She turned and looked a smiling Garvis in the face. "I'm ready to start a new life outside of all this fighting. I know things here are under control. All my time now is spent just monitoring the work, work that's all being done in an efficient and timely manner, so I want to go back and have a normal life."
Harris stood, walked over and offered her a bear hug. "Congratulations. Not that I want to see you go, but I want to see you happy. And if living a normal life brings that to you, I'm all for it." Harris reached out to shake the hand of Garvis.
Tawn stood. "Wow. When were you thinking of leaving?"
"After this next fight. If it goes well, I'll take that as evidence we're well on the path to victory over the Hoya."
"Well, congratulations, then."
Sharvie stood. "I'm going too."
Gandy stood in a panic. "Me too."
Harris rubbed the back of his neck. "So our little family is breaking up. You know, the lot of you are a big reason why we're here today. You each gave your best when we needed you. And a far as I'm concerned, you'll all always be part of my family."
A group hug ensued as Tawn watched from across the room with a scowl.
Harris asked, "You not happy for them?"
"No. I am. Just sad for me because I'm stuck with you."
"You can always start that farm you always wanted. I believe you own a large patch of land on the Retreat. You aren't stuck here with anyone."
"I know. I was just trying to be a smartass. You're like the brother I never had."
Harris chuckled. "Or ever wanted."
"True. But that's irrelevant."
Harris walked over to stand next to Farker. "For me, in case any of you were wondering, I think I'll stay here with my buddy Farker. We have this facility and the ones at Beckland and Gondol to explore. There's an entire species possibly still out there who built these places. I'd like to know who they were and if they still exist."
Gandy asked, "You aren't staying on to secure the future from the Frizoid?"
"I think there are plenty of others who can handle that."
Tawn sighed.
Harris turned. "What was that?"
"Well, I can't have you running around trying to find the species who built this place by yourself. You being their first contact with us would be disastrous. So I guess I'll be doing that too."
"I thank you for your confidence in my abilities."
"Just trying to keep you from dooming us all."
— Chapter 27 —
* * *
The team sat in the supply hut staring at the wall. A thousand wormholes opened at once, the newly converted Human fleet, piloted by bots based on Harris Gruberg's psyche, slipping through.
"There's the interference signal. We should have visual confirmation in another minute."
The AI said, "Twenty-two thousand, nine ships, of which just over fifteen thousand are warships."
"This should be a breeze," Harris said. We have more of their converted warships than they have their own warships."
Tawn sat back, crossing her arms. "One thing I don't understand. If they had the interference technology when they arrived, why weren't they using it before they attacked the Denzee?"
"Who knows? Maybe they wanted the Denzee to see them coming. Regardless, they have it now. At least we know what to look for that tells us they're there."
Gandy said, "There they go. First shots are fired. AI? What's our strategy with the captured ships?"
"The gamma missiles will be utilized first in an effort to keep as many warships intact as possible. If enough are taken offline, we may have a fleet large enough to immediately conduct our next assault."
"This is just surreal watching this without being directly involved."
Harris nodded. "I was telling Tawn the same thing the other day. Without placing ourselves at actual risk, it almost feels as though it's a giant game."
"A smartly played game. Why risk your people if you don't have to? Oh, did you see that? That one beam just took out four Hoya ships. What I don't get is why the Hoya, now that they've seen the overwhelming force in front of them, why don't they turn and run?"
"They have their orders. They either fulfill them or they're dead anyway."
"Not the whole story," said Tawn. "The Frizoid are holding about a third of their population hostage. So these poor saps have to at least try or everyone gets wiped out."
Harris returned a confused look. "Where'd you hear that?"
"From the colonel last time we were there. Came from the interrogations the DDI did on the two Hoya we turned over. Got the info when you went to the head. You were gone so long, by the time you came back I forgot to mention it."
Harris looked back at the display with a scowl. "Almost makes me wish there was something we could do for them."
"We offered. They made their decisions known. I won't be losing sleep over it."
"There it is again! Another four! Those bots are on fire!" Gandy squirmed in his chair.
Harris chuckled. "You get excited over the strangest things."
"This is history. And I'm proud to say I've played an important part in it."
"That you have. Knowing you as I do now, I'm certain you'll be a success at whatever it is you do when you get back to Domicile."
"Thank you. There's another!"
The battle on the way to Beinshee lasted just under six hours. Twelve thousand Hoya warships were recovered intact; seven thousand of the converted ships were lost. Only two thousand of the ten thousand Banshees were destroyed or damaged. Immediate plans were drawn up to move on the next Hoya fleet.
"Just arriving at Nesua," Harris said. "Eighteen thousand. If we can get out there and stop them before they build the interference building down on the surface, we might be able to knock out the broadcast ships and then use standard sensors."
Tawn huffed. "Still doesn't do us any good. With those gamma beams flying around it's not safe for us to be out there."
"I guess. We only have three thousand missiles this go-round. We’ll have to sacrifice a large number of those captured ships."
"In another three days, we'll have twice the missiles and twenty-four thousand Hoya warships. Two days after that, the last fleet arrives at Gantway."
Harris nodded. "Starting to get exciting. We could be a week away from this ending."
"Uh, yeah, until the Frizoid come our way. And who knows, they may be on the way here now."
"You trying to cheer me up? If so, it's not working."
"Just trying to keep it real."
Trish came into the room carrying a small bag. Garvis was standing beside her. "We're ready."
"You aren't staying for the grand finale?" asked Tawn.
"We can watch it at home. The government is broadcasting this next fight."
"Garvis, you’d better take good care of our little girl."
"If I don't, she'll make me pay for it."
The comment drew a punch to the arm.
Harris chuckled. "Expect a lot of those in the coming years. Those pointy little knuckles hurt, don't they?"
"I can't answer questions like that. Only gets me in trouble."
Gandy followed Sharvie into the hut, each carrying their own small bag. "We're all set."
Hugs were shared, hands shaken, and goodbyes said. The four younger members of the Midelon team, Garvis being the newest, walked the fifty meters to a shuttle.
Harris squinted as the ship vaulted up through the sky as a fireball. "Hmm. Can't believe they left us."
Tawn chuckled. "That a tear in your eye?"
"No. Just allergies."
"Yeah. Like you ever had an allergy in your life. They bred that out of us."
"They'll be missed."
"You scared you just have me to talk to now?"
Harris returned a half smile. "Nope, I still have Alex, Farker, the AI, and Idiot to converse with. What I can't believe is that Gandy left his pal Reggie behind."
"He's going after the gi
rl. Although I don't know that he'll be successful. Neither one is gifted in the social graces."
"Yeah, I guess that's where we got lucky, huh?"
Tawn chuckled. "We were built for war, not love. Now let's go conduct some."
After a short discussion with the war council at Domicile, the next target was changed from Nesua to Gantway. It was decided since the fleet could be attacked out in open space, far from the colony itself, it would leave the area free of the radioactive pollution like what floated in the heavens above New York. Two days later, the fight was on.
Harris sat in his usual chair in the supply hut, sipping on a beverage. "Quiet in here without the others."
Tawn chuckled. "We may have to go out and find us a new crew."
"How could we top the team we had? I would’ve been proud to call any of them Biomarines."
"Yeah, well, everyone can't be so lucky."
Alex walked into the room.
Harris asked, "What you been working on of late, Doc?"
"Just coming up to speed on the events of the last eighteen hundred years. It seems the two of you have a very unique story when it comes to Human existence. Two of only thirty thousand Humans to be born the way you were and to receive the training you received. Very distinct histories for the both of you. Now, add in all that has been transpiring here, and I have no doubt you've earned your positions in our history books."
Tawn sat silent.
Harris replied, "Doesn't feel like history. Feels like a mess that we just happened to stumble through. More chaos than history."
"Ah, but the historians will no doubt record your triumphs with much fanfare, while obscuring any Human failures, making you larger than life heroes that our youth can all aspire to become."
Harris chuckled. "Aren't any regular youth's aspiring to be stumps, Doc. That would just show insanity."
"On the contrary. It would show the desire to become great themselves. To achieve those things that are noteworthy in the history books. Such as this battle before us. This was of your doing."
"Was of your doing too, Doc. That gamma bomb would still be a concept if it wasn't for you. Without it we wouldn't have had the first victory at New York."
"True. But it's not for the latecomers to become heroes. Your people were researching that weapon long before I was revived. Someone would have come across the answer eventually."
Harris laughed as he shook his head. "Don't think so. We would have all been dead. Don't sell your contribution short, Doc."
"All I'm saying is the historians will be quick to label the two of you as heroes, as they should. Myself and the others will receive honorable mentions. Even Miss Rumford will get a credit or two, with the true stories of her sordid contributions being brushed aside and forgotten."
As the threesome watched on the display wall the Hoya fleet was eliminated in a cascade of assaults that went on for four hours. The AI was adjusting its tactics with each new fight. When the battle had come to an end, the Human fleet had grown to be more than thirty-five thousand ships strong.
Tawn said, "I say we just go for that last fleet at Nesua right now. We don't need any more missiles."
"I think it best if we wait and build up our supply. If we can manage to take half of this last fleet that will give us more than forty thousand ships in our own. A fleet we can park right here and keep ready should the Frizoid show in the future. And we can reverse engineer their tech to make our Banshees more potent should we need to build more. I would also want to build a hundred thousand of those gamma missiles to have at the ready. With that, any outside threat becomes minimal."
"I don't disagree with the latter half of that. I just think the sooner we get this fight over with, the safer we will all be."
Alex nodded. "I concur. End the fight."
"OK. I guess we go today then. Only I'd like a shot at ending this without a fight."
"What?" Tawn asked. "How would you do that?"
"Allow them a chance to leave. We can even jump them from Nesua to the edge of our space."
"That's ludicrous. They would only come back to fight us somewhere else. What did you not understand about them saying they couldn't go home?"
"Then we send them to the other side of our space where they can go off to live in peace. I'm just not ready for the all out kill when there may be a peaceful option."
Tawn chuckled. "You've finally done it. You've gone pacifist. Didn't think it possible."
"Look. Just give me this one opportunity to end it. If they say yes, we win. Even if they come back they come back to an overwhelming force. Not like we're letting down our guard."
Tawn shook her head. "You go do what you gotta do. I just think you're wasting your time on this one. It's like the Earther debacle of the Great War all over again. We had them on the ropes and ready for defeat and instead we declare a truce. See how that worked out for us?"
The Bangor was flown into Nesua space. A probe was released and directed toward the position of the Hoya fleet. Twenty minutes later a comm hail was attempted, utilizing the probe to keep a safe distance.
"This is the Human ship Bangor. I request to speak with your leadership. Your fleets at New York, Beinshee, and Gantway have been eliminated. I'd like to discuss the terms of a peaceful surrender where your fleet leaves our space immediately."
"This is the Fleet Supreme Leader Rieg. You wish to surrender and become subjects of the Communion?"
Tawn chuckled.
Harris replied, "No. I'm talking about your surrender and our escorting you to the edge of our space for your journey home."
"If you aren't willing to surrender you'll be eliminated."
"Listen, bud, I'm giving you a chance to live. You either—"
The comm closed when the probe was destroyed.
Tawn grinned. "Waste... of... time."
"I just felt the need to try."
A comm was opened to Midelon. "AI. Our peace mission was unsuccessful. Send through the fleet. Time for the Hoya to be removed from our space."
The Bangor settled on the grass at the bunker. A short walk had the Biomarine partners sitting in the supply hut as the image on the display wall came to life with activity. Harris got up.
Tawn asked, "Where you going?"
"Grabbing a meal and a beverage. This is gonna be running for hours. You hungry?"
"Sure."
"And I wasn't gonna say anything, not wanting to build up your self-esteem or anything, but you've lost a few more kilos, haven't you?"
"Down to one-ten. Was beginning to believe it wasn't possible. You?"
"Still sitting steady at one-oh-six. Managed a fourteen-forty on my run yesterday."
"Nice. I'm well into the fifteens now. Still haven't pushed myself to the limit."
"See, I gotta know where my peak is. That's my motivator. Always looking to top my best."
"My motivation is to be prepared for the best should I need to call on it. Don't have to know the peak, just what I can do without collapsing."
"Don't see the fun in that. But I guess it doesn't really matter, does it. We've both been preparing for the fight that never came. If this battle on the display comes off like we think, we may never have to fight another day in our lives."
"Half of me is celebrating that fact and the other half's thinking it's not possible. We're warriors born and bred, we'll find a fight somewhere. Hey—maybe we'll catch up to whoever built the bunker. Maybe there's a fight there?"
Harris chuckled. "You seriously want to get in another war?"
"Half of me does. Weren't you listening?"
The battle on the display went on for three and a half hours. When the last Hoya ship was destroyed and the Hoya interference structure on the surface obliterated, they turned the display off.
Alex walked into the room. "So it's done?"
"It's over. The AI is moving the remaining thirty-two thousand ships into orbit above us. It thinks another two thousand can be salvaged."
"I've
made the suggestion that it put together a plan to also use the bots to clean the space around New York and the other battle sites. Salvaged materials will be useful, and the radiation threat to those nearby worlds will be eliminated. All colonies will once again be habitable."
"Except New Earth."
"Except New Earth. I will be asking for an analysis of that situation. I fear that given the fineness and wide distribution of that toxin, it will inevitably have to naturally decay. Of course I could be wrong."
Tawn said, "So this is it, then. There are no current threats to humanity. We've wiped them out."
"You mentioned before you had seen a door into this island that was located beneath the waves. I don't suppose the two of you would be up for investigating that, would you?"
"I am," said Harris. "That, and re-exploring the sites of Beckland and Gondol are on my list. I know you've been busy, so I didn't press it before, but you never saw any floors below the stasis pod you were stuck in?"
"Other than the single floor of the AI, I was told there were two empty floors, with no further access."
"So do we start below sea level or at the door in the cave?"
Tawn winced. "Both of those options make me nervous."
"Why?"
"Because we've been told if we violate them, we risk shutting down the boson field. Personally, I'd still like to be able to travel to somewhere besides here during my lifetime."
Harris nodded. "There is that to consider. Maybe we start with Beckland and Gondol."
"I would be interested in seeing both," Alex replied.
Tawn said, "I'll go restock the Bangor."
Harris opened a comm to the Retreat. "Colonel, just wanted to touch base. We're heading to Gondol and Beckland to further investigate those sites. Might be gone for as much as a week, depending on what we find."
"A week sounds good. Just so long as you're back here for the christening of the Gruberg. And keep in mind, these first two ships aren't just to honor the two of you, they're to honor all Biomarines."
"Well, before you pull the trigger on that launch, I would ask that you wait for a few design changes that should be coming from the AI. We'll be incorporating those updates into our current and future ships. One is increased speed and the other a more powerful rail cannon. Both worthy of the wait."
ARMS Domers Unite: (Book 6) Page 24
