TASCOM Book 3: Avenging Angels

By Christopher Vickers

While investigating a series of attacks in and near the Zeta system, the Iowa crew learns that there are members of the Kofroth Cell of the Empire that are working to rule in the way the Emperor wanted them to. Mike is sent in to investigate at a closer level, and discovers that the responsible party is a group of hackers between 13 and 25 that had been running from the Empire for several years. Now the TASCOM Army command has sent a fleet of troop carriers to battle against the Imperial cell in rule and free the planet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Vickers
• Release date: Feb 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310169236

Christopher Vickers

Christopher Vickers was born in Omaha in 1971; and was raised in Colorado Springs. He currently lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Dorothy. He enjoys spending time with both sides of the family, and occasionally shooting pool with his brothers and his grandfather.

Book preview

Part 1

Into the Fray

prologue

Kofroth cell space

on approach to zeta system

1498th imperial star fleet

13 january 2512, 14:17 hours, i.s.z.t.

The captain of the fleet didn’t care to be en route to the Zeta system. There wasn’t a person in the cell that envied the situation, since the last five fleets sent there had been destroyed. The circumstances had been something of a mystery, since all of the ships were just out of dock. The suspicion had been there were hackers on the planet, but there was nothing confirmed about it.

The captain seemed more pensive about the journey as they approached the sector where the debris field was. It had been called The Graveyard by most of the cell military. It wasn’t an affectionate name; then it wasn’t exactly inaccurate either. The military had come to believe the sector was plagued by a poltergeist.

The situation was enough to make anyone tense, and the tension could have been sliced through with a dagger. The captain wasn’t even seated in his command section, where he was capable of monitoring the master situation; he was strolling around the bridge…for the third time in under an hour. The executive officer tried to calm his captain down by saying, Sir, any more pacing about the bridge, and you’ll wear a groove in the deck plating.

Consider the situation we’re in, Commander, the captain said. This mission has cost the cell five fleets -- in about as many months.

I know that, sir, the exec said, but you’re not helping with the tension already mounting on this ship.

I know they’re tense, the captain said. We are just one sector from the debris field, and there’s just cause for the concern. This situation has been a problem for the troops on Zeta III for months. It ludicrous that the situation hasn’t been investigated to find out what’s causing the destruction. It’s an open invitation for speculation and, in some cases, superstition in the matter.

Yes, it is, the exec said. However, you could try to show something a little more constructive in this matter.

You’re right, of course, the captain said. He turned to his communications officer and said, Mr. Levinsky, keep a sharp eye on the communications bound for the ship. If it is hackers, they’re most likely using a piggyback signal.

Aye, sir, Levinsky said.

Mr. Kowalski, eyes on the monitors on your end, if we have an attacker on the way here.

Aye, Kowalski said.

The captain assumed his seat and watched the monitors from the command post. Let’s try to get the drop on whatever is attacking us, and be able to counter it.

"Now you’re talking," the exec said.

The crew began to adjust for the next attack, however it was to come their way. They knew that the ships were attacked by something. Just what the cause was remained a mystery; the crew was getting ready for whatever it was. Somehow, General Quarters seemed to calm them down.

The engineer ran down to the engine room at the beginning of each shift, as he didn’t know what was going to happen. The ships being destroyed under the circumstances they were in the past few months had too many of the crew on edge.

He got to the engine room and noticed that the core was heading into overheat temperatures. The condition red lights were already flashing in the engine room. The cores were beginning to overheat; and the situation was only getting worse. He accessed the computer and said, This is Commander Eric Jenkev, Chief Engineer: commence emergency core shutdown, authority code Jenkev Charlie-16578-Echo.

Unable to comply, the computer said. All command codes have been erased.

"Son of a bitch!" Jenkev grunted to himself. Of all the times for this shit to happen! He slammed an intercom switch and said, Captain, there isn’t a command code on the ship! The computer just reported they’d been deleted!

We know, the captain replied over the com. We just attempted to bypass the affected systems with no luck.

I’ll have these cores rebooted, Jenkev said, "if I have to go in and perform the shutdown manually."

The monitor officer for that station isn’t recommending that, the captain replied. The core temperature is already too dangerous to risk sending anyone in.

It’s the only way to shut it down for a restart, Captain.

"Do what you must, but do not compromise your safety; the minute it gets too damn hot, pull out of the area!"

Aye sir, the engineer said. It’s already compromising safety, he thought, but I have to do this.

He donned the appropriate gear and went tried to enter the core of the ship. The hatch would not open for him, and he asked the computer, Why aren’t you opening the hatch?

Core temperature already above safety limitations, the computer said. Authority codes of captain and chief engineer required to open hatch.

With the codes having been deleted by the virus that’s in the system, he thought, that’s going to be a problem! It’ll take too long to invent a set of command codes! He hit the com switch and said, Captain, we’re twenty minutes from the core going critical; there is nothing I can do without going in, and the codes are deleted!

You did what you could, Commander, the captain said. Without the command codes, that’s practically nothing as it stands.

Damn it, I wish I could have done more with this, he thought. The only thing left to do is put my head between my knees and kiss my butt good-bye.

* * * * *

planet zeta iii, city of new thebes

residence sector

In the bedroom of the one that was sending the virus to the fleets, there were two other people watching in utter horror as the virus spread to each ship in the fleet. The leader, a man that only went by Necromancer, said, You’re dangerous, Mister.

The woman stepped up and said, Necro is right; you’ll have them hunting us down for certain. Thank your lucky stars we haven’t done any raids for weapons, or you’d have been dead by now.

The program is going to take another 15 minutes to do its work, he said.

That’s not the issue here! the woman said. This program makes you a dangerous weapon for the cause. I’m not certain whether we should let you in, or take you into protective custody.

Me neither, Necro said. You’re a huge risk to the safety of our cause. You’re capable of anything.

Necro’s right; if we do induct you, we’d have to have you work without a computer for some time. What you can do with it presents a danger to the rest of us.

Where are your parents anyway?

They left for supplies two days ago, the young hacker said. They hadn’t been back since.

That means they’re probably dead, the woman said. They probably didn’t even make it to the store before the Imperial beat cops destroyed the hovercar.

Then we have no choice but to bring him in, Necro said. Protective custody for the time being; we’ll only have him on a computer when we need to launch an offensive.

Surely there’s something I can do in the mean time, the young boy said. My laptop was taken away by my parents when I first got the thing; they wouldn’t let me use anything but this desktop unit.

Any wonder why, Pyro? Necro said. With the desktop unit, you’ve personally seen to the destruction of every fleet that’s been sent our way from the Empire. They’re already going to be hunting us down as it stands!

They already are with the minor offensives we’ve launched, the woman said. If they find out about this, and it’s certain that they will, they will be on the prowl for us in the underground passages.

They have already, Ice, Necro said. To no avail so far; we have to maintain a watch on the ability to move on. He saw on the screen that another fleet was on its way and said, We have to move; purge the unit he’s been using. Mouse is trying to find the computer he needs.

Mouse ran in with the laptop and said, Unit secured.

Can I carry it? Pyro asked.

No; you’re too dangerous with a computer to be awarded the unit as yet.

Necro, he said as Ice placed a plug chip into the CPU tower of the desktop unit, you need all the help you can get.

You heard about that ambush two years ago, eh? Necro said. I still say not yet. Not until we need you to keep them off our trail.

Right, Pyro said somberly, almost as if he were about to tear up.

I know that you need that to survive, Necro said. But right now it’s dangerous to let you on one. Only Mage can say otherwise at this time, and he hasn’t been seen since the ambush.

We need to be moving, Ice said. This will level the place in five minutes.

Everyone left the house for the entry to the underground passages.

one

fourth marauder fleet

two days later

t.c.n.v. iowa [tdncv-171061]

Three months went by before President Nicholson of the Zerell Confederacy was finished with his ceremonious gratification. The fleet was called in on this mission, so they were traveling in a close-knit formation. They had to do so, as every fleet in the past five months that was sent this way had been destroyed under mysterious circumstances. What a way to ring in the New Year, Mike thought as he strolled the bridge. Seeking out what destroyed five of the enemy’s fleets.

The fleet was finally on a mission that made some sense, but figuring out why the Empire was losing fleets was something that he didn’t wish to be doing; especially with the information that Nicholas and Kiegan were providing. Raymond was completely mad, and needed to be brought down; what he didn’t need was the cause of his fleets’ destruction reported to him. Mike asked Admiral Zane to begin choking the territory by half a degree each orbit of the territory.

Even Kaan had been a little tense with the situation at hand, and it was more than understandable. However, no new signals had broken through. There wasn’t anything but Imperial chatter, and the only Imperial starship in range was a frigate that was listing out of control. Before Mike could give the command to destroy it, however, it had imploded. Mike looked at Kaan and said, This is heading into the surreal, Captain.

Indeed, Admiral, Kaan said. Why aren’t we affected?

I have the answer, Juarez said. The com is programmed to filter out the virus that was sent out to piggyback an Imperial transmission. Only the Imperial starships are receiving that signal, so they’re getting wiped out.

So we’re not being touched because we have better equipment? Mike said.

That’s about the size of it, sir, Juarez said. But the scatter of the debris makes me wonder if it’s not some form of signal that only we’d be able to translate.

Kaan looked at the third screen from the left more intently and said, Faargh me! He turned to Mike and said, Sir, this is an old Berecqian code similar to what you used to call an S.O.S. The debris itself is sending a message; it was commonly sent by a group that had taken over a prison; and it was commonly picked up by the military as a sign of distress, as the party didn’t know how long they could maintain control.

That had Mike’s attention. Can you translate, Kaan? he probed.

Yes. They’re on Zeta III, and they have control of the computer systems, but how long they can maintain they don’t know yet.

Mr. Spade, maximum Hawking drive speed to the system, and adjust course for a polar orbit of the third planet.

Aye-aye, Spade said, working his controls.

I have to go to sickbay to receive what could be our only com link, Mike said. You have the bridge, Kaan.

Aye sir, Kaan said.

* * * * *

Mike arrived in the medical bay of the ship and Dr. Larry Grenon was already standing by with the injection gun with the nano’bots he needed for the mission ahead. Juarez was also standing by with a present for the mission, but his was put on hold for the com’bots he was being injected with. As Mike was injected, Juarez patted the laptop he was carrying like it was his child and said, Picked up something for you on the base. He held it out and said, I know that the orders were not specific on the type of laptop you would need, and I thought Aeolus would be a good one to go with, since they’re under a contract with TASCOM because they’re the best thing out there.

Very well, Mike said. I’m certain that it’ll come in handy. Any news on the surface?

Nothing; the city is almost a graveyard above ground.

A what?

There are hardly any civilians in the cities, Juarez said. I’ve managed to make contact with the leader of the hackers that sent that signal; they are holding out, but they don’t know how much longer it’ll last.

Then I have to teach them not just to be able to run for it; they have that part cold, Mike said. "They need to learn how to fight back."

Don’t be too forceful in the effort, sir, Juarez said. According to the report of what was going on down there, they may not be ready for a fight.

I’ll deal with that, Mike said. There are Marines on standby to train them, and a flotilla of Army soldiers that could also do that. I say we just get the mission overwith so we can liberate this region from the Kofroth Cell.

The Constrictor Fleets will be making the move soon enough, Grenon said. Yeah, I keep up on the orders of the Fleets. The orders for the border fleets are one week before all holy hell breaks loose.

About as long for the Army troops to arrive, Mike said. I’m going to need Marines within 3 days to begin the major part of the operation with these hackers. The mission parameters could change before then, so the crew had better be ready to keep up with me.

That’s something you’re going to have to take up with Captain Kaan, Grenon said.

I’ll pass the order to Mr. Kaan, Juarez said. Don’t worry about that.

"I thought the only people that called him ‘Mister’ rated captain or higher."

That’s by the book, Mike said. Then again, no one’s called me ‘Mister since I rated lieutenant.

The business of the matter is that once the mission’s over, the robots will shut themselves down until they are needed again. They are only to create an emergency communications relay. You want MIMM robots, you came to the wrong faarghing place.

I didn’t come to pull a Captain Kaine, Mike said. No offense to him was intended.

I know that, Grenon said. I have nothing but respect for him for leaving CID before the shit hit the fan with them.

Only in regard to their treason dating back to 2210, Mike said. "The Time Corps proved they were traitors. Kaine got out before he was forced out. It was only a matter of time before CID was figured out by anyone."

The only trouble with this kind of communications setup is Mr. McKira might pick up your snoring when you’re asleep.

Wouldn’t the brain itself shut the com’bots down? Juarez said.

Sorry, Grenon said. I hadn’t thought of that.

Don’t worry; they’d be cut off from McKira’s end, unless he actually hears your voice.

That’s a comfort, Mike thought sardonically.

* * * * *

The teleport chamber was where the final preparations for Mike’s departure from the ship were made. Mike hadn’t even stepped onto the teleport pad before B’Laeis said, Nothing had better happen to you, Admiral, or you have two sons that will be orphaned again.

I’ll be checking in as often as I can, Mike said reassuringly. The mission is to retrieve a group of hackers; how difficult can that be?

Don’t be naïve about it, Belle said. We both know that the Empire will be attacking you at every possible turn.

I know that, Mike said, and that’s why I’ve disregarded the orders to be unarmed; I’ll only fire if fired upon, and avoid that at all cost. I’m only going down there with a pistol, but at least I’m going in armed.

"You were ordered to set down unarmed?" Belle said.

Unfortunately, Mike said.

Sir, the master at arms for the ship said, I have to confiscate the weapon. Orders are orders.

Mike handed the pistol over and said, Why did he even specify that?

Because the Imperial soldiers would bark like a bloodhound otherwise, the master at arms said. Besides, you’ll probably secure a weapon down there before all hell breaks loose, sir.

Indeed I will, Mike said.

You’d better, Belle said. I’ve asked my sister to put the map of the city you’re setting down in and place the map on this data pad. This way you shouldn’t have difficulty finding anything.

You’re assuming the businesses are running, Mike said. No doubt the Empire has already shut them down.

Probably true, but you never can tell.

Touché, Mike said.

Come home in one piece, Daddy, Chris said into the intercom.

I’ll be praying for that daily, Mike said.

You’ve got at least three people on this ship that will be doing the same, Belle said. Trust in that.

I will, Mike said. He kissed Belle and stepped onto the pad. Belle went up to the anteroom to make certain the boys were all right up there. As the chamber cleared, Mike vanished in a wash of energy. Chris then looked at Ryan and said, Don’t worry; Daddy will be coming home. One way or another, he’s coming home.

Let’s pray that it isn’t coming home dead, Ryan said. I’m not ready to go back to the orphanage.

Me neither, Chris said.

Let’s try to do something a little more constructive with our time, B’Laeis said, leading the kids out of the teleport chamber.

* * * * *

planet zeta iii

city of new thebes

utilities electric facility

moments later

The hackers were all at their stations, except for Pyro, whom hadn’t been given his computer yet. The reason for this was the danger he posed to the group if he had one, and it was at Necro’s orders that he not be granted it until ordered otherwise. The group was thinking of their safety in this cavern, which was right under the Empire’s collective noses. They knew that it was only a matter of time before they were caught, but they didn’t care at the moment, as the Empire wasn’t searching for them in obvious places.

The cavern was immense, and they could go as deep as they wished if the Empire was alerted of their presence there. Fortunately, that hadn’t been the case; but they had set ambush traps for if they tried anything in the local stores to gather supplies. They continued to work on disabling the traps, but they were adamant about Pyro’s ability to hack, keeping that young man at bay. It was a tough decision on Necro’s part to put him on the list of hackers unable to perform their duties, but it had to be made.

The others were reporting a seizure of weapons control in Northwest Sector, and Necro was impressed; the hackers in New Saigon had reported the same control, and then some. Ice, although she was perpetually disregarding the nudity laws, had reported that swarms of probe’bots had been built for if Necro wanted any spying done on the Imperial soldiers, and she had designed a series of bomb’bots for the attack.

Right now, Necro said, we have no intention to attack. That ambush two years ago left you with a bullet in your ankle, and half of our force dead.

We barely have 175 people, another one said. Your persistence is admirable, but we have to maintain our supplies first.

We don’t have anything we can use against them! another said. "Going into a trap without defenses is akin to suicide!"

That’s why we scan for stores that are not rigged with any traps, Ice said. We have to maintain our supplies without looking like we’re launching an attack on the Empire for now.

Mike walked into the cavern as the conversation was about to come to a head. He said, If we don’t have any weapons, then we need to head into the lions’ den and get some.

Just how are you proposing to do that, Captain? one of the hackers asked.

It’s Admiral now, Mike said. "The Empire isn’t expecting a raid in any of their munitions dumps. They don’t even post guards there. I scanned the area in detail before I left the Iowa."

How’d you find us?

I followed the darker passages, Mike said factually. I also know of several places that are not rigged for ambush. They’re along the dark passages, and they are carrying non-perishable food items and medical supplies. We only have to raid NWS for weapons to conduct the raids in case I’m incorrect about the traps.

two

Mike wasn’t about to back down from his position. However, Ice had to speak up, saying, "Admiral, you’re asking the impossible; no one’s ever gone into NWS