Battle in the Stars (Marston Chronicles Book 4)

by D Patrick Wagner

  “Please begin your review of all ship systems, reporting any issues you detect. I will continue moving the distressed patients to the medical pods.”

  “At your request, Legate Buster.”

  Buster still found Veelo’s lack of personality or creative thinking unnerving. They were less, but he still experienced electronic shudders at the thought that Veelo was who he used to be.

  “Nothing seems to be critical, Captain. I have put Veelo on completely checking Wisdom Seeker. Assistant Cansina is awake and arousing the engineering team. They should be functional soon.”

  “No issues, then?”

  “None which Veelo or I have found, Krag.”

  “Keep me informed.”

  “Of course, My Captain, oh Captain.”

  Hearing Krag’s groan and recognizing that his Captain had severed the link, Buster snickered an electronic snicker then continued moving the stressed Elonians to their medical pods. As he continued towards the completion of his task, he heard Captain Kakkarna over the speakers.

  Gentle Elonians. To all of you who have awakened. We have performed our first jump, arriving almost exactly where we targeted. Congratulations. Please check in with Doctor Lyenga and her team, regardless if you have any issues or not. Then begin helping those who are awakening around you. Once everyone is awake and evaluated, we will assess our current situation and plan for our next jump. Again, thank you all for your efforts.”

  * * * * *

  Two sedecas later, Wisdom Seeker’s senior staff, Lord Kaporine and Buster collected in Captain Kakkarna’s waiting room.

  “Doctor Lyenga?”

  “Nothing major, Captain. Other than the thirteen grey furs who required attention, everyone is fine. With tails hanging, but fine.”

  “That is good to know. Do you have any concerns about our next jump?”

  “Not really, Captain. I would recommend, that for our people’s health, we don’t increase our jump distance by quite a lot.”

  “I will keep that in mind, Doctor.

  “Legate Buster. How did the jump drive perform?”

  “According to specifications, Captain.”

  “No problems?”

  “As we suspected, the jump drive consumed a high quantity of dark matter. We are going to need stops to replenish our reserves. Other than that, there are no problems, Captain.”

  “Assistant Cansina, Engineering?”

  “Veelo found some wiring which shook loose. And some circuit boards. We’ve reset those. An engineering console failed. A monitoring console. We suspect that the time, velocity and distance calculations caused the processing logic to become corrupted. I’ve passed that issue to Dame Srilin.”

  “Dame Srilin?”

  “Assistant Cansina is correct, Captain. The calculation processor failed. I will need to replace the console’s entire mother board and modify the processing logic to account for the new parameters which the jump drive has created.”

  “Time frame?’

  ‘Counting printing and assembling the motherboard, reprogramming, I will have it done by this evening.”

  “That is good timing. I propose that we rest for an entire cycle. Let our people recover from this first jump. Agreed?”

  Everyone agreed.

  “Lord Kaporine. Any thoughts?”

  “We are not in a hurry. We do not need to race to Ballison. How is the comfort of the crew? And the passengers?”

  “Doctor?”

  “We have been watching them closely, Captain. Their spirits are high. Although everyone is forced to share communal quarters, no one seems distraught or regressive.”

  “Doctor, do you believe that this state of affairs can last for thirty cycles?”

  “Because of the blackouts and the long sleep periods, I do, Lord Kaporine.”

  “From what my daughter told me, we are approximately one hundred and fifty human light-years from Ballison. For as long as the crew and passengers can accept it, I propose that we take small jumps to insure that everyone remains as healthy as possible.”

  “Thirty cycles. One jump per cycle. Five human light-years per jump. Assistant Cansina. Can the ship do this?”

  “Yes, Captain with ease. The engineering team will be ready for any contingencies.

  “Legate Buster. If we rest for an entire cycle between jumps, will we collect enough dark matter to reach Ballison?”

  “By my calculation, I believe that there will be enough dark matter collected for those thirty jumps, Captain.”

  “Then we shall follow Lord Kaporine’s recommendation. Sub-Captain Banajin, please notify the crew. We rest today and tonight. Tomorrow morning, have everyone prepare for a five-light-year jump. Doctor Lyenga, please do the same with our passengers.”

  Wisdom Seeker’s Captain received affirmative ear flicks and salutes.

  * * * * *

  The next morning, Wisdom Seeker jumped. No new health issues occurred. The ship experienced no new failures. The meeting of the day before repeated.

  “Thank you for your efforts and reports, all. Lord Kaporine, I believe that we can implement your recommendation. Do you still approve?”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “Then we continue. Legate Buster. Please contact Griffin and report that we will be arriving at Ballison in approximately thirty cycles.”

  “At your request, Captain.”

  Onboard Griffin

  “Captain?”

  “Yes, Buster?”

  “Wisdom Seeker is underway. We will arrive in about thirty Elonian cycles or about forty days.”

  “Is Father with you?”

  “Yes, Lady Analyn.”

  “Father! Is everything alright?’

  “Yes, Little Fire. Everything is alright.”

  “Why so long?”

  “Just being cautious.”

  “Mother?”

  “She’s fine. Everyone is fine. You have no need to worry. We will see you soon, Anyl.”

  “Anything else, Buster?”

  “Nothing at the moment, Captain. Captain Kakkarna just wanted me to update you on our progress.”

  “Then we will see you soon.”

  “See you when I see you, My Captain.”

  Krag heard buster leave out the last half of his favorite needle. Krag just rolled his eyes.

  “We’re here another month, people.”

  “That’s a good thing, Cap. We can continue testing.”

  “True. And we can keep monitoring you and Gopai. See how your nanites are doing. Speaking of which, Vidhee? Sir Mahajani? Gopai?” Krag looked at his vassal as he asked the last.

  Speaking as though Gopai weren’t present, Vidhee began. “Physically, Gopai is stronger and faster. His learning curve remains the same, but his physical adaptation to new techniques and motions has accelerated. He also is healing faster.”

  “Then you would say that the nanites are working?”

  “Yes, Captain Marston. They are definitely working.”

  “Sir Mahajani? How is Gopai working with the other Royal, sorry, Kaporine Guardsmen?”

  “The Guardsmen are not happy. They want their own injections. Between Buster’s previous training and Gopai’s enhanced physical capabilities, he is thrashing them in all facets of competition.”

  “Gopai? How do you feel?”

  “Strong, Captain. And fast.”

  “Mentally, emotionally, feel any differently?”

  “I can’t really say. More focused, maybe. Emotionally? I need to be more focused on staying away from my inner animal. That seems to be the only difference.”

  “Mack? Any changes?”

  “Nah, Cap. Just as nosey as always. He does work harder and longer, though. So Iggy is true to his word. All physical. Not brain or emotion stuff.”

  “I promised, Captain! I would never do what I did to my creators to my Den! I promised!”

  “We know, Igaklay. This is not a judgement of you. It is an evaluation of the results of the nanite injection
s. That’s all. We are not criticizing you. We are just checking on the results.”

  “I hope so, Ambassador.”

  “It is true, Igaklay. We are just evaluating results. Keiko? Master Varrini? Sue? What about our roguish engineer?”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary, Krag. Maybe works a little longer. Maybe a little more driven. Just the same, sardonic, sarcastic Mack.” Keiko said the last with a smile and a wink towards her target.

  “Master Varrini?”

  “He didn’t get any smarter. He is just as flippant. So, No change. Still the same, irreverent irritant that he’s always been. Works harder though. Longer. I’d say that the nanites are doing their job.”

  “Sue?”

  “No real difference. A lot more energy, though. I’ll be glad when I get my nanites.”

  “Why is that, Sue?”

  Sue blushed. Deeply. “Just personal reasons, Captain.”

  “Ah. I get it. Then we all agree? Everything is going according to plan?”

  Krag got affirmations all around the conference table.

  “Then, ten more days of monitoring Gopai and Mack. Half of us get injections and ten more days of monitoring. If that works out, the rest of us get our nanite injections. The final ten days, we test Griffin. That should take us to when Wisdom Seeker arrives. Agreed?”

  Again, everyone agreed.

  * * * * *

  Thirty-nine days later, four humans and sixteen Elonians had all adjusted to their new-found strength, speed and health. They had all experienced Griffin jumps and didn’t experience any physical issues or blackouts. Griffin’s testing proved that the transmogrified and modified ship was ready for its jump to Sasania.

  Now they waited for the arrival of Wisdom Seeker.

  Nuevo Aires

  Waiting. The hardest part of war. The people of Nuevo Aires heard the rumblings of the alien tanks. They saw buildings come down in crashing rubble, choking dust and ear-deafening explosions. The defenders of their homes grabbed their weapons more tightly, tensed even more as the carnage drew closer.

  Julio’s rocketeers waited in their hides, spread out across multiple access points. They, like their neighbors and friends, also watched and listened. They also tensed, maybe more so, as the tanks drew closer, brought the carnage closer.

  Governor Moreno, from his vantage point behind the barrier, looked over at Rubin ordering and organizing the medical personnel. He saw the Medical Union leader threaten, cajole and praise his people into getting ready for the coming injuries and deaths.

  “Rubio always was a hard-ass,” Marcus commented.

  “When you’re dealing with all of those medical prima donnas, you’ve got to be.”

  “I’m not badmouthing him, or anything, Governor. Just saying.”

  “Emilio. All your people in place?”

  “Si, Jefe. And pissed. They really want to put some hurt on those bugs.”

  “There’s going to be enough hurt to go around.”

  The four leaders went back to watching, scanning the battlefield. They didn’t have long to wait. The first tanks clanked down multiple main thoroughfares, turrets swinging side-to-side, destroying buildings as they rumbled towards the barriers.

  After watching the previous destruction, Julio’s rocketeers had hidden, safe from the destructive wave. Dashing forward, they hid in the rubble that the alien tanks had just created.

  The first five tanks thundered down the main roadway. They entered the kill zone of land mines and rocket men. Observers set off the mines. The front two tanks blasted off of the ground, flipped sideways and crashed back on their sides, treads continuing to spin in the air.

  Two rockets launched from the shoulder launchers of two of Julio’s men. The crippled tanks exploded in spectacular fashion.

  The three remaining tanks swung their heavy guns towards the source of the rockets. They fired their particle beams. The trailing alien foot soldiers open fired with hot, killing laser rays. The two rocketeers and their four sniper guards tried to flee. They barely had time to move before the six humans became piles of burnt, charred corpses, still holding their weapons to the end.

  More of Julio’s men open fired with rockets and weapons. The three tanks died spectacular deaths. The thirty-plus aliens died and became corpses leaking fluids on the Nuevo Aires concrete.

  The leaders watched as nine of Julio’s men dashed back to the barrier, their rockets spent, their jobs done.

  “Two men down. Five rockets launched. Twenty-five left.”

  “Your people did good, Emilio.”

  “Gracias, Jefe.”

  “Let’s hope they are all as efficient as these five.”

  The aliens changed their tactics. They alien foot soldiers took the lead, hunting out hides, exploring for mines. Using their own weapons, they set off the mines and forced back Julio’s men. The remaining tanks rumbled on, destroying buildings, killing anyone inside.

  With the element of surprise eliminated, Julio’s rocketeers had trouble finding success. They had trouble destroying the alien tanks. The remaining twenty-five rocketeers got their shots off, but with far less success. They destroyed only seven more alien tanks. Twenty more tanks charged towards the human barrier.

  “We don’t stand a chance, Jefe.”

  “I know, Emilio. The good news is that the aliens are now leading with their infantry. Let’s mow them down then scatter.”

  “I’ll notify Julio.”

  “Do you have your withdrawal plans in place? Bolt holes?”

  “Si. In the country. All of the civilians are there. We’ll abandon Nuevo Aires. Run like Hell.”

  “Then we fight back. Guerrilla warfare. Kill them from the shadows.”

  “Si, Jefe. That’s the plan.

  Onboard World Crusher

  Fourth Fleet Lead Assaulter still quaked after his meeting with Flight. He reviewed Flight’s admonishment and War’s criticism. He knew that he would be punished. But, beyond his punishment, the Lead Assaulter brought shame to his Queen and his fellow nestlings.

  The only way for him to return to good graces was to finish subduing this soft skin planet, to end this resistance. The alien leader watched his assault troops bring this pesky planet to heel. Watched them kill and destroy until no resistance remained.

  When he saw each city’s defenses dwindle, he ordered the tanks to stop and the warriors to exit their carriers. Then he ordered them to return to the original plan of catching and subduing the soft-skin populous. Fourth Fleet Lead Assaulter needed to start compiling success, start collecting tribute for the Mortek people.

  Finally he saw the toughest city give up its resistance. But not without losses. Fourth Fleet had lost many landing craft. Across the planet, more than three hundred tanks had been destroyed. More than twenty thousand warriors had been killed.

  This soft skin planet had become the most expensive of any of the campaigns. The only path which Fourth Fleet Lead Assaulter could see to redemption was to insure that this planet became the most profitable. To that end, he poured every loader, every war machine, every bit of his arsenal into this endeavor. Every remaining warrior and every laborer flew down to the planet.

  Fourth Fleet Lead Assaulter left nothing on the carrier. He launched everything. He would succeed. This planet would be stripped for the Mortek Swarm.

  Onboard Odin

  Hiding deeply in the corona of Tolimar’s sun, almost touching its chromosphere, Odin sat dormant, all outwards signs showing the human dreadnaught to be dead. Inside, life support ran at maximum, absorbing and expelling the star-generated heat and solar rays, struggling to keep Odin’s interior at a livable level. Even then, the few remaining men and women commanding the bridge sweated profusely while struggling to keep their bodies cool and their core temperatures down.

  After again using a towel to wipe the sweat from his arms and face, Lieutenant Hartman worked his console, checking the workings of Odin, monitoring everything he could, seeking any breakdowns caused b
y the star’s hostile environment.

  Spaceman Bradley saw something. Hunching over his sensors, he didn’t notice the sweat dropping from his chin and puddling on his console. He focused more intently, working his board, attempting to sharpen his readings.

  “Captain, I have something.”

  “What have you got, Mr. Bradley?”

  “Four ships. From their sizes, my guess is the super dreadnaught and the three cruisers. The same ones left after the Arium battle.”

  “Can you sharpen it up? Get a clearer picture?”

  “Sorry, Sir. The Corona is wrecking havoc with any readings I can pick up.”

  “We’ve got what we’ve got. Well done, Mr. Bradley. Mr. Connors, please forward Mr. Bradley’s readings to Vice-Admiral Weiskoff’s ward room.”

  “Aye, aye, Sir.”

  Minutes later, the Vice-Admiral entered the bridge and took his place in the command pod.

  “Captain. It looks like our friends have arrived.”

  “Sir?” Lieutenant Bradley interrupted.

  “Yes, Mr. Bradley?”

  “A forth ship has arrived. From its size, my guess is that it is one of their carriers.”

  “A lot sooner than we expected. Five months sooner. You were right, Captain, recommending that we immediately hide in the sun’s corona. Good call.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “Please send a buoy to Tolimar, announcing the alien presence and have them prepare for the invasion.”

  “Yes, Sir. Mr. Connors? Please release the buoy, with Mr. Bradley’s readings.”

  “Aye, aye, Sir.”

  “Captain Brewer, Lieutenant Clarke, Lieutenant Hartman. Please meet in my ward room.”

  Vice-Admiral Weiskoff left the bridge, knowing that they would follow. Once he reached his destination, he arrowed straight to the wet bar, poured four fingers of his favorite bourbon and turned to the other three, just as they entered.

  “Pour yourselves some drinks, gentlemen. The time has come.”

  Weiskoff’s three subordinates did as told and took their drinks with them as they found seating on the couch and chairs.

  “From Mr. Bradley’s report, it appears that the fleet which we almost destroyed is determined to finish the job.”