Earth Interstellar_Proxy War Read online

  Earth Interstellar

  Proxy War

  Scott Olen Reid

  Copyright ©2018 Scott Olen Reid

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form, or by any means, without the express written consent of the author.

  Publisher: Three Helmets Books, Laguna Hills, California.

  ISBN:

  Cover Art: CoverMint, Dan Van Oss – www.covermint.design

  Three Helmets Books Logo by: Samantha DeBie

  First printing in any format: January 2018

  Printed & Published in the USA

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events contained within this work are the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual, or legal, persons, living or deceased, is coincidental.

  Neither the author, nor publisher, has control of, or assumes responsibility for third party representations related to themselves or this work.

  Special Thanks

  To my Beta Readers for providing that final coat of wax to make the story shine.

  To my wife, Sheri, who gave me the space and time to write.

  UPCOMING BOOKS BY SCOTT OLEN REID

  Nova Academy (Book 2): Bases and Lairs (mid-2018)

  Galaxy.Net (late 2018)

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Prologue: Vrene Capital Ship, Unknown Location

  Chapter 1: XSS Cousteau, Approaching Heliosphere Boundary, System 48269

  Chapter 2: XSS Cousteau, Heliosphere Boundary, System 48269

  Chapter 3: XSS Cousteau, System 48269

  Chapter 4: XSS Cousteau, System 48269

  Chapter 5, Black Rock Three Base, Waypoint Star System 48127

  Chapter 6: United Earth Government, Earth

  Chapter 7: XSS Cousteau, Rheas System 48269

  Chapter 8: Black Rock Three Base, Waypoint System

  Chapter 9: Third Fleet Flagship, UES Atlanta, Breaching System Heliosphere, Rheas System

  Chapter 10: Capital City, Rayquiem, Rheas Home World

  Chapter 11: UES Oklahoma, Rheas System

  Chapter 12: Cruiser Conqueror, Chzek-kin Assault Fleet Nine, Rheas System (Outer)

  Chapter 13: Rayquiem, Rheas Capital City, Rheas Homeworld

  Chapter 14: United Earth Government, Earth

  Chapter 15: Rool Ambassadorial Ship, Oaka, En Route

  Chapter 16: Seventh Consortium, Ponterella System

  Chapter 17: Black Rock Three, Waypoint System

  Chapter 18: Seventh Consortium, Ponterella System

  Chapter 19: Tahiti, Earth

  Chapter 20: XSS Asimov, Unexplored Chzek Controlled Space

  Chapter 21: Mobile Base Ship Yukon, Rheas System

  Chapter 22: XSS Vagran, Human Controlled Space, System 48188

  Chapter 23: XSS Nautilus, System 48633

  Chapter 24: Chzek-kin Command Battlecruiser, Behemoth, Waypoint System (Outer)

  Chapter 25: Rool Warship, Geto, Waypoint Star System

  Chapter 26: Black Rock Three Base, Waypoint System

  Chapter 27: United Earth Government, Earth

  Chapter 28: XSS Nautilus, Deep in Chzek-kin Controlled Space

  Chapter 29: Rheas System, Ship Assembly Facility One

  Chapter 30: XSS Nautilus, Deep in Chzek Controlled Space

  Chapter 31: UES Hamilton, Approaching System 48599

  Chapter 32: Chzek-kin Forward Base, Location Unknown

  Chapter 33: XSS Nautilus, Three Light Days from the Chzek-kin Home System

  Chapter 34: XSS Nautilus, Three Light Days from the Chzek-kin Home System

  Epilogue: Vrene Battlecruiser, Magma, Unknown Location

  proxy war: noun

  A war instigated by a major power that is fought by lesser allied powers and in which it does not itself become involved.

  Prologue: Vrene Capital Ship, Unknown Location

  “What can I expect to find in the charts?” asked Vrene Chancellor Sevairne.

  “The humans have explored to within thirty light years of Chzek space,” said the Rool ambassador to the humans as he explained their Exploration Service’s rapid expansion of star systems they have visited. He was impressed with their commitment.

  “So soon?” the Vrene asked, concerned.

  “Yes, Chancellor. They have an aggressive exploration program.”

  “How much longer then, do you think?”

  “Estimates are no more than twenty revolutions,” the Rool replied.

  “How far from Earth will that be?” asked the chancellor, starting to believe the humans may be worth their cost for the last three hundred years of protection the Vrene had provided to their protectorate.

  “Sixty to seventy light years.”

  “Excellent. And, how long will it take for the humans to transition to a war economy once they engage the Chzek’s proxies? How many ships will they be able to deploy per revolution?”

  The Rool took a moment to consider his answer before replying, “Within a year, but it will take time before they fully understand they are in a fight for their continued existence enough to make a full transition to a war economy. They currently have a modest manufacturing program for spacecraft they will be able to expand upon when the time comes.”

  “That could be acceptable. With a sixty light year buffer, they will have time. The humans may gain us an additional twenty revolutions to prepare before they are exterminated.”

  Chapter 1: XSS Cousteau, Approaching Heliosphere Boundary, System 48269

  As she entered the bridge deck instance of the Exploration Service Ship, XSS Cousteau, Commander Mary Kree checked the emotional readouts of the personnel on duty via their avatars. The officer of the deck, Lt. Gerald, was showing an emotion bar quickly changing from a light green state of mental rest and relaxation to a dark blue, indicating his mind quickly became focused; likely caused by the double flash of the bridge's general announcement board showing, Captain on Deck. The sensors and navigation technicians on watch each displayed emotional states showing a light blue, indicating relaxed concentration, a good indicator both were doing their jobs and nothing was out of the ordinary.

  It appeared everything was in order, so far as the deck watch was concerned. Captain Kree made observations until she came to the last person on the bridge, the ship’s engineering technician on watch, EG3 Burgess, grabbed her attention at his console. He was showing a dark blue with yellow and various other color streaks in his emotional state.

  "Tech Burgess, report." Commander, or by the traditional title given to the captain of a ship regardless of their rank, Captain, Kree said as clearly as she would if they were standing in a real room together. The command instantly appeared on the bridge’s station-to-station communications board, providing a visual representation.

  After a brief hesitation, Burgess responded, "Sir, we’re having a spectrum fluctuation from engine three. It's showing a spike in lower frequency emissions at 92 kilohertz." It still amazed the captain of the ship how colorful the emotional indicators could be on avatars when a person was shifting through multiple emotions. In this case, embarrassment, nervousness, and a little trepidation in being the first one to tell the captain something on her ship was broken.

  Captain Kree's own emotional coloration did not change as her avatar’s settings were locked into a range of light to dark blue. Monitoring of emotional states was part of monitoring th
e psychological well-being of the crew on long deployments; not for the crew to monitor the captain. Rank does hath its privileges.

  "Do we have an alignment problem again?" the captain asked. She had one thing above all others that must be at all times on her ship – the ship must be undetectable.

  "We’re not sure yet, Captain. The EO and Chief Mellow are EVA looking at it with Woolery." Woolery was a Virtual Operator, or VO, rated to operate the ship's EVA-bots; the maintenance bots were located throughout the interior and exterior of the ship.

  Captain Kree dropped out of the bridge instance and into the instance created by the engineers to work on the problem. "EO, what do you have?" she asked.

  "Morning, Captain. We're having those same spectral flares we were having last time," answered Lt. Veronica Parker who was leaning over the tech’s shoulder directing him where she wanted him to check next.

  Exploration ship engines were designed to emit a highly directed, narrow x-ray band electromagnetic radiation from the engine’s thrust to minimize their detectability. Designed for stealth, the ships contained the massive energies produced by the engines to a narrowly focused thrust “beam” so a minimum of splash, or undirected energy, was created. The detectability of the ship was further reduced by the EM emission bandwidth matching the background noise of space.

  "We're going to be in-system in twelve hours. What are we looking at?” asked the captain.

  "Right now it's hard to say. Give us an hour and I should know more,”

  The captain made a decision, "We can't have that engine broadcasting our position if we use them while we're in-system, EO. Go ahead and shut down the engines and Epson Drive. That will buy us some time on our approach. I’ll have the ship's posture oriented away from the system so you can use whatever thrust you need to troubleshoot. Until it’s fixed we’ll maintain a Zero-Delta approach."

  The EO acknowledged the order while keeping her opinion to herself about whether the ship could enter the system with something as trivial as a spectral flare. After more than 1,650 star systems explored by humans, not even ruins from intelligent life had been found since humans sent out their first exploration ships. Decades without contact was affecting the newer generation of Exploration Service officers who did not concern themselves with maintaining stealth when entering an unexplored system, but the captain of the Cousteau was not one of them.

  Commander Kree knew it was only a matter of time before humans met another space-faring race and, unlike last time, wanted it to be on humanity's terms. Stealth was an exploration ship's main defense and primary mode of operation when passing through an unexplored system; for the captain, it was sacrosanct.

  Dropping out of engineering’s troubleshooting instance, the captain re-entered the bridge deck. "Officer of the Deck," she called.

  "Aye, Captain?"

  "Go to zero spatial compression and shut down the Epson Drive and main engines. Orient the ship for System True,” she ordered, indicating the ship’s nose was to be pointed at the local star. “Engineering has main engine control for repairs on Engine 3 until further notice."

  "Set spatial compression and acceleration to zero and orient to System True. Engineering has main engine control. Aye, aye, Captain." Lt. Gerald's avatar repeated back before turning to the bridge crew to issue the commands. For the operation of a spaceship, it was critical commands were issued to the crew from a single officer to avoid confusion. Even the captain issued orders through the Officer of the Deck unless control of the ship was formally handed off to her.

  As the orders were given and executed by the bridge crew, the three hundred feet of sleek, black, exploration ship began to rotate on its axis. The vessel’s sleek design and oblique angles were designed to minimize reflection of what energy its coated hull could not absorb; when bow on, the hull reflected almost no energy and was largely invisible to optical sensors.

  Waiting for the OOD to finish giving his orders, the captain continued, "Commence long-range passive scanning of the system in all spectrums. Permission granted for aspect maneuvering with gyros to bring sensors to bear as needed so long as we keep the bow facing the system and it does not interfere with Engineering's repairs."

  Captain Kree quickly minimized the emotional readouts of the crew to a thin bar beside each of their avatars to cut down on the burst of colors coming from the navigation and sensors watch stations’ occupants. Getting to see a new system with clear readings after six weeks of deep space boredom and muddy sensors distorted by the Epson Drive was a welcome event and the crew was happy for the change.

  "I'll be sidebar if you need me," she said and exited the bridge instance to go into the ship's nexus where she could monitor the entire crew's activities in the various instances used to operate the ship and entertain the crew.

  "Where's Roxy?" Growled the Mountain Troll, Mo'Kill, standing at the entrance to The Vault of Torment. The troll avatar was the alter ego of Engineering Tech 2nd Class, Eddie Hanks. "And, why are you Cross Realming this dungeon, Vitahl? Do you even know how its skills are going to work here?"

  Kneeling next to Mo'Kill was an avatar of a Post-Apocalyptic Desert Barbarian named Vrega who replied, "He said he was going to get something to eat and be right on.” The barbarian wasn’t done and asked her own question, “And what's it to you if I bring my barbarian? We've been trying to get through this damn dungeon crawl for two weeks and Sandreon dies whenever we fight Tormentor. Not this time. I'm going to put a beat down on that boss." Sandreon was Navigation Tech 3rd Class, Becky Vitahl’s hunter character she normally played with.

  "Whatever, but I’m not changing the dungeon from Nightmare difficulty,” Mo’Kill complained before shifting to a more desirable topic, “By the way, you have to stay in character, 'cause that PA chick is looking hot to Mr. Mo'Kill.” He ogled her with a big troll grin. “He might develop a liking to an apoc chick."

  Breaking out a pulse grenade, Vrega snarled, "Stop! Dude, stop the leering! That's some seriously creepy shit coming from a Mountain Troll.” Back peddling, she shouted, “Oh, gross! Your emotes are turned on! You perv, you’re actually getting turned on!" Vrega the avatar was backing away from Mr. Mo'Kill, "Try it and I'll loot your blown to hell carcass and post the pics in the Common!"

  Mr. Mo'Kill swung his double-bladed axe from his back and snarled back, "Do that and I'll grief your toon every time I see her!"

  A PVP challenge popped up above Vrega's head, "Try it, ugly!" She shouted back, twisting the cap on her pulse grenade, but not releasing the timed trigger mechanism.

  Cutting into the conversation was a non-game like double beep followed by the voice of Roxy, their missing dungeon crawler, better known as Engineering Tech, 1st Class, Vin Gallows, "Hanks! Chief says we gotta help with Engine 3 repair. Get your troll smelling ass logged and come help."

  Mo'Kill groused back, "Aww, man! Gallows? Where you been and why you hassling me? We should be half way through this dungeon and you're screwing around with a stupid spectral flare? Spectral flares don't mean dick. Every ship in the service has spectral flares." Mo'Kill / Hanks swung his axe into the pillar next to the entrance to the dungeon where it stuck. "This sucks." Turning to Vrega, the mountain troll held both his big, hairy arms out, palms up, “Sorry, Beck. I gotta go."

  "That's all right. I'm going to solo it and blow Tormentor to hell without you. No loot for you, Loser."

  Waving her away, he replies, "Aw, bullshit! He'll kick your ass."

  "I'll send you a RealPic! Bet me!"

  Instead of an answer, a ten-second log out timer popped up above Mo'Kill's head, but it reset when a wickedly smiling Vrega slapped her pulse grenade on to the chest of the Mountain Troll and stepped behind one of the pillars. After the explosion, Vrega stepped out and snapped a RealPic of the Mountain Troll’s corpse and uploaded it to the Common's bulletin board. She left the gruesome mess lying at the entrance as Hanks’ blown up avatar timed out and logged from the game while she ran into the Vault of Torment. The radiation
ravaged post-apocalyptic barbarian, with her mismatched armor, bouncing grenade bandoleer, and waving vibro-axe, ran screaming into the entrance, "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, FOOL!"

  Chapter 2: XSS Cousteau, Heliosphere Boundary, System 48269

  Commander Kree minimized her neural net feed and turned up the lights in her EGG Habitat. The spherical walls of the EGG were covered with images of family, friends, and places the captain last saw nearly three years ago. Per standard Exploration Service regulations, crewmembers were required to spend one hour per day outside the virtual reality used for ship operations. The time out of the VR environment was needed so the crew did not lose touch with reality on long missions and to exercise sensory organs not used when directly jacked into the ship’s virtual system.

  Mixed in with the images of home were the few belongings the captain owned that could stand immersion in the Oxy-Flo liquid spacers spent months at a time living in and breathing. The EGG and neutral buoyancy liquid allowed the human body to withstand high G-forces during the long acceleration and deceleration periods required to travel between the stars. Human scientists were still trying to figure out how to create an inertia dampener field to protect a ship’s crew that allowed free movement, or at least didn't interfere with blood flow and bodily functions. The Rool and Vrene used dampeners on their crew spaces, but were a few thousand years more advanced than humanity.

  The inertia dampeners Humans were able to manufacture were limited to cargo spaces and areas of the ship without biologicals or moving parts. Specialized dampeners were also used on the exterior of the hull, structural components, and shells of the EGG Habitats where they acted as both powerful shields to protect the ship and reinforcement to its structural integrity.