Dimension Lapse II: Return to Doomsday (Dimension Lapse Series Book 2)

by Nicholas Davis

  "Unless," Jeff suggested. "His daughter knows how to develop a cure."

  "Jeff, I know what you're thinking, and it's out of the question. Let's not forget about what this mission is about. It's not about saving me."

  "The question is, are you going to be strong enough to make it through this mission?" Jeff replied.

  "Don't worry about me," Carver said. "I'm still strong enough to kick your ass!"

  Jeff laughed "Not if I get you drunk first!"

  "Really, I'll be fine. Forget about a cure for now. If Ms. Avery is willing to help us after this is all over instead of helping our adversaries, I might have a chance. Besides, I'll live another two years at least, and if I'm retired it will be easier on me. And please, don't tell anyone, not even Lori."

  "All right, John, have it your way. I guess I'll turn in for the night. Thanks for the drink."

  "Anytime," Carver said, as the intercom interrupted the conversation.

  "Sir, there's a fleet of ships about 54 million miles out, coming from Marlon."

  "Have you got the weapons system up yet?"

  "No, Sir."

  "How long?"

  "Sir, we're doing the best we can."

  "How long?" He repeated loudly.

  "About thirty minutes."

  "I'll be right up," Carver said, and he and Jeff left the room.

  "Let me go up with you," Jeff suggested. "I might be able to help."

  "I'd rather you didn't," Carver said, all too well knowing he wouldn't listen. "But I also know there's no point in arguing with you either."

  "You know me too well, " Jeff laughed, as they walked down the hallway towards the elevator and stepped inside.

  "Bridge," Carver told the computer automated device.

  It followed his orders and took them up to their destination. The doors opened, and revealed a large bridge with an open dome shaped viewing screen, several computers, and about thirty five men and women, as well as a few other alien races. There were two Greys, a cat like creature that was bipedal, and a reptilian as well. A young woman with long brown hair tied in a pony tail in her twenties came forward to salute him.

  "Captain on the bridge!" she said, and the whole bridge rose and saluted.

  "Try to stay out of trouble," he told Jeff, and then addressed his crew. "Status, Helmsman?"

  "Ships are approaching at the rate of faster than light factor two, Sir," he answered. "Weapons systems are still inoperative."

  "What about the torpedoes?"

  "Also inoperative, " another woman said.

  "Are the doors operable?"

  "Yes, Sir," she responded.

  "If the Garlicians get too close, open the doors."

  "What good will that do?" Jeff asked.

  "If we could eject the torpedoes manually they can serve as mines. Tell engineering to get on that right away!"

  "Yes, Sir," the women said.

  "Helmsman, estimated time of arrival?

  "Twenty eight minutes, Sir."

  "Well, that's how long we have to get the weapons working and launch those warheads," Carver stated. "Try taking evasive maneuvers deeper into Republic territory."

  "Sir, there is a Tolarion vessel among the Garlician fleet," the helmsman reported, as he followed his order. "It's sending a communication to us."

  "Open the channel, Lieutenant," he ordered the communications officer.

  "Channel open, Sir," she said. Onscreen, the face of a one eyed ape-like creature appeared.

  "This is the Galactic Republic space vessel, Renake," he said. "You are entering Republic territory. Please turn back, you are violating the treaty."

  "This is Balta, Supreme Commander of the Tolarion race," the voice answered. "And I have two of your humans as hostages. They are Colonel Steve Rollings and a Steve Malone."

  "Rollings," Jeff answered. "Didn't George Thompson say he worked with him on Mars?"

  "Ah, Mr. Walker," Balta said. "Good to here from you again. You're probably wondering how come I'm still alive."

  "The thought did cross my mind," Jeff said. That feeling of uneasiness came over him again, as he heard his raspy voice. "How do I know you're not just a clone."

  He showed him the burn mark on his hand.

  "Do you think I'd ever forget what you did to me," he stated. "I'm just as hard to get rid of as you."

  "What's your proposal?" Carver asked the Tolarion Commander.

  "A trade," Balta said. "I was going to give the two Martians to the Garlicians for execution, but I've decided to trade them for Walker instead. The Garlicians will be overjoyed that I've given them such as a prize as him."

  "Don't trust him!" Jeff said. "He'll just kill us all anyway."

  "Is Angelica Avery onboard?" Carver asked.

  "I know of no such person," was Balta's answer.

  "He's lying!" Jeff stated.

  "No deal," Carver said. "We'll give you twenty minutes to leave Republic territory, or we'll attack your fleet."

  "And I'll give you ten," Balta said. "Or I'll kill them both, and release my fusion ray against your dilapidated starship. I know that your weapon systems are down, and that you're trying to bluff me. Surrender Walker, or die." The screen turned off, and Carver faced Jeff.

  "Well, so much for negotiating," Jeff stated. "If I surrender, they'll still kill the rest of you anyway, if I know Balta."

  "No one's going to surrender," Carver stated. "Helmsman, how fast before you can give me warp drive?"

  "About seven minutes," he answered.

  "As soon as you do, get us the hell out of here," Carver commanded. He turned to his lifetime friend with concern. "Jeff, you don't need to be here. You better go below deck with Lori and the others."

  "I can't leave at a time like this," Jeff exclaimed.

  "Their fusion reactors have been activated," the helmsman said. "Weapon will become active in six minutes."

  "Major Walker, get out of here," Carver said. "That's an order!"

  Jeff felt it best to do what he said; he seldom called him by his official name. Jeff nodded, and left the bridge. Carver waited impatiently, until the warp drive engines regained their power, but was worried about the weapon systems as well.

  "Ensign, have the torpedo doors opened yet?" he asked.

  "No, Sir," she stated. "Still inoperative."

  "How about photon weapons?"

  "Still inoperative, Sir," the helmsman reported.

  "Shields?"

  "Still down," the helmsman said, anxiously.

  "Doesn't anything work around here?" Carver yelled, beginning to panic. "Helmsman divert all power to warp drive in two minutes and twenty seven seconds."

  "Aye, Sir," the helmsman said. He pressed about seven buttons on his console. "All power diverted, Sir."

  "Okay," he said. "Let's hope for a miracle."

  The crew looked at him as if he had handed them a death sentence, which it indeed would be if they couldn't pull out in time. As the last two minutes passed, it seemed like eternity. Just before they were about to give up hope, the ensign had some promising news.

  "Sir, the torpedo doors just opened," she said. "Torpedoes have been deployed."

  "Great," Carver said. "Activate detonation sequence for-"

  "Three and a half minutes, Sir," the helmsman stated.

  "Three and a half minutes," Carver ordered.

  "Impact in one minute, Sir."

  "Activate warp drive, Helmsman," Carver ordered, and the helmsman pressed a button on his console. "Engines are sluggish, Sir."

  "Just get us out of here, Carver said, and sat in the command chair. "Activate Red battle response alert, Ensign."

  "Red alert activated, Sir," she stated.

  "Brace yourselves," Carver said. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

  As the helmsman activated the warp drive, the ship propelled forward, but not enough to escape the fusion beam, which skimmed part of the bridge, exploding a section on the top of the dome, and exposing the bridge to the hostility of sp
ace. Carver had just enough time to make it to the elevator, along with three others, two women and a Grey, before the air left the bridge. The ship shook violently, as one of the torpedoes exploded when it got in the path of the beam, and destroyed the back section of the ship as well.

  Carver, his ensign, and his communications officers were the only ones who made it to the lower deck, which remained in tack, as well as the three floors below it, including the landing bay. He scrambled down the hallway toward his destination, and ran into Jeff, who was just going back to his room. He was gasping for air when he approached him. He had burn marks on his face and arms, but nothing too serious.

  "Jeff," he gasped, as Jeff grabbed his shoulders. "We have to get to the hangar deck and evacuate."

  "All right," Jeff said. "I'll get Lori and the Lingworts. Just get down there, and warm the ship up."

  Carver pressed the ship wide intercom next to him.

  "This is Captain Carver," he said. "Abandon, Ship. All systems have been compromised!"

  After that, his two female officers helped him down to the hangar bay. Jeff was close behind, as Lori, Dormiton and Milgic greeted him in the hallway.

  "What's going on around here?" Dormiton asked, frantically.

  "We're under attack!" Jeff yelled. "We have to get out of here, and down to the escape ships."

  "I'm scared," Lori said, and hugged him tight.

  "Me too!" Milgic stated.

  "I know, I know," Jeff said, and rubbing her back to comfort her. "We have to go now."

  They ran down the hallway, as the lights began to flicker, and stepped down the stairway and into the landing bay. Carver was waiting by the Garlician ship for them. Jeff saw that some of the ships were gone already, and there was nobody else around.

  "Where is everybody?'

  "They're either dead or gone already, " Carver said. "And we'll be dead soon if we don't get out of here."

  The five of them climbed inside the vessel, and Carver shut the door, while they all got strapped in. The Ensign, Carlita Vega, who was the same woman who addressed him on the bridge, was a Latino woman of slim build. She sat at the helm, along with the other woman who was in her thirties, and had short, curly blonde hair.

  "Ensign," Carver ordered. "Get us out of here as soon as possible."

  "Yes, Sir," she said, and turned on the main engines. "Sir, we only have simple antimatter drive in this vessel. If they come after us, we'll be unable to outrun them."

  "Maybe we won't have to," Carver said. If they run into those torpedoes, it will damage them severely. Take us out of here. Set course for Zacharas."

  "Zacharas?" the ensign asked. "Why there?"

  "It's the closest planet that has a suitable atmosphere," Carver said. "Sentros is too far, and Maol hasn't got a Republic outpost."

  "Does Zacharas?" Jeff asked.

  "Yes, a small one. There are two types of Arthropods there," Carver said. "The kind you are familiar with, like Zarcon was. They are in control of the outpost."

  "And the other," Lori asked.

  "Are savage, warlike, and tribal," Carver said. "It's our only chance."

  As they started down the launch deck, the ensign switched the door device to open doors, which weren't responding."

  "Fire main lasers!" he commanded.

  She did so, and blew a huge hole where the doors were. They jettisoned from the battle cruiser and into space, and saw several Garlician ships explode from their torpedoes. The Starlighter, however, along with three Garlician ships remained unscathed. They passed by their ship, and seemed not to notice them. The camouflage of using a Garlician ship worked for the moment. "That was close," Carver said, as they started out of range.

  They looked back at the destroyed vessel, which now lay in three separate pieces, floating through space. He was unsure of how many survived, and didn't dare open communications, for fear it would expose their identity.

  He knew it might come down to this. He just didn't expect a gamma ray burst to interfere with their plans, and it was too late to back out now. Their mission still needed to be completed, and now it was totally up to them. Although Carver and Jeff heard about Zacharas, and knew their deceased friend Zarcon was originally from there, they had no idea what the world was like. If it was as hostile as Zarcon said it was, they were not looking any more forward to it then meeting Balta.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Back on the Starlighter, the captives were appalled by what just took place. Angelica, who was now awake, and fully aware of the situation, just stared at the Tolarion in disgust and anger.

  "You claim to be part human?" she hissed. "After what you just did to all those people?"

  "I did what I had to," Balta replied. "Varloo, what's our status?"

  "Five of our ships have been destroyed," he reported. "Three are left. One is Akari's."

  "Open communications to Akari," Balta said. Varloo followed his order.

  "Akari on viewing screen," Varloo said.

  The image of a being appeared, humanoid in nature, reddish in color, and covered with spikes on his head, arms and legs, but none on his face. He wore a light black medal armor over his chest, arms and legs, and was about seven feet tall. His eyes were bright green and mysterious.

  "Darak Tuk," Balta said to him, which meant 'hello old friend.' "Glad you survived. I wasn't counting on them to jettison fusion warheads."

  "I lost five of my best ships, and over three hundred of my best men," Akari stated. "That was something I wasn't anticipating."

  "And I'm sorry for that," Balta reiterated. "Once I develop the cloning process, I will replace them with twice as many Tolarions, and build you ten ships if necessary."

  "You told me it was going to be easy, Balta!"

  "And it was," Balta said. "The fusion ray only knicked the ship and destroyed it. Imagine the devastation if it hit head on."

  "You killed three hundred of my men, and you expect me to help you?" Akari was obviously upset with his choice of words.

  "Please forgive me, Akari," Balta said. "But such are the spoils of war. We will never achieve domination without the act of sacrifice."

  "Perhaps you are right, Balta. But where does that leave me? The Republic will surely declare war on us now. We do not have the defenses to fend off their whole armada."

  "Ah, but you will," Balta said. "As soon as we get back to Garlicia."

  "What are you planning?"

  "Latu corat dor calimba. I'll talk to you later when we rendezvous at Garlicia."

  "Very well," he said. "I will see you then." The screen went blank, and the stars reappeared. The destroyed Renake was floating in the distance.

  "Sir," Varloo stated. "There's something you should know."

  "What is it?" Balta asked.

  "There is a Garlician ship moving away from us toward the Matari system. My telepathic senses indicate Walker is onboard, but that's the only reading I can get. There is another Grey interfering with my telepathy."

  "I knew he just wouldn't die," Balta said. "He's been a thorn in my side too many times before."

  "Should we pursue him?" Varloo asked.

  "No, no," Balta sighed. "We have more important things to do. Eventually, he'll come for me, you can count on that. We both have an old score to settle. And this time, he'll be the one who gets thrown off a cliff-on Garlicia!"

  He let out a sinister laugh that gave Angelica chills up her spine, and a true sense of evil.

  "You are a monster," Rollings stated. "If I know Walker, he'll find a way to get to you."

  "Well, you don't know him," Balta said. "You said so yourself. Besides, by the time, he gets to me, you'll already be executed! Now that all of you have witnessed the beginning of the end of your precious Republic, Garlona will put you all to sleep for a while."

  He injected them one by one with the same sedative Angelica was given earlier. They all fell asleep, Garlona put them in restraints, and then placed them all in the brig. They left Cely where he was, so they cou
ld reactivate him once they reached their destination.

  Balta remained on the bridge, as well as Varloo.

  "Who is this other Grey that you spoke of earlier," Balta asked him. "Anyone you know?"

  "Yes," Varloo said. "His name is Batar. "He was with me during the training time. He is loyal to the Republic."

  "And a hindrance to us," Balta said. "As soon as he arrives at Garlicia, I want him eliminated, along with the rest of them."

  "It will be my pleasure," Varloo said.

  Balta frowned, and lost himself in thought for a moment as to what to do about Walker. He wasn't overly worried about him, because he knew he would come after him eventually. His main concern was that he might interfere before he had time to complete his plans. He had faith in the Garlicians and the Andronians who were assisting him, and the Garlicians were well trained in battle, raised from the time of a child to defend themselves. Their training included the Harkou, a month long survival test against the elements and an aggressor sent to hunt the participant down. There was no capture involved, you were either hunted down and killed, or you survived the hunt and killed your challenger. This was considered a necessary action to ensure stability of the militia; fear was not an option. After the Harkou, they were ready to be intitiated to the Harclou, which was the final completion of the training. There, they were taught advanced weapon training, flight tactics, and anything else relevant to interstellar battle.

  The Andronians were quite different in their approach. They were more scientific than warlike, being one of the few beings in the galaxy to actually develop wormhole travel before the Republic, or the Tolarions. They were a peaceful society, although some of their experiments on humans in the past were anything but humane; more like intrusive and painful.

  Andronian was the official name of the Grey race and they were from the planet Aldron, but they were divided in this war; some leaving to help the Tolarions, some staying loyal to the Republic, and some, like Varloo, playing both sides.