“Slow down, sir,” said Burner.
“It takes time to bring a couple of trillion tons to a halt, Lieutenant.”
The Ixidar’s velocity gauge fell to zero and the Gorgadar caught up. Aston parked a few hundred kilometres away and Montero focused one of the arrays on the warship.
“No sign of damage on their hull,” she said.
“None,” Recker agreed. He raised his voice. “Lieutenant Burner, do you have anything to report that I don’t already know?”
“Only the details, sir. We put a hole through the Ancidium and they decided they’d had enough of DEKA-L.”
“A mode 3 won’t have taken them far,” said Recker.
“I’ve been scanning for their position, sir, but they might have chain-activated several mode 3 transits and then I’d never find them.”
“Don’t stop looking.”
“No, sir.”
Recker took a breath. “Just before I activated the Ixidar’s mode 3, I spotted something entering the bay through one of the linking tunnels. I don’t know what it was, but I didn’t like it.”
“Do you think it followed you out of the Ancidium?”
“I don’t know. If it did, we’ll find out soon enough.”
“I’ll hunt for two possible targets, sir.”
“And contact base – I want Fleet Admiral Telar to know what happened out here.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the outcome of recent events began to sink in, Recker was left with a feeling, not that he could have necessarily done more, but that the attack on the Ancidium probably hadn’t put much of a dent in the Lavorix war machine. The enemy had lost dozens of warships which they could likely afford to lose, and the Gorgadar’s particle beam - in conjunction with the Ixidar’s destroyer cannons - had set back the construction of several capital ships, yet the evidence suggested that the Lavorix had plenty of everything left in reserve.
And now, the Ancidium was gone from DEKA-L, which meant the only way to locate it was by luck or when it showed up at a populated world and started draining the inhabitants with its Extractor.
Suddenly, the destruction inflicted upon the enemy didn’t seem so great after all and Recker asked himself if he’d squandered an advantage. The main unknown was the carnage the Ixidar’s two Extractor shots into the Ancidium might have wrought. Perhaps the enemy had lost twenty billion of their personnel and could no longer adequately crew their fleet. Certainly those warships in the adjacent bay had remained operational after the second discharge, though it was possible they’d been out of the weapon’s effect cone.
With everything that had happened to the HPA and the Daklan in the last few months, Recker thought he was permitted a degree of cynicism. He cursed again and wondered what to do next.
Chapter Eighteen
Recker hadn’t been long considering his options when the bridge door opened and the squad returned, talking amongst themselves as if they were returning from the mess room on a normal day.
“The first threat was eliminated,” announced Sergeant Shadar. “A second group of Lavorix arrived shortly after and was also eliminated.”
“Casualties?” asked Recker in sudden concern.
“No casualties except those of our enemy.”
“Sorry, Sergeant, I missed that second group on the internal monitors,” said Montero. “We’ve had our hands full on the bridge.”
“No apologies necessary, Corporal,” said Shadar.
“Are any more incoming?” asked Vance, positioning himself for a high-quality lean against the rear bulkhead.
“I’ll check,” said Montero. She looked towards Recker to make sure he agreed.
“Do it,” said Recker. He gave a tight smile to convey the unspoken extra word. Quickly.
“Yes, sir,” said Montero.
Memories of the huge warship he’d seen entering the Ancidium’s bay were bothering Recker and he accessed the sensor arrays himself. He was hesitant in their operation, doubly so because this was Lavorix tech, but he was able to initiate an automated long-range sweep. It was far more likely that Lieutenant Burner would locate any threats first, but a second pair of eyes never hurt.
“The life signs indicators show a count of sixty-three remaining Lavorix, spread across three separate groups,” announced Montero. “It looks like they’re planning to muster in one of the shuttle bays.”
“The enemy will no longer attack piecemeal,” said Shadar. “When they are ready, they will commit their remaining forces. We are outnumbered and the passages of a warship are not a good place to defend against explosives.”
“Each of those last two groups had a rocket soldier, sir,” said Vance. “I guess these others won’t be any different.”
“Corporal Montero, keep an eye on the enemy,” said Recker. He swore. “I could do without this crap – I need you watching the external sensors.”
“Watching the monitors is easy, sir,” said Montero. “It won’t distract me.”
“We could hole up on the bridge,” said Vance.
“Been there, done that, Sergeant,” said Recker. “Let’s not get ourselves trapped if we can avoid it.”
“I’ve worked out how to download the Ixidar’s internal map data and make it compatible with our suit computers, sir,” said Montero. “I can provide a copy of the file to the squad and feed in live data from the internal monitors. It’s possible the enemy can disable our ability to track them, but until that happens, our squad will be two steps ahead.”
“We can ambush the enemy,” said Shadar. “And kill them without mercy.”
“Go,” said Recker, not wishing to spend time deliberating. “If the heat is too much, fall back to the bridge.”
The soldiers exited the bridge without further discussion and Recker was grateful he had officers who didn’t require micromanagement.
At that moment, Lieutenant Eastwood made a discovery which almost had him jumping from his seat.
“Sir! Our batteries were at ten percent when we first captured the Ixidar – now they’re full!”
“The Lavorix!” said Recker in equal excitement. “Our Extractor attacks must have worked!”
“Do we have any way of calculating how many we killed?” asked Montero.
“It’s a good question, Lieutenant,” said Eastwood, his head low to his console as he dug through menus and readouts. “Short answer: no. Long answer: we don’t know how much each kill puts in the batteries and we don’t know what happens to the spare life energy once those batteries reach a hundred percent.”
“Pass on the good news to the Gorgadar, Corporal,” Recker instructed.
“Wait!” said Eastwood.
“What’s the matter?” asked Recker, sensing some bad news to temper the good.
“I’ve accessed the audit logs for the batteries and they show only a single input of extraction energy and the time stamp coincides with our first discharge of the weapon.”
“The first shot was successful in killing the Lavorix, but the second was not,” said Recker. “How can that be?”
“I don’t know, sir.” Eastwood raised his head and his brow was furrowed in thought. “Maybe the Ancidium has a way to neutralise the Extractor beam.”
“Then why did the first attack work? Simply because the enemy weren’t expecting it?”
“I don’t know, sir. Maybe. We’ve learned that the Ancidium is immune to certain weapon types – what if it uses its own stores of life energy to adapt to whatever is incoming? Like an energy shield, but different. We know the Ixidar’s former crew were adjusting their Extractor during their attack on Tokladan. It’s possible they altered the weapon in a way that caught the Ancidium unawares.”
As far as explanations went, Eastwood’s seemed logical enough and Recker nodded. “In which case, we’ve learned a valuable lesson here – next time we encounter the Ancidium, we should assume the Extractor will not work as we intend.”
“Unless we figure out the method to adjust it and then do so
in a way that will bypass the Ancidium’s immunity,” said Eastwood.
“Do you think you can determine the correct Extractor wavelength?” asked Recker, fumbling for the correct word.
“I’m not sure.” Eastwood pursed his lips. “Hunch says we don’t have the required data. And even if we did…”
“I know,” said Recker. “We don’t have the time to study it.”
“Or the knowledge to implement the required changes on the hardware.”
“I get it, Lieutenant – we’ve got problems the same as always.”
“And we should consider the Gorgadar’s particle beam as well, sir,” said Eastwood. “It worked once, but maybe it won’t work the next time.”
Recker cast his mind back. “The first time the particle beam came online, it had a secondary status of modulating. Maybe it’s designed to circumvent immunities.”
“The enemy wanted it to bypass their own defences?” asked Montero.
“More like it was designed to combat something the Kilvar came up with,” said Eastwood. “And it’s our good luck that it’s capable of putting a hole in the Ancidium as well.”
“So we have the particle beam. Is there anything we can do with what’s in those batteries?” asked Montero. “Like channel it into a death ray that blows the Ancidium into pieces? Using the Lavorix’s own life energy against them would be real justice.”
Montero’s enthusiasm was more than just infectious - this time, it set Recker’s mind on a journey and he ordered a channel to the Gorgadar.
“Sir, I’ve got Fleet Admiral Telar in another channel. I have him on mute,” said Burner, getting in the first words. “He wants to talk with you when I’m done giving him the outline.”
“Admiral Telar will have to wait - I’d like to speak to Lieutenant Larson.”
“I’ll bring her into the channel.”
“What is it, sir?” asked Larson.
“Have you learned anything new about the Gorgadar’s weapons systems, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, sir. I was going to bring it up once everything calmed down a little.”
“Let me guess – both the decay pulse and the destabiliser are unavailable because the Gorgadar’s extraction batteries are empty?”
If Larson was surprised, she did an excellent job of hiding it. “That’s what Commander Aston and I believe, sir.”
“The Ixidar’s batteries are full. I don’t suppose you’ve discovered a way of transferring the stored energy from one warship to another?”
“No, sir. I haven’t even considered the requirement until now.”
“Look into it,” said Recker.
“I will do, sir. Is it a priority?”
“It’s critical, the same way everything is.”
Larson was bright enough to understand and she didn’t ask for clarification. She closed out of the channel, leaving Recker to ponder the options. He was interested to learn what damage the decay pulse and the destabiliser would inflict upon an opposing warship, but doubted the Lavorix had built in any straightforward method of energy transfer that would allow the Ixidar to charge up the Gorgadar’s batteries. Doubtless the Ancidium was carrying suitable hardware, but using it wasn’t an option.
At that moment, Corporal Montero found something which was as close to winning the jackpot as Recker could possibly have hoped for. Her first announcement of it didn’t betray the importance.
“I think I’ve located something, sir,” she said.
“What kind of something?” asked Recker. “Give me the specifics, Corporal.”
“During the time the shutdown code had us kicked us out of the Ixidar’s controls, it looks as if we started receiving data from the Ancidium’s comms network.”
Recker’s ears pricked up. “What did we receive?”
“It’s a list of planets and solar systems – one hundred and seventy in total,” said Montero. “I recognize a few of them as being in HPA space. They’ve been assigned numbers which I think might be priorities.”
“Send me the data,” said Recker. “Now!”
Montero looked at him sideways, as if she wasn’t sure what had got him so agitated. “All yours, sir.”
The file appeared on Recker’s screen and he opened it.
“One hundred and seventy planets,” he muttered, scanning the list. “The same ones we located in the Gorgadar’s comms system, but with far more details in the file.”
“Anything we can use?” asked Eastwood, taking an interest.
“Oh hell, yes,” said Recker, hardly able to believe what he was looking at. “Corporal Montero, I’d kiss you if it wouldn’t see me in front of a court-martial.”
“Shucks, sir, I won’t tell,” said Montero. “What did I find?”
“A double-edged sword, Corporal, but perhaps the most valuable weapon in the war to date.”
Recker’s attempt to provide further details was interrupted by Lieutenant Burner opening a channel.
“Sir, Fleet Admiral Telar wants to talk with you now.”
“Perfect timing,” said Recker. “Pass him through.” The Ixidar’s comms were still on open and the speakers hummed. “Hello, sir.”
“Captain Recker, I’ve heard the outline…”
“Sir, you need to listen to this,” said Recker.
Telar knew when to shut up and he cut himself off mid-sentence. “Speak,” he said.
“While the Ixidar was under the Ancidium’s control, the Lavorix included it on their Priority 1 comms network again. The enemy have provided us with a list of the same one hundred and seventy planets which I told you about before, along with the order in which they plan to visit them. The Lavorix are only intending to use Gateway travel for the longest distances.”
“For once, I’m not sure I want to hear this, Carl.”
Recker pressed on. “Assuming the Lavorix don’t alter their plans, in fifteen days, they will arrive at Earth.” Speaking the words aloud drove home to Recker exactly what was at stake and he took a deep breath. “We have fifteen days to stop these bastards, sir. Once they arrive at Earth, our days are numbered. After that, the Daklan will follow us into the same oblivion.” He took a deep breath. “But we know where they’re going to be and when. The next engagement will be on our terms, not theirs.”
Delivering the message left Recker feeling drained and he sat back to hear what Fleet Admiral Telar would decide.
Chapter Nineteen
Telar was a man who thought fast and who had an in-depth knowledge of everything under his command.
“Are the Lavorix aware that we have learned their plans?” he asked.
“I don’t know, sir. We’re no longer receiving comms from the Ancidium, which is expected if they are at lightspeed. Either way, it’s likely they have cut us off their network.”
“Will they know what we have discovered?”
“That’s the big question, sir. It depends on how much of their inter-ship comms is controlled by computer and how much by a real pair of eyes. The Lavorix are strong when it comes to warfare, but they are overconfident, and on more than one occasion I’ve taken advantage of the fact.”
“Their plans might change,” said Telar, talking while he decided on a course of action. He made up his mind. “But we must act on current intel. Which populated planet will the Lavorix visit next, after they have discovered Earth?” he asked. “The discovery of so many people may in itself affect their plans, but I expect they will continue their exploration one way or another.”
“Next on the list is the Daklan planet Loterle at eighteen days, and after that comes Terrani at twenty-four days,” said Recker.
“Send me the list of planets and accompanying data,” said Telar after a moment’s thought. “It’s imperative the enemy does not make it to Earth. I will discuss the options with Admiral Ivinstol and together, we will decide where to meet the Ancidium. In the time since we first discussed this list of a hundred and seventy planets, I have arranged for the majority of the HPA fleet to be muste
red in one place, ready to act as necessary. That, at least, is already done.”
“I thought Admiral Ivinstol perished during the attack on Trinus-XN,” said Recker.
“He did not – the Admiral and his team were deep underground and the incendiary fires did not reach them.”
Recker was glad at the news. Although his dealings with Ivinstol were few, they had all been positive and the Daklan no doubt had plenty to contribute to both the planning and execution. “Our fleets are not enough to challenge the warships held in the Ancidium’s bays, let alone the Ancidium itself, sir. I would have suggested we attempt lightspeed transits into the mothership’s interior, but I have seen first-hand that the enemy is immune to conventional attacks. And should the enemy patch the opening in their hull, our lightspeed transits will fail anyway.”
“I am aware of the difficulties, Captain Recker,” said Telar. “However, I will not be relying entirely on our fleets. We have finished production of a third shield breaker. Having lost one during the Ixidar’s attack on Tronstal, we are left with a total of two. Perhaps they will penetrate the Ancidium’s defences.”
“The shield breakers are unproven, sir,” Recker protested. “Would it not be better if you ordered an evacuation of Earth?”
“That may also happen, but I cannot make a snap decision of such magnitude,” said Telar. “One moment, while I check something.”
For two minutes, the speakers went quiet and Recker drummed his fingers, wondering what Telar was up to. He soon found out.
“You will take the Ixidar and the Gorgadar to Terrani,” said Telar.
“Sir?” asked Recker in surprise.
“With the Ivisto base destroyed, Terrani is the only planet in the alliance with facilities to handle both warships at once. The skills of the Daklan are beyond doubt – their technicians will figure out a way to transfer the batteries from the Ixidar and install them into the Gorgadar. We will have the decay pulse and the destabiliser available to us when the confrontation comes. Perhaps one of those weapons generates a death sphere capable of encompassing the entire Ancidium.”
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