Warfare: Rise Of Mankind Book 2

by John Walker

  Some of the negative comments suggested they should be staying near Earth as defenders, not aggressors. They weren’t afraid of combat, but didn’t want to do it far from home. Those who felt the opposite suggested a battlefield in the other guy’s yard always beat fighting in your own. “Let them deal with collateral damage” became the catch phrase for those behind the journey.

  Ultimately, they’d all come around. They knew what they signed up for but some of them probably never thought the day would come. After the last battle, Gray didn’t know how anyone could think Earth would last in a purely defensive position. Reactionary conflict never favored the defender.

  Clea helped prepare the ship for the first day then planned to spend the last four aboard one of the Kielan ships. He offered to let her go right way but she insisted she spend some time working with the bridge crew. Olly’s tech people sure welcomed her assistance. She provided a much needed liaison with her people’s experts as they analyzed Protocol Seven.

  They quickly agreed that it was definitely the real thing.

  Mei’Gora visited the Tam’Dral and agreed to take the people into the alliance. They began plotting which world would be best for them and how they would get there. The people willingly suggested they’d give up their vessel for the fighting cause but none of them were soldiers. They didn’t want to participate in the conflict, especially since they were the very last of their species.

  Gray wondered who would claim the ship but ultimately, that would be between the council and the alliance to work out. Mei’Gora sure seemed able to make decisions on behalf of the entire alliance though so he suspected they’d figure it out long before the Behemoth returned home.

  Just before turning the crew loose on shore leave, Gray initiated a ship wide com on the bridge.

  “This is the captain speaking. I know you’re all itching to get off the ship and take some much needed rest for the last few days as we scramble to prepare for a deep space voyage. Know that I’m proud of each and every one of you for your dedication and hard work. This historic trip goes beyond anything humanity has ever done. We are pioneers, venturing forth into the unknown.

  Some of you have your doubts about the necessity of this mission or the war in general. You wonder if we should even be involved. I tell you we are involved up to our necks. The enemy has attacked us not once, but twice and if given half a chance, they will do it again. Through sheer repetition alone, they may eventually emerge victorious.

  I for one will not allow that to happen. For as long as I draw breath, I will fight. Not only to protect humanity from an outside threat but to side with our friends, those who would come to our aid without request or personal benefit. They have earned my respect and continue to do so with every encounter we have.

  Each of you is an expert at multiple jobs, professionals and soldiers. Together, we will make history for Earth, for humanity and for the Behemoth. Today marks a time for us to catch our breath before the next sprint and when we start it, you’ll have the chance to show the universe who you really are: representatives of our people, stalwart survivors and stubborn combatants.

  Enjoy your time off, ladies and gentlemen. You’ve earned it.”

  Gray returned home, spending time in the quiet of the country with his books and little technology. Two days of peace worked out well and when he returned to the Behemoth, he felt rested and ready to go. Some of the others spent their time a little less wisely and seemed exhausted from partying but no one showed up late to their duties.

  At seventeen-hundred hours, the Behemoth and the Crystal Font linked up their communications and prepared for departure. Ensign Agatha White put them on speaker and Gray addressed the Anthar directly.

  “Anthar Ru’Xin, we are showing the green light for departure, do you concur?”

  “Captain Atwell,” Kale replied, “we are prepared. Our pulse engines are hot and we’ve plotted a course for a place to perform an optimal hyperjump. We’re sending them now. Follow our lead and we should be there inside of seven hours.”

  “Behemoth confirms.” Gray turned to Timothy. “You got them?”

  Tim nodded. “Aye, sir. Course plotted and ready. She’s all yours, Redding.”

  “Okay, Crystal Font,” Gray said. “Let’s move out.”

  As the engines fired up, the ship pulled out of orbit, moving alongside the Alliance ship. Gray stood and watched the view screen, hands clasped behind his back. Clea also stood nearby, far more tense than he’d seen her before. She fidgeted, which was uncharacteristic. Once they cleared Earth space and headed for the coordinates, somewhere away from any of the planets in the solar system, he turned to Adam.

  “Commander Everly, you’ve got the bridge.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Vinthari An’Tufal, will you please come to my office?” Gray left the bridge and Clea followed close behind. Neither said a word before they were in private and Gray perched on his desk, gesturing to a chair. “Okay, what’s going on?”

  “Sir?” She sat down. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “I’ve known you long enough to recognize when you’ve got a problem,” he said. “You seem nervous…or something. So confide in me. What’s up?”

  “It’s nothing to be concerned with. It won’t affect my performance on the ship.”

  “I’m not sure I agree,” Gray replied. “But you can put my mind at ease. Come on, Clea. We’re friends…and friends talk.”

  Clea sighed, averting her gaze to the floor. “I spent time aboard the Crystal Font for the last several days.”

  “Was it nice to be amongst other Kielans?”

  “Yes, absolutely…no regrets there at all but…well…I learned a bit about where we’re going. And the Anthar of the Font.”

  “And those things worry you?”

  “Anthar Ru’Xin is a stunning officer. I can’t believe he advanced in the ranks so quickly. He’s my junior in age and is…was my senior in rank.”

  “Wait, was?”

  “When we finish this mission, I’ve been promised a promotion,” Clea replied. “A new rank in the Kielan military for liaisons. Apparently, there are enough of us now to warrant such an honor. I’ll be known as Tathin, which would be the equivalent of Anthar without the responsibilities of running a ship. It will offer me operational priority over the standard military rank for purposes of cooperation.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “I’m not sure I take it as a benefit. The responsibility frightens me in one regard. I don’t have as much experience as the typical Anthar. I’ll be relying heavily upon their advice. In any event, that’s not why I’m nervous now. Anthar Ru’Xin got this assignment because his was the only surviving ship in a major skirmish out on the borders. It was a brutal fight and I’m not sure he was ready for active duty.”

  “That’s probably why they gave him this easy assignment,” Gray pointed out.

  “If it proves to be easy,” Clea said. “I’m not sure it will be. However, I hope he’s up to the challenge. He seems like a good man and I found him to be delightful but…he has moments of darkness. Whatever he saw in that fight has impacted him.”

  “War changes people.” Gray moved around and sat in his own chair. “I’m sure he’ll come out the other side. Is that your only concern? The Anthar of the other vessel?”

  “I…learned something about the system we’re going to. The research facility. You see, not all of my family joined the military. Some…well, they’re scientists.”

  “I had no idea. I thought family traditions stuck to all members.”

  “In most cases, yes but those without the physical aptitude to excel in the military find other ways to serve. They still work with the armed forces but in the research capacity. In this case, my sister is one of the lead researchers we are taking Protocol Seven to. Apparently, she’s been building weapons for the last year there. I had no idea…it was not in the last letter from home.”

  “So you’re going to get to see
your sister.” Gray shrugged. “I fail to see how that’s a bad thing.”

  “She’s my older sibling. I hope she’s not…too harsh on me for what I’ve done. I believe I’m serving the family well, doing something new but she always stood as my harshest critic. Much as I wish to see a relative, I don’t feel up to conflict with one.”

  “You’re an exemplary military officer,” Gray said. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Remember this, those who criticize loudest are the most insecure. If she says anything against you, it’ll be because she knows her own short comings are prominent. Do your best to let it roll off your back. You don’t have to prove anything. Your record speaks for itself.”

  “I appreciate your vote of confidence and it means a lot.” Clea shook her head. “I just want them to be happy both with me and for me. I suppose everyone wants the approval of their loved ones, right?”

  “Traditionally.” Gray smiled. “But you can’t please everyone all the time. If you try, you’re just asking for trouble.”

  “I’ll try to remember that as well.” Clea motioned for the door. “Shouldn’t we get back to duty? My personal concerns are keeping the captain from the bridge.”

  “Adam’s got it,” Gray replied. “Besides, I’m glad you had the chance to talk about this stuff. Bottling it up wouldn’t have helped. You feel better, right?”

  “I feel…justified. Better would be a stretch.”

  Gray laughed. “It’s a start, Clea, one I’ll accept for now. Come on, before you start to think I’m soft.”

  “You are,” Clea replied. “Otherwise, you would beat me in chess more often.”

  “Ouch, kindness makes me lose, huh? I’ll keep that in mind for the future. For now, let’s leave this solar system. That’s an adventure all unto itself.”

  “One I hope you’ll never forget,” Clea said.

  “Me too, Clea. Me too.”

  Chapter 4

  “Commander Everly,” Redding spoke up. “We have reached the coordinates for the hyper jump. We’re beginning the countdown.”

  “Very good.” Adam tapped his communicator and dialed in the captain. “We’re about to perform the hyper jump.”

  “On my way.” Gray’s voice crackled on the speakers and faded out. He arrived a few moments later and took his seat. Clea sat beside him on the left, Adam on the right. “So…what should we expect? Two ships jumping at the same time…how do we avoid knocking into one another?”

  “Our navigation consoles are synched,” Clea replied. “When the Crystal Font begins their countdown, our system will do the same. Much like the enemy’s approach during their first attack on your planet, we’ll appear in the new system together. I’ve checked the coordinates and we’ll be cutting it close, coming in near the research facility.”

  “How close?” Adam asked. “Sounds dangerous.”

  “Thirty minutes away at most,” Clea said. “Kielan navigation is tuned enough to make such a leap. The planet’s gravitational pull will mask our arrival. If the enemy has long range scans scouring the outer systems, they will not catch the anomaly of our arrival.”

  “Nice…” Adam nodded. “But still sounds dangerous. If their calculations are off even a little bit, that thirty minutes turns into instant death as we appear in the planet.”

  “Believe me,” Clea said, “our calculations will be fine.”

  Olly piped in, “I’ve checked the math several times, sir. It looks perfect.”

  “Ten seconds,” Redding announced. “Crystal Font reports all systems are nominal on their end. We are ready.”

  “How long will this jump take?” Gray asked Clea. “Our little hop can’t be a good indication of time.”

  “Time will have no meaning,” Clea explained. “Much like anesthesia, we will simply find ourselves at the destination.”

  “Creepy,” Tim muttered.

  “Stop it.” Redding took a deep breath. “Three seconds.”

  Adam gripped his chair tightly. Here we go, he thought. This is the real test.

  The lights flashed once. The engine whined, shaking the hull then, just as it seemed to reach a crescendo, it stopped. Lights burst over head, making Adam wince with the suddenness of their return. Tim coughed and Olly immediately started tapping away at his console, ever the constant worker.

  “Report.” Gray’s voice seemed strained and choked. He rubbed his forehead. Adam tried to stand up but couldn’t find the strength. He remained in place, actively trying to recover.

  “Coordinates are correct,” Olly said. “But…wait a moment…”

  “Crystal Font is hailing,” Agatha announced. “Emergency frequency.”

  “On speaker,” Adam said.

  “Behemoth, this is the Crystal Font.” Adam wasn’t sure who was speaking…their communication officer perhaps? “Battle stations! I repeat, beat to quarters.”

  “Get the view screen up,” Adam ordered. “What’s going on out there?”

  The screen lit up, revealing pure chaos. Two other Alliance vessels battled six familiar, hostile silhouettes. Fire erupted from ships on both sides as each blasted away at one another. Gray stood, shouting as he did, “full shields, launch all fighters and fast power the pulse cannons! Get on it, people. Now!”

  The crew went into motion. Adam brought Group Commander Estaban Revente on com, ordering the fighters to launch. They didn’t anticipate such an engagement directly out of hyper jump so it would take time for them to launch, time they did not necessarily have. The pulse cannons would have to keep the enemy busy along with the Crystal Font.

  Surely, four of us can take these guys down but I didn’t think they came in such force. Six ships? What are they doing?

  “I had the pilots on standby,” Revente said. “They’ll be out in less than five minutes.”

  “God bless you for being prepared,” Adam said, reporting the news to the captain.

  “Excellent.” Gray nodded. “How’s the Crystal Font?”

  “They’ve powered up weapons and are moving to engage,” Olly answered. “The enemy has scanned us but so far, none have disengaged to meet us.”

  “We’re too far to matter,” Clea said. She stood. “We need to push it if we’re going to help those alliance ships. They’re being obliterated!”

  “Full power to the engines,” Gray said. “Drop the speed when the fighters are ready to launch. We’ll come in tight and give them a broadside.”

  Redding tapped the controls. The engines powered up, humming throughout the ship as they accelerated. Adam joined Gray, leaning close.

  “We should use the Protocol Seven,” he said. “It’ll surprise them…we might not have time to save those other ships if we don’t.”

  “We’re already a surprise,” Gray replied. “They had no idea we were coming.”

  “Six on four aren’t even odds,” Adam pressed. “If we don’t use everything at our disposal, we won’t win this.”

  “What’s that?” Gray pointed at the screen, gesturing at the planet. “Do you see those flashes?”

  “On it.” Olly read something before answering. “It seems the enemy has landed a fairly large contingency of troops. They’re in the midst of a nasty battle with planetary defense forces. Man, they’re shelling each other!”

  “I need to speak to Anthar Ru’Xin,” Gray said. “Get him on the line.”

  Kale appeared on the screen. “Captain,” he said. “It seems our simple mission has taken a turn for the complicated.”

  “They’ve got troops on the planet,” Gray replied. “That sounds like they want something to me.”

  “Indeed, I suspect they intend to take our research.” Kale frowned. “We won’t make short work of these battleships but we must extract our scientists. If we cannot save the data, it must be destroyed. Whatever happens, the enemy cannot take that facility.”

  “We can shell it,” Adam announced. “Pulverize it from orbit.”

  Clea stood in a rush, her face flush with uncharacteristic p
assion. “And murder all those people?”

  “Denying the enemy that research is the most important thing, isn’t it?” Adam asked.

  “No,” Clea replied firmly. “No, it is not. Captain, I will personally lead a strike force to the surface to get the data, and the people, out of there. Just give me the word and we’ll prepare right now.”

  “A small force isn’t going to help down there.” Adam gestured to the planet. “There’s no way.”

  “That’s precisely what we need,” Clea snapped. “We can get there undetected, download any data we can, destroy what we can’t and leave with the personnel.” She touched Gray’s arm. “Please, sir. We have to try.”

  Gray looked at Adam who shook his head. There’s no way it will work. We’re going to throw lives away if we do it. He chose not to voice his concern. The captain would see reason. Dupont wouldn’t go for it either and he had say over any ground actions. They had enough problems with the ships in space, they didn’t need to add marines into the mix.

  “Contact Dupont,” Gray said to Clea. “Get a team together and depart as soon as you can. We can’t afford any delay.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Clea nodded once and rushed for the door, vanishing down the hall.

  “Captain…” Adam shook his head. “That’s a mistake.”

  “We’ve got some pretty amazing soldiers on board,” Gray replied. “I think I’ll trust them and try to save some lives before blowing the place up. Besides, we can always rain hell down on the location later. That data has a lot of value and those people know too much to throw away. Have some faith and let’s focus on what we’re about to get involved in.”

  “We’re just about in range,” Olly said. “Fighters are reporting launch readiness in less than a minute.”

  “Start slowing us down, Redding.” Gray moved back to his seat. “Get us turned. I want a full broadside just before the fighters launch. Adam, continue to coordinate with Revente.”

  ***

  Gray watched his first officer sit stiffly. He knew Adam didn’t like his approach to the planet but destroying the research facility should be a last resort, not the first. Clea’s passion aside, attempting to infiltrate the base made sense. When they finished the enemy above, they could lay fire upon the invading force.