Riss Series 4: The Riss Accession
Read Riss Series 4: The Riss Accession Online
Authors: C. R. Daems
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Science Fiction, #Adventure, #Military, #Space Opera, #alien invasion
THE RISS ACCESSION
Book IV in the
Riss Series
By C. R. Daems
The Riss Accession
Copyright © 2013 by C. R. Daems
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the
permission in writing from C. R. Daems.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and
incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
Check out all my
novels at:
http://www.crdaems.com
and
Task force arrives at Fools Landing
Riss/SAS MSA Terminated
Emergency meeting with Plimson
Resigning from the SAS Navy
Reorganizing the Freeland fleet
Attempting to form an Alliance
JPU rejects Alliance
Alliance with UFN
Deployment to Dong
Dong invaded
Aftermath
New Riss-human candidates
The Maat arrives on Dong
Riss cruisers to Echo
The battle at Lycos
Nadya returns to Freeland
Live free or die.
The JPU discovers Freeland
Rethinking positions
Surprise visit to Eden
It won't work
Operation Discovery
Returning heroes
Developing an invasion strategy
Preparations for War
Operation Red
ONE
force arrives at Fools Landing
Captain
Pavao
and I sat in my office aboard the
Mnemosyne
. We had just finished a leisurely
dinner
of broiled
steak, garlic mashed-potatoes, mixed vegetables, and a chocolate mousse for
dessert. She relaxed in one of my two padded wingback chairs,
looking content.
well matched.
At
peace
.> Thalia, my ever present parasite, sent along with a sense of
satisfaction.
"Well, Nance, " I asked,
"how are the repairs to the
Eirene
going?"
"We've done all we can for now. The
remaining
damage
will have to be fixed at the Freeland
maintenance
facilities.
The Aliens' Light cruisers didn't
do
that much damage, but their mother ship
was a
nasty
bitch. We were only close for five seconds, yet her lasers wreaked
havoc. If she’d had time to
launch
any missiles, I wouldn't be sitting
here
today.
"The same here." I nodded and
took a sip from my glass of wine. I
seldom
drank alcohol, preferring
kaffa
, but Nance
had chosen wine,
and
somehow it made me feel more in tune with her. Having her for a
Riss-sister gave me someone to share my concerns with, someone who would give
me feedback. My other Riss-human sisters—Alena,
Jaelle
, and Elissa—didn't
have the experience or confidence. "Have you finished your inspection of
the Aliens' mother ship?"
"As much as possible without
tearing things apart. I
suspect
Admiral Wattson would
prefer
me to
leave
it for the
inspection team he'll be sending." She snorted. "We should call that
monster
Medusa
.
Although this one only carried eight Light cruisers, it has the capacity for twelve;
a level dedicated to manufacturing and repairing cruisers, missiles, and
computers; and thirty-two missile tubes with an equal number of fifty and
ninety-centimeter laser stations.
The
Medusa
looks like a permanent station to ensure Fools Landing stays
quarantined."
"They left a scout ship.
I
wonder if that was to maintain communications with the main force or just a
precaution
.
In either case, they must have a home base or staging area; otherwise, the
scout
wouldn't know
where to go. We’ve learned more about the Aliens, but what we've learned only raises
more questions and concerns." I took a sip of wine and closed my eyes.
"Nance, I'm grateful you decided to become a Riss-human."
"Me too. At the time, I felt you
were giving me one of those
I'm a genius or an idiot
choices
―depending on how it
turns out―that you are always giving Admiral
Plimson
. And I know now
how he feels when it turns out that he looks like a genius. Thank you, Nadya.
Becoming a Riss-human is the best
choice
of my life. I can't imagine a life
without
Cethlion
."
"Being a
sister
to the Riss
is a precious gift. One that would never have happened if the
need
hadn't been
great
. Can you
imagine what would've happened if Alena had been Captain of the
Eirene
?
With our stealth
ability
and Duster missiles, it's
difficult
to keep in
constant
contact so
one person can
coordinate
the
overall
action. I lost contact with you during
our battle with the
Medusa's
cruisers. Consequently, Alena would have
had to make independent decisions."
"Yes. In a time of peace, I
believe
she would
make
a
good
Captain, but
she isn't ready for
war
. When the
Medusa
started spitting
babies, I could feel Alena's
indecision
. Like many of the SAS captains today,
she would be all right in a task force having overwhelming force. They aren't
tacticians. Most never will be. It's what Admiral Wattson
tries
to
teach
our best and
brightest at the War College. Even so, few graduate
With Comment
,
and those are
the only ones he considers qualified."
"So who is going to
fight
the
Minerva
,
and the one after that? Only three Riss cruisers will be in
service
for some time
to
come
,
so we can't afford to lose one. They must be fought to their potential for
everyone's benefit. The battle at Fools Landing is a prime example.
Two
Riss cruisers
defeated eight of the Aliens’ Light cruisers and a…
Medusa
. At Zigzag, a
Heavy, a Hunter, and three Light cruisers barely won against three of the
Aliens' Light cruisers." I stopped and finished the wine in my glass and
was tempted to
fill
it again. "Nance, the SAS has
roughly ten
billion
citizens, but there are only three thousand Riss." I
shut
my eyes,
seeing the dead bodies. "The
Mnemosyne
lost
four
and the
Eirene
two
—that's the equivalent of killing
twenty million humans." I couldn't help my harsh tone or the tears that I
turned my head to hide.
"I know, Nadya. Yesterday that
argument
would have
seemed
academic
. Today it doesn't."
When I opened my eyes, Nance had tears
in hers as well.
"
Cethlion
told me we
must look forward, not backward," Nance said so
quietly
I almost
didn't hear her. "She's
right
. We must learn from each
encounter
and get
smarter—and yes—find a
captain
to
fight
the
Minerva
to its
potential
."
path
forward. Like
you.>
destruction.>
for just
about anything I considered too hard or impossible. I'm high-Riss because she
is, and nothing is impossible for the high-Riss.
.>
* * *
Jaelle sent. I waited, knowing we were in stealth mode and couldn’t be detected;
, it didn't matter whether they were
friendly
or not.
An interesting configuration, an
enhanced version of the one at the battle of Zigzag—three additional
Lights. I shuddered at the
thought
of three
extra
lights against an additional five Alien
Lights and a
Medusa
.
Eirene
.> Throughout the ship, lights began flashing red,
SIDs
vibrated, and
Battle stations,
silent
running
scrolled across the screens. I could feel the
Mnemosyne
coming alive. Although they were an SAS task force out of Freeland, there were
too many hotheads on board who didn't know who was the enemy and who the
allies.
on the Bridge
and unit commanders' speakers.>
"... the
Mnemosyne
and
Eirene.
This is Rear Admiral Osborne of the
Goshawk
, commanding the SAS task force
alpha one out of Freeland, sent to relieve the
Mnemosyne
and
Eirene
.
This is Rear Admiral… "
and they are
at battle stations. If we come out of stealth, someone overzealous or
nervous
or… may
begin
a shooting
war.>
A few minutes later, the
broadcast
stopped, and
shortly afterward,
individual
cruisers began taking their weapons
offline—all but one. I continued to
wait
, wondering how military discipline
could break down so fast when emotions took control.
"Sorry, Captain Reese. We weren't
sure what to expect and were being cautious." There was a long pause.
"Captain Reese, respond—" I could hear muffled talking in the
background, then Osborne screamed, "
MacLin
, turn off your weapons now and put them
under lockdown. I
want
a
report
on my desk within the hour explaining why you disobeyed a direct
order. Osborne out."
on engines
one, three, five, seven, and nine.>
< Half
power
on engines
one, three, five, seven, and nine.>
, stay silent.
Connect to
the
Goshawk
.>
.>
A long
angular
face appeared on the monitor.
"This is Captain Reese. Welcome to
Fools Landing, Admiral Osborne."
"Thank you, Captain Reese.
My
task force has been given the responsibility of inspecting what's left of the
Aliens' quarantine force and bringing anything of value
back to Freeland
."
He paused, staring
at me for a couple of heartbeats before continuing. "I'd like you to join
me and my staff for dinner tonight, if you aren't otherwise occupied."
"Unless you have already toured a
Riss cruiser, why don't you and your staff join me on the
Mnemosyne
?"
"I'd like that. You will need to
keep your lights burning so my shuttle pilot can
find
you," he
said, his
broad
lips breaking into a smile. "Will eighteen hundred hours be
acceptable?"
"Yes. I look forward to seeing you,
Admiral."
* * *
"There seem to be a lot of
Scorpions around, Gunny," I said, surveying the bay.
"Admiral Plimson's
order
did
state
an
unspecified number of bodyguards. Today it's ten."
I couldn't blame Terril after Captain
Lavett
's attempted
mutiny. He had requested a
meeting
with me and came in an
army
assault
shuttle with twenty Wasps aboard. The Admiral wasn't in an assault shuttle, but
it could hold twenty if necessary. I had to admit I didn't
show
a lot of
trust
when the task
force entered Fools Landing. Better safe than sorry.
"You’re right. Perhaps the Admiral
will
consider
it an honor guard," I snorted as the broad shouldered Admiral
exited the shuttle.
"Attention," Jaelle shouted.
Osburne
was young for
a Rear Admiral. He had an athletic build, curly brown hair
,
and stood a
little over one hundred eighty-five centimeters. Five officers followed him out
of the shuttle.
"Permission for me and my staff to
come aboard, Commander," he said while his eyes scanned the bay, stopping
at me.
"Permission granted, Admiral,"
Jaelle said as I approached.
"Welcome aboard, Admiral
Osburne
. I'm Captain
Reese."
"It's a pleasure
to finally
meet
you. You're
probably
the most talked about
officer
in the SAS navy. I've brought
several
of my staff.
I'd like you to meet my XO, Commander Babcock... Weapons officer, Commander
Stilman
...
Striker
Commander,
Addison... Navigation officer, Commander Mercy... and the Wasp Commander,
Colonel Huan."
"Welcome, gentlemen. If you will
follow
me, my staff
is waiting on level three." On the way, heads swiveled as the group
noticed the wider and taller hallways and larger steps as we made our way to
level three.
"I noticed your
bodyguard detail is rather large and very attentive," Osborne said as we
walked.
"Following me has made them
paranoid
.
Unfortunately for them, anyone trying to kill me has to kill them first, and
that seems to happen
rather
often
."
"So I've heard."
When we reached level three, I introduced
my
staff
and motioned to a table where drinks and snacks were available.
"This is like being outdoors,"
Osborne said as we walked along. "If you brought me
here
blindfolded,
I would've thought I was in a domed garden. I doubt any cruiser designer
would
ever consider
devoting a
level
to a garden. But I have to admit it's
beautiful
. Is it
open
to everyone
on the ship?"