Chapter 25

Month 4: The first mission beyond Earthat would be to McMasterat, the central system of Naval District 17. followed by two surveys of worlds in the early stages of Swarm infestation. Terry didn't want the surveys to be detected by the Sa'arm, but exclusively for information gathering. The missions would be of increasing difficulty.

Now, given the Pirates had moved into space, initially aboard the Aurora-class Blue Light, they needed both to build systems and learn to operate them as a team. Developing the watch bill -- the crew lists -- for the ships was not a simple exercise. Unless a warship is in a role, such as a PT boat, where it is not expected to survive a single hit, its crew must be large enough to both replace casualties and provide damage control parties. Based on his naval experience with both ship crews and mission-specific detachments, Moe had the lead in creating the watch bills.

Crews to operate the ship would not be the only people that went on operational missions. Much as an air wing embarks on an aircraft carrier, there would be a mission team of intelligence specialists for any actual operation, minimally including a reports officer for organizing and initial processing of the data collected by onboard sensors. The mission commander, especially if it was Terry, might well outrank the ship captain, although the ship captain remained the final authority on matters purely affecting the ship. Terry and Moe sat down to discuss the structure. "Terry, remember that I'm a submarine officer. Our mission detachments tend to be quite small, except when we carry SEALs. We're transport for the SEALs, so they don't have as much interaction as with a command staff or with an air wing. I'd really like to bounce these against some navy personnel that are experienced with carriers, or in the command side of surface action groups – maybe AEGIS-experienced."

"Sure, Moe. We certainly aren't poaching if we just talk to active naval people. In any event, it's mostly the US that has that agreement. I know a Japanese naval officer, Tadishi Morita, who is an AEGIS and Cooperative Engagement Capability expert, and has volunteered for the Confederacy as soon as he knew about it. Later, we may recruit him."

Terry took a political matter to Ishmael. "I've got a problem. I need to bring in some senior people without upsetting our chain of command. Will the AIs or the Admiral approve a Technical Corps, Limited Duty Officer, or the like? I recognize someone like Catherine, Kim, or Elaine comes more from the technical side, but they've demonstrated leadership and I'm fine with them having line commissions.

"Assuming you agree that their CAP justifies it, I'm going to go ahead and commission Karen, Athena, Gayle, and Dawn as Commanders. They have definitely shown operational leadership.

"On my side of the family, Bob and Siobhan have shown technical leadership. Do they have enough aggressiveness for Sponsor CAP? They'd both be crazed bears if their children were threatened. Siobhan, though, probably wants to be a concubine, as part of her submission. Bob isn't bothered. They just might be my arch-parents."

"Terry, I suspect all of your initial concubines will reach Sponsor grade. In fact, my question is when and how you will recruit more. I will authorize a minimum 6.5 for the five you mention, and test them soon We will have to think about how to give authority to Siobhan yet respect her submissiveness."

"Let's not worry about new ones until we start settling the planetary base, and also once the program is known and we can overtly extract. Oh, there always will be special cases, such as Aimee's recruits. Several of them are students and may lead us to more recruits -- I don't assume Sponsor or Concubine.

"It wouldn't surprise me to find quite a few Sponsors working for Aimee. I have an informal theory that being a sex worker who remains mentally healthy, selects for some of the things that make a competent soldier, for which CAP selects. While I could ask Louise or John about the NCO view, though, they might tell me that the ability to get screwed and keep going is important to military success."

With Marietta in tow, Wanda called on Harry, in his temporary office on Blue Light. "Terry asked me to work with you in developing targeting procedures for the boosted bombs. My major contribution is going to be analyzing underground structures, and working with you on how they will appear on imaging and nonimaging sensors. Kim will work with us in adding the geophysical sensors.

She wore a clinging sweater, making her huge breasts obvious, and an even more form-fitting stretch pencil skirt. Her makeup was bold.

"Harry, I'd like to get something out of the way -- maybe it's a way to work together even better, or to put aside. I think you know I've been paying for my education with sex work, as both a dancer and hooker. No complaints -- I like it. I like lots of casual sex and don't get dramatic or possessive, so my friends always have benefits. Sure, I'd like to have a close relationship, and the rules for that will change.

"So I'm not exactly wearing an outfit I would for my thesis committee. There's lots of tension in good engineering, and I'd be glad to help us release it. No guilt, Harry. No guilt.

"Marietta is here as a general assistant for our work. She's not super-technical, but she's good with records and knows a bit about photography. She is also a co-worker of mine and feels about the same with regard to sex. She admires you, and is especially excited by older men."

"That's right, Harry." Marietta was dressed more professionally than Wanda was, in the sort of skirted suit one might associate with a hot woman in sales. It was clinging and red, with a sheer white camisole. The skirt was very short, and she kept crossing her legs over red patent spikes. "Can I be honest and say you turn me on? Terry does too, but you look older, and that's my kink. Believe me, with the medicine we have available, and pardon my bluntness, there's no reason you can't fuck like you were eighteen -- with all your wisdom."

She looked seriously at him. "Would you rather that Wanda and I shut up completely about sex? The job is most important."

He laughed. "No, you are getting my attention. I don't know quite what I want to do, though."

Wanda looked at him very seriously. "Might I urge you to get the rejuvenation, then, and see if that helps you focus? I'll get Rona to show you that you aren't taking resources from anyone."

Marietta was fidgeting. "I'm sorry, everyone, if I'm distracting -- but I wasn't kidding when I said that interesting older men turn me on. Harry, think about all the nasty things you might have fantasized over the years, and think about me as eager to satisfy them. I'm not the intellectual that the others are, but I know that what you'll do for us is important. I want kids that will grow up."

The votes of confidence were making Harry think. "I've never really had group sex, other than maybe some drunken parties. I still can't promise, but maybe doing it would help me internalize that things are really different."

Wanda gently took both his hands. "I like that -- finding transitional aids. Now, I'm a Sponsor, but I'm more than willing, if you accept us, to interleave my household. I think Marietta would be a damn fine first concubine. Think about if you want her to look more fifties bombshell, or you want additional women who do.

"Before you decide, I'd like to have Dolores and Rona join us. Dolores is our strongest empath and not that much younger than you are. Rona is a psychiatrist and medtube expert who can put rejuvenation in context -- and she can help with transition. Rona can do that completely professionally, or sexually as well. She's gorgeous, but curvier than others are -- maybe she will appeal physically to you. Terry did say you could rejuvenate whether or not you join us. Please consider that as soon as possible."

During the testing and shakedown operations around Earth, the tactical specialists, led by Moe, would develop doctrine for the initial survey of systems threatened, or invaded, by the Sa'arm. Mars would be used for rehearsal.

In the briefing center on Blue Light, Catherine and Kim led off. Kim, who had been studying gravitics and supraluminal drive from her perspective in geophysics, saying, "System surveys will begin with the support ship establishing a supraluminal relay point in the system, at which we'll leave a total of five pods. Mike Lofton will lead all such construction. If there is an asteroid or other solid point outside the relay wormhole, but close to it, a small shelter will be hidden. The shelter could be used if a ship was damaged sufficiently not to be able to jump out of the system.

"What will this mean in terms of manufacturing and stockpiles? Two pods will be expended for the supraluminal relay housing, and three for the shelters. For shakedown, we'll place the relay near Phobos, and put the main surveillance gear around Mars."

Electronics witch Catherine took over. "On approaching the planet, passive sensors will do the initial search for Sa'arm vessels. If there were none, a radar sweep will follow. Depending on that sweep's results, the ship will withdraw if a strong force were present or stay out of line of sight of a small force."

Dawn, as a navigation expert, picked up again. "Assuming that there is no serious threat, the first step in establishing the surveillance environment will be to release 24 navigation-communications satellites, from heavy launcher pads in six pods.

Harry raised a hand. "Even ignoring the time to launch many space launch vehicles, that's an amazingly short time to build a stable constellation of satellites, all in the right orbit. With Earth technology, that would take months."

Dawn smiled, and confidently replied, "Each satellite will be stabilized using attractors and repulsors to neutralize momentum. Those are far faster and more precise than the attitude control thrusters we use with Earth satellites.

"Once stabilized, each satellite will set up X-band radio, a backup Ka band radio, and then laser, communications to adjacent satellites. Lasers allowed not only high-bandwidth communications for the communications relay function, but also precise distance measurement for the navigation function. They will also start L-band GPS transmissions.

Terry picked up the briefing. "The first real mission will be to the Silvat system. A basic surveillance package will be the first thing deployed, which is Elaine's area, since it depends on the navigation and communications birds. If Harry joins us, he'll take over the lead on GEOINT and electro-optical MASINT, which will let Elaine get back to TECHNINT. Elaine?"

"Three pods will go into polar orbit, carrying an enhanced KH-12 electro-optical imaging and spectrometry package, wideband ELINT receivers, and a staring infrared detector of rocket and jet plumes or other intense heat sources.

"To deploy the support gear, we will use six pods with heavy magazine launchers. Twenty-four satellites will need to built, as well as two pairs of geomagnetic orbiters. These were followed by a pair of modified Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), 1.8-meter diameter weather satellites that also provide distress alarm capabilities.

"There will be twelve MS-177 combined with synthetic aperture radars, in low orbit; these will require three medium launchers in two pods. MS-177's have both imaging cameras and hyperspectral scanners.

"Three pods will be released, and stabilized in polar orbits. carrying full-pod electro-optical surveillance, which would carry variants of the KH-12 visible and infrared imaging system, a staring nonimaging infrared system for detecting intense heat such as rocket launching, and a hyperspectral scanner. They could be recovered, but, more importantly, they carry self-destruct charges...

"We won't simulate the superluminal relay in the Earthat system, but we will park an equivalent telemetry point some distance from Mars, closer to Earth. It will send data to the receiving station on Blue Light, where we'll simulate analysis."

Harry stood. "Aren't you making some awfully convenient assumptions?"

"Go on, Harry," said Terry.

"Well, my understanding is that all of our current intelligence specialists, on the live missions, will be on the Minuits. Even though that's a risk, it does make sense.

"But who will be left to be on the Blue Light, both in the practice and real missions? Remember, the worst-case situation is going to be that you lose both Minuits, but there are people witting of the situation that can continue some analysis with what's been transmitted, and plan the next operations.

"I don't see many people available for that role. Gayle, due to her pregnancy, is available right now, and Karen may be alongside her. I don't see anyone for the more technical disciplines. No, don't try to use this as an excuse to leave me behind to run things -- I'm willing to do that on later missions, but not the first ones. Remember, I need to see the Sa'arm myself.

"You have had the benefit of having people skilled both in collection and analysis. The rear echelon could separate some of those roles, and, in the future, you don't necessarily need first-rank analysts doing collection. Yes, you do need the same people on the shakedown, identifying problems and fixes.

"Sooner or later, and I'm going to guess it's sooner, you need to start building at least one rear echelon team. As activities increase, you'll need more than one. Gayle and Karen are logical leaders for the first team. That isn't putting them on the junior team, because, with Bob and the rest of the Sanity Team, they could well be our finest overall analysts. None of them is military, so they need colleagues that have a military operational perspective.

"Besides that, though, you need imagery, SIGINT, MASINT and geophysical collection and data reduction people. You need analysts to be figuring out Sa'arm equipment, basing, and tactics. Beatrice, some of the latter might come out of field intelligence units. Field intelligence people are less likely to be familiar with some of the methods used for collection, except if they are UKUSA people in the Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) compartments.

"Even with TENCAP, they still won't be briefed on some nuances -- I doubt there would be full MASINT capability as that's mostly strategic. A lot of that gear is US-only.

On the trip to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, to learn more about how to operate a recon force, Dolores spent private time with Harry. "From everything Terry has told me, we desperately need you. You are the only person that he'd trust to take over some of his responsibilities.

"On another front, though, do you realize that I'm a rather old woman, and managed to qualify -- unusual circumstances -- for full rejuvenation? It's forward looking. In my case, my dying daughter made it possible, but you don't have the problems of women with menopause. I believe that rejuvenating the best of us will improve the chances of the human race. Maybe you can also have an idea of how to save our immensely valued older women that don't have Sponsor scores.

"But for the moment, I have noticed you glancing at my boobs." She tore off her blouse. She was not wearing a bra. "Let me pull your face into them as we talk. I trust Terry completely, and if he trusts you as he obviously does, it's good enough for me.

"Now, as far as your pleasure and motivation, I'm a Sponsor but I'll play any way you want. Rona is going to stay with us at Beale. I'm not sure if there's going to be only one time you're getting asked explicitly, not just with hints, but I'm going to suggest you fuck Rona to get in the mood, and then let her tell you about medtubes."

Rona met their executive jet at the California base. While her outfit might superficially seem casual, it took little thought to realize that her brief shorts and high-heeled black sandals, along with a low-cut top, were not accidental. After they unpacked in a VIP suite, she confirmed that to Harry.

"Harry, before we got so focused on you, I was debating whether to go, for cosmetics, into my own medtube. I have a very nice body, if you think more like Marilyn Monroe than the slimmer, less curvy beauties of today. Now, I'm thinking of enhancing that look -- well, my face is much more intense than hers was. Marilyn was not an intellect, but all of us are.

"Dolores has a wild Sexual Revolution look. Kim ... well, a goddess that you can get dirty. Elaine is either street cop or her actual upper-class society background. Different than my growing blue-collar in New Jersey.

"But that curvy look probably rings your bells of when you were growing up, and is in your comfort zone. I'm going to make a suggestion. From things I've heard, you may have been thinking of your life at an end. I won't make you wrong about that.