seamless cloth. An armored brainpan was only the beginning of it. She now had power-graphite bones, artificial muscles, millions of micro-nanonics in her bloodstream, an armor-plated body and eyes that could never be mistaken for human. Little was left of the old Osadar Di. And to make sure that that little part could never rebel, obedience chips were liberally sprinkled throughout her nervous system. A tiny powerful governing computer was linked to her brain and embedded within the central mass.
The process from Suspend-dead human to cyborg took two weeks. Training her to use her new body would take another three. Then Cyborg Osadar Di— better known as OD12—would enter the first ultra-stealth pod to make the many-months long journey from Neptune to Earth.
Then maybe Social Unity could finally regain the initiative against the Highborn.
Part III
Soldier
1.
Emergency military conference, Day Two of the Invasion of Japan Sector: 1.19 P.M.
Enkov: You misjudged them again.
Hawthorne: I don’t think that’s the correct analysis, Director. Strategically this invasion makes no sense. From Australia, they launched the Papua/New Guinea Campaign, which, I might add, has bogged down in the treacherous mountain terrain.
Green: Even Highborn have their limits, it seems.
Hawthorne: Exactly. But to address your question, Director, let me point out that they’ve captured twenty percent of the small Pacific Islands from Japan to the Hawaiian Islands to Australia. It seemed clear until two days ago that they planned to build a Pacific Basin Stronghold. Now their supply lines from Australia to Japan stretches past Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan.
O’Connor: Over four thousand kilometers.
Hawthorne: Granted they rush supplies and troops in well-armed convoys, but our ability to intercept and destroy them has now—what are those numbers again?
O’Connor: Their transports are thousand-ton Vickers Hovercraft, a rugged prefab design that we believe is already in mass production, with Destroyer Class Hovers serving as escort. Fast V-Boats range as perimeter guards, while VTOL Hover Carriers provide fighters, bombers and their dreaded HK-Leopards. Those search out our submersibles with uncanny accuracy.
Hawthorne: Yes, thank you, Admiral. But what are the improved odds regarding our ability to sink them along this four thousand kilometer route?
O’Connor: A sixty-percent increase.
Enkov: I’m delighted to hear it. As will be the other directors. How much tonnage have you destroyed since the Japanese Invasion?
O’Connor: Ah… none yet, Director. It’s still early in the invasion and we have only a few boats along the route. But we believe a pattern has emerged, one that indicates—
Enkov: Here we go again. It’s always about holding back to study their pattern, to make sense of these swift moves that seems to paralyze my military men. Yet you just said, General Hawthorne, that attacking Japan lacked strategic sense. What you really mean is that the Highborn have upset your precious pattern concerning their intended behavior.
Hawthorne: They are unpredictable.
Enkov: Or perhaps they are simply more subtle that you, General.
Hawthorne: I take that as a given, Director. Yet I believe they’ve finally overstepped themselves.
Enkov: Not in terms of sea-borne supply, it seems.
O’Connor: It takes time to reposition our fleets, Director. The bulk of our submarine squadrons lie in Java Strait and the South China Sea, in the southern region off Malaysia. It was anticipated that the Indonesian Islands were their next target. We could have bloodied them well there. The surprises we had in store for them…. Well, it’s moot now. Presently, the Highborn supply-line from Australia to Japan brushes near the extreme west of the Philippine Sea but not quite over the Mariana Trench.
Enkov: I fail to see your point.
O’Connor: We must move our submarines carefully, Director. Highborn detection devices are incredibly sensitive. But if we could slip into the Mariana Trench—
Enkov: What difference does that make?
O’Connor: Depth, Director. If we can slip deep enough even their detection devices can’t spot our subs, or if they do spot them, short of nuclear depth charges we’re safe from attack.
Enkov: Safe, yes, but neither can you attack from the great depths.
Hawthorne: We’ve developed a new pop-up buoy that will be able to—
Enkov: Correct me if I’m wrong, General Hawthorne, but
Hawthorne: Yes, Director. And therein is our chief problem. The former Directorate agreed to the creation of the Highborn because Earth seemed incapable of producing proficient soldiers. This new breed of warrior was supposed to do all of Social Unity’s soldiering. Because of it, Earth defenses were allowed to deteriorate. We are the heirs of their errors.
Enkov: More history, General?
Hawthorne: Sir, the truth is large military vehicles such as submarines and spacecraft take several years to construct, at least under peacetime conditions. Planes also have a lag time, but not as great. As you know we’ve accelerated production, but as of now, our space and water-borne fleets are only as large as we had at the beginning of hostilities. Fifty-three percent of our submarines were targeted and destroyed the day Geneva and the old Directorate was destroyed. Since then, Admiral O’Connor has only lost eighteen submarines.
Enkov: And shown little for it.
Hawthorne: I’m not certain I can agree with that analysis, Director. Premature moves only hand the Highborn further chances to complete their original destruction. We must husband our forces until an opportunity of enough worth and one that we can win presents itself. I believe the Invasion of Japan is just such an opportunity. Admiral O’Connor has moved his fleets into position or is in the process of moving them. Yet we must not allow the Highborn the free destruction of our fleets. Rather, I am timing for one sudden swoop upon every aspect of the invasion. Admiral O’Connor will cut their supply lines. Air Marshal Ulrich, who repositions his fighters and bombers along China’s coast and slips replacement fighters when he can onto Japan, will sweep the sky of enemy craft. Colonel-General Green has already ordered a mass transshipment of replacement troops from Vietnam to Korea. Once in Korea the bulk of them will be shipped onto Japan and there provide needed ground forces to sweep and destroy the trapped enemy units. It’s a bold and audacious plan, Director—Operation Togo.
Kitamura: Named in honor of the Japanese Admiral who destroyed the Russian Baltic Fleet over four centuries ago in a surprise attack in the Tsushima Strait.
Hawthorne: Yes, thank you, Field Marshal. The Highborn have once more struck with surprise. But we’re reacting faster than ever and have a plan that has every chance of blooding them much more than
