Part 4 - Threat From Below
Grand Marshal Sidney Beauclair
The Commonwealth's High Command chambers overlooked the Command Centre, where dozens of operatives sent out orders and received data from all of the Grand Marshal's subordinates.
Sidney Beauclair peered out of the ballistic glass that separated the two rooms, admiring her operative's intensity and dedication. Behind her sat the High Command team at a large rectangular table.
Admiral Jennifer Daniels; General Hui Xu; Chief Scientists Sergio Marino of Physics, Kimberly Stark of Bioscience, Mareka Oylinola of Engineering; and Unity's Governor Kimikoa Ishikawa all patiently awaited the Grand Marshal.
"Are we ready to begin?" asked Sidney, turning to the group behind her.
"Yes, Grand Marshal."
"Very well." Sidney took her place at the head of the table, and activated the viewing hologram situated in the center of the team.
"Let us start with your latest innovations, Chief Scientists. Show me what the Institute has achieved in the past few years." Sidney leant back and clasped her hands together expectantly.
"Grand Marshal," Sergio Marino began, "I am very happy to report that the Physics Division has made an improvement to our ship-borne laser weaponry. Observe."
Sergio pressed a button on the table, and graphs off data comparing the old red lasers to the blue lasers appeared in the hologram.
"As you can see, these new blue lasers are even more powerful that the old red lasers. I would expect them to make short work of any enemy ships."
"Very good," said the Grand Marshal, "confer with Admiral Daniels to see our fleet refitted with these new weapons."
"Of course, Grand Marshal." Sergio sat down.
"Mareka?"
"Grand Marshal." The Chief of Engineering stood, and changed the hologram to display a diagram of a Commonwealth soldier outfitted with a bulky exo-skeleton.
"The Engineering department has completed research into combat exo-skeletons, based on designs originally used by construction teams."
A video began to play, depicting exo-solders lifting heavy objects.
"As you can see, once our ground forces are outfitted with these exo-suits, their strength and stamina will be boosted considerably, further enhancing our army and marines already considerable force. In addition,"
The video changed to an exo-soldier activating a mechanism on his wrist. A high strength laser blast launched out of it, and bore a hole in a steel wall to the soldier's front.
"The exo suits can be outfitted with single charge anti-vehicle and anti-fortification weapons. Every man will be worth a whole squad with these suits."
Sidney smiled with satisfaction.
"Excellent work, Mareka. Confer with General Xu after this. I want all ground troops trained and outfitted with these exo suits as soon as possible."
"As you say, Grand Marshal." Mareka sat down.
"Kimberly, I hear you have some pressing issues to discuss," Sidney asked.
"Indeed, Grand Marshal." Kimberly Stark of Bioscience stood, and changed the hologram display to show two strange looking aliens.
"Our two Exploration teams have made startling discoveries on the systems just outside our controlled space. Two new species of aliens have been discovered."
"Why is this so pressing?" General Xu asked, "we've discovered hundreds of new species the last few years."
"These two species are sentient."
Sidney Beauclair leaned forward.
"Sentient?" she asked.
"Indeed." Kimberly Stark adjusted the hologram to show videos of the two species. "The first are sentient, but luckily for us, are currently no more than primitives. They currently pose no immediate threat, unless we decide to colonise their world, and will continue to be harmless for at least the next several hundred years. Assuming they do not progress too fast."
"Very well," the Grand Marshal responded, "keep monitoring their progress. We will leave them be for now. And the others?"
"The 'Caphevad,' as they call themselves, are technologically equivalent to our ancestors during the Middle Ages."
"So they have knights and castles?"
"Not quite the same. But we expect them to be, at minimum, a thousand years from any sort of space flight. That said, any foray onto their world would be met with more organised resistance than we have had in the past." Stark deactivated the hologram.
"Install an observation post in orbit. We will keep a close eye on these Caphevad. May even learn something useful," Sidney said.
"As you wish, Grand Marshal."
"Now, for the primary reason I called you all here today."
Sidney Beauclair stood, and pressed the button that lowered screens over the ballistic glass to their flank. She didn't want any of the operatives seeing what she was about to show.
"None of this leaves the room unless I say otherwise, understand?" Sidney eyed her High Command intensely. Satisfied with the nods she recieved, she continued.
"The greatest threat to our civilisation to date has shown itself on Tiamat Prime. Our first colony could soon be completely eradicated, which as you all know, would be a tremendous blow to our progress. This grave threat comes not from space, or the surface, but under the crust of Tiamat Prime itself."
The hologram in the center warped into a cut-away of Tiamat Prime, displaying various tunnel complexes beneath the colony.
"Earthquakes have been felt by colonists the past few days. And its not a natural occurrence."
"You are saying, Grand Marshal," asked General Xu, "that there are aliens tunneling towards the colony from underground?"
"Yes, General, and if this data is correct they will be through the surface in a matter of months."
"Then we must strike!" General Xu struck his fist on the table. "Grand Marshal, allow me to lead forces into their tunnels. We will fight these aliens before they kill any innocents!"
"No." Sidney waved her hand dismissively. "While I agree we must strike preemptively, I do not want thousands of our soldiers being cut to pieces in tunnels thousands of metres underground. There must be a better way." She looked around the room. "Suggestions?"
The High Command team were silent for a time, thinking over potential plans.
"We could send nerve gas into the tunnels," offered Kimberly Stark, "and gas them out?"
"A possibility. But they could escape, and I doubt they would be happy with what we did."
Mareka, Chief of Engineering, raised his hand.
"I think I may have a solution."
"Go ahead, Mareka."
"If my team were to fabricate some seismic actuators - that is, explosives designed to create geographic disturbances - and strategically place them around this underground foe's tunnels, we could trap the aliens from escaping."
"And then flood their tunnels with nerve gas." Sidney nodded.
"Its decided then. Until we have removed the threat, only tell those personnel who absolutely must know, I don't want any of our colonists panicking. Mareka, get those explosives ready. Kimberly, work on delivery mechanisms for the nerve gas. General, I want a team of combat engineers sent to the Bioscience and Engineering departments to assist once the tasks are complete. You have your orders. Dismissed."
--
It took a matter of months, but the Engineering and Bioscience divisions of the Institute both completed their tasks. Handing over their devices to two small crack teams of combat engineers, the Commonwealth's high command could do no more now than wait.
On Tiamat Prime, the colonists were blissfully unaware of what was about to occur underneath their very feet.
--
Sergeant Sven Hendriksson, 3rd SF Combat Engineer Platoon
"ETA one minute, over," crackled the platoon comm-link.
Sven and his squad waited on the surface, in a standard all-round security defensive position. The other members of the platoon were grappling up from the small shaft they had drilled into Tiamat Prime's crust.
"Two three echo, roger out." Sven breathed in the fresh air of Tiamat Prime. The air here smelt better, cleaner, than on Unity. He had heard stories from his father about the monstrosities that used to live on the Commonwealth's homeworld. There were aliens on Tiamat Prime, but they were relatively placid compared to what once called Unity home. Sven wondered if those aggressive aliens were what caused Unity's air to seem so... unclean.
His thoughts were interrupted by the other squads of the platoon emerging from the drill shaft.
"Hey Sarge, how's the view?"
"Better than yours, no doubt."
The troops climbed out of the hastily drilled tunnel and took up position next to their comrades.
"Sergeant," the platoon leader knelt next to Sven.
"Sir?"
"Permission granted to fire on. I'm going to call for extraction. Get it done." The Lieutenant moved off to gain comms with command.
"Roger sir. Jackson, Guy! Bring the detonator here."
The two troopers brought the detonator to Sven, and quickly set it up.
"Ready Sarge."
"Alright. Hope those eggheads were right, and this works."
Sergeant Sven, after taking a deep breath, pushed down on the detonator.
A dim thump came from deep in the drill shaft. Several seconds later, the ground shook. To the colonists it would probably seem like another one of the earthquakes that had been plaguing them lately. They would know the truth soon.
Thirty seconds later, the ground stopped moving. Sven patted his platoon leader on the shoulder.
"Whats the word, sir?"
"Command's telling me..." the Lieutenant nodded his head, then lowered the commlink. "They reckon 100% casualties for those alien tunnelers. Good work troops!"
--
The operation to crush the underground threat was a resounding success. All those involved were congratulated by the Grand Marshal for their work.
A few days later, the colonists of Tiamat Prime were informed of what was really behind the earthquakes, and how they were saved by the vigilance of their leaders.
The Commonwealth of Man's High Command could breath a sigh of relief, and enjoy a moment of respite.
Unfortunately for them, it wouldn't last long.
(coming soon, Part 5 - the Battle for Na'Dall)
