Righteous Reign II - Righteous Rule Read online

  Righteous Reign II

  Righteous Rule

  By

  T. J. MacDonald

  ©Copyright 2016 Thomas J. MacDonald

  All rights reserved.

  Righteous Reign and Righteous Reign II - Righteous Rule are registered for copyright, in Canada, under the terms of the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention.

  To Tanis, Tyler, Treff, Travis and our grandchildren.

  Table of Contents

  Forward

  Part One

  Chapter 1 The Plan

  Chapter 2 The First Close Encounter

  Chapter 3 The End of the Beginning

  Chapter 4 - Looking Devils in the Eye(s)

  Chapter 5 Flogging a Scheme

  Chapter 6 All Aboard!!

  Chapter 7 Business as Usual

  Chapter 8 The Battle of Lambda Bootes

  Chapter 9 The Battle of Nu Draconis

  Chapter 10 Getting All Our Ducks in a Row

  Chapter 11 The Maestro

  Chapter 12 Tending All the Little Details

  Chapter 13 The Battle of T5-15-45 AOP

  Part Two

  Chapter 14 Spilling the Beans

  Chapter 15 Dotting the I's

  Chapter 16 Crossing the T's

  Chapter 17 All Systems Are Go!

  Chapter 18 And the Beat Goes On

  Chapter 19 Coming Attractions

  Chapter 20 These Eyes

  Chapter 21 Compartments

  Chapter 22 IGB BP 15-58-98 -3-06

  Chapter 23 Termination

  End

  Episode 2 - Forward

  Out of nearly half a trillion citizens in the Orion Federation, I am the one in the best position to access any information; no matter how secret or sensitive. As its Inspector General, I am privy to all manner of minutia. That makes me the best person to tell this story.

  This is the second episode in the George Bryant saga. He is undoubtedly the greatest man to live in my lifetime.

  George's story is one of leadership. Though a man of deep feelings, strong convictions, and impeccable ethics, he is also a tactical genius capable of leading wars waged on massive scales. He'll do anything to defend the people and institutions he cares about.

  As this episode opens, Admiral Bryant is facing the most insidious enemy seen by the Federation, yet. As he looks for a way to break the stalemate that has turned the conflict into a war of attrition, he must also resolve a deadly threat to the fledgling democracy.

  Many other peoples' stories wind their way through George Bryant's, including my own - we are all connected. In one way or another, we all owe George for the success we have achieved on his coattails. But, ours is also a tale of great hardship and sadness.

  Admiral Kurt Brubacher Inspector General

  Part One

  Chapter 1 The Plan

  Friday, August 2, 2261

  "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you." - Leon Trotsky

  "Action Stations - Action Stations!" The Loki Captain's voice calls out calmly over the ship's hundreds of loudspeakers, to the accompaniment of nerve-rattling claxons, augmented by red strobes flashing throughout the corridors and major spaces of the massive Carrier Class Vessel. The atmosphere immediately changes from calm and dispassionate to what seems like mayhem; as, nearly nine-hundred on-duty personnel drop - whatever, to scramble to their assigned battle positions.

  Just, three minutes earlier, Captain Sareat Altafir had reported the abrupt move of the "Inscrutables" to his Group Commander Commodore David Simmons. The account went all the way up the chain to Vice Admiral Elasima, Commander of Phoenix Fleet, and orders ricocheted back, in very short order.

  Usually parked just eight thousand kilometers from the border, quite near their antagonists' projected touchdown, the entire Four-Group-Fleet was now rapidly accelerating toward the boundary to meet the enigmatic foe head on; and, repel any possible territorial incursion. All the while, each of the four Carriers was launching four Raptor class fighters, from their forward launch tubes, every seven seconds. Their twenty massive warships, four invisible "sub" class vessels and three hundred of their fighter craft would stand against the fifty-five enemy ships that had initiated the sudden leap to the line, separating the Federation from CauDo space.

  The "Inscrutables" parked a massive contingent of warships, two light-years outside the Federation frontier, in CauDo space, over two years ago. There are somewhere close to two thousand craft in their armada; which stretches one hundred ten light-years along Orion Federation territorial limits. Phoenix is just one of many Fleets in Admiral Bryant's Fifth Mobile Rapid Action Command that are searching for a way to vanquish this threat; without offending the CauDo; who are great trading partners and neighbors.

  "Stand down from action stations. Recall all fighters. Return all weapons to standby." Altafir's voice peels out; as the flashing red stops - throughout the entire vessel.

  It was another "head fake." Their opponent stopped short; then, jumped back to their original position.

  "They were testing our response time." Vice Admiral Elasima says to his Chief of Staff.

  …………………………………………………………………………..

  Admiral Tom Stevens cantilevers over the desktop peering down on the map image displayed on his personal datapad, laying in the middle of the surface. He straightens and taps the three-dimensional icon, and a holographical image is projected into the space over the desk with all objects located correctly. Tom circles the desk; intently peering into the projection; seeking any infinitesimal change that may have occurred over the past ten hours; since, his last check. Nearly, three years of constant little redeployments, interrupted by malicious attacks, have reinforced the need to analyze this enigmatic enemy very prudently.

  The desk rests near his credenza, office chair, and two attendant seats at the end of his expansive office on the port side of the sprawling Flag Bridge of the FSS Midgard; an enormous supercarrier class vessel employed as his mobile command station. More than ten meters away, at the other end of the room, three couches, two chairs, two end tables and a coffee table are nested to establish a conversation pit; where, up to thirteen can participate in meetings, debriefings, and general discourse. An extensive, fully stocked bar, graces the port wall below the two large viewing windows between the two defined spaces. Ceiling lights and sconces illuminate areas of the room; which is tastefully decorated with the addition of corner tables, lamps, paintings and tapestries.

  Tom's workspace is out of the way of critical control areas in this chaotic chamber. Eighteen operational stations, echoing those on the navigation bridge, ring the extensive control area. In the center of the semi-circular space, two ergonomic seats sit in the middle of the "Executive Station"; though, they are seldom used. More often than not, Flag Level Commands are operated from the superior's office. In all, the Asgard houses over nine thousand personnel; including the seventeen hundred staff that run all of the Command's operational departments. Though it varies, from ship to ship, there are an additional six hundred eighty-nine civilian spouses, children, and contractors aboard the mighty vessel, too.

  Now approaching sixty years of age, Stevens' lanky, athletic physique still casts an impressive shadow on a wall. And, just as inspiring is the way he leads the half million people deployed throughout the twelve fleets he commands. His system enunciator sounds off. It’s a TAM from his boss, Admiral Bryant.

  It hadn’t been that long ago; when, Admiral Stevens' smoldering career had convinced him; he would retire from the OFSA as a Group Commander; holding the rank of Commodore. But, his progress had been revived
; when, George Bryant was assigned to command Boots Fleet, back in 2248. George had enough prescience to see that; though Tom’s career had stalled because of the waning needs of the organization, he still possessed all of the same skills, talents, and dynamism that propelled him to Flag ranks so quickly, earlier. But now, his résumé offers a lot of experience, too. A skirmish, two wars, and a very widespread insurrection had forced the service to swell to something close to twice its size when Bryant assumed command of Boots Fleet. Much of the expansion had been planned and executed by George, himself; and, in each iteration, he always found new, more challenging, roles for Tom. Now a full Admiral, Stevens was one of seventeen people controlling divisions of the gargantuan service.

  Fleet Admiral Bryant is now one of eight, at the very top, who guide policy, strategy, and growth of the more than four million engaged in the service of the OFSA. He is one-third of the triumvirate that controls the entire organization; and, commands Mobile Fifth RAC comprised of three Theatre Commands like Admiral Stevens'. Tom runs Theatre Nine, Admiral Palakiko has Theatre Ten and Admiral J. Coquinas commands Twelve.

  Though called Theatre Commands, these three organizations are tactically analogous to Quadrant Commands, according to the definition of them in the OFSA R&R. Each manages twelve fleets of twenty warships from the very large, super-carrier classed, mobile stations; along with twelve autonomous frigates, a slew of supply vessels and a hospital ship. A carrier, cruiser, two frigates and a “sub” combine as one of four Tactical Groups that make up each Fleet, commanded by a Vice Admiral. Two of these Groups are managed by a Task Force Command and the two Task Forces answer to the Fleet Commander. Two supply vessels are attached to each Task Force. Each of these Task Forces is run by a Rear Admiral. So, though they are smaller than the typical Quadrants, these Commands are much grander than the standard Theatre Command. Most Theatres are responsible for eight of these Fleets; but, he, Coquinas and Palakiko administer twelve each. And, they each control their twelve autonomous Frigates; a feature not endowed on the other commands. Fifth is the largest Quadrant level organization of all - by far.

  Quadrant Commands have been around since the earliest days of the service. When they were initiated, there were only four; and, each was responsible for one-fourth of the space in what was an Empire, at that time. Hence the "Quadrant Command" nomenclature. Each Quadrant Command has two Theatres of Operation - one north of the zero-degree ecliptic and one south of it; and controls a region of space spanning six hours by one hundred eighty degrees out to the one hundred light-years Orion Federation Border. Quadrant Commands are located on Rigil in the Kentaurus system. It was named to honor the ancient Arabic name; given the system ten centuries ago. A standard eight-fleet Theatre Command is manned by around three hundred twenty-two thousand, including staff; give or take for individual needs. Theatres Nine, Ten and Twelve brush the half million personnel mark each. So, at over one and a half million, Mobile Fifth RAC is more than twice the size of the other six hundred fifty-thousand-member quadrant level commands.

  Quadrants and their subordinate commands patrol fixed regions. Mobile Fifth RAC is a rapid action force that can be deployed to any area of the Federation quickly, from wherever it is located. It is possible to place seven-hundred-twenty substantial warships brandishing all their weaponry and nearly fifteen thousand fighter craft into a hotspot, anywhere in over four million cubic light-years of Federation space, in three weeks or less. A regional Theatre Command needs only to provide a holding action until Mobile Fifth RAC arrives. Thus, any significant threat can be addressed without compromising defense or patrol of the rest of Federation Space.

  “I’m sure glad we got new orders.’ Stevens mumbles to the empty room. ‘These past three years have been bullshit. I’m sick of playing those sick bastards’ games.” He finished as he looked up and out the viewport toward the enemy encampment, too distant to actually see.

  George is returning from a planning meeting at headquarters on the planet Rigil. He is still several days away; but, has sent orders via the Casimir Laser Communications System. CLCS can get a message back to Fifth five time faster than it would take him to traverse the distance, himself, in FTL flight mode.

  CLCS is a communications system theorized by George himself during the war, with the Spiel, in 2249. With a lot of engineering and scientific help, he was able to prove that lasers could be used to carry data signals inside a wormhole. It gave him a substantial advantage in that war; and, has since served us well by shortening communications times dramatically.

  Anyway, Tom sits and begins composing TAMs to his Fleets; incorporating specific orders to the “Subs.” The other two Theatre Commanders would be doing exactly the same thing; he thinks to himself. George wants the “subs” all grouped together and away from their parent Fleets; but, still under cloak. He could write the orders directly to the covert vessels’ captains; but, proper protocol dictates their orders come from their immediate commanders. So, he writes them to the Fleet Commands who will pass them to their Task Force Commanders; and then, on down through the system, to the cloaked vessels.

  There are several categories of official communications in the OFSA. Tactical Action Messages are orders that direct the redeployment and offensive or defensive operation of a tactical field command incorporating multi-layered sub-commands. A Command Action Order is used to instruct another, or others, to complete some action that is not, for the moment, tactical in nature. These are directed to the leader of multifaceted subordinate authorities, too. Both of these can be general, or specific, in nature and are always registered documents with traceable identity numbers. It is rare to see a TAM or CAO that is not classified and encrypted. Then, there are the Command Action Messages. These are sort of like an order to assist; or, an operational instruction; when, the originator is unsure of the objectives of the task. CAMs are often classified and sometimes encrypted. Memos come in a variety of hues. Some are simple communications to make a point or request information. Others may be designated with a security classification, and even encrypted, to discuss the reasoning to a tactical situation. Still, others may be to offer or announce a promotion, change in policy, an event, or report on a result. A memo may contain a revision to an order; or, information that changes the execution of one; whether tactical, policy or a matter of procedure. Finally, an order can be conveyed verbally. A verbal order carries the same weight as one written in a document. Verbal orders require both the administrator and receiver to record them in their departmental logs. There are relatively grave consequences for failing to properly record an oral directive. However, received, a lawful order is to be obeyed by subordinates.

  A lawful order is defined in the Rules of Conduct within the OFSA Rules and Regulations as:

  "Any order issued by a senior to a subordinate or subordinates that;

  Does not require the subordinate(s) to disobey the laws, statutes, and constitution of the Orion Empire.

  Does not require the subordinate to disobey any chapter, section or sub-section of the OFSA Rules and Regulations.

  Does not require the subordinate to enter into any criminal action or venture.

  Does not necessitate the subordinate breach acceptable standards of moral or ethical conduct, as defined in the OFSA Rules and Regulations.

  Does not belittle the recipient or ask the subordinate to disparage others.

  Does not require the subordinate to breach the terms of any international or interstellar treaty agreed to, or enforced by the Orion Federation.

  The service member may agree to comply with an order not conforming to the above; if, that person deems it personally acceptable for the purpose of achieving the general welfare of the Orion Federation; in whole or in part."

  TAMs changed dramatically after the attempted coup, a few years ago. They had originally been designed as communiqués that could be verified by tracing their registration numbers back to their authors. But, the revolution had brought a perilous weakness to light. Even
though it is extremely hard to tap into ship-to-ship communications, it can be done; and, is even easier for those familiar with the protocols used. So now, each commander senior enough to order tactical operations issues a series of authentication codes to his subordinates; and encrypts the messages employing a decryption code distinctive to the recipient, only. So only the receiving party can open the message with the unique decryption code obtained from his system on request with iris verification; and, confirms its authenticity by matching its authentication code to the date sensitive one generated by his personal system. This ensures that only the intended party can open it; and, they can be sure the order is legitimate. So when Admiral Stevens writes a TAM directed at a particular subordinate, he encodes it with an authentication number and encrypts it with a key that only the recipient can acquire. The system management program for this application is so well developed that; he can write a general TAM to all his commands and the system will encode each copy it sends correctly; though, his outgoing mail will show one with a single mutual authentication code root.

  Tactical Action Message #FM62-1125

  CLASSIFIED - SECRET (NTK)

  ENCRYPTED

  AUTHENTICATE ROOT I.D. FMT9116225VIM

  From:Admiral Thomas Stevens Fifth Mobile RAC Theatre Nine Commander

  To:All Theatre Nine Fleet Commanders

  C.C.Admiral George Bryant Fifth Mobile RAC Commander

  Date:August 2, 2261

  Admirals,

  You are ordered and required to execute all of the following,

  All Fleet Commands are directed to detach all existing covert vessels from their Group / Task Force / Fleet Commands; and, send them to RA 15h, 46m, 4.92995s Dec. +52º, 52', 2.0267"; at 98.9 Ly (position is relative to Sol system).

  Vice Admiral Elasima Commander Phoenix Fleet shall temporarily assign Commodore David Simmons to the FSS Nautilus to Command this distinctive Task Force.