Free Book Excerpts

Nano Wars is a techno-thriller of a world unknowingly gripped in conflict by the emergence of dark nanotechnology and the new era of hybrid soldiers and warfare.

Excerpt

DATIS and the Koreans were quickly approaching a major head to head conflict without either the wiser. It had been two and a half months since the coup in Brazil and DATIS General Colburn was beginning to wonder when they would ever find out who the opposition was. The general had high hopes for his DATIS generated naughty list but all the surveillance they had established on the top suspects had still not produced any solid leads. Fear of alerting the enemy had prohibited them from knocking down doors. General Colburn knew the inactivity was a false sense of security. Whoever the enemy was he was sure they were busy working on their next payday and he felt very strongly that this operation would be on a much larger scale than the one in Brazil. He thought Roe’s comment about the coup in Brazil being a sales demonstration was accurate. The list DATIS had generated was a full list of suspects of which any of them would pay any price to obtain the nano technology in order to tip the scales so dominantly in their favor.
The good news was that DATIS had not been sitting around waiting either. Every day DATIS was steadily expanding its nano espionage and assault capabilities. Both manufacturing facilities were performing at full capacity. The former NGEN and NanoTech lead scientists, Dr. Little and Dr. DeSmitt were extremely talented and had made the transition to DATIS seamlessly. The staff of both former companies had also embraced DATIS due to the fact that NGEN had already lain off almost all of its employees and NanoTechs employees knew their jobs were at risk before DATIS purchased their companies.
The general had decided to appoint Walter Roe as the Director of Nano Operations at DATIS and Roe reveled in his new capacity. In the later years at NanoTech he had spent most of his time chasing investors to keep the company afloat. Now he was able to focus all his energies on building the DATIS Nano Operations division to meet the many needs of all the nano projects currently underway. Roe had proven to be an excellent organizer.
The first and second tier intrusion detection systems were also functional in all DATIS locations. Allison had worked tirelessly with blue team Engineers on creating new ways to automate the construction of these systems so they could be deployed in less time. The blue team Engineers were using the original building CADD blue prints and a new sonar surface mapping application that identified openings and vulnerabilities not found on the CADD files. The new sonar surface mapping application was a tremendous resource as every building had many non-documented modifications made over the years and it also accounted for imperfections in construction.
Allison had also reported the need for nano assault and defense systems to be located on premise to appropriately secure a facility. The general had agreed and approved the budget to do this. Each DATIS location now included a command center. From this command center all intruder detection, reconnaissance, and assault devices could be controlled for their location. This included the new mobile MARV-1’s the blue and red team members were learning to operate. These command centers also featured communication links through the DATIS global communications network providing for remote control by the main command centers at the Manchester and Miami DATIS operations. These command centers were to be constructed of varying dimensions depending upon the size of the location. DATIS locations typically had multiple buildings connected underground and above. The command centers were strategically placed in the center of each locale below the lowest level that currently exists. There were several reasons for this design; greatly reduce physical access to the command center and provide better physical protection from traditional bombs. The command centers were constructed in a cylinder design which consists of two different floors. The bottom floor is where the new hybrid soldiers called, Enforcers were located. Enforcers are blue team members who are skilled in managing the many different nano devices such as reconnaissance, assassins and the new MARV’s. Each Enforcer is assigned to a Remote Reconnaissance Assault Defense Station (RRADS). In the new hybrid army, an Enforcer and a RRADS station are the most deadly force in existence. The Enforcers RRADS station consists of three separate banks of three, fifty-two inch monitors. These monitors are used to display the view of stationary reconnaissance cameras, mobile cameras from a MARV, or any other video source. The Enforcers application utilizes transparent overlays to allow full viewing while at the same time controlling a device.
An Enforcer sits, more like reclines, in a black leather chair that looks like an upscale dentist chair. The Enforcer may customize many aspects of their RRAD such as the degree of incline of the chair, arm rests, foot rests, etc. The chair sits on supports and a roller assembly that rests upon a two track rail system. The roller system is driven by twin motors which allow the Enforcer to move forward and backward smoothly between their three banks of monitors. The monitors in the center are directly in front of the enforcer with the other two monitors on either side. The Enforcer has the ability to adjust their viewing angles using the pivoting mounts supporting each monitor. This allows the Enforcer to view straight ahead and see peripherally the other two monitors. He may also turn his RRAD chair left and right to focus better on one of the side monitors if needed. The chair also supplies the Enforcer with two liquid supplements, water and energy drink, they consume through mounted tubes allowing for nourishment without pause when involved in a prolonged engagement. The chair also has left and right foot rests. The right foot rest controls the chairs forward and backward movement while the left controls its left and right movement. The chairs arm rests are adjustable to allow a perfect fit to the needs of the Enforcer. At the end of both arm rests are heavy duty joysticks. These joysticks and their controls allow an Enforcer to control the many different devices at their disposal. The joysticks work independently of each other allowing an Enforcer to control two devices simultaneously. At the base of each joy stick is a mouse touch pad used to control the Enforcers workstations. Each monitor displays the video source selected but also provides a computer application interface to the Enforcer in a transparent overlay. Each Enforcer has nine separate concurrent systems they are able to control and monitor at any time. The Enforcers head gear allows for communication independently of their RRAD chair. However the head gear may be connected to the RRAD station and used to automate resource selection. Whatever monitor the Enforcer is facing the mouse controls and joysticks are automatically switched to control that device.
As you can imagine using a RRAD station effectively takes considerable practice, however there is an abundant resource from which to pull Enforcers from, the online gaming world. DATIS had been monitoring for many years all Internet activity including the online gaming industry. Upon a suggestion, against General Colburn’s better judgment, he authorized recruitment from selected online gaming communities such as Call of Duty and HALO. The Enforcers RRAD stations were considerably different but gamer skills were very applicable to the base requirements of a RRAD station. DATIS monitors and screens possible Enforcer recruits by suitable demographics and isolates the best players. They are then run through DATIS security screening and after passing this the individual is contacted. DATIS selects Enforcers from age eighteen and up, male or female. There are many who qualify younger than eighteen but Enforcers ultimately are involved in military operations so standard military age limits are used. DATIS had recruited over three hundred individuals thus far and continue to select more daily. Enforcer results had thus far been encouraging. The stationary assassins and reconnaissance cameras were initially all the Enforcer recruits trained on as the MARV’s were not yet released. Most Enforcers learn to switch between devices quickly to reconnoiter and fire the appropriate stationary assassins. Moving between the three banks of monitors, allowing for nine separate engagements at the same time, is what was taking some getting used to. Being gamers the Enforcers enjoyed every training mission. They naturally pushed themselves to become better as they would with any game so the advancement of their skills increased exponentially with each exercise.
The top floor of the command center is circular with only a three and a half foot wall around its perimeter thus allowing anyone on the top floor easy viewing of the first floor and the Enforcers. The second floor was twenty feet above the first. Access to the second floor is gained through a stairway inside the support column in the center of room connecting the first and second floors. The stairway is approximately ten feet in diameter where the second floor itself is sixty feet in diameter. The second level was created to provide a cohesive environment where the blue team Engineers could visually see, manage and collaborate with the Enforcers below. Walk ways span out from the support column like spokes in a wheel just underneath the second floor and extend out over the first floor allowing a person to be only a few feet above the Enforcers. These were added after the original design to facilitate a more personal method of individual instruction or assistance to Enforcers. But more than anything the two floor design won out because of the overall “feel” it provides. With all the different communication methods an Enforcer and Engineer could use to communicate; voice, alert notifications and instant messaging, the physical and visual capability creates a strong feeling of camaraderie and unity. This effect was recognized by DATIS psychologist who knew this would be a tremendous asset in the inevitable use of nano weapons and the horrors that come with any form of war. The single level design of the old command center did not facilitate this and actually gave the feeling of anonymity to Enforcers which did not promote teamwork. Another new hybrid soldier classification was the Engineer. Engineers had their own stations like Enforcers called Tactical Support Engineer Stations (TSES). The TSES station supplied the same basic design of the RRAD chair only outfitted with different functionality. First, the chair is not mounted on a track, however it is able to recline and swivel the same as the RRAD chair. Instead of three banks of monitors, Engineers use a single bank of three, fifty-two inch monitors. These monitors display all the same video feeds as an Enforcer. The TSES chair is also outfitted with the same energy drink and water supplements as an Enforcers RRAD. On the TSES however there are no joysticks, only the mouse touch pads and controls. Devices can be controlled through standard mouse controls but this is not the engineer’s primary function therefore the need for joysticks made them a nuisance.
The responsibilities of an Engineer are much different than an Enforcer. An Engineer’s duties are focused on infrastructure. They are responsible for designing, constructing and maintaining nano networks. They also facilitated the placement, construction and maintenance of the nano devices required for all areas within DATIS such as reconnaissance, intrusion detection, defense, and assault systems. The scope of their responsibilities has steadily grown with the introduction of new nano devices such as the MARV’s. A single Engineer can manage thousands of nano networks and their associated devices. The command center is where all communications to nano networks and now DATIS communication networks are accessed. From the command center Engineers are able to provide support to any number of remote locations simultaneously. Once a nano network is designed its construction is automated so an Engineer does not have to monitor every aspect of construction as he is alerted to any issues that would require their intervention. The same is true of the construction of all the nano intrusion systems. Unless a nano network has been detected or there is a malfunction that cannot be repaired automatically in a few seconds then the Engineer is alerted. In a military operation the Engineer’s duties are to provide the nano networks needed for communications and assembly of the required devices for the Enforcers and red team members. To say the Engineers of NGEN and NanoTech have come a long way from their previous positions is a gross understatement.
Jonathan and Mac had been spending considerable time developing training exercises which would foster smooth operations between blue and red team members. Mac had come to trust Jonathan and they shared a mutual respect for each other. Jonathan was physically capable, but as important, mentally astute. He intuitively grasped the tactical advantageous of nano technology and deployed them at will. Mac had submitted a request to General Colburn to commission Jonathan with his own red team unit but had not heard a response as yet.
While DATIS was making great strides, Dr. Gordon and his North Korean contingent had been busy preparing for their most recent coup in Russia. The hangar where Gordon had first met with President Mulansky had been transformed into a self sustaining community. His North Korean staff lived, ate, and trained in these hangars. Other hangars were outfitted with their own version of a command center like DATIS except in a temporary fashion. Within the command center specific operations such as the Moscow capitol building, Moscow military base and so on were identified by signs on eight foot poles denoting the boundaries of each area. Within these marked areas there was row after row of heavy duty six foot folding tables which comprised a station. These stations consisted of a computer workstation, two monitors with a headset. These stations were used to control the creation of nano networks and for live operations such as reconnaissance and assault. These stations were manned
by Belarus military personnel and were divided into squads. Each squad was commanded by a North Korean squad leader. All covert operations however were performed by Belarus personnel to protect the actual source of the nano weapons.
The North Koreans were a new breed of hybrid mercenaries whose ultimate mission was to fund ironically their own global domination assault which would include Belarus they were working with now. Their mercenary package provides the North Korean nano team at the Belarus military base for one year after the initial assault at which time the command center would be dismantled and the North Korean soldiers sent home unless an arrangement was made for a longer time period. Once the coup was completed, President Mulansky would be in a position to control the region through his military. None of the North Korean contingent, or even Dr. Gordon, was permitted to take part in any remote operations outside Belarus. They were to remain an unknown source at all times to shield their identity.
Over the previous months there had been a significant amount of covert activities by Belarus forces in preparation for the Russian coup. They had built a mission plan based on opportunity, confusion and indecision for their Russian offensive. Remote nano networks had been established at all strategically targeted military bases and at the capitol building in Moscow. Since the fall of the USSR, security had been greatly relaxed in most of the Soviet states and Russia was no exception. The checkpoints to enter Russia were basically passport checks of which the guards were owned by the Russian mafia making it easy to obtain passage for a price. The infamous KGB of the former super power had been reduced to a shell of an organization with no real authority or power. Because of this the Belarus operatives were able to move freely throughout all of Russia. All materials had been transported by truck into Russia as it was felt too risky to drop materials in for fear of detection by DATIS. The fact that they could travel freely by vehicle simply meant it would take longer to deliver materials but this was negligible considering the risks.
The weak economy in Russia provided an abundance of office and warehouse space. Because of this stationary remote command centers were established in business offices and warehouses. Local people became familiar with the Belarus personnel manning these locations making their operations harder to detect after the mission had commenced. These shell businesses were usually within six hundred yards of each military base and within two hundred yards of the Moscow capital. Since these were “exposed” business facades they could not resemble a mad scientist’s lab in the event someone happened to enter one of their operations. What Dr. Gordon had done was create “nano kits” that could be mounted into large copiers that had all their inner mechanisms removed leaving the housing only. They also used these kits to mount inside cabinets, desks, whatever complimented their business facade. Nano kits were preassembled communication and nano network routing units which could easily be installed by just screwing them onto a solid surface. These were the basic requirements to build and communicate through nano networks. The storage of the nanocells was the most challenging item they had to conceal. Even though nanocells were extremely small it took an enormous amount of them to perform operations. In the warehouse facilities this was not an obstacle as they were able to warehouse standard plastic drum containers that would not draw any attention. However, at the Moscow capitol operation they had to become a little more creative. What they decided to do was build a container out of nanocells in the ceiling above the offices and kept replenishing its supply.
From their various command center locations nano reconnaissance, assault networks and devices had been strategically placed throughout every facet of each military base and the capitol. Every call, every movement was being relayed from the remote locations to Belarus through Korea’s own satellite network. President Mulansky himself reviewed the majority of the information gained through reconnaissance. It was definitely his show and he was leaving nothing to chance.
President Louse had sent unannounced his right hand man, Lieutenant Chun Way to assist Dr. Gordon in overseeing operations and be included in the tactical planning of the missions operations. Lieutenant Way had been part of North Korea’s Elite Guard, which was the equivalent to the United States SEAL program. He advanced quickly because he had proven his ability to adapt to any situations and he was particularly ruthless in his tactics. While a squad leader his missions had a very high success rate in the very volatile East Asia region where most of their operations were executed.

President Louse had seen his progression and once the president was sure of Way’s loyalty he made him a Lieutenant and his military liaison.
Dr. Gordon knew why Lieutenant Way was there. President Louse considered Gordon a flight risk because he had enough money to entertain his beautiful, expensive habits for the rest of his life and the fact that Gordon had definitely not been the obedient servant Louse demands. Louse was looking for a time when Gordon’s services were no longer needed. Either way the doctor knew Louse was trying to dilute his position which he didn’t particularly care for.
The Russian operation was set to commence and only a few scheduled training missions remained. The operation focused on coordinated ghost strikes at designated targets of opportunity which would provide immediate confusion and cause indecisive leadership when the actual coup was launched. Opportunity, confusion, indecision was the theme of their mission plan for the Russian offensive. All actions would deliver concise and immediate termination of their targets to physiologically force any remaining enemy personnel into submission. As they had seen in Brazil nano ghost assaults had bewildered the enemy, even made them lay down their weapons and put their hands in the air to surrender, before any assault units had even physically arrived.
The mission was to commence with a covert operation on the night before the actual full assault. There was an annual summit of the former Soviet republics which was held every June. With this annual summit was also a great ball which all the dignitaries and their wives attended. This year it was held in the capitol of the Ukraine, Kiev. The plan was to assassinate Russian President Korovich at the ball using nano assassins to make this appear as if he had died of a heart attack. Before the authorities would know otherwise it would be too late. President Korovich’s death would cause political wrangling within Russia. Every government and military official would be thinking about how this would affect them and how they could increase or protect their political status. Thus every person with any authority within Russia would be thinking about everything but a coup attempt. To accomplish this, a small remote nano network with reconnaissance and assault capabilities had been placed in several different strategic placements around the facility and in the ball room itself. Assassins had been placed in the men’s bathroom, near the building entrance, near the exits from the stage where they knew President Korovich would pass when he gave his welcome address and in the hallways leading to the great ballroom. Their intent was to kill the president under the allusion he died of natural causes. A small Belarus reconnaissance team had been stationed there to establish the remote command center which was actually being controlled by the Belarus operations head quarters.
Dr. Gordon and President Louse had made a significant mistake. They had not advanced their own nano weaponry. Dr. Gordon’s time was spent overseeing operations, and his nightly vigils, leaving little time for any innovations to improve their capabilities. But DATIS’s approach, even though unsuccessful in detecting their adversary, had worked because they had not alerted the North Korean’s in anyway. DATIS’s decision to not go around knocking down doors had bought them time. The question however was it enough time?

Copyright 2008 Don Keeler. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.