“Devastator’s gone, sir,” Muna said, finally.
“Yes,” I said. I’d been lost in my own thoughts… and on the bridge. I was glad that Deborah wasn’t there. She might have noticed… no, I was giving her too much credit. “Helm, set course for home. We have a long voyage ahead of us.”
I spent the remainder of the flight home wondering what form Heinlein’s revenge would take. They couldn’t — wouldn’t — allow that to pass, I was sure. I had to launch my own plan quickly, in hopes of preventing a greater disaster, but I couldn’t prevent them from launching their counterattack. I tried to figure out some way of contacting the Heinlein Resistance, but I could think of nothing. After what had just happened, I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself on their hit list, with a price on my head. They’d be out for my blood.
The grey man accepted our report without demur when we reached Earth. They must have had a press report ready already, for they were filling the airwaves before we even reached Orbit Nine. I read the first two stories — recognising the name of one of the reporters who had travelled on the Devastator, years ago — and then threw the datapad across the room. He wrote about what we’d done, but somehow he almost managed to make it sound justified. It was enough to make me feel sick.
“We have most of the people we need contacted and ready to move at your command,” the Master Sergeant said, that evening. “We could move now, but I’d prefer to wait at least another week. EarthStar One is going to be the real problem.”
I nodded. EarthStar One controlled all of the defences in Earth orbit. It also didn’t allow any UNPF personnel to serve permanently on the base. It was controlled by a very secretive, very loyal organisation, who were paid well for their loyalty. Roger might have gone to serve there if he hadn’t passed the Academy entrance exams. We had to knock it out, yet it wouldn’t be easy, even with the entire fleet under our control. We studied the problem and came up with the only solution.
Two days later, the Heinlein Resistance struck back.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Earth was commonly regarded as invulnerable, and it was true enough that no one had committed an act of aggression in the Solar System — as opposed to Rock Wars between RockRats — since the UN had assumed responsibility for the defence of the planet. Indeed, most analysts believed that it was impossible. They missed the self-evident fact that no colony possessed a force capable of striking Earth, unless they chose to disregard the possibility of retaliation. A suicidal attack, as always, was the hardest to deter.
Problems, I had come to realise, only happened when I was off the bridge. Captain Harriman had probably felt the same way. They found me in my cabin, or inspecting part of the ship, or even in the head. I was never on the bridge when something went badly wrong, but I was always in touch through my terminal. I could reach the bridge very quickly if I was needed.
“Report,” I snapped, as I strode onto the bridge. The crew didn’t turn to salute me as I entered, something that proved that the situation was serious. “Number One, what’s happening?”
“System Command has declared a Code Red One alert,” Muna said, from the tactical console. I felt my face freeze for a second. Code Red One meant a direct attack on Earth itself, nothing less. I couldn’t believe it. Who would dare to attack Earth? I remembered what we’d done at Heinlein and shivered. I knew one answer to that question. “I have placed the ship on alert in response.”
“Confirmed,” I said. It was good thinking, even though I knew that there were Captains who would have been horrified at any display of initiative by their crews. I’d learned better from a master teacher. “Status report?”
“The ship is at battle stations and at your command,” Muna said. “System Command has not yet updated their original warning.”
I scowled. The defenders of the planet would receive a direct download from EarthStar One, the coordinating entity, instead of using their own systems. Years ago, that had made sense, but now, with advances in technology, it was useless. I keyed my access code into my console and brought up what little we had. Gravimetric sensors had detected wormholes opening close to the planet, dangerously close, but nothing had apparently emerged. That didn’t bode well.
“Engineering, this is the Captain,” I said. “Power up the drive and prepare for combat operations. Pilot, seal the link to Orbit Nine and prepare to cast off.”
“Yes, sir,” the Pilot said. Two of the Ensigns had been running drills when the alarm sounded and they now stood by his console, unsure of what to do. I knew just how they felt. I felt the same way too. “Airlock release in twenty seconds.”
I scowled inwardly. That wasn’t fast enough. If the enemy had planned to take out Orbit Nine, they might well have taken us out as well…and that would have been a disaster. If, of course, there actually was an enemy out there. System Command could be jumping at shadows, or perhaps it was all a drill. I hadn’t known System Command to be imaginative enough to run drills, but perhaps some new officer had been promoted into a position of power and…no, I’d have heard of that. The sensors might well be having flights of fancy.
“Take us to one hundred kilometres separation as soon as the airlock is clear,” I ordered, tightly. That would be far away enough to use our weapons without fear of accidentally harming Orbit Nine. We needed those stations, desperately. It didn’t help that the UN had accidentally stranded thousands of involuntary colonists in the upper levels of the orbital towers and the orbiting asteroids because the transporting situation had become dire. I’d heard rumours of riots and Marines being sent in to crack heads, but nothing concrete. “Tactical?”
“Nothing new across the board,” Muna said. “I’m picking up no trace of hostile activity.”
I brooded as the Pilot took us away from Orbit Nine. Could it be a trap intended to catch us? It was possible, yet why would they put us on alert? I could open a wormhole and escape now, along with half the starships orbiting Earth, if I decided to move. We might even be able to launch our coup and succeed, even now. I looked at the firepower orbiting Earth, the twenty-seven starships and hundreds of orbital installations, and frowned again. No one in their right mind would want to challenge those defences, surely?
That’s not very bright, I reproved myself, irritated. You’re planning to challenge those defences, idiot.
I looked back at the iron representing EarthStar One, surrounded by enough smaller icons to make up a galaxy, and wondered just what was going on over there. The alert had sounded, and yet no one was issuing further orders, or even telling us to stand down and relax. The Admirals were probably arguing over what was going on and wondering if it was nothing, but a glitch in the scanners. Someone was probably going to get the blame…
“Wormholes,” Muna snapped. “Multiple wormholes!”
The display flickered to life as three wormholes opened on the other side of the planet. We couldn’t pick them up directly, but we could see them through the live feed from the orbital defences. Three Heinlein Resistance starships flew out of the wormholes, drive fields already powering up, and drove down towards the planet. I watched in dismay, nothing their acceleration rates — faster than anything UN starships could pull — before orders finally started to come in from System Command. We were to remain where we were, on patrol. Other starships would have the honour of engaging the intruders.