Harris set the last bug on the table.
“Harris? Do you notice anything unusual about the devices?”
“Yeah, these thirteen all look similar. These three are very different.”
The image of Alexander Gaerten returned. “Precisely. The three devices you have termed as different have attempted to communicate over a frequency often used by the New Earth Empire.”
Tawn asked, “You saying we had New Earth bugs on our ship?”
The image nodded. “It would appear so.”
“How do you know the Earthers use that frequency?”
“After you suggested that I open a wormhole to both Domicile and New Earth, I have been listening to each. It took several days to filter the signals and decode the encryption. It seems the New Earth Empire is ahead of you with regards to security. The Domicile frequency encryption was decoded in just over half the time.”
Harris cut in: “Wait… are you telling us you can listen in on Earther communications?”
“I can.”
“Is there any way for us to be able to do that?”
The image replied, “The partial artificial brain in Archibald has the ability to decode the New Earth encryption. However, if the base frequency is unknown, that effort may take some time to accomplish.”
“How long is some time?”
“Perhaps three to four standard days.”
“How long if the base frequency is known?”
“Several minutes.”
“How do we find this base frequency?”
“The base frequency can be obtained by monitoring a broadcast.”
Tawn asked, “So all we need to do is detect a broadcast and a few minutes later we can listen in?”
“That is a correct statement.”
Harris said, “This could be huge. We could know what the Earthers are planning before they make a move.”
Tawn nodded. “That would offer a huge advantage.”
Harris walked out to the Bangor. “Sharvie? How's it going?”
“There were four monitoring applications on your computer. And another in your environmental system. And one in your power system. The log files in each of those only go back as far as your last trip to Domicile. They've all been eradicated.
“Never seen anything like these programs. Very well disguised. I only stumbled onto the first one by mistake. That led to the discovery of the others. As far as I can tell, we have them all.”
Harris looked down with a chuckle. “Farker? You think the ship is clean of bugs?”
The simulated canine returned a single fark.
Harris replied, “Great... looks like we still have issues. Can you tell us where the bug is, boy?”
The dog trotted two steps to an interior wall, placing his nose onto a conduit that ran the length of the wall. Trish and Gandy pulled the tools needed to open the utility run, revealing a passive recorder inside. Harris, giving orders to his pet, proceeded to find an additional four recorders.
Tawn returned from the bunker. “Looks like I'm still just a friend to the doctor in there. I answered a few dozen more questions. He said I wasn't yet ready for the next step.”
“My dog is sniffing out more bugs.”
“This is insane,” said Tawn. “We were nothing more than a flying recording station. So did we get them all?”
Farker returned three farks.
Harris reached down to rub the simulated fur head of his pet. “I think we have. Now we need to do the same to the shuttle.”
Half an hour later, both ships were declared bug free.
Gandy asked, “So what's next? You think the bunker will give us access?”
Harris waved a hand toward the shuttle hatch. “Go see. Just stand in front of it. If it finds you worthy, it will let you in.”
Gandy and Trish returned several minutes later. “Nothing. Maybe I need to run in there next time you go in.”
Harris winced. “I'd rather not risk it. Tawn and I are on its good side right now and I want to keep it that way.”
“Might be time we head back to Eden,” said Tawn. “Whenever we're away I get the feeling something big is about to happen.”
Harris replied, “How about this: we head back but stop short. If the Earther ships are still in orbit, we sit and listen for that base frequency the AI was talking about. If we catch it, we start decoding their communications.”
Tawn nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
The two ships jumped into Eden space. The shuttle continued on to the planet while the Bangor held fast. Sharvie remained with Tawn and Harris, overseeing the use of Farker as a decryption tool for the Earther communications. Four comm channels being exchanged between two Earther destroyers were the first to become available.
Sharvie pushed a channel to the comm speaker. “...forty kilos. I can fit it in a standard container if you want. I show a shuttle scheduled to head your way in about an hour.”
“Thank you, Mr. Puchkin. That will be adequate.”
The conversation continued for several minutes before it was determined to be between maintenance workers on the two destroyers. The trading of supplies was a common occurrence between ships out on-station.
A second and then a third conversation yielded similar results. The fourth was between ship captains.
“...I would not disagree with that, Mamood. They will get what's coming to them in about fifteen minutes. And our Domer friends will do nothing about it.”
“Good. That means our efforts here can finally get underway.”
A third voice could be heard over the comm channel. “Excuse me, Captain, you asked for the identity of the second ship. The one that remains at its jump point. It is the same ship that attempted to pirate our titanium freighter.”
Harris looked down at his console with a scowl. “Gah. Forgot to turn on our stealth. They've been looking right at us this whole time.”
Tawn shook her head. “So much for listening in on them.”
“Why would you say that?”
Tawn pointed at the name display. “Because they're coming our way. Should we jump, or head for the surface?”
Harris thought for a moment. “Let's head down. They aren't gonna do anything down there while our cruisers are sitting in orbit.”
Tawn took control of the stick. “You got it. Should be on the ground in about twenty minutes. And no, they won't make it to us before we make it down. I'll angle us toward those cruisers. That should give them some pause.”
Fifteen minutes into the run toward the surface, two wormholes opened in front of the Domicile cruisers. The heavy warships slipped silently through and the portals closed after them.
“Why would they leave?” asked Tawn.
A comm came in from Fireburg. “Harris, we have trouble. It appears the Earthers are on to our shenanigans with their well. They've captured our crews at Rumford and again at Dove. Not sure how they found out, but they did.”
“We're on our way down. Be there in five. We recently found a handful of Earther bugs on our ship. I would bet the dome is crawling with them, but don't worry, we have a way to search them out.”
The colonel growled. “We've been finding them as well. Caught two of our Domers planting them.”
Harris frowned. “Takes all kinds. Do these people not know what's at stake here?”
“Credits talk. They always have. Sadly, I would bet a quarter of our citizens have a price.”
“When we arrive, we'll work on getting the spy situation under control. Looks like the Earthers will finally be getting their titanium though.”
Harris walked into the colonel's office with Farker at his heel.
The colonel looked around. “Tawn not with you?”
Harris shook his head. “She's showing our newest team member the dome with Trish and Gandy.”
The colonel pulled a map up on his wall display. “I'm concerned. Our last report from the Rumford Mines detailed armed soldiers moving about. Since we took over Dove, they've been brazenly displaying as many weapons as they want. They've been conducting mock attacks on their facilities too.”
Harris waved his hand. “They won't attack here. Not after last time. They know we have a few thousand Bios here and plenty of arms. I'm sure they know about those railguns out there too. I'm more worried about the destroyers up there. Our cruisers just pulled out.”
The colonel stood. “When did that happen?”
Harris scratched his chin. “Ten minutes ago. Why?”
The colonel opened a comm channel. “Major, open the weapons lockers and issue a plasma rifle to every man who can carry one. And place the gunners for those railguns on high alert. Our Domer force has abandoned us.”
“Yes, sir!” The major could be heard yelling at his subordinates just before the comm closed.
A comm channel came in to the colonel. “Sir, we have four wormholes opening. New Earth ships are coming through. We count sixteen so far.”
Harris asked, “Why would DDF abandon us?”
The colonel took a deep breath and let it out. “They know we stole that freighter. And now they know we’re responsible for tampering with the Earther well, as well as convincing the pacifists to move. My guess is they've pulled all support from Eden because they don't want war. We're about to be attacked by the full empire. You might want to think about getting back to your ship.”
Harris opened a comm to Tawn. “Get everyone back to the Bangor immediately. We're about to be attacked by the Earthers.”
Tawn replied, “Our defenses here should be ample for holding them off. They don't have anything that will get through that dome.”
Harris shook his head. “Sixteen New Earth warships just jumped into Eden space. We probably only have ten minutes to get out of here.”
Tawn nodded. “Will meet you there.”
Harris hustled into the hall, heading toward the docking bay. Farker kept pace as Harris' run turned into a full sprint.
Tawn, Trish, Gandy, and Sharvie were waiting at the ship. “Up. In. Go!”
Harris strapped himself in as he powered up the Bangor's drive. As the armored ship taxied toward the open air of Eden, the first of a half-dozen plasma rounds fell from the sky. The Earther ships were beginning to drop through the atmosphere.
“Best you all strap in hard. This could get rough!”
Tawn powered up the railgun circuits. “Guns are online if needed.”
Harris turned the ship toward the attackers. The throttle was pushed full. The Bangor raced upward as a dozen plasma rounds came from above. A hard left maneuver dodged the incoming. The rounds that followed would not miss.
“Hang on!” Harris yelled.
The hull reverberated and shook violently as four charges impacted and dispersed. Random moves kept the number from the barrage that followed at five.
Three Banshees and another Zwicker popped into view on the nav display.
Gandy held up a fist. “We have help!”
Tawn pressed the trigger for the railgun. A steady hum was followed by forty rounds per minute exiting the end of the rails. Two of the attacking ships took damage. The next volley from the Earthers saw eight simultaneous hits on the Bangor.
Tawn said, “Can't take much more! Another hit like that and we're losing inhibitor boxes!”
Harris turned the control stick hard to port, dodging the next set from the destroyers.
A comm was opened: “Colonel, order your fighters off. We have to leave. I'm sending them coordinates for a rendezvous point. If we continue, it's suicide.”
The colonel replied: “We're as prepared as we can be. Keep safe. We may need your coordinated help at some point, but that time is not now. The dome is holding and we've yet to fire our rail cannons.”
Another volley of plasma rounds struck the hull of the Bangor as she sped away. The other fighters followed, with one taking major damage before reaching a safe distance.
“This is Lieutenant Haversham. I'm losing speed. Heading for that plateau.”
Harris replied, “Get ready to ditch and run. We're picking you up. Everyone else, proceed to the assigned coordinates.”
Harris timed his landing perfectly. A cloud of sand and dust spread outward as the downed pilot dove through an open hatch. As the Bangor began to lift away, Tawn unleashed a hail of tungsten rounds, shattering the fighter’s hardened hull and pulverizing the remaining pieces.
Harris glanced over his shoulder. “Strap in on one of the benches. We have two of those destroyers heading for us.”
The lieutenant parked himself on the closest open seat beside Gandy, latching a belt strap and pulling it tight. “Thanks for the pick-up.”
Harris yelled, “Hang on!”
Again the Bangor's hull reverberated and the ship rocked and bounced as the attacking ships sent a continuous stream of plasma their way.
Another pilot's voice came over the comm. “Help is here, Mr. Gruberg. Get the lieutenant out of here. We'll get them off your tail.”
Tungsten rounds from the railguns of two Banshees and a Zwicker caved in the forward decks of the nearest destroyer. As the Earther ship headed for the desert floor in smoke and flames, the second ship turned away. Two rounds hit it center-ship, sending streams of debris out the opposite side as the tungsten rounds ripped through the ship's decks. The defending ships turned back toward Harris and the others.
Tawn came over the comm.: “Nice work! Follow us home!”
As the small group of Fireburg escorts made their way into free space, another dozen wormholes opened where the other destroyers had first come through. Twenty-four New Earth warships, including a flagship cruiser, took position in orbit over the Fireburg colony.
Harris shook his head as he let out a long breath. “No way the colonel can hold that off.”
Tawn said, “The dome is holding. And they aren't chancing those rail cannons. The other destroyers are keeping their distance.”
“Won't matter. They only have food stocks to last about three weeks. All the Earthers have to do is wait them out. The colonel will have to negotiate a surrender, and everyone there will have to be ferried back to Domicile. It's looking like we just spent all that time building the Earthers a premium mine.”
Harris clenched his fist in anger.
Tawn asked, “What's creeping around in your head?”
“Baxter Rumford. She just got everything she ever wanted. Once we're gone she'll control the mining on that entire planet.”
Tawn winced. “Just as bad, this will do in Mr. Morgan. None of his associates who invested in this will get their money back. And I have no doubt there will be a political penalty to pay as well.”
Harris sighed. “They had better not come down too hard. He's a primary military supplier. They're gonna need his help when the Great War returns.”
Sharvie asked, “You really think that's coming?”
Harris nodded. “Will take a couple years, but the Earthers, with all this titanium, will be back with a vengeance. Meanwhile our military is being dismantled. We couldn't be in a worse situation.”
Tawn crossed her arms as she leaned back in her chair. “We do have a way to prevent it, but we might kill as many people as we save.”
“How's that?”
“We shut down that bunker on Midelon. You take away wormholes and nobody will be fighting anybody. Would take the Earthers four hundred years to reach Domicile. Why bother? Problem is, we strand everyone in the truce worlds and outer colonies where they are. A lot of them depend on trade shipments to stay alive. Without the wormholes, life on many of those planets becomes very primitive.”
“Even so, if it means we prevent Domicile from being enslaved, we can't take it off the table.”
Sharvie looked at Gandy. “What are they talking about?”
“If the bunker on Midelon is attacked or destroyed, we lose the ability to travel by wormhole. That facility and one other generate what's called a boson field. It permeates the space around us and allows the wormhole generators in our ships to work. If the field gets shut down, there won't be any more space travel except on standard drives.”
Sharvie frowned. “We don't want that.”
Trish said, “It would mean our new home would be wherever we were when that happened. If that's Midelon, be prepared to never see another face besides the ones you're looking at right now.”
Harris pointed at his chin. “She'd be lucky to see this face every day for the rest of her life.”
“That face?” said Tawn. “Luckier than what? Being trampled by a wild bogler?”
Tawn turned to face the others. “Look, we're alive, we're free. So long as we're able, we'll do whatever it takes to protect our homeworld. If that means sacrificing ourselves, well, I think we've all already signed up for that with just being here.
“Don't worry about it unless that time comes. Like Harris says, we probably have a couple years for the Earthers to build a fleet before they make a move. In the meantime, we'll see if there's any way to slow them down.”