The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four)

by Weil, Raymond L.

  That was one thing that had pleased Admiral Streth; the newest version of the Talon fighter had been given to his fleet. They were a little slimmer, faster, and more maneuverable than the older version. They were also very heavily armed with twin 30 mm cannons and hard points for two small interceptor missiles. He had spoken to Colonel Arcles earlier from the Wasp, and the colonel had been very impressed with the new version.

  Amanda looked down at another computer pad she had brought with her and then looked back up at Hedon. “In these war games, they are primarily aimed at improving the bomber’s efficiency in their attack runs?”

  “Yes,” answered Hedon, nodding his head and leaning forward, placing his right hand on the desk. “If we commit the bombers too early the survival rate for our pilots is very low. We learned from Caden’s World that if we wait until the Hocklyn’s fleet defenses have been hammered the survival rate goes way up, and the bomber attack can be devastating against the weakened Hocklyn energy shields and defenses.”

  Amanda understood the reasoning behind the war games and agreed with it. Successful bomber attacks could significantly reduce her ship losses.

  “What about repairs to badly damaged ships?” she asked. She knew most ships could do a lot of repairs themselves, but severe damage was another matter. They were going to be far away from Federation space and a severely damaged ship could be a hindrance to other ships in the fleet.

  “We have six repair ships that will be going along with us,” answered Hedon, thinking about the massive ships. Each was nearly the size of a battle carrier and Admiral Johnson had thrown a fit when he demanded them. There were only ten of the large repair ships in the entire Federation. “Their main job will be to repair badly damaged ships so they can return safely to Federation space and enter a shipyard repair bay.”

  Amanda leaned back and gave Hedon a serious look. She took a deep breath before asking the next question. “What do you think our real chances are of winning this war?”

  Hedon was silent for a long moment as he studied Amanda. They had been friends for a long time, and he very seldom kept secrets from her. Then with a heavy sigh, he answered. “I honestly don’t know. The Hocklyns control a huge empire. They have thousands of ships to call upon and vast resources at their command. Then of course, there are the AIs. Our best defense right now is that we are far away from the Hocklyn home worlds as well as the center of the galaxy where the AIs reside. It will take time for them to martial a sufficient force against us to drive us back to the Federation. Then we have to hope our defenses and new fleet construction can hold them at bay.”

  “At least we have allies and a fighting chance,” said Amanda, realizing that Hedon really didn’t want to admit that this was a war they might not be able to win. There were also three other races that the AIs were using to conquer the rest of the galaxy. Even if by some miracle the Hocklyns could be defeated, they might very well have to face those as well.

  “Did you get to say goodbye to Richard?” asked Hedon, hoping the two had managed to spend some quality time together over the last few days.

  Amanda nodded her head. “We went down to New Tellus for a few days to relax. He still has a lot of work to do with organizing the asteroid fortresses and preparing them for a Hocklyn attack. Both of us just hope we get to see the end of this someday.”

  Hedon didn’t reply because he knew the odds were deeply stacked against them.

  -

  “I can’t believe you want to do this!” Fleet Admiral Johnson was saying loudly to Admiral Teleck. “The Federation Council will never approve it.”

  “The Federation Council doesn’t play into this,” Teleck replied in a calm and controlled voice. “The Ceres defense fleet is under direct control of myself and Governor Malleck. We turn over half of all the ships we construct every year to the Federation; in return we keep the rest for our own defense.”

  Admiral Johnson stood up and stepped around her desk to stand face to face with Teleck. “We could need those ships if the Hocklyns stop Operation First Strike. By doing this, you could be endangering the entire Federation!”

  “The ships may never be needed,” responded Teleck, not backing down. He gazed calmly at Admiral Johnson before continuing. “We still have a large fleet at Ceres, and more ships are under construction in our bays even as we speak.”

  “Admiral Streth’s survival is that important to you?” Karla demanded, her eyes widening.

  “Isn’t he to you, also?” countered Teleck.

  Karla stepped back, frowning. Teleck was right. It would be devastating to the Federation if Admiral Streth were to die in this campaign.

  “How many ships are we talking about?” she finally asked, realizing that she wasn’t going to change Teleck’s mind.

  Admiral Telleck paused before he spoke, knowing his words would shock the admiral. It had always been a highly guarded secret just how many ships were hidden inside Ceres’s vast fleet bays.

  “We are sending eight battle cruisers, six battle carriers, four strike cruisers, ten Monarch cruisers and twenty light cruisers,” he stated, his eyes meeting the Fleet Admirals.

  “Forty-eight ships,” Karla breathed surprised at the number. She wondered just what else was hidden inside Ceres. She suspected but couldn’t prove that this was only a small portion of the ships the Federation survivors inside of Ceres had at their disposal. After all, they had been building warships nonstop for several centuries.

  “It is part of our agreement with the Federation that we be allowed to maintain our own defense fleet,” Teleck reminded the Fleet Admiral. “Those ships can be committed as we see fit. At this time, these ships will act as an emergency support fleet if First Fleet becomes imperiled. The fleet will stay behind and hidden from the Hocklyns as well as Admiral Streth. He won’t know they are there unless they’re needed.”

  “How will he know?” Karla demanded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

  “It’s actually quite simple,” Teleck replied with a knowing smile. “Clarissa will call for us. She will know if we’re needed and she will also always know where we are.”

  “Clarissa?” Karla mumbled in realization. “She is the AI on the StarStrike.”

  “Yes,” Teleck answered. “That’s one of the reasons we put her there.”

  Then, in a more condescending voice, he added. “Karla, we must keep the admiral safe. He is our best chance for winning this war. Operation First Strike will succeed. More than likely he will never need our fleet and will never know it was there.”

  Karla nodded her head in defeat. She knew in her heart that Admiral Teleck was correct. She also knew that Operation First Strike had to succeed or the Federation’s chances of survival would be very low.

  Chapter Thirteen

  High Leader Ankler had just dismissed the latest meeting of the Hocklyn High Council. Once again, High Counselor Ruthan had demanded to know when the AIs would be notified about the humans. The debate had become heated, and the council was obviously divided on the issue. The councilors were becoming highly worried about the absence of any word from War Leader Bisth and the four fleets he had left Fleet Commodore Resmunt’s base with. Ankler had managed to put off notifying the AIs by the slimmest of margins in the final council vote.

  It had been over a week since he had revealed that the AIs had agreed to allow them to settle the four new star systems. Already Hocklyn construction crews were descending on the four new inhabitable planets laying the groundwork for immediate colonization. That had kept the council pacified for the time being. Now several council members, led by Ruthan, were becoming even more worried about what would happen when the AIs found out about the humans.

  “This is a dangerous game you’re playing,” High Councilor Nartel warned as he watched the others file out of the large ornate room where the council met. “A number of the councilors are coming to believe that you are hiding something from us. I warn you now, High Leader, the next vote will go against you unless we hear
positive news from War Leader Bisth.”

  Ankler turned to gaze unblinking at Nartel. He was slightly larger in build than Ankler with a bulkier stature and thick sinewy arms. “I hide nothing,” he spoke in a rasping voice. “Bisth is taking longer because he is subduing the human home world.”

  “Perhaps,” Nartel replied in a steady voice, unafraid of the High Leader. “But it has been nearly six weeks since he left Resmunt’s base. Some word should have been sent back by now. I am beginning to wonder if these humans might be a bigger threat than we originally believed. If by some chance the humans have defeated Bisth, the AIs will not be pleased with us. There could be some serious consequences, including taking the four new systems away from us. If that happens, you will not survive as High Leader of the council.”

  “Don’t threaten me, Nartel!” snarled Ankler, letting his anger show. He reached down and tapped the blade at his waist. “I have fought honor duels with others for far less than what you have just said and won.”

  “It was no threat, High Leader,” responded Nartel, taking a step back. He tapped his armor and touched his own blade. “I too have fought honor duels and won. A victory over me might not be as easy as you think. I was not challenging your honor. I was merely explaining what might happen if things don’t change quickly.”

  Ankler was silent. He knew an honor duel between council members would be highly frowned upon and only further weaken his position.

  “Very well,” responded Ankler, moving his hand away from his blade. “If we have not heard from War Leader Bisth in another ten days, then I will agree to notify the AIs about these new humans.”

  Nartel nodded, pleased with this concession from the High Leader. It was not good for the council to argue any longer over this subject, they needed to begin expediting the work on the new colony worlds and moving some of their expanding population. The civilian population was becoming more disgruntled every day. If the colonization plan were to fall through, it would be necessary to bring the military in and reduce the Hocklyn overpopulation. Nartel did not even want to contemplate the difficulties involved if such a drastic move became necessary.

  -

  Fleet Commodore Resmunt was in orbit in his flagship, the powerful dreadnought Liberator. He was in the process of organizing a defense of this system. There still had been no word from War Leader Bisth, and Resmunt was starting to believe that Bisth had failed in his attempt to conquer the human mining world or had met his end in an effort to take their home world. It was very seldom the Hocklyns encountered a powerful enemy, but all the evidence was now pointing to that worrisome possibility.

  “The two new fleets sent by the council have arrived in the system,” First Leader Ganth reported as he gazed at the numerous green icons appearing on the long-range sensor screen.

  “What are the make up of the fleets?” Resmunt demanded. The fleets came from a distant base, and he had no idea what he had been sent. He had requested additional information, but High Leader Ankler had not replied.

  “Each fleet has two dreadnoughts, four war cruisers, and twelve escort cruisers,” Second Leader Aanith reported from his position at a computer console.

  “Honor is lacking in this,” swore Resmunt, wondering if High Leader Ankler was out to destroy him. These were small fleets! “I was expecting more escort cruisers.”

  “We have our own two fleets we have pulled from the other bases,” First Leader Ganth reminded Resmunt. “They have a large complement of escort cruisers.”

  “Weak in capital ships though,” responded Resmunt, wishing he had more ships. The two fleets made up from the seven bases consisted of four war cruisers and fourteen escort cruisers each. With a heavy breath, he knew he needed more dreadnoughts. Unfortunately, there was only one way he could get them.

  “Contact our other five forward bases,” ordered Resmunt, coming to a quick decision. “I want each base to send us one of their dreadnoughts.”

  Ganth was silent for a long moment as he mulled over these new orders from the commodore. “The base commanders will not be pleased with that order. That will significantly reduce the firepower of their fleets.”

  “It still leaves them their command dreadnought,” responded Resmunt, giving his second in command a hard look. “This is our primary base in this sector and must be protected at all costs.”

  Ganth nodded and moved toward the communications console to pass on the order.

  Resmunt gazed about the massive War Room of his flagship. The ship had served him well and had brought honor to him and his crew, but his concern over these new humans was growing. He had asked himself what he would do if he were the humans and an alien race attacked his home world. The answer was simple, immediate and overwhelming retaliation.

  Because no word had come back from Bisth, he had no idea what he might be facing. Perhaps nothing at all. The humans might have been weakened by Bisth’s attack to the point where it might not be possible for them to retaliate. But in his gut, Resmunt knew that was wrong. All the years of sensor ghosts and missing escort ships that didn’t return from long-range exploration missions warned otherwise. Now Bisth’s fleets were failing to report in. Four powerful Hocklyn fleets had gone missing as well as four War Leaders. Resmunt knew something was not right. Either more humans than believed possible had escaped the destruction of the Human Federation of Worlds, or there was another human civilization in this sector of the galaxy.

  -

  Fleet Admiral Johnson was on Earth at the Federation Council Chambers meeting with President Kincaid.

  “What do you think the odds are of Admiral Streth succeeding with Operation First Strike?” the president asked in a concerned voice with lines of worry showing around his eyes.

  “I think the first part of the attack will be a success,” Karla replied with confidence in her voice. “The Hocklyns will not be expecting an attack and should be taken by complete surprise. If he can eliminate the Hocklyn fleets at those six advance bases, then he should be able to push them back several hundred light years at least.”

  “When will he know when to stop his advance?” Kincaid asked, his eyes focusing on the Fleet Commander.

  “When he begins running into heavy resistance from the Hocklyns,” Karla answered. “It will take them a while to respond and we are not sure what type of FTL communications they have for the vast distances across their empire. Admiral Streth has over fifty stealth scouts on the various carriers in his fleets. He will use those to determine targets of opportunity once he reaches unknown sections of their empire.”

  President Kincaid was silent for a long moment. “I spoke with Governor Malleck yesterday,” continued Kincaid, recalling his long conversation with the Governor of Ceres. “He told me about the fleet he has sent to support Admiral Streth if needed. It concerns me that we are committing so many ships to this operation, ones we might need later.”

  “I don’t think we had a real choice,” Karla confessed with a tired look crossing her face. “The Hocklyns found us sooner than we expected. We need the time Operation First Strike will give us. It also serves to bring home to the civilian population just what is at stake in this war.”

  “How strong are our defenses if the Hocklyns attack us here?” asked Kincaid, looking over at a large, detailed star map that showed the ten inhabited human systems and the thirty mining colonies. “Can we hold against them?”

  “I believe New Tellus can,” responded Karla, carefully. She had spent a lot of time studying the defenses of the various inhabited systems and what could be done to strengthen them. “Those asteroid fortresses are monstrosities in both firepower and defensive shielding, and I believe Earth and Ceres are the same. Our orbital battle stations should be able to stop the Hocklyns here in the Sol System. The other inhabited planets will have to depend on their defensive grids and our fleets until their defenses can be sufficiently upgraded.”

  “What about the AIs?” asked Kincaid in a quiet and worrisome voice. He could picture t
he new Human Federation falling under their onslaught; the first Human Federation had.

  “We don’t know,” admitted Karla uneasily, her eyes shifting to the star map. “New Tellus is confident their asteroid fortresses can stop them, the same thing with our battle stations here above Earth. We don’t have that capacity in the other systems, at least not yet.”

  “What about Admiral Streth and his fleets?” President Kinkaid continued, his eyes showing deep concern about what he was about to ask. “What if the AIs attack him?”

  Karla didn’t answer for a moment. The AIs were the big question and unknown in all of this. Admiral Streth had fourteen of the new heavy strike cruisers with him that had been designed specifically to take on an AI ship with their Devastator Three missiles and heavy energy shielding. “We won’t know until he encounters them,” she answered, her eyes meeting the president’s. “He is laying a series of FTL communication booster buoys behind him. We should have reasonable communications with the admiral even when he reaches Hocklyn space.”

  “How reasonable?” Kincaid asked. This was a vast distance of over 600 light years. Most FTL communication in the Federation was less than thirty light years with New Tellus, the fartherest from Earth at twenty-seven light years. He knew at that vast a distance there would be some communication delay.

  “Fifty-six hours at that distance.”

  President Kincaid nodded, knowing they could do no more. “If Admiral Streth succeeds in buying us the time we need to finish our defenses, it will be a miracle.”

  Fleet Commander Johnson stood up and smiled. “That’s why we’re sending Fleet Admiral Hedon Streth. He has performed miracles in the past, we’re just asking for one more.”

  President Kincaid looked at the map depicting the new Human Federation of Worlds. He just prayed they were all still there a year from now.