Astra Pt. 07

One volley was fired. The ships Gonzalas wanted me to destroy? One-shot on each ship. I fail to see the executioner you are wanting to make me out to be. Maybe you should be working a city beat where crime is high so you can see some executions and know what you are talking about."

He looked over, "I still do not like you hybrids or your talk of making more."

Jack nodded, "As I have said before. That is your choice. You have a right to your opinion. You could choose to follow the liar and convict Gonzales to a system where hybrids will never go. That is a choice. Now you are letting your emotions get in the way of true journalism. Next question please."

The President pointed to a lady in the back, "You seemed to know where their attacks were going to be and how many were coming. How did you know?"

Jack nodded, "The first attack was bloody and costly over 3 days. We geared up for it when it happened again. It did. After the first attack, I built a device to analyze their computers to find out what they were planning. On the second attack, we learned 6 waves. 3 groups of 20 in each wave and then they ran in order of jump points; don't ask me why but it did.

60 in the outer rim. The next 60, 20 in the outer rim, 40 Jupiter orbital path. Jupiter was not there but it passed through there. Then 40 more in Tau Ceti. 20 again in the outer rim. This continued through there 6 waves. 200 in the outer rim 80 In Tau Citi counting the first two strikes for another 40.

Then 80 in the Jupiter orbit. Intelligence gathered from a destroyed ship and sent back through a satellite composed of alien concepts. The patent is filed but the only one who can actually build them is a telepath, a strong one."

He looked out, "One more question."

The President pointed. It was another lady, "I wanted to ask about the sword the first lady is carrying?"

Jack sighed, "The sword was a gift to her. We create laser blades for our young in training them in the way of the sword. The rest is her story to tell."

The first lady spoke of her college years. Then seeing Jack's people sparing and then realizing with all the death and threats that have been flying around she wanted to get back into fencing. Then she told them where the sword came from and admonished some of the press.

"You are treating him like the criminal when he came back to save us, no obligation other than his moral code. He found the corruption, the systematic killing of thousands, the alien threat in a regional conflict, and the Excalibur II which had no safe way of freeing it without it causing havoc. Destruction was the only option."

One reporter stood, "How do you know?"

The President looked over, "Because Jack had me conferenced into the conversation with this homicidal AI who wanted him dead. Then his ship destroyed including all the humans on board. One of those being my wife!"

The reporter went to sit and someone took him aside and pulled his press badge.

He broke the rule on getting called on to ask a question, not just blurt one out.

Jack stood, "I would ask the people. You guys run some polls. Find out how many want me to go without leaving any technology behind and how many want me to stay and help deal with this problem started by humans in two alternate timelines. I have been stuck trying to clean this up to save humanity. Find out how many want hybrids living here and how many do not.

Realize the 'alien influences' you are trying to deal with have to handle with a negotiator who might only communicate through mental means. May have to be carved up in multiple boxes. Your military has been hamstrung by the admirals who took up that position. I have suffered through 3 of them directly attacking me or failing to follow orders to allow others to attack me.

Now not as a hybrid but as a businessman who owns 6 space stations around the planet, another at Jupiter then Titan, and the mining facility at Saturn. I do not want to choose this new Admiral. But I will request to meet with the candidates.

I would like to better understand the nature of our working relationship going forward. Especially when I am away for long periods of time. Also, those are just the ones in Terra that I own. I own more in Tau Ceti."

Jack waited for the President to leave before he did. He walked out with the ladies and motioned down the hall into the private quarters again. Jack shook his head walking in and looked across, "Was it a slow news day? I had one question about an attack by 400 ships on humans. Then more about who is my watchdog? Does my personal life get more questions than that incident?

Wait until you announce more ladies in waiting for your family. They find that shit more important. It is a good thing my ship is in drydock right now. I would be so tempted to head back to Tau Ceti after that circus. Astra white noise at the doors."

He looked over and nodded to the First Lady who showed him the sword. He nodded, "She said you had to work at it to craft the blade."

He nodded. "She crafted the handle I had to walk her through trying new things like getting a blade to run through the beam. She had to do the focusing I just helped her with the willpower to draw from."

They saw a security guard, "I tried knocking."

Jack laughed, "I apologize I asked Astra to run white noise filters. By the way, have you caught any people sneaking in bugs to the facility then suddenly explode at security?"

He looked at Jack, "How did you know that?"

Jack smiled, "You are welcome. I asked Astra to put a standing web if you will over the facility to fry those devices. She left it so they would fry them going through security as well so you catch those doing it."

He nodded, "50 in the last 2 days. Some had been longtime employees, some manufactured them. A couple was married aliens who escaped in a hurry their ID's blown. Janitors. Homes went to be searched to find they had been torched. That causes us to start re-interview every employees' background to find others.

Still in progress. This is giving us a much better idea of how they infiltrate and for one unfortunate woman who had 60 of them on her hidden in her orifices. A very painful way to die. Her body could not handle 60 of those things exploding in her."

Now it was Jack's turn to watch the ladies cringe at the thought of that; just as he had about having his balls cut off. "I came in to see you Mr. Travus, one of the reports stayed behind and hoped you would talk with her some more. She said she had more questions about the battles here and in Tau Ceti that the others did not pursue."

Jack nodded, "Another reporter I might like."

Grace smiled, "You take this one."

Jack walked with the guard back to the briefing room and she stood there. The guard nodded. Jack held up a hand. "Stick around for a couple of minutes. She might ask a question where I would ask someone else their thoughts."

He nodded, "Very well Mr. Travus."

She smiled as her camerawoman moved to the side he noticed a shimmer in the ultra-violet spectrum. He focused on alternating light bands. He had an assassin approaching him. She asked, "I am Jenni Landreth, would you like to sit?"

He smiled, "Standing is fine. Easier to run away from the annoying reporters who want to talk about how many more women are you planning to marry you, vigilante killer."

He spotted a second one on the ceiling using something to offset gravity. He walked around and asked her, "You want to stand here. Your camerawoman can get images from the stage side for a change

She nodded, "That would be fine."

The camerawoman moved over and knelt. Jack thought to Astra, * Scan the building invisible foes. *

She called back mentally, * Nothing, I am seeing nothing. *

He thought, * They must be using something new. *

She replied, *You have some I take it? *

He thought, * Yes, use internal cameras and change the light spectrum from red to blue rapidly. *

She called out another 10 of them, some on the ceiling. Some in the hall leading to the personal residence. He thought to Aiko and the other wives, * Invisible assassins new technology. Change the eye spectrum from red to blue rapidly. Protect the first family. If you cannot see them then box yourselves in.*

He heard Aiko, * Spotted one blocking access to other hallway and one over by the door, they all appear to be wielding two swords. Ninja assassins. *

Grace called out, * I cannot see them. *

Sprits replied, * Same. I will put the field up mine is stronger than Graces. *

Aiko thought, * I stepped away so she could keep me out of it and Ash is beside me. Strike of Vengeance. *

Ash replied, * Fiery vengeance. I see them too. *

Jack thought back, * At least 2 make that 3, one is blocking the far door. *

He walled off the reporter, camerawoman, and guard in a triangular field. She smiled, "Some were wondering why so many 16 years olds?"

He nodded, "All service becomes mandatory at 18. You can still study if you're in college but you will spend at least 5 years in the Home Guard. Age 16 are volunteers with parental consent. Most are hotshot pilots and some are very skilled drone pilots. A video game with bombs. They control 10 at a time in a cluster.

A master will have 60 he holds in reserve to feed into those who lost drones. His or her job is not to get them to hit as opposed to attacking. For the more pacifist types. They have no fire controls active on their station they just protect the reserve drones. A computer will activate one and peel it off to join whichever cluster is missing something. They are great for taking down shields."

The assassin attacked, He called forth his sword sliced through the reported as he engaged laser swords that emitted no light from this stealth field. The crash of blades could be heard, *Astra all security monitors flash them red to blue. *

He switched to voice, "Have your guards use the monitors for tracking. Astra is making modifications needed for you to see them that way."

The guard called it in. The door opened behind the guard and the attackers hit the wall which caught the reporters and guard's attention. The second entered the skirmish and he blocked blade strikes from both sides. This drew in the third as they moved him toward the T intersection and he was at the center of the T.

The third started attacking and Jack moved that much faster, he took the head off one, then one who came from the ceiling. Then he sliced through the middle of the third. That left the one who started on the ground. She started to run and stuck a wall there and she turned back after slamming into it.

He called out in Japanese, "Surrender or die."

He heard the distinctly female voice in Japanese respond, "It will be you who dies."

She came in to strike and he swung up through her groin and out of her head as her strikes crashed against his shield. He looked over, "The 3 of you center of the room. Together."

They moved and he put them in a field as the three waiting at the door could now get through. He spoke in Japanese, "Just 3 again? I thought this might be a challenge."

They all went for the kill strike while he let them and took off all 3 head in one swing. As they crashed against his shield belt.

He thought to Ash, * 6 down! *

She called out, * We got 4. *

Astra spoke aloud through his vid, "1 more down and 1 fled. I am picking up no more targets. One guard dead; outside the private residence. The one went down in a hail of laser and gunfire from 4 others who could see it on the monitor. Jack put his sword away.

He went around and looked at all the dead and removed the stealth suits they wore. "No electronic signature. Someone or something made it from cloth."

He looked at the girl's eyes and she had contacts he removed them, "Contacts so they could see each other's approach and strikes, "Blades made from an alloy I have not seen. He shut them off and uncovered the handles.

He flipped the two halves of the girl over and stripped the body down. He thought, "Marking of House Shimada on this one."

He checked the others, "All the same." He rolled the bodies over and looked for identify ranks or anything. "She was the leader of this group. They tried to send 6 after me and 4 after the President. Left 2 to deal with guards if the alarm sounded.

They wanted a quick in and out assassination strike while we were together."

* Grace tell the President I recommend getting the Capital airborne and keeping it there. In air refueling. *

He gathered up the material and weapons and the contacts. He looked, At her head and then the others, "Intracranial communication device. He used telekinesis to pull it out that half of her brain. It started beeping and he threw it before it and every head exploded." He sighed, "Probably got the one who ran as well with that. Ask if they see a large red spot anywhere."

The guard nodded, "Yes under your ship."

Astra responded, "With an explosive device attached."

He went outside and looked from a distance. This one was 3 times the size of the last 1. He set up his rectangular cube and slid in two straight across panels along the long sides. It fell into the box and he walked up and looked at it, "Did not get a chance to arm it before his head was blown off. We got one of these bombs in a completed state for analysis. We could use the President's bomb squad."

He set it down on Pad 3. "My pulling the device must have triggered it or they thought it would kill me."

He turned around to see the reporter who had pissed herself and walked her back inside to the ladies' room so they could salvage her dignity.

They came out and she had a spare skirt on, "Do you think we could sit down for the rest of this interview?" He nodded and walked back to the conference room where the bodies had been cleared. They tried to take the gear and Jack called out, "There are six other bodies for the R&D department and 3 sets of their contacts they used to go with them.

We will hang on to the set we collected for analysis at my lab. He nodded and took the contacts. Jack nodded, "Split the technology up and we find out faster how to deal with it. Like glasses for the guards to see those light frequencies. There were 4 females. One had a poison dagger on her arm; Tattoo. Astra how many females among the rest?"

She called out, "Only 2 males."

He took the stack of material and set it on the table while the ladies set up the camera, "I am still at the Capitol building and from what I am feeling it is airborne."

Jack hit his comm device, "Capital Tower I am bringing in 4 squadrons of my fighters to fly cap over and under the capital until the President decides on a course of action and where he wished to land next."

He heard, "Capital fighter Squadrons are in the air."

Jack sighed, "This was not a request. The President put me in charge of his space-based surveillance and all the space stations. I have space-based craft and not just airbreathers. I want my squadrons who have nothing but respect for the President to be in the air with the capital fighters. Please inform them."

He switched bands, "BS-2 send four squadrons and intercept the capital and fly cap around the Capitol forces and the Capital. Give them breathing room. We are the shields."

He heard back, "Understood Admiral until the swords are needed."

Jack smiled, "Assign two as pursuit squadrons if needed. Keep that cap going until further notice. 8-12 hour shifts. You alternate times so they cannot pick a window."

He looked back at the reporter, "Continue please."

She asked, "What was that? 'We are the shields until the swords are needed.' Was that a motto?"

He nodded, "It started with the hybrids and colonists wanted it for the Home Guard Motto. We do not use the Home Guard forces against humans unless attacked first. In the charters. We use them to be the shields around the colony. Until the swords are needed.

They practice in and out of the atmosphere. But our population is never to be the targets. We have a marine force. They are used for surgical strikes if we have hostile aliens on the ground. Or we are trying to do a board action or repel boarders.

We took them into a warzone and they did fire on humans but only because we were being fired at. Our air units cleared out all landmines in that area and all large military guns on the ground that were used against us."

She nodded, "I want to take you back to just over an hour ago. We had invisible ninja assassins attacking us but you saw them."

He nodded, "Some hybrids, not all as it takes skill, patience, and practice, can see in other light bands. I found by alternating with a blue and red-light band rapidly enough I could see them. I checked with Astra to see if she could scan them, and she did not.

That meant the capital Security could not. I had her do what I do with my eyes with the cameras and she was able to give me a count of how many there were. I have a cranial implant to her but mine has been modified to let me communicate with her telepathically. I used that telepathy to alert the others and get the offensive and defenses ones who could and could not see it into position to protect the First Family."

She looked at me, "That was why you positioned the shot for the interview. You shielded us?"

Jack nodded, "Telekinetic wall in a triangle. I knew the guard had no chance of seeing them and if that door opened, which it did, he would have gotten killed from behind. As would the 2 of you."

She looked at Jack, "You were fighting 3 on 1 and you stopped blocking to eliminate the target and when they struck you it bounced off, you are wearing a suit."

Jack nodded, "Telekinesis. One of the first things we teach new hybrids is how to create a body shield that still leaves their hands free to fight. It comes in handy for sparing practice. It works with armor as well. I got to the point of leaving it active everywhere, except for my bedroom on the ship.

After I got shot in the back is when we discovered how to make that shield; then and now it is a staple skill to all Hybrids. Like regular shields, they can be brought down. We do not have, and they did not in the 30th-century, the miniaturization knowledge to create a powered personal shield; it did not exist."

She looked at me, "You moved so fast. Hybrid?"

Jack nodded, "Yes changes in the muscles. Some in the mind. To see and work movement at that speed."

She asked, "Can you move faster?"

Jack laughed, "You don't really expect me to answer that do you?"

She chuckled, "Alright you spoke to them in Japanese, how did you know they were Japanese?"

He sighed, "Ninja are found in a few Asian cultures. They rarely cross-cultural and racial boundaries. They are normally from one house. We checked the tattoos on them. It is not a 'yes they did it.' It is a clue as it might have been a rival who sent in new members to portray them.

Their chosen fighting style, weapons, and movement told me enough. I did grow up in Japan. Please leave the house name and any images your camera people captured of the tattoos out of your story. They are clues in an ongoing investigation now by the Security Services."

She nodded, "I understand. You have lost several children how do you cope?"

He looked at her, "As best I can. I lost 40 in the fights you saw. Only 13 are called out because they died in combat. I have had 1- and 2-year old's die with the Excalibur destruction. Others on the ground or in transports who were non-combatants. Then there are the deaths of those I sired. That is probably closer to 5,000 because I do not know all the children I sired personally.