“Partially,” Jeremy admitted. Kevin had been with him from the very beginning and could easily guess where Jeremy’s thoughts were headed.
“Do you think we should have attacked the Dyson Sphere?”
Jeremy looked intently at Kevin. “No, I’m sure there were plenty of Simulin ships inside the dark matter nebula. They wouldn’t have left their most important asset unguarded.”
“But the energy collection stations should have been better protected,” Ariel said, her dark eyes carefully watching Jeremy. She’d sworn to Jeremy’s father many centuries in the past to keep an eye on the Special Five. “From what Clarissa has told me all four fleets met light resistance at first. It was as if a large number of the Simulin ships were needed elsewhere. Which implies some type of possible organized resistance in at least one section of the Triangulum Galaxy.”
“My thoughts also,” Jeremy responded with a slight nod of his head. It still amazed him at how rapidly Ariel could take a few facets of data and come to a valid conclusion. “We need to find those races that are resisting the Simulins.”
“Allies!” said Kevin, looking at one of the viewscreens, which showed the Distant Horizon in orbit around Gaia. Kevin was concerned that if a ship were sent out to find these mysterious allies it would most likely be the exploration dreadnought. “You’re not thinking about sending our wives out to the edge of this galaxy? They could be gone for months!”
“I’m not thinking about anything yet,” Jeremy replied. If he did send the Distant Horizon, he would probably ask for volunteers to go on the ship.
“Jeremy, I have Kelsey on the comm,” spoke Angela over their private channel. Ariel always kept a private channel open for the Special Five to communicate over. Clarissa did the same.
It had been several weeks since Jeremy had seen or spoken to his wife. “Put her on.”
“Jeremy!” Kelsey spoke in an aggravated voice. “You’ve been in the system for nearly an hour and haven’t checked in. Katie and I are down in New Eden shopping. Can Kevin, Angela, and you join us for supper?”
Jeremy shoulders drooped, knowing he couldn’t. He knew Clarissa had probably informed Kelsey and Katie of the Avenger’s arrival. “I have a staff meeting on the Clan Protector. Kevin and Angela can probably make it though.”
“We can,” confirmed Kevin with a big grin on his face. “Don’t let Katie buy too many clothes. She already has more than she can wear.”
“Women need new clothes,” chimed in Angela. “Kelsey, we’ll be down as soon as we can arrange for a shuttle.”
“I’ll call you as soon as the staff meeting is over,” promised Jeremy.
“I’ll make sure he does,” added Ariel, who was standing next to Jeremy with her hands on her hips. “He needs to get off the Avenger for awhile.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” Jeremy said, signaling to Angela to cut the comm connection. He wasn’t sure how long that would be as he had a lot that needed to be done before he could go down to Gaia.
-
Jeremy watched as the shipyard drew nearer. He could plainly see the power beam emplacements as well as the more powerful particle beam cannons. Dozens of dual laser turrets dotted the hull, ready to lay down a labyrinth of defensive fire if needed. Securely closed hatches hid fifty-megaton Devastator Three missiles as well as the more powerful one hundred-megaton antimatter missiles, all with sublight engines.
“The Clan Protector is an impressive sight,” commented Commander Malen as she walked over to Jeremy’s side. “Daelthon has done a tremendous job with the station.”
“He’s dedicated,” Jeremy responded. All the Carethians were.
“I’m glad we have the Bears on our side,” Malen responded and then turned her attention to the Helm. “Ensign Striker, take us in to a docking port.”
“The Bears are great allies,” said Jeremy, recalling the time he’d spent in the Carethian System.
The Bears were a race with a rich history of honor between clans and individuals. Even when the Hocklyns had conquered their planet and drastically reduced the Bear population, those in the hidden underground cities had remained true to their culture. Jeremy well remembered the unselfish sacrifice they’d made when they rammed their small ships into the attacking Hocklyn warships. The sudden suicide attack had driven the Hocklyns and AIs away from Careth in one of the titanic battles fought in the Bears' home system.
-
Kelsey and Katie were in a clothing boutique in New Eden admiring all the new clothes the shop had. Since the arrival of the relief fleets and the new colonists, the city had grown until it now contained nearly one hundred and twenty thousand inhabitants. It was the largest of the five cities with Clements a close second.
“Do you think Kevin would like this?” asked Katie, holding up a skimpy piece of red lingerie that revealed much more than it covered.
“I think you could wear a towel and Kevin would be happy,” laughed Kelsey. Katie and Angela had always been more daring with the clothes they wore. Kelsey was more reserved in her choice of clothing, preferring a more modest look. Standing in front of a mirror, Kelsey looked at a blouse that dipped a little low in the front. Even at thirty-eight years old, she still had a great figure.
“Needs to dip lower,” commented Katie, checking out the blouse Kelsey was holding up.
“I don’t think so,” replied Kelsey, shaking her head at her friend. “I’m not an exhibitionist like you and Angela.”
“I’ve seen those two piece swimsuits you wear,” declared Katie, her light green eyes glinting. “Don’t tell me those aren’t revealing.”
“Swimsuits are different,” defended Kelsey, as she walked over and put the blouse back on the rack.
“I think I’ll buy this,” proclaimed Katie, holding up the skimpy piece of red lingerie.
“I’m sure Kevin won’t object,” Kelsey said smiling. “Where to next?”
“There’s a new shoe store down the street I want to check out.”
“Let’s go pay for the red thing and head that way.” Kelsey knew it would be several hours yet before Angela and Kevin made it down from the Avenger and could join them for supper, so they might as well get some more shopping in.
-
Stepping on board the Clan Protector, Jeremy was surprised to see Grayseth and Rear Admiral Marks waiting to greet him.
“Clan brother,” roared Grayseth, stepping forward and giving Jeremy a big bear hug. It was the way the Carethians greeted their clan brothers. “I was fearful you had failed in the hunt and become prey to our enemy.”
“Not quite,” replied Jeremy, stepping back away from the huge Bear and trying to regain his breath. Grayseth had dark brown fur and towered over Jeremy.
“I’m glad to see you made it back,” Rear Admiral Susan Marks spoke. “We were expecting you several days ago, about the same time the other fleets returned.”
“Probably should have,” admitted Jeremy. “We wanted to hit one more system.” Jeremy paused and looked at Susan. “Is there another reason you elected to meet me here at the docking port?” Normally when he departed the system, he left Susan in charge.
“Yes,” Susan replied with a serious look on her face. “The Command AI is going to request it be allowed to build two more shipyards to produce additional AI warspheres.”
“A reasonable request,” Jeremy said after a moment. “The new ships did quite well against the Simulins.”
“I guess I’m a little concerned that shortly the AIs will have a much more powerful force than we do,” Susan said with a frown. “What if they decide we’re no longer needed?”
“Kurene and Mikow have assured me that since they removed the Simulin programming from the master Codex that’s not a danger. The Altons have even commented about how the AIs are bending over backward to make up for what happened in our home galaxy.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Susan said, as they began walking toward the briefing room where the meeting was going to be held. “I gues
s the AIs are always going to make me feel a little nervous.”
Jeremy understood how she felt. “You’re not the only one.”
He knew that many people in the fleet still had suspicions about the AIs’ motives. However, it was something Jeremy had long laid to rest for himself. After numerous conversations with Kurene, Mikow, and the Command AI, he was confident the AIs now only had the best interest of the Federation races on their minds.
“The AIs are fearsome warriors,” rumbled Grayseth. “They have acted with honor since our coming to this hunting ground. They are no longer the evil ones from our home galaxy.”
Jeremy was a little surprised to hear Grayseth say this. The Carethians had suffered greatly under Hocklyn rule and the Hocklyns had been servants to the AIs.
-
After taking several turbo lifts, they exited on the level where the meeting was to be held. Reaching the hatch to the briefing room Jeremy opened it and stepped inside. Glancing around the room, he saw the others were already here. Admiral Jackson, Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes, Admiral Cleeteus, Admiral Bachal, Admiral Jarls Sithe, Admiral Calmat, and the Command AI were present. Everyone rose as Jeremy entered the room.
“As you were,” Jeremy said as he walked to the head of the table. Grayseth and Rear Admiral Marks followed him in and took their seats at the large conference table.
Everyone sat down and Jeremy looked over his command staff. The Command AI was at the opposite end of the table. The Command AI had a cubicle body with four tentacles. It hovered about six inches off the floor and there was a bluish-white ball of energy at the top of the cube that served as its head.
“I am pleased to see your safe return,” spoke the Command AI in a nearly human voice. “We have much to discuss.”
Jeremy nodded and gazed directly at the AI. “I understand you wish to build two more shipyards.”
“That is correct,” replied the AI. “By doing so we can build two of the new warspheres every five days with our automated construction facilities.”
“What about resources?” asked Admiral Jackson, his eyes narrowing sharply. Even after two years, Jackson still felt uncomfortable in the presence of an AI.
“This system has a cometary belt out beyond Borton,” the Command AI answered. “We will mine it for the resources needed to operate the shipyards. Some of the refined metals can also be made available for the inhabitants of Gaia to use in their factories.”
“How long would it take to build the two new shipyards?” asked Jeremy. The quicker he could increase the number of warspheres he had available, the sooner he could launch an all out war against the Simulins.
“Three months,” answered the AI. “It would take the use of six of the fleet repair ships to accomplish this.”
“Can we spare six repair ships?” asked Jeremy, looking over at Admiral Jackson, who was now his second in command.
Jackson opened up a folder he had brought and studied some information. “Yes,” he answered, looking back up. “We could spare eight of them.”
Jeremy nodded. They had fourteen of the versatile fleet repair ships. “Would it speed up construction if I gave you eight of the ships?”
“Yes,” answered the Command AI. “We could complete construction in two point three months.”
Reaching a decision, Jeremy nodded. “Let’s do it then.” He looked around the group. “I strongly suspect we stirred up a hornet’s nest with our attack on the Simulin energy collection stations.”
“Will they attempt to attack us here?” asked Admiral Jarls Sithe formerly of New Providence.
“No,” Jeremy answered. “We know they can’t penetrate the nebula because of the hyperspace disrupters we have in place. However, our attack will have made them aware of just how vulnerable their energy collectors are. They’re bound to send warships to those systems to protect the remaining stations.”
“So we leave them alone,” Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes said. Kathryn knew Jeremy had wanted to destroy many more of them than what they’d managed.
“No,” Jeremy said with a devilish grin. “I intend to destroy all of them in our next attack.”
“How?” asked Grayseth, his large brown eyes growing even larger. “They will be heavily protected by the evil ones of this galaxy.”
“I have an idea,” Jeremy replied. “I just need to speak to Andram and Shilum about it. Once I know it’ll work, I’ll explain. However, that’s not why I called this meeting.”
“You have something else on your mind, clan brother,” spoke up Grayseth in understanding. “Does it have something to do with our recent attack against the energy collectors?” Grayseth had been extremely honored to lead a fleet against the stations.
“Yes,” Jeremy answered as he looked around his command staff. “Where were all the Simulin ships? They should have responded to our attacks much sooner than they did.”
“I assumed it was because we had stayed in the nebula for the last few years,” commented Rear Admiral Barnes. “They weren’t expecting an attack. Perhaps they no longer considered us a danger.”
“Perhaps,” admitted Jeremy, looking intently at the others. “But what if it was for another reason? What if somewhere in this galaxy there’s still major resistance to the Simulins? We know from some of the worlds we found early on that they had only been destroyed a few hundred years ago.”
“It would be useful to have allies,” commented Admiral Jackson, looking thoughtful. “From what I know of the Distant Horizon’s travels through this galaxy when it first arrived there are a number of fully inhabited Simulin systems. They have a far greater resource base than we do.”
“What are you proposing?” asked Rear Admiral Barnes, drawing in a deep, fortifying breath. She was wondering if it was something that would involve her ship.
“We need to explore more of this galaxy,” Jeremy said, as his eyes shifted to Kathryn. “We need to have a better idea of the number of worlds the Simulins control and if there is indeed any opposition to their rule.”
“The Distant Horizon was built for exploration,” Kathryn said, her eyes focusing on Jeremy. “We have an ion cannon on the bow plus our Defense Globes have been replenished. I wouldn’t be afraid to take the ship out on an exploratory cruise if that’s what you’re proposing.”
“It is,” answered Jeremy. “However, you wouldn’t be going alone. You would have a small fleet at your disposal.”
“How large of a fleet?” asked Kathryn. Having additional ships would be a bonus as it would allow for them to cover more worlds. She would also feel safer with a powerful fleet at her disposal.
“That’s up for discussion,” answered Jeremy, as he looked at the others. “I would want to send some of the new AI warspheres, possibly a couple of Alton battleships, and a few others. The exact number and type will be determined by the length of the mission and the areas of this galaxy we want to cover.”
“How soon before we launch this mission?” asked Kathryn. She wanted her crew to have sufficient leave time to prepare.
“Four weeks,” Jeremy answered. “That will give us time to make the necessary preparations.”
Kathryn thought it over; four weeks would be sufficient. “Very well,” she responded. “I want to give my crew at least two weeks’ leave planetside.”
“That’s reasonable,” answered Jeremy, nodding his head in agreement. There was still a very important question he had to come to grips with. Did he want Kelsey and Katie going on this mission? They could easily be gone for six months or more.
-
Kathryn was watching the concerned expression on Jeremy’s face. She guessed he was thinking about his wife and Katie. She couldn’t blame him. It might be wise if the two women were temporarily reassigned to the shipyard or another vessel. Kathryn would miss the two because they were very good at what they did and she considered them a valuable part of her crew. However, Jeremy was the fleet admiral and she wasn’t going to put his wife and best friend’s wife in jeopardy, n
ot on the type of mission this was going to be. She did feel excited at the prospect of actually going out and exploring this galaxy. The Distant Horizon had been designed to be an exploration ship. It was about time she began performing her duty.
Chapter Three
High Commander Zarth Lantu gazed fixedly at the battlecruiser’s main viewscreen. Several Ornellian warships were visible, firing feeble ruby-red laser beams at Simulin vessels. The lasers were having no detrimental effect on the powerful Simulin energy screens protecting their ships.
“These small ships are weak,” spat out Second Commander Darst. “We do not need all of our ships to conquer and eliminate this star empire.”
“Perhaps not,” admitted Lantu, shifting his eyes to his second in command. “However, there can be no others but Simulin. The Ornell Empire contains ten inhabited star systems and numerous scientific outposts scattered throughout this section of the galaxy. It will take months to find all of them and blast them out of existence. By bringing so many ships, we can complete our mission and then return to other duties.”
The battlecruiser shuddered slightly, drawing Lantu’s attention to the tactical screen. Several of the small three-hundred-meter Ornellian warships were firing their lasers and launching nuclear missiles from missile tubes. The ships were long and narrow with a flared stern where the engine compartment was located.
“Energy screen is holding at 98 percent,” reported Darst. “Should I target those ships?”
“Yes,” spoke Lantu evenly. “They must die!”
Darst spoke some orders to the Simulin in charge of the tactical station.
On one of the viewscreens, several brilliant white lights suddenly stabbed toward one of the Ornellian warships. The energy beams struck the ship’s primitive energy screen and tore right through it. The two beams shot completely through the stricken vessel, cutting it in two. Then a bright explosion went off as a Simulin antimatter missile vaporized the two sections of the hapless vessel. Moments later, the second Ornellian ship suffered the same fate.
The Lost Fleet: Oblivion's Light: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 3
