Prologue
Kālo'smi lokakṣayakṛtpravṛddho lokānsamāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ
Instrumentation Ship USAFS Range Tracker
Observation Orbit, Earth
1745 GMT, April 2, 2100
The bridge of the USAFS Range Tracker was abuzz with personnel moving quickly between battle stations while dozens of slightly muffled and distorted voices could be heard over communications channels in the background. The bridge was completely dark, lit only by the red and green glows from equipment indicators and displays. Although the thin blue crescent of the earth’s horizon cast its own soft light through the windows and into the bridge, most of it was filtered out by a special coating on the outer surface of the glass. Earth’s crescent appeared a dim orange semicircle outside the Range Tracker.
Instrumentation ships like the Range Tracker were used as tracking and sensor ships. Roughly the size of a 20th Century US nuclear aircraft carrier, each contained a crew of only several hundred and a variety of electronic sensing and signal processing equipment. Due to their lack of defensive weaponry, instrumentation ships were designed to be very stealthy and not easily detectable by sensors. The concept of spaceborne instrumentation ships of the 22nd Century was loosely based of the use of missile range instrumentation and tracking vessels used in the Earth's oceans during the mid-20th Century to support missile and rocket launches as well as conduct related research during what was the known as "The Space Race".
"Commander, instruments indicate wormhole being opened by the jumpcraft P.R.S. Leningrad. Maximum jump distance is expected to be four to six parsecs and maximum jump tonnage 150,000 tons,” one of the sensor operators informed the bridge crew.
Colonel Braxton Bragg sat in the commander's chair located near the rear of the bridge and watched as a barely visible pinprick of light faded into view several hundred miles ahead of the Range Tracker, “Mmmhmmm” he slowly mumbled as he rested his cheek on his hand.
The ship’s navigation officer lieutenant colonel Anderson Fitzroy spoke to the navigation section of the bridge, “Give me a list of probable destination systems, sorted PR space first, then by likely alternative systems.”
“Roger, already working it,” the ranking navigator responded.
One of the many critical support functions of the Range Tracker was interdiction coordination. The ship was equipped with sensors to detect the electromagnetic spikes caused by other ships opening wormholes. Another set of sensors measured electromagnetic energy levels and their azimuth and elevation. Both of these sensing capabilities allowed the Range Tracker to calculate a wormhole’s jump distance and maximum tonnage.
When opening a wormhole, a ship first needed to pierce space at its current and destination locations using a high intensity electromagnetic pulse lasting only nanoseconds. Once space was pierced, the ship would force and keep the wormhole open with an electromagnetic holding field. The maximum jump distance of a wormhole could be roughly calculated by measuring the intensity of the initial pulse, while the intensity of the holding field roughly determined the wormhole’s maximum tonnage.
“Advise fleet command of the wormhole and the details including possible destinations,” Bragg told the ranking radio operator.
“Colonel, destination system is most likely Lalande 21185,” the ranking navigator said, “the PR have several small but well established colonies there. Patrols in the system have reported what seems to be a mass exodus of jumpcraft, mostly military.”
Bragg sat up and placed his hand at rest back on his chair's armrest, "Looks like they cleared out Lalande so they can jump this group in.”
"Question is, to where exactly," Fitzroy responded then glanced at the navigation section, "Any reports of where that mass exodus was headed?"
"No. There were no instrumentation ships in-system and no other ships with jump tracking capabilities"
“Colonel, we have a priority one message coming in from RADSAC,” one of the radio operators interrupted.
“Put it on intercom,” Bragg replied.
RADSAC was an abbreviation for Republic Aerospace Defense, Strategic Aerospace Command. Its mission was to protect the airspace and space assets of the Republic; and to maintain and operate the Republic’s nuclear forces and strategic reconnaissance, communications, and fighter assets. The USAFS Range Tracker and its personnel belonged to RADSAC.
A voice came over the intercom, “This is Republic Aerospace Defense with a priority one message. Strategic Aerospace Command reports strategic automated command nodes fully operational. All strategic forces are go for automated command in the event normal control or communications become inoperable.”
The automated message would be repeated numerous times but the radio operator took it off intercom after one repetition.
Another radio operator quickly stood from his seat with a sheet of paper in hand and turned towards the command platform, “Colonel, an action message from RADSAC.”
Bragg stood and made his way towards the operator, “Ladies and gentlemen, this only means one thing. You all know it as well as I.”
An eerie silence fell over everyone on the bridge as the operator read the decoded message, “At 1749 GMT the instrumentation ship USAFS Sword Hunter detected numerous launches of nuclear weapons from orbiting PRS warships. RADSAC has confirmed multiple inbounds.”
The operator handed the paper to Bragg, who scanned over details and various estimations including targets and casualties. A look of despair momentarily fell over his face as he read over the possible targets. Clearing his throat, he regained his composure and handed the message back to the operator.
"We're following those ships through that hole," he announced then walked back to his seat.
"Yes sir," Fitzroy responded, "Navigation, plot a flight plan to get us through that hole. I don't want to run into any trouble getting there or going through. E-dub, look lively, we might need to wreak a little havoc to save our butts."