“I don’t know,” answered Ryan. “He was eating some type of meat that looked like steak, but he doubted if the Kleese or any of the worlds in their empire had cows. “We need to figure out how to land on the planet without being detected and then contact Fleet Commander Achlyn’s family.”
“What if we can’t?”
“If we can’t land, then we go on to Tranton as Lieutenant Guthrie has suggested,” answered Ryan, putting his fork down and looking across the table at Casey. “If we land and can’t find anyone to contact, at least we know Delton is a habitable world that we can live on. In that case we pick out an isolated area, perhaps in a mountainous region, hide the assault ship and stay there until this war is settled one way or the other.”
“That could be years,” Casey said softly, her eyes growing wide at the thought of spending possibly the rest of her life on the planet. At least she would be with her friends and Ryan.
“Possibly,” Ryan admitted. He reached his hand across the table and placed it on top of Casey’s. “At least we’ll all be together.” If they couldn’t find the help they needed, they might never make it back to the Alliance in their lifetimes. He was glad he’d already said his goodbye’s to Wade and his parents in the letter he had left his brother. He just hoped Wade found it.
-
In the Command Center, Lauren and Alexander were talking. It was relatively quiet since the ship was in Fold Space and Lauren was watching the Helm as Autumn had gone to her quarters to get some much needed rest.
“We’re not going home, are we?” Alexander said despondently. He was standing behind Lauren, watching her check the flight controls. He wasn’t looking forward to possibly being stranded on Delton.
“I don’t know,” answered Lauren, glancing over her shoulder at Alexander. “I think it’s going to be difficult finding someone to help us keep the systems on this ship functioning. These assault ships weren’t designed to travel clear across the Kleese Empire. They normally do so berthed in the flight bays of exploration cruisers. If we had an experienced crew and the necessary spare parts, maybe we could do it. I’ve looked at some of the systems we’re having trouble with. There are detailed manuals that tell us how to make minor adjustments, but none of us has gone through the proper technical training for repairing an assault ship. We know enough to operate the controls and that’s about it.”
“At least if we get stranded, you can bunk with me,” Alexander said in a casual voice. That would be one bright side to staying on Delton. Lauren did have a cute figure, and he wouldn’t mind getting to know her in that way.
“Whoa there, Alexander,” replied Lauren, quirking her eyebrow and giving Alexander a dangerous look. “I’m not planning on bunking with anybody, at least not yet. Just keep your pants on.”
A blinking red light on the flight control console drew her attention before she could say anything else to Alexander. “Now what?” she mumbled, leaning forward and checking a data screen to see what the problem was.
A primary engineering system had shut down and its backup had been activated. The failed system controlled the ship’s inertial compensators.
“Shit,” muttered Lauren worriedly. “If we don’t land soon this ship is going to fail completely.”
“What’s wrong now?” asked Alexander, seeing Lauren’s look of concern. He felt helpless in this situation, as he knew hardly anything about technical issues.
“The primary inertial compensator system has failed,” she replied. “The backup came on automatically.”
“What does this inertial compensator thing do?” asked Alexander, looking confused.
“It’s what protects us from rapid changes in gravity during acceleration and deceleration,” Lauren patiently explained. “At the speed this ship accelerates, we would all lose consciousness or could even be killed if we weren’t protected from the G-forces.”
“This isn’t good is it?” Alexander said, forgetting about his attempt to flirt with Lauren.
“No, it’s not,” she replied. “But there’s nothing we can do about it. The secondary system should get us to Delton.”
“Should we notify Lieutenant Nelson or Lieutenant Guthrie?”
“No,” answered Lauren, shaking her head. She knew Autumn needed her rest and Ryan and Casey were in the mess hall eating. They deserved their privacy. She still didn’t understand why Casey hadn’t spent a night with Ryan. She knew if she were in Casey’s place, she would have. Maybe she needed to have a little talk with her again. “There’s nothing they can do. We just have to hope everything keeps working long enough to get us to where we’re going.”
Alexander nodded. They were in a bad situation and their options were rapidly dwindling. He turned and went back to the tactical console. Flipping on the screen, he began practicing different scenarios using the ship’s weapons. He knew he wasn’t very good at it, but at least he knew how to activate the ship’s energy weapons as well as its four heavy pulse fusion beams. He still wasn’t sure if he felt confident enough to launch one of the ship’s antimatter missiles.
-
Military Overlord Harmock was standing on the Command Pedestal in the Command Center of his flagship, the battlecruiser Warrior’s Fire. The humans in the assault ship had escaped him and he’d finally called off the search. Once again they were on course for the home system.
“In another week we’ll be there,” reported Gareth as he checked the data on his command console.
“Without the humans,” replied Harmock in his cold voice. “We have lost an opportunity to gather valuable information about our enemy.”
“You still think the humans are that dangerous?”
“Yes,” Harmock answered, his triangular shaped head looking toward Gareth. “They are potentially the greatest threat our empire has ever faced.”
“The latest report from Kaluse indicates our new war fleets will be ready in four more months.”
“They will be needed,” Harmock replied.
They’d stopped at the trading station in Sector Three and discovered what the Humans and their Alliance had done to the stations in Sectors Nine and Twelve. That’s where they’d received the report from Kaluse about the new war fleets, as well as a worrisome communication from Overlord Darthu indicating Xatul knew about the hatchings as well as the new Queens.
“With our new fleets we will crush this Human led Alliance,” uttered Gareth in a hard and determined voice. “Then we will go on to the human’s home system and sterilize it. No humans will be allowed to survive. We will eradicate their species and return all of our trading stations to their rightful locations.”
“I fear it will not be that easy,” responded Harmock, folding his powerful dark arms across his chest. “The human led Alliance will be expecting our attack and resist with every ship they have. It will be a great battle and we will suffer grievous losses, but in the end, our new warships will win. We must allow this war with the humans to teach us not to underestimate an enemy ever again. Once the humans have been taken care of, we will begin our advance across the galaxy. Out there we will encounter other races that will be just as dangerous. We must be ready when that happens.”
“And we shall defeat them,” Gareth responded.
Harmock didn’t reply. In another week, he would make his move to take over the Council of Overlords. He’d decided to challenge Xatul to a personal duel. It would reduce the chance of battle between his Zaltule battlecruisers and the exploration ships Xatul kept in orbit of the home world. Once Xatul was disposed of, the other Kleese Overlords would be asked to step down or face personal challenges of their own. He strongly suspected most, if not all of them, would agree to relinquish their seats on the council to the Zaltule Harmock had already chosen. Once he had command of the Council of Overlords, he would use the empire’s assault ships and exploration ships to increase the expansion of the empire across the galaxy.
-
Wade, Beth, Major Winfrey, and Marken were in the Command Cen
ter of the Defender. The fleet had been underway for a number of weeks now and was daily getting deeper into the Kleese Empire. It had stopped on the outskirts of a small M Class star orange-red in color to undergo routine maintenance checks.
“Several of the assault ships need some serious work done to their systems,” Ensign Snider reported from Communications. “Estimated repair time is fourteen hours.”
“I was afraid we would have problems with those ships,” commented Commander Greer. “They weren’t designed for such long deployments.”
“At least we have the spare parts and technicians to fix anything that goes wrong,” replied Wade. It was one of the reasons they’d only brought fifty of the assault ships. Admiral Rivers had been fairly certain he could keep fifty operating, but more than that might have put a strain on the resources of the fleet.
“Admiral Rivers has sent two assault ships out to scan the former nonaligned world that’s in our immediate area,” added Captain Damon. She was concerned that one day these missions might lead the Kleese back to the fleet. Anytime a reconnaissance mission was out she felt apprehensive.
“Marken, do you still think we’re seeing a sharp division between the two Kleese castes?” Beth asked.
She and Marken had both come over to the Defender to speak with Wade. She was planning to stay on board until their next dropout from Fold Space. Major Jeffries could handle things on the Argyle until she returned. It would be nice to spend some quality time with her husband.
“We’ve scanned a dozen former nonaligned worlds,” Marken began. “In every case there’s been an absence of assault ships and Kleese exploration vessels. The only warships we’ve seen have been the occasional Zaltule battlecruiser.”
“Even at the trading station in Sector Six things seemed off,” Wade added, looking over at Marken. “There were only two exploration ships there and half a dozen Zaltule battlecruisers. That’s far less than normal.”
“Do you think there’s a possibility of the two Kleese castes going to war with one another?” asked Captain Damon. Such a conflict could significantly weaken the empire and buy the Alliance years of time to prepare to take on the eventual winner.
“I doubt it,” replied Marken, shaking his head. “Both castes are dedicated to expanding the Kleese Empire. While they may disagree, I can’t see them doing anything to put that goal in jeopardy.”
“I don’t know,” Wade said with a deep frown on his face. “These Zaltule aren’t popular with the other Kleese. I spoke in depth to Minor Overlord Betel about this, and he thinks the Zaltule are a danger to the empire.” Betel was locked up in the brig on the Defender under heavy guard.
“Why did you bring that Kleese with us?” asked Beth. She despised the Kleese and felt the only good one was one with its head cut off. She knew her husband was spending hours talking to his prisoner.
“He’s becoming more talkative every day,” answered Wade. “Besides, when we get to Delton he might be very useful. I think with the right persuasion we can get some valuable intel from him.”
“Maybe he’ll let us know the most likely places our abducted Marines have been taken,” Major Winfrey suggested, glancing over at Wade. “It would make rescue a lot easier if we knew exactly where they’re being held.”
“By now, they’ve probably reached the Kleese home system,” said Beth. “I worry about what might be happening to them.”
“Betel has hinted they’ll be interrogated by the Zaltule first,” Wade answered pensively. “He thinks it will be at least a week or two before any of them are turned over to the labs to be experimented on.”
“If they experiment on my Marines, I won’t show the Kleese any mercy,” Major Winfrey uttered in a dead serious voice. “Those men and women are some of the best we have and don’t deserve such a fate.”
“I agree,” Beth replied. “If and when we go in, I plan on killing as many Kleese as possible. We need to set an example and show them what it’s like to be hunted and killed without mercy.”
Wade was silent. He knew Beth was angry over Ryan being captured as well as what the Kleese had done to Earth. Her former fiancée had died in the attack though his remains were never found. It was only after considerable mourning that Beth had found her true love in Wade.
Wade had been fortunate, as both of his parents as well as his little brother had found their way to the survival camp at Jornada. Now his brother was a prisoner of the Kleese, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was feeling the same way toward the Kleese as Beth.
“Contacts!” called out Ensign Walton as a red warning light on his sensor console began blinking.
“What is it?” demanded Commander Greer his eyes focusing sharply on the sensor operator.
“Four unknown contacts have dropped out of Fold Space at eighty-two million kilometers,” Walton reported.
“Identity?”
“Not known,” Walton replied. “I’m running their profiles through the ship’s data base, but so far nothing has matched.”
“We’re to go to Condition Two,” reported Captain Damon. She’d been listening to fleet communications and had picked up the command from the Independence.
“Make it so,” ordered Commander Greer. He was concerned their mission might have just been blown. If they were discovered this deep into Kleese space, they could be put in a very precarious situation very swiftly.
-
What do we have?” inquired Admiral Rivers, as he buckled himself into his command chair in case they had to implement combat maneuvers.
“Four unidentified ships,” replied Colonel Greerman, studying the data coming across his data screen. “All four are around three hundred meters in length and fifty in diameter.”
“What’s their course?”
“Inward toward the small asteroid field we detected earlier.”
“Miners,” suggested Lieutenant Mandy Hertz from her sensor console. “I’m not detecting any strong energy signals emanating from the ships, which is indicative they’re not armed.”
“They might have a mining operation on one of the asteroids,” suggested Greerman with a thoughtful look upon his face.
“They’re not even using any active scans,” added Lieutenant Hertz. “I don’t believe they’ve detected us yet.”
“Keep an eye on them,” Rivers ordered as he unbuckled the restraining harness to his command chair. “Take the fleet back to Condition Three.”
-
The captain of the mining ship Lantol leaned back in his command chair and yawned. He was humanoid with a dark complexion and large eyes. His hair was black and shoulder length as was customary for his race. This was his tenth trip to the mining operation in the Jalen system. It contained one lone asteroid field, but several of the asteroids had been found to be rich in heavy metals. A small, highly profitable mining operation had begun with the approval of the Kleese. One fourth of everything they mined had to be turned over to the Kleese as payment for being allowed to mine the system. It was a steep price, but they had no other choice but to pay it.
“Captain, I’m picking up some vague contacts on the sensors,” the sensor operator reported.
The captain sat up, concerned they might have some claim jumpers in the system. “Full power to the sensors and let’s see who’s out there.”
The sensor operator busied himself at his console for a moment before turning back to the captain. “I’m picking up a large fleet of ships, including some Kleese assault ships.”
“Kleese assault ships,” muttered the captain unhappily. “Helm, turn us toward the Kleese. We need to remind them we have their permission to mine this system.”
-
“Admiral!” called out Lieutenant Hertz in alarm. “We’re being scanned.”
Looking up at the main tactical display, Admiral Rivers watched as one of the ships slowed and turned toward the fleet.
“They’ve detected us,” said Colonel Greerman.
“Send an assault ship toward them,�
� Rivers ordered. “Have them send a message to the mining ship informing them this is a Kleese fleet on maneuvers and to continue on their way. Tell them they can continue with their mining operation, but they’re not to speak a word as to what they observed in this system.”
“Do you think that’ll work?” asked Greerman, looking doubtful.
“It should,” replied Admiral Rivers. “All these worlds are under Kleese domination and are fearful of upsetting them. I think they’ll be more than willing to keep their mouths shut.”
On the screen, Admiral Rivers watched as an assault ship rapidly accelerated out to rendezvous with the inbound mining ship. The mining ship came to a stop as soon as it detected the assault ship coming toward it. They instantly began broadcasting that they had permission to mine this system and intended no harm. The assault ship’s captain told the miners to go on to their mining operation and not speak of what they had seen here. The mining ship’s captain quickly replied they would obey and to forgive them for intruding on Kleese operations. The mining ship rapidly turned and rejoined the others. Once they were together again, they continued toward one of the larger asteroids in the asteroid field.
-
The captain of the lead mining ship shook his head. Not only did he have to coordinate his mining operation, he also had to stay out of the way of several hundred Kleese ships. He’d already decided that, for this trip, he would have his miners concentrate on the asteroid they were already mining and not do any prospecting. With the Kleese in the system, he didn’t want any incidents. While neither he nor any of his crews wore the Kleese collars of obedience, he knew others on his home world who did, and he had no desire to suffer that fate. He would do as the commander of the assault ship asked and not reveal to anyone the presence of their large fleet in the mining system. Though he couldn’t understand just why they had chosen this system to play their war games in.
Galactic Empire Wars: The Alliance (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 4) Page 24
