The Bangor joined the other three ships at the rendezvous point.
Harris opened a comm: “None of us expected to be here right now and we don't have all the plans. So we're gonna need to have everyone provide input. If you have any ideas about anything, I'd like to hear what they are.”
One of the pilots replied, “I could use some food.”
Tawn shook her head. “Great. We've got two Harris' in our group.”
Harris glanced around the ship. “Has been a while. Not like we're turning back immediately to fight those ships. We might all think better on a full belly.”
Tawn scowled. “You're serious?”
Harris asked, “Anyone else hungry?”
Gandy slowly raised his hand. “Sorry, Miss Freely, but we haven't eaten since before leaving Domicile.”
Harris pulled up a nav map of the surrounding space. “At six light years we have a planet that's just outside the habitable zone in its system. I say we jump there, park the other ships and take a ride to Midelon.”
Tawn shook her head. “I don't think it's a good idea to take anybody else out there.”
Harris replied, “Look, they won't know where we are. We have food there. And we can take all the time we need for planning. Might even be able to ask the wizard inside the bunker what he thinks.”
Tawn rolled her eyes. “It's an AI. You want an AI planning out our comeback?”
Harris shrugged. “At least it's something. You have a better plan? Spew it out.”
Tawn glanced around with a disgusted look on her face before mumbling, “I got nothing.”
“What? What'd you say?”
“I got nothing to spew. Let's go and get it over with.”
Coordinates were sent to the others. The two Banshees and the Zwicker were parked in what was decided to be a well hidden location on an icy planet. The three pilots joined the others on the Bangor. The nav display was hidden from view as the ship jumped to Midelon space. A short run had the team settling on the grassy field just outside the bunker.
Harris stood. “For those of you who are new, this is our private hideaway. You don't need to know where it is and please don't ask because we won't tell. It's better that you don't know. As you exit you'll see a building to your left. That's our supply house. We have it stocked with MREs and other sustainables. You'll find four bunks in there and we have another two here. Make use of any of them, but please respect that others are likely to use them as well.
“We'll head over there to eat, after which you're free to roam about. We're on an island, and you'll want to stay away from the shoreline. We found out the hard way there are sudden tidal surges that will overtake you in seconds if you go down by the water. Other than that, enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.
“Oh, and Tawn and I might be going in and out of a bunker door just outside. Don't try to follow us in, and whatever you do, don't make any attempt to break in or destroy it. What's inside there has important purpose for all of us. I won't say what it is. Just know that it does.”
Tawn shook her head as they walked. “Still not sure this was the best of ideas.”
Harris huffed. “What would you have had us do, then?”
“Maybe jump back to the Retreat?”
Harris thought for a moment. “Yeah. I guess that wouldn't have been bad either. Why didn't you suggest it?”
“Didn't think of it.”
Harris chuckled. “Can't think on an empty stomach?”
Tawn scowled. “More like when I'm frustrated.”
Harris stopped. “Sounds like you need a refresher on your psychological training. Not supposed to let stuff get to you enough to cloud your judgment.”
Tawn half smiled. “You do that with food.”
Harris laughed as he continued to walk. “Yeah, but that's physiological, not psycho. You need to get your logicals straightened out.”
“How about I club you on the head with my balled fist?”
“And how would that solve anything?”
Tawn opened the door to the supply house. “Would get rid of my frustration.”
Harris hesitated before walking through in front of her. “Yeah, I guess that would.”
Twenty minutes was taken for lunch before the group got down to business. Suggestions were made about heading to the Retreat or back to Domicile. An alternate was a trip back to Eden to spy.
After several hours of talk, Harris raised a hand. “Stir the pot with all we've talked about. Tawn and I will be gone for a bit. If you feel the need for a nap or to get out and walk, then do so.”
Harris looked down. “Farker? Want to follow us in?”
The robotic pet returned three farks.
Tawn sat at the table. The hologram image of Alexander Gaerten flashed into existence.
“Welcome, Tawn, Harris.”
A short discussion ensued, and the current situation was explained.
Harris said, “So we're looking for a way to reverse what's happened.”
The image replied, “Time cannot be turned back, Harris. We can only move forward.”
“I know that. What we're looking for is suggestions about how to move forward. How do we get the Earthers to leave?”
“Perhaps a compromise is in order? Divide the planet equally and allow each to govern their own half.”
Harris shook his head. “Won't work. We can't allow them access to the titanium. That's our whole issue. They get that resource and it leads to the restart of the Great War.”
“Perhaps a different compromise is in order? Domicile controls eight outer world colonies. New Earth controls six. The truce worlds comprise sixteen such planetary systems. Cede control of some of those truce worlds in an attempt to placate their expansionist desires. That action may not fully satisfy those desires, but it may buy you time to offer another solution.”
Harris frowned. “Problem with that scenario is we—that being Tawn and me—don't control those worlds. The politicians back on Domicile do, and we don't hold any sway with them. If anything, any idea coming from us would be a negative.”
Tawn reiterated, “The politicians back home don't care for us. They think our meddling is the cause of the tension out here, which I guess it is, but that's beside the point. We don't have anyone there we can approach.”
“You previously said Bannis Morgan has connections. Perhaps those could be made use of?”
“Maybe,” said Harris. “Although about now I think he may be toxic to his politician friends as well. Don't you have any suggestions where we could use technology to change the situation? Could the space around Eden be excluded from the boson field? Would be nice if it took them a couple hundred years to get their titanium back to New Earth.”
The image frowned. “The boson field is either on or off. We do not control where it permeates other than the distance from this facility. In order to deny boson access to Eden, it would also be denied to Domicile and new Earth.”
Tawn crossed her arms. “Too bad we can't just negate the field around an area. Not from here, but from a ship or a building there.”
The image was silent for several seconds. “That may be a possibility. When this facility was first constructed, it was found during the testing phase that certain wavelengths of gamma radiation directly interfered with the wormhole generator functionality. The tests proved only temporary and were shown to only have minimal effect once the full strength boson field was online and projecting.”
Harris asked, “You saying we may have a way to disrupt a wormhole generator?”
“It may be possible, yes. Tests will have to be performed that are beyond the capability of this facility.”
“Well, we're right here and willing to do whatever testing is needed. Just tell us what we need to do and we'll get it done.”
Tawn nodded. “Would be great to have an anti-boson generator that we could put on the Bangor. That might be just the thing needed to keep them from transporting titanium.”
Harris said, “Nice job, Tawn.”
Tawn nodded.
The image of Alexander Gaerten frowned. “You may want to temper your enthusiasm until at least the minimum of testing has been conducted. It's possible we may not be able to produce the quantity of radiation required to overcome the strong boson field.”
“Don't be so negative,” said Harris. “Just tell us what we need to do.”
A list of test instruments and devices appeared on the hologram display. “I'm transferring this list to each of your comms. The items requested are not available here on Midelon. You will have to seek them out on Domicile.”
Tawn replied, “We can leave right now if it helps. Will we require any special skills to assemble anything?”
“I believe you to be capable of following instructions.”
Harris turned toward the door with a wave. “Let's get on this. It’ll give us a chance to talk with Mr. Morgan. And we'll stop by Eden on the way to assess the situation.”
A short while later, the Bangor slowed as it approached the desert planet.
Tawn looked over the console. “Good, you're using the stealth mode.”
“I get the feeling we'll be using it a lot. Let's see... the dome looks intact and the Earther ships aren't firing on it anymore.”
Tawn said, “Hey, check this out. A zoomed-in image showed the burned-out hulls of two Earther warships. Those are new. The colonel must have opened up with the rail cannons.”
“You sure those weren't the ones we tangled with?”
Tawn shook her head as she moved the camera view. “We only took down one and it’s over here. Swarming with Earther crewmen. And...”
Tawn shifted the view to a handful of Earther ships sitting in orbit. “Check out this one. That's the hull damage we inflicted. Those two on the ground had to have gotten too close to the dome. Should we try to listen in on their comms?”
Harris turned the Bangor away. “We have to pick up the items the AI needs. Would love to know what the Earthers were planning, but whatever that is we can't do anything about it at the moment anyway.”
Gandy said, “If we could get their base frequency down to the colonel, maybe they could do the decoding on their own.”
Sharvie replied, “Doubt they have the processing power down there to do that. Whatever that dog has in it is much different than even this ship has.”
Harris added, “And Farker stays with us. Any decodes will just have to wait.”
The Bangor was soon settling on the paved lot outside the warehouse on Domicile, having come down to the surface while still in stealth mode. No attempts were made by the Domicile authorities to contact or identify the ship. A comm had Bannis Morgan on his way to meet them.
After entering the warehouse, Gandy circled the remaining Banshee. “They've hardly touched it. And nobody is here. It's too early in the day for everyone to have gone home already.”
Bannis walked through the door. “We had a visit from the DDI. They crawled all over it, arrested my mechanics, and shut us down. They were released the following day, but have asked not to have to come back.”
Harris held a finger up to his lips, gesturing toward Bannis' comm bracelet. Leaning down, he whispered into Farker's ear. Twenty seconds later the dog farked three times.
Harris said, “Looks like your comm is clear. I guess you've heard about Eden?”
“Only bits and pieces. I'm told our forces are washing their hands of the whole planet, turning it over to the Earthers to control. I heard your well blockers were discovered.”
Tawn nodded. “Can't believe our politicians are doing this. Not only will the Earthers be pulling ore from the Rumford Mine, but ours as well. And we know what that ore will be used for.”
“I'm told they gave their word it would not be used for warships. Unfortunately, our people accepted that premise without insisting on any sort of verification. I'm beginning to think the entire senate is made up of fools, my friends included.”
Harris frowned. “One of the reasons we came back was to see what you could do about the situation, given your political connections.”
Bannis shook his head. “They are all running scared at the moment. The pacifists now control all the key committees. I expect our next budget proposal to slash defense spending by half. It really is the perfect storm.”
Harris opened a comm channel. “We have a list of equipment and parts we need for an important project. Any way you could help us get those in an expedited fashion?”
“Depends. Can I pass it on to my people to fulfill or is this a private matter?”
“Don't think there's anything illegal on there, but you might split it up just so anyone snooping around won't have the complete list.”
Tawn added, “We found a mountain of bugs on the Bangor even though we thought we had swept it thoroughly. The DDI as well as the Earther spies have been following everything we've been doing. Three of the tracking bugs we found were Earther.”
Harris walked toward the personal shuttle the industry magnate had come in on.
Tawn asked, “Where you going?”
Harris replied, “Gonna have Farker check his ship for bugs. Mr. Morgan, can we scan your ship's systems?”
Bannis nodded. “Please do.”
Fifteen minutes later, Harris stood beside the shuttlecraft. An even dozen, including an Earther device had been found. I'd say you are a popular guy in the intel circles.”
Bannis glanced down at the dog. “Would love to borrow your friend for a week.”
Harris shook his head. “He stays with me. Can I ask how long you think it will take to get the equipment and parts on that list?”
“One, maybe two days?”
Harris said, “Then you have me and Farker for one or two days. We can search wherever you'd like.”
“I'd like to begin with my home and then move to my office. The majority of my time is spent at those two places or on this ship. And I'd like to bring my security team along. Will give them a better idea of what to look for in the future.”
Harris returned a half frown. “Might be your own team that's placing them. The arms of the DDI are long. Just know they will be listening with any chance they get. Shall we go?”
Bannis hesitated. “I don't believe our efforts will be worthwhile. If we remove the devices, they will make every effort to install new ones. I would think a better strategy would be to use what's already there to drive the information we want them to have.”
“Plant intel?”
“Precisely.”
Harris rubbed the back of his neck. “Not sure what we could tell them. And I have to wonder what good it would do anyway. They have to have known about everything we were doing on Eden. I don't see where they made any effort to stop that assault.”
Bannis held up a finger. “It does make their motives suspect, but it could also be an inability to act against such a large force without the backing of the government. Small ops they could manage. Something that size... doubtful.”
Tawn placed her hands on her hips. “So we can't rely on the DDI to defend us. And we can't rely on our own government. I'd say we're gonna be doing this ourselves.”
Harris nodded. “Which is why it's important for us to get that equipment we came for. Any way to expedite that effort?”
Bannis stepped aside, opening a comm. His conversation was short. He lowered his arm as he walked back into the group. “The list is away to my most trusted. She'll divide it up and see to it that it's done as soon as possible.”
Gandy asked, “Any chance of us getting that last Banshee operational?”
Harris glanced back at the warehouse. “Take Trish and see what you can do. If you need muscle, I'm sure these three would be happy to assist.”
Gandy, Trish, and the three Biomarine pilots headed for the warehouse.
Harris pointed toward the Bangor. “Let's go sit in a bug-free environment for a while and chat. You can tell us about your struggles with the DoD budget. Are they seriously cutting it in half?”
Bannis nodded as they walked. “At the moment they are two votes shy of getting that passed. Heavy pressure, as well as generous incentives are being applied. They are basing our needs on our ability to defend against the Earthers with their current resources. With those cuts, it will put us about even with where they are.”
Tawn scowled. “Idiots. Don't they realize the Earthers would still be fighting us right now if all things were even? They only stopped because they were losing.”
Bannis replied, “Also troubling is the number of New Earth diplomats and business persons we now have on this planet. The NE intelligence corps knows our exact status. We have our own spies there, but they are closely watched and any information is difficult and risky to come by. Here... we're an open book.”