Earth Fall_To the Stars [Book Two]
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Earth Fall: To the Stars
An Earth Fall Novel
(Earth Fall: To the Stars, Book 2)
By
Raymond L. Weil
USA Today Best Selling Author
Books in The Earth Fall Series
Earth Fall: Invasion (Book 1)
Earth Fall: To the Stars (Book 2)
Earth Fall: Empires at War (Book 3) Coming in June of 2018
Website: http://raymondlweil.com/
Copyright © April 2018 by Raymond L. Weil
All Rights Reserved
Cover Design by Humblenations.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the author.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Epilogue
Earth Fall:
To the Stars
Chapter One
Battle Commander Balforr of the Trellixian battlecruiser Conquest gazed with worry at the tactical display. An alien battle fleet of seventy vessels rapidly approached. Trellixians were taller than the average Human with dark-green skin due to their Saurian ancestry. Balforr had a large lizardlike head with sharp tearing teeth and eyes twice the size of a Human’s. His arms were heavily muscled, ending in a hand with three fingers and a thumb. He was clad in light battle armor, which was normal attire upon a battlecruiser.
“Report!” he ordered, turning his head slightly toward Sensor Officer Maldane.
“It is a Voltrex war fleet,” confirmed Maldane. “Sensors are detecting two battleships, seventeen battlecruisers, and fifty-one lighter support craft.”
“Do we engage?” asked Briitan from Tactical. “Our weapons are superior to theirs.”
Balforr turned his large eyes back toward the tactical display. A year ago the first ships of the Voltrex were encountered. Fighting erupted immediately as the Voltrex knew who the Trellixians were. Massive Voltrex fleets appeared soon thereafter, resisting the Empire’s ships at every turn. The advance of the Trellixian Empire in this sector of space ground to a sudden halt.
While not as advanced as the Trellixian warships, the Voltrex warships were still powerful enough to damage and occasionally destroy Trellixian vessels. Large engagements erupted, and still the Trellixians had no clue as to the number of Voltrex worlds that opposed them. Additional Trellixian fleets were sent to search the frontier of the Empire for the homes of this mysterious enemy, but so far none had been located.
After a moment, Balforr replied, “We will engage.” The advent of the Voltrex had allowed Balforr to resume his role as a battle commander, something he had lost after his failure with the Humans. “Joltan, advance the fleet toward the enemy.”
-
In space, the two-thousand-meter-long battlecruisers of the Trellixians advanced toward the smaller ships of the Voltrex. Only two of the Voltrex ships were comparable to the Trellixian ships in size, and those were their heavily armed battleships at 2,200 meters in length. The Voltrex battlecruisers were 1,200 meters long, and the support ships ranged from 400 to 800 meters. They were armed with energy beams and missiles with fusion warheads.
-
“The Trellixian fleet is nearing engagement range,” reported Zalurr, from his sensor console. “Forty-six of their battlecruisers are on our sensors.”
“It was expected,” replied Kamuss, the ship’s commander. “Sound battlestations. All ships prepare to fire.” The Command Center came alive with intense activity as the crew readied for battle.
Klaxons screamed loudly across the ship as the crew raced to their stations. Hatches slammed shut and were sealed as emergency crews stood ready to repair any battle damage. Gun and missile crews reported to their stations, waiting to fire as soon as the order was given. Missiles were brought from their bunkers and loaded into the missile tubes. Energy turrets turned toward the Trellixian warships as targeting systems reached out, searching for the enemy vessels.
-
The Voltrex were a feline species who walked erect. They had a short tail, thick fur, and their paws resembled hands with retractable claws. They stood the same height as a Human. Years in the past they had learned of the Trellixians. Since that harrowing discovery, the Voltrex had built up their war fleets to defend their region of space from the eventual arrival of the expanding Trellixian Empire. While the Voltrex weapons were not as powerful as the Trellixians, the Voltrex had a tremendous number of ships. Enough, it was hoped, to keep the Trellixians at bay and away from the twenty-eight inhabited systems of the Voltrex Federation.
-
Kamuss walked over and sat down in his command chair, studying the tactical display. “Helm, turn us eighty degrees starboard and up twenty. Take us to their fleet, flank speed.” Kamuss intended to advance on the enemy and close the range. Rather than let the enemy come to him, he would go to them, forcing them to react to his fleet. He preferred to be on the offensive instead of the defensive.
LeLath, his second in command, shut her eyes briefly as she waited for combat to begin. “For years we have prepared for their coming,” she said, her voice like a pleasant purr. “So far our fleets are suffering tremendous losses in the engagements with the enemy.”
“We have large numbers of warships,” answered Kamuss, glancing at his second in command. “All our worlds are protected by battlestations and massive defensive grids. So far we have succeeded in turning back the Trellixian advance. Our worlds are still safe and undetected.”
LeLath nodded in agreement. “But look at the cost. We have sacrificed much to prepare for this day. Our cubs learn the ways of war instead of the ways of the hunt and of honor. Instead of contests to see who is the strongest and the cleverest, we now search for ways to kill our enemy. It is not the way of the Voltrex.”
“It must become our way if we are to survive,” answered Kamuss. Kamuss’s eldest son would shortly complete his training to take his place on a warship to protect the clans of the Voltrex. Kamuss was greatly saddened at how many of the old ways had been abandoned. His mate was also greatly concerned about the changes made. However, the old ways would lead to defeat and the death of all the Voltrex clans by the Trellixians. The new ways must be adopted if the Voltrex were to survive.
“Engagement range,” reported Zalurr in a calm voice. “We are in position and have risen five hundred kilometers above the enemy fleet.”
“Fire!” ordered Kamuss, leaning forward in his command chair. Trellixian battlecruisers were visible on several of the large viewscreens on the front wall of the Command Center. All Kamuss had to do was force this fleet to retreat; it was not necessary to destroy it.
-
From the Voltrex ships, white energy beams leaped out to impact the energy shields of the Trellixian battlecruisers. Voltrex missile tubes slid ope
n, and missiles with twenty-megaton fusion warheads burst forth toward their targets. Each missile had a miniature sublight drive allowing for tremendous acceleration. Across the Trellixian formation, brilliant flashes of light erupted as the Voltrex missiles detonated, threatening to bring down the Trellixian energy shields.
In the Trellixian fleet a battlecruiser’s energy shield flickered, allowing two of the Voltrex energy beams to penetrate. The pair struck the hull, penetrating deep inside the vessel and setting off secondary explosions. A huge segment of the hull blew off into space, and then a massive burst of flames erupted from the damaged section to be quickly snuffed out by the vacuum of space.
For just an instant, the energy screen went down and then came back up. However, that instant was long enough for a Voltrex fusion missile to flash through and contact the hull. In a massive blast of light and destruction, the two-thousand-meter-long Trellixian battlecruiser was turned into a molten wreck. The Voltrex had the first kill in the battle.
-
“Battlecruiser Tomak has been destroyed,” reported Maldane. “A Voltrex fusion missile penetrated the energy screen and destroyed the ship.”
Battle Commander Balforr sat impassively in his command chair on the command pedestal. “Destroy them!” he ordered. “We are Trellixians, and none shall stand in our way.”
Staring at the viewscreens, Balforr could see his fleet was under heavy attack. The Voltrex had maneuvered until their fleet was slightly above his, making it harder for all the Trellixian battlecruisers to bring their weapons to bear. Fortunately, since discovering the existence of the Voltrex Federation, the Trellixian Empire had constructed stronger missiles for their fleet. Instead of the weaker twenty-kiloton missiles their battlecruisers normally carried, those venturing into Voltrex space carried the much more powerful fifty-megaton fusion missiles.
-
In the Voltrex fleet, two enemy missiles struck the energy shield of a four-hundred-meter-long support vessel. In a bright flash the shield failed, and the vessel was instantly vaporized from the intense heat and massive amounts of energy released from the twin explosions. Nearby, a Voltrex battlecruiser had its stern blown off by a pair of energy beams that penetrated the energy shield. Other ships were suffering damage as the superior weapons of the Trellixians began to overwhelm the Voltrex fleet.
-
Commander Kamuss held on to his command chair, his claws digging deeply into the armrests as his flagship shook violently. Alarms sounded, and red lights appeared on the damage control console. He ordered the fleet to change its formation slightly to give it less exposure to Trellixian weapons fire.
“We have several compartments open to space,” reported Lieutenant Commander LeLath. “Fires are out of control in frames seven and eight, and they are spreading.”
“Vent those sections,” ordered Commander Kamuss.
“Crewmembers are still in there,” replied LeLath, her eyes narrowing in concern. “We need a few minutes to get them out.”
Kamuss let out a deep breath, his whiskers quivering. “If we don’t vent now, and those fires spread, we could lose the ship.”
LeLath took a step back and passed on the order. A few moments later she turned back to Commander Kamuss with a pained look in her eyes. “Fires are out.”
“Status of the fleet?” Kamuss knew he was losing the battle. The Trellixians’ weapons were just too powerful.
“We’ve lost seven battlecruisers and eighteen support ships,” reported Zalurr from Sensors. “We’ve taken out six Trellixian battlecruisers.”
“Not enough,” said Kamuss with a deep frown. It was nearing time to consider withdrawing. It would be a futile gesture to sacrifice his entire fleet.
Suddenly on the tactical display, a large number of green icons appeared.
“Commander Zolmar has arrived with his fleet,” reported Lieutenant Commander LeLath excitedly.
Kamuss leaned back in his command chair, letting out a long and deep sigh of relief. Commander Zolmar had been close by when Kamuss had detected the invading Trellixians and had been contacted to come as quickly as possible. Kamuss had not expected him to arrive so soon. “How many ships does he have?”
“He brought his entire fleet,” Zalurr reported. “I’m detecting 6 battleships, 42 battlecruisers, and 118 support ships.”
Kamuss’s eyes widened. That was nearly the entire fleet assigned to defend Bator Seven, a nearby Voltrex colony world. Zolmar was taking a risk committing his entire fleet to this battle.
“Zolmar’s ships are engaging the Trellixians,” added Lieutenant Commander LeLath.
On the viewscreens, the intensity of the battle instantly ratcheted up. More missiles struck Trellixian energy shields as well as energy beams. Several Trellixian battlecruisers exploded under the intensified attack, spreading debris across space. The Trellixian fleet was being hit from two directions, putting it in an indefensible position.
Commander Kamuss nodded, pleased with the sudden change in the tactical situation. “Continue to advance and engage the enemy. Decrease speed by 40 percent. We now have an overwhelming advantage. The Trellixians will withdraw, or we will destroy their fleet.”
-
Battle Commander Balforr frowned as the second Voltrex fleet appeared and began attacking.
“I’m detecting 166 new warships,” reported Maldane. “Six are battleships, and forty-two are battlecruisers. The rest are support ships.”
“We are badly outnumbered,” Second Officer Jaltor said with growing concern in his voice. “We cannot defeat a fleet of this size.”
Balforr stood and peered intently at the tactical display and all the red threat icons. “There must be a nearby Voltrex world, where the second fleet could have come from so quickly. We shall withdraw and report that fact to the High Command.”
This would accomplish at least part of Balforr’s mission. So far, since encountering the Voltrex, none of their worlds had been located, at least not until now. It would be necessary to search this region of stars, there was no doubt one of the Voltrex worlds must be nearby. Once located, it would be conquered and its population cleansed from the surface of the planet. It would mark the beginning of the end of the Voltrex.
-
The Trellixian fleet made the jump into hyperspace, vanishing from the star system and leaving behind wreckage from warships destroyed on both sides in the brief but violent battle. Commander Balforr retired to his quarters to make his report, which would be sent to the High Command. There was no doubt in his mind that many more battles would ensue with the Voltrex. This was by far the most powerful race the Trellixians had ever encountered, excluding the Jelnoid worlds, the primary difference being the Jelnoids had more advanced weapons but far fewer ships.
Thinking of the Jelnoids, Battle Commander Balforr wondered what had become of Earth. A picket force had been stationed in the system to monitor the planet, which had gone into a brief nuclear winter. Balforr had his doubts that many Humans had survived and, those who did, would most likely lose their technological base because of a lack of numbers. Once that occurred, the planet would be brought into the Trellixian Empire, and colonization would begin.
-
Voltrex Fleet Commander Kamuss spoke briefly with Fleet Commander Zolmar. Both fleets would return to Bator Seven for repairs. A third fleet would be summoned as well, since it was highly likely the Trellixians would launch a search for the nearby colony. With three fleets and the massive defensive grid that protected the planet, the two commanders were confident they could hold the system.
-
“Can all our ships enter hyperspace?” asked Commander Kamuss, looking over at Lieutenant Commander LeLath. A number of the ships in his fleet had suffered damage.
“The Parlon, Daball, and Fang will need several hours to get their hyperspace drives fully operational,” reported Lieutenant Commander LeLath. “They are the most heavily damaged.”
Kamuss leaned back, accepting they would wait for th
e three ships to complete their repairs. “Very well. Inform the three ship captains to notify us when their repairs are done.”
Once his fleet reached Bator Seven, a number of his ships would enter the repair bays of the two shipyards orbiting the planet. If and when the Trellixians returned, Kamuss wanted his fleet at full strength. He would also request additional warships to replace the ships lost in the battle. With a deep sigh, he knew his own flagship would need some repairs. It had a large hole in its side where energy beams had struck, opening up several compartments to space.
Standing up, Kamuss was going to his quarters until the fleet was ready to jump. He needed to send messages to the clans of those who had died in the battle. He dreaded that duty, but it was necessary. Unfortunately, in this war, he greatly feared he would perform this duty far too often. “Lieutenant Commander, inform me when the repairs to our ships are complete. I have some messages I must send.”
-
Five hours later the two Voltrex fleets entered the star system containing Bator Seven. Eighteen planets were in the system with four planets in the habitable zone. Bator Six was on the warm side, and only its poles were habitable. Bator Seven had a highly desirable climate and several large oceans. Bator Eight, while habitable, was too hazardous to colonize because of the dangerous animals and flying insects which abounded on its surface. Bator Nine was cold, and a narrow section around the planet’s equator was the only habitable region. It was also rich in heavy metals, and numerous mining operations were centered there.
-
Voltrex Commander Kamuss was in the Command Center as his flagship exited hyperspace and went into orbit around Bator Seven. The planet was heavily populated with nearly four billion inhabitants. Around it orbited 1,400 small defensive satellites and 16 large one-thousand-meter battlestations. Also a number of orbital stations were just below the defensive satellites, including two large shipyards.