Worlds Apart

Posted on Jun 13, 2016 @ 8:58pm by Captain Michael Turlogh Kane

Mission: Fortress: Earth

"WORLDS APART"

(Continued from "Right Hand Man")

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Captain's Log, supplemental - as we continue to prepare and execute missions designed to help us gather as much information as possible regarding the Aegis defence shield, we must also consider the ultimate reasons why we're here...

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Location: USS Phoenix, holding station with the command group, near Earth orbit
Stardate: [2.16]0613.1700
Scene: Captain's ready room


Michael Turlogh Kane was peering out of the viewport of his ready room, shoulders square and arms behind his back. Past his shadowy reflection in the transparent aluminium pane, the bright blue jewel of the Earth hung in space, dangling like a bauble in the Long Night. Between the Phoenix and it hung the myriad starships of the fleet, starkly illuminated by the flickering power field of the Aegis planetary shield. So much potential destructive energy - in the fleet's phaser emitters and torpedo bays, in the Aegis thaleron generators, and in the hearts and minds of both sides. War never changed - you still had to defeat your enemy to win - but as history rolled on by in its endless cycles the weapons got bigger and badder, capable of killing not just people, but entire worlds.

Richard Edgerton and the rump of the Neo-Essentialist regime would not surrender now. They were barricading themselves into the soil of the Earth, dug in like ticks, and they would have to be prised out. Whether that would happen through words or violence was a question yet to be answered.

The chime of the ready room's door cut into his reverie. "Come," he said.

The door hissed open behind him. In the window's reflection Kane saw Kassandra Thytos enter. The older, blind marine was recognisable by the constant flashing of her subcutaneous sensor network.

"What is it, Major?" asked Kane without turning around.

There was a clatter as Kass dropped a PADD onto his desk. "Brought ya this here marine inventory report," she drawled. "State an' numbers of our weapons an' suchlike."

"You could have taken it to Commander Jos."

"Ah could have." Kass moved forward, coming around to stand at Kane's shoulder. She took a moment to look out at the vista, to take in what she could of it. "Y'all are worried about the fate of the Earth, huh? Like, what happens if Edgerton pushes the button and wipes it frum existence? Forty billion dead Humans? All that stuff?"

Kane bristled. "It does weigh on my mind somewhat."

A moment's silence. Then Kass shrugged. "So what if'n he does? It ain't like he's gonna git away with it. We got a hunnerd starships ready ta frag his ass from here ta the Great Barrier if he gits ornery. One way or another, we're takin' that sumbitch down. Fuck Richard Edgerton," she said vehemently.

Kane turned away from the window to look down at her. He had ten inches in height over the marine, but Kass tended to pack a hell of a punch in more ways than one. "The potential for the loss of life is incalculable," he said, "and I hope nobody has to make the call between planet and species. But the Earth is the cradle of Humanity. We're looking at fourteen thousand years of living Human history when we look at it. It's more than just another planet. It's home to us all."

Kass looked out the window, then looked back at him. "Horseshit."

Kane was flabbergasted. "What?"

"Lissen, sir, Ah was born on Sherman's Planet. Ya ever been ta Sherman's Planet?"

"No."

"We make quintotriticale there. Whole goddam planet. Ya know what that is?"

"A genetically engineered hybrid of wheat and rye."

Kass grinned. "Just so. We got a billion square miles of the stuff. Fields o' cash crops stretchin' to the horizon an' back. Oceans o' amber waves o' grain. Flag o' the Federation wavin' in the breeze." She smiled to herself at the memory. "An' we got farmers, sir. We got one-point-two billion Human farmers spread out all across the planet, growin' that crop and makin' a life for themselves and their families. Useta have a bunch o' Klingons too, before the Homecomin' came along an' they all upped an' left." Kass gestured out the window. "That's a scene repeated on every Human colony world frum here to somewhere up the galaxy's asshole. Humans breed like goddam rabbits. If ya killed all of 'em everywhere except those on Sherman's Planet - well, ya'd still have a healthy population o' Humans, and ya wouldn't have lost nothin'."

Kane moved to his desk and sat down. "But there's nothing on Sherman's Planet except, as you say, farms. There are reminders of Human history on every acre of Earth. Not to mention it's the Federation's capital world. All those institutions, those monuments to our accomplishments as a species, cannot be easily replaced if lost."

Kass sat down opposite him. "Why y'all idolisin' the Earth like that? Yore right in sayin' it's the homeworld o' Humanity, but only if'n yore talkin' in abstract. Like, you think the Americans or Australians woulda give a dogfart if England hadda got itself obliterated? Hell no. They'd have had their own lives ta be worryin' about and gettin' on with. Earth ain't my homeworld, an' it shore ain't the homeworld o' any Human on Sherman's Planet, Ah'll tell ya that fer free. If Edgerton greases the Earth, then we'll just up sticks as a species and move somewhere else."

"That's a pretty bleak way of looking at things, Major."

"Beggin' yore pardon, Captain, but it ain't bleak. It's objective an' it's rational. Maybe Humans have grown beyond Earth now. Time we moved outta home an' made our own way. Stop fixatin' on some distant star and do our best with the one we live under, ya know?"

Kane was shaking his head. "I can't agree with you, Major. You're right when you say that the species will go on, but if Edgerton obliterates the Earth, then the soul will be torn out of Humanity. A people without a palpable history is like a tree without roots. We're the driving force of the Federation as well as being a power in our own right. If all that is lost, then we may as well put the gun to our own head and pull the trigger."

[[Bridge to Captain Kane.]] It was Aerdan's voice.

Kane looked up. "Go ahead, Commander."

[[Captain, Admiral Marxx has sent a message asking you to transport to the Century.]]

"Has something happened?"

[[Yes, Captain. He says that they've made contact with Richard Edgerton.]]

"I'm on my way." Kane glanced at Kass. "I suppose now we'll have a chance to see what might happen, eh Major?"

Kass glanced out the window at Earth. "Ah suppose so, Captain."

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Location: USS Demeter, holding station with the command group, near Earth orbit
Scene: Cabinet conference room


Kane had beamed over to the Demeter and been escorted to the President's conference room by the same Andorian Security Ensign as last time. The young man's blue skin clashed garishly with his golden collar, and he looked slightly too slender to be a Security officer, but he was polite and professional.

In the conference room, there was another clash of colours. President Sardak sat at the table dressed in his brown Kolinahr robe, flanked by Alexander Towers in his green Marine uniform and Marie-Claire Martine in her Starfleet red, while Admiral Dexter Marxx, crimson-skinned Vegan, stood waiting for him.

Kane nodded a greeting to the room. "I understand that you've made contact with Edgerton?"

Dex gestured to the viewing screen mounted on the wall. "We were contacted by one James Truman, Earth's former Council representative. He claimed to be speaking on behalf of Edgerton. He said that Edgerton would contact us exactly at the top of the hour."

Kane checked the wall chronometer. A couple of minutes to go. "Did he say why Edgerton was going to contact us?"

Alexander Towers shook his close-cropped head. "If you're hoping for a surrender, Captain Kane, I advise you to think again."

"We cannot know Admiral Edgerton's intentions, Colonel Towers," interjected Sardak smoothly. The Vulcan was sitting placidly with his arms clasped together under his voluminous sleeves, gray-haired head unhooded. "Let us not speculate until his motive becomes apparent."

"All this waiting is maddening," said Towers. He looked at Marxx. "Still collecting information on the Aegis shield, right?"

Dex nodded slowly. "Right."

Towers shook his head in obvious annoyance, but held his peace.

The sudden chiming of the main viewer got everyone's attention. The Neo-Essentialist symbol appeared on the screen - a gold flag of Earth's landmasses set against a sky-blue and white background. All eyes in the room turned to it. Kane and Dex stood behind the three seated politicians.

The image winked, and suddenly their nemesis was before them. Richard Edgerton was sitting alone at a nondescript desk in a small modern office, with a desktop computer terminal to one side. He was dressed in his casual admiral's work uniform. Beside him on the desk lay what looked like a portable computer unit - Kane craned his neck to try to make it out, but all he could see was that there were several displays, an input touchscreen, and several flashing red lights.

Edgerton did not seem perturbed in any way. He seemed at ease.

"Admiral Edgerton," said Sardak. "I am Sardak of Vulcan, President of the United Federation of Planets. These are members of my cabinet - Marie-Claire Martine and Alexander Towers."

Edgerton nodded politely. {{I also recognise the two men standing behind you, Sardak. Dexter Marxx, the Vegan to whom I gave command of the better part of Starfleet, and Michael Turlogh Kane, captain of the most resourceful crew in the fleet. Your people in particular have caused me much trouble, Captain Kane.}}

Kane inclined his head. "We have plenty more in store for you, Admiral Edgerton."

Sardak held up a hand to stop Kane from talking. "What is it you want, Admiral Edgerton? We have been trying to contact you for some time. We are sure you are aware of our call for your unconditional surrender. Is that what you are going to issue, and bring an end to this unnecessary confrontation that is endangering so many innocent lives?"

Edgerton smiled. {{Hardly. I have a counter-offer for you.}} He gestured to the portable control unit on his desk. {{In short, it is this. I am master of Earth. The Aegis shield is capable of completely destroying the planet's surface. In one terrifying moment, now or at any point in the future, I can and will extinguish the lives of forty billion human beings by activating the Aegis satellites to deliver their thaleron payload to the surface.}} He turned back to the screen. {{You must be aware of, or are at least studying, the tachyon network that connects all those satellites together, yes?}}

Marxx nodded. "Yes."

{{Then you know that all attempts to penetrate or shut down the network will result in the automatic destruction of the planet,}} said Edgerton smoothly. {{I say to you again - I am master of this world now. Humanity is no longer a member of your obsolete Federation. Therefore, I invite you and your fleet to leave the Sol system immediately - it is no longer part of your territory.}}

Sardak raised an eyebrow. "Or else what follows?"

Edgerton spread his long, thin arms wide. {{You can't win, Sardak. Your mere presence is jeopardising the lives of all these people. I am offering you the chance to save them by just...}} - he made a short sweeping motion with his hands, as if he were brushing away imaginary specks of dust - {{... going away. Am I understood?}} He paused, then his voice hardened. {{I will contact you again in a few hours to hear what you have to say.}}

The screen winked, showing the Neo-Essentialist flag. Edgerton's ultimatum hung heavily in the air.

"Well," said Martine, who had been quiet up to now, "it seems we have a lot to talk about."

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NRPG: Moar dialogue!


Jerome McKee
the Soul of Captain Michael Turlogh Kane
Commanding Officer
USS PHOENIX

"He speaks an infinite deal of nothing!"
- Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", Act 1, Scene 1.117

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