Red Zone - 1
A Novel
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Once, Twice, Three
25.61.025 JD (September 30th, 2299 OC[1])
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I think this may be helpful to you amidst to dross on the issue that you must be subject to…
Terraforming Excerpted from "Standard Normal Course in Terraforming" Chen Sengbian - TsingHua University, Beijing, China
The purpose of terraforming is to produce an econology[2] useful to intelligence. It is that branch of engineering that most thoroughly combines biogeneering[3] and geogeneering[4] While originally the term meant making a planet like the garden world, what we mean now by it is to alter a body or create an artificial body, with its own closed ecology in a particular way. Thus, we will examine the course of populated satellites, as well as natural and hybrid environments.
The first concern is provisioning, to find out whether the necessary materials are present since even with fusion, it is generally prohibitively expensive to provision all but a small fraction of elements that are not on the mainline of the fusion chain. You will groan, I promise, at the CHONPS course, but it is undebatable true, that for life systems as we practice them, Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Sulfur are the constituents of a closed system. But as we will see, provisioning can be a far more exotic process.
The second concern is a combination. It is not enough to dump Chonps on a planet, and once done, if it is lost, frozen, or absorbed, then there was no point in provisioning in the first place. Thus we must, usually by brute force, combine these into the basic templates of our stable process.
The third concern is, of course, ignition. This is the part of the study of Terraforming that inspires the greatest focus because it is the source of the great joy and heartbreak. Ignition is when it is the biota and nano-machines begin to drive the ecology, rather than are driven by it. The design of life forms, and their interlocking, is the most essential factor which separates terraforming, from terrastabilizing[5]. Terrastabilization is the work of the Garden World, and as such it rightfully is the central discipline of geogenering, however, all geogenering is terraforming, in that aspects of the econology grow out of sync and must be brought into sync.
The fourth concern is econology itself, which is a top-down model constructed from the middle upwards biology...
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Memo on Military Options to the Mars Crisis
“It is to be hoped that war is to be avoided, however, it is to be presumed that it will not be.”
The diplomatic service has long warned of the inevitability of conflict with the Federal Republic of Jupiter, or alternately styled the Federal Republics of Jupiter, over the question of Mars. Since Ceres fell within the FRJ[6] sphere of influence and is now applying for full ascension to the FRJ, and the Mars civilian and corporate governments both selected Jovians methods and suppliers for the next phase of their expansion, the so-called “White Mars” option, there has been a growing conviction that conflict was inevitable. The companion memorandum is on the negotiated options left. This memorandum is prepared looking at the alternate military option scenarios.
1. Considerations
One factor pressing for military options is that, at present, Terran governments have the largest military advantage possible, and this advantage is only set to erode in the future. Presently the Dominion Fleet, national fleets, and colonial fleets have 30 Destroyers, plus support. 8 of these are low fusion, but fully 22 are high fusion. All mount the latest generation plasma stacks which can be used either for drive or main weapons and generally, this means a multi-option spinal mount. 16 of the 22 high fusion have multi-option.
In contrast, the Jovians fleet has only 5 properly constituted destroyers, although 4 of these are close to Dominator-class, the Jovians do not have the experience in ship handling that is possessed by allied forces. Though their four modern DVs have some unique innovations, including separate micro-fusion power for the turrets, and some unique torch-torrent weapons, they are inferior in range, firepower, and flexibility to the DSS Dominator and her 4 sister ships. It is possible that the Union of Saturn would lend one or both of their two destroyers, but these are both aged Siva class ships, nearly 70 years old, with only particle bomb spinal mounts. Intelligence indicates that they have been upgraded to high fusion drives, but these cannot be used to drive the plasma stacks, and thus they have no fast acceleration or high fusion options on weapons.
In the area of DVs, the allies could afford to have 2-1 numerical superiority, in the worst case, and still, have 14 DVs available for reserve or defense. The Jovians would have to win 2 successive overwhelming victories, equivalent to winning the Tycho Mutiny, twice.
The Jovians also have constructed and are currently arming a unique warship, which they label a BV, for Battle Vessel, named FRV Hyperion.[7] Hyperion must be regarded as the class ship. She is shorter hulled than standard DVs, with a unique array of petal-like energy sails. (Tech Attachment 2) The purpose of this ship appears to be close support of landing forces and must be regarded as an offensive weapon, meant to protect an invasion force. It is without spinal mounts but has a heavy array of close-range weapons, including Gatling lasers that have a superior cyclical rate to anything that the allied fleet currently possesses. The lack of a spinal mount, however, means that the Hyperion would be easy prey in a standard battle.
These advantages: more and better ships, and an opponent that seems to be constructing a class of vessels designed more to keep peace in their fractious polity, are destined to draw to a close. The Dominion has not launched a new vessel since DSS Industrious 12 years ago. This contrasts with the previous rate of one vessel every two years. While the damage from the Pegasi Event[8] to the space docks has been repaired, it is only recently that all of the allied fleets have been fully repaired and refitted, so keels have only been laid down in the last 2 months. The Jovians have two docks but are constructing two more as part of their Hyperion program. They will reach construction parity then, within 1 year, and then surpass the Dominion.
The political problem is also destined for a solution: the FRJ can't continue as it is. The creation of a more hierarchical system will allow them to harness their economic resources more efficiently for directed goals. Already the Jovians economy is larger than the inner solar system, though with the weaknesses of reliance on biological imports. While this process may play out over a generation, it could also precipitate rapidly, and thus present the allies with a larger problem more quickly. The Psych arm of the Diplomatic corps foresees the likely scenario being a situation similar to the Dominion and Terran national units: a powerful central government within a limited sphere, with subordinate “national” republics that focus on service delivery but may have, for political reasons, space force projection capabilities.
Finally, it is indisputable that while the FRJ has a very long way to go before achieving fleet parity, they have already reached ground parity. While officially there were no actual encounters in the Jovian revolt, the classified record shows that there were, in fact, five. The Jovians won three decisively, one marginally after heavy casualties, and drew the fifth, holding off a comparable force of heavy infantry and tanks engaged in a punitive raid. Hence, the belief that the Jovians' strategy is to mount a ground invasion, with Hyperion class ships to provide cover. Intelligence indicates that Surya, and Amaterasu, are nearing completion.
For these reasons, the hawk case scenario must be to see a low-level, but decisive, conflict, as soon as possible: before the Jovians have completed their invasion armada capability before they return to DV production before they have resolved their internal political contradictions. Also, an actual ground war on Mars would be an econological disaster. The unbalancing of the nascent system, currently in localized ignition, would set the terraforming of Mars by a generation. Repairing the Pegasi Event has still not been completed, though the completion of the tapeworm space elevator has increased the pace of repair and improvement. In the event of such a conflict, it would require a great deal of the Dominion's human lift capacity to place significant ground assets on Mars. Presently there are only 6 divisions, only 4 of which are fully armored, and only one of which has seen anything resembling red zone duty.
The further complicating factors on Mars have been heavily classified to date but are known in their outlines. One is the rising neo-democracy movement among the equatorial cities, which is driven by both public and corporate sectors being more and more intertwined with the Jovians economy. The other is the long-simmering opposition in the South Polar region of Mars, mostly concentrated in SouthSec. The original colonists still control the mining operations but are increasingly hostile as ice and water encroach into their area, limiting the potential areas for new exploitation. This has broken to near mutiny, and the intelligence service has dispatched heavy infantry. The Jovians are believed to be supporting this rebellion with material and perhaps training.
The final warning is that the present situation is unstable without a renewed focus on fundamental supports to power. The anti-matter race is crucial. While anti-matter is not, itself, a power source, it is the ultimate medium of energy storage. With the Venus terraforming project at a virtual standstill and the ecology of inhabitation of Mercury virtually impossible, the source to generate anti-matter and distribute it within the inner solar system is still distant. By contrast, the Jovians have the “Second Sun” and do not have to move the anti-matter they make very far at all. The inner system has the advantages of infrastructure, ecology, and population. However, in a generation, the nearly unlimited situ power proposition of anti-matter will negate those changes. DVs mean nothing in a reality with anti-matter-triggered fusion weapons. Therefore, even in the most aggressive stance, it must be realized that the roughly century-and-a-half-long high fusion era, which includes the entire Yuan Epoch, is coming to an end. We must have established peace and superiority by then or face a more uncertain future.
Hence, because of our current superiority, its probable degradation over time, our political superiority which will be equalized over time, and the ecological edge, which is swinging towards the FRJ on Mars, action, rather than inaction is advised.
2. Situation
The Jovians' decision to send Hyperion on a mission of “Battleship Diplomacy” is a precipitating act. It shows that the FRJ has decided that the present political situation among the allies is weak, which is a monumental miscalculation.
Our position is undermined by subversive and disloyal elements, which must be dealt with. Mars is not a national government and therefore does not have the autonomy considerations that are generally present, and which would bar the Dominion from interfering. Therefore, the crisis is to prevent the Jovians from exploiting these elements, and instead to capitalize on their excessive aggression, by dealing with a stinging defeat.
3. Objectives
Dealing with the situation on Mars.
An engagement that will reinforce the space force projection capabilities of the allies. Preferably by destroying Hyperion, or other offensively deployed vessels.
A return to the Treaty of Phobos[9] principles in dealing with the FRJ.
4. Recommendations
We recommend that the present restrictions on biologics be increased to a full embargo. We recommend making this a Yuan Directive[10] in the event that national governments choose not to cooperate, though this is, of course, not optimal.
We recommend that one of the immortals on Mars be appointed planetary governor, the choice being left to the Union of India[11] and the People's Republic. Afterward, HongJing takes direct political control of all of the sectors of Mars and consolidates control of military assets on the ground under Security and Intelligence. This should be used to remove subversive elements to prevent the Jovians from gaining a landing foothold. Most especially in the harder-to-defend SouthSec.
We recommend that the Mars Defense Fleet, currently 4 DVs, be reinforced with the two colonial DVs, and be ordered to maintain interposition against any Jovian's incursions. Presently the commander of the fleet, Admiral Kumar, but the political office must have an override. We recommend that should Hyperion enter the Defense Zone, the MDF[12] be ordered to defend with force.
We recommend that provocative incursions by troop transports or other support ships be dealt with by planetary defense.
We recommend that negotiations be carried out by the national governments, referencing back to Treaty of Phobos principles, with the requirement that the Garden World and its development be regarded as the primary political and ecological goal. Mars cannot become a Jovian's Garden, and Jove cannot be allowed to be the center of human activity.
For these reasons, we conclude that this conflict must be met with all possible force, but under the control of the political authority rather than the military.
Submitted Dominion Planning Office DP-7 25.60.939 JD (July 7th, 2299 OC)
[1] Old Calendar
[2] “Econology” is a portmanteau of “Ecology” and “Economics” symbolize the ecology limit economics.
[3] “Biogeneering” is the mass scale of making changes. Gorillas, squids, and octopuses are all examples.
[4] Making changes to worlds.
[5] Keep as Earth-like as possible.
[6] The Republic of Jupiter, or in some uses, Federal Republics of Jupiter. A federal government dominated by its three largest moons, and several floating cities around the planet. It's capital is, however, on a small moon Himalia, for political reasons.
[7] In the fleet structure of the time “V” meant something able to carry human beings in a conscious state, while “T” stood for transport, and “E” for enclosure. Military vessels were graded primarily into Scout, Escort, Destroyer. Carriers were, at this time, unknown, because there was nothing with the ability to drive a small fighting vehicle that had military value. The Hyperion's classification as a “BV” was new. Scouts are essentially unarmed, while Destroyers have a spinal mounted weapon that can harness the entire long fusion stack to deliver some kind of attack: a linear accelerator for mass, or linac, a plasma weapon, a particle accelerator, called a “particle bomb,” or a laser. The Hyperion's distinction is that previously anything that large had a spinal-mounted weapon. Hence its designation as “BV” for Battle Vessel.
[8] A nearby nova event, 2291 OC. There was substantial disruption in its wake which may have been artificially generated.
[9] The larger of the two natural moons of Mars.
[10] A directive that is considered vital to the protection of Earth, its environment, or ecology. It overrides national laws or other instructions. It is often used loosely to describe something the speaker should be of over-riding importance These are the highest orders.
[11] Union of India in this case: India, Much of Pakistan, Bangladesh, parts of Burma, along with protectorates in Africa
[12] Mars Defense Fleet.