Galactic Empire Wars: Destruction (The Galactic Empire Wars)
Page 34
Looking out the large, reinforced windows of the Operations Building, he could see two of the large assault ships setting next to one of the hangars.
“We did it,” General Wainright said from where he was standing next to Lawrence. “We managed to save a lot of people.”
“More than I ever believed possible,” admitted Lawrence, feeling as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.
“By the end of the week, all of the other survival camps except Lakenheath in the UK and Ramstein in Germany will be officially shut down. We’ll be using those bases to conduct salvage operations. We have a lot of museums and other sites we need to search for artifacts.”
“Our history is important,” replied Lawrence, nodding his head. “It will be essential to recover as much as we can over the next few years. From the latest reports, conditions on Earth are not going to be improving for a long time. Even the Kiveans have said that due to the instability in the Earth’s crust, there isn’t much their science can do to help.”
Wainright looked out the windows at the blowing gray snow that covered everything for as far as his eyes could see. The Earth was now entering an ice age, and life on its surface was over.
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Captain Stevens stepped outside of his command bunker for the last time. Behind him, Lieutenant Griffith shut and locked the door.
“I understand they’re asking for volunteers to become space marines,” Griffith commented as he stepped over next to Mark. He buttoned the top button on his parka, trying to keep out the biting cold.
“Yes,” Mark replied with a nod. “I’m thinking about signing up.”
“At least it will be warm up on the space station,” added Griffith, kicking his boot at the snow. “I’m tired of this damn cold and this infernal gray snow. My family’s settled on the Moon. I’m going to take some leave time and spend a few weeks with them.”
Mark nodded as the two of them crawled into their jeep. As they drove away the power to tent city was turned off, and darkness swept in to claim the now abandoned Human survival settlement. It was silent across the desert as the gray snow continued to fall.
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The next day, General Mitchell was holding a meeting with Colonel Bailey, Major Nelson, and Marken on the space station. It was time for them to begin planning their next move.
“Our four new battlecruisers will be undergoing their shakedown cruises shortly,” Mitchell informed the others sitting around the small conference room table.
“We’ve also finished updating all the assault ships,” Marken added. “We have two hundred and ten ships equipped with updated shields, particle beam weapons, and trained crews.”
“In addition, we’ve built defensive weapons emplacements around all of our bases and colonies on the Moon, Mars, and the asteroids that we’re establishing habitats in,” General Mitchell continued. “For the first time I feel confident we’re fully capable of protecting ourselves from future attacks.”
“Then what’s next?” Colonel Bailey asked. He knew there had to be more to this meeting. He had known the general too long.
“We need to go on the offensive,” Mitchell said evenly, his eyes narrowing. “The Kleese will someday return and probably in much greater numbers than the last attack.”
“They’re a Galactic Empire,” Wade spoke nervously, recalling all that Marken had told him in the past. “How can we take them on?”
“Hit and run raids at first,” suggested Mitchell as his eyes swept over the group. “Even commando raids where possible.”
“We launch a guerilla campaign,” responded Colonel Bailey, arching his eyebrows as he thought over the idea. “It just might work.”
“We hold fleet battles to a minimum unless we know we can win,” Mitchell added. “We do everything we can to keep them off balance while we grow our population back and build up our ship strength. Then, when we’re ready, we go and avenge what they did to our world!”
Everyone in the room nodded. It would take time, but the Kleese with their attack upon the Earth had set the Human race on a path that would someday lead to a full scale galactic war. It was a mission that every Human now living would dedicate their lives toward.
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Two days later, Marken was back in the new Kivean habitat deep within a large asteroid. They had built the habitat at the asteroid’s center and with the help of the Humans, had covered the surface with defensive and offensive weapons. Marken was standing with Harnett, looking out over their new city.
“The Humans will soon be going to war with the Kleese,” Harnett spoke as she watched several children in the distance playing. “They won’t stop until they have avenged the death of their world.”
“Yes,” Marken replied as he took Harnett’s hand and gently squeezed it. “Our race planned the escape from the Kleese; I don’t think even then we fully realized what we were unleashing when it came to the Humans.”
“They’re a good people,” Harnett replied softly, her eyes shifting to those of her life mate. “I wonder how we would feel if our home world had suffered the same fate as theirs?”
“I don’t believe the Kleese understand what is about to fall upon them,” Marken said as he thought about the recent meeting he had attended with General Mitchell. “The Humans will take the fight to the Kleese, and someday there will be a full scale galactic war. I just hope we did the right thing in freeing them.”
“The Kleese are a cruel and heartless race,” Harnett replied, her eyes getting that faraway look. “With the Human’s help, perhaps someday we can return to our own home world. You did the right thing, Marken. The Humans deserve to be free and so do we.”
“I hope so,” responded Marken, knowing that a lot would have to happen to make that day possible. “But this may be a long war and we might not live to see the end of it.”
“We must trust the Humans,” Harnett said, her eyes showing her belief in their new friends and allies. “Our fate and theirs is now intertwined.”
Marken nodded as he and Harnett walked back into their home. Due to his actions, a galactic war was about to start. He just hoped he had made the right decisions and the Humans were ready for what was ahead. In some ways, he almost felt sorry for the Kleese.
The End
If you enjoyed Galactic Empire Wars: Destruction and would like to see it continue as a series, please post a review with some stars. Good reviews encourage an author to write and help books to sell. Reviews can be just a few short sentences describing what you liked about the book. If you have suggestions, please contact me at my website listed on the following page. Thank you for reading Galactic Empire Wars: Destruction and being so supportive. If there is enough interest in the series, there may be three to five additional books. The decision is yours.
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Other Books by Raymond L. Weil
Available at Amazon
Moon Wreck (The Slaver Wars Book One)
The Slaver Wars: Alien Contact (The Slaver Wars Book Two)
Moon Wreck: Fleet Academy (The Slaver Wars Book Three)
The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four)
The Slaver Wars: Retaliation (The Slaver Wars Book Five)
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Dragon Dreams: Dragon Wars
Dragon Dreams: Gilmreth the Awakening
Dragon Dreams: Snowden the White Dragon
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Star One: Tycho City: Survival
Star One: Neutron Star
Star One: Dark Star
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The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict
Coming May 2014
The Slaver Wars: Endgame!
Coming October 2014
Galactic Empire Wars: Emergence (?)
(Depends on reader interest)
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Tu
rn the page for a brief introduction to The Slaver Wars.
The Slaver Wars: Alien Contact
Chapter One
The 1,200-meter battle cruiser StarStrike slid quietly through empty space. The ship was a Conqueror Class Command Cruiser, one of the most powerful warships ever built by the Human Federation of Worlds. There were only four of the powerful ships of war in the Federation’s entire fleet. The StarStrike and its small fleet were on a fact finding mission deep within suspected enemy territory. The 1,500-meter Galaxy Class Battle Carrier Victory was above the StarStrike, along with its four light cruiser escorts. Several small fighter craft flew around the small fleet keeping a constant vigilance for any incoming threats. Two space destroyers were ahead of the fleet scanning for any potential enemy targets. It was essential that the human fleet remain undetected until it had completed its reconnaissance mission.
Fleet Admiral Hedon Streth sat at his command console watching the main viewscreen on the front wall of the Command Center. He was of medium build, and his dark hair was just starting to turn gray on the sides. The admiral was forty-two years old, and the worry lines on his face showed that he had been through a lot the past few months. Months he would like to forget. It had been a trying and desperate time for the entire human race.
The viewscreen showed unwinking stars ahead, and the scanners and long-range sensors were free of threats. The Command Center was in the shape of a rectangle, and its twenty-crew personnel were efficiently going about their jobs. At the reinforced security hatch, two heavily armed marines stood guard. No one entered the Command Center without the proper clearance. Two more similarly armed marines stood just outside the hatch in the corridor. Security now was much more obvious than a few short months ago.
“Still nothing,” Colonel Amanda Sheen, the executive officer, spoke. She was standing next to the holographic plotting table, which showed the present fleet disposition and the CAP fighters that were flying their routine patrol routes. She was currently checking the large tactical screens above her as well as the information appearing on the table.
“Confirm mission status,” ordered Admiral Streth, letting out a deep breath and shifting his gaze from the viewscreen to his executive officer.
They had picked this system hoping it would be clear of enemy activity. Their mission was extremely sensitive, and the security of the Human Federation of Worlds depended upon its success. Hedon felt the full weight of that responsibility on his shoulders and knew that this mission just had to succeed. Failure was not an option. The entire Federation was in extreme danger, and this mission might well determine the future of mankind in the galaxy.
“Navigation, I want a position status report,” Colonel Sheen barked, her blue eyes turning toward the two officers sitting at the main navigation console.
“We are currently one hundred and eighteen astronomical units out from the target system’s primary. Fleet is currently moving in system at eighteen percent speed of light on sublight engines,” replied the chief navigation officer.
“What do we have on the long-range sensors?” Sheen asked over her mini-com, glancing over at the large scanning and sensor console, which was manned by two fleet officers. She wore a small communications device in her right ear, which allowed her to contact any station on the ship in an instant.
“System has two planets,” Lieutenant Stalls reported smoothly as he checked the latest information coming in on his computer screens. “Both are gas giants in distant orbits. No asteroid fields or moons detected. System is absent of any artificial emissions.”
“System is as we had hoped,” reported Colonel Sheen turning to face the admiral. “There are no signs of any enemy vessels, and the system has no significant resources to attract any type of mining or scientific activity.”
Admiral Streth nodded his head in acknowledgement. He knew that Amanda was a highly qualified officer graduating in the top ten percent of her class at the fleet academy. She was a brunette with a trim figure and thirty-two years of age. She was also a firm disciplinarian. The crew respected her, and she was everything he could ask for in an executive officer.
“Get me the Victory, I think it’s time we get some information about this area of space,” ordered Admiral Streth, reaching a decision. They had been moving steadily deeper into suspected Hocklyn space for the last eight weeks. “It’s time we launch the stealth scouts and find out what’s out there.”
Colonel Sheen nodded. This was their mission and she was ready to get it started. Glancing back at the sensor and scanner screens, she noted that they were clearly empty of any hostile threats. That needed to continue for several more days if they hoped for any chance of success. Looking around the Command Center, she could sense the heightened vibrancy in the crew at the admiral’s announcement to begin the actual mission.
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On board the Victory, Commander Adler listened as the admiral ordered the launch of the stealth scouts. The Victory had six of the highly advanced scout ships on board, which were nearly undetectable to normal methods of scanning. It was hoped that the Hocklyns would have no way to detect the small surveillance vessels. Their entire mission and the safety of their fleet depended on it.
Adler ended the communication with the admiral and turned to his executive officer Major Timmins. “I want all six scout ships ready to launch ASAP. Mission is a go.”
“Finally,” responded Major Timmins letting out a deep breath and then announcing over his mini-com, “All stations stand by for scout ship launch. Mission is a go. Flight bay, begin launch preparations.”
Instantly the tension and excitement in the Command Center notched up. This was what everyone had been waiting for. It was time to find out just how large the Hocklyn Empire was and how big a threat they were to the Federation.
Commander Adler turned toward the lieutenant in charge of Navigation. “I want a list of the twenty nearest stars that are capable of supporting life-bearing planets.”
“Yes, sir,” the young blonde replied as she began entering commands into her computer.
Lieutenant Ashton was rated as one of the top navigators in the entire fleet. She also held an advanced degree in Stellar Cartography. She had written an impressive thesis on deep space navigation her senior year at the fleet academy on Tellus.
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Down below in the main flight bay, the six scout ships were brought up on elevators from their secure hangers beneath. The ships were covered in a layer of dark composite material that the scientists swore would be impervious to Hocklyn scans. Power sources were muffled, and the ships were built to present a minimal profile to enemy ships.
Each scout could carry a six-man crew and were capable of operating independently of the fleet for eight to ten days. They had FTL drives as well as powerful sublight engines. The ships were wedge shaped with gentle curves. Each was twenty-two meters long and twelve meters wide. Weapons consisted of six Hunter anti-fighter missiles hidden inside the wings and two medium lasers in the nose. The nose lasers were a recent development and had been added at the last minute to the scouts. The pilots were still arguing whether the lasers were an improvement over the 30 mm cannons they had replaced.
Technicians quickly checked over all six ships, making sure they were ready for their missions. The ships had been kept on standby for nearly two weeks. A quick check and all the scouts were deemed ready for immediate launch. The deck chief notified flight control that all six scouts were mission ready.
Flight control was at the far end of the massive flight bay. Large reinforced glass windows looked out over the bay allowing the controllers inside to see the activity in the bay. Inside flight control was a hum of busy activity as men and women watched their consoles and kept track of all the activity going on inside the bay as well as outside. The CAG was standing next to the flight operations officer at the main control console. Across the back wall, numerous viewscreens depicted activity inside the bay. Several large scanner screens showed the flight space aroun
d the fleet and the current locations of the CAP fighters that were out on patrol.
Activating his mini-com, the CAG gave the order for the flight crews to board their scouts. The technicians were finished, now it would be up to the highly trained crews to begin their mission and bring home the information the Federation so desperately needed.
The waiting crews quickly made their way into their respective vessels. They had been in the pilot’s ready room, hoping this star system would be secure enough so they could start their covert mission. Nerves had been getting on edge and tempers had been flaring as they moved farther away from the Federation and deeper into what was suspected to be Hocklyn controlled space. They all felt relieved and energized that it was finally time to launch the mission.
Captain Karl Arcles settled down into his pilot’s seat in one of the scouts and looked over at his copilot, Lieutenant Lacy Sanders. The young twenty-six-year-old blonde looked slightly pale. It was one thing to train for this type of mission; it was another to actually do it.
“Nothing to be nervous about Lieutenant,” Arcles said with a reassuring smile. “Just treat this as a routine flight. We’ve done this often enough in practice.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Lieutenant Sanders taking a deep breath. Lacy could feel her heart racing. She looked over at Captain Arcles and said nervously. “Only this time it’s for real, and what we find may determine the future of the entire human race. I know they said the Hocklyns shouldn’t be able to detect our scout ships. We all know that the Hocklyn’s technology level is higher than ours. What if the experts are wrong?”
Arcles leaned back in his seat and didn’t reply. The lieutenant was correct. The future of humanity's home system and its four outlying colony worlds rested on what this mission discovered about the Hocklyns. The Hocklyns had attacked the Human Federation of Worlds without provocation. Millions of innocent people had died in the brutal attack.