Solar Warden, Jakob Waechter [book club suggestions .TXT] 📗

and occupy them somewhere else. For that we are developing a virus. That will manipulate their monitoring systems and do causal warning on various stuff we have access to. We don’t know what this is all exactly. So there is a chance we might do some serious damage. But if we want a fast solution we have to take risks or analyze longer and increase the risk of being detected,” Kelsey informed the Captain.

“This means your virus is ready when?”

“One hour at best. Should we proceed with the full risk option?” Kelsey replied.

“This means if this fails, we have no access to the door anymore?” Fisher was concerned.

“Probably. They will cut the cables and operate it manually. So it’s also the question how much time we want spend to ensure that this is working. We only have one try. But as I said using more time also has its risks. The other thing what we also could do, is to stop their production outside. I don’t think that would lure them out,” Kelsey added.

“Also a good option, but if we do that they know we are in their network.” Fisher was not sure if this was worth the risk.

“Alternatively we could try to blow it up. But hacking there at the time we open the door would also occupy them somewhere else. We will also use one of the captured ships to connect into their network. So when the virus starts they will for sure not know where it is coming from. Which would also mean we should storm them as fast as we can. Then we even could gain access to all their data,” Kelsey said.

“Yes, this is a dangerous gamble, we don’t know what they have in there. Sure we can use drones to scout. But finally we will risk a lot. Is there any way we get more intel? So that we can prepare?” Fisher was sure the teams could handle it if they knew what could come, except more of these machines.

“That will also increase the risk getting detected. We can do this as soon as we open the door.” Kelsey had already planned this.

“So we are sending troops in. While we are crippling their systems. What if a power generator fails and blows up by this?” Fisher needed more to decide.

“I guess they should have some failsafe stuff. We are only altering some control information for the control room we have access. But we could check back with the physics department, what happens if a fusion reactor blows up. I don’t think they are as stupid as we are and sue nuclear fission like we do. However, I can just say we are playing with fire,” one of the team members said.

“We don’t even know if it is fusion for sure. That’s only and assumption from their tech we know from them. It will be risky and we are betting on some failsafe systems. But as soon we are getting the information when the door opens, we have to use all department for analysis. Camera feeds will be redirected, databases transferred and we also have the risk that they hack back. We will be in a secure environment where nothing can happen except the data we transferred gets deleted. So a real-time analysis is very important,” Kelsey added.

“You know that our objective is also to gain intel not to lose it,” Fisher said.

“Therefore we can use USB-sticks. If someone found something important, we can copy it on it and remove the stick. This will limit a data loss. Even they will need some time to counter us,” another one of the team replied.

“Good, proceed with the preparation. We talk about the risks when you are ready. Meanwhile I send reinforcements down and let them inform about that plan. So the enemy will not get it by spying the communication of us.” The Captain was finished with the briefing and went into the next with SW-7. After that they were flying down over the ocean route. It was no need to hurry. Kelsey needed time to prepare and even if she was finished the Captain wanted to check again.

 

SW-7 arrived at the landing zone. Owens was flying also back with them. He went to Taylor and informed Ryan that he was on the ground again. With the bikes SW-7 headed to the cave. Then Davis informed Ryan about the plan. So following was then a briefing with the team leaders.

A bit later Newman joined them. “I have everything prepared. But while opening the door, plugging in the spy connector can cut us of if things don’t work out as expected. Also I would recommend to retrieve our shot combat drone. It may get in the way and it might be possible to repair it,” Newman suggested.

“You want repair it here? It will not be possible to get it up to the Icarus, I guess?” Ryan wondered.

“Yes, maybe it’s possible to send replacement parts. What happens if we have to use them again? We might lose another one or two. So changing the numbers here might be worth it.”

“If we can do this fast enough, before we act, you have a go. But as soon as I get the order, we have to abort this. I hope then it is not stuck in the entrance,” Ryan replied.

“Don’t worry. I take care of it,” Newman knew how to do it fast.

“Take SW-4 and anyone else you need,” Ryan was confident that Newman was done with the movement of the drone till they start the operation. It was also something to keep the other occupied.

Newman, Samuel and the rest of SW-4, each of them took a bike and headed to the combat drone. Samuel and Newman were unarmed, they had the needed ropes and the other stuff with them.

While two of SW-4 guarded, the others connected the bikes with the ropes to the combat drone. Then Newman could with success extend the gears which made it much easier. They used three bikes and started to test. It did work at once. The drone was moving. Newman controlled the bikes remotely. So they pulled the combat drone to the entrance while all were behind the drone pushing a bit as needed. They went out of the entrance. It made some laud noise moving it over the stony ground. This was because of the skids which were close to the bottom. It was not possible to extend the tires further. Also they moved it backward which had some danger getting stuck. In this case they had probably to do it the other way, Newman thought. Now at the caves end came the other problem. Moving it a bit down the hill without the breaks could end up in a crash. Newman had to do some tricks to activate them without electronics. Power was still there. But he had to do some rewiring like he did it with the gear. This time he actually needed something to do it remotely. He had no wireless switch for that. So he used a manual one of the combat drone and stayed on it while they pulled it further.

Samuel was now controlling the bikes. The whole teams were distracted by this. Slowly the drone moved down the hill. Then started to accelerate. Newman activated the breaks as it was getting fast. It worked and Newman could barely hold his position. Then the drone stopped. The others cheered.

“Perfect, we can anchor it with some ropes then we are done,” Newman jumped of the drone. The others helped and it was done in no time.

“There is no time left to check out the drone. The Captain informed me that we will start soon,” Ryan informed all.

Now the final preparation started.

 

“Kelsey, you are sure now this will work?” Fisher asked.

“As sure as we could be. We will cause enough diversion, but we also disable the report of the door opening. Sadly, we could not check how they guard the door, there are still some risks. But if the surprise is as expected on our side, this must work. All in our team see it the same,” Kelsey replied.

“Fine, then we are good to go. I order now the teams to move in position. You get informed you when you can start. So you have a short time to check, again.” Fisher still thought this as very risky. But his tactic team had no better solution.

“Acknowledged.” Kelsey closed the connection. Everyone in her hack team did now further checks as there was nothing more to do.

 

“We have the order to move in. Let’s go!” Ryan called out after he spoke with the Captain. SW-4 jumped on their bikes as well as SW-6. They were the first ones down there and fortified the positon. The others followed on foot. They used ropes on both sides to get down. Except Newman and Samuel. They also used bikes, to get as fast as possible to the assembly line. With the drones they already scouted where they had to go. They waited on the fortified location till Ryan and the others were in place.

The drones were programmed not to show the moving in and position of the squads. So most of the camera stream were turned off. Now as all were in place, Ryan ordered Newman and Samuel to go.

“In position,” Ryan radioed to the Icarus.

It was now not much time till they would act. Newman had the last word. He arrived with Samuel at the assembly line. They jumped of the bikes and went to the first machine. Samuel open the cover plate. Newman saw the target where to connect. He took the spy connecter and plugged it in.

 

11 The vault gate

“Connected,” Newman radioed. This was the signal.

Kelsey hit the enter button, then all started.

Ryan looked at the vault gate. There was nothing to see. But some clicking was to hear. And then it started to move. The door opened, slowly but steady.

Behind was an empty corridor with walls probably out of metal. The bottom seemed to be different. Still the door was opening. It was now broad enough to get through. Ryan waited to see more and let the door further open.

“Prepare the drones,” he said to Yamada and waited further 20 seconds. “Send the drones now.”

Yamada gave the signal. Five drones went in to scout the area. They flew through the dark corridor. At the end was an opening without a door. They reached it and entered a huge hall. Much bigger than the hall of the tower. The drones spread out and flew high to avoid direct detection. No one was to see. But some cameras were in the top.

Then the door stopped and started to close, stopped again and opened.

Ryan triggered the charges. Three explosions went off blowing dust and stones from the nearby wall around. The huge gate was falling to the ground and then to the left side which let the entrance unblocked. Else they had to climb over it or whatever.

“They detected the door opening. I countered it. But now they know we are hacking them. I try to get the camera feeds and other information. The control of their system will be difficult to gain without plugging cables,” Kelsey