by Terry Frost
It took eighteen hours to scan the two planets and their combined nine moons farthest from the star Kilkin. The reason it didn’t take more time was that the two planets and their moons were too cold to sustain Human life. Four of the moons orbiting the second of the two planets were volcanically active and were the only ones radiating heat.
When the Striker and Perseus returned to Colossus with their reports the massive ship was still scanning the third planet next in line. The crew started off feeling good about the large yellow and brown planet as the first analysis of the atmosphere showed it was less than perfect but did contain breathable air. After a half day of scanning their good feelings began to wain.
So far the planet was shown not to have any water on it. No oceans, seas, lakes, rivers or streams. It seemed to be void of water of any kind. The surface was a cracked, dry bed of yellow dirt and three dark brown mountain ranges.
When the analysis of the planet came up empty as well as no signs of life, Admiral Allen called for a stop of all scans and marked the planet off the list of habitable planets. Soon after removing the planet from the list, Allen was informed the two Battlecruiser teams were back on Colossus and their two captains were waiting for Vice Admiral Petrov in Room Forward for their debriefing.
Though it was often anticipated the exploration of planets would more than likely not prove to be what the Humans were looking for, it was still depressing to those hoping maybe they would finally find a new home.
The debriefing took less than an hour and Admiral Petrov ordered both Captains and their crews to take the rest of the day off as they had been scanning right on through the night. The next morning Captains Sokolov and Slain were back in their Battlecruisers and were given the next two planets and their six moons.
Rather than moving on to the next planet on Colossus’s list, Admiral Allen decided to have a shipwide maintenance check performed throughout the generations starship. He also ordered Doctor Piner and Doctor Stavens to get out amongst the Colossians to basically check their pulse to make sure there weren’t any problems brewing.
Allen made sure during the entire flight out into the universe to keep morale up as much as possible and ordered the so-called pulse checks on a regular basis. On this particular pulse check, he asked his two doctors to hold question and answer meetings with any group wanting to participate.
The meetings were successful in the doctor’s opinions as they received many questions from the participants and other than a few technical questions were able to answer most all of them brought up at the meeting.
When given the list of Q & A’s taken by Piner and Stavens, Allen excused himself from the bridge and went into his Ready Room to look them over. Following is the list given to him.
1. Are we ever going to find a new homeworld?
2. Do we know how Queen Junal is doing with her pregnancy? Which Allen laughed at when he read it. He thought it was cool that some Colossians were asking about the Queen’s pregnancy. What he really thought was cool about it was the fact that regardless of where Humans would be in the universe they still stayed considerate of others.
3. Are there any signs of finding the homeworld of the Hive?
4. How can we possibly feel comfortable about living on a new world out here once we find it if we have to worry about the Hive destroying everyone on it? Doctor Piner knew the answer to that question but told the group she would get the answer from Admiral Allen and let them know. Morgan thought tactical answers should come from their Admiral.
5. How are our food and water supply holding out?
6. When are we going to get to meet the beautiful Aborian warriors? Allen thought after reading the question I can guarantee this question was asked by a male.
Allen finished reading the questions and decided to answer them directly the first chance he had, but for now, he needed to get some rest himself. He called Admiral Petrov and told him he was going to lie down for a couple of hours and ordered him to move Colossus to the next planet on the list, which would leave only one planet left to explore in the Kilkin System. If no habitable planets were in the Kilkin System they would move on to the red dwarf, Jovan, then on to the Helo System.
Vice Admiral Petrov had let his boss sleep until they reached a beautiful green and blue planet about the size of Mars. Allen woke to the chirping of his comlink and said, “Allen.”
“Admiral, we are about to start orbiting of our target planet, sir.”
“Thank you, Anatoly. I’ll be on my way in about ten minutes.”
Allen had just walked out of his Ready Room when he heard his helmsman Gordo McManus say to Vice Admiral Petrov, “Sir, I have multiple contacts that have just popped out of hyperspace on our starboard side. If I’m not mistaken I think they are a fleet of Aborian Raptors and Predators. We are being hailed, Admiral.”
“On screen, Gordo,” Petrov ordered.
Standing next to Petrov, Allen said, “What are they doing here?”
The face that appeared on the screen was that of Colonel Hammer. “Hello, Admirals. I have some important information for you about the Hive homeworld. Do I have permission for High Mage Cina and myself to teleport to the bridge?”
“Yes, Colonel, but come to Room Forward instead of the bridge. Allen, out.”
“Maintain our position, Gordo, and you have Colossus until the Admiral and I return,” Allen said.
Petrov and Allen were standing in Room Forward when the High Mage and Colonel Hammer appeared in the room. Hammer wobbled a bit while trying to steady himself then said, “Still not use to the whole teleportation thing.”
Allen shook his head then said, “It’s a pleasure to see you again, High Mage Cina.”
“It pleases me to see you again, Admiral. You also, Admiral Petrov. I wish we had come bearing good news and maybe to some degree, we have at that.”
“What may the news be?” Petrov asked.
“Please have a seat. May I offer you something to drink?” Allen said.
As both Cina and Hammer took a seat, Hammer asked, “Wouldn’t have any Yuklin would you?”
For that question, he received an unkind stare from his Admiral.
“Never mind, I’m fine sir.”
“I’m good too, Admiral. We came as fast as we could with our news of finding the Hive homeworld,” Cina said.
Petrov quickly stood and walked over to the large star chart and pulled it into a position in front of them. “Can you show us where their homeworld is on this chart?”
Hammer stood and walked over to the chart and pointed at the star Helo and said, “Right there, sirs. I remembered the last time we spoke Admiral, you said you were taking Colossus to the Kilkin System, and if needed, then on to the Jovan, then on to the Helo System.
“It became obvious that you would be heading straight into the Hive homeworld had we not come to warn you.”
“Glad of it, Colonel. I have to ask, how did you manage to find the Hive homeworld at such a great distance from Abor?”
“During the Elimination Hive mission near Planet Daak, I sent a few of our fast attack ships out to four different Hive nests. Our pilots successfully planted tracker devices on those four and made sure we didn’t target them during our battle.
“As soon as they started to jump out of the area I had a group of our Predators follow them with the aid of the tracking devices. Commander Lurcie happened to be our warrior that tracked the nest to the Helo System and recorded the Hive activity there,” said High Mage Cina.
“Excellent work, High Mage. What makes you think Commander Lurcie found the Hive homeworld?”
“Admiral, there are at least 1,000 Hive nests and twice that number of support vehicles, plus three of those command structures. The recording also showed without a doubt that the massive structure we found being hauled down to Planet Daak wasn’t a communication tower. It is a weapon and Commander Lurcie recorded the weapon being fired into space.”
“You could have sent one Raptor to tell us this
news. Why did you bring twenty of your ships along?”
“Twenty was the number commanded by our Empress Katin. I agreed with the number because we needed to make sure we could protect our beloved Empress on the journey.”
“Empress Katin has come with you?” Why in all that is good would she want to come all the way out here?”
“You are Colonel Hammer’s commander and he needed to get the information to you and your people. My beloved Empress felt this trip was a priority and wanted to come with Colonel Hammer. I asked her not to come, but one doesn’t argue with her if she gives a command. Well, not if the person disagreeing with her wants to keep her head on her shoulders.”
“Where is she now?”
“She hasn’t been feeling well lately. I will need to speak to you and General Dubois in private about why she isn’t her normal self, sir,” Colonel Hammer said.
“Alright, Colonel, but first I need to think about the information you have brought to us, High Mage. I would like to take the time to bring our Science Officer Jeeves back to Colossus before we begin trying to figure out what we are going to try to accomplish against such large numbers of Hive in one location.
“Commodore Jeeves is presently on the USC Striker performing scans on one of the planets we found in this system. As soon as the meeting is adjourned I will get the message to Captain Slain that I need the Commodore present for our meeting. It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours to get ready for our strategy meeting. I will inform you of when its time to meet again. Will that be satisfactory to you?”
“Yes, Admiral, that will be fine.”
Chapter 11
When the meeting adjourned Colonel Hammer told Admiral Allen and General Dubois the reason Empress Katin wasn’t feeling well. General Dubois blew up and stomped around while cursing and threatening to bust Hammer down to the rank of private.
When Dubois had finished chewing on Colonel Hammer, then told Allen he was finished, Allen had his turn. But incredibly, he wasn’t near as hostile as General Dubois.
“Normally, General, I would’ve been with you step by step. And if I had not experienced the powers of seduction by the Aborian females, I too would agree to bust the Colonel down to the rank of private also.”
“Excuse me, Admiral. You had an experience with an Aborian female?” Dubois asked.
“I sure as hell did, and it was with the High Mage when I first met her, and you need to take my word it was the first time in my life I had felt nervous and afraid while talking to any female. The only thing that saved me was the fact there were other people just outside the door waiting for the High Mage and me.
“A few weeks later I had to ask Empress Katin to step in and have her insist the High Mage stop her advancements. The Empress explained that if an Aborian female wants to imprint on a male they usually will without any other getting in the way. But my only saving grace was that I had already been chosen by Dr. Stavens.
“Even when Cina found out I was committed to another she persisted and asked to challenge the good doctor to a fight to the death to win my affections. I wasn’t about to allow that, so I went to the only person I could to get that nonsense stopped. I need to add the fact that I didn’t feel very manly tattling to the Empress.”
Dubois couldn’t help but snicker, which didn’t go unnoticed by Allen.
“So, we won’t be demoting you, Colonel. And as luck would have it there are no USC protocols that address the issue of a Human and an alien race having sexual relations. But I’m fairly certain when they learn of this there will soon be a protocol put in place.
“It looks like the Striker will be getting back in about an hour from now, so if there is anything either of you needs to get done prior to the meeting, then do so, and meet back here within the hour, or as soon as I notify you Commodore Jeeves is back on the Colossus.”
The hour had passed since Admiral Allen, General Dubois and Colonel Hammer had their discussion, and now the three men including a seemingly recovered Empress Katin, High Mage Cina, Vice Admiral Petrov, Doctor Stavens, and Commodore Jeeves were all present in Room Forward to begin the strategy meeting about attacking the Hive homeworld. The group began the meeting by watching Commander Lurcie’s recording of her tracking mission.
When the recording stopped no one said anything for a few long seconds, then General Dubois spoke: “From what I just saw I have to say that any full-blown attack would probably be suicide. We, including the Aborians, do not have enough ships to take on such a powerful group.
“I’m going to suggest a hit and run strategy, and even using that approach would take a very long time before we were to see a significant reduction of their forces. But, the first thing we would need to accomplish would be to take out those tower weapons. They could easily decimate any fleet that came within their range.”
Allen could tell Empress Katin was wanting to speak so he just asked her for her opinion.
“Thank you for that, General. Do you have any thoughts, Your Grace?”
“I’m thinking, how could my Navy and the Daakie military have let the Hive’s presence be so formidable in our arm of the galaxy. It was a major lapse in judgment by myself, and King Gaakin to have not pursued them with our combined efforts to destroy their numbers sooner.”
“If I may, Your Grace. It does seem that our only recourse is to implement the hit and run strategy explained to me earlier by Colonel Hammer and now by General Dubois,” High Mage Cina said while looking at her Empress.
Allen waited to see if anyone else was going to give their thoughts and just when he was about to agree with what was said at the meeting, Commodore Jeeves spoke up.
“Why not make them sick?”
“What do you mean make them sick, Commodore?” Vice Admiral Petrov asked.
“It would be quite simple to do, and it would be devastating to the entire Hive population. I’m suggesting we infect them with a virus. Is that something you feel you could manufacture in your lab, Doctor? Jeeves asked.
“Absolutely, Commodore. Back on Earth, and after millions of deaths from different strains of influenza viruses we finally were able to create vaccines that kept so many from getting the flu. I would imagine even the common cold would be devastating to the alien insectoid race. But to be sure, I need to create a mild form of the influenza virus and that should do the job,” Dr. Staven said.
“Please explain this word, virus, and what is the common cold and flu?” High Mage Cina asked.
After a quick but detailed explanation of the High Mage’s question, the two Aborian’s didn’t act too pleased to learn there were such devasting illnesses that didn’t have anything to do with military weapons or the strength of any races military might.
“Commodore Jeeves, you are a genius,” Admiral Allen said.
“True, Admiral. I indeed meet those parameters, but think my IQ is higher than that of a proclaimed genius.”
Colonel Hammer rolled his eyes and thought that would be extremely laughable if it weren’t true.
“How can we infect the Hive? Is infect the correct word?” Empress Katin asked.
“That is the correct word, Your Grace. The virus will have to be placed in the body of a captured Hive member. We would inject the virus into the alien, then release him to carry the virus back to the Hive population. Once that has been done the rest will be left to the virus,” Doctor Stavens proclaimed.
“Sounds great, but there is one little problem. Where are we going to get a member of the Hive?” asked General Dubois.
“I think I know the answer to that, General. The only place I’m confident we could capture a Hive member would be to take a trip back to Planet Daak,” Admiral Allen said.
“Let’s say we manage to infect one of the insectoids, how long will the virus take to spread throughout the hordes of Hive scattered from here to there, Doctor?” Colonel Hammer asked.
“If I may answer that, Doctor,” Commodore Jeeves said. Doctor Stavens said, “You may, Commodore.”
“Any evidence of a virus spreading back on Earth points to once the virus starts to take hold the infected individual could begin feeling poorly in a matter of hours, but documentation has shown the normal duration is three to five days after being infected and can last up to as much as three to four weeks.
“But, this isn’t Earth, and the Hive is spread out over probably a hundred million light years of territory, and on hundreds of moons and planets, if not more, and probably is more than that,” Jeeves said.
“How effective do you postulate the virus would be, Doctor?” Allen asked.
“To those affected, I would say 100% mortality, Admiral.”
“That percentage pleases me greatly, Doctor, as I assume it does all of us. How soon can you begin formulating the virus?” Empress Katin asked.
“Well, if it is decided that a virus is our best shot at killing those damn insectoids, and I’m not needed for the rest of this meeting, I can get started on it immediately.”
“I will need to talk to you, Doctor, about the vaccines to spoke of. I’m not sure I completely understand this disturbing thing called a virus, and I wish to learn how to protect my people from such a weapon in the future,” said Empress Katin.
“I will be most happy to educate you on exactly that, Your Grace.”
“Before you begin, Doctor, and before we start the task of getting a mission defined for capturing a member of the Hive, let’s have some lunch first. Is anyone hungry besides me?” Allen asked.
“I could eat something,” said General Dubois, followed by everyone but Commodore Jeeves, and Empress Katin. The Commodore doesn't require food, but Empress Katin does, but she had a different need at the time.
“While everyone is enjoying a meal I would like to borrow Colonel Hammer for a little while if I may, Admiral.”
Hammer looked at Katin and saw a very familiar brightening of her beautiful blue eyes and knew what she was wanting, as he had seen the look many times during their short time together.
Admiral Allen didn’t say it, but thought borrow him, huh? Wonder why Victoria hasn’t asked to borrow me in a while. “You most certainly can borrow the Colonel, Your Grace, but only if High Mage Cina promises to have you eat something as soon as possible.”
