The Universe - or Nothing | Page 4

recon-patroller's computer as
authenticator for the mission and demolition and laser gun settings. The computer
adjusted thrust and vector to bring the ship to the 'fire' point and engage the countdown
and sequence to launch, arm the warhead, and follow up. Missile launch was at six
seconds.
Without warning, the computer froze. The frame of the pilot's enclosure glowed red, then
white. An instant later the ship disintegrated into thousands of metal and composite
fragments, and shards of what had been human flesh and bone.
##
"Flash -- Spunnel Transmission Priority One. To Supreme Commander, United Inner
Planetary System Space Force, Earth Headquarters, from Keeper, Luna Station. Attack
report. Repeat: attack report. Recon-patrollers R-19557, Red Fox, and R-87265, Blue Fox
in Planet Pluto Special Zone on recon missions under Keeper control, were attacked and
destroyed by particle beams; attack times: Red Fox 212014; Blue Fox 215514.
"Beamers fired from unidentified batteries, source Sectus Gorge, coordinates GT165,
Planet Pluto. The UIPS patrollers were on directed Tac Ops missions: cite our messages
to Red Fox and Blue Fox past half-hour, info recorded in Tac Ops Actions Register, your
Headquarters. Regret to inform you that no life signals emanate from Red Fox and Blue
Fox wreckage. Spacetrack Ceres will monitor for survivors. Ship recovery and
investigation teams dispatched from Log Depot to both sites. Out."
##
"Flash To President, United Inner Planetary System from Supreme Commander, Space
Force. This is my initial report of attacks on two of our recon-patrollers while on
UIPS-directed missions in the Planet Pluto Special Zone. No survivors. I conclude that
Plutonian weapons destroyed both ships. UIPS ships and support stations sunside of
Neptune hold on Defense Alert Level Two. Defense Alert One remains in effect at
Slingshot construction site and throughout Plutonian Special Zone. Details follow."
##
"To President, UIPS from Commander, Space Force. Copy to each Senior Elder of the

General Assembly, to Ministers of Intelligence and Diplomatic Protocols, and to
Slingshot Director. This is follow-on to my initial report of attacks on our
recon-patrollers in Planet Pluto Special Zone. Recon-patroller Red Fox was destroyed
while on assigned mission to scout Special Zone to locate launch and support sites for
spacecraft that present a clear and present danger to Slingshot. Thirty-five seconds later,
sister ship Blue Fox, on directed survey of the Planet Pluto Special Zone for unregistered
space debris and contraband was similarly attacked and destroyed.
"Transmissions from the patrollers Tac Ops systems, and scansplays of their external
observations ceased instantly at time of attack. Note that Spacetrack Ceres' reports of the
events, confirmed by Keeper, indicate conclusively that in the last few milliseconds of
functional stability before the ships' defenses were breached their damage report systems
salvoed message bursts to spunnel boosters. The signals confirm that each patroller had
been the target of long-range particle beamers.
"The missions of the two patrollers have not been completed. Although the Red Fox
scout mission can be rescheduled, we must be prepared for an increase in such attacks
throughout the Special Zone. Blue Fox was four seconds from a missile launch to destroy
a cache of contraband, and was attacked before it could complete the task. Consequently,
Plutonian insurgents have now added significantly to their already large stores of space
weapons.
"Repeat alerts have been spunneled to Commanders of UIPS ships, posts and stations
throughout the UIPS, and to all UIPS vessels that enter or are in the Outer Region; also to
ships under way, and at space and surface moorings. Note that UIPS ships en route to
Slingshot, the Log Depot, and work sites have been on Defense Alert Red since the Outer
Region seceded from the old United Planetary System, therefore Slingshot readiness in
their sectors remains unchanged.
"This completes Commander Space Force Attack Report."
Chapter TWO
Rymer Camari, President of the United Inner Planetary System entered his official
residence's conference room in a brisk walk, a loose, gray ankle-length robe draped about
his thin shoulders. He nodded perfunctory greetings to his Ministers of Intelligence and
Diplomatic Protocols, and to the Commander of the UIPS Space Forces as he took his
seat at the head of the long table. An abundant mane of white hair framed his aged
features; his stony glare reflected the rage they shared.
A panel in the wall slid upward to reveal a two-meter square well. A cylindrical view
tank filled its available space. The tank cleared to the United Inner Planetary System's
standard simulation. Colored and geometric symbols glowed the real time positions of
UIPS planets and their natural and artificial satellites and outposts, schema of space
traffic lanes, space spunnel booster stations, the Asteroids, and the twenty Guardian
Stations equidistant along the Asteroids' outer perimeter.

Stroking a key embedded nearby in the table the President brought the Strategic Concepts
Computer on line.