The Pike Chronicles: Books 5-8 (Pike Chronicles Space Opera Book 2)

by G. P. Hudson

  “Route to my console,” said Jon.

  One of Jon’s displays came to life. “Is this the feed?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Jon looked back down at his display to see nothing more than the distant stars of another region of space. “There’s nothing there,” he said. “Not even a star system.”

  “Scans didn’t read anything either,” added Henderson.

  “Alright, let’s cross through and see what we can find. Set a course for the gate. One twentieth light.”

  The battle group lurched forward, entering the intergalactic gate’s field. Then emerged on the other side, as if walking through a doorway.

  “Report,” said Jon. “Where are we?”

  “Sensors indicate we are in the Andromeda Galaxy,” said Henderson. “Two point five million light years from Earth.”

  Jon stared at the main viewscreen in disbelief. “That’s impossible,” he said mostly to himself.

  “Sensors are functioning properly,” said AI. “We are in fact in the Andromeda Galaxy.”

  “I’m sure they are. I just don’t believe it.”

  “There is nothing to disbelieve, Admiral. The facts are what they are. It is also logical that if the jump gates possess the ability to connect two points one thousand light years apart, then under the right circumstances, a jump gate could be built to connect two points a million light years apart, or more.”

  “Thank you, AI.”

  “Your most welcome, Admiral.”

  “Sir, long range scans are picking up strong signals emanating from a star system seventy-five light years away,” said the sensor operator.

  “That sounds like our first clue. Commander, what is our jump status?”

  “Jump system is at fifty-eight percent, Sir.”

  “Advise the battle group that we will be jumping to the source of that signal.”

  “All ships have acknowledged message. Coordinates are loaded. Jump systems are synced with ours. We are jump ready.”

  “Very well, initiate first jump.”

  The stars on the main viewscreen shifted, landing in a star system ridden with asteroids and debris.

  “Jump complete. We have landed fifty light years from our previous location. Jump system is at thirty-three percent,” said Henderson.

  “What happened here?” said Jon.

  “It appears to be the aftermath of one hell of a battle, Sir. Debris is consistent with the large-scale destruction of starships and space stations.”

  “What about the planets?” said Jon

  “Picking up elevated radiation levels on the fourth planet,” said Henderson.

  “Magnify.”

  The main viewscreen zoomed in on the fourth planet, revealing a desolate landscape more akin to that of an asteroid, than one of a world in a star system’s habitable zone.

  “Data is consistent with the use of annihilation class weapons,” Henderson continued.

  “When did this happen?”

  “There is not enough data to know exactly, but what we do have indicates the annihilation event took place some time ago. Could be decades, even centuries.”

  “Was it the Erinyie?” said Jon.

  “Unknown, Sir.”

  “Sound General Quarters. Let’s proceed with caution. Jump us to within one light year of the target coordinates. We’ll send a jump drone in to investigate.”

  “Yes, Sir. Coordinates loaded. We are jump ready.”

  “Initiate jump.”

  The battle group landed in a region of space completely void of stars or planets. After the destruction they had stumbled onto, this emptiness helped to calm Jon’s nerves.

  “Launch drone,” ordered Jon.

  “Drone away.”

  A tiny craft shot out of the Freedom’s prow. It sped away and then vanished, jumping to the target coordinates.

  Jon felt uneasy as he waited for the drone’s return. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were in well over their heads. This wasn’t simply uncharted space, it was another galaxy. They had no idea what waited for them here. For all they knew, it could very well be the Erinyie.

  The drone was programmed to jump in, take some quick scans, and return. Only it didn’t. Jon became increasingly concerned that the drone had been spotted, and destroyed. He was convinced that they couldn’t jump into the target system without more data.

  As more time passed, Jon accepted that the drone was lost. He chose to try a different approach.

  “Commander, prepare twenty jump drones for launch. Spread their coordinates out with twenty million kilometers between each,” said Jon. “Program for rapid scans and immediate return.”

  Whatever was out there could have gotten lucky with the first drone. Or the drone may have simply malfunctioned. Either way, they should get some of them back this time.

  “Drones ready, Sir.”

  “Launch drones.”

  The tiny devices shot out of the Freedom’s prow in rapid fire fashion, and quickly jumped to their destination. If all went well, they would each return within seconds.

  When those seconds turned to minutes, with no sign of even a single drone, Jon knew something was terribly wrong.

  “AI, what are the chances the drones are running into some sort of interference, or radiation, that is preventing their jump back?”

  “It is unlikely that each drone encountered the same phenomenon considering the distance between them,” said AI.

  “I was afraid you were going to say that.”

  “My apologies, Admiral.”

  “Unidentified jumpspace disturbance detected,” said the computer. “Launching jump bombs.”

  “Wait!” said Jon, but it was too late. The jump bombs had already been deployed, and they had no idea if the target was friend or foe. “Change jumpspace defense settings to manual.”

  “Settings have been modified.”

  Jon watched with foreboding as ships began to appear all around them. Enormous ships, easily dwarfing their largest battleship. Each was a spherical polyhedron, with what seemed like an innumerable number of flat planes. As the jump bombs began to detonate, it was clear that they had no effect on the giant ships. Instead, they exploded harmlessly outside the massive hulls.

  At first, the ships did not respond aggressively. They merely floated quietly in space, as if not noticing Jon’s ships.

  “We are being scanned, Sir,” said Petrovic, the tactical officer.

  “Everybody just relax,” said Jon. “Let them check us out.”

  “Network security compromised,” said AI. “Intrusion detected.”

  “They’re trying to hack you?” said Jon.

  “Yes, Admiral. That is correct.”

  “Can you stop them?”

  “I am attempting to block the intruder from gaining greater access to our systems. I have initiated cyber warfare defensive protocols,” said AI. “Defensive measures are having no effect. Intruder is too powerful.”

  Jon tried to open a comm with the strange ships. “This is Admiral Pike, of the UHSF Freedom. We are here in peace. We do not pose any threat to you.”

  A booming male voice responded, only rather than it coming in through the comm, it filled the room seeming to come from everywhere all at once. “You have violated our space without permission. You will surrender your vessels and allow them to be boarded.”

  “We didn’t know this was your space. We are from another galaxy.” It occurred to Jon that these might in fact be the Builders. So he asked. “Are you the Antikitheri?”

  “Antikitheri?!” the voice roared, causing the entire bridge to shake. “You trespass in our space, and dare to insult us. Prepare to be boarded!”

  Jon muted the comm and turned to his XO. “Initiate jump. Get us the hell out of here.”

  “With pleasure, Sir.”

  His ships remained in position. Not again, he thought.

  “Jump system is not responding, Sir,” said Henderson.

  “Why am I not sur
prised?” Jon unmuted the comm. “We meant no disrespect. We seek the Antikitheri, but do not know what they look like.”

  “Sir, something’s happening. Pieces of the alien ship are breaking off and heading straight for us,” said Petrovic.

  Jon looked at the screen to see what looked like chunks of the ships coming right off the hull. They looked like hunks of metal, but they moved like starships.

  “Lock onto the approaching contacts and open fire.”

  “Weapons are not responding.”

  “Damnit. We’re sitting ducks.”

  The chunks raced toward the battle group, attaching themselves to the ship hulls.

  “Sir, I don’t know what those things are doing, but they’ve penetrated our hull in multiple locations. We’re being boarded.”

  Jon opened a comm with the rest of the ship. “Intruder alert, intruder alert. All hands, prepare to repel boarders.”

  Chapter 47

  Lieutenant Jarvi and his team of Chaanisar raced to a compromised section of the Ronin. Well armed, the men in combat suits streaked through the corridors at inhuman speeds.

  Every Chaanisar throughout the ship was combat ready. Each man moved with efficiency and precision. Their brain chips maintained their connections to the ship’s network, and to each other. Their efforts, seamlessly coordinated, resembled an ant hill more than a human starship.

  As they approached the insertion point, Jarvi’s visor indicated that the enemy had boarded the ship. They were fast. Maybe even faster than the Chaanisar.

  They moved through the ship like a fast-flowing river, and nothing slowed their advance. This worried Jarvi. Every Chaanisar on board would attack the intruders on sight, and a Chaanisar was a formidable opponent under any circumstances. Yet the boarders didn’t hesitate for even a second. How powerful were these creatures?

  He would soon find out, as his visor showed that they would intercept the enemy momentarily. “Take defensive positions,” ordered Jarvi. “Prepare to engage the enemy.”

  The Chaanisar found cover and pointed their weapons. The intruders would come around the corner dead ahead, and when they did, they would be in for a surprise.

  As the enemy neared, Jarvi noticed the sound. It was like the buzzing hum of thousands of flying insects, mixed with the hundredfold clatter of metallic tools. He stared down the sight of his weapon, and braced himself.

  He pulled the trigger before his brain could fully register what he faced. A torrent of energy bolts burst forth from the Chaanisar, as their weapons transformed the space before them into a wicked, merciless electrical storm.

  Yet, despite the force and violence of their assault, the enemy continued its furious advance. They surged forth in great, robotic hordes of all sizes. The vanguard consisted of hundreds of machines, each the size of a lobster, with as many legs.

  They sped forth into the Chaanisar ranks, impervious to the blasts from their weapons. As they did, they used what must have been a weapon, yet Jarvi could not see any evidence that anything had been fired. The effects were powerful, and decisive, nonetheless.

  He dropped his weapon and fell to the floor, as his armor lost all power. His augmented strength would normally have been enough to remain standing, but even that deserted him. His visor went black, and all he could do was lie motionless, as hundreds of small metallic feet ran over him.

  Colonel Bast, my team has been defeated, he said through his brain chip, but there was no response. AI, please relay my last message to Colonel Bast. No response again. He tried contacting his men, to check their status. Nothing.

  His connection to the rest of the ship, and to his comrades had been severed. He had gone dark. He was alone, if only for a moment.

  He felt his body in the combat suit being hoisted up off the ground, and carried away. He briefly considered speaking out. Asking questions of his captors. But thought better of it, and chose to stay silent.

  Instead, he focused on their movements. The metallic sounds persisted, although these were heavier. Still machines, these were larger, more powerful. It was an interesting strategy. The smaller ones used speed to quickly spread through the ship, and disable all opposition. The larger machines followed, cleaning up the aftermath, and carrying away the prisoners.

  He considered his fate. The intruders did not use deadly force. Clearly, they were more advanced, and could have easily killed those on board. They didn’t. He wondered if that should inspire hope, or dread?

  Chapter 48

  Jon watched in horror as the alien boarders spread throughout the ship. Early information revealed that the boarders were in fact machines. Advanced bots. All defenses had proved useless against them, and his Marines failed to even delay their advance.

  At the same time, they faced a cyber-attack of unprecedented proportions. Even AI, with her immense powers was helpless against the onslaught. He had lost all contact with AI, and could only assume the worst. Yet, unlike their encounter with the guardian, Jon was still able to access the ship’s sensors, and monitor the enemy’s advance. They were close now, and would soon be coming for the bridge.

  The doors to the bridge were sealed, but he was sure it would make little difference. The alien hordes had spread through the ship with frightening speed, and no obstacle managed to slow their progress. His bridge crew had armed themselves, and taken cover. The two Marine sentries assigned to the bridge were the only ones wearing any armor.

  Jon could taste the tension and anxiety among his bridge crew. They faced an unstoppable enemy, and the prospect of an unknown fate.

  Glancing at a tactical screen, Jon saw the enemy was seconds away. What would happen if they all died here today, having failed their mission? Without the Builders to help them, would those back home be doomed to again face the horrors of Juttari conquest?

  Jon heard the clanging of metal feet outside the doors. “Here they come,” he announced.

  The doors opened and his bridge crew fired. Jon cringed as he confirmed the early reports. Whether energy weapon, or rail gun, all attempts at hurting the enemy failed. They were each protected by an invisible shielding technology, that briefly glowed red each time it was hit, but remained otherwise undamaged.

  The alien bots swarmed the bridge with ridiculous speed. They scurried along the floor, up the walls, and along the ceiling. It was like a robotic infestation.

  His Marines dropped first. They had positioned themselves closer to the front, and fell as the onslaught began. Their suits had lost all power, and the sheer weight of the powered armor overwhelmed the men.

  The rest of his bridge crew followed in quick succession. Their eyes rolled up into their skulls, as each crewmember collapsed. To Jon it seemed that they were simply rendered unconscious. He hoped he was right.

  Whatever the boarders had done to his crew, he was still conscious. Could it be due to his symbiont, and his enhanced abilities?

  His weapon had proved useless, so began to swing it like a baseball bat.

  The bots surrounded him, but seemed unsure of the next step. He had thrown them a curve ball by not dropping like the rest. The bots circled him pensively, then one dropped at him from the ceiling. Jon swung his weapon and clipped the lobsterlike bot. Its shield glowed red as it went careening into a nearby console.

  To his dismay, the bot simply got back onto its feet and scurried for him again.

  “Goddamnit, don’t you bastards give up?” Jon said in frustration.

  Another bot leaped at him from the floor, and Jon swung for the fences. This time the bot flew clear across the bridge and hit the wall. Just like before, it took on a crimson glow on impact. Dropping onto its feet, it rushed back toward Jon as if nothing had happened.

  “Come one, you little shit,” said Jon. “I’ve got lots more where that came from.” Adrenalin pumped through his veins, and the creature in his belly roared with the thrill of combat.

  “You will not prevail,” said the same booming voice that had spoken before. It seemed to emanate fr
om each of the lobster bots this time. “Why do you persist?”

  “What’s wrong? You afraid I’m going to break your toys?” Jon said in a mocking tone.

  “You are but one being. All your ships have been subdued. This is irrational. Desist.”

  “Oh yeah? Fuck you. How’s that for irrational? What have you done with the rest of my crew?”

  “They are unharmed. We have already determined that you pose no threat to us.”

  “Then why have you boarded my ships?”

  “It is standard protocol. Your trespass warrants closer inspection of your race and technology. Your crew resisted, which necessitated that they be subdued.”

  A bot stepped a little too close and Jon kicked it, sending it through the air like a soccer ball. He noticed that the bots had stopped lunging at him when the alien started talking. Testing the thought, he lunged at the ones directly in front of him, swinging his weapon at them. They moved back as one.

  “Okay, what do you want?” said Jon.

  “You must accompany the rest of your crew. You will either do so voluntarily, or we will use force.”

  “Good luck with that. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “You chose force?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why take such an irrational stance?”

  “Because I don’t like you. That’s why. Now show me what you’ve got, or get the hell off my ship!”

  Bots began to leap at him from all angles. Jon swung his weapon with blinding speed. Bots were flying in all directions. Every muscle in his body danced with the effort, and like his symbiont, he reveled in the rush of combat.

  The bots began jumping for his weapon, and several managed to grip it with their legs. More of them piled on. Soon it became nothing more than a springboard to get to him. He had no choice but to drop the weapon.

  The bots kept coming. He punched and kicked as they did. They relentlessly grabbed at his arms and legs, and he was forced to grapple with the little beasts. He ripped them off his body as fast as he could, but their numbers multiplied.

  They worked their way up his legs and arms, onto his torso, and up toward his face. He kept swatting at them, each blow landing with enough power to send the little bastards flying.