Chapter 7: Sometimes You're Lucky Sometimes Not

Mark's thoughts:

It has been two more days since the fight on our doorstep, but there has been no apparent response from the enemy. So far, Admiral Stark believes that either they have no enemy ships in system currently or they still do not know the fate of their fighters and shuttles. The rest of us don't really know what to think since we still have no real world knowledge of what we are dealing with, it's all still inserted during our sleep. Everything seems so surreal at times because it is hard to believe that I have only known the truth of history for about two weeks.

The Admiral decided to increase the number of drones again in an effort to speed up production of fighters and possibly even the heavy cruiser. Jen thinks we could use 10 more working on the cruiser but any more and they will not be able work effectively. Also, after the rail guns seemed to have proved their worth Bill, Jim, and Jen got together and came up with some very interesting defense platform designs that could be used to secure our system if we can get to space and deploy them.

At the meeting this morning Jen started out saying, "We believe with the new AI system and size we can build a network of defensive satellites to defend the entire system. Our initial estimates show it would take 5-6 months to build and deploy a defensive ring about 1/3 of the way out from the primary. After this we could start on one near the outer edge of the system. We would also like to have one closer to the planet to guard against anything that got through the outer ones. The network itself would be comprised of a mixture of the different weapons we have available, including Missile platforms, laser, rail guns, sensors, and of course the AI stations that would tie them altogether and the a main hub on or near the planet." Admiral Stark had asked how they would be able to cover such a large area of space tightly enough to make a difference. And Bill answered that they would mostly concentrate on the known approaches to the system but with enough coverage and maneuverability to slow down any attack. The idea was approved since we desperately need something so help us hold the system if we can ever take it.

It was also decided that as soon as possible we should try to recruit more people, nothing as dramatic as taking a whole town again, but most of the families now with us either had relatives or close friends who lived in other towns. We hope they will be able to convince them to come to the base without having to reveal what is really here. Although we are waiting until either we know for sure no attack is coming or we have enough defenses ready to go to hold the base.

Most of our people have really started settling in now, you can really tell they are starting to consider the base home and an undercurrent of resentment at the Enemy has really began to surface with many people showing a pure hatred for what the have caused on our world and what may be being done on other worlds. A few have even started to speculate what some of the basics of the 'religion' of the new gods really mean. Like why the two major holidays are a great offering of foods and other goods near this time of the year during the fall harvest, but more so during the spring when 'criminals' and other unwanted citizens are brought before the gods to be judged. They now think that the great offering is just a way to gather food stuffs for supporting the Enemy's of world conquests and that the judgment is way to get manpower, but for what no one can even guess. We hope to find out more if we can take to temples and high priests intact.

I just hope that we will know soon if they are coming to destroy us or if we have been truly lucky are the Enemy does not have a real presence on the planet, relying on the priests and enforces to keep us in line. Still though they must come to at least check up every so often, otherwise why were the shuttles and fighters here?

But right now I have another briefing with the Admiral where hopefully we will be able to get a better picture of the situation on the planet.