end. As you know Army engineers and specialists have arrived and with more assets arriving as we speak, the Marines services in this regard are no longer needed.”

The Colonel tugged on his green leather gloves and sat down on Roy’s chair without being invited to do so. “Your resentment was expected.” He pulled an order chip from his left chest pocket and held it between two fingers. “Go ahead Lieutenant, check them out.” Roy did by taking the chip and slipping it in his wrist com. The wrist com connected to GalCom and verified the authenticity of the chip and Roy’s identity. Then it established a connection to Roy’s field com integrated into his desk. Roy identified himself verbally and the system made the field quarters secure, after confirming the Colonel’s presence and authority to remain.

First, the Union flag and then the Union Marine logo was displayed on the field screen. The logo was replaced by the image of a human Marine officer with the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel. The officer, while perfectly human proportioned, was clearly a tall Andorian, as he towered over the standard desk. The officer was identified as Lt.Col Niskash of Advanced Spatial Intelligence. Roy knew this was a branch of MICA. The Andorian was all professional, but Roy could not help but detect a smug smile on the Andorian’s face.

“Lt. Masters, you and your platoon are temporarily attached to MICA and ADI. You are to assist Colonel Marsbar in his mission. It is a joint services mission to assess the situation on the southern hemisphere.” It was a recording and not an interactive one and that meant Roy could not react or ask any questions. The recording was accompanied by signed and verified orders. The orders included the directive to keep the orders secret. The Thauran Colonel did not hide his triumphant, smug expression. “That should clarify to you who is in charge. The orders are specific, meaning you are not to discuss the details of these orders with anyone, including your regular chain of command.”

While Roy did not feel an immediate threat, his sense of danger or perhaps just his guts told him that all of this was quite suspicious. He was certain this was an extension of the events that took place in the shower facilities of the USS Hytakk. There was no doubt, the orders were genuine, but it was highly irregular to pull an OA unit and assign the entire unit to Intel. The Army Colonel was still smiling. “Have your platoon ready to roll. We are going to visit a few of the settlements scattered all over the southern hemisphere.” “An entire Marine platoon to visit civilian settlments?” “You know all you need to know, Lieutenant. You have your orders and remember to adhere to all of them.”

--“”—

General Warwick was not concerned about the reaction Admiral Stahl might have. What did the opinion of this man matter anyhow? He never met the so-called Immortal Warrior, what a preposterous epitaph. Warwick was not unaware of Stahl's unrivaled popularity and while he openly dismissed the reputation of that Admiral, deep down he knew it would be a disaster if that supposedly immortal relict would become aware of the Gorgon project and its disastrous first deployment. He was especially upset about the fact that a bunch of marines destroyed several of these marvelous machines. Who could have foreseen that strange ability of the recently encountered Whakeys? With this on his mind, he entered the development facility, Officially designated and disguised as an agricultural research facility operated by the Office of Colonist Affairs on Daheim planet in the Procyon system, only 11 light-years from Sol. The system once belonged to the Vrill and the Falkenhorst Reich. The system and its planets had been colonized and utilized even before United Earth times. Daheim was a marginal garden world, classified as a GWC 3A. Which meant it was a cool world with temperatures globally not rising above 17 on the C scale. It once had a diverse native biosphere but had been colonized and terraformed for almost 4000 years. The world had many well-established cities.

Procyon and its planets were deep in the so-called Old Neighborhood of Sol and because of this a rather quiet world in terms of Union News and interest. While Daheim supported over six billion inhabitants, over ninety percent were of Terran Human descent. There were very few non-humanoid citizens. It was a very well developed and quiet world indeed. The most interesting feature was a major OOCA presence, with a dozen or so research facilities and labs. The OOCA was a civil branch of the powerful Citizen Bureau. Once a separate department with growing responsibilities, now part of Union Central. Warwick didn’t like the fact that Union Central, an Assembly Council, was far more important to the Assembly and the Union than the Army. Warwick had a general dislike for anything civilian and wished the Army were taken much more serious. However, Daheim and the old Agricultural research facility was a perfect cover for the Army's most secret research and development lab.

It was completely under Warwick’s auspice and only very few knew what was researched and developed here. The General knew that he was walking on thin ice if the true extent of the research ever came to light. Several Union laws were ignored. The strict prohibition on cloning and biomanipulation of sentient life for one. The development of sentient AI systems and the current Gorgon project. War machines with the brains of humans implanted.

Warwick, however, was convinced that if he was successful and could present a functional and fully operational Gorgon, the Assembly would see the benefits of such systems and abandon the cursed Marines and replace army soldiers as well. He dreamt of replacing Union Fleet crews with Gorgons. Completely reliable, unquestioning and easily replaceable. Warwick revealed much, not everything of course, to the Admiral of the Fleet, his old friend Admiral McElligott. While he resented other branches, the fleet included, he was aware of the nearly infinite resources the Admiral commanded, far beyond those of the Army. With McElligott aboard it was much easier to hide the project from scrutiny.

The latest test, at first a tremendous success ran into difficulties as the Whakeys were able to psionically influence the Gorgon war machines. Warwick reminiscing about all this had reached his destination and opened the door to the PSI tech lab. A metal scaffold enclosed much of an inactive Gorgon. The brain capsule case open and empty. Several technicians worked on the system, while a Leedei was standing on the top tier of the scaffold right by the brain capsule, while a robot arm held the transparent soccer ball-sized sphere of a cloned brain.

Warwick called. ”Mr. Ging-Lung can I have a word with you?” The Leedei climbed down and removed the micro viewer headgear. “General Warwick, what can I do for you?” “How far are we with the project?” “We are as far as we can be, without more data and information on the exact method the Whakeys use to circumvent known PSI shields.” “Did we not capture one?” “Two to be exact, General, However, they have been sent to a NAVINT facility and we have no direct access to NAVINT for the same reason we can’t access Saresii or Leedei resources without rising interest in our project.” Warwick expressed his disappointment with a harsh tone in his voice. “You are a Leedei, are you not? You managed to get access to your society's most secretive and prized development, the Tele Listener. Can you not simply access whatever information you need?”

“It was not me who gained access to the Tele Listener for Roy Masters, but my Sip Sap, Knunging. The Whackeys employ a form of visual Psionics. It is known to me to exist. It is said the elusive Narth emit a PSI shine through the eyeslits of their hoods. I know the legends my people tell about the Jellies and their masters the Kalemni using this kind of Psionic ability. No official records exist whether the Saresii ever developed or researched this form of psionics.”

Warwick had only the most fundamental knowledge about psionics. He was, of course, tested like all Union Citizens. His HPI was below 80. That meant there was no chance of developing any kind of even the weakest psionic control abilities. He had the same chances as a river rock. He remembered the Union school classes on Psionics and the basics they thaught in the Army academy. While he knew Psionics were very real and like all Union officers received a standard psi shield, to him the entire subject was beyond his grasp. He masked his lack of understanding by saying. ”Go on, Mr. Ging-Lung.”

“If I ask my Sip Sap or any other Leedei specialist about this form of psionics, questions will be asked. You ordered me to keep this as secret as possible.” Warwick grunted an agreement. ”Indeed, I have. Speaking of this Roy Masters, how did he avoid being controlled by the Whakeys?” “We tried to bring him here to find out exactly that, but the Navy interfered. He was my personal friend. I could have lured him here.” “He will be here soon, Mr. Ging-Lung. A friend of mine is taking the whole platoon on a special mission. The witnesses of the Gorgon failure will be dealt with and that friend of yours will be brought here. Maybe we can clone his brain and make the Gorgons Whakey proof.”

--“”—

To say that Major Knt’she was convinced or satisfied with the explanation he received regarding 2nd Platoon, B Company, was more than just an understatement. While the 1st and 3rd platoon reported back from Sigmar Base, he was told that 2nd platoon was temporarily reassigned for a joint Union Army and Navy recon mission with classified details. No one re-assigns a platoon of a Union Marine Company without discussing this with the Company commander first. The Klack openly displaying no emotions, carefully keeping his feelers in a neutral position, but inside he was angry as can be. He called Colonel Stonefloor, a Quadiped, the commanding officer of 1st Batallion. Currently aboard the USS Normandy, mobile headquarters of the 14th Marines division. A Lieutenant Colonel appeared on the field screen and declared in a friendly but firm tone. “I am sorry, Major, Colonel Stonefloor is currently in a meeting and not to be disturbed.” To the flex metal skinned Stellaris displayed on the field screen, Knt’she said. “This is an urgent matter. I am the commandant of 1st Batallion, connect me unless he is conducting a drop himself.”

The Stellaris shrugged. ”Very well, I connect you. The Colonel ordered not to be disturbed, it will be your funeral insisting on being connected if it isn’t as urgent as you say.” The connection was made, the Colonel was indeed in some kind of meeting and established his privacy screen. ”According to my very recent information, First Batallion is on the Stryker and on their way to the Normandy. No drops, no enemy action. If it would be any other Major, I let him wait. However getting a call from you, the No-Nonsense Insect makes me certain there is an urgent matter indeed.”

“Colonel, one of my platoons was assigned to an Army mission on Sigmar. No one asked me and the explanation I got from HQ is a load of bovine excrement.”

The Klack could not tell if there were any emotions on the face of the Quadiped. However, the Colonel was a friend of Knt’she for quite a while and he sensed that the Batallion commandant took him seriously.

Stonefloor fell silent and was thinking for a moment, while his hand tapped on a few symbols on his wrist com. “I would dismiss this, as these are genuine orders. However, I am getting the same BS explanation, which means bubkis. I get an answer to you as soon as I have one. This whole thing smacks of something rotten.”

The Klack was still irritated but he knew the Colonel would keep his word and get to the bottom of this. He thanked the Quadiped officer and disconnected. Meanwhile, in a conference room aboard the USS Normandy, the Batallion commandant turned his privacy screen off. Around the table were other high ranking officers discussing the current state of the war and the upcoming campaign aimed at the so-called Iron Belt, also known as the Zirkho region of the Norma Arm. First Fleet under the command of the legend himself, had breached that well-defended region and successfully attacked and obliterated a Kermac world.

The Zirkho region was named after an old multi-society coalition formed by the little known Zirkho. The Galactic Council now under the complete control of the Kermac had integrated the Zirkho coalition and reinforced every planetary system in that region. While it was, of course, possible to circumvent the region. The Zirkho and the Galactic Council were well aware of that and maintained large patrol fleets to maintain tight control over this 800 by 600 by 400 light-year region. Lots of space to slip through, not enough to escape long-range sensors of enemy ships and probes.

The conference aboard the Normandy included Spatial Navy, Army, and Space Force officers. The discussion, of course, included the rogue battleship and the general expressed concern that the ship had reached a Kermac port and thus the secret of Translocator and ParaDim shields was a secret no more. It did take the Union techs a while to adapt the old Celtest technology and equip all ships, but the rogue USS Walker had a TL specialist aboard and if he divulged his secrets, the Kermac could equip their ships very fast. Stonefloor turned his attention to the Army representative and said in a quiet tone. “I like to ask you a question.”

--“”—

The attack of the two rogue battleships was concentrated on the base, which was located on the largest continent and in the Northern hemisphere of Sigmar, planet. While the base was added recently, the world had been a Union colony for much longer. The largest city was Menard's Place and shared the otherwise thinly populated Northern Continent. Sigmar was an arid world and the Northern continent was also the driest region of the planet and thus not the first choice for permanent settlements.

As colonies go, this one was established about a hundred standard years ago, but until the outbreak of the current war, in a sparsely populated fringe region with the Galactic Council space not too far away towards galactic south-east. Before Union Fleet established its fleet base about twenty years ago, it was a slow-growing colony of about 200,000 colonists. Not a very big number for an entire planet. Roy was consuming more of the Colony's details while he and the rest of his platoon sat inside an Army APC no less. The Thauran Colonel was riding in another APC supposedly carrying a contingent of Army specialists.

Their official mission was to visit Sigi Town. Before they boarded the APC, the Thauran officer hinted at possible Whakey sightings near that small settlement. He also revealed that 2nd Platoon was chosen, because it was the only and so far the first unit ever to face and engage Whakeys.

While this made somewhat sense, he questioned the way the mission was conducted. There was no briefing, other than the suffer and a vague revelation that there was a possible Whakey presence.

The possibility that there where Whakeys still on the planet had been suggested from the start, in Roy’s mind the whole thing still made little sense and something was quite wrong. He switched his suit com to platoon channel and said. “Platoon. Listen up. I have a gut feeling we will see and most likely engage Whakeys. I can not for the gist of it explain why we are sent without any protection or some sort of new PSI shields or something. I uploaded images of these critters to your coms. These things are Psion users and utilize some kind of psionic based light that makes our standard suit shields useless somehow. Only Sergeant Nine-Nine-Two appears unaffected by it. As soon as we land, I want you all to set your faceplates opaque and navigate by sonar sensors. Nine-Nine-Two, you take point on this one.”

He wanted to add something else, but as his sense of danger suddenly reached every fiber of his body. He yelled. ”Activate your shields!”

Then a tremendous jolt lifted him out of his seat. The APC had been hit by something strong. Metal shrapnel and a fiery cloud of an expanding explosion turned the troop compartment of the APC into a chaotic inferno. While he was tumbling across the metal floor, he knew the APC was about to crash.

--“”—

Admiral Richard Stahl had arrived at Distant Shore station in the Andromeda galaxy, after a five-day ride in a Space Train across the Bridge that connected the M-0 galaxy with the Andromeda Galaxy a little over two million light-years distant. A second trip from Bridge Head system to the most distant Union Outpost, called Distant Shores.

The station was established for the same reason the bridge was built, common beliefs suggested that the Y’All came from the Andromeda galaxy; the Unions most fierce and formidable enemy so far encountered. It was decided to take the war to them before they could return and bring more devastation and death.

Many new civilizations had been discovered and some of them had joined the Union. Like the Blue and the monstrous Petharians. Stahl had fought the Petharians almost 240 years ago, while they were under the dictatorship of the Arcane Society. After their liberation, they joined the Union and to this day worshipped Stahl with almost fanatic devotion. Something the Eternal Warrior despised but was unable to rectify.

That most Petharians join the Marines was something he secretly loved. The current Marine Commandant was a Petharian and a good friend of Stahl.

When the Blue and the Petharians joined the Union as Full Union Members and in effect becoming the first Union Members not home in the Milky Way Galaxy. The Assembly officially changed the name from "United Stars of the Galaxy" to the "United Stars of the Galaxies". While it was still the official name for this Mega Society of many cultures. It was simply called the Union, by citizen, friend, and foe alike.

Stahl remembered when the Three-Oz joined the Union right after the Biraaad war started and ended in 4009. Until then not a single trace of Y’All could be found and none of the sentient civilizations encountered so far had any knowledge of a Y’All encounter.

However when ThreeOz joined they shared a legend of relentless four-armed brutes. Their visual records, paintings, and artists' impressions closely resembled the Y’All. The ThreeOz pointed to a location clear across the Andromeda Galaxy, where Knowledge Traders could be found that would know the location of the Y’All home. Not much later a HALD Explorer found a Y'All shipwreck in that same area, the ThreeOz pointed out.

The Assembly decided to build Distant Shore. It was to provide search expeditions in that region a Base of Operations and to have the first line of defense or a staging area for attack if the Y'All would be found in that region.

Now he had arrived at this large, very heavily armed station. With a deep space shipyard and a Starion Support system nearby. Admiral McElligott provided him with an intel report and images of Y’All ships sighted in this region and ordered him to come here and organize the first wall of defense and if possible find the Y’All point of origin and destroy it.

Now that he was here and immediately called for a conference with the local Fleet admiral and the Intel Officer. The Commandant of the 813th Fleet (Andro 13) a fur-covered raptor beaked Argentor was totally in awe to meet the Eternal Warrior in person and proudly spoke about his fleet of HALD explorers and ten battleships. However he could not recall any report regarding Y’All sightings. He pointed to the old Y’All wreck that had been towed to Rolling Rock, planet, the designated Station Support Planet. This occurred many years ago and the wreck had since then been disassembled and sent piece by piece via Space Train to a Xeno Research facility.

The Intel officer pointed to a report of a civilian scavenger, native of a local society. That scavenger and free trader claimed he had seen Y’All ships and demanded 5000 credits in Iridium chips for the location. The visuals he provided were doctored and after a telepath confirmed his scheme the whole report was dismissed.

Stahl looked at the images created by the scavenger and the images provided by McElligott. They were identical, with the exception that the ones he got from the Admiral of the Fleet were supposedly authenticated by Xeno experts.

He knew it there and then, the Old Highlander had sent him on a wild goose chase. Stahl accepted the VIP quarters and used the GalNet terminal. He switched to military GalCom and called Fleet Command.

A Commander he had not seen before took the call and said. ”I am sorry, Sir. The Admiral is currently unable to accept calls. Please call back tomorrow.” “Commander, do you know who I am?” “Yes, Sir. You are Admiral Stahl, Sir.” “You connect me to that kilt-wearing weasel right now or Herrgott is my witness I will come, find you personally.” “Sir, yes Sir. I am trying but he is not taking calls. His terminal is busy.”

Stahl swallowed to temper his response. ”NELSON, recognize Stahl.” “Stahl, Richard Admiral recognized” “Immediately connect me to Admiral McElligott, Union emergency code Gamma Zulu.”

The AI immediately cleared the terminal and connected. Stahl activated the Avatar option and his projection stomped towards the old man sitting behind his desk. McElligott made a defensive gesture. “Your Avatar doesn’t scare me. I can turn it off. “ “I don’t care what you do, you double-dealing weasel. I am on my way back and I come to you in person.” “You are still an officer, Mr. Stahl and you are required to follow my orders and adhere to standard protocol.”

“One of our protocols allow me to challenge you. Play that superior officer card one more time and I ask for satisfaction. I will do so on the Focus point. Try to weasel out of that.” The Old Highlander knew that this was the most serious threat he ever faced. Stahl demanding satisfaction before the entire Assembly as a witness would spell his certain doom. There was no weapon he could choose to have any chance against a man who honed his combat skills on virtually every known weapon for 3000 years. It was an open secret, Stahl was easily the most lethal human in existence. He was the Eternal Warrior not just by his style of command.

“Richard calm down and tell me what has fired you up. Why the insults?” “You are way to smart to pretend. You will have all sorts of excuses and explanations. Claiming errors or some system glitch altering the nature of the reports. I am calling you to inform you that I am on my way back. You better clean up the mess that is the real reason for you sending me to Distant Shore. I find out what it was and ‘So Gott Hilf’ I take action and drag you before the Assembly. “ Stahl’s avatar dissipated with this strong warning. McElligott only now noticed the sweat on his forehead and while he used a napkin to dry it off, he asked NELSON to make a connection to General Warwick.