by Kocho
Tears came to his eyes as he saw the Manirea explode when its shields failed from taking too much hits from all sides. It was obvious that many of the ships will fail to escape. The more damaged ships were staying behind and trying to protect the other ships so they can escape.
“Sir the ships are in formation and are awaiting your command.”
The voice belonged to his first officer Gurol. He was a Macassi, a furry bipedal race that was one of the first members of the Alliance. They lived on trees on their home world which was covered in a thick jungle. Almost two meters tall and covered with tick fur under which strong muscles lay hidden they looked intimidating. But in an essence they, just like almost all the races that were members of the Alliance, were gentle and compassionate. That was the only reason that they didn’t contact the humans when the first radio signals reached them from Earth. And then the war started and humanity was forgotten until the day when they found the human slaves on Alona.
The terrible world lay deep in Dacarian territory and was taken in the first strikes against the Dacarians but it was the farthest that they reached and it was the start of the Dacarian offensives.
“Order the retreat. We can do nothing more here. Tell them the retreat will be in phases. And keep suppressing fire in order to allow the damaged ships to retreat as well. Tell the Aloran and Makau to keep the line as long as they can but to continue retreating toward us.”
The first officer issued the orders and the ships started retreating toward the exit of the systems gravity and in seconds the first ships started jumping in to hyperspace. The retreat was in order but the most damaged seven ships were never going to make it. It was obvious that the Dacarians will catch them. The fastest Dacarian fighters and frigates were already accelerating ahead the rest of their lines and dividing in strike wings. The two dreadnoughts and the one carrier that were most damaged launched all of their remaining fighter wings in an effort to stop them. But the fighters were too few. In less than a minute the first two frigates exploded under the barrage of missiles that was launched from the enemy fighters. The four fighter wings that were launched soon followed them in to oblivion. The fighting was a massacre even if the dreadnoughts were taking a heavy toll from the attackers. The carrier was next. Its weaker defenses soon buckled under the heavy fire from the cruisers that reached the damaged ship. In its last defying act the ship collided with the first cruiser and the pieces from the destroyed ships destroyed the two nearest enemy ships and damaged the others. Sensing that they can’t hold on both dreadnoughts started retreating. Their front sides that were facing the coming enemy ships were blazing from the hits the enemy weapons were making on the shields. Some places of the hulls showed extensive damage and parts of them were open to space.
His flag ship was the last remaining ship and the mighty dreadnought opened with all its might its powerful plasma batteries covering the two retreating sister ships and destroying two of the cruisers. One enemy frigate came to close to the Macau and was cut in half by the fired main rail guns. One of the half’s continued on inertia and stroke on the shields of the Macau. They flared white and then collapsed. The hull started blazing from the incoming fire. The Aloran slowed its retreat and moved in to cover the Macau. It took both ships several minutes to leave the gravity well of the system. Then all three ships jumped out. The battle was over and with it died the last hope that the tide in this war can be turned.
He turned toward the human. Marius was watching him with eyes filled with sorrow but also with determination. He knew that his mission will now begin and that on its success depended the future of the entire alliance. And he was not afraid. The taller Sicarian that stood behind his adopted son stepped forward. The Sicarians were an aquatic race that lived on an ocean world. The small masses of land were inhabited by their race much later in their development. They had no problem breathing the air outside of the water but they preferred to live underwater in large underwater cities. The race was tall, the tallest members reaching almost 3 meters in height. On their arms from the elbows sharp bones extended that could be used as weapons. They were covered by thick skin that retreated when they were used. The conic head had no nose instead it had small gills on the sides that were used for breathing and the small mouth was hiding sharp rows of white teeth that showed that in the past they were apex predators on their world. The beautiful large dark eyes were total contrast to the blue color of their skin. It was hard to believe that these fragile looking tall creatures are formidable warriors but that only lasted until you saw them in battle. Although their bodies were looking fragile they were totally opposite that. The high gravity of their world and the pressures in the deep made their bones much harder than those of the other races. It was a nasty surprise for all their enemies.
A thin white uniform covered the tall Sicarian. There were no markings on it to show his rank but the reason was that he refused to wear them. Curas was the last Great Dean of his race. He was leading his people’s last fleets in the long battles against the Dacarians, and was one of the oldest members of his race. No one knew how old he really was but they all knew that his race lived long lives that lasted thousands of cycles. They reproduced slow and now that was a real problem considering that from the billions only several hundred thousand survived the war and many of them were either too old or too young or they were soldiers that were interested only in revenge. It was hard to find new reproducing grounds like the ones that they had on their home world. The oceans on the worlds of the Lacarian Alliance were to shallow. He knew that his race was close to extinction and that it would take a real miracle to save it from that fate.
“It is time to activate our last plan. The plan that we proposed the first time we met.”
Jov looked at him. The dark eyes looked at him with no conviction. He knew of that proposal that the high command refused at the time.
Curas after a brief pause continued.
“It is time to give the Alterans back their legacy, to tell them the truth of their past, and the glory of their days. We need their strength now. And we need to make amends for the mistakes our ancestors made.”
“You are right my old friend. The mission will be authorized you have my word. My son will lead it. They are our last hope. I only hope that it’s not too late.”
On this words Marius stepped forward. His eyes looked straight in to the eyes of his father.
“You must not lose hope father. As long as I live I will not fail you, neither will my race. We will come back and we will win but you must be strong now, stronger than ever before because it will take time. The defenses must hold till we are back. That will be your mission.”
Jov looked in the blue eyes of his son. They were eyes of a strong man filled with strength. They were so different from his. He knew that his showed despair.
“I will do everything i can my son. I just hope there is still time.”
Then he turned back to the screen. The shining lights of the hyperspace gave him peace. And that was something that gave him hope.
* * *
Marius looked one last time to the system they were leaving behind. Twenty ships were under his command. That was all that the shattered alliance fleet could spare at this time.
None of the ships was in its prime condition. They were old and slow but they would do. Five were military ships. The rest were ships from the industrial sector. They were the important ones. They were the ships that would help his kind to develop the technology and industry that will be needed in the coming years. The crew on his ship was mostly human. But there were lots of others, mostly civilians and young children on the other ships. The other humans decided to stay. This was also a mission to save the last of the races of the alliance. The Sicarian told him that his own kind had a great past and that it was time to bring it back.
His words still were echoing through his head.
“You were once the guardians of peace, and protectors of all of us. You were the ones that the Icarians chos
e to take their place. It is your kind’s destiny, your legacy. It is time to take back what was once taken from you. You are our last hope Alteran. We once made a mistake and did you wrong. We paid dearly for that. And we are still paying. This is the last time that I will see you. Tell the rest of your kind that we are sorry. Tell them that we need our protectors back. Tell them that Alteran.”
He turned his head as the ships made the jump to hyperspace. It was the start of the most important journey of his life. A small smile appeared on his face at the thought that at in couple of years he will see the world on which his ancestors were born. Their Home World, Terra.
CHAPTER TWO
10 March 2017 08:21 hours
Deep Space Sol System
The small satellite silently drifted in space. The New Horizon spacecraft finally went in to the final stages of its mission. After ten years of researching the planets of the solar system and the mapping of Pluto and Charon and the studying of the other moon Hydra and Nix it finally entered in the Kuiper belt. After the WISE mission discovered several objects in 2012 and 2013 in the direction of 90 377 Sedna the spacecraft was directed towards the distant dwarf planet.
The tiny satellite had the form of a grand piano.
The spacecraft's body formed a triangle, almost 2.5 feet thick. A 7075 aluminum alloy tube formed the main structural column, between the launch vehicle adapter ring at the "rear," and the 2.1 m radio dish antenna affixed to the "front" flat side. The titanium fuel tank was placed in this tube. The radioisotope thermoelectric generator or RTG was attached with a 4-sided titanium mount that resembled a grey pyramid or stepstool. The titanium provided strength and thermal isolation. The rest of the triangle was primarily sandwiched panels of thin aluminum face sheets bonded to the aluminum honeycomb core.
The structure was larger than strictly necessary, with empty space inside. It was designed to act as shielding, reducing the electronic errors caused by radiation from the RTG. Also, the mass distribution required for a spinning spacecraft demanded a wider triangle. It had sixteen thrusters that it used for trajectory and altitude adjustments and spin up and down maneuvers.
A radioisotope thermoelectric generator powered its systems.
The spacecraft weighed 478 kg and it moved through the blackness of space at a relative speed of 13.87 km/s. For almost three years it was slowly moving toward the distant dwarf world.
Only for other spacecrafts ever ventured this far in space. The Pioneer and Voyager probes that now were outside of the solar system. For ten years it traveled towards the most distant part of the solar system and it now lay at seventy eight AU.
Its antenna constantly sent back the images and measurements it took to its home world that was billion miles away. And it was finally close enough to start taking accurate pictures with its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager and its telescope. It sent its information to Earth via X band.
And what it sent raised the interest of everyone on Earth.
10 March 2017 15:00 hours
International Space Station Freedom
Major Connors looked at the rockets that were bringing the first part of the project Long Shot. He knew that this was only the beginning of the major project.
He brushed his black hair and looked at his image on the mirror. Grey eyes looked back at him. He could notice a few wrinkles that were forming on his forehead. His full lips formed a smile. Thirty years of age and he was living his dream. Before becoming an astronaut he was a pilot. He had high scores during his college years in mathematics and physics. That and the high pilot skills gave him the chance when he applied for this job. He looked at the blue world that stretched outside. He knew that that look was all he needed, all he ever wanted.
He knew that this are the last days before the real work will begin. The space station was finally finished ten months earlier and in just couple of days the first real project it had will begin.
He turned toward the computer that showed that the new information from the New Horizon was downloaded. He sat down and carefully looked at it. After the finishing of its primary mission with success the probe continued with mapping and taking pictures of several objects in the Kuiper belt. And one of them was the 90377 Sedna. After years of waiting today was the day when the first pictures arrived.
Shouts came from the other room to his left as the other astronauts talked about some parts of the project. The space station was timing with activity these days as the first ever built ship to be sent to another star was about to start being constructed. He smiled as he looked at the computer that started processing the information. But as he looked at it he almost chocked on the coffee he was drinking. He increased the images at maximum resolution and looked at them again.
“Dear God.”
Then he stood up and drifted to the other module. He looked at the Russian astronaut that was watching the computers that were their link with NASA.
“Yuri get in touch with NASA and send them the latest information from New Horizon and tell them…tell them that we have made contact. Send it on a secure channel.”
The Russian astronaut looked at his American friend with shocked eyes.
“What did you just say?”
“Send the copy and come and take a look yourself. And see if you can get me a video link with someone down there.”
After this Connors returned to his room and continued to watch the images.
Without saying another word the Russian did as he was ordered.
A minute later the angry and surprised face of Dr. Paterson appeared on the screen.
“What is it major? Why is there a need for a secure channel?”
“I think that the images that you should be receiving now will tell you the reason Doctor. I will need a secure link with Washington after this talk.”
As they talked he could see the face of the doctor turning white.
“O my God.”
“Why does he say that?”
The question came from Yuri. Connors turned toward the Russian astronaut and showed him the images that both he and Paterson were just seeing.
As he looked at them the tall blonde haired Russian settled down on the chair and his face also showed shock.
“Are those ships?”
24 March 2017 13:00 hours
White House Washington
The president of the United States looked at the report on his desk. He knew that that same report was now looked at in several other rooms like his around the world.
He raised his head and looked at the eyes of General Taylor.
Taylor was the CJCS and his prime military advisor.
“Has this report been confirmed?”
Taylor looked at his president. He knew as well as the president what this meant. The other people in this room knew as well. And they knew the implications it brought.
“Yes sir. For the past two weeks the probe took continuous pictures of the objects. The images show that the objects are in what appears to be a stationary orbit around Sedna. There are no electronic or any other signs coming from them that the probe can pick up. We will know more in couple of months as the probe has been accelerated by using the thrusters and it should be much closer to Sedna by the end of this year.”
He turned to the executive from NASA.
“Are you sure that these objects are ships.”
The man looked at the general and then he turned toward the president.
“We looked at them in every possible way sir. The infrared scan confirms our initial findings. And as the probe gets closer to them we will get clearer pictures. I think that I can say with ninety percent certainty that what we are looking are ships.”
“How come we never saw them before? Can they be ships that arrived recently? Are we dealing with aliens?”
The scientist smiled at the last remark.
“As for the last question I’d say that we can take that for granted. Those ships are surely not from this planet. And the elements that the scan reveale
d shows several materials that are in the unknown list. So yes there might be aliens Mr. President.”
As the president opened his mouth to speak the scientist continued.
“But even if there are aliens on those ships sir they are surely dead.”
“Why do you say that?”
“After the first pictures and scans arrived and after they were confirmed over the next days you can imagine that every available telescope was turned there. And we took out all the older images from that region and looked more carefully at them. And since we knew what to look for and where to look we found them easily. Those objects are in stable trajectory around 90377 Sedna for at least fourteen years sir. And we believe that they might have been there for a much longer period although we can’t confirm that as the dwarf planet was discovered in 2003. Since they haven’t moved for almost fourteen years I believe it is safe to assume that they are dead in space.”
The president turned and looked through the window. He thought for a minute before saying anything. What he was about to tell them was already decided by all the presidents of the nations that knew of the discovery. The European Union, Russia, Japan, China, India, Brazil, South Korea, the countries from the Commonwealth, South Africa and several others. They all had the same information as him. Although he was the one who made the final decision.
“Gentlemen as of this day the project Long Shot is canceled.”
