Half Truth
by Presley H. Cannady
* * *
PROLOGUE
SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMBINED ARMS GROUPS: [2015 - 2072] Special warfare and=
=20
support combined units activated in 2017 and largely made up of smaller=20
forces from the UN Air Force and Spacy -- expanded later to include Marine=
=20
and Army special forces as well (service affiliations preserved after the=20
United Earth Defense Reorganization Act of 2019). Throughout the 2020s and=
=20
2030s, SOCAG's carried out a variety of special and covert tasks. Four=20
SOCAGs were attached to the Expeditionary mission -- SOCAGs 15, 19, 21 and=
=20
23. The remaining SOCAGs saw very little action until the Second Robotech=
=20
War, save for small anti-insurgency operations and low-intensity=20
fighting. SOCAGs were active in the Argentine Crisis of 2028 and the Ling=
=20
Chien War in January 2031. Groups attached to the REF on the other hand=20
formed the special operations arm Sentinels Task Forces 35 and 38 following=
=20
the liberation of Karbarra from the Invid. Soon afterwards, SOCAGs 21 and=
=20
23 were deployed to collect intelligence along the diminishing frontier of=
=20
the Invid Collective's Empire. As the Sentinels' campaign against the=20
Invid drew to a close, SOCAGs 18, 21, 24, 25, and 26 were redeployed to=20
support covert mop-up operations against fringe Invid outposts throughout=
=20
the Tirolian Local Group. Following the war, most SOCAGs were deceactived=
=20
with the establishment of the first unified special operations command=20
(UPCSOCOM) in 2062. The few that remained, largely in service of the=20
United Planetary Confederation naval and marine forces were deactivated in=
=20
January 2072 and their forces and support organs were disintegrated and=20
redeployed under the coordination of UPCSOCOM.
-United Nations of Earth Spacy Technical Manual -- Appendix E.: Military=20
Glossary, 2073
* * *
MA'RIUL, THE YIRRBIRST SYSTEM
14 FEBRUARY 2034
"LIEUTENANT!" A PARTICULARLY GAUNT MARINE LANCE CORPORAL RACED up to the=20
Rachel; she'd been forced waited for her escort for the close to fifteen=20
minutes. The corporal's traditional regulation buzz-cut revealed his=20
awkward set of ears, hinting at his North American, Gulf-side=20
ancestry. Huffing alongside, a lovely cherry-blond PFC came to a halt=20
right behind her partner. The lieutenant turned to face them; her black=20
version of the ensign donned by the Robotech Expeditionary Force's naval=20
pilots absented the winged, blue bussards that normally rested on the=20
uniform's shoulders and sported a comfortably-snug black turtle-neck rising=
=20
from between the stiffened collars. The black-brown hair that normally=20
fell with a perfect fullness towards the left side of her brow was tied in=
=20
a pony tail, falling just inside the exaggerated collar. Rachel=20
straightened her sleeves as she waited patiently for her escorts to catch=20
their breath.
"Begging the Lieutenant's pardon!" His formality was matched only by his=20
sincerity, Rachel noted as she watched him literally sweat himself dry from=
=20
anxiety. "The rescheduled departure order never cleared through Security=20
Operations, Ma'am!."
"At ease, Lance Corporal," she glanced in the way of the private, whom the=
=20
corporal had picked up during the rush. Rachel honestly expected a Spacy=20
rating pulling escort duty; after all, this was an United Nations Spacy=20
vessel. On the other hand, no one had ever quite figured out how Personnel=
=20
Affairs quite worked, even on such a small platform as a=20
spaceship. Tossing her hair back, Rachel merely sighed and followed the=20
Marine corporal to the nearest tram-car -- necessitated on a vessel that=20
measured nearly a kilometer in beam length.
The tram sped to the forward docking port, located on the starboard=20
sponson of the operations hull. Awaiting them at the tram's termination=20
point was a burly Marine gunnery sergeant; he easily outmassed both the=20
corporal and the private combined, and stood close to two meters in=20
height. His ebony skin seemed to dance under the highlight of the docking=
=20
port's sparse illumination. Turning to her ship-side escorts, Rachel=20
dismissed with a crisp salute and a "that will be all." The massive gunny=
=20
ceremoniously assumed his duties with a stern glare, a hard salute to his=20
junior compatriots, and firm bark to send them scurrying about their=20
business. He then repeated the ritual for the lieutenant, minus the=20
bullying snarl. In the meantime, Rachel's dark-blue eyes quickly surveyed=
=20
her surroundings.
The modest architecture of the debarking bay culminated in a wrap-around=20
transparency made of an artificially produced ceramic. Under appropiate=20
circumstances, the entire "view-wall" could be reinforced by an oblique=20
titanium cowl. An ceiling-to-floor slab of metal situated in the center of=
=20
the transparency marked the connection hardpoint for the docking=20
umbilical. Diaphanous in itself, the umbilical connected the debarking bay=
=20
with the receiving terminal. The doors opened to reveal a small, step-like=
=20
platform leveled out inside a transparent tube, angling downward some=20
forty-something degrees. She and the staff sergeant carefully rooted their=
=20
feet onto the matting; special fields noted their presence and quickly=20
"inertialized" the platform. As the doors hissed closed behind them, the=20
transport-platform began to move at a rather high speeds; even so, Rachel=20
couldn't discern so much as a mild jerk. The shadows concealed much beyond=
=20
a few hundred feet of the station's massive interior; however, a few dim=20
lights in the distance illuminated the skeletal array of Karbarran and REF=
=20
vessels. Rachel kept largely quiet to herself for the first leg of the=20
trip down. The receiving terminal pod they were heading for drew closer=20
and closer, mile after mile. On occasion, the sergeant would glance in her=
=20
direction. After five minutes or so, he let loose a deliberate ahem and=20
attempted to spark up a conversation.
"Name's Biggs, Ma'am," the sergeant introducted himself, his thick,=20
unabashed Southern accent bordering on hilarious. With Rachel's mind=20
wandering, she only caught him speaking when the sergeant tried again.
"Gunnery Sergeant Cole Biggs, Fifth of Fourth Cee-Yus," the intimidatingly=
=20
bulky Marine pronounced with friendly assertiveness. "I guess you were=20
just with the Oh-Cee Eighty Nine, right?"
"Well, Sergeant?" she queried with deceptive impassiveness, successfully=20
covering up the startled expression that nearly rushed her face. Rachel=20
hadn't heard those four alphanumerics in a long time. She couldn't guess=20
how this gunship of a Marine knew about them. "I was led to believe that=20
was classified information."
Biggs swallowed a bit, but continued in the same affable manner in which=20
he began the conversation.
"What you people do, I dunno. But the name ain't classified. I do like=20
to keep up with things."
Fair enough. Rachel nodded and turned back to the window. A few seconds=
=20
later, Biggs tried again to break the ice. "So whaddya think,=20
Ma'am? First time on board, right?"
"Hmm?"
"The factory -- big'nuff for ya?"
"Astonishing," she answered, a distinctly dry tone dripping from her lips,=
=20
after a moment of consideration. Of course, that was a drastic=20
understatement, she realized. Try as she might, Rachel could not ignore=20
the sheer gradiousity of her surroundings. As the transparent corridor=20
seemed to stretch on for infinity, the darker areas of the station seemed=20
to illuminate themselves. Despite its terrible immensity and its external=
=20
homeliness, the Karbarran system's largest artificially constructed=20
structure radiated a special, awe inspiring eminence of its own.
The Karbarran Robotech Factory, a G96-type shaped like an inverted cone,=20
proved to be one of Tirol's most magnificent pieces of engineering. The=20
factory's center-situated power source -- brilliant as a star -- reminded=20
Rachel of the warm beauty of Yirrbirst, Karbarra's lonely sun. Stretching=
=20
one-hundred and seven hundred kilometers along its longest axis, the=20
Karbarran Factory Satellite bore several structural differences from her=20
sister in Earth orbit, but nevertheless performed the same job. Like her=20
sister, the power generated in that unfathomably huge reflex furnace also=20
also propagated a forcefield around the station's hull to prevent the=20
Ma'iul's tidal forces from ripping her apart. The interior was completely=
=20
different from the one Rachel had known as a child, lacking the thousands=20
of construction pods that filled the insides of the first Robotech Factory=
=20
captured by Earth forces. Instead, an immense void was encased by a shell=
=20
dotted with open-space building slips and causeways leading to the external=
=20
"pods." The hundreds of warships floating inside the massive cavity could=
=20
not come close to filling the space. Even if the Zentraedi fleet were to=20
park all six million and change of its warships here, the vast majority of=
=20
the space would remain unfilled..
Thousands of lights stretched alongside the inner curves -- twinkling like=
=20
artificial stars in the distance -- as Rachel imagined how massive this=20
place must have appeared to even the Zentraedi Giants who once manned=20
it. Despite the obvious Tirolian influences on the design, the handiwork=20
of the Karbarrans was clearly at work here. Since its discovery by the=20
Karbarran Relief Mission almost a decade ago, the Karbarrans had dedicated=
=20
an lion share portion of their resources to retasking the Satellite for=20
shipbuilding. Though the famed Sentinels were unwilling to wait for the=20
great behemouth to start pumping out warships, they did set up headquarters=
=20
there to direct the Allies' war efforts. Today, it was the base of=20
operations for the Earth Relief Mission, the center of an effort to=20
liberate Earth from its entrenched Invid occupiers.
Today, Rachel was literally looking inside the womb of the largest=20
shipyard and manufacturing plant outside the Valivarre system. As=20
testimony to that fact, the transport pod flew across the under-refit hull=
=20
of the Lee Teng Hui, one of the many Churchill battlecruisers built within=
=20
the Satellite. A war machine purpose-built for flying into=20
enemy-controlled star systems and wiping out space-borne foes swiftly and=20
thoroughly, she embodied the simplicity of her task within her=20
uncomplicated blockish lines and bristling weaponry. Ever since Rachel=20
graduated from the Officers' Candidate School at Tiresia, she'd known=20
nothing but the heavily armed battlewagons that had carried so many of her=
=20
friends and comrades to victory...and death.
Lieutenant DuBois closed her eyes, allowing the recent, bitter memories to=
=20
flood her mind.
* * *
...ONE YEAR AGO...
"Oh shit!" Rachel swore as she pulled back into the lethal dance . The=20
Invid Scout fighter swung around to the left with only ten meters=20
clearance, damn near tearing off her strikefighter's right wing. Rachel=20
through her Valkyrie Veritech into Guardian mode, bringing her left wing=20
missile racks to bear. At the sound of the tone, she called out her shots=
=20
one at a time. "Fox One! Fox One! Fox One!"
Three missiles tore themselves out off the Valkyrie's left wing racks and=
=20
raced towards the enemy; three seconds later, a fiery white plume off to=20
the starboard marked the end of yet another slug's short, pathetic=20
life. As Rachel's visual acuity returned, she could see a Burke destroyer=
=20
trudging across her field of view, escorting a small gaggle of the Horizont=
=20
dropships into low-earth orbit. The UES Hideyoshi dropped out of sight=20
quietly, her meson gun clearing two hapless Invid strikecraft carriers=20
before they could deploy Scout mecha into the assault shuttles' path.
"Scratch one suicide runner," Rachel heard over the radio. Already,=20
several squadrons of Alpha Fighters were reentering the moon's atmosphere,=
=20
spreading across the globe to attack Hives along the periphery of the main=
=20
continent. If all went according to plan, the next wave of dropships would=
=20
hit the atmosphere in ten minutes and land supplies and reinforcements to=20
the embattled marines nearly a thousand kilometers from the mainland=20
coastline. "All right, Swannies. Move your asses!"
"Hey!" the lead Horizont commander snapped back."Why don't you get those=20
damned Logans down here! Recon's picked up a whole briar patch of those=20
android bastards at our landing coordinates!"
"This is Bright Star, Green Noah Ark. We got you covered."
"You better, Bright Star," the assault shuttle commander acknowledged=20
gruffly. "Be advised, looks like we've got more company than we bargained=
=20
for at the LZ. Call it two battalions holding fire near Hill 2930 --=20
Scrimms and Odeons. Wanna guide us in?"
"Just to deployment point. Let the rowboats take care of themselves."
"We hear ya' Bright Star," another voice broke in on the tac-net, this=20
time the Tactical Air Force major leading a flight of Logan fighters into=20
the atmospheres. "We love you, too, over."
"I hear ya', Green Noah," DuBois replied. "Good hunting and good luck."
The Logan flight leader snorted audibly over the tac-net. "The hell with=
=20
luck. What could go wrong? Over..."
A lot of things.
* * *
CHAPTER ONE
RECKONINGS
The Expeditionary Forces' public claims regarding the expected threat=20
forces during execution of Operations SOLSTICE and LAFEYETTE -- essentially=
=20
a legacy of the obliterated Opteran Invid Collective -- begs the question=20
as to when the REF actually admitted the existence of the Invid Regis. The=
=20
spectacle of the Mars Division's destruction reveals REF estimates of Invid=
=20
forces and capabilities in 2034 were way off mark. Although in and of=20
itself not terribly suspicious, the Invid anti-surveillance operations of=20
2033 did not occur until mid-way through the year. In the absence of=20
significant threat to Operation SOLTICE's planet-side communications and=20
intelligence collection network through 2031-2, it seems unlikely that the=
=20
Expeditionary Forces on ground were ignorant of the Invid Regis's presence=
=20
or were unable to ascertain both the sudden Invid interest in attacking REF=
=20
lines of communication only a year before the Mars Division debacle. Why=20
this information was kept secret, however, remains a mystery even today.
-Maseo F. Diller, Lt. Col., UE Army, "Unresolved Issues of the Second Invid=
=20
War," Parameters, U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Summer 2040
* * *
...THE PRESENT...
"MA'AM?" THE EBONY-SKINNED GUNNY TAPPED HER SHOULDER GENTLY.
Twenty-two hundred dead
The vision evaporated as a stern voice lured her back into reality. The=20
dark basin of the Satellite's hollowed interior replaced images of Invid=20
Inorganics and Imperatived Zentraedi. The frightening echoes of her most=20
vivid nightmare, a legacy from those distant days spent recovering from=20
near-fatal wounds in the Patterson sickbay, disappeared as a distant voice=
=20
drew closer. She tore herself away from them to face her companion.
"You still wit'me?" Gunny Biggs tapped her shoulder again. Rachel nodded=
=20
affirmatively, clearly not wishing to discuss it any further. "Don't sweat=
=20
it, Ma'am. Lotsa folks get lost in the view. I hope you get to see the=20
rest of the place. It's really somethin'."
Rachel nodded, but did not avert her eyes from their aimless gaze. The=20
spacious cavity was more than the human mind could comprehend, eliciting a=
=20
deep feeling of personal irrelevence from anyone who fell captive to its=20
sheer immensity. The human mind lacked the tools to place the open space=20
on a reasonable scale. Rachel decided that Terra's first astronauts must=20
have felt like this once, looking down on the ball of rock their relatively=
=20
pitiful and fragile little species had crawled across for millenia. Then=20
again, most people were satisfied with summing up the whole experience in=20
four words: "It's so goddamned big!"
"It...it's impressive," she finally managed. A few more moments passed by=
=20
before Biggs coughed again, this time determined to entertain his charge.
"If I may ask, Ma'am. You're Cap'n DuBois' daughter, right?"
"Huh?"
"Cap'n Andy...er...sorry. I mean Captain Andrea DuBois, Ma'am. I was=20
just curious."
"Uh, yes. Yes, I am."
"You sorta look like'er -- if I may say so, Ma'am."
"Thanks. Why do you ask?" Rachel narrowed her eyes but kept them locked=20
on some invisible point beyond the transport platform's protective=20
force-fields.
"Well," Biggs hesitated, not sure if he should continue or not, "I knew=20
your dad way back on the Earth Factory -- back before the jump to=20
Tirol. He used to fly off the Wellington -- my old home. Then, there was=
=20
your mom. She used to be my sister's team commander, before she got=20
frocked and ended up steerin' tin cans for a livin'. I don't think she met=
=20
you, but Diana -- that's my sister -- used to have mess wit'da Cap'n=20
everynow and then. That's how I got to meet her -- I mean Missus, er,=20
Captain Dubois, that is. Small world, ain't it?"
"Really?" Rachel's ears perked in mock interest, though something=20
deep-down gnawed at her heart. It had been several years since her mother=
=20
had died, or was presumed dead, along with the Moscow. Years ago, her=20
mother had become involved in a very complicated situation. Leaving Rachel=
=20
planetside of Haydon Monoceros, she galloped around the galaxy with a man=20
that seemed to have taken Rachel's father's place. That's how Rachel=20
pictured it, at least. The Moscow had been damaged severely when Captain=20
Andrea DuBois had rested it, illegally, from Major General Edward's=20
control, but she somehow managed to survive the jump to hyperspace. For=20
five years, they'd taken the work of the Sentinels beyond the local group=20
worlds.
Mom.
"She's good people. Don't you worry none'bout the -- well, hell. Looks=20
like we here."
The receiving terminal's computerized tele-image displayed a young and=20
cheerful female face, her skin as swarthy as any women of Rilac. The face=
=20
brought back memories of the hundreds of ruined and annihilated colonies of=
=20
Tirol she had passed by on her voyages through the Fourth Quadrant. At the=
=20
age of fifteen, she left her uncle on Haydon Monoceros to enter the Tirol=20
Officers Candidate School. Completing the assessment test ahead of=20
schedule, she had received warming letters of recommendation from Brigadier=
=20
General Charles Simmons, the deputy commandant of the TOCS, and the late=20
Rear Admiral Yutaka -- who died in office during his second term as the=20
TOCS Executive Commandant. The officer corps had taken a severe beating=20
during the First Invid War, and the "mop-up" operation was already costing=
=20
more in terms of manpower and equipment than originally=20
projected. Likewise, the OCS programs pumped out graduates at half over=20
the military's average retention rate. Rachel had completed her flight=20
training just inside of a year, but not more than six months passed before=
=20
she was booted up to full lieutenant, and hastily assigned her to Special=20
Operations Combined Arms Group 24. For the past year and a half, she'd=20
served in various spec-war missions during Mop-Up operations. Rachel=20
joined an entire generation of highly-skilled yet obscenely young=20
servicemen. The average age of a Navy Lieutenant was twenty-three; in=20
fact, her most recent CO had only been five years her senior! As she=20
examined both the ratings and the officers moving about around her, she=20
could see her youth and inexperience reflected in them. They were lost=20
baby sheep in the aisles of the damned.
Rachel almost lost her sense of balance and scale completely as she=20
stumbled out of the receiving terminal and into a space almost twenty=20
meters wide and forty high. It took her a while to realize she was looking=
=20
at the mere anteroom to the station's "nerve center." The main control=20
room--the floor area rivaled a small football field -- directed almost=20
every aspect of the station's operations. The antigravity lifts leading up=
=20
to the MCS upper levels zipped about like fireflies in a swamp. She barely=
=20
noticed how the architecture had gone decisively Zentraedi as she passed=20
under the sweeping entrance of Command Deck. The sweeping arcs were=20
magnificently plain, a testament to the warrior-clones' sense of=20
functionality over aesthetics. Rachel's mind took in the view to the=20
exclusion of all else, just as she unceremoniously walked straight into a=20
superior officer.
The tall Aerospace Force Lieutenent Colonel collected himself before=20
flagging down the nearest antigravity platform. A beaming-white smile=20
spread across his ruddy, Sicilian skin, sparking recognition in Rachel's=
eyes.
"My-my, Lieutenant Rachel DuBois?" he commented. "How long has it=20
been? Ten years?"
Gunny Biggs, having completed his escort duties, saluted Rachel and stood=
=20
at attention until the colonel dismissed him. He turned to Rachel with a=20
wildly drawn grin that appeared to say: Keep your heead up, El-Tee. Then,=
=20
with the rigid professionalism of a seasoned NCO, he disappeared into the=20
transient mob of technicians, officers, and Marines, leaving Colonel Aston=
=20
and Rachel to talk privately.
"Uncle Vin-er...Colonel Aston?"
"Uncle Vinny's just fine with me. Damn, I think you were still in grade=20
school last time I saw you."
"Eighth grade, Sir."
"Hopped a ride to Monoceros with Tom, right?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Vinny."
"Sorry. Anyway, I hopped off-planet three years ago. What have you been=20
up to?"
"Nothing to exciting, might I say. I'm back from my tour over in the=20
Lechem Quarter. I heard you're back from the Badlands."
"Are you cleared for that?"
"Why the hell would I be here if I weren't," he replied.
"It pays better, Sir."
"Not that good," Colonel Aston replied. "Damned drafty if you ask me --=20
oh, and no wool sweats on duty."=09
"I don't doubt it, Sir." There lift came to a stop, and Colonel Aston=20
gently discontinued the conversation; courteously leading Rachel onto the=20
reception deck.
* * *
General Reinherdt, Military Liaison to the Plenipotentiary Commission,=20
sauntered back into reality thoughts of his nephew -- now a junior officer=
=20
in the United Earth Space Navy -- fled his mind. He set his hands down on=
=20
the table before him, an equilateral triangle with each of its vertices=20
truncated about a foot inward and capped with the "chief" seat at the=20
twelve o'clock corner.
Reinherdt sat next to his younger colleague and friend, Rear Admiral Vince=
=20
Grant. The powerfully-built, stupendously tall Black man seemed somewhat=20
less cumbersome and far more contemplative as he reclined in his seat --=20
Grant's right hand massaging at a patch of fuzz that might just pass for a=
=20
beard. Admiral Grant's uniform bristled with citations of various=20
sorts. Most of them commemorated his actions as CO of Task Force 38 during=
=20
the siege on Optera last year. When Edwards launched his coup, he had=20
succeeded in killing or injuring enough of the senior command and brass=20
leadership that the REF had to dig deep into its senior field-grade=20
officers to replace their losses. Grant had been one of the many officers=
=20
Admiral Yoshanov and Commissioner Justine Huxley had pulled out of the=20
woodwork to fill the vacancies.
The rest of the flag panel was composed entirely of old guard=20
brass. Sarah Olvesky, a Major General and Director of Karbarran-REF=20
Internal Affairs, once taught Aerospace Engineering at the University of=20
Michigan; she'd met Grant there during his undergraduate career. Vice=20
Admiral Raul Forsythe, once flag captain of the SDF-3 and now=20
second-in-command of the Earth Relief Mission, occupied the seat=20
immediately adjacent to the vertice reserved for the presiding=20
officer. Finally, there was good old Admiral Kulaski; an American Pole and=
=20
once retired United States Navy missile frigate skipper who often commented=
=20
about being injustly "dragged kickin' and screamin'" into the global=20
service by Forsythe decades ago. Kulaski was the oldest officer in the=20
United Earth Forces. At age sixty-eight he'd been pulled out of retirement=
=20
more times than he cared to remember. Also, of all the officers present,=20
Kulaski alone had worked his way up through the enlisted ranks -- a genuine=
=20
sea dog. He sat at the base table's right vertice; right next to the open=
=20
seat reserved for a Lieutenant Rachel DuBois. The command table sat up to=
=20
twenty people, with additional seats for more junior attendees. Today's=20
meeting featured several analysts and other staff members in attendence,=20
all cleared to very high levels of military secrets. Separated from the=20
rest of the station by a good five centimeters of sound-proof material, the=
=20
command briefing room was truly one of the most secure places onboard the=20
Satellite.
Outside the command briefing room and just below the balcony, Lieutenant=20
DuBois rode high above wonderland. A lift automatically and expertly=20
managed the traffic, flying high enough for her to admire the=20
view. Hundreds of Expeditionary Force, Karbarran and other Allied=20
personnel slaved over thousands of consoles and systems. These technicians=
=20
and their division officers coordinated activity vital to the command=20
center's operation as well as the millions of other tasks carried out=20
within the voluminous space just beyond the grand transparency and=20
throughout the Satellite's many facilities.
Peering out beyond the massive, all enveloping window protecting the MCS=20
from the vacuum, Rachel watched as -- slowly but surely -- the immense hull=
=20
of the Jutland, the only survivor of the Wellington dreadnoughts that once=
=20
represented the pinacle of Terran space engineering, nosed into view of the=
=20
massive transparency. The former gold and sky-blue paint was stripped=20
away; as a matter of fact, most of the bow's hull was missing, leaving only=
=20
naked superstructure. The aging dreadnought was undergoing a major refit,=
=20
the third of its kind to be transformed into a superdimensional=20
tender. Hopefully, she'd be ready in time for Operation LAFEYETTE,=20
carrying sufficient factory materials to retask Moon Base Luna and prep the=
=20
Fleet for the final assault on the Invid Home Hive..
The turbolift came to an abrupt halt about fifty-meters above the command=
=20
centers "ground floor." From the balcony's altitude, the various decks of=
=20
the command center resembled a small city; lights, building structures, and=
=20
even vehicles -- flying and non-flying -- all added to the scene.
"Nice to see you again, Rachel." Rachel attention turned back to the flag=
=20
panel. Sarah Olvesky smiled from cheek-to-cheek, growing rosy pink. Her=20
grey-brown hair was tied back into a bun, giving a sort of distinguished=20
air to her slight aged features.
"Colonel, " she turned to Uncle Vinny. Both officers saluted before Aston=
=20
turned back for the lift. Rachel, on the other hand, was left with an=20
assortment of flag and general officers, every single keenly interested in=
=20
her -- something Rachel didn't find the least bit comfortable.
"Good morning, General," Rachel lowered her hand, a grin finally=20
penetrating her long lackluster air. "I think its been..."
"Four years."
"How's Arthur doing?" Rachel asked about a mutual friend of theirs --=20
Sarah's godson specifically.
"First month at the OCS," Sarah's tone dropped decisively. "He's got his=
=20
Daddy's drive. Anyway, I would hate to see such talent lost."
"With the way you spoil god-kids? Sarah, I think not," a slightly older=20
voice emitted from the behind them.
The voice belonged to Raul Forsythe, who was habitually grazing his beard=
=20
with his index finger. Turning to Rachel, "Well, its an honor to meet the=
=20
kid of Pete DuBois."
"The pleasure is mine, Sir," Rachel returned the favor. Most of the=20
people at the table had associated in some way or another with Peter Henry=
=20
DuBois. Forsythe, once a professor of history at the Macross Island=20
Training Center, had known Pete DuBois as the quiet, seasoned combat pilot=
=20
who managed to graduate third in his class. Reinherdt served with Rachel's=
=20
father both during the War of Unification and following the Dolzan=20
Holocaust. Grant, Olvesky, and Kulaski got to know Rachel's father during=
=20
his two year guest tour of South America. Grant got a chance to meet Pete=
=20
DuBois through Max Sterling, right before accompanying Max's command to the=
=20
Southlands as an engineering duty officer back in 2018. A far more=20
youthful and vibrant "Major" Sarah Olvesky worked a ground intelligence=20
network that the infamous Jonathon Wolff and his "Wolff Pack" armored=20
calvary squadron frequently utilized. Kulaski, on the other hand,=20
refrained from ever discussing his relationship with Pete Dubois. Only the=
=20
foolish would dare question an admiral's right to keep a secret or two.
Rachel glanced down at her watch; it was nearly time. "Where should I=20
sit, Ma'am? It looks like we're about to start."
"The Old Man's been delayed, so I we have some catch-up time," Sarah=20
noted. "Otherwise, you're right by Old Kulaski. I haven't seen Dr.=20
Garetteau since you were a girl. I heard you and Hiram got along pretty=20
well before you left."
"Fairly," Rachel nostagically recalled the days she had held baby Hiram=20
Olvesky -- Sarah's nephew -- on her lap, and suddenly remembered that the=20
age difference between them seemed so negligable now-a-days. Already, he=20
was putting up top numbers for his TOCS class. Unfortunately, she'd lost=20
touch with him over the last year. "I guess he's found a new friend in=20
Reghan's daughter. They're both -- if you'll excuse me, Sir -- very=20
growing up to be very military."
"And Ryan, too, Gunther," Sarah snorted, recalling Gunther's grand-nephew.=
=20
"Amazing -- they were just kids not more than a few years ago."
"They are just kids," Reinherdt shook his head. His nephew Danny was=20
already on the short-list for Rear Admiral. Danny's son Ryan, who'd just=20
turned twenty-one, had graduated from Space Navy TOCS three months=20
ago. "We put them out there too young, too early. Present company=20
excluded, of course."
Rachel watch General Reinherdt's sour look flush quickly from his face,=20
replaced by a wry smile. The lieutenant graciously accepted the friendly=20
apology, but inwardly wondered what was on the General's mind. Was it that=
=20
Daniel Reinherdt was on top track for brass with only fourteen years of=20
service under his belt? Well, Rick Hunter made Major General in five and=20
full Admiral not long after he hit
forty, she noted to herself. The universe had turned upside down, so it=20
seemed.
"There's very little we can do about it now," Grant noted soberly.=20
Everyone present understood Commander Grant's sensitivity on the=20
subject. He had left his only son, Bowie, behind before shipping out with=
=20
the SDF-3. Bowie Grant eventually grew up, enlisted in Army of the=20
Southern Cross and taken up a tanker's life, and finally saw extensive=20
action during the war with the Robotech Masters. Eventually, Bowie Grant=20
and his comrades in the Fifteenth Squadron, Alpha Tactical Armored Corps,=20
were redeployed to Tirol to help with the mop-up operations. Despite the=20
tender reconcilliation they'd finally achieved, Commander Grant knew that=20
the relationship he and his son once had would never be the same.
"Back on a lighter note," Sarah interjected, as if sensing the choking=20
melancholy gripping the room. "I read your file from the Patterson. Pete=
=20
and Andrea would've been proud. Three distinguished sorties, four Stellar=
=20
Cross Medallions. Sam and Francis really took a liking to you. It was=20
damn near impossible to get them to let go."
Rachel fondly recalled the Commander of Carrier Air Wing Eight Nine -- or=
=20
simply Commander Air Group (CAG) -- Captain (Junior Grade) Sam Huxley. The=
=20
son of former UE World District Court Justice and now Plenipoteniary=20
Commissioner Justine Huxley, he had distinguished himself during the=20
Sentinels War and earned the command of the two-hundred and fifty-craft=20
carrier air wing. Captain Francis Harbringer, the Patterson's CO, would=20
retire next month on a commodore's pension after a lengthy term of service=
=20
starting on the first superdimensional's long voyage back to Earth from the=
=20
darkest extents of the Sol system. "I like them, too, Sir. We did good=20
work out in the Badlands. I trust you've received the report on=
Cyphedia-45A."
"Uh...yes," Olvesky replied. She recalled the report, but the legendary=20
exploits of the Patterson would remained on a need-to-know basis for some=
time.
Rachel fidgetted. "Anyway, the Patterson's a good ship. Trustworthy and=
=20
reliable. A lot like the Moscow."
The table grew strangely quiet at the mention of the vessel's name. Most=
=20
people knew that the Moscow, along with with her sisters, had been stripped=
=20
of her Wellington frame and remodeled to match the hull design of an=20
experimental general purpose warship class. These sleek vessels,=20
painstakingly designed and built over the space of three years, served as=20
the testbeds for new fold drives. Expeditionary Military Assistance and=20
Advisement Command hoped to deploy the second wave of reliefs for Earth's=20
beleaguered forces within the coming year, or nearly two years after the=20
first Relief Group quit the Fourth Quadrant to bolster the late Supreme=20
Commander Anatole Leonard's defense against the Masters. Additionally, the=
=20
refit design guaranteed an extensive flexibility in roles the class could=20
undertake. Prior to the Moscow's refit, Captain Andrea DuBois commanded=20
the behemoth landing ship. Arriving in Tirol's orbit, the Moscow suffered=
=20
extensive damage at Invid hands, so much so that it was conceded to the RRC=
=20
for its new pet project.
That first battle had seen the death of a young Rachel's father. As for=20
Andrea, it was if something had died inside her.
Then something simply snapped. For reasons still unexplained to her=20
daughter, Andrea had hijacked her former command and fled to the far=20
reaches of the Tirolian Empire, turning her crew and aviators into a=20
mercenary group playing a covert but important role in the Sentinels=20
War. After five years, she was destroyed by not only Invid warships, but=20
apparently forces under the command of Major General Edward's seditious=20
faction. Since her mother's death, Rachel had been utterly alone save her=
=20
uncle. Dr. Garetteau had taken great care raising her, but the reality of=
=20
war forced him to take long, work-related absences for months at a time.
A moment of silence seemed almost ceremonious as it followed the last word=
=20
from her lips. Sarah coughed. It wasn't the view of the many, those who=20
had faced dangers that seemed several hundred times more vagarious than=20
those the rogue crew of that ill-fated starship had faced, but among this=20
small circle of brass, her name would ring legendary among those cleared=20
for that classified information. That included Reinherdt and especially=20
Kulaski and Grant.
"Did they ever find that missing crewman?" Rachel changed the subject=20
momentarily.
"Hmm?" Sarah Olvesky turned her attention to the lieutenant.
"Tennyson, I think his name was. Uncle Tom says Mom was close friends=20
with this guy after Dad died. Did they ever find his body."
"The Inquiry's commission finished searching the wreckage a long time ago,=
=20
Lieutenant," Kulaski fingers ran through his beard. "There was no sign of=
=20
any survivors. I'm afraid we'll probably never find out what happened."
"I understand," Rachel closed her eyes for a moment. Then, she proceded=20
prematurely on what she considered to be the topic at hand, regarding a=20
decision she had made a few months earlier. "As you probably know, sirs,=20
Captain Harbringer approved and filed my request for pulling my active call=
=20
file and assigning me back to the OCS, right? With most of the Mop Up=20
under way, and the forces for Operation SPARTA still at least another year=
=20
and a half from outfitting, I think I can be of use getting new aviators=20
trained up. I knew the OCS was looking to squeeze in one more instructor=20
but I had no idea it would be forwarded this high for review."
"Well, Rachel..." General Olvesky said uneasily. Rachel gave her a=20
quisitive look as Olvesky tried to explain. "Now's not really a good time=
=20
to -- "
"Request denied. It's as simple as that, Lieutenant," a powerful voice=20
suddenly interrupted.
A monumental man, almost as lofty and built as Commander Grant, took his=20
seat at the opposite end of the table. Rachel realized that her seat was=20
at the foot of the obsidian slab, looking across at an almost dark,=20
imposing and commanding face masked in shadow. "I apologize for pulling=20
your request and placing it on hold like that, but I don't feel the need to=
=20
explain my actions. A comprehensive explanation will be presented to you=20
during the course of this briefing."
The gruff-looking admiral was incredibly tall and impressive, giving=20
Rachel pause to even try and speak up.
"I am -- of course -- delighted to finally meet you," a hint of a Russian=
=20
accent broke through the nearly perfect Londonian dialect. Fleet Admiral=20
Vasily Kolyavich Yoshanov leaned both of his elbows on the table, his=20
shoulder emblazoned with the his command's unit patch -- featuring the=20
flying kite and the two laurel leaves. Four gold bars rose above the tip=20
of the kite, distinguising of the Karbarran Theater Commander in Chief of=20
the Robotech Expeditionary Forces from other decorated upper echelon=20
officers. Only answerable to Fleet Admiral Richard A. Hunter, the air and=
=20
space mecha forces commander-in-chief; and Supreme Fleet Admiral Elizabeth=
=20
Hayes-Hunter, the mission commander; he was the most powerful human being=20
within this part of space. "I'm quite sure, Lieutenant DuBois, you might=20
agree with my decision as soon as we get underway. So let's not waste=20
anymore time, eh?"
The collosal Russian continued, "It's 1834, so let's get on with it. I=20
need not remind you all that this briefing is top secret."
Everyone at the table nodded in agreement, with Rachel the most=20
dumbfounded of all. Yoshanov, even before the Hayes-Hunters, was a living=
=20
legend; having already released an auto-biography that was required reading=
=20
for General Staff and Flag Officer's Schools and a curriculary textbook for=
=20
naval midshipmen since the War of Unification. Prior to the end of the=20
war, Yoshanov served as the senior adjutant to Marshal Zukav, CINCEURASFOR=
=20
-- Commander-in-Chief, Eurasian Forces -- and senior member of the United=20
Earth Defense Council. The Admiral managed to escape the Zentraedi's=20
unrelenting slaughter of the UNDF's command posts through pure luck. At=20
the time, Marshal Zukav and Fleet Admiral Hayes were readying Alaska Base's=
=20
most valuable strategic asset -- the only functional strategic reflex=20
cannon in Earth's arsenal. Meanwhile, Yoshanov was in-flight to South=20
America to oversee the transfer of physicists and engineers from Alaska=20
Cannon to Bogot=E1. Most of the Zentraedi bombardment focused on Europe and=
=20
North America, targeting the bulk of the United Nations strategic ASAT=20
forces and spaceports. However, the Caribbean and most of Latin America=20
south of Mexico City escaped largely unscathed, including both the Panama=20
Grand Cannon and another one -- built in something akin to secrecy --=20
somewhere in the Amazon. Yoshanov managed to peacefully keep the=20
secession-minded governments north of Venezuela and Colombia in the UN in=20
the aftermath of the Holocaust, while taking the effort to secure the=20
Brazilian Grand Cannon in the sovereign diasporas following the Zentraedi=20
Holocaust. As a result, the surviving UNDF High Command managed to=20
maintain Brazil's secret treasure trove's confidence despite the=20
strenuousness of the times. His experience and adventures earned him the=20
respect of his peers. Not even General Edwards would have dared cross=20
Yoshanov -- a fear the traitor had held for no one else, not even the=20
Supreme Allied Commander of the Expeditionary Forces.
"Shall we begin?" Yoshanov declared rhetorically as the lights=20
darkened. A black, triangular prism rose out the center of the=20
table. Flashes of fluorescent colors fluttered across surface. Soon=20
afterwards, a holo-display of the REF logo materialized above the panel,=20
repeatedly rotating along its vertical axis as the briefing material loaded=
=20
into the display.
"This is your latest evaluation from Commodore Harbringer and Commander=20
Huxley," Yoshanov lifted a small disc in his right hand. "You've earned=20
quite a reputation as a fighter pilot and an officer with potential for=20
command. I have no doubts you would make a fine skipper some day. Maybe=20
even a teacher."
"Thank you, Sir."
"However, I find myself quite at a loss of assessing newcomers to our=20
little circle. I had quite a discussion with Admiral Kulaski about you=20
over lunch. Now, getting to the point."
Admiral Yoshanov nodded towards Sarah. "General Olvesky?"
"Yes, Sir," she rose, slipping a wink at Rachel as she withdrew a small=20
pointing device from the table. All of sudden, she fell into a=20
"nothing-but-business" mode. "During the galactic mop-up operations in the=
=20
Caligula and Apollo supersectors, we've come across fascinating variants on=
=20
the Invid social and political template. I believe, Lieutenant, you are=20
most familiar with the incident of Domera II."
DuBois nodded affirmatively. A staff officer directed the attendees to=20
forward their datapads to the section marked QUEEN BEE, a subset of the=20
entire portfolio codenamed EXODUS.
"After the Moscow incident, Intelligence analyzed reports of brief=20
skirmishes just outside of Haydon IV's system -- we were never able to get=
=20
confirmation. In early March of '31, the REF Astrogation and Astrophysics=
=20
Research Office tracked a a "hyperspace foot print" -- a superluminal=20
ripple through space-time -- apparantly tracing its way into the First=20
Quadrant. Disturbingly enough, the foot print originated only some two=20
hundred parsecs outside of the Opteran system's end of the Trianguli=20
cluster -- the second planet of the Beta Icarus System. The pulse almost=20
parallels a hyper foot print Intelligence has been able to identify from=20
Sentinels pre-war records. By all accounts, this fits with the speculation=
=20
of some special technology possessed by these unaffiliated forces that=20
permit mobilization rates through hyperspace well beyond anything we can do.
"Military Intelligence also recently stumbled across some startling new=20
evidence that offers more credence to our original fears another organized,=
=20
Invid contingent at work in the Triangulis Cluster. One particular=20
phenomenon appeared on gravitic scopes in the First Quadrant. Apparently,=
=20
the Invid Sensor Nebula had been moving about and within the Local Bubble=20
looking for Earth. We were able to collect data from the analyses of the=20
Nebula made during the Second Robotech War and concluded this is the same=20
Invid tracking device that left Haydon IV nine years ago. Today, we have=20
reason to believe that the Invid forces evacuated from Icarus and Domera II=
=20
were part of a vast, previously undetected collection of Invid -- possibly=
=20
under the control of the Invid Regis."
Rachel didn't say a word. The Regis? The UEF had a nickname for her,=20
Santa Claus, because nobody really believed she existed. While it was=20
widely known that the Invid on Earth had come from Beta Icarus -- perhaps=20
Domera II as well -- the evidenced suggested both worlds were just early=20
colonies of Optera. That meant the Invid on Earth couldn't possibly match=
=20
the size of the force met on Optera in the autumn of 2030, which ran up to=
=20
about ten to twenty million combat-ready Invid troops and Inorganics. The=
=20
Invid Regis, on the other hand, was rumored to control an Invid population=
=20
equal or larger to that once under the rule of the Regent's Collective --=20
or roughly sixty to seventy million armed and piloted Pincers, Shock=20
Troopers, and other deadly Invid war-machines. What the hell's going on=
here?
After briefly overviewing the major points of the brief, Sarah=20
surrendered the floor to one of her aides. "Colonel Greenwood?"
A lanky-jawed colonel with a decisively Texan accent reared up from the=20
sub-brass contingent sitting close to Yoshanov. "Thank y'kindly,=20
General. Colonel Lucas Greenwood, GMP. My associate, Major Caan,=20
Aerospace Force, will give you much of the background of what I'm going to=
=20
talk about, but let me start off like this. Our last intel take from Earth=
=20
indicated that the Invid were going full force to cut off communications=20
with our major rally points and bases on Earth. Now what I've got here is=
=20
a lotta recon data suggesting our forces on planet are still intact and not=
=20
under any immediate threat, but the enemy's got a great opportunity to=20
start making trouble -- especially if they succeed in cutting the commo=20
lines. Major Caan?"
"Thank you, Sir," A gawky Aerospace Force officer with bad acne stood up=20
behind Greenwood. Major Caan couldn't have been more than two or three=20
years older than Rachel. He sure as hell seemed nervous=20
enough. "Uhm...good evening. I'm Major Hamid Caan, GMP. Two years ago, I=
=20
had the opportunity to put down with Admiral Hunter during Operation=20
SOLSTICE. Our unit helped build the systems that collect and funnel=20
intelligence back up to the Moon and ultimately to Mars. The task force=20
placed recon swarms operating in low orbits at eleven hundred, twenty-one=20
hundred and twelve thousand kilometers. We also put up comm sats operating=
=20
at geosynch, well out of the enemy's operating range. From there, we=20
forward incoming audio/visual and data packets to ALUCE and then out over=20
hyperstate radio to Mars Base Gloval. These are our only links with the=20
resistance abroad, and our only way of coordinating relief efforts with the=
=20
SOLSTICE landing zones. Then, last November, the Invid successfully took=20
out key swarms in Low Earth Orbit, effectively cutting off our lines of=20
communication with the surface..."
Caan continued, explaining the significance of each recon swarm and=20
expanded on their recent destruction. After fifteen minutes, he turned the=
=20
stage back to his superior.
"Thanks, Major," Greenwood cleared his throat as he stood back up and took=
=20
the floor.. "We've got cross orbit communications back up and running, but=
=20
the downlinks to Earth present a whole new range of problems. Our last=20
reported intelligence indicates Invid forces in control of more than ninety=
=20
percent of the Northern Hemisphere and large tracts of Africa south of the=
=20
equator. They definitely felt ballsy enough to hit targets in the vacuum,=
=20
which suggests a significant expansion or effort to expand their space=20
control forces. That's it for our brief. Admiral?"
"Thank you, Colonel Greenwood," Yoshanov folded his arms around his chest=
=20
as the Texan sat down. "Colonel Reid?"
A much smaller, pot-bellied young man who seemed to resemble a Karbarran=20
cub, began his own report. Rachel had noticed that much of the activity on=
=20
the lower bridges had halted.
"Thank you, Sir. I'm Colonel Geoffrey Reid, also GMP. Getting right to=20
it, the Invid are now in possession of nearly sixty percent of the Earth's=
=20
surface. We're still unsure as to the make of of their leadership, but=20
present force appreciations point to a Hive distribution that rivals=20
Optera. That means we're dealing with a force commanded by a royal class=20
breeder or something like it. We've also got visuals of the the Home Hive=
=20
-- we're calling it Reflex Point right now."
"Reflex Point?" Olvesky spoke up. Rachel nodded in confusion, too.
The holo-map shifted north by north-east over the Caribbean and halting=20
over a spot of land that had once been the Ohio Valley. "Not my idea,=20
Ma'am. You'll have to talk to Commissioner Obstat about that. Reflex=20
Point is a Royal Hive, roughly of the same size, dimensions and layout of=20
the three located on Optera. This particular setup fits the speculated=20
layout of the craters analyzed on Beta Icarus II. That's why we're=20
guessing that the Invid on Earth are led by a royal. If that's the case,=20
then we must consider the possibility that the Invid Regis does exist, and=
=20
our force projections may be completely off the map."
Captioned in the hologram was the image source and timestamp. Already=20
immense beyond belief, nobody in the room ever suspected they'd encounter=20
something like the Opteran Hive Networks again. Rachel pulled in a breath=
=20
as every rumor she had ever heard seemed to be fulfilling themselves like=20
apocolyptic prophecies.
The pot-bellied colonel passed the stage off to his collegue, a lithsome,=
=20
red-haired woman in her early thirties -- her name tag read J. GRAMM, COL,=
=20
UETAF. Rachel glanced at the briefing agenda on her datapad again, Gramm=20
had the privilege of summarizing the strategic situation on Earth, point=20
out the REF's interests, and outline the mission objectives.
"As of now, about forty thousand UEF troops are fighting to hold the line=
=20
at the equator. While we're meeting our halt phase objectives, we're=20
sustaining heavy losses in our special warfare units and, as Colonel=20
Greenwood pointed out, our supply line and communication links have come=20
under attack.
"In South America, special forces are instrumental in organizing=20
resistances north of Valhalla and throughout the Amazon=20
Basin. Unfortunately, they've come under fire since last September's=20
effort to relieve Rally Points B and K.
"For that reason, we've been planning to reinforce SOCAG 23, the special=20
operations group we have operating in the Amazonas, and redeploy the group=
=20
to covertly establish more permanent base in the Basin."
The holographic image shifted again, revealing a gridpoint map of a=20
specific area in northwestern Brazil. Even from space it was clear there=20
was a cavity -- almost like a crater -- sitting inert amongst the dense=20
greenery.
"We hope to set up shop in the Brazilian Grand Cannon," Gramm=20
continued. "It's located some two-hundred kilometers south-west of the=20
Amazon region known as the Basin. The Basin has retained much of its=20
foliage, making it the ideal encampment for a SOCAG. When we received the=
=20
military reports on spores that had spread across North America, we had=20
hoped to draw a line in the sand in the South, where the Flowers weren't=20
taking root yet. That's the whole motivation behind Operation=20
SOLSTICE. Now, we need to keep up a high support tempo just to keep our=20
people alive. For that reason, we went looking for alternative ways to=20
support the beachheads without exposing transports from space to enemy=20
fire. We can do that here.
"We want to turn this place into a factory and a warehouse for the=20
resistance -- a point where our forces can converge in South America and=20
hold out against any attack."
The colonel sat down; Olvesky immediately took the reins of the=20
briefing. As the general talked on about mission specifics and delegated=20
time to questions and answers, Rachel's mind was already racing with=20
anticipation. She didn't know if she could do what they asked of her, but=
=20
she knew that for the first time she was going to be fighting for something=
=20
that made sense. Even if it didn't go off as planned, even if it was=20
impossible, she knew that for the first time in years the Expedition was=20
finally doing something right. They hadn't even told her why she was here,=
=20
but DuBois had already figured it out.
She was going home.
* * *
* * *
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> on some thug shit, runnin wild through New York City" >
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