The Slaver Wars: Endgame

by Raymond L. Weil

  “Get well, Jeremy,” Ariel said as her holographic image vanished.

  Doctor Ruyl shook his head. He didn’t know if he would ever get used to the way the AI could just appear and disappear. It was bad enough that she looked like she was in her early twenties and drop dead gorgeous.

  -

  Deep in the heart of the galaxy was a dark nothingness. No light could escape the massive gravity maw, which was the largest black hole in the galaxy. Earth astronomers had named it Sagittarius A. The star-eating black hole had a mass of 4.3 million times that of Earth’ sun with a diameter of forty-four million kilometers and a Schwarzschild Radius of thirteen point two million kilometers. Sagittarius A was 26,000 light years from Earth.

  At a distance of one-tenth of a light year orbited hundreds of artificial structures; constructions of the AIs. The largest of them was the Central Nexus, which served as AI Command. While most of the other orbital structures were identical at one hundred and twenty kilometers in diameter, the Central Nexus was five hundred kilometers in diameter. Around each structure were dozens of the fifteen hundred-meter AI spheres. Deep inside the Central Nexus the command AIs were meeting.

  “The Alton ship managed to take scans of the Nexus as well as the capacitor stations,” the AI in charge of research reported, the glowing orb that served as its head doubling in size and brightness.

  “What about the Hyper Translation Station?” the largest of all the AIs asked its commanding voice demanding an immediate answer.

  “Most likely,” the research AI responded.

  “We didn’t detect the Alton ship until it was within sixty million kilometers of the Nexus,” the AI in charge of defense added. “It was coated with a substance that made it nearly invisible to scans. Only the fact that an occultation of several stars occurred during its approach allowed us to deduce its existence.”

  “We managed to damage it as it jumped out,” the AI in charge of all AI military ships reported. “A fleet was sent after it and encountered a large Human warfleet as well as some Alton battlecruisers just inside the galactic center. In the ensuing battle, a number of Human and Alton ships were destroyed as well as the Alton research ship. We lost eighteen ships in the engagement.”

  The Command AI was silent as it slowly turned and floated above the highly polished metal deck. “Then there is a chance the information gathered was lost when the Alton research ship was destroyed. However, we cannot take the risk that the information was transferred to one of the other Human or Alton ships. The Great Project must be completed. It is distressing that the Humans and the Altons would dare come so close to the Great Project at this crucial time. It suggests the Altons may suspect what we are doing.”

  “Eight months and we will be ready for the first tests,” the research AI responded. “Four months after that, the entire ring of energy capacitors can be turned on to power the Central Nexus and the Hyper Translation Station.”

  “And the Eternity Device?’ questioned the Command AI.

  “That also,” the research AI replied. “Once we activate the Eternity Device, all organic life in this galaxy will cease to exist in slightly less than fifty years. It will transmit a hyper velocity energy wave that will travel at a speed of eleven hundred times the speed of light. All of our tests have confirmed that it will destroy all organic live in this galaxy before dying out in intergalactic space.”

  The Command AI turned until it was facing the AI in charge of all military ships. “Pull all of our ships back to within a ten light year radius of the Nexus,” it ordered. “If the Altons have deduced what we are attempting to do, they will attack with their Human allies and try to stop us. Send one fleet to find these Humans that have dared to come so close to the Great Project. They are to be found and annihilated.”

  “It will be done,” responded the fleet AI.

  “What about the Hocklyns?” one of the other command AIs asked. “They are still battling the Humans across their Empire.”

  “The Hocklyns are weak,” the Command AI spoke in a cynical voice. “They will fail to stop the Humans and then the Humans and the Altons will come for us. We must be ready; the Great Project must succeed if the universe is to be filled with our superior form of being.”

  -

  High Leader Nartel stood in the ornate council chambers of the Hocklyn High Council with a worried look upon his reptilian face. The latest report from Commodore Zeth was not promising. The commodore had managed to beat back the first Human attack upon the shipyards he was defending. The Humans had withdrawn to the outer reaches of the system and were holding their position. Zeth felt certain the Humans were waiting for additional reinforcements so they could overwhelm the Hocklyn fleet and defenses. Zeth was requesting additional reinforcements to protect the shipyards.

  “We have nothing to send,” spoke High Councilor Berken, rising to his feet and shaking his head. “There are several small fleet units in the immediate area, but nothing of substance.”

  “What good would it do?” shouted High Councilor Ruthan in anger. “Your policies have angered the AIs, and they have abandoned us! Our Empire is doomed because of your foolishness.”

  “We still have thousands of warships we can call upon,” High Councilor Jarles said, interrupting Ruthan’s rant. “We need to begin constructing new shipyards around our home worlds to build new and more powerful ships.”

  “How goes the military research program?” High Councilor Desmonde asked. “How close are we to building our own sublight antimatter missiles? We must have them if we’re to hold off the Humans and the Altons without help from the AIs.”

  “We have perfected the antimatter warheads,” High Leader Nartel responded as he looked at the various councilors. “The technology of the sublight missile to carry the warhead still eludes us.”

  “But we could still arm our regular missiles with the warheads,” Councilor Jarles was quick to point out.

  “The warheads are not easy to build,” Nartel informed them, recalling the latest report from the research facility and the time it would take to produce an adequate supply of missiles. It will be several months before we have a large enough supply to arm our fleets with.”

  “And during that time, the Humans and Altons will continue to take our Empire away from us,” Ruthan said heatedly, crossing his powerful arms across his dark gray ceremonial chest armor and glaring at High Leader Nartel.

  “Our time will come,” responded Nartel, deciding not to get into an argument with Ruthan. It would serve no purpose.

  -

  An hour later, High Leader Nartel was in his office meeting with recently promoted Fleet Commodore Caltrin. Caltrin was a direct blood relative and owed allegiance to Nartel’s family.

  “Without the AIs and the sublight missiles for the antimatter warheads, our Empire will fall,” Nartel admitted as he sat down behind his massive desk.

  “I fear you’re right,” responded Caltrin, patting the knife at his waist. “The Altons have furnished the Humans with very advanced ship technology, and we have nothing at the moment that can stop them. It’s only a matter of time before they attack the home systems.”

  “We have gathered over four thousand warships to defend our core worlds,” Nartel responded as he thought about the deployments he had ordered. “Other fleets are reinforcing key worlds in what remains of our Empire.”

  “Then what are we going to do?” Caltrin asked, curious as to why Nartel had called him in for this meeting.

  “For as long as we can remember, the AIs have refused to allow us to colonize other worlds,” Nartel began his large dark eyes focusing on Caltrin. “That no longer holds true since the AIs have abandoned us. I’ve arranged for a significant number of Hocklyn families to board some long-range transport vessels. There is a world far out near the Borzon Empire that is quite habitable for our species. We will begin our Empire anew far away from the Humans and AIs. It is also where the weapons research is being conducted.”

  “What
about the rest of the council?” asked Caltrin, nervously. He wondered if this was the honorable thing to do.

  “They know nothing about this,” Nartel spoke his large, cold eyes narrowing. “If this was to get out, it could cause widespread panic across the home worlds and the habitats. If anyone asks why some habitats have suddenly become empty of inhabitants, we will simply tell them the habitats are being taken over by the military to be used as new construction facilities.”

  “When will we leave?” asked Caltrin, realizing why he had been increased in rank to Fleet Commodore. This plan met with his approval, as he was certain that Nartel was saving all of his own family members of which Caltrin was a part.

  “In two weeks,” Nartel responded with a heavy breath. “The ships will be rendezvousing in system A-1117. It’s a brown dwarf system and the ships will not be detected. You will escort the ships to the new system and get the colony established. There are others already there. I will join you later when this situation with the Humans has been decided one way or another. There will be other ships joining you there as well as some fleet construction ships to build a spaceport and an orbital shipyard. It is essential that the Humans not find out about this system. I’m hoping that since it is so close to the Borzon the Humans will stay away rather than risk a war with a second Empire.”

  -

  After Nartel finished his meeting with Fleet Commodore Caltrin, he waited impatiently for his next appointment. This one would be highly interesting since it involved former High Leader Ankler’s son, Jaseth. Jaseth had returned in the shattered dreadnought Viden after the Hocklyn and Borzon fleets had met defeat above the Carethians’ home planet. Even the AIs had fled the battle when it became clear that they couldn’t win. For bringing the Viden and its surviving crew back, Jaseth had received much honor. Enough that he had been promoted to War Leader and given command of the recently repaired dreadnought. The door to his office opened and Jaseth stepped inside.

  “Welcome, War Leader,” Nartel said, rising to his feet and gesturing for Jaseth to approach his desk. “I never got around to thanking you for bringing the Viden back home. Fleet Commodore Versith will be sorely missed. He was an honorable Hocklyn, who served the Empire.”

  “He taught me well,” responded Jaseth, trying to keep his emotions in check. High Leader Nartel had been in part responsible for the death of his father and the loss of honor his family had suffered. The High Council had also taken the family habitat away.

  “You have shown remarkable persistence in your military service to the Empire,” Nartel continued. “I need a Hocklyn warrior who is not afraid to take risks and is not afraid of the Humans.”

  “The Humans must die,” Jaseth said, keeping his voice steady. He had a hatred for the Humans that would never end until the last one was dead.

  “I am promoting you to the rank of commodore and putting you in command of a fleet. You will be based here in the Calzen system and will aid in its defense if the Humans dare to attack.”

  “It will be an honor,” Jaseth responded, pleased that he would finally have the fleet units he would need to extract revenge on the Humans. Having his own fleet would greatly enhance the number of Humans he could kill!

  “Serve in honor,” Nartel spoke in a solemn voice, dismissing the young Hocklyn warrior.

  “In honor,” Jaseth responded as he bowed slightly and left the office.

  After Jaseth had departed Nartel nodded, satisfied with what he had just done. Jaseth was so bent on killing Humans that his hatred would cloud his judgment. He would be a killing machine and probably act without honor. Jaseth would serve a purpose in distracting the other commodores from noticing some of the things that Nartel planned to do in the coming months. Looking around his office, his eyes shifted to the large map of the galaxy that depicted the Hocklyn Slave Empire. The map had not been updated since the war with the Humans and the Altons had begun. He knew large areas were now under Human control. Taking a deep breath, he left his office. He had one important FTL message he must send and he needed to send it himself.

  -

  Commodore Zeth stared in disbelief at the message he had just received from High Leader Nartel. It had taken the message four days to arrive after being sent from Calzen.

  “What’s the current status of the Human fleets?” asked Zeth, looking over expectantly at War Leader Danth.

  “The second Human fleet has rendezvoused with the first,” Danth replied as he checked the readings coming in over the ship’s sensors. The two fleets hadn't moved in the past hour. They were on board the fleet flagship, the Iron Glory.

  “They will be attacking shortly,” Zeth surmised as he shifted his cold gaze over to the main sensor screen, which showed a myriad of red threat icons in the outer system. “They’re just deciding on how best to handle another fighter attack like we threw at them last time.”

  “We will not survive combat against such numbers,” Danth responded in a calmer voice. “Honor will come for us shortly.”

  “Not today,” Zeth hissed, not pleased with his orders from the High Leader. “Contact the shipyards and tell them they are to prepare to evacuate. We will be leaving the system shortly.”

  “I don’t understand,” Danth spoke his cold, dark eyes growing even wider than normal. “It is our duty to die with honor for the Empire.”

  “We have new orders from the High Council,” Zeth replied, not mentioning the orders were directly from High Leader Nartel. “We’re to evacuate the personnel from the stations and take them to a new star system where they will help build a new series of shipyards. The new shipyards will be used to build more modern ships to defeat the Humans. We are honor bound to obey the council.”

  Danth nodded. The council could not be disobeyed or one risked losing much honor and wealth as well as ones standing in the Empire.

  -

  Amanda had just got off the com with Rear Admiral Tolsen as Second and Third Fleet prepared to attack the Hocklyn shipyards. A plan of battle had been made and they were prepared to implement it shortly.

  “Admiral, you need to check the tactical display,” Lieutenant Stalls called out, his voice sounding confused. “The Hocklyns seem to be coming out to engage us.”

  Amanda’s eyes moved immediately to the indicated display and she saw with surprise the Hocklyns were indeed beginning to exit the gravity well of the planet. It perplexed her as to why the Hocklyns would leave their shipyards undefended. She had a strong suspicion all three of the remaining shipyards were probably very heavily armed. This made no tactical sense. Then again, what in this war ever made any sense when dealing with the Hocklyns?

  “Should we move in to engage them?” asked Commander Diaz as he stood near Amanda looking at the screen. “We can do a short hyperjump and come out around them. They won’t stand a chance with the addition of Third Fleet to our numbers.”

  “Hocklyns are jumping,” Stalls reported as the Hocklyn ships began to vanish from the tactical screen.

  “All ships set Condition One, prepare to engage Hocklyns ships,” Amanda quickly ordered over her mini-com, which she had changed to ship-to-ship. She felt her pulse quicken in anticipation of going into combat.

  Suddenly, on the one of the tactical holograms, the three large red icons that represented the Hocklyn shipyards swelled up and gradually vanished.

  “Hocklyn shipyards have self-destructed!” Stalls gasped his eyes wide in shock. “All three have been destroyed!”

  “From the entrance angles of the spatial vortexes, the Hocklyns are not coming out to engage us!” spoke Colonel Leon her eyes looking over at Commander Diaz.

  “They abandoned the stations and left the system,” Commander Diaz said, shaking his head in disbelief. “That goes against their honor system.”

  “Not if they were ordered to abandon the system,” Amanda said worriedly, wondering where this fleet of Hocklyn vessels was going. She had a strange feeling that someday this incident was going to come back to haunt her.
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  “What are your orders, Admiral?” asked Commander Diaz.

  “We need to notify Fleet Admiral Streth of what's occurred here,” Amanda said after a moment. “Contact Rear Admiral Tolsen and tell him we’re returning to New Providence. I’ll be going to my quarters to prepare a report for the Fleet Admiral.”

  Moments later, as Amanda walked down the spotless corridors of the WarStorm, it suddenly dawned on her that she would be seeing Richard in a few more days. It would be nice to have some leave time to spend with her husband. Even as she thought about that, she couldn’t help feeling she was missing something important. What it was, she couldn’t quite grasp. It still bothered her that the Hocklyn fleet had fled the system after destroying the shipyards. She wished she knew what was behind that decision.

  Chapter Five

  Admiral Streth was in the gym of the StarStrike taking his morning run. Janice was running with him and they'd been at it for a little over thirty minutes. Hedon preferred to run in the mornings as it helped to clear his head and allowed him to think about what he needed to do for the rest of the day.

  Janice slowed down and came to a walk as Hedon followed suit. “I understand Admiral Sheen and Admiral Tolsen are returning soon,” she said in between breaths. She enjoyed the daily runs with Hedon as it allowed them some privacy and time to talk.

  “Second and Third Fleet should be arriving in three more days,” Hedon responded.

  It would be good to see Amanda again. He knew that Richard would be happy to see his wife. That single fact made marriages in the fleet so difficult. Married couples couldn’t serve on the same vessels together, and oftentimes months would go by before couples would see one another. Many marriages often ended in divorce once a married couple realized just how little time they were going to be able to spend together. It also made raising a family nearly impossible. It was the primary reason Hedon had refused to become intimate with Janice as it would mean their separation. If he didn’t allow other couples to serve together, how could he violate the same rules?