The Star Cross (4 page)

“What about
the destroyers?” Randson asked.

Kurt nodded.
With the one that had been destroyed and the two that had just left with the
passenger liners for Newton, that left three more, still here orbiting Earth.

“We’ll pull
them in close to the shipyard, in case they’re needed to help defend it,” replied
Kurt, rubbing his brow with his right hand as he thought over what still needed
to be done. “We’ll need the three to escort more passenger liners and cargo
ships to Newton. We may have to send just one destroyer with each convoy.”

“How long will
we continue evacuating people from Earth?”

“Until the
Profiteers come back,” responded Kurt evenly. They had a tremendous job ahead
of them and probably not enough time to get it done.

Ever since
they had driven the enemy from Earth orbit, Mars, the asteroid mining
settlements, and the colonies on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn had been
screaming for evacuation. The colonists on the Moon were already further
securing their underground cities. Though Kurt didn’t know what good it would
do them. If the Profiteers wanted to destroy any of the settlements or colonies
in the system, one well-placed missile would do the job.

“Admiral, what
is Fleet Admiral Tomalson going to do? Is he returning to Newton with us?”

“I don’t
know,” answered Kurt with a sigh. “We haven’t discussed that yet.”

“What will we
do when the Profiteers do return? Will we fight or jump straight out?” Andrew asked.

Kurt knew
Andrew was trying his best not to worry about his wife and daughter.

“We’ll leave,”
answered Kurt somberly. “We can’t afford to take any more losses to the fleet.
If we get the
Kepler
back to Newton and finished, and the
Dante
repaired, we’ll have a pretty solid fleet. Two more light cruisers in the
shipyard were undergoing updates when the Profiteers attacked. We can add both
of them to the fleet in another four days.”

“Don’t forget
the
Johnas
,” added Randson. “She’s in the repair bay at Newton now.” He faced Kurt. “We’re putting together a pretty powerful task force.”

“I know
Captain Owens will be glad to get his ship back.”

“Admiral, we
have several cargo ships coming up from Earth,” Ensign Pierce reported.
“They’re asking where you want them.”

“Put them in
orbit at ten thousand kilometers above the planet,” Kurt ordered. “We’ll have
one of the light cruisers move over to cover them, until the convoy is ready to
depart.”

“And when will
that be?” asked Randson.

“I want a
convoy leaving every seventy-two hours,” Kurt replied. “We need to get those
ships to Newton and unload them, so they can return. We’ll send one destroyer
along with each convoy.” It was a two-day trip to Newton with one day to
unload, check ship systems, and then return. That would be five days for a
complete turnaround.

Looking at the
main viewscreen, he could see several shuttles docking with the
Dante
.
The shuttles would carry suited-up technicians to check the light carrier.
Leaning back in his command chair, Kurt knew a lot of work needed to be done in
the next few days, if the human race wanted to stand any chance at all of
prevailing against the Profiteers.

-

In the
underground presidential bunker in Canada, an argument ensued.

“Why are my people
being denied access to the ships going to Newton?” demanded Stroud with a dark scowl
on his face. “No one I’ve suggested has been approved.”

“I’m sure it’s
only a misunderstanding,” answered Anne Roselin, attempting to placate the
angry secretary of labor.

“No, it’s
not,” Fleet Admiral Tomalson said in a loud and commanding voice. “No one
you’ve suggested will benefit the Newton colony or the war effort against these
Profiteers.” Tomalson decided to put Stroud in his place once and for all. He
had never cared for the obnoxious man and didn’t understand why President
Mayfield had appointed him to the Cabinet. “All your people have been either
big donors to your political campaigns or rich people who don’t know anything
else but having others wait on them hand and foot. I will not allow any such
people on one of the evacuation ships.”

Stroud stood
up, shaking a fist at Tomalson. “You have no right!” he bellowed. “I will have
you removed from office. I demand your immediate resignation!”

Tomalson
looked at Stroud and then did the unthinkable. He burst out laughing. “You and
whose army? I control the fleet crews, and every one of those men and women are
fiercely loyal. Everyone going aloft has their background thoroughly checked. Anyone
not well qualified and not approved by my people will not be leaving Earth.”

“That’s easy
enough for you to say,” growled Stroud, looking around at the others for support.
“Your ass won’t be here when the aliens return. We will!”

“I’m afraid
you’re mistaken,” President Mayfield said in a calm voice. “Fleet Admiral
Tomalson will remain behind on Earth and will turn full control of the fleet
over to Admiral Vickers. I also helped Fleet Admiral Tomalson set up the
vetting process for those traveling to Newton. Only our best and brightest will
be offered positions on the liners and cargo ships.”

“Why aren’t
you going?” asked Roselin, looking with confusion at Tomalson. “Why remain on
Earth when you can possibly be safe on Newton?”

“I’m too old,”
Tomalson replied. “I would serve no useful purpose on Newton. Admiral Vickers
is younger and a very good strategist. Upon his departure, he will be promoted
to fleet admiral.”

President
Mayfield added, “I’ve spoken to the leaders of the European Union, plus the
Russian Collective and the Chinese Conglomerate. They all do some trading with Newton, and both the European Union and the Russian Collective have agreed to send additional
supplies and people to the colony.”

“Why would
they do that? Stroud demanded, confused. “My people can’t go, but the Europeans
and the Russians can?”

The European Union
along with Australia and Japan had placed colonies on Mars, while the Russian Collective
had taken the moons of Jupiter and the Chinese Conglomerate the moons of
Saturn. Only the North American Union had elected to colonize a planet outside
the Solar System.

“They realize
that, if they ever want access to their colonies again, it will be up to
Admiral Vickers and the people of Newton to free the Solar System from the
Profiteers,” Mayfield responded. “They’re also sending additional supplies to
all their colonies and evacuating some of the smaller ones that might not
survive, if they’re cut off too long.”

“What about
that special help we asked for?” Fleet Admiral Tomalson asked.

“They all
agreed to your plan to significantly improve Newton’s ability to defend itself
and to help Earth,” Mayfield replied. “The Chinese Conglomerate balked at first,
but I finally made them understand why they should cooperate. Their donation
will be going into orbit within the week.”

“What are the
two of you talking about?” demanded Stroud. “Sounds as if some deals have been
made without the full knowledge and approval of the Cabinet.”

“It’s necessary
that these particular arrangements remain classified for the time being,”
Mayfield responded without hesitation. “I will reveal to the entire Cabinet
what we’re doing when the time is right.”

“I don’t like
this,” mumbled Stroud.

“Neither do
I,” agreed Max Sallow, Secretary of Energy. “What you’re proposing may be
illegal, according to the Constitution of the North American Union.”

“We may be
facing a major crisis, but we have a Constitution for a reason, and we should
abide by it,” Attorney General Maureen Roberts said with some concern in her
voice.

“I realize
that, Maureen,” Mayfield replied. “But this is an international emergency, and,
as president of the NAU, I have broad and liberal powers during such times.
That is also clearly spelled out in our Constitution. I can assure you that
what I’m doing is in the best interest of our planet.”

“What about in
the best interest of the North American Union?” demanded Stroud. “My business
associates are deeply concerned about the present situation. Their profit
margins are way down and, in some instances, showing negative returns on investments.”

Ignoring
Stroud, Mayfield gazed at his Cabinet members, most of whom he had known for
years. “In a few weeks I will fully brief the Cabinet.”

-

Stroud sat
down, not pleased with all he had heard. There had to be some way he could get
his people on one of those evacuating ships. He had promised his wife that the
two of them would shortly go to Newton, where he would have a very big say in
the governing of the colony. They had already packed up many of their more
expensive belongings and chosen several servants to accompany them.

-

Two days later
Fleet Admiral Tomalson, as well as Secretary of Defense General Braid, met Admiral
Vickers aboard a large cargo ship docked at Earth’s shipyard. Four heavily armed
Marines guarded the hatch they were approaching.

“What’s the
firepower for?” asked Kurt, as the Marines allowed them to enter. He wondered
what could be so valuable on this cargo ship to require such extreme measures.
He had also passed another full squad of Marines in the outside corridor of the
shipyard.

“We finished interrogating
our prisoners,” replied Tomalson, gesturing for Kurt to follow him and the
general. “Most refused to talk, but a few, with the right encouragement, gave
up a lot of information.”

“So what are
we up against?” They had stopped at another locked hatch.

“It’s bad,” answered
General Braid, shaking his head. “The name
Profiteers
means exactly as
it sounds. This particular race, who attacked us, is from the planet Marsten in
the Golite System. For a lack of a better word, it serves as the capital for
this Gothan Empire of Profiteers.”

Tomalson
nodded. “One of our captives believes that their High Profiteer will return to either
Marsten or Kubitz and hire a group of mercenaries to destroy our fleet,”
Tomalson said. “From what we’ve been able to gather from our interrogations,
some Profiteers become mercenaries and hire themselves out to the highest
bidder or, in our case, for a very lucrative payment.”

“A payment
that will be made in gold, platinum, and jewels primarily,” added General Braid,
as he keyed in a code on a door pad. Several locks could be heard disengaging,
and the hatch swung open.

All three of
the men stepped inside, and Kurt froze as he looked around in amazement. “You
have got to be kidding me.” The room was full of pallets of gold bars all
secured to the floor. Kurt walked over to the nearest stack and gazed in awe at
the wealth it represented. “Where … ?” He stepped closer and touched one of the
bars. He let out a deep breath; this was the stuff that dreams were made of.
“Why?” he asked, turning around to face the two older officers.

“When you return
to Newton, you will have a new mission,” explained Tomalson. “From what our prisoners
have told us, almost anything anyone may want is available for sale on the
planet Kubitz. It has a massive interplanetary black market and the largest
slave market in our section of the galaxy.”

“The people who
were taken from Earth,” Kurt began, as his mind worked, “could they be there?”

“Probably,”
General Braid answered. “From what our prisoners said, the captives will be
trained for three or four months on the planet Kubitz to increase their worth
in the slave auction. They will be sold there—to people and representatives
from planets near and far—as household servants, general laborers, and even to
brothels.”

“You’re going
to Kubitz with the
Star Cross
and buy our people back,” Tomalson said.

“That won’t be
easy to accomplish,” Kurt said, his eyes narrowing. “We don’t speak their
language, understand their culture, have knowledge of the planet … Hard to plan
for our safety and the captives’ protection with such disadvantages.”

“We will not
allow our people to be sold into slavery,” Tomalson said in a very determined
voice.

“I agree. I’m
thinking strategy out loud here,” Kurt replied with a nod. “But once the
Profiteers return, won’t they just send more humans to Kubitz to be sold as
slaves?”

“Most likely,”
Braid responded. “But going to Kubitz to buy back our people is only a cover.
From what our prisoners say, it’s quite common for representatives from other worlds
to show up at Kubitz to buy back their people who have been taken captive. It
seems as if the Profiteer race as a whole hijacks cargo ships and passenger
liners from some of the more civilized worlds on a pretty routine basis.”

“Why do these
civilized worlds tolerate this pirate activity?” asked Kurt, with a deep frown.
“Why don’t they put an end to these Profiteers?”

“Too costly,”
Tomalson explained. “The commercial price of dealing with the Profiteers is far
less than fighting a war with them. The Gothan Empire is careful not to
overstep their raiding, lest they give the civilized worlds a sufficient reason
to retaliate.”

“So what other
reason is there for me to travel to Kubitz?” Kurt asked, still eyeing the shiny
bars stacked everywhere. He knew he was looking at billions of dollars in gold.

“To procure an
orbital defensive weapons system,” Tomalson said, his eyes focusing sharply on
Kurt. “Most of the civilized worlds have such systems, as well as Marsten and
Kubitz. It keeps their worlds safe from attacks or makes such attacks so costly
as to render them impractical. We want one.”

“Just one?”
Kurt asked.

“Yes. Put it
around Newton,” answered Tomalson. “Once Newton is secure you can begin to concentrate
on making it too expensive for these Profiteers to remain in the Solar System.
We want you to take a page from their book. Turn your fleet into raiders, and
take their ships and convoys leaving our Earth. If we can get the Profiteers to
withdraw, perhaps we can eventually install such a defense system around Earth
also.”