Chapter 4

"Bill, I don't know what to make of it." Beckett said to Admiral William 'Bill' Kirby. "The entire operation is on standby while we look into this Newson race."

"I understand." Kirby said. "This is a flashpoint situation." Kirby paged through the files in front of him. "We have no option but to proceed with extreme caution and view them as a hostile." He shook his head. "I don't like it, you don't like it, but what choice have they given us?" he opened the file to the last page. "'Right of Precedent?' And what do suppose that's all about?" He ran his finger down to the last paragraph. "Ship detonated, just after a statement of 'melding'." He closed the file with a flourish. "Now that's going to give the Intel boy's a headache." He leaned back in his chair.

"What little intel we had was from the Thelsians. Next to useless." Beckett almost spat out. "I've sent for the Thelsian Ambassador. Knowing them, its not a matter of urgency." Beckett slammed his fist down on the conference room table.

"Damnit!" he stood and walked to the clear wall and looked at the Ops Center below him. Kirby stood and walked to the refreshment bar at the end of the room.

"Roger, this could be what we've been looking for." Kirby quietly said as he took a sip of his steaming beverage. Beckett turned and looked at him.

"What are you saying?" He asked incredulously. Kirby walked over and sat back down, motioning with his hand for Beckett to return to his seat.

"What I'm saying is this could be the opportunity that we have been waiting for. The Sirius Project." He said flatly as he set his mug down. Beckett looked at him in silence.

"This event?" He said as he looked into the other man's eyes, fully knowing the answer.

"Preparations have already begun." Kirby replied. "You said yourself that the intel was next to useless, and the Newson should be categorized as hostile." He paused, "What better time to test it then right now? It's a perfect scenario. Unknown hostiles, unknown system, fleet in jeopardy." He stopped as he took a sip.

"Wait, wait. The fleet is not in jeopardy. They had minimal damage. The Newson vessel was not even considered a category one hostile. There are diplomatic concerns as well." Beckett countered. "We charted the unknown system. There are potentially inhabited planets. We can't in good conscience release the use of a weapons system like Sirius."

Kirby thought about this for few seconds, eyeing the man across from him. He saw the inner turmoil on the other's face. Calmly taking another sip, he set his cup down and removed a separate file from his case. He opened it and placed it front of the other man. "I don't want to pull rank on you Roger, but I will if I have to." He turned the file around so Beckett could read it. "This is full authorization according to Broderian regulations FM12-5-99, section 4.28, outlining the rules of engagement regarding a hostile encounter. Please note the amendment at the bottom where it states that the senior officer can and is authorized to use any and all means to secure, control, pacify or eradicate the threat." He extended a stylus to Beckett. "When you called me in here, I became the senior officer." Beckett realized that according to regulations, Kirby was correct. A chill ran through him as he now knew what Kirby had planned.

"Sign at the bottom authorizing my command authority, and we can start the ball rolling."

Beckett looked at him and then the file. Finally with a slight tremor in his hand he accepted the stylus and signed. He set the stylus down as Kirby took the file back.

"That wasn't so bad now was it?" Kirby tucked the file away. "Don't worry Roger. I'll keep you onboard as my adjutant. After all, you started the game, I'm just finishing it." Kirby stood and retrieved his case. "Take a few days off. Use some of that leave time you've accrued." He turned as he reached the door. "Two days from now, this will all be over." He turned and briskly left the conference room, leaving Beckett to wonder what he had just done.

"Paladin reports ready to launch survey team." Powell reported to Winslow.

"Very well Mr. Powell, launch." Winslow ordered as he reviewed the information on his screen.

Onboard Paladin, two dropships and four Talons streaked away towards the nearest planet. Inside the dropships were engineers, two full platoons in each, technicians, engineers and tons of equipment. Their job was to land on the planet and establish an outpost for monitoring the rest of the system and eventually a small resupply base.

"78, do you copy that signal?" the pilot of Talon 75 asked. His EO was scanning the dense belt of junk that surrounded the planet along its equator.

"75, copy all." Was the response, as he adjusted his angle and calculated an egress point through the debris field.

"Intel and drone reports that the best landing zones are along the center of the planet. Something to do with the weather patterns. Too bad about all this garbage." 75's pilot said to his EO.

"I'm getting some energy fluctuations from that group to starboard. Radiation emanations from those old satellites." The EO announced as he locked his scanners onto that quadrant. "It looks like comsats and stage boosters. Haven't seen stage boosters since the academy." He said.

The two fighters swept over the field as they made their approach. The dead satellites floating in orbit, not noticing. As the small group made its way deeper into the atmosphere, there were discernible cities and roads. The group broke through the dense cloud cover and into the rain as they flew low over one of the cities.

"Looks deserted. Been that way for a long time." The EO reported. "No life signs. No activity. Nothing." He said as the dead city passed by under them. Finding the pre-designated landing zone, the dropships flared and settled onto their three point landing gear inside the clearing as the Talons circled overhead, scanning the area and providing any needed support. The clearing was devoid of sound, save for the slight ticking as the heat shields cooled on the dropships. A slight whir of motors as the clamshell doors opened on the first ship, accompanied by a light muddy squish sound as the loading ramp came to rest on the damp soil.

Two troop carriers rolled down the ramp, the first one, its large lug tires spraying wet earth as it went to speed and rolled around the perimeter of the clearing before stopping between the two ships. The latter carrier moving a short distance away and extending its antenna to broadcast and scan the area. The troop carriers, heavily armored, were low slung, six wheel vehicles, capable of carrying two platoons each, they could move at great speeds over rough terrain and through water. Inside, the troops were seated in high back chairs that had a floating suspension so they remained comfortable when the vehicle moved. The big, wide, lug tires were almost two meters tall and provided incredible traction. Powered by a small plasma generator, for its size, it moved nimbly. On the roof were numerous antenna; sensor dishes and drone launch ports as well as a four-barreled rail gun. Designed to withstand an intense combat environment, each vehicle was also equipped with an emergency locator; reactive armor, anti-spall curtains and overpressure blow out panels.

The first troop carrier spun its six wheels and left the clearing in a spray of mud and sod as it roared off towards the dead city.

The second dropship dropped its loading ramp and disgorged an odd looking vehicle. Smaller than the troop carriers, yet no less nimble, it moved around the clearing and periodically stopped and drove a sensor into the ground. Inside this vehicle, two technicians were reviewing the sensor logs.

"Looks good. Solid rock at six meters. No insect life or wildlife. That's a little odd."

They drove a little further.

"Here's a good spot." The vehicle stopped with a slight rocking motion.

"Prepare to launch orbital sensor package." Outside, outrigger arms deployed and stabilized the vehicle. A launch tube extended from the roof.

"Standby." The senior technician said. On the roof, the tube locked into a slight angle and slowly traversed before stopping and sending a signal inside to the two men.

"Launch ready." The other tech announced. The senior tech reached over and flipped up a covered switch and inserted a key.

"On my mark. Three. Two. One. Launch." He said as he turned the key. On the roof, a small rocket roared out of the launch tube and shot away at incredible speed before reaching orbit and deploying six small sensor satellites that thrusted into a geo-synchronized orbit around the planet.

"Satellites coming into orbit. Looking good. And we have a lock." The senior tech announced. He swiveled his chair around.

"Notify the fleet that we are in business."

The second tech sent an encrypted transmission to the fleet.

A third and fourth troop carrier emerged from the second dropship with the fourth one pulling a four-wheeled trailer behind. The second carrier retracted its sensor mast and roared off after the first carrier as the last two carriers dropped their troop ramps and emptied out their contents. One squad from each carrier moved to the trailer and began unloading it. The remaining squads formed up and moved out to recon the clearing and surrounding foliage.

Once the squads reached the foliage, the sensors on their armor began analyzing the brush and changing the exterior color of the armor to match the foliage. The deeper the troopers moved into the brush, the more their armor changed to match. Each trooper could see the other on his HUD but to the naked eye, they had all but disappeared.

The other two squads began setting up temporary habitats that would become their home. The small engineering group had unloaded the portable landing strips and was using their tugs to pull them into position. Due to the soft soil and constant wet ground from all the rain, they had to ram support beams six meters into the rock and elevate the pads above the ground.

A few klicks away, the first two carriers were roaring down the old road towards the dead city, their tires throwing up small fountains of water while on each rooftop, a small sensor dish rotated to keep a lock on at least three of the new orbiting satellites. Moving in a staggered formation, they avoided rocks and fallen trees with ease. Coming to a small hill, both carriers stopped just below the crest of the hill. The first carrier extended its sensor mast and began a slow sweep of the city below them. The second carrier began scanning the surrounding area. Finally, the mast retracted and both carriers moved in a bounding over watch pattern to the massive city that spread out in front of them.

Back at the landing zone, the recon squads returned and looked at the transformed landing area.

Six landing pads were now assembled in a star like pattern, with elevated taxiways connecting them. The portable habitats were assembled and on elevated platforms as well. As the troopers approached, they locked in the camouflage pattern to the armor's central memory so as to recall it when needed. The remaining two squads were setting the perimeter sensors and sentry posts. All the squads returned to the central habitat as landing crews were directing the dropships and Talons to the landing pads. The entire outpost was in the pattern of a hub with the landing pads forming the center and everything branching off from there. The engineers were pouring ballisticrete around the perimeter after drilling down to the rock. Ballisticrete was a hardened wall that would protect the outpost from attack and keep some of the elements at bay. The rain was now coming down harder and the sky was becoming more overcast, as the troopers sat down for their first meal on the new world.

Several klicks away, the two troop carriers had stopped at an intersection within the vast city. Sensors were recording the surrounding area, as the troopers inside were briefed.

"Lieutenant Hanson, take third platoon to the north and set up an OP/LP by that collapsed tower." Captain Davidson ordered. "Lieutenant Johnson, take second platoon west and do the same at that small warehouse." He commanded over the inter vehicle radio. Davidson watched the monitors as the sensors panned the darkened streets and buildings. "Lieutenant Vaughn, your platoon will provide area security. Lieutenant Brown, establish a secure perimeter around that parking structure." He directed.

Rotating his chair to face the three surveillance technicians that were squeezed into the remaining space of the troop carrier.

"You three can set up your GSS on the top level of the structure." He said to the men. They nodded and began to discuss the set up amongst themselves as the captain rotated back to the monitors. He motioned to the driver to proceed.