The Black Star

By Michael Martinell

Since the early 1990s, the cold war with Russia has been over. Nuclear weapon proliferation between the superpowers ended, or so it seemed. As new leaders emerge from both the United States and Russia, a different cold war has begun. Both countries have continued to invest in defense capabilities and offensive weaponry. Innovation in technology is the foundation of the new, modern weapons of war. Both the US and Russia are on equal footing and the venue is outer space. Each is looking to exploit and deploy space based weapons. The conflict rises when this delicate balance of power is tipped and the result could be thermonuclear war on the European continent that could spill over on to US and Russian soil. The unthinkable is underway as Russian troops amass on the Ukranian border to sweep across Europe. A lone US Naval Commander and astronaut for a new government space agency, is called upon to end the buildup to an all out military conflict between the two super powers. Pressed into service and loyal to his command, Lee Jacob, USN, must steal his way on to one of Russia's most highly guarded military bases to disable a new space based weapon hurtling both nations towards thermonuclear war. But will he succeed in time?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Martinell
• Release date: Oct 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463325070

Michael Martinell

This journey began in the mid 1980s. Family, career and the complexities of life were the excuse not to move ahead with my completed manuscript. After a 40 year career, I am now retired. The first thing on my list of to dos was to get The Black Star published. Even though written in the 80s and recently updated, the story is more relevant today than ever. I was born in San Diego, California growing up with one brother, Tim and one sister, Mary. As a family we moved to Phoenix, Arizona when I was a sophomore in high school. My parents instilled a strong sense of family while we were growing up. I attended Arizona State University, graduating with an accounting degree. I would later earn my MBA from the University of Phoenix. I spent most of my career with large multi-national corporations that serve the aerospace and medical device markets. I have two great kids that I am very proud of, Patrick my oldest son, and my daughter, Ashley. I am also blessed with three grandchildren, Kellan, Alex and Penny. My wife Trish is truly the love of my life. She is an inspiration everyday. Thanks for stopping by and reading this short bio. I hope you enjoy The Black Star. Maybe there will be a follow up story.

Book preview

The Black Star

Copyright 2019 Michael Martinell

Published by Michael Martinell at Smashwords

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Day 1 March 11

Day 2 March 12

Day 3 March 13

Day 4 March 14

Day 5 March 15

Day 6 March 16

Day 28 April 7

Day 29 April 8

Day 30 April 9

Day 31 April 10

Day 32 April 11

Day 33 April 12

Day 34 April 13

Day 35 April 14

Day 36 April 15

Day 37 April 16

Day 38 April 17

Day 39 April 18

Day 51 April 30

Day 52 May1

About the author

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all who were on the journey with me and helped keep the fire of story-telling in the forefront of my mind.

Prologue

The global geo-political climate continues to evolve as new leaders try to make their mark for the history books. 1984 was marked by the continuing cold war when the former USSR and the US. Presidents Ronald Regan and Mikhail Gorbachov started what appeared to be a new path for both superpowers. The nuclear arms race was over. The Berlin wall was torn down, and the former Soviet Union eventually broke apart into several republics. Fast forward ahead to today, and now we are teetering on the precipice of a new cold war, one with strong ties to our ever-increasing innovation in Technology. Space has become the new battleground as the United States and Russia try to gain military superiority by exploiting the potential of space-based weapons. A more dangerous race develops that could lead to all out thermonuclear war on the European continent and eventually spill onto US and Russian soil.

Day 1 MARCH 11

Edwards Air Force Base – Joint Military Aeronautics Program

The morning sky over the California desert was clear and calm. For miles in any direction nothing but blue sky could be seen. As the day progressed, thunderclouds would build to the west, but never reach the desert floor. The Santa Ynez mountain range kept the region in a desolate and arid condition. As storm fronts moved in from the Pacific, the mountains would force the rain to fall on their western slopes, leaving little if any moisture for the parched eastern side of the mountains or the desert below. During summer months, temperatures could climb to 120 degrees.

Plant life was scarce. Only the hardiest of vegetation could survive the long periods of drought. As temperatures fell after sunset, the desert floor came to life as rodents and small insects started the search for food.

This was not a place for man. Unless the man was a United States Air Force pilot, then it was his home. Home would be Edwards Air Force Base one of the most important military installations in the world.

The air base had grown since opening shortly before the start of World War II. It was here that man first flew faster than the speed of sound. The evolution of the modern-day jet had its history tied to Edwards. The Military had used the base to launch many satellites into space. Maybe it was the history and tradition of the place; maybe it was the weather or the isolation; whatever the reason Edwards Air Force Base was the home of J-MAPS (Joint Military Aeronautics Program).

When NASA retired the shuttle fleet in 2011 and turned its attention to manned missions to the International space station, the United States Air force took the lead to convert the aging space craft to military-only missions. First the Navy, then the Marines joined in to further develop an ever-growing interest in space to support and assist military operations on the land and at sea.

The Edward’s site was a combination of four separate shuttle launch pads. Each was at least three miles from the next and capable of placing into space the military version of the Shuttle. A full crew of military engineers worked in separate shuttle assembly and test facilities.

The four separate launch sites were run like divisions of a large corporation. Each was autonomous in its own right but taking direction from a central source—the Pentagon.

Funding for J-MAPS did not come easy at first. Congress was under pressure to cut the deficit. Defense spending was severely trimmed to meet the provisions of the Gramm-Rudman bill, which required Congress to balance the federal budget. But lobbying efforts from large defense contractors like Lockheed-Martin and Boeing helped to convince the men and women of Washington, and eventually the American people to begin building the first launch facility in the desert.

The last two decades of the century were a period of strong growth for the Military. After Ronald Reagan became President, the trend of a weakening defense reversed itself. By the end of his presidency and despite the fall of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe, funding for military spending reached an all-time high; J-MAPS was proof of that.

Sprinkled throughout the following three decades, were demonstrations of the ever-increasing strength of the U.S. military. El Salvador, Libya, and Panama, became the stage showcasing the nation’s military might. Each was important, not only to the people of the region but also as a show for the American public. A return on the huge investment paid by the taxpayers.

The world witnessed the invasion of the tiny, oil-rich country of Kuwait by Iraq. Under the leadership and strong will of President George Bush Senior, the US flexed its muscle and assembled a mighty coalition of countries that defeated the Iraqi military. Come to be known as the video game war, the American public viewed nightly vignettes of precision guided bombs flying in through windows, destroying the Iraqi will to wage war. Touted as the world’s fourth largest army, the Iraqis surrendered in droves and the ground war was over in less than 100 hours. Looking back, the only regret, was allowing Sadaam Hussein to remain as benevolent dictator of Iraq.

Then September 11, 2001 happened, and the face of America and its military capacity changed for all time. In office was another George Bush, the son of the former leader who first ordered America’s involvement in the Middle East. The theater of operation expanded to Afghanistan, but the focus remained on Iraq.

After US Forces swept through the tiny Middle Eastern nation, and rolled into downtown Baghdad with their tanks, Sadaam Hussein fled and hid in the northern part of Iraq. An entire country was looking for him. Eventually he was found, cowering in a shallow hole in the earth. He was tried as a criminal, found guilty and executed by the very people that he had once held power over. Only one terrorist remained, Osama Bin Laden.

In the more than 200 years that the United States has been a free and democratic nation, war has reached its soil only twice. December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and September 11, 2001, the day that terrorists hijacked four commercial jetliners and flew them into New York’s World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania countryside.

The attack shocked the nation as well as the world community. Americans forgot about individual ideologies and focused on the elusive enemy that maimed and killed innocent victims. In the days that followed September 11, speculation was unbounded as to who was behind the treacherous act. The FBI, CIA, NSA, as well as assistance from every free nation in the western world launched the biggest investigation in history. One man became the target, Saudi-born and the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama Bin-Laden.

Sending troops into Afghanistan to hunt down the underground terrorist group responsible for the attack, Bush had the overwhelming support of the American people, the congress, and nearly every nation opposed to terrorism. Another protracted conflict, similar to what the Russians experienced 20 years earlier in Afghanistan, never materialized. The American people wanted justice; the world-community wanted justice. And in the end, it was served up in the form of a gray body bag that contained the body of Bin-Laden.

Team Six of the elite Navy SEALs finally found the terrorist mastermind in of all places, Pakistan, an American ally. At least that is what the administration thought. In the end, America took matters into its own hands and crossed into Pakistani airspace in the middle of the night. The invasion of Bin Laden’s compound was over in an hour. Besides the remains of his bullet riddled body, Team Six removed a cache of computer hardware that contained valuable intel on the vast terrorist network that had embattled America for a decade.

Although the war on terrorism was not over, a chapter of the story was closed. Since the heinous attack on America, the arm of terrorism never touched American soil again. The establishment of the Homeland Security agency fulfilled its purpose. America was now a little more isolated and not as open to foreigner visitors. Individual freedoms, especially those of Middle Eastern descent, were more strictly monitored. The bell of freedom did not toll quite as loudly as once it had.

Not since World War II had military action so united the country. The spirit of the American people was high. The U.S. had finally demonstrated it would no longer live in fear of terrorism. The pride of the American soldiers who saw action in each conflict seemed to flow out to every American. The people could see why the defense budget was so high. Appropriations for the expansion of Edwards was sent through the Congress and J-MAPS grew from a single NASA West Coast launch facility to the most guarded and important military installation in U.S. history.

Activity at Edwards was at its normal frantic pace, thought US Navy Commander Lee Jacobs as he drove through checkpoint Alpha 3. The guard was clearing the Commander through when a sudden roar broke his concentration. Lee looked up from his 1967 Plymouth Barracuda and saw an aging Lockheed Martin F-16 streak toward the desert firing range. Pilots were always showing off. The Commander knew as he was guilty of the same pleasure. Regulations were clear. Pilots were never to engage afterburners until five miles from the perimeter fence. But the glow of fire was clear from the aft of the F-16. Lee knew deep down the feeling of power and speed. He also knew the pilot would not be granted any weekend passes in the near future. The penalty was also very clear.

Lee drove through the gate and started his five-mile journey to the center of the J-MAPS complex. He had made the trip a thousand times before but was always amazed at the activity taking place. Planes were constantly landing and taking off, men marching in formation and the sheer beauty of the desert. Lee was raised in the upper Midwest, but he’d fallen in love with the desert. He admired the plant and animal life that could survive the subfreezing temperatures of winter and the fury of the summer heat.

Lee had been a navy man for twenty-three years. He had graduated from the naval academy at Annapolis where he studied electronics. Once receiving his aviation wings, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Nimitz. His exceptional skills as a pilot lead him to qualify on every fighting aircraft the Nimitz carried; the F-14 Tomcat; the F-18 Hornet and the A-7 Corsair II. During his days on the carrier he acquired a real love for the freedom of flight. His aircraft became an extension of his thoughts. Every maneuver was planned; every turn a precise movement. His stay led to a promotion as a squadron leader of A-7 Corsair IIs off the U.S.S. Carl Vinson. He participated in raids during Desert Storm, leading to the destruction and overthrow of Sadaam Hussein’s regime of terror and oppression. He grew up with technology and eventually helped develop the first virtual reality guided missile defense system deployed on the F-22 Raptor.

During his stretch as squadron leader, he was asked to try out for the Astronaut Corp. At first, Lee had strong doubts. He knew most of the present astronauts were former military test pilots. Besides how many times did they allow you to fly upside-down or pull a hammerhead in the Space Shuttle? No, his first love was being a naval aviator. But something inside Lee couldn’t turn away from the challenge. After days of listening to his conscience, he decided to call the NASA coordinator who originally asked Lee to try out.

After an arduous and lengthy interview process, he was asked to join the elite men and women of NASA. He never dreamed of flying beyond the grasp of the earth’s atmosphere. His wife Christie and their kids Patrick and Nicole were thrilled with the new assignment.

Lee left his post on the Carl Vinson and moved his family to Houston, Texas. Training was easier than he thought. He had always kept himself in good physical shape. The classroom portion of his stay was basically a repeat of what he already knew from his days at Annapolis. His level of anticipation grew as he became familiar with the Shuttle systems and J-MAPS procedures. He became entrenched in the regime of being an astronaut. As with his colleagues, Lee had become a national hero and he’d never flown on the Shuttle; but he would, he knew he would.

His life in Texas was far better than the one he’d had on the Vinson. At least he was home every night to spend time with his family. Time, he had learned to treasure. His stay on the navy carriers had taught him the importance of his family. Because of his commitments, he wasn’t even around when Nicky was born. It left him with a feeling of guilt he would carry around for the rest of his life.

Beside the time spent with his family, Lee enjoyed restoring old vintage muscle cars of the sixties. His favorite was the Cuda. With its 383 cubic inch hemi-head engine and posi-traction, there wasn’t a car on the road that could touch it. Parts for it were difficult to find but Lee never gave up.

It was two years after moving to Texas before Lee was scheduled on a shuttle flight. He would be part of a five-person crew. Its primary mission would be the deployment and testing of a key piece of electronic communication equipment. Eventually it would be used to guide and aim a space-based particle beam weapon. His background in electronics was a big factor in his selection for the mission.

When launch day rolled around, Lee couldn’t eat. He had barely slept the night before even with the sleeping pills he’d received from the doctors. From T-minus 5 hours till launch, the astronauts were busy with pre-checks of equipment and shuttle launch procedures. At T-minus 90 minutes, the five voyagers were taken to the pad for insertion into the shuttle vehicle. Immense was the only thing Lee could think of as he rode up the elevator. He had seen previous vehicles before launch, but this was different. He was going to ride this one into the far reaches of the atmosphere.

Lee was assisted into the co-pilot’s seat by two launch specialists. He and the other four astronauts were placed on internal oxygen. The next seventy minutes disappeared as though they never existed. Each astronaut had countless system checks to perform before the mighty rockets ignited. At T-minus sixty seconds, Lee finally had the chance to relax for a moment. As he looked around the cabin, he realized what was about to happen. He and four colleagues were about to ride atop the world’s largest candle and break free of the earth’s gravitational pull.

The only thing that Lee was uncomfortable with was the feeling of total dependence upon the computers. He was used to being in control of the situation, but on the Shuttle that wasn’t possible. Now, the only thing he controlled was his ever-weakening bladder.

The voice of mission control broke his daydreaming and brought him back to the shuttle.

T-minus 30...29...28

Lee glanced over his instruments one last time.

20...19...18

He felt a bead of sweat run down the side of his cheek. His heartbeat had noticeably increased.

15...14...13

Lee felt the power build as electrical igniter systems came on.

We have main engine start. T-minus 11...10...9

He shut his eyes and braced himself in the contoured flight seat.

5...4...3...2...1.....LIFTOFF! We have liftoff!

The Shuttle Voyager cleared the tower and was on its way as it rolled onto its back. The white trail of smoke arced over the Atlantic as the Voyager increased its speed.

Launch sequence ended forty minutes later when the Shuttle reached its assigned orbit 250 miles above the Earth. Because of the nature of the mission, there was very little publicity or news coverage about the flight. In fact, the exact re-entry time was not announced until three hours before touchdown.

Tests on the communication equipment went as planned. Lee knew it would, as he had trained for months prior to the flight. As the Shuttle made its way back to Earth, Lee was disappointed it was over so soon. He was ready to go again, but he knew with the astronaut rotation program, it would be at least six months before he was up for selection again.

The space voyagers made a perfect landing in the California desert. As he made final system checks somehow something inside of him had changed. Never had he experienced the thrill or excitement of flying the Shuttle. As he stepped off the flight deck, he knew his life would change. His career as an astronaut would take him to places, he’d never dreamed of.

Lee finally made it to the heavily guarded east parking lot. All employees and service personnel entering the J-MAPS complex were required to park their cars in the lot. Television cameras poised high over-head kept vigilance on the vehicles while military police drove up and down the aisles. They normally checked all cars for bombs, including the underside of all vehicles. Even though a special clearance was required just to pass through the front gate, chances were not taken with the base security.

The desert complex was approximately fifty square miles in size. Surrounding the whole area was a fifteen-foot concrete reinforced block wall. Twenty-five feet inside the perimeter wall was another fifteen-foot electrified chain link fence. Between the fences were pressure sensitive mines. Inside the chain fence were concrete guard towers spaced every half of a mile. The towers were manned twenty-four hours a day with ten army infantrymen. Each tower had a whole arsenal of weapons to combat any intrusion that might take place: shoulder mounted rockets, 30mm howitzers and probably, the deadliest weapon, a particle beam cannon mounted on top of each tower. With its computer aided targeting system, the cannon could destroy s tank the size of the US M1A1 Abrams in a matter of seconds.

There were only six entrances into the whole complex. On the west end were the larger gates for trains carrying shuttle components to the assembly building. A smaller gate half a mile away allowed trucks to pass inside to the receiving docks. Each entrance had two towers to oversee the traffic. They controlled a series of mines that when detonated would blow apart the railroad tracks outside the fences or make the road impossible to traverse. The four remaining gates were all on the east perimeter wall and were designated for foot traffic only. Everyone entering or leaving J-MAPS had to pass through these four gates.

Lee approached the entrance, pulling out his I.D. card. Encrypted on the card was a miniature chip which told the computers who was about to enter the complex. Lee stood in front of the massive steel door and slipped his card into the reader. The familiar tone sounded as four steel bolts that locked the door slid out of their resting spot. The door swung open and Lee stepped inside the security check building. He looked around at the unobtrusively dull interior. He’d always hated the building. Deep inside he wished there were paintings or decorations adorning the concrete walls.

Lee stood on a steel grid which was actually a very sensitive scale. It was checking his present weight with the weight stored on the security database. A variance of five pounds or more and Lee would have never gotten out of the tiny building. Guards would have surrounded the building and the senior security officer would have had to open the door; from the parking lot side. At the same time his weight was being checked, it was recorded for retrieval later when he left the complex. At that time, his weight would be checked again to insure he wasn’t carrying anything out.

Please proceed to the optical scanner said the now familiar voice of the computer. Lee stepped off the grid and walked over to what looked like an oversized telephone booth. It was an optical retina scanner. He knew the procedure, turning to face a mirror mounted on the wall. He focused on a large red X centered on the mirror. Not a sound was made as a thin green light from above his head shot to the X then to the back of Lee’s eye. The scanner was a faster means of positively identifying a person and much more accurate than fingerprints.

The light vanished and the computer spoke again, this time much more personable.

Welcome Commander Jacobs, please proceed to the entrance.

Infrared scanners sensed his approach as another steel door opened, allowing Lee to pass into the complex. The whole process from entrance to exit takes no more than fifteen seconds...providing all security checks are in order. Lee walked the twenty-five feet to the chain link fence which buzzed open upon his approach. He quickly stepped through the gate spotting his electric car parked fifty yards away. As he walked toward the car, he noticed that it was still plugged into the recharging circuit. He walked to the passenger’s side and pulled the plug from the stationary parking post. The cord retracted inside the front fender as he walked to the driver’s side. He backed up the car and was on his way to the briefing room at the crew’s quarters.

Lee was a little early, so he decided to get a cup of coffee in the cafeteria. On the way, he met up with one of his fellow astronauts, Joe Williams. He and Joe had joined NASA together a few years back.

What brings you down here old pal, Slapping Lee on the back?

A meeting of some kind with General Franklin, said Lee.

General Franklin, exclaimed Joe. What kind of trouble you in Lee?

None that I know of, said Lee. I’ve been minding my own business these days, so I’m not sure why I’m here.

Well whatever it is, it must be important to have the head of this whole place call a meeting with you...personally! Good luck my friend and I’ll see you later.

Thanks Joe. Take care.

Lee turned from the coffee line and began to think about what Joe had said. General Franklin didn’t call meetings with ordinary everyday astronauts. He is usually busy politicking in Washington or hobnobbing with foreign heads of state. Lee looked at his watch and decided the coffee could wait. He wasn’t about to be late for the General.

He entered the briefing room and proceeded to take a seat.

Sir…..oh sir said the lieutenant.

Lee spun on his heels to see who was calling out. In his haste to make the meeting, he didn’t even notice the check-in table just inside the door.

Yes, ma’am, he said inquisitively.

Sir, may I have your name?

Commander Lee Jacobs U.S.N.

The lieutenant scanned her roster sheet, checking for his name.

Very well, sir, as she marked his name off the sheet.

One more thing before you sit down, sir. She reached inside a briefcase which Lee noticed was handcuffed to her wrist.

Please take this envelope and open it when instructed by General Franklin...sir.

Thank you, lieutenant, returning her salute.

Not wanting to call attention to himself any more than he already had, Lee found a seat toward the back of the room. As he sat back in the padded chair, he turned the envelope over and read the printing. What he saw made every muscle in his body tense up. He reread the printing again.

T O P S E C R E T

FOR THE EYES

OF

COMMANDER L E E J A C O B S, USN

O N L Y

Lee just sat there staring at the envelope. He could feel the beads of sweat forming at his brow.

Top Secret? Me? Why?

A million questions raced through his mind. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead and his now sweaty hands. He took a breath and sat up in the chair.

Just then, the door at the front of the room swung open and two young M.P.’s walked into the room.

Ten-hut, snapped the one closest to Lee.

Everyone in the room sprang to their feet, standing as erect as a forest of trees.

In walked General Franklin with five other top-ranking officers. From the corner of his eye, he noticed everyone entering the room was at least a general or an admiral. Every branch of the service was represented.

General Franklin reached the podium as did the others who entered with him.

Be seated, said Franklin.

As everyone in the room settled in, the General pulled out an envelope from his briefcase, which was similar to the ones passed out to the attendees.

Ladies and gentlemen, started the General, you have been assembled here today because we have a crisis on our hands! You’ll notice that the envelopes given to you when you entered are all marked Top Secret. As of this moment, any conversation we have here today or in the future concerning the subject we are about to discuss, is to be held in the strictest of confidence. This is a top-secret project! For those of you not holding such a clearance, your levels are being upgraded as we speak.

Franklin paused and looked around the room. He seemed to be searching for some weakness in the men and women that were in attendance. The faces of the people were mysteriously blank, not revealing any sign of emotion.

The General stepped back from the podium and motioned for one of the officers that entered with him.

At this time, I’d like to introduce you to Colonel Dave Stratton. He is one of the intelligence officers for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He will fill us in on the details of what has happened. Colonel, please take it from here.

Thank you, General.

As the General has mentioned, we are in the middle of a crisis. At approximately 3:15 am Greenwich Mean Time, two days ago, one of our satellites was destroyed by an unknown force. Yesterday at 10:03 pm GMT, another of our satellites disappeared from our scopes. The colonel paused, removing his glasses before he spoke again. And we don’t know why!

The Colonel’s voice indicated a serious problem existed. Please open your envelopes.

The tearing of the manila envelopes broke the silence of the room. Lee looked around and saw a mixture of fear and anxiety in the faces of all who were seated. Lee felt edgy at what he might see in the course of the next few minutes.

The Colonel continued.

The satellites that were destroyed were not for tracking weather patterns or communication. They were two of our most sophisticated defense weapons, neutron powered laser cannons. As some of you may know, the United States has been relying more and more on a network of these satellites to deter a Russian, Chinese or North Korean nuclear first strike. We have spent a lot of time and hundreds of billions of dollars to develop an umbrella of laser cannons that could not be penetrated by a foreign missile. That includes Russia’s latest hypersonic Avangard nuclear weapon that has been in the news lately.

Over the years, as our reliance upon these weapons has grown, we have neglected to build up our ground based nuclear arsenal. The Russians have been steadily building their nuclear store to the point, that if our space-based satellites are completely neutralized, we could be easily destroyed by a Russian first strike.

Lee felt his heart drop as he listened to the Colonel. How could this happen? And how could he help?

The Colonel started again.

Whatever is destroying our satellites must itself be destroyed. The only problem is we don’t know what’s up there. Every antenna we control has been pointed skyward looking for something out of the ordinary. We can’t find it. Hell, we don’t even know what we’re looking for. We’re certain that the Russians have not developed a ground-based laser weapon capable of destroying our satellites. So, something is out there. That’s where you come in.

Inside the packets are photographs of the laser cannons that we presently have in space. As you can see, there are three types, each designed to take out a different class of strategic missile. The photos with the red X are the types that were destroyed. Learn what each satellite looks like... every detail. Whatever is up there may be similar in design.

Also, in the packet, is a stellar map showing where these two satellites were located. As you can see, both were positioned over the Middle East. Our guess is that whatever is taking out the cannons must be in a direct line of communication with its ground station.

"The CIA, with help from MI6 and the Mossad, is trying to locate the land base.