CHAPTER 13: CODOTS

The United Nations in New York, USA, was a veritable beehive of activity, as was every international institution across the planet. People rushed hither thither, seemingly without purpose, but even in the labyrinth that was the vast circulatory system of information gathering, processing and decision making a certain order reigned. The vast organization of Terra was emerging, and though not without its stresses and strains it was, nonetheless, single-minded in its purpose. At the head of this purpose was the Council of Defense of the Terran System, or CODOTS.

The title of this exclusive group of twenty-two Human Beings, drawn literally from all over the globe, was significant. The adoption of the archaic place-name Terra identified a planet and a people, once solitary and unique in their experience, as a star system; as a system they were common, insignificant, and very, very vulnerable. It was a paradigm shift of extraordinary magnitude, with a physical sensation akin to a slush ball down the neck, but it was necessary.

It was vital that Terrans as a race recognize and accept their own unimportance and get on with the labor of survival. To this end the nations of Terra agreed to the creation of CODOTS and gave the group almost sovereign powers over the system. Governments agreed to unquestioned use of everything from military resources to economic secrets. It was a total and unimaginable nationalistic capitulation, but the overwhelming evidence of the threat swayed nearly all the narrow minds within the realms of ancient Earth.

That the power of all of her nations now emanated from a tiny group of people was a necessity. The vehicle of the United Nations was not intended, or designed, for swift authoritarian action. They could, however, coordinate the implementation of decisions, and that is what they were relegated to do. In the CODOTS council was the power of decision making, brainstorming and strategy.

This awesome responsibility centered on the Commander in Chief of CODOTS, Admiral Sten Augesburcke. The Admiral was the perfect choice both politically and practically speaking. As a man of mixed heritage, he could represent all as easily as he could represent none. As a military man from the Australian Commonwealth, he avoided the suspicious distinction of an American dominated world government. As a leader, he could understand both the military and the scientific side of the dilemma, being a recognized expert in both professions.

Still, the greatest argument in favor of Augesburcke was his bullish, hard charging habit of attacking a problem and coming to a solution, whatever the cost. This manner was not easy for some of the CODOTS membership to endure, and it was nearly impossible for the Scythian Liaison, but results were all that mattered now.

In the bowels of the United Nations building the Scythian Liaison and two of its aides were in the process of enduring one of Admiral Augesburcke’s long glowers of dissatisfaction. He’d quickly adapted to his new position, and Terra’s new situation. It was an adaptation born of his own tendency to pursue challenges with a “Full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes!” attitude; and an understanding that he didn’t have the luxury of gradual acclimatization. The world’s politicians made that apparent over the last few days.

So with his usual bull-headed nature spurring him forward he tackled the job as he did any other problem: personally, with a slow burning fury that the dilemma existed at all.

“Your proposal is not entirely unacceptable, Liaison, but it is nearly so. That you appeared one week ago with a fleet of merchant vessels loaded to the gills with weapons and equipment is one thing. I don’t like it, but I accept it if for no other reason than I have no choice. Our own examination of Chem and Galactic ethernet traffic, with equipment supplied by you, has led us to the same conclusions concerning Chem intentions.”

“What is the problem then, Admiral, if you have independently reached the same conclusions as the Scythian leadership?”

“Simply this: the Scythian situation and the Terra situation are not comparable. Chem has threatened to attack and subjugate the Scythian Empire in retaliation for an assumed Scythia-Terran alliance . . .”

“An alliance of Chem imagination, Admiral,” the Liaison reminded him. “The Scythians are perhaps guilty of threatening to appeal for Terran aid, as we are now, but the Chem ultimatum is in the end economic in its origin. It is an attempt by the Chem to isolate and then destroy the peaceful Scythian Empire by using Terra as a target of convenience. As you now know, we’ve been watching your race primarily because of the Terran propensity for violence at the slightest prodding. Galactic legend has it that your warrior king, Alexander the Great, looked to the stars and saw there more worlds to conquer; and the sole objective of your people since that time has been the fulfillment of Alexander’s dream. This is the thinking the galaxy has of Terrans, despite what Scythian report has indicated.

“We have watched you benignly for many millennia, and though our opinion of Terrans is far less paranoid than that of our neighbor’s even Scythia began to fear the development of Terra. The explosion of your technology in this last century is without equal in this galaxy, as is the destructiveness of your nature. The Chem have long seen Terrans as a menace to their sovereignty. Their intent is to stop you before you acquire the technological capacity to leave your system. As Scythia has stood against the Chem in the Galactic Forum, often alone, we gain her enmity. The tie between us is Chem propaganda, justifying their desire to accomplish two differing goals simultaneously.

“As intelligent and benevolent people we cannot condone genocide. We have, however, no military means with which to deter the Chem, or defend ourselves for that matter. That is the crux of our offer. We can help you defend yourselves from almost certain extermination. In return we ask for enough Terran troops to serve as a deterrent to Chem aggression. The Chem are a warrior race who prefer planet bound contests, and not ship based stratagems. The presence of a large number of well armed Terran troops should ensure our safety, and your own.”

“I will not contest the truth of what you say, Liaison,” Augesburcke replied evenly, holding his doubts silently. “Nonetheless, though Scythian sovereignty is threatened its civilization is not. There are ample havens for a Scythian government in exile in the ten other galactic civilizations. You may become wandering gypsies, but your heritage will be preserved. Terra, on the other hand, faces extinction, and in that light the strategy you propose is pure suicide.”

“On the contrary,” the Scythian objected, but Augesburcke cut him off.

“Liaison, you are a political being. I am a military man. Your request for several million Terran troops is reasonable, and will provide reasonable deterrence in concert with Scythian defenses. A passive system of defense for Scythia is logical, but the same defense is completely inappropriate to Terran needs. Despite your protestations of Chem honor, no race, honorable or not, will submit themselves to a pitched battle in a war of genocide when there is an alternative which is easy and painless.”

The Liaison was emphatic in its opinion to the contrary, its voice box emulating an irritatingly high pitched whine. “I assure you, Admiral, the Chem prize glory in battle above all. Their entire existence is based on honor, and it would be unthinkable for them to act in any manner of infamy.”

“Again I remind you, by your own admission, that you are not a people experienced with military matters. We Terrans, unfortunately, have dealt on a small scale with the concept of genocide. It is, under the most lenient of descriptions, not an action within the capability of a folk entirely given to honor. There is no honor in genocide; there is no glory. The Chem may sing songs of their past conquests and their many wars. They will not sing of their destruction of Terra. If they are intelligent and practical, which I conclude they are after having watched their broadcasts on the ethernet, then I can come to only one conclusion: they will stand off Terra and pound us to dust. The planetary projector batteries you promised us will buy time, but not enough of it. In a matter of days if not hours it will rain bombs, and we will cease to exist.”

“You forget the population on our home planets,” the Scythian protested.

“Liaison,” Augesburcke barked, his anger rising to the Scythians’ cold hearted ignorance, “I’m not willing to allow almost five billion beings to vanish. Do you understand? Let me be perfectly clear. Before you see a single Terran warrior embark on one of your ships I want to see more. You’ve offered much and brought much, but your supplies are based on an ineffective defense. To protect Terra we must meet the threat. We need our own fleet.”

“Impossible!” the Scythian started. “Even if we gave you Scythian vessels they are wholly unsuited for combat. Their design is based on the most efficient means of transporting large masses extreme distances at great speeds. Even if you mounted weapons on them they would be ineffective platforms. Their surface area alone would mark them as extraordinarily vulnerable.”

“I do not speak of using Scythian vessels,” the Admiral told him.

“Then where will you get the ships?” the Liaison asked triumphantly. Knowing the impossibility of answer it added, so as to underscore the benevolence and cooperation of its people, “Certainly if some avenue of mounting a fleet were possible we would be only too happy to lend any and all aid. You asked for a complete inventory of Scythian equipment, and we graciously acceded to your request thinking that the Terran propensity for ingenuity might in some cases lead to some practical use of a portion of the equipment. Indeed, had we the proper ships to offer you we might outfit the Chem fleet twice over! Unfortunately, such a scenario is impossible. We have, as you initially requested, sounded out some of your neighbors concerning the possibility of “leasing” suitable warships. Those requests were summarily denied. Therefore, we must logically return to the strategy of planetary defense. It is the only rational recourse.”

Augesburcke spun through the inventory files of space borne equipment on his computer. The main viewer in the room repeated the Admiral’s screen. “It is a considerable hoard of fleet equipment,” he ventured. “How did you accumulate it, if I may ask? It seems an impractical inventory for a merchant race in a galaxy at peace.”

“It was not always so, Admiral,” The Scythian told him. “Our military inventory is not in so much demand as once it was, but there is no reason to discard it. We built our current military stores during the Chem wars of expansion, thirteen millennia past. That may seem a long time to you, Admiral, but I assure you the equipment is not only serviceable, but also up to date. There is little or no difference between equipment now in use, much of which dates to that very same period, and our inventory. What we have is a combination of spare parts meant for the fleets and armadas of the wars, and equipment salvaged from the wrecks. Unfortunately, there are few surviving parent vessels for this equipment; otherwise, we would have many more options to offer. We can provide you with perhaps half a dozen vessels for reference, but that is not the basis for a fleet.”

“If we find the vessels would the equipment be of any use? By this I mean are the same principles of modularization applicable, or is this naval equipment unique to its purpose and platform.”

“Not at all, it is simply equipment intended for warships, Admiral,” answered the Scythian Liaison, somewhat phased by the inconsequential nature of the Admiral’s question. Thinking that the Terran could not yet understand the basic theory behind Galactic technology it pointed out, “The principles are the same regardless of the purpose of the technology or piece of equipment. Please understand that this technology is extraordinarily old by your standards, and quite well developed, by our standards. It follows the same form and function used one thousand millennia past. Galactic technology breaks down into modular segments of power, control, transfer and usage. When we deliver a planetary projector, a surface to orbit energy weapon of great magnitude, its complexity is in the advancement of its simplicity, not in its function. There is a self contained power generator, the gun and a control board which governs both. After delivery the equipment takes little time to set up, using anti-graviton lifters and very little time to learn to use.”

The Admiral looked doubtful. “Even to aim it? We’ve studied your proposal, Liaison; for clarification please reiterate the concept of tying such a weapon into a planetary surveillance system.”

With expressive patience the Liaison told Augesburcke, “The concept of each discipline is universal. All Galactic equipment is able to interpret information from other Galactic equipment. The elegant practicality of the technology is in the generic coding of the signal. At this moment you already have a system wide surveillance system. That system automatically transmits information, which is pre-encoded to describe its source. When you receive your planetary projectors they will recognize this code and display the information automatically and appropriately.”

“The same is true for fleet type technology?” Augesburcke asked. “In other words if we had an air tight ship that could host equipment we could plug and play: add engines, power generators, atmospheric generators, blaster batteries, and the works.”

“Admiral, if you wished to we could attach all of this equipment to a steel sphere, and transform it into a superluminal capable steel sphere armed with blaster batteries. While it meets theoretical rigors it lacks practicality.”

Augesburcke smiled, “Practicality be damned! Liaison you get on the comm to your superiors. I want every piece of equipment which was ever intended for a warship, and I want it yesterday! You do that and I’ll get you double the number of troops you’re asking for!”

“But Admiral, this is ridiculous! Without a specifically identified use for this equipment we are wasting valuable cargo space, and time. If your concern is the survival of your race we can evacuate enough Terrans from Terra to ensure your species survives. It is a difficult concept to accept I know, but it is all that is possible!”

“The evacuation will be necessary, I agree, but Terra’s not giving up without a fight. You worry about that equipment, Liaison; I’ll worry about the fleet to put it in!”

“Very well, Admiral, I foresee no difficulties in supplying you with the equipment at the cost of Terran troops. You will find, however, that it will be a waste of time and effort; of which you have little enough as it is. Think of it: to build a fleet capable of withstanding the Chem Armada in the space of a few of your solar months? Impossible!”

“That’s what Terrans are best at, Liaison,” Augesburcke grinned.