War World: Jihad! Read online

  JIHAD!

  War World: Jihad! is the third volume in a grand reissue of the War World anthologies presenting Haven’s history in a chronological fashion. Jihad! is a trade hardcover and includes seven new stories, a short novel and one previously published yarn.

  The CoDominium is fraying apart at the seams, and to save itself the Soviet/American coalition is exporting Earth’s problems to the outer worlds, including exiling millions of Earth’s fanatic Muslims on Haven. Nor is this volatile situation helped when off-worlders from Levant arrive to support the rebels with military advisors and advanced weaponry. When Dire Lake dries up, famine and pestilence arrive with a vengeance. The Faithful believe that this is a sign from Allah: the time has arrived to overthrow the corrupt CoDominium lackeys and their Company sponsors in the Northern Steppes. So the Mahdi declares a Jihad and warfare breaks out with only a thin blue line between the jihadists and what remains of civilization on Haven.

  In a last-ditch attempt to save the Haven colony, Admiral Lermontov sends in the 42nd Marines. Will the Marines arrive in time? And if they do, can they stop the jihadists and save the overwhelmed CoDominium Marine garrison at Fort Camerone? Or will they be undone by the Brotherhood and other off-world powers seeking the dissolution of the CoDominium?

  WAR WORLD is a future military shared-world anthology created by John F. Carr and Jerry Pournelle. The War World series includes seven short story collections and five novels all taking place in Jerry Pournelle’s CoDominium and Empire of Man Future History, spanning several thousand years. The primary setting is a barely-habitable moon named Haven, or War World as it later becomes known. Born of rebellion and civil war, Haven, is a world forever at war, each with all—and all against the Saurons.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  JOHN F. CARR is the author of over fifteen novels, including five Lord Kalvan novels, and the co-author of three War World novels, The Battle of Sauron, The Lidless Eye and Cyborg Revolt. He has edited over thirty anthologies and short story collections. Along with Jerry Pournelle, he edited and wrote the introductions to five Baen Books War World collections. He is currently re-releasing the War World anthologies, under the Pequod imprint, with mostly new stories in chronological order. For more information visit John’s website at www.warworldcentral.com

  DONALD HAWTHORNE has published a number of short stories featuring Galen Diettinger and the Saurons in previous War World anthologies. He is the co-author of The Battle of Sauron, The Lidless Eye and Cyborg Revolt War World novels. His work has also appeared in the There Will Be War series and other anthologies. He is an avid wargamer and former editor of the Avon Hill General.

  ALAN GUTIERREZ created the dust jacket cover and interior map. Alan has done hundreds of book covers for authors like Gordon R. Dickson, David Drake, Jack Williamson, and Isaac Asimov. In addition, he has done several covers and interiors for Popular Mechanics Magazine, Analog Science Fiction, Issac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine as well as box covers for Tonka Toys “Legions of Power” series of space toys.

  Visit Alan’s website at [email protected]

  War World: Jihad!

  A War World Anthology

  Printing History

  One story in this anthology, “Dream Valley,” was published previously. “Dream Valley” first appeared in WAR WORLD: The Coming of the Eye, edited by Jerry E. Pournelle and John F. Carr published by Baen Books in 1989. The rest of the stories are here for the first time and by arrangement with the authors.

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © 2013 by John F. Carr

  Original Cover Art—Copyright © 2013 by Alan Gutierrez

  This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the authors.

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing 2013

  V 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  ISBN: 0-978-0937912-52-2

  WAR WORLD VOLUMES EDITED AND CREATED BY JOHN F. CARR AND JERRY POURNELLE

  War World I: The Burning Eye

  War World II: Death’s Head Rebellion

  War World III: Sauron Dominion

  War World IV: Invasion!

  CoDominium I: Revolt on War World

  WAR WORLD NOVELS

  Blood Feuds

  Blood Vengeance

  The Battle of Sauron

  The Lidless Eye

  Cyborg Revolt

  WAR WORLD VOLUMES EDITED BY JOHN F. CARR

  WAR WORLD: Discovery!

  WAR WORLD: Takeover

  WAR WORLD: Jihad!

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  First, I’d like to give thanks to Jerry Pournelle for allowing me to expand the War World universe.

  I would also like to give special thanks to our copyeditors, Larry Hopkins, Victoria Alexander, Dennis Frank, Wolfgang Diehr and Doug McElwain.

  Finally, a big thank you to Alan Gutierrez who, as always, did a wonderful job on the cover art.

  CoDominium Chronology

  1969

  Neil Armstrong sets foot on Earth’s moon.

  1990-2000

  Series of treaties between the United States and the Soviet Union creates the CoDominium. Military research and development outlawed.

  1995

  Nationalist movements intensify.

  1996

  French Foreign Legion forms the basic element of the CoDominium Armed Services.

  1998

  The Church of New Universal Harmony founded.

  2004

  Charles Castell is born.

  2010-100

  CoDominium Intelligence Services engage in serious effort to suppress all research into technologies with military applications. They are aided by zero-growth organizations.

  2010

  Habitable planets discovered in other star systems. Commercial exploitation of new worlds begins.

  2020

  First interstellar colonies are founded. The CoDominium Space Navy and Marines are created, absorbing the original Co-Dominium Armed Services.

  2020

  Great Exodus period of colonization begins. First colonists are dissidents, malcontents and voluntary adventurers.

  2028

  Creation of the Humanity League. Sponsored by the ACLU, Sierra Club and Zero Population groups.

  2032

  Captain Jed Byers of the CDSS Ranger discovers a planetary-sized moon of a gas giant and names it Haven.

  2040

  CoDominium Population Control under the aegis of the Bureau of Relocation and Bureau of Corrections begins mass out-system shipments of involuntary colonists.

  2041

  Edwin Hamilton discovers the first shimmer stones on Haven.

  2042

  Hamilton sells the location to Dover Mineral Development and is paid a fortune to keep secret the location of their planet of origin.

  2043

  John Christian Falkenberg, III is born in Rome.

  2043

  The 26th Marines, Company C, Third Battalion is dispatched to Haven to stop criminal gangs from taking over the colony.

  2052

  The Shimmer Stone Rush. When the location of shimmer stones becomes public knowledge, it leads to a “rush” of shimmer stones miners.

  2055

  The Condominium Bureau of Intelligence orchestrates a revolt by a band of imported criminals, which ends in disaster when their attack on Jamesport fails and their leader, Jomo, is killed.

  2057

  Chuluun, now “Khan of the Free Tribes of the Steppes,” allies with a nearby American settlement (“Independence”) to execute a raid on a Dover
Mining town in the Shangri-La Valley. His wife Tuya gives birth to Bataar.

  2060

  Nationalism begins to heighten all over the Earth. The long peace which has been preserved by the CoDominium is now taken for granted. Earth’s nations (beginning with Japan) begin to chafe under the CD’s yoke. In the USA and the USSR, nationalists begin to question the need for the alliance between the two superpowers.

  2066

  After eight years as interim colonial governor, Thomas Erhenfeld Bronson is promoted to Consul-General of Haven.

  2069

  Sergei Lermontov promoted to “Rear Admiral, Captain of the Fleet.” (After a very brief tenure as a ship’s captain.) He is stationed at Crucis Sector Headquarters. Falkenberg is transferred to the Line Marines and promoted to Captain (youngest in the fleet). He heads the 501st Battalion.

  2068/70

  Many of the more successful colonies begin pushing for greater independence. Dayan, Friedland, Meiji, and Xanadu (and probably Danube) even begin developing small fleets of their own.

  2070/71

  Kennicott: John Christian Falkenberg marries Grace, daughter of the militia leader Tobias. After a spectacular campaign, the 42nd is victorious, but its colonel is killed. Major Falkenberg assumes command.

  2071

  A coalition in the Grand Senate arranges to have Rear Adm. Lermontov promoted to [Junior] Vice-Admiral, and to have Acting Col. Falkenberg promoted to Colonel. Falkenberg doesn’t want to leave his wife, and she won’t leave Kennicott. Lermontov persuades Falkenberg to leave Kennicott and continue on as the commander of the 42nd Regular Line Regiment by telling him about a conspiracy involving himself and some members of the Grand Senate.

  2071

  Falkenberg is promoted to Colonel and given permanent control of the 42nd Line Marines. Grace refuses to leave Kennicott and divorces him. Falkenberg begins a series of missions that will soon gain him renown as a great military strategist and also make him known as Lermontov’s protégé.

  2072

  Unrest in Siberia, Turkestan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Upper Mongolia. The USSR and Bureau of Relocation begin massive deportation of Soviet minorities to colony worlds, including Haven.

  2074

  Capt. Ramsey takes CDSS Daniel Webster into space. About this time, Senator Martin Grant becomes chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and Adm. Lermontov becomes Vice-Admiral, Commanding, and is stationed on Luna.

  2076

  Senator Grant and Cmdr. John Grant Jr. attempt to rescue Barbara Jean Ramsey. Bartholomew Ramsey attempts to rescue the Grants.

  2079

  Sergei Lermontov becomes Grand Admiral of the Fleet. His appointment is sponsored by the Grants, but Senator Bronson votes to confirm him as well.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Jihad!

  About the Author

  Also by John F. Carr

  Acknowledgements

  CoDominium Chronology

  HIGH JINGO, John F. Carr

  ALEXANDER’S SWORD, ER Stewart

  ESCAPE FROM A DARK HOLE, Doug McElwain

  THE CONSULTANT, James Landau

  ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS, A.L. Brown

  PEACE AT ANY PRICE, John F. Carr

  DREAM VALLEY, Edward Hughes

  ON THE BACK OF A TIGER, William F. Wu

  WHAT THE DINOSAURS KNEW, Don Hawthorne

  High Jingo

  John F. Carr

  2069 A.D., Ceres

  AFTER SEVEN YEARS of campaigning one comes to realize that the slight disorientation of passing through one Alderson Point is very similar to the sensation when passing through any other of several hundred Alderson Points. And quarters for a lieutenant aboard one CoDominium starship are remarkably functional and similar to those aboard any other ship. Starship travel was, of course, the downtime.

  The constant brushfire engagements on a dozen planets varied much more; their only constant being sudden death. Jeremy Savage could still bring up an occasional tear of emotion at some parading of the colors. He enjoyed his work as much as any soldier can. He could endure the spit-and-polish boredom of his occasional stint of garrison duty. What was less easy to endure was that he had polished one set of lieutenant’s bars down to the bare base metal and had to go buy another. After seven effing years Jeremy Savage was still just a lieutenant. A goddamn colonial lieutenant!

  He thought often of Colonel Copeland, the Commandant of New Sandhurst, and his parting words: “You shouldn’t have come home. The CoDominium Fleet is little more than a club for the incompetents from various national forces on Earth. They’re despised out here—have to be escorted about with armed guards—and yet they nobble all the top posts out here where the action is. The CD needs more able colonials, more young men like you to put things back in balance. What had you expected to accomplish here on Churchill?”

  If this was bettering himself in the CoDominium, where would he be now if he’d stayed on Churchill? Probably saluting moorse drivers instead of waiting for a transfer off Ceres Base.

  It was not that Savage lacked ability. Many officers who, unfortunately, had not been in his own chain of command, had privately remarked on how able the young lieutenant was, and what a pity someone could not find a place for him. But the captains and majors and colonels whom Jeremy Savage had helped through one disastrous campaign after another had short memories and were ungrateful for having their bacon saved by a colonial. And, why was the young whelp taking up space when they all had poor relations of their own back on Earth to be taken care of? It was enough to drive a man to drink. And slowly, it was driving Jeremy Savage there.

  Ceres was a stopping point for all traffic to Sol’s inner planets. The asteroid was usually a first assignment after graduation from the Academy at Luna Base. It also served as the primary transfer point for returning CoDominium Service Navy personnel and Marines for home or out-system duty.

  But after a three month passage from Pesht on a civilian liner managed by some religio-ecological group with a totally unrealistic attitude toward alcohol, Jeremy Savage had developed the kind of thirst that used to be known only east of Suez where the best was like the worst. There weren’t any ten commandments on Luna or Ceres. The sole dictum was, “Thou shalt not miss muster or be unable to perform thy duty.”

  He was pleased to see an old friend, Brent Myers, whom he had not seen since their Academy days in the canteen. He motioned him over, asking “When’d you drop in?”

  Captain Myers concentrated. “About forty hours ago. Hell of a trip: damned ore carrier’s air machine killed half the poor BuReloc suckers on the way out. Would’ve done us in, only the return cargo mostly doesn’t breathe.”

  “Sounds like the Kennicott ship I took two years ago getting off Comstock. Earth’s unwashed coming in, refined ore going out.”

  “And air so foul it burned the plating off my captain’s bars,” Brent Myers growled and rubbed at his neck where the skin texture was not quite right.

  Savage also had a few of these saddle marks of CD service but his clothing concealed most of the regeneration marks which were not exactly scars but more like ill-matched skin textures and colorings. Savage fingered his lieutenant’s bars. “Nice to see somebody’s getting ahead,” he groused. “Another drink?”

  “In the Forty-second you’re never stationary. It’s either another grade up or two meters down.” A topless waitress with the magnificent buoyancy only low gravity could produce was replenishing their glasses when two lieutenants and an ensign caught sight of Brent Myers and glide-walked to the table.

  “What’s a nice boy like you doing in a dive like this?” the taller one asked Savage.

  “A question I ask myself with increasing frequency,” Savage said.

  “Be of good cheer. I bring tidings of joy.”

  “Is Earth suffering from a sterility plague?” Myers asked.

  “Not exactly.” They pulled chairs back in the rails, without which chairs would be floating all over the low-ceilinged room, and sc
ooted back into a conspiratorial circle around the bolted-down table. “Up the Brotherhood,” the tall lieutenant said, and raised his glass. Captain Myers drank up hurriedly, gave Savage an ‘I’ve heard this before’ look and departed.

  Jeremy Savage recalled Colonel McKinley’s pep talk before he had departed Luna Base. In the seven years since he had rejoined the CoDominium the subject of the Brotherhood had come up on occasion but Jeremy was not a joiner. The Academy Commandant had hinted at the subject, but leaving Britannia, leaving Judith Rivers, leaving the swamp untamed—there was too much unfinished in his life for Lieutenant Savage to become involved in some childish rannygazoo of passwords and secret handclasps. Although he came from a Low Church family, Savage was in private agreement with whichever pope it was who had condemned all secret organizations.

  The tall lieutenant accepted a glass of red with an appreciative glance at what low G could do for topless waitresses. “They conspire against us,” he said. “In the entire history of the CoDominium has any colonial ever risen beyond colonel?”

  Savage struggled to remember the lieutenant’s name. Freedom? Didn’t sound right.

  “The high command is torn down the middle between the Yanks and the Russkis,” he continued. “All from Earth, and every bloody one of them busy padding the payroll with whichever of his poor relations can’t hack it on Earth.” The tall lieutenant spoke a bizarre mélange of American and Britannic, with an oddly plangent underlay.