by Don Foxe
“The rest of the system sits there,” Trewellan waved his hand at a high def screen covering twelve-feet of wall. It displayed the view from the space ship looking away from AF3 and toward AF2.
“And goes nowhere,” Soren responded. “They have a pitiful few patrol boats and launches. Two battlecruisers afraid to move.”
The Prophet pushed his long while hair back from his eyes. Over the years he allowed it to grow until it hung past his shoulder blades.
“Do not fret, General. If Earth does not send its ships within the next two weeks, we will complete the work here. Once we have Aster system and all of its resources, we will then press on to engage Earth in their system. I would prefer to meet them here, where we enjoy all of the advantages, but sooner or later we will meet these new heretics.”
The Mischene who spoke as a prophet but decided to live as a sultan, asked, “How are the new defenses coming. Even if the fools from Earth do not arrive, I would like my new home safe from anyone who does.”
“The scientists have been inventive,” Trewellan admited. “By keeping the wormhole gates active around the vortex between AF3 and AF2 we flooded the region with ionized particles. The special satellites designed to broadcast white noise are in place. Sound cannot exist in a vacuum. The ionized particles’ molecules provide the necessary conduit.”
The General knew Soren did not care about the basic science behind the trap under construction, but he continued the lesson.
“We know from after-action reports, Earth ships create a unique sonic force field for protection. It appears generated by the engines they use when operating within the gravity fields of a star system. Your father’s scientists combined a white noise generator with an oxygen bubble field. They hardened the load to ride a plasma burst. The white noise dampened the enemy ships’ force fields long enough for the plasma blasts to be effective, but it was a short-range option. The bubbles degenerated too quickly.”
Warming to his own voice, the dark-skinned Mischene of medium height and straight posture stood before the view screen, looking into space as if he could see the relatively minuscule satellites in orbit.
“Using the technology they employed during the defense of Fell, our scientists created a method of deploying white noise over a large expanse. It allows all of our weapons to work against a sonic-protected ship. It also disrupts communications. Even if the enemy used conventional shielding they would still find it difficult, perhaps impossible, to communicate and coordinate during an attack.”
As Trewellan talked, two red-skinned Hana Kay girls entered the chamber, delivering the Prophet wine and food. The General noted the two wore Zenge shock collars around their thin necks, partially hidden by the long black tresses flowing down and across their shoulders. Soren recently took a perverse liking to the Hana Kay females. Because of the species’ strength of will, it required shock collars to keep them under control.
“If we can lure the enemy ships into the vortex created by the converging gravity wells, it will reduce their ability to escape ten-fold. They will be slower and easier to target,” he continued with his brief.
“We don’t have a defense yet against the new particle-beam weapon they used to defend Rys,” he admitted. “Our data indicates it does get extremely hot, especially when they combine a plasma load with the particle beam. Our people believe one weakness is the weapon must be discharged once it cycles on, otherwise it will create a thermal explosion. We do not know how long the shut-down procedure takes, or, once discharged, how long until the weapon is available again, but the estimate is hours.”
Soren fingered the remote device needed to activate a shock collar. The small remote worked only within line-of-sight. He was practicing new ways of getting obedience from his subjects. With the wine and food trays placed on a table near his throne, he clicked the remote. The two girls jerked and immediately began removing the light frocks they wore. Both nude beneath, but much too skinny for Trewellan’s taste. He used Hana Kay when given to him by the Prophet in the Zenge system, but only because they were the only females available. Once back in the Aster system, he had his choice of any Mischene woman from among those captured on AF3 and the moon bases.
“What about the fact their weapons can penetrate our own force fields?” Soren asked. He keyed the remote with a different combination of clicks, and watched the two girls slowly gyrate in a mockery of a sexy dance.
“They provided us a solution,” the Mischene officer replied. While not overly attracted to the red-skinned, undernourished girls, he was getting turned on by the way the Prophet used the shock collar to force them to perform without verbal orders. He planned to pick one up on his way back to his cabin. There, a rather buxom woman with long, silky white hair waited. Chained, but that was still a form of waiting. Scratches on his arms continued to sting. Reminders of his time spent with her earlier. The shock collar and remote could save his knuckles as well.
“The solution?” Soren prompted, pulling Trewellan from his erotic thoughts.
“They were able to pin-point where our weapons targeted the Osperantue cruiseship, and they enhanced the depth of the force field in those locations. Data from the battle-cruiser that escaped indicated they could deflect only four or five simultaneous hits. More than that, and the cruiser’s weapons actually did more damage. The shields weakened in other areas allowed projectiles easier entry.”
Soren forced the Hana Kay to fondle each other. They hated their actions, and tears flowed freely from their sunken eyes. Trewellan felt an erection growing. The Sacred Prophet watched without a display of emotion. He clicked and the two stopped and dropped to their knees.
“Our engineers and technicians have used the data collected to make improvements to our battle tactics. Our software packages aboard the battlecruisers, and the Class One destroyers are capable of protecting them against multiple strikes using the same method the Star Gazer employed.
“The Class One and Class Two carriers are too large, and we do not have dynamo replacements sufficient to make them completely padded by the software updates. They can protect against a direct strike, but it’s a slower process to get the extra density to the targeted area quickly.”
The officer became more fidgety with erotic excitement as he watched the two girls resign themselves to their fate. Defeat washed over them.
“The refit ships, launches, and ancillary vessels do not have sufficient power to provide force fields,” he concluded.
The Prophet rose, his kaftan bulging slightly below his waste, his eyes greedy as he clicked his remote. The two girls jerked and dropped their heads to the floor in supplication.
“Thank you, General. You can go now,” he said.
The general left quickly, deciding on the shortest route to the armory supply, and from there to his cabin.
FELL
“Kennedy received the shadow message,” Sparks told him.
Coop arrived to the command hut minutes after receiving word Sky’s brother had good news regarding the attempt to covertly contact the PT-109.
“How do you know?”
“We’re monitoring all communications at Space Fleet,” the Fellen engineer informed him. Coop did not bother to ask how. No race in the galaxy excelled with the skill the AS tribe on Fell showed with communication technology. “Kennedy sent a one-word dispatch to Patterson. It said ‘Understood.' When the Com Center in Toronto asked for clarification, Kennedy told them the message was an internal response and she crossed it into the SH back to Patterson by mistake.”
“A mistake Kennedy would never make,” Coop said. “Send her the updates on the Camarilla. Tell her about Hawks and Harrison, and only Elie and Genna can be read in. We don’t know if their affiliation with the group will endanger the CVBG. Watch, but do not act.”
Storm reported the Space Fleet Group’s arrival at the edge of the Aster system.
“The four Earth ships entered natural space, and the Fairchild immediately began sending hails across a
ll systems and channels towards AF3, the other inhabited planets and moons, and all space craft in the system,” she told the group convened in the command hut.
Storm and Sparks monitored a number of communication systems. Several added within the last twenty-four hours. Coop, Sky, Hiro, Mags, and Cindy stood.
“It’s called a Carrier Battle Group or CVBG,” Coop said aloud. “CV is a designation for a carrier with aircraft, or space fighters in this case. Can you create a holo-representation?”
To Storm’s right, above a twelve-by-twelve table top, the Aster system appeared. The view spun slowly and zoomed to show the CVBG ships.
To this point the monitored transmissions between the CVBG and Space Fleet, as well as communications between the ships, consisted of bland reports on personnel, operations, and readiness. Sparks and Star spent the previous day adapting hardware and software to eavesdrop on the mission from every conceivable angle. Kennedy’s awareness of the covert tachyon particle beam riding the normal signals provided contact. Now they took precautions so no one else discovered they monitored communications.
Private conversations between Hawks, Singletary, and Governor Guy Arcand regarding diplomatic protocols to be followed when the time came to confront the Mischene religious fanatic proved mundane. The officers and the diplomats downplaying the dangers the Prophet presented. Coop wanted badly to intercede more than once, but knew he could not allow anyone to realize he eavesdropped.
“All four ships of the CVBG, exited into natural space outside the systems’s star-gravity bubble,” Storm said.
Hiro took a seat at a station to his right, monitoring a bootlegged copy of telemetry scans of Aster system made by the Earth ships. He could see a compilation of data on natural and artificial elements within the system. His expertise in planetology also included a grasp of the dynamics within a star system.
“The Aster system is interesting,” Hiro said, studying the numbers on his monitor, comparing scan data with the pictographs above the table. “The star is a main-sequence G-type. A G2V2, based on spectral scans. It is informally referred to as a yellow dwarf. Earth’s Sol is the same type, but a G2V only. The Aster star radiates more heat further into space,” explaining the difference.
“There are six planets orbiting the sun, each massive enough to hold hydrostatic equilibrium, effectively meaning a spheroid, and each capable of dominating its own orbit. Currently, all six planets are located on the same side of the star. The closest is a dead world caught in the gravity well of the star. Similar to Mercury, but larger, and at its orbital apex.”
As Hiro informed the group about the system’s current configuration, Cindy Shah manipulated the holo-presentation to provide visual clarity.
“The second planet would be Aster Farum 1, or AF1,” the Japanese said. Cindy zoomed the planet forward. “Far enough from the star to support life, but a harsh environment. A mineral-rich planet. The inhabitants would need be extremely hardy. Skin colors in the red to possibly purple range to protect against radiation burn. The atmospheric layers are dense, which helps shield the planet, but the troposphere is arid. Water and plant life enough to support a limited population. It does control three moons. Twins with habitats and a single barren one. The twins appear to be the location for ship-building. Scans indicate a high degree of technology. The information UEC received from the drones sent through the wormholes said research installations are also located on both moons.”
He looked up to see if Coop was listening. Coop nodded and gave him a thumb’s up to continue.
“AF2, the third planet, is the most similar to Earth,” he said. “Continents, islands, saline oceans, and plenty of fresh water. Vegetation, animal life. One moon. This is where they mine for gas,” he said. “The wormhole drones used to contact Earth came from here.”
Cindy read from a flat-screen display embedded in the holo-table, “Four sentient races. Advanced technology. High intelligence.”
Storm, Sparks, or possibly Star forwarded the information delivered by the drones to the flat-screen, a voice-analytic matching the details provided to Hiro’s descriptions.
“AF3 is next, home of the Mischene and three other races. All with dark skin because the planet is actually quite cold. Any colder and it might not support life. The genetic-mutation of their skin helps retain heat and acts as an insulator. Skin tone seems to have once mattered depending on where you lived on the planet, but now it’s just another hereditary feature. Three moons. Currently all three on the AF2 side of the planet. One moon has a viable atmosphere. It is the location of several ship-building installations and support industries.”
Hiro combined the data from the telemetry and his studies of the system to give everyone a complete picture of the region the CVBG entered.
“The fifth planet is named Sperus. Similar to Jupiter, but only two moons. One does support life, but has an extremely cold environment. The Mischene established ship-building here as well. It appears the industry of choice for Aster system is building space ships.
“The sixth planet is a gas giant with four major moons and seven minor ones. The surface is volatile with gas storms and such.”
“Anything out of the ordinary?” Coop asked. Not that anything in a newly discovered galaxy of living systems would ever be considered ordinary by people from Earth.
“A massive amount of ionization along the AF1 to AF3 and AF2 corridors,” he said. “The system utilizes an amazing twelve wormhole gates, but unless they are operational, I can’t actually pinpoint their location. That many wormholes, even though inactive at the moment, could result in the large quantity of ions.”
The planetologist brought his hands closer, providing a panoramic display of the entire system.
“The locations for AF2, AF3 and their moons currently place them in their minimum orbit intersection distance. With all of these inhabited objects at MOID, travel times, even at standard speeds, would be fairly short.”
“Ships?” Coop asked.
“CVBG just outside of the sixth planet, the gas giant,” he replied. “Ten Mischene battlecruisers and eight smaller patrol-type ships active in the system. Two of the battlecruisers and the eight small ships orbit AF2. If the data from the communications drones is correct, these are Mischene Loyalist vessels. Escapees from the Prophet’s invasion,” he surmised.
“Two battlecruisers are on station three-million-miles beyond AF3 and another thirty-seven million miles from AF1. Communications indicate one of these is the Prophet’s ship and the other an escort. The other four Prophet-controlled battlecruisers are in high-altitude orbit around AF3.”
Hiro swiped across the screen and checked updated data. “There should be six more battlecruisers in the Prophet’s group,” he mused. “The tactical data is dated, and they could have left the system.”
“Or on a surface somewhere,” Coop said.
Hiro watched the telemetry from scans trillions of miles away, seeing what personnel on the Space Fleet ships received within seconds. “The four ships around AF3 are breaking orbit,” he told the group.
“Moving toward?” Coop asked.
“Two making way for the AF3-AF1 corridor. Two broke towards AF2, but not on a direct trajectory. Transmissions were picked up by the Pegasus,” Hiro said and continued, “The Prophet ordered the four ships around AF3 to disengage and move to, and I quote, ‘non-threatening distances.'”
Hiro tapped an icon and reported, “Only other artificial signatures in Aster space are satellites. Usual variety around the inhabited planets and moons, and a scattering of non-orbital in space between AF1, AF2, and AF3. Four non-orbital between AF3 and Sperus. Likely communications buoys to relay messages with less solar interference. Transmitter satellites would improve the time between sending and receiving messages.”
ASTER SYSTEM
“Admiral Hawks is in contact with the Prophet,” Kennedy informed Captain Casalobos. “He confirmed his position as representative of the United Earth Council and our mission
as peaceful,” she said, condensing the back-and-forth to its basics.
“There is a four-hour time lapse,” the AI added. “Two hours from transmit to reception and two more for the reply. It is inefficient,” she said, and actually sounded annoyed at the use of such dated technology. “The Admiral is saying quite a lot, but nothing not already discussed during mission planning. I will inform you when the reply is received.”
The AI cut the conversation off, reminding Elie of when Coop once told her he was never entirely sure who had seniority aboard the 109.
Elie sat on her bed when Kennedy delivered her next update.
“The conversations between The Prophet and the Admiral appear,” and she hesitated, “productive. The Prophet presents as a reasonable leader. He claims he is fighting the Mischene apparatus that set him and his followers up as,” she hesitated, making sure she heard the translation properly, and finished “patsies for his father’s desire for galactic expansion.”
“The Prophet’s take on the arrival of the Fleet group?” Elie asked.
“He welcomed us,” Kennedy replied. “Admiral Hawks asked for a cessation of all hostile actions within the system, safe passage for our ships, and to meet with the Prophet at Aster Farum 3.”
It was frustrating to wait hours for more information. Finally Kennedy interrupted Elie’s fitful sleep.
“The Prophet’s reply has been received by the Fairchild. He accepted an offer for a ceasefire. He guaranteed our safety while in the Aster system. His only request was to repeat the meeting must occur in open space away from the planet. He’s afraid that planetary defenses still in Mischene loyalists’ hands could target them, especially since he ordered his ship’s to leave orbit from the planet.”
