“I’m a pretty good mechanic. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing. We’re not broken. He’s just otherwise engaged.”
“Where are we?”
“In another system.”
“Another system! We just left Orion III a few days ago.”
O’Brien got up and guided her to his own seat. “Have a seat, Commander. Let’s just say we’re a little faster than standard ships.”
“A little faster?” Everyone was staring at her, and her gaze shifted from one to another. It ended on Krys. “My Lady?”
“We’re a ship full of secrets, Akurea. I know it’s hard for you, but it’s necessary.”
Akurea stood up. “So many strange things. Are you from the Empire?”
“This is an Empire ship, and some of us are from the Empire. Some are not. We are all, however, fighting the same enemies.”
Akurea’s hands balled into fists on her hips. “How can I be sure? I can’t possibly keep working on a project that might fall into the wrong hands.”
“I am a Knight.”
“So far as I know, your proof is incontrovertible, but it is no longer enough. I’m suddenly concerned that my efforts are not in support of the Queen, but of someone else. I will not allow what I know to fall into the wrong hands.”
“Well spoken, Commander. Your project is critical, and your demand for information is appropriate. In your place, I, too, would prevent the hypercom from falling into the wrong hands. It seems the time has come to explain. We have little else to do for the moment. Let me tell you our story, or at least part of our story.
* * * * *
Resolve’s guns suddenly began firing - without intervention by the crew, a first in everyone’s experience. Hour after hour, the guns kept up a constant pounding. The better part of a day passed, then the firing trailed off and finally ended. The screens came back to life, and everyone went into the net except Krys and Akurea.
Krys called George. “Are you done?”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“Did you get them all?”
“All but five.”
“Why did you leave five?”
“For study. There might be other attacks later, and it’s possible the main Chessori fleet has more canisters. We should learn what is inside them. I chose the five at random.”
“I thought your programming prevented you from operating the ship’s guns?”
“That was before I got an education. I still cannot fire at intelligent life, but I detected no intelligent life forms aboard the canisters. The slight possibility that I was wrong seemed outweighed by the certainty of saving a world. Did I choose poorly?”
“No, George. You chose well. Tell me, are you alive?”
“I don’t know, but Mike gave me a name. It’s enough.”
“I think it’s time you started calling me Krys.”
“Thank you, Krys. I much prefer names. Don’t you?”
She smiled. “I do, George. Are we going to pick up the five canisters?”
Stven answered in alarm. “No! It’s too dangerous. Admiral Trexler can send someone else.”
Krys nodded. “A wise choice, Captain. George, thank you. You’ve done well.” She couldn’t see him beaming, but she knew that he was. “Uh, how many were there?”
“1,352,116. I think there would have been more, but Admiral Trexler destroyed the traders before they finished launching.”
* * * * *
Aboard his command ship, Trexler watched in awe as Resolve took out the canisters one by one. No one on the bridge had ever seen anything like it, non-stop firing for hours, each shot precisely aimed, and oftentimes multiple shots taking place simultaneously. Clearly, Resolve had managed to track every single canister, something his squadron had failed to do. His men took out the few they could find, then just backed off and went into a search mode while Resolve did their work for them. It took a full day, and he was anxious to get back to the main battle, but winning the main battle would serve no purpose if the canisters got through to Earth. He sent the rest of his ships back to Godfries while he and the tug shadowed Resolve.
He was waiting anxiously for news when the tight beam signaled a call from Resolve. Krys’ image resolved and he stared into the face of the young woman. Her eyes remained closed, and it made him wonder.
“The canisters have been destroyed, Admiral. We left five of them for study. Are you willing to pick them up?”
“We’ll have to figure out how to do it, but yes. Send me the trajectories and I’ll take care of it.”
“Captain Stven is sending them now. We’re going to keep an eye on the main battle, looking for more canisters. You can return to the fighting, sir.”
“We haven’t met, and I’m sorry. You’ve done us all a very great service.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“I do, My Lady, and I am most pleased to meet you. Are you well?”
“Well enough. I’m blind, but it might only be temporary.”
“What happened?”
“The Chessori are what happened. I seem to be more sensitive to the scree than most. We’ll stay well clear of them here unless things become desperate for you.”
“They won’t. We’ve established attrition rates, and we’ll prevail. My getting back into the battle will help. Will you meet with me later?”
She bit her lip. “I have to return to Orion III. I left Tarn there in a tank.”
“The battle there is over. I stayed for a month just to be sure.”
“Struthers sent gleasons, and behind them he sent a fleet to take back the planet. The gleasons were dealt with, and a fast messenger was sent to Chandrajuski, but we didn’t wait around to see if he sent a response. Do you have word?”
“No, but don’t worry. I’m sure he responded. Do you know the strength of the enemy?”
“A hundred or so Rebel ships.”
“His response will be sufficient. In fact, the Rebels will probably flee as soon as they see our ships. Our fast ships have beaten them badly. I doubt they’ll be given the opportunity to escape. They might be allowed to surrender.”
“Surrender!”
“They’re not all our enemies, My Lady. The leaders are, but not all the crewmembers. The Queen has so ruled.”
“She’s wise. I hadn’t considered it that way.”
“Nor had I. I have to get back to work. I’ll count on you to keep an eye out for more canisters. Until later, My Lady.”
He assigned the tug to pick up the canisters, then fast-shipped back into the battle.
Aboard the tug, Captain Lieu had a problem: her training had brought her up to speed on the ship’s listening equipment, but she had no idea how to use the ship as a tug.
Admiral Jons smiled when he recognized her dilemma. “So . . . I’m actually going to be useful for something,” he announced with delight. He located and captured the five canisters, then attached them to the belly of his ship. The contents of the canisters would have to be studied in orbit by someone else, but the threat posed by the small group of Chessori traders was over.
Trexler’s personal presence wasn’t needed at the main battle as much as his ship was needed. Stuart Godfries had things well in hand. Godfries detailed Trexler to join a rear echelon whose purpose was to prevent any Chessori from escaping. The rear of the invaders was forced to continue inbound, straight into Godfries jaws.
When three more fast squadrons dropped from hyperspace the next day, Godfries engulfed the Chessori.
Trexler had so far seen a distinct lack of tactics from the Chessori, and small fighters were even penetrating their shields. His own squadrons had taken no disabling damage at all yet.
He was worried about a Chessori surrender. It seemed likely, and he had no idea how he was going to handle it. He called Godfries. “We’re probably looking at a surrender here. How do we do it?”
“I don’t have a clue, and I’m not of a mind to accept it after what they tried to do with those canisters.
”
“Nor am I. They’re without conscience, but I hesitate to stoop to their level.”
“I, too, prefer the high ground, Ray, but we’re talking about the survival of our species here. We can’t let a single ship, or even a single Chessori, reach the planet. We have no idea if those canisters you destroyed were the only ones they have. And what will we do with the Chessori if they surrender? We can’t board their ships - our guys might become contaminated. We can’t incarcerate them on the surface - they might bring whatever germs or toxins they have with them. We can’t transport them somewhere else for the same reason, and we can’t let them stay here to telegraph everything we’re doing back to their home world.”
“We could let them go home.”
Godfries paused. “You know the comeback to that.”
“I do. They live to fight us another day. I wish I knew more about their psychology. Maybe they’d decide we weren’t so bad after all.”
“I know all I need to know about their psychology, at least for the present state of our relationship with them. This was genocide, pure and simple.
“It was. I wonder if we could work out some kind of a trade? I’d love to get my hands on one of those interstellar communicators. Mike thought he had one at Brodor, but it never panned out. I suspect any ships at Aldebaran destroyed theirs as well.”
“And maybe more information about their empire. We have to go after them some day, and we don’t have a clue what we’re getting into. They might bargain, but I don’t know, Ray. I’m not convinced they have any respect for life at all, including their own.”
“Okay. No matter what happens, we’re full ahead until the scree stops. That’s the ground rule, learned the hard way during our first encounter with them. Until the scree stops, we accept no quarter. If it does stop, we’ll consider options, but not until then.”
“I concur. It’s time to rotate our ships. You’re due for a rest with the next group.”
“We rested while Resolve took out the canisters. We can wait until the next cycle if you’d like.”
“No. Take your break now. It will be a short four hours. The numbers are working. We’re going to win this thing, though it will be close. When you come back, we’re going after them with everything we have.”
Godfries began pulling squadrons back, one at a time for four hours each, and he ordered the remaining squadron commanders to stop pressing as hard until they, too, were rested. He didn’t, however, give the Chessori any rest. They probably had sufficient crewmembers to run shifts, but even resting crewmembers would be aware of their grim circumstances.
After all Godfries’ forces reengaged, attrition numbers increased. Before long, Chessori ships started dropping like flies as they became seriously outnumbered. Trexler was not surprised when a Chessori face showed up on his communications screen.
“I would like to discuss surrender,” the diminutive creature stated calmly.
“After what you tried to do? You must be joking.”
“I am not joking. You have won. I surrender.”
“You have a third of your fleet left. It’s too soon to surrender. Call me back when you’re down to a hundred ships.” Trexler cut the connection.
The Chessori returned a little while later. “This is unacceptable. You are destroying my men for no purpose.”
“Oh, it’s okay to wipe out my civilization, but it’s not okay for a few Chessori to die? Go away.”
When the Chessori were down to some 400 ships, the Chessori admiral returned. At least Trexler thought of him as an admiral. He had no idea what the Chessori called themselves.
“You must stop killing my people. We are superior members of the Chessori. You invite severe retribution if you continue.”
“Do I look like I fear retribution? You could send ten times this number of ships and I would prevail. How can you consider yourselves superior?”
“I am not a common Chessori. I demand to be set free.”
“I thought you wanted to surrender?”
“Surrender and be set free. That is my demand.”
“You make no demands here. What’s all this superiority stuff?”
“I am K’tiri. I am superior to all other beings. That is common knowledge.”
“Can you believe it’s not common knowledge to anyone but yourselves?”
“No one else matters. I demand you cease fire. I will then withdraw.”
“No. Do you understand the word no? Call me back when you’re ready to deal.” He cut the connection.
When the Chessori returned, he was a little less full of himself. “What is this ‘deal’ you speak of?”
“You speak my language. You must know what the word means.”
“You’re stalling.”
“I’m winning.”
“What deal?”
“To start with, I want the plans to your interstellar communicator.”
“Impossible.”
“So die. It’s all the same to me.” He cut the connection.
The Chessori came right back. “What you ask is not possible. I don’t have the plans.”
“Oh. Sorry.” He cut the connection and turned to one of his communications officers. “Can you tell where he’s calling from?”
“As near as I can tell, he’s right at the center of his remaining ships.”
“Hmm. I’m not surprised.” He called Godfries. “We’re going after their leader. I don’t want to take him out, but I want to shake him up. Break time is over for everyone. Get all your ships back in and make a maximum effort. We’ll all work toward the center of the Chessori formation, try to split them up.”
Godfries issued commands, directing his squadrons to make a push on the center of the Chessori formation. The fighting became more intense as his ships stayed engaged, but his plan had to be apparent to the Chessori commander. It was. He called back, clearly agitated.
“I demand you accept my surrender.”
“I have demands of my own. To start with, send me the plans we discussed.”
“I don’t have them.”
“Then there will be no surrender. I’m coming for you, and I’m not far away.” He cut the connection and waited as his fast ships moved closer to the center of the Chessori formation. Godfries, with his greater number of ships, reached the center first. He opened up on the ship at the very center of the formation until it was holed twice, then he backed off.
The Chessori commander appeared on the communicator again. Trexler didn’t know what panic would look like on the face of a Chessori, but he figured it might look like this. “I have the plans. I will bring them personally.”
“Along with your germs and chemicals? I don’t think so. Send them electronically, and be quick about it if you value your life.”
“My life is worth more than all of yours. The plans are on the way.”
“I will cease fire only when the scree stops, not before. It’s going to take me a while to check out the plans. Do not proceed closer to Earth.”
“I have sent the plans. I am free to withdraw.”
“I made no such agreement, nor have I accepted your surrender. When the scree stops, we’ll talk further.” The scree stopped almost immediately and the Chessori commander returned.
“I will hold fire,” Trexler said. “If a single Chessori ship fires a single shot, or if the scree resumes, the fighting will resume and there will be no further talk of surrender. Do you understand?”
“I do.”
“It’s going to take me a while to determine if the plans you sent are complete. Maybe days. Maybe weeks. Move your force out to the orbit of the fourth planet, and remain in your present formation while you do so. Any further progress toward Earth and any single ship that moves beyond the orbit of our fourth planet will be considered an act of aggression. We will take our aggression out on all of you.”
Trexler cut the connection and leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. Did he have the plans, he wondered? It would take the
Empire crewmembers aboard his ship hours to recover from the effects of the scree. Even then, he didn’t know if they would be able to confirm the validity of the plans. He considered the Chessori commander and decided he wouldn’t trust him for a moment. Until he was certain the plans were valid, the Chessori would have to remain here.
He pulled his ship back from the battle area and ordered Godfries and Buskin to join him aboard his ship. Then he called Krys. “Have there been any more canisters launched?”
“No, sir.”
“Will you join me on my ship? I’ll detail my own ships to keep an eye out for canisters.”
“The fighting is over?”
“Maybe. I’ve agreed to a temporary cease fire and maybe a surrender. You’re the only Knight here in the system. I’d appreciate any input you might have to what we do with the surviving Chessori.”
Stven called him a few minutes later. “Admiral, would you mind pulling back a little further? I don’t want to risk any more damage to Krys if the scree starts up.”
“It will be my pleasure, Captain. Please have your crew accompany her to the meeting. There are a number of people here who would like to meet you.”
Chapter 3
Trexler, Godfries, and Buskin were waiting in the conference room when Krys arrived with her crew. The room filled quickly as the thirteen newcomers entered, a number of them bearing wounds. Terry Washburn led Krys to Trexler who went down to one knee. “I’m honored to finally meet you, My Lady.”
Her blind eyes looked in the direction of his voice. “It is my honor to meet you, Admiral Trexler. Are you kneeling?”
“I am, My Lady.”
“There will be none of that around me. My name is Krys. Please rise. It appears that you have fought another great battle and won.”
“We might have won the battle, but you saved a world, Krys. My world.”
“We have yet to save the Empire, Admiral, and Earth remains in grave danger. This will not be the last Chessori attack.”
“Agreed, but we’ll focus on this one for the moment. Admirals Godfries and Buskin are here with me. Will you introduce us to the rest of your crew?”
Voice of the Chosen (Spirit of Empire, Book Three) Page 3
