by Gary Caplan
Fleet Captain Sherman had been reviewing other information about task force positions when this information was sent. He willed acceptance to transfer data with a neural link that was sending signals through to the bio interlink device implanted in his mastoid process behind his ear. Through his bio-link, he was directly able to store information in the microcomputer imbedded in his mastoid bone for either active review or later retrieval.
The information appeared important at first glance, so Sherman kept it active. He began scanning the information, then spoke to one of the task force monitoring officers in the command alcove area. “That is an important colony to be cut off, Lieutenant Tragga, and it has been several hours already. We need to verify if the situation is sabotage, or just a stray comet that stuck that COMNET satellite and was large enough to penetrate the shields. There are ships in Task Force One that are not too far away from that satellite, so I will arrange with Fleet Captain Wilder to find out.”
Sherman sent information icons to Wilder’s command station, but he was not on duty at that moment.
Sherman removed his CDL visor and looked out toward the main bridge from the operations alcove. He saw Fleet Captain Grey had the conn; it must have been his bridge duty time. Grey was scanning a portable infopad report and was not attached to the CDL system. This doctor was a fleet officer and had command privilege. Evidently, Commodore Sheppard made sure his officers maintained appropriate star flight skills. Grey was just doing his bridge time and was temporarily away from his duties as chief medical officer for the Sixth Fleet.
Sherman walked over into the bridge of the Phoenix. “Fleet Captain Grey,” he said, “as you’re on duty, I think you can help me with a problem.”
Grey looked up and said, “A problem? Now that’s more like it; I’m getting bored. What can I help you with?”
“We have lost communications with COMNET trans-light satellite 478B, and the colony in that area has not responded for several hours. We are rerouting communications to try to access from another point,” stated Sherman. “This might mean sabotage or natural phenomena. Member ships in this task force are actually relatively closer to the automated COMNET satellite. As fleet coordinating officer, I will have to request at least one ship of Task Force One to investigate. As you are presently in command, you will need to initiate the investigation.”
“A small challenge is just what I needed. I’ll get right to it. If we come up with something sinister, I will inform you,” Fleet Captain Grey replied in a serious tone.
“Carry on, Grey. I admire someone who takes to challenges like you do. If for any reason I’m not available and Fleet Captain Wilder has not taken the conn, let Commodore Sheppard know the situation.”
Sherman went back to his station. He had a few reports to review before he could go on his sleep break.
C HAP TE R 2 1
THE LOSS OF THE KARRATIN MEDICAL AND SCIENCE SHIPS
On board the Karratin science cruiser Teluw, the helm officer monitoring his station after having been telepathically informed by the Teluw accessed the sensors and noticed an approaching trans-light jump pulse cascading down. This event tended to occur when ships made a deceleration to normal space from hyperspace.
The Karratin helm officer said, “Captain, I’m scanning four separate jump streams opening. The sensor readings are masked somewhat, but I believe the signals are close to Jiyarri signature for hyper trans-light drives.”
“Notify the other vessels of our sensor scans,” said Captain Erd Faz’zur. “What would the Jiyarri want here? They are from another galaxy. Continue our course toward the colony; we’re only a few hours away, and we still have to stabilize the star. The indigent species of this system, not to mention our science base, will not survive if we do not succeed in this mission.” Erd Faz’zur was encircled by his small group of bridge officers who diligently continued to work at their ship operations interface stations in conjunction with the sentient ship Teluw.
134 “Sir, the captain of the Zelsidri has attempted to contact the Jiyarri ships but has not yet received any communication,” reported the science officer. “Further probing scans reveal strong Accad biosignatures within the ships.”
Erd Faz’zur looked at the sensor data and became alarmed. “Send a coded message to our science colony on the third planet indicating our situation; it appears those ships are on an intercept course and closing. I do not believe Jiyarri normally attempt piracy; therefore, there must be Accads in command. When they are close enough, we will attempt to psionically disrupt their engineering systems. Technically, the Jiyarri ships are more advanced than even ours, but the Accads lack our remote sensing and psychokinetic abilities.”
Within a few minutes, the Jiyarr vessels launched an attack on the Karratin task force. There were none of the well armed Karratin defense cruisers in this task force as it consisted mostly of medical relief or science cruisers. The Karratin medical and science vessels’ shields held up only for an initial barrage of the Jiyarr ships antimatter weaponry and plasma torpedoes, and the second attacks began to destroy the Karratin ships. These essentially nonmilitary starships had weapons on board that could only do minimal damage, and that damage would begin to fade as the organo-metalloid-crystalline matrix armor of the Jiyarri vessels regenerated and repaired itself. The much smaller but still advanced Karratin organo-metalloid hulls were eventually overwhelmed by the sheer firepower of these vessels. During the chase, only two of the four Accadian vessels participated. The last Karratin ship, the Teluw, was attempting evasive maneuvers. It had already taken one strike, but because it had additional devices capable of generating great amounts of energy, its shields held.
“We have to activate a defense, and I need to transfer more energy and change shield frequencies rapidly or the Jiyarri ship will access a weak point,” stated the helm officer. “Captain, we cannot activate the trans-dimensional drive, because we’ve transferred so much power to the shields, deflectors, and point defense system.”
Another blast shook the Teluw. One critical system took damage, and part of the ship’s hyperdrive and part of the hull dissolved. The captain was informed that some crew were able to psionically affect the enemies targeting system and arrange a partial or glancing strike.
“Sir, we can not take another strike from their antiparticle weapon,” the helmsman said. “The shields will not have the necessary energy to be protective, and we will lose systems.”
“Activate the phasing cloak and enter the frozen moon we are approaching,” instructed Captain Faz’zur. “As we cloak and pass through its ice ring, open cargo holds on the port side. That should release enough matter for the weapon to strike, likely discharging enough energy to mask our escape. We rarely even use the phasing device, but today it may come in handy.”
The antiparticles in the beam weapon’s firing stream caused an explosion as the antiparticles struck the debris the Teluw released, just as the ship fully cloaked, reducing the affecting damage as the Karratin vessel phased into another dimension and within the moon. After that, the Accadian-manned Jiyarri vessels withdrew.
The captain of the Teluw was not sure if they lost interest in chasing his ship or if they had found a more interesting target.
The captain’s stronger telepaths were only able to get impressions as the Jiyarri ships had mentallic and psionic field dampers. This interfered with the earlier Karratin plan of disrupting the ship’s control systems remotely. All the mentalists and telepaths could manage was minor systems disruptions, not critical system problems.
Just in case, the Teluw waited in the frozen moon’s orbit a few hours to make sure. This would allow the Teluw’s hull to regenerate while the engineers and damage control crew finished repairs and restored the lost portion of the hyperdrive from the last strike.
C HAP TE R 2 2
THE VARLON SENATOR AND THE STRIKE MARSHAL
The Varlon Imperial Senator Melkirot moved to initiate the order that would continue the Varlon Star Empire
’s expansion into the next sector. The Varlon Presidium, called the Icarria—which consisted of the Varlon Senate and the new young emperor, along with his ministerial cabinet—had decided to renew the attacks against the Alliance of Worlds, the Cynz, the Saldron, the Tenoid, the Hegemony, and even the Betellians. Expansion was required, as the Varlon population has continued to grow. The Varlon were ready for further expansion now that the skirmishes with the Ceyloom were resolved by an alliance treaty against the Tenoid. The campaigns against the Saldron were ongoing. The Varlon now had freed up some forces that had been guarding against Ceyloom interference and could redirect them against the Tenoid or Saldron. Their new allies the Accads also wanted to engage the Tenoid, as well as the Varlon’s other enemies.
Senator Melkirot, a member of the space military advisory committee, was looking at some military reports. A patrol task force had been masking their presence in Alliance of Worlds space with the chameleon field as well as other advanced countermeasures. The patrol
137 had recently eliminated communication lines by silently striking two of the old Estrian COMNET communication arrays adopted by the Alliance of Worlds. That was done as a preliminary step for a Varlon forces strike into the next sector called the Quellus sector by the Hegemony. In addition, Varlon advance forces would establish a small minefield along probable Alliance of Worlds trans-light terminal jump points. The recent mining resources assay report indicated several good planetary targets in what was Alliance of Worlds territory. One particularly good mining source outside the sector they had recently taken from the Alliance of Worlds was already a well established inhabited colony of that Alliance.
“Ships of the empire are en route to that planet now,” said Melkirot to one of his assistants. “That will be one of the starting targets, since we can settle in well and establish several military facilities there.”
Senator Melkirot recalled he was about to take a communication from Mor'ag, the Governor of Accadian forces in this galaxy.
An image of Mor'ag’s reptilian face, then full body, appeared in the senator’s visualizer. The senator maintained a scan to be sure Mor'ag had not sent any type of information retrieval carrier virus on the communication wave.
“Good week, Lord Mor'ag,” Melkirot said. “I was expecting your communication. Our combined efforts have proved mostly successful.”
“Yes, Senator Melkirot, we have been successful. Now it is time to partially integrate our attacks, especially against common enemies. We have no treaty with the Ceyloom, but we will accept your treaty that places them off limits. We are in a treaty process with the Saldron, so I would expect you to concur with our joint efforts.”
Melkirot replied, “I have no problem with that, Governor. However, we are still in a state of conflict with the Tenoid and the Saldron. If and when your treaty process with the Saldron is active, we Varlon will concentrate any military projects on the Tenoid or other enemies. Our only other problems would be the Cynz and the Hegemony, and possibly the Betellians. They all tend to have noninterference policies and will likely not get in the way if we do not directly engage them for now. Once the Alliance of Worlds and the Rhyn are removed, then the rest of the Alpha quadrant will pose no threat.”
“I’m glad that you will be able to hold off engaging the Saldron once we obtain some form of treaty,” replied Governor Mor’ag. “They are similar to my people, and we were in the process of negotiations for a possible trade treaty.”
“We can if the Saldron will also cease hostility against us. A trade treaty with your people may not be conducive enough for them to cease fire with any of your allies unless you can persuade them. They are somewhat aggressive when it comes to space,” added Senator Melkirot.
Mor'ag nodded affirmatively, then moved to another topic. “My esteemed cousin, Lord Kra’ag, supreme leader of the Accads, is now in this galaxy and en route to my location. It is likely he will wish to speak with you and your emperor. I realize that the large senatorial section of the Icarria has the real control of your government, and if I had not arranged to help you acquire more control using varlon-synths you and your allied senators might not be in ruling positions.”
“You need not remind me, Lord Mor'ag. I am grateful for your valuable assistance,” replied Senator Melkirot.
Silently, he thought, Yes, they came in handy, but if I and the others had not helped with their programming and arranged to get them to the proper stations, they would not have been as useful.
Senator Melkirot continued aloud. “I’m sure we will be in contact in the near future,” he said. “I would be happy to extend an offer of joint missions with your forces. This has been discussed in the Icarria, and as our additional fleets are not yet completed construction, we would accept allied forces.”
“My scouts have been conducting scans of the territories you are about to begin acquiring for your government,” replied Mor'ag. “We have found some interesting minerals in that one subsector and would like to perform detailed scans after you have secured whatever systems you planned to acquire.”
“Very well. I have no problem with your involvement,” Melkirot said. “Even now, Varlon forces are moving to several systems in what we consider to be a well defensible area. Those forces will take those systems not actively defended by the Alliance of Worlds or the Hegemony. Other systems with defenses will be assaulted later and the colonies taken while the enemy military is routed or destroyed. We will then establish mining and ship construction facilities.”
“Yes, I have noted you seem to let your enemies escape while you set up your bases and other facilities,” Mor’ag said. “We tend to annihilate any opposing forces; especially Lord Kra'ag, as he has little mercy. I would like to congratulate you on your excellent shipyards and ship building skills. Your starship yards are producing many ships to fight the Cynz, Betellians, and Tenoid. As our ships have docked, the captains have remarked about the efficiency of getting our Accadian ships up to full operational status.”
“I am in excellent spirits, Lord Governor Mor'ag, that we could come to an agreement. I have a meeting of the senior Varlon Raltair to attend, so I must end our communication,” stated Senator Melkirot. “I will alert our military command of the agreement of direct joint military operations between our governments, which will expand our previous treaty. I will send documentation to you for formalization.”
With that, Senator Melkirot inserted one of his tentacles out of his chitinous arm and deftly manipulated the controls to end the communication. He was pleased when his equipment informed him that no information retrieval carrier virus had penetrated his computers. He headed for his meeting with his nephew the emperor and the other chief senators of the Raltair.
******** Traditionally, the strike marshal was the Varlon officer to begin a campaign against planetary defenses; Strike Marshal Vodun had seen many campaigns, most of which had been successful. Often, an occupation marshal would then complete the entrenchment process and build bases. If that was completed, that world would be taken over by the Senate and a new colony established. Strike Marshal Vodun had left several conquered systems in his wake. Many had not even resisted, as they were uninhabited. It was still his job to remove any planetary defenses if a particular world was claimed by some other group. This was the case with the present planet; it was inhabited and had planetary defenses. The planet was classified as a rocky world with a primarily nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and had a reasonable percentage of water. The surface was warm, and forty-five percent of it was covered by water. It was designated as a mineral world by the Varlon exploration division. Unfortunately, it was inhabited by an enemy of the Varlon Star Empire.
Marshal Vodun was not happy about the planet’s atmosphere; the occupation marshal would probably have to convert the atmosphere to a higher percentage of methane, so that Varlons could walk its surface without any breathing assistance. Increasing methane content would also increase fire hazards. Long ago, the Varlon had discovered methods to eliminate
sparking effects, and their fire suppression systems were impressively efficient. One of Vodun’s cruisers had already disabled the Alliance’s COMNET station. Now his fleet of eight rather large ships was headed toward their strike target designated a very mineral rich rocky water covered world. Other small fleets were remotely commanded by Strike Marshal Vodun and were moving even now to various other planetary targets. There were several indigent species in this sector that the Alliance of Worlds called Quellus and the Varlon gave a numeric designation. Vodun and his bridge officers had been listening to communications from the planet to determine the best time to strike.
Vodun’s flagship was one of the larger of the Varlon dreadnaught classes. It was designated an H ship class and feared by the Alliance of Worlds starship captains because of its size and its deadly weapons. Vodun’s flagship moved stealthily and rapidly toward its target. All the ships in the small Varlon fleet had their chameleon fields active, and their other defensive countermeasure systems were operating. To the planetary sensors in the orbital defense stations above the target planet, the small Varlon fleet would appear as a group of meteors moving across the area. The chameleon field could mimic any objects, even Alliance of Worlds starships.
Vodun liked to have his ships mimic comets and meteors. He had waited until a few normal asteroids had passed, then joined the rocky objects for several days on their trip around the star. Now it was time to exit the asteroid group as they passed near the seventh planet. Vodun preferred surprising his enemies when he could. The sixth and seventh planets were exceptional mineral worlds. Both were planets in the habitable zone of this particular star system of twenty planetsized bodies and moons, all orbiting a yellow orange star at different distance intervals.
“Enter course alterations now. Begin orbital bombardment of military facilities on the seventh planet,” said Marshal Vodun to Captain Commander Zelcalar. “Begin the assault. Launch all attack craft, transport down the components, and establish a transport hub for our soldiers.”
