And, thinking back, had to admit that he had found Charlotte intriguing, and her shapely figure alluring and desirable. So now, there was no reason not to fall for her.
Then, he thought about the children they would have. Frank was sure that they would be something special. Having, both his and Charlotte’s mental abilities passed on, would make them a force to be reckoned with.
‘Ok, Charlotte, I can do that,’ Frank finally replied.
‘You did say that you have a ship tucked away somewhere, didn’t you? So why do we need the Andromeda?’ He asked.
Charlotte didn’t reply to that. ‘You haven’t enquired about the war,’ she instead said.
‘Well, if you’re here, Charlotte. Then it must be over.’
‘No, Frank. It’s at a critical point. A point at which we must still play our part to destroy the Garoden companion brains. And destroy them, at precisely the right moment in time.’
Then the expression on Charlotte’s face changed, and she was still for a while. Before Frank realized that Charlotte was helping him to mentally visualize exactly how their train of events would take place.
First, they would take the Neutron and rendezvous with Andromeda.
Then he would set the Neutron to emerge within the battle area. And, at the start of the coming battle, he would trigger the Death-pulse of one of the ship’s warp crystals.
At the same time, on Andromeda, he would do the same with another warp crystal as the ship emerged closer to the Garoden’s Homeworld. That would certainly throw the Garodens into turmoil, he mused.
Satisfied that he knew what was going to happen. He started to visualize exactly what would take place between him and Charlotte, while they were on route. He smiled inwardly to himself as he wondered just how good Charlotte was at lovemaking. Rather than what Charlotte and Cindy had teasingly attempted to do to him, way back, on the Andromeda.
‘You will not be disappointed,’ Charlotte mentally assured Frank. And, he smiled to himself on receiving her message.
‘Some plan,’ he finally thought to himself. Then it hit him, and he shuddered with trepidation.
‘Something didn’t add up,’ he thought… ‘Something was totally wrong… No. Not something…
It was Charlotte who was totally wrong.
Chapter 23
The Coming
For Delta’s master plan to succeed it required the Crillon, Solveron, and Earth ships to each arrive at specifically designated locations, and at a set time. With each group being a single jump distance, of five light years from the primary battle zone.
Admiral Christopher Winton’s group of ships dropped into normal space at their designated location, dead on the stipulated time.
To his dismay comms was literally buzzing with inter-fleet chatter that made him want to shout at everyone to reduce it to a minimum.
“Admiral, this is a typical reaction,” Anna, Jefferson’s primary AI, calmly stated, seeing his reddening face, and not wanting him to cause an upset. “And, as all comms are on the Crillon SAB links. I believe that the Garodens will not be alerted.”
“I just hope you’re right,” Winton muttered. Then asked. “Has Revenge’s sensor grid identified the ships in each of our groups?”
“Just checking…, uh yes.”
Winton scowled but didn’t make a comment, He was, nevertheless, a little jealous of Revenge’s obviously superior Detection and Analysis systems. But, as the Revenge was the latest ship out of the Mars complex, Winton had to accept the fact that their systems would be better.
“I assume you want to know exactly what Revenge has identified?” Anna then queried.
“Of course,” Winton told her.
“Well, there are three Crillon groups, which include Commander Procard’s, Fifth Fleet. And, somewhat surprisingly, the Solveron’s also have… eight… No, they’ve got eleven, Solveron Battle spheres.”
Winton was impressed, but just shrugged his shoulders, then asked. “Any word on the Michigan group?”
“Nothing yet Admiral.”
“How long before we jump into the battle zone?”
“Thirty-six hours, twenty-one minutes…”
“Okay… Bring up the particular battle areas that are covered by each group, and link me through to the Solveron and Crillon commanders.”
“Yes, Admiral.”
Winton noted Captain Gort’s surprise, as their stealth surveillance probe’s hyperlink connected and showed that all the Garoden fleet ships that had been at Sol 2 had arrived at the location that they had anticipated.
Most of the bridge crew studied the images and data flow coming from the probe, as did Winton.
“Is that really all the ships we detected at Sol 2?” Winton asked.
“Seems so, Admiral… Look, even that group we saw parked well away from the action, are here,” Lieutenant Farrow pointed out.
True enough. Winton could pick out the huge Garoden Battleship, that they were sure the request for more ships had come from.
“Who, are you?” He wondered aloud.
“Admiral, where are the nine Garoden ships that took out Crillon Battle-Group 63?” Argonaut’s Captain Hector Serrell asked over the ‘all ships’ comms link.
Hearing Serrell speaking, surprised Winton, who had forgotten that the link was still open.
“You’re right to ask where they are. Hector. Commander Procard doesn’t seem worried. But, I’m concerned,” Winton replied.
“Yes, so am I,” Hector agreed. Then asked, “And, where is Michigan’s group?”
“Don’t know, but they’re late,” Winton replied as Captain Serrell’s image collapsed to an Icon.
Admiral Winton knew he couldn’t worry about why the Michigan’s group were running late. Right now, there was too much to do, with the Crillons and Solverons. With so many ships going into battle at the same time, the risk of ships being hit by friendly fire, or even colliding, was high.
Winton had, however, already realized, by the increase of the inter-fleet AI’s involvement in this process, that this was going to be easier for the ships AI’s to sort out on their own, rather than involving humans.
Chapter 24
To the Death
“Break-Break,” Captain Campbell yelled as the Michigan’s left flank glowed red hot, and the Skipper Drive struggled to jerk the battle cruiser out of immediate danger.
“Screens leaking, Captain. Down to forty-eight percent. Coolant assistance is almost non-existent,” Ensign Harris warned, reading off the ship’s status on his damage control console.
“Tactical is back online, Captain,” Science officer, Lieutenant Parish yelled, with relief sounding in his voice.
Then, Michigan shuddered as several Garoden beams hit her weakened protective shield.
Captain Campbell groaned as the ‘real-time’ view of the battle finally showed on his main tactical display.
It was only a few hours since he’d had an update from the Jefferson about the Crillon’s losses. So, it was just bad luck that the Michigan group had run into the same nine Garoden ships that had taken out the Crillon’s Battle-Group, 63.
Meanwhile, the Lexington was encompassed in a ball of raw energy that swirled around the ship’s protective shield.
Campbell, looking at his tactical screen, could see at least twenty WEPs twisting and turning, as they attacked like angry bees, trying to inflict damage on the three Garoden Star Destroyers that were pounding Lexington with particle beam cannons.
Far out to the left, Captain Campbell saw the last of the four Garoden ship’s, that had been damaged from their earlier running encounter with the Crillon Battle-Group, 63, as one of the Garoden ship’s warp core exploded. Sending a massive shockwave outward.
“Shockwave in seven seconds,” Lieutenant Paris warned.
Seven seconds later, and all ships, including the Garoden’s, rocked as the pressure wave hurtled through them.
“Turpin and Repulse are engaging the other three damaged ships
…” Ensign Chapel told Campbell.
Moments later. “They’ve managed to destroy the three Garoden ships... They are returning, now, Captain,” Ensign Chapel confirmed, after checking her comms grid.
“About time,” Captain Campbell muttered as tactical started to swing the Michigan around to join the inward bound Turpin and Repulse. For them all to then re-engage the other five Garoden Star Destroyers.
Michigan’s tactical displays instantly updated, to show a new tactical evaluation, and predicted engagement recommendation. These had been prepared by the three Earth ship’s interlinked AIs, on how to attack the two Garoden Star Destroyers that were preparing to add their weight to the three, already pounding the Lexington.
Campbell then waited three seconds, as protocol required, before the nod could be given to him by his Science, and Weapon’s stations. Plus, in this case, syncs from both Turpin and Repulse.
“All ready to go, Captain,” Lieutenant Paris called out as the protocol requirements were met.
Campbell gave one last glance at his Damage Control display.
Then, Lieutenant Maria Ash just made a, ‘go for it, what-ever-will-be,’ gesture to Campbell.
“Engage,” Campbell then yelled, even though everyone could see the Engage command on their displays.
Lexington’s Commodore Lenny Denning saw the AI’s warning of the Michigan’s three ships entering the local battle area.
“Lieutenant Harper, make sure the WEPs keep away from Michigan’s lot.”
“They already know, Commodore.”
Captain Grant was more worried about the mass of red warning lights appearing on Lieutenant Stanton’s Damage control console.
Stanton sensed Grant’s eyes on him and looked up. “Looks worse than it is Captain. We’ve only lost five repair droids so far, and we’re still just about keeping up with it.”
Grant didn’t like the words, just about. But he had confidence in Lieutenant Stanton’s dedicated and efficient team.
“Shields, sixty-eight percent,” Lieutenant Strant reported, even though everyone on the bridge could see exactly what the situation was, via their side monitors.
The Lexington shuddered as her two main pulse cannons found, and hit, a Garoden vessel that was cutting across the Lexington’s bow, in direct line of sight.
The continuous Purple beams flashed out, from the Lexington. With one hitting an unfortunate WEP that was crossing the weapon’s fire path, instantly vaporizing the WEP.
The Lexington’s particle beams continued slamming into the Garoden ship, forcing its protective screen to collapse inward until the ship’s field emitters started to blow.
Then, it was all over for the Garoden ship. As the beams ripped a hole in the ship’s protective screen and penetrated the ship’s hull. Explosions from internal weapons energy containment spheres, and their feed-reactors, then created the usual fireball that spread rapidly through the center of the ship. Melting bulkheads and feeding on the remains of the Garoden ship’s atmosphere.
The Lexington’s weapons fire then ceased, allowing a WEP to launch a Nuke to finish the Garoden vessel off, once and for all.
Another flash and the Garoden ship’s hull rapidly expanded, cracking apart as it went. Ending in a violent warp core explosion that sent fragments and sections of the ship hurling outward like missiles.
Both, Turpin’s, Captain Harry Blacksmith, and, Repulse’s Captain Barry Winston, now realized, as did Captain Campbell, that, even though the Crillon’s Battle-Group 63 had been decimated, they had severely weakened the Garoden vessels.
But, the Crillons hadn’t realized, at the time, just how close they had come to winning the battle.
Now, just as the Garodens had done to the Crillons, all three Earth ships concentrated on one Star Destroyer at a time. And used their ships approach vectors to minimize active fire from the other Star Destroyers.
Soon, all the Garoden ships succumbed to the relentless firepower from the Earth ships and their WEPs.
Until, finally, the Garoden ships, still glowing hot in places, slowly tumbled on in space, leaving a trail of debris dispersing around them.
“Well done,” Captain Campbell congratulated the other ships over the ship-to-ship link.
“We all need to get repairs done as fast as we can… Jump time, for this designated offset Rendezvous location with the Jefferson group, will be in… thirty-one hours. So, let’s get on with it. We don’t want to be late and miss all the fun,” Campbell ordered them.
Chapter 25
Concern
Supervisor Javon and Senior Predictor surveyed the large temporal holographic display floating before them.
Then Javon directed his thoughts to Platos. ‘Operator Charlotte has not confirmed her progress, Platos.’
‘I know… and the Garoden Homeworld strand is still foggy, Javon.’
‘Agreed. We are still assuming that Richardson is dead… But, the orb has registered operator Charlotte’s life signs. So, could she have been distracted, from her course of action, Platos?’
‘Are you saying, Javon, that if she doesn't use the Neutron… Then, the war could be lost?’
‘Exactly, Platos.’
‘Well, we have registered vessels arriving too early at the offset, Javon,’ Platos replied.
However, Javon already knew that the Humans, Crillons, and Solverons had all read the master plan’s file, but some had ignored the Timing element.
‘It won’t matter, as long as they’re not detected, Platos.’ Javon said.
‘But, the two Garoden fleets will join up in eleven hours… Javon. The battle will commence six hours later.’
‘I’m aware of that, Platos.’’
‘Operator Charlotte won’t let us down, Javon. She is a professional… And, even if Richardson is the problem? She will come to her senses,’ Platos confidently stated.
However, Supervisor Javon didn’t share Platos’ confidence. He knew that Charlotte's actions were unpredictable.
And, he was sure of one thing. Charlotte was not completely committed to Delta’s plan, and he was certain that the reason for that, was Commander Richardson.
Chapter 26
One good day
“One minute before docking with the Alien ship,” the Garoden shuttle pilot announced, in a monotone sounding voice.
Frank had, by now, realized that Charlotte was working on her own agenda, which was unrelated to the ending to the Garoden war. And, an agenda which might not even include him.
He struggled to keep his dangerous suspicions hidden from Charlotte, however. Even though he knew it would be difficult because she occasionally mentally touched, and probed his mind when he wasn’t expecting it. The randomness of her probing making it more likely that she would eventually find out. So, Frank was relieved to finally see Neutron suddenly appear as a distant dot through the shuttle’s window.
As the shuttle closed in on the Neutron, he could see the ship in more detail. A few moments later, the shuttle had matched vectors with Neutron, then came to a halt directly opposite the ship’s airlock that had been conveniently marked by the Garoden authority.
There was a clunking sound as the shuttle’s transfer tube locked into place. Then, a hiss, followed by the opening of the shuttle’s airlock.
“You may transfer,” the pilot informed them. Then Charlotte quickly implanted another instruction in the pilot’s mind.
‘Once we are aboard, you may return with your ship to Garoden, and forget that you came to this Alien vessel.
Then Frank and Charlotte exited the shuttle, quickly walking along the short transfer tube leading to Neutron’s outer airlock door.
Frank saw the burn marks that the Garoden troopers had made when they breached the Neutron’s hull. And noted that the damaged area had since been repaired.
Frank then touched a hidden contact blended into the ship’s hull, beside the door, and the Neutron’s outer airlock door swung inward.
‘Come on. We had bett
er move quickly,’ Frank mentally urged Charlotte, having noticed that she seemed apprehensive about the lock’s seal.
‘Come on. The Shuttle pilot might retract the transfer tube before we’ve closed Neutron’s airlock door and re-pressurized the lock,’ Frank told Charlotte, urging her on.
Once both were inside Neutron’s airlock chamber, the outer door closed. Then they waited patiently until the red warning light changed to green, indicating the lock’s air pressure had equalized.
The lock’s inner door then swung open, and both stepped inside the Neutron, relieved to find that, as expected, the vessel’s life support systems were still operating.
The airlock’s inner door closed behind them with a thud, as they both moved quickly forward towards Neutron’s cramped Bridge.
Frank and Charlotte, then spent a few moments, familiarizing themselves with the layout of the room and its controls. A short time later, Charlotte turned to look directly at Frank.
“Can you fly this thing?” Charlotte asked out loud.
“Yes. Captain Sherman went over the critical points with me. He showed me how to program a Jump, and how to trigger the warp crystal shutdown pulse,” Frank assured her as he slid into the pilot’s seat, and flicked a large red switch to the Start-up, position.
The Garoden War. (SpaceFed StarShips Series) Book 7. An exciting, action-packed SpaceFed Series finale that also concludes the Garoden War.: ‘Military Gamble.’ Page 11
