Chapter 10

The Polnoye Resheniye, January 15, 2163
Geosynchronous Orbit over Montreal

The Polnoye Resheniye (Complete Solution) closed her weapons tube doors and drifted quietly in space above Montreal, Quebec, the political center of the Western Alliance Western District. Captain Radmir Valery Kovalyov ordered, “all quiet,” and the ship went to silent mode. Nothing radiated that would be overheard and they would be discovered. All electronic components were dual insulated, so leaking radio frequencies wouldn’t be detected.

The second officer looked at Captain Kovalyov with disgust. “What is wrong Vitold Akim Antonov?” said Captain Kovalyov. “We both knew the orders for that would be in our hands soon.”

“As you say Captain,” said Executive Officer Antonov. He was terrified that his glory hound captain had just started World War Five.

“The Polnoye Resheniye was not built to hover over Siberia, she was built to maintain Eastern Bloc territories. Look! We remain over Quebec, and nobody sees us.”

“That is because we gouged out their eyes, Captain.”

“That is the nature of war, my dear Vitold. The Polnoye Resheniye was not built to hover over a dying federation, we were built to expand our empire, to reach out and take by divine right what is ours.”

“Did that include murdering Captain Scarlett and his family?”

“Ah, he is pain in ass. We would have had to do it eventually. We land a few troop, they eliminate Mars’ source of water, and it cost us nothing. Have we heard back from landing party?”

“Not since they reported that they successfully destroyed Scarlett’s home.”

“We will wait. Meanwhile we listen to corrupt western news and revel in our success,” said the Captain, and he snapped his fingers and a radio station came on.

“This is the CBC in Montreal, reports are coming in of a series of catastrophic explosions at a Niagara Falls Space Force Station, followed by a tremendous explosion on Lake Ontario. Widespread damage is being felt by shoreline cities, we will have details when we get them.”

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NT Village, January 16, 2163 Remains of the Scarlett Residence

“It’s got to be natural gas,” said Detective Arvid Schultz of the Thundering Waters Police Department.

“That’s what I thought at first,” said Detective Odran Duly, as he carefully picked his way over the shattered remains of Alan and Pandora’s house. “First, where’s the body? We were told that the Admiral and his wife and kids would be out of town while he drops another ice moon on Mars. Mrs. Schirra, Pandora’s mom is on tape saying that Marine Gunnery Sergeant Marcy Dunlop would watch both houses and the dog. Where’s the bodies?”

“Maybe she went for a ride.”

“She’s got no legs, she’s in a wheelchair. She depends on Uber whatever for everything. There’s no fire here, but look at this,” Detective Duly stepped over the wreckage of the house and walked over to the Schirra’s house and pointed to a round spot three inches in diameter that was scorched black and in the center a hole was burned. “Have you ever seen anything burn through brick?”

“Hell no,” said Arvid Schultz.

“I have, in the desert, the battle of Dhahran. In the end they were shooting antitank rockets at each other. When that warhead goes off it shoots a plasma beam that’s intended to burn through the armor of the tank. It will burn through anything.” The two detectives walked around to the other side of Admiral Schirra’s house and didn’t see an exit hole. “Dispatch, what is the entry code for the Schirra residence?”

“440101” said the dispatcher, and Detective Duly punched the code into the digital combination lock. Inside, the house was spotless, but it smelled of smoke. They walked over to the west wall of the house and found the entry hole where the plasma burned through the fireproof wall board. It went through the pantry and burned through an iron frying pan that was hanging on the wall. Moulton iron had dripped on the ceramic tile floor. It burned through two more sheets of fireproof wall board into the dining room where it went through a heavy glass vase and struck the east wall of the house where it ran out of energy trying to burn through the fourth piece of fireproof wall board.