The New Threat 3 (Patreon)

Chapter 3

Subject: Captain Reynolds

Species: Human

Description: Mammalian humanoid, no tail. 6'2" (1.87 m) avg height. 185 lbs (84 kg) avg weight. 170 year life expectancy.

Ship: USSS Thanatos

Location: Alpha Centauri

"I don't like it," Captain Wong grumbled. "Omega's cloak and dagger routine, I mean."

"Yes, I am aware of your distaste for behind the scenes dealings," I replied. "However, Omega is on our side and we should treat it as such. Benefit of the doubt and whatnot."

Though I must admit, I am rather annoyed at the postponement of my meeting with the newly christened Diplomat Uleena. In the three months that he has been away much has happened. Most of it is being kept from the public, but I'm certain that Uleena knows better than to blab. Perhaps I should remind him, though.

"I bet it has something to do with the directorate," Captain Samuels ventured.

"Likely," I said. "Although it's best not to speculate. If you become too good at speculation you will come under investigation, which will lead to frustration and potentially incarceration."

The other captains groaned at my rhyme, to my utter delight. Wordplay is my forte, I must say. Still, Samuels was likely correct in the assumption that the directorate was involved. There was a lot of back and forth in most political circles regarding whether or not the Republic was trustworthy, and there's quite the slim chance that all thirteen directors are in agreement on the issue. True, they could force the vote and call it wherever it lay, though it would be smarter to make an informed decision.

"And if you keep rhyming you'll experience defenestration," Captain Kennedy said without even a trace of a smile.

"Quite so," I replied with a grin.

"Captain Reynolds," Tim's voice came over the speakers. "Omega's done with Ship-Head Uleena. Did you want to meet in your office?"

"Yes, please," I answered. "If he beats me there, have him wait for me at the door."

"Yes, sir."

"Captains," I said as I rose from my seat.

The captains of the various frigates docked with the Thanatos nodded at my farewell. I laughed internally at their sour moods. We aren't exactly chums, in fact our relationship is somewhat complicated by the fact that I am their superior officer. Even further complicating things is the fact that my superiority is granted by billet rather than rank. Insubordination is a kind of grey area in these circumstances.

For instance, if one of these Captains were to ignore a direct order I could have them for insubordination. If all they did was, say, threaten to throw me out of a window, that's not technically insubordination. If they did actually through me through a window, though, that would be conduct unbecoming as well as assault and I could have them for that instead. Although, we're in space so it'd probably be murder...

"Hello, Captain Reynolds," Uleena greeted me as I approached, looking a tad shell-shocked.

"Greetings, Ship-Head Uleena. Let's go into my office, we've a lot to talk about," I returned his greeting with a friendly demeanor.

We entered my office and I walked past Uleena to my seat, gesturing for him to sit down as well. Once he did, I pulled up a holographic terminal built into my desk and opened a few folders so that I could have my visual aids. His eyes widened at the number of files in the folders.

"A lot to talk about, indeed," I said. "Let's start by catching you up on US-Republic relations. As you know, we've been sending aid to Republic space to help against the Omni-Union. Our forces haven't been mingling, though. The US forces have formed a Quick Response Force, or QRF, and have been responding to Republic assistance requests as they come in."

I pulled up some images of the region of space, the ships involved, snapshots of the communiques the Republic had been sending to the QRF, and some of the battle aftermath to illustrate my point.

"How many ships, total?" Uleena asked.

"Five battleships, three carriers, and one hundred destroyers excluding those in the carriers. It's what we could spare from various fleets," I answered. "We've also moved a diplomatic envoy onto the Galactic Diplomacy Station in Rigara, but you already knew that as well, I'm sure."

"Yes, I was in class while the welcoming party was going on," Uleena replied dejectedly.

"Quite so, quite so. Such is life, as they say," I said as I moved on to the next topic. "Now these are things that you damned well shouldn't know, and by that I mean they are classified and not open to public discussion with either the United Systems or the Republic citizenry or uncleared military personnel, understood?"

He nodded and I opened another slideshow of images.

"Our scouts have been very busy. Our goal is to map out the entirety of OU held territory and get an accurate ship-count. The good news is we're likely close to finishing that up. The bad news is that it's looking quite grim."

"I'd heard that our ship counts were underestimates," Uleena ventured. "How bad is it?"

"Six hundred million confirmed thus far. Still, with them giving us some breathing room in Sol we hope to be able to boost our fleet strength to match them. Combined with the Republic's fleet, of course. The brass still isn't entirely certain how to handle something of this scale, though. Some say that we should find a way to negotiate a peace, others are convinced that we'll have to exterminate them," I explained.

"It will likely be the latter," Omega interjected, his avatar appearing between us on my desk. "Apologies for the interruption, Captain, but we need to get moving. If you'd kindly give the order?"

"Moving where?" Uleena asked.

"Consider the order given," I said to Omega. "That's another thing we need to talk about, Uleena. We've so far found eight other species who are currently at odds with the OU. We don't yet have the ability to safeguard all of them, but there's two that are good candidates. They're putting up quite the fight. One near US space, and another near Republic space."

"That's amazing," Uleena replied with widened eyes. "Is that where we're going?"

"Correct. We're going to introduce ourselves and offer aid to the one nearest the US. You'll be the Republic's representative on this mission. The Republic is doing the same for the one near their space, with..." I paused, looking up a name. "Mister Havencroft as our representative."

"Mister?" Uleena asked.

"Yes. He's not military," I said with a smile. "Bog standard diplomat, just like your sister."

"Ah, right. I forget that you have those," Uleena said without a trace of humor.

"Forget? I'm pretty sure you've never met one," I joked.

The reptilian ship commander opened his mouth as if to say something, and then closed it again.

"There's also the matter of the MPPs," I continued in a more serious tone. "We have developed a system for spotting Mobile Prime Platforms, which sorts potential MPPs into one of four categories. Confirmed, suspected, potential, and unlikely. Unfortunately, we can't confirm any of them without getting within sensor range of the OU, and since we haven't yet developed a weapon to destroy the MPPs that would be a terrible idea. However, we've managed to map out 34 suspected and 15 potentials."

"That's... That's a lot of them. How did they manage to make so many?" Uleena asked.

"Unfortunately, it's less than half of what we believe they have. How they've made so many, I'm afraid I don't know, and it's likely irrelevant," I pointed out. "However they managed it, we must put a stop to it. Which is why we'll be trying to partner with these newly discovered species."

"Are any of them... strong enough to actually help?"

"It's unlikely that they have an equivalent military might when compared to either the Republic or the United Systems, but they've held out against the Omni-Union for this long. That has to count for something," I said with a slight smile. "The main thing we'll be wanting to find out is if they've simply figured out the OU's tactics or if they have an actual technological edge we can exploit. Also, it may seem pointless at this stage of the war, but we do have to think about what comes after."

"After?" Uleena looked genuinely puzzled. "You mean if we beat the OU?"

"Not if, ship-head," I pointed a finger at him for emphasis. "When. The Omni-Union will not survive this war, one way or another."

Uleena's face was a mixture of emotion. A bit of shock and awe combined with a confused expression that begged for elaboration. After a few seconds of silence it occurred to me that he might not know my meaning.

"The United Systems is exploring last resort measures to make sure that if the Omni-Union takes us out, they go down with us. While preserving as much of the galaxy as we can in the process, of course," I explained.

"Well that's... I... Okay, I understand," Uleena's face betrayed concern. "I'm guessing that's a human-led initiative?"

"No, the gont, actually," I grinned. "We do fully support it, however."

"What's this last resort going to look like?" he asked.

"I have no idea," I explained. "As far as I'm aware it's still being brainstormed. The United Systems is confident in a total victory but we're smart enough to have contingency plans in place. Just in case, you understand."

"Yes, I understand," Uleena nodded. "So will the US be seeking integration with whoever we're about to visit?"

"We will offer it, but won't push the matter if they decline. We'd rather not have the situation with the gont become a precedent for our future interactions with potential new members."

Uleena visibly winced at this, which nearly made me smile. The gont insurrections have long been a source of dark humor in the military of the United Systems, but from the outside looking in, I can see why the situation would be horrifying. Which is also what made it as funny as it is.

"Don't be so serious, Uleena," Tim interjected. "What's the difference between a gont insurrection and your birthday, Captain Reynolds?"

"I don't know," I lied. "What's the difference, Tim?"

"Your birthday only happens once a year."

Uleena looked at me with a horrified expression as I disguised a chuckle with a cough. It took everything I had not to laugh at his reaction, though. A few seconds of silence passed as I collected myself.

"What, you don't get it?" Tim asked. "The implication is that gont insurrections happen multiple times per year, which while factually inaccurate is..."

"That's enough Tim," I interrupted. "I assume you had something to report?"

"Yes, sir. We've arrived at our destination and are preparing to make long-range contact. Protocol says that you've got to be on the bridge before we can, though."

"Understood, we'll be there in a moment," I replied. "Well, Uleena, let's meet our new friends, shall we?"