Mara stood up, and helped Kurt to his feet and started laughing. “You Humans are so much like the males on my world in some ways.”
Kurt couldn’t help but notice Mara’s breasts were visible beneath her gown. He could feel his breathing growing heavier. He wondered if Mara had placed something in his food to ensure she got what she wanted out of this evening. She was a very desirable woman and difficult to say no to.
They sat down on the comfortable couch, their legs touching. Kurt almost felt like he was on fire. For several hours they sat like that talking. Kurt explained to Mara what he would like to see happen to Newton and its Alliance in the future. Mara in turn told Kurt she would like to someday return to Lakiam and become a member of its ruling council. This was a surprise to Kurt. He hadn’t known Mara had any political ambitions.
“I would like to see some changes made to Lakiam culture,” she explained. “I no longer believe Enlightenment is the best path for my people. There is so much diversity throughout the galaxy. I want Lakiam to find its own path.”
Eventually Mara walked Kurt to his shuttle. The few Lakiams who saw them ignored the two as if they were used to seeing Mara walk around nearly nude. It reminded Kurt how different Mara’s culture was from his. They stopped at the hatch to his shuttle and Kurt looked inquiringly at Mara. “I thought you might have something else planned for tonight.”
Mara smiled playfully. “Would you have cooperated?”
Kurt looked into Mara’s deep blue eyes. “Maybe.”
“I thought tonight we should just enjoy ourselves. Tomorrow we go into battle and neither of us can know what may happen. If this is to be our last memory of one another I wanted it to be a pleasant one.”
Kurt nodded. “You’ve certainly achieved that.”
“Then go back to your ship and get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow you will need to be at your best.”
Leaning forward, Kurt kissed Mara gently on the lips. “Don’t do anything reckless in the battle. You and Keera still have to finish setting up your tea company.”
“I won’t,” Keera promised. “The same goes for you. Keera is expecting you to come home and I promised her I would make sure you do.”
-
Later, back on the Star Cross, Kurt lay in bed. He had been pleasantly surprised by Mara. There was a hidden depth to her he hadn’t realized. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Tomorrow would be a long day and there was no way to know what might happen.
-
In the Vorn system, the ships left behind to protect the habitats were scattered around the system. Most had their energy shields down, and only a few were actually ready for combat. Never in the 24 million years the Vorn had been in this universe had the home system been attacked. It was located so far out in intergalactic space, it was inconceivable that any race could ever threaten it.
There were 116 habitats holding ten trillion Vorn. The habitats were multilevel, almost like a hive. No food was grown or raised in the habitats; it was all taken from the different galaxies the Vorn harvested. Inside the habitats were the factories, shipyards, spacedocks and other facilities necessary to maintain a technological civilization. Each habitat had the capability to recreate the Vorn civilization on its own if necessary. On the surface of the thick metal hulls were numerous defensive weapons; even missile tubes. Inside the habitats were a number of large Zero-Point Energy modules which could power an energy shield that would completely surround the habitat, protecting it from weapons fire.
Every level of the habitat was protected by thick armor. If the first level of the habitat was damaged the other levels would be unaffected. The habitats were capable of taking tremendous damage and still survive. The Vorn had learned to do this after being driven from their home universe. Every effort had been made to ensure the habitats could survive any conceivable attack. The Vorn were convinced their habitats were indestructible.
Inside the Conclave Habitat, Queen Berlyne stood in front of the Royal Court listening to the latest reports of food shortages. High Prince Brollen was gone and he had assured her the other Queens were exaggerating when reporting they were nearly out of food.
Delete more of the Worker Caste, she ordered. New food will be here shortly from Galaxy X241.
Will there be enough for all of our habitats? demanded Queen Erriles. Will the new food pellets be distributed evenly?
The young Hive Queen was not certain how to answer. She missed High Prince Brollen’s guidance. Our fleets are even now harvesting Galaxy X241. Once the first Collector ships begin arriving we will have plenty of food.
Then you have no objections if a small group of qualified Queens sees to its distribution? sent Queen Erriles.
Queen Berlyne hesitated and then answered. No, I have no problem with a group of our older and more knowledgeable Queens seeing to the distribution of the first food shipments.
Queen Erriles bowed her head and backed away.
Queen Berlyne wondered if she had made an error. High Prince Brollen had cautioned her about the other Queens, telling her they were jealous of her power. She was about to retract her words when the habitat suddenly shook violently, throwing many of the Royal Court to the floor.
-
The combined Glaymon-Human fleet dropped out of hyperspace within combat range of the Vorn habitats and ships. Almost immediately the Human ships and the Limeira fired their KEW cannons at the nearest habitats while the Glaymons concentrated on taking out the Vorn fleet. Massive explosions lit up space as Zero-Point-Energy rounds and dark matter missiles slammed into the habitats and ships of the Vorn.
-
On board Fleet Captain Kriegon’s command ship he turned toward the communications officer. “Begin broadcasting the signal.” It was time to see if the gambit he had come up with to defeat the Vorn would work.
-
On the Star Cross, Fleet Admiral Vickers gazed at the massive habitat in front of his ship. A brilliant flash of light momentarily hid it as a Zero-Point Energy round struck the energy shield protecting it.
“Round failed to penetrate though we are detecting a wild fluctuation in the shield,” reported Lieutenant Brooks as she studied the readings of the impact. “The shield activated as soon as our ships exited hyperspace.”
“The other battleships are reporting the same,” Andrew confirmed.
“We’re going to have to hit the same location on the shield with multiple rounds,” said Lieutenant Mays as she contacted several other battleships.
“That habitat is 11,200 kilometers in diameter,” added Lieutenant Brooks.
“There are 116 of those damn things,” said Andrew.
Commander Randson gazed at the large habitat on one of the viewscreens. The screen zoomed in showing numerous weapons turrets and what appeared to be missile tubes. “That thing’s heavily armed.” Even as he spoke weapons fire erupted from the habitat.
“How are we doing against the Vorn fleet?” asked Kurt as the Star Cross shuddered slightly from the incoming fire. They had exited hyperspace in combat range specifically so they could get in the first weapons strikes.
“Twenty-eight percent of the Vorn fleet has been eliminated,” Aleea reported. “The rest of their ships have activated their shields and are beginning to return fire. There were 226,000 Vorn ships in the system at the start of the engagement. The initial attack took out over sixty thousand of them.”
“Vorn battleships are closing,” reported Lieutenant Brooks. “There are several large fleets which were on patrol in the outer parts of the system. They have their energy shields up and will soon be in weapons range. Both fleets contain over six thousand battleships!”
Andrew glanced over at Kurt. “We’re going to take a lot of losses; I hope Fleet Captain Kriegon knows what he’s doing.”
“So do I,” replied Kurt. He had been briefed on what Kriegon was attempting. Aleea had informed Kurt she felt it had less than an 18 percent chance of success since there were so many unknowns.
&nb
sp; “Lieutenant Mays, have all of our ships focus on a single habitat. Perhaps that way we can begin causing some significant damage.” Splitting the fire between two wasn’t working.
-
Mara felt the Limeira lurch slightly as a Vorn antimatter missile struck its energy shield.
“Shield is holding at 97 percent,” reported Captain Bryles.
“Firing Zero-Point Energy rounds,” reported the Lakiam at Tactical. “The Vorn energy screen is still resisting our weapons fire.”
“Keep firing,” ordered Mara as she looked at a viewscreen she had focused on the Star Cross. She was determined not to allow Kurt to take any unnecessary risks with his ship. “That shield will come down if we focus enough weapons fire on it.” It had to or this entire mission would be a failure and Mara knew that Kurt had no intention of losing. “Keep our ship close to the Star Cross.”
-
In the Conclave Habitat, Queen Berlyne felt frightened. Her senior military leader had just informed her the habitats were under attack by the Ancients. Already a major portion of the defending Vorn fleet had been destroyed.
Send an Intergalactic Transport to summon High Prince Brollen, she ordered, feeling panicked.
It will do no good, sent the senior military commander. By the time the transport can get to Galaxy X241 and return this battle will long be over.
Berlyne fell silent. She was powerless in this situation. She was relieved the Conclave Habitat was no longer shaking.
The weapons on the surface of our habitats will protect us, sent the military commander. Our scans are showing a force of over 210,000 ships in the attacking fleet.
And these are the Ancients who have caused us so much trouble in our harvests?
Yes, replied the military commander. They have made a colossal mistake attacking our habitats. We will destroy them once and for all.
Queen Berlyne looked around the Royal Court. The court was strangely silent as the gathered Queens and military leaders communicated telepathically with their own habitats.
-
The Star Cross, all twenty-eight battleships, and the Limeira were targeting one habitat with Zero-Point Energy rounds. After each titanic blast, the shield grew weaker until finally a portion failed. Six Zero-Point Energy rounds struck the armored hull of the massive habitat, releasing their energy. In a stupendous explosion an enormous crater measuring over thirty kilometers across and ten deep appeared. The crater was glowing cherry red and secondary explosions were evident around it. The next few Zero-Point Energy rounds were once more stopped by the habitat’s energy screen as it snapped back into place.
“The Vorn are directing more power to the screen directly above the damage,” reported Lieutenant Brooks. “Our rounds are no longer penetrating.”
Kurt let out a deep breath. He had expected the Zero-Point Energy rounds to do more damage.
“The habitat’s hull is built in layers,” reported Andrew, checking the data from the sensors. “Each layer is protected by thick armor plating.”
Kurt looked over at Lieutenant Mays. “Continue to hit the same location. We must make that crater deeper.”
Lieutenant Mays nodded. “I’m coordinating our weapons fire so we can hit the energy screen with a number of Zero-Point Energy rounds simultaneously. That should open up a brief hole in the screen, allowing a second wave of rounds to penetrate.”
“Do it,” ordered Kurt. The Star Cross suddenly shook violently and several red lights appeared on the damage control console.
“We’re starting to take a lot of incoming fire from the habitat,” said Andrew, looking concerned. “Fleet Captain Kriegon is directing a number of his battleships to take up defensive positions around us to protect us from the weapons fire.”
“Scans indicate the Vorn are using Zero-Point-Energy to power their shields and weapons,” said Lieutenant Brooks.
Kurt didn’t like the sound of that. It made the weapons fire from the habitats even more dangerous.
-
The battle in space was growing more intense with every passing minute. The Vorn were still losing ships at an astonishing rate and the military commander in charge had finally ordered them pulled back around the habitats.
-
Fleet Captain Kriegon watched silently as heavy Vorn weapons fire destroyed ship after ship of his fleet. “Is the signal still going out?”
“Yes,” replied the communications officer. “But there’s no way to determine if anyone is receiving it.”
Kriegon nodded his understanding. If his plan failed then the Vorn would live and continue to harvest more galaxies. On one of the viewscreens, he could see a Glaymon battleship under heavy attack. Its screen flared up brighter and brighter and finally failed. When it did the ship was riddled by hundreds of powerful energy and black antimatter beams. In a massive explosion, the battleship blew apart.
“Should we pull back from the habitats?” asked the navigation officer.
Kriegon shook his head. “No; if we can’t destroy the habitats the least we can do is destroy their fleet.” At minimum that would give the galaxy time to recover from the Vorn attacks. Even with the resources of the Vorn habitats it would take them time to replace their fleet.
-
Queen Berlyne had been escorted to one of the Command Centers inside the Conclave Habitat. She gazed in rapt fascination at the ongoing battle in the system. Bright explosions and dying ships were being displayed on multiple viewscreens.
Only one habitat has been damaged, reported the military commander in charge of the Command Center. Our fleet has been pulled back to help defend the habitats.
A habitat has been damaged? This was a disaster. Never since coming to this universe had there been such an occurrence.
On one of the viewscreens a habitat appeared. Even as she watched, the surface vanished as massive explosions penetrated deeper into the structure. When the explosions stopped a crater hundreds of kilometers deep and close to one hundred kilometers wide was visible. Queen Berlyne knew billions of Vorn were dying.
Can they destroy the habitat? It was nearly unthinkable to imagine a habitat being destroyed.
The military commander stepped over to a computer and after a moment turned back toward the Queen. The battle computer confirms if the observed weapons fire continues the damaged habitat will be destroyed.
Queen Berlyne’s thoughts froze. Over one hundred billion Vorn lived in that habitat. Granted a large number were of the Working Caste but they were still Vorn.
I want the attacking fleet destroyed immediately! she sent in anger. That habitat must be protected at all costs.
We will redeploy our fleet, replied the military commander.
-
On the Star Cross, Kurt watched in satisfaction as another wave of Zero-Point Energy rounds exploded deep inside the crater. With every round that struck the crater more secondary explosions were occurring. The crater was surrounded by a fused mass of metal which extended deep inside. Kurt estimated over 20 percent of the habitat had been destroyed.
“Their shield is down!” called out Lieutenant Brooks. “That last strike must have hit part of their power source.”
“Lieutenant Mays!”
“I’m on it,” Mays replied as she sent out new strike orders.
Suddenly, on the viewscreens, massive explosions began to march across the habitat. Zero-Point Energy rounds and five hundred-megaton dark matter missiles began ravaging the entire surface of the habitat. The number of explosions suddenly ramped up as the Glaymon battleships protecting the Star Cross began hammering the habitat with their own missiles.
“It’s going to blow,” warned Lieutenant Brooks. “I’m picking up large power fluctuations from deep inside the habitat. I’m pretty certain they’re explosions, and they’re getting more violent.”
“Move all of our ships back,” ordered Kurt, recalling what had happened when Mara destroyed the planet in the Vorns’ staging system.
“All ships moving
back,” replied Andrew. “The habitat is starting to come apart.”
On the main viewscreen, several violent explosions shook the habitat, throwing debris into space and narrowly missing a number of ships. All ships, Glaymon, Human, and Vorn were maneuvering frantically trying to avoid the debris from the disintegrating structure. The explosions began to die down, leaving a shattered habitat. It had broken into twenty jagged pieces. On several, secondary explosions were still occurring. One segment was still firing defensive weapons fire at the fleet. The Glaymon battleships were destroying the few Vorn ships that were in the area since they could no longer use the habitat as protection.
“Put several Zero-Point Energy rounds into each one of those sections,” ordered Kurt. “That should finish them off.”
On the screen, large explosions struck each of the segments of the shattered habitat. When the explosions stopped, there were no longer any signs of life.
“Move on to the next habitat,” ordered Kurt. Kurt was greatly concerned. It had taken over twenty minutes to destroy one habitat. The Vorn were not going to give him enough time to destroy many others. He looked at a viewscreen showing Fleet Captain Kriegon’s battleship. Kriegon’s plan had to work or none of them would be going home.
-
Queen Berlyne gazed in shock at the viewscreen showing the destroyed habitat. She looked over in disbelief at the military commander. How?
They are firing what our scientists believe is a Zero-Point Energy round. Unfortunately, these rounds are capable of bringing the shields down on our habitats.
Zero-Point Energy? sent Berlyne confused. What is that? She was not up to date on the latest technology. There had never been the need. The Scientist Caste was in charge of such things.
It is very powerful, answered the military commander. More powerful than any weapon we possess.
But we are the Vorn. The most powerful and advanced race in this universe.
The military commander slowly shook his head pointing toward an Ancient battleship on one of the viewscreen. No, my Queen. The Ancients are the most powerful and advanced race in this universe.
The Star Cross: The Vorn! Page 33
