Patterns of Chaos: Book One - The First War

In London, the military leaders of the Global Alliance were deeply in conference.

“Still no word on what they were doing in Antarctica?” The Russian delegate asked, drumming his fingers.

From the British, “’Fraid not. Bloody bastards were quite thorough in blowing the facility to atoms after they left. Maybe if that damn lunatic hadn’t been present, our first response team could have gotten something.”

“As it stands, it seems fair to assume that they started building that station they’re so proud of there.” The Japanese representative, Admiral Hasegawa, contributed.

“They were up to more than that.” Christopher St. George, now promoted to Captain, marched in. The committee stood in shock at both his temerity and the fact that he was walking. Three days ago, doctors had said they were not sure he would regain full function of his injured leg, but here he was, walking without any assistance.

“Forgive my abrupt intrusion, Sirs, but time is running out.” He tossed a data drive onto the conference table. “That drive was delivered to me in the hospital by an agent working against Psi-Omegan interests. It contains plans for the engines they use to get from there to here, and more.”

“Captain, h-how do you come to walking so soon after your injury?” American representative David Shannon asked.

Christopher smiled inwardly. The lie was so simple. “I’m sorry but that information has been classified at the highest levels. All I can do is assure you that I am not an Alphite, and after this conference I am more than willing to submit myself for examination to prove it.”

“Hang on now,” British representative Mitchell Cameron now spoke. “Why haven’t we heard of this agent before now?”

“But you have. This is the same agent who sabotaged the shuttle years ago, which led to our discovery of Stragdoc’s history. She was also present in Toronto when the Psi-Omegans raided the former corporate headquarters.”

Murmurs around the table. “And, uh, how certain are you of this woman’s trustworthiness? For all we know, she could be a double-agent…” Shannon began, only to be cut off by St. George.

“The intel she’s providing is good, gentlemen and ladies. Allow me to continue.” He turned to Admiral Hasegawa. “Sir, just prior to the broadcast we received alerting us to the Psi-Omegan presence, your government’s satellites picked up a pair of energy spikes near the South Pole, correct?”

The Admiral nodded. “Yes, we’re still analyzing what exactly happened.”

“You don’t have to. The drive will tell you exactly what happened. They were testing a new type of engine. One that can break the faster-than-light barrier.”

Shouts of outrage around the table. Christopher had known that this news was going to be met with disbelief. After all…

“Wait, if they have a space warp, then why don’t they leave?” Shannon laughed. “Stragdoc has absolutely no reason to stay here!”

Cameron responded. “Did you read his background, General? This man blew up his school, possibly murdered his parents, and absolutely murdered the Captain’s father simply because they were in his way. In addition, his entire campaign against us has to have been for purposes of inciting his own people against us. If he changes his plan into one of retreat, the Alphites will likely scream betrayal.” He turned to face Christopher again. “Of course, we need to analyze the data here before we can plan a response...but I believe that the reason the Captain is here is because he has a response in mind.”

“As a matter of fact, I do. May I?” He asked, taking a seat. “I might be able to use the leg, but it does get tired.” He cleared his throat. “Now, since my promotion, I’ve been reading what intelligence reports I can. But it seems that aside from the Conrad incident,” He glanced at Shannon, who had been the one in charge of that fiasco, “We simply don’t have any intelligence about what’s happening out there. We know from Conrad that the Chancel was undergoing some kind of refit, but we have no idea what for.” He grinned. “Two can play at that game. They have the moon between them and us...we can have a planet blocking their view. If only briefly.”

“Get down to it.” Shannon snapped, angry at the reminder that David Tran was still a drooling wreck. “What are you proposing?”

“I’ve reviewed the data regarding both the engines they use for regular travel, as well as the warp engines they now possess. Both are extremely modular, easily adapted to various vessels, simply needing to be scaled up or down depending on what you want to hook them up to. Now that is true of most Psi-Omegan technology. But that means we can attach them to our own craft as well.

Basically, we can surprise the hell out of them. If we launched a fleet from a portion of the surface facing away from the moon, kicked in the lightspeed drive towards, let’s say, Venus, turned around, and shot back behind them…”

Cameron found a smile growing on his own face. “Particularly if the return was timed to coincide with the moon’s transit past said body…”

Hasegawa chimed in. “Stragdoc would never see it coming.” He reached for the drive. “But I already see the problem. The test of the space warp would have to be the initial trip to Venus. The more we test it, the more likely that they’ll see the same energy spike my government detected.”

Christopher nodded. “Naturally, we can’t put all our eggs in one basket. A second force will need to be dispatched no matter what: either to provide support to the initial strike force or to take over the operation if the one test we have catapults all our vessels into the sun.”

Russian delegate Mikhail Burvechev, silent until this point nodded. “We will review the data the Captain has relayed to us and no offense to him but we will also take him up on his offer of examination. Just to be certain, yes?”

Christopher nodded. “I wouldn’t have made the offer otherwise. We need to be on the same team, no suspicions of each other in this. That’s why he’s been winning, all the nations of the Alliance are so preoccupied with one-upping each other, and he’s taken advantage of it.”

“At any rate, if the data pans out, the Russian government will vote yes to this operation.”

“As does the British.”

“And the Japanese.”

All turned to look at the surprising silence of David Shannon. The American was glowering. “I welcome the data, but in no way do I agree to this operation. It is a waste of resources, time, and my patience. If he has a warp drive, then the odds are good that the whole lot of them are leaving. Therefore, America is willing to take the good odds over a pointless attack. Especially considering that we supply the bulk of the materiel for this ‘war effort’.”

The gathered representatives sat in stunned silence. Christopher was staring at the American intently, as if trying to make up his own mind about something important. Shannon stood to make his exit from the chamber, and almost on instinct, Christopher shot from his seat and slugged the American in the mouth.

Outrage replaced the silence, shouts of protest, guards demanding the Captain surrender, Christopher grabbing Shannon’s head and facing it towards the table in time for the other representatives to watch as his split lips healed themselves.

“H-how?” Someone, possibly Hasegawa, stuttered.

“Just a hunch.” Christopher grunted, wrestling the double agent into a full nelson hold. “When did he turn you? Before you sent that poor bastard to be tortured?”

“After!” Shannon growled. “I had lung cancer, eighteen months to live, what would you have done?!”

“Sell my soul? I would rather put my pistol in my mouth!” Burvechev spat.

A few moments later, after the guards relieved Christopher of the struggling traitor, he addressed the gathered representatives again. “We need to keep this quiet. Not only for the sake of our own troops morale, but also to lull the enemy. If Stragdoc does not receive any reports from Shannon for too long, he will likely be suspicious. In the short term, he’ll hopefully assume that no news is good news.”

“Indeed.” Hasegawa nodded. “Of course, we will search for his method of communication with the Chancel so we may fake a communique if necessary.”

“Absolutely.” Christopher began rolling up his shirtsleeve. “Now, who wants a blood sample?”