CHAPTER 4 – BIG GUNS AND BIG LIES
10:55 (Earth Universal Time)
Thursday, July 26, 2328
Spacers’ League Navy corvette VAN VOGHT
Navy Space Test Firing Polygon Omega, Main Asteroid Belt, Solar System
‘’The test firing polygon is secure, sir. No ships or Space installations detected in the designated restricted zone.’’
‘’Excellent! Doctor Koomak, you can activate your modified disintegrator cannon.’’
‘’Thank you, Commodore Sung!’’ replied Koomak, who then powered up the disintegrator cannon turret which had been modified according to his new design and specifications. Next, he looked to his right at the pretty young female Spacers’ League Navy lieutenant who was the weapons officer of the corvette.
‘’You may target our chosen asteroid and fire a one millisecond burst, Lieutenant.’’
‘’Aiming the battery at our designated target! Firing…now!’’
With all the sensors of the corvette, plus those of a reconnaissance drone stationed to one side of the asteroid, recording what would happen, one of the two medium disintegrator cannons of the VAN VOGHT fired a very brief blue beam of energy. While everything happened literally in a flash, high-speed cameras captured the firing sequence and allowed Koomak and the Navy officers present on the bridge of the corvette to review in very slow motion the results of the firing. Commodore Kim Sung, who was the official Spacers’ League Navy observer for what could prove an important factor in the defense against the Space Predators, opened his mouth on seeing the effects of the shooting.
‘’By the stars! This beam was way more focused than that of a regular medium caliber disintegrator cannon, even though the range to that asteroid would theoretically place it out of normal effective range.’’
‘’The crater dug by our disintegrator beam also seems much deeper than we would have expected, sir.’’ said in turn the young weapons officer.
‘’Well, we should know for certain quite quickly, Lieutenant. Aim our other, unmodified medium disintegrator cannon at another portion of that asteroid and let’s see how the two results compare.’’
‘’Aye, sir!’’
Six seconds later, another blue beam of energy hit the asteroid, again with all the available sensors recording the results. Sung nodded slowly his head while eyeing the recorded results of the second firing.
‘’The crater dug by our second cannon is definitely much shallower than that created by our first cannon. It is also at least five times wider. Can you confirm my first impressions, Lieutenant?’’
‘’Yes sir!... The second crater is confirmed to be 8.4 times wider than the first one, sir. Also, the crater created by the second beam is only eleven percent as deep as the crater created by the first beam. Our fire control computer is evaluating that the effective range of our modified cannon is now at least twice that of our standard cannon.’’
Sung grinned on hearing that and patted Koomak’s shoulder.
‘’Doctor Koomak, I would say that your experimental modification to our disintegrator cannon is proving to be a complete success. You are a true genius!’’
‘’Thank you, Commodore. Normally, as a typical pacifist Koorivar citizen, I would dislike to contribute to any weapon’s development. However, these are not normal times and we need to defend ourselves against a truly existential threat against all the living beings in this part of the galaxy. Koorivars may be avowed pacifists but that doesn’t mean that we don’t believe in the right to self-defense.’’
‘’Quite right, Doctor Koomak. So, what’s next for your disintegrator development program?’’
‘’I will return to the Avalon Space Yards, where I will be able to finalize the design and construction of a new super-heavy class of disintegrator battery destined to equip the NOSTROMO, Commodore Forster’s future ship. We will also produce modified light and medium disintegrator cannons for the NOSTROMO. However, Commodore Forster asked me to pass to your navy the specifications of my modified disintegrator design once my design was tested and proven to be effective. So, I am now able to hand to you the technical plans and notes that will allow your navy to modify right away the disintegrators in service on your ships and also to build more cannons to the new specifications.’’
Sung flashed a happy smile as he accepted the thumb drive handed to him by Koomak. He looked at it for a second before looking back at the Koorivar scientist.
‘’Aren’t you going to ask for a patent fee for your invention, Doctor?’’
‘’No! I don’t want to make money from inventing a new weapon. However, I intend to register a patent that will prohibit anybody except Spacers’ League ships and those of the Drazts from building and using such modified disintegrators.’’
‘’Fair enough! That will be made easier to enforce by the fact that the various nations on Earth do not even possess the knowledge needed to build disintegrator cannons. The Spacers’ League’s High Council still deem the nations of Earth, and particularly the European Union, to be too unreliable politically to let them get that kind of technology.’’
Koomak could only nod his head at that. The sad truth was that, despite the fact that thirteen years had passed since the uprising that had created the Spacers’ League and had broken the tyrannical hold on the Solar System that the central government of Earth had then, there still were many places on Earth where anti-Spacer xenophobia and distrust existed. The European Union in particular, imbued with its historical role of past dominance of other continents and regions, was often proving to be for the Spacers’ League an often-exasperating partner to deal with, having shown ingratitude in the past after being helped out of some self-inflicted problems and crisis. Commodore Sung pocketed the precious thumb drive, then looked at the captain of the corvette.
‘’Commander Kurosawa, you may now recuperate your reconnaissance drone. Once that is done, head back to the Avalon Space Yards, so that we could drop off the good Doctor Koomak there.’’
‘’Understood, sir!’’
Recuperating the drone took only some ten minutes, after which the VAN VOGHT turned around and headed for Earth, some three hours away.
The VAN VOGHT was still over half an hour away from Earth when the communications officer came to both Koomak and Commodore Sung, a printed message in his hands.
‘’Sir, Doctor, we just got an urgent transmission from the Avalon Space Yards, addressed to Doctor Koomak and written by a Miss Eve Silisca.’’
‘’That’s my friend who is in charge of producing new robotic security officers destined to reinforce our internal ship defenses against Space Predator boarders, Commodore.’’ explained Koomak while taking the message offered by the junior officer.
Sung sobered up at once on hearing that: he had lost many old friends in the disaster which had struck the VLADIMIR KOMAROV and the DE RUYTER, both victims of the Space Predators. He thus patiently waited while Koomak read the message and was surprised to hear him swear in the Koorivar language before looking up at him.
‘’Eve is warning me that somebody has started to spread some kind of conspiracy theory aimed at her security android program. According to European news channels, Commodore Forster is having a robotic army built so that she could eventually use it to intimidate and threaten her political opponents on Earth. Apparently, the European Union is taking those lies seriously enough to have told the owner of the Avalon Space Yards, Gustav Shomberg, to appear in front of an EU parliamentary commission to answer questions about Eve’s android program.’’
‘’Those arrogant European fools!’’ spat out Sung. ‘’They are ready to believe such bullshit concerning one of the most meritorious persons known today? Can I see that message, Doctor?’’
‘’Of course, Commodore! Here it is.’’
Taking the offered message, Sung read it carefully, then looked at Commander Kurosawa.
‘’Commander, go to top acceleration! I want us to be as quickly as possible at the Avalon Space Yards, so that we could protect it from any abusive move by the European Union. Also, have a courier drone be ready to be sent to Providence. I am going to write a short message for our Navy Headquarters.’’
As Sung was starting to write a message on his electronic tablet, the electronic warfare officer of the VAN VOGHT, who had taken on her to switch some of her sensors to a number of well-known Earth news channels, spoke up, some alarm in her voice.
‘’Commodore, you better watch and listen to this.’’
Sung hurried to her electronic warfare station and put on a headset before looking at a screen on which a famous newscaster of the Euro News Channel was speaking.
‘’…those androids are said to be fully human in their external aspect and that they could thus easily circulate around on Earth without raising suspicions. Furthermore, those androids are said to have a number of weapons and sophisticated sensors hidden inside them and could thus easily spy or commit acts of sabotage, or even assassinations while on Earth. Here is a short video file taken inside the Avalon Space Yards and showing one of those security androids going around with another, highly advanced model of android who is known to be a close assistant of Tina Forster.’’
Sung was already fuming before the said video, showing Eve Silisca escorting what looked like a small, young woman armed with two pistols and wearing a helmet and a tactical vest, was shown. Sung had to agree that the small woman, if she was indeed an android, would be very hard to distinguish from a real, living woman. Then, the newscaster added fuel to the fire with more speculations.
‘’According to our sources, Tina Forster has ordered an initial batch of 800 such security robots and could well order more of them in the future. With no apparent reasons for creating such a potentially dangerous robotic force, the motives of Miss Forster are to be questioned, which has pushed the Security Committee of the European Union to start an inquiry about this android production program.’’
Koomak, who had also watched and listened to the newscast, looked with some confusion at Sung.
‘’Don’t these idiots on Earth know about the threat from the Space Predators, Commodore?’’
‘’No! The High Council didn’t want to see widespread panic be created around Earth if the population there learned about the Space Predators.’’
Koomak shook his head in discouragement at that latest example of political miscalculation.
‘’Then, no wonder these idiots are so suspicious about our android program. The High Council should have informed at least the leaders of Earth about the Space Predators.’’
‘’Well, what is done is done, Doctor. Lieutenant, make a copy of that newscast, so that I could attach it to my message to Providence.’’
‘’Yes sir!’’
Now feeling a mix of anger and worry, Koomak decided to sit in the empty chair next to the electronic warfare officer and to continue listening to the news program from Earth, as Sung wrote and sent his message via courier drone.
14:26 (Earth Universal Time)
Gustav Shomberg’s office, Avalon Space Yards
Low Earth orbit
Eve waited until a commercial advertising interrupted the Euro News Channel newscast before speaking to Gustav Shomberg, who was sitting with her in a sofa facing a large video display unit.
‘’Does the European Union have legal authority over your space yards, Gustav?’’
‘’No! This installation is officially under the authority of the Spacers’ League, along with all the manned orbital installations around Earth. However, I am a dual citizen of both Sweden, which is a member of the European Union, and of the Spacers’ League. It would thus be difficult for me to refuse to appear in front of that EU commission.’’
‘’But all this is nothing but a collection of crazy and unfounded accusations, Gustav! In fact, I can bet that this Falchi asshole is responsible for spreading this nonsense: it is probably his way to seek revenge for his firing.’’
‘’You are most probably right, Eve, but the damage is now done. Know that anti-Spacer xenophobia still exists on Earth and this can only inflame it.’’
‘’And the EU authorities really don’t know about the Space Predators?’’
‘’I don’t know if the EU government was informed or not about that threat but I can tell you that I never heard any mention of the Space Predators in the Earth news channels.’’
‘’But, if the EU authorities try to arrest you, the Spacers’ League should be able to protect you, as they perfectly know that you committed no crime and are not part of any criminal conspiracy.’’
‘’That is right now my only true legal protection against being forced to go down to Earth to testify in Brussels, Eve. I do have a question for you, though. Would your security androids resist any attempt by EU authorities to disactivate or even destroy them, and would you allow them to resist?’’
‘’They have both the right to self-defense and also have my benediction to protect themselves against any unjustified attempt at dismantling them, as this idiotic European Parliament member is demanding that to be done. My androids are sentient beings and they have the same right to exist as you and me. I…’’
The chime from Shomberg’s wrist communicator then interrupted her. Shomberg stiffened with surprise when he saw who was calling him.
‘’Spirit is calling me!’’
Activating the link, Shomberg had it transferred to the large display unit facing him and Eve, which had a viewing camera incorporated in its frame. The image of Spirit’s avatar then appeared on the display unit, its expression sober.
‘’Gustav, Eve, be informed that a shuttle of the EUROPOL is approaching the space yards. From the communications between it and Earth’s surface, I believe that it is carrying a group of European police officers tasked with forcibly taking you down to Brussels. They also have orders to detain Eve or, if she resists arrest, to kill her.’’
‘’Are they nuts? They would kill a Spacers’ League citizen without due process?’’
‘’I believe that androids and robots don’t count as citizens in the legal terms used by the EU and by most of the other governments on Earth, Gustav. On the other hand, the Spacers’ League’s Navy corvette VAN VOGHT, with Doctor Koomak on board, is now approaching the space yards as it returns from the test firing of the modified disintegrator cannon in the Main Asteroid Belt. I took the liberty of warning it about the approaching EUROPOL shuttle. Lastly, know that I will not let our new security androids be harmed or destroyed: they are my children, as Eve is my daughter. They will defend themselves but only with neural stun pistols.’’
‘’But that could cause a conflict between the EU and the Spacers’ League, Spirit.’’ replied a concerned Shomberg. Spirit’s answer showed no trace of misgiving about that possibility.
‘’Then, the EU will be clobbered, thanks to its own idiocy and xenophobia, Gustav. The Spacers’ League has many ways to punish the EU and other Earth governments without using violence, notably by cutting off Earth’s surface from the space stations in orbit around it. That would in turn lead to a quick collapse of their economies, something that I doubt they will want to risk just to pursue this nonsensical accusation about our android program. My counsel to you, Gustav, is to sit tight and refuse access to this EUROPOL shuttle. If that shuttle then tries to force its way in the space yards, then I will consider that as a casus bello that would justify my intervention. Again, I will not allow my children to be unjustly arrested or even destroyed. Eve, know that I already instructed our ten existing security androids to defend themselves against illegal arrest, using their neural stun pistols. I would suggest that you too should get a stun pistol, so that you can defend yourself.’’
Gustav Shomberg immediately got off his sofa on hearing that and went to his work desk, where he opened a drawer and extracted a stun pistol before returning to the sofa and handing over the pistol to Eve.
‘’Here, Eve: this is my spare stun pistol. Take it! I already have a light stun pistol on me.’’
Eve took the pistol offered to her and gave a concerned look to the chief designer.
‘’I truly hope that this will not end in violence, Gustav.’’
‘’And so do I, but it will now depend on how stupid and irrational the EU will act.’’
14:33 (Earth Universal Time)
European Union Police shuttle, on approach to the Avalon Space Yards
Low Earth orbit
‘’Sir, the spaceyard is refusing us entry into its docking basin. What should I do?’’
The senior police commander who was carried by the shuttle, along with a police squad of ten armed officers, frowned on hearing the question from the pilot of the craft.
‘’Can’t we simply ignore them and enter the installation anyway?’’
‘’No, sir! They control the access airlocks of their docking basin. We couldn’t get in without having to blow in the airlock doors.’’
‘’We still could enter by a secondary personnel airlock, using our spacesuits, no?’’
‘’That we can, sir, but they probably can block those secondary airlocks as well.’’
The police commander was about to reply to that when the copilot shouted an alarm.
‘’WE HAVE A SPACERS’ LEAGUE WARSHIP APPROACHING US FROM THE REAR!’’
‘’WHAT?! How far behind us are they?’’
The senior commander got his answer when his shuttle came to a sudden, brutal halt, projecting its passengers pell-mell on the deck of the cabin.
‘’they put a tractor beam on us, sir!’’ announced the copilot, now sweating. ‘’I am now getting a message from that warship. Putting it on speakers.’’
The police commander then saw the upper torso and head of a flag rank officer of the Spacers’ League Navy appear on the main communications display panel.
‘’EUROPOL shuttle, this is Commodore Sung, aboard the Spacers’ League corvette VAN VOGHT. You will not be allowed access to the Avalon Space Yards, which is an official Spacers’ League installation. Turn around now and go back to Earth’s surface!’’
While anger filled the senior police commander, he understood at once that his mission was now over. His shuttle was simply no match for that corvette. He thus reluctantly gave an order to his pilot.
‘’Turn around and return to Brussels, Lieutenant. I will have to report this to the EU Security Commission. This is now in the hands of our politicians.’’
‘’Aye, sir!’’
08:50 (Providence Central Time)
Spacers’ League High Council Chambers, capital city of New Dawn
Providence (Alpha Centauri Bd), 4.36 light-years from Earth
Even with the Koomak Interstellar Drive, communications and liaisons between the various star systems of the Spacers’ League were far from a near instant affair. Every letter, exchange of information or directive had to be recorded inside small interstellar automated courier drones, which then jumped on a regular basis to other star systems. In the case of routine government directives and military orders, courier drones departed each six hours, while the more urgent data and orders went out every hour or less, depending on the urgency of the information. In the case of Tina Forster, she had received notice of the situation concerning the Avalon Space Yards and her android program’s trouble with the EU only late yesterday, a couple of hours before she received the summon to participate in an urgent meeting of the High Council on this subject. When she entered the High Council Chambers, she was both angry and frustrated, for many reasons. A quick look around the large conference table showed her that the other members of the High Council also looked at the least annoyed, while even the pacifist Governor Sheraz, the head of the Koorivar government, nearly appeared angry. As for Janet Robeson, the 71-year-old Chairwoman of the High Council, she looked to be positively on fire. Robeson however managed to smile to Tina at her entrance.
‘’Aah, our valorous Tina Forster is here! Please, sit down and we will then start this meeting.’’
‘’Thank you, Madam Chairwoman!’’
Once Tina was in her assigned chair, Janet Robeson looked around the table at the twenty other members of the High Council, each member representing one of the planets or moons colonized or exploited by the Spacers’ League.
‘’You all received yesterday via courier drones a resumé of the situation concerning the Avalon Space Yards and Commodore Forster’s security android construction program, along with the pile of B.S. constituted by the alarmist and false ideas and conspiracy theories circulating around the Earth news channels about the said android program. So, I won’t waste time in repeating them now. Unfortunately, it seems that our decision to hide the threat from the Space Predators to the governments of Earth, and this with the simple intention to prevent a general panic in the population, has backfired on us…and on Tina’s project, which I consider to be vital to our collective security. Now, we have to decide how to defuse this crisis and squash the nonsense presently circulating around the Earth news channels and various governments. We could either keep the Space Predators’ threat confidential and tell the EU to put up and shut up, or we could tell those Earth governments in a confidential manner about the Space Predators and then tell them again to put up and shut up. There is no way I am going to let those wimpish idiots on Earth intimidate the Avalon Space Yards into stopping the production of our force of internal security androids. What do you say about that?’’
Karl Langemann, a no-nonsense industrialist who was the CEO of the Vesta Corporation and who owned the planet Vinland in the Gliese 832 System, some sixteen light-years from Earth, was the first to speak up.
‘’I would inform them discretely about the Space Predator threat, so that they could understand what a stupid move they are doing by trying to block Tina’s androids project. If they still refuse to calm down, then I say: let’s block all exports and imports to and from Earth until they listen to reason.’’
‘’I agree with Karl on this.’’ next said Juan Perez, the ex-governor of the Saturn System, who now controlled the three planets and the asteroid belt being exploited in the Trappist-1 System, some 39.6 light-years from Earth. ‘’This is not the first time when we find ourselves under a serious alien threat, only to see those Earth governments chicken out and withhold support from us. And let’s not be too polite about our response.’’
Everybody around the table, including Governor Sheraz of New Shouria, basically agreed with that, making Janet Robeson nod with satisfaction at the end of the exchange.
‘’Excellent! We will thus be able to present a united front in this question. What I will do next is to prepare and deliver in person our response to the EU government, to impress on these idiots the importance we put on this android production program.’’
‘’Madam Chairwoman, I would like to accompany you then.’’ said at once Tina Forster. ‘’After all, I was the one who started that program and am also the one with direct experience in fighting the Space Predators.’’
‘’Hum! Viewed that way, I would have to agree to your request, Tina. However, what if the EU brings accusations against you personally?’’
‘’Then, feel free to send our navy to my rescue and see how much guts these Europeans really have, Madam Chairwoman.’’ replied Tina in a firm, resolute voice.
09:52 (Earth Western Europe Time)
Monday, July 30, 2328
European Union Parliament building, Brussels
Earth, Solar System
Having arrived by Space limousine flown down from the battlecruiser GAGARIN, presently stationed in orbit next to the Avalon Space Yards, Janet Robeson, Tina Forster and Eve Silisca stepped out of their vehicle and walked up the few steps to the main entrance of the European parliament building, filmed and photographed by a multitude of media representatives. While both Janet Robeson and Eve Silisca wore high quality female business suits, Tina wore her Navy uniform of reserve officer of the Spacers’ League Navy, with the rank insignias of rear admiral, a promotion she had belatedly received the day before for her actions against the Space Predators in the Ross 128 System.
Arriving at one of the doors pointed to them by Parliament security guards, Janet and Tina went through it in succession, entering a vast reception lobby. However, when Eve walked through the door, an alarm started to blare at once and two guards stepped in front of her, blocking her way. Janet Robeson, having immediately stopped on hearing the alarm, looked angrily at the officer in charge of the security guards.
‘’What the hell is happening? Why are you preventing Miss Silisca from entering?’’
‘’She is an android, Madam Governor!’’ answered the officer. ‘’Androids are forbidden from entering the Parliament Building.’’
That answer only made Robeson angrier, while Tina threw a dark look at the man.
‘’Miss Silisca is the principal assistant of Rear Admiral Forster and was included in the list of members of delegation who would come today and which I sent to your government yesterday. Either you stop this nonsense and let her in or the three of us will walk out right now and leave. Then you will be free to explain to Chairman Pirelli why his visitors didn’t get to meet him.’’
Seeing that the officer was still hesitating and was about to call for instructions, Janet Robeson looked at Tina and Eve.
‘’These idiots are obviously not interested in being serious with us. Let’s go!’’
The now panicking security officer then backed down as Robeson was about to walk back through the door.
‘’WAIT, MADAM GOVERNOR! YOU CAN BRING YOUR ANDROID IN!’’
Only half satisfied, Robeson stared hard at the officer while Tina and Eve waited by her side.
‘’This is Strike Two in my mind for the European Union, mister. Strike One was when you tried to have police officers board the Avalon Space Yards. If there is a Strike Three, then I will put Earth under Space quarantine. Understand that I am very serious about this, mister. Thus, you better inform Chairman Pirelli of this and make sure that there are no more attempts at demeaning us during this state visit.’’
‘’Understood, Madam Governor. Just give me a minute to contact Chairman Pirelli.’’
‘’We will wait one minute, mister.’’
As the officer was urgently talking into his pocket radio, Janet started conversing with Tina and Eve in the Koorivar Language, which all three could speak but which had few knowledgeable speakers of it on Earth.
‘’I have had about it with these arrogant imbeciles. They don’t even control a quarter of the Earth but still believe that they could impose their views on the rest of us. I hope that the North American Union will prove more amenable and understanding than these people are.’’
‘’I am not so sure about that, Madam Governor.’’ replied Tina. ‘’The last few years have brought a few rather questionable trends and choices of leadership around the planet. In truth, I am sorely missing the days when Claudia d’Arcy was in charge of the North American Union.’’
Janet Robeson nodded her head as she mentally reminisced about how President Claudia d’Arcy had been assassinated by ethnic extremists, along with the new President of the African Union, while trying to conclude a peace treaty with the African Union some eight years ago.
With the security officer still discussing with someone over the radio well after one minute had passed, Janet was about to tell her two companions to leave with her when Chairman Antonio Pirelli arrived at a near run, an apologetic expression painted on his face. However, it was not hard for Robeson to see that this ‘expression’ was a rather forced one. Still, she let Pirelli stop in front of her, a smile on his face.
‘’Madam Governor, I am so sorry for this misunderstanding. If you will follow me with your two aides, I will personally escort you to my cabinet reunion room. This way, please!’’
Janet did so, with Tina and Eve in tow, letting behind the red-faced security guards posted at the entrance. Going to an elevator and calling in a cabin, Pirelli then made the group climb to the tenth floor of the parliament building, where they walked down a large hallway whose floor was covered with a red carpet. He finally introduced his three visitors into a large conference room where 28 men and women, some in military uniforms, were already sitting around a long table. The men and women all rose to their feet at their entrance, sitting down after the Spacers’ League delegation and Pirelli took their assigned seats. Robeson didn’t miss the fact that the chairs for her, Tina and eve were the only ones now occupied on their side of the table, with all the European ministers sitting facing them.
‘Confrontational setup much?’ Janet thought while looking at the men and women facing her, Tina and Eve. Then, Pirelli, sitting at the centerline position on the other side of the table, spoke up.
‘’Madam Go