Chapter 2 - A New Assignment

It was a short walk to the Miwa Township teleport pod, and to my surprise I was given priority in the transfer line, arriving at Borneo Headquarters almost immediately. The entryway was crowded with troops, and I could hear a well-voiced master sergeant calling out names. It appeared that a major offensive was being prepared and a number of briefings were about to begin. I struggled through the mass of troops until I could reach the reception desk where a young looking female sergeant was sitting. She saw my uniform and saluted. "Greetings Commander. By your insignia I can see you are in Internal Affairs. Might you be Commander Nelson?"

"I am," I replied. "I'm here on General Montgomery's orders."

The sergeant nodded. "I should warn you that it's a bit hectic right now. High Command wants to hear that we've had some success slowing the Sa'arm, so the General is under a lot of pressure. Whatever has got him going is likely to be ugly."

I fought back the urge to shrug. "That isn't a huge surprise. I am rarely called in when it's a simple problem. But I don't mind dealing with a challenge. Should I go back?"

The sergeant waited a moment and then an ensign emerged from a doorway behind her. From the lack of medals on his chest I was clear that he had only recently arrived on Borneo and I had to smile as the sergeant waved him over. "Ensign Griggs, this is Commander Nelson. The General has ordered the Commander to attend him, so you might want to lead him there immediately."

I stepped up to the ensign who led me back through the doorway without speaking. Once the door closed he started grumbling about sergeants who did not understand the chain of command, keeping up his bitter litany until I laughed.

"What?" the man said as his face turned red. "She talked to me like she was giving the orders. I thought I was supposed to be the officer!"

I composed my face, but continued to smile inside. "Son, you must be new to the military. Pay attention for a while and you'll find that a good sergeant does most of the work. She knew what needed to be done and made sure that someone completed the task. You suffered no harm, and no one in that room was going to look down on you. But they will if you keep up the attitude."

The ensign stopped his tirade and led me the rest of the way in silence. We passed into the outer chamber of the General's office and I saluted the major at the desk as he and three lieutenants reviewed some reports. The major looked up and nodded. "Ensign Griggs, you need to report to Commander Sugita in briefing room four. He will have additional orders for you."

The ensign gave the major a sharp salute before turning and leaving the room. The major nodded at me and then pressed a button at the desk. "General, Commander Nelson is here as ordered," he said.

"Send him in," a voice growled back.

I stepped into the room and looked up at a man I had talked to occasionally, but had never met in person. General Kenneth Montgomery was already becoming a legend in the military. He was a hard charging general who liked to lead his men by example. His aggressiveness was talked about in every barracks under his command, and yet, every marine serving in his command loved that his orders were always designed to minimize unnecessary risks. The respect he received was incredible, and had only increased when the rumor mill started to report that he had refused a promotion, saying that his men and district needed him more than Central Command needed another desk jockey.

But that same personality left me wondering what he needed me for. Most of his subordinates were cut from the same cloth as him, and fiercely loyal. I could not imagine any situation on Borneo where a military inspector would be valuable. I was still trying to come up with an answer when the General waved me to a chair.

"Sit," he growled again. "It will save you having to sink into the chair when the shock of what I'm going to say registers."

I carefully sat in the chair and looked at the general. "Sir? What could be so alarming?"

The General was looking at me and then pressed a button causing a screen on the wall to my left to light up as a report was projected on it. The report appeared standard and I turned back to the General after a brief glance. "A standard report?"

The General laughed bitterly. "Not exactly standard. Read the source information."

I looked at the report again. It was obviously produced by the AI to confirm information received earlier. At first I could not understand what General Montgomery was upset about, but then noticed the header line for the source colony.

"Ishtar? Where is Ishtar?" I asked.

The screen flickered. A moment later a spatial hologram of the Borneo Military District lit up over the general's desk. The current Confederacy systems immediately turned blue as known Sa'arm systems turned red. To my surprise one blue star appeared about one hundred light years deep into the red-marked Sa'arm territory. I gasped. "That's?"

The General growled. "Ishtar, a colony that was set up on a world with an acidic atmosphere deep inside Swarm-held space. It was found eighteen months ago when we first scouted the region, but Admiral Himmel and I decided that putting any kind of colony there would be throwing the colonists away. Yet that report and one other that crossed my desk a few days ago both came from Ishtar."

"A colony there? But is that map is accurate?" I replied.

"Its eight days at top speed for most of our ships. A Patrician can do it in seven and a Stagecoach at top speed can make it in five. What I want to know is simple: How in hell did a colony end up there!"

"Do the colonists know how exposed they are?" I asked.

The General snorted. "Probably. One of the two reports I have is an after-action report where a Sa'arm scout showed up and tried to enter the atmosphere to attack the colony. Someone involved with the colony setup was thinking because the planet has a couple of ground-based lasers they used to destroy the attacker."

I thought for a moment. "Wait you said that the atmosphere is acidic? How is there a colony there?"

The General smiled. "Took me a moment as well. I've checked the records. The system Ishtar is in is very young and the planet still evolving. Left alone the atmosphere would remain acidic for millions of years, but about a year ago someone from high command had a colony center dropped. The colony center included a full terraforming unit. In less than four years, the atmosphere will be almost earthlike. Currently I expect that the colonists are living underground. The soil provides insulation from the atmosphere according to the few samples we obtained when the scout ship investigated. We really don't have much information, and the colony center was dropped by one of the automated ships we use to get terraforming started on marginal worlds."

"So there was a plan to colonize the system?" I asked.

The General laughed. "It's the only system within a ninety light year sphere that has a planet which can someday support humans without suits. The two worlds we are fighting the Sa'arm over have atmospheres too dense to allow unprotected humans to walk freely, but are resource rich. But, when the Sa'arm showed up at Wolf three-six-seven ten months ago we dropped the plans to colonize the planet. The Wolf system makes a third resource rich system the Sa'arm have a foothold in and preventing the Sa'arm from turning those resources into new hive ships takes priority. We are the last line of defense for this sector and should the Sa'arm wipe out the four planets that make our district they will hit three worlds that we were informed belong to races of the Confederacy. So we have changed our tactics to be more assertive in stopping the Sa'arm depredations. But sometime in the last three months, a colony was founded on Ishtar."

"I think I understand," I replied cautiously. "So we have an unauthorized colony at Ishtar. What do you need me to investigate?"

"Everything!" The General snarled. "We cannot protect the colony. Right now the air is too acidic and even our best battle armor lasts mere minutes under exposure. Once the air is fixed, we won't be able to base enough troops to stop a hive sphere. But for now, that same atmosphere is the only reason the colonists are alive. The place is also far too isolated for any relief force to arrive in time to save the planet should it be attacked. Those colonists are destined to be Sa'arm fodder unless a miracle happens. Someone was thinking if the colony has defense lasers, but that's the only real defense the place has. But that's not the only part of the report that concerns me. I've talked very briefly with James Rabb, who is the primary contact on Ishtar according to a footnote on both reports. After the second report arrived, I was a bit upset, especially since no one from Ishtar had formally reported to Borneo Command, so I called Ishtar right after receiving it. The first report was simply a general need-to-inform and sent back to High Command. You are looking at the second and even that one doesn't name a command recipient, it's just a general notice to both High and Borneo Commands."

I hesitated to reply while thinking what had just been said. "Wait. You said you had spoken with someone on Ishtar, but that they never officially contacted Borneo command."

The General nodded. "Correct. That was another issue I looked into. Ishtar is within what is officially the Borneo Military District, but they are not part of any official command tree. The colony is not supposed to be there at all. But unless the AI is playing a very elaborate game, we have two reports from them as well as at least one voice communication I participated in. And from the short talk I just had with them, they are trying to assist a stricken corvette right now!"

"I can understand a need to investigate," I replied. "What more can you tell me."

"Not much," the General sighed. "When I called, James was rather curt with me. Apparently there were two crises going on, and while he was willing to give me a very brief report he could not spare much time. What he did say shocked me. Originally there were one hundred citizens who were dropped to form the colony, but there was some kind of schism even before they landed. It sounds like fewer than eighty citizens are left alive, and only eighteen or so are part of an enclave that is trying to hold to the original orders they were given."

"One hundred?" I gasped. "But how can that be enough for any kind of military base?"

"I don't think it was supposed to ever be a successful colony," the General growled. "Think about it, I'm the local commander of marines, and I should have been informed of any new colonists so I could arrange for experienced leadership to assist in training. Instead I find out because of a need-to-inform report that dealt with a Sa'arm visit to the system. I'll be blunt. I don't care much about Ishtar itself, the colony is there and it's the Navy's problem now. But I do want to know who authorized the creation of the colony and dumped one hundred colonists in my backyard. They broke more than a dozen regulations when they dropped those colonists, and who knows if they even have proper training. If it weren't for those reports, I wouldn't even know the colony exists, and it's in my military district! I'm supposed to protect those colonists and it's just not possible. So, go find out who did it, how they bypassed the district command and bring me his head!"

I leaned back into the chair in shock. Part of me was unsurprised as I had worked as a corporate trouble-shooter back on Earth before my pickup and had encountered more than a few executives who happily bypassed channels when they thought they could produce better results. However, the possible cost of this action in human lives stunned me. One hundred citizens meant at least two hundred concubines and probably another one hundred children. Someone had all but doomed four hundred human beings by placing them on a planet deep within Sa'arm space. The Sa'arm would happily wipe out the colony as soon as they discovered it, and that deep in their territory discovery was almost guaranteed from the start, the only surprise was that the colony had survived the initial discovery of their presence by the Sa'arm. I found myself reviewing possible investigation paths and finally nodded to the General. "It's going to take time. I need to review what you have and probably will need to travel to Earth at some point to interview some of the people involved in pickups. Do they still have the command base in orbit around Mars?"

The General shrugged. "Just give this investigation priority. I'll cut orders that give you access to anyone on Borneo except for Admiral Himmel, but I expect he'll be equally interested in the answer. The trip to Earth might be a problem. We only have the one courier boat right now after the Sa'arm caught the one boat just before it jumped out of the Wolf system. But we can examine needs when you are ready to go."

I was dismissed with a wave and exited the room quietly as the General started barking orders to the AI. He clearly was working on plans to retake the recently lost Wolf system, and my investigation was not central to that effort. I wandered through the halls thinking deeply when I bumped into a frazzled lieutenant and knocked her to the ground.

I started apologizing and reached down to help the young lady up. She had tears in her eyes and at first I thought she was hurt, but she grabbed my arm in a surprisingly strong grip and stood up quickly. I held onto her hand for a moment and attempted once again to apologize. "I'm sorry lieutenant. I should have been watching where I was going."

She sniffled. "It's ok. I wasn't looking either. I just..." she dissolved into sobs.

I found myself putting my arms around the young lady, but feeling more than a little awkward. She was now clinging to me tightly as her sobs continued. I could hear her whimper the word "brother", but nothing more for several minutes as tears fell into my uniform. It was a long and uncomfortable period before she finally cried herself out and her grip loosened.

Her grip on me relaxed and I took a moment to gently step away and use my thumbs to wipe the tears from under her eyes. There were so many that I found myself wishing for a handkerchief, but the uniform I was wearing did not come with one. The girl seemed to be getting control of her emotions because after using her sleeve to help wipe away the remaining tears she looked at me.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just..." she paused again. "We just got word that the Nassau was badly damaged in a fleet maneuver at Ursus twelve. The report said that more than half the ship's complement was dead, but didn't name anyone."

I waited for a moment and the girl looked up, tears once again threatening to pour from her eyes. "It's my brother's ship. He's a sergeant and operates one of the particle beam cannons on the ship."

Her revelation at last explained the tears and I reached out to give her another hug. "There's still hope. At least you received a report."

She sniffled again. "But the report said almost nothing. It wasn't even an official report. I was in the command center working communication when Admiral Himmel demanded that we contact some place called Ishtar over a report of a Sa'arm attack on the colony. He put the call on the overhead squawk and everyone in the command center listened in. During the call it was revealed that the Nassau was in the system with no more than eight living crewmen. I'm afraid that I left my station in tears."

I looked at the blond girl and sighed. "Lieutenant..."

"Oh, it's Lieutenant Jackson. Linda Jackson," the girl replied. "My brother is Brian Jackson."

I nodded. "Let's get you back to your post. And next time, be strong," I said, gently turning the young girl and leading her back the way she had come. She fell in beside me without resistance but remained silent as we walked the corridors.

I was not sure of the route, but Lieutenant Jackson seemed to be recovering her composure and took the lead in the maze of hallways until we arrived at the command and communications station for Borneo Central. She appeared a bit nervous, but I led her inside and immediately looked for Admiral Himmel.

He was standing at a station and reviewing a report when I walked up and stood at attention. It took a moment before he noticed me and turned to face me. As he did I gave him a salute. "Sir. Request a moment of your time to speak freely."

The Admiral looked at me and then back at the Lieutenant who was cowering slightly behind me. He seemed to be considering the situation and looked a bit more closely at me before nodding.

"Go ahead, Commander," he said as he returned the salute. "At ease and speak freely."

I relaxed slightly as Lieutenant Jackson put a hand against my back. "Sir, I'd like to return the young Lieutenant here to her station. I ran into her in the corridor and discovered that her brother is on the Nassau and the shock of hearing that it was badly damaged shook her. I believe she has control over her emotions now and will not fail you again."

Admiral Himmel smiled. "So that was what caused her to run from here crying," he said in a grandfatherly tone. "I thought it must be something like that." He looked past me at the young girl who continued to look at the floor. "Lieutenant, there is nothing bad about remembering family and friends. It's part of why we are here and fighting for the future. Now, I don't believe we have a full report on the Nassau yet. What communications we received said the ship was still traveling to reach the repair docks, and Patrician class corvettes don't have teleporters to remove wounded crew. Take your station for now, and I assure you that if you are away from your post we will inform you the moment we hear the status on your brother, Corporal Brian Jackson isn't it?"

The lieutenant gasped to realize that the admiral not only recognized her, but also remembered the name of her brother. She recovered quickly and threw a sharp salute before running to her post and sitting down at the station, leaning over to ask the stations next to hers for status.

I shook my head and looked more closely at the Admiral. The bio on him was common knowledge around Borneo, but had failed to impress on me just how in tune to his troops the man was.

Admiral Horace Himmel reportedly had been the head of a small financial firm that specialized in corporate turnarounds. He was a multi-millionaire on Earth before he turned thirty and well known for his solid leadership and insight into people. The surprise came when people learned that he had been married at eighteen to his high school sweetheart, raised four extremely capable children and was a proud and happy grandfather when at age forty-five when he was picked up. The military had found his skills in corporate organization a huge plus and after he served a short period of time working around Earth, the military had put him in charge of the Navy in the new military district in Borneo where he proved to be an aggressive and insightful commander. I found myself in awe of the gentle man, especially as I noticed that the rest of the command staff had a huge amount of respect for him.

He seemed amused by my silence and smiled. "Was there more, commander?"

I blinked. "Oh, actually there might be. I was just asked by General Montgomery to begin an investigation into the founding of the colony at Ishtar. He is sending me some information, but I'm guessing that you know something about the colony if Lieutenant Jackson heard a report that her brother's ship was in the system there. Could you tell me a bit of what you know?"

The Admiral's expression turned dark for just a moment. "I don't know much, and what I do know is very incomplete. The communication that Lieutenant Jackson overheard was my first time talking to the planet directly although we've found a previous report from them about a visit from a Sa'arm scout some time ago. I do know that no one I spoke with appeared to use any military courtesies or ranks, and both of the computer reports put James Rabb as the primary contact. I spoke with him and a few others, but other than James and a ground laser technician named Linus Van Stern, I was not provided with any names. The two reports gave the names Gina and Timothy as the senders. Once again, no ranks or last names were mentioned. To be honest I have no idea who is there."

I frowned. "So you had no more awareness of the foundation of the colony than General Montgomery?"

"I had no warning, or real desire to place a colony there. It's not a bad location for a repair base, but we cannot defend it. If I was going to populate a place like that I'd have sent highly trained volunteers, and made sure they knew to contact Borneo command, but the reports both routed through Central command on Earth. I've checked our logs and Borneo never authorized a colony. We had definitely discussed it, but the planet is too isolated to defend, and any terraforming to make it possible to walk safely on the surface will take years."

"I need to go and review the reports then," I replied. "By your leave."

Admiral Himmel waved and turned away. "Commander, where is my missing carrier? We know from the report from the Nassau that the attack on Ursus Twelve might have had additional survivors since the carrier William Pitt did get its jump drive fired. I need that carrier's status now!"

I shook my head and left the command post quietly. I could see Lieutenant Jackson give me a very tentative wave before she turned back to her station and concentrated on her duties.