Misty said, I was notified today that the occupation would be six weeks from next week. So it looks like something has changed.
Danielle looked at Kosiev and asked, How is the updating of the Cainth Navy progressing?
Kosiev stood up and looked at the screen with their Cainth allies and said, Quite frankly, I was reluctant and suspicious of giving you our technology. I guess the old soldier in me didnt want to trust a former enemy. Now I see that in order for our bonds to work, they have to be based on trust. Tag noticed some guilty expressions on the Cainth Clan Leaders as they listened to the Admiral. Three hundred of your ships are in our ship building facilities having their coat of power cells and armor applied as well as bracing of their hull. They have already had their old weapon platforms removed. The computer systems that control them have been delivered and are currently being installed. All three hundred will be completed within 5 weeks and an additional 300 will start the process. Its much easier to convert an existing ship that has a strong enough hull than too completely build a new one. I must say that after we removed all the old weapon systems, those dreadnaughts could carry ten destroyers in their landing bays. Those ships are huge and will most likely be the most dangerous ships in existence. They also require only 350 crew members to fight the ship instead of the 1,200 that had to be used in the old design. Admiral Dorg, Im jealous of your firepower but you wont maneuver as quickly as your smaller brethren. You will, however, be twice as fast as anything the Alliance currently has in their arsenal.
Admiral Dorg smiled, Admiral, I look forward to learning from you. You have taught me some hard, costly lessons in the past. I hope to work hard to be as good a commander as you.
Admiral Kosiev smiled and nodded his approval at Dorg. Danielle then said, Im going to open the floor for general discussion and the first question is; what are we going to do about this occupation?
Tag stood up, We have no choice but to resist and fight if necessary.
Why, Tag? Misty asked and Terl nodded at her question. With all due respect, cant we count on better treatment this time?
Possibly, Tag answered. However, once they see the fortifications were placed in orbit, how are we going to withhold Coronado Technology from them?
Misty looked like she had bit into a lemon. I forgot about those.
What fortifications, Terl asked?
Tag said, Send a satellite view for them to see on their screen, Colonel Salerio, please. On the screens a picture appeared of the Earth with what looked like eight small moons revolving around it. What you see here are eight asteroids we moved from our outer system and placed in orbit. They divide the planet into eight segments that overlap. Their surfaces have been covered and armored with power cells that are each nine feet square. Keep in mind that the ones on our battleships are only eighteen inches square. Their power is on a completely different order of magnitude than anything we have ever done. Each is powered by 100 black hole reactors and they still have to use the sun to complete their charge. They are being brought on line as we speak and once in operation they will cover the planet with a screen that makes our battleships screen seem puny in comparison. They are the reason we must resist and fight.
Admiral Dorg said under his breath to Terl, Ive got to have some of those!
Tag said, Right now you are a member of the Alliance and thus you probably wont be attacked. If these show up around your planet, then the cat is out of the bag and theyll know youre an enemy.
Dorg said, What is a cat? and all the humans laughed. I dont care if they know. Will they be able to penetrate those screens?
We dont think so. Weve fired over 1000 needles into a 6 inch area on a prototype and it didnt penetrate but an inch. The screen is 4 feet thick at 1/100 power; at full charge it will be 100 feet thick.
The room was silent. What if you have to keep it on over extended time? Dorg asked. Will it block out your suns energy?
No. The power cells screen allow low power radiation to flow thru. The days will be slightly less bright. Only high Energy Beams or solid objects will be stopped. The fortifications are a different story. They will absorb every bit of energy that hits them. I sincerely believe that we need the Alliance to attack them to fully charge the screens. The other great thing about the system is that all their screens overlap. If the Alliance should fire every primary beam on every ship in the Alliances inventory at one of those forts; it would be spread out over the entire screen and be shared by all of those forts.
Terl said, Are you saying your home world will be safe from attack?
I firmly believe so unless they have something in their arsenal I dont know about but if we allow them to occupy our planet they will have all of our technology. I suspect thats why theyre coming back. He looked at Danielle and she nodded for him to keep going. Cant you see? The Alliance is driven by paranoia. Fear of the Alfont; fear of any race becoming stronger than another; fear of anything they dont control, these are what drive the Alliance. They stifle development and growth. Dont think I dont understand that absolute power corrupts absolutely and we have learned that lesson thru bloody nuclear wars. One need look no further that our new friends here at the table with us to see we do not desire to rule other races. We only desire to mutually learn and grow from our contacts. Now is the time to face this danger and let history decide whos right. I know if we give them our technology, no one will ever be safe again.
Silence ruled the room. Misty said, Danielle, do you agree with him?
Yes, I do. Now is the moment to control our destiny.
SFT, do you agree?
We have chosen our speakers and they are the wisest voice. Listen to them.
Terl said, I dont care about our Alliance membership. We have 1,400 ships that will be modernized and can help defend your world. We would appreciate your forts but we will not stand by and watch a clan be attacked without helping.
Danielle looked at Tag who nodded. She then looked at Misty who also nodded. Clan Leader Terl, we have already begun hollowing out eight new asteroids for placement around your world. We were going to hold them here until they were completed. We have placed star drives on them to move them to your home world. You may take possession at the time of your choosing; they will be completed in another six weeks. Your help is greatly appreciated Clan Leader but you should know that we have more ships than just the 200 youve seen.
Terl looked at Dorg and said and in a flat voice, How many more?
Danielle looked at the Command staff and said, Correct me if Im wrong, but about 7,250 more
Colonel Salerio said, 7437 as of yesterday.
Every Cainth in the meeting looked like they had been sucker punched. Dorgs mouth fell open.
So you see Clan Leader, we also would not allow you to be attacked after our agreements. We have 1,500 ships hidden in the outer system of your home world and 500 for each of your colonies in the event the Alliance launched a fleet against you.
Terl and Dorg were struck dumb. They looked at the other Clan Leaders and they too were numb. Why did you only use 350 against us? We never really had a chance against you did we? Dorg asked.
Because we have to keep the Alliance in the dark about our strength until we even the odds. They have more than 50,000 warships available for an all out attack. We hope to lower the odds before we reveal our numbers.
Admiral Dorg took a deep breath, then smiled and said, Admiral Kosiev, youre going to have all the fun. May I respectfully request that I be present at the next battle?
Certainly if it is approved by our leaders, Kosiev said.
Terl said, Be there. We have a long way to catch up. Would it be possible for our ship commanders to also be observers?