"Personal Journal of Major Johnny Chee: Day 436. Since the T'rais emissary appeared in my court a few months ago I've been doing what I can to prepare Flor for an attack. We've stepped up weapons production and I've introduced a breech, loading 60 mm howitzer to the arsenal. I'm still working on discarding-sabot rounds but I'm afraid we don't have the manufacturing capability for those just yet. We can build rockets, however, and we're building those in mass quantities. We've started arming more of the Korath and training them as pathfinders. They report that the T'rais are digging in deeply as well. Incidentally, I've issued an order granting the Korath full equality with other Portanans; they were among the first of the slaves to be freed, along with all children upon reaching majority and all elders. Slavery will be ended completely within two generations. Nobody seems to mind. I only wish racism were as easy to abolish on other worlds.
"Once the crops are in I'm going to order earthworks set up around the city, beginning with trenches. I wouldn't mind a few kilometers of barbed wire but our extrusion processes still need work. A village to the south of Flor was discovered to have petroleum deposits, which solves the fuel problem for our flamethrowers. We're nowhere near starting an oil refinery. That alone would take a lifetime to design and build, especially since I know nothing of the basic technology. Gasoline hasn't been used on Earth in centuries. But the Alchemist's Guild can separate out kerosene, benzene, and tar, all of which are useful in both military and civil manufacturing. Thanks to the discovery of tar, the homes in Flor no longer leak in the rain and a couple of alchemists are working on recreating asphalt for the roads. The main thoroughfares within Flor and between Flor and some of the larger villages are being macadamized but a full road system will have to wait until after we defeat the T'rais. If we defeat the T'rais.
"I've appointed Zdeev postmaster and instructed him to set up a communications system between the major villages. In the process, he's appropriated two dozen of the Korath who now function both as roving police and postmen. Banditry in the countryside, I'm told, is on the decline. The Korath have no regard at all for bandits, whom they regard as refuse who could neither live in the towns nor adapt to what they consider to be the true way of life. And the mail gets through with regularity! Nomads running the postal service. Who would've thought of it?
"Disputes amongst the guilds and the sextons over who should handle education have led me to establish the University of Flor, where anyone may learn any trade for a reasonable fee (often taken out of the money they make as apprentices). In addition, the sextons are starting a primary school system. Taking a cue from the Christian Bible, I suggested to Varsh that the writings of all the sextons of note be combined into a single volume. He was amenable to the idea, saying it would reduce incidences of heresy and make education easier. The first Great Text was printed two weeks later, after the sextons finished arguing over which works were most important. Smaller, mimeographed versions of the Great Text are available from the University for one-half paregi-expensive for most people, but Portanans care enough about their faith to save up for a copy. Using my now-considerable personal wealth, what I inherited from Vinzi combined with Kelto's fortune and the royalties from all these inventions, I set up a grant fund which would provide every Portanan child with a copy of the Great Text upon entering school. Since this often became the family copy, enrollment has been brisk.
"We've just about reached the limits of what I can help the Portanans accomplish given what they already had. I'd say we're at around 19th-century levels of technology now, but without some major developments. Steam power and internal combustion, for example. We still don't have machine tools capable of the tolerances needed for even the most simple of engines. I've shown designs for calipers, micrometers, and ring and plug gauges to the Jeweler's Guild, but being the most conservative of the guilds, they've been slow to act. Something resembling gauge blocks have been developed by the Printer's Guild for typesetting, so they may actually be the ones to give us better metrology tools.
"All in all, Portanus V is becoming more liveable. Except for being occupied by an advanced and decidedly unfriendly alien power, that is. One thing that troubles me still: how did the T'rais emissary know about Starfleet if they've been cut off from contact for a thousand local years? With the exception of the Vulcans and the Bajorans most of the Federation wasn't even spacefaring that long ago!"
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"I like it, but do you honestly think we can manufacture this?" Johnny asked, looking over some design sketches presented to him by a member of the Blacksmith's Guild.
"Those damned jewelers keep dragging their feet on the tools you say we need, but the printers and the carpenters have stepped into the gap and given us what we need," the blacksmith replied, showing him a surprisingly well-made micrometer. "The alchemists and the weavers are working on other parts the design needs."
"Very good!" Johnny said, examining the micrometer. It looked very similar to a 20th-century Earth model with the exception of the scaling. It was graduated in 1028th parts of a fard, the principle unit of length measurement of the Portanans. More than adequate! We can start doing lots of things now! "Keep me apprised. I really want to see this one!"
The blacksmith left, ecstatic. Johnny was happy, too; the Portanans were starting to develop technologies on their own. And, thanks to the implementation of parliamentary democracy, more of the actual day-to-day business of running Flor and the villages that looked to be leaving Johnny's hands which was his actual motive in setting up the system in the first place. Flor was evolving beyond a city-state and becoming an actual nation; one individual, no matter how competent (which Johnny did not consider himself to be) could not possibly keep up with all the details. Now he could focus on what he did best, and what Portanus V really needed.
Flor now boasted a standing army of nearly 2500. Smaller than Johnny would have preferred, but very well-trained and well-equipped. In addition, a reserve force of another 5000 could be activated to defend the city walls and other facilities (such as the windmill-powered generators Johnny was planning as soon as they could come up with decent wire). Most were equipped with bolt-action rifles, and, at great expense, Johnny had arranged for a reserve of nearly a million rounds of ammunition to supply them. Tons of explosives, TNT and nitrogen triiodide, and thousands of gallons of kerosene for flamethrowers had been stockpiled as well. The Weavers and Dyers had produced camouflage gear patterned in a mottled purple pattern to match Portanus's vegetation. Work on body armor, unfortunately, awaited the development of useful plastics by the Alchemists, although the discovery of a petroleum reserve promised to hasten that development. Until then leather armor would have to suffice. It would be absolutely useless except against hand-to-hand weaponry and low-caliber rounds at medium to long range. Steel helmets, however, were standard-issue items to the regulars.
So this is what generals have to put up with! Johnny also had to sort through reports from Korath scouts and determine the disposition of the T'rais enclave. For centuries the two sides had been raiding one another, battling over small villages meaningless to all but their inhabitants. The Portanans had held their ground for a long time but in the past few generations had been falling back against Flor increasingly.
A scout reported in to Johnny, who sat at his desk in front of a map of the continent: an ancient map, drawn from Kelto's library and quite possibly the only reasonably accurate map in existence. It predated the Day of the
Demons and did not show the huge crater formed during the invasion.
"Sire, I have a report! A scouting party has seized control of a Ghann village eighty leagues from here!" the scout said.
"Can we hold this village?" Johnny asked. The scout signaled in the affirmative by holding his hands out, palms downward.
"There were twelve of us. We defeated a force of fifty Ghann! They were armed with the old rifles, not the new ones you've taught us about. None of them survived but none of us were hurt!"
"Did you obtain any intelligence: maps, communiques, orders, anything like that?" Johnny asked. Our first major break, if we can make it work!
"Oh, yes!" the scout replied, reaching into a pouch. Johnny examined the contents. Sure enough, there were area maps, equipment inventories, messages to and from a central headquarters. The place names were all T'rais so they meant nothing to Johnny on the reading alone.
"You can read the demon-speak?" the scout asked, astonished.
"I can read this language," Johnny asked. He decided months ago that convincing the Portanans that the T'rais weren't demons was both impossible and counterproductive. Besides, casting them as servants of evil was useful propaganda which, Johnny thought, was probably how that story started to begin with.
An item in the pouch caught Johnny's attention. It was an extremely old piece of flexible plastic, similar to what was used in the Federation before the advent of PADDs. He unfolded it to reveal a huge image in color which had faded and altered over the course of centuries. A Starfleet Marine in full battle gear. The caption, in T'rais, read "This Is The Enemy!" Johnny looked closer at the face behind the helmet's visor.
It was a picture of him!!!
"I thought you may find that of interest, Sire. The picture is plainly you, even though his skull growth seems much shorter. The equipment I do not recognize."
"Yes, of course." Johnny said distantly. The Portanans lacked extensive body hair and had never developed barbering as a profession. Johnny was able to use a hide scraper from the Tanners' Guild to shave with, but didn't trust himself to cut his own hair. He kept it tied back in the manner of his ancestors. "Where exactly did you find this?"
"It was in a building the Ghann treated with great reverence. At first we thought it was a temple, but when we looked inside it appeared no different from this office," the scout answered.
Johnny looked at some fine printing at the edge of the poster: a printing date and the name of a printing company. The T'rais date corresponded to a date just two months before he had been marooned on Portanus V!.
Now that's interesting!!! I've been here over a year, and the T'rais have been here more than a thousand years. And this poster has a date that corresponds to when I was still on the Virgo and yet looks like it's a thousand years old!
"Why don't you get something to eat, soldier? I need to look these things over," Johnny said.
The dates on the other documents corresponded to what Johnny had thought after seeing the date on the poster. But he needed to verify what he was seeing.
Going to his library, Johnny retrieved a physics text that dated to the time before the Day of the Demons. He looked up the figure for the speed of light. In Portanan units, it corresponded to what Johnny had known it to be. He recalled a controversy several months ago amongst scholars regarding the speed of light. The quantity needed to be known precisely in order to make further advances in electronics and physics. Johnny searched his office and found the memo regarding this discovery and compared the two figures.
The modern figure was 180 times higher than the figure shown in the ancient texts!
Time was moving much more rapidly in this part of space. That explains the poster, and why Intelligence is interested in the Portanus system! The higher inherent speed of light is why messages are able to travel more quickly when they originate from Portanus!
But it came at a cost. While over a year had passed for Johnny, only a few days had passed on the Virgo. Whatever advantage would be granted by this discrepancy was offset by that tiny little fact. Even an unmanned relay station would fall apart due to age and wear long before a response to any message could be received!
So all Lieutenant Sinclair's scheming was absolutely useless! Johnny thought. And those reinforcements the T'rais are waiting for; those must have been the ships Bortu and I encountered! They must have been dispatched only a few weeks after the initial invasion. The past thousand years for the Portanans have only been six months or so in normal space!!!
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Location: USS Virgo
"You wanted to speak with me, ma'am?" Staff Sergeant Barek Nim asked Jenara.
"Yes, I did, Barek. How soon can you get the platoon ready for a combat mission?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"We're getting Johnny back!" Jenara said. "According to my calculations, an anti-chronoton stream of a precise length and intensity should arrest the accelerated time flow in the Portanus system. Once we get that problem solved, then we can perform a rescue mission. The T'rais are likely to be there in force, however, and I'll need all the help I can get."
"I see. Do you have any idea how many enemy troops there are, or how they're equipped?"
"Absolutely none. Nothing we've gotten from the debriefings of the two T'rais prisoners indicates that they've had any involvement with Portanus V. The transport Ensign Bortu reported was capable of carrying fifteen thousand troops, with armor and air support. We don't even know if the locals are hostile, for that matter," Jenara replied.
"Hmm. Sixteen of us, with standard infantry load and a runabout, versus a technologically advanced opponent that outnumbers us about a thousand to one, on a backward planet we know nothing about. Let me think about this." Barek thought aloud.
"Sergeant, if you don't think we can pull this off, just let me know. I respect your judgment."
"Ma'am, I'm Bajoran. I'm used to odds like this! All I need to know is how to get the gear we'll need! We all want him back, now let's go get him!"
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Meanwhile, Lataro had shown up after checking the new tactical and countermeasures programming K'Lara and Jenara had developed. The Captain had been briefed on the explosions and the situation involving Lieutenant
Sinclair. "Ms. Chee, I must commend you on the programs you've developed. The countermeasures suite is at least 60% more efficient than the one we left the Alpha Quadrant with! Combined with the ablative armor we should be indomitable!"
"All in the line of duty, Commander. I do have a formal request to make, and a favor to ask." Jenara said.
"What can I do for you?"
"I'd like to use the Dawn for some research involving chronoton particles and the space-time distortion we've just passed through. I think I've found a way to counter such time distortions in the future," she answered.
"I see," Lataro said. Jenara could tell he wasn't buying it. "I suppose your research would be applicable not only to time loops but also to time fields operating at rates different from ours?"
"Of course. What use would it be otherwise?"
"And you have adequate staff and equipment for your, ah, experiment?" Lataro asked, sensing what was going on.
"I have a very experienced aide and fifteen lab assistants ready to work on the project. Equipment may be more difficult but my aide assures we can get it."
"Don't worry about the equipment. I'll see that you get everything you need," Lataro said with a wink. "In fact, I think I can get you closer to an appropriate test area."
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Location: Portanus V
"Personal Journal of Major Johnny Chee, SFMC: Day 552. I don't believe it!!! These insane bastards have built an airplane on their own!!!
"It's not much of an airplane, maybe two steps ahead of what the Wright Brothers were flying, but it's a working aircraft. In fact, they've got four of them, and they're developing more advanced models. I never thought we'd have anything like air support available for our defense plan! I'd developed observation balloons, but heavier-than-air vehicles never figured into my plans. That'll teach me to underestimate the Portanans!
"I just hope the T'rais also underestimate them as badly. They probably will. They tend to think anyone who isn't them is inferior. But if they can build an airplane, they can build an internal combustion engine. They can build a lot of things now. Railroads, ocean-going vessels, tanks: the possibilities are endless!
"But we must be cautious. This engine runs on petroleum distillates and doesn't even have the most minimal environmental controls. Granted that's secondary concern at the moment, but I don't want them to be saddled with problems farther down the line. As soon as we can we need to start working on renewable energy sources. "That's not my issue for now, though. I am a head of state in name only, just as I had intended. The Parliament is doing its job quite well; they argue and bicker and assassinate one another's character just like politicians anywhere else, except maybe Vulcan, but the important business of state is getting accomplished. That means I can go about being a field officer and keep these people from getting killed. "Maybe. It's still an iffy proposition at best. With all the hardware I've got now, and the training and the preparation at every level that first Vinzi and now I have implemented, the Portanans would be able to stand up to even a modern T'rais attack force. Granted our air support is minimal and we have absolutely no hope of producing even a jet engine, let alone an impulse engine at this point for an interceptor, but our surface-to-air systems are doing better. The Alchemists, Glassblowers, and, finally, the Jewelers were able to develop yet another surprise-vacuum tube-based electrical components! Zdeev's been reading some of the old texts and has managed to teach himself the basics of electronics. He's starting to teach others. I think we'll have to start an Electronics Guild soon. Once we can get a few more trained technicians maybe we can have wire-guided missile systems now that the Jewelers know that gold can be used for things besides jewelry and wire isn't just decorative. Not very accurate, and not very powerful, but enough to give us at least a fighting chance!
"But we'll need Changing Woman, the Warrior Twins, the Unknown, all the Bajoran Prophets and the Virgin of Guadeloupe on our side in case modern T'rais decide to bring in a nuclear weapon."
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Johnny saw the latest dispatches from his scouting parties. The T'rais were raiding farther into Flor territory. In the past week two villages had been completely burned and their inhabitants slaughtered. An emissary Johnny had sent to the T'rais had been sent back, completely skinned alive. All indications were that the T'rais were mobilizing a force of their own and preparing to drive toward Flor.
It's happening. Are we ready? Johnny thought. His plan had been purely defensive. Had the T'rais been content to maintain their enclave, and live and farm and do whatever they do in peace, Johnny would have left them alone. But history had shown otherwise. Whenever they had the opportunity, the T'rais raided into Flor territory, destroying and butchering anything in their path. Every attempt Johnny had made to talk with them, the latest dead envoy was the sixth of a series, was met with violence.
Enough is enough! Let's get this over with! Johnny decided.
Zdeev entered Johnny's office. "You wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes, sit down, please. You've been with me since the first day I was aware I was here. I don't know how long I was unconscious before I woke up in that slave pit. You've been of immeasurable help to me. You taught me to read the language of this world, and acquainted me with its customs. Your professional skills are without parallel, and you've mastered a number of trades that didn't exist here a year ago.
"I can trust you farther than I can trust anyone else on this planet. So I'm going to tell you a few things I've told no one else."
"Go ahead, I'm listening," Zdeev answered.
"First of all, my full name is Johnny Chee. I belong to an organization called Starfleet, which represents a political entity called the United Federation of Planets: dozens of worlds united in common cause for trade, mutual defense, intellectual discourse, and the exploration of the universe around us. Before I came here I traveled in a vessel amongst the stars, named the USS Virgo after a constellation visible from my home planet, Earth. Earth is so far from Portanus, our name for your world, that light from our sun would take over thirteen thousand years to reach here. That's at the old figure for the speed of light, not the new one we recently calculated.
"The old figure is correct throughout the universe in general, although it can vary locally. Here it's one hundred eighty times faster than in the space surrounding your solar system. There is a reason why this is so.
"According to your history the Ghann, my people call them the T'rais, the name they use for themselves, invaded over a thousand years ago, leaving a crater on your planet right about here," Johnny said, indicating a point on the map behind him. That point was the center of a huge city. Flor lay nearby, then little more than a small village. "That crater was created by a weapon so powerful and destructive I hope you never ever have to experience its fury. My own world suffered such a conflict, fought with thousands of these weapons, four centuries ago. Were it not for the intervention of an older and wiser race called the Vulcans we would never have survived that period. Even with their help it was a close-run thing.
"I would like to tell you that my role here is the same as the Vulcans' role in helping my world, but truthfully I cannot. As you saw with Baron Kelto, there are people in any society who are willing to sell short its ideals.
There are people who want to do that to your world in my society. I was asked to help them and refused. They tried to kill me, and when they failed, they abandoned me here.
"I should let you know that not everyone in the Federation or Starfleet is as duplicitous. Jenara, my wife, is a Starfleet officer, and what she knows of science would make my own knowledge look positively pathetic! There are many fine men and women of many different races who work together and serve the cause of justice. The reason I tell you this is that some elements of Starfleet may try to coerce your people into serving them. Normally joining the Federation is a lengthy process involving formal diplomatic contacts, a treaty, and a vote by our Senate. Unless this process is the one they describe to you, do not join the Federation!"
"Can't you talk with them? Won't they listen to you?" Zdeev asked.
"These elements think I'm dead. In any case, any negotiation I make on your behalf would be in bad faith. You're the most qualified on this world to speak with any Federation envoy. To that end, I've resigned as Dictator. The Nobles and the Commoners asked for my recommendation as a successor, bypassing the process I proposed, but theirs is the will of the people, and I recommended you," Johnny told him. "You set up our communications system. You've read every book I've read; some of them you read to me. You were a member of the Clerk's Guild and founded the Electronics Guild. And you've helped me in critical negotiations with the nobles, the commoners, and the sextons. And besides, you have the moral fiber for the job. If anyone is qualified to lead your people now, you are!"
Zdeev looked shocked. "And their response?"
"The vote was unanimous. Congratulations, you're the new Dictator of Flor! Now, let's go address your people!"
Johnny and Zdeev walked to the Great Hall. The assembled Parliament rose as he entered and applauded!
"I've never had anything like this in my life!" Zdeev whispered to Johnny.
"Enjoy it while you can! It won't always be this easy!"
Zdeev stood at the pulpit at the head of the Great Hall, backed by the banners of all the nobles and of all the guilds.
"Thank you, esteemed Parliament. I thank you for the great honor you have bestowed upon me.
"The past few months have seen many exciting changes. The overthrow of the treacherous Baron Kelto, the introduction of various and sundry innovations to make the lives of everyone easier, and the means to finally rid ourselves of the demons that have infested our planet for the past thousand years! For this, we have one man to thank, our previous Dictator and Wizard, the foreigner Johnny.
"As many of you know, I owe Johnny a tremendous personal debt. His actions saved my life and that of my wife Taya and son Tri. My son, unfortunately, was killed by Baron Kelto," Zdeev paused as the assembly booed and jeered the traitor's name, "but his memory, and the love of my wife, have carried me through many difficult changes. We men do not acknowledge our women nearly enough, and that is something we need to work on. Henceforth, as my first order as Dictator I decree that all free women of the age of majority have all the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as free men of the age of majority. Any slave woman who is freed shall likewise have these rights. Further, women may no longer be bought and sold as wives, slaves, or chattel and may follow their own judgment. This order shall be implemented immediately. Taya, if you would be so kind as to join me?"
Taya rushed forward and embraced her husband. The Parliament was dumbfounded. Then they cheered again.
"You accepted Johnny's changes and eccentricities because he was a foreigner. But what he is, is what we should strive to be!" Zdeev continued.
For their own sake, I hope not! Johnny thought.
"We must be men and women of enlightenment and virtue, of unimpeachable character. We must adhere to the precepts of the Great Text in all our dealings with others. One of those precepts is that injustice must be avenged. We've all lost someone either directly or indirectly to the Ghann. This has been going on for generation upon generation and it must stop now!!! All our preparations are in order. As my second order as Dictator I declare war upon the Ghann! We have achieved the goals Sexton Larii outlined for us over four hundred years ago. We have not fully achieved the heights of the Glorious Age but we are moving rapidly in that direction. Now it's time to avenge the injustice done to our people.
The Parliament cheered. Oh, shit! Johnny thought. Not that he wasn't expecting this.
"Johnny has told me many things about the worlds beyond our own: that the Ghann are not actually demons but are invaders from another world, just as Johnny himself came to us from another world far away. And I've read our ancient texts and have learned other things. That at one time we were actually preparing to join both the Ghann and Johnny's people among the stars. We had built a great engine that would permit us to cross the gulf of stars in less time than it would take to travel from Flor to the Great Sea. It was this engine that drew the Ghann, not because it was evil, but because they feared our competition! And I promise you that we shall achieve these heights once again! How, and when, will be up to our own efforts. And first we must drive away the Ghann. But it will happen, and when it does, we shall take our rightful place amongst the stars!" Again Parliament cheered, but whether or not they understood that Zdeev was not speaking metaphorically Johnny didn't know.
"As my third order, and to help us achieve these aims, I hereby appoint Johnny as General of the Armies of Flor, and co-head of the Soldier's Guild," Zdeev continued.
A good political move, Johnny thought. He'd met Waratz, the head of the Soldier's Guild, and found him to be very knowledgeable about both leadership and combat, and a man of unimpeachable integrity. Once Kelto's duplicity had been revealed, Waratz and the entire Soldier's Guild switched loyalties to Johnny. Even if the arrangement had been reversed Johnny would have willingly served under Waratz.
"And finally, as my fourth order: the title Dictator, as my reading has shown me, carries with it certain negative connotations connected to a lust for power and self-aggrandizement. Therefore, I shall be addressed from this moment on as King, and all future leaders of Flor shall be so addressed, except that women who rule, and there may be some, someday, shall be called Queen. Now, let's get to work! We've got a world to win back!" Zdeev concluded.
I should have thought of that, Johnny thought. A monarch, and a constitutional monarch at that, has a much better shot at negotiating for entry into the Federation than someone who openly calls himself a dictator, no matter what the tradition is! The future of Portanus V is in good hands, provided we survive this war!
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The Dawn, with Lataro at the controls and carrying Jenara, Bortu, and a platoon of fully-equipped Marines, left the Virgo's shuttle bay. Ostensibly, this was a scientific research mission with fourteen extra personnel detailed from Security to assist with any possible needs of the Science staff.
In reality, it was a rescue mission. A race against time.
"Sir, we're closing on the Portanus system. ETA seven minutes at current speed and heading," Bortu informed Lataro.
"Thank you, Ensign. Jenara, is your instrument array ready?" Lataro asked.
"Ready when you are."
"Initiate the anti-chronoton beam."
"Aye, sir!" Jenara said. She tapped a control on a panel and a blue-white beam shot forth from an external pod on the runabout. The beam was targeted on an exact location on Portanus V, given to Jenara by Kalmar as the exact location of the temporal anomaly. Nothing visible happened.
"Readings indicate that all physical constants within the Portanus system are identical to those in the surrounding space," Jenara reported. "It looks like it worked!"
"All right, then! Let's saddle up," Lataro said. "Mr. Bortu, set a course for Portanus V, maximum warp!"
"Aye, sir!"
An alarm sounded. "Sir, T'rais vessel located off the port bow: 290 Mark 8, distance 500,000 kilometers. I count one vessel, a heavy assault transport. It's badly damaged but still operational!" Bortu reported, an edge of panic in his voice.
"Steady, Ensign. We knew they were coming. Let's get this done quickly!