“Any other suggestions?” asked Hailey. She had been summoned to Race’s office to discuss strategy in the coming battle.
“Admiral Grayseth will be here in two days and Commander Zafron in four,” answered Race, still gazing out the window. From his high position he could see the crystalline-looking skyscrapers of half a dozen other cities built by the Originators. “We would use them to spearhead any major attack.”
Hailey nodded, she had already thought of that. “What about detecting the Eternals? Do we want to send out some battlecruisers to serve as an early warning system?”
Race left the window and activated the hologram showing the hub. He then shrunk it, showing more of intergalactic space. “They’ll be coming in fast and will be expecting to surprise us.” He touched an icon on his computer screen and a series of green icons appeared surrounding the hub out about twenty light years. “We’ll put two thousand battlecruisers around the hub to serve as an early warning system. I’m having their sensors modified to hone in on hyperspace anomalies. They should be able to detect any inbound Eternal ships out to about fifty light years. Even so that’s only going to give us a few minutes of warning.”
“At least we’ll know they’re coming.”
Race sat down. “Hailey, we’re running out of time. Is there anything we’re missing?”
Hailey took a few moments to study the hologram. “Once the Eternals arrive it’s going to take us some time to move all of our ships out of the Dyson spheres. We’re also going to have to open the big hatches to get them out. I hope that’s not a mistake.”
“I hate opening those hatches as that could give the Eternals an access point to get inside one of the Dyson spheres. I’ll talk to the Originator Council and see if they have any other suggestions on how to get those ships out faster.”
“How many ships will we have to defend the hub with?”
Race touched several icons on his computer screen and checked the numbers. They were increasing rapidly every day. “We’re already up to over four hundred thousand battlecruisers and I expect that number to reach close to five hundred and ten thousand when the last ships we’ve recalled arrive. We’ll also have nearly seventy thousand dreadnaughts.”
Hailey’s eyes widened. “That’s one hell of a fleet. Surely it’s enough to stop the Eternals.”
“Maybe,” replied Race with a trace of doubt in his eyes. “I talked to Dazon Fells and he feels there has been a major power shift in the Eternal hierarchy since our attack on their home galaxy. Whoever is in charge seems to be willing to take more risks than his predecessors as demonstrated by the sheer number of galaxies they have retreated from. This Eternal or group of Eternals has put together a strategy they feel will bring them victory in the war. Dazon also feels they might be willing to throw a huge number of ships against us to ensure they win.”
“How many?”
Race hesitated and then answered. “A million or more.”
Hailey’s shoulders drooped. “How do we stop a million Eternal battlecruisers?”
“We have the juggernauts and the battlestations; they should make a difference.”
“Against a million ships? I’m not sure even that will be enough.”
“I suspect they’ll make it through to the Dyson spheres. That’s where our heavy weapons are. The fighting’s going to be very intense and I’m afraid a lot of us aren’t going to make it through it.”
“We need to call back all of our juggernauts. We’re going to need every one of them.”
Race knew Hailey was right. So far he had resisted recalling all of the juggernauts because they were playing such a large role conquering Eternal galaxies. “I’ll recall most of them. We don’t want to tip off the Eternals we’re on to their plan to attack the hub.”
“How many will that give us?”
“A little over two hundred,” replied Race.
“Let’s hope that’s enough.” Hailey was still trying to figure out how to organize a fleet as large as the one they were gathering into a cohesive unit. It was just too damn big. “I need to talk to some of the Originator military AIs. This battle is going to be nearly impossible to manage.”
“Commander Zafron might have some suggestions on that. The Eternals and the Originators fought some really massive battles in the far past. He might have a solution.”
Hailey nodded. “I’ll talk to him as soon as the Dominator arrives.”
-
Commander Zafron was busy studying the possible scenarios which might occur at the hub if the Eternals attacked in force. In every one he had ran so far the Eternals had caused major damage to the facilities at the hub, including at least one of the Shrieels.
“I don’t like this,” he said as he set up another scenario. “We’re losing far too many ships.”
“The Eternal battlecruisers are larger than our own battlecruisers and dreadnaughts,” replied Kazak as he set up his portion of the scenario. He was acting out the part of the Eternals. “Since their development of dark matter weapons our weapons advantage has greatly decreased. Our only real advantage now are our dark matter converters. That gives our weapons a little more power and increases the strength of our energy shields.”
Commander Zafron quickly ran through the next scenario. In this one a Shrieel actually came apart when multiple dark matter impacts split the hull and made the structure too unstable.
Folding his arms over his chest, Zafron stopped the scenarios and leaned back in his chair. “The only way to clearly win this battle is to allow the Eternals to attack the Shrieels. Only the Shrieels have the weapons necessary to inflict substantial losses on the Eternals and to allow us a clear victory.”
“A grave risk,” replied Kazak.
Commander Zafron nodded. “Yes, it is. But if the Shrieels can lock the Eternals out of hyperspace by trapping them it would allow our fleets and battlestations to pin them against the megastructures.”
Kazak quickly ran a number of scenarios allowing the Eternals to easily reach the Shrieels before the fleet responded and a hyperspace interdiction field was activated. “It’s risky,” Kazak said after a few minutes. “We can win decisively but it’s going to be costly. We’ll lose at a minimum 32 percent of the facilities at the hub and possibly one of the Shrieels. However, if we win, the Eternals ability to wage war will be effectively eliminated. It would take us seven years to conquer their remaining galaxies.”
“Then we know what we have to do,” replied Zafron with a deep sigh. “As soon as we reach the hub I’ll meet with the council and Fleet Admiral Tolsen. We all need to be in agreement if we accept this strategy.” Zafron turned his attention back to the scenarios. If the council agreed, it would be the biggest risk they had ever taken in the war. All Zafron had to do now was talk them into it.
Chapter Nineteen
Admiral Grayseth was back at the hub with twenty-seven of the dreadnaughts he had originally left with. It pained him that so many of his brave warriors had made the journey to the Great Hunt. They would be greatly missed in the coming battle.
“Fleet Admiral Tolsen and Admiral Mann are requesting your presence at the Tower,” reported the communications officer.
Grayseth nodded. This did not surprise him. They would want a more precise debrief of the rescue mission as well as to decide how best to use Grayseth and his warships in the coming battle. “Prepare my shuttle. Rastell, give the crews forty hours to visit their families then everyone needs to report back to their ships. While we’re gone have the ships fully rearmed with missiles.”
It didn’t take Grayseth long to reach his shuttle and for it to launch. Looking out the front cockpit window, he noticed a lot of changes had occurred or were underway. Massive structures were on the move. Leaning back in his chair he thought about what this might mean. He planned on meeting with Race and then heading to see Marille and his other three cubs. It would be nice to spend an evening at home. He knew afterwards he would need to stay on the Hunter until after the ba
ttle with the Eternals was over.
-
Grayseth finally reached the Tower and was ushered into Race’s spacious office where he spent nearly three hours being debriefed and discussing the coming battle against the Eternals.
“This is going to be bad, isn’t it?”
Race nodded. “Yes, that’s one reason why I wanted Jeremy and Kathryn to stay in the Makuul Galaxy. If the Eternals win, at least we have the people in place to start over.”
“They won’t win!” roared Grayseth. “This will be a great battle and we will end them once and for all.”
“I hope you’re right,” replied Race. “We’re greatly augmenting your fleet. Admiral Mann will give you your orders as soon as your crews return to their ships.”
“We’ll be ready.”
Grayseth left the Tower and headed toward home. He was looking forward to seeing Marille and the cubs. He just hoped this would not be the last time.
-
Race leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. “I just have a bad feeling about this battle.”
“There’s a lot at stake,” replied Hailey, understanding Race’s concerns.
“The Originators are evacuating over ten million of their people just as a precautionary measure. They’re going to the Dyson sphere in Shari space.”
“Should we do the same?”
Race took in a deep breath. “We’ve decided to stay here. We have sufficient underground facilities for our entire population. The only danger would be if the Eternals crack open one of the Dyson spheres.”
“Is there a danger of that?”
“It’s slight. We’re pretty certain the Eternals want to capture as many of our structures as possible for their own use. They will be landing a tremendous number of their warriors and warrior robots. We’ve stripped the Marines from most of our bases and the other Dyson spheres. The same for the combat robots. The factories which produce the combat robots are working around the clock.”
On the large viewscreen in the front of Race’s office one of the large Accelerator Rings was active with a fleet of battlecruisers and dreadnaughts coming through. “We’ll start taking the larger rings apart tomorrow,” said Hailey. “We’ve already moved two of the smaller ones.”
Race nodded. They had to keep the ring technology away from the Eternals. “We’ll meet with Commander Zafron as soon as he arrives. We need to get our final preparations finished as soon as possible. The Eternals could show up in just a few more weeks.”
Hailey nodded. “We’ll be ready.”
-
Several days later Commander Zafron watched as the Dominator exited the Accelerator Ring.
“We’re being directed to dock in shipyard seventeen,” reported Captain Franklyn. “As soon as we’re docked you’re to report to the Tower to meet with Fleet Admiral Tolsen.”
“Acknowledge the orders,” replied Zafron. “Kia, take us in to the dock.”
“I will as soon as I find the shipyard,” replied Kia. “They’ve been moving the structures around.”
“Getting ready for the attack,” surmised Kazak.
It didn’t take long to locate the shipyard and to get the Dominator into the massive repair bay. As soon as the ship was secured Commander Zafron left to go to the Tower. He had much to discuss with Fleet Admiral Tolsen.
-
Reaching the Tower, Commander Zafron was surprised to see the fleet admiral as well as several members of the council.
“Commander Zafron,” began Race. “As you know we believe the Eternals are preparing for a massive attack on the hub. You have more experience dealing with the Eternals than any of our other fleet officers. What is your opinion on how this battle needs to be fought?”
For the next several hours Commander Zafron explained the strategy Kazak and he had come up with. When he was finished there was silence in the room.
“A daring plan,” commented Race, leaning back and gazing at the commander. “We risk much in doing as you are suggesting.”
“But we win the battle and end the Eternals’ ability to wage war.”
“They will still have a few ships left,” commented Dazon Fells. “As a matter of fact a large number of ships.”
Commander Zafron nodded. “But those ships will be scattered across ten thousand galaxies. We can deal with them whenever we want.”
Councilor Trallis stood up and walked over to the window, gazing out. “If we do as you suggest we could finally see the an end to this war. It could bring peace to a major portion of our universe. However, if we lose, there will be nobody to stand in the way of the Eternals continuing to rampage throughout the galaxies. The surviving Shrieels will close themselves off and I suspect most of our bases in our own galaxies will be closed down and those forces brought back to defend the Shrieels. Even if Fleet Admiral Strong returns he might find it a challenge to rouse my people to take the fight back to the Eternals.”
“War is comprised of risks,” said Race. “Some are minor and some are major. We can control our own destiny. However, all the Dyson spheres are the creations of the Originators. I feel it must be their decision if we decide to risk what they have created here at the hub.”
Councilor Trallis let out a deep sigh. “I will call a meeting of the full council for tomorrow. Commander Zafron, I will need you there to explain your plan.”
“I will be there,” promised Zafron.
-
Later Commander Zafron was back on board the Dominator speaking with Kazak. “I will require your presence at the meeting tomorrow as well. We must make a presentation which will convince the council to see things our way.”
Kazak understood what Commander Zafron was asking of him. “I will do as you ask but you must realize, nearly every member of the council has spent most of their time on a Shrieel whereas you and I have spent much of our time in space. Our perspective on what we’re willing to sacrifice will be different from the others.”
“Never-the-less, we must convince them.”
Kazak nodded. “I will begin pulling up the necessary information. I believe I can put forward a telling case for our plan. It will be up to you to convince the council.”
Commander Zafron knew there were members on the council who would not approve of endangering the Shrieels. However, without the proper incentives the Eternals would never fall into the trap.
-
The council meeting had gone very well. Several of the Originator Council members felt uncomfortable putting the Shrieels in danger but the knowledge that if they were successful in destroying the Eternal fleet the war for all intent and purposes would be over swayed them.
Dazon Fells had provided the most convincing argument, explaining if the Eternals suffered another major loss after the interdiction of their home galaxy the survivors might very well agree to a permanent peace treaty.
Councilor Trallis ended the meeting with a short speech. “We created the Eternals or the Anti-Life as we once called them. It is our duty to end their depravity once and for all regardless of the cost. Commandeer Zafron, by orders of this council you are hereby promoted to the rank of full admiral, something we should have done long ago.”
Commander Zafron was overwhelmed by the promotion. He had never considered becoming an admiral. It was a rank normally reserved for only the best military commanders in the Originator race.
As Admiral Zafron and Kazak left the council chambers Zafron wondered what was ahead of him. To defeat the expected Eternal fleet was not going to be easy. The first thing they had to do was accept there would be massive losses to the defending fleets as well as structures here at the hub. Zafron’s entire plan was based around not necessarily defending those valuable structures but to concentrate on destroying the Eternal fleet instead. Now he just needed to figure out how he was going to do that.
-
In the Makuul Galaxy, the Special Five and their children were at Jeremy and Kelsey’s home discussing the developments at the Communications an
d Transport Hub.
“I wish we were there,” said Jason. He was sitting on the couch next to Clair.
“I’m glad you’re not,” responded Kelsey with a steep frown. “You’ve never seen a battle like the one that’s going to happen at the hub. In this type of battle anything can happen, including a lot of people getting killed. For once I’m glad all of us are here where it’s safe.”
“She’s right,” sent Clair. “The Liberator would not be that useful in the battle anyway. She’s too small.”
“Maybe so,” replied Jason. He looked over at his father. He knew that Jeremy would rather be at the hub. Jason had overheard his father speaking to Grayseth just before the large Carethian left to return. His father had regretted not being able to go on the hunt with his clan brother.
“How are the repairs on the Liberator going?” asked Kevin.
“Finished,” replied Jason. “She’s as good as new.”
“That’s great,” said Kevin. “Jeremy, when we return to the hub are we going to build another Avenger?” Kevin had been wondering about this as it would mean Jeremy intended to continue to fly around the universe putting out fires.
Kelsey reached over and took Jeremy’s hand. “I don’t know,” he replied. “We’ve done so much over the years, maybe it’s time to allow a new generation to take over.”
Jason felt a thrill run down his back. “We won’t let you down.”
Angela stood up and refilled her tea glass. “If we decide to retire and allow the seven of you to take our places you’re going to need a much larger ship. The Liberator is fine for training and the mission we built her for but not to travel all over the universe in.”
“I was thinking about a specially built juggernaut,” explained Jeremy, grinning. “I think I still have enough pull with the council to get that done.”
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