Aboard Lord Admiral Xavier Dante’s flagship USC Inferno

Today was meant to be a joyous day of celebration but Professor David Byrd had nothing to feel joyous about for today was just another official function that confirmed that his friend and mentor was gone and never coming back. It was supposed to be a way of letting go and moving on but Professor Byrd had not moved on. The professor felt the same way since finding out about Professor Timothy Dexter’s death. In truth, he didn’t know whether he could move on or even if wanted too. His being aboard the Lord Admiral’s flagship was just another occasion which meant that he had to be amongst people, despite this being an official function he came with his normal work suit and lab coat.

Since his mentor's death where possible he had sequestered himself in the deepest labs beneath Pavonis Mons one of the three extinct Tharsis volcanoes on Mars. This was only the third time since his mentor’s death that he had been in the company of the entire High Council the first had been Professor Dexter’s funeral and the second had been the outcome of the public inquest into his death where the verdict was an assassination by terrorists.

Since the verdict he had kept himself away from the public eye, the reason for his self-enforced absentia being the manner of Professor Dexter’s death and the verdict of the inquiry. The official line was that Professor Dexter decided to head for the luxury resort built into the dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. It was mid-point during this journey when his shuttle was attacked by Freedom Fighters with the loss of all hands.

Professor Byrd did not believe the official line for several reasons, first that not a single vessel military or civilian picked up the so-called freedom fighter force. The transponder tracking software supposedly showing where the craft was attacked and destroyed was corrupted therefore the inquest could not verify this and the black boxes of the shuttle were lost to the vacuum of space and couldn’t be found. Not only could the black boxes not be found, Professor Byrd was meant to believe that the shuttle was atomized along with all hands.

If this wasn’t damning enough the thing that rankled the most was the fact that Professor Byrd knew his mentor better than anyone. The reason for Professor Dexter’s trip was preposterous the man had never taken a vacation in fifty years. On the rare occasions that the High Council forced him to take a period of leave he and Professor Byrd would work on scientific principles and debate for weeks at a time, no the man never took a day off in his life.

Professor Dexter didn’t believe in holidays he believed that he had to do as much as he could for humanity before he was shuffled from this mortal coil. With the tracker apparently corrupted and the black boxes lost, Professor Byrd would not believe the reason given for his mentor's death. Even though that meant disbelieving the Director of the Security Council, the man was a snake he could not be trusted.

Therefore after the inquest Professor Byrd refused to attend his own inauguration ceremony as well as refusing to attend any High Council meetings, he wanted to resign from office but he couldn’t bring himself to as he promised his late friend and mentor he would take up the reins. With Professor Byrd unwilling to budge, the High Council declared a year of mourning in which to honour Professor Dexter’s memory, only then would Professor Byrd be inducted into the ruling body of the solar system.

The real reason was to give Professor Byrd some time to come around to their way of thinking but he hadn’t not in twelve months. The professor knew he wouldn’t not in twelve lifetimes but a promise was a promise. So against his will and his better judgement, he would take up the mantle of the fifth ruling member of the High Council.

The bridge of the Inferno was monumental it was tiered with hundreds of bridge personnel sat at workstations. In the middle of the space was a suspended spherical floor plate which was where the essential crew were situated but leaving a vast expanse of free space. In direct contravention of standard naval military doctrine, the bridge was situated atop a command island jutting from the stern of the colossal vessel.

Not only that the entire bridge was open to the stars as the only protection from the void when the shields weren’t activated was several metres thickness of armour glass. When questioned by the tactical soundness of the design of the bridge the designer told all naysayers that the Inferno could cross through all nine circles of hell without so much as a scratch. It was with this in mind that the vessel was named with a nod not only to the admiral who would command her but also to the poet Dante Alighieri.

Professor Byrd stood on the floor plate with but standing apart from the rest of the High Council. The first member of the High Council was President Elect Helena Strauss the figurehead of the Low Council. The President Elect was eighty years old but didn’t look a day over fifty as she had annual rejuvenate treatments to keep the ageing process at bay, she always wore pinstripe business suits and today was no different. The ruling body of the solar system was split into two governing bodies the High Council and the Low Council. The High Council was the utmost authority in the solar system its members decided the direction in which humanity would head.

The Low Council included every civilian cabinet office which chose how the solar system should be run from matters of healthcare to agriculture. President Elect Strauss being the leader of the Low Council it took up much of her time as she was responsible for every civilian matter across eight planets and every settled stellar body which accounted for trillions of citizens.

President Elect Strauss was also the only member of the High Council who was voted into power by the civilian populous. The term of office for a President Elect was ten years with no limit to how many terms a President Elect could serve in office and President Elect Strauss was halfway into her second term of office.

A President Elect may be voted in but there were no longer any political parties anymore the Low Council was a civic body where everyone was employed and specialised in their own department and cabinet office, therefore, the cabinet leader of healthcare had a degree in this subject and had significant experience working in that sector.

No longer were politicians needed in the actual running of departments such an outmoded system had fallen out of favour in the last few centuries. Politicians still existed but they were merely representatives of their respective department in Low Council meetings as political intrigue still existed but the power a politician had over their own department or any other was minute. They were relegated to a role more akin to public relations rather than anything close to department leaders and even then these politicians weren’t voted in they were selected from candidate pools by department and cabinet leaders.

The job of the President Elect was relatively stress-free as there were no nations that could go to war with each other and the civilian populous were happy with the system that had thrived for over three centuries. The greatest headache the President Elect had to deal with –aside from the raiders and Freedom Fighters were the occasional tabled motions from one of the big three religious factions for a new position to be created on the High Council for a religious leader.

To the High Council this was out of the question as there was and always had been a total divorce of church and state in the United Solar Council, many believed that this was the most prevalent reason why the governing system worked so well as nothing in human history had proven more divisive to harmony than religion. The High Council were easily able to keep the religious factions at bay as the Night of the 13th Revolution was still in living memory when Christian extremists tried to assassinate the High Council of the day.

The President Elect was in close conversation with the second member of the High Council, Lord Admiral Xavier Dante, he stood stock still in his white dress uniform. The Lord Admiral was in command of the USC Navy and its innumerable battle fleets at large across the solar system. Professor Byrd liked the man immensely as he was ruled by logic and pragmatism.

His most able skill was to quench the fiery temper of the third member of the council. That member was High Marshall Gladstone Hadley, he was a choleric man with little time for others if they didn’t meet his required standards. High Marshall Hadley especially didn’t like President Elect Strauss for she had supported and in on many occasions personally lead the Low Councils attempts to dramatically downsize the military and navy.

The High Marshall routinely accused the President Elect or her closest staffers for the almost routine leaks about military spending and size but the only way he could prove it would be to collaborate with Victor to conduct an investigation but that wasn’t about to happen as the High Marshall hated the Directoreven more than the President Elect. Professor Byrd did not know the High Marshall well at all as he was a hard man to get close to but he liked the man well enough most importantly because he absolutely despised Victor.

‘He is overdue.’ Announced the High Marshall, he was dressed in full dress uniform for the occasion. The High Marshall was referring to Victor whom should have come aboard by now, in respect of the professor's hesitance to join the High Council the ceremony was to take place in private away from the public eye. High Marshall Hadley had stated on more than one occasion that Victor would snub the gathering.

‘I have been in contact with the shuttle I sent down.’ Replied Admiral Dante. ‘They have been in contact with the tower Victor is en route.’

‘I will believe it when I see it.’ Grumbled the High Marshall and continue to look at the verdant planet below that was Mars. ‘I’ve always said it was a waste of time.’

‘Dealing with Victor or the Security Council in general?’ asked the admiral while cracking a smile.

‘You know full well opinion on that snake and his nest of vipers.’ Replied the High Marshall. ‘But I meant terraforming Mars it looks pretty and all but what’s the point the colonists could have used it as it was, a waste of time if you ask me.’

That was the High Marshall in a nutshell if something did not have a purpose or did not live up to its purpose it was useless to him.

‘You are missing the point.’ Stated Professor Byrd, the High Council were almost startled at hearing his voice as it was the first time in which he had spoken since coming aboard the flagship. ‘Terraforming Mars was not a means to an end or to have it meet some form or function, terraforming Mars was the point.

‘It was to show that man could reach out to new worlds and form them into an image of his choosing to bring it to his will. When the first colonists split from the United Earth Council to set off on their own the rulers of the day said it couldn’t be done.

They said that they would be the first and last colonists to leave Earth as they would die in the attempt and thus putting off any other Earthling from making a second attempt. They terraformed Mars to prove a point and they succeeded in creating a world that Earth once was, a paradise free of pollution.’

‘I’ve never thought of it like that.’ Replied the High Marshall with a nod conceding the point. ‘Although if I was one of the colonists I would have lived on the red planet as it was without changing it to prove how superior and hardy I was.’

‘I am glad they weren’t as bullheaded as you.’ Joked the Lord Admiral. ‘Otherwise, we would have been robbed of such a beautiful world.’

The conversation was cut off as the Lord Admirals adjutant Malcolm Vickers walked up to the admiral and handed him a data slate. Adjutant Vickers looked at the High Marshall with trepidation then backed away a few paces as if in fear of his reaction to the contents of the datapad.

The Lord Admiral read the contents then handed it over to the High Marshall. ‘It seems you were right-’

Before Admiral Dante finished his sentence the High Marshall roared in anger and smashed the datapad onto the deck plate splintering it into dozens of pieces.

‘What is going on?’ asked President Elect Strauss after she jumped in surprise.

‘You can’t let him get away with this.’ bellowed the High Marshall ignoring the President Elect. ‘He cannot get away with such flagrant disrespect!’

‘Just what in the hell is going on!’ exclaimed the President Elect again, coming between them.

‘It seems that Victor won’t be joining us.’ Replied Admiral Dante, before the High Marshall could round on her. ‘The shuttle pilot has reported that the Director has boarded a stealth Corvette he looked to be in a hurry.’ He turned to his adjutant who had brought him the data slate. 

‘Contact the shuttle have them track the Corvette along with the escort fighter squadron I sent in until we can intercept.’

‘We can’t, my lord.’ Replied Adjutant Vickers, looking at the High Marshall once more. ‘Communications are being jammed we can’t contact the shuttle any longer. Not just that before we lost communication the shuttle reported that the Corvette turned off its transponders.’

Lord Admiral Dante suppressed an uncharacteristic surge of anger. ‘Have the escort squadron enter every tunnel into that landing cavern that stealth Corvette isn’t going anywhere.’ He then crossed to the flight control teams responsible for plotting the movements of the Inferno’s escort flotilla. ‘Send in two frigates and more squadrons of fighters.

‘If they make it out of the cavern and they are not displaying a clear transponder tag you are to fire on her but do not destroy her. I want Victor brought here as soon as they surrender I want to know just what in the hell he is playing at.’

‘What do you think he is up to?’ asked the President Elect. ‘He wouldn’t be doing this just to snub Professor Byrd’s inauguration would he?’

‘There is no love lost between us.’ Stated Professor Byrd, there was a brief chuckle from the assemblage. ‘But this has nothing to do with not liking me. Something is wrong. Something has happened that is so sensitive or dangerous that the Director doesn’t even trust his own High Council members. Why else would he risk instant obliteration by turning off their transponders?’

‘We will find out as soon as he is apprehended.’ Stated Admiral Dante.

‘Admiral!’ stated Adjutant Vickers. ‘The Corvette has made it out of the tunnel it threatened to run the fighters over, they have exited the tunnel not displaying any transponders.’

‘Activate the hololith.’ Ordered Admiral Dante through gritted teeth. ‘I want a look at what’s happening down there, authorise lethal force I want that bastard stopped now.’

‘Lethal force?’ whispered President Elect Strauss, she couldn’t quite believe what the Lord Admiral was sanctioning. ‘You can’t be serious he is a High Council member.’

‘That is the sanction for a craft not displaying transponder signals.’ Replied Admiral Dante. ‘Just because he is the Director of the Security Council and a member of the High Council doesn’t put him above the law.’

‘If anything he should be held to a higher standard.’ Put in Professor Byrd, sticking the boot in. ‘Considering it was he who brought in the protocol in the first place, he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.’

‘Too bloody right.’ Grimaced the High Marshall, then with a chuckle he finished. ‘The bastard will be killed by his own protocol.

At this time an image of what was happening on Mars was displayed in a three-dimensional image above their heads. The stealth Corvette was going through evasive manoeuvres as the frigates were nearing extreme firing range. Within seconds the frigates opened fire with their laser weapons bleaching the sky, the weapons missed but they were merely ranging shots. The fighter squadrons were closing in and the frigates released their deadly payload of missiles it was only a matter of time before the craft was destroyed with all hands.

‘We have to stop this right now.’ Said President Elect Strauss with sudden urgency. ‘What if it got into the media? I can see the headlines now, the High Council murders the Director of the Security Council they would have a field day.’

‘You mean it might damage your chances of a third term.’ Glowered the High Marshall.

‘You can never win with the media.’ Put in Professor Byrd, he would normally show pragmatism but he sincerely wished Victor would be blown to hell. It would be a shame about the crew but they were willingly flouting the law. ‘If he is allowed to escape and it made it into the public domain they would cry nepotism.’

‘There won’t be any murdering.’ Said Admiral Dante, calmly. ‘No one is going to die.’

‘How can you be so sure?’ asked President Elect Strauss, she didn’t look convinced.

‘The Captain of the stealth ship will surrender.’ Replied the admiral. ‘They are navy educated once the commander realises I’ve got their balls in a vice they will surrender, besides they are unlikely to want to get Victor killed.’

‘Admiral!’ exclaimed Adjutant Vickers. ‘We are getting a message from the Corvette!’

‘Play it.’ Commanded the admiral.

‘This is Captain Lerida of the stealth Corvette Sigma five zero. We are coming to a halt, we will no longer try to evade call off the attack. I repeat please call off the attack.’

Admiral Dante ordered a flash override to call off the attack and the Corvette came to a halt as promised it looked like it was all over.

‘Well, she hasn’t got any balls to go in a vice.’ Grumbled the High Marshall half joking.

‘Captain Lerida has bigger balls than every man on this flagship combined.’ Replied Admiral Dante, with a wide grin. ‘I have called off the attack as I know that I have an ally in her.’

‘Never trust a spook.’ Argued the High Marshall.

‘Never have truer words been spoken.’ Replied the admiral. ‘But Captain Elizabeth Lerida is no spook she hates Victor with a passion and he despises espionage, she has sent me no fewer than six hundred appeals suing for reassignment out of the Security Council.’

‘Then why haven’t you granted her request?’ asked the President Elect.

‘Because she pisses off Victor.’ Replied the admiral, with another grin. ‘She is a constant thorn in his side. Not just that. I have only a few Captains in the Security Council whom I can trust I wasn’t about to lose one by granting her request. I am pleased she is aboard as she would never be swayed by him.’

In direct mockery of Admiral Dante’s commentary, the Corvette lit its void boosters inside the atmosphere of Mars breaking yet another law of the sovereign territory. No sooner had the boosters flared into life did the stealth ship disappear from view leaving a fiery contrail in its wake.

‘It looks like the lady was for turning after all.’ Said President Elect Strauss, as they watched the hololith operators try in vain to track the Corvettes trajectory.

‘No never.’ Replied Admiral Dante. ‘She has a strong moral compass whatever Victor knows forced her hand to follow his order. The only way he would have gotten her to budge an inch is if he appealed to her sense of logic. I know my personnel there is something we are missing here.’

‘Except she isn’t yours.’ Countered the President Elect. ‘She is as the High Marshall says she is a spook.’

‘She is navy through and through.’ Said the admiral tersely, although he had a sinking feeling. The admiral then turned to his bridge crew. ‘I want a fix on their heading and a list of possible locations they might be travelling to.’

There was a silence settle on the High Council and immediate bridge crew, no one pointed out that the fleeing Captain Lerida’s first manoeuvre would most likely be a random jump to throw off any pursuers. No one said it as there was no need to, without transponders the stealth Corvette could be anywhere and whatever Victor was up to they might never find out.

‘Sir we have a message.’ Shouted Adjutant Vickers running over to him with a datapad. ‘It’s from Captain Lerida, it was sent just before she fired her void boosters.’

Admiral Dante took the data pad and was surrounded by members of the High Council, it was a curious message as it only contained what were clearly coordinates for somewhere in the solar system. Then there was series of numbers that seemed to be lost on them as no one spoke for a long moment.

‘Those coordinates are for the edge of the system sure enough.’ Stated Admiral Dante, his decades as a veteran spacer saw the truth of them straight away. ‘The numbers after the coordinates are lost on me I am afraid.’

‘The systems edge.’ Stated High Marshall Hadley. ‘What could possibly be out there for him to risk being obliterated?’

‘I think we might just rue the answer to that question.’ Replied Professor Byrd, his face darkening he looked very worried. ‘I know what the numbers are at the end of the message, they are a reference source code from the USC Navy Procedure Manual.’

‘Of course.’ Said Admiral Dante, sheepishly. ‘I will find out which procedure it references immediately.’

‘That won’t be necessary Lord Admiral as I already know what procedure it is, as I am on this oversight committee.’ Continued Professor Byrd he looked to be shaking. ‘It is the USC Naval Procedure For Conducting First Contact.’