The others nodded. Caselt had only voiced what all the others felt as well.
Raluth looked at his follow Kleese overlords. “It might be wise for us not to have any more meetings but to stay upon the exploration ships instead. At least with the firepower they have we will have some protection from the Zaltule.”
“The Zaltule will destroy our empire,” retorted Caselt. “If we are to retreat to our exploration ships, then I would suggest we recall sufficient numbers to guarantee our protection.”
“This council is the rightful ruling body of our empire,” Raluth said. “Caselt is correct, we must see to our own protection. We must also consider bringing in new Council Overlords to replace those who died in the Human attack. While the Zaltule may not recognize this council, we must continue as if it is still the ruling body of our empire.”
-
Outside in the hallway leading to the new Council Chambers two Zaltule warriors stood as guards wearing Type Three battlesuits. As per their orders, they had used their suits sensors to listen in to the meeting of the Kleese Council of Overlords. What they had heard would be sent to Kaluse and from him it would make its way to Military Overlord Harmock. There was little doubt that Harmock, after hearing the treasonous talk from the four surviving council members, would order their deaths. Deaths the two Zaltule warriors could accomplish very easily. However, the death of a Kleese Council Overlord was not to be taken lightly, and the two warriors would not make a move against them until they received orders.
-
Back in the Solar System, Colonel Wade Nelson, along with Marken and several others were in the Command Center of Centerpoint Station. They were awaiting the arrival of the Bashan refugee fleet.
“Inbound contacts,” reported Lieutenant Bryan Vail, the sensor operator.
“All weapons are online and ready to fire,” added Major Jordan Lest, the tactical officer.
Colonel Angus Robertson, the officer on watch, nodded his head. While they didn’t expect any problems, it was prudent they err on the side of caution.
“Station is at Condition Two,” Lest said as he checked his large tactical console. Other tactical consoles to the right and left of him were fully staffed with qualified fleet officers. Centerpoint Station was heavily armed and could defend itself if necessary.
“Emergence,” called out Lieutenant Vail as numerous vessels began dropping out of Fold Space just outside the orbit of Earth’s moon. “Admiral Kelly and First Fleet are moving into position to intercept.”
Wade watched the tactical screens intently as Admiral Kelly’s fleet moved out and took up escorting positions around the newly arrived vessels. There were seventy-seven ships in First Fleet, including forty assault ships. It was led by Admiral Kelly’s flagship, the newly commissioned one thousand-meter long heavy battlecruiser Armageddon.
“I have contact with Admiral Hiath of the Bashan fleet,” Lieutenant Brenda Arnold reported. “He’s asking where he’s to go with his fleet.”
“Tell him to go into orbit around the Moon at twenty thousand kilometers,” General Mitchell ordered as he came into the Command Center. He had broken off an important meeting so he could witness the arrival of the Bashan fleet.
Upon several of the viewscreens, Bashan vessels were being displayed. The battlecruisers were eight hundred meters in length and the escorts ships came in at slightly over five hundred.
“I believe the Bashans will make good allies,” commented Marken as he gazed at the viewscreens. “I have done some research on the Bashan civilization and they are very advanced. It’s a shame their world has fallen to the Kleese.”
“That’s six hundred more warships we can add to our fleet,” Wade said, looking over at General Mitchell, who had come over to stand next to the others.
Brent Adamson, a military research scientist, was also in the Command Center. “From the reports I’ve read they fought their way through the heart of the Zaltule invading fleet, managing to destroy a number of Zaltule warships in the process. From the information the Alliance has provided, the Bashan vessels are equipped with very powerful pulse fusion beams, energy cannons, as well as sublight antimatter missiles.”
“How many civilians are in their fleet?” asked Wade. He and Marken had discussed the best place to put the refugees. Working with President Steward, several suitable asteroids had been picked out and construction teams were on standby.
“Twenty-three thousand,” answered General Mitchell. “From the information Admiral Hiath provided the Alliance, this was an unauthorized evacuation and all he could save were members of the families of the crews of his vessels as well as a number of eminent scientists.”
“That’s more than we had originally,” commented Marken, recalling how they had fled to the Solar System with only the Kiveans from the trading station. Six thousand Kiveans had made that first hectic and dangerous journey to the Human System not knowing whether they would be received as desperate refugees or hated enemies.
General Mitchell turned toward Lieutenant Arnold. “Ask Admiral Hiath if he can come aboard Centerpoint to discuss the disposition of his ships and his people. Also, tell him that he and his people are welcome and to consider this their new home.”
-
Admiral Hiath listened to the messages being broadcast live in his flagship’s Command Center. On the ship’s main viewscreen, a huge trading station was visible. Hiath knew this had once belonged to the Kleese but the Humans had taken it from them.
“That station’s heavily armed,” commented second Officer Dath Mileth. “It by itself could hold off a major Kleese fleet.”
“And they have two of them,” responded Hiath, gesturing toward another screen showing the second station.
On another screen a cloud-shrouded planet was visible. Its atmosphere looked dirty and contaminated. Flashes of lighting could be seen from static discharges caused by heavy dust and contaminants in the air.
“So it is true the Kleese destroyed their world,” said Mileth, looking at the screen with great sadness in his eyes.
Hiath looked at the planet and slowly shook his head. “That might have been the greatest mistake the Kleese have ever made. That destruction has resurrected a warrior race with one desire and one desire only, the complete and utter destruction of the Kleese Empire.” Hiath shifted his gaze to Mileth. “And we’re going to help them do it!”
-
An hour later, the Bashan fleet was in orbit around Earth’s satellite. Admiral Hiath looked at the tactical screen showing six hundred and forty-eight Bashan ships in obit around the pockmarked moon.
“There’s a number of large domed cities on the surface,” reported Mileth as he examined the scans from the ship’s sensor readings. “There are also numerous heavy weapon emplacements.”
“Ion cannons,” Hiath said after a moment. “When the Alliance representatives came to Bashan to see Chancellor Odis they mentioned providing them for our defense. Chancellor Odis turned them down, claiming the Kleese would never violate the neutrality agreement.”
“If we would have had those cannons, we might have been able to hold Bashan against the Kleese fleet,” commented Milith, feeling anger toward Chancellor Odis.
The communications officer turned toward the admiral. “I have several of the civilian cargo ship captains asking if they’re going to be allowed to unload their passengers.”
“I imagine the civilians in the cargo ships are getting a bit space happy,” commented Mileth. “Their living conditions aren’t the greatest.”
Hiath gazed at one of the viewscreens, which showed the numerous large and small domes on the surface of the trading station. “I will speak to this General Mitchell and see if one or two of those domes can be used to temporarily house some of our civilians. As you say, I’m sure they would like to get off those cargo ships and even the passenger liners are a bit crowded.”
Mileth looked around the Command Center and the new feeling of hope showing in the eyes of the crew. �
��Should we reduce our alert level?”
Admiral Hiath took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes, this will be our home for awhile, perhaps a long while. There’s no point in making our new found friends distrust us. Secure from combat alert and go to station keeping. Lower our energy shields and power down our weapons.”
-
On board Centerpoint Station Wade and Marken were walking down a corridor to go to the conference room where they would be meeting with Admiral Hiath.
“This war is coming to a head,” Wade said as they reached a turbolift, which would take them to a lower level. “Admiral Adamson is in Kleese space and by now has hit his first few targets. There’s only one nonaligned world left before the Zaltule turn their fleets loose on the Alliance and us. A year from now and we’ll have either won or the Zaltule will control everything.” He didn’t go on to say that if the Zaltule won, they would all be dead.
Marken hesitated for a moment. “Wade, you know my friends and I chose your race over all others to wage war against the Kleese. For thousands of years, they have been a scourge to this section of the galaxy. Harnett and I have talked long into the night on many occasions about the wisdom of what we did. I still believe we made the right decision freeing your people and mine. We’ve all suffered greatly over the last few years, but the Alliance exists and the Human forces are stronger than ever.”
Wade let out a deep sigh. He couldn’t help thinking about Beth and Erick back at Vesta. “I don’t want my son to be brought up fearing the Kleese. Someday, Beth and I want to lead normal, peaceful lives.” It also bothered him that Ryan and Casey were somewhere once more in Kleese space on a combat mission.
“We all do,” responded Marken, understanding Wade wanting the war to be over. War was a terrible thing and something that the nonaligned worlds had put behind them long ago. Now war had returned and Marken wondered if it would ever be possible for any of the nonaligned worlds to return to their peaceful ways once this was over.
The door to the turbo lift slid open and the two entered. A few moments later, they exited near a tram station where they could take an inter-station tram to where the meeting was going to be held.
A few minutes later, sitting in the tram with Marken, Wade wondered what his life would have been like if the Kleese had never found the Solar System. If the exploration ship which had found Earth had continued on and not stopped to investigate the radio transmissions and other electromagnetic radiation that a budding civilization broadcast without concern for the consequences. Things could have been so different, but then he never would have met Beth, Marken, Harnett, and so many others. He also wouldn’t have a son. As he watched the metal walls of the transit tunnel fly by he hoped his son would never have to experience the horrors of war like he had.
-
Marken watched Wade in the seat across from him. He would always feel guilty for the path he had set the Human race upon. The actions he and his friends had caused by freeing the Humans had brought war to this section of the galaxy. A war the Humans were becoming very adept at waging. There were many nights that Marken had trouble falling asleep. Several times Harnett had awoken to find Marken standing out on the balcony of their home looking out across the Kivean city. At night, the colorful lights and gentle breeze helped one forget the war going on. Whenever that happened Marken and Harnett would stand in silence, their arms around one another as they gazed out across the city. Marken felt the same as Wade. Someday he wanted to stand on that balcony with Harnett and know the galaxy was at peace and the war was over.
Chapter Nine
Colonel Wade Nelson and Marken were inspecting the heavy battlecruiser construction bay inside of Vesta. Inside the mammoth bay, ten huge construction berths were in full operation building more of the one thousand-meter heavy battlecruisers.
“Damn impressive isn’t it?” commented General Will Bailey. Bailey was responsible for the defense of Vesta and he took the job very seriously.
“I never would have believed it was possible,” said Ethan Hall, who was responsible for the workings of the huge construction bay. “When Marken and the others came and told me what they planned, I said it couldn’t be done.”
Marken smiled. He well remembered that conversation. “Between Kivean, Delton, and Talt science I was fully confident we could do it. With the modifications we made to the Delton work robots, we can run the ship construction operation twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”
Wade looked over at the nearest construction site, gazing thoughtfully at the large robots. They came in two different sizes. The small ones were slightly larger than a Human with four flexible metal legs and six flexible metal tentacles. These small robots were used for interior construction and were capable of doing more than one task at a time. Wade had once watched one take a power circuit apart with two tentacles while welding with two others.
The large work robots stood nearly fourteen feet high and were used for the heavier work on the ship’s actual physical structure and hull. These massive robots had six flexible legs and four long tentacles. They could actually pick up hull plates and weld them to the support structure without the need for any other special equipment.
“Will these be done in time?” Wade asked. He knew the deadline for the expected Kleese attack was growing near.
“It’ll be close,” Ethan said, folding his arms across his chest. “We’ll have these ten done in seven more weeks. Figure two weeks for space trials and then at least another four for crew training.”
“We can train the crews on other ships if needed,” Sean Miller said. Sean was responsible for all of Vesta’s spacedock and flight operations. “If we can have three more months, the ships and crews will be ready.”
Wade watched as two of the larger robots picked up an energy cannon and carried it to the nearer ship to begin mounting it. What amazed Wade was that there were hundreds of the large robots in the bay and even more of the smaller ones. There were also a number of Human construction personnel around as well as Kiveans, Delton, and Talts. All knew the importance of getting these ships done and ready for the coming battle.
“If we can get these done that will give us forty-four of the heavy battlecruisers,” commented General Bailey.
Sean looked around the bay and sighed. “I wish it were ten times that. The Kleese will be coming with thousands of ships this time around. I fear the next battle will be decisive. It’ll either be them or us.”
General Bailey nodded his head in agreement. “We’re doing everything we can to prepare.” He turned toward Wade and Marken. “Would you like to take a quick tour of the defenses we’ve set up outside? You’ve both seen the Kleese in action; perhaps you’ll have some suggestions.”
Glancing across the bay, Wade noticed a number of Marines in Type Three battlesuits stationed at key locations. He knew this was the same throughout the military parts of Vesta, including the spacedock. “Sure, it’s been awhile since I’ve looked at the outside defenses.” It would also make him feel better confirming that Vesta was sufficiently defended to protect his family.
-
A short time later, they were in a large shuttle inside of Vesta’s main spacedock. The bay had been enlarged several times over the years. It was now ten kilometers in width, two kilometers in length and a full kilometer from floor to ceiling. Inside the bay, numerous ships could be seen in their berths, prospecting ships, cargo ships, passenger liners, and even a few battlecruisers. On the far end of the bay, six new battlecruisers were nearing completion in their construction berths.
“How close are those battlecruisers to being done?” asked Wade, looking out one of the large viewports.
Major Jeffries had joined the small group when they entered the spacedock. He had served with Wade from nearly the beginning and had been in almost every major battle. “I was over there earlier today, and the construction superintendent says they’re just about finished. Another week and all six of them can begin their space trials.”
<
br /> Several years earlier the spacedock had been the scene of a major battle between the Kleese and the Human Marines. It had been intense and there had been a lot of damage, but in the end the Kleese conscripts had been kept out of the interior of Vesta. Wade noticed that a number of hover tanks had been positioned at key points inside the spacedock.
“How many Marines are you keeping in the main spacedock?” asked Wade, feeling curious.
“Three full platoons at all times,” Jeffries replied. “If the Kleese attack us here it will take them awhile to get through the tunnel. By the time they can reach the spacedock, I can have another two hundred Marines in Type Three and Type Four battlesuits deployed.”
“They won’t ever make it down the tunnel,” General Bailey said confidently.
The shuttle lifted off and proceeded to the first set of massive airlock doors protecting the spacedock. Upon the shuttle’s approach, they partially opened and the shuttle slid through.
“If you look at the tunnel walls we’ve added ten pulse fusion cannons and two plasma cannons,” General Bailey said pointing out the weapons through the viewports. “Each can be targeted down the tunnel to take out any approaching ship.”
Marken looked at the cannons protecting the huge metal doors constructed of ship armor. “I’ve had a group of Kivean and Delton engineers working here as well. We can project a powerful energy shield in front of the doors if necessary. General Bailey is correct; the Kleese will never be able to enter.”
The shuttle accelerated down the long tunnel and finally emerged from a second set of massive armored airlock doors. Around the perimeter of the airlock, twelve small particle beam cannons ensured there would be no unauthorized entry.
“Any word from Admiral Adamson?” asked Major Jeffries. He had asked to go on the mission but had been told he was needed here at Vesta to help prepare its defense for the coming battle with the Kleese.
“No,” Wade responded. “We don’t expect to hear anything until they return. We’ll know they’ve been successful in their mission if the Kleese don’t attack.”
Galactic Empire Wars: Insurrection (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 5) Page 12
