Star Swarm: The Chaos Wave Book One

by James Palmer

  “Mara,” said Hamilton, pulling the little world’s name from memory.

  Kuttner turned to him.

  “I’ve been there once,” he explained. “It’s nice.”

  “Sir,” said Lt. Brackett. “I’m getting a news feed that’s been playing on repeat over the Q-net. I think you should see it.”

  Kuttner scowled. “On screen.”

  The viewer shimmered and was replaced by a square-jawed man with platinum-colored hair and eerie purple designer eyes. “—word is the fleet is grouping in the Artra system. I repeat. We are currently in a state of war. All of the fringe worlds are on high alert today after a missive went out over the tightbeam network stating that the recent colony world attacks were caused by some new form of Draconi weapon. All requests for a statement from Draconi high command have been unanswered.”

  “Kill that feed,” said Kuttner. “I’ve heard enough.”

  “Looks like the conspiracy’s propaganda machine has been busy,” said Hamilton. “Straker has stirred everyone into a frenzy.”

  “But it isn’t true,” said Drizda. “Any of it. We have proof.”

  “We’ve got to let them know that,” said Kuttner, pointing to the viewer, which at the moment showed empty space.

  “Draconi war fleet approaching,” said Hudson. “Mostly Fang and Raptor class. Their weapons are primed and ready.”

  “Status report,” said Kuttner. “What have we got?”

  “A ship full of holes,” said Hamilton. “No defense field, minimal armament, a nuked rail gun, and a tightbeam network that could short out at the slightest nudge.”

  “Gunner,” said Kuttner, ignoring him. “What offensive capabilities can you give me?”

  “Just the particle cannons,” said Cade.

  All right,” muttered Kuttner. “That’ll have to be enough.”

  “What’s the plan, Captain?” asked Hamilton.

  “We’re going to try one more time to stop this madness before it starts. Maybe we can call this war off and go home after all.

  “And if we can’t?” asked Hamilton.

  “Then we’ll go down shooting with our battle brothers. We’ll make our stand with the Fleet.”

  Kuttner tugged at his uniform front and sat in the command chair.

  Drizda, be ready to transmit everything we’ve got on the Swarm and what has happened up to now.”

  “Yes, Captain,” said the alien.

  “Brackett,” ordered Kuttner. “Find the lead ship. I want a word with her captain.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Brackett.

  “Hudson,” get us at close as you can to the fleet. We’re getting into the thick of this.”

  “Sir,” said Hamilton. “Where do you think the Swarm is in all this?”

  “If they’re the key to some vast plan of Straker’s, they’re probably headed right this way,” said Kuttner. “But this time, we’ll be ready for them.”

  Hamilton stared at the viewer as it slowly filled with ships, bulky transports and sleek frigates. Vast battle cruisers and stealthy fighters, gray against the deep black of space. He wondered what could be done to stop all this. They had tried so many times. But most of all he worried about Leda. She would have contacted him by now if she had been able. Was she a part of the conspiracy with Straker, or was she in danger?

  Chapter 28

  War

  The crew of the Onslaught was aware of the Dragon armada’s presence long before they could see them. The ship’s sensors could see the blots of infrared light they gave off, the Hawking radiation of their space drives. It picked up their alien comm chatter.

  The rest of the Fleet too was bristling at their oncoming presence, raising defense fields, priming weapons.

  Captain Kuttner paced the command deck, his hands clasped behind his back. Decades of war had prepared him for what was coming, but he didn’t relish it. He had hoped, in fact, to stop it before it started. But he couldn’t give up.

  “Lt. Brackett,” he said, “Get me the ship in charge.”

  “It appears to be the Armitage,” said the communications officer. “I’m raising them now.”

  There was an answering chime that told Kuttner a channel was open.

  “Armitage,” he said. “This is Captain Kuttner of the Onslaught. We have information vital to this campaign. We can’t go to war with the Draconi. Our real enemy is—”

  There was a loud mechanical bleat, followed by silence.

  “What happened”

  “I don’t know, sir. “Something overrode our signal and killed it from this end.”

  “It’s the transponder we jerry-rigged to the comm system,” said Hamilton. “That’s Straker over there. He has our device’s quantum entangled twin.”

  “Sir,” said Brackett, “The Armitage is hailing us.”

  “On viewer.”

  The sneering visage of Colonel Straker appeared. Standing close next to him was a nervous-looking Leda Niles. She was pale, and looked as if she would rather be anywhere but where she was.

  “Hello, Colonel,” said Hamilton.

  “What the hell are you playing at?” said Kuttner. “You’re intentionally trying to start a war here.”

  “A necessary war,” said the Colonel. “The Draconi empire must be extinguished.”

  “My people will not fall so easily,” said Drizda. “Our two species are too evenly matched, and my people’s fervor—”

  “Will get them nowhere,” Straker cut in, glancing at her. He looked disappointed at finding her on the command deck of the Onslaught. “There is a new weapon on the horizon.”

  Hamilton glared at him. “The Swarm.”

  “Exactly.”

  “But it has been attacking both of us. How are you going to turn it against the Draconi?”

  “You want to field that question, Lieutenant?” Straker asked, raising a gun and pointing it at the back of Leda’s head.

  “They captured an older Swarm probe,” she said nervously. “It doesn’t work, but the Colonel figured out how to use it to communicate with them, turn them into a weapon that only strikes Draconi holdings in this quadrant.”

  “The tide will be turned,” said Straker. “The war we should have won will be over, with us the rightful victors. But it isn’t just Draconi bases in this quadrant I’m interested in. I will strike at the heart of the lizards’ vast empire.”

  “The homeworld!” said Drizda. “But you don’t know where it is.”

  “I’ve made a few educated guesses. My new friends will do the rest. Speaking of which, it’s time to call them.”

  With his gun hand, Straker tapped on a slate, and Hamilton heard the familiar, tones, like an eerie piping over a wide range.

  “He’s sending out a wide range tightbeam,” said Brackett.

  “Record it,” said Kuttner. “I want Drizda to figure out what he’s saying to them.”

  “You’re too late to do anything about this,” said Straker. “This war is going to happen. You can fight it with the fleet or die like traitors. The choice is yours.”

  “I will gladly fight a war if that is our only option,” said Kuttner. “But not a war started under false pretenses.”

  Straker shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

  The viewer went dark, the transmission killed at the source.

  “Sir,” said Hudson. “The Draconi fleet has entered the system.”

  Kuttner took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.

  “Your orders, sir?” asked Hamilton.

  Kuttner stared at him for a long moment before responding. “All hands, battle stations.”

  Chapter 29

  Enemies and Allies

  Grand Leader Kark was lying across a sun rock in quiet repose, close to dozing, when her communicator chirped. She opened her eyes, thinking it a trick of her near-dreaming mind. When it chirped again, she slid her nictitating membranes open and raised herself up, reached for the communicator and flicked it on with a razor-sharp talon.

  “
Kark,” she said, irritated. Her ship, along with the rest of the fleet, was on its way to the Artra system to begin the annihilation of the human race, but there was no way they had arrived yet, and she had left implicit instructions that she not be disturbed until that time.

  “Grand Leader,” said Straker. “I trust you are well.”

  “What do you want, human?” she said. Kark was in no mood to be interrupted. She shifted herself on the heated rock and scratched at a fleck of skin that was starting to molt.

  “I just wanted to let you know that your revenge is at hand. The Onslaught is within your reach.”

  “What?”

  “The ship that destroyed dozens of Draconi vessels during the war, and more recently destroyed a Draconi science vessel on a peaceful mission, has just joined our fleet.”

  “There are a hundred such human vessels,” said Kark, her tongue flicking from her mouth. “All within my reach.”

  “But none of them have the reputation among your kind like the Onslaught,” said Straker.

  Kark pondered Straker’s words. If she could claim the Onslaught, and have Captain Kuttner’s head impaled upon a stick, she would be the pride of her people. The Mother Impress Herself would reward her and her crew greatly. She thought Straker was a spineless krzakssh for betraying his own people, but what was that to her? So far his communiques had been advantageous. And she’d gladly grind his bones between her teeth as well when the time was right.

  “Send me the coordinates,” she said.

  “Gladly,” said Straker.

  Chapter 30

  The Razor

  The Draconi war fleet was still several million kilometers out when they started firing their weapons. Searing clouds of charged particles and titanium shells full of depleted uranium came at the human fleet, many of them missing their mark by hundreds of thousands of miles, others striking with deadly force.

  Gunner Cade’s holographic tactical overlay was aflame with bright blossoms of energy spewing from struck ships, and cries for help came over the tightbeam like the calls of lost souls from old Earth myth.

  The Solar Navy fleet struck back with equal ferocity, and several smaller Draconi warships disappeared in bright, brief dots of flame.

  Kuttner sat in his command chair watching the carnage, wondering if there was still something he could do to stop it.

  The Onslaught rocked violently, shuddered.

  “What was that?” shouted Hamilton.

  “We’ve been hit,” said Gunner Cade, checking his instruments. “Low power ion surge, minimal damage. It came from a Draconi ship that has detached from the main battle group and is heading straight for us.”

  “That’s strange,” Hamilton murmured.

  “Weapons charged,” said Cade, looking expectantly at Kuttner.

  “Hold your fire, dammit! Brackett, get me another channel to the Fleet.”

  The Onslaught was rocked again by another blast. The acrid tang of burnt wiring filled the air as something shorted out.

  “The Draconi vessel is still closing,” said Hudson. “Raptor class. They must want us pretty badly.”

  “Why are they singling us out?” said Hamilton. “We’re obviously damaged, damn near wounded. There are plenty more fresh and glorious targets out there for the Draconi to go after.”

  “I don’t know,” said Kuttner, darkly. “When they board us you can ask.”

  Warning klaxons blared, and red lights flashed from panels set in the low ceiling, painting the faces of the crew a lurid crimson. Captain Kuttner gritted his teeth. The Onslaught had been a grand ship in her day, but she couldn’t take much more of this. If the old girl could hold together just a little while longer…

  “Evasive action,” said Kuttner. “I don’t want to fire on them unless we absolutely have to.”

  “Working,” said Hudson. Slowly, the old ship began to respond, but it wasn’t quick enough.

  “Brace for impact!” Gunner Cade warned, grabbing the edges of his workstation in a white-knuckled grip.

  The ship slewed sideways as a shudder went through her. Kuttner felt the vibration move up through his boots to rattle his back teeth.

  “Decks ten through fourteen report heavy damage,” said Brackett. “We’ve got multiple casualties, and hull breaches on decks eight, twelve, thirteen…”

  “All right,” said Kuttner, cutting her off. “I get it. Open a channel to that ship. If we can’t change everyone else’s mind, maybe we can change theirs.”

  “Channel open,” said Brackett. “They’re answering,” she added, a bit of surprise in her voice.

  “Draconi vessel,” said Kuttner. “This is Captain Kuttner of the Onslaught.”

  “I know who you are, mammal,” an alien voice hissed. The view screen rippled, replaced with an image of the interior of the Draconi ship. Sitting on a raised dais, hunched on the strange stools the dragons used to accommodate their lizard-like physiology, was their captain. “I am Grand Leader Kark of the Razor,” she said, her tongue darting from between her sharp white teeth. “Surrender yourself to me now, and I will make the deaths of your crew as quick and as painless as possible.”

  “As wonderful as that sounds,” said Kuttner flippantly. “I’m afraid I’ll have to take a rain check. Restarting this war is a big mistake. Both our peoples are under siege by a new and powerful enemy.”

  “Don’t give me your lies, human,” said Kark. “You will only prolong your inevitable deaths.”

  “Drizda,” said Kuttner. “Show them.”

  Drizda stepped forward, slate in hand. “Grand Leader Kark, I am Drizda of the Science Council. I have evidence that both our kind and the humans have been attacked by a species of alien probes that can—”

  “Enough!” Kark snapped. “It is bad enough to bear meaningless prattle from a human, but I refuse to hear anything this casteless kzosh has to say. Haven’t you brought enough disgrace on the house of your mother as it is?”

  Drizda took a step back, stooping low. She looked at the deck beneath her feet. Then she glanced up at Hamilton, who nodded for her to keep going.

  Drizda found her courage and stepped forward once more.

  “Grand Leader, I may be without caste or rank, but I am right. These people saved my life, after destroying my host vessel in self-defense. Later they risked their lives to save one of our hatcheries from the alien probes. They have been nothing but honorable. I think it is you who dishonor your mother’s house.”

  Kark uttered a prolonged hiss, bearing her fangs. “How dare you, impudent hatchling? Once I have gutted these mammals I will slit your miserable throat. I only wanted to do you the honor of looking your enemy in the eye before killing you, Kuttner.”

  “What would your high command think of one of its captors conspiring with the enemy?” said Hamilton, stepping forward.

  “What are you talking about, human?”

  “Your single-minded attack on us, when there are plenty of bigger and deadlier targets,” said Hamilton. “Straker got to you, didn’t he? Told you to attack us and where you could find us.”

  “More human lies! I will not listen to this.” The signal cut off abruptly.

  “You definitely got to her,” said Kuttner. “She’s working with Straker all right.”

  Hamilton nodded. “Makes sense. First he finds out we’re with the Fleet, and then next thing you know we’ve being singled out by an enemy ship.”

  “It did not go well,” said Drizda. “Kark will not see reason.”

  “You did your best,” said Kuttner. “I’m afraid we might have to fight after all.”

  Hamilton sighed, straightening his uniform. “Defenses,” he said. “Status.”

  “Deflectors up to full,” said Gunner Cade. “Though that isn’t saying much. Both ion guns charged and fully functioning. For now.”

  “Fire,” ordered Kuttner and Hamilton, almost in unison.

  Gunner Cade hunched over his virtual firing controls, trying to get a bead on the Draconi sh
ip before firing off a volley of charged particle streams. A few long seconds later he said, “We got a hit, but just barely. They’re coming around again.”

  “Brace for impact!” yelled Kuttner.

  The Draconi vessel fired its forward ion cannons, the searing blue beams striking a forward section of the ship with a resounding metallic thud.

  “Nearing this solar system’s asteroid belt,” said Hudson. “I think we can lose them in there.”

  “Do it,” said Kuttner

  Another blast of high energy particles zipped past them, barely missing them as they continued on into space. Kuttner gripped the arms of his chair tightly as Hudson guided the large ship into the field of rock and debris that stretched out between the system’s fourth and fifth planets. Still the Draconi vessel came after them.

  “What’s it going to take to get out of this?” said Hamilton.

  Kuttner looked at him and muttered, “A miracle.”

  Chapter 31

  The Shadow Council

  Straker was a madman. It was the only thing that made any sense. He had gone stark raving insane and, even worse, he had convinced others to do his bidding. Leda was standing against the wall of the command deck, her hands fastened behind her back by a set of heavy magnetic manacles. Straker was wearing a glowing white command dress uniform, formal even for his rank. He was sitting in the Armitage’s command chair. Standing around him were three upper echelon members of Fleet Command, Admiral David Weber, Fleet Commander Wilson Tucker, and Colonel Tavis Moreland, each resplendent in their uniforms. Leda couldn’t tell for certain, but she was sure that these were the men Straker had met with virtually back at headquarters. The woman they had been conversing with in that meeting was not in attendance, but Leda had a feeling she knew who it was. In the corner opposite where Leda stood prisoner, was the familiar probe that had been discovered all those years ago. It was plugged into a makeshift power conduit, and issued a faint hum. Leda even thought she could hear something inside it moving faintly.