The Radical Factor (Stone Blade Book 3) Read online

  The Radical Factor

  by James "Matt" Cox

  The story presented here is fiction.

  Any similarity to any person living, dead or virtual is purely coincidental.

  Copyright 2013 by James M. Cox, Jr.

  Cover Art by: www.viladesign.net

  Books by James "Matt" Cox

  A Pattern of Details

  Books in the Stone Blade series:

  Stone Blade

  Double Bait

  The Radical Factor

  This book is dedicated to Bobby and Becky Burns.

  My oldest son and daughter-in-law.

  Chapter 1. Terror Attack!

  Ben al'Vooshi, truth-finder for the Vizier Erri Benjamin al'Ahmas, bowed to Franc Elshid, First Assistant to the Vizier. Elshid gave honor by returning a microscopic bow. A great honor, considering the circumstances.

  "The prisoner still has not talked." Elshid made that a statement.

  "No, Moha Elshid. His resistance to the questioning is... considerable."

  "It is. A suspicious man might think other things, truth-finder. You have been Master of the Question for the Vizier for many years, yes?"

  "Yes, Moha. Few have resisted so well but there have been a few!"

  "Indeed. The Vizier will not be pleased if this infidel is one of such."

  "Yes, Moha. I shall break him by the Feast of the Flight. Dhu'sehdi!"

  "Dhu'sedi," repeated Elshid, "And if Dhu does not will it? Did not the Vizier know your work from past years, questioner, your resolve might be suspect."

  al'Vooshi clamped down carefully on his anger. "I will break him, Moha. If not, his carcass shall feed the maggots by Feast's end!"

  "See that he does, truth-finder, else his carcass shall have company."

  al'Vooshi bowed low to hide the set of his face. When the infidel did break, and break he would, Dhu grant that the dagger of Ben al'Vooshi should wipe the smug smile from Elshid's face! The Vizier's blood might be sacred but not so that of his First Assistant!

  As al'Vooshi left the room the Zehbol'ach flanking Elshid's door caught his eye. He grasped his dagger then looked beyond al'Vooshi's shoulder. al'Vooshi nodded and smiled. Elshid's insult had not gone unnoticed!

  Nursing thoughts of what information the infidel might reveal kept al'Vooshi entertained all the way down to the subbasement and the small, filthy room where he waited. The man stank of sweat and foulness, grue of his stubborn will not to talk.

  al'Vooshi examined the machine next to the man. Amazingly, it was set almost five percent above what would kill most men. Even more amazing, the man was resting. Resting! Not comfortably, Dhu grant that, but resting nonetheless. al'Vooshi backed it down halfway and picked up his nerve lash. He had ample equipment for the question, but later. Later, when he at least had the infidel's attention! He set the lash high and whipped the man a few times. When he finally grunted al'Vooshi spoke.

  "Now, infidel, speak of your mission here! Tell me and the pain will stop. You make yourself suffer, fool. Why? Why not ease your agony?"

  The man wore an icy glare as he worked to unclench his jaw. "Stone. Micah J. 113th Tactical Assault Squadron, Commonwealth of Caustik. Discharged. CCMS-4421-0882MJS0728-T-0014."

  al'Vooshi stabbed the pain inducer to halfway. The infidel clenched his jaw and grunted again but said nothing more. al'Vooshi turned the unit down again.

  "I know all of this Stone, Micah J. Now you will tell me how you came to be here and why. My patience is beginning to wear thin!"

  Micah worked to relax his jaw muscles but kept his mouth shut. Not yet. Not quite yet. He took a ragged breath and sent his mind back down more comforting paths. He heard his tormentor repeat the questions again, and again, and again and he felt the pain increase. Not yet. Not yet! The drugs would come again soon so Micah moved his mind to the answer the man wanted. Then forward along that path: with it clear now he could, he hoped, confuse it yet again.

  ***

  "Good morning citizens of the League and visitors. This is Cole Berdishon with LNN reporting from Shalim City on the lovely world of Iarru, capitol of the Semid Federation of Worlds. We are here today to celebrate the completion and grand opening of the Peace Spire. The Semid Federation has long been a staunch ally of the League and the Peace Spire stands as a tribute to the Semid Bureau of Commerce and our own Merchant's Guild and the centuries of friendship and trade our worlds have shared. There is quite the party going on down in the plaza, too, let me tell you. Let's go to LNN's premiere expert in that area, Mary Bayer. Mary?"

  "Thanks, Cole. Mary Bayer here in the Spire Plaza where the official opening ceremony and dedication will take place shortly. With me is League Ambassador Sean Parre, who has been at the embassy here for... How many years, Sean?"

  Parre laughed. "More than either of us wants to admit, Mary. In all those years, though, I cannot recall a more joyful time than this!"

  "Truth pure and simple. Now, in your official capacity Seigneur Ambassador, how are you feeling right now?"

  "I'm feeling better than simple words can describe, Mary. If you would, please have your casterman pan across the crowds here in the Plaza. As good as these wonderful Semid citizens feel, that is how I feel. As good as the League visitors and delegates here feel, that is how I feel. As good as the Guild reps feel, I share those feelings. For as long as the people here on Iarru have been with us, that is how I feel." Parre's comm beeped and he listened a moment. "Mary, I'll have to leave now. That's the official signal to gather."

  "Thank you Signor Ambassador. Sean. Will we see you at the official celebrations tonight?"

  "Absolutely, Mary! I'll look forward to it." He turned directly into the holocaster. "I can also state authoritatively that Signora Bayer is an outstanding dancer!"

  Bayer laughed as Parre left the platform.

  "I suppose that confirms it! Cole, back to you. This is Mary Bayer, LNN, reporting in the very joyful crowd here in the Plaza." Bayer smiled into the 'caster a moment. "We transferred? Polar." She lit a drugstick. "Ricky, pan around the crowds here and get some stock image. Make it look like we're in the middle of it. Well, more in the middle, I'm not ready to mingle yet. This is too ruddy good an angle on the Spire. Frank, help me frame it so it's just over my shoulder." She looked back. "Frost but that's a beautiful piece of work! Yeah. Me too." She listened to her comm. "Flames! Birdman's going to transfer to us again. He must have a drooly vix spotted. Slib." She took a last draw off her 'stick, dropped it and stepped on it.

  "Got you, Cole," she said, smiling professionally again, "Yes it is. The ceremony is just starting now and I think that's Senator Rubig preparing to..."

  A brief moment of brilliant, actinic light and the signal stopped.

  ***

  "That's what we have, folks." Ted Ionoski pressed a button, the hologram faded and the room lights brightened. "Apart from this what do you know?"

  Vera Kidwell took a deep breath and shook her head. "Just that, Ted. Someone bombed the Peace Spire just when the ceremony was starting."

  "Not just bombed," added Gunter Rene du'Charle 'Charlie, burnit!' Ferrel, "From the zone they evacuated it was a bad one."

  "It was," confirmed Ionoski.

  "Nuclear." Micah stone reviewed the final milliseconds of image. "Just how bad was it, Ted?"

  "Bad. Not just a nuke, either. It was a toxic nuke. Just over a million and a half killed instantly with at least that many more within the first three minutes. No count and no reliable estimate on the number of casualties after that. That's not even counting short-, medium- and long-term injuries, fallout, contamination... Most of the city will be uninhabitable for the next few centuries. We have
cleanup crews there but there just isn't a lot they can do yet. A lot more Semids will die before we can even land ships there. Iarru is in major chaos right now and it will get worse before it gets better. We're sending all the help we can but even that will take a long time to show any effects."

  "Do we know who," asked Micah.

  "The Bare Blades of the Brothers of Esav have taken credit," said Ionoski, "Metropole received a message just thirty-seven minutes LINC-absolute too late to do anything about it."

  "Esavians!" Micah spat the word.

  "Was that verified," asked Kidwell.

  "It was," said Ionoski, "The message originated from the Saddireb Libre beacon. I know that could have been from anywhere within the system but I overheard in the fresher that there weren't any ships powered or grounded there at the time."

  "Barbarians," said Micah.

  "No blather there," said Ionoski, "I don't have to tell you a lot of people are very upset at this, including no small number of Semid citizens."

  Micah examined the galactography of the Federation. He scowled at the results.

  "Exactly," said Ionoski, "The Semid worlds are about three-quarters surrounded by Esavian space. They claim no central government or allegiance but attack one and the others will swarm to its defense."

  "We could take them out," said Micah, "It wouldn't be easy but it is feasible. We'd need to transfer some assets and set up a solid logistical chain but the infrastructure is there. Especially with the Semid worlds on our side. We could establish enough bases and repple-deps to sustain a military operation of whatever duration is necessary."

  "Or not!" Kidwell's voice held equal measures of disgust and disbelief. "Micah... No!" She shuddered. "They may be slimy, evil and barbaric but we're not! I can't... No!"

  "They're terrorists," said Micah simply, "They have loyalty to each other but no one else, no central government to control them and, obviously, no qualms against attacking innocent civilian populations. The only language they really understand is violence and we can ruddy well speak it louder than they can!"

  "I agree," said Ionoski, "With Vera. Sorry, Micah, but she's right. The Bare Blades are one faction out of several hundred. They're scattered all over the Esavian worlds and mixed in with the populations there. If we could isolate them we might think hammer but for now that's simply not possible or desirable."

  "So what do we need to do," asked Ferrel, "And why?"

  "Why is easy," said Ionoski, "The Semids have been friends and allies for almost as long as the Federation existed. They're excellent trade partners and they have provided us a lot of intel on places we can't seem to infiltrate. That plus they asked us.

  "Their military is good," continued Ionoski, "but optimized for quick deployment and planetary defense. They're not equipped, large-scale, to handle counter-terrorism. The best they have for that is SIF7 and they're small and spread thin."

  "They are good at finding and taking down cells, though," said Micah, "Did we train them?"

  "We helped start the program," said Ionoski, "SIF7 operatives train mostly like we do but with more emphasis on stopping terror attacks. And, as you noticed, they are quite good at that. What they need now is more wide-focus help."

  "Again," said Ferrel, "What do we need to do?"

  Ionoski made an expansive gesture. "The Semids asked us to '... help ensure and protect the safety of the Semid Federation of Worlds and its citizens.' Those are my orders."

  "Mighty broad orders," commented Micah, "Are we the only team assigned?"

  "I don't know," said Ionoski, "and I asked specifically. Assume we are and make some plans. Then assume not and see what changes."

  "What about military options," asked Micah.

  "If I can give Strategy and Planning a six-sigma-solid target those might be open. Otherwise, no." Ionoski gave Micah a level stare. "And I do mean a solid target. No speculation and no unverified strikes."

  Micah nodded.

  "So we have a lot of work to do," said Kidwell, "Yes? Micah, no extermination. These people may not be the best of neighbors but we can't arbitrarily wipe them out."

  "Without a six-sigma-solid target." Micah spoke those words clearly within his brain but they never touched his lips!

  ***

  Micah dug into all the information he could find concerning the Semid Federation and its neighbors. The League predated the Federation but it still had a long history of its own, and one of mutually beneficial trade with the League and more than a few smaller governments close to them. They had no internal strife and, minus a few post-Collapse conflicts with outsiders, no formal wars.

  Most of the core worlds survived the Interim relatively intact but the Imperium never blessed them with its vast resources. The Founding Families, the earliest Semid leaders, painstakingly worked out the optimal size and efficiency for their small empire and wrote the Semid Articles around it. Then, once those were established, the Families and all the rest of the pre-Semid peoples worked diligently to attain them.

  Once the Federation grew to its optimum size they stopped expanding, established their borders and began developing their worlds. Micah admired that: rather than expanding blindly the Semids chose their boundaries and lived within them. That led to a very peaceful demeanor and vision among the Semid citizenry. Early League merchants attributed that to high moral character but the Semids corrected them quickly. Interstellar war and conflict were bad for trade!

  The Federation's relationship with the League was also amazingly clear of incidents. After the mutually beneficial resolution of the few significant disputes that rose both Semid and League merchants settled into a very profitable routine. Semid merchants bargained hard and League merchants warned each other not to send in rookies and all of them laughed about it. From what Micah could discern the Semids had no inexperienced merchants.

  The Semid difficulty with the Esavians began with the Semid world Goshairin, which the Esavians called Gazrin. Just over a hundred years after the Articles the Esavian world of Barrhian Dhu claimed Goshairin, demanded that the Semids cede all rights, evacuate it and allow Barrhian Dhu to colonize it. The Federation refused: its settlements predated any others by at least a century and its few native inhabitants gladly joined the Semids as full citizens. Before long three other Esavian worlds had representatives there, all reinforcing Barrhian Dhu's position and claiming ownership by divine right. The Federation refused again and Barrhian Dhu finalized the negotiations with a massive military strike against Goshairin and its closest neighbor Covenant. By the time the Semids marshaled their military forces the Esavians had established colonies on both worlds and refused to leave. When the Federation reluctantly wiped them out no less than eight Esavian worlds declared holy war and launched attacks against multiple Semid worlds.

  After two weeks of short negotiations the League agreed to provide the Federation with limited military assistance and matériel. The Semids used the League forces to defend their own worlds and sent their forces to attack the logistical structure of the worlds attacking them. That triggered a massive Esavian attack that stopped only because of the arrival of massively overwhelming League reinforcements. Ten years of brittle negotiations, mediated by the League, ended the outright war.

  Still unsatisfied, the Esavians changed from military tactics to terrorism. They developed diplomatic denial to an art and eventually the Semids gave up on them. They formed SIF7 and began finding and eliminating Esavian terror cells. The Federation then settled into an uneasy peace punctuated by incredibly brutal and vicious incidents when SIF7 failed to prevent them. As their ties to the League grew stronger the Esavian terrorist acts grew fewer and fewer and after fifty years of relative peace the Semids began construction of the Peace Spire.

  Micah turned his attention to the Esavians and their worlds. All the information they had came from Semid operatives working, overtly or covertly, on missions there or from the rare League traders who did business there. Even allowing for opinion bias he found
very little of redeeming value about them.

  Worship of their deity Dhu formed the central pillar and foundation of Esavian life. Micah found solid information on two dozen different sects with the implication of many, many more. Though great in diversity the followers of Dhu held a few tenets in common. First and foremost was that there was Dhu and only Dhu: any person who did not share that belief was not a person and worthy only of death or extermination. Liberal sects might allow for education but not many did. The worship of Dhu was outlined in the Dhu Lan or the 'Path of Dhu.' Any non-Esavian making reference to Dhu in any sense was infidel and worthy only of death and instantly earned hatred and contempt. To a person all Esavians were hyper-sensitive and touchy about their religion, quick to take offense and heavy-handed in dealing with such offenders.

  Micah found the history dealing with the Esavian worlds a little clearer. According to records gleaned both from the Semids and some of their neighboring governments they first settled on Barrhi Esav before or during the Collapse. Over the years they spread to the surrounding worlds, though not without difficulty.

  Occasionally one or two Esavian worlds might ally themselves in an attack against other Esavians but these incidents rarely lasted more than a few engagements. Micah found no documents detailing the reason for the hostility or its resolution, only that they concerned Dhu and his worship.

  Some of the material Micah read listed Esav as an actual person, others less so. He tried to fathom something from the other data but found nothing.

  Micah next turned his attention to the Esavians' other neighbors. The League had decent relations with a few, some trade with others and no contact with the rest. The very sparse information he found concerning dealing with the Esavians summed up to one word: don't! They all had incidents of conflict with the Esavians, most for no reason anyone but the Esavians knew.

  Micah chuckled at one irony of galactography and politics: the Path of Light system, a minor member of the Unity of Triumph, lay within a long jump of the Esavian world Daguol. The Unitites uniformly despised the Esavians even though their Writ expounded tolerance and education over hatred and ignorance. Also, despite its classification as a relative backwater Path of Light supported and received military assets much in excess of what it should.