by S. H. Jucha
When Miftra glanced in confusion between the females, Gramab said, “Artifice is sending battleships. Our planet is to be destroyed.”
“But Artifice would have no reason for destroying us. We’ve been too careful,” Miftra vehemently protested.
“Tittra ona Hagra swears his team has been careful, and I believe that,” Gramab said. “If our conjectures are right, and there is a fleet coming to decimate this planet, then Artifice has concluded that it needs to be done. It doesn’t matter how or why it came to that conclusion.”
“Can we survive belowground?” Miftra asked fearfully.
“Do you think Artifice would send ships that couldn’t adequately end our people’s existence?” Lipsit asked rhetorically.
“In hindsight, I can see what Artifice might have noticed that led it to send a fleet,” Gramab mused. “It thought that we were nearly decimated after the first extinction event. Then it would have observed through its probes that we quickly returned to the surface. Our aboveground structures, although few, are well crafted and indicate sophisticated engineering. Seeing our quick recovery would have led Artifice to believe that we would become a threat again someday. Therefore, why not end us sooner than later.”
“What I would like to know,” Lipsit added, “is how the race aboard these smooth-hulled ships knew of Artifice’s intentions and managed to arrive here first.”
* * *
When no more battleships joined the original eighteen, which were now inbound, Tatia maneuvered the commands to face them. Aboard the city-ship, Tatia, Reiko, and Cordelia planned how to take on the battleships.
“Remember, what was done at the opening of the battle at the New Terra system,” Reiko said.
“At a cost to us,” Tatia reminded.
“But their sacrifice was invaluable,” Reiko persisted.
Tatia smiled to herself. She was reminded of Alex’s words. He often said that what one SADE knew, all SADEs would know. In this case, it was real time, as Miriam handled the conference comm and shared with the Sisterhood, and all mobile SADEs had a link to their ship’s sister.
Tatia considered the idea. She was still searching for a strategy to counter the eighteen battleships, despite the number of ideas submitted by her admirals. she sent and ended the conference call.
There was no need for Tatia to assign the request. The SADEs would tear into the data, which resided on the Freedom’s massive array of storage crystals, analyze it, and then involve their human counterparts for a discussion on strategy.
The battleship fleet approached the Omnian fleet from across the ecliptic, which forced it to skirt the system’s star, making the trip longer.
Cordelia kept a running chronometer for the admirals. It counted down the approximate time left before the battleship fleet entered the Omnians’ engagement envelope.
When Renée heard, she sighed deeply, relieved to hear of the Toralians’ arrival.
Tatia and Reiko hurried to the bridge.
Tatia made the bridge in time to hear a static-filled call that sounded like Alex. Her mind flashed back to the days as a major in Terran Security Forces. I’m spoiled, she thought, considering the decades she’d spent immersed in Méridien comm technology.
Alex’s voice was understandable this time.
Tatia sent.
Alex and Julien shared glances. They could detect the concern in Tatia’s voice. The Omnians reviewed the imagery from the scout ships, as they climbed their way to the Dark Whispers’ bridge.
“Each of these battleships possesses hundreds of armament ports, Alex,” Julien commented. “If each port is able to deliver ten or more ship-to-ship missiles, then the fleet can launch more than forty thousand missiles. Depending on their sophistication and range, it would be difficult for our Tridents to survive a head-on fight.”
Alex only grunted in reply as he and the rest of the Omnians hurried the final ninety meters to reach the bridge. With the approach of battle conditions, the Toralians’ limited communications with the Omnian fleet was proving to be a serious detriment.
“Alex, there’s no need for haste,” Sargut said, when the Omnians burst onto the bridge. “We’re awaiting updates on the system. We can collect you from your fighter when they arrive.”
“Julien,” Alex requested, and the SADE extended his arm and activated a portable holo-vid.
“This is the Chistorlan system,” Alex said, pointing to the representation. “We’ve arrived here.” He signaled Julien, and the SADE enlarged the display.
“This is the Chistorlan home world. It’s on a near pass to us,” Alex continued. “The Omnian fleet is positioned inward from the planet. It’s preparing to meet a battleship fleet that is crossing the ecliptic toward our ships. According to my SADEs, the battleships are about two-and-a-half Omnian cycles from contact with my fleet.”
Sargut, Tormheth, and Suntred, along with a few bridge officers, crowded around the holo-vid.
“You can collect and display real-time data?” Sargut asked.
“No,” Alex replied. “But we have the means to transmit the data between ships in that manner. More important, can you reach the Omnian fleet before the engagement?”
Alex knew the answer before he asked, but there was something else he wanted to know. As he suspected, it was Tormheth who revealed the answer.
“It doesn’t matter, Alex,” Tormheth declared. “We can’t assist your forces. If we do, and this new battleship fleet is not defeated, then our race will pay the price for our treachery against Artifice.”
Suntred glared and hissed at Tormheth.
“The two of you are about to be confined to quarters,” Sargut said sternly. “I command this ship, and Grand Commander Tranimus appointed me to decide the actions of our battleships.”
“Navigation, time to reach the Omnian fleet?” Sargut requested in a demanding voice. He continued to eye Tormheth and Suntred, daring either of them to speak.
“At maximum acceleration, Commander, it will take four point eight cycles,” the navigation officer replied.
“Z,” Alex said.
The SADE accessed the data on the Toralian system, calculated Toral’s cyclical nature, and converted it to Omnian time. “About three-and-a-half days, Alex.”
“Black space,” Alex, Franz, and Mickey swore simultaneously.
Sargut stared at Julien, waiting for a translation. “Omnian humans are upset that your ships will reach
our fleet too late to be of aid to our forces,” Julien said.
Tormheth sucked air between his teeth, pleased by the calculation. His gloating died in his throat, when Alex closed on him until they were centimeters apart. Tormheth didn’t need an exchange of words to recognize that the alien leader appeared ready to tear him asunder.
Alex turned his head slightly to gaze at Julien.
Sargut and Suntred, who were transfixed by the vehemence radiating off Alex, deduced that Julien was communicating with his friend.
Alex spared Tormheth a final glance. Then he uncurled his fists and turned his attention toward Sargut.
“Can we talk to the commander of the invading battleship fleet?” Alex asked.
Sargut stirred from his daze and called to the senior bridge officer. “Did we receive a translation program for the inbound fleet?”
“Negative, Commander. Artifice didn’t supply it,” the officer replied.
“Julien, link the SADEs,” Alex requested.
It was understood by Alex that he wanted every Omnian SADE. When the sisters acknowledged that the SADEs were ready, Alex’s eyes glazed, as he joined them.
Miranda moved toward Tormheth and said, “Stand in that far corner, Subcommander, where you’ll be safe.”
Tormheth was so unnerved by Alex’s confrontation that he woodenly walked to the far point of the bridge and stood there, dubiously eyeing the Omnians.
Cordelia took it upon herself to deliver the bad news.
At Tatia’s request, Cordelia streamed the encounter between the Vivian’s Mirror and the two battleships at Toral, and the SADEs aboard the Dark Whispers began analyzing it.
Alex couldn’t believe what he was about to say, but there was no other choice, as he saw it, unless he decided to leave the Chistorlans to their fate. And that was unconscionable to him.
