Tuesday, 20th October 2o2o
LAW OF MATHEMATICS
"Director Ifill?"
"Yes, I'm here, Mr. Tyson. Got any good news for me?"
"Indeed, I do Ma'am! Thanks to our escort, Lasercom Satellite 1 is finally back in orbit! Had to modify its external design, make a few technical changes here and there but... as far as I know, we're ready for transmission to New Earth."
"All systems normal, Ms. Ifill. Consider this the longest long distance phone call anyone has ever made!"
On the orbital ascent...
"NAV Alpha reached, over." reported Ghifferson.
"On the orbital descent, proceed to NAV Beta."
Ghifferson's voice cybernetically clicked on and off in response, "Roger that. Proceed to NAV Beta, aye."
On the planet's surface, multiple Pan-Asian Cooperative military ships surround Deepcastle's offshore location from all directions keeping Admiral Hughes' headquarters and docked sea vessels contained.
USS Judy Chu... --- Arriving!
USS Grace Meng... --- Arriving!
Carrier has arrived! USS Tsai Ingwen... --- Arriving!
USS Eugene Trinh... --- Arriving!
USS Taylor Wang... --- Arriving!
USS Carissa Yip... --- Arriving!
***** Incoming Transmission *****
"Outstanding! All we are required to do is distract the dotard while Gifts coordinates her strike team." instructed Daoming Sochua.
"Remember, the goal is to protect Lasercom Satellite 1 and the orbital plane. Make certain nothing from NSA launches in their direction." said Sochua before closing her Communiques transmission.
All units in response, "Aye."
The USS Carissa Yip received the order to fire the first shot from its starboard bow.
"Give 'em one." ordered Captain Yaping.
The volley struck the fortified walls of Deepcastle's stronghold.
"Give 'em another." repeated the Captain.
Other Pan-Asian Cooperative ships join in unison; firing slug after slug of tungsten SABR rounds.
Admiral Hughes' substandard forces proved no match against Pan-Asian Cooperative's devastating shore bombardment razing every single building, fortified wall, defensive gun turrets, including NSA's deadly orbital cannon leaving plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.
Beat of the war drum grew louder and louder; USS Tsai Ingwen's Alpha Strike penetrated deep into NSA's Defense Perimeter as wave after wave of Tacjets swarm the compound.
Thanks to Daoming Sochua's military forces clearing the way April Ghifferson's orbital plane lands safely 5 miles north of Deepcastle's frosty enclave.
'It's a good thing they found our Colony Lander first.' thought and prayed Ghifferson.
'None of this would be possible'
A chill fog billowing from April Ghifferson's helm exhaust port was a constant reminder how accurate General F. Douglass' mission briefing covering the frigid temperatures of North Sea Alliance's facilities compared to the warmer and comfortable Legal Defense Fund and Pan-Asian Cooperative settlements along the central hemisphere of AN-2020.
Would not be difficult for Ghifferson to set loose trained Xeno swarms while NSA remains in lockdown; an alien infestation that will surely cause all NSA crew members to evacuate their combat stations.
This intriguing revelation made infiltration that much easier once she made her way further into North Sea Alliance territory.
What many don't realize about Suzanne Fielding's take no prisoners approach to corporate growth is that it is the result of numerous failures and years of hardship.
These setbacks, however, only strengthened her resolve.
"We have Duncan Hughes on Communiques, Director."
"DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM?" demanded Duncan Hughes.
"General Douglass commands a peacekeeping force. Consider this a pre-emptive strike, Mr. Hughes." said Ifill.
"A pre-emptive strike?! Are you witches outta ya minds? My entire city is in flames!" he yelled.
"You should count your blessings, Admiral." warned Ifill.
He looked at me puzzled as if to express why.
"Huh?"
"The only reason you're still alive today is because of me. Suzanne Fielding is far less forgiving than I am... and I outrank her in authority. I intend to arrest and detain you for trial back at New Earth. Isn't that right, Ms. Johnson?"
Kristen Johnson spoke up, “Indeed. An effective and fairly functioning jury is critical to our democracy. Our courts have maintained the integrity of our juries and thereby our democracy. Mr. Hughes can expect a fair trial.”
The look of disappointment on Duncan Hughes's face indicated that he had nothing more to say except:
***** End Transmission *****
April Ghifferson crept silently through the crumbling empty corridors inside Deepcastle.
She can hear the chitter-chattering sound of the Xeno swarm growing louder and louder all around her.
'Little buggers work fast!' she thought to herself walking a bit quicker; deeper and deeper into the complex until reaching her final destination: Duncan Hughes' Command Center.
There he sat in his command seat; waiting.
His overall mood; seething.
"I was expecting a real fight... and LDF sends ...some chick." sneered Duncan Hughes as he stood up from his chair.
He loosened the velcro attachment on his right hip blaster holster.
Drawing his weapon; fired his blaster aiming for her center mass.
KATOW!
--- missing his target. Ghifferson's evasive speed was but a blur.
Hughes, an expert sharpshooter, was fast but not fast enough.
KATOW!!!
He fired again and again, missing the fast blur.
KATOW!!!
KATOW!!!
KATOW!!!
Ghifferson ducked under the nearest engineering console platform for cover.
"Listen Hughes, we don't have long before this place becomes completely infested. If we don't get outta here, we'll be eaten alive!"
She carefully plucked a hidden device from her utility pocket, throwing the projectile directly into Hughes' direction.
The device in actuality, a scarab, attached itself to his right hand in mid-flight!
The creature's bio-electrical sting forced Hughes' grip to go limp, dropping the weapon.
Into the ventilation system crawled the scarab to join the other alien bugs chewing electronic equipment.
Ignoring his excruciating pain, raised both arms in a boxing stance, "C'mon!"
Accepting his challenge, Ghifferson rose from her hiding place; held a similar fighting stance.
Without hesitation, Ghifferson charged Duncan Hughes directly; the melee ensued as both fighters traded blow for blow in a contest of raw strength and endurance.
Unfortunately, Hughes began to tire from his injuries.
His massive weight bogging down his reflexes; weakened right hand a useless stump.
Ghifferson can clearly see her opponent showing fatigue; for the time being, he is like a veritable punching bag to her.
Then came the flurry of kicks.
Her right boot struck Hughes' left side of his torso; she kicked him again, this time striking the left side of his buttocks.
Dazed but not quite out of the fight, Hughes manage to trip Ghifferson with a fierce lower kick causing her to fall abruptly on her chest; Hughes hoovered over her limp body, placing his left boot directly onto the back of her head attempting to crush her neck.
"GET THE HELL OFF MY NECK!!!" yelled Ghifferson.
She reached behind herself with both hands, grappled his boot; flipped him onto his back.
Hughes landed on his hindpart with a loud
THUD!
Ghifferson quickly regained her footing and rushed towards him, grabbed him tightly by his neck with her right hand lifting all 380 pounds of Hughes' body weight; her left fist clenched.
"U-URK!" squeeked Hughes gasping for oxygen, eyes wide open, frantically using both hands to release her grip but it was of no use; her super-human strength was simply too great.
"I... I... can't... breathe..." wheezed Hughes, eyes bulging.
Ghifferson held onto him for four minutes and twenty-one half seconds.
Hughes let out a guttural groan before drifting into unconsciousness; she released her vise-like grip, dropping him onto the deck.
"Yeah... I know." she said looking down at him breathing very heavily.
'Almost forgot something.' thought Ghifferson looking around the crumbling Command Center.
Aside from the loud, chewing sounds of the Xeno swarm; she listened carefully; enhanced bionic hearing that can detect the faint pulse of an energy beacon emanating behind the bulkhead she stood next to.
Daoming Sochua Communiques chimed in, "Look closely. A gift from me to you."
To Ghifferson's surprise, an infrared mode remotely activated her point-of-view; objects from her perspective glowed in florescent wireframe and bright hues.
Apparently, an additional bionic implant no one informed her about during surgery.
'Wait... I see it!'
She thrust her right hand; breaking through the hollow area where inside a transparent fiberglass container held the coveted Black Box.
Gripping the transparent casing she pulled with one great motion spilling debris onto the deck.
"Got it!" Ghifferson loudly proclaimed triumphed.
"This just in. A war averted that could have turned into one of the bloodiest in the history of AN-2020 all ended with the arrest of Rear Admiral Duncan Hughes, the despot leader of North Sea Alliance."
"According to some sources the conflict between North Sea Alliance and Legal Defense Force is believed to have something to do with a mysteriously half-submerged Colony Lander launched from New Earth years before our arrival. Thanks to the first response teams deployed by Pan-Asian Cooperative, there were no civilian casualties."
"In other news, the excited people of Tiangong celebrate democracy as they make special preparations for the inauguration of AN-2020's first elected Planetary Governor, Daoming Sochua scheduled by the end of the fiscal year."
"This is Weijia Jiang, live at Tiangong, PAC-TV."
Meanwhile back at Liberia...
"Well done." congratulated Director Ifill expressing a sigh of relief. "Although..."
"Sherrilyn... you may not agree with my methods but Gifts got the job done, correct?" said Fielding with a smirk; her right hand display of two crossed fingers.
"What about the Black Box? ...and Firaxite? Now that we understand how valuable Firaxite is we should patent this discovery. Each new mineral on this planet represents an opportunity for uncontested ownership of said resource." she said, her crossed fingers gesture transitioning into rubbing her thumb and forefingers to signify capital.
Lots and lots of capital.
"I have a better idea. After we uncover its true secrets, I’m saving the
Sporadic Listener for the time capsule." Director Ifill said placing the mysterious item inside her armored briefcase, closing it shut. "Come walk with me to Orbital Command Center. I want to show you something."