The Star Cross: The Vorn!

by Raymond L. Weil

  “That’s correct,” replied Jarls, indicating for Dolman to sit down. Jarls gestured for the server to bring Dolman a drink.

  A moment later the girl placed a drink in front of Dolman with the glass covered in frost and steam rising from it. Dolman reached out and took a hefty swallow and then set the glass back down. “I understand you’re seeking some information?”

  Jarls leaned forward. “A few months back there was an illegal Vorn language program floating around Kubitz. Rumor has it someone bought it. I want to know who it was.”

  Dolman’s eyes narrowed. “Do you believe whoever bought this program contacted the Vorn and brought them here to the Gothan Empire?”

  “Not directly,” Jarls replied. “I think another world was the Vorns’ target and on their way either to that world or from it, they stumbled across our empire. The loss of Dacroni Four, Marsten, Tellurite, and the Gomarsh System were the result.”

  “Don’t forget about the damage done to the Controller Station and the loss of ships here as well,” said Dolman, taking a smaller sip of his drink. “You are aware there are many individuals as well as governments who are interested in this information.”

  “I’ll pay well,” replied Jarls. He still had a fortune in gold in the cargo ship currently in orbit above Kubitz.

  Dolman leaned back, eyeing Jarls. “Someone’s been spreading a rumor that High Profiteer Creed was behind the Vorn finding the empire. Some of my sources indicate the rumor originated from several Dacroni mercenaries.”

  “So what if it did?” challenged Salas. “If Creed was indeed behind the Vorn finding our empire then he deserves whatever is coming to him.”

  Dolman reached forward and finished off his drink. He reached into a pocket and took out a small computer disk which he placed on the table between himself and Jarls. “Four million credits and the disk is yours. It tells who was selling the Vorn language program as well as who bought it and for how much. All the information you need is on this disk.”

  Jarls eyed the disk. Four million credits was a lot. “One million credits.”

  Dolman smiled. “There are rumors there’s a cargo ship in orbit with nearly a billion credits worth of gold on board.”

  Jarls eyes turned dark. Someone had been talking. “Two million credits.”

  Dolman hesitated for a moment and then nodded. “Since an atrocity was committed to your world due to this information I’ll let you have it for that price.”

  “Two million is still a lot of credits for information.”

  Dolman reached into one of his pockets and took out a small handheld computer. It was similar to the ones the Controllers used. He spent a moment pressing some icons and then handed it to Jarls. “This is a standard contract for information. I have entered two million credits as the fee for the information you have requested.”

  Jarls gazed at the computer disk for a moment and then reached for the device. He hesitated and looked Dolman squarely in the eyes. “You swear this will tell me who bought that language program?”

  “It will,” replied Dolman. “I can also say with some certainty this individual was responsible for inadvertently bringing the Vorn here.”

  Jarls entered his account number and pressed his thumb to the device. It hummed as it checked his DNA and then flashed green.

  “You have forty hours to make the necessary deposit to my account,” said Dolman, standing up.

  “Just one question before you go,” said Jarls. His eyes drilling into Dolman’s. “Was it Creed?”

  Dolman stood for a moment and then slowly nodded his head. “Yes, it was High Profiteer Creed. If my information is correct, he bought the program so he could contact the Vorn and get them to attack Earth.”

  “I knew it,” said Jarls with a snarl. “I’m going to kill him!”

  “You’d better get in line. From what I’m hearing several governments including the one here on Kubitz are thinking about placing bounties on Creed.”

  Jarls stood up, his appetite gone. He placed the computer disk in a pocket of his uniform. “Not if I can get to him first.”

  -

  Dolman stepped outside the pleasure house where his two bodyguards were waiting. He grinned to himself. Two million credits was far more than he had hoped to obtain for the information. One thing he hadn’t mentioned to Clan Leader Jarls: the same information he had given him for two million credits he had also furnished to Ambassador Brent for free. Dolman suspected the Humans from Newton would get to Creed first. However, there was one wild card in all of this. Grantz was ahead of everyone particularly since he had hired his own team of Profiteers to find the High Profiteer. Grantz was determined to deliver Creed’s head to Fleet Admiral Vickers and collect the ten million-credit bounty Vickers had placed on Creed’s head.

  -

  Jarls looked over at Salas. “It was High Profiteer Creed. Dolman has a reputation to uphold, and he wouldn’t have said that unless he was certain.”

  “So what now?” asked Salas, trying to keep his eyes off the server who was bending over far more than necessary as she served another customer at a nearby table.

  “We go back to the ship and study the information on this disk,” said Jarls, patting his pocket. “Then we contact some of the other Dacroni clan leaders and see about placing another bounty on Creed’s head. He was responsible for destroying our world and for that he must be punished.”

  Salas finished off his drink. “What about our other business?”

  “Tomorrow we will start bringing the gold down to the Controller Exchange at the main spaceport. A sufficient number of our clan survived that we need a home for them and that’s not Kubitz. We can build on Dacroni Five for now until such a time as our home planet once more becomes habitable.”

  Jarls had found a number of his own ships had been sent to Kubitz once the primary Dacroni clan leaders determined defense of the planet was impossible. As a result, fourteen more battleships had joined the ten he had taken on the mission with Creed. Not only were there survivors in the clan bunker but a few more had been off planet or working on cargo ships. All were being recalled to help in the rebuilding effort. With the gold Jarls had he could pay for a substantial habitation dome for the survivors of his clan. Not only that there were a few smaller clans he might offer refuge to if they agreed to become part of his clan. If he was careful with the gold he had he could become one of the primary Dacroni clan leaders. Fortunately, due to the planet being semi-habitable they wouldn’t need a dome capable of resisting a vacuum or the more hazardous forces of nature. A simple dome similar to the ones above the primary cities on Kubitz would work with a few extras added to ensure comfort. With the credits Jarls would receive for the gold he could afford to add what was needed to the dome to make his clan comfortable.

  -

  Kurt and Keera returned home feeling both refreshed and exhausted from their trip. They had stayed a few extra days taking advantage of Kurt’s time off. As he carried in all of Keera’s suitcases he couldn’t help wondering what was in them. They felt like they weighed a ton.

  “What’s in these things?” he asked as he placed the last one in the bedroom.

  Keera smiled. “I picked up a few special items at the resort.”

  “What, rocks?” Kurt stood up rubbing his back.

  “A few,” she confessed in an even voice.

  Kurt’s face paled. “You’re joking!”

  “Of course I am,” Keera replied laughing. “I bought a few T-shirts for Bryan and some postcards of the resort for Meesa and Dalen. They might want to go there someday to get away from everything before the baby comes. It would be a good place to relax and the food’s great. They wouldn’t have to ski.”

  “I’m going to check in with Colonel Simms and see what’s going on.” Kurt had promised Keera he would stay away from his job while on vacation. There had only been one interruption and that had been minor.

  “Go ahead. I’m going to see if I can find Mara so we can discuss
the next shipment of tea.”

  Kurt paused, his eyes narrowing.

  Keera laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t invite her over. I can meet her somewhere.”

  “No,” said Kurt, drawing in a deep breath. “You can have her over. This is something I need to get used to since you and her are in business together.”

  “Great! I also need to speak to Meesa. She had a doctor’s appointment while we were gone and I want to hear what her obstetrician said.”

  -

  A few minutes later Kurt was speaking to Colonel Simms. The colonel informed Kurt about the small Vorn fleet which had ventured into Lakiam Alliance space obviously in search of the missing mothership. Simms had been informed by the Glaymons.

  “So, Fleet Commodore Dreen is setting a trap.”

  “If they return,” replied Simms. “They’re putting a few Glaymon battleships in the Andock System just in case.”

  “I’ll be coming up to the Star Cross tomorrow,” Kurt informed Simms. “I want to begin reorganizing our fleets. Then later this week I’m going to take a trip to Earth, Julbian, and to speak to the Glaymons.”

  “Should I call in the crew of the Star Cross?”

  “No, not yet,” Kurt replied. “We’ll give them a few more days. We’ve bought some time and I want to make the best of it. When the Vorn return this next time, it’s either going to be them or us. I want all of our crews to spend as much time as possible in the coming months with their families.”

  “You believe the Vorn will bring a larger fleet?”

  “Much larger,” Kurt replied. “I believe they’re going to send everything they’ve got.”

  Simms was silent for a long moment. “I’ve been speaking to the Glaymon captain on one of the battleships. He’s suggesting we build two more Glaymon shipyards as well as add another construction bay to Newton Station for the defense platforms. He’s hinted this could be done in less than a month with their technology.”

  Kurt thought for a moment. He hadn’t thought it could be done that quickly or he would have already suggested it. “Speak to the Glaymon captain and see if he can make the arrangements.”

  “He said he would if we approved it.”

  “Colonel Simms, we have four months minimum to prepare. What we do in those months could be the difference between our survival and becoming food for the Vorn.”

  “I’m not getting turned into a food pellet,” replied Simms evenly. “I’ll die first.”

  Kurt shared Simms’ sentiments. “I’ll stop by Newton Station after I’m finished on the Star Cross.”

  “By the way, Aleea has been asking about you. I think she’s getting bored.”

  Kurt wasn’t surprised. One of the last things he had done before going on vacation was restrict the amount of time Lieutenant Mays could spend on board. Kurt wanted his brilliant tactical officer to get sufficient rest before the war began again in earnest. “One more thing: contact Lieutenant Mays and see if she can meet me on the Star Cross tomorrow.”

  Colonel Simms started laughing. “That will be easy. She’s on the station. She’s been staying in one of the guest quarters and working on the station’s computers several times a day.”

  Kurt let out a deep sigh. It seemed as if there was nothing he could do to control the lieutenant and her obsession with tactics.

  -

  The next day Kurt took a shuttle up to the Star Cross. As the shuttle climbed up through the planet’s atmosphere and finally into space Kurt could see several bright dots outside the cabin window. He knew these were defensive satellites with dual firing energy cannons. In the distance he could barely make out a Class One Defensive Platform. As they passed near Newton Station he was pleased to see several small shuttles with mechanical arms exit one of the construction bays with sections for a new platform.

  Leaning back, he was satisfied with the progress they were making increasing the defenses around Newton. With Glaymon technology he intended Newton to have the most powerful defenses in the known galaxy, except perhaps the Glaymons’ Dyson Sphere. Looking ahead he saw the Star Cross growing larger. It would feel good to be back on board his flagship. Admiral Wilson and newly promoted Rear Admirals Cheryl Anniston and Marcus Weinstein were supposed to meet him there.

  -

  Stepping into the Command Center he saw Lieutenant Mays at her station busily pressing icons and occasionally swearing in a low voice.

  “Is there a problem?” asked Kurt. There was no one else in the Command Center other than Aleea.

  Aleea looked over at Kurt and smiled. “The lieutenant and I are engaged in a battle between two ships of equal strength. I just blew a sixty-meter hole in the hull of her vessel. I don’t think she’s very pleased with what I just did.”

  “I allowed you to do that so I could bring my particle beam cannons to bear,” said Lieutenant Mays with a wolfish grin as she pressed another icon on her computer screen. “You’re dead!”

  The smile on Aleea’s face faded and her shoulders drooped. “I was not expecting that maneuver. I concede.”

  Kurt turned to address Lieutenant Mays. “I hope you enjoyed your mandatory time off.”

  Mays’ face blushed and she let out a deep sigh. “Colonel Simms told you about me using the computers on the station.”

  “Yes,” replied Kurt in a slightly stern voice. “I wanted you to take some time off to relax.”

  “Admiral, doing this kind of stuff to me is relaxing. Running simulations against Aleea is like playing a complicated computer game. I find it exhilarating and unbelievably exciting.”

  “Nevertheless, I want you to take a day off occasionally just to clear your mind.”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied obediently. “The admirals are waiting for you in the small conference room.”

  “Thank you, Lieutenant,” Kurt said. “I want to speak to you for a few minutes after the meeting.”

  “I’m not in trouble, am I, sir?” Mays’ face showed concern. She knew she had bent the admiral’s orders about taking time off.

  “No, Lieutenant. I just want to speak to you about what we may be facing when the Vorn return.”

  -

  Stepping into the small conference room the other three admirals rose and saluted.

  “As you were,” said Kurt, returning the salutes. “I called the three of you here to discuss the composition of the fleets you will be commanding. With the arrival of the new Glaymon force we’re going to modify our original ship assignments.”

  “Does that mean Glaymon ships are going to be assigned to our fleets?” asked Rear Admiral Anniston, her eyes lighting up at the thought.

  Kurt nodded. “I spoke to Fleet Captain Lilith as well as Councilor Marshton, their new leader, and they agreed to place a few of their ships within our fleets.” Kurt leaned forward and pressed an icon on a small computer screen set into the conference table. Instantly on the large computer screen in the room a 1,500-meter Human battleship appeared. It looked impressive with its weapon turrets, heavy cannons, and numerous missile launching tubes.

  “Each fleet will be assigned ten battleships and twenty heavy battlecruisers,” said Kurt, indicating the battleship behind him on the screen.

  “Will Admiral White and I have to give up our battlecarriers?” asked Admiral Wilson.

  “That’s up to the two of you,” Kurt replied. “The Ranger and Kepler have both been fully updated to the latest technology. They’re nearly as powerful as a battleship. All they are missing is the KEW cannon to fire off Zero-Point Energy rounds.”

  “I’ll discuss it with Admiral White and let you know what we decide.”

  “What about the Glaymon ships?” asked Rear Admiral Weinstein. “How many of them are we going to get?”

  “Two of their battleships and ten of their disk battlecruisers will be assigned to each fleet,” replied Kurt. “Keep in mind the purpose of your fleets is to delay any Vorn incursion until larger forces can arrive.”

  Admiral Wilson frowned. “Many of t
he ships you’re assigning to us haven’t been built yet.”

  “No, they haven’t. As new ships come out of the construction bays they will be assigned to your individual fleets. We’re hoping for four months of no Vorn harvesting. As you know we’re also drastically increasing the size of the defense grids around our planets as well.”

  Admiral Wilson leaned forward, addressing Kurt. “At least Earth and Julbian will have their own fleets to add to ours if we need them.”

  “Yes, that’s true. Unfortunately Malden and Sertez will not have much to add ship-wise other than a few battlecruisers and some lighter ship elements. We’re just not going to have the time to build up their fleets since new shipyards will be needed.”

  Kurt changed the view on the viewscreen to show one of the Glaymon battleships. The vessel was 2,000 meters across and covered with weapon emplacements, sensor devices, communication dishes, and multiple missile launching tubes.

  -

  For the next hour the four of them discussed various tactics to use against the Vorn as well as the defense of the individual systems in the Human Alliance.

  “It sounds as if the defense grids are going to play a big role in all of this,” said Rear Admiral Anniston.

  Kurt nodded. “We need to use them to buy time for reinforcements to arrive. That’s why we need to pull our fleets back to add the firepower of our ships to the grids to inflict the maximum amount of damage possible on the Vorn until sufficient fleet units arrive to drive them out of our star systems.”

  Admiral Wilson leaned forward with a grave look on his face. “Is this war with the Vorn winnable?”

  “Maybe,” Kurt replied. It was something he had thought a lot about. “It depends on the size of the fleet they return with and how many ships the galaxy has to oppose them.”

  A startled looked crossed Rear Admiral Weinstein’s face. “If I understand all of this, there’s a chance a year from now we could all be dead and every world in our Alliance harvested by the Vorn.”

  Kurt let out a deep sigh. This was his greatest fear. If the Advanced Glaymons in the Dyson Sphere continued to stay out of the war that could indeed be the end result. Earth, Newton, and the other worlds in the Alliance all harvested by the Vorn. “Not if I can help it,” Kurt replied.