First Contact
Alchibah Space Day 887
Andrew Stuart
Tim was hesitant. “Are you sure you want to do this without talking to the Council?”
“Yes Tim, this is a pure Military Decision. Getting Politicians in the middle of this is the one thing that might Frack it up. Fire it up and let’s talk. Kara be ready on that database, it was accurate as of the Day we stole it off of that Cruiser.” I calmly waited as he flipped the switches and waved at me.
“Good Morning, whatever you Goonies are calling yourselves these days. We are in the clear I have nothing to hide.
“If I am talking to Political Directorate, I strongly suggest you get Naval Intelligence on the line. If I am talking to Naval Intelligence, I am the local Commander and I am declaring a Case Zulu. I suggest you get your Boss on the line.”
“OK Kara who answers will be our first hint of what’s going on.”
After almost a minute a woman’s voice came from the speakers.
“Ensign Taylor here, the Commodore is in route; please hold one.”
“Bingo Kara, NavInt. Now I am willing to bet the Commander is on that three name short list.”
“My pleasure Miss Taylor!”
Tim looked stunned, “You were right.”
“Tim, there is a real life pro up there. I am gambling that I can connect to him or her!”
“Commodore Hunter St James, Task Force Alchibah, Commanding. To whom am I speaking?”
“Kara, I have heard that name, dump the file to my screen ASAP! I’ll tap dance him. At least we will have a couple of minutes to think”
“Colonel Andrew Stuart, Strike Force Alchibah, Commanding and might I add the only Commander authorized by the legitimate Government of Alchibah to use that title. Yours Sir, is the title of a would be Conqueror.”
“Good job Kara. That’s who I thought it was. Hang on boys and girls I gonna jab and weave and see how he is thinking. If he doesn’t tell me to go straight to hell, we have a chance.”
Commodore St. James
“Colonel Stuart, I’m not going to debate legalities with you, I know your record, and I respect you. But you of all people know what will happen if we go at it. No matter how well equipped and trained your people are…you’re going to take casualties.
“The difference between us is that the families of me and my people are safely 49 light years away, and yours are with you in the combat zone”
St James closed his eyes and squeezed the glass globe in his hand “I have to pretend that’s true”, he thought, “or I’ll never get home.”
Hunter continued, “Colonel I didn’t come all this way to make war on civilians, but I’ll do what I must to complete my mission.
“Now I’m prepared to offer you and your uniformed personal full military recognition, complete amnesty for any and all previous crimes under UN Law. Those who wish will be offered full recognition of service and incorporation in the UNWG Alchibah garrison.
“I can offer you a 72 hour truce to take counsel of your officers, and for further negotiations…
“Sir, I know your honor as a warrior will compel you to reject this offer, I hope you sense of loyalty to your troops and duty to the community you’ve built here will let us find a peaceful solution here.”
Colonel Stuart
“Sir, I also know the butcher of Ceres by reputation and expect you to take this calmly.
“First, I have your young LT Anselmo in our Hospital. His physical injuries are mostly bruises from the original incident and not being in an acceleration seat on the way down. He is under observation for the mental affects of being found when He was down to four minutes of air.
“Second, the people I have promised to defend intend to never be slaves to any system whether, it be human or alien. The UNWG exists by enslaving people and we will not stand for that.
“Sir, if you think you will get close enough for one of your patented Nuke Strikes; I am afraid you are wrong.
“There is one difference between us Commodore, I will die in the doing if necessary; but you will not make slaves of my children.”
Commodore St. James
Onboard Deathfang St James had to think fast, “Guy alive?” he thought, “well prisoner release will take care of itself in another couple weeks, best not to think about it now” He keyed the mike:
“Colonel, you know as well as I do that the conscience of a soldier is often sacrificed to the needs of the state. In all the years since that terrible day there is not a single time I could look at my own daughters and fail to think of those children, but to save the lives of many, a warrior must sometimes foul his soul with the blood of a few.
“In the last Century governments on Earth Killed 100’s of millions of innocents in war and peace; I’ll admit to you that the leaders of the UN are corrupt and immoral, But the United Nations World Government has provided peace and safety to all humanity since its inception. I have spent my life serving the ideal of a peaceful world, that is what I am trying to offer to you and yours.
“Just say the word and I will send food and medical supplies to the colonials hiding in caves, we will help rebuild your town, you can live the life of a gentleman farmer and spend the summer on your sailboat”
Wendy Taylor looked at her Commodore with wide eyes “Sailboat sir?”
St James answer came from far away “verifying Intel Ensign, just a test”
Colonel Stuart
“Should we ever get the chance we can exchange stories about our respective Ghosts. You can tell your efficient sounding young Ensign to look for Second Tehran, Khandar Palace; I will be listed as an SFC, my Officer record is all Black Ops you won’t find anything there.
“Sir, tell me without lying though your teeth that your job here is not to make that piece of Human Excrement Richard Redmond the Political Governor of Colony Alchibah. You speak of honor but you take orders from that scum. At least do me the favor of putting that asshole in the jump seat of the next sacrificial Skull Ship you send this way. At least that way when the main fleets meet, I can at least die happy.
“What would you do if I were standing between you and your children? Dear God, I would fight my way through all of Earths slave soldiers to save yours.
“Would you want your daughters to live in a city ruled by Richard Redmond? I sir would fight to the death before I’d let my daughters live on the same planet as that bastard. Shit St James, I don’t want to fight you.
“But, fight we must unless you have a way of getting the damn Guardians to talk to either of us; the only thing they ever told us was ‘Stay the Hell away from the South Continent!’ St. James, I have had three of the greatest Physicists and Mathematicians Earth ever produced working their ass off for two earth years getting ready for this.
“You have no idea what I am capable of. I hope to the Gods we never have to find out.
“Just what kind of Man are you Sir?”
I winked at Tim and went for the downs. “You missed one thing though. I don’t farm, I run an Industrial Complex and I make Booze. My sailboat is a Bluenose Class Open Water Schooner named Cuchulainn. Come on down I’ll give you a ride in the spring.”
I chopped the mic and stared at the room. “Now we wait and see!
“This may just be the longest few minutes of my life.”