Looking directly at Frank, he pointed at the screen and said.
“This is a list of some of the locations where the Crillon fleet possibly came from, but it's only a guess.”
He paused briefly then continued. “Andromeda has this and the rest of the information, and it’s been downloaded to all of your pads.”
“Good. Tom, does Geo have the specimen of alien remains, and the alien commander's body?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Tom, you can call me Frank” he wearily said. “So, how far have you got with understanding what happened on the planet, and to this Commander Axon, I think he was called?”
“Working with the data obtained from our sensors, samples and photos, we're now sure that the Crillons used that nasty weapon of theirs to obliterate all life on the planet and wipe it clean. Probably aiming to colonize it at a future date.
Look at this,” Tom said. Tapping his pad, as he spoke, to bring up the video images that appeared on the Holo screen.
“Geeze!” Micky Trent gasped.
The video images moved slowly over the planet’s surface, showing extensive damage, to what appeared to be settlements, vegetation, transport routes. Everything was damaged. Nothing was intact.
As the video dissolved off the screen, another picture took its place, this one showing the fragment of recovered remains.
“This is obviously a finger,” Tom continued. “We’ve carried out a DNA check and are creating a profile to better understand what the alien creature or person whom this finger belonged to, looked like.
It makes me want to vapourize that Crillon Commander and his race.”
“You're not alone,” Frank agreed.
“We’re pretty confident, that it's a native of this planet, and may be all that remains of this species.
As for this Crillon Commander, Axon, or whatever the 'butcher' is called. We're also carrying out DNA and analytical tests on his remains, to ascertain how the Crillons live what food they eat, everything we can. But it will take more time.”
“Keep at it,” Frank encouraged.
“Right. Susanna. How did you and Brian get on with the alien ‘object’?”
Susanna prepared to speak, struggling to look as formal as possible, as she saw her lover, and hopefully, her husband to be, looking intently at her. As was everyone else, she noticed.
Being one of the only two females on the ship, she was aware of the many eyes that seemed to follow her every move.
“One thing that has helped tremendously is the Crillon language database that we have deciphered and added to Andromeda’s memory-banks. It helps us to understand many things about them, the way they think their weapons, computer language and so on.
Jim's department also beleive that there may be a way to cut the Crillons off from their home planet,” she added and paused.
“From the information we have gathered from the alien ‘object,' we think that the Crillon's campaign only began five years ago, in this sector. That is when the wormhole came into being, we believe. Also, what we call Sector 2, is really Sector 2A,” she paused.
“We also think that the wormhole terminates at Kepler, about 600 light-years away,” she added.
There was a soft murmur as Susanna fed the Holo screen with images of Kepler and two planets revolving around it. Pointing at the pictures on the screen, she continued.
“This is designated Kepler 22B it’s in the habitable zone of the star and is similar to our Sun. Probably an Earth-type planet. All this has been confirmed with Tim and Brian.”
“Yes, and it's a little more than twice the size of Earth,” Tim agreed
Andromeda interrupted. “I think that, with all the information I now have regarding the aliens, together with your combined findings. There are really only two options available to us.”
“And those are,” Frank asked.
“The options are. One, we send a comms buoy to Earth, with fully encrypted data on everything we've ascertained so far. Then we go on to Tau Ceti, and from there on to Earth.”
“Well, at least that way we'd get home,” Peter chipped in.
“Yes indeed. But, it needs to be sooner rather than later,” Andromeda said.
“Unless we stop them, the Crillons will swamp our star system, and we'll suffer the same fate as this unfortunate species.”
“It's not possible to stop them,” Mark added. “We wouldn’t have the time to build enough ships.”
“Yes, that is a problem,” Frank agreed.
“At this moment, the Crillons still have eighteen or nineteen ships, even considering the two we destroyed. But, if the wormhole stays open, then they could have up to a hundred Crillon vessels in no time at all,” he paused, then asked.
“What's the second option, Andromeda?”
“We go to Zeta Reticuli instead. And, as before, we send the comms buoy to Earth.
But, we also tell Earth to send the very next ship off the production line. To send it directly to Zeta Reticuli. Send it well armed, and with a new warp core for us.”
“Now you're talking,” Alan said.
“Naturally, we’ll instruct them to transmit a predetermined code when they reach Zeta Reticuli, so the Crillon’s can’t intercept it.
Then. Hopefully, we can rendezvous, and change the warp core while the new ship protects us.”
“Yes. It will only take about twenty minutes to change,” Ned pointed out.
“It still leaves us with the possibility of a helluva lot of Crillon ships,” Mark voiced.
“Won't Zeta be crawling with Crillon ships by then?” Susanna asked.
Cutting in, Ned said. “We still have another problem, Andromeda. Our warp core only had sixty light-years in total,” he punched in a few figures on his pad.
“Roughly forty-two light-years have gone already, so we only have eighteen left. We’ll have to find another way to make up the difference.”
“That’s right Ned. Oh, and as Susanna asked; Yes, there could indeed be many ships waiting for us,” Andromeda answered.
“That’s if they see us coming. As for the lack of range Ned, I can see a way of using the fusion reactors in my Force crafts, to give us more pulsed power for warp-entry.”
“OK,” he replied. “But the power of the fusion reactor link ups could fluctuate, reducing our accuracy on exit.”
“Then, we could end up nowhere near the wormhole,” Tim pointed out, “and with no chance of getting to it. It seems pretty risky to me.”
“It seems to me that both options are dangerous,” Peter put in.
“Yes. In either case, there's a chance our comms buoy won't reach Earth. If we go for option one, there's a risk we won't reach Tau Ceti. There's a chance we might meet the aliens at Tau Ceti, we might be destroyed.
Earth certainly wouldn't have a chance. So yes, everything is dangerous,” Andromeda stated.
Frank waited a moment while the murmurs faded.
“I know there's a risk that we won't come out of this. But it seems to me that the only option is to go for Zeta Reticuli.
The chances stack up just the same as for option one, but option two may be the only way to slow the Crillons down.”
“Yes, and Brian and I could encrypt a continuously pulsed transmission for an Earth ship to home in on without the Crillons intercepting it,” Susanna added.
“But, we'd have to program it to transmit, only if we thought an Earth ship wouldn't be in danger.”
“Good. We’ll go for option two,” Frank said.
“Andromeda?”
“Yes, Mark.”
“Just an idea, rattling around in my head. How fast can you open and shut the holding bay doors, without jeopardising force field integrity?”
“My goodness, what a question. Probably about twenty seconds, depending on which way the wind is blowing.”
“Tut, tut, Andromeda!” said, Frank.
“Sorry Frank, I couldn't resist it. Does that help Mark?”
“I lit
tle. So how much anti-matter can we create and hold in a Telta Chamber?”
“About a cubic metre. Why? And why a Telta Chamber?”
“It's the only chamber with enough magnetic nodes inside it, and where the exit of the chamber has nodes built into the coupling ring.”
“Good thinking,” said Andromeda. “So, a primitive weapon and wormhole disruptor in one.”
“But surely Mark, that's not enough anti-matter to disrupt the wormhole?” Tim queried.
“True, mass for mass. But don't forget, the resultant disintegration of mass will be like splitting the atom many times over.”
“And how are you going to trigger the detonation in the wormhole?”
“Easy, we'll just delay the shutdown of the field emitters. The anti-matter will then react with the Telta chamber's casing and Bingo. Whoosh, it goes!”
“Andromeda,” Frank said. “Have you worked out how much time we still have before the Crillons begin to wonder what’s happened to Axon's ship?”
“With so many variables my best guess is three ships day's maximum.”
“OK. Do we all agree on option two?” Frank asked.
They all nodded acceptance but looked unhappy about it.
“Very well then, Tim Brian and Susanna work with Andromeda to get that comms buoy away as soon as possible,” he looked at Ned.
“Ned, help Mark and Jim if needed. I believe there's still a lot you can learn from the Crillon's computer.”
“Yes. Micky's been refining our coupling and data extraction.”
Frank, facing them all, then said. “Your work is vital. Andromeda is great for logic, but we need to think outside-the-box.”
That made them all grin. “OK. The conference is ended,” he said.
They all stood and left. Susanna giving him a slow smile as she went.
“Well Frank,” Andromeda said. “That brought me down a peg or two.”
He just grinned, and sat back, relaxed now.
“Did you hear what I just said?”
“Yes Andromeda, I certainly did.”
“Well?”
Frank closed his eyes and pretended to ignore her.
Chapter 19.
The Jaws of Death.
Day Two.
Susanna and Brian had finished encrypting the comms buoy's software with every piece of information they had on the Crillon weapons and defense systems, the Crillon’s location at Zeta Reticuli. On the unstable wormhole to Kepler, and last, but not least, with the built-in Homing circuit they had designed for the requested Earth ship. If indeed a ship could be sent.
Their four Force craft fusion reactor link-ups had been completed, giving increased warp entry pulse and range for each jump.
A Telta chamber, about three meters in diameter, had already been temporary installed and was mounted on an improvised ejection rail close to the alien's pod in the holding bay.
Mark's team were busy, thoroughly checking the Telta chamber’s magnetic nodes as a failure of any one of them in transit would mean the end of the Andromeda.
When the Telta Chamber was certified OK, it was to be moved to the Antimatter generation plant near the ship's power core. Where, they hoped to move the necessary cubic meter of mass into the chamber, by the third day. Returning it afterwards to its ejection rail in the holding bay.
Frank, was sitting in front of his large computer screen. He touched Astro’s Icon, and Tim Watson’s 3D image instantly appeared.
“Hello, Frank.”
“Are you carrying out a complete analysis of Zeta Reticuli?”
“Yes. Alan is here helping us. We’re trying to get all the information we can get on Zeta 2, as being a class G2V star, it’s more likely to support some form of life.”
“Yes, it would be an ideal stepping stone for the Crillons,” Frank said.
“Have you and Andromeda worked out how to get there, unseen?” He asked, knowing he could have got all this information directly from Andromeda. But being involved with the crew had its benefits and improved their camaraderie.
“Yes, the distance is too much for a single jump, we haven't enough power for that. But our scanners and telescope have pinpointed the natural wormhole near Zeta1.”
“That's great,” he said. “Make sure your own thoughts on the subject are entered.”
“Will do.”
Frank sat back thinking. Then deciding that he needed to find out how Ned and Mark were progressing, tapped their Icons, and their 3D images appeared on the screen.
“Hi Frank,” Mark said, looking up. “I imagine you need to know how we're doing. Yes?”
“I do indeed. How's the Telta Chamber filling-operation getting on?”
“OK, it should be full and returned to its ejection rail, in about eight hours. Then, when Andromeda has all the information from everyone, we’ll need her timing data to allow us to set up a timed detonation unit for the chamber. After that, we only have to test the ejection rail.”
Ned chipped in. “We'll be able to give those aliens a shock for sure!”
“Sounds good. I hear the Force craft’s fusion reactors are linked-up, so we're doing well. Let me know if you see a problem coming up.”
“Sure will, Frank,” Ned confirmed.
Frank felt at a loss, everything was proceeding well without him. Everyone seemed to be occupied, except him. On his screen, he could see that even the service droids were busy scurrying around, adding or replacing the odd thing here and there.
He tapped into the image and data stream being fed from Astro to Andromeda and saw the double stars of Zeta Reticuli. With Zeta 2, a dark fluffy-looking spot, about fifteen light-minutes from Zeta1.
I think I'll talk to Susanna, he thought to himself, as he tapped the Data Analysis department's icon. No response.
He idly tried Encryption's Icon and jumped as Brian's 3D image unexpectedly appeared.
“Yes, Frank?”
“Sorry to interrupt, but when will the comms buoy be ready to warp?” He asked, even though he already knew that it was early tomorrow.
“About nine o'clock tomorrow morning, but I reckon you already knew,” Brian grunted.
He felt a little embarrassed. “You can read me like a book. Is Susanna there?”
“No, she's at the comms buoy. Alice is helping Susanna to program it, with Andromeda instructing them.”
“Alice! Alice who?”
“Alice Cummings.”
“Andromeda,” he called. “I knew there were two females on board, why haven't I met Alice?”
“I don't know. Alice works in the computer science section. She's smart but very insular, so maybe that's why.”
He punched her name in on his pad's private channel. After a moment, her data was there.
Alice Tiffany Cummings; Born in Wisconsin. Twenty-seven years old. Unmarried. Parents alive and living in Wisconsin. Five years at the University of Computer Sciences. Two years in Data Analysis at the Space Federation.
OK, he thought. Alice probably met Susanna at the SpaceFed center. He yawned, bored again. Having done all that he could with different scenarios on his tactical pad, he decided to take a walk.
Making sure his mind link with Andromeda was active, he set off to see the comms buoy, and hopefully, Susanna.
When he reached the open area, he saw that the buoy was mounted on its carrier, and the two girls, with their portable computers, were hard at work.
“Hello, you two. Nice to see you, Alice,” he said, acting as if he knew her. “How's it going?”
Susanna gave Alice a look, then stared hard at Frank. “I didn’t know you two knew each other?”
“We don't,” Alice said with a smile.
“Not personally,” Frank pointed out. Stop digging a hole, he thought to himself.
Then out loud, “Can we meet tonight Susanna, tomorrow might be difficult for all of us?”
“Yes,” she turned to Alice. “How long do you think?”
“About another two hours Sues, that's
my guess.”
“My cabin in two then, Frank?”
“I'll be there on the dot,” he replied, then muttered. “Sues. Ha!” turned and left.
Alice grinned at Susanna. “Not a bad hunk.”
“Keep your eyes off.”
Back in his cabin Frank wondered if it was wise to continue dating Susanna but then thought why not. They could all be dead in a couple of days anyway.
“Yes Frank,” came Andromeda's voice.
He was startled; he had raised his mental level without thinking. “It's OK. Guess I'm a little tense.”
“I'm glad you called me. It seems we have something in our favor.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“Well, we would have an edge over the Crillons if we could mount an Antimatter weapon under the bow of each of our new ships while they’re in the Mars shipyards,” she paused.
“Yes, I’m sure,” she added. “When we send the comms buoy we must add the recommendation for these weapons to be mounted on our ships.”
“Excellent, add it then.”
He was alone again with his thoughts. He really was, very bored. He felt he was in limbo; everyone else had something useful to do. He thought of Susanna again. Thinking he’d marry her today if he could. It was stupid, but he really missed her.
He glanced at the chronometer, still forty-one minutes to go.
Turning to his computer screen, he selected the stealth drone's image of the black patch at the rear of the alien ship.
I wonder if we could fire a positive mass, aiming it at the discharge of their Antimatter weapon. This should create a pos-neg collision, then, boom! Yes, a Salvo straight behind it. But would the Salvo get through? I’m not sure,’ he answered himself.’
‘Your idea may have some merit, Frank,’ Andromeda interrupted. ‘Perhaps with the alien's survival pod being thrown back at them, as well. I'll make a note of it in my tactical scenarios.’
‘It would be great if it worked,’ Frank thought back. ‘But we’d be on the receiving end if it didn't. That would be very dangerous.’
The Definitive SpaceFed Trilogy (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy).: A thrilling, action-packed Sci-fi space adventure. (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 8) Page 12
